[Round 10] Glimpse into the Otherverse

[Guest]

((Time Warp - Months ago - Starfleet Medical - San Francisco - Earth))

::The sun was warm as it bathed Tracey's face in a glow on the early fall evening. Tracey could see the shuttles along the bay area headed to and from the various buildings of Starfleet Command. Starfleet personnel were walking everywhere and Tracey was enthralled by the lack of forlorn soldiers and death.::

::Tracey was not working or studying here, however. She was a patient and as such, wore patient clothing in the ranks of Starfleet personnel. Tracey stood out and would feel like she didn't belong, not only in this universe, but in this Starfleet as well.::

Dr. Huff: You look captivated Tracey. What are you thinking?

::Tracey turned to the souce of the voice and she snapped out of her reverie. Her treatment for her psychological symptoms had not been easy and Tracey had some trouble focusing recently.::

Townson: It's peaceful.

Dr. Huff: In what way?

::Tracey last remembered Starfleet Medical to be a triage hospital. People came here to either die or be patched up and sent back out to war. It was a place where no one trusted anyone else. There was a chance that anyone could be a changeling and could easily kill those who were patients on the inside. The security was extremely tight and blood testing was a daily routine. But here, people were coming and going with very light security and there was a friendly attitude between those who worked here.::

Townson: It's just...peaceful.

Dr. Huff: I see.

::Tracey turned to look at the Doctor she was told a few weeks earlier would be her therapist.::

Townson: I don't belong here. Where I come from, they need me. I feel like I sneaked out in the middle of a fight, Doctor. Did you get any word from the engineers? Have they made any progress at all to get me back?

::The Doctor shook his head.::

Dr. Huff: I'm sorry Tracey. Its hard to replicate something that they are not sure what happened in the first place.

Townson: But they are still working on it, right?

::The Doctor paused for a second before trying to change the subject.::

Dr. Huff: Perhaps we should continue walking.

Townson: Perhaps you should answer my question, Doctor.

::The answer that Tracey received was not the one she wanted to hear. It was the most logical, and Tracey knew that deep down, but it did not lessen her anger. She dropped herself down on the grass under her feet and began sobbing wondering why it was she who got this opportunity to live in this utopia and no one else from her universe. Why was it she who got to escape the hell she came from while others had to still suffer the goings on in her universe. But most of all, Tracey hoped that the Tracey that belonged in this universe did not wind up in hers.::

((Time-Warp Stardate 238605.27 - Starbase 118))

:Tracey was running once again. She was late for the second time in a matter of days and she realized that unless she got her act together, she would have a difficult time adjusting to her new role in Starfleet as Engineer.::

::Tracey just received her orders to serve aboard the USS Resolution. A Nova Class vessel. Tracey was looking forward to this new post. She was looking forward to starting new and fresh. She had studied the schematics and felt ready. Tracey felt as she did the first day she was ready to serve on board the Hammond under Commander Wellesly and Captain O'Malley.::

::Tracey arrived at the transport area and was told to proceed to the shuttles which would take Tracey to the Resolution. She did, boarded one and headed to her new post. There were others on the shuttle who were heading to other ships, so the shuttle pilot told Tracey, in order to speed up the process, she would have to transport to the Resolution on flyby.::

Shuttle Pilot: Prepare for transport on my mark.

::Tracey nodded her comprehension and prepared for transport.::

Pilot: Mark.

::The usual transporter shimmer enveloped Tracey, and for a fraction of a second Tracey felt different. She felt split into thousands... no millions, uncountable numbers of...herself. Tracey was mixed up and thrown around. Something was very wrong and there was no control. Then all was gone.::

::Tracey stood on the transporter platform and felt dizzy. The flash of light and the strange sensation of being pushed and pulled inside the transporter beam left Tracey with an odd feeling of nausea, dizziness and blurred vision. Tracey had to fight to keep her balance for a split second. She quickly regained her vision and looked over her surroundings. ::

::Tracey stepped down from the transporter pad and stopped to look around with a quizzical look on her face. This was not the kind of transporter room she was accustomed to.::

Officer at transporter control (OTC): Is something wrong, Commander?

::Tracey turned to look towards the source of the voice and grimaced.::

Townson: I`m not sure. What ship is this?

OTC: This is the Resolution

Townson: This!? This is the Resolution!? It's not what I remembered from the specs that I read. ::looking around: This transporter room is huge.

OTC: It hasn't changed since you departed for the StarBase, Commander.

Townson: I've been here before?...Wait a minute. What did you just call me?

::Tracey looked around, and then looked at her uniform. It was unlike any Starfleet uniform she had ever seen before. She noticed she was carrying a phaser and the Resolution was at yellow alert, judging from the blinking yellow lights all around her. She felt something around her neck, and she reached to touch it. It appeared to be a devise planted into her throat. Tracey began to get nervous.::

OTC: I called you Commander. You are Lt. Commander Tracey Townson. You are the second officer of this ship. And I think the Captain is on his way to see you immediately.

::Tracey looked wide-eyed at the officer in front of her. She reached to feel the pips on her collar and there were none. Then Tracey looked at her wrists and noticed she had more yellow bands around them than the officer standing in front of her. One thin yellow band sandwiched between two larger yellow bands.::

Townson: Uhmm...I think something is wrong. The transport...

::Suddenly the doors to the transporter room opened and a large human male entered. Tracey noticed the four thick yellow bands around the man's wrist and a collar with a metal device around the man's neck. He too appeared armed and there were, what seemed like two security officers on either side of him. The man started talking immediately. ::

Man: Welcome back, Commander. What new information did you get from Admiral Kora about further Dominion incursions?

Townson: Sir?

Man: I need the orders.

Townson: Well sir. My orders were to report to Commander Jaxx as soon as I come aboard.

Man: You do know that Commander Jaxx is on Telar?

Townson: ::playing along:: Yes sir. I forgot sir.

Man: Forgot?

::The man made a slight signal to the two apparent security officers and in a flash, Tracey was in shackles. She was quickly patted down and a computer chip was withdrawn from one of Tracey's pockets.::

Man: ::To the security officers:: Take her to sickbay for blood tests. I will review the chip in the war room.

::The man left and Tracey was led through the large corridors of the ship that were way larger than any Nova Class vessel. The ship was crowded with what appeared to be armed soldiers everywhere. There was very little in terms of aesthetic comforts.::

Townson: Computer, end program.

::Nothing happened and Tracey was beginning to get nervous as people began looking at her. No one showed any sign of happiness or joy, just duties to perform. And everyone seemed busy. Some were performing duties while they appeared to be injured. Another group were being yelled at by someone who Tracey surmised to be a superior officer. Everyone wore the same collars with a metal devise around their necks.::

::Tracey was led into a turbolift and an announcement was made over the comm system.::

Comm: =/\= Rations available to Marine sections 25 to 36 at 18:30 hours. Repeat. Rations available to Marine sections 25 to 36 at 18:30 hours. All other sections, await further orders. Bridge out. =/\=

::The turbolift stopped and Tracey exited onto a deck that was large enough to be the cargobay of a starbase. But this was no cargobay. It was a hospital. But unlike any hospital she had ever seen before. The dead and injured lied everywhere. There were doctors and nurses as far as the eye could see. There was a patient, with half a head missing, hooked up to life saving device, next to the entranceway and Tracey could not help but overhear one doctor telling another doctor the diagnosis of said patient.::

Doctor 1: He won't make it past the night.

Doctor 2: I concur.

Doctor 1: ::shouting to a nurse and pointing to said patient:: Disconnect patient 6578.

Doctor 2: ::looking at Tracey.:: Commander. ::then looking at the security officers.::

::There was no communication between the Doctor and the Security Officers. The Doctor seemed to know what to do, so he left for a few seconds and returned with a hypospray. The Doctor placed the hypospray on Tracey's arm and blood flowed into a vial. The Doctor performed a quick test, then shook his head.::

Doctor 2: This is the Commander.

::One of the security officers unshackled Tracey.::

Security Guard: What are your orders Commander.

::Tracey looked at the security guards around her, then the room she was in. She realized that this was no dream, no holographic projection. This was real. And Tracey passed out.::

-TBC- (maybe)

Ens. Tracey Townson

HCO

SB 118

[Msgrv32]

Nice story, but now that I've read it and enjoyed it this much... you have to continue it.