"Dreamscape"
by greyladyfalcon
Chapter 1
After Hawk returned from a long range patrol he made
his way to the bridge.
Admiral Asimov was having the crew run a complete
diagnostic systems test of the Searcher. Admiral Asimov
looked at Hawk as he approached him.
"How did the patrol go?" he asked him.
"Fine, Admiral. I'd like to request a few days off,"
Hawk requested.
Admiral Asimov wanted to ask why, but the look on Hawk's
face told it all. He's been trying to keep himself busy
at all times for the past week or so. Even doing double
patrols.
"Go ahead, we'll be running tests for a few days. Buck
and the other pilots could take your patrol for a few
days. Besides Hawk, you look like you could use some rest,"
the Admiral replied.
"Thank you," Hawk said as he left the bridge.
Hawk retreated to his quarters as he often did after a patrol.
Buck came to the bridge shortly after Hawk left.
"Admiral, have you seen Hawk?" Buck asked.
"Yes, he was just up here. He asked if he could have a few
days off and I told him yes. He looked really tired so I
figured he was finally going to get some well needed sleep,"
Asimov said.
"Good, he's been going none stop for a week now," Buck said.
After three days, still nobody had seen Hawk. Buck came up
to the bridge again.
"Admiral, have you seen Hawk?" Buck asked.
"No, he's suppose to out on patrol in about four hours.
He must have been exhausted," the Admiral replied.
"That's not like Hawk to miss a patrol," Buck thought to
himself.
A few hours later and there was still no sign of Hawk.
Buck was starting to worry even more. His concern finally
got the best of him, he made his way to Hawk's quarters and
knocked, he knocked again, but there was still no answer.
Buck started to think, maybe he's not in his quarters, he
could be down at the garden dome. He enjoyed going down to
there it reminded him of home. Buck made his way to the
garden dome, but no Hawk. Buck started to search for
his friend. None of the mechanics had seen Hawk in the hanger,
and it was the same with the crew up in the rec room. "It
wasn't like Hawk to miss a patrol," Buck thought to himself
again, as he made his way back up to the bridge.
"Admiral, I can't find Hawk anywhere on the ship," Buck said
in a concerned voice.
"Buck, did you check his quarters?" asked the Admiral.
"Yes, I knocked but he didn't answer."
"Well, maybe he was so exhausted he didn't hear you knock,"
the Admiral replied.
"Maybe," Buck replied.
"I knocked on his door twice, I think that should have awaken
anyone," Buck said.
The Admiral could see the worried look on Buck's face.
"Why don't we give him another two hours, if he's not up
here by then we'll by-pass the security system to open his
quarters," the Admiral said.
Buck just stood there for a few minutes. "All right, two
more hours," Buck said with concern in his voice.
All sorts of things started running through Buck's mind.
"Is Hawk alright? Maybe he took a shuttle someplace. No, the
bridge would have known that." Buck looked at the console
and found only 10 minutes had passed.
Finally, the 2 hours had passed. Buck was out the door and
heading for Hawk's quarters. When he arrived he knocked,
this time he called out.
"Hawk, it's Buck, are you awake?"
Buck listened closely. Then he thought he heard a slight
noise coming from inside. He knocked again. This time a little
harder.
"Hawk, open the door," Buck said.
Still no answer, but he heard another noise, a different one
this time. Sounded like a soft moan. Buck went to the intercom
by Hawk's quarters.
"Admiral, I'm sure Hawk is in his quarters, but I heard
something that tells me he might be hurt."
"By-pass the security system to Hawk's quarters," shouted the
Admiral.
The doors to Hawk's quarters opened...