The light Shaw, Walter, and the Engineers had been waiting for blinked on and all of them tore off running. Since he had a literal map in his head and could react fastest, Walter was in the lead. Right behind him was Shaw, then Rembrandt, and Wolfgang was last.

Further ahead, just down the corridor, Walter spotted a terramorph.

The creature was just standing there as it was in a state of shock by losing its connection with the queen. This telepathic link was not needed or required to function, but once made would be detrimental if lost. A severing of this cord sent a wave of disruption throughout the colony that would last roughly five minutes.

"Keep going," Walter said. "Do not stop!"

Shaw barely heard Walter. It hardly registered, because despite whatever he was saying, she was only focused on the instructions she had been given, and that was to run like hell.

Right as they passed the creature, Walter yelled out again, this time a little more forcefully to beat it in Shaw's head. "Keep going! Do not stop!"

It was a good thing too. Out of the corner of her eye, Shaw saw the terramorph. She slightly flinched and screamed as she passed it. The only thing that ran through her mind at the moment was to keep going and not stop.

The terramorph didn't react in any way to the living meat sacks that passed by within arm's reach. It remained in place, frozen like a statue. At the moment, one could do a hula hoop dance in front of it and not get a reaction.

The Geneomorphs were suddenly having a field day. To them, the terramorphs just didn't fight back for some reason. They had already made some progress in their natural goal, as little as it was, but now, in the time they would have, they'd make a great stride in decimating the enemy's numbers.

Emerging from the Seeder, Walter immediately spotted the Avellan, Mic waiting right outside the door with a gun in hand.

Mic waved the group on. "This way," he yelled. "Hurry!"

Shaw could barely see the ship with Walter directly in front of her. She kept telling herself that no matter what, to just keep following him. As she crossed the field to the ship, she could see a terramorph here and there standing perfectly still.

Mic opened the door to let everyone in just as the terramorphs began to come to their senses. Once inside he hurried to the flight controls.

Shaw had entered and stood by to close the door after everyone was in. She spoke into her radio. "We're all in, Mic. Punch it!"

A terramorph that was close by, had come to its senses and latched onto the Avellan as it rose off the ground. It naturally, and unknowingly, attempted to crawl in through a thruster.

Mic then engaged the engines to full power for a rapid ascent, the terramorph inside the thruster stood no chance and was blown out the nozzle by the force of the ship.

Shaw fell back against the bulkhead and dropped to the ground in tears. "I can't believe it," she said. "We made it."

Walter spoke to the Engineers and received a response after asking if they were ok. He then kneeled beside Shaw. "Everyone says they are fine," he said. "Come, sit over here." he continued saying as he helped Shaw to a chair. "It is over now."

It only took several minutes for the Avellan to reach space and then dock with the Covenant. Daniels and Tennessee waited by the door as it opened. They simply looked in and spotted the Engineers, which caused them both to flinch.

"Holy…," Tennessee cried out. "Aliens?"

Walter stepped forward. "It is alright," he said. "They are friends of ours."

Mic entered the room. "Senors show mostly everything is nominal," he said. "The only issue I am reading is with Covenant's engines. It is showing an efficiency rating of seventy percent and dropping."

Shaw approached Daniels. "Hi," she said. "Have you traced the problem?

Daniels nodded. "I checked," she answered. "It's the second and third ion regulators. They're cracked. We have the spares but could use someone with a little know-how and an extra pair of hands."

Walter stood beside Shaw. "May I have that transmitter now?" he asked.

Shaw reached into one of her pant pockets to retrieve the device and handed it to Walter.

Walter then gave it to Rembrandt, who then began to type something into it.

Wolfgang then spoke to Walter in his alien tongue.

Walter said something in return, then turned to Shaw, "They thank us for our assistance and say a new Seeder will arrive shortly to pick them up."

Shaw looked at the transmitter almost in disbelief. "Don't tell me he used that little thing to call them!" she said.

Walter nodded and shrugged. "He didn't necessarily call anyone in particular," he replied. "It is more of a distress beacon he just sent out. It will be a few hours before…"

"Eastman would be blown away by their technology," Mic said. He even said it with a tinge of sadness.

Shaw looked at Daniels. "Let's get started," she said. "Let's get you guys to your new home."

"I guess," Daniels replied.

Mic took several steps toward Shaw. "Should you not take a moment," he asked. "Reflect on the recent events and losses?"

Shaw closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try not to cry. "If I do that," she began. "I'll break. I need to just keep moving forward to get my mind off that, otherwise, nothing will get done and this ship isn't going anywhere."

Daniels began to walk back into the Covenant as Shaw followed.

Tennessee couldn't take his eyes off the Engineers and said. "Is anyone else gonna say something about the fact there are freaking aliens in front of us?"

Walter gently began leading Tennessee back through to the door to the Covenant as he started to explain. "They are called Engineers…"

Mic, as usual, turned to go back to his station on the Avellan. The engineers simply sat and waited as they talked to each other.

Daniels walked with Shaw to a 'garage' where the spares were kept. "Thanks for your help," she said. "This will go a lot smoother with you here."

"Not a problem," Shaw replied. "I should get you on your way in a few hours."

They grabbed the parts they needed, which included any tools that might come in handy.

After going to another room, Shaw suited up while Daniels placed the parts in a bag.

Shaw stepped into the airlock and turned around to grab the bag from Daniels. "I'll let you know when it's ok to restart the engines."

"Go easy and slow," Daniels said before closing the door.

Now doing a spacewalk, Shaw made her way over to the problem area and began to work. It took time but proved to be an easy fix for a person of her talents.

Daniels and Walter stood by control panels, waiting on opposite ends of a room. Tennessee waited at his pilot's seat, while Mic monitored everything like usual from the Avellan.

Shaw welded the last part in place and called. "Ok, everybody, the moment of truth. Hit it!"

Daniels and Walter then looked at each other and both nodded as they pressed buttons that brought the room to life with lights.

"Tee," Daniels called. "Go ahead."

Tennessee then touched several buttons at his station. "Startup sequence initiated," he reported. "Looking good here."

"It's fixed," Daniel's said. "Shaw, you did it."

However, Shaw didn't immediately respond. The only thing that Daniels, Walter, and Tennessee then heard was a lonely sob.

Flashes of Kai, Layton, Eastman, and Zima coursed through Shaw's mind at that moment. She remembered the times they were alive and together. Those on the Covenant knew what was happening and did not say anything. They each took the moment to bow their heads and mourn their losses.

For Shaw, there was a sudden flash of light, as out in the distance a new Seeder ship had appeared against the vastness of space. It happened so quickly and suddenly that Shaw wasn't even sure of how long it had been there. To her, it was like she blinked, and there it was.

"Mic to Shaw," he called.

"Go ahead," Shaw replied.

"The new ship has arrived," Mic said. "I am departing immediately to return the Engineers and shall be back soon."

"Copy that," Shaw answered. She watched as the Avellan departed and flew to the new ship. When she got back on the Covenant she exited the airlock and took the nearest seat while removing her helmet.

Daniels walked in and sat next to Shaw. "What are you going to do next?" she asked.

Shaw wondered that and shrugged with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "Go back home I guess," she said. "I found the answer I was looking for."

"Are you gonna report these things?" Daniels then asked.

Shaw took a moment to think about it, till she finally shook her head. "No, I don't think so," she answered. "Zima chose to do what she did because she knew what would happen if the company got its hands on it. I'm not gonna waste that. Mic won't say anything if I tell him to and my lips are sealed."

Daniels gave an understanding nod. "Thanks again," she said. "For everything."

Tennessee then entered. "The Engineer guys left and the Avellan has docked back up with us.

Shaw stood to begin removing the rest of the suit. Minutes later she was stepping back aboard the Avellan. She turned around and waved goodbye to Daniels, Walter, and Tennessee. "Good luck!" She said before the door closed.

Daniels and Tennesee then got dressed in their mostly all-white stasis wear. They each climbed into their beds and gave each other a look of concern as Walter walked in to adjust some of the controls on a nearby panel.

"You sure about this?" Tennesse asked.

Daniels thought a moment. "Unless you want to spend the next few years awake while we get there," she said with a smile. "I'm sure this time."

Walter turned around to ask. "Sure of what?" he asked.

Daniels and Tennesse settled in and got comfortable.

"That everything will be fine," Daniels answered. The last thing she remembered at that point was her stasis pod closing and Walter standing over her.

"Not to worry," Walter said, "The next time you wake, we will have arrived."

That was it. Darkness. Years would pass with little of note. Any problems that happened in the interim, Walter was easily able to handle on his own.

Origae-6 was everything the colonists had hoped for. It was pristine and untouched by pollution. No one could ask for cleaner air or water.

A life pod from the Covenant rapidly descended and came to a soft landing on a vast plain where one had a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. Its doors opened, with Walter, Daniels, and Tennessee stepping out.

Walter looked back at Daniels and held out his hand. "Come," he said. "Let us go build that cabin by the lake."

Thank you for reading. The End.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born in 1981 and raised in Aurora, IL. Much of my childhood and school days are a blur. It all seemed to go by so fast. I began writing after high school. I wrote in private because I didn't think anyone would believe I was a writer. I wrote for years with little going on and carrying on with life until I had a stroke.

My focus in writing has always been sci-fi/fantasy. As a fan of the series, I thought to put my spin on it and do a little course correction. One of the things that always intrigued me about the first film was the mystery of the creature's origins. My only goal here is to restore that mystery and bring the wonder back.