She wanted to tell someone. Buthow could she? It was only a dream. Or was it? She had never had nightmaresbefore, let alone one that recurred night after night. The details – they wereworse than she thought she could ever have dreamed up.
Who could she tell? John? Notin a million years!
Dunlop? That might work. Maybethere was a medical reason.
She hadn’t slept, so turning upin sick bay before work wasn’t a problem. Andrews was there. Damn! Shedidn’t want to talk to him.
“Problem, Lieutenant Commander?”he asked.
“No,” she shook her head. “I’mfine.”
As she headed back down thecorridor, another day of misery was simply not an option. She switched on hercommunicator.
“Doc, where are you?”
“Just got out of the shower.”
Too much information, shecringed.
“You alone?” she asked.
“The commander’s not here andGillespie’s still asleep.”
“Can I see you? Just for a minute?”
“Sure.”
A few minutes later she wasbeeping the door.
He was in full uniform, his hairdamp as he smiled and indicated she come in.
She headed straight to thelounge, dropped to it, fell against the back of it and closed her eyes.
“You look like crap,” heappraised her.
“Thank you.” She let out abreath and opened her eyes. “I can’t sleep. More to the point, I don’t wantto sleep.”
He sat in the chair opposite,running a critical eye over her as he waited for her to expand.
McReidy glanced around the room. It was strange being in John’s quarters when he wasn’t there. She shiveredslightly as though his presence was still there.
“I’m having nightmares,” shebegan. “And I don’t have nightmares. It started off as a dream that just keptrecurring. Then it got worse and I have these headaches and… I’m waking up ina sweat and… I just don’t know.”
“What’s the dream about?” Hisvoice and his eyes were soft.
“Manados. The place is overrunand everyone’s dead.”
She closed her eyes and liftedher hands to her head, pressing her palms against her forehead.
“I’m sorry. I don’t have anyanswers.”
She grumbled. “I was hoping itwas something medical like I’m losing my mind.”
His soft chuckle had her loweringher hands and cracking her eyes open.
“Glad you find it amusing.”
“The whole crew’s stressed,” hecontinued. “A week’s R and R away from the ship would do everyone the world ofgood, but I can’t see that happening in the near future… Look, drop by sickbay and I’ll give you some sleeping pills. A good night’s sleep might make youfeel better.”
She managed a weak smile. “Thanks.”
Sleep was the last thing shewanted. She had to stay awake. Even closing her eyes for a few seconds torelax was enough to cause her to start dreaming.
He checked his watch. “I’ve gotto start work now. Do you want me to walk you to the lift?”
She shook her head. “I’ve gotsome time to kill.”
He hesitated, as thoughuncomfortable at leaving her there. She flopped her head back, staring up atthe ceiling and closed her eyes.
She heard his soft footsteps andthe door, and relaxed in the silence.
A moment later, footstepsreturned. Wait, the door hadn’t opened...
She opened her eyes and sawGillespie standing in front of her in t-shirt, pants and socks.
“I heard what you said to thedoc.”
She groaned.
“No, wait. I’m having the samething.”
“What?” She looked up at him,took in his drawn face, tired eyes and a general sense of exhaustion.
“Nightmares. Manados,” heexplained. “Though not as bad as you.”
“So I’m not losing my mind.”
“Unless we both are.”
This time her smile was genuine. “So what do we do about it?”
“I guess we’ve got to talk to thecommander.”
She groaned and screwed her eyesshut again.
“Well, the doc’s got no idea ’costhere’s no way a good night’s sleep is going to fix anything.”
“And the commander’s going tohave any answers?”
He shrugged.
“All right,” she gave in. “When?”
“The sooner the better. Let megrab my jacket and boots.”
He left her alone for a minuteand she slowly rose to her feet and gazed aimlessly around the room. Shepicked up a cushion that had somehow managed to find its way to the floor andtossed it onto the lounge. She couldn’t explain the warm feeling that crept upinside her.
* * *
John looked up from the nightlyreports as the bridge door opened. McReidy and Gillespie – they’d both beenlooking off for the past few days. And they weren’t looking much better today.
“Sir, can we have a word withyou?” Gillespie asked.
“My office. Mister Humphries,”he handed the report over, “the bridge is yours.”
John took his chair behind thedesk, his eyes drifting between them.
McReidy sank into a chair and letGillespie explain.
“Got to be more thancoincidence,” John agreed, “but I have no idea what.”
“What am I supposed to do?” McReidy couldn’t keep quiet any longer, slapping the arms of the chair. “Idon’t want to go to sleep at night.”
“Then we better find someone whocan tell us what’s going on.” John turned his attention to the console on hisdesk.
“Who?”
“Mark.”
“Really?” McReidy rolled hereyes. “No one else?”
“And I’m not saying he’ll haveanswers,” John continued as he put the call through and switched it to thescreen on the wall. “Maybe just a bit of insight.”
Mark was in. McReidy winced.
John briefly outlined the problem. Mark’s attention settled on McReidy.
“You’re the one who is mostaffected by this?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else on the ship, or justthe two of you?”
“I don’t know. It’s not the typeof thing that comes up in social conversation.”
“Agreed.” Mark smiled as theslight edge in her voice was directed at him. “You’ve both been to Manados?”
McReidy and Gillespie nodded. John was ignored in the conversation. He was merely an outsider whose opinionmeant nothing.
“Tell me everything youremember. Don’t worry about anything you consider personal… I know GovernorCush read your mind.”
A look of horror crossedMcReidy’s face.
“We had a discussion about amonth ago.” Mark explained. “He has a great deal of respect for your…imagination?”
McReidy shrank into her chair,turned her head away and lifted one hand to cover her mouth as she mumbledsomething unintelligible.
“Just tell me about your dream.”
She dropped her hand,straightened up, took a breath and composed herself.
John let his attention wander; hedidn’t need to hear it again. A small blue light glowed on the console. Heswitched on the small screen and opened the message from Command: a change totheir orders.
He glanced up. McReidy was stilltalking.
He dropped his attention back tothe small screen and read.
