Alan Foster: Alien: Covenant - Origins: The Official Movie Prequel

Suddenly they felt the slight shudder of an impact, vibrating up through the ship. Tennessee’s hands danced over the controls as he investigated. One chunk of metal that did escape vaporization proved large enough and fast enough to violate hull integrity in the vicinity of supply hold number eight. Emergency doors in the immediate area slammed shut to seal it off from the rest of the ship. Upon inquiry, Mother avowed that the breach wasn’t significant, and could be repaired in a couple of days.

Leaning back in his seat Tennessee pushed back his ever-present cowboy hat, put his hands behind his head, and exhaled long and deep. Next to him Faris let out a nervous laugh. Similar expressions of relief were expressed by everyone else on the bridge. Only Jacob didn’t relax, raising his voice slightly.

“Stay on alert, Mother,” he said. “Maintain high awareness level until we cross the orbit of Saturn.”

“I will keep watch, Captain,” the AI replied calmly. “Rest assured.”

Working intently at his station, Ricks looked over at the others. “They finally responded to our queries. Right before impact.”

Daniels and the others turned their attention to the Communications officer.

“Were you able to save anything?” Jacob asked him. “What did they say?”

Ricks checked his instrumentation one more time. His expression was one of bafflement. “It’s just nonsense. ‘Oh-tee-bee-dee.’” He eyed his colleagues. “That make sense to anyone?”

Tennessee shook his head. Faris shrugged. As mutual incomprehension passed they returned to their duties, thankful to be alive.

Knowing full well the meaning of the final communication from the suicidal crew of the cargo shuttle, Lopé left to check on his team. He saw no reason to explain the acronym to his shipmates. The ravings of fanatics could be left, should the occasion arise, for another time.

Having suddenly and unexpectedly detected a powerful detonation in space in the immediate orbital vicinity of the colony ship, Weyland-Yutani’s ground support personnel went on high alert. It took both Ricks and Upworth some time to calm the people on the surface, assure them that the ship itself and everyone on board were fine, and explain that Captain Brandon would be filing a detailed report.

The fear and apprehension that had momentarily gripped the crew were replaced by the press of everyday work. To this was added a soupÇon of fresh excitement as they were told that their assigned synthetic would be arriving on the next passenger shuttle.

Informed of the impending arrival, Faris suggested that some sort of welcoming celebration might be in order. With Jacob’s consent, Daniels nixed the notion. The synthetic was simply another piece of equipment—like an automated excavator or a tower for water purification.

When the Covenant ’s newest and most exceptional crewmember arrived, he wasn’t traveling alone. Accompanying him was the head of Weyland-Yutani’s Department of Neurological Engineering, as well as the two executives in charge of the synthetics program. Jacob and Daniels welcomed the group as they emerged from the transfer lock.

While her husband exchanged greetings and pleasantries with the executives, Harbison and Gilead, the department head Steinmetz hung back. The poor man looked, Daniels thought to herself, as if he would rather be anywhere else but where he was. Another dedicated, talented scientist with an unreasonable fear of space, she told herself.

The synthetic stood next to him. Placid and handsome, his appearance exuded more warmth than she had expected. That he would look entirely human was a given. That she would find herself struggling to think of him as something wholly artificial was a surprise.

Perceiving her attention Steinmetz stepped forward, wiping fretfully at the perspiration that beaded his considerable forehead. The synthetic suffered from no such issues. Among their many other attributes, synthetics had no sweat pores.

“I’m Daniels.” She extended her hand toward the department head. He took it with evident relief, glad to have something solid to grip. “Supercargo.” When Steinmetz looked blank she added, “I’m in charge of all ship and colonization supplies.” Her gaze shifted to the synthetic. “That doesn’t include you.”

Though they had been prepared for the synthetic to act exactly like any other human, its response still surprised her.

“My name is Walter, but you probably already know that. I am grateful for the exclusion from classification as ships’ supplies.” It… no, he … smiled. For a faux reaction it was remarkably engaging. “I would dislike having to spend the duration of the journey packed in a box alongside dried seafood and bottles of vitamins.”

“Don’t worry.” Recovering from her surprise, she managed to smile back, and indicated her nearby colleagues. “We’re the ones who’ll be boxed up for the best part of the trip. Dreaming in deepsleep while you operate and care for the ship, working with Mother.”

He nodded. His eyes were very blue, she noted.

“I have already established the necessary connections with the Covenant ’s AI,” Walter said. “We mesh well. It speaks highly of our future cooperation.”

“The rest of us will be depending on it.” Seeing that Jacob was fully engaged in chatting with the two executives, and that the uneasy Steinmetz had joined them, she gestured to her left. “If you’re ready, I’ll show you to your quarters.”

“You mean, to my parking space.” Again the perfect smile. “I am of course content to pause personal activity anywhere on the ship, but if it pleases you to refer to them as my ‘quarters,’ then I am happy to accede to your definition.”

“You’re very agreeable,” she offered as they left the passenger reception area.

“How could I be otherwise?” Cocking his head slightly to one side, he studied her face. “You are also very agreeable. Please feel free to ask me any questions you wish. About my functioning, my construction, my thought processes—anything you find of interest.”

“Later. If you want, I can show you around the whole ship.”

“As you say, later. As I have studied the schematics for the Covenant in some detail, an extended tour will not be necessary. But there are always additions. New things to be learned. I am always happy to be instructed. It is also important that I begin to establish a rapport, a personal working relationship, with other members of the crew. I am happy to begin with you.”

“You flatter me.” They turned into an access corridor. For the first time since boarding, he looked slightly uncertain.

“That was not my intention.”

“I’m just making conversation,” she told him. “Don’t pay it any mind.”

He nodded, then added, “Given that the Covenant mission encompasses a range of information too vast for me to be certain of immediately absorbing every detail, I wonder if you could clarify something for me?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

For a moment he seemed hesitant, which was odd. One thing advanced synthetics were not supposed to be was hesitant.

“I have heard, through monitoring of numerous company sources on my own, that there have recently been some… problems. Incidents of some seriousness involving outside entities with an antagonistic interest in the colonization mission.”

She eyed him thoughtfully. He would have been programmed—filled up—with as much information as the company thought necessary for him to function as intended. Yet if she understood what he had said, he was also designed to learn on the fly, the better to carry out his role as a member of the crew. How much could she tell him? How much did he deserve to know? The last thing she wanted to do was commence their relationship with lies or subterfuge.