EvO (Darverius, House of DaR #16)

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

EVO

I practically drag myself to my quarters, and before my door even slides shut. Completely zoned out, I strip out of my uniform and head towards the refreshing chamber and the Ionizing cleanser. My whole body trembles when the warm air hits my naked skin. I don’t even manage to redress before falling down face first on the sleeping platform.

I figured slumber would evade me, but I was out the moment my eyes closed. Waking up stiff where I had laid still for so long. I grit my teeth as I force myself to roll over on my side. A blinking light at the corner of my viewing wall catches my attention and I find myself getting out of the bed to get a closer look. I didn’t realize any of the pods had been secured to the haul this close to my personal chambers.

I am relieved to see its lights are blinking a steady green even though it’s highly damaged. Stretching , I walk over, touching the wall for my wardrobe to open. Grabbing a comfortable pair of loose pants, I slide them on, as I peer out at the never ending changing colors.

“ Destroyer , have any of the pods failed while I was slumbering?”

“ No , Captain , right now all is how you left it, but while you were at rest, I have been going over some additional data.”

“ Before you go any further, Destroyer , I need to know if that substance that was infiltrating the Maintenance bots is able to penetrate the pods.”

“ Captain , the process has started but has not been completed as of yet. I will direct all remaining bots to complete this task immediately.”

“ Can the pods be moved quickly if need be?”

“ I’ve not issued that demand to any of the Maintenance bots, so I cannot confirm. If my calculations are correct, the ones that are less damaged should be easy to transfer on board once we clear the Nebula . The damaged ones may cause some issues depending on their status. The Maintenance bots may require some assistance with the larger ones.”

“ Do you see any upcoming issues, as we are traveling ahead?”

“ My sensors are picking up another sector of extremely cold air ahead. I will monitor the pods and our own outer haul for the invasive substance while we navigate its interior. The good news is we will pass through it quickly.”

Standing here, I stare out at the metal object that is just out of my direct view. No matter how many times I look away, my eyes keep returning to it. I don’t realize I am leaning against the viewing wall until the coldness of the exterior penetrates my skin. I back away, a shiver passing over my whole body, when the Destroyer’s AI speaks again.

“ Captain , before we proceed any further. I need to inform you of the updated information I have gathered. It appears that not all the pods were manufactured the same, nor were they all from the same location as we previously thought. Some were assembled substantially cheaper than others. However , the one located outside your main viewer was launched from the same location as Miya and Ember . I believe it was launched prematurely.”

“ What do you mean?”

“ You may not be aware of this, but Hugo’s human mate Miya was sent into space without being hooked up properly. This caused her body extreme harm and the only thing that saved her was the extensive knowledge AMI had inquired throughout the rotations. Ember was sent from an adjoining location and arrived in a completely different state. She was actually healthier when awakened, in the lava caves. Her pod was programmed specifically for her, this gave her an advantage over most of the others I have scanned.

“ My scans are showing that many of the others were not given the correct care, and may have possibly been forced into the pods at the last minute. Some of the information I am retrieving is disturbing, as it doesn’t match the inhabitant inside the pod. In simpler terms, the pods were designed for a particular individual. Their health and medical needs were already programmed into the unit. They have been taken care of accordingly if hooked up properly.”

“ Let me get this right. You are saying the pods are so simple they couldn’t differentiate from one human to another?”

“ I do not have all the facts, Captain , but if what I am importing is correct, then yes, that is exactly what has happened. I believe several of the humans were given medication their bodies did not require throughout the trip. Some may have died prematurely because of this.”

“ Frack , the news just gets worse each time. Can you tell me anything specific about the pods?”

“ Absolutely ; the single pods don’t seem to be as thick as the larger ones, this material difference has made it easier for me to get a more in-depth scan of its interior. Is there a particular pod you would like me to attempt to scan further?”

I try to act as if I don’t care, but for some reason this pod has captured my complete attention. “ Might as well try this one here first.” Suddenly , I see a light beam running from one end of the pod to the other.

“ Captain , from what information I can pull, this one seems to be holding a female. However , the pod’s medical records are showing a steady deterioration of her body. It seems that once her vitals fall to a certain level, the pod is designed to shut down.”

“ Why was I not informed of this?”

“ Not all the pods are set to the same parameters. This one, and one other, are the only two that have that particular setting embedded in their main hard drives. My systems are struggling with the influx of all the pods and running the ship, Captain . I apologize for not being able to foresee some of these issues.”

“ Destroyer , your systems are new and you’re learning nonstop, mistakes are to be expected. There was no way any system could be prepared for this especially with you having to deal with alien failing data systems. We were lucky we had the information we did before starting this mission. Just keep us breathing and safe; the other things can be worked out.” Staring out at the pod, I feel suddenly fidgety, the only times I ever feel like this is if something bad is about to happen.

“ Destroyer , is there any way you can determine how much longer she has?” I no more ask that question when the lights on the outer shell of her pod start flashing yellow and my heart hits my throat for some reason. “ Please tell me those lights suddenly changing mean nothing.”

“ Unless you wish me to lie to you, Captain , I cannot. The female’s pod has unfortunately been compromised. I am not sure when this occurred, as it did not show on the original scan. Nevertheless , a large crack seems to have formed along a bottom seal that has allowed the inner chamber to become infested with the organism that was shutting down the Maintenance bots. It missed my original scans because I was not inspecting their interiors for its presence. Captain , I can’t treat it in that location. Thankfully , the private cryo tube is still completely sealed, but the organism is attacking the inner control boards. It could fail at any time.”

My heart hits my chest hard. My mind becomes instantly chaotic at the very thought of losing whoever is in that pod. For some unknown reason, I know deep down … I am tied to her in some way.

“ Get my suit ready.”

“ Excuse me, Captain ?”

“ You heard me. I need my atmospheric suit now.”

“ Sir , it is against your direct orders to open the haul for any reason.”

“ You are not going to open the haul, but you need to find me an alternate exit point because I am not losing her. Frack … Connect me to ViN immediately. I am going to need help.”