==========
" Peace"
(Previous Post was Francois' "Tip of the Iceberg")
==========

Setting: USS HATHOR, Sickbay
Stardate: 63077.0715

The young woman's chest rose and dropped in accordance to her slow, deep breathing as she laid on the biobed.  The sounds of medical readouts, likely her own, had been oddly soothing leaving the redhead to accept her current position without any questions.  At the very least the feel of the bed against her back and the rhythmic audio signals that hung in the air had been there to prove that she had been alive.

Rikar heard the door hiss open and close followed by light, gentle footsteps which indicated that a single person had walked in and that this individual had likely been of the female gender.  The young woman fought against the survival instinct to open her eyes and see who had come in… self preservation demanded that she identified who had been there, but the redheaded woman somehow knew beyond any doubts that she had been perfectly safe.

While motionless on the biobed, Rikar listened attentively to every little sound that made their way to her in an effort to gather more information as to the identity of the person who had walked in… as well as the actual location that she had found herself in.  The last memory had been of Trodat's hand tightening around her throat as an evil, almost demonic smile filled his face.  His powerful grip had slowly but effectively chocked her into a semi-conscious state which had left her powerless to defend herself.  From that point on the young woman could only recall partial feelings and sensations.

A soft cloth had been deposited against her exposed form.

Gentle and caring fingers had brushed against her bruised face.

A pair of strong and massive arms lifted her with such ease that Rikar thought she had been dreaming.

Many whispered voices that the young woman recognized and yet could not identify had offered soothing and reassuring words.

The young woman's thoughts stopped when she felt the softness of a feminine hand embrace her own… the sensation triggered a storm of emotions that Rikar immediately enjoyed beyond description and utterly hated with all of her soul, this all at the same time.  Flashes of distant memories filled the redhead's mind and soon she found herself wanting to run away from them… and mentally she did.

Images and their corresponding feelings were pushed aside and even shattered as the young woman ran away from or through the images that had formed in her mind.

"Everything will be alright," was all that Rikar heard.  Simple words that by themselves would have meant nothing but given the situation had, to some degree, eased the young woman's troubled mind enough to bring her to a stop.  The overwhelming sensations of fear and dread began to fade and peace gradually returned to the redhead's thoughts.

Slowly… carefully… hesitantly, Rikar opened her eyes to see a face and surrounding that were not at all those that part of her mind had anticipated and yet had been exactly what another part of her consciousness had expected.

==========
Sabrina Jones

Samantha Rikar
Dabo Girl
VALLA ROYAL

Once known as…
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501