Dead Space: Outbreak_Chapter 1

Dead Space: Outbreak

Chapter 1

  

Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Dead Space.  This is purely for non-profit, fan fiction based off the Dead Space series.

"This is dig team leader Jennifer Barrows, we've found something!  Transmitting video now."

The voice that crackled in Jacob's headset was a woman on his team.  His eyes shot up as he scanned the horizon trying to find where she was.

"What does she mean she found something?"  Jacob thought to himself.  He checked his scanner to see how close he was to Jennifer.  The screen showed she was just a quarter mile north of his position.  It took a few minutes to traverse the terrain but Jacob finally met up with Jennifer and a few others in a large crater.  They were all staring wide-eyed at a monumental structure about a hundred yards in the distance.

"What the heck is that?" Jacob asked out loud.  He did not expect anyone to answer and for a while no one did.

Finally the man next to him whispered, "We’re on a completely dead rock...and we find something like this here..."

"Yes, but just what is it?" Jacob responded as a thought entered his mind.  He felt like he recognized the structure from somewhere but he could not remember why.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't look like we made it." One of the miners suggested.

"What do you mean?" asked the first.

"I mean we haven't found a single planet that can sustain life other than earth.  We're the first ones on this rock and we find this.  Doesn't that raise some questions in your mind as to who made it?"

Jacob stood there staring at the object blankly with an illusive thought itching his mind.  All of a sudden one of the miners gasped and dropped to his knees gripping his hands in prayer.

"What's wrong with him?" someone asked.

Then Jacob remembered.  "...a Marker" he whispered under his breath.

Several other people turned and looked at Jacob in shock before dropping to their knees just like the first.

"Oh great, Unitology!" The first miner spat out.  "That's just what we needed: a confirmation of that 'stone-head' religion.  Don't tell me you're one of those rock worshipers too!"

"Watch your mouth, Branson."  Jen interjected.  "Some of our high ranking officers and a lot of the crew are Unitologists.  We don't need you going around bashing it."  Branson cursed again before turning back to Jacob.

"To answer your question, no, I'm not." Jacob replied.  "I just had some courses in social studies back on Earth and remember studying Unitology.  That's how I recognized the Marker."

"We don't know it's a Marker." Jen pointed out.  "We just found it – and on a dead planet no less.  There's no telling what it is at this point.  However, it is a significant archaeological find.  We won't know its religious significance—if any—until we've had time to analyze it."

"I'm just saying it's a pretty absurd coincidence if it's not a Marker," responded Branson.

The team stood there a few more minutes staring at the structure before Jen gave orders to break up and start prepping the piece for research.  Jacob was the last of the personnel to move out.  He still had a strange feeling in the back of his mind.  He knew something was different about this rock; he just couldn't figure out what it was, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

A few days later Jacob was having lunch in Lounge Area Three thinking about the discovery of the alien object.  He was so lost in thought he almost jumped when he noticed a security officer standing beside him.  "Michael, what are you doing here?"

Michael sat down across from Jacob and set down a small drink.  "What do you mean, Jake?  Planet Security personnel get to take lunch too you know."  He looked up at Jacob thoughtfully.  "You thinkin' about that rock?"

Jacob had been staring at the wall beside Mike.  He snapped back and shook his head.  "Huh?  Oh, yeah...sorry, I just haven't gotten a lot of sleep the past couple nights."  Jacob rubbed his forehead with one hand.  "There's something that's been bugging me about that rock.  I don't know...maybe I just need to rest."

"It's a pretty big thing going on," Mike replied.  "One day you're just another guy hauling dirt on a dead rock in deep space and the next you're regarded as a religious hero for finding some 'sacred relic'.  Not only that but this thing totally blows away the idea that we’re alone out here.  On top of that you've probably been doing nothing but writing and submitting reports since you found that thing, right?  It's no wonder you're a little out of whack."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," replied Jacob.  "But still, I can't shake the feeling there's just something..."

"Forget about it!  You're over thinking it.  For all we know, or care, it's just a huge rock.  Even if it is this 'second Marker' it's still just a rock, right?"

Jacob sat still for a moment and took a sip of his drink.  He was about to change the subject when they heard a commotion on the other end of the lounge.  "What the..." Michael half stood up to see what was going on.  Jacob turned around in his seat and saw two people in a heated debate.  He could not hear very well but he could tell they were arguing about the rock.  He gathered one was a Unitologist and the other definitely was not.  As Jacob continued to watch Michael slowly got to his feet and spoke into an earpiece comm. link.  "This is officer Jeffreys, I'm at a scene in Lounge Area Three.  I've got two civilians arguing and it's building up.  Requesting back..."  Just then two other P-SEC members stood up and calmed the ruckus.  Michael sat back down and took a gulp of his drink.

"Oh good, Neumann and Cortez got it.  I hate working on break."

Jacob glanced back over his shoulder to watch.  The man Michael referred to as Neumann was speaking frustrated into his comm. link.  "What's going on there?" Asked Jacob.

Michael leaned to a side to glance around Jacob.  "It looks like he can't get a hold of Marla.  That's odd..."

"What is?"

"She's the main contact at P-SEC.  He's trying to arrest those two but if you can't get a hold of Marla you can't toss perps in the brig.  I wonder what's up with that."

Jacob and Michael sat in silence for a minute.  Jacob was still trying to work out why he felt a little odd about the rock.  "So how's everyone else from your dig team?" Michael asked, trying to change the subject.

"Pretty similar to me," Jacob replied.  "A couple people are doing perfectly fine.  Most of us are having minor sleeping issues.  It's like you said though, most of us are hitting reports pretty hard.  A few guys are having a really hard time though."

"Yeah, like what?"

"You know Jeff Branson?"  Michael nodded.  "Well, he's been having a really hard time of it.  He went to go see Doctor Sciarello today for some meds.  I don't think he's slept at all since the find."

"Wow, that ain’t right.  You know there have been several other reports of insomnia related problems all around the colony.  Hmm...what about Jen?"

"Jennifer Borrows? ...I don't know.  I actually haven't heard from her since that day."

"I guess she's been busy too."

"Yeah, I guess so."

The two sat for a moment without saying anything.  Finally Michael got back up and stretched.  "Well, that's it for me.  I gotta get back to work."  He started to walk off but stopped and glanced back at Jacob over his shoulder.  "Hey Jake, not that I'm a doctor, but I think you should get some sleep.  Just a thought."

"Yeah, thanks.  I'll do that."

Michael turned and walked away waving behind him as he left.  Jacob stared at the remainder of his drink and swished it around for a moment.  He then drank it, set the cup down on the table and headed off to his room.

Later that day Jacob was walking around aimlessly when he stumbled upon a gathering in Union Square.  There was a man he recognized as the well-known Unitologist, Deacon Abbot, standing on a platform surrounded by a small crowd.  Deacon Abbot was talking to everyone about the rock and how it was their second Marker.  Almost everyone seemed encouraged that their Unitology faith was being proven.  Jacob stood and listened for a little while until the P-SEC guards Neumann and Cortez showed up again.  Jacob watched as Neumann started debating with Abbot about the validity of the rock as a Marker.  Cortez ironically sided with the Unitologists in her belief in the Marker.  As the argument grew, Jacob wandered off through the hallways trying to clear his head.  Everything he had heard since that day at the dig site was "the Marker this" or "Unitology that."  Everything was starting to grate against his mind.  He still had a hard time sleeping, and even when he slept he did not feel rested.  He also had that odd feeling slowly growing in his mind.  He still was not sure what it was or why he had it, but every time things were still and he could hear his own thoughts they seemed tainted by something.  It felt like something was slowly corroding his brain.  Just then Michael ran past with his Divet pistol drawn.

"Head back to your room, Jake!"  Michael shouted.  "Someone flipped in Surgery 1 West and they've got a plasma cutter.  I'll let you know when it's settled."

Jacob stood still in bewilderment as Michael turned the corner up ahead.  With nothing else to do he went back to his room and tried to sleep.  After some time of lying still Jacob had a dream.

He was walking shakily down a long, dark corridor.  Everything was blotchy and unclear but he could definitely make out shapes of people running and collapsing.  He could hear screams but it was as if they were muffled and a long way off.  He looked down at his feet and saw they were covered in blood.  He was also standing on something soft and a little sticky.  It felt like flesh but there was no organized structure or bone.  He heard a woman scream behind him and turned to see a woman who looked like she had been turned inside out.  The woman advanced and screamed again.  All of a sudden Jacob's eyes filled with either sweat or blood; he could not tell.  He felt a searing pain shoot through his skull like a flaming dart.  Suddenly he felt a plasma cutter in his hand.  He activated it and started to swing wildly, cutting the woman in half.

Just then he heard Michael's voice calling his name and he woke up.  Michael was standing in the middle of his room with a very concerned look on his face.  Jacob sat up and realized he was sweating and his bed was now damp.  He took a deep breath and wiped his brow.

"What was going on there?" Michael asked as he took a seat next to Jacob's bed.

Jacob took a couple deep breaths before answering.

"Just a really bad dream."

"Are you feeling alright?  You don’t look so good."

"Yeah, I’ll be fine.  How did you get in here?"

"Right, sorry but I used my emergency clearance to open the door.  I could hear you were unsettled so I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Ah, well thanks.  Was there something you needed?"

"Well, I had some news for you but I’m not sure you’ll want to hear it."

"What, you mean about the guy in Surgery West?"

"Yeah...it’s about that..."

"What is it?"

"Well..." Michael looked around the room hesitantly, "remember your friend Jeff Branson?  He was the guy with the cutter.  The insomnia has really gotten to him and he just cracked.  I wasn't there in time to see but the report says he was raving about how the meds weren't working and what he saw at night."

Jacob sat still, staring at Michael in disbelief.

Michael leaned forward, "He attacked Doctor Sciarello with the plasma cutter, Jake."

Jacob's jaw dropped.  "Is he all right?"

"Yeah the Doc is fine, but his nurse, Katie, isn't.  Somehow Jeff missed the Doc and she got the worst of it.  She..." Michael glanced away, "Jeff cut her in half."

Jacob's mind froze.  "He...he did what?" Jacob asked weakly.

"He cut her in half.  Best we can tell, he just went wild and somehow caught Katie across the waist; cut her clean in half…Whoa, maybe I shouldn't have told you.  You've gone really pale."

Jacob looked down at his hands and sure enough, they were pale and shaking slightly.

"Maybe you should get some more rest..." Michael started.

"No!  No thanks, I'm ok for now."  Jacob interrupted a little worriedly.  "I just need some fresh air I think.  I'm gonna head out and walk around for a bit."

"Are you sure you're..."

"I'm fine!" Jacob lied.  "I'll be fine, I just need to get out.  Maybe get a drink or something."

"You want me to come along with you?"

"Thanks for that, but I think I'm ok.  Honestly!  Just after the dream and the news I just need to get out and do something refreshing, that's all."

Michael stood up and helped Jacob out of his bed and onto his feet.  Jacob was a little shaky at first but straightened up.  The two walked out the door together—Michael still looking a little worried.  Jacob started off toward the Lounge and Michael called after him.  "Hey, Jake, do me a favor and take care of yourself, ok?"

Jacob gestured over his shoulder and nodded in acknowledgement.  As he walked on slowly Jacob thought about the dream and the news about Jeff.  "Cut in half...plasma cutter...insomnia...nightmares..."  Jacob muttered to himself the whole way to the lounge.  When he finally got there he sat down at the nearest table with a free seat.  After a moment of staring at himself in the table's reflection he looked up and saw someone else was already sitting at the table.  She was sitting there staring at Jacob with a fork still in her mouth.

"Oh...sorry, Rachel" Jacob said staring back at her blankly.

"Umm...no problem" She mumbled with her mouth full.  She took a quick swig of her water and swallowed.  "Are you doing all right, Jake?  You don't look too good."

"No...I mean, sure.  Well, I guess I'm not sure."

"What's up?" Rachel asked taking another bite.

"Jeff just cut a nurse in half with a plasma cutter."

Rachel choked and coughed a few times.  She took another drink of water.  "Jeff Branson?!  He did what?!"

"He cut Katie, the nurse at..."

"Never mind, I don't really want to hear it again," she cut in, shaking her blonde head.

Rachel ate hurriedly as Jacob just sat and stared at the back wall.  It was a few minutes before either one of them said anything.

Finally Rachel spoke up, "He was on your dig team, right?"

Jacob nodded.

"Wow...so, you scared at all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well there's been a lot more medical issues going on lately, especially from your team."

"I thought you were a Unitologist.  It almost sounds like you're tying the team’s issues to the finding of that rock."

"I am a Unitologist and I don't know if the Marker has anything to do with any of this or not.  I'm just saying there seems to be a lot of issues with your dig team, regardless of their find."

"I don't know" Jacob replied.  "I don't really know what's going on or why.  But you're right, I've had a hard time sleeping."

"See?  Just like pretty much everyone else from your team," Rachel pointed out.

"What about you?  Have you had any troubles?"

"Only a little."  Rachel sat back farther in her seat.  "I've been doing a lot of extra work though with all this Marker business going on.  And I have to admit, I've been staying up a little later than I probably should have studying the old Marker they found on earth.  Other than that I'm fine though."

"Hmm...well, that's good."

"I knew you still cared."  Rachel gave a small smile and reached out and took Jacob's hand.  "Look, even though we broke up a year ago that doesn't mean we can't still be close friends.  You just went through something pretty terrible and you're obviously shaken up.  If you have anything you want to say or talk about, you know I'll listen."  Rachel patted his hand and winked.  "Oh, by the way, I don't know if this will help or whatever, but I do want to tell you something."  Rachel leaned forward close to Jacob and continued, "Deacon Abbot went down to see the Marker today.  Now I know he's not supposed to do that but...well, you have to understand.  He's devoted his life to Unitology and now he finally has a chance to see the Marker.  So, please don't tell anyone.  Promise?"  Jacob waited a moment but nodded reluctantly.  Rachel suppressed a grin and continued, "Anyway, so he went down to see the Marker and while he was down there something happened."  Jacob leaned forward in curiosity. "He touched the marker, which I thought was going too far, but he said he saw..." Rachel glanced over her shoulder and back again.  "He said he saw an image of his deceased wife."

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me that way!" Rachel said defensively.

"How do you know he wasn't just trying to trick you into thinking it was a vision?"

"Deacon Abbot is a good man," Rachel said sincerely.  "He's never pretended to do something like this before.  He's never had visions or anything like that the whole time he's been ordained.  The only time he says anything about things like this is when he's referencing the Original Marker."

Jacob shifted slightly in his seat still unsure.

"Besides," Rachel continued, "When he told me about it he had a look on his face like he'd seen a ghost...kind of like you did when you sat down at the table."

Jacob leaned back in his seat deep in thought.  Rachel also leaned back, staring at him to see what he would say.  After a minute Rachel slowly continued her meal; peaking up at Jacob between bites.

Finally, Jacob spoke, "I don't want you to tell anyone but there's something I think you should know."

Rachel paused for a moment.  She gestured for Jacob to wait while she swallowed.  "What is it?" She asked.

"I just had a dream this afternoon and I think I saw a dead person."  Rachel eyes widened.

"What do you mean?  Who was it?"

"I'm not sure.  I...I couldn't see her clearly.  But she attacked me and I killed her.  "When I woke up a guy I know from P-SEC told me about Katie.  She died the same way I killed the woman in my dream: cut in half."

Rachel put her hands over her mouth in shock.  "That is really strange!  What do you think it means?"

"I don't know, but I think it's got something to do with that rock...your Marker.  Something's been weird ever since we found that thing.  I'm not blaming Unitology or anything; I'm just saying something on this planet ain't right.  Part of me wants to know what it is, but there's a small part of me that doesn't."

Jacob stood up to leave.  "If you hear anything else from Abbot let me know, all right?"

Rachel nodded.  "Sure thing.  And let me know if anything happens with you too."

Jacob turned away and headed back to his room again.  He wasn't sure what was going on but he knew one thing: he wasn't taking another afternoon nap.