A Familiar Face
Chapter II
Is it true that Wesley's all that bad? Yes, a little. But he's too cute to just give up on, so I'm trying my hardest to make his character better for the sake of Wil Wheaton's reputation. That and some of his aspects are rather cool, why waste them?
"Wesley Crusher? Is he the one that went MIA four months ago on a field mission?" Jadzia asked as she scanned the unconscious man over.
"Yes. They said he might've been kidnapped, but he just disappeared." Bashir turned away from his desk and walked over to the table.
Jadzia looked over all of his scars; there were so many of them, "It looks like these scars were caused with a mek'leth. They must have tortured him for something."
"Well, the Klingon's don't kidnap Starfleet officers for a good time. There must have been something they need him for..." Julian took the scanner gently and looked at the readings.
Sisko entered the room with a wide stride, "How is he?" He happened to know Dr. Crusher, and didn't want anything to happen to her only family.
Julian looked to him with a small sigh, "Well, there are several contusions all over his body which have already healed with what seems to be no problem, and the fresh ones are being treated. Some of them almost hit vital organs. He's lucky he wasn't killed."
Sisko looked over the young man, "They probably did it intentionally."
"There are still a few infections that need to be treated, and his mental health has yet to be evaluated, but other than than he should recover in a day or so." He put down the scanner, "Have you contacted Dr. Crusher yet, sir?"
"Yes. The Enterprise is on it's way. We're lucky we caught them now, or they might have been on a mission." Sisko walked over to Wesley's side, "When will he be awake?"
"It's really up to him, sir. It could be minutes, or it could be hours." Bashir looked closely at the captain's expression. It was a strange combination of worry and curiosity. It was almost as if he wondered how they did it, "We found these in his hand." Bashir handed Sisko a pair of gloves and three pipps, two of which were gold and meant for a lieutenant junior grade, and one a deep metallic purple, "He was clinging to them for dear life. Do you know what they are?" He pointed to the gloves.
Sisko looked at the gloves for a moment, "... No, but I'll send them down to engineering and see what they can turn up. Continue your work, Doctor." He turned once Bashir nodded headed for the door. He stopped just in front of it, "And Dr. Bashir." The doctor turned, "Keep these with you. He might want them when he wakes up." He handed back the pipps and walked out of the infirmary. As he entered the engineering department, he could see O'Brien's uneasiness. He quietly worked on a shuttle engine in the corner of the room, ignoring all else. Once he saw the captain, who he knew has see Wesley, he stood and approached the commanding officer.
"How is he, Captain?" He said with a heavy sigh.
Sisko gave a bitter sweet smile, "He's going to be fine." He looked down at the gloves, "He was holding onto these. They're gloves, but they have something connected to them in the metal plating. Can you find out what is is?"
O'Brien raised his eyebrows and gave a nervous nod, "Oh, sure." He took the gloves.
"Chief O'Brien, is there something wrong?" Sisko asked the question he already knew the answer for.
"It's just... When you see such a promising young lad on the Enterprise... then such a weakened, injured young man limp in your arms... It's not easy to take in, sir."
"I understand. Feel free to go see him once you have the time, and after you've found out what those do." he pointed to the gloves.
O'Brien smiled slightly, albeit a sad one, "Yes, sir."
Dim lights. Dim lights were all he had been exposed to for four months. It was murder to open his eyes, even a crack, inside these brightly lit, white walls. He winced with the sudden pain in his eyes as they tried to focus, and let out a light sigh. Bahir looked over his shoulder, hearing the sigh, "Are you awake?" He walked over to the bed leaning forward a tad.
Wesley tried to speak, but found it difficult with his hoarse voice. He cleared his throat a bit and paused before attempting again, "... Where am I?"
"You in the Deep Space Nine sickbay. You were brought aboard from a merchant vessel." Bashir plucked a medical tricorder from his holster and began to scan him over, "How are you feeling?"
Wesley made an unsure face and shrugged slightly, "Not bad, not good."
"As expected." Bashir smirked a bit, "You mother is on her way. She should be here in less then an hour now." He closed the tricorder and slipped it back into his holster, "Most of you open wounds have been healed, so when you have the energy you can sit up. Is there anything you'd like me to get you?"
"Nothing... Nothing really." Wesley smiled a bit courteously, "But can you turn the lights down? It's killing me..." he closed his eyes and turned his head, "It's like a jackhammer being shoved into my eye or something..."
Bashir chuckled and dimmed the lights, "Right, well, get you some rest for now." He turned away and walked back to his station. He had only met Wesley a few times before, and even then for such short periods that they had never really talked. It was understandable that neither of them recognized the other that well. He only remembered how young he looked back when they met, and how he had grown since. Now probably wasn't the best time to take a full look at him though, seeing as his skin was pale and his face void of it once peachy color.
"Hey, wait a second... Where are my gloves?" Wesley sat up and looked around before grabbing his head and falling back, "Whoa, too fast... Too fast."
Bashir approached again, "That wasn't a very smart thing to do. You gloves are down in engineering for examination. Can you tell me what they do?"
"I would, but my head is too blank to come up with anything to tell you..."
The Enterprise-D was one of the most advanced ships in the federation; Sisko loved it when he could see it out of the windows. It detail was amazing, its design was flawless, but now wasn't the time to marvel in ships as he always did. Now wasn't the best time for anything but showing Beverly Crusher to her injured son. The ship was docked, all procedures and cautions had been taken, it was now time to let the crew aboard. The first one out was the captain, Jean-Luc Picard. Sisko didn't really care about him. The next was his first officer, followed by Lieutenant Commander Data. Then came Dr. Crusher, looking as worried as could be. The only thing holding back her tears was her need to look calm in front of authority, and Sisko knew it. She took her place by the captain. He approached the group, "Captain Picard. Doctor Crusher." He addressed.
"Commander, where is my son?" Dr. Crusher asked immediately.
Sisko paused and nodded, "He's in sickbay. I'll escort you immediately."
Picard looked to his crew, "I believe it would be best if the crew and I stay behind for now. That way Dr. Crusher can see her son undisturbed."
"As you wish, Picard." Sisko said briefly before turning away with Crusher and heading in the opposite direction. It was the most professional he could be around the man he found responsible for his wife's death. Anyway, it wasn't the time for grudges. He just needed to get a worried mother to her once missing son. He found the walk to the promenade extraordinarily silent. They walked at a somewhat face pace, but not enough to really show. He could feel her eagerness and anxiety grow as they approached the door to the sickbay, as if it was the door to heaven. He opened the door, revealing the sickbay. She slowly walked in, seeing wesley sitting up on the bed.
He slowly looked up to her, his face slowly changing with his realization, "... Mom!" he said quietly.
She couldn't hold back anymore. The tears just came out, "Wesley!" she huffed and ran over, hugging him. She squeezed, but not too tight so that she wouldn't hurt him, "Oh, Wes!" Wesley gently hugged her back, not having the strength to do much else. She let go and pulled back, looking him over and brushing his hair out of the way, "What did they do to you?" she cried before hugging him again with a sob.
"Nothing I can't get over. Ow.. Mom, too tight." he smirked a bit. Dr. Crusher slowly loosened him again, "I'll be okay." She tucked her lips back for a moment and nodded.
Sisko chose to stand back and not interfere. It was best he left them alone. Bashir stood up from his station and looked to his commander, "Amazing, hm?" He smiled. Sisko simply gave a slight nod.
Still getting better, just you wait!