Buried Hurt

Posted on 14 Nov 2016 @ 6:17am by Ensign Aidan Crehan

1,053 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Click Three Times
Location: Aidan's Cadet Quarters
Timeline: MD 9 || 2200 hours

It had been a very long day for Aidan Crehan. Now, it was well over and he was very thankful. He’d been spending most of his evenings and nights with Mila, but not tonight. She was busy and he just needed sleep; restful, uninterrupted sleep. Quinn was out, so he had the room to himself. After a long sonic shower, he slid under the covers and was asleep almost instantly. Yes, he was a very tired El-Aurian.

It had only seemed like a few short minutes after falling asleep when Aidan woke up. He looked up towards the window as the morning sun streamed in. He smiled and stretched. It was one of two days that the whole family was able to be off work and spend time together. Well, actually, his father closed the animal clinic those two days. But hey, why does it mater the how? Aidan got out of bed, put on some clothes and shoes and sat down at the small desk in his bedroom.

Just as he was beginning to start his morning reading, Aidan heard a small scratching at his bedroom door. He smiled and put the book back in his desk, moving his grandfather’s signet ring back on top. He then went to open the door and found exactly what he thought he might. Koko. The dark charcoal colored bear-like creature with large round ears climbed Aidan’s leg to hang on the side of his upper arm. Koko pointed towards the desk and made a soft grunting sound.

Aidan walked over and picked up the hand-chiseled statue of Koko that one of his father’s patrons had given to him. “You like this, don’t you little guy?”

Koko grunted twice and scratched the back of Aidan’s head. It was his way of showing appreciation for something.

“I thought so,” answered Aidan. “Let’s go. I imagine we’re late for our morning meal as always.” With Koko securely hanging on to his upper arm, Aidan walked out of the bedroom to the dining room. The young El-Aurian was just about to sit down when he heard several explosions nearby. Aidan pulled Koko off and moved to the window. Dwellings were on fire or non-existent and El-Aurians were frantically running everywhere.

“Aidan!” his mother screamed, as she ran from the kitchen. “Aidan! Get Keelie! I’ll get Deirdre!”

“Mother! What’s wrong?” he called out as she ran passed him.

“Borg!” was all she said.

Aidan ran back to his bedroom and grabbed the ring and small statue from his desk. Then he ran into Keelie’s room. She wasn’t there. He frantically looked around and saw her outside the window. He climbed out and ran towards her. “Keelie! It’s an atta....” A group of Borg materialized in the middle of the road. Aidan grabbed his sister up and ran to the nearest craft.

“Aidan,” said his father, “I’m glad to see you and your sister. Where is your mother?” Brogan had grabbed a few things from the house for Gweneth.

Aidan turned towards the house and was about to say something, when he saw them. “There, there they are!” Gweneth and Deirdre were running as fast as they could toward them and their neighbors that were boarding the personnel craft.

They had all gotten on board when the ship began to lift off. No one had even shut the door yet. Aidan looked out and saw his best friend reaching toward them. “Father! Look! Can’t we go back down quickly and get him?” Aidan turned back at the wrong time. He saw a drone come up behind his friend and inject the tubules. Aidan watched his friend get smaller as the ship got further away. But it couldn’t hide the fact that his skin was already grey. Aidan closed his eyes and cried.

When he finished wiping his eyes, he opened them and found himself in...joy. That’s the only way he could describe it, being inside joy. There was no pain, no worries, and no fear...of anything. He looked around and found himself on the hill just behind their house. It was his favorite place to go when he wanted to think. The view hadn’t changed at all, either. He could see his house, and those of his neighbors. When turned around he could see the open land. The breeze blew his hair to the side and little bumps raised on his arm. He started to run down the hill as he had many times before, but then felt like he was pulled. Pulled away from joy. He didn’t want to leave. Ever.

Then in a flash, he was huddled with other El-Aurians in a ship. Yes, the Lakul. But...the Nexus. He began to cry again. He wanted the Nexus. He wanted joy. The young Aidan Crehan sat down on the floor and wept. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up, expecting to see his mother. But it wasn’t. It was a Borg drone. Aidan started and tried to get up. He couldn’t move. He was restrained. And the tubules...they were coming at him from both sides! “No!” he screamed, and rolled right out of bed, hitting the floor.

Aidan looked the room he shared with Quinn. Fortunately, he hadn’t woken him up. Of all the nights, he thought to himself, of all the nights for me to not be with the one that could help. My Nexus. But maybe it’s for the best. There is no need to burden her with things that happened long before she was born. Aidan got up from the floor and went to the replicator where he quietly keyed in a glass of water. After finishing it, he put the glass back in for recycling. He wiped the sweat from his brow and hoped that the rest of the night would be uneventful. But before climbing back in bed, he checked the small dresser for the ring and statue. They were safe. As they always had been.

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