Title – Game of Life

Author – Puzzler

Disclaimer – Star Trek is the property of Paramount Pictures and I am only borrowing the idea for fun. The Pirans are my own creation.

Summary – Voyager is attacked by a race called the Pirans who force the bridge crew into completing a set of puzzles to stop 'an item they will not want destroyed' from being destroyed.

Set – Just after the episode 'The Killing Game' in Voyager's season 4. There will be references to this episode.

Stardate – 51734.5 I have done my best to think of a stardate that fits in with the Voyager series 4. I'm sorry if you don't agree.

Author's note – I was very pleased to find that I had reviews on this story, only one day after posting it too! PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!!

Chapter 5 – Wrong Location

"There's nothing here" Neelix exclaimed, exasperated. Their search of the Mess Hall had been going on for some time and had, as yet, turned up nothing.

"He is correct" Clarin said quietly from near the door "You are in the wrong location."

"You just let us get it wrong didn't you?" Harry said sarcastically from the kitchen area.

"If you had listened to all of the challenge rules, you would know that…" she stopped abruptly and took a pad out of her pocket "The Challenge Official has the right to give information concerning any of the puzzles if needed and if asked for. You didn't ask."

"Please may we have a look at the rules before we continue?" The others muttered agreements, it was probably best if they knew what they could and could not do.

"Here" Clarin handed the pad to Tuvok. He skimmed quickly through the data and then passed the pad to Chakotay.

"OK then. I ask you for help on this puzzle" Chakotay said, returning the pad to Clarin.

"Another clue to the location is:

            You may only enter 3, when it is turned on.

            The people seem real, but they are easily gone."

"Another riddle. Is this whole challenge going to be made up of riddles?"

"B'Elanna, please" Tom cut in before Clarin, or anyone else for that matter, could answer "I think I know where we are going."

"Where?" Neelix asked

"I'm thinking holodeck 3. Hopefully we will be able to find the correct program if we need to."

"Sounds good. Lead the way to the holodeck."

The group of nine went through corridors and Jeffries tubes, arriving, slightly breathless, 10 minutes later.

Tom checked the panel beside the holodeck doors "There is a program already running. It's…Sandrines"

"I guess Sandrines would fit the description: slightly messy, a lot of the crew goes there and the people there are holograms." Harry soon realised that he had said that out loud and stopped.

"Open the door lieutenant. Let's find that clue."

As they came through the doors, it was evident that they had been expected. The room fell silent, even the balls on the pool table seemed to be watching.

"What is going on in here?" Tom wondered out loud. Sandrine answered by running out from behind the bar and almost colliding with him.

"Oh, Tom, we're glad you've come. We have heard all about the challenge and have been told to give a rather confusing message. I've got it written down…here." She quickly handed Tom a pad identical to the one Clarin was holding. The pad read:

            Rearrange these letters to form the name of the next location. There may be some letters left over at the end.

                       A  C  C  E  I  L  L  M  N  N  N  N  O  O  O  R  R  S  T  T  V

"Doesn't look like all of the puzzles are riddles" B'Elanna mumbled, earning a confused glance from Sandrine.

"What do you think it says?" Sandrine asked. Chakotay didn't answer her but passed the pad on to the doctor who was looking over his shoulder.

"It looks like it could be Environmental Control but I'm not sure" the doctor looked at it closely again but was suddenly interrupted.

"Are there the correct letters for Environmental Control?" asked Seven.

"Yes. With only the letter 's' left over" he answered.

"That's close enough. We need to get moving down to Deck 10" Chakotay said finally.

They quickly left, just in time to see Sandrine's disappointed expression and for the pool game to resume.

"I do hope this is the right place. Having to go all the way back up to…somewhere like deck 3 is really going to get on my nerves."

"Will you please stop thinking out loud lieutenant" Clarin snapped at B'Elanna "It is very…irritating"

"Sor…at last, we're here." B'Elanna started to reply. She interrupted herself when she saw they had arrived at Environmental Control.

"You know what we did last time. Split up and do a thorough search of this section." It was quite clear that Chakotay didn't need, or want, to say any more and was rather bored at repeating himself.

"Commander, I think I've found the clue" Harry said, walking over to Chakotay "It looks like some sort of word puzzle."

"Read it out loud, Harry"

"I can't. Here, look"

E

E

G

D

I

R

B

T

H

E

R

N

E

S

E

V

E

N

X

T

O

D

P

I

X

I

L

E

E

N

C

O

U

R

Z

Z

L

Y

E

I

P

C

H

A

K

O

T

A

Y

S

R

T

I

P

I

N

O

W

T

H

A

O

E

C

M

A

R

E

P

T

W

R

A

I

N

S

R

N

R

E

K

O

V

U

T

A

E

A

D

Y

R

H

E

L

M

O

S

J

O

M

Find all the words listed below in the grid and all unused letters will spell out the next location.


Bridge

Chakotay

Doctor

Helm

Janeway

Kim

Neelix

Paris

Seven

Torres

Tuvok

Warp Core


"Oh, by the way, only Ensign Kim and Neelix can complete this puzzle" Clarin added when the entire group had finished reading.

Harry took the pad back from Chakotay's outstretched hand and moved off to the side with Neelix.

"Maybe we should cross off the words in the grid when we find them" Neelix said, putting a line through the word 'CHAKOTAY'.

"I agree" replied Harry, doing the same for the words 'SEVEN' and 'NEELIX'. "It appears that the words can also be backwards."

It was quite a short time before all 12 of the 'words' had been found. Harry checked that he could find the clue before telling the others.

"Right. It says: the next puzzle is in the Captain's ready room. Looks like we'll have to go back up."

"Oh, brilliant. Let's go." Compared to before, this comment of B'Elanna's was very reserved.

By the time the group had climbed the nine decks to get back to the Bridge, everyone looked truly fed up of not being able to use the turbolifts. This exhaustion caused Chakotay to be rather off focus when he keyed for the door to the ready room to open.

"What the hell happened in here?!"

TO BE CONTINUED…