round 18 Lt JG Colt Daniels - Lost in the Woods

[Kali Nicholotti]

((Colt's delerious mind))

::As the darkness took Colt again and Kali's face faded from his

vision, he was completely disoriented. He felt as though he was

floating in open space, without any point of reference. He was so very

tired and it would be so easy to just close his eyes and sleep but

something inside told him he couldn't do that, he had to stay awake.

Suddenly he was propelled back into the sickbay as if by vacuum

pressure.::

((Sickbay - USS Victory))

::Colt's eyes shot open, blinking rapidly, trying to focus against the

bright, sterile lighting of the sickbay. His body felt like it might

explode from the pain. He couldn't keep this up. If something didn't

change soon, his eyes would close and he wouldn't be able to open them

again. It was already taking every ounce of strength and willpower to

keep himself in the fight and he HAD to fight. He couldn't leaver her

like this. Not again.::

::A familiar calm Scottish lilt fell over him that he knew to be

Dr.MacLaren's. That told him two things, one that his life was in the

best possible hands, and two that he must be in pretty rough shape for

them to have brought the CMO at such a late hour. Her words had the

reassuring quality that good doctors seemed to develop.::

MacLaren: Mr. Daniels. It's Dr. MacLaren; Eh ken ye are in a good deal

of pain and ye must be frightened about now. Ye are nae to worry. Ye

are going to be just fine. So relax, close your eyes and we'll have ye

asleep in a moment. When ye wake up, and ye will, ye're going to be

out of pain and on the way to recovery.

:: He coughed as he tried to speak for the first time in... he wasn't

sure how much time had passed.::

Daniels: Thanks Doc, I'll remain cautiously ::He inhaled sharply at a

wave of pain that threatened to make his lights go out again.::

optimistic.

::Whatever method of anesthesia the Doc had used kicked in quickly at

that point, this time his lack of consciousness manifested itself in a

completely different way.::

((Colt's delerious mind))

::Colt was standing in a forest at night with no obvious land marks.

Before him a path lead off into the night, it had been recently

traveled by a single pair of boots. He walked aimlessly down the path,

all the while looking for some sign of where he was or why he was

there. After covering a considerable distance he saw the flickering

light of a camp fire at the end of the trail. As he got closer he saw

a lone figure sitting near the fire, smoking a cigar. Even at this

distance, he recognized Ryan Daniels immediately. This could have been

any number of camping trips they'd taken together, they had all

eventually ended up here, with the two men sitting near the fire, as

the oldest shared the wisdom and advice that would lay the framework

for the man that he'd become. Colt took his place at the fire without

saying a word.::

R.Daniels: Hell of a mess you've got your self in.

::The older Daniels took a puff of the cigar and shook the flask in

his hand, getting a feel for how much liquid remained before offering

it to his son. Colt knew that it almost certainly contained some kind

of whiskey and reluctantly accepted the flask. As he had grown up his

relationship with his father had changed, it was more like a

friendship than a father-son dynamic now, though he still solicited

the advice of the older man when he needed it.::

C.Daniels: Dad, you aren't even dead yet. ::He took a swig from the

flask, confirming his suspicions.:: Why are you appearing in my

deathbed visions?

::The elder Daniels laughed at this, taking the cigar out his mouth

momentarily.::

R.Daniels: Who were you expecting? Grandma? She'd have a heart attack

and die a second time if she knew the kind of trouble you're in.

:: Colt just smiled and nodded as his father continued.::

R.Daniels: So, this woman that you're so keen on dyin' for, Is she

worth the price you're payin'?

::It wasn't a criticism, but a genuine question, delivered in the

matter-of-fact way that Ryan James Daniels did everything. Colt didn't

even have to think about the response, whatever pain he'd felt,

whatever pain he would feel, wouldn't come close to the damage that

would've been done by her death. To him and the thousands of people on

the Starbase.::

C.Daniels: She's more than worth it. 180,000 people depend on her to

keep them safe.

::He danced around the subject of his own feelings. Not wanting to

expose that bit of unfinished business, but it was no use. His father

knew him better than that.::

R.Daniels: That's not what I mean and you know it. ::He reached out

for the flask and Colt passed it back, sitting in silence as he took

another swig.:: Does she know that you love her?

::Colt stared into the campfire as his father's words sunk in.::

C.Daniels: I don't know, Dad. ::The older man's glare forced the truth

out him, as it had so many times before.:: I mean no, I've never

actually told her that.

::Ryan Daniels stood, tossing his cigar to the ground and stomping it

out into the dirt, and slipping the flask into his pocket.::

R.Daniels: Well, you'd better go make [...] sure she knows it.

::As he turned to walk away, the woods seemed to dissolve around him

and the entire world faded to black once again.::

NO TAGS

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Lt.JG Colt Daniels

Tactical Officer

SB118/USS Victory