5: New World

         "Dad!"

         The man in the corner, dozing awkwardly in a chair, jumped. He looked up at Nera's bandaged face and smiled with relief. "Oh thank the stars!" he breathed, dragging his chair closer. "How do you feel?"

         Nera blinked slowly, fighting with all her heart to still the sudden, aching pains in her chest that had nothing to do with doctors or machines. "What is this?" she whispered, her throat too dry to for more. "I hurt too much to be dreaming!"

         Eryk Chmielewski placed both hands over his eldest daughter's and squeezed gently. "You were pretty beat up," he admitted. "I was afraid you'd never wake up."

         Nera stared at him. "I've been awake before," she said slowly. Her head felt kind of fuzzy, as if it was resisting her efforts to think clearly.

         "What do you remember?"

         "Um .. Voices, I guess, talking. Where am I?"

         Eryk laughed. "You're as direct as ever. And you didn't tell me how you feel."

         Nera pulled her hand free, wishing her head wasn't throbbing so loud. "What is going on?" she rasped, a little louder this time.

         "Shush, dear, you'll bring the nurses back in here, do you want that?"

         "Then tell me what I want to know! Who are you and where am I?"

         Eryk moved to perch on the edge of the hospital bed, to better look his daughter in the face. He didn't blame her, not really, and when she learned the truth? This would be no ecstatic Deb, excited to be let in on the Big Secret. No, Nera needed a strong foundation on which to lay her trust and loyalty. He was about to destroy everything she believed. He could only hope that her childhood experiences would be enough to allow her to trust him.

         "You're aboard the Trojan Horse. In a private room in Sickbay."

         Nera frowned. "I don't recognize that ship." Her nerves were shouting "Danger! Danger!" and her head felt like it would explode. Her right hand flopped anxiously, trying to no avail to reach the weapon Nera always kept on her bedside table back on board her ship.

         Eryk watched this strange young woman he barely knew struggling with what he had just said. By the panic on her face, he figured she had guessed at what he'd left unsaid and was struggling to reject it. He decided to push on and let everything out at once.

         "That's because this isn't a ship you know. It doesn't even look like a ship on the outside. It --"

         "No!" Nera screamed. Her legs weren't listening, but she managed to push herself somewhat upright and flung the first thing she could reach. The notepad soared through the air towards the man who looked like what she remembered her father looking like. He dodged nimbly, as if he'd expected something like this to happen. Meanwhile, Nera frantically yanked at the wires and sensors hooked into her, rolling onto her side as she struggled to escape.

         Deftly avoiding the ill-aimed punch Nera had thrown at him, Eryk grabbed her hands and yelled for the nurse standing by outside the room. A few minutes later, the two of them had successfully strapped Nera's arms down. Eryk dabbed the sweat from his daughter's angry face as the nurse strapped down her feet as well, just to be safe.

         "Now," he said, sitting down once more. "Can we talk?"

         "I have nothing to say to you."

         "Nothing? Huh. After having abandoned you, your mom, and your sisters? Hmm? Still nothing?"

         Nera pulled against her bonds, looking away.

         "Okay, if that's the way you want it." Eryk rose and stepped towards the door. "Do you want to see your sister?"

         Nera stared at him. "What?"

         "Your sister. She's waiting outside, should I tell her to come in?"

         "Uh," Nera swallowed. "Sure." She watched the man who looked like her father walk to the door and beyond, into the hallway. The door slid shut, but opened again almost instantly.