Dead Space: The Titan Chronicles

by AoDragon

Taking place before and during the outbreak of Titan Station. Untold stories of events Isaac and others may or may not have been aware of during thier ordeals during Dead Space 2 most of it from the perspective of a rookie Titan Security Officer and his partner as they struggle to survive the spreading infection. Enjoy!

1. Chapter 1

Dead Space: The Titan Chronicles

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Dead Space franchise or series.

In 2508 in illegal mining operation set up by the CEC fell victim to a deadly infection shortly after unearthing an alien artifact, later discovered to be a red marker. Within hours the infection spread throughout the colony consuming and killing everyone shortly after the colony is falls the, the USG Ishimura one of the first and largest planet crackers in its class sent by the CEC to retrieve the marker also became infected and suffered the same fate as the colony. Only a small number of people survived both Aegis VII and the diseased ship and escaped the horror. Sometime after the Aegis VII incident the Earth Government recovers the heavily damaged and abandoned Ishimura and relocates it to the Sprawl where a full investigation is conducted to ascertain what exactly occurred any and all details of the investigations results were classified at the highest levels. To eliminate the rising suspicion after rumors and gossip began spreading everywhere about the real story of the incident, a cover story masking the true nature of the events of the incident as a massive terrorist attack forged by EarthGove was aired galaxy-wide. Three years later on February 27, 2511 the Sprawl's security force is put on high alert after strange system failures occur all over the station mainly, the Government Sector.

Chapter 1

A Bad First Day

11 hours Pre-Titan Outbreak: Bastian Ryder a cadet of Titan Station Security Enforcement Guard arrives at its HQ for his first day on the force, he's approached by a mid-ranked officer assigned to take Bastian under his wing.

"Ah, you must the rookie." [Extends his hand]

"Nice to meet you, sir I'm Bastian Ryder." [Shakes his hand]

"Likewise I'm Lieutenant Charles Matland and I'll be your handler for the next few weeks, hope you got plenty of sleep last night if not well… you'll learn quickly how hectic it gets here."

"I get my sleep, after living here for about a year I've got the gist."

"If you say so come with me." [They start walking]

They walk through the lobby of Sprawl Security going deeper into the building, the Lieutenant gives him a tour of the HQ building then finally shows him to the locker rooms.

"Alright rookie finally we have locker rooms this were you'll keep your issued security suits if you're issued a new form of RIG suit it'll download directly into your account in the system which all the stores are connected to; your RIG will notify you when this happens, all you have to do is step in the store and your RIG does rest." [He explains]

Charles walks to a locker near the Store terminal.

"As you can see your name on this locker here you'll keep your standard uniforms here and when your off duty they'll be taken and sterilized and returned in time for you to change back in them coming back to work."

"Alright."

"Good, well I'll leave you to change and come on out when ready and we'll get today started."

Bastian opens his locker, lays his suit on the bench and places his pack inside. He slips into his uniform, zipping and strapping it up then. Finally taking his helmet from the top part of his locker he puts it on and it automatically links then retracts after it does a system check, he walks out meeting his handler.

"Hey looking good and just in time looks like today we're gonna be busy we got situations brewing in multiple areas here in the public sector."

"What's going on?" [Asked Bastian]

"What isn't going on, dozens of systems have been going haywire and the station technicians and engineers are stretched thin plus there's been sudden outbursts of violence happening near these places and well they're concerned for safety and that has a lot of our men stretched thin… its one big cluster fuck today."

"Well let's get to it."

"We need to stop by the armory and get our rifles first, something tells me we'll need more than our side arms."

They enter the armory to obtain their weapons.

"Kid you were briefed and trained on the new Seeker Rifles right?" [Charles askes]

"Yes sir I scored high on all the weapons training with the entry exams especially the Seeker Rifle." [Takes a Seeker Rifle]

"Dead eye huh, excellent then you and this baby should get along nicely let's move."

[Takes a Pulse Rifle]

10 Hours Pre-Outbreak

They take a transport to meet the technicians at the zones reported to have had strange activities occurring there oddly they arrive seeing no one in sight as they area near the transit hub appears deserted.

"What the hell… hey Woods you read are you sure we have the right place?"

"You're at the waypoint I sent to your locators why?" [RIG Link opens]

"There're supposed to be tech heads meeting us here only nobodies around and I mean nobody, no life signs in range just us."

"That's strange well on the bright side at lets you won't have to worry about people getting rowdy for no apparent reason." [RIG Link closes]

"Well might as well see how badly fucked up the systems are I'll go look around and see if I find anyone."

"Alright."

The rookie opens the panel with his security clearance to find that the sensitive tech inside has been wrecked.

"Damn what did this...?"

He carefully examines the damage hardware as to not get shocked by the electrical sparks. Matland searches the far side halls of the transit hub looking for anyone in the area, he's startled when he thought he caught a glimpse of something running across the hall further away from him. He pushes a button on the lower left side of his helmet that retracts the light blue face visor.

"Titan Security anyone there?" [He calls out]

He cautiously walks to the halls end and finds nothing but a broken vent with bizarre talon-like scratch marks on the entrance's sides and the wall inside going upwards he turns on his shoulder light to see better and then a sudden eerie feeling of him being watched from above in the ventilation opening had him holding still trying to see what it could be. He begins to hear a very faint breathing sound above him and then sees a quad pair of very dim glowing yellow eyes, he rubs his eyes thinking his mind is playing tricks on him and before he can look again to see if it was still there he's startled again at one of the technicians placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Ahh! … Jesus not a good idea to sneak up on a guy with gun."

"Whoa, sorry officer I didn't mean to scare you."

"You the tech heads that should have meet us here?"

"Yeah sorry about that the systems here are computer software and the guys on our shift that handle this stuff got held back so we had to wait but they made it."

"Good my partner's over at the hub."

The techs and Lt. Matland return to the transit hub, the techs look at the damaged hardware in the wall panel.

"What the fuck happened to this I just tuned this system up two days ago?" [One of the specialist exclaimed]

"It looks like someone smashed the hell out of this… I bet my credits it's one of those rock worshipping fuckers from the Cassini Towers three months ago a few of those marker heads from there were caught tampering with another system like this at the Concourse while one of them had the officers patrolling there distracted."

"I heard about that thankfully they caught on to them and stopped and arrested them before they could anything." [Matland replied]

"Well this thing is shot to hell its gonna have to be fully replaced." [Said the specialist]

"Alright I'll call it into the home office." [The tech answered]

"I swear those damn unitologist have no respect for us, we work our ass's of to maintain this damn station and they try to tamper and sabotage it fucking dicks."

"Let it go Josh." [Said the tech]

"Well we got other stuff we got to do today, you guys need any more help?"

"I don't think so as you can see not much to worry about that begs the question were the hell I everyone this time of day this place is teaming with people going back and forth from public to GoveSec."

"I don't know this past few weeks have been odd… anyway would mind reporting that broken vent we saw to?" [Matland inquired]

"Sure no problem."

"Alright thanks be safe."

"Matland, Woods here we got another situation we need you guys to look into." [RIG Link opens]

"Go head Woods what is it?"

"In the Government Sector near the core systems there's some kind of altercation going on there and someone reported that two individuals started fighting and they're both armed with dangerous tools and it's probably only a matter of time before they cause an accident or worse, they want someone to go and help break it up before it gets more violent."

"Okay we're on our way the tram hub we're at now can take us there."

"Your clearances should let you stop at the facilities attached to the crossover tubes to give you guys a few short cuts to the Shard." [Said Woods]

"Thanks Woods."

"By the way how's the rookie doing?"

"It's only been a few hours since he officially started hasn't seen much stuff yet but I'm sure he will with the crap that happens on this station."

"Good well get a move on I'd rather avoid processing any serious stuff like an altercation gone very wrong."

"On the move." [RIG Link closes]

Both board the tram to the Government Sector and stop half way at the dock point of the crossover tube connecting to the Shard where core systems are housed, they arrive and make haste for the area where the altercation was reported but again to their surprise no one was in sight.

"Woods we're here and there's nobody in sight I'm checking the RIG scans and Rookie and I and one other RIG are the only ones here."

"What… that's not possible I was still reading them a few seconds ago." [Perplexed]

"Looks like there hasn't been anyone here for a while there are few workers a few levels and sub sectors ahead of us but no one in this sector."

"What about that third RIG signal is it still nearby?"

"Yes but I can't ID the RIG there's a block on it." [Said Bastian]

"Anything that can block or anonymize ones RIG anywhere on any system in the galaxy has to be black market very illegal stuff."

9 Hours Pre-Outbreak

Suddenly half of the lighting systems in the shard shuts off and an emergency alarm blears as many doors slam shut locking themselves.

"Woods!?" [Matland exclaimed]

"Somethings happening half the lower facilities of GoveSec and the crossover tubes has malfunctioned!"

"What… how?"

"I was tracking that third RIG after the power went out it started moving very quickly, I back traced its movements back to three server rooms its seems there were power cables there in those rooms that were severed I'm guessing someone purposely sabotaged the systems there."

"Why do I get feeling those marker heads have a hand in this like that tech they were caught a few times tampering with Sprawl systems but why would they do it?" [Matland thought]

"I'm picking up a RIG Link from Director Tiedemann to that third RIG listen to this." [Taps into the transmission]

"Attention RIG# 438642 this is Director Tiedemann in the public sector, we've traced recent acts of sabotage to your suit Identify yourself!"

"Uhh… call me Vandal, look listen they didn't tell me what would happen I just did what the church told me now the bastards left me for dead out here so screw them alright I'll even testify if you want me to."

"I don't think my colleagues will accept that, you've caused a lot of trouble but there's a way to make up for the damage you've done the emergency quarantine seal on cross over tube A has malfunctioned and as an engineer you have the tools to repair it."

"Isn't there someone on your side that can do it, I'm fighting for my life down here?"

"Your much closer then anyone from the public sector, if you're truly remorseful this is your chance to show it, repair that seal and keep those monsters from reaching the population it may even gain you some leniency assuming you survive, now hurry!"

"Those sons of bitches the unitologist are responsible for this but why what are they after?"

Before any of them could say anything a Slasher breaches out of a vent.

"What fuck is that!?" [Bastian exclaims]

It charges at them violently as it tries to smite them both but they dodge it and its pincers scrap the floor instead.

"Shoot it, shoot it!"

They both fire upon the Slasher but the shots barely phase it and it still moves close to them, it runs up to Bastian and rams him of his feet knocking his Seeker Rifle out of his reach into a locker forcing it open and causing a Plasma Cutter to fall out and land in front of him and in between the Slasher. Matland shoots it more succeeding in getting its attention only to be lashed on his arm when it dashed up to him with alarming speed, it redirects its focus back to Bastian and as it moves closer to him he scurries for the Plasma Cutter as it lunges at him determined to kill him. He grabs it and blasts one of its upper limbs off by the skin of his teeth knocking it back a few steps it tries to lunge at him a second time but it fails as he shoots off both of its legs, he finishes it off by shooting off its last upper limb and finally to ensure it stays dead he shoots off its head the Slasher lets out a loud roar as it dies. Bastian runs to his partner who leans' up against the wall breathing heavily and clutching his arm as it bleeds.

"Matland… Hey are you okay!?"

"Ah… damn that thing got me pretty good!" [As examines his wound]

"That's a nasty laceration hold stay here keep pressure on that."

"Okay." [Labored]

Bastian opens a wall locker containing first aid supplies he takes gauze and wraps it securely around his arm stopping the bleeding until he can get medical attention. Matland looks at his arm after Bastian finishes tying the gauze.

"Hey nice job glad you know your stuff."

"Thanks my dad was a EMT he taught me a lot of his stuff growing up."

"Damn that hurt it almost pierced right through my arm."

"Matland… Matland anyone there!?"

"We're here Woods." [Bastian answered]

"Thank god what happened I lost your signal?"

"We were attacked there's something here in the station creatures, monsters they're everywhere they're killing everyone in the and beyond the shard."

"Creatures?"

"Hold on I'm sending you a feed." [Said Bastian]

Bastian scans the slasher's corpse and sends the information to Woods.

"I got it… oh my god what the hell is it?" [Disturbed]

"We're not sure but they are extremely hostile Matland got hurt by the damn thing I treated the wound as best I can but he needs medical assistance, and getting out of here is gonna be tough there are a lot of these things here and because of that Vandal character half the area here is locked down." [Said Bastian]

"Don't worry I a few stuff up my sleeves that can do to get guys out."

"Okay, we'll try to get back to the crossover tube and back to the tram line." [Said Matland]

"Be safe both of you."

"Roger that." [Both]