DISCLAIMER: As usual; Paramount owns Enterprise and all things Star Trek. But they do not own creativity spawned by their franchise. No money exchanged hands, no money will ever exchange hands with this story, etc. etc. etc.
"Trauma"
Chapter 1-
Darkness surrounded the outer perimeter of the stark, cold room. A lone spotlight shone down on a prone, naked figure lying face down on the floor. His head was buried in his arms and his back was covered with numerous narrow burn marks.
"Our preliminary examination concluded you would not withstand repeated negative physical contacts. The result should be your complying with our demands and furthering our research."
The man slowly lifted his head and turned, squinting, up at the light. Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker decided the statement made by the alien voice warranted a response. He swallowed, the dryness in his throat burning almost as bad as his back.
"Sorry to disappoint you guys." Trip was surprised at how weak his voice sounded.
"Why?" The alien asked.
"That was sarcasm." Trip replied, annoyed. "Don't you know anything?"
"We know all about your physiology. We know how to terminate you."
Trip shook his head, looking down as the light hurt his eyes. "But you know nothin' 'bout what makes me tick."
There was a brief silence. Maybe they went away. They could have gotten bored with tormenting him, Trip thought.
"Tick?"
"What makes me able to resist your repeated negative physical contacts." Trip answered.
"Your inferior skeletal protective layers are not resisting." The alien responded.
"Don't I know it," Trip said. He was tired and just wanted to sleep. "But I am. Me."
"Explain."
Trip knew he wasn't going to be allowed to sleep. He was some sort of lab experiment to these faceless aliens. He pushed himself up and sat.
"It's human nature to fight to survive." Trip began. "And, for me, to resist compromising my beliefs."
"You will not survive. You have been resisting for three or your days. Eventually, you will succumb."
"Says you," Trip snorted, his back beginning to hurt worse now. He let out a moan. "Maybe you're right. But at least I can live...die with myself."
"What purpose would that serve? You will no longer exist. We will not be impressed."
"What purpose?" Trip asked. "My satisfaction. To my last breath I'll know I was..."
"Faithful," The alien voice interrupted. "To your morals."
"To my uniform," Trip thought. "My ship."
"Yourself."
Trip laid back down on his side. "Yeah, how 'bout that?"
"Your shipmates will not know what happened, or did not happen, to you."
"Exactly." Trip pointed out. "And if I did put on a show for you guys, I'd have to go back and face them."
"Other beings' feelings matter to you?"
"Yeah, so?" Trip shot back.
Suddenly, a young, clothed female alien appeared. Standing a few meters from Trip, she appeared frightened and cowered from the light. Trip looked over at her and saw she was humanoid with shiny, greenish-blue skin. Her eyes were amber and wide with fear.
"I told you people, no!" Trip hollered up at the light. "You can zap me with your laser whips again and again, but no peep show!"
"To preserve your morals and be faithful to your ship."
A bolt of reddish light struck the girl in the side and she shrieked, falling to the floor in a heap. Trip crawled to her, holding the whimpering and shaking girl.
"Don't hurt her!" Trip yelled.
"Then comply."
"Or what?" Trip asked.
"Comply or this one will suffer."
The alien girl disappeared from Trip's arms. Then he heard her shrieks and screams in the distance. He looked around, but couldn't see her. As he crawled around the floor, the light followed him and the same darkness surrounded him. He covered his ears, drawing his knees up and beginning to rock back and forth.
"No," Trip moaned. These monsters would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Another scream, more of a wail and louder than before pierced the darkness.
"Stop it," Trip pleaded. "Stop it, please!"
The alien girl reappeared, shivering in a ball on the floor. Trip crawled to her, slowly. She looked up at him as he put his arms around her.
"Mate with this one, or she will be terminated."
Trip began to rock the girl, trying to soothe her and himself. He felt defeated and hated himself for allowing it. They discovered his weakness by his own babbling.
"Shh," Trip whispered. "It's okay. I don't even know if you can understand me, but..."
The young girl looked at him, reaching a shaking hand up to touch his cheek.
"If there were any other way," Trip defended. "I'm sorry."
Commander Tucker laid down beside the girl wondering how he could ever live with what he was about to do.
----------
TO BE CONTINUED.
"Trauma"
Chapter 1-
Darkness surrounded the outer perimeter of the stark, cold room. A lone spotlight shone down on a prone, naked figure lying face down on the floor. His head was buried in his arms and his back was covered with numerous narrow burn marks.
"Our preliminary examination concluded you would not withstand repeated negative physical contacts. The result should be your complying with our demands and furthering our research."
The man slowly lifted his head and turned, squinting, up at the light. Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker decided the statement made by the alien voice warranted a response. He swallowed, the dryness in his throat burning almost as bad as his back.
"Sorry to disappoint you guys." Trip was surprised at how weak his voice sounded.
"Why?" The alien asked.
"That was sarcasm." Trip replied, annoyed. "Don't you know anything?"
"We know all about your physiology. We know how to terminate you."
Trip shook his head, looking down as the light hurt his eyes. "But you know nothin' 'bout what makes me tick."
There was a brief silence. Maybe they went away. They could have gotten bored with tormenting him, Trip thought.
"Tick?"
"What makes me able to resist your repeated negative physical contacts." Trip answered.
"Your inferior skeletal protective layers are not resisting." The alien responded.
"Don't I know it," Trip said. He was tired and just wanted to sleep. "But I am. Me."
"Explain."
Trip knew he wasn't going to be allowed to sleep. He was some sort of lab experiment to these faceless aliens. He pushed himself up and sat.
"It's human nature to fight to survive." Trip began. "And, for me, to resist compromising my beliefs."
"You will not survive. You have been resisting for three or your days. Eventually, you will succumb."
"Says you," Trip snorted, his back beginning to hurt worse now. He let out a moan. "Maybe you're right. But at least I can live...die with myself."
"What purpose would that serve? You will no longer exist. We will not be impressed."
"What purpose?" Trip asked. "My satisfaction. To my last breath I'll know I was..."
"Faithful," The alien voice interrupted. "To your morals."
"To my uniform," Trip thought. "My ship."
"Yourself."
Trip laid back down on his side. "Yeah, how 'bout that?"
"Your shipmates will not know what happened, or did not happen, to you."
"Exactly." Trip pointed out. "And if I did put on a show for you guys, I'd have to go back and face them."
"Other beings' feelings matter to you?"
"Yeah, so?" Trip shot back.
Suddenly, a young, clothed female alien appeared. Standing a few meters from Trip, she appeared frightened and cowered from the light. Trip looked over at her and saw she was humanoid with shiny, greenish-blue skin. Her eyes were amber and wide with fear.
"I told you people, no!" Trip hollered up at the light. "You can zap me with your laser whips again and again, but no peep show!"
"To preserve your morals and be faithful to your ship."
A bolt of reddish light struck the girl in the side and she shrieked, falling to the floor in a heap. Trip crawled to her, holding the whimpering and shaking girl.
"Don't hurt her!" Trip yelled.
"Then comply."
"Or what?" Trip asked.
"Comply or this one will suffer."
The alien girl disappeared from Trip's arms. Then he heard her shrieks and screams in the distance. He looked around, but couldn't see her. As he crawled around the floor, the light followed him and the same darkness surrounded him. He covered his ears, drawing his knees up and beginning to rock back and forth.
"No," Trip moaned. These monsters would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Another scream, more of a wail and louder than before pierced the darkness.
"Stop it," Trip pleaded. "Stop it, please!"
The alien girl reappeared, shivering in a ball on the floor. Trip crawled to her, slowly. She looked up at him as he put his arms around her.
"Mate with this one, or she will be terminated."
Trip began to rock the girl, trying to soothe her and himself. He felt defeated and hated himself for allowing it. They discovered his weakness by his own babbling.
"Shh," Trip whispered. "It's okay. I don't even know if you can understand me, but..."
The young girl looked at him, reaching a shaking hand up to touch his cheek.
"If there were any other way," Trip defended. "I'm sorry."
Commander Tucker laid down beside the girl wondering how he could ever live with what he was about to do.
----------
TO BE CONTINUED.