Terrors in Subnautica II; Humanity Reconstructed(Complete)

Part 9: The Kharaa

"Are you sure you're okay? Your rash is only getting worse." Mark asked.

Amy sighed heavily, before smiling tiredly.

"Finding Chase is the most important thing right now. And both N/N and Duke will be there right? We can ask them to take a look at me. What better place could I be than in their capable hands?"

Mark hugged her gently, trying to shut out his worries for now. When Y/N knocked on the door, Amy lead mark out so they could be on their way.

"I wonder where Michael is." Seán whispers.

Mark briefly wonders the same, before shrugging it off as him just being busy. His focus shifting back to Amy's pale face.

Amy tried to smile through her pounding headache, attempting to ignore the dull pain of her bones as they walked on.

"Are you alright, dear?" Duke asked.

"Yeah, do you need to sit down?" Y/N's brow furrowed.

"I was actually going to ask if you guys cou-"

Mark feel to his knees as he barely managed to catch Amy's collapsing body. Panic ran through his mind as he nearly screamed for his friend's help.

Amy's unconscious body lay pale, covered in sweat, and running a fever of just under 101. Duke and Y/N immediately dissolve into hyper focus as they try to stabilize her.

"Call the others." Y/N calmly commanded.

"What? What's going on, what's wrong with her!?" Mark questioned frantically.

After sending out an energy wave, every other mutant-member of the council appeared looking anxiously unnerved. Before Mark could ask again, Caroline appeared and sent everyone through a portal to a specialized hospital.

Mark's frantic panic quickly melted into a steeled resolve, as he took to helping carry Amy to the bed. Every step of the way, Mark was by her side. Helping in any way he physically could, until the whirlwind of frantic movement and activity came to a halt.

According to the doctors by the door, it had already been hours, but it only felt like minutes. Mark glanced over the IV drips, medication bag, and various machines hooked up to his fiancé as she lay comatose.

Jumping at the sudden hand on his shoulder, he finally calmed his mind at the sight of Duke.

"We stopped the progression in it's tracks and are treating her symptoms, but since we don't really know what it is we don't have a cure for it yet." The elder calmly spoke.

"How do we find out what it is? Or the cure?" Mark asked weakly.

"We have to find out where it came from, "Y/N spoke up," I have something important to tell you all."

In the midst of the chaos Mark had nearly forgotten their other friends were also in the room. Regardless, everyone sat quietly as Y/N took a seat herself. The unreadable look they hadn't seen in months once again resting on her face, brought an uneasy feeling to the room.

"I spoke to Caroline, and we realized something. Beth has been getting migraines, Seán and I have been dealing with itching and pain in isolated areas, and now this."

Everyone stared at her, fear on their minds as they began realizing the gravity of their situation.

"The only place we could all have gotten sick.."

"Subnautica." Duke sighed heavily.

"I think someone involved in creating the planet was part of the Mutant Incipiency. They must have created a virus based on the Kharaa and made it so no one would detect it until much later."

"So.. we have to go back?" Beth asked, in trepidation.

Both Duke and Y/N nodded. Before anyone could ask any questions Caroline entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we have a ship ready for you."

"Wait, if we can teleport why do we need a ship?" Felix asked.

"Well for one, we don't know if this disease is contagious or not. For all we know, your having ben home for these past few months could have set off a pandemic without us even knowing it. Not to mention N/N's ability isn't refined enough to safely bring you all home."

The weight of her words all but punched the air out of everyone's lungs. Venus moving to comfort Sam and Beth to control their growing panic.

"We need a traceable point we can have on hand to retrieve the cure that should be available on that planet. Thankfully the people who usually do those things, find it funny to dangle a solution in front of your face just out of reach. It's not a strong theory to rely on, but it's all we have right now. While you're all away we will be working on our own cure."

Once everyone started gathering themselves, she continued.

"The second reason, is that there's no guarantee that once you need us to open a portal we will be available to do so. A lot of shady things have been happening that we've had to start looking into, and I don't want to risk stranding you over there for a second time."

As soon as she finished her sentence Beth threw herself to her feet and ran out of the room, Sam and Venus following close behind. While Caroline felt bad for them, she knew they would be kept in the building by the other workers.

"I need you to promise me you'll keep looking for him." Y/N quietly spoke, catching everyone's attention.

Caroline and Y/N's steady eye contact melted into a mutual understanding, just as it did the first time they met. With a nod from Caroline, Y/N's resolve to find the cure set in.

"We have the ship stocked with everything you'll need, so as soon as you're ready you can take off."

"Mistress." Two workers interrupted, kneeling to Caroline before addressing the room.

"We have determined that everyone will be fit to travel, even Ms. Nelson, as she's been stabilized."

"Thank you." She responded.

The two workers slightly bowing their heads, backing out of the room. The confusion of her treatment fell between everyone outside of Duke and Y/N, before being brushed asside in favor of more important matters.

"We will find the cure," Mark pipped up, "We will find it, and we will bring it back with us. We're more than capable, and I'm sure that just like me you're all more than willing."

Felix smiles at him, proud of his friend's seemingly endless strength and determination.

"Should I stay behind? It's not exactly going to be a safe trip." Marzia asked, gently rubbing her stomach.

"I know it may sound harsh, but you have to go. You could be infected as well, and as such getting the cure as soon as possible is what's best and safest for you and your children." Caroline responded.

Marzia nodded in acknowledgement, Y/N giving a confused and slightly suspicious look to Caroline. She knows the fifth would never put someone with high risk like Marzia in dangers way without a good reason, and somehow it feels like the virus isn't the only thing on her mind.

Several minutes of discussion later, Venus and the others finally return. Beth having obviously been crying. Y/N couldn't help but notice how frantically her thoughts still vibrated.

"Amy will be allowed to remain asleep for takeoff, so we will have her strapped in a special bed to keep her secure."

Everyone nods as some of the nurses come in to roll Amy out. Almost an hour later everyone is finally boarding the ship and strapping in for takeoff. Y/N would have been giddy to be back in the ship she learned to fly with if not for the reason they we're there.

"Please, be careful."

"Don't worry Caroline, we will be." N/N smiled.

Takeoff was smooth, and devoid of problems. They could only hope that the rest of their trip would be as well.