Chapter Text
“Rocky.” My name caught my attention. My focus shifted from my engineering project in front of me, one of the ship's pipes had a hole in it and I was creating a plug for it. My focus shifted from the object to the other member of the crew.
I was worried for a few members of my crew. We had made it to Tau Ceti orbit, but since things have been going south. Or whichever way was south in space. Space had no south. Whatever. This was one of the many crew members that was sick.
They were the last one to task to keep watch on rotation. Which they were going to ask now to rotate I'm sure. Their voice was weak and they moved lethargicly.
“Quartz.” “Rotation, I can't stay awake much longer. I must sleep.” “Understand.” My carapace slumped a bit. “Project will stay on hold. I watch sleep.” I climbed past Quartz and down the halls of the ship.
I moved up towards the sleeping quarters and noticed quickly that a few of the crew members that had left to sleep many hours ago were still here. Sleeping. They had been our most sick as well. “Quartz. When had Diamond, Pearl and Slate begun sleep, question?” I tapped my foot twice.
I didn't hear a response. I shifted my attention to where I had last seen quartz and noticed they were already on their platform and asleep. Completely still like the night.
The cabin was completely still.
I stood in the center. A few clicks here and there. All 23 Eridians were here and I was the last one awake. So I started to shuffle and sit with my legs wrapped around me. And I waited.
I waited a long time. My fingers fidgeting and tapping against each other alongside the quiet. I shifted my shirt a bit as well. About a day had passed before I stood and approached one of my fellow crew members.
I stood over them for a moment. Captain Diamond. They were the first to sleep 2 days ago, I knew this. And here they still were motionless. Eridians only really sleep for a few hours at a time. But 2 days seemed excessive.
I reached out for them. A few clicks and vibrations sent out before my hand met their carapace. They had cooled significantly. During sleep we heated up, but they were cold.
Our Captain had died first.
I was still for a few moments. The only sounds made were my low clicks to look at my surroundings. I moved to Pearl and felt their cold carapace as well. They were the second to sleep. And forever they will now.
My body shifted and turned on my 5 legs. Beginning to feel anxious about the rest of the crew. And one by one I began to check, each time I made a sound to call their name now. Desperately with each new discovery.
All crew members had fallen ill. And now I was the only one left. I don't understand. I don't understand how they could've fallen so sick so suddenly.
How was I not sick? Was I special? This couldn't have been any ordinary pathogen, we have the ability to cook out any foreign body when we sleep. So it couldn't have been some foreign body or spreadable sickness. Was it the astrophage?
No it couldn't have been. We've been working with the material for beyond a few years now. If it were to make us sick we would see a lot more fallen.
I called out to anyone else possibly in the ship, despite all 23 of us being here in this room.
My claws fidgeted together again. All of us besides me. Why me? It was a question that kept coming back. It was beginning to sink in further that I was the last of the ship. Stuck in a star system that wasn't my own.
I had watched my crew die in front of me and done nothing. I didn't do anything. I just watched.
I slowly made my way to the exit, taking one last long look at the lifeless Eridians in front of me before shutting the door on the way out and making my way back to my workshop through the empty halls of the ship.
Back to my work bench, I stilled. I didn't tinker with anything for a long while. I simply sat. And stared. Or what Eridians could do to stare. Deep in thought and grief. I was alone now with no idea what to do aside from continuing to make things.
Maybe I should get back to work.. I'll figure out what to do with my crew mates soon. I was completely consumed by loneliness and loss now. And slowly I began to shake and fall limp to the floor. My claws holding onto my abdomen.
I almost felt sick, but not the kind that makes you bedridden. The mentally sick that makes you want to expel everything you ate. 22 dead bodies that I all watched die and did nothing.