Subject: Grail: "Last Look Back" - "Sickbay"

<<USS Grail - Sickbay>>

DeMontigny woke with a splitting headache. His eyes took a few

moments to get used to the bright light, then he got a look at his

surroundings. He was in Sickbay. How the heck did he get here? The last

thing he remembered were Romulans on the Bridge... That's right, he had

foolishly tried to take them on, and had lost. He smiled as he

remembered his impulsiveness as he took out the artificial gravity. Not

the smartest of moves, but it was better than idly surrendering to a

couple of Rommie bastards. His headache was beginning to make him doubt

that, though.

He looked around, wondering what had happened to the others. He

wasn't in the critical ward and nurses tended to the lightly wounded

around him. He recognized Stone and Brennan lying nearby, still

uncouncious. Wincing from the pain of his headache, DeMontigny managed

to sit upright on his cot. A nurse was quickly at his side.

"Please lie down, Lt. Although you seem all right, we still need to

run some tests to make sure."

François smiled at her.

"Trust me, I'm OK. I get worse beatings playing hockey on the

Holodeck." he answered.

Running a quick scan over him, the nurse smiled.

"Very well, but I'm only letting you go because we need the extra

beds... AND because you will promise to return for a physical when

things are back to normal."

"All right, I will."

Getting up, he walked over to Brennan's side. His head was clearing

and he felt better now that he was up.

"Are they all right?" he asked the nurse, "What about the rest of

the Bridge crew? Parker? Brinn?"

The nurse's face clouded up.

"These two are all right... However, Lt. Major Brinn has suffered a

severe hip injury from a disruptor blast, En. Milner is in surgery,

fighting for her life. As for Lt. Parker... he suffered severe head

trauma and is presently in a coma. His condition is stable, but there

isn't much we can do for him. He might wake up in a week or in two

years, there's no way of knowing."

It was worse than DeMontigny thought. Usually things always worked

out, but apparently half of the Bridge crew were in very bad shape. A

thought came up in the back of his mind. It was his fault. If he hadn't

recklessly tried his impossible attempt at defeating the Romulans, they

probably wouldn't be in intensive care. No! They had given him their

silent accords. They knew the risks. But they didn't know the plan. It

was his fault. All of a sudden, DeMontigny felt sick. He rushed out of

Sickbay before the nurse noticed and headed for the turbolift..

Lt(jg) François DeMontigny

Assistant Chief of Flight Control