A dream.
Dreams often were a reflection of what one had experienced. Mingled with hopes and desires. That is how he understood it. But seldom would dreams make proper sense with how abstract they could be. And how, at times, vivid.
This one was no different, starting with a loud *thunk* sound that focused his attention to the scene before him. One so vivid, so horrifying that, for a moment, he wanted to panic.
When he opened his eyes, he could see the remains of what should have been his sleeping chamber. Torn apart, with what remained floating in space before him. The ship he was part of looked no better in the distance. Mangled and shredded, like it was nothing but a fragile model, clawed apart by a large beast.
He was still locked inside his sleep-capsule. Safe for as long as it’s integrity wasn't compromised. But the large crack on the glass-cover before him, it foretold of how little time there was likely left for him.
Yet the sensation of calm overtook, what would have been a panicked attempt to save himself, the very moment he laid eyes on that strange creature floating by, granting him the assurance that this, it wasn't real.
It was something, vulpine, bipedal, with wings on its back. Moving through the void with nothing but the fur that seemed to cover it. It was almost comical to him. How it swung and moved its wings within the nothingness of space, to propel itself forward. As if it was just a bird in the sky.
It seemed to dodge and weave in a strange fashion. With only the impact of something incredibly hot, hitting the ships hull, melting through it like probably a laser would. Suggesting to him that this, it was a struggle of sorts. A scene of this creature, in combat against something.
Something he could only make out, once the remains of his room slowly had drifted to bring into sight a massive object.
Partly metallic, partly organic in nature. A warped structure of what must have been a spaceship of alien design. And a tangled mess of red organic looking matter around it, lashing out trying to hit, or possibly catch this vulpine creature.
His attention was then withdrawn from this view, as he sensed the dampened sound of the glass-cover in front of him starting to break. The cryo-liquid that helped preserve his sleeping body, partially transmitting the audible warning of a normally life-threatening situation to his ears.
Though this was a dream, of that he was sure now. So he tried to relax, certain that he should have some influence over it, enough to will the glass to mend again. And he needed to stay calm, because if he panicked, his body might actually drown within the sleep-capsule.
But his effort paid off as, when he opened his eyes again, the glass was actually mended. Even part of the room had recovered. Though he felt a terrible headache in turn. One that gave him the feeling as if he was falling unconscious, over and over again.
Yet, within one of the more vivid moments, he could see that creature again. And this time, standing in front of him. Its, no, her, hands pressed carefully against the glass with a look on her face that he could only describe as concern. With emerald green eyes, judging what to do with him.
Her whole body was covered in fur. Orange primarily, with white on her belly that reached below the tribal garment she wore. The garment consisting only of what seemed like a loincloth, and some fabric covering her chest. Her legs and arms moving into a dark black, sharing the color of fur that was more prominent at the tip of snout and ears.
This was some, strange mix of human and beast. Which made him wonder, what kind of information was his brain working out right now, to come up with such a strange being ?
And just when his ability to look at her was about to fade once more, he could watch as she spread her wings towards the back. There they exploded into a black mess of what he could only describe as, tendrils of semi liquid matter. And they were reaching out to various pieces of debris to, as he surmised, put his room back together.
What a strange dream. No, this bordered on a nightmare. But at least, a vivid dream like this. It meant the wake up process had been initiated, right ? This was probably his brain just flexing as the standby mode, keeping his brain functional, was aching under the pressure of the forced increase in activity. Which was likely even the cause of his headache.
Hopefully, the next time he opened his eyes, he'd be in the medical bay, getting his first situation briefing.