The three moved as fast as they could. In about 20 minutes, they got to the evacuation site. They actually managed to escape this one without having to fight anymore zerg. There was a very good timing which helped them a lot.
Alona was pretty shocked and all the way she looked at the corpse Andrew brought with him. Andrew talked to the medics trying to figure what went wrong with Timothy’s suit while he got his forehead stitched. Timothy was unconscious and the medics told Joe they could do nothing until they get him aboard the Hyperion. They stabilized him, but could not say what the problem was. Joe just stood with Timothy, watching him. All he wanted was for his friend to wake up.
As soon as the medevac docked aboard the Hyperion, Timothy was rushed to the infirmary. Captain Shepperd called Joe in for a full report in the briefing room. Andrew left his combat suit in the armory and then went fast to the infirmary to see the status upon Timothy. Alona stood a while in the medevac, thinking, trying to figure things out. She had a lost look as if she had seen something awful, terrifying, but not for the first time. She left only when the decontamination team came to clean the medevac, heading to her quarters.
Joe was not feeling good at all. He blamed himself on what happened to Timothy back on Atticus Minor. In his mind, things rewinded slowly, remembering every detail, step he made, order he gave, but he knew where the mistake was. He should not have let Andrew go with Timothy. When he got to the briefing room, he told the captain exactly what happened. Shepperd was as puzzled as him, he could not believe one minute a suit could just malfunction and explode. Joe also told him his concerns about Andrew being the mole, but the captain needed some evidence. Even so, Shepperd had a new problem to think of: the hybrids really existed and as Joe described, they were very dangerous. For him, this new development of the situation had priority in solving, so an investigation of what had happened to Timothy’s suit was second on his list.
Back at the infirmary, Andrew was waiting outside for any news the doctors could give. The corridor where he stood was much transited. Nobody cared about what happened on Atticus Minor or nobody knew. The fact that everybody was carrying on their duties and no one stopped to ask Andrew why he was there did not mind him at all. He was already pretty nervous, thinking about what happened back on the planet, what went wrong and why the suit exploded just then.
A Corridor Aboard The Hyperion
03:58 Ship Hour
*Joe walks down the corridor and stops next to Andrew.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Any words from the medics?” *worried*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“None… I’m sorry…” *tensioned*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I know this is not the time, but I have to know. So be sincere about this. What happened out there?”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I told you. The hybrid appeared out of nowhere. Banks ordered me to shoot it. I opened fire. He did the same. Suddenly, something in his exo blew up. I continued firing until that thing was down, then hurried to see what happened to Banks. The rest you already know…” *with a long look, scattered around the room*
*Joe grabs Andrew by the choker.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Listen up, Bob. *very serious* That’s my best friend in there. If you had something to do with it…”
*Andrew pushes Joe to the wall.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Now you listen! You hate my guts since I got on your squad. I don’t know why and really, I don’t care. But I would never hurt a fellow marine, even if I don’t know him. Got that?”
*A doctor comes out the infirmary and sees Joe.*
Dr. Harold Brown
“Hey, Joe… I heard about… what happened on Atticus Minor.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“What do you know about Timothy?”
Dr. Harold Brown
“Not much to tell you. It seems like the explosion blew some pieces of his exoskeleton right in his head… brain more exactly. Meds performed surgery and removed those pieces, but he slept into a coma right after they finished stitching him up.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“He’s… in a coma? *startled* How long will he stay like that?”
Dr. Harold Brown
“I’m not sure… frankly, I’m amazed he survived the intervention. It was very difficult but he made it anyways. We can just hope he’ll wake up as soon as possible.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Thanks, doc. I really appreciate.”
*The doctor is leaving. Joe crouches and rests his head in his hands. Andrew taps his shoulder.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“He’s strong. He will wake up. But for now, there’s nothing we can do here. Come on, we have some things to figure out.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Like what? “ *without even looking at him*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Like what happened to the suit. Let’s pay a visit to your nerdy friend.”
Laboratory, The Hyperion
04:11 Ship Hour
*Sheldon is working at a desk. Joe and Andrew enter the laboratory.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Hey, Sheldon! What new toys do you have for play these days?”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“If it isn’t the slick who asked me to synthesize some old hallucinogenic leaf that burnt would offer your inhibitators some time off. *smiling* I am working on the body of the hybrid specie you brought back from your little mission on Atticus Minor. It’s so cool, I won’t sleep a couple of weeks.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You just might not…”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“This thing is so complex: it has a type of blood which is more fluid than what we have ever seen before but it has more elements in it than we have. The skin is made of an interesting carapace which…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I’m sure it sounds fascinating, but I’m here because I need you to make me a favor…”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“I already did you 13 favors and you haven’t returned one…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I promise I’ll do my best to make it up for you.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“For Pete’s sake… We don’t have time for this. Carter, Bank’s suit exploded and now he’s in a coma. We need you to look at the exo and tell us what went wrong!” *very authorative*
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“But I have lab tests to run on the hybrid…” *confused*
*Andrew draws a thermal detonator from his pocket.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Wanna see how you make time for us… and for anything else as a matter of fact?”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“I guess I can take a look…” *having a strange look in his eyes*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Thank you very much. Now go.” *smiling*
*Joe is puzzled*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I really don’t know why do you have patience with him…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“It seemed the nicer way, I guess…”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Pretty inefficient, though.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You remind me of Timothy…”
Sheldon took Timothy’s suit in his lab and began tests on it. After a couple of hours, he brought back Joe and Andrew to communicate them the results.
Laboratory, The Hyperion
10:26 Ship Hour
*Joe and Andrew enter the laboratory. Sheldon is still working on the suit. He stops on a sudden and starts talking to the marines.*
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“Do you still have the thermal detonator with you?”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Yes… You want me to blow you to smithereens?” *smiling*
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“Give it to me.”
*Andrew passes the detonator to Sheldon. Sheldon opens it and takes a fragment of it. Then he puts it on the suit. In the left glove, he attaches a standard rifle, pointing a target on the ceiling. He starts firing the rifle with blank shells. After a couple of shells, the part of the exoskeleton where the detonator’s fragment was, blows up. The marines take cover. Sheldon was smiling.*
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“Cool stuff, I might say.” *almost laughing*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“What was that?”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“That was the action of the acetyl-propane-thermo conductive-explosive. For you grunts, that was the raw explosive from the thermal detonator. Highly unstable to shocks. When the rifle starts shooting, every bullet has a recoil effect on the shooter, or just where the pat of the gun touches the suit: around his shoulder.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Where the suit blew up…”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Somebody put that stuff there. The hybrids had nothing to do with it…”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“This is a classic case of sabotage indeed. And a smart way to do it, too. It would be easy even for you, Neanderthals with guns. It’s not so difficult to take apart a thermal detonator. I am doing it since I was 4…” *smiling and very proud*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“We are really proud…” *ironic*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“This means… somebody wanted Timothy dead. But, why? And who would want to do such thing? I need to report this to the captain…”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I don’t think this is a good idea. We must stay cool and think about it. Maybe the captain knew about this.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“The captain would never sacrifice one’s life like this. And even if he would… What would be the point of all this?”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Trust me on this one. Carter, you mustn’t tell anyone, got it?”
Dr. Sheldon Carter
“As if I have time to spare for your mini detective games. Go on and play. Come on! Shoo!”
Both Joe and Andrew were astonished of the findings. They have never thought someone from their side could be able to do such a thing. Andrew was sure that no one should be trusted anymore until they get to the bottom of this. Joe on the other hand wanted to tell the captain. Even if agreed not to, he felt this was wrong.
Marine Quarters Room 212, aboard the Hyperion
11:03 Ship Hour
*Joe and Andrew enter the quarters. Alona was lying in her bed trying to get some sleep.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Alona, we have to talk. There has been a slight development of the situation at hand.”
*Andrew studies Alona’s behavior.*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Oh, no! Did Timothy…” *a bit scared*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Timothy is in a coma. The doctors don’t know when he is going to wake up.”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Damn Zerg! I hate those things. And know, those abominations… Joe, we must do something about it!”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“We will, but those things aren’t the problem just yet. The thing is, Timmy’s suit exploded because it was sabotaged. Someone put a charge on it.”
*Alona doesn’t look very surprised.”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Are you serious? Common, if somebody put a charge on it… we would have seen. Timothy would see that. Who told you this mambo-jumbo?
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Carter did. After he looked at it.” *very serious*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Did you report to the captain this? He has to know!” *suspicious*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“We…”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“We thought we should talk with you first. It’s up to you.” *very decisive and not letting Joe finish*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“You did right. I’m gonna report this to the cap right away.” *leaving rather in a hurry*
*Alona leaves.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“She was tensed… What are you doing, Fischer?”
*Andrew searches her things.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Look, I know she is your friend, but you have to open your eyes.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You think she did that to Timothy?” *confused*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I don’t know yet. But… just think about it: in the armory, everything is given by the number. Riffles, bullets, grenades… everything. After we leave it, a sweeper searches the room for everything, not to forget explosive materials in the room.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Timothy’s exo was sabotaged by some one with explosive from the outside… But we aren’t allowed to carry unmentioned gear. We have to report and we are scanned at the exit of the dock area.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Well, you don’t mention it and you conceal only a part of it which goes undetected. *He pulls out from Alona’s locker a fragment of a thermal detonator.* What do you think now, Astor?”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“I… I cannot believe it…” *astonished*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“She is the snitch… Now you get it?”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“This… It’s impossible… We…. I…”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“We just have to report to the captain now.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“No… she knows we figured it out. She’s not going to the captain.” *very serious* “We have to get to the escape pods.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Why the escape pods and not take a banshee and fly away cloaked?” *confused*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Trust me on this one.” *confident*
*A very loud noise is heard, like something breached the hull of the ship. The general alert starts. Both of them take their guns and leave the room, running.*
Escape Pods Hangar, aboard the Hyperion
11:19 Ship Hour
*Joe and Andrew hurried to the hangar. There, the door is sealed. On the room’s video camera, they see Alona preparing her pod for an escape. Andrew tries to hack the door while Joe heads to the intercom.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Going for a ride, Alona?” *serious*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Joe… it hadn’t had to be this way…” *rather disappointed*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Did you think I wouldn’t figured you out? Did you really think that I was so blind?” *said with a grim smile*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“I guess I wanted you to, but I knew someday I would have to face this… face you in this manner… But what was between us… it was… it is…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Shut up and open this door! There was nothing then and now I know why!” *hits the door so hard that Alona flinched on the other side.* “How could you kill Timmy? He saved your life so many times! We were family…” *screaming, very mad.*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“I had to do what I had to do to complete my mission. You know what I mean.”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You traitor!” *shouting*
*the locks on the door are heard unsealing.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I’ve done it. Back up!” *both Joe and Andrew holster their weapons.*
The door opened and Joe and Andrew took cover on the sidewalls. Alona took cover behind an escape pod. The hangar was not so big but there were a couple of feet to cover to reach her position. Andrew tried to go in, but Alona opened fired upon him. The bullets ricochet all over the place because of the thick walls. Joe was astonished she tried to shoot Andrew too. From his point of view, everything was happening in slow motion.
Andrew began to fire, offering cover while Joe entered the hangar and got behind some containers. Alona understood his intention and threw a grenade towards the entrance. It blew up and knocked Andrew unconscious. The seal door automatically closed because of the explosion.
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“No!!!” *shouting* “Alona, you bitch! I’m gonna kill you!”
*a click is heard from the back of his head. Alona got to him and now points a gun to his back of his head.*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Not today, Joey…” *with only half of mouth said*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“You wanna kill me, as you did with Timmy? Do you? Then get it over with! Come on! Shoot me!” *very serious, shouting*
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“Joe…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Shoot me! Cause if you’re not, I’m gonna hunt you till the end of the galaxy and make you pay for everything. So, shoot me already!”
Corporal Alona „Widowmaker” DaVilla
“I… I can’t…. I still love you…” *almost crying* “I’m sorry…”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“No… No, you traitor… I hate you deceived me, you lied to me, you hurt my friends… you will pay!”
*with a lightning move, Joe disarms Alona, but she knocks his head with her knee, leaving him unconscious.*
Infirmary, aboard the Hyperion
11:19 Ship Hour
*Joe was lying in a bed with some devices connected to him. His head was bandaged. He wakes up.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“Finally! You got us all worried, Astor.” *smiling and relieved.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“What happened?” *a bit confused*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“I don’t remember either but they told me everything. I got knocked out in the explosion because of something which collapsed on my head. It seems you put up a hell of a fight in there, though. *smiling and tapping Joe on the shoulder*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“But she escaped…” *disappointed*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“One escape pod was missing. It seems she tried to make it look like she died in an accidental explosion on the corridor towards the captain. She setuped the thingy with the thermal charge and breached the hull pretty well. But… you knew from the beginning she was going to do this… How?” *confused*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“She knew if I were to find out she was the traitor, I would hunt her until she will pay.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“She knows you that well?” *more confuse*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Not that well. How’s Timmy? Anything new?”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“No… still in a coma…”
*Joe tries to sit up. Andrew helps him.*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“Andrew… thanks.” *grabs his shoulder.*
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“For?” *still confused*
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“For being you and showing me I was wrong. Now, help me get to the captain. We have many things to discuss.”
Prv. Andrew Fischer
“About what?”
Prv. Joe “Slick” Astor
“About settling some scores.”
*both of them leaving the infirmary.*
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