TCS: Fate Of The Cosmos

Chapter 14: Survivors of the earth

"Johnson pleaseeeee I'm begging you, let me come with you!" Maya Terranova pleaded with her hands clasped together.

"No means no, miss! I cannot risk your life any further. You witnessed at first hand what happened last time, and your father would condemn me if something horrible was to happen to you!"

The crusader shoved his helmet down over his head whilst walking down a hallway of tek toward the transport pod chamber, identifiable by the large cyan-glowing sign above the door that read; 'Transport pods'

"What makes you think that this time will be as bad as the last?!" The girl protested, frustration leaking into her voice. Maya had already heard they were preparing for yet another journey into the dark depths of the corrupted colony ship sectors, and so prepared herself with all her tools, weaponry, and equipment. Under one of her arms, she held her space helmet tightly.

"For I have begun to realize how dangerous this truly is. We've been through two scenarios now where you have nearly met death, and the only reason you're still living and breathing is because of miracles! There will not be a third miracle, I doubt the lord on that!"

The tek door slid upon as the crusader neared it, Maya still contently following right behind him. He came to a sudden halt as he stepped foot into the room on the other side.

"You must stay here with the rest, and with your family."

"But I don't want to sit around and do nothing while you guys go out there and help my dad! I can hold my own, I can help too!"

Johnson sighed now, and turned around to the girl, slowly raising a hand to the hologram pad beside the door. "You've been brought here so you can meet your father again. Not so you can die for him."

With the press of a button, the door slid back before Maya's face, and Johnson could catch a short glimpse of her frowning and pouting back at him.

Denying Maya the right to join them on this mission was tough for Johnson, it really was. For eight months, he had been a supportive caretaker and a tutor and had always allowed her to step over the line, so she could test her boundaries and her skill. But as said before, Johnson finally came to realize the gravity of their situation, and despite all they've survived up until now, he doubted they would last much longer. He had promised Maya she would be allowed to meet her father once more, but patience would be needed. This mission was a top priority, at this moment.

Johnson hauled open the airlock to one of the many transport pods, and squeezed himself through the small entrance, almost getting his cape stuck on his way in. Inside, on two fold-out benches, before a large window panel, sat the rest of Johnson's bizarre little squad.

A tek armored Terran federation agent in one seat, and a familiar survivor in the other, dressed in steel armoring, and his fingers tightly gripping around a burlap sack he had between his legs.

"How'd she take it?" Agent 47 asked Johnson as he took a seat next to the armored survivor.

"Not well. But it's for her own safety."

"So it's just us three then?" The survivor in the flak armor asked. His voice was slightly muffled as he spoke into his helmet that nearly covered his entire face. His bright green eyes and his jawline were all that could be seen from behind the mask.

"Aye," Johnson replied shortly, now sealing the airlock to the transport pod. "Chase will be in command of the nemesis vessel while we are away."

Once the crusader had settled in and found a seat, the transport pod began to rumble as it prepared for launch. Their destination had already been set, and the crew onboard the nemesis war vessel would ensure they safely arrived at their designated destination. The small thrusters on the transport pod now roared as it was released from the underbelly of the nemesis, and began slowly making its way toward the open hangar bay that led into the interior of the genesis colony ship. Through the window panel windshield of their transport, they could get an incredible view of the stars and planets beyond.

"Huh, strange to think how far we've come, hm? What do ye say, Bob?" Johnson forced in some small talk while they waited out the time of their ride.

"Ah well, I never thought I'd be going up against some kind of corruption out in deep space but here I am, I guess! I'm honestly just honored that I get the chance to help the chosen survivor out in some way or form. Hopefully, I can meet him before it's all said and done, too."

"Aaaahha, right, I forgot you haven't even met the man! What about you 47, pal? How are you feeling?"

Agent 47 hesitated to reply, taking a long minute to form any kind of response. "Anxious, that's for sure. We've come far, but this is definitely the end of the road."

"Understandably so... May I request a quick brief summary of our task at hand? My memory is playing devious games on me."

"Higher ups say there's life signals in the part of the colony ship. Many of them. We don't know awfully much yet, just that it's human. Could be surviving federation personnel, still holding up in the corrupted parts of the ship. It is of utmost importance that we make sure those people get out of there safely, unharmed. I won't let any more of my people die.", 47 explained as he put his hands on his tek rifle.

Johnson carefully nodded, commenting "Aye." before falling silent.

The rest of their trip remained awkwardly quiet, the three men keeping their thoughts to themselves, whilst mentally preparing for their upcoming mission.
It's really just an in-and-out mission, nothing more complicated than that. Traverse into the slimy depths of Rockwell's innards, extract the targets, and return to the nemesis before anyone gets hurt. Although to the three individuals who were going at this all alone, it felt more like a daunting task, one that could likely cost them their lives.

There was no help in feeling anxious though, they just had to go through with it and get it over with. The transport pod finally arrived at the hangar bay, floating its way into the gravity barriers before smashing into the ground below. The impact caused the pod to dig itself into the fleshy substance, causing it to let out various gasses, fumes, and acidic liquids, something the trio would have to avoid on their way out of the pod.

"Oh for fucksake," Agent 47 complained and coughed from the absolutely revolting stench of the Rockwell innards.

"I am certain I will never get used to this filth," Johnson added, doing the exact same thing.

Bob, however, maintained a stoic and rather calm demeanor, despite his grotesque surroundings. The countless eyes staring down at him from the walls and the ceilings, and the macro-organisms that made up the cells and organs of sir Edmund Rockwell simply didn't seem to faze him.

"What in the pope's name is with you, Bob?"

"Huh?" Bob raised an eyebrow at the crusader whilst throwing his burlap sack over his shoulder.

"You seem to not even acknowledge the hell we are in!"

"Oh, I've smelled worse in my time as a survivor. Nothing special here, just a bit strange with the meaty surfaces and the massive organs all around. That's definitely something I haven't seen before! Isn't this your second time here?"

"Yes, and-"

"And hopefully out last," 47 finished Johnson's sentence for him.

"Welp, come on then you two! Agent, show us the way!" Bob put one hand on his hip and waved in the direction of the nearest doorway, with his other hand. "Ladies first."

Their travels throughout the cavernous innards were as one would expect. Unpleasant and gut-wrenching. It wasn't Johnson and 47's first time in the hellish corruption, but it didn't make it any easier and more comfortable to traverse the acid fields and mountainous tumors that made up the majority of their surroundings. The one who had it the most difficult was the federation agent, who would get visibly and sometimes audibly uncomfortable, walking through areas and sections of the colony ship interior which he recognized and was very familiar with. Bob, however, seemed to be thriving, for some odd reason, asking if he could take samples of the innards to keep as trophies. The other two of course adamantly denied him this, but Johnson had to admit, a small flower of flesh and meat would certainly make for a very interesting trophy.

Johnson, keeping his agent friend in mind, turned to ask him if he was doing any well.
"How are you holding up, friend? If you need to sit down for a while, we can do so, just tell!"

"I'm fine, crusader. It's... just a bit miserable to see these familiar places all mangled and ruined, overgrown with this... shit." Chill went up the agent's spine as he stepped on a small tumor, popping it and releasing a yellow substance that stuck to the sole of his tek boot. "Urgh. This is disgusting."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully, once we regroup with the chosen survivor, and meet him in person, we can devise a plan to retake this colony ship and cleanse it of this satanic amalgamation!"

"If that's even possible," 47 Muttered to himself.

"Oh... shit, guys look at that." Bob suddenly stopped in his tracks and pointed at something that would scorch itself into the trio's minds, a sight so disturbing it would simply be unforgettable.

"Oh my lord..."

Scientists, armed soldiers, and even civilians alike, all perched up and speared on large stakes of sharp bone. Rows upon rows of humans, impaled and stacked upon each other like some sort of human-BBQ skewers. There were countless of them, hell, an entire field stretching as far as the eye could see, into the darkness. The three men stood at the foot of it all, looking up at all the molding, rotting corpses.