WHEN ON EARTH?
Tell me more about that good crew of yours.'
She had to keep him conscious. Sips of water were good, and she'd even managed to get some food into him, splitting a bar of chocolate. She'd nibbled slivers off it and pushed them between his lips until he'd become adamant, almost angry, insisting that she stop.
Although his feet and legs were wrapped in a space blanket, she'd left his body uncovered, using the spacesuit under him to stop him from being chilled. She hoped the cool air around him would keep him alert. She'd told him a long, rambling story about her ex-husband, Wayne (the bastard) and then got worried that she was just boring him to sleep.
Anyway, he ran away with his office chickie and I'm just a whole lot better off without him. So tell me now about that crew. Where are you from? What planet?'
Earth. We're from Earth. Except T'Pol. She's Vulcan. And Mayweather. He's a boomer. And the doc.' It would have been nice to see Phlox, right about now.
Earth? The Earth? But...' She wanted to ask how but the real question came out without her even thinking. When?'
When?' he repeated, not quite understanding the question.
It's twenty twenty nine,' she said. There aren't any spaceships. There isn't any Enterprise. When I left Earth, my last living memory of Earth before I was suddenly...here, it was twenty twenty nine. And now...?'
She didn't have to ask. The look on his face. His eyes closed as if he was in a lot of pain.
You're my future, aren't you? Jon? You're from the future.'
But she'd lost him. C'mon Jon, talk to me. You can't just leave me like this.' His breath was rough, jagged. His arms and chest were cold. She reached into the box and brought out another space blanket. C'mon, wake up.' She fiddled with the plastic tab that kept the blanket folded tight and leaned over him, ready to press her knuckles against his chest again. You don't want me to hurt you again do you?'
No! We don't!' Reed snapped. But the woman didn't hear him above the blast of the phase pistol.