"The Honeymoon is Over"

[Rico]

An RPG "Lost Tale" set in the Prime Universe featuring Lt. Comm. Zremm and his wife Lt. Marie Barton.

[Rico]

The cry startled Ch'Fras Zremm even though he was already awake.  As he sat up in bed, the blond head next to him turned over and glanced over in the dim light.

"Go back to sleep, I'll get her."  Zremm said as he gently brushed the hair out of the eyes of the woman next to him.

"Are you sure?  Hey, were you already awake?"  Marie said as a concerned look crossed her features.

"Yeah, the dreams again."  He said as he quickly moved to the nearby sounds of young life.  Zremm bent over the small being wrapped in a silver and pink thermal blanket and gently picked up his daughter, Shria.  Each time Zremm held her he felt emotions stronger than anything he had ever known.  And the feeling pleased him greatly.  He started to rock the young one as he walked back in towards his wife, who was now sitting up in their bed.

"Was it the same dream again?  How many times has it been now?"  Marie Barton asked the blue skinned man she loved as he paced around their bed, rocking the small child.

"It's always a little different each time.  The place varies, but it's usually aboard what seems like a Starship.  But things are not like I know.  And it always leaves me uneasy."  Zremm said as the child in his arms quieted and began to murmur and coo to herself.

"I was hoping this leave away from Starfleet would relax you Ch'Fras.  I thought the dreams had finally gone away."  Marie said with a hopeful look as Zremm sat down next to her.  She put an arm around her husband and peered in at their daughter who was now nodding off again.

"Yes, I had hoped it would help too.  But I've started having them again."

"When?  And you didn't tell me?!"  Marie said, more intensely than she had wanted.  She got up and went to a nearby replicator.  "Two cups of katheka, hot please."  Marie said to the device.  Even though she was an engineer, Marie Barton had always felt that if you treat machines politely and with respect they will never let you down.  One aspect of her personality that Zremm had always found endearing.

"I didn't want to worry you.  All the doctors have said I'm fine.  But no one seems to know where these visions are coming from.  I don't know Marie, it's like I'm living another life.  But just in my dreams."  Zremm said, letting about as much frustration as he ever did into his voice.  Marie was walking back over with two steaming mugs of a dark blue liquid.  She set one down and then handed the other to Zremm as she took their daughter into her arms.

"God, even Andorian men have to be so stubborn.  We are in this together Ch'Fras, I want to know - the good and the bad."  Marie said as she moved to put their child back to bed.  Zremm managed a smile as he watched her.  He felt disturbed to tell her more of what he had been considering.  But he knew it might be the only way to find out what was really happening to him.

[Rico]

"Do you really think it's the right thing to do keeping this plan from Marie?"  The Bolian counselor said to Zreem.

"Well, I did think so - until lately.  I was hoping our leave time away from Starfleet and the Arabella would makes these dreams go away.  But if anything, they are more intense than ever Margon."  The Andorian said as the two friends shared a drink in the Afterburner lounge aboard their starship as it warped through the stars.

"You do look tired.  I thought the doctor had prescribed some of those little green pills?  They certainly helped me sleep after some recent issues I was having."  Margon said as he smiled at the taller man.

"Yeah, I tried those.  Believe it or not, it made things worse.  First time I took one, I had the most intense dream ever.  It was so vivid and real."  Zremm said thinking back to how strange he had felt after that experience.  

"I know Andorians can manage with little rest for weeks on end, but the stress seems to be taking it's toll on you.  I even heard you snapped at the captain the other day."  Margon said, not trying to push too hard.

"I felt terrible about that later.  It was so stupid.  Sevryll's one of the closest friends I have here and she's known me the longest.  But I just lost it.  All she did was ask me to rescan on nearby binary star at a higher wavelength.  Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Is it true you said something about her ears?"  Margon said, his eyes lighting up in a devilish way.

"Well, sort of.  I just said something about maybe she could scan the star with her big ears!  It was stupid!  I have no idea why I did it.  I immediately felt awful as everyone on the bridge stared at me.  It was just a day or two after Marie and I got back on board.  Even though I apologized, she still dismissed me from duty for the next two shifts."  Zremm said, then took a long drink from his tall glass of Andorian ale.

"Don't worry.  I've spoken with her.  She understands.  We all just want you to get the help you need."

"Margon, this is the only thing I can think of to do.  Nothing else has worked!"  Zremm said loudly.

"Take it easy.  I'm on your side."

"I'm sorry, my friend.  I can't take much more of this."  Zremm said, letting his twin antennae lower.

"Now, don't get maudlin.  I can't stand a sad and drunk Andorian.  Hehe!"  Margon said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Ok.  You know Tolok thinks this idea is out there too.  But the captain has cleared me to try it."  Zremm said as he heard the doors to the Afterburner open behind him.

"Well, it looks like you get a chance to tell your wife.  She just walked in and is coming over."  Margon said as both men stood up.  As Zremm turned and saw Marie in the green off-duty dress, all his troubles seemed to lessen.  He smiled as she came up next to him and kissed him quickly on his blue cheek.

"What are two conspiring about now?"  Marie said with a slight smirk as Zremm put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"What?  Us?  Well, actually we were talking about you."  Margon said, smiling at the blond woman.

"Is that true, Ch'Fras?  Is that why I thought I smelled the impulse engines burning before I left engineering?"  Marie said with a slight laugh and grin.

"Umm, maybe.  Have a seat.  We were just going to order some dinner."  Zremm said as he pulled out a chair for his wife and she sat down.

"I think I'll leave you two alone.  Marie, give little Shria a hug from me.  And Zremm, remember what I said earlier."  The counselor said as he gave Marie a brief hug goodbye and patted Zremm on the shoulder as he made his way out of the lounge.

"Ok, Ch'Fras, enough is enough.  What's going on?  I've seen you talking to Tolok in engineering everyday since we got back."

"Marie, it's about the dreams."

"The dreams?  What can our chief engineer do about your dreams?"  She saw that her husband's hands were shaking so reached out and grasped them, holding them tightly in her own.  A look of concern crossed her face.

"Marie, I think I'm losing my mind.  You don't deserve this.  Shria doesn't deserve a father who doesn't even know who he is anymore."

"What?  I know exactly who you are.  You are Ch'Fras Zremm, the man I love.  Let me help."  Marie said, trying to force her own strength into her husband as she held his blue hands more tightly.

"Marie, what would I do without you?  Ok, here it is.  Tolok doesn't know about dreams, but he is an expert with the transporter."  Zremm said, feeling he had just crossed an invisible line that he couldn't go back from.

"The transporter?  How will that help your dreams.  Ok, tell me everything - right now!"  Marie said to Zremm.  And that's when he revealed what he had been planning for months to the woman he was scared he might lose.

[Rico]

"And where do you think you're going?"  The blond woman said to Zremm.

"Back to our quarters."  The Andorian said, in a matter of fact manner.

"Our quarters?  Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself Zremm?  We've only been seeing each other for a short time now."  The woman who Zremm knew as Marie, his wife, said back to him with a puzzled expression filling her face.

"Come on Marie, I'm your husband and I'm too tired to joke around like this."  Zremm said, sounding a bit on edge.

"Husband?!?  Now who's joking around.  I think you should go, Commander.  This isn't funny anymore."  Barton said, pulling back a little towards the turbolift.

"Wait a second, why does your uniform insignia look different?  Oh, no!  Where am I?  What ship is this?!"

"The Arabella.  What is wrong with you?  Did you drink too much Andorian ale at dinner?"  Barton answered the distraught Andorian.

"It can't be!"  Zremm shut his eyes tight and stood mumbling to himself.  He felt strong arms grabbing his shoulders and they started to shake him.

"Zremm!  Zremm!  Snap out of it!"

"No,.....can't be,.....Marie,......must,.....wake,....."  Zremm muttered under his breath.

"Zremm,........zremm,..........Ch'Fras,....wake up,.....Ch'Fras!"  Zremm heard the voice, calling him back.  His body shaking, he slowly opened his vivid blue eyes.  The light was much dimmer and he was no longer in the corridor but now on his back in a bed.  As he tried to focus the features of a concerned human woman looked down on him.  Tears welled up in her eyes and one fell on to Zremm's blue cheek.

"I'm,....ok.  Is it you Marie?  Is it really you?"  He said softly.  She answered him by leaning down and hugging him close.  Her warmer, human body heating his own and soon the shaking stopped.  The blond woman just stayed laying on Zremm for several minutes not wanting to let go of him, or the moment.

"You were there again, weren't you?  I heard you calling out, her name - my name."  Marie said, in a low voice.  Zremm answered by turning his head and kissing Marie as he felt his blue eyes melt.  He was using every bit of his will to hang on as he felt his grip on reality being severed over and over.  Zremm finally ended the embrace and pulled Marie in even closer.

"I need to end this Marie.  I'm telling Tolok in the morning that we need to do this - tomorrow."  He whispered into Marie's ear.  Marie reluctantly nodded her head slightly and then simply snuggled in closer to her husband.  Zremm took a deep breath and tried to avoid watching the nearby chronometer as it ticked off the seconds until he would finally get some answers.  At least that was what he hoped for.