Chapter 4: Chapter 4 : Calm Before The Storm

    Shepard made his way through the ship, angrily clutching the broken Pathfinder and ignoring James's pleas for him to calm down. He and Rodriguez weren't close, but he was still his brother in arms, and the way Shepard saw it, his blood was on DR. Moore's hands. It was Her decision to send a small team and keep their weapons locked. He was not going to let it go.

    He marched into the control room, where Sargent Williams, doctor Moore and many others were in the middle of a heated argument. He threw the broken Pathfinder on the table with great force, the commotion causing everyone in the room to look at him with puzzled expressions.

    "no more lying, no more bullshit, no more deactivated weapons. I just lost a friend out there because of you, so either activate our weapons, have this place put on lockdown, and contact earth or we'll take command in compliance with emergency protocols."

    The room was shocked, the scientists and engineers stared at the destroyed pathfinder in disbelief. Doubt began to take over them, were they wrong about this planet being barren of all life? Was the rovers data inaccurate? Were they perhaps tricked into coming to a world inhabited by alien horrors beyond their understanding?

    Doubt created fear and fear was bound to create chaos, which would tear the ship apart from the inside. The ones in that room and the teams who left for the forest were the only ones aware of Rodriguez's disappearance for now, but sooner or later someone would slip up and the entire population of the ship would be in a panic.

    "Lost? What do you mean lost? where's Rodriguez?" the Sargent questioned Shepard.

    "He's gone Sarge, he was taken or killed by something in that forest. we tracked his location, but we only found his Pathfinder. It was hanging from a tree completely destroyed. We need to contact earth immediately."

    The sergeant's eyes were wide open, he put his hand on his face and rubbed his chin. After a second of silence, he finally broke the bad news. "we can't contact earth Shepard, the communication system failed."

    "failed? it can't fail, The briefing said that the system was especially designed to establish intergalactic communication for this exact mission, and it was a massive scientific breakthrough to boot. It has to work."

    "Shepard, please calm down. You're putting everyone at risk by spreading your nonsense conspiracy theories. your friend was not 'taken', because there is nothing alive here to take him. The rover we sent scoured that very forest and the surrounding areas for a full two weeks. If there was something there, we would've seen it in the recordings it brought back." Dr. Moore spoke in a condescending relaxed tone again, acting as if there was no disaster afoot.

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    "There is no emergency, your friend probably ate something he found in that forest, causing him to hallucinate. He probably threw away his Pathfinder and ran off. You can take a team to look for him later if you want, but I won't be activating your weapons just so you can shoot at shadows. As for the communication system, it didn't fail. we are getting through to earth, but for some reason, they aren't responding."

    Dr. Moore turned her back on Shepard and walked toward her computer. She sat down and started working, completely ignoring the two soldiers behind her. "this discussion is over, go make yourself useful somewhere else."

    Shepard driven by anger and grief tried to approach her but was stopped by the Sargent and James who finally made his way to the room with the others.

    "I heard the panic in your voice on the radio earlier, I know you're afraid. I know you're hiding something, and ill be damned if I just sit here and die for your failed fucking mission"

    Shepard's words were met by an indifferent "get him out of here" from Dr. Moore. She showed no signs of the panic he spoke of, which put the worried scientists in the room at ease.

    In his small plain white room, Shepard laid on his bed. Thinking about Rodriguez and the forest that took him, and cursed at his bad luck and lack of preparation. He remembered what he saw while on the platform and even questioned his sanity as sleep started to creep in.

    Sleep almost took him when a knock came from his door, causing Shepard's heavy eyelids to shoot open. He stood up and moved to open the door thinking that Sargent Williams came to chew him out over his earlier outburst. As he opened however he was shocked to see George standing there.

    Shepard sighed and tried to close the door in his face, but was stopped by George's hand. "whatever your selling I ain't buying, can you leave now? I want to sleep." He brushed the geologist's hand to the side and tried closing the door again, but this time he was stopped by George's words, which caused Shepard's eyes to open wide.

    "I-I need your help. I think I might have proof that DR. Moore is lying about… well--about everything."

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