The Retreat : Clearing the Confusion

The sun began to set over the trees. The mountains and the clear skies provided a beautiful frame for the gold, orange globe that set in the western horizon. The motley crew were still weary from the day's earlier events. Dakul and Phanan had discussed the uneasy events of the day. Those goblins knew of the Cardassians and the various alpha quadrant races and the use of phasers. However, they couldn't understand what is going on.

Devore walked in the middle of the group as he noticed Brayden holding Junora's hand. He smiled. Thoughts that reminded him of his past 'ladies' man days', rushed thought the captain's head. Now with whatever was going on, he had to make sure that his sun had a future. This weekend that he wanted to do to clear the air between Rashad and Dakul was not quite working the way his program was created. This in itself didn't lend to the peace, but created more of a problem.

"Okay guys. This is not going as I had planned," Devore yelled looking over a small clearing. Just to the west was a gently stream. "I think I owe you all an explanation." The crew looked at the captain in amazement. They waited. "Let's make camp here. Brayden and Junora. Why don't you two look for fire wood. Rashad and Morriden make two lean-tos so that we will have protection from the elements. Dakul and Phanan... why don't you two secure the area. Look for food," Devore ordered.

The various assignments took only a hour except for Brayden and Junora. Every time they thought that they had enough firewood, Devore kept sending for more.

"Dad !... Captain !" Brayden began to plead.

"Cadet ! You need to get more firewood." Marc said sternly winking. He didn't want the rest of the crew see any form of favoritism.

"Captain. We have so much fire wood that we I can't see over it." Brayden said pointing a hulking pile of firewood.

"Rule of thumb cadet, in a survival situation when you gather firewood, once you feel that you have found enough wood, quadruple the amount."

"Oh ?"

"Yes. Now you and Junora go and get more fire wood."

Sulking the two youngsters left the campsite to find the amount of wood needed. The rest of the crew and built the lean-tos for small groups of people. Devore and Phanan pulled over some large logs and placed them around the makeshift fire pit. Ensign Morriden and Lieutenant Taline used some of the wood that the teenagers found and started the campfire. Morriden was able to use some of his past skills on the land to make wood shavings and create the bedding for the campfire. In no time flat, the two had the fire going.

After a few hours and the sun starting to go down, Devore finally decided it was time to tell everyone what was going on. So far the first day was full of surprises and twists that he couldn't have foreseen. Now they were in an interesting predicament and it was his choice to now end the weekend. A weekend that should have been a team building activity has turned into a time that could result in one of them being hurt or even killed.

"Okay everyone," Devore began after wiping his mouth of the venison Dakul and Rashad were able to get. Interesting a time where the two of them could have hurt one another, they actually began to work together to achieve a common objective. "I think I owe you an explanation as to what is going on... or at least what I had in mind.

"This weekend was to supposed to be a time for us to learn how to work together and have a little fun, but I guess that is not going to happen. My program has somehow become corrupted. In Earth's past there was time of goblins, dragons, swords and sorcery, a time that was wild and mystical creatures roamed the face of the planet. Human kind was not the top of the food chain but rather a link thereof. "

"And you brought us here ?" Dakul yelled.

"Lieutenant. With the safety protocols in place we would have just experienced the time. But now it is a matter of surviving," Devore replied.

"Why don't we just end the problem and leave ?" Junora asked.

"Because the computer won't let us."

"What ?"

"It won't let you. Watch. Computer show exit."

Nothing.

"Computer. Run a level 5 diagnostic."

Nothing.

"Sir maybe if I can find the control panel, I might be able to get us back on line," Taline offered.

From the furthest point, Morriden just sat there his hands rested on the hilt of his bastard sword which was in the ground. He just looked into the fire.

"Ensign Morriden do you have anything to offer ?" Devore asked. "For that matter, does anyone have anything to say ?"

"Captain, I......"

Suddenly before the young ensign could say anything from the wood line a small man came wandering into the light of the campfire. He held tightly to his abdomen which poured blood over his hands. "Help me!" He yelled. The nearest person was Rashad who jumped to her feet and grabbed. He began to go limp as she helped him to the ground.

"Who did this to you ?" Rashad said.

"Berserkers !" He said with his final breath. Just then five humanoids appeared. They stood about 6 feet tall. Their faces were covered in a leather mask with eyes that glowed an eerie red. They moaned and groaned as the startled crew stood and armed themselves with their weapons.

"To your feet." Devore ordered drawing his ninja-to swords.

One of the berserkers walked forward, raising his leather covered in a sestis. The glove was unlike anyone had ever seen before. It was covered in blades similar to a shark's mouth. Suddenly he hit a young sapling with and in one swing cut right through it. The berserker hollered.

"Thank God the safeties are on," Devore whispered to himself.

"Captain." Dakul said. "Let me take care of this."

"After you."

Dakul approached the berserker with his weapon at the ready. The massive hammer was poised. Then he attacked. The berserker lurched forward and with a few passes of his arms the hammer was cut down to toothpicks. However, seizing an opportunity, Dakul used the handle and lunged forwards to the berserkers head but his quick reflexes cut the attack to a simple poke. It was the berserker's turn. He threw a punch however the reflexes of a Cardassian was just a fast. Dakul twisted and turned just barely missing the punch, but the razor sharp blades connected and tore the sinews of his shoulder. Dakul yelped in pain staggering back to the captain. "Captain?" Dakul asked grasping the wound.

"I don't understand..." Devore said in amazement. ".....the safety protocols should be on. We are in trouble."