by Isla Monroe
“I have a few moments before the meeting to hear what he has to say. I have an open mind. He has these squirrel moments. Losing his train of thought is a common occurrence.” He was a brilliant scientist, but his eccentric ways could rub me the wrong way.
“I can’t pretend to understand his reasoning. He has been quite adamant. He wants to be heard and not dismissed out of hand. We have to respect his opinions regardless of ours to the contrary.” I could feel a slight tremor underneath my feet.
The temporary head of engineering taking over for Michael said that it was growing pains. He had done a full diagnostic of the station systems and found nothing to warrant alarm. Those on board claimed not to feel anything. I had gone behind his back to check the systems with a scientific curiosity. It didn’t take much to bribe those on the midnight detail to give me a few moments alone.
“He was assigned this position on his integrity. William isn’t one to sugarcoat anything. He tells it like it is without playing the political game. I’m trying to put myself in your shoes. A woman like you can’t stand to be in the shadow.” Her flirtatious comments and the way that she not so casually put her body on display were to no avail.
There were rows of microscopes and different machinery in spitting distance of where I was sitting comfortably in a chair going over the results. The gloves were reinforced with a compound to prevent leaks. The samples were dying one molecule at a time.
The walls were stark white complementing the gray tile on the floor. There was no personality. The work environment was made specifically to keep you on task. I did have flashing images of Gemini in various states of undress. I wasn’t able to shake free from their influence.
“We have to remember everything we are doing is being monitored. Those watching will have experts on hand to determine our next course of action. It’s a wonder they haven’t figured it out. You have been very careful not to show your cards.” I had repaired some of the equipment with my knowledge of their inner workings.
Every day was another fire to put out. The machines were showing signs of age. It didn’t make any sense. There had to be a flaw in the designs.” My work ethic was above reproach.
I’d done my best to work without suspicion.
“I made some minor tweaks to the cameras. I made them believe the audio portion was affected by spatial fluctuations. It gives us the freedom to say what is on our mind. The cameras only see what I want them to see and nothing more.” I had been very careful to make those adjustments during those hours when there was only a skeleton crew at work.
“I don’t know where you come up with these ideas. It’s like you’re always one step ahead of everybody else. I don’t even want to begin to know how your mind works. I’m afraid I wouldn’t like what I saw if I got a peek.” I felt the hairs on the back of my neck tickle my skin.
“I have something disturbing to report.” William had a tendency to sneak up like some kind of ninja.
“I thought you were going to let me pave the way for you before you said anything. I’ve barely scratched the surface. I don’t want to believe it and neither will anybody else.” She was playing the buffer between the two of us to keep things simple.
“We don’t have to censor ourselves around each other. Our scientific minds can comprehend things others could never even begin to imagine. We can’t be afraid to draw outside the lines. Tina mentioned you had some concerns regarding something sentient at work here. Can you elaborate?” Having an open forum was necessary to keep the lines of communication open.
“I’ve been reluctant to say anything. The impossible is always hard to swallow. I don’t have anything definitive, but there is a pattern. It’s not easy to see, but it is there.” He had wisps of gray when he first arrived, but his mane of white indicated what kind of stress he was under.
We only had each other to talk to. Nothing said was ever going to be heard from outside sources. I made a conscious effort to stay away from hard liquor. I had learned from experience what kind of volume was necessary to lose my faculties. I knew when to stop and how much to consume to still be conscious of everything around me.
“I need you to take me through it step by step without leaving anything out.” He started by showing me correlations to when the samples came under attack.
I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it myself. The pattern was simple. Each time the samples came under attack the station would shift with that very same tremor I had felt under my feet. I’d found nothing in the station’s systems. I was looking at it the wrong way without seeing what was right in front of me.
“My grandfather took me aside one day…” I had to veer him back on course without hearing a lengthy discussion of his childhood.
“It could be a coincidence. They happen more often than you would like to believe.” He was shaking his head vehemently and muttering in his native Polish tongue.
“I have used everything at my disposal. Tapping into medical records helped me to determine there’s a human component involved. I found the same strange readings we had found in the samples in one of the crew. I admit I might have gone overboard. I didn’t ask for permission to make comparisons with the crew. They were rather evasive scans.” It was a breach of ethics, but there was no way I could fault him for his results.
“The readings are similar but not exact. I’m going to need you to stand up at the meeting. There’s no way I can do justice to what you have to say. They won’t believe us. It’s a chance we’re going to have to take.” I didn’t want to believe it and it wasn’t much to go on.
“The one thing that remains true is science doesn’t lie. We have a duty to the crew to make our findings public. They need to know the threat we have incurred. We need a blood sample. It’s not going to be easy to get one without resorting to underhanded tactics.” The blood sample would be the easiest way to find out what we were looking at.
“You’re asking the impossible. They will all think we have lost our minds. We can’t take the risk. Quarantine is a term that I would like to avoid. They need to know the seriousness of our claims.” I went over everything three times before the results began to blur.
The fact remained a crew member had been compromised. I didn’t know the extent. I had to be very careful not to cross the lines. The station was going to echo with dissension.
Gemini was the one member of the crew that wasn’t going to be able to take this lying down.
A simple blood test would give us a better understanding. Getting it from her wasn’t going to be easy. Her fear of needles was well documented. Getting her to undergo the tests was going to take some convincing. It did give me a moment of pause. Were my feelings for her genuine? Did they come about due to this strange anomaly affecting her?
I could only hope to get to the bottom of it. Using kid gloves would help to soften the blow. I certainly didn't want to insult their intelligence. Treating them like children was going to be met with suspicion. It would be better to have the doctor ready to administer the test.
Chapter three
Gemini
He was acting strangely fidgeting in his seat and looking guiltier by the second. Lionel was sharing knowing glances with William and Tina, but that wasn’t the most disturbing. Melissa was sharing an unknown secret with the three of them.
“I’m tired of playing this game. It’s obvious the four of you are colluding in some way. I want to know what is going on and I’m not leaving until I get an answer.” My temperature had risen with the anger showing its ugly side.
Earlier in the day, I’d stepped into a training session and rendered each one of them unconscious within seconds. It felt like they were telegraphing their moves. I predicted each one and found a counterbalance to knock them off their pedestal. It was strangely rewarding to belittle them in front of their peers. My stamina had been more than the other cadets could withstand.
“I would like you to come in for a medical evaluation. This might seem sudden, but I can assure you
, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was important.” The white patch with the Red Cross emblazoned on her shoulder gave her authority over everybody including me.
“Somebody has been whispering in your ear. I’m under a lot of stress. It’s normal to have a short fuse. It’s nothing that a little rest won’t cure.” I had to change her mind and it became of utmost importance.
“I would never use my medical authority unless absolutely necessary. I’ve known you for a few years and something is off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I have decided to make sure nothing is seriously wrong with you. Don’t make this any more difficult than it has to be. Let me rule out the usual suspects.” She wanted me to go through a series of tests and I was terrified of what she might find.
“I’m not doing anything until I hear a good reason for this insanity. State your case and make it good. I won’t allow myself to be sidelined. Hearing this place is undergoing some form of a medical emergency will give the committee more than enough authority to shut us down.” Melissa motioned for William to take center stage and he didn’t look comfortable with speaking in public.
“I can easily force you without giving you an explanation. I’m inclined to give you all the information going forward. William has done some amazing work. His dedication and eye for detail is the only reason why I’m considering this. I will let him tell you in his own words.” I was ready, but a big part of me wanted to leap across the table with both hands around his neck to silence whatever was going to come out of his mouth.
He swallowed and stood up with papers shuffling in his hands. Jackson was remaining vigil at the door with no discernible emotion. My authority over security was only usurped by a medical command. I had no recourse. Fighting was only going to make things worse in the long run.
“I’ve been concerned about what has happened to the samples. I know you’re hearing this for the first time. It wasn’t my idea to keep you in the dark. Suffice to say we wanted to rule out anything that might affect the crew. During my due diligence, I came across a disturbing pattern involving you.” Each word made me want to find some unique ways to shut him up.
They involved immense pain. I wanted to make him suffer for taking this stance against me. A little voice was telling me to get rid of him. Killing him would have been so easy. Snapping his neck and feeling his lifeless body collapse in my arms was making me giddy with anticipation.
“What are you trying to say? For the time being, we will dispense with how your department has been leaving things out during these daily reports. I take exception to being made to look like a fool.” I could see this vivid image of me working efficiently to bring them all to their knees in servitude.
“The deadly samples have almost been entirely eradicated. I put them through a mass spectrometer. I compared the results to medical scans of the crew. It explains how the crew has been feeling like their pulse is racing and their skin is tingling. It is a byproduct of the evasive scan. The only one to show any signs of the same unique signature is you.” I was looking for a way out without hurting anybody.
The only thing I could see was blood running through my fingers from my unintended victims. They had no idea how close they were to touching a raw nerve.
“I haven’t heard anything that can’t be explained by a vitamin deficiency. I’m not going to entertain this foolishness any longer. I have the unenviable task of having the lives of this crew in the palm of my hand.” I was feeling trapped like an animal ready to chew off my arm to get away from their accusing eyes.
“I said the same thing until I talked to Jackson. Your erratic behavior could be the result of being under the influence of a disease. I won’t know anything for sure until I get a blood sample. We can start with that and see what develops.” Fear was running through my adrenaline with this intense need to run in the opposite direction.
“I’ve been feeling a little fatigued lately. I won’t let you do this to me. Step out of my way. I’m leaving. You have no authority to hold me here against my will.” Jackson wasn’t moving and I heard the chairs with each one standing in an offensive position.
“It’s highly suspect the way that you are acting. It would be best for all of us for you to be taken to medical. I will accompany you personally.” Jackson thought he was doing me a favor, but in reality, he was getting on my last nerve.
“We don’t know anything for certain. There is enough evidence to suggest you have been compromised. We know this is a difficult position to put you in. I went over the results myself. I gave William the chance to articulate his position. He did an admirable job of conveying his thoughts. I don’t think that I could’ve done any better myself.” I was being boxed in and this need to lash out came over me with a sudden wash of animal instincts.
I found myself on the table on all fours. I was looking for someone to make an example out of. The easiest choice was William. Without him, I wouldn’t be feeling like I had done something wrong. He had to pay for sticking his nose where it didn’t belong.
I straddled him with my hands wrapped around his throat. He couldn’t tell lies if I were to pull his tongue out of his mouth. His face was turning blue. Fighting me wasn’t going to do him any good. My fingernails were digging into his throat with droplets of blood coating my nails.
“We have to give her a sedative strong enough to knock her out.” I heard the voice, but I couldn’t ascertain who it was coming from.
“Stay away from me or you will get the same treatment.” He was gasping for breath and slapping at my hands vainly in an attempt to break my grip.
The rest of the room was in a state of shock. Jackson was trying to pull me off of him and I backhanded him with such force he went flying across the room. It was fascinating to watch this as an unbiased bystander inside my own head. There was an unknown entity at work. I could feel it compelling me to act like the injured party.
“This isn’t you. Don’t do anything you are going to regret. I want you to look at me and think about what you’re doing. Take my strength and use it to bring yourself under control. I know it sounds stupid, but I want you to try.” I turned and found myself drawn into Lionel’s eyes.
His hands were on my shoulders, but I found nothing comforting about them. They were all out to get me. It sounded absurd, but it made sense with all the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Jackson was jealous and using his authority to step into my shoes. Melissa was looking to use me as some sort of experiment for acceptance within the medical community.
“I can’t trust any of you to have my best interest at heart. I’m going to ask all of you to stand down. Don’t make me put this place on lockdown. I will if you force my hand.” One command and the place would become like Fort Knox.
“Hold her still.” Melissa was directing the action and the plunger of the needle penetrated the back of my neck.
I somersaulted over the table slamming my elbow into her face with the needle still projecting from my neck. Whatever sedative was introduced into my bloodstream was in a battle with something far more superior. It killed with impunity anything that it deemed a threat to my system.
Melissa lost consciousness and the handle of the needle slipped through her fingers. I turned my attention to those not equipped to deal with me. An electrical surge went through my body, but I still remained standing strong and in charge.
I removed the electrical device from his hands and crushed it into a million pieces. I lifted Lionel off his feet by his throat and couldn’t stop staring at his eyes. They were mesmerizing and twinkling with these gold flecks. They were causing me to cock my head to the side in fascination.
My hand propelled forward striking his rib cage. He went across the table sliding the length until he came in contact with the wall. William and Tina were screaming. I knew they were too cowardly to make a stand.
I used my override code on the door to leave the enclosed space. I made it into an impenetrable jail cell. It was easy to make those adjustments in my
head.
“Go to the engine room. You need access to the computer. Don’t underestimate your opponents. They can be crafty when motivated. Nobody has any idea what happened in that room. The only ones who can tell them are trapped with no discernible means of escape.” The voice was louder and with such intensity, it was hard not to follow its directions to the letter.
Paranoia was making me question everyone I came in contact with. Some gave a nod of compliance and others went about their business completely oblivious to the danger in their mists.
“You had to take action. They gave you little choice. It’s not their place to question you. You are the leader and they need to remember that. Insubordination is a crime that is punishable. Having them under lock and key is a good thing.” I thought for a moment the voice was my inner conscience speaking to me, but it was too clear like somebody whispering into my ear.
“I didn’t have to hurt them. They are my friends. What would compel me to do something like that?” The question was answered by one crew member looking at me a little differently.