With a loud thud that echoed violently, a circular section of the ship's hull collapsed inwards; roof hitting floor from which the Nakai emerged. The unit of blue aliens stood tall and armed only a few feet from Hydroponics, their bodies tall and thin wrapped in almost dive suit style blackness. Orders were quickly shouted by the tallest – clearly their commander – before the blue aliens burst into action, feet mounding the dark metal floor as they marched. Suddenly, just as the first turned a corner there was a singled shot and the Nakai fell down dead, in less than a second a fire fight ensued; bullets flying swiftly, screams of pain, thuds as bodies fell. After six civilians were lost the Destiny crew were forced to retreat, there were just too many of them. Lieutenant Scott dove for his radio as they fled.
"Young, there's too many of them!"
A few of the Nakai, four or five, branched off and headed down another corridor while the main unit stalked the Destiny crew, more orders being shouted as they went. The war for Destiny had begun.
Meanwhile only a few dark corridors away stood Rush with an almost petrified expression on his sharp features as he watched his darling daughter lean against the hard wall fighting off the pain she was in. He couldn't tell whether it was her bravery or stubbornness making her fight of her pain, the constant stinging of death.
"Daddy, you have to let me do this." She told him in a determined tone that mirrored his own.
"No you're not. You're going somewhere safe and staying there until this is over."
There was a pause in which Cressida seemed to grow up, her eyes reflecting an intelligent and courageous woman. She'd always acted older than her eight year old body seemed capable but this was different, what Rush saw was someone mature and better than any other he'd ever met.
"I'm going to die anyway." Oh, how that made his heart drop and his eyes prick with tears. "I let them in, I don't want to be the reason you all die! Let me help save everyone, please?" It was a beg but Nicholas knew she wouldn't care about his answer, she'd just do it anyway; she really was his daughter.
"You can hardly stand and you're eight years-"
He was abruptly cut off when the smaller team of Nakai that had branched off turned the corner at the end of the hallway and started heading for them, Rush peaked around his own corner to count them; five. Before he could think let alone speak Cress pushed her Father back down the hallway in the direction of the bridge and stepped out in full view of the Nakai, his arms reached out to grab her but it was too late. Father stood there a moment forced to watch and wait to see if they'd kill his child on sight.
Guns raised but thankfully they didn't fire – maybe Rush managed to will them not to shoot – he couldn't see the blue bastards but he knew they must have been confused to find her still among the living. Honey whiskey eyes watched as Cressida's arms went limp at her side and her own brown orbs stared off into nothingness, her whole body drained of personality leaving her as a blank slate. When she spoke it was monotone just as when she'd spoken to Varro in the hall before the fire.
"I damaged the ship more than intended." She stated plainly, each sentence short and lacking emotion. "The humans didn't stop the fire in time to avoid almost irreparable damage. Destiny does not have much time before the hull can take the stress no longer. Allow me to repair it before I completely shut down and am no longer useful to you."
The Nakai Commander – also the tallest – tilted his head for a moment looking her over, the jaundice had worsened and Rush was amazed that she was capable of display of painlessness. Suddenly the Nakai Commander shouted something and though Cress had no idea what he said she somehow knew what he meant.
"Yes, Master." Rush hated hearing that word leave her lips, she was his daughter not a slave! "Thanks to the repairs the humans have already done I can finish repairs from the bridge."
When Cressida turned and started to lead them towards the bridge Rush ran off ahead of her, he didn't like leaving her there with the blue aliens but he had to get to the bridge first. As much as he hated to think about it they wouldn't harm her until Destiny had been fully repaired. Rush and Destiny had no choice but to use Cressida's plan.
Though on the outside young Cress was blank and seemed nothing more than a shell, the inside was quite the opposite. Inside she surged with agony, with each second that ticked by – each step she took – Cress could feel her body and organs failing her. To ask if she was scared would have been stupid, of course she was, but the people of Destiny were her family and it would be an honour to give her life to save them, she really was brave and wise beyond her years. Rush and Chloe hadn't just given her DNA they'd made her who she was and given her life, there was no one else she'd give it up for. To the Nakai she was an experiment but to Destiny and it's crew she was Cressida Isobel Rush, the genius daughter of Doctor Nicholas Rush and Chloe Armstrong; the Nakai used her while they loved her. The knowledge of that was the only think keeping her almost flawless act up.
Her family and friends had faith in her and it kept her pushing.
XXXX
Rush charged onto the bridge, down the few tiny steps to the others at lightning speed; when he ground to a halt Rush was panting. Chloe, Varro, Brody and Volker stood watching him for a second expectantly as he got his breath back.
"Did they believe her? Is Cress okay?" Chloe practically interrogated him, a look of utter worry on her face.
"They believed her, she's fine." The for now was implied. The Chief Scientist took one last deep breath getting his breathing back under control he pressed a kiss of comfort to Chloe's lips.
Volker cleared his throat. "Brody and I got the power transferred but we still can't do anything with it. Are you sure she knows-" Whatever Volker had intended to say got cut off by Brody.
"Oh, shut up. The kid's a genius and it's too late to go back now." The engineer snapped as finished the final touches on his terminal.
Chloe couldn't help but cuddle into Rush's chest, he was hardly taller than her but still the elder man made her feel safe and cared for, Nicholas' presence was the only thing granting her any comfort as to the situation and the peril Cressida was in.
"Don't worry." He said softly. "She's stubborn and cunning like me and brave like you."
Chloe appreciated that he tried to comfort her but it didn't do much.
"I'm done!" Announced Brody, stepping away from the terminal and turning to face them.
"Good. It's all up to Cress now and like Rush said, she's brave, stubborn and cunning." Varro smiled in that way he had, the one that said everything would be fine.
Knowing they didn't have a moment to loose the circle of people dispersed to terminals in an attempt to look busy while Rush planted himself in the Command Chair. Show time, he thought almost mournfully.
One, two, three, the seconds ticked on almost endlessly, four, five, six. The Scotsman had counted to fourteen when he heard heavy footsteps pounding towards them. At twenty-three the Nakai burst into the room lead by Cressida.
Varro aimed his weapon at the blue monsters as Rush shot to his feet to do the same, they didn't fire though, they might have hit Cress.
"Give her back!" Rush and Varro almost yelled in unison but the Nakai didn't answer.
Cressida tilted her head in a dazed sign of confusion and for the first time since her act started her eyes made contact, her father almost cried when he saw all the emotion she'd locked up with in them; his child was in pain and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Silly humans." Began the eight year old in her blank tone. "Lower your weapons or you will be killed."
The three men made a show of debating her command before reluctantly dropping them to the ground with a thud before kicking the three pistols over to the Nakai. With a glare from his Commander one of the blue aliens gathered up the weapons and threw them over into a corner way out of reach. The Commander shouted something entirely unknown but Chloe and Rush easily recognised it as bad due to the little flash of concern that flared on Cressida's face.
"No!" She almost shouted before remembering herself and dropping back into her act. "Master, the time required to repair the ship fully will exceed my remaining lifespan without the aid of Doctor Rush. Also I believe he will refuse to assist if you kill any of the others." The Commander grunted and announced something. "Thank you, Master."
Slowly Cress walked to the help and looked down at the terminals, her pain was starting to lessen and Cressida wasn't certain if that was a good or bad thing; probably the latter. The Nakai let Cressida begin her work while the alien soldiers moved further into the room, one knocked Volker to the ground by the command chair before pointing at him indicating the rest should join the doctor on the floor. They obeyed, all except for Rush who was ushered over to his daughter's side.
"Assist me, Doctor Rush."
That was the Scotsman's cue to fall into sorrow.
"Why are you doing this?" He pushed so much sadness into his voice.
"Because I serve my Masters, now aid me in my mission." It hurt him to hear her speak in such a way but Rush knew it had to be done.
Each moment passed by awkwardly as Cress and Rush worked as fast as they could leaving the Nakai to guard their friends. She knew she didn't have the energy to keep the act up much longer, like a shaken soda can Cressida's body was ready to explode and let whatever was inside out. Occasionally the blue aliens would say something – growled was a better word – especially when the gunfire between them and Destiny's crew could be heard. Every now and again the Commander Nakai would push Rush with the butt of his weapon a silent order to hurry up completely unaware that Rush and Cress were already working as fast as they could.
Suddenly though, without even a hint of warning the alien Commander grabbed Doctor Rush by his right shoulder and threw him across the room, his lean body crashed to the floor and skidded the six or so inches to the guarded bridge crew; his head thwacking against Brody's left knee which caused both men to wince. Less than a heartbeat later Chloe had helped Rush to his knees with a look of great concern in her dazzling blue eyes and the alien started to bark something; Cress translated.
"You may be intelligent, Nicholas Rush, but so am I." She paused as the alien continued before translating the rest. "You humans really are illogical, you'd destroy this ship, killing yourselves in the process, just to prevent the Nakai taking it as our own. You would call it brave, my kind call it stupid. Fight and take what your species wants or accept your failure and die." There was a whirring sound that pulled everyone's attention for a second and Cress turned back to the main terminal, when she spoke again it was clearly for herself. "You're too late anyway, my Masters now possess this ship." Another surge sound echoed. "Power has been fully restored. Press that button, Master, and Destiny's shields will activate." She stepped back and pointed to the correct button. "Destiny is finally yours."
The alien Commander didn't hesitate, he simply barged Cress out of the way almost knocking her to the cold floor and slammed his long fingered hand down on the key she'd indicated.