Soggy oatmeal is shoved quickly into her mouth, struggling to swallow the wet lump that goes down her throat. Meal finished, utensils are shoved to the side of the table, spoon clanging loudly against the ceramic bowl. Ellen had enough of the meager meal, she retched at the idea of habitually consuming it for breakfast. Having the same shit three weeks in a row got old real fast. Jonah on the other hand didn't seem to mind. Condensed milk wets his upper lip as he finishes his second bowl, delicately burping into his fist. He then gently daps at his mouth with the paper-thin napkin, giving Ellen an inquisitive look.
"What crawled up your ass and died? You haven't been the same since Walter dragged you to the med tent a week ago."
She gives him a warning glare, finishing her own glass of milk, thumb wiping at the residue. Doesn't know what to say. Struggling to find the right words, she keeps quiet, pulling a cigarette from the carton in her right pocket.
"Tell me what happened, I'm here for you, remember. You're my number one fag hag, don't you dare forget that."
A chuckle comes out despite herself, sighing. The lighter edges close to her lips as she lights the cigarette, streams of smoke giving her that nicotine bliss. Lacking the strength to look Jonah dead in the eye, she flicks the lighter with her thumb, hesitant. Even her voice sounds foreign to her ears.
"A lot shit is on my mind. Dad is…"
"I'm sorry-
"-You don't have to tell me twice. Thanks though."
Conjured images bombard her of what her Father's horrible demise was like during the neutrino blast. The indiscernible agony makes her want to scream her voice hoarse, tears wetting tired eyes. Didn't remotely have the chance to have a proper funeral for him, charred body launched into the depths of space as any other piece of garbage. Enraged her that she didn't have a say in the matter. More puffs of nicotine are taken in its place, masking raw grief. Shaking her hair anxiously, eyes dance around the mess hall, mind trying to find focus.
"And Mom is alive but in a coma from the damage the blast caused. Which is pretty fucking weird considering she's had over seven years to recover. As for that synthetic motherfucker…"
She's not sure what to tell her best friend at this point, the drug induced state she was in when tranquilized caused her to doubt her own memory. How he acted, what Captain Daniels said. Something wasn't adding up. A confidant would help. Fuck it. She needed someone to trust.
"Walter was acting strange. I mean, really fucking strange. I was drugged out of my mind but I heard things, saw things. The captain too. They're up to something."
"Like…?"
"Shit, I don't know Jonah. He was speaking in a British accent, crying on his knees. Kept on calling her "Elizabeth." Never seen a synthetic act like that my whole life. That speaks volumes right there, yeah?"
"I'd say so, you grew up around them from the time you were a baby."
"Exactly."
Her friend squints in concentration, spinning the spoon round. Not sure what to make of the information she imparts on him, he tries to brush it off.
"You're were drugged, hallucinating. Don't overthink it."
"No, this was different. The details, they were specific. I don't have an imagination like yours."
They stay silent for several seconds, well aware of the dangers of getting involved in business that wasn't theirs to begin with. Despite this, the feeling of not knowing felt somehow worse. Fear wasn't going to hold these two back. Mind made up, Jonah puts on his serious face, all traces of his playful manner gone.
"All right, tell me what went down."
A second cigarette is lit from shaking lips, trying to gulp down fried nerves.
"Well, it started with him not listening to Captain Daniels. Keep in mind that this was before he drugged me…"
Restraints are pulled taught against Ellen's wrists and ankles, arching her body hard against the leather cuffs, screaming as loud as she can. Walter moves methodically, syringe brought out from its packaging. A small bottle of sedative is pulled from the bottom most draw followed by a curious black substance in a similar vial. Gasps for air can be made out as she tilts her head back, Captain Daniels greeting her view. The woman looks deathly pale, a sickly shade of yellow. Sweat pouring out from the exertion, she doesn't give herself a chance to breath as she throws her body over her trapped one. There's yelling, screaming, pushing. Accusations. Cool metal breaks the surface of her flesh, sliding down, accompanied by a hot flash of pain. Colors blur, the faces of the two morphing into abstract forms. The sedative should have made her pass out, adrenaline keeping that from occurring. Blood pumping hard in her veins, she's still able to make out what they say even as the edges of her vision turn a shadowy black.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so-
Daniels rebuts him, shoving the synthetic away roughly in repulsion. Voice panicked, she gestures at him to grab something from his pocket. Ellen observes, confused.
The hell?
"Give me the goddamn medicine. Now."
"Just give me a moment Eliz-
"I'm not Elizabeth you fucker! It's been over 24 hours, I need that medicine now!"
"Patience, patience. It's a virtue, you know."
The captain's lands on him, shoving him on his back. Straddles him as she reaches into his pants pocket, producing a long cylindrical grey vial. Spits flies at his face, fingers shakily removing the cap away to reveal the needle. The shinning point is savagely shoved into her chest cavity where her heart rests. There's relief in her sigh, collapsing to the right of him, spread eagle. He doesn't register what she has done, repeating the same phrase over and over.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Elizabeth. My darling-
"Shut up. I've had enough of your shit. You can hurt me, but you're not hurting that girl or any of the other kids. Got it?"
Walter nods absently, mind not quite there.
"Of course. You are what I live for, my queen. I'll make it all better, don't worry."
"Fuck you David. Fuck you."
For a split second, she forgets that Ellen is there, face twisting in panic at what she just uttered. As best she can, the teen feigns sleep, one eye barely slit open to see the captain's reaction. The older woman buys into the act, head hitting the tarped covered ground, failing to stifle sobs.
-Woah, back the fuck up there. Captain Daniels is terminally ill? And she called him David!? No fucking way!"
"Yes way!", Ellen whispers yells, trying not to draw attention. "I'm not kidding, that's what she said!"
Jonah gasps dramatically, putting one hand to his mouth. Several colonists give them a warning look, going back to eating their breakfast. Her hand smacks at his right hand lying on the table, hissing.
"Hey, keep quiet. You've the only person I've told this to, the psychologist they've assigned me doesn't even know!"
"Oh shit."
"Oh shit is right. That synthetic fuck isn't who he says he is. I want to find out what he's up to."
He meekly adverts her intense gaze, fidgeting with his spoon.
"I don't think we should get involved, this sounds way too dangerous. Don't go all Nancy Drew on me now."
"Nancy who? Jesus Christ, not another one of your obscure ref-
-Hey, some of us appreciate 20th century pop culture, okay!? At least I'm interested in something other than blowing shit up-
-I have some very fond memories of me and my Dad blowing shit up, thank you very much."
"Pfft", Jonah scoffs dismissively. "You engineers are always up to something crazy."
Ellen tires to muffle the hysterical laughter that is about to release, winking at her best friend, mouth sharpening to a devilish smirk.
"Damn straight. Wouldn't have it any other way."
The stairs seem to go on for miles, Fiona huffing and puffing the whole way. Hicks was leagues ahead of her, not breaking a sweat. It annoyed her to no end to see him not struggle, she wasn't in the greatest shape of her life but not the worse. That's what she liked to think anyway as she paused for some air, sweat dampening her dress. He keeps up his pace, not slowing down. Her shrill Scottish voice brings him out of his reverie.
"Hey! Not all of us are meat headed marines, okay!? Can you stop for a minute or two?"
Grinning at her lack of stamina, he sits on the concrete steps one flight above her, greedily taking in her ample cleavage. The sergeant has the nerve to laugh at the exerted red-head, popping some chewing tobacco into his mouth.
"Hey, so what if I'm a meat head? I'm breathin lady, you ain't. Ha!"
"Fuck-, she huffs, one arm holding onto the banister for support, -you arsehole. Ugh!"
"Hey, maybe later. You did interrupt my session with that Luna 10 hottie-
-AND you're supposed to be working, not fucking. Do that on your free time!"
"I did, scout's honor. It was my lunch break.", he laughs, giggling like a school boy.
A second wind comes to her as she rips off high heels, throwing them roughly aside. Grabbing the straps in one hand, she climbs with renewed vigor, free hand jabbing a long-decorated fingernail at his forehead as she meets him.
"This woman better be worth it, damn elevators just had to be broken."
"You're lucky she invited your ass, that ice bitch doesn't take time off for her own kids. You know she's interested when she makes time, take my word."
I'll take your word, - she brushes on by, chin held high-, when we see her. Get moving sergeant."
"As you wish", he says, bowing mockingly.
Ten more minutes go by until they reach their destination, the sergeant bowing mockingly a second time as he holds the door open for her.
"After you, milady."
"Hmph!"
Not sparing him a second glance, she heads down the one-way hall, hearing voices sparring venomously.
Hicks jogs to her side, swiping his blonde buzz cut back.
"Hey, what's wrong? I was only joking back there."
His mouth visibly frowns, eyebrows furrowing.
"Look, I'm sor-
-Shush! Shut that loud Yankee mouth of yours! I hear Rohdes and another person. They're talking about something important, I want to hear what they're saying."
As they're about to round the corner, he rests his head on her shoulder, peering cautiously.
"Oh fuck, that's Mr. Yutani."
"The Mr. Yutani!?", she lowly speaks, expression narrowing at his closeness.
"You got it."
They rest against the far wall, out of view as they listen to the fight right around the corner.
-really Olga, we need our investors to at least have some sort of knowledge of our activities. They don't know everything, you're overacting as always."
"As always? As always!? You senile fucker, don't you patronize me. This bioweapon is the stuff made out of nightmares. Why do you insist-
"I-, he clips back viciously, -insist because it's the only way to honor my family lifelong legacy. Your 2nd cousin, Peter Weyland, craved power, you father did. You don't. You're a debutante out of your league."
The woman grabs at the collar of his coat, not fazed in the least as she screams, spit coving his fine suit.
"I HAD TO TAKE OVER BECAUSE MY FATHER DIED UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. I'M SURE YOU HAD SOME INVOLVEMENT, SOMEONE HAS TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOU!"
The elderly man pushes her gently away, producing a handkerchief from his breast pocket, dabbing at the spittle. Without warning, he squeezes her face in a tight hold, old eyes bulging, veins popping.
"No, you listen to me you clueless cunt. Your family took my family's business away from us in that hostile little takeover 17 years ago. My son Hideo was supposed to help lead this company. Kaori being kidnapped, him having a mental breakdown, I want retribution. You'll just have to suffer the fallout."
Fiona and Hicks hear the sound of a body being slammed against the wall, accompanied by choking sounds.
"You're worthless. I'm taking back what's mine. You have no idea what the fuck you are doing. Been in this game a lot longer than you have, stupid girl."
Her back slides to the floor as he releases his hold on her, gurgling sounds greet the pair hiding. They shake at what they witnessed. He takes Fiona to his chest, wordlessly opening the janitor's closet to hide, not making a sound. Fear shines in her eyes, Hicks expression mirrored.
"I'm in over my head, aren't I?"
"Do you even have to ask?"
Rushed, noisy steps come close, passing by as the one CEO heads to the exit door, traversing downward. Hicks cracks the door to a slit, watching the elderly man disappear. As soon as the stairwell door closes, he rushes to Miss Rohdes side, Fiona following closely behind.
"Miss Rohdes-
-Ah Kyle, took you long enough." She laughs weakly, coughing up blood. "Saw you and Miss Connor back there, was wondering when you were going to sweep in to save the day."
"You noticed us!?"
The injured woman waves him off, struggling to her full height.
"I did, old bastard's vision isn't too good. You lucked out. Nice to see you finally in person Fiona."
"Miss Rohdes, it's a pleasure."
They shake hands, Olga's grip lacking strength.
"Well, you overheard part of our conversation. You're deep in the rabbit hole now, there's no going back. You too Kyle. Follow me to my office."
She leads the way, both reluctantly shuffling forward.