"How We Must Survive" (Gemini)

= Chapter 4: How We Must Survive = Everyone had once again gathered around the air lock, with Gus and Julian inside. “We gather here today, once again,” Roger delivered his speech, “Just as we did yesterday… Today, we are saying goodbye to more of our beloved fellow crew members. I know this isn’t what any of you want,” He then turned to Wells, “Believe it or not, I don’t want this either…” Wells was silent, but still looked distastefully at him.

“When I was a young boy living in New York, my family and I were nearly deported back to Kenya… My dad ended up doing something illegal to save my mother and I. An innocent family instead ended up getting deported, and my father… Well, he was executed for doing that upon being caught…”

Wells rolled his eyes, believing Roger’s speech was not going anywhere – but it was.

“… The point is, my father gave up not just his life, but he also gave up the freedom of an innocent family just so that I would have a chance at a proper life. In the long run, it paid off. I’m here, aren’t I? A physician on board a space station? I just… I want you to understand something. Sometimes, we may not like the things people do. But we do what we must. It’s how we must survive – by doing everything which has to be done, regardless of any morals it may break.” He turned back to Julian and Augusts, “Julian and Gus here,” Despite the fact that Gus was already passed out on the floor from his stab wound, “They’re giving up their lives so that we can have a chance. This is how we must survive…”

He put his hand on the control panel, “May the stars take care of you. Safe flight, my friends…” With those parting words, he pulled the lever, as the two men were flung out into space.

Wells could not keep his opinions to himself, “Three down. Ten more to go. Right Roger?” He taunted him. “No one said this was going to be easy, Wells…”

He shook his head, “Everyone except you that is. You don’t show the littlest bit of sympathy when sending those people out there!” He raised his voice, “This time yesterday, Julian was holding me back from beating you to death!” He emphasised his words so much he had spat them out, some of his spit hitting Roger’s face. “The only reason why you aren’t teeth-out and knocked out on the ground right now is because Julian has just sacrificed himself, for me…” He stepped back to Kristina, still maintaining eye contact with Roger. “If I ever go out of those doors, Roger, I want you in that air lock with me when it happens… Deal?” He locked his eyes fiercely.

Sonia grabbed Roger’s arm, tugging at it. He turned to face her. She shook her head in desperation – An ironic contrast to how she last shook her head at him upon denying Seth’s sacrifice. He turned back to Wells, “Deal…”

In the engine room, Amanda ran her hand along the pipes as well as the boxes containing the important electrical components. In a dark corner, there were barrels of fuel. She grasped her arms around one of them, shaking it to feel how much liquid was inside.

“Perfect…” She dragged the barrel away from the engine room and towards the door. As she opened it, she continued pulling it out into the corridor.

Sonia had returned to the deck; she was once again gazing out upon the Earth beneath. “Sonia…” Wells’ voice was familiar yet unexpected. “Oh, Wells. Please, join me!” He stood next to her as they both watched the world beneath.

“It’s strange really… It doesn’t look any different, does it?” Wells remarked, referring to how Earth hadn’t changed at all despite all which had happened. “No, you’re right. It doesn’t. It certainly is odd, isn’t it?” Sonia agreed with him.

“It’s still so beautiful though,” Wells shocked Sonia with this comment, as it was exactly what she had been telling everyone else all along. “This could be the last time I see it… It appears that people are getting thrown out on a daily basis now.” Wells added to his previous comment.

“No,” Sonia abruptly responded, turning to face him. “Listen to me, Wells, I won’t let Roger throw you out of that air lock. I’m his best friend. He’d never harm me. I’d never let him harm you either. Don’t worry, you won’t die up here… At least, not in the near future.”

Wells smirked at her, “We’re all gonna die up here Sonia. I doubt you wouldn’t have let Roger kill Seth, or Julian, or Augustus, when we initially arrived up here. But he still did. I don’t have a problem with dying anymore, Sonia. Because if I die, Roger dies with me…”

The thought of both men dying made Sonia shiver. “Look, if it’s just you left at the end of all this… Just go back to Earth. You can either die up here or down there… Might as well die down there I figure.” Sonia completely blanked Wells’ words – she had no intention of being the last living member of the crew.

“Look, just… If I do go next, I want you to do something for me…” Wells scratched the back of his head, blushing slightly. “Tell Rosie I had a crush on her. Tell her I’m sorry for being too shy to ever make a move.” Sonia laughed, “Oh Wells… Always the glass half-full kind of guy aren’t you?”

He nodded through his reddened cheeks, “Most importantly though, try to keep her alive as long as possible. Please. If it gets down to you and her, I can understand. But make sure she outlives everyone else at least, can you promise me that, Sonia?”

She laughed again, “Wells… You can look after her yourself. I’m not letting either of you die next. Rosie’s a quiet girl, and she’s only in her early twenties. Just like you – probably why you like her, isn’t it?” He didn’t respond.

“I know she’s in danger. Being the least talkative member of the team, she’s therefore the most likely to be voted or traded for. With Amanda on the loose, no one is safe. Least of all, Rosie. No one would notice if she disappeared because of how quiet she is. Look… Why don’t you go to her quarters? Go and find her. Go and be with her. Cherish her. Love her. Tell her that.” Sonia put her hand on Wells’ shoulder, “The world is ending. No time for secrets anymore. If it’s the last chance you get – which it isn’t, by the way – be a man, ok?”

Wells smiled back at Sonia, “Ok…” He took several deep breaths, adjusting his clothes, before heading off to Rosie’s quarters. Sonia watched him with great comedic value.

In one of the corridors, Amanda was emptying one of the fuel barrels. She poured the yellow substance all over the floor, throwing it into several empty dormitories as well – one of which had belonged to Julian.

“Why not just target the engine room?” Neil asked from behind, frightening her. “Neil! I was… Uh…” She didn’t have an excuse. “It’s alright, Amanda. You don’t need to justify yourself to me… I get it. What I don’t get is why you wouldn’t just target the engine.”

She caught her breath before answering. “It’s simple… I don’t want to destroy this station. That’d make it too easy, plus, I’d be in danger too. You see what I want, Neil, is I want to make life harder for the people on board here – especially Roger. For the past six months, he’s been an absolute dick to everyone. Now, I can make him suffer personally, but also mentally. I’ll make him watch Sonia suffer as well. Then, I’ll make my return to Earth… Sound good?”

Neil nodded slowly, “One suggestion: How about I join you in the escape pod on your return?”

Amanda laughed, “Ha! No…” She smiled malignantly and then stabbed Neil in the chest. She continued to smile as she drilled the knife all the way in and then pulled it back out again. Neil collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest desperately. “Guess we know who’s next on the chopping block then…” Amanda threw some of the fuel over him before dragging the barrel off into another section…

“Alright, you can do this Wells, you can do it…” He reassured himself, rubbing his hands together. He looked up at the camera, noticing it was now facing him. He waved at it, knowing Sonia was on the other side. The camera shifted up and then back down again in a sort of ‘nodding’ gesture.

He knocked on the door, waiting several seconds. There was no sign of anyone rushing to open the door, so he tried knocking again. “Rosie?” He knocked more desperately, “Rosie? Are you in there?” But it didn’t matter how much or how hard he knocked, there was no response. He stepped back, looking up at the camera.

In the coms room, Sonia noticed the panicked expression on Wells’ face, and activated her ear piece, “Wells? What’s going on down there? Where is she?” She noticed that Wells wasn’t wearing his earpiece however. “Dammit! Oh well…” Sonia leant back, folding her hands behind her head – she did not suspect anything about Rosie.

Wells however was not satisfied, he tried knocking on the door again. “Rosie? Rosie!” He was concerned now.

“Don’t move boy!” Amanda commanded, startling him. In her arms, she had Rosie apprehended, a knife against her throat. The poor girl looked terrified.