The Seventh | A Dark Matter Fanfiction | Two (Portia Lin)

Chapter 68

The ship emerged from FTL travel with a jolt, its sleek hull glinting in the distant light of a nearby star. Inside the command center, Two and Five stood by the console, their expressions grave as they surveyed the planet below.

"Where are we? I thought we were going to a space station to resupply," Five asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Well," Two began, "the android informed me that you haven't heard from Six in a while. So, we decided to resupply and check in on him at the same time."

"Really?" Five's eyes brightened. "Thanks"

Two nodded. "You're welcome. However, I haven't been able to establish communication with the ground."

She turned to the android, "Can you get a signal?"

The android responded calmly. "No. There are no communication signals coming from the planet."

"That's strange," Two muttered, her brow furrowing. "Pull up a visual. Maybe their tower's been damaged."

Five leaned in closer to the console, "It... it looks fine to me."

"Wait a minute," Two said sharply, "Magnify."

The android complied, zooming in on a specific area of the planet's surface. As the image enlarged, Two and Five's eyes widened in shock.

"Those are bodies," Two whispered.

"Oh, my god..." Five choked out, her hands covering her mouth in shock. "Six!"

<>

The atmosphere inside the ship was tense, emotions running high as the crew grappled with the grim scene before them on the planet's surface. "My initial reading suggests some sort of chemical attack, but we'd need to head down to the planet's surface to confirm specifics," Android reported, its voice calm and precise.

Three voiced his concerns bluntly. "Are you kiddin' me?" he huffed, "We're not walkin' into a cloud of whatever-it-is wiped-them-all-out."

Five stood beside them, her eyes red with tears, the thought of Six's fate weighing heavily on her heart.

"I mean, we're not even sure Six was there when it happened, right?" Three continued, trying to temper the rising panic. "Let's not jump to conclusions."

Seven pulled Five close, offering her a comforting hug as she sobbed into his shirt.

Android interjected with its analysis, trying to provide reassurance amidst the uncertainty. "Most of the biological agent has dispersed. Danger should be minimal."

But Two, determined and resolute, knew they couldn't afford to wait. "I'll go," she declared, her voice firm.

Three's concern for her safety was immediate. "No, you won't go," he countered, his voice edged with worry.

Seven stared into her eyes, "Two, you're not invincible."

But Two stood her ground, her resolve unwavering. "We have to go down there, make sure," she insisted, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and concern. "We can't leave here without finding out if he's alive or dead."

Three relented, albeit reluctantly. "Fine, well, put on a space suit or somethin'," he grumbled.

Seven spoke up without hesitation. "If you're going, I'm going too," he declared firmly.

Two nodded, acknowledging his support. "Yes, okay," she agreed,

Android's voice broke the tension with an urgent announcement: "Receiving subspace transmission."