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Samantha Ayou's eyes snapped open and she found herself lying on a cold metal slab, naked save for a thin white sheet.

'Can you hear me…?'

'Who…who said that…?' Sam whispered, struggling to sit up, the sheet falling from her shoulders as the voice came again, cool and gentle in her head.

'I am…a friend. Once, I swam the deep oceans. Now, I swim everywhere and nowhere, with you…'

Sam's vision blurred and she found herself in what looked like a vast aquarium, a colossal Leviathan with brown mottled skin in front of her, two paddle-like arms similar to a turtle, it's body ending in seven tentacles covered with bioluminescent bulbs. It's head had two striped antennae, powerful mandible jaws and four glowing blue eyes. Before it floated a helmeted figure in an Alterra Dive Suit. Once again, she heard the cool voice in her head.

'My young are swimming for the shallows. I thank you. Their freedom is my end. What will it be like, I wonder, to go to sleep and never wake up? Perhaps when next we meet I will be an ocean current, carrying seeds to a new land. Or a creature so small it sees the gaps between the grains of sand. Farewell, friend…'

'What…the hell is going on?' Sam asked, as the vision faded. 'Where are you…?'

'I am watching over my children as they grow. I saw what you did to stop those who fight against the current and wanted that which nearly destroyed all that lived here. I saw your life ebbing and I would not let you flow away. Now, our currents flow together…'

Sam's head snapped round as the door opened to admit Danielle Valenti, a tall woman dressed in a white Alterra jumpsuit, her black hair pulled back into a ponytail.

'…Sam?' she whispered, taking a hesitant step towards her. 'You're…alive…?'

'I…think so,' Sam said, hurriedly clutching the sheet to her chest. 'What…what are you doing here…?'

'Alterra is…leaving 4546B. The…cave-in at the Excavation site and the destruction of Omega Labs have convinced them it's not safe to remain until they can secure the area. As your…closest acquaintance here, I'm…supposed to stand in for your…next of kin and…atomise your…body…Look, there's only me here for now but, if Alterra finds out you're alive, they'll prosecute you for what happened at the Excavation…'

'Where…are my clothes…?' Sam asked, as she swung her legs off the slab, Danielle crossing to a locker and taking out a vacuum-sealed package. Sam took it, staring at her until she got the message and turned her back.

'What will you do, now?' She asked as she struggled into her clothes.

'Alterra's moving their operation off-world until a larger expedition can return and secure the site. I need to report to the transport in 40 minutes. What…are you going to do…?'

'I'm…going to stay. I need to finish what I started and neutralise the Kharaa virus…'

'…but, you'll be trapped here…'

'…I know. But, like you said, I can't go back with Alterra. I'd rather be stuck here than in prison….'

'Sam…'

'It's alright, Danielle. You need to go. But, you can't tell Robyn or my Mum that I'm alive. I can't risk Alterra learning about it and…it's better that they think I'm dead…'

'…alright,' Danielle said, leaning in to kiss her fiercely. 'Good luck, Sam…'

'…thanks, Danielle. For everything…'

With one last look back, Danielle left and Sam stood for a few seconds with her arms wrapped around herself.

Come on. Focus. You've got a job to do…

####################

Sam scrambled into the driver's seat of the Landtruck and fastened the safety harness, the engine roaring to life as she punched the ignition. A bulky, tracked vehicle, it was designed to handle inhospitable conditions and rough terrain. Quickly, she guided it away from Outpost Zero, glancing up as she saw the Alterra transport lift off, it's engines firing as it powered out of the atmosphere.

'…what will you do, now…?' asked the cool voice of the Leviathan in her head.

'I'll need to find somewhere safe for tonight and tomorrow I can finish what I started…'

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.