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"Sleepless"
[Previous post: "Awake And Alone" written by the brilliant and ladder climbing Tiffany Rose.]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Elliot Thomas's Quarters
Stardate: 63072.0300

Elliot was restless tonight and awoke a number of times, and when he could sleep no longer he decided to get up.  He paced the main room of his quarters quietly for what seemed to be hours, however after looking at a clock he realised he had only been up for about 25 minutes.  The COO walked over to the replicator, and requested an "Iced glass of lemon water", then took the glass and sat down on the black soft three seater sofa and put his glass onto the oval table and looked out the window, he was feeling very emotional about this mission that they were now on.

"Dad," came a voice from the door on the left nearest to where ET sat.

Elliot looked up startled as he saw he had woken his oldest daughter, "I'm sorry Sam did I wake you up?" the Ensign said in a soft spoken voice.

"Well kind of," she replied emotionally then continued. "You have not been sleeping well Dad and tonight has been the worst night yet.  This all seems to have started when Akira left, why don't you just tell her the truth and then things can go back to how they were before.  Well that's all I'm going to say, well that and try getting some sleep Dad, goodnight."

ET looked at his daughter as she walked back to her door when he called quietly after her, "It's not quite as easy as all that Sam, but I will promise you that next time I see Aki I will sit down and speak with her OK?"

Sam winked at her father with a smile on her face then walked back into her bedroom.  Ensign Thomas lay down on the couch and could feel himself slowly drifting off to sleep again.

{= = = FLASHBACK = = =}

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Black Hole
Stardate: 61097.1935

Elliot took a drink of his hot chocolate as he relaxed back in the Black Hole crew lounge, he had already ordered a Sake for Aki.  He was feeling quite tired after a busy day at work.  While relaxing, a tall attractive dark haired lady came over and sat down, Elliot looked at the woman puzzled he did recognise her but could not place where from, he was about to say something when she leaned over and gave him a kiss.

The doors to the Black Hole opened and Ensign Mitshiba entered, she scanned the room to see if ET had arrived yet, when she could not believe what she saw.  With a tear in her eye Aki turned around and walked back out, she headed to Ensign Thomas quarters to pick up her belongings that she had left there for the evening.

{= = = END FLASHBACK = = =}

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Elliot Thomas's Quarters
Stardate: 63072.0700

Again Elliot awoke, this time with a fright as his youngest daughter had shouted at him angrily "*Dad*, can you not hear your alarm to get up, I can hear it from my room".

Ensign Thomas tried to wake himself up after he had turned his alarm off and thought about what this new day had in store for him.  The Captain had explained why they could not contact the USS LANCELOT, but the thought of not seeing Aki again was killing him, he knew that he had to get the power to all the transporters immediately after dropping out of Transwarp if they were going to save as many of the USS LANCELOT's crew as possible, and especially saving Aki.

[[First priority, I have to get the power to align to all transporters at the right time, just when we drop from Transwarp, so we are ready,]] ET thought to himself as he left his room to goto his station and start work.

========== 
Craig Mitchell {wmcraigmitchell@gmail.com}
Ensign Thomas
Chief of Operations. 
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501

[The Universe is a huge place, but you always seem to meet someone you know just around the corner.]