Chapter Two: Descent
Captain Alexis Ezra watched the planet from her office in deep thought. She looked to be in her early thirties, possibly one of the few to reach the rank of captain at a prime age. She went over the primary objective in her file, to recover the vast materials from the planet and distribute them to various sectors, including Earth.
"Why do I sense that I've not been told the full story as to why we're here. . ." She thought. Her mind would be interuppted by one of her crewmates and second in command, Brett Danik.
"Apologies for interuppting your quiet time Captain." Brett said, "The colony has successfully set the parameters for popping the cork. It seems we're ahead by approximately five days."
Ezra turned to her second in command, "Let them have some time off then. We should stick to the plan for now." She noticed the frown on Brett's face, "Is something wrong?"
"Why not commence the operation now? That way we get the job done and start excavating with haste." His tone sounded almost impaitient.
The captain shook her head, "It's better we take things with caution and thoroughness. The squad I sent down there have uncovered something." She tapped her wrist and a screen appeared in front.
The footage shows the team investigating stone ruins, indicating that there were others before them. It snaps to a cave the crew found, who enter the darkness. Their flashlights on, they discover skeletal remains of what seemed to be human, but with bizzare mutations. The crew discover a large ship underground, one that was covered in green vines, mixed with a red substance that branched out to different parts of the cave, holding the ship in the air like a fly in a spider's web.
The crew leave the cave, but one of them suddenly breaks into a blind rage, tackling another before using the butt of his pulse rifle to smash his comrade's helmet, the glass shattered and shards pierced through, the man's screaming was of agony. Before the attacker could finish him, another fellow soldier gunned him down in time. The footage stops.
Brett placed a hand over his mouth in shock, taking a moment to process what he just saw. The Captain then explained, "That ship is possibly over three hundred years old. In all my experiences, I've never witnessed something like this. That man was of sound mind before he entered the cave, then suddenly he ends up killing his fellow soldier. This incident has raised my concern over the colony as this cave is roughly twenty six miles away from it. . ."
"Are you implying that ship is carrying a pathogen that causes hysteria and could spread?" Brett asked, "Did Earth Gov know about this?" The images of the attack replayed in his head.
Ezra answered in a stern tone, "I have no idea what they were up to, but it's clear to me that we need to devise a plan. Belial Four is an inhabitable planet, but this. . . pathogen needs to be monitored. I won't risk the lives of the colony whilst this goes on. I may have to consider that popping the cork could potentially bring whatever that organic matter contains onto the ship."
"Captain, this is our job. We must commence the operation soon. If the situation turns for the worst, we will evacuate the colony and easily convert both the medical deck and hydroponics to hold all of them. . . You have my word Alexis that we'll act accordingly." Brett gave an assuring smile. The captain took a moment to think.
She looked back at the colony, "Very well. We'll commence the operation in three days time. If something happens, we evacuate and send for military assistence."
The second in command acknowledged, "Understood Captain. We will make sure everything goes to plan." He left the captain alone. Once he was distant enough, he sent a message to an unknown contact.
"Operation Blood Moon is a go. All those who are devout will enter the cave, secure the artifact and bring it to the USG Tanimura. The Captain will dealt with by me personally. Edgar Stone will deal with the colony whilst Kurtis Harold will replace Officer Allen. By the time of popping the cork, we'll have complete control and anyone who refuses to join will be the first to become part of the convergence. Altman be Praised."
The following day. . .
"A medical checkup already Eli?" Sean asked as he and his apprentice have their early morning breakfast, with Terry serving them before heading to Hydroponics to begin his shift.
Eli bit into a slice of bacon, savouring the rich taste. "They just wanna check and see if I'm viable to donate some blood. Nothing special sir." He answered.
His mentor nodded, "Alright lad, afterwards I need to you to double check the ADS cannons on the east side of the bridge deck. The automation will need to be recalibrated manually. Luckily the debris field isn't too far so fire away at the rocks."
Terry added a few words, "I can walk Eli to the medical deck. I'll be on my way to the hydroponics deck anyway."
"I'll be in the engineering deck today and will teach some newbies. I hereby promote you to first class engineer Eli Murdoch." The sudden announcement made Eli choke on his coffee.
Whacking his chest, he coughed it out. "N-Not what I was expecting to hear boss. Are you completely serious?" He asked.
Sean laughed, "I figured I wouldn't be able to tell you later, but yes Eli. After teaching you so much from when you started to now, I say you're able to handle the biggest tasks ahead of you."
Eli stood up with a prideful smile and saluted. "I won't let you down." He said, with Sean saluting back and nodding before leaving for the tram station.
Terry leapt over the bar, "Wow. . . You came to the ship a few weeks ago and now you're your own man. Gotta say Murdoch, I'm proud."
"Trying to praise me or seduce me?" Eli jokingly said as they walked together. The professor chuckled. By the time they reached the tram station, they were halted by a grey haired man, a burn mark around his throat.
He looked to Terry first, "Pritchard." He spoke in an almost blank manner.
"Stone." Terry mimicked the tone, "You'll be heading to the colony soon won't you?" He asked.
Edgar Stone wore a white suit, adorned with the symbol of Unitology, alongside two others who silently judged Eli. "I will be conducting a seminar for our group down there. At times like this, they need to know that their faith is strong enough for us to prevail. A mandatory rule by the church."
Eli could feel the beady eyes on him, it reminded him of the mass suicide he witnessed as a teenager. A boy no older than he looked at him before taking part. "Does the seminar include wine and a snack?" He asked, pretending to be oblivious to the truth.
"Much as that sounds delightful, people are obligated to bring their own." Edgar answered with a warm tone, not realising that Eli was being sarcastic. "We best be off now. I do hope perhaps you'll come and listen to us one day. Do look after yourselves and Altman be praised."
Terry returned the words, "Altman be praised. Farewell." He and Eli entered the tram and as the door closed, the engineer noticed one of Stone's companions whispering into his ear.
"Fuck these Unitologist creeps." Terry said aloud, "Sick of pretending to be one of their desciples." He sat down, taking the necklace off.
Eli sat next to him, "Marker heads. . . My Dad hated their guts. They brainwashed a friend of his, then one day he hung himself. My old man never forgave them for that. . ."
The professor then asked, "What happened to your Dad?" Eli sighed, but chose to explain anyway.
"He worked on the colony on Aegis Seven. . . Where the USG Ishimura was stationed. You'll know the rest of the story."
"The terrorist attack. . . Fuck, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have any other relatives?" Terry asked another question, which Eli was fine with answering.
He looked to his hands, "Mother passed away years ago, my sister was on the Sprawl before it was wiped off the map. . . I guess it's just me." He hid the fact that his sister was alive and well, sensing it was better to lie about Lexine to avoid any other personal questions.
The tram stopped at hydroponics, where Terry was to go to. He got up and gave an assuring smile, "Stay strong Eli. If you ever need me, you know where I am and my door is always open to you."
"Thank you T. And the same to you." He bid the professor goodbye, waving as he left the tram. Eli sat back down, eager to learn the truth about his sister and why she was in hiding. In the back of his mind, he felt that this Edgar was up to something. For now, he had to meet "Millie" for his checkup.
Now arriving at Medical Deck.
The automated voice announced, prompting the young engineer to proceed. Upon reaching the reception, he noticed the lack of a waiting line and lack of occupied seats. He approached the male receptionist, and waited for him to finish typing.
"Welcome to the medical deck Mister Murdoch. You're just in time for your checkup. Doctor Stevenson is waiting for you in her office, just before you reach the morgue."
Eli raised an eyebrow, "A bit grim having a doc's office just outside a morgue." This made the receptionist chuckle at the irony.
"You're probably the third person to have said that since I started last year. I'm glad you see the irony too. I'll set your locator to the office. Have a good day Mister Murdoch."
Eli politely returned the gesture, "Same to you." He activated his locator and began to follow the blue light that lead the way. As he walked through, he recognised one of the P-Sec officers.
"Fuck."
Kurtis Harold, the officer who was harrassing Lexine from before. He looked at Eli, locking onto him. "If it isn't the Engineer." He stopped in front of him, obstructing the path.
Eli controlled the urge to punch the smugness off his face. "Congratulations, you can recognise faces." He blurted out, silently cursing that he just answered back. "Double fuck."
The officer stepped closer, now getting into his personal space. "You got some balls for talking back. Especially to an officer." This only made the young engineer scoff in response.
"I respect that in a person." Kurtis backed off and smiled, "I'll see you around." And he walked off as if nothing occured.
Eli looked behind, "Best keep my wits about him. . ." He said in his head, and continued on to the designated office.
Eventually he was outside Doctor Stevenson's door, he took a calming breath and knocked on the door, an old habit that was stayed with him during his upbringing on Earth. The doors slid open, and he entered. Lexine stood with a clipboard, turning around. She smiled, keeping her inner worries at bay. "Mister Murdoch." She spoke in a formal manner, "Please take a seat." Pointing at the soft chair, in which Eli quickly sat down.
He waited as she fiddled about with a computer, double checking the room around her. Old files neatly placed on a shelf and arranged by alphabetical order and date. After typing in what appeared to be commands, Lexine turned to face her little brother.
"No one can listen in. What I'm about to say stays between us, got it?"
Eli nodded, "Okay. . . So why the fake name?" He asked, "Is someone after you?"
"The Sprawl was never a terrorist incident. That was just a cover up to hide Earthgov's failed experiment. . . An outbreak started to spread throughout, leaving nothing in its wake. I was to be captured by the Church, but Earthgov came after me too. What I have Eli is something they wanted to experiment on, my own baby and me. . ."
The engineer continued to listen, letting her take her time. "Gabe saved my life, in exchange for his. . . A price that should've never been paid. But they wouldn't stop. . . For over a year I was on the run from both groups, constantly hiding away with my baby. . ."
"What happened Lex?" Eli asked quietly, afraid that he would hear the worst had happened.
"I took them to an off grid sector. . . I gave them to a couple who'd raise them as their own." Tears fell as Lexine revealed the truth, "Earthgov and the Church will never find them. But neither will I." She grabbed a tissue from the table and gentley wiped her eyes. "F-For a while I was lost. I didn't know where to turn to or who to even trust. So I had to create a new identity, in order to get to where I am now."
Eli stood up, "Lex. . . What you went through was horrible. But why would the Church and Earthgov want to experiment on you and the kid? This outbreak you mentioned. . . is that what happened in Aegis Seven? To our Dad?"
Lexine nodded, "They found something. . . This artifact, this. . . Marker, was discovered, before the planet crack, the colony fell to this madness. People were killing each other, themselves. You remember Sam Caldwell? He was one of the first to lose control. What he saw was his own crewmates as monsters, so in his mind he was "defending" himself."
"He was your boyfriend. I remember he was a good guy. . . How did you manage to get away from it? Like resisting what was happening to the others?" Eli asked, mentally noting that the Marker was mentioned and supposedly worshipped by Unitologists.
"From what me and Gabe noticed, I'm immune to the Marker's effects. We were both born on Earth, where Michael Altman found the original Marker."
With newfound knowledge, Eli believed Lexine's words. The colony reminded him of the mass suicide in the local town square back home. "So that's why the Church and Earthgov were after you and the kid. . . This is. . . alot to take in. The Ishimura, the Sprawl. . . "
"The Markers on both incidents were reversed engineered, made by humans in some attempt to unlock immortality, a new energy source. . . Earthgov kept it all underwraps so far. I joined the Tanimura to find another Marker and destroy it before it causes another outbreak. Or worse."
Eli was quick to ask, "Worse?"
Lexine looked at him and shook her head, "I hope you never find out. . ."
End of Chapter Two
Author's Notes:
Hello all! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. I'm choosing to build the characters up and carefully building the tension before all hell breaks loose.
Until next time folks!