Author's Note: Hello all FF readers and friends! This will be my very first story posted on this site, and I have to say I'm a tad nervous. I've always been a fan of Dead Space, it's characters, it's universe. So I decided that I'd make my own Dead Space story, complete with my own characters. That said, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Only my OCs (Samantha, Mitch, Finnely, Xavier, and Jessica) and plot are mine. The rest belongs to Visceral Games and EA.

DEAD SPACE: DEUS CAVUM

Chapter One: Renovamen

Samantha Cowell hated space. She hated the cold, nothingness that surrounded her when in space. She hated the complete vulnerability she felt when in space. She hated the deadly silence that always followed her when in, guess what, space. It was safe to say, Samantha not only hated space, she despised it. Space was her worse enemy, her nemesis of unequal rage.

So what job did she just happen to take? Where did she just happen to end up? Orbiting around Callisto on a Lunar Stationary Outpost near Jupiter, stuck doing security and maintenance checks.

Fucking brilliant.

The pay was good though, and Samantha didn't complain...too much. She'd actually managed to get somewhat used to the average spacewalk, as well as zero gravity. The first time she went on one, the inside of her helmet looked like a crab had taken a shit right on her lens. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

But, Samantha stayed with it for god knows why. She realized that if she'd actually hated the job she'd have quit during her first week, so there must be something she enjoyed about it.

Definitely wasn't the food.

Samantha honestly didn't know why she stayed with EarthGov, why she didn't just hitch onto the nearest shuttle heading back to Earth. But yet again, maybe she did. Samantha had nothing to go back to. No family was waiting for her back on Earth, no friends, no loving husband with her two kids. Nope. Nada. Zip.

So it wasn't that. It wasn't a lot of things. Getting a job on Maxim, the station's name, had given her a fresh start. A horrible, yet much needed, fresh start. A way to put the past behind her. All this thinking brought Samantha back to the task at hand.

Currently, she was in her standard EarthGov security RIG doing a routine spacewalk near the starboard end of Maxim to repair some primary buffer panels that'd gotten loose during a meteor storm. Reaching an arm out, Samantha checked her watch. It was 07:00 hours EST time, which caused her to groan as Samantha realized she was missing breakfast...again.

Perks of the job. Yippee.

"'Ey? Sammy? You still alive out there?" A chipper voice cut in, breaking the horrible silence. "Did you die again? I'd like to know that so that I'm not wasting time sitting here talking to you. The salad bar just opened, and I want my fucking croutons this time."

Samantha raised a hand to her earpiece, opening a channel. "I'm here Mitch. Don't get too excited." She replied blandly, a small smile on her curved lips. She heard a light chuckle on the other end.

"As much as I'd hate to see you disappointed, I just got word from Finnely that we gotta cut our mission short today. Somethin' is goin' on that requires our expertise, somethin' big. He wants us to gather in the mess hall, ASAP. I know how much you were looking forward to fixing those panels, I'm so sorry Sammy. Don't worry, we'll get 'em next time. There are plenty of panels for you to fix with whatever the hell you use to fix 'em. Just remember that this isn't the end, we all fail sometimes an-"

"Fuck you, Mitch." Samantha grinned as she cut off her comm channel, using her thrusters to steer her back towards the starboard airlock.

It wasn't everyday that something important happened on this station. Samantha was actually excited, finally relieved to be free from the boring drawl of the regular day. She could tell Mitch was excited too, though the man always was incredibly hyper. Mitch scared her in truth, as Samantha found it disturbing how a man could be genuinely happy on this station. This station.

Disengaging the thrusters, Samantha used her momentum to carry her forward. With a small grunt, she clasped the airlock handle with her palm, pulling her onto the surface of Maxim's hull. Releasing the clasp, she sluggishly made her way into the station.

The room pressurized with a loud hiss. Samantha's helmet came down, allowing her to let her brown ponytail free from its prison of metal. With a sigh, she walked forward and opened the door in front of her, revealing the toothy grin that was waiting behind it.

Samantha brushed past Mitch with a nudge, walking briskly down the hall. "Why did Finnely call off the maintenance check?" Samantha quipped with attitude.

"I dunno, all I know is that we're receiving some high priority package this afternoon and he wants all of us to be prepared." Mitch replied, scurrying along with Samantha's fast pace.

"Why does he want you? You're not even EarthGov, you're just a comm specialist." She spat at the stick-man beside her. Mitch wasn't fazed by the comment, in fact he just brushed it off with a laugh.

"I know! I actually was looking forward to a day off, but fuck it! Eli needs help and we're the ones to give it to him!" Mitch made a triumphant smile, rubbing it in Samantha's face.

Samantha scowled. Mitch was always present and ready for her bitching. There was no one she hated and trusted more on this station. She'd first met him when she first transferred to Maxim, his job was to be her comm officer. During her first spacewalk, the one where she barfed all over the inside of her suit, Mitch had to be her eyes since she couldn't see. That was the beginning to how their relationship bloomed. Mitch Roth was her worst enemy, good friend, and accomplice in crime. All rolled into one. Crime meaning pranks on their common enemy, Eli Finnely.

Finnely was the head of EarthGov security on Maxim, a man of action and little words. Samantha swore that if he ever took that stick out of his ass the man would crumple like a piece of paper in the wind.

"Are Jessica and Xavier going to be there?" She asked.

Mitch shook his head. "CEC personnel weren't given an invite as far as I know. Plus, I doubt medical staff are important to Maxim security, unless there's some secret I don't know 'bout." Mitch shrugged.

Samantha sighed, dropping her shoulders down. "Lucky them." She smirked, wishing that she had taken Jessica's advice and joined her in the medical program. They didn't have to worry about spacewalks, or zero gravity, or meetings that pop the fuck up out of nowhere.

"Well, get ready for some bullshit to be spoken." She grumbled as they turned the corner, heading towards the elevator.

"Sammy, I live for bullshit." Mitch smirked as he pressed the button, sending them up towards the mess hall.

Finnely stood over the crowd, a grimace on his dark face. The man had no idea how the news he was about to deliver would be taken. He expected most would rejoice, some even start going ballistic in glee on the spot. He wished he could share in their enthusiasm, but he would be lying if he said that he was looking forward to the days to come.

Glancing up at the crowd, he figured that it was time to announce the reason that everyone was pulled from their morning jobs and ordered to meet here. Clearing his throat, Finnely stood up to the podium.

"May I have everyone's attention!" He shouted over the mindless chatter of individuals. "Excuse me! May I have your full attention!" Louder this time. It worked, as the voices dulled down. "Thank you." He cleared his throat, taking a breath. "I know you all are wondering the reason of my asking you to be here. Honestly, I would be to. It is highly irregular for me to do so, but we are about to receive a highly irregular package. I got word from Captain Harne of the USM Olympus, that they are delivering a number one priority cargo. A Marker."

Gasps arose from the crowd, and as Finnely expected, many had smiles on their faces. "Attention!" He roared to regain order. "Attention. It is to be kept here until further notice, for reasons that have not yet been explained. Frankly, I'm not comfortable with this. But orders are orders, so we have to prepare for the Marker to be brought on board this afternoon. You all will receive your assignments via telecom link, and I'll be notifying the rest of Maxim shortly. Dismissed!" Finnely waved his hand to disperse the meeting.

In the crowd, Samantha's face hardened. Her fists clenched. "Fucking shit." She hissed, her voice icy.

"Fucking shit, indeed." Mitch chirped back.