See Prologue for Disclaimer and Ratings. Quick warning - no actual violence in this chapter, but it does contain descriptions of the aftermath.
This chapter is dedicated to the fact that as of a few hours ago, I am officially DONE my second year of university (not counting my field course in Belize - less than two weeks!), and I am currently halfway to my archaeology degree. Thus, I felt like celebrating, fic-style!
Thanks to all who reviewed, good to know I'm getting it at least somewhat on target. Hopefully I'll continue to do so. Any and all mistakes are mine alone.
PART TWO - In Lieu of Death
Dylan rolled over and grumbled incoherently as he was awoken by Harper's voice. "Command to Captain Hunt? We, uh, we got ourselves a little problem up here."
He looked at the time and muttered some more - he'd only been asleep for a little under three hours. "What is it, Harper?"
"Andromeda's sensors picked up an automated distress beacon in this backwater system, about six AU out."
The captain closed his eyes. When he opened them once again, he was slightly more aware. "Set out towards it, I'm on my way."
-o-
When he arrived in Command, Andromeda filled him in.
"The distress call is emanating from a small freighter in orbit of a large asteroid. Based on the timestamp imbedded in the beacon, I estimate the transmission was first activated three days ago."
Dylan looked at the small ship on the screen - it wasn't much larger than the Maru. "Lifesigns?"
"There is a radiation leak that seems to be confined to the lower decks, however it is interfering with my sensors. I can't get any specific readings from inside the ship itself."
The captain was silent, contemplating his options. "Very well. Harper, get Beka and Trance up here. We go EVA."
-o-0-o-
They greeted the Vyshiian outside the docking bay. "Ambassador Nané , welcome aboard."
The Ambassador bowed his head. "Thank you, Captain Hunt. It is an impressive ship."
Rommie gave the hint of a smile. "Thank you."
Dylan went through the introductions of his senior officers, while the Vyshiian did the same with his aides.
"Well Ambassador, while we conduct our negotiations, some of my crew would like to take a visit down to Makhoiian Drift to gather supplies. With your permission, of course."
The ambassador smiled. "Of course, Captain. However, I must make one request, that your crew confine their business to the Vyshiian sectors. The Makaei and the Vyshiian coexist peacefully because we do not interfere with one another. Politically." The ambassador tried his best to be cheerful as he added, "At the current time you are the honoured guests of the Vyshiian, but not of the Makaei. It can be…dangerous…to enter the Makaei sectors without that distinction."
The captain nodded, then turned to his crew. "You heard the ambassador, you are not to enter Makaei-controlled areas."
His senior staff nodded and answered with a round of 'yes sirs,' something they did only for the benefit of the Vyshiian envoy. He sighed inwardly, if only they could show that discipline all the time.
Dylan turned back to his guest. "Ambassador, if you would please follow me."
He and Rommie led the envoy away from the bay. Meanwhile, Beka looked around at her crewmates. "Alright troops, you heard the man." She headed down to the Maru, with Harper, Rhade, and Trance in tow.
-o-0-o-
Beka and Trance followed Dylan through the airlock of the freighter. Lights flickered down the corridor. Dylan checked the readout on the display of his EV suit sleeve.
"Well, life support is operational, and the radiation seems to be confined to the lower decks. We're safe, for now."
Both he and Beka removed their helmets - Trance had declined the offer of protection. The air was stale, but breathable.
"Trance, can you get any readings?"
"Sorry Dylan, the radiation isn't strong enough to effect us here, but it's still interfering with our equipment. I can't determine any lifesigns."
"I guess we do it the old-fashioned way, then," Beka quipped.
Dylan started down the corridor, cautiously. "I guess so."
-o-
They had made their way from the airlock into the crew quarters. Stepping through a door, the three of them stopped suddenly in their tracks and took in the sight before them.
Two bodies, humans, were strewn across the floor, their eyes unseeing. Dried blood covered their clothes and skin. Another was found in similar condition, draped across a table. The stench of decay was almost overpowering, having been kept confined by the door until they'd opened it. Decomposing food sat on a second table, waiting to be finished off.
"This can't be good," Beka thought aloud. Dylan and Trance nodded.
They kept moving, stepping over the bodies carefully. When Trance paused to check one of the bodies, Dylan called out, "We look for survivors, then we can come back and figure out what the hell happened."
Trance reluctantly stepped away and rejoined her crewmates.
As they made their way further into the ship, they came across the odd corpse here or there, looking very much like the first ones. After a few minutes, Dylan made an observation. "No burns."
"What?" Beka asked, confused.
"There are no burn marks from weapons' fire."
Beka raises an eyebrow and gestured with her gun to a black mark on the nearby bulkhead - one of several. "Uh, did you hit your head there, Captain Observant? 'Cause I've noticed a few of them so far. "
He didn't look up. "No, the bodies. None of them has a single burn on them." He looked around the corridor, as if seeing something for the first time. "They were the ones with the weapons…" he trailed off, noting the looks he earned from Beka and Trance - the implications were unnerving.
"What could do this?" Trance wondered.
Dylan looked up at her and attempted to lighten the mood. "Don't you know?"
It didn't work.
"I say we split up, look faster," Beka supplied, her grip on her weapon tightening ever so much.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Dylan replied, looking around.
"Look, the faster we search, the faster we leave. It's been three days, chances are whatever did this is long gone. And I don't know if you noticed back there, but whoever or whatever it was, they attacked these guys off guard - we're prepared." She saw he was about to protest, so she added, "We can take care of ourselves."
He thought it over. "Fine, but I want constant traffic. And don't move to another deck until I say so - if anyone runs into trouble, I want quick backup." His officers nodded. "Okay, Beka take the left, Trance right."
The women nodded, and the three of them moved off in separate directions. They each searched their sections of the ship, moving through the decks simultaneously, letting the others know when they came across another corpse. So far, their count had reached nine.
Dylan reached the last of his section of hallway on their present deck. "I take it no survivors yet?" he asked over the sub-dermal communication link.
"That would be no."
"Negative."
"Do either of you have any more ground to cover on this deck?""
Yeah," he heard Beka answer, "One more corridor over here."
"I'm done, Dylan."
"Alright," he began, "This is as far down as we go, the next deck is where the radiation is coming from. Trance, sit tight, I'll meet up with you, then we'll go get Beka. Beka? Finish off your area, then we'll head out of here."
They agreed, and carried out the Captain's orders.
-o-
Beka made her way to the end of the corridor, relieved that they were getting off this death ship soon. As she approached the final door at the end of the hallway, she heard over their link that Dylan had met up with Trance.
"No sense you two coming out here, we have to double back that way, anyway," she told them as she stepped through the door, "I'll be there in a…damn."
"Beka?"
"Three more…make that four more bodies," she replied, spotting the fourth crumpled in the corner. "Alright, I'm coming back your way." She turned to leave.
Suddenly she stopped, still in the center of the room, as her ears picked up something familiar.
No, she thought, It's impossible.
But as she strained her ears, she could make out the unmistakable sound of laboured breathing. She turned back around in time to see the head of the fourth body in the corner move.
Gripping her weapon and pointing it at the very-much-alive body, she said, "Uh, guys? You might want to put that figure back down to three." She stepped closer, carefully.
"What was that?" she heard Dylan ask.
"I think I might have a survi…" she trailed off abruptly when the figure in question, with much effort, moved his body to look at her.
The first thing she noticed was the blood - it was both dried, like the others had displayed, and fresh in places, covering the majority of his body. The second was the series of protrusions, also covered in blood, erupting from his left arm - she couldn't see the right - indicating his species: Nietzschean.
The last thing Beka Valentine noticed, the most vivid, was pure animal rage behind the survivor's eyes - running on instinct, unfocused. Because of the blood and severe injury to the man in front of her, it took a few seconds for her to register she was looking into the wild eyes of one Telemachus Rhade.
To Be Continued…
Sabbie - Jeez woman, now you've gone and done it! I'm stuck on that promise now, aren't I? Alrighty, we'll see what happens with internet access down there. I'll try my best. PS - might want to update your profile, you're about 2 years behind!