A/N: Hey everyone. So after a few people asked nicely and inspiration just randomly hitting me a few days ago, I've decided to give this story another go. Just a heads up, since this story was originally being written at the time Dead Space 2 was about to be released, it will only feature things from the canon of it, the first game, and Extraction in addition to my own canon. For the time being at least. Anyway, hope you all enjoy. :)

The newly formed necromorphs stood before the Hunter in a line; calm and obedient, as if they were awaiting an order. Completely different from the raging and chaotic beasts that menaced Aegis VII and The Ishimura. The infector stabs its stinger into the stomach of the final marine sent to investigate the shuttles of the Ishimura escapees and transforms her into a slasher. The Hunter turns to it and the slasher gets in line with the others.

The Hunter approaches the shuttle door and gazes up at the ceiling of the hangar bay where it spots a security camera. The Hunter steps back inside the ship as the camera starts pointing in its direction and turns to the infector. It answers the Hunter's silent call and moves with an inhuman quickness towards the hangar walls. It scales it within seconds and tears the camera out of the wall in one swift motion. The Hunter gives a low growl at the other necromorphs and they all vacate the shuttle. The Hunter rushes to an air vent, rips its cover off, and, along with the others, climbs inside.

"Get away from me. You're not him. You're not real," Nicole whimpers in the corner of her cell. The hallucination of Isaac standing only a few inches from her.

"Of course I'm real, Nicole," it tells her.

"No. You're dead," she declares.

"Yes, Nicole. I am dead. But, I can't move on. None of us from Aegis VII or The Ishimura can move on until we're made whole. You have to make us whole, Nicole."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see," he says and caresses her cheek. "Soon you'll all see." And then the hallucination vanishes. Nicole slowly uncurls herself from the fetal position she was just in and rubs away some of the tears streaming down her face, but more tears quickly replace them.

"Nicole," a familiar voice outside of her cell says. Nicole glances outside the cell and sees the same female marine that was guarding her cell back on the USM Blood. "Is he gone?" The marine asks and Nicole gives a small nod. "Don't worry. You'll get the help you need soon." This appears to not do much to calm Nicole's nerves, so the marine goes for a different approach. "I'm Tanya," she introduces.

"Hi," Nicole replies; voice still weak.

"I'm sorry about what we've had to put you and the others through, but it's just a precaution."

"Wait. Others?" Life comes back to Nicole's voice. "You found others from The Ishimura?"

"Yes."

"Isaac Clarke? Was one of them Isaac Clarke?" She asks. The desperation clear in her voice.

"I don't know. I can go check," she offers.

"Wait," a marine next to Tanya says. "I'll go check it out."

"Why you?"

"You actually got blondie in there to talk, so I'll go see if her friend is here and you can see if you can get anything about the Ishimura incident out of her."

"She's scared, Ben. I'm not going to start an interrogation."

"Well she's been giving me the creeps since we picked her up, so I'm going. Bye." Ben leaves and Tanya flips him off behind his back. He doesn't get too far when a video image of his superior appears before him.

"Security reads that you just left your post. Exactly where are you going?"

"Tanya got Nicole to talk when she mentioned that we picked up others from The Ishimura. She wants to know if one of them is Isaac Clarke. Going to check and confirm now."

"Wait," Ben's superior orders. "Yes, one of them is Isaac Clarke, but for the time being, neither can know that the other is alive."

"Why, sir?"

"That information is on a need to know basis. For now, we need you to claim another person in Isaac's cell block."

"What's taking, so long?" Lexine wonders. Her back leaning against the bars of her, Isaac, and Kendra's cell.

"Your friends haven't been gone too long," Kendra says.

"Well, it certainly feels that way," Lexine says and slumps down to the floor. "After everything we've been through, I couldn't bear to not be with them if something terrible happened."

"I know what you mean," Isaac answers from his corner of the cell.

"Are you alright, Isaac? You've been rather silent since we were put in here."

"Maybe it's the company," Isaac comments with a brief glance at Kendra.

"What do you mean?" Before Isaac can answer Lexine's question, the door to their cell block opens and Ben steps in.

"Ms. Murdoch," he says and she gets back to her feet.

"Where's Gabe? Where's Nate?" Lexine asks.

"Please relax, Ms. Murdoch. Your friends are still being taken care of in the infirmary."

"Really. Well, I want to see them."

"You'll see them again in due time, but right now I need you to come with me."

"Why?"

"Just a few questions we need to ask about your time on Aegis VII and The Ishimura. After that, I'll come back for you two," he says pointing to Isaac and Kendra. Lexine appears hesitant to leave.

"It's ok, Lexine. You can trust him," Kendra promises.

"That's rich coming from you," Isaac throws out.

"Now is not the time for this Isaac," she says back.

"Both of you shut up," Ben orders and opens the cell door; weapon aimed at Isaac and Kendra. "I don't want to use this. Don't make me," he says then looks at Lexine. "Ms. Murdoch, if you will." Lexine slowly and cautiously exits the group's cell. "Thank you," he says. He shuts the cell door behind her and they leave the cell block together. A minute or two after they leave, Kendra turns to Isaac, but his back is to her.

"Isaac," she begins. "I-I just wanted to say…"

"Kendra, if the next words out of your mouth are going to be an apology, then save it. We're way past that point," Isaac says without turning around.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving my life," she finishes.

"Hmph. Well, again, I'm not sure why I did. Guess in the heat of the moment, I couldn't bear to see someone else die before my very eyes. Hammond, Kyne, Nicole," he says with extra emphasis on Nicole's name. Kendra's head drops at that name. Isaac turns and sees this and feels a laugh bubbling to the surface.

"Oh, so now you feel bad about showing me her death, huh? Why? Because I saved you when you didn't deserve it?"

"What do you want me to say, Isaac?"

"Nothing. Just stay in your corner of the cell and don't say anything," he demands and turns his back on her again. That lasts for only a few seconds before he turns back around. "Actually, there is one thing you can tell me. What the Hell did EarthGov want with the Red Marker? And don't even think about telling me you don't know."

"I-I don't. At least I don't know all the specifics. Just that the Red Marker was a source of immense untapped power. With Earth's diminishing resources, we needed any sources of energy we could get, so when the Marker was rediscovered, it needed to be retrieved at any costs."

"None of this makes any sense, Kendra. We've seen how much devastation the Red Marker caused. Why would you want to bring it back here?"

"I told you the original experiment involved the Marker being activated. I'm assuming it could be deactivated as well. Preferably the part that drives people mad and turns them into monsters."

"There was a way to turn it off. Bringing it back to Aegis VII, but you just had to keep screwing everyone over didn't you? You know, what's really ironic about all this is you're just like me. You claimed that I'm insane and yet you told me that you saw your brother while we were on the Ishimura. Something you claimed was impossible."

"That's true. I did see him," Kendra admits; her gaze drifting to an empty corner of their cell. "And he's still here. Even with The Marker destroyed I can see him. Just staring. Watching me with a look of disappointment on his face."

There's an insult just at the back of Isaac's throat, but he bites his tongue and keeps it to himself. Despite all the anger he has for what Kendra did, he won't stoop to her level and hit her at her lowest point. He sits back down and instead decides to rest his eyes for the time being; praying those things or that deranged image of Nicole won't plague his dreams.

Ben brings Lexine to a small office not to far from the cell bay. He instructed her to take a seat and then they waited in silence. Silence that was broken by a door at the back of the office opening and a woman steping inside.

"Hello, Ms. Murdoch," she greets.

"Lexine. Please call me Lexine," she requests. "It-it makes me feel less on edge." The woman gives Lexine a kind smile.

"Very well. Lexine it is. My name is Daina. Daina LeGuin."

"Hello Daina. So, why am I here?

"My superiors figured it'd be best if we interview and examine you all one at a time as not everyone was affected by the Red Marker the same way."

"How does EarthGov even know about the effects of the Red Marker?"

"Believe it or not, this isn't the first Marker incident."

"It isn't?"

"No. We've been researching the Markers as long as the Unitologists have been worshiping them. But right now, I want to keep my focus on you. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Lexine answers and Daina picks up a pad on her desk.

"Now then. State your name for the record."

"Lexine Elizabeth Murdoch."

"What was your occupation on Aegis VII?"

"I was a surveyor."

"Did you ever see The Red Marker?"

"I heard about it, but never saw it myself."

"I see. How do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" Lexine's fingers twitch at this question almost as if they were firing a P-Sec pistol again. "I feel like someone that had to watch helplessly as people she knew and loved died and then had to kill them again when they came back as those things. I feel like someone that's been through something no one should ever have to go through and yet you are telling me that this nightmare might not be over." Daina does not let the minor edge in Lexine's voice intimidate her and instead makes some notes on her pad.

"You're lucky we found you, Lexine, otherwise the nightmare truly wouldn't be over."

"You're the second person to tell me how lucky I should feel. I certainly don't feel good to feel lucky. You can make a note of that as well." Lexine sighs and places her face in her hands. "I'm sorry if I'm seeming short with you right now."

"That's perfectly fine," Daina assures her. Lexine wants to smile at this assurance, yet she can't help, but feel uneasy about the situation. Or maybe it's just her own paranoia talking. "Lexine?" Daina asks.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lexine apologizes having missed what Daina said next. "What was your question?"

"I asked how do you feel mentally?" She repeats.

"I'm not sure. When I was on Aegis VII, I felt normal, but when we went onto the Ishimura there was a moment when my head felt like it might burst. And that's when things got weirder. I started to feel them."

"Them?"

"Those things that attacked us. I could feel them. All around."

"And did you see any symbols or images that were there one second and gone the next? Did you hear any voices coming from thin air?"

"No, nothing like that. Just that weird connection. The pain in my head is still there, but it's gotten much better since we escaped from The Ishimura. I wish I could explain it, but I can't."

"I believe we have a means of figuring that out. If you will please follow me," Daina requests.

She presses a button on her pad and the door behind her opens up. The two of them stand up and go into the next room with Ben and another marine following behind. They enter a bright and impressive looking lab. Lexine's mouth hangs open in astonishment.

"This makes everything from Aegis VII look like it's from the Stone age," she compliments.

"Thank you," Daina says with a smile. "Speaking of ancient-ish technology, behold." They enter another small room with a single machine in it and a cold shiver runs up Lexine's spine.

"What is this thing?" She asks.

"A relic from the original marker incident some 200 years ago. It was in horrific shape when EarthGov found it and it took a lot of money and resources to restore it to proper working order. With all the Marker heads running about the many galaxies, one needed to be ready if they ever found the Marker's resting place. However, we've only ever tested it on people in need of routine brain scans and not those that have truly been close to the Marker."

"Is it safe?"

"I'm not going to lie. It will hurt, but remember, pain is only temporary. The first step is easy. Crawl inside."

You can do this, Lexine. Don't be afraid, she thinks.

She crawls into the machine and lays down on her back. It somehow feels even colder inside the machine. Her whole body starts to go numb and she can't even focus on her own heartbeat anymore. Something clamps around the sides of her head and forehead and forces her eyes to remain open.

"The next step is important. You need to keep your eyes absolutely still. It will be over in an instant. Trust me. Cross my heart and hope to die," Daina says and a laser points into Lexine's left eye. "Stick a needle in your eye." A needle begins to descend towards Lexine's left eye and she holds her breath to brace for the pain.

"Will someone from engineering come in?" An agitated security guard requests in the main security station. "The security cam for the hangar bay is still out."

"We're working on getting there," an equally annoyed voice answers him. "We've still got things to work out on this side of the station. We'll get to the hangar when we're finished."

"Geez. Not like it that's hard to send one man to check something so minuscule," the guard grumbles and ends the call. He lazily looks around at the monitors, when he catches something in the corner of his eye.

He focuses on that monitor, the one showing the path to the station, but whatever he thought he saw isn't there anymore. He keeps a tight grip on his gun and checks the other monitors showing the path to the station. There's nothing, but he presses a button on the control panel in front of him closing and then locking the door to the room.

There! He thinks spotting a Necromorph heading his way on another monitor.

He moves to issue an alert to his superiors when the air vent above him collapses and the infector lands on top of him.

"Holy shit!" He screams trying to avoid its stinger and wildly fires his gun.

The infector wails out from the bullets driving through its skin and the guard shoves it off him. He tries again to issue an alert, but the Hunter drops out of the vent this time and lands on him. He fires, but the Hunter only mildly flinches from the attacks. The infector lunges back at the guard and stabs him in the forehead trigger his change into a necromorph.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. To the people that favorited or followed this story when it was originally posted, sorry for the 7 year gap between chapters. Lol.