Argus

The way The Olympus was designed made Argus feel confined; Oppressed. It was dark and cold, the later she didn't mind as much as the first. She sat in the captain's chair on the bridge, the only chair on the bridge. The consoles before her were all she could see at first. Then came the walls.   Despite being made of metal, the low light and architecture made it look like the walls were alive, shifting and writhing in darkness as if succumbing to the exterior pressure as it drifted through space. The ship was a biomechanical horror to some and a dark, freakish angel to others.   The comms sprang to life, a voice echoing off the walls of the bridge. "Unidentified vessel, this is Major Charles Nguyen. Can you hear us?"   Argus tilted her head then looked to the sound of whirring gears and mechanical grating. Did she hear that right?   Apollo stared back, a mechanical wonder with lidless eyes, his twisted frame as black and jagged as the ship he inhabited. His lenses cast an orange light. "What is it?" He asked. His words were in Lebhan, and the translator always had trouble with Lebhan. There was a delay in interpretation. It was milliseconds long but noticeable.   "See, I heard it there," Argus replied, frantically navigating the console. She responded to the voice on the comms. "This is Francis 'Argus' Bors of the EVN Olympus."   "Olympus?" Major Nguyen asked.   Argus felt sure of it now. Whoever spoke was speaking her language, a human language. "Major," Argus began. She eyed the scanner to her right, the one that kept track of the hundreds… no… thousands of potential ships outside of the galactic rim. "What is your species and planet of origin?"   She waited for a response. From behind, Argus could feel Hera's judgment. It was as if the entity was appraising every move Argus made.   It made Argus feel exposed, which only made her angry. There were far too many "gods" on this ship, each watching her as if placing bets on what actions she may take. Who was really in control here? Did it even matter?   Argus pondered Hera's words, "You can refuse, as others have before you. However, if you do, who else would have the means to save them…"   The Major answered, and it came with a hint of pride. Argus felt a drop in the pit of her stomach, like she knew what he would say before he said it. Argus only registered two words in the major's reply.

"Human… Earth."