This is my first Star Trek Enterprise fic so I hope you guys are okay with my portrayal of the characters. This was just an idea I came up with and all these are made up; I have no idea whether these are the actual fears of these characters and I only know Hoshi's, Trip's and Malcolm's from their wiki pages so they could have explained the circumstances but this is my idea of their reasons. Their flashbacks are separated from their conversation but you'll be able to see that. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think; this is by far the longest single chapter I've ever written. Enjoy xxx
"Well, looks like we're gonna' be stuck here a while," Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III huffed as he sat down on the ground beside Ensign Hoshi Sato "Cap'n says Enterprise can't get here till tomorrow mornin'."
The rest of the group sighed and looked back forlornly at the wrecked Shuttlepod, half buried in the dirt before settling back down on the ground and pulling their blankets closer around their shoulders to fight off the cold, night air. The fire in front of the crackled as tiny trails of smoke curled into the air, the light dancing across their faces and casting a warming glow over the unhappy away team.
"So…what should we do?" Ensign Travis Mayweather asked nervously, looking at his senior officer curiously.
Trip smiled impishly, his eyes gleaming in the light of the campfire "Nothing much we can do but wait around, Travis. Hoshi, what do you suggest?"
"Now seems like the perfect opportunity to get to know each other a little better." Hoshi leant back and shot an eager glance at Trip "I mean it's not like we have much else to do."
Trip cast his gaze over to the sour-faced Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, who looked rather uncomfortable as he bit his bottom lip "I don't think that's rather professional."
"Nonsense, Malcolm." Trip waved his dismissal off, and grinned at the grimace on the Brit's face "We're all technically off duty anyway an' everythin' said here, stays here."
The others nodded enthusiastically in agreement and Malcolm glared at Trip in obvious annoyance but Trip just chuckled and tossed a couple more dry sticks onto the burning pile. Hoshi and Travis sat closer to the fire, holding out their numb fingers to warm up on the hot embers that occasionally popped from the burning pile of twigs. Malcolm just stiffened in his seat and tried to excuse himself to go check the perimeter again but Trip caught his shoulder and ordered him to take a seat.
Trip clapped his hands together cheerfully "Who wants what?"
"Excuse me, Commander?" Malcolm asked confused, his eyebrows furrowed together as he looked up at Trip.
"For dinner?"
The two ensigns visibly brightened and nodded dumbly again and Malcolm turned away with a disapproving sigh, mumbling something that Trip interpreted as something rude about Americans though he knew the man was just a little on edge since the crash; blaming himself for some kind of lack of precaution though the incident was a complete accident and technically Trip should have foreseen such a large atmospheric disturbance.
Once everyone was settled with their own rations, they each sat closer to the fire; chewing thoughtfully on their food until finally, Hoshi put down her tray and sat straighter.
"I think we should tell each other our greatest fears, that way we don't go into anything…too private." she looked over at Malcolm slightly conspicuously and the security officer blushed before averting his eyes and Travis gave Hoshi a quick warning jab in the ribs.
"I'm up for that," Trip laughed, trying to shake off the unease that had followed Hoshi's relatively innocent glance "Who wants to go first?"
Hoshi was now a bright pink and she quickly jumped forward "I'll do it! After all, I'm the one who suggested it."
Travis nodded keenly and Malcolm had the grace to look slightly interested as Hoshi cleared her throat and flashed them a shy smile. Sensing she was starting to regret her decision, Trip gave a friendly pat on the back as encouragement.
"Well, you all know I'm claustrophobic, so…"
The little girl cried out as she was dragged by her dark hair down the corridor, students gawping as she stumbled along behind her attacker. Around her, a group of girls made sure she could not escape; cheering their friend on and rummaging around in the Asian girls backpack, tossing various language books aside and laughing as tears welled up in the little girls eyes as she saw her precious books split apart as they hit the floor and their pages spill out over the corridor. There were no teachers in the hallway-there never was when Hoshi was in trouble-but there were a number of students backed up against the walls to allow the marauding group to pass. No one ever tried to stop them and Hoshi had given up long ago the possibility that someone would step in to rescue her; it would only cause more problems for her rescuer. Hot tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks as her scalp was tugged sharply, a few strands of silky black hair slowly gliding to the floor as they passed and another girl behind pushed Hoshi a little harder. Hoshi fell forwards with the force, only to be wrenched back up to her feet as the head girl-Jessica Bennett-tightened her grip and practically heaved the younger girl's body singularly by her hair. Finally they stopped near the lockers and Hoshi was released, only to be slammed up against them and she slipped; her head connecting with the wall of metal boxes as she tumbled onto the marbled flooring. A spike of pain flared up her wrist and Hoshi bit back a scream as she tried to blink away the black spots invading her vision.
"Get up Hoki!" Jessica yelled the familiar nickname though in all honesty it meant nothing to Hoshi other than to irritate her to some degree; it was annoying to have to repeat her name to them, she was proud of her foreign heritage.
Slowly, the eleven year old pushed herself off the floor and clambered to her feet; ignoring the sudden light headedness and nausea that followed. They had never been this bad before and Hoshi could feel panic and dread building up insider her as she turned to face the bullies. Her hair fell over her face but she didn't brush it away, cowering behind the useless curtain as the group pressed intimidatingly in on her.
"What do you want, Jessica?" Hoshi whimpered softly, saddened by how pathetic and broken her voice sounded in the now empty corridor; no one wanted to be witness to this.
Jessica sneered at her and the other girls muttered and giggled to one another "Your just little Miss Perfect aren't you? Think you're so much better than us? Just 'cause you can speak a few dumb languages and suck up to the teachers."
Jessica Bennett was a typical 'popular'. Long blond hair fell down her shoulders in ringlets and her bright blue eyes were wide and sparkling with an evil mirth; her cheeks slightly blushed against the golden glow of her skin and her lips were plump and moist. Her figure was skinny, her arms lithe and nails meticulously painted with sparkly pink nail polish that matched her cute pink T-shirt and pretty denim jeans. The entire school considered her beautiful; but to Hoshi she just seemed to be her living nightmare, a demon that tormented her every waking moment. Hoshi believed in inner beauty and Jessica was the ugliest person she had ever met her face grotesque and morphed into a sneer and her mouth pouty and thin.
Hoshi chose to say nothing; silence was always the best option, gave them as little ammunition as possible.
"So now Hoki is a mute?" Jessica feigned surprise and turned to her friends who grinned in evil amusement "I guess it's for the best. After all, Hoki's shouldn't be seen or heard."
It was a mantra Hoshi had heard a hundred had heard a hundred times before; it hadn't affected her much in the beginning, but having it repeatedly drilled into you every single day for months, the words started to have an effect and Hoshi felt that familiar unease and doubt well up inside her. She hadn't broken, but it was beginning to become torturous; the saying loud in her ears whenever she closed her eyes as she lay in bed at night. She was just too tired to resist anymore.
A familiar pile of paper was thrust into her hands and Hoshi sighed wearily as she noticed the almost identical pages of French homework that they had been given only fifteen minutes ago "I want all eight sheets done by tomorrow morning. Remember to make them all different; we wouldn't want Madame Billion accusing us of copying one another would we?"
The other girls sniggered as Hoshi looked down at the paper in her hands wearily; the work was going to take her at least three hours and that wasn't including the others homework that had been set. She would be until at least ten o'clock, not counting time for dinner and to help her parents around the house. Rage suddenly swelled up inside her, a powerful force that filled her with courage and made her hand grip the paper harder, causing it to bend and crinkle.
"No."
Hoshi was surprised by the power in her voice; she had always been quiet and shy, this was like a totally new side to her. The other girls seemed equally surprised and Jessica gawped at her in disbelief, glaring angrily as though she were something horrid on the bottom of her designer boots.
"Excuse me? Did you just say something?"
Hoshi wanted to back down but her instincts betrayed her and she straightened up, a determined expression on her face "I said no. Do it yourself."
The others girls looked to Jessica dumbstruck, looking like fish out of water as their mouths hung open gormlessly. Jessica scoffed and her nose turned up disapprovingly, her lip rising to an annoyed snarl.
"I don't think Hoki's learned her lesson." Jessica took a menacing step forward but Hoshi stood her ground, though she regretted it the instant she saw the actual malice in the taller girl's eyes. "Let's help her out."
The blonde lunged, taking Hoshi by surprise as she was smashed back against the locker and she only came to her senses when she heard the bang of the locker swing open and strike the one beside it. Aware of Jessica's intention, Hoshi struggled desperately in her strong grip and clawed at her arms, cursing the older girl's sporty nature as her friends reluctantly moved to assist their leader. Hoshi was shoved inside and she kicked and screamed, feeling the metal pressing in on her shoulders and bruising her flailing limbs. The girls slammed the locker door shut, and pressed themselves against it so that Jessica could lock the door before Jessica laughed triumphantly.
"Enjoy your time in their Hoshi; it's where you belong!"
Their footsteps disappeared and Hoshi banged relentlessly on the metal door, begging them to come back and release her from her prison. It was dark in the compact space; light filtering in through the tiny slits on the face and Hoshi was practically choking on the strong scent of perfume and feeling some kind of fur like substance brush against her face. Hoshi was trapped in Jessica's locker. The realisation startled her and for a moment she was numb as she listened to the silence outside and realised that school had ended and no one would be walking the corridor for a while. Panic set in, and immediately her heart rate increased till it felt like it was leaping from her chest as it battered her rib cage, her breathing became quick and shallow as the walls seemingly pressed in around her, crushing in and becoming tighter and tighter. Dizziness made Hoshi's head pound and she despairingly pushed at the sides, trying to break free from her confinement and open the space up just enough to breathe but the walls kept closing in. Her vision swam and she collapsed against the edge, slumping onto the floor in an awkward position, her body shaking erratically as she prayed that someone would find her. Darkness crept into her sight and she felt hot tears spill down her cheeks as she tunnelled into the abyss…
They all sat in horrified silence as Hoshi wiped a couple of stray tears from her cheeks and coughed awkwardly; all signs of her blush and late cheerfulness wiped from her face.
"So…that's why I'm afraid of tight spaces." Hoshi's voice was sad and strained and the men looked around nervously at one another.
Trip placed a reassuring hand on Hoshi's shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze as Malcolm reached into his pocket and retrieved a pristine white handkerchief which he politely offered to her. It seemed Hoshi had broken through Malcolm's emotional wall or at least a part of it. Hoshi took the proffered fabric gratefully and carefully wiped the last of the salty liquid from her face.
Finally Travis spoke up, his voice soft and sympathetic as he hugged his knees "What happened after you passed out?"
"The caretaker eventually found me about six hours later when my parents phoned the school to tell them I didn't come home, and I was rushed to hospital," Hoshi sniffed though she smiled gently and rubbed her nose with Malcolm's handkerchief "I didn't talk about it for a while…I couldn't bring myself to."
"I don't blame you." Malcolm muttered darkly, though the coldness in his voice was obviously not directed at her.
"Wha' happen'd to Jessica Bennett?" Trip inquired nervously and Hoshi sighed, her finger smoothing out the fold of the silk fabric in her hand.
"She was expelled immediately along with a couple of the other girls. Most of them just got away with a couple of week's suspension…at least after that I never had a problem with anyone. It was kind of a God-send really."
Travis smiled weakly, trying to lighten the situation "Well, they often say things happen for a reason…maybe that event really made you the kind, educated person you are today."
"Yeah, because developing claustrophobia is really a God-send."
The others ignored Malcolm's pessimistic comment as the Lieutenant muttered under his breath and held his head in his hands. They all knew he didn't really mean it; he was stressed and tired and he was just upset by Hoshi's story.
After a drawn out moment, Hoshi turned to Trip with an evil glint in her eye "So Trip, any story behind your dislike of insects?"
"It certainly wasn't as traumatisin' or saddenin' as yours…"
Trip sat in his father's workshop, watching the older man as lay beneath the car, listening to the whirring of a spanner. Playing with the bolts in his hands, Trip whistled a cheerful tune, enjoying the smell of freshly spilled oil and the lasting taste of his scrambled eggs that just lingered on his tongue. The bolts he was messing with were old and scuffed and Trip's father had all but dismissed it as useless trash. His son on the other hand thought the complete opposite, spending every moment of his free time to try and build complex instruments with the most minimal and botched supplies. Trip was surprisingly successful in his endeavours, impressing even the most experienced engineers with his techniques and solutions and he had been promised a brilliant future in the engineering field. Above all, Trip longed to escape to the stars; to travel the universe on a Starship and defy the almost oppressive rules of the Vulcan people. Trip knew he was impulsive and rebellious; it could be his greatest weapon and his most powerful enemy but he always followed his heart, as his parents had raised him.
"Son, can ya' pass me a spanna'," Charles Tucker II's voice was muffled by the car above him but Trip obligingly placed his components on the table and slid off the seat, leaning down to pass over the metal implement.
Light filtered in through the wooden panelling of the large wooden shack and the smell of grease and motor oil was strong even in the large, barn-like space. It was stiflingly hot and so Charles had left the door wide open to allow some fresh Florida air to flow through the room and Trip was thankful that he was shielded from the baking sun outside. He could just see his sister-Lizzy- and mother-Sarah-hanging up the freshly cleaned, white sheets on the washing line outside. They looked deep in conversation, nattering away as Lizzy bounced up and down excitedly, straining to reach up and assist her mother due to her lacking height. The little girl's blond hair fluttered in the gentle breeze and Sarah took another piece of clothing from her grip and smiled gratefully. The air smelled light with the familiar saltiness of the ocean and Trip sucked in a deep long breath as a new gust of wind billowed into the confines of the building. He could just make out the blue sparkle of the Florida coast and he found himself desperately wanting to go for a swim; to wash away the stale sweat that coated his young body.
"Trip," Trip's attention snapped back to his father as Charles slid out from under the car's axle "Could ya' go ta the shed and get m'a new relay?"
"Sure thing, Pa!" Trip replied enthusiastically, once again leaping off the chair and sprinting around to the back of the house, keeping in the shade to escape the baking heat of the sun.
The rickety shed was blanched by the sun, its frame dry and cracked; the last remnants of paint peeling and flaking off as they were cooked by the powerful rays of sun. Trip hissed as his fingers came into contact with the hot metal latch and whipped his hand back, sucking his sore fingers before cautiously picking at the handle again. The door had been broken in a large storm the previous fall and part of the door had broken and splintered so that it hung down over the door and prevented it from opening. Trip strained up on his toes, just able to push the offending piece of wood up and balanced it on the edge of the wood frame so that it wouldn't fall back as soon as he released it.
Confident that the lock was firmly in place, Trip ventured into the dim shack and scanned the shelves upon shelves filled with various objects. His father had never been organised and though he regularly talked about having a tidy up, the man never got around to it, so it was always a hunt in the nooks and crannies to find anything. Dragging one of the plastic boxes from the corner, Trip began at the nearest overflowing box, just out of reach. Wiping the perspiration from his brow, Trip drove his hand and began sorting through the objects with his fingers, using touch rather than sight to identify them. Halfway through the box, Trip felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand and he screamed and jerked it back, catching the box and tipping it over the edge so that he fell back and the crate beneath him toppled over. Landing heavily on his back, the box smashed into the floor just beside Trip's head; its contents spilling out over the floor with such force that the door rattled and swung shut. There was a grating sound and then everything fell into silence.
Dazed, Trip blinked away the spots and sat slowly up, rubbing the back of his head and feeling the painful lump already growing there. Curious as to the sudden pain, he raised his hand to inspect the cause and shrieked when he came face to face with a large, hairy, black spider. Shaking his hand in a desperate attempt to dislodge the arachnid, Trip kicked himself back until he struck the opposite wall; the contents of the shelves tumbling down as well and a large number of small dark lumps tumbling after them. Trip only yelled louder, leaping up from the floor and rushing to the door; beating at it desperately when it refused to open more than an inch. He repeatedly bashed himself against it, screaming till his throat became hoarse and the small creatures began to fly in a spiralling cloud around him. Suddenly Trip couldn't breathe in for fear of inhaling the foul beasts, and he could feel them brushing against his skin, their wings beating hot air down upon him and he curled up in tears, waiting for the nightmare to end…
"What happened after that?" Travis inquired curiously, his eyes wide in anticipation for the ending to Trip's dramatic tale.
Trip shrugged "Lizzy heard me hollerin' and ran to get Pa. The broken chunk'a wood had fallen durin' ma tumble an' locked the door shut hence why I couldn' get out. Apparently the heat had driven a swarm'a locusts int'a the shed. I don't think I need to explain how'a felt about insects after tha' lil incident."
"That's horrible, Trip!" Hoshi explained with a horrified look on her face, obviously recovered from her own story "I can't even imagine how you must have felt!"
"Nah, it wasn't tha' bad. The only thing really hurt was ma pride. After all, the only reason Liz found me was 'cause I was screamin' like a lil girl."
Malcolm chuckled softly and Trip glared at him for a moment, though there was no real malice in his gaze. Hoshi and Travis grinned knowingly at one another until Travis sighed deeply and straightened up, his gaze falling onto the flickering flames.
"Well since everyone's meant to be truthful and Trip's gone and told us something quite embarrassing, I should probably…" he trailed off nervously and all of them turned to look at Travis expectantly.
Travis Mayweather sprinted down the long corridor of the ECS Horizon, neatly dodging any unfortunate bystanders with agility unusual even to those of his young age. Behind him, his pursuers were much more careless, crashing into a couple of passengers and sending them staggering while the others wisely parted and flattened themselves against the walls. There was a cacophony of whooping and Travis dived around another corner as the grown-ups began protesting and calling after the group as they tore off after him. Their feet slammed down on the floor, causing the air to vibrate with the sound of footsteps and the reverberating noise of children's laughter as the group of boys chased after Travis. Adrenaline pulsed through Travis's veins as he leapt through the open door of the small engineering deck and seized his opportunity; putting his climbing skills to the test, Travis pushed his foot out and pushed off one of the metal workbenches, boosting himself up so that he caught the edge of the landing above, his fingers gripping at the lowest bar as he swung over and hooked his leg up and over the side. The boys behind him were momentarily stunned by his sneaky and impressive escape, but their smiles just grew wider as they realised that their hunt was for no normal prey; their friend had just increased the challenge and they would be fools not to oblige. Travis allowed himself to catch his breath for a moment as he lay on his side, looking over the edge as the boys hurried to the staircase on the other side before jumping to his feet and heading for the nearest access vent. Some of the engineers cheered him on as he vaulted up over a spare containment unit and his fingers grasped the crisscross of the metal grate with one hand, swinging his other hand up to catch himself as the metal fell away. For a moment, he thought he had missed and he would go crashing back to the ground but his fingers just caught the edge and he gave a small cry of satisfaction. Judging from the gasps around him, the action looked as cool as it felt and Travis hurriedly pulled himself into the small tunnel and began crawling out toward the exit.
Having spent most of their lives on the Human J-Class cargo ship, the younger passengers knew the layout of the entire ship better than its original designer. There wasn't a passageway that the boys hadn't explored in great detail and even if there height meant that they couldn't climb into certain vents, they knew every exit and already knew exactly where Travis would come out. Travis was all too aware of that fact and his muscles burned as he dragged himself across the grate until it opened up into a wider space for maintenance and stood up, his back bent slightly so he didn't bang his head on any of the slightly lower panels above. Within minutes of navigating the twisting tunnel in near darkness, Travis spotted his escape and hastily pushed the grate out of place before spilling out into an empty corridor. The sound of hysterical cackling echoed around him and he could hearing thunder approaching, and he smiled to himself as he started sprinting off in the opposite direction. But just as he turned the corner he caught the soft sound of voices before he careered into…
Travis collided with something hard and fell back, landing painfully hard on his backside and feeling incredibly dazed. Standing over him were the Captain and his first officer, looking both surprised and angry at the little boy sat before them.
"Travis Mayweather, what are you doing?!" the Captain roared as he bent down to check that the youth was uninjured from the impact.
At that moment, the other boys came hurtling round behind him and instantly their laughter died and their smiles vanished; all of them coming to a sheepish halt as they bowed their heads to the superior adults. The first officer sniggered softly and the Captain shot him a warning look over his shoulder before pulling Travis to his feet and crossing his arms over his chest.
"We're sorry, sir." one of the boys muttered softly, lifting his head to meet the Captain's eyes "We were only playing."
The Captain tutted and narrowed his eyes, his focus on the embarrassed blush in Travis's cheeks "So you're the reason I've been getting all these complaints about a bunch of kid ruffians running about and causing havoc on my ship."
The boys all nodded shamefully, uttering a round of near inaudible apologies and the first officer stepped forward to take over "Go on then you lot, no more running in the halls. If I hear that any of you have been causing trouble…"
The rest of the threat went unheard to Travis as the boys were marched away with the older man and he was left alone with his Captain.
Finally the Captain sighed irritably; his fiery eyes burning into the top of Travis's head "So Travis, what have you got to say for yourself?"
"I'm sorry, Dad; I didn't mean to cause any trouble. We were just having fun."
Jacob Mayweather chuckled softly and bent down so he was level with his son "I'm guessing you're the little monkey boy everyone's been telling me about? In that case, I'm going to have to take you to Draylax soon so we can work off some of that excess energy in the caves."
"You're not angry?" Travis frowned in confusion, finally meeting his father's keen gaze as the older man sighed again.
"You're young; your mother and I have long since known you're never gonna just sit down and twiddle your thumbs." Jacob smiled affectionately but his face became sterner as he waggled a finger at Travis "But you have to promise to turn down the excitement. Running through Engineering like it's some children's playground is bound to get you hurt and you're accident prone enough as it is."
"Aye sir," Travis grinned and held his hand up in a mock salute, overjoyed by the prospect of going spelunking with his father whom he so rarely got to spend time with.
"That doesn't mean you've escaped punishment," his father's tone was light, but serious and Travis felt his heart sink in disappointment "You're grounded for the foreseeable future; you need to do some studying anyway."
Travis groaned at the prospect of revision and was almost delighted when he heard the familiar sound of footsteps behind him that signalled the Horizon's first officer's return; he would surely back Travis up to some degree.
"So what has the little squirt been up to this time?" Paul Mayweather asked as he came to stand beside his father, the usual cocky smile on his face as he patted the top of his little brother's head kindly.
Jacob stood up straight and his lips quirked up into a small smirk "Your little brother's been showing off again. Please escort him to his room, Commander. He is being detained for the near future. Oh, and do tell your mother I'll be back in time for tea."
"Yes sir," Paul replied joyously, taking his brothers shoulder and pulling him alongside as they walked down the corridor toward their quarters.
Once their father had disappeared from sight, Paul stopped the two of them and looked at his brother "You shouldn't worry Dad like that; I thought he was going to have you scrubbing the deck for a year when he heard over the comm that you leapt over one of the new nacelles."
"I jumped over a nacelle?"
"Uhuh," Paul replied lightly, an amused gleam in his eye "You vaulted it like an Olympic gymnast according to Lyra. When Mum hears about this she's going to kill you, you're lucky you didn't burn yourself or something; they were about to activate it when you jumped up on it and climbed into the vents."
Travis bit his lip nervously and inspected his shoes "I didn't mean to."
"I wouldn't be surprised if the Bogeyman didn't come and get you." Paul continued flippantly, starting to walk off again and Travis hurried to catch up to his older brother.
"The Bogeyman?"
Paul halted suddenly and turned to his brother; his eyes wide and panicked, his expression fearful as he shushed Travis "He might hear you! If he knows how naughty you were he's bound to come get you!"
Travis felt his heart skip a few beats and his breathing became laboured "What do you mean? Who's the Bogeyman?"
"The Bogeyman," Paul savoured the words and his voice fell to a harsh whisper; Travis couldn't remember a time when he had ever heard his brother sound that way "Here comes the Bogeyman, dressed in black; carrying children with his sack on his back. Down to the river to watch them drown then sitting on their bodies and chewing their bones."
"What?!" Travis squeaked, feeling the hair on the back of his neck prickle as he watched his brother avert his gaze and squeeze his eyes shut.
"Yeah Travy, he's been stealing away naughty children who disobey their parents for thousands of years." Paul visibly shivered and his tone was quiet and emotionless, totally unlike his usual charismatic tone "He's probably watching you right now, waiting for you to be alone so that he can stuff you into his stack and whisk you away. Then he'll slowly drown you, all the while staring at you with those big black eyes that suck away your soul. By the time he's done, there won't be anything left to bury."
Travis was on the verge of tears as his brother looked nervously around them like he had heard someone moving and Travis searched around frantically "D-don't be silly, Paul! M-mum says there's no such thing as ghosts and m-monsters."
"The Bogeyman is no ordinary monster," Paul snapped back, his eyes dark and frightening alien to Travis and his face seemed more ashen than before "He's a nightmare, a living being who can travel in the shadows. He took my friend once; snatched him right out of his bed whilst he was sleeping. All his parents heard was a scream."
Travis's heart banged noisily against his ribcage and he dived into his brother "P-please don't let the Bogeyman take me!"
"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. It's too late. You can never escape the Bogeyman; he'll chase you forever." his brother kissed the top of his head, as if to say goodbye, and slowly rose to his full height.
Paul then started to walk away and Travis could swear he heard his brother sob as Paul placed his hand over his mouth. Out of his mind with fright, Travis chased his brother and stayed as close to him as possible; searching every shadow for any sign of the dreaded creature waiting to kill him.
The tension and fear stayed with Travis late into the night, and his mother and sister regularly commented on his unusual insistence to help them out around the house; though they never questioned his motives and seemed genuinely pleased that he was helping out. Even when they had finished an uneventful dinner, Travis couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched and every time he looked across at Paul, his brother would stiffen and there was a pitiful sadness in his eyes. Finally Rianna ordered him to bed-saying they would have words about his adventures in the morning-and quickly tucked him into bed.
When the lights went out, Travis was left in complete silence and eventually his eyes slid shut with exhaustion. Something brushed against his arm and the young boy was startled awake; sitting bolt upright in bed as his heart thudded loudly in his chest. The shadows of the room seemed to leap at Travis and he desperately hid beneath his covers; burying his face into the soft fabric of his pillow as the whispering started. Too frightened to cry out, Travis screwed his eyes shut and prayed that the Bogeyman wouldn't find him; feeling his covers move slightly before they were whipped away. Turning around in surprise, Travis found himself staring at a blank white face, before something was thrown over his head and he finally found his voice; screaming and kicking with all his might and feeling his tears burning his cheeks as he begged for his freedom and shrieked for help.
"Oh my god…" Hoshi whispered softly, her eyes wide and teary as she held her hand over her heart "You were kidnapped?"
Travis laughed jollily "No, of course not! It was my brother's stupid practical joke! He decided it would be funny to sneak into my room dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask. He bundled me into a sheet and pretended to carry me off!"
"Your brother is messed up, Ensign." Trip breathed anxiously, taking a quick swig from his water canteen.
"Nah, he's just got a terrible sense of humour." Travis chuckled fondly, stretching his back out before sitting back against the log behind him "Mum sorted him out though; I don't think I've ever seen her so angry! Dad wasn't too impressed either; something about a First Officer shouldn't be emotionally scarring eight year olds with tales of mythical monsters, even if that eight year old is his brother."
"Quite right; it's not appropriate behaviour of an officer of his standing." Malcolm said darkly, a frown on his face as he subconsciously adjusted his uniform.
Travis grinned at his Lieutenant "It's hard to believe he was in his mid-twenties at the time; but in fairness, it's a little different being the First Officer aboard a J-Class Cargo ship than a Starship. He was required to be a civilian mediator rather than an actual tactician."
"Still no excuse," Malcolm mumbled indignantly but he managed a small smile to the ensign as he pulled his phaser from his pocket and tinkered with it thoughtfully.
"So let me get this straight," Trip intervened lightly, placing his elbows on his knees as he scrutinised the helmsman "You're afraid of…the Bogeyman?"
Travis nodded feebly, a blush creeping across his cheeks as found his attention drawn to his shoes "It's called Bogyphobia; it's an actual clinical condition. Even though I know it was Paul, I just can't shake the thought…"
"…that it may be real?" Hoshi finished with a soft smile and Travis glanced to her gratefully.
"No need ta worry, Mista' Mayweatha'." Trip said, putting on a terrible English accent that made Hoshi snigger and Malcolm look up in annoyance "Lieutenant Reed will come protect ya'. Isn't that right, Lootenant?"
Malcolm glared darkly at his commanding officer and replied in a clipped tone "Of course I will; it's my job."
"That reminds me, if we're talking about phobias…" Travis chortled to himself for a moment before looking poignantly at Malcolm "My mother has Anglophobia."
Trip knotted his eyebrows together in confusion and looked at Hoshi who just shook her head "What's Anglophobia?"
"Fear of Englishness."
The entire group burst into laughter-even the usually surly Lieutenant- and stayed the same for a couple of minutes after the outburst before finally calming down.
"You-you can't be serious?" Malcolm asked with a smile, trying to catch his breath as he struggled to recover from his strange lapse of professionalism.
Travis giggled noisily and clasped his side "Nope, it's why I've never invited her on Enterprise. Meeting you would be her worst nightmare!"
"Meeting Malcolm is everyone's worst nightmare…" Trip teased quietly, wiping away a tear from his eye just as the others turned to him.
"That's unkind, Trip!" Hoshi admonished, tossing a piece of her food at him which he nimbly dodged, beaming at her the entire time.
"Very funny, Commanda'." was the Englishman's only comment but he knew his friend was merely jesting, and so they just smiled knowingly at one another.
After a few minutes of quiet, listening to the animals in the trees and watching the sparks drift up from the crackling fire. The contented group was interrupted by their youngest member, her cheeks slightly blushed as she built up the courage to speak.
"So Malcolm, what are you afraid of?"
The Lieutenant's head snapped up to face her, an almost panicked gleam in his eyes as he pulled his knees up closer to his chest and Trip laughed "Malcolm Reed…afraid? I don't think the Lootenant knows the meanin' of the word!"
Reid snorted in reply, though there was an awkward tension in his shoulders and his frown seemed just a little deeper as he settled back to staring absently into the flames.
"There has to be something," Travis said quietly and Malcolm froze once more, despite the statement not being addressed to himself "No one's free of fear ,Trip; it's ingrained in basic human nature."
"Have ya ever seen Mal hesitate?"
"Well, no-"Travis shrugged in acquiescence, pulling a face as he admitted his lack of evidence as Trip sat up smugly.
"See, there ya have it!" Trip clapped his hands together and grinned at his subordinate lopsidedly "Like ah said. Malcolm Reed doesn't do fear."
"Don't be ridiculous Trip; everyone's afraid of something." the curt reply turned everyone's heads and Malcolm wrung his hands awkwardly, cursing himself for drawing attention to himself.
Trip frowned curiously at his best friend, surprised by the short outburst from the usually private man "That would imply tha' you're afraid of somethin'."
"I…" Malcolm hesitated, his nails digging into the skin of his arm and he internally scolded himself from his moment of weakness and turned his head away "It's nothing. Forget I said anything."
"No, Mal." Hoshi stopped him, leaning over and placing a hand gently on his thigh, unaware of her actions as she saw the uncertainty in his eyes "If there's something you want to say; say it. No one here's going to judge you; we're your friends. You can tell us anything."
Comforted by her words, Malcolm sighed heavily and nodded; feeling the weight of his chest shift "I-I'm… aquaphobic…"
There was a beat of silence before Trip burst into laughter, clutching at his side "You had me goin' for a minute there, Mal! You! Afraid'a water!"
"Drowning actually," Malcolm mumbled back, his face serious as he stared intently at the floor and wrung his hands anxiously "I'm afraid of drowning…not water."
"Wait…" Trip regained his composure and his eyebrows knotted together in confusion, his back stiffening as he realised his mistake "You're serious? But ya' told me you could sail a boat before you could ride a bike!"
"Haven't the Reeds been in the Navy for generations?" Hoshi added her own question, her tone much more gentle and sympathetic.
"Just because I don't like swimming doesn't mean I can't, Trip. I couldn't have become a Starfleet officer otherwise." Malcolm replied coldly, meeting Trip's eyes with a steely gaze before glancing back to the dirt. "That's why I joined Starfleet; to get away from the disappointment of my father. I kept telling myself that the endless of space was a good alternative to the rolling oceans of Earth but…it seems my father didn't agree."
"Which is why you don't call home much," Hoshi nodded her understanding, sadness reflected in her eyes and Malcolm gritted his teeth, picking up a stray piece of firewood and making aggravated lines in the dirt.
Trip looked crest-fallen as he ducked his head and ran his hand through his unruly blond hair "Sorry, Mal. I didn't mean ta...you know…offend ya' or anythin'."
Malcolm sighed dejectedly "It's not your fault, Trip. It's nice to know that I've been keeping up appearances."
"When did you become aquaphobic?" Travis piped up nervously, looking up at Malcolm with a youthful, innocent expression and Malcolm took a deep breath.
"It all started when I went on a boating trip with my father and my sister…"
Thirteen year old Malcolm Reed pulled hard on the cord, leaning in and squinting against the bombardment of rain and wind that pummelled everything it its wake. His fingers were numb from the burning cold and his clothes were heavy with water as he tied off the rope as his father had taught him and raced to undo another. His hair was plastered to his scalp and he pushed his soppy, dark fringe out of his eyes as he squinted against the roaring wind to look to his father; the older man's bellowing orders inaudible over the resonating howl of the storm and the clashing of thunder. Lightning sparked across the thick, grey clouds as another massive wave crashed into the side of the small yacht, sending Malcolm stumbling across the slippery deck and he caught the mast before he toppled over. There was a rush of action on the other side of the boat as Stuart Reed wrestled with the ship's wheel, trying to prevent the vessel from capsizing and dooming them to a watery grave.
"Malcolm!"
Spinning around, the teenager spotted Madeline Reed, aged nine, pressed up against the rail; her eyes red and swollen from the abuse of the salty water and her own frightened tears. The boy rushed to assist his sister, only making it a couple of steps before a wave washed over the entire deck pounding Malcolm into the deck and knocking the breath from his lungs. Gasping for breath and coughing out the water that had entered his lungs, Malcolm looked up from the his position on his stomach and his heart stopped when he saw the empty space where Madeline had been just moments ago
"Maddy…" the first cry came out as a strangled, rush of breath but as Malcolm hurried to clamber to his feet; his voice became stronger with panic "Maddy!"
He ran as fast as he could to the edge of the boat, leaning heavily over the rail of the rocking vessel and screaming at the swirling water beneath him as his grey eyes scanned the surface for any sign of the little girl. When she did not surface, Malcolm tossed away his heavy clothes till he had stripped back to his thin T-shirt and climbed up onto the rail, expertly diving into the churning waters without a second thought. He was surprised by the shockingly cold temperature as he plunged into the depths and he almost gasped for breath but managed to gain control of his senses. Diving deeper, Malcolm ignored the burning salt in his eyes as he searched frantically for any sign of his sister in the murky, grey depths on the restless ocean. Bubbles trickled from his lips and his lungs were starting to burn just as he spotted a small movement in his peripheral vision and his head snapped around to see a flare of blond hair floating a few metres below him. Pushing himself downward, Malcolm reached into the darkness and his frozen fingers found Maddy's favourite woollen jumper. Latching on, Malcolm pulled the still girl to his chest and kicked frantically; propelling the two siblings to the surface as the last of Malcolm's oxygen burned away. Breaking the surface, Malcolm took a large gulp of breath-the rain still smacking him in the face-and he blinked away the water on his eyes, watching with relief as Maddy came to life in his arms and began coughing and spluttering. Falling onto his back, Malcolm pulled Maddy across him so that she wouldn't slip under again and began swimming with one arm, back to the boat that was just visible over the rampant waves.
Malcolm kept the yacht in his vision the entire team, struggling defiantly against the cruel beating and swirling of the powerful current. Finally he reached the starboard side and pushed his sister up, the little girl almost slipping in his arms as his fatigued body strained to keep both children afloat. His limbs a dead weight, Malcolm used the last reserves of his strength to push the young girl up and over the rail. Satisfied Maddy was safe, Malcolm felt himself get dragged under the water by an invisible force, the churning waters covering his face in a smooth mask as he sunk under the water and his heart began to drum violently in his chest fighting for the oxygen his lungs did not gain and his body began to panic. Malcolm felt himself tossed around in the darkness like a rag doll, swept away by the increasing current and lost in the endless expanse of water. He blinked slowly at the swirling colours and he felt his vision tunnelling, the pain in his chest dissipating as his body started to shut down and his eyelids slid shut.
Another daunting silence followed and Malcolm sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head "I woke up on a beach a few hours later. In some kind of miracle I managed to wash up on shore before I drowned and was found by the coast guard after my father reported my disappearance."
"Woah, Mal…that sounds…terrifying." Trip stated slowly, his usual confident expression gone as he pulled his knees up closer to his chest and picked at his sleeves.
"Hm."
Hoshi ducked away for a second then caught Malcolm's eye "Was your sister okay?"
"Yeah," Malcolm managed a small, fond smile "My father took care of my sister as soon as I pushed her over the edge of the boat and she only suffered mild hypothermia."
"Did your dad try to pull you out?" Travis asked curiously, his eyes wide and empathetic "I mean he must have been scared when he couldn't find you."
"My father wasn't about to risk himself by diving in blindly into the water. It was a suicide mission in such harsh conditions."
Trip frowned, his expression turning strangely dark and serious "But you almost died!"
"It would have been my fault; I knew the dangers when I jumped in. My father had spent enough time educating me in the dangers of the sea." Malcolm's voice was cold and bitter as he rubbed his eyes wearily and his face seemed greyer in the dying light of the fire.
"What happened after that?" Hoshi whispered the question, as if afraid of Malcolm's reaction and the security officer looked up at her as if deciding whether he trusted her enough to answer.
"I couldn't get back in the water." Malcolm stated simply, his mouth twisted in an unhappy grimace "Needless to say my father was none too pleased when I panicked every time my head went under the water. He tried every method he could think of to 'cure' me: therapy, hypnotism, tossing me into a pool over and over again; but none of it ever worked. In the end, I made the decision for him and joined Starfleet. The last conversation we had wasn't particularly positive; something along the lines of what a disappointment I am to the family and that I'm not his son."
There was quiet amongst the small group; only the crackling of the fire, the gentle hum of insects and the rustling of the leaves broke the silence. Trip rubbed his thighs awkwardly, Travis picked at the badge on his uniform and Hoshi twirled her silky, black hair between her slender fingers.
Finally Malcolm gave a resigned sigh and said dejectedly "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said all that…it's unprofessional to dump all my personal issues on my colleagues, especially my superiors."
"Don't Mal." Trip argued almost irritably but his eyes conveyed fond sympathy "I'm your friend and I'd like to think you see me as your best friend because you are sure-as-hell mine. If you need to share, I'm here for you; and I'm sure Travis and Hoshi here feel exactly the same way."
"Yeah, Malcolm; there's no ranks here. No one deserves what you had to go through and we're all touched you felt able to share with us." Hoshi added with a light, loving smile and a bright sparkle in her eyes.
Travis nodded his affirmative and Malcolm chuckled gently, a grin touching at his lips "Thank you. I don't deserve such good friends."
"'Course ya do, Mal. A damn good security chief deserves a damn good crew to back him up."
"Let's not get too soppy, Commanda'."
Trip smirk and stifled a laugh "Whatever ya' say, Mal. We're just glad you're on our side, even if ya' can't swim."
"I can swim!"
"Sure ya' can, Mal. Sure ya can."
Hoshi tutted her two superior officers and quirked an amused eyebrow "Alright girls, enough bickering; I think it's time we turn in for the night."
Travis sniggered as the two glanced at her before settling to glare at one another and Malcolm stood up slowly, brushing the dust off his already pristine uniform "I'll take first watch. I'll wake Commander Tucker up in a few hours to take over."
"Nu'uh." Hoshi interrupted with a strict, maternal tone "Knowing you, Malcolm, you'll stay up until the morning or someone wakes up in the middle of the night."
Trip raised his eyebrows at Malcolm with a knowing look and agreeing nod before Travis innocently lifted his hand and looked around at the others "I'll do it. I'm not that tired anyway and you've all been on shift longer than I have."
"As Chief of Security I must advise-"
"Travis, you're taking first watch. Lootenant, you get some shut eye." Trip commanded with a smug smile before turning to face Malcolm "And Lieutenant Reed, that's an order. You would hate for me ta' have ta' put in ma' report that you disobeyed a direct order from your superior, wouldn't ya?"
"That's not funny, Trip."
"Wasn't meant ta' be, Mal. Off you go…personally, I can't wait to put ma' head down; Engineerin' has been manic lately."
Malcolm sighed reluctantly and shrugged "Same in the armoury...it will be nice to get an early night."
"Good," Hoshi smiled and winked gratefully at both Trip and Travis before positioning her blanket on the ground a lying down to rest, her eyelids fluttering shut as she let her exhaustion catch up with her.
With a final grin, Malcolm bade the others a polite goodnight and settled down on his own thin mattress followed by an enthusiastic Trip, who stared up with interest at the stars twinkling in the ebony sky.
"Night everyone, sweet dreams."