Suddenly she became active. She immediately realized that she was no longer aboard the LaForge. She was confused. She calculated her position from the stars. She was moving at approximately full impulse speed. She was heading for the center of Kirusan space and was about two days travel from where the Virgo had been. The worst thing about her travel was that she had no control. Without a significant amount of matter, she had no way to propel herself. And, at this speed, it would take more than she had to alter her course.
That's when she noticed something. A distant point of light. It had increased 0.045 percent in size in the last few moments. It was getting closer to her faster than she was moving. She hypothesized that it was a ship heading in her general direction. It was not a star and no comets would fit its location. It would be about one day before the ship and her came within range of each other. She only needed to wait.
The Lambda Flier was in its beginning stages. They finally got the LaForge back but the Lambda Flier's constrution would go as planned. He was going to have to look very closely at that to see what else he could learn. (Although he was aware that the Klingon cloak was unable to work fully during warp speeds.) He had been busy programming a holoprogram for the captain and Valdago as well. He was almost burnt out. Luckily he had gotten to trust Ek'Ra and Galen so much that he had been given permission to, and felt confidant that he could take a vacation for a few days. After the holoprogram was successfully run. He had just finished his last test on the program.
[Are you ready, Loran?] the captain asked his Chief Engineer.
"Yes, Sir. Is Johnny?" he replied.
[Dr. Nori gave Lazarus a sedative he slipped in his Vodka. He should be out for another few hours. Prepare to transport him to Holodeck Two. If this doesn't teach him his lessen, nothing will.]
Valdago woke up. His head felt like it was going to explode. "Personal note, never try to out drink Kox. Computer, two, no three helpings of Valdago breakfast number eight." So much food was being replicated that he had to remove the two trays and let the computer make another one before it was done. He sat down and began with a pill he had learned to replicate during his Academy days. He immediately began to wake up a bit and his head cleared.
Although this morning he was a bit sick, he was improving a great deal since his immune system began to correct itself.
A voice came from nowhere. "I'm not that stupid. You think you got rid of me? We're coming." It was Solacetta's voice.
A klaxon went off. He ran out into the hallway wearing only his boxers. Two Kirusans began to head his direction. They stopped when the noticed him. Valdago stared at them. Ssuddenly, he could tell that one was about to fire his eyes. Valdago jumped to the floor and a phaser shot flew past his head, but it hadn't been aimed for him. It hit Lt. Garza in the chest. The phaser in his hand fired into the air. Valdago ran over to his friend.
"Garza! Just hold on," he said to his friend. But, it was too late. William was dead. Then, the two Kirusans lifted him up and began to drag him to the nearest turbolift. As he entered, he noted something odd, the Kirusan's eyes were like his. Slits that went from side to side instead up up and down. Suddenly it began to become clear. He looked at everything. Upon close examination he could tell that all was not perfect. Fine details were missing. And, everything was perfect. There were no dark spots, no dents or chips. He was in a holodeck simulation.
"Computer," he said, "End program." The two Kirusans looked at him strangely. The turbolift doors opened to reveal the bridge. Captain Maruu stood at the front view screen barking orders. He looked up at the two Kirusans.
"Ensign! Stop those two!" Maruu ordered.
"Computer." No reply. He tapped his badge. "Valdago to Maruu, I know what you're up to."
"I don't know what you're talking about ensign." said the captain. Valdago was a bit puzzled.
Then an arch formed in the middle of the bridge. It was a holodeck! I knew it. The door opened and Maruu ran in. The other captain looked back at himself. "Damn Loran! That thing doesn't look at all like me."
"You mean I'm not really me?!" asked the other Maruu.
"No time," the whole room shook, the hologram stared destabilizing and Valdago could see the grid come through in some parts. "We've got a major problem. Two Kirusan ships are attacking. Sadly, it real this time. I'm on way to the bridge now. Computer, end program." The holographic bridge disappeared. Now, a distant klaxon could be heard. A real one. The two ran out of the holodeck.
"Why didn't the program end?" asked the Ops Officer.
"We set it to not interrupt you for anything. It was my idea of punishment, who'd have thought 'reality mocks fantasy' would ever be so true." They entered a turbolift. "Bridge." The turbolift didn't move. "Bridge," yelled the captain. The doors reopened. Solacetta stood facing them with a phaser.
"Solacetta. What do you want?" asked Virgo's Commanding Officer.
"What I've always wanted. My family. Come along, John. I'm not trusting you this time."
[Lataro to the Captain. The shields just went down. Some troops have beamed near your position.]
"Hello, Lataro," the android said. "Remember me? I'm going to take your little captain on a holiday. And, Valdago too. You know what? I think I'll take the LaForge back. Just to piss you off. That's when the security team arrived. Solacetta whipped around and shot at them, but they managed to get a shot in and take cover before she ducked around a corner. Valdago and the captain were trapped in the turbolift. What a time to be without a phaser, Valdago thought.
After a fairly short battle, Solacetta had won. In a final desperate attempt, Captain Maruu dove for a phaser. Solacetta wasn't prepared. Maruu got in a shot, damaging Solacetta quite a bit. Unluckily, the phaser was drained as Solacetta aimed hers at Maruu.
"John, you will repair me onboard the Kirusan battle cruiser," said Solacetta. "But, I'm afraid I can't let this wound go unpunished." She set the phaser on kill. "I've got enough for another shot, and it's going to kill you."
"No!" Valdago walked in from of his Commanding Officer. "I can't let you do that."
"Move it, John!" yelled the captain, not willing to face anymore death on his account.
"Yes, John, please, step aside. I wouldn't want to have to kill you."
"You know as well as I do that a phaser blast hardly affects me," answered Valdago.
"Yes, but you also know that a phaser set on kill will still kill you. But it won't be as simple as vaporization. You'll die slowly, with pain. I'm going to shoot. If you're in the way then I could never trust you anyway. Five." He didn't move. "Four. Three. Two." Valdago held his ground. Solacetta's counting did not falter.
"One." She fired. The blast totally surprised Valdago. He never expected that Solacetta would have fired. He was forced backward and tripped on the body of Maruu, who was lying on the floor. He fell to the ground.
He couldn't begin to explain the pain. It just sort of was there. Overwhelming in a way. His whole body just felt numb. Then, he became more and more numb. He looked at Solacetta. Her face was plain. The world began to darken. Slowly until he could hardly see anything. He closed his eyes and experienced the silence. He no longer heard the sounds of the klaxon, or people running, or even the engine running. Then, a light appeared. It blinded him. It grew bigger and bigger until a form appeared. It floated closer. Valdago reached for it.
"Didn't know if you had it in you," said Maruu to his crewman.
Suddenly, Valdago became aware of what was going on. It wasn't dark, he could see the grid lines of the holodeck. He had never left! "You mean this was all a big..."
"Game? Yes. I thought that since you didn't respond to the brig, maybe this would do some good. Also, we needed to know if you were really devoted to the Virgo."
"So, the first time I thought we left the holodeck? The two... well, two yous?"
"All a part of our program. We knew that you would figure it out, so we let you. You never noticed any inconsistencies after you and...well, me, ran out of the holodeck, did you?"
"No, but..." he was at a loss for words.
"Stand up, Lieutenant." Captain Maruu threw the black pip back. Valdago caught it. "And next time remember to follow orders, all orders. If you ever get in a situation with Solacetta again, you will not let her go. I don't care if you run away and whistle dixie to Lataro. You will not provider her an escape route. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir." He placed the pip on his collar. "I won't disappoint you again."
"Good, let's go play some baseball. I understand Lataro found a pitcher that could strike you out." Lataro, Lan, Garza, everybody began to enter the holodeck. Valdago felt a little stupid and stood up immediately.
"Well," he said addressing Lan as he walked by, "I don't intend to let it happen again. Computer, run program...uh...Wrigley Field sound good to you, moron?" he asked Lataro.
"Sounds perfect, stupid!" the man answered back with a smile.
"Computer, run program Wrigley Field." The holodeck changed from a boring, systematic grid pattern to a beautiful grassy field. The stands were full, as always. I love this game. He ran to the dugout with the rest of his team.