Deep Cosmose

by Project Kyle

  As she got deeper into his entries, she learned about two of the people in the photographs that she had seen—the assistant with red hair and the little girl with blonde pigtails. The little girl’s name was Amelia and she was the daughter of Cosmic 5’s president; she had been nearly murdered by a stalker known as Experiment-1. David spoke very highly of her and expressed frustration, because he didn’t know how to treat her kindly and was often a jerk to her as a result, and yet, she never stopped being kind to him. This reached him and motivated him to save her life twice from the same stalker that lived on Cosmic 5.

  The redheaded scientist was his lab assistant, Ronald. He was very nerdy, like David, and the two understood each other pretty well. Ronald wanted to be just like David, and David did his best to take him under his wing, but Ronald tragically disappeared after being called to take part in an experiment, which was the last straw for David. It drove him to take immediate action to get to the bottom of what was going on in Cosmic 5.

  Next, she began to read about his new friend, Nerd, the only human agent in Deep Cosmos. The two teamed up and discovered many horrific things that were going on within the company. David was so determined to expose Cosmic 5 that he stupidly sent Amelia to spy on her father. She was discovered by Dr. Crimson and was almost murdered by him. She then ran into a monster that was created in one of the labs and had every limb in her body broken. The staff took her away to receive medical treatment. David never saw her again; he was informed that Amelia had died while in surgery.

  The story continued, with David expressing how lonely he felt. He had either lost or been betrayed by everyone he loved, and his only friend was Nerd, a human he had only met a few days ago. The two worked hard and gathered enough evidence to overthrow Cosmic 5, but Nerd was tragically killed when the station was about to release a weapon on the planet below, which would’ve killed everyone on that world. Without any time to really think, Nerd took a detonator, activated it, and threw himself into the weapon. He died along with everyone within a 50-foot radius of the explosion.

  David took his evidence to Nerd’s starship. He escaped with his own life and was confident he could finish what the two of them had started. Later on, Sophia read about how Dr. Crimson had paid off the judges in the galactic court, which was why in spite all the evidence, David Bell was found guilty of the Cosmic 5 tragedy, and Dr. Crimson appeared to be the hero of the situation instead of the murderous psychopath he really was.

  The remaining logs were very dark and depressing. Sophia began to tear up after realizing that David had gone through emotions very similar to her own. He was alone, and he often felt worthless and beyond hope. However, one entry got her attention more than any of the others before it. It read:

  David Bell’s log. Earth date: January 7th, 2010.

  Today I unintentionally killed a man who attacked me while I was treating a patient at the Galactic Asylum. He had broken out of his room and attempted to kill the first person he saw, which was me. I turned around to face him and drove my fist into his nose, driving it upwards between his eyes. He dropped dead from the impact, never to face another living moment again.

  I am horrified at what I’m experiencing right now, and I need to write it down before fear and panic overtake me.

  When it happened, when the life faded from my attacker’s eyes, I felt—

  Those were the words written on the left page. Sophia then moved her eyes to read the right.

  —and that is why I will never intentionally kill someone. That is why violence will always be a last resort. Because the memories of what I experienced will forever stay with me, and I don’t ever want to go through that again! Never…never.

  Sophia was very confused. It was as if there was a huge gap between the left and right page. But as she examined the book, she noticed a thin torn paper line in between the two sections. Nerd had ripped the page out that explained his feelings. But why? Why would he do that? It was obvious that he felt terrible about what he had done, even though it was unintentional and clearly in self-defense. Why would he remove two pages worth of his feelings?

  Sophia was a little frustrated at the missing puzzle piece that had been removed, but it didn’t really matter. She knew David felt remorse for what he did, which meant that she could trust him. Finally, something had gone right for her.

  After breathing a huge sigh of relief, Sofia continued and finally got to the end of his diary. She was stunned to read what he expressed in his Final Log.

  David Bell’s log. Earth date: February 5th, 2010.

  Yesterday, while on a Deep Cosmos training mission, I was tipped off by a Zentar barkeeper about Crimson’s next victim, a young human girl named Sophia. Although I was ordered not to get involved with Dr. Crimson until our moment to strike comes, I decided to disobey the supreme commander’s orders and save the life that Dr. Crimson so desperately wanted to take. I will most likely lose my job for this, but I’m okay with that, because it was worth it. Sophia is an amazing person. She’s very kind-hearted and has displayed a great deal of patience with me in dealing with my quirkiness. I appreciate her gentle nature, but I also admire her strength and determination to keep fighting despite all the disappointments she’s had in her lifetime.

  To have known her is an honor that I wouldn’t have traded for anything, and knowing that I had a part in helping her stay alive means more to me than anyone will ever know. Sadly, I am who I am. I don’t know how to express that I care about her, and although she’s been very patient, I know I make her feel uncomfortable at times. For that, I don’t blame her, because I truly am a wreck of a man. But with what little time I have left with her, I will try to be a better person. I’ve already learned a lot from watching her, and maybe…just maybe, she will be able to look past all my imperfections and learn to tolerate me. I don’t expect that, but I hope she can bring herself to trust me in that way. Because whether she knows it or not, she has been a huge inspiration to me over the last day and a half.

  Time will be short, however, as we will probably be separated after my court-martial. I made my decision. I had to decide whether a human’s life was more important to me than being a member of the Deep Cosmos team, and in the end, I chose human life. I will always choose a human’s life. It’s who I am and who I will forever be.

  End of log

  Sophia froze, completely stunned by what she had just read. She didn’t cry, though tears were starting to build up in her eyes. For so long, Sophia had felt like an object with no value, as her parents, friends, and even her lover Dr. Crimson had driven her to feel that way; now, for the first time in her life, it was clear to her not everyone saw her like that. David expressed his thoughts on the matter very strongly, and the fact she was an inspiration to him helped her to remember all the good qualities that she still had. She was strong…even though the people she had loved had made her feel weak.

  She closed the diary and walked up to her room. She lay on her sleeping bag and processed everything she had just read. It was going to be difficult existing with David, considering he was an emotional wreck. There was something very off about him, and she was scared to ask about it because she didn’t want him to take it personally, but she wanted to help him. That’s why she became a warrior, after all—to fight for the innocent and to save people who could not save themselves. So, with the issue of David’s intentions out of the way, she had to accept the Observer’s request. She had to find a way to save David Bell, or at least encourage him long enough to get him to a point where he could save himself.

  An hour passed, and Sophia heard the sound of the transporter downstairs. She anxiously stood up and darted down the stairway as fast as she could. She felt a huge wave of relief when she saw that the visitor was indeed Nerd. He was holding what looked like shopping bags in each hand, which was very unusual considering he had just come back from Deep Cosmos HQ.

  “Hey!” he said to her. “Guess what? I…” Sophia walked up to him and gave him a hug. Nerd fro
ze and clearly did not know how to respond. “…Ah…okay, that was unexpected. You actually seem somewhat happy to see me… But anyway, I need to tell you something!”

  Sophia let go of David and stepped back.

  “Go ahead,” she said to him. “What do you need to tell me?”

  “Well! I realize I don’t wear makeup and jewelry and stuff. You’re probably missing that here. So, the Observer and I sent a few others out and had some agents find a few things for you across the universes. It wasn’t cheap, but I figured it would make your brief stay here a little more manageable.”

  “Wait, you told me you were about to be court-martialed. That was why you came here, right? What happened? Are you still a member of Deep Cosmos?”

  David dropped his bags and put his hand on his forehead.

  “Ah, yes!” He responded. “I completely forgot about that. Sorry, I probably should have contacted you through the ship’s communication system. The supreme commander decided to drop the charges! The Observer made an appeal and won before anything even had to take place, so I’m good! Well, other than the huge lump I have on the back of my head that was given to me by the Observer. The guy’s got a good swing, no doubt about that. But other than that, I’m good! Sorry it took so long for me to get back. I wanted to have lunch with the Observer, as I don’t get to see him that often, and then we paid a few agents to get your little gifts, which took some time for them to retrieve, so yeah, everything is golden! Now the only thing I have left to do is to take you home.”

  Sophia paused for a moment. She was unable to comprehend how Nerd could forget something like a court-martial. Though at this point, she shouldn’t have been surprised. It was going to take time for her to understand him.

  She smiled and told him what she had spent the last few hours thinking about.

  “Nerd,” she told him. “I want to be part of your crew for a little while…at least until I can get back on my feet again. I have nowhere to go, and I need some time to recover from the damage that Crimson did to me before I can decide on where I want to live. Can I stay here with you for a bit? Maybe we can find a few more people to join up with us? You don’t have to be alone like this forever, and your ship is big enough to house a few crew members if you choose. What do you think? Would you accept me? I would love to see the galaxy, you know?”

  To Sophia’s surprise, Nerd’s expression went from being very goofy to very serious, and even a little guilty. He turned his back to her and removed his glasses. He let out a sigh and was obviously very troubled.

  “What’s wrong?” Sophia asked. “Do you not want me around?”

  “No, no, no,” Nerd responded. “It’s not that, trust me. You are very much wanted. But there’s something about me that I haven’t told you about…my real name. There’s a reason I don’t reveal it to anyone.”

  “David Bell? The most wanted man in the galaxy? I already know about that. You don’t have to hide it from me. The Observer was concerned about me finding out on my own. So, he sent a message to the notepad you let me use. I know you’re not responsible for what happened on Cosmic 5. You were used just as I was…by the same person, sadly.”

  David turned around to face Sophia. He was completely stunned and did not know how to respond.

  “You knew this all along?” He asked her. Sophia nodded her head. “Great!” he exclaimed, his face instantly turning back to the goofy look he had before. “You can stay here as long as you want!”

  Without hesitating, he quickly started walking to the stairway leading to the main deck. But Sophia grabbed him by the collar of his lab coat.

  “Not so fast!” She said to him.

  “Oh, great.” He sighed. “A catch, why does there always have to be a catch!”

  “I want to know a little more about you. You’re hiding so much from me, and I would trust you a lot more if you could tell me a bit about yourself. Don’t do it in one sitting, because my mind can only handle so much, but give me little segments I can understand. We’re going to be spending a lot more time together, so the less you keep from me, the more I will trust you.”

  David snapped both of his fingers and gave her a thumbs-up.

  “You got it!” he agreed.

  “Also,” Sophia continued, “I want you to try to keep the main deck and bridge a little cleaner than you do. I’m a little OCD, so it would make things easier on me. I will help you keep things clean, but I need you to do a little better. Can you do that for me?”

  David lifted both his eyebrows. He wasn’t completely impressed, but he realized this was an opportunity to connect with his new crew member.

  “I will try,” he said to her.

  “And one more thing,” Sophia continued, “be a gentleman and carry my bags up to my room.”

  She gently punched David in the shoulder and chuckled. Then she gave him another hug and thanked him for the gifts and for allowing her to stay on board. She walked up the stairs and left the transporter room. David Bell looked at the bags he had gotten for her. He walked over, picked them up, and shook his head.

  “What…have I gotten myself into,” he said with a concerned look on his face. Then he smiled and made his way upstairs, laughing so hard that he shook.

  Chapter 6 Stone cold

  Earth date: February 7th, 2010

  Time: 600

  Location: Cosmic 5

  Drake Robinson, one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, was shaking in fear at the horrid scene that surrounded him. Cosmic 5 was once a happy, cheerful place to be. However, ever since the David Bell incident, the caretakers had let the station go. No one wanted to visit anymore because of the rumors that illegal human experimentation was still taking place, and the terrifying sight he could never un-see proved the rumors true.

  The staff didn’t bother keeping it secret anymore. Operation pillars were located everywhere through the station, and to get victims for their inhumane experiments they resorted to kidnapping, because volunteers were at this point unheard of.

  Drake’s two companions—Manic, his sniper and personal hitman; and Jungle Boy, a rogue Zentar warrior—were both disturbed by the sight. This was a feeling that was often a stranger to the members of Menace, as it was usually them putting fear into the minds of their opponents; but the palace of the dreaded psychopath was a gruesome facility, and even they felt it.

  The three men were accompanied by five cosmic staff members, who guided them to an elevator that would lead them to their destination. The eight men walked into the elevator and turned around to face the horrid experiments that were going on. The doors slowly closed, and Drake breathed a sigh of relief; he no longer wanted to witness what was happening.

  The elevator slowly made its way towards its destination, moving upwards, side to side, downwards, back and forth, followed by a loud creaking sound filling the elevator as it moved. Drake turned to his men, signaling them to stay alert in case the Cosmic staff got any ideas. Both men nodded their heads and prepared themselves for the worst.

  The doors slowly opened to reveal the old VIP room, which used to house only the highest-ranking staff members of Cosmic 5. Now even more operating pillars were being set up and worked on, as again, there was no reason to hide what was going on anymore.

  Thankfully, this time, no operations were taking place in this particular room, meaning the men didn’t have to witness any more mind-scarring sights.

  The men made their way to a doorway that was located at the end of the transporter room. Drake looked over his shoulder at one of the air vents and swore he could see two glowing green eyes staring back at him. He closed his eyes, shook his head, and re-opened them. The eyes were now gone. Presumably it was just paranoia setting in, given the circumstances. Drake refocused on the situation at hand. They had reached the doorway leading to Dr. Crimson’s lair, and it was evident from the smile on the lead staff member’s face that they were in for a rough ride.

  “Are you ready?” He said to them.

&
nbsp; “Just get this over with!” Drake responded in his strong Australian accent.

  The doorway opened, and all eight of the men entered the room. There, sitting at his desk, was arguably the worst human being ever to set foot in the galaxy: Dr. Crimson, the president of Cosmic 5. His appearance was just as the rumors depicted him. He had a face that seemed to be crafted by perfection itself, complemented by brown shoulder-length hair that brought his chiseled features to life. His vibrant blue eyes were almost angelic and had the power to lure anyone in. Although he was wearing a lab coat, it was evident that he was very strong and muscular. According to rumors, he stood at about 6’2”, which Drake could not determine for himself as Crimson was sitting down. Regardless of his height, he was one of the few pretty boys you would never want to get in a fight with, especially considering the monster that lurked beneath his angelic eyes. The same eyes were fixed on the human experimentations that he was able to witness live through a tablet. He was clearly thrilled, as the dopamine rushed through his brain at a level no human could understand, but his focus was broken as soon as he noticed that Drake Robinson had arrived.

  He regained his composure and put the tablet down.

  “Welcome, my friend,” Dr. Crimson said in a disturbingly calm voice. “Welcome to Cosmic 5, where only humane and legal human experimentation is permitted.” Crimson then started laughing psychotically. “Ah, they fall for that one every time!”

  Drake felt uneasy, as the rumors were again proven true. As normal and down-to-earth as the good doctor appeared to be, a cold monster lurked beneath his exterior, ready to strike at anyone who he saw as weak or defenseless. Thankfully for Drake, the legendary bounty hunter was neither, meaning that Crimson would have to work hard if he had any plans to stab Drake in the back.

  Bravely, Drake swallowed his fear and took a step towards Crimson.

  “I hear you want to hire us to track down a young Sheila that used to be in your possession,” Drake stated. “I also heard you’re willing to pay a small fortune for her, yeah?”