Paul awoke with the waves splashing against his feet. It was dark and had gotten quite cold.
Must ave dozed off he thought as he pulled himself to his feet. The smell of the ocean and the fresh southernly breeze hit Pual as he stood up. He looked around to get his bearings and headed back off in the direction he came in earlier.
Deveraux, you're a good man. You saved all of our lives!
If it wasnt for you we wouldn't be here right now. We owe you a great deal of gratitude
What iz wrong wiz me?
Lieutenant! help me!!!!
Paul, you can't leave me here!
Paul new these voices all to well. They were the voices of the ill fated crew of the Discovery.
Paul... tell Sarah I...
Don't let me die here!
Dammit zis iz not right.
Paul reached for his comm badge, but collapsed before he could call for help.
USS Discovery... 5 years earlier...
Phaser blasts fired over head. The crew was suffering heavy losses. The ship had been under attack so much in the past few days, that there were bearly enough crew left to keep the ship running. Paul shot the Proktolans as they came through the door to sickbay, after the one remaining medical officer on board in a hope to criple the Federation crew even more. They had already rendered the EMH useless in a previous attack. Sickbay was full of wounded officers, a few were able to take a weapon and hold a defensive position, but not many. The Proktolans this time seemed to never end. Proktolan after Proktolan came throught the door way and were gunned down. The defenders of sickbay were almost out of ammo when federatino fire was heard outside and the grotesque groaning of the dying Proktolans could be heard from outside.
Lieutenant Maxwell came through the doorway and looked around.
"Good job men. We've managed to rid the ship of that scum once again, but I don't know how we're going ot survive the next raid. Pranzo, you're going to have more owunded coming in shortly, get ready" Maxwell said to the Bolian doctor. "Deveraux, with me"
"Deveraux, you're a good man. You saved all of our lives!"
"If it wasnt for you we wouldn't be here right now. We owe you a great deal of gratitude" said the wounded crewmen as Deveraux walked out of sickbay.
Paul looked down at the amassed pile of Proktolan bodies outside of the sickbay door. Most of them had been pulled away and thrown down the corridor out of the way. One thing the Proktolans didn't have was respect for their dead. Paul and Maxwell walked down the corridor on the way to the bridge passed all the dead bodies. Another thing about a dead Proktolan was the smell! Pual was almost sick.
"Deveraux, I know that this isn't why you signed on for this mission, but believe me, no one knew it would turn out like this. Your performing admirably under the circumstances Deveraux. You're a born survivor"
"Thank you sir"
"Call me John Paul. Paul, I realise, you dont have the greatest amount of experience on this crew, but I need you. I can see a spark in you. The spark for battle. Your a leader and a survivor and i know you wont let me down."
"What iz you tryin to say?"
"Paul, I'm promoting you to Lieutenant. I want you to be my number one."
"But John, wouldn't Pranzo or Hocknell be better choices. Even Vot'al?"
"Paul, I want... I need you!"
"You're the best choice."
"Well, if you really want."
"I do."
The two officers rounded a corner and found a crewman lying on the floor. "Daniel" said John running up to him.
"Captain... Paul... cough I couldn't stop them... cough cough"
"Don't worry about it Daniel, you did fine." said John looking at the wound."
"Don't let me die here!" he said turning to Paul. "Don't let it happen sir!"
"Don't worry chief. We wont let zis appen to you" Paul looked up at John who shook his head.
"Paul... tell Sarah.. I..." Daniel's face went blank and his grip on Pauls tunic relaxed and his arm went liomp and fell to the floor.
[Captain. Sensors detect four Porktolan ships heading our way! eta 3 minutes!]
"Set a course for the Federation, maximum warp!"
[Warp engines off line Captain. We can manage a third impulse. There is a class two nebula within range. We could take refuge there.]
"Make it so!"
"What now Captain?"
"Paul, we need to get to the bridge."
New Canada... Present Day...
Paul opened his eyes and saw Doctor Cherrin staring down on him. He was speaking to Paul, but he couldn't hear anything off what was being said. It all seemed to be in slow motion. Pauls eyes closed again....
USS Discovery...
"Sarah, I ave some bad news for you."
"It's.. it's not Daniel is it?"
"I iz affraid so... Ze Proktolans got at im in ze last raid. By ze time we found im, it waz too late."
"He's.... dead?"
"I am affraid so..."
Sarah, the young helmsman flopped into Pauls arms and began crying. Paul had no idea what to say. He had never had to do this before and had had no idea that he ever would have to/
"Sarah... I know zis iz gonna be ard for you at first. But sooner or later, ze urting wont be so bad. Daniel waz a good man. He died trying to defend you and karen from an enemy zat as no morals. His death may seem trivial now, but eventually you will look back on zis day and realise, zat he died tryin to save the lives of thoze e loved and cared for."
"Why did it have to be him Paul? Why him?" she asked between sobs.
"Zat.. I cannot answer... it iz unfortaunate zat it had to be im... someone who ad a family, but it could just as easily ave been you. Just remember zis next time you iz staring down at a Proktolan az e begs for mercy! Remember zat zey ave left karen without a father."
"I will do." the tears started to flow and she buried her head in Pauls chest and cried away.
SB901... Present Day...
"Paul! Paul! Can you hear me?"
Paul woke up to find Alistair over him again. This tiem though he could here what he was saying and nothing was in slow motion. He was no longer on New Canada either.
"Wha.. what appened to me doc?"
"Paul, you are suffering some after effects from the battle a few days ago. The sight of battle and death has brought back a lot of memories from your past. You have been having uncontrolable flash backs where your subconscious has taken over. In effect, you have been living events from years ago all over again."
"How, can I stop it from appening?"
"I have placed a neural inhibitor on your neck. That will subdue your subconscious and prevent it from taking over. But that won't stop it. The only thing that will stop this is counselling Paul. I'm sorry to have to say it, but you need to start making some appointments with Lieutenant Nugent."
Paul groaned and turned his head to the side. "When can I see er?"
"She's on the Arizona at the moment. She isn't due back for a few days. Until then, you're either going to have to wait or make do with me."
Dieeeee humannnsssssssssssss
Paul flinched
What do we do now? Lieutenant Deveraux! what do we do now? sir!
"Doc.. I still ear ze voices."
"That can't be right."
Die! you scaley shits!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
"Doc.. Do somesing! I don't wanna see anymore!"
"I'm trying" said Alistair frantically wroking on one of the near by consoles. "Paul, I'm going to loose you again. I'll get you back soon...."