okay... this is a new fanfic area for me and until i get used to playing with the TNG characters, chapters might be few and far between... bear with me, they will make for an interesting story, i promise! i'm just not used to using these guys... be warned, the people might be a little OOC... but i try not too... if u want proof read my Stargate stories... anyway... OH! disclaimer...

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I dont own any of the Enterprise crew... or the ship itself... yeah, i know... anyway... On to the story!

Hide and Seek

"Ensign, take us out of here. Warp seven. Engage." The ship turned away from the imposing planet and jumped into hyperspace. The crew sighed. They had been conducting a peace treaty between three nations who had been at war for at least three hundred years and customs were so tight that if one party made the wrong kind of sigh war would break out. It had been tense, but now they could relax.

"Number One?"

"Yes sir?" Riker answered his captain. He turned toward Picard.

"Go rest." Will smiled. No need to ask twice.

"Yes sir. And while you're at it, you should too sir." Sighing, the captain nodded.

"Data? Think you could handle the bridge on less than a skeleton crew?" The android turned in his seat to look at his commanding officers.

"I am more than able to perform this function. If you wish to give the members on the bridge a rest, I am willing to take over for them." That was enough. Picard smiled and nodded.

"But at a second's notice of danger, you will get myself and Commander Riker. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Picard smiled again, stood up, and looked at his crew on the bridge.

"You all deserve a well earned rest. Thank you for all of your help. Now go relax! That is a direct order." He looked around at his smiling officers. "Mr. Data, you have the whole bridge." At once, everyone walked off the bridge and Data was left alone to man the Enterprise.

Deanna joined Riker on the way back to his quarters. "Well, that was a stressful last week and a half." He raised his eyebrows.

"No kidding." She laughed.

"Oh poor Will," she said as she patted his back. They had reached his quarters and she gave him a brief hug. "Good night."

"Good night Deanna." He stepped into his room and the door shut with a hiss behind him. Troi, feeling incredibly tired, checked on the status of the rest of the ship then headed off to her quarters. By the time she had gotten there, Worf, Riker, Picard, and Dr. Crusher were all asleep. Amazing.

Deanna walked over to the replicator asked for some warm milk, took a drink, and snuggled up in bed. Letting the tension flow out of her body, she fell asleep quickly.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lt. Commander Data still manned the bridge not getting tired or annoyed – he was an android, of course he didn't. Scanning for signs of trouble, he found none. That was unusual aboard the Enterprise, he thought. He recalled the many previous occasions how the ship was on the edge of imminent destruction to be saved last second by a new found cure or way out. Data attempted a small smile.

Seeing nothing odd, Data whistled out Frères Jacques. It got him practicing human behaviors. Humans were so strange, yet so alike him that he couldn't understand it. Truth be told, it confused him a bit. Ah, thoughts for another time.

Back in Troi's quarters, she rustled around and shifted. Yet she didn't notice the strange pale glow coming from the doorway. Apparently nor did anyone else.

Data, still whistling, did happen to see a strange light and before he could act it flashed brightly – overloading his optical sensors. Not only that, but he fell, stunned.

Deanna stilled and her hand dropped over the side. She was now unconscious. If you were to walk around the rest of the ship, you would see that all the crew members were now lying on the floor or hunched over a console unconscious.

A second flash of light changed them all.

9/2/05