The Crossing: What Can Be Deduced?

chli
MemberChestbursterJuly 12, 2017Since the novelization by Foster (Alien: Covenant - Origins) won’t be dealing with what happened to David and Shaw between Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, what can be deduced from the beautifully made short film The Crossing?
Firstly, it’s David’s point of view that we get. He tells the story. Unless he is lying, of course, we know that Shaw repaired David (attached his head) before they set out on the ship (the juggernaut), that is before they left LV-223. Thus his comment: “We were able to activate their ship, and set course for their home world”. So, they activated the ship together (which can be seen in the screenshot above). They worked together, enjoying each other’s company, perhaps even love (David could, of course, have played cat and mouse with her)?
We also know from Prometheus that they left LV-223 before the Deacon was born. We know from Alien (Kane) and from Alien: Covenant, that the growth rate is very rapid (within 24 hours). So, David and Shaw must have left the planet within 24 hours.
As they have set course for the Engineers’ homeworld (which they must have found on the holographic map?), Shaw asks David “How long?”. David’s response is: “Impossible to say”. So, they must have found the coordinates to the Engineers’ homeworld, but it’s impossible to calculate the distance (and thus the time it will take to get there?). Shaw is therefore put to sleep in one of the hypersleep chambers (in order not to waste oxygen and empty the food supply?).
David was then alone on the juggernaut - for how long? He was alone and “learned of their ways”. What does that imply? He could study and learn about the engineers, their knowledge and their customs, and perhaps their cruelty and vanity (playing God)? He could also explore what was on the ship (pathogen etc).
David and Shaw left LV-223 in 2094. The happenings on Planet 4 was in 2104 (10 years later). How long did the trip to the engineer homeworld take? As they arrive at their homeworld David is the vengeful demon we see in Alien: Covenant and exterminates the engineers. He loathes both engineers and humans.
After the juggernaut has crash landed, Shaw is still alive (and awake). In Foster’s novel, she has a room of her own decorated with simple wooden furniture, and paper (to write or draw on) - from wood which must have been acquired from the surrounding forest and then “manufactured on site”. For how long did they live in the juggernaut? In Alien: Covenant, David has his dwelling and laboratory in the temple. Shaw is by then dead, experimented on and murdered by David. What has happened?