*Sitting on the edge of his bunk, Bubba feels the hair on the back of his neck start to rise as he listens, intently, to the unfolding story*

"Talbot, so help me, if you're pulling my..." "IT'S TRUE, SIR! It's...true. I wish I could just...just...when is it going to end, sir? When is it going to stop? I don't know how much longer I...I...sir, you've got to get out. You've got to get the others and get out. It's coming, and this time..." "What happened next, after you woke up?" "(Sigh) I...don't...it was light out. Apparently I'd been out all night. Somehow, I managed to pull myself up the stairs. There was an odd smell in the air and the wind seemed to cut straight through me. Straight into my bones. I was cold...I felt so strange, a distant feeling. Like I was watching myself from outside my body, like I wasn't in control...so strange...so frightening. I don't know how long I had been sitting there, when I looked up and saw the old woman. She'd been watching me. I reached out my hand and she moved beside me. She started talking, saying something to me...I couldn't understand...she touched me in the chest and it felt like a hot knife going through me. Then she placed something around my neck and looked into my eyes. I don't know which was more disturbing, the horrible stare of the statue or the look in her eyes. They bored into my mind...into my heart...the only words I remember her saying were - "Look inside, and you will be safe" - and she was gone. That's all I remember. I didn't know what to do next. My friends were gone...I couldn't find them anywhere. I tried to contact the ship for help but there was no response. It wasn't until later that I realized I had been out of it for 3 or 4 days. When the ship didn't get our signal they must have headed for the home port. That way, there were 4 less crew to get a cut of the profits. Can't say I blame them, I'd probably do the same thing."

*A slight movment caught Bubba's eye. He watched as a strange spasm traveled through Talbot's body, who continued with his story as if nothing happened*

"I wandered until my supplies were almost gone. Then, I loaded what I could in the shuttle and left. I didn't really care what happened next. I just punched the throttle and headed into the darkness. I didn't care...I just wanted to... Then, as the last of my fuel had run out, from out of nowhere, a Freighter appeared. I guess they figured it was cheaper to pick me up then run over me, I don't know. They dropped me at the nearest port, where I signed up for a deep recon mission. Anything to keep me from thinking about what had happened. It was on that ship that I started to...to...change..."

*The movement caught Bubba's attention again. The spasms returned, and this time they didn't diminish. With every passing moment they seemed to increase in intensity. He was at the same time fascinated and terrified and couldn't look away from the eerie sight*

"Uh, Talbot...is that...uh...are you feeling ok?"

*Bubba's eyes caught Talbot's and a chill went through his body. They were changing as he watched. A film seemed to cover them, bright blue color melting into a dark, sickening yellow...*

"Uh...Talbot...Talbot...?"

(To be continued)