Chapter Three: Waking Up

"Captains Log, Star date: 44015.3

The Enterprise has now departed the Sol system and is preceding at high warp speed to station Deep Space 9. We are to receive two Star Fleet officers there for the purpose of meeting with similar Cardassian officials at an unknown location in the so-called Badlands area of space. It is hoped that this meeting will defuse several issues that have arisen in the policing of the Federation/Cardassian Peace-treaty. Other reporting points: All ship functions are nominal and the ship is running well. Our guest, Major Pierce continues to recover and will soon be removed from stasis. On the one hand, I look forward to questioning him on his role with these beings involved in altering Earth history. On the other, I have some thoughts of caution."

After Dr Crusher had reviewed the stasis chamber recordings over the past two day period, she approved the patients removal from the chamber. George was now snoozing comfortably on a bed in the regular ward of the sickbay compartment. Nurse Ogawa monitored him and they waited.

After several hours, George began to stir in his bed a little. His eyes fluttered and he breathed deeply, letting out a big yawn as his body began feeling the sensations of consciousness.

For a moment, he didn't want to open his eyes. He felt extremely comfortable and warm, a luxury he hadn't experienced in a long time. But his conscious mind was expanding. Thoughts begin to form in his mind. He tried to open one eye, just a little.

Alyssa Ogawa, the ward nurse, was standing close by. She noticed the patient starting to stir and sent a quick alerting chime to the doctor through her comm badge.

As light came flooding into George's eye, he let the other one open a little too. The blurry and unfocused figure of someone standing near began taking shape.

"Well, good morning!" Alyssa said in her most cheery voice.

"Good … morning" George half choked out, realizing that his mouth was dry as cotton. It also took a lot of effort. He was still so very tired.

As his vision cleared, he could see the figure standing beside the bed was a young lady wearing some kind of hospital uniform. Then, he heard another female voice that he thought he'd heard before.

"Well, how is our patient feeling this morning?" Dr Crusher asked while walking up to the bed.

George looked up and saw an attractive red haired women wearing a lab coat smiling down at him.

"You…" he stuttered. "I dreamed about you." he said hoarsely. "Where am I"?

Dr Crusher had a ready answer. "You're in a hospital. You're recovering from very serious injuries". The doctor crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. "How are you feeling George"?

He blinked his eyes as he pondered the question. "Thirsty…" was his slow and hoarse answer. (She knows my name?)

"That…" the doctor said, "we can take care of right away". Beverly made a motion to Nurse Ogawa, who then turned and walk away.

The doctor turned her attention to the medical scanner and studied the readouts. At the same time she asked without looking at him "Are you feeling any discomfort? Any pain"?

George tried to shake himself fully awake, taking in a very deep breath "I gotta get back to Division HQ … Report in ... Find my battalion". He wanted to sit up, but couldn't. He began to feel the restraints holding him down.

Beverly pressed her hand down on his chest lightly. "George, the war is over. They don't need you anymore". She smiled at him.

Nurse Ogawa arrived back with a clear plastic cup and straw filled with ice water. "Here we are!" she said in a cheery voice. She positioned the cup so George could sip the cool water through the straw.

To George, it was so good. It felt like the water was revitalizing his body.

Beverly continued her prepared speech (arranged previously by herself and Consoler Troi) "So for the time being, you are my patient. You got that soldier"? She delivered this with a smile and a wink.

"Your orders," she continued "are to stay in bed and sleep, rest, and otherwise relax. Understood"?

George relaxed in his bed "Yes ma'am, understood" he spoke softly.

"Good!" the doctor said. "I'll check in on you a little latter".

The doctor turned to leave and motioned to Nurse Ogawa to follow her a short distance.

"As soon as he finishes his water" ,she said in a whisper "put him back to sleep. Another eight to ten hours will be good".

"Yes Doctor" the nurse replied.

Alyssa returned to the bedside and helped George with his drinking water. When she was sure he was finished, she stealthily touched a control on the bed's medical scanner and control panel. A few minutes later he was sound asleep.

The next time George awoke, there was a different women at his bedside. A very attractive brunette, she had a big smile and cheerful eyes. There was something about her that made George feel totally at ease. A little voice inside his mind assured him gently that he could tell her anything.

He blinked his eyes to clear his vision and yawned deeply. Bringing his hand to his face so he could rub his eyes, he realized that he was no longer restrained.

She didn't speak, but continued to smile at him. The feeling comforted him and confused him at the same time.

"Hello…" he said hesitantly.

"Hello George. My name is Deanna. How are you feeling"?

George shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Like I've been asleep for a very long time".

Deanna's smile got even bigger at that comment. But she needed to steer the conversation away from that difficult subject (at least for now). So she quickly held up the cup of ice water.

"Thirsty"? She gave it a little jiggle and held it out to him.

"Yeah, thanks". He accepted it and took a sip through the straw.

"Umm… That tastes good" he sighed. "But, I'm feeling kind of hungry too. Any possibility of getting some chow here"?

Deanna continued to smile. "Well that's a good sign"! She nodded her head and said "Lets see what the Doctor says".

Soon, his bedside was crowded with 3 different women. They poked him, prodded him and several times, asked him how he was feeling. His bed was adjusted so he could sit up, and a tray was brought to the bedside table with some food on it. He wasn't sure what it was by looking at it. It tasted like soft, watered down rice. There was a warm vegetable soup that had a hint of chicken flavor, and a very small portion of mixed peas and carrots. More ice water to drink.

"Eat slowly!" the nurse cautioned with a smile and a wagging finger as she walked away.

George was alone in the ward. So he ate his meal. It wasn't so bad. Military chow was military chow, wherever you went.

At least, he was guessing this was a military hospital. It seemed like it. He wondered if he was being watched. Probably.

So who's military hospital was it? The good guys or the bad guys? It had to be the good guys, he reasoned. Khan and his General would never expend this much effort on enemy prisoners. If they couldn't convert them into narco-mercs, just leave'em and let'em die.

And then, just as he was finishing his soup, his mind stumbled upon another memory. It confused him terribly. It was a very real memory. He couldn't deny it had happened.

"I'm suppose to be dead" he said out load to himself.

He looked at his left hand. It was covered in a light gauze glove. He flexed his fingers and felt a slight painful stiffness.

He carefully removed the gauze glove and examined his hand. The injury had mostly healed but the signs of it were still visible. Slipping the glove back on, he wondered for a few minutes what was going on here.

What happened to me? How did I get here? He had another troubling memory, but couldn't decide whether it was real or part of a dream.

A dream? He had dreamed about that red-headed doctor. Or had he? Gotta get some answers.

"Excuse me"! He was looking down the ward toward the doorway. He started to call again. "Excuse…"

Deanna came into the ward followed by the nurse.

"Can I get you anything" Deanna said cheerfully. "Is everything alright"?

When Deanna got to his bedside, George looked her directly in the eyes.

"Am I a prisoner of war"?

"Oh goodness no!" Deanna dismissed the question with a small wave-off of her hand and a little laugh.

Alyssa wheeled the table away from the bed and started tidying up the food try and water cup.

"Who's hospital is this"? George began rattling off the questions filling his mind. "Where is this? How did I get here? Who are you people, and how do you know my name? Because it just occurred to me, that I'm suppose to be dead"!

Deanna reached towards George and gave his dog tags, hanging from the bead-chain around his neck, a little jingle.

She smiled while George held his tags to examine them. Yep, they were his.

"You need to hold on to those questions" she said. "First, we want to get you healthy and on your feet again".

"For what purpose?" George answered sharply.

There was a pause and they stared at each other. "Look, I know that you don't know me" she began. "But you really can trust me. Nothing bad is going to happen to you, and we really want you to get perfectly well".

She was having that effect on him again. He could hear her gentle voice inside his mind, calming him, soothing him. How does she do that?

He turned his head and stared at the wall on the other side of the ward. He thought about what she said.

"Everybody is telling me that the war is over". He turned back to meet her eyes. "Who won?"

"That's complicated" she said lightly. "George, you really need to hold on to those questions for the time being. They will get answered! I promise".

George was trying to be angry, but it wasn't working. This effect she had on him was very confusing. How does she do that?

"Alright" he gave up. "I'll surrender for now to whatever that voodoo magic is that you're using on me". He leaned back into his pillow. "But you owe me answers. I'll remember your promise" he smiled and winked at her.

"Voodoo!" Deanna turned her nose up at the suggestion. She shook her head and then turned to walk away.

"By the way" she said walking to the door, "You aren't dead. You were never dead".

She turned back to him at the door and gave him a little wave and a smile.