Elle Franklin marveled at her left arm. The shimmer was beautiful, becoming more and more evident. She and Malcolm Brand sat next to each other awaiting young genius James Ian Pryce to examine his tests of their DNA. After forty minutes he returns from the next room and could hardly contain his excitement.
"This place is amazing!" He nearly dances.
Malcolm narrows his brow, "What did you find out?"
"Well. Your natural healing ability was increased a thousand fold. I'm only guessing at this point, but I think the jolt Elle got from Jack carried over some of his healing factor. Not only can she heal herself quickly, I think her touch releases the necessary neurons to replicate scar tissue back into it's original state. Obviously, there's no way to test this theory further without a test subject."
As if on cue Cameron Scott enters holding a meaty slab of Pterodactyl.
"Ruby said for you to test this bird before we eat it."
James swiftly forces him to drop the chunk of meat on a table next to them and examines his hands.
"Careful Kid. I cut myself. Tough bird."
Eyes wide James quickly disinfects Cameron's right hand before dragging him over to Elle.
"Hold his hand." James prompts.
Cameron in response offers a queer expression, "We're not even dating kid."
Elle giggles with a sigh before touching Cameron's cut. The tiny incision seals and vanishes before their eyes. Elle almost jumped away.
"Wow. That felt weird. Ummm! Thanks?" Cameron is taken back.
"How do You think I feel?" Elle feels anxious, "Imagine if I could have done that with Jacks severed arm."
James grins, "Full circle. Without Jack I don't think you would be this way. The weaver bugs enzymes not only energized every cell in Jack's body, I think it increased his electrical impulses. He can generate small doses of electricity and can focus it like a Taser. When he touched you outside while you held on to Mrs. Ridge that electricity zapped through you and her corpse."
"So, I absorbed his healing ability?" She shivers.
"I believe so. Only you can heal others. We don't know if Jack can or not." James nods.
"What about the left arm?" Malcolm points toward her glistening forearm.
James lifts her arm holding it closer, "It's heavy."
He then grabs a scalpel and stabs her wrist. The blade breaks instantly.
Everyone was stunned by his bold move.
"You were touching a diamond ring correct?"
Elle winces after a moment of disbelief that James would stab her so uncaringly, "I don't think I was at the time. I think Sophia had it on her finger."
"You've been touching Sophia off and on. I think her newly structured DNA left a residue on you. It latched on to the diamond's cellular make-up. I think you adopted an organic diamond texture."
"Will that cover my entire body?"
James shrugs, "Wish I knew. Time will tell."
She clenches her left fist and feels her skin tighten. Without so much as a warning she lashes her arm out and smashes a dent in the metal wall beside her.
"Didn't feel a thing." She puckers her lower lip.
Malcolm and Cameron go pale.
Nodding at her stunt Elle sighs, "Okay Gentlemen. I feel like a nap. I'm fine. This could be worse right?"
She stands up and excuses herself. She then made her way to an adopted room she called her own. The others could only stare at James.
Malcolm shakes his head while scratching his scalp, "So Can we do anything like that now that she's healed us both?"
James lifts the scalpel with a sly grin, "Let's find out shall we?"
Both Cam and Malcolm throw their hands up in retaliation. Neither wanted stabbed. James then chuckles and stabs the slab of Pterodactyl meat into a tiny specimen.
"Had you guys going didn't I?"
The older gents shared a look of hesitation. They weren't entirely trusting of the kid as it was.
James places a sample of the meat under a microscope he had found and looks it over. After a careful scrutiny he turns to them, "I'll take mine medium rare. Looks safe enough."
Cam nods hearing his stomach growl, "Perfect. I'll gather some driftwood I saw about sixty yards out and build us a fire. Malcolm? Care to carve the turkey further?"
Malcolm jumps from his leaning position, "At least you didn't mention Fried Chicken."
Cam offers a queer look, "Why do you always bring up racist comments? I've never mentioned anything remotely racist."
Malcolm frowns, "Voodoo? My Grandfather?"
"How is that racist? Of course I guess I've never heard of a white witch doctor before."
Both men rib each other as they step away laughing. Cameron much more than Malcolm.
James laughed at them even as they left. Once gone he rubs his hands together evilly.
"Now for my Master plan."
Xander his faithful pet German Shepard laid his jaw on his paws. Even he was nervous.
Jack Ramse needed some alone time as he explored this strange new home. It started as a hunt for his own private chambers. Curiosity led him further out into unexplored territory. After all this alien craft was the size of three city blocks. Hard telling what was hiding here. He was thankful to have this place as a safe haven against the outside world. Even though it was pretty dead and desolate out there.
The way he saw things it was better to get a handle on what was inside before tackling the outside. There had to be more than just a ship graveyard in this world. Furthermore he needed to take charge and secure the perimeter. Once a soldier always a soldier.
With his heightened senses still in denial of their possibilities he growls at the many odors around him. So much death in miniscule forms. Yet teeming with a vast variety of living organisms. Outliving their captors.
Entering a section unexplored by the others Jack utilizes a pair of night goggles to peer into the darkness. Through a green light his eyes survey the room. It was in shambles yet he had seen worse in his time.
Stumbling upon a vault he wondered what might be locked up behind it. He could hear what sounded like bubbles in water. Strange letters were etched into the metal door. Ganthorian lingo in which he had no comprehension concerning what it said. With a frown he temporarily loses interest and continues onward.
The room next to that held what appeared to be trophies. Strange looking animals as if museum pieces at a Hunting Lodge. Bear like creatures. What he imagined the mythical Griffin to be like. Three headed beasts with multiple eyes. Some terrifying to the weak of heart. Unlike him.
He hears a whining noise behind him and turns quickly with a Glock trigger ready for anything. To his shock it ended up being Xander, James Ian's German Shepard. He immediately lowers his gun.
"Following me Pup?"
"I sent him." Came the voice of James through the linguistic collar's audio.
Jack offered his best Eastwood squint, "What the hell?"
"The collar Colonel. It's a Ganthorian communication device that is fluent in deciphering any language. I'm seeing through Xander's eyes. I know it's weird but I'm telepathic. Part of the reason the U.S. bigwigs at REGION wanted me. It's limited to me and Xander though. I can't read your mind. It was a surgical implant I placed on Xander's brain. I sent him in case you needed my assistance while I'm doing other things."
"I'm not liking you Kid. Sound like a Mad Scientist in the making."
"I've heard that before. Really I'm not. Mischief maybe."
"Uh Huh! There's a strange looking vault in the next room. Writing on it. Does the collar decipher writing too?"
