Reliving the Nightmare

Posted on 05 Nov 2025 @ 12:02am by Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler

583 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Imposters Among Us
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: July 8, 2390 || 1420 hours

Razmena was as busy as she remembered it. There was activity everywhere marketplace... traders, mercenaries and everyone in between mingled in a chaotic dance of commerce and secrecy. Joey stood at the edge of the crowd after talking to as many people as she and her group could to get information. As Chief Intelligence Officer aboard the USS Black Hawk, she was trained to see what others missed, but there was the rare occurrence where even she missed things.

The away team had wrapped up their mission, and they were about to meet up with the others, but a tall, poised woman approached—one of the Net Girl leaders. Joey didn't recognize her, but they were there to gather intel.

“There’s something you need to see. Information. But only you," the woman said, her voice low and urgent.

Joey’s instincts prickled. She turned to her team. “I’ll rejoin you shortly. Stay alert," she said, then with a nod, she dismissed them and followed the woman down a narrow corridor. The air grew cooler, the lighting dimmer. She tried to stay alert and aware of her surroundings as they moved forward.

“What kind of information?” Joey asked, her voice steady but cautious.

“You’ll see it soon,” the woman replied cryptically.

Joey slowed her pace, her hand inching toward her phaser. Something wasn’t right. But before she could speak—

CRACK.

A sharp, blinding pain exploded at the back of her skull. Her knees buckled. Darkness surged forward like a wave, swallowing her whole.

Time dissolved.

Joey awoke to a throbbing ache pulsing through her skull. She tried to move, but her arms were stretched above her head, restrained by cold metal cuffs that bit into her skin. She tried to pull her wrists free, but there was zero give. She felt something sticky and wet at the back ofher neck—blood, she guessed.

Panic surged.

“Hello?” she called out, voice hoarse. “Is anyone there?”

A door hissed open.

A Selemat stepped inside—tall, with eyes like polished obsidian. He grinned, revealing rows of needle-like teeth, and activated a rod that crackled with blue energy. “Ah, the sleeping beauty awakens,” he sneered.

Joey’s eyes locked onto the weapon. “Who are you? What do you want?” she demanded, fighting against her restraints again.. “My crew will know I’m missing.”

The Selemat chuckled. “They won’t suspect a thing. You’ve already been replaced… with a better version of yourself.”

He lunged forward and pressed the rod against her side. Joey screamed as electricity surged through her body, muscles locking, breath stolen. When he pulled back, she sagged in her restraints, gasping. “What do you want with me?” she rasped.

“Information,” he said simply. “And when you’re no longer useful…” He activated the rod again. This time, he didn’t let go.

Joey’s world dissolved into pain and then—mercifully—nothing.

Back aboard the Black Hawk, the sterile hum of Sickbay was interrupted by a sudden spike in vitals.

Joey Geisler jerked awake, eyes wide, breath ragged. Her heart monitor screamed as her pulse skyrocketed. She looked around frantically, searching for the Selemat, for the torture rod, for the restraints.

But she was safe. In bed. Monitored. Alone.

Joey stared at the ceiling, the memory of pain still fresh, the echo of the Selemat’s words haunting her. She didn't want to fall back asleep lest she relive weeks of unspeakable horrors all over again.

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