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 33: The First Duty Part VIII: The Truth Comes Out And The Reveal
"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." Brand 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.
"If she expects me to let that go now that I heard that, when she ends up on my ship, she'd better think again, because I won't now. She should have come forward right from the start, but she didn't, but no. Instead she joined with the duo and pretended that it was just an accident. But there's my you showing, you're baiting them into making the same mistakes their double's made."
"Hearing that in your words is one thing, hearing it in your memories is another and that's going to far right now. And to you 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."
"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 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 Alberts crossed his arms then.
"Sirs you always mattered more to me then all of them put together, I worked hard and got this far up the ladder, I'm not letting them jeopardize it. Or destroy our bonds, I have a duty to the truth to me, my mother, Josh's parents and the academy. But most of all to the truth and justice, and I was making sure you got justice, Commander." he said and Alberts squeezed his shoulder gently.
"Yes and that's definitely my you showing when you sound like this, the you I know right now would never go through with something like this right now. I know my son sacrificed himself, but hearing you're willing to finish the job. And make sure they pay the consequences, but justice for his mother and me. For Beverly and Robin, that's made clear." Alberts said and he nodded gently then.
"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.
"If I was you I'd tell the truth now, rather than waiting till the last minute Nicholas, because the punishment is only going to get worse. If you don't come forward and soon now and as for that remark. I think that the act of being a true team is taking the fall together, a crew is a team. A team is a family, and though we already have a family, once deployed and up here now."
"Up here, where it's more dangerous, we become each other's family, and we take care of each other, trust each other with our lives. But that doesn't mean pressuring your family into doing things they'd never normally do. And definitely not just to save yourselves from getting in trouble together, young man." She said with a stern growl at that remark, as she rested her hand on his back.
"Yeah that's why I chose yesterday to get the news to you, I had to get up here and tell you the truth. We've spent six years together, I could trust you to watch my back, but you're adults and my surrogate parents. The difference, is I could depend on you for everything up here, we been together so long now. That because of this you've been at it longer than I have, but parents."
"Brothers and sisters, that's what mattered more to me, you all of you were the ones that meant most to me. But if they expected me to ignore all that guess again I mean..., Lal freeze it. Again with the total recall before we hit Spock's episode." he said as they watched his memories and they nodded gently and she nodded as she wrapped her arm across his shoulders as he leaned into her side at that.
"Yeah well it worked, they don't know we had this planned from the get go, and 20 months in advance here. But that little tidbit you threw in there a bit ago, regarding telling the captain, me and your mother last night when we realized it was a good idea. But if he crosses the line in his reaction when you reveal it wasn't last night you told us, but we had this planned 3 years in advance ."
"And he triggers the fight or flight response and he's in big trouble for it." Geordi said firmly as he crossed his arms. "Yeah, but our bonds are all that matter to me, I'm not losing them because he and Jean. Let alone Sito, want to get off without the consequences." he said and he nodded. "Yeah well I always thought of you as a brother kiddo, and I'm not letting go." he said to him softly at that.
"You consider what things would be like if we had back up just one month in if we had Jackson and Martell up here during Polywater virus incident. Because with them, we got the added back up, but I tell them, regarding my idea, and Lore. And they forward that to dad and the captain, then again we fix the added problems?" he asked and he nodded to him as Haden answered that question gently.
"Yes, but to repeat your remark and Jean Luc told me your response to your realizing Ben lost his mind out of a schizo effective and had to chase him down. And learning your knowing exactly what the hell was going on up here is a bit too much as a result. Before they revealed what the added conspiracy was this time regarding that month, but we focus on the would haves and could haves."
"That's going to drive us Mad, so best to focus on the matter at hand right now, but you certainly got the point right now in this son, as to that. It's a matter of knowing and doing the right thing now that I look for. And seven months evaluation before being tested to make the bridge and conn officer. It's a matter of evaluation as of this moment." he said gently and the trio nodded firmly.
And Wesley nodded in agreement to that as Picard said it to him. "Alright with those pieces I get your side of the story, so what was the catch after I caught them in the act exactly. Because you're right, the last time you saw me like that was after Lore switched places with Data. So what was the answering response when you told them I caught them in their act of cheating at the moment."
"Because if it's serious enough to explain why you looking were looking at him that sternly when she asked him that question. Then it's enough he's never getting a second chance of getting into Starfleet now." he asked and he nodded as he said it it to the computer. "Lal activate the argument between Cadet a Crusher and former cadet Locarno in Cadet Crushers room, including the 30 seconds."
"Leading into his arrival in his dorm room." he said and it immediately activated as they watched carefully. "I really hope your thoughts are being broadcasted in this, this way I know what you're thinking right now." Will said to him and a minute later they heard his thoughts entered into it. 'Alright enough is enough, I'm not lying to my crew anymore and I'm having him incriminate himself."
'And them, and by his own words now, the times up here at the moment you three. But you just got caught red handed, but they gave you chance, after chance, after chance to come forward and you never did it. And the captain is giving you one last chance to come clean and tell her the truth, Nick. So much making it clear of the first duty of every Starfleet officer now."
"So it's you either come forward and tell her what really took place or I will and you're getting the consequences. When I produce them to the entire enquiry and and everyone else." they heard as they saw him put the recorder behind his favorite books on the shelf and signal to the camera as it blinked once in red at that. "What the..., let me guess that was the trio, they tapped into the camera."
"So they could listen into the conversation while you were talking to him during this conversation?" Deladier asked and he nodded as they heard the rest of his thoughts at that remark. "Thanks for the nudge Sir, I needed a way, some way to get me out of it by that portion of things. And a reminder of Lore was needed anyway at the moment and you gave it to me.' they heard with a gentle sigh then.
'Whatever it takes I will get your trust back, no matter what, you and the sextet matter more to me and I'm not losing you now.' they heard him thinking. "Too late, now that I just saw these memories, you already did it. So all that's left is we just have to fix our bonds and make them three times stronger then they are already Lieutenant." Picard's double said in answer to that to him gently.
Before Robin answered that remark as she said it. "It gets better right now Wesley, but I just got the test results back, it's been confirmed by Allysa. We're due in seven months, honey." she said and Brand, Deladier, Alberts and Beverly all turned to them at that. "Due..., oh dear god no, you're not serious right now, Locarno just barely took the father of your child away from you when my son was killed."
"Making sure that the truth gets out is one thing, but my son sacrificed himself to not only prevent that move from ever being attempted again. But he prevented Wesley from getting taken as well. Did you tell Josh before the accident, that you're pregnant?" Alberts said sharply and she nodded to him and he and Beverly exchanged looks as they nodded in agreement then as she answered her.
"Well that explains the morning sickness the last six weeks, it's not a virus you're suffering from, but stage one of being pregnant. But to go into that now, baby, why didn't you tell me sooner you're carrying my grandchild?" she asked and Wesley answered that. "It was too soon to admit it mom, it happens two months ago the night before I returned to the academy at the time."
"But this just saved my bacon, in two ways." he said and she nodded. "Oh there's no getting out of this now, you're screwed Locarno. It's not just his career you nearly destroyed, you nearly left what's left of my family in tatters. You cross the next three lines and you're being sued for it when we get through with you later on now." she said with a stern growl as they waited for him to arrive then.
Watching him as he pretended to be a nervous wreck and was pacing back and forth as he waited, before they heard a knock on the door and he went to get it. "Your message said it was urgent." Locarno said and Wesley nodded as he answered him in fast remark. "They know Nick, they know what we did." he said quickly and the older boy looked at him at that remark as he answered him at that gently.
"Calm down, calm down, now tell me exactly what happened." he said and Wesley sighed. "Captain Picard called me aboard the enterprise, he told me he knows, the Kolvoord, the cover up, everything. He said if I didn't come forward and tell them, he would." he said and Locarno nodded. "Does he have any evidence?" he asked and Wesley shook his head as he answered him at that quickly.
"No, but he knows exactly how it happened." he told him and he nodded and Beverly's eyes narrowed as she saw him smile at that. 'Here it comes, this is the evidence I need to get him to incriminate himself. And he doesn't even realize that the camera is still on in my quarters. You're screwed now, Nick, you just incriminated yourself by your own words, and you don't even realize it.'
'I've already resigned from the squadron, I'm working undercover and you're exposing yourself. Mom, Sirs, I'm doing this for you, if it's a choice between you and the team, I choose you now. I will not lie and I have had enough of this. You matter more to me, they're not my friends and they never were, my place is with you, on the enterprise, at home.' They heard softly and she crossed her arms.
"Oh, I see where this next remark is heading right now, so this is what made up your mind then to turn them in now, Wesley. And young man don't even think about it, the committee is going to listen to me more than you. As they're going to see this as you're trying to get out of this, of the consequences. But no cadet or officer has the guts to call me that to my face and not get away with it."
"And even if you tried it in this case, in telling them that lie, Brand would see through that lie immediately and expel you anyway, young man. So it's telling them the truth or getting expelled here and you'd have to all come forward together, because you're running out of time. So you either tell her the truth or I'm exposing you for the cheater and liar you are, young man."
"And I mean every word of that, with how close you came to destroying my bond with my son. Though now that I've seen this it's not destroyed and we're making it even stronger then it is already now young man. But you should have known that the second I heard this conversation you're through." Picard said in answer to the smirk on Locarno's face as he answered that look as he crossed his arms.
"Captain Picard doesn't know anything, he has a theory. So let him tell the inquiry what he thinks happened, they'll ask us, is it true, we'll say no sir. There's no evidence, so there's no case, we'll get off with a reprimand." he said and seeing the shocked look on Wesley's face as he looked at his version, he knew that did it, as he answered the remark in disgusted shock as they heard it mentally.
While seeing another play back of everything from year two to that point flash through his mind along with several images of year one when they got back together and knew he made his choice then. 'You have got to be kidding, he's been there for me since I was 15, saved my life, rescued me. No, no forget about it, I won't do it.' they heard in answer to that, as he said it out loud at that remark as he looked at him.
"Yes and I meant it, I could never do that, not after everything you've done for me over the years. He wasn't worth it, they weren't worth destroying my bonds with all of you over. I made a choice right then and I chose you, Sir. You all matter more to me then all of them put together, aside from that I'm engaged, I won't do it." he said and Picard and the enquiry nodded as they listened to him.
"Indeed, that attitude is enough to seal their fate once I heard this, you would never turn on me and you just barely killed yourself. In trying to save him at the time, but that's the second time in 20 months. That you risked killing yourself to do the right thing, the last was the game. And the added aftermath to it and now it's risking getting caught in the explosion when he was killed."
"But just to make sure that game never got off the ship last year, dislocated ankle, concussion, and your system crashed. In this it was another concussion, a broken arm and several electrical burns, but I watched you grow up. And our bonds, you always came to me for advice and as time went on things change. But there's no going back now regarding that remark, he sealed his fate."
"And theirs and as I see it now, the only thing you're guilty of is not telling me the second I arrived your mission. The rest of it you're innocent, and with that in mind the mind games are done with now. It's clear you never turned on our decisions when we kept you home at the time here. You were my prize pupils, like the trio were, so you were willing to risk everything to do the right thing."
"To do the right thing, that's more important then you and it's more important then me, and if I was them. I would I tell the board and enquiry on the first day, and make sure they get charged yet again, but that's just me." Picard said gently and he nodded in agreement. "Yes Sir, I know that, I learned the biggest points of the job from you these 5 1/2 years, but the biggest one was this one."
"At one point or another these last 18 months and I don't know when, but I think I turned into a younger version of the commander now. Because as your JCL, I took the position he has with you, with the trio right behind, first officer, second, third and fourth. But trust me you're not going to like his given response here after I say this, Sirs." he said and they nodded to him then at that.
"Wait, your junior crew created your own version to us as the senior staff?" Will repeated and he nodded. "Aye Sir, remember when you named me to lieutenant we were out of intermediate training. Well if we were full officers instead of training ensigns I've got your position, while Charlie and Robin have Data and Geordi's and Jake was Worf's, but if Josh, as well as Tasha, was still alive."
"He'd be a junior grade, Jake full, the duo Lieutenant Commander, as for me, I'm a full commander. If we added two more spots in the junior crew, we're you as the next generation, but I'm leader of Gamma squadron. And Charlie and I share the leadership rule in the squadron, I'm not around. And he's in charge, him and Robin are in charge, but either way now at the moment here."
"It's the act that, as Starfleet born cadets, we know the rules and regulations, because we all did training by you, Tasha and Worf. Or a different version of the three of you on the ship our folks were stationed at, at a certain time in our teenage lives. Same training, same ways applied, same teachers training us, and to us it's we're not letting our parents, or you, as our mentors, down now."
"By getting involved in a daredevil stunt or participating in a cover up regarding said daredevil stunt. To these hotshots we're on the honor roll if this was really a high school or college and you're the headmaster and board, Sirs." he said and Picard and the quintet as well as Deladier nodded in agreement. "Uh huh, and you decided to do our unasked request by setting a trap for the trio now."
"Every piece of your plan worked out in advance though we lost another cadet the parents of said cadet at least get justice. By having the person that caused the death of their child brought to justice and in your case. You're getting a second chance to finish it to everyone else's eyes now. Though you risked your career and life trying to save him from being killed in a daredevil stunt."
"Then turned the trio into us as the detective agency, headmaster, board and PTA. Just so they could get the consequences they deserved. And you finished out the next 18 months here on the ship after that now here." Deladier said to him and he nodded as he sighed. "You never let us down son, this was a tough choice, but you did the right thing." he said and Wesley nodded as they watched it.
"I can't call Captain Picard a liar." he said to him and the other boy sighed. "Wesley we have to hang on just a little longer, than this will all be over." he said to him gently. "It's wrong Nick." he said to him firmly at that as he tried. "Wesley." Locarno started to say. "I'm going to tell them what happened." he said and Picard smiled at that, before they saw the other boy lean back and cross his arms then at that.
"You're going to tell them what happened, alone, you, you're going to decide what happens to me, to Sito, to Jean, you're going to tell them?!" he said slowly and Will sighed. "Uh oh, in his eyes, this is a severe betrayal now." Geordi said to him and he nodded to that as Wesley moved between them as Jenson rested his hand on his shoulder and he smiled at that as he answered him gently at his remark.
"18 months to 6 1/2 years, did he really expect me to just forget everything that happened since you decided to keep me home. I mean honestly you're the assistant coach to the squadron, dad the full coach. I earned the right to my leadership position on the team and I was making a command decision here to save the team, Dave." he said to him and he nodded as he went further at that.
"But yeah, he was beginning to realize that Derek was right at the time here, I'd been around you guys so long. I'm not about to break the rules, and like I said, up here was the straight and narrow. I followed my regime and I was with you, mom, being my doctor, I could never break your trust. But around them it was temptation, I needed to be with my own kind, here on the ship now."
"But too late, it was too late for them by this point, to repeat your words right now, Sir. You gave them chance, after chance, to save themselves and if they didn't have the will to come forward. And tell the truth about what really took place, then they don't deserve to wear that uniform." he said and Picard looked at him and rested his hand on his shoulder as he answered him gently at that.
"Yes, but seeing that you had to do this alone without telling us sooner you were really stage acting this entire time. You certainly did earn the right to wear that uniform, but that lecture is not aimed at you, Wesley, I see that now. I was talking to them this entire time, we gave them chance after chance, after chance to come forward and tell us the truth." he said to him and Wesley nodded.
"Yes and your trust means more to me then they do now, but by saying that there was no taking the words back. He just destroyed his career at the academy for good, and I was about to give the lecture you told me Sir. As your words were spoken in my voice at the time as I let him have it then. Making it clear, that I wasn't turning on you at the time no matter what he thought now."
"I made my choice long before the event ever happened now, and after close to five years together now. But the facts remained now for me that even though I never got the chance to tell you, it's that the scales landed in your favor, and my crew up here. I've been in training for 5 1/2 years and I was finishing my mission in getting them to incriminate themselves now by this."
"I'm a Starfleet officer I have a duty to the truth, be it scientifical, ethical or responsible and this is considered the third. To betray that is to betray just who I became under you guys at the time. And you decided, ever since we figured out what the traveler's plan was to make your own decisions. And the pressure eased up since then, as I came into it as a teenage version of Commader Riker."
"And my decision, now, was I'm not going to lie to you, I never lied to you guys before and I'm not going to start now. I was stage acting this situation Sirs, as I said I was a plant. But this was to get him to sign their death warrants, he signed their warrants here." he said and they all nodded as they heard it. "So you decided to set them up so they could expose themselves in their thinking now."
"And to stay at the academy, it's by lying to me and so they could get off with a reprimand and instead of leaving it at that today. You got them to admit it and things are where we stand right now, in all their cases. But in yours you wished to be put on probation and make up the credits and everything else, up here." Brand said to him and he nodded to her gently and they nodded as they watched it.
"Yes Sir, but then I've been around you and the captain so long, and with you the rest of the committee that I knew what had to be said. Your words in my voice now, just like when the captain did the same with Maxwell. Well I just channeled the captain through this next remark. As he answered me, as I made it clear, I'm not going to lie to you, not again." he said and she and Picard nodded.
"I'm not going to lie to them again Nick, I can't live with it." Wesley said to him and they nodded to him. "Yeah I can't live with the act of lying to you and not knowing what I could do to fix this between us mom, Sir, guys. I was coming forward and telling you the truth, they no longer mattered and to me. I would never lie to you, I would never participate in a daredevil stunt willingly."
"Nor lie to cover it up, but this, this was the last and final straw for me, I wasn't calling you a liar. Not after everything you ever done for me, Sir, while you, Captain, Admiral, gave me the confidence I needed. Just to get what was left of the anger regarding things in the game out of me, and this, and it was over with now." he said and they nodded and that did it, as they saw Locarno lose his temper.
"You can't lie to them, you can't live with this, you have to be the one to decide, who the hell are you?!" he snapped at him. "Nick." he said and he over rode him. "You're going to turn us in." He snapped at him as he tried to stop him at that. "Wait a minute." he started to say and Locarno snapped back at him. "No you wait a minute." he said as he turned around and and ran his hand through his hair at that.
As he turned around then. "You better get ready for this one Admiral, because he crossed the lines in Comparisions now at the moment." Wesley said and the quintet and Brand nodded. "He got to you didn't he?, Picard, he told you some big story about duty and honor. Well it must have been good enough speech to make you turn your back on your friends." he said and Wesley stood up at that.
"Wrong answer, you been telling me that for years, it's the first duty of every officer we have a duty to the truth. I promised I would never lie to you regarding something this serious and if I was in trouble. Then I would tell you automatically, aside from that in the training regimes. And you, Commander Riker, mom and Counselor Troi set standards if they get sent to our ship."
"Derek, Colin and his friends screwed up their chances at making a good first impression on you guys. And they blew their chance to stay on the Enterprise, well now the trio blew their chances at this, regarding this incident. Just to be making a good first impression on you, now that there's no going back." Wesley said to Picard and he nodded in agreement as he and Brand crossed their arms then.
"Get ready for this next piece, not only was I giving him the lecture you gave me, but I was passing forward your ultimatum to him while doing it, Captain. But I was altering the added condemnation remark we had in your ready room. As I made it clear what everyone was going to think now if he didn't come forward at the time." he added and they nodded to him gently as they heard it.
"We are Starfleet cadets, we have a duty to the truth, I was born a Starfleet cadet, I have a duty to the truth, Nick. I'm not lying to them: him, the quintet, my mother, they mean more to me than you think. I have a duty to the truth, to them, to Josh, and with it, it's the only way. But if I lie, there's no going back right now, I have a duty to the truth, to them." he said to him sternly then at that.
"You already gave them an answer and that answer was a lie, do you recall when you arrived here, and since you took control of the team. Everyone saw you leading with grace and wisdom, and they never doubted you'd be a fine officer. And until this moment that belief was never shaken until the accident, and the captain figured it out, regarding what caused it in the first place."
"The first duty to every Starfleet officer is a duty to the truth, be it scientifical ethical or responsible. And it's the founding principle in which Starfleet was based, now if you don't have the will to stand up and tell them what really took place. Then you don't deserve to wear that uniform right now, the captain gave you and the girls a chance right now to save yourself and made it simple, Nick."
"Now either you come forward and tell her what took place, or we will!" Wesley said to him sternly as they heard the under current of command in his voice. "Yes that's good, that's really good right now Lieutenant." Deladier said with a smile as Picard said it, with a bemused smile as he commented on his approach. "Altered slightly but that's what I said to you, when I called you up earlier, Wesley."
"But yes you definitely turned into me by saying that at the time. Although I think you took your command training when you were still up here, just a little too seriously right now. Because he's a cadet and he doesn't realize you're a full lieutenant on board the enterprise, let alone that. Now, that he's been deactivated and is about to lose everything in a couple of hours now."
"And as the leader of the team and you were now the one in charge of the team you made a command decision. And he decided they were to try and lie their way out of it." he said and he heard his student say it firmly then. "And while I'm at it, this was the final test needed, in leadership training, in honesty. To stay we have to tell them the truth, I have a duty to the truth, Nick, it's that simple."
"Being honest means we get to stay, lie like you have been doing and you're digging yourself into a hole you can't get out of. And look at the results, I told you the captain was going to figure it out sooner or later. Well my decision was made, I have a duty to the truth, to him, to Josh, I'm not going to lie to them again, Nick." he said and that did it as they heard the answering response to that.
And he emphasized the next remark. "Oh yeah, well what about your duty to your friends, I got you on this team. I gave you a chance when there were upper-classman just waiting in line, I said he wouldn't let us down. He was on the enterprise, he knows what it's like to trust someone with your life, I guess I was wrong." he said and Wesley said it sternly at that as he said it to the image then.
"He probably said that after Derek told him that there was the likelihood of my turning on them once I was away from them and Josh with me at the time. He wanted to believe it so much that he decided to use the last remark as a parting shot. Before I gave him my final decision now, and he's now seeing Derek was right all along." He said and the quintet nodded as Picard answered him for all of them.
"Yes and it's because you'd never voluntarily get involved in a cover up like this. But 18 months, like your computer program and having Lal downloaded into the computer itself. We sometimes forget things we had planned out in advance, and I'd forgotten I asked you to do this for us. You did the job we asked you to do and now the truth comes out." he said gently at that to him then.
"Yeah you were Nick, and it's because the reason is because I barely know you, and I knew them for five years, so it's that simple now. But 1) I was born a Starfleet cadet, 2) I've spent close to five years in training by the men. The man, who you're trying to turn me against, and after everything. That he's done for me, no, I won't do it, and 3) yes I know what it's like to trust others."
"And with your life, but the difference is the amount of time, they were my friends. They are my crew, my adoptive family and I know the differences and it's because of the length of time spent together. So yeah you were wrong about me and it's because I'm not Nova squadron at all, I'm Gamma squadron." he said with a firm growl and Geordi finished that remark as he said it sternly at that.
"Yes, the difference Locarno, is because we helped raise him, we took care of him, he took care of us, that's what being a team really is. Being a crew is being a team, being a team is being a family, and though we already have family, once deployed. And up here where it's more dangerous, we become each other's family, to be a team is working together, trusting each other."
"Always being there no matter what happen and your only shot at surviving this and coming out of it is coming forward together Locarno, that's the only chance you're going to have at staying in the academy." he said as he rested his hand on his shoulder and then hid a smile as he looked at him with a brotherly look then at that in response as they heard his young friend repeat that remark and he hid a smile.
"Best friend, and like I said before, if it wasn't for the age difference I'd see you as a brother rather then a big brother, Geordi. But best friend, mentor and father, I already had all of that, with you guys, before he came into the picture. But everything Boothby claimed him as, I had with you guys already, and the difference is the time frame." he said and they nodded as he looked at Locarno.
"That's how you see me?" Geordi repeated to him as he shifted position in the chair to look at him and he nodded as he answered him. "Yeah since year one, our bond shifted and our connection deepened at the time, year two made the difference and here's the results. Though now that we're ensuring we got that chance, nothing is getting between us." he said and he nodded as he hid a smile at that.
"Duty to your friends, there is no duty when they're trying to get you to be dishonest with a superior officer. I said that to Derek when I suggested we swap places as he's in training at the academy. But you want to go somewhere and you want to be somebody, you better wake up and pay attention. Because out there in the real world, they don't care how good you think you are."
"Or who you're connected to, it doesn't matter, you don't have an education, then you don't have anything and that's the truth. As for your remark, I've been in training of stealth training, infiltration, undercover work since I was 16. Did you really expect to sneak this past the captain engineering. And forensics team, because if you thought that you're never making it in the real world."
"Such as it is, I was born a Starfleet cadet, I knew the rules and I never wanted to be on the team anyway. I was happy with being a lone wolf, until I met Robin and Charlie, I had Jake. So I was creating my own pack and turning the other alpha and his pack in, for breaking the law here and with that in mind right now." he said as he heard his videotaped self finish that remark then at that.
"If we all come forward together and tell Admiral Brand." Wesley said and the boy scoffed. "Oh boy, well that crossed a line he can never take back right now at the moment. Because we're taping this entire conversation from my computer, and Lal hardwired herself into the camera. In his dorm room, and then jumped back to the holodeck to prepare for this." Dayton said and he nodded to that firmly.
"As you said, if he doesn't have the will to come forward and tell her what really took place. Then he doesn't deserve to wear that uniform, and with him the girls, I made my choice, I was coming forward and telling you the truth. I was going to do what was right, and with that. I earned my right to keep my uniform, him he doesn't deserve to wear his." Wesley said and Picard nodded then.
"Yes, you're correct, and that attitude goes against everything we stand for in Starfleet and this child doesn't deserve to wear that uniform right now." Picard said sharply to his remark as they heard Wesley's mental remark to that as they heard a tone at that. 'Alright just go ahead and say it, you're speaking for all of you, so just tell them the truth.' they heard then in a firm tone at that remark as they waited.
"We don't want to come forward, Sito, Jean and me, we do not have a problem with this. But if you do, than resign your appointment to the academy and walk away, but don't make us pay for your guilty conscious." Lorcarno said and Wesley looked at him in shock. "You'd do that, you'd let me throw away my career, just to save your neck." he said in shocked disbelief and he emphasized the remark at that.
"To save the team, that's more important than you, and it's more important than me, and if I was in your place. I would do so, and without hesitation, but that's just me." he said and left the room and watching Wesley, they saw him smile coldly as he waved a second time at the camera and it blinked blue at that to him. "I take it that means they got it all, correct?" Picard asked and he nodded to him.
"Aye Sir, but that's everything you now, regarding this." he said and Picard, Brand, Alberts and the enquiry nodded. "He didn't realize that this was a trap, because I had him focused on me the entire time. If we altered things and told him the truth later on in this once you do the follow up hearing, Admiral. We tell him it wasn't me specifically that turned him in, it was Gamma, all this time."
"Gamma squadron set them up, Gamma squadron turned them into you, and revealed we're plants on Nova. So yeah I have a duty to my friends, but my friends are on Gamma, my crew. All in all everything that matters to me is here on the Enterprise. Kate was keeping me company, but we, and Josh finished the job and with us was the trio as well." he said and Brand nodded firmly to him then.
"It was Gamma, I'm not Nova, and I never was, I'm Gamma, I took Jackson's place and we did it together. But to him it's going to be why did it have to be a team mate that turned them in. But for all he knows it's Gamma that did, which in fact is the truth, all three versions of Gamma, of the last 15 years it's been Gamma." he said and she nodded as she and the rest of the committee went into that.
"I also resigned my commission to the team, before we did this, we both did, so they think we're in this as much as they are. But we're Gamma plants on Nova, we took Commander Jackson's idea and shoved it forward five steps, so not on Nova. We're getting them to incriminate themselves by their own words and we're your eyes and ears on Nova, I did my duty for you, Sir, admiral."
"So that sums up his reaction when you looked between them when I asked him if what you told me was true. He was trying to compose himself and not make a scene in front of us, because if he did. It would prove everything you told us as true at the time now at the moment. Though now that you did that, we hit stage four the reveal as we let him know this was a set up."
"And the added everything he told us was a lie and he's been stripped bare in front of us if he had loses his temper. Though that happens now that we get him back in here, and he's been stripped of his stature. And can not be allowed back at the academy no matter how many times he tries to get his status reactivated he's not getting it reactivated." she said and he nodded in agreement.
"So what's the final step now, we let him lose his temper in front of everyone in the court room and fake it like you never showed us this. Or is it that we tell him the truth and said truth is this was a trap to get him to expose himself for who he really is now in front of the entire school?" Jake asked and Wesley ran his hand through his hair then as he answered him then as he answered him then.
"If he loses it and I get another hit taken to the head that's it for him there's no going back and he's screwed. I'm not telling him we had this planned from the get go, I wasn't just the captain's plant, I was yours, Admiral. We were your plants and we were exposing this as the sting operation it was." He told her and she nodded, as Haden, Deladier and Quinn nodded in agreement as she answered him.
"Nice touch son, you certainly proved you earned the right to wear that uniform, and I would have done the same. If we were you and I'd do it in a heartbeat, you made us as your predecessors proud, but I'd say it's time for the truth to come out now. It wasn't just you who turned them, it was us, Gamma squadron, both generations to it." he heard and turned around to see a man.
Dressed in a red uniform, and seeing he was a young man around Will's age she hid a smile. "Wesley this is Commander Daniel Nicholas Jackson, Daniel this is Lieutenant Wesley Crusher. He and his squadron on the enterprise prevented the conspiracy from getting off the enterprise 18 months ago with the planet trio." she said and the older man nodded with a smile as he said it it to him gently.
"Nice to meet you son, so I guess you met my best friend if he's the one training you right now?" he asked and Wesley nodded. "Yes Sir, and Charlie told me you were the one training him. The results in training were a slight case of double trouble, because they, the planets that tried to infiltrate Starfleet, didn't realize we had the best teachers in this." he said and the man nodded to him.
"I see that, but then you want to win, you better pay closer attention to what your junior officer suggests. Or you're going to be passing intelligence off to the person you're trying to catch when trying to take a ship by force. Well I think it's time you told them the truth it wasn't you that turned them into the enquiry, it was us: Gamma squadron." he said and Wesley nodded as she refocused.
"Yes you told me as a confirmation to what Jean Luc told us, regarding Ben Maxwell and his breakdown and in regarding the conspiracy. But this was your next mission for us, your team were all Starfleet born cadets at the time. After we named your team the next generation of Gamma squadron. After William's, but aboard the ship, your squadron was the one covering academy scandals."
"And this could be considered that, after the accident, and just before the hearing started, I called you into Andrea's office. And you told us and Bill this already, along with Alan, and then asked for the weekend on board the ship. As you told your crew that as well and we decided on a sting operation, and you were going on a double agent catch." Haden said and she nodded in agreement.
"Agreed, you told us this the second your parents arrived and we planned this down to the limit. And including you coming forward to us in the way you did now, we had this planned to the last minute details. And my decision was to finish off the sting operation as your squadron grabbed the trio. And brought them up and you showed us every and revealed the added charges to us."
"But we better do this downstairs in the hearing room, with you still recovering from that head injury he makes worse and he's done. Because not only is he a murderer, your parents and the Alberts have just cause. Now, to sue him for nearly killing you and landing you back in the emergency room." she said and he nodded as Robin said it then firmly at that as she gave the orders to their team mate.
"Lal teleport the quartet back into the hearing this isn't over yet, we're doing a last minute reveal that this was planned out in advance now." she said and Wesley finished it then as he looked at her. "Should we reset the the situation telling everyone at the hearing the truth, I was never involved in this cover up. I was doing this on your orders and I was member of Gamma squadron at the time."
"But not the academy version, but the career officer based Enterprise version of the Gamma squadron. Said squadron holding his ex girlfriend and his rival, and we were all skilled advanced training ensigns and on the enterprise. I'm not a cadet at all, I'm a lieutenant, and I was doing my job here. Said job, making sure that they got the consequences for breaking the rules now."
"It's time I revealed the truth to them, as a advanced training ensign of 5 1/2 years, it's time the truth came out in what I really am on board the ship." he said and the group nodded as they beamed back into the hearing room. "Ensign get everyone back into the room, I was just given some added information on this hearing, and get Boothby in here as well." Brand said and the man nodded to her.
"Oh this is not going to over well when you reveal this and it's that we had this planned in advance and you been working for us all this time." Will said and he nodded as they watched everyone come back into the room then as Wesley moved to the hearing table then. Before seeing Anna Carter, Daniel Jackson and the Ferretti twins standing there and smiled as he looked at the trio quickly and then looked at Will and he nodded to him.
"Yeah, I reported this to them and they decided to be here for a repeat performance of this same situation. But you took it and then took it three steps further Lieutenant, but Gamma squadron always does the right thing. And they lose a friend every time, just focus, so they're getting the shock of their lives. As they learn you told us as your predecessors and we were all in it together."
"Kate, you get ready, senior Gamma squadron and junior Gamma squadron, that's us. You're junior Gamma, we're senior Gamma, and you made us very proud Lieutenant, nice work, son." his future self said and Wesley hid a smile at that. "He's right, you're one of us Wes, you did exactly what we would do here and we got your back, brother." Tony Owens, the leader of Gamma, said smiling to him.
"Well get ready this is going to get nasty when he hears that your former team leader happens to be my best friend. And I'm dating his ex, and she's carrying my baby, and if that's not enough right now. We didn't just turn traitor, we're Gamma squadron, it's not just one team mate. Or another, that turned them in, it was their academy rivals all this time." he said and they nodded smiling to him.
"Great, that's really going to tick him off later." he said before Robin signaled to him and he nodded as they ended it at that as they waited for the trio to be brought in as Brand got started as she said it to Locarno then with a firm tone. "Cadet Locarno, was what you told us, the truth or not, because I just got evidence to the contrary?" Brand said sternly to him then and they knew he was trying to control it.
"No what he told you is the truth Sir." he said and she nodded with sternly. "With that in mind, our decision still stands here, but you girls are getting double the time. In order to make it up now, and your flight training is going supervised as of now, but you're not advancing with your class. The sentence is you have 18 months to gain those credits back and your flight training is supervised."
"Before you ask regarding him, it's the same, but he's doing it on board the enterprise. But he asked for probation up there and we granted it now as a result, but his commanding officers are Captain Picard and Comander Riker. But his education and probation are up to them and his mother now, cadets. And are none of your business, so if you think he got off easy, that's your opinion."
"Because he's not running away from this, he's doing his time up there with his family. We gave specific orders that this maneuver was banned after it killed 6 cadets in 110 years and it just killed another. I don't know what you were thinking, but your bravado cost another family their child. And the other to end up in the emergency room here." she said sternly and he swallowed at that remark.
Seeing the look of relaxed tension in his body language, Wesley said it then. "Admiral should I just tell them the truth now?" he asked and she nodded. "With the fact you're the only one to come forward regarding this, yes I think so. So tell them the truth of what this really is and was, time frame and all." Brand said and he nodded. "What truth exactly, what is this?" Hajar asked him quickly at that remark.
"Sito?" Wesley said and she smiled and moved to his side. "Admiral respectfully ask permission to do my time up there with him now as well. As everything is said and done, I'm working for you as well, that was a trap set up. He and I watched this episode, we're in this together and I'm sorry I never told you sooner. But permission to join him up there as well?" she said and Brand nodded smiling softly.
"Granted Cadet, you earned the right to a fair trial yourself and your commanding officers are Captain Picard and Commander Riker." she said and Haden stood up. "In regarding new evidence given to us, the only charges you face are like Lieutenant Crusher, Cadet. Of not coming sooner to us and telling us this, so like him it's on the enterprise." he said to her gently and she nodded.
"Go ahead and tell them Sito." Wesley said and she nodded. "After you left his room, Wes brought me on board the ship and told me this was the penalty for attempting that. And hearing that, I just went ahead and told them the truth, we came forward and told them the truth. But the penalty for what just coming forward and telling them the truth would do is enough, I'm relieved now."
"I can be comfortable with the fact I told the truth to who was going to be my new mentors later on right now. But they accepted me as part of the crew now, they're giving me a chance to be one of them and I took it, immediately. But the penalty for coming forward and telling the truth is a black mark on the record. As well as loss of our flight privileges, and our credits for this year."
"And we can't advance with our class, but that's duty to the truth, you two, you just been expelled by what you pulled right now, Nick." she said and he swallowed hard. "Like I said, if we all just come forward and told them the truth this would end with the rest of the school not thinking any less of us. We hold our heads high in the fact we made a mistake, we learn from it and move on, you two."
"Alright you four, in truth this wasn't an 18 month basis, Josh, Sito and I were gone for three years now in truth." Wesley said and Locarno repeated that. "Three years, we thought it's been 18 months." he snapped in shock and they shook their heads. "No it's been three years, you've been stuck in a time dilation field and this was a integrity test, regarding coming forward or not and whether or not."
"On whether or not you'd be willing to divulge the truth without being turned in. And you failed the test here, in truth I was working undercover all this time, and as was Josh, we were working as plants. And I decided to be their unspoken undercover agent, but they ordered me into the job here." he said and they jerked in disbelief. "What?!" Locarno said in shock and he repeated his remark.
"I was an undercover agent since the day my parents and the captain kept me home from the last mission my squadron did and this was the next mission. In truth now, the captain ordered me to act as his plant on the team in case what happened, did happen. But it was the day that our parents arrived at the academy, and before the start of the hearing, that the entire committee."
"They decided on the same and called me into Admiral Brand's office at the time, I told them everything. So with that, in mind I reported you three to my crew and through them right to the inquiry. And they gave the same orders and were testing you all this time in this situation. And with that, Nick, I told you what was going to happen if you chose that maneuver at the time here."
"You just got jipped here Nick, I'd already told them the truth, this was a set up from the get go." Wesley said sharply, and he looked at him in shock at that, before they saw the shock shift into anger and he lunged at him and slammed him in to the table at that. "Whoa, alright hold it!" Geordi snapped as Wesey dodged the swing. "Mister Locarno freeze!" Worf called out sternly as he blocked the next swing.
As the other boy started swinging he quickly caught him by the arm and shoved him away from him, as the fight started getting worse. "Alright freeze, that's enough, Cadet, stand down now!" Will called out as he looked at him. "Nick stop, you're only making your situation worse, calm down now!" Wesley said over the noise as he saw the beyond enraged look on the other boy's face as Geordi said it sharply.
"Both of you freeze, now!" Geordi shouted out, before he got knocked into the table as the quintet jumped over the railing to intervene then as he blocked and dodged. As he dodged the third blow, before the next blow hit him in the temple and he fell into the wall of the stands as the table got up ended and landed on top of him as Will said firmly. "Well he crossed a line, with the fact that the scene is like a crime video in a trial here."
"And that's going too far after the last head injury you took here, and you're still recovering after you broke your arm." he said and he watched as his son's head connect with the side of the wall as he hit his head against the wall as he heard his future self shout it out at that as he moved to him. "Wes!" He shouted out as he watched him land hard on the floor, the back of his head hitting the floor hard enough to stun him then.
As he watched his eyes close and he felt his rage start building as the jolt caused the table to land on top of him at the waist. "Wes!" he called out again and when they got no answer that did it as the other boy charged at him and he shouted out the words. "Alright that's enough, Locarno freeze right now young man!" Picard snapped as the security charged into the melee as they got a hold of him and pulled him back then.
"Wesley!" Sito shouted as she moved to him at that. "No, no, stay awake brother, stay awake, Doctor, he's close to blacking out here, the blow stunned him!" she said over the noise and that did it as they moved to her at that remark. "Wes, stay awake buddy." Dayton said to him as he touched him and he jerked. "Oh no, not again, Comander La Forge, Commander Data, I need some help over here now."
"It's the left over side effects of the programming Nick just set it off right now, Jake, Tony, give me hand here, it's the left overs." he snapped as they tried to hold him still at that as Geordi moved forward to check Wesley out then as Beverly and Deanna did the same as they saw him collapse in his attempt to get off the floor. "Back off now kid!" he snapped at Locarno as he watched him trying to get up from the floor.
"Guys back off we got this, Wes, you hear me, kiddo." he said gently as he quickly tried to steady him as it got worse. "Wes it's me, it's okay!" he said quickly. "Easy it's okay, it's me buddy, it's okay." he said, crouching next to him as she answered that. "That blow had to be hard enough to stun him!" Beverly said quickly and watching they watched as she moved her hand to his head and saw red on the floor.
"Oh dear god no, nurse, get in here now!" She shouted out as he tried to get up off the floor, but he collapsed at that. "Don't, baby, it's okay, hold still." she said as the nurse charged over and set their equipment on the floor. "The blow to the corner of the table cut into the back of his head, Geordi, I need your help, hold him still." she said and he nodded as he moved to them and wrapped his arm around him.
"Data get over here, I need some help, it's like the reaction we had when he had that fever, at the time. What's left of the side effects from that situation last year just activated now." he snapped and Data moved to him and as they steadied him gently as she said it with a growl. "Alright I found it, ensign, I need the skin knitter, level four, and 5oz's of his bloodtype to take care of this."
"Though after this is over, I need to get his checked out on the ship and he's sleeping this headache off later now at the moment." she said as she finished working as she looked him over. "Two concussions in 3 years and now this, the jolt possibly triggered the added reaction that he had when we prevented his getting off the ship, before he spotted MacGregor and that did the last one."
"He's not over the last concussion and now this, he's either suffering a relapse or is having another one Beverly." Geordi said over the noise, as every person in the room stood up at the over reaction as she took care of the cut at the back of his head as he struggled to get up. "Wes, honey, it's okay!" she said quickly and watching they knew he was trying to keep from losing consciousness then as he collapsed on the floor.
And that did it as Will charged over to him as Locarno grabbed him as he got ready to beat the heck out of him as Worf grabbed him by the arms. "Alright that's enough Nicholas, freeze right now. Worf, get him away from Wesley now. Will, Data help me get this table clear!" Picard snapped and Worf nodded and pulled him back ten feet as they shoved the table out of the way as Deanna got down next to him.
"Wes, it's alright, easy." she said as she gripped his arm then. Watching Wesley try to get himself off the floor he watched his arms get up a bit, before giving out and nodded. 'The little brat hit him hard enough to stun him, come on, stay awake. Come on son, get up, get up, come on son.' Will thought to him. "Alright that's enough of that, calm down and back off now young man, you're only making it worse!"
"For yourself, you want to get arrested, stand down now!" Will snapped as Brand called out. "Security get in here!" she shouted out and three guards caught Locarno while two others went to the duo and caught their arms. Watching Wesley as he tried to get up and seeing him slump on the floor the guard said it with a firm tone then. "Commander we got them, check on Mr. Crusher, he needs you more now."
"Because he's looking like he's suffering a relapse." the leader said to him and he nodded as he looked at the older boy sternly. "Thats not first head injury he took in the last 18 months. The little brat hit him hard enough to stun him, and he's landed him in sickbay once too often now and this is the last straw!" he said with a furious growl and looked at Locarno coldly as Geordi answered that with a growl.