Nightmare...

Posted on Fri Nov 11th, 2022 @ 10:02pm by Captain George Charles [Reece] & Hendor Charles [Reece] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles {Kelea-Salik} & Avalon [ADMIN NPC]

Mission: Season 6 : Episode 1: Circinus
Location: USS Elysium, Charles family Quarters
Timeline: MD 3 / 0200 hours
1067 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

George was sleeping in the bed he shared with his wife, Leilani, but he wasn't sleeping alone.

Curled up next to him, was their six year old son, Hendor, had come in a few hours earlier, after Leilani had started her shift. George had started to read another bedtime story, when they both passed out.

As George slept, however, his mind started to pick up on heightened emotions from Leilani, over their shared bond. His brows started to furrow the more agitated his wife became.

Then suddenly...

"Hendor!" He shouted as he grabbed hold of his son, just as their world turned upside down. All around them, the ship shook and twisted. Father and son were tossed from the bed, hurled first against the ceiling, then the deck. George did his best to shield his boy from any injuries.

When they finally came to a halt, George grunted as he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. His arms hurt, as did his chest and head. His legs, they....he looked down at his legs, laying there below him as normal. Only....

He realized suddenly that he couldn't feel them!

"Papa...I'm scared!" Hendor was crying steady now, his right cheek already tear stained.

George tried to keep his own fear out of his voice as he comforted his little boy. "I know, Bubba. Things will be okay, we just have to be a team in this, okay?"

While Hendor believed his father, his young brain still started to clue in that something was wrong. "Papa..why are you laying there? Shouldn't we go to the evac-u-ation pods in an emergency?"

George nodded, then grimaced as more pain shot through his back. "Yeah, we are son. Only...I hurt my back and my legs don't seem to be working right. Reach in that top drawer there on my side of the bed and bring me my commbadge."

Hendor nodded quickly. He jumped up, thankfully seemingly unhurt, and hurried over to do as his father told him. After opening the drawer, he had to rummage a little until finally. "Got it!"

"That's my boy!" George praised his son, doing what he could to distract Hendor with positive thoughts. "Bring it here."

Hendor smiled slightly and hurried back to his father's side. "Here you go, Papa!"

"Thank you, Hendor..." George grunted as he took the device. Pressing it, he called out. "Captain Charles to sickbay! Medical emergency to my quarters!"

...silence...

George repeated the call, with the same result. It was then that he heard the telltale sound that the badge wasn't getting a signal. "Avalon! Are you online?!"

There was static reply the system was having issues.


===MEANWHILE===

Emily had managed to get through her jammed open cabin doors, whatever had happened the computer was down as were comms. She stood in the corridor looking around at sheer devastation, it was a scary sight.

Her thoughts were suddenly flooded with an image of George, feelings of pain shot through her back but they weren’t her pains. George was hurt!! Given the devastation and the fact the ship was most likely badly damaged she didn’t know how she was going to reach him. Here she was on deck 13, George was all the way down on deck 33!

She leant against the wall, focussing hard on George. ~ George can you hear me? ~

Suddenly, through the pain, George heard his sister. Closing his eyes, he tried to reply. ~Emm! I...I can hear you! I'm hurt Emm...I think...I think my back is broken! I can't raise sickbay! I need help! Hendor and I are trapped in our quarters!~

Emily gasped, there was no way she could get to George alone. ~ Just... stay where you are, don’t try to move! I’ll... try to get some help!! ~

George sent a message of agreement to his sister. He then tried to reach Leilani over their bond.

** Bridge **

On the bridge Leilani was helping as many as she could, her thoughts were with George and Hendor but thanks to her head injury her abilities were foggy at best. She wished she could feel George, but the more she tried the more her head hurt. She had to hold onto hope that George and Hendor were alright.

** Corridor, Deck 13 **

Emily stood looking around for a moment, what to do? The turbolift s obviously wouldn’t be working, the Jeffries tubes would be a risk at best, so the turbo shaft would be her best bet. She just had to figure out how to get the door open, with no power the doors would be jammed shut.

One way or another she had to get help!

===Charles Family Quarters===

George looked at his son. "Help is on the way, son. We just need to stay calm and patient." He took in a ragged breath as another wave of pain washed over him.

Seeing his father in distress, Hendor was feeling scared. "Papa...where's Mama??"

"She's up on the bridge, remember?" George replied calmly.
He didn't tell their son that he couldn't hear his wife's thoughts.
For now, he didn't have the luxury to worry about her or tgeir unborn child. There was nothing he could do for either of them. Right niw, the only person he could try to keep safe, was Hendor. "She is working very hard to get things fixed."

He paused a beat, then said, "As I can't move right now, why don't you grab the pillows and blanket and we can try to get comfortable down here while wait for help to arrive."

Nodding a silent reply, Hendor did as his father instructed. He grabbed the pillows first, giving one to his father and putting the other next to him on the deck. Then, be grabbed the blanket and, as carefully as he could, covered his father with it, then laid down next to him.

George put a protective arm around his son, pulling him close. After kissing the top of his head, he whispered, "You are being a very brave little boy, Hendor. I am very proud of you, as I know Mama will he when we tell her how you took care of me."

Hendor didn't say anything, he just snuggled in closer to his father's chest. This was the only safe place he knew of right now.


~OFF~