Boogeymen - Mel Gilden [17]
“What’s that?” Dr. Crusher said.
“Nothing, Mom,” said Wesley, embarrassed.
“You’re very quiet. Except for the melodramatic grunting.”
“Sorry. I was just thinking.”
“You’re always just thinking. About what in particular this time?”
“It’s kind of personal.”
“I’m your mother.”
Dr. Crusher looked at him over her salad with such intensity that Wesley had to smile. She was his mother and a good doctor, but no commander. Would she understand his preoccupation with leadership ability? Hoping for the best, he said, “I’ve been using some Starfleet training programs on the holodeck,” and went on from there. It seemed pointless to hide anything from her anyway. As a mom, Beverly Crusher could sometimes sense things that escaped even Counselor Troi.
Wesley was pleased to see how seriously his mother took his problems. When Wesley finished, she nodded, her lips pursed, a faraway look in her eyes. She said, “I’ll bet you’d learn a lot more if somebody was there when you made a mistake.”
“I’ve studied the books. You can’t get the stuff I want to learn out of books.”
“Not a book mistake. An experience mistake.” Dr. Crusher became excited by her own idea. “I’ll bet Captain Picard would join you on the holodeck.”
“The captain’s awfully busy,” Wesley said, visions of Picard’s disapproving expression dancing in his head.
“Nonsense,” Dr. Crusher said. “A robot freighter could do the run between here and Memory Alpha.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“You don’t want me to speak with him?”
This entire line of discussion made Wesley very nervous. He knew the captain was not comfortable around children, and for all that the captain had made him a real ensign instead of just an acting one, Wesley knew that Picard still considered him a child. A large child. A smart and dependable child. But a child nonetheless. Wesley said, “Talk to him if you want to. Just don’t tell him it was my idea.”
“Of course not,” Dr. Crusher said. “I want the credit.”
For the rest of the meal, Wesley managed to direct the conversation away from his activities on the holodeck.
The next day as Wesley’s watch on the bridge came to an end, the captain appeared at the ready room door and beckoned him inside. When the captain was settled behind his desk, he said, “Dr. Crusher tells me that you’ve been running the Starfleet training programs on the holodeck.”
Wesley suddenly felt icy. There were no regulations against what he was doing. He’d checked. Still, he might have missed something. “Yes, sir.”
“Have you run the Kobayashi Maru scenario?”
“No, sir.” Wesley had never heard of it.
“It’s quite a pretty problem, really. Starfleet used to run it with the Klingons. The most recent versions use Romulans or Ferengi, sometimes both together. Shall we give it a try?” Picard seemed enthusiastic, as if this would be as big an adventure for him as for Wesley.
“Sure. I mean, yes, sir.” Somehow they had gone from an abstract discussion of Wesley’s use of the holodeck to the very practical consideration of whether Captain Picard would join him. How did you say no to the captain? Did Wesley even want to try?
Wesley followed Captain Picard through the bridge and into the turbolift. Data slid in with them just before the doors closed.
“Just coming off watch, Mr. Data?” Picard said.
Wesley suddenly knew what was coming. Why not? he thought. Why not invite the whole damn bridge crew?
“Yes, sir,” said Data.
“If you have nothing special planned, perhaps you would care to join Ensign Crusher and me on the holodeck. We’re going to run the Kobayashi Maru scenario.” Picard actually sounded as if he was looking forward to observing Wesley’s performance. But maybe he wasn’t just interested in Wesley. Maybe the captain was reliving his time at the Academy.
“Indeed I would, sir. I would like very much to see Ensign Crusher’s new aliens in action.”
“New aliens?” asked the captain.
Wesley said, “Yes, sir. Boogeymen. Lieutenant Shubunkin, Data, and Lieutenant Commander La Forge helped me work them out.”
“Using the Borders scale, no doubt.”
“Yes, sir,