<USS Avalon> End Program

Mac reached Holodeck two and found it sealed, Josh's program already running, 
no doubt sans safeties, as he knew it would be. Making sure he was well armed 
and ready for the nightmare within, he overrode the locks and entered Josh's 
world, the hell he'd known as home. He fought hard not to gag as the stench of 
decay and death nearly overpowered him. Stopping in a corner, careful not to 
touch the walls (no point in meeting young Vr'tae this early in the game, he 
thought) he listened for any hint of where his friend would be. It didn't take 
long. The sounds of battle, fierce yells and screams came tearing through the 
alcove ahead. Josh was making sure they heard and found him this time, daring 
them to face him. Mac knew well enough how dangerous that was, having seen the 
results when Josh had lost the fight before. Hell with this, he thought. You're 
not killing yourself today, kid. Sorry. Aloud, he said, "Computer, end 
program." 
 
The mines of Taurus disolved around them, leaving only the hologrid where they 
had been. Three feet away, Josh just barely stood before him, bleeding and 
angry. The look he shot Mac was pure defiance as he began to reload the 
program. "No, Joshua," Mac interrupted, though it wouldn't have mattered as the 
computer had missed most of the softly spoken command. Josh's expression 
changed . Replacing the look of enraged defiance was pain, loss, loneliness, 
and yes, even fear. "I'm sorry, Kid." He didn't know what to say, so he said 
nothing more. Instead, he held out Josh's portable med-kit, the one he'd been 
ordered aboard their last ship not to carry but still insisted upon keeping. 
Josh looked at it and nodded, suddenly deadly calm. He accepted it and tended 
to his wounds with near-complete detatchment, then handed it back and walked 
out of the holodeck without a word.

                
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