Razor's Edge

[Cmdr Ayers 0]

With some effort Nick forces his feelings under the surface. Which is more difficult because the current situation could be best described as an emotional sensory overload. Between protecting the others, taking care of the enemy and watching out for himself, it was difficult to maintain one's own identity in a sea of fear, hatred, anger, determination and death.

 

For most of the others they saw people, friends and enemies die. Nick felt the emotional shadows of each and every death even with his mental shields in place. Feeling someone, even an enemy, cross the razor's edge that separated being alive from being dead was a bone-chilling sensation, one that had been an emotional stain on Nick's soul from the Dominion War. This, an elderly El Aurian friend of the family had reminded Nick, was why their people tended to stay in support roles within the Federation and Starfleet. Not many were brave enough....or foolish enough to be willing to pay the price.

 

Nick feels someone brush against him and he glances down to see some young Ensign lean out to take a shot. Nick reaches to pull the Ensign back, thinking the Ensign was leaning out a little too far. As he does so an energy bolt from one of the enemy's weapons slices through the air close enough for Nick to feel it. Nick watches in mute horror as the shot from the energy weapon catches the Ensign full on in the chest. The Ensign is dead even before he hits the ground.

 

"Quick, relatively painless...and an utter waste." Nick mutters to himself as he briefly wonders if that visit from death had been meant for him.