Bed Rest

Posted on Tue 6th Aug, 2019 @ 4:26am by Lieutenant Commander Dallas Briggs
Edited on on Sun 11th Aug, 2019 @ 12:27am

812 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: Sick Bay Recovery Ward
Timeline: MD 6 1630 hours

Once all the doctors and nurses left Dallas to himself, he closed his eyes slowly and murmured, “It was just a dream, nothing more.” He sat there for a moment then said out loud, “Vicky, are you here?”

"I'm still here. I didn't want to distract you if you wanted to go back to sleep. I'll be here whenever you wake up. We'll talk when you feel like it, but rest if you can, Dal. You took a hard hit today. It scared me for you, and I don't ever want to be that scared again," Vic told him fervently.

"He didn't succeed in his mission, I think he will try again. I know he will. It's just a matter of time," Dallas said, still with his eyes closed.

"Then you're going to be prepared for the next one, however we can make that happen. Do you think it will be the same person? Because I did get through to the artist and she sketched a perfect likeness of the man I saw. I hope he's still on the base, and I hope they catch him. The sooner the better," Victoria said. "I know it doesn't mean they won't send someone else, but maybe if they catch this one, we can find a way to stop them all."

“Wow!” Dallas exclaimed as he sat up and opened his eyes, but he grabbed his chest with his hand, “Ouch...” he said, "that wound is still a bit touchy to sudden movements. Anyway, how were you able to speak to someone? That’s amazing!”

"Not exactly speak," she backtracked. "I did lots of hard thinking and got a little bit to that counselor you're seeing. He took me to meet an artist who said she might be able to see my thoughts while she was sleeping. It was so odd, Dal! She laid down on the sofa and went right to sleep, just like that! But it worked! She got a clear view of what I was trying to project, sketched him out with frightening accuracy, and they gave it to Security. So, if he's still on the station, there's a chance he'll be caught.

"And I thought the doctor told you to lie down and be still for a while," his wife's ghost scolded. "You almost died, don't take any more chances for a couple of days."

Dallas slowly relaxed back down on the bed, “But that’s great, you’re starting to find ways to communicate with others. I didn’t think you would ever be able to do that, it’s fantastic.” Dallas was pleased that she found some ways to communicate with others, maybe it was the first step.

"Well, we'll see how it goes." If she'd lost Dallas, she wouldn't have anyone at all to whom she could directly communicate. "I don't know where I'd go if I lost you, Dal," Victoria said pensively. "I don't really understand where I am, or even what I am. Those who know about me don't seem sure, either. The Addams woman, the artist? Purulence, I think her name was, though that seems an odd name to give a child, and she was once a child ...." For a moment, she was lost in that thought, and realized it was something she'd be forever denied now.

"Anyway," she said, stretching out, though her ghostly self didn't perceive being cramped or feel any muscles twinging, "it was an odd experience, and I think if I had a body, it would have given me a headache." She flowed down to the side of the bed, where they could look at each other.

"How are you feeling, generally, other than being in pain when you move?" she asked.

Dallas turned his head to look at his wife's ghost and smiled, "I'm doing okay, I'll recover and I get to see you, so that makes things good."

"Yes, the doctors are sure of a good recovery. I listened to them carefully, and I watched everything they did. They are quite competent here, thank goodness. It's over for this time, and we're going to do everything we can to see that there is no next time. I don't ever want to go through this again!

"I expect someone to come and talk with you ... security, intelligence, maybe a police force, if there is one on the base?" Victoria wasn't sure, but then ... "Well, you're Starfleet, so I imagine the civilians don't come into it. By the way, darling, that was quite a clever way to use your leg. That saved your life, as much as anything."

Dallas smiled, "Yep, I had to do something to keep from getting killed and that's all I could come up with."

Victoria rested her hand above her husband's, watching as his eyes drifted closed. "It was enough," she whispered.

 

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