Eden's Enigma

Chapter 4: Interrogation; Integration

Disclaimer: I do not profit from Ridley Scott's Aliens, Aliens: Covenant, or Prometheus franchise. I do however own exclusive rights to plot changes, original characters, and new/ supporting ideas created by me, Galaxy Barbie.

Shaw awakes from the coma with her eyes dilating to the brightness of the room, and the following stings bringing the doctor to her senses. She notice an elderly man and woman sitting by her bedside, a few soldiers posted outside the room's entrance, and a female nurse walking back and forth carrying out various tasks around Shaw. They are not human. And this wasn't a dream. Get your shite together Shaw, you've been through this already. She gripes in her head. But the horror of it all never gets old and always finds new ways to grip her seething heart. In a bit of shock, Elizabeth starts to stare up at the white ceiling, trying to reason with herself about the events that took place, but a voice broke the empty silence.

"Dr. Shaw how are you feeling." The voice is coming from the elder male to her right. Shaw turns her head towards his direction. He wore a grey toga with a beautifully beaded gold necklace, the same as the elder woman to the right of him.

Her voice aches, "Tired, but better." Elizabeth's head turns to the opposite direction where she notices a wall of glass with an audience of engineers were observing them, most likely scientists. One stood out from amongst the crowd; a male dresses in black jacket and tunic, with his eyes staring right back at her, bringing Elizabeth unwelcoming chills down her spine.

Pasmae's voice gained her attention again, "That is great to hear Elizabeth. May we call you by your first name?"

"Yes." Shaw's voice croaks, "You can communicate through dreams? Speak English?"

The elderly woman agrees, "We can. Only members of the Elder Council can communicate though dreams."

"You're Elder Pasmae and Elder Enol from my . . . conversations?"

"Yes we are. We are glad you remember us." The elder male engineers spoke up.

Elizabeth stares blankly as he continues to speak, "We want you to know how truly honored we are by your bravery; to have come this far to warn us about the bio-contamination. If you didn't we all would have perished. We have a lot to be thankful for right now."

Shaw shakes her head slightly, "I'm flattered but I'm no hero- you know that." She winces again feeling the achy burden of being bed reddened, "How long was I in a coma?"

Master Enol states, "A little longer than one month."

"Huh." She sighed. Jesus, better than a year or two, she keeps to herself.

Shaw's mind suddenly flutters with another dire question, "Please, I need to know. What happened to your people? Was this your home-planet? Did we leave the planet?!" She nearly lifts herself from resting position to sitting upwards. Enol grabs her shoulders to keep her from flying off the hovering platform bed.

He reassures her, "Yarsa is not our home planet- it is a starter colony. Unfortunately it was too late. Orcha, this city you now reside in, is a newer construction and does not have the naval juggernaut docks like our larger sister city Arckudelle." Elizabeth was somewhat relived by the news but it doesn't take away the devastation she brought to them. Enol sighs, "There were no survivors- your ex android companion made damn sure of that."

A few tears fluttered down Shaw's cheeks and onto her medical gown. Master Pasmae recounts, "More importantly Arckudelle also has all major superluminal communications with the Royal Empire and the galactic federation. Our communications with them died when the city was hit. Someone in Arckudelle did send out a quarantine beacon which in return both the empire and federation deemed this planet on a full scale quarantine."

Shaw sucks in a breath of air, chilling her voice as she speaks, "We are stuck here to die?"

Pasmae places a hand on the doctor's cheek before adding nods, "Yes and no. But Elder Enol and I have conducted a plan to establish communications once the contaminate settles."

Elizabeth's eyes light up with a flinch, "How?"

Enol adds, "It will involve you and an elite team of soldiers. You are not required to do it if you choose not to-"

"I will do it." She cuts in, "I will give my life to save your people. This was my fault. I should have never trusted David. I should have ended all of this back on LV 223."
The male elder agrees, "We know Dr. Shaw. We have felt your pain and so has the people in this city."

"I don't understand?" Shaw inquires.

He explains, "Yes a trial was conducted while you were in comatose. The verdict was reached in favor of your innocence. It is the AI who is our true enemy."

Taken back by Master Enol's word, Elizabeth is left speechless and frozen in their scrutiny.

Master Pasmae hugs the small human woman, "You are our hero here Dr. Shaw. We hope your stay here with us is accommodating."

"I'm sorry," Shaw croaks, "I just don't know what to say. It's just where will I go?"

"I'm pretty sure you will remember Commander Askara?"

Confused, Elizabeth stands up from the bed with wobbly shakes, "I'm not so sure if I-"

"Of course you do." Elizabeth is cut off by an unfamiliar male voice speaking in nearly perfect English. She turns around to locate where it was coming from when she spots a male engineer walking towards her. "You meet me at the city's entrance a month and a half ago. You relayed communications to me, warning us about pending bio-contamination storm just in time."

Elizabeth marveled at the obvious size difference, for his gaze hovered over hers. She began to notice he's dressed in a less menacing garb than when they first meet. He wore a dark greyish black shirt with all black form fitting jacket, form-fitting trousers and boots. He wore a complex aqua pendulum that hang loosely around his neck. It reminded Elizabeth of her father's cross, she missed it so deeply; feeling as if a piece of her heart was also missing.

The officer salutes her, "I greet you on the behalf of the Vaimerian Royal Navy, the Vamierian Royal Fleet, and the behalf of all citizens of our city, Orcha. May your heart find peace in the universe in the light of Ena. My name is Commander Nargul Askara, I am pleased to meet your acquaintance Dr. Shaw." Commander Askara releases his salute and looks down upon the human scientist once more.

Shaw was still marveled by his appearance that she nearly forgot to say something in return, "I'm so terribly sorry, where my manners? I'm still a bit shocked over this. I'm also pleased to meet you as well. Please call me Elizabeth."

He nods, "Ele-zu-beeth."

Shaw weakly smiles, "Close enough. You can call me Ellie if you like."

"Ellie," He pronounces perfectly, "I am pleased to meet you. You may call me by my first name Nargul."

"Nargul." Elizabeth pronounces. The commander gives her a slight worried look, which catches her off guard until Master Enol speaks again, "Commander Nargul Askara will be your sponsor, just like an intergalactic relations exchange on other myriad worlds. He has already arranged a designated living corroders in his home to fit your proportions. Along with clothing, food, and other necessities."

Master Pasmae concludes, "Since you have made a full recovery, you will be leaving the hospital today. It has been wonderful to see you fully awake. We will leave you in Nargul's hands." As both masters left her bedside to exit the room, something within Shaw panicked her thoughts, "Wait! Please! I need to know- did you create humanity? How, why? Why did your people leave us?"

Both elders looked at each other over her sudden destress. Enol turns his gaze towards Elizabeth and kindly smiles, "That is for another time my child-"

"Please!" Elizabeth tries to follow them towards the exit but nearly falls to the ground, still weakened from her comatose. Nargul catches her before she hits the ground, lifting her up as she continues to passionately shout I risked my life and everything I am! Everything I know- after everything I did to get here -"

"In due time." Enol promises her, "We trust you will have patience, and once you have fully recovered, you will know where to find us both."

The two grand masters walked out of the hospital room, leaving Elizabeth embarrassed over the seemingly childish outburst. She thanked Nargul for catching her fall. He gave her a few moments to stand and catch her breathe. This wasn't her, this isn't who she is as an objective scientist. The elders are right, she thought. She needed time to not only physically recover, but mentally.

As soon as Ellie walked out of the hospital, the whole town of people were there to greet her. They all raised their left hand and rejoiced praises of thank you's. Her dread eyes showed little twinkles of light, but the sorrow of her mistakes still haunts her, even if it has been a month and a half.

As soon as they got to the vehicle, Nagul helped Ellie into the front set then closed the door, walking over to the taking driver's seat, where he starts up the vehicle's holographic display and begins driving. Five minutes into the ride and the car is very quiet, past the point to make Elizabeth uncomfortable. She watches the buildings pass buy and marveled over their strange architecture which was slightly different from the glimpses of what she saw in Acrkudelle. People were walking by carrion out their jobs or various tasks around the city. It almost excited Shaw to witness extraterrestrial life that was similar to her own species. A moment later, Elizabeth finally musters up the courage to ask, "So you're a naval officer? Like a space marine?"

No replies, just silence. Nargul never took his eyes off the road as he continues to guide the vehicle to their destination. Shaw manage to catch a glimpse of his tightening jaw, making her feel awkward and worried. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"Let me make this very clear, Dr. Shaw." Nargul sharply states, with his voice deep and effervescent. Elizabeth accidentally turns her head towards his direction but knew nothing about their customs and didn't wish to stare. She quickly turns her hear towards the passenger window while he speaks, "You are an uninvited guests in my home. Against my formal complaint to Elder Enol myself, I am forced to keep you as a suitor. You are never call me by my first name- I will be addressed as Ashara in public and in private. And you will speak unless spoken to. Do you comply?"

Elizabeth's eyes quivered, absorbing this shocking information, "Yes."

Nargul's grip tightens on the steering wheel whitening his hefty knuckles to the brightest hue, his voice bolstering "Yes what?"

"Yes . . . Ashara." The human scientist bit the innards of her lip. This was serious. The Commander she was reintroduced in the hospital ward moments ago was a lie. She saw the hints and choose to ignore it. What the bloody hell did I get myself into? She thought.

"Good." He took pleasure in exacting authority, "For now, you will keep your mouth shut, I don't even what to hear you breathe. It's bad enough I have to smell your human stench let alone speak this horrid language by mouth."

Elizabeth is in utter disgust by his statement. So far for first contact. Before she could think of anything proper to move forward with he announces, "We have arrived. Get out."

Suddenly the seat belts detract from their bodies and the vehicle doors dissipate. Still weak from her health, she takes her time getting out without hurting herself. Elizabeth looks around the substantial futuristic glass and porcelain home that looked to be a few stories high with exotic foliage and massive trees surrounding the house. For a brief moment Elizabeth awed at its beauty, it was too bad she wouldn't fully enjoy her stay. For she felt the pending fear of Ashara at every turn. The doctor turned to the commander, whose stare was devastatingly assaulting her body with pure hatred. This made Elizabeth feel less than; less than a doctor; less than a woman; less than human. In this brief moment of dread, she felt lifeless in his eyes.

He then turns and swiftly strides to the front door. Elizabeth manages to keep up with him without fainting. Once inside the home, Elizabeth dares not to say another word. "Follow." He simply states. She keeps up as best as she can, taking in every last detail she could along the way. The house was massive. For a human, the size difference between her and Nargul was obvious, but this hose was made for someone with a high rank or status. As they entered the main den area, lights slowly illuminated the area and a once blank white wall dissolved into a massive window overlooking a lake and surrounding forest, filled with beautifully strange foliage unbeknownst to Elizabeth. This place is an absolute paradise. The human doctor found herself distracted once more by this alien planet, her body wanting to take in the view, she limps forward almost leaning on the glass before Ashkara's boisterous voice seizes her body. "Do NOT lean on the glass human."

She turns to him, without looking directly in his eyes. He commands again, "Come."

Elizabeth followers him once more to a section to the right of the home, still on the first floor, door slides open, revealing a large bedroom with human proportionally sized furniture. She watches as he hovers his hand over a panel, revealing a closet filled with clothing, shoes and necessities. Another few steps away revealed a bathroom with a floor lever bathtub with a water source that ran like a waterfall or a shower.

After Askara showed her all of the features without a word he left the room with Elizabeth following right behind. They made their way back to the den area where he sternly addresses her once more, "You are only allowed to be in this section of the house and the bedroom I showed you." His obsidian orbs searches her hazel ones, "If I ever catch you on the left side of the house, or upstairs on the second floor, or even smell you near, I will kill you human."

Something coldly snaps into Elizabeth. Something she has held back for a long time. She has suffered worse fate than this- infertility, an abomination of a fetus, and the countless strikes against her life. I could have been dead a long time ago. If they wanted to kill me they would have done so already, the doctor figured. Then it snapped again. The pain and sorrow, and the regret of past mistakes she has made. Elizabeth coldly laughs, catching the Commander off guard. He keeps his intense glare upon the alien woman who is mocking him, in his own home. When Elizabeth stopped her sore chuckles she sighs, "You bastard."

Obsidian eyes size her up, "Excuse me?"

She smiles, "I GET IT." Her psychotic break turns deadly, "You don't trust me. Why should you? I brought death to this planet and condemned everyone to die! Do you absolutely think I wanted this for myself? Or for your sake? I came here looking for God because I was too weak to see that your people are nothing like him." It felt damn good to get it off her mind, breathing inward she continues, "We are both the same, you and I. Flesh and bone. It's going to take a lot to get whatever hate you are holding against me out! I'm not going to let you victimize me! We are both survivors here weather you like it or not-"

"GET FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE HUMAN!" the commander grievously bellow.

If Elizabeth hadn't already faced terror in it many forms, she would have quivered to the floor by his outburst, instead the doctor wickedly sneers, "Gladly."

Part 3 coming soon! ( O – O )

P.s. don't worry, the angst will be over soon! How would you feel if you've faced death too many times, lost everything and have killer AI as a fake friend?