Past Dream

Posted on 25 May 2017 @ 12:59am by Lieutenant Mikail Kolmak
Edited on on 01 Jan 2018 @ 6:26pm

1,231 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Errand of Mercy
Location: Kolmak's quarters
Timeline: ED 5 - Evening

::ON::

There was Darkness.

Quickly, the light appeared and he squinted his eyes. All around him were his crewmembers from USS Hampton in the shuttlecraft. The five of them including him were heading to a planet known as Esmertas. It was a planet that was nearly an M class planet with a little bit more Nitrogen than Earth's. They were heading there for a distress call.

The craft rocked a few times after entering the atmosphere and became settled as soon as they reached the coordinates to land. The landing became smooth into a hundred yard opening that was surrounded by massive trees. Tall trees, similar to the Larch trees in Russia that can grow over a hundred meters. Some can look more like pine trees.

The door opened as soon as they landed. Mikail followed a security officer out, carrying his med kit with a strap over his shoulder and looked around the flat opening. The houses here were made of mud slabs and the roofs were thatched. There appears to be five houses and a brick circular well in the middle. He felt small compare to the height of the trees around them. The air felt warm.

"Let's spread out," he heard the security officer, Victor Melee, called out. One security officer went to stand near the front of the craft and the other went to the back.

"Are you sure we are in the right place?" Science officer, blonde hair and middle age woman, asked while moving herself out of the shuttlecraft. She had her tricorder in hand, checking for any readings to the planet's geometric movements. She majored in Geology and Basic Science. Her purpose on the away team was the study of the atmosphere and the ecosystem of this planet.

A red shirt, medium build man, brown hair and some freckles to his face, came out and grinned. "No, Ensign Gandy. We are lost," he joked. "The computer screwed up...just kidding."

She frowned at him. "I sure hope not, John."

Mikail shook his head at the flight control officer, John DeVorn. He, himself, has been long past the rank of ensign. A rank as Lieutenant junior grade has been his pay grade with Hampton. He serves as their medical officer. He has known the young man likes to joke a few times and it didn't bother him. At least someone can lighten up a serious mood around here.

"Those houses look deserted," Jordan Gandy said. "My reading doesn't show any life signs around this area. The planet is so similar to Earth. Doctor, you have any readings?"

Mikail moved away from the shuttlecraft, staying close to the security officer as he glanced at his tricorder. "Not in this area. The long range scan shows three, no five humanoids beyond those threes," he pointed. "They appear to be coming in our direction." He swallowed, hoping that they are friendly when they come.

The security team pulled their guns out and set it to stun only. "We are not taking our chances," Victor said.

"Maybe it is some people that live in those houses," she said. "Almost primitive from the way the walls are made of mud to make bricks. They couldn't have anything advance in technology."

A group of five men came out of the woods, carrying logs and twigs. They had ridges on their foreheads, but the rest of their bodies appears to be humans. One dropped the load of wood with a fright on his face. "Who are you?" He bent down to pick it up. The others backed up a little and started whispering to each other.

Security kept their phasers on them.

"We mean you no harm. We picked up your distress signal," the doctor explained, staying in place.

All of them appeared to be still confused. "We sent no signal," one of them said. Another said, "Who are you and what do you want?"

John DeVorn shook his head. "We are wasting our time here."

"We are from the Federation Starship Hampton...our planet is Earth," the doctor said. He observed their foreheads while he spoke, "like I said, we mean no harm." He turned to whisper to Jordan and John, "half Klingons?"

"This far out? It can't be...," John said, in a lower voice.

One of the men spoke loudly, "We didn't send the distress call. We live in peace here. Please leave before the Emers comes."

"Emers?" Mikail asked while scanning the men, hoping the tricorder will tell him what species they were.

Three men were getting restless and appeared to be uninterested in the conversation, left the group to return to their houses. One man, appeared to be the oldest, spoke like a leader. "They are dangerous...tall. We are prisoners after our ship was shot down from the sky."

The man standing next to him, elbowed him nervously. "Leave them. We want no trouble, Reek."

His tricorder beeped and he looked down at it. "Not quite Klingons," he whispered. "Primative species...unable to read." The doctor looked up at them two. "I understand, but someone sent the distress signal. Maybe from your ship somewhere?"

"Our ship was destroyed...pieces broken up hundreds of meters from here," Reek roughly said. "Baul, go...get your fire going." The man left his side to stroll to his house. Then, he continued, "The Emers are not far from here and they have advance technology. You must leave while you can. They don't bother us now that we hide out of sight. They will spot your ship soon." He turned to walk into his house, not wanting to continue the conversation.

"So much of wasting time," John said. He turned to head back inside the shuttlecraft.

A few phaser shots came out from the trees. It burned a circle on the chest of a security officer and he fell over. Another shot hit Jordan in the arm and she turned to reach the door. Then, a spear crushed through her back and she fell over near the doors. Victor began firing his phaser.

Mikail's adrenalin was on high alert as he turned to grab the fallen science officer. Everything was happening so fast. He rushed to pull her up. Then, pain shot through his back, travelled up to his head and down to his feet. His motor function was lost and he fell over.

He heard the security officer said, "Sh*t, Mikail! A spear hit your back..." Then he heard John said, "hurry. We need to go!"

The doctor felt the tug as John pulled him inside the shuttlecraft before pulling the woman in. He couldn't move at all and he was paralyzed. Darkness enveloped him.

It seemed like the darkness didn't last long. His eyes looked up at the ceiling. His memory came, reminding him that he is still on USS Redemption, not Hampton. Slowly, he raised himself up in his bed and rubbed his back where he had surgery. Not much pain but achyness. What a memory, he thought. He opened his nightstand and pulled the hypospray out and injected the analgesic liquid to his arm. The instrument was placed back into the drawer. Mikail was ready to return to work in two hours. He wants to forget his nightmarish past, but can't.

::OFF::

Lieutenant Mikail Kolmak, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Redemption

 

RSS Feed