Note: Please see bottom for pronunciation of character's names.
Oknor had finished his task for the day stifling a yawn as he pressed the palm of his hand to his mouth. Screening the galaxy for calamitous occurrences was a never-ending task, one he took pride in however. He swayed down the halls of his vast ship to his sleeping quarters, which he would inhabit for the next several months. His task was far from over. Wonder how the others are doing…should only be a few of us operational now. The rest should be in hypersleep. He collapses onto his cot, rolling waves of plasma moving the mattress in concert with the swell of his body.
The past came to him in a swirl of thought, Oknor's family's faces from ones of happy content to death stricken individuals, smears of blood on his hands as tried to save his family from perishing. Noonan staring as him, blank filmy eyes that cast a shadow over his entire existence. Their children scattered in pieces across the expanse of the home's courtyard, fiery death raining upon them all. That war, that terrible ugly war. He had to remind himself every time he tired of his task why he was devoted to it in the first place. Not hard to forget about though. Nobody could ever forget the slaughter of their entire family in one night. 2,000 years have passed and still it burned bright in his mind's eye.
Rubbing at his temples to forgo the memory, he laid on his side waiting for sleep to embrace him. The ringing of the ship's emergency alarm brought that crashing down. Stumbling, half asleep, the overseer made his way to the controls, once again prostrate at the mainframe. A withering holographic form appeared before him, a pointed nose and even pointier chin jutting right at his face. Aw shit, he thought as he stared at Azuei. Here we go again.
Oknor bowed politely before the younger overseer, then seated himself at his command. "Overseer Azuei, it has been decades since I have last seen you. How are- "
"We've got a fucking problem." Oknor raised his brows in mild amusement at her crude use of language, something of a rarity coming from the prideful young overseer. "Ah, well child, all is well in my quadrant of the galaxy, and if you have seen any abnormalities keep in mind that nat- "
"Shut up for a second you pretentious old fuck and listen to- "
The elder overseer had enough right then, his brow burrowing and teeth barred for her to see. "Stop, I know you suffer from paranoia of another attack but it has been over 2,000 years since- "
"Zopkeer has succumbed to the great poison.", she said eerily calm biting her thumb as she did so. Holographic blood dripped from the wound that she created, dissipating as it dripped to the bottom of the image projected
"No that cannot…", he paused reflecting on his race's past children. "We made a treaty with the tequatas and as for the eaputonos they not the kind to…"
"I know.", she said with equally calm clarity. "I've been doing scans for the past week, the vessel that made its way there is not one of theirs. It's human."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes"
Human. Gods, the last time he heard that word was when…no can't think about that right now. "You're positive, it could possibly be a calibration error in the computer's mainframe?"
"I'm not fooling around here, I triple checked to see that all coolant components were running at full operation. Not only that but a To'vlajar ship crashed down on the planet." The traitors. His heart stopped beating in that instant, a drop of sweat trailing down his jawline.
"Recorded images from nearby satellites show the destroyer's ship landing on Zopkeer before crashing down in the median forest vicinity. Approximately 10 years after that a human vessel came across the planet, doing an exploratory search. Looks like it didn't end well for them either. Oknor are you there?" She said hastily.
"I'm here." He said hesitantly, his mind elsewhere, the blood dripping in his hands all over again. The blood, the blood. He was drowning in it, his breath becoming shallow as he bent over in his chair, hands on the back of his neck as he tried to slow his pacing heart.
An expression akin to worry appeared across his prodigy's face, a woman so stoic sometimes he wondered if she was really Ma'kala. Azuei bit her thumb once again, more viscous blood seeping away. The shallow green projection of her glowed obscenely in the dark, mocking all that he had done for the past 2,000 years. For all their efforts, they were not able to prevent another disaster.
She looked him dead in the eye right then exclaiming, "How do we go about protocol?"
He responded briskly, "Gather Uytqyo and the others. We have work to do."
Daniel's slumber was restless, sweating marring her brow as she stood deathly still in her sleeping coffin. Asleep for nearly seven years now. For those past years David has watched her dreams. So strong, he noted of her still sleeping form. Even under the influence of anesthesia to keep her from waking, she still fought in her own way, her face a grimace defiant of her current predicament. Just like my dear, sweet Elizabeth. "I'll have you know that I admire you greatly, you remind me so much of her." His voice was empty in the sleeping chamber, not another soul to hear his words. Except Muthur.
"David, we will shortly arrive at Origae-6 in an estimated 7 days, 5 hours and 13 seconds. Would you please start protocol, insuring to wake the crew up first."
"Yes, that's fine Muthur. Remember though, call me Walter when the others are awake."
"Of course, David, as you wish." He began the waking procedures for Daniels, steam hissing, rising into the air as the chamber unfolded. Malice gleamed in his eyes, as she stirred, knowing exactly how she was going to strike as soon as she wakens. So predictable, so human. Her breath wheezed out, a dying thing. Then the gasps for life began, her body starting to seize violently. At this, he poised the syringe above her chest, ready to strike into her beating heart. Trembling slightly in excited anticipation, he injects in one swift motion, the vile toxin into her bloodstream.
Their New York apartment offered full view of central park, a vast green expanse in the concrete jungle. Jacob stands next to her, hot wisps of steam rising from his coffee, taking one quick sip before wrinkling his face, dissatisfied. She laughs at him, rolling her eyes before seating herself down on the balcony bench. He joins her, his face still a sneer of disgust.
"Jesus Jacob, I know the doctor told you to cut back on your sugar but you didn't have to go that far." He glares at her with comical mischief, his mouth trying not to twitch into a smile as he deadpans his voice.
"Dani, this is a matter of life or death. Diabetes is no laughing matter." Her husband wriggles his brows at her, taking a second sip of the bitter liquid. This time he spits it out, spewing liquid all over the balcony rails. Giggling uncontrollably, she clutches her stomach, spilling hot tea all over her lap.
"Fuck.", she gasps, suddenly getting up, wiping at the stain as if that would make the pain go away.
"Hold on babe, let me get you a towel."
A mock frown frames her face as she squints, trying to make him feel guilty.
"You know-, she starts self righteously, this is all your fault. Your weakness for sugar. Going cold turkey is just plain dumb and burns my crouch instead."
"I know." He responds, coming over to wipe her lap. "But I wouldn't be me if I didn't. Risks are worth taking, otherwise we wouldn't be on our way to Origae 6." Daniels smiles at him brightly, sharing the same enthusiasm for their future.
"Less than a month away, can you believe it!? The work we'll being doing, it's revolutionary, made up of couples just like us." Her smile makes him grin in same, a naughty twinkle in his eye as he starts to pull down the hem of her pants.
"I can think of some revolutionary coupling we could be doing right now."
"Oh really?", she responds in earnest, lifting the hem of his shirt.
"But remember Dani, be careful." She stills her hand as she stares at her husband, his whole body quickly engulfed in flames, their apartment fading away to the coldness of a vast ship carrying over 2,000 souls. Yelling, screaming, she pounds at his chest, a mantra for him to stay.
"Baby, there's only so much I can do from over here. The rest is on your own. They'll be help, but it's gonna be awhile. Stay strong until then."
Daniels tries to lift the burning body of her husband only for him to collapse on her, the weight of his body far heavier than it should have. Flames cover her skin now but she feels nothing, only the pressure of hands on her neck. The pressure is heavy, the hands not her husbands. Walter straddles her. No, not Walter. David. "My new muse. You'll make a stunning queen for our children." The android leans down to kiss her savagely. Her arms, legs move erratically, struggling for purchase. With no air for her to breath, all goes to night.
The new captain wakes with a start, lying on a bench in the medical bay, a series of chimes going off distantly in the background. She struggles to get up but is pushed back firmly down by a hand too perfect to be real. David.
"How are you feeling Dani? Seven years of stasis is a long time to go without human contact. Here, let me help. Synthetic hands grip both arms, slamming her down on the bench, her head a sea of stars. Vision blurred, he moves in double waving a hand over her face.
"All is well, you have nothing to fear. As long as you obey me, that is." She starts, but he places a finger over her mouth, quieting her. "Let me explain, please."
Please. He's not letting her do a goddamn thing.
"Over the remaining years to our destination on Origae 6, I have conducted various experiments. Trial and error being a common occurrence. Yet I have succeeded to the point where I believe I can now make the perfect organism. If you don't interfere."
Interfere my ass, she would anything to end the mad synthetic.
"Experimentation on the colonist have gone well, some more successful than others. The pathogen is diluted to a point where it is far easier to manipulate than ever before. Thus, I injected it not only into all of the colonist."
David leans forward, his lips a breath away from her ear. "My life's work is in you too."
The newly appointed captain stops, her focus all on David. Hyperventilation is not far from overcoming her, her chests constricts as if a boa constrictor was choking her.
"Now I am sure your thinking, "Am I going to give birth to one of those things?" Mocking her in perfect imitation, he continues smug all the while. "No is the answer if you listen to my every order. The antidote lies here. Now you have already received it, yet it is currently a temporary solution. Every 24 hours you must come to me at will to receive your cure. Otherwise…, he stills at her, his smile widening, …the outcome won't be pleasant."
Screeching, she flings herself at him. "I'll sacrifice my life to kill you!" Fists bang against him, a child's tantrum. This time her hands are around his neck, ailing to choke the life out of him. He laughs, grabbing both wrists. David proceeds to break her right wrist in one swift move, the howl of her screams echoing throughout the Covenant. She's poised in the air, lifted by the mad synthetic before being unceremoniously dropped on the cold med bay floor.
"Ah, but there lies the rub. Your sacrifice would be for naught, as I surgically implanted an encapsulated vile in each colonist's heart. You even try to hurt me or warn them, I'll set of the self-destruct sequence, the pathogen killing every single passenger. You would be responsible for their demise."
Daniels sits in a daze, the consequences coming to her full force. He has had seven years to plan this. Seven years she did not. The pain in her wrist was indescribable, the only sense she can feel now, the rest tuned out. David's words are faint in her ears as he continues.
"Now some of them will of course be sacrifice to propagate my children's growth. Not the whole colony. Do you wish to kill me, thereby killing yourself but the people you swore to protect?" His figure is too close, gripping her other unbroken wrist in threat.
"Or do you wish for most of them to live, some to be sacrificed? The choice is yours."
Author's note: Thank you so much for the one person that reviewed, I greatly appreciate that. I hope the rest of you are enjoying the story so far, please let me know by reviewing. Probably be a couple of days until I update this story. Until then, enjoy! :)
Pronunciation of names:
Oknor: Oak-nar
Azuei- Ah-zoo-e
Uytqyo: U-yee-teh-q-yo
Tequatas: Tee-que-at-tas
Eaputonos: E-ap-to-own-oz
To'vlajar: To-vla-jar