Star Trek: The Next Generation: Starfleet Academy #4: Capture the Flag Read online

  Geordi’s heart sank. Somehow, losing Jenna and Kareem didn’t seem like much of a victory. Plus, Zemusta was probably gone, which meant they were even—down to five players on each side.

  His comm badge beeped, and he hoped for a moment that Zemusta had somehow escaped.

  “La Forge here,” he answered.

  “Hi, Buddy. It’s me, Jack Pettey.”

  “Huh?” asked Geordi. “How did you get on this channel?”

  “Simple,” answered Pettey. “I had my guys hold down that Tellarite, and I pulled off his comm badge. Then we zapped him. You’re losing, buddy.”

  “Not exactly,” answered Geordi. He was mad enough to lie. “You lost three guys yourself. That’s three for you, and only one for me.”

  “What?” roared Pettey.

  “Try to raise them. It was all planned—an ambush. You’re outnumbered … buddy!”

  Angrily Geordi banged his comm badge to turn it off. He didn’t know what he was maddest about—losing his friends or Pettey’s obnoxious attitude. Or maybe he was maddest about his own anger, and the,way he had dispatched one of the Gold players.

  T’Lara raised an eyebrow. “That was clever,” she said.n“We Vulcans do not lie, so we never realize what tactical advantage lying can be.”

  “I’m not proud of it,” muttered Geordi, brushing the green dirt off his pants. “Now what?”

  T’Lara peered across the deserted plain. “If they think we have an advantage, will they be more cautious? Or more reckless? You know human behavior better than I.”

  Geordi shrugged. “It’s hard for me to think like Pettey. But my guess is that he’s very angry. He’ll want to find me.”

  “If that is the case,” said T’Lara, “then you should station yourself with Megan at the decoy. The combination of seeing you and our flag may prove irresistible to Cadet Pettey. He may expend what is left of his resources attacking it.”

  “And what will you be doing?” asked Geordi.

  “Somebody must locate their flag and see how many are guarding it.”

  Geordi sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. All of that makes a lot of sense. Despite what Pettey thinks, we’ve only got five people, and we’ve got to use them wisely. But take the long way around, and don’t let them spot you.”

  T’Lara nodded. “My intention is not to be captured.”

  The Vulcan got down in a crouch and ran back along the ravine until she was out of sight, her green tunic and green-tinged skin helping her to blend in. If she was out of his sight, thought Geordi, he could only hope that she was out of Pettey’s sight, too.

  He still felt worried and glum as he made his way back to the decoy. He missed Jenna and Kareem. Of course, both of them had been captured in yesterday’s game, and they had still won. But he had watched that from a distance. Today it had happened right in front of him—with him unable to stop it.

  It was true, they weren’t really gone. They were sitting in comfortable seats right now, sipping lemonade and watching him on the viewscreen. But he felt like a captain who had lost valuable members of his crew.

  Maybe that’s the true purpose of this game, thought Geordi. It’s not the strategy or the combat—but to make us realize what it feels like to lose our comrades. Our friends.

  Geordi knew from the years he had spent growing up on starships that mistakes often caused death. Real death, where people didn’t come back. Now all of the cadets would know it. Even Jack Pettey must have felt the loss of those three teammates he had sent into an ambush. After this, would he be so anxious to command?

  Megan waved to him as he climbed slowly up the limestone formation. He was impressed by the way Vernok was still holding his position, still looking like a flag.

  “Is everything okay?” asked Megan.

  Geordi shrugged. “I think so. Jenna, Kareem, and Zemusta are gone, but so are three of their people. Our advantage is that they think we have seven players, and we know they only have five.”

  “Why did you come back?” asked Vernok without moving a muscle.

  “Jack Pettey is angry at me. If he sees me up here, he might try to rush us with everything he’s got. T’Lara is still out there, looking for their flag.”

  “Well,” said Megan, “I think your plan is working.”

  “What?” asked Geordi.

  Megan pointed off into the distance. Three Goldshirts were headed toward them, moving fast.

  CHAPTER

  10

  Geordi backed up and nearly fell over Vernok. “Sorry,” he said. He looked at Megan. “Have you made any nets?”

  “Only one,” she answered. “I was doing it mostly for show.”

  “Okay,” said Geordi. “Find a good hiding place, and be ready to use it. There’s three of us and three of them.”

  “But one of us is a flag,” Vernok reminded him.

  “At the right moment,” said Geordi, “you can stop being a flag.”

  He leaned over and watched Megan scamper down the rock formation and squeeze herself into a crevice. Then he looked across the plain. The three Gold players were closing rapidly, led by a big cadet with golden hair. Geordi suddenly felt very alone atop the rocks. He wished he could trade places with Altos, wherever he was.

  There was no doubt Pettey would attack them. He would conclude that he had three attackers to their two defenders. He would assume the rest of the Green team was after this flag, which would make an attack even more urgent.

  Geordi quickly planned his strategy. He knew he had to make sure they attacked from the front, where Megan was hidden. From the front, they could only see Vernok’s back. If they attacked from the side or the rear, they might find out they were being tricked.

  Finally the three Goldshirts slowed to a jog and stopped at the bottom of the rock. Sweat had darkened their camouflage paint, and they looked as, if they had been rolling in the dirt.

  “Not too close,” the Gold captain warned his teammates. “They might have nets.”

  “Yeah, that’s right!” Geordi yelled down. “Stay away from us—unless you want to go back and watch this on a viewscreen!”

  Pettey smiled. “You may have more players than we do, although I’m beginning to doubt it. But we found your flag first! My defenders haven’t seen any of your people!”

  “They won’t see them, until it’s too late!”

  That made Pettey pause in thought. He motioned his players to come close and hear this whispered orders. They nodded and started to circle the rock.

  “Are you afraid?” taunted Geordi. “Where are you going?”

  “Just going to take a look around,” said Pettey.

  “This is it!” shouted Geordi. “Are you saying the three of you can’t climb up here and take this flag away from me?”

  “We know there’s at least one more of you!” snapped Pettey.

  “Oh!” scoffed Geordi. “Then you’re scared of two of us?”

  Pettey scowled. Geordi knew he was beginning to strike home. He played his dirtiest card. “If you’re too much of a coward, Jack, send the other two! Like you did yesterday!”

  That got all three humans climbing up the front face of the rock. Pettey started out in the lead, but he was smarter than the other two. He slowed down and let them pass him while he watched their progress.

  The first one who got to Megan’s hiding place didn’t even see her until it was too late. She whipped the net around his arms, and he was about to fall when she slapped his coup meter. By the time he lost his balance, he was disappearing.

  His comrade moved swiftly and grabbed her arm. Megan struggled, but she was slight and not very strong. It was all she could do to keep from falling. Somehow, she kept her feet in the crevice and battled the attacker.

  Geordi wanted to help her, but he knew he dared not move. He had to pretend that the flag was behind him, and he couldn’t desert it—not even to save the albino cadet. He watched with dismay as Pettey came to help capture her.

  Megan finally did the only
thing she could—she leapt from the rock and tumbled to the ground. The Goldshirt was right behind her, and he landed on her back. She squirmed out from under him, and they both turned to attack. They hit each others’ coup meters at the same time.

  And they vanished in twin columns of dancing light.

  Jack Pettey laughed, as if he was expecting this. “Okay, La Forge, it’s just you and me! The two captains!”

  “It would appear so,” agreed Geordi.

  Pettey was still wary as he climbed up the rock. He was half expecting someone else to jump out of a crevice with a net. But that wasn’t the surprise that was waiting for him, Geordi knew. The smaller cadet edged closer to the edge, hoping he could hit Pettey’s coup meter when he tried to climb over.

  But the Gold captain was ready for that maneuver. He grinned at Geordi for a moment, then threw a handful of dirt and pebbles into his face. Geordi flung his arms in front of his face to protect his VISOR, and he stumbled backward. By the time he scrambled to his feet, Pettey was standing in front of him, laughing.

  Geordi instantly positioned himself between Pettey and the fake flag. He marveled at the way Vernok was still holding perfectly still. Pettey had to keep his eyes on Geordi and couldn’t take a good look at the flag.

  He came closer, and Geordi took a swing at his coup meter. The bigger cadet jumped back.

  “You’re done now,” said Pettey.

  “We’ll see,” rasped Geordi.

  In a flash Pettey bounded on top of him and grabbed his arms. Geordi fought for all he was worth, but the cadet, was much bigger and stronger. He held Geordi’s arms in a viselike grip. As he had done to the other Gold player, Geordi tried to butt Pettey’s coup meter with his head. The big cadet shook him like a rag.

  In a judo move, Pettey swung a foot behind Geordi’s leg and dropped him to the ground. Geordi was stunned and couldn’t move. He saw Pettey’s hand sweeping down toward his chest and barely managed to deflect it. It missed his coup meter by a centimeter.

  Pettey cursed and tried again, but Geordi quickly rolled over. The blow hit him hard in the back. He stumbled forward, but the cadet jumped on his legs and pinned him to the ground.

  He’s not going after the flag, thought Geordi, until he finishes with me. If I can just get closer to Vernok, maybe he can do something!

  His hands clawing the green limestone, Geordi crawled toward Vernok, dragging Pettey after him. Just a few more meters! As they got closer to the decoy, the big cadet growled like an animal, gripped Geordi’s shoulders, and threw him onto his back. Geordi struggled, but Pettey was too strong and too determined.

  With a howl of victory he hit Geordi’s coup meter and jumped to his feet. In his last second on Saffair, Geordi had the pleasure of watching Pettey reach for the Green flag—only to have it leap up and strike him in the chest.

  “Aargh!” screamed the big cadet as he materialized next to Geordi in the transporter room of the Glenn. “No! No! That flag was alive! How could it be?”

  Geordi was still panting as he stepped off the transporter. But he was also grinning. “That wasn’t a flag—it was Vernok!”

  “Not the Saurian!” yelled Pettey. His mouth hung open. “You planted a decoy! Where’s your real flag?”

  Geordi shook his head. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know.”

  “Can’t you guys argue in the lecture hall?” said the transporter operator. “You’re out of it now.”

  “Sorry, sir,” said Pettey to the ensign. He glared at Geordi for a moment, then just shook his head. “I knew you’d be trouble, but I didn’t know you’d be this much trouble.”

  “Come on!” said Geordi. “Let’s see who’s going to win this thing.”

  When they entered the lecture hall, they were amazed to get a loud round of applause from everyone gathered there. Captain McKersie was beaming, and Lieutenant Pantano nodded her head in approval. Jenna, Kareem, and the other Green players were laughing.

  “Excellent play!” barked Captain McKersie.

  Sidra Swan rushed up to Geordi and shook his hand. “I don’t know if you’re going to win or not, but we’re all rooting for you.”

  “Thanks,” he muttered. He looked around the room and saw, to his amazement, that most of the audience did seem to be rooting for the Green team. And he thought nobody liked his bunch of oddballs.

  Geordi was also surprised to find out that he could be captured and still be a hero. He looked over at Jack Pettey, thinking how ironic it was that they were both out of action. Only their plans and a few teammates survived. The measure of good officers, Geordi knew, was not how they performed, but how their crew performed when they weren’t around.

  “What’s going on?” growled Jack Pettey, taking a seat in the front row.

  One of his teammates reported, “They’ve got three players to our two. Our two are where you stationed them, guarding the flag. The Vulcan has it under observation, and the Saurian is coming to help her. The Andorian is guarding their real flag.”

  “Not for long,” said Kareem. “Look!”

  He pointed to the left screen, where the Andorian was sitting calmly in front of the Green flag. He spoke into his communicator and stood up.

  “They’ve told him to come for the final battle,” said Jenna. “There’s nobody to go after the Green flag now.”

  Jack Pettey began to chew on a fingernail. “I don’t like this,” he muttered. “I don’t like this at all.”

  By contrast Geordi was rather enjoying being a spectator. He had enough cuts and bruises to show that he had played—and played hard. He slumped into a seat and was soon surrounded by his captured teammates, Jenna, Megan, Kareem, and Zemusta. Jenna brought him a glass of lemonade.

  She grinned. “The decoy worked like a charm.”

  “But it’s not over yet,” remarked Zemusta. The Tellarite crinkled his snout with worry.

  There were a few minutes of calm as the Andorian bounded across the plain to join his comrades, T’Lara and Vernok. Glancing from one screen to another, Geordi had to smile. One of the Gold defenders was a Delosian and the other was a Betazoid, which meant there were no humans left in the game.

  He looked again at Jack Pettey, and the big cadet shrugged and shook his head. Yes, he noticed it, too—the fate of the game was up to a bunch of nonhumans.

  All eyes and one VISOR were soon drawn to the right-hand screen. Everyone knew what had to come next—an assault on the Gold flag. As before, the Gold team had planted it on level ground right in front of a boundary marker. There was only one way to approach it.

  They couldn’t hear T’Lara’s orders, because she whispered them. A moment later she and Altos stood and walked confidently toward the two Gold defenders. Vernok trailed behind them. The defenders stood shoulder to shoulder directly in front of their flag. They got down in wrestling crouches, ready to meet the attack.

  There were no taunts or shouts this time. No trickery. Looking very determined, Altos and T’Lara broke into a run and leapt upon the defenders.

  The Gold players fought valiantly and wrestled the attackers away from their flag. But there was no one to stop the little Saurian. Vernok slipped between the grunting warriors and grabbed the prize! With a strange chirp he waved the Gold flag over his head.

  A buzzer sounded in the lecture hall, followed by deafening cheers. Everyone crowded around Geordi, slapping his shoulders and pumping his hands.

  “Good job!”

  “Wonderful strategy!”

  “Three cheers for our captain!”

  Captain McKersie shook his hand. “Keep this up, Mr. La Forge, and you have quite a future ahead of you.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Geordi looked past his well-wishers at Jack Pettey, who sat alone, dejected. The big cadet buried his face in his hands. Geordi now knew why he never liked gym class and competitive sports. He liked to win, but he hated to see other people lose.

  “Thank you, thank you,” he said to everyone as he gently shoved pa
st them. He finally ended up in front of Jack Pettey. The others in the room seemed to melt away.

  The blond young man muttered, “If you’ve come to gloat, go ahead. I deserve it.”

  “Yes, you do,” Geordi agreed. “But I’m not much good at gloating. I’d rather make friends.” He smiled and held out his hand.

  Pettey looked at him with surprise. Then a grin crept across his face, and he pumped Geordi’s hand. “If I ever get to command—I know that’s a big if—I’m going to remember this day. I’m going to remember that brute force doesn’t always work. You’ve got to use your brain—and your heart.”

  The big cadet stood up. “You’re a classy guy, La Forge. I want you on my team next time.”

  Geordi smiled. “Then choose me first.”

  Pettey grinned. “I will—after I choose that little Saurian.”

  The Red team won the afternoon match for third place, which pleased Geordi. He felt happy for Sidra Swan. But he couldn’t really pay much attention to the game because everyone was so busy congratulating him.

  It felt strange to be a hero.

  After leaving orbit, the first-year cadets got a detailed tour of the Glenn, which was almost as exciting as the game.

  Later that night Captain McKersie repeated the video log of the championship match for the upperclass cadets, who hadn’t been able to watch it live. But Geordi left shortly after the beginning. He didn’t want to see his friends be captured, and he didn’t want to see his new friends lose.

  A party was going on in the lounge, but Geordi didn’t stay long. He went to his room, read a journal, and dropped off to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

  CHAPTER

  11

  Two days later Geordi stood on the bank of the stream that meandered through the grounds at Starfleet Academy. It was the same stream, the same buildings, the same classrooms, and the same teachers. But everything else was different.

  Was it him? He didn’t feel any different. But there was something in the way people talked to him, the way they treated him, even the way they looked at him. People he didn’t know, like that fellow named William Riker, came up and introduced themselves. It was all different.