Deep Space Guardian: Season II-Episode 23

[Founder]

-DSG, Corridor-

Ian made no movement and stood in silence. His eyes never moved from Archer. He was at a loss as to where he got the new phaser or why he didn't use it in the fight. It certainly wasn't out of honor, because the man has proven to be a coward and honorless. It must have been out of stupidity. He could hear Ziona mutter something to Daien and move to assist Archer.

[Lord Borg]

Daien began to move towards the sickbay doors. HE kept his movements slow, and carful.

On the floor, archer had stoped moving. He let out a small sound and his eyes started to roll up in his head as his eyelids started to close.

Daien walked into sickbay and went to a console. He got the crossover device and prepared to go back. He spoke outloud.

"Merrik is somewhere, you can keep him. As for Jones, well, if he isn't here, then I guess I must assume the worst Pity, I rather liked him"

With a push of the button, Daien, was gone.

[Ziona]

DSG, Hallway

Ziona put a hand on Archer's chest and choked back a gasp.

"Ian!" Ziona called out, not even worrying about protocal. She gently touched her hand to Archer's cheek. "Captain... come on." Panic was raising in her throat. "Captain, come on! Stay awake now!"

[Lord Borg]

A slight grunt came from Archer. His eyes opend slightly at the sound of a voice. Who's was it? It was female that much, Archer could make out. He made a sound again and the eyes repeated the same process, starting to close.

[Founder]

-DSG, Sickbay-

The secondary EMH saw what looked like captain Archer walk in and grab the strange device, left here from when the trio first arrived. The man dissapeared, with the device and two compatriots less.

"What in the hell?" He asked.

The man muttered something and simply vanished in what looked like a red transporter beam. His combadge rang out.

"Xavier to Sickbay," Ian said, "Medical emergency in this corridor."

The EMH looked at the primary EMH and Juliana.

"I got it." He muttered.

He grabbed a medical kit and ran into the corridor. After running for several feet, he saw the three officers. To his surprise, the injured officer looked like the man who dissapeared.

"I give up with this," He said, "I just won't even ask."

He knelt next to him and opened the kit, immediatly getting to work.

[Ziona]

DSG, Hallway

Ziona took a few steps back from Archer as the EMH appeared. She backed away towards the opposite wall of the hallway and remained there, her hands clasped in front of her, her dark eyes focused on Archer.

She could hear the blood rushing through her ears. She could hear her heart pounding furiously in her chest. Her mind took her back to all the destruction she had seen when Fito had attempted to take over the station. Panic rose in her throat.

"Please, tell me he's going to be ok." Ziona choked out, her eyes turning from Archer to the EMH and then finally to Ian. Her eyes remained on him.

[Lord Borg]

~Archer's mind~

White light, that's all Archer could see. There was a sound coming from somewhere, he couldnt tell. It was almost angelic. Out of the white, a woman came up to him. One he had not seen in hears.

"Kianna...."

The woman nodded. His wife the one that died was now infront of him.

"John.... it's not time for you yet...."

Archer shook his head.

"I... I don't understand."

The woman sighed slightly and touched his arm.

"It's not your time yet. YOu have many more things to do before it is your time."

Archer felt tears swell in his eyes.

"I can't leave you..."

The woman smiled.

"You won't be, we're together always. I have to tell you something John. Stop hurting, let go and move on. It's ok...."

"No..." A tear came down archer's cheek, both in what was going on in his mind, and on his phsical self.

DSG, near sickbay, Corridor

A tear came down archer's face as the EMH worked on him. Words escaped his lips.

"Kianna...."

[Founder]

-DSG, Corridor-

Ian stared down at his friend, whom he had known since the Academy. He placed a hand one his shoulder and watched in silence. The secondary EMH continued to work, running a device over the wound. Ian heard Archer whisper his dead wife's name. He had remembered her. They were good friends and would join together to make Archer's life a living "hell". Although it wasn't hell. It was all jokes. They were a trio and Ian missed Kianna dearly. Although not as much as Archer, who took a while to recover.

"Damnit Jon," He said, "Don't die on me."

Ian found it interesting how he had just been fighting a man who was virtually a clone of him. But he looked at his friend and knew he was nothing like the man he had fought. The EMH kept working, muttering every so often. After a few minutes, the EMH stopped and gave a very Human sigh.

"Hes stable," He said, "But we're gonna have to bring him to Sickbay..."

He tapped his combadge.

"Sickbay," He said, "Two to beam over."

Archer's body vanished and he beamed to Sickbay as the EMH transfered back. Ian looked up at Ziona, looking very disheveled. He fell against the bulkhead and sat there for a few moments, finally being able to just...breath.

"One hell of a day..." He muttered.

[Ziona]

DSG, Corridor

Ziona glanced at Ian and remained silent. She leaned against the wall and looked down at the floor. She was almost completely drained of all her energy. Her mind wasn't focusing anymore. Her headache was back.

"Ya." She spoke quickly. "Some day."

Ziona remained there a moment longer before she turned and started to walk down the hall, going no where in particular. She just wanted to walk away from everything.

[Lord Borg]

Archer's eyes opend and he stared up at the ceiling. The EMH continued to work on him. He didn't move, or say a word.

[Founder]

-DSG, Corridor-

Ian watched as Ziona walked away. He wasn't sure if it was because of everything that has happened or she just didn't want to be near him. They were back to the Tidus mood again. He sighed and stared at the grey carpet. There was nothing he could say to her, especially if she did indeed hate him. He could only hope she would stay so that something would come out of their relationship. May it be friendship or more. Ian stood up and walked towards the opposite end of the corridor and entered the turbolift. He called for the special forces deck. The turbolift ride there was much more peaceful, much more. He stepped out and walked into the HQ.

-DSG, Special Forces HQ-

Ian walked in to find Sophia holding the baby and Kyle watching over them. He didn't walk up to them and only watched. To everyone, it seemed like RU Sophia was holding the baby, but it wasn't. It was MU Sophia dressed like RU Sophia. Ian did it to ensure that she would not be hurt and the baby would have it's mother. Archer fell for it and now thought the baby was gone. He would not return. Unfortunetly, now his chielf helm officer was hurt in a coma. She knew the risks though...

[Ziona]

DSG, Ziona's Quarters

Ziona finally arrived at her quarters. After a moment of standing in the doorway, she crossed the room and collapsed onto the couch. Her eyes focused on the ceiling before she felt sleep crawling over her. Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell into a fitful sleep, punctuated with horrible visions.

Drifting in and out of her dreams was Ian. First as her commanding officer, then as a friend, then as more than a friend, and then as an enemy.

Ziona woke up a few hours later, her breathe racing and sweat coating her forehead.

[Republican_Man]

--DSG, Special Forces HQ--
Kyle had sensed something odd--something unfamiliar--about the Sophia present, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. He sensed the Captain, highly injured, come in and saw a glimpse of him. He was about to speak to him when he decided it would be best not to, to just leave him be.

[Founder]

-DSG, Special Forces-

Ian gave a curt nod to Kyle, implying the mission was complete. He turned and walked away, headed back to the turbolift. Ian called for it and waited. He wanted to check to see how things were with Archer and Sophia. The doors opened and he walked in to see a packed sickbay. To his surprise, Blake was laying on a biobed. He rushed over to his side as one of the EMHs were working on him.

"What the hell happened to my chief of security?" He asked.

The EMH looked up at him.

"I don't know sir," He said, "He was severely injured in some fight. No one tells me anything..."

Ian sighed and patted Blake on the shoulder softly. He looked to see Archer, being worked on. So many injured people and one dead. For what? A baby and one woman?

[Ziona]

DSG, Corridor

Ziona had cleaned up and was now dressed in street clothes. She got into the turbolift and called for the sickbay. She wanted to check on Archer and the rest of the crewmembers.

The doors slid open and Ziona moved out of the turbolift and towards sickbay. Once inside, Ziona glanced left and right, sighing heavily at the number of injured.

"Is there anything I can do to help, Doctor?" Ziona called out to the EMH. She didn't even notice Ian was standing near the EMH.

[Lord Borg]

Sickay

The EMH shruged.

"Well, you could keep an eye on Captan Archer for a moment, I'm about to release several paitents, thanks to your, exepatory medical work."

The EMH smiled and went over to a group that just had a few bruises. He started to make some final check overs before allowing some of the secuity officers to leave.

Archer groaned finaly and looked over to the side. He noticed Ziona standing there.

"Commander?"

[Ziona]

DSG, Sickbay

Ziona turned and smiled at Archer. She crossed over to his biobed and stood next to his side.

"Yes, Captain?" She smiled quickly before looking at his vital signals. Everything seemed to be going well. "Captain, do you know who I am?"

[Lord Borg]

Archer smiled and nodded slightly.

"Lieutenant Commander Ziona"

Archer chuckled slightly.

"You're..... the one that put your self back in danger to make sure I didn't die..."

Archer tried to sit up, but the pain flaired in him


"Hmmm.... thank you.."

[Ziona]

DSG, Sickbay

Ziona couldn't help but smile.

"Please, sir. Lay back. Don't stress yourself right now. You're still recovering and any sort of sudden movement could impede it." She hit a few buttons to release a bit more painkillers into his system. "That should make you a little more comfortable, sir."

She watched him a moment.

"And you're welcome, sir. I was just doing my duty. I'm here to protect both my captain and any other commanding officer or comrade that may be in danger."

[Lord Borg]

Archer nodded again then looked around. He looked confuised.

"Where's.... Where's Kianna? She was speaking to me a few moments ago."

Archer wasn't as best as he thought he was. IN a lasp onf pain and confuson, he thought his wife, who died several years ago was somewhere in the room.

[Ziona]

DSG, Sickbay

Ziona was puzzled for a moment but decided it wasn't best to cause him more trauma or confusion than he was already experiencing.

"Oh... she stepped out to get something to eat in the messhall, sir." Ziona felt a twinge of pain in her heart to be lying to him like that. "She'll be back later. But she did tell me she wants you to rest, sir."

[Founder]

-DSG, Sickbay-

Ian, his back to Ziona and Archer, looked down at Blake. Injuries were all over his body, probably just like his own. He saw several officers walking out of sickbay, now healed. Everything seemed like slow motion to him. They casually walked by and he called out to one of them.

"Ensign?" He said, "Please come here."

The young blonde woman turned and walked over to Ian and her injured chief security officer.

"Yes sir?" She asked.

Ian looked over at her and then down to Blake.

"What happened here?" He asked.

She looked down at Blake sadly and recalled every vivid moment.

"We were attacked by this monstrous cyborg," She explained, "Lieutenant Commander Robitaille fought the thing and with the help of the Lieutenant Commander Merik, destroyed it."

Ian knew she was talking about Jones, the MU one. He was attacked by that thing as well. Ian looked over at the injured Merik in another biobed. He sighed and nodded his head.

"Thank you ensign." He replied.

The ensign nodded and looked at the captain.

"Don't worry captain," She replied, "Monsieur Robitaille est dur."

Ian smiled weakly and nodded. A lot of his security staff were French or either taught it by Blake. It made good code against alien intruders. Not to mention, Blake had a sense of closeness with his officers. Which is why he defends them so vehemently against the marines.

"Ensign?" He asked confused.

She chuckled and quickly replied.

"Translated roughly?" She said, "Hes tough."

Ian quickly nodded, now understanding.

"En effet." He replied with the very little he knew, taught by Blake.

She walked away and headed back to the corridor. Ian looked up at the EMH working on Blake. He was unsure if it was the same one that helped Archer.

"Status?" He asked.

The EMH snapped a tricorder shut.

"He'll live," He said, "No permanent injuries. Although I am concerned about one thing..."

Ian raised an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked.

The EMH shook his head.

"Sorry captain," He replied, "Doctor-patient confidentiality."

The captain folded his arms and sighed.

"Is it something that endagers his life?" He asked.

The EMH shrugged his shoulders.

"To be honest," He replied, "I don't know. I don't know what it even is."

Ian looked down at Blake's blank face. His eyes were shut and he looked like he was sleeping peacefully.

"If it endangers his life," He said, "I should know. I'm his commanding officer. Thats an order."

The EMH sighed and held up the tricorder readings. He showed the captain the readings about Blake's mental device. Ian looked at it and then followed the EMH to the medical files that had completed loading. Ian knew what this was. Him and Shoran briefly discussed this, a mystery back when she was chief medical officer.

"Its no big deal," He said, "As a child, Blake had an accident. The device was placed there to continue feeding oxygen to the brain. The reason it seems strange is that it is old compared to the technology now."

The EMH nodded, understanding.

"Oh ok," He said, "Makes sense. I knew it was Starfleet technology, but did look unusual. Well now that, that is cleared up...

He walked back to the injured Blake. Little did both men, organic and holographic know, the device was implanted by S31. It emitted numbing pheremones to ensure he would be able to take a beating or torture. Which attributes to how he survived against Jones, while the other officers fell and did not get up...

[Ziona]

DSG, Sickbay

Ziona managed to glance over towards Blake and noticed that Ian was standing, examining Blake's injuries and discussing them with the EMH. She turned her eyes back on Archer and continued her evaluation of his condition.

"You should have no permanent injuries, Captain." She smiled at Archer. "But I'm sure the EMH already told you that."

[Lord Borg]

Archer nodded.

"Yeah.. he did tell me."

Archer thought a moment then shook his head.

"No...she wouldn't have just gone to the mess hall... there's a replicator over there...She... isn't here... dead?"

[Ziona]

DSG, Sickbay

Ziona leveled her dark eyes at Archer.

"Please, sir, calm down." She noted that his elevated heartbeat and she put a hand on his shoulder.

An emotion rose in Ziona's mind that she hadn't felt before. It wasn't pity... she didn't pity this man. She rather respected him for what he had done and, after all, he had helped her after her first beating from Daien.

It was a sense of almost hopelessness. If a man of his presence and, seeming, poise could be brought down to this level and this much confusion, what did that mean for someone like her?

Ziona sighed heavily and watched Archer for a moment longer.

"Captain, calm down. Everything will be alright. I promise you that."