Author's Note: This chapter was made possible by the diligence of Sideways865. Thanks, man.

Explorers of the Universe

Chapter 7: Fear Transforms; Bundle of Terror pt.2

Outside the Temple

Everyone was speeding to get Jonathan Shepard into the RV vehicle as fast as they could. Isaac and Rei had caught up fast enough to see Jonathan being carried into the vehicle, yelling out in pain. As Isaac and Rei hopped in, the vehicle sped towards the Prometheus as fast as they could, while Marek was radioing the ship for immediately action.

"Prometheus, come in," Marek radioed back to the ship in a hurry. "We need a medical team standing by in the air lock. Full quarantine failsafe."

Vickers was on radio, as she asked, "This is Vickers. What's going on?"

"We found Jonathan Shepard; but he ain't doin' so hot," Marek replied back. "He seems to be suffering some kind of viral infection."

The others were holding Shepard down, as he was thrashing about, yelling out in pain. His skin was becoming more deathly dark and cracking around the jaw line, and his eyes were becoming gray as well. Isaac rushed to his father, as he saw him in his current condition. He looked to Gwen, as he asked, "What's happening to him, Gwen?"

"I don't know," she replied. "He might have caught something in there."

"But we all had our helmets off, but we're not mutating," Isaac stated.

"Well, whatever it is, we gotta get him in cryo to slow it back down," Marek replied, as he radioed again, as the vehicle was getting closer to the Prometheus. "Prometheus, this is Marek! Make sure that back door is open!"

Isaac went back to his dad, to which Kori was sitting near and holding him down, as he asked her, "How's he looking?"

"He looks… sick," Kori replied, as she looked to him, her visor's eyes looking saddened and worried. "Isaac. I am afraid… he might not…"

Isaac shook his head, as his voice seemed stressed out, as he spoke up, "He'll make it. He'll make it."

Jonathan looked to his son, as he blinked, "Isaac? Isaac, is that you in there, buddy?"

Isaac nodded, as he replied to his father, "Yeah, Dad. It's me."

Jonathan weakly chuckled, "You came after all."

At that moment, the vehicle stopped, as it pulled over, allowing everyone to get out, but not before Jonathan's SIG helmet folded on, as they helped him get to the ship. Though he continuously spoke to Isaac, as he pleaded, "Son… do you know how I know there's a God out there?"

"I don't know, Dad," Isaac replied, as he asked, "How?"

"Because…" he weakly replied to his son, as he chuckled, while groaning in pain with every step they took, "Because… he gave me and your mom you."

Isaac was silent for a moment, as he tried to wrap his head around his father's choice of words. Never in once in his life did his father ever utter such a thing. Not because he was an atheist; he did believe in a higher power. He feared that something was going on that his father wasn't telling him, as he assured him, "You're gonna be alright, Dad."

"Isaac, what's he saying," Gwen asked, as she ran up to them, but they stopped as they saw the hangar door not even open. "Why aren't they opening?"

"Vickers! What's going on," Marek demanded.

As if he had been answered, the hangar door opened, as the platform was before them. But not just crewmembers or the vehicles were shown inside, but Vickers was waiting for them as well. And in her hands was a flamethrower… pointed right at Isaac and his father.

"Vickers, what the hell is this," Marek demanded.

"He's not coming aboard the ship," Vickers made clear, as her finger never left the trigger.

Kori then stated, "But he is ill!"

"I can see that, Alien," she stated. "That's why he's not coming aboard my ship!"

"Your ship?! I thought this was the captain's?!" Isaac demanded an answer, as he set his father down gently.

"He's the captain of the Falcon, and either ship belongs to the Company, meaning they're both mine, and I'll see what goes on, who stays on, or who I choose to throw off," Vickers stated, and then pointed her flamethrower at Kori, but not in a threatening manner, "She's no different!"

Gwen ran up, as Vickers aimed the flame thrower at Jonathan Shepard again, "Please, don't kill him! We can still help him!"

"Help yourself," Vickers stated, as she looked to everyone. "Everybody but Jonathan Shepard back on the ship, now!"

"We won't leave him," Isaac stated, emphasizing him and Gwen.

Vickers looked at him coldly, as she stated, "Then stay out here and die with him!"

"Wait a minute," Marek stated, while he and everyone didn't notice that Jonathan was getting back on his feet, stumbling forward, as Marek stated, "We can contain him; put him in the med-pod!"

"No, don't," Jonathan stated, getting everyone's attention. "I don't wanna walk around as one of those things… walking around… killing… without a soul…"

Isaac looked, as did everyone, as he asked, "Dad, what are you doing?"

Vickers pointed her flamethrower at him, as she warned him, "Stay back! I'm telling you, stay back!"

"Don't worry… you won't have to…" Jonathan wheezed out… and retracted his helmet.

Isaac and Gwen ran to him, as Isaac shouted, "DAD, NO!"

Jonathan collapsed on the ground, as he gasped, his lungs liquefying due to being exposed to the atmosphere, as his son and niece ran to him. They tried to get his helmet back up, but he fought against them, until he expired, gasping one last breath, as his body went limp, and finally died due to exposure of the elements. Isaac and Gwen cried, as Gwen cried in his chest, wishing for her uncle to come back, while Isaac managed to get back on his feet, and to walk away. He tried to gain some sense of what was going on, but all he could focus on what had just happened.

However, Gwen noticed that her uncle's body was twitching, as she gasped, "Oh my God. Uncle John? Uncle John, are you…?"

Suddenly, the head shot up, as the lower jaw split open… and launched a tentacle stinger that was aimed at Isaac who stood there in shock at what he had just witnessed his father had become.

"ISAAC!"

Gwen shouted before she shoved him onto the ground. Isaac watched in horror as the stinger harpooned Gwen in the stomach sending her off her feet. She crashed back, as she cried out in pain, witnessing such a horrifying thing happening to her. Then suddenly, it began to pump something into her body, as she arched her back, gasping and rolling her eyeballs back.

Jeff saw what was happening, as he shouted, "GWEN!"

He ran towards them, pulling out his pistol, firing at the cords as it nearly pumped in a pint of whatever it was shooting up in her abdomen. The blasts severed the tentacle pumps, causing a green and black liquid to spew out around like a sprinkler, as John's body was convulsing, as was Gwen's.

Jeff scooped her up in a sitting position, as Gwen was still convulsing, gagging, as it looked like she was still being pumped uncontrollably by whatever happened to her. "Gwen, come on! Snap out of it."

Isaac managed to snap out of it as he picked himself up; he, Vickers, and everyone else saw as John Shepard's body was still changing. The suit appeared to be oozing out black liquid, and seemed to cause the skin to merge with the suit. As his body was twitching, his arms became longer and started to nearly relocate to the back, his feet tore apart to make three toed digited feet. His stomach burst open, as scrawnier clawed hands and arms shot out, clawing at the sky. And then finally, exhaust pipe-like spikes shot out of the sides of his back, going down like crocodile back scales, and out of the palms of his hands, dangerous sharp black blade ripped out.

Everyone just stood up in horror, as the beast that was once Jonathan Shepard was righting itself onto its feet, and let out an inhuman roar from its rebirth.

"Am I the only one who saw that coming," Vickers asked in annoyance, but with fear in her voice as she aimed her flame thrower at what was once Johnathan Shepard.

However the mutated monster saw Vickers, and lunged forward with extreme speed using one of its arm blades to cut through the flame thrower. Vickers was knocked onto the ground and was about to be stabbed by the creature. However the creature's attention was turned to the other employees who attempt to burn it with their own flame throwers which led them to becoming the creature's next targets. It lunged at one before he can fire at it and his head was cut clean off by the creature. The Weyward employee's horrified head was sent flying into the air as blood came spurting out of his neck, his body fell down, and the blood spilled all over the floor where he landed.

The second employee pointed his flame thrower to attempt to burn the creature as well, only for him to be slashed horizontally across the chest by the creature as it lunged at him as well. The now dead employee fell over with an equally horrified expression as well as his organs falling out of his body with blood spreading out of them. The Creature stood up with the blood of its victims dripping off its blades as it turned its attention back on to a very scared Vickers, who was still on the floor. She backed away in fear knowing that her end was upon her and that her blood with soon join the other employees.

Just before the creature jumped at Vickers, two powerful gunshots were heard that hit the back of the creature as it cried out in pain and staggered from the shock, but regains its balance. All eyes, including Isaac who had slowly gone back into shock again to see Jeff holding a ZK-47 assault pulse rifle, with an angry look on his face. The creature let out an angry cry while having an equally angry look on his face as it charged at Jeff with its blades ready to strike. He shot at it again with less effect that before as the creature continued to charge at him. Seeing this, Jeff jumped out of the way as the creature slammed into the wall of the ship.

Jeff turned to the others as Rei was beginning to pick up Gwen, and yelled out, "Rei! Marek! Get Gwen to the med lab and help Vickers! HURRY!" He took another few shots at the creature's back which only angered the creature further.

Rei nodded as she began to carry Gwen inside, as Marek went to help Vickers who wasn't pleased with this plan. "You can't bring Miss Tenalds into the ship!" She began to argue with the captain, "She could turn into-"

However, Marek interrupted her, as he picked her up, "Do you want to stay here and argue about this with that thing fighting?!"

Vickers had a displeased look on her face as the four went into the ship's halls. As Rei began to take Gwen to the medical room, she suddenly noticed something, and asked, "Has anyone seen Kori since this started?"

Marek and Vickers also noticed that the Zamaranian girl was missing, as Marek noticed it as well, "I don't remember seeing her in the hanger hall after the creature attacked."

'Hopefully both alien freaks end up dead out there. That way he can't put any blame on me for out guest's tragic death,' Vickers thought to herself while feeling satisfaction on the inside.

Meanwhile back in the hanger, Jeff continued to shoot at the creature which barely slowed it down. 'Damn it! It's like this thing is just eating my bullets! If I don't come up with another strategy, we're all dead,' Jeff thought as he continued emptying clips. He then looked over to Isaac, and yelled out, "Yo Isaac, I could use a hand here!" But Isaac didn't give him a response, as he called out again, "Isaac!"

However, all he could see was Isaac standing there with a look of shock on his face and his hands trembling with fear. It was as if Isaac's brain had been overloaded with his father's transformation and Gwen's injury that his brain was overwhelmed from all of that and he was trying to reboot itself. 'Damn it! Of all times for him to go into shock! Not that I can blame him,' Jeff thought to himself, as he rolled out of the way of another strike by the creature's blades. Jeff recovered as he aimed his gun, and pulled the trigger. Only after that he pulled the trigger, he found out he was out of bullets as he looked at it in dread before looking around for another weapon. The creature charged at Jeff and struck again with a horizontal slash of its blade, but Jeff used his rifle to block it leading to be cut clean in half.

Just as Jeff was about to be finished by the creature as he is backed into a corner… the tide turned in his favor.

Kori flew into the hanger with a battle cry, grabbed the creature, and threw the shocked creature as it screamed and landed outside, crashing into the ground, as it used its blade arms to flip itself back up. Kori landed next to Jeff and held out her hand to help him up.

Jeff sighed in relief at the last minute save, as he thanked her, "Thanks."

"My pleasure," Kori nodded.

"Yeah, but where the heck were you earlier," Jeff asked.

"I was recharging," Kori answered, as she explained. "Zamaranians absorb ultra violet radiation for energy. I wanted to recharge before helping, but this suit prevents-"

But the explanation was put on hold, as the creature picked itself back up again as it growled in anger. Jeff and Kori noticed this, as Jeff reloaded, "Yeah, save the science lesson for later, because big bad and ugly is getting back up again!"

The creature sprang at them with its blades ready to strike with a loud screech, but Kori raised her right hand up as it glowed green along with her eyes, and a blast shot out of her hand at the creature sending it back to the ground.

Kori began to walk out to fight it, "I do not know if I can kill the Slasher with what little energy I have remaining."

Jeff gained a perplexed look on his face as he asked, "Wait Slasher? You know what this thing is?"

"I merely named it due to its arms, but as you said, there is no time for science lessons. I will distract it while you find something to fight with," Kori says as she runs out but shouts back, "I believe the way that it has trouble balancing on its legs are the foot of Achilles of them. Aim for them!"

Kori continued to shoot at it but the creature now known as the Slasher dodged each shot before finally getting close to Kori to attack with a vertical slash. Kori ducked at the last minute to get around it and delivered a roundhouse kick to its head, but failed as it rolled forward. Kori blasted it with more of her energy to attack its legs, but the Slasher used its blades to block the attacks as it moved forward. The battle continued with Kori blasting with what little energy she had left as the Slasher continued to block them.

Kori continued to fight the Slasher by aiming at its legs with energy bolts, but the Slasher dodged the shots, and moved in for the kill. The Slasher got in front of her ready to kill her with a horizontal slash, but Kori jumped back in time to dodge. She then jumped back forward and punched it with her glowing hand while releasing an energy blast that sent it back into a large rock. Kori picked up another large rock that was three times her size and slammed it into the Slasher and the rock it crashed into. Kori looked to see it if worked, but the boulder ended up being cut into little pieces revealing the Slasher damaged, but was still able to fight as it charged with a loud cry at Kori. With no other options, Kori blasted the Slasher with her energy bolts to keep it from moving as it blocked the blasts with its blades.

She had a strained look on her face as she continued blasting, 'I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. But I will not let this creature hurt my friends aboard the ship,' she though as she continued to fire her bolts.

Back in the hangar, Jeff continued to try and snap Isaac out of it by talking and shaking him. "Shepard! You gotta get in there!"

Isaac continued to stand there in shock as he whispered, "But... Gwen... She's... My fault... I..."

Jeff finally had enough of this as he yelled, "Your alien girlfriend is out there right now fighting for us and she can't keep it up much longer! She needs our help! DO YOU WANT TO RISK LOSING HER TOO?!"

Isaac stared in shock at Jeff's words and snapped out if it as shown by him regaining his confidence. "What? Kori is out there," he asked Jeff in shock.

After seeing that his words worked as Isaac realized that he may lose Kori as well. "About time," Jeff then pointed to the set of lockers on the other side of the hanger, "In the middle locker to the right of you, there's something in there that's just what you need for that thing!"

Isaac looked in the direction and sees it. 'There's no way I'm letting whatever my dad become hurt anyone else using his body, especially not Kori,' He steeled himself with as he ran to the locker, opened it, and had a surprised look on his face on what he had found. "What the-" Isaac turned back to Jeff to ask, "Hey, are these Plasma Cutters?"

But Jeff stopped him by saying, "Ask your questions later, just get out before we end up needing any more med beds!"

Isaac, not wanting to argue on it, nodded and took the weapon, which looked like an advanced but bladeless chainsaw, and ran out with renewed spirit. As he ran out, Jeff yelled out to him, "Kori said that its weakness is its legs!"

"Got it thanks," Isaac shouted back to Jeff, as he sat down to regain his strength as he heard Isaac said, "For the record, she's not my girlfriend!"

Jeff chuckled at that and silently said, "Not yet, she is."

Back with Kori, her bolts continued to fire, but they grew weaker and weaker over time. Soon the Slasher was able to move forward while still blocking the attacks until Kori's attack stopped. She fell to her knees in her weakened condition, "That is it. I am out of energy."

The Slasher cried out in victory and charged forward towards a frightened Kori who closed her eyes as she expected her death to approach.

Instead she heard a painful cry and the sound of a machine running loudly. She opened her eyes to see Isaac holding the chainsaw device, but now shooting out a lightsaber-like sawblade with the black slime on it as the Slasher on the ground with its legs cut off.

"Isaac," Kori said as she got back up.

"Sorry I'm late, Kori," Isaac said as she walked over to him. "I'm glad you two weren't that far from the ship."

But the happy reunion stopped, as they saw the Slasher, formally Isaac's father, screech and gargle in pain at its dismembered legs as black slime spurted out where its legs used to be. Isaac held the blade ready to finish it… but gained a look of conflict as he looked at the creature.

'Come on Isaac! This thing may have your father's body, but it's not him. The black slime pretty much killed him,' he thought to himself as the blade shook in his hand, 'So why am I hesitating to do this?!'

Kori looked at Isaac and could tell why he was hesitating to finish it.

But both of them were brought back to the reality of the situation, as the Slasher cried out as suddenly, an extra pair of arms from the abdomen revealed themselves as they worked to replace the function of the legs. Isaac and Kori looked in shock and Isaac knew what he had to do. 'Forgive me, Dad...' he thought to himself and swung the blade and slashed the Slasher's head horizontally in two. The two halves fell to the ground as black slime oozed out of the pieces and more from the body as it finally collapsed from the battle.

Isaac stood over the now headless and legless corpse of what was once his father as it lay flat on the ground. The blade he used to kill the Slasher was covered in the same black slime that was used as the blood inside the creature. It evaporated from the heat it gave off, leaving no drops or evidence that he slashed through. Isaac's hands shook as he stared at what he just done moments ago. The main reason he waited at home for a full year for their return, the reason he boarded the Falcon, the reason he ventured into Creators' ship, all to find his parents. Now due to events no one could have ever foreseen, he stood over the corpse of his mutated father that also hurt the only family he had left, and he was the one who delivered the killing blow to it.

He made all that waiting worthless with just two blows.

Kori watched in sadness as Isaac dropped the blade and fell to his knees in emotional pain. If Kori could see his face through his helmet, she would see the face a boy who was in great pain as he began to cry.

Isaac looked to the sky and cried out in pain and anger, "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" and looked back down at the corpse in despair.

Kori approached Isaac as she wrapped her arms around his chest from behind. Isaac felt this but didn't move, but he could feel the warmth from Kori's arms and chest as she leaned on him. "I am sorry that this happened, Isaac," she said in a comforting way. "But you have to know that this is not your fault. There was no way anyone could have known the Creators did this to your father."

Isaac continued to look down, "How can you say that," he asked with pain and sadness in his voice, as if he was on the verge of crying, "I killed my own father, even if he was a monster! People always say the worst thing for a parent is out living their child. Now I've done worse by actually killing him."

Kori held him tighter with sympathy hidden behind her mask, but was evident in her voice, "But you came all this way to find him and your mother. That is the true case of family if I have ever witnessed it myself. Besides, your father can rest in peace now, knowing that whatever his body became was not successful in killing his family."

Isaac lifted his head as he heard Kori's point of view on it. It was true that he felt torment for being the hand that took his father's life, but if he hadn't, more people would've died, and that now that whatever replaced his father's mind couldn't tarnish his name further. Isaac placed his hand on Kori's while still having his back turned, and replied, with some of the sadness and pain gone, "Thank you."

Kori didn't say anything, but was glad on the inside that her words helped Isaac let go of some of the pain from the events. "We should go now. We need to check on the others," she said as she was referring to the crew. Isaac then remembered Gwen and Jeff who were hurt in the battle as he picked himself up and Kori let go of him, "You're right. Let's go before something else happens." Kori nodded as they returned to the ship.

Meanwhile

Med Lab

Meanwhile, Rei had Gwen on the med table after the attack she took to her stomach. At the moment, Rei had tubs attached to Gwen in the hopes of extracting the black slime from her body before it mutated her. Gwen was still unconscious in a patient gown while Rei was on the computer working on stabilizing Gwen and making sure she wasn't in anymore danger.

Despite her lack of emotions, Rei was worried on the inside, as her digital mind was processing what could be described as a mixture of fear and hope for her survival, 'Come on, Gwendolyn, you can't die on Isaac now. Not after what just happened to Johnathan Shepard.'

The computer suddenly pinged with the completion of the process that Rei and put into effect. Rei immediately got up and walked over to see the once empty sacs were now filled with the black substance that was pumped into Gwen along with some of her blood. Rei sighed in relief as she returned to her computer and activated the X-Ray feature to check for any other anomalies in Gwen's body.

The scanner moved and as the results were displayed on the screen that Rei was looking at and found no signs of the kind of mutation the others had witness before with the Creators' head and Johnathan's recent transformation. 'Thank goodness, I would've hated to tell Isaac that Gwen was on her death bed after everything that's happened,' Rei thought in relief.

What she was unaware though, that hidden in Gwen's stomach, was a tiny seed no bigger than a germ that was slowly starting to grow.

4 Hours Later

Med Lab

After the ordeal, Isaac was out of his SIG suit armor, and was currently looking down at Gwen who was in a comatose state after the battle with his mutated father with a grief filled look on his face. "I'm sorry Gwen," he apologized to the unconscious Gwen, hoping she'd awaken. "If I hadn't hesitated or spaced out like that...," his fist shook in anger, "… you wouldn't be like this." He tried to hide back his tears, but he was failing, even more so when it happened similar to his father, 'We should never have come here. This planet ruined everything!'

The door opened as someone walked in, but Isaac continued to stare at his cousin, not noticing it was Kori, who still wore her SIG suit but had the helmet retracted back.

"Isaac," Kori asked as she walked over to him after she had retracted her helmet to check on him and Gwen. "How is she faring," Kori asked with concern in her voice.

Isaac turned his face away to hide the tears he was trying to hide, but Kori can tell he was on the verge of crying. "She's stable, but Ford nor even Rei don't know why she hasn't waken up yet," Isaac answered with concern in his voice.

Kori looked at Isaac with a concerned and sympathetic look on her face. 'The previous battle has clearly taken a very toll on him. Like a Ctarlplexian who lost a battle against a weaker foe.' But then she turned her attention to the young earth boy, as she tried to cheer him up with a strained yet trying smile. "That is good. She is still alive at least. What about you? I know the situation before was...," Kori started due to knowing how hard it must have been for Isaac to tear his own father like that.

Isaac kept staring down at Gwen. "Back on Earth, I started skipping school due to the bullies and waiting for my folks to come back. Gwen scolded for me for it, despite knowing about the bully problems. She wanted me to go to gain the education needed to make it through life in case mom and dad never came back," Isaac started, feeling like he won't get another chance to. "I was always making her worry and now thanks to me she's...," Isaac continued as the tears became harder to hold back and his fists continued to shake in frustration.

Kori continued to look at him, "Isaac, this is not your-"

"Yes it is," Isaac interrupted her as he continued to sadness and anger in his voice and his expression with his eyes closed to hold back the tears, "You saw what happened outside the ship! If I hadn't been so indecisive when it came to burning the creature my dad became, Gwen wouldn't have been struck by it, and left like this! Thanks to me, my cousin, the only family I have left may be like this forever and it's all my fault!"

Kori placed her hand on his shoulder which caught Isaac off guard as Kori comforted him by saying, "Isaac… that was the first time you and everyone else on the ship fought against a creature like that. No one expected it to lash out like that while dying." She then placed both hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her. "But most of all that was your father. The person you and your cousin came all the way to save. To lose him like that was cruel and you should not blame yourself for it. No one could have seen it coming," Kori explained, hoping that Isaac would realize that none of it could've been prevented. Her face became sympathetic as she explained, "If my Gnorfka- my parent became something monstrous and mindless before my eyes, I could not bring myself to hurt him the same way you could not."

Isaac looked at her shock; that there was reason behind her words but not in a cruel way. He closed his eyes while still feeling awful for what happened as he said, "But still... Gwen may-,"

Isaac stopped when Kori pulled him into a hug as he just stood there a bit surprised. "Gwen will wake up, I am sure of it," Kori said with truth in her voice, showing that she believed it.

Isaac stood there for a minute until he returned the hug, and whispered to her, "Thank you."

Gwen slowly opened her eyes, 'What the... the med lab,' she said to herself as she took in her surroundings. 'What am I... The last thing was...,' the attack suddenly flashed back into her mind which showed on her face. "Uncle John- Aaaaah." She groaned as she lifted herself up from the bed feeling sick. As she was getting up, she noticed Isaac sleeping with his head on the side of the bed with Kori resting her head on Isaac in a comforting way. Gwen was surprised to see this before she made a smile, 'Amazing. This doofus is hated by all the girls at our school, but he's somehow has Kori all over him like he's this one of a kind element.'

Gwen snapped out of it as her expression changed to feeling rotten again as she held her head, 'Still, what is wrong with me?' She then remembered what happened with the creature launched tentacles at her stomach, as she traced her hand over it. 'What did that creature do to me,' she wondered as the door opened up. She looked to see Rei walking in, who noticed that she was awake.

"Gwen. Good to see you are awake and well," Rei said, as she walked over to her patient bed.

"Rei. How long have I been asleep," Gwen asked weakly, showing how weak she was feeling.

"Between four to five hours," Rei answered, as she activated the console in order to run a physical scan on Gwen, "You were-"

"I remember," Gwen said, feeling worse that her uncle and second father had become a monster and had to be killed.

Rei looked at her knowing she was in pain emotionally after having her goal in reach only for it to be dashed the way it was, as she apologized to her, "I am sorry." She then walked over to Isaac and Kori's position at Gwen's bed, and lightly shook them so they could move in order to scan Gwen.

Isaac and Kori woke up in a daze as they both saw Gwen awake. Isaac was the first to jump up as he hugged Gwen, crying out, "GWEN! Oh my gosh. I thought I lost you!"

Kori joined in as well, "Thank goodness you are well again, Gwen. Isaac and I have been worried you were to sleep forever."

Gwen was caught off guard by the hug but returned it after getting her bearings, "Sorry you two, I didn't mean to-"

"I'm the one who should be and is sorry. If I hadn't hesitated-," Isaac started before Gwen interrupted him.

"Isaac, I was hesitating just as much as you were. I could've been you in this bed instead of me," Gwen explained to him showing that she was just as conflicted before as he was. Isaac looked at her feeling better knowing that she was going to be all right.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Rei started as she looked at Isaac and Kori, "But I need you two to move away, please… so I can run a physical examination on Gwen."

Isaac and Kori nodded in agreement as they backed away from Gwen as she lay back down on the bed. Rei started up the machine that scanned Gwen as a white bar shined a green light that showed it was scanning her. A wave beam of blue light scanned up and down over Gwen's body.

"How are you feeling, Gwen," Rei asked as she operated the scanner.

"Actually, not that well. I feel really weak and tired. It's as if all my strength is gone," Gwen explained as she lay still during the scan.

Kori looked concern as she stated an idea, "Perhaps the creature was attempting to absorb the life force from Gwen when it struck her. It looked like it was looking for the closest body it could find at the time."

Gwen and Isaac looked concerned by this as they remembered how wild the tentacles were at the time. Rei continued to operate the console, "That's a possibility, but until the scan is done, I'm assuming that Gwen's body is getting over the shock from the attack. We'll know as soon as the..." Rei stopped as she looked at the console, confused by the reading she was getting.

Isaac and Kori looked at each other confused before walking over to Rei to see what she was leaving her speechless.

"Rei? What is it," Isaac started as he looked at the screen on the console showing a strange green light pulsating in a steady rhythm in Gwen's abdomen area.

Isaac and Kori didn't recognize it as they looked at Gwen in concern before turning back to Rei, who seemed to be trying to analyze this logically based on her expression. "Gwen," Rei started with confusion and concern in her voice: something she was never able to show before.

Gwen looked in their direction, and asked, "Yes, Rei?"

"Your medical records before boarding the ship says you're a virgin. Correct," Rei started, as she continued to stare at the screen.

Gwen, Kori, and Isaac all gained a surprised look on their faces by the question, but Gwen was left confused by this most of all, as she answered with a mixture of confusion and panic in her voice, "Yes I am. Rei, what does that have to do with me right now?"

Isaac and Kori were also left confused by this as they looked at Rei as she continued to stare in disbelief until she finally spoke up, "Then this... This is impossible."

Isaac, finally having enough of it, looked at Rei, and asked with a small amount of panic in his voice, "Rei, what is wrong Gwen?"

Rei stared for a minute, before Isaac finally grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. This time, he asked with a slight more demand in his voice, "Rei! What is wrong with my cousin?!"

Rei stared at Isaac for a moment, and then started before stopping again, "There is no poison in her system and her bodily systems are working fine, but...,"

"What," Kori asked with concern.

Rei finally snapped out as she finally answered, "Your cousin..." and looked to Gwen, "Gwen… is in the end period of the second stage of pregnancy."

The room became deathly silent as everyone took the news in. Gwen, Kori, and Isaac were left with facial expressions showing shock and confusion. "I'm... what," Gwen asked to make sure she heard that clearly.

"You're pregnant Gwen. Near the end of the second stage to be precise," Rei explained as she began to take a closer look at the scan.

Isaac was left dumbfounded by this knowledge, while Kori became excited, "That is wonderful, Gwen. I did not know you were even expecting," she then went over to Isaac, "Did you hear that Isaac? You are going to be an uncle figure!"

Gwen, on the other hand, was still shocked by this, "No, Kori. It's impossible! I never-"

The door opened as Jeff walked in, "Hey, just came by to check on-," But then he saw Rei punching in commands on the console while Isaac turned to Jeff with a glare on his face as he pieced it together, Kori was still excited, and Gwen was left trying to rationalize this news.

Jeff just stood there unaware at what is going on, "What's with all of you? Gwen looks like she's fine and yet you all look like-"

"You bastard!" Isaac yelled out as he charged at Jeff, and pushed him against the door. Jeff held Isaac back as he tried to punch Jeff, "Whoa whoa, Shepard! What's your problem?"

"Jeff, you defiling sunova-! You dare lay hands on my cousin in secret like that," Isaac yelled as he continued attacking Jeff as he went for his face to knock his teeth out.

Kori, on the other hand, was happy as she hovered over, "Oh! Jeff is the Gnorfka of the newfound joy in the life of Gwen? Congratulations," Kori said with joy in her voice.

Jeff looked at Kori in confusion, before looking at Isaac, and asked, "What the heck is she and you on about?"

Isaac continued his assault, as he shouted, "Gwen's pregnant, you idiot! You knocked her up in secret! Just how long has this secret relationship been going on?! Did you two wake up during the trip here and get it on or has this been going on back home?!"

After managing to restrain Isaac from his hold as well as his questions, Jeff's face showed anger as he had enough of this, "Are you kidding me?!" He looked towards Gwen, and calmly asked, "I thought we agreed to keep it a secret?" Jeff looked back at Isaac, as his hands were restrained by Jeff, "Also I don't know anything about..." Jeff stopped mid-sentence as the word pregnant echoed through his head as his face showed him processing this. He then finally stammered, as it registered fully, "Whoa, whoa, Gwen is... Gwen is-is-is p-p-p-pregnant?"

"Yes she is Jeff. You must be so proud," Kori exclaimed in happiness at the joy of life. Jeff on the other hand was left dumbfounded, as he stammered gibberish until he finally fell flat on his back out cold.

Isaac and Kori looked at him on the ground, as she said in disappointment, "That is odd. I thought you and Jeff would be happier at this news Isaac?"

"I'd be happy right now, Kori… if I wasn't finding out about this in a situation like this," Isaac replied, as he walked over to Jeff's unconscious body, and was about to punch him again to wake up him.

"Isaac, stop!" Gwen yelled, getting Isaac and Kori's attention. Gwen sighed, as she allowed her shoulders to slump, and calmly looked to her cousin, as she explained, "It's true, Jeff and I are in a relationship. But I swear, he didn't make me pregnant!"

Isaac stopped himself as he looked at Gwen in shocked. "You mean it's true?! When did this happen," he asked shocked that his cousin would go for the bad boy.

Rei finished typing in the system, as the machine powered down, "You and Gwen can discuss her dating life later; right now you need to focus on the situation right now."

"Yeah, my cousin's nearly two months pregnant," Isaac stated, and then pointed to a still-rationalizing Jeff, as he stated, "And is dating this guy." But then finally calmed down, as he crossed his arms, accepting at least Gwen's taste in boys, "Though to be honest, I'm a bit surprised she'd go for the bad-boy routine; I honestly thought she'd be dating a nerdy workaholic like herself. And that would explain why he jumped in to defend her from Ken."

"This pregnancy is not normal. It's happening far too fast due to Gwen being on the verge of the second stage with no physical signs," Rei explained, as she helped Gwen up. "Kori, help me get Gwen to the Med Pod," she stated as Kori walked over, and scooped up Kori in a bridal hold, much to Gwen's embarrassment. "Isaac, wake Jeff up," she asked of Isaac, as he agreed, and shook Jeff as best he could. "I'm going to need everyone's help on this."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that."

Everyone, including Jeff who had just woken up, saw Vickers at the door with two personal wearing security SIG suits. Isaac became defensive as he got in front of Kori and Gwen. "No way. I already dismembered my father on your orders. I won't let you hurt my cousin." Isaac made very clear with his tone of voice and his determined expression.

Joining beside him was Jeff with an equally determined expression. Kori was still holding a still weak Gwen, while Rei joined with them, as she tried to explain, "Miss Vickers, Gwen has been impregnated by life form from before. We have to get Gwen-"

But Vickers cut her off, as she stated with a stone cold glare, "To a hyper sleep for the duration of the expedition."

This caught the group off guard by this news, as Isaac argued, "Hyper sleep? No we need to get that thing out of her now!"

"Don't push your luck, Mr. Shepard," Vickers stated. "Your parents have wasted enough of the company's money with their expedition and so far have nothing to show for it but dusty objects, multiple missing or dead employees…" and then looked towards Kori, "…and a dangerous alien freak."

Kori was hurt by Vickers' words but didn't show it outward, as she continued, "As of now, Miss Tenalds is carrying a clean alien organism ready for study that will make up for this pointless expedition that will allow us to transport the creature past security"

Vickers then prepared to give the signal to have the personal to capture Gwen.

"Why you-," Jeff said while the others stared with anger at Vickers due to her insulting Isaac's parents, Kori, and making Gwen sound like cargo.

Gwen then began to become worse, as she convulsed in pain, as Rei argued, in an attempt to buy time for her to prepare something without being noticed. "Miss Vickers, need I remind you that Mr. Wayward wrote the rules and regulations himself, and he made it clear that placing people into hyper sleep unless they have committed a crime is a violation of protocol?"

"Oh, we'll think of something to tell them on the way back," Vickers countered. "After all, the children wouldn't risk breaking the confidential part of the contract in which any leak of information is life in prison." Vickers using the contract the kids signed led to a fiercer glare from the group. "Now be the good and obedient toaster oven and bring Miss Tenalds over here… or I'll have all of you put into hyper sleep chambers for disobeying orders." Vickers then thought to herself, 'As for the alien freak, I can just dump her into space somewhere.'

"KLORTHOG!" Kori screamed to Vickers.

However, this only made Vickers scoff, "Calling names won't help you, Freak."

As the stare off continued, Rei finally started to walk forward but attempted to take Gwen, who was too weak to move on her own now.

Isaac grabbed Rei's arm to stop her, "Rei. I can't let you do this."

Rei looked at him with the back of her head facing Vickers' group, "I'm afraid there is no choice, Isaac. Gwen's condition is worsening, and she may die if something isn't done."

Isaac was about to protest, but then gained a surprised look on his face as he saw Rei do something he didn't expect her to do: she struggled to wink at him as if saying 'Wait for it.' Isaac nodded in defeat as Jeff was about to protest when Isaac grabbed his arm to stop him.

Rei walked forward with Gwen over to Vickers' men. As Rei walked over, Isaac stated while glaring at Vickers, "I'd ask if you would promise Gwen's safety, but I have a feeling that would be a lie, wouldn't it?"

Vickers chuckled at that, "You're not as dumb as you look if you figured that out, Mr. Shepard," she looked down at Rei, who had her usually neutral expression, as Vickers' sneered at Rei, "I knew you wouldn't ruin your father's company or his legacy."

Vickers lifted her hand to motion one of the men to take Gwen, but not before Rei stated, "You're correct…" she then pulled out a tranquilizer shot in her pocket that she kept hidden on her, and used it on Vickers, who had a shocked look on her face, as Rei finished, "I wouldn't."

Vickers suddenly felt woozy as she started to fall. The personal attempted to grab Gwen but were stopped by Kori kicking one in the jaw and Jeff delivering a fast punch in the other personal stomach knocking the wind out of him before knocking him out with a fist to the face.

The kids then bolted out of there, with Jeff carrying a very much in-labored-pained Gwen to the only spot that they could help Gwen: in the Lifeboat ship where the Med Pod lay in wait for them.

Next Chapter: Faith in Belief; Save Yourself from Hell