Chapter 6

Affiliation

Bastian is plagued by whispers as they push on, he tries hard to shut them out but seem to get louder the more he does so. He's then overcome with a sharp pain running up his back to the back of his head causing him to shut his eyes tightly then upon opening them he's in a different place, looking around he recognizes his home town from childhood. Bastian is startled when he sees another figure this time not mimicking him but someone he knows is long dead.

"Dad… no go away leave alone."

"You can ignore me all you want but that won't make me go away."

"Why don't go bother Isaac or some other poor bastard on this station."

"Because you are far more interesting than any of these pitiful sub-creatures, many of them are hardly worth the effort."

[Tires not to look at him]

"Besides Isaac is doing so well he doesn't need much attention."

"What?"

"The people here did most of the work as did he but now Isaac will finish it."

"What are you talking about… Isaac he's important to you isn't he… why?"

"Stay alive and maybe I'll tell you."

His vision flashes back to normal upon Karrie tapping his shoulder.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing."

"The marker whatever making us see these things… this time it took my father's form."

"You have to try to block it out I know it's hard."

"I know… are they still heading the same route?"

"Something happened to the women they're with her readings just spiked."

Then Matland intercepts a RIG transmission between Isaac, Stross and Ellie.

"Isaac!" [Ellie screams]

"Shhhh… it's gonna be okay, I promise… this won't hurt a bit." [Stross whispers]

[Ellie struggles against Stross]

"Cross my heart and hope to die…"

"Stross!"

"Stick a needle in your eye!"

"Stross god dam-"

[The RIGLink closes]

"Jesus what the hell did they do to him?"

"I think the real question is what did the marker to him."

They then the screams of miners still trapped in their area along with deep roaring, they run to help them. Upon reaching a corner the see one of them on the floor hanging on to a pipe as something unseen to them snatches him away, they run after him seeing a Drag Tentacle pulling him away into a hole in the wall at the end of the hall. Karrie jumps and catches him before he's pulled inside she pulls with all her might but then he slips form her grasp and he's sucked into the wall. All they hear is him making a bloodcurdling followed by a big splash of blood from the breach.

"Shit!" [Karrie cursed]

"Poor bastard." [Said Matland]

"Help, help!"

They hear another miner in the distance, they run quickly to help but find him being pulled into a hole in the floor by his leg.

"You, you help please help me ahhh!"

"Hold on!" [Bastian yelled]

The tentacle pulls harder at the miner, Matland tries shooting at a glowing bulbous organ at its base. It squeals in pain but pulls the miner down with such great force his arms are ripped from his body by the ones trying to save him. His body disappears in the corruption infested hole below his screams quickly silence.

"Fuck." [Drops the twitching severed arm]

"There was little we could do?" [Said Karrie]

"We're not safe here we have to move." [Said Bastian]

They look behind them as loud roaring moves towards them in the walls.

"Shit run!" [Bastian yelled]

They flee as the tentacles chase them through the mines, as they run Bastian sees the other him standing in every turn.

"That's right Bastian keep running… keep moving towards your destiny make us whole."

Bastian ignores the voices and keeps running, they get separated when two more tentacles try to intercept them. Bastian escapes being forced to run down another path way.

"Bastian!" [Karrie yells]

The rest run for the safe room but Bastian is alone, having reached a service elevator he escapes the pursuing tentacles. While taking a moment to breath sitting on the floor he's startled by his mimicry sitting next to him.

"You're doing good your close now as is Isaac."

"Go away, leave me alone."

"Alone is what you've been most of your life, but don't worry soon we all will be together as one."

"It's Isaac isn't it he created the marker and no you need him to finish it."

"Yes."

[Warps in front of him]

"He shall be the last to be absorbed and we will awake."

"What are you really?"

"Stay alive a little longer and maybe you'll find out… keep going its almost time."

"Time for what?"

"The fruits of all this labor to come to fruition." [Blinks away]

"Bastian, do you read me!?"

"Yes, I read you."

"God, you scared us I patched in but you weren't answering… look kid are you okay?"

"What do… what do you mean?"

"When we patched in you were whispering nonsense."

"I was… never mind about that look I think something big is going to happen soon here on the station."

"What do you mean?"

"The marker in the government sector it's… been talking to me."

Both Karrie and Matland were silent.

"It talks about Isaac that he's important to it, something about him making them whole."

"That sounds like what unitology talks about." [Said Karrie]

"So, your saying Isaac Clarke is being influenced by the marker?" [Matland asked]

"Yes, it pulling him towards it, that why he's been so determined getting here."

"And what will happen if it makes to the marker?"

"That I don't really know… but something is coming and Isaac is the key and the marker is the lock and door."

"Considering what we've seen today it doesn't sound farfetched." [Said Matland]

"I think Tiedemann knew that's why he ordered those subjects to be killed he didn't want any of them especially Isaac reaching it." [Said Bastian]

"So, what do we do Tiedemann is expecting us to kill him."

[The elevator stops and opens]

As he's about to speak he's overcome with a painful jolt in the back of his head.

"Bastian?"

"Stay where you are… I'll find him."

"What Bastian… kid answer me!"

He ignores him and moves forth.

"Bastian what are doing?" [Karrie asked]

"I have to find him it needs him… be patient convergence is nigh." [Speaks in a monotone]

"What?"

"What did he say?"

"He said convergence is nigh… oh my god I think I know what's going to happen?"

"Spit it out then."

"In unitology they believe that all life will return to the marker that processes is called convergence, I heard one Tiedemann's men say that the hordes are moving and gathering… I think they're going to the marker and they're following Isaac Clarke."

"Oh fuck, they're still evacuating civilians if he leads them there they'll be slaughtered or worse they may hitchhike off one of the transports."

"We have to find him." [Said Karrie]

Bastian follows Isaac's path being careful not to get too close to arouse suspicion from Isaac. He soon comes to a corpse on the floor in medical scrubs having been stabbed in the head with a screwdriver, recognizing him

"Nolan Stross."

He looks to the door in the far right, his flashes dark orange.

"He went that way keep following him." [The whispers spoke to him]

"N-no stop it let me go!" [As he struggles to free himself]

"We have waited long and now we shall finally awaken keep going."

He comes to a lift piled with many necromorph corpses, his body acting on its own and having no control he activates the lift and it takes him up. Matland and Karrie try catching up with him but seem to fall behind as necromorphs attack them slowing them down.

"Damn it where did he go?"

"I can't track him he turned off his locator."

"Damn."

Bastian's lift takes him to the top and hears the loud sound of machinery activating, he runs to the source upon opening the door he sees a giant drilling machine preparing to leave the area seeing Isaac board and firing left and right at necromorphs as the lift takes him to the top of the rig. He quickly runs for it as the voices command him to do so, he jumps onto one of the drills tank-like wheels as he holds on the drill drives forwards into the caverns running over and squashing hordes of necromorphs. He begins to climb up the back of the drill with the necromorphs aware of him but seemingly ignoring him as they're only interested in Isaac and Ellie, he continues climbing until he gets to the top of the driver booth. Seeing Isaac, the voices in his head speak to him again.

"Kill him now Bastian, do it now!"

Getting up on his feet drawing his combat knife, Ellie hears Bastian's footsteps above her. She warns Isaac he turns around and looks up and is jumped by Bastian, Isaac struggles to keep the blade from stabbing into his face. Isaac kicks him off, a Puker tries vomiting on him but leans to the side missing him then pushes it over the side.

"Isaac!"

"Stay in there I got this!"

"You die Isaac!" [Bastian snarls]

"Look I don't know who you are or what Tiedemann's told you but I'm not your enemy."

Bastian begins to fight from the inside disrupting the markers hold on him briefly, his vison flashes deep orange with marker symbols everywhere.

"Isaac get away from me I can't contro-… die!" [He slashes at him wildly]

Matland and Karrie emerge from a lift into the caverns they spot the drill moving ahead of them and Isaac dodging Bastian's attacks.

"There they are!" [Matland exclaimed]

Both run along the mining paths trying to catch up with them. Isaac kicks Bastian into the safety railing making him lose the knife, quickly recovering he lunges back at him. Isaac redirects him into the windshield cracking it and startling Ellie. Having hit the windshield hard the dementia was greatly disrupted the marker's control releasing him but rendering him unconscious. Isaac aims his Plasma Cutter to Bastian's head but hesitates to pull the trigger.

"What are you waiting for shoot him."

Isaac notices more hordes of necromorphs sprinting towards them as they continue cutting through the corruption infested mines.

"He's not himself I saw it in his eyes he was aware but not in control of his actions."

"He almost killed you."

"I know but he might be able to help us."
"Just like Stross helped, did you already forget what he did to me eye?"

"No I didn't forget look just trust me okay if tries something I'll deal with him…"

A few minutes' pass and they finally break through the tunnels, Isaac notices a dead end.

"Whoa… whoa… stop stop!"

"Looks like we reached the foundation pylons of the government sector."

"So how do we get in there?"

"Straight ahead… we do have a giant drill."

"You know I'm right on top of this thing, right?"

"Ellie… Ellie!"

Isaac drags Bastian close to the driver booth then the drill bashes through the wall breaching the sector. Both are launched into the upper balcony, Isaac slowly gets up.

"Holy crap that hurt."

"Well we can compare bruises later but at least we made it right… and this is most defiantly government sector."

[Ellie looks to the front of the room]

"And I bet that marker of yours is behind that huge door over there."

"Well we better move fast those things are gona find a way up the hole we drilled."

"There gotta be an elevator or something that connects these floors, I'm gonna try to get down to you."

"Alright I'll meet you halfway, how's crazy number two?"

"He's still out cold."

"Are you sure about keeping him?"

"No, I'm not but I'll find out soon if he's worth it."

Bastian begins to regain conciseness Isaac has his plasma cutter at the ready.

"Hey can you hear me?"

"Fuck my head…"

"Are you calm and cool headed now or do I have to "take care of you"?"

"Isaac, right?"

"Not surprised you me."

"Look you have good reason to not believe me neither would I in your place but I couldn't control my actions but I was still aware."

"The marker did that to you."

"Yes."

"Issac there a gunship docked here!"

"What… is it damaged?"

"Not that I can tell, Isaac do you hear me we're going to make it out of there alive!"

"One of us is, it's too dangerous for you to stay here Ellie."

"What are you talking about, just get your ass in here I'm starting a system check now."

Bastian gets up and sits on a bench recovering from his episode.

"Okay look stay here I'll be right back."

"Alright."

"If I come back and your nowhere to be found next time if I see you your dead understand?"

"Yes."

Isaac goes to the docking bay nearby, entering the room he sees Ellie in the gunship booting it up.

"Main power on… auxiliary systems booting up…"

As Isaac slowly walks towards her he is burdened by what he feels he must do to protect and save Ellie.

"Isaac what are you doing?"

[Isaac seals her in the gunship]

"Whoa, hey Isaac what are you doing?"

[Preps the gunship to leave]

"Isaac… what are you doing open the door right now!" [Opens a RIGLink]

[The ship starts to detach form its dock]

"No… no… no don't you dare… don't you dare launch this ship!"

[The ship launches and begins to floats away as auto pilot engages]

"Isaac!"

"It's your best chance Ellie, you got life support comms… hey your gonna be rescued."

"You bastard…" [Voice breaks]

"I need you to be rescued… I couldn't save Nicole, but I can save you Ellie so uh… bye."

Regretting his action, he collapses to the floor leaning against the wall. Bastian having recovered enough to walk without having to use the walls for support, gets to the docking bay seeing Isaac on the floor.

"I don't think that's a good idea." [Rises and looks down next to him]

"I can't."

Bastian gets closer.

"Who are you talking to?" [He asked]

"No one… I thought I told you to stay put... never mind."

"Where's your friend?"

"I sent her away."

"I doubt she agreed."

"She didn't but I have to someone is getting away from this alive."

"You're here to destroy the marker?"

"Yes, I destroy it I kill the outbreak… you were sent to stop me?"

"Initially yes… shit Matland and Karrie." [Realizing he forgot about his companions]

"Who?"

"My friends they were with me at the…"

[A RIGLink opens]

"I don't know what providence protects you Clarke but it ends here… ah Private Ryder why is this not a surprise to see you conspiring with this man as I recall your orders were shoot him on sight."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"I take it your handler and the saboteur didn't not make it by their absence… pity my sympathies?"

"Fuck you."

"Well I have two hundred security personnel and every entrance is covered even if you do get in neither of you will get far that being said, Ryder consider yourself terminated my men will kill you as well."

[Link closes]

"I'll help you destroy it but if you haven't noticed the marker has been pulling you here, it wants you."

"I know but I have to destroy if I don't the everyone everywhere will die."

"Let's go then."