โArmando. And Mary. And I.โ, Luis answers Leonโs question as to who โweโ was. The whole team, all three. A spaceship, a medic and a researcher. It counts. Even if two of them are AI. There had been other humans, should beโฆ but not anymore.
Luis keeps a little distance to the other. He is curious, of course. He wants to help him. But Leon. Scott. Kennedy. Seems a littleโฆ pessimistic. There was no real yes or even any hint of positive towards Luisโ offer of help. So, Luis stays away, even if his hands itch to help.
โI have more than enough supplies...โ
He would not allow for Leon to die. That was out of the question. Even in the worst case and Leon fell unconsciousโฆ then Luis could drag him to the med bay. Whether he liked it or not.
Leon is occupied with his blackbox โ meanwhile Luis has an idea. He doesnโt go too far, but he is clattering about and only returning with two cups and a bag of skittles. Grinning. He sets the cup of instant Ramen and the skittles down in front of Leon, sitting himself cross-legged and balanced on top of one of the stools next to him. Beginning to slurp his own cup of noodles.
โOf course it isnโt meant for people.โ, Luis replies then, almost dryly. But there is a chuckle on the tip of his tongue, โIf it were, it would have habitable conditions for humans and would have sprouted another human species. This planet has zero potential for that. I did the calculations.โ
He couldnโt know what Leon had lived through. But the pictures suddenly flickering on the screen gave a first idea. Luis holds his slurping and watches, tilting his head.
The pictures are grainy. Black and white. Contrasted.
โX-rays?โ, Luis guesses, then he freezes.
Something looks at them. Something giant. It hides in a cave. It has appendages, a jaw, a maw. It looks like pulled from a horror movie.
โโฆ is that what attacked you?โ, his eyes wander to one of the glass containers at the side of the lab, where Luis has placed the teeth and other samples. Heโฆ had not expected it to be like thisโฆ
Suddenly there is audio, too. It is jumbled. Messy. Several files playing at once. Screaming. Crying. Harsh orders. Convict. Begging. Pleading. It is Leonโs voice. He sounds broken. A womanโs voice cutting him off. It is more than you deserve. Convict.