The wind softly blew through Pauls hair as he walked along the coastal cliffs on the shore near where the former colony was. He put out his hand and it brushed throught the long blades of grass as he walked. The sound of the waves crashing at the feet of the cliffs was a sound Paul had not heard for so long. Birds could be heard soaring overhead. It was nothing like what it had been the past few days. Paul walked down a slope and out onto the beach.
Paul had grown accustomed to spending time on the planet the past few days. He would come down for increasing amounts of time and just walk around deep in thought. He hadn't seen anything like he had seen here a few days ago for years... not since he was on the discovery... A ship he wished he could forget...
USS Discovery... 5 years earlier...
Paul was crouched in a corner holding a phaser rifle to his chest. A party of Proktolans passed by, but Paul stayed where he was. The Discovery had been boarded once again... the third time in as many weeks. Paul knew what he needed to do and darted out from under the fallen bulkhead firing wildly at the huge yellow aliens who didnt stand a chance. They all fell to the ground. Paul new that his only chacne was to head to the bridge. The bridge would never fall due to the new defensive system that was installed after the last attack. He crawled into a geoffries tube and headed up through the decks.
Paul pushed open the hatch to the bridge and as he did before him, the first officer fell to the ground with his face burned off from a phaser blast. Paul lurched back and sat against the bulkhead staring at the black remains of his friends face. He could still hear phaser fire on the bridge and shouting from Starfleet personnel. He knew that he had to do what he possibly could do to help. He gathered all his courage and crawled towards the entrance to the geoffries tube. He turned his head away from the first officer and hurried out.
He took cover behind the ops station where the geoffries tube led into the bridge. From there he could see the chief tactical officer taking cover a the tactical station and the captain and chief engineer at the engineering station. The Proktolans must have been sheltering behind the helm and the science station. A phaser shot hit a power conduit behind the engineering station and the Captain and Chief Engineer were blasted out of the area. The Chief Engineer was blown against the wall, while the Captain hit the roof and landed on the helm station.
At that moment, the only remaining officer on the bridge, the chief tactical officer noticed Paul.
"Huuuuuuuumanssssssssss give yourssssssselfsssssss up!" The lead Proktolan said standing up from behind the helm.
The tactical officer nodded his head in the direction of the proktolan meaning for Paul to attack. Paul was in the perfect position. His back was turned and he had no idea that Paul was there. Paul cautiously peered over the top of the ops station. to see the Proktolan standing at his full height with two guards to either side of him.
Paul fired, blowing the yellow serpents head clear off. He hit the other through the chest blasting a hole in the view screen as well. The last one took a shot at him, but the tactical officer blew the aliens arm off before he could adjust his aim.
"Not bad for a civy" said the tactical officer running out and down to check the wounded.
"Merci"
"Deveraux, quickly, get over to the sciene station. Scan the ship for any more Proktolans."
Paul walked towards the science station where the charred remains of the science officer lay hunched over the console. He hesitated a bit, but new that he couldn't show his cowardice in front of a fleetie. He closed his eyes and pulled his sleeves over his hand and pushed the body off the console. He wiped some of the blood of the monitor and scanned for anymore Proktolans.
"No more Proktolans onboard."
"Good" said the Fleetie "The Captains dead. So is everyone else on the bridge."
"Attention all hands, this is Lieutenant John Maxwell, acting Commanding Officer. The Captain and first officer have been killed along with the rest of the bridge crew. All replacement staff and any other remaining department heads report to the briefing room immediately."
"Lieutenant, what are we gonna do?"
"For starters Deveraux, we need a new science officer. Feel up to it?"
"But I iz not Starfleet. I iz just a palaeontologist"
"Deveraux, you're the closes thting we have right now to a science officer, your going to have to do. Do you accept?"
"I.. I guess so"
"Good. Paul Deveraux, I hereby give you a starfleet commision to the rank of ensign. You will be expected to join us in the briefeing room. As for now, move these bodies out of sight. We don't want to alarm the rest of the crew."
The new captain walked off into the captains ready room leaving Paul alone on the dark battered bridge to "clear up" the bodies. Paul looked down at the science officer. He grabbed his arm and began to pull him towards the rear of the bridge. As he pulled, the arm ripped off and Paul fell to the ground next to the first officer who's black face was no more than 2 inches away from Pauls.
New Canada... present day...
Paul shuddered and brought himself back to the present. He was still walking along the beach. The waves were crashing on the shore and the birds were still crying overhead.
Don't be a hero Deveraux!
Alamo! Alamo!
Move these bodies out of sight
Scan for them Call or next time it may be you!
I wanna.. go ... home... mamma... mamma!!
Paul collpased where he was on the beach. He could still hear the screams of the starfleet officers as they were burnt alive and blown apart. He could still smell the smell fo burnt flesh and see blood and limbs strewn across the floor. He could still hear the weapons fire and the malicious cries of the Son'a. Paul fell backwards in the sand and began to cry. He tried to fight back the tears, but it was no use.