Stuck Trek 2: Lost In Space

Flashing Lights

I spun the lock on my locker, putting in the numbers 33-27-15. I opened it and put in my binder. Sighing, I watched shadows file behind me in the mirror on the back wall of my locker.

"What are you doing? You're not making yourself all pretty are you? 'Cause honey, you're a hopeless case," said Cheryl, leading queen Senior at the school, and I was just a lowly Sophomore. I said nothing and closed my locker. I tried to walk to my right but Mindy stopped me.

"Try again. You don't leave until we say you do." Mindy was a Junior, and I had no idea what she would do after Cheryl graduated.

"I don't want anything from you," I said quietly, spitting out the bitter words. Cheryl laughed and pushed me against the locker.

"Well we wouldn't have to do anything if you had kept your fat mouth shut," she said, making a closing motion with her hand. "Love that color on you by the way. Just kidding. Go sit in a dumpster and it might actually look better. See you later!"

"I hope not," I muttered under my breath as Cheryl and that nut of hers, Mindy, sashayed away. They turned the corner and I slammed the locker, startling the person at the end of the row of lockers. "Sorry," I scoffed. I turned away and watched the tiles flow past me as I walked down the empty hall.

I got to my car and opened the door, setting my bag on the seat next to me. I started the car and stared down into the canal that surrounded the school, which made the parking lot smell of wet cardboard and fish. I leaned against the wheel and looked at the sky, and turned on my music.

Counting Crows' "Einstein on the Beach" started playing and I mouthed the words as I pulled out of the lot.

As soon as I pulled out of the school and into downtown, a flash lit up the sky, tearing open the sky and creating a loud crack that boomed seconds later. I pulled over on the side of the road as I watched the fire that came through fly across the sky and into the field outside of town. I changed blinker from left to right and headed out to the fields.

Once I hit the outskirts, I saw the smoke from the unclaimed land near the silos. I sped down the road and pulled off near the site. Suddenly, I heard a sound from my bag, and I dug around until I found the source. I pulled out my communicator badge, which was crackling slightly with whispers of human voices. I opened my eyes wide and ran out into the field, toward the smoke.

Once I had trudged a good distance, I came upon the source of the fire, and the crackling on my communicator turned into screaming and calls for help. I knew at once what was happening. It all made sense.

The Enterprise was here.

I don't know how, but they were, and they needed my help. Once I came up in the ship it looked to have landed well, but with some casualties along the way.

I pressed my communicator. "Hello? Is everyone alright? This is Jamie Gorton."

A muted and stressed Picard came through. "Janie? How....reaching us?"

"You've crashed on Earth, in 2018," I said, feeling Picard and everyone who was listening tense up and struggle to understand what was happening.

"...figure...later...come...help" said Picard. The communicator cracked again and he was gone.

"Captain?" Suddenly, a glittering blue waterfall wrapped around me and dissolved my surroundings into the transporter room that I had grown accustomed to. Captain Picard stood next to Geordi as he brought the beams down from carrying me. 

"What do you need me to do?" I asked, standing tall and pinning my communicator badge on my shirt. Picard pointed towards the hall and I made my way to Sick Bay. As soon as I got there, groaning sounds filled the space and people with bandages sat in every possible corner. "What happened?" I asked, directing my question to Beverly, who was frantically keeping everyone calm.

"Just go through the corridors and make sure no one is out there who needs care," she said, cleaning a patient's wounds as he winced with pain. I nodded and grabbed a first aid kit from the cabinet by the door. The doors opened with a whoosh and I slipped out into the hall.

I decided to check Ten Forward since most people went there in their off hours. I raced down the hall, checking quarters for injured people or pets. I turned my head to look in one and suddenly I hit someone and we both collapsed. I rubbed my head and said jokingly, "We don't need more injuries."

Laughing, Wesley replied, "I'll try. I was just heading to Sick Bay to get a first aid kit and...wait what are you doing Janie?" he asked, looking curiously at my blue sweater and tan pants. "Did you just come back?" He helped me up and I dusted myself off.

"It's a long story, but I've got a first aid kit. Where do we need it?"

"Ten Forward, Guinan and a few others hit their heads pretty hard during landing, and there are some cuts from the glass tables breaking." I didn't need to hear any more. We both ran down the hall, narrowly dodging a sprinting Commander Riker. I could barely see a look of surprise as he passed us but he went by too fast for me to see.

Once we got to Ten Forward I set the kit on the shattered bar counter and took out a few things we would need. Wesley was right. Only a few people hit their heads but each one looks more than mildly serious. I helped Guinan up from behind the bar and Wesley went to go help the others.

"You alright Guinan?" I asked, cleaning the wounds on her head and hands.

"Oh, yes I'm fine Janie. Just little cuts and bruises here and there," she said, wincing as I sealed the wound on her head.

"You're a little less than fine physically, but you should be alright. Just rest when you get the chance." Guinan smiled and I started to help someone else who was sitting at the bar.

"Come in Janie..." said Picard over my communicator. It was still a bit muted and had some static between the words, but I answered.

"Yes, Captain?" I said.

"There seem to be some humans outside of the ship...but they're dressed in black and they have long black weapons identified by one of our own as guns. Do you know if they are friendly?"

"We need to go on lockdown," I said, my voice shaking as Wesley looked over at me in confusion. "We've been discovered and who knows what the world will do."