Splice (first draft)

Scene 58: Debriefing

Delta's knuckles are bandaged now and he's unmasked. He's in an angled tube-like sleeping apparatus with a glass cover and a soft-gel lining, eyes closed and wearing simple white clothes with a delta symbol on the chest, the black bands around his neck and wrists visible. There's a holoscreen above/in front of him, playing fast-forwarded memories of the last few days. Prometheus stands in front of the sleeping apparatus, watching the screen, images reflecting in her goggles. The room has no other features besides the semi-transparent door and the ventilation slits around the ceiling.

The memories reach the explosion, Nimo's entrance, chasing Sutton and Reed, tearing apart the hyperline dock terminal, retrieving his mask, the trip to the elevator, shifting to white as he moves through Impetus, and then black. The black continues for a few moments before Prometheus brushes her hand through the air, dismissing the holoscreen. The glass cover slides around the back, leaving him exposed. The apparatus is now angled completely upright. Delta opens his eyes and steps out.

Prometheus: They used your hemophilia against you.

Delta: Yes.

Prometheus: But they did treat you. Why did you make so few attempts to escape?

Delta: The half-life of the provided factor was lower, putting me at risk of bleeds. Early attempts to escape resulted in injury, a result of De la Rosa being able to sense my actions. A successful escape necessitated his absence.

Prometheus: A cautious approach. Logical, but your performance was unsatisfactory and you failed your objective.

Delta stares straight ahead and there is a moment of silence. Prometheus makes a hand gesture and the sleeping apparatus shifts, laying down flat and turning.

Prometheus: Sit.

Delta sits. He's no longer above eye level for her, possibly even below.

Prometheus: This ability to sense your actions...

Delta: Electroreception. Acute awareness of the electrical stimuli generated by people, limited awareness of inanimate objects. Aggravated by certain low-frequency, electromagnetic signals. 

Prometheus: [intrigued, making a note on a tablet] Hm...[recollecting focus] You spent a surprising amount of time watching the television. Why?

Delta's fingers curl slightly where they rest on the pad.

Delta: I suspect there are gaps in my social knowledge, things with potential use.

Prometheus: That would be a misguided suspicion. Given your current usage, you have no need for broad social skills, particularly not the kind you'd learn from general media.

Delta: It might offer insight into the actions of targets. External motivations beyond basic survival.

Prometheus: [looking down to write on a tablet] Such as?

Delta: How far an individual would extend themselves for another with which they have social bonds, such as a mother for a son...

Prometheus looks up from her writing. Delta expresses the barest hint of hesitance.

Delta: Or mates.

There's a pause.

Prometheus: You have a question.

Another pause.

Delta: Was the removal of my coupling instincts intentional?

Prometheus tilts her head ever so slightly.

Prometheus: We've done nothing so benign. [untilting head] While sexual instincts do pose potential distractions, they are minor and controllable, certainly not worth the effort to remove. Yours are still present.

Prometheus moves the tablet behind her back.

Prometheus: You don't usually ask these kind of questions.

Delta: I wish to learn from my failure.

Prometheus: [almost glib] Commendable, but I doubt your focus.

Another beat.

Prometheus: You will not be fielded until further notice, pending psychological review. Otherwise, you are permitted to use the facility as you did prior to this last...mission.

Prometheus leaves. The door slips closed. Delta's gaze falls.