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.
Warning: For this chapter it's foreshadowing the results of what could have been if they hadn't discovered the traveler's plans for him. As he goes through the situations leading into his dropping out of the academy. As they go through each scene carefully. And this one is the rest of the trial after the accident that caused him to drop out.
Chapter 32: The First Duty Part VI: The Mission And The Accident
Before Picard looked at Wesley as the young man looked back at him as they saw a silent conversation between the two. The trio saw the look of love in the man's eyes for him and they looked at Wesley, and felt their shock go through them. As they saw the clear look of love in his eyes towards him as he said it. "5 1/2 years together, I never lied to you before, regarding something this serious, so why start now exactly."
"Sir you know me, I'd never participate in a stunt like this or a cover up of said stunt. We had this discussion when we checked out this episode, and I swore if they tried it I'd tell you immediately. But Derek got to them, regarding the 'what about your duty to your friends' bit. And they decided they had to make sure, but I wasn't lying to you for them." he said and Picard nodded to him firmly.
"Yes I know you, and with the fact we just saved you from having your career destroyed now, let alone our bonds of trust. We just have to finish it leading into graduation I'm not giving you up without a fight, son. But it doesn't matter if they think I'm playing favorites in my students right now. I helped raise you and I watched you grow up, I'm not letting go." he said and Wesley nodded to him.
"And again there is no duty to your friends when they're trying to get you to be dishonest with a commanding officer, Cadet. As such I knew I trained you well, but this just demonstrated the real acts of sometimes that loyalty can lead to your undoing. And it has now, Mister Locarno, we said there was a duty to the truth and a duty to your friends, if you'd just chosen the first here now."
"You wouldn't be in the position you are right now, young man, Wesley chose the first and he's got a second chance. But a duty to your friends, that's what resulted in his getting captured by the Cardassians. Their 20th to 21st century counterparts, in your case it gets you expelled because you chose to lie to us." Deladier said and the young man paled at that remark and Wesley nodded to him.
"Who is he exactly?" Sito asked quickly and Wesley answered that. "He means Lieutenant O'neill's grandfather, but what he means is 1st generation Gamma. Gamma squadron, class of '92 at Starfleet academy and they were Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, Lou Ferretti, Jared Carl Dillon Warren VI. And Teal'C Thomas Martell and Commander Riker's grandfather, they were Gammas."
"SGC officers and skilled officers in the program at the time. That's why we revere them so much, my squadron. They're us in the first generation, but O'neill was NID and he believed in that terminology at the time. 'duty to your friends.' Well that duty to your friends can lead to a black ops worst night. And Captain Cromwell had to follow duty to the truth and O'neill's hated him since."
"But he suffered a POW stint by Iraq, got shot and arrested and it left him several cards short of a full deck. And a belief that no one gets left behind, in our wording that's the remark 'what about your duty to your friends.'. Daniel was more like me, if they were us as kids, it's he's me, Sam is Robin, Charlie was the commander's grandfather and Jake was Lou Ferretti and with that."
"It was his commanding officer of that mission made it clear, but he went back for him, the entire team was getting arrested. But his decision, became mine, to save the team we had to all come forward. But it happened again on three more separate occasions by the Cardassians 20th century counterparts. And his belief in upholding that resulted in his getting captured, so with that in mind here."
"Being a leader means you got to make choices you can't always stomach, the president decided he wasn't risking 6,000,000,000 lives after O'neill. And the rest of their team, came down with a very deadly virus. But a duty to the truth and a duty to your friends, if you chose the first like I did. You wouldn't have been expelled at the time, I mean probation and being held back a year."
"Is better then expulsion and being treated like a pariah as no one lets you forget it, case in point right now. Is this right now, because once everyone on the enterprise hears that you pulled this and one of the two of you ends up here. The captain is double checking just to making you don't pull it twice, and as will Lieutenant Worf and Commanders Riker, La Forge and Data right now."
"I know the crew better then you think and to us, it's brains over brawns, and they don't tolerate showing off or reckless endangerment. Which is what you did and if you just been honest and told the truth on the very first day. You wouldn't be in this position right now, I never lied to them before and over something this serious." he said and the trio swallowed as Picard looked at him.
"Yes I see now that you were never wanting to be involved in this, you never lied to me before, let alone your mother. And the quintet, and why start now, exactly, to you specifically. You wanted to come forward and tell us immediately, to head off this confrontation. And said confrontation that you knew was coming at the moment with the trio now that you're home again."
"And on your own turf at the moment as well, and I know I said you were going to very fine officer, but doing this while having to keep silent. That takes a very strong officer not to blow the whistle himself on something such as this. I'm very proud of you Wesley, nicely done, you passed this test. Said test in honesty leadership training and infiltration tactics." he said and they watched him relax.
"How are you doing that exactly?" Hajar asked in shock and Wesley smiled. "You remember this quote and teaching strategy by Sun Tzu, 'Know your opponent, and know yourself and you shall win 100 battles without disaster.'." he said and they nodded. "I've played chess with him so many times, I can read him like a book, but his favorite activities in his down time are racquetball."
"Painting, playing chess, fencing or getting on the holodeck for a mystery program on his favorite detective character, Dixon Hill. My father was his old sparring partner in both chess and fencing, and I took up those activities as well. And this created a permanent bond between us as he taught me to speak French and Latin, but what you hear regarding rumors isn't what you get."
"To understand you have to get to know him truly, and I did that when my mother was planetside, year two basically changed things for us. Because we had the chance to deepen our bonds and as a result we're like this with each other. As if that's not enough, you want to do this right, you have to truly get to know them: likes, dislikes, backgrounds, medical history and so on."
"And that was my weapon against Etana Lol, I used that to break the programming, but him, it's the fencing tournament he organized. The commander, our weekly Anbo matches, Lieutenant Worf, his coming of age ceremony, and so on. If you want a better impression with the person you're hoping to get noticed by for advanced training in career placement."
"It's by getting to know them, getting into conversation with them, just talk about yourself as the commanding officer is doing an interview. You could have made a good first impression during the commencement demonstration. After the flight, after he and mother came to me to talk. You could have spoken to him and get to know him, so you were on board at the end of it later."
"But I'm the warrior when he was just entering his teens and he gets chosen by the warrior he wanted to get noticed by, but you lost your shot here. By making this choice you just blew that interview and as a result, you're not getting picked." he said and the trio nodded in shock as he looked at Picard gently. "That's exactly the point of today's lesson, if you want a chance at first impressions."
"I mean a good first impression, if you three were hoping to be assigned to me as your commander. You should have taken the time to get to know us: me, his mother and Commander Riker. Because first impressions are defining your chances at a good placement, well if you wanted to impress me. Then it was by getting into true conversation with me at the time, and he's very correct."
"If you wanted to make a good first impression on me and the rest of my crew, it was by not showing off or breaking direct orders. But by getting into conversation with us when you met me on Monday, Nicholas. And nicely done Wesley, I know this was hard choice, but you still pulled it off, I'm very proud of you." Picard said and he smiled as he answered him as he said it gently at that.
"Thank you, Sir, as I said I never lied to you before and why start now, you, my mother and the others I'm closest to, you all mean everything to me. I'm not destroying our bonds so they can get off without the consequences. So with that, you three, why should I lie to save this team, when we both know. That coming forward was our one shot, her decision was going to be the decision."
"Decision made for all of us, or rather all of you, but so what if you were held back a year. And graduated next, that's better then expulsion if you came forward immediately and told her the truth, immediately. And we already had this discussion Sito, but coming forward early would mean you get to stay. So though you're on probation, you still graduated at the time and no one there."
"Would think any less of you except that yes you made a mistake, but you learn from that mistake and don't try it twice. Live, learn and then move on, that's what the enquiry were trying to teach you right now with this. And while I'm on the subject, do you want to know who that said cadet was. Who end up on the ship, if we hadn't changed situations leading into this, and I came forward."
"That thanks to you, you three, I lost my desire to remain in Starfleet, because I lost everything that mattered to me. But it's not my grades or my flight status that mattered, it's their trust, my grades plummeted and to me. There was no other way to go but up now, had I not decided to come forward early at the time, do you know who it was." he asked and they shook their heads, shaking then.
"It was you Sito, after three years being ridiculed for not coming forward sooner, you were assigned to my ship. With the fact I came forward and told them, I'm off the hook, but you, you just entered the snake pit. If you wanted to make a good first impression on him, my mother, the Commander. Or the rest of the adult crew, let alone Guinan, then you failed miserably right now."
"If you're the one assigned to my ship and let me tell you, if you expect them to forget about it. Then you're wrong, because they won't, as to why because not only did this nearly kill me, but I'm an expecting father. You nearly left my wife a widow and my children fatherless, they lost one student. And then to top it off, is I'm still suffering the left over side effects from the game headsets."
"Do you not understand what that means right now, for the seven and the rest of the crew?" he asked and she shook her head. "It means I get another blow to the head and it triggers a fight or flight response. But no you didn't think about that, you didn't think about the parents that would want justice. And for their children's deaths, I'm an only child and all my mother has left of my father."
"My children are all she, my girlfriend and her parents, as well as my friends in the crew, have left of me. If you were thinking like a true Starfleet officer, you'd come forward and tell the truth automatically. And instead you decided on a cover up that impeded upon an official investigation. Into the death of a cadet, so what's this say to them now." he said and Brand crossed her arms at the remark.
"I made it clear, if you wanted to prevent this moment from coming, you should have come forward with me at the time and told them the truth. Us to stay friends, just being honest and you joining me on the ship as a member of my squadron. As we trained you as a member of the team, but you didn't and sided with him, well here's the result, it's now a parting of the ways now, Sito."
"You could choose to be honest and keep everything that ever mattered to you, or you could lie to save yourself and you lose everything. Once I reveal the truth to her, the enquiry, and my crew, and you chose the latter. And here's the result, in his words you basically told me if I couldn't lie to save the team. Then I could leave, well by saying that, you just condemned yourself now."
"You have them right now, but you lost me, your best friend when we were discussing this in my quarters. Wasn't that what you considered me at the time, your best friend, that Josh and I were your trio. Well one member of that trio is dead and you lost me the second you tried to coerce me into lying to them. So I'm sorry, but this friendship is over." he said and they watched her eyes tears up.
"Wes please, don't do this, I know I didn't have any right to say that to you, but you're my best friend, don't leave me." she said and and he shook his head. "You think Kate or Robin would tell me to lie to them. What about Dana Satterfield, Jake Grogan and Sarah Hailey, you think they would say that. To save ourselves from expulsion it's coming forward together." he said and she swallowed at that.
"I know I should have come forward right from the beginning, Wes." Sito said and Wesley crossed his arms at that. "Yes you should have, but you didn't, instead you joined with the others to pretend that was an accident. And with that in mind, honesty was part of the exams in this, but it's clear. To everyone in this room, that you don't want to be honest and would rather cheat to stay."
"So tell me right now, what that says about your character, you'd rather lie to stay here and you and Nick coerce me into keeping silent. The captain a very low tolerance for breaking rules and dishonesty, Sito. And you knew damn well I couldn't do what you ask. Remember, 'I'm not sure I can do this.'. What were your exact words to my remark?" he asked and she and Locarno paled at that.
"Yeah that's right, you never studied ancient history to know that the people of the 20th century created a couple tv shows focused on the original enterprise. And my crew, I looked up this season, when I went home and they kept me home for 18 months. Only to find an episode going by the official name of 'The First Duty', and the first duty of every Starfleet officer is a duty to the truth."
"Sure you told the truth, up to a point, but what you failed to mention was that the accident was caused by a banned maneuver at the time. I said it, time and time again, that you need more then physical education to be in Starfleet and living in space. You need every damn subject in high school to make it it in outer space." he said and she swallowed hard at the remark as he said it then sternly.
"You been had you three, I told him the truth when he called me up here, and he made it clear that if you don't have the forth right to come forward. And tell her the truth about what really took place, then you, none of you, deserved to wear that uniform. He gave you a chance, and it was either you tell her the truth or he would and with that in mind right now, he made me his spy."
"I'm a plant on the team, Nick, I was working for them, but did you really expect, now. For me to lie down and say what you said about my captain and crew. Did you not hear the emphasis in those words, I never lied to 'my' captain before. And why should I start now exactly, huh it's wrong, I can't do it, I won't do it." he said and hearing those words Picard and Brand both looked at the trio.
'I don't remember telling him to do that, but if it was a scare tactic at the time, it just works even more in our favor right now. We planned this in advance after the game and when we kept him home, alright, if he's telling them that, he's making it clear to them. That he pretended to tell me when I busted them, and I made him my plant on the team, just so they could incriminate themselves.'
'Well if he had the trio tape recording the entire conversation, then Locarno crossed a line he can't take back right now. But what did he say to him, in order for him to push it to the limit right now in faking it. If he just said that to him, alright, Wesley was acting like a double agent. And he was a spy on the team for us, okay say it Andrea.' Picard said to her softly, and she said it for both of them.
"You really expected to get away with that, cadets, I warned you, we gave you chance, after chance to come forward and he was very correct. To stay at the academy, you had to all come forward together. But my decision, if you all came forward together, was the one I gave you today. And instead of just telling us the truth right from the very beginning at the time you decided to lie to me."
"And here's the result cadets, but you, Mr. Locarno, have been expelled from the academy, you two, ladies. Have had your credits for this year cancelled your flight status revoked and you're being held back and the only one who did. Was Mr. Crusher, well with the fact I made my decision already, let's see what his memories show us." Brand said to the trio sternly and he went into parade rest then.
"I made a promise to my parents that if I was in trouble I would come forward immediately and I'm keeping that promise. But it's the act of duty to the truth, but in our counterparts of the 20th century, our original name for our organization. It's 'someone dropped a dime on the incursion, you got hit, you went down. And I made a judgement call to save the rest of the team.'."
"That's what Cromwell's grandfather said, before he was killed in the blackhole, but to O'neill it's 'And I saw you take off, and then I saw four months of my life disappear. And what happened to know what gets left behind.'. Well the problem with that is that if Cromwell went back for him. Then their team was also going to be captured here, it's as simple as that right now and with that."
"Josh got hit, he was killed and I made a judgement call to save the rest of the team and it's by telling the truth. So tell me, what's your reason for this, to save the team, that's more important then me, and more important then you. And if I was in your place, I would tell her the truth on the very first day. But that's just me, I never lied to my parents before and I'm not starting now, Nick."
"I meant it when I said that, we are Starfleet recruits, we have a duty to the truth." he said firmly and the trio swallowed hard at the remark. "Did you really not get the message, I never lied to them, ever, before. And I'm not starting now here, you just barely destroyed my bonds with my crew, you stupid fools. My parents, and my friends, they raised me, and with that in mind now."
"You see the way the sextet are looking at you right now and why exactly?" he said with low growl as Will rested his hands on his shoulders gently. "Its not as everything Derek told you was true here at the time. I guess Derek said that my mother was having an affair with him and I got in on a case of quid pro quo. Is that what he told you three at the time?" he said and they watched the trio swallow.
"Get Peter and Colin Marks up here right now." he said a minute later the duo beamed aboard the ship and taking one look at the enquiry and scared looks on Derek and Nick's faces they paled as they got it. "You were in on this weren't you, you wanted to set me up, as payback when I got you kicked off the ship. Because you don't have what it takes to be a Starfleet officer on the enterprise, Colin."
"So you really thought I wasn't that close to them, to him, the commander and the rest of the senior staff. And that I'd follow through with your attempt to keep this under wraps. That dragging up that mention of how I know what it's like to trust someone with your life, but coercion is illegal, as is emotional blackmail." he said and the enquiry and the seven cross their arms at that revelation.
"So that's the reason you waited till I was about to close the proceedings, they used emotional blackmail?" Brand said to him firmly at that. "I'm looking at a case of coercion and emotional blackmail. And three charges that are part of being the leader of team, and several others for the rest of the team. And the only thing you're guilty of is not telling us this information sooner, Wesley."
"I'm guessing that's why he charged into your dorm room when you were getting ready to tell me this and what happened and why?" Picard said and he nodded. "Aye Sir, as I once said my loyalty to you is beyond question, I never lied to you before and why would I start now. But it seems like our code doesn't mean a thing to them, because they were willing to break it to stay here."
"I made a promise and I'm keeping that process, but you crossed a line when you said this. I didn't have to say it, you knew what I wanted Nick, to stay we had to come forward together. And did you really expect to get away with it, that insult to not just her, but my parents. Because when my parents heard that you're screwed here." he said and Locarno looked at him in shock at the wording.
"Your parents?!" Locarno repeated and he nodded. "Yes my parents, what did you think the duo and the captain are to me exactly anyway. Why would I have those pictures on the wall in my dorm room of them and him. But the reason that Commander Riker, Captain Picard, my mother and Counselor Troi. They made decisions in keeping me home, the duo are my godparents, you guys."
"And the captain my adoptive father, it's 5 1/2 years of a bond with them, my mother and me, even more, she's all I got left of my family as it is now. But you know what else you could have caused here exactly. Well if you don't, you nearly left my wife a widow and my children fatherless. My girlfriend is pregnant with my baby, and I decided I'm not having my career destroyed."
"As I said I never lied to them before and I'm not about to start now, I've been working undercover all this time in case what happened, did happen. And I guess if Derek and Eric told you, it's you never wanted to believe it that Josh and I turned on you the second we were up here with the trio. I created my own team and I'm the alpha of it and you're going down for killing a cadet."
"And the near murder of a second, the charges in this are numerous and thus. But: for incompetence of command, for failure to abide by safety regulations during a live flight testing exercise. For negligence that contributed to the death of a team mate and the near murder of a second. For lying to a superior officer and falsifying a report, for peer pressure of the surviving team mate."
"All of these on their own can result in the decision she decided on us, but pack them altogether and you're getting expelled from the academy. And as you're the ring leader, it's done with now, because after they see this you're never getting a second chance at going in the academy. You destroyed the team yourself, and it's your jealousy, of him." he said as Dayton walked in at that then.
"That's the following charges in this hearing Cadet Crusher, as he's the ring leader of the trio, you wanted to come forward the second your ship and crew arrived. And every time you had a chance to, he kept interrupting it, leading into when Jean Luc caught them in the act. And his reprimand and warning to them, through you, was really a case of you're being a double agent now."
"Although you never got the chance to tell us that because he kept interrupting it." Deladier asked and he nodded. "Aye Sir that's right, I was a plant all this time: on the one hand making them think I was siding with you as you figured out what caused the explosion. In yours, thinking I was also participating in the cover up, but I've been trying to tell you ever since my crew arrived."
"Josh and me, we're plants, and Starfleet born, we took it upon ourselves to do your under cover work for you, the past 10 days. I was waiting for Commanders La Forge and Data to reveal it regarding the plasma ignition. And for Captain Picard to realize it, but that's what I really meant, I choose not to answer. However the motive was clear, always wanting to be in the lime light."
"Best at everything he does, and even if means another cadet is killed a chance to graduate in a blaze of glory. And the self satisfaction, the reason being he finally upstaged the academic leader. That's what I meant, I had to tell you something, said something was I'm a double agent, the warning he gave them. It was an added reprimand, aimed at Nick." he said and the enquiry nodded to him.
"Indeed, and with the fact you waited till now to tell us, I'm hereby placing you on probation, you have 18 months, both regarding your points from this year and your flight status." she said and he nodded. "Aye Sir, Sir, regarding my flight status of the smaller ships, the shuttles, the starfighters. That's what should be revoked and made up, I've been flying the enterprise for 5 years now."
"I would never, ever risk the lives of anyone by participating in a daredevil stunt, this situation regarding the starburst. It was part of the job and Josh was the unwelcome add on in my eyes regarding it. But it's the loaded gun remark in that area and it's not happening again, I did my job as did Josh. I just wish I got to him in time, in truth, it happened again as a result here."
"I lost two friends in the side of seven months and thanks to him, I lose another, I did my job in getting justice for his death. I just wish I'd gotten to his fighter in time and I don't care if they think I'm a traitor, I'm a Starfleet officer I have a duty to the truth, I will not lie." he said and she nodded as she looked at him, her eyes gentle at that as as Picard exchanged looks with the trio at that.
"Alright start from the beginning, where do we begin, if you decided to do this on your own kids, because it's enough to double the sentence in their case. And you're off the hook in yours as you're the only one to come forward out of the four of you." Picard said and he nodded as he looked at the monitor gently. "Lal activate Stardate 45208.2, the conversation between Josh, me and Charlie."
"After former Cadet Locarno chose the Kolvoord Starburst for the commencement demonstrations." he said and it activated at that as they watched the duo walking down the hall talking and they smiled. "That's the Stardate you came home on break before the game started shooting through the ship this week. At the moment son, well if that doesn't do it, then nothing ever does right now at the moment."
"So choose the date that has a significant connection to when your team went from a normal training team and right to being a squadron." Jenson said smiling and he nodded as it activated at that as they saw them talking. "The Kolvoord Starburst, that one was prohibited by the captain's generation in the flight competitions. The last attempt 110 years ago killed 5 cadets, and it was banned from use at the time."
"Before someone tried again and it kills someone else in the commander's generation But trying the maneuver now, it takes 20 years of training to get it right." Wesley said and he nodded as he answered him at that. "I can't believe this, is he out of his mind, that maneuver cost five cadet's their lives. Just what is the deal exactly here, why would he choose this one exactly at the moment?"
"I mean it killed five cadets 100 years ago, and in the commander's generation it killed Commander Reynolds?" Joshua Alberts asked and they watched him think it over. "If it was an act of..., maybe Charlie can explain this to us right now, because if this was two fold at the moment. But the results are that our version of the commander's squadron may have to blow the whistle on Nick later."
"Because we get it right we can tell them that despite direct orders given by the committee and the admiral. He still chose a maneuver that was banned by the committee, though we tried to talk him out of it, he wouldn't listen. Though if we don't, it's telling the captain the truth when they get here next week." he said and they watched as Josh gave a nod of agreement to his thoughts then at that.
"Unless there's another for that and said reason is..., oh damn it, I know the reason, and in the words of Jennifer Hailey regarding Sam Carter. 'You got the highest score in every class I've ever been in, won every prize I've every been up. They been comparing me to you from the moment I walked in the door, and I can never seem to measure up.'. He's decided if he can get it right finally."
"Then he's going to go down in history as the Nova that beat the Gamma leader for the first time in the most dangerous maneuver in precision flying there is. But it goes wrong and it's going to kill us, we don't have a choice, I know my captain he's going to figure out what caused the accident the second he hears the words ignite the plasma." Wesley said and he nodded in agreement gently then.
"Yeah alright, come on we can do this from my room." Josh said to him and he nodded. "You know I never wanted to be part of Nova anyway, because I was happy as a lone wolf. Or at least I was until we created our own version of Gamma on the enterprise when I was in recovery. Though our beta might have something to do with this, Charlie is just as good as I am if anything."
"But from what he told me he got the highest scores in every class, won every award..., oh boy not again." he said and Josh looked at him. "What exactly?" he asked and he sighed. "Nick, if anything, is just like Comander Shelby, but she broke orders twice. And went behind Commander Riker's back regarding the situation with the Borg, before the Captain got turned into one last year."
"I bet it's this discussion with Derek and Colin, but it's the very same one that she's had with the commander. The commander was getting the highest grade in every class she's been in. Won every award that she was ever up for and to her, it's the academy was comparing her to him. Ever since she walked in the door, and in their eyes, she could never measure up to his skills or experience."
"Till finally she met him face to face, erred twice and then went behind his back to Captain Picard. And the commander let her have it in the turbolift and she mouthed off to him. But Commander Riker would never reach where he was at or even further if he didn't know the dangers of making the big decisions. And though they offered him the chair twice in two commands, he never took it."
"Because he didn't want to separate from us or the Captain and Counselor Troi was his girlfriend before they separated. But he knows I still need him, so he's not leaving in case of trouble at the moment here. But what I did seven months ago was the true expertise and experience of a true Starfleet officer. And the Captain promoted me to full lieutenant as well as a result at the time here."
"While Charlie was junior grade and Robin was also junior and Jake ensign, but from what the duo told me Nick was her ex. And if this keeps going in the same direction, if Charlie was Nick's rival, in academics, athletics and love. I'm just quoting the rival on the movie here, but all's fair in love and war. Which was another remark in the movie and to his thoughts now at the moment."
"It's a mixed quote, but 'the great Charlie Dayton, you think a day hasn't gone by in the academy where I don't hear your name. You gotten the highest grade in every class I ever been in, won every award I've ever been up for. And they've been comparing me to you since the day I walked in the door. And I can never seem to measure up' that's the psychosis for Nick, for Derek in my case."
"For Shelby, in Riker's case and all of them trying to prove their better then we are by pulling a daredevil stunt. And one that was prohibited by the captain's generation after the move killed five cadets already and killed another 15 years ago after Commander Reynolds was killed, and Jackson exposed it. With that I think he's trying to best him by pulling something that could blow things."
"In his reputation that is if we get it right for the first time, but if we don't and his act of jealousy is going to cause him to self destruct here. As he never learned from one mistake, makes another and we pay the price, if one of us is killed while doing this. As either of us relieves him of squad command and we turn him into the inquiry." he said and Josh nodded as they saw his eyes narrow.
"Then we don't have a choice now, we're going undercover as plants, Nick is out of his mind with the inferiority complex. If this keeps up he's going to get us killed at the moment, we don't have a choice, we have to relieve of him of squad command." he said and Wesley nodded as they headed for his dorm room and got on the computer then as he typed in the radio transmission codes to the enterprise.
"This is Cadet Alberts to Ensign Dayton, priority one message." he said and five minutes later they saw Dayton appear and he smiled as he looked at the duo. "Hey guys what's going on if you contacted me?" he asked and Wesley explained that. "Nick's obsession with trying to get passed your image has resulted in serious problem here, Charlie, he's trying to beat you as his rival and as for why now."
"He decided, for the commencement demonstration, on attempting the Kolvoord Starburst here." he told and he quickly answered that. "What, is he out of his mind right now, it takes years to get that much training to pull it off here. I mean it works and sure, but if it doesn't one or all of you could be killed." he said and Wesley nodded as he answered him at that remark as he said it to him.
"Yeah I know, but we may have to go to undercover work here at the moment, because if it does, and we're him reporting for breaking orders. It doesn't and another cadet is killed it's the same and I'm turning him into the inquiry. As the academy psychologist does it and sees him as he's suffering an inferiority complex regarding you, but the girls decided to go with it at the moment."
"But it's either he's speaking for himself or al three of them once the aftermath of this hits. But if one of us is killed in the line of duty here, at least we have them recieving the consequences for breaking orders." he said and Dayton nodded. "Yeah alright you want me to tell the sextet or just wait on this?" he asked and they both sighed as he answered him as he said it then.
"No don't tell them, not yet, if I'm the one who has to be the undercover agent, I'm telling the captain if and when he figures it out. Getting passed them, once I tell Deladier that I'm relieving him of squad command is the biggest problem. And you're getting in next week, so with that, if he keeps interfering in my telling them, it's just making it clear he's desperate to keep the truth hidden."
"And from getting out, so just wait till I see and we and Robin and Jake can finish this together. But either way, it's not going to turn into that added problem, because I'm not Nova, I'm Gamma and I'm making sure they get the consequences for this." he said and he nodded. "Yeah alright, I'll see you next week, just let me know how it went." he said and Wesley nodded to him.
"Will do, see you next week man." he said and he nodded as the transmission ended and he looked at Josh. "Alright we're doing this, but we can't tell the inquiry till they figure out what caused the accident, if there is one. But it either works or it doesn't, but either way, they're getting the consequences and we're turning them in." he said to him and Josh nodded in agreement to that remark as he said it.
"Well we better get to work on this now." he said and Wesley nodded as they left his quarters. "Uh huh, yes okay so you decided to wait till we arrived to tell us what happened up there and as you said get it right. And you were going to tell us he broke the restrictions my age group gave on this maneuver. Get it wrong, yet again, and someone else was killed and you're still turning them into us."
"You needed to report directly to me to tell me your mission has begun, and before you could say it. He walked in the door to prevent it at the time, alright keep it going what happened in the attempt, Wesley?" Picard asked and he sighed as he said it. "Lal diorama of the attempt and the truth to what happened up there." he said and they watched as it activated then as he looked at the group.
"Get ready you're not going to like this Captain, Admiral, because despite the fact I said we had it too close together he still wanted to try it at the angle at the time. Josh and I both said the exact same thing, the maneuver was too close together." he said and Deladier answered that as he crossed his arms. "How close exactly son, because if what he told me was another lie right now."
"And it's making his chances at a second chance into Starfleet looking very remote right now. Though you just barely got yourself killed in the explosion, if you tried to save him and put out the fire, before it reached the gas tank. And if that's what happened that kills his case of what he told us at the time." he said and Wesley sighed sadly as he told them the truth then as he looked at the sextet.
"He used the measurements of a Lieutenant O'neill and tried it at five meters between us." he said and they looked at him in shocked disbelief. " Lieutenant O'neill, as in Lieutenant Jack O'neill, the previous Nova squadron leader. His attempt killed Damian Reynolds and the stunts were the same thing. Joseph Carter told this Daniel Jackson and he decided on an undercover operation."
"And turned in O'neill to us at the time, because Reynolds was his best friend, Cadet." she repeated and he nodded. "Yes Sir, I'm assuming this is the reason he hasn't gained his promotion to lieutenant commander. Though the commander called Commander Jackson Nick, is that his real name?" he asked and she sighed as she answered him gently as she looked at him as she looked at Will at that.
"His full name is Daniel Nicholas Jackson, at times Daniel preferred being called by his middle name. And others, like when around us of the next rank or two up, by his real name, Cadet, looking at you now. I'm guessing you took Daniel's appeal in everything regarding these things, correct?" she asked and he nodded. "Alright keep it going what happened next." She added and he nodded to her.
"To answer the unasked question we were going to join the others for practice in this, but we started off easy with the Yeager loop and then tried it. But we got the first half of it right, before we tried the plasma blast. But everything leading up to the attempt was as I said, Sirs." he said and she nodded as she crossed her arms as she answered him at that remark gently as she said it to him.
"At the current moment I wish you told us what you were doing, so we could prevent this incident from getting out of hand, alright show it to me." Brand said and he nodded as it moved forward then as they saw him in space. As they watched the quintet performing each maneuver as they watched him perform the loop. As they tried the maneuver, before they heard the debate then as they saw a close up view of Alberts.
"Nick you got it too close together, pull back a bit." They heard from Josh as they heard him. "No we got it right, this is how Lieutenant O'neill tried it." he said and Geordi looked at him, as he said it, in shock, at that remark as he repeated that. "How Jack tried it, the idiot doesn't know the first thing about physics here, he's a helm jock, not a physicist, that stupid idiot tried it at this angle 14 years ago."
"And it nuked Damian Reynolds's engine when it happened." he said and Wesley nodded as he repeated that remark. "No we don't, it's supposed to be another five meters apart, pull back a bit, now. The angle needs to back another five meters, pull back another 15 feet, Nick. Listen to me, we try it at this angle, it's going to nuke someone's engine, pull back." he said sternly and he snapped at him at that.
"No I'm the leader of this team, if this doesn't work, we try again." he said and Wesley sighed as he looked at the crew and the committee members at that. "We never got that second chance, because it never worked. The squadron was destroyed after this his arrogance did the very same thing that Rico caused on the movie." He said and they nodded to him as he heard his voice snap at him at that remark to him.
"You idiot, this could get us killed, we have to pull back, Damian Reynolds was killed when they tried it at this angle. So forget it we're not making their mistakes or it could kill us as well so forget it. Josh stay put, we're not doing this. Aside from that I'm reporting this directly to the admiral for your breaking orders." he snapped and they heard Jean quote the lost cadet's remarks at that.
"Any time something goes wrong, it's always you, Crusher!" she snapped at him coldly at that. "Yeah and that's maybe because I don't take un-necessary risks Hajar, this is illegal. If we don't get it right, it could kill one or all of us..., Nick I mean it, if this goes wrong and it's on your head." he snapped as they watched the duo swallow as they got the first half of the maneuever right as they went to it.
"Oh dear god no, pull back boys, pull back." Alberts said as they watched as they went into a star formation, before they let loose the plasma burst, as the explosion threw Wesley ten yards away from it as it lit up Alberts's engine causing it to catch fire. "Josh, turn on the flame retardant, your engine's on fire, do it now!" Wesley shouted, before they saw a close up view, his head lying against the wall of his cockpit.
"No, Josh wake up, Josh, Josh!" they heard him scream out as he tried to fly to him as his ship exploded as the blast threw him into the wall of his cockpit as he was knocked unconscious then. "Alright stop, stop, that's enough, he needs a few minutes, I can feel his grief trying to break through he's ready to kill right now." Deanna said sharply and the nodded as he turned away from the trio and walked to the door.
"Wait, wait, wait, rewind that and we have her stop the trio from making them take her with the duo now, as she's playing them for fools and she's decided to join with us. With her staying with us for three years in on the job training right now." Picard said and he nodded as they heard her voice say it. "Wait, Captain, please, I want to stay, I want to finished viewing this." she said and he nodded firmly as he said it then to them.
"Captain, it's okay, it's not what you think here either, like me the story's one sided, she can stay with me, but that 18 months made some changes. And to this, but them, I'm not having the quartet anywhere near her now." Wesley added as he gripped her hand and she squeezed his and seeing that, the group knew it then. "If I saw you taking her hand, I'd know she's with you in this situation."
"Like you she's a double agent, making them think she was with them all along, but instead she's the other plant on the team, infiltration, the plant and the sacrifice. But seeing you both looking at them in hatred, that's enough to tell me. You're both ready to exact revenge on the trio for destroying your academy trio." Beverly said and Picard nodded in agreement to that as they heard his double say it with a stern tone at that.
"Alright we're taking a thirty minute recess in this, get those two to a detention cell. Because we're going over this after he's had a chance to compose himself right now. We're viewing the rest of this without the trio in the room to prevent a fight." Picard said sharply at that, as they looked at him shaking in grief and Will moved to him and he turned into him and buried his head into his shoulder then.
Before he turned around to look at Alberts as Will left his hand on his shoulder gently. "I'm sorry Commander I tried, but I couldn't get to him fast enough." he said trying to hold it in and Alberts nodded with a sigh. "It's not your fault son, it's theirs, you did your best, my son died in the line of duty, and like we said. Although we can prepare you for this, in theory, there's no way to prepare you here."
"Once it goes from simulation to real, like it did during the no winner, but this was negligence, ill conceived timing and measurements gone wrong. You did your best, but making sure that maneuver was banned after this latest attempt was what my son's sacrifice was really about. Should we just finish this, because he's being marginalized once this gets out all over the academy."
"That you and my son were plants on Nova, Locarno is the reason my son is gone and you were finishing the undercover mission you were doing for us." He asked and Wesley nodded. "So what were you going to tell us young lady?" Brand asked and she smiled in relief. "Remember when you had me up here for advanced training at the time, and Josh, Wes and I made our bond stronger, Sirs."
"Because what you're about to see next was a set up, I'm playing the quartet for fools, by that I mean the duo and the Hanson cousins. The three years training up here with the sextet on board the ship. They left their mark on me now permanently, I'm more Starfleet officer then the quartet are." she said and they nodded as Wesley pulled her into a hug and she tightened her arms around him.
As Jake looked at him. "You okay man?" he said and Wesley nodded as she touched his back and he nodded to her. "Yeah and I know she's relieved that I'm alright, but like me, she's in mourning over Josh right now. With us separated, she's all I got with him gone now, regarding us finishing the mission. Every time she and I had the chance to talk here, he's always in the room with us at the time."
"She and Josh were my trio down there, one member is dead, I'm not stopping till he gets what's coming to him now." he said as he leaned against the table and she sat next to him then. "I miss him too, damn it why didn't they listen to you, it was too close together. We needed to be another 15 feet apart, we took these measurements, you're a Starfleet born, and I spent three years in training."
"And doing it up here, I know the damn risks, why didn't we just tell them ahead of time, damn it. So you and I resign from the team, before we got to work on this." she said feeling her anger growing by the minute. "She lost me the second she said that to you, I don't care what they say, I'm finishing the job. Why damn it, why did it have to be Josh, why wasn't it one of them."
"He's the squadron leader and his lust and pride kills a member of our squadron, why him." she said feeling her pain and grief growing every minute then. "We understand, I've been asking myself that same question over his father. But you let this anger at them, at Locarno take total control. Then it'll do more damage then it has already Cadet, calm down." Picard said and they nodded sadly.
"I know Sir, and she just said everything I'm thinking right now, and believe me, when we see each other in three years. She, Hajar, gets added to the crew, but it's we're peers, but there's nothing left between us after that. She made the decision, then she's suffering the consequences at the moment. Sito and me, we lost a team mate, a friend and a brother in the line of duty now."
"But she's about to be exposed, but she's not the one I'm worried about, but you are. So what matters more to me is more then friendship, it's that I don't lose our family's trust. That's the only option, if it means I have to give them up, just to keep from losing our bonds. And my bonds with the others in the crew, it's a price I'll pay." he said and Picard nodded to him gently at that remark.
"Me too, Sir, three years together and in truth I don't care what they say, but you, the seven of you. And you as well too, Admirals, Captain Deladier, and the rest of the crew matter more to me, I'm a Gamma. I'm a Nova that plummeted to earth and was reborn a Gamma, I have a duty to you, to Josh, to Wesley, and their parents, but most of all I have a duty to the truth and with that in mind
"Well best to see what happened next, regarding this, so keep going what happened next. In the aftermath of the explosion, before Eric got you down from there." he said and Wesley nodded as he refocused. "Lal activate the simulation Crusher 54235, after the explosion." he said and she crossed her arms at that, as they saw the next image as they saw his ship with smoke coming off of it.
Looking at the trio watching in shock and she nodded to that, as they heard their conversation. "Well this just proved what he told me was a lie, the EM pulse, it fried the engines and instruments at the time, so that's another charge added to the list." she said and he nodded as they listened to the conversation. "We have do something here." They heard from Jean, before they heard Sito's double's remark.
"Josh's gone, we can't get Wesley back down to earth, without them asking why he's unconscious right now." she snapped at her, and she sighed. "I was beyond furious, like Wes said directly, if one of us was killed it's on their heads. One of our trio was gone, and Wes is unconscious right now, I was furious and I was trying to figure out how to wake him up, without exposing either of us."
"But that sums up that remark right now, I was beyond furious here that Josh was dead and Wes was injured." she said and they nodded to her, before Locarno snapped at them at that as they saw the pale look on his face. As they saw 3 starfighters come flying at them. "Here I come to get you guys down from there and bring you back to the academy, he's lucky I didn't see this or he'd be in big trouble."
"After you arrived, Jean Luc and Will chose me to be your flight instructor and from what they told me. It's that your grades in practical beat everyone in simulation for 3 1/2 years running at the time but this time. You just barely got yourself killed trying to keep his ship from exploding." Deladier said with a firm sigh as he looked at him as he was trying to keep from blacking out as they watched it.
"Never mind, we have to tell them that the blast knocked him unconscious and fried Josh's engine." Locarno snapped as they heard their flight instructor say it sternly. "What the hell happened here, you three, and there better be a damned good reason at the moment." he said sharply to them. "The maneuver backfired, Josh was killed in the explosion and it knocked Wes unconscious, captain."
"We're fine though Wes was knocked around his cockpit." he told him and the older man nodded with a furious look. "Wesley, son, can you hear me?" he said gently as he watched him lift his head weakly. "Captain, Aye Sir, I can, but it's bad, I'm not sure how bad my injuries are. But I need my mother, now, if my ship is coming to the academy for the commencement demonstration, next week."
"I'm out of commission, physically and emotionally, the blast killed Josh, it nuked his engine, so I need to see my crew. And get Commander Alberts, he needs to know this as well. But this wasn't an accident, they chose a maneuver that back fired and one that was illegal, so with that in mind right now. I'm taking command of Nova squadron and we're on stand down till the hearing."
"Sir, if could you get word to my ship, let them know I'm injured and I need to see them, immediately. As of this moment, I'm relieving Cadet Locarno of his command effective immediately right now. And before we do the inquiry, and I'll explain what happened then, but I have to see the crew first. My captain and commander are not going to take it well when they hear this, believe me."
"In regarding broken rules and regulations, because this is as illegal as it gets, and despite the warnings, they still tried it." he asked and the older man nodded, not noticing the panicked looks on their faces at the remark and Picard nodded to that firmly. "Sure thing son, alright, you're now in charge of Nova squadron, and before you start arguing young man, ladies, my decision is final right now."
"As of this moment, Cadet Locarno, you're hereby relieved of duty of Nova Squadron, you three get back to earth, now." he said to them and they nodded. 'Alright forget this, I'm going right to my crew for this, I never wanted to be in the squadron anyway, I have to tell my mother and the quartet. The captain will know what to, but I'm not lying to him, I'm telling them when they arrive.'
"And when mom and the captain get into my room, they need to hear the truth regarding this, this was not my idea. The crew matters more to me, their lessons, I'm a Starfleet cadet. I have a duty to the truth, I have to tell them the truth. No matter if it's against being a friend in their eyes, a lie of omission is still a lie, I will not lie to my crew or the admiral in something this serious.'
"I'm telling mom and Captain Picard, I'm showing them the accident from my point of view.' they heard and the seven nodded firmly as Picard looked at him at that. "Uh huh, alright so you asked to see us the second we arrived and relieved him of duty, because you were turning him into us right then. Alright what about the first ten minutes before the hearing?" Will asked as he crossed his arms firmly.
"Yeah well trust me you're not going to like it, despite the fact I said we were telling them the truth and they agreed to it. He decided to go to a lie of omission here, but Josh never let us down and you remember things in the hearing as easily as I do." he said and they nodded as they watched it. "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 you all agreed to tell us the truth, he decided to go with a half truth. And when giving his report, alright jump forward to your being in your quarters, Cadet."
"As I remember that conversation as clearly as you do, but I'm guessing you were going to tell us that truth, regarding what came next after the Yeager loop. But in private, as keeping that truth hidden from us was getting harder by the minute, I can see that now. You were going to tell me in private just to get it off your chest?" she asked and Picard watched him give a nod to her gently at that.
"Aye Sir, but I was trying to work a way into getting on board the ship, without them realizing it, but I didn't think to ask Kate and the rest of Gamma. To create a distraction, and have Lal beam me on board the ship to report in after the captain spoke to Boothby. And mom was telling me they were getting closer to a breakthrough, but the first half of the truth I got to you now."
"The second was the piece I was going to tell you by confirming that theory and dropping the act, I'm working undercover. But you remember when you said that you're giving them a chance to come forward. But you gave them chance after chance, but here's the part I made clear to them. To stay, it was coming forward together and telling you the truth, but he lied to you in the hearing."
"I said the accident happened after the Yeager loop, which it did, but to how is the part I was waiting for the crew to crack and when they did. I was dropping the act and telling you I was working undercover. As I waited for them to incriminate themselves by their own words in dishonesty now. But the first duty of every Starfleet officer is a duty to the truth, I'm a Starfleet cadet."
"We have a duty to the truth, be it scientifical, ethical, or responsible, and it's the founding principle of which Starfleet was based. But paraphrasing the captain's words in the lecture he was telling me. If they didn't have the will to stand up and tell you what took place, then they didn't deserve to wear our uniforms." he said and Picard watched his modified double hiding a smile to that.
"I think you been listening to me a little too much if you're acting like me when you let them have it, Lieutenant, alright. I take you told them what the bond between us, and you with the quintet really was. Before making it clear that the second I figured it out, that they're in trouble. And we were giving them a fair chance to come forward and admit to the truth." he asked and he nodded to him.
"Aye Sir, but here's where I laid into them, but the added act now, is he asked what I think we should do, and I didn't have to say it out loud. But it was just come forward and tell you the truth. But they weren't considering it here, but get ready for this. You're not going to like Captain, Admiral, because my telling them off included my bonds with you, Sirs." he said and they nodded to him then.
"Your bonds with us, the fact your crew's been doing forensics ever since you transferred to the enterprise. The fact that when you find a mystery like this you turn into a detective agency. And along with it, is that the fact is you never lied to us before and why start now. And again why wait to come forward, because the longer they put it off, the more the decision turns more strict."
"Because if this explains the look on your face in there and they're in serious trouble for lying to me, yet again." Brand said to him and he nodded as it moved forward to them sitting around his room. "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 3 years 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 seven before, why should I start now, because this is enough to get us in trouble any way, 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 right 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 Wesley 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. And 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 fool. But you're going down either way right now when we get through with you. Lie to our commanders, well that's enough to clip your wings here." Dayton, Robin, Jake and Wesley said together sharply and Picard said it firmly to that as he crossed his arms at that remark.
Before they heard it second time and this time in Sito's voice, her tone loaded in anger at the duo as she and Wesley exchanged firm looks at that. 'Guess again, he just set you up to take the fall you stupid fool. But you're going down either way right now when we get through with you. Lie to our commanders, well that's enough to clip your wings here.' they heard in stern mental tone to that and they nodded
"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. 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."
"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, Sirs." 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. "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." Wesley said sharply and Picard nodded. "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 as he heard the blond Bajoran girl say it.
"We might as well turn in our uniforms and start packing up our bags." she said and Will, Deanna and Beverly crossed their arms as he repeated his remark on that. "Wrong answer, we come forward together and it's what the admiral already decided, for the entire team. You choose to lie and your goose is cooked, I've known that since I was 15, so thanks to your decisions, another cadet is dead."
"You've 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 remark with him as they listened to the answering response at that statement.