[Moosh da Outlaw]

Yay, thanks for the comments. ^^
Glad to see I caught some people by surprise.


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Deep in the catacombs of the basement, something stirred.

It was a slog. Thin and ratty, it looked like something that was dead and decaying, though it was very much alive. It rooted around in the debris in search of any food that had been overlooked. Spotting something, it started digging harder, and yipped in satisfaction when it found what it was looking for; the withered, aged corpse of a fuzzle. Its tongue rolled in satisfaction.

Lady charged from a nearby ball, barking loudly. The slog bolted. Lady dipped her head and snapped up whatever the slog had found, her claws kneading the floor. Then she looked up expectantly for her master.

Nedd stepped quietly inside and glanced around, horns rotating. He grunted as he felt a tingling pain travel up his freshly-stitched arm stub. When it came to stitching it up, he’d done a horrible job; the thick thread he had used often snapped, and he found himself having to wrap gauze around his wound to keep it from opening back up. He wasn’t afraid of it getting infected, though. Nothing he could catch from a missing limb could be worse than what he was already infected with.

Lady waddled over and licked his ankle, expecting praise. She was ignored. Nedd continued on his patrol of the basement’s perimeter, making sure no guards had snuck inside. He didn’t want to take chances.

His feet splashed against the soggy floor with each heavy step he took, flicking silver drops in all directions. Lady followed behind closer than she normally did, her tail whipping side to side, and panted happily. The basement was deserted, as usual. What did they possibly have to fear?

A piece of wood snapped under Nedd’s feet. He paid it no mind. He was too busy thinking.

The guards had been practically inert since the wharf incident, which was unusual. He would’ve expected them to be twice as edgy after his dominating performance. Yet, despite all his destruction, he’d seen nothing. He liked being challenged with the threat of guard attacks; it was upsetting to see that they weren’t even trying to kill him. Nedd scowled. What was the problem? Surely he was their top priority?

Lady nudged his leg. Nedd glared down at her. “Sit,” he growled, angry that she kept bothering him. She dumbly remained standing. Nedd grabbed her by the head and forced her down in an attempt to make her sit.

Lady lashed out, thinking he meant harm, and snapped her teeth around his bad arm.

“RAAAAGH!” Nedd roared, smacking the slog furiously. She released his hand, barking in fear.
“YOU DUMB ANIMAL!”

He lashed out with his leg and struck Lady across the face, hard. She yelped and skidded across the floor, legs kicking. With one quick motion she sprang back on her feet and started barking,
spraying foam. Nedd pressed his hand against his arm stub; there was blood between his fingers. His eyelid lowered and he locked Lady with his vision, his eyes as bright and unforgiving as live coals.

“Shut up.” he said through his teeth. Lady continued barking, stepping side to side unsurely as though looking to escape. “SHUT UP!”

Lady took off running into the basement. Nedd let her go.

Wincing, Nedd removed his hand. The stitches in his arm were ripped. He growled and clamped his hand back around his arm, heading off down the hall. He chose a room at random and tore the door off its hinges, ducking inside. The room was pretty much empty; all he could see was a desk and a medical cabinet. He stalked over to the desk and pulled out all the drawers, just to discover they were empty.

‘Of course.’

He opened the medical cabinet, and a piece of folded paper fell out, landing with a gentle splash on the water-slicked floor. Curious, Nedd reached for it instinctively with his right hand, grumbled, then switched to his left and picked it up. It was almost as thin as tissue paper and yellow with age. He unfolded it and flattened it against the desk. It was big; it draped over the sides of the table. A grin formed on Nedd’s lips as he looked it over.

It was a map of the ship. It was torn and outdated (the basement was still labeled ‘Lab Foyer’), but still good. Forgetting about his damaged arm, Nedd traced his finger over the paper, past the main intersection and the cafeteria, until it came to rest on the Generator Room.

He licked his lips thoughtfully. ‘Perfect.’

<~{.epidemic.}~>

Dan swung around quickly and opened the Crematorium’s door a crack, peeking inside. Nobody stirred. Cursing, Dan closed the door and grabbed Ian by his un-contaminated wrist, leading him forcefully down the hall.

What are you doing— Ian asked worriedly as they turned the corner. Dan looked farther down the hall without saying what he was doing. Satisfied that nobody would hear them, Dan turned on his flashlight and shone it on Ian.

Why the hell didn’t you tell anybody? Dan hissed, his amber eyes blazing. Ian cringed.

I-I was gonna tell somebody sooner but, Ian sniffled. but I was s-scared a-a-and I can’t tell Red cuz he’ll just freak out—

Look calm down, Dan interrupted, his hands closed to fists. Ian slumped to the floor, his back to the wall. His eyes were distant. Hesitantly, Dan sat down next to him, though he sat on the side opposite his bitten hand. Okay, Dan said with a deep breath. When did you say this happened?

Ian replied weakly. On the wharf... he paused, after the wharf, in the cafeteria. Two nights ago.

Dan stared down at his snuzi. Two days ago. he echoed.

What the hell am I gonna do? Ian whispered, though it sounded as if he were mostly asking himself. I can’t tell anybody about this, because if word gets out, I’ll be killed and— he turned to Dan in desperation. You won’t tell anybody, will you?

No. Dan mumbled.

For a long time there was silence. Dan rolled his flashlight between his fingers, watching as the light flickered from side to side. Two days ago? he asked slowly.

Yes.

Dan closed his eyes. He could remember around the time when Nedd had been bitten, almost three weeks ago. ‘Three weeks.’ Dan thought. ‘It couldn’t have been just three weeks!’

Nedd started acting weird one day, Dan said quietly, still fingering his flashlight. About three weeks ago. He came to the lab with a bloody arm and bite marks in his hand. I thought he’d just had an accident with a fuzzle... well, he did have an accident with a fuzzle, but I never thought... He glanced over at Ian, who was watching him through his armor’s goggles with fearful, questioning eyes. The boss just told him to get cleaned up, didn’t think it was anything, but the next day he started acting strange. He kept sweating and looking around like he expected something to jump out and kill him. When he walked, he sort of stumbled, like he hadn’t gotten any sleep. I just thought he had a cold or something.

But he didn’t, Ian said miserably.

No. He kept asking me questions about the basement. He wanted to know if it was dark down there. I said yes, and I didn’t think he meant anything by it. Then he went to the guard tower, stole a basement key card, and when I tried to stop him he grabbed me by the throat and said ‘When I tell you to move, you move, no questions.’ and he threatened to kill me.
He went into the basement, and I was gonna follow him, but... I didn’t.

You didn’t. Ian echoed dumbly.

Dan blinked. No.

You could’ve stopped him.

I know.

You could’ve prevented all of this.

Well, I don’t know if I could—

Why didn’t you tell someone? Ian snarled, fumbling to stand. You should’ve said something You knew he was acting strange, but you still did NOTHING! And now look! Ian held out his arms. LOOK AT ME!

Dan jumped to his feet, glaring. I’m not the one who got bitten by a cylonite fuzzle and went on a killing rampage! What did you expect me to do, go up to Helix and say ‘Sorry, Nedd’s not gonna come to work today, he was acting like a weirdo?’ Do you really think he would’ve listened to me? There was nothing I could do!

There must have been something you could’ve said! Ian practically screamed.

HEY Dan heard Red yell down the hall. Dan stiffened as he heard the sound of a door slamming followed by footsteps coming nearer. What in Odd’s name are you two doing out here?
Ian swung around the corner, Dan following angrily behind. Red was standing by the door, arms crossed. Fer Odd’s sake, can’t you just keep it down like normal people? He groaned.

Dan, Ian spat accusingly, just kindly explained to me that the reason all this killing happened was because he was too much of an ASSHOLE to tell anybody Nedd was acting like a CYLONITE VICTIM!

HEY! Dan countered. I’m not the one who got bitten by one of Nedd’s slogs and kept trying to hide it! He pointed at Red, who was staring in disarray. You lied to him!

Dan, don’t! Ian pleaded.

Dan swung around towards Red. Ian, he growled, Did not sprang his wrist! The truth is, he had it bitten by a cylonite slog!

Red looked from Dan to Ian, than to Dan again. Will somebody kindly tell me what the hell is going on? He asked.

Its true! Ian said, his voice hitting a high pitch. He held out his bitten hand for Red to see. I got bitten by a cylonite-infested slog! And I hid it, but thats what anybody would have done! I’m sorry I didn’t tell you!

Silence.

W-well don’t you have anything to say? Ian squeaked.

Red’s hands closed so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Oh. He said, horror in his eyes. This is really, really bad.

Thats all? Ian shrieked, taking his wrath out on his best friend. Red flinched away from him. Don’t you get it? I got bit! I’m infected! Look at me! I’m going to die, Red, and my life’s not even half over! So of course its really, REALLY BAD!

Sit down, Ian. Dan said.

Ian rounded on him. No!

Dan closed his eyes slowly. You need to calm down. Now sit.

Slowly, hesitantly, Ian slumped back down to the floor. Red sat down next to him, but Dan remanded standing, leaning against the wall across from them. Dan looked them over quickly. They had known each other their entire lives- longer than Dan had been working for vykkers- and it was sad to think that their friendship would soon end.


Dan decided to try and reassure them.
Look, He said, sitting with his back to the wall. Yes, I knew Nedd was acting strange, and yes, I know I should’ve told somebody. But its too late for that now. Now we have a new problem, one that we can fix. ‘Somehow,’ he added in his head.

Ian looked down at the floor, eyes blank. The bruised, open holes in his hands glittered evilly in the dim light. Red put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, still ashen. Besides, he said slowly, you might not even be infected. Not every bite leads to infection, you know.

Ian pulled his shoulder away from Red’s hand, scowling even harder.

The day after Nedd got bitten, Dan said, he immediately showed signs of a cylonite infection. The bright lights hurt him, and he was more aggressive than normal. Its been two whole days for you, and you’re fine. He attempted a smile, with no success. The flashlight doesn’t even seem to hurt you. We might just be worked up over nothing.

Maybe. Ian said, unconvinced.

And that might not have been a cylonite slog, Red chipped in. It could’ve just been a normal slog that had followed the others. You never know.
Ian had no reply to this. Red’s eyelids lowered.. I’m sorry, Ian.

An apology won’t make it better.

I know that. Red muttered. But don’t worry. Me ‘n’ Dan won’t tell anybody, will we, Dan? he shot a loathsome, threatening look at Dan. Dan raised his eyebrows.

Err, yeah, my lips are sealed. Sorry for the pun.

Ian looked away. Dan looked at Red, Red looked at Dan, and they both knew that there was nothing they could do.

I’m going back to the crematorium. Ian growled, getting up and stalking back down the hall. A few seconds later, the heard the sound of the door creaking shut.

Dan fiddled nervously with his flashlight, yellow eyes wide. What should we do? he asked eventually.

What can we do? Red sighed, standing up. Dan did the same. I’m gonna keep an eye on him. Dan, promise me, Red said, jabbing him with his finger, that no matter what happens, you’ll tell absolutely nobody about this.

I promise. Dan said. He felt a tightening sensation in his throat. Would Red have done the same thing for him? Then again, would Nedd have done the same thing?

Come on, Red said quietly, heading for the crematorium. Dan followed behind, silent with his own thoughts.