BUT WHAT IF...it was aliens.

[directorofhydra]

[It's supposed to be an easy mission. Escort company cargo to Whedon station. The company pays well, this is routine. Under commander Garrett, they've co-opted (rented, as Ward is fond of saying) Captain Melinda May's ship. There's Jemma and Fitz, a pair of techs, Coulson, a science officer, Palamas, Piper, Wong, and Reaper - something that Grant gives him no end of shit for. Besides, they're going to be in hypersleep for a good month at least - possibly two, so while he salutes Skye - May's co-pilot and wonders what it would be like to share a tube with her, his mind is half on that and half on the crate that commander Garrett says is "essential" to survival. The back half of the trip'll end up being surprisingly boring. Sign in and out.

Ours is not to wonder why kid. Ours is but to do or fucking die. Just like your dad would want huh?

He'd never tell Garrett he considers him far more of a father then James Ward - board of directors member and personal friend of Weyland's ...lineage - but it looks good for HYDRA company having a son of the board of directors onboard. Thankfully the old man keeps it to himself. Palamas gives him a sympathetic look though as the ship shuts itself down, auto piloting out to the stars...

When he wakes up it's like no time has passed but something is clearly off. The place is quiet a few tubes are empty, and while he's puking his guts out and unaware of any of the other active pods there's no chance or opportunity to look up and see anything or anyone quite yet. He's just curled over trying to come back to his senses - senses that haven't alerted him to the lack of Garrett - overseeing his hypersleep as always - or Palamas and Piper playfully flirting.]

simple mission they said. go home on leave they said...

Comments

[busdriver]

[She's under contract to haul cargo for the company, and this cargo happens to come with a military escort. On paper, the Zephyr and her captain are a good fit for the job. She was honorably discharged a few years back. Thing is, she's changed a lot since then. She's still precise and no-nonsense, but Skye's influence has done a lot to relax her. She's set in her own routine. It wasn't easy to give Commander Garrett the run of her ship, even temporarily. She hates him already. The sound of his voice makes her shoulders tighten and a muscle twitch in her jaw.

She considered refusing the job, but the company threatened her with a performance review and a safety inspection, and the last thing she needs is a bunch of corporate suits inspecting her ship from top to bottom. She has an immaculate record, and she'd like to keep it that way. Inspectors from the company have a way of manifesting technicalities and violations. In the end, it just wasn't worth pushing back on this one. The money's good, especially for a short trip.

Her pod activated not long before Ward's. She's on her feet now, barely, with her stomach still churning and a weak lethargic tremor in her limbs. The pods immediately around hers were already vacant when she opened her eyes. Skye should've been on her right and the science officer, Coulson, on her left. She'll have to talk to the computer about why they weren't all brought out of hypersleep at once.

One of Garrett's guys is still here. He's wisecracking about the stasis hangover. He's still underdressed, and so's she. Worst case scenario, he'll see the outline of her nipples peaking against her tank top, big fucking deal. It's routine and desexualized and most people wake up feeling too crappy to care about modesty. She's not the one she saw him checking out earlier. He's got eyes for Skye—not gonna happen.

Anyway, she'd swear the airflow on the Zephyr is different right now, circulating less than usual. She makes a mental note to check the filtration system. It could be nothing, or it could be indicative of any number of problems. She wouldn't put it past the Commander to wake himself up early so his troops wouldn't see him all bare-assed and sickly. And if he'd do that, he'd probably also adjust the thermostat. He seems like the macho type. She can't wait to get the escort unloaded and put everything back the way she likes it.]

Ugh... This has Garrett written all over it.

[directorofhydra]

John wouldn't do that.

[It's automatic. His head spins and he tries to steady the deck before shaking himself a bit like a dog. It's said so matter of factly that it might be sad. The man is the boy's religion.]

He likes seeing Palamas and Piper wake up. Kara's got a real knack for getting out of these. where're you showers?

[There's an overwhelming sense of silence about the ship. It makes Ward glance over his shoulder at May with a frown.]

[busdriver]

Yeah, that's not weird at all. [She can't bite back the sarcasm. Garrett's already on her last nerve and his fan club isn't helping.

She starts moving, shakily, leading the way to the showers.] This way. [The Zephyr's layout takes some getting used to. She's starting to think she should've handed out maps. And she'd like to hope they're not far behind the others. Maybe they'll catch up to them in the showers. Failing that, there's only so many common areas on the ship. People tend to congregate in the galley. It's quiet enough to hear the thrum of power through the ship, like a steady heartbeat, and for her it's a comforting sound. It isn't her style to worry about a problem they might not even have—but she is making a mental list of checks to perform once she's feeling more alive.]

It's Ward, right?

[directorofhydra]

[He smirks but he's shaken by a sudden chill and he wraps his arms around himself, rubbing his biceps before he shivers.]

You learn to tolerate it. Just like these pods.

[Moving to follow her he's aware of the silence once again. The chills around the ship and - he smells the shower before he sees it. There's a very distinct smell like someone threw something up mixed with something that died.

The kind of smell that makes you anxious you're naked. Looking to May he straightens.]

Yeah. Grant Ward but everybody calls me Ward. No relation to Wards of the company.
[Lies and slander but it's a bit hard to get behind that. There's a real smell and he frowns at her. It's hard to miss that they're both in their underwear and something - well. Something is off.]

Pipes need to be flushed.

[busdriver]

Hmph.

[They can agree on something: Garrett's a lot like the pods. Depending how long she's with him, she'd even say he makes her sick.

The smell hits her all at once. She doesn't have a ready explanation for this one. The pipes should be fine. It doesn't make sense. She puts her arm out to stop Ward from walking past her and into the showers.]

Let's not. [She's just thinking, maybe they could knock 'shower' down a few places on their to-do list?]

I'd better go talk to Mother. It'd be helpful if I knew what the hell you guys were "escorting."

[This isn't her first attempt to find out, and she doubts it'll be the last.]

[satphone]

[ Trip was just resting against the side of the stasis pod when May makes that comment. Though unlike Ward he doesn't make any real attempt to defend Garrett, instead there's a quick flicker of a smirk on his face before he's back running a hand over his head as another wave of post-stasis sickness runs through him. No one ever really prepares you for what a bitch space travel was, no matter how much training you go through. At least there's no reaction to the nudity thing as Triplett stands up proper for the first time. He's keeping his eyes at eye level on everyone, May, Ward, Piper. Everyone. While it's not a sexual situation, it's simply not...well, proper.]

We should check the package.

[ Though his voice comes out less commanding and more with a hint of affection as he glanced over at the other pods not yet woken up. It was...well, weird.

Where the hell was Garrett anyway?]

Or you know, check out the windows?

[ The Geth thing windows are a structural weakness Trip.]

[busdriver]

[Windows, that's funny. She huffs a breath that comes out sounding less amused than she intended. Really, it was funny. She's just trying to keep down the lunch she ate two months ago. Windows would detract from the Zephyr's claustrophobic submarine aesthetic. There's only so much they can do with low lighting and exposed tubing.

Trip must be the Boy Scout of the unit, eyes forward the entire time. May's pretty sure Trip is making space travel look good, but her eyes aren't wandering either. The empty pods are giving her more than enough to look at and think about. For that matter, where the hell is Coulson? He'd usually be taking this time to recommend old-fashioned hangover cures.]

Make sure no one peeked inside the mystery box?

[That sounds like a whole lot of not her job, but since she became a civilian, she hasn't been in the habit of cashing cheques without asking questions. She'd be interested to know what they're hauling.]

[directorofhydra]

[Ward manages a smile in May's direction.] The box is locked up tight.

[The quiet is really scaring him to be honest. At least as much as he can be scared.]

I'll take point. We need to hit the showers. Anyone else smelling that smell?

[busdriver]

[She arches one eyebrow at Ward, skeptical. It smells like the pipes are backed up, the sleeping pods out of sync, the air is cycling half as much as it should, but their box is definitely right where they left it and sealed up tight? Is he sure about that? As she sees it, her ship isn't how she left it when she went to sleep. The mystery box might not be, either.]

Your call.

[The cargo is their responsibility, and the eerie quiet? That's her responsibility. She wants to know what the ship's computer has to say about it. Ward sounds like he has a plan, but she's having none of it.]

I'm gonna pass on that, Lieutenant commander.

[She pats Ward on the chest with some sympathetic condescension, then turns to walk off in the opposite direction from the showers. Might not even have been his correct rank. She refuses to recognize whatever authority he might think he has in this situation. Good luck taking point on Operation Bathtime.]

[satphone]

He has more confidence than I do. It's a charming quirk but it's not exactly harmful.

[ Trip pointed out with a little wave towards his brother in arms and Garett's golden boy toy. Though, he's taking that small noise/laugh from May as a total win. Trip just pushed off the sleeping pod he was leaning against before taking a few steps towards Ward with a little smirk.]

We check the package, we have one job on this boat. It's dumb but we gotta do it.

[ Don't mind him just turning his head as May walked away towards some where other than the showers.]

Eyes to yourself, solider.

[busdriver]

[The quickest route to their actual gear? You guessed it: through the showers. May's heading for a row of lockers at the t-intersection outside the pod room. She stops there, searching through old clothes and odds and ends, and finally shimmies into an unflattering gunmetal-colored mechanic's jumpsuit. It's not as nice as a shower and her own clothes, but for how her day is shaping up, it'll do.

It's quiet enough that she barely has to raise her voice to be heard from down the corridor.] Sounds and smells like I've got repairs to do. I'll let you boys know what Mother says.

[directorofhydra]

[Ward is wondering where Palamas is. He manages another smirk at Trip as he heads to rinse off.]

You like these guys? John was makin' eyes at the Captain earlier.

[It's hard to trust civvies man.] Where the hell's the soap?

[satphone]

They're all right. Hard to complain.

[ Well, he'll see how the dinner is on this boat before he makes any real judgements. Trip, on the other hand, is much more trusting about it all.]

If you make a drop the soap comment, I'm throwing you out an airlock.

[directorofhydra]

With you? It'll be tough. I can't do better and we both know it.

[He smirks, grinning. His family's got some girl picked out for him when he gets home from his deployment.

He shucks the idea off with a tick of his head.]

Where are you going after we're done on this tour?

[zephyrmorph]

[Sooo, remember that mystery box? The super important mystery box that just so happens to be the whole point of this doomed expedition? That was a really great financial investment, taking on that job. I'm sure no one will come to regret taking on that job.

Anyway, the box. Yeah, it's exactly where they left it. Don't even worry about it. Nothing to see here. Still just sitting in the cargo hold, right where it's supposed to be.

It's open, though. It is wide open. The lid is totally off the thing. Is that going to be a problem? Probably not, right?

It's only eggs inside. A cluster of slimey, veiny eggs, pulsing ominously with life. And one of those eggs is already hatched, opened up at the top, like the flowers of a petal. Isn't that nice? The miracle of life.

It's a precious newborn baby something, and it's hugging your friend. Hugging your friend in the face.]

[directorofhydra]

[Ward's showered and he's down to check the box. The whole thing has him uneasy. The whole ship is way too quiet and he still hasn't found John. The whole thing makes him nervous.

In his fatigues he checks the box and recognizes the person at least underneath the eggs.]

Kara! Kara!

[Gonna go for pulling the thing off, gloved hands trying to peel at the thing on her face. He reaches a trembling hand for his mic.]

Anyone! Anyone! I'm in the hold there's some kind of shit in the box and Kara is down. repeat! Kara is down!

[zephyrmorph]

[Close examination would reveal that Kara is still breathing, but the alien lifeform attached to her face doesn't want to be interfered with. It responds to Ward's efforts by tightening its "tail" around Kara's neck, threatening to cut off her air supply. Its long fingerlike digits clench around her skull.]

[directorofhydra]

[He pulls back, frowning. Pulling his radio out again he moves to fall back.]

Say again! Anybody reading me?

[No point. He moves to sling Kara over his shoulder in a firemans carry. Running down the ship looking for help completely forgetting to close the box. This...is nothing like what he expected.

Garrett never told him what was in the box. Only that they were delivering weaponry. Bio-weaponry? Had something got loose? Grown over Kara's face? This is going to change the face of warfare as we know it kid.

He doesn't stop running until he spots a tall figure walking calmly through the ship.]

You! stop!

[Coulson turns, his eyes go wide, and after a moment he's in the kitchen with the man who is prodding and poking the creature, stoic, not saying anything. Ward for his part is still attempting to contact Trip, May, or basically anyone.]

[busdriver]

[After checking in with the computer, May went to work straightening out most of the quirks they woke up to. She found Fitz and Simmons already elbow-deep in repairs and borrowed their technical expertise. Things break down sometimes. Constant maintenance is just part of the charm of space travel, but the timing of these faults seems a little unlucky. May isn't paranoid enough to think that someone sabotaged the ship deliberately, but it's possible. It's possible that someone wanted to keep them busy and looking the other way.

She hasn't had a chance to confront Coulson about tampering with the stasis pods. It isn't the most pressing thing right now. When Ward gets through to her, she doesn't understand what the hell he's talking about, but she says she'll be right over.

Nothing really could've prepared her for the sight when she gets there: an inquisitive Coulson standing over a prone Palamas, and Palamas herself lying on the table, almost unrecognizable thanks to the strange creature latched on.]

Is she—alive? What is that?

[satphone]

[ Trip who'd be mysteriously absent since going to check on the box originally was just going to stroll into the room, about two steps after May. At least he's wearing clothes this time. ]

Oh that is not right.

[ Don't mind his little scrunch of his nose. Honestly he cares about Kara, well enough to serve with her. His first reaction to stress is to make a comment like that. He's going to linger at the door before his eyes flick to Ward.]

Does Piper know yet? [ Is she even awake yet? Trip was just going to walk closer to the table for a moment.] Are we really letting the guy who woke us up poke her?

[directorofhydra]

...I haven't found Piper. [Ward needs to get Trip alone, as soon as possible, to ask him what the hell was going on. Garrett's absence is troublesome but what was in the box...was even moreso.

He frowned.] I can't get it off her. It tightens up and she starts to struggle whatever the hell it is.

[Read his mind Trip. He needs to talk to you. Privately. Alone.]

Have you seen John? Can we do a systems sweep for him?

[Fixing his gaze on Coulson he frowns.] You could do something besides stand there asshole. This is our friend.

[busdriver]

[Coulson lifts his hands, innocently, making a point that he's not "poking" at anyone more than he has to.] I'm trying to work out how to get this lifeform safely separated from your friend. Obviously your brute force tactics weren't the way to go.

[May steps up to get between Ward and Coulson.] Hey. [Fighting amongst themselves isn't going to help.] Let's just take it down a notch.

[Trip made a point without any namecalling. May looks over her shoulder.] Phil, we need to talk about the pods.

[Then back to Ward and Trip.] You can go ahead and ask the computer where Garrett is, but I doubt she'll tell you more than she told me.

[directorofhydra]

She's going to suffocate if we can't pull it off her!

[His hands squeeze and he glares at Trip before looking up.] Computer? Identify Captain John Garrett or Sgt. Brianna Piper.

[Silence. He moves to tug at the thing again before pulling his hands back.] It's so...slippery and cold.

[It's hard not to be scared of this. And the eggs...

His eyes go wide and he's on his feet looking to May.]

There were more of those things in the damn box.

[did he close it?] Where'd you store our guns?

[busdriver]

[Coulson frowns, disapproval written on his features as he watches Ward pry at the alien. He's still not losing his temper.]

She was breathing normally before you interfered with the—unidentified lifeform. Our best chance of saving her life is if you stop panicking and let me work.

[In point of fact, the facehugger seems to be acting like a ventilator. It only chokes its victim when they try to remove it; when Ward desists, it loosens its tail again to allow her to breathe.

Mother is not an omnipotent artificial intelligence who can hear them all over the ship, and even if she was, that wouldn't be the right technique to get information out of her. Nice try, though. May crosses her arms, looking from the alien thing to Ward and Trip.]

You brought this thing on to my ship, and there are more of them?

[And the fact that they aren't even armed is just piling bad news on top of bad news.]

I didn't store your guns. Your Commander wouldn't let me touch them. They weren't with the rest of your gear when you got out of the showers?

[directorofhydra]

[Ward is more concerned about his weaponry.] John told me it was a military weapon he didn't say anything about it being alive!

[He rounds on May] Did they just walk off by themselves?

[He's not going to entertain the idea that it's John Garrett somehow, leering in the darkness like a ghoul.]

[busdriver]

[May throws her hands up and exaggerates a shrug. She isn't intimidated by Ward, and even if she were intimidated, she still wouldn't have an answer for him. For all she knows? Their stuff really did pick itself up and walk off.]

What reason could I possibly have for moving your guns?

[Jumping down each other's throats isn't helping. She looks up at him, resolute. It isn't worth arguing. She's not going to lose her temper at a time like this.]

You need to back off.

[Not just her, but Coulson too. She'll deal with him.]

[zephyrmorph]

[No thanks to Coulson—who, it should be mentioned, made a weak token effort to remove one of the facehugger's knuckled digits from around Kara's skull—the alien is all hugged out. Its tail loosens from around Kara's neck and the creature detaches itself, its proboscis limply extracting from her throat. It's the... miracle of life? No, wait. That's supposed to be a surprise. Ignore that. Nothing to see here. Show's over. Kara's fine.

The "unidentified lifeform", however, rapidly scuttles away from its victim and launches itself off the table. It's going to do a victory lap of the room before finding a cozy place to die.

Coulson either doesn't know about the death part, or he's feigning ignorance. As soon as the facehugger moves off Kara, he shouts for everyone to evacuate the room. On the bright side, Kara should be regaining consciousness any second now.]

[busdriver]

[On a wall somewhere, possibly enroute to the cargo bay or even inside it, an antiquated speaker system crackles to life with May's voice.] Hey, guys. [Boy Scout and Garrett Junior.]

I spoke to Mother. She said our mission parameters have changed, details classified. [Whatever that means.]

Good news on the air, at least. I'm looking at the problem now. It's an easy fix. The O-2 filters act up sometimes... And, for what it's worth, I checked the logs. Garrett didn't change the settings on the sleeping pods. Coulson did.

[What's new with the boys? Push button to talk, because this is the future as imagined in the 1980s.]