Solo un Sogno

Posted on Tuesday, 16 June 2020 - 6:02pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

Petty Officer Baciami was going over some PaDDs, trying to put two and two together, but sadly and impossibly making thirteen. Before she knew it, her eyes were getting heavy and she was asleep at her desk, forehead on top of a cluster of unorganised PaDDs. It had been a while since she was this exhausted. Working had finally relieved her brain of it's usual overthinking phases and now it could switch off and dream as normal.

-----

The dream world became alive with colours and cloud-like forms as the consciousness drifted into a cacophony of past conversations and made-up narratives. Her consciousness fought with bellicosity to try and gain control but the subconscious won taking the Italian down a rabbit hole of imagined, bowdlerised and bastardised narrative and slumber.

Fading with a vignette of white, Adrianna found herself with her feet in the cerulean waters of the Almalfi coast. The waters felt cool in comparison to the hot sun. Her eyes stung at the sudden light and she took a moment to look around, getting her bearings. It was Capri. She recognised the cove, soft sand, clear waters, and the fallen cliffs anywhere. This was a place she used to vacation. It helped her reconnect and explore the philosophical or existential layers of her very being and lifestyle. The woman stepped closer into the water, towards a boulder surrounded by the gentle waves. She climbed up onto it and sat cross-legged, looking out onto the horizon.

"I didn't think you'd come back," a familiar voice broke the peace.

Adrianna kept her eyes on the horizon, "Neither did I."

Giovanni Baciami, the older of the Baciami children grunted as he sat next to his sister, "you think you will in real life?" He looked a lot like Dario Baciami, Adrianna's father when he was younger. He had soft but contoured features, with black stubble edging his chin and cheeks, trimmed with precision, making his face look a little narrower. Gio was considered handsome by many women who would merely look at him and swoon, their mother had always said it was in his eyes and his hair which slightly curled, with one that always seemed to fall into his face. Gio put an arm around his sister, trying to distract her gaze, "I'd welcome it."

Breaking away from her view, Adrianna finally looked to Giovanni, "in another life perhaps." A wistful smile caressed her lips as she contently sighed.

"I suppose in this life, I will continue father's work as a Fiduciary, trying to make our business kosher and charitable whilst you explore the galaxies." Gio held her tighter a moment, as if showing her he was proud.

Adrianna chuckled softly, "if only this weren't a dream, I might believe you."

"The only person you can trust is yourself - and you won't even do that. You are only just opening up to find love again." The tone changed to almost sounding like a slowing and broken record as the skies dimmed bloodshot. Giovanni's face suddenly started to melt into an oozing, black tar along with the rest of the scene until she found herself in what may have been a small shuttle. Her back was on the harsh, cold metal floor. The chill made it feel damp.

Adrianna flickered her eyes open, her head pounding. The Gaussian blur suddenly came into a more focused and detailed view. A tall, military man stood over Adrianna. He looked angry and impatient. "Do you know where the term 'hubris' comes from?" he spat as if the words tasted like the very depths of hell's kitchen. His entire face contorted painfully as he articulated every last word meticulously.

The woman groaned as a response, as his voice echoed in a way that exasperated her headache.

"In Greek mythology, hubris was a state in which mankind defied the gods," he crouched down a hand grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, his face encroaching upon hers, invading her personal space with controlled rage, "when the gods saw what mankind had done, they unleashed their wrath upon the very beings that thought they were higher than them, punishing them for their insolence."

Adrianna swatted at the stranger's hand and arm, taking deep breaths, though her eyes showed trepidation, "get the hell off me. Who are you?"

Rudely, the man dropped her and stood back up. His nature seemed to do a one-eighty without warning or visible switch as he practically bowed to Adrianna, offering his hand as a gentle and chivalrous aide. Regardless, she took it, pulling herself up stiffly before he answered her question simply, "I'm the person that will ensure you do not defy Don Baciami again."

"I'm a difficult person to persuade in that respect," Adrianna mockingly teased, "I don't have anything or anyone that matters enough to barter with."

The man ran a hand through his hair, frustrated at her toying nature, "you may want to think long and hard about what you just said."

No sooner had the words come out of his mouth, she found herself back on the rock in Capri, with a PaDD in her hands.

Adrianna looked around, suddenly feeling very unsafe but alone.

Uneasy. Godforsaken. Abandoned.

Alone.

Her mind danced with paranoia as her eyes analysed everything that moved. The quick sequencing of subconscious events left her feeling confused and a step behind the rest. Looking down at the PaDD the words 'Giving yourself the opportunity to fall in love is a rookie mistake', flashed up. On the very last syllable being read in her head, an old fashion gunshot rang around every nook and cranny the coves, echoing in every direction loudly making her jump, dropping the PaDD into the water with a plop, never to be seen again. Birds flew away, filled with anxiety, away from the sound's epicenter, cawing in mass hysteria as if begging for mercy.

The Italian's heart sank instantly, know who the message was in reference, mirroring the journey of the PaDD to the seabed. A sudden splash behind her had her turning her head quickly to view the barrel of a phaser aimed between her eyes.

-----

Gasping, Adrianna blinked awake into the conscious realm, pulling a small dagger from the base of her spine and throwing it at the doorway. It landed with a twang, embedded in the surface. No one was there - thank goodness. She ran her hands over her face, taking a few deep breaths. A cold sweat seemed to pour from her forehead. Heart still pounding, the petty officer sifted quickly through the PaDDs on her desk to source the chirping that had pulled her from her nightmare. One of the PaDDs had some updated information on it that needed reviewing immediately.

A deep sigh left her chest as composure was sought before handling the real world.

It was just a dream.

Just a dream.