Astray Among The Stars

Chapter 49: Shattered

Solar Date: Friday, February 23 2198
Mission: Day 1601

Zarra paced about the infirmary, thinking to herself as she ran her fingers through her onyx hair. It wasn't Roger that concerned her. No, the boy had checked out yesterday with a clean bill of health. It was Sloan.

The astronaut was not well, not in the slightest. It happened yesterday. He changed in an instant. Something triggered him, a breakdown of rage and violence. Zarra sighed. One moment he was fine, eating with the others in the mess hall and in a split second he was on top of Tevra, throwing punches, then turning on Prill and Roger when they tried to restrain him. The attack was unprovoked and right in front of her. Perhaps the astronaut wasn't stable as everyone believed.

The outburst put the whole crew on edge. Snapping like that wasn't normal, if anything, psychotic, erratic and irrational.

Prill, Roger, Holloway, and Hersta had all voiced their concerns over Sloan before the incident. Maybe she should have listened. Maybe they should have never brought him onboard.  She sighed. It didn't matter now.

According to Sparky, Sloan may have an unconscious bias against aliens due to his isolation. Yet perhaps everything wasn't as the astronaut said. Maybe something happened on Kotara. Maybe the Tregatin Flu or radiation affected his mind. Perhaps he blamed Tevra for the Tregatin epidemic. Nobody knew, but these were all the theories she heard.

Zarra shook her head. Maybe he just had a mood swing after all these years. Perhaps the man was broken, hiding his true state well until the pressure built up and he finally snapped. She ran her hand through her curly onyx hair, an anxious sigh escaping her lungs. There would be no definitive answer until the astronaut would wake up.

* * *

Hersta stared out the mess hall window, her mind lost elsewhere. The double doors opened, followed by familiar footsteps. She crossed her arms, her worried gaze still focused on the glimmering stars.

"I told you I did not trust him, Prill."

"You were right. The Fates favor you."

"Any word on his condition?"

The soldier shook his head. "No. We do not know what happened. I do not like it."

"Me neither. I say we should space him."

"The captain said we need answers. Besides, the restraints in the infirmary are enough."

"Are you so sure, Prill? You and Roger were barely enough to pull him away from the Valorian slave, even after he was stunned. What if he escapes? He is a danger to all of us."

"That is true, but the restraints are made of metal, and they are bolted solid to the medical bed. He would need a tool to break free."

"We will see."

"You think he is that strong, as strong as an enraged Valmirian?"

"Anger knows no bounds. These Terrans could have heightened strength when enraged as do Valmirians, correct?"

"Perhaps. When Roger freed us, he had much anger in him. He alone defeated several P'Shari guards, even as a juvenile. He was shot and wounded."

"Impressive. The boy is quite a warrior."

"When he needs to be."

Hersta smiled. "It seems I have much to learn from them."

"Indeed."

* * *

"Hey, Tevs, how are you holding up?"

The Valmirian's dull eyes look up at him, her face a swollen topographic map of cuts and bruises. She sighed, her figure slumping in the medical bed. Roger took hold of her hand. She smiled.

"I fine."

"I'm sorry, Tevra. If I knew—"

"Not fault, Roger."

"I know. I just thought he was annoying, but now. . . ." Roger shook his head. "I should've never trusted him. We should've never brought him aboard."

The boy was right. The astronaut was nothing but a nuisance. Sloan would constantly talk and try to fit in, which only made him stand out more. Tevra disliked him, her opinion mainly founded on Roger's complaints. She did not truly talk to the astronaut, but even then, she did not appreciate his jokes about them, the constant taunting and embarrassment of her friend in front of others, even herself, made her agree with Roger. The releasal of Keltalis made her weary of the man. Yet his last act completely shattered her trust in him. It shattered everyone's trust. The astronaut was a danger. He had gone rogue.

Nobody liked Sloan; they only tolerated him. What he did pushed everyone over the edge. The weary crew despised him, and they wanted him gone.

Tevra sighed. Perhaps if she could forgive him, things would be different. Yet, deep down inside, she knew nothing could change. The captain had made her decision.

The Valmirian glanced over to the restrained and unconscious man. She should have never trusted him. It was strange that he would attack her. Why? What motive did he have? Tevra shuddered at that thought.

* * *

Marlin sat up, noticing his wife's side of the bed was empty. He stood up, stumbling over to the only dim light source in the room. He stood behind his wife, glancing at the monitor.

"It's one in the morning. What are you doing?"

"Searching."

"For what?"

"Sloan."

"Oh. Found anything?"

"He indeed went missing over a hundred years ago, but his body and spacecraft were never recovered."

"So you think it's definitely him?"

"I don't know. . . maybe. We'll have to do a DNA test, that way we'll—"

The ship's alarms blared, flashing scarlet lights illuminating the room.

"What is it?"

Zarra glanced at the wall console, the map alerting her of the danger's location. Her eyes widened with shock.

"It's Sloan."