First draft
When Dia reached the sickbay, Omen was lying on a bed. He was wearing a respirator, and some weird electrodes were sticking out of his skull. Aside from that, he looked fine, though his face was a bit pale. Sarah, the ship's doctor, was sitting close to him. She was so focused on Omen that she didn't notice her. Only when Dia cleared her throat, she looked up.
"How is he?" Dia asked.
"Stable. Nothing changed." Sarah's voice was flat, lacking strength.
Dia observed her closely. Sarah's brow was creased, her clothes and hair disheveled, sweat beading her forehead. She was nothing like the composed woman Dia had met a few days ago.
"How long have you know him?" Dia asked softly.
Sarah let out a sigh, stretching her arms over her head, "About six months, I guess? I was still living in Dacoma at the time."
Dia bobbed her head, "Dacoma? Is it...a planet?
Sarah faked a smile, "Sorry, sometimes I forget you weren't born here. Yes, it's a small planet, about two or three hundreds thousand miles from here. A real hellhole."
Dia raised an eyebrow, "Worse than Daxum?"
"If you asked me that a week ago, I would have said yes, without a doubt. But now? After everything that has happened?" She shook her head, "I don't know anymore."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Sarah resumed staring at Omen, her gaze oddly melancholic.
"You know, I used to hate the people who lived here, on Daxum I mean." Sarah said after a while. She spoke softly like she was trying to remember something that happened a long time ago, "I wanted to drag them down into the mud, to suffer like I did. In reality, I was envious. Deep down, I just wanted to be one of them, live like them. I thought that the Nostromus was my chance to leave everything behind, start afresh, but when I finally managed to run away, this happened." She laughed at herself, "What they say is true. Karma is a bitch."
Dia frowned, "You were envious? Why?"
"You're from the Empire. You can't really understand." Sarah's smile faded, her tone hardening, "Around here, having someone like the Umbra a the top of the food chain is considered a blessing."
"You can't be serious." Dia exclaimed, "He is a mass murderer!"
Sarah nonchalantly wrapped a curl around her finger and shrugged, "Who cares? He maintains order, keeps the gangs in line. The alternative is way worse. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."
"There is no Spice lord in Dacuma?"
"Not really. Sure, there are many wannabe tyrants, but none of them is strong enough to rule. Dacuma is a barren rock, but those assholes managed to make things worse. They fight for territory, drugs, power, and the common people get dragged in the middle."
Dia opened her mouth but then closed it.
"I don't bite." Sarah joked, "If you have something to say, say it."
"No, I..." Dia shook her head, "it's best if I don't. I've been too quick to judge in the past. Much of what I believed to be true turned out to be false. I don't want to make the same mistake again."
"Really? And how's that going?" Sarah asked with a hint of sarcasm, but Dia answered seriously.
"It's hard." She admitted.
"I bet it is." Sarah nodded absentmindedly, staring into the space, "Trying to change yourself is the hardest thing in the world."
"Sounds like you're speaking from experience" Dia pointed out.
Sarah just stared at her, the smile on her face a bit ambiguous, "Tell me, how old do I look to you?"
Dia was temporarily stumped, the question throwing her off balance, "I don't know...thirty-five years old?"
Sarah gave a bitter laugh, "I'm twenty-six."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"No, really, it's fine." She waved her hand dismissively, "This is just the result of the choices I made."
"Choices?"
"Yes, choices." She repeated, in her eyes a tinge of...regret? "Have I ever told you how I met Omen?"
Dia shook her head, but she looked befuddled. The conversation was taking a weird turn.
"I worked for a gang at the time. In theory, I was their chemist, but in reality, I was just a junkie waiting for her next fix."
"A gang? Really?" Dia blurted out, unable to hide her shock.
Sarah was pretty, but not excessively so. She was too common to be called beautiful, yet she had a kind of understated beauty, hard to notice at first, but impossible to forget. She looked more like the wife of a high ranking bureaucrat living in the imperial city than a doctor, or worse, a chemist working for pirates. Even now, after spending most of the night at Omen's bedside, she still looked oddly dignified.
Dia shook her head, "Sorry but..."
"Hard to believe, right?" Sarah looked amused, "But it's the truth. Well," She amended, "part of it at least. Anyway, the first time I met him, Omen was just a rookie. He and other mercs arrived on Dacuma to do a little pest control."
"Pest control?" Dia involuntarily tensed.
I have a bad feeling about this.
"Around here, it's a slang for killing someone, though in this case, it means to wipe out the entire gang, killing everyone affiliated with it. Men, women, even the children most of the gangs use as couriers. Everyone." She said in a toneless voice like she was just stating the facts, but she was gripping the arm of the chair.
Dia recoiled, "Children? Don't tell me he..."
"He didn't do it, of course." Sarah assured her, " He only killed those who deserved to die. Except..." She paused, her voice cracking as she lowered her head, trying to hide her tears, "...for one person."
"Sarah..." Dia whispered.
"It's funny. I think that was the only time Omen ever breached a contract." She said, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, "I should have died that day, but Omen spared me. He gave me a second chance, helped me to get clean. That's the kind of man he is."
"Sarah, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, but..."Dia crossed her arms over her chest, staring at her with suspicion, "...why are you telling me this?"
"I just want you to see the truth." Sarah paused, "I don't know what happened between you two, but..."
"Don't." Dia sternly warned, "You don't know what he did to me."
"He is a good guy." Sarah insisted.
"He left me!" She snapped, her face contorting as that boundless fury fueled her, "He knew where I was, he just didn't care! He knew better than anyone what lurked in those tunnels, but he still left me there, in the dark...with those things."
"There must be a reason if..."
"Of course, there is! He was trying to complete his mission, whether that means!"
Dia's chest rose and fell with rapid breath as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Sarah, on the other hand, wasn't in a hurry.
She waited for her to calm down before saying, "I think you're taking this the wrong way. Maybe he didn't try to save because he knew you would make it."
"So what?"She looked at her sideways, "Should I be honored he left..."
"What I'm trying to say is...just give him a chance, Dia. Try to trust him. You won't regret it."
"Trust is earned, Sarah." She remarked.
Sarah sighed, "You're disappointed, I get it. But he still helped you, didn't he?"
Dia nibbed at her lips. She couldn't deny that.
"Dia," Sarah put a hand on her shoulder, "I haven't known him for long, but I think I know how his mind works. Trust me, Omen is not that kind of person. He doesn't leave people behind."
Dia backed away, "Then I suppose he made an exception."
Sarah shook her head, but she didn't try to convince her anymore.
The conversation was stalling when the door opened, and Dia found herself face to face with the mercenaries.
"Willis and..." She furrowed her brows, too tired to remember the woman's name.
"Sweetheart" Rodriguez smirked at her, "you forgot about me already?"
Although Rodriguez was on the short side, she was also muscular, wore no make-up, and her voice was deep like a man. Therefore, when she came forward, shoving Willing aside before stopping in front of her, Dia involuntarily took a step back.
"I'm sorry but..." She trailed off, forcing a smile as she looked at Rodriguez.
Dia looked uncomfortable. Up close, the merc looked like a pretty boy, and she was standing too close to her for Dia's taste.
"Don't worry, sweetheart, I understand." She flashed her a smile, her eyes glinting with mischief as threaded a hand through Dia's hair.
Maybe it was because Dia had spent most of her life in the Navy where women were still a minority, but she didn't know how to react. She froze like a deer in the headlight, too stunned to react while Rodriguez toyed with her hair like they belonged to her.
"Rodriguez, stop teasing her." Willis scolded.
Rodriguez huffed, removing her hand, "You're no fun."
Dia and Sarah exchanged a glance, simultaneously shaking their heads as they observed the odd pair. It was like their roles were reversed.
"Anyway..." Dia cleared her throat, "why are you here?"
"We are visiting, of course." Rodriguez pointed at Omen.
Dia raised an eyebrow, "Visiting? But didn't you..." She looked at Willis, but the mercenary averted his gaze, "...hate him?"
"I know right?" Rodriguez looked at Willis, nudging him with her elbow, "Hey, don't you have something to say?"
"Stop pushing me." Willis hissed, but Rodriguez just grinned.
"Sorry about him, he is timid." She said to Dia, "Come on, say it."
Willis gave her a dirty look, but at that moment, Rodriguez was very busy inspecting her nails, which was odd considering she was still wearing her gloves.
Willis sighed, "I wanted to apologize to him."
Dia tilted her head, puzzled, "Apologize? To Omen?"
Willis looked uncomfortable but managed to give a stiff nod, "Yeah...well, It's true that he left us to fend for ourselves, and that because of him that killer mist almost liquefied us..."
Rodriguez faked a cough, "Stay on topic."
"...but I still want to apologize." Willis continued without bothering about Rodriguez, "I'm no tech, so I don't know exactly what happened, but I heard we are alive because of him." He walked toward Omen's bed, "So, well...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."
"See?" Rodriguez patted him on the shoulder, "It wasn't that hard, right?"
Apparently, however, Willis had reached the limit of his endurance.
"Tell him that we are even now." He grumbled to Dia.
Rodriguez clicked her tongue, "Here you go again. Don't worry," She winked at Dia, "He is just shy."
"Rodriguez!" Willis shouted, but his face was flushed.
"What?!" Rodriguez shouted back, "And stop shouting. We are in a sickbay, remember?"
"Stop spouting nonsense."
"Nonsense? I'm just telling the truth. Besides, I don't think she minds," Rodriguez gave her a lopsided grin, "Right, sweetheart?"
Willis rolled his eyes at her, "God, Rodriguez, give it a rest. She is straight."
Dia couldn't help but smile, their interactions dispelling her bad mood.
"Anyway," Rodriguez said after a while, "How is he going?"
"He is still unconscious," Sarah answered.
"Oh, then maybe we..." Willis glanced at Rodriguez, "We should go."
"No, stay." Dia raised her hand, "I was about to leave"
She was headed for the door when Sarah said, "Dia, wait. Can you go to Omen's room?"
Dia tensed, "What for?"
Sarah pointed at Omen's chest. His shirt was torn. "He will need some clothes if he..." wakes up.
Dia let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, "Of course."
"The door's code is 681."
She had just walked through the door when she heard Rodriguez saying, "Look, he is opening his eyes!"
Dia stilled.
"Omen." Sarah said, "Can you hear me?"
"What happened?" Dia heard him mumbling.
"What do you remember?" It was Sarah again. She sounded relieved.
"I...I was in the engine room. Reyes needed my help to get past the blockade. I was on the Chair and then...then..." Dia could hear him breathing heavily, his voice shaking.
"Ssh, it's fine, everything is fine." Sarah coaxed him, "Just relax now."
"What about the Collective? Did we...?"
"Everything is fine." She repeated, "We are safe. Go back to sleep."
The room fell silent. After a minute or two Dia heard Sarah sighing.
"He is asleep." She said quietly.
"Do you think he..." Willis trailed off.
"I want to run some more tests but...he should be fine."
They kept talking, but Dia stopped listening. She walked away, heading to Omen's room.
Omen's room suited his personality. It looked spartan, neat and organized, though it was a bit empty and impersonal. Even after several days, it still looked squeaky-clean, the sharp odor of disinfectant hitting her nostrils as she walked through the room, heading for the drawer. Then she halted, her gaze falling upon the object on the nightstand. Omen had very few personal effects, and that's why that thing seemed so out of place.
"A book?"
It was made of paper, just like those books in Reyes' quarters.
"Did he borrow it?" She wondered as she picked it up.
The cover was consumed, the title illegible, but as she looked at the image of a ship sailing underwater, she had a strange sense of deja vu. She was leafing through the book when something fell out of it. It was a picture, and not just any picture.
"Is that...Omen?"
There were three people in that picture: a man, a woman, and a baby. The man seemed happy, smiling at the camera. He looked younger, maybe twenty years or something, but it was Omen. Dia was sure of it.
"I can't believe it...he is wearing his wedding band."
However, the surprises weren't over. There was something on the back of the picture. A sentence. Dia sucked in a quick breath, the book falling from her hands as she leaned against the wall. The smoke, the shape of the ship, the fact that Reyes didn't like to read and yet his quarters was filled with books, even that odd name---everything made sense now.
"Son of a bitch..." She whispered, gnashing her teeth as she searched for an outlet for her rage.
Her gaze fell upon the drawer on her left. She abruptly kicked it and kept kicking it until it was just a pile of scrap metal. She was panting, perspiration shining on her brow, but her anger wasn't assuaged.
She ran back to the sickbay. Then she glanced inside. The mercenaries were already gone, and Omen was sleeping, but there was someone sitting close to him. Sarah. She saw her holding his hand and snapped, barging in like a fury.
Sarah jolted upright, "Dia, what..."
"Turn off the security cameras," She hissed, her gaze lingering on Omen like she wanted to tear him apart, "and get out."
Sarah must have realized something was wrong and put herself between Omen and Dia, "What do you want to do?"
"Don't ask questions. " Dia replied, as she tried to keep her anger under control, "Just do as I said."
She felt strange, the tips of her fingers and her gums itching like her own body was slipping out of control. Sarah, on the other hand, didn't seem impressed.
She put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin, staring at her without fear, "No. First, tell me what you want..."
Yet, she made a mistake. She wasn't dealing with a human being at the moment, but something much more primal, and that something had taken her defiance as a challenge. Dia moved by instinct, crossing the space separating them in a dash. Then she grabbed Sarah's throat, lifting her off the ground like she weighted nothing. Sarah's bravado was gone, her face distorted by terror. Her behavior did nothing but stimulate Dia, her fear feeding the predator hiding beneath the surface.
Prey! A voice in her head was screaming.
Sarah writhed, her whole body shaking as Dia tightened her grip, leaving blood marks on her neck. That's when Dia realized her fingers had already turned into claws, her teeth into fangs and her eyes were flashing red. It took everything that she had to loosen her grip, letting Sarah go. Maybe it was because the Spice was running in her veins, but she was conscious this time. Still, it was a bit like trying to drive a car without brakes or pedals.
Sarah was still on the floor, coughing, when Dia turned away, attempting to regain control. She couldn't look at her. Sarah's fear was like a drug.
"Turn them off and get out." Dia growled, "Now!"
This time Sarah obeyed. She was trembling like a leaf, tears running down her cheeks, but after tinkering with a terminal for a minute or so, she managed to turn off the cameras. Then she glanced at Omen one last time before running away like the devil was chasing her. Dia didn't try to stop her. She waited for Sarah to leave and slammed the door shut. Only after she made sure it was locked, she turned to look at Omen. He was still sleeping, blissfully unaware of what was happening around him, but Dia didn't let that deter her.
She picked up the glass Sarah had left nearby and splashed the water on his face, "Wake up."
Omen's eyes flickered open, "D-Dia?" he asked.
He looked confused, his voice hoarse, "What...what's going on?"
Dia snorted, "Shouldn't I ask you the same question...captain?"