Ester sat up at the announcement of the vicious, unthinkable crime against the helpless sleepers. She shot a look at Naomi who was looking at her, the knowledge on her face. An unspoken communication that they would speak about it later passed and Ester turned back to the front. She heard the shouted questions and concerns, remaining silent, leaning forward as if to catch any utterance from the woman at the podium. Naomi ran her hand over the bump of her belly, cradling it protectively. 

She knew what had happened and it was worse than what was said. What was done to the women before they died. Naomi shivered and hugged her stomach. She knew the survivor but held her tongue, there would be another time to speak about that. Ester noticed her discomfort and to assuage her own anxiety reached out for her younger sister’s hand, gripping it tight. 

Owen Reece forgot about the donuts, his grey eyes narrowing at the words from Abby’s mouth. It made him sick to think about, poor bastards never had a chance to fight back, sleeping in pure innocence, just as all of them had just been. It could have been any of them. He tightened his fists, Connor’s question was a valid one but obviously it could not be answered and if it had, it was not information they were going to likely be privy to. 

The doctor asked how they were killed. A question that was on his mind, call it morbid curiosity, but it was not really important. The fact is that someone had gone nuts and played interstellar serial killer. That he had been caught and dealt with was of course a relief but the results were going to resound with the rest of them. Sealed records opened, security tightened. Reece was not particularly worried about himself, though his record would show a conviction for assault, it was probation and if they read the details they would see it was a rather justified beating. His concern was more for his friend Bill, who had served several years in prison for a bar fight. 

Would the higher ups separate them? They had already lost their demo man to an accident right before they left Earth. He had some blue haired kid as a mechanic and now a stranger who would be handling explosives around him. Reece did not want another new person. He trusted Bill implicitly and that was something priceless in this new frontier. Reece remained quiet, his pale eyes glaring straight forward, waiting for more information. 

In the back, among the people who were family of the professionals or simply regular folks caught up in the last minute gathering of anyone that could be brought aboard, sat a young man who would serve as a line cook in the cafeteria and he listened intently. His elbows were on his knees and his hands folded as he leaned in. He was leanly built, with a few crude inked tattoos on his arms, his hair cropped close. His face was thin but not unpleasant, utterly forgetful but for the scar on his chin and the large dark eyes. 

He breathed out slowly, hearing the murmurings of horror at the murders and he agreed, it was terrible. He was glad they caught the man and took care of the problem. It was the announcement of records being unsealed that made him sweat. Rubbing his palms against his jeans, he leaned back, his heart pounding. 

He welcomed even the distraction of the pretty girl with unruly curls running to puke and he wondered if it was stasis or the reaction to what had occurred. He thought for a moment to get up and see if she was alright but remained seated, it would not be good for him to do such a thing. The less attention he called to himself the better, especially after what the security would read in his file. He wondered if it would become public knowledge and he shifted uncomfortably.