Lt. JG Katsim Peri - "Hasty Retreat"
Amanda Nordstrom
((Bridge - Talon Class Scout, USS Yosemite Sam))
They were supposed to be looking at the dynamite field. It
was supposed to be a quick, easy trip. Peri was supposed to
be helping.
Except that from the moment she stepped on the shuttle, she
couldn’t relax. Every muscle was tight, every fiber of her
being was telling her to get off and as far away as she
could. Instead, she fought against it and managed to buckle
her seat belt.
After takeoff, she thought it would be fine. They were just
running over the field, taking a look, getting some stands,
helping McLaren. But as the trip progressed, Peri found a
vision running through her mind over and over and over again.
Teeth clenched, she found herself snapping at McLaren to just
get some scans while her mind wrestled with itself.
Katsim: Right. Scan.
Wong: Are you okay, Lieutenant?
Peri nodded, though the silent assurance was just a lie. That
would take a few minutes. She just needed a few minutes.
Just a few. Just to get the vision out of her mind.
McLaren: Response
The wind slapped her again, she could hear it. Its high
whistle hissing in her ears. White. It was all white. The
ship was there, everything was there, but her mind settled
upon something else, thrust that image in her mind. The
swirling snow that whipped and danced, the wind laughing with
glee. It played before her mind's eye, and Peri attempted,
once more, to dismiss it, her breath quickening.
She heard words. Their words. Someone’s words, but she shook
her head, unable to really contemplate or process what they
said. She stared forward, eyes focusing on something,
everything, and yet nothing at the same time. And there it
was, over and over again, that snow, that blinding white that
encompassed everything, drowning out all reality.
Wong: Ms. McLaren, can you stop the shuttle for a moment? I
need to take care of something.
McLaren: Response
The shuttle shuddered and Peri gave a screech. Her
fingernails dug into the fabric of the seat, her eyes shut
tight. The wind continued to laugh, the snow continued to
flair, burning cold against her skin. The young scientist
gave another soft cry and shook her head once more. Her eyes
closed, but they did little to help, the image kept playing,
the wind kept laughing, and Peri couldn’t do anything about
it. Echo crooned and moaned, butting her head over and over
against Peri’s neck and jaw, as if trying to help, but to
little avail.
McLaren: Response
Wong: It’s going to be okay. I’m right here with you. Just
breathe. Breathe in……. Breathe out…..
Breathe in, breathe out. Peri could hear his words, but she
struggled to separate that from the wind. It seemed to want
to carry them away, to force her focus on its cackling than on
the soothing words of the klingon beside her.
McLaren: Response.
Wong: Focus on your breathing. If you need to, you’re more
than welcome to reach out and hold on to me if it helps.
She was trying. She could see him, could sense his closeness,
but the vision kept on playing, superimposed in the thoughts
of mind. Inside her chest, her heart beat, roughly pounding
and Peri lifted her hands to press against her eyes, as if it
might somehow force the image out of her mind.
McLare: Response.
Wong: Breathe in….. And breathe out…..
McLaren: Response.
His words were guiding her, trying to ground her, and Peri
once again made an attempt to follow. Breath in. Breath
out. He was setting the pace, but Peri struggled to follow,
to slow her mind, to slow her heart.
Katsim: Can we go back please?
The words were choked,
forced out between the breaths that Ikaia was directing from
her.
McLaren/Wong: Response
Even as she spoke, Peri didn’t open her eyes and she shook her
head, wishing she could just be transported back. Maybe she
could. That was an option, wasn’t it? Couldn’t they just do
that? Sweat beaded upon her skin and her hands continued in
their trembling.
Katsim: Just transport me? Send me back? Please?
Sweat began to form and Peri clenched her hands into fists.
Leaning heavy against her neck, Echo crooned once more, and
the hybrid managed to lift one of those hands to rest upon the
hide of the little creature who was so intent on trying to
help.
McLaren/Wong: Response
Katsim: No...the Thor! Send me back to the Thor!
She wanted to go home. She didn’t want to go back to Amity,
back to a strange place. She wanted to go back to the ship.
Back *home*. Sweat beads turned into trickles, soaking into
her uniform. She needed to get out of there.
McLaren/Wong: Response
-- Lt. JG Katsim Peri Science Officer USS Thor M239008AD0