Origin Equation

by Charles F Millhouse

  Turning with the cubicle in hand, she headed back for her shuttle, My Own knew there was no going back.

  The Planet Kepler 369, AKA the Planet Shin’nor’ee

  The Origin Chamber

  October 21, 2442 Earth Time

  The stench of death hung on the air. The back of Charles Long’s neck pricked alive with cold chills. He didn’t need to see anything wrong to know that there was. When they entered the Origin chamber his fears became realized. Charles, consumed with Jonna’s death, was overwhelmed by what he found in the chamber.

  He placed a hand on Hyta Winter’s cold forehead and choked back remorse and wiped away the tears that streamed down his face. Two of his closest friends, dead in a matter of hours. He fought to keep his composure, and he didn’t need anyone to see him like this. He was the leader, he was the one that needed to tell everyone about Jonna, and he needed to tell everyone they had to abandon the planet. In a matter of days, the entire world would implode and there was no way to stop it from happening.

  The Origin expedition was over, it was time for them to study their findings, and build an equation that would make sense of it all.

  “There’s something you need to hear, Professor,” Navaho Night said when she approached from behind.

  Charles eyed his old friend one last time and said, “Your journey is over. Rest well.” He pulled a blanket back over Hyta’s body and stood to face Navaho.

  “You’re not going to like this,” she said.

  Charles quelled his anger. There was nothing about any of this he liked. He drew a cleansing breath – it didn’t help. “What is it?” he asked.

  Navaho motioned for Van to come forward. His face was partially covered in a dirty bandage, and dried blood blotted his clothes. He kept his eyes to his feet as if he was a child in trouble.

  “Tell him, Van. Tell the Professor what you told me,” Navaho said.

  Van only stared at the floor. Tears rained off his face.

  “Don’t be afraid, Van,” Charles said. “Tell me.”

  “It was My Own,” Van said.

  Charles grabbed Van by the arms and jerked him, and said, “My Own?”

  Van looked up. His lips trembled – the fresh gash on his face bled through the bandage. He fought the urge to cry and he said, “She wanted to play a game, and I promised I’d follow the rules, but when I told Hyta she was here, I broke them. It’s my fault Hyta and all the others are dead.”

  “Of course, it’s not,” Charles said. “Now, tell me. Tell me everything that happened here.”

  Charles fought to find the words, but his mind was completely blank. Oblivious he just stood there looking at Van and what he had been told. My Own did this... what was she thinking? The idea that the girl he met months ago, was now a woman. It was hard to understand that she came here as an instrument of Uklavar. Charles couldn’t believe it. Maybe in a way he didn’t want to believe it. My Own came here. But why. What could she have...

  Spencer stepped up behind Van, the despondent look on his face spoke volumes, before he said, “Professor, there is something else.”

  Charles didn’t think he could take much more. “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure how to...”

  Charles raised a hand, and sighed, saying, “Please, Spence”

  Spencer’s face bled white, he rolled his tongue over his lips and in an unsteady voice said, “It’s Origin, Professor. He’s gone.”

  Charles’ brow rolled as he tried to understand what Spencer said. A slight smile formed on his face, as to ask what, do you mean, gone?

  “When he didn’t answer the standard phrase, we did some investigating,” Spencer said. “And found the outer casing at the base of the wall had been pried open. There was a hidden compartment we hadn’t discovered. We believe it was the housing for Origin’s mainframe. It’s been removed.”

  Before Charles could say, “Show me,” the ground began to shake. It was a subtle quake, enough to knock everyone off balance. Someone in the room screamed.

  “That was a small one compared to what will happen in the next several hours,” Spencer warned. “We need to evacuate as soon as possible.”

  Charles looked down at Hyta’s body. ‘Change is a progressive state’, she was fond of telling him. Another tremble vibrated the ground.

  “Professor,” Navaho said.

  Charles blinked a few times. For years it had been, Hyta, Vincent, Jonna and him working on alien worlds. There was an emptiness in his gut, a part of him missing. He eyed his new core group, Navaho, Spencer and Van. All young, all determined. “Break camp,” he ordered. “I’ll signal Requiem that we need to get off the planet.”

  Van stepped forward, asked, “What about Hyta?”

  Charles touched Van on the shoulder, and replied, “Leave her. Hyta would have liked the idea of her final resting place being on a dying world.”

  “And Origin?” Spencer asked.

  “There’s nothing we can do about it now. It might be for the better he’s not on the planet,” Charles said and took one last look at Hyta. “He might have died with it.”

  The Xavier Explorer Ship, Seeker

  Two-Hundred Light Years from Shin’nor’ee

  October 21, 2442 Earth Time

  My Own carried in her hands the internal memory core of the Origin computer when she entered the estate room aboard the Seeker. The chamber was dimly lit, and the image of the horned beast stood in the shadows. She knelt to one knee and presented the cubed shaped core, holding it up above her head in a subservient gesture and said, “I have succeeded.”

  Uklavar lumbered toward her. His footfalls were heavy and strong. He stopped at My Own and took the core from her hands and held it up, peering at the black box. “What secrets you must have contained inside you,” he said. “You have done well,”

  My Own stood, peering up into the horned beast’s face. His eyes shimmered in the dark and narrowed into a devious glare. My Own was unprepared when Uklavar delivered a heavy-handed strike. The force of his blow knocked her across the room. She toppled over a chair and into a wall. A sharp pain stabbed her in the side, and she was sure a rib, or two broke on impact.

  “You betray me,” Uklavar said.

  My Own winced but fought through the searing pain and stood up away from the wall. Her throat on fire, she said, “I did as you commanded, I brought you the Origin computer.”

  “That you did,” Uklavar said gazing at the object in his hand. “But nonetheless, you deceived me into believing you were loyal. You told my insectoid creature that his master commanded, instead of saying our master. Your words deceive you and so do your actions. You killed the last of my scouts. Loyal creatures, more loyal than you will ever be.”

  “What do you expect, Uklavar?” My Own asked. “You took me away from my family, my friends and then you robbed me of my youth and from that you expect loyalty? Your scout was killing people I knew, people who trusted me. I had no other choice but to kill it. But it doesn’t matter. My friends will think I condoned that vial creature’s actions. You not only took my youth. You took my life from me. After what I did on Shin’nor’ee, I will never be accepted by them again. Even my own brother will disown me because of my actions.” My Own squared her shoulders, forgoing the pain in her side, she sharpened her voice like a well-honed knife and screamed, “I will never be your servant, I will never be loyal to you and I will never bend a knee again! If you want to kill me because of it, then kill me, I don’t have anything to live for.”

  Uklavar studied the box in his oversized hand, as if he didn’t hear a word My Own said. He rolled his eyes to her, offered an insidious grin and said, “Go have the wound looked after, and get cleaned up and have some nourishment. I will not have need of you for some time.”

  Tears flooded My Own’s eyes, she wiped them away. Their salty taste seeped into the crooks of her mouth. Infuriated she stood stolid, hands into fists wishing she had a weapon in which to attack him.

  Uklavar turn
ed his back to her, as if she wasn’t even in the room.

  When she relaxed, the sharp pain in her side intensified and burned as if a torch had been lit inside her. She favored her side, put a hand against the wound. She wanted to say something else, wanted to make the beast kill her. Instead she stumbled out of the room, legs weak under her she used the wall in the corridor to steady her as she slowly walked up the hall.

  A hand came to her arm and took most of her weight. My Own eyed the young officer who came to her aide. He was tall, and strong. His raven hair was wavy and his deep dark eyes alluring.

  “Steady, I’ve got you,” he said in a thick Russian accent.

  “Thank you,” My Own said, overwhelmed by his kindness. She thought everyone was under the beast’s control and odd that anyone would take the initiative to lend assistance. Fire raged in her with each passing step.

  When the officer assisting her rounded a corner, My Own asked, “Where are you taking me?”

  “To the medical officer, where else?” the young man said with a hint of authority in his voice.

  My Own didn’t protest. She would have been on the floor outside the stateroom if the officer hadn’t arrived. Before she could express her thanks, a wash of icy cold heat raced up her back and...

  My Own jerked awake, the searing pain in her side had lessened, but was still tender. The light in the room washed her vision and she shielded her eyes. There was a chill in the air – tiny goosebumps pricked her skin. Her teeth chattered and she realized the only thing she wore was a thin yellow gown.

  Her ribs were wrapped tight with a wide white bandage, that constricted her movements. She sat forward and sharp pain stung her from the stomach to the back of her neck. Gritting her teeth, she tried again.

  “I wouldn’t do that.”

  Startled, My Own jerked and winced.

  A tall-lanky woman stood just inside the room. She was dressed all in white with very short black hair. Older, there were thin age lines splintered across her face. Her eyes were bright, and she offered a stern, but pleasant smile when she spoke, said, “You took quiet a wallop. Two of your ribs are cracked and there’s a nasty wound at the back of your head.”

  My Own reached for her head, she hadn’t noticed the knock until the woman mentioned it. “Who are you?” she asked.

  Her voice a bit sharper, the woman said, “I’m Doctor Collins, chief medical officer.”

  My Own pushed herself up in a painful movement, the jarring pain ripped her inside out.

  “I told you not to move. You’re bed ridden for the next several days to allow you to heal.”

  “I can’t be here several days, Uklavar will...”

  Doctor Collins closed the examination room door. Emotion drained from her face as she cautiously stepped toward My Own. Her voice a bit sinister, she asked, “Does the beast call to you now? Are you bound to him?”

  My Own studied the Doctor’s pensive stare as she came closer. “What are you implying?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure who the bigger monster is. The beast or the beast who follows him,” Doctor Collins said as she lunged forward, her hands going around My Own’s throat.

  Fighting through the pain, My Own grabbed for the Doctor’s arms, but Collins had the advantage, using her legs to apply pressure. Already in a weakened state, My Own couldn’t breathe. A thousand questions whirled through her mind, and it all came back to the same answer. The Doctor believed she was in league with Uklavar, a willing servant.

  My Own fought desperately to push Doctor Collins off her, to tell her she wasn’t a servant of the horned beast, but what little energy she had, drained quickly. Her arms like rubber bands she no longer had the strength to hold them up.

  When My Own had almost given up hope, she heard, “Doctor Collins, are you mad?”

  Suddenly, My Own was able to breathe, cool air shocked her lungs and she hacked, coughed and wheezed – the pain in her was a reminder she was still alive. Her vision blurred, she focused to find the officer who had helped her in the corridor. He shoved Doctor Collins to the back of the room, pinning her to the wall.

  “Why did you stop me!” Doctor Collins cried.

  The officer glanced back at My Own, but turning back to the Doctor, said, “Killing her wouldn’t have stopped the beast. We need her.”

  “She’s one of his... one of his. A faithful. If we kill her, we...”

  “Accomplish nothing,” the officer said. “He has a ship full of disciples. Killing one will not stop him.”

  “Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on?” My Own choked out.

  The officer turned back toward her, and My Own saw the same rage in his ashen eyes that she saw in Doctor Collins. He wore a green uniform that bore the crest of House Xavier. There was a knife strapped to his right hip, and an empty pistol holster on his left. His hair was slicked back to the right of his head. He snapped together his shiny boots and said, “I’m Lieutenant Ingle. I’m going out on a limb here by doing this...”

  “You’re putting all our efforts in danger, is what you’re doing,” Collins said.

  “We don’t have a choice,” Ingle snapped back.

  “A choice... what are you talking about,” My Own inquired.

  Ingle took several steps toward My Own, being careful to keep his distance. “For the last few weeks, a group of us, who are immune to the creature’s power have been working on a plan to stop him.”

  “Why do you think he needs stopped?” My Own asked.

  “We have heard enough and seen enough to know what Uklavar is planning.”

  “Don’t say his name out loud, it gives him power,” My Own said.

  “So, I was right. You’re immune too,” Ingle said.

  My Own thought a moment. Wondering if this could be of Uklavar’s doing. A way to test her loyalty. A thought she quickly dismissed. The beast already knew she had no loyalty to him, especially after she killed his last scout. “I was never immune, because I don’t think the horned beast tried to control me.”

  “Why?” Doctor Collins asked.

  “I’m not sure. Maybe he tried and I wasn’t aware, or maybe he left me alone because he wanted to test me... I don’t know.”

  “So, you’re saying you’re not loyal to Ukl... the beast?” Ingle asked.

  “No, I never was, and I never will be,” My Own confessed in a sharp tone.

  “I don’t believe her,” Collins said, and she crossed the room, her untrusting glare burning a hole into My Own.

  “I do,” Ingle snapped. “Besides, we don’t have much of a choice. Do we?”

  “You’re planning something. What is it?” My Own asked.

  Ingle and Collins shared a glance, silently talking to one another as My Own studied their expressions. Doctor Collins wasn’t a trusting person, but My Own hadn’t known many trusting Xaviers. Except, Van, who sadly will never trust her again. Not with what happened in the Origin chamber.

  After a long moment, Collins tossed her arms in the air, and allowed them to drop to her side. Ingle sighed and turned. “We need you to help us,” he said.

  “Help you do what?”

  “When the beast frees his army, he will head directly to Earth, and we all know what that will mean. The end of all human life in the galaxy. We have to stop him before he has that chance.”

  “How?” My Own asked. “I’ve seen a sword used on him, but he brushed it off like an insect bite. He’s immune to weapons fire, so unless you’re planning on blowing up the ship–” The words stuck in My Own’s throat. Her heart skipped a beat and she held a breath tight in her chest. “Do you know what you’re thinking?”

  “The only means left to us,” Ingle said. “With the ship destroyed, and the beast dead, the human race might have a chance to survive.”

  “This is insane,” My Own whispered.

  “I told you we couldn’t trust her,” Collins said.

  “What if you’re discovered?” My Own asked. “He could be listening to this conve
rsation... he might already know of this plot.”

  “This part of the ship is led lined,” Collins said. “I doubt his power will extend in here.”

  “Fools,” My Own said.

  Ingle placed a hand on his knife, and said, “Was the Doctor right. Do we have to kill you?’

  “You could have left me out of it,” My Own said. “Why even involve me, I mean you could have carried out your plan without even telling me.”

  “We need someone to keep the beast occupied,” Ingle said. “Give him problems to work on, fill his head with things to think about so he can’t detect what we’re doing.”

  My Own realized early on, when Uklavar captured her, that this was a one-way trip. That she wouldn’t be coming back from this. What fitting way to finish, but to save a planet of people. “Alright, I’ll help. Dying on this ship and taking the beast with us is better than waiting to be killed,” she said – Hyta’s blood still tinting her vision.

  Both Ingle and Collins sighed, and shared another glance.

  “That’s good news,” Ingle said approaching My Own’s bed. “We have a cobalt device...”

  My Own raised a hand, and snapped, “Stop... don’t tell me anymore. I already know too much, and it’s going to be hard enough keeping what I know a secret.”

  “Then how will you know when we are going to do it?” Collins asked.

  “I’m not going to.” My Own said with a sense of finality in her voice. “Just tell me what I need to do and when. The less I know, the less he can find out.”

  Collins brow twisted and he stared at My Own confused by her bravado.

  “Besides, it might be better that way,” My Own said fearlessly. “One should never know the time of their own death.”