Disclaimer: The Among Us universe belongs to InnerSloth LLC and PlayEveryWare. This is a work of fanfiction and is not intended for profit or copyright infringement. I do not own the rights to Among Us or its setting/universe.
Commander Warrick lets us take the following evening off for Halloween, under one condition: we need to keep our wits in case of an emergency. This means it's a dry party - a fact that greatly disappoints Zale and Osiris, who don't consider it a party unless there's tequila involved.
There's not much alcohol on board to being with, as it's considered a hazard while working in space, but we do have a case of beer in the fridge and rubbing alcohol, the latter used strictly for cleaning and medicinal purposes. Warrick locks both of these items away. He and O'Connell opt to continue working instead of joining the celebrations, which surprises nobody. Ebba politely declines as well, signaling that some of her rarer Polusian specimen become fussy and ornery if she's away from them for too long. Lenna and I corner Dr. Barnett in Medbay to coerce him to join the party.
"I'll leave you youngsters to have fun," he says cheerfully as he packs up his medical briefcase. "I was looking forward to retiring to my room to finish the novel I'm reading. I'll see you tomorrow, Sage."
"Old people need to have more fun," Lenna informs me as we bid Dr. Barnett goodnight and leave together, heading west towards Security.
"I'm pretty sure having an entire evening off with a good book is his idea of fun," I reply with a grin. Honestly, it doesn't sound that bad to me, either.
Neither of us came up with creative ideas for costumes so we're glad to find that someone took it upon themselves to decorate the ship for Halloween. Where they found the supplies, I have no idea, but fake jack-o-lanterns line the hallways, flickering spookily at us as we pass. Cobwebs and plastic spiders dangle precariously over our heads and black and orange streamers litter the floor, crunching slightly underfoot like a blanket of fallen leaves.
The Security room isn't large. It consists of a single futon, an L-shaped desk, a pair of tall metal lockers, and a large monitor surrounded by a host of smaller monitors that allow us to see the rest of the ship. We enter to find Osiris setting a movie up on the monitors, which are full of static. Del stands sentry at the door with a plastic bowl of candy. Messy stacks of papers and folders are strewn across the floor and several cardboard boxes have been shoved carelessly against the wall. Osiris and Del obviously cleaned up mere minutes before everyone arrived. Quill and Zale are already here, hovering over Osiris as they laugh and talk loudly around the chocolate in their mouths. Feeling my face burn, I duck behind Lenna and make a beeline for the opposite end of the room to avoid Zale.
I find refuge on the futon next to Kenzo, who complains to a bored-looking Minka about how much he hates Halloween. At only twenty years old, Minka is the youngest crewmate on board. She's small but compact, with short black hair that's shaved on one side and streaked blue on the other. Her ears and nose glitter with piercings. Her dark makeup would have been edgy if it didn't contrast so comically with her bubblegum-pink uniform.
"It's a pointless holiday," Kenzo tells her. "There's nothing more unhealthy than staying up late, eating candy, and scaring yourself. I get that people like an adrenaline rush, but if you fill your mind and body with junk it'll come back to bite you. And that's why my wife and I don't let our girls watch horror films."
Minka rolls her eyes so heavily they turn completely white. "Then why are you here?"
Apart from Del, no one knows much about Minka. All we know is that she ran away from home at fifteen and lived on the streets for four years before being recruited by MIRA. She doesn't open up to anyone about why she was in juvie or how she knows so much about weapons. We knowledge on the subject is extensive and terrifying. She can wield anything from crossbows to bazookas like they're extensions of her own body. The way she stabbed Osiris suggests she's agile and fast, not to mention strong. Long story short, we all learned not to get on Minka's bad side. Even Commander Warrick is careful around her, though he would never admit he's afraid of her.
Kenzo shrugs. "Got nothin' better to do. I got a full ten hours of sleep last night so I'm ahead of schedule. Might as well take advantage of my time to hang out with friends."
The look on Minka's face clearly communicates she doesn't consider any of us her friends. She usually makes herself scarce during the day, preferring the company of her knife collection over people. I hardly ever see her except during mealtimes. She pulls out a pocketknife and uses the blade to clean under her black-painted nails, indicating she's done with the conversation. Del watches her carefully from the door.
"What about you, lasses?" Kenzo turns his attention to me and Lenna. "You like Halloween?"
"It's okay, I guess," I concede. "I don't really like scary things but I like costumes and candy."
"I love candy!" Lenna gushes. "Chocolate is my favorite. I would die without it! Unless it has peanuts in it. Then I would actually die."
Kenzo fishes around in the pockets of his yellow trousers and pulls out a bag of...something. It appears to be a health snack of some sort, like shriveled crunch-looking lettuce. "Here." He hands each of us a piece. "Try it. You'll like it."
"What...is it?" I inspect it while Lenna sniffs her piece cautiously.
"Kale chips."
"Kale?"
"Aye. Lightly salted. Surprisingly flavorful and satisfying." He watches us expectantly. Lenna glances at me helplessly. I feel the two of them staring at me as I pop it into my mouth. Even Minka spares me a glance. It's not too bad, but it's still not entirely pleasant. Definitely not chocolate. It's like chewing on a salty, tasteless piece of tissue paper and leaves a strange, flaky residue on my teeth.
"Well?" Kenzo prompts.
"Mmm. Hmm. Well...it's definitely...healthy."
Minka snorts and returns her full attention to her nails.
"Thanks for sharing, Kenzo," I say politely. "But I think I'm going to stick with the candy. Please feel free to enjoy your snack."
"I certainly will. Let me know if you change your mind." He turns and busies himself with his pockets again. Lenna takes the opportunity to toss her kale chip into the trash without him noticing.
"Hey, guys! You'll never guess what I found in Storage!"
We all look at Osiris, who has finished setting up the movie. The title screen blares down at us from each monitor. It's called The Thing and features the image of an odd, glowing creature masked by an astronaut's helmet. The heavy thud of a large box hitting the floor pulls my attention away from the monitors and back to Osiris. He opens the box and turns it over, spilling its contents. People gasp.
Costumes. Hats. Props. I catch sight of a police uniform, diving goggles, and a wooden sword before hands descend upon the pile and people start grappling over the bounty.
"What is a box of costumes doing on an old spaceship?" Quill wonders, dusting off a ship captain's hat and trying it on.
"Hey, that suits you!" Lenna already has a pair of antlers on her head and a string of Christmas lights around her neck. With her brown uniform and doe-like eyes, she makes a convincing reindeer. "Look, here's the jacket that goes with it." She tosses it to Quill, who slips it on over his lime green shirt and gives a goofy salute. Lenna giggles. "Lookin' sharp, Captain."
"Thanks. This is pretty cool. I think you have the wrong holiday, though."
"Nonsense. Sage, look - bear ears! Aren't they adorable? They'd look super cute on you!"
I put them on to humor her. The headband is tight but not unbearable I catch Quill's eye and grin. I guess this isn't so bad. It's amusing watching my friends and co-workers pour over the box of goodies. Osiris immediately locates the goriest prop - a bloody knife on a headband - and dons it. Minka silently chooses a creepy plague doctor mask and retreats to her corner. She sits completely still as she watches us, twirling her pocket knife threateningly between her fingers.
"What a find!" Kenzo weighs a Viking helmet in one hand and a hockey mask in the other. He chooses the helmet, balancing it on top of his large square head. It goes perfectly with his thick ginger beard.
"Hey. We match." The deep voice in my ear startles me. I turn to find Del standing next to me, his heterochromatic eyes fixed on my bear ears. He's wearing a pair of fluffy wolf ears. I cock an eyebrow at him.
"I didn't know you liked to dress up, Del."
I've been known to have fun once in a while."
"What are you going to wear, Zale?" Lenna unearths a long strand of silver tinsel and wraps it around her arms. Zale stares at the remaining costumes strewn across the floor, a look of disdain puckering his full lips.
"These aren't Halloween costumes. Where's the sophistication? Where's the sexiness? I wouldn't be caught dead wearing any of this junk. We're adults living our best lives, not children putting on a school play."
"I've got an idea." Osiris yanks open a desk drawer and rummages through it, extracting a permanent marker and a pad of sticky notes. He scrawls something on the top sticky note and slaps it onto Zale's forehead. It reads DUM in all caps.
The room erupts with laughter. Zale pulls it off to read it and pauses, his angelic face inscrutable. Then he shrugs. "Fair." He presses it back onto his forehead and helps himself to a Snickers from the candy bowl.
The movie starts soon after. Apparently it's one of Osiris's favorites. It's an old sci-fi horror film about a group of research scientists working at a remote base in the middle of Antarctica. They're attacked by a strange alien-like being that can morph into the shape of its victims. At first, I'm not interested in the slightest - not even when the research expedition quickly turns violent and gory as the alien slowly picks the team members off one by one. The plot is cliche and the gruesome deaths are so obviously fake it's almost comical. I flinch a few times at some of the jump scares and laugh with the others when Zale throws his entire bowl of popcorn into the air with a girlish shriek.
"Pathetic." Minka's voice is muffled by the plague doctor mask.
"C'mon man, pull yourself together," Osiris snickers. "It's just a movie."
"It's so creepy, though!" Lenna whispers. She's curled in a ball on the futon, watching through the gaps in her fingers. "Did you see what that thing did to that guy's face? I'm going to have nightmares for weeks."
"It's okay, Lenna." I give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's just makeup and CGI. You're safe here."
Despite being so desperately fake, there's something about the film that troubles me, too. Maybe it's the stress of watching friends turn on each other, mistrust and suspicion breaking apart their ranks. I gaze around at my co-workers. Regardless of what Minka thinks, I consider everyone here my friend - even Zale. Then I think of my grandfather. He and his crew made it to Polus but over half of them never made it home. For the millionth time I wonder why. The surviving crew said it was an accident. The reactor core on one of their ships had a meltdown and exploded. This was the story they fed me, and everyone believed it.
So why don't I?
Something didn't add up. I haven't told anyone, but part of the reason I accepted the position of in-flight surgeon was to dig into the past and find out more about what really happened. I have no idea how, or whether there's anything to find at all, but the explanation for my grandfather's death leaves me unsatisfied.
Dr. Barnett is no help, either. Every time I try bringing it up he always feigns deafness or changes the subject. He's clearly traumatized and doesn't want to dwell in the past. I suppose I don't blame him. It must have been horrible.
Still, it doesn't explain why the details were hushed up.
I pay little attention to the rest of the movie. By the time it's over everyone's in an uproar, talking boisterously about their favorite parts and reliving some of the more horrific death scenes. Quill comes over and squeezes onto the futon between me and Lenna. "Hey. You okay? You look a little pale."
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just tired. What time is it?"
Quill checks his watch. "Almost one in the morning. Wow. That went fast. Thinking about turning in soon?"
"Yeah. We have more work tomorrow so I'd better get some rest."
He nods, surveying me carefully. "Anything else on your mind?"
He knows me so well.
"Grandfather." I speak so low no one but Quill can hear. "I don't know. I'm just upset. All this - the mission and being in space and traveling to Polus - it all just raises more questions than answers, you know?"
Quill's expression turns somber. "I think about him a lot too. He was on this ship, working on the same engines and everything. I think that's why I like fixing them so much. It makes me feel closer to him, in a way."
I stare at my hands, twisting them in my lap. "We're doing the right thing." It's not a question. Quill raises his eyebrows.
"The right thing?"
"We're doing the right thing," I repeat, somewhat desperately. "Right? This whole trip - the research mission and all of it. Traveling to Polus. Colonizing space. We're doing the right thing, aren't we?"
Quill is quiet for a beat. Then he says bracingly, "'Course we are! We're paving the way into the future. MIRA believes space travel is one of the best ways to advance society, and we get to be a part of that! It's what grandfather would have wanted."
"Maybe." But is it what I want?
MIRA was responsible for the death of my grandfather and the deaths of dozens of other space pioneers. I want to mention this to Quill but Lenna chooses this moment to interrupt our conversation and declare, "We're thinking of watching another one! Only problem is, we can't decide between The Conjuring and Silence of the Lambs. What do you think?"
"Actually, I'm getting tired. I think I'm going to call it a night." I stand and stretch. My body feels ten times heavier than before. I think of the soft, crisp bed sheets waiting for me in my cabin and my eyes itch with tiredness.
"You're so responsible, Sage!" Lenna says. "I'm impressed. Get some rest - I'll go wheedle a decision out of Zale. Goodnight!" She bounces away, Christmas lights swinging merrily.
I bid goodnight to everyone on my way to the door, politely declining Quill's offer to walk me back to my cabin. "I'm good - I just need some time alone to think and unwind. You stay and enjoy the rest of the party."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I'll see you tomorrow."
I feel his eyes on me as I walk down the hallway to Upper Engine. The place is a mess. Tools and scraps of metal are strewn across the floor, which is smeared with grease. The engine is loud as ever, its vibrations rattling my teeth as I walk by. I'm about to reach the opposite doorway when I hear a heavy clunk, the whirring of a circuit breaker powering down, and the lights flicker off, plunging me into complete and utter darkness.
Even the pumpkins lining the hallways have been extinguished. I freeze, waiting for the emergency lights to turn on. They don't. The darkness is so absolute it has a physical presence. There are many things wrong with The Skeld, but the lights have never shut off like this before. Is this someone's idea of a Halloween prank? I'm not amused. As a child I was convinced monsters lurked in the darkness. Now that I'm an adult the fear is less about monsters and more about getting lost or kidnapped. No one on this ship would hurt me, but being in a loud engine room without sight is less than thrilling.
Judging by the rhythmic clinks and vibrations, the engines and cooling systems are still working. I consider feeling my way along the wall and down the hallway to the cabins, but it's too dangerous. The metal tiles lining the floor of the ship are warped and corroded in places. One wrong step could result in a sprained ankle. There's nothing to do but wait it out. It's eerie having no company but the rumbling engines in a room lost to darkness. I sit in the corner and hug my knees to my chest, trying to calm my racing heartbeat. Someone could be standing right in front of me and I'd never know. Come on, Quill...fix this already...
A faint yellow beam flickers in my vision. My heart jumps into my throat. Someone's coming. The heavy footsteps suggest it's a man. When they stop in the doorway to Upper Engine, the flashlight beam illuminates his face. It's Del.
"Sage?" He runs the light across the cluttered floor and up the metal walls. "Sage, are you in here?"
"Over here." I wave, realizing too late he can't see me. But the beam of light falls directly on my face, making my eyes water.
"Quill sent me to look for you. He and Osiris ran to Electrical to check the fuse box. You okay?"
"Fine." I puff out a heavy breath of relief. "Just grateful you came." I stand shakily to my feet. "You don't happen to have an extra flashlight?"
"'Fraid not. We only have two. Osiris has the other." Del carefully makes his way across the room to stand next to me. I feel his hand on my shoulder. "I'll walk with you the rest of the way to the cabins."
"What about Minka? Don't you need to keep an eye on her?"
"She may be a brute but she knows better than to cause trouble unprovoked - especially when people are vulnerable. Come on - let's get you to bed."
We slowly start walking down the hallway towards the cabins, our footsteps echoing loudly around us as Del points the flashlight at the floor, which is still covered with streamers. Something creaks above us and I jump. Del halts.
"Sorry," I say in a rush, grateful it's too dark for him to see me blush. "It's just nerves."
He touches my shoulder again. "You're shaking like mad."
I don't know what to say. The power outage is unsettling but nothing to the point of a panic attack, and I'm not about to admit my fear of the dark to Del. There's something else, too - an emotion I can't explain. My increased heart rate, flushed face, sweaty palms...
No. The voice in my head bares its fangs. Whatever this is, stop it. This feeling needs to end. NOW. You are a professional. Del is your co-worker. You do not have time for this...
"It's okay to be afraid," Del says, seeing straight through me. "No one is truly fearless. Besides, we're already at the cabins." The flashlight beam falls on a row of doors lining the hallway. Each crewmate has our own cabin, which is about the size of a walk-in closet. It's a small space but we only use it to sleep and store out extra uniforms. We approach the door marked with the number 4 and stop in front of it.
"Thanks." I release a shaky breath.
"No worries. Do you want me to stay with you until the lights come back on?"
"No," I blurt without thinking. "I mean, you should probably go and make sure the others are okay, too."
"I'll leave once I know you're okay. What helps you calm down?"
"Well, my mom taught me this thing called box breathing. Calming breaths in for four seconds, holding for four seconds, and releasing for four seconds. It helps me relax the thoughts and supply oxygen to the brain."
"Sounds like a smart mom." I hear the smile in his voice. "My mom was the best at telling stories to help keep my mind off things."
I pause, scarcely able to believe it. Is Del opening up to me about his family? I don't want to ruin this rare moment by saying the wrong thing so I choose my next words carefully.
"She...was?"
Del is quiet for a moment. Then he says in a low voice, "She died when I was young. She and my dad both perished when our house burned down."
I'm at a complete loss for words. The only think I can think to say is, "I'm so sorry, Del." It's true. I am sorry. But somehow the words feels wildly inadequate.
"It happened a long time ago," he says plaintively. "I barely remember it."
The silence that follows is awkward. A muffled clunk breaks the tension and the darkness around us lifts as the lights are restored.
I blink. "Thank MIRA! That was freaky."
A few seconds pass before I realize Del is smiling at me.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"Is it a crime to smile?"
"No, of course not. But it's kind of weird."
"You're still wearing your bear ears."
I snatch the ears off my head as my blush deepens. "Oh! Look at that..." My words falter. The ship's intercom system comes to my rescue. It crackles to life above our heads and Professor O'Connell's voice fills the hallway.
"All crew members report to the Cafeteria immediately for a mandatory emergency meeting. I repeat, all crew members report to the Cafeteria IMMEDIATELY. This is not a drill."
The intercom clicks off, leaving us in a stunned silence. The door to cabin 3 opens and Dr. Barnett pokes his head out. "Sage? Del? Why aren't you two at the party?"
"I...left early. Del came to look for me when the lights went out."
Dr. Barnett frowns. "The lights went out? I was sleeping so of course I wouldn't have noticed...Well, we better get to the cafeteria. I'll wake Ebba..."
We can already hear the rumble of footsteps and the loud chatter of confused voices as the rest of the crew makes its way up from Security. Del and I head them off but we're not the first ones to arrive at Cafeteria. Professor O'Connell, Osiris, and Quill beat us there. I assumed this meeting was to discuss the power outage but when I see the looks on their faces I realize it's something far more serious.
All three of them are pale as death. Quill sits with his head in his hands, staring unblinkingly at a spot on the table. Osiris paces back and forth, muttering crazily to himself. Professor O'Connell struggles to maintain his composure as he sits across from Quill, his hands folded in front of him, but he's shaking.
Kenzo is the last one in the room. He stops a few paces away from Professor O'Connell and frowns. "What's going on? Where's Warrick?"
He's not the only one looking for the commander. Heads turn and people mutter as we wait for Warrick to join us. He's usually the only one with the authority to call emergency meetings. The professor is our mission specialist, which means he knows more about the trip than anyone on board.
With effort, Professor O'Connell stands. Necks swivel as we lock onto his movement.
Thank you all for coming." His voice is quiet but the muttering ceases immediately. He has our full, undivided attention. "Before we begin, I ask that you all take a seat."
We obey without question. I slide onto the plastic bench next to Quill, who still has not blinked or shown any signs of life. Only Minka and Zale remain standing.
"What happened?" Minka demands. For reasons MIRA only knows, her face is still hidden behind the plague doctor's mask. In fact, everyone is still in their Halloween gear. Everyone except for Quill, Osiris, and Del.
"Sit down and I will tell you," O'Connell replies steadily. "That is an order."
An order? Minka and Zale stare at him. The rest of us exchange startled glances. Only Commander Warrick has the authority to give direct orders. Minka and Zale must have decided it best not to argue because they sit and wait for the professor to continue.
"This is...difficult," O'Connell begins. For the first time there's a note of strain in his voice. "Impossible, in fact. I don't know how to say this, so I'll just say it. Commander Warrick is dead."
Dead.
The word falls like a ton of bricks. My fingers, which have been fiddling absently with the bear ears, let the headband slip to the floor. It falls to the linoleum with a muffled clack.
Dead? How can he be dead?
My crewmates have similar questions. They start as whispers, like little fires igniting throughout the room. Lenna looks as though she hasn't heard O'Connell properly - like she's hoping he'll shout "Just Kidding!" and Commander Warrick will pop out of the floor wearing a ghoul mask. But O'Connell looks far from kidding and soon the whispers escalate to shouts.
"What do you mean, 'dead'?"
"How! What happened?"
"We just saw him earlier today!"
"Are you sure? Where is he?"
Voices overlap. Tendrils of icy panic grip our minds. Only two people don't look surprised at the news. Osiris starts pacing faster, the worry lines on his forehead deepening. I turn to my brother, who hasn't budged an inch since we entered the room. "Quill." I place a hand on his shoulder. "Is it true? Is he really gone?"
Quill says nothing. He doesn't look at me. He acknowledges no one. He remains as immobile as if he were made of stone.
Dr. Barnett is the first to stand. It's a simple but incredibly effective action that cuts the voices off faster than flipping a switch. As a highly-praised physician, he is the most qualified person on this ship to deal with a dead body. As his protegee, I feel it's appropriate to stand with him.
"This is grievous news," he says solemnly. "I am so sorry for your loss, professor. I know you and the commander were especially close. With your permission, I would like to inspect the body. I am no coroner, but I will likely be able to determine the time and cause of death."
Osiris stops pacing abruptly. His back is to us and he turns his head slightly, waiting for Professor O'Connell's verdict. I notice his hands are balled into fists.
"Right. About that. Doctor, could I, er...speak with you for a moment? In private? The rest of you wait here. Do not leave this room. Understood?"
We nod, some more willingly than others. I know Minka and Zale take offense at being left out of the secret but they wisely keep their mouths shut. Dr. Barnett follows Professor O'Connell to a secluded spot by the observation deck window where no one can overhear them. I move to follow them but someone grabs my sleeve. I look down in surprise.
"Quill?"
His eyes remain unfocused as he continues to stare at the tabletop. His hand clenches the red fabric of my shirt so tightly his knuckles turn white. His entire arm shakes. I lower myself back onto the bench, feeling the heat of everyone's eyes on me. "Come on, Quill. Talk to me. It's your sister, Sage. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Osiris's cold voice shatters the silence. He spins to face me, his stance open and aggressive. "What the hell do you think, Sage? A man is dead! If that's not your definition of wrong then I can't believe you ever became a nurse!"
"Osiris!" Lenna gasps as Kenzo growls, "Not cool, lad."
Del stands to face Osiris. They're about the same height but something in Del's stare makes his friend back up slightly. "Stand down. Her brother is in shock. You're upset - we can see that. But lashing out won't help."
A muscle works in Osiris's jaw as he chews on Del's words. For a moment I wonder if he's going to hit him. But he crosses his arms and turns away again, giving the ground a hateful look. "You're right. I was out of line. I...apologize. It's just...you don't know what it's like. None of you. You didn't see...what we saw." The words come out broken and stiff, like it takes all of his energy to say them.
"Don't apologize," I say quickly. "It's difficult to see someone you know dead."
Osiris shakes his head. "No, you don't get it. This wasn't just a dead body on the floor. This was...hellish. Unreal. Like something from a nightmare."
I he didn't have everyone's attention before, he certainly does now. Minka even removes her mask to stare intently at him, her dark almond eyes glittering strangely. I glance at Dr. Barnet and Professor O'Connell. Their heads are bent and they talk in urgent tones. O'Connell's hands and mouth move rapidly. I don't like the expression on Dr. Barnett's face at all.
"What do you mean?" Minka demands. "Did he have bloody wounds or something?"
Silent tears stain Lenna's face. She squeaks at Minka's words and buries her face in her hands. Ebba places a skinny, wrinkled arm around her shoulder and glares reproachfully at Minka, who ignores her.
"You could say that..." Osiris starts pacing again. We wait but he offers no further information.
Then another voice speaks. So soft and unexpected it startles me.
"Blood..." Quill's lips barely move as they form the word. "So much...blood. Blood...everywhere. Can't...can't..." He lurches forward and vomits all over the floor, the remains of his Halloween treats splattering loudly across the tile. People scream. Lenna sobs harder.
"Damn," Kenzo mutters, looking like he might also hurl.
"Quill!" I grip his shoulders and force him to look at me. His forehead is clammy and pale, his eyes half closed and unfocused. I lift his eyelids to find severely dilated pupils. "Quill, talk to me. Can you hear me? Are you able to walk?"
He says nothing. He squeezes his eyes shut and chokes back a sob. I stand and look to my crewmates for help. "He needs care and rest. Someone grab his other arm and help me walk him to Medbay."
"Actually, Sage, I need you to bring him to his cabin." Dr. Barnett and O'Connell are back. "Medbay will be shut down until further notice."
"What! Why? You can't -"
"Osiris. Minka. Del." O'Connell cuts sharply across my spluttering. "Your assistance is required for conducting a search of the vessel. Zale, I need you to report to Communications and send a message back to MIRA HQ. Then you and everyone else are to return to your cabins immediately. Do not leave until I give the all clear."
Objections erupt immediately.
"We want to know what's happening!"
"I'm not going anywhere!"
"Quill is sick! He needs help!"
"How are we supposed to sleep?"
"THAT IS AN ORDER!" O'Connell roars. His voice rings painfully in the cavernous room, making us wince. "You knew before you took this job that all direct orders from the first in command are to be immediately obeyed, without question! The first in command is dead, which means you listen to me now. You will do as I say or face the consequences. Now, return to your cabins immediately. All of you!"
"Sir!" I say breathlessly, struggling with Quill's dead weight as he slumps against me. "Please, I mean no disrespect, but Quill is ill and needs help. Please let me take him to his cabin before -"
"Yes, fine, do what you must," O'Connell says sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But after you're done retire to your cabin and stay there until Dr. Barnett and I summon you.
Lenna and Ebba leave together, Ebba's arm still wrapped comfortingly around the weeping girl. Osiris, Del, Minka, and Zale follow O'Connell and Dr. Barnett. Kenzo helps me support Quill, who has started mumbling hysterical nonsense.
"I cannot believe they aren't telling us what happened," Kenzo grumbles as soon as we are out of earshot of O'Connell. "I thought we were supposed to be a team."
"I know it's frustrating but I'm sure they have their reasons," I reply quietly. "We still don't know how he died, but I'm guessing it wasn't pretty. They're probably trying not to cause mass panic."
"And keeping us in the dark is the way to do that?"
We arrive at cabin 7. I open the door and we drag Quill inside and deposit him on his bed. "I wish I knew more, too," I admit as I pull off Quill's boots (he's the only one on the ship who wears shoes) and tuck the blanket around his shoulders. "But I'm sure they're doing what they believe is right."
"Easy for you to say. You're Barnett's assistant. They're bound to tell you more than the rest of us."
"Maybe." I don't think I want to know. "If the doctor decides I can handle it. But I can't say for sure."
Kenzo is bitter and I don't blame him. But I'm relieved when he and his surly attitude stomp off to his cabin, leaving me alone with Quill. I retrieve a cold washcloth and a towel-lined bucket for him, placing the washcloth on his forehead and the bucket by his bed. He's fallen asleep remarkably quickly so I leave as quietly as I can, resolving to check on him in another hour. At the moment, I want nothing more than to retreat to my own bed and process the events of the night.
Out in the hallway I run into Osiris, who strides by without looking at me or acknowledging my presence. I stop to watch his retreating figure, which is hunched and angry-looking.
"Osiris." My voice falls flat in the empty corridor. He stops, his body framed in the doorway to Upper Engine. He doesn't turn to face me. "What happened to him? What did he see?"
He takes so long to respond I wonder if he heard me. I'm about to repeat myself when -
"He saw hell."
I wait patiently. Osiris sighs and finally turns to look at me. "After the lights went out Quill and I left to check the fuse box in Electrical. Quill found him first. He was already dead when we got there." He flexes his fingers and pins me with a look that could melt steel. "People die in space all the time. But this wasn't just another freak accident. This was deliberate. This was murder."
My heart flips. I manage to keep my voice steady as I say, "How can you be sure?"
He scoffs. "Fairly obvious when the top half of his body is ripped to shreds."
I blanche. I'm no stranger to blood and guts. But if Osiris is telling the truth, it's no wonder they withheld the details. This changes things.
"Mother of MIRA..." I brace myself against the wall of the ship. "You mean...his face was -?"
"His face?" Osiris laughs bitterly. "Forget his face. There was nothing left but a pair of legs and a mangled spinal column. At first we thought it was you because of the red uniform. But when the lights came back on we realized it was just because of all the blood." His face darkens. "But you didn't hear this from me."
"N-no." MY heart thrums wildly. My legs shake. "Of course not." I sink to the floor and rest my head on my knees. "Thank you. For telling me."
The last thing I expect is for Osiris to join me on the floor. He crouches and places a hand on my back. "Zale is sending out an SOS as we speak. Del, Minka, and I are conducting a search of the ship for any signs of the killer. It's possible someone snuck on board and has been freeloading this entire time. I doubt the heat register map would pick up on something inside the walls." He pauses. "That being said, it could also be a wild animal."
I lift my head to look at him incredulously. "They're splitting you up and sending you out alone?"
"Don't worry. Minka lent us a few extra guns. We'll be able to defend ourselves."
I doubt he believes a word of what he says. Whoever or whatever is responsible, it sounds like it would have no trouble ripping through a loaded gun. It's a terrible thought, knowing there's something vicious and elusive on board with us.
I am a professional - I need to pull myself together! Tears sting the back of my mind.
Is this the end?