Bambi concentrated hard, attempting to ignore any distractions that might interrupt his focus. As he closed his eyes, he felt a sudden, sharp pain on his left side, causing him to open his eyes abruptly. He found himself on the halo deck, surrounded by the lines of the deck, and the image he had in his mind vanished.

Captain Zirtha's voice broke the silence, her tone stern as she tapped her palm with a wooden sword. "Try again," she ordered, "Visualize your perfect utopia." She paced back and forth before Bambi, who closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Bambi pictured the inside of the temple and centered his mind on the arc that appeared before him. He focused his energy on the lid of the Orb arc, and this time he managed to push it open slightly. He hoped to find answers to his questions from one of the orbs.

But just as he reached inside the arc, he felt a sharp, painful jab on his left side, making him yelp out in pain. He glared at his captain, who let out a sigh and repeated her order. Bambi resumed his thoughts and put his arm back into the arc once again. However, he felt another sharp jab in his shoulder, causing him to look behind him to see his captain nodding encouragingly, urging him to try again.

Bambi hesitated before putting his arm back into the arc for the second time, hoping to find the Orb he needed to change the past. As he searched, he felt something nibbling on his hand. Looking into the arc, he saw a small, dark purple bunny. The bunny looked around before making eye contact with Bambi and curled up to sleep.

He carefully took the bunny out of the arc and left the temple doorway with it. The bunny was a welcomed distraction from his thoughts and a much-needed addition to his journey.

His gaze was fixed on the animal as he took cautious steps forward, his ears alert to any sound. Suddenly, he heard a sharp snap of a twig beneath his feet followed by a hissing sound. In an instant, he realized his mistake and stumbled backward, barely managing to hold onto his companion. As he lifted his head, he came face to face with a small diamond pattern snake. With great care, he brought the bunny towards his chest, making sure not to make any sudden moves, and held her securely with one arm.

The snake tilted its head, first in one direction and then in the other, curious to know what this foolish kid was doing with a potential prey. Flicking its tongue a few times, it eventually turned away, looking in the opposite direction but not moving. Bambi also followed its gaze and saw the sun setting between the trees. With that, the snake nodded at the ensign and slithered away into the trees.

Bambi let out a deep breath, his heart still pounding with fear. He used one hand to push himself up into a standing position, brushing off the dirt and twigs from his uniform. The sweet melodies of birds echoed through the forest, accompanied by the sounds of other creatures. He stopped and closed his eyes, focusing on all the sounds around him. As he stroked the bunny's soft fur, the tiny creature opened her eyes and looked around.

With a smile on his face, he watched as the bunny jumped out of his arms and disappeared behind a nearby tree. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about the little creature. But he quickly shook his head and wiped his eyes. He needed to stay focused.

He found a tree to lean against and looked up at the towering organisms that surrounded him. He lay down on the soft grass, closed his eyes, and let the sounds of nature wash over him, soothing his nerves. He put his arms behind his head and relaxed, allowing himself to be lost in the peacefulness of the forest.

"Good, computer run training Zirtha 2010."

The wooden sword vanished together with the white lines of the halo deck and was replaced by two Bath'leths. The weapons hummed with an eerie purple glow from the nanopulse, as the sounds of Klingon chatter filled the air. Zirtha, one of the combatants, wasted no time and began pacing her opponent in the ring of the tournament platform. Bambi rose to his feet and similarly began sizing up his opponent.

The halo spectator shouted, "Begin", and Zirtha rushed forward without hesitation, swiping a forward blow that Bambi barely managed to block. The surrounding crowd roared as Bambi was knocked off his feet and onto his back, due to a fast sweeping low kick from his opponent. More yells came from the stands as he quickly rolled out of the way of an oncoming blow from his opponent's blade. The hum of the blade filled his ears as it touched the ground narrowly missing him.

Swiftly rising to his feet, Bambi thought of the bunny running behind the tree. He bared his teeth and took several quick swings with the blade, but each one missed as Zirtha stepped to the side or back. It was almost like a dance, with Zirtha countering each of Bambi's moves. Eventually, Zirtha swayed from behind and sent a blow to Bambi's back. He landed on his hands, breathing heavily.

The crowd chanted, "Zirtha, Zirtha, Zirtha."

Bambi shouted, "Computer end program."

"The ideal utopia is a stunning place to be, where one can connect with nature and all forms of life. Zirtha gave an approving look before continuing, "It's a calming and serene environment that promotes focus. Both of these qualities are necessary for connecting with the Prophets."

Suddenly, the captain's face turned serious, and her hands went behind her back as she continued speaking, "However, during my search of your mind, I noticed that you're afraid."

Bambi hung his head low and kept his focus on the lines of the halo-deck floor.

"You're so quick to use anger, and while it may give you temporary power, it also unbalances you," Zirtha said, placing a comforting hand on the ensign's shoulder. Bambi looked up and gave his captain a sad smile.

"I order you to bed," she said with a stern voice. "Sleep on today's training." The softness in her voice at those last words was evident. With that, Zirtha left the halo deck, and Bambi followed.

As he strolled along, his mind kept wandering back to the cute bunny that had hopped behind the tree. It was such a heartwarming sight that he couldn't help but smile every time he thought about it.