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 showing the events between when the couple separated and when the manhunt got started for her. And For Wesley when the manhunt started to when Data headed off the attempted incursion on the ship. And this from this chapter and forward gives a recap of the last book for the trio as they get caught up, but this story is going to be 47 chapters now.
As it recounts everything she needs to know from the Game to their future on the squadron. In Sito Jaxa's case as Jean Hajar takes her place in the constant ridicule on the ship as Sito and Wesley stay togethet as squadron mates. Just before the emergency hits and season 5 starts up after these situations in the aftermath of the episode come to an end, as she learns everything now.
Chapter 39: The Game Recap Part III: Conspiracy Exposed And Damages Done
"If this was why you couldn't tell me I get that right now, but berating yourself for not telling us sooner is not a good idea in ear shot. And of every compromised member in the area, then again they're trying to see whether or not you're not using it or you are. But take it easy honey." she said to him then at that. 'If the enemy never gives you enough time to prepare, if this is about to turn into chase down, improvise."
"I have to do it later but first I have to find out who my supposed boogieman is and why they're triggering my nightmares now. Andif those dreams were about to be focused on what's coming now, right now." he said softly as he finished that remark then.'God, if this was part of the plan it was weakening me enough they can use me for a biological weapon and I'm at 3/4's full strength."
"And I promised mom, dad and the captain, that I was going to tell them I wasn't up to it. Damn it, I can't tell them that I'm not up to my best at the moment, I'm exhausted. And I'm feeling like I'm coming down with something right now as well. That's just great, we just figure this out, my body is acting up and we choose now to do this." he said and then sighed as he finisbed his remark.
"Detection avoidance techniques, just trying to get past everyone is one thing, but this is getting ridiculous and it just shifted directions." He said as he finished in annoyance at that remark. "Great, this just gets better and better, we're figuring out the conspiracy, and I'm coming down with something. And we choose this moment to try to end it, if this was part of the operator alien's plan."
"Than it's by draining me of my strength till she takes me as the host, but to my parents, once they're free of it, are not going to take this well." he thought with an annoyed sigh then as he arrived at the elevator then. As he took the turbo lift back up to the engine room, only to find another conditioned victim on board it. "Hey Alyssa." he said to Alyssa gently as he entered the elevator as he looked straight ahead then
In time to see Greyson looking at him as he nodded to him and he nodded to him smiling as he relaxed and went to what Will taught him at that softly. "Hey Greyson, good to see you again." he called out smiling and he nodded at that to him as he looked into his eyes at that gently then as thry heard his gentle remark. 'To get past undetected by others that are compromised, make eye contact, make casual conversation."
"Act like everyone else and just relax yeah the 1st rule to make it pass detection with a conspiracy running loose on my ship are these things. And 2) never tell a possible compromised team mate your plans, otherwise it's going to backfire. I didn't tell her where I was heading that's 1 step ahead, I just got to figure this out.' he thought as he looked at her smiling as she got into conversation with him.
"How did he know that, none of us could figure out how he knew how to get passed us in the first two attempts?" The security guard said in shock to to that. "After we had a situation similar to this on board the ship, I started teaching him how to recognize things. Who's the doppelgänger and who's not, look into why something, like the game, suddenly became a fad and over night, when to us humans it was normally boring at the time."
"Till he realizes the reason everyone is so attracted to it, is because you're dosing us with doses of speed when using it. And he took to his training so fast, that our bonds are that of four things, but best friend/father/coach/mentor. The 13 of us acting like a father to him, but in truth he had more then one surrogate parent on the ship. But this was something I taught him regarding escape in a conspiracy now back then, buster."
"But 1) relax when around everyone else infected, 2) never tell the compromised member of the team where you're going or what you're doing or that puts you at risk. 3) Make eye contact and small with whoever is-is infected, and 4) at times. Never separate, but if need be create a diversion to check your findings. The remark on the terminal was a diversion, keeping you focused on her now." Will said and the duo paled at that news.
"What level are you on Wesley?" she asked him and he smiled slightly. "I'm on level 10 so far." he said faking the response and she smiled. "I'm on level 42, you know the key right, if you just relax and let go, the game practically plays itself." she said and he nodded as he looked into her eyes. "Thanks for the tip, I'll try that. Any other ideas, because I keep missing shots." he said as the door closed at that.
And he got into conversation. "Going on a guess in that one mom, but the reason you looked like this was because you hadn't missed any shots and neither had Alyssa. So I was determining it like this right now, but here's the expanded version to my time in sickbay right now. But after I heard the conversation, I decided to check the consistency and discovered a piece that explains why you're all drenched in sweat here at the time."
"To keep control you have to keep using it, but once on a slight delay, like you were that night, and just one device between you thats 8 people, or 30 to 50. You go into withdrawal, well that's what I was making sure of by draining the amphetamine like effects from your bodies, and telling her not to listen to their request of replicating more. But once the clock ended, they went to get their's now and that explains things now."
"But you miss shots and you're completely focused, closing your eyes works too, so you blink or you miss a shot. That prevents the effects from hitting you as hard, let me guess, people, you were preventing her from closing her eyes. As you forced her to play it, right, you three, the technician that possessed Chief O'brien. And the one that possessed Lieutenant Greyson, you 3 are the ones that restrained her now regarding it."
"The one that possessed Greyson was holding her eyes open and you, buster, got it on her, before you waited to do the same thing with me. And it wasn't until my performance that you did, but with me, it's more critical, introduce it to the academy, wasn't it?" he asked, looking at the leader of the trio and they swallowed hard at that. "Yeah that's what happened baby, they were keeping my eyes open as I tried to miss shots here."
"But after five hits their team mate had me, but I gave them your cover story and that you possibly knew Data was deactivated. But like Charlie, I was asking questions after you turned your tricorder into a walkie talkie to listen in. But our test findings were enough to help out, but even compromised, we still pulled it off. But one the host, two the plant and three the decoy, while we got the scientist connected to them back."
"And four we get a medical doctor just like our scientific team mate back as well, and it's game over by then as we were younger versions. And of the quintet on the movie version of the novel, as your adopted grandfather also comes home." she said and he nodded. "That pretty much says all that needs to be said right now, but my relationship with the captain is the same as Cavanaugh to his father, I'm just playing the narrator."
"And as a young adult, before this gets any worse, but Cavanaugh wasn't a jack of all trades in the science and medical department. But for that he needed Graves and the doctor treating him, but in my case I knew everything to help in my case. But that's what this next scene is really about mom, dad, Sir." he said and the trio nodded. "Getting details into what is causing this, I decided on tips next." he said and they smiled at him.
"I see where that is heading you're, just to make it seem like you're really using it, you're asking for tips after you barely got caught. But you're right, by the 10 to 20th dose by the damn thing it had you wired. And it has you acting like this, when in her case right now, but repeatedly missing shots. This is protecting you from the drug effects of that thing." Beverly said with a chuckle and he nodded to her at that softly at that gently.
After ten minutes he arrived at the spot he wanted and smiled. "Thanks for the tips Alyssa, I'll see you later." he said smiling and she nodded as he got off as she watched him as he pretended to walk to the holodeck, but as soon as the doors were closed, he immediately switched destinations and headed for sickbay. "If she'd been paying attention here she'd have realized it then that you're about to use my computer."
"Just to start spying on her conversation with the fact her crew mates are now inside us right now. As you did this and there's approximately 300 crew members on her ship, channeling themselves into us and she's channeling herself into Jean Luc. So everyone connected to you as you start freeing us one by one that night." Beverly said and he nodded as he watched as he went to his mother's office, closed and locked the door.
"Lal, put up soundproof shields around Dr. Crusher's officer, programme Crusher one." he said and the room flashed then. "Alright what's going on here exactly anyway, Sir, because if you're acting like this there's a reason for it. The you I know would never try something like this and I'm not losing you. To whoever turned you into this, none of you." He said under hs breath then at that.
'You guys unofficially adopted me after mom left second year, you're my family, if it takes risking killing myself just to free you, I'm going to do that now. I love you guys, who's taken you from me exactly.' They heard him thinking as he activated the radio transmission from her office to the bridge then to listen in on whatever conversation they were about to have with whoever it was and waited.
To see what the truth was about to reveal as he activated the visual on the on screen viewer to see what was going on then in the bridge as he angled the camera at the forward viewer. As the words, 'The Bridge' flashed up next, they saw him watching as the camera shifted position slightly to get a full view of the room. From right over the conference room door, as Worf stood at the security console, he smiled then as he said it.
"The vessel is approaching, Captain." he said and Picard nodded to him as he answered. "Computer, all senior officers report to bridge. On screen." he said and a few minutes later the quintet walked in then as the image of Etana appeared in the viewer then. "Report!" she said and he smiled as he answered her then. "That's the way she looked, when we arrested her dad." Will said and Kyle nodded to him gentlu.
"Welcome Etana, the Enterprise has been secured, await for your further instructions." he said and she nodded. "The expansion will proceed as follows, Commander Riker, you will take a shuttle craft. To the Cleon system, where you will rendezvous with the starship Endeavor. Proceed with distributing the device to that vessel." she told him and he nodded to the orders as she went further then.
"Commander La Forge, Counselor Troi, take a shuttle to Starbase 67, and distribute the device to all starships that are there." She said and they both nodded as Picard answered her at that. "We also have an opportunity to introduce the game to the Starfleet academy." he said to her and she nodded as she said it with a cold smile. " Excellent, see to it. The K'tarians commend your efforts, Picard."
"Once the expansion is complete, you and your crew will be rewarded." she said and he nodded as the transmission cut then. As they saw the word sickbay and Beverly's office appear they saw him sitting there in shock. As they watched him turning off the transmission, he leaned back against the chair as he said it shaking. "I was right, this was a foothold situation from the get go, my family has been brainwashed.
"Just like Charlie said, first dad, then Deanna, mom and then Data gets taken out. And then the damn thing starts spreading like a brushfire around here now. They've been tricked and brainwashed and she seduced him to get that thing on him. The effects of that thing before the brainwashing are like the Polywater virus, and this is what it turned into." They heard him say aloud at that remark
"Now it's turned into a video game, Data is out, but why exactly, unless..." he started to think and then looked at a photo of his mother, with Picard, his father and the late Captain Walker Keel and it hit him then as they watched him. "Walker, Walker was murdered to get him out of the way, because he was a threat to Remmick's plan. Walker, Data, Walker, Data, what's the connection here, wait a minute."
"Walker knew about the conspiracy and knew if he got that information to the other ships. Aside from Picard, he was going to either get turned into one or be executed. He told Captain Picard and he and Commander Riker ended the conspiracy by killing the mother creature, but Walker was murdered to get him out of the way." he said slowly as it hit him then as he said it quickly then to that.
"They deactivated Data, because he's a threat to her plan, that's it, it's the exact same thing. Expansion, what do they by that exactly unless..., Computer which ships are aboard Stabase 67 right now?" he asked and he read the names of each ship. "The Hood, Calypso, Dauntless, Andromeda, Aries and the Cheyenne. The Endeavor is in the Creon system, and straight to the academy in my case."
"But that thing on earth, oh god, the council, the admirals, not again, there's a summit meeting right now on earth HQ at the moment. The intention is to have it spreading from us to the entire federation. Oh god no, not again, please not again. First Walker and he's murdered, because he knew the most about this and then Data gets taken off line and it's because we got another foothold."
"And one running loose that is about to jump off my ship." they heard and felt their hearts clench. "Wait, wait, wait a minute here, Remmick was killed because he was the host for the queen creature that infected the captains at HQ. But kill the queen and you kill them all and everyone is back to normal. No wrong conspiracy regarding that, what else exactly right to conpare this to, unless."
"Hathor, she turned the base into her nest, a hive, and infected all the men, Colonel Jackson was playing double agent. But O'neill and Makepeace turned into her lead drones while General Hammond also did double agent. Hathor, Etana, that's it, she's the 24th century version of Hathor right now. Colonel Jackson snapped out of the second he realized her plan and helped Carter."
"And risked death to get the prototype back, Hathor was also like that villianess in that comic book series. Jackson was a scientist, as was the superhero in that book series but he snapped out of it immediately. And realized she was using drugs and..., psychotropically addictive that's the key here. And why it's loss of higher reasoning, they've all been turned into drones, I can use that now."
"But why am I the only one realizing this and these things unless..., wait, wait a second those ships all lost their previous captains. During the last foothold when we decontiminated the federation. Before mom left for earth at the time, Walker was murdered when that happened as well too, he knew what it was. What would happen if they infected the entire federation, as did Data."
"But Walker: Data, me: the cap..., no it's not, it can't be, it's a repeat performance of that and if it is than that means that..." he started to say and then felt his heart lurch as he realized it then as he said it. "It was then that I realized what was coming, hearing that meant I had to keep from getting captured now. Because I did and we had another situation like the puppet masters running loose here now, Sir."
"But at first I didn't realize there were four options, because I was in shock at hearing that information." he said and Picard nodded. "And again if Derek thinks this is easy, this is what my rant at him was really about before the effects hit me. But try being forced into being the one to make a decision that decides the fate of the entire federation. And you're, at first, left with only two options, said options shoot to kill or destroy the ship."
"His ship, his home, his family and friends, so lets see him try and make this choice that easily, I needed another option, before I did anything." Wesley said shaking and they nodded as the quartet exchanged worried looks. "If I was myself the amount of pain you're in just from realizing this is like someone just stabbed me in the heart. Wesley it's alright, the mission is done, we're here." Deanna said, quickly moving to him at that.
Pulling him into hug he buried his head into her shoulder, as she rocked him as he was shaking in grief at that and he pressed his forehead to hers. Just to show the amount of love he felt to her as an adopted family member and she nodded. As Dayton took charge, before Josh and Sito both nodded and Sito said it for both of them at that. "10 minute recess, Captain, if this is like the accident in remembering what happened here."
"But we need to give him a chance to compose himself, before we go further, because for him this is more then just a simple emotional wound, but multiple blows to the heart." Sito said in response and Picard nodded. "Alright freeze it!" Charlie snapped as he turned to look at Wesley. "Wes this was two weeks ago, I understand, but we survived and pulled it off we never lost them, it's okay." he said as they waited then as he relaxed.
"And this us why we said Derek doesn't have a clue to what we put up with here, he's a recently activated cadet, us, we're in the thick of it all the time. We're our own kind, we're on the job basic training ensigns, so why should he understand right now. He hasn't lived our worst nightmare of this right now, of the ship." Jake said and they nodded to him as the quartet went into a line as they heard the next mental remark.
"No it can't be, please no, it can't be, not now please, not now. My exams on the Kobayashi Maru exercise were supposed to be when I got back. But I..., no please, to save the entire federation and keep it from getting off the ship I have to shoot to kill or destroy my ship. No I can't do that, the captain and commander are leading this, but they're under her control."
"No I can't just kill them to stop this I can't do that or destroy my ship, set the auto destruct or shoot to kill, destroying not just my ship. But my friends, my family, no, not my family, I can't do it. I can't make that choice. Shoot to kill or destroy my home, I can't make that choice now. Dear god why are you doing this to me, I can't kill my own crew members, my family, my friends."
"No, give me another option please, I can't do that." he said to himself in agony then as he finished. "Please I can't do it, I can't do that, no win scenario, either I kill in cold blood or I destroy the ship. Killing my family, my friends, the kids I think of as my little brothers and sisters, no, I can't do it." He said as he tried to hold it in, before they heard Picard's voice then in answer to that remark.
'Wesley if it takes saving us, you're going to have to end this yourself, we love you son, you know what you have to do.' They heard Picard say to him, as Picard echoed the words with his recorded memory of himself softly at that and they watched him nod then as Deanna crossed her arms. "Sir what do you want to do, if you were still yourself, what do I do to stop this?" he whispered to that gently in response.
As they heard his gentle voice answer him. 'Remember what we taught you, if your commanders are compromised, thry forget things and the programmer knows the previous year in tactics and training, switch to alternate tactics. Alternate tactics, you know us way too well, like we know you, use that against her now.'They heard his voice say to him softly as they heard a mental sigh at that remark.
'God this is even worse than my dreams right now, I can't take this to, Sir I can't just kill you guys to save the federation. I know I have to protect the federation, but at the expense of destroying our ship or even killing you to do it. I can't do that Sir, I can't, please give me another option, because I can't take a life, and not like that and not you Sir, please don't make me do this."
"I can't just kill you guys, please, let alone destroy my home. It's not the previous incursion, but it's just as bad, Sir. If it takes making sure it doesn't get off the ship I'll do it, but I can't just kill you guys to make sure of that. But please don't make me do that. I just reached that test. And I don't need this right now, Sir please don't make me do this I can't kill in cold blood.
"I never took my phaser off stun, since I started working as an ensign when you appointed me to be a member of the crew. Please, I can't make that choice to sacrifice all of you just to save the federation, I can't do that. I can't make that choice and not without you or Commander Riker leading me. And like you always had before shoot to kill or set the self destruct, destroy my entire life."
"I can't do that, give me another option.' They heard and they sighed as they heard the response to their conversation of the year before then as he answered him gently at that remark. 'There's no need to kill anyone, remember what we said last year, if they put you into a position like this there's a way out of it. And there is, just put it on stealth and evade capture till Data is finished, listen to me."
"Like the wargames in training we ran simulations just to prepare you for what was coming back then. That's including the wargames now, regarding the Enterprise and the Hathaway. The Kobayashi Maru, my tactic, that was a training exercise, a game, turn this into a chess game. And pit your knowledge and expertise against hers, the longer the game lasts now with this."
"And the more that proves she doesn't understand a thing about earth human ways. Just use every earthborn reference we have, remember, earthborn games, books tactics, of centuries prior to ours. And add them to your Arsenal, test her on this, see what she understands to what she doesn't. The more she doesn't realize or knows, the more you're far more into battle strategy."
"And her annoyance at being shown up by a human teenager is going to start revealing itself. She doesn't know our childhood earth games, so you use both against her now. She doesn't know anything about earth 400 years ago, she doesn't know that on earth we dealt with situations like this before."
"Let alone that we had an escaped soldier on board the ship. Danar's abilities are that of 375 years ago, he avoided capture by going on stealth she doesn't this, because we forgot that information, use that against her now. But last year she's got your training exercise course through us. But change the sequence, now." They heard him say as he heard Will's voice finish that remark gently.
'It's okay son we understand, but trust me, listen to me carefully now. Wes, listen to me, you let your emotions get in the way of what needs to be done and it'll destroy the federation. Listen to me carefully, though these things look like they got only two options, or maybe three, there's always another option now. And you'll see it if you calm down and relax, put yourself into meditation.'
'In these situations they're going to force you into that no win scenario, but there's always a choice in these situations. Sometimes they result in two solutions, others three and four, you pick the best option and go from there, but in order to do that you have to calm down, relax and focus in these situations. This scenario looks like it has two choices to make now, but look deeper.'
'You have to focus and stay clear headed in this, I know that this is the hard part, if it happens, and now it has, but you won't need to hurt anyone Wes. Just get Data back online and go a different route regarding training, you don't have to fight, just don't be in the same place for too long. Remember everything I ever taught you these last four years now, well use it now and with it.'
"And with it remember ways to confuse and remember every scenario that involved a manhunt on board the ship. Four years older and four years wiser in training methods when the time comes now. But the tactics of the year before, that is this year, after you left Wes, are too easy to figure out. And it's because she got the last ten months since you left, through my mind regarding training."
"But not before you left, you have to use that against her, the terminal in and the control room, it's time to activate her added program. But everything from after you left to now was strong, but we forgot where you hid the computer chip. Now she knows that our training at the academy is by non violence and different ways of the last 100 years in training, that's from Kirk to now.'
'But not the 20th century, that century was loaded with good ideas and enough to work out in training now, and you've been using that as a steeping stone ever since the Polywater virus. But she and her faction, they wouldn't know that our back history of the 20th century tactics, you have to use that against them now. And during this situation, son, just focus, focus on our voices like we are now."
"If they hijacked us in this when it starts now and it has happened now. Remember what I taught you, 'he will triumph who knows when to fight, and when not to fight', Wes listen to me, your only chance. Is by turning this into a game, they're going to think they have victory, right now. And it's because everyone of us is compromised, but when or if this happens now."
'And it's taking it into a mental chess game and then deprogramming, but choosing a previous manhunt works too. But they may think they know you in the way we do, to beat them, you must use that against them, switch tactics and combine them with alternate tactics, training from the 20th century. She's the said opponent now, and everything she doesn't know, or that we forgot."
'But that can and could be a weapon against her, you're a technological whiz and computer expert, so just use that against her. A true soldier doesn't go in feet first, they think out their movies, plan ahead and then do it. If they don't give you enough time to prepare: improvise, if you don't want to be found: go to the areas that only the engineering and Maitenance crews ever do
"And finally if they're not from earth a few scare tactics helps in these situations. Use the entire Arsenal if you have to, just don't give up, you can do this, just focus, relax and don't give up, you can do this. That's our only chance to prevent this from getting off our ship, just don't give up.' he heard Will add to him softly and he nodded to his voice as he answered him then.
"I love you Sir, but this is enough I can't leave now when I'm emotionally compromised. Making this choice is enough, but having to kill you in order to protect the entire federation. I can't do that and I won't, this test was a no win scenario. Because they gave you only two options, well I'm making it winnable now. I have to create a third option, but I'm not losing you guys."
"And I won't." he said to him weakly then. "Those tactics were a wargames training scenario, but something from the 20th century works better now here. In fact working it out now, before the fight really gets started is going to be close, but I have to make my point clear with them. God I'd rather kill myself than have to live with the fact that I have to sacrifice my ship, my family."
"My crew, because I'm trapped in a no win scenario here and one that is going to destroy me emotionally. Just to prevent it from making it to earth. I can't do it, I can't make that choice and I won't." he said as he started crying silently as he stared at the picture of himself with the seven. When he was still a part of the senior staff crew looking at the eight of them and Tasha in a photograph sitting on the wall.
And the sextet nodded sighing then they saw the tears start pouring down his face. "First Tasha, then Jaan, and now my entire family has been turned into plants for some god damn invasion, I can't take this right now, no I can't lose you too. Shoot to kill, I never taken my phaser off stun mode and I'm not about to start now, destroying the ship, my home, I can't do that, what choice is left."
"What choice is left, what choice do I have, but to add a third option to the exam." he asked softly as he buried his face in his arms to think it through."My entire family has been turned into hosts, and Data is out of commission. But she's intending on infiltrating the entire federation. No I can't kill anyone, but maybe I don't have to, but how, how to I break the conditioning on them, how.
"Think, think, how do I do it exactly, 'he will triumph who knows when to fight, and when not to fight.', I don't have to use weapons. I just have to turn this into a game of stealth, and not get taken till the last minute. Game of stealth, game of stealth, we dealt with a couple manhunts, but who do I choose, come on think." he said to himself as he looked at the photograph of the nine of them
When he was fifteen and the second after his mother returned. "No guys, god don't do this, you taught me everything I know these last five years. But you have to fight this, don't leave me, Sirs four years, our bonds are so strong. I'm not giving you up, I stayed up to your birthday Commander, dad. And because I wasn't ready to just leave home, not yet, I'm homesick, I need you guys still."
"No I can't quit, I can't let her take my entire family, I have to stop this, but..., even if it means another injury I'm stopping this now." He said weakly at what he just heard then. The entire sextet had been taken over, Data, I need you friend. Data, me and Robin, if my mate is taken I'm the last human standing now. No, no I'm not getting taken, you want a war Etana you're going to get one now."
"You're not taking my family and you're not going to win, not if I have anything to say about it, you're never taking me alive Etana.' he thought in agony then as he sat there and closed his eyes to focus. "Well she's going to pay for this when I get through with her, physically injured is one thing. But she just barely killed you emotionally and I'd say the four of us can say this with certainty here right now."
"But she's going to jail when we get through with her." Picard said firmly, feeling his anger growing in seeing what the realization was doing to him then. "Yes and it just gets better here, because we set the trap for her, but it's gone physically now. As Data gets one look at me and realizes what's wrong and he takes charge for the five of you." Wesley said and they nodded as Robin took charge at the remark the gently.
"Lal activate my side of the story, because the ambush hit, because the commander was in engineering waiting to hear back from Greyson in there. But from here our plan as the three of us got to work, while Data he was getting Data back on line. And until he got Lal and her added program, but the pranks and redirects started from here." she said and he nodded and it switched and focused on her as the words Engineering Room appeared.
As they saw Robin working on what Wesley suggested, as she was sitting there, they saw Will leaning against the turbolift door watching her carefully. And Greyson walking as as he locked gazes with him and he nodded. 'Come here, but keep your voice down.' They heard and they nodded. "And we didn't realize you just turned the tables on us there that night." Greyson said smiling as he, Worf, Will and Geordi went into a huddle.
"Found Crusher, he's in the turbolift with Nurse Ogawa, he's carrying his, but he's in conversation with her. He also made eye contact with me when I spotted him in the elevator and gave me a nod of hello and called out to me. When I was looking at him, they're talking about the game at the moment. Strategies in how to play, but I'm not sure where he got off Sir." he said and he nodded to him gently.
As Worf look at her at that remark. "I saw him and Lefler here playing theirs in his quarters earlier. But if she's acting this nervous around us now..." Worf said to him and he nodded to him and they all looked at her. 'Yes that's right I'm faking it, come on take the bait, make that mistake and get cocky here right now. If my commanders were themselves, they'd say do this right now, come on.'
'You're so focused on success you're not realizing us young recruits have a few aces up our sleeves right now. So just make your move and my soulmate is getting preparing to let you have it hard.' They heard and Picard shook his head amused as Bates started laughing at that. "Kids, come on, I know you're turning this into a case of training games you don't need to be smug at the fact she's made a mistake."
"But this is cutting the acts of doing this by playing games with us just a little too far at the moment." Will said smiling with an amused look on his face. "Yeah and the bonehead possessing you just got a little too cocky here at the moment right now. He didn't realize that 1) I was keeping their attention focused on me just so Wes could fix Data. And 2) that Wes was listening into your conversation with her a bit ago as a result now."
"But yes there are rules regarding conspiracies here, but the best way to beat the players your playing against if their possessing your adult counterparts. And for the resident training ensign that knows said adults better then they know themselves. So we had to break a couple rules here just to make her think it was just us two. And not us and Charlie, before Wes activated Lal's added programming or that ended this too soon."
"But if anything we were like your grandparents regarding the NID, but first it was 2 strikes and strike 3 hit me." Robin told him and he nodded. "After the last conspiracy regarding Remmick, I think he knows this already. But when I was acting compromised that first time, I had to act like everyone else. Till I revealed that I was still myself when we stunned Admiral Aaron at the time, as to that."
"She's acting nervous, not letting her guard down and is not making eye contact with anyone. Not getting into conversation and is letting her behavior give herself away, she's not playing it. Well if that tells me anything she's faking it to get by undetected. For gods sakes, you want to get by undetected, relax, make eye contact and above all act like everyone else." Will said to the quartet at that.
As they nodded to him as he crossed his arms. "That's her first officer saying that." Will said to them and they nodded. "He's gotten by undetected twice Sir, first by dodging me and his mother, and then by doing it with Lieutenant Greyson next. If that tells me anything, he's using everything he learned from you regarding conspiracies at the moment." Worf told him and he nodded in agreement to that
As he answered him gently at that. "We have to be sure of that, but loss of temper is a slight factor he's got a lot on his mind, I'll let that go right now. But whether or not he's faking it is my concern as to that right now to avoid detection he's acting on the rules. If he's getting into conversation with Ogawa right now, than he's using what I taught him regarding conspiracies right now."
"And he's also been serving on the front line, before leaving for the academy at the moment too as a result so with that now in mind. But she's a rookie, and just graduated and joined the crew, alright, he knows what he's doing. But she doesn't and with that, he's acting on everything we ever taught him. But if he's doing that, he probably knows, but she's faking it right now to get passed us."
"She knows what's going on here, that's why she's so nervous, but we have to get every adult on the ship. So no one realizes what's going on till it's too late now at the federation. If she's getting nervous, it's because she's surrounded by members that are compromised, and without him watching her back. And that's another rule broken: you don't want to get captured and exposed."
"Then never separate from each other." he said and looked at the trio firmly. "We're breaking every rule in the book so they don't realize they're screwed till it's too late. But you don't play chess buster, but the best defense is a good offense. That's simple common sense, you taught me that dad, it's that easy, best defense is a good offense." he said and Will nodded with a bemused smile on his face at that as they watched it.
As he hugged her from behind and she leaned into his chest as she burrowed into his arms at that. "You know you really ticked us off, as I told all of you after they freed me, you ever harm a hair on my cubs heads. And you won't have to worry about ending up in jail, because we're going to kill you ourselves for that. She's my daughter-in-law, my, in my eyes, baby sister, you hurt her, and you're screwed." he said and they paled at that.
"You should've realized this was a trick, but you fell for it so quickly, we won in the second you got too cocky." Picard said sternly to the leader and he swallowed hard at that. "We knew, because we saw this in a movie once, reading it in a book that was created into that movie, but our body temperatures were normal. You acting like a virus caused their body temperature to sky rocket." Wesley said as he showed them the scene.
As they saw a group of ten people in infrared, their body temperatures so high they were glowing reddish orange and surrounding a blue signature. As the group restrained the victim until he too was glowing red as well and they swallowed hard. "But that's your fatal mistake, if you were smart you'd have dug into my mind and realized this. Before you tried this on my daughter in law." Will said as the man heard his voice in Will's then.
"Ambush situation, we're letting know she got found out. If it takes doing this in a tag team fashion she's not getting passed us and with that. Wherever he is I bet she knows and once we find out. If he's acting like she is and he's the last one of our ship to get taken now." he said to the trio softly. "Should we just let her give herself away now Sir?" the guard asked and he nodded to him gently at that.
"Yes, we're letting her blow her cover, spread out though, just wait till I tell you to move in on her." He said in a whisper and they nodded as they broke up and he looked at her. 'So you really thought I'd fall for the old 'do as the majority do' ploy here just to escape detection, young lady. If Wesley reported the side effects of the games to the captain, you're the other piece of that."
"You're faking it, but not for long.' he thought as he saw the game sitting next to her. "Yeah we set the sting operation and she fell for it so quickly, we knew we had a chance now, because she now was busy with the trying to find me. And taking to the tunnels in your remark, Geordi." he said and Geordi nodded. "You got into the jeffries tube, you could be anywhere on the ship." he said and Picard smiled at the look on his face then.
"That's the case issue of us being together this long, you trained me this well that I reached the limit where I could pull it off in one shot. And all because of your training, dad, Sirs." he said and Picard nodded to him smiling. "Yes and it's once you slowed down your thinking process and just relaxed we knew you could this. But it took calming down and coming to the conclusion slowly and carefully." he said gently and Wesley nodded.
As Will hid a smirk as he said it. "And the idiot didn't see this, that tricked him, you two." he said at that gently. 'Thats the catch, everyone playing the game is too busy playing and not working on their responsibilities right now. But you are, your evasiveness, your nervousness about being around the rest of us. You're faking it and not making eye contact with the rest of us. You just gave yourself away.'
'You're first and once done you're telling me what he has planned now.' he thought as he gestured to Worf and Geordi as Worf activated several controls as another appeared as he fiddled with the one they were about to get on her next. Seeing through the corner of her eyes and hiding a smile, Robin knew Etana had taken the bait.'Yeah that's right, I'm on to your plans right now, but unfortunately for you
he never told me where he was, what his plans are and whether or not he can get Data back on line and we're always three steps ahead of you. You screwed up, if the captain is one, then you, commander, are the other and the entire sextet is compromised. It's too late, whoever you are, we know your plans and though I'm the sheep leading you in the primary target is going to free me.'
'Long before that virus of yours gets off this ship.' she thought as she kept up the nervous reaction as she felt their eyes on her as she waited for them to call it. "I'm not sure what they programmed hers with, but the effect was one cone and disk. And for the first level to ten and they started doubling as time goes on here now that night. But whatever she was seeing is my next question, but if it took only 5 jolts to get her."
"I want to know why, right now." Will said and she nodded firmly. "Lal alter my memories show the entire thing into what happened, before they got me next. And show the laser image of what I was seeing after it activated and before I got turned into a drone." Robin said firmly and her team mate's avatar gave a nod to her at that as they waited. As they watched her activate the security control system and activated one thing in it then.
Trying to concentrate, they watched as they surrounded her, before someone caught her by the arm then. 'Times up Wes, I'm taken, I'm compromised now. Honey just hurry up now, the games have begun.' They heard with a sigh as she looked into his eyes as she saw the icy smirk of Etana's first officer in them. "You really thought we wouldn't figure it out Lefler?" Will asked her firmly as he went on at that firmly.
"Here's a piece of advice: you want to keep from getting figured out, act like everyone else and make eye contact with them. Because in situations like this there's two pieces to it so rule one in evading capture: you want to escape detection, don't tell the person running the show you figured it out and two. Act like everyone else: make eye contact, get into casual conversation."
"And relax, because you don't and you gave yourself away, you just graduated from the academy and you're still unexperienced in working on missions. And ones that require you to know these things. You see I've known Wesley all his teenage life since we met and I know how he thinks. As to how and why, it's because I've trained him for three years, before he joined you at the academy."
"I know him too well and I know how he thinks, as he does in my case and theirs, but you. You haven't been here long enough to learn these things or learn that much about us. Since the rendezvous I've had security teams watching you two, and of the two of you, Wesley knows how to avoid detection till the last minute and with those words." he said as he smiled coldly at her then.
"Whatever you plan to do it won't work, whoever your leader is, we know this is an attempted incursion, 'Sirs'. But your plan only succeeds if you get everyone on the ship, well you may say you know him. And by use of your hosts, but you don't, but you already made 8 mistakes. He knows you possessed his friends and his mother, you're screwed here." she snapped back at him, and he smirked.
"You just gave yourself away, you two are the only ones left young lady, you're first." he said and hearing that she struggled to get away from them as they got hold of her. "No, let me go!" she shouted, faking the reaction as they held her still as he got it on her. "Yeah I'd consider this child abuse at the moment and that's another charge racked up right now." Geordi said with a furious growl watching their bodies arrest her.
"And by doing this, you just traumatized them beyond belief right now, they're scared, after stage two that they would get taken a second time. But attacking my son in their quarters is one thing, but repeated attacks on my students is another. He's recovered from the glass that he landed on, but his body is still healing from this." Will said, before Greyson looked at Robin as she jerked at that memory and he nodded as he said it.
"Whoa, whoa freeze it, she's having another one." Greyson snapped as he saw her jerk and he crouched in front of her. "Shh, shh, shh, it's okay, it's over baby, you're safe it's okay." he said and he pulled her into a hug and she buried her head into his shoulder. "It's been like this for the last two weeks, several flashbacks and a few other things, they're scared they'll get hit twice." Porter said, resting a hand on Wesley's shoulder.
"Two weeks, and with the fact he doesn't know us in the way he does you that could prove dangerous if that stage three hits him." Daniel said in shock and the trio nodded. "We realize that commander, but I suggest you three monitor the terminal. Commander Riker, Lieutenant Worf and I have this along with Data, the sextet, Miles and Geordi." Ro said and they all nodded as Beverly answered that remark gently at the news.
"Good idea, Ro, he's growing attached to you and that's helping him to heal from her as well, but I want you and Guinan on watch if that does happen." she said and Ro nodded. "Sure thing Beverly, I'll take care of it." she said and they nodded. "She okay now, Derek?" Beverly asked and he pressed his forehead to Robin's and she looked into his eyes and nodded as she relaxed as she nodded as they reactivated it then gently.
"Do the expanded version to this Lal, because his was duplicated off of mine here, Wesley's studies of the damn thing were vital. And for preventing that thing from jumping off the ship and ending up on earth. I didn't know what I had to do to block out the effects to prevent them from hitting me like they did to you, mom, dad." Robin said as Wesley thought it over and snapped off an order to Lal then firmly.
"Lal, activate the infrared imagery on the movie, as I was about to get to work on the side effects of this damn thing." he said as the screen split into two segments as they saw the quartet in red and her in blue then on one and them in real time on the other. "Rewind that to the entire thing." Robin added as Will crossed his arms then. "What also makes your situation worse right now is that for the girls, is having you possess us."
"And acting like this in getting hostile, regarding her and that sadistic smirk you put on my face could be seen as you were about to violate her. And in a gang rape, and if you had done that, once clear of the effects, and we heard this. Then we'd kill you ourselves right now, as we take our cubs training, in the group here's cases. And the others, younger then they are, safety seriously on the ship." he said and the trio swallowed hard.
"Just replace the captain, Counselor Troi, Lieutenant La Forge and yourself, mom that was standing in front of him. And replace yourselves with dad, Greyson, Worf and La Forge, Commander Jenson and Lieutenant Barnfield. And the command ring and his chair with engineering and the seat I was sitting in here, but I just barely bolted here. Being teenagers we're not as strong as you as adults, but for a panic attack like this."
"It took the trio five minutes to subdue me long enough to get it on me and long enough for the effects to start hitting me. But like he said it's like hearing the word sedative for the kids in the third film, they hear either word. And both in the same sentence and it causes a panic attack, that's us now, but it's replicated down to the limit. From me and directly into his situation once she caught him finally." Robin said to them, explaining it.
And they nodded as Pulaski crossed her arms at the news. "If that doesn't make a point nothing ever does, but I'm an expert in pattern nightmares, dream deprivation. Mind control and cloning that hearing this, but the game for you four now is now. Is now the same as hearing the words sedative, sleep, or both in the same sentence. So that helps, but whatever we have to use regarding this is the only way now if this hits stage 3."
"But you get hurt worse then just your ankle, or a concussion, if there's shrapnel in that shaft, and you land directly on top of it. Nothing is saving these people from an attempted murder charge when we get through with them now. You're still my patient no matter how much time goes by, honey, but that's why I'm worried. The knack is still affecting you, though it's just under 3 years right now, so this possibly connected to it."
"But it did, and it's destroying whatever link there was." she said and he nodded as they watched it then. 'Wesley help, let me go, let me go, Wesley help!' They heard her scream mentally, as she stood up stood up and tried to bolt, before they caught her and got her back in the chair as Worf caught her shoulders to keep him in the chair. "Hold her steady." Will said and he gently caught her neck and hold her head still then.
'No, no, don't do this, let me go, don't do this, fight them, Sirs, Mam, fight it, don't do this fight them." they heard in a panicked protest next remark. "Said the same thing, but if your thoughts took the turn my did, you read my exact thoughts. And when they arrested me finally, but you known them for 2 months. To me, it's even worse, because to me, they're my family." Wesley said and she nodded as they watched it.
"It's okay, it doesn't hurt, you'll like it I promise you." Barnfield said to her soothingly and she swallowed hard at that as she looked at the sextet, as she answered that remark. 'Not if it destroys you, turns you into drones, you'd never do this if you're yourselves, I know you're in there. Guys, please, don't do this, fight her, come back to us, fight her.' they heard, as they saw her shaking as he got it on her.
'I know I'm stage acting here, regarding being the bait for them, but seeing my friends and crew mates like this, this is too much right now, guys don't do this. I know you, our you, is getting stronger every minute, fight her, fight her, I know you missed him since he left. But for him, for me, you have to fight this, fight them, whoever they are.' they heard in a add on as she looked at him in fear.
Feeling them get it into position around her head and seeing her friends like this she felt her fear getting stronger in that moment. And getting worse by the minute as she closed her eyes. As they heard the character's next orders knowing they were about to force her to start playing it. "No!" she said desperately as she tried to get free. "Her eyes." they heard from Will, as she felt someone open her eyes as the game played it self out out.
'Miss the shots, I do that whatever this is can't infect me, if it only works by scoring the shots into those cones, I have to miss as many as possible.' they heard and Wesley nodded gently. "Yeah that's what you have to do baby, just throw them everywhere but don't aim for the cone." he said, though just as he finished saying that, 3 more cones appeared as she started throwing them everywhere but at the cones then.
"What the, oh I get it, to catch us, you programmed ours with multiple cones, just so we can get hit faster to take us. Make it easier for your plot to get every adult on the ship now." Wesley said nodding and Picard and Will nodded. "That's why it took hold so fast, they doubled the dose of amphetamines and quadrupled the cones in your cases. Just to weaken your resistance to it as it broke through the prefrontal cortex in your cases."
"Destroying your resistance as yourselves as their team mates activated their's at the exact same time and forced their way into your minds now." Beverly said and he nodded as they heard her remark to this. 'Oh no, how am I so to miss with the added cones, alright don't panic, just start chucking them everywhere, but the cones.' they heard as she started throwing the frisbees in different directions then at that.
Before, to their shock, the cones zoomed into place to catch the first as she jerked, before she tried it again. And the one just behind it moved into place to catch the second as she got hit again. 'No I'm not giving in.' she thought quickly, just as the effects of the game were hitting her. "No!" she said weakly as the effects started getting to her. As she tried to throw it over the cones and one of them backed up to catch it then.
As they heard Barnfield say it gently to her. "That's it, just let yourself go." she said as she was trying to fight the effects as her will got weaker. Before she threw one last one and it caught it as she jerked for a final time and fell forward at that. "What was that exactly?" Daniel snapped in alarm at her response. "It's like when Jolinar jumped into Sam, their young ensign just jumped into me there." she said and they nodded to her.