Target 10 S3.6 Normal, Nightmare, Insanity
He'd never run across anything he hadn't been able to tear apart and figure out.
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RJ bit his lip. No matter how he rotated the schematics, he couldn't make sense of the connections beyond the standard transmitter that connected to the Demption. He'd never run across anything he hadn't been able to tear apart and figure out. But I've never seen actual alien tech before. Not schematics, anyway.
He leaned back in the chair, ready to give up for the time being. A quick look at the time told him he'd only been at it thirty minutes or so since Jemy left. Feels like hours. He got up and paced around the central table to stretch his legs.
"RJ, Reby is waking up again," Aida said.
He sprung to the autodoc.
The cover opened and Reby sat up, the sheet covering her falling down to her waist.
"Wait," he said, grabbing the sheet and trying to wrap it around her.
"No," she said and pushed him off. "Stop." She swung her legs out and stood up, wobbling a little.
Her eyes met his. He saw the annoyed look that was so familiar, but there was something else. A vacancy. A lack of the emotions he'd expected to see.
She shook her head and sighed. "I need the bathroom, and a shower." Stepping toward the door, she pointed to the sheet. "Burn that. Please."
"Wait." He reached out but stopped before grabbing her arm. "Are you ok?"
"I feel fine. Ask the autodoc if you want the details. I need to poop." She walked out of the lab.
She seems...normal. He followed her as she went down the hall to the bathroom, stopping when she closed the door. "Aida, how is she medically?"
"The autodoc says the fever has subsided. And it appears her body processed the sedative at an accelerated rate. She should have slept for hours."
"What does that mean?" He leaned against the wall, trying not to feel too creepy about hanging around the bathroom. I need to know she's ok.
"She is healthy, though her reaction to the sedative is unusual."
"What about the infection? Can you tell what happened? I mean, which one won?"
"There is no sign of the immunity boosters in her last scan, taken moments before she left the autodoc."
He slid down the wall and put his head in his hands. At least she's not dead. But Obi never said what the infection would do. Whatever it was, he'd take care of her. They'd find a way to get rid of it. "Without being weird, can you tell me if she's alright in there?" He averted his eyes from the door.
"She's functioning normally."
"Can you ask her if she wants me to make her something to eat?"
A few moments of silence passed before Aida said, "Yes. She'd like two huy eggs, and a Boli."
His shoulders dropped, and he smiled. "Coming right up." He sprinted the short distance to the common room and took up his familiar post in the kitchen and gathered ingredients. Huy eggs were her favorite, he knew, served with tortt and a side of pata.
"Is she in the shower yet, Aida? I want to get my timing right."
"She just left the shower."
"Crap!" His hands moved with expert precision. She never took long to dress, so he pushed to get it all done. The Boli he placed in front of her stool at the counter.
"Where's my jacket?" Reby asked from the edge of the room. "And my boots?"
Her hair, still damp, hung haphazardly, some sticking to her cheek. The blue T-shirt was darker where her hair had soaked it. Her tan pants, a pair she usually hated to wear, had nearly as many pockets as his. She tilted her head, raised her eyebrows, and put her hands on her hips.
The distance between them was still there. He could see that in her eyes. It'll take time. But she seems like herself. "Ah, Jemy put them in the lab, across from the autodoc."
"Got it." She disappeared on her way toward the lab entrance, just out of sight from where he cooked. "Smells good!"
"Of course it does!" He yelled after her, his eyes lingering where she'd been. "And it's ready!" He placed the two pieces of tortt then slid the eggs on top. The chunks of fried pata filled the rest of the plate. His stomach rumbled. I should've made two.
He started in on a second serving, but with sata instead of pata. They'd argued over the choice for all the years they'd been trekking. He'd never let her know he actually liked her choice better.
When he'd finished mixing, he frowned. Where is she? "Reby? Everything alright?" He stepped around the counter and went to the lab. Her jacket and boots were gone.
The hair on the back of his neck stood up. "Reby?"
"Reby has left the Demption," Aida said.
RJ dashed toward the docking bay. "Aida, I have half a mind to shut you off!"
His feet pounded down the metal stairs, his heart going even faster. The ramp was open. He rushed out.
The docking bay doors above them were wide open. Bright sunlight streamed down, making the already glowing floor brighter. Reby stood a dozen paces away from the ramp and to the side.
"Reby?"
She didn't answer him.
He came up next to her. She was frowning, her eyes distant. "Everything alright?"
Still, she didn't answer.
Reaching out, he rubbed her arm. "Reby?"
She sucked air in and turned toward him, the distant look in her eyes still there. "What?"
"Are you ok?"
"Of course." She looked to the side, towards the door of the teleporter.
"What are you doing out here? Your eggs are ready and the Boli is just waiting for you to crack it."
"Huh?"
A chill ran down his spine. "Why don't we go back inside?"
"I need to stay here."
"Why?"
"I, I don't know. I just do, ok?" She stepped away from him, closer to the teleporter.
"Hold on." He stepped in front of her. "At least come eat before it gets too cold. You must be starving. And you said it smelled good."
She glanced back at the ramp. "It did smell good." The corners of her eyes crinkled when she looked at him, but then her face dropped and her brow furrowed. Her hand went to her stomach.
He thought he heard a growl, but not one of her usual growls. "Come on, let's eat, then we can walk around here. If you want." Holding his arm out, he didn't dare try to make her turn around. There was definitely something between them now, though he couldn't say exactly what it was. After what she went through.... He pushed the thought away. "And besides, Jemy will be back soon."
"Jemy? Where is he?"
"He, ah, went to get something. Long story, but we can wait till he gets back to talk about it." And the deed is done.
Her brows furrowed deeper.
"He's fine. Don't worry. It'll just make more sense if he's here to tell his part of it. Ready to eat?"
She didn't respond. Her gaze went behind him and her lips curled up slightly.
It wasn't a smile he recognized. He swung around to see what she was looking at.
Clay strode out of the teleporter.
RJ felt the malice in his eyes. He turned to run into the ship, but Reby stepped away toward Clay. "No!" Grabbing her from behind, he lifted her, arms trapped to her sides, and dragged her back.
He ignored the pain from her kicks as she flailed. His grip locked as tight as he dared. Her fingers dug into him, prying his fingers with unexpected strength. Not wanting to hurt her, he adjusted and held tighter.
Clay came at him faster.
Reby squirmed and clamped down on his forearm.
Her teeth dug into his skin. The searing pain intensified, then stopped. He ignored the throbbing that came after and a tingle that mingled with blood oozing from the wound.
Reby screamed.
He fought to hold on, urging his feet to go faster. Don't let go. Don't let go.
She stopped struggling.
Clay sprinted, coming around Reby to get to RJ. His hand closed on the back of RJ's neck. "Let her go!"
A punch hit RJ on the side of the head, and he stumbled, crashing to the floor. He twisted so Reby landed on top of him, but he lost his grip when his head hit the floor.
She scrambled off of him.
RJ tried to roll away from both of the Clays he saw coming down at him, but they managed to grab him and yank him up.
"What have you done? You've ruined everything!"
The Clays merged together, still blurry. RJ realized he wasn't talking to him, but yelling at Reby. He tried to get back on his feet while attempting to pry Clay's hands off his shirt. His vision cleared just in time to see Clay's fist before it smashed into his face.
***
Jemy jumped off the disc just before it landed. Too stressed for time to worry about the vertigo-inducing return descent in the darkness. His legs gave out. He stumbled, but caught himself before he fell and made it into the teleporter. Putting his hand on the control panel, he thought about the Demption.
The door slid open.
His stomach dropped.
Clay was already there.
He stood over RJ, who was on the ground.
Reby knelt next to Clay, near RJ's head.
Both of them had their backs toward the teleporter and hadn't seen him.
Clay spoke to her, his voice raised. "—stayed with me. You made love to me. You fought him to get to me just now. We're together. We'll always be together." Clay bent down and grabbed Reby by the arm.
"No!" She pulled away. "I'll never be with you."
"You still don't understand, do you? We're connected now. They won't ever let us part."
Reby's head snapped up. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about." She shook her head. "I don't want you, and you better pray to whatever god you believe in that he'll be ok."
Clay laughed.
The maniacal sound struck Jemy like a trickle of electricity right before it discharged. He slipped the tool out of his pants, his heart pounding as he tried to remember how close he had to get. Moving to the right, he tried to be quiet while finding a clear shot.
"You've made sure he'll be fine. Look." He bent down again and grabbed RJ's arm and held it up. "The wound you gave him is already healing. When it's over, he won't even know it was ever there. They're fixing him, just like they did you. And that's why you want him now. If you'd just let me deal with him, he'd be dead and you wouldn't care."
"You're a monster!"
Clay let go of RJ and lifted his hand to strike Reby.
"Get away from them!" Jemy held out the tool, his hands shaking, afraid it might fire before he was ready.
Reby turned towards his voice.
He was close enough now that he could see the pain in her face and blood around her mouth. When he looked closer, he saw more blood on the floor and smeared on her pants where she cradled RJ's head. "I said get away from them!"
Clay huffed and turned away from her, then froze when he saw Jemy. The scowl on his face hardened before returning to his casual smile. "There's no point in fighting now. Everything will be fine. Come and join us," Clay said with an edge to his voice Jemy only heard once before, when he'd lied about Marisil being dead.
His best friend and sister being covered in blood wasn't fine. "Get away from them or I will kill you." Jemy waved the tool in the direction he wanted Clay to go.
Reby gave him a questioning look.
RJ's hand lifted.
She looked down and took it.
Relief washed over Jemy at seeing RJ move.
"I thought you were the reasonable one. Diplomatic at least. Now you're trying to motivate me with a threat, and a weapon. It won't work on me, I assure you." Clay stared at him, unmoving.
RJ rolled with a groan, unsteady, onto all fours.
Reby shifted to help him stand.
"Can you get him inside?" Jemy said to Reby.
She looked between him and Clay. Then nodded. "Be careful."
Jemy kept his focus on Clay as she got RJ up on his feet and walked toward the ramp. He couldn't be sure whether Reby knew why he'd been gone or what their plan was. Whatever Obi said would happen if Clay was near didn't seem to be an issue. She seemed as anxious to get away from the man as he was.
"She wouldn't want me to hurt you. But I'm not sure what she wants matters anymore." He glanced back at Reby as they disappeared inside the Demption. "We're stuck with each other now. All of us. Except you." He sniggered. "When you arrived, I really believed everything would be alright. The four of us could start a new sect. One not so...depraved. Then I realized RJ was a threat, so it would have to be just the three of us. That would have been fine, too. But now," he stepped toward Jemy, "it could be the four of us. Or I could kill you to punish her for choosing him after everything I did for her. An eternity, together, spent hating each other. That's still better than an eternity alone."
"You're insane."
Clay's eyes narrowed.
I'm close enough.
Now.
The blast knocked Clay flat onto the floor. Covered in translucent green goo, he managed to sit up. A series of high-pitched tinkling noises, like a thousand tiny glass fragments falling at once, echoed through the space. Then the goo took on a hard reflective appearance and he froze.
Jemy stood, hands trembling, until he was sure Clay was stuck. He lowered the tool
and ran up the ramp and the stairs inside. Neither Reby or RJ were in the common space as he flew through to the cockpit.
"Aida, where are Reby and RJ?"
"RJ is in the autodoc and Reby is locked in the lab with him."
He plopped into the pilot chair. "Will RJ be ok and why is she locked in?" The words caught as they came out. There isn't time. His instincts took over. Lights on the panel in front of him switched from yellow and red to green as he readied the ship for launch.
"RJ is in a similar state as Reby was. Though his vitals indicate he is more stable. The medical systems recommend induced sleep and observation."
"He's infected?" More green lights appeared.
"Yes."
He'd guessed as much based on what Clay had said. It left him unsettled after what he'd learned about the nanosyms. His hands hesitated. "And Reby? Why is she locked in?"
"She requested it. I can only unlock the door on your orders. She has removed her authorization from all commands."
He frowned. No time to worry about it now. "This place is about to self-destruct. Tell Reby we're off in ten."
"Done. Eight, seven, six, five, four."
"Oh, no. No!" Jemy pounded on the panel. The engines should have cold fired at five seconds, just as they did when leaving Dinucent. "What happened?" Even as he asked, he ran systems checks on engineering. I really need RJ. He canceled the launch sequence.
"All systems are operational."
"But they aren't, are they, or we'd be flying the hell away from here!" Bile reached up his throat. "Why isn't it working!"
"The sensors are functioning normally but are providing zero data to support any hypothesis. The only conclusion is that whatever mechanism shut the engines off during landing is still functioning."
"Maybe. The shuttle's engines fired last time." The third pass of tests on engineering still showed everything was working fine. "Obi said the docking bay doors would open. And they're open. It doesn't make sense. You don't have any data that might help? Or at least tell us how long until this place blows?"
"I have no data."
He fought back a sense of hopelessness, one all too familiar. Like watching Dinucent crumble into the chasm. The Academy refusing his evidence and booting him out. The Azuan Housing Committee pushing them out of their home. Reby going to Igni Prime with no chance of getting back into university. Their parents dying on a tiny moon outside the CR.
No.
There must be something. "Did Obi leave any instructions or anything?"
"The only instructions Obi left were for the communications base that RJ was assembling while Reby was in the autodoc."
"Where is it?"
"In the lab."
He checked all systems again. The latest test results scrolled up the display in front of him. Green text confirmed everything was operational. It just wasn't operating. He connected to the lab's comm system. "Reby?"
"Jem...why haven't we left?" Her voice was so soft he almost couldn't hear her.
"The engines won't fire. And the docking systems didn't kick in. Did you activate it from the chair the last time we left?"
"No. It was an automated system. I think it was triggered when you started the engines, but it happened so fast..."
"Great. The engines didn't fire at all this time. And we don't have a lot of time. Havenstar is about to blow. Any ideas?"
"Is Clay still out there?"
"What? Yes, he's out there. But we need to leave. Now. Any ideas?"
"He's alive, though."
We don't have time for this! "Yes. None of us will be if we don't leave. Can you help?" He put the engines into a pulse mode, so they'd fire every three seconds. If they kicked in, he'd know it. It wasn't much, and RJ would kill him for stressing the systems that way. Jemy would gladly have that argument later.
Reby didn't answer.
"Reb? Any ideas?"
"It might be the protective field. RJ thought that was what interfered with communications. Maybe it's affecting the engines too. Can you ask Aida to send the exterior video feed to the lab?"
"Aida, can you detect an energy field?"
"No. The sensors are still functioning and receiving zero data," Aida replied.
"The video, Jem. Please," Reby said.
"Reb, what's going on? We need to get out of here. I've put the engines in pulse mode. The second they actually fire we're leaving. I just hope it won't be too late."
"I need to see him. Tell her, Jem."
"Aida, send the exterior video feed to the lab."
"Of course," Aida answered.
Sweat dripped off his temple as he shifted his attention between engines and sensors, hoping to see any indication something was working. Why didn't Obi say anything about this? He patted his pocket, afraid the vessel might have slipped out.
It was there.
Is there time—
Reby screeched over the coms. "Jem! Look at the video feed!"