Ship's Log: March 18

Rusty slowed to a quick walk when the klaxon stopped. His could feel his heart continuing to race, but he was not certain whether it from the exertion or anxiety over the source of the alert. He had heading to his quarters when the alarm sounded. His first thought had been: Elizabeth! She had seemed to be resting comfortably when he had left the infirmary, but he also knew how suddenly a patient's condition could change.

The infirmary appeared deserted when he entered, hardly seeming the location of a recent containment alert. Rusty continued into the recovery area to find Elizabeth holding herself upright against the edge of one of the beds.

"Lizzie!," he called out. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Her head turned slowly in his direction, but her eyes lacked clear focus. He was not certain that she even heard or recognized him.

A small smile formed on her lips. "Chief . . ." Her voice was whisper. Her legs suddenly failed to support her. Rusty caught her just before she hit the deck. Her head lolled slowly, as if her neck had turned elastic. She was still conscious, but seemed unaware of her surroundings.

Rusty lifted her, surprised at how light she felt in his arms. It took him little effort to support her, but he found that his muscles still trembled. He ignored them, placing her gently back on the recovery bed. He turned at a sound at the opening to the aft corridors. Fear stood there, staring at him. Rusty swallowed tightly, even knowing that he had done nothing wrong.

Some about the Aerian seemed unsettled. He would have said disheveled, but there was nothing he could point to in her appearance to support that impression. She continued to stare at him, as if he were the focus of her unease. He doubted that it was so, but still felt the almost unbearable urge to flee from her dark gaze. Only his concern for Elizabeth fixed him there.

"She fell . . ." he said, the words sounding weak and flat. It felt like he was offering an inadequate excuse, but it had been the truth.

"She has not recovered," Fear stated, moving to the platform. She adjusted something near one of the monitors and then stepped back, examining Elizabeth for a long moment.

"What happened?" Rusty asked, his eyes moving in the direction of the open hatchway.

"Containment failure," Fear said, her eyes not quite meeting his. "Malfunction."

Rusty frowned. There were just too many unexplained failures lately. His teams were just not that careless in their duties.

"Repairs in progress," Fear reported. This time her eyes did meet his.

Although there was no change in her expression, Rusty felt himself being closely scrutinized. He was aware of a fine sheen of perspiration that broke out along his skin. He looked down at Elizabeth. She appeared to be resting comfortably again, some of the color returning to her face.

"Maybe I'd better go check on them," Rusty offered, more eager to be away from the Aerian's presence than any concern over the technicians' abilities—and he was curious as to what had actually happened. Anything that could ruffle the normally aloof and unreadable alien's proverbial feathers was worth noting.

"If you wish." Fear stared at him for a moment longer, as if reading his more subtle motives. She then turned away, checking the displays above Elizabeth's bed.

Rusty felt some relief that her attention was no longer directed on him. He moved quickly through the hatchway and into the corridor before she changed her mind. Still, he was certain that she watched him once more after his back was turned.