Impending Doom

[Conspiir]

Just a mostly dialogue story about characters that don’t exist. But now that I’ve finished the story I really want them to.

Word Count: 1311

Approximate Reading Time: 7-12 minutes

--

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you all to safety,” said a security officer—Wilkinson, he thought. His name must be Wilkinson. A bullet then caught Officer Wilkinson in the cheek and he fell. One of the scientists screamed.

--

It began, as most things did, with an accident.

“I am so sorry!”

“No, I apologize. I was not paying attention to the path ahead of me.”

Both leaned down to pick up the strewn papers. There were mercifully few.

“Oh, you are… the Head of Personnel?”

“This vessel does not have one of those. I am similar. I file the paperwork.”

“Right! I am so sorry. I was running late, and I—”

“I understand. Give it no more thought.”

They watched each other, carefully, for a long moment. A mechanic with a toolbox passes.

“I have to go.”

“As do I.”

“I—I’ll see you around.”

“Yes.”

She hurried away. He merely watched her go. Something inside him warmed.

--

“Looks like we got ourselves some hostages!”

“Damn right!”

“Shut up, you lot. Ah’m doin’ the talkin’. Now which a ya is in charge?”

“I am ranking official.”

He stepped forward. Being in a position of command, even in the most secure locations or the quietest of workplaces, will always carry with it a danger.

“Fancy suit, huh? Yeh. You’ll do.”

One of the redsuited intruders grabbed him and pressed a gun to his head.

“Open that lab up. Ah want all yer research on a disk. Now! Or Suit eats a bullet!”

The scientists whimpered but scrambled to comply. He wasn’t sure what he had done to earn their loyalty and assistance. Perhaps it was instinct. Humans were like that.

Wilkinson cooled in the hall.

--

He stared at the food options for a long time. Cheesey garlic bread. Cheesecake. Cheeseburger. Eggplant parmesan. Chicken parmesan. Ham and cheese omelet. He sensed a theme.

“Good morning, HoP.”

He startled. He turned to her. He warmed to his core. He tried to not make it obvious.

“Good morning.”

“Grabbing an early lunch?”

“Ah. No. That is… Are you?”

“Oh. No. I’m not hungry.”

“Yes. Nor I.”

He smiled at her. She returned it easily.

“Have a good one, sir.”

“And yourself.”

He wanted to tell her. He walked away instead.

--

“H-Here’s the disk. I-It’s everything we’ve collected. In the past four months.”

“Spicy.”

The Leader shot the scientist in the forehead. They all watched her slump to the ground.

“Now. Whichever a yous can get me the last year might’n make it outta here.”

The scientists had tears streaking their cheeks and sobs pressing at their teeth, but they went back to the research computer quietly.

--

“I’m Kali, by the way.”

He looked up from his paperwork. He knew this already, but to have it offered was precious.

“I am Moros.”

“Morose?”

“Moros.”

“Got it.”

Her smile infected him. He found his lips moved of their own accord.

“May I ask you on a date?”

She was startled. He could not understand how she could be. Many must have asked her the same.

“I… Yes. I would like that, Moros.”

--

He kept his eyes averted from her. She watched him from the corner of her eyes. He could see she wanted to do something. Perhaps just scream. But she was too strong to give in to a handful of thugs.

“Here. The research.”

“All’a it?”

“Yes.”

“A patrol’s heading this way. We gotta get off this one.”

“Aye. Let’s roll.”

“… Can’t leave ‘em can we?”

--

Her presence loosened him. He spoke more. He smiled more. He laughed, full stop. He would touch her hand and the world would burn.

“I really like you, Moros. You know that, don’t you?”

“I do. You know I am the same for you?”

“Of course. I’d expect no less of you, no matter what they say.”

She rubbed her nose to his. He crossed his eyes. They laughed.

--

“… You might’n be right, Spades.”

The intruder pushed him down in front of the scientists. They all helped him to his feet. He saw all of their lives pass before his eyes. He remembered when each of them first arrived. He had been there.

“Shoot ‘em. Meet us out front.”

“No!”

“You can’t!”

“Please!”

He stared unflinchingly at the visor of one. Do what you will. He knew this to be the end of them. He did not regret the time he had with her.

She had other ideas.

“Moros!”

He hit the ground, hard. The bullets flew. Half-screams cut short with gurgles. Blood spewed in all directions. Laughter. They were laughing…

A metal canister rolled across the room.

It was loud.

Then it was quiet.

--

He opened his eyes.

“Moros?”

He blinked at the white ceiling.

“Moros… I’m sorry, I can’t pronounce your last name.”

“Moros Zarikqk”

“Welcome to Hengsha General. Do you remember what happened?

”Moros!”

Kali.

“Sir! Sir! You can’t stand, you lost a lot of blood.”

“I need to see—”

“Sir, please. Relax.”

“Where is—”

“Sir… I’m sorry. You were the only person to make it off of the NCV Antivios. The six science personnel were killed due to multiple GSWs and by the time their bodies were retrieved, they were MIF… this means—”

“I am aware of what it means.”

Six…

“There should have been seven personnel.”

“Sir?”

“Seven science personnel and myself. What of the seventh?”

“Oh, yes, sir. They are downstairs now, being tended to by Doctor Rashiba. …Kali?”

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou…

--

He shuffled into the room, pulling his own IV. It had been several hours before the doctor saw him fit enough to make the journey down the elevator to the hospital’s basement. He found her there, sitting on an operating table in an empty room full of operating tables.

She was stripped bare. Her hair was frayed, her skin was peeled everywhere, one eye was tightly shut (missing?), a leg up her knee was completely gone, her right arm cut off at the shoulder…

She had never looked more beautiful.

“Kali?”

She looked up in panic. Her one eye was wide. It had been stripped of coating. Shame. He liked the brown.

“Moros! I… I’m so sorry. I should have told you.”

“… Told me?”

“I know Skrell don’t… That is, I’m…”

She looked down, and gestured to herself. She looked so helpless. Resigned in a way she wasn’t even with guns aimed at her.

“You believed I did not know?”

“You… knew?”

He made the effort to smile when he walked closer. He brushed his hand over her forehead.

“I have—had—access to all personnel records. I knew you to be a chassis before I met you. I approved you to your position.”

“But I’m just—”

“A well-qualified, intelligent, independent, kind, and obviously self-sacrificing individual. It would be negligent to assume one ideology for an entire species, no matter how ingrained. I suppose that applies for both of us.”

She leaned forward and rested against his chest.

“Thank you.”

--

Soon, Kali would be fully restored by Doctor Chiowa Rashiba. Moros would be released the same day. He would take her hand and lead her into the sunlit grounds.

Soon, they would have to find jobs. Their last workplace is rather inhospitable.

Soon, Kali would wake Moros with a bowl of oatmeal, dusted with cinnamon. It would become his favorite meal.

Soon, Moros would take the step to adopt -Antivios to his name. It would be his first addition in his 76 years of age.

Soon, Moros’ parents would meet Kali on neutral ground. He would explain to them the end of their bloodline.

But that is tomorrow's doom.

--

That’s a wrap. If I ever get a Skrell whitelist and Head of Staff whitelist, maybe we’ll see Moros Zarikqk-Antivios. Minus the tragic pirate backstory. That was just a plot device.

I finished writing this instead of sleeping I will not do well in class tomorrow.

Edited November 6, 2017 by Guest

[alexpkeaton]

This was a fantastic read! You are very talented. I particularly liked the flash-forward/flash-back format.

[Coalf]

And they lived happily ever after until they didn't, the end.

This was good, you managed to keep the reader interested and knowledgable about what was happening even though you completely left out majority of descriptions, simply letting us know what was happening through dialogue.

The twist was something I gotta say, unexpected and out the left field, if there was a complaint it would be regarding the lack of foreshadowing making the twist seem unsatisfying.

Otherwise I was fully pleased with the result, you maintained the emotionallity of Skrell yet managed to keep to them their limited linguical ability regarding Tau Ceti Basic.

Good work.