The Bonds Of Friends And Family
Disclaimers: The characters don't belong to me, the story belongs to me and every else belongs to the movie company and the creator.
Warnings: For this chapter they're going over the way things are going to change in his future regarding his being on Nova. As they rewrite the time he returns to the academy, before they see the added aftermaths to that situation in year 7, both for him and the other member of the team that joined the crew.
Chapter 26: The Gamma's Mission And First Duty Part II: The Deception
Looking at his arm in the cast, she nodded. "Yeah they didn't have the equipment I normally used, because you just barely broke your wrist. And it was close to being a compound fracture before I headed that off that weekend. Prior to the hearing by getting Will in there, since that was the final straw for us." Beverly said and he nodded. "Alright as we agreed you guys, we tell them the truth in what happened up there."
"We're Starfleet cadets we have a duty to the truth, we don't lie." Wesley said and Locarno nodded to him. "Yes we don't lie, agreed." he said and they nodded as they saw Sito shaking. "You nervous?" he asked her and sighed. "No, yes." she said and he nodded. "That's okay, so am I, but we're going to be alright, we got some tough times ahead of us, but we'll always come through for each other."
"Whatever happens, I want you to know that leading this team has been the high point of my years here at the academy. No one could ask for a better team, or better friends, lets go." he said and they nodded. "So despite the fact that you all agreed not to lie to us, he decided on telling the truth, in a half truth, in this to us. Alan, their parents and the inquiry, well there's no getting around it now at the moment."
"But whether they knew it or not you were creating the tape decks, with the fact we were going to be changing this future, leading into the accident that prevents this from causing you to drop out?" Beverly said and he nodded as he went further then as he said it to her. "Yeah and with the fact that we're stage acting all of this leading into the ending and the consequences are going to be even more brutal then before after that."
"It doesn't matter what they say, I chose in advance and I choose you guys, but if Josh sees this he's going to agree when I say that as Starfleet officers. That we have a duty to the truth and a duty to our friends, but there is no duty to your friends. And when they're trying to get used to be dishonest with a superior officer." he said and she smiled at that remark as he looked at the sextet gently as he finished that remark then.
"18 months in advance at the moment right now, we're dealing with the added truth now, but though I made a flight team the one I wanted to be on was Gamma. Charlie was going to discuss it with his squadron, he said, but like he also told you this. Before he could tell me the trio said yes, Nick grabbed me and said he chose me. And I wanted to be with my best friend at the time, him and Robin." he said and they nodded to that.
"Charlie said he was ticked he lost Robin to him and he wasn't about to lose you, as a new member of his team to him as well." Deanna said and he nodded. "Yeah the duo were just like me, so I was happy and he told me he was leader of Novas rivals at the academy. As a result we'd been together for six months, before Nick chose me just as the duo were getting ready to graduate." he said and they nodded as he went further.
"But we at least get another 3 years together and Charlie and I are sharing the ops position so you can rotate us and at times I'm helping Robin in the engineering room. But this just made it clear now, that they're never dragging me into their attempts to cover it up. Nothing matters more to me then you guys and I'm not losing that, because they want to get off without the consequence." he said and Picard smiled gently to that.
"Well if it was anyone else, but the four of you, I wouldn't be taking this quite so lightly right now, but then you, Charlie, Robin and Jacob have known me for years. Aside from that, Andrea agreed to my request to having you remain with me indefinitely at the time. I just got to switch things around at the moment, regarding Will and say he's ready for promotion, though I'd rather keep him on as back up captain in later years."
"And Will, did you really think I didn't know, regarding you and Deanna at the moment?" he asked and hid a smile at the embarrassed look on his face. "You mean you did, Sir?" Will asked and he nodded. "Yes I did, I didn't have to hear the words spoken outloud, but when she gave their race's word for mate, that's when it hit me. Because only a Betazoid would use that word for someone who's able to communicate in the same way."
"But it's clear, for three reasons in why you never wanted to transfer off the Enterprise, but 1) is because of her, and your relationship. 2) because you have friends here, and you know our proper procedures better then anyone of Shelby's stature does. And then 3) it's because of the kids, you're training our best students and it's because of what we taught him at the moment, and though they may say you're ready, it's mentally."
"But emotionally you're in the same position he is at the moment." he said and he nodded. "In my case it's because I think dad wanted you to have a second chance at a Crusher still under you at the moment. But I've known you longest out of all the training ensigns, but if Brand decides anything. It's she's letting you do the final evaluations for whoever got chosen to join the ship," Wesley said and he nodded as he answered him.
"I also think that's part of the reason Shelby popped off to you like that, though you're ready mentally, emotionally you're like me. And not ready to leave the man you see as a mentor, not after three years together. But she only knows the captain by reputation, you're the one who reads him like a book, and knows us too well, Sir." he said and Will nodded in agreement to that as he answered him with a gentle smile at that remark.
"That's why you waited till after my birthday to leave, you didn't want to leave, because though you're ready mentally. Emotionally, you still saw me in the way I see him, but our bonds are like the duo in the storyline, I'm your mentor. And you were ready for that graduation, but emotionally you weren't ready to let me go, let alone share me." he said and Wesley nodded to him and Picard hid a smile as he answered that remark.
"That's the added side effect of being the one to watch you grow into your potential here, if I watched you grow up in the same way I did him. It's enough you're not ready to leave my side anymore then I'm ready to let you go at the moment. Though in this case, she's too young and inexperienced to realize this job is that dangerous. Though if I see this as anything, it's she's Major Hailey at 21 and you're Colonel Carter as a result."
"But if this was the argument that Carter had with Hailey, I think that she's ready to explode in the same way that Wesley named it off in sickbay. When he reprimanded Derek in there at the moment, though if that's true, and I need to talk to J.P. about that. You're the next rank up and there's no middle ground, so she's lucky I didn't hear that or whatever else she did, or she'd be getting the reprimand of a life time here for it."
"I think our counterparts in the 20th century heard your argument and saw she erred three times, but if anyone could start screwing around with the space time continuum. The ending results are our predecessors would do it for the entire committee, including General's Hammond, Carter, Landry and Jumper. Because that attitude is enough to disqualify you in the running of a new post." he said and Will nodded in agreement.
"At the current moment here, instead of learning it at just as they mention the plasma ignition, I'm calling you immediately here, regarding this. Tell you the mission parameters started after she asks you to do the investigation and I'm telling both of you right off. Now, that Josh and I were undercover agents and the mission regarding this has begun, but I'm going into a double agent motif, so for everyone not in our circle."
"They're thinking I'm involved in a cover up when I drop the bomb after we hit the end of the enquiry and in the trio's case. I'm siding with and turning them into you, but I don't have to hear the exact words here. Because I can read you like a book, but for any cadet who's letting his pride get in the way, it's the 'reason you're a fraud and liar' speech. But if we had let this play through, its you never questioned my loyalty, conviction. "
"Or my training after we met a second time the day I arrived on the ship at the midway point of the Farpoint mission. You were convinced I was going to be just like dad and excell in my training, and they shook up that belief after they talked me into holding back. But then this type of speech is a major kick in the pants for a student, who was as gifted as the trio and I are, as we all excelled in our training at the time."
"But Nick lets his pride get in the way and it costs another cadet his life as a result now, it's I'm making sure his life comes crashing down, before he destroys mine. But the punchline is they either came forward and told her, or you were telling her that truth and he was getting expelled. I don't care what he says, you matter more to me, their opinions, and Derek's, mean nothing when they learn that truth that I'm a plant."
"But yours do, for years I've been serving under you as my captain, commander and crew. You helped mom raise me, and then add in your saving me at the justice panel and rescuing me and the six. Just after the Aldeans kidnapped us and everything we've done together, I always turned to you for advice during training. And he expects me to ignore all that, and call you a liar to save the team just so we can get off with a reprimand."
"No forget about, I won't do it, your trust, all of you, is something I'm not losing, I will not lie to save this team. And just so they can get off without consequences, and I mean that. He's going down either way, the scales were being weighed and they landed in your favor, and they always will." he said and Picard nodded to him. "If that doesn't say the trio are screwed if they ask you to hold back on us, nothing ever does and as to why."
"We helped raised you, and our bonds are beyond strong, to them there's no contest, but this is the added act of what the chosen one on that saga dealt with. They had him choose and he chose that lunatic over being the person he once was as he was a young warrior and one at the tipping point." Will said and he nodded. "True enough, though now that you told me before hand, that lecture is going to be his now as a result."
"But they make a mistake that wrecks their life, they have to face the facts that they let their pride get in the way of training it's going to do a lot of damage. But that's the curse of the seven deadly sins, the opposite of pride is humilty, being humble. His pride kills a team mate and it wrecks his life as he tries to lie to cover it up. While the girls are turned into pariahs and and you're the only one getting an easy sentence for telling us early."
"Andrea I know that she wants me to evaluate whether or not whoever it is that joins the crew is ready for a second chance or not. But then you asked for probation and completed it just before whatever happens next, next year takes another turn. But with that in mind right now, I've had you under my wing since you were fifteen. And hearing our exact conversation now is enough to nail the coffin shut here at the moment."
"And at the moment we're altering the end of the episode now as well, first things first now after what we just saw now in that memory. And someone is having his head for breaking the rules and after one cadet is killed in the explosion and in the process it nearly kills you while doing it. But what do they take me for, a complete idiot, as I said repeatedly it takes more the physical education to get by in Starfleet here."
"I've been a pilot for forty years I know every maneuver in the book, so with that, Lal, I want to see the reprimand I give, if Wesley had told me prior to the hearing. And it was Locarno I dragged up here, in real time, as he, Wesley, told me early and I'm giving Locarno the added dressing down with the reprimand here. Before we do the ending of the hearing and the final conclusion of the enquiry's decision of the quartet's sentence."
"Its the added 20 minutes added into the episode now after I figured out what caused the explosion to begin with. But first do Wesley as he reports into me prior to the second half of the hearing, before I figured it out and with me, your father and Commander La Forge." he said and Wesley looked at him at that. "This is going to be a what if we had decided to plan this in advance, as I'm telling you the night before the hearing."
"But first I'm telling you after you return to the ship after she asked you to investigate the explosion. And I'm telling the enquiry as well, so before the hearing begins, I'm pretending I never told you either of you and we had this planned from the get go now." he said as it activated at that as they saw Wesley standing in his dorm room as he grabbed several things from behind a few books then as he tapped his communicator.
"Before you do it, I want to see the conversation between the hearing and leading into when he reports into us regarding this." Beverly said and a minute later that appeared as they saw them talking. "You shouldn't have said that Nick, Josh wasn't responsible for what happened." Sito said to him and he sighed. "I had to do something." he told her and Wesley said to him as he looked at him at that remark.
"Yeah and it's by lying to our supervisors, if Captain Deladier saw this, he'd kill him for it. For trying a forbidden maneuver and one that gets one cadet killed and the other is suffering serious injuries from it. But I'm not lying to you guys, I made a promise that if I was in trouble I'd tell you that truth and I'm going to. But I'm going to need that loophole to get passed them, but instead of this way in this situation now, Sir."
"We do it by you bringing me back up to the ship, and I can tell you right then, I need a weekend away from this, just to get it out of me. But this decision, these decisions are going to seal their fate later with the fact I'm spending 18 months here. So with that, once we get started here at the moment and with that in mind right now. And I don't care what they say at the moment now, regarding this, there's no point fighting now."
"I'm not holding back on you and I'm telling you the truth, I just need a way to get it passed them and directly to you. That's your positions Sirs, mom, the same card you're about to yank now, the command/medical/parental card now." he said to and they nodded. "You said we wouldn't lie to them, we all agreed we'd never lie to them." His double said to them at that as they listened to Locarno as he answered him.
"I didn't lie, everything I said was the truth." he told him and he said it angrily at that. "The accident wasn't Josh's fault." he told him and he sighed at that remark then as he said it to him, before Wesley finished that remark as she looked at her son's double and his video taped memory. "You think the duo are not going to realize you're lying right now, how long before my friends come to the conclusion."
"In case you're not realizing it, the admiral has requested my captain to be involved in investigations. Once we got something like this comes up, the crew becomes a detective agency. And from there the truth is coming out, I know the trio and my mother better than you do Nick. But if I know anything it's this that Brand ordered and requested my crew to run that investigation in the crash."
"And to the captain, where I'm concerned, after something like this, he's digging into it and getting to the bottom of it no matter what. He's the best captain in Starfleet, but it's because he's looking at all the factors here, but his flight and combat skills are better than you think. But to put this firmly, he's not just some captain telling everyone what to do, Nick, let me make this clear."
"But he and Commander Riker hunted down and destroyed the alien queen that killed Captain Keel, he may seem like a stand by captain, but he's not. He's the best at what he does, and he knew every flight maneuver in the training manual when it comes to pilot training. And once the captain realizes you chose a banned maneuver for the commencement demonstration as well."
"He's going to present that information to them, but either way, the truth is coming out, by us or by him, it doesn't matter which. If you're really thinking this, he's going to realize when checking the stories of everyone on campus and he figures it out and you're screwed, as for me, it's done with. He's my parents best friend, my mentor, you think he's just going to accept this right now."
"I've never lied to him since he appointed me for hands on training and we already had this discussion the year before I left. The same is said for the commander and with it now, is the fact that our bonds are more than you think. And in case you mind isn't firing on all cylinders right now, that's what this photo really was, they're my mentors, my teachers, my friends."
"Nothing is going to change that, and with it ever since I got that chance, I made a promise to them. Said promise is if I was in trouble come forward and tell them what it is, and now that it has I'm keeping that promise. Everything they taught me is so clear it's enough I'm not violating that trust, that bond, for you, so forget it." he snapped at him as he went further as they heard his tone firm up.
"Before you say it, I've never lied to the 7 before, so why should I start now, because this is enough to get us in trouble anyway, Nick. You lied to them whether you want to admit or not. What happened was not Josh's fault and this is an insult to his memory now." Wesley told him and he watched as his eyes firmed at that. "Look he was my friend to Wesley, I helped get him on this team."
"But the truth is he panicked." he told him and he said it firmly at that. "We don't know that Nick." he said and Locarno crossed his arms as he answered him. "Of course we do, none of us wanted to say it out loud, but we all had the same thought here, haven't we." he asked and he watched as the girls nodded. "He must have pulled away too soon, I think he got scared." Jean said and he nodded. "Sito?" he asked and she nodded as Wesley said it, his tone firm as he said it.
"Guess again, he just set you up to take the fall you stupid fools, you're going down either way right now when we get through with you." Dayton, Robin, Jake and Wesley said together sharply as Dayton walked into the room. "Ro sent me down to cover things so we can run over our plans for the sting operation. Everett and Harper are on the conn and operations while we do this." Dayton said and the 8 nodded to him gently at that.
"So blind themselves to the crash by making it sound like the accident was his fault, if they think I'd buy that line they'd better think again. I spent three years training you boys, I know you, because you've known since year one that when I sense deception. Then nothing is stopping me from digging it up and when I know that the jig is up. And you'd have to tell me automatically before I do, or that's going to destroy our bonds."
"And we already had that conversation too as well last year as the time as well, when I asked you for your help in this. And you've only been back for two months, before this escapade and they nearly destroy your career just to get out of consequences here. What do they take me, let alone the crew and Brand for, fools now, because all it would take is hearing that you tried the plasma, ignite the plasma, that's the give away."
"Purge and ignition, 'ignite the plasma' and I'd realize it as I know there is only one maneuever that would cause this accident. And call you up here to comfirm it, and with it to my theory, regarding him. And after I spoke to Boothby as he told me his exact thoughts on Locarno. But does he take me for an idiot, I'm a seasoned pilot myself." Picard said with a growl and he nodded to him nodded then.
"Yes and I told him that in the way you worded it now Sir, but he still thought at the time. That he'd be able to sneak this passed you, and the guys wouldn't catch it, but as you heard, I never lied to you before and why start now. I was getting ready to report to you then, but you're not going to like the rest of the counter argument. But Sirs, but you know me, I love you Sir." he said and Picard nodded to him then gently at that.
"My captain is going to see through the deception immediately, you may think he's not as smart as he looks. But you don't know him at all and the same is said for the guys. Data, Commander La Forge, I know them better than they know themselves, and they know me better than I know myself. How do you suppose they're going to take it when I'm being evasive here, huh."
"You think they're not going to realize it, they raised me for a year themselves and with it. I came to depend on them for everything after mom left to return to earth. The Commander is my godfather, and Counselor Troi my godmother, he's my adoptive father, the guys my trio, Lieutenant Worf, my other mentor. No forget it, I'm not lying to them now, not after everything I've gone through."
"As I said they practically raised me themselves after mom and I joined the crew. They trained me in the ethics and beliefs that made up Starfleet and this goes against everything we stand for right now as well. We're Starfleet cadets, we have a duty to the truth, be it scientitific, ethical, or personal. And this choice and decision goes against everything we stand for too."
"I swore to them I'd never lie to them, I never lied to them before, I'm not about to start now, Nick. Captain Picard is my captain and has been since I was added to the crew myself, his trust and respect mean more to me than anything you could understand. I'd never break his trust in me and in case you haven't figured it out, that's why they kept me home for 18 month before I came back."
"So I could recover from six months lack of sleep, they're already ticked off enough regarding that. That my joining the squadron has landed me back in my mother's care for sleep deprivation and malnutrition. But do you honestly think he's going to let this go when I'm suffering from recovering from a broken arm and a concussion, no he's not, he's going to be furious at that."
"And it's because your decisions cost one cadet his life this week, and with him nearly a second one too. But do you honestly think that the sextet are going to stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this. And not when they know I'm in trouble, they're going to see that I'm feeling guilty. And get me to open up to them here, and what's that going to do." he said to him with a firm growl to them.
"And before you say it right now, the adults are not as you might think this was against the law, the captain's generation banned it from use. But I told you that it was too close too together and yet you still wanted to try it at that angle. But you consider why though regarding his parents, and mine. Well it's because his father was a Starfleet officer, as is my mother, he and I are Starfleet born."
"But we both grew up on starships, the maneuever was too close together, Nick. Doing it that close together is way too dangerous, you had the damn calculations off and it could have killed me in the process. And how do you suppose my mother, let alone Captain Picard, would react once Commanders La Forge and Data figure it out exactly, huh." he said to him sternly at that remark.
"Because they figure it out and bring it to the attention of the committee you're toast for lying to them after that. Aside from that our parents, his and mine, would sue you for murder this way anyway. And you'd be expelled from the academy, one way or the other. The choice is clear, we have to tell them the truth, and again, I've never lied to my mother or the sextet, or the crew."
"And I'm not about to start now at the moment here either. Not after the last few traumas I've had and this is right up there with dealing with a repeat of the damned justice panel, regarding the commander. The first duty of any Starfleet officer is we have a duty to the truth, be it science, ethical or personal, and this is considered the third right now." he said and Locarno sighed as he answered him.
"Wes, I know you want to protect his memory, we all do, but we have to think about ourselves right now. What do you want us to do, walk in there and tell them everything that happened." he asked and Picard crossed his arms at that as he gently squeezed his shoulder. "Yeah that's exactly what I wanted you to do, Nick, we tell them now regarding this and the consequences are going to be we get hold back a year."
"And you graduate the following year, and it's because your credits got cancelled, one year being hold back is better then waiting till the last minute. And they're getting the truth second hand by my captain so it's either tell her the truth or the captain will. But I'm the captain's man through and through, so you want to cross that line, then I'm turning you into my crew first here now." Wesley said sharply and Picard nodded firmly.
"You should have done that in the first place Nicholas, as he never wanted to lie to me." he added with a stern growl at that remark. "I don't know how to make this any clear to them, but you said this time and time again for 5 years after I chose to stay with you. But you don't tolerate recklessness and showing off at the moment." Wesley said and the seven nodded firmly as he heard the blond Bajoran girl say it to him then.
"We might as well turn in our uniforms and start packing up our bags." she said and Will, Deanna and Beverly crossed his arms their arms at that. "Wrong answer, we all come forward together and it's what the admiral already decided, for the entire team. But you choose to lie and your goose is cooked, I've known that since I was fifteen, but thanks to your decisions, another cadet is dead, I'm nearly killed at the time."
"And my girlfriend is pregnant as well and you been expelled and the girls lost this year's credits, their flight status and are not advancing with their class. As for me, I'm on probation here on the ship and I'm fixing my bonds with my family and friends and I'm with what's left of my squadron, Gamma squadron." Wesley in answer to that, quoting his double's mental remark and unspoken thoughts with him as they listened to him.
"Are we ready for that, we'll take this one step at a time. This is the preliminary report from your flight recorder, it was so badly damaged in the crash that the lab could only retrieve a third of the telemetry on the recorder. And all of it was before the explosion, we shouldn't have a problem." he said and Wesley said it with a firm growl as he repeated his last remark with his double.
"No I'm not lying to them, I'm not lying to them, if I have to play double agent I will." he said to her at that. "You'd never lie to us anyway, but hearing that I get the idea Wesley, I understand, son, it's okay." Beverly said and he nodded to her gently. "Yes well check this out, I made it clear in this, but this was to bait them in what they would say next. But I was making it sound like I was beginning to give in."
"As they started digging themselves even deeper here." he said as he heard his recorded self say it again. "I'm not sure I can do this." Wes said to him at that. "I take it you decided to do it now at that remark to test them?" Geordi asked and he nodded. "You don't have to lie, just don't volunteer any new information." Sito told him and their eyes narrowed at the next remark given as Locarno answered him.
"Hearing that in your words is one thing, but hearing it in your memories is another and that's going to far right now, and again, you never lied to us before and why start now. But the reports given, looks like they decided that if they weren't overheard they could get away with this. But no, instead, Kate put a listening device on your door and we had the audio on the camera on, and thr five of us are monitoring your bedroom door."
"They're digging themselves into the hole with every decision they make right now at the moment. But that's going too far here at the moment, so this was going to be why you didn't tell me immediately after that." Picard said to him and he nodded. "Yes Sir, but get ready, here's the parting shot to his opinion of being a team." Wesley said to him as he they heard his remark as they crossed their arms as they waited for it.
"The first night I met you Wes, I knew I wanted you on the squad. You, more than any of the rest, would understand what it means to count on someone, because you you've been out there, putting yourself on the line. You know you got to be able to count on the people on your team, because you're life is in their hands, their's in yours. We made a promise to each each other."
"Right in the beginning. That we'd stick together, we were Nova squadron, nobody else could say that. And even after we graduated we'd try to get posted to the same duty. That we're going to be together, a team, for a long time. Josh can no longer be part of that dream, but I think he'd want us to stick together, what do you think." he said and Geordi crossed his arms as Barnfield answered that.
"I think that honesty and trust matters more then the people you just met and when you had the added three years to reconnect to us right now. But their screwed either way when we do this for real." she said and he smiled. "Yep, alright Lal, activate time scale Crusher 24-1, before the revelation on the explosion as I tell the crew I'm working for them." he said and the monitor shifted directions then as it activated at that.
"Lal report to the enquiry, I'm telling them next after I tell your father and the crew the truth here. Tell the admiral, I'm reporting in on the added investigation and the first half of the evidence is ready to be reported to them. But I need to report to the captain that it's already being investigated by the junior crew." he said, looking up at the camera and it blinked red at him gently.
"Chief O'Brien, security gamma delta, I'm coming aboard, we have to talk." he said and they heard O'brien's answering remark to that "Got it, stand by." he said and they watched him beam out as he appeared in transporter room four. "Thanks, is the captain still here?" he asked and he nodded. "Great, that makes this much easier, where is he exactly?" he asked and O'Brien explained that to him gently then.
"He's in engineering, Geordi and Data just came to the conclusion." he said and Wesley nodded. "Then I'm confirming that theory right now, and explaining what the heck happened up there." he said as he tapped his communicator. "Mom, before you and the captain get the theory involved in that explosion, I'm just telling you straight off." he said and they heard Picard answer him quickly at that remark.
"Where are you exactly, if you just said that?" he asked and he explained it to him. "I'm on board the ship Captain, transporter room four, I'll be down there in five minutes. But this is imperative you hear this now, because what happened was not an accident at all. Josh and I were already beginning our mission prior to his choosing said maneuver your coming to the conclusion of here right now."
"I'm telling the truth and trust me you're not going to like it." he said and they heard a sigh at that. "I'm guessing you chose to tell me now, just to prevent whatever this would have resulted in. But considering you just returned to academy just short of 6 weeks ago, before the accident here. Then I'm not surprised at the moment you chose now to tell us right now, Lieutenant."
"I understand why as well, alright just meet us in the engineering room or you can tell us this in the conference room but either way. I need to hear it to get you off on a light sentence right now. That is if this wasn't what we discussed 18 months ago and took it to the next level." he said to him and he nodded as he headed for engineering and arrived in time to see the trio standing there and he nodded.
"You guys get everything so far in this situation, honey, bro?" he asked and they nodded. "Yeah we got enough to tie it to your side of the story, but frankly I'm ticked that he'd even try and coerce you into silence with that shot at you." she said and they looked at them at that. "I got a message off to Kate, she said she had also rigged the computer in her room to watch the conversation."
"But what's left of the original team are her, Tony, Jake and Erin, they're acting like us and the seven of us are covering your back. So we're just doing this together, to turn the trio in. We're a team, we win together, we lose together, that's the way it works here. But attempted coercion and emotional blackmail, that's going too far right now." Dayton said and he nodded as he called it out then.
"Lal telegraph image of my mother and me in my quarters at the academy, and an image of the captain on the grounds talking to Boothby. Full audio, so they think the three of us are down there. And if Derek is still on board, lock out the teleporters and the site to site transporter functions, he's under house arrest. But this is going to get them in serious trouble here when you hear this, Sirs."
"Code 555/2365/876245 gamma charlie delta execute." Wesley said sharply and Picard walked into the room then with Beverly gently. Looking at her, she gave him a hug and he tightened his arms around her as he said it. "Well that solves this problem, thanks for the help Sarah, I owe you big." he said to Hailey and she smiled. "I take it I was right regarding things, they're trying to get you to do something."
"Something you'd normally never do and it's barely been two months since you returned and already the trouble starts now." She said and he nodded as she hugged him tightly, before Beverly gave him another hug. "It's too late, I got to you first before they gave you the news, but with you parked above the academy. Lal downloaded herself into the academy cameras and security system now."
"But they think we're still down there right now, we got it right, right now." he said and Picard hid a smile as he answered him. "What's that code for exactly?" Picard asked and he smiled. "It's the secondary protocol, I wrote into Lal's programming, and it's the crime security codes. As the trio, and possibly Derek, are in this together and if they are, they're all getting the same consequences."
"So no going back once I tell you this." he said and they nodded as she looked at him with a bemused smile at his remark as she answered him. "Little cloak and dagger touch there, so they, your team. Doesn't realize we're up here right now and you're ready to blow the whistle on them, honey. Because if this is enough to prevent them trying it's going to work?" she asked and he nodded firmly to her.
"I think our discussion in sickbay just resulted in Derek deciding to make sure that he and the trio can try and get me to take up for them. The whole 'duty to your friends' piece, but 'duty to the truth', it just won out, as I got to you. And before you heard the final analysis they gave you and realized it, Sir. Duty to the truth: to you, to Josh, his parents, and the enquiry and with that right now."
"And with that, I'm loyal to you and the enquiry, the command, I have a duty to the truth, so tell the truth now, and I get off on six months probation. And do another 18 months under you as I get into advanced training. Which on this case is the one shot, he's out of the picture for a while. And Gamma squadron lives, as we're still a team with one fallen team mate and he's getting justice."
"And by having the trio, and possibly quintet involved in this as they get exposed now. And he and the duo get stuck on campus doing their 18 months at the academy, while Nick gets expelled for what he's trying right now. But like the Lower Deck debate, and there's no going back, Hanson and the others are never getting out of that scrutiny now." he said and Picard smiled at him gently.
"I knew our you was going to win out in this after that 3 years together, but he doesn't realize the stuff you encoded into Lal and your computer program. And with him planetside for the previous 3 years, this worked out better than we expected, though if he was hoping I'd catch you before you could tell us, then he's sorely mistaken." Picard said and Wesley nodded to him with a gentle smile.
"Aye Sir, he doesn't realize that we never deactivated her after you sent him to the academy for simulation of training. Or my added subroutines here to it, but like you keep saying to make a good first impression. And to get a good placement it's by following orders, good grades and the right attitude. So I'm doing my duty, and it's to the truth now." he said and Picard nodded to him then.
"Mom not lying to you, coming forward right now, it happened again, and he miscalculated like we thought. The stupid idiot just insulted you as well, Sir, but time frames, you 8 years, him only ten months me come on its no contest. I chose you and duty to the truth, I'm turning him in and being your star student, like I always was." he said and Picard smiled in pride then as he answered him
"Nicely done son, I'm very proud of you, Wesley, you just proved my point, to do the right thing, that's more important then you and it's more important then me. If I was in your place, I'd tell them, and on the very first day, or in your case. Before the jig is up, because by telling me first and your ideas, you're being a plant on the team, it saves your career even more right now."
"By telling us this now, and stage act the rest of it as they dig themselves so deep there's no getting out of that hole now. I take you decided to prevent them from destroying your career if the Hansons are involved as this is added payback right now in your case?" he asked and the trio nodded to him. "Yes and it's not going to happen either, Captain." Dayton said to him gently at that remark.
Before he could answer, the boy in question walked into the room with a smirk on his face. "Just checking in Sir." he started to say and froze up as he saw Wesley. "What, what are you doing here on the ship?" he said quickly and Wesley crossed his arms. "Well just expose your fears this quickly in the fact you thought I was still down there right now Derek, well you're screwed at the moment now, buster."
"And to answer your question to what I'm doing up here if you're that panicked right now and I see the fear in your eyes. That I manage to bypass your stalling me till they thought I was involved in this. I'm just doing my duty, and a duty to the truth, and I know the next remark out of your mouth. Now, 'is what about your duty to your friends', Derek, so why the smirk at the moment, buster."
"Were you hoping they'd figure it out, before I could tell them that truth, if that's why you came in here, you wanted them to realize it, before I could tell them the truth to what happened up there?" he asked and before he could back up Dayton said it. "Lal forcefield on both ways out of engineering and terminate the Turbolifts in here as well." Dayton called out and Wesley smiled dangerously at him.
"You tried to frame me, because I helped make sure your cousin got his comeuppance and now this is payback in your eyes. Well you just screwed up big time buster, the games are over, we saved his career in the same way he saved mine and you Hansons are screwed now Derek." Dayton said shall to him and he paled at that as Wesley finished that remark his eyes loaded in digust.
"Coming in to make sure your plan worked buster, well the joke's on you, and here I am, security arrest him. You know your problem, your pride can have dangerous side effects, case in point. You were hoping to arrest me during the game and you get arrested by Data. You were hoping they'd figure it out before I told them and you find me standing here, only this time it's mind games."
"And the results instead of you trying to get me in trouble, you get caught by me and with that in mind it's not just me that you get found out by right now. But the parents as well right now, look at my mother right now, you just got caught by the very parent you never wanted to be now." Wesley said to him, smirking at him as he moved to him and removed his communicator from his uniform.
"Indeed, you just got caught by the very parents you never wanted to be caught by, by coming in too soon, young man. And with us, them now, so why the smirk, were you hoping I'd figure it out. And before he breaks the truth to us at the moment, because if you truly thought that. It's you were gambling far too high and messed up, young man?" Picard said with a stern growl at him at that.
"Parents?" Hanson repeated and Wesley smiled dangerously as he answered him. "You remember the rumors you created about me, well they're true, Derek. You ever consider what was going on after you left the ship exactly now. Get a good look at his hand, and my mother's hand right now." he said and Hanson looked at his hand and saw a wedding band on his finger and looked at her and saw a diamond ring.
And paled as he realized what it was that he got caught by. "You're..., you're his...!" he said trying to get out the word and Picard nodded sternly as he crossed his arms. "I am young man, we got married 8 months ago, but that's what I meant, you just got caught by the very parents you never wanted to get caught by. In attempt to frame our son in a cover up, a scandal." he said with a stern growl at him then.
As Beverly crossed her arms. "Well, well well, well seems to me, we have a little case of political sabotage, captain. The little Novas were hoping you'd figure it out before Wes could tell and the damage is done. But he never counted on the fact that Wes had a back door to get up here to report in. Just before you figured it out as he told us the truth." Will said and Wesley nodded firmly to that.
"Lal disable all out going communique from the ship from Cadet Hanson's quarters. It's on radio silence as of now, till my mission in this is complete, Cadet Hanson is on stand down right now. And as team leader of the junior crew, I'm hereby removing you from the team as of now. And you're under arrest for attempted sabotage in a cover up, right now as well as these."
"But aiding and abetting a cover up, political sabotage, lying to a superior officer. Repeated arrests for DUI's and twenty other charges that are enough to get you kicked out of the academy right, you're so lucky here. That you're not a adult officer, or you'd get deactivated for all the charges you wracked right now." he said as he passed the communicator to Beverly and she pocketed it then.
"Good thing you never deactivated me though Wes, I'm also Gamma squadron, so though I'm in the computer. That it doesn't matter we did the job together to make sure. Now that you're off the hook, and did you really expect to get away with this, Derek. Well you're screwed now, with me dealing with handling the A/V mode right now." Lal said sternly as Beverly watched the fear enter his eyes.
As she looked at Derek sternly as she crossed her arms, Wesley leaned into her shoulder and she rubbed his back, as he saw his head resting against her shoulder softly as he saw the furious look on her face. "It's too late, young man, he's getting ready to tell us the truth now regarding the accident, but by coming in here way to soon. You just revealed you're involved in this and when I explain this to Jared."
"Well that's it now young man, you're in serious trouble, added acts of jealousy in this and you try to sabotage him. If I saw this as anything you're the rival of the young Jedi trying to frame him for crossing the line now. And by provoking him into beating the heck out of him, well it didn't work, he got to me. And the trio first and before the captain cracked it and you're in serious trouble." she said with a low maternal growl and he swallowed at that remark.
As Derek knew that once it got back to his own parents, he was going be in serious trouble then. And as she looked at him with a stern look, looking at Wesley leaning into her he swallowed hard. "So just to destroy him and our bonds now, you decide on this, that's not only sadistic that's as cold blooded as you can get. And you finally crossed a line you can't take back young man, and this is the last now."
"And I mean the last and final straw for me, where you're concerned at the moment Derek Jared Hanson, but starting from the top. And after my medical Ensign's don't learn to keep their damn mouths shut. First the rumors, that put my son in the emergency room six years ago, then you're drunk. And start a fight with my son, under the influence of the Bendii syndrome at the time."
"You're not paying attention to the boys and your irresponsibility nearly kills Willy, because of a prank that nearly turns lethal. And then comes your nearly killing Charlie out of drugged and drunken outburst and now this. And when during a crisis situation that the true junior crew has to deal with now. But you're involved and when we said you're to stay out of it, and now comes this."
"This is the end of the line for you, even though you're up here, that doesn't discount earth rules and regulations. And you try to set my son up for a criminal charge he's not connected to right now, he's trying to turn them in. And before they can't destroy his career and his future, and you're in on this. Well it's back to simulated training for you and you're staying on earth until it's done."
"But you're not JCL or second in command of the junior crew, you're just an training ensign, while the trio are senior training ensign's. I don't have to hear the words young man, you're involved in this situation. So instead of your trying to destroy my son's career, you end up getting caught by him. And the very parent you never wanted to get caught by when he's checking in with me."
"His mother, but everything you tried to take away from him since this began he has still and with that, the games and mind games are at an end, Cadet." Beverly said with a stern growl as Wesley finished that. "Well I guess you never expected I had a way of getting up here, before they found out. Did you, just like the game and the manhunt, you never learn here, do you, Derek."
"So I guess the rules and ranks don't mean a thing to you, do they, because as junior officers it's our job to report these situations to the staff. Or to the forensics team running the investigation into the death of a cadet. But you participated in the cover up that impeded upon the official investigation. Into the death of a cadet, so I'm just doing my duty to Starfleet and the enquiry."
"And making sure that the ones responsible or are involved in said cover up are brought to justice, you're Nova, Derek, I'm Gamma. But believe me when I say that you're never getting to this to your cousin or to the trio now. So you've tried for several years in trying to tarnish my appearance, until you decided. As I'm still his model officer, his JCL, his favorite student, to sabotage me."
"By having them delay me long enough that by the time I told the enquiry and the crew the truth. They think I'm involved in said cover up, well your attempt backfired on you, with you on earth, you didn't know I changed my security program. Altering to add on to this, with you on earth, I created a flawless plan to make sure that our positions are in reverse." he said and the boy swallowed.
"No, and how did you get up here, academy rules state the cadets can't leave the academy during a hearing?!" Hanson said quickly in panic and Will and Worf crossed their arms sternly and Wesley smiled. "They can if they're a member of the ship in question, and as are their parents. The parents are crew members of said ship, and are involved in forensics here at the moment as well."
"And which, unfortunately for you, is now your undoing, Derek, because with the captain interrogating everyone on campus. And my mother and the duo doing forensics, but I know what you were trying to do here. Have them keep stalling me, so by the time he catches them in the act. The captain now thinks I'm involved in it as well and I lose everyone that matters to me here."
"Well I decided to shorten the conclusion now and tell them what caused it and why, because of Lal I prevented your plans going though here. The captain, and the crew, I still have my bonds with them, and I'm telling the enquiry the truth. Not to mention turning in the trio to them, as I said I have a duty to the truth and a duty to them, the enquiry, Josh, his parents, mine and myself, Derek."
"So I came to report in, regarding my mission in this cover up, and you chose exactly the wrong moment to reveal you're involved in it. By walking in here right now, you just revealed you're apart of this." he said to him firmly at that as he went further. "So political sabotage here now Derek, you wanted to destroy me and my reputation, so I'd lose their trust now at the moment here finally."
"Because even after 3 years your jealousy at everything I have, is now your undoing, Derek, but envy, anger, the seven deadly sins. Haven't you learned anything, you let this control you it's going to be your undoing." he said as she finished that. "Damn weak link are we, Derek, we did say you get too cocky and it can and will be your undoing and now it has." Robin added to him sternly at that.
"My young JCL nearly had his career destroyed by a child of two of our officers and that trio, so you're involved in this as well, trying to sabotage him, did we. Well you're not getting away with this young man, in fact, as of this moment, your advanced training is at an end starting now. And as for that your arrogance and envy, as well as your anger, you let it control you now."
"And it's going to destroy you and at the moment, it has, instead of you destroying his career, they destroyed yours. By us keeping the program in the system, if you waited an hour longer you wouldn't have revealed to us. That you Hansons are involved in a conspiracy to destroy my young officer, my cub." Ro said sharply to him as she walked in and he swallowed at the look on her face then.
As Picard said it with a stern growl and knowing he was in on it then. "Indeed you get too cocky and making sure we caught them, before he could tell us. If you were hoping we would, then your pride, anger and envy. It has now become your fatal flaw and never lay your eggs all in one basket or it will be, Cadet. With the fact you came in here way too soon just as he's getting ready to tell us now."
"The us being myself, his mother, Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, Lieutenant Worf and Commanders Data and La Forge. With that trumphiant smirk on your face, and I can see the sadistic glee in your eyes that you were hoping he was still at the academy. When the duo revealed the final forensics to his mother and me in the final conclusion in this as they tell us what caused the accident."
"And as Commanders Data and La Forge are getting ready to tell me, you just revealed your part in this right now. Duty to your friends can and will be your undoing if you let it be and now it has young man. No, don't give me any excuses right now, because you're confined to quarters. And we'll discuss this after the hearing is over, Cadet Hanson, but you're hereby relieved of duty."
"As of now, take him to a detention cell and and he's staying there till its done, while I hear what 'my' JCL has to tell me regarding this. But put Cadet Hanson in isolation where he can speak to no one, and take away his communicator. So he can't tell the trio they been caught red handed in this." he said and Bates gave him a nod as he and Watkins grabbed him as Will walked up to him sternly then
"Young man, with your parents still on their sabbatical for the second time in 18 months since your training began at the moment. I guarantee that once this gets back to your father and they hear you set him up. Believe me when I say he's going to be beyond ashamed of you right now when he hears this. I don't want excuses, because nothing is saving you from 18 months probation."
"And if your cousin Peter is also involved in this, I'm making sure you can't tell him or the trio that you just got caught." he said and looked at the duo and their team mates. "Take him away." he said and they dragged him out of the room as Wesley sighed in relief then as Will pulled him into a hug at that. As he buried his head into his shoulder as he closed his eyes in relief, shaking in relief and exhaustion.
'Damn it not again, the stress of the last few days has now has him looking beyond exhausted. Alright we have to get him out of the academy, and six months probation and twelve more. In regarding a possible pregnancy with my adopted daughter-in-law.' Will said to himself as he looked at the young man he looked at her and the duo as Will said it for all of them then gently at that.
"That was too close now, we caught him, before they could destroy your career in this, but now. It's he can't tell them and they don't know you're with us right now. Alright don't worry son, you can tell us the truth without interference now. So let us have it and to repeat your mother's question, was that a back up insurance policy." Will said to him as he answered him, as he looked at them.
"Yeah, that was the subroutine I downloaded into the system after you transferred him to simulation training at the academy. But the jokes on him right now as you just caught him in the act and confiscated his communicator right now. So this way, he can't get to them and they think we're down there still, as you're getting closer to a breakthrough, but they got the same appeal."
"They're like Marks and Hanson, mom, 'act before they think', but you always preferred mind over matter. In it captain, and this just helps even more in that computer program. It just saved my career, now that I can tell you without interruptions and with you the enquiry. But the trio and I, the four of us, Kate and Tony, we took the training to the max now." he said and they nodded to him.
"What happened now, I saw Bates and his team drag Derek out of the room?" Jake asked as he walked in. "Derek came in too soon as I was getting ready to give them my report, and with me was the duo here. They're getting ready to give my mother and the captain their's, he saw me. And froze up, they know he's in on it, it's attempted political sabotage." he said and Jake nodded firmly.
"I can't believe they'd actually stoop so low, to keep from being expelled it's coercion and emotional blackmail. That's illegal in Starfleet, both in training and on the job, they keep it up they're getting kicked out of the academy here." Jake added with a stern growl at that as he moved to them and the trio nodded. "Well at least what's left of our sextet is still alive right now, and let's keep it that way."
"The issue of undercover covert operations got taken to the next level in this situation, and it barely misses killing me while doing it at the moment. To put this bluntly guys, our conversation in sickbay after the game, is what I'm referring to here. Remember the captain asked us to run evidence gathering in case Nick chose any illegal maneuver?" he asked and they nodded as he said it.