Nalina
NALINA
D r. Gondon’s hands stilled on the console, her skin shifting through troubled patterns of color. “There’s something we need to discuss.”
Something in her tone made my stomach clench.
“The lab’s core systems,” she continued, “I helped design them, before I understood what the Consortium planned to do with my work.” Her eyes fixed on the schematics. “They modified everything, twisted it into something terrible, but the basic architecture is still mine.”
“Which means you know how to shut it down,” I said.
“No.” She turned to face us fully. “It means I know why we can’t just cut power or trigger a remote shutdown. The failsafe systems I built in... they’ve corrupted those too.”
Another tremor hit, stronger than before. I reached for the console, grateful for Tyrix’s steadying hand at my waist. The mutations were accelerating - I could feel the changes burning through my cells with each passing minute.
“Explain,” Tyrix growled.
“The original system was designed with multiple redundancies - safeguards to protect research data.” Dr. Gondon elaborated. “But they modified those protocols. Now, any unauthorized shutdown triggers automatic data transmission to their other facilities.”
The implications hit hard. “They’d know we were coming. Other stations would be warned.”
“Worse.” She pulled up new schematics. “They’d have time to move the children they’re still processing. To hide evidence. Every successful mutation, every failed experiment - it would all be preserved, ready to start again somewhere else.”
Warning lights flashed as more systems came online.
“The initialization sequence is at sixty percent,” she said. “Once it reaches full power, everything they’ve learned here - all their research data, their successes, their failures - will be transmitted to their other facilities. We can’t let that happen.”
I studied the schematics, my maintenance training catching something. “These power routings... they’re using the old emergency protocols to bypass standard security.” I traced a path through the system diagram. “See how they’ve spliced into the original infrastructure? That’s why normal shutdown sequences won’t work.”
Dr. Gondon’s skin lightened with interest. “Yes, exactly. They built their modifications into-”
“The station’s bones.” I finished. “Like a parasite feeding off the host systems.” Another wave of dizziness hit, but I made myself focus. “But that means...”
I pulled up a different set of schematics - older ones I remembered from my training days. “The original emergency overrides are still there, underneath everything they added. We might not be able to shut it down remotely, but we could use them to slow the data transmission. Buy more time.”
“How?” Tyrix asked.
My fingers moved across the controls, muscle memory fighting the tremors. “Like this.”
Power flickered through specific sections as I triggered a cascade of minor system failures - nothing critical, but enough to force the lab’s systems to constantly recalibrate.
“That’s brilliant.” Dr. Gondon studied the power readings. “But it won’t hold for long. They’ll adapt.”
“Which is why we need to move fast.” I gestured to the schematics. “What’s the real plan?”
“The shutdown sequence has to be triggered from inside the lab itself. Multiple control points, specific timing.” She took a deep breath. “I built in a cascading failure protocol - a way to destroy everything if my research was ever misused. But it has to be done manually.”
“Why you?” Tyrix demanded. “Tell us the sequence-”
Heavy boots echoed through the maintenance shafts - security teams approaching from multiple directions. But something was wrong in their movements.
“They’re being controlled,” I realized. “Like Grot.”
I moved to another console, fighting waves of dizziness. “The environmental seals in section 42... if I cross the intake valves with the recycling protocols...”
Steam burst from overhead vents, filling the approaching corridors. Through the security feeds, we watched the teams stumble, their precise formations breaking apart.
“That’ll slow them down,” I managed. “But not for long.”
“Long enough.” Dr. Gondon was already gathering her equipment. “I need to reach the lab. The shutdown sequence requires intimate knowledge of both the original systems and what they’ve become. I designed it all - I’ll know which changes to trigger, which to leave alone.”
Another tremor rocked the station. My legs buckled, but Tyrix caught me before I could fall. The taste of blood filled my mouth - cellular breakdown accelerating just as Dr. Gondon had warned.
“There has to be another way,” I managed.
“There isn’t.” She pressed a data crystal into my hands. “Everything’s here - evidence of what they’ve done, how to help the survivors. Get it to the right people.”
“Doctor-”
“I let this happen.” Her skin darkened with emotion. “I saw the signs. Asked questions. But I didn’t act fast enough. Told myself they couldn’t really be planning what I suspected.” Her hands clenched on her bag. “Children died because I was too cautious, too willing to believe their excuses.”
“My research was meant to help people,” she continued. “Instead, they used it to twist children into weapons. To break families apart. Every person they’ve corrupted, every mind they’ve stolen - it started with my work.” Her skin rippled with determination. “I’m going to end it. Properly this time.”
Through the security feeds, I watched the teams regrouping, adapting to the steam. “They’re rerouting through section 44,” I warned. “Three minutes at most.”
“The distribution nodes are prepped,” Dr. Gondon explained quickly. “You’ll need to override environmental controls, then trigger dispersal in the exact sequence I showed you. Too fast or too slow-”
“I remember.” I pulled up the maintenance schematics again. “Wait - if you take the service shaft through hydroponics, you can bypass their security checkpoints. The old access codes should still work.”
She nodded, already moving. At the entrance to the tunnel, she paused. “.”
“Yes?”
“When this is over, when you’ve healed... live the life they tried to steal from all of us.” Her skin shifted through complex patterns of emotion. “Be free.”
Before I could respond, she was gone.
“We need to go.” Tyrix’s hand found mine. “Environmental control is-”
“Wait.” I forced my trembling fingers to cooperate, accessing one final system. “The backup power couplings... if I overload them here and here...”
Sparks cascaded from the ceiling as specific junctions overloaded, plunging sections of the approach corridors into darkness.
“That’ll split their forces,” I explained. “Some will have to divert to restore power before-”
My legs gave out. Tyrix caught me, his arms solid and warm.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “That was brilliant, but we need to go. Now.”
He was right. We had our own mission - getting the compound into the environmental systems before Dr. Gondon triggered the lab’s destruction.
We made it halfway to the access tunnel before the first security team broke through. Their movements were wrong - jerky, mechanical, like puppets on tangled strings. The neural control devices at their necks pulsed with sickly purple light.
Tyrix moved to engage them, but I caught his arm. “The ceiling supports - they’re original installation. One good hit...”
He understood immediately, shifting his aim upward. The metal groaned, then gave way with a thunderous crash. Not enough to kill, but plenty to block pursuit.
“Maintenance knowledge is handy,” he commented as we ran.
“Lots of practice breaking things.” I managed a weak smile. “And sometimes fixing them too.”
We reached the maintenance shaft that would bring us to environmental control. As I forced my shaking body to climb, I tried not to focus on Dr. Gondon facing the lab alone. About the price she’d chosen to pay for her redemption.
The station shuddered again, and this time I welcomed the pain that shot through my body. It meant I was still here. Still fighting.
Still had a chance to finish this.
For all of us.
Through the station’s walls, I heard the deep mechanical groaning of systems pushing beyond their limits. Somewhere in the darkness ahead lay environmental control, and our last chance to make this right.
“Ready?” Tyrix asked softly.
I nodded, forcing my trembling legs to cooperate. “Let’s end this.”