Weapons

The Weapons room had a distinct scent when compared to the rest of the ship. A bitter smell. A smell caused by the reacting chemicals used to power laser cannons. It warmed Paul's nostrils, even through the filters in his helmet. In the center of the beige-colored synthetic floor stood a silver platform. On the elevated area was a large, black leather chair with a green holographic screen that levitated in front it. This allowed the user to control the devastating weapons mounted on the hull of the massive ship. A glass panel stretched from one side of the room to the other, maximizing the use of a vast holographic screen that overlaid the window, assisting the astronauts when in use. Hidden below the floor panels, Paul knew there was a maze wide and winding pipes that connected the generators to the cannons. These would be painted a light purple shade and lined with blinking red lights when active.

Paul sauntered up the stairs and took a seat on the oversized chair. According to the space forecast, a group of meteors was at that moment heading in the ship's direction. Paul was assigned the task to ensure no colossal space rocks got too close to The Musk and caused a hull breach or other irreparable damage.

As he sank into the leather cushions, Paul felt a surge of excitement erasing his melancholic mood. The meeting regarding the suspected murder had left something of a bad taste in his mouth which was only now passing. Massaging his hands on the ends of the armrest, he pressed the button to synchronize his eye movement allowing him to aim the cannons with a glance. The machine first conducted a retinal scan for security. Upon recognizing Paul's retinal pattern, the weapons system activated with the sound of power cells being loaded into the guns. Paul was sure he felt the floor beneath him vibrate but knew this was only illusory.

After a moment, Paul did a routine test and confirmed that the motors that moved the giant laser guns were running. He was just in time to spot the first of the meteors drifting along his horizon like a flock of migrating geese. Paul's heart rate quickened. Although feeling ecstatic about being authorized to control the weapons Paul knew this to no doubt be a daunting job. The lives of all his teammates and the mission would be in his hands, it was his responsibility and duty to keep them all safe. He took a moment to admire the dark expanse of space beyond the ship and escape from the confines of The Musk. Space had always fascinated Paul. The massive spheres of gas, habitable planets, or indescribable matter that floated out there were something that he had been mesmerized by for as long as he could remember. He could only dream of the days when he would walk on dirt that was not Earth. He hoped that day would come soon. This mission was just the first step.

In mere seconds, the distant pebbles became moon-sized boulders that hurtled in The Musk's direction. Paul didn't waste any more time. His thumb hovering over the fire button he focused his attention on the nearest meteors and concentrated his eyes on the charging objects. The system worked as it should and locked its crosshairs on the chosen target.

Paul pressed his thumb down.

A thunderous boom sounded in response. The ship lurched at the retort of cannons firing at the first meteors. In a bright flash of red, a laser beam struck the incoming asteroid, completely obliterating it. Adrenaline coursed through Paul's veins as he looked for a second target. Dozens of meteors of varying shape and size traveled harmlessly past the ship, there wasn't any immediate threat, but Paul didn't stop there. It was an opportunity he could not pass. Paul enthusiastically bashed the buttons on both sides of the armrests sending bursts of lasers into the horde of rocks and debris blowing them into smithereens. The generators powering the weapons groaned and wheezed in exhaustion as he continued to fire the cannons, alternately switching from one barrel to another. Explosions lit up the void in an exquisite laser display.

The cannons only had twenty rounds of ammunition charged into them. Paul dumped it all into the rocks not missing a single shot. Paul's fingers ached from the exertion, and he laid back into the chair breathing heavily but feeling elated. As the last of the meteors passed by The Musk the feeling of uncontrollable power subsided as Paul stabilized himself. Satisfied that he had completed yet another task he leapt off the chair to get on with the next one feeling a renewed sense of energy.

-*-

Luke saw red.

He had one thing on his mind. Kill Yusef. He'd make sure to make it quick.

His mind was a dark cloud of rage. It felt as if a part of him had been torn apart, being betrayed by one of his closest friends. The false accusation of murder was a clear indication of broken trust, and Luke refused to let that slide.

Blue's mutilated body practically pointed to the fact that there was an alien on the ship. The sight of what had been done to the poor crewmate had everyone's stomach lurch as bile rose. Luke could have imagined how he died at the edge of the creature's tongue. The corpse traumatized the team which only furthered the uneasiness in the already claustrophobic halls of The Musk. When Yusef reminded the crew of his punctuality, Luke had seen sparks of suspicion through each of his teammates' visors. He had only been late because he still questioned whether he should even join the mission. When he finally settled his dilemma, he drafted a quick plan to drive the whole operation into the ground. Luke had no care for the resources and manpower that went into it. What he was doing was only for the good of all humans. For the future of Earth and humanity. Luke's fists clenched tighter just thinking about it, his eyes twitching as he followed close behind Yusef.

The two moved down, past the admin room, and into Storage. The area was half as large as the cafeteria. A wide expanse of space used for storing critical supplies for survival on Polus. Large and small containers or barrels alike were packed closely together. All but one. Luke didn't take his eyes off Yusef but was intrigued by a dark green box that hovered above the rest. It whirled in the air endlessly, holding some mysterious substance that kept it afloat. Luke snapped his attention back on his target like a lion at its prey.

Yusef strolled to the end of the room seemingly unaware of Luke's presence. He stopped at a lever; caution tape surrounded a rectangular section below him. Yusef paused for a moment, then grasped the lever tightly and pulled it down. A rumbling came from the depths of the room. The rush of both soft and hard objects bouncing off the metal walls of the trash chute signaled that it was about to be emptied. Yellow held the lever down waiting for something else to happen. It came a second later when the hatch on the side of the ship opened, dispelling the unwanted objects. A cluster of dead leaves along with several polished objects was released into the darkness. The reminder made Luke contemplate the events that had unfolded earlier. "Could that astronaut really have been the alien?" he asked himself in a harsh whisper. It couldn't have. Their cognitive functioning was believed to be equal to, or even surpass, humans. I'll need some more time to think about it, he mused as he watched Yusef push the lever back into place. But not now.

"Yusef," Luke called, trying to sound as calm as possible. The astronaut didn't stir and continued to stare out the window at the clump of trash that gracefully floated away. Luke wondered if he had heard him and was about to call his name again.

"I'm sorry Luke," the other man finally replied, his voice sincere and tender, like a father apologizing to his child. "I had hoped that you would change your mind and stay on Earth where you belong. "But," he continued empathetically. "When I saw you teleport onto the Dropship, I already understood your intentions."

"That doesn't justify you accusing me," Luke replied harshly. He had given up on all efforts to retain a nonchalant tone. "You know what the protocol is for dealing with high-level threats! You knew what you were doing. You were trying to get me killed!" Luke seethed. The fate of a convicted astronaut was left to the hands of the eternal darkness.

"Luke," Yusef said gently. "I am the only one here who understands you. Your goals are honorable, but your way to achieve them is what I disagree with." Despite Luke's towering figure, Yusef had always been like an older brother to him. Luke wasn't having it and forced the thought away. That had been the last straw. Luke's patience thinned; his temper had reached its limit.

"I didn't kill him!" Luke roared. He ran at Yusef like a bull to a red flag. He rammed the other astronaut into the glass panel with his shoulder. Yusef's body bounced off the surface as if it had been a ragdoll strewn aside and landed on his back, sprawled on the floor. Luke stood over him, wondering what to do next with his betrayer. Yusef lifted his head, his eyes wide in fear. The type of fear Luke liked to see in others when he entered the room.

"Are you with me or not?" Luke growled through clenched teeth, already knowing the answer. Yusef stayed on the ground, his body rigid and bruised.

"I'm not letting you sabotage this mission…" Yusef croaked, struggling to regain the air that had been knocked out of him.

The knife weighed heavy again in Luke's back pocket. A blade sharp enough to end the other man's life in a matter of seconds. Luke's mind was dark and awash with sadistic images. His hand steadily made its way to the handle of the dagger as Yusef picked himself up.

At the exact moment his finger brushed up against his pocket, an ear-piercing siren blared through the tiny speakers in the men's helmets and bellowed throughout The Musk. It was the Reactor. There was something wrong with the ship's main power source. Without it, all the systems, most importantly the engines, would not have the energy to function which would lead the crew to an inevitable demise.

Luke grinned thinking that this was his opportunity to end Yusef, silently and out of the way. The reactor was the least of his concerns. The alien was doing a fine job. Whoever it was. Just as he gripped the knife, teammates burst out of the hall, rushing through Storage to fix the reactor. The moment had passed for Luke to terminate his threat. Proceeding further, he risked having many witnesses. His hand returned to his side, the red in his vision receding. Yusef stared at Luke with a concoction of feelings. Remorse. Terror. Fury.

Yusef rose quickly and staggered forward, pushing past Luke to join the rush with the rest of the astronauts.