Voidwalker Requiem

Chapter Six: Eve's Psychosis

"So what's next?" Ditto asks. Before Eve can answer, Lielle interrupts with devastating news. "Attention. The ship is currently operating on one thruster. We have approximately one hour until system failure." "Fuck. Hana what's the nearest planet from here?" Eve asks hastily. "Looks like Strara 8TM. Lielle, can you run a scan on it?" Lielle attempts to scan the planet, but the radar systems were fried in the asteroid shower. "Negative. Unable to scan Strara 8TM." She replies. Hana looks visibly stressed. "It's a gamble. The other planets are roughly 1.7 lightyears away."

"Well we might as well land on it. We don't have any other choice do we?" Eve says dejectedly. "Set course for it." Hana rips the collective, charging towards Strara 8TM. It was an eerily coloured planet. It was a hazy mauve green colour, with no moon, and an incredibly slow orbit, taking approximately 4,000 Alteris days to fully orbit the system's sun, Astraeus Prime.

After around 30 minutes they finally pierced through Strara 8TM's atmosphere. Once again, Hana ripped the collective, levelling out the ship to prepare for landing. The green fog blinded the cockpit windshield making it hard to see the rocky landscape. The landing gear creaked upon touching down on the surface. "Welcome to Strara 8TM. The Galaxy's black sheep—or green sheep." Hana says monotonically. Immediately after he opens the exit, the green fog enters the Dreadnought's cabin. Besides its foul smell, most of the crew remained unbothered by the fog; however, Eve found it particularly vexatious—toxic even.

Eve let out a blood curdling scream. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!!!???" She screeched. The crew stood still for a moment, frozen in absolute fear. Her veins popped out of her head, so defined you could see them pumping blood through her skin. She held her head in agony, falling to her knees to cope with the immense pain.

Lielle's voice cut through the chaos, calm but urgent. "Eve is experiencing Psychokinetic Hyper-Amplification Syndrome, or PHS. Strara 8TM's fog storms amplify psychic abilities to dangerous levels, disrupting mental balance. As a Ten user with telekinetic abilities, Eve's mind is overwhelmed by the planet's psychic energy, causing her to lose control."

"What does that mean?" Ditto asked, her voice shaking.

"It means," Lielle continued, "her telekinetic abilities are being amplified beyond her control. We need to get her out of the fog immediately before it causes permanent damage or worse. Grab the emergency oxygen tank from the storage. It might help her breathe more clearly."

Hana quickly retrieved the oxygen tank and mask, securing it over Eve's face. For a moment, her breathing steadied, and the tension in her body seemed to ease. But then, the oxygen supply began to dwindle far too quickly.

"FUCK! The tank isn't holding up! It's running out faster than it should," Hana shouted, panic rising in his voice.

"We need to move, now. There has to be a cave or some kind of cover nearby," Lielle instructed.

Asulan lifted Eve gently, her body still writhing in pain, her heart rate rising and veins still pulsating. The crew hurriedly left the ship, scanning the rocky terrain for any form of refuge. The green fog swirled around them, making it hard to see and breathe. Their mission had become a desperate race against time, battling both the elements and Eve's uncontrollable psychic outbursts.

Despite the oxygen mask, Eve's condition continued to deteriorate. The amplified psychic energy of Strara 8TM disrupted her usual mental defences, pushing her further into a state of psychosis. Her abilities ran rampant, causing objects to levitate and shatter around them, creating a chaotic and dangerous environment. The crew had to find a solution quickly, or risk losing Eve to the planet's overwhelming psychic influence.

As the crew stumbled through the dense fog of Strara 8TM, they finally found a small cave nestled in a crater. The rocky shelter provided temporary respite from the toxic environment. Asulan gently set Eve down, her body still convulsing with uncontrollable psychic energy. Hana and Ditto huddled close, trying to figure out their next move.

"We can't stay here. This cave won't protect her for long," Hana said, his voice strained with worry.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared at the cave entrance. The crew tensed, ready for a potential threat.

"Are you guys okay!?" called the stranger, their voice echoing oddly in the confined space. "Looks like you folks could use some help."

Hana stepped forward, cautious. "Who are you?"

The stranger stepped into the dim light of the cave, revealing a tall, lean figure in a worn-out suit. Their eyes glimmered with an unsettling mix of curiosity and calm. "Name's Aric. I'm from a nearby colony. We have a clinic that can help your friend."

Ditto narrowed her eyes. "Why would you help us?"

Aric shrugged, a strange smile playing on their lips, revealing from behind the helmet's windshield. "We don't get many visitors. Consider it a neighbourly gesture. Besides, it looks like she's in bad shape."

Lielle's holographic form flickered beside them. "Eve needs immediate medical attention. We don't have much choice."

Aric nodded. "Follow me. We'll take care of her."

Reluctantly, the crew followed Aric through the treacherous terrain. They reached a small, unassuming outpost nestled among the rocks. The place had an eerie stillness to it, as if it were a forgotten relic of a bygone era.

Aric led them to the clinic, a stark and sterile room with minimal equipment. "Lay her here. We'll get her stabilised."

Hana hesitated. "We need to stay with her."

Aric shook their head. "Only medical personnel allowed inside. Trust me, she's in good hands."

The crew exchanged uneasy glances but had no other options. They watched as Eve was wheeled into a back room, the door closing with a soft but ominous click.

"You can wait in the lounge. I'll keep you updated," Aric said, gesturing to a dimly lit room with sparse furniture. "Make yourselves comfortable."

As Aric disappeared into the clinic, the crew sat in uneasy silence. The sterile, somewhat welcoming environment did nothing to calm their nerves. Ditto's eyes darted around, noting the strange, almost clinical precision of the place.

"I don't like this shit," she muttered. "Something feels off."

"We have to trust them for now," Hana replied, though his voice lacked conviction.