Stars flew past in a blur of light as the Juggernaut made its way to Zopkeer, Uytqyo throned at the forefront of the ship's command. Her grip tightens around her staff, arms shaking as she does so. Azuei slouches in one of the chairs that circles around the main console, a question in her gaze as she glances over at the head overseer from where she was monitoring the remaining distance to the penal colony.
"What is it girl?" The commander shifts her eyes to the gaunt face of the child whose words were far and few between.
"I fear for our future.", she says biting her lip, drawing blood.
"Our future? "Girl- she laughs humorlessly, sneering her face in disgust, -there has been no future for our kind over these past two millennia. All we have left is our duty to attend to."
"That's not what I meant." She grasps her hands together in a silent plea, head bowed down in thought.
"Mother Uytqyo, we have not met the humans since the great calamity. What will be their reaction upon seeing us, their creators?"
Disinterested at her question, she responds in kind.
"It matters not, we will interfere as little as possible. Our goal is to stop the poison from spreading, nothing more, nothing less"
"But-
"Enough!" The elder bangs her staff down, the noise distracting the other overseers from their tasks.
"I am an old woman who does not have the patience for such asinine inquiries. Get back to work."
"Yes Mother."
Azuei returns to monitoring, simmering, her anger barely self-contained. The commander ignores this, going back to observing the ship's progress. Oknor sits next to the young overseer, a hand placed delicately on her shoulder.
"Everything will be all right. She is just as worried as you, as we all are. Have patience."
"Patience?" She grips her senior's shoulder in turn, him wincing at the pain. "For all we know, countless lives have already been lost. Hell, they could have weaponized it just as the destroyers did 2,000 years ago."
Tears gather in her luminous eyes, threatening to spill over into her lap. Leaning her forehead against Oknor's shoulder, she surprises the man at the display of contact. He rubs her back in turn, vertical motions that seem to have a positive effect.
"Don't fall apart on me now, child. I expect more from the young woman whom people gave the title of stone maiden."
Hands wipe at eyes that have suddenly dried up, grim determination setting into her features once more.
"You're right. I'm sorry for my display of emotion."
He scoffs at her, laughing.
"Don't be, we are only Ma'kala after all."
"Jesus Daniels, I know you're not the smoothest operator out there, but how the hell did you manage to fuck up your wrist like this?"
A day had passed since her confrontation with David, Tennessee only waking from cryo minutes before she brought him to the med bay along with "Walter." He cradles her wrist as though it may break at any moment, his face layered in concern.
Deep breaths Daniels, deep breaths.
"I already told you, I started to have a seizure when Walter woke me. Withdrawal effects from being under cryosleep for so long. Fell over, broke my wrist trying to stop my fall. That's all there is to it."
Her friend gives her a skeptical look, raising her wrist to examine it further in the sterile light of the med bay.
"I don't know hun, I'm no doctor but this looks like a pretty even break to me. Find it very hard to believe that you managed to do this when Walter could have prevented your fall."
He's not Walter, she wants to say. That's not possible though. Not without risking the lives of the colonists.
David stands a few feet away, a smirk that goes unnoticed by the pilot. Daniels doesn't miss it for a beat though, her good hand tightening in response.
"The captain was moving so rapidly, she fell out of my hands. I can assure you I assisted the best I could."
Tennessee nods in turn, a strained smile on his lips.
"Hey man, you saved both our asses, so I have no doubt you tried your best. Shit happens."
David hides his smugness behind the med records of the pilot he observes. "Indeed, time heals all wounds, isn't that right Captain Daniels?"
Her breath starts to become uneven, she has to remind herself how to breath.
Deep breaths, deeps breaths.
"We'll see about that."
Tennessee notices the tension between the two, how Daniels pales at the synthetic's words.
"Uh…did something else happen that I'm not aware of?"
"No.", they answered simultaneously.
"Right…well I gotta use the bathroom, be back in a few."
As soon as she stops hearing the soft pads of feet across the hall, David comes over, all predatory grace.
"Correct me if I'm wrong but I think it's time for your medication."
The synthetic rips at her shirt, possessively taking a fistful of it, the other holding the syringe, the only thing preventing her from dying a gruesome death.
"Relax, you already had your wrist broken, this is nothing."
Gritting her teeth, she takes a handful of his shirt in turn, eyeing him all the while.
"You've got me by the balls, I have no choice."
Injecting the antidote while she's distracted by her fury, he leans in to the nape of her neck, sighing against her.
"There's where you're wrong dear, you always have a choice. Even not making a choice is a choice in of itself."
Tears build in her eyes, dripping over onto her chest, a bead of blood forming between her breasts as he pulls the syringe away methodically. His thumb softly grazes the droplet of blood before bringing it to his mouth, tasting her misery.
"Your iron is low, you'll have to up your intake."
"Fuck you."
"Not now.", he laughs, giving her hair an affectionate rub. Walking away from her, he gathers Tennessee's medical records, resuming to read the man's test results.
Just as he does, her friend walks back in, looking a little worse for wear.
"I think that's the longest piss I've ever taken. Hey, don't give me that look, I'm serious. We're talking about a world record size wiz right here." His attempts at humor fail, her body shaking from head to toe.
"Darling, are you still suffering from those side effects? Walter has to finish my checkup anyway, why don't you go lay down in your quarters, rest a bit?"
"Thanks Tee, I will." Pushing with one hand, she jumps from the bench, quickly walking past the two men, fleeing to the safety of her quarters.
"Pardon her behavior, she's still grieving for all those lives lost."
"Same here. My wife, friends. Seven years of sleep can't fix that."
The pilot searches the room as though he would find his answers there, shrugging his shoulders in defeat.
"Wife and I always liked to drink, would have at least two with supper." He hesitates, trying to block the wave of heavy emotions from coming to the surface. "Uh, guess I'll have to drink for the both of us from now on."
"I wouldn't if I were you."
Walter takes a stethoscope, inserting in the instrument into his ears as he listens to the faint mummer of the pilot's heart.
"You've developed a heart arrhythmia during your time in stasis. Alcohol would aggravate that."
His eyes widen, not believing his ears.
"Ugh, you're shitting me, right? Tell me this is a joke."
Walter smiles far too pleasantly for his liking, an inside joke only he was privy to.
"I do not shit you and this is not a joke. If it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one. Hundreds of colonists have developed similar ailments."
"Whoa, seriously? That's fucked up."
A smile tugs at David's face, internally snorting at the human's infallible faith in him.
"The neutrino blast disrupted a variety of electrical life support components, resulting in said abnormalities. Nothing too serious, has to be monitored though. Another breath, please."
Air whistles through Tennessee's nose, the exhale of it leaving his gungy mouth. Yawning, he takes a hand to his mouth, covering the gaping maw. David sneers mentally at the very human behavior, the stench of sweat permeating his senses.
Glad I'll soon be done with this oaf.
"Well, you're set to go, all other tests came back normal. Please excuse me, I must send a report to Weyland-Yutani, stating we have almost reached our destination."
He squeezes Tennessee's arm in reassurance, holding his flesh tighter than necessary. The pilot frowns, giving a quick pat to Walter in turn, unease settling into his bones.
"Sure thing man, just gonna switch clothes. I'm aware that I stink to high heaven. Be at the captain's bay soon.
"Of course."
Releasing his arm, a bright red handprint stains his skin. Disgruntled at the synthetic's touch, he rubs his arm gingerly as the shadow of Walter leaves the med bay corridors.
Good thing he thinks I'm one dumb son of a bitch. Doesn't know what I'm really thinking.
The pilot knew full well how others perceived him, a jokester that had more than a lifetime's fill of drink. What they weren't aware of was that he was playing dumb, gathering intel when he saw fit. One of his many hidden talents, he coerced people over the years when he thought it justified. This was one such instance.
You were threatening her, I saw the way she looked at you, the way you spoke. Dani has always trusted you, what happened?
Author's note: Well, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it was real fun to write. Special shout out to QueenofBloodandTears and Zerousy for review every chapter so far, I love feedback so it's greatly appreciated. Until next time! :)