Commander's Rounds

Entry 36-6: The Commander's Promise- Under the special Tree

Shinano's eyes suddenly widened, and her ears stood to full attention, even if just for a moment. The commander had never seen Shinano look so alert, even if it was just for a moment, so he figured that something important must be taking place in the waking world. It didn't take long for her to confirm it. "Ah... Something is happening outside... It must be what you were waiting for..." She closed her eyes. "...I'm sorry, but I must leave you soon... I would stay, but it will soon become dangerous for me to remain here with you."

The commander finished off his tea. "I think you've done more than enough, really. Taking the time to keep me company like this was more than could be expected for a whole lot of reasons, that's for sure. Besides, I at least got to have your tea, even if it was only in this dream of yours."

Shinano giggled. "...Have you anything you might want to pass along, commander?"

He shook his head. "I think I've already taken care of that. Enterprise knows what she has to do if things go wrong, and we can at least hope that she doesn't have to do that. Do you have any insights?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid I won't be able to help you any further, commander... You'll have to face what comes next on your own... But as I said to you before, I believe that you have all that is required."

"That's all right." He carefully put down the teacup, straightened his uniform, and took a deep breath. "To be honest, I don't even know what this is going to look or feel like either. But I'm a trained naval officer, I may be able to come up with something. At least I should, this was part of my plan, after all."

Shinano stood up and gave a bow to the commander. "...Commander... I had one thing I wanted to say before I left you..." She smiled. "Regardless of what happens... I can at least say that I do not believe that we were wrong to trust you."

"Thank you." He continued. "And after you go, do look after the others like you have looked after me, all right? If something happens, some people are going to need the kinds of help you can give more than ever."

"Of course, commander." She gave him another bow.

And then she was gone.

And then the tea was gone.

And then the room was gone.

The commander soon found himself in far different surroundings than the ones he had been in, in that they were far, far less comfortable. He found himself floating underwater in a vast sea. Even though he knew it couldn't be true, he felt that this sea was infinite- he could drop down and fall forever. The only thing in this sea was himself and the light above. This wasn't a place where his strategies and tactics could save him, as he was on his own, and so his mind raced to seize on the one thing that could bring him out.

What came quickly to him was the most basic thing. He was a navy man, who knew the principles of naval warfare inside and out, but he eventually stripped that down to its most basic components of what it meant to be at sea.

And if you were a sailor, well, sometimes you were just going to have to swim. and that was something the commander could do.

It was a simple enough goal- get back above water. Even though he wasn't sure exactly how far he would have to go to get there, he wasn't too deep for light to reach, he just had to get past all of the weight of water that was pushing down on him, straining to push past that fundamental force of nature that opposed him and would pull him into the abyss.

But as hard as he tried, he couldn't quite make it. There was only so far that his own strength could get him. He knew he was so close to breaking the surface and getting fresh air, but he just couldn't get there as he reached up to try to take one last feeble stroke.