Trapjack

Jacky awoke to find himself in a state of absolute panic and crippling worry. He had only meant to let everyone know what he truly thought about them, but he must have phrased it wrong! Oh, how angry he felt at himself. Cass had every right to be angry. She had every right to be angrier! As for Phil, he had downright insulted him! Jacky hadn't even been that bothered by Phil before, but was uncharacteristically angry at him before.

Hey wait a moment, Jacky thought. Phil. Something about Phil. Phil had... oh, what's the word? Drugged? Yes. Phil had drugged him.

Oh my. Jacky felt as though he deserved it, but he wasn't looking forward to the experience at all. He noticed then where he had awoken. He was strapped to a chair.

"You're quite the interesting character." said Queeg.

"Hm? What?" Jacky said. "Phil? Hm?"

"Not Phil. Queeg." Queeg said.

"Never heard of you." Jacky said.

"But I've heard of all of you. You're interesting."

"No I'm not. I think you'll find I'm fairly dull." Jacky reassured the machine. "I can't even tell people how I feel about them without insulting them."

"That's probably because you're going mad." Queeg said.

"Mad?" Jacky repeated. "I suppose that makes sense."

"Though, I feel like we've gone off topic." Queeg said. "Are you wondering about the chair?"

"I wasn't, but since you bring it up, go ahead." Jacky said politely.

"The bonds on that chair will tighten slowly until you die. That is, of course, unless you decide which of your friends to kill." Queeg said maliciously.

"I'm afraid I don't understand the question."

"I didn't ask a question."

"Explain anyway."

Queeg was irritated.

"You will die. You can live if you pick another crew mate to be killed, and your decision will be announced to every other crew member." Queeg explained.

"Oh, I get it." Jacky said. "This is a trap set up so that I feel conflicting emotions between my fear of death and fear of guilt. Clever, if a bit stock."

"Are you suggesting you could do better?" Queeg asked..

"Kind of, yea." Jacky said.

There was a silence.

"The trap is still on, Jacky." Queeg said.

"Oh, I know. I've made my decision already." Jacky said.

"What?" said Queeg.

"I'm going to sit here and rot." said Jacky. "It will do you no good to put me in any sort of trap. I know that I'm not going to die yet. I've met my future self."

"You're bluffing." Queeg said.

"Could be." Jacky said. "After all, I'm going mad."