Message Incoming...

Source Melchizedek.0294

β Hyi, 4th Planet

Ascension 00h 25m 45.07037s

Declination –77° 15′ 15.2860″

Distance 24.37ly

Equinox J2000.0 SOL

Year 3782, QEC adjusted

[Autotranslator enabled...]

[Voice recording initialize...ON]

[Crew autodetection...ON]

[Narrative mode...ON]

[Autodisconnect after 5 minute silence...ON]

:::

[Voice detected: Hildar Simms, Sergeant]

Simms:

Mm. Time-stamp. Command init.

[Mission date: β Hyi 4:124. Year 3782, QEC adjusted.]

Log entry:

No change in my breathing. The heart stutter happened again this

morning right when I rolled out of the rack. Maybe something to

do with sitting up? Dunno. Command note for doctor.

[Issue logged for Doctor Spinelli.]

More of the same otherwise. The light sensitivity isn't getting

any worse. The eczema rashes continue to spread, mostly on

exposed skin. The cream isn't doing shit. Mm. There's not much

else.

Oh, PT schedules are going fine. The sit-ups rub the skin which

is annoying, but not a problem. My run times are down a bit,

actually. I haven't felt any weakness or atrophy, but the mass

tests will show for sure.

Mm. I hope we're just about done with this.

Med-log end. Command init.

[Mission log, medical update complete.]

[Retroactive transmission of work-log enabled. System encryption

enabled. Relaying audio transcription to Melchizedek.0294 base

station.]

What the hell?

[Voice detected: Eva Hämäläinen, Navigator]

Hämäläinen:

Simms.

Simms:

Fucking Christ!

Hämäläinen:

Sorry. I--

Simms:

Gave me a heart--

Hämäläinen:

didn't mean to--

Simms:

Christ on a cracker. How long have you. Were you in my ceiling?

Hämäläinen:

Uh, just on the other side of the vent plating. We need to talk.

Simms:

On the other side of.. What are.. how did you get back here.

You're on three. You WERE on three. How--

Hämäläinen:

It's not important. You need to come with me, quickly.

Simms:

Okay, sure. I mean, where? Mm. I'm gonna need pants.

Hämäläinen:

Oh, yes. I didn't notice, sorry.

Simms:

Didn't notice [sotta voce] my ass.

[Silence recorded for 0:25]

You can keep talking while I do this. And turn around, will ya?

Hämäläinen:

Sorry. Sorry.

We need to get on the ship, and we need to move quietly.

Simms:

A shuttle? Where are we going?

Hämäläinen:

The Melchizedek. We're going back.

Simms:

I'm sorry, what?! On the--

Hämäläinen:

Please, keep your voice down. No one can know I'm here. Stop

a moment. I'll explain.

Your DNA was pulled out and patched onto our plants in flight.

Something like the reverse happened to you.

Simms:

I'm aware. I was in isolation long enough. I'm still doing these

fucking med reports.

Hämäläinen:

Yes. Well, we're going back.

Simms:

To... you don't mean to the anomaly. Right?

Hämäläinen:

We're going to get Sandy and Jerome. And we need you.

Simms:

You need a head doctor. I'm not going anywhere near there ever

again. I'm lucky to be alive. Look at my arms, for fuck sake.

Hämäläinen:

Is that? What is that? A rash?

Simms:

Nguyen calls it eczema.

Hämäläinen:

That's not eczema. It looks almost like…

Simms:

Yeah, exactly.

Hämäläinen:

But that's not possible. Even with the DNA splicing your body

can't produce chloroplasts. You can't just turn that on.

Simms:

My skin disagrees. And it's spreading.

Hämäläinen:

Is it functional? Are you actually getting energy from light?

What else changed? How is this not bigger news?

Simms:

The Seriph, may her logic and honor protect us, felt it was

a distraction from the primary mission. The good doctors are,

mm, "working on the situation."

I feel fine. They aren't cutting me open or anything, Eva. I'm

fine just a bit messed up.

And now I have pants. Why do I have pants on again?

Hämäläinen:

Are you okay? Wait, no. We need to go first. Tell me later when

we're safe.

Simms:

Safe? What does that mean? What did you--

[System error. Critical infrastructure disruption detected. Fire

suppression activated. Communications relay damaged. Security

monitoring interrupted. Encryption offline.]

[End of encrypted envelope.]

[Damage reported in habitat A.]

[Damage reported in habitat B.]

[Damage reported in habitat C.]

[Damage reported in materials processing A.]

[Damage reported in materials processing B.]

[Damage reported in materials processing C.]

[Damage reported in biological engineering.]

[Damage reported in seed processing.]

[Damage reported in manufacturing.]

[All systems critical.]

Simms:

What the fuck did you do, Eva? What the fuck was that?

Hämäläinen:

Come, and be quick.

Simms:

I'm not going-- what the ACTUAL FUCK. Is that a gun? How the--

Hämäläinen:

We don't have time, Hildar. Come now, please. Be quiet. Comms

will be disrupted, but the crew have eyes. We need the head

start.

Simms:

Eva, please.

Hämäläinen:

Now! We. Don't. Have. Time.

[Gunshot detected, habitat D. Security have been notified.

Security monitoring disabled. Alarm signal disrupted.]

Simms:

Jesus! You almost--

Hämäläinen:

NOW!

[Silence recorded for 5:00. Automatic disconnect triggered.]

[Voice recording terminated]