Terrors of the mind

Posted on Fri Oct 27th, 2023 @ 11:52am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Gunnery Sergeant Luxa Gami [Naxea]

Mission: Season 6: Episode 4: Memory Lane
Location: Promenade; USS Elysium
Timeline: MD 3 1200 Hours
886 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

The shops were slowly starting to resume normal business again as the Elysium crew completed repairs to the ship. S'hib was currently watching Sle'anna, giving Naxea a much-deserved break as she walked along the paved path near the shops with Gami at her side.

Naxea looked tired next to Gami. "Are you sleeping ok?" Gami asked seriously, looking to her long time friend.

"No. I've been having nightmares about the Occupation some nights and others about Sle'anna dying," Naxea sighed with a shake of her head.

"I've heard that a lot of the crew are having nightmares. This can't be natural," she commented. "What about Sle'anna?"

Naxea nodded. "Same. She wakes up screaming. Have you been sleeping well?"

"Actually, fairly well, to be honest. I did have nightmares for two nights in a row but I tried a betazoid trick that prevents nightmares."

"Oh? How so?" Naxea asked, curious. She hadn't heard of any such technique.

"Before bed, you fill your head with happy thoughts until you fall asleep. As you sleep, it keeps those thoughts and memories recirculating, so it acts like a sort of a barrier against nightmares. If you don't mind, I'd like to check on Sle'anna when she's sleeping."

"That sounds good. I'd appreciate that. Come by later this evening," Naxea said as they turned a corner in the stone path.

"I'll be there," Gami replied, grinning.


<2000 Hours; Naxea's and Shib's Quarters>

The door chime sounded as Gami pressed the button.

Inside, Naxea approached the door and opened it. "Hey."

"Hey," came Gami's reply as she stepped in, looking around at Naxea and Shib's Quarters. "Ok, I'm jealous," she said, grinning.

"Get a commission then and you can similar quarters," Naxea shot back.

"And what? Become a pansy, uptight officer?" Gami teased, chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah. Kepp talking," she waved a finger at Gami, grinning.

"Where's Long Dong Silver?" Gami asked.

Naxea chuckled, shaking her head. "S'hib's been allowed to go on an escorted walk to help stretch his legs while he's confined to quarters."

"Damn officers. I never got to stretch my legs when I was confined to quarters," Gami replied, crossing her arms and pouting her lower lip.

"That's because you're trouble," Naxea said.

"The best kind too--" she broke off, her attention turning towards the bedroom. Gami took a step closer as she opened her mind more. "She's beginning to have a nightmare now."

"What can you tell about it?" Naxea asked, concerned for Sle'anna.

Gami stepped into the bedroom and looked down at the baby who was kicking in her sleep. "Let me see," she said as she gently touch both sides of Sle'anna's temples and closed her eyes, focusing on Sle'anna's thoughts.

Gami appeared in a dark, foggy area. She could hear a whimpering cry that she knew belonged to Sle'anna. She ran towards the thickest part of the fog and soon the scenery changed to Naxea and S'hib's Quarter's. She spotted Sle'anna sitting on the deck, facing the bedroom, which seemed darker than normal. She walked over to the toddler just as she heard a noise coming from the bedroom.

Looking at the blackneess, a shape soon formed in the shape of a clown with sharp teeth, long arms, green hair, white face paint with a red dot of paint on the pointed nose with pointed ears and wearing a black and white stripe puffy outfit. with large red shoes.

She faced the monstrosity. "Phee Phi Pho Phumm, what ugly tree did you fall from?" she asked.

"Leave," the Clown snarled.

This gave Sle'anna pause as a nightmare shouldn't be able to interact with her.
"Yeah, that's not happening," she said stepping in front of Sle'anna. "Whatever you are. You're in my world and it's going to be a world of pain for you."

She turned towards Sle'anna erecting a mental shield around the baby. "Won't be long, little on," she said. She turned to see a blur of movement as the clown swung at her. She twisted, barely dodging the attack. Without missing a beat, a phaser appeared in her hand, taking aim. "Die, clown!" she fired at the clown who was hit and vaporized. The lighting in the bedroom seemed to lighten. Looking around, she couldn't sense the clown anymore, dropping the shield around Sle'anna. Picking her up, she poked the infant playfully in the belly. "No more bad clown," as the infant squealed in delight.

Gami broke contact as she removed her hands from the infant's temples. Sle'anna had stopped kicking and was sleeping much more peacefully now.

"What happened?" Naxea asked.

Gami shook her head. "I'm not all that sure. It was definitely a nightmare involving an ugly and evil looking clown, but it interacted and even fought with me. That's not normal for nightmares. Normally nightmares are only able to focus on the person having them."

"And this...clown?"

"Vaporized the bastard, of course," Gami replied with a shrug.

Naxea nodded. She was now curious why Gami could interact with the clown in Sle'anna's dream. Was it from external influence? From another telepath? "Thank you, Luxa."

"Anytime. If she begins to have nightmares again, let me know, ok?"

I will," Naxea said. "Want a drink?"

"I'd love to. Warm Betazed Tea, please," Gami replied, plopping down onto the couch.

"Coming right up."