Alien: Covenant - Origins - The Official Movie Prequel

XXVIII

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.

She decided to tell him the truth. Not censored, but in deliberate amounts, carefully dispensed.

“There were some problems, yes. They involved a group of individuals on the surface who didn’t want to see the Covenant mission go ahead.”

He frowned. It was, she noted, a perfect frown.

“Why,” he finally asked, “would any human not want to see the colonization mission proceed?”

She grunted softly. “Not all humans operate according to logic and reason.”

“So I’ve been told. Since I was activated, I have had numerous occasions on which to make note of this myself. With humans, emotion invariably enters into decision making.” He turned wistful. “I can mimic emotions. Perfectly. Would you like to see me cry? There is a saying among the scientific community. ‘Even an android can cry.’”

“Not now.” They turned another corner. “I’ll take your word for it. Or we’ll wait until an appropriate situation presents itself and you can amaze everyone else with a calculated demonstration of deeply felt empathy.”

He looked over at her. “I am also fully able to recognize sarcasm, when it is employed.”

She threw up her hands. “Okay, I admit it. You’re as human as they can make you. Maybe more human than some of the men I’ve known.”

“Or maybe less,” he commented thoughtfully. “I look forward to experiencing and discovering certain things myself. Much as I look forward to the forthcoming mission.”

“That’s the way to look at it,” she said, finding his enthusiasm refreshing. “My colleagues and I, we won’t be able to experience much of anything except during recharge breaks.” She smiled over at him. “But you’ll be ‘awake’ the entire time, and you can always tell me about anything interesting you’ve seen during the intervals while we’re asleep. I’m depending on it.”

He smiled back. “Don’t worry. I’ll never let you down. No matter what.”