Act Two, Scene One

[a magical taco]

Beyond the windows, the rain outside pounded filling the room with a steady drum sound. The wind howled causing the old wooden shutters of this farm house to rattle. A sudden flash of lighting illuminated the small room with a ghostly white aura. The lighting was followed shortly by a clap of thunder that jolted the room causing the artificial lights to flicker. A faint cry from a young girl who was startled by the thunder could be heard just under the sounds of the beeping from a number of medical machines. Outside, the storm raged as a timeless struggle for survival was being fought inside the room. Strangely enough, it was a struggle that was common and took place almost monthly. Drifting over the room hung the specter of death who was an all too familiar visitor to this room. The thunder clapped once more as the lights flickered. The view changed as if the observer drifted around and above the room like some unseen specter.

Within the room, the lights were dim as a deep steady thumping sound pulsated with the rhythm of a very weak heart beating. Despite the most modern medical equipment available to a Federation medical team that was scattered around, the room gave the appearance of a lowly simple farm house. In the center of the room were two large medical beds with enough space between them for doctors to move freely. While one bed was recently vacated, the other held a small framed girl around the age of nine or ten. She wore a medical gown and a mask over her face that helped her weakened body breath. The lights flickered once more casting shadows high in to the vaulted ceiling. Her eyes drifted over the shadows as she struggled with each new breath. A doctor injected the girl with a hypo making breath that much easier for the girl.

A female doctor nodded to the girl as the girl seemed to have a bit easier time breathing. The doctor was dressed in a bright blue surgical gown. At the head of the bed stood a holographic doctor running his hands over the controls of the bed. At a far wall, a second holographic doctor monitored a medical device and called out the vital signs of the patient. A new clap of thunder caused the lights to flicker and the pair of holograms to also flicker. It was a timeless struggle between mortal doctors and death. A struggle that currently had no clear outcome. Would Death leave tonight with his prize or once more be driven back by the science of mortals once more.

Sitting in a far corner a much younger girl not half the age of the girl on the bed rested her head between her legs. Her head shook with fear as she heard the storm outside and watched the struggle within the room. She pulled her knees up tightly with her little arms as she whimpered under the sounds of the thunder. Her voice filled with fear and sadness as she whispered, "please don't be real........please wake up......"

Comforting the younger girl, a boy rested his arm around her and pulled her in tightly. Dressed in a medical gown like the girl on the bed, he looked back to the twin beds. He held the little girl tightly as he tried to calm her.

A forth doctor rushed in from a side room carrying a medical kit. He spoke as he rested it on the empty bed and pulled out medicine. His voice was filled with concern, "We have to rush the girl to Edinburgh's medical facility" Realizing the other doctor wasn't paying attention he took her arm, "Selina, my god, the girl is dying."

The female doctor looked up and snapped, "No I can stabilize her." She jerked her arm free and then snapped the medicine from his grip.

Turning her head, the older girl looked over at the pair in the corner. She reached up with her weakened hand and pulled off the mask. "Seona.....its okay....." she said coughing and added, "I....will be fine...."

Seona looked up with tears in her eyes, "Please...."

"shhhhhh" the boy said comforting the girl. "It will be okay. You'll see. My mom will save her" he said drawing the girls attention while gazing in to her soft eyes. Her bright eyes filled with tears as he felt her pain. He knew that things were getting harder with each new treatment. He was old enough to understand the nature of the struggle.

"Captain...." The voice of Dr. McCoy echoed across the room. For a moment the image seemed to be real then once more it was nothing more than a ghost in the back of his mind. Once more, "Captain?" Dr. McCoy said as her voice snapped Captain Campbell back to reality. He looked around his ready room to notice everyone watching him. Dr. Bell looked as nervous as he did when he started speaking. He must of appeared confused or distracted cause once more Dr. McCoy spoke up, "Captain did you have any questions?"

Captain Campbell looked down to his data pad and saw that at one point he had typed out the following passage. "Don't be pushed by your fears. Be led by your dreams" he couldn't tell what it meant or why he typed it. The images faded back to the dark corners of his mind like specters of yesterday. His eyes fell to his hands and noted that they were trembling. He closed his fist to regained his control as he took in a deep breath. He slowly let it out.