Chapter 5
Respite
Minutes later they reach the crossover tube to find the survivors waiting, they waste no time in boarding the tram leaving the public sector behind.
"Woods have you guys made it back to Gov Sec?"
"Yes we lost two people but we made it, how is Weller?"
"Not good he's lost as least two pints but he's stable for now."
"That's some good news, when you guys get here a med team will be waiting to take care of him."
"Good, I know it's bad but what's the situation?"
"Well, Tiedemann is still hounding those two fugitives and on the side preparations for evacuation are almost finished shouldn't be long now."
"Alright we'll be there soon."
"Okay see you soon."
Bastian sits across form Karrie who leans against the window.
"Hey you okay?"
"Yes I'm just resting my eyes; I've been running around the station for a while."
"Are you sure you're okay those wounds…"
"Yeah I'll live; I was concerned at first but it's not as bad as I thought I was."
"What happened to you?" [Curious]
"I was fighting a very big and ugly mother fucker, I beat it but I dropped my guard and it got a lucky lunge at me."
"Matland and I have had a few hardships today too."
"Given the situation that's should be an overstatement, so you a rookie?"
"Yep first day." [Sighs]
"Any regrets yet?" [Laughs]
"Not sure yet, can't say it hasn't been interesting…"
He looks to her right at the window catching sight of a reflection behind him, he focuses and looks a little closer realizing it's the same person he saw in a hallway. Karrie notices him staring at something behind her, she looks over her shoulder but sees nothing.
"Bastion you okay?"
He remains silent as he looks behind him to find nothing there then looks at the same place behind her again and no longer sees the person.
"Yes I'm fine."
"You're seeing things aren't you?"
"Have you?"
"Yeah a few times… it stopped with me but I still hear things now and then mostly faint whispers."
The tram finally makes it to the final stop they are met by a squad of soldiers and a great many other survivors. As they steadily enter the Government Sector the crowd is startled when a near blinding beam is fired, Matland and Bastian run to the overlook.
"What is that?" [Bastian asked]
"That's the solar beam, it used to power the station back in the day before the reactor was built." [Said Matland]
"Tiedemann, he's severing the tram lines to keep the infection from getting here."
"Don't know what good that'll really do the infection started here." [Said Karrie]
"What?" [Matland asked]
"Um… nothing I'm just thinking out loud."
Their side of the station is rattled when the final line connecting the two halves.
"Attention all EarthGov personal, preparations for evacuation are complete all secondary personal are to direct all evacuees to their transports immediately Tiedemann out."
"Lieutenant Matland Private Ryder Director Tiedemann demands your presence follow me."
As they walk to the command center Bastian again sees the disturbing apparition of himself standing in the middle of the crowd of people waiting to board the transports, he accidentally walks into a tall man exiting the command center.
"Watch where you're going."
"Sorry."
"Kid you seeing things again?"
"Yeah it was nothing but that was a very tall guy."
"General Titan… the hell's he doing here?"
"Who he?" [Karrie asked]
"He's a one of the high generals of the military well respected, word has it that's he's with some elite branch of the government."
"He's much more then that with them Charles but the details of that are far above your pay grades." [Said Tiedemann]
"No sir we haven't seen Isaac Clarke or Noland Stross."
"That's exactly why I called you here, the three of them as we speak are still trying to get here they must be stopped."
"Three of them who's the third person?"
"Who she is not irrelevant but if you must know her name is Ellie Langford a CEC pilot she's not important only the two she's with."
"You severed the station in half what else is there to worry of them?"
"Do not underestimate him, he's persistent and clever now… I want you two to track them down and eliminate them they cannot be allowed to reach this place."
"Tiedemann I've worked here as long as you have and I have been loyal to you for years so I think for that you owe that much to tell me why the hell are those two so important."
"True you have been favorable asset… very well."
Tiedemann orders everyone out of the room save the three, shutters come down providing them privacy.
"You no doubt have heard the rumors of Aegis VII, I know you Ryder were searching it yesterday morning on the web before we blocked it."
"This is what we've been working on."
A hologram of the Marker rises from the table lighting up the room with a red hue.
"It's real, the thing those rock worshippers revere?" [Said Matland]
"This one we created through special means."
"The "key subjects"?" [Said Bastian]
"Yes… Noland Stross had a hand in its creation but it was Isaac Clarke who had the entirety of the schematics for us to create it."
"If this thing is responsible for what's happening here and what happened on the Ishimura why the hell make this thing?"
"For the marker generates… power limitless power."
"Jesus." [Matland sighs to himself]
"How long do you suppose before humanity suffers through another crisis like the resource wars, the energy crisis is still an issue plaguing us today and how long before it gets worse… planet cracking put us back on track but how long will much longer will the fruits of that labor keep?"
"And you think what's happened is worth what this thing offers?"
"The markers power is controllable under the correct conditions, what happened here was a lapses caused by the unitologist more primarily by the actions of a certain someone who was under their command." [Hans looks towards Karrie]
"Karrie?" [Said Bastian]
"Yes your friend here… or maybe you might know her better as Vandal, the systems that she destroyed in the Shard compromised the containment measures that kept things in order."
[Turns off the hologram and the shutters retract]
"With the progress we've made in the marker Isaac and Stross can jeopardize it all, now if that's all you need to know I still have work to do, you have your assignment now do it."
[As they exit they are met by Woods]
"I take it Tiedemann told you about…"
"Yes he did."
"Alright look I made a mistake I trusted them and I fucked up bad."
"What gave you that idea the thousands of people that are dead and walking now."
"Cut it out Woods." [Said Matland]
"Who in fucking right mind would even think to join psychopaths that worship a rock its right there on the wall it just spells crazy."
"Maybe I wasn't thinking, maybe I was blind and stupid at the very least I tried to fix what I did while others would've cut and ran from it."
"Didn't get very far did you?" [Antagonized]
"Woods shut up." [Bastian snapped]
"Fine I'm sorry I have a lot of friends a few family that were here and they didn't make it."
"We're all on edge it's been a long chaotic day but we have to keep it together."
"This doesn't feel right I mean markers, they are willing to risk stuff like this happening just to give humanity a brighter future."
"We don't have time to think about this now, according to the RIG network those three are still out there."
"Where are they now?"
"Looks they near the Ishimura but where's…"
Suddenly the entire sector and the moon itself is shaken violently as if in an earthquake, the remaining civilians panic at the event as alarms sound off.
"Report what the hell is going on!" [Tiedemann shouted]
"The Ishimura's centrifuge has been activated the tethers have anchored onto the moon!" [One of the techs replied]
"Clarke." [Dials Isaac comm channel]
Matland gets to the window overlooking the moon and the rest of the station floating away into deep space spotting the Ishimura.
"Clarke you idiot, those gravity tethers will tear the whole moon apart Clarke are you listening to me!"
[Hears Isaac cut off the call]
"Very well Clarke, my patience for you is at an end you want to play ball I'm game." [As the rattling recedes]
"Well he's pissed." [Said Karrie]
"Fortify the sectors defenses if there a single one of those creatures near the other perimeter I want to know about it and get the last of the civilians out of here now." [Tiedemann ordered]
Bastian and Matland prepare to set out again.
"Okay they were at the Ishimura now I'm reading them in the mines."
"Where in the mines they're huge?"
"Stross and the woman are in an area deep in and Isaac is close to the hangers… hmm not far off from where Weller was when this started."
"Alright give me a moment."
[Bastian walks over to Karrie]
"Hey how are you feeling?"
"Better you guys going after him?"
"Yeah there's not much we can do; listen you should go before the last transport leaves."
"I'm not going I'm staying and going with you guys."
"Are you sure?"
"I helped them start this and now I'm gonna do anything I can to stop this… beside I doubt Tiedemann would allow agree."
"Okay."
As they walk to the shuttle bay Bastian's vision black out but upon his sight coming back he's finds himself in a dark void, sitting in front of him is a marker and soon the double him comes out from behind the marker.
"Why are you fighting Bastian, it needs your help it must be made whole."
"What are you?"
"I'm your fate… I am you… I am the darkness in your mind."
"Leave me alone."
"What he said is true Bastian, it can give us a future one with no regrets bright future where everything is possible."
"Shut up and get out of my head."
"You can see him again Bastian, you can see both your mother and father again they await you beyond the marker."
Bastian snaps out of it when Karrie lays her hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?"
He hesitates and breaths heavily.
"Yes."
"Are you sure, you looked like you stepped out of your head for a moment."
"Yeah really I'm fine we should get moving."