Nightmares Are Made of This

Field? Well, it's a hell of a lot less foreboding than a graveyard and a lot less crazy than a star ship. Zeke doesn't even have an inkling to whom this dream belongs. Oh, look, a tree. He's trudging to it.

As he grows nearer the grass begins to die, wilt and shrivel up into the ground. The tree becomes dead and rotted. T'Sai's clothing changes slowly into more Vulcan-ish garb. The kind she wore when she was young.

...scratch that. Fields are just as bad. So much death. He makes it around the tree, seeing the Vulcan. Huh. This should be interesting.

Pieces of the field fall away and T'Sai raises an eyebrow to it. The tree falls over and a small Vulcan girl is revealed. The ground shifts until it becomes a cliff. The sky is now red, just like home.

He stands there, arms crossed. Thinking. Is it her past?

"You don't have to act like you still abide by it." The young girl says.

T'Sai didn't like the looks of this. She hadn't dreamed this in years, she thought this was over.

"Who are you doing this for? Mother? Father?"

"I'm not doing it for anyone. I do it for myself." T'Sai stands up but her height is drastically different, she is now eight.

Yeah, okay. Zeke's confused.

"What do you wish to prove then?" The girl moves so she can better see T'Sai.

"I have nothing to prove. Not to you, not to our parents."

"You say that because it is a logical response."

"I say it because it is the truth."

Ah. Now it's beginning to make sense. Child craving approval.

"What are you proving then?"

T'Sai sighs, "I am proving nothing, as I said before."

"If it is your logic you're after, I would think your tone alone would show--"

T'Sai shakes her head, "Stop it!" She huffs, clenching her fists. "You speak like mother!"

Oh! Not just approval from her parents, but approval from her whole society. That's....that's kind of depressing.

The girl, only a touch shorter than T'Sai, glances down at T'Sai's fists. "You wish to fight me."

T'Sai gives her a look, "I do not."

"Do it."

"Do what?"

"Don't act logical, hit me."

She flinches at the girl's use of the word logic. "How is that more logical than--" BAM, right in the cheek. T'Sai stumbles backwards a foot and stares at the young Vulcan.

Damn. "Come on, T'Sai. Don't let her do that to you. Punch her back." Yeah, he knows T'Sai can't hear him, but still.

T'Sai's fists are still clenched and you can see her inner struggle plainly. She then lets out a loud yell, grabbing the girl's shoulder.

"What are you--?" T'Sai knees her in the stomach, hits her across the face and then puts her hands together, swinging them upwards and nailing the girl in the chin. She falls backwards to the ground, rubbing her face and looks at a panting T'Sai.

Bravo! Golf clap.

The girl staggers to stand, spitting green blood. "Are you quite finished with your anger towards me now?"

T'Sai growls, yes, growls. "I am not..." She huffs, "I'm not angry!" She takes a step and pushes the girl as hard as she can... sending her over the cliffside.

Zeke suddenly stops clapping. Holy hell she shoved her--killed her. That was unexpected.

After seeing the girl disappear, T'Sai mutters a Vulcan curse and the word, "No." She takes off running, sliding down the side to her right. Running fast to where the girl's body lie. T'Sai slides her arm under the girls head, shaking her own. "No, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." The girl coughs, blood coming from her nose, left ear and mouth. "T'Kuhri, I'm so sorry..."

So. T'Sai. Murder of the second degree. Makes sense...she tries to be so emotionless...afraid of what will happen should she lose it.

T'Kuhri moves her mouth but struggles to make noise.

T'Sai repeats again, "I'm so sorry, forgive me..."

"Do not..." Cough. T'Sai wraps her other arm, her right, around T'Kuhri. "What?"

T'Kuhri looks up to her with hazy eyes and taps T'Sai's wrist. Her tattoo. "Do not forget... Why you did this."

T'Sai blinks, tears forming. "I did not mean to..."

"No need... To pretend." T'Sai can feel the life drain from the girl. She wipes her face, trying to repress her sobs. It wasn't like anyone would hear her anyway. T'Sai slowly picks her up and begins the nine hour walk home with her dead sister.

Zeke is once again in his room. Damn. That...that was more than a little intense. He grabs his PADD, adding to his notes, looking at the time. Still a few hours to go. A little more meditative breathing and Zeke's back asleep.

T'Sai wakes up with a start, panting heavily... It had been so long, she thought it had stopped. She shivers as she leaves the overwhelming warmth of her bed for a shower. Sleep could wait until tomorrow.