Chapter 38

"We can't do this," Dickie said quietly from his chair.

Theuma was analyzing data at his station.

Theuma brushed a pile of crumbled bulkhead off of his console; he glanced over at Dickie with a questioning gaze.

"Do what, Lieutenant?"

Dickie swiveled around.

"Are you serious?"

"You will have to be more specific,"

Dickie completely turned around and folded his arms over his chest.

"Are you fucking with me?"

Theuma narrowed his eyes at Dickie.

"Lieutenant?"

Dickie's face turned red in frustration.

"This! Here! We shouldn't be here!" he pumped his fists as he spoke.

"That's not for us to decide,"

Dickie got to his feet.

"What…let some inexperienced nut job lead us around…use your head!"

Theuma stopped what he was doing; he completely turned towards Dickie.

"What do you suggest?"

Dickie was quiet for a moment…considering what to say.

"We take the ship; haul ass back to the entry point…and hope to hell we can figure out how to get home."

Theuma sat back in his chair…carefully examining him with his eyes.

"Mutiny?"

Dickie gulped. He felt a wave of anxiety…but hid it with a stern face.

"He's a laughing stock back home anyway; who would care?"

The two were silent for awhile…Theuma mulling it over.

"Lieutenant…" he said quietly.

Theuma looked as though he was weighing the options; Dickie's eyes held a glimmer of hope the longer Theuma thought it over.

When David came to…he could hardly see. Everything was a gray, spinning blur around him.

He tried rubbing his eyes…but it didn't help.

He rubbed his face harder and harder…but he couldn't see anything.

He practically squished his eyes into his head…but it was no use.

He sat there for a moment…trying to remain calm…and wait for lucidity.

In the corner of the room…he spotted a golden blob.

"Hello?" he said quietly.

"David,"

"Carl" he said quietly.

"David…listen to me,"

David tried to get to his feet; he stumbled onto his belly…and desperately reached out with his arm.

"Carl!"

David violently shook awake; his heart pounding in his ears.

His anxiety grew and grew; he felt like he was about to burst.

He wanted to scream or shout; he wanted to smash everything in sight.

He knew if he didn't do something…he would explode.

He wanted to run; thought he had to run.

But he couldn't run away. He was stuck…trapped in the prison of his own doing.

He glanced down at his uniform; he was trapped in the prison of being a Starfleet officer.

He started shaking violently with anger.

"AHHHHHH!"

He stumbled to his feet…and slowly made for the door.

The turbolift doors swooshed open; David slowly moved onto the bridge.

He didn't shake; he didn't do anything or say anything for a moment.

There was just this haze of pure hatred wafting from him…like a light bathing his whole body.

It seeped from his pores; the officers on deck cowered at their stations.

"Lay in a course for their warp trail…full impulse!" he barked.

Dickie swiveled around in his chair to face him; he trembled slightly from fear…but his face hid it.

"No,"

"Do it…NOW!"

"No,"

David looked like he was about to explode.

"THEN YOU'RE RELIEVED!"

David motioned towards an ensign in the corner.

"TAKE HIS STATION!"

The ensign trembled and looked to the two men…unsure what to do.

"NOW!"

Dickie silently pulled out a phaser and pointed it at David.

"You're the one who is relieved."

Theuma sat in his chair silent…a pensive look in his eyes.

David didn't think twice; he grabbed Dickie by the neck and smashed his face into the console.

"ANYONE ELSE!?"

He glanced around at the bridge crew.

"WELL!?"

David pointed at the ensign.

"YOU!"

The ensign…his whole body trembling wobbled over to the station.

"Aye…sirrrr," he whimpered.

David took his seat…internally feeling like he wanted to die.

"You've screwed things up too much…you're still going to fail,"