Monsters Over The Bed
Posted on Fri Jan 3rd, 2020 @ 2:13am by Commander Dominic Aldrich & Crewman Recruit Zeria
Mission:
Promenade
Location: Dominic's Quarters
Timeline: MD 14 22:00 Hours
1329 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure
Zeria had returned to Dom's quarters for a shower after work. She knew Dom would still be working and thought she could bring a few things to his quarters later as she had pretty much moved in with him full time. She found he slept better when she was there and she felt safer despite her visits from these aliens. The chime sounded on her door, which surprised her. She approached and pressed the button to allow the person entry. "Lhaes," she said surprised. "What can I do for you?"
"I need your help," The Romulan said, "i think we can lure the aliens...and capture them. I'm not quite sure how, but I think you're important."
"Something tells me Dom isn't going to like this." She said quietly. "Please have a seat. What did you have in mind?"
"No, he probably won't like it," Lhaes apologized, having the grace to look a little guilty. "I'm intending to use you as bait, with your consent of course."
"Bait, as in you want to lure the aliens to Dom's quarters again and see if they start experimenting on me so that you can try to capture them while they're on the ship?" Zeria said making sure she got everything right. "Because I would agree to that."
Dominic entered his quarters and stopped short when he saw Lhaes and Zeria sitting at the table. "What's going on y'all?"
"Yes, exactly that," Lhaes said, momentarily ignoring Dom's entrance, "a controlled environment though, we would be here to watch over your safety at all times." Only now did he turn to Dom. "We are discussing using her as bait to capture those aliens," he explained.
"Let's do it," Zeria said without waiting for Dominic. "They keep coming back to me," she said to him. "Let's use that to our advantage. They could have killed me a long time ago if they had wanted to. This isn't about death, they are studying us."
"I don't think they're after killing us either though they were on a right track to do exactly that to Crewman Stef," Lhaes answered curtly, "we will he monitoring you the whole time, we won't be far and as soon as so much as one of them appears, we'll capture it."
Dominic, carrying a PADD, tapped a key and turned around to look at his open door. "This was the only weakness in my plan, and I think I've fixed it." Looking back back at Lhaes and Zeria he continued, "I have set up monitors for the entire perimeter of my quarters. As soon as the shift in the EPS polarity and continuity is detected, all of the conduits surrounding the area will reverse the field characteristics. Hopefully, if my theory is right, it should act as a make-shift force field for this creature. Now, for the door..." He tapped another key and a loud hum started before a flash in the doorway happened and then there was nothing. "I've programmed the field generators at the door to give the same characteristics as the EPS conduits in the wall." Dom then walked over and reached his arm out. It wasn't stopped like a normal force field would have done. "Perfect," he said smiling to himself. "There is a field here, but it doesn't stop those of us that can't travel through walls from passing through. So, we will be able to get into the room without dropping containment."
Turning off the field and looking back at the two others, he said, "Of course, this is all theory. As I had no way of testing it there is a risk it won't work. So, I can't guarantee we will capture this thing, but this is the best chance we have."
Zeria nodded and smiled at him. "I trust you. I know how careful you are. Let's do it." She nodded certain. "Let me just get changed and you can set up anything else if you need to. I'll be right back." She returned to the bedroom, slipped on her pajamas and a robe and returned to the living room. "Okay, I'm ready. I guess I'll just slip into bed like I normally do. I don't think it will matter if you aren't with me." She said to Dom. "They will come."
"You both should sleep as you normally do," Lhaes suggested, "I will remain here in the living area to monitor you. I will also remain in the shadows, just in case, but I will be close. Dom should probably take something to either sleep lightly or not at all, but he should be there with you."
Zeria looked at Dom. She didn't mind being alone if it meant catching these creatures but if he wanted to be in the room with her of course she had no objections. She climbed into the bed and got comfortable on her back which was usually how she woke up when they were above her.
Dominic decided that the most natural thing that wouldn't tip off the being was for him to be in bed as well. He took a small amount of an approved stimulant for increased work hours, changed, and got into bed next to Zeria. He softly said, "Alright, let's get this thing."
Zeria curled around him. "It will be alright," she whispered. She closed her eyes, she knew the others were watching and it was alright if she drifted off for a bit. Besides, it might look more believable to the beings.
As she fell asleep, above her there was a slight change in air pressure as if someone had opened a window. A being was beginning to open a portal above her bed. The ceiling slowly gave way to the image of the being's world, a glimpse into their high gravity environment which they had adapted to over the centuries. When he entered into Zeria's room he could float which he found highly amusing, being above her like that. She was asleep, he could tell. It was time to begin as he reached for his equipment and moved slowly towards her to inject a small anesthetic.
Dominic heard the PADD on the table vibrate which signaled that the field was in place. He opened his eyes to see the dimly lit figure holding some sort of tool and he threw himself upward to grab it.
As Dom flew up to grab the alien, Lhaes burst into the room, phaser drawn in one hand, kailune ready in the other. "Dom!" He called out, giving him the one warning he would get as he flickered his wrist and the thin weapon circled towards the intruder, nicking it at the throat. "It'll be sedated," the Romulan said, now allowing the science chief to haul the unconscious alien down.
Zeria had been jolted awake and could now see the being on the floor. She shivered as she looked it over, drawing her arms around her own body. She jumped out of bed and hurried to get dressed. "I'm coming with you to study it."
"Take care of Zeria," Lhaes ordered, not caring that they were in fact the same rank. "I'll get this.. person.. secured and to the brig." He retrieved his kailune and returned it to the backside of his pants' waitband with practiced ease. "I'll meet you both in the brig."
Zeria nodded though she was slightly miffed that Lhaes thought she needed to be taken care of. She'd taken care of herself her whole life. It was probably the thing she found hardest about this relationship, Dom seemed to want to look out for her as well. She put a hand on Dom's shoulder and watched as Lhaes carried the being out of Dominic's quarters. "At least maybe now we will get some answers she said to him.
"And some decent sleep," he quipped with a relieved smile.
Crewman Zeria
Hydroponics Bay
LtC Lhaes Sommers
CTSO
LtCmdr Dominic Aldrich
CSO
