A Magic Carpet

[DrDMatthews 0]

Debbie remained silent, watching in morbid fascination as the bridge crew attempted to find out exactly where the Reaent was. At least there were stars now visible on the forward view screen.

 

       Then came the announcement....they were a mere 25,347 light years away from their previous location. The CMO was amazed at how calmly everyone took the news. No one even blinked, except for Debbie and she very nearly passed out. Fortunately, everybody else was preoccupied and didn't seem to notice.

 

       It only took Debbie a few seconds to recover from the shock. She was immediately angry at herself for even coming to the bridge. She should have stayed in Sickbay, safely wrapped in blissful ignorance of the Reaent's current predicament. She then found herself wondering if anyone on the bridge realized just how far from home they were....or how long it would take them to get back to where they had been just moments ago.

 

       Debbie's brain wasn't wired to compute such equations in her head. If it had been, she'd have chosen another career. But even a mathematically challenged physician knew it would take years for the Reaent to get home. Unless, of course, they could locate a magic carpet to whisk them back to where they should be. But what were the odds of finding such a magic carpet....slim and none, that's what.

 

       As she stood there watching and listening, Debbie's thoughts drifted from the current crisis to her family....to her grandparents in particular. They had raised Debbie from the age of four. As a child, she thought Virgil and Rose Matthews were as old as the hills. But she couldn't find any fault with her upbringing. Her grandparents poured themselves into raising Debbie. And....she'd turned out better than some of her peers with younger moms and dads.

 

       Both Virgil and Rose were now in their eighties. Debbie hated to admit it, but they really were elderly. It wasn't uncommon for humans to live to 125 years of age and her grandparents were in good health, mentally and physically. There was no reason why they shouldn't be around another thirty years or so. But....

 

      The best laid plans often go astray. Even with modern day medical technology, older persons were far more likely to fall victim to accident or illness. There were several strains of virus that were over 90% fatal among patients over seventy. Hundreds died from these diseases each year.

 

      Debbie wondered if she would ever see them again. She regretted that she worked so far from home. But she always knew she could get there relatively quickly if an emergency arose. Now it would take years just to reach communications range. Unless the Reaent found a magic carpet, there was a good possibility Debbie would never her grandparents alive again. For the first time ever, she questioned her decision to enter Starfleet. She certainly had no business on this bridge.

 

      "Are you alright?" asked someone who must have noticed the expression on her face.

 

      "Oh sure," huffed Debbie. "Outside of our being lost in space for who knows how long, everything is just hunky dory!"

     

      Debbie was a little dismayed by the tone of her own voice. She promptly turned on her heel and before anyone could respond, quickly retreated to the privacy of the turbolift. She waited until the doors closed behind her before turning around and leaning heavily against the back of the car. It took her a few seconds to realize the lift wasn't moving.

 

      "Sickbay," muttered Debbie. "At least Sickbay is familiar even if it is 25,347 light years off course."