Thinking back, everything was routine. Jean Luc had asked me to go with the away team down to the planet. It wasn't at all abnormal that I was asked to go on an away mission and so I thought nothing of it. I remember the prelude clearly:
"Picard to Crusher."
"Yes, Captain."
"I'd like you to accompany the away team down to the planet's surface. Be in Transporter Room 1 in 20 minutes."
"Yes, Captain. Crusher out."
I turned to Alyssa; "I'll leave Sickbay in your capable hands."
"Of course, Doctor," she responded with her usual smile as she turned back to her work.
I clearly remember crossing Sickbay, making a few additions to the med kit, and shedding my lab coat before making my way to the transporter room. I met them and within minutes we materialized on the planet's surface.
Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.
We had been told that the Keflotz 7 had for a while been under military dispute. Starfleet had sent us to the planet to mediate the peace treaty between the two previously warring sects that controlled the planet. Intelligence at Headquarters had given us little information, though, on what to expect when we arrived.
We had been to planets and colonies before that had been ravaged by wars and armed conflicts. However, to me, Keflotz 7 was a unique experience.
The moment that we materialized, my senses were assaulted. The first thing I remember was the air. Even before my eyes registered the sights before me I can remember the smell that hung around me. It was harsh. I have smelled burning human flesh, but this was a new experience altogether. The atmosphere hung with fine bits of debris that seemed to carry with them the scent of sweat, body odour, blood, and stale, rotting carcasses and those that were burning. The air was clouded with ash, which made seeing anything not in our direct vicinity very difficult.
I moved in closer to Will and Jean Luc as I heard phaser fire in our vicinity. I shouldn't have been scared. We've been in worse situations. But, this time, I felt a twinge of fear as well as revulsion. I looked around, confused because we were told that the fighting had ended. I don't know why he did it, but Jean Luc grabbed my hand.
If I had been in my right mind to scrutinize the situation, I would have thought it extremely odd of him to be doing so; he never had shown such forward and public displays of affection and protectiveness towards me. However, in that moment I was grateful for the comfort. Only Jean Luc and Will had worn phasers – Worf had insisted upon it.
Not moments later a figure began running towards us, "Quick! Come with me!" He was clad in what looked like sackcloth material and over his mouth he held a rag to keep the floating debris out of his lungs. Reacting to the situation, we followed him. He led us into a nearby building which we assumed was the council hall that we were due to arrive at to negotiate the treaty. We could still hear phaser fire outside.
"What is going on?!" Jean Luc demanded incredulously.
"Captain, it's good to see you," the young man removed the material from his face revealing a deep scar on his left cheek. "The factions were willing to negotiate and peace when the fighting broke out again. This is just the beginning and it resumed only an hour ago."
"I thought that a truce had been mediated between the warring sides!?"
"Yes sir; it had been. However, not all the soldiers were happy about the upcoming negotiations. People on both sides began taking to the streets and now there is an open conflict again." The young man looked around, "Captain, you shouldn't be here – it's not safe."
I hadn't really been listening to their conversation. I think that my brain was still processing the initial shock of the situation. I looked around at the building. I hadn't noticed when we'd walked in, but lined up around the walls were the wounded and dead. My instincts kicked in and I let go of Jean Luc's hand as I hurried over to tend to the fallen. I remember seeing a young woman whose face was covered in blood. I couldn't tell if it was hers or someone else's. She appeared to be in pain, though, as she clutched at her right arm. I took out my tricorder and began to scan her, looking for the cause of her injury. Then, all of a sudden I remember feeling a sudden wave of panic. The room shuddered and then I woke up in sickbay.
And now, here I am.