Chapter 6: Behind the Door
"You're shitting me," Three looked at Six in awe.
"Nope…Five…seems to remember the code," Six smirked. "It came to her in a dream."
"Can we really count on that?" Three asked looking doubtful.
"If our memories are still somewhere in her subconscious, I think it's safe to say that maybe we can give her a little more trust on the matter," Six replied.
"Game plan?" Three asked.
"We're working on it. Maybe get into it in an hour," motioning between Vivian and Three. "Unless you two…"
"Uh…" Three looked up at her then back at him. The gears in his mind were trying to process. He put up a finger. "Give me one sec 'kay?"
Six shrugged, trying not be slightly amused by the ordeal.
"Suit yourself. Five is talking to Two now. See if it checks out. Hopefully we can grab whoever else wants to open the big bad mystery door," Six smiled, putting his hands up and shaking them in enthusiasm.
"Oh you bet your ass I do," Three grinned in excitement.
"Good! Then, I'll leave you to it," Six smirked, as he closed the door.
Three exhaled, looking at Vivian tiredly. Vivian raised a brow, looking between the door and Three with curiosity.
"Big bad mystery door?" she repeated with some amusement in her tone. Three scoffed.
"Yeah. Big thing in the cargo bay," Three motioned his arms out. "Been trying to crack it for weeks."
"Must be some crazy stuff in there," Vivian raised a brow.
"My thoughts exactly," Three sighed, rubbing his eyes. This was getting frustrating. Finally had a shot (or at least it certainly seemed like it) then he got it blown apart by Tiny walking in on it.
He got up from the bed nodding over to the door.
"Grab few things. Especially weapons. We might need it," Three suggested. Vivian looked at him oddly.
"What is there a giant monster hidden behind the big bad door?" Vivian asked jokingly as she bent down wrapping the cutlass sheath onto the belt around her waist. Three smirked.
"Let's hope with our luck it's not a giant space squid," Three joked.
"Har, har," Vivian joked rolled her eyes as she grabbed a pistol, holstering it and wrapping it around her leg.
"Isn't it yar har?" Three grinned. Vivian threw the rope at him making him instinctively catch it out of surprise.
"Careful or I might have the nerve to tie you up," Vivian smirked as she walked passed him.
"And I won't be gentle," she whispered singingly as she headed to the door and out into the hall.
Three looked down at the rope scoffing in amusement.
"God what am I getting myself into…"
…
Vivian walked alongside Three as he carried his large weapon along his side with a few in extra pistols in their holsters.
"So what do you think is there?" Vivian asked.
"I don't know," Three breathed as they walked, charging his gun. "Could be money, could be weapons. Could be…something else?"
Vivian raised a brow.
"People?" she asked. Three looked up, raising a brow then shrugged.
"You never know. We've dealt with baddies in the past. Wouldn't surprise me if we had one locked up in there," Three agreed as the others met up with them in the cargo bay.
He wasn't kidding. It really was a huge mystery door. Vivian watched as Five as she worked around the security computer. Everyone else arranged in a semi-circle, clearly armed and ready for something to jump out and attack.
"Are we sure this passcode is going to work?" One asked.
"I'm pretty sure," Five replied hesitantly but with a quick nod. "Well here it goes."
She typed in the password, entering it and it was silent for a moment.
Then suddenly, the door cracked open. But…not all the way.
"The hell just happened?" Three asked.
"Maybe another security protocol?" Two added.
"If we head inside, we should be able to override anything that is allowing it to not open," Android pointed out.
"Great, me first," Three insisted as he stepped in front of the group. Everyone started filing in one by one. The room was too dark to see anything past their flashlights. All they revealed was a good amount of crates. Locked crates.
"Looks like the panel is malfunctioning. I can have it fixed momentarily," Android chimed.
"What's with all the locked boxes?" Six asked, looking around the room.
"Maybe we stole some things that we haven't opened yet," Two commented. "Although looks like we're on emergency power."
"So you do have treasures from your good old mercenary days," Vivian mentioned, scanning a box with a giant lock on the shelves. "Although everything seems to be locked tight."
"And no giant squid," Three joked with Vivian beside him and Two. She rolled her eyes at him.
"Hey check this out," Six announced, opening a huge crate filled with firearms.
"Ooo, look at these bad boys," Three grinned, heading over to the gun filled crate. He grabbed one holding it into his grip.
"I found something better," Two announced, opening up a lockbox. Lots of Credit chips.
"Ooo. With pirate girl's paycheck and this. We're living in luxury," Three grinned, grabbing a few of the cards stuffing them in his leather jacket pockets.
Vivian walked over to where One stood, furrowing her brows at a rather large crate. But it wasn't a crate it was a pod. She nudged One.
One looked down, swallowing hard.
"Uh guys?" he called over as Vivian helped pushed some of the crates away. It revealed a brunette woman in hibernated sleep.
"Stasis pod," Vivian breathed.
"That person's alive," Four mentioned.
"But why would she be in stasis?" One asked as he walked over. "You think she has our memories?"
"We can always find out," Two insisted.
"Or maybe we shouldn't. There's a reason she's probably in here," Four stated flatly. Vivian furrowed her brows looking at the woman's attire.
"She doesn't seem like someone who would be a threat," she disagreed.
"Maybe we should thaw her out and ask questions," Three suggested.
"Or not," Four interjected.
"No she might know who we are," Two insisted. "We can get her out of stasis and see if she knows anything about us. Let's thaw her out and see what she knows."
"I just said that," Three scoffed.
"Yes but she makes it seem more…you know reasonable," One objected. Then suddenly the lights flickered on in the room. Android smiled.
"Your welcome."
"Three you help me with her," Two lightly commanded motioning towards the strange woman. "The rest of you can see what we can find through the inventory."
…
One, Four, Five and Six stayed behind searching through more in storage as Android, Two, Three and Vivian went towards the med bay.
"Well that turned out to be a decent treasure hunt wouldn't you say?" Three asked as he carried the woman. "New guns, more cash in our pocket."
Three grinned. Vivian tried not to be slightly amused. He was acting like a kid on Christmas.
"Well aren't you happy," Vivian smirked.
"Hey, best part is we still have plenty to look through," Three grinned.
He put the woman down on the examination table.
"I'll start scanning for any abnormalities. It should also help speed up the process of her waking out of stasis," Android insisted.
"Go ahead," Two agreed.
"Can't imagine what's wrong with her if she's in stasis," Vivian commented, examining the woman's face. She didn't look to be that old. Whether it stasis or whatever the condition, she couldn't tell if she really was going to be all right. Although it was right to assume this woman wasn't close to being a threat.
"We'll find out soon enough," Two sighed. "Maybe we'll get some answers. How long will it take to get her to wake up?"
"It's hard to say. She's been in stasis for a long time, but she could be cognitive in a matter a few hours," Android mentioned.
"I'll keep an eye on the others make sure they don't break anything," Two mentioned. "Android contact me as soon as you get a reading of what's going on."
"Of course," Android agreed as Two left the med bay with Vivian and Three behind.
"She seems so frail…" Vivian's jaw tightened, looking at the stranger in sympathy. Three watched her glancing at the other woman.
"Well stasis can make you a bit pale or rough looking. Especially if she's been in there for a while," Three informed as he leaned on one of the counters across from her. He looked at Android. "You said a few hours?"
Android looked at him.
"I believe so. She still needs to recover from the stasis properly along with the full medical scans," Android explained. Three looked between the woman and Vivian.
"Well darling, you want to wait around here or-?" Three started, nodding towards the door. Vivian looked at Android.
"Do you mind if we leave you to it?" Vivian asked. Android smiled politely.
"Not at all. I don't expect either of you to stay. The procedure would seem quite tedious to others. Although honestly I find it rather fascinating," Android smiled. Vivian smiled in return.
"I'm willing to help out if you need anything," Vivian mentioned as she headed towards the door with a smile.
"That's very thoughtful," Android chimed as she left.
Android smiled at Three as he watched Vivian leave the room. "I can see why you seem fond of her."
"What are you going on about sweet cakes?" Three asked, as he looked at her a little off guard, covering it up with an amused scoff.
"Well it seems that whenever you look at her, your temperature rises, your heart races just slightly and your eyes-" Android began in her light matter-of-fact way but Three put a hand.
"Forget I asked. Just tell us when she wakes up," Three pointed at the stranger on the med bay. Android blinked at him trying to figure out what she did.
"All right," she agreed.
"Thanks," Three scoffed, following Vivian out of the med bay. Android blinked.
"Weird."
…
Three walked down the corridors noticing Vivian in the mess hall alone with a cup of coffee shuffling cards she found along the table. He looked around, before peeking his head in.
"Hey," Three greeted with a smirk. She looked up with a smile.
"You're not going to join everyone's still working through the treasures of the Raza?" Vivian asked. Three walked in, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Well you know. I found some guns I liked and got a little extra dough for the next station stop. That's all the perks I need at the moment," Three smirked, as she shuffled. Vivian scoffed in amusement as she stared at the shuffling cards, seeming to be in thought. He looked at the cards, smirking and pointing at them.
"You want to play a hand or two?" he asked, pointing over to the fridge. "I can get some drinks. Maybe even make it interesting?"
Vivian tried not to laugh.
"Sure, I'll give you a shot," Vivian smirked, shuffling the cards as she watched him grab a bottle of liquor along with a two metal glasses.
"All right," Three sighed grinning as he placed the bottle next to him on the table, sitting across from her. He clapped his hands together.
"What'd you got? What's your game?" Three asked. Vivian raised a brow.
"I'll learn or play whatever you want," Vivian replied passing him the cards.
"Strip Poker?" he grinned. Vivian rolled her eyes laughing.
"Scratch that. Not anything you want," Vivian smirked, leaning her arms against the table.
"Rats, well worth a shot," he winked at her as he shuffled the cards. "Texas Hold 'Em?"
"Sure," Vivian agreed. "You deal or I deal?"
"I'll deal," Three smirked. "Unless you think I'll cheat."
"If you cheat, you'll pay for it," Vivian sang. Three laughed.
"By what exactly?"
Vivian placed her curved dagger onto the table. Three put up his hands in mock surrender.
"Oh I've dealt with plenty of cheaters. It started with their fingers," Vivian smirked.
"Why do I have a feeling you're bluffing?" he asked her looking at the dagger.
"Maybe you should test me by cheating," Vivian smirked. He put up a finger at her grinning.
"No thanks," Three smirked. "All weapons aside. Let's play shall we?"
"You first."
…
A good stack of credit chips were on both sides of the table. Three had a little more than Vivian but it was equally matched. They were playing for a good while and decided money would make it interesting. Then again it was mostly for practice. Vivian didn't need the money he found on the ship.
"All right winner takes all," Three grinned. "Your move captain."
"I told you to stop calling me that," Vivian laughed.
Vivian glanced at her cards folding them back into place. Three looked at his then grinned.
"You have a horrible poker face," Vivian smirked.
"Or I could be bluffing you never know," Three joked as he put his bet on the table. "Your turn darling."
She stared at the bet then looked at him.
"Well? Match or fold?" he asked. Vivian smirked.
"I'm thinking," she replied, looking at the cards on the table without looking at her own.
Three smirked.
"Come on pirate girl what are ya bettin'?" Three urged singingly. Vivian looked at him then smirked.
She grabbed the heirloom necklace around her neck, placing it onto the table. Three furrowed his brows at her.
"No, no, no. You're not betting that," he argued, pushing the necklace back towards her but she put her hand over his pushing it back into the center.
"Ah, ah, ah. You said bets, I want that in my bet," Vivian smirked.
"I know that costs more than a pretty penny. Don't be stupid. Don't bet something you can't get back," Three urged warningly.
"Who says I won't?" Vivian eyed him. Three swallowed hard looking at her cards that were faced down. Then he looked down at his hand with hers on top.
"I know what I'm doing," she sang as she kept the necklace in the center lifting her hand from his. Three looked at his hand then lifted it from the necklace.
"All right, don't say I didn't warn ya," he sighed, grinning at her. "Ready?"
Vivian grabbed her cards with a smirk.
"After you," she chimed. Three still grinning flipped his over.
"Gotcha," Three smirked. Vivian flipped hers and he looked down.
"You think?" Vivian asked, raising a brow. He looked at the cards, rolling his eyes, exhaling in defeat.
"I don't make mistakes when it comes to cards," Vivian winked, as she grabbed her necklace. "Besides I knew you were bluffing."
Three looked at her oddly scoffing in amusement.
"I have a great poker face," Three disagreed as she got up to get more coffee. "Besides how can you tell that I'm bluffing?"
"I have my ways," Vivian smirked as she put sugar in her coffee.
"What does my nose twitch or some odd quirk like that?" Three laughed in amusement as he shuffled the cards. Vivian sat back down across from him.
"Not exactly," she disagreed with a smile.
"Then what?" he asked, putting out his arms across the table. "I'm curious."
Vivian traced her fingers around her coffee cup.
"Well for starters your pupils dilate when you get a good hand even if you seem stoic," Vivian smirked. "And you fake a grin every time you try to make someone fold."
"How do you know I'm faking?"
"I can see your body tense up when you get a bad hand. Your eyes give off a bit too. But then again it's not my first card game," Vivian stated, taking a sip of her coffee.
"That's still not too much of a trick," Three pointed out.
"No but the trick is I'm empathetic. In more ways than I'd like to be sometimes," Vivian mentioned. Three looked at her oddly.
"So because you feel more you can be good at cards?" Three scoffed.
"No I'm good at reading people," Vivian smiled slightly, looking at him.
"So if you were to…read me now? What would you see?" Three asked.
"You make it sound like I'm a fortune teller seeing your future," Vivian joked.
Three putting the cards on the table, leaning forward with his hands folded in front of him.
"I rather not," Vivian laughed, taking a sip of her coffee.
"Why not it's fun? Here I'll start first," Three patted her arm then gave her a "serious" stare narrowing his eyes as if focusing intently on her. Vivian raised a brow at him.
"What are you doing?" she asked laughing. Three raised a brow at her.
"I'm reading you," Three replied jokingly. Vivian looked at him in amusement.
"You're not going to like it if I pick you apart," Vivian warned him.
"I'd say you're being…questionable?" Three began with an unsure look. Vivian rolled her eyes.
"Stop it," Vivian laughed. "Fine…I'll tell you."
"Fire away," Three smirked, folding his hands in front of him, leaning forward comfortably. Vivian sighed, putting her coffee cup to the side, then leaned forward across from him, folding her arms in front of her. She scanned him with her eyes for a moment. When she looked at him directly in the eyes, it took a minute. Something was there.
"Well?" Three asked with a smile. "What do you see pirate girl?"
Vivian smirked.
"I'll tell you if you promise to tell me if I got it right. And if I do, I don't want you…getting weird on me?"
"Weird?"
"People tend to stay away from me as soon as they know I can…see or…feel what they're feeling."
Three shrugged. "Sure what's it going to hurt?"
Vivian took a breath, looking at him in the eyes.
"You feel…relaxed but…strained at the same time," Vivian began. "Your eyes are focused but your mind is not. Your hands are tensing every so often which means you're trying to keep something in your head instead of out in the open. I believe I see a bit of unwanted adrenaline. But…you seem…fine at the same time."
Three swallowed. Vivian sighed, shaking her head.
"Sorry. It's a habit."
"Do you know…supposedly know why you're feeling this from me?" Three cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair. Vivian shook her head.
"No I just feel it. No reasoning why. It's part of being empathetic. I feel a room or a person's stance just by…well mainly just being in the same room with them."
"So how do you do it?" Three asked.
"I just…watch. I clear my mind feel what's in the room. It's something that's second nature to me now. I study a person even at a glance. In a couple cases it's saved my life," Vivian explained. Three bit his lip nodding in agreement then chuckled under his breath.
"So you think I'm restrained huh?"
"Just a little. Maybe a bit of an antsy vibe. Like when you want to go out somewhere but you can't get there in enough time," Vivian smiled. He laughed under his breath.
"Well darling I'll give you that," Three smiled. "That's pretty good though I'm going to have to keep that in mind if we get some lying sleazebags on board."
"Oh I'll be happy to help," Vivian laughed, drinking some more of her coffee. She smirked at him. "So did I get it right?"
"You tell me," Three took a sip of his alcohol, winking at her. She swallowed hard, feeling red in her cheeks.
"I have more information on the woman we found in stasis," Android's voice echoed through the ship. Three and Vivian looked up.
"Well maybe we can find some answers after all," Three commented as they got up heading to the med bay.
…
Two was already there with Android when Three walked in with Vivian behind him.
"What's the word?" Three asked.
"The medical examination states that this woman has Teterance disease," Android replied.
"What does that mean?" Two asked.
"It's a rather fatal illness. Mostly around mining planets particularly with water contamination," Android explained.
"How long does she have?" Two asked.
"I'm unsure. The stasis has kept the woman stable, but…it could even be a matter of days," Android mentioned.
As they talked, woman's eyes fluttered open. She looked around cautiously as she sat up.
Vivian cleared her throat as the stranger awoke.
"Where am I?" the woman asked tiredly. Her voice sounded a little hoarse. Probably from being in stasis for so long. Vivian hopped herself up on a counter, sitting comfortably.
"You're on board the Raza," Two replied. The woman looked at her a little worrisome. "Do you mind if I ask you you're name?"
"My name's Sarah," the stranger whispered. Three got alongside her.
"Do you have any idea how you got here?" Three asked. She looked at him then smiled widely.
"Marcus…" she whispered fondly, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank God you're here."
Vivian felt a lump immediately in her throat. Three looked ridiculously confused as the woman clung onto him. He looked at Vivian with his hands up in the air in surrender. He had no idea what he was getting into.
