[Round 18] Ensign Alexander Richards: *The Richards*

[Sedrin Belasi]

Ens. Richards - "The Richards"

((Richards unconscious mind, a warped version of his childhood home on the Lunar colony Tycho City))

:: Richards awoke with a start yelling for his mother. He was frightened, cold and alone. His room, scattered with various cuddly toys, dirty washing and various books. He went to yell again but froze. Something wasn't right with this picture. How could he be here? Why was his room so messy? :: oO This isn't right. I shouldn't be here. This isn't my room. Oo

Richards: :: Shouting in his mind out loud as if the place he was were real. :: This isn't my Room!

Shadowy Figure: oO The Richards mind is strong. Breaking it will be harder than breaking in was. Oo :: Quietly, almost as a whisper. :: No, this is not your room. This is a warped memory from your fragmented mind. Your mind is strong Richards but my will is much more powerful. You will weep by the time I am finished with you!

Richards: :: Fearfully as if like a child again. :: Who.. :: Fearful break. :: Who are you? What.. :: Break. :: What do you want? :: Richards paused momentarily before shouting out of a combination of fear and rage.:: How are you in my mind? :: Break.:: Leave me alone!

:: The shadowy intruder moved towards Richards bed silently and swiftly. Despite there being some light, the figures features could not be distinguished. ::

Shadowy Figure: :: With venom. :: Who I am is of no importance to you and what I want does not matter. :: The figure again moved closer to Richards. :: How I am in your mind is neither here nor there. You will remember none of this when you awaken from your enforced slumber. ::The figure paused giving Richards a cold blank stare. The kind that sends shivers up and down your spine and makes your hairs stand on end. :: As for leaving you alone dear boy. I'll do nothing of the sort. For the moment, your mind is my playground and your very sub conscious being my toy! :: The figure laughed manically. :: Now Richards, take my hand and I shall take you on a journey of discovery. I will show you what your actions as our little pawn have brought down upon you, your crew mates and the entire Universe.

:: Alexander tried to resist the demand made by the shadowy figure but the more he resisted, the colder the figures stare got. Within moments he felt his arm raising against his will and his hand moving towards the shadowy figures out stretched palm. His palm touched that of the figures and he shuddered. Where he had expected to find the flesh covered hand of a humanoid he felt only a burning skeletal hand. The sensation put the literal fear of God into him. In an instant he felt himself forcefully yanked from the bed causing him great pain. The room began to blur and he started to feel very sick inside. Then everything went black. No light, literal darkness. The kind you might expect if you had been buried alive by mistake. He was frozen stiff like a statue and completely unable to move. Even if he had been able to there was no where to run and no where to hide, just infinite blackness. After what seemed like hours but had in reality been but a

nanosecond, light began to blur into the inky darkness. A dull flickering getting brighter every second. At first it was hard to make out but with each passing second, the blurry light began to take a form. Richards didn't believe it. oO It can't be, it just can't. Oo. But, it was. There before Richards very unconscious eyes was London ablaze with flame. ::

Richards: :: His face welling up with tears both in his mind and, in reality on the bio bed.:: It can't be. It just can't be. This is London, on Earth, less than 250 miles from the Federation capital. This is my home! :: He paused and then looked angrily at the shadowy figure. :: How? How did this, could this happen!? Where is the fire brigade, the civilian police force, Star Fleet?

:: The figure did not respond to Richards questions. Without emotion he led Alexander down to the streets and the sight that befell him was a scene of abject horror. This was no mere fire. It was apocalyptic in scope. There lying on the streets were the charred remains of those who had tried to run from whatever fate had befallen them. Hundreds no, thousands of bodies all burnt and motionless. Alexander felt physically sick. Or at least, that was the easiest way of describing the way his minds self felt. He could say nothing. All he could do is stare in abject terror however. The worst was yet to come. Again, saying nothing, the shadowy figure pulled Alexander away. They moved down a side street and up a hill. Alex began to fight the figures pull. He recognized these streets and knew where they were going. Try as he might to resist, the shadowy figures grip was too strong. They rounded a corner and stopped. Richards dropped to his knees and yanked his hand free from the shadowy figure. He began to weep uncontrollably simply unable to cope with the sight before him. There on the blackened, charred remains of what used to be his family's front garden were the burned corpses of a female and a toddler. They were the bodies of his wife and child! ::

Richards: God no! Oh God no! ::Pause. Then seething with disgust, rage and terror. :: Why? Why have you brought me here? What is this about? How could this happen? :: Pause. :: You did this! I'll kill you! :: He went to grab a rock but found his entire body held fast. ::

Shadowy Figure: No Richards! You will do this. You already have. Your inability to stop us from using you will do this. I have brought you here to break you. I have brought you here to show you the ultimate result of your unconscious actions! Your God can not save you from this. You are ours to do with as we wish and we will make sure you are the last to watch the Universe burn. You will watch all around you crumble knowing you are powerless to stop it! You are mine to bend a break Richards, a mere pawn in a chess game that has been raging since before your species could even write or speak! The final pieces are coming together and you will watch your reality burn!

:: The figure laughed manically before drifting off into the orange tinted night sky. Richards was left alone to contemplate all he had seen. :: oO I will remember. I Must remember. Oo :: With a flash of light, Richards was back in his Lunar bedroom but this time as he remembered it. His mother walked in to comfort him and he soon drifted off to sleep. ::

((Sickbay.))

:: If Richards hadn't been restrained, he would have sat bolt upright. His eyes were as wide as saucers and he was sweating profusely. He quickly calmed and turned to see a young doctor who had rushed over. ::

Richards: I know protocol dictates it but, :: He motioned at the restraints. :: You needn't have bothered with these. 48 hours on the run because of cowardice and an unwillingness to face up to the consequences is more than enough for me.

Velana: RESPONSE

-Fin-

Ens Alexander Richards

CCO

USS Independence A