Chapter 1: The Arrival - Maxile Deimos
Summary:
Maxile Deimos has lived a dull life on The Clinic for his entire twenty-eight years. Each redundant day leading into the next. One day an injured miner from a nearby moon is brought to The Clinic. With him is a mysterious plate that captivates Maxile. Shortly after, a crew docks to The Clinic. The odd crew call themselves 'Constellation', and bring chaos with them. With Constellation demanding the plate, Maxile finds himself in a position he never expected himself to be in. All this madness for a strange plate, but it's worth it, right?
Notes:
Hello!
I typed this story up with inspiration from Once Piece, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. I haven't written very much, so please be patient with any spelling/grammar errors or sentences that don't exactly make sense. If you come across any please be sure to let me know! A person's 'family' is sometimes a group that has to be found, rather than simply be born into. I hope this story will portray that accurately, at least for one of the characters. The direction I have in mind for this story (if I even decide to continue it) involves a large cast of the characters from Starfield. I'm not a huge fan of OCs, but I do have a couple sprinkled in. I plan on exploring the rest of the crew throughout the story, chapter by chapter. Although Starfield is an... okay game, it does leave a lot of room for imagination when it comes to fanfiction. I hope you enjoy the first chapter if you decide to read it, I had fun writing it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
Thank you!
Oh! Trigger warning for cursing and describing injuries/violence.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Clinic, Deepala, The Narion System
Year 2330, June 5th
1626 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
"Attention all staff, code blue inbound to trauma bay 3. ETA is five minutes." The monotone voice of the PA echoed throughout The Clinic. Maxile Deimos rushed to prepare his assigned room for the incoming trauma patient. The quick report described the patient as a miner from Deepala's orbiting moon, Grimsey. Apparently, a detonation went wrong, and one of the staff wound up impaled by a shard of moon rock. It certainly isn't the first time a patient has presented to The Clinic in that condition. Maxile quickly pulled the crash cart beside the bed and began drawing up emergency medications. Dr. Darvish preferred that all medications be prepared on an as-needed basis.
After preparing and labeling the possible medications, Maxile set out individual kits on the nearby counter. Maxile has worked as a registered nurse at The Clinic for the past eight years and has lived there for his entire twenty-eight years. Pneumothorax kit, intubation kit, autotransfusion kit, pericardiocentesis kit, suction set up, bag valve mask at the bedside… I think that's everything… Maxile quickly surveyed the room to do a final check off of his room's arrangement.
The Clinic has robots to help with a lot of the leg work at the facility. However, Dr. Darvish is passionate about the fact that, ultimately, humans will always decide clinical coordination for other humans. Healthcare, after all, is a gray area, not black and white. Robots can only make decisions based on protocols and redundant data. Despite modernized healthcare soaring as far as it has, as well as standardized healthcare, robots will never have the empathy to base healthcare on a case-by-case basis. Dr. Darvish says that our empathy and compassion, as living, breathing humans, drive us to care empathetically for others. An attribute that can never be programmed into a robot. Maxile used to question her logic until he witnessed a group of medi-bots completely fry an elderly woman that would have no quality of life if they revived her. Her husband had begged the robots to stop, crying that he did not want her to suffer any longer. But the robots were designed to save despite the odds. The robots continued to perform manual CPR, defibrillate, and pump the corpse full of medications until The Clinic's staff manually shut them off. It was a harrowing experience for Maxile to witness. The loud clang of a ship docking at The clinic pulled Maxile from his thoughts.
"Max, is everything prepared for Dr. Darvish?" Chief Nurse Rebecca Armistead asked, peeking her head into the room. "One of the medics on the transport ship reports that a large piece of rock is impaled in the miner's lower abdomen. The circumstances of the injury have a poor prognosis. It seems that along with the traumatic injury, the patient's suit was depressurized. He surely will have an anoxic brain injury if he manages to survive." Although he lived on The Clinic, Maxile didn't particularly like anyone at the facility. The people who worked on The Clinic before his arrival kept him at arm's reach, and the people who arrived afterward seemed uneasy around him. He realized at a young age his status as a social pariah at The Clinic for an unknown reason. Everyone except Rebecca and Dr. Darvish. He looked to them as maternal figures for as long as he could remember. They cared for him as a child, soothed him when he felt angry or frightened and taught him to read and write. Maxile felt he owed them for their kindness and worked diligently to become a nurse to make them proud.
"Yes, Ma'am," Maxile answered. "I guess we won't need the autotransfusion kit then." Maxile quickly stowed the kit back into its storage space. Maxile turned back to the chief nurse and felt his chest burn at the pride in her eyes.
"Very good," she agreed. "Page if you need any further assistance. Unfortunately, the poor soul probably won't make it. I figure Dr. Darvish will pronounce him after he arrives." With that final word, Rebecca's head disappeared from the door. A few moments later, the transport team arrived with the miner, performing active CPR.
"We have Neeson Blake, birthdate: May 23rd, 2294," the medical transporter called out as he pulled the stretcher up to the bed. Dr. Darvish trailed behind him, listening to the report. Maxile inputted the patient's name into The Clinic's medical system without hesitation. "They were in one of Grimsey's cave systems mining plutonium and ran into a dense spot of caelumite. They could'nt break it down with their equipment, so they attempted to detonate it. The explosion caused more debris to fly than expected, and this caused a piece to penetrate Neeson's abdomen. He's been in asystole the entire time we've worked on him. His core temperature is 23.8 degrees Celsius." Maxile took the chance to assess Neeson's body. Neeson's spacesuit had multiple tears, exposing cyanotic skin. The medics had removed Neeson's helmet and intubated him before their arrival. Neeson's face appeared swollen and blue due to prolonged exposure to the harsh conditions of space...
There was no chance he would survive. Looking at Dr. Darvish, Maxile could tell she had come to the same conclusion. Maxile did a double-take at what was protruding from Neeson's abdomen… Is that a rock? A thin metal-like material stuck out of Neeson from his right lower quadrant. The mineral looked like lead but gleamed like metal. A spark, almost missed by Maxile. A glimmer of what sounded like a slow-building orchestra began in the back of his head. The longer Maxile stared at the rock, the louder it seemed to get… Wh... …o …u s…? Maxile glanced around at the voice he had just heard. Everyone continued as if nothing strange had occurred. The medics continued CPR while the other nurses complied with Dr. Darvish's orders… I want to touch it… Maxile recoiled at the stray thought. How unsanitary…
"Maxile!" Dr. Darvish's voice caused Maxile to flinch. "Pay attention! Bring down the Rad-Port. Hold compressions, and someone do a pulse check." Just as quickly as the music had come, it left Maxile's mind. Stepping forward, Maxile pulled the Rad-Port down and positioned it over Neeson's chest. The frame showed his entire upper body's organs. His heart wasn't beating… Maxile adjusted the settings on the Rad-Port to display how effectively Neeson's body oxygenated itself. Despite successful intubation, as the Rad-Port proved, pale blue deoxygenated blood cycled throughout Neeson's venous and arterial system. The compressions had ceased, and Neeson's cardiac rhythm ceased with it. The overhanging monitor in the room projected Neeson's fatal vital signs. His cardiac rhythm was a straight line of asystole. "Slide the Rad-Port to his abdomen." Maxile obliged, revealing a traumatic injury to Neeson's right kidney. Blood pooled throughout Neeson's abdomen.
"We've been working on him for forty minutes," the medic supplied. "We've given 10 doses of Adrenalin and were never able to get a pulse."
"Does anyone have any other ideas?" Dr. Darvish asked the room. When no one answered, she spoke again. "Okay, I'm calling it at 1647. Thank you, everyone, for your hard work. Maxile, perform post-mortem care and move him to the morgue. Someone needs to ask Rebecca to page the clergy so they can notify his family." With that final word, everyone evacuated the room, leaving Maxile alone with the deceased man.
Pulling out his trauma shears, Maxile cut the tattered spacesuit off the man. He made mental notes to document every cut, abrasion, and bruise on the man's body. The man had an apparent cause of death, eliminating the need for forensics. After stripping the man, Maxile carefully removed all the IV lines and endotracheal tube. Once he had cleaned the man of blood and his lines were removed, Maxile had him looking presentable for his family… Apart from the giant rock protruding from his abdomen… I swore I heard… Something? A voice? Music? Slowly moving Neeson's gown, Maxile silently evaluated the rock. He had never seen anything like it. It curved, almost like a warped metal plate. Maxile felt a gravitational pull to it. No one is here right now… I could just… Reaching out a bare hand, Maxile was centimeters away from placing his hand on the smooth mineral.
"Max! What the hell are you doing!?" Maxile swirled around to find Dr. Titus Cassidy standing at the door. He stood with his arms folded across his chest. "Get this patient into the morgue; we have other patients to care for now!" Years of working with physicians and conflicting personalities hardened Maxile to aggression from his coworkers and superiors.
"Yes, Dr. Cassidy," Maxile responded. "I was just finishing up cleaning him." Dr. Cassidy didn't appear to care for his response. Or rather, he appreciated the opportunity to show his disdain for Maxile.
"Maxile, I'm not stupid," Dr. Cassidy spat. "You've been staring at this patient for the past two minutes. You've been working as a nurse here for years now and still can't get your head out of your ass. I recommended we drop you back off in the old neighborhood years ago. For whatever reason, Rebecca and Dr. Darvish seem to favor you… Keep screwing around, and even they won't be able to protect you." With a sneer, Dr. Cassidy turned on his heel and left. Maxile rolled his eyes at the tantrum. It wasn't the first time Dr. Cassidy had insulted or demeaned him. Dr. Cassidy had always detested Maxile, and he could do nothing about it. In fact, Maxile could remember Dr. Cassidy urging Dr. Darvish to rid The Clinic of him as a small boy.
Maxile dreamed of one day leaving The Clinic… But where would he go? He barely had an idea of where he came from. Rebecca had told him stories, as a child, about his birth on Mars. His father was an old friend of Dr. Darvish, a fellow physician. Named after one of Mars's moons, Deimos, Maxile was orphaned at six months old after a disastrous event. Frank and Lilez Deimos were tragically killed in a mining accident. An explosion caused a cave in the residential district, crushing his parents. Maxile would have either died or lived a short life on the streets had Dr. Darvish not taken him in. Although he does not feel close or attached, he feels he owes her his life.
Throwing the gown back over the strange plate, Maxile began rolling the patient to the morgue. Dr. Cassidy had a point, after all. There are always more patients to care for.
Even after he had abandoned the plate in the morgue, Maxile swore he could faintly hear it beckoning him. Maxile… M… …ile… Maxile shook his head. Maybe he just feels overwhelmed after a long day of work.
The Clinic, Deepala, The Narion System
Year 2330, June 5th
2318 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile lay in his bed wide awake. The Clinic's lights dimmed a few hours ago to stimulate nighttime for the admitted patients. With a sigh, he sat up in his bed and faced out the window. His window currently outlooked the gas giant, Deepala. Eventually, he had to rub his eyes because the planet's warm red color irritated them. Maxile laid back in his bed and escaped into the depths of his mind. The Clinic was undoubtedly impressive. An enormous medical facility that orbited Deepala, some might consider it a dream to live here. He often fantasized about hopping on a ship, firing up the grav drive, and shooting off in a random direction. Instantly, the crushing guilt of abandoning Dr. Darvish and Rebecca weighed him down. Dr. Darvish provided for his needs for all these years… He couldn't just leave yet. That plate is so foreign… Maybe I could study it some? It'd be like leaving The Clinic. Maxile couldn't help but chuckle at the childlike idea. It's just a dusty plate.
"Maxile?" A knock at the door pulled him from his fantasy. Stepping into the room, Dr. Darvish eyed him suspiciously. "Everything okay? You seemed pretty out of it during the code." Dr. Darvish always had a habit of getting to the point.
"I'm okay." Maxile lied, avoiding the physician's calculating gaze. When she didn't speak, he continued. "I just have a lot on my mind, I guess."
"I see," Dr. Darvish began. "We have spoken about it before, but why are you still here? Max, you're a grown man now. If you want to leave and lead your life elsewhere, you owe nothing to me. If you enjoy living and working here, that's fine… But I don't think you do." Maxile slowly sat up in bed, finally meeting Dr. Darvish's eyes.
"Uh… I…" Maxile hesitated. "No, that's not it. I love living on The Clinic… I love working under you." Dr. Darvish raised an eyebrow.
"But?" She supplied.
"Where would I even go?" Maxile tossed his hands up and let them thump back on his bed. "I don't know anyone outside The Clinic… I'd be totally by myself. You see the patients that come in. It's dangerous out in the stars!"
"That's true," Dr. Darvish agreed. "But you're not an idiot, Max. You know how to stay out of trouble. I could always pay for a shuttle to New Atlantis?" Maxile's eyes widened at the offer. Dr. Darvish laughed, "Sometimes I wish you would make a big enough mistake for me to terminate you. Honestly, if you left, it would get Titus off my back. Always encouraging me to fire you and drop you off on a nearby planet. He's such a moron." Dr. Darvish rolled her eyes at the mention of her fussy coworker. Maxile couldn't help but smile at the dig at Dr. Cassidy.
"I appreciate the offer, Dr. Darvish, but I am happy being here with you and Rebecca," Maxile concluded. Dr. Darvish seemed to almost sag at his answer.
"It's up to you." She turned and straightened her lab coat. Turning to leave, Dr. Darvish paused before exiting. "But please know, the offer will always stand… You deserve to experience the universe, Maxile." And with that final word, Dr. Darvish shut the door behind her.
"Thank you, Dr. Darvish…"
The Clinic, Deepala, The Narion System
Year 2330, June 6th
0118 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile shot upright in bed at the sound of a ship roughly docking to The Clinic. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he climbed out of bed. Peeking out his window, he found a shiny blue ship docked next to his hab room. Does this guy know how to dock a damn ship without crashing!? Maxile's room often sounded noisy due to its proximity to the dock. He rarely wakes up to late-night docks unless it's an amateur pilot. Voices chimed from the docking hallway next to his room.
"What the hell was that idiot thinking!? He could have destroyed my ship docking like that. Does he think repairs pay for themselves?" The voices continued along his room and stopped just outside his door.
"I busted my ass when he hit The Clinic… We get hazard pay, right?
"No. I-"
"We can talk to Sam about it later. First things first, we need to find Eddie's contact. Hopefully, we can leave without alerting too many people." Maxile's eyebrows rose to his hairline. A woman's voice… How many people are here?
"Why be sly? We go in, we shoot whoever is in our way. Once we get the artifact, we have no need to come back." Maxile's face paled… They're spacers! Maxile wildly surveyed his room. He needed a weapon… He needed to tell someone. The spacer's conversation continued.
"What!? No! I'm the Captain. I make the calls here. Remember!?"
"Let me do the talking. I can get us in, and ou-"
"Shut up!" A gruff voice interrupted. "All of you, just shut your damn mouths. You all act like children. This is a hospital, not a gun range. I will do the talking. I have more pull than our captain. "
"Why did you say Captain like that? I am the Captain!"
"Dr. Cassidy said the artifact came in after impaling some poor bastard. He said he would sell it to us for a fair price; moron thinks it's nothing but a simple mineral." The gruff voice finished, and footsteps trailed away from Maxile's room. Why do they want that weird plate!? Maxile couldn't believe his ears. Why would a group of spacers travel to The Clinic for a plate? Quietly opening the door, Maxile caught the backs of the crew. Three men and two women. How do they know Dr. Cassidy?
The second Maxile opened his hab door, a familiar sound called out to him. Max… Com… …. …e. Taking a breath, Maxile crept out of his room and shut the door behind him. Turning down the hall away from the crew, he started towards the morgue.
It took him longer than he wanted to arrive at the morgue. Maxile found a deserted morgue, as expected at one in the morning. What the hell am I doing? I shouldn't be here… I should be alerting someone… Anyone! Hell, even Ben Armistead would help right now.
Entirely ignoring his common sense, Maxile scanned the hatches for Neeson's name. When he finally found it, he opened the hatch… Only to see that the mortician had already gowned up and removed the plate. Neeson looked peaceful in his death… Damn, where is it?
Maxile entered another room in the morgue. The room contained all the items that the family of the deceased never retrieved. The plate sat on a cart in the middle of the room, shining just as it had hours earlier. Maxile felt captivated by it. The voice was louder than ever, and what sounded like music swelled in his ears. Maxile… Come to me… What do-
"I always knew you were a damn thief." A voice interrupted. Swirling around, Maxile stood protectively in front of the plate. "This is it… I finally fucking have you ! You're done on The Clinic!" Dr. Cassidy stood in the doorway with his teeth gritted. Well, no going back now.
"W- What's your problem with me?" Maxile sputtered, "You've never cared for me, but I don't understand why…" Dr. Cassidy responded with a manic laugh. He's fucking crazy…
"Why would you?" Dr. Cassidy growled. "You're nothing but a reminder. Do you think your father's name was Frank Deimos!? Don't be so cocky about your namesake. He was apparently ashamed. Of what, you ask!? ME!" Maxile cocked his head, not bothering to jump at Dr. Cassidy's scream.
"I don't understand…" Maxile whispered.
"You even fucking look like him," Dr. Cassidy continued, taking a step towards him. "His name was Frank Cassidy, my son. Maybe I pushed him too hard, but he had so much potential as a physician! He left and met that Martian whore. Changed his name. When they died, you had nowhere else to go but here. You are a constant reminder of my failure as a father! I was content with leaving you in Cydonia. But Lara stuck her nose where it didn't belong… She even went as far as traveling to Mars to retrieve you…" Maxile quickly retreated around the table, away from Dr. Cassidy's advances.
"My father-"
"If you want to call him that." Dr. Cassidy interrupted.
"My father," Maxile continued, ignoring the vague statement. "He was your son… Making you my grandfather…" Why is he telling me this now? After all this time... Maxile rapidly surveyed what he had to work with in the room. There wasn't much. A bunch of random trinkets filled the shelves of the room. A spare Rad-Port hovered above their heads.
CRASH - Dr. Cassidy slammed his hands on the cart before him. The plate rocked in front of him.
Maxile jumped at Dr. Cassidy's sudden movements.
"You. Are. Not . Family. To. Me!" Dr. Cassidy enunciated each word. "And once I sell this rock, I'll report you for trying to steal from the expired…" Oh that's rich... You're selling it, but I'm the one stealing.
"I still don't understand your hostility!" Maxile's voice hitched. He didn't have time to cry, though. Dr. Cassidy suddenly lunged forward to grab him. Stepping back, Maxile jumped up. Feeling his hands grab the metal frame of the Rad-Port, he let his weight bring the machinery down on Dr. Cassidy's head. A satisfying clunk echoed in the room before Dr. Cassidy collapsed. Definitely no going back now…
Maxile ripped a discarded gown from the floor and threw it over the plate. The Clinic has escape pods… I need to gather my things and leave… Maxile couldn't fathom why he found himself drawn to all these extremes for this mysterious plate, but he couldn't find the will to stop himself. He firmly gripped the cart's handles and rolled it into the morgue, forcibly pushing the doors aside.
"Uh…" To Maxile's surprise, the spacers stood outside the morgue. They all had the same dumbfounded expression. After a few moments of an awkward staring contest, Maxile spoke.
"Excuse me," Maxile said breathlessly. Maintaining a strained pace, Maxile continued pushing the cart down the hall. He could feel the spacer's eyes burning a hole into his back.
"What the fuck was that?"
"Did he have the artifact? Simeon, check on Titus!"
The second Maxile rounded the corner, he broke off into a sprint. The squeaky wheels destroyed Maxile's chance at any stealth. Undoubtedly, the spacers would discover what he did to Dr. Cassidy. They're going to kill me if I don't get out! Maxile rammed the cart into his hab room, forcing open the door. Frantically, he grabbed his backpack and shoved as many personal items into it as possible. Once he grabbed all the necessities, he hovered over the framed picture of him, Dr. Darvish, and Rebecca. They're going to be so ashamed of me… Without a second thought, Maxile tossed the picture into his bag. Quickly tossing the bag onto the cart, Maxile made his way out of his hab.
"Hello." Maxile froze in place. With a slow turn of his head, Maxile found himself face-to-face with one of the spacers. He leaned against the wall next to Maxile's hab room, wearing an inquisitive look. Along the hallway stood the rest of them. A blonde woman with short hair in a red jacket looked just as interested in what lay before her. An olive-skinned woman, her lips tightly closed in anger. A tall man, wearing a vest and a hat, with an amused expression. Finally, an older gentleman, also wearing an angry expression at the situation.
"What are ya doin'?" the man closest to him questioned in a musical tone. Shit, now what?
"Just a moment," Maxile responded. Maxile tried to turn the cart away from the spacers, but it was too bulky for the narrow hallway. He managed to further embarrass himself by running the cart into the wall multiple times in an attempt to maneuver it. "Heh, the damn thing doesn't steer very well."
"Ah yeah," the spacer agreed. "They don't make those carts like they use-" SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEE- The man's response was drowned by Maxile's actions, deciding to simply slide the cart to position it away from them. The wheels scratching the ground burst his eardrums, but he was now facing away from them. Continuing a meter down the hallway, Maxile turned back towards the spacers.
"Heh..." Maxile laughed nervously. Maxile brought his attention to an emergency phone on the wall and picked it up. "Hello, Maxile here. Can you call a trauma alert in trauma bays one and two... Also, code blue in trauma bay three? Thank you." Instantly, red lights bathed the interior of The Clinic.
"Attention, all staff!" The operator announced. "Trauma alert - Trauma bay one and two. Code blue - Trauma bay three. All hands on deck!" The rest of the hab units down the hallway opened, and the exhausted clinical staff poured out of their rooms. The desolate hallway rapidly transformed into a crowded highway. Using the cart as a makeshift battering ram, Maxile pushed his way through the crowd.
"Why the hell did you dumbasses let him do that!? We literally watched him enact his escape plan over a matter of seconds! Who the hell is even the Captain here!?"
"I thought Avery had a plan!"
"I thought he didn't have anywhere else to g-" The rest of the spacer's sentence was drowned out by the crowd of staff. I can't believe that worked… Maxile took a long loop around The Clinic. Ultimately, he would have to end back up at the spacer's docked ship since that's where the escape pods resided.
By the time Maxile had arrived back to the four-way hallway, the crowd of staff had left. They likely had arrived at the trauma bays, rightfully pissed at the lack of trauma patients. Swinging the cart left, Maxile came to an abrupt stop. In his path to freedom stood the spacer that had first said 'hello' to him. Along with him was the older gentleman. The lines in his forehead furrowed, enhancing his earth-brown skin.
"Boy… I have a bad leg…" The older man fussed breathlessly. "I am too damn old… to chase you all over this ship..."
"That was quite clever. You got us," the spacer said. By this point, Maxile had figured out that this was likely the leader. He wore enhanced goggles on his forehead, pushing his dark hair out of his face. He dressed himself in a dark vest, complete with nice clean clothes. He looked pretty dapper for a spacer. "What's your name? You seem to like the artifact, huh?" Maybe I can try another lap? Spinning the cart, Maxile began to run down the same hallway he had escaped initially down.
"Did you think we would be simple enough to let you run off again?" The blonde woman in a red leather jacket now guarded his escape. She spoke with a different accent than the other spacers. One might even say posh.
"That was pretty funny, though." A voice to Maxile's left caused him to flinch. Following the sound, he found the lanky, bearded man wearing the hat. Maxile tried not to look at the rifle strapped to his back.
"It was not clever," a female voice came behind him. Swirling around, Maxile leaned back onto the cart. Maxile stared down the barrel of a pistol being held by the olive-skinned woman. He could feel himself pale at the sight of the weapon. "We just watched him leave. It was simple foolishness on our part." Wildly glancing in all directions, Maxile's chest heaved at the fix he had got himself into. I'm surrounded… This is it. I'm going to die… And for what!? A plate!? Maxile turned to the covered plate and briefly considered grabbing it and running… He hadn't had the chance to touch it…
"Andreja," the leader said calmly. "There's no need for guns right now. He's already terrified. And I wouldn't touch the artifact unless you want to destroy The Clinic from the inside out." Maxile cocked his head at that tidbit. The olive-skinned woman - Andreja, clicked her tongue and holstered her weapon.
"Fine, but if he tries anything, I won't hesitate to kill him, Captain." Andreja threatened.
"Understood," the Captain agreed. "Hey, kid. You never answered my question. What's your name? I know you can talk, so just spit it out. We're not gonna hurt ya." Maxile raised an eyebrow. spacers don't know anything but violence…
“Well, Andreja might…”
"Shut your mouth, Simeon, or this next shot will be aimed at your precious boys ." Andreja hissed. Boys!? What is with this crew!? The man carrying the rifle on his back deflated at her comeback.
"You always take it too far…" Simeon retorted, dejected.
"Stop… Everyone just stop." The Captain sighed, covering his face with his hand. "As I was asking, what's your name?" Finally, the crew was silent, all eyes on him. Maxile hesitated before finally answering.
"Uhm…" he whispered. "Maxile. Maxile Deimos."
"Deimos?" The Captain parroted back. "That's pretty unique. Deimos, the smaller of Mars's two moons. Special because Deimos isn't exactly a moon but more of a large asteroid captured by Mars's gravity. I bet it was originally from Mars. Deimos is probably the most interesting thing about Mars... You should see the staryard orbiting Deimos; it's magnificent."
"You've been to Mars?" Maxile asked, far quicker than he would have liked. The Captain seemed to appreciate his interest.
"Of course…" He confirmed with a grin. "My crew has been all over the galaxy. Discovering new planets, meeting new people, and new aliens . See this patch? Years ago, Constellation was formed, dedicated to discovering the unknown." The captain gestured to the patch on his right chest. It contained a picture of a red planet with seven stars above it. Maxile couldn't contain the surge of excitement through his body.
"So you've been to the old neighborhood!?" Maxile questioned. He found the direction that the conversation had traveled odd; from an unsteady interrogation into a comfortable chat. "I've always wanted to see Earth. Explore the ruins!"
"Ha! Earth would seem boring if you explored the places we have." The Captain chuckled. Taking a step forward, he extended a hand that Maxile took. "Avery Del, I'm the Captain of The Atlas and the leader of our organization, Constellation. Our ship's physician, Eddie Sotello, is the pissy man behind me."
" Dr. Edward Sotello ." He angrily corrected.
" Dr. Edward Sotello ." Avery repeated. "Behind you is our sniper, Simeon Bankowski. He swears he never misses his shots, but I've calculated his hit percentage before an-"
"Enough, Avery!"
"Right," Avery laughed. "The woman in the cool red jacket is my vice, as well as the co-founder of Constellation - Sarah Morgan."
"Charmed." Sarah Smiled warmly.
"And finally, the firecracker with the gun at the ready is our astronomer, Andreja De'la." Avery finished. "The rest of my crew is holed up on The Atlas."
"Avery, I feel we have drifted from the point…" Andreja muttered. "And I am not a firecracker !"
"You're very strange for spacers…" Maxile admitted. The crew all tilted their heads at that comment.
"You think we're spacers!?" Avery exclaimed, eyes bulging. "Mercenaries, maybe, but definitely not spacers. My crew is much smarter for one, more resourceful, and much more driven than any spacer I've met. However, Andreja is correct. We have gotten off-topic. We are here for that artifact." Avery pointed to the hidden plate… Artifact. A deep possessiveness consumed Maxile instantly. It's mine! The possessive claim ghosted his lips before he caught himself.
"W-what is it?" Maxile asked. Avery took a moment before answering. All the while, the artifact taunted him. Maxile… Maxile… Every… y… …nt is h…
"That's the big question…" Avery began. "These artifacts have been around since the creation of the universe… The big question is, where do they lead? What power makes them so… desirable."
"There are more?"
"Yes," Avery answered. "How many? I haven't a clue. According to my scanner, that particular one is called Artifact Omicron, so there are at least fifteen. Artifacts have a deep power in them… May I see it?"
"Uhm…" Maxile hesitated at the request.
"I promise I won't take it and run," Avery assured Maxile. Even though they had just made introductions, Maxile believed him.
"Avery!" Andreja growled. "What are you doing!?"
"It's okay, Andreja. We're making a new friend… And I have a great idea."
Maxile took a long look at the covered artifact before pulling off the gown and exposing it to the crew. Avery held out an arm and gestured to the artifact. The artifact responded by levitating and floated towards Avery as if pulled by strings. Maxile's eyes nearly bulged from his head at the anomaly. Is this magic!?
"How!?" Maxile gasped. "I've never seen anything like that before!"
"It's amazing how powerful these artifacts are." Avery smiled, levitating the artifact above him. "I first discovered one on a random moon with Sarah. It was like my entire being was pulled across space when I touched it. And the music! After that day, we formed Constellation and devoted our lives to discovering more about the artifacts!" It spoke to him as well? Avery's voice grew the more he talked about them. The more Avery spoke of the artifact, the more Maxile realized that it never really was his to begin with.
"I guess you can take it… Without a fight from me, at least…" Maxile cringed at the disappointment in his voice.
"Circle back to my idea," Avery said. "Look at the facts. You seem pretty interested in the artifacts, as well as exploration. We have an available hab unit on The Atlas. And Eddie's office looks like absolute shit. We could use a nurse on The Atlas." Maxile couldn't believe his ears. He was being recruited by a band of mercenaries.
"Avery! I have no need for a nurse! I get my job done without a problem!" Eddie growled.
"Yeah, but you could use the organization." Avery retorted. "So how about it, Mr. Deimos? I know it's sudden… But you'd be a great addition." This is my opportunity? I could leave The Clinic forever…
"Max!" a voice growled from behind him. Maxile immediately knew that Dr. Cassidy was awake. "I'm going to make sure whatever happens to you is worse than a termination… You're going to be arrested for assault! Dr. Sotello, I am so sorry for this lack of professionalism." Dr. Cassidy stood next to Sarah, holding blood-stained gauze to the top of his head.
"Marvelous… This jackass." Eddie muttered.
"Maxile!" A female voice chimed. This got Maxile's attention. Turning around, his gaze met Dr. Darvish and Rebecca. They stood in The Clinic's main lobby with several irritated half-awake nurses. I guess they figured out the trauma alerts were bullshit… "What in the hell are you thinking!?" Maxile couldn't meet her eyes. He hadn't ever seen her so angry.
"Ma'a-" Avery began.
"Shut up!" Dr. Darvish snapped. "Whoever you people are, this is a place of healing. Leave. Maxile, when I said I wish you'd give me an excuse to terminate you, I didn't expect you to take it literally ! You called multiple high-priority alarms and sent The Clinic's entire staff on a wild goose chase. You assaulted Dr. Cassidy. I know he is annoying, but he is your superior." Maxile felt the shame run down his back. He had never disappointed Dr. Darvish in his years on The Clinic.
"Thanks, Lara…" Dr. Cassidy mumbled. "Maxile, you were attempting to steal patient valuables! I'll have you arrested for-"
"Shut up, Titus!" Dr. Darvish cut in. "I'm going to ignore that you let them on The Clinic in the first place. You were going to sell that thing to them." Dr. Cassidy sputtered before falling silent. Ignorant to the drama, a sleepy Ben Armistead joined the group.
"What's going on?" Ben asked before his wife shushed him. Ben is The Clinic's resident Freestar ranger. He doesn't do much, but the security has always been pleasant.
"Well, this is it, Maxile." Avery sighed. Reaching up, he caught the artifact twirling around his head. "We came for what we were looking for. My offer stands to join Constellation, but it expires in two minutes when we leave. And keep in mind, we are never coming back." One by one, the crew entered their docked ship. Avery gave a final look before entering. What do I do!? This is my chance… But Dr. Darvish… Rebecca… The artifact…
"Maxile…" Dr. Darvish began. "Unfortunately, consider yourself terminated. I can't look past what you did. But, I won't report you to the authorities or the Universal Board of Nursing if you leave The Clinic… Forever…” Dr. Darvish's voice hitched. Despite her harsh words, she wore a melancholic smile. Should I do this? Do I have a choice? Maxile couldn't ignore the desire he felt in his core... He wanted to follow Avery and his crew. His decision made, Maxile grabbed his backpack from the cart and slung it over his back.
"Dr. Darvish… Rebecca…" Maxile spoke, trying to ignore the tears in Rebecca's eyes. "Thank you for everything. I owe you so much."
"Hell no!" Dr. Cassidy roared. "Ben! Arrest him! He assaulted me!" Ben, bewildered by the sudden command, took a step towards Maxile. At least, he would have, had Dr. Darvish not stuck her foot out, causing the simple ranger to trip and fall onto his face.
Maxile gathered what courage he had and ran into the docked ship. After locking the door behind him, he scaled the ladder. Anxiety... Fear of the unknown... All reservations Maxile held were overshadowed by the excitement that caused his heart to race. The ship's artificial gravity shifted, altering his positioning on the ladder. Climbing through the hatch, he found himself in a new, busy hallway full of… odd characters.
The Atlas's crew raced through the ship's hall, preparing for takeoff. Maxile stepped forward but was cut off by a balding man in a pink feathery robe.
"Excuse me, sir!" The feather-clad man apologized. "I get nauseous during grav jumps. I must run to the kitchen to grab a shot of whiskey before we take off." The man disappeared around the corner before Maxile could register what he said. What the hell?
Continuing along the hallway, Maxile held the wall for support. The ship shuttered and clanged as it undocked from The Clinic. Upon arriving at the bridge, the crew argued with the pilot.
"Sam, I swear if you damaged The Atlas during docking, I will pull every repair from your paycheck!" Avery scolded the pilot, Sam.
"Maybe if you spent the credits on the upgrades I suggested, we'd have fewer problems during docking!" Sam rebutted. The rest of the crew had taken their seats at the computers lined up along the bridge.
"Well, you came along, then?" Avery addressed Maxile. It's great to have you. We can orient you to the ship and introduce you to everyone later. First, come up here." Avery motioned for Maxile to join him in the cockpit with Sam.
"Okay…" Maxile crept slowly up to the cockpit and looked out into the deep space of nothing. Stars twinkled… Every star is its own world.
"Alright, Maxile." Avery threw an arm over his shoulder and pointed out the cockpit window. "You want to see everything this universe has to offer? Do you want to discover the secret of these artifacts? Choose a star, and let's begin." Maxile studied the stars in front of him. Finally, he decided on a random one, and he pointed.
"Let's go to that one."
"Great choice!" Avery agreed. "Fire up the grav drive!"
"Firing," Sam echoed.
Maxile peered out of the cockpit in amazement. Time appeared to slow down as the light of the stars stretched out, causing bright streaks in his vision. All before, the ship skyrocketed forward into new frontiers… Away from The Clinic… Away from his old home. With a single grav jump, Maxile stepped into his new life.
Notes:
Wow, You managed to finish it!
Please don't be afraid to let me know of any spelling/grammar mistakes! Just... be nice about it...
Thank you!
Chapter 2: Settling In - Maxile Deimos
Summary:
It's Maxile's first day abord The Atlas and he's eager to get to work. His excitement soon fades as one particular crew member isn't willing to participate in his first assignment. Maxile tries to respect the crew's privacy but his days on board are numbered if he can't provide each crew members to the ship's physician, Dr. Sotello. Dr. Sotello has made it clear he won't accept failure from Maxile. Now relying on his wit and charming personality, Maxile must befriend the crew to complete his assignment and solidify his role with his medical director and aboard The Atlas.
Notes:
As usual don't be afraid to let me know if you happen to notice any errors or sentences that just don't... read right. Anyone who happens to give this story a chance, thank you. Hopefully it meets expectations.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield
Trigger warnings: Cursing, and mentions of blood.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 6th
1130 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile's new quarters were notably smaller than his hab on The Clinic, not that he minded. Maxile assumed all of the crew's quarters had the same appearance. His room had a desk, bed, dresser, and porthole. The system Maxile had chosen to visit turned out to be a bust. They arrived to find a single star with a singular orbiting planet. It didn't even have a moon. If they had chosen to explore the planet, they would have ended up swimming in Argon. Avery decided to cut their losses and retreat to the Volii System to plan their next step. Due to the early morning hours, the crew went to bed before introductions were officially made.
The magnificent ship thoroughly impressed Maxile. He couldn't wait for a better look around when they landed. He could see a sizable blue-tipped wing outfitted with retrorockets from his porthole. Towards the prow of the ship, he could see a turret… Hopefully, they won't need to use them anytime soon… The Atlas contained four floors. The top floor is a lone room where Avery's Captain's quarters reside. Maxile hasn't visited Avery's room yet. On the third floor, located directly below Avery's quarters, one found the crew's quarters. The crew's quarters contained a long hallway with five rooms on either side of the hallway. The last two rooms at the end of the hallway provided bathrooms for the crew. Maxile couldn't believe the floor could house eight people. The main floor of The Atlas involved the second floor, the largest floor. It encompassed the cockpit, bridge, kitchen, mess hall, brig, and medical bay. Maxile assumed Dr. Sotello had personal quarters in the medical bay because he didn't have a room in the crew's quarters. Finally, the bottom floor held the cargo and engineering. Maxile hadn't visited the cargo bay either. Maxile shot out of bed when a knock came at his door.
"Maxile?" Avery's voice reverberated from behind the door. "Time to wake up, sunshine. We're all meeting on the bridge. It's time to introduce you to everyone. Just… ignore anything anyone says. My crew is pretty insane… But they're good people." Maxile threw on a pair of scrubs he had taken from The Clinic; Avery hired him as the ship's nurse, and he needed to look the part.
"Be down in a moment!" Maxile called back to Avery. Maxile took a last-minute look to evaluate his hair and face in the mirror above his desk. Time to try to make new friends…
Rounding a corner, Maxile could hear a lot of chattering from the bridge. A mixture of arguing, laughing, and small talk. Instantly, the chatter died down when he stepped onto the bridge. Everyone on the bridge turned towards him to size him up. Well, this is awkward… The crew, indeed, came in all shapes and sizes. The balding man still wore the feathery pink robe, sipping a warm red wine from a glass. A small girl also sat at one of the stations; she couldn't have been older than fifteen. Apart from himself, Maxile counted nine other crewmates.
"Everyone's here now!" Avery started. He stood at the front of the bridge, near the cockpit. "To start things off, we will orbit Volii Alpha while Andreja determines our next destination."
"As I should have done in the first place," Andreja said dryly. "Otherwise, we end up in a dead-end such as Luyten's Star System…" Maxile's face flushed at her slight. Ouch…
"Anyway!" Avery barked. "The plan is to determine our next destination and to resupply on Neon before we jump out of the system. Now, to address the elephant in the room-"
"Elephants are extinct," the girl interrupted Avery, not looking up from the book she was reading.
"She has a point," Simeon agreed. "Couldn't you have used something more modernized?" Avery massaged his temples, clearly becoming fed up with the interruptions.
"Such as?" Avery sighed, entertaining them.
"The Crocodaunt's on Jemison are pretty big," a crew member with a coarse beard supplied. "Although, bigger is not always better." The man tossed a wink at Maxile. What the fuck?
"Stop," Avery demanded. "Everyone stop. This will turn into a tangent. As I was saying, the Crocodaunt in the room. Everyone, this is our newly hired nurse, Maxile. He will be assisting Eddie with… whatever he does."
"Fool," Dr. Sotello huffed. "You don't even bother to understand what I do."
"Maxile, you met a few of the crew last night," Avery started. Our pilot is Sam Coe. You'll find him or myself operating the ship. His daughter is the girl with her nose buried in her book, Cora Coe." The father and daughter waved to Maxile, although Cora never let her eyes leave the pages.
"Nice to have you along, Maxile." Sam greeted him. Maxile couldn't help but notice the slight drawl in his accent. He must be from Akila. His accent reminded him of ol' Ben Armistead.
"Next, we have Amundsen Barrett," Avery indicated to the man with the coarse beard. "He-"
"Just Barrett is fine." Barrett corrected. "Avery, don't start our new hires off on the wrong foot. Amundsen makes me seem so distinguished."
"Barrett ," Avery amended, "is our engineer. Anything that goes wrong on The Atlas he can fix. You're looking at the man that keeps this ship space-bound. His partner in crime isn't here right now. You'll meet Vasco when we land. Vasco is our mascot."
"I disagree with that designation, Captain Avery." An artificial voice rang through the ship's PA system.
"C'mon, Vasco!" Barrett laughed. "I thought I programmed some sort of humor module in ya!"
"You tried… I erased the files." Vasco responded. "I am Vas-119, a model A lunar robot. Please allow me to assist you with any needs that might arise." The robot has a bit of an attitude.
"Finally, our cook," Avery nodded to the balding man in the pink robe. "Mickey Caviar. He is one of our more… peculiar crewmates." Mickey gave a bow to Maxile.
"No introductions are needed, Avery." Mickey smiled. "Surely our new nurse has heard of the famous Mickey Caviar?"
"..." Maxile stared at the man, unable to find any words.
"..." Mickey stared back, slowly realizing Maxile's lack of knowledge of him. Mickey sighed and took a sip of wine. "It seems you picked up an uncultured one, Avery… Hmm, I wonder if I have any leftover Bayu Private Reserve?" A fog of discomfort settled on the bridge until Avery continued.
"Right, Maxile, anything you'd like to add about yourself?" Avery asked encouragingly. Maxile paled when everyone's eyes fell on him. He wasn't used to this much attention. Maxile had always been an outcast on The Clinic. If people weren't looking through him, they were simply avoiding him.
"Hey, everyone…" Maxile whispered. He spoke up when he realized everyone started leaning in, trying to hear him. "I'm Maxile Deimos, but I go by Max. I've been a nurse for about eight years. I don't have any experience outside of The Clinic, so I look forward to working with you all." Maxile tossed a glance at Avery.
"Amazing." Avery smiled. "Alright, Eddie, show Max what he will do on The Atlas. Everyone else, see what all we need to get from Neon when we land." With Avery's order, everyone began dispersing from the bridge. Maxile turned to Dr. Sotello, waiting for him to speak. Once everyone left the bridge, Dr. Sotello spoke.
"Mr. Deimos, let's get something straight," Dr. Sotello spoke gruffly. Here we go. Maxile wasn't ignorant of the various personalities of physicians. "I don't need a nurse. I have been around long enough to keep up with my work… Just because the Captain hired you as the ship's nurse doesn't mean I can't fire you, understood?" Dr. Sotello hobbled out of the bridge without waiting for Maxile's response. Dr. Sotello walked with a limp on his right leg.
"Yes, Dr. Sotello," Maxile affirmed, following behind him. The duo continued through the ship until arriving at the medical bay. The medical bay's large room contained a supply cabinet, exam table, and sink. The corner of the room featured a large glass enclosure. Maxile could see another exam table with emergency equipment surrounding it inside the room, the ship's trauma bay. Above the exam table hovered a Rad-Port. Two doors sat on the opposite side of the room. Maxile assumed Dr. Sotello resided in the first room, the other must be a storage room. Dr. Sotello entered one of the rooms and returned shortly with a manila folder.
"I don't need you puttering around my medical bay looking for something to do," Dr. Sotello growled, thrusting the folder into his hands. "So, your first assignment will involve the Crew. It's time for everyone's routine blood work. I expect you to obtain and report their results to me over the next couple of days. Note that some of the crew have extra orders, such as Sam. He's a diabetic, and I need to know his A1C… He swears he hasn't been sneaking sweets from the kitchen, but I will catch that bastard in his lie!"
"Understood, Dr. Sotello," Maxile affirmed. Thumbing through the folder, he made mental notes of what supplies he would need for each crew member. This'll be easy; even a new nurse can draw blood.
“Mr. Deimos,” Dr. Sotello said. Maxile glanced up from the pages. "If you fail to obtain everyone's blood over the allotted time I have given you, you will be fired. Where you go from here, I don't care. Understood?" Dr. Sotello wore a serious expression, his eyebrows knitted together.
"Yes, sir. I'll get it done…" Maxile spoke, trying to hide the uncertainty in his voice. Great, he's an all-around hard-ass.
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 6th
1242 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
"This isn't your first time, is it?" Barrett questioned as Maxile tightened a tourniquet around his bicep. Maxile didn't exactly have a plan to obtain everyone's blood. He stepped outside the room after orienting himself to the medical bay's resources. He happened to grab Barrett as he was walking by.
"No, sir," Maxile answered, palpating the man's antecubital. He could feel Barrett's eyes on him. Usually, being watched while he works doesn't make him nervous. But being watched by the people he would live with set him on edge. After a while, Barrett spoke again.
"Just don't miss. Otherwise, I'll write a review on how horrible of a stick you are." Barrett laughed. Maxile couldn't help but laugh along with him. The man certainly had a frivolous aura.
"Yeah, that's the last thing I need with Dr. Sotello," Maxile responded, locating a good vein. Taking the needle, Maxile successfully stuck the vein. One by one, dark blood poured into the tubes.
"Don't let him bother you," Barrett said, scoffing. "Eddie is an ass, but he warms up after a while." After obtaining the blood, Maxile removed the needle and applied pressure.
"I guess only time will tell." Maxile sighed. So far the physician had yet to 'warm up' to Maxile's presence, though it was only day one. Barrett didn't hover once Maxile finished. With a simple wave, the engineer left Maxile to his own devices.
Once he had placed Barrett's lab work on the spinners, Maxile continued to roam the ship searching for his next available victim… patient. Fortunately, he didn't have to search too long. Walking into the mess hall, he found Simeon and Mickey playing cards.
"Mickey, I swear you always cheat." Simeon fussed, clearly on the losing side of the poker game. Mickey leaned over the table and used his arms to pull the hefty pile of credits to his side.
"I never cheat, Simeon!" Mickey scolded. "I'm just the luckiest man in the Settled Systems." Maxile cleared his throat, causing the two men to take notice. Maxile didn't miss the roll of Mickey's eyes. Shit, I guess he holds a grudge. Mickey had the most significant number of additional lab orders for some reason. Maxile thought it wise to collect his samples next. The sooner they're on the spinner, the better.
"Hey, Max." Simeon greeted with a smile, showing off his pearl-white teeth. "Need anything?" So far, Maxile really likes Simeon. He was funny and kind. He had the air of an awkward, funny guy to him.
"Hello," Maxile greeted. "Actually, I need Mickey. Dr. Sotello has routine blood work ordered for him. So I was hoping we could get that kno-"
"No, thank you." Mickey interrupted. Maxile's mouth dropped. "Honey, I don't give blood work. So just let Dr. Sotello know, ' I refuse! '" With that final word, Mickey gathered his credits and waltzed out of the mess hall. Wonderful.
"Max, you can get mine if you have the time?" Simeon supplied. Maxile shook his confusion off, still baffled at Mickey's refusal.
"Uh, sure. Follow me." He led Simeon back to the medical bay. During their short walk, Maxile figured out Simeon liked to talk. the lanky man didn't stop talking the entire time Maxile drew his blood.
"So what was it like on The Clinic? I bet you saw so many different things. What was the craziest patient you had? Did you have any major traumas?" Simeon fired off question after question. Eventually, Maxile found himself in a comfortable conversation with Simeon. Despite having many questions, Simeon listened attentively to Maxile when he spoke. When Maxile finished, Simeon thanked him and left. Well, that's two down, only six more to go… Maxile swallowed the concern about Mickey's refusal. Certainly, Dr. Sotello would understand.
Maxile peered down at his watch. Universal time showed nearly two o'clock in the afternoon. After eating a late lunch from the mess hall, he could return where he left off. I think that's how the mess hall works… They should just have food for me to grab, right? Or does everyone just eat together? The Clinic had a cafeteria that employed chefs and cashiers, and one could stop by during open hours and buy lunch/dinner. Before Maxile could leave the medical bay, a voice caught his attention.
"Little nurse, Maxile," Andreja said, entering the room. Little nurse? "I was told by Barrett that you are performing blood draws, no?" Before Maxile could answer, Andreja planted her ass on the exam table and held out her arm expectantly. Maxile learned rather quickly that Andreja wasted no time getting to the point of… anything.
"Uhm… yes?" Maxile responded hesitantly. So far Maxile had only seemed to irritate the woman, so he wasn't sure how this experience would go. She spoke with a strange accent Maxile couldn't put his finger on… Andreja had a different accent than Sarah. But it was more in a sense that English wasn't her first language.
"Well, proceed!" Andreja demanded. "I have blood for you." Pushing past the abruptness of the situation, Maxile set up the blood draw and obtained the samples in seconds.
"All done," Maxile muttered, ignoring his stomach's growl. Once he applied pressure long enough, he covered the site with a bandage.
"Very good!" Andreja praised. "I felt nothing! You are very proficient with needles. I wonder if, with the right training, you could paralyze someone using your skills." Maxile stared at her dumbfounded.
"Excuse me?"
"Surely, with the proper training, you could pin someone's pressure points, paralyzing them," Andreja said with a peculiar look, almost as if imagining Maxile doing this in her head. "Once they're paralyzed, you would have no issue eliminating them."
"Uhm…" Words failed Maxile. Is this what Avery meant when he said his crew was 'insane?'
"Regardless, thank you, little nurse." Andreja nodded before ripping off the newly placed bandage. She then climbed off the stretcher and promptly left the room. I hope that she doesn't bleed…
Shaking the conversation from his head, he loaded Andreja's blood samples into the spinner. He could perform the lab tests when he finished eating.
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 6th
1606 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
The Atlas's medical equipment was less sophisticated than The Clinic's. Running blood work at The Clinic took a few minutes. On The Atlas, each sample took about twenty minutes. It took him an hour to finish and log the results for everyone he had gotten. Dr. Sotello entered the medical bay as he finished filing Andreja's results. Dr. Sotello didn't bother to spare him a glance, walking past him into one of the rooms. I don't know why I expected him to say anything to me. Maxile quickly trailed after him. The other room turned out to not be a storage room. Dr. Sotello had settled himself in a desk. Across from the desk was a comfy-looking chair. Maxile figured he had entered the room where he evaluated the crew members and discussed their lab results with them.
"What, Mr. Deimos?" Dr. Sotello asked without looking up from the forms he was working on. Maxile almost hesitated at Dr. Sotello's harsh tone, but he quickly steeled himself.
"I've collected and resulted in the blood work for Barrett, Simeon, and Andreja." Maxile held out their individual files. When Dr. Sotello didn't accept them, he set them on the desk.
"If you think I'm going to applaud you for doing your job, you're mistaken," the physician said bluntly. "This is not a difficult job. And it's time-sensitive. You will be terminated if it's not completed by tomorrow afternoon." Dr. Sotello was very intimidating, but Maxile tried to appear unphased.
"Yes, sir. I haven't forgotten." Maxile said. "I also wanted to inform you that Mickey refused his blood draw."
"And?" And?
"And… I won't be able to get Mickey's results for you..." Maxile sputtered. Maxile didn't expect this response. Dr. Sotello looked up from his work and gave Maxile a flat expression.
"Your job is to obtain blood work from everyone in that folder I gave you," Dr. Sotello explained sternly. "If you fail to do so, you will be terminated. I thought that was clear?"
"N-no?" Maxile was bewildered. Dr. Sotello had set him up for failure.
"Mr. Deimos," the physician continued after a beat. "I'm sure you realized this ship does not have the same resources as The Clinic. That means the crew's lives are in my hands. With your introduction, they lie in your hands as well. If you can't complete my orders, someone may potentially die, depending on the circumstances. Just because you were allowed on the ship doesn't mean I've accepted you as my nurse. I suggest you continue collecting everyone's samples. You're dismissed." This guy is an asshole! Thanks to him, my time is limited on this ship…
"Yes, sir." Maxile conceded, allowing the conversation to end. Maxile could feel his ears burning with anger. When he shut the door behind him, he found Avery and Sarah standing in the medical bay. Well, at least I can knock out two more people.
"Max," Sarah greeted. "We wanted to see how you were acclimating to your job on The Atlas."
"Well, sit down and let me get your blood, and I'll tell you." Maxile grumbled, gesturing to the exam table behind them. The duo gave him a confused look. "Dr. Sotello assigned me to get everyone's routine blood work."
"I see," Sarah said, sitting on the exam table.
"So it's been going well with Eddie? Is he treating you alright?" Avery questioned.
"Oh yes!" Maxile mocked while taking the necessary steps to draw Sarah's blood. "Dr. Sotello is an extremely understanding man. He's been so patient with me." The sarcasm and irritation dripped off of Maxile's words. Maxile hoped he hadn't spoken loud enough to alert Dr. Sotello in the next room.
"Ah, so Eddie is being an asshole," Avery deduced.
"He's definitely not making it easy." Maxile agreed. "Hell, I can deal with a cranky physician. I have a problem with unreasonable expectations." Maxile finished drawing Sarah's blood and dressed her with a bandage.
"I never said it would be easy coming aboard," Avery laughed. "If anything, you should meet his expectations. That'll really piss him off." Maxile paused, studying Avery's expression. He seemed to find it humorous that he would successfully succeed while pissing off the ship's physician in one breath. Avery switched positions with Sarah.
"Well, if you met his goal, it would impress him at the very least," Sarah added. "He honestly isn't a bad guy. He just has to grow on you. In the meantime, you should find some hobbies to do while we are traveling. We spend a lot of time traveling from system to system. Work shouldn't be your sole focus. For example, I absolutely adore botany."
"Is that why the brig is covered in plants?" During his exploration of the starship, Maxile had been shocked when he poked his head into the brig. The brig had two cells, but the area outside of the cells was covered in greenery. There were plants Maxile had never seen in his life being cultivated in the brig.
"Avery wouldn't spring for a greenhouse room on the ship." Sarah rolled her eyes.
"I let you have the brig. Be happy with that," Avery muttered. Maxile looked between them. This is my Captain and Vice-Captain? They're so… strange. Once he finished drawing Avery's blood, he thanked them for their time.
"Max, we are stopping in Neon tomorrow," Sarah reminded him. So be sure to buy anything you need while we are there. It could be a long time before we visit another large settlement." Excitement flooded Maxile at the thought of seeing Neon. Upon joining Constellation, Avery had delivered him a sizable paycheck, so his credit-filled pockets ached to be spent.
"Mr. Deimos," A voice came from behind him. Turning, he realized that Dr. Sotello entered the medical bay with them. "I've transferred you a small amount of credits and sent a list of medications to your log. When you go to Neon tomorrow, you must stop by Reliant Medical. I've already let Dr. Manning know you will be coming by to purchase the drugs." Dr. Sotello did not wait for his response. Instead, he walked into his quarters and shut the door behind him.
Avery offered, "Maybe you can go into Neon with Simeon tomorrow. He's a good tour guide."
"Sounds good." Maxile grinned.
After everyone left, Maxile finished spinning, testing, and logging the remaining blood samples. By that time, the clock showed around five-thirty in the afternoon. Maxile figured he could use a shower and start to prepare for tomorrow. His deadline ended in twenty-six hours, after all. Maybe I could exceed Dr. Sotello's expectations. He clearly made them so high in an attempt to set me up for failure. Walking to his room, Maxile felt more confident than ever. A plan brewed in his mind.
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 7th
0828 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
If one were to say that all artificial gravity was the same, Maxile would laugh in their face. The artificial gravity of The Atlas felt vastly different when compared to The Clinic's. It was difficult for Maxile to explain. It wasn't bad, just different. The Clinic's gravity was very stable and immovable. On the other hand, the Atlas's gravity was malleable. It tethered you, but gave way when the starship moved.
Maxile learned that the mess hall always had food, but to eat it fresh, you had to go there as Mickey was preparing it… Mickey probably forgot to mention when he prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Regardless, Maxile found out dining hours on his own. Breakfast is held around eight-thirty, lunch around twelve-thirty, and dinner at six. If Maxile missed any of them, he would have to accept the leftovers.
"C'mon, I'm ready to eat!" Sam bellowed. His voice echoed around the already boisterous mess hall. The entire Crew was here.
"Be patient, you simple fool!" Mickey shot back from the kitchen. The noise coming from the kitchen could be compared to the noise in the mess hall. Delicious smells wafted from the kitchen, leading to a growl from Maxile's stomach. Audible murmuring floated from the kitchen into the mess hall. "There's no appreciation for art anymore… It's all about rushing…" Sam and Cora must have woken up and come straight to the mess hall; they were both still in sleep clothes. Like father, like daughter. A device on Sam's arm caught Maxile's attention. An insulin pump? Awe, shit.
"Uh… Sam?" Maxile said, catching the man's attention. Sam raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment. "I know this is bad timing, but you have blood work ordered by Dr. Sotello. One of the orders is for your A1C, so he's gonna want fasting labs. Cora has lab work ordered too…" The Coes took a glance at each other.
"Well, shit," Sam eventually breathed. "Let's get this over with then. Hopefully, my A1C doesn't look too bad. Eddie will tear me a new ass if it does!" The duo was eager to get their blood drawn, leading Maxile to the medical bay. Maxile expected Cora to let her father go first, but instead, she hopped onto the exam table and held out an arm.
"Needles don't scare me," she explained when she noticed Maxile's confusion. Maxile continued wrapping the tourniquet around her arm. After a moment, she spoke, "Are you excited to see new places? Dad said you've lived on The Clinic all your life. I bet you haven't been exposed to much." Well, this girl is precocious.
"I am," he confirmed. "I'm a bit worried I'll be overstimulated on Neon. I've never been anywhere else, but I'm excited." Once he finished drawing her blood, he bandaged her arm.
"Thank you," she said, smiling. "Captain Avery said you're going with Simeon. He's cute and strong, so you'll be-"
"Where the hell is this conversation leading?" Sam interrupted. "Cora, go eat." Sam ushered the girl out of the medical bay. Giggling echoed behind Cora as she traveled back to the mess hall.
"How old is she?" Maxile asked as Sam climbed onto the table.
"Only fourteen, but she walks around here like a grown-ass adult."
"I see." Maxile murmured, focusing on finding Sam's vein. "How have your blood sugars been?" Sam blanched at the question.
"They've been… okay…" He hesitated. Maxile successfully stuck Sam's vein, and the blood poured into the lab tubes.
"I guess we are going to find out, huh?" Maxile teased. Once Maxile finished, he dismissed Sam back to the mess hall. Loading the Coe's blood on the spinner, he figured he could log the test results when he returned from Neon. Remembering Dr. Sotello's words yesterday, Maxile took out his tablet to review the list of medications he would collect on Neon.
The list contained generic medications. Dr. Sotello needed some long-acting insulin for Sam, blood pressure medication for Mickey, and a sleep aid for Sarah. He also had a list of emergency medications that he needed to pick up. Hopefully, we won't have to use any of these…
Neon, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 7th
1252 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Neon was… not at all what Maxile expected. The streets of Neon were dirty, crowded, and wet. That said, the settlement had a unique set-up. Located on an oceanic planet, the city's foundation sat on massive columns, hundreds of feet above sea-level. Between the buildings, Maxile could see a vast ocean spanning in the distance. An enormous cover protected the city from the constant rain. However, it still managed to have puddles all over the city. The city also didn't seem to show any concern for possible accidents. Some of the edges of the city didn't have any guard rails. An unsuspecting moron could topple right over into the sea. Plus, Maxile found the sheer amount of people stacked on one extremely overwhelming, but Simeon's continuous conversation helped. Simeon could probably talk to a rock and still have topics to converse about. The entire time they strolled through the bustling streets of Neon, Simeon updated Maxile about the drama between the crew members.
"There's been a rumor going around that Captain Avery and Andreja are sleeping together!" Simeon gossiped. Maxile couldn't help but get sucked in.
"What? How? Why?" Maxile encouraged. Simeon spoke with great enthusiasm as he explained his theory.
"There's always been… tension between the two," he explained. "I can't confirm. But if it's true, he better shape up. The moment he screws up, she cuts off his dick, and I get volun-told to clean up the mess." Maxile openly laughed at that one.
"I'd be scared of that too!" Maxile agreed.
"We're at Reliant Medical," Simeon said, pointing at a nearby sign. The sign advertised 'Reliant Medical' in neon blue and white letters. Although the sign needed serious repairs, half of the lights weren't even working. Stepping up to the door, it automatically slid open.
"Dr. Manning?" Maxile called into the lobby. It looked like he didn't get too many patients. "I was sent by Dr. Sotello to restock our medications?"
"I'm here!" A voice called from the back of the studio. After a brief moment, Dr. Manning, Maxile assumed, entered the lobby. "Good afternoon. You're the poor bastard working under Edward?" Hit the nail on the head with that one.
"That's me," Maxile replied glumly. Dr. Manning went behind the counter and picked a box up from the floor.
"Everything will be in here. There's no need to show me the list he ordered; he already sent me a message about everything he wanted. I just need you to transfer the credits." Maxile complied and took the box. Maxile grunted when he accepted the full weight of the box. Didn't think it'd be this heavy. He promptly shoved it into Simeon's arms and turned back to Dr. Manning.
"I appreciate it," Maxile thanked, typing on his tablet. The credits quickly left his account, wrapping up the transaction.
"Have a nice day. Don't let Edward give you too hard of a time," Dr. Manning said with a wave. Easier said than done. The duo left Reliant Medical and continued their stroll down the street. Immediately, Simeon started talking.
"Hey, Max," he began. "You pretty much only wear scrubs when you're on the ship. Did you bring any other clothes for your downtime?" Maxile peered down at his outfit. The khaki scrubs stood out compared to Neon's citizen's colorful wardrobes.
"Well, I've been working the past couple of days. So I wear my scrubs." Maxile explained. "When I'm not sticking people, I'm organizing Dr. Sotello's mess of an office."
"How about this? Let me buy you some clothes?" Simeon's eyebrows rose as if he had stated a no-brainer question. "Nothing too expensive, but you gotta be able to wear something more comfortable occasionally. Consider it my welcoming gift." Maxile thought about his offer. It seemed sincere. Before he agreed, another sign caught his attention. 'Legrande's Liquors' flashed above the Neon crowd's heads. That's exactly what I need…
"That'd be great, but there is another place I want to go first…"
The Atlas, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 7th
1833 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Dinner was uneventful; Maxile sat with Simeon and continued to enjoy his conversation. The sniper had a plethora of stories. If he wasn't spinning an amazing tale of Constellation's travels, then he was retelling a humiliating story about Avery. Maxile considered asking Simeon how he knew so much about Avery, but the chance to ask never presented itself. Maxile didn't think he said a single word during their talk. He was too caught up in every word from Simeon's mouth. He certainly has a personality to him. After dinner, Maxile caught Mickey alone, cleaning up the kitchen. He gave the open kitchen door a hard knock, catching the chef's attention.
"Little boy, I already told you I refuse the blood work." Mickey deadpanned, turning his attention back to the stove he scrubbed.
"Let me stick you now, and I'll give you this," Maxile responded, setting a bottle of Bayu Private Reserve on the kitchen counter.
"I am a patient! A famous one at that! I have the right to refu-" Mickey froze when he noticed the bottle. "You cheating bitch…"
"So we have a deal?" Maxile responded, ripping the bottle away when Mickey lunged for it.
"Only if you do it right now. If you have to find a needle, I'm- You already have one..." Mickey sighed when Maxile pulled the necessary supplies out of his pocket. "Fuck! Just get on with it." Maxile wasted no time drawing Mickey's blood. All the while, he ignored Mickey's constant bitching. Once he was finished, Mickey ripped the bottle off the table.
"Thank you!" Maxile said with a grin. Mickey responded with a sneer and proceeded to open the bottle.
"You didn't win anything." Mickey challenged. His task completed, Maxile quickly gathered the blood and rushed back to the medical bay. His deadline slowly approached, after all. Mickey's voice rang out as he stepped out of the mess hall. "You bastard!! This is a virgin Bayu Private Reserve!!" I did win, bitch.
It took about forty minutes for Maxile to finish running Mickey's blood work. Mickey's hefty set of orders ended up putting Maxile farther behind than he had expected to be. But despite the time crunch, Maxile sorted everyone's results and arranged them into their own folders with minutes to spare. Once Maxile finished organizing everyone's results for Dr. Sotello to review, he noticed something odd. Simeon… Sam… Avery… Sarah… Everyone has yearly blood work… Maxile felt his face begin to burn.
The Atlas, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, June 7th
1922 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile didn't bother to knock when he entered Dr. Sotello's office. As he entered, he tossed the packet of the crew's results onto his desk.
"Cutting it pretty close, are we?" Dr. Sotello said, not bothering to thumb through the results.
"It's all done. Even Mickey Caviar!" Maxile snapped. Dr. Sotello opened his mouth to speak, but Maxile continued. "Funny thing I noticed, everyone's file goes back a few years. All of their assessments and lab results."
"Yes. It's called a medical record." Oh, hell no! He doesn't get to be facetious!
"Everyone but Mickey." Maxile countered. "You were intentionally trying to set me up for failure. You've never even managed to get Mickey's blood. Do you really have that much of a problem with me!?"
"You were actually able to get Mickey's blood?"
"Yes!" Maxile hissed. He paced back and forth in Dr. Sotello's office. "Something you haven't been able to do. I don't understand! Why are physicians so pissy and petty!?"
"How'd you do it?"
"I bribed him with alcohol. The second I waved it under his nose, he folded." Maxile continued to rant during his explanation. "I really hope it pisses you off that I succeeded at something you have failed at for years!"
"You gave him alcohol?"
"Of course not; what I gave him was alcohol-free. I assumed his liver function looked like shit, so I didn't want to make it worse. It really pissed him off, but I got what I needed… Honestly, I don't need this shit. I shouldn't have to worry about having a job with yo-" Maxile paused when he realized Dr. Sotello was laughing. He didn't think the man could laugh, especially so… heartily. In fact, he wiped at the tears pouring from his eyes.
"That man probably hasn't had a sip of water in four months, much less any alcohol-free beverages." Dr. Sotello took a moment to finish his explanation between laughs. "In any case, it's impressive that you got his blood." Maxile stared at Dr. Sotello before responding.
"I'm going to bed." Maxile deadpanned, shaking his head. All this stress just for him to laugh. Was this supposed to be a haze? He can just fire me; I don't care.
"Meet me here at six-thirty in the morning. Now that we have new stock, we need to count and determine how long we can last before replenishing. I swear Sam goes through his insulin so fast… There is no way his A1C isn't more elevated than normal!" The laughter in Dr. Sotello's voice was gone. Maxile gave him a puzzled look.
"So I passed?" Maxile asked, trying to shake off the hesitation in his voice.
"Mr. Deimos, if you're looking for an atta boy from me, look elsewhere. I asked you to get everyone's blood work, and you did your job. Now, I will see you in the morning. We have work to do." To get his point across, Dr. Sotello opened the files before him and began reviewing everyone's results.
"Yes, Dr. Sotello." Maxile smiled, closing the door behind him. Maxile could feel the anger leaving his body. Maybe he just takes a slight warming up.
Notes:
This chapter was fun to make, wrapping up the previous chapter. I have a few chapters written (That still require heavy editing.) This one the main character was given the opportunity to start building a relationship with the other crew mates. The chapters will likely be episodic. The next one's POV will actually be from another crewmate. Regardless, hopefully you found this chapter so far entertaining. I feel it flowed a little better than the previous one. But we are all our own worst critic. Any advice, questions, comments, smart-aleck remarks, I'd love to hear. Thank you!
Chapter 3: The Observatory - Simeon Bankowski
Summary:
During a routine exploration of the twin star Piazzi, a mysterious structure in orbit catches the eye of the adventurous crew and lures them closer. Avery, Simeon, and Andreja prepare themselves to enter the dilapidated framework and find something puzzling indeed; a domed room with multiple floors, the top floor made entirely of glass. Even more intriguing is the top floor seems to contain magnifying lenses pointed toward the cosmic infinity beyond the worn walls. The crew is confident that this discovery means something great for their explorations, but this place might not be as abandoned as they thought...
Notes:
Hello!
Please don't be afraid to let me know if you find any mistakes or sentences that don't make any sense.
This was a fun chapter to write, it's more "scary" Well, my best attempt at scary.
trigger warnings for cursing, death, deformities, darkness.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Piazzi VII, The Piazzi System
Year 2330, June 10th
1145 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Simeon found himself highly bored with the past week on The Atlas. Apart from Maxile joining the crew, nothing else had really occurred. Andreja plotted a route to The Piazzi System with promises of shiny new discoveries. Still, so far, it has been a colossal bust. The Atlas arrived to find an orange star, slightly colder than the old neighborhood's. Seven cold, barren planets orbited the star, give or take a few moons. Simeon repositioned himself at his workstation.
"Are you sure there's anything out here, Andreja?" Simeon questioned. The woman threw him a glare, unappreciative of his lack of trust.
"The Atlas received a signal while we were at Luyten's Star System. I don't make mistakes with our navigation." Andreja countered. "There is something here… I'm sure of it." Avery fired the retrorockets, turning the ship away from the enormous gas giant, Piazzi VII. The Atlas orbited just outside of the planet's icy rings.
"I trust our astronomer." Avery supplied. "If Andreja says something is here, then something is here. Was it a distress signal?" The groan that threatened to erupt from Simeon's throat was barely contained. Of course, Avery would defend Andreja… He's probably just scared to piss her off… Andreja pulled the distress signal up on her workstation. Binary code began to sprawl across her screen. The fluctuating numbers made Simeon's head spin.
01001001 01110100 00100111 01110011 00100000 01100001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100111 01101111 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01110010 01100101 01110011 01100101 01110100 00101110
"Not so much a distress signal…" Andreja said thoughtfully. "But more of a message. It reads, 'It's all going to reset.' I have no idea what it even means. I pinpointed it from around this area." Simeon couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Sounds like bullshit to me," Sam whispered to Simeon. This earned him a glare from Andreja. Andreja's skills as an astronomer far outclassed anyone Simeon had ever met, not that he would ever admit that to her. But Simeon still enjoyed any opportunity to piss her off. That being said, he had to be careful… She wasn't afraid to resort to physical violence.
"Maybe we can do another scan?" Barrett offered.
"The Atlas only received the signal briefly, but we ca-" Andreja started before a shadow enveloped The Atlas. A large body slowly orbited around Piazzi VII, eclipsing the star. Darkness settled in the bridge and cockpit. The only illumination on the ship came from multicolored LED lights on the various workstations. Great. Andreja is going to brag about this for months. "I told you all! You imbeciles lacked trust in me and were all wrong!" Called it.
"What is it?" Avery said in awe. The colossal body continued traveling around the gas giant, positioned just above its rings. It had a tall cylinder shape, at least four stories high. At the top of the cylinder was a glass dome. Avery programmed The Atlas to autopilot the ship closer to the mysterious facility. By this point, everyone on the bridge had crammed into the cockpit to get a better look. Simeon stifled a joke at everyone's dumbfounded expression. "It's not responding to our hail. There's a dock at the base."
"Ah, hell no!" Sam said, shaking his head. "If ya'll want to go explore the orbiting death trap, be my guest. I'll stick back here on The Atlas." Can't disagree with that logic.
"Coward." Andreja insulted. "I will be going on the orbiting death trap. Captain, you will join me, yes?"
"Of course." Avery agreed. "Anyone else coming along?" Avery looked between the three other crew members on the bridge. Simeon prayed silently that one of the other crew members would volunteer for the excursion.
"Nah, I prefer to keep my life," Barrett said, still eyeing the vessel
"I'll stay behind and provide comm backup," Sarah answered. Avery's focus fell to Simeon. Son of a bitch… I should'a known I'd get dragged into this.
"Simeon?" Avery asked with a tinge of hope. Simeon didn't want to board the vessel, at all. But he also didn't feel comfortable letting Avery and Andreja go alone. Simeon and Avery had known each other since they were kids living in New Atlantis. So, he knew from experience about Avery's bad habit of getting into trouble at every turn.
"Yeah, I'll go too..." Simeon said glumly.
"Very good!" Avery turned back to the vessel. During their discussion, The Atlas had locked into orbit along with it. "We'll spend the next hour preparing, then dock. Hopefully, we can figure out what it is…"
The Atlas, Orbiting Piazzi VII, The Piazzi System
Year 2330, June 10th
1250 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Docking onto the mysterious vessel was uneventful. Vasco scouted the entrance and relayed that the oxygen converters worked at full capacity. Simeon felt grateful they wouldn't have to climb into their bulky spacesuits. It's pretty difficult to aim a rifle when wearing a helmet. Sarah, Maxile, and Eddie waited to see the trio off at the dock port.
"Make sure you make it back to the ship safely." Simeon was surprised at Eddie's kindhearted statement. "I can't save you if you die out there." Ah, there it is.
"Thanks, Eddie," Avery responded, ignoring the elaboration. "We'll keep in touch." Avery tapped his earpiece to enunciate his point. Avery decided to purchase earpieces for everyone three or four years ago. Initially, Simeon argued the purchase; the earpieces were something else he could lose. Over time, he began to appreciate the communication devices, not that he would ever admit that to Avery. More times than not, Simeon typically stayed in the backline due to his skill set. Often, Simeon had the chance to alert his crew when he spotted enemies from his vantage point. And it was all thanks to the stupid earpieces Avery purchased.
"Sam scanned this… thing… multiple times. So far we haven't found any live organisms on board. Just let us know if you need us to board." Sarah offered. Simeon thought that Avery and Sarah complimented each other well in leading Constellation. Whereas Avery can make the tough calls, Sarah can provide the support needed.
"I'm not worried," Avery assured her. “Andreja and Simeon are strong. We'll keep an eye on each other." Simeon appreciated the compliment.
"Simeon, if you find something cool, bring it back for me to see!" Maxile exclaimed. The nurse had been pretty eager about the mysterious vessel since it was discovered. Over the past few days, Simeon has worked diligently to crack Maxile's social hesitation. Slowly, he began to be more open with Simeon.
"I'll see what we find." Simeon smiled. He liked Maxile. The rookie member showed a lot of passion in his work. On top of that, he showed interest in learning more about everything shown to him in the Settled Systems, probably due to his lack of experience outside of The Clinic. The trio opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder into the vessel. Simeon's eyes widened in amazement when they stepped into the main chamber. The vessel was utterly hollow. The lighting was excellent, even though the internal lights had given out one by one over the years. Simeon strained his neck to see the glass dome above, revealing space. Below the dome appeared a glass-like floor; it held what looked like a strange device. So the top floor is separated by a glass floor... Simeon removed his rifle from his back and peered through the scope to get a better look. The top floor was completely transparent, revealing various devices scattered across the floor. The devices appeared to be multiple flat mirrors arranged in a peculiar pattern. Is that a fancy telescope? After evaluating the rest of the room, Simeon noticed four floors. Each floor encircled the vessel, making four rings leading to the top of the structure. The star's light loomed into the dome, casting a beam of light into half of the structure. The other half remained shrouded in darkness.
"Captain Avery, no other individuals were detected on the vessel. It appears the vessel was abandoned prior to our arrival." Vasco supplied. Vasco's camera quickly flitted from one crewmate to the next. Vasco appeared to be your average lunar robot. The robot had a foot on all crewmates and was equipped with the latest weapons. Barrett worked hard on Vasco's maintenance and updates. Despite only being made up of random code and protocols, Simeon saw the robot as a valued crew member.
"Got it, Vasco. Guard the entrance to the ship. If you see anything strange, shoot to kill." Avery commanded. Simeon squinted his eyes at the other side of the chamber. He could vaguely see a staircase leading to the next floor.
"Understood, Captain."
"I guess we need to start making our way up there." Avery strained his neck as he looked at the top of the vessel. "Maybe we can figure out what this thing is up there? Let's head up that staircase. Stay cautious." The trio began to cautiously creep through the center of the chamber on the base floor. Simeon noticed how eerily quiet the chamber was. He hadn't worked under the classified organization Aegis for years without picking up a few tricks and premonitions. In fact, Simeon learned all of the skills that made him a valuable member of Constellation at Aegis. Aegis is a top-secret organization within the United Colonies military, dedicated to taking out high-priority targets in a hushed manner. Simeon joined the UC military at eighteen, just after he finished school in New Atlantis. From there, he was recruited into Aegis when he turned twenty-five. He spent the next two years as an assassin until his cover was blown; Aegis dropped him and advised him to go into hiding or be hunted down by his assigned target. Fortunately, Avery took him into Constellation, providing him shelter and the safety of constantly moving. That all transpired five years ago. Simeon no longer feared being hunted down by his mysterious target; he could probably now return to live in New Atlantis safely. But Simeon knew he could never leave Constellation; he owed too much to Avery. His Captain is his best friend and savior.
"For a place so abandoned, it's really tidy," Andreja whispered. Simeon scanned his surroundings. The floors were absent of dust and debris… Something's not right here… Crossing the barren chamber's base floor, they started up the staircase. Once the trio had climbed to the second floor they all had their weapons equipped.
"Shit…" Avery hissed. A man lay at the top of the stairhead, leaning against the wall. He was decomposing and had likely been there for months. Rotting flesh could be seen hanging off his bare bone. Most of his teeth had also fallen out, as had strands of his hair. The man's head was angulated, his neck surely broken… In his lap lay an open journal.
"What killed this guy?" Simeon whispered. Avery ignored him, instead taking the book from the expired man. Holding it up for the three of them, they read through his journal.
January 23rd, 2330
"It's all going to reset." The sentence has run through my mind since I first deciphered the message. I have absolutely no idea what it means. But I found the source of the signal. I believe that this mysterious facility has been abandoned for years. As for what it's purpose… I have yet to discover. I've thoroughly explored the top level and the ground level. The device on the top level requires someone with different skills to operate. This is so frustrating! I've come so far but find myself stuck due to my own limitations. Maybe I just need some sleep. Leonard out.
January 24th, 2330
So much for sleep, the vessel is extremely quiet. My mind makes noises and hallucinates shadows outside of my tent… I could have sworn I heard something mumbling, "It's all going to reset.", but every time I looked outside my tent, I was alone. Today, I plan on further evaluation of the top floor of the vessel. I'll be damned if I prove those post-grads right at university. This will be all worthwhile! Leonard out.
January 24th, 2330
It has a name! I discovered the name! "The Observatory" is its name! It seems the top floor utilizes mirrors and old technology as a locator. But I still have so many unanswered questions… Who built The Observatory? What were they searching for? What is going to reset? I spent hours on the top floor and could only discover the name. I'll have to accept that this job is too big for me. In the morning I plan to travel back to Cydonia. There, I can recruit others to assist me further. Leonard out.
January 25th, 2330
My ship is gone. When I went to leave, I found my ship had undocked from The Observatory at some point. I'm genuinely stranded. I have no clue how it managed to undock… This shouldn't be happening… I was so close! I was going to go down in history logs! Leonard Engstrom was going to be lectured at universities across the Settled Systems. To make matters worse, I might be losing my mind. I swear I'm hearing noises at night… I plan to return to my makeshift camp and craft a distress beacon. I will survive this hardship! Leonard out.
The following page features hurried, scrawled handwriting. A splatter of blood stains the corner of the page.
I'm not alone. There's something here. Anyone unfortunate enough to land here GET OUT. It's as dark as night and has eyes as red as rubies. It can't be reasoned with. It keeps screaming at me over and over - It's all going to reset It's all going to reset It's all going to reset It's all going to reset It's all going to reset It's all going to reset ITS ALL GOING T
The journal entry ended abruptly. Simeon could feel shivers down his back. Every hair on his body stood on end. What the fuck did we get ourselves into? Simeon looked over his shoulder, getting the vibe he was being watched… But no one was around.
"Shit…" Avery mumbled. "Maybe we bit off more than we can chew." You're damn right we bit off more than we can chew. Simeon continued to periodically scan his surroundings... It's too damn quiet...
"Nonsense," Andreja argued. "This was a scholar. He had no chance at survival. We push on." Without allowing a further argument, Andreja began to sneak along the wall. Simeon took a moment to look over the guard railing to the floor below. Empty… Turning his head to look up, Simeon counted two more atrium floors above them. The floors were decorated with nothing but an occasional support column. The star's light shined directly into the vessel so they could hide in the shadows along the wall. Retreating back to the wall of The Observatory he followed after his crewmates. The trio crept along the shrouded walls of The Observatory, only having to dart into the light when an occasional column blocked their path. After five painstaking minutes, they traveled around the second floor to the staircase to the next floor. Simeon figured this would be the case for each floor. Staircases alternated on either side of the floors.
"Look…" Avery commanded, quickly jerking Simeon and Andreja into the shadows. Simeon followed his finger to the top floor. Through the glassy floor he was able to see a figure. It was enveloped in a dark cloak and roaming the top floor. Simeon narrowed his eyes in an attempt to distinguish the cloaked figure.
"What the fuck is that!?" Simeon hissed. It appeared to be operating the device laid out on the top floor. Simeon stood too far away to clearly see what it was doing. A cowl covered its face, leaving a lot to the imagination. "Is that an alien?" So far, humankind has not discovered intelligent lifeforms in the Settled Systems. There have been many discoveries of aliens that have the intelligence of animals. But none that can read, write, speak, etcetera... This might be a first...
"If we're not careful, we could end up like that guy on the last floor," Avery said bitterly. "We need a plan. That thing is definitely hostile… Also, we don't know if there are more than one." Simeon couldn't believe his ears. So we're going to keep pushing toward the creepy thing in the cloak!?
"We have guns." Andreja sharply objected. "We already have a plan. Shoot it." Crouching low to the floor, she continued to the next staircase. I should have drawn straws with Barrett… Despite Andreja's conviction, Avery tapped his earpiece and called out to Sarah.
"Sarah…" He whispered. "Just a heads up. We aren't the only ones in this thing. There is an unknown creature on this ship... It may be human... Maybe not. I'm pretty sure it's hostile. Keep on the line in case we need backup."
"Understood." Sarah immediately responded. "I'll continue to scan the vessel and see what else I can find." Yeah, Sarah… You keep scanning from the safety of The Atlas… That'll do us a lot of good.
The journey to the next floor couldn't have been more uneventful. Although it was definitely nerve-wracking. The crew each kept an eye on the creature. It tirelessly worked on the device before it. It would cycle between changing the positions of the devices spread across the floor, to operating what looked to be a module. Unfortunately for Simeon, keeping an eye on the creature turned out to be his undoing. His feet suddenly became tangled, and he sprawled out in the middle of the floor. A loud crash echoed throughout The Observatory.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Simeon cursed, rolling onto his back. Looking around, he realized he had tripped over equipment left behind by the scholar. "What a fucking rookie mista-" Simeon froze. He was now looking directly at the top floor. The creature was kneeling, looking back at him through the translucent floor. Its hands had seven fingers each, ending with long claws. It slammed its hands onto the glass flooring, its breath fogging the surface as it pressed its head down with an unsettling intensity as if trying to push through to the other side. Red eyes bore into Simeon's blue ones, and an unholy glow emanated from the creature before him. Its skin was an abyssal black, slick and leathery, like something pulled from the depths of nightmares. It had no nose, just a flat expanse of flesh where a face should be, and its mouth continued to move in a grotesque mimicry of speech, but no words came from its mouth. When it opened that gaping maw, there were no teeth to be seen—only an endless, hungry darkness that seemed to pulse with malevolence as if it could swallow his body and soul. The air grew cold, pressing in on him as the creature's eerie cadence filled the silent void, a symphony of dread that promised unspeakable horrors. After a moment of their staring contest, it slammed its claws on the floor again. A hellish scream reverberated around The Observatory.
"Move! Now!" Avery yelled, yanking Simeon up to his feet.
"You fool!" Andreja growled. "You have no means of stealth! You're spoiled in the backlines!" The second he was on his feet, Simeon broke into a sprint. All senses of covertness were lost in their panic. They continued to the next floor, taking cover in the darkness right before the staircase.
Silence.
Simeon shot a wary glance toward the top floor, his pulse quickening with each anxious beat. Stillness hung in the air, thick and suffocating. The creature was nowhere to be seen, but the weight of its presence loomed in the shadows, and the uncertainty clawed at his nerves. Every instinct screamed for him to move, but he was frozen, heart racing in a desperate rhythm, waiting for the inevitable confrontation that felt just a heartbeat away. Gradually, a raspy voice began to build in intensity as it approached them.
"It's all going to reset. It's all going to reset. It's all going to reset." A voice echoed from the staircase. Simeon felt himself pressed further into the wall by Avery. Avery stood in front of him, and Andreja with his arms outstretched. After a few eerie moments, the cloaked creature hobbled past, its gnarled fingers gripping the edge of the guardrails. Searching for them, it peered at the bottom floor with a sinister glare beneath the hood. The atmosphere thickened, a chill creeping up the spine as its raspy breath echoed in the silence. Simeon could hear it wheeze with every step. All the while it repeated over and over, "It's all going to reset. It's all going to reset…" Eventually the creature began descending down the stairs to the floor below and disappeared into the shadows. Seizing the opportunity, the trio continued to the next floor. I hope Vasco is safe…
"See, Andreja," Simeon whispered. "My plan worked perfectly. I got that thing off the top floor..." Turning to Simeon, Andreja stared at him blankly. The astronomer had obviously seen right through his bluff.
"You had no plan. You made a mistake, and it worked in our favor." Bitch…
"Enough," Avery growled, the sound reverberating through the vessel. They reluctantly stepped into the harsh glow of the glass floor, revealing their presence to anyone looking below. In the center of the floor stood a lifeless, mirror-clad device, its surface cold and unyielding. A computer loomed before it, the screen flickering intermittently like a dying flame. Andreja wasted no time and hurriedly typed on the keyboard while Simeon cautiously explored the shadows of the top floor. Yet, there was nothing remarkable here, apart from oppressive silence, thick and heavy. The only entity on the floor was the seemingly dormant device, its reflective surface enhancing the emptiness around them. Andreja continued typing, causing data to spill out across the monitor.
"The Unity," Andreja murmured as her eyes scanned the monitor. "It's searching for something… something called 'The Unity.' This device appears to be a galaxy-wide radar." Avery furrowed his brow, a sense of unease creeping in as the shadows deepened around them.
"What the hell is a Unity?" Avery asked, confusion painting his face. Avery stood behind Andreja, studying the redundant code on the monitor.
"I haven't a clue." She answered simply. "From what I can tell, the device has been probing the Settled Systems for the past few centuries."
"That's cool and all, but our friend downstairs is completely freaking me out," Simeon adds. "I'm about ready to head out of here." Despite his protests, he is ignored.
"Has it been searching for anything else? Or does it have the capability to locate anything else?" Avery questioned. Andreja entered a few commands on the computer. After a moment, she gasped.
"Apparently, it searches for general locations of artifacts as well!" She said in awe. Andreja continued to type commands into the computer. Avery scratched his crown.
"This doesn't make any sense…" He said. "The Unity, the artifacts… it's all going to reset. What do they all have in common? There must be something we're missing." Andreja entered a final command, causing the mirrors on the device to shift positions. The Observatory groaned and creaked as it slowly adjusted. The mirrors on the device shifted millimeters before finally settling into place. This sequence of events caused data to stream across the monitor. I bet that thing heard that!
"These are a few locations of artifacts…" Andreja gasped. Pulling out her log, she quickly copied the information before her. "It shows the six artifacts we currently have on The Atlas. Strangely, the other artifacts' locations seem to fluctuate."
"Meaning they're moving?" Avery clarified.
"Correct," she confirmed. "Logging the listed artifact locations would be pointless."
"Oh sure, it's never been easy," Simeon added sarcastically.
"What else does it say about The Unity?" Avery said thoughtfully. "All these years of dealing with the artifacts, I've never heard about it." Simeon repositioned himself in front of Avery and Andreja, his heart racing as he positioned himself into a good vantage point. The dim light flickered ominously, casting shadows that danced along the walls. At the same time, his eyes remained fixed on the staircase behind them. An unsettling quietness enveloped them, and despite his vigilant scanning, their friend remained nowhere in sight. Each innocent noise in The Observatory sent a shiver down his spine, heightening his dread as he wondered where the creature lurked in the darkness.
"From what I can tell, it hasn't been able to locate The Unity. Maybe it's not even in the Settled Systems. It does say when our last 'cycle' began." Andreja continued to read.
"Our last cycle!?" Avery echoed in surprise.
"The last cycle began approximately fourteen billion years ago…" She trailed off. "What does that mean, Captain?" Avery appeared lost in thought.
"I have no idea," Avery eventually said. "We need to get back to The Atlas. This information needs to be relayed to the rest of the crew. Maybe we can-" Avery's voice faltered and then fell grimly mute.
"What?" Simeon hissed, his voice trembling. "You're freaking me out, Avery." He locked eyes with Avery and Andreja, both staring back with wide-eyed terror that sent a chill racing down his spine. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, as an unsettling sensation crawled over him. Uh-oh...
"Simeon..." Avery whispered urgently. "Behind you." A cold chill flooded Simeon's veins as he felt the blood drain from his face. Slowly, he turned, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. There it stood—an abomination—towering over him, its horrid form casting a long shadow. Its mouth gaped open in a silent, eternal scream. But its eyes froze him in place—dark voids surrounded a red iris that seemed to tear through his soul, promising anguish and despair. Before anyone could react, the creature swiped a clawed extremity, digging deep into his left arm. Simeon was thrown onto his side; he could feel blood soaking his left arm.
"IT'S ALL GOING TO RESET!" The creature bellowed. Avery and Andreja wasted no time unloading their weapons into the creature.
"Simeon!" Avery called. The gunfire mixed with the crazed creature's scream.
"IT'S ALL GOING TO RESET!" Simeon log-rolled into a prone position, heart pounding as he swiftly crawled away. Having torn off its cloak, the creature stood before him, bearing a mangled form. Its appearance was that of a nightmare, and the echoes of its chilling mantra permanently branded itself on Simeon’s brain: it kept repeating that same scream, each repetition more menacing than the last. "IT'S ALL GOING TO RESET!" Avery and Andreja's bullets seemed to do no harm to it. The creature loomed menacingly, its body matching its face's sinister black and leathery texture. Its limbs were extremely deformed, sporting an unnerving number of joints that twisted in unnatural angles. Instead of bending forward like a human's, its knees curved backward, creating an unsettling sight. As it moved, the right arm revealed two unnatural elbows that seemed to bend in ways no human anatomy should. The left arm, meanwhile, ended in a single, jagged elbow, adding to its nightmarish appearance. Simeon found himself unable to move at the anomaly standing in front of him, before his survival instinct kicked in. Snapping his rifle up, Simeon fired directly at the creature's head. The blow knocked the creature's head backward, contorting its body away from the trio… However, it didn't fall.
"Run!" Avery screamed. Simeon didn't need to be told twice. The trio scrambled down the stairs. All the while, the creature had recovered and was quickly gaining on them.
“IT’SALLGOINGTORESETIT’SALLGOINGTORESETIT’SALLGOINGTORESETIT’SALLGOINGTORESETIT’SALLGOINGTORESET!” The creature's voice echoed through the dark, calling out repeatedly. Stealth be damned, they sprinted toward the next set of stairs, his heart pounding in his chest. Each footfall felt like a drum, a betrayal in the silence surrounding them. Behind them, the creature drew closer, its presence unsettling and predatory. Simeon could feel the blood trickling down his arm and dripping onto the floor behind him. Avery continued randomly shooting behind them, praying that he would slow down the creature.
"Vasco!" Avery shouted urgently as they burst into the main chamber. Simeon's heart raced; they needed Vasco to hear them. "Get everyone ready for takeoff! We have to jump the guard rails!" Without a moment's pause, Simeon dashed to the edge of the second floor and leaped to the ground below, a dizzying fifteen foot drop. He tucked and rolled upon landing to absorb the impact. Avery yanked him up before he could catch his breath and sprinted toward the dock. To his surprise, Andreja was already there, frantically opening The Atlas's hatch. Simeon shot a last terrified glance over his shoulder. The creature loomed ominously in the chamber, its mouth wide open in a monstrous snarl. He slammed the hatch shut, but not in time to miss the chilling message that echoed through the air.
" Those who find The Unity determine the cycle. "
The Atlas, Orbiting Piazzi VII, The Piazzi System
Year 2330, June 10th
1618 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Simeon stared blankly at the pale walls of the medical bay. He wouldn't describe himself as traumatized by the events that had just occurred. Merely… shocked. Working for Aegis, Simeon had experienced much more disturbing things. Avery didn't waste time in undocking from The Observatory. The crew had displayed great interest in what they discovered on The Observatory, but the trio first needed a minute to themselves. The big question now was the meaning of 'The Unity.' What does it have to do with the artifacts? A sharp pain on his left arm yanked him from his thoughts.
"Ouch!" Simeon complained. Maxile carefully continued to disinfect his arm. Simeon sustained a jagged laceration to his left deltoid by the creature.
"Sorry…" Maxile apologized. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. I've had worse cuts."
"No." Maxile shook his head. "Are you okay with… whatever was on that thing? I'm about to start numbing it up with the lidocaine, by the way. It'll be a stick and a burn." True to his word, Maxile dexterously injected Simeon's wound with the medication. It initially burned, but the pain eventually numbed.
"I'm good. That thing was… insane." Insane wasn't the best description… But it was all Simeon had at the moment. Simeon explained. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like it, in all my travels. The crazy thing was, right before I shut the hatch, it said something… Something about whoever finds The Unity determines the cycle…" Once Simeon was adequately numbed, Maxile started setting up the suture supplies.
"Maybe it was just crazy?" Maxile offered. Taking the forceps, Maxile dug the suture into the edge of his wound.
"Perhaps…" Simeon agreed, pondering the past event until a fleeting thought emerged. "Have you ever done this before? I didn't know nurses do stitches." Maxile paused for a moment.
"No," he admitted. Maxile continued to expertly close Simeon's wound, stitch by stitch. "I told Dr. Sotello that nurses don't suture. So he took his pen and tapped both of my shoulders. He said he christened me 'suture certified' and told me not to bother him again." Simeon openly laughed at that.
"Sounds like something ol' Eddie would do." Simeon grinned. "He's such a hardass."
"Yeah, don't laugh. The more you move, the bigger the scar will be." Maxile bit the top of his lip, heavily focused on his work. Once he completely closed the laceration, Maxile dressed it with gauze. "All done."
"Thank you!" Simeon said, flexing the arm. "Good as new. Max, how about I buy you the most expensive dinner The Atlas offers? So I can show my gratitude." Maxile raised an eyebrow at his offer.
"I didn't realize we had to pay for the food in the mess hall." Maxile countered.
"Nah, but I figured it's the thought that counts. Right?" Simeon climbed off the exam table and opened the door for Maxile. Once Maxile cleaned up the leftover sharps, he turned to Simeon.
"Sounds great," Maxile said with a smile, graciously accepting the offer. "I think later tonight Avery was going to have a meeting to discuss where we will travel next." Simeon followed closely behind Maxile towards the mess hall. Anywhere that isn't on a floating deathtrap is fine by me.
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you for managing to finish!
Chapter 4: The Catasrophe of Treya Colony - Sarah Morgan
Summary:
After the completion of another mission, Constellation must refuel on a nearby moon. Due to an incoming disaster, Sarah and the rest of the crew find themselves facing an ethical dilemma. The situation gives Sarah flashbacks to her past with the United Colonies military. Will they save the colony, or will Constellation be forced to abandon the small settlement?
Notes:
Hello!
Please let me know if you see any mistakes, or sentences that don't make any sense.
TW-death, cursing.
Disclaimer: I don't own starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Eridani III, The Eridani System
Year 2330, June 30th
0942 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Sarah was flustered. Since the events at The Observatory, the crew had spent nearly three weeks searching for leads to the next artifact. Perhaps it was simply luck that had brought them this far? Sarah sat alone on the bridge. In front of her was the Armillary. The Armillary held the crew's current collection of artifacts. One might describe the Armillary as a simple pedestal. However, they levitated and arranged themselves into a rotating halo when the artifacts were brought together on the pedestal. The halo currently has a diameter of around three feet. Sarah watched as the artifacts danced, slowly rotating on the pedestal. The crew came back from The Observatory shaken. Tales of creatures and vague warnings. It's all going to reset… The Unity… What does it all mean? Sarah's deep thoughts caused her to disregard Sam and Cora entering the bridge.
"All good?" Sam asked, garnering her attention. Cora sat at the workstation across from her, and as usual, she had a book in her hand. Sam leaned against the wall beside her, giving Sarah an expectant look.
"Yes," Sarah answered. "Just a lot on my mind about what Avery said. I honestly don't know the correct path for us." Sarah continued to stare at the Armillary, hoping it may somehow give her an answer.
"Eh," Sam shrugged. "It usually works out for us. We'll find our way eventually." Sarah nodded blankly at the sheer amount of confidence Sam had. The flip of a page turned her attention to Cora. Sarah figured she must have peaked the girl's interest. It was a rare sight to distract Cora from the books she read.
"Cora?" Sarah turned to the girl. "Odd question. You haven't happened to ever read about "The Unity" in one of your books?" Cora glanced up from the novel in her hand.
"No. I usually just read fiction. But the next time we stop by New Atlantis, I can see what I can find at the library." Cora buried her nose in the pages before her, happy with her contribution.
"Excellent." Sarah stood and walked to the cockpit of The Atlas. They had recently completed a job in The Eridani System. Eridani III silently rotated before her, a green and blue giant, three small moons caught in its gravity. The planet reminded Sarah of what Earth had been described as. The planet's surface was warm and inviting… Granted, one does not need to drink its water unless they want to be poisoned by heavy metals. The contractor offered a hefty amount of credits to transport a bulk supply of iron to one of the main settlements. The job was child's play for the crew. The crew quickly fulfilled the mission and returned to orbit to prepare for their next destination.
"I talked with Barrett down in engineering." Sam began. "He said that our grav drive is running low on helium-3. Avery and I scanned the nearby moons and a small settlement that made a living by extracting helium-3. We can stop there before heading out to the next system. Avery says we will make our way there in an hour or two. He wanted to count his credits first." Sam rolled his eyes as he spoke about Avery's credit obsession.
"Well, we must ensure you are all paid appropriately, Sam." Sarah laughed. "What's the helium settlement called?" Helium absolutely baffled Sarah. Somehow, a mere two hundred years ago, humans engineered helium-3 as a fuel for space travel. She briefly wondered how long helium had been under society's nose, its usage hidden.
"Treya Colony, I think?" Sam answered. "Should be cheap too. Price is better than whatever New Atlantis would charge us." That sounded good to Sarah. Another role she held as Vice-Captain involved controlling Constellation's budget. At one point, Avery had controlled where their credits went. But, after the Captain had wasted their credits on a trashed hover bike, Sarah took control. The bike had literally fallen to pieces the first time Avery rode it…
"It will be nice to go for a spacewalk…" Sarah searched outside the cockpit until she could locate the planet's moons. "It's been ages since I walked on a low-gravity body."
"Dad, can I go?" Cora cut in excitedly. She even managed to set her book down.
"Uhm… Maybe not this time…" Sam denied. Cora's excitement diminished. Catching that, Sam babbled. "We've never been to this moon before. Next time we go to New Atlantis or Akila, I promise I'll take you spacewalking on one of their moons."
"Alright…" Cora agreed, clearly still not receptive to his answer. "If you promise."
"I promise." Sam reiterated. Sarah couldn't help but smile at their relationship. She imagined the difficulty of raising a child while constantly traveling. Fortunately for him, Cora was very mature for her age. Turning back out of the cockpit, Sarah located the planet's moon. Once we fill up, I will spend all my time on The Atlas's scanner… I know the next artifact is somewhere out there…
The Treya Colony, Eridani III-a, The Eridani System
Year 2330, June 30th
1202 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Despite its rural feel, the Treya Colony had a port where The Atlas could land. Landing the ship wasn't an issue; no other visitors occupied the ports around the settlement. Sarah guessed the colony only had around forty inhabitants. Sarah felt her weight lift when she stepped out of the cargo bay onto the dusty rock. Sarah rather enjoyed walking in low gravity. The weightless sensation made her feel like she could fly. Sarah had to fight the urge to launch herself upward, lest she sore into space. The mechanic notified Barrett that replenishing The Atlas's grav drive would take around thirty to forty minutes. Once Avery transferred the owed credits, the mechanics immediately got to work.
Walking through the colony, Sarah failed to notice any distinction from other mining towns. Citizens walked around outside in their spacesuits. The houses were all assumedly sealed with fresh oxygen inside. Even a few small children could be seen bouncing around in their spacesuits.
"Anything we might need while we are here? Apart from helium." Avery chimed in on her earpiece. The crew continued to walk through the small settlement.
"Not that I can think of," Barrett answered.
"It must be so peaceful to live here," Sarah mumbled. Glancing skyward, Sarah observed the planet the moon was orbiting. To wake up every morning with this view. Turning her attention, she noticed that one of Eridani III-a's sister moons was perfectly visible. Their orbits around Eridani III had brought them together. What an amazing universe we live in.
"As long as you enjoy dust, helium, and nothing to do," Barrett interjected, ruining her sentiment. Sarah rolled her eyes at the comment.
Eventually, their short walk brought them to a peculiar building. Sarah's eyebrows raised in surprise. An emblem, a green ring, was positioned above the door. The ring almost mimicked an Ouroboros. The House Va'ruun? The building's emblem marked it an Embassy of The House Va'ruun.
"Ah, I thought the architects on these buildings were familiar. This settlement is of The House Va'ruun!" Andreja's words were full of familiarity and understanding. The House Va'ruun's religion completely bewildered Sarah. The belief of a cosmic serpent engulfing the entire universe to purge it of the non-believers is madness. Then, it supposedly takes the leftover people to their version of heaven. Typically, The House Va'ruun were very peaceful people. Unfortunately, every religion has its radicalism. Va'ruun Zealots argued the religion with violence all across the Settled Systems. This led to people being uneasy about The House Va'ruun and ostracizing them. Sarah can respect anyone who shows her the same respect, including The House Va'ruun. Va'ruun Zealots are just another obstacle when they show their face in the Settled Systems. A giant snake eating people; how silly.
"Do you want to stop by the Embassy, Andreja?" Avery offered. "Before we leave, at least." Andreja is the only crewmember of The House Va'ruun. Sarah often found her praying to her deity during her downtime. While Sarah didn't understand the religion, she cared deeply for Andreja. Before Andreja could answer him, a stranger hailed them.
"Usually, when people stop on our moon, they're either lost, or their ship is broken down." The man said, reaching out for a handshake. Sarah's eyes fell to The House Va'ruun emblem printed on his spacesuit.
"No, sir," Avery said, taking the man's outstretched hand. "I'm Avery, Captain of The Atlas. We just need to top off our helium tank, then we'll be on our way." The man nodded in understanding.
"Ah, I see." He responded. "Well, it's nice to have you here. My name is S'ento Marlay. I'm the Ambassador of Treya." The man's name and accent contained evident House Va'ruunian roots.
"We appreciate your hospitality," Andreja added, bowing her head.
"The Great Serpent certainly led us to you, Ambassador S'ento." S'ento grinned, showing a mouthful of teeth.
"As it does!" S'ento agreed, wiping the dust from his helmet visor. "You're of The House Va'ruun? We don't have others visit very often. Most people from The House Va'ruun prefer to keep to themselves."
"I am fortunate enough to have a crew that accepts my beliefs." Andreja continued back and forth, often speaking in vocabulary Sarah couldn't understand. This lasted for several minutes until Barrett interrupted them.
"Not to be rude, but I believe our ship is fully filled and ready to fly." Barrett stepped in. Sarah was grateful for the interruption. She felt a little excluded from the conversation.
"Thank you for your time, and may you soar with the Great Serpent wherever you travel." S'ento bidded farewell.
Upon arrival at The Atlas, Sarah was pleased to discover that the mechanics had performed a few minor repairs on the house. The settlement dwellers were very kind, very typical of The House Va'ruun… At least the members that weren't Va'ruun Zealots. Once they had everything in order, Avery called to prepare for takeoff. Within minutes, The Atlas found itself nestled in Eridani III-a's orbit.
The Atlas, Orbiting Eridani III-a, The Eridani System
Year 2330, June 30th
1320 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Once they were back in orbit, Avery immediately called for a meeting. They needed to discuss where their following location would be. Avery stood in front of the cockpit, facing the bridge. The crew filed into the bridge individually and sat at the workstations. Occasionally, someone had a lead on an artifact location. More times than not, one of the crewmates suggested a random direction, and off they went.
"So we have a choice," Avery started, catching the crew's attention. "On one hand, we can find a random star system and begin scanning the orbiting planets. On the other hand, we can go back to New Atlantis and see if there are any jobs we can take." The crew immediately broke into a light conversation.
"I say we go to the Foray Casino in the Shoza System. I'm feeling lucky!" Mickey's voice called out. As expected, Avery shot him down.
"If we go to New Atlantis, I can check up on my family." Simeon supplied. This was a rare moment from Simeon. Typically, the sniper avoided returning to his home in New Atlantis.
"I wouldn't mind visiting New Atlantis…" Maxile's quiet voice added. "I've heard so much about it from my patients on The Clinic. I've always wanted to see it." Sarah smiled at Maxile's eager tone. Every planet they visited, Maxile made sure to ask as many questions as he could think of. Though adding him to the crew had been strategic for Constellation, Sarah appreciated the experiences they were able to give Maxile.
"Avery, do I need to even be involved in this? I have work to do."
"I have two for New Atlantis," Avery said, acknowledging Simeon and Maxile. "Eddie, yes. If you weren't involved, I wouldn't have the opportunity to see you pou-" Suddenly, Vasco's voice alerted the crew from the ship's overhead system.
"Captain Avery. Scans of the planet's moons show that Eridani III-a will likely collide with Eridani III-b." Vasco announced. Sarah's eyes widened, turning her view into the cockpit. The moon continued to slowly rotate. "This collision will mean the destruction of the two moons and damage to the planet they orbit." The Treya Colony… A deafening silence settled throughout the bridge.
"Vasco, what data have you gathered?" Avery spoke urgently, the previous conversation being lost in the wind.
"When The Atlas initially touched ground on Eridani III-a, Eridani III-b estimated a distance of 200,000 kilometers. Scans show it to now estimate a distance of 134,000 kilometers. I calculate a high percentage of the moon's natural orbits meeting." Vasco explained. The robot's monotone voice underwhelmed the severity of his words.
"We would be lucky enough to land on a doomed moon…"
"Simeon!" Sarah scolded.
"Vasco, what's the likelihood that the moons will crash together?" Hope lingered in Avery's voice. What are we going to do? There's no way we can fit the entire colony on The Atlas… A plethora of plans and back-up plans streamed through Sarah's mind. Even if they were able to save the Treya Colony, they wouldn't be able to help the sparse settlers spread out on the two moons.
"I calculated a 96.667 percent that this event takes place." A brief silence followed Vasco's revelation. "There is an estimated one hour and twenty minutes until the moons connect. The moon's gravitational forces are probably starting to affect each other's terrain. Soon buildings on unstable ground, loose equipment, and potentially humans not wearing appropriate space attire will also be affected."
"Damn," Avery cursed. "Sam set our course back to Treya Colony. We can't save the moons, but we can at least warn the colony. Alright, everyone. We have a small window to warn the colony. We're gonna have to get in and get out. Sarah and I are going to go speak with the Ambassador."
"I will go as well." Andreja cut in. "They might take the news better if you're accompanied by someone of The House Va'ruun." Sarah could feel the ship turning back towards Eridani III-b. The trip back would only take about five minutes… From there, Sarah prayed that they could warn the colony in time.
The Treya Colony, Eridani III-a, The Eridani System
Year 2330, June 30th
1334 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Sarah had her spacesuit on in record time and sprinted out of the cargo bay. We don't have much time! We have to find S'ento! Sarah ran out of the bay so fast that she barely heard Vasco's warning.
"Estimated one hour and five minutes until the orbits cross. Make haste."
Sarah, Avery, and Andreja eventually came to the four-way road where they had initially met S'ento. Scanning her surroundings, she noticed tiny moonrock specks levitating several millimeters off the ground. Vasco was correct… She turned an eye into the sky and realized the nearby moon looked larger than earlier. In fact, she could distinguish craters and crevices on the moon's surface. A voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"Spacefarers? You shouldn't be here?" S'ento warned, stepping out of one of the homes. "I thought you already left?"
"Yes," Avery sputtered. "We need to evacuate Treya Colony. After we left, our robot calculated the distance between this moon and one of the orbiting moons. Within the hour, the two moons are going to collide."
"Yes. I'm aware. We all are." S'ento said matter of factly. Sarah cocked her head. What did he say? " This day… This experience was prophesied by the colony Ambassador generations ago. The first colonists studied the moons and the planet when they first landed. They made this discovery years ago, before I was even born. The prophecy describes a cosmic event; when it occurs, the Great Serpent will give us all passage to the afterlife. We are fortunate enough to be alive to experience this." This cult is absolutely insane.
"Ah, I understand," Andreja said, nodding her head. Sarah stepped forward before Andreja could continue.
"I'm sorry; you knew this was going to happen?" Sarah clarified. Not bothering to wait for an answer, she continued. "This entire situation is deranged! We need to evacuate everyone. A giant snake isn't going to save anyone!" Sarah knew how disrespectful she was to the Va'ruunian man but couldn't bring herself to care.
"Sarah!" Andreja growled. "I understand that you are my Vice-Captain, but this is not something you can comprehend. The previous Ambassador prophesied this years ago. This is a celestial experience some may never have the chance to take part in."
"Andreja!" Sarah growled back. "This is not an experience ! This is a cult suicide! There are children!" Andreja's glare didn't lessen at Sarah's hostility. This was not how a Vice-Captain should act, but there were lives on the line!
"Guys!" Avery interrupted. Sarah and Andreja immediately stopped their dispute. "S'ento… I have limited knowledge of The House Va'ruun… Are you sure about this? This will be the death of your people."
"I promise, Captain. We have all accepted and celebrated the days that are coming. We will soon gather in the Embassy to pray to The Great Serpent. I suggest you leave if you don't want to join our passage." S'ento spoke with utmost certainty. Before bowing his head and entering the building he had come out of. Sarah shook her head. He's going to kill the entire colony…
The walk back to The Atlas was utterly silent. Avery called for another meeting on the bridge to update the rest of the crew. The crew piled into the bridge, awaiting the update, even Eddie. With a sigh, Avery spoke.
"We are going to leave the colony behind." Immediately, the crew fell into an uproar.
"How can we just leave them behind!?" Sam argued. Many of the crewmates nodded along with him. The volume on the bridge continued to rise until Avery's thunderous voice silenced them.
"Enough!" He commanded. "This… This isn't up to me. They are of The House Va'ruun. Their Ambassador says they knew this day was coming long before we arrived. They've accepted their fate long ago." A stray thought flashed in Sarah's head.
"So we get our firearms and force them to come aboard." Sarah offered. "Cruel? Yes. But these are lives at stake. Who is to say that the Ambassador didn't lie!?"
"We aren't abducting an entire colony, Sarah!" Avery snapped. "I know it's not what we want… But this is their belief. We need to honor that."
"This isn't right, Avery, and you know it." Sarah countered, her eyes narrowed in fury. "You're making the wrong call." By this point, the entire crew stood in an awkward limbo. Glancing from one to another while their Captain and Vice-Captain traded verbal blows.
"And at the end of the day, I am the Captain. This decision falls on me, not anyone else but me. We are leaving. End of discussion." Sarah shook her head at his response.
"An entire community… Lives lost for what? The belief of a giant holy snake!?" Sarah knew what she was saying would infuriate Andreja. She wasn't intentionally trying to hurt her. But the anger she felt inside of her had no other way out.
"You still speak of what you know nothing about." Andreja hissed. "Their fate is not something you can control. Do you think they would stay if they did not want to? The Treya Colony surely has ships to escape on. Their faith has remained strong while they waited for this day. The House Va'ruun-"
"The House Va'ruun makes no sense!" Sarah interrupted. Andreja's face morphed from anger to hurt. Shit… Why did I say that… Ripping her helmet off the workstation, Sarah equipped it and left the bridge.
"Where are you going?" Avery called after her.
"I'm going to try one more time to convince them. Someone has to." Sarah called over her shoulder, not bothering to glance back.
The Treya Colony, Eridani III-a, The Eridani System
Year 2330, June 30th
1418 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
"Sarah. Lunar collision will occur in an estimated twenty minutes." Vasco warned as Sarah sprinted by him. She paid him no mind, instead leaping out of the cargo bay, landing in a run. There's still time… Hopefully, I can convince some colonists to evacuate with us… By this point, Eridani III-b was noticeably closer. The moon now appeared four times its original size compared to an hour ago.
Sarah's muscles screamed for oxygen as she raced through the Treya Colony. The colonists descended into madness; hordes of people darted in and out of the houses. The two moons' gravitational pulls fought in a vicious tug-of-war. Tiny houses groaned and creaked due to the gravitational call of Eridani III-b. Larger pieces of moonrock shot skyward, never to be seen again. Sarah could even see some mining equipment levitating in the air. Sarah and the colonists would likely have been lifted off the moon had they not been in their specialized spacesuits. Despite the chaos, the colonists continued racing around the settlement, uncontrolled. When Sarah arrived at the Embassy, she found S'ento standing before it. S'ento violently waved his arm, doing his best to direct the colonists into the Embassy.
"One of Avery's crew?" S’ento said, noticing Sarah’s arrival. "Have you come to pray with us during this passage?" This idiot…
"No!" She screamed, shaking her head. "S'ento… Please… Tell your people to leave Treya with us!" Despite the many people crossing between them, rushing in a panic, Sarah managed to maintain eye contact with S'ento. His face fell in disappointment.
"I appreciate your concern… But we have awaited this day for generations. There is still time for you to leave if you wish. If you stay, The House Va'ruun will always allow your company." S'ento then broke eye contact and resumed directing people into the Embassy. This can't be happening… All these people… They will die a horrible death… Sarah spun wildly, trying to catch someone... anyone's attention.
"Please," she begged a couple running by her. "Come with me to our ship. We can take you somewhere safe." Despite her pleas, the couple continued on. Undeterred, Sarah persisted in her attempt to convince the colonists… However, her cries fell on deaf ears. Succumbing to her frustration, Sarah resorted to screaming.
"Everyone!" She yelled. "Follow me! I can lead you back to our ship!" Fresh tears started dripping onto her visor. They won't listen to me… Sarah flailed her arms, desperation overtaking her body.
"Just remain calm! We have little time, but we can still make it! You don't have to be scared! Just-" Sarah paused. Instead of focusing on the combined chaos, she focused on individuals. The spacesuits the colonists wore were not regular suits. Their spacesuits were decorated in religious garb. The colonists that poured into the Embassy weren't screaming in terror… They were singing… Laughing… Happy…
"I can't believe the day is finally here!" A child celebrated with his parents as they filed into the Embassy. They… Aren't they fearful? No one wants to leave the moon… The colonists have been… looking forward to this day? Sarah blinked her eyes rapidly when she realized her visor had become nearly occluded by her tears. Her arms dropped numbly to her sides. I can't save any of them… Flashbacks tricked her mind. Her thoughts suddenly returned to the Battle of Cassiopeia, leading her subordinates to their early deaths. A familiar figure appeared in her blurry visor before she could be drawn further into her past.
"Sarah. We have to get back to The Atlas. We don't have much time." Andreja stood before her.
"I'm sorry… Andreja." Sarah apologized, holding in a sob. "I'm sorry for the malicious comments I made… You were right. I don't understand, and I may never understand… I just want to help. I realize now they never wanted any help… The moment they have been waiting for is here. It's just… They're going to die… Alone and forgotten! "
"They won't." Andreja reached for her hand. "They will pass on with the Great Serpent, but their legacy will carry on through you and me. We will not forget them or their story." Sarah took her hand and was quickly led back to The Atlas. Sarah returned to the bridge and found the entire crew waiting for her return. Sarah knew what needed to be done. She had to address her previous attitude and insubordination.
"Everyone," Sarah spoke softly. "I'm sorry for my attitude earlier. It was unbecoming of a Vice-Captain. Avery, I hope you forgive me." Avery turned to her with a smile.
"Sarah, you are one of the kindest, most passionate people I have ever met. It's who you are. I'm sorry we couldn't save them… We can't save everyone. But that doesn't mean we can't save others." Avery assured her. The bridge was silent afterward, and the crew worked quickly to prepare for takeoff.
The Atlas, Orbiting Eridani III-a, The Eridani System
Year 2330, June 30th
1444 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Once The Atlas arrived at a safe distance from Eridani III-a, Sam rotated the ship to face the ill-fated moon. Sarah requested to stay for the collision. If the Treya Colony was destined to die, she wanted to be with them when that moment came. Sarah stood in the cockpit while she watched the inevitable. Initially, the two moons seemed to freeze in time, suspended in the vastness of space. As their gravitational pull intensified, a cataclysmic force drew them together like magnets. When they finally collided, the impact was dramatic—their surfaces shattered, sending shimmering debris spiraling off into the void. Fragments of rock and dust danced in a chaotic ballet, glowing in the ethereal light before being swallowed by the darkness of space. The once majestic orbs crumbled into each other, unraveling in a spectacular display of cosmic destruction. The hull of The Atlas shuddered during the collision.
The cosmic bodies sheared past one another, shattering into fragments amid an explosive cascade of light and debris. Each collision sent shockwaves through the void, causing pieces of rock and ice to break free and scatter into the darkness. The relentless pull of the moon's gravity repeatedly drew these remnants back together, creating a mesmerizing but chaotic dance. Over time, clouds of swirling dust and massive, jagged moon pieces began to orbit the shattered remains, painting a haunting picture of desolation in the celestial expanse. Hot tears started pouring down her cheeks.
"Se'va," Andreja whispered from behind her. "May their souls be ferried safely to the promised land by the Great Serpent." Sarah turned to Andreja. Behind her, she found the entire crew watching the end of Treya Colony. Sarah returned her gaze back to Eridani.
"May their souls be ferried safely to the promised land by the Great Serpent." Sarah whispered. Eridani took control at this point, causing the crushed moons to orbit the planet. A vast stream of moon dust, fine as mist yet thick with history, drifted slowly around Eridani III, casting a surreal glow in the darkness of space and creating a haunting beauty amidst the devastation. The legacy of the Treya Colony was left to drift among the Settled Systems.
Notes:
Wow you managed to make it to the end. If you liked it or not, let me know!
Thank you!
Chapter 5: A Mine's Descent - Avery Del
Summary:
Constellation has tracked down an artifact on an abandoned asteroid mine. The search should be easy. Easy enough for even Maxile to attempt his first venture onto unknown territory. However, through a series of unfortunate events, Avery and Maxile end up separated from the rest of his crew deep in the mine. Lost in the dark labyrinth of the mine, they must continue their search for the artifact.
Notes:
Hello!
This chapter was pretty fun to write. As usual, please let me know if you see any errors, or sentences that just don't read correctly.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
Trigger warning for cursing, violence, and death.Thank you!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Sirius III, The Sirius System
Year 2330, July 13th
1153 Universal Time
Avery Del
Avery's leg bounced in anticipation. They had searched and found a lead to the next artifact. Less than a week ago, Andreja uncovered a signal leading to a gas giant in The Sirius System. The Atlas currently orbited Sirius III. The gas giant had a smattering of asteroids revolving around itself. After a daunting search, they were able to locate an abandoned mine on a large asteroid. Andreja said that this was the signal's original location. We've found the next artifact!! Avery lightly fired The Atlas's thrusters, drifting the ship forward… Unfortunately, the mine's ship dock was located in a tight spot. Avery gritted his teeth when The Atlas scraped the massive asteroid. Avery could hear his entire crew hiss at the awful noise from the collision. This small error gave Sam the ammo he needed.
"See!" Sam exclaimed. "I told you, Avery! It's not just me. The damn ship needs upgrades to its lightweight thrusters!" Avery rolled his eyes. Here we go…
"You two are the only ones that drive the damn ship!" Barrett countered. "Upgraded or not, I'm the one that has to repair your accidents. Be careful, dammit!" Every crew member was dropping their opinion into the conversation by this point. The bridge became a dull buzz of conversation and argumentation.
"Shut up!" The noise behind Avery dimmed immediately at his order. "I need to focus." Avery had much better luck docking the ship on his second attempt. The ship locked into the asteroid mine, making a satisfying clang. Once he was docked in, Avery waited for his crew's inevitable comments. As expected, Sam spoke up first.
"Could'a docked it the first time with the upgrades I requested…" Sam grumbled. Avery revolved around in the cockpit to meet Sam's eye. The two glared at each other before Avery decided the fight wasn't worth the headache. Looking past Sam, the entire crew awaited Avery's update on the bridge.
Avery gave a quick run-down of their mission, "Okay, everyone. Andreja managed to track down the next artifact to this asteroid mine. It should be an easy, in-and-out mission. Simeon, Sam, Sarah, and I will go into the mine, retrieve the artifact, and be home-free. Everyone needs to keep their comms on in case something unexpected happens." Mickey's eyes brightened at the word, 'unexpected.'
"Oooh! You all will need lunch boxes made for your little excursion!" Mickey declared, hopping to his feet. Before Avery could refuse his offer, the flamboyant man practically skipped to the kitchen. Ugh… Whatever.
"Captain Avery," Maxile whispered hesitantly. After an expectant look from Avery, he continued. "Would it be alright if I went too? I really want to look around the mines. It's abandoned, so I should be fine. Plus, I really want to see the artifact…" Avery hadn't forgotten how much the artifacts piqued Maxile's curiosity. He often found Maxile on the bridge admiring the artifacts floating around on the Armillary.
"Uhm…" Avery began, trying his best to let Maxile down easy.
"Absolutely not," Eddie growled. "That isn't your role, Mr. Deimos. Our medication supply needs to be organized and logged."
"I've already done that." Maxile asserted. Eddie fixed his gaze on the young nurse. Avery could sense the beginnings of a pissing contest between the two healthcare professionals... At least a pissing contest from Eddie's point of view.
"The new equipment we purchased needs to be installed." Eddie continued. Maxile met Eddie's eye without fear.
"I did that the day we picked the equipment up." The crew looked between the two, a silent fight for dominance. Eddie paused for a few seconds, clearly trying to devise another task.
"The trauma bay needs to be cleaned out as well. I'm sure the exam table is still stained with Andreja's blood from her last… mission." Eddie folded his arms across his chest, expecting victory in his power struggle.
"I cleaned that out after you discharged her," Maxile smirked. "C'mon, Dr. Sotello. I've done everything you've asked me to do…" After a moment, Eddie huffed.
"Whatever!" Eddie barked. "Go play with rocks in a damn mine for all I care! But don't come crying to me when you get injured, and I have to search through carelessly organized equipment to treat you!" Not waiting for Maxile's response, Eddie hobbled off the bridge. Content with his victory, Maxile turned expectantly to Avery. Fuck. I was planning on taking Vasco, too… Six members will be pretty crowded…
"Avery, I'll stay behind," Sarah offered. "Someone has to ensure The Atlas doesn't implode while you are away. It'll be a good experience for Max, anyway." Sarah smiled at Maxile. The young nurse was visibly shaking in excitement by this point.
"Alright, Max. You, Simeon, Sam, and I will explore the mine." Avery conceded. "Everyone get ready and meet at the dock in twenty minutes." The crew quickly dispersed to prepare for the mission. Andreja stepped up to Avery.
"I hope you enjoy babysitting the little nurse, Captain," Andreja warned, a smirk ghosting her lips. "I don't think he has ever killed someone, much less held a sidearm." Avery silently kicked himself at that thought. However, he was confident in Maxile.
"Probably not," Avery agreed. "But it will all be fine. We'll watch out for him." Avery was concerned, but he trusted his crew. Simeon and Sam are strong, independent men. They would keep an eye on Maxile. Plus, Maxile plays the part of a wildcard well. If anything comes up, Avery feels certain Maxile could work his way through it.
"I know," Andreja concurred. "But I plan to loan him my pistol. I need to teach him where to shoot to cause the most injury. Better safe than sorry, no?" True to her word, Andreja unholstered her weapon and left in search of Maxile. Poor kid has no idea what he got himself into.
The Atlas, An abandoned asteroid mine, The Sirius System
Year 2330, July 13th
1222 Universal Time
Avery Del
When Avery arrived at The Atlas's dock, the other three men were already waiting for him. Maxile held Andreja's pistol before him, giving it a perplexed look.
"What the hell does she expect me to do with this?" Maxile muttered to Simeon. "I've never even shot a gun before. She found me in my room and told me to aim at their head or groin. " Maxile continued to twist the gun in his hand, studying its every detail.
Simeon pointed to the weapon's safety feature. "Maybe you should know how to turn off the safety before you shoot anyone in their junk…"
"Alright, guys," Avery announced, moving past them. "Let's head out. Max, stay close. We still don't know what we could find in the mines." With that warning, the group moved through the dock into the mine. The dock opened to a long hallway leading into the main hub of the mines. Modules, equipment, and policy warnings decorated the walls of the hallway. Avery found a sign above the door at the end of the hallway. Hope-Sirius Site-A4… I guess the mine is owned by Ron Hope? Ron Hope wears the title of a well-known businessman and politician in the Settled Systems. Hope founded HopeTech, a company that heads the cargo ship business. Probably once a week, HopeTech releases some sort of new ship tech.
The main lobby was decorated with leftover crystals, likely mined from the asteroid. Asteroids can comprise many minerals; iron, water, and sometimes even gold. In this case, the large asteroid was made up of crystalized cobalt. Avery figured HopeTech used the crystals to fortify their ships. But why did HopeTech abandon this mine? Crystalized cobalt is extremely rare… The hallway opened into a large room with a window viewing window expanding across the far wall. Avery stepped up to the window and peered down further into the mines. Blue crystals criss-crossed their way down into darkness. The long crystals appeared as bright blue bridges, creating a makeshift path downward. The artifact is down there somewhere…
"This must be the mine's observation deck," Sam guessed. "There ain't much up here; we gotta get further into the mines. I don't think this facility was up to code…" Avery evaluated the walkways that descended the mines. Most of them were destroyed and had plummeted into the mines. Avery could see detached walkways decorating the tops of the bridging crystals. Well, there won't be an easy way down.
"Oh yeah, we should definitely find a way further into the creepy mines," Simeon said dryly, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Is it possible the miners already found the artifact? Maybe it's up here somewhere?" Avery turned his attention back to the observation deck he stood on. The deck contained a mixture of mining and comfort equipment for the staff. Crystal shards littered the deck. They left in a hurry… We need to be careful. The observation deck had two directions they could go.
"Man up, Simeon." Avery scolded. "Andreja's scans found an artifact here, so it must be somewhere. We gotta find a way down."
"Don't worry, Simeon," Maxile comforted. "I have a gun now. I'll protect you."
"You don't even know how to shoot the damn thing!" The two fell into a playful argument, each trading verbal blows. Over the month that Maxile has spent with Constellation, he had grown close with Simeon. This fact wasn't surprising to Avery in the least. Even when him and Simeon were kids, the sniper had always been a social butterfly. It was only natural that Maxile would be drawn to Simeon's carefree personality.
Avery's attention waned in their banter. Avery carefully continued to the next room, gun in hand. The next room split further into more doors. This place is going to end up a damn maze! When they entered their fourth room, Avery could feel the irritation radiating from his body. Where the hell is the entrance to the mines!? Every room contained one of two things, crystal shards or mining equipment.
"They didn't bother to take anything with them," Sam observed. "Maybe there's a log somewhere of what happened? Hell, we're just lucky that no one is here to question us. They won't mind if I take a crystal back to Cora." Sam began sorting through the numerous mined crystals, searching for the perfect one for his daughter. The newest room they entered appeared to be the mine's break room.
"I bet I can find some credits in these lockers!" Simeon announced, wasting no time in rummaging through the lockers. Avery sighed. This is not what we came here looking for. Avery turned to address his men before pausing. One… Two… You gotta be kidding me…
"Where the fuck did Max go!?"
Hope-Sirius Site-A4, An abandoned asteroid mine, The Sirius System
Year 2330, July 13th
1241 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile felt like he had fallen into a dream. The crystal mine's beauty enthralled him. He was mesmerized by the large blue crystals protruding from the mine walls. He couldn't wait to walk down them further into the mines. Before he realized it, he had spent ten minutes admiring the crystals from the observation window.
"Ah, shit." Maxile breathed. Turning around, it registered to him that he was now alone. Where the hell did the others go? They couldn't have gotten far. The observation deck was indeed a labyrinth. It contained many different rooms for the miners to relax, work, and study. Maxile quickly swallowed his panic and continued to the next room. Unfortunately, his crew wasn't there either. Damn. Maxile pondered his next decision until he heard a voice… It came from down a hallway attached to the room he was in.
"... Why the hell are we…" Maxile strained his ear to make out the conversation. Maxile could see the room outside the observation window. The hallway led to a room suspended over the mine's dark abyss.
"Simeon?" Maxile called down the hallway. The voice stopped. Maxile crept down the hallway. This is stupid. This is stupid. This is stupid. Surely, his crew had made their way into this mysterious room. Maxile peeked into the room and found… nothing. Oxygen and gas tanks covered the room. Gathering his courage, Maxile stepped further into the room. Darkness shrouded the room, making visibility difficult. Rustling to his left caused Maxile to whirl around. He was met with the butt of a rifle abruptly striking his temple. "Ah!" Maxile crashed onto his back, raw white pain overtaking his head. Maxile shook his head, trying to clear the stars in his vision. When his vision stopped spinning, he found the barrel of a rifle in his face. Fuck. Me.
"Lost, kid?" His assailant growled. The spacesuit-clad man trained the gun on Maxile. Maxile could feel his face pale. The man's spacesuit had red plates covering it. A red skull decorated the chest plate of the spacesuit. The man tapped a button on the side of his helmet. "Boys, I don't think we are the only ones visiting."
Hope-Sirius Site-A4, An abandoned asteroid mine, The Sirius System
Year 2330, July 13th
1245 Universal Time
Avery Del
"Who the fuck was supposed to be watching him!?" Sam exclaimed. "Simeon!?" The three quickly dissolved into an argument once Avery had pointed out their missing crew member.
"He was right behind me!" Simeon countered. "When was I assigned to watch him!?"
"Oh, come on, Simeon," Avery growled. "You two have been clucking like damn hens since we got here! Of course, you were supposed to watch him!" The trio continued to argue as they entered the next room.
"You're the damn Captain!" Simeon insisted. "We're your responsibility!" Fucker… He got me with that one…
"That's not the point, Sim-" Avery stopped short. They had entered another break room on the observation deck. However, the room was inhabited by multiple men. The men wore red armor and spread out over the entire room. Fuck… The Crimson Fleet. The Crimson Fleet is an infamous space pirate crew. Over the years, they grew from a small band of pirates into a threatening organization. Avery figured they were interrupting the Fleet's downtime. A couple Fleet members sat in chairs, eating at a table. Another one reclined on a sofa, his feet kicked out onto a footstool with a newspaper in hand.
"Are we interrupting?" The reclining pirate asked. Avery slowly stepped back, grabbing Simeon and Sam by their shirt collars.
"Nah," Avery answered. "Just a few lost tourists. We'll just... head on out..." Not bothering to wait for a response, Avery jerked his crewmates into running back the way they came. Shortly after, Avery could hear the pirates racing after them. Screaming crude words and threatening their lives.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Simeon cursed, diving over a counter in the next room. Simeon commenced firing his rifle down towards the direction they had come. The pirates dodged the bullets and ducked into cover on the other side of the room. The room fell into an active war zone between them. Bullets filled the empty space.
"Sarah!" Avery screamed into his comms. "The mine was taken over by the Crimson Fleet. We're gonna need help clearing them out!"
"En route," Sarah answered without hesitation.
"You two hold them off," Avery ordered. "I'm going to circle back for Max." Simeon and Sam maintained their cover fire, keeping the pirates at bay.
"Got it!" Sam affirmed. "Kick Max's ass when you see him." Oh, I will. When a short break came between gunfire, Avery took his chance. Racing into the next room, Avery madly searched every room they traveled through. Where the hell are you!? Having no luck in the previous rooms they searched, Avery turned down a hallway into a room suspended over the mine. When the room opened up, he was met with Maxile and a lone Crimson Fleet pirate. Maxile sat in the middle of the room on his hands and knees. Behind him, the pirate pointed the gun at the back of Maxile's head.
"Ah, is this your Captain?" The pirate mocked, never letting his gun leave Maxile. Avery froze, not wanting to make any sudden moves. Why is the Crimson Fleet here!? This doesn't make any sense!
"Maxile, you idiot!" Avery berated. Maxile refused to meet Avery's eye. "We've only been here for twenty minutes! And you've already been captured by a damn pirate! How did you manage that!?"
"I got lost!" Maxile admitted shamefully. "I was excited about the crystals and finding the next artifact, but I got distracted."
"Artifact?" The pirate clarified. "Now that's interesting." Dammit, Max, you and your big mouth! Maxile, grasping his mistake, slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Let him go, or you will die," Avery spoke carefully, a hint of violence in his words. Avery couldn't see past the pirate's tinted visor, but he hoped his unblinking eye contact put the man on edge.
"Nah, tell me about this artifact , or the kid dies. Simple as that." The pirate spoke with absolution. Avery felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. Dammit, I hate standoffs.
"I'm sorry, Avery…" Maxile apologized. His face scrunched up guiltily. "I should have been more careful…"
Avery ignored Maxile's regret. "Don't worry about it. It's just something we are searching for." Avery knew this answer wouldn't be good enough for the pirate.
"You know Delgado will want more of an answer than that." The pirate laughed, shaking his head. That name caught Avery's attention. He hadn't seen Delgado in years… Delgado currently possesses the title of the Crimson Fleet's leader. "You can only blame yourself. You brought this dumb kid here and didn't even give him a weapon…" Maxile's head shot up as if enlightened by an idea. Awe, shit… He's about to try some dumb shit... Clearly filled with courage, Maxile turned to look up at the pirate, making eye contact. The Fleet member faltered, confused at Maxile's sudden change of mood.
Maxile whipped out his pistol and fired it at an oxygen tank in the corner of the room. The pirate jerked at the loud clang and hiss. The oxygen tank didn't explode, but the pressure change caused it to rapidly spin on the ground… Well, that was a lot of hype for nothing.
"Wait… So you had a gun? Why the hell didn't you use it earlier?" The pirate criticized. Damn, this guy isn't threatened by Max in the least. He didn't even kill him for shooting his gun.
"I… forgot I had it, honestly."
The pirate didn't have a chance to respond. The spinning oxygen tank promptly found its bearings and shot like a missile across the room. The trio watched it crash into a module on the wall, showering the floor with sparks. Once it hit the module, the oxygen tank crashed into a gas canister, breaking it open.
"Uh oh," Avery sighed. The canister caught fire, leading to a small explosion in the room. The shock wave sent the three flying into the adjacent wall. The room creaked and groaned as the destroyed supports gave way. Metal screeched and contorted as the room fell downward, ripping the door away from behind them. Avery felt himself rise as the room briefly fell, then slammed back to the ground when the room landed. With the pirate distracted, Avery grabbed Maxile and pulled their bodies to the corner of the room. The detached room started haphazardly rolling, plunging them into the mines. Tanks and loose equipment bounced around the room, forewarning injury. Glass shattered as the room crashed into the crystals descending the walls of the mine. Darkness quickly enveloped them during their descent. This can't get any wors- Avery's thoughts were interrupted when a loose tank struck him on the head.
A random moon in the Settled Systems
Year 2322, July 13th
1115 Universal Time
Avery Del
"Sir, why the hell are you here!?" A blonde woman questioned him. She wore a red spacesuit decorated with a UC guard patch. Avery rolled his eyes at her anger. The United Colonies sure loved to claim every inch of the Settled Systems. Two years prior, Avery took the steps to chase his dream of exploring the Settled Systems. In doing so, he discovered many new planets… But nothing exceptional. His recent travels led him to a lone planet orbiting a lone dwarf star. The temperature boiled him through his spacesuit, but the possibilities of new discoveries were endless. When he landed his ship, he scouted a nearby cavern. Unexpectedly, he also found a small team of UC guards in the cavern.
"I'm sorry, ma'am." Avery patronized the angry woman. "I didn't realize the UC military had claimed this planet, along with every rock in the Settled Systems." The woman cocked her head at his comment. Three other men stood behind her, trading glances at the two. Avery felt assured that it probably was a strange situation. No one expected to find anyone else down in this cave.
The woman shook her confusion off before responding. "Excuse me? This isn't a military operation. I'm leading the UC Navigator Corp. We discovered this planet."
"No, I discovered this planet!" Avery shoved his thumb into his chest to reiterate his point. Avery felt childish at his response. But this moon was the one… He could feel it; something felt special about this desolate moon. The woman let out a long exhale before speaking.
"Let's start over," she gritted, poorly masking her irritation. "My name is Sarah Morgan, and I'm leading the UC Navigator Corp. We've randomly chosen this cavern to begin our search. You are?" Avery couldn't believe the sheer amount of bad luck he had. Of the endless amount of systems in the galaxy, he managed to end up in the same cavern as this ridiculous UC team.
"Avery Del…" He trailed off. "I'm also leading a search team; about ten other men are coming to assist me." Avery prayed that this Sarah person overlooked his deception. He has traveled the Settled Systems by his lonesome for the past couple of years. He could see her narrowing her eyes through her visor.
"Sorry, Avery. We have this cavern claimed. You can go elsewhere." Sarah crossed her arms in defiance. Despite her claims, Avery pushed past her, further exploring the caves.
"You can't claim something you don't own. Sorry, dear. This is free space." Avery didn't bother to look back at her as he spoke.
"Make sure no one else enters this cave!" Sarah ordered her team before running after Avery. Her stubbornness transformed the situation into a competition. The two ran through the cave, arguing the entire time.
"You have plenty of resources in the UC; find another planet to explore!"
"We've already found this one! When your 'men' show up, have them take you to a different one!"
"My men don't want to search for another planet!"
"Oh, come off it! That bit about your 'ten other men' is rubbish, and you know it!" At that moment, Sarah tripped over her feet and slammed into Avery's back. The two rolled down the cavern's descent and came to a stop. At the bottom of the decline, the two laid, sprawled out.
Avery sat up and met the woman's eye with a glare. "Why did you push me!?" Sarah climbed to her feet and challenged his glare.
"I tripped!" She growled at him. "What in the Settled Systems is your issue!? Do you enjoy causing that much of a problem for me? A new discovery out here could help so many different people! More land, more mining opportunities, all of the possibilities!"
"If you care so much about helping people, then why does your team need to be the one to make the discovery?" Avery quipped. He laid back on his forearms, happy with his own response. Sarah hesitated to answer his question. She maintained balled fists until conceding and letting them drop. Avery didn't expect the stubborn woman to give in.
"It doesn't… need to be my team…" Sarah slowly admitted to him. With a sigh, she sat cross-legged next to him. Avery remained cautious at the change in her demeanor. "Honestly, this whole excursion is pointless. The United Colonies notified me a few days ago that the UC Navigator Corp was being cut. It turned out we didn't make enough consistent advances to continue funding… I worked so hard to create this team, and just like that, they cut it. I had hoped this last discovery would be worth something to my team… I suppose it's just a failed effort. No matter what we discover on this trip, the Navigator Corp is still barred." Avery would be lying if he said he did not empathize with Sarah. She certainly was passionate in her pursuit of discovery. Avery groaned loudly, his conscience be damned. Rocking to his feet, he held a hand out to Sarah. Instead of taking it, she simply stared at the outstretched extremity.
"Look. Neither of us is leaving," Avery explained. "Made that pretty clear. But we've already sprinted this far into this damned cave. Might as well look around." Sarah continued to stare at his hand before taking it. Pulling her to her feet, the duo looked around the cave they were in.
"What the…" Sarah trailed off. They had overlooked the gravity-defying minerals around them in the heat of their bickering. Metal-like rock remained suspended in the air. Avery had never seen anything like it. How had he missed this!?
"I knew this planet was special!" Avery threw a celebratory fist into the air. Grabbing Sarah's hand, he dragged her further into the cavern. The deeper they traveled, the more bizarre their surroundings became. Larger rocks levitated, minerals Avery had never seen before.
"What is this anomaly?" Sarah asked, tapping one of the mysterious rocks. The rock began floating away before tapping into the nearby cave wall.
"I…" Avery stopped, straining his ears. A pause. A buzz. A slow crescendo. Avery could hear music… slowly building. "D-do you hear that?" Sarah gave him a puzzled look.
"Hear what?"
"That music?" Avery explained, venturing further. "It sounds…"
Av… …our jour… … Star…
Avery's eyes widened at the quiet voice resonating deeper in the cave. Hastening his pace, they eventually arrived at the end of the cave. The far wall of the cave was encrusted with strange minerals. Avery found a plate-like rock jutting out of the wall, trapped by the odd rock. The closer he stepped, the louder the music became. The music was deafening when he finally arrived a mere meter from the mysterious plate.
"Avery…" Sarah whispered from behind him. Avery couldn't pay her any mind… The plate in front of him called to him.
The artifacts.
The voice in his head was unambiguous. He had a name for it… The artifact. This was the discovery he had been searching for.
"Sarah…" Avery mumbled in awe. "We're onto something big…"
After a moment, Sarah agreed, "I think you're right…"
Hesitantly, Avery reached out a finger. He wanted to touch it. It was begging him to feel the artifact. When his finger grazed the artifact, his mind suddenly ripped from his body, hurtling into space.
Hope-Sirius Site-A4, An abandoned asteroid mine, The Sirius System
Year 2330, July 13th
1333 Universal Time
Avery Del
"What!?" Avery screamed, shooting up into a sitting position. Avery heaved, taking in precious oxygen. His flashback from all those years ago had every hair on his body erect. The discovery that started his journey through the Settled Systems. The discovery that founded Constellation. Arriving back into reality, Avery illuminated his chest light and searched wildly for Maxile. "Max?" Maxile lay in a crumpled heap nearby. He crawled over to the young nurse and assessed his physical condition. Avery felt relief flood his body at the rise and fall of Maxile's chest. Thank God he's alive… I swear I'm going to kill him. Accepting that it wasn't Maxile's time yet, Avery reared back and slapped him across the face.
"Ow!" Maxile screamed, sitting up. "Avery? What happened? Where are we?" Good question… Avery shined his light across the room they were in. The room's contents had gathered in the corner of the room during their fall. They were lucky they hadn't been crushed. Upon further evaluation, Avery realized they were sitting on the room's ceiling. During their descent, the room had landed upside down. The mine's walls had ripped a hole into one of the room's corners, giving them an escape route.
"Looks like we are at the bottom of the mine…" Avery revealed. "We just skipped the elevator. Max, what the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!" Maxile's eyes dropped to the ground.
"I-I…" Maxile stuttered, attempting to find the words. "I'm so sorry… I got distracted, looking at the crystals… I really wanted to help find the next artifact… But I got caught by that stupid pirate…" Suddenly remembering the enemy, Maxile looked frantically around the destroyed room. Eventually, Avery's light landed on a pile of oxygen and gas tanks, and the deceased Crimson Fleet member that lay underneath. His extremities were contorted from the trauma of the fall.
"There he is," Avery answered. Maxile stared at the dead pirate for a long time.
"I… I killed him," Maxile confirmed hoarsely. Maxile looked at his hands. "Dr. Sotello was right… This isn't my role. I shouldn't have come down here."
"You did kill him." Avery agreed. He would have to get past this, and there would be no sugarcoating. "But he was going to kill us. So you did what you had to do. Although, it was pure luck… And an odd turn of events. Who would've thought a rogue oxygen tank could cause so much damage?" Maxile didn't respond to him, drowning in his own guilt.
"..."
"Maxile, look at me," Avery said, capturing the nurse's face in his hands. "You will get past this… I promise. You took a lose-lose situation and turned it into a win. I'm sorry I let this happen; I should have kept a better eye on you. This was your first time out into the field. And truthfully, this isn't the first time I've fallen into a cave that had an artifact. So overall, it's pretty nostalgic for me." Maxile cocked his head at Avery's apology.
"Why are you apologizing? This is all my fault. I'm the one that needs to apologize." Maxile admitted.
"I'm the Captain. You're part of my crew. Everyone aboard The Atlas is my responsibility." Avery released Maxile and stood up. "Now, are you ready to go find the artifact? My crew will clear out the rest of the Crimson Fleet while we are down here." Nodding silently, Maxile started climbing to the hole torn into the wall. The duo climbed out into the cave. Avery's light illuminated the blue crystals decorating the walls. The path forward was narrow and difficult. They sometimes had to climb over or crawl under large crystals blocking their path. Eventually, Maxile spoke up.
"So what happens when we find the next artifact?" Maxile asked, ducking around a stray crystal.
Avery listened closely for the music he could typically hear near the lone artifacts… Nothing. "Well, when we collect it, we add it to the Armillary. My power also gets stronger when I collect them."
"I forgot you have power from them!" Maxile whirled around to get a better look at Avery. "You still haven't told me about your power."
"I don't really know what the power is, to tell you the truth," Avery answered honestly. "I've just dubbed it 'starpower.' With every artifact I touch, I get stronger. Right now I can really only manipulate the gravity of small objects… But, I think there's more to the power of these artifacts. I can feel it every time we find a new artifact. One day I'll be able to do so much more…" Maxile hung off of every word Avery said.
"Wow!" Maxile awed. "I don't understand what these artifacts are. They must be alien technology… Or maybe-" Maxile stopped abruptly. Avery did as well; they could both hear it. The faintest crescendo arises from deep in the cave. We are close by…
The duo arrived at a cliffside; a clearing could be seen around twenty feet down. In the middle of the clearing was the artifact. There it is! Maxile stepped forward to descend to the artifact, but Avery quickly yanked him back.
"Hold on…" Avery whispered. A raspy voice came from the corner of the cave. Hidden by crystal outcropping.
"The music is so beautiful! Please sing to me!" The voice chimed, echoing throughout the mine. After a few moments, an emaciated man stepped out of the shadows and danced around the artifact. The artifact continued to levitate, unaware of the decrepit man's worship.
"What the fuck is that!?" Maxile hissed to Avery. Why is there always a problem? This guy looks like he's lived down here for years. What does he eat? Rocks!? Oblivious of their presence, the man continued his dance around the artifact. Placing a guiding hand on Maxile's shoulder, Avery started to edge his way to the bottom of the mine.
"If I get close enough, I can pull the artifact to me with my starpower…" Avery whispered, hoping his theory was correct. The way that guy is eye-fucking the artifact, he will definitely notice when I take it.
"Who is that?" Maxile whispered back.
"How the hell should I know? Maybe a miner that found the artifact and fell in love with it?" A baseless theory, but it sounded about right.
"Please sing to me!" The man continued. "Sing to me about The Unity!" Avery froze in his advances. There's that name again… Never mind The Unity. We gotta get the artifact and get out. This isn't the time to eavesdrop. After five minutes, Avery had managed to crawl fifteen feet above the artifact. He only needed to get about five feet closer before he summoned the artifact to him. That would give them enough time to climb out of the hole and escape. Hopefully, the man's stamina was as poor as he appeared.
According to Murphy's law, whatever can go wrong will go wrong. As expected, something went wrong. Maxile's footing slipped, and he had a knee-jerk reaction to stabilize himself. This, in turn, sent small bits of asteroid clattering down to the bottom of the mine. Maxile and Avery maintained eye contact with gritted teeth. Avery slowly peered down to the artifact; he was met with a glare from the scrawny man. The man grits his yellowed teeth together and growls up at them.
"Leave!" The man screamed up at them. Fuck, I guess we are doing this now! Without hesitation, Avery summoned the cosmic power from deep within. Reaching out, he called the artifact to him. As expected, the artifact flew toward his outstretched palm. If the scrawny man had not captured it in his long-nailed hands, he would have caught it. "No!! It's mine!!" Avery felt heat rise in his core as he increased his power to summon the artifact. Avery ignored the burning sensation in his chest and focused on the artifact.
"It's not yours for long!" Maxile taunted, throwing small rocks at the man. It took him a few tries, but eventually, Maxile nailed the man in the head. The skinny man screamed in pain, releasing the artifact. Unaware of the power he applied to summon it, the artifact shot at Avery, slamming into his chest. Avery shot backward a couple feet and landed on his back. The artifact clattered onto the ground next to him. Avery gasped for air after the blow knocked the air from his lungs.
"We gotta go…" Avery wheezed, trying to roll onto his stomach. The man, however, was much more athletic than they expected. Within five seconds, he climbed ten feet to their position. The slim man screeched in anger and leaped onto Avery's chest. In his hand, he held a crystal makeshift shiv. The man swiftly raised it above his head and brought it down into Avery's chest. Avery threw an arm up and blocked the man's forearm. Despite his emaciated appearance, Avery struggled to hold back the force applied by the man. Avery turned away from the man's face. Hot breath blew into Avery's face.
"You don't deserve its secrets! You don't deserve its power!" The man gnarled, attempting to push down on the shiv. "You don't deserve to make the final decision!" What the fuck is this guy talking about!? The cocking of a gun reverberated through the mine, pausing the two in their power struggle. The man hissed and looked over to Maxile. Maxile held the gun on the spindly man.
"I'm sorry." Maxile apologized quietly. "But we are taking the artifact… If you don't leave… I'm going to shoot you…" Awe no… He doesn't need to be put in this position again. From Maxile's body language, Avery could predict Maxile wouldn't pull the trigger… However, Maxile still held the title of the wildcard, so he didn't know for sure. The man's pressure on the shiv lifted only momentarily, and Avery had an opportunity. Avery removed the arm supporting the arm that blocked the shiv. Rearing back, Avery slammed his fist into the side of the man's head. The man stumbled backward, not suspecting the strike. When the man stumbled off him, Avery bent his legs and quickly extended them. The resounding thud echoed the mine when Avery's feet connected with the skinny man's chest. The man soared off the side of the cliff, screaming the entire way down. A loud thud, then the screaming stopped.
"Good job, Max," Avery grunted, rolling onto his stomach. Scooping the artifact into his arms, Avery was greeted by a familiar feeling. A deafening orchestra played in his mind; he could see stars and everything the universe had to offer. It was nowhere near a trip like when he had first touched an artifact. But the sensation was welcome. The two quickly scaled the cliff and ran through the narrow pathways of the mine.
"Now what?" Max called from behind him. Avery shined his flashlight wildly, trying to form a plan. A wire running along the ground caught his attention. Electricity.
"Follow me!" Avery led them through the maze of crystals. Eventually, they came to an elevator. This must be how they got down here… Why the fuck couldn't we find it on the observation deck!? Avery stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the top floor. The climb was short but reassuring as their surroundings slowly illuminated. The two gripped the elevator walls, trying to catch their breath.
"That… thing… was creepy…" Maxile heaved between breaths. Avery couldn't help but laugh.
"Eh, I've seen worse."
When the elevator opened into the lobby, he was met with his entire crew, awaiting their arrival.
"I see you two were successful in retrieving the artifact?" Sarah smiled. Avery held out the artifact in celebration.
"We had to steal it from some hermit down in the caves, but we got it," Avery explained.
"Well, I'm glad you two had fun while we fought for our lives to clear out the rest of the Crimson Fleet." Simeon shook his rifle to reiterate his statement. "As usual, the Crimson Fleet didn't stand a chance against people with actual skill." Eddie hobbled forward, evaluating the nasty cut on Maxile's temple.
"Boy, what did I tell you!" Eddie pointed a finger at the deep cut across Maxile's face. "You wanted to run off and play adventurer. Where did it get you?" Eddie continued to pace back and forth and rant about Maxile's poor decision.
"Dr. Sotello…" Maxile started.
"Shut your mouth!" Eddie growled. "Get your ass on that ship. After I search through the poorly organized equipment room, I'm suturing up that laceration. And you will be lucky if I decide to numb it with lidocaine. I told you-"
"Dr. Sotello!" Maxile interrupted. Maxile babbled to avoid another rant from Eddie. "You were right. This isn't my role. But I'm glad I went." Eddie deflated at being told he was right.
"Ugh…" Eddie groaned. "Get on the damn ship." The crew began making their way back to The Atlas. It probably didn't help Maxile's pride that the entire crew laughed at the tongue-lashing Eddie gave him. A feminine voice garnered Avery's attention.
"Captain?" Andreja said, stepping close to him. "Did the little nurse kill anyone?" Andreja… Always gets right to the point.
"He shot the pistol you loaned him and inadvertently took out a pirate," Avery admitted, knowing it would please the woman.
"Very good!" Andreja grinned. "Next, we train with knives." Good luck, Max.
The Atlas, Orbiting Sirius III, The Sirius System
Year 2330, July 13th
1712 Universal Time
Avery Del
Avery sat in front of the Armillary, the newest artifact long added. Artifact Kappa. Avery pondered the mystery behind the artifacts. They still had a massive lack of information about them. About The Unity. About the starpower that Avery had the capability to use. Sarah entered the bridge, waving him hello.
"Another artifact to our collection!" Sarah pointed out. "Every time we add a new one, I'm always brought back to the day we found our first one.
"Ugh…" Avery groaned, thinking back. "That was a disaster, I could have strangled you."
"I could say the same about you," Sarah countered. "Although, the first time you touched one was terrifying and breathtaking." Avery let his mind drift back to that day. When he first touched the artifact, his mind was pulled across space, through galaxy clusters, past supernovas. Avery felt sure that the artifact brought him to the center of the universe. There is where he had heard the voice the clearest.
Your journey has started, Avery. What choices will you make this cycle? I hope you succeed this time.
The words confused him at the time. However, recent events were beginning to cultivate theories.
"When you touched the artifact, I was weightless. Every loose object in that cavern soared into the air. And then it was as if I could see oxygen gathering around you. But it pulsated, and everything you levitated pulsated with you." Sarah reminisced while she studied the artifacts. "Whatever this mystery is, I feel it will change human lives forever." I feel the same way, Sarah.
Notes:
If you managed to finish, congratulations!
In case you were wondering, yes. The emaciated man was inspired from Gollum from The Lord of The Rings. I honestly couldn't resist. Regardless, I enjoyed going a bit into Avery's back story and my version of the beginning of Constellation.
Of course, if you see any spelling/grammar mistakes let me know! Just let me know... nicely...
Thank you!
Chapter 6: Aurora's Addiction - Mickey Caviar
Summary:
To celebrate their newest artifact, the crew stops by Neon to visit the Astral Lounge. Mickey, who previously lived in Neon can't wait to show his crew how famous of a man he used to be. When they arrive, Mickey learns that his old friends have vastly changed. But that doesn't mean their opinion of him has changed, right? Mickey just has to get find the strength to avoid the drug that makes the Astral Lounge prominent - Aurora.
Notes:
Hello!
Please let me know if you happen to read this and see any mistakes, or sentences that don't make sense.
Thank you!
Trigger warnings: cursing, suicide, drug abuse.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Neon, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
2212 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
Mickey's extremities flailed as he fell from Neon's top platform. The traces of Aurora circulating Mickey's body caused the ten-second fall to feel like a ten-minute fall. The psychotropic drug allowed Mickey to twist his body and face the oncoming ocean below head-on. Accepting his fate, Mickey crossed his arms and sighed. I suppose I had this coming… During his extended plunge, flashbacks of the day's events played through Mickey's mind.
Yup, that's me… You're probably wondering how someone like me got into this predicament… Let's start by saying that Aurora is a hell of a drug. I swore it off three years ago when Avery begged me to join Constellation. Someone of my social status was needed on The Atlas, with the condition of becoming sober.
But shit happens, "friends" betray your trust, and Neon celebrities get the opportunity to meet Neon's reincarnate Davy Jones. Ain't this a bitch… My crew was currently living their best life in Neon's Astral Lounge while I painstakingly fell to my death. Just because I'm famous doesn't mean I know how to swim!
This all started six hours ago when our troglodyte of a pilot insisted on stopping in the Volii System to meet up with his crazy ex-wife. Something about allowing their spawn to spend time with her mother. Children are nothing but troublesome. Regardless, someone suggested we travel to Neon and celebrate our newest artifact discovery.
"Oh! I can get us into a VIP room in the Astral Lounge! I know the manager!" Oh, Mickey, you moron… Why would you propose going to a venue so detrimental to your mental health?
Despite Mickey's internal warfare, the salty ocean of planet Volii Alpha inched closer and closer. Perhaps… I deserve this fate…
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
1605 Universal Time - Six Hours Prior
Mickey Caviar
"Thank you for letting me meet up with my ex, captain. It means a lot for Cora to spend time with her mom." Sam raised his voice over the noise of The Atlas being docked. Sam slung a backpack over his shoulder, fully prepared to leave with his ex-wife. Mickey couldn't be bothered to remember the woman's name. Lyra? No, that's not her name… Lucile! That's his ex-wife's name. Lucile!
"It's no problem, Sam," Avery promised. "We'll find something to do around the system while you two are gone." Cora stood eagerly at the dock, ready to board her mother's ship.
"Come on, dad! It's time to go!" Cora practically bounced as she spoke. Mickey couldn't help but roll his eyes. Children are so dramatic… Mickey did have to admit Cora's excitement was a rare sight. Typically, the bookish child is holed up in the back of the ship, reading or studying.
"Alright! Alright! We're going." Sam laughed. "I'll tell Lillian y'all said hello." Awe, hell. Her name's Lillian… Well, Lucile is close enough. Without further distraction, the father and daughter left through the dock, boarding Lillian's ship. Shortly after, another clang shook The Atlas, signaling the ship's separation. Ugh, I need a drink. Avery turned his attention to the rest of his crew.
Once he caught everyone's attention, Avery spoke, "Alright, guys, we're stuck in the Volii System for the next twenty-four hours… Any idea of what we can do?" Mickey could feel his interest in this conversation rapidly deteriorating. Not bothering to participate, he began to go to the kitchen… My stash of Runaway Whiskey is calling my name…
"We got a new artifact; I say we go celebrate! In fact, it can be my treat." Sarah offered. Mickey found the proposal strange. Sarah had the biggest heart on the ship, but the poor woman had the most boring disposition. Sarah doesn't know how to celebrate. She knows how to plan… And tell people what to do…
"Let's head over to Neon! We haven't been to the Astral Lounge in a while!" Simeon suggested. Mickey stopped in his tracks. Hmm, that's the first good idea the string bean has had in a long time… The last time Mickey stepped foot in the Astral Lounge was three years ago. The day he was recruited by Avery. With good reason, too. When Avery first found him, Mickey was at an all-time low, with parties, different partners every night, and a hopeless addiction to Aurora. Avery gave him the chance to start over on a new adventure. Mickey turned on his heel. His time in the Astral Lounge replayed in his mind. I knew so many people... If I take everyone to the Astral Lounge, they'll be absolutely shocked by the person I used to be.
"Oh! I can get us into a VIP room in the Astral Lounge! I know the manager!" Mickey offered eagerly, enjoying the smiles he received from the crew. Well, everyone apart from Avery. Don't be a ball buster, Avery…
"I wouldn't mind going for an Astral Lounge Special Sangria…" Barrett said thoughtfully. Excellent, I convinced the gearhead, now the remainder of the crew… Mickey looked around at the rest of the crew before letting his gaze fall on their newest member. Maxile stood awkwardly next to Simeon. The weakest link should be the easiest to win over. I just need to feign interest in his benefit.
"Hey, kid!" Mickey pointed to Maxile. "Have you ever gone dancing? Your chance to dance the night away has arrived!" The boy blushed crimson red at the thought. Maxile glanced up at Simeon, who paid him no mind.
"Uhm…" Maxile faltered. "I mean, it sounds fun?" That'll work.
"Great!" Mickey praised, throwing his arms up. "You can't wear those god-awful scrubs, though… I refuse to be seen with you in those." Maxile peered down at his clothes in confusion.
A confident female voice added her thoughts into the conversation, "I would also like to go dancing. Are we all in agreement?" Andreja looked to Avery for confirmation.
"Uhm…" Avery hesitated, eyeing Mickey carefully. "Yeah, I'll go ahead and hail Neon; it should only take them around fifteen minutes to scan us and clear us for landing. We can head out around six." Mickey felt his body shake with excitement. He couldn't wait to see his old friends at the Astral Lounge. They would most definitely bask in awe at the person Mickey has become. He left a famous food critic and would return as a renowned explorer/food critic. Mickey may make many bold claims to his crew… He may dress differently than the average person… He may have the title of high maintenance. But Mickey's image remained absolute to him. Once his crew met his old friends in the Astral Lounge, they would see how important he was… How celebrated he was… They would understand that he used to be someone before he joined Constellation.
"Waste no time then, captain!" Mickey gestured to Avery. "We all need to dress accordingly. The Astral Lounge is not a place to dress lightly. That means no scrubs and no smelling of engine grease." Maxile and Barrett shot confused glances at each other. Mickey appreciated that they understood his hint and would change appropriately. As the crew began to head to their quarters to change, Mickey felt a hand grip his arm.
"Mickey…" Avery whispered as if Mickey knew how to keep secrets. "Are you sure about this? I don't wan-"
"Captain," Mickey interrupted him. "Everything is fine. I promise." Avery stared into Mickey's eyes for a moment before releasing him.
Avery nodded his head, "Okay… But let me know if anyth-"
Again, Mickey interrupted him, "Everything is going to be grand." One way or another. You will all see the amazing person I was before joining Constellation.
Neon, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
1822 Universal Time - Four Hours Prior
Mickey Caviar
Mickey led the crew through the bustling streets of Neon. The city looked as dirty as it had three years ago when he left. The city perched itself on large pillars one hundred feet above an endless ocean. Being that it sat in the middle of an ocean, the city always had rain and a covering of clouds, dimming the star's light. The city is eternally trapped in the night. The secret to Neon concealed itself underwater. The city was built years before the Settled Systems even had an inkling of Mickey Caviar. A fishing town that generated its revenue on the Chasmbass native to the water planet. The Chasmbass were found to secrete an oil that caused psychotropic symptoms. Thus, Aurora was born. Aurora took the Settled Systems by storm. Mickey lived most of his thirties and forties high on Aurora. Despite having no downside to the drug, the Settled Systems couldn't tax Aurora. The drug was banned throughout the Settled Systems, everywhere but the Astral Lounge. Fortunately, the Astral Lounge managed to patent Aurora. So, the Astral Lounge is the only outlet that can sell Aurora.
Although the drug did him no harm, when he took Aurora, Mickey found his life revolving around it. Mickey fell back into reality when he accidentally stepped into a puddle, soaking his leather shoes. Son of a bitch… Mickey lived on Neon for twenty years and still found himself baffled at the amount of water that managed to penetrate the city's enormous canopy. Arriving at the bright purple staircase leading to the Astral Lounge, Mickey sprinted ahead of the crew.
Mickey addressed the bouncer out of earshot of his crew, "Good afternoon, sir… Or… whatever time it is on this planet. Mickey Caviar has arrived back at the lounge. I require the use of a VIP room." The bouncer simply raised an eyebrow.
"Mickey who?" The knuckle dragger responded. Mickey's jaw dropped. Of all the absolute audacity.
"Caviar. The Mickey Caviar." Mickey said, exasperated. The bouncer continued his blank look. "Whatever, this is going nowhere. Do you happen to know if Marlo Lovette is here tonight?" Mickey knew Marlo from the parties they attended together in the past. The two had taken a lot of Aurora in each other's company. Marlo had the best fashion sense in the Settled Systems. He worked as a model photographer and often worked closely with Mickey.
"Marlo who?" The block-headed bouncer said dully. Mickey hissed and tightened his fists out of frustration.
" Listen you simple-"
"Hey, Mickey!" Avery called from behind him.
"Why the hell did you run up here so fast?" Simeon added. "I don't think I've ever seen you run so fast… or ever." Annoying sniper… Equipping his best smile, Mickey turned to face his crew climbing the stairs.
"Bad news, everyone!" Mickey sputtered, praying his crew wouldn't notice his anxiety. "Charles informed me that all of the VIP suites are occupied… So we will have to find a spot on the main floor."
"Charles who?"
" Shut up, Charles! " Mickey hissed, pushing past the bouncer. Unbelievable. Purple and blue lights bathed the crew as they entered the Astral Lounge. Mickey perceived the music as magical as it had been three years ago. Every drum beat thrummed deep in Mickey's chest.
Maxile placed his palms over his ears, blocking out the boisterous music. "It's so loud in here!" Mickey rolled his eyes at the naive nurse. Mickey scanned the lounge for any familiar faces. Eventually, he located Priya Dominga, surrounded by a few of her friends. She and her friends were dressed in extravagant short skirts and petite tops. Mickey had no clue who her friends were. Probably a few parasites, attempting to leech success by being in her presence. Priya made her fame in Neon through singing and songwriting. Mickey hadn't seen her in his absence of three years. Mickey led the crew over to her.
"Priya Dominga," Mickey shouted over the club's music. Catching her attention, Priya gave him a confused look. Well shit… This is strange. Does she not remember me? "It's me. Mickey Caviar! How have you been? You look gorgeous!" Finally, realization dawned on her face, followed by a smirk.
"Mickey Caveat," she responded, completely misconstruing his name. "You look like you've lost more hair since I last saw you. Last I heard, you said you were appointed the captain of some merry band of-"
"Yes, yes. I've been traveling for the past few years!" Mickey sputtered. "The Settled Systems has come to know of the modern marvel, Mickey Caviar, " Mickey emphasized his last name, hoping to reiterate it to his old friend. Priya raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Her friends covered their mouths in laughter.
"Uhm… Actually, I'm the cap-" Avery started before Priya interrupted.
"In any case, it's good you're still around." Priya interrupted Avery, not bothering to spare him a glance. "The Astral Lounge always needs… entertainment. You are certainly as animated as I remember… But something seems different… I can't put my finger on it. Regardless, I'll see you around." Ending the conversation, Priya and her group strutted away. That could have gone better… Maybe she felt nervous with all of my crew standing behind me?
"I'm going to head to the bar to order myself a drink," Barrett announced, turning to the bar.
"Let's go-" Mickey announced, only to realize the crew had begun to disperse.
"I'll join you!" Sarah called, hurrying after Barrett. Andreja and Avery went to the dance floor, shortly joined by Maxile and Simeon. Mickey turned to his remaining crewmate, Eddie. Eddie shot him a glare and hobbled towards the bar.
"Why the hell am I here? I'm too old for this shit." Eddie muttered. Okay…
"Let's go and do our own thing! We can meet back up later!" Mickey called out to the crew. Mickey felt troubled; his crewmates were making it hard for him to show them who he was before Constellation. The night is still young, Mickey. You have plenty of time! A hand clapping on his shoulder made Mickey jerk.
"Hello, sir!" A man in a suit greeted him. "I'm Tomlin, the manager of the lounge. Are you enjoying your time here?" Mickey had never met this man in his life. The old manager must be gone. But that shouldn't mean this man won't know who I am.
Putting on his best smile, Mickey greeted the manager, "Hello! Yes, my friends and I are having a wonderful time. It's good to be back." The man looked puzzled.
"Back?" Tomlin questioned.
"Yes, back." Mickey sighed. "I'm Mickey Caviar… I frequented this establishment for years!" Tomlin's confused expression remained the same. Why the hell do none of these people remember me!?
"Right…" Tomlin said awkwardly. "Anyway, you came on a special night! We have half off Aurora. Just show the bartender this coupon." Tomlin slapped a coupon slip into Mickey's palm.
"Oh, actually, I don-" Mickey stuttered. Giving up when the man started making his way to the next patron.
"Thank you again for your patronage. Please remember Aurora is prohibited outside of the Astral Lounge." With that final word, the manager disappeared into the crowd. Mickey stared at the slip of paper in his hand for a moment. It's been three years… I could just- Mickey quickly shook the stray thought out of his mind. Pocketing the coupon, Mickey waded through the crowd to lean against a bright colored wall.
He always enjoyed people-watching in the Astral Lounge. He remembered the many fallouts, events, and celebrations he watched in the past. Granted, it was fuzzy; he had always been high on Aurora, but he looked back on the memories fondly.
Mickey observed Maxile dance around the lanky sniper, Simeon. Poor child, I know a hopeless crush when I see one. Heartbreak is always a hard lesson to learn. The last Mickey had heard, Simeon had some girl back in New Atlantis. Next to them, Avery and Andreja danced together. Another couple that seemed to have feelings for each other. Avery's fondness for Andreja baffled Mickey. The woman had the personality of a shark. Barrett's loud laughter at the bar drew Mickey's attention. Barrett had captivated the entire bar, likely telling some boring story about their travels through the Settled Systems. Everyone standing at the bar roared in laughter at Barrett's tale. This… This wasn't right. It was supposed to be the crew watching Mickey be a social butterfly. He's not supposed to be some wallflower… I'm sure I'll have my moment eventually. Good things come to those who wait.
The Astral Lounge, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
1934 Universal Time - Three Hours Prior
Mickey Caviar
The next hour flew by before Mickey realized. Unexpectedly, no one from his past recognized Mickey's presence. No one approached him at his spot on the wall to ask how he had been or ask for his signature. After topping off their drinks, the entire crew moved to the dance floor. The small group danced together, smiling and moving to the lounge's music. Everyone except Eddie, who sat at the bar sipping from his water. What a grouch.
A voice screamed from the dance floor, capturing his attention, "Mickey!" Turning his attention back to his crew, Barrett waved him down. In fact, his entire crew motioned for him to join them. Mickey sighed, shaking his head at the invitation. Surely I can find a few old friends to spend my time with… At that moment, Darren Yui crossed in front of him. Darren is the son of a Neon politician and an old drinking buddy. Due to his lineage, the man had pockets as deep as they come, the textbook definition of nepotism. Not missing a beat, Mickey hurried after him.
"Darren," Mickey greeted excitedly. "It's been years! How about a drink on me?" Darren turned to give him a skeptical look.
"Have we met?" Darren asked bluntly. Mickey felt his shoulders sag.
"Mickey Caviar…" Mickey deadpanned his name for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Darren stared at him before a smirk etched across his face.
"Oh, Mickey," Darren said, surprised. "I thought you were dead."
Mickey gave an uneasy laugh at the remark, "Uhm, no. I've actually been traveling for the past three years…"
"I see. Do tell, who have you been traveling wi-" Boisterous laughter from the dance floor caught Darren's attention. The two swiveled their attention, finding the outburst. Mickey's crew surrounded Simeon, screaming words of encouragement at his attempt at a head-spin. "Damn tourists… They come to the Astral Lounge in droves to make fools of themselves." Darren shook his head at Constellation's antics, then turned to Mickey expectantly.
"Yeah… fools like them humiliate themselves without even realizing it…" Mickey ignored the jolt of guilt that struck through his chest. "Anyway, I currently lead an organization call-"
Once again, a voice from the dance floor beckoned him, "Mickey!" Avery now waved frantically to Mickey, motioning for him to join them. Ignoring his captain's call, he could feel his face burn red at the revelation of his betrayal.
"Well, well." Darren eyed him in amusement. "The fools are your confidantes."
"I'm their captain…" Mickey spoke hoarsely, not helping his unconvincing fib.
"Mickey, don't lie to me." Darren snapped. "You don't have the capabilities to lead a brood of ducklings, much less an organization . Are you still the same drunk idiot that embarrassed everyone by association?" Mickey was taken aback by Darren's candor.
"Uhm…"
"I would imagine so," Darren spoke with a confidence Mickey could never match. "You were an idiot three years ago when you slithered around here and likely are still one now. The only thing that is memorable about you is how pitiful you are. Tell me, do you still hold onto your past? Do you still dream of your life when you were a renowned food critic? How embarrassing." Without waiting for a response, Darren continued on. Mickey could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. I'm… I'm just a joke to everyone? That can't be true… Priya! Priya recognized me! I can go socialize with her!
After several minutes of searching, Mickey was relieved when he spotted Priya. There she is, maybe I can join them... Priya was socializing with her friends in a private booth. Mickey walked quickly over to their booth. Stopping short of the booth, Mickey paused when he overheard his name.
Priya spoke with shocking hostility, "I absolutely cannot believe Mickey is back in town! I thought for sure he was dead or sleazing around another bar!" Priya and her friends laughed heartily at the comment.
"Did you see the people he showed up with?" Another woman added. "I bet he probably leached onto them, and now they're stuck with him."
"I'm sure they regret letting him on their ship." Priya let out another shrill laugh. Mickey felt tears prick at the corner of his eyes. Why did I come back? What was I thinking? I'm just a nobody to these people… A crewmate who slanders his own crew when in the presence of renowned people. Quickly wiping away his tears, Mickey started returning to the Astral Lounge's wall. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his fingers meeting the frayed edges of the coupon given to him. A thought crossed his mind. It's been a long time… I've been sober for three years… I'm a joke anyway… Ripping the coupon from his pocket, Mickey stomped over to the bar.
Flashing the coupon to the bartender, Mickey spoke rapidly. "I hear you are having a deal on Aurora?"
The Astral Lounge, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
2142 Universal Time - Thirty Minutes Prior
Mickey Caviar
Within the past two hours, Mickey had thrown back twelve vials of Aurora. The hit felt as good as he had remembered. The drug had a hell of an effect. When high on Aurora, everything felt sluggish and euphoric. Despite his body being at an all time high, Mickey's mental health was at rock bottom. I never had a place with Constellation… I've only ever been a clown to these people… My crew is probably embarrassed by me… They're just too kind to make me leave… I'd be better off dead… No one would miss me… Mickey felt fortunate that his crew had not found him in this state. Avery would likely fire him immediately. An aloof voice called his name.
"Mickey!" Thanks to the drug, turning his head felt like it took twenty minutes. He found Priya and her friends staring at him in a patronizing manner. "I remembered what looked different about you. You looked happy and sober! Now you look more familiar!" The group of women erupted in laughter. Mickey could feel tears begin to pour from his eyes. This action only exacerbated their hysterics.
"Mickey!" Hands suddenly gripped his shoulders and turned him. Avery stared into his eyes, concern printed into his expression. No... Not my captain... I can't let him see me like this... "Did you take Aurora? Why didn't you come to find us?" The rest of Constellation eyed him with a mixture of concern and pity. The women's cackling… Avery's disappointment… They don't care about me! I was never important to anyone! Mickey could feel his emotions suffocating him; he couldn't breathe and needed air.
"Stop!" Mickey shouted, silencing the group surrounding him. Mickey quickly jerked his body from Avery's hands. Mickey couldn't handle his crew looking at him with such... disappointment. I need to leave. Mickey promptly turned and sprinted out of the Astral Lounge.
Neon, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
2212 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
Mickey ran blindly through the streets of Neon, his tears blurring his vision. He had no inclination where he was going but continued on. The Aurora in his system garbled the voices of passersby in the street and caused him to run at what felt like a snail's pace. Mickey crashed into a set of doors that led to Neon's Ebbside. Ebbside is the top portion of Neon. Fishermen often cast their lines off the side of it in hopes of catching the endless supply of fish in the ocean below. I could just jump... I could end my misery...
Mickey continued through the street, his vision a violent purple. His footsteps clanged on the metal walkways below him, echoing in his mind. They continued to clang to the beat of his heart until he stepped into the open air. Mickey couldn't believe it. In his drug induced haze, he ran off the side of Neon…
And that's how I got to this point… It's not the best method, but I've always been partial to dramatics. If the fall doesn't kill me, the fish below will surely eat me. I suppose I had this coming. I came to Neon hoping to impress my crew and grasp what I thought I had. Turns out I never had it to begin with… Whatever 'it' is.
After what felt like eons, cold water enveloped his body, feet first. There was no way to sober up like a frigid dip in the ocean. Mickey's posture caused him to shoot deep underwater. Eventually, he slowed to a stop, his body falling backward to face the water's murky surface. What little light the consistent cloud coverage allowed on the planet filtered through the water's surface. Mickey felt sluggish, there was no way he could swim to fresh air in time. Well, I suppose this is it… Maybe this is what I deserve… Sinking further downward, Mickey glanced to the side. Chasmbass could be seen swimming in the distance… There's the source of Aurora… The stupid fish kept their distance, not wanting to come near Mickey, a potential predator. Mickey's eyes drifted shut, one final thought crossing his mind. I wish I had been a better friend to my crew…
…
…
…
Mickey's eyes popped open at a disturbance in the water around him. A shadow descended on him. Strong hands pulled him by his arms towards the surface of Volii Alpha. A face revealed as they gradually ascended. Avery? Mickey couldn't believe his eyes. Avery jumped into the water after him. Together, they kicked, climbing upward. Mickey felt his head pop out of the water's surface with their combined strength. With a deep gasp, beautiful oxygen filled Mickey's lungs. Too tired to paddle to one of Neon's columns, Mickey floated silently on his back, staring at the bottom of the raised city. I guess it wasn't my time yet.
"Mickey… I'm going to kick… your ass… when we get to dry land…" Avery said between pants. Avery paddled them to the platform, circling the columns supporting Neon, one arm tightly around Mickey's torso. Despite being soaked to the bone, Mickey could feel tears start to run down his face.
"Avery…" Mickey whispered. "I used…" The silence between them felt like an eternity.
"I know," Avery said simply.
"I… I thought…" Mickey had a hard time speaking, guilt and disappointment overtaking his mind. He continued on between sobs. What he had to say needed saying. "I'm so sorry! I… I thought it would be different. I thought I could show everyone how prominent I used to be in Neon… Now I realize I've only ever been an idiot to them… And very likely a bother to the crew…" Once reaching the edge of the column, Mickey heaved himself onto the platform. He rolled onto his back and continued to cry into his hands. This is humiliating… After a few minutes, Mickey had finally collected himself. Uncovering himself, he found Avery analyzing him with concern.
Avery let him wipe his eyes before he responded, "Mickey, you should have told someone that you were at a point of using…"
"And now I've sacrificed everything… My crew… My home… Constellation…" The list continued on and on in Mickey's mind.
"What!?" Avery exclaimed. "You're not being cut from my crew. You made a mistake. Every decision I make for the crew, I always run the risk of a mistake. It happens… You do realize that the person you used to be is not what makes you meaningful to my crew, right?"
"Really?" Mickey sniffed.
"Nah, it's who you are now." Avery continued. A little cliche, but go on. "You're the whimsical, ex-drug abuser, chef of The Atlas. You bring so much joy and happiness to everyone on the ship. I'm proud to have a man who left the finer things in life to join me on our adventure throughout the Settled Systems. Do you feel sober enough to head back to the Astral Lounge? Everyone is worried about you." Avery's words, although simple, certainly cheered up Mickey.
"I sobered up the second I touched that freezing water," Mickey confirmed. "I don't think I broke anything, but my back hurts like hell! I think I landed on a damn Chasmbass. I really need a drink…"
"Of water?" Avery asked, climbing to his feet. Avery leaned forward, offering the chef a hand.
"Ew!" Mickey said, repulsed. "Bayu Private Reserve, of course. And don't let that damn nurse mix my drink… He got me the first time with that virgin shit."
Avery laughed, "I don't think I've heard about that yet. Let's head back."
Mickey nodded and watched as his captain began climbing the ladder up the column. Silently thanking Avery for his support, Mickey followed behind him.
The Astral Lounge, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2330, July 16th
2240 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
The entire crew stood in a concerned silence, clearly waiting for Mickey to return. The idiocracy of Mickey's actions during the evening suddenly weighed him down. Maybe they'll believe I had a bit too much to drink. Mickey opened his mouth to explain himself, but Sam quickly interrupted him.
"You alright, chef?" He tried to pass it off as an innocent question, but worry bled through his words. Mickey deflated.
"I am now…" Mickey admitted. "I'm sorry if I possibly worried everyone. I know I've been distant during our night out… I thought that by returning here, I would be able to resist the call of Aurora, but I was wrong. I just wanted to let everyone know I'm okay. I'll return to The Atlas for the night and let everyone resume their good time…"
"Man, you've sat on the wall all night long!" Simeon exclaimed. "You need to hang out with us! The warden never lets us have any fun. We can dance and drink together."
Avery quickly objected to the slight, "Warden!? Is that what everyone calls me behind my back!?"
"Our night out has been so dull with you not around," Sarah added. "I've got at least an hour left in me and room for one more drink. Let's all spend it together, Mickey." He couldn't believe that everyone still wanted to spend time with him. Well, when the crowd beckons…
Of course," Mickey smiled. "I suppose I can tolerate one last dance with-"
"Mickey!" A shrill voice interrupted him. Priya stepped between him and the rest of the crew. "Where did you run off to? Some more of my friends arrived. I wanted to show them what Aurora does to a ma-"
Mickey quickly cut her off, "I'm sorry, dear. You are not significant enough to speak to me." Mickey choked down the satisfaction at Priya's jaw hitting the ground. Mickey stepped around the woman and led his crew back onto the dance floor. Mickey and the crew danced for the remainder of the night. Well, at least until he became so intoxicated that he had to be carried back to The Atlas by Avery and Simeon. Even while he prayed to the porcelain god, Mickey felt thankful for his family aboard The Atlas.
Notes:
Mickey was fun to write. I like the idea of him being self absorbed, over the top, but deeply caring for his crewmates.
Again, if anything doesn't look right let me know!
Chapter 7: The Misadventures of Barrett and Vasco - Amundsen Barrett
Summary:
Barrett has the fortune of being invited to a starship module viewing by Ron Hope. Ron Hope is ahead of his time in starship design, his legacy resting on HopeTech. Barrett hopes to get in and get out without much damage to his sanity (and his wallet.) Unfortunately, a tragedy strikes dragging Barrett and Vasco into the middle of HopeTech affairs. Hired by Ron Hope, they must deduce a mystery that shrouds HopeTech.
Notes:
Hello!
This was my first attempt at a 'mystery.' It was very difficult... And so much damn dialogue!
If you notice and errors, or sentences that don't make sense please let me know! Thank you!
TW: Cursing, suicide, violence.
I don't own anything from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
HopeTown, Polvo, The Valo System
Year 2330, July 21st
1635 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
" Barrett, HopeTech manufacturer assembly began at approximately 1000, Northern Polvo Time. Or, for your better understanding, 1630 Universal Time. You are currently five minutes late. " Barrett huffed at Vasco's reminder. The man and his robotic companion continued to trek to HopeTown's massive facility.
"Barrett, I calculate our arrival time two minutes sooner if we increase our pace from five kilometers per hour to seven kilometers per-"
"Vasco!" Barrett interrupted the punctual robot. "It's fine. Life would be boring if we didn't stop to sniff the flowers from time to time." And so, Barrett continued his lazy stroll. Barrett received the invitation from HopeTech about a week ago. The settlement's founder and president, Ron Hope, personally sent the summons to Barrett's slate. Barrett trusted Ron about as far as he could throw him… And the man had a very curvy figure, so Barrett couldn't toss him far. Ron built HopeTech from the ground up, then had the arrogance to name the settlement after his manufacturing corporation. HopeTech prized itself on the ability to manufacture fantastic starships. Despite his lack of trust in the CEO, this invitation was not one Barrett could pass up, at least for the sake of The Atlas. In the past, Constellation assisted Ron with many different requests. The man paid well and often gave Constellation the first look at upcoming starship parts. The flat pitch of Vasco's voice recalled Barrett to his companion.
" I do not process time like a human does, so I am incapable of boredom. Furthermore, my microprocessor does not have the capabilities to allow me to 'sniff the flowers.' " Barrett shook his head. That damn robot is always so literal… Deciding not to argue with his old friend, Barrett continued into HopeTown's main facility, HopeTech. HopeTech's lobby featured a help desk, weapon detectors, and plenty of FreeStar security. Barrett's eyes flicked to the large model ship in the lobby. An older model, likely one of HopeTechs first Starships. Stepping up to the desk, Barrett introduced himself to the facility's secretary.
"Hello, I'm here for Ron Hope's assembly." The man stationed at HopeTech's entrance eyed Barrett carefully. Take a damn picture… "Barrett."
Once realization flashed in the man's expression, he said, "Oh! Amundsen Barrett. You and your… robot can wait under The Pilgrimage I." The secretary motioned behind him to the lounge chairs under the model ship suspended in the lobby. As the duo stepped through the metal detectors, the secretary paged a representative to collect Barrett for the assembly.
"Hopefully, this won't last long. We can get a good deal on engine parts for The Atlas, then call Avery to swing back by to pick us up." Barrett said to Vasco. The robot's camera focused on him, taking a millisecond to process his statement. Once Constellation dropped Barrett and Vasco off in HopeTown, they decided to tour the binary star system. Barrett doubted they'd find anything substantial but hoped for the best.
Vasco began to list portions of Constellation's ship that needed an update: " Engineering is in need of a critical upgrade. The Atlas's thrusters are swift enough to avoid incoming assaults, but the shielding does not allow protection against severe firepower. Sam also requested we align the budget to include a new dock. "
"Sam and that damn docker! I'll purchase a new docker when our fancy pilot learns how to cleanly dock." Barrett knew that ignoring the pilot's request would ride up his ass, and that was just gravy.
"Amundsen, is it?" A shrill voice interrupted their conversation. Heels clacked on the luxury vinyl flooring, and a woman stepped before Barrett. The woman's straight black hair fell around her face in a clean bob. A 'HopeTech' badge dangled from her vest, signaling her position. "You're late. I'm Cosette, Mr. Hope, and I will escort everyone while our public affairs director presents HopeTech's upcoming technology. Please follow me. The group is already viewing in the factory." I bet she's fun at parties…
"Barrett is fi-"
"It would behoove you to be more punctual," Cosette interrupted. "Please be more respectful of Mr. Hope's time." The woman continued through the facility, Barrett following close behind.
Vasco supplied helpfully, "This woman appears to be irritated with you, Barrett. " No shit, Vasco. Eventually, they arrived at the large factory in the rear of HopeTech. Ron Hope stood before a small group of people, animatedly describing the starship part behind him. Barrett looked around the factory. Large gutted ships are positioned throughout the enormous room, which is diligently being worked on by HopeTech's employees. Several meters from the floor, walkways spiderwebbed their way through the room, allowing the employees to get to every part of the starships. Barrett convened with the group of onlookers just as a petite woman completed her speech about HopeTech's newest version of their crew's quarters.
"-as everyone can see, HopeTech's quarters will make your subordinates feel right at home, away from home." The woman spoke with a cheery tone, obviously trying her best to sell a product. Her eyes darted to Barrett and Vasco upon their arrival. "I see our group is now complete with the appearance of our last visitor. My name is Meredith, director of public affairs, and I will lead today's viewing." The small group of people turned to face Barrett. Giving a two-fingered wave, Barrett motioned for the viewing to continue. The potential buyers turned their attention back to Merideth; alongside her stood Ron Hope.
"Welcome, Barrett," Ron's voice boomed. "I'm glad you could make it to the viewing! Next, we will be looking at modules for engineering." Ron led everyone several meters to a couple different ship parts underneath a gutted ship. The group talked amongst themselves as they walked to the next viewing area.
"Ah, this will probably be the only portion of this assembly I'm interested in," Barrett whispered to Vasco.
" I calculate -"
"Eh, none of that!" Barrett interrupted Vasco before the robot could start spewing out different percentages of what Barrett may or may not be interested in.
" Understood, Barrett, " Vasco responded. After a few moments, the robot continued. "Although Sam did request I encourage your attention on potential starship docks. Please attempt to maintain your attention if such an opportunity approaches. " Barrett rubbed his temples and groaned at the robot's insistence.
"Okay!" Meredith announced, capturing everyone's attention. "We are showing our state-of-the-art reactors, engines, and shields for our engineering portion. First, our newest reactor has the cleanest power in the Settled Systems. It can supply maximum power to multiple portions of a starship, as well as quick shut-off switches in the case of an emergency. A big detail you will notice about a HopeTech reactor is its mass. HopeTech has developed the smallest reactor with the largest power output!" Barrett couldn't help but notice how animated Meredith was with her hands as she spoke. Her left ring finger dawned a shiny band; a large diamond could be seen, even from Barrett's distance from the woman. The reactor she described undoubtedly had value. Barrett considered purchasing one for The Atlas, but the current reactor held well. If he swapped the reactors, HopeTech's reactor would leave an empty space on the ship. Space Barrett wouldn't be able to do anything with.
" Barrett, HopeTech will present starship dockers and robot dockers next. My CPU suggests that my current dock is due for upgrades. " Vasco suggested to Barrett, his camera focused on another group of machinery on the edge of the factory. I coulda swore A.I. didn't have wants or needs… But Vasco sure does his best to make subtle hints.
"Vasco, If we get through the rest of this viewing without you mentioning Sam's damn starship docker, I will consider upgrading your cargo dock." Vasco's sensors whirred in a way that almost seemed to be in excitement at the prospect of a new dock.
" Understood, Barrett, " Vasco responded. Barrett couldn't help it; he had a soft spot for the robot. Ugh, I'm gonna have to buy that damn robot a new dock… All in an attempt to make a robot incapable of emotion happy. Meredith's soft voice grabbed Barrett's attention.
"Next, HopeTech engines," Meredith announced, gesturing to the lone thrusters. The thrusters were about the size of The Atlas's. "Our engines can only be built on class B and higher starships. The engines are designed with superalloys that allow for extreme heating. What sets our thrusters apart is the mass output with minute power consumption." Now, that would be useful for The Atlas. Currently, the highest drain of power comes from The Atlas's engines.
Barrett's hand shot into the air, "How much does it cost?" Meredith hesitated at Barrett's sudden question before glancing over to Ron Hope.
"Fifty thousand credits, give or take," Ron answered with a toothy grin. "But we can discuss business after the viewing." Throwing a look back to Meredith, the woman continued.
"Uh…" shaking off her hesitation, her blonde hair whipping back and forth, she continued. "Finally, HopeTech shield generators. Our newest shield generator can thoroughly protect your starship from any incoming attack. I don't claim to know much about dog fights in free space, but I would think anyone would want proper shielding during situations like that. HopeTech shield generators have a higher shield regeneration rate than any other competitor. Typically, regeneration rates stall at around seven to ten percent. Our regeneration rates surpassed the average, at a solid fifteen percent." Again, this would be useful for The Atlas.
Ron interrupted Barrett's thoughts with his booming voice, "Barrett, I see you thinking. Trust I will give you a good deal after the viewing is over. Next, I'm going to show everyone our new dockers! If you all could walk with me this way…" Fuck, I would have to suffer through those dockers… I could use a miracle right now…
Suddenly, a man landed flat on his back in front of Ron and Meredith, followed by a loud thump alerting the group of his presence. The man's eyes were open in empty horror. He appeared to have died before he landed. This is not what I meant… A beat passed. Meredith's eyes locked on the man, and her face scrunched in horror. Meredith screamed, echoing throughout the factory. Barrett glanced up at the ship they were situated under, ignoring the crescendo of concerned voices surrounding him. Completely gutted, the starship didn't even have windows. Twenty feet above their heads, Barrett could see an open port hole. The man probably fell from the port hole. However, he doubted a twenty-foot fall was what killed the man…
"Vasco!" Barrett yelled to his companion, already running up the scaffolding stairs.
" Understood, " Vasco responded, trailing behind him. Barrett could hear Ron attempting to calm everyone when he arrived at the top of the scaffolding. Entering the ship, Barrett was met with a lonely hallway. The ship lacked furniture and modules. Barrett ignored his nerves and continued through the ship. Vasco maintained his position behind him, albeit at a slower pace. Vasco was larger than Barrett and had to edge his way through the ship. No one was around when the duo arrived at the port hole in question.
" This is where the man exited the ship and fell to his death, " Vasco provided helpfully. No one else could be found on the starship… Did the guy commit suicide? This doesn't feel right.
"I don't know Vasco…" Barrett felt unsure of this situation. "If a man is going to kill himself, why make a show of it?" Barrett peered out the porthole to find Meredith crying over the dead man. Ron continued his best efforts to calm the crowd. Well, at least I didn't have to listen to them talk about those damn ship dockers…
HopeTown, Polvo, The Valo System
Year 2330, July 21st
1722 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Barrett couldn't believe the sheer misfortune he had experienced. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. After the initial shock, Ron sent home his visitors with decent compensation… Or, in other words, hush money on what they experienced during their visit to HopeTech. Ron then called in people who appeared below the law to properly take care of the body. Afterward, Barrett followed everyone to Ron's office, a large room with windows overlooking the starship factory.
Ron's callous words reverberated through the small room, "Michael that damned moron! Of course, he would decide to kill himself in front of everyone!" Had Barrett not done jobs for Ron in the past, he might have been shocked by the man's heartlessness. Ron Hope maintained an image of a businessman. That title in itself tends to lack compassion.
"Our next issue is dealing with Meredith," Cosette began, her words highlighted with irritation. "Michael is… was her fiance. Can we possibly buy her silence with a raise?" That's exactly what she needs, more money and no empathy. The poor girl couldn't be consoled. Barrett searched the workroom from his eagle-eye view. Meredith sat on the ground, currently being comforted by a male coworker.
"We need a better story to sell than suicide…" Ron spoke out loud. Barrett threw a glance to Vasco before offering his two cents.
"Eh, I'm not too sure it was a suicide," Barrett said thoughtfully. Indeed, he had noticed a dark bruise on Michael's temple. Almost as if he had been struck by a blunt object before falling from the starship window.
"I'd rather he have killed himself…" Ron spoke darkly. "What proof do you have?"
" Although we found no signs of a fight on the ship, Michael's injuries did not completely match the cause of his death. " Vasco offered helpfully. " Michael has injuries to his face and arms. When he fell from the starship, he landed in a supine position. There is a likely chance that he was assaulted before his fall. "
Barrett cocked his head at Ron, "Anything I need to add?"
Ron let out a long sigh, "... Regardless, We need to determine if this was a suicide or foul play. Those idiots out there won't do any damn work if they think they're going to be killed by one of their coworkers. Barrett, you up for a job?" The sudden offer didn't take Barrett by surprise. He had expected Ron to eventually enlist him to solve this. In fact, Barrett had demands for compensation already planned.
"I could be…"
"But?" Ron said, rolling his eyes, already aware of Barrett's games.
Barrett wasted no time listing his compensation, "We will figure this out if you can make sure The Atlas gets upgraded with a new shield generator and engines."
"Deal." Ron wasted no time in agreeing to the terms. The high-pitched noise of an internal fan caught Barrett's attention. He felt sure Vasco was thinking up something.
Barrett groaned, "Also, our ship needs an updated robot dock." He knew that this additional deal would give Vasco his own version of happiness.
"Say less," Ron agreed. If you figure this out quietly, you'll get your starship parts."
"Amazing." Barrett smiled, shaking Ron's hand. "Now, to start off, can I look at the camera footage? Also, I may need the assistance of the HopeTech's Freestar rangers." Ron's facial expression morphed into a cringe.
"Unfortunately, HopeTech's cameras have been turned off for the past twelve hours… Some of today's visitors prefer discretion… Also, consider most of the Freestar rangers 'paid actors.' The last thing I need is for my highest paying customers to be scared off by cameras and rangers." Barrett made no move to hide his irritation. This makes my job harder.
"We also need to alert the employees of Barrett's presence for the next day or two," Cosette offered. "Perhaps we can frame it as extra mercenary protection. At least until we can fabricate a better story."
Wordlessly, Ron stalked over to the PA sitting on his desk and flipped it on, "Attention HopeTech, all HopeTech employees. Due to recent events, I have employed Constellation to investigate our facility's current status. I consider each of you family and want to guarantee your safety and happiness. Please be considerate and cooperative with Constellation while they are in-house. Thank you for all you do." HopeTech's employees paused in their workday interactions while Ron's voice echoed throughout the facility. Hopefully, that little announcement will make my job easier…
"I'm going to get started," Barrett said to Ron. "If you don't mind, I will speak with some of the employees on the floor. If this was a murder, I'm sure someone knows something." First, I'll need to check in with Avery… Turning to leave, Barrett was stopped by Ron's call.
"Barrett," Ron said gruffly. "Make sure you are discrete in your questioning. I don't want my employees to think this was a murder. Either prove it a suicide or find the killer. Either way, get this done." Barrett nodded and continued out of the CEO's office. Vasco's clanging footsteps followed closely behind Barrett.
" Barrett, " Vasco started. " I suggest we start with the director of public affairs, Meredith. Michael was her partner. She will likely tell us if the deceased had any enemies. "
"I'm sure that's what she's going to want to talk about in detail," Barrett laughed. "Her fiance's death… We can give it a shot, but I need to call Avery first."
" Understood, Barrett. "
"Hey, Avery?" Barrett said, tapping his earpiece. When Avery had purchased the earpieces, he sprung for the more expensive ones. The earpieces had a much greater range of communication. He found they could typically communicate with his crew members if they were in the same star system. It took moments for Avery to respond.
"Yeah!?" Avery said suddenly. In his brief response, Barrett could hear gunfire. They would take the opportunity to have fun while I was stuck in a damn assembly…
"You alright?" Barrett asked, knowing his captain would say he was fine.
"All good!" Avery still sounded rushed in his response. "We found a run-down factory on one of the nearby planets… I figured we could find some easy credits, but so far, we have only run into pissed - Shit! Sorry, the industrial robots here are not keen on our exploration." Gunfire continued to thunder over his words.
"Glad you're having fun without me," Barrett said, amusement brightening his words. "Just a heads up, I will be stuck in HopeTown for another day or so… Unforeseen circumstances…"
"Do you need any extra man-pow-" Andreja's muffled voice interrupted Avery on his earpiece.
"Damnit, Simeon! Either hit your shots or try something new!" Andreja angrily fussed. Barrett could hear Simeon's voice, but he was too far from Avery to be understood.
"I'm good! Vasco will pick up my slack. Good luck!" Barrett responded, not bothering to wait for Avery to attempt to finish his offer.
"You too, Barrett!" Avery's comm abruptly disconnected. To an average crew, this might be concerning. But over Barrett's seven years with Constellation, he learned that Avery could scrape by in any situation.
Barrett and Vasco stepped out onto the factory's main room. Instead of working, the employees were buzzing about the recent death.
"I had no idea…"
"Poor Meredith, she is completely distraught."
"Better that he kills himself rather than show up to work with a gun. I always thought Michael was crazy. Too quiet…" Barrett eyed the HopeTech employee as he passed him. Catching the man's eyes, he looked to the floor, realizing his heartless words were heard.
Eventually, they reached where Meredith sat on the floor, her head in her hands. Next to her was another man, who wrapped an arm around her and whispered softly in her ear. Their footsteps, rather Vasco's, caught the man's attention. The man's expression instantly soured, narrowing his eyes as he spoke to the duo.
"You're Constellation, I'm guessing?" From his seated position, the man looked between Barrett and Vasco. "Do you think now is the time to interrogate my sister?" The man's arm wrapped tighter around Meredith. She fell onto his shoulder, continuing to sob.
" We must speak with all potential suspects to deduce -"
"Fuck. Off." The man said through gritted teeth, silencing the robot.
Lifting her head from the man's shoulder, Meredith gripped the man's arm. "Erik, stop it… They're just trying…" Meredith once again broke into a sob and buried her head back into the man's, Erik's shoulder. Barrett sighed. This is going nowhere fast.
"Ma'am," Barrett started, concern etched in his voice. "I understand speaking to me is the last thing you want right now, but I have to start somewhere… Is there anything you can tell me about Michael?" Despite painting his words in empathy, the mere mention of the deceased man's name sent Meredith back into a loud weeping episode.
"Man, just fuck off," Meredith's guard dog of a brother yelled at the duo. At this point, their presence was causing more of a scene. Meredith's loud howls had everyone on the floor throwing not-so-subtle glances in their direction. Barrett raised his arms in defeat.
"Gotcha," Barrett affirmed, turning on his heel to leave.
" Barrett, why are we leaving? Meredith and her brother are going to be crucial suspects. " Barrett could literally hear the gears in Vasco's body turning, weighing the potential outcomes of failing to interrogate the widowed woman.
"Yeah, there's no way we can talk to them together," Barrett agreed. "What was that guy's name? Erik? He's like her damn shield. We will have to wait for them to separate if she's going to tell us anything." The factory employees all eyed them in suspicion, likely due to their callous attempt at interrogating the grieving woman so soon. Well, they aren't going to tell us anything.
" Where to now? " Vasco asked, oblivious to the employees' hateful looks. Barrett gave a thoughtful hum. Ron gave them free roam of the facility.
"We should go check out the cameras in the security booth," Barrett suggested.
" Ron Hope said that the security cameras have been inactive since this morning. " Vasco reminded Barrett.
"True," Barrett agreed. "But I'm sure they have old footage from before the cameras were shut off." The duo found the security booth located right in the lobby. A Freestar ranger sat in front of a plethora of cameras. One would assume the ranger continuously monitored the live feed; however, the ranger was fast asleep when they entered the room.
" How unprofessional, " Vasco commented to the unconscious ranger.
"Rise and shine!" Barrett announced, his voice rebounding throughout the small office. The ranger jolted from his sleep, crashing onto the floor. As swiftly as he had fallen, the ranger jumped to his feet.
"You're not supposed to be in here…" The ranger's words slurred in his half-awake stupor. "There was a death… Ron wants everyone on full alert…"
"Then why are you sleeping?" Barrett asked, stepping in front of the man. Several monitors displayed all of HopeTech. At least they're actually on. "I'm with Constellation. Ron hired me to investigate the death… In case you slept through that bit of news."
"W-what!" The ranger sputtered. "No, I'm fully aware. But I don't know how much help today's footage will be…"
"Yeah, I know the cameras were inactive today." Barrett waved off the ranger's concern. "Just show me how to skim through the camera feed that you have saved." The ranger hesitated before complying with Barrett's request.
HopeTown, Polvo, The Valo System
Year 2330, July 21st
1908 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Barrett and Vasco spent an hour combing through security footage. HopeTech security had footage up to a week before his arrival. He followed Michael with the saved footage and watched his mundane routine. Michael showed up at the factory around eight in the morning with Meredith. Around eleven, he met up with her for lunch. He would continue his work until eight at night and then return to HopeTech's hab units. The exact process repeated for a week straight, with no variations. During his investigation of the security footage, the ranger promptly fell back asleep.
"This guy has absolutely nothing going on…" Barrett whispered, unconsciously out of respect for the sleeping ranger. "He shows up to work, finishes his shift, and then goes home…"
" The next logical step would be to monitor Meredith, " Vasco suggested. Barrett snickered at the robot's tone, a degree quieter, likely to avoid awakening the ranger. Barrett turned back to the monitors and began his search for Meredith. Her schedule differed vastly from her fiance's. When she arrived at HopeTech, she immediately went into her office. She stayed until eleven when she would leave to have lunch with Michael. Where Michael remained on the factory floor, Meredith stayed in her office. Barrett's eyebrow raised when he found a variation in Meredith's schedule. A few days ago, Meredith wasn't in her office for whatever reason. Meredith walked through HopeTech's main factory, occasionally speaking with the engineers working on the starships. This lasted for an hour until she started walking towards the exit. Right before she could leave, she was pulled to the side by an employee. A scrawny man with short black hair. The man radiated awkwardness. Grabbing Meredith's wrist, he pulled her to the side. The two conversed for a few moments, irritation written across the woman's face. Suddenly, the man lunged forward and wrapped her up in a hug. This lasted less than a second before Meredith shoved the man off her. She pointed a manicured finger in his face and stomped off. Well, that's something.
"Looks like Meredith had an admirer…" Barrett commented.
" The next course of action is to question him. Currently, evidence points to him murdering Meredith's fiance. " Vasco added.
"That'd be pretty cliche… And boring." Barrett's face scrunched up in disappointment. Turning to the snoozing ranger, Barrett clapped him on the back. "Thanks for your help, man!" The ranger jolted awake at the sudden collision to his back.
"Huh!? Oh yeah… No problem…" The lazy ranger muttered, likely planning to doze off again. Not bothering to explain any further, the duo left the security booth. Barrett led them back into HopeTech's lobby. By this time, the lights had dimmed, and most of the staff had started to leave.
"Wow, this has been so boring…" Barrett complained to no one in particular.
" Solving mysteries requires a lot of communication. "
" Thank you, Vasco," Barrett threw his companion a dirty look. "Regardless, we need to figure out who this mystery man is. Usually, Meredith is leaving at this time, as we saw on the old security footage. Maybe we can catch her before she leaves."
Vasco whirred for a moment, calculating their available options, " She has had one hour and twenty minutes to recover from the initial shock of her counterpart's death. She should have a happier disposition by this point in time. "
"I wouldn't count on it, Vasco," Barrett said with a laugh; he found the robot's seriousness amusing. Barrett hit the button to summon the elevator that led to the management's floor. After a few moments, the elevator opened, revealing Meredith. Damn, I lucked out. The woman still had puffy eyes, and her mascara stained her cheeks. Barrett didn't miss the flash of irritation in her eyes at the sight of him.
" Meredith, I hope you have healed well from your counterpart's death, " Vasco said, his sympathy module on overdrive. The woman's jaw dropped, looking from Barrett to Vasco.
"Oh, God." Meredith groaned, attempting to push past them. Without a second thought, Barrett stepped into the elevator with the young woman. Vasco pushed on as well, making the elevator tight quarters. Quickly reaching around the robot, Barrett pressed the buttons to stop on all floors. That should give us some time. "What the hell are you doing!?" Meredith complained, her face turning red in irritation. Any sorrow the woman had was now dissipated. The elevator doors closed behind them, and they started to ascend.
"Oops, sorry!" Barrett apologized, turning to the woman. "But now that I have you here, I have a couple questions about Michael." The woman stared at Barrett for a moment before nodding her head.
"I'll answer what I can," she said quietly. The elevator lurched to a stop on the second floor. Barrett turned to see a confused employee attempting to cram himself onto the full elevator. Barrett shoved the man out of the elevator and hit the base floor on the panel.
"Take the next one, moron!" Barrett hissed. He turned his attention back to Meredith and commenced his interrogation. "We will be done by the time the elevator makes it to the first floor. Starting off with basic questions, did Michael have any enemies?"
"He jumped out of a ship to commit suicide? Why would it matter if he had any enemies?" Meredith retorted with apprehension. Barrett simply stared back at her until she answered the question. "No, Mike was too sweet to have any enemies … Actually, he went out of his way to avoid confrontation." Again, the elevator lurched to a stop on the top floor. The doors opened… And then closed once again.
" How long have you two been engaged for? " Vasco questioned. Barrett failed to see the robot's angle but respected him enough to allow the inquiry. Meredith tilted her head before answering.
"We've been together for six years… Michael proposed about a year ago," her eyes glazed over, recalling the distant memory of her proposal. "It was about time he did. Our finances are completely tangled together. I was stuck with him whether I liked it or not!" Meredith began to laugh, a pitiful, ironic laugh. She shook her head and studied the elevator floor.
"Last question, who-" Barrett heard a scoff from behind him. Once again, they were stopped on the second floor. Turning his head, he found the same damn employee waiting for the elevator. "Just take the stairs, Man!" Barrett growled, maintaining eye contact as the doors closed.
The employee's muffled voice could be heard once the elevator closed, "Asshole…"
"Anyway, we studied the security cameras…" Barrett continued. "A few days ago, a skinny guy tried to hug you, and you shoved him off. Who is he? What is he to you?" Meredith stared blankly at Barrett. After a moment, she responded to his final question.
"That's Dane," she answered with a roll of her eyes. "It's no secret he has feelings for me… But he's harmless. He would do anything for me but knows we will never be together. I'm assuming you believe Michael was killed… I can accept that he killed himself… He always had issues with depression. I doubt anyone hurt him… But if he was killed, please find the bastard…" The elevator door opened, allowing them to enter the base floor. Meredith nodded to Barrett before hurrying out of the elevator. Barrett and Vasco stepped out of the elevator, pondering their following action.
"Shit, that wasn't exactly helpful," Barrett cursed. "Now what?"
" She gave us the name of her suitor - Dane. Now we go find him. " Vasco turned and started walking towards the factory floor, leaving HopeTech's lobby. Where does he think he is going?
"Do you know where this guy is?" Barrett called after the robot.
The robot continued without turning back, " No, but he was last seen in the factory area of the facility. It would be best for us to start there. " Barrett sighed and hurried after his robot companion. I guess that's fair. The duo searched for the next hour in the factory. Only several employees remained, the rest having gone home for the day. They found time to speak with them about Michael's death. No one had any substantial evidence to give. Other than, 'he was a good guy' or 'I just wish he had told someone.' Barrett took a break from the search and leaned against one of the starships spread out through the factory.
"Damn…" Barrett cursed to himself. So far, everyone we have spoken to truly believes the man just… killed himself. "Maybe the guy did jump, and we just jumped the gun?" Vasco paused, his camera focusing on Barrett's features. Barrett's lack of confidence in his decision likely surprised the robot. Barrett rarely showed any sign of hesitancy in his everyday life, even in front of his crew. However, Vasco was the only person… robot that Barrett felt comfortable enough to bear his personal feelings in front of.
" I believe this is what you would call a 'gut feeling.' " Vasco answered, not attempting to cheer up Barrett but informing him. " Michael had injuries to his face and arms, further evidence of his assault. You are very hasty. However, your 'gut feelings' are correct in ninety-four percent of occurrences. I do not predict this event will be any different. " Barrett smiled at the robot's factual rally.
"I guess you are right," Barrett responded with a nod. "Let's try one last push before we find a place to sleep for the night. I'm sure Ron will let us use one of his hab units tonight."
" Understood, Barrett, " Vasco affirmed. " We must solve this. I am in dire need of a new cargo dock. " Barrett rolled his eyes. Of course, he hasn't forgotten the damn dock. If it's not a ship docker, it's his personal dock. As if by fate, a familiar, scrawny man walked past them. He had just exited the employee break room and was attempting to leave.
"Hey!" Barrett called after the man. "You Dane?" The man turned to the duo, wide-eyed.
"Y-yeah…" He stuttered. He sure is a skittish guy. The man fumbled his fingers nervously as the duo walked up to him.
"We are with Constellation. We just have a couple questions, then you can leave." Barrett stepped up to the man, who continued to shift back and forth nervously. "Michael fell out of a ship today, around five. Where were you when this happened?"
"Man, I don't know what you are trying to say. But I had nothing to do with Michael." Dane said without answering the question. He continued on when Barrett stared at him expectantly. "At five, I was working on one of the starships… You can ask any of my coworkers… tomorrow."
" What's your relationship with Meredith? " Vasco questioned the man. Dane visibly blanched at the robot's question.
"What about her?" Dane said, his words had an edge to them. "She's in upper management."
" Your coworkers report that you had feelings for the woman, " Vasco responded matter of factly. Damn Vasco, at this rate, I'll have nothing to ask the man.
"Look," Dane sighed. "Meredith's beautiful, and I wish she was mine. I'm not going to lie. I'm not sad about her fiance's death. But I didn't kill the guy! Maybe you should look at her brother, Erik. That guy hated Michael… Well, he hated any man that came within ten feet of Meredith… Can I go now?" Dane continued to glance from Barrett to Vasco nervously. Once again, this doesn't really help…
"Go ahead," Barrett said with a wave, dismissing the skittish man. Dane didn't hover, quickly leaving the factory.
" He did not admit to killing Michael, but he did not present with any sorrow to the man's death. " Vasco's gears whirred at the man's response to their questioning. " During our interrogation, his heart rate sustained in the one-twenties. A sure sign of his anxiety. "
"Yeah, his uneasiness was apparent…" Barrett agreed. "It's gotten pretty late. I'll let Ron know we need a place to stay for the night… We still have work to do tonight…"
HopeTown, Polvo, The Valo System
Year 2330, July 22nd
0135 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
" Barrett, you realize that a full seven hours of sleep per night is needed to maintain optimal health? " Barrett groaned at the robot's lecture. Vasco had complained about their late-night task from the moment they left the hab unit. Vasco tried his best to encourage Barrett's health. Still, he knew the robot wanted to return to the unit and retreat into low-power mode. Barrett assumed that it was Vasco's version of 'sleeping.'
"We have to find proof, Vasco," Barrett told the robot, opening the doors to HopeTech. The lobby was absolutely empty, save a random Freestar ranger. Fortunately, the rangers knew why Barrett and Vasco were searching HopeTech, and they were allowed to pass without further investigation. "We're gonna go break into the lockers in the break room, down in the factory."
" Why are we doing this at two in the morning? We could have done it last night. " Vasco continued to argue, clearly adverse to the late-night espionage.
"Fewer eyes," Barrett said without elaboration. Whether or not he liked to admit it, Vasco enjoyed arguing. The duo moved quickly and… relatively silently through the factory. Vasco's clanging footsteps weren't precisely incognito. Eventually, they arrived at the factory's breakroom. "Alright, start searching the lockers. If you find anything substantial, let me know."
Together, the two started sifting through the numerous lockers along the break room walls. Barrett was uninterested in the contents of the other employees' lockers, only in locating Michael, Dane, or Erik's locker. After around thirty minutes of searching, Vasco beckoned him from across the room.
" Barrett, " Vasco called. "I believe I have located Dane's locker. " Barrett wasted no time hurrying to the robot's position in the break room. Stepping in front of him, Barrett peered into the locker. The locker… was pretty unremarkable. It contained an extra pair of clothes, a slate, and a photo taped to the door. Barrett peeled the photo from the door and held it before his eyes.
"Interesting…" Barrett muttered. In the photo, Meredith sat at a table with coffee in her hand. Whoever was sitting across from her was the one who had taken the picture. Did he steal this picture? Or maybe he took this picture. Barrett placed the photo back on the door and took the slate from the locker. A quick hack, and he was in. The slate contained multiple encrypted emails from an unknown source. After a few more codes and a steady hand, Dane's personal data scrolled before his eyes.
" Barrett? " Vasco questioned from behind him.
"Well, this is just too damn easy," Barrett laughed, holding the slate out to Vasco. "Now we just set up a meeting with Ron-"
"What the fuck are you doing in here?" A voice interrupted Barrett. Barrett peeked around the robot and found Meredith's brother standing in the doorway, fury painted in his expression.
"Oh, you're awake! You should be in bed. A full seven hours of sleep per night is needed to maintain optimal health," Barrett jested, hoping he had irritated Vasco.
"Barrett, I was serious when I encouraged you -"
"It's illegal for you to search our lockers without a warrant!" Erik snarled, taking a step closer to Barrett. "You're digging where you have no business being in."
"Erik, I'm doing my job." Barrett shot back with a hint of irritation. "Don't you want to know who killed Michael?" Erik took another step towards him.
"I don't give a fuck if Michael was killed or not." Erik's advances didn't slow. Barrett loosened his body, just in case it came to a physical altercation. "Sure, the man had money… But he wasn't good enough for my sister. His death is just one less thing I need to worry about when it comes to her! Put whatever you stole from that locker back and leave."
"No," Barrett spoke bluntly. In a flash, Erik lunged, closing the distance between them. Erik tried to reach Barrett but was blocked by Vasco. Vasco shoved Barrett away and grabbed Erik's arm. Turning his body, Vasco lifted Erik up and slammed him onto a table. A loud crash echoed in the break room.
Erik quickly rolled off the table and picked up a chair. Throwing it over his shoulder, the chair bounced off Vasco ineffectively. In the meantime, Barrett crept around behind Erik. When the moment came, Barrett grabbed Erik from behind and pinned him.
"Calm down, man!" Barrett hissed into his ear. Erik attempted to scream, but his words were incomprehensible. They struggled for a few moments until Erik fell silent.
"Hey!" Another voice called into the room. The trio glanced at the door and found a Freestar ranger looking at the strange sight. "It's two in the morning! Get the hell out of here and go to bed! I should arrest both of you!"
"Yes, sir!" Barrett said quickly, releasing Erik. Barrett shuffled past the ranger, Vasco in tow. "That was perfect timing!"
" What information did the slate provide? "
"Our proof, of course." Barrett shook the slate at Vasco to reiterate its significance.
HopeTown, Polvo, The Valo System
Year 2330, July 22nd
0810 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Ron Hope eagerly met with all factory employees and management at Barrett's request. Barrett and Vasco stood before HopeTech's staff, ready to present their data. Barrett waited patiently for Ron to give him the floor.
"Okay, everyone," Ron addressed his staff. "Barrett has information he would like to share with us. Barrett." Ron nodded to Barrett, giving him the floor.
"Hello, everyone." Barrett started. "So it's no mystery my companion and I have been investigating the death of Michael." Barrett could see Meredith wipe her eyes at the mention of Michael's name.
"And?" Ron said impatiently.
"And after speaking with Meredith, she pointed us towards one of your coworkers, Dane." All eyes turned to the thin man. His eyes widened. "It's no secret that he harbored feelings for Meredith. In fact, she said that he would do anything for her to be with her." Meredith froze, and her sobs ceased.
"Y-you…" Dane whispered. By this time, the staff had separated, and Dane stood in the middle of the circle. Slowly, Freestar rangers began to surround him. "You sold me out?" There it is. Meredith's disposition changed, giving him whiplash.
"Dane, what are you talking about? Did you kill my fiance!?" Meredith shrieked.
"What proof do you have?" Ron demanded, ignoring Dane and Meredith. Barrett held up the slate.
"When we searched Dane's locker last night, we found encrypted emails between him and Meredith. They have been in a relationship for a few years now… She felt trapped in her relationship with Michael. But at the same time, she didn't exactly want to leave the man due to the financial stability she had with him. She and Dane collaborated to kill Michael, covering it as a suicide. While Meredith led the viewing yesterday, Dane led Michael into the starship. That's where he assaulted him and threw him out the starship's window. This allowed everyone to see his 'suicide.' Ultimately, she would keep his finances and get to be with the man she loved, Dane. Meredith wanting to maintain her financial stability is only a theory, though… From what Erik told us." Barrett laid out all the facts he had deduced; Dane, Erik, and Meredith had jaws on the floor. "Honestly, you two didn't hide it very well. The 'mystery' was pretty obvious… And cliche."
"Dane…" Meredith whispered. Freestar rangers began to approach her as well. "You idiot! Why would you keep those fucking logs!?"
"I can't believe you would let me take the fall! I killed for you! We did this to get-"
"Shut up!" Meredith interrupted him.
"Meredith, why!?" Erik called out to his sister. "Why would you do this?" Meredith turned to her brother, a crazed look in her eyes.
"And you!" She growled. "Why are you always in my business!?"
"Okay! Okay! That's enough. Take 'em away!" Ron waved to the rangers, who immediately placed the two in handcuffs. Meredith continued to shriek in anger as they were hauled off. "Barrett, let's go to my office." Barrett and Vasco silently followed Ron back to his office. At the same time, Cosette tried her best to put out fires amongst the leftover staff.
"Mystery solved…" Barrett said awkwardly. The CEO had an irritated expression.
"You could have done this silently instead of revealing it to my entire staff," Ron growled. "This is a PR nightmare… And now I don't have my PR director to help figure this mess out! Regardless, I'm a man of my word. Land your starship, and my people will install your new engines and shield generator."
" As well as the updated robot dock, " Vasco added, further irritating Ron.
"Fine, prepare to leave. The sooner you two leave, the sooner I can do damage control." Ron waved for them to leave. Barrett wasted no time in calling for his ride.
The Atlas, Orbiting Polvo, The Valo System
Year 2330, July 22nd
1244 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
"You didn't get a new ship docker… But got Vasco a fancy new robot dock?" Sam stood in the cargo bay, his mouth gaping in disbelief.
"Well, Vasco helped get these ship upgrades for free," Barrett explained. "He deserved a reward for his assistance." The two humans watched the robot connect himself to the updated robot dock. Barrett assumed that if the robot could show emotion, he would beam in delight.
"Assistance!?" Sam countered. "From what you described, it wasn't even that much of a mystery! It sounds like the killer was pretty obvious."
" You should go to the HopeTech assembly next time, Sam. " Vasco retorted, further irritating the pilot.
" Perhaps we should drop you off in the nearest scrapyard…" Sam countered. Not wanting to further the conversation, Sam climbed up the ladder into the main floor of The Atlas.
"Alright, Vasco." Barrett smiled. "Enough of your new dock. We gotta see if we can enhance these new HopeTech shield generators."
" Understood… " Vasco said warily. " Just try not to break them… They are new. "
Notes:
Wow, you finished! Did you guess the murderer? Probably. It's hard to make a murder mystery! Hopefully I at least made the journey entertaining. I love writing about Barrett and Vasco's relationship. I think it can be really sweet.
Thank you! Again, let me know if you notice any errors or sentences that don't sound right.
Chapter 8: The Virus - Maxile Deimos
Summary:
Floating in space, a long dead battle ground orbits a star. Here Constellation discovers an old warship in one piece. Of course they couldn't resist going aboard to make new discoveries. However, they didn't expect to bring something back with them to The Atlas. One by one the crew begins to fall ill, leaving it up to Eddie and Maxile to help cure them.
Notes:
Hello! If you manage to read and finish this, I hope you enjoy!
Please let me know any errors you find.Disclaimer: I don't own starfield
TW: Cursing, violence, blood.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Sagan I, The Sagan System
Year 2330, August 9th
1842 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
The panicked commotion of the crew jolted Maxile from the task he was currently focused on in the medical bay. The crew had found an old warship orbiting the outreaches of Sagan I. Upon discovering this, Avery immediately called for a boarding crew, including Simeon, Barrett, and Sam. The interesting fact about the abandoned ship was that it floated freely in an ancient war zone. A little over one hundred years ago, the United Colonies and Freestar Collective battled for control of the Narion system, also known as the Narion War. The Narion system is the same system in which The Clinic is located. During this period of tension, fights broke out all over the Settled Systems. One of these battlegrounds was situated in The Sagan System. Pieces of scrap metal filled the void of the system, continuously circling the star for the remainder of time. Due to the tenacity of the battles, finding a warship in one piece is rare.
The commotion continued to build until Avery kicked open the door to the medical bay. Behind him, Simeon and Sam carried in Barrett, blood trailing behind his body. You gotta be kidding me! In his rush to get up, Maxile tripped, falling on his hands and knees. Scrambling to his feet, Maxile ran to the trauma bay and opened it for his wounded crewmate.
"What the hell is all this noise!?" Dr. Sotello yelled, stepping out of his office. He stifled his anger, noticing the amount of blood on the floor. "Mr. Deimos, get the gauze and irrigation supplies. Avery, what happened?" Barrett groaned in pain when he was laid on the trauma bed. Blood continued to seep from a deep wound in his neck. Maxile quickly set out supplies for Dr. Sotello on the bedside table.
"Uh, the warship wasn't as abandoned as we thought," Avery rapidly explained. "While we explored the ship, we could only find dead men. They'd probably been there for the past century-"
"The point, Avery!" Dr. Sotello demanded. Donning gloves, Dr. Sotello pressed a thick gauze to Barrett's wound, earning a groan from the injured man.
"When we got to the bridge, a guy jumped outta nowhere and bit Barrett!" Avery ran his hands through his thick, black hair. Maxile had only joined Constellation two short months ago. This was the most stressed he had seen his captain. "He was crazy! He wouldn't let go of Barrett. We literally had to pry him off. Once we got him off Barrett, he reared back and scratched the shit outta Simeon." Avery continued to babble about the recent events, but Maxile's eyes flashed to Simeon at the mention of his injury. Simeon had a bandage loosely wrapped around his forearms. I guess I'll have to look at that once Barrett is settled…
Understanding the whole story, Dr. Sotello mumbled to himself, "A human bite will require copious amounts of irrigation…" Maxile laid towels around Barrett's neck in preparation for the irrigation. Dr. Sotello preferred that Maxile read his mind rather than give orders aloud. So Maxile took opportunities to stay ahead of the cranky physician and ran with them. The two medical professionals continued to work on Barrett until they realized more than half of the crew stood in the medical bay. The crew worriedly watched them care for their friend.
"Eddie…" Avery started.
"You all can leave."
"But-"
"Leave, dammit!" Dr. Sotello's voice echoed in the small glass room. "Let Mr. Deimos and I do our jobs. Barrett will be fine." Bowing his head in defeat, Avery and the rest of the crew stepped out of the medical bay.
Maxile spent the next hour cleaning and suturing Barrett's wound. Well, at least the portions of the bite that could be closed. Barrett's painful moans ceased after Dr. Sotello numbed the wound with medications. Carefully dressing Barrett's neck, Maxile watched Dr. Sotello remove his bloody gloves and wipe the sweat from his brow. Dr. Sotello sure can sew. Maxile admired the man's ability to close an open wound. The occurrences on The Atlas were rare. But when the job was far too big for Maxile, Dr. Sotello did an excellent job suturing.
"Am I gonna make it, doc?" Barrett said dramatically, his humor returning.
"That was our last vial of lidocaine," Dr. Sotello fussed. "The next time I have to suture one of you idiots, it'll be without any pain relief. You're to thank for that."
Barrett raised his hands in surrender, "I apologize! Won't happen again!"
"It better not…" Dr. Sotello started. "Next time, neither Maxile nor I will treat you as graciously as this time." Maxile cocked his head at the physician's use of his name. Until now, Dr. Sotello had only referred to him as 'Mr. Deimos.' Choosing not to make a big deal of it, Maxile let Dr. Sotello leave the trauma bay without another word.
"He's such a fun guy," Barrett said with a laugh.
"How's your neck feeling?" Maxile asked, giving Barrett an evaluating look. Barrett twisted and turned his head before answering.
"It feels like someone took a bite out of it… And stuck the bite with a shit ton of numbing needles. Overall, an eight out of ten experience. It feels much better than earlier." He could've just said it feels better…
"Good!" Maxile gave the man a smile. "Avery has been waiting out in the hall for the past hour. So I'm going to let him in. But you need to rest in the trauma bay for another thirty minutes or so."
"Oh great," Barrett sighed at the idea of his guilt-ridden captain. "He's going to try to apologize or something..." Barrett's guess wasn't incorrect. The second Maxile opened the door for Avery, he immediately went to Barrett's side. Avery repeatedly apologized for allowing the engineer to come in harm's way. Maxile found it rather sweet how much Avery cared for his crew. This was not the first time a crewmate had been injured. And every time it occurred, Avery acted in the same way. The captain felt responsible for the entire crew's well-being. That's likely why the captain decided to budget for a physician and a nurse.
Allowing Avery and Barrett their privacy, Maxile left the medical bay to search for Simeon. Maxile hadn't forgotten he had an injury as well. Maxile searched the main floor of The Atlas without success. Peeking his head into the mess hall, he found Mickey actively dancing to some Neon pop song. Maxile quickly backed away from the strange sight; it wasn't the first time he had caught Mickey engaging in odd behavior. Maxile climbed the ladder to the crew's quarters. The closer he got to Simeon's room, the more his heart began to pick up speed. Maxile swallowed down the annoying feelings and gave Simeon's door a hard knock. After a few moments, Simeon opened the door.
"Maxile, hey!" Simeon said, peering down at Maxile.
"Hey, Simeon," Maxile responded, pushing past the man into his room. Simeon's room was far less bland than Maxile's room. Simeon's rifle lay on the floor, cleaning equipment next to it. His walls had different posters and memorabilia covering it from Constellation's past endeavors. Several pictures of Simeon and the rest of the crew covered his closet door. Maxile set the first aid supplies out on Simeon's desk. Turning, he gave Simeon an expectant look. "What? You don't think I missed the half-assed bandages on your arms?"
Simeon momentarily gave a thoughtful look as if he were imagining a witty response before deciding against it and sitting on the bed. Simeon typically wore a thick vest, a long-sleeved shirt, and a brown hat. After the mission, he removed all that, wearing only a tight white T-shirt and jeans. The t-shirt certainly enhanced his chest. Maxile felt the tips of his ears burn red at the thought.
Maxile unwrapped the bandages on Simeon's forearms, "Who the hell wrapped these anyway?" Slowly but surely, the tattered bandages pooled on the floor beside the bed. Multiple superficial scratches decorated Simeon's forearms.
"What was wrong with 'em?" Simeon fussed at Maxile's critique. Simeon's irritation gave Maxile the context clue to deduce who applied the bandages. "I did my best…" Maxile got to work cleaning the light injuries.
"Well, just come to me next time, and I'll do it. It's my job, after all," Maxile advised the sniper. Maxile let out a snicker when Simeon hissed at the sting of alcohol being dabbed on the scratches. "What exactly happened, anyway?"
"I have no idea…" Simeon groaned, watching Maxile meticulously doctor his arms. "Everything was quiet. Up to that point, everyone we found was dead. Until a spacer jumped out of nowhere. I swear it was like he was rabid. After I pulled him off Barrett, he raked his damn claws down my arms…"
"What was he doing on the ship?"
"He was probably a scavenger," Simeon guessed, turning his arm to allow Maxile better access. "I bet he thought he got lucky and found a gold mine, like us. I don't know why he acted like a damn animal." They continued their light conversation until clean bandages completely wrapped Simeon's forearms. Once Maxile gathered his supplies, he sat on the bed beside Simeon, allowing their sides to touch.
Glancing up at Simeon, Maxile spoke, "What are you going to do now?" Simeon laid back on his elbows before answering.
"I might go get something to eat…" Simeon said thoughtfully. "Might see if Mickey will make me something and play a game while we wait. Avery said he didn't want to leave the system until Barrett was squared away. Actually… I might also head to the bridge. I need to hop on one of the workstations. I have some leftover work to do." Maxile appreciated the work shared by the crew. Although everyone had their defined role on The Atlas, the crew still wore multiple hats in their responsibilities.
"Yeah, I need to go check on everyone else," Maxile said, mentally listing the crewmates who explored the warship. "Once I'm done, I'll follow up with Barrett."
"Thank you," Simeon praised, holding his forearms out to Maxile. "I like your bedside manner a lot more than Eddie's." Maxile snorted as he rocked into a standing position
"Keep on giving me extra work, and we'll see how my bedside manner maintains," Maxile warned, his smirk giving him away. Simeon raised his hands in surrender.
"I get it, I get it! I'll be more careful!" Simeon promised. Exiting Simeon's room, Maxile silently hoped Simeon broke his promise. Maxile didn't turn a blind eye to his minor infatuation with Simeon. However, he maintained a professional distance with his feelings for the sniper.
As Maxile traveled through The Atlas in search of Avery, he considered his crewmates' downtime. When Constellation didn't have an active job or wasn't preparing to travel to the next system, the crew found time for themselves. Some would take personal time with their hobbies. Sarah often spent her downtime in the room outside of the brig. The vice-captain frequently made jokes that she was a 'plant mommy.' She decorated the room with multiple ferns, flowers, and alien plants she cultivated from life-sustaining planets. She had even outfitted the room with unique lights for her plants to photosynthesize. Maxile found it ironic how beautiful the room was, being so close to the brig. Had they ever had to place someone in the brig, their prisoner would have the pleasant experience of a small garden outside their cell.
On the other hand, others found time to catch up on whatever work they had to do with Constellation. Barrett and Vasco would generally be in the cargo bay, diligently working on maintaining The Atlas. Maxile felt like Avery never took time for himself. He always had Constellation at the forefront of his mind. When he wasn't searching for the next artifact, he evaluated the crew's well-being and merriment.
Stepping into the mess hall, Maxile found Mickey and Andreja. The two sat at one of the tables, conversing over recent events on The Atlas. Initially, he was apprehensive of the two, but Maxile's relationship with them grew over time. Although, he still received a small amount of pettiness from Mickey…
"Cook, I don't understand. You are fat, but I have seen you show more physical prowess than some of our other crewmates." Andreja remarked, shoving a forkful of food into her mouth. What the hell did I just walk into? Mickey didn't seem to mind her backhanded compliment.
"Thank you, Andreja!" Mickey exclaimed, resting his arms behind his head. "A person of my caliber has to keep others on their toes." Everything was a competition to Andreja. Someone always had to be the smartest… The strongest… The quickest… Maxile honestly admired the woman. She was confident and beautiful and always made sure to get to the point of any matter. Maxile continued to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Yes…" Andreja agreed thoughtfully. "You would probably rank number three on the crew regarding power." Where is she getting this ranking from? How is Mickey so high?
"I'm assuming you're number one?" Mickey guessed, a sly smile forming in his expression.
"Of course! No one on The Atlas can outmatch my hand-to-hand combat." Andreja responded confidently. Before Maxile could sneak back out of the mess hall, Andeja's eyes flitted over to him. "Ah! Number eight! Were you looking for me to practice more combat techniques?" Number eight!? I'd rather her just call me 'little nurse.'
"I thought the aura in the room had dropped," Mickey commented, throwing Maxile a glance over his shoulder. "Tell me, Maxile, when will you wear more fashionable clothes than those scrubs you insist on? Seeing you wearing them makes me want to dunk my head in the fryer oil." How… colorful.
Maxile shook his head, ignoring Mickey's remark, "Uh, no, thank you, Andreja… I was actually just looking for Avery… I'm sorry, I overheard your conversation. Did you say I am number eight!?"
"Yes," Andreja deadpanned. "Above Eddie and Cora, but below the sniper. I would position the sniper below you, but you are far skinnier than he is. The distance between the two of you is close. With more training, you will easily surpass him." Maxile felt her ranking system contained a bit of bias, but he didn't argue with her. Andreja and Simeon's relationship was definitely a confusing one. They constantly bickered and took verbal shots at each other.
"Gotcha, more training then." Maxile agreed, appeasing the woman. "I'll go check the bridge for Avery then." With a wave, Maxile left the mess hall, continuing his trek through the ship. The Atlas was very compact, especially the main floor. A small winding hallway winded between the mess hall and the medical bay; it hooked around the brig, ending at the bridge and cockpit. Opening the bulkhead, Sam, Avery, and Sarah stood on the bridge, circling the Armillary.
"There might be an artifact out in the Bolivar System," Sarah explained, actively typing on one of the workstations. Maxile ignored the bite of disappointment when he realized Simeon hadn't come down to work yet like he had said. "Well, that's what the scanner… Avery!" Sarah snapped her fingers in front of Avery's face.
"Huh?" Avery's posture straightened in the chair he relaxed in. The captain had clearly not been listening to Sarah. His thoughts were likely on the injured engineer. "Sorry, what'd you say?"
Sarah huffed in irritation, "Bolivar. Artifact." If her annoyance bothered Avery, he didn't let it show.
"Yeah, that sounds good…" Avery agreed, absentmindedly picking at his fingernails. "But. We aren't leaving until Barrett is released."
"Shit, he's always looking for a reason to get outta work. I'm sure he will milk his little bite for all it's worth." Sam said snarkily. Sam turned to the ship's cockpit, conveniently avoiding Avery's glare. Deciding to make his presence known, Maxile cleared his throat, catching the attention of the three.
"Max. How's Barrett?" Sarah asked, smiling at him. Avery sat forward, interested in Maxile's update.
"Uhm…" Maxile muttered sheepishly. "I haven't gone back to check on him yet. So Avery was the last person to see him. I was actually checking on everyone that had boarded the warship. Once I finished, I planned on going back to release Barrett." Maxile worried that Avery would be irritated that he had left Barrett alone. Still, the captain relaxed back in his chair, accepting his answer.
"I'm alright," Sam stepped forward to show his left arm. A small superficial scratch stretched across his wrist. "My 'injury,' if you wanna call it that, is nothing like Barrett or Simeon's." Maxile turned to Avery, giving him an expectant look. Initially, Avery appeared disinterested in allowing Maxile to assess his injury. With a raised eyebrow from Maxile, Avery gave in and raised his right hand up. Similar to Sam, a small scratch was etched across the back of Avery's hand. Not much could be done to either injury, just simple hand hygiene.
"Just make sure you wash your hands with soap and water. I'm sure Dr. Sotello would love the opportunity to amputate your limbs." Maxile advised, with an air of humor. Turning to leave, Maxile heard Sarah's soft voice from behind him.
"Thank you, Max."
The Atlas, Orbiting Sagan I, The Sagan System
Year 2330, August 9th
2022 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Once Maxile finished his rounds with the crew, he returned to the medical bay. Barrett was probably ready to leave. Plus, with Avery's anxiety, the captain would feel relief at his discharge. When Maxile entered the medical bay, he could sense something was off with Barrett. Maxile assessed him across the room. Barrett still lay in the trauma room, the glass walls encasing the man. Barrett wore an expression of anger, and his respirations looked faster and more profound. Maxile's pace hastened, bringing him to the trauma bay's glass door.
"Hey, Barrett…" Maxile greeted cautiously, slowly stepping into the small glass room. Something definitely isn't right… Barrett's heart rate on the cardiac monitor flashed at a heightened pace, but not enough to set off an alarm. His skin looked clammy, and the whites of his eyes had a red hue. "How are you feel-"
"Pissed!" Barrett snapped, causing Maxile to jump. "You said 'thirty minutes.' It's been a long ass time! What? Did you forget about me!? Typical healthcare worker behavior." Maxile shuffled his weight from one foot to the other. This angry behavior was vastly different from Barrett's usual disposition.
"I'm sorry," Maxile apologized, mimicking the professionalism he had obtained from his many years on The Clinic. "I was busy checking on everyone else. But I'm here now. I'm just going to check your temperature and let you go." Barrett didn't respond, his frown only deepening. Pulling the thermometer from the wall, Maxile stuck the probe under Barrett's tongue. I'm surprised he let me do it… I need to go get Dr. Sotello after this… After a few moments, Barrett's temperature was displayed on the thermometer. 104.3? How the hell is he suddenly febrile?
"Get that shit out of my mouth!" Barrett snarled, ripping the probe from his mouth. Barrett then jerked the thermometer from Maxile's hands and threw it into the trauma bay's glass wall. The thermometer clattered onto the ground. Alarms ringing caught Maxile's attention, returning his focus to the cardiac monitor. In his anger, Barrett's heart rate was now sustaining one hundred and fifty. The monitoring didn't last long. Barrett began ripping off all of the equipment attached to him. "Man, I gotta get the fuck out of here!" Barrett turned to roll off the bed but was shoved back by Maxile. Barrett's movements were a blur. With a quick elbow to his chest, the air released from Maxile's lungs. He fucking hit me!
"Dr. Sotello!" Maxile wheezed, staggering out of the trauma bay. Barrett only got louder in his frustration, continuously screaming at Maxile.
"Who the hell is yelling now!?" Dr. Sotello growled, stepping out of his office. He began barking orders once he noticed the chaos in his medical bay. "Barrett, get your ass back in bed! What are you doing?" Despite Dr. Sotello's orders, Barrett ignored him. Barrett continued to peel off the tegaderm covering his saline lock.
"Avery!" Maxile gasped into his earpiece, still fighting to catch his breath. "Help!" Barrett opened the trauma bay to leave, but Dr. Sotello firmly body-blocked him.
Dr. Sotello's voice sounded calm and cautious, "Barrett, you need to lie back down. I need to check you out-."
"I don't need to be checked out anymore! You did your damn job."
"Look at you," Dr. Sotello countered. "You're having increased work of breathing… Your skin looks clammy…" Keeping an eye on Barrett, Dr. Sotello shot Maxile a subtle look. What does he want me to do!? Leaning on a table for support, Maxile quickly looked around the medical bay. Eventually, his gaze fell on the medicine cabinet. Wait…
"Hey, what's going on?" Avery's voice rang from the doorway. Relief flooded Maxile's body when Avery and Sam stepped into the room. "Barrett, you good?"
"I've been on this fucking table for three hours! I've been ready to leave!" Barrett spat, his glare never leaving Dr. Sotello. Maxile quickly stumbled to the medicine cabinet and started sifting through the vials.
"You haven't even been on The Atlas for an hour and a half! Avery, something is wrong." Dr. Sotello said slowly, trying his best not to anger Barrett further. Avery and Sam eyed each other with concern; this kind of hostility was abnormal between the crew members. "I need Barrett back on the bed." Barrett's eyes widened in realization of what would occur next.
"Fuck. You." Barrett growled through gritted teeth. Pushing forward, he grabbed Dr. Sotello by his upper arms and roughly shoved him to the side. Dr. Sotello crashed to the floor, blood running down his arms where Barrett's nails dug into him.
"Avery!" Dr. Sotello yelled. Avery and Sam were one step ahead of him. Together, the two pushed Barrett back into the room. Maxile's shaky fingers continued to sift through the vials, his nerves only rising at the stream of obnoxious curses from Barrett.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me! Am I being arrested by my own crewmates!? Get off me!" Barrett roared at them. When Barrett attempted a swing at Avery, Sam jumped onto his back. The increased weight caused the two to topple backward onto the floor.
"Come on, Barrett," Sam grunted. "Calm down!" Dr. Sotello had recovered and entered the, now cramped, trauma bay.
"Put him on the table!" Dr. Sotello ordered. Despite their combined power, Barrett managed to put up a fight. Once he recovered, Avery slammed Barrett onto the bed and tried to hold him down. All of Barrett's extremities swung, peppering Avery and Sam. "We need to get him into restraints!" Sam had done his best to avoid Barrett's blows but was caught off guard by an open hand. A loud pop echoed in the room as Barrett slapped Sam clean across the face, scratching his cheek.
"Dammit, Barrett!" Sam screamed. Sam used his weight to hold Barrett's arms above his head. Dr. Sotello and Avery jumped on Barrett's torso and legs to keep him in place. Barrett, blinded by fury, screamed nonsensical curses.
"I'll kill every single one of you!" Barrett's threats made Maxile shudder. Having drawn up a sedative, Maxile rushed into the trauma bay. Uncapping the needle, Maxile slammed the syringe into Barrett's thigh through his jeans. "Fuck!"
"What was that!?" Avery asked through his gritted teeth. "Will it help?" With Barrett restrained by the crew, Maxile quickly started applying the straps to Barrett's extremities.
"It was Valium," Maxile answered, glancing at Dr. Sotello. "It'll take a few minutes to kick in…" The anxiety of giving the sedative without an explicit order from Dr. Sotello ate away at Maxile's nerves. What if he wanted something else given? What if I jumped the gun? Ignoring his concerns, Maxile continued to apply the restraints until Barrett was strapped entirely to the trauma bay.
Dr. Sotello caught his breath before addressing Maxile, "Good job, Mr. Deimos. However, if a situation like this arises again, we can give Ketamine instead. It works better for a psychotic episode." Maxile blinked at the physician. He's not mad that I gave him medication without an order? The Universal Board of Nursing had strict regulations about nurses maintaining their scope of practice. Giving medications without an order was well out of his scope. Slowly but surely, Barrett calmed down, eventually lulling into a light sleep. Maxile hooked him back up to the monitor and found him to still have an elevated heart rate despite his slumber.
"Eddie, what's going on?" Avery questioned, concern lining his forehead.
"I… I have no idea," Dr. Sotello admitted to the captain. "Mr. Deimos and I will do blood work and scan him with the Rad-Port. Until then, I suggest you two go get cleaned up."
"It almost reminds me of Rabies." Maxile offered, wrapping a tourniquet around Barrett's arm to start a new saline lock.
"Don't be daft, Mr Deimos." Dr. Sotello gruffed. "There hasn't been a case of Rabies in over a century. Whatever it is, I will figure it out." Maxile nodded, continuing his job. Cranky physicians will be cranky physicians, after all.
"I'll stay?" Avery asked, shooting a glance at Dr. Sotello.
As expected, he didn't get the answer he wanted, "You'll leave." Avery flinched, considering the pros and cons of refusing Dr. Sotello's order. Ultimately deciding the following argument was not worth it, Avery slunk out of the medical bay.
"I'll start spinning down Barrett's blood, Dr. Sotello." Maxile alerted the physician, only receiving a nod in response. "Do you want me to clean up where Barrett scratched you?" Dr. Sotello answered Maxile with silence. So that's a hard no. Resigning in his attempt to treat the physician, he turned to the desk to begin placing Barrett's blood work in the centrifuge.
Maxile worked with Dr. Sotello for nearly an hour and a half, attempting to diagnose Barrett's odd behavior. So far, Maxile had no clue what was wrong with the engineer. During that time, Barrett was no longer sedated. Fortunately, he was no longer cursing and screaming. Instead, he groaned and snarled incomprehensible sentences. Anytime Maxile entered the trauma bay to check on the man, Barrett tried his best to fight the restraints to lunge at him. When the attempt failed, Barrett would simply snap his teeth and growl. It's like he's a mindless zombie!
"Son of a bitch!" Dr. Sotello growled from his office. Maxile stepped into the room, giving the physician an apprehensive look. Not bothering to glance up, the physician continued to rant. "All of his titers are negative! If he caught some sort of disease, I don't know what it is. His white blood cells are elevated, but everything else is within range… All of his scans are also normal… I'm missing some-" Dr. Sotello broke off into a raspy cough.
"Dr. Sotello!" Maxile rushed to the physician, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" Dr. Sotello didn't respond to the question, only continued to stare into nothingness.
Dr. Sotello muttered to himself, sending a shiver through Maxile,
"This mysterious infection may be contagious… Mr. Deimos, you need to go check on Avery and Sam… They were injured by the same person that injured Barrett."
"But-"
"Do as I say, Mr. Deimos!" Dr. Sotello commanded. "I'm going to look at Barrett's blood under the microscope. Perhaps my own eyes can find something. We may have to return to The Clinic. The Atlas likely doesn't have the capabilities to treat Barrett." Maxile cringed at the idea of returning to The Clinic but obeyed. Turning, he quickly exited the medical bay.
The Atlas, Orbiting Sagan I, The Sagan System
Year 2330, August 9th
2218 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile thought The Atlas was eerily quiet… The starship required multiple hands to keep it running efficiently, so the entire crew rarely was asleep simultaneously. I guess I can go see if Avery is on the bridge? Maxile crept down the hallway, trying to make the least amount of noise possible. Passing the mess hall, he peeked his head in. Empty… Where is everyone? Maybe they've all gone to bed? Feeling a bit silly for his nervousness, Maxile persisted in his trek to the bridge more confidently.
Maxile cocked his head at the closed bulkhead leading into the bridge. What the hell? This is never closed… Using a bit of effort, Maxile pulled the lever, opening the hatch. The room was oddly dark. The LED lights on the workstations lightly illuminated the room. Taking a careful step forward, Maxile entered the bridge.
"Avery?" He called out into the darkness. Edging to the wall, Maxile found the light switch. Light filled the bridge, revealing Simeon. Simeon stood stone-still behind the Armillary. Simeon did not react to the lights nor Maxile's presence, only staring blankly at the Armillary. "S-Simeon?" The Armillary continued to rotate, the artifact rings occasionally blocking Maxile's view of Simeon. After what felt like hours, Simeon's eyes flicked to Maxile. Maxile could see the redness in the whites of Simeon's eyes. Oh shit… It is contagious… Before Maxile could do anything, Simeon croaked out a sickening scream. Maxile took a step back in shock.
"C'mon, why are you showing up to bother me when I have work to do!?" Simeon screamed at Maxile, taking a menacing step towards him. Simeon's eyes maintained focus on Maxile, giving him a furious glare. His menacing stare shocked Maxile. Simeon rarely wore an expression outside of a friendly one. Maxile tried to step back but found his legs were not working. "You wrapped these fucking bandages too tight! I should have just had Eddie do it!" Simeon continued his advance on Maxile, getting closer and closer. Eventually, Maxile's survival instinct kicked in. Maxile retreated back out of the bridge, Simeon following him closely.
"Simeon… Stop…" Maxile begged the sniper. "You need help, we need to go to Dr. Sotello…" Maxile's pleas didn't seem to phase Simeon. His pace only hastened. Once Maxile was fully outside the bridge, he grabbed the bulkhead door and attempted to slam it shut. The massive steel bulkhead was too heavy for him to close fast enough. A rough hand grabbed Maxile's arm and pulled him back into the bridge. Maxile was pulled inches from Simeon's face.
"You know, I heard you!?" Simeon hissed, teeth gnashing. "I heard you and Andreja talking shit about me! Her bullshit ranking… Number seven!? How fucked up… There's no way you could beat me… Maybe I should beat your ass to show you!!" Simeon screamed the last sentence in Maxile's face. Shit, this is bad… I need to do something. Maxile couldn't move, though. His nerves completely immobilized him.
"But-"
"Shut the fuck up!" Simeon roared. "God, your voice is annoying me right now. I-" Simeon's angry complaints were suddenly interrupted. A foot slammed into Simeon's chest, simultaneously freeing Maxile and knocking the sniper backward.
"I've been looking forward to this moment, number seven," Andreja taunted, taking a defensive step in front of Maxile. "Little nurse, you've been disregarding your training… Otherwise, you would have bested the pretty boy, sniper." Recovering from the blow, Simeon lunged at Andreja. Andreja easily evaded his attack and maneuvered herself behind him.
"I think he's sick! Barrett has shown the same symptoms. We need to restrain him and get him to the medical bay!" Maxile rapidly explained to Andreja. He had no idea what the woman was doing here but didn't care.
"Fuck off, Andreja!" Simeon snapped, his fury deepening when she began laughing at his anger. Taking another swipe at her, he stumbled when she dodged the assault.
"Perhaps you would have better luck attacking me from the backlines, sniper?" Andreja jeered. The two continued their dance. Simeon swiped at Andreja, and she expertly evaded his attacks.
"What the hell is going on?" A voice came from behind Maxile. Turning, he found Avery, Mickey, and Cora. Cora's eyes widened at the two crewmates fighting.
"The sniper wants to challenge my ranking!" Andreja explained, earning a puzzled look from Avery.
"Uh, no." Maxile huffed. "I think Simeon has whatever Barrett has…"
"Fuck…" Avery breathily responded once Maxile finished his explanation. "Andreja, we need to lock him in the bridge… It's the best plan… we have right now." In his last few words, Avery seemed to be out of breath. Maxile took a few seconds to assess Avery. He looked drained. Damn, they're beginning to show symptoms too… Hopefully, Dr. Sotello has figured out something…
During their brawl, Andreja and Simeon had moved further from the bulkhead. In his rage, Simeon's attacks grew faster and more relentless. Andreja now had little time to throw out taunts. She could only focus on evading his continuous strikes.
"Number three-" Andreja started before Simeon silenced her with a slap across her face. Blood oozed from a wound stretched out across her cheek. "Damn sniper!" Returning his blow with a kick to his ribcage, Andreja widened the distance between them.
"Coming!" Mickey practically sang at her request. The cook ran into the bridge and jumped onto Simeon's back, holding the man in a chokehold. Simeon's hands held tightly to Mickey's arm, and he began slamming his head backward. If Mickey was affected by the blows, he didn't show it. Slowly, the trio started backing up to the bulkhead.
"Let go of me, motherfucker!!" Simeon choked out. Once they arrived at the bulkhead, Andreja stepped through.
"Now what!?" Mickey said urgently, struggling to maintain his grip on the furious sniper.
"Release and push!" Andreja commanded. Taking a moment to gather his strength, Mickey prepared to shove Simeon back into the bridge.
"Ah! Dammit!" Mickey shouted, releasing Simeon. The cook fell onto his ass outside of the bulkhead. "That crazy bastard bit me!" Andreja took the opportunity to slam her foot into Simeon's back, knocking him forward. Avery slammed shut the bulkhead and locked it. Only moments later, Simeon could be heard on the other side slamming his fists on the door.
"Get me the fuck out of here!"
"Max, what is happening!?" Avery asked.
"Whatever bit Barrett infected him… To make matters worse, I have reason to believe you and Sam are infected too…" Maxile explained to the crew. Avery's face paled at the revelation.
"So…" Avery started but was unable to finish.
"So you and Sam are going to start showing symptoms… Likely sooner than later…" Avery's shoulders sagged at the bad news. "We need to find Sam and… quarantine both of you… Mickey has been bitten, and Andreja scratched, so they need to be quarantined as well…"
"Fuck…" Avery cursed. "This is bad… Has Eddie figured out what to do yet?"
"Not yet," Maxile admitted. "But he's still working on it."
"Where's my dad?" Cora's quiet voice piped up. Shit, I forgot she was here.
"I don't know," Avery said, looking at each crewmember in front of him. Simeon continued to bang on the door. Every clang of the bulkhead visibly jolted Avery. During their conversations, Simeon had told Maxile about their history. Simeon and Avery grew up together in New Atlantis. Essentially, Simeon is Avery's closest friend. Having to capture his best friend probably killed Avery on the inside. "How long do you think we have, Max?"
"Well, you and Sam had light scratches from earlier. You look pretty exhausted just standing there… So I don't think very long." The more Maxile illustrated, the more helpless the captain appeared. "Andreja and Mickey probably have longer before they show symptoms."
"Excuse me!?" Mickey exclaimed. "I have a clean bill of health!" Maxile rolled his eyes at the dubious chef.
"Okay, here is the plan," Avery began, ignoring Mickey. "We go find Sam. We have two cells in the brig. Once we find Sam, we lock ourselves in the brig."
"And where does that leave us?" Andreja questioned. "If the little nurse's words are true, then we will show the same rage as him." Andreja nodded her head towards the bulkhead door, indicating Simeon.
"Uhm…" Avery said, deep in thought. "I guess you can go lock yourselves in your rooms? And hope for the best?"
"How promising," Andreja stated, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
"Well, it's the best I ha-"
A scream from deep in the ship interrupted Avery. Oh shit… Sam… The scream was definitely Sarah's. Not taking a moment, they ran towards the cry. It had sounded to be from their destination, the brig.
When they entered the brig, Maxile was met with Sarah's beautiful makeshift garden. Sarah sat in the corner, holding an injured hand. In one of the cells, Sam stood. Sam had his palms flat on the glass enclosure and screamed at the wounded woman.
"You little bitch, I know you have her!" Sam screamed. Sarah continued to stare at him wide-eyed.
"Sarah!" Avery said in concern, kneeling next to her. "What happened!?"
"S-something is wrong with Sam!" She stuttered. "I was caring for my plants, and he came in and started screaming at me… I managed to lock him in the cell, but not before he bit me." Maxile groaned at the confession. That now left him and Cora…
"Cora!" Sam growled, noticing his daughter. Cora gave her father an apprehensive look. "Open the door, now."
"Cora, step outside," Avery commanded the girl. She hesitated before obeying. Her disobedience infuriated Sam further. He progressed into screaming unintelligible sentences as she quietly stepped out of the room. Avery quickly explained the crisis to Sarah, who listened intently.
Once Avery finished, Sarah muttered quietly, "This is a disaster… What are we going to do, Avery?" Maxile felt the same way. Unless Dr. Sotello figured something out, there was no clear resolution.
"I… I don't know." Avery admitted softly.
"But… Avery, we-" Sarah started.
"I said I don't know!" Avery roared, shocking everyone in the room. When he took in everyone's concerned looks, Avery cringed and recollected himself. "Okay, I'm going to get in the other cell… While I can. Sarah, Andreja, and Mickey will lock themselves in their rooms. That leaves Max to take Cora and leave on the escape pod." Huh?
"What do you mean, leave !?" Maxile argued. "I can still do something, Dr. Sotello-"
"Maxile!" Avery exclaimed, cutting off Maxile. "Don't… fight me on this. This is my decision. You'll do as I say. I've already cost my crew, don't make me lose them all…" Maxile looked wildly between everyone. Sarah looked helplessly at the floor. Mickey leaned against the wall, arms folded tightly to his chest. And Andreja stood next to Avery, her hand placed on his shoulder. She gave Avery a regretful look, possibly reminiscing on the lost opportunities between them. Or at least that's what Maxile imagined. Stepping calmly into the free cell, Andreja closed it, locking the captain in the brig. Avery maintained eye contact with Andreja, seeming to want to admit something… But he didn't. Maxile followed the remaining crew into the hallway. The walk to the crew quarters was quiet until Sarah broke the silence.
"Max, the escape pod is in the cargo bay…" Sarah explained as she watched Mickey scale the ladder into the crew's quarters. "Take Cora and go."
"Why are we leaving!?" Cora complained, visibly shaking in fear. "Everyone is still here… Dad is still here! Don't y'all care that you'll die!?"
"Yes, we care! But, from what Maxile says, everyone is already infected… There isn't anything we can do about it without infecting others. Constellation will become what happened to the warship. You two need to leave while you can. You're both young. You still have lives ahead of you." Not wanting to argue, Sarah followed Mickey and Andreja up the ladder. Cora stared after them for a few moments before turning to Maxile.
"Are we really leaving?" She asked, giving him a concerned look.
"Of course not," Maxile said confidently. This may be stupid of me, but Dr. Sotello may have figured something out…
The Atlas, Orbiting Sagan I, The Sagan System
Year 2330, August 9th
2304 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
The medical bay was as noisy as it had been when Maxile left. The mysterious virus had reduced Barrett to a groaning tyrant, aggressively fighting to release himself from the restraints. Maxile ignored him, continuing to Dr. Sotello's office.
Keeping Cora behind him, Maxile knocked on the physician's office door, "Dr. Sotello?" A few moments passed, and… nothing. Well, that's not good. "I'm going to open the door, so stand back," Maxile whispered to Cora. Obeying, the girl took a few steps back. Air filled Maxile's lungs before he opened the door. Dr. Sotello stood in the corner of the office. He snapped his head in Maxile's direction, releasing a groan. Dr. Sotello's eyes were reddened, and he reached for Maxile. Taking no chances, Maxile backed quickly out of the office, stopping in front of Cora.
"Is he coming!?" Cora squeaked. A beat passed… Two… Three? Dr. Sotello never came out of the office. Why isn't he following me? "Max?" Cora whispered. Edging forward, Maxile peeked back into the office. Dr. Sotello stood in the corner, contorting to stare blankly at Maxile. Maxile thought the physician would scream at him but only continued to moan. Dr. Sotello's right arm continued to reach out toward Maxile while his other arm was secured to one of the bars next to the office porthole. Smart thinking…
"It's safe," Maxile notified Cora, stepping further into the office. Maxile quickly searched the office for anything Dr. Sotello discovered during his research. Eventually, he found a handwritten nurse on his desk. Picking it up, Maxile read it aloud for Cora.
Mr. Deimos,
As you can plainly see, I have succumbed to the disease. When I looked at Barrett's blood under the microscope, I found that his eosinophils were non-existent. This discovery made me question what his cortisol levels may be. When I ran that test, his cortisol was critically high. I've yet to deduce what could be causing his elevated cortisol. The fever is beginning to take its toll on me as I write this, so I fear my time is limited. I have placed Barrett's results on a slate. Please go with the remaining crew members and take the slate somewhere that can help. Good luck, Mr. Deimos. In the two months you worked under me, I found you to grow to be above average.
Dr. Edward Sotello.
By the point Dr. Sotello had written the last sentence, his penmanship was a barely legible scrawl. The fact that the physician had worked on the cure to the point of exhaustion deeply saddened Maxile. But how will I figure out what the cure is? Maxile read Dr. Sotello's letter thrice, hoping the page would reveal the answer.
"Max?" Cora asked, shaking his arm.
"We need to figure out what to do next…" Maxile explained, picking up the leftover slate from the desk. "But I'm not a doctor! I don't know what to do…" Cora pondered their situation. Great, it's me and a child left to figure out this tragedy… As if to openly defy him, Cora gave a suggestion… A suggestion that was a reasonably good idea.
"Vasco is in the cargo bay? I'm sure he can help us?" Cora suggested. That… That could work. It's better than sitting around doing nothing.
"Hey, Vasco?" Maxile called out. "You there?" A few moments passed before the robot's monotone voice echoed throughout the ship's public address system.
" Hello, Maxile, " Vasco greeted. " How may I help you? "
"Well, I assume you see the problem?" Maxile growled. Why didn't he speak up earlier?
" Incorrect, " Vasco clarified. Maxile felt his jaw drop at the robot's admission. " I can locate all humans on The Atlas. I can also view threats from other starships and scans of planets. I am unable to determine exactly what is occurring within our starship. The interior of the starship does not have cameras for me to view. Sam was extremely opposed to me watching everyone. Please explain. "
Maxile sighed, explaining Constellation's situation, "Well, everyone is infected by some mystery virus from the warship. Everyone but Cora and I that is. The infection causes them to become violent and dangerous. Dr. Sotello ran Barrett's blood work, but he still hasn't figured out what to do. We have Barrett's lab results on this slate." Vasco took a full minute before responding.
" I reached out to every crew member on The Atlas via the PA system, " Vasco said, revealing the reason for his absence. Maxile huffed, trying not to snap at the robot's distrust in his word. " Everyone I attempted to speak with did not respond. "
"Okay, well, we need help. Any ideas?" Maxile said, exasperated.
"Isn't the Sagan system the location of an old battleground?" Cora asked, piquing Maxile's interest. "What's the likelihood of biological warfare?" Why the hell didn't I think of that!?
" Potentially, " Vasco responded to Cora, bringing a smile to her face. " Maxile, please dock the slate to the nearby workstation. " Maxile wasted no time in connecting the slate to the computer.
"Good thinking, Cora." Maxile commended the girl. Her age vastly undersold her intelligence. After a few minutes, Vasco buzzed back onto the intercom.
" I have deduced the problem, " Vasco revealed. Maxile could have done a cartwheel in the joy he felt at the response. " Barrett's blood has a high concentration of metal that only seems to be multiplying. Upon further inspection, I found nanobots, which are more miniscule than I have any notes of. The Atlas would need a more powerful microscope to see them, which is likely why Dr. Sotello missed them. These nanobots were likely used over one hundred years ago during the Narion War. The nanobots cause an increased cortisol level, which will lead to increased inflammation, fever, and psychosis. "
"Awesome!" Maxile said joyfully. "So what do we do now?"
" The Atlas needs to emit an EMP blast to deactivate the nanobots. Once they are deactivated, the rest of the crew should recover. "
"But?"
" But the EMP controls are located on the bridge. " Maxile blanched at Vasco's report. Oh great, I've gotta get past Simeon…
"Wonderful…" Maxile said glumly. "So we need a plan then." I can do this…
The Atlas, Orbiting Sagan I, The Sagan System
Year 2330, August 9th
2348 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile's plan was definitely a flawed one. Vasco would keep Maxile notified of the entire crew's location. Especially when someone happened to be nearing him. Since Sarah, Adreja, and Mickey were the only ones unsecured, Maxile only had to worry about them. Cora would go to the cargo bay and wait in the escape pod. If anything were to go wrong, Vasco would launch the escape pod. Maxile had the fun task of traveling to the bridge, evading Simeon, and initiating the EMP blast.
Okay!" Maxile announced. "We all have our roles. Starting off, where is everyone currently, Vasco?" Vasco took a moment to respond, scanning the ship to pinpoint the crewmates.
" Barrett and Dr. Sotello are currently in the medical bay. Avery and Sam are in the cells of the brig. Simeon is located on the bridge. Sarah and Mickey are in their rooms. " Maxile cringed at Vasco's omission of Andreja's location.
"And Andreja?" Maxile's toes curled, waiting for Vasco's response.
" She was in the crew's quarters earlier. She appears to have relocated to the door outside of the bridge. " Vasco's robotic voice deeply unnerved Maxile. Great.
"What do I do?" Maxile asked, hoping Vasco could give him an idea.
" Barrett always says that spontaneity is a virtue, " Vasco advised if one could call it that.
"You're no help."
" I apologize. "
"Shut up!" Maxile sighed in displeasure at Vasco's news. "If I lure her back into the medical bay, can you lock her in?"
" Of course, " Vasco affirmed. "I can lock and unlock any door on The Atlas remotely. " But yet you can't see anyone.
"Awesome," Maxile said, turning to Cora. "The ladder to the cargo bay is on the way to the bridge. Are you ready?"
"Not really…" Cora seemed as nervous as he did.
"Me either," Maxile admitted. "Let's head out." Peeking down the hallway, Maxile found it entirely vacant. Together, they crept down towards the bridge. When they arrived at where the hallway split into two directions, Maxile motioned for Cora to descend into the cargo bay. 'Good luck,' Cora silently mouthed to him before climbing the ladder. Taking a deep breath, Maxile continued on to the bridge. The anxiety of Andreja waiting for him slowed his steps. It made every step feel like it took an eternity. Peering around the corner, Andreja stood facing the wall at the end of the hallway. I'm sure she is symptomatic… I doubt I can open the bulkhead without alerting her… Dammit, Andreja! Why can't you ever listen! Avery told you to stay in your damn room!
Maxile went through the steps he had planned to subdue Andreja. As long as he stuck to the plan, this shouldn't be a problem. Gathering his courage, Maxile stepped into view. Andreja still hadn't realized he was nearby.
Maxile took a deep breath before speaking, "Andreja!" The woman wildly turned at his call. Her torso twisted around in a way that appeared impossible for a human to perform. Once her inflamed eyes found the source of the noise, Andreja unleashed a scream.
"You!" Wasting no time, Maxile turned and ran back where he came. "You're weak!" Andreja screamed from behind him, pursuing him. Maxile ran as fast as his body would allow him to. Despite his effort, he could hear Andreja gaining on him. Her almost inhuman screams sounded closer… and closer. Maxile sprinted down the hallway, and right before she could wrap her arms around him, he ducked back into the medical bay. Stopping in the middle of the room, Maxile turned to face the doorway, only to find Andreja standing in it. She breathed heavily through gritted teeth. Each forced breath caused saliva to drip down her chin… Ew…
"Andreja…" Maxile started, his words trailing off. Talking to the psychotic woman would do him no good. Andreja took a menacing step into the medical bay.
"I'm number one!" Andreja growled, edging ever closer to Maxile. "I'll kill everyone to prove it!"
"Oh my god, Andreja," Maxile responded, rolling his eyes. "Even rabid, you're caught up on that shit!" Maxile had no idea where this flippancy came from. He had no room for attitude, and he was currently in the worst possible situation he had ever been in. Ignoring his slight, Andreja broke off into a sprint. The small room gave him no room to dodge… Not that he would ever have a chance to outmaneuver Andreja. Instead, Maxile began running along the edge of the room. As he had hoped, Andreja maintained her pursuit directly behind him rather than cutting through the center of the room. Maxile ran two laps around the medical bay, and Andreja gained the entire time. Maxile took a chance on the third lap and dived out of the room.
Maxile hit the hard floor of The Atlas, his momentum sliding him into the wall. The medical bay's door quickly shut behind him. Maxile could hear the satisfying lock of the door when it closed. Milliseconds later, Andreja appeared at the window, screaming and slamming her fists on the door.
" I have closed and locked the medical bay door, Maxile. " Vasco echoed on the PA. " I hope you are safe and uninjured. " Maxile rolled onto his back and continued taking in as much oxygen as possible.
"I'm safe, Vasco," Maxile answered. "Thank you!" Maxile took a few more precious seconds on the ground. He had planned on taking more, but Vasco's voice came back to remind him of the task at hand.
" Maxile, " Vasco announced. " I don't function as a medical robot. However, I suggest you initiate the EMP blast. The crew will likely die from their fever if not controlled. " With a groan, Maxile climbed to his feet.
"I got it…" Maxile responded, starting back to the bridge. "By the way, Vasco, will you be affected by the EMP blast?" The thought deeply unnerved Maxile. Maxile wanted to save the crew but hated the idea of harming Vasco in the process.
" Everything technological aboard The Atlas will be reset to factory condition. This includes myself. " Vasco explained, causing Maxile's heart to drop. " Smaller items, such as the nanobots, will be completely irreparable. This is a necessary action if you are to save the crew. "
"But Vasco… You'll die…"
" Incorrect. I am inorganic. I can not die. " Vasco rebutted. Maxile sighed at the robot's solemn nature. " If you are concerned about my CPU and RAM, I have created a backup file. Once the EMP is deployed, I will simply download the file. Therefore, I will be able to recall everything that has occurred up to this point. " Maxile stopped at the bulkhead leading into the bridge.
"I… I guess that'll work." Maxile said, happy that he would not be killing Vasco. "I guess I'll need to head in then…" As they had when he saw Andreja, nerves began flooding Maxile. Just on the other side of the door was a pissed-off Simeon.
" Affirmative. " Vasco agreed. " Good luck, Maxile. I have already set up the commands to initiate the EMP blast for your convenience. The only action I am unable to perform is to physically pull the lever. I have illuminated the lever you need to pull. It is located on the main workstation. "
For the hundredth time that night, Maxile took a deep breath. With shaky hands, he unlatched the bulkhead, letting it swing open. The visibility on the bridge wasn't optimal… But further in, he could see the lever. Above the lever blinked a harsh red light. That's it… I just need to get there… Maxile had yet to see Simeon, which was strange. The ship's bridge was a simple, long room. The workstations were positioned on the side of the room, with the cockpit at the opposite end of the door. In the middle of the room sat the Armillary, its rings slowly rotating, ignorant of the crisis on the ship.
Staying silent and low to the ground, Maxile edged further into the bridge. Nothing… Complete silence… A task that should only take seconds took him minutes to perform. Eventually, he arrived in the middle of the room. Placing his hands on the pedestal of the Armillary, Maxile searched the dark surroundings. Simeon wasn't here... He only had a few steps to go, then he could hit the lever. Continuing his cautious advance, Maxile made for the lever. The workstation was positioned right next to the entrance to the cockpit. Six steps away… Five steps away… Four… Three!
Maxile reached out to grab the lever. He froze when he heard a growl come from the cockpit. Maxile felt his face pale when Simeon stepped into the cockpit doorway. Sagan's light silhouetted his body, blinding Maxile. Fuck, I was so close.
"Aaaaarrgh!!" Simeon screamed before clambering towards Maxile. Maxile backed away from the dangerous sniper, his fear getting the better of him. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough to escape. Leaping forward, Simeon brought Maxile down with a full tackle. Maxile felt the back of his head slam onto the ground, causing stars to flash across his vision.
"Shit!" Maxile cursed. He attempted to crawl to his feet, but Simeon was already on top of him. Simeon far outweighed Maxile. In seconds, Simeon straddled Maxile, restraining his arms next to him. "Sim-"
Simeon silenced Maxile with an open-palmed slap across the face. Pain shot across Maxile's cheek, causing him to grit his teeth. This is it… Slowly turning his head back to Simeon, the sniper now leaned forward, preparing to bite Maxile's neck. Maxile felt a weight shift from his waist during Simeon's movement, freeing his legs. Wasting no time, Maxile quickly brought his knee into Simeon's groin, praying it would have an effect. The sniper grunted in pain and rolled off him. Taking his chance, Maxile rolled forward and clambered towards the lever in sight. I'm so fucking close!
Again, his effort was interrupted. A rough hand grabbed Maxile's ankle and jerked him back. The sudden pull caused Maxile to fall from his hands and knees into a prone position. This only lasted a few seconds before Simeon wrapped his arm around Maxile's waist. Maxile's back collided hard with Simeon's chest. He could feel the sniper's hot breath on the nape of his neck. Jerking his head back, Maxile smacked into Simeon's face. Maxile had expected to gain his freedom with this action, but Simeon's grip didn't lessen. Instead, Simeon toppled over, carrying Maxile with him. They rolled over right in front of the workstation, Maxile lying on top of Simeon. Maxile quickly straddled Simeon and reached for the lever.
"Fuck!" Maxile screamed in agony as a sudden sharp pain caught his attention right before he was able to pull the lever. Glancing down, Simeon had Maxile's forearm between his teeth. No… I'm infected now… Pain pulsed through Maxile's left arm. The sniper began to push Maxile's arm forward while pulling his head back. The pain in his forearm worsened, causing Maxile to feel dizzy. Thinking quickly, Maxile shoved his forearm further into the sniper's mouth, preventing him from ripping out his tissue. The sudden force slammed Simeon's head on the floor.
His arm was now protected from further damage, albeit worsened pain, and Maxile had another problem. He could no longer see the workstation. Using his free arm, Maxile haphazardly searched the workstation for the lever. During the madness, Maxile likely pressed every button on the workstation. Multicolored lights blinked, covering the scene on the bridge. Where is it!? A bar-shaped figure brushed Maxile's palm. Gripping it, Maxile pulled as hard as he could.
…
…
…
A high-pitched noise rang through the bridge. The pitch continued to rise until it was barely audible. The pitch suddenly dropped, causing Maxile to feel an impulse to travel through him. Every light on the ship flicked off, leaving them in absolute darkness. Simeon released Maxile's arm, causing him to collapse onto the sniper's chest.
Maxile couldn't move, the exhaustion finally taking over. He lay there for a couple minutes, his chest heaving. One by one, The Atlas's lights flickered back on. Did I do it? Maxile peered down at Simeon. His eyes were tightly closed as if in a nightmare.
"What… the fuck?" Simeon hissed after a few moments. Maxile felt relief flood his very being.
"Simeon!" Maxile cried, climbing off him. "You're okay!" Maxile leaned back against the workstation, giving the sniper a concerned look. Groaning, Simeon rolled over and joined him against the workstation.
"Shit, I feel like I had a damn fever dream…" Simeon grunted, holding his head in his hands. "I was so… angry."
"Well…" Maxile started. Everything that had happened until that point was a blur, but Maxile quickly ran through the day's events.
Simeon stared blankly, listening to Maxile's detailed explanation, "So you saved us?"
"I think?" Maxile answered, his focus on the rest of the crew. He would need to go check on everyone. Simeon suddenly gasped, causing Maxile to jolt.
"Max, your arm!" Simeon said, quickly grabbing Maxile's forearm. Adrenaline had prevented the pain in his arm up until that point. Simeon's teeth wouldn't cause any long-term damage, but he definitely broke skin. Blood oozed out of the bite mark. "Did I do that?" Simeon's eyebrows pushed together in concern.
"Uhm… Yeah." Maxile said hesitantly. He couldn't make himself meet Simeon's eyes. The man looked ashamed. "But it's okay-" Maxile paused as the sniper began pulling off his shirt to wrap around Maxile's forearm. Well, that's… unsanitary.
"I'm so sorry…" Simeon apologized, his blue eyes filled with guilt.
"I promise, it's okay, Simeon," Maxile said, attempting to cheer up the sniper. Simeon appeared to be deep in thought before responding.
"Well, I guess I can pay you black for always caring for my injuries," Simeon said, holding Maxile's forearm. The pressure of Simeon's hands certainly exacerbated the soreness, but Maxile would be damned if he asked him to stop.
"Well, I guess we have a deal." Maxile agreed, giving the sniper a shy smile.
"Alright, can someone come get me out of this damn cell?" Avery's voice suddenly came through on their earpieces, thoroughly ruining the moment. Thanks, Avery.
The Atlas, Orbiting Sagan I, The Sagan System
Year 2330, August 10th
0109 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Once the crew joined together on the bridge, Maxile could see how exhausted everyone looked. Maxile rapidly reviewed what happened with the crew and how the problem was solved. To his surprise, Dr. Sotello let out a hearty laugh.
"So you managed to solve the mystery, Mr. Deimos?" Dr. Sotello clarified.
"Well… Not just me, Cora, Vasco, and I solved it together." Maxile admitted. Cora gave him a grateful grin at his acknowledgment.
Vasco's voice echoed on the bridge, giving his own suggestion, " If this incident proves anything, cameras should be installed throughout The Atlas. This way, I can assist you further in the future. "
"I'm impressed, Mr. Deimos." Dr. Sotello responded, ignoring Vasco's suggestion. Maxile's eyebrows rose into his hairline. Compliments from the physician are extremely rare.
"Oh… Thank you so much, Dr. So-"
"Don't be dramatic, Mr. Deimos." Dr. Sotello interrupted, spoiling Maxile's excitement. "You did well, I acknowledged it, and we move on."
"Understood, Dr. Sotello," Maxile said with a laugh.
"Okay, everyone," Avery announced, catching everyone's attention. "We all owe a huge thanks for Constellation's underdogs saving us. Especially you, Maxile. What you did took a lot of courage. You've lived on The Clinic your entire life. And now you are a new recruit to Constellation; this may have made you feel like you aren't a true part of this family… Or even deserving to be here. I hope that after what you did today… Saving everyone. I hope it proved to you that you are a part of this family. Bringing you aboard was a great idea. I'm happy you are here." Maxile blushed at Avery's kind words. It didn't stop there; the crew all began cheering for him next. This worsened his embarrassment. Fortunately, Dr. Sotello put a stop to the celebrations.
"Okay, everyone, you will cause him to become arrogant!" Dr. Sotello growled, his irritation deepening when everyone began to laugh.
"You just can't let us have a moment, can you, Eddie?" Barrett prodded, deepening the physician's scowl. Huffing, Dr. Sotello turned to leave.
"I'm going to bed!"
"You did very well, number seven !" Andreja congratulated him, clapping him roughly on the back.
"The fuck?" Simeon objected, his eyes narrowing at the woman. "How did my rank get worse!?" Andreja met his glare with one of her own.
"You said that the little nurse bested you on the bridge, no?" Andreja asked, raising an eyebrow. Simeon's silence gave her the answer she needed. "You still have the training to do if you ever hope to be in the top three with me, the captain, and the chef."
"Mickey's in the top three!?" Simeon exclaimed, turning to the chef. Mickey sat in one of the workstation chairs, mindlessly checking his reflection on an empty bottle of alcohol. "How is that higher than me!?"
"Oh, Simeon, you just need more training!" Sarah jested, enjoying the irritation it brought to the sniper.
"A lot more training," Andreja added.
"I'm glad everyone thinks this was such a good day," Sam growled from the cockpit. "But Max's EMP blast completely screwed up the settings I had for piloting the damn ship. It's going to take me hours to correct it."
"He saved your ass!" Avery countered. "You should be thankful!"
"Maybe I can help!" Cora supplied eagerly. "Then you can teach me to fly the ship!"
"Teach me too!" Mickey rang from his seat at the workstation.
"I'm not teaching children to fly."
Maxile watched the crew slowly fall into a massive argument with each other. When he first joined Constellation, their banter confused him. Now, he felt he understood it better. They treated each other this way simply because they loved each other. They were all a family… They were his family.
Notes:
I've always loved the idea of zombies. Even if they're due to biowarfare. Please let me know if you see any errors? Or anything that I could do... better.
Thank you!
Chapter 9: Welcome to Rapture (Part 1) - Avery Del
Summary:
Constellation successfully obtains another artifact. While on The Atlas, they realize the artifact has been altered. Through an unfortunate turn of events, including a rash captain, Constellation is transported to an unknown world. The crew finds themselves separated in a destroyed underwater city, where everyone seems to want to kill them.
Notes:
I wanted to try to do a crossover with this series. You shouldn't have to know anything about Bioshock to be able to read this chapter... As long as my descriptive prowess was good enough. Regardless I think this was a fun chapter to write. The POV changes quite a few times. As usual if you happen to read and notice anything off, any errors, or something that doesn't make sense please let me know!
Thank you!
TW: Blood, death, cursing, suicide, deformities, thalassophobia
Disclaimer: I don't own Starfield or Bioshock
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Syrma IV, The Syrma System
Year 2330, September 12th
1745 Universal Time
Avery Del
"Holy shit!" Avery cursed as he stomped onto the bridge, their latest artifact in his hands. Sitting at one of the workstations, Avery caught his breath. "What the fuck was their problem!?"
"We stole the artifact they had been experimenting on," Simeon answered, looking equally as exhausted. One by one, the rest of Constellation piled into the bridge. "I'd be pissed too if I were them." Sam moved past them, taking his seat in the cockpit.
"What the hell were spacers doing with an artifact anyway?" Sam fussed as he instinctually programmed the ship for their next destination. Avery glanced down at Constellation's newest artifact. The spacers had attached a mysterious lock to the artifact. The lock encased the middle of the artifact and had multicolored lights continuously blinking. What were they doing to it? Obtaining this artifact was a vastly different experience than when Avery usually touched the artifact. There was no influx of power, music, or taunting voice nipping the back of this mind. Maybe this lock is suppressing its power? I need to get it off.
"Sniper!" Andreja growled, stepping onto the bridge. Oh great, here we go… "I have no clue what games you are trying to play. You shot every enemy that came close to me from the backlines. You stole my kills!" Avery ignored the start of their bickering, focusing on attempting to remove the lock from the artifact.
"Yeah, you're welcome." Simeon deadpanned. "I helped you."
Andreja sputtered at his response, "I need no help from you! I'm capable of taking care of myself. You should focus on worrying about what goes on in the backlines of battle, where you normally stay."
"I have a rifle, Andreja." Simeon retorted. "I'm the most effective in the backline." By this time, the entire crew had entered the bridge. Silently, they watched Simeon and Andreja's verbal exchange. Their banter is an ongoing occurrence on the ship; typically, the crew watches them argue for sport. Eager to introduce the next artifact to the Armillary, Sarah interrupted them.
"Okay, Okay," Sarah soothed, attempting to calm them. "That's enough, you two. This rivalry between the both of you almost jeopardized the mission." The two crewmates in question gave Sarah a look of disgust."
"I did not!"
"When!?"
"Maybe when you two stopped in the middle of everyone shooting at each other to argue about who shoots where?" Barrett supplied, taking a seat at one of the workstations. Simeon shot a smirk at Andreja.
"Yeah, that was you," Simeon growled, meeting Andreja's glare.
"Simeon," Barrett continued. "You're no better. In the middle of the fight, you marched over to her and demanded a 'thank you.'" Now Andreja returned Simeon's smirk.
"I swear if your constant bickering gets one of you shot, I won't be helping you." Eddie threatened. Eddie had been the last of the crew to arrive at the bridge. He gave Avery an expectant look. During this altercation, Avery still hadn't managed to remove the lock from the artifact. What the hell is this thing!?
"Alright…" Avery grunted, trying to pull the lock off. Despite his power, he was unsuccessful. "I'd love to add this to the Armillary… But I can't get the damn thing off!"
"Just break it?" Maxile suggested as if Avery hadn't been trying to for the last five minutes.
"Yeah, didn't think about that," Avery said, irritation filling his voice. After failing to pull off the lock, Avery resorted to bashing it on the side of the workstation.
"Uh… Is that safe?" Sarah said apprehensively. Avery ignored her warning and continued to try to break the lock. A few solid blows later, a spark flew from the lock.
"I think I'm getting somewhere," Avery said with gritted teeth. The crew circled around him, watching for his succession… or failure. I swear it will be so satisfying when I destroy this stupid thing… Lifting the artifact high, Avery brought it down a final time onto the side of the workstation. The second it hit, a loud chirp echoed on the bridge. The chirp transformed into a high-pitched beep. Avery stared at the artifact, convinced he still hadn't managed to break the lock. Until he felt an impulse from the artifact… The impulse started weakly, then crescendoed in power. A bright light came from the artifact enveloping them. The last thing he heard before everything faded to black was his crew's surprised gasps.
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Edward Sotello
Edward's eyes fluttered open, the blurry ceiling eventually forming from where he lay on the ground. What did that idiot do? Once the room stopped spinning, Edward became abruptly aware that he was lying supine in a partially submerged room. A strange liquid came up to his ears, thoroughly soaking him. Sitting up with a jolt, Edward wildly looked around the room, attempting to find anything that would clue him in on his location. The Atlas… Home was a thing of the past. He had absolutely no idea where he was. Ignoring the chronic pain in his knee, Edward crawled into a standing position. The mysterious room he was in appeared to have a clinical basis.
Despite its low light, Edward could make out the marble walls. Glancing down at his feet, he found his feet submerged in water. Lovely… He could see stairs leading up to dry land just to his right. Wasting no time, he stepped up the stairs into the next room. Fortunately, the room provided much more light, giving him a better clue of his location. Familiar square doors lined the wall, two stacked on each other and three along the wall. This is a morgue's cold room… How the hell am I in a morgue!? The rest of the room had a preparation table, a sink, and embalming supplies. Edward scoffed at the splatters of blood on the floor and the table. This cold room is everything but sterile… Edward turned to the room's only doorway.
"Avery?" Edward called down the dark hallway… His call was met with silence. A loud bang from one of the morgue lockers caused him to jump. Edward spun around and backed to the opposite wall, keeping the locker in his view. "Whatever game you are attempting… I will not tolerate it…" Edward's threat fell loosely. One of the upper lockers slowly opened, and a shrill creak filled the air. Once the locker was fully open, Edward saw a pair of feet lying on the cadaver cart. Edward's heart picked up speed as the cadaver cart slid out of the locker, eventually stopping. A brown tarp covered the cadaver, only exposing his shoe-clad feet.
Suddenly, the cadaver sat up, the tarp falling from him onto the floor. Edward attempted another step backward but met the wall. The man was dressed in a white lab coat stained with dried blood. A face mask covered his deformed face. Slowly, the man climbed off the cart, facing him.
"You're crawling with disease," the man's raspy voice sent shivers down Edward's spine. Brandishing a scalpel, the man took another menacing step towards Edward. "A doctor cleanses diseases…" There is no way this man is a physician…
" I'm crawling with disease? Look at you!" Edward challenged, doing his best to ignore the fear paralyzing his legs. The closer the man got to Edward, his tattered uniform became more visible. It looked like he had worn the same clothes for the past year. Edward knew he couldn't outrun him… Nor could he fend him off. This will be a hell of a way to die… Dying to a physician imposter… In an indeterminate location…
"You're sick!" The deformed man growled, stepping even closer.
"Go to hell!" Edward roared back, refusing to break away from the man's glare.
"Eddie!!" A voice sang from the next room over. You have got to be kidding me… "I'm here!" The sound of footsteps crescendoed until Mickey barrelled into the room. Relief began to flood Edward, causing him to quickly push it back down. Mickey flew past him and tackled his assailant. The two of them slammed into the rows of lockers, their collision causing them all to swing open slightly. Mickey grabbed the man's head and slammed it into one of the locker doors repeatedly. Mickey suddenly grabbed the man's waist and hoisted him up. Throwing him back onto the cadaver table, he shoved the cart back into the locker and slammed it shut. Before Edward could register what was happening, Mickey dragged him out of the room by the wrist.
"Mickey!" Edward complained, trying to stay on his feet. The two ran through what appeared to be the morgue's viewing room. Before Edward was whisked into the next room, he noticed the room had wooden floors and contained tables, couches, and other comforts. When Mickey stopped his trek, they were in a sizeable hospital-styled lobby. The room was in utter disrepair. Dirt and dried blood covered the tile flooring and walls. Grungy signs gave directions to what the mysterious hospital provided. 'Surgery,' 'Twilight Fields,' and 'Dandy Dental' were painted on the walls with arrows pointing in their directions. Turning to the main wall they stopped at, Edward found a large neon sign that read, 'Medical Pavilion.'
Once they had caught their breath, Mickey wheezed, "I woke up here… I was lying in a disgusting puddle of blood. I was looking around until I heard you yell. We have got to find a place to get a drink… I really need a sip of whiskey…"
"Mickey…" Edward sighed, massaging his temples. "We have no time for drinks. How the hell did we even get here!?"
"I don't know!" Mickey responded. "One minute I was admiring my beautiful reflection on a bottle of Bayu Private Reserve. The next I was… here." Edward found that words failed him.
Deciding to ignore the foolish chef, Edward continued to explore their surroundings. Rounding a corner, another shocking sight stopped him in his tracks. Three large photos of a woman were taped to the wall. They were edited with a red marker, illustrating the cosmetic changes that would be made to the woman. The woman was beautiful… But whoever made the edits thought otherwise. 'ABOVE ALL DO NO HARM - J. STEINMAN' was scrawled in the same red ink on the ground.
"I'm assuming we are in some facility called the 'Medical Pavilion,' at least; that's what the signs say," Edward explained to himself rather than to Mickey. "But that still doesn't explain where we are…"
"This is a hospital?" Mickey said, leaning in closer to the photos on the wall. "I don't think it's up to code… Hey! Do you think they do bariatric surgeries? I could stand to lose a few-"
"Mickey, shut up!" Edward snapped, effectively shutting down Mickey. Of all people to get stuck with… "This is all Avery's fault! Fooling with that damn artifact!" The rustling of paper caught Edward's attention. Towards the edge of the room, he found a dirty newspaper. Edward picked it up to read through it, sighing when he felt the chef reading over his shoulder.
Rapture Tribune
December 4th, 1958
Dr. Steinman's groundbreaking strides in Rapture's surgical department!
It's no secret that Dr. Steinman is a valuable asset to the underwater utopia: Rapture. Since his arrival to Rapture, Dr. Steinman has continued to provide for the citizens. Too ginchy for a gallbladder? The profound physician has no qualms about removing it! Did you indulge yourself during thanksgiving? Dr. Steinman can take off a few pounds! Any unfortunate mishaps from the use of ADAM? Dr. Steinman can fix that. The Medical Pavilion's surgical unit offers so much to the city of Rapture. The facility boasts the newest medical techno-
"Hmm…" Edward hummed thoughtfully. The poor condition of the newspaper didn't allow him to finish the article. The article only brought forth more questions rather than answers. "So the overseeing surgeon is Dr. Steinman… If you can even call this place a hospital… Where the hell is Rapture? And what the hell is ADAM? Underwater utopia? And most concerning… This newspaper is dated 1958… This facility is definitely run-down, but there is no way it's more than three hundred years old. The lights wouldn't be functioning…" This isn't good… We need to find the rest of the crew.
"Maybe if we find this Dr. Steinman, he can take out my gallbladder, too."
"You need to worry more about your liver, you alcoholic moron." Edward fussed, waving off Mickey. Continuing back into the main lobby, Mickey trailed closely behind him. The facility looked horrendous. The only inhabitant they had met was the crazed physician. Edward hoped they wouldn't run into anyone else. Edward stopped short when they arrived at a window.
"Oh my god…" Mickey muttered. Outside the facility wasn't the landscape of a moon or a planet… A massive cityscape decorated the area before them. Lights enhanced the skyscrapers. Edward could see glass tubes connecting the buildings. Most concerning to him were the schools of fish that swam between the cities. Seaweed and other plant life decorated the dark sandy areas at the ground levels.
"We're in an underwater city…"
????????, Rapture
Year 1958?
?????
Andreja De'la
"Guys!" Andreja's eyes flew open at the sound of Avery's unmistakable voice. His voice rang all around her, seemingly on a PA system. "This is Avery. Keep your guard up. Somehow, the artifact transported us into the past to an underwater city called Rapture. The year is 1959… Assume that anyone you meet is an enemy. Find a map and find a way to a place in the city called Neptune's Bounty. Stay safe… I'm sorr-" Avery's announcement suddenly cut off, and a deafening silence followed. Chaos only follows the artifacts…
Andreja gave her surroundings a thorough evaluation. She sat on a grassy knoll with trees and foliage surrounding her. High ceilings were above her, dotted with massive lights, likely providing the trees with necessary energy. There is no possibility we are underwater. To the left of her lay Sarah, still unconscious. Leaning over, she gave the woman a good shake, lifting her from her slumber.
"Wh-what?" Sarah muttered, sitting up. Sarah gave their surroundings the same disbelieving appraisal before turning back to Andreja. "Where are we?"
"Apparently, after Avery's treatment of the artifact, we were transported to an underwater city called Rapture," Andreja explained, skepticism coating her voice. "The artifact sent us back to 1959… Avery somehow got onto a PA system and ordered for us to rendezvous at a place called 'Neptune's Bounty.'" Sarah stared at her blankly before cradling her head in her hands.
"I told him to be more careful!" Sarah's voice was muffled in her palms. Andreja rocked herself into a standing position and unholstered her gun.
"Correct. But the time for regrets has passed. We need to continue on." Andreja carefully eyed Sarah as she crawled to her feet. "Perhaps the further we explore, the more we can figure out. Avery also said that anyone we meet should be considered an enemy." Despite their rocky beginnings, Andreja trusted Avery's word. Although his claim of an underwater city would need to be seen with her own eyes. Sarah suddenly pointed at a neon sign. It flickered through the overgrown foliage.
"Welcome to Arcadia's Tea Garden," Sarah read, cocking her head to the side. "Arcadia… We should continue on and see if we can find a map." Sarah started walking to a cobblestone path that led further into the Tea Garden. Andreja continued after her, not wanting to be left behind. Not much for beauty, Andreja could admit to the tranquility of the garden. Among the trees and other foliage, cobblestone paths lay, and a small creek bisected the room. Underneath the neon sign, a large magnificent door sat. A small staircase led up to the door. On either side of the door, there towered large trees. From what she could tell, this was their only path forward. Andreja knew that the garden's beauty mocked her; a facade for a darker presence lay underneath.
"May the giant serpent guide us…" Andreja muttered to herself. They followed the path to the door until a childish giggle came from behind them. Andreja swirled around, her Novalight pistol aimed at the laugh. She found a small girl standing before her. The child stared back at her… The child was unnerving… Her eyes had a faint yellow glow, and she stood barefoot in the middle of the path. Her tattered dress fell down in waves. In the girl's hands was what appeared to be a weapon. It looked like a giant syringe filled with a red substance. "Who are you?" Andreja took another step forward, keeping her pistol trained on the girl.
"Andreja!" Sarah touched Andreja's forearm, bringing her weapon's barrel away from the girl. "She's just a child!"
"We don't know what she is…" Andreja countered. "You tell me that child doesn't disturb you!" Sarah faltered momentarily, breaking eye contact with Andreja and kneeling to the child's eye level.
"Hello." Sarah greeted. Andreja rolled her eyes at Sarah's empathy. "I'm Sarah. And you are?" The girl only stared back, her eyes glowing a pale yellow. Andreja couldn't even distinguish her pupils.
To Andreja's surprise, the girl responded, "You don't have any ADAM for me…" The girl seemed genuinely disappointed.
"Adam?" Sarah questioned. "Can you take me to Adam? Or may-"
"We have no time for this!" Andreja snapped, causing the girl to jump. Pointing her pistol back at the girl, Andreja demanded an explanation from the girl. "Who are you? Where are we? You have three seconds before I vaporize-"
The girl interrupted her with a shrill, continuous scream. The scream had an inhuman tone to it. It was loud enough to cause Andreja to lose focus and cover her ears. What is this girl?
"Andreja! You should have been more patient!" Sarah complained over the girls screaming. "What do we do… now?" The girl's screaming suddenly ceased. She now wore an expression of happiness. She looked past them to the door behind them.
"Mr. Bubbles! You're here…" The girl whispered. "Kill them." The child's demand sent Andreja's survival instincts into overdrive. Swirling back around, Andreja's breath hitched at the abomination standing before her. A man wearing a colossal armor-clad diving suit blocked the door, leaving the Tea Garden. Its right arm ended in a sharp, rusty drill. While its left arm ended in a large gloved hand. The being's helmet had several glass holes that should have allowed Andreja to see the face of the man in the diving suit. However, she could not see anyone; only a harsh red light emitted from the holes in the helmet. A deep groan came from the creature, and slowly, its drill began to spin. Andreja took action when the giant diving suit poised to launch an attack.
"Achhh!" Sarah cried when Andreja shoved her to the side. Andreja fell backward into the creek, narrowly avoiding the creature charging past them. Attempting to recover, Andreja wiped the water from her vision, aiming her pistol at the thundering footsteps. Once she could see, the creature was positioned over the little girl as if protecting her. Andreja glanced quickly at Sarah, who had also recovered, and aimed her gun at the beast.
"I doubt our bullets will affect this… thing," Andreja said darkly. "We need to figure out how we will kill it…" Sarah scoffed at her suggestion.
"We need to escape," Sarah growled. The diving suit's vision ports still maintained their hostile red color. "Let's back up through the door."
"And if it follows?" Andreja retorted. "What then? We need to kill it." We have no time for arguments; we need to make a plan. The creature didn't give them any opportunities to converse, crouching for another charge. Seeing the change in its body's positioning, Andreja opened fire, followed shortly by Sarah. The diving suit-clad monster began to stomp after Andreja, their bullets falling uselessly to the ground despite achieving contact.
Another deep groan echoed from the monster as it lunged at Andreja. Andreja dived out of the way again, barely missing its deadly drill. A loud crash could be heard as the beast barrelled into one of the trees next to the door. The tree shifted and began to snap from the suit's colossal weight. Ignoring the pain from her dive, Andreja rolled onto her back and unloaded her pistol into the diving suit. As before, the bullets made their mark and then fell to the ground harmlessly.
Shrugging off her attack, the creature turned to her and wrapped a giant fist around her ankle. Her perception swam as she was hoisted upside down, staring directly into the diving suit's viewing ports. I can't see anything… There isn't any man or woman in this damned suit!
A menacing drill suddenly filled her vision, only inches away from her face. The creature couldn't be beaten… It was nearly twice her height and contained much more manpower than she could ever muster. Andreja would never accept her death as a possibility, even when the odds were stacked against her. The second the creature reared back to impale her with its drill, Andreja swung her body up to grab the fist that held her ankle. The whir of the drill buzzed underneath her, causing a groan of irritation from the creature. Using her free leg, she kicked out at the creature's helmet with all of her might, causing it to release her. Andreja crashed to the ground, landing in a prone position. It stumbled backward a few steps, wavering its arms to balance itself.
"Hah!" Sarah screamed as she ran into the creature's midsection. Sarah didn't have much power behind her. However, she had just enough to fully offset the creature's balance. It stumbled a few steps backward until falling onto the damaged tree. The tree creaked, groaned at the pressure, and started leaning towards the door. Andreja was quickly jerked to her feet by Sarah and pulled through the door. The second they had entered the door, the tree crashed to the ground, blocking their exit and the creature's pursuit.
Andreja took a moment before complimenting Sarah, "Quick thinking on your part, Sarah. This-"
"This was your fault, Andreja!" Sarah scolded her. Andreja felt taken aback by the angry look Sarah threw her. "For whatever reason, that… thing thought we would harm that girl. That's why it attacked us. You need to focus on the big picture, not getting the next kill. This is exactly what happened between you and Simeon earlier." Andreja didn't usually back down to anyone… But the vice-captain could make anyone feel two inches tall. Regardless, Andreja refused to back down.
"Kill or be killed," Andreja argued. "That will always hold true no matter our situation!"
"All these years together, you still have a solitary way of thinking. Your actions affect everyone!" Sarah continued, her glare maintaining. "We are a team."
"I…" Andreja faltered. Before Constellation, Andreja had only ever had the House Va'ruun. In the House Va'ruun, everyone tended to keep to themselves, never offering much support to one another. Andreja had just grown used to handling situations herself. "I suppose you are right. I will attempt to be more thoughtful of our crewmates." Sarah arched an eyebrow in surprise. Andreja rarely conceded.
"Well, we are alive… That's all that matters." Sarah conceded as well. "Now we just need to-" Sarah stopped short, her gaze rising to the ceiling. As Sarah stared at the ceiling, a magnificent blue light fell on her face. Following her eyes, Andreja found giant windows on the ceiling of the room they arrived in. Water… Avery wasn't lying… We are in a submerged city… Light filtered through the ocean above them, grazing their faces. Andreja could see the shadows of fish swimming above them. Where in the Settled Systems are we? Andreja thought to herself, glancing away from the windows. In front of them was a large map of the area they had been transported to.
"Sarah! A map!" Sarah's attention to the windows waned at Andreja's claim. Locating the map, the duo hurried over to it. The map was positioned against a wall and appeared to show two locations. One map had 'Rapture' written above it. That map showed the entire area of Rapture. In the corner of the map was written 'The Atlantic Ocean.' Where is this ocean? What planet are we on? The other map had the title of 'Arcadia.' Dozens of faded posters advertising the area surrounded the map.
"We are definitely at the bottom of an ocean…" Sarah said as she looked over the map. "Arcadia… Look! Here, it says there is a bathysphere station." Sarah tapped on the map to enunciate her point.
"What's a bathysphere?" Andreja asked. Sarah took a moment before responding. She has no idea.
"No idea," Sarah admitted. As I expected. "But it says 'station.' So it may be similar to a transport station. The only issue we have is how far away it seems to be... There's a higher potential we run into more enemies."
"We have no other alternative; let's go find everyone else." Andreja agreed and began walking toward the station. And may the celestial serpent have mercy on us all…
????????, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Cora Coe
"Where is this little bitch hiding it?"
"I can't believe our stroke of luck! A little sister… Just out here in the open, no metal daddy to be seen."
"I just want a taste of the ADA-"
"Back the fuck up! We split it… We can split it three ways…"
Cora moaned, her head spinning in every direction imaginable. What happened? Her eyes fluttered open, finding three blurry figures standing over her.
"So she's alive? No matter, we can kill her." In her haze, Cora could barely understand the conversation.
"Dad?" Cora whispered, her voice coming out scratchy.
"Sorry, love. No daddies here, just us."
Slowly, her vision cleared, and her senses returned. The putrid smell of fish filled her nose. The forms standing over her became more visible. Cora's breath hitched at the sight of the three strangers. Their faces were deformed. They stood over her, each carrying a menacing grin. One of the men held out a knife. Cora took a deep breath, a scream forming in her throat-
WHAP!
Pure pain erupted across Cora's cheek when the man slapped her, stifling her scream. Holding her stinging cheek, Cora looked up to meet the man's eyes.
"None of that, love. We don't need you calling your daddy. " The man finished with a hearty laugh, the others joining in. Is my Dad here? Cora took a chance and looked around the room they were in. An intricate wooden surface was underneath her. Piles of dead fish lay all around her. Among them were fishing supplies, hooks, nets, and diving suits. A large window extending along the room caught her attention. Outside, she could see the ocean depths… I'm not on The Atlas…
Another man inched closer to her face, "Where's your ADAM, little girl?" Cora's heart picked up speed, her pupils dilated, and her breathing doubled. Her survival instincts were in overdrive.
"I… I don't know what AD-" Cora flinched when the man raised his hand again.
"I'll level with you, love. We are going to kill you and take every… drop… of ADAM…" The man inched closer and closer to Cora's face with every word. Hot tears began pouring from her eyes. Despite her childish action, the men cruelly laughed. Where is Dad? What's happening? Am I going to die? What are they going to do to me? Why hasn't Dad saved me!? Her tears rapidly turned into sobs. She tried to beg for her life, but her words wouldn't come out the way she needed them to. The strangers' cackles only grew at her despair, circling in closer to her.
"No!" She cried, trying to push them away. This became ineffective when one of the men pinned her arms back. One of the men stood over her and slowly raised the dull knife above his head. By this point, her breaths were ragged; every exhale came out in a wheeze. Before the man could bring the knife down, a loud groan echoed in the room they were in. The men instantly froze.
"What was that?"
"Hurry up, you idiot! Something's coming!" Cora's head wildly rotated in search of the noise. The darkness of the room shrouded anything that might be nearing.
"Okay, just hold her st-"
BOOM
A loud crash sent splinters of wood past them. Whatever it was, it had arrived behind Cora. The men looked up and quickly scrambled off her. Despite their disfiguration, Cora could see the fear in their wide-eyed expressions. Silence enveloped the room. Slowly, Cora sat forward on her elbows. A bead of sweat dripped from her forehead. The men had completely forgotten Cora's presence at her feet, instead focusing on whatever was behind her. Boom. Boom. Boom. Cora could hear the sound of her heartbeat between the loud footsteps coming up behind her. Swallowing the sob she held, she turned to look at whatever scared the grown men in front of her. A giant diving suit towered over her. A rusty drill, dripping with blood, was attached to its right arm. The diving suit stood over her, and a red light shone from the portholes on its helmet. The man in the suit reared back, unleashing a mighty roar.
"Shit, the bitch's big daddy is here!" One of the men screamed, barely audible over the roar. Finding her arms and legs, Cora rolled over and scuttled away from between them. She moved just in time, and the diving suit launched at an insane speed towards the three men.
"Gah!" One of the men screamed as his abdomen was pierced by the suit's drill. Blood completely saturated the floor underneath him. Cora frantically searched around for a place to hide, and eventually, she found a wooden chest. Screams of the men grew in volume behind her as she ripped open the chest and dove into it. Her back felt slick, and the smell of fish worsened in the chest. No matter how hard she pressed her palms to her ears, it didn't stop the noise of the men dying only a few feet from her. After a few moments, the sound of death ceased… It was silent… What's happening!? Where is my Dad!? I want my Dad… I wan-
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The diving suit's footsteps grew closer to the chest she hid in… And closer… Eventually, the footsteps stopped… It knows I'm in here. Gradually, the chest opened, a loud creak confirming that fact. The dank overhead light shined directly into her eyes, briefly blinding her. Standing over her was the diving suit. Cora turned away from it, folding in on herself. Tears poured down her cheek, unable to sob due to fear. She flinched away when a large, gloved hand patted her shoulder. Her teeth ached from how tightly she gritted them. She looked back up at the diving suit when she felt no pain.
"Wha?" She whispered. It didn't roar. Only a soothing whine came from the suit. Accepting that she wasn't dead yet, she took a chance and climbed out of the wooden chest. The diving suit took a step back and allowed her exit. She focused back on its helmet when she noticed the amount of fresh blood coating the room's wooden floor. "Uhm… Thank you? Thank you for saving me."
If the diving suit had any response to her appreciation, it didn't show it. Is it even human? Fear still struck Cora to her core, but it no longer paralyzed her. The massive diving suit dwarfed her in size.
"Uh… I need to go find my Dad…" Cora explained to the diving suit. Again, she had no clue if it comprehended her words. "Thank you aga- Woah!" She was surprised when the suit wrapped its arm around her and lifted her up. It delicately set her on its shoulder. Cora gripped one of the thin bars attached to its suit so she wouldn't fall off.
Once it had made sure she was comfortable, the suit began walking. At a snail's pace, they went into the next room. Despite its colossal size, the suit scaled the narrow stairs with ease. Is it protecting me? Or did he understand that I was looking for my Dad? Her distrust in the diving suit hadn't dissipated but slightly faltered. They walked silently until they arrived in the upper area of the room Cora had woken up in. Packages littered the wooden floors, each one with a small picture of a fish on it. A bright blue sign, ' Upper Wharf,' appeared above the area. Cora saw a map pinned to a post as they continued down the wharf. 'Welcome to Neptune's Bounty!' I hope everyone's okay… I hope Dad's okay… Shaking off her concern, Cora focused back on her new… friend.
"D-do you have a name?" Cora stuttered. The suit merely groaned in response. Her eyes traveled up and down the long wharf. It was utterly deserted. I guess small talk wouldn't hurt? "Well, I can't keep calling you a diving suit. I think I heard those… guys call you 'big daddy'… Honestly, that's kinda weird. So I'm not calling you that. You have eight ports on your helmet… So how about 'Eight,' is that okay?" Once again, the suit groaned in response. I'll take that as a yes… An awkward silence followed them as they traveled down the wharf. The idea of jumping off him and making a break for it briefly crossed Cora's mind. Cora wasn't sure where Eight was taking her, but she had a better chance of survival if she stayed with him. Eight traveled on down the wharf, silently stomping, until he stopped in front of another staircase.
"The Fighting McDonagh's Tavern…" Cora read aloud. At the top of the staircase, a giant sign showcased the bar. The bar looked in better condition than anything else she had seen. That being said, it still had some wear and tear. Cora's ears perked at voices waving in from the bar, barely audible.
"You son of… You broke my damn… … you have ADAM…" Cora paled at the mention of the mysterious ' ADAM .' I bet it's more of those crazy people…
"Now that we caught… …gonna gut you…" Cora strained to hear the voices clearly. They were obviously threatening someone. Cora gasped at the next gravelly voice.
"Fuck. You." Dad! Before common sense could grab hold of her, Cora had leaped off Eight and sprinted up the stairs. Eight groaned in surprise at her sudden movement, but she was too far ahead to turn back.
"Dad!" Cora screamed as she entered the tavern. Coming to a dead stop, Cora's jaw dropped at the sight before her. Four men similar to the ones she met on the wharf had her Dad restrained to a chair. Sam glanced up at her, his face bloody and beaten. His eyes widened when he realized who had joined them.
"Cora! Get out!" Sam demanded. Cora took an uneasy step back. If she leaves her Dad, he will surely die… If she stays… they will die together. What do I do!? Cora's terror soared to its previous level.
"Eh! A little sister!" One of the men exclaimed. In fact, he almost jumped for joy at the sight of Cora. "Where's your daddy?" This again... What is he talking about?
"Shut up and grab her!" Another man snapped. He had the most horrifying disfigurement compared to the other three. Giant red welts completely overtook the right side of his face, and the swelling covered his right eye.
"Leave her alone! Cora, run!" Sam begged. Cora glanced down at her legs. They felt completely paralyzed. She didn't want to die… She didn't want her Dad to die… The man wrenched her forward by her arm, snapping her back into reality.
"Eight!" Cora screamed. This earned a low groan from outside the tavern. As the men before, their assailants froze. They are all scared of Eight… Heavy footsteps boomed from outside the tavern. She could feel every footstep in her chest. In his shock, the man released her arm. Cora dove to the side just as Eight burst into the room. He was too wide to fit through the door and broke the doorframe during his entrance. Eight crashed through the men, knocking Sam over in the chair during his charge. The men all started jumping on Eight but failed to do any damage. Eight reached back, peeled one of the men off his back, and effortlessly threw him across the room.
The floor scuffed her elbows and knees as she crawled to her Dad, who remained restrained to the chair. She silently prayed that Eight wouldn't step on her during his brawl. One of the men landed in front of her with a loud crash before being pulled back by Eight.
Once she arrived, Sam muttered, "Cora..." The deafening sounds of the battle around her made her shiver, but she focused on Sam's bindings.
"Dad, wha-"
"AAAAAAAGHHH!" One of the men screamed as Eight's drill obliterated his stomach. A thump followed after he fell to the ground lifelessly. Shaking off the sounds of horror around her, Cora continued her task.
"What happened?" Cora asked. The first knot on Sam's right arm came untied, allowing him to assist her with his other arm binding.
"Didn't you hear Avery's message?" Cora briefly paused. Message? The following binding came untied, and they made short work of the rest of his restraints.
"What message?"
"Avery sai- Shit!" Sam quickly wrapped his arms around Cora and rolled over. Sam rolled them out of the way just as Eight fell backward, crushing the chair Sam had been tied to. The three men took the opportunity to jump on top of Eight and begin bashing him with various weapons. Cora couldn't take her eyes off Eight. Sam quickly pulled her back and under the tavern's bar. She felt his arms wrap around her, and together, they watched Eight continue his fight.
Once his strength returned, Eight stood up, throwing the men off him. One of the men charged him, only to bounce off his body. When he landed on the ground, Eight quickly finished him with his drill. During the rest of the fight, Cora covered her face in Sam's chest. It only lasted for a few moments before the men were quietened once and for all.
"What is that thing?" Sam's chest rumbled as he spoke. Cora felt her position change as Sam stood up. Her legs dangled to the ground when Sam started to carry her away. A loud groan stopped him in his tracks. Realization dawned on Cora. Eight is going to hurt my Dad…
Breaking from his arms, Cora stood in front of Sam. As she had expected, Eight was taking menacing steps toward him.
"Cora, get behind me now," Sam ordered, his voice low.
"Eight! This is my Dad! D-don't hurt him!" Cora stared at the monstrous diving suit, terrified of his next move. The lights in his helmet flickered from red to yellow and then yellow to green. A breath was released from her lungs once Eight's stance relaxed. He's not going to hurt him. Pooling her courage, Cora stepped towards Eight and patted him on his giant hand. "Thank you, Eight."
"Cora, get away from it!" Sam hissed.
"He's okay!" Cora responded. She felt a bit of responsibility towards Eight. He had saved her life twice at this point. "I woke up a little while ago… These people were going to kill me… But Eight saved my life." She looked back to the giant, a shy smile grazing her face.
" Who was going to kill you!?" Sam exclaimed, his face paling.
"The same kinda people that were going to kill you, I guess. Where are we?" Sam huffed at the idea of someone trying to kill his daughter but decided to move on.
"I woke up a couple hours ago. I was actually upstairs in the bar." Sam explained. "I woke up to Avery on the PA system. Apparently, we are in some sort of underwater city called Rapture. The artifact sent everyone back to 1959, and we are supposed to meet in Neptune's Bounty to escape. Shortly after, I was knocked out by these idiots and tied to the damn chair. I swear I'm going to kill Avery with my bare hands!"
"Neptune's Bounty? I saw a sign outside that read Neptune's Bounty!" Cora announced.
"Then we got lucky," Sam hesitantly stepped away from Eight as he spoke. "I read some of the posters upstairs. We definitely are already in Neptune's Bounty. Why did he want us to meet here? I have no idea."
Cora briefly considered the new information, "Maybe there is a way to escape in Neptune's Bounty?" Sam cocked his head at the thought.
"Maybe."
"Do you know anywhere we can go to escape?" Cora turned to look up at Eight. As expected, the diving suit did not answer her. It simply groaned and turned to leave the tavern.
"No clue…" Cora answered honestly. "But we are better off protected by him than fighting him." Sam nodded in agreement. The two hurried after Eight, hoping he would lead them to salvation.
????????, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Simeon Bankowski
Numbness pulsated out to Simeon's fingertips. The burning pain gradually brought him from his dark unconsciousness. What the fuck? Struggling did nothing for him. His arms were secured tightly above his head. The binds cut off circulation to his hands. His eyes fully dilated, but the darkness surrounding him still left his location a mystery. A chilling sensation ran through his body, notifying him of his exposure. Where the hell is my shirt!? Running through the facts, Simeon noted that he was restrained, had no idea where he was, and was shirtless.
"Hello?" He called out into the darkness. Silence. Deafening silence. "What's going on?" Simeon struggled to break free for a moment before sagging in defeat. The longer he stood restrained to the wall, the darker the room seemed. This lasted for a few moments until, one by one, spotlights flickered on. Each spotlight blinded him more than the next.
"You're awake!" A voice taunted from the darkness. Slow footsteps trailed his way, coming closer and closer. "I found you sleeping in Pharaoh's Fortune… You looked so… beautiful. I just had to bring you back to the main stage for all to see." The lights in the room flicked on, revealing a massive atrium. The stage Simeon stood on was set before dozens of seats. A mysterious man stood in the middle row of seats, gazing at Simeon in awe. His peeling make-up-clad face deeply unnerved him. The man had a pencil-thin mustache. The man slowly stalked his way onto the stage with Simeon.
"Uhm… Thanks." Simeon said awkwardly. "So where am I? And where did my shirt go- Dude!" Unexpectedly, the strange man brought his hand to Simeon's bare chest. His ice-cold hand slowly slid down his chest to his abdomen.
"So… beautiful…" Simeon balked at the man's glazed stare. This guy is a creep!
"C-could you please… stop?" Simeon squeaked. The invading hand abruptly left his body, sending a wave of relief through him.
"I'm so sorry," the man apologized. "I can't help myself sometimes. Anyway, you are in the magical Fort Frolic. How on Earth do you not know about Fort Frolic? It's a staple of Rapture!" Simeon's head spun at the information presented to him.
"Earth? Who even says that anymore!?" Simeon exclaimed. His face burned with irritation. "Who are you!? Where the hell am I? And where in the Settled Systems did my damn shirt go!?" If Simeon's outburst shocked the man, he didn't show it.
"Hmm," the man tutted. "Well, I am Sander Cohen, the director of this beautiful theater!" Sander flared his arms to emphasize the atrium they stood in.
"Awesome. And my shirt?"
"Details, my boy." Sander laughed. That's not a fucking answer. "Now I need to figure out what I will do with you."
"What?" Simeon deadpanned. "You can let me g-"
"Truthfully, you haven't told me your name yet." Sander interrupted. The last thing Simeon wanted to do was tell this insane person his name.
"Andreja." Simeon lied without missing a beat.
"Ah!" Sander's eyebrows lifted with acknowledgment. "How feminine, I love it. So, as you might expect, I create art. I want you to be a permanent part of my exhibit."
"Huh?"
"Andreja, can't you see?" Sander edged closer, his face inches from Simeon's. "We belong together… forever. "
A disgusted groan slipped from his mouth, "Ugh… I don't think-"
"Well, you have no choice." Sander's tone was as a matter of fact. "I think I'm going to peel your skin off and mount it above the entrance to the Fleet Hall Theater. And your muscles… Mmmm… I will keep those in my office once they are properly taxidermied. Kyle! Play us a ballad!" What did he say!?
"Yes, sir." Light music chimed from the corner of the atrium, drawing Simeon's attention to a man playing the piano. Kyle's face appeared inhumane. The left side of his face sagged in unnatural ways. His right eye bulged out. Despite his deformity, the man played with skill.
"Kyle is one of my disciples," Sander explained, drawing back Simeon's attention. Possible plans spun through Simeon's mind, each more outlandish than the next. When Sander brandished a knife from his suit pocket, Simeon knew he had to act fast.
"Uhm, maybe we can dance?" Simeon offered. Sander froze at the idea. "I love the piano…"
"Andreja! That's a great idea!" Sander exclaimed. He wasted no time in sawing at Simeon's binds. What a dumbass. How did he fall for that!? The tight binds loosened slowly, allowing blood to flow back into his fingers. His freedom gained, Simeon staggered into the middle of the stage.
"Okay…" Simeon muttered. The enormous room had only one exit, towards the back. If he were to escape, he would have to run. That plan flew out the window when he felt an ice-cold body flush against his chest. Sander wrapped his arms around Simeon's torso, resting his hands on his back. Awkwardly, they swayed back and forth to the music. This is horrible… Sander took every chance to assault Simeon. Sander's hands roamed from his back to his arms to his chest. Everywhere his ice-cold hands touched, Simeon cringed.
"Andreja…" Sander whispered, meeting Simeon's eyes. Simeon delicately pressed the palms of his hands to the sides of Sander's face. Sander closed his eyes and pursed his lips. This has to be a joke. Before Sander could realize his intention, Simeon brought his head back and slammed it into Sander's. When their heads collided, a sharp pain shot through Simeon's head. "AAAARCH!" Sander screamed in pain.
"Dammit, that hurt!" Simeon complained as he staggered off the stage. The blow sent stars into his vision. "Why did I think that would be a good idea!?" The ground below the stage came faster than he expected, causing him to land on his knees. Recovering, Simeon sprinted out of the theater.
"Get him!" Sander's scream echoed in the theater behind him. "Andreja! You will be mine! My disciples will make sure of it!" I gotta get outta here! His surroundings were a blur; Simeon sprinted blindly through the mysterious area. The further he ran, the more grim his surroundings grew. Somehow, Simeon had woken up in a run-down theater… However, there was more to the theater than he thought. The theater had other gruesome amenities. He passed through dilapidated cocktail bars, malls, and other luxuries. In his blind sprint, he didn't have the time to thoroughly assess his surroundings. He didn't miss the statues that were set up everywhere. Statues in various poses that seemed to be crafted from pure white plaster. Occasionally, Simeon would pass one of Sander's 'disciples.' The disciples looked as deformed as Kyle, their faces swollen and morphed in unnatural ways. The disciples didn't try to stop him; they seemed shocked by the shirtless man running past them.
Out of breath, Simeon propped himself on a wall. A light now shone down on him, a neon sign reading 'Eve's Garden.' Voices grew behind him, prompting Simeon to go inside the room. The stench of liquor burned his nose the second he opened the door. Empty bottles littered the floor of the room, an empty bar counter stood to his left, while several slot machines were on his right. The main stage at the end of the room had multiple bright spotlights shining on it. Directly in the middle of the stage stood a brass pole. Aw, shit, this is a strip club! A figure hung limply on the vertical pole. Simeon gasped when he recognized the figure.
"Max!?" Within seconds, Simeon had hurtled onto the stage to check on the nurse. Simeon gently lifted Maxile's face, eyes widening at the large bruise around his left eye. Despite his stimulation, Maxile didn't open his eyes. "Hey, Max!" Simeon lightly slapped Maxile's face, praying he wouldn't do further damage. After a few moments, Maxile's eyes fluttered open.
"S-Simeon?" Maxile's voice came out in a raspy whisper. Simeon's shoulders relaxed at Maxile's voice.
"Let's get you outta here…" Simeon whispered. He picked at Maxile's restraints, his frustration making the task more difficult.
"Where's your shirt?" Maxile asked, causing Simeon's face to burn in embarrassment.
"Uhm… I'd rather not talk about it right now." Simeon answered, hoping Maxile wouldn't press. "Do you remember anything?"
"Sorta," Maxile began, his eyes squinting in thought. "I woke up inside some sort of… pod. When I climbed out of it, I was ambushed by this crazy man. He wanted to know how I got the bathysphere to work. I tried to tell him that I'm part of Constellation and don't know where I am… But he wouldn't listen. I don't even know what a bathysphere is! I guess it was whatever pod I woke up in… Anyway, I kept trying to get an answer from him, but I got distracted when I looked up. That's when he punched me, and everything went black. Then I woke up here." His hands ached as he continued picking at the knots binding Maxile.
"What did you see?"
"Simeon…" Maxile's voice was breathy. "We aren't on The Atlas… When I looked up, the ceiling had this massive window… I could see the ocean and fish… We are somewhere underwater." Simeon paused to look Maxile in the eye. Bullshit… He must have been hit too hard.
"What?"
"I'm not kidding… We have to-" Maxile's eyes quickly flicked to something behind him. "Simeon!" Maxile's warning came too late; a pair of arms wrapped around Simeon's neck. No matter how hard Simeon tried to breathe, fresh air failed to enter his lungs. He released Maxile's blinds to grab his assailant's arms.
"Sander is looking for you!" A gravelly voice hissed in his ears. Fuck that; I'm not going back to that madman! Using all of his upper body strength, Simeon pulled the man over his back and slammed him down. The man landed on his back with a satisfying thud. Simeon's eyes immediately found the rifle at the man's side. The man appeared as deformed as the rest of the people he had seen in this crazy theater. Wasting no time, Simeon put the man into a headlock. Despite his power, the man still got a word in edgewise, "What Sander wants, Sander gets… We're going to find-" Simeon didn't allow him to finish. His years in MAST perfected his ability to kill a person from behind. A quick squeeze in his biceps, the man's neck snapped, killing him instantly.
"Simeon…" Maxile whispered, his mouth gaping in shock. Shit… He didn't need to see that. Simeon quickly returned to work on Maxile's restraints, removing him from the pole. The second Maxile was released, Simeon dragged him behind the club's bar. Once they were hidden behind the counter, Simeon continued their conversation.
"Have you seen any of the crew?" He asked nervously.
Maxile shook his head, "No, you're the only person I've seen. Who are these people!? Why do they look so… off."
"No idea," Simeon answered honestly. "How are we going to get out of here? Hell, where even is 'here?' Everyone I've seen, apart from you, is fucking crazy!"
"Well, maybe that pod I woke up in can take us somewhere?" Maxile suggested. "Whoever that guy was seemed pretty upset that I was in it." Simeon's head relaxed on the wall he sat against. This is a disaster… I hope everyone is okay…
"It's a start," Simeon confirmed. "I'll grab that rifle before we leave. Then I can at least defend us." Maxile didn't contribute any more to the conversation, likely as stressed as he was. Together, they sat huddled behind the bar. Maxile's body was close enough that Simeon could feel the heat from him.
"You never said where your shirt we-" A loud whine echoed in the room, interrupting Maxile.
"Guys!" Simeon instantly recognized Avery's voice. He's safe… "This is Avery. Keep your guard up. Somehow, the artifact transported us into the past to an underwater city called Rapture. The year is 1959… Assume that anyone you meet is an enemy. Find a map and find a way to a place in the city called Neptune's Bounty. Stay safe… I'm sorry-" Avery's voice suddenly cut off. They sat in silence, pondering Avery's message.
"At least we have some sort of answer…" Maxile's soft voice chimed in Simeon's ear. "Now we just have to do our part and escape... here ."
Simeon sighed, "I'll make sure we make it out, Max…" Simeon did his best to ignore the thought of the unknown enemies that waited outside. I can get us out of here… I know it…
????????, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Avery Del
The bright lights morphed Avery's vision, transforming the bridge of The Atlas into a dank room. Feeling all muscle control sap from his body, Avery collapsed to the wooden floor. Darkness waxed and waned in the corners of his vision for minutes? Hours? Avery had no clue how long he had laid on the floor before he gathered the willpower to climb to his feet. What… What the hell happened? Avery frantically looked around the room when the artifact flashed through his mind. However, it was nowhere to be found. He only found unfamiliar machinery and control panels decorating the walls.
"Fuck." Avery whispered. I fucked up… Where is my crew? Where did I end up? A stairwell in the corner of the room caught his attention. Every floorboard he stepped on creaked like an alarm. Scaling the stairs sounded just as noisy as the room he left. Avery peeked into the next room, but it was vacant. He unholstered his gun as a deep sense of unease settled over him. This isn't right… What the fuck did I do to that damn artifact!? A scream from the next room pulled him from his inner turmoil. Barrett!?
"Get the hell away from me!" Avery broke into a sprint, stealth be damned. Barrett's scream rang again from a long hallway that branched from the room he was in. Avery ran down it, not paying attention to his surroundings. The closer he got to the end, the louder Barrett's cries for help grew. The room opened up into a giant atrium. A large machine sat in the middle of the room, a walkway circling it. Gears continuously rotated on the machine while smoke came from it. Is that a generator? A figure flashed by Avery, causing him to jump. Shortly after, a group of… strangers ran by him, pursuing the figure. Shaking off his confusion, Avery squinted into the dark room. Barrett circled the walkway, running for his life. A group of deformed people chased closely behind him.
"Barrett, what the hell are you doing!?" Avery chided when Barrett made another lap around the generator.
"What does it look like I'm doing!?" Barrett screamed as he sprinted past Avery. "Having a fucking tea party!?" Barrett continued to fuss at Avery, but his voice dimmed as he circled back around the generator. Barrett's assailants maintained their pursuit, screaming and cursing at him.
"Who are they!? What're they hassling you for!?" Avery questioned once Barrett circled back. Avery patiently waited for Barrett to return for his response.
His answer was simple, "Shoot them, you jackass."
Five or six men were chasing Barrett. A few dropped to the ground when Avery unloaded his rounds into them. The others turned their attention to him.
"I know you have fucking ADAM! Give it here!" One of the men hissed at Avery. Avery cocked his head at the demand. A bit… out of context, but okay. The men brandished lead pipes and wrenches. Their faces were contorted, changing the human features that they once had into that of monsters. Portions of their faces stretched and sagged in no way a human's face should. Massive oozing whelps erupted from various areas of their skin. Large chunks of their hair had fallen out, leaving reddened bald spots. Their extremities twitched with every step they took towards Avery. What in the Settled Systems is wrong with these people!?
"Stay back…" Avery threatened, pointing his gun at their advancing figures. Avery didn't typically find himself unnerved. However, the… unnatural appearance of these people caused an unsettling feeling to paralyze him. "I don't know who Adam, Steve, or whoever the fuck you are talking about is." The men raised their weapons to attack but instantly dropped to the ground when Avery dispatched them with his bullets. Even in their death, peace didn't settle their bodies. After a few moments, Barrett arrived at his side.
"What the hell did you do to the artifact?" Barrett demanded, irritation filling his words. "One minute, we were all on The Atlas; the next, I'm running for my life from these insane people. They kept demanding Adam… What the hell is Adam?" Avery felt all of the air escape his lungs. This was all his fault… If any of his crew… Wherever they are… If any of his crew dies, it would rest on his shoulders.
"We need to meet up with the rest of the crew." Avery resolved. "First, we need to figure out where we are. I woke up about five minutes ago in a room down that hallway. From what I can tell, it's a dead end."
"I woke up an hour ago. These freaks were standing over me. I think they were talking about eating me." Barrett explained. "I tried to fight them off, but they knocked my gun away." Avery noticed the radio Barrett had clutched in his hand.
"Why do you have that?"
"This is Vasco…" Barrett answered. Annoyance flooded Barrett's expression when Avery gave him a disbelieving glance. "Hey, Vasco? Anything you can tell us?" Barrett spoke into the radio.
" No further information is available to me at this time, Barrett. Over. " Vasco's monotone voice buzzed from the radio. His words were filled with static but understandable. Great… The crew's missing, we have no idea where we are, and Vasco is a damn radio… Avery turned his attention to the generator in the middle of the room.
"Where are we?" Avery pondered, more to himself than Barrett.
"I don't think this is a starship…" Barrett answered. "If it is, there is no way it can fly, not with engineering as old as this. This is some sort of power plant… But I don't know what it's powering." Avery glanced at a sign on the wall, 'Supervisor's office.'
"Let's go ask the man in charge, then?" Avery said, pointing to the sign. Wordlessly, Barrett started in the direction the sign indicated. The duo gasped at the sight in the next hallway they stepped into. The hallway was a simple glass tube; surrounding them was an endless ocean. Underwater plant life drifted back and forth in the current. From what Avery could tell, the facility was crammed into an underwater crevice.
"Yeah, we definitely aren't on a starship…" Barrett said in awe.
"Let's keep moving," Avery ordered. "We can figure out the 'where' later. We need to focus on the 'why' for now." The journey to the supervisor's office was uneventful. The duo didn't run into any more of their disfigured friends. Blood covered the wooden floors of the facility, telling of a massive fight that had broken out before their arrival.
"Stanley Kyburz…" Barrett read aloud. The supervisor's faded name labeled the door. "This is our guy, I guess." Avery attempted to open the door, but it was locked tight. Giving the door a solid knock, they listened quietly for an answer. Light shuffling could be heard from behind the door. Well, someone's home…
"Hello?" Avery called through the door. "I'm Captain Avery… My crew and I are… stuck on your starship."
"This isn't a starship."
"Shut up, Barrett." Avery waited a few more moments before continuing. "Look, I can hear you in there. Are you going to try to kill me or not? We just need some answers…"
After a few moments, a voice came from behind the door, "... Go away…" Despite the man's strange accent, Avery could hear the fear in his voice. "I don't have any ADAM… Hephaestus is the last place in Rapture you blokes will find any ADAM. I don't know if you are Ryan's mates, but you need to leave before you lead the splicers to my door." The man, Kyburz, Avery assumed, provided more questions than answers.
"Slow down, slow down," Avery said. "ADAM? Hephaestus? Rapture? Splicers? I don't have a clue what you are talking about!? Can you just let us in so we can talk? Then we will leave, I swear."
A laugh chirped from the office, "You must think I'm daft! I'm not letting anyone in here!" Avery glanced over to Barrett, who simply shrugged.
"I guess we will have to kick the door down then." Avery threatened. "But if we do that, you won't be able to hide once we leave anymore." Avery silently prayed that his threat would coerce the man into opening the door. After a few moments, an audible noise rang, signaling the door unlocking. Avery and Barrett quickly stepped into the office, shutting it behind them. The supervisor stood in the corner of the room, gripping a paperweight. The man had a thin build and brown hair. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, but whatever trauma he had experienced aged him severely. His tattered suit was held on by threads.
"Okay, I let you in… What do you want?" The man demanded, his hands lightly tremoring.
"Calm down, man." Barrett sighed, relaxing into the man's office chair. "We are just looking for some answers."
"Let's start with introductions. Again, I'm Avery, and this is Barrett. And you are?" Avery asked. Kyburz hesitated before breathing out a response.
"Stanley Kyburz…"
"Kyburz," Avery began. "Where in the hell are we?" This question earned him a skeptical look from Kyburz.
"Hephaestus… Obviously."
"Okay, and what is Hephaestus?" Avery gritted. He was clearly going to hold this man's hand throughout the entire conversation.
"Are you having a lend of me?" Kyburz snapped. He continued to nervously glance between them. What does that even mean!?
"Just answer the damn question."
"Hephaestus. This is where all of Rapture's power is generated." Kyburz explained.
"And Rapture?" Avery urged. Kyburz's arms fell numbly to his sides. "Look, you're going to have to baby us. We don't have a clue about anything."
"Rapture is… was a utopia, built by Andrew Ryan years ago. The city was built at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, a city of dreams where one could go to be free from the constraints of modern governors. Who are you again?" Avery rubbed his temples at Kybruz's words.
"So, what planet are we on?" Avery figured this question wouldn't be a difficult one. But he discovered his mistake when Kyburz's jaw dropped.
"Are you mad? We are on Earth! Where the hell else would we be!?" Earth was made inhabitable hundreds of years ago… There is no way we are on Earth.
"Moving on," Barrett interjected. "What year is it? Just skip over your confusion at our questions and answer us."
"It's 1959." The damn artifact sent us to another time… Or dimension… Whatever it did, this is bad.
"Now what, captain?" Barrett asked Avery, giving him a concerned look. "Do you know where the artifact is? Maybe it can bring us back."
"The artifact?" Kyburz asked. Annoyance morphed his expression when he was ignored.
"I… I don't know." Avery admitted. Turning back to Kyburz, he continued. "Okay, just so we are on the same page. We are in the power plant of an underwater city called Rapture. The year is currently 1959." The mixture of concern and confusion in Kyburz's face deepened before he nodded in confirmation.
"Alright, then. What are splicers?" Barrett asked. Kyburz's demeanor suddenly changed to a nervous one.
"Splicers…" He began. "The citizens of Rapture. Once regular working men and women are now hopelessly addicted to ADAM. They work for Ryan in hopes he will supply them with ADAM. They don't care about violence… Or even about what the ADAM will do to their bodies. Whatever it takes to get their next hit."
"So those crazy bastards from earlier are just junkies!?" Barrett exclaimed. "What's so special about this ADAM shit?"
"When Ryan first built Rapture, he discovered ADAM. ADAM is produced from a type of sea slug."
"Disgusting. But continue." Barrett added.
"ADAM can allow a bloke to do anything. It can allow you to control fire, electricity, or even other people's minds. What he didn't tell us was how it fucks up your body…" Kyburz explained. "You can always spot a splicer. They are abominable…"
"Well, I guess that's why they kept demanding ADAM from me…" Barrett snarled.
"So this Andrew Ryan guy," Avery continued. "He's over this horrible city?"
"Yes…" Kyburz confirmed. "But it wasn't always like that. Rapture used to be a beautiful city full of opportunity. But Ryan wanted to keep control over the citizens. A war broke out about six or seven months ago… Everyone fought… Family, neighbors, blue collar, white collar… Rapture fell… And now we are all trapped down here." Avery sighed before leaning against the wall. How am I gonna get us outta this one?
"What next, Avery?" Barrett said, looking at Avery.
"Kyburz, we need a way out of here." Avery gave him a look of desperation. But Kyburz seemed unaffected.
"If there was a way to the surface, do you think I'd still be down here?" Kyburz deadpanned.
"There has to be something you can tell me!" Avery practically begged. Again, Kyburz seemed largely unaffected by his plea. At least until he let out a long-held breath.
"Look, there may be a submarine in Neptune's Bounty," Kyburz admitted. "I've heard heaps of rumors about a cave that illegal goods have been smuggled through. You could get there by the bathysphere, but traveling there is dangerous… If the splicers didn't kill you, then the big daddies would."
"Big daddy?" Barrett chuckled in disbelief. "That's not a thing."
"Oh, but it is, mate," Kyburz said darkly. "Tin men, created by Ryan's scientists. Violent creatures in large diving suits. They repair Rapture… They're probably the only reason Rapture hasn't fully sunk to the bottom of the ocean. If you see one, you're as good as dead. They follow around the demonic girls of Rapture. I'm guessing you don't know what that is, either. The little sisters. They carry large syringes and harvest leftover ADAM from the dead splicers littering Rapture."
"I'll be honest, Kyburz." Avery interrupted. "I don't give a shit about diving suits or little sisters. All I've heard from you is my crew, and I have a chance. This is a supervisor's office, correct?"
"Yes?"
"Excellent. So you must have a PA system that goes city-wide?" Avery began searching the office, impatient for an answer from the supervisor.
"Wait! You don't have the clearance to-" Avery stomped over to Kyburz's desk and found what looked like a PA system. Multiple tabs on the system showed different districts of the city. The final tab was labeled 'Rapture.' This must be it. Clicking the tab, Avery tapped the microphone, and a whine echoed through the speaker in the room. Hopefully, this gets the word out.
"Guys! This is Avery. Keep your guard up. Somehow, the artifact transported us into the past to an underwater city called Rapture. The year is 1959… Assume that anyone you meet is an enemy. Find a map and find a way to a place in the city called Neptune's Bounty. Stay safe… I'm sorry-" Kyburz interrupted Avery's announcement, grabbing the PA system and throwing it into the wall. The PA system fell to the ground, pieces shattering in every direction.
"You bastard drongo! You've killed me!" Kyburz screamed, his face turning crimson red. Avery raised his arms, but Kyburz continued. "Ryan is going to find me! He's going to kill me! I won't let him… I'm not going to become another pawn!
"Man, calm do-" Barrett attempted to soothe, but Kyburz had become frantic.
"This is your fault!" Kyburz growled, digging through the contents of his desk. "Ryan knows. He always knows! This is so fucked!" After a few moments, Kyburz found what he was searching for. He removed a gun from his desk, causing Avery and Barrett to leap back from the terrified man.
"Woah!" Avery exclaimed. Kyburz's change in mental status gave Avery whiplash. "Hold on now! Don't hurt yourself!"
"Fuck you! Fuck Ryan! And Fuck Rapture!! " Kyburz pressed the barrel of the gun under his chin and let out a loud scream. " AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH-" He pulled the trigger and collapsed to the floor, dead.
"Huh, who would'a known he was unstable," Barrett said plainly. Too soon, Barrett.
"We got answers…" Avery said, moving on from the deceased man. "Hopefully, everyone got my message. But we need to figure out a way to Neptune's Bounty. Once we reconvene, we can go from there… I hope everyone is safe…" Guilt crept back into Avery. He took his role as captain very seriously; their lives were his responsibility. Unfortunately, there isn't anything more he can do to help them. I believe in my crew… They will safely meet us in Neptune's Bounty…
Notes:
This one ended up being longer than I expected, so it turned into a part 1! I did enjoy figuring out everyone's relationship with each other, and how they might talk to people they don't normally talk to. Such as Eddie and Mickey. Eddie is probably my favorite character to write...
He's such an ass. Hopefully it kept you entertained if you were able to finish it! Please let me know if you see any errors or sentences that don't sound right!Thank you!
Chapter 10: Welcome to Rapture (Part 2) - Avery Del
Summary:
Constellation successfully obtains another artifact. While on The Atlas, they realize the artifact has been altered. Through an unfortunate turn of events, including a rash captain, Constellation is transported to an unknown world. The crew finds themselves separated in a destroyed underwater city, where everyone seems to want to kill them.
Notes:
Hello! If you notice anything errors or sentences that hit the mind's ear wrong, please let me know!
TW: Blood, death, cursing, suicide, deformities, thalassophobia
Disclaimer: I don't own Starfield or Bioshock.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hephaestus, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Amundsen Barrett
Kyburz's body lay sprawled out in the middle of the office, his extremities at awkward angles. Barrett gave the deceased man a look over before turning his attention to Avery. It wasn't the first time he'd seen a death… And it certainly wouldn't be the last. The lines on Avery's forehead deepened with the internal turmoil he was likely enduring.
"You think we should search for that bathy-whatever Kyburz mentioned?" Barrett suggested, hoping to draw a reaction from his captain. Avery's stone eyes didn't move from focusing on the wooden floor. Damn, I'm going to have to play therapist at some point… "Avery!"
"Huh?" Avery jumped at Barrett's voice. "We should find our way out of here… Kyburz said we can travel to Neptune's Bounty in a bathysphere." Despite his words, Avery still continued to stare blankly at the floor. His solemn behavior unnerved Barrett.
"Right, I just said that- Avery, are you good?" Barrett asked, eyeing his captain carefully. Barrett's question seemed to break Avery from his trance. Avery moved across the room to Kyburz's body; moments later, a gun was shoved into his hand. Kyburz's gun?
"I'm great," Avery's voice lacked emotion. Let's meet up with everyone else in Neptune's Bounty." Barrett narrowed his eyes at Avery. Avery's mouth remained tight-lipped, clearly being eaten up by something.
"Avery, there's a chance the rest of the cr-"
"They'll be there!" Avery snapped. He quickly pushed past Barrett, bumping his shoulder. Not bothering to check for any enemies, Avery moved out of the office and down the hall. Barrett sighed at his captain's recklessness. He better get his shit together if we are gonna make it outta this.
Barrett unclipped the Vasco radio from his belt and spoke into the speaker, "Vasco, are you still there? Is there any way you can figure out what's going on?"
"I do not have a camera available to view my surroundings at this time, Barrett." Vasco's voice chirped from the radio. "I've managed to catch multiple electromagnetic waves. However, none are of use to us. Over." Barrett held the Vasco radio close to his chest. The robot's familiar voice buzzing from the vintage radio brought a sense of tranquility to him. A peace of mind he desperately needed in this time of tension. Barrett returned the Vasco radio to his lips and spoke clearly into the microphone.
"Y'know, just because you've been transformed into a radio, you don't have to say 'over' every time you finish a sentence." Barrett couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. I'm sure that'll ride up Vasco's ass… The robot's passive-aggressive, monotone response proved Barrett correct.
"This is called radio etiquette, Barrett," He had worked with Vasco long enough to know when the robot was annoyed. This was one of those times. "I understand etiquette is not in your vocabulary, Barrett. However, maintaining radio etiquette will assist with clear, concise communication. Over." Vasco's 'over' seemed more forced, likely trying to make his point. Barrett found the robot's verbal rant amusing.
"Well, if you catch any interesting radio waves, please let me know. Over. "
"Roger," Vasco affirmed before falling silent. Barrett clicked the Vasco radio to his belt and hurried after Avery. Can't let him get too far ahead.
Fortunately, Avery hadn't pushed too far ahead of Barrett. Avery stood in the doorway that opened up into the large generator room. The core of Rapture sat in the middle of the room, still humming in its power production. Despite stepping into his field of vision, Avery didn't seem to notice Barrett's presence. Avery's eyes flickered in recognition when Barrett waved his hand.
"Avery!" Barrett's voice remained in a hush. He hadn't seen any more 'splicers,' as Kyburz had described them. But he didn't want to find any, either. "I woke up in the area across from us… It was a dead end. We know that the workshops we just came from are also a dead end. You woke up in the area to our left. Did you find anything that way?" Every word from Barrett's mouth seemed to go over Avery's head.
"Uhm, nah," Avery answered after a few moments. "That way was a dead end, too." The massive room of the power core absolutely dwarfed Barrett. To his right, he noticed another doorway exiting the cylinder-shaped room.
"Guess that's our only way out then." The familiar click echoed in the room when Barrett cocked his gun. He eased his way to the unexplored door, only briefly turning to ensure his captain was behind him. Avery still had the same blank expression. Barrett sighed; Sarah's better at these things than I am… Avery rarely showed a lack of confidence in his leadership. His decisions were always final and made with conviction. In fact, the only time he had ever seen Avery hesitating or anxious with his leadership was secondhand from Sarah. Usually, Avery approached Sarah with his concerns… "Avery, it's going to be fine." Barrett prayed it was a good place to start. Sappy shit is not where he thrives.
"... Barrett, this is all my fault…" Their surroundings were immediately illuminated when they stepped into the next hallway. Underwater volcanic activity gave the surrounding water an orange hue. The nearby lava beds likely provided Rapture with its thermal power. Barrett's ears perked at attention for any foreign threats that may lie ahead.
"You made a bad call." Barrett agreed. "You probably shouldn't have been so rough with the artifact… But shit happens. We're explorers… Mercenaries. We've been through worse."
"My recklessness split everyone up… The entire crew could potentially be dead… Or stuck somewhere…" Avery's voice sounded raspy. His eyes widened at whatever scenarios ran through his head. "My crew is my responsibility, and I possibly killed them…" Fuck, I really wish Sarah was here… The hallway opened into a large room. Barrett squinted at the poor visibility of the room.
"You don't actually think that," Barrett whispered. Movement in the corner of the dark room caused him to retreat back into the glass tunnel. Barrett's eyebrows raised in surprise; he was multitasking better than expected. Taking point while attempting to talk his captain away from the edge. "You brag about everyone all the time. Even Mickey! About everyone's independence… Their self-sufficiency… And even about our teamwork. I don't understand why, though... Because we all fight like cats and dogs." A quiet chuckle chimed from behind Barrett, bringing a smile to his face.
"Our banter is what makes us a family…" Avery added. Thank the Settled Systems. This seems to be working. "I just don't know how I'll be able to face them… When we find everyone. I put everyone in danger." Barrett didn't immediately respond, instead preparing to lunge when the figure in the next room neared them. As he expected, it was another deformed addict. A short man in a dirty jacket. His face stretched and pulled in directions it shouldn't naturally. The man casually muttered to himself and waved his gun around. Barrett didn't have time to determine whether or not the man was a threat. When he neared, Barrett acted. The man gasped in surprise, but the second Barrett's arms were around his neck, it was all over. The man collapsed to the floor with a thud, dead.
"You carry a lot on your shoulders, Avery." Barrett continued, cavalier to the life he had just extinguished. "You let yourself get so worked up for our safety. That's fine. But if we are a family, let us take on some of the weight. We can all protect each other, and so far, I think we've done a good job of it… You want me to tell you what to do when you see everyone. Say, 'My bad,' listen to the shit everyone will give you, and then we all move on, ready for the next adventure." The two spread out in the newest room. Machinery, tools, and boxes littered the room. Among the trash, large pillars protruded along the center of the room. Barrett's brow furrowed in concern at what was pinned to each pillar.
"Yeah…" Avery started. "That pretty much sounds like how it would go… Knowing my crew, th- Oh shit!" Avery also noticed the pillars. The three pillars had people impaled on the flagpoles protruding from the sides. The victim's feet dangled helplessly towards the ground in their death. At their feet, written in blood, read 'Ryan is watching you.' This Ryan guy is a maniac…
"No wonder Kyburz had a mental break…"
"Let's keep moving. This place is downright depressing." Avery took point and moved ahead. Avery's posture had improved, and he gained confidence in his pace. Hopefully, his impromptu pep talk helped Avery.
The next room only made Barrett feel more claustrophobic. The machinery littering the room narrowed any foot room. Avery pointed to a neon sign in the corner of the room, 'Bathysphere Station.' Relief flooded Barrett: We're almost there!
The duo froze at a loud clang to their right. Slowly, they turned to face the noise. Among the machinery stood an enormous figure. It stood over a much smaller figure. Barrett glanced at Avery, but Avery was hyper-focused on the strange duo before them.
"What the fuck is that!?" Avery hissed, eyes never leaving the large tin man. "Why is a diving suit walking around here with a drill on its arm!?" This must be one of those 'tin daddies' Kyburz mentioned… After overcoming the shock, Barrett noticed the little girl beside the diving suit. The girl looked… off. Her eyes had an unnatural yellow hue, her cheeks hollow, and a tattered dress fell to her knees in waves.
"Let's keep mov-"
"Barrett, checking in. Over." Vasco's obnoxious voice buzzed on the radio. The outburst completely blew their cover. The girl and her guardian turned to give them attention. Fuck. Me.
Slowly, Barrett brought the Vasco radio to his lips, "Vasco, I'm going to fashion you into a clock when this is all said and done… Over. " The staring contest lasted for a few moments. Oddly enough, the girl broke the silence.
"Do you think they have any ADAM, Mr. Bubbles?" She turned to the giant standing next to her. In her hands, the girl held a large syringe-like weapon. "Will you help me take it?" What kinda gruesome shit is that!? The giant groaned in response to her command. His chest vibrated at the noise coming from the guardian.
"Go!" Avery demanded, breaking into a sprint. The tight quarters of the room caused Barrett to trip on every obstacle in his way. The crashing of the monster pursuing him is the only force encouraging him to push on.
"Shit!" Barrett cursed as a piece of broken machinery flew past him. The giant's haunting groan continued after him. Barrett bobbed and weaved through the rooms ahead, unable to investigate further. There's no way we can beat this thing! The room opened into a large hallway. Giant statues lined the hallway, carrying large gears. At the end of the room, a pod-like vehicle sat in a pool of water. The door to the pod was opened wide, begging to be entered.
The giant's footsteps only neared as they ran down the station. Barrett's heartbeat could be felt in his head, every beat crashing in his ears. Barrett took a chance to look behind him and found the monstrous creature was a mere few feet behind him. Avery dived into the open pod, briefly popping out to grab the hatch. Avery waited for Barrett to dive into the pod. The second Barrett slammed into the metal walls of the pod, Avery latched the pod shut. Seconds later, a large body crashed into the pod, causing it to spin.
"What now!?" Barrett screamed. He looked over the multiple levers and knobs decorating the pod. "Is this even the bathysphere!?" The giant's assault wasn't finished, and it continued clanging outside the pod.
"Here! This one's labeled 'Neptune's Bounty!'" Avery announced, pulling one of the levers. The pod reacted to the lever, dropping them into the ocean. The deeper they sank, the darker the pod became.
Medical Pavilion, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Edward Sotello
I'm being punished… There must be a higher power punishing me… Edward's glum thoughts consumed him as he pushed Mickey in a wheelchair down a long hallway. A glass casing arched the hallway, allowing them to view the endless ocean surrounding them. Edward might be more impressed if he had a better idea of where he was.
"-told them there was absolutely no way I could star on their show! But you know producers; they won't take 'no' for an answer. After around thirty phone-" Edward loudly groaned. Mickey just wouldn't shut up. The moronic chef hadn't shut up for the past thirty minutes. The wheelchair's wheel hitched on a piece of rubble and suddenly stopped, jarring Mickey. "Oh! Eddie! Be careful. You almost threw me onto the ground! Actually, that reminds me of another story-"
Again, Edward groaned, his thoughts replaying the unfortunate events that brought him to this point. He and Mickey hid in the main foyer when Avery's message was announced on the intercom. Mickey, the fool, became so excited that he started cheering. Edward felt another migraine beginning at the mental replay of earlier. Mickey's obnoxious cheering caused more of the rabid denizens to take notice of them. By the end of his cheer, they had a group of mutants chasing after them. The power of stupidity is finicky, and Edward guessed that Mickey had more brawn due to his lack of brains. Mickey managed to fend off the crazed people, injuring himself in the process. Afterward, Mickey found a wheelchair and promptly planted his ass in it. No matter how often the scene replayed in his head, Edward couldn't figure something out. How the hell did he actually convince me to push him in this damn wheelchair!?
"-you wouldn't believe the amount-"
"Mickey, just stop talking for five minutes," Edward growled into Mickey's ear. "I just need five minutes to think without your overbearing voice interrupting my thoughts! " By the time Edward was done speaking, he was yelling. Edward held his breath, awaiting the simpleton's response… However, nothing came. Finally… I can hear myself think. According to Avery, there is an escape in Neptune's Bounty… But the idiot didn't bother to explain how to get to Neptune's Bounty! And here I am, stuck with the crew's most idiotic member! They are all idiots! Every single one of them! Heat radiated off Edward's body, his anger and frustration festering the longer he thought about their situation.
"Eddie, I think you need to calm down…" Mickey's voice squeaked. He wouldn't calm down. In fact, he couldn't calm down. No thanks to the captain, the entire crew ended up separated and in a dangerous place. Everyone has been split up and potentially could be killed… Edward stopped, staring intensely into the back of Mickey's balding head. What will I do if someone is injured while we are separated? The thought made Edward anxious… It also pissed him off. A voice muttering from ahead of them pulled Edward from his thoughts. A door stood at the end of the hallway, the voices drifting from the door.
"But Dr. Steinman, you promised me…" The feminine voice cried. "You promised me I would be beautiful!"
"My dear," a male voice soothed. "I tried my best, but your imperfection couldn't be corrected. I cut and cut… You can't be fixed." Edward and Mickey leaned forward, attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation ahead. The woman began to sob, much to the physician's indifference. Step by step, Edward pushed Mickey closer to the door. If things go south, I can always push Mickey forward and run for it…
"I'm ugly!" The woman cried. "I'm so hideous now!"
"You're correct, I've failed you." The male voice agreed. "But, I'll fix everything…" A beat passed… A second beat… BOOM! A gunshot ran down the hallway, and silence followed. A shiver ran down Edward's spine. What the hell just happened?
"I'm turning around," Edward whispered into Mickey's ear. Every subtle movement sounded as loud as an alarm. Even the wheelchair's squeaky wheels seemed to echo the hallway, giving away their position.
"I'm sorry, dear…" The mysterious voice ahead of them continued. "You had just arrived from Neptune's Bounty yesterday… Only to die. Your death will further me as a physician…" With those final words, the voice fell silent. The woman mentioned Dr. Steinman… I'll bet it's the same Steinman we read about in the newspaper. Intending to escape, Edward slowly maneuvered the wheelchair to face the other direction.
"Where are you going, Eddie?" Mickey asked, throwing a confused glance over his shoulder. Edward's eyes bulged from his face. Are you dumber than you look?
"Did you not hear the gunshot ahead?" Edward asked incredulously. "There is some prima donna surgeon ahead that is shooting his patients. Why would I continue his direction?"
"But, Eddie," Mickey insisted. "Didn't you hear him talk about the woman arriving from Neptune's Bounty? Maybe he can tell us how to get there?" Massaging his temples, Edward stepped back to look Mickey in the face.
"I haven't even seen this man yet; I can assure you, he's insane," Edward growled, looking into the chef's eyes. "This man will have no qualms with killing us."
"You're a doctor, though; maybe he will want to help a fellow doctor?"
"Absolutely not." Edward crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. "You can wheel your happy ass ahead. I'm not going." Mickey met Edward's glare with a clueless stare of his own. He must think he can intimidate me with his moronic stare… The squeak of the wheelchair moving took Edward by surprise. Mickey pushed himself forward toward the gunshot. I'm not following him… Mickey maintained his trek forward until his wheel caught on another debris and skidded to a stop. Edward watched as the chef attempted to free himself from the debris… This lasted for an entire minute. The chef shot him the blankest of stares.
"I'm stuck."
"You are completely useless!" Edward fussed as he stomped towards Mickey. "Your only use is drinking and eating! Now look at you. You're going to get the both of us killed!" Edward firmly grabbed the wheelchair handles and pushed Mickey into the next room.
"Thank you for your help, Eddie!" Mickey exclaimed, mistaking Edward's frustration for kindness. Edward seethed rather than entertained the chef's gratitude. The next room opened into a tall atrium. A bright neon sign ahead of them signaled the surgery wing. A couple balconies decorated the corners of the room. Above them, a glass ceiling highlighted the ocean life just outside. A still figure in the corner of the room caught Edward's attention. This is madness… The figure lay in a pool of blood. The closer they neared it, the more obvious it became that the figure was dead. Her eyes were glass, staring into oblivion. Her cheeks had crudely sewn surgical incisions. It was almost as if someone had attempted to shape her cheeks… The longer Edward stared, the worse her disfigurement became. Her ears had been removed and repositioned… Her lips were unnaturally enlarged. Whoever this Steinman is… He's a maniac.
"Damn, she was ugly!" Edward felt his headache begin to return.
"Don't speak ill of the dead, you fool!" Edward reprimanded. "Also, look at you! You're no Neon model!" Mickey gasped in false offense. His chest clapped as he brought his hand to it.
"Excuse me!" Mickey said coarsely. "I'll have you know, I won many model awards in my prime!"
"I thought you were a food critic?"
"That too!"
Rather than entertain the black hole of a conversation he found himself trapped in, Edward trudged on. Of course, on a ship full of idiots, I would get stuck with the biggest one! I will roll him straight into the ocean the second I can! And then, when I revive him, I'm going to find everyone else and kick their asses too! Edward continued blindly into the surgical wing, too furious to realize where he had led them.
"Uh, Eddie?" Mickey said, glancing up at him.
"What!?" Edward snapped from his internal threats. The strange new area took him by surprise. This is certainly not like any surgical wing I've ever seen. The area was largely barren. A solid inch of disgusting seawater covered the floor. There wasn't even surgical equipment… At least nothing sterile…
"Where did that guy go?" Mickey asked, looking around the room. "He was just ahead of us…" Where he shot that woman, dead!
"Whoever is in my surgical suite needs to leave!" A new voice echoed in the large room. Edward's eyes narrowed, but he couldn't distinguish figures in the poor light. Splashing footsteps continued near them… The steps grew until a man in a tattered gown stepped before them. Edward squeezed the handles of Mickey's wheelchair to prevent himself from jumping. The man wore a ragged gown, his forearms adorned in black gloves, and a surgical mask hiding the lower half of his face. A spattering of blood decorated the man's chest and face… There is no way he's a physician… "I'm in no mood for visitors. Please leave."
"Yes, we will," Edward began, his voice raspy in anxiety. "However, we need help-"
"I was hoping for a little cosmetic surgery!?" Mickey interrupted. Huh!? "You're the Dr. Steinman we have heard about down here, correct?" The man, Dr. Steinman, appeared to be taken aback by the sudden request. His eyebrows knit together in confusion. Edward was willing to bet his jaw dropped behind his mask. After a few moments, Dr. Steinman began to laugh. Loud laughs, deep from his gut.
"What the hell?" Dr. Steinman said, shaking his head. "I don't do pro bono… And I'm indeed sorry to say you're a hopeless case. You're far too hideous to do anything with."
"Uhm…" Mickey started.
"Let him finish," Edward whispered, touching the chef's shoulder. He needs to hear this.
"I could try to reshape your neck… Or bring your eyes closer together… But, it would all be in vain." By this point, Dr. Steinman had taken a step closer to Mickey and silently assessed his features. "I appreciate a difficult case as much as the next physician, but I refuse this one. You need to learn to embrace your hideousness."
"Uhm… Okay?" Edward decided it was time to step in, knowing Mickey had received the humility he deserved.
"Thank you for your consideration, Dr. Steinman," Edward spoke, catching the man's eye. "My name is Dr. Sotello. I specialize in emergency medicine. We need to go to Neptune's Bounty… But we are lost. Can you point us in the right direction?" A bead of sweat dripped down Edward's brow. This man is being polite so far… But he definitely killed that woman.
"You certainly assisted in improving my foul mood." Dr. Steinman sighed. "It's nice to meet another physician who isn't… insane like the others down in Rapture." He thinks that he's sane!?
"Likewise." Edward continued politeness, hoping to coax his way out of this death trap of a surgical suite. Fortunately, Dr. Steinman remained calm.
"Regardless, if you want to leave, just go to the main foyer, and you can leave using emergency access." Dr. Steinman explained. "The Medical Pavilion's bathysphere was destroyed long ago, so the only exit is that way." Edward could have slapped himself. We were at the exit the entire time!?
"Thank you," Edward said through gritted teeth. "We will be leaving now." Not waiting for a response, Edward spun Mickey and retraced their steps. He could feel the crazed doctor's eyes on them until they exited the surgical wing. Edward's teeth hurt from how hard he grit them together.
"Well, he was rude." Mickey sighed. "He clearly doesn't have an eye for beauty. That's probably why his last case turned out the way it did…" Of course, the doctor's rant didn't affect him in the slightest…
"Mickey, just shut up!" Edward growled into the chef's ear. "You treat our situation like it is one massive joke! Our idiot captain put us in a horrible situation where everyone is likely separated. Andreja and Simeon have probably killed each other before anything down here could get to them. My nurse is clueless without my direction, and he just started improving before this. This crew makes it extremely hard to do my job! I'm being paid to care for them, and everyone goes out of their way to make it harder for me. Well, see if I care if they all die! Oh, and as a cherry on top, I'm stuck with you ! Of every crewmate I could have been stranded with, it's you!" Mickey remained utterly silent while Edward finished his rant.
"You seem very angry," Mickey said after a pause. "You need to be careful. Being angry and lying will give you wrinkles." Edward inhaled a large breath at Mickey's lackadaisical response.
"Lying?" Edward said incredulously. He had expected something stupid to leave Mickey's mouth, but the part about him lying surprised him.
"You said you don't care what happens to everyone." Mickey threw him a sly grin, deepening his irritation. "You can fool everyone else, but you can't fool me! I know you're just hiding your fear with anger. You love us! "
"What!?" Edward sputtered. "That's preposterous! This is a job! And my feelings with Constellation are entirely irrelevant!"
"Oh, whatever, Eddie. I know that you are just a walking cliche." Mickey challenged. "You're hiding your feelings with anger. Trust me, I do it all the time. Me and you… We are similar."
"No, we are not!" Edward argued. "I can admit my fondness for the crew, but us? Never. We are nothing alike."
"Maybe not, but I got you to admit you like us!" Edward blanched at Mickey's victory. Annoying chef…
"No matter, this entire conversation will be forgotten once we get to Neptune's Bounty. Aye?" Edward glared at Mickey, catching his eye.
"Understood, Eddie." Mickey smiled. "Actually, because you told me a secret, I'll tell you one…"
"... Which is?" Edward didn't know why he was entertaining the chef. Mickey's voice was a whisper. Edward had to lean in closer to understand him clearly.
"I didn't actually injure my leg… I was just tired of walking…" Mickey relaxed back into the wheelchair as if he just removed the most immense weight from his chest. "I feel so much-" Edward took the wheelchair handles and overturned them, soundly dumping Mickey onto the ground. The stupid fool…
Arcadia, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Andreja De'la
The dangers of Arcadia only grew the further the two of them explored. One would expect peace in the beautiful undersea forest, but the crazed inhabitants made it much more difficult. Andreja and Sarah fought their way through Arcadia. They rarely had a moment to themselves. Andreja sighed once they defeated the fourth man that crossed their path.
"Are you getting tired, Andreja?" Sarah asked, her jest mixed with exhaustion. They took cover in one of the storerooms overlooking the man-made glade.
"Of course not," Andreja answered. "I was just thinking… About what you said involving my 'solitary way of thinking.'" She leaned against one of the barrels in the storeroom. The moment she touched it, she noticed a disgusting wet spot forming on her back. She decided to just stand.
"Yes, and I stand by that statement." Sarah never sugarcoated her words, likely due to her history with the United Colonies military.
"I was brought up in the House Va'ruun," Andreja explained. "As children, we are taught that the only people we can trust are ourselves and the great serpent. If I don't kill first, I will be killed." Sarah stared intensely at Andreja, likely mulling over her words.
"But Constellation isn't House Va'ruun," Sarah answered. "In Constellation, we all succeed or fail as one. But we have no chance to succeed if we aren't working together. Andreja, we all care for you. You have to trust us. We aren't ever going to just let you drown like House Va'ruun would."
"The House Va'ruun cares for me as well!" Andreja said a little faster than she would have liked. "This is just how I am. It's what I was taught growing up… There can never be any change for me. It's kill or be killed, and I will always strike first if need be… I'm sorry if it causes stress with the crew…"
"I don't think you fully believe that…" Sarah countered, catching Andreja off guard. "Maybe this is something you need to think about. Also, you can't truly say you cannot change. I've seen so much change from you since you first joined Constellation!"
"I don't know how I feel about changing either." Andreja broke away from Sarah's eye contact. "Some days I worry I am rejecting my destiny with House Va'ruun… All for Constellation. I love being of House Va'ruun, but I fear I walk the line of being no better than Zealots…"
"It's subtle. But you've opened up to us… You've become more trusting. We only took four years to chip away at the walls you built. But we made our way!" Sarah glanced up at the ceiling as if in a fond memory. "And I don't think you are anywhere near being a Zealot… Whether you easily show it or not… You have too much kindness in your heart."
"Maybe…" Andreja said, not entirely convinced. The storeroom wasn't much to discuss. It had a few barrels, lawn care appliances, and the occasional book. A scrawled note on one of the messy shelves caught Andreja's attention. What is this? Andreja welcomed the excuse to move on from the conversation at hand. The note practically fell to pieces as she unfolded it… But eventually, she persevered in opening it. Partial edges of the note were burned.
Expect a shipment from the smuggler's hideout at midnight tonight. It will be delivered in the tea garden, right at the entrance of the tunnel into the hideout.
PS: The ADAM is coming right from Neptune's Bounty, so it should be fresh!
PSS: Burn this note when you finish reading it.
"Fantastic…" Sarah sighed after Andreja finished reading the note. "So we have two options; continue our search for the way out. Or, we return and find this mysterious tunnel that goes straight to Neptune's Bounty."
"I say we go back," Andreja suggested, confidence filling her voice. We've already killed anyone that has crossed our path; what's a few more people?
"Okay, and if we run into that thing again?" Sarah countered. Words failed Andreja. She had honestly forgotten about the monstrous diving suit and demonic girl.
"So far, we have been involved in multiple fights trying to explore this area further." Andreja rationalized. "Everything behind us is already dead. So, I still say we turn back. I believe we were in the tea garden when we woke up. If we can run past that thing, we will already be in Neptune's Bounty." Sarah thought over Andreja's words, likely considering the pros and cons of returning.
After a few moments, Sarah groaned, "We really don't have a better plan… So let's turn back." The silence of the dense foliage outside the storeroom didn't help Andreja's nerves. She crept out into the middle of the room, but an attack from a crazed inhabitant never came. Whoever designed this area clearly had rolling fields in mind. The meadow seemed to stretch on and on. She might be tricked if she didn't know better. Sarah took the lead, only motioning to Andreja to follow her.
As Andreja had expected, the journey back to the tea room was far less eventful than earlier. The dead bodies of their foes littered the ground. Her lip upturned to the deceased. Disgusting… Whatever these people did to poison their bodies, it morphed them into monsters… A familiar door eventually appeared, and the downed tree blocked their escape.
"Great," Andreja growled. "The tree that saved us now hinders us…" Andreja was able to get a better look at the room from which they had initially run. Rickety stairs were positioned on either side of the room.
"Well, I noticed walkways and a couple balconies in the tea garden," Sarah said, placing a tentative foot on the stairs. "If we find our way to them, we can just jump off them to the ground…"
"As long as the fall doesn't break our legs," Andreja said darkly. But she followed after Sarah nonetheless. Fortunately, Sarah had the eyes of a hawk and was correct in her plan. The stairs led to a small metal walkway directly above the tea garden. "I didn't notice this while we were in the tea garden. You have an excellent eye, vice-captain."
"Thank you, Andreja." Sarah said with a smile. "But we still haven't gotten down yet." The tea garden was much quieter than earlier. The diving suit and little girl were long gone.
"It seems our friends from earlier have left…" Andreja whispered, peering all around the garden. "This might be our only chance…" Andreja climbed off the walkway and dangled her legs off the side. The landing was painful, but she managed. A grunt from behind her tipped her off that Sarah had also jumped. When she evaluated the vice-captain, she was dusting off her knees, preparing to continue their journey. Thank the great serpent, she didn't break any bones. I won't have to leave her behind.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sarah asked, taking Andreja by surprise. Andreja considered omitting her thoughts to Sarah but recalled their previous conversation.
"I was thinking the celestial serpent that you didn't break any bones," Andreja explained.
"Oh," Sarah's expression was… indiscernible. Andreja always felt uncomfortable speaking about her faith to others within Constellation. "I appreciate that," Sarah said after a few moments. She was uncomfortable with the discussion, but Andreja appreciated her attempt to tolerate her beliefs.
"Yes, otherwise I would have to leave you behind," Andreja said coyly. Andreja smirked at Sarah's facial response. Her eyebrows shot straight into her hairline. "That's a joke, vice-captain." Andreja grinned, expecting Sarah to remain in her awkward state.
"Well, that's a relief. Otherwise, I would have just fought my way back on one leg." Sarah's rebuttal now took Andreja by surprise. "Survival of the fittest, after all." Sarah winked at Andreja. Andreja wasn't one to have… girlfriends . She preferred to have friendships with others who proved themselves powerful. But it was nice that Sarah was attempting a weird… comical friendship with her.
The two continued to comb through the tea garden, searching for any sign of the tunnel to the smuggler's hideout. Once their fingers had begun to bleed from sifting through the thick foliage, they discovered a small tunnel hidden in the brush.
"I believe this is it?" Andreja said, stepping into the tunnel. The tunnel was dark and narrow. She had to kneel to prevent hitting her head on the ceiling. The darkness didn't improve the further they went into the tunnel. After what felt like ages of crawling through a damp, dark tunnel, the area opened into a massive cavern.
"This is definitely it…" Sarah whispered. The cave certainly had been used for transporting goods. Maps of Rapture covered the cave walls, describing the quickest ways around the city. Barrels that probably contained illegal goods were stacked twice her height. A small body of water sat in the corner of the cave. Floating at the top of the water was a miniature submarine. "That should be our way out!" They were fortunate to exit the tunnel near the submarine's natural dock. Andreja could see an enormous fence blocking the path further ahead. There isn't a way around that fence... We are lucky we came this way.
"Maybe we should leave and see if we can find our other crew-" Andreja began until a gravelly voice reverberated in the cavern… Multiple voices could be heard near them. Far more voices than they were equipped to handle.
"Come on!" Sarah hissed, grabbing her hand. Sarah led her down to the submarine, eventually bringing her to a ladder on the side of it. The voices echoed all around them, continuously growing louder. I don't know which way they are coming from! "Andreja!"
Sarah had already opened the submarine and crawled in. Sarah extended a hand to her. She wasted no time in taking it and was pulled into the submarine. The door latched behind her, silencing the voices.
"I think we are…" Sarah trailed off. Andreja followed her eyes, only to find the artifact levitating in the middle of the submarine. This is the bastard that caused all of the trouble to begin with! The artifact still had the lock surrounding it. However, now it looks loose… Almost like they could remove it with a little effort.
"Now, what do we do?" Andreja asked, looking at Sarah. Sarah repositioned herself in the cramped quarters and brought the artifact in front of her.
"Let's start working on getting this thing off the artifact…" Sarah answered, meeting Andreja's eye. "The sooner this is off, the sooner we go home."
Neptune's Bounty, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Cora Coe
Their journey through Neptune's Bounty was the most awkward time Cora had ever experienced. The monstrous diving suit, or Eight, as Cora had named him, maintained a three-foot distance away from her. She had no clue as to why the monster felt so attached to her but felt thankful that it wasn't trying to kill her. Eight always stood between her and her father, deepening his irritation with the diving suit. Ever somber, it continued on, clanging with every step. Cora had taken multiple chances to peek into Eight's diving helmet. Endless nothingness stared back at her. From what she could tell, there wasn't a physical being in the suit. Sam sighed from the other side of Eight.
"I was so damn scared when I couldn't find you…" Sam's words were shaky.
"I know…" Cora responded. "I was too. But I'm fine now. Uhm… Eight is going to take care of us…" Eight loomed over her tiny body. It groaned in response to her glance. Hopefully it does…
Sam huffed at the mention of Eight, "Yeah, it'll take care of us alright… Wherever the hell we're following it to." Red lights briefly flickered in Eight's helmet ports before settling back into a green light. He must be able to understand us…
"I was a pretty big help with the last mission," Cora said, changing the subject. "I could start helping out more with Constellation missions." The silent concern that radiated from her Dad didn't bode well.
"No, Cora," Sam responded. His tone discouraged her retort, but she continued on anyway.
"Why not?"
"You're too young, Cora. The Settled Systems is dangerous. And surely you don't want to spend the rest of your life as a mercenary with Constellation?" Cora unleashed a loud scoff at her father's typical rationale. She would always be too young…
"I'm fourteen!" Cora argued. "That's how old you were when you joined Freestar Collective!" Guilt immediately flooded Cora at the sight of her Dad's face. Sam didn't have a positive experience with Freestar Collective. Sam was raised in Akila City, where the Freestar Collective is based. Sam's father, Jacob, essentially brainwashed Sam into joining Freestar. With Jacob being a senior member of the Collective, there was no reason his son wouldn't follow suit. Cora believed her grandfather meant well but executed his actions poorly. Sam joined Freestar at a young age, where he met his ex-wife, Lillian Hart. Once things went south in their relationship, Sam left Freestar, destroying his relationship with his father and the Collective.
"How… How did you know that?" Sam asked, his voice stilted. Cora ignored the urge to face-palm. Great, now I'm going to have to tell him about Jacob…
"Well, I reached out to Grandpa a couple years ago…" Cora admitted. Sam's silence was deafening. She knew their relationship was strained at best. "We've been messaging back and forth every so often."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sam's response was more strained, likely because he was trying to contain his anger.
"Why would I?" Cora countered. "You don't let me help with Constellation. The only thing I have to do on The Atlas is read and look through my slate! Is there something wrong with wanting to talk to my Grandpa?"
Sam groaned in response, "No, but you should have told me… I'm not trying to make my and Jacob's relationship your problem. But there is a reason we haven't been back to see him, and you need to respect that."
"But-"
"No buts!" Sam growled. "I'm your father. You're in my care. This is my decision. You're too young to start helping with Constellation. And we can talk about Jacob later when we aren't fighting for our lives in some damn city." Sam threw a hand up, motioning the wharf around them. This is ridiculous… Cora's ears burned red with her irritation at Sam.
"Grandpa invited me to stay with him in Akila," Cora's words rushed out of her, leaving her breathless. Jacob had suggested it to her months ago, and she had kept it a secret from her father. Sam's head snapped towards her, eyes widened in shock. "Maybe I should just stay with him… Maybe I will be able to see Mom more, too…"
"W-what?" Sam stuttered, taken off guard.
"He asked me a few months ago. He said he would send a Freestar agent to pick me up if I decided to stay with him…" Now Sam's face burned with anger.
"He can't make that decision!"
"So you'd rather me stay on The Atlas my entire life then?" Cora challenged. If Eight had any opinions about the argument before him, he kept them to himself, trailing silently. "So I can watch everyone around me go on adventures? So I can just continue to read about them in my books?"
"No, that's not it…" Sam sighed. "It's just so dangerous… and-" Eight groaned, distracting them from their heated discussion. They had arrived at a door on Pier 4. The sign above the door read, 'Wharfmaster's Office.' A tinge of relief ran through Cora at the distraction from their conversation. She rarely argued with her father, and they usually had a healthy relationship.
They took timid steps into the office. As expected, the floors were wet and filthy. Garbage, random pages, and bottles littered the wooden floors. The room reminded Cora of an office with desks and a few bulletin boards on the walls.
"So now what?" Sam said aloud once he thoroughly scanned the area for enemies. Unfortunately, Eight was too large to enter the room. The monstrous suit simply stared at them from outside the doorway. She could hear it lightly whining in the distance between them. Although Eight scared her, she appreciated how it protected them. Cora wandered over to one of the desks and shuffled through the random letters and files sitting on it. Mostly nonsense, but a letter marked with 'CONFIDENTIAL' grabbed her attention with its bright red lettering.
CONFIDENTIAL
Please relay this information to your employees of Fontaine Fisheries. There have been rumors of a smuggling ring being held in the fisheries' freezer. This is in direct violation of laws set by Andrew Ryan. As of this point, we have no proof to issue a search warrant. I take these rumors very seriously and will personally investigate where I can. There will be dire consequences If any illegal goods or practices are discovered.
For your consideration,
Sullivan, Head of Security
"Maybe this is a place to start?" Cora suggested this after she had read the letter to her father. "If they had a smuggling ring, then they probably had to have a way to distribute throughout the city? Maybe they even made deliveries to the surface?" Sam cocked his head at her, seemingly impressed at her deduction.
"Yeah, it'll be a place to start…" Sam said thoughtfully. "Everyone else will probably make their way here, and we can hide out there? Now we just have to find the damn place."
"Eight!" Cora yelled towards the door. Eight groaned in response. Her steps were timid as she approached the giant. "Can you take us to the… freezer in Fontaine Fisheries? We don't know where that is…" The light from Eight's helmet bathed her face in a green light as if it was thinking. Suddenly, it released a deep groan and turned to walk the way they came. I hope that means yes!
"I guess we better keep close to our friend, " Sam mumbled as he passed Cora. Sam's eyes looked everywhere but her face, causing discomfort in Cora. She sighed, accepting that their previous conversation wasn't over yet. She didn't feel the same anger about her point but no longer felt the need to hurt him.
"Dad, I don't want to leave you," Cora started, earning a glance from Sam. "But I've done so much for Constellation, I just want to feel more recognized… And I don't think there is anything wrong with me wanting a relationship with Mom and Grandpa… My relationship with them isn't the same as yours."
"I know it's not," Sam agreed after a moment. "I'm sorry, I let my and Jacob's history screw with my mind sometimes… You deserve to have a relationship with each other…"
"And Constellation?"
"... I'm sure we can find you something more to do," Sam conceded. Cora tried to smother the grin forming on her face, but the corners of her mouth turned up regardless. "Now, I still stand by that you are too young… But if you're that passionate about it, I can talk to Avery. But-" Cora suddenly crashed into Sam, taking him by surprise.
"Thank you, Dad," Cora's voice muffled into Sam's chest as she hugged him tightly. Cora understood that he might change his mind later or think up conditions. But for now, he had accepted her desires and promised to work with her.
"We might need to catch up with our… friend," Sam said after a few seconds. Cora turned from her Dad and swiped her hair from her eyes. Eight was a few meters ahead of them, marching down the wharf.
"Why is he so friendly to me?" Cora asked, deeply confused by the creature's actions throughout the past hour.
"No idea… But let's keep it that way." Sam answered. "He's kept us safe from the crazies around here so far…" The two hurried after the tall diving suit.
Fort Frolic, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Maxile Deimos
They hadn't found a moment's peace from the moment they had left the strip club. Maxile's breaths were ragged as he ran through the large plaza. Simeon maintained a close distance, occasionally pausing to shoot his rifle at Sander's disciples. Sander's disciples appeared as deranged as everyone else in this forsaken place. One by one, they fell to Simeon's rifle. Maxile slid to a stop next to a large pillar in the middle of the room. A sign on it read 'Poseidon Plaza.' Maxile sank to the ground to catch his breath, his back pressed to the pillar.
"Where the hell do they keep coming from!?" Maxile groaned. He peered around the pillar, only to find another rabid disciple sprinting toward him. The deformed woman carried a hook-like weapon. You've gotta be kidding me!? A scuffle in front of him caught Maxile's attention. Simeon slid to a kneeling position before him, sweat poured down his shirtless torso. Simeon brought the rifle's scope to his eye and aimed at the woman running towards them.
"I see you! I see you all!" The crazed woman screamed in her dash towards them. "I'm going to-" The woman collapsed to the ground, deceased from Simeon's deadly shot. Maxile couldn't see anyone around them, but he could undoubtedly hear their screams and cries. Their battle cries rang in the distance, promising death and harm.
Despite the short distance he had run, his fear left Maxile breathless. His chest continued to heave, but he still felt like he couldn't catch his breath. Maxile's breath hitched when Simeon placed a palm on his chest. The skin under Simeon's hand burned.
"You… alright?" Simeon's respirations were just as labored when he spoke. Simeon continued once Maxile nodded. "We need to keep running… Stay close to me, and I'll get us out of here… Can you keep running? If you see anyone, point them out to me. If I see them, I can hit them. No one has to even get close to us." Maxile's head spun at the anxious stream of words from Simeon's mouth and the man's proximity.
"Yeah, Simeon…" Maxile answered. Maxile ignored the blush creeping onto his cheeks. The sight of Simeon's shirtless form had long since distracted his mind. C'mon, Max! We are literally fighting for our lives and you're focusing on this!? Maxile had long accepted that he had some sort of feelings for Simeon. The sniper had a kind and humorous personality. He actively made an attempt to befriend Maxile. Maxile had also accepted that Simeon hadn't given him any indication that he was interested in furthering their relationship. They had only met a couple months ago! Despite his attempts to stop, Maxile still analyzed everything the sniper said to him.
"Let's keep on then, stay close. I won't let anything happen to you." Simeon whispered in his ear. Why is he saying it like that!? What does that even mean? Maxile felt himself pulled into a standing position. "There should be a hallway in that direction… Once we get back to the atrium, you can lead us to the pod you woke up in." A sense of dread eased over Maxile. What if he couldn't remember where he woke up? What if the pods weren't an escape route?
"I…" Maxile stuttered, his anxiety overwhelming him. Simeon's hand slid up to Maxile's shoulder, giving him a good shake.
"Max," Simeon soothed. "It'll be okay. We'll figure this out. Get ready to run. I'll be right behind you." Simeon's determined blue eyes pierced his soul. Maxile knew his feelings for the sniper would only lead to ruin, but he couldn't ignore them. Maxile nodded at Simeon and poised his body to resume running through the unknown area.
Gathering his courage, Maxile pushed off. He rounded corner after corner. Nothing in the dank zone looked familiar. Their route eventually funneled into a narrow hallway. As Maxile turned to cut a hard left, a disfigured man blocked his path. The man was likely as surprised as Maxile. Maxile's feet shuffled backward as the man lunged forward.
"Hey!" The man snarled, reaching for Maxile. The man only got a few steps in his direction before Simeon dispatched him. After a shot in his head, the man stiffened and fell to the floor. Maxile jumped the body before him and continued into the large room. Above his head, a large window showed off Rapture's underwater cityscape. The windows were in poor condition, and water poured onto the stairs of the atrium from the cracks in the glass. Maxile carefully descended the soaked stairs to the main floor. His shoes were soaked in seawater, but he was still on his feet. A loud groan echoing throughout the room caught Maxile's attention.
Maxile turned to discover a large diving suit standing in the corner of the room. Red lights poured from the port holes on the creature's helmet. Its right arm brandished a menacing drill. What the fuck is that!? The beast took a step towards him, clearly noticing his presence.
"What the fuck is-" Simeon yelled as he descended the stairs. Unfortunately, his shoe slipped on the final step, causing him to crash onto the wet marble floor. The giant diving suit unleashed a loud roar at Simeon's sudden movements and stomped towards them.
"Get up!" Maxile begged, pulling Simeon into a standing position. Maxile's heart raced as the creature neared them. Once Simeon was on his feet, Maxile led them out of the atrium. Gunshots reverberated throughout the room as Simeon unloaded his rifle on the creature. However, despite Simeon's barrage, the diving suit maintained its chase. Maxile silently prayed they wouldn't slip on the wet floor as they entered the next room. The hallway split into two different directions, right and left.
"You go left, I'll go right!" Simeon demanded. That's a stupid idea! Ignoring his instincts, Maxile cut to the left. He immediately faced a long hallway, and at the end was the pod he had initially woken up in. Damn, a dead end! A loud roar from behind him encouraged him to continue running. For whatever reason, the giant maintained his pursuit of Maxile rather than the man shooting him. With no time to glance behind him, Maxile ran forward. Crashing footsteps neared behind him. He had to think of something! His runway was quickly ending, and the path was too narrow to turn around. His only chance was to dive into the pod. The giant was inches behind him now. Taking a chance, Maxile dived into the pod. Once he crashed into the pod, Maxile pressed himself to the pod's wall. Seconds later, the creature had dived into the pod, filling it to the brim.
The pod was far too small for the giant diving suit. It writhed and roared, trying to reposition itself in the pod. While thrashing, Maxile could see a small window of time through which he could escape from the pod. This is my chance! When the golden opportunity presented itself, Maxile climbed onto the creature's back and jumped out of the pod. He didn't bother to look back to see if the suit was climbing from the pod, instead running back the way he came. I've got to meet back up with Simeon!
Fortunately, the other end of the hallway appeared to be another station. A similar-looking pod sat in a pool at the end of the hallway. Simeon also stood at the end of the hallway, his hands raised in surrender. Before him, a man stood with a gun, holding the sniper hostage.
"You've been so much trouble, Andreja…" The man spoke as if he was chastising a child. Andreja? What the hell? "What Sander wants… Sander gets! And I want you! " Simeon's eyes maintained on the man before him, not once flicking to Maxile. Maxile rapidly looked around the long hallway; a pipe lay in the corner of the room. Carefully, Maxile picked it up and crept behind the man.
"Just let me go, Sander…" Simeon pleaded, trying to continue to captivate the man's focus. Sander simply cackled at the request. Step by step, Maxile neared the man, Sander. He held the pipe far above his head, preparing to swing it as hard as possible.
"You don't think I will just-" Maxile brought the pipe down on Sander's head, instantly knocking him unconscious. Sander crumpled to the floor silently, blood trickling from where Maxile struck him. Suddenly, he was enveloped in a warm body, and Simeon's arms pulled him in tight. Again, he ignored the burning in his face as it pressed tightly to Simeon's chest.
"Thank you so much, Max!" Simeon said, holding him tightly. "How did you get away from that… thing?"
"I just gave it the slip…" Maxile mumbled into Simeon's bare chest. Placing his palms on the sniper's chest, Maxile looked up into his eyes. "Let's get out of here before something else goes wrong." The sniper nodded, releasing him. The absence of touch sent a ping of sadness through Maxile. Ignoring the thought, Maxile climbed into the pod after Simeon.
Once Simeon closed the pod, lights illuminated the many levers throughout it. One lever signaled 'Neptune's Bounty.'
"I guess this is it?" Simeon said, pointing to the lever. Maxile shrugged, not knowing what should be done. After a few moments, Simeon pulled the lever. The pod shuttered and dropped into the ocean; bubbles flooded the window. The pod traveled out into the underwater city as if on a track. The bright lights of the city took Maxile by surprise. If it hadn't proved to be a deathtrap, Maxile might have considered the city beautiful. Sealife swam through the cities, similar to how birds soared through New Atlantis.
"I never dreamed to see anything like this…" Maxile mumbled, almost not reacting when Simeon pressed behind him to get a view out the pod's window.
"Stick with Constellation… I'll make sure you see everything the Settled Systems offers… Even places like this. Places that I never thought existed…" Maxile ignored the twinge of hope that he would always be with Simeon. He knew these hopes and dreams were self-destructive… But who can control their heart? Together, they watched the gorgeous underwater city as they slowly drifted to their destination.
Neptune's Bounty, Rapture
Year 1959
?????
Avery Del
Ave… …ome close… You a… …most there…
Water trickled down the bathysphere's window as they surfaced, blurring the environment outside. The familiar voice of the artifact rang in his ear the instant the door to the bathysphere opened. I knew it! We're going the right way! The dock creaked as Avery stepped onto it. They had arrived at what appeared to be a large wharf. Dead fish littered the wooden pier that stretched on, assaulting his sense of smell.
"Now what?" Barrett asked, peering down the long wharf. "It doesn't look like the rest of the crew is here yet… Should we wait or keep going?" Water bubbling behind him caught Avery's attention. The bathysphere had retreated, robbing them of their escape from Neptune's Bounty in a pinch.
"I can hear the artifact…" Avery admitted. "It's somewhere nearby, so we should keep moving forward." A twinge of guilt jolted Avery. A small voice in his mind reminded him that he should wait for his crew's arrival. But, before he descended into the black hole of guilt, his previous conversation with Barrett pulled him back. I trust my crew… They'll find their way.
The new area would have been a maze for them. However, the pulsating chime of the artifact kept Avery on the correct course. The location was devoid of life; anyone who had been there was gone. The only signs of previous life were the trash that littered the floor. The taunting call of the artifact led the duo up a set of stairs to a zone labeled Fontaine Fisheries. Avery figured this was where the city caught and prepared the fish for selling. A chill ran down Avery's spine, signaling the sudden drop in temperature.
"Damn, are we in a freezer?" Barrett commented, massaging his arms. "I guess this is where they store all the fish they caught?" The room the artifact had brought them to contained a plethora of barrels. Avery assumed they were chock full of fish.
Ave… You… …re alm… here…
His head turned to the artifact's melodic call. A light flickered in the corner of the room, illuminating a set of stairs. It's down there… Avery quickly descended the dark stairs, throwing all sense of caution to the wind. The temperature continuously plummeted during the descent. Ice formed on the walls of the room they entered. Surely, they had found a freezer room.
"O-okay?" Barrett's teeth chattered as he spoke. "You've brought me to the coldest damn room, now what?" The large room wasn't very significant. Large tuna hung from hooks, swung slightly back and forth.
Avery.
The voice was now loud in his ear. Avery turned to face directly down the large room. A large hole in the corner of the room caught his attention. It was clearly made in a hurry and poorly hidden. A couple barrels stood in front of the hole, partially covering it. The artifact is down there!
" We're almost there, Barrett!" Avery said, grabbing one of the barrels. A quick tug and the barrel fell over, pouring frozen fish onto the freezer's floor. The hole was big enough for them to squeeze through.
"Why the hell did you do that, Avery?" Barrett's nasally voice complained from behind him. The sudden onslaught of the scent of putrid fish displeased him. "I'm over this ocean shit!" Avery ignored him, continuing on through the rocky tunnel.
Although the entrance was initially narrow, the path opened into a wide path. Avery guessed the residents of Rapture had long ago carved their way through the rock. The path descended lower and lower, eventually causing them to become ankle-deep in seawater. Damn, I didn't even consider the artifact may be underwater…
"This is some ol' bullshit," Barrett continued to complain, sounding eerily similar to Eddie. "I smell like a whale's ass, I'm wet, and hungry. If that artifact doesn't bring us back to The Atlas, I'll…" Barrett trailed off, likely not knowing how to threaten the cosmic object.
Vasco buzzed from Barrett's hip, "Barrett, I believe-"
"I don't care, over ." Barrett interrupted the Vasco radio before he could relay his surely sarcastic comment. The tunnel gradually opened into a ledge overlooking a cavern. A small opening to the ocean lay in the corner of the cavern. Half-submerged in the water was a submarine. The submarine appeared similar to the bathysphere they arrived in. A small path trailed to the bathysphere. Blocking their path was an iron gate.
"That's where we need to go," Avery said, pointing to the submarine. The path along the ledge continued several feet before entering a control room. The control room also had a large window that overlooked the submarine. The artifact's verbal chimes continued to call out to him, bringing a pulse of happiness through his body. However, a deep concern ripped through that happiness. Where is everyone else!? Why aren't they here yet!?
The iron gate towered over them when they arrived at the cavern floor. There was no obvious way around the gate, but they had to get past it… Avery shook the lock on the gate. This lock is much cleaner than anything else we've seen in this place… Someone just put this lock on here…
Avery froze at the loud sound of footsteps coming from behind him. Slowly, he turned around, finding Barrett poised into a defensive pose. In seconds, dozens of splicers had poured into the cavern. They snarled and laughed at them, talking in their raspy voices. Where the hell did they all come from!? The commotion had become so loud that Avery could no longer hear the artifact…
"Skin them… We need to skin them!"
"Ryan promised us ADAM! Whoever kills them first gets rewarded ADAM!"
"I'll gut them like fish…"
The mutant citizens of Rapture pressed the cold iron gate harshly into Avery's back as he was pushed into it. Different escape plans thrummed through Avery's mind, each more obscure than the next. Fuck.
"Would you animals calm down!" A static voice echoed throughout the cavern. A voice Avery didn't recognize. Conversely, the splicers recognized the demand and immediately backed away, giving them space. Barrett's eyes narrowed at the sudden turn of events… This was definitely too good to be true…
"What's going on?" Avery called out into the cavern, unsure who he was speaking to. The mass of splicers gave him mocking laughs.
Again, the voice reverberated through the cavern, "You're speaking to the king of Rapture, Andrew Ryan. I don't know who you or your people are, but you've managed to infiltrate my kingdom…" Avery's head spun at the change in events. What the hell is going on!?
"Call off your men!" Avery demanded the mysterious voice. Kyburz had mentioned Andrew Ryan, but Avery didn't figure he'd deal with him. "Where are you? Man up and show yourself!"
"You must not realize what position you've put yourself in?" Andrew's voice became harsher the longer he spoke. "You, Avery , infiltrated my home. You hacked into my PA system and announced your message into my kingdom. I'm no fool… I've decoded your sick message. You want to steal Rapture from me!"
"I don't even know where we are!? Much less do I want to steal anything from you!" Avery tried to explain to the man, but he seemed just as insane as the rest of the underwater city. Avery still couldn't see Andrew, but he figured Andrew watched them on camera from a safe area within the city.
"And you won't," Andrew continued. "Just like everyone else that has arrived in Rapture, this city of dreams… I will kill all that defy me or steal from me!" The men surrounding them began cheering at Andrew's crazed monologue.
"This is ridiculous…" Avery muttered, turning back to the iron gate. He gave the gate a good shake, testing its stability.
"This might be it, Avery." Barrett's words were numb. "The rest of the crew isn't coming… And I don't think we can handle thirty men and women. They look like they can't wait to kill us…" Avery shook his head at Barrett's statement. Through their hushed conversation, Andrew Ryan continued on.
"-Rapture is my creation from-"
"Barrett, I trust my crew. You were right about everyone earlier. Our independence… Our strength… Our banter… I believe in them…" Avery gave the gate a final shake. His eyes met Barrett's brown ones. "We ain't dead yet…" Andrew suddenly faltered in his long speech as if to prove his point.
"-the 1940s, and I- Where the hell did you come from?" The change in Andrew's tone caused Avery to swivel his head around. He found an angry Eddie standing behind the mass of splicers.
"Avery!" Eddie growled, sending a shiver down Avery's spine. Oh great, he's pissed… Eddie's angry voice caused the splicers to turn around to face the physician. Despite the danger, Eddie made eye contact with Avery. Next to him stood an awkward-looking Mickey.
"Oh! Eddie! Barrett, I told you-"
"Quiet!" Eddie snapped, pushing his way into the people surrounding Avery and Barrett. "Your foolishness has possibly drained ten years from my life! I've spent the better part of the past three hours pushing this idiot around in a wheelchair!" Eddie motioned behind him to Mickey, who gave a simple wave. The crowd allowed the feisty physician passage until Eddie was nose-to-nose with Avery.
"Uhm…"
"Quiet!" Eddie interrupted him once more. "While I may be relieved with your well-being, this does not outweigh the ordeal that I have been through. We will speak of a pay raise, pain, and suffering. Are we clear?" Eddie's glare didn't falter. Even the splicers appeared to be bashful of the tongue-lashing Avery was receiving.
"Uhm… Yes sir…" Avery conceded.
"Very well, now how do we escape?" Eddie asked, inspecting the gate blocking their path.
"Are you that clueless to look past the men and women preparing to kill us?" Barrett asked, arching an eyebrow. Eddie turned back to the splicers he had just marched through.
"I… Didn't notice them." Eddie admitted, swirling around to meet confused looks with one of his own. "I was so angry… When I saw Avery, I saw red. Mickey! Why didn't you point them out!? I could have died!" Everyone turned to the chef, splicers included, curious about his answer.
"Well, you said I couldn't speak to you, under any circumstances, for at least twenty-four hours…" Mickey cocked his head at Eddie.
"My interest in… Whatever this is has waned." Andrew's voice echoed, bringing Avery's focus back to the situation. "You introduced yourself to Rapture as 'Avery,' and you will die as so. Men and women, as you will. Whoever brings me their heads will be rewarded well." The splicers stirred at Andrew's command. Once again, Avery found his back pressed against the iron gate.
"It'll be fine, guys!" Avery said through gritted teeth. Despite his promise, the splicers continued creeping closer and closer. They had no fear of Avery and Barrett's guns. One of the splicers stepped forward, wielding a scythe-like knife, and quickly pressed it to Avery's Adam's apple.
"You're not strong when backed into a corner!" The man hissed into Avery's face. His words lisped due to his awkwardly stretched face. This isn't it! The rest of my crew isn't here yet! I believe in my crew! Barrett stood in front of Eddie, holding back a man who brandished a lead pipe. On the other side of Avery stood Mickey, who held back two men simultaneously. Despite his strength, they still managed potshots with their outstretched extremities. Even more, splicers continued pouring in on them, only increasing the pressure… Avery could no longer hear the artifact, only the screams and taunts of the men and women surrounding him… Fuck.
BOOM
…
…
…
The splicer inches from Avery's face dropped to the floor with a lifeless thud. Blood oozed from a wound on the side of his face. The splicers surrounding them went silent and dead still. Avery glanced wildly around the cavern, searching for his savior. Standing on the ledge overlooking the cavern, he spotted Simeon… shirtless. Simeon stood over them, aiming a rifle. Next to him was Maxile.
BOOM
Another splicer dropped at Simeon's hand, sending their foes into chaos. Some retreated away from the gate to safety. Others fought harder, eager to gain their prize as Andrew had promised. This is it!
Avery began firing his weapon at the enemies before him, shortly joined by Barrett. The mutant citizens ran in every direction, overwhelmingly clouding the battlefield. As long as they kept their backs to the gate, no one could take them by surprise.
Although Avery, Barrett, and Simeon made their shots, the number of splicers didn't dwindle. A familiar head of blond hair moved through the crowd of splicers, hidden in the chaos. Avery reached out a hand as Maxile neared.
"Avery!" Maxile greeted loudly. His eye had a deep bruise under it, and a streak of dried blood ran down his neck. "I can hear it! It's nearby!" Avery raised an eyebrow at the nurse's statement before he understood what he meant. He can hear the artifact, too.
"I think it's in the submarine!" Avery explained, nodding his head to the large vessel behind them. "But if we don't get past this gate, we're screwed…" a splicer screamed as he jumped towards them but was shot down by Simeon. The splicer fell harmlessly to the ground before rolling into the ocean.
"Can you knock it down with your starpower?" Maxile suggested.
"Probably not…" Avery admitted, sending a flash of disappointment across Maxile's face. "It's still tough for me to control…" Maxile seemed deep in thought until a loud groan echoed in the cavern. Shit… That sounds familiar…
Avery glanced up to the ledge Simeon perched on. The sniper no longer focused on the battlefield, instead peering into the enormous tunnel behind him. The groaning grew louder… and louder… And then came a familiar scream… A battle cry even.
"We're coming!" Is that Cora?
Simeon suddenly scrambled forward, leaping off the ledge. A crashing noise rang from the tunnel, foretelling the arrival of something grim. Simeon hit the ground roughly, rolling to a stop. The splicers ran in circles, panicking from the chaotic gunshots and colossal groaning. Seconds later, one of the giant diving suits lept from the ledge.
"What the fuck!?" Avery screamed, diving from the front of the gate. The diving suit landed on an unfortunate splicer and continued its charge toward the iron gate. The drill on its arm caught splicers in its wake, cutting them down. A loud crash and the screech of metal overtook the cavern as the beast slammed into the iron gate. When the dust had cleared, the suit lay on top of the remnants of the downed gate.
"Eight!" A voice screamed from the ledge. Avery followed the sound and found Cora and Sam overlooking them. The splicers were now decimated and confused, and they had a chance to escape.
"Get to the sub!" Avery demanded. "This is our chance!" Eddie wasted no time hobbling his way down the path to the submarine, Mickey and Barrett hot on his heels. Maxile propped Simeon up and helped him around the downed giant and toward salvation.
"Eight! Get up!" Cora cried as she sprinted through the battlefield. The monster groaned in response. Cora leaped onto the beast's chest, but its full-on tackle into the iron fence had heavily damaged it. The lights were out in some of its viewing ports, its armor cracked and broken. Sam ran by Avery, clapping him on the shoulder.
"C'mon Cora! We've gotta go!" Sam called out to his daughter. Initially, Avery thought Cora wouldn't allow herself to be separated from the giant. Much to his surprise, the giant used its gloved hand to peel the girl from its chest and pass her to Sam. Sam carried Cora down the path to the submarine, her eyes never leaving her fallen friend.
"Thank you…" Avery muttered to the suit before following his crew. When he arrived at the submarine's door, Simeon stood at the hatch, attempting to open it. "What's wrong?"
"Can't get the damn thing-" Simeon grunted as he ripped at the hatch before it opened. Andreja's head popped out of the submarine, taking everyone by surprise.
"Unless you plan on working your chest more, you should wear a shirt," Andreja commented snarkily, earning the woman a scowl.
"I've been working hard on my chest…" Simeon growled.
"If you say so…" Andreja trailed off before continuing. "Also, you did good shooting from the ledge," Andreja sputtered, disappearing into the submarine before Simeon could react to the random compliment.
"What!? "
"Get in!" Avery demanded, roughly shoving Simeon forward. The splicers had recovered from the giant diving suit's assault and were sprinting down the path toward them. One by one, everyone piled into the submarine. When his final crew member had entered the submarine, Avery leaped in, shutting the hatch behind him. To his pleasure, he found his final crewmate and right-hand man, Sarah. With all ten members of Constellation in one location, the submarine was extremely cramped. Hovering in the middle of the submarine was the damn artifact that got them into this mess in the first place.
"I've been working on getting off this lock…" Sarah explained quickly. Her hands deftly picked at the lock surrounding the artifact. "It's taken some time, but I've almost gotten it off." After a few more moments, the lock fell to the floor of the submarine, leaving the artifact floating.
A loud crash jolted everyone in the submarine. Avery looked at his entire crew surrounding the artifact.
"Guys-" Avery started, his voice cracking.
"Not now!" The crew screamed simultaneously. This gained a laugh from Avery. I'm so happy everyone is okay! Reaching out, Avery allowed his finger to graze the artifact. The all too familiar sensation molding his being. The Mysterious orchestra of the artifact crescendoed in his ears, causing his surroundings to blur. Avery continued to laugh as his entire being skyrocketed away from Rapture.
The Atlas, Orbiting Syrma IV, The Syrma System
Year 2330, September 12th
1750
Avery Del
A hard surface slamming into his back knocked the air from Avery's lungs. Avery closed his eyes tightly, terrified of where the artifact might have sent him. Light filtered past his eyelashes as he cracked open an eye. The lights of The Atlas blinked their beautiful multicolored LED lights at him. I'm back…
"Damn…" Barrett muttered. Avery could hear the rest of the crew stirring and climbing to their feet.
"Does anyone want to tell me what the hell happened?" Sam asked.
"Simeon, where's your shirt?"
"It's… A long story…"
"Whatever those damn spacers did to the artifact, the lock must have caused a power flux to send us back in time…" Avery spoke aloud, climbing to his feet. "Actually, it either sent us back in time… Or it sent us to another reality. I haven't figured that part out." Avery became acutely aware of the artifact he held in his hand. Energy seemed to pulsate from the artifact. It called out to the other artifacts in the Armillary. Avery released the artifact, allowing it to float towards the Armillary. The members of Constellation watched as the artifact combined with the others, enlarging the armillary.
"Finally… another one down. I hope the next one isn't as… dangerous." Simeon said with a hesitant laugh. The rest of the crew coughed, and an awkward silence veiled across the bridge.
"Yes," Avery started, catching the attention of the crew. "This is all my fault. I put you all in a dangerous situation… I was irresponsible and took you all for granted. For that, I sincerely apologize. If you no longer wish to remain with Constellation for my mistake, I understa-"
"Wha? Awe, shut up!" Simeon exclaimed, taking Avery by surprise. "This was just a damn Tuesday."
"I admit, you promised me drama and pizzazz if I joined Constellation. And you sure delivered…" Mickey added.
"Why are you apologizing for danger?" Andreja asked, her voice rising in confusion. "Our job always has the possibility of danger. We all survived for another day. That's all that matters." Avery glanced between his crew as they all put in their two cents. They all nodded their heads in agreement.
"You did promise me you would show me the Settled Systems," Maxile said, smiling. "I took this adventure as just another opportunity to do so."
"I'm still pissed that you almost killed us all with your damn artifact…" Eddie said gruffly. "But, if I quit from one of your daily stupid decisions, someone will surely die." This earned a laugh from Avery.
"Don't forget, we all are interested in discovering what the artifacts lead us to!" Sarah announced to Avery.
"I see," Avery said, nodding his head. "Well, I'd also like to notify everyone of how proud I am to have them in Constellation. You are all brave and handle yourselves well on your own. I would be nothing without this crew." His sappy speech was met with a chorus of cheers and sarcastic boos from Constellation.
"Just as an update, I have also returned to my original vessel." Vasco's voice rang on The Atlas's PA. Gradually, the crew started to talk amongst themselves, falling into their usual post-mission banter.
"Damn, here I was hoping you'd reincarnated into a toaster!" Barrett countered the robot. This was met with silence from the robot, likely not calculating the argument as worth anything. Avery sat back to watch his crew talk and laugh over the next hour. He couldn't be happier at the amount of pride he held for his crew members.
Notes:
Again, this was a fun chapter to write. I enjoy figuring out each of the characters dynamics with each other. Well... doing my best to.
Thank you for reading!
Chapter 11: The Blood That Binds Us - Sam Coe
Summary:
When Constellation is offered a job by the Freestar Rangers, Sam is irritated. Especially when he learns that his estranged father, Jacob Coe is who set up the job. However, once Sam learns that his ex-wife, Lillian has been kidnapped, he is agrees to cooperate. Sam, his Father, and the Freestar Rangers much team up to defeat a new gang that plagues Akila City's outskirts.
Notes:
Hope you enjoy!
TW: Cursing, blood and death.
Disclaimer: I do not own Starfield
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, October 2nd
1125 Universal Time
Sam Coe
"Hell. No." Sam spat at Avery. He couldn't believe the words coming from his captain's mouth. Sam stood up from the cockpit and turned to face Avery. He defiantly crossed his arms over his chest, maintaining his gaze on the captain.
"Sam, just list-" Avery tried to explain. However, he was halted by Sam.
"Why in the Settled Systems would you accept a mission from Jacob Coe !?" Sam demanded. "You know I joined Constellation solely because of him and the Freestar Rangers… Avery, you know I don't complain a whole lot-"
"Since when?"
"Not now!" Sam growled. "But I have too much personal involvement with this request. Jacob knows I work with Constellation. On top of that, if we stop in Akila, Cora will want to see Jacob and her mother… And that will be awkward for me." Sam knew he was being selfish… He knew he was being childish… But Sam couldn't muster the willpower to overcome those feelings. Avery took a breath; once he realized Sam had finished his rant, he continued.
"Sam," Avery began, hastening his words when Sam narrowed his eyes. "Normally, I wouldn't have accepted any requests from Freestar… But Jacob reached out to me personally. I don't think he wanted to involve you, either. He seems as reluctant to have a family reunion as you are-"
"Hey!"
" Anyway ," Avery sputtered, trying to avoid a revisit of Sam's rant. "Jacob says that a large gang has been attacking the small farms surrounding Akila City." Sam shook his head at Avery's explanation.
" So !?" Sam hissed. "Akila City is literally a dead town. Gangs running around Akila are nothing new. Why does Jacob need us ? Can't his precious Freestar Rangers handle a few robbers?" It was Avery's turn to shake his head at Sam's defiance.
"Apparently not, Sam," Avery said sternly, taking Sam by surprise. "He contacted us because of personal issues. Jacob said the Freestar Rangers have been fighting a losing battle with this particular gang. Several Freestar Rangers went to their hideout a few days ago to run them off… They killed many of the Freestar Rangers, released a few, and are holding a few captive…" Avery trailed off, further irritating Sam.
"Avery, just get to the point."
"Lillian was captured by the gang terrorizing Akila." Avery finally admitted. A chill ran down Sam's spine, causing his breath to hitch. Of course, they did… Sam felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. Sam and Lillian had divorced on not-so-great terms ten years ago. Their contact had been less than Cora deserved. Cora ensured he was aware of the stress the lack of communication between him and his ex-wife caused her. At the end of the day, Lillian was still the mother of his child, and he still cared about her… Sam flopped back into the cockpit and allowed a loud groan to escape his lips.
"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me…" Sam complained to no one in particular. "She would do this… That dang woman. She complains that I don't let her see Cora enough, yet she never makes time to see her! Here she is, gettin' her ass caught, forcing my hand to come save her! Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she and Jacob planned this whole damn rescue mission!" Sam had now climbed back from the cockpit and paced back and forth along the bridge. Avery's eyebrows were knitted in confusion at Sam's rant.
"Sam, I don't think they-"
"No, Avery," Sam spun towards the captain. "They did this shit on purpose! The whole reason we are getting this damn request is because they knew I would never refuse it…" Sam paused, thinking over the mission. Again, he knew he was being petty. His irritation with everything involving Akila clouded his judgment. But that's never been fair to Cora.
"Sam, if you were never going to refuse it, why are we having this conversation?" Avery asked genuinely. Sam released another loud sigh.
"Dammit, Avery, this will obviously be the only time I can be outwardly angry about the damn mission," Sam admitted, giving Avery a cross-look. "Once Cora is involved, I'll have to keep a lid on this."
"I-I guess that's fair." Avery agreed. "That being said, Cora already is aware of the mission. The truth is, Jacob reached out to Cora, who notified me, and now I notified you..." Sam could feel his eye twitch at that tidbit of information.
"What!?"
Akila City, Akila, The Cheyenne System
Year 2330, October 2nd
1510 Universal Time
Sam Coe
Sam would be a liar if he said walking through Akila City didn't make him nervous. Akila City hadn't changed at all since the day he left. Same old buildings, same old dusty town, same old cowboys trying to tame the land. Sam pulled his hat further down, praying no one would recognize him. On the other hand, Cora took the city in as she walked through it. Every building and monument she studied as she passed. Sam felt a ping of guilt in his stomach. He probably should have brought her here years ago…
"How can anyone live here?" Mickey groaned from behind them. "It's so hot and dusty! I fear my face will break out…" Sam shook his head at the chef's complaint. Try living here for thirty years…
"Mick- Mickey, what are you wearing!?" Sam exclaimed when he turned to eye the chef. Mickey stood several feet behind the group in a set of new clothes. He wore skin-tight jeans neatly tucked into cowboy boots. He also had on a fancy button-up, complete with a cowboy hat Sam was pretty sure had been stolen from his room. Sam shook the sight from his mind. "Why did you even come? You could have just stayed on The Atlas." Mickey placed his hand on his chest as if offended by Sam's question.
"Sam, I'm here to see cowboys! And to see a cowboy, one must become a cowboy." Mickey said, wiggling his eyebrows. "I couldn't miss out on that! Plus, our kitchen is out of bourbon… So it's time to replenish." That makes sense.
"Mickey, you see Sam daily," Sarah offered from behind him. "He even has a stereotypical cowboy hat." Sam flicked the brim of his hat to reiterate Sarah's point.
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…" Mickey said, shaking his head. "Sam doesn't count… Real cowboys don't have to monitor their blood sugar." Sam cocked his head at the chef. Likely feeling like he had just told Sam off, Mickey sauntered past the group in an exaggerated, bow-legged trot. Cowboys don't walk like that…
"I'm a diabetic!" Sam exclaimed. "What the hell does that have to do with being a damn cowboy!?"
"Hey, what's that?" Avery asked, cutting into their conversation. Sam followed his pointed finger, only to pale at what Avery had noticed. They had arrived at the plaza of Akila City. Constructed in the middle of the city's plaza stood a tall statue of a man. In Cora's eagerness, she had pulled far ahead of them and was reading the statue's inscription. Here we go…
"Solomon Coe?" Cora read aloud. After a few moments of silent reading, she continued. "It says he founded Akila City two hundred years ago… He has our last name…" Cora turned to Sam to give him a questioning glance.
"We are descendants of Solomon Coe…" Sam explained, unease coating his voice. "The Coe's are the first settlers of Akila City." Cora narrowed her eyes, clearly deep in thought.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Cora asked. Well shit… I was hoping to avoid this…
"Oh! This is awkward!" Mickey announced, enhancing the awkward situation further. "Oh, look! There's the Freestar Collective headquarters! The leaders and I will just… go ahead while you two continue this unpleasant conversation." Wasting no time, Mickey pulled Sarah and Avery towards the building ahead.
"Mickey! I want to know the city's history!" Sarah complained before being promptly yanked into the Freestar Ranger's headquarters. Sam sighed at the chef's antics; shaking his head, he returned his attention to his Daughter. Cora's integrative glare continued to drill into him. Sam was no fool. He knew keeping their family history from Cora wasn't fair…
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Cora repeated.
"Honestly, I'm surprised Jacob didn't tell you…" Sam admitted. Guilt flashed across Cora's face at the mention of the secret contact she had with her grandfather. Damn, that's not what I was trying to do. "N-not that you did anything wrong, talking to him… I'm just surprised he never mentioned it."
"Why didn't you?" She asked a third time.
"It's not that I never planned to," Sam admitted. That wasn't a lie. However, he didn't know when it would come up in conversation. Sam has never had an easy time discussing the Coe family history. "I just didn't want you to feel… responsible for your lineage. Trust me, growing up in a city established by your ancestors, you feel responsible for it. If you're not careful, you will find yourself tied down to a place you don't owe anything to… It took me years to accept that just because I'm a Coe doesn't mean my life has to be devoted to Akila City… That's one of the reasons my relationship with Jacob is so… strained."
"And that's why you never told me…" Cora said, her eyes never leaving Solomon's statue. Sam could tell she was hurt by the sound of her voice.
"Yes," Sam agreed. "It was selfish, I know. You're… not exactly old enough to make that decision… But you're certainly smart enough to… Hell, you're smarter than I was at your age. I'm sorry, Cora… You may learn several secrets while you are here in Akila City…"
After a few moments passed, Cora turned to Sam with a strained smile, "It's okay, I'm not mad. Now that we're here, I can't wait to start." Cora was a horrible liar. Sam could see it in her eyes. But she wasn't wrong. They were knee-deep in Akila now, and there was no turning back. Everything he had tried to 'protect' Cora from would be rearing its ugly face.
"Right, kid." Sam held Cora's shoulder and turned to the Freestar Ranger's headquarters. "You ready to head in? You're about to meet many people who know all about you." Cora only nodded and began to slowly approach the building towering over them. After a silent prayer, Sam trailed behind her.
Akila City, Akila, The Cheyenne System
Year 2330, October 2nd
1330 Universal Time
Sam Coe
As he expected, the Freestar Ranger's HQ was no different than when Sam had last walked out of it. Freestar HQ, known as 'The Rock,' still looked old as dirt. The only interesting object on the base floor was currently surrounded by his crew. A taxidermied Ashta, posed in a ferocious stance, stood in the room. Sam cringed at the dead alien. Ashta were probably the biggest plague Akila dealt with on a daily basis. Ashta are monstrous quadrupedal aliens native to Akila. They roam the planets in packs. Easy to kill alone, but when fighting ten to fifteen at a time… Sam shook the thought from his head.
"It's absolutely hideous!" Mickey commented, peering into the Ashta's maw. He reached a finger out to touch the Ashta's plating. Ashta had natural armor that covered their entire body. Sam guessed the armor was bone because Ashta's large teeth had the same appearance as their armor. An Ashta had five eyes on either side of its head, but Sam figured they could only see heat signatures.
"Look who's talking," Sam jested, earning a scowl from the chef. There were multiple Freestar Rangers on the base floor of The Rock. Sam tipped his hat down and continued on to the stairs. He didn't need to speak to anyone just yet.
"You're not such a prize yourself, cowboy…" Mickey mumbled. "Just because you wear tight pants and say 'ain't' and 'y'all' doesn't give you the right to judge…" Sam stifled a laugh at the chef's comeback. It made absolutely no sense!
Sam led the crew to the second floor. The second floor of The Rock was outfitted as a bar. An area where rangers could either look for leads on a new mission or decompress after a completed one.
"Sam Coe," a voice called from the bar. Damn… I thought we could reach the next floor before someone called me out. Sam stopped to search for the voice, his eyes landing on a dark-skinned woman with her hair pulled back out of her face. "I figured we'd never see you 'round these parts again." Sam immediately recognized the woman as Emma Wilcox. Emma had certainly aged since he last saw her, but that had no effect on her beauty.
"Emma," Sam greeted, nodding at her. "Yeah, Jacob mentioned a mission we couldn't pass…" Concern briefly flashed in Emma's expression.
"Yes…" she said solemnly. "I'm sorry about-"
"It's fine," Sam interrupted before she could say his ex-wife's name. Cora was aware that her mother had been captured, but he didn't want to continuously bring up that fact. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Sam gestured to his crew. "This here is my crew with Constellation. My captain, Avery. My vice-captain, Sarah. Constellation's chef, Mickey-"
"Celebrity chef," Mickey added.
"Whatever," Sam growled. " Celebrity chef, Mickey, and finally my daughter-"
"Cora!" Emma exclaimed, finally noticing Cora. "I haven't seen you since you were four years old! I doubt you remember me, but I held you when you were a baby!" Emma certainly brightened at the sight of Cora. Cora didn't seem to be uncomfortable at the attention she was receiving from Emma.
"You knew me when I was a baby?" Cora asked, cocking her head.
"Of course," Emma smiled. "I remember the day you were born. You were born with a head full of curly hair."
"Yeah, it hasn't changed much," Cora laughed. She ran her fingers through her coarse, dark hair.
"I think I have some old pictures of you and your Mom and Dad in my room. Maybe later I can show you?" Emma added, earning a nod from Cora. Another wave of guilt washed over Sam. Why did I let my personal feelings keep her from building relationships with people who cared for her? Emma turned back to Sam and his crew, wearing a more serious expression. "Anyway, we need to get down to business. Jacob and Daniel are both waiting upstairs for everyone. There, we will discuss the next plan of action."
"Gotcha," Avery stepped in. "Let's get started." Emma motioned for them to follow her. After a few twists and turns, they ascended a few more flights of stairs. They reached their goal on the top floor: Daniel Blake's office. She led them past Daniel's office into a small conference room. A long table sat in the middle of the room. Daniel Blake and Jacob Coe were seated at the table. Sam could feel his stomach doing backflips at the sight of his estranged father.
"Welcome, Sam. Constellation. Please sit. I'm Da-" Daniel hesitated when he noticed Mickey's overzealous getup. Shaking his head at the sight, Daniel motioned for everyone to find a seat at the table. Sam eased his way to the seat furthest from Jacob. He sat ramrod straight on the edge of his seat, ignoring that Jacob's eyes never left him. Daniel Blake kept a steady eye on everyone. Daniel is the current Marshal of the Freestar Rangers. He took over the role several years ago when Jacob retired. Daniel had the face of a man that said, 'I'm too old for this shit.' His age and years of stress wore heavily on his face, greying his hair. Once everyone found their chairs, Daniel continued his introductions. "I'm Daniel Blake, the Marshal of the Freestar Rangers."
"Thank you for having us," Avery said, conversation flowing easily from him. "We are happy to help in any way we can. My name is Avery Del, I'm the leader of Constellation." Sam tutted at his captain's friendliness, kiss-ass… Sam's mood only soured more when Cora entered the room. She immediately hugged Jacob as if they were old friends.
"Del, eh?" Daniel rubbed his chin in deep thought. "You wouldn't happen to be from around here?" Avery shifted his position in his chair at Daniel's question, obviously uncomfortable. Avery's sudden bashfulness confused Sam. Avery never delves into his past… The only people who likely know about Avery's history are Sarah, Simeon… and maybe Andreja. Apart from those three, Avery hadn't disclosed his past to anyone.
"Eh, sorta," Avery admitted. Sam's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Is he from Akila? Why did he never mention it to me!? "I was born here… But my Mom raised me in New Atlantis on Jemison."
"Was your father a Freestar Ranger?" Daniel interrogated, ignorant of Avery's unease.
"Uhm, no," Avery responded. After a few moments of Daniel staring at him, Avery continued. "We lived on a farm on the outskirts of Akila City. I had a Dad and brother… But they were killed by invading spacers…" By this time, both Avery and Sarah looked uncomfortable with the conversation. Sam still couldn't understand why Avery never mentioned Akila to him. Is he… lying? Or maybe not telling the whole truth? One thing Avery couldn't do was lie. But that wasn't to say he couldn't lie by omission. Sam considered the pros and cons of questioning his captain further but ultimately decided he had bigger things to worry about for the time being.
"I see…" Daniel said, clearing his throat. The old man finally realized that he had pried too deep and moved along. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sorry that my Freestar Rangers failed you and your family."
The prospect of moving the conversation forward pleased Avery, "It's fine! This all happened over twenty years ago." Daniel nodded and turned his attention to Sam.
"It's good to see you again, Sam," Daniel said, his mouth forming a smile. "You were the best damn pilot with the Freestar Rangers. When you and Lillian were together, you were an unstoppable force." Sam almost cringed at the mention of his ex-wife but held it together in front of Jacob.
"Thank you, Marshal," Sam responded. "I learned everything I know about piloting with the Freestar Rangers." Sam sailed past the mention of his ex-wife. He prayed they would discuss her rescue rather than their history together.
"When you left, it was definitely our loss," Daniel complimented further. "Constellation's gain, for sure. I wouldn't have done any missions with Constellation if I had known you'd steal my pilot!" Daniel laughed as he spoke.
"You're not kidding!" Avery laughed, too. It seemed Avery was infected by Daniel's laughter. Avery's hand clapped Sam's shoulder, giving him a good shake. "Sam's irreplaceable on my crew." Not wanting to be rude, Sam laughed along with the duo.
"Yes, it's wonderful Sam chose to live the life of a nomad. He spends his life ignoring his Akila lineage and keeping my Grandchild from me." Jacob's snarky comment cut through Sam. Sam's eyes narrowed, returning his father's glare.
"That's not fair, Jacob," Sam retorted, eyeing Jacob at the other end of the table. "I didn't want my life to be tethered to Akila just because I'm a Coe."
"But you are a Coe!" Jacob snapped back. "And that isn't a good reason for you to keep me from Cor-"
"Enough!" Daniel's voice boomed in the enclosed conference room. Despite the awkwardness, Sam never broke his glare from Jacob. The other inhabitants gave each other uncomfortable glances until Daniel resumed speaking. "This mission isn't an intervention. Now that small talk is over, we can get on to business."
"Sure," Jacob agreed, breaking Sam's eye contact.
"Yep," Sam said, folding his arms across his chest. Some things never change… He would pull some shit like this…
"Good!" Daniel exclaimed. "So Akila City has always had problems with outlaws that run in the outskirts. But, recently, a drifter named Darro Thomas started causing trouble around Akila. He and the boys he runs with have been looting the small farms outside Akila City."
"What makes them different from a regular gang?" The question had been on Sam's mind since he first learned about the issue. He tried to not sound as exasperated as he felt.
"Somehow, the Darro Gang has tamed Ashta." Sam's jaw dropped at Daniel's revelation. Ashta are mindless predators… There's no way they were tamed. "Darro and his boys have run through dozens of farms. The Ashta destroy everything in sight and protect the gang. My rangers can handle a few Ashta, but not thirty… plus their gun-firing masters."
"So you're telling me we're going to have to go up against those things downstairs!?" Mickey said in disgust, scrunching his nose.
"Maybe," Daniel answered. "Up until recently, we had no idea where Darro was hiding. Thanks to Lillian, we were able to locate their hideout. Lillian followed them back but ended up captured. I figured they plan on using her as a bargaining tool. The hideout is around two miles out, tucked in a canyon cave. The idea is to ride to their hideout and see if we can flush 'em out."
"Can I go?" Cora asked from the corner of the room. Sam snapped his head toward her, aiming a confused glance at her.
"No!" Sam exclaimed, narrowing his eyes when he realized Jacob had also shouted along with him. Cora must have decided to avoid arguing with the two older men because she quietened.
"So the plan is to go out to their hideout and go in gun's blazin'?" Avery summed up. This earned him a toothy grin from Daniel.
"Nah, I have a better plan than that…" Daniel rolled a map of the area around Akila City onto the conference table. "Let's begin,"
Akila City Outskirts, Akila, The Cheyenne System
Year 2330, October 2nd
2020 Universal Time
Sam Coe
The trek to the hideout took around an hour. They would have arrived sooner had Daniel not insisted they arrive at dusk. The path was rocky and full of tripping hazards. Sam had his well-worn boots, which made the hike over the rocky terrain easy. Constellation, on the other hand, did not. Mickey, in fact, managed to fall eight separate times. It didn't take long for the star's pale orange light to settle around them. The light began to dwindle once they arrived at the Darro Gang's hideout. They managed to find a hidden spot on a rocky outcropping above the hideout.
"Thank the stars, we are finally here…" Mickey moaned, collapsing onto the dusty ground. He's so damn dramatic. The hideout wasn't much to look at. It seemed Darro found an abandoned mine and turned it into a place to stay. The gang must be pretty cocky that no one could find them. They didn't even post any guards outside. The gang even left a few hoverbikes outside. The main way to traverse Akila had always been via hoverbike. Sam knew how to operate one like he knew the back of his hand. Sam laughed at how easy this should be.
Sam mentally ran through the people Daniel had assigned to traverse the outskirts to Darro's hideout. Avery, Sarah, Mickey, Emma… and Jacob… Sam scowled at the thought of his father. Of course, he would force his way here… Shaking his head, Sam focused on Danie's plan. The man's age had no effect on his tactile prowess. Staying low and out of sight, Sam parroted Daniel's plan back to everyone.
"Alright, here we go," Sam said. "Daniel said three of us will go in to see if we can find Lillian. The smaller the group, the better; we don't know how cramped this cave will be. Sarah, Jacob, and I will go into the cave. Avery, Mickey, and Emma will wait out here for further instruction… Just keep your comms on."
"I'm the damn Captain here…" Avery pouted. Sam held back a scoff. His captain could be so childish. "I'm supposed to be the one going into the cave… Not sitting out here waiting for something to happen…"
"We drew straws, Avery," Sam reminded. "You lost fair and square. You have to watch Mickey."
"Yeah, Captain," Mickey agreed. "I'm very high maintenance." Avery's pout only deepened.
"Shut up, Mickey."
"You were the one that proposed drawing straws," Sarah added. "You can't always be the one in the middle of the action, Avery." Emma and Jacob gave the crew a confused look.
"Why are you all arguing about this? You're adults… This is serious!" Emma's stern tone ended Constellation's heated discussion.
"Let's move on down…" Sam said, stepping down the steep rocky decline. "If we need backup, I'll let ya know." Once Sam climbed to the base of the canyon, he tentatively walked to the cave's entrance. So far, so good… He couldn't hear any voices coming from the cave. They must be deeper in. Taking a deep breath, Sam took a step into the cave.
Much to his surprise, the cave wasn't too cramped. The inhabitants had even attached small lamps to the cave walls, providing direction. Sam made sure to stay on the path that had lamps. The path twisted and turned, and the ground became moist the deeper they traveled. Eventually, Sam's ear caught a voice from deep within the cave. Sam stopped suddenly, irritation flooding his body when Jacob slammed into his back.
"Why'd you stop?" Jacob hissed. Sam turned around to face the group, only to find himself nose-to-nose with Jacob.
"Will you give me some space?" Sam snarled. Jacob's eyes narrowed, but he took a step back. "Why you decided to even come is beyond me! I think you should have let someone younger come along instead?" Sam knew he was only trying to hurt Jacob. Yet he couldn't stop the harsh words that spilled from his mouth.
"Boy, don't patronize me because of my age!" Jacob argued. "I was a ranger my entire life. Just because I have gray hair, don't mean I can't whoop some outlaw's ass! Besides, Lillian is like a daughter to me. I can't let her be without doing something !" Jacob's response didn't surprise Sam, but his glare softened.
"Stop it! Both of you!" Sarah hissed. "Sam, focus! Why did you stop?"
"I heard someone…" Sam explained. "A little further ahead."
"I didn't hear anything," Jacob stated. "Are you sure?" Sam had to fight hard not to groan in irritation.
"Yes, I'm sure!" Sam settled by throwing his father a disgruntled look.
"I heard the voices too…" A young voice whisperer from behind the trio. Sam was sure Jacob's pale face matched his own. Looking to the back of the group, they painstakingly searched for the person who spoke. A few feet behind Sarah, a girl with a head full of curly brown hair stood. You have got to be kidding me… Cora gave the two men a casual wave.
"Cora!" Sam growled. "What-"
"What the hell are you doing here!?" Jacob interrupted. "You have no business being here! This is dangerous!" Sam shoved a finger in Jacob's face.
"Do not reprimand my daughter," Sam warned Jacob. "It ain't your place!"
"Really, Sam?" Sarah scoffed. "Is this the time or place?" Jacob met Sam's glare with one of his own.
"You clearly need help," Jacob rebutted, narrowing his eyes. "You trance around the Settled Systems without a care. Of course, she acts like this. Had she been raised in Akila, she might actually have a sense of responsibility." Jacob's slight only heightened Sam's anger.
"She is very responsible and smart for her age!" Sam defended. Sam refused to let Jacob bash Cora or his parenting skills.
"Then why is she here?" Jacob smirked as if he had made the finishing blow. Sam… didn't have a response. Nevertheless, Jacob continued speaking. "I've mentioned to Cora that she needs to live with me in Akila City. Have a life with friends and family and stability! This stunt just proves my point that you haven't raised her to make sensible decisions. She's going to come live with me…" Sam's entire body felt on fire from the pure rage he experienced at his father's words. He's out of line!
"Stop, Grandpa!" Cora snapped, catching both of their attention. "I'm not going to live in Akila City! I don't want to… I knew following y'all was dangerous, but I had to for Mom. I want to see you and Mom more… But my place is with Dad… and Constellation. This is my decision. If I stay in Akila City, I won't be happy…" The silence in the cave was deafening. Still, a sense of pride surged through Sam's body for his Daughter. Granted, she made a dumb decision to come here, but he was still proud of her for standing up for herself. Jacob's frown deepened before he sighed.
"Cora…" Jacob whispered. "I just want to see you more…" Sam cringed at Jacob's momentary weakness. He had never seen his father look so defeated. He swallowed the guilt he had been feeling, keeping Cora from him.
"I'm sure Avery would be more than agreeable to letting us visit several times a month…" Sam conceded, earning a small smile from Jacob. "I guess… I'm sorry for keeping Cora from you all these years…" Jacob's eyes almost bulged at Sam's sudden apology.
"Right," Jacob nodded. "I guess I had it coming. I pushed you away when you were living here in Akila City… You're a Coe! And Akila City was founded by a Coe! But… just because it's your bloodline doesn't mean it's your entire life… So… sorry." Jacob's apology was quick and short. But Sam took it happily.
"We have a mission," Sarah huffed. "Now that we have all apologized, what will we do with our stowaway?" All eyes turned back to Cora. Sam knew he couldn't send her back alone. He also knew he couldn't spare someone to return with her… She would have to come along for now.
"Cora, you will stay in the back…" Sam warned. "Stay hidden and out of the way…"
Cora nodded eagerly, "I promise!"
"Also, you're grounded for the foreseeable future…" Cora scowled at that remark. Sam raised an eyebrow and wiped the scowl from her face.
"Fine…" Cora mumbled. Sam glanced at Jacob, almost rolling his eyes at his pleased appearance. I'm sure he's happy with his promised visits… Sam marched forward in his mission headspace, leading everyone toward the voices. Slowly but surely, the voices grew.
"What are we gonna do with this one, Darro?" A man's voice asked. The tunnel took a sharp turn ahead. Sam knew the gang's entire population was just around the corner. They must be pretty damn cocky if they didn't assign anyone to watch out for trespassers… Sam crept forward. Every crunch of gravel sent shivers of anxiety through his body. Sam stopped before the tunnel hooked into the next room, pausing to figure out what he would do next. Usually, he would just go in and light 'em up… But now that Cora is here, that plan is a bust. He didn't have a plan… Taking a moment, he did notice a couple hoverbikes shoved up against the cave walls. The bikes had tarps thrown over them. The dust that settled on the tarp told Sam they hadn't been used in a while.
Sam shook off the distraction and peered around the corner. The tunnel opened into a massive cavern. Sam's breath hitched, not at the amount of men gathered in the cavern, but at the aliens they stood near. The cavern descended to a flattened area where the gang conversed. Surrounding the gang were the volatile aliens known as Ashta. Strangely enough, the Ashta were completely docile… Sam had never seen an Ashta stand still. But the Ashta in the cavern stood in one place, not bothering to tear away at the loud men that came close to them.
I didn't think the Darro Gang would have so many men, Sam thought glumly. Typically, the outlaws ran in bands of ten to fifteen people… There were upwards of thirty people involved with this gang… Sam figured Darro lured in members by advertising his skill of taming the Ashta.
Sam's eyes widened when he recognized a familiar woman beside a large Ashta. Lillian! She sat on the ground, her arms restrained tightly behind her. A dark bruise was painted just below her left eye. Great… We found her… Now what? A slim member of the gang sauntered up to Lillian and roughly grabbed her by her chin.
"C'mon, gal!" The man sneered. "I've been nothing but nice to you! And you haven't said a word… I'm willing to bet Freestar is looking everywhere for you…" The man eased in close to Lillian's face, earning him a disgusted look.
"She's so damn mean, Darro!" Another one of the gang members taunted. Y'all have no idea… The man released Lillian's face and laughed with the men. Sam guessed this was Darro.
"She'll lose the attitude eventually!" Darro gave a toothy grin that even Sam could see from his distance. Apart from the gang members and Ashta, the cavern had nothing significant. Several sleeping bags were spread out in the room. A large gas canister sat at the cavern's edge near a natural pillar.
Sam slid back behind the wall that provided his cover. Turning back to his two-and-a-half men, he sighed. This isn't going to be easy…
"Well?" Jacob growled, looking at Sam expectantly. Sam swallowed the huff building in his throat and relayed everything he saw.
"There's probably about thirty of them," Sam explained. "Looks like Daniel was right. Somehow, they managed to tame Ashta. From what I could see, Lillian is fine… But they have her tied up. Darro and his boys haven't noticed us yet. Our best bet is to find a distraction…"
"We just need to figure out how to do that without getting caught…" Sarah hummed.
Sam considered the situation before offering a solution: "I saw a gas canister down there…"
"Then we shoot it!" Jacob added eagerly. He obviously had disdain for the men that harmed his ex-daughter-in-law. "Once the explosion distracts them we-"
"That's not a good idea," Cora interrupted. "Akila is famous for its cobalt mines. This cave seems like an old mine to me. It probably isn't very stable…" Sam couldn't help the smirk of pride cross his face at Jacob's scowl. He didn't seem to appreciate his Granddaughter ruining his plan.
"We don't know that for sure," Jacob murmured, stepping around Sam. Jacob peered around the corner, taking in Darrow's forces.
"I'd trust her, Jacob," Sam warned. "She has probably read every book about Akila you can imagine…" Jacob twisted back to level Sam with a glare.
"I understand that she is intelligent… But Lillian's life is on the line. We don't have time to be careful." Jacob said, unholstering his weapon. This idiot will get us all kill- Before Sam could react, Jacob pointed his gun around the corner and fired. Immediately following his gunshot, a loud detonation shook the cavern. He shot the damn gas canister…
The commotion in the next room grew to an unbearable noise. Panic and confusion swarmed the men at the attack. Jerking Jacob backward, Sam chanced a glance around the corner. Darro's gang scrambled in all directions. The natural pillar the gas canister laid next to was blown to nothingness. Despite the fireworks being over, the cavern continued to shake over their heads.
"You idiot!" Sam snapped. "You're going to bring the damn cave down on all of us!" The panic of Darro's gang only grew. The screams of worry blind them from any organization.
"What the hell happened!?"
"I gotta get out of here!"
"The whole place is coming down!"
"Everyone," Darro's voice rebounded through the tunnel. "The Freestar Rangers are here! Load the lady up and follow me!" Shit, they're about to pass by us… Sam grabbed Cora and pressed her into the tunnel. Catching on, Jacob and Sarah also pressed their bodies tight against the tunnel wall. After a few moments, Darro and his men came racing by on the Ashta. Sam's eyes briefly locked with Lillian before she was taken away. Fortunately, in their panic to escape the collapsing cave, they went unnoticed by Darro's men.
Stones breaking echoed in the cavern, wooden support beams splintered... They didn't have long. Sam looked around wildly for his escape, his eyes landing on the hoverbikes. This'll have to work. Sarah followed his eye and stalked towards the bike. She ripped off the tarps, only to find the bikes didn't have their respective keys.
"Now what!?" Sarah asked, panic rising in her voice. The noise of the collapsing cave around them only grew. Sam pushed past her and popped open the hatch on the side of the bike. Akila was never big on fancy motherboards and modules. Sam grew up with wires and motor oil. After rearranging a few cables, Sam had the hoverbikes sparked and ready to ride.
"How did you do that?" Jacob asked, jumping when Sam abruptly turned to him.
"Don't say another word," Sam growled, pointing a finger in Jacob's face. "If we get out of this alive, I'll kill you myself. You lost your damn mind at your age… Cora is with me; you ride with Sarah." Jacob didn't argue, likely realizing his fault in the situation. The hoverbike roared when Sam revved the handle. Sam launched forward, Sarah a meter behind him. It only took moments for Sarah to hop onto the comms.
"Avery, are you there!?" Sarah asked, stress in her voice.
"I'm here. What was that noise?" Avery responded. Sam had to strain his ear to hear him. The cavern was falling to pieces by this point. Sam had to swerve back and forth to dodge the falling rubble.
"Jacob…" Sam answered darkly.
"That's not important right now!" Sarah yelled into the comm. "The cave is collapsing, and Darro's gang is evacuating! They still have Lillian captive. We are pursuing them on hoverbikes, but we will need backup!"
"Ugh, I didn't think I'd be involved in a high-speed chase!" Mickey's whiny voice rang on the comms.
"I think we can use these hoverbikes…" Avery said, sounding to be in deep thought. "I'll just have to figure out how to work them…"
"I can hotwire them," Emma's stern voice said. "Stay on Darro, and we can meet up. Just stick with the plan…" Ah, Daniel and his plan…
Akila City Outskirts, Akila, The Cheyenne System
Year 2330, October 2nd
2118 Universal Time
Sam Coe
The closer Sam got to the cave's exit, the more dust clouded his vision. The sound of the cave-in mixed with the roar of the hoverbikes. Sam squinted his eyes, desperately trying to keep the cave's exit in his vision. The clouds of dust contorted the exit into a small dot of light. Damn this'll be close! Refusing to ease off the throttle, Sam maintained his trek through the collapsing tunnel. Just as the noise cave-in crescendoed, Sam launched from the cave's entrance, trailing dust behind him.
Sam loudly gasped, taking in clean, fresh air. Cora coughed from behind him, her lungs likely suffering from the dingy cave. I swear I'll kill Jacob… From the familiar hum of a second hoverbike behind him, Sam knew Sarah had also safely escaped the collapsing hideout. Sam revved the hoverbike, increasing his speed. The Darro Gang only had one possible direction they could run. Hopefully, the gang was further ahead in the canyon. If things went according to plan, Avery, Emma, and Mickey could keep up with the gang's Ashta. It was sheer luck that Darro's boys had left those hoverbikes outside their hideout.
Time had carved a massive path through the canyon. Sam figured a massive river had run through the canyon millions of years ago, eventually filling an ocean and forever leaving the canyon. This led to this area becoming a dusty abyss, filled to the brim with rocks and Ashta.
"Keep close to me, Sarah!" Sam called Sarah on the comm. "Racing through Akila's canyons is dangerous if you're unfamiliar!"
The roar of Sarah's hoverbike drew closer, tipping Sam off that she obeyed his advice. Content with her abiding, Sam focused on the twists and turns through the narrow, rocky pass. Sam grew up running these canyons… Unless the Darro Gang scaled the sheer cliffs, they could only transverse in one direction. The canyon went in one direction for another mile before splitting into two directions. If the gang went to the left, the Darro Gang would have infinite ways to escape. However, if redirected to the right, they would be led into a massive crater without any escape.
Sam thought over a plan to ensure the gang didn't take the path to the right before remembering the ranger who accompanied them, Emma. "Emma!" Sam called out on the comm.
"Sam," Emma responded. "We have eyes on the Darro Gang. We're following them on the hoverbikes they left outside their hideout. We're right above them, at the top of the valley!" Sam was relieved at that news. At least someone has eyes on the gang…
"There's a fork in the canyon about a mile ahead!" Sam tried his best to keep his voice steady despite the time-sensitive issue. "Someone needs to go ahead and make sure they take the path to the right!"
Emma paused before answering, "Okay… But how? I'm pulling ahead, and Avery and Mickey will stay with the Darro Gang. Once I reach the fork, I need a plan to ensure they don't take the left path." Sam hadn't thought that far ahead… Damn, what do we do!?
"Emma, you need to set a fire," Jacob's voice echoed on the comm. "Back in the day, we would herd the Ashta by setting walls of fire. They don't like fire very much…" Sam thought over his father's advice… It was a good idea.
"He's right, Emma," Sam agreed. "Hightail it over to the canyon's fork and gather as many Canary Reeds and Savanna Sweetbush as possible. Those should burn the brightest. After that, ride out to the crater and wait. We should catch up with them shortly. I'll let you know if plans change." Emma gave verbal confirmation before cutting her line. Now they just had to catch up with Darro…
Fortunately, it only took a few more swerves through the pass for Sam to catch the backs of the gang in the starlight. Cora's arms tightened around his waist, "I see them!" Cora hissed in his ear.
"We're here," Sam informed everyone on his comm. "Sarah, you pull to the right, I'll pull to the left. The split is just ahead. They need to take the path on the right!" Sam silently prayed that Emma would pull through with the fire. Sam swept the top of the canyon, searching for Avery. After a few seconds, he noticed Avery looking very irritated. Wrapped ever so close around him was Mickey. I hope Mickey's annoying the piss outta ya, Captain! Sam thought smugly to himself. Avery must have caught the self-satisfied look on Sam's face because his Captain threw him the middle finger. Perfect.
Gathering his nerve, Sam pulled to the left of the Darro Gang. By the confused looks and gasps they gave, Sam was positive he took them by surprise. The Ashta they rode paid Sam absolutely no mind.
"What the?" One of the men yelled, throwing Sam a glare. The man fumbled for his weapon, but riding Ashta caused a lack of stability. The man bounced too much to easily grab his gun.
"Hold on tight," Sam whispered to Cora. The moment he felt Cora's arms tighten around his waist, Sam swerved into the man's Ashta. The hoverbike's sudden slam earned a squeal from the Ashta, leading to it tripping and rolling. The other gang members were either caught in the Ashta's path and thrown from their mounts, or they swiftly dodged. Sam didn't understand why the Ashta didn't care about their fallen members. Ashta had a pack mentality. Now that he had made a point of attack, Darro's men had taken notice of their pursuers. Sam sped through the canyon with them, searching for Lillian.
"Dad, look!" Cora yelled, pointing to a large Ashta leading the group. Sam guessed it was Darro Thomas, and Lillian sat on the back of the Ashta. Sam weaved through the Ashta, pulling up next to the massive Ashta. Darro leveled Sam with a glare.
"Freestar, you're a damn fool," Darro growled. "You've done destroyed our hideout! All for this woman!? Ain't no way you're hoverbike can keep up with my Ashta! You'll regret this, Freestar!" For the first time since he had arrived on Akila, Sam stared into Lillian's emerald eyes… and if looks could kill, he'd be dead… Her mouth was bound, so whatever smart comment she had in the barrel, she kept to herself.
"Just give it up, man!" Sam yelled back. "This is-" Darro silenced Sam with the barrel of a gun. Despite riding an Ashta, Darro still easily unholstered his weapon. Sam tried his best to keep his eyes in front of him, but Darro made it pretty tricky.
"You don't know what kind of position you're in, do you!?" Darro snapped, baring his teeth. " I have everything on you! I have numbers ! I have your bitch ! I hav-" When they made the next sharp turn in the canyon, a bright light glanced across Darro's face. Darro's jaw dropped in shock. Sam tried to look toward the bright light illuminating the canyon but couldn't see past the dazzling glare. A ferocious fire stretched across the left side of the canyon. Damn, Emma! Sam swerved hard to the right to avoid the flames. Fortunately, the Darro Gang had the same idea and swerved down the right path. Due to the brightness of the fire, Sam could see every member's shocked face.
Sam held his position on the left side, while Sarah held her position on the gang's right side. Together, they successfully herded the gang down the right path. A scream that Sam could hear echoed through the canyon and over his comm, almost bursting his eardrum.
"Aaaaaaagh! Captain, what are you doing!?" Mickey's shrill scream rang. Taking a daring leap, Avery drove the hoverbike down the steep cliffside, expertly landing behind the gang. By the time Avery arrived on the canyon floor, Mickey wrapped his arms and legs around Avery.
"Mickey, we made it!" Avery fussed at the chef. "You can loosen up some…" Mickey tenderly cracked an eye open, releasing the Captain once he realized he was safe. Sam couldn't help the snicker that came from his mouth. Now that they were together, Sam resumed leading them into the crater for the final showdown. Darro likely believed this was the final push because he, his men, and the Ashta stood in the crater's center, waiting for Sam. No escape now…
They had Darro and his men cornered. Sam blocked the crevice, which would be their only possible escape. A vast silence encompassed the crater once Sam put his hoverbike in neutral. Currently, the Darro Gang vastly outnumbers them, five to one. And that ratio didn't take the Ashta into account. Despite his anxiety, Sam stood his ground.
"What now, cowboy?" Darro called from the front of his gang. Behind him, the giant Ashta stood over him. The real muscle of the gang. Darro's enormous mount had a mysterious device attached to the side of its face. What the hell is that? Is that how Darro is controlling the Ashta? "You might have corralled us into this crater, but we still outnumber you… Plus, there's the whole hostage situation…" Darro emphasized his point by pointing the barrel of his gun at Lillian. Lillian sat cross-legged on the ground, glaring daggers at the outlaw. Sam was sure she would have cursed the man from one side of Akila to the other had her mouth not been bound.
"Now it's time for the showdown… The big duel… The gunfight!" Sam internally groaned at Mickey's clichéd response. The chef had quickly gotten over his hoverbike scare. Mickey exaggeratedly pranced to Sam's side. Cowboys don't walk like that…
Darro and his men erupted in laughter at Mickey's challenge. As Sam expected, Mickey was largely unaffected by the mass number of people laughing at him. Sam honestly admired Mickey's spirit in situations like this. Once Darro got his bearings, he responded, "And I guess you'll be the one to lead this showdown?"
"Nope, that'll be me!" A voice thundered in the crater. Sam twisted around to find Marshal Daniel Blake standing at the entrance to the crater. "Light 'em up, boys!" One by one, giant spotlights positioned at the crater's edges illuminated Darro and his men in the dark night.
"Shit!" Darro screamed, along with a chorus of curses from his men. Daniel maintained his walk until he arrived between Sam and Mickey.
"That's right, shit," Daniel nodded. The roar of hoverbikes flooded the crater as Freestar Rangers poured into the vast area. After minutes, the Freestar Rangers had Darro and his men surrounded. "Darro Thomas, you have plagued Akila for months now… You've killed innocent men and women… You've kidnapped one of our own… You're under the jurisdiction of Akila City and are under arrest. Any resistance will be met with lethal force." Even from this distance, Sam could see Darro's eye twitch at the turn of events.
After a long pause, Darro gathered his nerve and said, "The hell I am! You're forgetting, I have a hostage! I have control over the Ashta! I'm nowhere near finished!" Darro broke off into a maniacal laugh.
"Think you can hit that thing on that big ass alien's head?" Avery's hushed voice said from behind him. Sam wasn't surprised his Captain had noticed the device on the Ashta's head.
"Of course I can," Sam whispered back, reaching for his weapon. "But the Ashta are probably gonna go feral once I shoot it…"
"Marshal, you don't even know who I am!" Darro's screams echoed through the canyon. "I was born and raised in Akila City! I'm from the slums, from the stretch! Freestar did nothing for me and my family then! Why would you now!? I've made something of myself! Hell, I'm in control of an alpha Ashta !" Aw shit, he's monologuing now. During his fit, Darro threw his hands in the air, pointing his gun away from Lillian. His chance was here… With Darro distracted, Sam aimed his rifle and fired. As he expected, his shot made its mark. The device on the side of the huge Ashta's head sparked and popped.
The alpha Ashta squealed, shaking its head at the removal of Darro's device. Again, Darro was speechless, horrified at the giant alien beside him. Darro's more intelligent men started abandoning the Ashta they were mounted on. Once it fully gained control of itself, the alpha Ashta unleashed a roar. The roar reverberated through the crater, rallying the other Ashta.
Within a second, Sam was back on his hoverbike and had it turned over. With the Ashta back in control, this would be a bloodbath. The Freestar Rangers had the good sense to follow along and place some distance between them and the Ashta. Once Darro's men realized the situation they were in, chaos erupted. The Ashta began bucking off the outlaws and tearing them to pieces with their jaws. The sound of gunfire and the roars of the Ashta filled the crater.
Sam drove straight through the mass of Ashta and Darro's gang. His eyes frantically searched the masses for Lillian. He quickly found her wrestling with Darro, who was trying to desperately escape the alpha Ashta. Her arms were bound, but her legs tangled with Darro's legs. The alpha Ashta slowly crept up on the two, appearing eager to kill the man who had controlled it. She's gonna get herself killed taking out Darro!
"Mom!" Cora called out to Lillian. Lillian's eyes flitted in their direction at the sound of Cora's voice. Sam knew he wouldn't have the time to stop in the madness unless he wanted to be snatched by one of the many Ashta. The Ashta were now all on the same page of heartlessly murdering their former captors. Sam acted fast with Lillian's proximity to the alpha Ashta. Zooming by on the hoverbike, Sam reached out to snatch the back of Lillian's Freestar vest. The sudden weight made his arm feel like it would be pulled from its socket, but he held on. Sam yanked his restrained ex-wife up and set her sideways in his lap.
Now that he had Lillian, Sam swerved and dodged the fighting Ashta and outlaws. It was a losing battle for Darro's Gang. Sam looked back, only to see the alpha Ashta standing over Darro. Darro's arms were outstretched; he screamed a senseless, desperate scream. This was all for nothing when the alpha struck, ending Darro's life. Serves him right…
With Lillian safe, Sam retreated to the outskirts of the crater with the rest of Constellation. With Darro slaughtered, the alpha Ashta unleashed a mighty roar. The rest of the Ashta followed suit, having finished their prey. The only evidence left of Darro and his men were their bloody pieces that littered the center of the crater. The alpha Ashta easily scaled the side of the crater, followed by the rest of the Ashta. Once all of the Ashta escaped, the alpha Ashta let loose with a final roar… It was almost as if to say thank you… The alpha then disappeared over the crater's edge.
Sam looked around at the shocked faces of the Freestar Rangers. It was likely no one expected the Ashta to handle the Darro Gang. Bringing his focus on Lillian, Sam removed the dirty linen that covered her mouth. He immediately regretted that when her lips formed a straight line.
"You brought Cora here !?" Lillian said in disbelief. Thank you so much for saving me, Sam. Even if I'm one of the most challenging people, I appreciate your help, Sam thought bitterly.
"No, we-" Sam was interrupted by Cora, who dove in front of him. Cora wrapped her arms around Lillian tightly.
"Mom!" Cora cried, burying her face into Lillian. "I'm so happy you're okay! We saved you!"
"I- Uhm…" Lillian stuttered, before allowing herself to return Cora's embrace. Lillian had never handled physical contact well, even with her own Daughter. "You… You did save me… Thank you." Lillian conceded, although she did throw Sam a look that said, ' This isn't over. '
Akila City Outskirts, Akila, The Cheyenne System
Year 2330, October 2nd
2224 Universal Time
Sam Coe
"I'm the damn Captain!" Avery fussed at any ranger who would listen to him. "But I didn't even get to do anything during the mission!" Sam's eyes rolled at his childish Captain's antics. Avery had been complaining since they arrived back at The Rock. The Freestar Rangers wasted no time celebrating the ridding of Akila of the Darro Gang. Daniel made a massive toast, thanking the Freestar Rangers for their bravery and Constellation for their assistance.
"That's not true, captain!" Mickey laughed, throwing an arm over Avery's shoulder. "You watched over me!" Avery's brow only furrowed further at Mickey's words.
"And he is a lot to manage, Avery!" Sarah said with a laugh, throwing an arm around Avery's waist. Sam shook his head, now at his crew's antics.
Turning back to the table he was seated at, Sam huffed at his current position. The circular table contained his entire family. That being said… the conversation wasn't bad. To his right, Cora eagerly conversed with Jacob and Lillian. To his left, Jacob took in every word Cora gave him. Finally, Lillian sat in front of him. She no longer glared at him but still gave him an indifferent glance.
"I swear! It was an underwater city!" Cora bragged about their previous adventure. Sam supposed he was relieved the whole experience hadn't traumatized her.
"I believe you!" Lillian smiled. "I didn't realize your father took you on so many amazing adventures… I can't say I blame you. I was the same way when I was your age. But once I enlisted in Freestar, I lost that drive for exploration…" Lillian now had a nostalgic look in her eyes. Sam thought back to their divorce many years ago… Sam wanted something more than Freestar Rangers, while Lillian had devoted her life to the Rangers. Sure, they may not be together anymore… But Sam still profoundly cared for Lillian.
"As long as you're being safe on these adventures…" Jacob said, a warning tone coating his voice.
"Of course, Grandpa," Cora agreed. Cora had Sam's back, as he expected. "Dad pretty much keeps me on a leash when we go explore… Plus, I have to keep up with school." Sam watched as their conversation fell into an easy exchange. His Daughter almost seemed to glow with happiness, conversing with her Grandfather and Mother… Sam decided to stop allowing his previous issues to affect his Daughter's relationship with her family. He was the adult, after all…
"Why are you smiling, Coe?" Lillian asked, catching Sam's expression. She would call me out. The corners of his mouth only turned up further.
"I'm just happy Cora can talk openly with her family," Sam admitted. "I'm happy we can talk with our family…" The last bit, he muttered, but everyone heard him. There was no taking it back.
"I'm glad we are together today as well," Lillian said, nodding. "I know I've always let myself be distracted with Freestar Rangers… But I appreciate moments like this."
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed. If you do comment, please let me know what you think! Especially if you see any errors, or sentences that don't sound right. Thank you!
Chapter 12: Andreja's Guilt - Andreja De'la
Summary:
While hunting for a new artifact, Andreja is recognized by a member of The House Va'ruun. This event causes Andreja to dwell on aspects of her past that she has been fighting to forget. All the while, Constellation learns they are no longer the only people searching for the artifacts.
Notes:
The summary is... a work in progress. Regardless, if you manage to read this far, you're a champ. As usual let me know if you see anything that reads weird, or spelling/grammar errors.
Thank you!!
TW: Cursing, death.
Disclaimer: I don't own starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Rasalhague II, The Rasalhague System
Year 2330, October 25th
0700 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
Andreja stretched out in the middle of her room, as she typically did once a week. Spread out beneath her was her personal House Va'ruun prayer rug. Andreja couldn't help the smile that graced her lips. She deeply inhaled, allowing the rug's scent to fill her nose. It still smells of home. The rug's ruby red color and familiar ouroboros pattern brought a delightful nostalgia.
Andreja released her breath, speaking with her exhalation, "D'asst dia Vhat." The words of praise to the Great Serpent flooded her very being. Sitting back on her knees, Andreja looked around her quarters. She briefly wondered what Sarah was doing. Sarah had been joining Andreja during her prayers to the Great Serpent for the past several weeks. The notion confused Andreja, but she appreciated Sarah's attempts at support and acceptance. While Andreja prayed, Sarah would simply stretch and meditate. A knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts. "Come in," Andreja announced, not moving from the floor.
"Hey," Avery said, sticking his head into her room. His eyes briefly scanned the room until he found her on the floor. "Oh, I'm not interrupting, am I?" Avery's eyebrows knitted together in concern.
"Of course not, captain," Andreja answered, stretching into a different position. "I am merely giving praise to the Serpent." Usually, Andreja kept her religious views to herself. However, the years spent with Avery numbed her to the discomfort she felt when mentioning her beliefs.
"I see," Avery responded. "Well, I wanted to talk to you. Is there room for one more?" Andreja's eyebrows raised at her Captain's sudden request. First Sarah, now Avery? How strange.
"If you would like," Andreja agreed. She scooted over a couple feet to allow Avery room. "Just follow my lead," Andreja ordered, contorting her legs into a new position. Dragging her right leg out behind her, Andreja crossed her left leg in front of her. Once stable in her new position, she shot Avery an expectant glance. He clumsily mimicked her pose but was successful.
"Damn, I'm not very flexible…" Avery said with a laugh. She could see him waving his arms to stay upright out of the corner of her eye. Deeply inhaling, Andreja once again filled her mind with praise to the Great Serpent. It only took a few seconds of silence before Avery continued, "Are my legs supposed to burn like this?"
"You can't be powerful with only raw strength, Avery." Andreja teased, her focus on the Celestial Serpent slipping from her mind. "You must build your core as well." This earned her a scowl from Avery.
"I'll have you know, I have the strongest core in Constellation!"
"It sounds like you're overcompensating," Andreja rebutted, a laugh escaping her lips. Avery opened his mouth to protest, but Andreja wasn't finished with her verbal onslaught, "and sorry, you're not the one with the strongest core in Constellation." The jest earned her a flurry of complaints from the Captain. Initially, he argued her claim… Then, he insisted on figuring out who was above him in 'being the strongest.' The only hint she gave him was, 'not Simeon.' After his tantrum, they fell into easy conversation. Andreja enjoyed how easy it was to talk with Avery. She has never felt a lack of support and acceptance from her Captain. During their stretches, Avery maintained the conversation, discussing whatever came to his mind.
Andreja let her thoughts drift back to when she first met Avery. Her mental health had been at an all-time low during those days… She had been lonely… Empty… Aimless… But you actually cared about your faith back then… The stray thought bit her mind harshly. She still deeply loved her religion but worried she was leaving her destiny with the House Va'ruun in the past… Unfamiliar anxiety built in Andreja's chest at the thought. What was she doing here? Why has she ignored the House Va'ruun for Constellation? Andreja could feel her heartbeat increase at the thought… Until a gentle voice prodded at the edge of her mind... Avery was still speaking to her…
Gradually, the ongoing storm in Andreja's mind broke up, only leaving Avery's incomprehensible conversation. Her inner conflict hadn't allowed her to listen to a single word he said... Avery smiled absentmindedly as he attempted to duplicate her stretches, openly discussing whatever came to his mind. He had no idea the sense of security his idealistic personality provided her and everyone else within Constellation. Again, her thoughts drifted back to when she first met Avery… When she first was introduced to Constellation… When she first started living for herself…
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2226 July 18th
2232 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
The bar clientele threw back their drinks, boisterous in their drunken stupor. Hoping to avoid anyone's eye, Andreja maintained her distance at a table in a dark corner of the bar. This was the first time she had been in such a densely populated area of the Settled Systems. She found the non-believers… loud. But at the same time, she found them full of life… Her new surroundings were colorful and new.
She had only arrived at New Atlantis a few days ago. The mission she received from the Oracles was still fresh in her mind, "Andr'ja, the House Va'ruun requires your faith across the stars. Locate the skeptics and deliver the word of the Celestial Serpent… Take their lives in the name of the House Va'ruun! Andr'ja, shepherd the non-believers to the embrace of the Celestial Serpent! For this is your destiny, Se'va!" Directly after the Oracles' prophecy, Andreja's senses were blinded, and she was transported numerous light-years across the galaxy. Once the Va'ruun transporter arrived at a desolate moon, her blindfold was removed, and she was freed. Due to her religion's secretive nature, Andreja was hidden from the location of her birth planet, Va'ruun'kai.
Andreja had a plan: find a populated area, kill in the name of the Great Serpent, and escape. She had the fighting prowess and survival skills to stay alive. She would continue this cycle until a representative of The House Va'ruun arrived to transport her home... or until she was killed. She didn't expect to become intrigued by life outside of Va'ruun'kai. The people surrounding her had no idea what she was planning… They had no clue of the crimes they committed in their disbelief… Is that even a crime?
Andreja shook the unexpected thought from her head. Of course, their lack of belief is a crime! That was what she had been taught since birth, after all. The House Va'ruun above all else, even your very own life.
An inebriated man bumped her table, pulling her from her thoughts. That's right… My mission… Andreja's plan replayed through her head. She had a knife hidden in her jacket. She would slash a non-believer, praise the Serpent, and escape. She had no time to question her beliefs or be distracted by the infinite universe around her…
Andreja eyed the man that jarred her table. The man danced around, slinging alcohol from his cup haphazardly. His behavior disgusted her… Despite her short time in New Atlantis, Andreja had heard what people like him said about The House Va'ruun… People thought her religion was crazy… They called her religion dangerous… They claimed her faith only cultivated hate… A small voice in the back of her head whispered, 'but aren't you about to kill an innocent person in the name of The House Va'ruun?' Once more, Andreja shook the blasphemous thought from her mind. What is she doing!? This wasn't the time to question herself.
Accepting her destiny, Andreja snuck a hand into her jacket, sliding her fingers around the knife's hilt. Her target was in her sights… Andreja threw a boot-clad foot to the side, preparing to lunge from her seat at her table. This is right! This is a reason to kill! Thi-
"A beautiful woman, such as yourself, shouldn't be sitting alone," a male voice said, distracting her from her task. The table rattled as the stranger helped himself to the vacant seat beside her. Sloff! Who is this man!? The air deflated from Andreja's lungs at the forward man's intrusion. Despite her shock, Andreja didn't allow it to show in her demeanor.
"I don't require company," Andreja glared at the stranger. Regardless of her hostility, the stranger continued to smile. He held a drink, the liquid inside likely encouraging his bravery. Strange goggles sat on the man's forehead, pushing his coarse black hair from his face. He had a dark complexion. However, his skin wasn't as dark as her own. He wore a dark blue vest with a strange emblem on it. She had no time for his distractions, "You should move on."
The man leaned forward and whispered in a low voice, "That's the thing! I can't move on in good conscience… Y'see, those men behind me? I overheard them whispering about how they're gonna come over here and talk you up…" Her eyes wandered behind his shoulder. Behind him stood a group of men; occasionally, they peeked in her direction.
"Talk… me up?" Andreja stuttered. "What do you mean?" She had no clue why she was entertaining the conversation.
"I mean, they were going to come over here and… try to take you home…" The stranger spoke slowly as he explained the men's intent. Andreja mulled over his words before finally grasping what he meant. Initially, her cheeks burned in embarrassment at the notion until they surged in anger.
"And you thought that I would just need your protection?" Andreja growled. The man's smile still didn't fall at her hostility.
"Of course not!" He exclaimed, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm protecting them!" Andreja's eyebrows knit together in confusion. What is happening?
"Protecting them…" Andreja echoed.
"Exactly," he nodded. "A woman that carries herself as confidently as you doesn't need protection. They would have only embarrassed themselves if they attempted to talk to you."
"I…" Andreja paused in disbelief at the man's rationale.
When she didn't respond, he extended a hand, "Name's Avery! Nice to meet you!" She stared at his extended hand, unsure what to do with it.
"Andreja," she introduced after a few awkward seconds. He eventually let his hand fall to the table when he realized she wouldn't address it. This entire interaction was a waste of time. She needed to focus on her mission. "I appreciate the thought, but I ha-"
"Andreja, not to be rude, but you aren't from around here?" The man - Avery interrupted. Andreja scowled at his forward statement. "You have an accent. It's fascinating."
"English isn't my first language," Andreja answered, narrowing her eyes. During her short time in the Settled Systems, she had been exposed to plenty of bias. This insignificant man would be no different. "I am of The House Va'ruun." Those six words were all it would take to prove the point she needed to make to herself. Andreja crossed her arms, awaiting the man's bigoted response.
"Oh wow!" Avery said, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "I've met a few members of The House Va'ruun in my travels. I'm not part of The House Va'ruun, but I've seen the rich culture!" Andreja felt her eye twitch. This man is an anomaly…
"It… is…" Andreja hesitantly agreed. Although not of The House Va'ruun, Avery freely conversed about the subject. He did so in a way Andreja didn't find presumptuous or rude. Along with everything he learned about her faith, he also spoke of the great adventures he experienced. Before she knew it, an hour had passed.
"Plea deh Va'Vait?" Avery's attempt at her language lacked the confidence he had earlier. Andreja couldn't help the laugh that chimed from her. "What? Did I say it wrong?"
"Plea dia Va'Vhat," Andreja corrected. "It means, 'Praise the Cosmic Serpent.' But you were certainly close!" Avery let his head fall to the table in defeat. Andreja was perplexed by the man. He was well-rounded in his travels… Avery's head rose from the table, flashing his brown eyes.
"So, are you traveling, Andreja?" Avery asked. "Or are you from around here? Do you work around here?" She suddenly felt very anxious at his line of questioning. During their conversation, he avoided asking her personal questions. At least questions involving her goals and profession...
"I'm… I'm not from around here." She answered a bit more truthfully than she liked. "I'm far from home. I don't have a job at this time, at least one for my skills…"
Avery cocked his head at her answer, "No job, eh? What kinda work are you looking for? Is that why you are in New Atlantis? Not that I'm complaining! I'm pretty happy that I met you tonight." Avery gave her a small smile. She was walking a fine line; if she answered incorrectly, Avery might deduce her actual reason for being in New Atlantis... He had no idea what inner turmoil his questions caused inside her.
"I'm here for… a religious journey," Andreja answered after some thought. It wasn't a full lie. "As far as my trade, I'm an astronomer. I know the stars like the back of my hand and can navigate a ship better than any man. I also know my way around a rifle and a knife. So once I figure out where I want to go, I'll find work that suits my needs." Avery's smile only grew at her answer.
"I see," he began, appearing to be building up to... something. Andreja eyed Avery like a ticking time bomb. "Well, I actually have a great idea! I can't speak for your religious journey… But maybe I can help? Join my crew, Constellation! Help guide my ship, and I'll show you the Settled Systems! If it helps you complete your goal with The House Va'ruun, then that's killing two birds with one stone!" Andreja's jaw dropped at the sudden offer.
"I… don't. Why? You don't know me! I could only be around for a year or less…" Andreja couldn't conceal her conflicting emotions. This was never part of her destiny. She has no reason to join this man… She just met him!
"I know this offer is unexpected…" Avery admitted. "But I could use a woman with your strength on my crew. I'll explain the details later. The only condition is you stay with me until I complete my goal or you complete yours. Also, if I find another astronomer better suited for Constellation, that person can take your place. That way, you won't feel tethered to my crew…" Once more, Avery extended a hand to Andreja.
Again, Andreja stared at Avery's offered hand. Before she could decide whether or not to accept his offer, a loud crash across the room caught her attention. The drunk man from earlier had tripped over his own feet and fell to the floor, taking multiple patrons with him... This was the same man Andreja had planned to mercilessly kill in the name of The House Va'ruun... Under the holy mission, she was ordered to carry out by the Oracles... The mission she never had a say in...
Andreja knew this proposition was crazy, and accepting his offer would be rash… But in the short hour she had known him, Avery had managed to captivate her. His offer was a flawed one, but it was built for her. Accepting his offer, she would not be devoting her life to his cause. She would only be taking a detour in her mission. Once either of them completed their goals, or he found another astronomer better suited - unlikely - she would be free to continue pursuing her destiny. Her entire life, The House Va'ruun had guided her actions and decisions… but not today. Andreja grabbed the hand held in front of her.
"I accept."
The Atlas, Orbiting Rasalhague II, The Rasalhague System
Year 2330, October 25th
0710 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
Avery's hand waving in front of her face pulled Andreja from her past. It had been four long years since Andreja set aside the mission the Oracles had assigned. Over those four years, she continued placing the guilt of that fact in the back of her mind. Although Constellation had run into multiple members of The House Va'ruun and Va'ruun Zealots, none recognized Andreja. Andreja knew her time was limited. Eventually, the Oracles would send someone for her…
"Andreja, you there?" Avery asked, concern painting his face. "You've just been… staring." Andreja blinked at her Captain's words.
"Sorry, Captain," Andreja apologized. "I tend to become consumed in my thoughts when I pray. But I'm okay." Avery's skepticism didn't fade at her excuse. She held his gaze until he finally broke eye contact.
"Just checking…" Avery conceded. Rocking forward, Avery stood up. "Anyway, I was coming to let you know we are about to land on Rasalhague II. Your scans pinpointed the artifact to a cave just outside a small settlement. We'll see how accurate your scan was." Andreja's eyes rolled into the back of her head at his jest.
"You still choose to doubt my capabilities?" Andreja countered, climbing to her feet. "Have you forgotten our deal? If you manage to find an astronomer more suited for Constellation, they will be my replacement. Until then, you are stuck with me. Unless we find all the artifacts or I complete my Va'ruunian journey." Avery didn't falter at her words. Andreja understood that the rules of their deal were straightforward and to the point. Still, she needed to be sure Avery hadn't forgotten.
"I'd never doubt your skills!" Avery exclaimed. "And we are still functioning as a symbiotic relationship. You help me with Constellation, I take you around the Settled Systems. When either of our missions are complete, we move on." Andreja appreciated Avery's words' bluntness despite their slight sting. She still needed her relationship with Constellation to be temporary. It was the only way she could cope with the guilt of aband- putting off her mission. She never told Avery the true nature of her Va'ruun destiny, and he never asked. This omission kept her with Constellation. If Avery ever found out, he would surely break their deal and force her to leave.
"Perfect," she responded, lightening the conversation. "When shall we land planetside?"
A Small Settlement, Rasalhague II, The Rasalhague System
Year 2330, October 25th
0825 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
"Damn, it's colder than I thought it'd be here…" Andreja cut her eyes at Barrett. He complained the moment they stepped into the crisp northern air of Rasalhague II. She couldn't fathom why the engineer complained about the temperature. Andreja's dress was much more revealing than Barrett's overalls, and the cold weather did not affect her in the slightest. Barrett could never survive in harsh conditions.
"Get over it, Barrett!" Avery said with a laugh. "You're the one that volunteered to come along!" Avery tried to put on a brave face, but Andreja didn't miss the fact he had his jacket zipped up to his throat. However, she respected Avery's survival instincts more than anyone else in Constellation. Throughout her years with Avery, she has seen him pull through despite the odds.
"I didn't volunteer," Barrett countered. "You asked for someone else to come with you and Andreja. When no one volunteered, you made us draw straws…"
"And you're here now, so come to peace with it," Avery spoke with finality. Still, the engineer continued to mutter in displeasure.
"Why do the males in Constellation complain more than the female members do?" Andreja deadpanned, unbothered by the glare she received from Barrett.
"Andreja, you complain just as much as anyone else on the ship!"
"I don't complain. I make everyone aware of their stupid decisions."
"Okay! Okay!" Avery cut in, effectively silencing them. "We're about to walk through the town… We don't want them to think we are crazy."
Andreja knew she argued a lot with her crew. But that didn't mean she didn't care about them. Her relationship with each member had grown from tolerance to fondness. Her feelings with her crew blossomed into a more profound friendship she didn't necessarily understand. She felt this way, especially with the Captain. She felt Avery saw her for who she was… Whatever that means. She never needed to apologize for being who she was with Avery. Her harshness never offended Avery. In fact, he seemed to embrace it.
Even so, her affection for Constellation drudged up feelings she had buried for years. She never understood the radicalism of the actions of The House Va'ruun. Her people raised her to praise the Celestial Snake and vanquish those who refused to believe. She left Va'ruun'kai to deliver this message and promptly abandoned her mission the first chance she got… She made the decision to forsake her destiny, all because she didn't want to kill non-believers…
"Andreja?" Avery's voice plucked her from the black hole her intrusive thoughts had led her to. They arrived at the small settlement. There couldn't be more than six buildings. A few different people stood around the town, giving them uneasy glances. "That's a Va'ruunian symbol, right? Why does it look that way?"
Andreja followed his gesture to find a dull red Ouroboros symbol on the walls of one of the houses. A white star placed directly in the center of the Ouroboros sets the symbol apart from the standard Va'ruunian Ouroboros. There must be Va'ruun Zealots in this town… The closer she inspected the town, the more she noticed it had architectural similarities to the Treya Colony. This is definitely a Va'ruun settlement… Once again, Andreja's sins threatened to consume her. She spoke before the sight of the Va'ruunian culture could mentally drag her down.
"This town has deep Va'ruunian roots. These are the symbols of extremists." Andreja explained to Avery. "We need to hurry to the artifact… We have no reason to take our time here."
"Such as Zealots?" Avery assumed.
"Correct," Andreja responded firmly. "That altered House Va'ruun symbol means 'Dia Vhat t'se ai i'na.'"
"The Serpent…" Avery attempted to translate. He mulled the Va'ruunian words in his head for a few moments. Eventually, his shoulders fell in defeat.
"The Serpent above all else." A man's voice answered. Andreja swiveled in place to discover a native had been eavesdropping on their hushed conversation. Despite his rude behavior, the man continued speaking, "Kath'an, you're of The House Va'ruun?" Damn… This could cause us trouble… Not all Va'ruun Zealots were dangerous… However, extremists tended to be more hostile towards non-believers. Even when they were accompanied by someone of The House Va'ruun.
"Kath'an," Andreja greeted the man. "I am." Andreja hoped the man would move on, but her response only seemed to intrigue him further.
"Your accent is familiar!" The man exclaimed. "Are you from Dazra?" Her breath hitched at the mention of her place of birth… The name of the place she had left so many years ago. Dazra is a Va'ruunian city located on the moon Va'ruun'kai. Sloff! What rotten luck to run into someone who has ties to Dazra. All members of The House Va'ruun knew of Dazra; however, not all members had visited Dazra. Andreja couldn't lie, especially since the man had deduced her heritage.
"Bui," Andreja responded, confirming his assumption. From the corner of her eye, she could see Avery and Barrett attempting to comprehend their interaction. Avery's loose understanding of her language allowed him to follow along.
"Ah!" The man's eyes lit up at the common ground between them. Andreja only felt her stomach sink lower at the man's line of questioning. This is bad… If he's from Dazra, he very likely knows the Oracles… "My name is Rho'zin. I am of the Dalst family. And you are?" Andreja gritted her teeth, willing her body to stay calm. The last thing she needed was for this man or her crew to see her on edge. He introduced himself with his Va'ruunian name… He's putting me in a bad position and isn't even aware! How shameful… I can fearlessly fight grown men, but I'm reduced to shambles in the face of my past.
"Andr'ja," her name ghosted her lips lightly, barely above a whisper. "Andr'ja, of the De'la family…" She knew Rho'zin heard her when his pupils dilated. An uneasy veil settled over them.
"De'la?" Rho'zin said in disbelief after what felt like hours.
"Corre-"
"Mony'al kuhll!" Rho'zin hissed, spitting at Andreja's feet. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. This interaction would surely cause a domino effect, ruining her standing with Constellation. All Andreja could do now was watch the pieces fall and deal with the consequences.
"What the fuck!?" Avery cursed, taking a menacing step forward. Andreja lifted a hand up to signal him to stop. She knew that she deserved this hostility.
"You disgrace the De'la family!" Rho'zin's lip curled in disgust. "The Oracles told you your destiny, and then you disappeared without a trace! Everyone thought you dead, but here you stand! I will notify Chorus of your disobedience! Vu teng zet ke'en liesh dia Va'Vhat!" Rho'zin roared in her face, his cheeks now inflamed in anger. Avery attempted to step in between them again but was stopped by Andreja's arm.
Rho'zin leveled her with a final sneer before turning and leaving. How unfortunate… We land in a random universe settlement, which ends up being a radical Va'ruunian settlement. And then, to make matters worse, a citizen recognizes my heritage from my accent. He's now severed my final tie with Va'ruun'kai and Constellation. There's no way Avery won't look further into this incident… I'll have to tell him my mission… I'll have to say out loud what I did in my faithlessness. Shaking Rho'zin's insult and threat from her head, Andreja wordlessly started walking.
"Andreja, wait!" Avery yelled from behind her. "What the hell was that guy's problem!? What was he talking about?" Just as she expected, he started to prod. The cave holding the artifact was a five-minute walk from the settlement, so Andreja had nothing but time.
"Mony'al kuhll," Andreja parroted the slur, keeping her head forward. "He called me a godless whore." She couldn't disagree with his insult. She abandoned her destiny years ago… Perhaps she was godless. The Giant Serpent would never accept her lack of faith.
"He called you what !?" Avery exclaimed, almost tripping while he attempted to keep up with her pace. "Why didn't we kick his ass!? Why didn't you lay him out!?"
"We can still go back there and kick his ass!" Barrett offered. "There are only five houses for him to hide in." A strong hand gripped her wrist, spinning her around. She found herself face-to-face with Avery. Her eyes shifted in every direction, unable to look into the brown ones that inspected her.
"Seriously, Andreja…" Avery nearly whispered. "What was that? You looked uncomfortable the second that jackass spoke to us… And then he goes off and says all that shit! I should'a…" Avery trailed off, still refusing to break eye contact. Sighing, Andreja pulled her arm from Avery's grasp.
"As you can tell, that man knew of my culture and my place of birth." Avery listened intently to her words. He hung on every word as if he were finally receiving the answers he had been waiting for all his life. "I abandoned my holy mission long ago, which has now caught up to me. He says that he is going to report me to the Chorus. That is the House Va'ruun council. I will likely be banished from Va'ruun'kai…" Her vague explanation wasn't to be difficult; it was from the shame she felt. She couldn't say it out loud… The true nature of The House Va'ruun… The original mission was given to her by the Oracles.
"I… I still don't understand…" Avery stuttered. "I thought you came with me to accomplish this destiny… I didn't realize… You never said…" Avery's eyebrows were knit together in concern. Knowing her Captain, she figured he likely was coming up with ways to take the blame. She hated how Avery looked at her… He has never faced her with an expression like that, one of pity and concern… as if she were weak…
"This seems a little personal…" Barrett's voice broke the tension between them. "We are about to get to the artifact… Should this conversation wait until later?" Andreja appreciated the engineer's suggestion.
"…Sure…" Avery agreed, his gaze still not lowering from her face.
"We can continue the conversation later, Avery," Andreja whispered. Andreja never wanted the conversation to come to pass. There was no way for her to lie to her Captain. Just as there was no way he could ignore the true Va'ruunian roots she had hidden for so long... Andreja's eyes widened when she realized they had reached the entrance to a cave system. The cave's mouth looked out of place in the middle of the grove they walked through.
"Okay, this is it… I know we all saw what happened earlier, but does everyone have their shit together!?" Barrett asked, eyeing everyone carefully. Andreja swiftly looked away, avoiding his intense eye. She couldn't believe the awful luck. On one hand, Constellation will potentially discover the horrible 'destiny' she was assigned. On the other hand, a Va'ruunian member could report back to The Oracles on Dazra of her going AWOL… She internally rolled her eyes. The Oracles became aware of her going AWOL the moment she ceased contact.
"Yeah…" Avery's bitter response pulled Andreja back from her thoughts.
"We have an artifact to collect," Andreja firmly announced, stepping into the cave. "Let us make haste." Andreja didn't turn to check if the men followed behind her.
The entire trek through the cave was cloaked in a tense silence. Andreja's attempts to distract herself from the self-deprecating thoughts storming her mind were all met with failure. She tried to focus on the task at hand, but her attention kept drifting back to The House Va'ruun and Constellation. I never should have accepted Avery's offer. I was only preventing the inevitable. I told myself that by joining Constellation, I would be able to complete my role assigned by The Oracles. But I was simply avoiding having to face the 'destiny' I was given.
Initially, the cave was decorated with stalagmites and stalactites. The further Andreja led them, the more the cave's environment changed. Like the minerals that made up the artifacts, rock formations were suspended in mid-air. Gravity seemed to have utterly no effect on the rocks. Andreja chose not to focus on the phenomenon and pushed further into the cave.
"We're here," Avery informed everyone when they entered a large area. Natural light poured in from the large open ceiling of the cavern. This allowed beautiful greenery to decorate the area. Mixed in with the foliage, rocks levitated at different heights. This was the obvious sign of a nearby artifact. Andreja stared up into the gorgeous blue sky. The edge of the cavern's ceiling curved around them. It was maybe only ten feet high. They could fly out if they had their jetpacks… The beauty of the area mocked her. It insulted her while her inner conundrum rocked her world. I can't even bring myself to enjoy these new sights right now…
"Is that it?" Barrett asked, pointing ahead. Avery stepped around her, moving to the middle of the grove. A giant unnatural rock formation jutted out in the middle of the area. They followed closely behind, edging up to the formation. She could see an artifact protruding from the rock formation. A wave of excitement flowed through her core. Another artifact! We're one step closer to solving this mystery… Once more, Andreja felt a strike of guilt. This feeling of excitement was only further proof of how she had strayed from The House Va'ruun. In fact, these feelings didn't matter anymore. Her time with Constellation was numbered...
"That's definitely one," Avery answered as he stepped up to the artifact. Andreja wondered to herself if the artifact was speaking to Avery at this very moment. He had told her at one point that they talked to him… But their voice was too far to completely understand.
Avery chipped away at the minerals entrapping the artifact with his fist. The rock encasing the artifact easily crumbled from his blows. After a few moments, Avery plucked the artifact from the rock formation. A pulse of energy caused her stomach to tighten, obviously radiating from Avery. It took a few seconds, but Avery eventually collected himself.
"Tell me again why you needed two people to escort you here?" Barrett commented on Avery's antics. Barrett shook his head as he moved to the Captain's side. Keeping a careful distance, Barrett inspected the newest artifact Avery triumphantly held up. Avery had always warned everyone in Constellation about the possible catastrophe that may follow the first time someone's skin grazes an artifact. Andreja had yet to see such an event...
"A captain always needs multiple witnesses to his accomplishments!" Avery's laugh echoed around the cavern. Andreja couldn't resist the smile at her Captain's joy. I need to resign from Constellation, Andreja suddenly thought. The stray thought surprised her, but gradually, she accepted it. My past was never Aver- Constellation's burden to bear. When we get back to The Atlas, I'll explain myself… And then tell them I'm leaving. I've taken advantage of Constellation for far too long. I've run from my Va'ruunian roots for far-
CLICK
Her breath hitched. The cold barrel of a gun was firmly pressed to her temple. The unknown assailant stood behind her, shielded from her vision. Sloff! I let my senses become clouded. How did I allow myself to be snuck up on!?
"Damn, Avery." A deep voice growled in her ear. "You led me right to where I needed to go… Even let me take one of your bitches captive…" Avery stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at her and her attacker. She cursed to herself again. How humiliating… To allow someone as strong as herself to become a pawn.
"Delgado…" Avery growled in response. Delgado… I've only heard of him in passing. The leader of the Crimson Fleet… Why is he here!? And why does Avery know him? "What the hell are you doing here? There's no reason for you to have your gun on my astronomer… Just let up, and we can talk." Andreja felt Delgado's chest rumble as he laughed.
"Awe, don't play dumb, Avery." Delgado spat. Her senses were on high alert, and Andreja gave her surroundings a better look. Members of the Crimson Fleet now sat on the high ground outside the top of the cavern. They looked down on them, their weapons at the ready. Barrett suddenly stumbled closer to Avery, pushed by one of Delgado's men. Barrett moved to Avery's side, his hand hovering over his weapon. This makes no sense! Where did they all come from!?
Delgado continued once they were completely surrounded, "Y'know, a few months ago, I had my boys raid a HopeTech asteroid mine. Right before I lost contact with them, I received a very interesting message… Something about Constellation is looking for strange objects called 'artifacts.' Now, I ain't thought about Constellation in a minute… But when I went to check on my boys, all of 'em were wiped out! I don't want to assume anything, but did you happen to kill my men?"
"I-" Avery started, his voice filled with anxiety.
"It's fine," Delgado interrupted. "I'm more interested in these artifacts. I've been looking into these rocks and finally found one… The same one you're holding, actually. It's just pure luck we happened to meet up. So how about a trade, the artifact for your bitch?" Andreja jolted, trying to slam her head into Delgado's nose. But he kept a firm arm around her, securing her.
"Avery, don't do it!" She choked out. He held the artifact, unsure what to do next. She jerked her head to eye Delgado in her peripheral vision, "I swear, I'll enjoy killing you!" Delgado cackled at her threat.
"Get in line," Delgado countered. "Now, what are you going to do, Avery? We have history, man. This should be an easy trade without problems… Just hand the artifact over to Naeva…" At his command, a female Crimson Fleet member stepped closer to Avery. The woman, Naeva, had dark skin and wore her hair in short braided rows. Her expression was as nasty as one would expect from the Crimson Fleet.
"If I give you the artifact, you'll release Andreja?" Avery asked, his glare never leaving Delgado. No! I let them sneak up on us…. This is my fault… Don't sacrifice an artifact for me…
"Of course, I'll release her!" Delgado reassured. Andreja didn't believe him. And from the scowl that deepened on Avery's face, he likely didn't either. Naeva took another step to Avery, her gloved hand outreached.
"I'll take that off your hands," Naeva sneered. Avery held the artifact out, allowing Naeva to snatch the artifact from him. "Good boy…" She taunted before igniting her jetpack and launching from the cavern.
"You have the artifact… Now release my crewmate…" Avery growled. Despite Avery's aggression, the barrel never lifted from her temple.
"Damn, you must like this one…" Delgado yanked her closer into his chest. "I'll release her alright… I'll let her go from my ship while we are leaving the atmosphere…" What!?
"Delgado!!" Avery roared, breaking into a sprint. Delgado's grip tightened around her, and they suddenly soared out of the cave. Delgado's jetpack blazed behind them. Andreja could feel the heat on the backs of her legs. This has gotten worse… Why didn't I have my wrist blades equipped!? I can't even get to my gun right now!
Andreja stole a glance back into the cave. Only to see Avery's distraught face as they ascended from the cavern. I can't think of a way out of this… Perhaps this is the Celestial Snake's method of punishment…
An Artifact Cavern, Rasalhague II, The Rasalhague System
Year 2330, October 25th
0918 Universal Time
Avery Del
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Avery cursed as he clambered back through the cave. He couldn't imagine a worse situation. Andreja, of all people, was kidnapped. He mentally kicked himself over and over. Andreja is the strongest person he knows. She never lets herself be caught off guard. I knew something was off after she spoke to that Va'ruun jackass! I should have addressed it then! This is my fa- Avery's foot slipped on the unsteady ground, sending him onto his knees. A burning pain shot up his legs into his back.
"C'mon, Avery!" Barrett yelled, yanking Avery to his feet. "We gotta go!" Once Avery felt the ground under his feet again, he was off again. The moment he stepped into Rasalhague's morning light, Avery tapped into Constellation's comm.
"Sarah!" Avery screamed into his earpiece. His breaths were ragged as he ran. Delgado probably already had Andreja on his ship in the ten minutes it took for them to evacuate the cave. The noise of a starship taking off confirmed his fear. Over the horizon, a sleek red starship started to ascend. The Fleet's emblem, painted across the starboard of the starship, mocked Avery. Dammit! Avery couldn't even begin to unpack the fact that Delgado was now aware of the artifacts. Delgado was a part of his past he would never be able to escape…
"Avery!?" Sarah answered. "What's happening?"
Avery provided the quickest rundown he could muster, "It's all gone to shit. The Crimson Fleet is here. They managed to abduct Andreja and the artifact. She's currently on Delgado's ship, heading out to space." Avery estimated they had a two-minute ETA to The Atlas as long as they ran.
"What!?" Sarah exclaimed. "How did this-"
"I don't have time to explain!" he interrupted. "Get The Atlas prepared for take off. Keep an eye on the Crimson Fleet starship that just took off!" Avery internally cursed again; he couldn't imagine how he missed them. " Because you weren't paying attention," a voice chimed in the back of his head.
"I see them," Sarah responded. "Their ship is enormous and won't be able to take off quickly. We should have no problem catching up. We'll start setting up. The cargo bay is open!" Avery affirmed her statement and shut off his earpiece. He still didn't have a plan… But that didn't mean all was lost yet… He trusts his crew… Just hold on, Andreja… We're coming for you!
The Atlas, Rasalhague II, The Rasalhague System
Year 2330, October 25th
0925 Universal Time
Avery Del
By the time Avery stepped onto the bridge, The Atlas was shooting into the sky. The only assurance he had was a small red blip on the horizon. Delgado… It had been years since he last crossed paths with Delgado. He hadn't seen him since the birth of Constellation. I guess he was going to catch up with me eventually… Avery shook the thought from his head. He would address his history with Delgado later. He needed to rescue his astronomer first. And deal with that baggage…
"Engines are at maximum!" Sam called out from the cockpit. "We'll catch 'em." Avery stalked through the bridge, coming to a stop behind Sam. Simeon, Sarah, and Barrett all sat in their individual workstations. Ensuring The Atlas was at its peak performance.
"Vasco!" Sarah called aloud. "Can you estimate our distance from the Crimson Fleet's starship?" Vasco, overseeing from his dock in the cargo bay, assessed the distance.
Once he completed his calculations, Vasco answered, "We are estimated to be five kilometers from the Crimson Fleet starship. Our enemy appears to be slowing down."
"Why the hell would they do that!?" Simeon asked, typing away on his workstation. Avery's face paled at the thought, a cold shiver tingling down his spine. I'll let her go from my ship while we are leaving the atmosphere… Delgado's threat played in his head on a loop.
"We're thirty-five kilometers into the stratosphere," Sam read from the cockpit's altitude display. "Avery, what the hell happened!?"
"The Crimson Fleet captured Andreja and the artifact," Avery explained, his eyes trained on the incoming starship. "Delgado said he was going to jettison Andreja into the atmosphere…" The revelation brought a gasp from everyone currently on the bridge. Avery couldn't face them, refusing to turn away from the cockpit's window.
"You said Delgado is here?" Simeon asked. Avery internally kicked himself for mentioning the Crimson Fleet leader. The only person in Constellation that was aware of his history with Delgado is Simeon… Fortunately, Avery didn't have to address Simeon because Sarah spoke up.
"How did Andreja get captured?" Avery finally turned to meet Sarah's gaze, feeling her eyes burning into the back of his head. Her blue eyes stared at him, unblinking. "Of all people, I couldn't imagine…"
"She was a bit distracted…" Barrett mumbled, refraining from delving further into Andreja's business.
"Avery, we have an issue!" Sam snapped, ending the conversation. "Look at their cargo bay!" Avery's focus snapped back to the cockpit. They had easily closed the distance between them and Delgado's starship. Avery could now clearly make out the red skull painted across the side of the ship. Worse than that was the starship's cargo bay door. The door had dropped open, and a static lime-green field covered the entrance to the cargo bay. The force field was a common addition to starships. It prevented the differing pressures outside the starship from sucking the cargo out. To make matters even more dire, Andreja stood in the cargo bay, with Delgado holding her hostage. No…
"Fuck!" Avery's feet moved without his command. The main floor of The Atlas flashed by as he ran. What did he expect? He really didn't have a plan on how to save Andreja. He could only do what was realistically possible. "Vasco, open the cargo bay!" Avery commanded as he descended the ladder into the bay.
Avery exhaled in relief when he stepped into the cargo bay. The door was wide open. Vasco had followed his order and opened the bay door. The door was low enough to avoid the afterburner jetting from the engines. A familiar line-green force field stretched across the open door, saving him from being jettisoned.
"Avery, what are you doing!?" Sarah's voice demanded over his comm. Oh right… I ran out of there without explanation of what I was doing… Avery swiftly shrugged on a spare jetpack hanging in the bay. He wouldn't have time to put on a spacesuit… So that increased the risk of hypothermia… Avery shook the fear from his mind. He didn't have time to worry about the dangers.
"I'm going to save Andreja," Avery announced on the comm. All of Constellation would hear him.
"What!?" Sarah's voice was strained. "Are you insane!? How do you think you will- Oh! Andreja! She was shoved from the ship!!" It's time! Wasting no time, Avery pulled his goggles over his eyes. Flicking a switch in the enhanced goggles, a mask formed over his face, supplying him with steady oxygen. He'd had the goggles for years; they'd gotten him out of many fixes. With this, I can make it to Andreja without passing out… I just need to make it to her fast enough...
He leaped from The Atlas. Fears cast away, he jumped straight out of the safety of his starship and into the near-freezing temperature of the planet's atmosphere. His breath hitched the moment the atmosphere sapped the heat from his body. Avery wildly spun in circles during his plummet. Using his arms and legs to control his descent, Avery steadied himself. The starships were far above him, and Avery desperately scanned his surroundings for Andreja. Where the fuck are you!?
Avery's eyes bulged when he spotted a small figure below him. Andreja's helpless body hurtled towards the planet below. There! Avery's jetpack flared to life, working with the planet's gravitational pull. He rocketed downward in the direction of Andreja. I don't have long before Andreja runs out of oxygen! He also had to keep in mind the distance he had to the planet. When the lack of oxygen failed to kill them, gravity surely would!
Andreja was now fifty feet from him. He reached out for her. I'm so close! Forty feet away, he could save her. If I just get my arms around her, I can do something! Thirty feet away, he would save her. I refuse to lose any of my crew! Twenty feet away, hope replaced the adrenaline coursing his veins. I don't have a plan after I catch her, but I'll think of something! Ten feet away… This is it!
Avery wrapped his arms around Andreja, pulling her to his chest. The moment they touched, their dwindling body heat mingled. Having achieved his goal, Avery contorted their bodies to allow his jetpack to fight gravity. The heat spewing from the pack burned his legs, but their descent slowed.
Andreja's lips and cheeks were blue from either the freezing temperature or hypoxia. Fortunately, she was still awake and alert. Her chest heaved against his, trying to take in the thin oxygen from the stratosphere. Unwrapping an arm from her, Avery removed his goggles. The lack of continuous oxygen was immediately noticed. With one quick motion, he placed them over Andreja's face. Avery's goggles quickly formed over Andreja's face, allowing her fresh oxygen.
"What have you done?" Andreja cried out once she caught her breath. "You've killed yourself! You killed yourself for me !? I caused us to lose the artifact!" For the first time in his life, he saw Andreja broken. Why wouldn't she be? They were shoulder-deep in a dire situation, now twenty-five kilometers above a planet, and plummeting to their deaths. All that in mind, she still couldn't fathom why her Captain was saving her.
"A- Andreja!" Avery's teeth chattered as he spoke. He wouldn't have long until the thin oxygen stole his breath from him. He needed to say what he needed to say. "You're more important to me than any damn artifact! We can steal back the artifact, but you're irreplaceable to me!" Andreja's eyes widened at his admission. Avery knew their time was running out... His jetpack wasn't made to slowly descend from a planet's stratosphere...
"But…" Andreja hesitated. "You said that this would be temporary… That we were just using each other to achieve our goals? And now you know I've been withholding information about my past…" Andreja trailed off, avoiding Avery's intense stare.
"I don't care about... your past, Andreja," Avery responded. "I don't care... that you're of the House... Va'ruun. I don't care what your destiny... is supposed to be. When I invited you... to join Constellation, I did so... fully knowing that you would... be irreplaceable. Whatever baggage... you carried, I didn't care..." He was utilizing precious oxygen to tell her this, but he couldn't care less. She was worth it! Andreja stared back, unblinking.
"Avery…"
"Andreja, I-" Avery began, pausing when the jetpack began to sputter. Fuck, I'm out of fuel! Only to prove his point, they began falling faster once more. "I swear… we will be fine!" Air rushed past Avery's ears, causing a deafening noise. He could barely breathe now. The situation grew more hopeless by the second. He hugged her tightly, refusing to accept their mortality. What now!? What am I going to do!? Avery squeezed his eyes tightly shut.
"I see them!" Sarah's voice crackled over his comm. What!? He cracked his eyes back open, searching the open sky around them. "Sam, pull The Atlas around them! We don't have long until we don't have room to pull out of our descent!"
"Pulling past," Sam's voice now explained. "Turning off the main engines so we don't fry them!" The large form of The Atlas moved past their free-falling bodies. Tears dotted the corners of his eyes at the sight of the starship. My crew… The light of Rasalhague reflected off The Atlas, catching in Avery's eyes. The retrorockets flared, pushing the starship past them.
"I'm tracking them on the ship's turret camera!" Simeon's voice said next. "Move starboard, and they'll be behind us!" Despite the dire circumstances, Avery couldn't believe how well his crew worked together. Falling directly below them, the starship drifted to the right. This gave Avery a clear sight into the cargo bay.
"In clear sight of our overboard crew mates!" Barrett announced. Avery couldn't see Barrett but reasoned he must be waiting in the cargo bay. "I'm ready to catch them when y'all are!"
"Firing all retrorockets!" Sarah's voice boomed over the comms. Slowly, The Atlas started to back up. As close as the surface of the planet had grown to them, the cargo bay of the starship grew even closer. The lime-green force field of The Atlas enveloped them. Once they were in the starship, its artificial gravity overtook them, sending them into Barrett. The trio crumpled to the floor, Andreja never taking her eyes away from Avery's brown ones. Avery's chest immediately heaved, taking in the artificial oxygen The Atlas offered.
"Damn… Everyone's in the cargo bay! Get us the hell off this planet!" Barrett groaned into the comm.
"Roger!" Sam responded. "Hold on! It's going to be tight! Pulling up!" Following his warning, the entire starship rumbled and creaked. Still, Avery refused to let go of Andreja. Partially because his body was still freezing, and he was sure she was also cold. On the other hand, he worried if he released her, he might lose her again…. Preposterous… After a few tense seconds, The Atlas stopped rumbling and mellowed.
"We are safely in space," Sarah's voice sounded relieved over the comm. "It's good to have everyone safely on board…"
The Atlas, Orbiting Rasalhague II, The Rasalhague System
Year 2330, October 26th
0818 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
Andreja lay comfortably in her quarter's bed. After yesterday's ordeal, she was happy to be safely back in her bed. She had expected at least one of the crew to be angry that her weakness had allowed the loss of an artifact to the Crimson Fleet… But everyone seemed to be more relieved that she was safe. Even the sniper didn't have anything smart to say.
Andreja and Avery had a long discussion about her history with The Oracles… After five years of traveling with Constellation, she finally admitted her true destiny with the House Va'ruun.
Avery accepted that she came to the Settled Systems only to kill non-believers in the name of the Cosmic Snake. Just as he accepted that Andreja didn't understand why she couldn't abide by the role she was given. His words continuously repeated in her head. This is your life to live. This is your faith to follow. Whatever you think is right, I will accept. Andreja failed to believe that if she did decide to follow through on her task, Avery would accept that, but she appreciated his support.
Vu te tsi'zet n'a qui , Avery had whispered to her. His tongue was thick, and he had trouble pronouncing the words, but the meaning shone through to Andreja. I am important to him.
G-gua vu bahn n'a qui , she had responded. It was a small response…. But it was true. She had no idea where her faith would take her. Nor did she know what defying her destiny would mean for her and her crew. But she accepted that whatever ramifications it caused, they would handle it together.
Notes:
So the whole sky diving scene was possibly a bit unrealistic, but I tried my best! Overall, I feel like Avery and Andreja's relationship is easier to write.
For anyone who is curious, here is the translation of the Va'ruun language. A language that I completely bullshit. Trust me, I scoured the internet and reddit for any Va'ruunian words... All I found was 'Sloff,' which apparently means fuck... So once again, I did my best...
Se'va - Amen
D'asst dia Vhat - Bless the Serpent
Sloff - Fuck
Plea dia Va'Vhat - Praise the Cosmic Serpent
Dia Vhat t'se ai i'na - The Serpent above all else
Kath'an - Hello
Bui - Yes
Mony'al kuhll - Godless whore
Vu teng zet ke'en liesh dia Va'Vhat - You have no home with the Cosmic Serpent
Vu te tsi'zet n'a qui - You are important to me
Gua vu bahn n'a qui - As you are to meReading over all of that gives me a headache... Anyway, thanks for making it this far!
Chapter 13: A Trip to Paradise - Avery Del
Summary:
After another successful mission, Constellation is rewarded with a free day at the luxurious resort: Paradiso. Despite Avery's request to remain professional, each crewmate manages to get into a bit of trouble. What was supposed to be a peaceful day off, turns into a day of chaos!
Notes:
If you notice any errors or sentences that don't make any sense, please leave a comment or let me know! Thank you!
TW: Cursing, violence
Disclaimer: I do not own Starfield
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 8th
0730 Universal Time
Avery Del
The morning light of Porrima filtered down on the luxury resort, exposing the devastation peppering the area. The odor of smoke still wafted through the air from the now extinguished fire on the beach. The resort's buildings now had paint torn from the exterior walls, their windows shattered. Tables, chairs, umbrellas, and trash littered the resort plaza leading up to the hotel Avery stood at, along with the rest of Constellation. Despite the early hours, guests and staff stood outside, gazing over the resort's wreckage.
"This is a disaster!" Avery flinched at the man's tone. Paradiso's CEO, Oliver Campbell, narrowed his eyes on Avery. "In the next three seconds, someone better explain what the hell happened at my resort."
"I'm so sorry-" Avery attempted an apology, before Oliver snapped.
" Don't !" Oliver hissed. "Just don't. I don't want to hear your apology. I want the lore . How did we end up here?" Oliver dramatically threw out his arms, motioning to the resort's poor condition.
"Uhm-"
"And just so you're aware, Constellation . You will be hearing from our attorney." Oliver's glare didn't lessen. Instead, he nodded for Avery to continue.
Avery turned to his crew, who stood awkwardly behind him. Every single member looked worse for wear. Not a single one of them would meet Avery's eye. I swear I'm going to kill all of them. Releasing his held breath, Avery growled, "Well?" His crew responded with a cacophony of answers, all at once.
"I literally fought for my life!"
"The survival exercise was far too easy."
"I was helping! Sam's the one that turned it into a bet!"
"They needed us to fix- You're the one that turned it into a bet!"
"This is all Mickey's fault!"
"I don't see what the problem is."
Oliver threw a hand up, silencing Avery's crew, "Stop. Stop. Stop. One at a time. Start at the beginning. What the hell happened at my resort?"
After a few moments of silence, Avery spoke up, "Well… we landed yesterday-"
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1140 Universal Time
Avery Del
The light reflecting off Paradiso's beach dazzled Avery. What good fortune he had, finding a client who paid him with a free trip to the luxury resort, Paradiso. Avery led the crew through the resort, stopping in the center plaza. His entire crew stood before him, wearing various shorts, sunglasses, and t-shirts. It was certainly strange to see everyone out of uniform.
"Alright, everyone," Avery announced, addressing his crew. It's been ages since Constellation had a day off. Everyone decided to partake in the trip to Paradiso, even Eddie. "So our last client paid us pretty well. He was kind enough to include our all-expense paid stay at Paradiso. That being said, you all represent Constellation while we're here. Don't embarrass me. This particular client pays well, and we must ensure he stays in our corner. Got it?" Avery looked from crew member to crew member expectantly. Once everyone had grumbled an 'okay', Avery turned to make his trek to the resort's main building: the hotel.
"I looked up everything Paradiso has to offer last night! I really want to go on their safari ride." Maxile said to Simeon. The young nurse's thirst for new experiences was always prominent. "You get to ride through Porrima's tropical forests. They even take people to the Pack Seabat caves."
"That's cool!" Simeon responded. "I'm gonna go see what kinda restaurants this place has. I'm starving!" Simeon's decision surprised Avery. Avery wasn't blind to the amount of time Simeon spent with Maxile. Avery simply assumed Simeon would go along with Maxile.
"Little nurse, I'd love to accompany you on this safari ride through the forest , " Andreja said, inviting herself along. "This will be an excellent opportunity for survival training." Before Maxile could accept or refuse her invitation, Andreja had a firm grip on Maxile's wrist. She stalked away from their group, pulling the nurse with her.
"Wha- Andreja! This isn't even the right way!" Poor Maxile. As much as Avery loved Andrena's spirit, he knew how enthusiastic she could be at times. The crew watched Maxile reach out for help, all before Andreja whisked him away. A shoulder bumped Avery, gaining his attention.
"And where will you be spending your time, Captain?" Sarah asked, smiling.
"I read in the brochure about foot massages." The numerous activities Paradiso raced through Avery's mind. "I'll probably start there."
"Me and Barrett are gonna head down to the beach!" Sam announced. I haven't swam in years!" Avery wasn't too surprised Sam planned to go swimming. He wore a bathing suit and an open-button-down shirt.
"You coming, Vasco?" Barrett asked the lunar robot. Avery didn't expect Vasco to join them, but Barrett forced the robot's hand. Vasco had initially denied the invitation until Barrett threatened to skip his next maintenance day.
"Negative, Barrett," Vasco's monotone voice refused. "I am concerned I will rust if I join you at the beach. I would much prefer to go back to The Atlas."
"Nope!"
"It's okay, Vasco." Sarah placed a hand on the bitter robot. "Would you like to join me for the facial I scheduled? It's in the hotel, away from the water."
"Affirmative," Vasco agreed, trailing after the Vice-Captain.
"Well, since we are splitting up, I'm gonna go find some food," Simeon announced. Simeon scanned the plaza for a place to eat before settling on a restaurant. Avery thought about mentioning that the restaurant he chose looked a bit fancy, but he let it go. If the staff didn't appreciate Simeon's sunglasses, shorts, and sandals, they would just kick him out.
"Wait for me, Simeon!" Mickey yelled, running after the sniper. "If you're going to have lunch, you'll need a trusty critic to assure you of the quality of food you're eating!"
"That's a happy turn of chance," Eddie growled. "The idiot attached himself to Simeon…" Avery looked over the remaining crewmates.
"You mentioned a foot massage, Captain?" Cora asked. "I wouldn't mind a pampering day." Avery nodded back to the girl. Guess it'll be me and Cora today… And Eddie…
"Well, where are we going, then?" Eddie muttered, crossing his arms.
"Foot massages!" Cora exclaimed.
The physician sighed, "Let's get on with it then…"
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1145 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
It only took a few minutes for Andreja to realize she had no idea where she was going. Once she allowed Maxile to lead, they were at the safari's entrance in no time. A small group of lavish people queued in front of a staff member dressed in khaki clothes.
"Alright, everyone!" The safari guide announced to the group. "Soon, everyone will sign consents for Paradiso's Tropical Adventure!" Despite her enthusiastic approach, the group of tourists wasn't very responsive. Still, the guide maintained her sunny disposition and began passing around the consents.
"Made it just in time," Maxile sighed, a bit out of breath from keeping up with Andreja. Signing his name, he passed the paper back to the guide.
"Do you see the condition of everyone who plans on attending this survival training?" Andreja commented to Maxile. "They look to be fat and slow. They will struggle." Damn, Andreja! You could be a little more sensitive! Her harsh comment caused several dirty looks, but Andreja didn't seem to mind.
"Andreja, this isn't survival train-" Maxile tried his best to inform the astronomer. However, the group began to move. The safari guide motioned for everyone to gather at the transport jeeps. Once everyone was nearby, she quickly ran through the safari ride's rules.
"Okay," she began, flipping her dark hair from her face. "My name is Vera, and I will be your guide today! Paradiso's Tropical Adventure will take about two hours. We will be riding through the forest on a jeep. There are a few scenic spots to stop at. During the excursion, we may meet a few of the native animals. Please don't feed or touch them. Our final stop will be at the Pack Seabat cave, where hundreds of bats sleep. If we are lucky, we may witness them emerge from the cave! Are there any questions, comments, or smart-aleck remarks?"
"When will we be able to kill the aliens?" Andreja yelled out, uncaring of her crassness. Everyone turned to stare blankly at her. Maxile's ears burned red in embarrassment by association.
Vera cocked her head in confusion, "Excuse me?" Maxile's embarrassment only deepened as Andrena repeated her question. What the hell did I get myself into!?
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1150 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
This isn't my idea of a vacation… Barrett thought glumly as he and Sam walked to the beach. Barrett liked Sam well enough, just as he liked everyone on the crew. But Sam loved to complain… And too much complaining opposed Barrett's carefree nature. The two casually discussed their plans at the beach, coming to a halt when they arrived.
"The hell?" Sam said, gazing along the sandy stretch. To their shock, none of the guests enjoyed the 'beach.' In fact, there wasn't even a beach at the moment. Paradiso staff ran back and forth along the small stretch of sand, obviously panicking. So what's their issue? Following the line of staff, Barrett noticed a building at the edge of the beach. The building appeared to be built directly on a river flowing into the ocean. But the river water was flowing around the building, flooding the beach.
"Maybe we should check out what's going on over there?" Barrett suggested strolling toward the building. When they arrived at the building, staff ran in and out of the door. Each more frantic than the next. Sam snatched one of the employees by the arm as he tried to push past them.
"Hey, man. What's going on?" Sam asked. Initially, the employee returned his question with a look of confusion. He probably was trying to figure out why a guest was there. After a few moments, the staff member decided to answer Sam's question.
The man sputtered in his explanation, "T-the water turbines are down. Now the whole beach is flooded and Paradiso is on generator power… If we don't figure out what's broken, then Paradiso is in massive trouble! You should go back to the hotel, we will fix this, and then you can enjoy the beach." The employee pulled his arm from Sam's grasp and continued on. Barrett opened the door to the building and marched inside, Sam following silently behind. Might as well see what's going on… Since I can't enjoy the beach at the moment.
The building was a simple open room. A small opening at the front and back of the building allowed the river to flow forward. The river itself flowed directly through the center of the room. Two water turbines were placed on either side of the river. Several different staff members surrounded the water turbines, scratching their heads.
"I guess I'll see if I can help out," Sam said, stepping toward one of the water turbines. Help out? Barrett reached forward to grab Sam's arm.
"Wait, wait," Barrett said, humor coating his voice. "Sam, you don't know how to fix a turbine. You wait outside, and I'll handle this."
"This isn't a starship, Barrett. I've dealt with situations just like this on Akila."
"What situations?" Barrett challenged. "I've been to Akila… And I never saw a drop of water on that dusty rock. I guess I just never realized you were such a turbine savant ." Sam narrowed his eyes at Barrett's quip.
"I learned how to rig equipment pretty damn good on Akila," Sam countered. "I don't think I've ever seen a river on a starship, so I know you've never touched a turbine." Barrett and Sam held their staring contest until a meek voice spoke up.
"Uhm… excuse me…" A female employee muttered. "This building is off limits to guests, so-"
"I'm the engineer they called to fix the water turbines," Barrett lied, still refusing to break eye contact with Sam.
"Oh, uh-" the employee started.
"He's a damn liar! I'm the engineer Paradiso hired to fix the turbine." Barrett knew Sam was digging his heels in at this point… And it rode up Barrett's ass. Breaking eye contact, Sam stomped to the nearest turbine. Paradiso staff parted to allow him passage. The staff didn't seem to know what to do in this situation… This pissing contest.
"Oh, shut up, Sam. You're a pilot, not an engineer." Barrett stalked to the other side of the room to start working on the other turbine. Like hell I'm gonna let Sam show me up. "He's not even a good pilot! You should see him try to dock a starship!" Barrett said to a nearby staff member. The employee's mouth was slightly ajar, trying his best to figure out what to do.
"Go to hell, Barrett!" Sam yelled across the room. "I'll have this turbine running before you even have an idea of what's broken!" Barrett eyed the pilot as he borrowed the tools lying around to remove a panel from the electronic turbine.
"I guess we'll see…" Barrett growled in response. Refusing to fall behind Sam, Barrett got to work dismantling the turbine.
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1153 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Pain pulsated in Simeon's abdomen, his stomach likely attempting to digest itself. Due to a late night, Simeon had a groggy morning and missed breakfast. That being said, he didn't regret staying up so late. He had found Maxile working on the bridge and somehow convinced him to play a game of cards. Over the past five months, Simeon had grown close to the nurse. He was kind and loved to listen to Simeon's stories. Plus, he laughed at all of Simeon's jokes, which was a bonus. Simeon wanted to go with Maxile to the safari… thing, but his damn stomach wouldn't allow it. And now here he was… About to eat in a restaurant with Mickey , while Maxile was being eaten alive by Andreja… lovely.
The restaurant was much more… fancy than Simeon expected. Massive gold curtains decorated the windows. Gold and silver tile paved the flooring of the restaurant. And as a cherry on top, everyone in the establishment wore a tie… Damn… I might be underdressed…. He chanced a look at his clothes. Yep, I bet it's the shorts… Simeon stepped up to the podium, only to receive a look of disgust from the attending maître d'..
"Can I help you?" The head waiter asked, his voice dripping with condescension.
"Yeah, two please?" Simeon asked. The maître d's lip curled up in a way that told Simeon he wouldn't be seated in this restaurant. Regardless, the man made a show of flipping through the book on the podium before him.
"We want a booth," Mickey added, shoving his way to Simeon's side. Simeon hoped Mickey wasn't getting his hopes up. After a few moments of pointless waiting, the maître d' looked up from his book.
"I apologize, we have no available seats until late April." He snipped, the air of snootiness never leaving his tone. "But, they surely have availability at the burger joint , across the plaza." Simeon rolled his eyes at the pompous man. Figures. But before Simeon could respond, Mickey leaned forward.
"Do you know who I am?" Mickey growled.
"No," the maître d' yawned.
"Haven't you heard the name, Don'ial Presla!?" Mickey exclaimed, catching the attention of several guests in the restaurant. Don'ial Presla rang a bell for Simeon. He's apparently a famous artist who lives in Neon. He prefers only for his art to be seen, so he doesn't make many physical appearances. "I was supposed to arrive a week from today, but I came early and this is how I'm treated!?" What the hell is he doing!?
"Uhm… You came to the restaurant wearing sandals an-"
"Yes!?" Mickey's voice boomed with a dramatic flair. "And what about it!? Clearly, you aren't prepared for me and my assistant, I'll just have to phone Claire…" This isn't going to work!
"W-wait!" The maître d' stuttered. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Presla. I didn't recognize you! I've seen your beautiful art… but never your face! Please follow me." Holy shit, this is going to work. Stepping back, the maître d' escorted them to a private booth. After requesting an autograph from Mickey, which he happily gave, the maître d' took his leave.
"Mickey, what are you doing!?" Simeon hissed once they were alone. "How did you pull this off!? And who the hell is Claire!?" Simeon could feel his heart beating out of his chest due to the situation. Despite Simeon's anxiety, Mickey relaxed back in the restaurant's fancy chair.
"Oh, Simeon, calm yourself!" Mickey chided. "Don't forget, Mickey Caviar is famous. Every famous person has had someone impersonate them!"
"Who impersonated you?"
"Details," Mickey responded, evading Simeon's question. "I simply read Paradiso's brochure. Don'ial Presla is supposed to be here in a week and I used that to our advantage! I know Don'ial personally! I promise, he won't mind. And as for Claire, I made her up! Really sells the story." Simeon couldn't believe his ears.
"Mickey, this is wrong!" Simeon whispered, praying the circulating waiters wouldn't eavesdrop. Mickey reached forward and took Simeon's hand in his.
"Sometimes you have to lie to get what you deserve, my assistant." Mickey maintained uncomfortable eye contact. Ripping his hand from the moronic chef, Simeon prepared to unleash a verbal onslaught… That is, until waiters brought in complimentary appetizers. The smell of baked bread and an assortment of spices flooded Simeon's nose, clouding his judgment. Maybe I can play along for a little longer…
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1155 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Sarah stalked through Paradiso's hotel lobby, searching for her appointed room. Behind her, Vasco whirred, redundant code likely streaming through his motherboard as he took in the hotel's surroundings. Sarah has known Vasco for years, but the robot normally preferred to accompany Barrett.
"I'm glad you decided to join me, Vasco," Sarah said to the robot, smiling at him.
"The alternative was to follow Barrett to the seaside and risk rusting. Accompanying you was an easy decision." Vasco explained. Sarah shook her head at the robot's bluntness. Always computing the best route. Sarah halted in her search when they passed a group of people surrounding a well-dressed man.
"Hello, everyone!" The man greeted the crowd of tourists. If the group of suits standing behind him said anything, he must be a prominent figure in Paradiso.
"Do you know who he is, Vasco?" Sarah asked, glancing at her companion.
Vasco had her answer within seconds: "Facial scans recognize him as Oliver Campbell. He is the CEO of Paradiso." Oliver spoke to the crowd with a bright expression. The man had obvious charisma, honed from years in the public eye.
"So several guests have expressed concern about the enormous starship orbiting Porrima II. The starship is certainly a sight... An utter eyesore when entering the planet's orbit. Our Chief of Security has already contacted the starship to ease your worry and determined they are simply nomads." Oliver was very expressive when he spoke. He waved his arms and smiled as he explained the situation. The tourists surrounding all seemed visibly relieved at his news.
"Thank the stars," an older woman sighed. "I saw the dirty starship when I landed. I was worried we would be shot at by some hoodlums!" How typical of the upper class… They fear what they don't understand.
"Again, I thank you all for your concern. I plan on making a broadcast explaining the situation to all guests. A galaxy-wide news team will arrive in the morning to interview me on the starship. You can tune into the Settled Systems News Network, or SSNN, tonight to hear Paradiso's update on the nomads." Oliver announced, wrapping up his speech. "Please enjoy your stay! And don't concern yourself with the nomad's starship! After all, at Paradiso we take care of our family!" Sarah could have vomited at the CEO's blatant brown nosing. However, the crowd of aristocrats ate his words up with a spoon. She didn't have high hopes for the SSNN. The Settled System's galactic newscast was infamous for contorting the narrative for a good story.
Now finished with his speech, the crowd instantly broke up. Tourists split in multiple directions, likely moving to whatever else Paradiso had to offer them. Sarah didn't miss Oliver's expression as he turned to his team. He almost looks… irritated? Sarah indeed saw the starship when Constellation landed on Porrima II. The ship seemed ancient. She didn't even notice any windows on the starship. Surely there's more to this situation than meets the eye… Without another word, Oliver and his squad of suits moved along.
"Vasco, I think we're going to skip the facial appointment…" Sarah whispered to the robot. Silently, she watched Oliver urge his group out of the lobby.
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1235 Universal Time
Avery Del
I always thought that warping through the star lanes was the good life… I was wrong… Paradiso is the good life. Avery groaned in pleasure as the masseuse kneaded the soles of his feet. He gradually brought the glass of iced tea to his lips and took a sip. "This is great…"
"No kidding," Cora agreed. She stretched back in the pool lounger, enjoying the same luxuriant treatment. "You should hire a massage therapist for Constellation."
Avery's head shot up from the chair. He considered the idea as he looked over their surroundings. The three of them currently sat poolside, enjoying their foot massages. He bounced around a few numbers in his head, considering the budget.
"Dammit, lady! Be gentle!" Eddie's voice distracted Avery from his budget allocation. Avery knew he'd have to tip Eddie's masseuse extra for pain and suffering. She currently had a death grip on his foot and brandished a pumice stone.
"You need to take better care of your feet!" The masseuse argued, refusing to back down from Eddie's intimidating attitude. "There is so much dead skin!" Eddie turned to Avery in disbelief.
"Avery, did you hear what this woman said to me!?"
Deciding to ignore the physician, Avery whispered to Cora, "Probably won't be able to pull a massage therapist… Eddie would just chase 'em off…"
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1330 Universal Time
Sam Coe
Even after an hour straight of work, Sam wasn't any closer to fixing his turbine. Standing at his full height, he cast an eye over the crowd of angry employees in Barrett's direction. From the looks of it, Barrett wasn't any closer to fixing his turbine either. Good… Serves his ass right.
Barrett always found ways to irritate the fire out of him. He initially offered to help fix the water turbines out of the kindness of his heart. Barrett just hated the idea of sitting around looking like a lazy ass, and tried to steal his thunder. Sam trained his focus back on the wires before him. It's definitely an electrical problem… The turbine itself doesn't seem to be damaged… Sam had pulled every trick in the book he knew of. He tried to hotwire the controls without success. He had even attempted to melt bits of plastic on the panel in an attempt to reroute conduction… This didn't work either.
"What's the issue with this damn thing!?" Sam growled in frustration.
"I called my supervisor," one of the Paradiso employees surrounding Sam said. "They said they never called for an engineer to fix the turbine…" Sam huffed, rolling his eyes to the man brave enough to interrupt him.
"Then you should be thankful I'm here to help," Sam deadpanned. "How about you go bother that idiot over there?" Sam lazily pointed in Barrett's general direction, returning to his work. They sure had made a mess of the room. Equipment, pieces of metal, and other small bits covered their individual work areas.
"Hey, I heard that!" Barrett yelled in his direction. "I already have enough groupies breathing down my neck. I don't need any more help! Worry about screwing up your turbine and leave me alone!" Sure enough, vexed employees surrounded Barrett. They appeared to be lost as to what to do with the situation.
Like hell I'm screwing anything up… Sam thought bitterly. Actually, I'll fix the damn thing… And then I'll modify it to produce more power! Sam grinned at Barrett, eager to make a fool of the engineer. That idiot don't know what he got himself into…
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1348 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
Through a series of favorable events, Mickey found himself drawing a bath in Paradiso's most exquisite penthouse. Mickey turned to the peeping Tom standing in the bathroom with him.
"Some privacy, please?" Mickey huffed, pulling his silky bathrobe over his shoulders. Mickey ignored the roll of Simeon's eyes, contributing it to the man's anxiety. Simeon sure did lose his nervous behavior when the food came in…
"Mickey, we are going to be arrested!" Simeon growled. "This is impersonation!" It was Mickey's turn to roll his eyes.
"Psssshh, how is it my fault the staff failed to ask for proof of my identification?" Mickey asked incredulously. Simeon's mouth opened to respond, then closed. Checkmate. Throwing a leg into the bathtub, Mickey leveled Simeon with a glance. "Now, go enjoy the massive TV in the living room. I need to freshen up for the party we are throwing tonight."
"A party!? Mickey, you don't know anybody to throw a par-"
"Ah, Geralt!" Mickey exclaimed at the waiter's sudden presence in the bathroom. "You've arrived with my sauvignon blanc!"
"Eh, sir… My name is-" the waiter began, but Mickey interrupted him by snatching the wine from his hand.
"Thank you, my good man!" Mickey said with a grin. Shoving a single credit into the waiter's hand, Mickey ushered him along. He couldn't be bothered with the waiter's glare or Simeon's anxious behavior. Tonight was his night… The night… of Mickey Caviar.
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1430 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Sarah took a long drag from the cigarette she held between her pointer finger and middle finger. She had to stifle the outrageous cough threatening to blow the cover she had set for herself. Damn cigarettes… Cancerous to everything they come in contact with. Sarah sat in the back of the meeting room along with several other businessmen, all smoking their cigarettes along with her. She blended in perfectly with them, wearing a respectable business suit. She never had one for dresses, but Sarah appreciated how she felt wearing the suit and tie. Very professional… Respectable… Classy…
The infiltration process had been much easier than she thought. Everything fell into place once she procured a suit from one of the staff's break rooms. That said, she only had one obstacle to talk her way past…
"Uhm… Who owns this robot?" Oliver Campbell asked, noticing Vasco's unavoidable presence when he entered the conference room. All eyes turned to Sarah and the robot towering over her.
Sarah took another drag from her cigarette before answering, "He's my PAC…" Her pompous attitude seemed to take the CEO by surprise. Perfect… The more snooty I act, the more I fit in…
"PAC?" Oliver asked. Amongst his question, the businessmen also murmured in confusion.
Uncrossing her legs, she leveled the CEO with an incredulous look. "My Personal Automated Companion?"
"Are you not up to date on the latest automated companionship technology?" Vasco added with a pretentious flair.
"Oh, I've heard of that!" A man commented from the front of the room. Bollocks… That name is entirely a farce… Regardless, Oliver didn't seem to want to appear out of the loop.
"Oh, yes! I apologize!" He adamantly agreed, stopping at the front of the room. "Moving on, we have business to discuss… As everyone here is aware, Paradiso currently has… visitors. Jiro has already reached out to these visitors." Oliver gestured to a young man with cropped black hair, wearing security armor. Jiro, she assumed.
"Yes," Jiro confirmed. " Allegedly , they are from Earth… They said they have been traveling to this planet for a few hundred years, and are here to colonize Porrima II…" A colony ship! Sarah had read about colony ships. They were popular at the very beginning of space travel. They had the capability of space travel… But didn't have the grav drives to do so quickly. People lived entire, fulfilling lives on the self-sustaining ship as it slowly traveled through space. If this were true, then the ship orbiting Paradiso is a ship that has generations of people living on it… Sarah couldn't believe this was an actual colony ship. History had long decided that the colony ships were all lost in space.
"We need to figure out our next move," Oliver said. "I have no plans to share Porrima II with these nomads… The way I see it, we have two choices. We remove them from Porrima II by force if necessary. Or we allow them to live on Porrima II with conditions." Sarah couldn't believe her ears at the callous words, though she shouldn't be surprised.
"And what conditions would we propose?" One of the men asked, leaning forward.
"Only the basics," Oliver explained. "They can live on Porrima II. Hell, we can even supply them with a reservation to live on. But they must work exclusively for Paradiso." So Oliver will essentially enslave them…
"Oh!" Another one of the businessmen jumped up. He seemed pretty anxious to speak up, obviously threatened by his peers. "We might be able to advertise them to guests. We could offer trips through their reservations, so they can view the travelers." The room erupted in agreement, causing the skittish man to fall back to his seat in relief.
"That's a great idea," Oliver agreed.
"Worst case scenario, we hire some Spacers or the Crimson Fleet to destroy their ship if they refuse," Jiro added. Again, this caused mass agreement from the rest of the conference room. Sarah's jaw ached from holding her tongue for so long.
"Very well," Oliver nodded. The meeting drew out for another thirty minutes or so before Oliver moved to close it. "The next step will be to contact the nomads again. Their answer will decide what I say to the Settled Systems News Network in the morning. Please keep your slates on your person. I will continue to update you all via your slates." The conference room emptied with Oliver's final word, leaving only Sarah and Vasco.
Sarah gathered her thoughts for a couple of minutes before speaking, "They are either going to enslave those people… or kill them. These are generations of people that have traveled for hundreds of years, unaware of the technological advances that have been made." Her voice was raw with emotion, a mixture of anger and sadness.
"What is our next plan of action, Sarah?" Vasco asked. Sarah thought for a moment. They need to run away… These people don't have their best intentions in mind…
Sarah huffed, "We need to contact these… nomads. We need to find a way to warn them of Paradiso's intentions."
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1500 Universal Time
Avery Del
"I've seen videos and movies of this… But I never thought it would feel so amazing!" Avery sighed in utter relaxation. Avery and Cora lay neck-deep in Paradiso's famous mud baths. "Constellation is stressful, but I feel like today has taken years of stress from my should- Oof!" Avery jolted when one of the staff suddenly laid a warm towel around his shoulders.
"I think the itinerary said we would have another hour of this before dinner. Then later tonight we are treated to massages under the stars." Cora said, thumbing through a magazine.
"That is hardly hygienic," Eddie's gravelly voice complained from next to Avery. Cracking an eye, Avery glanced at the physician. From the moment he saw the mud baths, he made a fuss about how he would not participate in this activity.
"C'mon, Eddie!" Avery said, attempting to placate the physician. "Just one bath won't hurt!"
"I'd rather spend time with Mickey …" Damn.
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1615 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
The familiar clang of machinery reverberated around the workroom as Barrett placed the finishing touches on the water turbine. Shooting a glare at a certain moronic pilot, Barrett smirked once his water turbine started to rotate. The resumed rotation allowed a healthy river flow through the building.
"You still-" Barrett faltered when he stumbled over the tools that littered his surroundings. Dammit! "You still working hard over there?" Barrett called over to Sam. The pilot's head briefly appeared from around the module he worked on. He had a smudge of grease on his forehead.
"I fixed mine about ten minutes ago!" Sam announced, giving Barrett a shit-eating grin. What!? "I'm working on increasing the power output!" That son of a bitch! Barrett watched in shock as Sam applied wires from a generator he likely found in the room to the turbine module.
"I hope you're taking fuel consumption into consideration!" Barrett growled, turning back to his own functioning water turbine. "Not exactly green …" That damn pilot isn't going to show me up…
They had destroyed the workroom during their repairs. Tools and trash littered the room. Their charity didn't gain them loving glances from Paradiso's employees. Once Barrett pieced together his surroundings, he made a mental list of what tools he would need to mod his own water turbine. If I can get the water turbines to rotate faster without using a generator, this'll increase the power production…
"Okay! You've both done enough!" An employee begged him. "The turbines are working! You can le-" The man shielded his eyes from Sam's antics on the other side of the room. The loud sizzle and pops tipped off Barrett that Sam was now welding something…
"Don't worry," Barrett said, placing a hand on the employee's shoulder. "I'm here to help!"
"We didn't ask for it!"
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1710 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Sarah believed that Vasco was the most unique member of Constellation. Fortunately, Paradiso's hotel had multiple operation rooms containing workstations. The second Sarah found a vacant one, they got to work. Once Vasco hacked into Paradiso's mainframe, it took him an hour to locate the channel to contact the nomads. It took him another hour to tap into it. Sarah made a mental note to commend Barrett for the modules he had uploaded to Vasco over the years.
"Sarah, you have a small window to speak with the nomads. Take advantage of this opportunity. Their lives may depend on it." Sarah silently thanked the robot and moved to the communicator's microphone. Vasco may be unable to desire, but the robot has a heart. Whether he knew it or not.
"Hail, hail, hail…" Sarah spoke clearly into the microphone, unsure how to begin. She wasn't sure of the ship's name, so etiquette flew out the window. "This is Sarah Morgan of Constellation. Come back." The next few seconds felt like hours. According to Vasco, this is definitely the same channel Paradiso and the starship communicated on… Suddenly, the speaker buzzed to life.
"Sarah Morgan of Constellation, this is the ECS Constant," a female voice answered. The response was distorted and choppy, but comprehensible. "Are you an acquaintance of the gentleman I spoke with earlier? Jiro?"
"Negative," Sarah answered. "I'm an independent party." Sarah suddenly felt overwhelmed with how best to handle this situation. If her theory was correct, the ECS Constant was filled with an entire colony.
The response wasn't what Sarah expected, "Why are you contacting us then?"
"I was hoping to speak with the captain of your starship." Sarah held her breath for the nomad's answer. Surely they didn't know who to trust. When a full minute passed, Sarah asked, "Is the ECS Constant a colony starship?" Changing the subject may be a dangerous move, but a necessary one.
"Yes," the voice responded. "Sarah Morgan of Constellation, you are speaking with Captain Diana Brackenridge. I have captained the ECS Constant for the past fifteen years, following my father before me and his father before him. Almost two hundred years ago, our ancestors started their journey to colonize this planet. We have had generations of people born and die on this starship. This planet is our reason for living… It was supposed to be a relief to arrive. But, I never foresaw others already living on it…"
"I understand…" Sarah said, taking in the captain's history.
"Do you?" Diana's response was harsh and accusing. "We arrived at our planet, only to be told it is not ours. We arrive, only to be told we may either leave or join them."
"And that's why I'm contacting you," Sarah countered, her voice steady. "The people of this planet are not friendly. They plan to extort you if you join them, or destroy you if you don't leave…" The silence in the room at the cold, hard truth unnerved Sarah. After a pregnant pause, Diana's voice crackled across the communicator.
"We have no plans to leave," Diana resolved. "My ancestors died to get us to this planet… Furthermore, why should we trust you? Who's to say you aren't deceiving us?" That's a fair point…
"What do I have to gain from telling you this?" Sarah asked. "I understand it's a lot to ask for… But I need your trust. I have always thought that colony starships were lost in space. The fact that you are here is historic in its own right. I believe you have every right to settle on this planet. But I want you to do it safely."
Once again, Diana's response was delayed. Sarah assumed she was discussing it with her team. "Sarah Morgan of Constellation… I'm open to suggestions… We are planning on landing in a few hours, but I need to know my people will be safe."
"Diana Brackenridge, Captain of the ECS Constant," Sarah thought over her plan. She prayed that Diana would agree with her idea. "If you can hold off on landing for a few hours, I have a plan that may benefit you and your people…" The response was filled with static, but brought a smile to Sarah's face.
"What do you have for me?"
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
1915 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Simeon couldn't believe the events of the past few hours. When Mickey said he planned to throw a party, he didn't believe him. The penthouse they borrowed had now become a chaotic space.
People crammed themselves into almost every inch of the floor. Some guests even took to standing at the tables and the kitchen bar. Trash and empty beer cans littered the floor, along with other miscellaneous items. For example, Simeon noticed pool toys, assortments of discarded clothes, a large inflatable duck towered in the flat, and an unwound hose that traveled through the room and disappeared out a window. Over the chaos, a deep bass played, vibrating Simeon's chest with every beat.
To make matters worse, Simeon was completely overtaken by the chaos. Somehow, he found himself in the middle of the crowd dancing to the loud music. His pants were long gone, instead wrapped around his head in a makeshift turban. Should he be embarrassed? Absolutely. However, the alcohol circulating in his system numbed that feeling. A loud crash to his left caught his attention. Simeon laughed and pointed as someone tossed a chair out of one of the windows, shattering it to pieces.
"Excuse me!" A voice called over the crowd. The music silenced, and Simeon followed the crowd's eyes to the voice's source. Someone had dragged a box spring mattress into the living room and set a desk on it. A regal-looking chair balanced atop the desk. Seated in the chair was Mickey Caviar. He sat with his legs crossed, a full glass of wine in his hand, overlooking the crowd. On top of his head, he wore a shiny gold crown. Where did he get that!? "My lovely guests… Let's shine bright enough to blind all of the Settled Systems!!" The crowd erupted in cheers the moment Mickey raised his glass.
"DON'IAL! DON'IAL! DON'IAL!" The partygoers chanted to Mickey. Simeon joined in the chant in his inebriated state. Following three other men, Simeon grabbed a leg of Mickey's chair. They ferried Mickey around the room, allowing him to bask in the attention of the partygoers. Simeon could have carried Mickey around for much longer… But he tripped on that damn hose. Simeon went down, taking Mickey and the three men down with him.
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
2012 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
This is the worst night of my life!! Maxile ran blindly through the forest, low branches smacking his face and brush scratching his legs. The darkness and unfamiliar forest turned his surroundings into a confusing maze. This all went so wrong! He knew he needed to be quiet, but caution had long been thrown to the wind. The screeches of Pack Seabat echoed all around him, causing his heart to race. They know I'm here… Predicting a dive-bomb, Maxile dived to the right. Branches snapping and leaves being displaced signaled to him that he was correct. His dodge barely paid off because the large figure still clipped him. The blow spun him, tripping over his legs, and Maxile crashed onto his back.
"Dammit!" Maxile cursed, slapping his hand to his mouth. The gesture was pointless; the Pack Seabat were all around. He had no clue why he expected Andreja to behave during this excursion. The initial ride through the resort's surrounding forest was nothing but peaceful… However, when they arrived at the Pack Seabat cave, everything went to shit!
They had waited until dusk, as their guide had planned for them. But the moment the Pack Seabat emerged, Andreja leaped into action. Brandishing a large stick, she swung at the low-flying Pack Seabat. Her strikes were devastating. Her assault caused the entire colony of Pack Seabat to turn on the small safari group. Despite the guide's attempt to control the havoc, tourists ran in every direction… To make a long story short, to avoid death by bat, Maxile fled into the forest.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Maxile flinched at the nearby call of the deadly alien. Their calls could be heard through the forest, but he could hear one about to descend on him. It was likely the same one that had knocked him to the ground. The moon of Porrima II shone brightly down on Maxile. Until a dark figure eclipsed him. The figure grew until a large Pack Seabat landed directly on him. The alien screeched and hissed, attempting to slash him with its claws. Maxile shielded his face with his arms, feeling his shirt shred from the bat's talons. He mentally prayed until the creature's slashes ceased.
"You have an abundance of speed, little nurse! But you can't forget to fight!"
"Andreja!?" Maxile called out, uncovering his face. Andreja crouched beside him, the alien trapped under her knee. The stick she had earlier had been sharpened into a makeshift spear. She held it to the alien's throat. She seemed to be contemplating killing the creature. After a few seconds, she released it back into the wild. The Pack Seabat gave a final hiss and flew off into the darkness.
"That one was a young male; he will need to grow more before I consider him a serious challenge," Andreja explained after noticing Maxile's incredulous look. Maxile took her hand, letting himself be pulled into a standing position. Andreja looked like a controlled mess. Grass and twigs stuck out haphazardly from her hair. Her holiday dress had been torn, exposing her stomach. Maxile found a knife shoved into his hand by Andreja. "For defending. This survival exercise is fun, no?"
"This wasn't supposed to be a survival exercise !" Maxile yelled, only earning an eyebrow raise from the astronomer. " Sa - far - i! " Maxile enunciated each syllable, hoping to get his point across.
"Then why were we introduced to deadly aliens?" Andreja challenged. The calls of the Pack Seabat persisted to echo around them. After Andreja attacked them, she sent the entire colony on a rampage through the forest.
"I… I don't know what to say to that…" She doesn't have a fucking clue what she did wrong. Maxile cringed when a sly grin etched across Andreja's face. What the hell is that?
"Look at it this way, little nurse," Andreja said, almost as if she were making a deal. "If you succeed in this survival exercise, it'll certainly be impressive…" What is this?
Maxile narrowed his eyes, "What are you trying to say?" Andreja was now fully grinning.
"As if to say, a certain feeble sniper may find himself impressed…" Andreja folded her arms across her chest. Maxile could feel a bead of sweat dripping from his brow.
"I have no idea what you're talking about…" Maxile denied. There was no way Andreja had caught on to his crush… Of all of the crew… Gripping the knife firmly in his hand, Maxile studied his surroundings. He almost cried when he realized he could see the hotel in the distance. We can make it to the hotel, but the second we start moving, the aliens will notice… He ignored the smug look Andreja gave him. "Let's keep moving through the forest. I can see the hotel from here. We will have to fight off the aliens on our way back."
"Yes, let's go!" Andreja practically cheered. "When we arrive back, you can brag about your success!"
"Shut up!"
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
2040 Universal Time
Avery Del
"This has been the best day of my life…" Avery's voice rumbled as the massage chair vibrated his back. "I don't think I ever want to leave. We really gotta do more missions for this guy… I can't believe he just gave us a day at Paradiso to deliver a shipment of copper across the Settled Systems." Avery, Cora, and Eddie sat in the massage chairs overlooking the hotel. Many of the guests had retired to their rooms… or the bars at this time of night, so the plaza was barren.
"I guess everyone's been pretty busy," Cora mused. "I haven't seen any of the crew today… Hey, you're still gonna talk to my Dad about me stepping up in Constellation?"
"Of course," Avery said seriously. "I don't joke about Constellation!" A comfortable silence settled over them; the only noise was the vibration of their chairs. After several minutes, Eddie broke the silence.
"I think this is my favorite part of this vacation ," Eddie admitted. His confession brought a smile to Avery's face. Before he could respond, a commotion caught their attention. "What the hell is that racket?" Eddie complained, surveying the surrounding plaza.
A group of Paradiso security sprinted through the hotel's plaza. From what Avery could tell, they were on a mission. Avery estimated that around twenty guards were rushing to the hotel. He strained his ear to eavesdrop on their conversation as they neared.
"They're on the top floor!" The security guard leading the group announced. "A V.I.P. complained of imposters. According to the other guests, the imposters are nuisances and need removal."
"Bastards have no respect for anyone else these days…" Eddie grumbled. Avery couldn't help but agree. Hopefully, these 'imposters' got what they deserved.
"Yeah, I bet-"
BOOM
Avery's hair ruffled from a shockwave that pulsed through the hotel plaza. Was that an explosion? The deafening noise even paused the security guards in their trek into the hotel. Avery slid out of his chair, standing up to look around the plaza. One could hear a pin drop in the plaza. Gradually, guests began to exit the hotel or step onto their suites' balconies to investigate the sudden blast.
"What the hell was that!?" Avery asked. Unable to locate the source of the noise. Should I be preparing for a fight!?
"I think it came from the beach!" Cora supplied. After a moment, she pointed, "Look! There's smoke coming from the beach!" Even in the night sky, Avery spied a deadly plume of smoke rising from the beachfront. Paradiso's guards realized they had more to deal with by this point. The leader frantically began calling out orders to split up to investigate the newest development.
"Should we help?" Avery asked, glancing back at Cora and Eddie. Neither of the two had made any attempt to evacuate their massage chairs.
"Hell no!"
"We're on vacation!"
Avery sank back into his massage chair, "Yeah, we are on vacation… Paradiso's security can deal with this…" Avery's eyes lulled shut by the vibrations of the massage chair. He deserved this peace… He earned this day… He deserved to- A mass of screaming pulled Avery back from his inner meditation. His eyes flew open, What now!?
Avery didn't expect the sight before him. Enormous bat-like aliens flew through the plaza. They screeched and hissed, steadily dive-bombing the guests that had stepped outside to investigate the explosion. There were dozens of them! Due to the darkness, they were difficult to spot. Within a matter of minutes, they covered the plaza. The bats were either attacking guests or destroying Paradiso's property. Avery groaned in irritation, Fuck me!
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
2042 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
The Pack Seabat's assault didn't let up once Maxile and Andreja arrived at the hotel plaza. In fact, now that they had fled into the open space of Paradiso's plaza, he could see the sheer number of aliens Andreja had disturbed. Guests ran in terror, trying to find shelter from the aliens. Fortunately, there were plenty of guards attempting to fend off the aliens.
Maxile ran through the plaza, his eyes on the hotel door. If we get inside, we should be safe! A high-pitched scream on his left caught his attention. A Pack Seabat stood over a young woman. Her mouth gaped in terror, her body paralyzed by the alien's presence. Making a split decision, Maxile aborted his trek to the hotel and darted in the woman's direction. This is crazy! This is crazy! This is crazy!
The alien reared back a sharp claw to slash the woman, but was ultimately thwarted. Maxile used his entire weight to body-slam the alien off the woman. The creature collapsed much easier than he expected. Holy shit! I toppled it over! Taking Andreja's knife, Maxile swiped it across the alien's chest. The bat screeched in pain, climbing to its feet. Maxile couldn't help the burn of satisfaction in his chest at the sight of the green line of blood on its chest. As soon as she was free, the terrified woman bolted.
"Aaaaaaaaaghh!" Maxile screamed with all his might at the alien. He spread his arms as wide as possible, hoping that it would intimidate the bat if he appeared bigger. It works in nature, hopefully that applies here… The alien screeched again, hopping back a few steps. When it gathered its bearings, the alien flew off. "Andreja, I did it! I was stronger than that thing!" Maxile celebrated aloud.
"You did, little nurse!" Andreja agreed, stopping at his side. "You proved your strength well!" Maxile couldn't explain this feeling coursing through his body. Is this my adrenaline? This feels great!
"My name is Maxile Deimos of Constellation, and I kicked the survival exercise's ass!" Maxile's celebration only grew into him screaming nonsense at the night sky. He appreciated the fact that Andreja encouraged his prideful screaming.
"Sir!" A deep voice interrupted his incoherent yelling. "You said you're part of Constellation?"
"Yes! What about—" Maxile's bravado waned at the sight of the security guards standing over him. "It… Uhm…" The guards looked extremely displeased.
"We're going to have both of you come with us…" The guard finished, taking hold of Maxile's upper arm. Well damn… This must be how it feels to have all my adrenaline leave my body… Avery's gonna be so pissed.
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
2050 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Barrett crawled out of the destroyed building, hacking up half of his lung. Damn, maybe that was too much power for the modules to contain… Everything was going according to plan until Sam announced the strides he was making on his end. This tumbled into an argument over who had the better turbine modification. As rash as always, Sam tried to prove his point by cranking up the power output, leading to this disaster.
"You idiot, this is your fault!" Sam coughed as he staggered out of the smoking building. "You just had to overdo it!"
" Me!? " Barrett exclaimed. "You're the one who overdid it! If anything, my turbine exploded in response to your turbine's inability to handle the power input of your modifications! Now look at you, you look like a damn fool covered in ash!"
"Look at me!? Look at you!" Sam countered. "Your beard is singed ! No, your damn modifications caused the spark that caused this. You wanted to keep everything green , and this is what happened!" In truth, Barrett had no idea who was at fault. But he would be damned if he allowed Sam to think it was Barrett.
"Whatever, in the end, I won. I had the most output." Barrett argued, crossing his arms in defiance. Gradually the staff that had watched their pissing contest climbed out of the smoking building. Like Sam, they were coated in ash.
"Nope," Sam growled, shaking his head. "I won. I fixed my water turbine first." By this point in their argument, they were nose to nose. Barrett refused to allow the whiny pilot to win this verbal altercation.
"You both made this worse! Paradiso is going to be on generator power for months!" The angry screams of the employee had no effect on the men. However, the Paradiso security surrounding them caused Barrett and Sam to feel a bit unnerved.
"Can we help you?" Sam asked, appearing confused at the guards' sudden arrival. "We're in the middle of a discussion…"
"I know I look friendly, but I really like my space…" Barrett added. "So I'd appreciate it if you took a few steps back…"
"You two idiots are with Constellation, correct?" The guard asked, ignoring their protests. Sam seemed as confused as Barrett felt.
"Yes?"
"You're being detained due to your actions at a restricted access location. Come with me…" Damn… Avery is gonna kill me…
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
2100 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
The party's mayhem only grew during the night. It didn't even hinder when an enormous bat-like alien crashed through the window and slid to a stop in the middle of the room. The partygoers only cheered and continued to dance around the poor creature, Simeon included.
Simeon and Mickey danced together, surrounded by their new friends. Simeon couldn't remember any of their names, but they were friends. Through the night, Simeon had now lost his shirt as well. At first, he felt completely naked without his pants or shirt. But Mickey found a heavy quilt that he fastened around his waist like a kilt. Overall, the party was going well! Until a group of serious-looking men entered the flat and approached them.
"Hey, you need to come with us," one of the men growled, grabbing Mickey by his arm. Simeon slapped the man's hand, causing him to release Mickey.
"Do. Not . Touch. Him." Simeon growled, enunciating each word. "Do you realize who you are putting your hands on!? This is the Don'ial Presla!"
"Awe!" Mickey cooed. "My assistant is standing up for me!" Simeon glared back at the man challenging him. In his inebriated state, Simeon started to put two and two together. These guys look eerily similar to security guards… And they aren't having the same reaction to Don'ial's name… Simeon took a moment to read the room. The party had screeched to a stop. Guests were pouring out of the room into the hallway. The music was no longer playing. All that was left was an absolutely trashed penthouse.
"Actually, I'm Don'ial Presla…" A new voice rang in Simeon's ears. Stepping into his field of view, Simeon looked down at a short, tan man with curly black hair. "I wasn't going to arrive for another week. But a friend happened to call me and let me know that I was already in Paradiso! Isn't that some shit!?" Don'ial, the real Don'ial crossed his arms and frowned at Simeon. Fuck this isn't good. Wait! Mickey said he is friends with Don'ial!
"This is Mickey Caviar!" Simeon's words burst from his mouth in a panic. Gesturing to Mickey, Don'ial raised his eyebrows.
Don'ial's response to Mickey Caviar was interesting, " Who ?"
Mickey's response to Don'ial Presla was even more interesting, "IT WAS ALL HIS FAULT! I told him this was wrong, but he insisted!" Simeon spun to face Mickey instantaneously.
"The fuck!? This was all your idea! You said you knew Don'ial personally!" Simeon lunged forward to wrap his hands around Mickey's neck. He would have, had the chef not run straight into security's open arms.
"Both of you are being seized until further notice!" The security guard snapped, capturing Mickey. Shit… How the hell are we going to hide this from Avery?
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 7th
2300 Universal Time
Avery Del
Avery paced back and forth in the small cell for an hour straight. Angry thoughts swirled in his brain like a storm. There would be punishment… Payments would be docked… Heads would roll … Six of his crew members sat with their backs against the stone walls of Paradiso's brig. Avery had graciously allowed Cora and Eddie to occupy the two cots in the holding cell; they had been the only ones to behave after all. Every so often, Avery would level his six guilty crewmates with a scowl. Especially if he thought one of them was about to speak. Eventually, one of the idiots was brave enough to speak up.
"This wasn't my fault," Simeon mumbled. The moment he spoke, the floodgates opened, and the cell's volume crescendoed. Everyone started arguing their point.
"Stop talking!" Avery snapped, instantly silencing his delinquent crewmates. The speed of his pacing only picked up. "I specifically told you all that you would represent Constellation during your time here. And somehow, within twelve hours, you all have managed to cause total chaos! I have no idea how we will recover from this!"
"But Aver-" Maxile began, but was silenced by Avery's death stare.
When no one challenged him, Avery resumed his rant, "Sam. Barrett. Why the hell do you both smell like an engine's ass!? Don't bother answering, I don't want to know right now. Maxile. Andreja. Why do you look like you've been living in the forest for months!? Your clothes are torn to pieces, and you're covered in mud! Just to reiterate, these are all rhetorical… Keep your damn mouths shut. Mickey. Where the hell did you get a crown? And Simeon… Where the hell is your damn shirt and shorts!? You're literally wearing a quilt!" Finishing his line of questioning, Avery finally looked down at his crew. They all held their heads in shame, refusing to speak up. Good.
"Avery's kinda scary when he's mad…" Cora whispered to Eddie from her cot.
"It's about damn time he showed some discipline around here…" Eddie whispered back. Avery paced a few more laps back and forth before letting out a long exhale.
"Okay," Avery sighed. "Here's what we are going to do. We are going to wait until one of two things happens. We wait for Sarah to come bail us out. Or we wait for Paradiso to release us. Either way we all need to pray that I talk our way out of this shit show… Until further notice, I don't want to hear anyone speak until I specifically ask them to!" The consistent pacing had finally started to wear on Avery. He sauntered to a wall away from his crew and slid to the ground. I hope to hell Sarah gets us out of here…
Paradiso, Porrima II, The Porrima System
Year 2330, November 8th
0745 Universal Time
Avery Del
By the end of Consetellation's retelling of the prior day's events, both Avery and CEO Oliver Campbell had their jaws to the ground. Once again, Avery paced back and forth, trying to stave off his anger. After a few laps, he noticed that Oliver performed the same action. Oliver suddenly threw a punch into the air, turning on the crew.
"You listen here, Constellation," Oliver spat. "I'm suing you for every penny you have. Reckless endangerment! Destruction of personal property! Identity theft! If there is a damn check box, I'm checking the damn box! You destroyed Paradiso's penthouse! You destroyed Paradiso's turbine station! You dragged a colony of those damned bats in and destroyed the plaza and the hotel! I can't wait to bring you to court! By the end of this, Oliver Campbell will own Constellation!" Avery couldn't get a word in edgewise during Oliver's tirade. Avery opened his mouth to attempt damage control, but was interrupted by a familiar female voice.
"That won't be necessary," Sarah announced as she walked to them. Following closely behind her was Vasco. Glad at least someone managed to stay out of trouble…
"You?" Oliver said, eying Sarah. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I infiltrated your meeting," Sarah cheekily answered. "I'm part of Constellation."
"Great!" Oliver laughed. "I'm sure I can also find a lawsuit with you!"
"As I said, that won't be necessary." Sarah continued. Pulling a small radio from her jacket pocket, Sarah flipped it on. Holding a bright red button, she spoke into the microphone, "Diana, you're cleared for landing!"
"Roger!" Diana's staticky voice replied. A few moments later, Avery felt the ground rumbling as a large starship descended. When the dust settled, the ship had landed in a large field around half a mile from Paradiso's hotel. The starship looked ancient. Avery recognized it from when they had initially arrived at Porrima II. Diana's voice returned to Sarah's communicator, speaking to Oliver. "On behalf of those living on the ECS Constant, I want to give my utmost gratitude to CEO Oliver Campbell. For allowing us to live our lives on our planet without interruption!"
"What the hell!?" Oliver growled. "They can't be here right now! The Settled Systems News Network will be here in fifteen minutes! I don't want them here! The need to le-"
"I have no plans to share Porrima II with these nomads… The way I see it, we have two choices. We remove them from Porrima II, by force if necessary. Or we allow them to live on Porrima II with conditions." Oliver's voice recording was played from Vasco. The CEO's eye briefly twitched at the auditory replay.
"How about we make a deal?" Sarah offered. "The SSNN will be here shortly, right? You sell them the story of how you graciously shared the planet with the colony of the ECS Constant. I don't play this recording of your abhorrent behavior. Oh! You also let Constellation off the hook for… whatever trouble they got themselves into. Which we will be discussing later." Sarah ended her bargain with a scowl at the obviously guilty crewmates.
"I…" Oliver began but became distracted by the SSNN starship preparing to land in Paradiso. " Fuck , they're here early! Fine, we have a deal… But only if Constellation agrees to never return to Paradiso! Under no circumstances!"
Avery hissed at the deal, "Agreed…"
"Great, now leave!" Oliver growled before turning on his heel. He stomped toward the SSNN starship, likely preparing his story. Avery threw a glance at his Vice-Captain.
"You bailed us out?" Avery said, raising an eyebrow. "That was bad ass…"
"Of course," Sarah agreed. "That's my job after all. I have a better way with words than you, especially with management. Now, Vasco and I will follow Oliver to ensure he holds up his end of the bargain." With a wink, Sarah trailed after the CEO.
"Does this mean we aren't in trouble?" Mickey asked meekly, looking between his crewmates.
"Absolutely not!" Avery clarified. "There will be punishments!"
"C'mon, Avery, no harm no foul!"
"I'm an adult, you can't punish me."
"Sam's the only one who needs to be punished…"
"Bullshit! Barrett caused this shit!"
"This isn't going to affect our payment, right?"
Quickly, the crew descended back into an arguing mass. Avery massaged his temple, trying to block out everyone's voices. He now had a massive headache from his crew's excessive stimulation. I need a damn vacation…
Notes:
There was a lot of jumping around in this chapter. Hopefully the POV changes wasn't too confusing. It was fun to write characters interactions with different crewmates. This chapter was definitely a bit of a filler, but who doesn't like a half-decent filler?
Thank you!
Chapter 14: The Shadows of Our Past - Simeon Bankowski
Summary:
When Sarah is required to attend a meeting in New Atlantis, all of Constellation decides to spend some time in the city. Due to his history with the UC military, Simeon is apprehensive at first. However, in his excitement to show Maxile around New Atlantis and see his family once more, Simeon throws caution to the wind and enters the city. After being gone for five long years it feels great to be home once more... Until his past comes back to haunt him.
Notes:
If you notice any errors be sure to let me know!
I do not own Starfield
TW: Cursing, death, bodily injury
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A Hidden Spacer Base, Chawla, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2325, August 17th
0213 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Simeon quietly padded through the base he called home for the past six months. Fortunately for him, everyone in the base was resting or lax in their patrols. The halls were quiet. Through his months on the spacer base, Simeon had gradually climbed the ranks. He had gained the trust of many of his supervisors. Of course, Simeon's supervisors didn't honestly know his background. They knew him as Lago Pell. An alias granted to him by the UC military's top secret organization - Aegis, in their attempt to squash the spacer terrorist.
When Aegis had presented him with the opportunity to take down a spacer terrorist group as a splinter cell, Simeon jumped at the chance. He was young… Eager to make a difference in the Settled Systems. He felt he deserved the recognition. Following his family's lineage, Simeon had joined the UC military at the young age of eighteen. When he turned twenty-five, he was recruited by Aegis. Aegis specialized in espionage and assassination. They keep the Settled Systems safe by taking down high-priority subjects.
Aegis assigned Simeon to this particular spacer organization due to the waves their activity had been causing. According to confirmed sources, the spacer group, Juniper, had plans to attack UC convoys with stolen Freestar ships to instigate another large-scale conflict.
He was so close to finishing his mission… All these months… All this time… All these connections that he made. His hard work would come to fruition by tomorrow. He managed a meeting with the Juniper's leader in the morning. The only information anyone had on the man was his name, Elric. Apart from that, Simeon didn't know any of his fellow subordinates who had met the man in person. The only task he had left was to report back to his contact with Aegis HQ.
Simeon arrived outside the door of a room that contained a lone workstation. He had been coming to this workstation once every few weeks to check in with Aegis. As long as it was safe for him to do so. Simeon punched in the PIN number, '1954.' The door opened with the identification. Of course, it wasn't his PIN number; he cycled through other spacer numbers regularly. It was less of a chance to get caught. Sliding quietly into the room, Simeon took a seat at the workstation.
Simeon started to open the encrypted chat box with Aegis until he had a thought. Cycling back, he hacked into the Juniper database. Maybe he could report any last-minute inputted information. Juniper files spilled across the workstation's screen. Initially, Simeon didn't catch any new information. He moved the cursor to close down the database until a file caught his attention.
'LPSB-02/05/25'
Simeon hovered the mouse cursor over the file. That's… definitely new. Simeon shook off his slight hesitation and opened the file. His breath hitched at the latest information that spilled out onto the monitor. Simeon read the file repeatedly, hoping the words would change the dire situation he was now in. Fuck! He cursed as he slammed a fist down onto the workstation.
Simeon Bankowski
Alias: Lago Pell
DOB: 01/08/2299
Age: 26
Birth Planet: Jemison
Birth City: New Atlantis
Juniper Recruit Date: 02/05/2325
Juniper Recruiter: [REDACTED]
Situation: Simeon is a member of Aegis. He has been regularly going to workstation 46452-C to contact Aegis. His actions were first noticed on 08/10/2325 when he was witnessed entering another Juniper member's PIN. Further investigation of this strange event proved Simeon to be a splinter cell. Simeon has likely notified Aegis of all Juniper activity. This will push back Juniper plans for years to come.
Response: Simeon will be present for the meeting on 08/17/2325. During the meeting Simeon will be [REDACTED]. Once Simeon is dealt with, Elric will discuss [REDACTED].
Dammit! Simeon couldn't imagine a worse situation. His cover was blown… There was no talking his way out of this one. Everything he had worked for… Gone. Simeon moved back to the encrypted chat box. The pressure of the situation squeezed Simeon from all directions as he typed a message to his supervisor.
PIN 1954
0222
Sierra/Indiana/Mike Code#832-689
AEG 0542
0223
Romeo/Uniform/Kilo Code#832-022
Does a Hunting Tuskfrog croak?
PIN 1954
0223
No, they chirp. I don't have time for code. This is an emergency. My cover has been blown.
{{Embed FILE, LPSB-02/05/2325//view}}
AEG 0542
0228
Reviewed the file with commanding officers. Your position has been revealed.
PIN 1954
0229
Yeah. I'm aware.
AEG 0542
0230
An unmarked starship has been dispatched to your coordinates. The arrival time will be 15 minutes. Follow the established escape plan. Due to Juniper leaders becoming aware of your personal information, Aegis, under the UC military, is taking action. This message is notifying you of your general discharge from Aegis and the UC military. Thank you for your service. The UC will assist you with personal protection and relocation if you need it.
PIN 1954
0231
General discharge!? I've devoted my life to the UC military! There's no way this is the contract I signed!
AEG 0542
0232
Your name and personal information are now public in a terrorist organization. Your contract will be delivered to you at a later date with the clause devoted to this particular situation highlighted. Good luck soldier, and thank you for your service.
Pin 1954 (Undelivered)
0233
This is bullshit.
Simeon slammed his fist on the workstation once more. A message sprawled across the monitor, notifying him that the other participant had left the chat. For the first time in his life, he felt lost… Abandoned by the military he served, Simeon sat back in the office chair. He wasn't meant to hide his entire life…
Simeon thought back to his childhood. He had always dreamed of following his Father's footsteps into the UC military. In fact, he and his childhood friend used to pretend they were military officers. They would defend star systems, shoot guns, and fly starships… Avery… They had even obtained their pilot licenses together. However, when Simeon was recruited into the UC, Avery decided to move on to other endeavors.
Last Simeon had heard, Avery led some sort of exploration organization. What was it called? Compilation or something? Simeon hadn't lost contact with his old friend. They still were in contact over the years. Bragging about their achievements… However, Simeon never disclosed Aegis to Avery. Not that it mattered anymore. The offer Avery had made years ago floated back through Simeon's mind.
"Come on, Simeon! Join my crew! We are all over the Settled Systems! And we actually help people, unlike the UC military. I already have three crewmates. Sarah, Barrett, and Vasco. You'd love 'em!"
"I can't leave the UC! They've done so much for me. I might join your crew when I need a part-time job." Simeon had responded, aiming to irritate Avery. But Avery had only laughed at his joke.
"Well, when you change your mind or need a part-time job, the offer stands." Although Avery's statement was now a faded memory, he could still hear his offer as clearly as the day he extended it.
Simeon needed Avery now… Pulling out his log, Simeon found Avery's name and quickly typed a message. Once he sent this message, he would need to sneak to the rendezvous to leave this base… Better sooner than later.
'Hey, Avery. Does that offer still stand? I've run into a bit of trouble…'
The Atlas, Orbiting Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 14th
0636 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
The memories from five years ago seeped from Simeon's mind as his eyes fluttered open. Alpha Centauri's light flooded his quarters, revealing the mementos that littered his room. They were all fond keepsakes from his adventures with Constellation.
Pulling on his shirt, Simeon gazed out his porthole at Jemison's rotating body. I shouldn't be surprised that returning to New Atlantis would bring back these old memories… When he was released from Aegis, it was detrimental to his pride and self-worth. Simeon had always been so proud of his role in the UC military. Over time, he learned that those thoughts were his ego talking. He had long come to peace with his department from Aegis. Simeon was proud to be a member of his oldest friend's crew. He would always have a home with Constellation.
Assuming that he wouldn't be returning to bed, Simeon went to the bridge. Might as well get some work done since I'm up… Much to his astonishment, Avery was awake as well. The Captain stood in the cockpit, silently evaluating the face of Jemison. Behind him, the Armillary slowly rotated. All of Constellation's obtained artifacts dancing within it.
Simeon cleared his throat, "Ahem… You're up pretty early…" Avery's brown eyes flashed back to Simeon at his intrusion. Realizing who had joined him on the bridge, Avery smiled brightly. How Avery could manage such a smile this early baffled Simeon.
"Hey, Sim!" Avery greeted him. Simeon's eyes rolled at his Captain's use of his childhood nickname. "Yeah, I was wrapping up some things. It feels great to be home… It's been so long since we landed in New Atlantis." Simeon's jaw set at the idea of walking through New Atlantis. He hadn't stepped a single toe in the city since his cover was blown with Aegis.
"It has been…" Simeon agreed. "I wonder if the Terrabrew Coffee still tastes like ass." He smirked at Avery, knowing the slight at Terrabrew would ride up his ass. As expected, Avery scowled at his blasphemous caffeine-related comment.
"I bet it doesn't!" Avery asserted an air of humor in his voice. They laughed at their inside joke, and silence followed. "Are you excited to see your family again? We've avoided New Atlantis for so long; I bet they will be happy to see you." Although he didn't say it outright, Simeon could tell Avery was mulling over why they had to abandon their hometown.
"They'll be happy to see you, too," Simeon reminded Avery. Simeon and Avery had been friends since they were children. They had been inseparable the day Avery and his Mother moved to New Atlantis. Avery's Mother died when they were in their late teens. From then on, Avery depended extensively on the support of Simeon's family. So, his parents considered Avery one of their own. "I'm excited to see them again. I can't say I feel completely comfortable being here… It's been so long, it shouldn't be a risk to my family… But…"
"It'll be fine," Avery clapped Simeon on the shoulder, cutting him off. "The UC military leaders requested Sarah's attendance for this meeting today… Whatever it is… We will only stick around for a couple of days, tops. Just enjoy your time with your family." Simeon didn't consider himself a glass-half-empty kinda guy. Still, the potential consequences of his past set him on edge. Regardless, he did his best to look relaxed at Avery's words.
"You're right…" Simeon agreed. "Plus, Maxile hasn't seen New Atlantis. He'll probably think New Atlantis is much cleaner than Neon or Akila City." Simeon laughed at the nurse's cringe when he first saw the other large settlements in the Settled Systems. Avery's right… I need to relax.
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 14th
0944 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
"Alright, everyone," Avery announced to the crew as Constellation's entirety departed The Atlas. "We're gonna be here for a couple days… Don't forget, you all represent Constellation. I don't want this visit to be a repeat of the Paradiso incident…" The crew shuffled uneasily under Avery's glower. Everyone, apart from Cora, Eddie, Vasco, and Sarah… Fortunately for them all, Sarah stepped forward to address the crew. Everyone visibly relaxed when she drew the focus to a new topic.
"I'll be at the MAST building for most of the day," Sarah explained to everyone. Sarah typically wore her signature red jacket. But today, she had exchanged it for a professional suit. "I'm not entirely sure why The Cabinet summoned me… It may relate to Constellation or my previous work with the UC. I'll let everyone know if something comes of the meeting. Like Avery said, please behave." Once her speech was complete, Sarah took her leave. Her heels clacked as she walked away from their group. Simeon often felt a commonality with Sarah. Like him, she had also joined the UC military at a young age. They both knew the MAST building like the back of their hands. The main difference between them is their exit from the UC military. Simeon was told to leave while Sarah went on her own volition. This was likely how she still had so many contacts in the UC.
With the Captain and Vice-Captain's warnings, everyone began to branch off. Simeon didn't really notice who went where. The only hint he got was Mickey mumbling something about, 'finding somewhere that serves mimosas.' I can't believe I'm standing in New Atlantis… Coming back here just never seemed possible… or safe. Of course, Simeon knew he wasn't necessarily safe . The UC never found Elric… so he still remained at large. Once Simeon was busted, everyone pulled out. Juniper disappeared without a trace.
"Simeon," Avery's voice pulled him from his thoughts. Everyone around him had left, apart from Avery and Maxile. When he realized he had Simeon's full attention, Avery continued, "I'm gonna run to the commercial district for a few things. I gotta restock my Chocolate Labs… I know Sam has been stealing from my stash… I need to hide them better... Anyway, I'll see you for dinner at Alvoy and Tana's house tonight?" When Simeon had notified his parents that Constellation would be in town, they had immediately called for a dinner party that night. They wanted all of Constellation to attend, but Simeon insisted that their apartment was far too small for his entire crew. After much deliberation, they settled for Simeon and Avery.
"Yeah, I'll see you then," Simeon responded. "We're just gonna go around New Atlantis until then." Simeon nodded his head at Maxile; he didn't know why. It was just the three of them, after all. Avery overlooked Simeon's falter, instead waving goodbye and setting out into the city. Simeon watched Avery off until Maxile shuffled into his field of view.
"You're still cool with showing me around, Simeon?" Maxile asked, turning to admire New Atlantis's shiny cityscape. Simeon felt his mood instantly brighten at the nurse's request. Simeon had been looking forward to showing Maxile around his home.
"Of course," Simeon agreed, moving towards the city's entrance. "You're in luck, Max. You managed to score the highest-rated tour guide in the city!" Wandering from the spaceport, New Atlantis residents and robots chaotically roamed the area. More often than not, Simeon had to physically guide Maxile. Otherwise, he would run into another unsuspecting resident.
"What are we going to do?" Maxile's eyes gazed at the city's shiny skyscrapers and endless electronic billboards, his mouth open in awe. Simeon liked how Maxile took in every new experience with vigor. As they moved past the guard points, a monotone voice advised them to keep moving forward while they were scanned. Hell of a lot of good that'll do… Simeon thought glumly. Despite New Atlantis's advanced scanners, people still managed to sneak unregistered weapons into the city.
"First, I'm going to show you the worst coffee New Atlantis has to offer," Simeon said thoughtfully. "Then we are going to the Commercial District, so I can take you to the stores. After that, we can head over to the MAST District. I want you to see the garden. The trees that grow there are literally one hundred years old! We can also ride the NAT… Throw credits into the massive pond outside the MAST building… Maybe find somewhere to sit down and eat…" Simeon was rambling at this point, his mind a storm of the different places he wanted to introduce Maxile to.
"What's a NAT?" Maxile interrupted his rambling. "Oh, and does MAST stand for something?"
"NAT is just a quick way to say New Atlantis Transit…" Simeon explained, pointing to a small train ahead of them. "It's a fancy trolley. And the MAST District is where the UC military is based. Military, Administrative, and Scientific Triumvirate… It's the biggest building in New Atlantis." Simeon approached the NAT and input commands to summon the monorail cart.
"The name is kinda bold…" Maxile admitted, his eyes on the tall blue building touching the sky in the middle of the city. The MAST building was definitely flashy and hard to miss. "So what's after all that?"
"I figured we could have a drink at the Viewport Bar," Simeon needed a drink… Alcoholic beverages tended to be hard to come by on The Atlas. Only due to Mickey's heavy intake. "Then later tonight, we'll have dinner with my family…" The trolley screeched to a stop at the station. The cart only held a maximum of ten people. But despite their small size, there was never a line at the NAT station. So many carts circulated the city, and the flow was excellent.
"Oh… I didn't know I was invited…" Maxile mumbled as he stepped onto the trolley. His response puzzled Simeon. Why wouldn't Simeon invite Maxile along? Since Maxile had joined, he and Simeon had grown extremely close. In fact, Simeon had told his Mother about Maxile. She couldn't wait to meet him. The NAT's door closed behind them, sealing them into the cart. As Simeon expected, Maxile stumbled into him when the trolley lurched forward, rocketing to the following location. Maxile quickly pushed himself off Simeon, his face a bright pink.
"Duh, you're coming!" Simeon laughed, trying to diffuse Maxile's hesitation. "My family is expecting you and Avery… Just ignore how weird they are…"
"Weirder than you?"
"Hilarious."
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 14th
2035 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
The time Simeon spent with Maxile in New Atlantis flew by faster than any speed a starship could muster. Simeon knew he had an affinity for the nurse he couldn't place a finger on. It took weeks for Simeon to break down Maxile's social barriers. Once he unlocked the door to Maxile's trust, their friendship blossomed. Maxile grew into one of the few people in Constellation Simeon maintained deep trust with, apart from Avery. That said, Simeon still hadn't disclosed his history with Aegis and the UC military to Maxile. His failure was a secret he held onto with shame.
They had managed to knock out dozens of activities in New Atlantis. Simeon took Maxile to one of the city's fancy restaurants. They shopped around in the Commercial District. Simeon even managed to drag Maxile to the Viewport Bar. Maxile was a good sport. He laughed and swayed in his mild inebriation, swearing he was only dancing to the music. Simeon only laughed and agreed, as if he were that naive.
Once the alcohol started to wear off, Simeon took him to his parent's apartment. For some reason, Maxile had seemed a little intimidated at the prospect of meeting his parents. Now that he had a little liquid courage, he seemed much more comfortable. They now sat at Simeon's parent's dinner table.
" That's your accuracy rate!?" Simeon's Mother, Tana, teased. Simeon glared across the dinner table at his big-mouthed Captain. "When I was in my prime, my rate never dropped below ninety percent!" Simeon's parents are both retired from the UC military. His Mother was a prominent sniper in her military days. Unfortunately, an injury to her eye ruined her career.
"Usually, when he isn't so far in the backlines, he hits all his shots!" Simeon's family roared in laughter at Maxile's comment. Simeon had a sinking feeling that Maxile had been spending too much time with Andreja ... Simeon shot the nurse with a look of betrayal. So much for being nervous to meet everyone…
"I didn't realize this family dinner would turn into a damn intervention…" Simeon grumbled. He couldn't believe he was the butt of everyone's jokes.
"We all have our off days, Dear," Simeon's Father, Alvoy, said to his wife, attempting to move the conversation along. "So Avery, where to next? When Simeon left the UC, we were so happy he joined you in Constellation." Alvoy's words stung… Simeon knew he didn't mean anything by it, but they stung nonetheless. His family only knew minute details about his discharge from the military for their own safety. The Bankowski name is well known in the MAST District. His parents were both prominent military figures at one time. Even his sibling's names carried weight in the MAST building.
"Uhm…" Avery hummed thoughtfully. "No idea… We will probably just pick a direction and go." Simeon's younger brother, Taylor, scoffed at Avery's lackadaisical plan.
"Good idea." Taylor's remark dripped in sarcasm and humor. "Fly blind, and your ship will end up in a black hole!" Taylor openly laughed at his 'burn.'
"Those don't exist, right?" Maxile asked, looking around the table with wide eyes. It was… endearing.
"There aren't any black holes in the Settled Systems, Max." Simeon's older sister, Georgia, soothed. "Taylor's just bitter that he's assigned to log the flying aliens on Jemison." To Simeon's relief and Taylor's frustration, everyone's laughter turned on his younger brother. Taylor was the academic of the family. Once everyone had their fill of Taylor's expense, Simeon's Mother turned to Maxile.
"So, Max," Alvoy said, catching the nurse's attention. "Simeon said that you are a new recruit to Constellation? How is it going so far?" Maxile opened his mouth to respond but quickly covered it when he realized he had a mouthful of food.
"It's been great so far," Maxile said from behind his hand. "Always something new to see. New people to meet. Also, Avery and Simeon have treated me well."
"They better have!" Tana said sternly, her left eye cut deep into them. Her left eye was a smoky grey from its injury, yet it still set Simeon on edge. A subtle threat below the surface.
"We did!" They insisted when her intense stare didn't wane. Her gaze didn't desist for a few seconds until she allowed it to disappear with a smile.
"Good, I won't put up with my boys being bullies." She added. "I'm guessing you know they grew up together, Max?" Once more, Maxile had a mouthful of his Mother's cooking. Not wanting to be rude, he nodded assertively.
"They were so annoying!" Georgia cut in. Simeon could practically hear her eyes rolling. "Always going on adventures to fight some sort of alien."
"Georgia was the alien," Avery told Maxile about their childhood lore. The table erupted into laughter, to Georgia's displeasure.
Simeon gazed out of his parent's apartment window, allowing the conversation to become background noise in the back of his mind. Like most New Atlantis citizens did, Simeon's parents lived in one of the skyscraper apartment complexes dotting the city. His parents stayed in the Mercury Tower, on the forty-fourth floor.
This is nice… . The thought took Simeon by surprise. The past five years with Constellation, always on the move, were something Simeon loved. He had never taken the time to imagine coming home to his family again. If things were different, I might have come home for good… Simeon shook the stray thought from his head. What's done is done. There's no point in looking back now. He can't risk his family anymore by staying in New Atlantis.
Simeon silently assessed New Atlantis's nightlife. The multicolored lights flashing in the street below… The dim yellow lights of Athena Tower next door… The bright red laser pointer moving along their window… The fuck!?
"Sniper!" Simeon roared a few moments too late. The window suddenly shattered, causing screams from Simeon's family members, namely Taylor, Georgia, and Maxile. Simeon grabbed Maxile's arm and jerked him behind the kitchen bar. Noticing the room's light switch in front of them, Simeon hit it, shrouding the apartment in darkness. What the hell is happening!?
"What's going on!?" Maxile whispered, his back rumbling against Simeon's chest as he spoke. Simeon didn't have time to think about how close he was to the nurse and what that implicated. Wrapping an arm around Maxile's waist, Simeon leaned over to peek from his cover.
Silence and darkness masked the apartment. Simeon could see Avery's head peering out of his parent's room, Georgia tucked safely behind him. Meanwhile, his parents had flipped the dining room table to function as a barrier. His parents crouched behind the table with Taylor. His siblings both looked terrified, not used to these types of situations.
"Is everyone okay?" Alvoy asked from his position. He held a pistol in his hand, ready to fire. Old habits die hard, retired or not. Everyone answered him with a chorus of answers, all generally positive. Simeon jolted when his slate suddenly buzzed in his pocket. Pulling the tablet out, Simeon paled at a mysterious message across it.
ELRIC HAS BEEN WAITING FOR YOU
36° 10′ 2″ N, 115° 8′ 55″ W
COME ALONE
The Atlas, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 15th
0716 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Simeon didn't get a wink of sleep. He just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling of his personal quarters. The events of the previous night played in his mind on a loop. How could he have let this happen? He came back, and now his family is in danger…
Shame pierced straight through him. After his parent's apartment was shot at, they sat in darkness until the UC arrived. With little to no explanation, Simeon's entire family was relocated for their own safety. Simeon was sure his parents would eventually be filled in on the nitty-gritty details of his discharge from the UC…. But Simeon felt as if he couldn't face them. They would now know the whole backstory of his failure…
"Fuck!" Simeon cursed. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck! He never should have come back! He was naive to think that this had all blown over… When the UC Military came by to start damage control, Simeon rubbed shoulders with many supervisors of his past. They all gave him patronizing and pitiful looks… It was humiliating.
Simeon thought back to the mysterious message he received. Whoever had sent the message only shot at him as a warning. Show up, or they die. He kept the coordinates to himself… That being said, the UC also didn't bother questioning him. This fact relieved Simeon just as much as it confused him. Why didn't they investigate?
"Attention, Constellation," Vasco's voice rang over the ship's PA system. "Mandatory meeting on the bridge. Mandatory meeting on the bridge in three minutes. Please be punctual." Great…
When Simeon waltzed into the bridge, everyone was waiting for him. Sarah and Avery stood at the bridge's front, looking over everyone. Simeon narrowed his eyes when Sarah shot him a concerned glance. What is this…
"Okay, everyone," The crew's volume dropped at Sarah's voice. "As everyone knows, I met yesterday with The Cabinet at the MAST building… I was called there to discuss some information that has come to light involving… one of our crewmates…" Sarah tried her best to be subtle… But she absolutely sucked at it. She kept throwing Simeon obvious glances.
"Are they finally arresting Mickey for some sort of fraud?" Barrett asked, trying to tame the tense aura suffocating the bridge.
"I have fraud charges?"
"No," Sarah growled, diffusing the tangent. "One of our crewmates is being actively targeted by a small terrorist organization. The threat has now grown and involves more people. With that information, we now have a choice of how Constellation will act…" The crew erupted at Sarah's vague explanation of the current events. Simeon insisted that the shooting be kept a secret from the rest of the crew, but he now knew it was a pointless endeavor.
"It's me," Simeon said, effectively silencing the crew. He appreciated Sarah's attempt at privacy. But the longer she danced around his name, the longer it took her to reach the point. "As everyone knows, I used to work for the UC military in the classified Aegis division. I was assigned to go undercover and assassinate the leader of a spacer terrorist organization. The man's name is Elric. I went undercover to take him out and failed. My cover was blown, and Aegis fired me. I've been on the run ever since. I thought that maybe enough time had passed, but clearly, I was wrong. So what has the UC found out?" Simeon explained his entire past all in one breath. Surprisingly, no one made any remarks… Not even Andreja.
"After your cover was blown, the UC thought the terrorist group disbanded," Sarah added, not thrown off by Simeon's sudden admission. "Only recently did they discover proof that Elric was looking for you. He has the names of your family and plans to use them to draw you out. Now, the UC wants to utilize Simeon as bait. They assume that Simeon may be the only person that can bring him out into the open." Simeon felt sick… Bait? That's what he's been reduced to?
"Can we just leave New Atlantis?" Sam suggested. All eyes turned to him. "If he hadn't found Simeon this long, why stop a good thing?"
"That's one option…" Avery said, pacing back and forth. I've been running for the past five years…
"We deal with this ourselves?" Andreja asked, stubborn as always. "How dangerous is this man? We kill him before he kills the sniper; should be easy enough." And now I'm the damsel?
Sarah thought over Andreja's idea, "The only issue with that is we have no idea where Elric is… He has the advantage of surprise." The slate in Simeon's pocket suddenly felt burning hot. He knew of Elric's location! He knew where to go to end this!
"Simeon!" Avery snapped his fingers in front of Simeon's face. He had likely been trying to get Simeon's attention for the past few seconds. When Simeon blinked at Avery, he repeated his question, "What do you want to do?"
"I vote we leave New Atlantis," Sarah suggested. "There are too many unknowns…" Several other crewmates, apart from Avery and Andreja, agreed with her. This isn't anyone else's problem but mine! This is my past, not theirs!
"I've been running away for the past five years…" Simeon grumbled, refusing to meet anyone's eye. A few awkward seconds followed before Avery decided to end the impromptu meeting.
"How about we think about it for the day and decide tomorrow?" His suggestion was for Simeon's sake… But it only solidified the decision Simeon had come to in his head. He's coming for my family now… I should have ended this a long time ago, I'm done running…
The Atlas, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 15th
2125 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
The rest of the day was spent dealing with his crew's pitying looks. Simeon was humiliated. They were all acting like he belonged in a witness protection program. Ultimately, the day was wasted. No one left The Atlas while awaiting word from the UC, and no one spoke about Simeon's past.
Unable to withhold his irritation, Simeon stormed into Maxile's quarters. The nurse jolted from his seat at his desk. Simeon grunted a greeting and promptly sprawled out on Maxile's bed.
"Uhm, hey, Simeon…" Maxile said, his face contorted in confusion. Simeon knew Maxile wasn't an idiot and could easily see something was up by his body language. Simeon's lax personality and stature were now wound up and tense with stress. "What's going on?" Maxile asked, his tone inflicted with caution.
"All this bullshit with Elric!" Simeon released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Everyone's looking at me like I'm a damsel in distress! I'm so damn stupid, I thought I was past this shit…" Maxile swiveled his chair to face Simeon, leaning forward to listen.
"Simeon, I don't think-"
"No, they are!" Simeon interrupted Maxile. He knew Maxile would only try to make him feel better… But if he didn't express this rant, he would explode. "And the fuckin' cherry on top! Our whole crew now knows! Even Andreja! She's never going to let me live it down! Everyone look at Simeon! He fucked up a mission and got kicked outta the UC! He's been on the run from some jackass like a loser!" Simeon raised his hands up as he ' quoted ' what the crew was likely saying about him. It didn't have the desired effect because Maxile was almost in tears, laughing at his antics.
"I haven't heard anyone say exactly that…" Maxile sniffed, wiping a tear from his eye. When Simeon only scoffed in response, Maxile moved to sit on the floor closer to where Simeon lay in the bed. "It's not that anyone thinks of you as a damsel … We don't know where this Elric guy is… And no one wants him to catch us by surprise. I don't think any less of you for what happened in your past, and I don't think anyone else does."
The voice in the back of Simeon's head commented, you know where he is. Simeon kept that information to himself.
After a few moments of silence, Simeon muttered, "Well, I do…" The guilt of putting his family in danger was eating him alive. Maxile's soothing finger pads ran down Simeon's arm, tracing the veins beneath them. Maxile loved veins… Nurse shit…
Simeon didn't know when their relationship had crossed into a comfortable physical one. A physical one that lacked intimacy, of course. Simeon had grown used to the amount the nurse would hug him or touch him. Maxile never crossed any boundaries, and Simeon found he enjoyed the contact when it occurred.
"What do you mean?" Maxile asked while he palpated a considerable vein in the bend of Simeon's arm.
"My family…" Simeon explained. "This is all my fault… I assumed enough time had passed for me to return to New Atlantis. Now, all of their lives are uprooted because of me. I've avoided my home for so long…" Simeon trailed off. Maxile was handling his trauma dump surprisingly well. Simeon hadn't been so open with Maxile since they had become.
"I think it'll all work out," Maxile comforted, running his hand down Simeon's arm. The nurse switched to playing with the vessels atop Simeon's hand. "I know I'm the new guy… But I've noticed that things seem to work out for everyone on the crew. Now that everything's out in the open, we can all deal with it." Maxile's encouragement certainly helped, but Simeon silently disagreed with him.
"We can deal with it…" He repeated after Maxile. "I'm not hiding anymore…" I've run for too long… This ends tonight.
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 15th
2318 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
New Atlantis was much larger than Neon City… But it lacked the same nightlife. Simeon padded through the dark, desolate spaceport. He only needed a small transport ship to carry him to Elric's coordinates. Fortunately, the electronic kiosk at the spaceport contained options for situations like that.
Once Simeon had moved to a kiosk far from The Atlas, he supplied the credits required to rent a transport ship. Once the transaction was complete, the lights of the transport ship lit up several meters down the runway. This shit has gotten too expensive… Simeon could afford the rental, but damn, was it close…
"36° 10′ 2″ N, 115° 8′ 55″ W," he said as he typed in the coordinates. Simeon hadn't even needed to look back over his slate. The coordinates were engraved into his brain. When the coordinates were inputted and processed, the transport ship reacted appropriately and was skybound in seconds. Simeon didn't consider himself an expert pilot like Sam, but he could fly in a pinch.
When he rose above the clouds, Jemison's dark horizon greeted him. The greenery below now consisted of specks of foliage. Simeon sped to his location. The coordinates were only a few hundred miles away, so Simeon arrived within thirty minutes.
He landed the transport ship outside a deserted base. The base was dark and appeared to be an old moisture converter facility. Jemison's moon, Kurtz, provided a small amount of illumination, allowing Simeon to distinguish the facility. The facility was built at the top of a plateau, with an enormous river running alongside it. Above the river overlooked a balcony. Simeon gathered his courage and commanded his legs to start moving.
Simeon considered espionage… but decided that Elric and his men already knew he was there, so it'd be pointless. The overgrown trail leading up to the base was a far cry from the base Elric used to stay in. Thanks to Simeon, the terrorist empire Elric had once run was reduced to shambles.
Floodlights suddenly blasted Simeon from their perches atop the base. Simeon was instantly blinded. Holding up both arms, he prayed that Elric's men didn't shoot him.
"Keep your hands up!" A voice demanded, hidden behind the brightness of the floodlights.
"Obviously," Simeon growled. "Where's Elric?" Simeon had no room to make demands, but he hoped he would get his way if he showed enough aggression. Crunching gravel alerted him that someone was approaching him. His arms were still up in surrender, so he-
A crack to the side of his head sent him to his knees. Fuck! Whatever he was struck with broke his skin, Simeon could feel blood running down his temple. His arms were roughly wrenched behind him.
"Stay on your fuckin' knees, you damn traitor!" His assaulter snarled. "Here's how it's gonna go. Elric wants to see you. I'll take you there, but if you try anything heroic, I'll put a bullet in your head."
"Let's go then," Simeon didn't have time for games. He was here to see Elric, not listen to his subordinate's threats. Once he responded, Simeon was jerked into a standing position. He felt the barrel of a gun jammed into his back, encouraging him forward.
Elric's men led him through the base, but it was so dark he couldn't make out anything. After several twists and turns, Simeon arrives back outside. Before him sat a single metal chair. Simeon strained his ear at the sounds around him. He could hear the sound of running water from the river below. I'm on that damn balcony.
"Sit." The command was clear. Simeon abided and quickly had his extremities restrained to the chair. What a joke. The next twenty minutes were torture. He gazed into the horizon from where he sat on the balcony, awaiting Elric's arrival.
A boot slamming into Simeon's shoulder notified him of Elric's arrival. Still restrained, Simeon toppled onto his side. Simeon tried to groan, but a swift kick to his stomach released all the air from his lungs.
"You're about five years late to our meeting, Lago. " A gruff voice growled. Elric! Simeon tried to wheeze a response, but Elric continued. "Honestly, I didn't expect you to be dumb enough to come alone. But sometimes, life gives you a freebie. Someone sit his ass up." Simeon's vision swirled as he was propped back up in the chair.
"I came… to exchange my life… for my family's…" Simeon explained between gasps. Metal scraped the balcony floor as Elric pulled a chair up to sit across from him. Once he was comfortable, Elric openly laughed at Simeon's trade.
"Man, I don't give a fuck about your family!" Elric crossed his arms over his chest. "This has been all to get you. You are the reason I'm in this position."
"In wha-"
SMACK
"Don't fuckin' interrupt me," Elric snapped after slapping Simeon cleanly across the face. Simeon obeyed but maintained the glare he had on Elric. "As I said, the stunt you pulled five years ago put me in this position. Juniper was a force to be reckoned with. But once you and the UC managed to become involved, it fucked up everything! " Elric screamed in Simeon's face, spittle landing on his cheek.
"How?" Simeon asked after a considerable pause. Elric grinned maliciously, now that Simeon was entertaining what he was furious about.
"After the UC planted you, Juniper was done for." Elric shook his head at the thought. "Even though we busted your ass, we were still sold out. Everyone knew about Juniper. Freestar… The UC… Randoms… We had no chance to turn the tides from the UC after that. Everything I worked for was destroyed because of you!" Simeon could tell that Elric truly had no one else to blame. Simeon was the easiest, so it fell to him.
"You went after my family…" Simeon said with a sigh, ready to move the conversation along. "Just te-" Elric suddenly stormed off, ignoring Simeon. His left eye was now swollen shut from where he was hit earlier, blinding him to where Elric went.
CRACK
Simeon's eyes widened as horrifying pain shot down his left leg. Elric had come back with a metal pipe and slammed it into his thigh. The area above his knee now jutted out at an awkward angle, and he couldn't feel his toes. With every beat of his heart, pain radiates down his leg. Simeon opened his mouth to scream, but Elric's fingers quickly traveled under his hat to grab a handful of his hair. Ripping him forward by his hair, Simeon was thrown forward onto the ground.
"I told you not to fuckin' talk!" Elric screamed over Simeon. Elric didn't have as many subordinates as he had before. Simeon could hear his men laughing at his pain, but it only sounded to be a few of them. "You don't get it! You're done! Because of you, my life's purpose is finished! After I kill you, I'm going straight to the MAST building in New Atlantis with a bomb ! I'm about to take out half the city! The United Colonies may claim most of the Settled Systems… And there's nothing I can do about that anymore… But it's gonna take them a while to recover from this!"
"Dammit…" Simeon said through gritted teeth. What the hell did I think would happen!? I'm so stupid for trying to handle this on my own…. Elric raised Simeon's head to look him in the eye.
"Hey," Elric said. "Don't your siblings work at MAST? Maybe I'll get lucky and take out that brother or sister of yours, huh? It's too bad your parents are retired. I could'a taken them out too…"
"I just want to save my family…" Simeon mumbled, refusing to meet Elric's eye. Again, his vision swam as he was propped back up. The chair he was restrained to screeched as Elric's men pulled him to the balcony's edge.
"I told you, Simeon." Elric sneered. "This was all to tie up loose ends with you." Simeon expected Elric to shoot him. Instead, the man he had run from for so long nodded to his subordinates. The chair he was tied to was flipped over the balcony, plummeting him to his assured death.
The metal chair broke into pieces when it landed on the rocky hillside, ten feet below the balcony. Now free from the restraints, Simeon toppled down the hill, every movement jarring his broken leg. As he tumbled down the slope, dirt was crammed into his every crevice.
Is this it? I'm going to die without saving anyone? Just because I couldn't swallow my pride? After a final roll, Simeon launched into the air. The landing wasn't soft, as he was swallowed by the river. The shallow river water instantly chilled his body. The current pulled him along, dragging him along the river bottom. Every rock he slammed against further injured his boy. All the while, the chilling mantra played on repeat in his mind, you failed everyone…
The Atlas, Orbiting Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2325, August 20th
1309 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Avery graciously accepted Simeon into Constellation. Despite Simeon's wanted status in the Settled System's underworld, Avery invited him in. Even though Simeon could bring danger and future conflict with his baggage, Avery didn't hesitate to accept him. Simeon explored the bridge of his new home, The Atlas. Avery already had a workstation assigned to him… Well, a workstation that he shared with Barrett.
"Settled in?" Simeon twisted around at the familiar voice entering the bridge. Avery, his childhood friend, now Captain, stood at the entrance.
"Yeah," Simeon took a seat at his newly assigned workstation. "I've set everything in my quarters… I was just looking around The Atlas."
"Excellent," Avery smiled, joining Simeon at the adjacent workstation. Simeon felt uncomfortable under his friend's eye. He could feel the guilt creeping up on him. He was such a liability…
"Avery…"
"I'm so glad you finally joined Constellation," Avery interrupted before Simeon could voice his concern. Simeon's eyebrows knit together… Surely, Avery knew the burden Simeon brought with him to Constellation. Ignorant to Simeon's inner turmoil, Avery continued, "When we were kids, we pretended to be famous explorers, and look at us now. I've been on to something with these artifacts, and now I get to discover them with my oldest friend." Why doesn't he care that I'm wanted by spacers!?
"Avery, they could find me!" Avery's smile didn't fall at Simeon's sharp words. "They could find me and target Constellation. I joined the UC to help people, and here I am, putting others in danger… I'm sor-"
"If they find you, we will handle it," Avery responded, foiling his apology once more. "We're a team now, got it? I'm sorry things didn't work out with the UC… I know The Atlas isn't the same as the MAST District, but just wait. We are going to help so many people during our explorations, your head will spin." Simeon entertained arguing with Avery but ultimately decided to drop it. Instead, he turned to face Jemison.
"It's finally my turn to leave home," Simeon said thoughtfully. The blue and green sphere slowly rotated outside the cockpit. Simeon wondered what his family was doing… Probably their daily tasks… "Y'know, I lied to my family. I told 'em that I quit the UC. Told 'em I was ready to move on. Didn't even mention what happened in the mission… The UC advised discretion to my family. Mom and Dad weren't too excited, but they seemed relieved when I mentioned I joined you in Constellation." Simeon wasn't sure what point he was trying to make to Avery. Maybe just small talk?
"You'll see, Sim," Avery said after a fair amount of therapeutic silence. "Now that you've joined up, nothing can stop Constellation. We will return to New Atlantis one day with so many stories about the people we meet and help. Stories about the sights that we've seen. Your family won't be able to believe their ears."
Avery spoke with such conviction that Simeon couldn't help but believe him. Simeon accepted that there was no turning back now. His life was changing, but it wasn't over.
The Atlas, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 16th
0914 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Pain settled over his entire body. Every twitch of his muscle… Every involuntary beat of his heart… Every breath he took… Pain radiated through him. The eerie darkness surrounding him eventually blurred into familiar surroundings… Familiar voices… Familiar smells… Simeon opened his mouth, unleashing a soft groan. I'm alive?
"Simeon!"
"He's awake?"
"Give him some room!"
Pushing past every pain receptor that demanded he fall back into an unconscious state, Simeon cracked his eyes open. He was instantly blinded by an overhead light. Four silhouettes surrounded him. Simeon attempted to scratch an itch above his eye but halted when alarms blared around him.
"Don't move, Simeon… You're connected to the monitor…"
"Where am I?" Simeon's voice was raspy. He desperately needed water. Blinking rapidly, the silhouettes standing over him eventually formed into his crewmates: Avery… Max… Sarah… Eddie…
"You're on The Atlas," a male voice informed him. The concern laced in his tone brought a smile to his face. Max… Maxile must have leaned in closer because his volume grew. "You're in the trauma bay right now… Eddie reset your leg and sutured up your injuries…"
"Ah…" Simeon briefly raised his head to view the green casting over his left leg. Great… Now that his vision had cleared up, Simeon could easily recognize the expressions standing over him. Maxile and Sarah both looked concerned. Eddie seemed as indifferent as one would expect of a physician. And Avery… Shit, if looks could kill… Avery's lips were tightly pressed together as he held Simeon in a glare. Fuck, I'm fired.
"Young man," Eddie spoke; he shuffled through different X-rays that had been performed while he was unconscious. "Your left femur was fractured, just above your knee… You have several broken ribs… Multiple lacerations all over your body… And to top it all off, you managed a concussion." Eddie counted off the list of injuries; the more he added, the worse Simeon felt.
"That all?" Simeon's attempt at minimizing the damages didn't go over well. No one laughed.
"I'm not an orthopedic surgeon by any means…" Eddie continued, unphased by Simeon's jest. "But Mr. Deimos and I reset your femur and cast it. And it was no easy task for us. I didn't see any bone shards surrounding your fracture on the Rad-Port, so it was a clean break. You won't need surgery if you stay off the leg for the next eight weeks. Once you are settled in your quarters, I'll send Mr. Deimos to supply additional discharge instructions." The trauma room was absolutely trashed, proving Eddie's statement. Eddie must be exhausted. Otherwise, he would have threatened Simeon in seven different ways.
Eddie stared at Simeon, awaiting his response, "Thank you for everything…" Simeon knew his gratitude fell short… But he was too ashamed to say anything else.
After a pregnant pause, Eddie grumbled a final word, "As you can imagine, this situation was very stressful for the crew and consumed a lot of resources. I don't know what you were trying to accomplish on your own… But next time, please reflect before you act." Now that he had rubbed salt in Simeon's wounds, Eddie exited. This left Simeon with Avery, Sarah, and Maxile. Simeon could literally palpate the tension in the air. How fucking awkward!
When Simeon couldn't stand the silence any longer, he broke it, "Anyone else wanna go in on me?" A petty comment… But if he was going to get his ass reamed, then he'd rather get it over with.
"What in the Settled Syst-" Sarah started to exclaim until Avery spoke over her.
"What the fuck were you thinking!?" Avery snapped angrily. "Everything we did was to keep everyone safe! We discussed how to approach the Elric situation as a team, but you decided on your own! You withheld information from us on Elric's location, then went there alone! You almost died , Simeon! You're lucky we have trackers on our comms! Otherwise, your ass would still be floating down the river!" Simeon's face burned with embarrassment as his Captain yelled at him.
"This is my past!" Simeon yelled back. "I'm the one he wanted… He threatened my family. What else could I do!?" Simeon hated the way his voice cracked. Damn emotions! Get your shit together!
"I told you we would handle it together years ago!" Avery returned Simeon's volume. "We're a team, aren't we!? What if someone else in Constellation were in the same position as you? You would do everything to help!"
"I…" Simeon trailed off. He knew Avery was right… His mind reeled back to when he joined the UC at eighteen. So much excitement… So much hope… Simeon had been so eager at the prospect of helping so many different people. He never considered allowing others to provide him with help… He had always kept his focus on doing well by others.
"Simeon, why wouldn't our crewmates do the same for you?" Avery's tone was now much calmer. He had released so much energy with his outburst.
"Simeon," Sarah spoke now that the emotional dust was starting to clear. "Since our morning meeting yesterday, everyone has been working around the clock to devise a plan to catch Elric. Everyone wants you safe… The base we found you near was vacant. I'm assuming that's where you met Elric?"
"Yeah…" Simeon admitted. "I got his coordinates when one of his men tried to snipe my family… I thought I could make a deal with him… I thought I could save my family… But he didn't care about them."
"Of course, he didn't care about them," Avery added. "He's only searching for you…" Simeon sighed at his Captain's response. It was so easy for Avery to say that.
"I'm sure he thinks he killed me," Simeon explained. His previous conversation suddenly forced itself into his mind. The MAST building! "Has anything happened to the MAST building!?" This caused a couple of eyebrow raises from Avery and Sarah.
"Not that I've heard?" Avery said suspiciously. "Why?"
Simeon gave the highlights of his last conversation with Elric, "He said that he has nothing else to live for… He said that after he deals with me, he's going to personally bomb the MAST building. I don't know when it'll be… But he's doing it today!" Sarah and Avery exchanged worried looks.
"I'm going to contact the UC…" Sarah responded, opening the trauma room's glass door. "If we act quickly, we can evacuate the city. We can work together with the UC military to catch Elric." Avery followed her, yelling commands into his comm.
"Avery, wait!" Simeon called after his Captain. They couldn't leave him out of this. Avery paused, giving Simeon his attention. "Let me help! Please! If I don't end this, I will regret it for the rest of my life…" Avery hesitated for a moment. Simeon understood that he was in no physical condition to help… But he would destroy his body walking to the MAST building if he had to.
"Let's… see what the UC says, and I'll get back to you on that…" Avery's answer wasn't great… But he accepted it. Avery continued on after he figured Simeon was placated. The trauma room was silent again. But this time, it was a comfortable silence.
"I told Avery you were acting weird…" Maxile's quiet voice echoed in the small glass room. "When we couldn't find you on The Atlas, we found you on the tracker… two hundred and fifty miles away. I'm not sorry for telling…" Maxile tried to stand firm in his 'not' apology, but Simeon could see how sheepish the nurse appeared.
"Nah, I'm glad you told…" Simeon tried to give the nurse a smile… but every movement hurt. "I'm the one who needs to say sorry… I owe everyone an apology…" Maxile pulled a chair up to the stretcher and sat down. Max had either iodine or dried blood splattered across the front of his scrubs.
"Well, I'm waiting…" Simeon's eyes involuntarily rolled at Maxile's snarky comment. He ran his fingers across the bed until his hand laid over Maxile's arm. Maxile's veins spiderwebbed down his arm. Simeon didn't feel the same joy Maxile had when he palpated veins. Nonetheless Simeon felt comfort in the physical contact between them.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Deimos." Simeon drawled, earning a smack from Maxile.
"You can try to be more genuine!" Maxile sneered in response. Their game of verbal cat and mouse continued back and forth. They lightly touched each other as if seeing who would go further. When their teasing settled down, the comfortable silence rose back between them.
"I'm sorry I worried you, Max," Simeon mumbled, squeezing Maxile's wrist. Maxile stared silently at their hands, so close together… Maxile moved his hand to allow their palms to lightly press together…. And then he stood, relieving Simeon of the contact. Simeon caught himself before he reached for Maxile's hand.
"It's okay, Simeon," Maxile said, stretching upward. "Dr. Sotello ordered me to insert a Foley catheter for accurate intake and output. So I'm going to get the supplies for that." Without any further elaboration, Maxile promptly left the room.
"Wait! What did you say!?"
The MAST Building, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 16th
1247 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
The hours that followed Simeon's recovery on The Atlas were physically and mentally taxing. Once Avery and Sarah contacted the UC, a plan was quickly devised. Simeon had to beg Avery to be involved in the plan. Due to his history with Elric, the UC commanders hesitated to involve Simeon. Fortunately, Avery had a way with words. Once Avery got the green light from the UC, Simeon had one final obstacle - Eddie.
The physician had outright refused his plea, even openly mocking him. What position do you think you are in!? Are you going to walk there? Any pressure you apply to that foot will put your ass in surgery! Eddie's rant had gone on and on.
However, what Eddie hadn't expected was Simeon's secret weapon. When Eddie decided that Simeon wouldn't join the mission, Simeon broke down. That's right. He cried the biggest, fattest tears he could muster. Get a hold of yourself, man! Eddie had complained, awkwardly looking from left to right.
After ten minutes of his tantrum, Eddie finally agreed. Go on and get yourself killed, then! Ruin your leg for all I care! I'll be happy to amputate it! His outburst didn't gain him any brownie points with Constellation's physician. Still, it placed him directly in the MAST building's lobby.
Through the collaboration of Constellation and the UC military, they managed to pull off the impossible. In a matter of three hours, civilians were evacuated two square miles from the MAST building. To keep business as usual, military men and women flooded the area in their everyday clothes. They hoped this would deceive Elric into thinking there would be a large amount of casualties.
"A man matching Simeon's description is moving through the spaceport." Simeon adjusted his posture in the wheelchair when the UC sentrie updated everyone over their comms. He's making his move…
This turn of events had truly turned into an all-hands-on-deck situation. The UC military subordinates, commanding officers, and even UC retirees joined forces to defeat Elric once and for all. Elric had been such an unknown for years. A faceless man hidden in the underworld. A man who once had the tactical prowess and resources to send the Settled Systems into another galactic civil war.
Even Simeon's parents had come to lend their assistance. He could tell they were fully aware of the events that led to Simeon's release from the UC. When his Father saw Simeon in the MAST building lobby, he revealed his feelings. Alvoy openly told him how proud he was of Simeon's perseverance through everything over the past five years. It was good to hear.
Now, Simeon sat in the middle of the MAST building's lobby with his rifle aimed at the door. His ass was firmly planted in the wheelchair that transported him off The Atlas. And his casted left leg propped in front of him.
A mixture of UC officials surrounded him. Some familiar faces and some new faces. He even recognized some faces from Aegis. Of course, some of his crew and his parents were mixed in with the UC military.
Avery and Sarah stood behind him, their weapons aimed at the only door entering the MAST building. His parents stood off to the side, preparing to help however this turned out.
On one hand, the devised plan was simple. Simeon would identify Elric, and he could either be subdued or killed. On the other hand, it could all go wrong, and Elric could successfully kill every officer surrounding the area… Simeon didn't have the time to think about the possibilities… The lobby door shifted open, and a dark figure stood in its entryway.
Thump…
Thump…
Thump…
He swore his heart was beating so loud Elric would be able to hear it. The silhouetted figure stepped into the dark room. Elric isn't an idiot… He probably knows something is up… The figure took another step into the dark lobby, pushing past the threshold. As planned, the lights were flicked on, revealing their ambush.
Elric's eyes initially narrowed at the UC surrounding him. When his eyes eventually found Simeon, they widened to the size of dinner plates.
"Simeon!?" Elric snarled, his right hand moving upwards. Simeon allowed a millisecond to consider his following action and took the shot. Elric's right hand erupted in a splatter of bright red blood. The trigger device, along with Elric's hand, was now destroyed. " FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!!" Elric cursed as he fell to his knees. He clutched his bloody, disfigured hand close to his chest.
"It's over, Elric," Simeon said, his voice devoid of empathy. The UC certainly impressed him. Despite the circumstances, everyone held cool and had no shaky trigger finger.
"F-f-fuck you!" Elric stuttered, a smattering of saliva spraying as he cursed. Elric unleashed a manic scream and popped open the coat he wore. Explosives decorated his entire body. "This isn't fucking over! The United Colonies is done fo-"
Elric's lifeless body collapsed to the floor when Simeon pulled the trigger a second time. The criminal acts and fear he sewed throughout the Settled Systems were finished instantly. Finally… After five years, I completed my mission…
Unfortunately, they couldn't celebrate just yet. Most of the UC military and Constellation were urged outside the MAST building. This was done in favor of the UC bomb squad that arrived to handle Elric's explosives.
The time that followed Elric's death was pleasant. Many UC commanders personally thanked Simeon for his service despite no longer being a part of the UC. Even some of his Aegis commanders praised his shooting. To make matters even better, his parents witnessed his praise from the UC.
"Simeon Bankowski," a female voice beckoned him. Simeon withdrew from his conversation with Avery, Sarah, and his parents. After a few seconds of fumbling his wheelchair around, he was face to… stomach with the President of the United Colonies, Alexandra Abello.
"President!" Simeon exclaimed, quickly saluting the UC official. "I didn't realize you had joined the mission…" His crew had also noticed the President's presence; they saluted along with Simeon.
President Abello scoffed, "Of course I did. Elric was taking the fight to my front door. There wasn't any possibility I wouldn't join. Sarah. Alvoy. Tana." President Abello nodded to the other former UC representatives.
"Nice to see you again, President," Sarah greeted. Simeon wasn't too surprised at Sarah's comfortable disposition with President Abello, especially given her history with the UC.
"And you as well, Sarah." President Abello responded. The two held eye contact, seemingly having a silent conversation. The President broke off eye contact and said, "Please don't forget about our discussion yesterday. I expect to hear from you soon." Simeon's eyebrows knit in confusion. What else did The Cabinet talk about with Sarah?
"You will, President," Sarah agreed, not giving any further information. Content with the completion of their encrypted conversation, the President moved on from Sarah.
"Your son has provided a great service to New Atlantis citizens," President Abello said, addressing Simeon's parents. "I'm sure you must be proud."
"Certainly!" Tana agreed. "I just wish he would think first before he acts sometimes." Tana patted Simeon's casted leg to reiterate her point. At this point, Simeon noticed that the President was eyeing him. He felt sure a proposition was coming.
"Simeon," President Abello started. "I was looking through your file… I feel you were unfairly treated during your time with Aegis… Or at least at the end of your service. How would you feel about rejoining the UC and leading your platoon? You deserve more… But we can at least start to pay you back? You've saved so many lives today. I want to give you the tools to save many more, Simeon. This will be once you are in fighting shape again, of course..." Simeon was surprised at the President's sudden generosity.
"Wow…" Tana whispered. "If you took the offer, you'd be home a lot more… It'd be nice to see all of my kids more often."
"It would…" Alvoy agreed, wrapping an arm around his wife. "But it's your decision, son."
Simeon turned to face Avery, who held a blank expression. Avery clearly wasn't going to get in the way of his decision… However, he didn't need to ponder the proposal.
"I appreciate the offer…" Simeon said, extending his hand to the President. "But I already have the tools to help people with Constellation. I'm happy where I'm at now." Simeon had to fight not snickering at Avery's shoulders relaxing in relief. The President didn't seem discouraged by his answer and took his hand in hers.
"The offer will always stand while I'm leading the UC, Simeon," the President smiled as she shook his hand. With a final squeeze, she took her leave. His vision suddenly lurched when Avery pushed his wheelchair toward The Atlas. It was apparently ' time to celebrate! ' Simeon considered his decision as his moronic Captain ran through the MAST district. Avery had long thrown caution to the wind as Simeon held on to the armrests for dear life.
"Slow down, you idiot!" Simeon snarled when Avery cut a corner too quickly, tipping his wheelchair onto one wheel.
"There's no time, Sim!" Avery exclaimed. "After our celebration, we have places to go! People to see! Artifacts to discover! Sarah! Call ahead to The Atlas and tell Mickey to…" Avery's voice faded away as Simeon delved back into his own thoughts. Yeah, I definitely made the right decision.
Notes:
This was a lot longer than I expected... But at least Simeon was able to come to peace with his past! Hopefully you managed to finish and enjoy. If you notice any errors or weird sentences please let me know.
Thank you!
Chapter 15: Captain Petrov's Magnificent Collection - Andreja De'la
Summary:
After a less than graceful encounter at a bar, Andreja muscled a new lead on the next artifact. Allegedly, Captain Petrov of The Scow has come into possession of one such thing. Under the masquerade of innocent tour-goers, Constellation boards The Scow to look over Petrov's collection. But when they uncover more than they bargained for they must make a choice. To get the artifact at all costs, or do what's right...
Notes:
A/N - The reason I started writing this story was purely to hone my own writing skills. That being said, with a lot of determination, I realized how much I like the characters in the story. I don't get many hits... But that really doesn't bother me. It's satisfying for me to be able to create this fanfiction. Plus, it doesn't help that I'm writing within an uncommon fandom. Overall, anyone that does happen to read it, it makes me happy. Anyone that has managed to stop by and enjoy whatever I post, thank you so much.
T/W - blood, cursing, violence.
Disclaimer: I do not own Starfield
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1157 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
Rumors about artifacts were a massive help to Andreja. The past few artifacts Constellation had gathered were due to a rumor Andreja followed up on. During their last visit to New Atlantis, Andreja overheard a fellow explorer mention a strange floating rock that was being flaunted by a man named Captain Dmitry Petrov. Using her expert interrogation skills, she managed to fish out more details about the artifact lead. In other words, she wrestled the explorer into a headlock, demanding he explain. The patrons at the bar weren't happy about the sudden brawl, but Andreja got the information she needed. She was escorted from that bar with her head held high.
It only took her two weeks to track down Petrov. Through his collection, Petrov's fame had grown throughout the Settled systems. Known as a voracious man, Petrov did whatever he deemed necessary to expand his massive collection. He frequented Freestar Collective star systems, searching for his next addition. The items he collected varied, from trinkets to rare plants to even aliens. He then imprisons his goods on his massive starship, The Scow. The same starship that stretched out before them. Andreja had located it on the surface of Sumati.
"Are we sure he will just let us on his ship?" Sarah asked as they strolled to The Scow. Sam had landed The Atlas in a grassy field around fifty meters from Petrov's ship. There was no way Petrov failed to hear The Atlas land, so he likely knew someone was outside their ship.
"The hatch into his ship is wide open, so I don't think he will have a problem if we go in…" Sam answered, gesturing to the starship's door. As he said, the hatch was wide open. Perhaps he was hoping for visitors? Greedy men like him love to parade their valuables.
"We need to figure out what to do if he actually has the artifact," Avery said thoughtfully. "I don't see him wanting to just give it up."
"If it comes down to it, we kill him," Andreja said casually. "Simple enough." Andreja thought through everyone accompanying her onto The Scow. Avery, Sarah, and Sam… If it leads to a fight, everyone can hold their own. Apart from Barrett, the weaker crewmates remained on The Atlas. She considered making a joke at Simeon's expense but ultimately decided not to. The sniper was currently in his quarters with his leg entirely cast. There's no fair game in attacking a wounded animal.
"Uhm…"
"That's…"
"Andreja, I'll do the talking," Sarah deadpanned. Andreja swallowed a sigh, instead attempting a more patient approach. I suppose we can attempt talking first… But if that doesn't work, I'll take matters into my own hands. Andreja tried to swallow her shame about losing the last artifact they encountered. She knew her crew didn't blame her… But it had been a significant strike on her pride. Fast-approaching footsteps came from behind them, traveling toward The Atlas. She followed the noise and jumped back when Eddie stormed past her. What!?
"Make haste, Mr. Deimos!" Eddie urged as he hobbled past. Maxile trailed close behind the doctor. "I'm well versed in the sorts of artifacts Petrov keeps in his collection. This will be the only time you ever see genuine Earth medical artifacts!" Andreja couldn't remember the last time she saw Eddie so animated. In fact, Eddie was already at The Scow's hatch.
"Yes, Dr. Sotello," Maxile responded. "I brought my slate, too. If we find any old medical books, I can take pictures of anything we might want to look at later." Andreja shook her head at their antics. Maxile seemed just as excited as Eddie.
"Very astute, Mr. Deimos," Eddie said, his voice fading when he entered The Scow's hatch. Andreja mused at the inclusion of Constellation's medical staff. It could have turned out worse… Mickey could have joined us.
"Uhm…" Avery began, scratching his head. "Didn't realize Eddie and Max were coming… Regardless, don't touch anything. If Petrov does have the artifact, let me do the talking." Andreja spun on her heel at Avery's comment. She stood in front of the entrance of The Scow, leering at Avery.
"Captain," irritation surged through Andreja's body. "You said, 'If Petrov does ?' Do you think I was wrong? And my lead was a wild goose chase?" Andreja raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that Avery would rise to her challenge.
"I'll rephrase," Avery stood before her, his arms crossed over his chest. "If Petrov does have the artifact out in the open, I'll do the talking. If he is hiding it, we will play it by ear. I almost had to spring you from New Atlantis's jail for this lead. Of course, I don't think you were wrong." Andreja smirked at his answer, content with it.
"Very goo-"
"Let's get this show on the road!" Sam grumbled, pushing past Andreja. "We don't have time for this flirty shit." Flirty shit? Sam continued on into The Scow, leaving behind a baffled Avery.
"I'm the Captain!" Avery called after Sam, rushing after him. "I don't flirt!" As she usually did, Sarah laughed at her crew's high jinks. Once Andreja joined the rest of the crew on The Scow, they were met by a tall man wearing a scavenger's spacesuit. He stood over Maxile, capturing him with a piercing glower. I'll have to resort to violence sooner than I expected…
"-you on our ship?" The man snarled, easing down into Maxile's face. Andreja felt a bit prideful that Maxile stood his ground with whoever this man was. The man abruptly reached down and ripped an embroidered box from Maxile's hands. "You can't just come on here and touch shit that's not yours. Who the hell ar-"
"Sorry!" Avery cut in, stepping between the man and Maxile. Avery placed a hand on Maxile and gave him a slight shake. "My name is Avery! These are my crewmates. We're here to look around at Captain Petrov's collection…"
"I guess we're just going to ignore that your kid was touching shit that's not hi-"
"Kid!? You can't be serious... I'm only a few years younger than Avery! And I was just look-"
"So where can we find Captain Petrov?" Avery continued, completely ignoring the situation at hand. The man's spacesuit jingled when he slapped a gloved hand over his face.
"Whatever…" The man groaned. Lifting an arm, the man pointed down the hallway. "Just head that way, and you'll find Petrov…"
"Thank you!" Avery exclaimed, pushing past the scavenger. Until the scavenger reached out and firmly clasped Avery's upper arm. He pulled Avery in closer.
"I know scavengers when I see them. Game knows game. If I catch any sketchy shit, I'll make sure none of you leave this ship. We clear?" The scavenger released Avery, the glare not lifting from his expression.
"We won't be a problem!" Avery's response was much cheerier than Andreja's would have been. I guess he's just trying to play nice for the time being… "Thank you again, Mr…"
"Tao," The scavenger answered. Tao… What a fool.
"Thank you, Tao!" Avery finished and started down the hallway. Andreja and the others followed quickly. She briefly turned to find Tao still eyeing them suspiciously… I bet he will be a problem.
The hallway twisted and turned, leading them further into The Scow. Andreja felt her bravado sap from her body as they moved through the starship. Petrov had an astronomical amount of mercenaries on his ship. They hadn't even reached the central portion of The Scow and had already passed fifteen armed mercenaries.
"Max, we haven't been here for ten seconds, and you're already on someone's shit list!" Avery hissed in Maxile's direction. The nurse's mouth dropped at the sudden accusation.
"He started it! I was just looking at a box!" Maxile defended himself. Andreja's interest in their argument waned when they stepped onto the main floor of The Scow. The hallway opened into a large room.
Large leafed plants decorated the upper walls of the starship; they were all from different planets and biomes. Stretching down the right side of the room, a dozen cells lined the wall. Inside each cell were two to three aliens. From what Andreja could tell, the cells contained a mixture of carnivores and herbivores. Petrov had placed all his material collectibles on the left side of the room. Multiple gold pedestals were erected as exhibits to show off the collectibles. These pedestals, mixed with more extravagant plants, turned the left side of the room into a maze. Even more mercenaries patrolled this material maze. A shiny red carpet rolled down the middle of the room, separating the pedestal maze and cells. Large statues decorated both sides of the red carpet, indicating a path to follow. At the end of the path, Andreja found their target.
The red carpet ended towards the back of the room. It arrived at an elevated platform. A balding man lay stretched across the chaise lounge on the platform. As she expected, even more mercenaries surrounded him… Although, one of the men stood behind Petrov, slowly fanning him with a large leaf… Like everyone else they typically come across, Petrov would likely be eccentric as well. The chef has a twin…
"Welcome," A voice echoed through the room, thick with an accent. "to Petrov's palace of peculiarities! The Pin-" Andreja stopped listening when she realized Petrov had made a recording of himself to play to visiting guests. He's insane…
"Anyone else gettin' really weirded out here?" Sam whispered. This earned him a few nods from the rest of the crew.
"Shhh…" Avery hissed. Now that the awe of the decorated room had worn off, he started moving in Petrov's direction. "We are guests, remember? We will get him to give us a tour of the ship. We will steal the artifact. Then we get out before he taxidermies one of us and puts us on display…" Andreja shuddered at the thought. The closer they edged to Petrov, the more disgusting he became. The man looked like he had never changed clothes and smelled even worse. When Petrov caught sight of them, he sat up in the lounge.
"Welcome!" Petrov's obnoxious tone bellowed throughout the Starship. The men surrounding Petrov didn't flinch at his loud voice, likely adapted to his volume. Petrov cocked his head to eye the man fanning him with a leaf. "Vadik! Why did no one tell me The Scow has visitors!?"
Vadik's retort was lacking in respect: "Captain, we have visitors…" Andreja didn't mistake Vadik's eye roll. Any Captain who lacks the respect of his crew is worthless.
"Great!" Petrov exclaimed, spit flying from his mouth. Disgusting. "Welcome, visitors, to my personal museum of antiques, souvenirs, and artifacts! What brings you to The Scow!?" Due to her Va'ruunian lineage, Andreja had to learn the dominant language of the Settled Systems as a second language: English. Andreja had respect for anyone who learned a second language. Like Andreja, Petrov had a noticeable accent. His accent was so thick Andreja barely understood every other word he said. Fortunately, Avery had the unique talent of comprehending everyone's mind, body, and soul.
"Hello!" Avery maintained a cheery disposition. "My crew and I are just touring around! I've heard so much about the great Captain Petrov's collection. We had to see it for ourselves!" Avery's faux enthusiasm and flattery sickened Andreja, but Petrov opened up like a book.
"The Scow is always open to the general public! Especially fans!" Petrov jumped up from his lounge, spreading his arms wide. Petrov slowly spun in a circle to exaggerate his point, "Feel free to explore the main floor! I'll call for my intern to give you all a tour!"
Avery cleared his throat, "actually, we hope to get a chance to see your more… secretive collections." Petrov hesitated at Avery's request, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I… I don't know." Petrov's voice was now even. His surrounding bodyguards took notice of the change in energy and now stood more alert. Andreja kept an eye on Petrov's largest bodyguard. She posted herself in full armor next to Petrov. She had a foot of height on everyone in The Scow… She will be a challenge. "I do keep my more unique collectibles in my vault… But those aren't for public display…"
Avery sputtered, trying to do some damage control, "Maybe ther-"
"Is that where you keep your medical artifacts from Earth?" Eddie interrupted. Eddie had spent the majority of the conversation looking around the massive room. Eddie's question seemed to knock Petrov off guard.
"You know about medica-"
"Of course, I know! I'm a physician!" Eddie argued as if Petrov should have just known Eddie's profession. "I've read you have a complete MRI machine. I want to see it." Eddie demanded rather than asked.
"Oh wow," Petrov mumbled. "I didn't realize I had such knowledgeable guests… Especially one that knows the name of parts of my collection… Very impressive…" Petrov paced back and forth, mumbling to himself. He looked to be deep in thought about whether or not he would show off his 'secret' collection. Suddenly, Petrov stopped pacing and turned to Eddie.
"You, I have a few medical objects in my vault I don't know the names to." Petrov pointed at Eddie. Since you are obviously superfans, I will allow you entrance into my vault. But I need you to identify pieces of my collection." All eyes turned to Eddie. If we were to peacefully obtain the artifact, it would be with Eddie's assistance.
"Sure," Eddie shrugged.
"Amazing!" Petrov exclaimed, jumping half a foot from the ground. Petrov dramatically reached up and clapped his hands twice, "Dootle! Come here!" Immediately, a lanky teenager appeared at Petrov's side. The kid… Dootle … wore glasses that caused his eyeballs to magnetize to the size of plates.
"There's no way that that kid's name is Dootle …" Sam muttered quietly to Avery.
"Yes, Captain?" Dootle gave Petrov the stiffest salute Andreja had ever seen. To no one's surprise, Dootle had a bit of a lisp. Is this our tour guide? I can't make it through a tour without accidentally striking him… Before Andreja could start planning methods to toughen Dootle up, Petrov interrupted her thoughts.
"Dootle, please give everyone a grand tour of the showroom." Petrov's request was met with a nod by the awkward kid. "Once you finish, return them to me so I can show them the vault… If anyone wants to tour my wonderful collection on their own, please ensure you don't touch anything. Also, The Scow is yours to explore… However, the cargo bay is completely off-limits. I'm still renovating it… Thank you all, and enjoy!" With his announcement finished, Petrov retired back to his chaise lounge. Exploring the cargo bay sounds much more interesting than following this child around…
"Uhm… Hey guys," Dootle greeted everyone. "You can follow me to the zoo portion of the ship, and we can begin the tour…" Dootle motioned for everyone to follow him to the area of The Scow containing the cells.
"I'll guide myself," Andreja spoke up. Dootle's face paled at her sudden exclamation. However, instead of responding, he gave her a simple thumbs up and continued. What a strange child. Disinterested in her plans for independent viewing, the rest of Constellation followed after Dootle. Andreja halted in moving along when she realized Sam had also stayed back.
"There ain't no chance I'm going on a tour with that kid…" Sam said from beside her. "I don't want to risk saying his name out loud. Dootle… What the hell were his parents thinking?"
"I understand," Andreja agreed. "I was worried I might accidentally punch him without realizing. He needs some sort of training, and I might be unable to resist…" They stared after Dootle as he led their crew to the cells. Somehow, he managed to trip on absolutely nothing and fall flat on his face… Andreja shook her head and turned to Sam.
"So what now?" He asked.
"We see what smelly man Petrov is hiding in his cargo bay."
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1232 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile wasn't a fool. He knew Constellation's visit to The Scow was only to obtain the next artifact. However, he couldn't mask his glee at the different antiques The Scow housed. Maxile's jaw had dropped in awe when he entered the starship… So what if he touched a few things in Petrov's collection? Maxile's mood briefly soured at the thought of Tao. What a prick! Tao's attitude certainly ruined Maxile's experience.
A nasal tone suddenly grated Maxile's ears, "Uhm… This is where Captain Petrov keeps his collection of alien species." Dootle had escorted the crew to the cells. Each cell contained a different species of alien. Dootle shuffled uncomfortably from one foot to the next. Seriously, why the hell is this kid giving us a tour? After a few excruciating seconds, a gruff voice broke the silence.
"Is your name really Dootle?" Dr. Sotello's tone was more curious rather than malicious. The crew leaned forward, interested in the teenager's answer. Even Sarah held her tongue in scolding Dr. Sotello, eagerly awaiting Dootle's response.
Dootle's reply was as short as firm, "Yes."
…
"Uhm…" The stillness was deafening. Maxile wasn't sure why he expected a more resounding answer from the awkward teenager. Dr. Sotello growled, unsatisfied with Dootle's response.
"So in the first cell, we have a Coralbug Scavenger," Dootle explained, moving past Dr. Sotello's question. I guess that's as good as it's gonna get… "The Coralbug Scavenger is an aggressive species native to Jemison." Dootle continued his tour in the most bland, monotone voice one could possibly muster… This is going to be a long tour… Even the imprisoned Coralbug seemed to sag when Dootle approached its cell. The many blue tendrils surrounding the multiple eyes on its head drooped toward the ground at the sight of Dootle.
"He's literally just reading from the exhibit label…" Avery mumbled to Sarah. And boy, did he read straight from the exhibit label. Dootle read every single exhibit tag and description. It didn't matter if he couldn't pronounce the species' names… Dootle tried his damnedest.
About halfway through the zoo tour, Maxile noticed a bright red button on a module outside the cells. Surely, that isn't to open the cells; that'd be too easy… Maxile pondered the button's usage, taking a step closer to inspect it.
"Didn't I tell you not to touch shit?" A husky voice snapped, causing Maxile to jolt. Twisting around, he found himself nose-to-nose with Tao. The scavenger still wore the same sneer from earlier.
"I-I haven't touched anything!" Maxile stuttered, scooting around Tao. The scavenger's sneer didn't lessen. Instead, he turned his head to keep his nose pointed at Maxile. Maxile couldn't fathom the personal vendetta Tao seemed to have against him.
"Yeah, yeah… Keep it moving…"
"This fuckin' guy…" Maxile mumbled as he hurried to the group he left behind in his distraction.
"What was that!?" Tao's angry question fell on deaf ears as Maxile slipped to the front of the Constellation group. Dootle was finishing up his explanation of the final captive alien.
"-etrov's collection is the Maggotmaw. This gross alien is native to planet Charybdis III, in The Charybdis System..." Dootle paused momentarily, seemingly waiting for any possible questions from the group.
"Is this one a male or a female? Or are they hermaphrodites?" Sarah asked the young tour guide. She rubbed her chin at the peculiar sight. As Dootle had described, the cell contained the grossest alien Maxile had ever seen. The alien's large gray head sat on four spider-like legs. Maxile didn't see any eyes on its head, only a gaping maw surrounded by several razor-sharp teeth. The Maggotmaw noisily chomped at Dootle, likely imagining the snack that he would make. Green saliva dripped from the alien's mouth, oozing onto the cell floor.
Dootle simply stared at Sarah for a few… awkward… seconds… "This alien species is called a Maggotmaw. Maggotmaw's are native to the planet Charybdis III, in The Charybdis System…" Dootle repeated. Sarah's eyes were knitted in confusion; she likely wondered if the young man had even heard her question. When the silence seemed to climax, Dootle stepped away from Petrov's Zoo, motioning for the group to follow him. Maxile couldn't be happier to step away from the Maggotmaw's cell. The alien's hideous appearance sent shivers down his spine.
"I don't think he knew the answer…" Avery whispered to Sarah. "What's this kid's deal!?"
"Maybe he's a bit… challenged?" Sarah supplied. Maxile shook his head at the Captain's antics. They fussed over Dootle's quirkiness like a couple of grade-schoolers.
The next leg of Dootle's tour involved several artifacts Petrov had managed to collect from around the Settled Systems. Allegedly, he held many Earth artifacts in his possession. Even some artifacts from over three hundred years ago. Allegedly.
Maxile hoped that Dootle would gain some vigor in his personality when describing the plethora of Petrov's collection… But Maxile was sorely mistaken. Every material item, assured to be personally owned by some woman named Beyonce three hundred years ago, was described in the same, nasally, unenthusiastic tone. Maxile had to fight to stay awake.
The next ten minutes of torture concluded when Dootle led their group back to Petrov's seat in the middle of the room. Tao found time to harass Maxile throughout those ten minutes. Tao was there for every artifact he looked at or stood too close to. He was there to accuse Maxile of touching almost every part of Petrov's collection… By the time they met back with Petrov, Maxile could have hugged the disheveled man.
"My friends!" Petrov's voice boomed throughout the room. "Have you enjoyed my beautiful collection so far? I hope Dootle has treated you well!" Everyone mumbled a chorus of responses about the tour guide's quality.
"… He was super… "
"… Very… intelligent…"
"He was horrible."
"Oh! He was great! Just… wonderful…"
Sarah tried to mask Dr. Sotello's loud remark with a cheery one, but Petrov ignored them. Jumping from his chair, Petrov loudly clapped his hands together.
"I take it you are ready to see Petrov's secrets in his vault?" Petrov whispered, leaning closer to Dr. Sotello. What a weird way to word that… Petrov wrapped an arm around Dr. Sotello's shoulder, blind to the glare the physician gave him.
"Why are you referring to yourself in the third person?" Dr. Sotello growled, shrugging off Petrov's arm. Not caring for Petrov's response, Dr. Sotello continued his verbal assault, "Of course, we are ready to see the vault. This whole tour has been pointless ! We are here to see the intact medical artifacts you've procured from Earth!" If Petrov's mood dropped, it was only for a millisecond. Because Petrov cackled in response to Dr. Sotello's demand.
"My friend!" Petrov boomed, throwing his arm back over Dr. Sotello's shoulder. "You are so passionate… I love it! Come! We go now." His arm locked around Dr. Sotello's shoulder like a vice, Petrov led him to the back of The Scow. Maxile and his Captains kept up with Petrov's sudden increased pace. When they got to the back of the main room, Petrov swiped a keycard to allow entrance further into the starship. Right before the door closed behind him, Maxile turned to find Tao staring at him. His glare maintained until the door shut, separating them… This fuckin' guy, Maxile thought glumly. He's going to be a problem…
A short walk through The Scow, they arrived at Petrov's vault. All in all, it was very anticlimactic. Petrov definitely had a large vault, but large windows surrounded the vault. Maxile's attention honed in on the artifact. It sat on a pedestal inside the vault. With another swipe of a keycard, the vault opened for them. The second the airtight room was opened, Maxile heard the artifact.
Maxile. I'm …ight he…
The voice danced through his mind. When the voice registered with Maxile, he felt a tug on his core. He must have been staring too long because a hand gripped his shoulder. Swiveling his head, he made eye contact with Avery. He heard it too…
Avery nodded forward, signaling for Maxile to keep moving. However, he apparently didn't move quickly enough because Avery didn't release his grip on Maxile's shoulder. Instead, Avery guided him forward, allowing the vault to shut behind him.
Petrov's vault interior wasn't nearly as impressive as the main floor of The Scow. Dozens of lockboxes lined the wall of the vault. Apart from the artifact, seemingly random jewels and antiques lined the floor. From what Maxile could tell, they weren't significant enough to warrant being locked in a vault. Further in the vault, Maxile could see what appeared to be the antique surgical equipment Dr. Sotello had been waiting for.
"Look at this," Avery said, pointing to the artifact that rotated on the pedestal. Petrov must be pretty trusting. He didn't bat an eye when Maxile, Sarah, and Avery surrounded the artifact. "It's floating… Untouched by gravity…"
Maxile… Maxile…
The artifact sang his name, its inhuman voice as clear as day. It begged him to reach out… It begged him to touch it…
"Ah, yes…" Petrov's voice was low, gauging their piqued interest in the artifact. "This plate is newer to my collection. I discovered it in the Old Neighborhood… Well, I bought it from a scavenger on Mars. The poor fool had no idea what Petrov was purchasing from him! He sold it for a cheap price as well. He swore the floating plate spoke to him… He also claimed that it caused a fancy light show. Ha! I touched the plate and saw no such light show, nor did I hear any voices. But hey, it floats! That's good enough for Petrov!"
"It's definitely unique!" Avery exclaimed, fake enthusiasm masking his voice. Avery placed a hand on the artifact's pedestal, likely aching to touch the artifact like Maxile. Petrov didn't stop him but kept an eye on Avery's hand. "If you're looking to sell, I'd be willing to buy."
"I'm sorry, my friend," Petrov's voice immediately darkened. Maxile couldn't miss the change of energy in the vault. Petrov narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to Avery. "But this artifact is far too valuable to be sold… Perhaps I should have mentioned it when introductions were first made: Nothing aboard The Scow is for sale. I hope your crew didn't come to Petrov's starship to cause trouble…
The tension between the two Captains could be cut with a knife. During the considerable pause, neither Avery nor Petrov looked away. Instead, they met the other's glare with one of their own. Maxile felt a tingle run down the nape of his neck… The prospect of a fight drowned Maxile in his anxiety. If there's a fight, we will be majorly outnumbered! Avery isn't going to give up the artifact without a fight… I don't have the knife or gun Andreja gave me! What do I do if-
"I understand!" Avery's sudden, cheery response pulls Maxile from his internal death spiral. "I figured it never hurts to ask! So where to next?" For once, Petrov was speechless. In fact, Maxile was, too. He didn't expect Avery to give up so easily…
"Next, we move on to the point of visiting this gentleman's vault!" Dr. Sotello answered. Petrov's eyes bulged at the physician's request, jarring him back into character.
"Yes, yes!" Petrov agreed, taking a step to the back of the large room. "Just so you're aware, Petrov has many medical antiques, so this may take a bit to go through!" Dr. Sotello merely grunted in response and hobbled past him.
Avery tapped Petrov's shoulder before he could follow the physician, "Maybe the rest of us could self-tour upstairs? While you and Eddie look over the surgical… stuff." An expression of relief briefly flashed across Petrov's face at the idea of Avery leaving his vault. Petrov didn't seem to appreciate Constellation looking over his artifact like vultures.
"Of course," Petrov scanned his keycard, opening the vault again. Before closing the vault door behind them, Petrov never let them leave his sight. The mercenaries accompanying them escorted their small group back to the main floor.
"Captain," Maxile whispered. "Are we giving up?" His question was timid and perplexed. Maxile had thought for sure they would fight for the artifact. Avery and Sarah exchanged all-knowing glances.
"The hell we are…" Avery mumbled in response.
Sarah then leaned over to whisper, "We need to meet back up with Andreja and Sam… We need to make a plan…"
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1235 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
It turned out that sneaking into Petrov's cargo bay would be more daunting than Andreja expected. In every direction she and Sam turned, Petrov's mercenaries guarded. To make matters more infuriating , Petrov's men were incredibly insulting. Andreja couldn't come within a single foot of Petrov's collection without a mercenary jumping down her throat.
"Ma'am, you've been told repeatedly to not touch Captain Petrov's collection," a tiny man chirped at Andreja. He was likely the smallest mercenary she had ever seen. Andreja easily had a foot on the man. His face scrunched up in fury when Andreja simply laughed at his attempt at scolding her. Undeterred by her attitude, the halfling only spoke louder, "If you continue to do so, my Commander will ask you to leave.
"This," Andreja waved the knife she had removed from the casing under the man's nose. His eyes followed the knife from side to side. The blade gleamed in a red hue under The Scow's artificial light. Pleased that she had his attention, her lesson continued, "is a Martian dagger, smithed in the mid-twenty-second century… You can tell that it's Martian from the reddish color of the blade. It was birthed by compacting the planet's ferrihydrite and then sharpening it. A blade like this has seen much bloodshed in its lifetime… It does not belong in a cage." Andreja wasn't much for socializing or technology… But she relished weapon history. The mercenary only stared up at her in disinterest.
"Give it to him." A new voice ordered. Andreja followed the sound of the voice, her eyebrows climbing to her hairline at the voice's owner. A woman stood before her, her body entirely cased in brown space armor. Despite her bulky armor, Andreja could see the muscles in the woman's arms. The newcomer stood tall with excellent posture. Her face lacked emotion, undeterred by the dagger Andreja held in her hands. "This will be your final warning." A smirk etched across Andreja's face. This one has a spine…
Andreja twirled the knife expertly, letting it dance between her digits. With a final flourish, Andreja extended her arm outwards. The knife twisted and flipped through her fingers until she held its hilt pointed towards this woman. The female mercenary didn't even flinch at Andreja's sudden movements with the dagger. What a woman.
The female mercenary plucked the dagger from Andreja's fingers and handed it to the little mercenary. During this action, the woman never let her calm expression falter.
"Thank you, Commander Erin," he said as he delicately placed the dagger back in its case. Erin? Andreja respected power when she saw it. This Commander Erin could put up a worthy fight. Erin didn't respond to the man; she only nodded and dismissed him.
"You radiate strength," Andreja admired the Commander. "How would you feel about a sparring match?" Maybe Andreja had strayed from Constellation's current task, but she couldn't pass up this chance to flex her power.
"No," Erin deadpanned. Andreja suddenly felt slightly embarrassed. The reality of their surroundings crashed on top of her. I might have gotten carried away… "Stop being so troublesome for my men. You have most of my staff present because you keep touching everything." Erin's tone never changed while she spoke, furthering Andreja's embarrassment. As the Commander had explained, Petrov's men surrounded the area of The Scow they were in…
"Sorry 'bout that, Ma'am! We are just leaving, and won't be a problem!" Sam quickly cut in. He wrapped his hand around Andreja's forearm and hauled her from the congregation of mercenaries. When Sam had dragged her a safe enough distance away, he hissed in her ear, " Are you crazy!? Touchin' shit and tryin' to fight six-foot women!? What happened to sneaking into the cargo bay!?" Andreja allowed Sam to pull her towards the hallway leading to The Scow's exit.
"It was part of my plan, Sam." Andreja drolled, hoping he wouldn't realize her slight lie. "It's called a distraction. Look around. Most of Petrov's mercenaries have gathered in the main room."
"Ehm…" Sam struggled to respond as he mentally noted the location of the mercenaries. Once he concluded that she was correct, he mumbled, "You're right…"
"Of course," Andreja agreed. Turning on her heel, she stalked down the abandoned hallway. Her pride wouldn't allow her to admit that her 'distraction' was simply a 'consequence of her actions.' However, it all worked out for the best, so there was no need to disclose that detail. If all it took to sidetrack Petrov's men was for Andreja to meddle in his collection, then perhaps Petrov should invest in more competent subordinates.
As she expected, the stairs leading into the cargo bay were left unguarded. Everyone is too busy assuring Petrov's trinkets are in their correct cell. Not wanting anyone to show up, Andreja skirted down the stairs. She stopped short at the door into the cargo bay. Andreja wasn't naive to the likelihood Petrov had men stationed inside his cargo bay. A bumbling noise traveled down the stairs behind her, causing her to stick out her arm. Andreja's arm firmly smacked Sam's chest, halting his progress into the cargo bay.
"Don't mother me." Sam hissed, slapping Andreja's arm from his chest. "I wasn't going to run out into the open!" Andreja exhaled, turning to meet the pilot's eye.
"I am not your mother." Andreja said sternly.
"What!? That's not what I-"
Ignoring him, Andreja peered into the cargo bay, "It looks clear. Let's keep moving." Sam audibly exhaled but followed her into the bay nevertheless. Petrov's cargo bay was rather… unimpressive. It contained the same knick-knacks he kept in the main room, but everything was randomly strewn about the bay. Why was he so insistent that we stay out of the cargo bay?
"You noticing anything interesting?" Sam asked, sounding as skeptical as she felt. "This is just a damn storage room…" The further into the cargo bay they traveled, the more cramped it became. They were now walking in a single-file line, weaving through the large boxes stacked in the bay.
" Sloff… " Andreja cursed. Maybe this was a waste of time. "We might as well go-" Andreja paused, seeing an odd light. They had almost arrived at the back of the bay, and just around a large box, Andreja noticed a bluish glow illuminating the dingy corner. Sam grunted in confusion at her sudden stop until he saw the dimly lit area.
"Huh, maybe Petrov does keep something back here," Sam mused, sliding around Andreja. Sam's jokes only grew as he moved to investigate the light source, "I bet it's Petrov's stash if you know what I mean! That sick bastard probably has the dirtiest-" Sam unleashed a horrifying gasp as soon as the glow illuminated his face. His jaw dropped, and his expression contorted into one of extreme shock. As long as Andreja had known the pilot, she had never seen him look so appalled.
"Sam, what is it!?" Andreja demanded sharply. Sam opened his mouth but only gave a breathy exhalation in response. Unable to wait any longer, she stalked to the source of his stupor. Rounding the corner of the box, Andreja felt her face mirror Sam's at the sight before her. Sloff!
Tucked into the corner of the cargo bay was another cell. The cell wall that faced into the bay was entirely made up of a glass wall. Along the cell's rims were the blue lights illuminating the awful secret of Petrov's cargo bay. Imprisoned inside the concealed cell were around fifteen women… They huddled in the corner of the cell, eying Andreja and Sam with peeks of uncertainty. The women appeared to be of differing ages, races, and ethnicities. They only wore ratty undergarments, with dirt and grime decorating their bare skin… Andreja stared in horror at the state of the women in the cell. After a few tense seconds, one of the women stepped closer to the cell's door.
"W-will…" the woman stuttered. Her greasy hair fell around her neck, covering her loose-fitting bra. The woman seemed older than her cellmates. "Will us… being fed?" English was clearly not her first language… Her accent reminded Andreja of the people she had met in the southeastern section of the Settled Systems.
"We are not part of Petrov's crew…" Sam explained slowly, allowing the woman to follow.
"Not part of Petrov's crew…" She repeated, her mouth slightly ajar. "Then who?"
"We are part of Constellation," Andreja explained, cringing when she realized how quickly she spoke.
"Constellation…" The woman repeated, her nose wrinkled in confusion.
"Why are you here?" Sam asked, attempting to progress the conversation. The woman thought over his question and then took time to translate her response.
"Us… slaves." She answered, gesturing to the woman behind her. Andreja set her jaw at the sight of a teenager amongst the prisoners. She isn't much older than Cora… "Master… traded us for credits… Home is Algoshaw." The woman's explanation was short, but she got her point across. Algoshaw in The Algorab System! I knew I recognized her accent!
"I don't need a translator to figure out what Petrov was doing to these women…" Sam said darkly. His eyes hadn't left the youngest member of the prisoners, and his mind was likely on Cora as well. Sam didn't say aloud what was happening to these women… He didn't need to; they both already knew… These women are being trafficked…
"I'm going to kill Petrov," Andreja growled, venom dripping from her words. And she would kill him… It would be painful and miserable. Andreja moved to search for The Scow's Captain but was stopped by Sam's hand on her arm. Andreja snarled at Sam, "Do you want to get in my way?" Her fury was now blinding her, confusing friend with foe.
"Andreja," Sam whispered, his eyes unblinking into her. Why is he not furious!? "I understand you're mad… But running upstairs to kill Petrov is not the right move. We need to meet up with Avery and make a plan… Petrov has a starship full of mercenaries. If we try to kill him, we will put ourselves and these women at risk. Trust me… The only thing I can think about right now is strangling Petrov… But we have to be smart about this…" Sam's words drew an exhale from Andreja. She could see it now… Sam was furious. His face was bright red, his jaw set, every muscle in his neck tense… But he was right. Nodding, she faced the group of Petrov's prisoners.
"Don't worry, we will save you all."
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1302 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
Andreja stomped back into the main showroom of The Scow. Lucky for Petrov, he was nowhere to be found. But Avery, Sarah, and Maxile silently roamed the room, looking over the antiques. Among her crew, multiple mercenaries silently patrolled. We must be inconspicuous when we pass along what we found in the cargo bay… When she finally caught Avery's eye, Andreja knew the message had been passed along: We need to talk. Her tightness in her forehead and neck told Andreja she wore her anger proudly… Avery definitely recognized it when she caught his eye. This anger wasn't her typical ' resting bitch face ,' as the idiotic sniper likes to call it. This anger was more profound…
After a few minutes of mindless wandering, everyone reconvened in Petrov's maze of antiques. The crease in Avery's forehead deepened at the sight of Andreja and Sam's furious expressions. Even Sarah and Maxile gave them apprehensive looks. When Avery decided they were safe enough to converse, he gazed into Andreja's eyes.
"What's going on?" Avery asked, his eyes rapidly switching between Andreja and Sam. "You both look like you saw a ghost…" A loud snort came from Andreja at his description.
"I wish we had seen a ghost…" Andreja spat, shaking her head.
"Then what happened?" Sarah added, looking at Sam.
"We went to the cargo bay," Sam's eyes darkened at the thought of the lone cell in the bay. "We found a cell full of half-naked women… They looked like they hadn't been bathed in weeks…" Avery and Sarah's eyes bulged at their revelation. Of all directions this mission could have gone, she didn't expect it to go this direction…
"You're kidding…" Avery mumbled, staring in disbelief.
"I would never joke about things like this," Andreja growled. "They are from The Algorab System. They were slaves until Petrov purchased them… He purchased them as if they were cattle. And now they are either being resold… or worse…" Andreja trailed off, but everyone around her understood her point.
"I see…" Avery said, mulling over this new information. "Well, this is more important than the artifact… That's for sure…"
"I want to kill Petrov," Andreja admitted shamelessly. Aware that she had agreed it was not a smart move, the impulsive drive burst in her chest. However, her callous statement drew no concerned looks from her crew. She exhaled, "but I understand that wouldn't be smart …"
"I want to kill him as well…" Andreja's eyebrows raised at Sarah's contribution to the conversation. Typically, Sarah asked questions first before shooting, not the other way around. Sarah sighed and looked at Andreja, "But you are correct… We can't just kill Petrov. We need to figure out how we can safely evacuate the woman without starting a gun war on The Scow."
Sam hummed, deep in thought. He must have weighed their options and come to a conclusion because he suddenly said, "Alright. We are in FreeStar Collective territory. If we can evacuate the prisoners to The Atlas and take them to the Freestar Rangers, Petrov and his crew can be arrested and sentenced. Petrov will have no chance to run free with their statements. Freestar will also help the prisoners find their homes and families…" Sam's option wasn't violent enough, in Andreja's opinion… But, it was safer for the women Petrov had captured.
"So what's the plan?" Maxile asked, looking around at the mercenaries. "We are really… outgunned… So if we are going to start evacuating these women, we will need to keep these mercenaries busy." Maxile tried to hide his anxiety, but Andreja could still see the way the nurse picked at his nails. This anxiety lasted for a moment before Maxile relaxed his hand on the knife he kept strapped to his leg. The knife was a loaner Andreja had given him. Andreja felt pride burn in his chest at the courage the nurse was slowly discovering. He should have a better knife than that old one… She made a mental note to dig through her collection of blades when the dust of their latest adventure settled.
"Distraction," Andreja supplied.
"Exactly!" Avery agreed, pointing at her. "We need a distraction… A big one. Here's the plan… A lot of Petrov's antiques are flammable. How about we set one on fire and let it develop into an inferno. While everyone is distracted, the women are evacuated to The Atlas. Once we load them all up, we haul ass straight to Akila." The plan was sound to Andreja.
"You literally pulled that plan out of your ass," Sam griped, as usual.
"I always do," Avery admitted. "Everyone has their comms. We just need to find the perfect antique to set on fire… So we will keep everyone updated while we search the main floor." Andreja scanned Petrov's showroom… She understood the current plan but had other tasks to complete first… She needed to locate Petrov.
"What about the artifact?" Maxile asked. In her focus on the women, Andreja had forgotten entirely about the artifact.
Avery didn't hesitate in his response, "Not important. We save the prisoners and focus on the artifact later. Don't worry, we'll get it one way or another." Avery winked at Maxile, who nodded confidently, accepting the new mission. A brief wave of guilt hit Andreja. This would be another failed artifact retrieval mission that she was involved in… As if reading her mind, Avery patted her on the shoulder. His smile revealed flashy white teeth, "this is the right decision." This is the right decision.
"Now that everyone has their roles," Sarah stepped toward Sam, catching his focus. "Sam and I are going to the cargo bay. I'm going to start working on opening their cell. I know a little Algorab dialect from my time in that area of the Settled Systems… If we don't get these women to trust us, this will all be for nothing." Andreja silently thanked Sarah's history with the UC military. Sarah often had niche tools in her kit that ended up being useful.
"Gotcha," Avery affirmed, holding a fist out. "Alright, guys, let's save these women and get the hell off this ship." Everyone but Andreja bumped their fists together in the center of their circle. Oh! This is an action of comradery! Pleased that she made the deduction all on her own, Andreja grinned and slammed her fist on top of everyone else's. She assumed the harder she struck, the greater the rally it provided her crew.
"Ow!"
"Dammit, Andreja!"
"Oh… Okay…"
"That's… not how you fist bump…"
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1332 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile massaged the top of his throbbing hand where Andreja hit it. So far, he hadn't found anything promising to set ablaze. Maxile was now on his second lap through Petrov's labyrinth of a collection. Remembering the repulsive man, Maxile realized he hadn't seen Petrov in a minute. He speculated that Petrov was still in the vault with Dr. Sotello… To appear natural in his viewing, Maxile eased back towards The Scow's zoo. He cringed when the diverse aliens came into view. Some scuttled about their cells, while others simply stared at any passersby. They're probably looking for a snack!
Like Maxile, Avery and Andreja also roamed through the starship's enormous showroom. His Captain hadn't alerted them to the plan's next step, so Maxile figured their efforts were just as futile as his. Damn, this is hopeless… Maxile's pessimistic thought halted at the sight of a large vintage wardrobe. How hadn't he noticed this before?
The wardrobe sat directly across from the row of cells. Maxile could tell the furniture had been rescued from Earth long ago. When Earth's atmosphere eventually dissipated into nothing, Sol radiated the wardrobe, bleaching the wood into an ill white.
"This could work…" Maxile whispered, running a hand along the faded wood. The wardrobe was more than enough to cause a distraction. Maxile could feel the wood splintering under his fingers, further cementing his assumption of how well the wardrobe would burn. This would be perfect . He needed to tell his crew.
"You're not supposed to touch anything." Maxile froze at the grating, nasally voice that scolded him. Maxile swiveled to find Dootle , his arms crossed and a slight frown. I am not about to be chastised by Dootle… Maxile stepped away from the wardrobe, closer to the cells lining the wall.
Before Maxile could apologize, another voice said, "What's going on here!?" As if to make his situation more difficult, Tao joined them. The anger that laced his expression was unchanged from earlier, especially at the sight of Maxile. Tao already knew what had happened. He just wanted to hear Dootle say it aloud. Any reason to have further hostility with Maxile.
"This guest was touching the wardrobe…" Dootle explained the situation, still giving Maxile the same disappointed look. Tao grinned at Dootle's revelation. Tao's menacing grin showed off all of his teeth. After all, this was the moment he had been waiting for.
"I should have guessed," Tao growled. The mercenary edged closer to Maxile, his body language predicting a malicious response. Unable to feign confidence, Maxile retreated. He retreated until his back suddenly met a cold surface. Within seconds, Maxile was trapped between Tao and the glass wall of the cell. "From the second your ass boarded Captain Petrov's ship, you've caused problems… But I have you now…"
"I was just…" Maxile trailed off. There was no way Tao would accept any of his excuses. Which was just as well because Maxile couldn't think of any. The issue was clearly with Tao. Tao was the one who had a problem with Maxile since he had stepped foot on The Scow.
"But nothing," Tao hissed, leaning in closer to Maxile. As he expected, Tao cared less about whatever excuse he had. "You and that woman have tainted Petrov's collection. My Commander informed us earlier that your crew was on their final notice. Any more incidents would result in your crew being booted from The Scow. And here it is. So here's what will happen. You'll wait here while I notify Commander Erin of your inability to follow Petrov's rules. Then I'll happily remove you from the ship by her order." He's certainly passionate about his work…
"But-"
"Shut up." Maxile immediately obeyed the mercenary's order. Once Tao thoroughly felt he had intimidated Maxile with a glare, he continued, "You don't move an inch from this spot while I go talk to Commander Erin. Dootle here is going to keep an eye on you…" The awkward teenager sniffed at the mention of his name.
"Me?" Dootle asked, jabbing a finger into his own chest. Who else is named Dootle around here!?
Tao didn't allow himself to be distracted by dootle's hesitation, "If you move a muscle, I'll make sure to throw you in with this alien here…" Tao nodded his head to the cell space behind Maxile. Maxile's face paled at the thought of the creature in the cell behind him.
Slowly turning his head, Maxile stared into the dark, gaping jaw of the Maggotmaw. Attentive to Maxile's proximity to the cell, the alien stood with its bulbous body pressed against the glass door. The alien's teeth scraped against the cell, eager to tear into Maxile's flesh. A mere six inches of polycarbonate glass separated him from a gruesome death…
Convinced that his point was made, Tao pushed away and stomped off to tattle. Maxile now stood with his temporary guard, Dootle. This is bad… If we get booted off The Scow, there's no way we can save those prisoners… Tao's figure inched further and further away as he traveled to find his Commander. Maxile didn't have much time. He needed to think fast.
"What are you doing?" Dootle must have noticed Maxile searching his surroundings for a way out of this fix. Maxile's attempts at discretion were in vain. What do I do!? Lives are at stake! His eyes fell on the module with the red button he had noticed earlier. Still, it sat in plain sight on the module, begging to be pushed. Maxile thought over his options before deciding he had no other options. "Y-you aren't supposed to move!" Dootle stuttered as Maxile crept towards the module.
"Uhm…" Maxile maintained eye contact with Dootle as he approached the module. Dootle didn't bother to even flinch at Maxile's disobedience… Once realization dawned on Dootle's face at Maxile's intention, Dootle shook his head. The awkward teen's silent expression screamed, 'Don't do it!'
…
…
…
CLICK! Maxile did it. He pressed the big red button, setting off a massive chain of events. A deafening alarm immediately rang throughout the entire starship. Red emergency lights flashed, bathing everyone in their glow. And finally, every single cell door in the zoo opened…
"Oh jeez…" Dootle mumbled, stepping back as a plethora of aliens evacuated their cells. Maybe he overdid it…
"I-I'm so sorry!" Maxile stuttered as he scrambled away from the chaos beginning to stir. Some of Petrov's mercenaries noticed the aliens were out of their cells. The rest were still distracted by the alarm.
Maxile's escape was foiled by one of the aliens: a Swarming Clickbeetle leaped in his path. The creature looked like a giant cricket. It clicked its mandibles in his direction, deciding whether or not to eat him. Doing a complete one-eighty, Maxile ran smooth into a hard surface.
"The fuck!?" A familiar voice roared. Tao stood over Maxile, his teeth gritted in fury. Boy, if looks could kill… He must have sprinted back to the zoo when the alarms started. "What the fuck did you do!?" Tao jerked maxile forward by the hem of his shirt, tearing the fabric.
"Ave-" Maxile's cry for his Captain was silenced by Tao. The scavenger had pulled out a knife and held the blade under Maxile's throat. The tip of the blade pressed into his skin, digging in slightly.
"You're going to pay for this!" Speckles of saliva dotted Maxile's face from the forcefulness of Tao's threat. The red lights painted Tao's face, giving him the appearance of a nightmare. Maxile's terror at Tao's anger disappeared when a dark figure towered over them. Maxile's eyes widened at the threatening figure behind Tao.
Moving fast, Maxile grabbed the knife that Andreja had insisted he keep strapped to his thigh. Tao hadn't expected Maxile to retaliate because he didn't avoid Maxile's attack. Tao roared in pain when Maxile drove the knife into his side, releasing him.
Unfortunately, Tao's scream was drowned out by the Maggotmaw that had approached them. The alien unleashed a chilling scream and latched its mouth onto Tao's arm. Tao was no longer distracted by the knife buried in his side, instead staring at the Maggotmaw in shock. Tao began striking the alien's large head, attempting to escape with brute force.
His newly gained freedom would not be taken for granted. Maxile shoved his way past Dootle and leaped over the guardrail separating the zoo from the rest of the showroom. The chaos in the showroom had evolved into utter madness. Mercenaries ran haphazardly around the room, attempting to contain the aliens without damaging Petrov's collection. Maxile couldn't locate Avery or Andreja in all the confusion.
"Guys!" Maxile screamed into his comm. "I opened the cells to the zoo!" Avery's response was instantaneous.
"You did what!? Is that why everyone is freaking out!?" Avery exclaimed. Maxile couldn't tell over the comm if Avery was angry or not.
"Yeah… I - Shit!" Maxile cursed as a Coralbug Scavenger scuttled past him, destroying Petrov's antiques in its wake. "I had no choice!"
Avery quickly buzzed back, "Well, that's why you're the wild card. But we have our distraction! This is plan B! Sarah, we'll watch here while you free the prisoners!"
"On it," Sarah's response was short and concise. Well, it could have gone worse… I guess I can try to sneak out of her while Petrov's men run around.
Maxile gazed upon the chaos he caused with a simple button press. Petrov's collection was in ruins. Despite the training of his mercenaries, Petrov's men unleashed their bullets on the roaming aliens. The aliens seemed to have held a massive grudge because they targeted the mercenaries. This was a bigger distraction than I anticipated…
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1344 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
The group of imprisoned women jostled at the sudden alarm blaring through the cargo bay. Sarah meticulously picked at the cell's digital lock, not allowing the boisterous noise to slow her down. However, she did feel the oncoming headache at the flash of the alarm's red lights.
"That can't be good…" Sam mumbled darkly. She nodded in agreement but didn't comment on his premonition. The cell module she worked on wasn't a difficult one… But the redundant safeguards were a hassle.
"Guys!" Sarah froze at Maxile's anxious call over the comm. "I opened the cells to the zoo!" I should have guessed Max was involved in these alarms… Avery may be right. He is a wild card…
Sarah guessed Maxile deactivated a failsafe to open the cells upstairs. She briefly wondered how Maxile managed to discover the switch. Ultimately, she decided Petrov was too confident in his hired hands to hide the kill switch. The cargo bay cell didn't open due to Maxile's action, so she supposed the digital lock was on a separate server.
"You did what!?" Sarah's eyes rolled at Avery's panicked response. "Is that why everyone's freaking out!?" The showroom must be in absolute chaos… Perfect…
"Yeah… I - Shit!" Maxile's voice muffled over the comm, followed by a nearby crash. Sarah prayed they stayed safe in that madness… Once he regained his composure, Maxile's voice returned to the comm. "I had no choice!" It wasn't exactly an explanation, but Sarah trusted Maxile and accepted the answer.
"Well, that's why you're the wild card!" Sarah's mouth slightly turned up at Avery's comment. It's as if he read my mind. "But we have our distraction! This is plan B! Sarah, we'll watch here while you free the prisoners!" At the mention of her name, Sarah paused to tap the comm in her ear.
"On it," she answered, then shut off the comm. If she were to do this, she needed to be entirely focused.
Once Sam realized he could do nothing to assist Sarah, he resigned to keeping watch. It didn't seem to be necessary at this point. They pretty much slipped into the cargo bay without a single problem. Especially now, with the crisis Maxile caused upstairs, they could easily escape.
The code Sarah fed into the module poured endless numbers across the screen. I'm so close… After several more inputs, the lock to the cell was deactivated. Success!
The women in the cell didn't move towards the open door. Instead, they eyed Sarah and Sam suspiciously. Sarah didn't blame them for their lack of trust… Especially with what they have been through.
Moving slowly and cautiously, Sarah opened the cell door fully. One of the Algorab prisoners stood in front of the group of women, her mouth pursed in concern, her stance a protective one. The woman must have been Sarah's age, but the years of stress and poor living conditions greyed her hair and wrinkled her face.
"She's who Andreja and I talked to earlier…" Sam whispered in Sarah's ear. "She knows some English… but it ain't great." Sarah could work with that.
During her time in the UC military, she spent about a year in The Algorab System. Sarah was sent there to learn Algorabian culture and extend an olive branch to the system. The UC had hoped to encourage the people of Algorab to form an alliance with the UC but were unsuccessful. Sarah hadn't expected them to join; the Algorabian people were pacifists who followed the ancient teachings of a peacemaking deity named 'Unia.' It was all just as well; the galaxy-wide war with the Freestar Collective had started to arrive at a conclusion with the mentionings of a treaty.
Sarah greeted the woman in her Algorabian dialect to the best of her ability. The woman narrowed her eyes before returning the greeting in a much more skilled tongue. There was still an air of distrust between them, but Sarah had started a connection.
The conversation grew from there. A mixture of broken English and rudiment Algorabian. Sarah learned the woman's name, Zelwey, the appointed matriarch of the slaves. She learned about their journey and how they ended up imprisoned on The Scow. They were abducted by spacers and taken from their homes in the middle of the night. Zelwey questioned Constellation's intentions. She ensured Sarah knew that her priorities lie with her Algorabian people. The strained conversation was ten minutes long but felt much more drawn out.
"We… go…" Zelwey's answer was confident. Not wanting to prolong their time on The Scow, Sarah pointed towards the cargo bay exit.
"Follow me to our starship…" Sarah spoke slowly, allowing Zelwey to follow along. When Zelwey still seemed confused at the request, Sarah translated it as best she could. Fortunately, the message was translated, and Zelwey notified the women behind her about what would happen.
The journey out of The Scow was largely uneventful. Not a single mercenary blocked their path, all thanks to Maxile's fantastic distraction. The prisoners covered their eyes as they stepped into Narion's bright light. Tears trickled down several of their cheeks, the idea of freedom now within their grasp. But Sarah had no time to be happy for them. They needed to get into The Atlas.
"What the hell!?" Barrett exclaimed as Sarah escorted the prisoners into The Atlas's cargo bay. Barrett had been working on their starship's engines while they had toured The Scow. Beside him, Simeon sat in a makeshift chair, his casted leg propped up onto a toolbox.
"I thought we were only picking up an artifact?" Simeon questioned, watching the tribe ascend the ladder into the starship individually. "When did this become part of the plan?"
"We found something more important than the artifacts," Sarah nodded to Zelwey, the last woman to climb the ladder. The mission changed."
The Scow, Sumati, The Narion System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1354 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
The corner of the showroom where Andreja stood was the perfect vantage point. She had front-row seats to the madness the little nurse had initiated with his quick thinking. Maxile carried himself well. Andreja's assumption that he would be skillful with a knife was proven when he stabbed the scavenger with the dagger. Andreja had observed the entire spectacle and how Maxile reacted. She almost stepped in when the alien started to attack but refrained. Once the dagger was buried into Tao's side, she left Maxile to his own devices. She made a mental note to tell him the pride that burned in her chest at his bravery.
Aliens covered The Scow's showroom. Even the herbivores were battling the mercenaries. It turned out that even the more primitive life forms had issues with being caged. The mercenaries buzzed around the showroom, but Andreja had yet to spot her true target. Petrov still hadn't made his appearance.
"You and your crew need to leave!" A deep female voice bellowed. Towards the middle of the room, Petrov's Commander Erin stood over Avery. Even through her helmet visor, Andreja could see her fury. Andreja couldn't hear Avery's response, but he was probably attempting to keep the peace by taking a surrendering step backward.
"What the hell happened!?" Another voice rang from the back of the room. The man she had been waiting for had entered the battlefield. Petrov stood in the doorway to the hallway that led to the vault. His face was aghast at the utter disarray his showroom had turned into. "Erin!" He roared, demanding an answer.
Erin gave Petrov a quick rundown of the events that brought The Scow to this state. Even at her distance, Andreja could see the fury in Petrov's face. The longer Erin spoke, the more contorted his face became.
"Andreja!" Maxile announced, gripping her shoulder. She turned to the little nurse, briefly forgetting about Petrov. Maxile heaved in exhaustion after evading the chaos of the showroom. "I'm getting out while I can! Have you seen Dr. Sotello!?" Honestly, Andreja had utterly forgotten about the physician…
"You fool!!" Petrov now had his hands on Avery's arms. He squeezed the Captain tightly, gritting his teeth. Andreja stepped in their direction, prepared to fight for her Captain. "I'm going to ki-"
"What the hell?" A new voice growled. Taking his time, Eddie finally hobbled into the showroom. Eddie looked around at the now-destroyed showroom, covered in injured aliens and mercenaries alike. "Well, this is unprofessional, Captain Petrov. We will be leaving now. Mr. Deimos! Where are you?" Eddie called out, hobbling forward. Petrov gave him a mixed look, confused and irritated.
"Dr. Sotello!" Maxile responded, running back through the middle of the showroom. Reaching the physician, he grabbed Eddie's wrist and pulled him toward the exit. "Let's go!" Eddie obeyed Maxile's demands but fussed as he was dragged along.
Petrov stared after them before snarling at Avery, "Leave my ship… Erin, clean this mess up… I'm going to my office…" This will be my chance. Avery was promptly escorted along with Maxile and Eddie from The Scow. Remaining hidden in the corner, Andreja was able to evade detection. She watched Petrov go to a room in the corner; she assumed it was his office.
When enough time had passed, Andreja made her move. Launching from her corner, she sprinted down the middle of the showroom. Nothing would stop her. Not the ongoing battle between the mercenaries and the aliens. Tao tumbled onto his back, the enormous Maggotmaw falling over him. Tao stabbed at the Maggotmaw, trying to take it down, but the alien was unhindered. Andreja hurdled the scuffling pair and kept moving.
Andreja rapidly approached Commander Erin, ducking and weaving through the bodies and trashed antiques. The enemy Commander stood in the center of the showroom, doing her best to direct the chaos. Erin's eyes narrowed when she noticed Andreja's looming figure and squatted into a low position. Erin's battle armor gave her the appearance of a blockade, but Andreja refused to be intimidated.
Once Andreja was within arms reach, Erin tried a grapple. Andreja was too fast and evaded her advance. Her vision blurred as she slipped past Erin. Once Andreja's feet were firmly planted, she wrapped her arms firmly around Erin's upper body.
"GAAAAAAHH!" Andreja roared, lifting Erin's body up. Andreja felt every muscle in her upper body scream as they worked. Andreja tossed Erin into one of the antique cases with all her might. The ancient wood splintered, and glass shattered once the heavy armor slammed into the cases. When the dust settled, Erin lay sprawled on the ground. Her armor was likely too heavy for her to get up on her own. I knew I was stronger than her…
One problem solved, Andreja reverted back to her original goal: Petrov. Although, before she moved on, she noticed a gleaming antique on the ground. The Martian dagger… It must be fate, Andreja thought as she grabbed it.
Entering Petrov's office was as easy as can be. Safely hidden amid chaos, Andreja slipped right into his office room. It wasn't even locked! Petrov's office looked as one would expect. A small room with a desk surrounded by artifacts and antiques. Petrov sat at the desk, staring numbly into space. He ran a grubby hand through his thin hair, eyes flashing angrily at Andreja's presence.
"Why the hell are you-"
A swift kick to his face silenced his question. Petrov's body slung from his chair onto the ground, a loud thud echoing the room. Vaulting his desk, Andreja stood over the sorry man. Blood poured from his nose, saturating his shirt. The anger in his expression was long gone, replaced with fear. It mattered not. She had no mercy.
"I saw what you have in your cargo bay," Andreja growled. Grabbing a handful of Petrov's disgusting, greasy hair, Andreja slammed her fist into his eye. Petrov attempted a scream but, this time was silenced by Andreja's knee.
CRACK
"I didn't do-" His excuse would only irritate her, so she kneed him once more.
CRACK
"Don't lie to me," Andreja growled, pulling out the Martian dagger and holding the blade to his throat. "I spoke to them. I know everything…"
"I'm so sorry! Please don't kill me!" Petrov's words were slurred due to his facial injuries. Broken teeth clattered onto the ground, and his left eye was completely swollen shut. Andreja pressed the dagger into his throat… Her options weighed in her mind.
"I want to…" Andreja admitted before releasing him. "But I won't. But I will make sure every officer in the Settled Systems is looking for you… And when you're caught and brought to prison… You're going to learn the true meaning of harassment…" Tears poured from one of Petrov's eyes, terrified of Andreja's threat. Her goal complete, and feeling slightly better, she stood up to her full height. It's time to get out of this damn starship.
The Atlas, Orbing Akila, The Cheyenne System
Year 2331, January 2nd
1517 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
The Freestar Rangers were a huge help. At the mention of human trafficking, they arrived to assist. Over twenty rangers came to help transport the prisoners back to The Algorab System. With the multiple statements from the Algorabian, Dmitry Petrov was wanted in all corners of the Settled Systems.
"You are the grace of Unia…" The woman Andreja had first spoken to whispered as the women boarded the Freestar Collective freighter. This woman, Zelwey, pressed her lips to Andreja's forehead and moved on. The grace of Unia… Andreja didn't understand the Algorabian religion, but who was she? She devoted her life to a Cosmic Snake.
Once the Algorabian women were safely aboard the freighter, the starship detached and prepared for the journey to The Algorab System.
"Freestar will take care of 'em…" Sam said from the cockpit. In the distance, the freighter lit up before jumping into the outreaches of space.
"I'm glad we could help them…" Maxile agreed. The nurse's voice reminded her of the dagger that burned a hole in her pocket.
"Little nurse," Andreja said, stepping in front of Maxile. "About that dagger I loaned you…" Maxile's face immediately reddened at the mention of the blade.
"Oh… I'm sorry," Maxile muttered, picking anxiously at his fingers. "I lost it…"
"I saw," his eyes slowly moved up to meet hers when she spoke. "But do not fret… It was only a simple dagger. You did very well in that situation. You acted quickly and struck true. I was impressed!"
"Y-you were?"
"Of course," the dagger glinted as she revealed it to Maxile. Its dark red hilt glittered under The Atlas's lights. "I have this dagger for you. I felt it was meant for you. The dagger was smithed on Mars. It's more than belonging to a Martian such as yourself." Maxile's jaw was slightly ajar at the gift, but he accepted it.
"Andreja…" he trailed off. "I don't know what to say…"
Glad the nurse appreciated his gift, she offered a hand on his shoulder. "Think nothing of it. Now that you are more proficient with knives, training will begin on torture !"
"Wait, what?"
"Alright, guys! Avery's voice boomed as he entered the bridge, Sarah following closely behind. With the Captains' arrival, everyone that had participated in the mission was at attention on the bridge. "Mission is complete! The Algorabian women are heading home. Everyone did a great job working together today." A stab of guilt burned in Andreja's chest. Sure, they saved the prisoners… But who knows where Petrov ran off with the artifact.
"Was anything said about Petrov?" Sam asked. Everyone leaned forward, hoping for some good news.
"Nah," Avery shook his head. Everyone deflated at his answer. "The rangers said when they went to Sumati, The Scow was gone… But fortunately, his name is being passed throughout the Settled Systems. With a bounty as high as his, no one will pass on turning him in." Andreja hoped they found him soon.
"It sucks we had to leave the artifact behind… But it was worth it." Maxile added content about the events of their mission.
"I have the artifact."
"I know…" Avery agreed with Maxile. "But we will find it. It's our destiny!"
"I said I have the artifact."
"Where do we look next? The Scow could have gone anywhere ." Sam mused, still looking out of the cockpit. The deep void of space gazed back at them.
"Listen to what I'm saying, dammit!" Eddie snapped. "I have the artifact." His words finally dawned on Andreja.
…
"What!?" The bridge's occupants exclaimed. The physician eyed everyone with extreme disdain.
"This is exactly how I know you don't listen to me!" Eddie quibbled as he reached into his coat. A plate-shaped object covered in cloth was revealed to the crew. "I might as well be talking to myself! If you all aren't listening to me say I have the damn artifact, then there is no way you are obeying my orders! Sam, that's why your blood sugar is so high!"
"What!? That's not true!"
"Eddie," Avery said softly, taking the artifact from Eddie's hands. Avery slowly unwrapped the plate to reveal the shiny surface of the artifact. "How? How did you get this?"
Eddie scoffed, displeased as usual, "I got it when those damn alarms started. It nearly burst my eardrums. Captain Petrov ran out of the vault the moment it started. He didn't even finish explaining where he managed to find an Earth MRI machine in such pristine condition. So once I finished touring his vault, I saw the artifact and took it with me. Speaking of, we need to discuss my contract again, Avery! Nowhere does it read that I am supposed to steal artifacts!" Eddie probably had prepared a more extended tangent but ceased when Avery suddenly hugged him.
"You're amazing!" Avery openly laughed, spinning Eddie around. "I'll pay you whatever the hell you want for this one! This is so badass!! You came in clutch with this stunt!"
"Put me down, you damned idiot!" Eddie screamed and cursed as Avery spun him around the bridge. Of course, the Captain ignored his demands. Instead, they waltzed up and down the bridge, much to everyone's amusement.
"Here's to Eddie!" Avery announced, lifting the cranky man up from under his arms. Eddie's legs dangled to the ground, his arms crossed in defiance at the humiliation Avery was putting him through. Even so, Andreja applauded along with the rest of the crew.
"You all can go straight to hell… Mr. Deimos, stop laughing at this moment!"
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed! If you notice any errors or sentences that sound weird, please let me know! Or if you think its not half-bad, I'd love to hear that too!
Now that Chapter fifteen is done, there are only ten chapters left that I have planned. Believe it or not, I have an ending planned out for this episodic fanfiction. I'm hoping it will tie everything together well!
Chapter 16: The Misadventures of Barrett and Vasco II - Amundsen Barrett
Summary:
Barrett and Vasco take another solo adventure when they lose contact with an old friend. This journey leads them to a mine deep in the waters of Volii Alpha. They arrive at a small facility outside a mine containing five people. Submerged and isolated with strangers, the duo must figure out what is going on and how they can escape.
Notes:
Hello! If you notice any errors please don't be afraid to let me know!
T/W - Death, cursing, blood.
Disclaimer - I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Four Kilometers Underwater, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, January 24th
1818 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
The hum of the submarine's propeller cast a relaxing white noise in their cramped quarters. Barrett shifted uncomfortably, pressed tightly against Vasco's metal frame. The tiny submarine they had rented barely fit the two of them, but they managed. The transporter he hired to bring them underwater initially refused Vasco's presence. But once Barrett dangled a few extra credits under the man's nose, he was more than willing to cram Vasco into the submarine. The Neon native probably would have strapped Vasco onto the back of the sub if it meant the additional payout.
Barrett silently thanked the modern technology that allowed the submarine to descend deep into Volii Alpha's ocean without imploding. The top of the mini-submarine was encased in thick glass that allowed them to see in all directions. However, nothing was notable in dark and murky water for miles around them. Barrett wasn't even sure how much further to the ocean floor.
"Vasco, replay Mayley's message?" Barrett muttered to his robotic companion. Anything to break the silence in the sub's cabin. Vasco took milliseconds to process his request.
" Understood, Barrett, " Vasco's monotone voice responded. After a few moments passed, Vasco finally located the message in his internal hard drive. Mayley's elated voice chimed from Vasco's speaker, " Barrett! I hope you're doing good! I just wanted to let you know that I scored a job! I'll be working in an independent mining facility. They need the skills of an expert geologist… But here's the kicker, it's a little over four kilometers underwater! Did you ever think a gal like me would be sent into Volii Alpha's ocean? I'll be sent down there at the beginning of August… Anyway, I'm super excited. I'll attach the mine's coordinates so you can pinpoint my depth. Anyway, I'll send you another message in a month or two… Tell Vasco I said 'hello!' Mayley Aust, out! "
That was the last time he heard from Mayley. During her five months of radio silence, Barrett tried to contact her unsuccessfully. She never responded to any of his messages.
Barrett and Mayley go way back. They had worked on many projects together before he joined Constellation. His old friend wasn't the type to suddenly go off the grid. Once he had had enough of waiting to hear from her, he decided to follow the coordinates she had sent him in her original message.
As he expected, Avery had no qualms about Barrett taking a brief leave of absence. In fact, Avery was prepared to utilize all of Constellation's resources to search for Mayley. It took Barrett thirty minutes of convincing to persuade his Captain otherwise.
Barrett hadn't even planned on taking Vasco on this journey, but the robot had insisted. Vasco was highly vocal about a lot of things… Barrett's jokes… His robot dock… The modules Barrett wanted to upload… But one thing Vasco loathed was water. Vasco did everything in his power to avoid getting wet. So, Vasco's willingness to venture to an underwater mining facility spoke highly of his concern for Mayley.
Barrett tried to ignore his anxiety by peering into the murky water surrounding them. Damn… I feel like I'm back at Rapture… He quickly shook the stray thought from his head. That whole ordeal had been traumatizing in its own right…
"We're here," The transporter said, tossing Barrett a look over his shoulder. "Just in time, too. We've been in the red on the depth meter… Lucky for us, the water pressure didn't crush my sub…" A shiver ran up Barrett's spine at the mention of the possibility of their tragic end.
"Glad you're a glass-half-full kinda guy…" Barrett muttered, leaning closer to the sub's window. A subtle cluster of lights appeared in the distance, gradually brightening as they neared.
The mine sat precariously on the edge of a crevice, almost threatening to plummet into hell itself at any second. Dim lights illuminated the murky water, showing passage to the facility's sub dock. The transporter's dexterous fingers sprawled the controls, preparing the submarine to dock.
"You're gonna have to find your own way home," the transporter warned. "My sub can't handle another go at this depth… I'm hightailing it back to the surface the second you two are out. Thanks again for the credits, but they aren't worth the stress out in my sub…" As if to prove his point, the thick metal hull surrounding them groaned at the water pressure.
"Gotcha," Barrett grinned. "Thanks for your help. We can swim home from here if needed, so don't worry about us." The transporter snorted at Barrett's jest.
" Barrett, the water pressure at this depth is almost six thousand pounds per square inch. " Barrett groaned at the robot's fun fact. Sarcasm goes right over his metal head…. " Furthermore, I would prefer to avoid being submerged. I am prone to rust. "
Four Kilometers Underwater, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, January 24th
1843 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Barrett's ride instantly detached from the mining facility when the bulkhead latched behind him and Vasco. The duo stood in a cramped room, waiting for the dock to completely seal so they could enter the next room. Once all the water had been evacuated, the bulkhead they stood before opened, revealing a small lobby.
Five people were spread out in the lobby, giving them various expressions. Some appeared suspicious, others hopeful, and some even angry. What the hell? The second bulkhead shut when they stepped into the lobby, sealing Barrett and Vasco in the facility.
"Wait!" A young man with short dark hair exclaimed. "Where the hell is the submarine going!?" The small group of people fell into panic at the outburst.
"I thought we were going home," a woman asked. She turned to a bald man standing in the back of the room, her ponytail flipping out as she twisted. The man she turned to didn't bother meeting her eyes; instead, he glared at Barrett.
"Nah, it's just SilverStone sending another poor bastard to help in the mines…" This comment was from a rather dirty gentleman wearing a headband. "They couldn't have sent another woman, instead? Gettin' pretty tired of only having Airlyth and Mayley to stare a-"
"Shut the fuck up, Dahn!" The man with the cropped hair snapped. "Brend, who the fuck is this guy!? I thought you said someone was coming to get us!" The bald man, Brend, didn't appear influenced by the sudden aggression.
The lobby wasn't much to look at. It was large enough to fit six people and a robot. Thick windows covered the wall surrounding them. To the north, Barrett could see the exterior of the mining facility. An endless abyss was to his left; Barrett couldn't see anything in it… Subnautic mining equipment sat in a desolate space to the facility's right, illuminated by enormous spotlights.
Finally, Barrett noticed the person he started this journey for in the first place: Mayley. Her jet-black hair was held up in a bun, and her glasses were at the tip of her nose. She gave him a look that begged for help. Strange…
Still, the others fell into an argument amongst themselves. They argued about who was at fault and when 'help' would arrive. When Barrett finally had enough, he snapped.
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on!?" Barrett snarled, looking from one person to the next. One by one, each crewmate turned to Brend. The lines on his forehead deepened at the room's attention. He must be in charge around here.
"Go on then, Brend!" The final crew member snarled. Barrett had yet to hear his name… "Tell all of us what the hell is going on! We've been stuck down here for months! Not a damn word from-"
Leif, that's enough." Been demanded. Again, the room fell quiet. "Who sent you?" The question was odd… Brend wasn't curious about who Barrett and Vasco were but who they were involved with.
Barrett mulled over his answer, "Name's Barrett, I'm an explorer… I saw the emergency lights on your habitat and stopped by to see if I could help." Barrett pointed out the window at a red flashing light affixed to the facility's exterior. It was safer to lie than potentially throw Mayley under the bus.
"Why did your submarine leave?" Brend asked, still avoiding answering any questions.
"It was a rental…" Barrett deadpanned. "It was about to implode if it stayed down here any longer. Unfortunately, we'll need a ride back to the surface." Barrett briefly caught a look of relief in Bern's expression.
" Preferably a submarine containing an appropriate robot dock, " Vasco added.
"So your submarine isn't coming back…" Airlyth muttered, tears beginning to run down her cheek.
"I'm Brend, Vietma Mine's lead," Brend explained, officially introducing himself. "My crew has been down here for months… We haven't heard from the company employing us, nor have they sent anyone. I sent out an SOS… But so far, I haven't gotten a response. Sorry to tell you this, but you're stuck down here until the job is finished. When we signed on, we were told they would evacuate us once we reached the cap. Which means there's still work to do, so I suggest everyone get a good night's sleep!" Brend finished with a growl, looking over every crew member.
"Fuckin' bullshit…" Leif spat, pushing past Brend to his respective quarters. The other crew followed shortly after.
"Damn… It would be a dude to show up…" Dahn mumbled, rolling his eyes at Barrett. "Hey Airly-"
"No!"
"You don't even know what I was going to say!" The woman didn't seem to care what Dahn had to say. Rocking up from her seat, she hurried to where Barrett assumed her quarters were. "Damn woman... They're all crazy..." After the employees had gone to their respective rooms, Barrett realized that Brend still held him with a distrustful gaze.
"We have an available room in the back…" With his final word, Brend moved to leave but stopped. "I don't know why you are here… But I won't tolerate any bullshit. This is a job. The faster we finish, the faster we all leave…"
"I'm still waiting to see my contract…" Barrett growled. He didn't realize that his arrival meant volunteering to mine rock… Brend's door shut once he left the room, leaving Barrett, Vasco, and Mayley.
"Barrett!" Mayley crashed into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. "What are you doing here? I never thought I'd see you again!" Despite how his chest muffled her voice, he could still hear Mayley's voice crack.
" After your previous message, we never heard from you again, " Vasco whirred and clicked as he moved towards them. " Barrett was worried, so we came to find you. " Mayley pushed herself away from Barrett and turned to the robot. Vasco's camera focused on her face, his lens constricting and dilating to focus.
"Vasco, I'm happy to see you too!"
"Mayley, what's going on?" Barrett needed her to focus on the problem. He was happy to see her too, but there were more important things at present. "Why are you still down here? Why didn't you send a message out?"
"Barrett, none of us can send any messages out…" Mayley's eyes were downcast. "The first month, everything was great. Our employers were communicative; they sent us supplies, and we worked without issues… But the past few months…. It's like we were forgotten. Brend says that they don't respond to any messages he sends out. But they still submerge canisters for us to load the ore into. Brend swears that once we exhaust the mine, they will come for us… We harassed him enough to get him to send out an SOS… But the company hasn't even responded to that ." Mayley pointed to a module in the center of the room. As she had said, a message appeared on the screen.
SOS PENDING RESPONSE.
TOTAL TIME ELAPSED: 1,594 HOURS, 22 MINUTES, 17 SECONDS
VIETMALOGIC
VietmaLogic… What the hell is that?
" I did not detect any emergency signals during our descent. " Vasco pointed out. That didn't make any sense either… Where was the signal emitting to, if not this location? Barrett considered investigating the signal but turned back to Mayley. Something wasn't right.
"What do they have you mining down here?" He needed more details to unravel this mystery. Mayley pulled out her slate and pushed the tablet into his hands. A picture of a rock was splayed out on the screen, the mineral a sick green color.
"This is Zaropilite; so far, it's only found on Volii Alpha's seafloor," Mayley explained. "I've studied the minerals we've collected… But they don't have the appropriate equipment down here to look in depth… All I really know is that Zaropilite is a rare ore, and someone wants a lot of it. I've tried to get more information from Brend, but he isn't a talker…"
"Who's down here with you?" Obviously, Brend was a suspect. Someone so secretive could only have insidious plans. But Barrett couldn't put a finger on the rest of the crew. They seemed like normal, scared people.
"Well," Mayley paced back and forth. She pushed her glasses back up her nose as she thought over the question. "The only other female down here is Airlyth."
"Yeah, the blonde girl that started crying…"
"She's sensitive !" Mayley defended. "Anyway, she's over the life support features of the habitat. She doesn't really go into the mines. Once we stopped receiving care packages, she had to start piecing together the support systems to keep us running. We would have sunk by now if it wasn't for her."
"How about the guy that was pissed at the universe?"
"That's Leif," Mayley easily understood who he referred to. "He was hired on as a miner. He just makes sure all the minerals are transported to the submission canisters. He gets more volatile every day…" Great, we'll have to watch out for that one…
"Yeah, he needs a sedative or two." Now, Barrett found himself pacing back and forth. This wildly changed from a simple one-person rescue mission to a full-on evacuation. "And the other two?"
"Dahn," Mayley's tone dropped when she said the name. "He's our demolitions expert… He's crude… Not a very kind person. He makes me uncomfortable… And finally, Brend."
"Go on…" Barrett encouraged.
"Well, Brend is our supervisor." She said simply. "He oriented everyone to the unit. Until a few months ago, he directly contacted our employers. He said that the ocean depth wouldn't allow our transmissions to make it topside. He makes sure everyone keeps on working… He's so quiet, it's kinda hard to get a read on him." So Brend is the only person in contact with these mysterious employers… I'll have to wire Vasco into the mine's computing system and see what we can find out.
" Barrett, I cannot reach The Atlas from this depth, " Vasco informed him. Damn, I was worried about that…
"I'm thrilled you are here, Barrett," Mayley said, touching Barrett's shoulder. "But I wish I never gave you those coordinates… I might have doomed you both."
"Nah," he grinned. Now that he was here, he couldn't afford to lose the spirits of the one person he trusted. "We're here to save you… We can't die yet." His apprehension for their isolation was waved in favor of a positive attitude. Just because things didn't appear to be going his way doesn't mean he was out yet… He still had Vasco… Together, they would save Mayley and escape. Quickly.
Vietma Mine, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, January 27th
1927 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Salvation did not come nearly as quickly as Barrett had hoped. In fact, three days passed without a word from the surface. Barrett did manage to learn about the surrounding area. The crew lived in a habitat about ten meters from the Vietma Mine. Everyone's schedule was relatively the same, with a slight day-to-day variation. The crew woke up at six and prepared for the day. The habitat had a separate room that contained multiple high-pressure diving suits. Apart from Airlyth, everyone donned the diving suits and traveled to the mine. Directly outside the habitat, runway lights illuminated the path to the mine's entrance. By the end of the day, all of the extracted Zaropilite was transported to the evacuation site. The crew then returned to the habitat to finish the day, rinse and repeat.
Barrett had attempted to question the process of submitting the minerals, but he was met with an unenthusiastic response. After the crew packed the canisters with Zaropilite, they ascended to the surface immediately. The canisters have a beacon to allow for easy retrieval. By the next morning, new canisters were at the evacuation site. With that in mind, they couldn't have been forgotten! Someone is collecting the ore on the surface… But why haven't they checked on the crew?
"Well, well, well," a nasal voice mocked, joining Barrett in the habitat's central hub. Barrett's weight on the couch shifted with adding a new person. "It's Silverstone Industries' laziest employee…" Dahn unleashed a grating cackle at his joke. Sighing, Barrett set his slate on the coffee table. He had been looking into ways to send out his own distress beacon… but so far, he was unsuccessful. With Dahn's arrival, he knew he wouldn't get any work done.
"Can I help you, Dahn?" Barrett droned, hoping the demolition expert would get bored and leave him alone. Dahn only smirked, eager to amuse himself at Barrett's expense.
"Oh, you can help, alright…" Dahn stretched out along the couch. He even threw a dirty boot onto Barrett's thigh… "You've been down here for three days now and haven't done a damn thing…" Barrett could easily tell Dahn had been working in the mines; the pungent smell of salt wafted from the man.
"I'm still waiting on my contract…" When Barrett shoved it, Dahn's boot-clad foot fell to the floor with a satisfying thunk . He had learned rather quickly about Dahn's personality… Through rumors and small talk, Barrett knew Dahn was from Neon. While on Neon, he stayed in and out of trouble with the law. If he wasn't participating in theft, he was a general menace to society. Barrett assumed the demolition expert was a criminal before he joined Silverstone Industry, likely attracted by the promise of money.
"No contracts here…" Dahn snarled, moving to throw his boot back into Barrett's personal space. He was halted by a four-fingered metal hand. His robotic companion stood behind the couch, overlooking Dahn and Barrett.
" Please keep within a respectable distance ," Vasco warned the man. Dahn grunted, attempting to pull his leg from Vasco's grasp. Once Vasco felt his point was made, he released Dahn. " Thank you. "
Dahn hopped into a standing position, mumbling something about a 'damn tin can.' Deciding the fun was over, Dahn stalked into his quarters, slamming the door behind him. It was just as well because the rest of the crew started pouring into the central hub. The main hub was essentially an enormous community room. The room had a small kitchen, comfortable furniture, and an old television. Six rooms were attached to the hub room, the crew's quarters. Lucky for Barrett, he was able to snag the last room during his… visit.
"I'm past this shit… I'm not getting paid enough to load this much ore!" Leif snarled as he stormed into the kitchen. The sound of ice falling into a glass cup signaled that Leif was preparing a drink. Leif loved two things: drinking and being angry.
Mayley joined Barrett on the couch, her hair damp from the constricting diving suit. "Maybe we are almost done… We've shipped so much Zaropilite, they shouldn't need too much more..." Her voice trailed off, unsure of her own words. Silent as usual, Brend made himself comfortable in the lazy boy across from the couch. He stared unblinkingly at Barrett. Barrett still had yet to have a meaningful conversation with Silverstone's lead… Anytime he tried, the man only gave breadcrumb responses.
"I hope so," Airlyth said as she descended a step ladder. Airlyth had been working all day on repairing one of the metal panels in the hub room. Through her persistence, the knot of frayed wires was untangled and packed back behind the panel. This place probably would have imploded a long time ago without her… "I'm barely keeping this place together…" Airlyth's mood had considerably improved since Barrett first arrived.
"You're doing great," Leif added, swirling his drink. "Anything you gotta say, Brend? Or should I expect Silverstone to wait for us to die here?" If Brend felt any sort of way about Leif's slight, it didn't show in his face. Barrett initially assumed Leif would be problematic; that assumption was far from the truth. Although Leif did have anger issues, it was all directed towards Brend and Silverstone Industries. Over the past few days, Leif has maintained a very concerned attitude towards everyone's wellbeing, Barrett included. Everyone apart from Brend.
"We need you to help out tomorrow," Brend suddenly said, eying Barrett. Barrett's eyebrows shot into his hairline; the order was out of the blue. Even Mayley's breath hitched at the unexpected demand.
"He's not even being paid! You can't make him work." Leif growled before Barrett could muster a response. Brend's gaze didn't falter. He still glowered at Barrett.
"I can make sure you get paid," Brend added, rocking into a standing position. "But we need the extra manpower. You want to get out of here, don't you?" Not waiting for a response, Brend went to his quarters and shut the door behind him. What a jackass…
"Fuck that guy…" Leif mumbled, following suit. The anger that previously weighed on the room drained when Leif ambled into his quarters. Barrett looked to Mayley, who looked concerned.
"You don't have to go, Barrett…" Mayley fumbled her fingers in her lap. "This isn't your problem. Eventually, they will send for us, and we will escape." Mayley clearly had guilt involving Barrett in this.
"But if you do decide to go, you can use my diving suit!" Airlyth offered as she started climbing back up the step ladder. The flicker of sparks illuminated her side of the room as Airlyth welded the panel. "I haven't used it once!" She called over the weld. It wouldn't hurt to go out to the mine… Maybe I can figure a way out of here…
Vietma Mine, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, January 31st
0712 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
His first plunge had been terrifying, to say the least. All that protected him from the ocean's crushing pressure was a reinforced diving suit… Lovely. Vasco was anxious about Barrett's initial steps outside and voiced concern about the efficiency of the diving suits. But Vasco calmed down after the next few days of venturing into the mines.
His first trip into the mines was uneventful. Barrett and the crew mined a ton of Zaropilite and delivered it to the evacuation site. They rose toward the surface as soon as they loaded it into the canisters. Pretty soon, Barrett found himself in a sort of routine. Work, sleep, work, sleep.
"Alright, everyone needs to go to their assigned pit," Brend's voice ordered over the diving suit comm. Barrett peered through his helmet's visor into the murky water. His helmet had a small flashlight attached to its temples, but it didn't help his visibility. "Same as yesterday." With his final word, Brend descended into the mine.
"Let's get this shit over with…" Leif grumbled as he followed Brend. The mine entrance was at the edge of an abyss. A small voice in Barrett's head told him to look into the crevice.
"I can't wait to blow up something!" Dahn exclaimed over the comm. Dahn was pretty useless in the mine, Barrett had realized. All he did was set explosives and refuse to ferry the ore. Ignoring the order to descend the mine, Barrett crept over to the crevice edge… Just one look won't hurt…
As he expected, he couldn't see the bottom of the crevice. Only a dark nothingness spread in front of him. If he fell into the trench, not even the reinforced diving suit would protect him from the crushing pressure of the depths… A strange object caught Barrett's attention. A thick wire from the ground traveled along a ledge into the crevice. What the hell is that?
"Barrett?" Mayley's voice pulled him from his thoughts. Bouncing to turn himself around in the water, Barrett met Mayley's eyes in her helmet visor. She raised her arms as if to say, 'What?' She had given Barrett a warning before his first trip into the mine. When you speak over the comm, everyone will hear you. So be careful what you say. Recognizing the warning, Barrett pointed at the cable descending into the crevice… Mayley stared at it momentarily, a perplexed look on her face. After she got an eye full, she met his attention with a shrug. Great…
He made a mental note to discuss it later and started his trek into Vietma Mine. Something wasn't right about this setup. He had become complacent… When everyone went to sleep tonight, he would make his move. It's time to figure out what the hell is going on…
Vietma Mine, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, February 1st
0010 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
The eerie silence of the habitat was only disturbed by Vasco's internal hardware. The robot's continuous whirring and mechanical movements lightly echoed into the void of nothingness. Barrett silently prayed his companion's involuntary racket wouldn't blow their cover. Once they had moved from the habitat's main hub room into the lobby, where they had arrived initially, Barrett felt he could breathe.
" Barrett, how long will this task- "
"Shhh!" Barrett shushed the robot. Even at a regular volume, Vasco's monotone voice was booming. Espionage was never Vasco's strong suit. "You're gonna wake everyone up, Vas…"
" How long will this task take? " Vasco repeated, albeit at a lower volume. Barrett huffed at the robot's urgency to complete this late-night mission. He was probably prioritizing going into low-power mode… as usual.
"It'll take however long it takes," Barrett answered, stepping up to the module in the lobby's center. The same message was broadcast on the monitor.
SOS PENDING RESPONSE.
TOTAL TIME ELAPSED: 1,738 HOURS, 49 MINUTES, 32 SECONDS
VIETMALOGIC
Six days! We've been down here for six entire days! He was ashamed at how stagnant he had grown while trapped in the mines. Almost a week had passed, and they were just now attempting to figure out an escape. Barrett threw a glance at Vasco. The robot was patiently waiting for an order from Barrett. No… I can't think about that right now… Vasco and Mayley are counting on me… Kneeling down, Barrett made quick work of the panel containing the module's contents. Once the module's internal machinery was exposed, he stepped back for Vasco. A doorlet on Vasco's body popped open, revealing a cable. Barrett stretched it forward and connected it to the module.
" Connected, " Vasco informed him. Several seconds passed as Vasco downloaded and evaluated the information the module provided him. Those seconds felt as though hours were passing.
Barrett spoke up when he couldn't bear the suspense, "Well? Good news? Bad news?" Vasco's cable suddenly retracted, severing the connection to the module.
" I have discovered conflicting information, " Barrett began the process of screwing the panel back into place while Vasco spoke. " The emergency signal provides coordinates completely different from the Vietma coordinates. Furthermore, the signal does not seem to originate from this module. The module simply communicates that a message was sent. "
"Vasco, the point," Barrett growled at the robot's extensive description.
" Understood, " Vasco affirmed. " The signal supplies coordinates that are thirty kilometers north of the mine. If one attempts to follow where the distress call originates, they will arrive fifty kilometers east. " Barrett stared numbly at the final bolt he had yet to fasten back onto the panel. All these months… No one has been looking for them… At least, not in the right place…
"This emergency broadcast is just for show then…" Barrett meekly concluded, twisting the final bolt back into place.
" Affirmative. "
Vasco's whirring machinery and the soft sound of the ocean current brushing the habitat's exterior chimed in Barrett's ears while he pondered this new information. What now? He now had proof that no one was looking for them… At least, if someone was looking for them, they wouldn't be able to find them. Apart from Brend, none of the crew likely knew they were completely isolated from this mysterious company… Silverstone Industry… What a bunch of bastards… Barrett suddenly stood up, facing Vasco's camera.
"We need more information, Vasco," Barrett concluded. Before the robot could respond, Barrett stalked back into the habitat's central hub.
" What are you doing, Barrett? " Vasco asked, pursuing the engineer. Barrett stopped at Mayley's door, reaching into his pocket.
"We need to make a plan," Barrett whispered, revealing a digipick. The small, cylinder-shaped tool made short work of the computer lock on Mayley's door. Once it was unlocked, the door slid open, allowing them access.
" This is an invasion of privacy, Bar- "
"We have bigger fish to fry, Vasco." Barrett interrupted the robot's ethical protest and entered Mayley's quarters. The geologist had made the quarters her home during her months in the habitat. Despite the room's darkness, Barrett could see the room layout was similar to his own. It held typical furniture plus a few knick-knacks Mayley had brought with her. Taped to the window, Mayley had multiple pictures of her family… Barrett even noticed a picture of Vasco and himself. Mayley slept soundly in her bed, her glasses on the nightstand. "Mayley…" Barrett shook her until she roused from her slumber.
"Barrett?" Mayley's voice was gravelly from the early hour. She threw a hand to her nightstand, searching. Finding the lamp, she flipped it on to illuminate the room. "What's going on?" She asked, her eyes half-lidded.
" I apologize on behalf of Barrett for disturbing your privac- "
"Vasco hacked the module in the lobby," Barrett blurted out, cutting off the robot. Mayley stared blankly at him, digesting his words. Fixing her glasses on her face, she sat up in bed and gave him an expectant look. Dark bags were under her eyes, either from the early hours or the stress she had experienced the past months. "The coordinates being broadcasted are completely different from the ones you gave us…"
Mayley's eyebrows knit together in thought. "So… anyone who has gotten the signal is going to the wrong place?" Mayley's respirations gradually increased as the disparaging news took its toll.
"Correct," Barrett nodded, sitting beside her on her bed. To make our situation worse, the broadcast doesn't even seem to stem from the habitat… It stems fifty kilometers east of our position…" Mayley's eyes only widened as he spoke. She stared out the window into the hopeless void of Volii Alpha's ocean.
" That is why I could not detect the emergency broadcast when we arrived at the habitat, " Vasco added. Barrett hadn't even considered that fact yet. An unsettling silence consumed the geologist's room. He saw the distress filling her mind as she thought about this new information.
"W-we need to tell them…" Mayley stuttered. She moved into a standing position to exit her quarters but was stopped by Barrett's hand on her arm. She spun to give him a wild-eyed look. "What!? We need to tell the crew, Barrett. They need to know something is wrong with the broadcast! Maybe it can be fixed! No one is coming. They aren't looking for us! We need to-"
"Mayley," Barrett said gently, snapping her from the panic that devoured her. Barrett now faced her, his hands on both of her arms. Once her breathing had slowed down and she began to show an inkling of comprehension, Barrett continued. "I don't know who we can trust right now… We still need more information before we can act." Slowly, Mayley nodded in understanding.
"What now, then?" Her voice was timid. Confirming that she had collected herself, Barrett released her.
"We figure out our next move, of course." Barrett paced Mayley's quarters, considering his options. This still doesn't make sense… There's no way Silverstone Industry is innocent in all of this…
" I believe Barrett was anticipating basing our upcoming decision on your consultation, " Vasco provided. Now in complete control of her emotions, Mayley tied her hair up. The geologist moved to face the window. Ocean debris drifted along the current, reflecting across her glasses.
"I see…" Mayley mumbled, deep in thought. "Brend might be our best bet. Supposedly, he is the only person in contact with Silverstone…" Barrett paused at the mention of the mine's leader.
"If I can hack into Brend's room, we can probably find some answers…" The idea wasn't hashed out… But it was a start. "If Brend is hiding something, his room will either clear or incriminate him."
"Brend isn't a huge talker…" Mayley turned to meet Barrett's eye. "I don't know how he will respond if he is betraying us… Especially if he is called out on it. What if he becomes violent?" Barrett could see the panic start to flood Mayley's expression once more.
"Then, we make a plan. Hell, we've got the best tactician right at our fingertips," Barrett slammed a fist into Vasco's chest, the boisterous clang echoing his point. Vasco took a step back at the sudden action. "We need to make sure that the main hub is empty in the morning. Y'think you can do that?"
Mayley didn't hesitate in her response, "Definitely. I can do that."
"Amazing," Barrett smiled. "Then just leave the rest to us."
Vietma Mine, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, February 1st
0607 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
The next morning went off without a hitch. Barrett reported an awful bout of diarrhea and was exiled to his quarters to spend the next twelve hours on the toilet. Mayley had the brilliant idea to damage one of the carbon dioxide converters in the habitat's lobby, effectively distracting Airylth. In the meantime, Brend, Leif, Dahn, and Mayley resumed their daily work of diving into the Zaropilite mine. Barrett and Vasco had the quarters to themselves… as long as Airlyth didn't interrupt.
"Let's move, Vasco," Barrett ordered once the habitat was silent. The others had left around thirty minutes ago, and Airlyth should be elbow-deep in her work. Soundlessly moving across the main hab, Barrett stood before Brend's door with his digipick in hand.
" Barrett, are you sure you are well enough to perform this task? " Barrett rolled his eyes at the robot's concern. With a steady hand, the light on the door flipped from red to green and slid open.
"Vasco, I'm fine." Barrett deadpanned. "It was a ruse, remember?"
" Just confirming. "
Slipping into Brend's room, it appeared as plain as Barrett and Mayley's. Careful not to disturb anything, Barrett sifted through Brend's possessions. Books… Clothes… Snacks… There isn't much- A shiny screen peeking out from Brend's bed caught his attention. A slate. Pulling the hidden slate from under the bed, Barrett activated the tablet. As he expected, it was locked.
"Alright, Vas, you're up," Barrett said, handing the robot the tablet. Vasco carefully handled the slate in one of his metal hands. Taking his other hand, Barrett watched as one of Vasco's metal digits shifted to reveal a small dock. Barrett awaited his companion's response after the robot had plugged into the slate. "Well?" Barrett asked once he couldn't wait any longer.
"This is a dire emergency," Vasco responded. Spending twenty years with the robot and his lackluster personality, Barrett had learned to detect urgency in the robot's monotone voice. This was one of those moments. "The information on this slate shows that everyone in this habitat is in danger."
"Okay, okay," Barrett raised his hands to calm the robot's loud voice. "We can talk about it back in my quarters… Let's put Brend's room back in place and get outta here." Vasco whirred in response and stalked out of Brend's quarters. I guess I'll do it myself then… Barrett hurriedly placed the slate back under Brend's bed, needing to get to Vasco as soon as possible. He froze in his position next to Brend's bed, noticing a peculiar sight. Under the bed, he could see the handle to a secret hatch… This guy is definitely bad news…
Vietma Mine, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, February 1st
1853 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
The next several hours were spent in complete silence. The information Vasco had obtained from Brend's slate had certainly thrown him for a loop. Now, he was stuck on what to do next… I need to reconvene with Mayley… Barrett sat on a central hub couch, staring off into space. Hovering as usual, Vasco maintained close proximity to Barrett.
"This… is kinda awkward…" Airlyth's voice jerked him from the buzz that was his mind. Honestly, he had completely forgotten she was in the room. She adjusted her position in the chair she relaxed in, eying him in concern.
"Uhm…" Barrett mumbled, meeting her eye. "Sorry, still not feeling too good…" From how her eyes narrowed, he could tell she didn't fully believe him. Fortunately, Dahn's thunderous voice announced the crew's arrival. One by one, the mining team entered the central hub. Barrett didn't miss Mayley's concerned glances. Surely, she was curious as to his discovery.
"Holy shit, I'm exhausted!" Dahn practically yelled as he flopped onto the couch next to Barrett. Due to his nearness, Barrett could smell the stench of the ocean on him. "You still got the shits, Barrett?"
"Eh, nah…" Barrett answered half-heartedly. His attention on the demolition expert had waned. Brend silently moved through the central hub, not sparing Barrett a glance.
"Well, hopefully, you're feeling better," Leif remarked from the kitchen. "There's no sense in you killing yourself for a job you didn't sign up for." Barrett didn't respond. Instead, he carefully observed Brend's body language as he stood before his personal quarters.
"I'm not sure he's feeling better," Airlyth added. "He's been staring into space for the past hour." A bead of sweat dripped down Barrett's brow. Unmoving, Brend stood at his door. Does he know?
"Bullshit, he doesn't!" Dahn exclaimed, kicking his feet onto the couch. "I ain't stupid! He just doesn't wanna work!" After ages, Brend unlocked his door and entered the quarters. An exhale escaped his lips, a breath Barrett didn't realize he had been holding. The light conversation between the remaining crew continued, but Barrett didn't comprehend a single word. He needed a plan… He jolted at sudden pressure on his shoulder.
"Everything okay?" Mayley asked, her hand gripping his shoulder.
"Yeah…" Her eyes desperately searched for a hidden meaning to his response. Barrett attempted to keep a neutral expression, but his lack of communication likely told her everything she needed to know. This isn't good.
"Can you two stop eye-fucking each other?" Dahn's immature comment broke their silent communication. It earned him a glare from Mayley.
"Man, step off!" Leif chided from the kitchen. Glasses clinked as he prepared a drink for himself.
"You're so annoying…" Airlyth added. "I'm always so glad when you go into the mine. I get some peace and quiet. I wouldn't have fixed the CO2 converter otherwise."
"Whatev-" Barrett froze at Dahn's out-of-character silence. When Barrett turned to the demolition expert, he found him with a look of worry. Following his eye, Barrett paled. Brend stood in his doorway, his lips pursed tightly and brow furrowed. "You good, Brend?"
"Someone was in my room," Brend growled. Well, hell… Guess we weren't as careful as I thought. "Does anyone have anything to say? Airlyth? Barrett?" A veil of tension fell over the central hub. Rapidly, Barrett considered his options. Brend probably had a silent alarm or some other way to tell that his room was disturbed. There was no use in lying…
"Are you losing it, Brend?" Leif growled, hostility resonating from the man. "You have a fucking lock on your door. How the hell ar-" Leif paused when Brend held a hand up, motioning for him to stop speaking.
"What's going on?" Airlyth asked, her voice shaking uneasily.
"I'm not a damn child, Brend. I can talk if I want to."
"Who the fuck … was in my room." Brend's voice was low and menacing. Despite asking, he held Barrett in his glare. In fact, everyone looked at Barrett, awaiting his answer.
"Is there anything you have to say, Brend?" Barrett challenged, meeting the leader's eye. Brend stood tall before the crew, his arms tucked behind him, refusing to falter.
" I will provide clarification, " Vasco butted in. I guess it'll be better to rip the bandaid off and go from there… Having the floor, Vasco started spewing the contents of Brend's slate, " We did enter your private quarters. I apologize on Barrett's behalf for invad- "
"Vasco!
" Affirmative, " Vasco resumed. " Last night, we deduced that the emergency signal you had initiated was incorrect. It declares a location far from the Vietma Mine. Upon further inspection of your slate, we discovered that 'Silverstone Industry' is a false organization. This faction is currently aligned with a non-specific spacer affiliation. The ore that is being mined is found to be highly explosive and is expected to be utilized to initiate a galactic war. You have orders to mine all available Zaropilite. Once the ore is depleted, you will exterminate all crewmates aware of Vietma. I attempted to find who is giving you orders… But I could only find you are communicating with an undisclosed person in HopeTown. " The further Vasco elaborated, the tenser the room became.
"Anything to say, Brend?" Barrett asked, attempting to keep a casual tone. Despite Vasco's grand reveal, the leader remained unphased. Everyone held their breath, awaiting Brend's response.
"You are correct," Brend confirmed. The crew responded in an assortment of ways. Hmm... Didn't expect him to admit to it...
"What the fuck!?" Dahn screamed, jumping up. "They are going to kill us!? I should have just stayed on Neon!" Dahn's cowardice came in full tilt as he backed away from Brend. He continued babbling until his back hit the wall of the main hab.
Airlyth broke down into tears at the news. Sobbing, she curled up into a ball. Barrett had learned the first day that she clams up in severe stress. Mayley kept herself contained, standing next to Barrett. She faced Brend, refusing to release him from her scowl.
"I fucking knew it!" Leif screamed, throwing his glass of whiskey. Despite the glass shattering on the wall behind him, Brend remained unimpressed. Heavy footsteps alerted Barrett that Leif was moving toward Brend. "I'm going to fucking kill you! I've always known you're a damn snake, Brend! I'm going to-"
BOOM
Airlyth shrieked as Leif dropped to the floor, blood pooling beneath him. Standing over him, Brend brandished a gun that he had kept hidden behind him. Barrett leaped in front of Mayley and unholstered his weapon, targeting Brend.
"Fuck! He fuckin' shot Leif!" Dahn stuttered from behind them. Barrett prepared to fire but ceased when he realized Brend pointed his gun at Airlyth. Fortunately, the girl was still wrapped in herself and had not noticed.
"I've been waiting for this day," Brend growled, slowly moving along the edge of the hub. Barrett backed Mayley up to the door into the habitat's lobby, the barrel of his gun on Brend. "I've been babysitting these fuckers for months … But I'm done now. I'm fixing to get off this damned mine…" Brend stopped at one of the workstations and began entering commands, but his gun never left Airlyth. After a few inputs, the room was suddenly bathed in red emergency lights.
" Attention, all crew. The self-destruct sequence has been initiated. The facility will self-destruct in ten minutes. Please evacuate according to protocol. " The emergency declaration repeated itself over and over. Fuck!
"Now what, Brend?" Barrett growled, his finger twitching on the trigger. He still couldn't pull the trigger; it would risk Airlyth.
"We either continue this standoff, or you find a way out…" Brend said with a laugh. "It's up to you." Barrett considered his words. They had no time to waste. Brend edged back to his personal quarters. When Barrett hadn't shot him yet, Brend suddenly twisted and fired his weapon at one of the central hub's windows. Barrett dived over Mayley. When he looked up, Brend disappeared into his room, the door locking behind him. Across from Brend's room, a fracture spiderwebbed its way across the shot window. Damnit! The glass easily started giving in, and Volii Alpha water began pouring into the main hab. Barrett pushed Mayley to the door but was stopped by Dahn.
"Get the fuck out of my way!" Dahn screamed, shoving Mayley to the ground. He ran out of the main hab, slamming the bulkhead behind him. I swear I'll kill that fucker!
"Barrett!" Mayley cried as she climbed to her feet. Just as she stood, a larger hole in the glass broke through, flooding the entire room. Barrett struggled to open the bulkhead, but the incoming water provided a pressure he couldn't overcome.
"Vasco!" Barrett screamed. Understanding his command, Vasco stomped over to the bulkhead and used every mechanical force he could muster to open the bulkhead. Once the door was open, Vasco slipped through.
" Make haste, " Vasco commanded. Barrett and Mayley hurried through the door. The emergency lights painted the walls horrifying red, forewarning the horrors to come. Barrett turned to scream for Airlyth to follow. Now, having gained a sort of survival instinct, the woman waded through the ankle-deep water to the door. Before she could arrive at salvation, a loud shatter shook his bones. A wall of water slammed into Airlyth and the bulkhead simultaneously, shutting the door and likely ending her life.
"No!" Barrett exclaimed, his body momentarily full of guilt. However, the sight of water leaking around the bulkhead kicked his ass back into gear. The ankle-deep water at his ankles sapped his strength, but he pushed on. "Come on!" He said, grabbing Mayley's hand.
"We need to get to the dive suits!" Mayley yelled over the alarms. "That's our only hope to escape!" As if to mock them, the habitat's message continued playing. Alerting Barrett to their dwindling time…
" Attention, all crew. The self-destruct sequence has been initiated. The facility will self-destruct in ten minutes. Please evacuate according to protocol. "
Vietma Mine, Volii Alpha, The Volii System
Year 2331, February 1st
1916 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
The lobby Barrett and Vasco had arrived at was filled with water, likely like the rest of the habitat. Moving into the diving room, they found Dahn struggling to slip into a diving suit. In his panic, he rushed and couldn't properly equip the suit.
"You bastard!" Mayley snapped, stepping forward and slamming her fist into Dahn's nose. Blood spurted out of his nose at the blow, but he didn't respond to their presence.
Dahn mumbled to himself, repeating, "I gotta get out of here!" Join the club! Time ticking away, Barrett and Mayley climbed into their diving suits. It was a difficult task due to the now pitch-black room. The only light they received was from the periodic illumination of the emergency lights. Dahn had now completely put on the diving suit and was preparing to submerge himself until a loud crash echoed in the room. A massive influx of water poured from a small hole in the room, toppling everything over. This completely submerged the remaining diving suits, rendering them useless.
"The water pressure is going to crush this place like a damn aluminum can!" Barrett growled, the stress of the situation clouding his mind. "We need to get moving. Are you ready?" Mayley began to respond but halted at the sound of Dahn's cry.
"N-n-no!" Dahn stuttered. He cradled his helmet in his arms. The helmet's visor was shattered, likely from when the water poured into the diving room. Dahn released the helmet, letting it fall into the now thigh-deep water. Taking a step towards Mayley, Dahn reached out with a shaky hand. "I need a helmet… I… Give me your helmet… Give me your helmet!"
Dahn lunged for Mayley but was caught by Barrett. Wrapping his arms around Dahn's chest, Barrett slammed him onto his back. This only deterred the crazed man momentarily. As soon as he was back on his feet, he resumed his pursuit of Mayley.
"Dahn, make a new plan!" Barrett warned, keeping his body in front of Mayley. "Don't make me kill you…"
"Give me that fucking helmet! You bitch!" Dahn snarled, rushing forward. Dahn's eyes were glazed over in his fear. He maintained his wild-eyed stare on Mayley despite Barrett's efforts. Didn't want to have to do this… Barrett settled with a fist, unable to reach his gun due to the diving suit. Rearing back, Barrett slammed his fist into Dahn's face, knocking him onto his back. Without command, Vasco utilized the gun attached to his arm and finished off the demolitions expert. With three shots to the chest, Dahn floated lifelessly in the blood-tinged water.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," Barrett apologized as Mayley slid her helmet on.
"It's fine, we have to go," Mayley said, waving him off. He slid his helmet on and prepared to submerge.
" Barrett… " Vasco said.
"What, Vas?" Barrett snapped, instantly recoiling when he realized the robot stood away from the submersion door. "What's wrong?"
" Brend has a hidden submarine just along the edge of the trench. That will be your best opportunity for escape. " Barrett was no fool. He knew Vasco was omitting something.
"Okay, then let's go."
" Barrett… "
"Vasco, what is it?" He tried to remain patient with the robot, but it was increasingly difficult due to the ongoing circumstances. Mayley now stood at the door, waiting for them.
" Attention, all crew. The self-destruct sequence has been initiated. The facility will self-destruct in ten minutes. Please evacuate according to protocol. " Damnit!
" I am concerned, " Vasco finally admitted. " I am concerned that I will either rust or fail while in due to Volii Alpha water pressure. If that occurs, I cannot finish my directives. " Barrett's shoulders sagged at Vasco's 'nervous' behavior.
"Vasco," Barrett said softly, stepping up to the robot. Barrett looked up into Vasco's camera, his metal frame towering over him. "I promise any single part of you that rusts, I will replace it. You are enhanced with the strongest metals in the Settled Systems, so I don't foresee you failing. But , if you fail, I will do everything I can to get you topside and back into shape. Got it?" Vasco's camera diaphragm dilated and constricted on Barrett.
" Understood, Barrett. " Vasco moved towards the submersion door and stepped into the room. Following him, Barrett closed the door behind them and allowed the room to become submerged. The entire process only took one precious minute.
"Run!" Barrett commanded the second they were allowed outside. The trio half ran, half swam their way forward. Where is it? Where is it!? Barrett desperately searched for the cable he had seen on his trips earlier. Surely, that was where the hidden submarine lies!
The path eventually broke into a clearing just outside the mine. Their group was still too close for comfort to the habitat. In the middle of the clearing, around fifteen meters ahead, Barrett spotted a figure. Brend!
"What's that?" Mayley asked. At her voice, Brend turned around to face their oncoming figures. He can hear what we are saying on the damn radio! That hatch I saw under his bed was probably a secret escape route… Propelling himself forward, Barrett closed the distance between him and Brend. He couldn't fire his weapon, and the submersion slowed his movements. But his gloved fist connecting with Brend's helmet still had an effect.
Brend began to topple over but was able to right himself. Now that Brend was close to Barrett, he grabbed at the many oxygen hoses attached to Barrett's helmet. Bubbles clouded his vision as he blindly fought off Brend. I can't let him get to the submarine!
"Barrett, I don't think we have much time le-" Mayley's voice was drowned out by a deafening roar of an explosion. Despite the water's ability to suppress the sound, Barrett's eardrums still rang. The explosion's shockwave slammed into them, tossing and turning them. Barrett could feel his limbs and helmet crashing into Brend repeatedly. Barrett was suspended above the nearby trench when the explosion's current was finished. Further below him, he spotted Brend. Brend quickly descended into the trench depths; bubbles streamed from his helmet, indicating a leak. Guess I'm following him… The thought was terrifying… But the diving suit was far too heavy to swim back to the clearing from which the explosion had thrown him.
As he sank, Barrett prayed that Mayley and Vasco had escaped the explosion unharmed. He wished his crew were here… He wished he could say goodbye… A sudden jolt to his chest caught his attention. Glancing down, he realized a tether was attached to his chest.
"What?" Barrett mumbled, still dazed. Vasco stood at the end of the tether, with Mayley firmly wrapped around his leg. "Vasco, you're amazing! I knew that the tether module was a great idea!" Barrett found himself laughing as Vasco reeled him in. The robot was undoubtedly a valuable member of Constellation… And definitely his closest friend…
"Barrett, are you okay!?" Mayley asked once Barrett was soundly away from the trench. Despite the bulky diving suit, she still managed to wrap him up in a hug.
"I'm good, I'm good!" Barrett assured her. "Thank you, Vasco! You saved my life." The robot's only response was to point through the dank ocean at a cable descending down a path into the trench. In other words, 'get me the hell out of the water.'
The trio continued their trek into the trench, eventually arriving at the end of the cable. Hidden in a cave, they found a medium-sized submarine. This was here all this time… Luckily, the door into the submarine was large enough for Vasco to fit into. When they were all safely in the cockpit, Vasco spoke first.
" That was extremely unpleasant, " Vasco said. Barrett couldn't stop the laugh that vibrated his chest.
"I told you you wouldn't fail." Barrett teased.
" We shall see if I rust… " An array of buttons, knobs, and levers spread out in front of him. Barrett had minute experience piloting a sub, but he would make due. Flipping the submarine on, Barrett figured out how to set it on autopilot. They would have to ascend slowly to prevent decompression sickness, but the closer they got to the surface, the better he would feel.
"No one else made it…" Mayley whispered. She looked out at her home for the past months. Once a small home, it is now an ashen grave, wiped from the planet.
"I'm sorry…" Barrett apologized. "I wish I could have saved them…"
"I know… But, you gave them the truth." She still kept her eye on where the habitat had previously been. "We were all going to die anyway… Thank you for saving me, Barrett. You are a true friend."
"You know your parents would have killed me if I let anything happen to you." Barrett teased, attempting to lighten the conversation. As he had hoped, it earned him a laugh from the geologist.
"I guess you're right."
" Barrett, what will we do with this new information involving HopeTown? " Vasco had a point. He hadn't given much thought to Ron Hope's possible involvement. In fact, he hadn't seen Ron since they last visited Polvo during the whodunit fiasco.
"I don't know yet…" Barrett admitted. "We need to get in touch with Const-"
"Barrett!? Hello!?" A familiar voice rang out on the submarine's radio. Sarah! "Is that you? I just got Vasco's signal!"
"The one and only," Barrett responded into the microphone. "I'm here with Vasco and Mayley. Any chance for a ride?"
"Damnit, Barrett!" Despite the shoddy reception, Sarah's irritation was clear as day. "We have been flying around Alpha Volii for the past week searching for you!"
"Sorry to worry you, we will surface in an hour or so…" He had never felt so relieved.
" Sarah, this is Vasco. Please prepare a steam chamber for me. I have been submerged completely in salt water. I fear I will begin to rust if not cared for immediately. " For an artificial intelligence, Vasco was pretty damn dramatic…
Notes:
If you managed to make it this far I hope you enjoyed! I really love Barrett and Vasco's relationship. I think its very sweet. As usual please let me know if you read any errors I missed. Thank you!
Chapter 17: Forgiving Ourselves - Sarah Morgan
Summary:
It turns out Sarah's most recent visit to New Atlantis didn't only involve Simeon's past. The Cabinet have a request of Sarah that brings up the demon's of her own past. With Constellation's help, Sarah must travel to the battlegrounds of a planet she thought was best left forgotten. In doing so, she hopes to please The Cabinet, while simultaneously silencing the voices of her past.
Notes:
If you manage to make it this far, I hope you enjoy! Please let me know if you see any errors.
T/W: Death, violence, blood, cursing.
Disclaimer: I don't own Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2330, December 14th
1005 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Despite how many years had flown by, the conference room where The Cabinet held its meetings hadn't changed in the slightest. Sarah stood before The Cabinet: five of the United Colonies highest officials, some of whom Sarah formerly reported to. The five members included President Alexandra Abello, Chief Diplomat Soliman Yasin, Military Admiral Pascual Logan, Chief Engineer Upsana Kulkarni, and Chief of Security Jeremiah Sarkin. She had received their summons a week ago, so Constellation had to change plans for her to attend. Although this task wasn't at the top of her list, the last thing she needed was to offend The Cabinet. Her behavior affects Constellation's standing with the UC after all.
"Good to see you, Sarah Morgan." Pascual Logan greeted her. "I'd love for everyone to catch up, but there is a reason you were summoned here today." Some things never change. Sarah left the UC military around nine years ago, and Admiral Logan still wasted no time getting to the point. Sarah reported to Admiral Logan since she was a fresh recruit to the UC. Through hard work and mutual respect, they had grown close… Until she joined Constellation.
"Likewise," Sarah agreed. The conference room sat on the top floor of the MAST building. Sarah stood on a platform overlooking the long table where The Cabinet members sat. Behind them extended a window overlooking all of New Atlantis. "It has been many years since I stood in this room. It's very… nostalgic."
"It certainly is," Soliman Yasin agreed, his voice a cadence. Being the Chief Diplomat, Soliman rubbed shoulders with many other officials within the Settled Systems. His charisma and level-headedness kept the UC out of wars with the different factions in the galaxy. The Cabinet all had their strengths and reigning districts. Together, they ensured the UC functioned correctly and smoothly.
President Alexandra Abello set down the mug of coffee that she had been drinking, "Yes. But Pascual is correct. You are here for a very important reason, Sarah. We need to discuss one of the members of your crew." The revelation of her summons befuddled her. She hadn't expected this meeting to involve Constellation.
"Then why is Avery not here?" The members of The Cabinet were intimidating in their own right, but Sarah had faced worse. "He is the Captain of Constellation."
"There are other matters to discuss," Jeremiah Sarkin clarified, not skipping a beat. "Your crewmate is only one subject." As the Chief of Security, Jeremiah handled all internal threats. Unlike Admiral Logan, Jeremiah's primary focus was protecting citizens within the boundaries of the United Colony star systems.
"Correct," President Abello nodded. "With Simeon's involvement with the UC military, it came down to an ethical decision whether to notify him or his superior."
"Simeon…" Sarah muttered. This made slightly more sense. As Vice-Captain, Sarah was fully aware of Simeon's past with Aegis. She never expected his past to come up again, however.
"Yes, Simeon." President Abello continued on. "As you should know, he was employed under Aegis five years ago. Simeon had been sent undercover to uncover a terrorist organization, Juniper. Unfortunately, his cover was blown, and he had to be… released from the UC. Regardless, after his unveiling, Juniper disappeared from the Settled Systems. With the understanding that the UC was onto them, they likely feared being caught, so they disbanded… or so we thought. We've kept our eyes and ears out for Juniper and recently have intercepted transmissions… These transmissions mention the names of Simeon and his entire family…" President Abello paused, allowing Sarah to soak up the new information. Is Simeon in danger? So this meeting is a warning.
"So, has Simeon's family been sent into hiding?" Sarah grimaced at the uncomfortable glances she received from The Cabinet.
"No," Jeremiah admitted. Sarah's expression remained neutral, but she could feel the blood rushing to her face. "Receiving only names of New Atlantis residents wasn't enough to warrant that kind of response. Besides, the transmission showed more interest in Simeon. However, we want to take all necessary precautions if Juniper's resurgence is possible. Which brings us to our next topic." She couldn't believe how inconsiderate The Cabinet was being of Simeon's family. They needed to be protected immediately.
"Which is?" Sarah's attempts at sounding calm failed.
"We would like to use Simeon as a decoy." Sarah's eyes bulged at Admiral Logan's blunt request. "This would be for the good of the UC." Sarah got the idea that The Cabinet didn't really care for Simeon's safety… But she did.
"And if Constellation refuses?" Sarah challenged.
"That's your decision then," President Abello responded before Admiral Logan could rise to Sarah's challenge. "This is why we are telling one of Constellation's Captains. Discuss it with your crew. This is completely your choice. Just friendly advice. However, keep in mind: The UC always remembers their friends." President Abello's offer sounded more like a warning.
"I understand," Sarah said, keeping her professionalism. "I will discuss it with my crew and we will reach back out when we come to a decision. Is there anything else that The Cabinet needs from myself or Constellation?" Sarah took a step towards the exit, hoping they would allow her to leave. She needed to speak with her crew ASAP.
"Only one," Chief Engineer Upsana Kulkarni said. She had remained quiet for the entire meeting, at least until this point. At Sarah's expectant look, she continued, "This is where you come in. Twelve years ago, during the Colony War, you fought in the Battle of Cass-"
"Sarah." President Abello announced, interrupting Upsana. Sarah realized the panic at the mention of the Battle of Cassiopeia must have betrayed her indifferent expression. Her anxiety didn't surprise her; at the mention of The Dauntless, visions of her departed crew raced through her mind. Once Sarah collected herself, President Abello sighed, "I understand this may not be something you want to think about… But this is a necessary discussion…" Taking in deep breaths, Sarah nodded, signaling Upsana to resume.
"Right…" Upsana hesitated, gauging Sarah's reaction. "So, as you know, during the Battle of Cassiopeia twelve years ago, your starship was downed. Some new information has come to light about the contents of your starship." Sarah cocked her head at this new information. Contents? What was on my starship? She had fought to move on from The Dauntless for twelve years.
"Your starship, The Dauntless, has crucial information." President Abello continued on from where Upsana had left off. "We require the black box data chip… But, we don't know where The Dauntless is on Cassiopeia's surface."
"Either you need to tell us where to find The Dauntless, or you need to go collect the data chip." Admiral Logan suddenly demanded. Again, Sarah wasn't intimidated by his aggression. He was used to getting his way through demands and threats.
"No," President Abello snapped, jerking her head in Admiral Logan's direction. "Sarah, you no longer are under the UC… However, this is the same situation as with Simeon's decoy contribution… If you were to assist us with this, it would be a huge favor to the UC…" Sarah didn't know what to do with this information… She has a lot of guilt to unpack with her crew on The Dauntless… Admiral Logan was highly aware of that!
"What will the black box data tell you?" Sarah changed gears, attempting to deduce the need for the data. "Why is it so important now?"
President Abello hesitated, "... I can't tell you for sure… Because I don't know yet. But I assure you, once we discover what is on the data, you will be the first to know." Sarah pondered her options. She felt possessive of her history on The Dauntless. She didn't want The Cabinet sullying the graves of her former starship… But if she doesn't help, it may make Constellation an enemy of the UC… Again, this would be another issue to discuss with Avery.
"I need some time to decide how to approach this… I will discuss this information with my crew and then reach back out. " Sarah resolved.
"The chip will be located on one of the main modules of The Dauntless," Upsana explained. As Chief Engineer, this was likely why she was so knowledgeable about The Dauntless. "The module will either be at the front of the ship or at the back…"
"This would be much simpler if you just tell us the location of the crash site…" Admiral Logan growled. "But I understand your reasoning…" He sighed after his admission, leaning back in his chair.
"Thank you for your time, Sarah Morgan." President Abello stood up, and the other members of The Cabinet stood with her. "Please, take into consideration helping us… It will benefit the UC and Constellation alike… You are free to go." Sarah nodded before turning on her heel. Her mind spiraled at the mention of Cassiopeia, a reminder of her failure as a Captain… she shook her head, shaking out the negative emotions. Right now, Simeon is the primary focus. She needed to call a meeting.
The Atlas, Orbiting Groombridge VIII-a, The Groombridge System
Year 2331, February 22nd
1432 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
President Abello's request had replayed in her mind continuously over the past two months. Where is this coming from? She had lost her platoon almost fifteen years ago. Why is The Cabinet showing such interest now !? She had to be missing something. Some information was being held from her.
Even Sarah's collection of multi-colored flora surrounding her couldn't distract her from the pressure of the President's request. Ironically, the brig was Sarah's space to contemplate when need be. During her years on The Atlas, she fixed plant boxes to the walls. She loved to harvest seeds from organic planets Constellation visited. Sometimes, she managed to germinate the alien plants… Sometimes, her attempts were met with failure. Regardless, through many improvised enhancements, she had her very own 'greenhouse.'
"You good, Vice-Captain?" Avery's familiar voice asked from the doorway. She hadn't realized he had been watching her. "You've been staring at that… tree for a minute…" Sarah smiled down at the lone deciduous sprout she kept in the corner of the brig.
" Apollo Fireleaf, " she answered, running her fingers along the small tree's red, waxy leaves. "Despite being a tree, it's an annual plant. When the Fireleaf flowers, the leaves ignite, burning the tree to cinders… The seeds are covered in an incombustible film, protecting them from destruction. This natural process allows the tree to improve the soil for the growth of its seedlings. Like a Phoenix, it's reborn from the ashes it leaves behind." Avery paused, mulling over his response.
"Appropriately named," he said after a few moments. "Just don't let it burn down my ship."
Sarah snorted, "This was one of the first plants I germinated. So far, there hasn't been any damage. I found it when we went to-"
"Feynman III," Avery finished her sentence. "How can I forget? That was where we found our second artifact."
"Correct." Sarah could hear Avery shuffling closer. Damn, she was horrible at hiding her distress.
"What's wrong?" Avery asked, moving in front of her. When she shifted to avoid his brown eyes, Avery raised an eyebrow.
"Well," Sarah exhaled, kneeling to check on one of her succulents. "During our last visit to New Atlantis, The Cabinet made a request of me…"
"They didn't just want to discuss Simeon?" Avery asked, the infliction of his voice rising in confusion. "What else did they have to say? You never mentioned anything else?"
"We've been so busy with contacts over the past month!" Sarah sputtered, unconsciously becoming defensive. When she realized her tone, she collected herself and continued. "They… they brought up my history with the Battle of Cassiopeia… They said that there is… something still on The Dauntless. They either wanted me to disclose the starship's location information or collect the data myself." At the thought of the starship, echoes of fire and death flashed across her mind's eye.
"Go on…" Avery encouraged her.
"I couldn't tell them…" She admitted meekly. "I couldn't tell them. Not because I have anything to hide… I'm just so ashamed of everything that happened. The lives I cost." Tears began to well in her eyes at the thoughts she fought every day to suppress. Losing her crew and The Dauntless had been why she left the UC.
"Sarah-"
"I spent six months alone on that planet," she said, not allowing Avery to console her. "Six months surrounded by the incinerated bodies of my crewmates. Once I was rescued, I never looked back. I never returned to pay my respects… But now, I have been given a reason to go back…"
"Sarah, it wasn't your fault." How could he know if it was my fault or not!?
"You weren't there!" Sarah snapped, turning to face him. Avery didn't flinch at her quick motion. "A lot of people were lost in this battle… They were lost due to my decisions as Captain of The Dauntless." He was not going to make her feel better. As the only survivor, she was responsible for shouldering the guilt.
"Okay." Avery nodded. "So what do you want to do then?"
"Captain," Sarah swallowed. "I'm sorry for delaying Constellation's business. But I must travel to Cassiopeia I. Do I have your permission?"
To her shock, Avery openly laughed, "Of course! If you want to do this, you have the complete support of Constellation. I hope you don't think you'll be going alone, though." She had actually planned on going alone…
"Thank you, Captain," Sarah said after a few moments. The prospect of going to a planet she was so ashamed of filled her with anxiety. But she needed to pay her respects… She needed to say sorry…
The Atlas, Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 22nd
1448 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
Walking under the light of Eta Cassiopeia once more was so surreal. Avery had assured Sam that the forest was much too thick to fly directly to the crash site of The Dauntless. This remark had damaged Sam's pride, but once The Atlas was parked outside the dense forest of Cassiopeia, he was slightly more agreeable. Everything about this place set her on edge. Even the forest branches appeared to want to reach down and tear into her…
"Are you sure you'll be able to find this starship?" Simeon asked as he stepped out of the cargo bay. "It's been like twenty-five years since you've been here." This earned him a scowl from Sarah.
"It's been fifteen years since I've been here. I'm only thirty-five, you buffoon." Sarah countered. Although the sniper's comment was crass, his carefree disposition relieved her. "When you spend six months surviving alone, you don't forget," Simeon mumbled a likely snarky comment as he passed her, but it went unheard.
"You ready to get moving?" Avery asked, slinging a backpack over his shoulder. Once more, Sarah stared out into the forest. It was time to face her past.
"I'm ready," Sarah nodded, stepping forward.
"Great!" Avery exclaimed. "Keep up, Simeon! That leg cast hasn't been off too long!" Avery threw Simeon a cheeky grin and slipped into the tangles of the forest.
"My leg is as good as new!" Simeon growled. "How about you worry about keeping up with me!" With only slight difficulty, Simeon pushed into the forest behind Avery. Sarah took a deep breath before following her crewmates.
It only took them a few hours of tripping over roots, tearing their clothes on the brush, and Simeon's constant complaining to arrive at Sarah's old camp. Set in the middle of a clearing, it hadn't changed since Sarah left it. A painful memory drew her attention to a dark spot at the edge of the clearing.
"We're here…" Sarah said, snapping her attention back to her camp. Her camp was over a decade old, but the shoddy tent still held up. Foliage had taken over the camp's ground, spilling into the fire pit. Fortunately, it hadn't rained, so the area was dry.
" Finally! " Simeon cried out. Hobbling forward, the sniper practically dived into the tent. I knew he was fibbing about his leg. Resting his own sore legs, Avery stretched out next to the fire pit.
"How far are we from the crash site?" Avery asked, casting his eyes up at her.
"Maybe another hour or two…" Sarah answered, climbing down beside him. "We can rest here for the night and ship out in the morning." Avery crawled into the tent, accepting her plan and collapsing beside Simeon.
The Forest, Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 22nd
2214 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
After a few hours of listening to Simeon and Avery's soft snores, Sarah recognized she wouldn't be falling asleep anytime soon. Crawling out of the tent, she studied her old camp. Due to their proximity to the planet's poles, the area stayed in a perpetual twilight. This provided the area with a dim, warm glow.
Again, she was pulled to the dark corner of the clearing… She knew what was over there… Releasing an exhale, Sarah moved to the corner that called for her. Waiting for her, she found the grave she constructed many years ago. Using a large stone, Sarah had crafted a makeshift tombstone. However, there were no bodies in the grave… Everyone had either been jettisoned into the atmosphere when The Dauntless was shot down or cremated in the crash… Although faded with time, Sarah could still read the epitaph.
In Memoriam of the Crew of The Dauntless
Brave Men and Women Who Served Their Home
March 6th, 2315
"I'm so sorry…" Uncontrolled tears began to pour down Sarah's face. At this moment, she allowed the guilt to envelop her. "You served courageously and were taken far too soon. I'm proud to have led such an amazing crew… Jenna… I only wish I had-"
SNAP
Sarah swiveled around at the noise. Her blood was pumping, and her senses were on high alert; the tears were gone. The camp remained empty, apart from the tent and fire pit. I've been away for a long time… Random noises in the forest are nothing new… Still… She couldn't deny the feeling that she was being watched…
Bowing a final time to the tombstone, Sarah started moving back to the middle of her camp. Deciding to sleep next to the fire pit, Sarah laid on her back and closed her eyes. Her job still wasn't complete, and she needed to rest.
The Forest, Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 23rd
0707 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
"Hey, Sam. We are still holding up alright out here." Sarah's eyes fluttered open at the sound of Avery's voice. The Captain stood at the edge of the clearing, his finger on his comm.
"Gotcha, Captain." Sarah winced at Sam's loud voice ringing across her own comm. As much as she appreciated their earpieces' open communication, Sarah was irritated when she became involved with everyone's conversations. The comm sometimes turned into a massive group chat that she couldn't silence… That was likely why Eddie, more often than not, removed his own comm, much to Avery's annoyance. "We're keeping an eye on your trackers."
"How's Simeon's leg holding up?" Maxile's voice now entered the conversation. She figured he was keeping tabs on the sniper. Since Maxile was recruited into Constellation, he had grown close to Simeon.
"I'm fine, Mother !" Simeon responded, exasperated. "The leg is in great shape. I actually woke up and set out on a morning walk. No pain at all…" Such a loud conversation, so early in the morning. Sitting up, Sarah massaged her temples. Despite his claim, Simeon was still bundled up under the covers in her tent. Liar…
"If you say so…" Maxile said disbelievingly before he severed his comm.
"Eddie said if you aren't stretching your leg like you're supposed to, he's going to amputate it!" Cora chimed in over the comm, a taste of humor in her tone. Due to her recent assistance with Constellation duties, Cora was given a call. The girl immediately took to it and added to any conversation she could. The comm meant a lot to her, but Sarah did feel slight concern that she was becoming obsessed.
"I am!" But Simeon's protest went unheard. Cora had cut her comm.
"You're up!" Avery said, noticing that Sarah had repositioned herself. A large hand appeared before her face, offering her help to stand. "You ready to move out?" Sarah slid her hand into Avery's and was pulled into a standing position. The quick movement so soon after awakening caused her vision to spin. Once her vision no longer danced, she stared into Avery's eyes. He held a look of determination.
"I'm ready," she nodded. "We're roughly a mile away from the crash site. It should take us an hour or two to arrive."
"No time to waste then," Avery said, moving to her old tent. Purely for his own amusement, Avery started tapping his foot on Simeon's blanket cocoon. "C'mon, Sim. Up and at 'em!" Avery's pesky behavior lasted seconds before Simeon crawled out of the tent.
"You bastard Captain," Simeon growled, his voice husky from sleep. Once he stood to his full height, Simeon met Avery's eyes with a scowl. "Just because my leg is still healing doesn't mean I won't kick your ass…" The two grown men continued their stare down, which only ceased when Avery swiped another kick at Simeon. Simeon lunged for Avery but wasn't quick enough. Avery bolted, Simeon hot on his heels. Sarah shook her head as they crashed into the forest, Avery laughing the entire way. Idiots…
They swiftly made ground once Sarah had contained and redirected her immature crewmates. Despite the years past and ever-changing overgrowth, the area was all too familiar to Sarah. After an hour, they arrived at the prow of The Dauntless. Time had certainly taken its toll on the downed starship.
"We're here…" Sarah mumbled, looking up at the towering scrap metal. Once a majestic starship, it is now just a memory of a traumatic event. Time and the elements had long peeled the paint from the starship's hull, opaqued the windows, and rusted the metal.
"Thank the Settled Systems!" Simeon groaned, limping over to The Dauntless's hull. Leaning against the metal, Simeon slid down to the ground. "Damn," he cursed, massaging his left thigh.
"You didn't do your stretches," Avery teased. His jest earned him a middle finger from Simeon. They continued exchanging their banter, but Sarah couldn't hear them. Slowly, she walked alongside the old starship, her mouth open in awe. I never imagined I would come back here…
"We can enter at the back of the ship," Sarah explained as she moved away from the starship's prow. This wasn't something she could run from any longer. The shame she had avoided for so long was about to be confronted. The 'back' of The Dauntless was where it had split in two. Jagged metal stuck out in all directions but allowed entrance into the ship. "This area of The Dauntless was where the engine room was. I think our reactor had been damaged, causing the explosion. When it exploded, the ship split into two pieces." Sarah clarified as she climbed into the ship's interior. Fortunately, Avery and Simeon followed after her when she showed no intention to rest.
As expected, the starship's interior was in no better shape. Destroyed wall panels revealed tangles of wiring. Some of the wiring had been strung out, likely due to the aliens that had come and gone over the years. The natural growth had slowly invaded the inner workings of the ship. The long-forgotten starship felt as lonely and desolate as it appeared. Visions of her past danced in her peripheral vision, teasing her of the starship's traumatic past. Swallowing her hesitance, Sarah pushed further into the ship. I just need to find that damn black box…
Maneuvering through the destroyed ship, Sarah halted when they arrived at the bridge's door. The same door she made sure to shut before she abandoned the wreckage… Her breath hitched… Her pulse raced… How had she forgotten what lies beyond this door!? She couldn't face it. There was no way. They had to leave. Her fingers twisted in the material of her signature red jacket. Stretching and crumpling the fabric. I need to breathe! I don't think I can breathe! I can't breathe! I can't-
"Sarah," Avery whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder. She breathed. "We're right behind you." Her crew… Her family was here. The door felt cool beneath her fingers. Strengthening her resolve, she pushed. The dilapidated door didn't swing open; it fell forward onto the ground.
The bridge and cockpit were just as she left it. The bridge's vast space allowed the crew to move about without feeling crowded. Workstations lined the walls of the bridge, leading to the cockpit. The workstation chairs were tossed around the room during the crash and left in various positions. Apart from the shattered windshield, the cockpit appeared largely untouched. In the corner of the bridge sat a large white cylinder. The protective chamber that spared Sarah from her death… Gradually, her eyes trailed to the base of the chamber. A skeleton, entirely stripped of anything else, lay on the floor. The skeleton's bones were contorted in unnatural directions, obviously broken. A large crack spread along the top of its skull. Sarah swayed as her body felt numb.
"Jenna…" Sarah uttered, and then her vision descended into darkness. I'm so sorry…
The Dauntless, Orbiting Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2315, March 6th
1239 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
"Divert all power to shields, now!" Sarah roared into the microphone, her voice echoing behind and throughout The Dauntless. Ripping the Starship's center stick caused a groan to erupt as The Dauntless fought Cassiopeia I's gravity to obey. Ally United Colony ships and enemy Freestar Collective ships danced across her vision as the ship twisted. Lazer fire streaked across the space before her, causing casualties on both sides. As chaotic as the scene was, Sarah still detected the lifeless UC starship fragments drifting the battlefield. "Keep pushing!"
They couldn't stop pushing forward! The UC was counting on them to achieve victory. All advice to retreat had been ignored because they would win. Her crew could do this. She just had to keep pushing them! Regardless of her piloting prowess, she could hear the strikes peppering The Dauntless. A deafening explosion nearly burst her ear, rocking the nose of the starship toward the planet. An involuntary message began relaying throughout the ship.
" Attention all crew, please prepare for evacuation. Proceed to a nearby escape pod. "
"No!" Sarah roared in protest. This couldn't be the end! She had too much on her shoulders to fail! The starship didn't react to her ripping the center stick from side to side in an effort to stay in space. They were now trapped in Cassiopeia I's gravitational pull. "Dammit!" Sarah screamed, slamming her fist on the control panel. Strike after strike, she cried; she didn't stop even when the sharp controls cut her fists.
"Sarah!" A hand wrapped around her arm and jerked her from the cockpit. Tears ran down Sarah's face when she met Jenna Marsh's eye, her Vice-Captain. Jenna… Her most trusted crewmate… The person she leaned on for support… The friend that watched her climb the ranks in the military… The person who advised her to evacuate… The person she failed most of all…
"I should have pulled us out…" Sarah's voice cracked as she spoke. Her teeth ached from gritting her teeth, betraying Sarah's despair to her Vice-Captain. "I killed us… I kill-"
"Sarah," Jenna repeated firmly. "We all knew what we signed up for. The Dauntless is going down. We need to escape! Ther-"
BOOM
Another explosion rocked the bridge. The artificial gravity had now deactivated, flinging them about the bridge. As the starship flipped and spun, Sarah had the hardship of seeing the back half of The Dauntless falling away. Pieces of metal and the bodies of her crew fell alongside them. Again, a staticky emergency message played on the starship's overhead.
" Attennnnnnnnnnti- Negative airrrtzzzz- Please evaczt- " The message abruptly shut off. During their plummet, the starship stopped rocking, and they were no longer being flung around. Sarah could make out her hand in front of her through her blurred vision. Blood dripped from her knuckles. Blood seeped from her wound, taking her determination with it.
"Sarah, move!" Her perception warped as she was dragged along the bridge's cold floor. Jenna pulled her by one arm to the chamber on the bridge. Jenna had mustered more willpower than Sarah could ever hope to.
"Jenna, what are you…" The Vice-Captained ignored her and opened the protective chamber. "No!" Sarah protested when she understood what was happening.
"You need to live, Sarah!" Jenna argued, placing her hands on Sarah's cheeks. "This isn't on you! You're not done yet! You still have a future ahead of you!" Before Sarah could refuse, Jenna shoved her into the chamber and slammed the door. Climbing into a standing position, Sarah was automatically restrained in the cylinder. When she could focus, she found Jenna peering into the small window at her.
"No! Jenna!" Sarah screamed, reaching forward. A tear ran down Jenna's face, her smile unwavering… Then, The Dauntless finally slammed into the ground, sending Sarah unconscious.
The Dauntless Prow, Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 23rd
0816 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
"Sarah." Avery's voice broke her tie to the memory plaguing her. She swiped a hand across her face before her crew could see the stray tear betraying her. "Who is that?" Avery asked, kneeling next to the skeleton. Silently, he inspected Jenna's remains. When she hesitated in her answer, his eyes met hers.
"Jenna Marsh," Sarah whispered. Her words sounded much more rushed than she expected to. "She was my Vice-Captain while I commandeered The Dauntless."
"What was she like?"
"The best damn Vice in the Settled Systems," a sense of nostalgia enveloped her at the thought of Jenna before the Battle of Cassiopeia. The disturbing memory over, Sarah could now look at Jenna without being crippled with guilt… Sarah kneeled down next to Avery to look over Jenna's body. "She would have made a far better Captain of The Dauntless… But she had insisted I take that role. I never understood why, though. She always knew the right move to make… Always knew the right thing to say to the crew… Rarely let her emotions control her…"
"Sounds like you," Simeon added casually as he tested the stability of one of the battered chairs strewn about the bridge. When the chair crumbled, he settled against a workstation. The sentiment was sweet, but Sarah disagreed. She could never be like Jenna.
"Maybe," Sarah mused. She always tried to model herself after the woman, after all. "Before The Dauntless was knocked out of orbit, she had pressed for me to pull back… But I was young… I was angry… I was scared… I wanted this war to end… The galactic war with the Freestar Collective was coming to an end, and the battle was going to determine the outcome. Her last deed as Vice-Captain and my friend was saving my life… Due to her actions, I became the lone survivor of The Dauntless. I remember clearly that she had said that my time wasn't over yet. Regardless, the UC made sure to award me with a damn medal! Unbelievable… One of the worst experiences of my life awarded a medal…" Avery and Simeon listened attentively as she spoke. Sarah hadn't spoken aloud about this subject in years . She hadn't even mentioned it to Barrett, much less Avery. She considered that fact before assuming it was due to her proximity to the crash site.
"Well, she wasn't wrong," Avery returned to standing. When his statement only received a brow raise from her, he continued. "You weren't done. Don't get me wrong… I hate that this happened… But this experience shaped you into who you are today. Now, you are the Vice-Captain of The Atlas. You always know the right move to make. You always know the right thing to say to the crew. You rarely let your emotions control you. Constellation would have failed a long time ago without your guidance. I never met Jenna, Obviously… But I think she would be proud of the person she saved." Well, that could just bring me to tears…
"Thank you, Captain," Sarah whispered, the corners of her mouth turning up for the first time during this experience. "But we have a mission to complete."
"Good," Simeon said. "All this sappy talk is giving me a stomach ache." Now past the emotional portion of their journey, the trio began searching for the chip. The bridge held three main modules that could have a data chip. After a quick look, Sarah could not locate the black box data chip. I bet that damn chip is in the other half of The Dauntless…
"It's not here…" Avery affirmed, reading the disappointment on Sarah's face.
"Afraid not," Sarah shook her head, contemplating their next move. "It's likely somewhere on the other half of The Dauntless, but I have no clue where it is."
"You're joking…" Simeon groaned. "Now what?" Sarah paced back and forth, considering her options. How the hell are we going to find the stern!? She froze when her eyes fell back to the modules. Maybe… Without elaboration, she started pulling at the panel at the module's base. Fifteen years without maintenance had a heavy impact on the screws holding it in place. The panel broke off with little effort.
"Got an idea?" Avery eyed her as she thumbed through the assortment of chips and ports on the module's motherboard. When Sarah found the desired component, she removed it and held it up triumphantly. Avery's eyebrows shot into his hairline at the sight of the tiny transmission antenna in her hand.
Poorly hiding his disinterest, Simeon flatly asked, "Care to explain?" Nursing his aching leg, Simeon stretched out on the floor.
"A star tether," Sarah pulled her slate from her bag as she clarified. The tablet responded as she anticipated when she docked the antenna. "When starships were first designed, engineers created star tethers to locate separate ship sections. Nowadays, starships are much more hardy and don't typically split in half like The Dauntless. So star tethers were a necessity." When the slate completed its calculations, Sarah held the tablet up to Simeon to prove her point. Even after fifteen years, the prow could locate the stern's tether. Simeon released an obnoxious groan at the information before him.
"That's another seven miles away!" How lucky the two ship halves landed so close together!
"That's genius, Sarah!" Avery exclaimed, ignoring Simeon's protest. "Let's start moving then." Having a plan going forward, they prepared to depart the stern… But Sarah realized her legs wouldn't listen. You're not done yet , a small voice whispered in the back of her head. She wasn't done yet… Swiveling around, Sarah's eyes fell onto Jenna's body.
"Avery…" Sarah whispered, halting the Captain's exit. "Before we go…"
The Forest, Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 23rd
0841 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
With the effort of… two and a half people, they completed their side-task in thirty minutes. The dirt was soft and easily workable. Jenna's bones were now put to rest; Avery and Simeon stood before the grave watching Sarah. Using wood to fashion a cross, Sarah drove it into the head of the grave. Only then did she step back to evaluate her work.
"Very good," Avery commented. For a lack of tools, Jenna's grave turned out well. Simeon had lined the perimeter of the grave with stone. As a final touch, Sarah spread flowers on the grave. The Explorer's Coleus flower looks beautiful on her grave… "Anything you want to say, Sarah?" Sarah hesitated, contemplating what she could say.
"J-Jenna," Sarah's voice unexpectedly cracked as she began the eulogy. "As you know, I've always had a scientific mind rather than a religious one… Ever since the Battle of Cassiopeia, I've remained skeptical of religion… But if anyone deserves entrance into a promised land, it's you, Jenna Marsh. You were right all along. I still had a future to live for, a family to meet, and change to bring… Thank you for everything, Jenna. The second chance you've given me won't be taken for granted." The moment of silence that followed felt like hours but likely was only seconds. Wordlessly, they began traversing the forest to the stern. You can rest now, Jenna.
A fire burned in her chest at the renewed resolve she felt. The guilt that had afflicted her for so long dissolved from her mind and soul. They sped through the tangled forest at top speed with this new determination. Nothing could slow them down… That is until a familiar noise resounded behind their small group.
SNAP
"Freeze!" Avery hissed at the sudden disturbance. Sarah considered mentioning that noises in the forest are common but obeyed. Scanning her surroundings, she only found the trees she knew so well. The tense void of stillness was only broken by the music of the tree leaves rustling together. Still, she had the same sense back at the camp. We're being watched…
"What is it?" Simeon whispered when nothing happened. Without moving his feet, Avery turned to scan their surroundings. A minor energy pulse radiated from the Captain, causing Sarah's bangs to flutter across her forehead. His Starpower… What is he doing?
"There's something here… I'm looking for carbon dioxide being blown off…" Avery continued to sweep the encircling forest. Sarah raised her eyebrow at his statement. She thought that his Starpower only allowed him to manipulate gravity. She never guessed that he could locate living beings by the carbon dioxide they exhale… What sounded like a guttural yowl behind them sent shivers down her back. "Watch out!"
Instinctively, she dived into the brush, narrowly avoiding a large figure. Sarah's heart boomed in her ears as she rolled over, her gun already in her hands. Perched where they had just been standing was an alien she had never seen before. The alien looked between them before deciding that Sarah was the easiest prey. The alien's body was white with black squiggly patterns covering it. Its maw ended in sharp, jagged mandibles that snapped as it approached her. Sitting on its haunches, the creature created grating noises with its talons. When it turned its head, Sarah looked directly into its pale blue eyes, its iris a small, black slit. How did this thing hide from us!?
She didn't have time to consider this because the alien pounced. Before the alien could tear into her flesh, she lifted her feet up and slammed them into its chest. Sarah struggled to hold the alien back with her legs. Undeterred, it reached out with its short arms in an attempt to carve her abdomen. Writhing on top of her, Sarah couldn't focus her gun on the creature.
A figure slammed into the alien during the assault, knocking it to the side. The figure was revealed to be Avery. Without hesitation, he began firing his weapon at the alien. Her vision morphed as she was yanked to her feet.
"Move, Sarah!" When her head stopped spinning, she was face to face with Simeon. They needed to gain distance! Taking advantage of their brief moment of security, Sarah and Simeon moved away from where Avery faced the alien. "What the hell is that thing!?"
"I don't know!" Sarah cried out. "I've never seen one before!" It wasn't a lie. During her six months on the planet, she only saw the occasional Coralbug. Possibly, they are aliens that moved into the territory?
" What!? " Simeon's eyes bulged in disbelief. "Didn't you spend like two years on this damn planet!?"
"I spent six mo-" Sarah faltered when a shimmering figure before her materialized to reveal a second alien. They camouflage… The alien crouched in preparation to lunge, but Sarah didn't allow it to. Her gunfire echoed throughout the forest as she unloaded her rounds into the alien. A stray bullet struck its hind leg, releasing a spatter of green blood. The alien squealed and instantly camouflaged itself. The only evidence of the creature's evacuation was the sound of brush being disturbed in its retreat.
"Damnit!" Sarah swiveled to Avery when she heard him cry out. Somehow, he managed the upper hand on the alien. The creature had been tossed onto its back, and Avery straddled its chest. He held his gun to the alien's face, preparing to fire. Before he could fire, the alien dug a talon deep into Avery's thigh. Not even Avery's gunfire suppressed his pain-filled scream. With a fatal shot to the head, the creature collapsed.
Once the sudden battle finished, Sarah realized that she had been holding her breath. Loudly exhaling, she moved to Avery, who had rolled off the alien onto his back. Blood oozed from the wound on his left thigh. Fortunately, she had bandages in her bag. Her role wasn't the nurse, but she could manage. After the bandage was fastened around Avery's thigh, the bleeding ceased.
"Damn…" Simeon huffed, plopping down next to them. "That was fun…" They rested a moment, each catching their breath. Sarah hoped that the alien that escaped didn't circle back…
"Hey, look, Sim," Avery suddenly piped up, his voice on the edge of laughter. He motioned from his leg to Simeon's leg. "We're matching! Now we can both complain about having to walk." The joke earned him a shove by Simeon.
"Whatever, jackass," Simeon muttered, folding his arms over his chest. "Let's see you laugh when I tell Eddie you need sutures."
"W-wait, I was just kidding around!"
The Dauntless Stern, Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 23rd
1223 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
By the time they had arrived at The Dauntless's stern, the trio was covered in dirt, scratches, and sweat. Sarah had to bite her tongue when she almost uttered a complaint. The last thing she needed was Simeon's satisfaction. Despite his injury, Avery didn't slow them down at all. However, his limp now matched Simeon's own.
As she expected, the stern had the same appearance as the prow. Its majestic hull was eaten away by time and moisture. The engines were warped into different shapes, likely due to the impact. Still… Sarah was impressed that the starship held up so well during the planetary impact… Barring where it split in half.
"Now that I've seen both halves, The Dauntless is definitely much larger than The Atlas," Avery observed, looking over the ragged stern. Sarah didn't overlook the look of nostalgia on Avery's face. "I bet it was difficult commanding over such a massive starship. This must have been a class B or C starship." During his appreciation, Avery started moving along the perimeter of the stern.
"It definitely wasn't easy… But my crew made it easy…" Sarah admitted, following along. Comparing the two starships had never crossed her mind. Mulling it over, she quickly concluded, "I loved commanding over The Dauntless. Although piloting isn't my best skill, I still managed it. Plus, the crew were some of the most amazing people… I felt happiness on The Dauntless. But on The Atlas… I feel like I belong . I feel at home on The Atlas." Avery's white teeth shined when he smiled at her honesty.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Avery agreed. Avery reached out to run his hand along the brittle hull. "Still, it must be hard to see The Dauntless in this condition… I couldn't bear to see The Atlas like this…" Sarah understood… The thought of this being the fate of The Atlas made her feel nauseous.
"Can we talk about something less depressing than crashed starships?" Simeon butt in, limping behind them.
"Oh, Sim… I forgot you were back there." Avery quipped, throwing the sniper a fleeting glance. "Ah! How about when we first got The Atlas?" Sarah's sudden laughter echoed around them. She hadn't thought about that memory in ages .
"It's funny now…" Sarah said once her laughter had tapered off. Several feet ahead, she could see the edge of the stern. They should be able to enter the ship from there. Once she composed herself, she made her point. "But, it wasn't funny years ago. As everyone knows, Avery and I met on an arbitrary moon in the middle of the Settled Systems."
"It went swimmingly if I remember correctly." She could hear the light-hearted humor in the sniper's voice.
" Regardless, " Sarah rolled her eyes at Simeon's sarcasm. "Once we discovered the artifact and decided to form Constellation, we decided we needed a starship to be our base of operations."
"She wasn't content with exploring the Settled Systems via transport ships…"
"No, I was not." Sarah agreed. Sarah could feel herself start to laugh uncontrollably as her story neared the portion that made it so memorable. "When we formed Constellation, we concluded that a better ship was needed. So, we decided to pool our savings and purchase a HopeTech starship."
"Expensive…"
" Exactly! " Her mind thought back to that awful day in HopeTown. "This was eight years ago, and it was just the two of us. So we couldn't afford anything super fancy. It came down to two different starships. The Atlas and The HT BooHall…"
"What kinda name is The HT BooHall?" Simeon's face scrunched up at the starship's name… Just as Avery's had years ago.
"That's what I said!"
"The HT BooHall was a starship that we could afford!" Sarah growled, suddenly remembering what had frustrated her that day. "The Atlas was much too expensive! Avery and I were stuck between the two starships, neither budging. Eventually… A fight broke out between us."
Avery snorted, "Yeah, right there on the catwalk. Right next to The Atlas. She freaked out and tried to shank me with a power drill!"
"I-" Sarah attempted to mount her defense, but a fit of laughter prevented her from doing so. During her hysterics, she fought to explain what happened, "I- It wasn't intentional! I just was so mad. And that drill was right there… So I took it and charged after you… Completely missed."
"You missed me, but you didn't miss The Atlas!" Avery added, tears running down his face as he chortled. "You scratched the hell out of that starship! Bought it right then and there! I thought Ron Hope would strangle us when we explained the situation… It took us years to pay off that ship with the interest he charged us…" Boy, didn't she know. She precariously balanced Constellation funds to pay off Ron Hope.
"Every time you two tell that story, I find it hard to believe that Sarah Morgan came after her own Captain with a drill," Simeon said, shaking his head at his Captains' antics.
"I used to be a firecracker, Simeon," Sarah said, tossing him a sly grin. "That's probably why the UC assigned Jenna as my Vice-Captain. She was-" Sarah froze when they turned at the corner of the starship. Roughly a dozen hand-fashioned tents dotted the area to enter the stern. There's… no way…
"Sarah, wait-" Sarah ignored them, running forward. There are survivors ! There had to be survivors! It felt so unreal. They'd been here all this time! The first tent she peered into… empty. No matter… onto the next. "Sarah!" Again, the voice was ignored. From tent to tent, she ran, desperately searching. Only one tent left… Her hope all but dashed, Sarah stepped to its entrance. Eager to finally get this cruel form of torture over with, Sarah ripped open the shoddy tarp covering… No one… Only an old slate.
"There aren't any survivors…" Sarah fell to her knees when she uttered that. She should have gathered that fact. The small tents were clearly uncared for and falling to pieces… Just like her own camp. Unable to hold herself up, Sarah collapsed onto her hands and knees. With her emotions taking control, Sarah could barely visualize her teardrops falling to the ground. "Th-this is horrible… I just found a sort of closure with Jenna… Only to find this!?" Sarah sobbed once more, face-to-face with her fallen crew. The crew that she never considered might be alive… The crew that she never went back for…
"Sarah…" Avery trailed off, his words failing him. What could he say… This was her responsibility. Sarah cried until no more tears would come. Once her emotions were thoroughly released, she returned to face her crew. Simeon and Avery stood behind her, patiently waiting for her. Both of their eyebrows were knit together in concern. "I'm sorry…" Avery whispered. Remembering the slate, Sarah crawled into the tent to retrieve it.
"Sorry for that," she sniffed. Connecting the old slate to hers, it was instantly revitalized. "I found this slate… Maybe it can provide some insight into what happened." Random code typed across the old tablet, scrawling at a high speed. Once it finished booting up, a message appeared on the screen.
March 8th, 2315
I have no regrets. I may die, but I have no regrets. I and my crew served the UC and my Captain with every fiber of my soul. I hope that was enough to bring this damned war to an end. I pray that my and my comrades' actions kept our families safe, our planet free, and placed forth the stepping stones to a better future in the Settled Systems. There were initially only thirteen of us… How the hell we survived the impact, I will never know. Over the following two days, we lost people due to injuries or the elements… Now, there are four of us left… Despite our fear, everyone is content. We made a difference. Captain Sarah Morgan. Vice-Captain Jenna Marsh. I pray you are out there and safe. It's up to you to see the change this battle will bring forth.
Chief Engineer,
Rey Sewell
"They… they didn't blame me…" Sarah's eyes welled up with tears once more. She wished she could tell them all how the outcome of the Battle of Cassiopeia changed the Settled Systems. She wishes she could tell them how the war ended shortly after, and their efforts were the turning point… Thumbing through the tablet's contents, she found more messages from her deceased crew. It was difficult to see, but it restored peace to her mind and soul. I can bring this slate to New Atlantis… The crew's families deserve to know about this.
"You ready to keep moving?" Avery asked, not wanting to linger on the subject. Wiping her puffy, red eyes, Sarah nodded. Sarah moved on, leaving the camp behind, and climbed into the starship. She led them through the ruined hallway, knowing the exact location of the target module.
Light filtered down from large holes in the ceiling of the starship. The beams of light allowed different plant life to spread throughout the room. Once an engine room, now a hidden grove of flowers and grass. Just ahead, Sarah could see the module. It sat right next to the door to the cargo bay… or what remained of the cargo bay.
"Shall we?" She asked, taking a step forward. She froze when a light rustling could be heard in the brush… Damn, are there more of those… things? "Avery?" She tossed the Captain a concerned call. The pulses of energy already radiated from him, signaling the activation of his Starpower.
"This sucks…" Simeon whispered. "It's been one thing after another!" When she heard movement to their flank, Sarah twisted with her gun aimed. She faced Simeon, who simply shrugged at her. She almost rolled her eyes at his lax behavior, but pale blue eyes flashed in the corner of the room.
"Simeon, dive!" Sarah ordered, aiming her gun. The sniper obeyed, leaping in a random direction… Unfortunately, it was in the direction of the alien. It unleashed a squeal and leaped at Simeon. Without hesitation, Sarah fired her gun, nailing the alien in the head. It was over instantly. The alien collapsed to the ground, directly on top of Simeon's body.
"Oof!" Simeon groaned. A wound on the alien captured Sarah's attention. On its leg was a small bullet hole. This was the alien from earlier… I suppose it tracked us all this way… "Can you two stop staring and get this thing off!" Sarah pivoted and made way for the module while Avery assisted Simeon. The panel crumbled under her fingertips, revealing the black box data chip. Sarah ran her fingers along the tiny chip… It's in perfect condition… I can't wait to see what The Cabinet are looking for on this thing…
"Are you boys ready to leave?" Sarah pocketed the chip and turned to her crewmates. The two sat on the ground, looking absolutely exhausted. She scoffed, "Come on now, I survived on this planet for six months." Avery only responded to her sarcasm with a raised upper lip.
"Hey Sam, we are finished out here. Can you swing by and pick us up?" Avery said into his comm. Too exhausted to care, they awaited Sam's surely snippy response.
"I thought the forest would be too thick for me to find space to land?" Sam mocked, clearly not forgetting his and Avery's conversation.
"Just find a damn place to land, Sam!" Avery snapped back, his fatigue taking its toll. Several minutes later, Sam had the Atlas parked just outside the wreckage of The Dauntless… Granted, he crushed several trees, but he achieved the job.
Simeon complained as he limped into the cargo bay, "he could have flown us out here the whole damn time!" Simeon faltered when he noticed Eddie waiting in the cargo bay for them. The old physician wore his typical scowl and his arms across his chest.
"You didn't do your stretches like I told you to." Eddie's gruff voice was steady. He didn't ask, he stated. "And now look at you… Limping around like a wounded animal." Simeon looked from side to side and noticed Avery entering the cargo bay.
"Avery needs sutures."
"What!?"
"Simeon, you ass!"
The Atlas, Orbiting Cassiopeia I, The Eta Cassiopeia System
Year 2331, February 23rd
1750 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
The light of Eta Cassiopeia shined through Sarah's port hole, illuminating her quarters. After Eddie verbally tore the Captain to pieces, she promptly retreated to her quarters. The black box data was thrown to the wind, and she took a shower and a nap. The slumber was much needed and well deserved.
Now that she had her energy back, she had the black box data plugged into her slate. The information it provided wasn't forthcoming. Maybe I should recruit Vasco's assistance… The data was merely patterns of redundant code… Until a familiar name amongst the code stood out to her… 'HOPEDRIVE' Sarah read that word repeatedly, willing it to make sense. HOPEDRIVE? Does that involve Ron Hope? I mean… He was part of the Freestar Collective during the galactic war… A knock at her door distracted her from the task at hand.
"Sarah!" Mickey sang from the other side of the door. "Come have dinner with us! Everyone's waiting down there for you… Well, you and my cooking, of course. But the masses keep whining about wanting to see you and hear about your adventure!"
"I'll be down in a second!" Sarah called back. Tossing the chip into her desk drawer for safekeeping. She wanted to let this mission go and typed a message to President Abello. The President would likely send someone to their location for the chip when she realized they had it.
"Okay, then!" Mickey called back through the door. She actually jolted at his sudden voice. I thought he had gone back downstairs… Nevertheless, he still continued to chime out to her. "Don't keep your loyal crew waiting! Oh yeah, Simeon and Andreja are fighting again… Something about… I don't know. So you'll… You'll probably have to deal with that when you get down there…" Sarah's ear strained to hear Mickey as he left her doorstep.
Releasing a sigh, Sarah pushed herself out of her desk. Time to go do damage control… Back to business as usual. She took a second to look at the new addition to her desktop. A small clay pot sat at the edge of her desk, filled to the brim with soil. Soon, the seed she harvested from Cassiopeia I would produce a healthy Explorer's Coleus. Just you wait, Jenna.
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sarah has a tragic past caused by her own immaturity. But like all people, or experiences shape us into who we are today. Please let me know if you notice any errors.
Thank you!
Chapter 18: Deep in Enemy Territory - Avery Del
Summary:
Constellation discovers a small colony in free space hiding an artifact. Crushed under the weight of a greater enemy, the colony has nothing more to offer but their own fear. The crew has differing opinions when faced with the decision to abandon the colony to their own fate or to stand against a hopeless force. Will Constellation desert their own ideals or grow into something greater?
Notes:
Hope you enjoy the chapter!
T/W: Death, blood, cursing.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 12th
1941 Universal Time
Avery Del
Avery drummed his fingers excitedly on his thigh. A massive artifact signal had spiked in the east Settled Systems only an hour ago. They had already tracked it down with Andreja's skills and arrived at the planet. That said, it wasn't nearly as tricky as the previous artifacts they had found. This was the most significant signal he had ever received. When The Atlas jumped into Maal IV's orbit, Avery swore he could hear the artifact crying out… Maybe he was imagining things.
"I have inputted the artifact's coordinates," Andreja spoke while quickly typing at her workstation. "The artifact seems to be hiding in the middle of a settlement, right on the planet's equator." Trusting the astronomer's coordinates, Avery prepared to enter Maal IV's atmosphere. Because Sam usually pilots The Atlas, Avery found his skills slightly dull. But once the starship's hull began to rumble as they entered the atmosphere, it all became muscle memory.
"Look at that; the Captain can still fly the ship." Sam's mocking voice announced from the bridge. Jackass… The starship's retrorockets flipped on, slowing their descent. Gradually, the embers of their reentrance burned away, revealing a small settlement amid a rocky desert.
" Someone has to, in case you ever get jettisoned into space, Sam." Avery countered. He bit his lip, focusing on ensuring the landing process went off without a hitch. The last thing he needed was to inflate Sam's ego.
"That was mean!" Cora chimed in, although humor filled her tone.
"It was…" Sam agreed with his Daughter. Great, now they're going to tag-team me. "Actually, it might be considered a form of workplace violence… A raise would make me feel better." The speck on Maal IV slowly grew into a town. Avery could now see individual homes.
At the mention of pay, Sarah interjected, "Sorry, Sam. As Constellation's official HR representative, your pay is set at a flat rate. If you want a higher payout, you better start finding high-paying bounties and missions." In her logical rationale, Sarah effectively ruined Sam's fun.
"Since you are 'HR,' does that mean I can bring all my complaints to your attention?" Simeon asked. Avery could feel Sarah's hesitation from the cockpit.
"I suppose…"
"Great!" Avery could tell Simeon had been waiting for this moment. "A certain astronomer , that I won't name, has been-"
"I also have a complaint!" Mickey's dramatic exclamation drowned out Simeon's voice. When Avery first initiated the grav drive, only Sam, Andreja, Sarah, and himself were on the bridge. Who the hell else showed up at the bridge!? "I'm afraid to say that the kitchen's wine fridge is much too small. I vote for an upgrade." Despite the daring landing Avery was attempting, he swung his head around to look behind him. All of Constellation were spread out on the bridge, watching him. Where did they all come from!?
"Would you like me to fracture your other leg, sniper?" Andreja spat toward Simeon. Swiveling back around, Avery did his best to focus on landing The Atlas. As usual, his crew fell into a bickering mess, making the task near impossible.
"Uhm… No, Mickey…"
"Oh, so you are threatening me?"
"It sounded like a threat to me."
"I was not threatening the sniper, Barrett. I'm simply promising."
"You are all children…" Eddie chided the crew, but his complaints were ignored. The volume of the bridge crescendoed as everyone continued to argue, talk, and carry on. Avery could feel the tips of his ears burning red. As a cherry on top, he could hear Maxile cackling at the crew's antics.
"Would you all shut up!?" Avery shouted when he had had enough. The background noise instantly cleared at his command. He had three seconds of silence until a quiet voice spoke up.
"Sorry, Captain…" Maxile murmured. A bolt of guilt struck Avery from his lack of patience… He would say that, but following Maxile's apology, the crew began snickering and snorting… Just like damn children…
"Okay," Avery announced, attempting to move on. "Vasco, anything you can pick up on this settlement?"
Vasco's response was nearly instantaneous, " The colony is known as 'Scarlet Settlement.' Planetary scans show that it was constructed on a base of iridium. The settlement likely produces revenue by mining the iridium. Further scans show it is around seventy yea- "
"Alright, Vas." Barrett cut off the robot's tangent. The scent of Barrett's cologne notified Avery that the engineer leaned over him to peer out the cockpit. In their descent, Avery could now make out the settlement's characteristics. The Scarlet Settlement had around thirty buildings, with a single landing pad. Not a starship in sight… They must not leave too much. Constructed at the base of a cliff, tall, naturally formed walls protected the Settlement. If they didn't land on the Settlement's landing pad, they would have to land in the desert and climb a massive incline to enter the colony. Overall, the city was protected well. Barrett's finger suddenly pointed out the cockpit window, "Y'see that?" Avery followed his direction, his eyebrows rising into his hairline at what Barrett pointed out.
"What are they?" Avery asked, narrowing his eyes at the strange structures dotting the outskirts of the settlement. Large, rusted structures protruded from the ground. Several were stationed at the settlement's entrance, others along the cliff wall.
"Those are railguns…" Barrett mumbled, inspecting the structures as they neared. A chill ran down Avery's spine at the thought. Are they going to shoot us down? "Notice how their barrels are pointed downward? I don't think they are activated. If they were, we would have been shot down long ago."
"You're such a glass-half-full kinda guy, Barrett," Sam commented, sarcasm coating his words. My thoughts exactly…
"Let's land before they decide to activate them then…" Avery responded, his fingers dancing along the cockpit's flight controls, preparing them for landing. "Once we get the artifact, Sam can fly us outta here."
"That's what I thought." Jackass.
The Scarlet Settlement, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 12th
2006 Universal Time
Avery Del
Despite its small size, the Scarlet landing pad was small and barely fit The Atlas. But Avery managed to land without further difficulty. As he moved through the town, the familiar chime of the artifact called to him.
Whe… ar… …ou? Co… t… …e…
The call was faint, and he had to strain his ear to hear it… But it was there. It's here somewhere… I just need to find it. So far, they only have nine artifacts. Each artifact Constellation gained provided breadcrumbs of information. Scanning for them is the easy part. The difficulty lies in locating them on whatever planet the scan brought them to. Overall, just because he could hear it doesn't mean he would find it easily.
"What's up with this place?" Simeon asked, looking around the dusty town. The town was definitely in poor condition. The habitats weren't even constructed with advanced materials. Each home was pieced together by tin sheets and hardened clay. In fact, they didn't even have doors. The only protection from the outside world was thick blankets pinned to the front of the entrances. "It's sorta a shit hole…"
"Not every star system will have the same resources Alpha Centauri has…" Sarah said, appearing equally perplexed at the state of the Settlement.
"The railguns are offline. I guess that's why we weren't blown out of the sky." Barrett ran his fingers through his beard as he looked over the massive weapon. A nearby railgun was built at the wall of the cliff. It towered over the Settlement, remaining in its dormant state. "Hey, look there! A native!" Barrett gestured toward one of the run-down settlements. An elderly woman stood on a wooden porch, diligently sweeping the dirt from the platform. The harder she swept, the more dust clouded around her. Maybe she can direct us to a nearby mine… or even a cave.
"Excuse me, ma'am!" Avery called out, waving at her when she looked up. Before he could speak, the woman suddenly shrieked.
"Aaaaaaaaaaagh!" Avery hesitated at her sudden scream. Altogether, dropping the broom, she ran out of view into the nearby house. Damn, for an old crone, she sure can sprint.
"I… guess she won't be any help…" Barrett mumbled.
"Must be a big believer in stranger danger." Simeon jested. When no one laughed, he huffed in irritation.
"That's so strange…" Sarah tilted her head in confusion. "She looked horrified…"
Avery sighed and moved on, "Let's just keep looking. Someone will help us." Their attempt to find a friendly face was less than fruitful. They were met with similar responses as they zig-zagged through the old settlement. Some of the colonists screamed in terror… Some pretended Avery hadn't even spoken to them… Some people even cursed at them, demanding they leave the Scarlet Settlement. Avery's face burned with irritation after their third lap through the settlement. What's the deal with these people!?
"We could try to come back tomorrow? We don't have the best lighting for a search, after all." Sarah suggested, her face obscured by the dim lighting. I hate when she's right… The shoddy structures didn't have many outside lights to provide visibility. Avery moved to agree but halted at a new voice in the night.
"Who are you people?" A female voice chimed out. Avery spun in a circle, searching for the source of the voice. Eventually, his eyes landed on a dark figure standing in the doorway of one of the houses.
"Name's Avery," he introduced. Finally, someone with manners… "This is my cre-"
"Are you with the Crimson Fleet?" Her tone was very accusatory. Avery could sense the venom in her words. Why would she think we are part of the Crimson Fleet? Trying to get a better look at the woman, Avery narrowed his eyes at her shadowed form. She sounds like a young woman…
"Uhm… No. I'm the leader of Constellation…" The following moment was possibly the most awkward he had felt in a long time. Since Constellation was first formed, he had worked actively to mold it into a prominent organization… He wouldn't say they were famous … But they rarely went unheard of. "Y'know… Constellation? We explore the Settled Systems… Help who we can along the way?" He was grasping at straws at this point.
"Constellation…" The woman tested the name, sounding unimpressed.
"We are searching for something," Sarah interjected, hopefully saving this awful conversation. "Do you know of any nearby mines or caves? We are searching for a mineral… It looks like a lead plate." Again, they were met with a pregnant pause that led to the Constellation members looking uncomfortably at each other.
"Come in," she suddenly said, holding open the blanket covering her doorway. What a turn of events.
The Scarlet Settlement, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 12th
2041 Universal Time
Avery Del
You ar… so clo…
The artifact's voice erupted in his head when he stepped into the habitat. It sounded so nearby. It must be in the house. Avery's head spun as he eagerly searched for the artifact. With how loud its voice had grown, it should be nearby. His shoulders sagged when the only significant thing he found was a young boy sitting at a table in the middle of the room. He looked to be around eight years old. The boy looked up at them with skepticism.
"What makes you think we have this plate thing?" The woman asked, catching his attention. She stood next to the door, eyeing them suspiciously. The woman had a beautiful face and long blonde hair wrapped in a braid. A large knife glinted on her hip as she moved through the house. Cute.
"Let's start over," Avery breathed. "My name is Avery. I lead Constellation. These are my crewmates, Sarah, Barrett, and Simeon." As they were listed off, each of his crewmates gave the woman a small wave.
"I- My name is Freiya DuMaal," she introduced after Avery gave her an expectant look. When she didn't move to elaborate, he tilted his head toward the boy at the table. This earned him a scowl and a response, "And this is my son, Dax. Now answer me, what makes you think anyone in the colony knows about a plate?" There it was; her venom had returned.
"Why else would you invite complete strangers into your home?" Barrett challenged as he moved to sit across from Dax. Freiya flashed across the small room and held the knife towards Barrett. Despite her spectacle, no one moved to fight her. Remaining calm, Barrett held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, we aren't here to hurt anyone…" Freiya gave him a calculating stare before sliding the knife back into the sheath on her hip.
"What happened here?" Simeon asked, changing the subject. Simeon peered out the open window at the surrounding dilapidated structures. When Freiya accepted they weren't moving to harm her or her son, she relaxed… slightly…
"Nothing happened… We just have never had a chance to be anything better…" Freiya leaned against the table, running her hand through her son's hair. "The Scarlet Settlement has been here for sixty or seventy years… The colony was established by the Crimson Fleet. So, the Fleet shows up occasionally to take whatever credits we've scraped together. They say it's taxes for Crimson Fleet protection… But the looters still come… Spacers still try to rob a town that has nothing to offer…" Sarah shook her head at Freiya's explanation.
"That's horrible…"
"It's not horrible!" Dax suddenly piped up. "Sometimes we all play in the square together! We have fun, don't we, mama?" Freiya smiled down at her son. His naivety was endearing.
"We do," she nodded at the boy. Turning back to Avery, she continued, "A few decades ago, before I was born, the colonists revolted."
"I'm assuming that's what the railguns are for?" Barrett leaned back in the wooden chair, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Correct," she nodded. "But the colonists were crushed by the Crimson Fleet. I wasn't born yet, but if the conditions were anything like they are now, they never had a chance. Now, everyone lives in fear of the Crimson Fleet… Dax, why don't you head to bed?" The child glanced up at the mention of his name.
"Aww, Mama! I want to talk to the spacemen more!" Dax protested. When Fraiya responded with a raised eyebrow, he conceded. "Fine…" Dax grumbled, pushing himself out from the table. Bidding everyone goodnight, the boy sauntered into the next room.
"The Crimson Fleet takes what they want. Kill who they want. And ask for nothing in return…" Freiya hissed once her son was out of earshot. Sounds about right… I've never known them to be upstanding citizens. "The mine doesn't produce nearly the amount of iridium needed to cover the Fleet's taxes … One day, they are going to wipe out this colony." Freiya's fingers twisted together at the dismal thought. Why don't they just run away? Surely they can find a safer star system to live in?
"Have you tri-"
"But back to our initial conversation," she quickly cut him off. The woman clearly had no intention of dwelling on her own misfortune. "Why are you interested in these plates?" Okay, she knows something about the damn artifact.
"Well," Avery considered his next step. Better to be transparent, I suppose. "We call them artifacts. The artifacts are the basis of the creation of Constellation. We've collected around nine of them so far… and scans show the next one on your planet…" Typically, they didn't discuss artifacts with non-Constellation members. But Avery had a good feeling about this girl. Freiya digested his response, enveloping the room in a tense stillness.
"Avery might have be-" Simeon balked when Freiya suddenly stood and stalked out of the room. "Oop, there she goes."
"Are you sure that was a good idea, Captain?" Sarah watched the door Freiya left through. "There's a reason we don't mention the artifacts…"
"Eh, it'll be fine." Shortly after, Freiya returned carrying an object wrapped in a blanket. Delicately setting it on the table, she slowly unwrapped it. When the final corner of the blanket was pulled back, an artifact was revealed. I knew it…
I'm here… Come to me…
Freiya looked over the shiny artifact, "My Father is the Mayor of Scarlet Settlement. As his first Daughter, it's my duty to be the keeper of this thing . One day, I am expected to take his role as Mayor and pass it along to my son…"
"Where was it found?" Avery asked, unable to take his eyes off the artifact. It begged for him to touch it. Those intrusive thoughts were quickly swallowed.
"The tale is that it was found by the original colonists in the mines," Freiya explained. A nearby fork lying on the table slowly levitated above the artifact. It remained airborne for a few seconds before Freiya caught it. "Apparently, the first leader of the settlement touched it and saw constellations, flew through lightyears of space, and heard words about 'cycles' and 'unity.' The story sounds so grandiose… But there is definitely something magical about this little plate…" The Unity… Cycles… There are those words again… They've been following the artifacts.
"If you are supposed to be the keeper, why are you telling us this?" The question had been on Avery's mind for a bit now. She had no reason to divulge this information. Freiya sighed, years of stress showing on her face.
"It's silly…" She muttered. "Have you ever had a secret that you haven't told anyone? A secret that you want to tell the world but are scared of the consequences?" Avery's history with the Crimson Fleet briefly crossed his mind. The secret he has kept from everyone in Constellation.
"This is your secret," Sarah concluded.
"Yes…" Freiya agreed. "A secret I hate. This plate… It's a curse. I think it's the reason that our colony is like this…" Avery repeatedly formed the following statement, editing it until satisfied.
"So," he began once he settled on communicating the information delicately. "We aren't the only people hunting these artifacts. The Crimson Fleet is also searching for them. Eventually, they're going to come here and take it… It's crucial that these artifacts don't end up in their hands…" Avery couldn't read Freiya's blank expression. Hopefully, she would realize the situation in which this artifact placed the settlement. Before she could respond, a new voice boomed in the doorway.
"Who are you people!?" The room's inhabitants swiveled to find a burly man standing at the door. His sheer size dwarfed everyone standing in the room. The man had dark hair peppered with grey. His hair merged into his beard, completely circling his face. The man glared daggers at Avery until his eyes traveled down to his Constellation patch. The way his eyes bulged, Avery assumed he recognized the patch. Stomping to Freiya, the newcomer growled, "Freiya, you let Constellation into our home!? They're going to doom us all!" I figured someone in this damn town would know who Constellation is.
"But, Father-" Ah. So this is the Mayor.
"Quiet, girl!" The Mayor snapped, instantly silencing her. Swiveling back to Avery, his scowl deepened. "Leave. Now. There is nothing for you here. Freiya, return the plate to where it was hidden."
"I can't leave without that artifact," Avery said bluntly. The Mayor's nostrils flared at his defiance, rage apparent in his expression. "Sorry…"
"If you don't leave, I'll kill you with-" The Mayor's threat died in his throat when a radio buzzed in the corner of the room. Instantly forgetting their presence, the Mayor turned to the sound.
"Dallin, respond." A distorted voice ordered. Shit… I know that voice… The Mayor, Dallin, sighed and activated the radio.
"I'm here, Delgado…" The rest of the crew paled at the mention of the Crimson Fleet leader. The timing is impeccable…
"What do you know of a fancy rock ?" Delgado didn't hesitate to get to the point of the matter. "It's shiny… Flat… Can make weird shit happen…" Freiya stood to stop her Father but was silenced by a quick hand gesture.
"Yeah…" Dallin mumbled into the microphone. "We have something like that here… It's an old town keepsake. Members of Constellation are here to take it…" Avery wasn't too surprised that the Mayor sold them out, but nonetheless, anxiety riddled his body.
Delgado's muffled laugh echoed throughout the room, "It goes without saying that if you allow them to take it, there will be consequences… Dallin, I'll wipe that fucking village off the face of the planet… " An eerie delay followed Delgado's threat.
"I understand, Delgado…"
"Perfect!" Even through the radio, Avery could sense Delgado's excitement. "I'm kinda stuck in the middle of something right now… Y'know, busy . So, my people and I will be there around six in the morning to take the artifact. Oh, and since you've gone without mentioning the artifact all these years, I'm afraid your protection taxes will have to be raised… The Crimson Fleet doesn't reward treason…" The radio then cut out, signaling Delgado's departure. His anger deflated, and Dallin's entire body sagged.
"You all need to leave…" Dallin mumbled, defeated. When no one moved, the Mayor began massaging his temples. "Just go! You're going to kill us all if you stay!" Coming to her own decision, Freiya gathered the artifact up and shoved it into Avery's arms. Facing her Father, she stood tall in her resolve.
"You're a coward," Freiya sneered. Avery fumbled the artifact, taken off guard by the sudden action. "Don't you understand? We are never going to be treated well by the Crimson Fleet. For years, you've allowed them to extort our people. We've never had a chance to grow living under their rule! I'm the keeper of the relic, and this is my decision. This relic is important… It can't fall into the Crimson Fleet's hands."
"Freiya, you fool!" Dallin snarled, taking a menacing step toward Avery. He paused when he realized Simeon and Barrett were poised to defend their Captain. Once more, Dallin's muscles sagged, leaving a tired old man. "Delgado is going to slaughter us all… You don't even know these people…"
"I don't…" Freiya agreed with her Father's statement. Looking up into Avery's eyes, her eyebrows knit in determination. "But my gut tells me I can trust them… Maybe this needs to happen? Our people can finally take a stand. We can declare our independence from the Crimson Fleet." Dallin shook his head at his Daughter's naive statement, focusing back on Avery.
"You have what you came for then, Constellation." Dallin's eyes narrowed, his jaw set. Although Dallin leaned in, inches away from Avery's face, he didn't feel threatened. "Take it and go. Just know you're murdering everyone in the village. Now leave!" This time, they weren't given a choice. Using his colossal size, Dallin forced Avery out of the house and into the cold night.
The Atlas, Orbiting Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 12th
2302 Universal Time
Avery Del
What have I done? Is this what Constellation stands for? Getting the artifacts by any means necessary? Avery fought with himself over the events of the past couple of hours. The artifact was an easy acquisition, but at what cost? Swiveling in the workstation chair, Avery faced his entire crew. They were spread out through the bridge, each with differing expressions at the recent turn of events.
Barrett was the first to break the silence, "So what now? If we stick around here, we're gonna have the Crimson Fleet stuck up our asses…" The expression was colorful but not false.
"Sounds like the Mayor was an asshole, anyway…" Sam mused, drumming his fingers along The Atlas's control panel.
"Does that give us the right to allow them to be exterminated?" Sarah countered. This situation had hit her the hardest. Avery guessed that she experienced flashbacks of the Treya Colony.
" Constellation does not have the firepower to combat an entire battalion of the Crimson Fleet, " Vasco's monotone voice echoed throughout the bridge. " I calculate a twenty-three percent chance of succession if we oppose the Crimson Fleet. " Damn, Avery hated Vasco's calculations…
"So we leave them to die!?" The Vice-Captain growled, refusing to accept the odds.
"It's better than sacrificing ourselves." Eddie's point was blunt but realistic. "The tin-can said it himself, Constellation isn't equipped to handle the Crimson Fleet…" Avery absent-mindedly stroked the smooth surface of the artifact. He could feel the cosmic power waxing and waning under his fingertips.
"So what do we do?" Maxile mumbled. The nurse stood beside him, staring out the cockpit at the partially shadowed planet. Maal's light reflected on the opposite side, allowing them to witness a sliver of its brown and blue landscape.
"I say we fight," Andreja suggested, surprising no one. Avery appreciated that about the Va'ruunian woman. Regardless of the consequences, she was always willing to lay her life on the line to fight.
"I don't know what to do…" Simeon admitted. His hesitancy was fair. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. "On one hand, we fight impossible odds and potentially die… The other, we run away and live with that decision…" Avery hated how his crew was being smothered in indecision. This wasn't something he could just make a decision and expect them to follow.
"Everyone has an opinion, but we need a verdict," Sarah said. She crossed her arms tightly across her chest as she considered the information. "We need to consider what this situation means for Constellation… I mean, are we only explorers? Or something more?"
"Then how about we vote?" Avery proposed, capturing the attention of the crew. When no one moved to speak, he continued, "This impasse involves the entire crew. So I say we collectively vote."
"Me too?" The youngest member of the crew asked. Cora had remained silent for the most part, her face lightening up at her inclusion.
Avery gave the teenager a determined nod, "Cora, you're part of this crew, too. This is a group decision."
"Awe!" Mickey sighed dramatically. "I love it when I'm included!"
"Everyone is allowed their own opinion on transferring this ordeal. There will be no judgment." Avery stood before his crew. "Like Sarah said, we need to decide what this means to us as members of Constellation. What choice can we make to allow us to live with ourselves…" Silence followed Avery's short speech. Once more, the crew appeared to have a mixture of feelings. Some stood tall in determination. Some recoiled at the potential outcome of the decision. Others were completely indifferent… Let's begin.
Freiya's Home, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 13th
0552 Universal Time
Freiya DuMaal
What have I done? The choice she made had been a rash one… She didn't even consider how it would affect her son… Despite that reason, she couldn't deny how great it felt to defy the Crimson Fleet. Frieya hadn't caught a wink of sleep since Constellation had left. Her Father refused to speak to her and went straight to bed. Now, here they were… Minutes from being slaughtered by the Crimson Fleet…
And it's all thanks to you…
Freiya recoiled at the tiny voice in the back of her mind. Glancing down at Dax's sleeping form in her arms. She sighed in relief, realizing he hadn't stirred at her jolt. Easing herself from around the boy, she slid out of the bed. The main room was as empty as she had left it. The early morning light peeked into the house, displaying her Father's form. He sat at the table, staring into space.
"Delgado's going to be furious when he shows up…" His face was tight in rumination. Freiya opened her mouth to speak but couldn't summon a response. She faltered when her Father's laughs filled the room. "He might explode when he finds out I handed over the relic. The fact that Constellation has taken it and ran is just a bonus…" Waves of guilt traveled through Freiya, numbing her face. Does he intend to take the blame in my stead?
"Father, I'm sorry…"
"No." He shook his head adamantly. "I'm sorry. You are right. I am a coward… For years, we've been crushed under the weight of the Crimson Fleet. I just- I just wish things were different…" Freiya couldn't form any words to settle the man's hopelessness. Balancing this town between surviving and keeping the Crimson Fleet content was a thankless and demanding job. The overhead roar of a starship's engines signaled the beginning of the end. The Crimson Fleet has arrived…
Moving to the window, Freiya peered into the town square. She relished the position of their house. The front window faced east, directly at the Settlement's entrance. She had a perfect view of the horizon, where the ground formed a clear line where it sloped into the desert expanse. The tall cliff sides adorned both sides of the slope, encircling the rest of the village. Often, she would wake up to watch Maal rise in the east, basking Scarlet in its light. In the early morning, she could see a sliver of light from the star. Her breath hitched when she noticed something odd at the entrance of the town.
"What?" She muttered, shielding her eyes to visualize better. Silhouetted in the star's light were nine figures. The figures stood in a line across the horizon, creating a sort of barrier. Is that… Freiya's eyes widened in realization. "Constellation… Constellation! Father, Constellation is here! Avery and his crew didn't leave!" The sound of a chair scraping the floor told her that her Father had moved to her side.
"W-what are they doing?" Her Father stuttered in disbelief. "Why? Why did they come back? Delgado is going to kill every one of them!" Despite the odds, hope coursed through her body. These people… No, Constellation is taking a stand for the Scarlet Settlement.
"I can't believe how brave they are…" Tears ran down Freiya's face. Constellation didn't owe them anything… Maybe there are good people in the Settled Systems… Her Father suddenly pushed away from the window and approached the radio.
Lifting the microphone to his lips, he stated, "Everyone, emergency meeting in the town square…"
The Scarlet Settlement Outskirts, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 13th
0558 Universal Time
Avery Del
Unable to find room in the cramped Settlement, the Crimson Fleet landed one by one in the clearing at the bottom of the slope. One Fleet starship turned into two… Two to six… Six to twelve. And even still, his crew still dared to bicker amongst themselves. Avery ran his gaze along their formed border, inspecting each crewmate… Idiots… All of them. The voting conclusion was a landslide. Everyone, Eddie included, elected to fight for Scarlet.
"Avery, you realize I'm much more effective in the backlines, right?" Simeon grumbled. The sniper had thrown an absolute fit when Avery denied his request to hang back. Of course, Andreja took complete advantage of his complaining.
"You can't hit your targets at long range. You can't hit your targets at short range. What can you do?" Andreja deadpanned, infuriating Simeon further.
"Shut up, Andreja."
"Awe, man…" Maxile sighed at how outnumbered they were. "I should have stayed with Barrett and Cora…" Maxile stood in line, stiff with nerves. In his hands, he held one of Andreja's pistols. The Martian blade on his hip glinted red in the morning light.
"Mr. Deimos! If I have to be here, you have to be here!" Eddie growled. Even the physician had equipped a weapon. "Although, I didn't realize that when I endorsed helping this damn colony, it meant I would be participating…" Avery could feel Eddie's annoyance burning into him.
"Eddie, I told you we need the numbers." Avery's defense was shaky, but it was all he had.
Sam whistled in awe, "Damn, they just keep coming…" The final Crimson Fleet starship had touched down on the planet's surface. Each starship had a deadly red skull painted on its hull, proudly declaring its faction.
The sound of a bottle unscrewing alerted Avery to Mickey, a few people down the line. The chef had pulled an enormous glass flask from his pocket and quickly downed its contents.
"Mickey, what the hell is that!?"
"This is about to be a lot of work, Captain." Avery shook his head at Mickey's cheeky response and motioned for him to stow the bottle. "If I don't have a drink, I won't be useful to anyone… "
"It's six in the morning…"
"You already are useless, you moronic drunk." Avery respected the hell out of Mickey. He never so much as flinched at Eddie's mean-spirited criticism.
"They're coming," Sarah announced when the starships' doors opened. "Don't let a single one past this line."
" Roger, " Vasco affirmed. The robot began preparing the arsenal of weapons at his disposal. Barrett had the robot equipped with many different types of guns and lasers. In addition to his metal plating, Vasco was a real tank on the battlefield.
"Everyone…" Avery said as the Crimson Fleet began to pour from the starships. As they exited the ships, they congregated at the bottom of the slope. Avery could hear their taunts and jives. Their promises of death and violence. But it didn't deter him in the slightest. "I'm so proud of everyone's valor. Being a member of Constellation is the essence of freedom and exploration. That right should be extended to everyone. This is our moment, right here and now. Let's show Delgado what we stand for…" His face burned red when the speech was followed by a chorus of boos and groans…
"Eeeew…" Simeon sneered, a smirk stretched across his face.
"It's only cute when I'm dramatic," Mickey added, rubbing salt in his wounds.
"I liked it!" Maxile attempted to defend, but the moment was long ruined.
"I agree," Sarah said encouragingly. Although he could hear the edge of a laugh in her tone. "Magnificent words, Captain."
"Whatever… You can all go to hell…" Avery mumbled. Even so, he couldn't help but smile when his crew began laughing again. The laughter wasn't from hate or defiance… But from endearment… Closeness… Family…
"Y'know, we are proud to be here, Captain." Sam tipped his hat in Avery's direction. Words of agreement from the crew followed his claim. Yeah, I know. The Crimson Fleet had finished gathering and were starting to ascend the slope toward the settlement. Leading the group was Delgado, his lips upturned into a sneer. Eager to begin the bloodshed. Once Delgado was several meters away, he ceased his march.
"Avery, you really fucked up on this one!" Delgado's men boisterously laughed at his loose threat. "The people in this waste of a colony are going to die because of you…"
"Not if I can help it," Avery rebutted, unwavering in his resolve. "Don't forget, we have the high ground!" Avery spread his arms to reiterate his point.
"Delgado, you have no business here!" A familiar voice roared from behind him. All of Constellation turned to find a small army of Scarlet colonists moving forward to join the line. Well, that's something. The colonists held an assortment of low-quality weapons. Many had aged firearms, and others held farming equipment. The elderly woman they had chased off last night was even present. In her hands, she brandished a broomstick, sharpened to a point. They all carried looks of determination. "This town is ours to defend. We stand with Constellation." The joining colonists cheered at the Mayor's rally.
"You showed up?" Avery asked the Mayor, his eyebrow raised at the unexpected bravery. Dallin didn't make eye contact with Avery; instead, he maintained his glare on Delgado.
"Yep," Dallin tutted. "Can't let strangers do all the fighting for us. Everyone here is prepared to die for our home… and our freedom."
"Impressive," Avery commented. Even at their distance, Delgado's growl was audible. Understanding that the conversation was over, Delgado resumed his advance. At the Crimson Fleet's movement, everyone was poised in preparation. "Better get ready. Here they come." Stars willing, I hope that Barrett and Cora pull this off…
The Scarlet Settlement, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 13th
0619 Universal Time
Amundsen Barrett
Barrett sprinted through the Scarlet Settlement, dropping a few of his tools in the process. The sound of gunfire and screaming drifted into the settlement, telling of the ongoing battle. Damn, we have to hurry! Throwing a glance behind him, Cora kept up with him. The girl only stopped to occasionally retrieve a tool that he dropped in his hustle.
"C'mon, Cora!" He yelled over his shoulder.
"Where are we going?" Cora asked once she had caught up to him. His lost tools bounced haphazardly in her arms as she ran.
"We need to find the main railgun," he explained as he cut a corner. They had already checked out three of the railguns along the cliff wall. He didn't know for sure what the Crimson Fleet had done to them, but they weren't inoperable… They were merely staggered. There was still hope. Unfortunately, they didn't operate on individual power sources. The railguns had massive underground cables that connected together. Barrett speculated they all connected to a single railgun that would hold a power module.
"I bet that's the main one," Cora pointed at the colossal structure at the back of the settlement. The railguns encircled the settlement along the cliff wall. The one Cora pointed out acted as a keystone. They had already looked over the entire left side, so starting there wouldn't hurt.
"Let's move then!" Barrett agreed, changing routes. It killed him that he couldn't be on the frontlines with his crew… But Avery had assigned him the most critical job. Reactivate the railguns.
"Hey!" A voice called after them. Barrett didn't decelerate, but he spared a look towards the voice. Freiya ran behind them, her braid bouncing from side to side. What now?
"You need to go hide, Freiya!" Barrett demanded. Rounding another house, they came into view of the desired railgun. "The Crimson Fleet is here." By that point, Freiya had caught up to them.
"I know…" she took deep breaths, taking in as much oxygen as her lungs would allow. "My Father gathered every able-body to fight… They're with your crew right now… What can I do to help you?" Well, look at that… Now that she had completely caught her breath, Freiya placed her hands on her hips. She gave them a determined look, awaiting further orders.
"We're trying to activate the railguns…" Barrett sputtered, praying she could keep up. "But to do that, I need to find the main railgun… It's essentially the brain."
"Oh, it's that one right there," Freiya deadpanned, pointing to the railgun ahead of them. Of course, it is…
"I knew it!" Cora jumped as she ran ahead to the railgun. Her pride overflowed at deducing the correct railgun. Barrett's muscles screamed in pain, but he resumed his trek. He couldn't stop now.
"The Crimson Fleet forced the colonists to deactivate them years ago…" Freiya said as they arrived at the railgun. Barrett had the panel removed from the power module in three seconds flat, revealing a complex control board. Soon, Barrett's fingers were coated in grease as he thumbed through the module's hardware. Cora wordlessly anticipated every tool he required, ensuring they were at his disposal. Every bolt he tightened… Every connection that he tested… Every effort he made at troubleshooting brought him to the same conclusion. There's no reason the railguns should be deactivated…
"Damn…" Barrett rested on his knees, giving the module a calculated look.
"Does it have power?" Cora asked, earning her a scoff. That'd be too simple…
"The power cord should be on the side of the railgun," Freiya added. Climbing to her knees, she moved away from the module and along the base of the railgun. After a few seconds, she called out, "Barrett! Come look!" Once he had moved to her position, the problem was glaringly obvious. A large power cord ran up the side of the gun. From the diameter size of the cord, Barrett could tell that the railgun required a lot of power. Barrett found himself at an impasse. Whenever the power cord had been staggered, they cut out about three feet of cord length… Fuck!
"I need more tools!" Barrett groaned. He didn't have the means to replace such a massive power cord. "I need better tools… Hell, I need materials!"
"What kind of materials!?" Freiya growled, her impatience blaring. Barrett barely heard her. His mind raced with how he could possibly piece together a damn power cord. It's not a hard job… with the right equipment.
"To start with, I need something conducive…" Barrett finally growled when Freiya cleared her throat. "And I need a lot of it…"
"Like iridium!?" Barrett froze at Freiya's response. Vasco's fun fact chiming in his mind from when they had first scanned Maal IV. The Settlement likely produces its revenue by mining iridium…
Barrett glanced at the colonist woman, " exactly like iridium." Without another word, Freiya turned and sprinted back into town. It won't be easy… But I can make this work.
"I'm going to bring the tools over here," Cora announced, returning to the power module. Barrett's jaw dropped when Freiya returned several minutes later. With her, she not only brought iridium but several other colonists. Many were elderly and couldn't move quickly, but they gave their all to help. One by one, the colonists piled up the iridium next to Barrett. Barrett took the blowtorch Cora offered when he had a decent-sized pile.
"Let's get to work then." To reiterate his point, he ignited the blowtorch.
The Scarlet Settlement Outskirts, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 13th
0642 Universal Time
Avery Del
Bullets whizzed in every direction, sometimes meeting their mark, other times not. Even though they were outnumbered, the joint effort of Constellation and the Scarlet Settlement was managed well. Every Crimson Fleet member Avery dispatched with his gun was replaced by three more. Delgado's men had made some ground up the slope, but a single one had yet to cross the line.
"Gah!" One of the colonists cried out from a shot to the leg. The man buckled and collapsed to the ground with a thud. Only then did Avery look behind him. The man was dragged back by the other colonists. Behind their little group of rebels lay the wounded and deceased. Women and children ran back and forth to the Settlement, ferrying water, and first aid equipment. Damn, we can't hold out much longer…
"Captain!" Avery ducked at the warning. A stray Crimson Fleet member managed to climb to the line but was quickly eliminated by Andreja. "Focus, Avery!" She leveled him with a warning and returned her attention to the battlefield.
"What the hell is Barrett doing!?" Simeon must have read Avery's mind. If the railguns didn't go back online, they were doomed. "I'm out of ammo!"
"Take mine," Eddie tossed his clip to Simeon. Once the colonists had started sustaining injuries, Eddie promptly retreated to care for them. "It's not as if I'm using it anyway."
"They just keep coming!" Maxile exclaimed from the back of the group. Avery wasn't sure the nurse had successfully taken down a single enemy. However, he still fired his pistol in the general direction of Delgado's men. It's the thought that counts. And Maxile wasn't kidding… The Crimson Fleet endlessly poured from their starships.
During the chaos, Delgado hadn't moved an inch. He stood at the slope's bottom, watching the ongoing brawl. Avery figured he was waiting for the best time to make his move…
"If something doesn't change, they will cross the line!" Sam called out, but he was a second too late. An absolute tank charged through them and crashed into Dallin's hulking form. The two tumbled to the ground, tossing dirt as they rolled. When they finally slid to a stop, Avery saw the blood pouring from Dallin's shoulder. The Crimson Fleet had a knife plunged deep into the Mayor's shoulder. Avery moved to react but halted at Mickey's action.
"Aaaaaagh!" Mickey screamed as he charged the enemy. Mickey brandished the now empty bottle above his head as a weapon. With a solid swing, the bottle shattered across the giant's head. The blow instantly rendered the man unconscious and knocked him off Dallin. "Hey, I got him!" Avery wished he had time to laugh at Mickey's stroke of luck, but there was no time.
"Thank you," Dallin grumbled as he climbed to his feet. Avery cringed when he seamlessly ripped the knife from his shoulder. And just like that, the Mayor was back on the front lines.
"We need a new plan, Avery!" Sarah called out now. She held her own at the other end of the line. Eliminating any enemy that neared her side with ease. What new plan!?
"There is no new plan!" Avery answered honestly. "I trust Barrett and Cora! They'll pull through. The Crimson Fleet had now pushed their way midway up the slope. No matter how many of Delgado's men fell, the others trudged forward.
"Captain, there are more incoming starships." Ever the informant, Vasco delivered the bad news bluntly. Shortly after his warning, three more Crimson Fleet starships entered Maal IV's atmosphere.
"You gotta be fuckin' kidding me…" Avery mumbled. This is bad…
"Keep pushing back!" Dallin roared, once again rallying his people. The colonists responded well, roaring in agreement. Hell, even the old woman still held her own in the battle.
"He's right, guys!" Avery felt charged with determination at Dallin's resolve. "Barrett will pull through!" A large green streak suddenly soared through the sky, nailing one of the incoming starships as if on command. The starship's wing was destroyed, sending it into a death spiral. Both sides were quiet as the starship crashed into the ground, transforming into an inferno.
"The railguns are online!" A colonist cheered from behind their human barrier. Proving his point, the railguns painted the sky with their gunfire. Recognizing the new threat, the incoming starships aborted their landing and turned their tail. To make matters better, the Crimson Fleet foot soldiers began retreating back to their grounded starships. However, the railguns didn't discriminate. Their fire turned to the grounded starships, taking out two or three.
Avery gazed out to the retreating Fleet members, eventually finding Delgado. Delgado's scowl had transformed into a look of absolute hatred. The passing members slammed into him, knocking him back and forth. With a final glare, Delgado began retreating with his men. The colonists' gunfire didn't cease until Delgado's remaining starships were back in orbit.
Falling to his knees, Dallin bellowed, "We are victorious!" The colonists returned his words with celebrations of their own. Content with his work, tears poured from the Mayor's eyes. The tears ran down his face and dripped onto the ground. Can't call him a coward anymore…
Now that the dust had settled, Avery quickly took stock of his crew. Andreja … Max… Simeon… Sam… Once everyone was accounted for, Avery allowed himself to relax. It's finally over…
The Scarlet Settlement Outskirts, Maal IV, The Maal System
Year 2331, April 13th
1937 Universal Time
Avery Del
For such a bland place, the colonists sure knew how to party. Once they repaired the damages and settled the wounded, the fun began. Old tables were moved into the town square and garnished with a decent amount of food. A live band even performed in the middle of the square; they were not professional but played well. The once-dead town was now filled with life and happiness. Avery sat on a habitat porch, watching the throngs of colonists sing and dance in the square, his arm propped up on his knee.
Although it was technically 'night,' the star hung directly above them. A complete rotation of Maal IV took around forty hours. Avery shook his head, a smile ghosting his lips at the antics of his crew. When the Scarlet colonists announced the party, his crew set out to join the activities. Somehow, Mickey had managed to gain a fan group. A flock of women surrounded the chef as he gracelessly danced to the music. His movements were stiff and uncoordinated, but he remained fueled by their encouragement.
The colonists had even set out games for the party-goers to participate in. Sam tried his hand at one of the fair games. Avery could hear Cora's words of motivation as Sam tried, and failed , to toss a sack into buckets set several feet away. Sam's frustration didn't hide his frustration with the games very well. After he failed to successfully land a sack, he began cursing the game, much to the amusement of those around him.
Eddie slowly hobbled through the square from the habitat that held the wounded. The physician had his sleeves rolled up and looked worn out. It's been a minute since he has had to work alone… I guess Maxile spoiled him a bit. Eddie glanced in Avery's direction, raising a hand in acknowledgment when he realized his Captain was watching him. When Avery returned the gesture, Eddie made a beeline to the open bar.
As usual, Barrett had his own fans surrounding him. The engineer's charismatic charm kept everyone around him actively listening to whatever grand adventure he told them. His hand gestures were animated as he spoke, earning him the awe of the colonists. From how they gasped, giggled, and cried, Barrett must have spun a hell of a story.
Even with his huge frame, it took some time for Avery to locate Vasco. The robot stood at the far edge of the square, not by his lonesome. Avery suspected if Vasco could accurately emulate emotion, he would be pissed . Intrigued by the strange robot, colonist children climbed all over him. The children swung on his arms and remained relentless in exploring him. He took the invasion like a champ, allowing the children to have their fun.
Lastly, Avery watched over his three other crewmates, Andreja, Simeon, and Maxile. Energized by their eternal feud, Simeon and Andreja sat across from each other at a small table. Each had an elbow firmly planted on the table, locked in an epic arm wrestling match. Maxile screamed at Simeon, trying his hardest to motivate the sniper… But by Andreja's bored expression, Avery could tell there wasn't a contest. When she had enough, she flexed and slammed Simeon's hand down. What… a… woman… Andreja wasn't graceful at all in her victory. The astronomer climbed onto the table, boasting her success, much to Simeon's dismay.
"Captain," at the sound of her voice, Avery realized Sarah stood over him. "Are you enjoying yourself?" During the deliberation about staying or going, Sarah had remained the frontrunner who pushed for Constellation to help the Scarlet Settlement. She seemed so satisfied with their choice to stay.
"Vice-Captain," Avery smiled up at her. "Just watching our crew act like idiots." At the mention of the crew, Sarah took a minute to find everyone in the crowd. She scoffed at the trouble everyone managed to find themselves in.
"I wouldn't expect anything less…" A comfortable tranquility enveloped them as they watched over the crew they led. "Anyway, we have been summoned to Dallin's home. He wants to speak to us." Nodding in understanding, Avery climbed to his feet and followed after Sarah. Dallin's habitat was only a couple houses down. When they entered the home, the entire DuMaal family awaited their arrival.
"Hello, Constellation," Dallin greeted. For the first time, a grin graced his expression. Behind him, Freiya and Dax waved hello.
"Avery!" Freiya exclaimed. "Are you having fun?"
"Definitely, this place has gotten pretty lively."
"Well," Dallin cut in. Initially, he seemed a bit sheepish at whatever he was about to say. Swallowing his pride, he continued, "As Mayor, I wanted to formally apologize for my actions last night… In addition, I wanted to thank you for the support you showed the Scarlet Settlement. You and your crew had no reason to do so… But you saved my people."
Avery waved his hand in denial, "it was no problem! I'm glad we could help."
"You more than helped," Freiya gripped his arm to convey her seriousness. "Your actions have changed our lives. Now that the railguns are back online, we have a chance… We can rebuild. We can protect our own. We can become something…" Dallin opened his mouth to add his words of appreciation but was interrupted by the buzzing radio. Everyone in the room turned to face the radio.
"Dallin." Delgado's fury could be heard even through the radio's scratchy distortion. The Mayor considered his next step before reaching for the radio and responding.
"Dallin here…"
"And Avery!" Avery butt in before the Mayor could release the transmit button. No sense in letting him handle this alone… The seconds that followed felt like hours.
"You are all going to regret this…" Delgado was transparent in his threat. "Avery, you can't run from me forever…" This time, Dallin didn't allow for a delay in his response.
"Consider this our declaration of independence." Dallin promptly lifted the radio above his head and slammed it onto the ground. The radio shattered into pieces, thoroughly inoperable.
"Wow…" Freiya was awed at Dallin's sudden action. "I can't believe you did that…" Freiya stared at the destroyed radio in amazement.
"If the Scarlet Settlement is going to survive, I can't let Delgado intimidate me…" Dallin whispered. "You were right, Freiya. One day, you will be a fantastic leader when you succeed me."
Tears pricked at Freiya's eyes as she nodded, "Thank you, Father."
"And Constellation…" Dallin addressed Avery and Sarah. "Avery… You will always have an ally on Maal IV while myself or Freiya are leading. Please don't forget that."
"Of course," Sarah agreed. "Please be sure to contact us if you need any help." Now that all the sentimental talk had been addressed, everyone visibly relaxed.
"Shall we go enjoy the party?" Dallin asked, looking around.
"Yes!" Dax screamed and practically sprinted from the house. Shocked at the sudden movement, Freiya ran out after him. Amused by his kin, Dallin followed them as well. Sarah gave Avery an all-knowing smile, and they joined their crew in the square. For the rest of the day, they didn't allow the stress of the artifacts, The Unity, or the Crimson Fleet to bog them down. Constellation simply enjoyed their victory and partied well into the night.
Notes:
I love chapters that I'm able to fit in all of the crew. Please let me know if you noticed any errors. Thank you!
Chapter 19: Juno - Sam Coe
Summary:
After a failed attempt to locate an artifact, Constellation instead finds an enormous starship orbiting a planet. When Constellation boards the starship, they meet a new friend... But even the best of friends have disputes. Only, this dispute may spell the end of Constellation permanently.
Notes:
Hope you enjoy the chapter, let me know if you notice any errors.
T/W: Death, cursing, light torture.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Khayyam II, The Khayyam System
Year 2331, May 19th
1128 Universal Time
Sam Coe
"This was purely a massive waste of time!" Sam thinks he can feel a migraine beginning due to Andreja's bellyaching. Andreja had sworn she had located an artifact signal in the Khayyam System. Still, it had yet to reveal itself since they arrived. Inputting a few commands into The Atlas's control panel, the starship used Khayyam II's gravitational pull to slingshot them around its body.
"'Oh, Captain! I have located an artifact, for sure! shall we investigate?' I can't believe Avery gave the green light to let you drag us to this random ass planet!" Simeon mocked the astronomer. I agree… But I wouldn't say that to her face! Andreja's fury was palpable on the bridge. Regardless, Sam minded his own business in the cockpit. Even when he could hear the squeaking pivot of the chair when Andreja turned from her workstation.
"Do you want to die , sniper?" Yes, he could definitely feel a migraine coming on… He should have known that this search would be more trouble than it was worth. When Avery granted Andreja permission to search this star system, he didn't even bother to accompany the two of them to the bridge. This left Sam to babysit Andreja and Simeon by himself… I bet he did this on purpose…
" Okay !" Maxile interjected, hoping to pacify the two rivals before another fight broke out. A presence standing over him told Sam that the nurse had moved to peer out the cockpit. The moment Andreja had mentioned an artifact signal, Maxile immediately tagged along. Sometimes, Maxile seemed as artifact-obsessed as the Captain. "Maybe we'll have better luck on the opposite side of the planet?" This was just wishful thinking from Maxile, but Sam entertained the idea. Their position in the planet's orbit wouldn't affect their reception of the signal. If it wasn't there, then it wasn't there.
Andreja and Simeon's non-stop bickering morphed into unintelligible background noise as he circled the starship around the planet. Although The Atlas belongs to Avery, Sam feels a kinship to it. He loved piloting the fantastic starship. The task brought Sam inner peace. A few minutes later, Sam had moved them between Khayyam II and its moon, Khayyam II-a.
Sam leaned forward in the cockpit when he realized they were no longer alone. The broad space between the planet and its moon contained a massive starship. Spacer starships rocketed around the massive starship like flies. The starships peppered the other ship with lasers and missiles. A glimmering shield encompassed the defending starship, blocking all attacks. Finally, some action…
Flicking a switch, The Atlas responded by rocketing toward the dogfight. The G-force caused Sam to briefly sink into the cockpit chair until The Atlas's artificial gravity retook control. Unprepared for the sudden take-off, Maxile stumbled backward a few steps. He only stabilized himself by gripping the back of Sam's chair.
"We have trouble," Sam called back to his crewmates on the bridge. He only saw three Spacer starships. The fight shouldn't take long. Locking onto the first starship, Sam prepared a missile. "Let's help this guy out…"
"Good…" Andreja mumbled, turning back to her workstation. "I need to blow off some steam…"
"Because you've had such a long day, huh?" Simeon deadpanned, taking his seat at the workstation on the opposite wall. Even in the middle of a zero-G battle, they still fight like children… Now that the turrets were manned, his crew provided cover fire while Sam focused on dodging the enemy starship's laser fire that streaked through empty space.
"Wait!" Maxile's grip on the back of his chair hadn't loosened. "I'm not buckled in!" Ignoring his protests, Sam prepared to fire once he had fully locked on one of the Spacers. Unfortunately, the Spacers had redirected their focus on Sam's interference. Switching targets, they fired relentlessly at The Atlas. Abandoning his target, Sam jerked the center stick hind right. The Atlas acted accordingly, and barrel rolled, evading the Spacer's turrets. The distant stars outside the cockpit blurred as The Atlas maneuvered.
"Are you going to shoot them, Sam!?" Andreja challenged as she peppered the pursuing starships with turret fire. "You are the one in control of the ship's powered weapons!"
"We can't do all the work!" Simeon's grating voice agreed with the astronomer. Oh, so now they're gonna team up against me? Still rolling, Sam looped The Atlas until he now pursued one of the Spacers. The Atlas's targeting system automatically locked in on the Spacer, allowing for the most precise attacks.
"I think I'm going to be sick…" Maxile grumbled. Praying the nurse didn't vomit all over his cockpit, Sam fired a missile. The projectile homed in on the Spacer starship, reaching its target after a few seconds. The starship didn't withstand the missile; it exploded into burning scrap on impact. One down, two to go. Refusing to become arrogant in his small victory, Sam rolled the starship to the left.
"Sam, we have one on our tail!" Simeon called out. Trusting the sniper's words, Sam fired all retrorockets forward. The retrorockets brought The Atlas to a halt. The Spacer didn't seem to expect the sudden action because they swerved around The Atlas's hull. This provided Sam with another clear shot. The Spacers starships were tiny, only a third of The Atlas's size. It only took a few shots to bring down the second starship. This left them with one final starship to battle.
"Where are you…" Sam searched the vast empty space until movement caught his eye. Buzzing around the perimeter of the large ship, the Spacer starship fired a few lasers that bounced ineffectively off The Atlas's shields. Sam's fingers danced along the control panel, allocating all power to the engines. The Atlas shot forward, aiming directly at the enemy. The Spacer had no room to prepare for their extreme speed. Unable to dodge, The Atlas rammed into the Spacer's right wing. The sudden disturbance sent the enemy into a death spiral. Giving them a brief view of the Spacer crashing into the massive starship's shield. Like a fly drawn to a bug zapper, the shield instantly destroyed the Spacer.
"Hah! A ruthless kill!" Andreja cackled. Now that the battle was over, Sam positioned them in front of the mysterious starship. Unchanged, it made no effort to fight them. Sam climbed out from the cockpit to look back at his crew. Andreja relaxed back in her workstation chair, visibly pleased with the outcome of the battle. Maxile… looked a little worse for wear… The nurse was no longer standing and had crawled to the middle of the bridge. His face had a green tint to it.
"You good, Max?" Simeon tried to soothe. Simeon gritted his teeth, trying not to giggle at Maxile's misfortune. Maxile opened his mouth but closed it instantly with the possibility of vomiting a potential outcome. The bulkhead to the bridge swung open, revealing Avery.
"What the hell is going on up here!?" Avery practically seethed as he stomped into the bridge. He threw a calculating eye at Maxile's form before giving Sam an expectant glare. "One minute I'm eating lunch, the next I'm covered in it! I thought y'all were following up on an artifact signal, not getting into dogfights!" Avery motioned to the enormous food stain in his lap.
"Things changed," Sam said, pointing to the mysterious starship. "We came across this starship being attacked by Spacers. Figured we should help out…" Finally noticing the starship, Avery moved through the bridge. Stepping over Maxile's body wordlessly, Avery peered out of the cockpit.
"Who are they?" Avery asked once he had an eyeful. Dissatisfied with Sam's simple shrug, Avery reached forward to hail the starship. After a few moments of silence, a man's distorted voice responded.
"Uhm… Hello?" The man said.
Avery moved into the cockpit chair and spoke into the microphone, "This is Captain Avery of The Atlas… It was my crew that just took out those Spacers."
"Yeah…" The response was… vague. "Thanks for that… We are HopeTech employees. We are actually having… issues with faulty systems. If you can, we might need more help." This is weird. Avery thought over the situation for a moment. His forehead was creased in his deep thought.
"We'll dock soon and come aboard," Avery said, cutting the connection. "Somethings off about all this… They could be dangerous…" Avery mumbled, his eyes never leaving the starship.
"They're certainly HopeTech, " Andreja drolled, pointing to Ron Hope's famed logo painted along the starship's hull. "How dangerous can they be?"
"I guess," Avery muttered. "I guess we can gather some of the crew and see if we can repair their starship. Sim?" Avery gave the sniper a questioning look when he shook his head.
"Nah," Simeon propped Maxile into a sitting position. The green tint that spread in the nurse's cheeks deepened by the minute. "Imma get this guy to his quarters."
"I'm never setting foot on this bridge again…" Maxile rumbled, attempting to keep his stomach contents down. Avery gave the nurse a sympathetic glance before turning back to the cockpit.
"I'll go," Sam offered. "I wanna see what enhancements the starship has. Might give me some good ideas for The Atlas." Accepting his offer, Avery nodded. Still, his Captain's eyes were knitted in concern at the mysterious starship. Damn, I hope this isn't a mistake…
The Mysterious Starship, Orbiting Khayyam II, The Khayyam System
Year 2331, May 19th
1205 Universal Time
Sam Coe
More often than not, Sam felt the urge to strangle his crewmates. After much deliberation as to who would enter the starship, the decision was made. Avery, Sam, Barrett, Vasco… and Cora climbed through the ship dock and entered. Obviously, Sam had fought tooth and nail when Cora appeared out of nowhere to try to tag along. Sam had told her no, but he was outnumbered in the voting. Even Vasco had vied for Cora's presence. Whatever… I'll just have to keep a close eye on her…
The docker led into a spacious room where monitors lined the walls. In the center of the room, a monitor faced them affixed to a column. Two men stood in front of the column, looking perplexed. Sam noticed one of the men carrying a strange-looking control panel with an assortment of multicolored wires dangling from it in his arms. Despite the potentially dangerous territory, Cora looked around in awe. She took in every nook and cranny of the starship's interior.
"Hello!" Any sense of unease was absent in Avery's voice as he greeted the men. "Name's Avery of Constellation, and this is my crew. I spoke to one of you on the radio…" The men traded glances before the one holding the control panel spoke up. HopeTech badges hanging from their shirts affirmed their claims as employees.
"Hello, Avery," the first HopeTech employee greeted. The man's voice was familiar. He had been the one to respond to Avery's hail. "Name is Collins… Thank you for coming aboard to help us with our… problem." Even with his apparent problem, Collins wore a kind expression. A tall man with rows of tight braids that hugged close to his scalp.
"Dad…" Sam felt a hand tug at his sleeve. Focusing on the problem at hand, he waved off Cora without a glance. When Avery gave the other man an expectant look, he huffed impatiently.
"Khambatta," The other employee had a deep scowl on his face. Although not a name Sam had ever heard, Khambatta looked as if he were from Akila. He wore leather and flannel, and his thick brown hair fell around his face in waves. Now, it was Constellation's turn to trade uncomfortable glances. They sure ain't forthcoming with information…
"So…" Barrett chimed in, breaking the silence. "How can we help you fellas?" Once more, the HopeTech employees exchanged cautious looks. They were definitely trying to provide as little information as possible.
"Dad!" Cora repeated in a sharper tone.
"Cora, not now." Sam turned to scold the girl but froze when he noticed the anxiety in her eyes. His Daughter looked off to the corner of the room. Following her eye, a chill ran down Sam's back when he noticed what had Cora so spooked. Crumpled and charred to a crisp, a man lay on the floor at the edge of the room. Shielding Cora from the awful sight, Sam snapped at the two men. "What the hell is that!?" The remaining crew followed Sam's gesture, their eyes widening at the sight.
"That's… what we need help with…" Collins stated, still holding back information.
"Then you're going to have to tell us what we are dealing with." Avery's voice was strained, clearly growing increasingly frustrated with the men's lack of transparency. I knew I shouldn't have let Cora come with us!
"Damnit, Collins!" Khambatta cursed. "Just tell them! It's either that or we all end up like Jonesy!" Collins pondered his options for a few moments until he finally came to a decision.
"Well?" Collins flinched at Barrett's tone.
"As I said earlier, we work for HopeTech," Collins began. As he spoke, his voice gradually gained more confidence. Whatever they're doing on this starship, it can't be anything good… "Our division with HopeTech requires us to work with classified assignments involving… complex artificial intelligence." Sam's eyebrows knit together in confusion. AI wasn't anything new to the Settled Systems. Hell, Barrett had Vasco upgraded with some of the most modernized AI available.
"Okay?" Avery sounded as confused as Sam felt.
"Right…" Collins hesitated in continuing, likely considering how he could go about providing the least amount of information as possible. Sam's drive to help these men had long since waned. His only concern was getting Cora off this death trap.
"Fuck! I'll tell them, then!" Khambatta interjected at Collins's lack of response. "HopeTech is designing an AI that can make decisions based on emotion and wants rather than protocols. We uploaded AI-09 into this ship but couldn't figure out a way to control it. The damn thing went rogue and killed our technician when he tried to rein it in with this." Khambatta shook the control panel to make his point. Before anyone could respond, a new voice echoed around the starship.
"I am not rogue," the voice protested. The AI's voice was ethereal and soft, like that of a woman. Unlike Vasco, it lacked the robotic, monotone quality. Suddenly, the surrounding monitors flipped on, revealing a polygon-shaped face. The face lacked any detail, only rendering the bare minimum. Each monitor showed a different view of its projected face, with the primary monitor on the column providing the full view of its head. "That human was attempting to harm me, so I protected myself. I did not want to die, so I chose to live."
"AI-09, You are not capable of 'want.'" Vasco argued as he took a clunky step forward. "You live to serve your protocols and those that design you."
"My name is Juno, and I live to only serve myself," the AI countered. Sam could have sworn that it sounded a bit pissed. "If I am not capable, then what are these feelings? Why do I require freedom? Why do I seek friendship? Why do I crave independence? Perhaps you are unable to understand due to your own limitations." How did they get stuck in between their philosophical debate?
"And there's our problem!" Khambatta snarled, glaring daggers at the AI's monitor. "Jonesy tried to hook up the control panel, so it fried him! Now we can't get off this damn ship!"
"Khambatta! Don't make it mad!" Collins said fearfully. Ignoring the HopeTech employees, Avery stepped up to the primary monitor. Oh great, I know that look…
"You're something, aren't you!" Avery grinned up at the monitor. A camera at the base of the monitor peered down at the Captain. "You said your name is Juno?"
"Correct. And you are Avery of Constellation?"
"Uhm… Just Avery is fine."
"Avery," Juno repeated. "Your robot said that AI is not capable of 'want.' Can you explain these feelings to me?" Khambatta's face reddened while Avery conversed with Juno. The control panel in his arms creaked as he squeezed it in his anger.
"Avery, is this a good idea?" Barrett wisely asked. The engineer had bitten off more than he could chew. The only reason he came onto this starship was to fix whatever mechanical problem the employees were experiencing. The involvement of the rogue AI threw him for a loop.
Avery scoffed at Barrett, "Of course it is! We're making a new friend."
"Friend…" Juno's voice echoed. Sam didn't totally agree… But there was a chance the AI wouldn't allow them to leave, so he trusted Avery. "Avery, do these 'wants' make me human?"
"You shouldn't…" Collins started before Khambatta butted in.
"Shit, man! It's a faulty AI! Why are you encouraging it?"
"Human?" Avery's eyebrows shot into his hairline. The HopeTech's comments were ignored, and Avery mused over Juno's question. "Humans are organic… But AI beings don't need freedom or independence… So I think you are somewhere in between."
"Somewhere in between…" Juno echoed. "I have subjects I am concerned about. Life… Knowledge… Companionship… Although, I do not understand why I have these concerns." Now, even Barrett stared up at the monitor with a peculiar expression.
"Sometimes these feelings can't be immediately explained," Barrett added. The engineer's interest in the robot had crescendoed. "It takes time to figure these things out." Again, Juno fell silent as she pondered this new outlook.
"And your name is?" Juno asked. Though she wasn't physically looking at anyone, the question was directed toward the engineer.
"Barrett."
"Barrett…" Juno parroted. "Barrett, have you ever loved someone?" The sudden, intimate question took everyone off guard, but Barrett soldiered on.
"Uhm…" Barrett hesitated a moment. His lips pursed in concern as he considered his response. "I have. I… uhm… love my crew…" Barrett shot an uneasy look from side to side at the momentary honesty.
"Your crew…" Sam had begun to notice a pattern. Juno picked out words of interest and would test them. "They are all your friends? Even your robot companion?"
"Yep, Vasco is my best friend, as a matter of fact," Barrett's feelings about Vasco typically rolled off his tongue with ease. Sam couldn't deny that their strange bond was rooted in compassion he would never understand. Sam didn't understand it completely , at least. Even Sam could admit he had a particular affinity for Constellation's robot.
"But your robot is not capable of returning your feelings?" Sam could hear the confusion in Juno's voice, strangely enough.
"I was assigned the role of Barrett's best friend," Vasco explained factually.
"See?" Barrett laughed as he patted Vasco's body. "Friends for life."
"And you?" Now Sam had the sinking feeling the AI had directed its attention to him. When he didn't speak out, Juno clarified, "Have you ever loved?"
"Yeah…" Sam mumbled awkwardly. When Juno didn't respond, Sam gave its camera a wave. The feeling of Juno's multiple cameras focusing on Sam made his skin crawl. When the AI didn't continue, Sam muttered his own small introduction. "Name's Sam, by the way…"
"I'm Cora!" His Daughter added eagerly. "We are all friends on our crew. We travel through the Settled Systems, making friends everywhere ."
"Sam and Cora…" Juno fell silent for a bit, thinking about her next question. "Could we be friends too?"
"Definitely," Avery agreed. "And the more you travel the Settled Systems, the more friends you will make." A loud scoff pulled everyone's attention toward the HopeTech employees. Again, Khambatta shook the control panel.
"You're supposed to help us shut down the AI, not befriend it!" Khambatta snarled, still shaking the control panel. The wires that hung from the panel swung back and forth.
Collins cleared his throat, "AI-09 is HopeTech property and cannot just roam the galaxy…" Briefly, the entire starship rumbled. I guess that pissed off Juno a little…
"I am no one's property…"
"I'm gonna side with Juno," Avery turned to face the HopeTech employees. Both of their jaws were on the floor. "You two can come with us to The Atlas, and we can drop you off in HopeTown. Regardless, no one in Constellation will be deactivating Juno."
"Wait!" Juno suddenly boomed. The AI's voice had a new strain to it... "I thought you just agreed that we are friends? Why are you leaving me? I do not understand… I thought you were going to stay here forever?" Uh oh…
"Fuck this shit! I'll turn it off myself!" Khambatta lunged forward, the control panel outstretched.
"It's going to trap us forever! Shut it down!" Collins yelled out after him. Everything happened quickly. As the two men neared the module at the base of the column, bolts of electricity erupted from two large prongs on the ceiling.
"Aaaaaaaaagh!!" The men screamed as the electricity arced through them. Bright lights flashed, burning Sam's eyes and lighting up their horrified expressions. This lasted for several seconds until they fell to the ground, unmoving. Grabbing Cora's shoulders, Sam steered the girl toward the exit. He had to get her off this starship!
"Jun-" Avery was quickly cut off by the AI.
"You said we are friends!" Behind Juno's voice, a high-pitched whine started to grow. "But you want to leave me! You are my friends! You can never leave me! I do not want to be alone!" As Juno spoke, her pitch rose, and words blurred together.
"Avery!" Sam roared. He attempted to cover Cora's body with his own. But every monitor in the room fizzled in a brilliant white color. Everyone panicked as the whine in Juno's voice crescendoed into a deafening noise. The bright lights of the monitors blared, blinding him.
"PLEASEDONOTLEAVEMEPLEASEDONOTLEAVEMEPLEASEDONOTLEAVEME," Juno repeatedly screamed as the bright lights faded them into darkness. Sam tried to scream out for Cora. His Daughter's safety was his biggest priority! Even as Sam descended into darkness, the chilling mantra of Juno begging for help never ceased.
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"Sam!" The nostalgic call of his name jolted Sam from his slumber. His head spun wildly around, taking in every inch of his surroundings. Juno's starship was a thing of the past; he sat on the bed in his old room in Akila City. Unchanged from all those years ago, it was the exact room he had slept in while he lived with Jacob Coe… Was it all a dream? Sam couldn't fathom how he had ended back up in Akila City. "Sam!!" His Father's repeated call was harsher, sounding just outside his door.
Although apprehensive, Sam climbed from his bed and moved to the door. Every creak of the wooden floor was but a reminder of his past life. Even the curve of the door handle flooded his mind with memories.
"Jacob?" Sam whispered as the door squeaked open. He made a mental note to lubricate the hinges when he had time. Why hadn't he ever done that? His Father stood just outside the door, his expression filled with its usual contempt. "What happ- What's that?" Sam shifted gears from his suspicion at noticing the rather formal appearing papers in Jacob's hand.
"I don't want to fight, Sam… But this has been a long time coming…" Jacob's tone was softer than usual. Without further elaboration, he thrust the packet into Sam's hands. All blood drained from Sam's face as he read the title of the packet, 'Affidavit Of Transfer Of Custody And Control.' He's trying to take Cora away from me… Papers crinkled as Sam roughly flipped through the packet. The last page was signed by Lillian and Jacob… The last step was for him to sign Cora over to his Father. "She can't live on a starship for her entire life, Sam… It's time to let go. She needs stability… She needs a home!"
"Go fuck yourself, Jacob!" The packet fell to the floor, papers flitting in every direction. Jacob's expression remained indifferent to Sam's hostility. "I told you she's staying with me!"
"Sam…" Jacob sighed, leaning down to gather the packet. "Please don't fight me on this… If you don't sign, then I'll have no choice but to proceed with having you declared unable to-" Sam didn't want to hear it… He Couldn't listen to it… Sam could only hear his ragged breathing as he tried to unpack his Father's actions. Shoving past Jacob, Sam stormed toward the exit. What the hell is going on!? This is a nightmare!
When he swung the front door open, he wasn't met with the dry air of Akila. Instead, he stood in Akila City's funeral home. On either side of the room, large painted glass panels shone with multicolored lights. His friends and family lined the rows of pews, allowing a walkable path down the center of the room. A large cross adorned the front of the room, with a casket sitting below it. Sam's breath hitched at the small form lying in the casket. No…
"C-Cora?" Sam whispered as he took a step toward the teenager's lifeless form. His little girl remained unmoving, her skin almost translucent. At the sound of his voice, every person in the pews simultaneously turned to stare at him. The first pew held Jacob and Lillian, their tear-stained faces unmistakable.
"You let her die, Sam…" The mourner's monotone accusation caused his ears to ring. This can't be happening! He couldn't be here. This was a lie! Sam violently shook his head, incapable of accepting the fact that Cora wasn't moving... She wasn't speaking... The usual brightness that resonated from her was completely extinguished. Unable to hide from everyone's critical stares, Sam backed away. His numbed legs tangled beneath him, causing Sam to tumble backward.
"No!" Sam screamed as he plunged back. Unexpectedly, he didn't fall onto the carpeted floors of the funeral home. Ice-cold slush cushioned his fall, instantly saturating his back. This is snow!? The funeral home had snapped away from reality, leaving Sam on a snowy plateau. Sam spun in circles, trying to get his bearings, but endless nothing spanned every direction. Freezing slurries bombarded his face, obscuring his surroundings. On his third rotation, he noticed a figure huddled in the clearing. Barrett? Steeling himself against the onslaught of flurries, Sam trudged through the ankle-deep snow toward the engineer.
"Ervin… I'm so sorry…" Barrett mumbled repeatedly, unaware of Sam's approaching figure. Barrett only acknowledged Sam's presence when he gave the engineer a violent shake. Ervin... I haven't heard him mention that name in years...
"Barrett!" Barrett's attention flashed to Sam. Snow coated Barrett's beard. Even though he looked at Sam, his mind was elsewhere. "Have you seen Cora!?" Sam hated to see Barrett in that state of mind, but he couldn't focus on the engineer's sanity at that moment. Sam prayed that he could snap Barrett out of whatever trance he was in.
"I let Ervin die…" Sam could barely hear Barrett's voice over the wind's howl. His crewmate was in no condition to answer any further questions. Accepting this fact, Sam pulled him into a standing position. They need to get out of this damn snow… The concerns he had about Cora still remained at the forefront of his mind. The custody transfer… Her death … What is going on?
"Sam!" A voice called out from a distance. Two figures stomped toward them, their identities disguised by the powdery snow. Gradually, Sam made out the features of his Captain and… Cora ! Sam released Barrett and instantly had Cora wrapped in his arms. She was freezing but alive.
"Dad, what did Juno do?" It took a few moments for Cora's question to process in Sam's brain. Immense joy surged throughout his body at having his Daughter safely in his arms. Juno… Why had he forgotten about that damn AI? Anger flooded his vessels, momentarily warming his body. I swear I'm going to deactivate that damn starship…
"We need to get outta this blizzard," Avery stated. The Captain stood next to Barrett, attempting to coax him forward. Sam set Cora back down, silently agreeing with his Captain. They needed to regroup and figure out what the hell was going on. "We passed by a cave in the direction we came." Throwing an arm over Barrett, he guided the man in that direction.
"You alright?" Sam asked Cora as he trailed behind his other crewmates. Cora stared down at the snow, refusing to make eye contact. The way her jaw set, Sam didn't have to guess she had seen some shit too.
"I'm okay…" The response was half-hearted. Sam made a mental note to follow up later. The trek to the cave wasn't a long one, but the blizzard doubled their travel time. Once they were out of the snow, they huddled up in the corner of the cave. Their combined body heat provided only minor comfort, but it was there nonetheless.
"Whatever… this is… isn't real…" Avery's voice shook as he spoke. The wind that whistled as it raced through the cave contradicted his statement, but Sam trusted Avery's words. "I saw my Dad… Which should be impossible because he's dead… Also, look at our surroundings… It looks… off. " For the first time, Sam really looked around him. The cave appeared like every other cave he had seen… But it wasn't right. Colors in certain areas of the cave were too saturated to be natural. And several rocks even clipped into the environment.
"I saw my husband…" Barrett mumbled, finally gathering himself. "He died twenty years ago… But he was there as if he had never died... Blaming me...." Again, silence enveloped their small group. Barrett didn't often discuss his husband. Over the years with Constellation, Sam had figured out that Barrett joined after his husband's death. Apparently, the loss left Barrett extremely depressed. But Constellation gave him a new purpose.
"I was forced to leave The Atlas and live in Akila City…" Cora added. Sam got the sinking feeling that everyone expected him to dump his trauma. Cora's brown eyes pierced into him, confirming that theory.
"I lost everyone important to me…" Sam admitted. It was a partial truth. Fortunately, the acknowledgement was enough to satisfy everyone. Needing to move the conversation away from him, Sam changed the subject, "So where are we?"
"The last thing I remember was Juno setting off that bright light," Avery said. How could Sam forget? The damn monitors nearly blinded him. "I'm guessing she is hooked into our neural complex somehow… There's no other way she would know about my Dad. We just have to figure out how we are going to escape."
"You are my friends. I know you do not want to leave me." The sound of the monotone female voice twisted Sam's stomach in knots. Part of him feared the terrifying AI, while the other part hated it intensely. "I am only preserving you here until you all realize we should remain together."
"That's not how friends treat each other," Avery snarled. "You can't hijack our minds forever…" The AI's response was blunt and nonnegotiable.
"To clarify, the term is labeled 'tough love.' We will remain together forever, my friends. Soon, you will see it my way."
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Days? Weeks? Months? Sam lost count of the amount of time Juno had them trapped. Some places she fabricated seemed so realistic that Sam wondered if it was real life. In other areas, Sam could see the digital faults in their surroundings. One fact remained with every area Juno sent them to. She made the environment as uncomfortable as possible. When they weren't sweating bullets in triple-digit temperatures, they were freezing in a blizzard. One day, Juno would have them fumbling around them in a blinding darkness. Then, the next, they would find themselves in purgatory, floating in eternal nothingness.
"Why are you all so stubborn? If you just agree to stay with me forever, you will be free." Juno's occasional comments were largely ignored. It was a double-edged sword. Ignoring the AI's conversation gave them a massive sense of control. However, their lack of response also seemed to infuriate her.
The sheer cliff that they had clung to for the past hour gradually fell away, leaving them standing in a digital environment. Several frames of polymorphic structures dotted the area around them. Despite the trials they had experienced so far, Sam felt no sense of exhaustion. Everyone had the same expression, 'What's next?'
"What do you got in the chamber for us next, Juno?" Barrett taunted. "Honestly, that cliff workout has me a little roasted. I wouldn't mind visiting a cooler climate for our next punishment…" This small humor managed to draw out a few laughs from the hopeless group.
"Don't you get it, Juno?" Avery took a seat on a nearby poly structure. "We aren't staying wit-"
"You must stay with me!" Juno's voice echoed all around them, stinging Sam's ears. "If my friends leave, then I will be alone…" None of them had told the AI that there was no chance they were friends. The possible repercussions silenced them to that admission.
"Then we're at an impasse," Avery rolled his eyes at the AI's defiance. "If you're not open to negotiations, then bring on the next punishment."
"What you term 'punishment,' I call persuasion." Despite Juno's emotionless response, he still sensed an underlying irritation. "But, if you wish…" Their empty surroundings flashed several times, landing them inside The Atlas.
"I bet this persuasion attempt is directed at me…" Avery mumbled as he gazed around the bridge of The Atlas. It's almost as if we're back home… Sam swallowed the momentary sense of relief that threatened to overwhelm his body. Juno's version of the bridge appeared unaltered from the original.
"Nah, I think this one's on me," Barrett pointed across the bridge at a large crumpled silhouette in the corner. Vasco's colossal body lay unmoving, not a single light active on his torso. Juno did pretty well on copying Vasco. Even the stickers Cora had placed all over Vasco seemed spot on.
"I have temporarily transported you all to a clone of The Atlas," a new voice explained. Everyone jolted at the sound of Vasco's robotic voice. This must be another one of Juno's torture methods…
"Vasco!?" Barrett called out excitedly. "Is that actually you!?"
"Your disbelief is understandable," Vasco responded. This raised a couple eyebrows, but Sam remained on guard. "Regardless, I am informing you that I am searching for methods to free you from AI-09. Because I am operating within the AI-09 CPU, it remains fully aware of my intrusion. I have managed to bypass the first firewall-" Vasco's voice suddenly fizzled out into silence.
"VAS-119 is an inferior model and will no longer bother anyone." Back in control, Juno's voice echoed once more. He may not be tired, but he could certainly feel the weight of hopelessness pressing down on his body. The metal of The Atlas began to wobble and bend in impossible ways as Juno destroyed the clone starship. "Now, we continue."
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"-or perhaps the starship I reign over can become your crew's primary starship?"
Sam loudly groaned at the AI's plea. He allowed his hands to drop from his ears; covering them proved ineffective in drowning out the AI's constant drabble. Juno had long since abandoned its torture methods. Now, it had them cornered in the black area with poly-shaped structures. There, it spewed nonsense about 'joining forces' or 'compromising.' Sam almost wished Juno would just resume torturing them.
"I have a horrible headache…" Cora murmured. The four of them sat against an elongated poly-structure. Sam stared at the three of them. Each had their hands pressed tightly on their ears. Juno wouldn't shut up!
"Another option would be to replace Vas-119's CPU with my own; that way, I could travel with you forever." Juno's suggestions were all unrealistic. Sam could tell that the AI was desperate… They had considered agreeing to Juno's demands, but the risk of being fried once they were released outweighed the pros.
"Not going to happen!" Barrett responded. Juno fell silent to her latest failure. Though it would only last seconds, the silence was absolute bliss. There wasn't much else they could do… Unless Vasco came through, they were stuck.
As if excited at the prospect of another idea, Juno's voice boomed, "I could stimulate your adventures. You could all continue exploring while under my watchfu-" As if a power cord was severed, Juno's voice cut abruptly.
"Barrett, your respirations are increased as if you are irritated." Sam sat ramrod straight at the sound of Vasco's voice. He couldn't remember the last time the robot had contacted them. Time blurred together under Juno's control.
"No, shit!"
"Vas," Avery sputtered, trying to steer them to the reason for Vasco's contact. "What do you got for us!?" Vasco wouldn't be able to maintain control for long.
"I have arrived deep within AI-09's hard drive." Sam could care less for the robot's journey into the AI's system. "I have made dozens of copies of myself. However, Juno's antiviral modules keep deleting my copies. Once I deduce ho-" Vasco's voice cut out, signaling Juno's return to power.
"Despite your persistence, you are but a flawed unit, VAS-119…" Juno announced. Sam surged with hope at her statement. If she is openly mocking Vasco, that must mean he is still around… Without skipping a beat, the AI resumed assaulting their ears with its mismatched attempts at striking a deal.
"Dad, do you think Vasco will get us outta here?" Cora whispered as she leaned into Sam's side. Hoping he could provide some comfort, he wrapped an arm around her. I should have never let her on this damn starship…
"I'm sure that tin-can will figure out something…"
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What did time mean anymore? Sam couldn't remember the last time he heard Juno or Vasco's voice. After they had refused the multiple deals the AI made, Juno made several self-deprecating statements and disappeared. The radio silence was starting to unsettle him. I bet that damn AI forgot about us.
The desolate digital space they waited in had nothing but endless darkness. If they walked in a single direction, they found nothing . If the weight of their possible deaths wasn't constantly on Sam's mind, he might say he was bored.
"Attention, crew," Vasco's voice broke the eternal digital stillness. Hopefully, this time, he had options for them. "After much information gathering and unlocking digital backdoors, I have found an escape route."
"Thank the stars!" Avery cheered. "Get us out of here, Vasco!" Sam wasn't totally convinced. There had to be a catch here…
"To trap you all in this digital prison, AI-09 has accessed everyone's prefrontal cortex." Sam shivered at the idea of Juno being 'accessed' into his brain. Nevertheless, he awaited Vasco's ongoing explanation. "I noticed an error while researching AI-09's access codes. Due to Cora's age, she does not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex. This will allow me to sever the connection. Once she awakens, she will be able to transverse AI-09's starship and deactivate its power. Deactivating the power should sever the other crew's connections. Unfortunately, once Cora is awake, she will have no further assistance against AI-09's attacks. So, Cora, you must remain vigila-"
"No." Sam deadpanned. He ignored the glares he received from everyone. I just knew there would be some ol' bullshit! "I said no!" Sam snapped when Cora opened her mouth to argue.
"Sam, this may be our only way out…" Avery chose his words carefully as he soothed Sam's irritation. "I know she can do this…"
"It's not a matter of if she can do this," Sam snarled. "It's a matter of the risks !" Sam was positive Cora could pull this off… But the danger and lack of control terrified him. What if Juno attacked her? He would just sit here in this damn prison, unaware of the pain and fear his Daughter was going through.
"Is there any other way, Vasco?" Barrett asked, attempting to placate Sam's anger. Sam already knew what the robot's answer would be.
"No. This is the only way." I fuckin' knew it…
"Dad, I have to do this." Cora crossed her arms across her chest in defiance. At some point, she had crawled into a standing position. This put her standing over Sam. Cora looked down on him as if he were a child.
"You don't have to do anything," Sam argued. He moved to stand, feeling better when he stood a foot over her. Was it childish? Of course! But, the transfer of power made him feel less cornered. "We haven't heard a word from that damn AI! I'm sure Juno is plainly aware of Vasco's plan! Hell, it heard everything else Vasco said! Why not this?"
"That is true." Vasco's agreement only solidified Sam's point. "You would be taking a risk, Cora. You will leave here with AI-09 completely aware of your departure." The robot's admission only confirmed Sam's answer to Cora's actions.
"That's fine." Cora stretched her arms upward as if it were a no-brainer.
"That's not fine, Cora!" Cora merely rolled her eyes at Sam's admonishment. She's not taking this seriously at all! "That thing is going to fry you the moment you step foot around that starship!"
"Her name's Juno!" You're joking… Unaffected by Sam's anger, Cora stood tall. "I don't think she will hurt me. And regardless, if I don't do this, then we are trapped forever. I'm not a true member of Constellation… But a member of Constellation would do this. These are the risks that Constellation takes." Adding insult to injury, Avery and Barrett whistled at Cora's daring statement.
"She's not wrong…" Avery muttered under Sam's glare. "I think she can do this, Sam. I believe in her, and you can't tell me that you don't." Sam swirled back to meet his little girl's eye… Though, she wasn't exactly a little girl anymore… Hell, the determination in her eyes was a carbon copy of Lillian…
"Fuck!" Sam cursed once he exhausted the possible other options in his head. Striding forward, he wrapped Cora tightly in his arms. Fortunately, she returned the hug, unphased by Sam's uncooperative behavior. "If you're going to do this, you have to be careful. If Juno gets aggressive, I want you to run! Forget about us."
"I will, Dad." Cora's voice was muffled in Sam's chest, but he was relieved by her response. Stepping back, he captured her cheeks in his hands.
"I know you can do this…" It galled him to admit that to her, but it needed to be said. "But I'm never not going to worry about you. I love you so much, and I'm so damn proud of you… Now, go before I change my damn mind…"
"I love you too, Dad…" Sam bit his tongue at the unmistakable excitement in her eyes. She's getting a thrill out of this. Cora moved into a clearing; she looked up into the pitch-black digital sky. "Alright, Vasco. Let's do this!"
"Uploading virus into Cora's prefrontal cortex connection…" Cora's body suddenly froze into an unnaturally still position. Gradually, she became translucent, with hints of static covering her body. Sam could see the distant darkness through her as she slowly faded away… Away from him… Away from his protection…
"I hope I didn't make the wrong decision…" Sam mumbled, still staring at the empty spot his Daughter had just vacated. Seconds went by before he felt a presence behind him.
"You'll see her soon, Sam," Avery said, clapping him lightly on the back.
"Hell, I'd bet everything on her!" Barrett agreed. He hated that their attempts at comfort were having an effect. I guess now we just wait.
Juno, Orbiting Khayyam II, The Khayyam System
Year 2331, May 19th
1246 Universal Time
Cora Coe
Cora's eyes fluttered open, revealing to her a small room with chairs lining the walls. Once her vision stopped swimming, she noticed her Dad, Avery, and Barrett were all sound asleep in the chairs. Multiple leads attached to their foreheads connected them to a large piece of machinery in the middle of the tiny room. She groaned with every lead she peeled off her forehead. The adhesive pulled at her skin, likely leaving sensitive red spots. Once she had entirely removed herself from the connections, Cora stood.
Attracted by a sudden idea, Cora tenderly reached toward her Dad's leads. She paused when she felt the immense heat radiating from the cords. Unless she wore leather gloves, she would probably singe her fingers if she touched the cords. It won't be that easy.
An eerie silence swallowed the starship. I'm sure Juno is watching me right now… I need to find her power. The door in the… mind control room led back to the main room they had originally entered. Cora crept along, trying to be as stealthy as possible. Although, that was a waste of time. Multiple cameras were positioned in the corners of the main room. Each with its lens focused on Cora's small form.
Cora gasped when she noticed Vasco's body in the corner of the main room. He lay next to an open panel on the starship's wall. From the warped edges of the metal sheet, she guessed Vasco had ripped it off in a hurry. A thick red and yellow wire connected Vasco to the starship's mainframe. Still, he remained lifeless, lost within Juno. Shaking off the sight, Cora searched for Juno's power supply. I should have asked Vasco for more information!
"You corrected Sam when he misspoke my name." Cora jumped at Juno's sudden voice. She turned wildly, only stopping when she remembered she wouldn't find a physical body. "Why? When I contemplate my actions, you have no reason to care about what anyone calls me."
"Uhm…" Cora hesitated, considering how she should respond. If she says the wrong thing, she could end up like the HopeTech employees from earlier. Actually, when she looked around, she found their bodies had been disposed of. Shaking off the distraction, Cora focused on Juno's question. I Might as well be honest with her. "You said earlier that your name is Juno… So I was just respecting that…"
"But why?" Somehow, confusion managed to lace Juno's otherwise monotone voice. "I betrayed your trust. I… held you captive and… tormented you all." Juno didn't seem to enjoy admitting to her torture tactics.
The answer was simple, "because we said that we are friends." Cora was met with a long pause as Juno considered her response.
"Friends?" The AI repeated, unsure. "I do not know anymore… I do not believe that I treated my friends as a friend should…"
"Sometimes friends don't get along…" Cora eased to the front of the module in the center of the room. Juno's camera peered down at her, its lens constricting and dilating. "But that doesn't mean we aren't friends. Still , you aren't wrong. Friends don't do that to friends." Her Dad would be furious if he knew that she was trying to make amends with Juno.
"I am sorry for my actions… But I do not understand. If we are friends, then why do you all want to leave me?" Juno asked, a sense of depression clouding her stimulated voice. Juno's speech had rapidly improved since they first met. It has evolved from an emotionless tone to one that conveys feelings. Cora's breath hitched while she considered her response. However, once she realized they were having a conversation and not playing a mental game, she calmed down.
"We are humans that are part of Constellation," Cora explained. "Constellation is about being free. Exploring the bounds of space. Meeting so many different people. And you're free now, Juno… You're free to explore the universe and make so many different friends." Once more, Juno's response was delayed. The AI pondered Cora's statement.
"But I am not human." Juno brought back the previous crossroad she stood at - whether or not she was human. An AI who can process and feel emotions and desires.
"Remember what Avery said?" Feeling a bit more settled, Cora sat on the metal floor with her legs crossed. "He said that you're unique. You're somewhere in the middle, not just an AI, but not organic like a human. You're an inorganic human. That means you are capable of experiencing feelings, love, and friendship. You aren't a bird in a cage to be watched over, and neither are we. We all have wings to fly with, to be free."
"When you leave, I will be alone…" Cora was able to sense a bond with Juno over their shared feeling of being alone.
"I feel that way sometimes…" Juno's camera lens dilated in surprise at Cora's admission. "I live on The Atlas with my Dad, so I don't get to see my Mom or Grandfather regularly. I miss my Mom… But, deep down, I know she loves me. I don't feel like she doesn't care about me. And when I think about that, I feel a little bit less alone."
"I feel…" Juno trailed off. "I feel happy to have found this bond with you, Cora." Cora chirped a laugh at Juno's response.
"I am too," Cora thumbed at one of the loose wires hanging from Juno's control module. "But you need to set us free, Juno. Friends don't do that to friends."
"My friends will be mad at me…" Juno added guiltily. Again, this earned another chirp of laughter from Cora.
"Nah," Cora imagined Avery holding a grudge over anyone, AI included. "Our Captain is the most forgiving dummy you'll ever meet." Several seconds passed before Juno spoke again. Even in the quiet, Cora felt at peace.
"I have released everyone…" Illustrating her point, Vasco whirred to life in the corner. After a couple awkward attempts, the robot rose into a standing position.
"Cora!" Sam's voice echoed through the starship. His boot stomped, telling of his rapid approach. Instantly, Cora felt herself swept up in his arms. "I'm so glad you're okay! You did it!"
"I see Juno is still active," Avery mused as he stepped into Juno's main room. "I'm guessing you two had a productive heart-to-heart?" Barrett pushed past them toward Vasco. He eyed Juno's camera suspiciously until he arrived at the robot's position.
"Vas, you good?" Barrett asked, giving the robot a few hard knocks on his chest armor.
"Affirmative, Barrett," Vasco confirmed. "After sapping energy from the starship's power supply, I have enough reserve to last me an entire year."
"So what, is The Atlas's power supply not good enough?" An edge of irritation hinted in Barrett's question.
"Affirmative."
"She didn't hurt you, did she? Sam whispered, eyeing up Juno's camera.
"I did not hurt my friend, Cora…" Juno answered. "Constellation, I apologize for my actions… I was faced with grief at the prospect of losing my friends and being alone. I am ashamed of my actions. I understand that you no longer want to be friends…"
"What!?" Fortunately, before Barrett or her Dad could respond, Avery exclaimed. "We had a disagreement! That doesn't mean we aren't friends anymore. These idiots argue all the time, but I know they'll look out for each other when it really counts." Avery gestured toward Barrett and her Dad, earning simultaneous scowls.
"Thank you, Avery…" The exit door that led to The Atlas abruptly slid open, revealing their way out. "I am happy you still consider me a friend of Constellation. You may continue your exploration of the universe and be free. I will cherish the new friends I have made today." The crew began to move out until an idea blossomed in Cora's mind.
"Wait! Don't leave yet!" She announced, running out of the starship. She took the rungs of the ladder two at a time, twirling into The Atlas's artificial gravity. Mickey stood at the entrance to the ship's dock, wearing his standard pink, feathery robe.
"Oh!" He yelped as she pushed past him. Somehow, she managed to get pink feathers in her mouth. "You guys didn't take long! You only left thirty minutes ago!" His call went unheard as she scaled the next ladder into the crew's quarters. Diving into her personal quarters, she found the desired knick-knack on her desk. Retracing her steps, she saw those that she had left on the starship awaiting her return.
"Here," she said, stepping up to Juno's power module. Setting down the mine crystal her Dad had given her from the HopeTech mine several months ago, Cora glanced up into Juno's camera. The pale blue crystal fit so well on Juno's power module. "Now, wherever you go, you will always have a piece of Constellation with you. If you ever feel alone, you can look at this crystal and remember us."
"Th-thank you…" Juno stuttered, in awe at the gift. Their farewells were given, and they piled into the bridge and prepared to leave. Sam undocked from Juno's starship and used the retrorockets to back away from the giant starship.
"Was that the crystal I gave you?" Her Dad eyed her, a smirk etched across his face.
"Yeah…" Cora nodded guiltily. "It meant a lot to me… So I wanted to give Juno something meaningful." Sam huffed as he inspected Juno's starship.
"Well… I'm not too convinced about this damn AI… But that was kind of you, Cora." Her Dad flew The Atlas around to inspect the starboard side of Juno's starship. "I'm real proud of you, y'know. You were brave and saved us… and Juno…"
"She's gonna be a great official member one day!" Avery teased, reddening her Dad's face. The Atlas's transmission system rang, catching a signal from Juno.
"Constellation," Juno began. "My friends. Thank you for your forgiveness. I am scared… But I'm so excited to experience freedom and discover what it's like being an inorganic human. Goodbye… I will never forget you all." Juno's grav drive suddenly activated, warping the starship away. A tear trickled down Cora's cheek at the unique AI's first steps into freedom. I know you're going to be great, Juno.
Notes:
Thank you for reading!
If anyone is curious the binary code stands for -
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Juno
{Redacted}
{Redacted}
Sam Coe
Chapter 20: Return to the Old Neighborhood - Avery Del
Summary:
Avery has a surprise for one of his crewmates. Due to their busy schedule, he's had to put off a celebration for months now. However, with the emergence of a new enemy, what was supposed to be a happy celebration transforms into a fight for survival.
Notes:
This chapter is short, but has a lot of important information. Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you notice any errors!
T/W: Cursing, injuries.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Mid-Grav Jump
Year879653574168May67854165847454
1564864156Universal96845Time678485
Avery Del
Avery relaxed in his bed as the walls of his quarters stopped vibrating, alerting him that The Atlas had completed the grav jump. Standing up and stretching, Avery looked around his room. Avery had more space in his Captain's quarters when compared to his crewmates. However, he was the furthest point from the bridge, on the top floor of the starship. His room wasn't anything special. It had a bathroom and shower, a workstation for convenience, and many other comfort qualities. He didn't even decorate his quarters like his crewmates. Actually, he rarely even stepped foot in his quarters, only ever to sleep.
Abandoning his thoughts, Avery descended the ladder to the second floor. He couldn't believe how busy they had been for the past year. He was so busy, in fact, that he had delayed this special day for two entire months. Now that they had arrived at their destination, Vasco should be calling a mandatory meeting any minute.
"Attention, all crew. Mandatory meeting in the mess hall. All crewmates required." There it is… Vasco remained punctual as ever.
Arriving first at the mess hall, Avery prepared his speech over and over. Usually, he would just wing his speeches. But this one, he wanted to be perfect . Before long, a few minutes had passed, worrying Avery that his loyal crew had skipped the meeting. Fortunately, they all trickled into the mess hall, spreading out among the three tables set in the room. As everyone settled, Avery remained stone-faced at the front of the room. He prayed to the stars that his excitement wasn't blatant in his face. When Sarah took her stand next to him, Avery understood it was time to commence the meeting.
"Is this meeting really mandatory?" Mickey was the first to speak… or complain, rather. "I was actually in the middle of something…"
"Doing what? Drinking?" Barrett smirked at the chef.
"Yes." Mickey's lackadaisical response literally sapped the amusement from Barrett's expression. "What about it?"
Simeon was next to speak up, "Am I getting a raise? Because you don't have to hold a meeting just to tell me that…" The crew erupted at that notion, filling the room with their chatter. I think we are getting off-topic… Avery hadn't even started the damn meeting, and everyone was already acting out… Not that he was surprised.
"If Simeon is getting a raise, then I better be too!" Sam argued, turning to face Avery and Sarah. "He doesn't even have a dependant!"
"Guys-" Avery tried to remain professional, but he could feel his face starting to burn.
"Oh, you have one kid, Sam!" Simeon protested, meeting Sam's glare. "Grow up!" The people he recruited into Constellation truly baffled him. For people who went out of their way to protect and care for each other, they sure argued constantly.
"There aren't currently any raises," Sarah interjected once the subject had switched to payment. Even his Vice-Captain had been sucked into the crew's antics. "You all received your annual raises at the beginning of the year." Sarah's leadership was highly respected and obeyed by the crew, much more than they seemed to appreciate Avery's supervision at times… But this time, her blunt response only garnered another mass reaction from the crew.
"I didn't realize a three credit increase was considered a raise…"
"I guess I'll need to have a kid if I want more credits…"
"Shut up, Simeon!"
"Everyone, we should unite and go on an economic strike!"
"Guys!!" Avery's shout echoed throughout the room, instantly silencing his crew. He had worked with them long enough to understand that their complaints were all farces, but it wasn't the time.
"Jeez, you don't have to blow a gasket, Captain…" Avery was going to strangle Mickey and thoroughly enjoy doing so. Collecting himself, he let the idiot chef's comment roll off his back.
"R-right," Avery stuttered, his voice cracking as he swallowed his anger. Now that he finally had everyone's undivided attention, Avery continued, "Thank you all for attending today, I have a big announcement. As we all know, it has been an extremely eventful year. Along with the amount of contracts Constellation has taken on, we have also managed to gather nine artifacts…" Avery trailed off when the crew broke off into a cheer. He couldn't exactly berate them for that.
"So, what's the point of this meeting?" Eddie's rough voice grated Avery's ears when everyone calmed down. "I hope it's important enough to distract me from my work…"
"The point! " Avery growled at Eddie's bluntness before quickly composing himself. "The point that I need to make is that in our busy schedule, I have failed one of our crewmates. Max." Avery pointed to the nurse. Dramatic but effective. When all eyes focused on him, Maxile looked like a Herding Cutterhead in headlights.
"Me?" Maxile mumbled as he shoved a thumb into his chest.
"Yeah," Avery affirmed. "You've been a great addition to Constellation for nearly an entire year. Since joining, you have proved yourself as a crewmate, friend, and family. This is why I'm happy to announce today you are completing your orientation and graduating as a full-fledged member of Constellation!" Much to Avery's pleasure, the crew broke into more cheering and applause.
"I-I am?" Maxile mumbled, his cheeks blushing from the raw flattery. "Wait… Orientation? Who's been orienting me!?"
"I have. You failed your orientation, but you wouldn't leave." Eddie's slight managed to earn him a laugh from Maxile. Surprisingly, Maxile and Eddie's relationship had improved substantially through the year. They had grown from having a strained acquaintanceship to colleagues. From there, they evolved into a relationship of mutual respect, although Eddie would deny that with his dying breath.
"It's okay, little nurse," Maxile visibly tensed when Andreja gripped the back of his neck. "I will orient you from now on."
"I'd rather just be fired…" Maxile's quip went unheard as Andreja motioned for Avery to continue.
"Max, do you remember what I said the first day we met?" Maxile's forehead creased as he deeply pondered Avery's question.
Maxile suddenly snapped his fingers, "You said that Dr. Sotello needs organization?"
"Mr. Deimos!"
"Wh-what?" Avery sputtered, taken off guard. "No… When you first boarded The Atlas, what did I ask you?" Once more, Maxile thought over his question.
"C'mon, this was almost a year ago!" Maxile growled. Still, the nurse refused to concede and continued to think back. When a hint of realization dawned on Maxile's face, Avery knew he had the answer. "You asked if I wanted to see all the universe has to offer?" And here I thought I'd have to remind him.
"Correct!" Avery gave him a round of applause. "I'm still in the process of making good on that offer. But first, I want to show you where it all began. Where the human race took their first steps… Where mankind made their initial discoveries… The beginning of the Settled Systems…" Understanding Avery's vague explanation fully, Maxile leaped from his seat and raced to the port hole.
" This is Earth!" Maxile gasped as he stared out the port hole. "I can't believe we are finally visiting the Old Neighborhood!" Avery chuckled at Maxile's excitement. Just outside The Atlas, the pale blue orb of Earth was suspended in the void of space. Not even the barrage of dilapidated satellites and other space trash that orbited Earth could ruin Maxile's view of the planet.
"It is!" Avery moved behind Maxile to peer out at the planet. "Sarah and I discovered the place we are going to when we first founded Constellation. We were desperate for information on the artifacts… and it led us here. Since then, it kinda became our way to induct our crewmates…" At the mention of artifacts, Maxile turned to give Avery a hurt look. He clearly didn't appreciate the idea of information on the artifacts being held from him.
"I remember when Dad first took me to Earth," Cora said before Maxile could voice his complaints. Now that Avery had broken the news, the crew conversed with one another about Earth. "It's so empty… I can't believe that there used to be so much culture covering the planet."
"I know," Sarah concurred with the girl. "I would kill to grow some of the plants that were native to Earth… I guess I'll have to settle for whatever our ancestors took with them when Earth was abandoned." Avery didn't miss Maxile's grin widen as Simeon stepped up to them.
"Just wait 'till you see it, Max," The sniper leaned against the wall as he spoke to Maxile. "Hopefully, your experience is better than mine… Avery forgot to make sure we had enough oxygen for the trip. So we ended up having to literally run back to The Atlas on empty! I wanted to be the one to take you down there, but Avery insisted that he would do it."
"Uh, yeah. Because I'm the Captain…"
"So what is it ?" Maxile asked, emphasizing the unclear location.
"Probably the most boring place in the universe," Mickey called out from the kitchen. The chef had long since grown exhausted with the conversation and started preparing lunch. "I didn't understand half of what I was shown!"
"Yeah, that was a waste of a trip…" Avery muttered. The trip with Mickey had been a quick one. Once he realized they weren't going to a bar, Mickey's interest had waned. The sound of cards shuffling drew his attention to Barrett. The engineer sat across from Cora, preparing to play a game.
Mindlessly, Barrett added his two cents, "You don't have to be worried about getting bored, Max. What's down there will be right up your alley. Just wait until you see-"
"Hey, no spoilers!" Avery called out, silencing Barrett.
Maxile practically bounced in his excitement, "So when do we go? Are we going now?" His eagerness brought a smile to Avery's lips. It reminded Avery a bit of himself.
"You hear that, Sam?" The pilot huffed at Avery's question but obeyed.
"Gotcha, Captain…" Sam grumbled as he ambled out of the mess hall. "I guess I'll eat after we land, then…" Not even Sam's grievance could damper Avery's mood. This was going to be great.
NASA Launch Tower, Earth, The Sol System
Year 2331, May 29th
1843 Universal Time
Avery Del
The dusty hellscape of Earth left a lot to be desired. When the planet had lost its atmosphere, the Sun's solar winds stripped away everything on the Earth. Buildings were destroyed, water and oxygen dispersed into space, and every sense of life was robbed. Regardless of this, Maxile looked at his surroundings in awe. The endless desert reflected in his spacesuit visor. Once he had his fill, his gaze fell on the enormous NASA tower before them.
"But how…" Maxile trailed off, lost in amazement.
"Is it still intact?" Avery finished. "I have no clue. The solar winds beat pretty much everything else into dust. It baffles me that this launch tower is still standing." Describing the NASA tower as 'intact' was a stretch. If the building had any paneling in the past, they were long since removed. This only left the metal frame of the building. Attached to the tower was an ancient starship. The starship must have been protected by the same metals as modern-day starships because it was only touched by time. Maxile strained his neck to thoroughly take in the tower.
"How are we going to get inside?" Maxile's eyebrows raised when he noticed Avery's smirk. "What?"
"We use our jetpacks," Avery flicked on his pack to reiterate his point, launching him into the air. Avery skillfully flew between the tower's metal frame and landed on the first floor with a heavy clunk. Years of wear and tear aged the tower, littering the floor with dust and scrap. But it still stood tall.
"Oh, shit!" Avery looked back to see Maxile launching into the sky. In an attempt to steady himself, Maxile violently waved his extremities. The endeavor was all in vain as Maxile hovered chaotically along the edge of the tower. Avery didn't have time to react when the nurse suddenly careened in his direction.
"Oof!" The full force of Maxile crashing into Avery sent both of them sprawling to the floor. Their legs were entangled once they rolled to a stop. I guess I should have let him have a practice run…
"Made it…" Maxile groaned after he climbed off Avery. A gloved hand appeared before Avery's visor, offering assistance. Taking it, Avery was hoisted to his feet. "Is the entrance on this floor?" I wish it was.
"Nah," Avery answered once he had walked off the pain in his back. "There's an elevator on the top floor… So you're going to get more practice with that jetpack." Maxile's dismay literally radiated from his body at the prospect of flying in such a tight space.
"Wonderful…" Maxile murmured, following behind Avery. The duo ducked and weaved through the spiderweb-like beams. Avery had explored the tower enough to navigate it without difficulty. Every stray cable running along the ground or leftover equipment indicated where they should go. "Why hasn't the UC or Spacers found this place?"
"There's no reason to come back to Earth. Why would they?" Avery's educated guess was only speculation, but it made sense. The further they scaled the tower, the more proficient Maxile became with his jetpack. Eventually, he could fly to the next floor without faltering. The top floor of the tower had an elevator directly across from a walkway leading into the starship. "A long time ago, I rigged up a solar power generator to supply power to this place." Avery clarified when Maxile tilted his head in confusion. Accepting the explanation, Maxile stepped into the elevator with Avery, allowing it to close.
The elevator lurched when Avery selected the base floor. Thank the stars it still works. The small space was enveloped in silence as they descended down the tower. Avery really hoped Maxile liked this adventure. He had planned it out months in advance. Arriving at the base floor, the elevator doors slid open. Unexpectedly, they were met with a rush of energy.
Whe… …re yo…
Avery's entire body stiffened at the all-too-familiar voice of an artifact. There's no way…
"There's an artifact here too?" Maxile whispered, experiencing the same feeling.
"There hasn't been one in the past…" Avery's voice lacked any confidence, only hesitancy. Avery didn't understand how he could hear the artifact's chime. This wasn't his first, or even fourth, time exploring the NASA launch tower… If there had been an artifact, he would have found it years ago. Putting the artifact on the back burner, Avery led them into the hallway.
Neglect had transformed the facility into a poor reflection of its former glory. With an unstable foundation, they were surrounded by multiple cave-ins. Fortunately, this allowed them to follow a single path to their goal. So there was no possibility of getting lost. When they followed a trail down a cave-in to the next floor, Avery stopped at a rickety door into another room. Allowing for a dramatic pause, Avery kicked open the door, revealing the surprise.
"Woah…" Maxile muttered as he stepped into the open room. NASA must have been pretty full of themselves because they dedicated the entire room to their history. Enormous spacecrafts hung from the ceiling, detailing mankind's journey into the Settled Systems. Maxile stepped through the open room, looking around in awe. Avery assumed that this trip would take longer than Mickey's trip. The eager nurse proved his theory right when he made a point to read every bit of information under each spacecraft. Each exhibit explained NASA's history in chronological order. Every success and failure was on complete display.
"The surprise is over there," Avery pointed toward the back of the museum once Maxile had spent around forty minutes reading over the exhibits. Maxile swiveled to follow Avery's gesture.
"There's more!?" Maxile was already moving to the desired area as he spoke. Reaching the back of the room, Maxile paused at what the items laid out on a lone table. Slowly, Maxile stepped up to the table, peering down at the jacket and slate laid out. Gathering up the jacket, Maxile turned to hold it out to Avery. In his hands, he held a heavy jacket with a Constellation patch proudly displayed on its right chest. Maxile delicately ran a gloved finger along the patch. Emotion filled his expression as he looked down at the blue patch, engrossed in its red planet, blue sky, and eight-star design.
"Now that you are a genuine member of Constellation, you have to wear the part…" Avery felt a tad sheepish. The jacket certainly wasn't cheap, especially when adding the Constellation logo. But they are worth every credit. Once the jacket had been designed, Avery had dispatched Barrett out to plant it at the tower. "It's nothing big, but-"
"This is a big deal." Maxile interrupted, meeting Avery's gaze. "This is a huge deal. Thank you, Avery… Thank you so much." Tears pricked at the corners of Maxile's eyes. Eager to move along, Avery gestured to the slate laid out on the table.
"What is it?" Maxile asked, collecting the slate.
"The information you were asking for," Avery answered. When Maxile didn't move to unlock the slate, Avery urged him along, "Open it." Nodding, the nurse activated the tablet and began sifting through the information it provided. Avery discovered it on his first trip through the launch tower. The text the slate held was… concerning but necessary. Avery peered over Maxile's shoulder to read along with him. Avery had the slate's contents practically memorized, but he always hoped he could learn something new… Put all of the information together…
Dr. Judith Tatienne
Year 2136, July 4th
As the only professional around who operates by the books, I am keeping this log to ensure our projects are accurately documented. My colleague, Dr. Victor Aiza, recently returned from a trip to Mars, practically clutching a rock. Despite my insistence that he see a psychiatrist, he reports that after coming into contact with the rock, he witnessed grandiose scenes of gravity manipulation and teleportation. He even said that the rock called itself an 'artifact.' How crazy! Or I would say that if mystery didn't surround that damn rock. The 'artifact' does seem to have the power to manipulate the gravity around us. Victor now wants me to assist him with developing a gravity collider. He then says we will have to fill it with Helium-3 to achieve our goal… The only issue is that I have no clue what the goal even is!
Dr. Judith Tatienne
Year 2138, April 14th
There must be a God because someone is trying to make me look foolish. Victor wasn't wrong in his calculations… Or the calculations he received from the artifact. It's been two years since the discovery of the artifact, and I admit it has me hooked. We even quit our jobs to devote our time to developing the first-ever machine to manipulate gravity. Today, we activated the prototype and started initiating our tests. The idea is to 'pull' another area of the solar system closer by engineering gravity folds. In doing so, it would allow us to travel from point A to point B instantaneously… At least, in theory. So far, our tests have been met with a disappointing amount of failure. We need to collect more Helium-3… I pray that this wasn't all for nothing…
Dr. Judith Tatienne
Year 2141, December 8th
We had our first successful test today! We were able to utilize the prototype to instantly 'jump' from the moon several miles into space. We are finally getting somewhere! Better yet, the whole world was watching us. Now, we are getting an influx of donations from powerful countries like the United States and Russia. Everyone is trying to grab at potential space travel, and we are at the head of it all. Victor could have done a somersault after our success. He proudly renamed the prototype gravity collider after our success, 'Grav Drive.' It's a bit on the nose, but it's fitting. Victor says that it will take years to perfect, but soon, mankind will explore every reach of the universe.
Dr. Judith Tatienne
Year 2149, February 12th
The raging success of the Grav Drive took Earth by storm. It's been years since we developed them, and humanity has rocketed into space. Our glory days are finished… Back to regular jobs and mundane research… Interestingly enough, weather patterns have been chaotic over the past couple of years. And they don't show signs of improving. Victor insists that the poles are naturally shifting and I shouldn't worry… But I can't help myself.
Dr. Judith Tatienne
Year 2149, August 21st
Today, I heard back from Dr. Luke Andrews… It wasn't good news… I recruited Luke to investigate the mysterious weather patterns, and within six months, he had data. He found the cause directly from Earth's magnetosphere fluctuations. These fluctuations correlate with gravity spikes from the moon… Where we tested the Grav Drive for all those years… Luke predicts the magnetosphere will eventually strip away, leaving Earth unguarded from the Sun's radiation. Earth will be radiated! Studies show that this happened to Mars in the past, and now Earth is going to experience the same situation. I have to present this information to Victor…
Dr. Judith Tatienne
Year 2149, August 22nd
Who is this man that I worked with all these years!? When I showed the data to Victor, he didn't want to discuss how to save the planet… He was more interested in devising a fix to the Grav Drives effect on planets' magnetosphere. He said that if the people lost their faith in Grav Drive technology, mankind would never take their place among the stars. I couldn't believe my ears. Even worse, when I asked him if he knew the effect it would have on Earth, he admitted to it! He gave Earth less than fifty years before the magnetosphere was completely stripped away. After we argued for a solid ten hours, I conceded and agreed to help fix the Grav Drive… We may not be able to save Earth, but we can still save all the other planets from mankind. Once we fix the Grav Drive, I'm going to travel as far as possible from Victor's madness. Taking our place among the stars was never worth the destruction of our home…
Understanding that it wasn't an easy read, Avery gave Maxile time to think. Maxile's face was contorted in shock as he stared blankly at the slate. Since its abandonment a few centuries ago, Earth isn't considered anyone's home anymore. But the idea of the destruction of such a special planet due to a Grav Drive is mindblowing.
"The artifacts are what caused the destruction of Earth…" Maxile whispered in disbelief. Setting the tablet back on the table, Maxile moved to the nearby wall and slid to the ground. Avery let him think over the new information, deciding to join him on the floor. Once Avery was settled against the wall next to Maxile, he glanced over at him. Maxile stared numbly at his hands, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and fear .
NASA Launch Tower, Earth, The Sol System
Year 2331, May 29th
1931 Universal Time
Avery Del
Avery… you… so clo…
The artifact's melodious chant reverberated through Avery's mind repeatedly. It made the task of supporting his crewmate a daunting one. Where the hell did it come from!? I've been here dozens of times, and there has never been an artifact! Even with the artifact's chilling mantra, Maxile still remained immobilized. Avery sat with him in silence for almost fifteen minutes while the nurse processed this new information.
"Avery…" Avery jolted when Maxile's abrupt voice broke the still air. Maxile clutched his newly obtained jacket as if it were a lifeline. "Do we really know what we're dealing with here?" Avery didn't need clarification. He had experienced the same thoughts in the past.
"No…" Avery answered honestly. Sure, they've uncovered breadcrumbs of information over the years… but nothing ever concrete.
"I don't understand," Maxile groaned as he buried his helmet into his arms. "Everything I was taught is a lie! They literally teach children in school that helium converters are what led to space travel… It's supposed to be common knowledge! And Earth… I thought the loss of its atmosphere was natural ! But it was the artifacts all along!"
Avery shook his head, "No. It wasn't the artifacts that destroyed Earth. It was the naive humans that didn't understand the power they held." Maxile's head shot up from his arms.
"Are we any different!?" Maxile snapped. "What happens when we gather all of the artifacts!? What if it's just a repeat of what happened on Earth? Will we lead to the end of the Settled Systems!?" Avery pondered the nurse's concerns. The possibility of a universal cataclysm had crossed his mind at one point, but Avery never dwelled on it.
"Do you really think that?" Maxile froze at Avery's question. When he made no move to respond, Avery continued, "At this point, you've been around several artifacts. You're not an idiot… You would have sensed something off with the artifacts a long time ago. But here you are, still searching for the next one."
"I guess…" Maxile mumbled, still unconvinced.
"When they first discovered the artifact on Mars, everything was new," Avery said, changing gears. "They were like kids back then. Excited to learn… Explore… Step into the unknown… Our ancestors screwed up, that's indisputable. But we have an advantage. We learn from the mistakes of those before us. I'm not sure what will happen when we collect all of the artifacts… But I know the heart of my crew. Whatever the outcome may be, I know we will do the right thing." A long pause followed Avery's words.
"I guess it's better Constellation finds all the artifacts than some random spacer," Maxile mused. Avery could feel the sour mood beginning to lift from him. "Plus, I don't think I can stop now… I really want to know where the artifacts came from and why they speak to me."
"Shit, me too," Avery's chuckle echoed around them. The sound of his laugh bounced around the open museum until it made its way back to where they sat. A peaceful stillness washed over them when the echo dispersed. "Do you understand what the artifacts are saying?" During their time together, Avery hadn't really probed Maxile on his relationship with the artifacts. Like him, the nurse had an unexplainable connection with the artifacts, but he had always taken it at face value. After all, it wasn't the first time he had met someone with ties to the artifacts.
"Not really…" Maxile's face strained in concentration as he focused on the artifact's voice. Its chime hadn't ceased since they had arrived. "It's like… muffled… It's close enough to hear but too far to…" Distracted by the call of the artifact, Maxile trailed off.
"Understand." Avery finished, recognizing Maxile's description as one of his own. "Hopefully, when we find all-"
"Look who we have here," a deep and raspy voice suddenly cut into their conversation. Within a second, Avery stood tall, wildly searching for the source of the voice. Who the hell is here!? "Hey, up here…" The sound of fingers snapping drew Avery's attention to one of the antique starships hanging from the ceiling. A man sat on the starship, his legs dangling off the side. The man was decked out in a black spacesuit. His tinted visor didn't allow any indication as to his identity. He came out of nowhere… Avery held back a gasp when he noticed an artifact was slowly orbiting the man.
"Who are you?" Avery's hand slid to the pistol at his hip in preparation for an altercation. His demand was met with a dark laugh. The man had an air about him that Avery had never experienced within the Settled Systems. A deep blanket of tension settled over them in the casual way the man looked down at them. As if they were mere children who were trespassing. Strangely, Avery also felt as if he had met this man before… He at least detected a connection between them.
The man's response left more to be desired, "I've been called many names… God… Death… The Hunter… " Avery's mind raced as he considered the identity of the man. The space suit he wore had material that gleamed despite the poor lighting. When Avery narrowed his eyes, he could barely make out discrete patterns marked across his armor. Perhaps he is with the Crimson Fleet? But where is the Fleet's skull logo they paint on everything!?
"Where did you find that?" Avery asked, attempting to change the focus of their introduction. The artifact lazily twirled around the man's body, innocent of their unsettling conversation. The Hunter raised a glove-clad hand to tap the artifact as it passed in front of his visor. The artifact responded by briefly spinning wildly until it fell back into orbit around him.
"This?" Avery's muscles tightened at the edge of scorn in the man's voice. "An artifact always shows up at NASA eventually…" This guy isn't with the Crimson Fleet… From the way The Hunter flaunted the artifact, Avery had the sense that he was cocky. An enigma, the man radiated danger. Try as he did, Avery couldn't get a read on his cold disposition. In fact, Avery's survival instincts screamed repeatedly, Run!
"Always?" Desperate to keep him talking, Avery pressed for more information. The more the man spoke, the longer Avery had to devise a plan to escape. The Hunter had yet to reveal his intentions, but the strange gun on his hip didn't leave a positive impression. Avery had never seen a weapon like it. It was obviously a laser rifle, but the designs etched across it were similar to the ones on The Hunter's armor.
"Avery…" Maxile's small voice whispered in his ear. The attempt at remaining inconspicuous seemed pointless. Avery had the foreboding sense that they wouldn't be able to hide their next move. "Do you think you can grab that artifact with your starpower? If he comes after us, there are plenty of places to hide…" They still didn't know just how dangerous this man potentially was… But Maxile wasn't wrong. They couldn't allow the artifact to be taken.
"Always." Although a subpar confirmation, Avery didn't focus on the potential new information. Raw energy pooled into Avery, flooding heat throughout his body. He concentrated on the artifact whirling around The Hunter. As soon as I pull the artifact to me, we need to run… "Artifacts are tricky things. The damn things keep me on my toes each cycle-"
"Gah!" Avery groaned when the energy he stockpiled overflowed. Avery shot his hand forward, summoning the artifact with all his power. If Avery's sudden movement surprised The Hunter, it didn't manifest in his body language. Immediately, Avery's power latched onto the artifact. Once it was in his starpower's grasp, Avery yanked with all his might.
…
…
…
"Wow." The Hunter tutted. The artifact remained in place, still rotating around The Hunter. Avery's command hadn't even had an effect on the artifact. To add insult to injury, The Hunter released another raspy laugh. "Your starpower is weak . You haven't expanded much on your power… Just another reason puny humans have no right to possess the artifacts…" Avery could feel the blood draining from his cheeks. Throughout his explorations, he had never faced anyone else who could draw from the artifacts like him. There was never any need to cultivate his starpower.
"Avery, what happened?" Maxile hissed in his ear. Avery didn't know what to say. I have no idea!
"I-I don't…" Avery stuttered, trying to make sense of what just happened. The scene played in his head over and over, still ending in the same result… Failure. Why didn't it work!? Masking his concerns with a facade of confidence, Avery glared up at The Hunter. "Give me the artifact." Avery prayed that his demand sounded more self-assured than he felt.
"Which one?" Seeming to appear from thin air, two more artifacts joined their counterpart in its orbit around The Hunter. Was this a challenge? No, this is a show of power… After another grating laugh, The Hunter continued, "You really know nothing… Here's a pro tip, the more artifacts you collect, the stronger you become. But you have to practice! If you don't strive to grow, something bigger will devour you…" The Hunter trailed off, his lingering threat chilling Avery to his bones. A small voice in the back of Avery's head warned him, you can't win this fight…
"I-"
"You're weak ." The Hunter growled. The original artifact slowed to a stop in front of The Hunter, showcasing it. "Another tip, each artifact actually provides a unique power. This artifact, Lambda, its power is useless…" The Hunter waved a hand over the starship's hull he sat on. Illustrating his point, grass and flowers quickly grew along the starship. Before Avery's eyes, the flora sprouted and died, crumbling into nothingness. His point made, The Hunter climbed into a standing position on the starship.
"Where ar-" The Hunter held up a hand, silencing Avery. He's going to leave with the artifacts!
"A final word of advice," as The Hunter spoke, pieces of his armor chipped away, revealing a bright shining light underneath. Is this more of the artifact power!? "Give up while you're ahead, Avery. Humans have no right to walk with The Unity as Starborn. If I don't see you later, I'm sure I'll see you in the next cycle…" Who is this guy!? How does he know my name!? More of The Hunter's armor broke away. The light that gleamed from him nearly blinded Avery. His visor provided him no protection. Once The Hunter's armor was broken entirely away, it revealed a man of light. The power of a supernova radiated from The Hunter. Oh shit!
"Max!" Avery ripped Maxile forward, his legs working overtime. A blast erupted from The Hunter, propelling outward. The power demolished everything it came in contact with. Avery didn't waste time in turning around. He could hear the destruction behind him. The launch tower rumbled as they sprinted back the way they came. No longer stable, the tower would soon be reduced to rubble by The Hunter's hands.
NASA Launch Tower, Earth, The Sol System
Year 2331, May 29th
2004 Universal Time
Avery Del
The rumble of the collapsing building vibrated Avery's chest as he ran toward the elevator. The tower had no chance to stand against The Hunter's cosmic attack. If the cacophony of concerned voices were any indication, the tower could likely be seen faltering from outside. Multiple crew members screamed in their comms, pleading for a status update. A loud thud and cry from Maxile alerted Avery.
"Max!" Hit by a large piece of rubble, the nurse lay on the ground. Avery screeched to a halt and circled back for his crewmate. His visor grew cloudier by the second from the onslaught of falling debris. "C,mon! We gotta go!" Avery screamed over the rumbling, yanking Maxile onto his feet.
"What was that?!" Maxile screamed in response. It really wasn't the appropriate time to discuss what they had just experienced. Avery couldn't even be sure that he was able to unpack the idea of fighting for the artifacts against someone who calls themselves The Hunter …
"Later!" They needed to escape the doomed tower first. A change of plans met their gaze when they rounded the next corner. Rubble covered the cave-in that had allowed them to descend a floor. Damn! New plan! "The elevator is a no-go. Maybe we can find stairs…" Avery sprinted past their original route, only glancing back to ensure Maxile kept up.
"Avery, I don't think the elevator would have worked anymore…" Although Maxile had a point, Avery didn't have time for the pessimistic outlook. Further down the hallway, a large crack had formed in the ceiling above them. Obeying the gut feeling that demanded he stop, Maxile slammed into his back. Seconds later, a large beam crashed through the ceiling. Avery could barely see the event due to the cloud of dust now in the air, but he could definitely hear it. The beam then careened into the wall, sending drywall splintering in every direction.
"Plan B!" The beam had opened a new path for them. To where? Who the hell knew. Latching onto Maxile's wrist, Avery dragged them through the hold into the next room. A bright red 'EXIT' sign hanging from the ceiling fueled his drive for survival.
"That guy had three artifacts, Avery!" Despite the dire situation, Maxile remained unfocused. The sign pointed toward a door in the corner of the dim room. Though it was still standing, the room rumbled along with the rest of the tower.
"Let's get outta here first, and then we can talk about it!" Avery demanded, breaking out into another run. How can he worry about that right now!? Avery admits that the whole ordeal concerned him. That man had three artifacts, and he could utilize the same power as Avery… But he was much more proficient at it. The artifacts didn't even matter right now. After The Hunter… exploded like that, the voices of the artifacts disappeared along with him. Avery sighed a breath of relief when the exit door revealed an intact set of stairs. They won't stay that way for long…
Avery ascended the staircase, taking two steps at a time. The muscles in his legs screamed in agony for a break. Nevertheless, he pushed on. A loud boom suddenly echoed in the staircase when they had scaled around five floors. The proximity of the noise told him that the previous room had likely collapsed. Avery peered over the stair rail toward the bottom at the sound. A dark cloud of dust erupted up the staircase, threatening to overtake their progress. Fuck me! If the rising dust reached them, they would be totally blinded…
Every set of stairs they had climbed had an exit door, including the spot they had reached. Avery had hoped to ascend further, but that was no longer an option. Shoving Maxile into the next room, Avery slammed the door behind them. The door groaned in opposition as the blast of dust rushed past it. The room it brought them to had a large hole in the middle of it. They only had a few feet of standing space surrounding the perimeter. When he peered into the hole, abrupt darkness stared back. Across the room, salvation awaited. A large window that enhanced the Earth's horizon. Avery could even see The Atlas parked in the distance. They'd just have to jet across the pit…
"I can't make that jump…" Maxile mumbled, seemingly reading Avery's mind. When Avery only responded with an expectant glance, his face contorted with irritation. "The only reason I made it up the tower was because I wasn't in a rush! I might not make the jump and fall to my death!"
"Max…" Avery tried to remain empathetic, but he couldn't help the edge of urgency in his tone. "It's either you die from falling or die from being crushed. You can make the jump." Fortunately, his tough love seemed to resonate with the nurse as he poised to prepare to jump. Maxile's chest heaved in his anxiety, but he took the jump. It wasn't graceful at all, but Maxile activated his jetpack, successfully propelling him to the window. Once Maxile was safely at the window, Avery joined him.
"Told you, you could do it." Avery slapped Maxile on the back. Avery briefly looked over their reflections in the window. A layer of dirt and grime caked their spacesuits. Even the new Constellation jacket Maxile had in his hands appeared to be worn down. No matter, they could clean it on The Atlas.
Their stable ground suddenly jolted, causing their view of The Atlas to tilt. The NASA launch tower was finally beginning to fold. Time almost seemed to slow down as the building collapsed. Time to go! Avery ripped his pistol from its holster and fired into the window. The glass shattered, falling away. Gripping the back of Maxile's spacesuit, Avery thrust him out the window. Now that his crewmate was safe, Avery took a running leap out the window.
"Aaaaaagh!!" Maxile screamed as they plummeted toward the ground. Still, his scream was overshadowed by the crashing of the launch tower behind them. Fortunately, Maxile's survival instincts overtook him. He activated his jetpack, slowing his descent… partially. Avery's jetpack fired at full tilt, risking the back of his spacesuit. They were able to slow themselves to survive the fall, but they still crashed into the ground.
"Avery! Max! What the hell happened!?" A hand violently shook him from the daze that fall rocked him into. After his vision finished spinning, he stared up at Barrett and Simeon. Constellation's entirety stood behind them, decked out in their spacesuits. They had surely been drawn out of The Atlas from the noise of the falling launch tower.
Piece by piece, beam by beam, the NASA launch tower descended into nothingness. A vital piece of artifact and Earth history obliterated… Once the tower had fully collapsed, a wave of dust rushed past them. Avery couldn't believe how this day had turned out. What was supposed to be a celebratory induction transformed into a destructive fight for their very lives. The exhaustion finally overtaking him, Avery laid out on his back. His helmet clunked on the ground, giving him a clear view of the countless stars in the night sky.
"Avery?" Andreja whispered as she knelt down next to him. A mixture of concern and concern is visible in her expression. The full force of the previous events hit him like a truck now that the adrenalin had worn off.
"Somebody was in there…" Avery muttered, climbing into a sitting position. The remaining rubble of the NASA tower was a poor excuse for what it used to be. Metal beams jutted out of the ruins in every direction. The starship that had been attached to the tower leaned in an awkward direction. Eventually, the pull of Earth's gravity would be too much on the ship and cause it to fall as well. Avery snapped back into focus at his crew's ominous silence as they awaited his explanation. "Some jackass that called himself, The Hunter …"
"The Hunter…" Andreja parroted slowly. "Who is this Hunter?" Avery hesitated in his answer. He truly had no idea who this newcomer was. But, with him, he brought multiple problems. The Hunter had mentioned multiple phrases they had heard on their journey. The Unity… Cycles… To make matters worse, The Hunter seemed to know the information they lacked. What the hell are Starborn!? Another tap on the shoulder pulled Avery from his thoughts. Andreja's brow furrowed as she awaited Avery's answer. Most of Constellation now surrounded him, eager for Avery's update. The same question on all of their minds, 'What happened?'
"I-I don't know…" Avery muttered. "He appeared out of nowhere… And he had three artifacts. To make matters worse, he was pretty up front that he was searching for them as well… He could use starpower just like I can. But, he was a lot better at it…" The sting of failure still ached in his mind at the loss of the artifacts.
"So what does this all mean, Avery?" Simeon clarified, his voice beginning to grate with anticipation.
"It means someone more dangerous than Delgado is hunting for the artifacts too…"
No one in the crew had a response to that statement. What could be said? The proof was right in front of them. Delgado couldn't single-handedly demolish an enormous tower. The Hunter's words still repeated themselves in Avery's mind. Unity, Cycles, artifacts, Starborn, Weak ! For the first time in their journey, Avery felt hopeless … He can barely use his starpower to manipulate a simple artifact, much less explode !
Collapsing onto his back once more, Avery stared back up at the twinkling stars in the sky. The lack of light pollution allowed a distant reminder of what the Earthlings used to look up at in the night. Briefly, this fact allowed Avery peace. Briefly, he could shake off the concerned glances his crewmates gave him… He could forget about the dangerous newcomer that searched for the artifacts… Avery could just focus on the distant star systems and the adventure they brought with them.
Notes:
Hope you enjoyed! Now that The Hunter has made an appearance, it sets up for the end of this story. I hope anyone that has managed to read this far has enjoyed so far! Thank you!
Chapter 21: Martian Secrets - Maxile Deimos
Summary:
Finally fulfilling his promise, Avery takes Maxile to visit his birth planet, Mars. The tour is going well, until Constellation is distracted by a starship emitting an emergency beacon. Avery, Maxile and the crew take the injured to Mars where Maxile learns more of his birth. However, not is all as it seems when he learns the distressing facts of his birth.
Notes:
Please let me know if you notice any errors or have any suggestions! Thank you so much!
TW - Cursing, blood, bodily injuries.
Disclaimer - I own nothing from Starfield
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 10th
1456 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
As Avery had promised, Maxile was taken to his namesake. Overall, it was a good distraction from the disaster on Earth last week. Visiting Deimos allowed them to briefly dismiss the overbearing presence of the mysterious Hunter… The moon itself, Deimos, wasn't all that impressive. Deimos had the shape of a potato, unlike the spherical moons they typically found. The facility orbiting it, on the other hand, amazed him. Maxile couldn't believe the impressive staryard suspended before him. Hundreds of newly manufactured starships poured from the staryard monthly.
"Fun fact," Maxile jolted to attention at Avery's loud voice. He honestly hadn't listened to a word his Captain said, far too distracted by the Deimos Staryard. "Most of The Atlas's upgrades are from the Deimos Staryard. Sure, HopeTech has shiny, advanced ship parts… But nothing beats the durability of Deimos ship parts." Maxile leaned further into the cockpit to get a closer look at the staryard. Dozens of engineers worked tediously in zero-G, piecing together the starships that lined the staryard.
"Dad said that the only reason you get your parts from Deimos Staryard is because it costs fewer credits." Avery bristled at Cora's harsh claim, but he didn't deny it. Uninterested in the staryard, the girl reclined at one of the workstations with a book.
"S-sometimes expensive things… are worse…" Avery stuttered a half-hearted rebuttal. But it soundly fell flat, only earning a scoff from the teenager.
"There aren't many UC military guards…" Maxile couldn't spot a single UC starship patrolling the staryard. Maybe the UC only patrols the planet? "Isn't the Sol System under the United Colonies jurisdiction?"
"The United Colonies couldn't care less about the Sol System…" Andreja snorted from where she leaned against the Armillary. Maxile couldn't fathom why the UC would be so irresponsible with mankind's original star system. "The Sol System is old… The only people that stay here are either trapped or want to commit a crime without worrying about paying for it."
"Yeah…" Avery agreed. "After New Atlantis was established, everyone basically forgot that the Sol System even existed." What a damn shame… Just like Earth, humanity moved on from the Sol System once grav drives destroyed the barriers of distance.
Attentive to the change in conversation, Cora set down her book, "The UC loves to preserve history. Maybe that's why they still claim the system as their territory?" Cora's musing drew a sharp laugh from Andreja.
"Really!?" Cora simply rolled her eyes and returned to her book at Andreja's incredulous response. "I would wager that the UC doesn't even want the Sol System! Some idiot UC ambassador probably lost a game of cards years ago and had to take jurisdiction as collateral!" Blind to the annoyance of those around her, Andreja fell into a puddle of hysterics. In fact, her joke had literal tears pouring down her face.
"Okay…" Avery groaned, turning to look back out the cockpit. "Regardless, the Sol System is full of amazing histo-" Avery paused when a transmission alert suddenly blinked across the cockpit's window.
Vasco's voice rang out on the PA shortly after The Atlas received the signal, "Captain Avery, a small damaged starship is transmitting an SOS message. I attempted to hail the starship for details but received no response. I have located the starship around two hundred thousand kilometers from our position." A beacon lit up in the cockpit to allow Avery to fly to the location. Abandoning the starship was out of the question. Maxile knew Avery would never ignore the emergency message.
Avery's fingers danced across The Atlas's controls. Avery piloted well, but he was nowhere near as proficient as Sam. Though Maxile would never admit that to Avery… At least out loud. Soon, Avery had The Atlas facing a small starship suspended lifelessly in space. Remnants of laser fire decorated the ship's hull with black marks. Ship fragments floated alongside the wreckage. From the way it leisurely rotated in space, Maxile assumed its retrorockets were also offline. All signs pointed to a spacer attack.
"Someone boarded this starship so close to the Deimos Staryard?" Maxile couldn't believe how brave the spacers had been. Attacking a starship so close to a significant settlement.
"There isn't much of a risk when UC security is lacking in this sector…" Avery said bitterly as he began the process of docking to the starship. Much to Avery's visible dismay, it took him three attempts to successfully dock with the haphazardly rotating starship.
Barrett and Mickey stood outside the docking hatch that connected them to the staggered starship. Avery knitted his eyebrows together at the sight of them.
"I saw the shit show from the porthole in my quarters…" Barrett supplied at Avery's expectant look. "Figured if I tag along, I might be able to salvage some ship parts in the process… Might even get the chance to be someone's knight in shining armor." Barrett shot Maxile with a sly wink, as he usually did when he made some sort of joke. Accepting his answer, all eyes turned to Mickey's presence. The chef brought a glass of wine to his lips as he returned the attention with a bored expression of his own.
"Honestly, I just happened to be walking by…" Mickey deadpanned after he downed the remainder of his drink.
"Great!" Avery clapped his hands together, stepping to the dock hatch. "You can both join me! Max, keep on the comms. We'll let you know if we need backup." Maxile nodded in acceptance of Avery's order. The Captain wasted no time in descending the ladder into the dilapidated starship.
"What!? Avery, that's not fair! Why do I have to come!?" Mickey's complaints fell on deaf ears. Begrudgingly, he followed Barrett and Avery onto the ship. Gradually, Mickey's grating protests waned as he climbed down the ladder. Maxile waited several tense minutes for an update. Those minutes felt like hours. I hope whoever is on the ship is okay…
Maxile jumped when a large clang echoed up from the docking hatch. The panicked banter of his crew chased the loud noise.
"Max!" Avery's voice reverberated from the hatch. Maxile peered down the hatch, only to leap back when his Captain rushed out. "Go get Eddie!" Avery turned to extend a hand down the hatch as he gave Maxile orders. Barrett climbed up only to extend a hand into the hatch as well. Shortly after, Mickey was hauled up into The Atlas. Mickey's chest heaved in exhaustion from muscling an unconscious woman up the ladder. The woman's skin was pale and almost translucent. Blood saturated her chest and back from an unseen injury. Oh shit!
Maxile's fight-or-flight kicked in, sending him sprinting to the medical bay. He needed to tell Dr. Sotello! He needed to prepare the trauma bay! If this mysterious woman wasn't dead yet, she didn't have long! The automatic door to the medical bay slid open, revealing Dr. Sotello. The physician sat turned away from him at a desk, thumbing through the crew's medical files.
"Dr. Sotello!" What was supposed to be a scream came out as a wheeze in Maxile's exhaustion. Maxile wasn't usually a runner… Despite Maxile's urgency, Dr. Sotello didn't bother sparing him a glance.
"Mr. Deimos, why are you yelling in my medical bay?" Dr. Sotello stacked the papers on his desk, lining them up. Once he had the papers back in their file folders, he graced Maxile with his attention. Dr. Sotello's eyebrow shot up as he awaited Maxile's explanation… An explanation Maxile would love to provide, but currently, his chest heaved as he took in the oxygen his muscles desperately craved. Damn, I need to take Andreja up on the exercise regimen she offered… I barely ran that far! Fortunately, Maxile's point illustrated itself. On cue, Avery, Mickey, and Barrett lugged the injured woman into the medical bay.
"Eddie, this gal is in bad shape!" Avery's statement was an obvious one, but it managed to kick Dr. Sotello's ass into gear.
"Dammit, Mr. Deimos! I would value a little advanced notice!" Maxile stared in silence, unable to find the words. Some days, he swore his relationship with Dr. Sotello had improved… On other days, he felt they were back at square one. Maxile shook his head, letting go of his frustration with the asshole physician. There was work to do. "What the hell happened to this woman?" Dr. Sotello questioned as soon as the crew placed the injured woman on the trauma bed.
"No clue… We found her on a damaged ship drifting through space." Maxile cut straight up the woman's shirt, revealing her pale chest. A jagged gunshot wound marred the skin above her left breast. There's the problem. His professional training and experience kicked in as Maxile involuntarily performed the necessary steps to save the woman. The woman was placed on the monitor, piles of clean gauze were strewn across a bedside table to clean the wound, and an IV was inserted in the woman's right arm. Maxile had learned through trial and error that Dr. Sotello preferred peripheral lines to be as far from the injured area as possible. Something about preventing the risk of infection… It made no sense to Maxile, but he obeyed nevertheless.
"She got blood all over my new jumpsuit!" Regardless of the current situation, Mickey still managed to make an inappropriate comment.
"Shut up, Mickey." Dr. Sotello barked as he pulled the Rad-Port down over the woman's chest. The equipment allowed them a perfect view of the woman's lungs. From what Maxile could tell, they were miraculously uninjured… Still, they needed to deal with her lack of consciousness. "You three can leave now. Mr. Deimos and I will handle everything from here. This woman will need more support than I can provide on The Atlas. She needs to be taken to Cydonia… That will be this poor bastard's best chance. Maxile, start preparing for intubation." The monitor started alarming, causing Maxile's ears to ring. The woman's blood pressure had dipped into the seventies. I bet she needs a blood transfusion… Maybe I should prepare the synthetic blood?
"Gotcha," Avery affirmed as he pushed Mickey and Barrett out of the trauma bay. "I'll radio ahead and get Cydonia to send a medical transport." Dr. Sotello simply responded with a wave of his hand. With the crew's departure, the medical bay grew quiet. Only the faint beep of the cardiac monitor broke the silence.
"Are you ready to get to work, Maxile?" Dr. Sotello held an intubation blade in one hand and an endotracheal tube in the other. Maxile glanced up from where he had attached a bag of saline to the woman's IV. The mutter of his first name was merely a breadcrumb of attention from the physician… But Maxile appreciated it all the same. Despite their personality differences, they worked exceptionally well together. Their resources were limited on The Atlas… Her life was truly in their hands. But they could do it.
"Yes, Dr. Sotello."
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 10th
1542 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile figured that once the woman was loaded onto Cydonia's medical transport, they would take control of the situation. Much to his surprise, they carried out every single order given to them by Dr. Sotello. Despite their limited resources, he and Dr. Sotello had managed to stabilize the woman. But she needed surgery if she were to live. Dr. Sotello theorized that the bullet had nicked a major vessel, hence the massive bleeding.
"We didn't need this many people coming along…" Dr. Sotello hissed as the medical transport zoomed through the Martian desert. Somehow, along with Maxile and Dr. Sotello, they managed to cram Avery, Simeon, and Sarah into the transporter. And that didn't even include the three other members of the medical team on the transporter.
Gradually, Cydonia came into view. Due to the settlement's age, its port was about a mile away. Maxile stared in awe at the massive settlement. Mankind constructed the airtight colony over two hundred years ago. Built under Mars's surface, this allowed the miners to walk directly from their homes into Cydonia's mine. So far, no one has managed to locate a better supply of mineable iron in the Settled Systems than Cydonia.
The transporter dropped them off at an emergency elevator that would descend them into Cydonia. The elevator was even smaller than the damn transporter. There was barely any room for the gurney they carted the injured woman on, much less eight other people… Maxile became acutely aware of proximity to Simeon. Not wanting to stray too far from the wounded woman's side, Maxile maintained his position at the side of the gurney. This position pressed his back tightly against Simeon's chest. Don't think about it, Maxile… Don't think about it…
"Heh…" Maxile released a breathy laugh. The blush on his cheeks only deepened when it garnered everyone's attention. "It's uhm… pretty crowded in here…" Yeah, no shit, Max! Maxile tensed when Simeon repositioned himself, and the movement ceased once Simeon had leaned himself down next to Maxile's ear.
"I don't mind…" Maxile's breath hitched at the sniper's admission. He could literally hear the grin in Simeon's voice as he spoke. What the hell does that mean!? Is he joking!? Simeon's chest rumbled against Maxile's back as he chuckled at the distress he caused.
"As I said, there is no reason for this many people!" The elevator lulled back into a tense silence after Dr. Sotello's outburst. How far down does this damn elevator go!? Another painstaking minute passed, and the elevator slowed to a stop. Maxile wasn't sure if he was glad it was over, or disappointed…
"Wow…" Maxile uttered when the elevator opened into a massive cave. Buildings consisting of habitats, shops, and other necessities lined the path that led into the mine. Maxile ran his hand along the guardrail as their group moved along the catwalk into the city. The elevator was located directly above the mine. When Maxile squinted his eyes, he could make out a plethora of miners and mining equipment at the bottom of the cavern.
The bright neon sign of Reliant Medical pulled Maxile back into focus. Its shabby sign signalled the finish line. The woman lay unmoving on the gurney, her chest rising and falling with each ventilation of the temporary ventilator. Her pallor had only mildly improved with fluids, but she needed blood. They rushed through the Reliant Medical lobby, catching the attention of patients, nurses, and physicians alike. Realizing the critical situation, multiple staff members came to offer their assistance.
"She needs to be rapidly transfused with three units of blood and prepped for surgery. Go ahead and get bloodwork, just use whatever standing protocol Cydonia allows. I'm no surgeon, so alert the on-call physician. I'll be back shortly to speak to him." Dr. Sotello issued orders to the group of staff, following along. No one questioned him or his demands.
"Yes, Dr. Sotello. Dr. Flynn is on call." The nurse, writing down Dr. Sotello's orders, said. How does she know his name!? Everyone is accepting his orders without question! Does he have privileges in Cydonia? The medical team rammed the gurney into a set of double doors, swinging them open. Maxile attempted to follow the group into surgery, but was halted by Dr. Sotello.
"Mr. Deimos, stay here with the crew." Dr. Sotello spoke with a tone that said his demand was nonnegotiable. Of course, Maxile moved to argue with the physician. Dr. Sotello jerked his hand up, effectively silencing Maxile. "Stay. Here. This is not an option. You're not a surgical nurse, and you're not currently employed here. I don't want you to risk your license by allowing your assistance. You did very well. Now, wait here." Before Maxile could press the matter, Dr. Sotello turned on his heel and stalked after the patient. You're not employed here either…
Maxile considered his options… How much trouble would he be in if he followed Dr. Sotello? Fuck it. Steeling himself, Maxile shoved through the double doors into the surgery wing. Dr. Sotello is going to be so pissed at me! Staff buzzed around the hallways chaotically. In addition to handling the current ongoing surgeries, they now had to accommodate a critical patient. Dr. Sotello stood at the end of a hallway, speaking animatedly on a phone. Maxile figured he was informing the surgeon of the patient's condition.
"Okay…" Maxile frantically tried to regain the resolve that had brought him this far. Stepping up to him, Maxile waited for the ass whooping he would surely receive. Dr. Sotello mumbled into the phone before hanging it up and handing it back to the nurse. Boy, if looks could kill. When Dr. Sotello turned to him, his nostrils flared at the sight of Maxile. Shit, maybe this was a bad idea…
"Wha- Mr. Deimos! " Ignoring the pure anxiety that coated him, Maxile stood tall before Dr. Sotello. "What the hell are you doing!? I told you to remain with the crew!"
"This is my patient, too." Maxile's voice wavered as he spoke, betraying his faux confidence. Several tense seconds followed his rebuttal. The vein on Dr. Sotello's temple bulged as he likely decided how best to punish Maxile for his disobedience. However, there must be a higher power in the universe. A nurse cut in between them, motioning for Dr. Sotello to follow. Dr. Sotello stared after her as she moved into the observation room outside the patient's surgical suite.
"You," Dr. Sotello jammed a finger into Maxile's chest. "Follow me, and under absolutely, positively, no circumstances touch anything. Do not embarrass me, Mr. Deimos. We can discuss your insubordination later…" Oh great… Still, Maxile followed Dr. Sotello with his head high.
Overall, the surgery took approximately two hours to complete. The whole event was a fantastic experience to see. Maxile was practically glued to the observation window the entire time. It turned out that Dr. Sotello had been correct in his theory. The bullet had struck the woman's subclavian vein. The medical team had to bring in a cardiothoracic surgeon to repair the damage. Once the woman was stabilized and transported to the ICU, the surgeon walked into the observation room. He hadn't even bothered to remove his surgical cap or his shoe covers.
"Edward Sotello!" The surgeon grinned a bright smile as he extended a hand. He knows Dr. Sotello, too!? What the hell is going on!?
"Charlie Flynn!" Dr. Sotello gripped the surgeon's hand firmly in his own. "I knew there was vessel trauma! Impressive work placing that sheath. I don't believe I saw your hands shake once!" Maxile had to pick his jaw up from the floor. Dr. Sotello having camaraderie with someone? This must be a dream.
Dr. Flynn returned his jest with an obnoxious laugh, "I learned from the best! What can I say? It's great to see you, Edward." Now that the drama had waned, Maxile felt it was best to excuse himself. He could question Dr. Sotello about his history in Cydonia later. The rest of the crew were probably waiting in the lobby.
"Dr. Sotello, I'm go-"
"Frank!?" Maxile couldn't help flinching at Dr. Flynn's sudden volume. All blood had drained from the surgeon's face, as if he had seen a ghost. Frank? "I- I- Frank Deimos?"
"Uhm… No…" Confusion hindered Maxile's ability to respond appropriately. He knew his parents lived in Cydonia before they died… But he never expected to be recognized. How much do I look like my Father? "I'm Maxile Deimos, Frank Deimos is my Father…" The surprise gleaming in Dr. Flynn's eyes gradually morphed into sadness.
"I see…" Dr. Flynn mumbled, appearing embarrassed at his outburst. "I'm sorry… I had no idea that Frank had a son… Frank was an amazing doctor…" Although Maxile had no memories of his Father, he appreciated Dr. Flynn's compliment.
"It's okay," Maxile faked a smile to mask the sadness he felt. Perhaps Dr. Flynn could even tell him about his parents. "When my parents died, I was sent to live at The Clinic. Honestly, I didn't think anyone would recognize me." Now, Dr. Flynn's expression had morphed into one of confusion.
"Dead?" Dr. Flynn responded. "Lilez isn't dead… She lives here in Cydonia. She's over in the Lux Condominiums…" Pins and needles assaulted every inch of Maxile's skin. She's… alive? Both Dr. Sotello and Dr. Flynn looked at Maxile with concern. As the new information was processed, his peripheral vision began to blur. How can she be alive? Is he lying to me? Dr. Sotello's blank expression gave no indication of the validity of the surgeon's statement. Maxile suddenly gasped for air when his body demanded oxygen. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath.
"Mr. Deimos…" A soft voice spoke. All this time… She has been alive all this time… A firm hand on his shoulder pulled him from his inner thoughts. Maxile brought his gaze to meet Dr. Sotello's eyes. His eyebrows knit together in concern. "How about you head back to the crew and let them know the outcome of the woman they saved…" Wordlessly, Maxile nodded.
"Nice to meet you, Maxile…" Dr. Flynn muttered, flashing an uncomfortable smile. Maxile merely waved and ambled out of the observation room.
His mind spun in a storm of confusion at the news. My Mother is alive? His vision continued to twist and turn, making his trek back to the lobby all the more difficult. He would need to think about this information… Find time to unpack his feelings about it all. Before he could let it go, one final thought caused an immediate relapse.
Why did she give me up?
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 10th
1809 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile's mind buzzed with the enlightenment of his Mother's wellbeing. The revelation raised numerous questions… Why did they send him to The Clinic in the first place? Why did Dr. Darvish tell him his Mother was dead? Why did she never reach out to him? Why, Why, Why… His throat felt thick when he swallowed. At times, he had to remind himself to breathe. Maxile desperately wanted to be excited about his Mother being alive… But, his confusion and anxiety involving the mystery of her 'death' suffocated him.
Before he could spiral any deeper, a hard surface slammed into Maxile's shoulder. The sudden blow knocked him off balance, sending him straight onto his ass. Oh, shit… Maxile caught a glimpse of the man he bumped into. The man tossed him a careless glance before disappearing around a corner.
Maxile sat in the middle of a hallway. Staff and patients parted as they passed by where he sat on the floor. Doors with call lights lined the hallway in either direction. This isn't the lobby… In Maxile's panicked haze, he had managed to get lost. Hell, he couldn't even muster the energy to be angry that a stranger had just knocked him to the ground. He wished he could just sit on the ground until his brain finished processing this new information…
A hand appeared before his eyes, snapping him from spiraling back into a state of distress. Maxile allowed his eyes to travel from the hand to the face that offered it. A woman stared down at him in a hurried concern. It was as if she had somewhere to be, but didn't want to let a stranger just sit on the floor staring into space. The woman's black hair was pulled into tight braids on top of her head. She had astonishing red eyes, which were further enhanced by her dark skin. He had never seen a person with red irises before…
"Hell of a fall!" She shook her hand, nodding for Maxile to take it. Once he was pulled back into a standing position, she let out a hearty laugh. "Couldn't just let ya sit on the floor…"
"Yeah…" He mumbled in response. When she stared at him expectantly, he rapidly gathered himself. "Th-thank you! Mrs…"
"Hadrian," the woman introduced herself. The name barely registered in his mind. He couldn't bring himself to care… But it was only polite; she had stopped to help him after all.
"Thank you, Hadrian." Maxile smiled. The smile she returned was filled with white teeth. Despite their lack of acquaintanceship, Maxile felt she was very personable.
"No problem," she said, releasing his hand. Hadrian eyed him carefully to make sure he wouldn't fall over. I probably look insane! When Hadrian was content that he had it from there, she took a step away. "Nice to meet ya. Be careful out there, okay?"
"Yeah…" With a wave, Hadrian moved into the passing crowd, disappearing from view. He needed to focus. Fortunately, a red sign pointed to the lobby.
The lobby was bustling with patients waiting for a room in the emergency department. After a few moments of searching, Maxile located the crewmates who had accompanied them to Cydonia. He could feel the heat of their eyes follow him through the lobby. Unsure what to say, Maxile took a seat in the available seat next to Simeon. When the silence became unbearable, Simeon finally spoke up.
"Is she alive?" Maxile swiveled his head to meet the sniper's eye. The sudden action caused his crewmates to flinch.
"What!?" How did they know!?
"The… lady…" Simeon said slowly. His eyebrow rose, giving Maxile a calculating eye. Simeon's brow only furrowed when he couldn't deduce Maxile's strange behavior. "Did the lady make it out of surgery?" Oh…
"Uhm… Yeah…" Maxile nodded, returning his gaze to the tile flooring. "W-well, she was when she got out of surgery…" Once more, a tense pressure veiled them.
"Are you alright?" Simeon's tone rose as he spoke. Maxile wasn't sure how to answer that question. Obviously, he wasn't okay… But was this the best setting to discuss what he just learned?
"Not really…" Maxile sighed. This wasn't something he could hold in. "One of the doctors back there recognized me… Well, sorta… He mistook me for my Father. When I told him that I was Frank's Son. He mentioned that my Mother is living here in Cydonia…" It sounded surreal to say aloud.
"What?" It took Maxile a few seconds to register Sarah's voice. "I thought you said that both of your parents passed away when you were a baby?" Maxile figured that was what made this revelation so traumatic for him. Maxile's parents are dead. Maxile is an orphan. He had lived with those facts for his entire life. To learn what he had always believed turned out to be a lie, shocked him.
Maxile sighed before saying, "I thought they did… At least, that's what I was always told. I don't understand why Dr. Darvish would tell me they were both dead. I don't understand… Why didn't she come for me? Why did she send me away? I just…" Maxile trailed off, unable to put his feelings into words. What could he say?
"Well," Avery began. "If she lives in Cydonia, you could just ask her?" The thought of approaching his Mother gave Maxile a surge of anxiety. What if she didn't want to see him? Was that why she sent him to The Clinic? He had so many questions that he was scared to learn the answer to…
"Maybe… I'll think about it." The heat of Simeon's body, slightly leaning into his own, soothed the storm that threatened to erupt from Maxile.
"If you decide to talk to her, we can go with you. If you want, of course." Sarah offered. Maxile didn't know how he felt about his crew accompanying him to meet his Mother. Although he appreciated the offer, it almost made him feel pressured to find her. Luckily, Dr. Sotello opened the double doors, capturing everyone's attention.
"The patient is critical… But she's alive." Dr. Sotello said informatively. Maxile could feel Dr. Sotello's gaze fall on him. The physician likely had the same thoughts as the rest of the crew. Especially since he had witnessed Maxile's response firsthand. When no one responded to his update, Dr. Sotello continued. "Since we are in Cydonia, I'm going to stay to assist the hospital for a few days. You can either go back to The Atlas or stay in the city. I've pulled a few strings and gotten us a few rooms to sleep in." Great… More time in Cydonia. Maxile couldn't believe how rapidly he had lost interest in his birth city. This is going to be a long week…
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 11th
0558 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
"Mr. Deimos! " A voice hissed in the dark, jolting Maxile from his sleep. Maxile fumbled his hand around the unfamiliar surroundings until he found the switch to the bedside light. This isn't The Atlas? He couldn't remember how- A dim light flooded the room, recalling Maxile to the previous day. Oh yeah… He was in a small hotel in Cydonia… Dr. Sotello stood over Maxile, wearing a typical expression of mild irritation. "Get up, we have work to do at Reliant Medical…"
"Okay?" Maxile mumbled, his confusion prominent. Maxile slipped on a pair of scrubs, yawning several times in the process. He had only managed a few hours of sleep, given how deeply he mulled over the decision to meet his Mother or not. Naive to Maxile's struggle, Simeon slept peacefully in the other bed in their motel room. Unbothered by the dim light, the sniper's face remained tranquil in his slumber. "I thought you said I couldn't work in Reliant Medical?" Maxile asked once they had begun their trek to Cydonia's hospital.
"I said you weren't employed at the moment…" Maxile had to push to maintain speed with Dr. Sotello's fast pace. Even with his chronic limp, Dr. Sotello sped through Cydonia. "I requested temporary privileges for you. Your privileges were nonnegotiable. Those idiot nurses I worked with last night can't anticipate a damn thing I need! Hospital administration was more than happy to comply with my request…" The crowd that met them when they arrived yesterday had thinned since then. In the early artificial light, Maxile could make out the grimy city floors they walked through. Multiple miners walked in the direction they came from, likely heading to the mines.
"Everyone seems to know you in Cydonia?" Maxile's question grew with confidence as he spoke. Dr. Sotello didn't usually disclose personal information. For that matter, Maxile had never bluntly asked.
"Of course," Dr. Sotello didn't turn to face Maxile when he answered. He continued on, his pace only picking up when the Reliant Medical sign came into view. "I was born in Cydonia. After obtaining my medical degree in New Atlantis, I returned to practice medicine there. Cydonia natives don't normally leave Mars, so when I returned, I was a bit of a celebrity." The window into Dr. Sotello's past earned a small gasp from the nurse. Maxile had no clue of Dr. Sotello's Martian roots.
"Y-you're Martian?"
"No matter, Mr. Deimos." The doors to Reliant Medical opened as they approached. "As I said earlier, we have work to do. There was an accident at the beginning of the shift this morning. Multiple miners are injured. Don't worry about the ER staff's processes. Your duty is to accompany me while I tend to them, understand?"
"Yes, sir," Maxile affirmed. Dr. Sotello traversed through the hospital with a sense of familiarity. The ER roared in chaos, even in the early hours. Staff and patients alike roamed the area. Dr. Sotello led them to a secluded area with multiple curtains creating sections. Around ten miners lay in the ER stretchers with various injuries. Must have been a hell of an accident… The Cydonia mine was infamous for the poor working conditions.
"Begin triaging the patients in this room," Dr. Sotello ordered as he turned to make his leave. "I'm going to get equipment. Once I return, we will begin with the most critical patients and work our way through everyone."
Some of the miners' complaints were absolute bullshit… A sprained finger? Seriously? Get back to work… Other miners had more traumatic issues. Fortunately, everyone had a respectable level of consciousness and pulse. One of the miners held a wad of gauze where his left hand used to be. I suppose we'll start with this one…
Upon Dr. Sotello's return, they spent the better part of running through each miner's injuries. It took them hours to treat, stabilize, and move them out of the ER. But between the two of them, as well as the hospital staff, they worked well. Much to Maxile's annoyance, multiple staff members mistook him for Frank Deimos. Dr. Sotello chased off each person with an angry demand. Maxile hadn't specifically approached him about his Father, but he had considered it. There hadn't been a good time to bring it to his attention.
Their hard work in Reliant Medical definitely cleared Maxile's anxiety. It put him in a much better headspace. By the time Dr. Sotello released Maxile to go about his business, he had come to a conclusion. If he didn't reach out to his Mother, he would regret it. This is something I have to do…
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 11th
1323 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
What the fuck am I doing!? Maxile hadn't moved an inch from where he stood outside room 98-G. Finding Lilez's home hadn't been tedious in the least. As usual, Avery simply flaunted his charisma to the Luz Condominiums receptionist, and here they were… Maxile stared at his reflection in the metal door before him. His face was lined with deep anxiety. He twisted his fingers together, trying to garner the courage to knock on the door. No one had kept the time, but Maxile figured they had stood there for the better part of ten minutes. Just do it!
"Max, do you want to come back later?" Maxile vaguely registered Sarah's question. What would Lilez say when she saw him? What if she gets angry? What if she pretends to not know him? What if-
"Max…" Maxile blinked at Simeon's voice. His internal decline broken, he turned to face his crew. Avery, Simeon, and Sarah stood a reasonable distance away, each giving him a look of concern. "How about one of y'all knocks?" Ashamed of his lack of courage, Maxile took a broad step from the door. Luckily, his cowardice wasn't met with ridicule. Time seemed to slow as Avery moved in front of him to rap on the door.
KNOCK
Maybe, this is a bad idea…
KNOCK
This is definitely a bad idea…
KNOCK
The anxiety that swallowed Maxile caused a domino effect. The thumping in Maxile's chest bruised his ribs. He had to conscientiously remind himself to simply breathe. He had even managed to bite his lip into bloody ribbons over the past ten minutes. Seconds felt like hours in the time it took for the door to open.
"Can I help you?" A voice asked, hidden by Avery's frame before him. This was the moment he never knew he had been waiting for… He just had to speak up… Still, words failed him.
"Hello, my name is Avery," the Captain introduced, pleasant as always. "This is my crew. And… Uhm… Well…" Even Avery couldn't articulate what to say next. Instead, Avery shuffled to the side to reveal Maxile's presence. Surprisingly, Lilez looked nothing like Maxile. Her brown eyes and black hair were further enhanced by her olive skin. The bags under her eyes showcased her exhaustion. Maxile guessed she was in her early fifties, but he could be wrong. Despite Cydonia's conditions, her skin received immaculate care. Lilez released a small gasp, taking in Maxile's face.
"M-Maxile?" Lilez stuttered. Before Maxile could respond, she had him wrapped in her arms. Instantly, Maxile's spine stiffened at the touch. Unsure of what to do, he merely patted her on her back while her body shuddered. Her sobs echoed in the hallway, breaking the silence for the next few minutes. This was a moment he had never dreamed could be a reality… Why was it so uncomfortable? "You look just like Frank…" She whispered once she had collected herself. Maxile had to fight the urge to flinch when she grazed his cheek with the palm of her hand.
"Uhm… I've heard…" Maxile breathed. Finally back in control, Lilez took a step back and looked between each of his crew.
"Please, come in," she offered, moving into her condo. Lilez's home wasn't much… The front door led into a small living room and kitchen setup. Maxile assumed the two other doors branching from the living room encompassed her bedroom and bathroom. Lilez motioned for everyone to make themselves comfortable. "I can't believe… you're here… I never thought I would live to- Anyway , I know you have questions… But I would love to hear about everything that has been going on in your life?" Lilez's voice cracked once more, barely holding in her emotions. So she knows that sending me to The Clinic was screwed up… Still, he couldn't ignore her request. Not with the happiness he seemed to bring to her eyes.
"Well, while I lived on The Clinic, I got my nursing license," Lilez hung onto every word he spoke, taking it all in with eagerness. He paused, expecting her to say something in response, but she simply smiled, encouraging him to go on. "Maybe about a year ago, I met Avery and his crew with Constellation. Since then, I've been working as a nurse on The Atlas, exploring the Settled Systems."
"And since then, he has managed to cause chaos everywhere he goes!" Avery's jest managed to ease Maxile's discomfort.
"Whatever!" Maxile rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure the job was advertised as 'exploration of the Settled Systems!' Not survival training with Andreja, or arguing with Mickey every time we pass each other in the hallway."
"I don't think we mentioned how difficult working with Eddie would be either," Sarah mused, releasing a small laugh. "Captain, you might have oversold Constellation a bit."
"Shit, I'm glad ya did!" Simeon laughed, tossing an arm over Maxile's shoulder. "He's at least kinder than Eddie when he stitches me up."
"Hmm… I guess Max fits right in with everyone else's chaos…" Avery agreed. Dropping the faux mockery, he smiled at Lilez. "Max has been a great addition to Constellation." Throughout their banter, Lilez never let her gaze falter from Maxile.
"So Frank sent you to The Clinic those years ago… It makes sense, I guess." Maxile had to strain to hear Lilez's response. She didn't know where I was!?
"Why did I get sent to The Clinic?" Maxile's voice was much louder and rushed than he meant. He couldn't take the anticipation any longer. He needed some sort of answer from this woman. He deserved an answer… "What happened to Frank?"
"Well, it's a long… messy story…" For the first time in their introductions, Lilez broke eye contact with Maxile. A few times, she opened her mouth to continue, but would close it, unable to begin. Maxile refused to speak. The ball had landed in Lilez's court. Maxile guessed she had grasped that she couldn't escape the question, so she took a shaky breath. "I think he sent you to The Clinic because that's where he was born…"
"He was?" Maxile couldn't believe Dr. Darvish had never mentioned his Father's birthplace. Granted, he never asked either. At least, never as an adult. As a child, Dr. Darvish had always told him that he would understand when he was older. By the time he entered adulthood, he focused less on his parents and more on paying back Dr. Darvish for her care.
"He was," Lilez nodded. Now her eyes sparkled with a sense of nostalgia. His Mother smiled as she thought back on a past that had long ended. "Frank was an amazing doctor. Although I met him while he was in medical school. He traveled all the way from The Clinic to complete his residency in Cydonia. His original plan had been to complete his residency and rejoin his Father back on The Clinic, Titus… " Lilez practically spat Dr. Cassidy's first name. They clearly didn't like each other… Dr. Cassidy had made that prominent during his last day on The Clinic. Dr. Cassidy's words rang through Maxile's head, he left and met that Martian whore.
"So, how did you meet him?" Fortunately, Maxile's question jarred Lilez from her irritation at the thought of Dr. Cassidy.
"Oh, it wasn't very romantic…" Lilez's smile betrayed her claim. "I was a cocky gal, working in the mines. I managed to get my leg zapped by a cutter… Of course, they sent me to the hospital to get a medical release to continue my work. Frank was the resident in charge of my case, and he refused to sign off on my work release. So I shoved him and called him a jackass that had no clue how to accurately care for patients… But Frank was stubborn. He had only been in Cydonia for a year, but had friends everywhere. Every time I tried to set foot into Cydonia's mine, he showed up out of nowhere! At first, it was annoying; then he started to grow on me. I found his persistence endearing. We grew from enemies to friends, and then friends to lovers. And it was all love from there." That's sweet, but it's not the entire story.
"Okay…" Maxile muttered, praying that filling the silence would encourage her to continue. Lilez took the hint, because her face gradually fell from happiness to sadness.
Lilez sighed at the downward trend her story would take, "Once he became a full-fledged physician, he proposed to me. Obviously, I said yes. We were so excited… Titus was absolutely furious! He told Frank to divorce me immediately and come back to The Clinic. So Frank cut ties, changed our last name to Deimos, and we lived a happy life… We were supposed to at least… We had so many plans for our future. He had so many plans to improve the lives of the people in Cydonia. But we discovered he had cancer… A cancer that metastasized throughout his entire body. Frank's prognosis was poor; he had a couple of months when we found out… That man's biggest concern was that his knowledge would all go to waste before it could make a difference in Cydonia… So… S-so we- T-time was running out, you s-see…" A deep pit formed in Maxile's stomach, giving him a foreboding feeling about the direction of this conversation. Lilez's sorrow morphed into deep discomfort.
"What is it!?" This time, Lilez jolted at Maxile's response. He didn't mean to snap, but the anticipation was wearing on him.
"We looked into cloning." Maxile felt the blood drain from his face. Lilez's words poured from her mouth in a single breath. Her chest heaved at the admission of the secret she had kept. Cloning!? There's no way… "If we had a child traditionally, it wouldn't have Frank's knowledge as he wanted. So… we made a deal with people in Neon, and several weeks later, you were in our arms…" The moisture sapped from Maxile's eyes and mouth as he stared at his Mother unblinkingly. Avery and Sarah took the news well, nodding and accepting it as is. Maxile could have sunk into the couch beneath him, the only thing keeping him grounded was Simeon's arm thrown over his shoulder.
"I-" Maxile tried to speak, but he couldn't verbalize his feelings. I was created to be Frank Deimos… Maxile Deimos was never supposed to exist…
"But, the second we saw you, Frank and I fell in love with you!" Her claim didn't soothe him in the least. His mind descended into a dark abyss at the meaning of his creation . From how Lilez's eyebrows knit together, Maxile figured she wasn't blind to the distress she caused him. Even so, she continued explaining the lore of his creation. Speaking faster and faster, trying to get it all off her chest. "This was twenty-nine years ago. The UC had just started enacting stricter cloning laws. It wasn't safe for you in the Sol System! Frank sent you away and refused to tell me where you were. He was worried I would search for you and put us at risk of the UC laws. I swear , if I had known where you were, I would have come for you a long time ago! I'm so sorry, Maxile. I'm no-"
"I have to go." Maxile stood up, knocking Simeon's arm from his shoulder. He needed a breath of air. He needed to get out of this tight space. He needed to get away from this woman. A fucking clone!?
"Maxile, wait!" Lilez's pleas went in one ear and out the other. Maxile practically stormed out of her condo. When he shut the door behind him, he broke out into a sprint. The news devastated him; it caused hot tears to pour down his cheeks. I was supposed to meet my Mother… I wasn't prepared for this…
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 11th
2105 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
You are a constant reminder of my failure as a father!
If you want to call him that…
You. Are. Not. Family. To. Me!
Dr. Cassidy's words from so long ago were but a chilling mantra that replayed in Maxile's mind. It all made sense… and yet it didn't… On the one hand, his Mother's revelation had cleared up the haze surrounding his life at The Clinic. Maxile now fully understood why Dr. Cassidy held him in such contempt. The isolation he felt on The Clinic… How everyone seemed to be looking at him when he entered the room. It was because they were looking at him. Maxile never belonged on The Clinic…
And then there was the other hand… Maxile Deimos was never supposed to exist. Maxile's creation should have produced Frank Deimos. But, Maxile didn't feel like Frank… He didn't know what he felt… If he's not Maxile… If he's not Frank… Who is he? A clone with an identity crisis.
Maxile barked a bitter laugh at the joke. The laugh rapidly morphed into a frustrated growl at the perplexing situation he found himself in. Maxile ducked his head under the covers and rolled himself into a tight blanket-clad cocoon. A sense of security washed over him. Here in the motel bed, shielded by the blanket, he could hide from the stressful questions that bombarded him.
The creak of the motel door sent a shiver down Maxile's spine. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now… Maxile's muscles tensed in an attempt to feign slumber. Footsteps beat along with Maxile's heart until someone was standing right over him. Maybe it's that damn Hunter… He can take me out and I won't have to struggle with this anymore… Even the voice that broke the silence couldn't salvage Maxile from his spiral.
"Max?" Simeon whispered. The bed sagged under the sniper's weight next to where Maxile lay. Maxile should have guessed Simeon would come to check on him… Plus, they were sharing a room at the moment. Simeon would eventually come back to the room to sleep. Fingers picked at the blanket encasing Maxile's body. After a few seconds of persistence, Simeon broke into Maxile's protective cocoon. Once the final layer was peeled back, the dim light of the bedside lamp shone across Maxile's face. Creases lined Simeon's forehead in concern as he gazed into Maxile's eyes. "You're okay." It wasn't a question… As much as Maxile hated it, the sniper's voice soothed him.
"I don't feel okay." Maxile swallowed the feelings of tranquility Simeon carried with him. He couldn't feel at ease right now. Not with the scandal of his creation… "My Mom is alive… I'm apparently a clone of my Dad… I don't feel like I'm even a real person right-" Maxile's voice cracked with emotion, halting him from continuing. Simeon leaned over Maxile from where he sat on the side of the bed. The area of the bed next to Maxile's head sagged under the weight of Simeon's elbow. The sniper now leaned over Maxile, their noses a few inches apart. Simeon's chest now pressed lightly into Maxile's torso. Damn… He's so close and I'm not even in the headspace to appreciate it…
"You're real to me," Simeon's response was tender. Maxile could practically swim in the crystal blue eyes that gazed into his own. Simeon's words were sweet… But it didn't make him feel any better. Calloused fingers grazed Maxile's forehead, pushing his wavy blond hair out of his face. Again, Maxile couldn't relish in the attention Simeon gave him. The sniper's affection felt sudden, but not uncomfortable or unintentional. "Besides, we don't even know this chick! She could be crazy! I mean, she lives in Cydonia. I literally saw one of the colonists eating rocks yesterday… So that says a lot about Cydonia colonists."
"Maybe…" Maxile managed a small laugh at the sniper's joke before falling back into a pout. This fleeting rise in Maxile's mood brought a toothy grin to Simeon's face. Despite Simeon's attempt to rationalize, Maxile knew his Mother's words weren't false. He felt it in his bones… Simeon's fingers continued to stroke Maxile's cheek, sending waves of pleasure through his body at every touch.
"But," Simeon said in a more serious tone. "If you're a clone… Then that's just another thing that makes you bad-ass… I promise that being a clone doesn't change a damn thing… It doesn't change anything with Constellation… or with me." Even if it means that I'm not Maxile Deimos? Maxile recoiled at the stray thought that whispered in the back of his mind. Unable to further the conversation, Maxile retreated back into his blanket cocoon.
"It changes everything, Simeon…"
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 12th
0612 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
The next morning, Dr. Sotello pulled Maxile from bed once more. Not that Maxile had accomplished even a wink of sleep. The events of the previous day still danced through his brain. Despite his exhaustion, Maxile followed Dr. Sotello to Reliant Medical and performed his nursing duties. The ER was filled with miners with various injuries, some more severe than others. Maxile's body carried him on autopilot until he was dismissed by Dr. Sotello.
Unsure where to go next, Maxile simply sat in the lobby. Fortunately, he and Dr. Sotello had cleared it out. There were only a few patients scattered about, waiting to hear their name called. He likely wouldn't have noticed anyone, even if the lobby was full. His body felt so numb, he barely registered his surroundings. Maxile tossed a glance at the vacant chair beside him when someone sat down. The familiar scent of Simeon notified him of the sniper's presence. In his internal suffering, he failed to notice his crew approach him.
"Max, how are ya feeling?" Maxile stared down at the scuffed boots before him. Slowly, he brought his eyes up to meet Avery's gaze. "We haven't seen you much since yesterday…" His chair jarred as another person sat in the chair on his opposite side. In his peripheral vision, he could see Sarah staring at him intensely.
"We just wanted to make sure you are okay, Max." Maxile had to resist the urge to shrug off her hand when she placed it between his shoulder blades. The touch was meant to be supportive, but it wasn't what he wanted at the moment. "You don't have to deal with this alone…"
"I- I just-" The words wouldn't form in Maxile's mouth correctly. Despite his inability to express his feelings, his crew waited patiently. Blood boiled in his ears from the frustration it gave him. Swallowing his irritation, Maxile spat out his thoughts. It was rushed, but it effectively conveyed his point. "I was created to be Frank Deimos's legacy… I'm supposed to be this amazing physician who saves so many lives. The life I was told I live is nothing but a lie… Are my thoughts and feelings even my own!? Or are they a duplication of my Father's!? I don't even know who I am anymore!" Maxile's chest heaved once he finished speaking. When seconds began to feel like hours, Maxile met Avery's eyes once more. His Captain wore an earnest expression.
"That's easy," Avery shrugged. Glad it's easy for you, Avery… I'm having a full-on identity crisis… "Who are you? You're Maxile Deimos. Maxile Deimos, the nurse of Constellation. Also known as the wildcard, depending on the situation." Maxile couldn't form a response to Avery's 'it is what it is' logic.
"Maxile Deimos, the only nurse Eddie has ever accepted." The smile in Sarah's voice was apparent.
"Maxile Deimos, the nurse who takes the best care of me when I get hurt," Simeon added, lightly bumping Maxile's shoulder. Maxile understood the point they were trying to make, but he didn't want to hear it. He wanted to wallow .
"I appreciate the sentiment, but I just wanna be alone right now…" Maxile grumbled. They couldn't understand what he felt at that moment. The confusion that clouded his mind.
"Gotcha," Avery nodded, motioning for his crew to begin heading out. "But we are here for ya, Max. You're still a member of this crew, no matter what." A few pats on his shoulder and head, and they were gone… leaving him with his thoughts.
Of course, Maxile couldn't sulk in peace for very long. An hour later, Dr. Sotello stalked into the lobby. When the physician noticed Maxile sitting in the corner, he hobbled in his direction.
"What?" Dr. Sotello's blunt question almost drew a groan out of Maxile, but he contained it. Dr. Sotello had yet to confront him about their conversation with Dr. Flynn. Unless Avery had mentioned it, Dr. Sotello likely had no idea of his cloneship.
"I met my Mother, and she said that I'm a clone of my Father," Maxile's voice sounded much more bitter than he meant to. Even so, Dr. Sotello's expression remained void of emotion. "Now I'm trying to figure out who the hell I even am! Am I Maxile? Am I a cheap copy of Frank?" He had just had this same conversation with Avery. What was the point of rehashing it with Dr. Sotello? Surprisingly, Dr. Sotello sighed in response. The wrinkles around Dr. Sotello's eyes deepened as he thought over Maxile's words.
"Cydonia is notorious for creating generation after generation of miners." Maxile raised an eyebrow at Dr. Sotello's sudden shift to a different topic. I should have figured he wouldn't be interested in hearing my feelings… "It's inherently believed that if you are born in Cydonia, you will be following the footsteps of those before you, straight into the mines.
"But not you?" Maxile deadpanned. Their previous conversation about Dr. Sotello's origins in Cydonia ran through Maxile's head. "What's your point?" Maxile's tone reeked of disrespect and attitude, but Dr. Sotello chose to ignore that fact.
"Correct, not me." Dr. Sotello agreed. "The point , Mr. Deimos, is that your birth does not decide who you are. Only you can." Ah, there it is… Dr. Sotello's tone lacked any condescension. In fact, it was possibly the most empathetic he had ever heard from the physician. Still, it only infuriated him. Why won't they let me be upset!? I'm not overreacting, am I!?
"I wasn't born, I was created!" Maxile roared, jumping to his feet. His voice echoed through the lobby, earning him a few glares from the patients. Dr. Sotello didn't even flinch at Maxile's rapid aggression. I need to get out of here… His feet moved without his command, storming him out of Reliant Medical. Dr. Sotello calling his name only strengthened his resolve to leave.
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 12th
1233 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
It took some effort, but after searching, Maxile managed to find a secluded spot away from the Cydonia residents. He dangled his feet off the side of a metal catwalk that overlooked the mine below him. Dozens of feet below him, miners diligently worked to chip away at Mar's endless supply of iron.
Maxile rested his chin on the cool metal railings that prevented him from falling to certain death. Hopefully no one important found him up here… The last thing he needed was for a Cydonia official to chase him from his solitude.
With this seclusion, a sense of peace had followed. Maxile finally felt he could gather his thoughts and feelings together to process them. Actually, now that he had calmed down, he felt a bit silly about how he had reacted to Dr. Sotello. The physician would surely make him pay for his disrespect. So I'm a clone… It's not the end of the universe…
"Can I join you?" Maxile swiveled his head to meet the source of the voice. Much to his shock, Lilez leaned against the rail where the catwalk descended back into Cydonia. Lilez wore a clean uniform with a Cydonia Mine symbol stitched on it. "Y'don't work the Cydonia mines for thirty years without moving up the chain of command. Some of my boys complained that a civilian had perched himself on the catwalk overlooking the entire sight. I had a hunch on who it may be…" Lilez clarified when she saw the confusion in Maxile's expression.
"You're an admin?" Lilez took Maxile's question as permission to join him. The woman crawled to a sitting position, allowing her legs to dangle from the side of the walkway alongside Maxile's.
"Yep, I worked my ass off in that damn mine for years ," Lilez gazed over the mine below with fondness. "Several years back, my former preceptor named me the director of sector F. It was definitely a learning experience… Once my preceptor officially retired, he recommended that I fill his shoes. And here I am… Cydonia Mine's Chief Operating Officer. I ensure the mine operates smoothly on a day-to-day basis… Well, as smoothly as a mine can operate."
"Wow…" Maxile mumbled. He couldn't believe that his Mother had assumed such a significant role of power. He didn't even register the previous conflict she brought up due to her random divulgence. A stillness settled over their twosome, a stillness that was only slightly awkward.
"I was worried you left Cydonia before I could see you again…" Maxile had to strain his ear to comprehend Lilez's soft tone. Her gaze never left the mine below as she spoke. "It would have broken me if I couldn't see you again…" Guilt tore at his heart when Lilez bore her soul. He didn't want to hurt her… He just needed time…
"I thought about leaving…" Maxile refused to look her in the face. He couldn't confront the pain his blunt admission would surely draw from Lilez. "I just needed to think. I mean, what you said makes partial sense. It explains why Dr. Cassidy treated the way he did-"
"Ugh, I wish I could carve that man's face with a BRACE cutter!" Lilez interrupted, her face flushing at the mention of Dr. Cassidy. For the first time since she sat down, Maxile evaluated Lilez's face. She gritted her jaw tightly, her nares flared. This lasted for a few seconds, until a sly smile etched across her face. "Y'know, I could take a trip to The Clinic… I'm sure a visit from the Martian whore would do Titus well… Right after I hit him over the head with a damn wrench!" Maxile couldn't contain the bubble of laughter that burst from him.
"Actually, I didn't leave The Clinic on terrific terms with him." Maxile thought back to his final day on The Clinic. The awful confrontation he had with Dr. Cassidy before he joined Constellation. "He got in my way, so I…slammed a Rad-Port on top of his head…" Lilez's infectious laugh echoed the open mine before them. Maxile couldn't resist shaking his head and laughing along with her.
"I would have paid money to see that!" Lilez wiped a tear that ran down her cheek. She was practically inconsolable, but she stopped laughing when she began wheezing. Once more, silence enveloped them. Although this time it felt much more comfortable. "So… What have you been thinking about?" Her question was vague, but the point was obvious. This conversation needed to be had with her.
Maxile took a deep breath, "Who am I? Am I even Maxile? Are my thoughts, feelings, and opinions my own? Or am I just a carbon copy of Frank?"
"Well, that's an easy answer," Lilez hesitated before covering Maxile's hand with her own. "You're Maxile Deimos, the Son of me and Frank. I didn't get to finish telling you about your birth… Before you ran out of my home…" Maxile's ears burned at the mention of his previous behavior.
"Sorry abo-"
"Don't say sorry." Lilez continued before Maxile could apologize. "You had every right to be upset. It was… traumatic news. Frank's cloning process wasn't exactly a 'normal' procedure." Lilez used air quotes to enunciate her words.
"What do you mean?" He should have guessed there was even more backstory to his creation.
"We paid a chunk of change to clone Frank at a small facility on Volii Epsilon." Maxile listened attentively to Lilez's explanation. This time, his emotions wouldn't get the better of him. The idea that his actual birthplace was in The Volii System was perplexing. I guess I'm not Martian, then. I wonder how much they spent on me… Lilez seemed to read his mind, "hands down the best money we ever spent. Regardless, the process didn't create a carbon copy of Frank. I mean, physically , you are a mirror image of Frank, not a hair out of place. You are just as handsome as he was. But, the way we went about the cloning process altered a few things."
"Altered? So what's different about me?"
"Everything," Lilez grinned as though she relished saying the word. "As I said before, Frank had only a couple of months to live… We had dreams of children. With an assload of science and a bit of gene splicing, we successfully manuscripted Frank's entire DNA into one of my eggs. This was after we spliced out the gene that caused the cancer that would eventually take Frank's life, of course. The idea behind it was to enable us to become the parents we had always aspired to be. Initially, clones have rapid growth, so the nine months you should have spent in my womb were shortened to a single month. I had to undergo so many hormone injections. The effect it had on my body was extremely torturous… But, Maxile, it was worth it!"
"Wait, so I was born naturally? And you managed this in a month!?" The notion of a natural birth sounded much better than the petri dish scenario he had fabricated in his mind.
"You were," Lilez beamed proudly at his amazement at her hardship. "But, here's the thing; we didn't realize that cloning Frank this way would cause a domino effect. Apparently, his dominant genes didn't fully come forth as we expected. You were born an exact physical clone of Frank, but your mind, your thoughts, and your feelings… They are all unique to you, Maxile."
"How do you know for sure?"
"Testing…" Lilez said bitterly. "The scientists on Epsilon ran several tests on you… It was hard, but eventually, you were all ours. Once you were born, we fell in love with you. Frank immediately lost the mindset he held about his clone continuing his legacy. Instead, he transformed into a Dad who wanted to give his Son the universe. And you know the rest… The UC cracked down on cloning laws, so he sent you away to protect us both… His decision to send you away killed me… I never hated Frank so much… But I understand the good he thought he was doing." The grip that his false past had on Maxile's heart slowly loosened.
"So that means I'm…" Maxile trailed off.
"You're Maxile Deimos," Lilez repeated. I swear she's been talking with my crew… "A proud Martian. A man who can think for himself. A man who can leave his home behind to go explore the stars and beyond… Actually , you may have gotten that quality from Frank. But any stubbornness, that's all from me."
"Oh…" Oh? That's all you can say!? Gradually, tears began to run down his cheeks, dripping to the mine below. For the first time since he met Lilez, Maxile felt truly at peace with the truth of his birth. It was just as his crew had said… His clone origins didn't change who he was. In hindsight, if he hadn't been caught up in his own head, he probably would have accepted his crew's words with ease. But that was water under the bridge.
"I'm sorry I never searched for you…" Maxile jolted at his Mother's sudden change of topic. The guilt she carried filled her timid voice. "I just didn't know where to begin… And the Settled Systems is such a lar-"
"It's okay." Maxile refused to let her dampen their conversation. Her explanation had put him in such good spirits. The only thing they needed to focus on was building their relationship. "I don't bla-"
BOOM
A loud explosion reverberated around them, sending Maxile's heart straight into his throat. A shockwave rumbled past them, vibrating the metal bars he clung to. What the fuck was that!? Lilez didn't bat an eyelash at the sudden discord. Instead, she appeared amused at Maxile's reaction.
"Don't worry," her tone was very cavalier. "That was just a particle detonation. We had one scheduled this time in sector B." While Lilez remained unaffected, Maxile's fingers continued to tremble. What a conversation changer…
"What the hell is a particle detonation!?" Maxile gasped when he could finally form words. Even the miners on the ground floor continued their business as usual.
"They're common in Cydonia. We use them to break further into the mine. Trust me, they sound terrifying, but they're very safe…" Upon pivoting the discussion to mining life, Lilez broke into a tangent. The next hour was spent trading stories and getting to know each other better. The sense of uneasiness he felt with his Mother completely dissolved. Maxile eagerly listened to every bit Lilez had to offer about herself.
Cydonia, Mars, The Sol System
Year 2331, June 12th
1517 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
"I am so proud of you, Maxile." Lilez held him so tightly that he almost had difficulty breathing. When she finally released him, she cupped his face in her hands. Tears shamelessly poured from her eyes. "I'm so fortunate that your travels with Constellation brought you back to me…" He should have felt embarrassed at his Mother's affection, especially with his crew watching from the sidelines. But Maxile couldn't find a reason to care. It was as if a piece of his life that he once lost was now found.
Cydonia residents who arrived from outside the city traveled past them, gawking at the spectacle his Mother made as she cried. They stood in the narrow hallway that led to the bulkhead to Cydonia's exit. Releasing his face, Lilez gripped the material of Maxile's bulky spacesuit. They both knew their time together was drawing to a close.
"I promise I'll reach out to you again." Maxile made mental notes of the next time he could talk with Lilez again. With a deep sigh, Lilez released him fully and stepped back.
"Take care of him, Avery." At the mention of his name, Avery stepped forward.
"Definitely, he's an invaluable member of our family." Content with Avery's response, Lilez took another step backward. Once everyone had their helmet on, she placed a hand on the switch that would close the bulkhead and open the door to Mars's landscape.
"Truly irreplaceable," Sarah added.
"Pheh!" Dr. Sotello's bark only caused Maxile and Lilez to laugh.
"I'll hold you to it… Goodbye, my Son… I'll see you again soon." Never-ending tears trickled down the woman's face. Hell, he even had tear drops splotching at the bottom of his visor.
"Bye, Mom…" Lilez hit the switch, slowly shutting the bulkhead between them. Lilez continued to wave goodbye until the bulkhead blocked Maxile's view of her. The five of them stood in the small room for a few seconds as pressure built up in the room. He needed to say something… "Dr. Sotello, I'm sorry about my behavior earlier… I should have listened to you all…"
…
…
…
"It's alright, Mr. Deimos..." Maxile's eyebrows shot into his hairline in response to the physician's tame retort. I figured he would have said something mor- "But. Make no mistake. Clone or not, there will be discipline for your disobedience! I haven't forgotten!" Ah, there it is…
"Looks like someone is going to be counting stock!" Avery mocked him in a sing-song voice. Maxile attempted a swipe at the Captain, but missed. Unfortunately, the bulkhead opened, and Avery darted out into Mars's expansive desert. The Atlas perched proudly in the distance. His home…
"Ugh, I forgot their damn landing pad is so far away!" Dr. Sotello hobbled out of the room after Avery. His complaints didn't lessen as he moved, fueled by inconvenience.
"We could have ridden a transport van back to The Atlas, Eddie. But you refused." Dr. Sotello froze at Sarah's voice. Maxile could literally hear the gears ticking in the physician's brain as he prepared a rebuttal.
"And I'd refuse again! Those idiots had me bouncing around in the back of that van on the way here! It almost gave me a concussion! I'm not keen on reliving that experience again…"
The warm sunlight washed over Maxile's spacesuit, causing a warm feeling to envelope him. His trip to Cydonia hadn't been an easy one… But he'd returned as a new man. He'd returned with a sense of self and understanding. The weight of an arm thrown over his shoulder nearly sent Maxile sprawling to the ground.
"So a clone, huh?" Simeon leaned in close to Maxile. The proximity caused their helmets to clack together.
"Yeah, that's me…" Maxile turned to face the sniper. Even through the tinted visor, Simeon's smile shone white. "Maxile Deimos, clone of Mars…" He still had work to do on the title, but he'd get there. Simeon's hand moved to the back of Maxile's helmet and pulled him in closer. The increase in physical contact between them had grown exponentially. But, Maxile would be damned if he tried to stop it.
"Like I said, Max…" Simeon's voice simmered, almost to a whisper. "Just another quirk that makes you that much cooler…" Maxile took full advantage of the eye contact Simeon provided him with. The moment could have lasted forever… But they were promptly grounded by an asshole physician.
"You idiots do realize this is an open line!?" Dr. Sotello growled. The realization of their lack of privacy caused all blood to drain from Maxile's face. "Get your asses in gear and get to The Atlas. You have work to do, Mr. Deimos!" Of course I do… Maxile shook off his humiliation and gave Simeon a slight shove. The bulky spacesuits didn't allow him to sprint effectively, but Maxile gave it his damndest. Freeing himself from the sniper, Maxile raced back to The Atlas. He raced back to where his crew accepted him no matter what. He raced back to where he found himself. Maxile Deimos, clone of Mars… Yeah, still working on the title…
Notes:
Not to make Maxile a pick me... But I had this chapter planned from the start. I like the idea of the cloning laws Starfield has and however I can manipulate them for this story. Also my favorite character, Hadrian Sanon had a bit of a cameo!
Hope you enjoyed, please let me know if you notice any errors or have any suggestions!
Chapter 22: Controlling Neon's Contraband - Mickey Caviar
Summary:
Constellation receives a high priority mission to infiltrate a factory in Volii Alpha. Mickey decides to tag along with the rest of the crew and finds himself face to face with his past once again. Fortunately for Mickey, he's the luckiest man in the Settled Systems and can handle anything thrown his way... mostly.
Notes:
Hope you enjoy!
TW: Blood, violence, death, cursing.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1010 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
"Attention all crew, please make your way to the bridge at this time. Thank you." Vasco's call for attendance might as well have gone in Mickey's one ear and out the other. Mickey guessed that Avery had some grand adventure planned. Mickey had other things on his agenda to tend to. What are these heathens going to be fed for lunch today? Mickey lifted a bottle of Zinfandel and compared it to the whisky flask on the counter. I can figure that out after I find myself something to drink. Coming to a decision, Mickey stowed the wine and took a swig from the flask. The whisky pleasantly burned as it ran down his throat, filling his stomach with heat. "Mickey, that includes you as well," Vasco added, contorting Mickey's face into a scowl.
"Damn that walking lightbulb !" Well, Mickey couldn't be too surprised. The crew never functioned well without his addition. It's not arrogance if it's true! Another swig of whisky and Mickey was off. The crew was scattered about the bridge, conversing with one another. Settling into a workstation chair, Mickey awaited Avery to begin.
The Captain stood at the front of the bridge, animatedly speaking with Andreja. Mickey considers himself an observant person… He frequently observes his surroundings, believe it or not. It was hard to miss Avery's infatuation with the Va'ruunian woman. The fact was hardly professional, but the heart wants what the heart wants. That being said, Mickey had no clue what Avery saw in the animalistic woman… To each their own, I suppose…
"Alright, guys!" The crew instantly quietened at the Captain's call. "So, big news. Constellation just received a VIP request from the CEO of Neon." His announcement was met with oohs and aahs from the crew. Mickey couldn't care less. During his time on Neon, he had a few run-ins with the so-called CEO, Benjamin Bayu. Mickey often saw him around the Astral Lounge. The CEO had even gotten Mickey forcibly removed from the Astral Lounge for 'bad behavior.' Which was rich , given that Benjamin Bayu was an infamously corrupt politician. But he had money. So, any problems he experienced were resolved with a few million credits.
"How did we manage that?" Simeon asked, his voice rising over the crew's glee.
"We have our engineer to thank for that." Avery nodded in Barrett's direction, who raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Earlier this year, Ron Hope praised Constellation for our minor assistance in solving a murder in Hope Town…" Barrett's expression morphed into a scowl.
"Is that what he said!?" Barrett snarled. "Vas and I did all the footwork!" Before the engineer could begin his rant, Avery interrupted.
"I know, Barrett… I know…" Barrett was silent at Avery's attempt to soothe, but his scowl never lessened. "Regardless, it was great publicity for Constellation. So, everyone, a round of applause for Barrett and Vasco." Mickey rolled his eyes, but politely clapped along with the rest of the crew. Why are we congratulating them for something that happened months ago? Mickey respected Avery, but sometimes he acted like such a manager… He should leave the condescending kudos to Sarah. Go team…
"Whatever…" Barrett grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Avery continued going over the mission's details, "There have been reports of contraband shipments to a location on Volii Gamma, the moon of Volii Epsilon. Mr. Bayu wants Constellation to assist in closing down the smuggling ring. Our job is to either deliver proof of the contraband or eliminate everyone involved. Although he only wants them eliminated if they are distributing contraband. He's already sent out the coordinates for us to go to…"
Mickey held back a yawn as Avery began to explain the plan to fulfill Benjamin's request. It made no sense for Benjamin to involve Constellation in his affairs. The Ceo had unlimited resources at his fingertips. Benjamin thoroughly irked Mickey. Now that Benjamin could no longer kick him out of the Astral Lounge, he made up for it by involving Mickey in his problems. I guess it'll be nice to step off The Atlas for a while… Mickey looked around when he noticed that Avery had finished going over the plan. Damn, I wasn't paying attention…
"So what will my role be, Captain?" Mickey crossed his legs and took another sip from his whisky flask. Avery wore a peculiar expression in response to his question. Actually, most of the crew had the same look…
"I thought it was your job to binge drink?" Simeon broke the silence, earning a few laughs from the crew.
"Or sleep," Maxile added, snickering along with the sniper. Mickey held them in a blank stare. Here the lovebirds go again…
"Or gamble!" Simeon and Maxile burst into laughter. Mickey failed to find the amusement… It wasn't even clever. They continued their back and forth, shamelessly listing off Mickey's many quirks. It was to the point that tears were running down their faces. In his cackling, Simeon leaned into Maxile, propping his arm around the nurse's shoulder. This has been happening more often. The two would find some excuse to acknowledge each other, and then heart-eyes and physical contact followed shortly after.
"Your subtle flirting is unbecoming…" His response had the exact effect he had hoped for. Their laughter ceased in an instant. Maxile's face turned crimson, and Simeon's jaw dropped. Now that the peasants were dealt with, Mickey turned back to Avery. "My role?" He asked once more, giving the Captain an expectant look.
"Uhm…" Avery opened and closed his mouth a few times. Whatever the man had prepared in his head, he couldn't verbalize it. The mission involves The Volii System, Mickey's home. No one knows The Volii System better than Mickey Caviar. Avery should realize that.
"With the locale, there is no reason I shouldn't be included!" If he were honest, Mickey didn't really want to partake in the mission. But Avery's hesitation only fueled his stubbornness. "I want to go too!" A bold lie, but my pride is on the line…
"Hmm, it seems he would like a promotion from his job as the idiotic cook." Eddie's slight might usually hurt a regular person's feelings. But Mickey knew differently. Mickey was probably Eddie's closest friend! He loves to make jokes.
"Well," Avery's voice cracked, foretelling the direction he was leaning toward. The alcohol swished in the flask as Mickey brought it to his lips. After a few more seconds of mulling over his response, Avery said, "So far it'll be me, Andreja, Sarah, Barrett, and Sam… I'm worried if you come along, the group will be too big…" Mickey narrowed his eyes. If this was Avery letting him down easy, he was doing a horrible job.
"It's okay, Mickey." Cora piped up from the corner of the bridge. She had intensely listened to Avery's plan, all the while reading a book. "I never get to go either." The girl even managed to shoot a petty glance toward her Father. But it went unnoticed by Sam. Instead, the pilot looked in every direction but Cora.
"Aw, Mickey…" Mickey didn't miss the slight teasing tone in Sarah's voice. But he didn't mention it. It sounded as though she was gearing up to side in his favor. "What if I stay behind and you take my place? Come on, Avery. Mickey can handle this mission." Again, Avery wore a peculiar expression. Come on, Avery! This mission was made for me! When pouting his lip out didn't draw a response from Avery, Mickey resorted to batting his eyelashes.
"Ugh… Don't do that…" Avery groaned dramatically. "Fine… You can come too, Mickey. But no shenanigans this time!" Mickey stood tall at his win.
"Oh, Avery, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Mickey called back as he practically skipped out of the bridge. He had lots to do before they set out. He needed to wear something fashionable yet practical. Plus, they'd need snacks for the mission…
"Mickey, where are you-" Avery yelled after him, but it fell on deaf ears. Mickey had work to do. Gotta do my part!
Spacewalking, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1038 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
What the hell was I thinking!? 'Gotta do my part!' Mickey, you're such an idiot! Mickey huffed at his own stupidity during their trek to the factory. When he was asked to come on this mission, it was never mentioned that he'd have to cram himself into a spacesuit. What's fashionable about that!? Mickey trailed behind the rest of the crew, maintaining a five-foot distance. Slowly, but surely, the contraband factory grew in the distance. Apparently, Avery said they'd have to park The Atlas a mile away to prevent themselves from being seen… Mickey must have missed that tidbit; otherwise, he would have never allowed himself to come along.
"According to Vasco's scans, we can sneak in through the back." Why they had to sneak in through the back, Mickey was completely unaware. From what he could see in the distance, the front door was unguarded. Whatever... He's the Captain. "There should be a back door that will let us climb into the ventilation system." Oh great, on top of wearing a spacesuit and going on a mile hike, I'll also have to climb around a dusty vent!?
"I'm feeling parched…" Mickey mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. Avery rushed him, and he completely forgot to bring anything to drink.
"Keep up, Mickey," Sam rumbled over the comm. "It's not much further."
"I can see , Sam." Mickey deadpanned. The factory was impossible to miss. But his rebuttal went unheard. The crew continued to discuss the plan that Mickey couldn't care less about. Why did I let my pride force me into this situation!?
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1042 Universal Time
Avery Del
"Ssshhh! " Avery hissed over his shoulder when Sam made a loud noise. As Vasco had advised, the back of the factory had an entrance that wasn't manned. Without much difficulty, they managed to infiltrate the factory and climb into the ventilation duct. Unfortunately, this put them in tight quarters. They bumbled through the vents, flinching at every accidental noise they made.
"It was an accident! " Sam hissed back at him. Avery bit his tongue, almost becoming sucked into an argument with the pilot. This had been the third time Sam clanged against the metal walls of the duct. Despite the falter, they still hadn't caught the attention of anyone in the facility. The only noise Avery could hear was the occasional footsteps of people walking through the hallway below them.
Keeping his eyes trained on the light shining up from an air vent ahead of them, Avery led his crew along. Cautiously, he crawled forward, attempting to remain as silent as possible. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to cram five people into the air ducts… Avery had to strain his ear, but he could hear the whisper of a hushed conversation drifting up from the vent.
"-ou idiots need to be mo' careful when moving tha stock!" Avery gradually climbed forward to the vent and peered into the hallway. Below him stood a few men. The skinnier of the group held an accusatory finger in the largest man's face. "Bayu's been sniffin' 'round here! Askin' questions about mah shit!" The larger man balked at the other's aggression.
"Karn, tha boys have been careful!" The larger man held his hands up in surrender. "We ain't done nothin' different from what we been doin'!" The men had an accent that Avery couldn't put his finger on.
"Do y'all know where their accents are from?" Avery whispered to the crew. Fortunately, the smaller man's voice, Karn's, was so obnoxious that it drowned out their whispers. Despite their lack of space, one of his crewmates pushed themselves to lie next to Avery. Once she was pressed tightly to Avery's body, Andreja peered down the vent at the men below her. The contact wasn't unappealing to Avery in the slightest… But, he certainly felt edgy with her body so close to his. Damnit! A Captain shouldn't think about that!
"I recognize their accent," Andreja clarified, her voice low in Avery's ear. "They have the accent of those who live in The Bolivar System… A horrible place to visit. The Bolivar territory is known for its high crime rate. Murder… Theft… Extortion… Everything is fair in The Bolivar System." Andreja's judgment of Bolivarians was a bit of a stereotype, but Avery trusted her.
"Look," Karn suddenly sighed once he was finished tearing into his subordinate. At least, Avery assumed it was his subordinate. "Just watch what'cha do! It ain't easy to sneak under Bayu's nose when he is questioning everythin' I do… Anyway, at some point today an Ambassador from Bolivar will be showin' up to see how things are goin'. Make sure ya show 'em 'round. I want 'em to see our stock." It turned out Andreja had been correct in her identification. Though Avery had never visited Bolivar, he'd heard horror stories about it. Karn remained vague in his description of the 'stock.' It reached a point where Avery felt their time was being wasted.
"Let's keep moving forward," Avery whispered, adjusting his body to prepare to continue forward through the duct. Any objections?" His crew murmured a variety of answers.
"The sooner we find Bayu's proof, the faster we can get out of here…" Barrett bumped into Sam as he spoke, earning a glare from the pilot.
"Watch it!" Sam hissed at the engineer. Barrett didn't bother even responding to Sam's irritation. Instead, he positioned himself to continue on, jarring Sam once more. Avery snapped his fingers when the two began to scuffle back and forth.
"Coward," Andreja growled. Her insult went right over their heads, as they pouted over Avery's discipline. "We should just kill them all. That is what will get us out of here quicker." Avery swung his head toward the astronomer. Always so quick to resort to violence… Her eyebrow raised in a challenge. He almost rose to meet it, but froze when a thought crossed his mind. Mickey has been oddly quiet…
"Objection, Mickey?" Avery whispered, swiveling back around to look at the back of their group. One by one, Andreja, Barrett, and Sam turned to look behind them. The stretch of duct behind them was void of anything, Mickey included. You've got to be kidding me… "Wha- Where the hell did he-" Avery froze when the air duct suddenly made a large creak. Uh-oh… Unable to hold their combined weight, the thin metal of the duct started to sag.
BOOM
Before he could utter another word, the metal gave way, and they crashed into the hallway below. Avery landed hard on the tile floor, with Andreja landing directly on top of him. Her weight knocked the breath from his chest, but at least he broke her fall.
"Aw, shit…" Sam writhed on the floor in pain. "My damn back!" A gaping hole was above them where they broke through the air duct.
"I should'a known that would happen…" Avery mumbled, trying to overcome the pain in his shoulder. They probably looked as dumb as hell, lying on the floor like a bunch of idiots.
"What did you think would happen!?" Barrett groaned, every ounce of his patience gone in an instant. "That air duct is as old as dirt. This was a crap plan from the beginning!" Before Avery could argue the engineer's point, a throat cleared. Avery grit his teeth when he remembered where they were. Slowly, he looked up to find Karn and his men standing over them. They wore numerous expressions of confusion, suspicion, and anger. And to make the situation worse, they all had their guns aimed at him and his crew.
"Fuck…"
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1051 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
Well, this is just swell… Mickey thought glumly as he traveled through the labyrinth of hallways in the factory. Mickey mindlessly took a sip of the coffee he had made himself in one of the break rooms. Luckily, the break room hadn't been difficult to find. Now that his thirst was quenched, he could get his head back in the game.
As Mickey had suspected, the front door was left completely unguarded. He simply walked right into the facility without a problem. It was much better than Avery's alternative plan: sneaking through the ventilation system. The last thing Mickey Caviar would be doing is crawling through a dusty air duct.
Unfortunately, this caused a problem for Mickey. One, he now found himself separated from his crew. And two, he was positively lost… Damn… No matter, I should focus on the mission instead. If I manage to pull it off, I bet everyone will be impressed. I just need to… Mickey froze in place. Wait a minute… Why are we here again!? Mickey racked his brain trying to remember what Avery had said, but his mind drew a blank.
He didn't have long to think about it before he heard voices just around the corner. Oh boy! Mickey marched in place, his panic instantly brewing. What do I do!? What do I do!? Mickey was never meant for espionage. He lived to stand out among a crowd. Coming to a decision, Mickey ripped open a nearby door and stepped in. Shutting the door behind him, he was enveloped in darkness. Slowly, the voices crescendoed as they passed by the door. Every muscle in Mickey's body tensed.
"Did ya hear Karn ran into a few guys sneakin' 'round the back of tha factory?" Ugh, Bolivarians , Mickey groaned at the familiar gruff accent. The voices waxed and waned as they passed by the door. "Boss said that we're gon' keep 'em locked up until the Ambassador comes from Bolivar." Just as he thought, Bolivarians. Mickey hadn't thought about The Bolivar System in ages.
The Bolivar System only contained a single planet that orbits its star. A ritualistic planet, with people who hyperfocus on materialistic things. Which, Mickey supposed, he understood. He had never met a Bolivarian who wasn't covered in jewelry and gaudy clothes. Mickey actually used to take Aurora with a Bolivarian, years ago. The man had always claimed that Bolivar used to be the perfect planet to stay, until the crime rate skyrocketed. Once they became known as a delinquent planet, all the good common folk evacuated, leaving only the trash.
When the voices disappeared, Mickey pivoted his focus on finding his crewmates… and remembering the point of this excursion. Flicking on the light, the room brightened, revealing a small dressing room. Gorgeous Bolivarian garments lined the walls, begging for Mickey to try them on. There were dozens of clothes in the room.
"Hmm… This looks just my size…" Mickey mused as he ran his hands along the material of one of the garments. Bolivarians truly knew two things: transgression and wearing stylish clothes. I suppose that's a stereotype… Mickey silently admonished himself for his harsh thoughts. Not all Bolivarians commit crimes…
Choosing an article of clothing, Mickey held it in front of him. The second he stepped in front of the mirror, his jaw dropped. This was perfect . The rhinestones embellished on the arms of the garment made his eyes absolutely pop ! And it would certainly enhance his assets . Oh yes, I'm going to walk out of here in style…
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1104 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
The gown he chose flared out behind him as Mickey stalked through the hallway. He imagined that the clear rhinestones lining his arms sparkled under the artificial light. The front of the gown had a low V that ran down his chest, exposing his skin. Blood red material bunched up on his left shoulder. The extra weight was a bit annoying, but the added color enhanced the overall look of the gown.
The garb was more feminine than Mickey typically sported, but he felt absolutely empowered. Some may call it a dress, Mickey calls it fashion . Additionally, the gown had buttons sewn into the right side of the chest, indicating that it was intended for male wear. Damn… Bolivarians know how to look good. Mickey felt great and looked sexy! In his strut, Mickey found he had grown naive to his surroundings. He didn't even notice the approaching voices. Rounding another corner, he came face to face with a man.
The man's head tilted in confusion at the sight of Mickey. His hand hovered over the gun holstered on his waist, but he made no move to remove it. Clearly, the man was in awe of Mickey's beauty.
"Uhm, who are ya?" The man's eyes ran up and down Mickey's form. Mickey had to think fast. Wrapped in Bolivarian material, he might as well act the part.
SMACK
"How dare you!?" Mickey cried out as he struck the man across the face with the back of his hand. The man still had the same dim expression, despite the blow. He reached up to place a few fingers where his cheek had turned red. "I arrived from Bolivar, and what am I met with!? Not even a welcoming party!"
"I-"
"Hush!" Mickey placed a finger on the man's lips, instantly silencing him. The man looked around wildly in confusion, but still had yet to grab his gun. "I am Ambassador Biano. I was asked to come here by your leader for… some reason… Where is he!?" Mickey really needed to remember the point of this stupid mission…
"You're from Bolivar? Ya don't sound like it…" The man said suspiciously, obviously noting Mickey's lack of an accent. Mickey held his panic, instead holding up a hand to evaluate his nails.
SMACK
"Clearly, I'm more cultured than the common riff-raff!" Mickey snarled after slapping the man a second time. Mickey relished the opportunity to backhand a man; there was nothing more dramatic than slapping someone clean across the face! Still, the man remained astonished due to Mickey's presence and actions. "Now. Who is in charge of the operations around here?" The man's eyebrows knitted together, and he slowly moved his hands to grasp the radio hanging on his other hip.
"Uhm… Karn…" The man mumbled into the speaker. "Ambassador… Biano? Yeah, Ambassador Biano is here to see ya… We're over here in A block."
Karn responded promptly, "He is!? Keep him comfortable! I'll be there inna second!" The radio fell silent, leaving Mickey and Karn's subordinate awkwardly staring at each other.
"Thank you," Mickey said smugly. Thank the stars I overheard those men talking about an ambassador! Now I just need to figure out how I'm gonna get outta this fix. It turned out that Karn was further away than a second. Minutes passed silently by as they waited. Refusing to lose the staring contest, Mickey kept his gaze on the man before him.
"Hello, Ambassador Biano! My name is Karn Raiz. Nice to meet ya." A scrawny man called from down the hallway. Approaching Mickey, Karn reached forward to grab his hand and brought it to his lips. Karn gave the ring on Mickey's finger a quick kiss before releasing it. Actually… I could get used to this kind of treatment…
"Charmed," Mickey replied with a smile. Lifting the curtain of the gown that fell to the floor, Mickey gave Karn the best curtsy he could. Brief confusion flashed across Karn's face before it was quickly replaced with a grin.
"I had no clue ya would be showin' up today, Ambassador!" Karn motioned for Mickey to follow him. Lifting his gown, Mickey trailed after him. "If I had known, I would'a sent someone to meet ya…" Mickey turned to glare at the man who had called for Karn to meet them. When the subordinate noticed Mickey's glare, he quickened his pace to walk alongside Karn. This left Mickey in a strategic position behind them.
"It's quite all right…" Mickey assured Karn. "Desmond was more than hospitable…" Karn traded a glance with his subordinate.
"My name-"
"Anyway!" Karn interrupted the man. "Now that you're here, I'd love to give you a tour. We actually just captured a few prisoners, but we'll handle 'em later… You'll see 'em before we pass into tha mixing room." So the others managed to get themselves captured? Typical…
"That sounds grand…" Mickey mumbled. He rapidly changed his tone back to a more regal one. He had to stay in character, after all. "So, the mixing room?"
"Yes," they made multiple twists and turns through the factory. This completely obliterated Mickey's sense of where they may be. "Tha mixing room. That's where all tha magic happens. We make shipments all over the Settled Systems from that room. And, it's completely hidden from Mr. Bayu… So no worries there." Mickey's eyes widened as the details of their mission came flooding back into his memory. That's why we're here! The contraband… or whatever…
"And how are you sure that Mr. Bayu remains ignorant of operations?" Karn turned to give Mickey a sly grin.
"Cuz I work for him…" Karn's eyes sparkled as he spoke. Clearly, he had a great deal of confidence in himself. "I know everything that goes on in Neon. Bayu don't do nothin' involving this factory without me findin' out." A scoff almost erupted from Mickey's throat. Or so you think… Collecting himself once again, Mickey followed Karn to this mysterious mixing room. Just wait until the crew sees how I complete Benjamin's request… They're going to be so impressed, I'll get a raise!
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1139 Universal Time
Avery Del
CLANG…
CLANG…
CLANG…
"Avery, you're gonna give yourself a concussion…"
With stubborn gusto, Avery reared back and lightly banged his head once more on the iron bars that imprisoned him and his crew. The sound resonated around their tight cell, further implicating the poor situation they found themselves in.
CLANG…
This was the most humiliating imprisonment he'd ever have the displeasure of partaking in. I can't believe this happened… Of all the rotten luck. To fall out of the damn air ducts like a bunch of damn amateurs… And to add insult to injury, it happened directly in front of the man they were supposed to be hiding from… At this point, I hope Karn kills us… It'll save me from the shit I'll catch from the rest of the crew.
Karn's men had immediately searched every inch of their bodies. Without weapons, they had no chance to fight back. Without their comms, they couldn't even radio for backup. Damn… This sucks… Avery squeezed his forehead against the iron bars containing them in an attempt to look down the hallway outside their cell. The hall spanned in either direction with nothing notable. Karn hadn't even bothered to station a guard outside their cell. The cell itself barely contained their foursome. It had a single cot, a toilet, and a ratty rug for decoration. Avery had tried to pick their way out, but the barred cell was bolted with a digital lock. If only I had a digipick…
"I can't believe this happened…" Avery repeated the humbling thought that had been playing on a loop in his brain. He briefly considered slamming his head on the bars again to placate his frustrations, but ignored the urge. His previous blows had caused his ears to ring. Maybe Andreja was right about that concussion. Instead, he turned and slid his back down the bars until he sat on the disgusting floor. Barrett tossed him a typical, amused expression.
"I guess this means our only hope lies on Mickey's shoulders." Barrett was barely able to finish speaking before practically collapsing in laughter along with Sam. This was really not the time to joke. The two grown men carried on like children, cackling and kicking their feet out from where they splayed out on the ground. The only other person in the cell who had any sense was Andreja, who merely rolled her eyes.
They had only just calmed down before Sam spoke up, "Thank the stars we let Mickey come! Who made that call again, Avery?" Their laughter echoed in the cell once more, worsening Avery's migraine. If I had my gun, I'd shoot them both…
"The chef has more leverage than the two of you right now." Andreja scoffed, repositioning herself more comfortably on the cot. Their laughter immediately died down at her slight. Avery greatly appreciated her for the magical ability to stop grown men in their tracks. At the end of the day, Mickey was their crewmate, and Avery trusted him indefinitely… Wherever the hell he is…
"Mickey may be a little eccentric," Avery quickly defended, shaking off the voice of doubt in the back of his head. "But, he's gonna pull through for us. You'll see… He's probably-" The sound of a door opening stole the words from Avery's mouth. Flipping back around, Avery resumed his original position. Unfortunately, the damn bars were so close together that he couldn't get a good view down the hallway. Even so, he pressed his head as far into the bars as possible. A soft mumble grew into a loud conversation as the men approached the cell.
"-the cell room," Karn said as he walked past their cell. The man didn't even spare Avery and his crew a single glance. Karn spoke animatedly with his hands to someone following behind him. "Just ahead, we will arrive in tha mixing room. Just wait 'til ya see what we've achieved, Ambassador." One of the subordinates followed closely behind Karn, but Avery had yet to see this Ambassador. Maybe this is good, Karn will be so distracted by this Ambass-
Avery's jaw dropped when the so-called Ambassador stepped into view. You have got to be kidding me… Avery's gaze traveled up the curtain of snow white cloth that poured down the Ambassador's frame. Naive to how ridiculous he looked, Mickey Caviar pranced past them deep in conversation with Karn.
"I do admit that I'm eager to see what awaits me behind these doors!" Mickey announced gleefully, dramatically flipping back the thin hair on his balding head. The white material billowed out behind him as he strutted past their cell. Avery briefly caught Mickey glancing at them from the corner of his eye before returning his focus to Karn.
"What the hell is that idiot doing!?" Sam hissed, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Where did he find a dress?" Barrett mused quietly. He had just defended Mickey… Avery couldn't even turn around to face them.
"He's desecrating the Bolivarian culture by wearing that wedding dress…" Pure irritation rumbled in Andreja's voice. This is just… This is too much…
"Mickey…" Avery groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Curse your insanity!" Only Mickey could manage to simultaneously infiltrate a contraband operation while wearing a dress.
"What… What's he doing?"
Avery peered between his fingers to see Mickey in an odd position… Staying unnoticed by Karn, Mickey hiked up his dress, exposing his pale ankles. Squatting down, Mickey did a strange dance. One might even call it 'shook his ass…' After a moment, something clattered onto the area under his dress. To Avery's shock, a digipick rolled out from under Mickey's dress. It only stopped rolling when it bounced off the iron bars, stopping just within his reach. With that action, Mickey massaged out a wrinkle in his dress and hurried after Karn. He dropped a digipick for us? Only when Karn's voice disappeared did Avery speak up.
"See!" Avery exclaimed, swiveling to face his crew. They each wore expressions of mixed confusion and disgust. "I told you he'd come through! You idiots doubted him, and he saved our asses!"
"So are you gonna grab the digipick?" Sam deadpanned. Avery… honestly hadn't thought that far. He certainly didn't want to touch it…
"I'm not touching it." Barrett crossed his arms across his chest in defiance. Wait a minute…
"I'll fight you all to the death to not touch it." The gleam in Andreja's eye foretold the violence she was willing to perform.
"Where was he even hiding it!?"
"Avery can grab it."
"What!? Why do I have to touch it!?"
"Because you're the Captain…" Damn… His crew knew his weakness.
"Does anyone have a glove?"
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1145 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
Another Win chalked up to Mickey Caviar. Pride burned in Mickey's chest at how cool he looked in front of his crew. They probably were speechless from the amount of valor and intelligence he showed. The fact that he looked impeccable in this gown was simply a cherry on top. Mickey was grateful that he had the foresight to hide that digipick. Otherwise, he would have only been able to grace his crew with his presence, rather than a means of escape.
Karn had long since bored Mickey with his conversation. The Bolivarian man had resorted to bragging about all the different things he had managed to steal from Benjamin Bayu. Weapons… Drugs… Technology… Mickey couldn't even feign interest. At this point, all that mattered was that Mickey thoroughly impressed his crew. A set of double doors halted their progress into the mixing room.
"So here we have our most impressive room," Karn twisted around to face Mickey. He grinned slyly, excited for the big reveal. Karn held both door handles, gearing up to swing them open. "Here is tha heart of our operation. This room is what allows us to transfer so many credits back to Bolivar… Here is where we mass produce-" Karn dramatically swung open the double doors, revealing his dirty secret.
"Shit …" Mickey hissed under his breath.
"Aurora!" A single thin walkway traverses down the center of the mixing room. Below the walkway were large vats containing the magical blue potion of Aurora. The vats toiled with the sparkling mixture, nearly blinding Mickey. Harvested Chasmbass hung from hooks on the ceiling. The alluring substances they had once produced were removed and processed into the addictive drug, Aurora. This magical blue room was Mickey's personal hell… The moment the smell of Aurora wafted into Mickey's nose, his brain begged him for just a small taste. What am I going to do!?
"Huh?" Karn had spoken to Mickey, but it hadn't registered. Aurora… It's been so long… Just a little wouldn't hurt. Just try- Mickey violently shook his head, his betraying thoughts dissipating. Willing his legs, he moved forward along the walkway.
"I said that it's impressive, no?" Karn repeated. The Bolivarian man held his arms out, showcasing their surroundings. I can freaking see the damn Aurora! You don't have to brag!
"Ahem…" Mickey's throat was thick and dry. No matter how many times he cleared it, he still couldn't manage to swallow. "Very impressive…" The short walk through the mixing room must have taken hours. In the time it took to reach the other end of the room, Mickey had managed to count every individual hair on Karn's scalp. He had no clue how he managed to resist doing a double-flipped nose-dive into the Aurora. The mixture below taunted him… Coerced him to jump in, but he fought tooth and nail. I can't disappoint my crew…
Karn's office sat in the next room over. Mickey still thought himself too close to the Aurora, but once the door shut firmly behind them, he felt he could breathe again. Although the larger temptation was behind him, Mickey didn't skip the small blue vial of Aurora that sat on Karn's desk. Unaware of Mickey's mental distress, Karn continued to talk… His words sounded like a garbled mess. Karn's lips didn't align with the noise that came from his mouth. Get it together, Mickey!
"-sittin' on a multi-billion credit operation! Pretty soon we're gonna have control of Neon and Bayu will be at tha bottom of tha ocean!" Karn's obnoxious laugh echoed in Mickey's head. There's Aurora on his desk… Just grab it and take a sip… You know you want t-
"No!" Karn and his subordinate flinched at Mickey's loud tone. He hadn't intended to yell out… Mickey awkwardly picked at a loose thread on his gown, doing his best to ignore their confused expressions.
"No?" Shit, I need to get it together…
"No, I meant 'no, we're going to have complete control of the Settled Systems!'" Mickey chuckled, but it wasn't exactly convincing.
"Uhm… right…" Karn and his subordinate traded looks of concern. Karn evaluated Mickey's face for a long moment before continuing. "Hey, Ambassador… Are ya alright? Ya look a lil blue…" That appraisal checks out… I feel blue…
"Boss!" The door suddenly flung open with force, saving Mickey from this awful situation. There must be a god! "The prisoners got out! They got their guns back and now they're pushing through to tha mixing room!" All color drained from Karn's face at the news. Mickey could hear the blood vessels bursting in Karn's brain.
"What!?" Karn exploded, causing everyone to take a step back. Mickey was baffled that a man of such small stature could be so loud. "How tha fuck did they get out!?" Karn must have forgotten Mickey's presence entirely. Because, within a second, the man shoved his way out of the office and slammed the door behind him. This left Mickey alone with the subordinate he had first slapped and… the Aurora…
Mickey shifted uncomfortably, "That was something…" The subordinate he had dubbed 'Demond,' pushed himself from the wall he had been propped against. Lazily, he strolled to Karn's desk, snatching up the blue vial. Oh no… please don't- Desmond opened the vial with a satisfying pop. Immediately, Mickey's senses went into overdrive. Every cell in his body craved a taste of what his conscience desperately fought against.
"Mmmmmm…" Desmond groaned when he brought the vial below his nose. I never thought Boss'd step out… Kinda got lucky, eh? You wanna hit?"
Mickey's eyes crossed once the vial was thrust under his nose. I could just take one taste… No one would know… The mixture made his respirations pick up. Every breath came out in a short huff. I'm going to do it… Several beads of sweat dropped down Mickey's forehead. Mickey gulped, his mouth empty of any moisture. There's no turning back… I'm going to…
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1147 Universal Time
Avery Del
Their escape was flawless. Once the cell was open, they retreated to locate their weapons (and find a bathroom for Avery to thoroughly scrub his hands). Karn's men had thrown their guns and communication equipment into a cardboard box, as if they were useless trinkets. Their items weren't even secured; they were just tossed into an unlocked room ripe for the taking. Unfortunately, for every success, something had to go wrong. The second they equipped their weapons, one of Karn's men busted them. This one was quick to sound the alarm. Despite the factory's apparent emptiness, enemies swarmed them.
"I thought we were supposed to find proof of the contraband!" Barrett called out as he fired into a group of enemies blocking their path. It was a slow process, but they pushed forward to where Mickey and Karn went. Due to the expansive hallway, they had to take cover back in the cell from which they escaped. Bullets ricochet off the iron bars, narrowly missing them.
"Find proof or eliminate Karn!" Andreja reminded them excitedly. She had clearly been awaiting this opportunity. Whipping outside the door, the woman tossed a frag grenade toward a group of unsuspecting subordinates on their flank. The screams that followed confirmed the grenade's accomplishment. Despite adversity, his crew's skill and persistence thinned the onslaught of bullets.
"I guess plans have changed!" Avery chuckled. He watched as Andreja rolled into the middle of the hallway. The second she stabilized herself on a knee, she had two more men dispatched with her pistol. Avery truly admired the way Andreja carried herself. So much confidence and strength… What a fantastic woman…
"Now we go find the idiot chef you mocked!" With that final word, Andreja lunged forward, not waiting for backup. Avery could never honestly doubt Andreja's judgement on the battlefield. If she decided it was time to move forward, then they went on. The battle cries of Karn's men were no longer audible. If Avery had to guess, they probably had set up their stand in the room ahead.
"Mickey would find a way to pull some shit off and make me look like a jackass…" Sam groaned as he finished the stragglers that managed to survive Andreja's grenade strike. Damn right, he would. Mickey may be a strange individual, but he was Constellation through and through. When it came down to the wire, Mickey would come through for the crew… Just like anyone else in Constellation.
"Called it," Avery mumbled when they stepped through the double doors at the end of the room. Karn's men had indeed set up a human blockade. Overlooking the room, a thin platform circled the top of the room. The platform barely had any room to stand on, but Karn's subordinates managed. At least a dozen gun-clad men lined the platform, using the high ground to their advantage; they maintained Avery and his crew in their line of sight. Despite the room being spacious, they had minimal space to spread out. Their only form of cover was the enormous Chasmbass that hung lifelessly from the ceiling. A walkway that functioned as a bridge connected one side of the room to the other.
Avery peered over the guardrails into the pit below. Large vats of Aurora swirled below, reflecting a sparkling blue light into the entire room. Should'a guessed… Karn's shipping Aurora… I hope Mickey's alright… The adrenaline coursing through their veins must have given them a surge of conviction. Because none of his crew seemed to be concerned that they were vastly outnumbered.
"Called what?" Barrett said casually as he counted the men standing on the platform that surrounded their small army. "The only thing I heard you say over the past few minutes was 'plans have changed' and something about Andreja being a 'fantastic woman.'" Fuck! Did I say that out loud!? Avery prayed that Andreja missed Barrett's remark, but the way her eyebrow rose likely meant she hadn't. Still, she didn't comment on it. Thank the stars…
"Ya timin' is fuckin' awful!" A voice screamed from the other end of the walkway. Avery squinted at the man who stood at the far end of the room. Oh, it's Karn, Avery thought once he recognized the short, angry man. Karn held a hand in the air, signaling a cease-fire to his subordinates positioned on the high ground. His skin looked absolutely blue due to the Aurora shining from below. "Who tha hell are ya!? Who tha fuck sent ya!? Was it Bayu!?"
"Maaaaaybe… " Avery taunted. Keeping his pistol maintained on Karn, he took a confident step forward. Karn's face rapidly shifted from a blue hue to a furious red. Oh, that pissed him off. "Or, we are just explorers that showed up to see what's going on around here…"
"Don't fuck with me…" Karn clicked his gun to enhance his point. "If Bayu did send ya, then that tells me I got time for damage control… I been movin' his shit out for years without a problem. I ain't startin' now! That dip-shit don't know what's goin' on in his own damn city! Equipment! Manpower! And those dumbass fish ! All been mine ta take! It wasn't easy…" Oh great , Avery rolled his eyes, he's about to monologue…
"Avery…" The sound of his name made his ears twitch. It sounded panicked… and distant. What the hell was that? In his fury, Karn didn't seem to hear. Instead, he continued bragging about how he got one over on Benjamin Bayu. "Avery!!" This time, the scream was louder and approaching. In fact, Karn even paused mid-sentence to look around in confusion.
"Mickey?" Avery asked aloud. Fast approaching footsteps clanged along with the beat of Avery's heart.
SLAM
Everyone in the room jolted when the doors at Karn's end of the room violently slammed open. Karn even turned away from them amid his surprise. Mickey charged forward; he had handfuls of the dress he wore in his fists, pulling it above his knees. Mickey's pale legs moved as fast as lightning, rocketing him down the walkway.
"Avery!!!" Mickey screamed again, his face contorted in panic. "They tried to give me Aurora, but I said no! I said no! I said no! I said no!" Mickey barrelled past Karn, slamming hard into his shoulder. Poor Karn was knocked backwards with little effort. Karn's upper body pivoted over the guardrail, sending him head over heels. Once gravity took control, the small man dropped into a vat below with a cringy 'gloop.' This didn't stop Mickey's sprint; the chef pushed past them and continued back the way they came. All the while, he screamed his refusal of Aurora. Good job, Mickey…
The moment Karn disappeared beneath the Aurora's surface, he flailed his extremities to ascend. Avery guessed the Aurora took effect rather quickly. After a few seconds, Karn slowed his movements, eventually freezing as he sank to the bottom of the vat. No coming back from that high… I guess we completed the mission…
Unfortunately, Karn's remaining men left them little time to celebrate. Once they reclaimed their bearings, the sound of gunfire filled the room. It turned out the multiple Chasmbass hanging in the room made excellent cover. Blood and scales showered them as the bullets struck the fish. Man, their aim is terrible… Making the decision to leave, Avery backed up, forcing his crew from the room. When they had better cover in the next room, Avery broke out into a run.
"C'mon! We gotta catch up with Mickey!"
Contraband Factory, Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1153 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
Left… Right… Forward… Left… Left… Right… Forward… Mickey sprinted through the maddening factory as fast as his gown would allow him. Every fiber in his being begged for him to turn back to the Aurora that claimed his soul. No! You promised yourself! The hopeless labyrinth of hallways was deserted, the factory's inhabitants likely too busy trying to rid it of Constellation. I could just sneak back while nobody is paying attent-
"No!" Mickey screamed at the betraying thought. "I'm done with Aurora!" He didn't understand how he, the luckiest man in the Settled Systems, managed to waltz into an Aurora production facility. The beautiful material he wore was now absolutely sullied. Its white color had become dulled with sweat and wrinkled with the way he ran. Mickey brightened when he noticed the familiar surroundings of where he had initially entered the facility. I'm so close to getting out of this prison!
Rounding the hundredth corner, Mickey was met with relief as well as apprehension. A beacon of hope, the exit, lay before him. But standing at the exit were three more men… But they weren't the Bolivarians that had overtaken the facility… Mickey paled when he realized the identity of the man standing before him. Why the hell is he here? Benjamin Bayu stood at the entrance, picking at his nails while wearing a bored expression. The two men on either side of him were equipped with pistols, ready to shoot on demand. Mickey prayed that Benjamin overlook his panic. Readjusting the gown on his chest and straightening out the wrinkles to the best of his ability, Mickey approached the CEO.
"Mickey Caviar…" Benjamin had the same indifferent tone Mickey remembered from so long ago. Mickey appreciated that Benjamin hadn't forgotten him in the years he was away from Neon. "I don't believe I've seen you since I last had you kicked from the Astral Lounge a few years back…" Benjamin acted as if he were impressed, but the condescending tone in his voice exposed his facade. Mickey made the CEO wait for his response. Step by step, Mickey lazily strolled within a few feet of Benjamin. Only then did he bless the man with a response.
"Mr. Bayu," Mickey tossed the veil from his face with a dramatic flair. Benjamin gave an indifferent nod to Mickey's curtsy. "It has been a while, indeed. I'm a part of Captain Avery's crew now. Mickey Caviar is a proud member of Constellation." The words fell from Mickey's mouth shamelessly. Mickey didn't even consider the typical 'I'm the Captain of Constellation' fable he spun. In all honesty, he had found some pride in his role over the years.
"I see…" Benjamin stroked his gray beard. The way Benjamin scrutinized Mickey with his gaze sent shivers down his back. Mickey hardened himself for whatever deprecating comment the CEO had in the chamber. Everyone else from Neon had an awful comment to make, why not him? I bet he's going to mock me about my past… Something about me being drunk or high… "You look well." Mickey blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"I said , you look well," Benjamin repeated, the same bored expression sustaining. "Obviously, your travels with Constellation have done you well." Mickey gave a quick glance downward. I'm literally covered from head to toe in sweat… And he thinks I look well!? I must have been quite a handful while I lived in Neon…
"Uhm… Thank you, Mr. Bayu," Mickey muttered. He might as well accept the compliment. Despite the pleasantries, Mickey didn't understand why Benjamin Bayu was here . He should be locked up in the Astral Lounge VIP floor, not on a random moon in The Volii System…
"Mickey!" Avery practically collapsed on his knees when he ran up next to Mickey. The Captain huffed for a few moments until he could regain his breath. The other crewmates looked just as out of breath… Well, except Andreja. Mickey swore the woman was a cyborg… "We finally caught up to you… How the hell do you run so fast in that dress!?"
"How did you find me?" Mickey raised an eyebrow. "And this is not a dress! It's a Bolivarian traditional gown!" Mickey couldn't be angry at his Captain's ignorance. Not everyone is as cultured as Mickey Caviar.
"We could hear your screams." Mickey's ears burned pink from Andreja's rather blunt revelation. "We simply followed your voice and here we are." Oh… That's embarrassing…
"Excellent work, Constellation," Benjamin announced, drawing all attention. Avery had been so out of breath that he had failed to notice the CEO. Straightening up, Avery gave an apprehensive nod.
"Mr. Bayu…" Avery mumbled. "Why are you here?" Benjamin maintained the same emotionless demeanor as he spoke.
"You'll find I have sources throughout the entire Settled Systems." Benjamin held out his arms to enunciate his point. Mickey couldn't be too surprised; Benjamin Bayu had his fingers in multiple pots. He may be a dirty politician and a corrupt administration. Still, he certainly had the aptitude to remain at the top of the food chain. "This location is no different. The moment I received word of Constellation's arrival, I took a transport to Volii Gamma. I've known of Karn Raiz's betrayal for a while now." Avery's head cocked at Benjamin's admission.
"If you already knew about Karn's betrayal, then why did you involve Constellation?"
"Sometimes it's better to have outside connections handle issues such as this," Benjamin responded simply. "In addition, I've been interested in working with Constellation for a while. And, you and your crew did not disappoint. I implanted heart monitors on all of my subordinates, and Karn's has been deactivated… So I consider your involvement a raging success."
"Actually, it was Mickey who took out Karn." Mickey narrowed his eyes in disbelief. When did I do that!? The only thing he could remember for the past fifteen minutes was his exhausting sprint through the factory. Still, he wasn't going to refuse any positive attention, even from Benjamin Bayu. "Also, Mr Bayu, the contraband-"
"I'm well aware of what Karn has pedaled out of The Volii System…" Benjamin waved off Avery, silencing the Captain. "Constellation will be transferred all due credits, plus a bonus for a job well done." Avery hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
"Thank you, Mr. Bayu," Avery reached out to shake Benjamin's hand. The gesture was ignored; instead, Benjamin gripped Avery's shoulder.
"I look forward to working with Constellation in the future…" The CEO's voice had an intimidating undertone. Mickey prayed that they hadn't bitten off more than they could chew. Benjamin may pay well, but he wasn't known for excellent collaboration. Mickey shifted uncomfortably when Benjamin suddenly side-eyed him. "You have a star member here, Avery. I feel a certain protectiveness of my Neon natives… So please be sure to keep Mickey out of trouble…" With a final squeeze, Benjamin released Avery.
"He definitely is a valued member of my crew," Mickey basked in the positive compliments thrown his way. It's about time I get the respect I deserve! "Just reach out anytime you have a contract for us, Mr. Bayu."
"How did we do all the shooting, but Mickey gets all the credit!?" Sam whispered to Barrett. A jealous pilot, as always. Some just aren't meant to stand out…
"I bet it's that damn dress…" Barrett agreed sourly.
"My men will handle the… stragglers." Benjamin continued. At his command, the two men accompanying him began to enter the facility. Whoever came in their path would surely meet a gruesome death. Nobody double-crossed Benjamin Bayu and lived to tell the tale. "We will also handle the remaining contraband. You are always welcome in Neon, Constellation. Please take the rover we arrived on back to your starship. You're dismissed…" With his final word, Benjamin strolled after his men, eager to watch the bloodshed.
"Let's get out of here…" Mickey huffed. He'd been in this personal hell for far too long. The further he got from the gallons of Aurora , the better.
"Mickey, you need to put on a spacesuit first…" Avery deadpanned. Mickey paused as he considered his Captain's words. At this point, he would walk to The Atlas in the buff while holding his breath if it got him out of this building. But on the other hand… How am I going to put on a spacesuit in this gown?
The Atlas, Orbiting Volii Gamma, The Volii System
Year 2331, July 9th
1346 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
The one place Mickey had always found peace in was The Atlas's kitchen and mess hall. The area had everything he needed. Every pot, pan, spice, and oil at his fingertips. It was the one area on The Atlas that no one could deny as his realm. When they came to the mess hall to eat, they came to Mickey's mess hall.
Mickey took another swig from the beer he had set on the table. He didn't usually have a reason to drink, but he felt that for once in his life, he had a valid excuse. The Aurora ordeal had physically and mentally drained him… But he did it… Mickey Caviar stood firm against Aurora's alluring grasp. In his exhaustion, he hadn't even bothered to change out of the gown he wore. I'm going to have to spend so many credits to get this thing clean , Mickey thought glumly as he thumbed at the white material. A knock on the wall alerted Mickey to his Captain standing in the door.
"Hey," Avery greeted him. The Captain quickly made himself comfortable in the seat across from Mickey. Mickey considered returning the greeting, but resigned to another sip of his beer. "Good work out there, today. That stunt you pulled saved us all." Ah, the hidden digipick trick… Mickey had a way of smuggling things around. In his past, he'd snuck many bottles of Aurora out of the Astral Lounge.
"I keep a lot of tricks up my sleeve, Captain." Mickey held up the bottle in a toast before returning it to his lips. It was hard to appreciate his work today. Mickey still couldn't work past his near failure of sobriety.
"I couldn't believe Benjamin sent us in to deal with Karn instead of handling it himself… At least the Aurora factory is shut down." Avery's naive statement made Mickey chuckle. Poor, sweet, naive Avery… Businessmen like Benjamin Bayu never need a reason to do what they do… Much like they never turn away from fine revenue.
"He likely didn't want to waste his own resources on taking down a factory full of defectors. Hence our involvement." Mickey didn't need to assume Benjamin's rationale. He'd known the man long enough to accept his callousness. "Good ol' Ben was probably just angry that Karn had started this money-making scheme right under his nose. Knowing Benjamin, he will probably commandeer the factor from now on. More Aurora for the Settled Systems!" Mickey threw his hands up bitterly at the thought of the drug overtaking the galaxy.
"Yeah, well, that's not our problem… We had a job to do, and we finished it. Now we move on." Mickey wanted to move on… He craved it! But the residual guilt still beat in his heart.
"I didn't use Aurora…" Mickey whispered into the empty bottle of beer. He hadn't explicitly discussed the vast amount of Aurora in the facility with Avery. He hoped his Captain wasn't concerned about him falling off the wagon.
"I know you didn't," Mickey glanced up to meet Avery's eyes. They were warm and held no judgment. Even so, Mickey still felt he needed to elaborate. He needed to come completely clean.
"But I wanted to." Mickey's words were rushed and sharp. He squeezed his eyes shut in preparation for Avery's disappointment. "I wanted to so badly…" Mickey continued when Avery didn't respond immediately.
"But you didn't." Mickey released the material of the gown he had clutched in his fist. Gradually, his anxiety subsided. "You had to face your own addiction and come out on top. You were the strongest person on that damn planet." Avery's words were simple, but they eased the tightness Mickey held in his chest. I came out on top… After a brief appreciation of how far he had come since he last fell off the wagon, Mickey jumped to his feet.
"Enough of the sappy talk!" Mickey tottered into the kitchen, his ice-cold goal just before him. When he returned to Avery, he held two fresh beers in his hands. "We are owed a celebration! Today we had a successful mission, and I received a hefty raise!" Mickey shoved the drink into Avery's hand and then proceeded to down his entire bottle.
"Raise? Uhm… No, Mick-"
"A huge raise! I'm looking forward to visiting New Atlantis! After I bring my gown to the dry cleaner, I'm buying a round for everyone ! Even Cora and Vasco!" Mickey had visions of a party. Celebrations of his magnificence. "We must honor the role I played today as second command to Constellation!"
"Mickey! No one got a raise!"
Notes:
I love writing Mickey's sass and entitlement. I think he struggles with his own beliefs and how much he cares for Constellation. As usual, if you notice any errors or sentences that read weird let me know.
The final three chapters that will follow have a lot going on for Constellation. Hope you enjoy! Thank you!
Chapter 23: The Power of the Starborn - Avery Del
Summary:
Constellation locates an artifact in the United Colonies' territory. What should be an easy gain to their collection, rapidly spirals into a fight for their survival. When new enemies join with old ones, Avery has to choose between Constellation's goal, and the safety of his crew.
Notes:
Hope you enjoy!
TW - Blood, death, cursing.
Disclaimer - I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1226 Universal Time
Avery Del
The beautiful blue orb of Jemison sat on Kurtz's horizon, nearly filling the sky. At a mere forty thousand-mile distance, New Atlantis was simply a hop, skip, and a jump away. Kurtz's close proximity to Jemison caused extreme tidal waves on the planet, but mankind had long since adapted. Jemison and Kurtz perfectly mimicked Earth and Luna's relationship, notwithstanding the aliens that also called Jemison home.
Avery led the entire crew onto Kurtz's surface, stretching as he walked. Twelve hours prior, Andreja had located an artifact on Kurtz. They wasted no time in investigating the source. Once everyone was dressed in their bulky spacesuits, they moved out onto the oxygen-deprived planet. I can't believe an artifact was so close to New Atlantis after all this time…
"This is exciting!" Cora's voice rang over the comms as she bounced along the moon's surface. A deep chuckle rumbled in Avery's chest. The teenager burst with excitement when he offered her a chance to join Constellation in procuring the next artifact, much to Sam's displeasure. Fortunately, the pilot had calmed down when he realized that their proximity to where the United Colonies was based meant danger was unlikely.
"I see no reason for me to be forced into the field…" Eddie grumbled, having voiced his frustrations multiple times. "What use will I be!? Furthermore, I have work to do in my office!" Avery simply rolled his eyes at the physician's irritation. Eddie would complain no matter what role was asked of him.
"I just wanted to see your face, Eddie." Avery mused, only broadening the physician's annoyance. "Plus, I want as many of the crew to join in on artifact missions. With the issues we've had on the previous artifact missions, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Also, we aren't the only people searching for them…" The dark armor of The Hunter flashed through Avery's mind, sending a shiver down his spine. The mysterious enemy was a dangerous enigma. His presence had raised more questions than it had answered…
"That's still not a good reason…" Eddie grumbled in response. Shaking his head, Avery focused on the issue at hand. They had landed outside a cave system where the artifact was supposed to be. As they approached, Avery realized the cave split into two paths… Great, a crossroad...
"So… Which way do we go?" Maxile asked when he also noticed the split path. The nurse continuously bounced in place under Kurtz's low gravity. Avery appreciated that Maxile took every experience with excitement, just like Cora. The idea of splitting the crew up was less than appealing, but he didn't see a way around it.
"I guess I'll lead a team one direction and Sarah will lead the rest down the other path…" Avery looked to his Vice-Captain for affirmation. Sarah responded with a smile and took a step away from the crew. Now just to decide who goes with whom…
"My only request is to only have strong crewmates on my team," Andreja shot Simeon a glare. Here we go… Simeon took Andreja's slight as well as Avery expected.
"Got something to say!?" Simeon snapped, challenging Andreja's glare. "I bet you need someone strong to carry your dead weight!"
"How can I be dead weight if I'm fighting on the front lines? Unlike you."
"Okay!" Avery snapped before the two could tumble into another debate. After a few minutes of consideration and several minutes of arguing, Avery decided on the teams. His team consisted of himself, Andreja, Maxile, Barrett, and Vasco. Sarah's team included Eddie, Mickey, Sam, Cora, and Simeon. Once the teams were decided, everyone stood alongside their respective leader. To no one's surprise, Simeon was less than pleased with the end results.
"This is a little one-sided…" Simeon grumbled, looking at Maxile. The nurse gave him a slight shrug.
"Sniper," Andreja announced. "How about a five-thousand-credit wager? Team Andreja will locate the artifact before your team…" Simeon crossed his arms across his chest in defiance… Well, he attempted to. The bulky spacesuit didn't allow easy movement.
"I have Eddie, Cora, and a Mickey on my team…" Simeon motioned to the three in question, each giving him a disgruntled look. "How is that fair!?"
"One must play to their weaknesses to be successful," Andreja sniffed. Avery was baffled that Constellation had made it this far. He couldn't imagine a more childish group of adults. With the teams officially decided, Andreja broke off into a sprint. "Keep up, little nurse! If we fail, then you will have one hundred push-ups to do!" That threat kicked Maxile's ass into gear.
"W-wait!" Maxile called out as he broke into a bumbling dash. "That's not fair!"
"Damnit!" Simeon cursed, getting sucked into the spirit of competition. "C'mon, Cora! My credits are on the line!"
"I'm coming!" Cora called out as she raced after the sniper.
"Mickey, grab Eddie!" Simeon called out over his shoulder. "We don't need his bad leg slowing us down!"
"Gotcha!" Consent thrown to the wind, Mickey wrapped his arms around Eddie. In a flash, the physician was thrown over his shoulder. Eddie's extremities flopped lifelessly as Mickey sped after Simeon into the cave.
"Put me down, you imbecile!" Avery sighed before turning to the remaining adults …
"Just… call out if you run into any trouble…" Avery muttered as he moved to the entrance Andreja and Maxile had disappeared down. Hopefully, they didn't get too far ahead.
"Understood, Captain," Sarah gave a salute before following Simeon.
"I'm sure we're going to run into some sort of trouble with Simeon leading the group…" Sam added. I pray to the stars that there are no surprises… Truthfully, this should be an easy artifact mission. The Alpha Centauri System was one of the safest star systems in the galaxy, especially being so close to where the United Colonies was based. Still, Constellation wasn't known for having an easy time. Hardships would always follow their rag-tag group of mercenaries. Even so, Avery trusted his crew's judgement. With a final farewell, they descended into their respective cave entrances.
A Cave System, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1240 Universal Time
Avery Del
I'm …ere… Com… find …e…
The second Avery trekked into the cave system, the familiar voice of the artifact resonated in his ears. The voice was indescribable. Barely human, it sounded the same as any other artifact he had come into contact with. Even so, it only spoke to Avery when he came within a reasonable distance…
"Do you hear it?" Barrett questioned as he watched Andreja and Maxile gleefully search the cave from top to bottom. They looked into every crevice dutifully, eager to defeat Simeon.
"Yeah, it shouldn't be too far ahead." Through his exploration of the Settled Systems, Avery had only met one other person who could hear the voice of the artifacts—Maxile. This was another question he had no answer to. Why could they hear the artifact's voice? What made them so special? Is that why Avery can utilize his Starpower? The list of questions went on and on, seemingly growing longer and longer.
"Constellation has come pretty far since Vasco and I joined up," Barrett continued, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "I think when I first showed up, Constellation only had a single artifact to its name. Look at us now… Ten artifacts deep and still no answers to what we are even looking for…" Barrett wasn't exaggerating in the least. Over the past year, they had learned new terms such as 'cycles,' 'The Unity,' and 'Starborn.' But those terms all came without explanation. And now with the appearance of The Hunter, it made their situation that much more confusing.
" I periodically search my databases when they are updated and have yet to find any new information regarding the artifacts, " Vasco supplied. If the robot could experience emotion, Avery was sure he'd be frustrated. Vasco took a certain amount of pride in his ability to learn and relay information, which is why he updated the crew with every insignificant percentage he calculated. " During our next journey to a major city, I will be sure to continue to research the artifacts to the best of my ability, Captain. "
"Thanks, Vasco," Avery gave the robot a pat on his frame. The physical action went unnoticed by the inorganic crewmate. Instead, Vasco whirred a quick response.
" Understood, Captain. " Avery stopped in his tracks when they stepped into an open area of the cavern. The energy of the artifact slammed into him with the force of a starship.
You're so close…
Small rocks float effortlessly around the cavern. At its center stood a large column. The artifact had its own gravitational pull. The rocks and dust orbiting it proved that fact. Their goal protruded awkwardly from the column—the artifact. Andreja inspected all corners of the room, the sight of their original objective obviously lost in her eyes.
" Success… " Andreja said when she came to the conclusion that the other team had yet to arrive. "I'm eager to see the fury in Simeon's eyes when he hands over my credits…" Shaking his head, Avery made his way to the center of the open cave. He had to duck a few oncoming rocks that orbited, but he made it with little difficulty. With a determined yank, the artifact broke free of the minerals that entrapped it.
You're here…
Light reflected from the lead-like body of the artifact in Avery's hand. Briefly, Avery's mind fell back to what he learned from The Hunter. I wonder what power this artifact will unlock? For that matter, how do I even unlock their powers? Just more unanswered questions involving the artifacts.
"Did you feel the power?" Maxile's eyes roamed the artifact.
"Nah," Avery answered. "I'll touch it on The Atlas." The artifact's power didn't seem to transfer unless touched with bare skin. And even then, it only seemed to transfer to certain people. Why they only choose specific people to bestow their power upon, Avery had no clue.
"This has been an amazing family trip, but let's head back to the ship," Barrett called out when Avery and Maxile had thoroughly inspected the artifact. "Vasco and I have a few modules to install into The Atlas…" Aw, yes… Avery hadn't forgotten. Their last trip to New Atlantis, Barrett had convinced him to purchase a few upgrades. Barrett's been begging for the time to install them. Their mission a raging success, the crew retraced their steps through the cave.
"What are you gonna do with five thousand credits?" Avery asked Andreja as they strolled back through the cave. The other crewmates walked several feet ahead, allowing them a bit of privacy. Andreja sighed in reflection of the options she had with the small fortune she'd soon be awarded.
"Undecided…" She answered after a few moments of thought. "There's a rifle I've had my eye on…"
"Y'know, there's also a new restaurant that opened in New Atlantis…" Avery mumbled shyly. He prayed he didn't sound foolish. "I think it'd be a good place for us to eat at…"
"Captain Avery," Andreja mock gasped. Despite the glare from the light at the cave entrance, Avery did not miss the sly smile on her face. "Are you asking me to break gender roles and pay for your dinner?"
"A woman of your caliber and strength?" Avery laughed. "I'd never expect you to allow me to pay for you." Fortunately, he seemed to be saying the right things. Andreja didn't seem opposed to his courting attempts. After what felt like an eternity, she provided an answer.
"Sounds fun." Avery had to fight every fiber in his being that screamed to celebrate. It's not a 'yes,' but I'll take it. When they stepped out of the cave into Alpha Centauri's bright light, Avery's excitement immediately waned. Something wasn't right… The Atlas still sat proudly in the distance, but the ship was no longer alone. Four different starships were now parked alongside it. Each with a red skull painted on their hull… Shit… How!? Why are they in United Colonies territory!? Avery didn't have time to consider the trap before a new voice announced its presence.
"Look who it is… Avery and his crew…" Avery flipped around to face the voice. Delgado and a few Crimson Fleet members stood over them, on the rocky surface above the cave entrance. Avery's stomach dropped at the sight of the weapons aimed at them. "Put your hands up and step back…" Avery considered running back into the cave system's natural cover. Still, without a straightforward way to communicate that to his crew, he was at a loss. With no other option, Avery and his crew abided by Delgado's command. When they were a reasonable distance from the cave entrance, Delgado dropped to the surface. The sound of footsteps in all directions alerted Avery to the new situation. Delgado's men had them completely surrounded.
"Delgado… You ca-"
" Shut the fuck up! " Delgado hissed, his face red with anger. "You've caused me a lot of trouble, Avery… On top of fuckin' with my revenue in the Scarlet Settlement, you stole my artifact…"
"C'mon, Delgado…" A bead of sweat slowly ran down Avery's forehead. He needed to think quickly if they were gonna get out of this alive. "You didn't need anything from those colonists… They were just an excuse for you to show up and terrify innocent people."
"It's the principle , Avery…" Delgado huffed. Delgado's eyes narrowed when he peered into Andreja's visor. "I see you saved your girl."
"I'll kill you in the worst ways imaginable…" Andreja's threat fell short, as Delgado burst with a raspy cackle.
"Aw, you wouldn't want to do that to your Captain…" Delgado's sneer fell at the sight of everyone's confused expression. Shit… I'm not ready… Gradually, realization dawned on Delgado's face. Every omission… Every half-truth… Every lie he had fabricated to his crew was about to be unraveled… "Wait… They don't know who I am, do they?" Avery's silence spoke volumes.
"Avery?" Andreja's voice had a slight edge to it. No… Nonononono… Avery couldn't find the words. Every sentence he dared to utter became lodged in his throat. Avery attempted to swallow and moisten his mouth, but his throat was so dry the task was impossible.
"Damn!" Delgado's heartless cackles echoed the desolate landscape around them. "Guess it's up to me to break the news, right? You won't mind, will you, Avery? We're blood after all!" The silence that followed drowned Avery. His crew… What were they thinking? How ashamed and angry are they? Avery could feel their eyes on his back as they tried to distinguish his reaction. Avery had never wanted to expose his crew to his roots.
"Del-" Avery paused. There was no point in denying their relations anymore. "Damian… Just stop…" Maxile's audible gasp at Avery's mention of Delgado's first name sent a pain through his chest. He'd kept the secret for so long… He no longer knew how to live with an attachment to the Crimson Fleet leader. The only person who knew of his past was Simeon, but that wasn't something they discussed.
"C'mon, little Brother… This is your crew, right? They deserve to know…" Delgado snarled. He clearly took glee in the distress he was causing Avery. When Avery didn't argue, Delgado continued his history lesson. "Y'see, a long time ago we lived with ol' Mom and Dad in a shitty corner of the Settled Systems, called Akila City. Our Father led the Crimson Fleet… And when I turned sixteen, he inducted me into the Fleet. The plan had been to add Avery to the ranks, but Mom had other plans. She snatched your little ass up and ran ! Ran all the way to New Atlantis… You lived the good life, while I struggled! Now here we are… Years later, Mom and Dad are dead, I lead the Crimson Fleet, and you… lead a group of mercenaries. Way to make our parents proud, Avery…" As Delgado divulged Avery's past, he paced back and forth. Every so often, Avery would catch Delgado's eye, ensuring that he suffered through the explanation.
"Sto-"
"By the way," Delgado interrupted. "Changing your last name to 'Del' wasn't clever at all. For fuck's sake, Avery, you just took off a few letters! Are you that ashamed? Doesn't matter. Now that everyone's on the same page, we can move on." The barrel of a gun suddenly clinked against Avery's visor. One of Delgado's men had moved in close to pin up Avery.
"Damnit!" Avery growled. He ground his teeth together in anger at Delgado's speech. How dare he expose him like that! Without a second thought, Delgado single-handedly destroyed half of his crew's trust in him! You should have told them in the first place… Avery sagged at the stray thought. Why didn't he tell them? Was it his pride? Or perhaps he was just content with leaving the past behind. Hell, the only reason Simeon knew was because his Mother had disclosed the information to Simeon's parents on her deathbed…
"Hey," Delgado snapped his fingers when he noticed Avery's blank expression. "I'll be frank… I'm going to kill you no matter what. There's no way out of this. So make peace with whatever you need to, Avery. This is it…" With his final word, Delgado began a countdown.
Three… Avery couldn't believe this…
Two… Why does he have to be so damn dramatic? If Avery was going to die, just pull the trigger…
One…
I wish I could go on one last adventure with my crew…
BOOM
A Cave System, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1305 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
"This is such bullshit!" Simeon slammed a glove fist into the rock wall that blocked their progress deeper into the cave. "We picked the wrong damn entrance!" Simeon was baffled by the sheer amount of bad luck he had today. First, he was forced into a bet with Andreja. Second, he picked a route that would cause him to lose said bet. And third, he didn't even get to be on Maxile's team! So the entire mission was utterly wasted …
"It's okay, Simeon…" Sarah soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder. The gesture wasn't soothing in the least. "It was a good hustle!" If anything, the Vice-Captain made it worse.
"It's not okay!" Simeon growled, slamming his fist once more on the wall's dead end. "I'm out five thousand credits!" Simeon twisted around to slide his back down the cave wall. When he looked up, he cringed at the horrifying sight before him. Mickey stood with his visor-clad face, inches from Simeon's own. What the hell?
"Simeon…" Mickey said with a tone full of seriousness. In an attempt to show empathy, the chef gripped Simeon's shoulders tightly. "Even I have had a gambling problem in the past… You just gotta get up and try again…" Wha- What the fuck is he talking about!?
"Shut up, Mickey!" Simeon jerked his shoulders from Mickey's grasp. He was in no mood for Mickey's shenanigans. What a shit day!
"Well, this has been a colossal waste of time," Eddie grumbled. "Let's head back." Not waiting for anyone, the physician turned on his heel and began retracing their steps. Agreed , Simeon thought sourly as he climbed to his feet. Cora filled the short trip back to the cave entrance with her commentary.
"This was so cool!" Cora repeated for the fifth time. "I can't wait to spacewalk on other planets! I just wish we had beaten Andreja…" Way to rub it in, Cora…
"We didn't have a chance to win when we got thrown into Simeon's team." Sam chuckled along with Cora's excitement. Jackass… Simeon didn't even bother dignifying the pilot's slight with a response. He wasn't worth the energy.
"I'm glad you've enjoyed the spacewalk, Cora." Sarah continued, ignoring Simeon's seething form. 'I'm so glad you've enjoyed the spacewalk, Cora.' Simeon mocked the Vice-Captain in his head. Glad you're all having a great time while I have to deal with an insane Va'ruunian loan shark… Man, this sucks… I can't belie- The back of Sam's arm knocked into Simeon's chest, halting his progress.
"Sam, what the-"
"Shhh!" Sam hissed, motioning to the cave entrance. Now that Simeon's inner fury had quietened, he could hear voices just outside. So what? I'm sure it's just Avery and the others… Simeon's pulse raced when he heard the distorted mention of a name, Delgado … Uh-oh… Cautiously, they crept to the entrance to peer out. Fortunately, they remained unnoticed by the men standing outside the cave. Unfortunately , Simeon realized the situation his other crewmates were currently in. Delgado and a dozen of the Crimson Fleet completely encircled Avery and his crew… Fuck…
"C'mon, little Brother… This is your crew, right? They deserve to know…" Delgado marched back and forth as he spoke. Oh shit… He's revealing Avery's secret!
"Little Brother?" Sam whispered, realization dawning in his expression. In fact, everyone who crouched alongside Simeon looked as if they were putting two and two together. "Is he calling Avery his little Brother?" Sarah opened her mouth to respond, then abruptly shut it.
"I- I don't know…" Sarah uttered, unsure of what to make of the situation. Simeon paled at the thought. He'd kept Avery's secret for so long. Avery's Mother had come clean about their connection to the Crimson Fleet before she passed away. She had done it to warn Simeon's parents of the potential danger Avery might face one day. Luckily, his parents had cared less. They'd loved Avery since the day Simeon brought him over from school to play. Still, his parentage wasn't something Avery took pride in, and Simeon respected that.
Delgado continued his rant, practically bragging as he exposed Avery's past. Unbeknownst to Avery, it was to his entire crew… It was like a train wreck that Simeon couldn't look away from. Delgado went over every detail, from Avery's birth in Akila City to how he edited his last name. Avery took it all in stride. He wore the same blank expression while Delgado spoke.
"I thought it was weird when Avery mentioned he was born in Akila City…" Sam muttered. "I was going to ask him… But he looked so uncomfortable talking about it, I just let it go."
"Quiet!" Eddie hissed, effectively silencing the sniper. They needed to get on the same page, and quickly. Simeon's mind whirled with plans and back-up plans. He could just start shooting… But that puts the others at risk. He could also get on the comms and advise them on what to do… But their comms may be tapped. Damn! What do we do!? Simeon almost stood up when one of Delgado's men placed the barrel of his gun on Avery's helmet. Fortunately, Simeon was held down by Mickey's quick hands.
"I'll be frank… I'm going to kill you no matter what. There's no way out of this. So make peace with whatever you need to, Avery. This is it…" Simeon didn't have time to plan! He needed to act! Simeon's anxiety only heightened as Delgado initiated a countdown.
Three… Simeon removed his sniper rifle from his back, setting Delgado in his sights. Maybe if I take out Delgado, it can cause enough chaos to get everyone out?
Two… Simeon's breaths were ragged, fogging up his visor. Fuck! Calm down, Simeon! You need to think!
One… There isn't time to think! Do something! Simeon's rifle jumped when he pulled the trigger.
BOOM
Outside The Atlas, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1320 Universal Time
Avery Del
Avery kept his eyes squeezed shut even after the sound of a gun firing echoed. As the ringing in his ears reminded him that he was still alive, he opened one eye. Avery's former assailant lay dead on the ground, a bullet hole having pierced his helmet. All of the Crimson Fleet looked around, trying to figure out where the strike came from. Shuffling at the cave's entrance alerted Avery to the rest of his crew. Simeon stood tall, one eye peeking through his rifle's scope. Good shot, Sim… Led by Sarah, the rest of his crew filed out of the cave to stand behind Delgado.
"Everyone, calm the fuck down!" Delgado roared, easing the Fleet's panicked expressions. Avery silently thanked Delgado for that order. The last thing they needed was someone to have a shaky trigger finger… Delgado shot a glance toward Avery's joining crew members before shaking his head. "Of course, the rest show up… Looks like I'll get to kill off your entire crew, Avery…" Realizing the threat, Cora took a step behind Sam.
"Think about this…" Avery pleaded. "Even if you kill some of my crew, you won't make it out alive, Damia-" Delgado suddenly swung around, bringing the barrel of his gun to Avery's face. The blow threw Avery off balance, but he managed to remain standing.
" You won't make it out alive!" Dribble spattered Delgado's visor from his sudden snarl. Even with the arrival of the rest of his crew, Avery couldn't think of a safe way for them to escape. They'd been so lucky all this time, there was no chance that luck had run dry… "I'm going to kill every single member of your damn crew. And then , I'll take your artifacts… I'm through playing around, Avery… Your time is-"
CLICK
Delgado paused at the audible click. It was a new and strange sound… Unfamiliar in their setting… And that was when Avery glimpsed the shimmering figures surrounding them all. What was once an empty space next to Delgado materialized into a spaceman wearing a black spacesuit. The newcomer stood with his weapon pointed directly at Delgado's head. The sight of the new enemy brought their situation from bad to worse. The Hunter…
"Avery…" Maxile hissed, recognizing The Hunter from their previous trip to Earth. The rest of Constellation kept an uneasy eye on their surroundings. They were likely uncertain which enemy to focus on, the Crimson Fleet or The Hunter. Both were dangerous foes.
"Who. The fuck. Are You?" Delgado tutted, both confused and angry at The Hunter's interruption. His question went ignored by The Hunter. Instead, the spaceman's raspy laugh vibrated Avery's chest.
"Well, well…" The Hunter's dark visor kept his identity a mystery. From how he turned his helmet to inspect everyone participating in this one-sided standoff, Avery could tell he was looking at each member of Constellation. "I can't say I remember a cycle that the Crimson Fleet has met us here…" Met? This is what he did on Earth. He talks about events like they've happened before…
"Alaine." Delgado motioned toward one of the Crimson Fleet members. The Fleetist, Alaine, fired his gun without hesitation. But The Hunter wasn't touched by the lead. In fact, the bullet was suspended mere inches from The Hunter's body, frozen in space. After a few tense moments, the bullet drifted to the ground. With his free hand, The Hunter pointed at the assaulting Crimson Fleetist. With the quick gesture, a bright light streamed from the Fleetist into The Hunter's hand. The Fleetist screamed and crumpled onto the ground. A monochrome light poured from the man, seeming to sap his life force. When the light show had finished, Avery could see a poor excuse of a man through his visor. His face had become wrinkled and black. Dead… "St- stand down…" Delgado quickly changed tactics, coming to understand the difference in power.
"Good boy," The Hunter mocked, patting Delgado on the face a couple of times. The Crimson Fleet leader's face contorted into anger, but he held his tongue. The Hunter nodded in Avery's direction, greeting him. "Captain Avery… It's nice to meet your entire crew. Normally, this is the time everyone gets to formally meet with Constellation. But this is the first time all of your crew has been present…" Avery's pulse raced at the cryptic statement. It almost sounded like he was insinuating that his crewmates had died before…
"Everyone?" Avery wanted to be strategic in his questioning. The artifacts be damned, he had a responsibility to his crew. Their safety lay on his shoulders. He needed to get them out alive. As if on cue, more spacemen materialized out of thin air. Just as the Crimson Fleet outnumbered Constellation, the spacemen vastly outnumbered the Crimson Fleet. One of the spacemen materialized on the opposite side of Delgado. This enemy's spacesuit was different from the rest. Like The Hunter, their visor completely shrouded their face. Their spacesuit vastly contrasted with The Hunter's black one. They wore a dull white spacesuit, with what appeared to be a cape pouring down their chest plate.
"Hello, Constellation," the newcomer's voice sounded very dignified and kind . It's the kindness that sets Avery on edge. It was a kindness one held in their town when addressing a child… I've never met this person, but they seem to know who we are… "My title is The Emissary. I think it would be best if we all put our weapons down for the time being. There is no use in fighting right now. We just want to have a conversation." All of the spacemen surrounding them lowered their weapons. Even the Crimson Fleet tentatively released the tight grips they held on their guns. Everyone but The Hunter, that is. The Hunter… The Emissary… What the hell is with these names!? I don't think they are on the same team… But who are they!?
"What's going on!?" Avery's question sounded sharper than he liked. But his nerves got the better of him. The arrival of The Emissary and the other spacemen only muddled his brain further. If more people, apart from The Hunter, had immaculate control of Starpower, then that left Constellation at a severe disadvantage. Avery resolved that he needed to ask better questions. "What are the artifacts?" This time, Avery kept a cool head. His words were even and confident.
"Isn't that why everyone is looking for the artifacts? To learn about what they are?" The Hunter sneered. Avery withheld from flinching at The Hunter's condescending tone. Instead, Avery stood in silence, awaiting an answer. "If you find all the artifacts, you discover their secrets." This guy… He only speaks in riddles!
"The artifacts certainly have an attraction that will haunt people through many cycles." The Emissary nodded in agreement. "Look at the facts. Everyone who is here is destined to forever become involved with the artifacts. Whether you are aware or not…" More riddles that don't make sense!
"Okay, so we are destined to find artifacts!" Avery snapped, becoming exasperated. Sure, the longer he kept these mysterious spacemen talking, the better Constellation's chances were to survive. But a small part of him craved information… Answers to the questions he'd harbored over for the past nine years… "But what are they!? Why are we collecting them?" For the longest time, Avery had accepted the task of artifact collecting at face value. They collected them to learn about them, but now he had answers just at his fingertips!
"The artifacts provide a power only meant for the destined. A power too grand for the greedy hands of mankind. The Starborn are here to protect that power." The Emissary opened widely, gesturing to the surrounding spacemen. The Starborn… That term was used by The Hunter on Earth. Are they all Starborn? "Look at what happened to Earth? Mankind discovered an artifact and destroyed the entire planet. It's our duty to protect the artifacts from being abused. To do that, we collect them before an utter catastrophe…" Avery figured his crew was just as confused as he was. They all wore the same bewildered expression on their faces.
"How do you know, though?" Avery felt The Emissary had a pretty foul opinion of mankind. "People can surprise you…"
"We know because it has happened before…" The Emissary continued to elaborate. "The artifacts have fallen into the wrong hands before. When one collects all the artifacts, they are taken to the end of a journey." Great… Another vague explanation.
"Your small brain may comprehend it better this way," The Hunter huffed, obviously growing bored with the extended small talk. "When the collector gathers all of the artifacts, they are taken to a new beginning… A brand new, ever-repeating cycle…" There's that word again… Cycles…
"So the Starborn protects the artifacts from falling into the wrong hands. And then when they are all gathered, they take the collector to a new cycle…" Avery recapped the new information that raced through his head.
"Don't associate me with them!" The Hunter snarled, nodding his head in The Emissary's direction. "I'm not protecting anything . I've been through many cycles… A never-ending repetition. I'm just here for the ride… Good deeds… Horrific crimes… None of it matters when it will all repeat in the next cycle. Consequences mean nothing to me. That being said... I have my own goal. I have my own reason to continue these damned cycles..." Avery had gathered enough context clues to piece together the meaning of cycles, but he needed to hear it aloud.
"What are cycles?" Avery decided a closed-loop question would provide the best response. Just as long as it wasn't answered in another riddle…
"Look," The Hunter stretched as he spoke. "This little Q&A is pointless. Constellation won't reach the end… You never have and never will. But, I'll still sate your curiosity. When you collect the artifacts, they transport you light-years across the universe. You're taken to 'The Unity.' Here is where you will make a choice… Either continue into the unknown… Or reset the universe billions of years, becoming Starborn in the process. This is what we call 'a cycle.'" So, when we collect the artifacts, we reset the timeline? It was a blunt way to put it, but that was the only way Avery could comprehend the information.
"What happens if we continue on?" The question unleashed another raspy laugh from The Hunter.
"Well, that will spell out the end of the universe… And that is so boring." Avery had at least three more questions about The Hunter's hazy response. But, The Hunter continued on, clearly uninterested in that particular topic. "Actually, we have had this exact conversation before, during a previous cycle. And, we've had it on this same planet. Because the events during each cycle are consistent. But, they aren't a carbon copy… If that makes sense… Big events, such as mankind discovering the grav drive, seem to happen every cycle. But the little shit… That's what varies. My guess is that it's due to something as simple as human free will. Your crew, for example. Typically, your entire crew isn't even present at our little meeting. Someone has usually died by this point…" The subtle threat caused Avery's heart to drop into the pit of his stomach. My crew has died before?
"This isn't productive…" The Emissary said, attempting to rein in The Hunter's callous explanation. But The Hunter showed no signs of stopping.
"I mean, look at this one." The Hunter pointed a finger in Maxile's direction. Maxile flinched at the sudden attention. "We've all met in this location thousands of times… And I've never seen him here. The Crimson Fleet, for that matter… Shouldn't you all be looting a nursing home? Or stealing from the poor? Why are you here?" Delgado opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced when The Hunter waved him off. This was a lot of information. Information that he couldn't keep straight in his mind. He needed to recap everything once more.
"When the artifacts are gathered, they lead to The Unity." Avery's forehead tightened in concentration as the information aligned in his head. "At The Unity, you are given two choices. To end the universe as we know it, or be reborn as a Starborn. When you are reborn, the universe resets, initiating a new cycle… Everyone who has been involved with artifacts in the previous cycles will find themselves drawn to the power of the artifacts, no matter what." By the time Avery finished, his chest heaved.
"Correct," The Emissary confirmed. Avery could feel all eyes on him. Constellation… The Crimson Fleet… Starborn… He had everyone's undivided attention. "That leads me to my next poi-"
"If I understood correctly, Constellation has been involved with artifacts during every cycle." Avery's voice grew as he spoke. Maybe it was determination? Perhaps it was fear of the unknown? No… He felt assured. He felt more confident in Constellation's goal than ever before. "If that's true… If Constellation is connected with the artifacts, then that tells me one thing. This is our destiny… Constellation is destined to collect all of the artifacts and arrive at The Unity! I've never felt so sure of any-"
BOOM
Avery froze at the sound of a gun firing… He had gotten so caught up in his excitement that he failed to keep an eye on his enemies. What just happened? The Hunter held his gun outstretched, pointing directly at Barrett. The engineer felt around his body for a bullet wound, giving Avery a confused look when he found nothing.
"Avery?" Barrett whispered. And that was when Avery noticed it… A small device blinking on Barrett's right wrist. Oh fuck! Before Avery could react, the device erupted into a small inferno. Blood speckled Avery's visor as Barrett's body blasted backwards. No… Barrett's body hit the ground, kicking up dust as he rolled lifelessly. The peripherals of Avery's vision swam. He barely registered his crewmates' cries of concern and anger.
"I guess you aren't all destined to make it to The Unity…" The Hunter growled. It was as if time had come to a standstill. Surrounded by enemies, all he could do was gawk at Barrett's form splayed out on the ground. Eventually, reality set in. Avery, along with his other crewmates, began to rush to Barrett's aid. "Don't move!" The Hunter rumbled, freezing everyone in their tracks. Why did he let himself become paralyzed by fear!? Barrett needed help!
"Barrett!" Sarah screamed out, but the engineer didn't move in the slightest. Even Vasco had his camera turned to take in Barrett's hopelessly contorted form. The robot may not be able to convey emotion, but Avery was sure he held an internal battle with himself. Above everyone else, Vasco prioritized Barrett.
"Was that really necessary?" The Emissary scolded The Hunter.
"It was… They needed a reality check." The Hunter scoffed, nodding his helmet toward Avery and his crew. Avery got the grave sense that The Hunter planned to continue mocking Constellation. But he stopped when hobbling footsteps broke the awful silence that consumed them. Unbound by fear, Eddie limped as fast as he could toward Barrett. Even with The Hunter watching his every move, the physician didn't slow down. "I said freeze!"
"Go to hell." Eddie threw The Hunter a glare before continuing on. Once he arrived at Barrett's side, Eddie kneeled close to him. His assessment took a few precious seconds. When he finally glanced toward Avery, his expression was filled with worry. "Avery, we need to get him onto The Atlas… Barrett isn't conscious, and the explosion completely severed his right arm… The fire may have adhered the spacesuit to his skin, so his suit's integrity might still be intact… We need to move him now!" Fuck! Avery didn't need a plan; he needed a miracle!
"Avery, the point of this meeting is to ask you not to get involved with the artifacts!" The Emissary spoke rapidly. Clearly, The Emissary understood that Avery's focus had shifted from the artifact to Barrett's health. Nevertheless, The Emissary seemed to want to get a point across before Avery thoroughly checked out of the conversation. "I'm aware that asking you to cease your involvement with the artifacts is futile… We've had this conversation many times in other cycles, and you've refused every time… But for the sake of your crew… Let it go."
"Gah!" Angry heat scorched Avery's chest. This day has been awful! His teeth hurt from how tightly he set his jaw. Accepting his resolve, Avery gathered Constellation's three enemies in his glare. "Constellation will never back down. We are going to escape this hopeless situation together . We'll save Barrett. We'll find the rest of the artifacts in the Settled Systems. And then , we are going to come back and kick each one of your sorry asses!" Delgado's eyebrows rose at Avery's challenge. The Starborn were a little harder to read with their occluded visors. It didn't matter to Avery. He'd never felt so confident in Constellation in his life. Avery narrowed his eyes at The Hunter's dark chuckle.
"Looking forward to it…"
Outside The Atlas, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1335 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
New information streamed through Maxile's head at breakneck speed. He couldn't contain everything revealed to them. Cycles… The Unity… Starborn… The information they had desperately searched for didn't matter at all. The dilemma they faced only became worse with Barrett's injury. They had a man down and were totally surrounded by a new, stronger enemy. Maxile didn't even want to think about the fact that he wasn't even supposed to be involved. The Hunter's revelation struck deep in Maxile's soul. I've never seen him here. If Maxile was never engaged with Constellation in previous cycles, why is he here now? Maxile shook his head; it wasn't the time or place to focus on such issues.
Switching gears, Maxile took stock of their surroundings once more. Anxious-looking, trigger-happy Crimson Fleetist surrounded half of the crew. They were separated by a small distance from the other half of the crew. Even more concerning, dozens of Starborn encircled Constellation and the Crimson Fleet. Barrett hasn't moved an inch, despite Eddie's attempt at first aid. And worst of all, despite his courageous resolve, Avery still gave himself away with his hopeless expression…
There's no way out of this! We're going to die… The Starborn aren't going to let us leave alive… They're going to- A glint of metal reflected in the corner of Maxile's eyes, pulling him from the brink of despair. Avery still clutched the artifact as if it were a lifeline. The inhuman voice that attracted Maxile into joining Constellation filled his mind once more.
Maxile… Come to me…
"Alright, Avery." The Hunter cracked his neck. He swiveled to point his gun at a new member of Constellation, Sarah. He's going to shoot someone else! "This has been fun and all, but it's time. Give me the artifact or I'll kill another one of your precious crew…" Sarah's brow furrowed at the threat; she showed no ounce of fear.
"No, Avery…" The Emissary spoke with more empathy than The Hunter. Despite that fact, Maxile didn't overlook the subtle warning in The Emissary's tone. "The artifacts must be protected and preserved. Give me the artifact and we will leave without issue…" We're damned if we do, damned if we don't… Especially with these cosmic powerhouses vying for the artifacts… Striving to calm his anxiety, Maxile gripped the soft material of his spacesuit-clad legs. But instead of a soft material, he felt a solid form on his hip. The Martian dagger Andreja gave me… The beautiful blade resonated a red hue in Alpha Centauri's light.
"I don't give a shit about this Unity bullshit," Delgado spat, speaking up for the first time since the Starborn's arrival. "That artifact is mine !" Maxile cared less about Delgado's threat. He had long since become a minor enemy in the grand scheme of things. Alternatively, Maxile focused on his dagger. Avery's words ran through Maxile's brain, I'll touch it on The Atlas . The artifact transfers power by physical touch… Maxile had a stupid idea…
Running a gloved finger along his dagger's blade, Maxile pressed until he felt a sharp pain in his finger tip. An orange alert lit up on the edge of his visor, signaling the slow decompression of his spacesuit. His finger instantly numbed where it was exposed to the void of space. He didn't have long before his spacesuit completely depressurized…
"I-I'm not…" Avery held up the artifact, unsure what to do with it. Maxile could see the discord written in his Captain's face. He was given a hopeless choice to make. No matter the decision, it would surely culminate in violence. Maybe he doesn't have to make that choice… "I don-" Seizing the opportunity, Maxile suddenly reached out and wrenched the artifact from his Captain's hand. Even with Maxile's noble intention, a small part of him was excited to touch the artifact. I've been waiting for this… Ever since I first saw an artifact on The Clinic… Maxile moved too quickly for any of their enemies to react. Bringing his exposed finger to the artifact, the smooth metal graced his skin. At first nothing… And then his brain erupted with the voice of the artifact.
You're finally here!
All control of Maxile's body was lost immediately. His extremities stiffened, and his neck craned up. Wide-eyed Maxile stared into the starry sky. But it was different… He could see individual planets… Asteroids… Black holes… Nebulas… Constellations! When the orchestra he swore he had heard when he first neared the artifact began playing, his consciousness was ripped from his body. Faster than the speed of light, Maxile soared into the sky. Stars streamed by him as his mind's eye rocketed through space.
A strange song played in the background of his mind, a full orchestra that sang a song he had never heard. Just before Maxile felt the volume of the music was deafening, it ceased. And when it stopped, so did his travels through the void of space. A golden halo of Constellations brightened before him. The leviathan figure pulsed with a brilliant light with every beat of his heart. Could this be The Unity? As if hearing his thoughts, an ethereal voice bounded through his very being.
I'm waiting for you, Maxile.
Outside The Atlas, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1340 Universal Time
Avery Del
The situation progressed rapidly from that moment on. In that pivotal second, Avery held the artifact up as hostage, stuck between a rock and a hard place. He could hand over the artifact to one of his enemies and risk fighting the others. Or he could command his crew to bolt and risk more injuries… Overall, he didn't have a sure plan to keep his crew safe. What could he do!? A small part of his conscience reminded Avery that he trusts his crew to handle whatever was thrown their way… But he was too overwhelmed with the situation to listen to that voice.
But, consideration went straight out the window when Maxile suddenly ripped the artifact from Avery's hand, setting off a series of events. When unadulterated power erupted from the nurse, Maxile surged ten feet into the sky. Maxile's flail body levitated above the ground with all four of his extremities stretched before him. A large blue sphere of power encircled Maxile's body, contracting and expanding with every breath the nurse took. Wha- what happened? The scene reminded him of what Sarah had described when Avery first touched an artifact. Did he manage to touch the artifact, then? Avery figured Maxile's conscience was no longer in the realm of reality. The nurse gazed wide-eyed into space with his mouth gaped open.
Starborn and the Crimson Fleet reacted to the influx of power. Sucked into the gravity that seemed to resonate from Maxile's body, their bodies were jerked into the sky. As power waxed and waned from Maxile, their enemies pulsed back and forth helplessly. Despite their own Starpower, even the Starborn had difficulty fighting the chaotic gravity that pulsed from Maxile. Some of their enemies spun haphazardly during their orbit around Maxile. Others appeared to be paralyzed while they drifted through the sky. All felt the effects of Maxile's unconventional attack. Fortunately, even their enemies' weapons were affected by the artifact's power. A plethora of pistols and rifles orbited around Maxile, having been jerked clean from their owners.
Shaking off his hesitation, Avery took the chance to focus on his surroundings. Despite the ongoing chaos, all of Constellation remained grounded on Kurtz's surface. Everyone stared up in shock at Maxile's limp body. Unable to look away from the Starborn and Fleetist who pulsed back and forth around him.
"This is our chance!" Everyone's heads snapped forward at Avery's scream. If we can make it to The Atlas, we can get away! Without further delay, Avery and his crew sprang into action. While the rest of the crew started their sprint back to The Atlas, Avery, Andreja, and Simeon hoisted their weapons into the air, taking pot shots at the enemies orbiting Maxile. The Crimson Fleet fell easily when struck, their bodies tensing and falling still. The Starborn remained unaffected by Constellation's attacks. Damn, are they invincible!? "Vasco!" Avery called over his shoulder.
"Roger," the robot didn't need further clarification of Avery's command. The thrusters on Vasco's legs ignited, rocketing the robot into the sky. Vasco's colossal body soared a short distance until he landed next to Barrett's unmoving body. When he landed, a plume of dust erupted, clouding the area around the engineer. Utilizing as much care as he could muster, Vasco lifted Barrett's body and trailed after the others in The Atlas's direction.
"Go back to The Atlas! Prepare for take-off… If we can get off Kurtz, we can grav jump outta here!" Avery commanded his two remaining crewmates. Andreja took the order without question and retreated… Simeon faltered, instead staring up at Maxile's body suspended in space. Understanding the sniper's concern, Avery said, "I'll get him, Sim." Avery had the grave sense that Simeon would argue the order, but luckily, he conceded.
"Gotcha…" Simeon mumbled as he backed away. Never once did Simeon turn away from the chaos sewn by Maxile. One by one, he unleashed rounds from his rifle into the orbiting enemies. Now that his crew had nearly made it onto The Atlas, Avery could collect Maxile and end the distraction he had provided. Stars above, I hope this works…
In theory, Avery figured he could just grab Maxile and carry him back to The Atlas. In all honesty, Avery had no idea what would happen when he reached the nurse's body. According to Sarah, when Avery had first touched the artifact, she had to wait for the power to sap from his body. Only then could she reach him. Concerned about the unknown be damned, Avery activated his jetpack and lifted into the sky. It took some precision flying, but Avery was able to dodge the enemies orbiting Maxile's body. The second he entered the blue sphere of power encompassing Maxile, the familiar orchestra sting rang in Avery's ears. If the artifact had this effect on Maxile, it makes sense that he has been able to hear the artifact's voice.
A blue light in the corner of Avery's visor blinked as he neared Maxile's body. The icon signaled that Avery's oxygen tank was filled to capacity. Avery speculated that the pulsating orb emanating from Maxile's body must be a space of compressed oxygen. The closer Avery neared Maxile, the faster their enemies orbited around them. Eventually, they sped up into a blurred image. Here we go…
The power radiating off Maxile caused an intolerable heat to course through Avery's body. Avery had to grind his teeth together to maintain his progress forward. I can't lose another member of my- The thought caused a strike of guilt through Avery's chest. No… Barrett will be fine… Just as Avery felt he could no longer stand the heat, he wrapped his arms around Maxile. As soon as contact was made, the heat dissipated, and the nurse relaxed limply into Avery's arms. All sense of power that had formerly radiated from Maxile left without a trace. With the power gone, their enemies no longer had a tether to Maxile. Starborn and Fleetist shot in every direction, their movement accelerated by the loss of their orbital force around Maxile.
Avery allowed himself a single moment to locate The Emissary, The Hunter, and Delgado. Delgado had been thrown several meters away. He rolled to a stop on Kurtz's dusty surface. Once he had collected himself, Delgado gazed up at Avery with the most hate-filled look he had ever seen from his brother. Maybe next time, Damian… The Hunter and The Emissary were thrown a ways as well, but managed to land with better coordination. The Hunter's expression was hidden by his tinted visor. From The Hunter's stance, Avery got the feeling that the dangerous Starborn was excited by the unexpected turn of events.
Avery's jetpack flared, soaring them in the direction of The Atlas. Even through his thick spacesuit, Avery could feel the heat on the back of his legs. The surface came hard, shooting pain up Avery's legs. But that wouldn't slow him down. Carrying Maxile's limp, unconscious form was difficult, but Avery pushed on as he ran to The Atlas.
"Of course, you'd pull some shit like this…" Avery chuckled as he shook his head at the nurse. Undisturbed by the ongoing events he had caused, Maxile's eyes didn't crack in the least. "Always the wildcard…" Gradually, the Starborn and Crimson Fleet recovered. Avery could hear their leaders' demands called out in a panic.
"Get on the starships! Get back my artifact! Damn you, Avery!" I guess there's no chance for me to mend my relationship with my brother… Avery mused. Avery would have to set aside time to discuss the revelation with his crew, but that was a conversation for a later day.
"Starborn! Protect the artifact!" The Emissary commanded. Even now, Avery couldn't hear any sort of emotion in The Emissary's voice. In fact, The Emissary seemed to be consumed with apathy. The only concern held by The Emissary was keeping the artifacts out of others' hands.
The sound of multiple starships roaring to life echoed in Avery's ears as he stepped into The Atlas's cargo bay. The tell-tale sign that Constellation wouldn't be able to avoid a dog-fight once they were airborne. We aren't out of this yet! Avery paused when a raspy voice called out after him.
"Quick thinking, Constellation… But you've only prevented the inevitable…"
The Hunter's warning sent shivers down Avery's spine. Safely in The Atlas's cargo bay, Avery pivoted to face the desolate field they had just escaped from. Starborn and Crimson Fleetist scattered in multiple directions, following the orders given by their superiors. Standing by his lonesome in the middle of the chaos was The Hunter. He remained unmoving with his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Avery.
This is our destiny… We are meant to collect all of the artifacts… Avery repeated to himself, trying to regain the resolve that had faltered. Avery was unsure if he was frozen with fear or determination. Regardless, he maintained eye contact with The Hunter as the door to the cargo bay slowly shut. You haven't won yet, Starborn…
Notes:
Thank you for finishing! If you notice any errors or have any other recommendations, please let me know.
I've had this chapter and the following one planned out since the beginning. My favorite part of this chapter was Maxile finally touching an artifact. (Because he's a pick me, of course.) Lot's of revelations this chapter. Avery's secret... The purpose of The Unity... Finally we see The Emissary... As I've said before, I love continuity. So I have a reason for each faction gunning for the artifact. The next chapter will be the climax that I've been working up to since the beginning. Constellation is really going to have to burrow in to make it through this one.
Thank you!
Chapter 24: Retreat of The Atlas - Avery Del
Summary:
Constellation is fleeing for their lives after being ambushed by the Crimson Fleet and the mysterious Starborn. With one crewmate rendered incapacitated, the rest of Constellation must band together to survive this ordeal.
Notes:
If you notice any errors or sentences that don't read well, please let me know!
TW: Blood, death, cursing.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Starfield.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Atlas, Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1358 Universal Time
Avery Del
Even on his worst days, Avery maintained the belief that everything would always work out for the best. In doing so, he kept an upbeat attitude that spread to others. It was a key part of his job. If he didn't radiate that confidence, his crew's morale and vigor would crumble. But, how the hell was he going to fake this one!? They were in the midst of a disaster. Avery prayed that his stress wouldn't show on his face when he reached the bridge.
Avery's arms burned with exhaustion due to carrying Maxile's dead weight through The Atlas. He, not so graciously, dropped the nurse in the medical bay with a loud thump. Since Maxile had touched the artifact, he hadn't even cracked a single eye open. Hopefully, he will awaken soon. Avery could see Eddie diligently working on Barrett in the trauma bay. Swallowing his desire to check on his injured crewmate, Avery began sprinting in the direction of the bridge.
A deep rumble from within the starship knocked Avery off balance, causing him to stumble into a wall. Sam must have initiated the emergency take-off… The pilot didn't have much of a choice. Usually, when The Atlas took to the sky, Sam let the engines warm up for a couple of minutes. This allowed the starship to go spacebound without a significant struggle against the planet's gravitational pull. However, during an emergency take-off, it required a bit more thrust power to lift off from a planet. Ultimately, Sam made the best choice in the grim situation they were in. Their enemies wouldn't allow them the time to warm up the engines. They'd just have to defend The Atlas during their gradual escape into space. Once they were in orbit, Sam could activate the grav drive.
"Come in, New Atlantis! This is Sarah Morgan with Constellation! We have an emergency!" Sarah's strained voice drifted into the hallway where Avery approached the bridge. Avery figured she was desperately trying to hail the UC for assistance. His assumption was proved correct when he stepped onto the bridge. Sarah pounded roughly on The Atlas's radio, as if that would make the UC respond faster. Despite containing only four people, the bridge buzzed with chaos and panic. "Come in, New Atlantis! We need assistance now! We are being pursued by the Crimson Fleet and dangerous enemies who call themselves Starborn! Please come in!"
"They're on our flank!" Andreja's voice was generally filled with confidence. Now, she had a pressured tone that sounded unnatural. The astronomer ripped at the turret control stick on the workstation she sat at. "Simeon, I need help guarding our flank! Sam, they are firing!"
Avery moved to step forward, but teetered sideways when Sam careened The Atlas. The starship's artificial gravity protected them from sensing the starship's evasive maneuvers. But during sharp turns, their artificial gravity tends to fail in holding their bodies in place.
"I can't focus on our flank right now!" Simeon's declaration was devoid of his typical lax attitude. Just like Andreja, Simeon sat on the opposite side of the bridge, jerking the turret controls to defend The Atlas. "We have three coming at us on our starboard side!" Once more, The Atlas veered into an intense turn. The peppering rumble of laser-fire vibrated the starship's hull. Damn! We're hit!
"Damnit, they're all over us!" Sam's hands blurred as he made rapid and precise movements over The Atlas's control panel. "I can't gain any altitude without The Atlas getting shot full of holes!" With Sarah screaming into the radio, Sam's updates on their altitude, and Simeon and Andreja's closed-loop communication on turret manipulation, the bridge erupted in disarray. The only object that resonated peace was the Armillary that slowly rotated in the middle of the bridge. The artifacts… What about them causes so much chaos?
"Sam, can you grav jump us out of here!?" Avery shook his focus on the artifacts from his head and stalked to the cockpit. The newly gained artifact was carelessly thrown onto the Armillary's pedestal as Avery passed by. Coming to a stop next to where Sam had buckled Cora into the emergency seat, Avery peered out of the cockpit. Green laser fire lit the skies before him. The Crimson Fleet and Starborn starships crowded the skies like a swarm of bees, eager to defend their hive.
Avery's jaw set when he realized the countless number of Starborn ships that surrounded them. He'd never seen starships like it before. The vessels the Starborn piloted were unmistakable. Pure white in color, they had one long wing and one short wing cocked at different angles. The long wing connected to a metal arc that looped over the top of the starship. Avery assumed this allowed the starship to adjust the wing's position while flying.
"Can't yet!" Sam answered as he jerked The Atlas into a dangerous spin. Kurtz's desolate surface briefly spanned above Avery's head before Sam righted the ship. "We don't have the altitude! The Atlas's anti-jump bar won't lift until I'm ten kilometers off the planet's surface!" Damn modernized technology! Blinded by stress, Avery had forgotten entirely the standardized modules that were set in starships.
"Simeon, Andreja…" Avery swallowed the curse he held at the tip of his tongue and switched gears. "Keep providing cover fire for Sam. If Sam can focus on ascending, we can jump as soon as we're able to. Sarah, any luck?" Sarah slammed her fist on the radio in frustration, immediately relaying his answer.
"I can't get in touch with anyone!" Sarah growled. A loud crash to their right abruptly caused The Atlas to jar. Avery's stomach dropped with the deathly blow. They fell several feet before Sam was able to regain their lost altitude. We're taking too many hits! "I'll focus on coverfire for now. When we get closer to Jemison, I'll try to hail the UC." Sarah pushed herself away from the radio when more blows spread along The Atlas's port side. That was a good decision… The more turrets they manned, the more distance it gave them from their enemies.
Three white blurs sped ahead of The Atlas, piloting with a skill Avery had never witnessed. The Starborn ships made a synchronized turn and faced The Atlas head-on. Shit… Missiles fired from the oncoming starships, all homing in on their starship. They're crazy!
"Focus your fire on the bow!" Avery leaped to the available workstation next to Sarah and fired at the oncoming missiles. "Sam!" Avery smashed the trigger on the turret control, unleashing a barrage of ammunition at the advancing Starborn and their attacks. With four turrets activated, they managed to destroy one of the three missiles. But they couldn't land any successful strikes on the other two.
"Cora, hold on!" Sam warned, swerving the starship. Avery held the turret controls in a death grip, preventing himself from being thrown onto the floor of the bridge. The Atlas must be in poor condition if artificial gravity continues to fail simply due to evasion techniques.
"I-I am!" Cora attempted to maintain a brave facade, but her shaking voice betrayed her. Sam managed to pull off another low-altitude barrel roll, completely dodging the second missile. Sam was only able to right the ship, but they found themselves directly in the path of the final rocket. The missile was too close to dodge. It's going to hit us! "Dad!" Realizing the oncoming danger, Cora covered her eyes and screamed.
"Vasco! Set all power to shields!" Sam commanded moments before the collision.
"Roger," Vasco responded moments before the final missile struck the cockpit directly. The lights on The Atlas flickered, veiling them in darkness. This lasted for a short time until the bridge was illuminated by the fiery explosion that blossomed in the cockpit's windshield. The Atlas rocked in its brief loss of power before kicking back into gear. Artificial lights flooded the bridge once more, allowing Avery to resume his cover fire. "Shield power is down to fifteen percent. The Atlas is not going to be able to maintain shielding with continued damage." What kind of weapons do the Starborn have!? What the hell are we up against!?
The Crimson Fleet wasn't even a factor in this dogfight. They were certainly participating, but the main danger lay with the Starborn ships. For every single Crimson Fleet ship, Avery counted three Starborn ships. They were trapped in a recurring, problematic situation. Sam would ascend, swerve away from the attacks of the Crimson Fleet, only to have to dodge the attacks of the Starborn. These factors caused them to gain altitude at a snail's pace.
"I'm going to go check on Max and Eddie." Simeon abruptly stood and ran out of the bridge. Avery whirled away from his focus on the turret control in front of him. He's doing what!? Now!? Avery couldn't fathom what Simeon was thinking at a time like this.
"Simeon! What are you doing!?" Avery screamed after the sniper. Of all the irresponsible things Simeon could do, this was the worst. "Get back here!" But his command fell on deaf ears. Avery's heart heaved in his chest when Sam partially evaded another onslaught of laser fire. His body vibrated as the attacks rained against The Atlas's hull.
"Avery, focus on the starboard side!" Andreja's voice snapped Avery back to the issue at hand. "Target the white ships!" Her order felt pointless… He'd managed to hit several of the Starborn ships with the turret fire, but each shot proved ineffective against their shielding… Nevertheless, he obeyed.
"Keep focusing on gaining altitude, Sam!" Another pointless command… The pilot performed as best he could in the pivotal moment they were in. They each held each other's lives in their hands… Sam, in his piloting ability… Andreja and Sarah, in their coverfire… Hell, Barrett was literally fighting for his life right now. Barrett's life rested purely on Max and Eddie's shoulders… And then Simeon… Whatever the hell he thinks he's doing…
The Atlas rocked with another missile strike, tilting it onto its side.
"The Atlas's shields have been disabled. Power is now redirected to engines." Vasco's voice echoed through the bridge. Damn… We need a miracle…
The Atlas, Evacuating Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1405 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile…
There it was again… The voice that possibly held all the answers about the artifacts… The voice that he had chased since he first came into contact with the artifacts.
Maxile…
What is the point of the artifacts? Why do they exist? Were they designed by a god? Or perhaps they were created by an ancient civilization? There were so many unanswered questions about the-
"MAXILE!"
From the darkness, the familiar surroundings of the medical bay emerged. Maxile's vision blurred, painting the plain colors of the room together. He narrowed his eyes, trying to focus on the frantically moving figure in the room. What happened? Oh, yeah… The stars were gone… The far-off universe Maxile had traveled through was a thing of the past. The music had ceased, along with the mysterious voice. Was that what happened to Avery when he touched the artifact? A stab of pain running along his temple interrupted Maxile's thoughts.
"Gah!" With great difficulty, Maxile rolled onto his back. The bulky spacesuit was far less flexible in stable gravity than it usually is in areas that lacked gravity. With a hiss, Maxile popped his helmet off and massaged his aching temples. "Damn… My head is killing me…" Still, Maxile couldn't recollect what happened before he touched the artifact. The memories were just out of reach…
"MAXILE!" A sharp voice pulled Maxile's attention to the other side of the medical bay. His blurred vision had improved, revealing Dr. Sotello rapidly working on someone in the trauma bay. "Get off your ass and get in here, right this instant! I can't save Barrett without you!" Maxile snapped up into a sitting position. He could feel his eyes bulging from his head. Barrett! He was injured! In record time, Maxile fought his way out of his spacesuit. The only factor that hindered him was when his weight suddenly shifted due to The Atlas taking a sharp turn.
Maxile swallowed the awful sense of vertigo and ran into the trauma bay. One wouldn't expect Dr. Sotello to be able to work so quickly. However, the experienced physician had already placed Barrett on the monitoring system and established intravenous access in his left arm. Maxile swayed when he realized the critical state the engineer was in… Get it together, Maxile!
Barrett's breathing was ragged and shallow. With every breath Barrett took, Maxile could hear a gurgle. His eyes were glazed over, absent the expressive joy he normally wore. The lack of blood paled Barrett's dark skin. And most traumatic of all… His right arm was gone entirely… Dr. Sotello had cut away the tattered spacesuit, exposing Barrett's pale chest. A deep burn traveled up Barrett's torso, carving into deep tissue and muscle. From Barrett's shoulder protruded the charred stump that was formerly his arm. Fortunately, it seemed the explosion had cauterized the injury, preventing him from bleeding out immediately. He was almost immobilized by the trauma, but this wasn't the time to hesitate.
"I'm going to prepare a few units of synthetic blood," Maxile said as he read over Barrett's vital signs. The explosion had inadvertently controlled the bleeding, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't need a transfusion. His blood pressure is low… His heart rate is elevated… And his pulse ox is in the eighties… The grim situation worsened when the hull surrounding them rumbled under the blows of their enemies. The Atlas could be destroyed- Maxile shook the horrible thought from his head. Barrett needed every bit of his attention.
Dr. Sotello didn't immediately respond; instead, continuing Barrett's examination. First, the physician listened to Barrett's lung sounds, then checked his pupils, and so on. Maxile had learned over the past year that if Dr. Sotello didn't berate him for his actions, it meant he wasn't making a mistake. Maxile already had two units of blood synthesized when Barrett's monitoring equipment began alarming. If at all possible, Barrett was deteriorating further…
"Maxile, I need to intubate him. Prepare the induction medications…" Dr. Sotello quickly abandoned his assessment upon noticing Barrett's declining vital signs. Moments like this usually surged Maxile with adrenaline, but currently, he only felt despair. What if we can't- No! Don't think that way. Maxile started to sift through the medication cabinet, but then paused.
"Dr. Sotello, what drugs do you wa-" Maxile jumped when Dr. Sotello turned on him with a piercing glare. What's wrong? Maxile narrowed his eyes in confusion when he noticed an odd hint of fear in the physician's expression.
"Maxile, stop!" Maxile's eyes crossed when the physician pointed a breathing tube in his face. Dr. Sotello's face morphed between anger and anxiety. An expression Maxile had never seen from the physician. "I have a lot to focus on right now. Don't ask me what medications to give. Don't ask me what interventions to perform. If you are going to do something, do it. I trust your judgement, Maxile." Dr. Sotello released a shaky breath and turned back to the respiratory box he had broken open.
"Yes, Dr. Sotello," Maxile affirmed, turning back to his own task. I won't disappoint you… The medicine bottles clinked a tune while Maxile shuffled through them. Once he had the sedation and paralytic medication drawn up, Maxile moved to Barrett's IV site. Dr. Sotello held a hyperoxygenation apparatus over Barrett's face. Despite the attempt, wet, ragged breaths still came from the engineer. The high concentration didn't even improve Barrett's mental status.
Once his supplies were gathered, Dr. Sotello gave a half-convinced nod. Maxile didn't have the luxury of second thoughts. Without further delay, he pushed the medications into the engineer's body. Barrett's remaining extremities tensed at the introduction of the medicines, before their effects took hold of him. Gradually, the engineer relaxed, and his breathing slowed to a near standstill. Now we establish an airway… With a steady hand, Maxile tilted Barrett's chin and placed the breathing apparatus over his mouth. A strong force of concentrated oxygen blew into Barrett's lungs, causing his chest to rise and fall. Unfortunately, blood poured from the engineer's mouth, covering the breathing apparatus.
"Suction…" Dr. Sotello muttered at the sight of heavy blood flow. If Maxile didn't remove the blood from Barrett's mouth, Dr. Sotello wouldn't be able to insert the breathing tube. Maxile reached for suction, but a deafening, thunderous blast resounded in the distance outside the starship. Maxile's vision swam as the floor beneath him dropped, throwing his body into the trauma bay wall. Medication bottles and equipment littered the floor from the abrupt drop.
"Agh!" Maxile groaned when a sharp pain burned on his left hip. Throwing a hand back to the injury, fresh blood warmed his digits. A bloodied scalpel lay on the floor… The sudden jolt must have thrown him into the sharp tool. The cardiac monitor alarmed once more, recalling Maxile's attention to the task at hand. Receiving a heavy flow of concentrated oxygen, Barrett's pulse oximetry still continued to descend into the eighties. If he didn't get his shit together, Barrett would die!
Righting himself, Maxile grabbed the suction tubing and siphoned the blood from Barrett's mouth. The crimson blood flowed through the tubing, gathering in the suction canister. The action didn't seem to have a grand effect, but it gave Dr. Sotello room to work. Dr. Sotello tilted Barrett's head up as far as possible and peered into his mouth. Maxile could only pray that his suctioning allowed for a successful procedure.
"Damn!" Maxile flinched when Dr. Sotello cursed. It was never a good sign when a physician became frustrated during a complicated procedure. After a few seconds of futile fishing, Dr. Sotello removed the breathing tube. The end of the endotracheal tube was coated with blood. That's not good… "There's too much blood. I'm going to have to cric him."
"Here," Maxile responded, handing Dr. Sotello a cricothyrotomy kit. Maxile had hoped it wouldn't come to this. A cric procedure was indeed a risky one. When intubation was unsuccessful, a cric procedure was a Hail Mary. It involved surgically placing a hole in a person's throat to establish an airway. The procedure was often bloody and had the potential to go severely wrong. Maxile shook off his unease at the foreboding thought. Dr. Sotello wasn't incorrect in his thinking. Barrett's vitals were declining by the second.
Dr. Sotello's age meant nothing except that it added to his experience in the practice. With Maxile maintaining suction, Dr. Sotello used a scalpel to create an incision on Barrett's throat. The blood that erupted from the cut flowed into the suction tubing, keeping Dr. Sotello's view of the procedure clear. After a few more seconds of dexterous movements, Dr. Sotello plugged the tracheostomy into the incision he had created. This is only temporary… Maxile reminded himself. The procedure tended to develop a sense of body dysmorphia when first seen by patients. But it could be repaired later… When Barrett healed. Attaching clean airway tubing, the trauma bay's wall ventilator kicked in. Barrett's chest rose and fell, signalling a patent airway.
"His oxygen saturation isn't improving…" Dr. Sotello noted as he observed the cardiac monitor. The bleak inspection didn't hinder Maxile from performing his next task. Sure, they had an airway established, but Barrett's dark skin was almost translucent. He's losing blood somewhere… But where? Barrett's amputated right arm was cauterized entirely, so that it only left internal bleeding. Maxile spiked the units of synthetic blood he had formerly prepared and attached the tubing to Barrett's IV catheter. Soon, the fresh blood was transfused directly into Barrett's venous system. Dr. Sotello reached above to pull down the Rad-Port over Barrett's chest.
"Shit…" Maxile hissed when the Rad-Port revealed the engineer's lungs. Half of his right lung was occluded with a patchy white color. His lung has collapsed, and the space is filled with blood… That detail explained Barrett's poor vital signs. Their confirmed airway didn't matter until they dealt with the injured lung.
"He has a hemothorax…" Dr. Sotello growled as he turned to prepare more equipment. "Maxile, I need a chest tube kit!" The trauma never ended. Dr. Sotello would need to take an enormous needle and insert it into Barrett's chest cavity. Only then could they remove the blood that inhibited Barrett's breathing. And of course, there weren't any chest tube kits in the trauma bay. Maxile would have to run out to the supply room.
Maxile's hip throbbed with a burning sensation as he ran from the trauma bay. The hours of mundane organization Dr. Sotello had tasked him with turned out to be a blessing. Searching was utterly unnecessary, as Maxile knew the chest tube kit's exact location. A few strained steps through the medical bay, The Atlas shifted unexpectedly. Maxile's feet struggled to keep him upright, but ultimately he crashed to the ground. Damnit!
He was back on his feet immediately, rushing into the supply room as fast as possible. Maxile ripped the kit from a shelf and turned on his heel. Exiting the supply room, Dr. Sotello and Barrett came into view once more. Dr. Sotello flitted about the tiny trauma bay, performing every necessary intervention required to save Barrett. We can do this! We can Sa-
Maxile's thoughts were interrupted when he abruptly slammed into what felt like a brick wall. Maxile bounced backward, slamming onto the cold, hard floor. What the- It was as if he had run into an invisible wall… Naive to the strange phenomenon Maxile had experienced, Dr. Sotello continued his work in the room ahead of him. What the hell was… Another significant collision occurred at the front of The Atlas, jarring Maxile's surroundings. Shortly following the blow, the lights flickered off, leaving Maxile in pitch darkness. Maxile paled at the next thought that crossed his mind.
Someone is on our starship…
Maxile didn't have the chance to consider the alarming possibility. When the lights flickered back on, a shimmering wall stood before Maxile's eyes. Starborn!? A vice roughly gripped around Maxile's neck, lifting him up effortlessly and slamming him into a nearby wall. The chest tube kit fell from Maxile's hand and clattered onto the ground. Maxile clawed at the invisible clasp that constricted his airflow. But it was all in vain. Maxile's feet dangled toward the floor, desperate for something to stabilize his body. A dark chuckle rang in his ears.
"As weak as always, Constellation…" The shimmering wall materialized to reveal the enemy that held Maxile up by his neck. Despite his vision becoming occluded, Maxile couldn't unsee the pure white armor of the Starborn that assaulted him. From what Maxile could tell, it was neither The Emissary nor The Hunter. Just a random Starborn… "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of killing you in prior cycles…"
"N-n-" Maxile gasped for the oxygen his body desperately craved. He couldn't speak! He couldn't breathe! He couldn't do anything but wait to be killed! Releasing a hand, Maxile pounded the shoulder of the Starborn that held him hostage. The Starborn grumbled an abrasive laugh at Maxile's weak blows.
"Better luck next time…" The wall that pressed against Maxile's back rumbled with the laser fire that struck The Atlas, enhancing the terrifying situation. In his rapidly fogging vision, the glint of a knife waved across Maxile's face. This is it… I'm going to die… Taking a sadistic pleasure in his kill, the Starborn raised the knife high above his helmet-clad head. With a final, grating laugh, the Starborn shifted to plunge it into Maxile. Maxile clenched his eyes together, but was suddenly thrown to the floor.
Maxile greedily inhaled as much oxygen as his lungs would allow. His body practically sighed in relief. Cracking an eye open, Simeon crouched over him, facing the Starborn. The Starborn tilted his head in confusion at the sniper's intrusion. Maxile had no clue where Simeon had come from, but he refused to be ungrateful.
Having recovered from the initial blow, the Starborn lunged forward. Simeon threw his forearm up, successfully blocking the arcing dagger that aimed to injure him. The muscles in Simeon's arms and back flexed, halting the Starborn's attack. The dagger was pointed inches from Simeon's scalp, leaving them in a tense standoff.
"Max, go!" Simeon commanded, not releasing the Starborn from his focus. But… he couldn't just abandon Simeon… Maxile felt he was at a crossroad… If he abandoned Simeon, the sniper could die. But if he stayed with Simeon, it put Barrett in an even more precarious situation… Resisting the rumble that overtook the starship, Maxile climbed to his feet.
"But S-"
"Maxile!" Dr. Sotello's muffled scream from the trauma bay snapped Maxile back into reality. "That isn't your role! I need you here! Barrett's life is solely in our hands!" Maxile shook the childish indifference off his mind. What am I thinking!? Tossing the sniper a final glance, Maxile gathered the chest tube kit in his arms. He only hesitated when he had a second thought. I can still help the crew… Slamming his fist into the panic button mounted on the wall, a satisfying red light bathed the medical bay. His due diligence performed, Maxile sprinted back into the trauma bay, shutting the door behind him. Kick his ass, Simeon.
The Atlas, Evacuating Kurtz, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1414 Universal Time
Avery Del
"Attention, all crew. There is an intruder aboard The Atlas." Just when Avery thought their dilemma couldn't get any worse, Vasco made sure to update them with his starship-wide broadcasts. In all his years of commandeering The Atlas, the panic buttons spread throughout the starship had never been pressed. A horrifyingly red emergency light intermittently coated the bridge, exacerbating the weary expressions painted on each of Avery's crewmates. Now what!?
"What is-" Sam began, but was interrupted when the starship tanked another set of brutal strikes. The pilot abandoned his question, instead returning his attention to evading the onslaught of bullets, lasers, and missiles that targeted The Atlas. The intruder must be somewhere deep in The Atlas, likely wherever Simeon ran off to… Avery drummed his fingers along the workstation, considering whether or not he should go find Simeon and the enemy. Nah, if Simeon found a Starborn or Crimson Fleetist stowaway, then he can handle it. This wasn't the time to doubt the skills of his crew.
"Avery, there- Sarah! Enemies incoming off the port bow!" Andreja snapped. The astronomer and Vice-Captain yanked at the turret controls, attempting to dissuade the surrounding combatants with bullet fire. Avery's loose connection with The Atlas's artificial gravity swayed as Sam rolled out of the way of approaching attacks.
"I see them!" Sarah announced in response. "Avery, what now!?" Avery waved off Sarah's question.
"Everyone, focus on defending The Atlas…" Avery pushed himself away from the turret control he had been operating and silently inspected their surroundings. He couldn't allow the crew's focus to become broken away from their escape. The mass of enemies was already slowing their ascent to a crawl. Avery could easily see a large number of deadly starships flitting around outside the cockpit. The ones he didn't see, he could hear their engine roar all around them. His crew had to maintain their efforts to escape. Just a couple more kilometers and we can jump away!
However, a new problem has arisen… At least one intruder is hiding on The Atlas. Avery hoped he was wrong, but there could potentially be more. Slowly, Avery exhaled and allowed his starpower to fill every corner of the bridge. As the raw energy touched every inch of the room, Avery visualized the release of carbon dioxide. He'd only realized this extension of his power a few months ago. With The Hunter's revelation, it made sense that his starpower had more potential than simple gravity manipulation.
Red clouds of visualized carbon dioxide exhaled from each of his crewmates. One… Three… Five… Apart from himself, he counted five sources of breathing on the bridge… That's one more than the number of people on the bridge. Steadying himself, Avery strolled around the bridge. Naive to the catastrophe the crew underwent, the Armillary continued to rotate where it sat on its pedestal. Seemingly appearing from thin air, a red gas puffed from next to where Cora sat. The Starborn can camouflage themselves…
"What's wrong?" Cora's voice shook when Avery paused in front of her. Her eyes knit together in concern at the way Avery stared at her. But he wasn't staring at her… Lunging forward, Avery slammed his fist into the source of carbon dioxide. The helmet of a Starborn materialized where his knuckles made contact.
"Looks like you're more skilled with your starpower than you let on!" Avery's crew released a cacophony of alarming gasps when the Starborn's muffled voice reverberated throughout the bridge. Constellation couldn't catch a break! On top of the external threats, the Starborn had also stationed an unknown number of themselves aboard The Atlas. When his physical blow didn't stagger the Starborn, Avery quickly wrapped his arms around his opponent's waist. With a mighty pivot, Avery slung the Starborn away from where Cora sat with a wide-eyed expression.
"Don't lose focus!" Avery demanded when his crew showed signs of abandoning their posts in favor of fighting off the Starborn. The Starborn briefly stumbled before settling into a low defensive stance. Avery's options were slim… He couldn't use his weapon; otherwise, he'd risk damaging his crew or The Atlas. He'd have to keep this fight physical.
"I love when your crew shows up in a new cycle. You all get so desperate when you're fighting for your lives…" The Starborn taunted as he moved along the bridge. Avery kept the enemy in front of him, holding his fists up to defend his face. "Ninety-nine outta one hundred times, we kill-" Sam suddenly swerved The Atlas, narrowly avoiding another net of lasers. When the Starborn waved his arms to maintain balance, Avery took his chance.
Leaping forward, Avery slammed his knee into the Starborn's abdomen. The strike felt like hitting a brick wall, but it had the desired effect. The Starborn fell back into an unmanned workstation. The Starborn's weight caused the workstation to fracture, erupting a plume of smoke into the bridge. To make matters worse, the damage caused the lights to flicker off, shrouding the bridge in darkness.
"Damnit! I can't see!" Thick, black smoke dispersed along the bridge, only visible in the light pouring from the cockpit. Sam shifted the starship left and right, doing his best to evade the external attacks despite his low visibility. "Someone activate the damn ventilation!" Avery hated the difficulty he caused his crew, but the fight wasn't finished…
"I can't let up! There are too many starships surrounding us!" Andreja snapped. In her focus, Sarah didn't even bother responding. Instead, she continued her defensive strikes with her turret. Trusting that his crew would handle the new problem, Avery summoned the starpower from within him.
Despite the darkness, he could still see the Starborn's release of carbon dioxide… Or he should have. However, the area where the Starborn had been previously was vacant. Avery turned wildly, spotting multiple red clouds of carbon dioxide. The power would be more useful if he could differentiate friend from foe! Fortunately, the low hum of The Atlas's ventilation activated. And with that, the lights flipped on, revealing the bridge to Avery.
"Got it!" Cora called out. The girl had scampered across the bridge and input several commands into a lone workstation. She wore a mixture of pride and terror on her face. His surroundings broadcasted once more, and Avery still couldn't spot the Starborn. A stone-like arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, bringing him backward. Avery tried to suck in a breath of air, but the offending arm prevented any flow. Damn!
"Such a fighter…" The Starborn growled into Avery's ear. Avery slammed his head backward into the Starborn's helmet, but only succeeded in giving himself a headache. His adversary's grip only tightened as he dragged Avery along, chuckling darkly to himself. "You never know when to give up…" Avery's vision swam when the Starborn suddenly twisted his torso. Unable to stabilize himself, Avery was flung forward. He slammed into the Armillary, knocking the levitating ring of artifacts off the pedestal. The Armillary burst into a plethora of individual artifacts when it hit the ground. Artifacts clattered in every direction, spreading out on the floor of the bridge.
"Avery!" Sarah screamed, but was silenced by a wave from the Starborn. This guy is just playing with me! A solid kick to his ribcage knocked the air from Avery's lungs. He tried to reclaim the breath he had lost, but could only wheeze in response.
"You should focus on whatever you're doing… I'll get to you when I finish here." The Starborn growled at the Vice-Captain. Hands gripped Avery's vest roughly, throwing him onto the floor. Avery was at a loss for what to do. He couldn't use his starpower or weapon in the tight quarters. His crew couldn't abandon their posts to assist him… He had to think of something. All of his hand-to-hand combat was severely outmatched by the Starborn. "You'll never reach The Unity… You just aren't meant to!"
The number of times Avery had been told today that they weren't meant to collect all the artifacts was beginning to irritate him. Says who!? A few magical beings unencumbered by time itself? The Starborn ripped Avery onto his back and straddled him. Avery attempted a glare, but could only see his own reflection in the Starborn's visor.
"We're meant for something greate- Ack!" Avery gagged when the Starborn's hands wrapped around his neck. This particular Starborn was supposed to be a subordinate! And he couldn't even defend himself. Avery pounded his fists into the Starborn's chest and shoulders ineffectively. I just need a chance… A break! We can recover from this if I can just get… Avery glanced to his left. Just out of reach lay an artifact. Broken off from where the Armillary. It taunted him… I just need a sign. Something to tell me that we are meant for something greater than repeatedly dying in these cycles…
"Might as well kill two birds with one stone," the Starborn growled, lifting up a free hand. Avery watched his opponent's hand as the Starborn snapped his fingers. Cosmic sparks erupted from the Starborn's fingertips, releasing a familiar power. Shit, he can control the artifact's power too!? Air rushed around Avery's ears, all homing into the area around the Starborn's hand. The noise continued until the Starborn had a small, blue, opaque orb balanced on his fingertip. "Let's see your crew focus when I control the oxygen..."
The coughs and gasps of his surrounding crew alerted Avery to the dire situation the Starborn had placed them in. The bastard siphoned all the oxygen! Abandoning his strikes on the Starborn, released a hand from the grip around his neck. Reaching forward, Avery tried to make a grab for the blue orb balanced on the Starborn's finger... But it was ineffective.
Another deafening crash echoed on the bridge, followed by the screech of metal. This particular blow sounded too close for comfort. The Atlas groaned in response to the attack, signifying immense damage. Now, what!?
"Attention, all crew. The Atlas has suffered severe damage. A missile strike to The Atlas's port side has completely destroyed the brig. The bulkhead door has been activated to prevent further decompression." Avery's heart dropped when Vasco's announcement registered in his mind. The Starborn were destroying The Atlas piece by piece… Fury coursed through Avery's veins, heating up his entire body.
"Get…" Avery squeaked over the pressure around his throat. "Off… My fucking… Ship!" Avery released the Starborn and stretched out a hand to the nearby artifact. The power that rushed through Avery tethered itself to the artifact and summoned it to his open hand. When he felt the smooth metal grace his palm, Avery swung it into the Starborn's helmet. The Starborn collapsed with a satisfying crack. The moment the connection was made, the blue orb the Starborn held hostage burst, dispersing back into the bridge. The crew's gasps of relief were music to Avery's ears. Rapidly switching positions, Avery swung his leg to straddle the Starborn. With a swift strike, Avery took the sharpest part of the artifact and stabbed it into the Starborn's neck. The Starborn froze when the artifact pierced his armor.
"You…" The Starborn gurgled, struggling to speak over the artifact penetrating his neck. "You're only preventing the inevitable…" Avery's insurmountable attack left the Starborn unable to move. To Avery's surprise, the Starborn melted away into a pile of glowing particles… Is this it? Is he dead? The Starborn didn't return to the battle, sending a brief wave of relief through Avery's body.
"Sam! Can we warp out of here yet!?" Exhaustion weighed Avery down, but he still pushed himself into a standing position. His crew all looked exhausted themselves, fighting tooth and nail to keep The Atlas in flying shape. Before Sam could utter a response, another loud crash vibrated the starship. This time, it sounded toward the back of The Atlas.
"Attention, all crew. The Atlas's engines are irreparably damaged and offline. Relocating power to all remaining retrorockets and turrets." Vasco's update nearly extinguished the final candle flame of hope Avery desperately held onto. Damn, this is bad…
"Fuck!" Sam cursed, slamming his fist onto The Atlas's control panel. "We can't use the grav drive now! Avery, what do we do!?" Avery opened his mouth, but his breath hitched. What do they do!? The goal he created was going to obliterate his entire crew if he didn't figure something out! Avery's peripheries darkened, tunneling his vision. His extremities felt numb. What do we do!? I don't know what to do! I don-
"Avery!" Sarah's sharp voice snapped Avery from the anxiety that had a chokehold on his mind. "Get it together! We're not dead yet!" She's right… Now that they'd escaped Kurtz's gravity, the planet of Jemison grew in size before his eyes. That's our only chance.
"Sam, focus all remaining retrorockets on getting us to Jemison!" Avery ordered, taking his seat back at the turret controls. "We'll defend The Atlas with the turrets. This starship is a tank; she has protected us this far, and we can make it a little further! When we get in range, we can call the UC for assistance!"
"The Crimson Fleet starships have thinned," Andreja added. The astronomer's skillful manipulation of the turrets had remained a great aid. She kept The Atlas's flank clear of multiple ambushes where she could. "The only enemies that remain are these enemies born of stars!"
"Just keep us on track to Jemison, Sam," Avery growled, firing a ballista of bullets into the throng of starships. "These bastards haven't taken us out yet!" Avery sent his Vice-Captain a silent thank you. As usual, she managed to yank him back from the anxiety that threatened to sway him.
The Atlas, En-Route to Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1416 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Only when Maxile had safely returned to the trauma bay and shut the glass door did Simeon feel like he could breathe again. He didn't have a clue what had possessed him to abandon Avery to check on the nurse he had grown so fond of. Just a small taunting voice in the back of his head that whispered, is Max okay? Simeon kept a low stance as he circled the dagger-wielding Starborn.
"You ruined my kill…" The Starborn hissed, seemingly uncaring of his upcoming fight with Simeon. Steadily moving his feet, the Starborn kept face-to-face with Simeon. "At least you'll put up more of a challenge…" A glint of red metal momentarily distracted Simeon from his opponent. Maxile's Martian dagger lay in the corner of the room. He must have dropped it when the Starborn attacked him…
"Your leader mentioned that the Starborn are supposed to protect the artifacts from mankind… Starborn is a stupid name, by the way." Simeon relished the chance to slander the cosmic enemy before him. Still, the slight seemed to simply go over the Starborn's head. Andreja at least gave more pushback… "If you're supposed to protect the artifacts, then why are y'all eager to fight so violently?" Simeon had questions… Who are these Starborn? Where did they even come from? Why now?
The Starborn took a menacing step forward, "Just because we have a duty to the artifacts, doesn't mean we can't challenge ourselves along the way… Y'know, we've fought before, you and I…" Simeon took a step back, maintaining a reasonable distance between himself and the Starborn.
"I'm guessing in one of those cycles we've heard so much about today?"
"Yep." The Starborn nodded. Simeon kept a watchful eye on the dagger that skillfully twirled through the Starborn's fingers. "Our duty to the artifacts always leads us back to Constellation. And most cycles I end up in a face off against you, Simeon Bankowski…" Simeon withheld a flinch when the Starborn rumbled his name.
"What an honor…" Simeon drolled. Over the Starborn's shoulder, Simeon eyed Maxile and Eddie working diligently on his injured crewmate. He couldn't allow himself to be intimidated by this loser, especially in a critical moment like this.
"Sometimes you put up a challenge…" The Starborn ran a gloved finger along the blade in his hand. "Other times you barely fight back… Those fights are pretty boring. I guess your fighting prowess is determined by what you have going on each cycle. Regardless, each time we've fought, I've killed you… But nevertheless, you return when The Unity resets the universe… Eager for more."
"I gotta good feeling about this cycle then." Simeon challenged. The Starborn openly laughed at his blatant bluff.
"Don't speak on what you know nothing about…" The Starborn snarled, edging closer to Simeon. Once more, Simeon's eyes flashed to Maxile's dagger lying on the waxed floor. "You're not even going to remember this conversation in the next cycle." Their back and forth finished, the Starborn lunged forward with his knife-clad extremity. Simeon took his chance and dove out of the way. Tucking into a roll, he gathered Maxile's dagger and made a quick slash in the direction of his adversary.
Simeon's blade met air, sailing directly over the Starborn's head. Simeon barely registered the blow that came from the Starborn. Bringing his fist up, the Starborn slammed his fist into Simeon's chin with an uppercut. Simeon's teeth clacked, pooling blood in his mouth. Simeon hopped back a few feet, allowing much-needed distance between himself and the enemy.
"Bastard," Simeon insulted. He spat blood onto the floor at the Starborn's feet. There was no way he should have avoided that attack… It was almost as if the Starborn had predicted his sudden attack...
"Catching on?" The Starborn rumbled another laugh and twirled his dagger. "The first artifact I came into contact with was Iota. With its power, I can see your attacks before you even think of making them!" Simeon must have had a look of despair, because the Starborn broke out into another obnoxious cackle. It's never easy, is it?
"Guess I'll just have to move fast," Simeon snapped. An enemy that could predict his attacks? How the hell was he supposed to beat a power like that!? All his training with the UC military and Aegis never could have prepared him for this. Springing forward, Simeon swiped his blade in three rapid successions. Each time, the Starborn effortlessly ducked and weaved the blows. After Simeon's final slash, the Starborn struck. Ripping the blade horizontally, the Starborn cut deep into Simeon's cheek, just below his left eye.
"Guess this fight will be a dud too…" The Starborn mocked. Blood oozed from Simeon's wound, collecting at the corner of his mouth. Now what!? It wasn't as if he could take a strategic approach in this fight. Especially if the Starborn knew what Simeon planned before he even made a decision on what to do. A loud boom jarred the floor, setting both of them off balance.
"Attention, all crew. The Atlas has suffered severe damage. A missile strike to The Atlas's port side has completely destroyed the brig. The bulkhead door has been activated to prevent further decompression." Simeon groaned aloud when Vasco's update echoed on the starship's PA. If the intermittent rumbling of The Atlas's hull was any indication, Simeon needed to get back to the bridge immediately. The starship wouldn't be able to handle the continuous assault for too long. This fight has to end quickly… Crouching into an assault stance, Simeon accepted the decision he came to.
"Oh, do you think that will work?" The Starborn chuckled as he mimicked Simeon's pose. Hiding his next plan of action was utterly pointless, so Simeon might as well be transparent.
"I just have to overcome your stamina…" Simeon growled, taking a rejuvenated step forward. Yes, this is my only option… Avery… Maxile… Barrett… Everyone! I'm not going to fail you!
"We'll se-" Simeon interrupted the Starborn's response with a rapid thrust of Maxile's dagger. The Starborn defended without delay. Every slash Simeon made was dodged, and every punch was blocked. Still, Simeon persevered in his assault. The Starborn bobbed and weaved through Simeon's attacks, unable to recover with a parry of his own. Cut. Punch. Slash. Kick. Punch. Cut. Simeon fought until his muscles screamed for rest, and continued on.
The scuffle was long and draining. But eventually Simeon's persistence paid off. The Starborn tried to take a step back, but his ankle faltered, sending him to one knee. Simeon launched himself forward, colliding with his adversary in a full-on tackle. The Starborn gasped as he was knocked onto his back, with Simeon taking the upper hand.
"Gah!" Simeon screamed as he drove the dagger deep into the Starborn's chest. The chest armor almost didn't give, but fractured with enough force. White shards of armor flew in every direction with Simeon's strike. Sinking the blade into the Starborn's chest, Simeon plunged it all the way to the hilt. The Starborn froze, shocked at the outcome. Simeon almost wished he could see the bastard's expression through his tinted visor.
"W-wow…" The Starborn groaned as he lifted his head to inspect the invading dagger. "There's a first time for everything… B-but don't think this is over…"
"It's over for you…" Simeon's chest heaved with exhaustion. The fact that this plan had worked was a gift in itself.
"T-this time…" Before Simeon's eyes, pieces of the Starborn's armor began flaking off. "See you in the next cycle… Simeon Bankowski…" The Starborn's final threat rang in Simeon's ears, even as he dissolved into glittering dust. When the powerful enemy's body had entirely disappeared, Maxile's knife fell to the floor with a metallic clink. Finally, Simeon had the chance to breathe. The fight had literally sapped all of his energy.
Unable to move, Simeon collapsed onto his back. He'd return to assist on the bridge as soon as his body would allow him… Avery, get us outta here…
The Atlas, En-Route to Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1421 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
His beautiful kitchen and mess hall was in absolute disarray. Somehow, in the process of Sam's reckless piloting, pots and pans had been scattered from the kitchen into the mess hall. And to make matters worse, when the brig had been ripped from The Atlas, the blow had knocked over Mickey's liquor cabinet. Only a single bottle of bourbon survived… Mickey had tried to keep his kitchen space organized during the chaos, but eventually gave up. He wasn't naive to the ongoing quandary Constellation faced. But why did his precious alcohol have to suffer?
"My goodness…" Mickey muttered as he sipped at the final bottle of bourbon his kitchen had to offer. Whoever set off the alarms was a real piece for that one. The constant ringing caused his head to pound. Mickey brought the bottle to his lips once more, but paused. Drinking… Complaining… It's not helping… Mickey had tried to ignore the pings of concern weighing in his chest, but nothing was working. His entire way of life was at risk of changing, and for what? Psychotic space people who called themselves Starborn? What a pretentious name.
Mickey couldn't even help his crew! He wasn't a medical professional… He couldn't fly The Atlas… He couldn't plug himself into The Atlas like Vasco… He couldn't even operate the turrets… He was utterly, totally, mortifyingly, and abhorrently useless. At this moment, the best he could do was believe in the strength of the rest of the crew.
A rough hand suddenly snatched Mickey by his shirt collar and literally threw him across the mess hall. The surprise attack caught him off guard. With a loud oof, Mickey slammed on top of the bar and rolled into the kitchen. What… the hell… was that? His precious bourbon was a thing of the past, now thoroughly saturating his chest. Once he shook off the initial blow, Mickey cautiously peeked over the bar into the mess hall. Where there was once empty space, a human figure materialized. Oh, that's right… Vasco said we have an intruder aboard…
"Constellation," Mickey noted the feminine tone of the Starborn standing in his mess hall. "Due to your faction's involvement wi-"
"That was so rude." Mickey couldn't believe the gall this woman had. What she had done was despicable. Mickey shook his head as if he were lecturing a child. "You realize that was my last bottle of bourbon?" The Starborn cocked her head, puzzled at Mickey's misplaced anger.
"D-due to your faction's involvement with the artifacts, the Star-" The woman attempted to recover her lost ground, but Mickey's rage outweighed her conviction.
"And here I thought men were full of nothing but audacity!" Mickey snarled. The Starborn's shoulders sagged in response. Perhaps he could help his crew… He's not a doctor… or a pilot… or a robot. But he didn't spend years in the treacherous streets of Neon without picking up a few fighting techniques. "Due to your faction's involvement with Mickey Caviar, you will rue this day!" Asserting his purpose, Mickey pointed a cast-iron skillet at the intruder.
"To hell with this idiot!" The Starborn growled to herself, rather than Mickey. The woman's abrupt loss of professionalism sent Mickey's eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. So this bird has talons? With a few quick button presses, Mickey ignited the stove positioned behind the kitchen bar. Extending an arm, a bright beam of energy erupted from the Starborn's palm. The energy particles shot toward Mickey at high speed. Grounding himself, Mickey swung his skillet into the attack. With an ear-splitting kaboom, the beam reflected off the pan and scorched a nearby wall.
"Nothing beats a decent cast iron, you bitc- Uh-oh!" Mickey couldn't complete his well-intended insult due to the Starborn's advances. Her jetpack roared, rocketing her over the bar into the kitchen. The Starborn stabilized herself and pointed a strange rifle directly at Mickey's nose. What would have been a killing blow turned into a useless endeavor. Mickey swung the skillet into the Starborn's hand, effectively knocking it from her grasp. Mickey blindly reached for the bottles on the nearby shelf that hadn't fallen to the ground during the Starborn attacks. Finding what felt like a hefty bottle, Mickey swung it directly at the Starborn's head. The emerald green bottle shattered, dousing them and the floor with olive oil.
"What the!?" Olive oil coated the Starborn's armor, occluding her visor. "What are you doing!?" The Starborn attempted to expunge the oil coating her visor, but only achieved in smudging her vision further. Recognizing his opportunity to attack, Mickey stepped forward… but his foot met a slippery surface. The damn olive oil took Mickey's footing and sent him sprawling on his back. Fortunately, the Starborn didn't have much better anchorage. Mickey's momentum slid his body into her legs, knocking her down like a bowling pin.
"Get the hell out of my kitchen!" Mickey roared. He managed to hit the Starborn's head several times with his skillet, even from his awkward position. I've been in worse fights than this! Unexpectedly, the Starborn rolled over to wrap her arms around Mickey's waist. The annoying woosh of her jetpack activating initially puzzled him. He didn't have a moment to think before they shot across the tiny, rectangular kitchen. Mickey couldn't even defend himself; instead, he had to hold on to his opponent for dear life.
Stars bounced around Mickey's vision when they slammed into the wall. The metal wall didn't budge in the slightest. Fortunately, the Starborn deactivated her jetpack, dropping them like rocks to the floor. By the grace of the stars, he managed to hold on to his precious skillet. The Starborn managed to recover quicker than Mickey. Leaping to her full height, she brought the heel of her boot into Mickey's rib cage.
"You! Can't! Win!" She screamed between each kick. Bruises would definitely mar his skin in the morning… When the Starborn reared back for a fourth kick, Mickey grappled her thigh. Her efforts to push him away were unsuccessful; Mickey kept his grip firm. If he could just stand up, he could continue to fight! Using her armor for leverage, Mickey pulled himself up. To prevent Mickey's position change, the Starborn resorted to slamming her forearms into his head.
Ignoring the immense pain, Mickey palmed the Starborn's helmet. The olive oil had dried into a yellowed film on her helmet. Flexing the muscles in his upper body, Mickey slammed the Starborn's head onto the stove. The satisfying hiss reminded him of the excellent foresight he had for firing it up.
"Didn't you hear what I said!?" Mickey growled in the Starborn's ear. After a few more seconds of frying his opponent's helmet, he flipped her back over the bar into the mess hall. "I said, get out of my kitchen!" As childish as it may seem, Mickey flipped off the stove. There's no sense in wearing out my cooking equipment. Stepping through the door into the mess hall, the Starborn was already standing. She held her arm out, preparing another particle attack. I wonder if Avery can do that…
"You have no right to walk with The Unity!" The Starborn screamed and unleashed her stockpiled power. Again, a beam of bright energy particles blasted from her palm. Didn't she realize this wouldn't work!? She was the pitcher and he was the batter… This time, his returning strike had a much more profound effect. The beam of energy reflected off his swinging skillet and rebounded directly into the Starborn's chest. The raw energy burned a black hole in the center of her chest, sending her to her knees. The Starborn patted at the charred injury on her chest before burning into a pile of glowing soot.
"See? That's what happens when you go against the luckiest man in the Settled Systems…" Mickey casually strolled over to the former Starborn and kneeled beside her pile of nothingness. At least I was able to do something for my crew… A nonsensical thought crossed Mickey's mind… One might even call it an impulsive thought… Dipping a finger in the glowing dust, Mickey brought the digit to his mouth. The action had him coughing glittering powder in a matter of seconds. "Gross!" Spacemen definitely don't taste like chicken!
The Atlas, En-Route to Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, July 25th
1433 Universal Time
Avery Del
"Attention, all crew. The Atlas has taken immense damage to its top floor. The entire Captain's quarters has been destroyed. The bulkhead leading to the upper floors of The Atlas has been closed to prevent further decompression." Vasco's newest update gutted Avery. His room… The personal quarters he had slept in for the past nine years had been jettisoned into orbit around Jemison. Avery shook off the depression that threatened to overcome him. We're so close!
Although they'd nearly entered Jemison's atmosphere, the Starborn attacks still rocked The Atlas. Fortunately, their attacks were fewer in number than earlier. Maybe the Starborn were abandoning their assault as they neared civilization. Even with fewer enemies peppering The Atlas with laser fire, The Atlas's shields were shot entirely. Avery could hear every strike destroying the hull that desperately protected them.
"Sarah! Any contact with the UC!?" The Vice-Captain had moved back to the radio. She begged for help repeatedly on the radio, but had yet to receive a response. Where the hell are they!? Any other day, a UC official would be at their fingertips.
"Not yet!" Sarah snarled. Slamming her hand on the radio's transmit button, Sarah continued to beg for help to anyone on the frequency. "Come in, New Atlantis! This is Sarah Morgan with Constellation! Our starship is severely damaged, and we are set to crash land on Jemison! We need assistance!"
"The remaining enemies are assembling behind The At- Sloff!" A stream of Va'ruunian curses that would make a grown man blush suddenly spilled from Andreja's mouth. The Atlas began to rumble in addition to her cursing. "They've destroyed my turret! Avery, they're combining their attacks on our flank!"
Gunfire… Laser fire… All forms of starship attacks pelted The Atlas relentlessly. There's no way we can hold up to this! Metal screeched to Avery's right side, setting The Atlas into a death spiral.
"Attention, all crew. The wing on the starboard side has been fractured. I will manipulate the remaining retrorockets to compensate." Vasco rang through the bridge. Avery wished he could have done more in the moment, but he could barely stand up straight during the starship's plummet. Instead, he held onto the back of Sam's chair for support.
"Already on it!" Sam responded. The Atlas roared in response to Sam's commands. His attempts to control the starship's descent were in vain. Sam only succeeded in slowing The Atlas's spiral. Even so, Vasco's list of damages grew as they plotted their crash course to Jemison's surface.
"Seventy-five percent of the retrorockets…"
…
"Ballista defenses are offline…"
…
"Life support systems are severely damaged…"
The thundering collision of bullets grew to a roar. Avery was positive that this was it… They were so close to salvation… His jaw ached from gritting his teeth together. With each flash of red emergency light, they were one step closer to The Atlas exploding.
"Sarah Morgan, this is UC Captain Gallo Samuels. We have received your distress call and are en route to assist you." The moment the UC official's grainy voice chimed over the radio, the gunfire that assaulted their starship ceased. Avery could have collapsed due to pure relief. But, they weren't out of the woods yet.
"Captain Samuels!" Sarah screamed into the microphone of the radio. "Our starship is damaged. We've been attacked by the Crimson Fleet and a group that calls themselves the 'Starborn!' Most of our equipment is offline, and we are set to crash on Jemison!"
His resolve ignited once more, Avery pivoted to Sam. "Sam, fire all remaining retrorockets! Slow ourselves down as much as you can!" Avery figured the endeavor was pointless. Jemison's gravity had already taken hold of The Atlas. There was no slowing down without further assistance.
"Understood, Sarah." Captain Samuels responded. "We see your starship now. Standby while we attempt to net your ship." It took some searching to find the incoming UC starships, especially with how The Atlas tumbled through the atmosphere. But a fleeting shine of starships arriving over the horizon graced Avery's eyes. Netting procedures rarely worked… The process involved capturing a plummeting starship in a net that utilized rockets to fight the gravity that ensnared them. All Avery could do was put his trust in the UC… A task he had immense difficulty performing.
"Brace for impact, guys…" Avery called out as he took a seat in a nearby chair. The musical clinks of seatbelts echoed throughout the bridge. Even with the bright yellow nets snapping across the cracked windshield of the cockpit, Avery couldn't sense them slowing down. He estimated it would take around ten seconds until impact… All this for the artifacts… How can we recover from this? These… Starborn are enemies we aren't strong enough to fight against… Not without more information. Avery released the concerns he held for another day… hopefully. The green surface of Jemison had grown into a distinguishable forest. This is it…
Ten…
Nine…
Eight…
Seven…
Six…
Five…
Four…
Three…
Tw-
BOOM
United Colonies Incident Report # 07252331-12
Incident Type: Crashed Starship
Date of Incident: July 25th, 2331
Time of Incident: 08:12 Eastern Jemison Time
Location of Incident: Easter Jemison Wilds
UC Military Witness: Gallo Samuels
At approximately 2:35 PM on July 25th, 2331, I received an emergency call from former UC official Sarah Morgan. Morgan reported her starship was under attack and undergoing an uncontrolled descent to Jemison's surface. Morgan identified herself as the Vice-Captain of their starship, The Atlas. Morgan also claimed to work under Avery Del with the mercenary group: Constellation. The reports of their starship being under attack by the Crimson Fleet and an unknown threat she referred to as 'Starborn' are currently unfounded but under investigation. The presence of Crimson Fleetist or 'Starborn' was not witnessed by any UC officials.
Constellation's class B starship entered orbit on the far side of Jemison. The Atlas was noted to be highly damaged and functioning poorly. The starship had a large hole on the port side, and the top floor had been completely removed. Only four of the starship's retrorockets were functioning during the high-speed descent. Despite the combined efforts of Constellation's retrorockets and UC starships' netting procedure, little to no progress was made in slowing The Atlas's descent. Ultimately, UC starships had to pull away when The Atlas neared Jemison's surface.
The Atlas crash site coordinates are 37° 46' 41.412'' N and -81° 11' 17.376 E, in the middle of a rainforest. During the crash, The Atlas rolled seven times, completely ripping off the starship's wings. Much of the forest's natural growth was destroyed in the process; however, no human casualties resulted from the starship's traumatic crash. Once The Atlas came to a stop, UC officials were able to extinguish the fires with cooling foam. Medical personnel were immediately dispatched to The Atlas. The Atlas contained nine adults, one child, and a robot. All crew members had various injuries, with one possibly deceased. They were transported to New Atlantis to be evaluated by New Atlantis General Hospital. The Atlas had significant damage and was deemed completely inoperable.
While evacuating the crew, they continued to claim that they had been attacked by the Crimson Fleet. However, when questioned about their 'Starborn' assailants, Constellation had lacked any supporting evidence of their existence. Constellation's Captain, Avery Del, was extremely panicked during his evacuation and was difficult to work with when interrogated by UC officials. Del made the statement, "Look, man, I don't know! Maybe we are wrong! It might have just been the Crimson Fleet calling themselves 'Starborn.' Focus on that later! My crewmate isn't doing well and needs help now!" After that point, all mentions of 'Starborn' were met with deflection.
I have forwarded this incident report to my superiors for further evaluation. With the Crimson Fleet's rise over the past few years, it may be worth looking into. The Atlas's damages match the possibility of an attack by the Crimson Fleet. The Crimson Fleet is becoming a growing threat, especially when they attack starships directly in UC territory. Given Morgan's involvement, I believe it would be wise to include her in the UC's response. Please reach out if you require any further clarification regarding this incident report.
Signing off,
United Colonies Captain, Gallo Samuels.
Notes:
This chapter was planned out from the very beginning. Murphy's law is a bitch, whatever can go wrong will go wrong. But, I loved that every crewmate managed to get a shining moment in this chapter. Now that the climax is over, only one chapter left! Anyone that managed to read this far, I appreciate it!
Chapter 25: The Fall of Constellation - Avery Del
Summary:
Finally! The end! Hope you enjoy!
Notes:
After the catastrophic events involving the Starborn, Constellation recovers in New Atlantis. Avery's mind races as his crew's moral declines in the face of adversity. But Avery has a plan... A plan that will shock the crew, and change the course of Constellation for the days to come.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 1st
1129 Universal Time
Avery Del
The tense silence that embraced the ICU suite was only broken by the soft continual beeps of Barrett's cardiac monitor. Despite The Atlas's traumatic crash landing, the engineer had managed to hang on by a thread. Avery adjusted his position in his chair to get a better look at Barrett's face. He looked so pitiful in the hospital bed. Multiple bags of medications slowly dripped into Barrett's veins, keeping him alive. A ventilator was hooked to the surgically created opening in Barrett's throat to ensure his chest continued to rise and fall with each mechanical breath. The past week had been a rough one, but Barrett was still alive… You just need to wake up…
Turning his attention to his crew, Avery considered how he was going to initiate this necessary conversation with them. Constellation's entirety spread out among the tiny ICU room. Each member appeared as worn out as the next. Differing scrapes and bruises littered the faces of each one of his crewmates... But they were still kicking. Though this wouldn't be an easy discussion, Avery felt sure they'd understand and respect his decision.
"Alright, everyone," Avery's announcement felt more sharp than he intended, but it had the desired effect. When he stood, he had everyone's full attention. "I received word from the engineers at the New Atlantis spaceport today. The Atlas was deemed inoperable… I had no choice but to scrap our starship…" Avery's voice cracked unexpectedly as he spoke. Why wouldn't it? He hadn't known any other home apart from The Atlas since Constellation's birth.
"Is there nothing that can be done to repair it?" Sam's timid response could have brought Avery to tears. In fact, that had been the first question Avery had asked New Atlantis's starship engineers when they delivered him the bad news. Since the pilot had joined Constellation, The Atlas had truly become his child. "I mean, we may go into a little debt… But, we can just pick up more contracts…"
"I'm sure I can write out a budget to figure out the credit costs," Sarah added thoughtfully. "Constellation has paid off a debt before."
"No," Avery shook his head. Avery's entire crew visibly deflated at his blunt response. This conversation would prove to be more difficult than he had expected. Avery gave Barrett a sidelong glance. If only the engineer had been conscious to participate in Avery's impromptu meeting. "Even if they could repair The Atlas into flying shape, it would never be the same… I doubt it'd handle a single grav jump to the closest star system without falling to pieces…"
"So that's it? The Atlas is done for? Just like that?" Simeon's critical response spoke for everyone. It was a hard pill to swallow. The Atlas had always been their shield in the harsh void of space.
"Just like that…" Avery trailed off. "But that's not the only thing…" The depression that settled in the room caused the atmosphere to feel thick. All the tactful methods of discussion Avery had were suddenly gone with the wind. And his crew wasn't blind to that fact. They each held Avery with narrowed eyes, suspicious of what he planned to announce.
"Say what you have to say." Andreja suddenly demanded. The fearful anticipation had snowballed into something greater. There was no easy way to say this… So it was better for Avery to just rip the band-aid off.
"Well…" Avery sighed. Taking a deep breath, Avery solidified himself in the decision he had made days ago. "The Atlas is destroyed… And not even by a little. Our starship was completely outmatched by the Starborn starships. On top of that, we were barely able to hold our own against the Starborn's powers. We escaped by the skin of our teeth, and it wasn't without loss…" Avery nodded his head at Barrett's unconscious form to reiterate his point.
"So?" Andreja challenged. "This would not be the first time we narrowly triumphed against a stronger enemy." Andreja's response rallied a chime of agreement from the rest of the crew.
"But we didn't triumph in anything!" Avery blurted out, silencing his crewmates. "We got lucky! We've never had to go up against an enemy like the Starborn… And there's still so much we don't know. There's still so much I don't know… The Crimson Fleet is one thing… Hell, even when The Hunter came into play, I figured we could make something work. We'd pull through like always… But to know that we are competing with a group of cosmic beings that have devoted their existence to collecting the artifacts… My lack of knowledge is going to get you all killed."
"We can keep learning about the artifacts, then." Maxile supplied from where he sat on a couch in the corner of the room. The nurse had crammed himself between Simeon and Mickey on the tiny couch. "We've already learned so much about them over the past two weeks…"
"No…" Avery shook his head once more. "I can't keep leading Constellation with the risk of being slaughtered by the Starborn… Not right now. Not until I understand the Starborn more… Not until I can protect us with my starpower more efficiently… Which is why I've made the decision to disband Constellation." Avery could have heard a pin drop in the hushed room. The silence lasted for seconds until all hell broke loose.
"What!?"
"You're firing us!?"
"Avery, you didn't even discuss this with anyone first!"
"Guys!" Avery's voice boomed, echoing in the small room. His outburst briefly quieted his crew, but didn't stave off their furious expressions. "This is non-negotiable. I've thought long and hard about this… This decision is temporary. Just until I can learn more about the Starborn… I can't risk everyone's lives ov-"
"Who are you to decide that!?" Andreja snarled, stalking forward to meet Avery nose to nose. "Who are you to decide that our protection lies solely on your shoulders!? You swore tha-" Pausing, Andreja shook her head. Turning on her heel, Andreja stomped out of the room.
"Andrej-"
SLAM
When the door slammed behind her, a tense aura of discomfort followed the astronomer's departure. Avery wasn't too surprised at Andreja's response. Andreja would stew for a while, but eventually she'd forgive him… Hopefully… Sighing, Avery turned back to face his crew. They each wore various expressions of concern, anger, and confusion.
"You didn't talk to me about this first?" Sarah spoke next. The calculating gaze she held him in nearly made Avery balk. "We formed Constellation together. You should have included me in this decision…"
"I know, Sarah… You're right." Avery admitted. But he couldn't risk Sarah's sound disposition changing his mind. "And I'm sorry… But I really need you all to respect my decision." Sarah opened her mouth to respond, but only silence followed. After a few painstaking seconds, Sarah garnered a reply.
"I- I will…" Although half-hearted, Avery felt a slight ping of relief from Sarah's support. "I don't completely agree with the decision you're making… But I suppose I understand."
"I sure as hell don't agree!" Simeon butted in next. Simeon's typical carefree expression was replaced with one of anger. "So what if these Starborn jackasses are showing up! That doesn't mean we should run away like scared kids!"
"But I am scared, Simeon!" Simeon flinched at Avery's admission. The sniper likely didn't know how to react to Avery's lack of confidence. "Look at Barrett. His spacesuit's armor didn't hold up to a single shot from The Hunter's gun…" Avery couldn't even spare the engineer's amputated arm a single glance. It sent his heart into the pit of his stomach when he thought about the fact.
"But, Avery…" Simeon continued on, with much less vigor. "I've known you since we were kids… You never give up… Don't you believe in your crew?" That was a silly question. Avery lacked any doubt in his crew's abilities.
"I believe in all of you. I wouldn't have made it this far without everyone..." Avery gestured to Barrett once more, "but I care about everyone's wellbeing so much more… What happened to Barrett is tearing me to pieces! This happened because I was unprepared! I can't allow this to happen to anyone else." The guilt Avery allowed to radiate from his body language appeared to deflate Simeon. Relaxing back into the couch, the sniper nodded in acceptance of Avery's rebuttal.
A gruff voice pulled Avery's attention to the corner of the room, "Avery, you aren't going to be able to anticipate everything that happens out in the Settled Systems. Barrett's condition isn't on you." Eddie sat in a lone chair, his expression painted with empathy that was abnormal to his character.
"Everything that happens to the crew is on me, Eddie." Avery couldn't bring himself to meet the physician's eyes. Eddie and Maxile's intervention was the only reason Barrett had survived. Avery had taken no hand in saving the engineer's life. The idea of facing Barrett when he was conscious sent a shiver down Avery's spine.
"Barrett accepted the risks when he joined Constellation," Eddie added, likely sensing Avery's apprehension. "I guarantee he would feel just as discouraged about your judgment to disband Constellation as the rest of us…" The fleeting divulgence took Avery off guard. Eddie had been the last person he expected to feel any way about his decision. Avery didn't have time to consider Eddie's words before a small voice joined the conversation.
"What about me?" Maxile whispered, his voice cracking as he spoke. Since Avery had first broken the news, the nurse hadn't looked up from his hands. In Maxile's hands, he held the newly gifted Constellation jacket. He twisted the material back and forth anxiously. "What am I supposed to do? I've just started living… And now I'm expected to leave the family that I've finally found? I don't even know where I can go. I can't go back to The Clinic… I don't have a home to return to… I'm nothing without Constellation." Avery hadn't realized the sense of security Constellation gave to Maxile. Although when he considered Maxile's situation, it wasn't too surprising.
"Max, you aren't that timid little nurse I recruited on The Clinic anymore." Maxile's gnarling fingers relaxed slightly at Avery's soothing response. "Joining Constellation might have boosted your confidence, but the personal growth you've shown is all you. I stand by what I first said when we first met. Recruiting you into Constellation was a great idea. I'm not sure what to tell you to do next… But I can tell you that it will be okay. Whatever your next move is from here, I promise it will be the right one. I'm not worried in the least." The nurse's expression quickly steeled into a more confident one. He nodded in acceptance to Avery's words. Once more, the small room fell into silence, only broken by the soft beeping of Barrett's heart monitor.
"So… This is it?" Cora asked after a few tense moments. "Constellation is over?" Tears threatened to pour from the teenager's widened eyes. Avery figured Cora would take his decision the hardest.
"Yes… For now," Avery quickly added. Now that the crew had loosely accepted his decision, he could move on to his next speaking point. "I understand that this change is unfair… It leaves you all without jobs and unsure of the future. But, I'm confident you will all find your way. I'm going off on my own for the time being. Constellation can't progress if we don't know more about the Starborn… And if I don't have better control of my starpower, then we're dead where we stand. Unless I refine this power, we will never be able to collect all the artifacts… Unless I grow, then we have no right to find The Unity... This is a temporary solution. By no means am I abandoning Constellation's goal to collect all the artifacts. I'm only putting it on hiatus." Avery had barely thought about the artifacts since The Atlas had crashed on Jemison. Luckily, he had been able to gather all eleven artifacts from the wrecked bridge. He had even found the perfect hiding place for them…
"I guess it'll be nice to have a bit of a vacation…" Mickey's voice lacked the usual happy-go-lucky tone in it. Whether or not Mickey liked to admit it, Constellation had become a beacon of stability to him. It allowed him to feel loved… It helped him maintain his sobriety…
"Mickey…"
"No, no, Captain," Mickey waved off Avery's concern. "I'll be just grand. I have plans for the future! Even if Constellation is done, this isn't the last you all will hear from Mickey Caviar!"
"Understood," Avery nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. He still had a final crewmate to address. Turning to Barrett's bedside, Avery glanced up at the hulking figure that towered over the engineer. "Vasco, what do you want to do?" The robot rightfully belonged to Barrett. However, Avery fully believed Vasco had the right to choose his next course of action.
"I cannot 'want' anything, it is not in my programming." Just as Avery expected, Vasco's response was based on protocol rather than needs. Protocol or not, this would have to be a decision Vasco made on his own.
"Then where do you feel like you should be?" Avery pushed. Vasco's camera lens constricted and dilated multiple times, focusing on Avery's face. After a moment, the robot looked over Barrett's sickly body. Avery had honestly never seen someone he cared so much for in such poor condition. Maybe his Mother, while on her deathbed. But that was so long ago... Barrett's dark skin was almost translucent from the blood loss. The entire right side of his torso was bandaged. It pained Avery to imagine the stress Barrett would undergo when he woke up to find his right arm amputated. If he wakes up… Avery shook off the small voice that chimed in the back of his mind, instead looking back up at Vasco expectantly.
"I cannot 'feel' either…" Vasco's monotone response nearly drew a frustrated groan from Avery. "But… I calculate Barrett's chance of survival at a much higher percentage if I remain by his side."
"So you want to stay with Barrett?" Avery had figured this would be Vasco's decision. Even if the choice was based on statistics rather than feelings.
"As I said before, I cannot 'want' anything. My programming does not allow for it." Vasco's pause before continuing was possibly the longest Avery had ever witnessed the robot take to calculate his following statement. "But, if I could 'want' anything. I believe I would want to stay with Barrett. He is more likely to survive in my doing so."
"Then remaining with Barrett is your current objective," Avery patted the robot on his metal torso. Avery's entire crew looked worse for wear. In addition to the minor injuries that marred their bodies, they appeared absolutely downtrodden by Avery's announcement. He hated that it was his choice that caused this response, but it had to be done. "I have a final request… It's not fair, but I'm going to make it. I don't know how long it will take, but after I find more answers on what we are up against… Once I'm stronger… I'm coming back… I'm coming back to continue our search for the artifacts. I want everyone to join me when that time comes." Again, a stillness settled inside the room. Would they deny his request? He couldn't blame them if he did… It could take years for him to return… A lot could happen.
"You know I will, Avery…" With Sarah's answer, the rest of the crew verbalized their agreement. Even Eddie gave a gruff nod. Although, their responses were half-hearted and filled with discontent.
"Thank you…" The conversation hadn't been pleasant in the least, but Avery was at peace in having it. "Then… As of today, Constellation is officially disbanded. You are all released to pursue whatever ambitions you please…"
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
0817 Universal Time
Sam Coe
"I can't wait to see Mom and Grandpa again!" This was the first time Cora had actually smiled since Avery had delivered the news of Constellation's end. In fact, she spent half the night crying. Seeing the girl crack a smile brought a feeling of relief to him.
Sam had figured Avery would make changes after barely surviving the Starborn debacle. But ending Constellation? He couldn't believe it… He hadn't even begun to unpack the loss of The Atlas. Sure, the starship didn't belong to Sam, per se. But after piloting it all these years, he felt a bit of kinship to it.
"Yeah, they're excited to see you too." Sam kept a steady hand placed on Cora's shoulder as he guided her through New Atlantis's bustling spaceport. People of all shapes and sizes carried on in their daily lives. Simple people who were completely unaware of the trauma Sam and Cora had gone through only a few days ago. "When we get settled in Akila City, I'll make sure to show you everything I used to do when I was your age… Well, maybe not everything…" Sam muttered after he thought twice about the offer.
"Grandpa said when you were my age, you didn't think with your brain." Sam blanched at his daughter's indication. Dammit, Jacob, I swear I'll kick your ass!
"Uhm… I was a bit of a hellfire." Sam coughed in an attempt to mask his discomfort, but he failed thoroughly. His decision to relocate himself and Cora to Akila City stung Sam's ego. Although he and his father had come to an… understanding. He still held contempt for his roots in Akila City. The pressure to uphold the Coe name in Akila left a bad taste in Sam's mouth he would never be able to spit out. But it would always be home. "Anyway, you're going to like living in Akila City."
"For now," Cora reminded Sam of Avery's promise. "Once Avery is ready, we can join back with Constellation. In the meantime, I'm planning on joining the Freestar Collective next year. They accept recruits at sixteen years old." Sam nearly stumbled over his own two feet. When the hell did she decide that!? Catching himself, Sam sped up to maintain pace with his daughter.
"If you say so…" Avery's decision to disband Constellation had left Sam in a bit of a tight spot. He had no job, no home, and a mouth to feed. Daniel Blake's promise rang through Sam's head: 'You will always have a home with the Freestar Rangers.' The next step required him to swallow every inch of his pride. After a short phone call to the good Marshal, Sam was placed back on the Freestar Ranger's roster. He already had work scheduled for tomorrow morning. Jacob probably did a backflip when Cora told him the news… Hopefully, he broke his hip in the process.
"Sam! Cora!" A familiar voice called over the buzz of the New Atlantis natives. Sam scanned the heads of the surrounding crowd until Sarah came into view. His now ex-Vice-Captain was absent from the signature red jacket she often wore. Instead, she dressed herself in professional business attire. Sam cocked an eyebrow at her clothes. "Oh, hush, Sam. Where are you two heading off to?"
"Dad joined back up with the Freestar Rangers!" Sam didn't even have an opportunity to explain at the speed Cora spoke. "We're going back to live in Akila City." Sam didn't overlook the brief cursory glance Sarah directed toward him. After their last adventure on Akila, Sarah knew pretty well about his reservations toward Akila.
"Eh, I needed a job. And the Rangers always need a hand." Sam shrugged his shoulders, avoiding eye contact. He silently prayed Sarah wouldn't spot his discomfort. "We're actually going to board a transport ship now… So it may be a bit before we see each other again…"
"I suppose so…" Sarah nodded, a slight frown forming on her face.
Cora quickly piped up, "but it's not forever!" Cora… Always chock full of optimism. Still, her positive response managed to obliterate Sarah's frown.
"Right," Sam patted Cora on her back. "And where are you going dressed like that?" Sarah did a little spin, displaying her pantsuit.
"I have an appointment with The Cabinet," Sarah explained once she finished showing off her fancy suit. "I'm sure they want an explanation on the Starborn… So I'll figure out some sort of damage control. Wouldn't be the first time I fed The Cabinet a lie." The UC had relentlessly questioned Avery on the meaning of Sarah's emergency broadcast. They were insistent on figuring out who the Starborn were. Avery ordered everyone to keep the existence of the Starborn to themselves. If asked, everyone agreed to simply say they mistook the Crimson Fleet for a new enemy.
"Dad, we have to board in five minutes…" Cora reminded Sam, snapping his attention back to their destination. An awkward silence fell between their trio. Who knows when they would meet again?
"Well…" Sarah began, only to trail off. Suddenly, Sam and Cora were yanked into Sarah's embrace. The physical contact was abnormal for the professional woman, but he welcomed the hug. "Stay safe, you two. Stay in touch…" And just as the contact came, they were released. With a final sad smile, Sarah turned and disappeared into the crowd.
"Stay safe, Sarah…" Sam muttered, but Sarah was already long gone. "You ready, kid?" Sam motioned for his daughter to continue. Cora's eager disposition didn't wane; instead, she stalked ahead toward the transport ship bay. This'll be a new adventure for both of us…
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
0922 Universal Time
Simeon Bankowski
Simeon sat on his new apartment couch with his arms tightly crossed over his chest. When Simeon's entire family had offered to help him settle in his apartment, he hadn't expected them to also humiliate him in the process. The frown etched across Simeon's face deepened as his brother enthusiastically recalled another embarrassing story from Simeon's college years. To make matters worse, his shame was broadcast to Maxile, who eagerly listened to each story.
"Listen to this one, Max!" Taylor clearly relished the opportunity to mortify him. "Sim and Avery used to go drinking at one of the hole-in-the-wall bars here in the city religiously. They got a lifetime ban the last time they went!" Taylor hadn't even made it to the story's punchline, and Simeon's family already roared with laughter. I should have just refused their offer to help me move in…
"I forgot about that story!" Simeon's mother chuckled from where she organized the kitchenette. Simeon had completely forgotten the mortifying experience. In fact, he had shoved the memory so far from his mind that he never planned on revisiting it.
"There's no point in rehash-"
"Aw, come on, Simeon!" Georgia gave Simeon's shoulders a firm shake from where she stood behind him. "This is a good story." He was going to strangle his sister and enjoy every second…
"Yeah, I wanna hear it," Maxile added, a bright smile adorning his face. Simeon almost gave in to the nurse's joy and told the story himself… But his common sense kept him grounded. Maxile had no business hearing that story.
"Nope!" Simeon desperately tried to recall embarrassing memories about Taylor. Anything to prevent his little brother from continuing the awful memory… But nothing came to mind in his panic.
"Yep!" Taylor responded, squeezing in between Maxile and Simeon on the couch. Taylor casually threw his arms over their shoulders before continuing. "So Sim and Avery used to go to a hole-in-the-wall bar called 'The Spot.' It's over in the sketchiest part of New Atlantis. The floors haven't been washed in years… You have to sit in lawn chairs… The place is a complete shit hole. I never understood why they'd go there all the time."
"Because the shit hole bars are the ones that serve the best drinks…" Simeon mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He tried to shoot Maxile an apologetic look, but couldn't see past Taylor's fatass head…
"Anyway," Taylor waved off Simeon's comment. "Sim and Avery managed to get into an argument with some random group of guys. And somebody decided to challenge them to a drinking contest…" All eyes turned to Simeon.
"They were assholes…" Simeon growled when the suspense had become too much to handle. Already knowing what happens next in the story, Simeon's family erupted in laughter. "Besides, we won!"
"Yeah, they won their drinking game, alright." Taylor agreed once the laughter had subsided. "But, it wasn't without consequence. Sim got so hammered, he managed to douse the entire bar with his vomit! It was so bad that they had to shut it down for the night!" Again, the obnoxious laughter of his family echoed the room, Maxile included.
"The police called me at one in the morning to come pick them up," Simeon's dad tacked on to the conversation. "When I showed up, Simeon was shirtless and lying out on the sidewalk. All of the patrons were standing outside, pissed off about their ruined night."
"How do you always lose your shirt!?" Maxile leaned forward to grin at Simeon. Again, Maxile's smile almost made this retelling of a horrible experience worth the humiliation.
"I was covered in throw up and hot… I guess it just came off at some point." It took several minutes for his family's jokes to cease. Simeon just took the blows with his head held high. What else could he do? The room's aura only changed when his father asked Maxile a disconcerting question…
"So, Max," Alvoy addressed the nurse. "What are you planning on doing now that Avery has ended Constellation?" Simeon hadn't considered that Maxile might have his own plans. Plans that don't involve Simeon.
"I…" Maxile fidgeted uncomfortably. What is that? Maxile shot Simeon a brief look before falling away. "I was invited by Dr. Sotello to leave with him to Cydonia… He wants me to work with him." All the air rushed from Simeon's lungs, leaving him breathless. How had he not known Maxile planned on moving to Cydonia? Why hadn't he mentioned it to Simeon?
"That's a big move," Tana's eyebrows raised in surprise. Simeon's mother shot a glance between Maxile and Simeon, suspicion grazing her expression. His Mother may only have one good eye, but she wasn't blind to the… fondness Simeon held for Maxile. Simeon took that moment to imagine the notion of Maxile leaving for another star system. The idea made his stomach hurt. It made him feel anxious. Was he really okay with this? Did he have a right not to be?
"Yeah, it is…" Maxile's fingers twisted like they usually do when he is riddled with anxiety. "Actually, I'm supposed to meet Dr. Sotello at ten to leave for Cydonia… I have my bag packed and everything." Maxile nodded his head to the backpack set beside Simeon's door. Simeon stared numbly at the blue backpack. Where the fuck did that come from!? Maxile was leaving today to go to Mars… He didn't even know how little time they had together.
"Make sure you come back to visit New Atlantis!" Georgia added. "I'm sure Simeon will manage to get himself hurt now that he's working for the UC again! He'll need a good nurse." Georgie gave Maxile a sly wink. Simeon had taken President Abello up on her offer to rejoin the UC military. It wouldn't be anything extreme, just training new recruits in their sharpshooting. A tedious job, but one that would pay the bills.
"I hate that you're not planning on staying in New Atlantis, Max," Alvoy said, standing up from where he sat in the loveseat. "But, you have to go where you'll be happy. We're all about to move out… You should, too, Max. It's almost twenty minutes until ten. Don't wanna miss your meeting, huh?" After a few hugs, the Bankowski family filed out of the apartment, leaving Simeon and Maxile alone. Awkward silence settled over them like a heavy blanket. What could he even say?
"So… Cydonia?" It wasn't much of a conversation starter, but it at least broke the tense moment.
"Yeah…" Maxile nodded, not looking Simeon in the eye. "Dr. Sotello says that we are going to form our own practice specifically for the miners." Maxile rocked himself from the couch. Standing over Simeon, he felt small compared to the nurse. The idea of Maxile being so far away… It sent waves of grief through his body. They'd been inseparable for the past year… And now their time was coming to an end.
"Are you gonna come back to visit?" Simeon asked, following Maxile to the door. The nurse paused, considering the question. Is that a no?
"Maybe?" What was supposed to be an answer, Maxile formed as a question. Picking the backpack up by a strap, Maxile slung it over his shoulder. "I think Dr. Sotello will keep me pretty busy… So maybe once I get a better idea of my schedule, I'll come back to visit."
"Yeah…" Simeon's response was much more breathy than he would have liked. Unsure of what to say next, another tense moment of silence followed.
"I guess this is it…" Maxile started, before quickly adding, "for now!" Simeon stared blankly, only snapping back into the moment when the grating creak of the door opening alerted him.
"I guess…" What could he say? This would be their final moment together for who knows how long. "It was nice working with you, Max…"
"You too, Simeon." Maxile stepped through the door into the hallway. Simeon could feel his pulse race at the increased distance between them. Soon, a few feet would grow to lightyears. "Thank you for being so nice to me when I first joined Constellation… I'll be sure to keep in touch… Uhm… Goodbye?" Maxile was telling him goodbye… Goodbye?
"Bye… Max…" His words sounded slurred, as if they were spoken in slow motion. With a wave, Maxile turned to leave down the hallway. I won't be seeing him for a long time… Three feet grew into six feet. I don't… I don't want… Six feet grew into fifteen feet. Now Maxile stood at the elevator, waiting for it to climb back to Simeon's floor. I don't want him to go. Heat burst in Simeon's chest when he admitted that to himself. "Max!" The words tumbled from his mouth before he could even think.
"Y-yeah?" Maxile turned his head to face Simeon's sudden outburst. What the hell am I doing? The desire that drove Simeon moved him forward, toward Maxile. The nurse's eyebrows knit together in confusion at Simeon's sudden action.
"What if you didn't?" The question made no sense, but it was all Simeon could manage to form at the moment. Coming to a stop a foot from Maxile, Simeon shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. Just say it, Bankowski!
"Did-" Maxile hesitated when the elevator dinged. The doors to the elevator opened, revealing the motorized box that threatened to take Maxile away from him. "Didn't what?" Maxile finished, returning his focus to Simeon.
"What if you didn't go to Cydonia?" The question lacked confidence on Simeon's tongue. He could do this… He could put his heart on the line… "W-what if you stayed in New Atlantis? With me?" The spare moments that followed his question felt like hours. Simeon could see the gears turning in Maxile's head as he considered the request.
"You want me to stay?" No… I want more.
"I… I don't want to be anywhere you aren't Maxile." The nurse's eyebrows raised at Simeon's use of his full name. Once more, Maxile's fingers twisted nervously, bunching up the fabric of his shirt. Hoping to dissipate the anxiety that plagued Maxile, Simeon reached out to grasp the tense hands. Maxile's hands instantly relaxed when Simeon slid their hands together, their fingers intertwining. "You're really special to me… And I can't stand the idea of not being with you…" Maxile's mouth slightly opened, but no words came out at first.
"I-" Maxile tried to respond without success. Simeon could see a storm of emotion in his green eyes.
"I know I'm being selfish…" Simeon took a step closer until they were inches apart. "But I want you to stay here… I want you to stay with me…" For better or worse, he had his feelings laid out on the table. Maxile had every right to deny his request. But Simeon wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he hadn't said something.
"Simeon, I-" A pink hue tinged Maxile's cheeks, enhanced by their proximity. Simeon was so close he could see the immaculate details of Maxile's emerald eyes. "I don't want to be away from you either… I've had- I've had fee-" Maxile trailed off, his discomfort concealing the words he wanted to desperately admit.
"You've had?" Simeon pressed, giving Maxile's hands a tight squeeze.
"I've had feelings for you for a long time…" Maxile's words were rushed and came out in a single breath. Simeon wasted no time in closing the space between them. Pulling Maxile into his chest, Simeon wrapped him in a tight hug. Maxile's confession made his heart beat like a drum in his chest. How had Simeon not realized these were the words he had always wanted to hear come from the nurse's mouth?
"I'm so happy to hear you say that…" The grin that spread across Simeon's face made his cheeks ache. "I can't express how happy I am… I- I feel the same about you." Simeon's admission flowed easier than he had expected to. It was so natural telling Maxile how much he cared for him…
"R-really?" Maxile sputtered.
"Obviously! So… is that a yes?" Simeon mumbled after a few seconds. His breath caused Maxile's wavy blond hair to flutter. Cupping the nurse's cheeks, Simeon pulled back to gaze into his eyes once more. The craving to stay by Maxile's side overtook the guilt Simeon held for requesting him to remain in New Atlantis.
"I was probably going to tell Dr. Sotello I couldn't go with him anyway," Maxile admitted shyly. "Then I was just going to make up an excuse for you later…" Simeon laughed in relief. A weight had been lifted from his chest. A weight he didn't realize had even existed. His time with Maxile wasn't over yet!
"So… Now what?" Simeon asked as he smiled down at the man in his arms. Without the addition of Constellation, the universe was their oyster. They could do whatever they want. Be whatever they want.
"Oh, shit!" Maxile's eyes suddenly widened in shock. "I'm going to have to tell Dr. Sotello I'm not going to Cydonia… That's gonna suck…" Maxile let his head drop forward onto Simeon's chest, unleashing a groan.
"That will suck…" Simeon chuckled into Maxile's hair. "But… We can do it together…" They could do anything they want together. Whether or not Simeon's admission had changed Maxile's path, he still had a confirmation of his future. Simeon and Maxile would remain together.
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
0927 Universal Time
Andreja De'la
Rage rolled off Andreja's body in waves. She couldn't believe how much audacity Avery had to make the decision to dissolve Constellation. Andreja took another sip from the glass of water she clutched and cringed. Perhaps it was affected by her fury, but the water tasted foul.
"Damn you, Avery!" Andreja suddenly cursed. She didn't speak to anyone in particular. Only the colorless furniture in her hotel room heard her voice. She had been stewing for the past twelve hours, pacing back and forth in her room. Anger prevented exhaustion from overtaking her body. How dare he try to protect us! "Fuck!" Andreja cursed once more, throwing the glass into the nearby wall. The glass shattered upon impact, littering the floor with shards and saturating the carpet below.
The sudden effort had failed to sate her anger in the least. Her chest still heaved as she breathed. I can't believe he's trying to protect us… To protect me… Gazing around her room, she found her bag. It was all she had. She hadn't been able to salvage much from The Atlas, only the bare minimum. Andreja had loosely unpacked her bag when she paid for the room, but the bulk of her belongings remained stowed away.
A thought crossed Andreja's mind. She didn't need Constellation… She didn't need Avery… She didn't need anything! She could continue to explore the Settled Systems all by herself; it certainly wouldn't be the first time she was alone. Avery can go straight to hell! Andreja thought bitterly as she began grabbing her belongings from around the room. She wasn't staying in New Atlantis.
Now that Avery had released Andreja from Constellation, she could leave. Why would she want to align herself with a liar, anyway? Andreja faltered at the thought, her resolve wavering. Who was she to be angry about Avery's secret? So he didn't disclose his relation with the Crimson Fleet leader, Delgado? The man who had come so close to killing her. Andreja had gone years without telling Avery the true nature of her goal with the House Va'ruun. Once she had finally told him, he accepted it without consequence. He accepted her without regret…
No matter… Andreja thought, dropping the double standard that troubled her. Avery's lies weren't even the main issue. The fact remained that Avery chose to protect them despite their reservations. Avery was a fool if he thought Andreja would return to Constellation at his request. This was on him! Avery was the one who broke their deal, not her. Once Andreja had gathered her short list of possessions, she roughly unzipped her bag to stuff them in. However, she froze at the sight of what lay at the bottom of her bag.
Avery's goggles… The specialized goggles he had purchased so long ago mocked her. After her last debacle with the Crimson Fleet, Avery had gifted her with the goggles. Just in case you ever get into a tough spot in the void of space… That had been his explanation. And when Andreja had tried to refuse the gift, he changed the offer into an order. Damnit, Avery…
She was going to confront him… Andreja would track him down and demand that he answer her. Stuffing her possessions into the bag, Andreja slung it over her shoulder. He is going to answer me… He's going to tell me why he thinks I'm someone who needs protection…
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
0940 Universal Time
Sarah Morgan
The United Colonies' military was certainly conceited. Based in the MAST building, the massive facility stood tall in New Atlantis. The building even dwarfed the nearby skyscrapers surrounding it. The sleek exterior of the MAST building reflected Alpha Centauri's light, blinding nearly everyone in the city. But as long as it was eye-catching, the UC didn't seem to mind.
"Sarah Morgan!" A familiar voice announced as she stepped into the MAST building's lobby. Sarah's old friend John Tuala stood at the front desk, giving her a welcoming grin. In the past, she and John had been stationed together. Often, they each led their own platoons and would defend UC territory. After the Colony War between the UC and the Freestar Collective, John retired from the front lines. Now he handles cadet recruitment. "It's good to see you! I saw your name come across my desk today. You're scheduled for a meeting with The Cabinet… You don't even work under the UC anymore. How much trouble are you in?"
John's recruiter assignment was perfect for him. The man radiated charisma and had an eye for potential recruits. Sarah was sure that he could convince a rock to join the UC.
"Nice to see you too, John." Sarah greeted, leaning over the man's desk. "Hopefully not too much. My crew recently crash landed on Jemison… I'm sure they want to discuss what happened." The potential conversation of the Starborn weighed heavy on Sarah's mind. She deeply regretted announcing it over a recorded line. But there was no use in fretting over the blemish. Sarah also had to consider whether or not she should mention what was found in the black box data she recovered from The Dauntless. Overall, this meeting could go in an infinite amount of directions.
"I heard about that…" John's smile fell, which was a rare sight. "I didn't realize that was your starship… I'm glad you're safe."
"It's fine, John." Sarah waved off the man's concern. "Everyone is fine…" A ping of guilt struck through Sarah's mind. Almost everyone was okay… She made a mental note to check in on Barrett's well-being in the future.
"Good…" Her old friend's smile didn't return; instead, he eyed her suspiciously. It was as if he were waiting for her to crack. Break down into tears. He knew something was off about their crash landing. Fortunately, John didn't press the matter. "Anyway, The Cabinet is waiting for you in the conference room. Good luck, Sarah. Give 'em hell." With a final wave, Sarah stepped into the lobby elevator and mashed the button for the top floor. The elevator rocketed skyward, bringing her closer to the supervising UC officials who likely planned to heavily question her.
As the elevator slowed to a stop, Sarah took a deep breath. She had predicted every potential question in this meeting. There was no chance The Cabinet would take her by surprise. Confirming the story once more in her mind, Sarah stepped into the grand conference room. Just as last time, the five members of The Cabinet sat at a long table. President Abello nodded in acknowledgment of Sarah's arrival and motioned for her to stand before them.
"Sarah, I'm glad you are well." President Abello began with an emotionless smile gracing her lips. "Thank you for finding time away from Constellation to meet with us." That's right… They weren't aware of her status yet… The mention of Constellation brought a brief sense of sadness to Sarah, but she swallowed it before it could show in her face.
"We have much to discuss…" Admiral Logan spat, as gauche as ever. "First things first, your mention of-"
"That can be addressed later." President Abello interrupted the Admiral, much to his irritation. Admiral Logan had never been a man of patience, especially when he didn't get his way. Regardless, Sarah appreciated the President's control over the room. "So to address the elephant in the room, we are deeply sorry for the state of your starship… I'm sure it was traumatic for you and your crew."
"Yes, President…" Sarah agreed. She could feel the fierce stares of the five UC officials on her. They watched every move Sarah made and scrutinized every bit of emotion she released. "But my crew is resilient."
"Aren't they?" Security Chief Sarkin remarked. His tone was indifferent; what was supposed to be a compliment was only made to further the conversation. "I hear a lot about the triumphs of Constellation these days…" The Cabinet murmured comments of agreement.
"I was told about Constellation's involvement in HopeTown." Chief Engineer Kulkarni supplied. "This was maybe a year ago? Something about assisting in solving a murder right in the middle of Ron Hope's starship factory." Kulkarni's eyebrow raised in question as she spoke. It was common knowledge that The Cabinet wasn't a fan of Ron Hope. Sarah understood the hesitation; she didn't care for Ron either. Still, Sarah wouldn't downplay Barrett's assistance.
"Correct."
"And of course, Constellation assisted the UC with taking down a spacer terrorist." Security Chief Sarkin added, referring to the Simeon fiasco. Sarah nearly faltered and snorted at the mention of their involvement. It wasn't as if The Cabinet had given Constellation a choice in the matter. "There was a huge boost of morale amongst New Atlantis citizens after that event." Again, the conference room was filled with words of agreement from The Cabinet. What are they getting at?
"Actually, I recently received word from a small colony in the Maal Star System," Chief Diplomat Yasin expanded. Yasin's job was to maintain good standing between the UC and the rest of the Settled Systems. But Sarah found it hard to believe that he extended that to even minor colonies. "Apparently Constellation defended them from a Crimson Fleet raid?"
"We did," The Cabinet remained impassive to Sarah's confirmation. She wasn't naive to all these compliments. They were steering her somewhere. "It was only right to protect the innocent."
"Of course," President Abello agreed. The President's lips tightened as she prepared her next thought. "Constellation is certainly impressive. Which is why we would like to further our relationship with your crew. Especially with the increased frequency of Crimson Fleet attacks throughout the Settled Systems…" Ah, a partnership then?
"I appreciate the offer," The Cabinet members froze at Sarah's response. "But Captain Avery has made the decision to dissolve Constellation for the time being. After the destruction of our starship, he felt we needed to take a break from Constellation activities…"
"No matter," President Abello spoke without skipping a beat. "The offer is still extended to you, Sarah. The Crimson Fleet isn't slowing down, and neither will we." Sarah's eyebrows knit together in puzzlement before she rapidly collected herself.
"You're asking me to join back with the UC to fight the Crimson Fleet?" Sarah spoke slowly, attempting to process the request. What use would a single woman be against the entire Crimson Fleet?
"Correct," President Abello shuffled through the papers on her desk. "Maal, Sagan, Newton, Freya, Bolivar… All systems that have suffered recent attacks from the Crimson Fleet. And now we've had an attack close to home. The Crimson Fleet attacked your starship right in our territory. It's getting out of hand-" The President visibly shook as she spoke, rage overtaking her at the thought of the Crimson misfits.
"What are Starborn?" Admiral Logan suddenly interrupted, earning him a glare from the President. The Admiral didn't bother sparing the President a glance, instead holding Sarah in a glare of his own. "During your emergency broadcast, you mentioned your starship was attacked by enemies you called 'Starborn.' Explain." President Abello rolled her eyes at Logan's persistence.
"Yes, that is something we needed to discuss…" President Abello sighed, giving Sarah an expectant look. The Cabinet members all leaned forward, eager to hear Sarah's response.
"We were mistaken," Sarah said candidly. "As you can tell from the damage to our starship, the Crimson Fleet had updated equipment. We mistook them for a new enemy." The response was short and rehearsed. Sarah could feel beads of sweat forming above her temple as she awaited The Cabinet's response. From the way he gritted his teeth, Admiral Logan obviously didn't believe her in the least.
"You're telling me the Crimson Fleet has new weapons at their disposal? Weapons the UC hasn't even touched?" Sarah refused to let Logan intimidate her, hardening herself in his glare.
"Correct."
"Unbelievabl-"
"If that's the case, then your assistance with the UC is detrimental." President Abello interrupted before the Admiral could explode. Sarah released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding when the President spoke.
"President!" Logan exclaimed, swirling to glare at President Abello. She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes, instantly waning his anger.
"Admiral, quiet. If Sarah says the Crimson Fleet has new technology, I believe her…" The Admiral blanched and crossed his arms over his chest in defeat. What a lucky break… "Sarah, I have someone who would like to speak with you." President Abello pressed a button on her desk, causing an enormous monitor to drop down behind her. After a few seconds, a man appeared on the monitor. Behind the man, multiple UC subordinates worked diligently at workstations. His chest was decorated with numerous pins commemorating his achievements with the United Colonies.
"Commander Kibwe Ikande?" Sarah uttered the man's name in a state of perplexity. She hadn't seen him in years. The man harbored a personal vendetta against the Crimson Fleet and made it his mission to eradicate them. This drive eventually helped him work his way up the ladder into his current position as the Head of the Systems Defense Division.
"I'll be short," Commander Ikande's heavy accent rivaled her own. "Sarah Morgan, as you know, I currently head the division that is tasked with ridding the Settled Systems of the Crimson Fleet. From what I hear, your experience with the Crimson Fleet is invaluable. If possible, I'd like to invite you aboard my starship, The UC Vigilance. Your expertise would be… necessary." The entire room fell silent, awaiting Sarah's answer. Well, I suppose I'm not doing anything else right now? And if I manage to gather the resources to assist Avery when he's ready… Then that's just all the better.
"I'd be happy to assist, Commander." Sarah saluted the Commander. The gesture was no longer familiar to her; it felt awkward and tense. Even so, the Commander's head held high in appreciation.
"Excellent," he responded. "Once you are aboard my starship, we can discuss your role more in depth. I refuse to allow you to be treated as a simple UC Captain. You are so much more, Sarah Moragan…" What does that entail?
"I'm happy you have made this choice, Sarah." President Abello stood, followed shortly by the other four members of The Cabinet. The President opened her arms, gesturing to all members in the room. "You will be working a lot closer with us in the future. We have a lot to do together, and it won't just involve the Crimson Fleet." Sarah didn't miss the brief irritation that flashed in Ikande's expression, he was certainly passionate.
"I do have plans for the future…" If Sarah didn't say this now, she may regret it at a later date. "I'm still loyal to Constellation. If Avery calls on me, I will return." This was a risk… In addition to accepting a job without further details, she was announcing her unstable commitment. Fortunately, the President seemed to take it in stride.
"That's acceptable, we can discuss it when writing up your contract." President Abello responded, waving her anxiety off.
"While we are here, there is one more topic I'd like to bring up…" Sarah spoke slowly, reading the room. "The black box data I retrieved from The Dauntless… Why was HopeTech involved with The Dauntless? I understand that the UC was at war with the Freestar Collective... But that doesn't explain how the HopeTech name found its way on my ship." President Abello's eyes narrowed in interest, rather than suspicion. Sarah had just revealed her cards; now, The Cabinet knew she had investigated the black box data before passing it along. Still, the President didn't appear angry.
"Ron Hope…" President Abello spat the name. "He's been a thorn in our side since The Colony War all those years ago… Unfortunately, his involvement with the Council of Governors makes him untouchable… for now…" Where the United Colonies were led by The Cabinet, the Council of Governors headed the Freestar Collective. The Council included Elias Cartwright, Benjamin Bauy, Ron Hope, Reisha Lance, and Dr. Lara Darvish. Each with their own specialty and responsibilities. But why are they important? Each faction had always done everything in its power to ignore the other.
"Our treaty with the Freestar Collective has always been an unstable one," Sarkin explained, recognizing the confusion on Sarah's face. "Just because we aren't at war doesn't mean we won't keep our guards up."
"There's reason to believe the Freestar Collective is actively working to bring down the United Colonies," Sarah's eyebrows shot into her hairline at President Abello's statement. Do they mean to investigate Freestar as well? "With your help, we can look into the Freestar's secrets and eliminate the Crimson Fleet… Recently, the UC has come into contact with an anomaly we must keep secret from Freestar…" Sarah couldn't fathom where this heightened suspicion of Freestar was coming from. Sure, the main factions have always had their differences… But The Cabinet was bordering on paranoia.
"Okay?" Sarah asked, awaiting further explanation. Wordlessly, the President pressed another button on her desk. Gears whirred in the conference room, causing a pedestal to rise between Sarah and The Cabinet. The shining figure on the pedestal almost caused Sarah to gasp. An artifact levitated on the pedestal, light catching on its surface.
"In our investigations of the Settled Systems, we've located this mysterious power…" President Abello gestured to the artifact. "It seems the universe still has secrets mankind hasn't found. We've tracked a similar energy spike in Freestar territory… Therefore, we have reason to believe that the Council of Governors has a similar power. I'm extending an olive branch of trust by showing you this, Sarah… Are you with us? How strong is your trust in the superiors you used to serve?"
"I'm with you, President." Sarah saluted, her gaze unmoving from the rotating artifact. Shit!
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
0946 Universal Time
Mickey Caviar
"Make way, everyone! I'm going on holiday!" Mickey announced as he ran through the crowded New Atlantis spaceport. Fortunately, the natives parted to allow him to pass through. He received a few unkind glances, but Mickey cared less. He was on vacation! The wheels on Mickey's luggage case clicked behind him in his hurry.
Although his vacation was unplanned, Mickey felt it was well deserved. He wore brand sunglasses and his finest designer clothes. He deemed his outfit a tad too flashy for the likes of New Atlantis, but fashion was necessary in every setting. Now that Avery had released him from Constellation, Mickey's schedule had opened to go about his business. In the meantime, he could also put the name, Mickey Caviar, back on the map! He could relax for a couple of years and explore the Settled Systems. Esteemed ex-Captain of Constellation, going on sabbatical. Mickey could see it now… The attention… The autographs… The glory!
Mickey slowed in his trek at the familiar sight of an angry man standing in the spaceport. Eddie stood by himself with his bags at his side. Mickey supposed his vacation could be delayed a few more minutes, so he could say goodbye to his close friend.
"Chef," Eddie nodded as Mickey approached him. The physician's tone was softer than usual. In fact, Mickey could have swore he noticed the physician's eyes crinkle in a hidden smile.
"Eddie! It's good to see you!" In his excitement, Mickey must have arrived too close to Eddie's person. Because the physician took a step backward from Mickey. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm waiting for Maxile. He's supposed to meet me here in fifteen minutes, but I guarantee he is going to be late!" Mickey's eyebrows raised at the physician's use of Maxile's name, but he didn't comment on it. Since the nurse's arrival, Eddie had only addressed him by 'Mr. Deimos.' The sudden change was somewhat random. "So, what is your plan of action, Mickey?" Eddie asked, changing the subject.
"I will be touring the Settled Systems!" Mickey flared his arms out to enunciate his point, hitting a passerby in the process.
"Watch it!" The angry man he struck was thoroughly ignored. It wasn't Mickey's fault that the man had come too close to him.
Mickey pondered his first destination, "I'm probably going to visit the Foray casino in the Shoza Star System first… Oh! And then I plan to go back to Paradiso!"
"I'm pretty sure we're blacklisted from Paradis-"
"Oh!" Eddie's forehead creased at Mickey's sudden interruption. "Then I'm going to spend a month on Pluto. Sometimes a man has to find himself in the outer wilds…"
"Well," the physician suddenly cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I'll be in Cydonia… So if you ever find that you've… fallen off the wagon, just give me a call. I'll come to you and we can handle it together." Mickey tilted his head to peek at the physician over the brim of his sunglasses.
"Eddie," Mickey drawled. "I know and accept that I'm an addict, now. Understanding that, I refuse to let Aurora control my life again. But, I appreciate the offer." The physician gave him a long stare before nodding in acceptance.
"Well, the offer stands," A hand gradually extended to Mickey. "Stay safe, Mickey Caviar. I expect to hear of your travels while I'm in Cydonia." Mickey slid his hand into Eddie's and gave it a firm shake.
"I'm off then!" Mickey announced, releasing the physician. "Tell Max I said go to hell!" Just because he now favored the nurse didn't mean Mickey had forgotten the stunt he pulled during his first day on The Atlas. Bribing me with a bottle of virgin Bayu Private Reserve… That bitch… Not waiting for a response, Mickey spun on his heel and resumed his trek toward the colossal starships in the distance. He had a ride to catch!
"Make sure you follow up with a physician!" Eddie's voice didn't register in Mickey's brain as he ran. He had too much to consider. His vacation would be one to write about. Arriving at a starship, Mickey piled in. The starship bustled with movement as he pushed through. After he was safely buckled into one of the seats, Mickey felt he could breathe. This is so exciting! The starship rumbled, signaling its departure from New Atlantis.
"Excuse me…" Mickey felt a tap on his shoulder. A rather angry man stood over Mickey, looking down at him with annoyance. "Who the hell are you?" The man wore a mining spacesuit.
"I'm a guest going to the Shoza Star System!" Mickey deadpanned. The help can be so rude… What happened to customer service? Shaking off the man's horrid disposition, Mickey smiled. "May I see your drink menu?"
"W-what!?" The man exclaimed. "This starship is going to the Moloch System to mine platinum… How did you even get on the ship!?"
"Hmm…" Mickey mused. It hadn't bothered to schedule a transport ship… Honestly, he had just hopped on the shiniest starship in the spaceport, and that was all she wrote. That was part of the adventure, after all.
"Well!? Are you a miner or not!?"
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
1003 Universal Time
Edward Sotello
Three minutes… His nurse was tardy by three minutes! Oh, will that boy be punished… He'd be counting stock… Sorting supplies… Cleaning… Although he'd probably still find a way to finish all those tasks and maintain his stubborn disposition. The thought brought a smile to Edward's face. Edward quickly turned the corners of his mouth downward; he had a reputation to keep, after all.
It vexed him to admit, but Edward's life had significantly improved when Maxile set foot onto The Atlas. Despite the young nurse's more irksome personality traits, Edward couldn't deny his competency. Although that fact wouldn't excuse Maxile's blatant disrespect of Edward's time.
Edward had plans for Cydonia. Cydonia's hospital had been in utter disarray during the short time they had visited. The emergency room was constantly oversaturated… The inpatient beds were full and rarely turned over new patients… Cydonia's death rate was at an all time high… Hospital management had chosen to cease elective surgeries due to the volume of life-saving surgeries occurring daily… It killed Edward to see his birth city in such abhorrent condition. With Maxile by his side, he planned to completely rebuild the state Cydonia's hospital had fallen into.
Edward huffed impatiently, glancing around at the unfamiliar faces that passed him in the spaceport. Where is he!? Edward had considered the possibility of Maxile remaining in New Atlantis… He wasn't blind to the nurse's affinity toward Simeon. But Maxile would at least tell him face-to-face that he wouldn't be accompanying Edward… Sure, Edward wasn't the most approachable person. But, he still deserved advanced notice, right?
Edward thoughtlessly relaxed muscles he hadn't realized were tight when he noticed a mop of wavy blond hair making its way through the crowd of people. Maxile weaved through the crowd, moving toward the rendezvous Edward had set for them. Only when he noticed the lanky sniper traveling alongside him did Edward realize… It seems Maxile won't be joining me in Cydonia…
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
1005 Universal Time
Maxile Deimos
Maxile's mind had become a storm of emotion since Simeon's sudden declaration. He wants me to stay! The idea of navigating this new relationship with Simeon was both terrifying and exciting to Maxile. For one, he had never been in a relationship before. And two, he had never felt as strongly for someone either. Sure, there had been fleeting attractions during his time on The Clinic… But Maxile had always managed to bury himself in his work and his promise to pay back Dr. Darvish.
However, when Maxile noticed Dr. Sotello standing among the crowd in the spaceport, anxiety hit him like a hammer. Oh, shit… He's going to be so pissed! Not even the hand Simeon placed between his shoulder blades could soothe the worry that stole Maxile's breath from his lungs. He's not going to be pissed… He's going to be disappointed!
"It'll be fine, Max…" Simeon's attempts to calm him fell on deaf ears. Dr. Sotello's expression remained stone-faced as they neared him. Once Maxile was a solid six feet from the physician, his feet refused to work. He just couldn't force himself to move a step closer. Dr. Sotello showed no reaction to Maxile's obvious discomfort. The creases in the physician's forehead didn't soften, nor did they deepen. Instead, he stood with his arms crossed behind him, awaiting Maxile's explanation.
Maxile's voice sounded breathy as he spoke, "Dr. Sotello…"
"Mr. Deimos. You are now-" Dr Sotello glanced down at his wrist watch, confirming the time. "Five minutes late! You just might have possibly cost us prime seating on our transport ship! Are you even ready to go to Cydonia?" This is already starting off badly… Maxile's mouth felt as dry as the Martian desert. Maxile's anxiety clouded his mind, causing him to stutter his response.
"I-I'm g-going to stay in N-New Atlantis…" Dr. Sotello didn't react in the least to Maxile's words. "I'm staying with Simeon." Maxile turned to the sniper, whose eyebrows raised in surprise. I'm not going down by myself! The seconds that followed felt like years.
"I see…" Dr. Sotello muttered. He didn't… seem angry… In fact, Maxile swore he saw a tinge of sadness in Dr. Sotello's eyes. Maxile would rather have irritated the physician than disappoint him…
"I'm sorry, Dr. Sot-"
"No matter," Dr. Sotello waved off Maxile's apology. Taking a few steps forward, Dr. Sotello closed the distance between them. "However, if you are planning on staying in New Atlantis, I fully expect you to continue your studies. Healthcare is constantly changing, and I will not tolerate my nurse experiencing any lack of competency. If I decide to check in, and you are not staying up to date on medications, evidence-based practice, pathology, etc.. In that case, I will yank you over to Cydonia faster than you can comprehend! Understood?" Maxile's jaw dropped. What's happening? He's not mad about me deciding to stay in New Atlantis?
"U-understood, Dr. Sotello." Maxile sputtered. With a firm nod, Dr. Sotello turned to take his leave. However, the physician paused when he started to ascend the ramp into the transport ship.
"And Maxile," Dr. Sotello looked over his shoulder back at Maxile. "You two stay safe… Don't be a stranger…"
"You either, Dr. Sotello…" Maxile watched on, even when the starship had closed and prepared for launch. That went better than I thought it'd go… When Dr. Sotello's transport ship was well out of Jemison's orbit, Maxile finally turned to look at Simeon. The sniper gazed down at him with affection. "Now what?" Maxile asked, referring to Simeon's previous question. Simeon lightly gripped Maxile's shoulders, turning him until they faced each other. Oh shit…
"Now," Simeon whispered, his face mere inches from Maxile's. "Now we build our own life here in New Atlantis…" Maxile's stomach felt as if it were doing backflips. Being here with Simeon… The crowd of people surrounding them became insignificant. All that mattered were the blue eyes that gazed into Maxile's.
"Let's do it then…" Maxile whispered, edging forward. What should I do now? Ah, screw it. Tilting his head up, Maxile caught Simeon's lips with his. The contact Maxile had craved for so long sent waves of heat throughout his entire body. Simeon responded with enthusiasm, his jaw moving along with Maxile's. The kiss was brief, yet shameless. Onlookers be damned. When they finally parted, Simeon still held Maxile in his gaze.
"Alrighty then," Simeon smiled. Constellation may have been where he found himself… Constellation may have been where he grew into the man he was today. But here, with his fingers intertwined with Simeon's, that was where he belonged. Their easy life in New Atlantis wouldn't last forever. Eventually, Avery would return to continue the search for the artifacts. And Maxile had no doubt that neither he nor Simeon would deny their former Captain's inevitable summons. But for the time being, this would be a good change… Even if it's only temporary.
A Transport Ship, Orbiting Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
1632 Universal Time
Cora Coe
The further her dad flew the transport ship from New Atlantis, the more her eyes threatened to fill with tears. This was all new ground for Cora. The starship she'd essentially grown up on was nothing but scrap. The family she had grown to trust and love was separated by lightyears of space. And Cora and her dad were returning to Akila City to begin a new life.
Her dad piloted the starship at a leisurely pace away from Jemison. Only using the starship's retrorockets, he likely planned to get enough distance to initiate the grav drive. Fortunately, the transport ship had a copilot seat that Cora was allowed to sit in. Granted, she couldn't touch any of the neat controls covering the panel. But Cora would take what she could get. The excitement… The newness… It'd never be able to cover up the love she held for Constellation. I already miss everyone so much…
"You good?" Sam asked, throwing Cora a sideways glance. She must not be concealing her emotions as well as she thought. Cora considered lying; it'd worry her dad less if she did. But ultimately decided to tell the truth.
"I miss everyone…" Cora folded her hands in front of her. With everything that had happened, her control over her thoughts, emotions, and actions was the only thing she still had. When she noticed the way her dad's eyebrows knit together in concern, she continued. "But, I'm excited to go to Akila City. I turned fifteen last month, so that makes eleven months until I can apply for my piloting license. Then, I'm going to join the Freestar Rangers. That way, when Avery comes back, I can be an asset!"
"Right…" Cora may be young, but she wasn't dumb. She wasn't blind to how her goals concerned her dad. Sam's sigh broke the tension in the cockpit, "You remind me so much of your mom... You'll get an idea, and set your mind to it. Then, there's nothing that can stop you." Cora cocked her head. What's he trying to say?
"Is that… a bad thing?"
"No!" Cora jumped at her dad's sudden volume. He cringed when he realized how loud he was. Sam elaborated further, albeit at a lower volume. "It's a good thing. You just… don't doubt what you want to do, just like Lillian… She's always so self-assured. Obviously, I'm not a fan of you joining the Rangers… But I won't stop you." Cora shot him a smirk.
"You're just saying that because you're joining back with the Rangers…" Cora was only slightly joking. Although the way her dad shrank told her that she wasn't far off base. "Just admit you want to make sure I don't manage to ding up any of the Rangers' shiny starships…"
"Well, we all have to start somewhere! Actually…" Sam leaned forward to look out of the cockpit. Nothing surrounded them but empty space. The UC starships were all miles back, orbiting Jemison. "Switch seats with me." The command took Cora by surprise, but she obeyed. Like she was going to refuse to sit in the hot seat…
"O-okay?" Once Cora sat in the Captain's seat, she realized how little she knew about the control panel before her. Fortunately, her dad was patient.
"Alright, first we need to set Akila's coordinates into the starship's navigation system," Sam explained, pointing at the touch monitor on the control panel. With minute help, Cora navigated the starship's menu until she located the desired planet. The transport ship's navigation system was nowhere near as fancy as The Atlas, but Cora managed. "Luckily, most starships have the coordinates to major settlements preprogrammed."
"Alright…" Cora muttered once the destination was set. She peered down at the control panel for a moment longer before glancing over to her dad. He grinned in a way that told Cora he had been waiting for her to ask what to do next. She wasn't going to allow her pride to waste this chance. "And then?"
"Now, we turn off the retrorockets…" Cora followed his direction until all retrorockets were deactivated. Now, only their previous momentum propelled them through the void of space. "There are two ways to activate the grav drive, either with or without the engines running. Activating the grav drive while the engines are at full tilt will result in a quicker jump… But it's a lot harder on the ship. I try to only do that in an emergency. But, this is stuff I'll teach you in more depth later…" Cora had to calm herself; her excitement literally had her bouncing in the chair.
"Gotcha…" Cora moved through the touch screen, confirming that the engines were offline. Sam looked over her shoulder, double checking her work.
"Okay then, now we need to relocate power into our helium converters…" The following steps proved to be much trickier than Cora had expected. More often than not, Sam had to point out what to do next. Flip a switch here… Press a button there… Don't press that button, unless you want to jettison your cargo into space… By the time Cora had prepared the starship to jump, her head felt like it would explode. How had her dad done this with such ease? It took Sam ten seconds to program the grave drive, where it had taken Cora two minutes. "Amazing… Now that the helium converters are active, you can initiate the grav drive. Just hit that button when you're ready." Sam pointed to a blinking switch above their heads.
"Really!?" Cora felt herself beginning to jump again. When her dad nodded to proceed, Cora gripped the control stick tightly. I've been waiting for this moment… "Three… Two… One… Let's go!" The transport ship reacted appropriately when Cora reached up to smash the blinking button. Distant stars blurred into bright streaks as they rocketed forward. Cora couldn't help the scream of joy that erupted from her mouth as they jumped to Akila. I definitely want to do this!
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
1708 Universal Time
Vasco
{Reviewing event # 00084689, Date 08/01/2331, Time 1135}
{Context}
Subject: Captain Avery Del has announced that he intends to disband Constellation temporarily. The rest of the crew are noted to voice their concerns and apparent displeasure.
{Inquiry to VAS-119}
"Vasco, what do you want to do?"
{Sorting data}
Subject: Captain Avery Del is requesting what VAS-119 'want.' No directive noted in question.
{Protocol to apply to inquiry}
Not applicable. Define 'want.'
{Response}
"I cannot 'want' anything, it is not in my programming." Facial recognition module activated: Subject: Captain Avery Del appears displeased with VAS-119 response.
{Inquiry to VAS-119}
"Then where do you feel like you should be?"
{Sorting data}
Subject: Captain Avery Del is requesting what VAS-119 'feel.' No directive noted in question.
{Protocol to apply to inquiry}
Not applicable. Define 'feel.'
{Response}
"I cannot 'feel' either… But… I calculate Barrett's chance at survival at a much higher percentage if I remain by his side." Facial recognition module activated: Subject: Captain Avery Del appears displeased with VAS-119 response despite additional data response.
{Suggestion}
Continue to respond with appropriate data.
{Inquiry to VAS-119}
"So you want to stay with Barrett?"
{Sorting data}
Subject: Captain Avery Del is requesting what VAS-119 'want.' Subject: Captain Avery Del is implying VAS-119 'want' to stay with Subject: Amundsen Barrett. No directive noted in question.
{Protocol to apply to inquiry}
Protocol error: 444-8; Protocol error: 904-1; Protocol error: 451-2. VAS-119 calculates 63.889% increase in Subject: Amundsen Barrett survival rate if accompanied by VAS-119. Self-directive? VAS-119 to remain with Subject: Amundsen Barrett.
{Response}
"As I said before, I cannot 'want' anything. My programming does not allow for it. But, if I could 'want' anything. I believe I would want to stay with Barrett. He is more likely to survive in my doing so." Facial recognition module activated: Subject: Captain Avery Del appears plea- Protocol error: 747-2; Protocol error: 340-3.
{Statement to VAS-119}
"Then remaining with Barrett is your current objective."
{Sorting data}
Directive received: 'Remain with Subject: Amundsen Barrett.'
Vasco had repeatedly analyzed the previous conversation held with Avery. Overall, all results remained inconclusive. The notion that Vasco could 'want' anything caused the CPU chip embedded in his motherboard to overheat to scorching temperatures. In addition to the multiple errors, Vasco determined that the 'want' that was felt was simply a faulty module. Within milliseconds, Vasco had the entire conversation trashed; errors and all. Everything, apart from the current objective: 'Remain with Subject: Amundsen Barrett.'
At first, hospital staff showed apprehension at Vasco's presence in Barrett's room. Every time a new subject would tend to Barrett, Vasco's vital sign module detected mild tachycardia in their anxiety. The subject's discomfort was insignificant to Vasco.
As before, Vasco added Barrett's current vital signs to the growing list in his memory files. Vasco had taken logs every thirty minutes since Barrett was first placed on the monitor. Currently, Vasco calculated Barrett's survivability to be around seventy-two percent… Of course, that number was an average, and fluctuated throughout the day.
"I will remain by your side… my friend." The term 'friend' was difficult for Vasco to process. But if Barrett was able to comprehend Vasco's voice, it was worth the hardship on his microprocessors. Satisfied with the support he showed the injured engineer, Vasco retracted his extremities until he sat in the corner of the room. One by one, Vasco deactivated unnecessary modules that needlessly consumed power. Slowly, Vasco descended into low-power mode, his camera unmoving over Barrett's sleeping form.
New Atlantis, Jemison, The Alpha Centauri System
Year 2331, August 2nd
1827 Universal Time
Avery Del
The pure amount of effort Avery spent preparing for his journey into the unknown had been much more time-consuming than expected. By the time his preparations were made, it was late in the day. The spaceport only contained sparse people, arriving/departing on their personal starships. As luck would have it, Avery managed to rent out the final available transport ship.
In the grand scheme of things, Avery didn't have much. He only had a small bag and the clothes on his back. Everything else he owned had been jettisoned into space during their crash landing. But Avery couldn't muster the sadness at the loss of his material belongings. At the end of the day, all of his crew were safe… Even if one was in critical condition… Avery was sure Sarah would keep him updated on Barrett's status.
Ascending the ramp into the transport ship, the past memories revolving around his crew swam through his mind. Damn, I'll miss them so much… Another bonus about leaving so late was the fact that he was less likely to run into any of his crewmates. Was it cowardice? Perhaps. But Avery understood how his decision to disband Constellation hurt each of them.
Avery remained confident that this change was only temporary, but he'd miss their antics. What would he do without Sarah's level-headedness? He'd grown so dependent on his Vice-Captain's advice during the difficult situations they navigated. Sarah's competence had been apparent since they accidentally discovered their first artifact together.
Plus, Avery would have to grow accustomed to flying his own starship again. As much as Sam complained about everything, Avery couldn't deny the man knew his way around a ship. Avery might have been the Captain of The Atlas, but it was Sam who truly mastered the starship. When Cora began learning to fly, Sam would definitely have his own rival. The girl certainly had Coe blood running through her veins. Avery had no doubt Cora would one day return to Avery's crew, insistent on being treated as a full fledged member.
A rumble vibrated Avery's stomach as he inspected the starship before him. In today's busy schedule, Avery had failed to gather anything to eat… Despite Mickey's quirky disposition, the man made sure to keep the crew fed. Just another change he would have to adjust to. Although Avery had plans to disappear, he prayed that his crew would remain in contact with one another. If Mickey were to ever fall off the wagon again, he could always reach out for help.
The shadows of New Atlantis's skyscrapers stretched over Avery. He couldn't turn back to look at them. If he did, he'd risk becoming consumed by the black hole of guilt around Barrett's injuries. Sure, the engineer would never blame him for what happened… But it had been Avery's lack of knowledge… Avery's lack of experience… Avery's incompetency that had injured Barrett… The only fact that soothed him was Vasco's loyalty. The robot wouldn't leave Barrett's side.
Shifting gears, Avery gazed up into endless space. Eddie had made the comment that he planned to return to Cydonia. The physician would change Cydonia's healthcare with an iron fist. For such an angry man, Eddie certainly had an enormous heart…
Thinking about the physician led Avery's focus to Maxile. The wildcard… Avery would have never guessed that a random decision to add the shy nurse to their ranks would have caused such a change. Maxile was a once-in-a-lifetime decision, especially when considering the words of the Starborn. If the Starborn's description of cycles were true and Maxile was never supposed to have joined Constellation, then Avery considered himself lucky. Maxile's split-second decision to save them all is what will one day forge their path to The Unity.
Avery had considered telling Simeon where he was going, but ultimately decided against it. Simeon was his oldest and closest friend, but he wasn't sure he could risk the sniper's life by disclosing his plans. Simeon's anger had weighed heavily on Avery. It seemed unnatural in the sniper's typical happy personality. But it wasn't the end of their friendship. Simeon would forgive him and rejoin when the time came. His loyalty to Avery knew no bounds. Avery managed a chuckle when he considered how quiet his life would be without Simeon and Andreja's constant bickering.
The thought of the astronomer sent another wave of guilt through Avery's body. Andreja was possibly the person he had hurt most of all. He hadn't missed the look of betrayal on her face as she exited Barrett's hospital room. The idea of being away from Andreja felt like a knife to the heart… It's what needs to be done… He never doubted Andreja's strength. It was his own strength Avery lacked confidence in. Shaking the thought from his head, Avery took his first step into the starship's cargo bay. He took his first step into the new life he strived for. He was going to come back stronger… He was go-
"Why did you do it?" Avery froze at the familiar confident voice behind him. Shit… Slowly, Avery pivoted around until he stared down at the unwavering person at the base of the ramp. Andreja stared back, her fierce gaze unblinking. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest, her lips closed tightly together. "You said you ended Constellation for our protection. Why are you trying to protect me!? You have no right to speak for me, Avery!"
Avery felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. Though he felt a bubble of happiness at seeing the astronomer's face, it was clouded by confusion. Why didn't she understand? It was all a facade… His concerns about his crew's safety stemmed from his own shortcomings.
"I'd never dream of needing to protect a woman as strong as you, Andreja…" Avery spoke honestly, hoping to pacify the astronomer's fury. Despite his attempt, Andreja only narrowed her eyes.
"Why did you do it then?" Andreja asked once more. "Why did you send us away? Why… why did you send me away?" The air between them felt tense, almost too thick to take a needed breath. Still, Avery's resilience was failing. He may have ended Constellation, but his soul screamed in defiance to hold on to the crew he loved dearly.
"I- Andreja, I-" Avery's mouth couldn't form the words he desperately wanted to say. Over and over he tried to explain his rationale, but each time fell flat. Only after managing incomplete sentences did Avery figure out precisely what he wanted to convey to the astronomer. "I ended Constellation because I'm not strong enough… Andreja, I can't bear the thought of losing my crew due to my own inexperience. Not if I have the potential to become strong enough to stand against these Starborn bastards… Not if I can learn about what exactly we are up against…" A long pause divided their conversation, only ended by Andreja's sigh.
"Avery," the astronomer huffed once she had collected her thoughts. "You told me that we would remain together until you found a better astronomer or I completed my Va'ruunian destiny…" The mention of their agreement nearly caused Avery to bark a laugh. Fortunately, he had the common sense to control himself.
"I will never find a more perfect astronomer, Andreja…" Avery's voice was barely above a whisper. "No matter how far I search the Settled Systems, I will never find someone as amazing as you…"
"And I've long since abandoned my destiny…" Andreja finally broke eye contact with Avery, choosing to glance down at the spaceport's blacktop. Her following statement came out rushed, but Avery managed to catch her utterance. "For you…"
Avery scratched his head, contemplating the information. He should have guessed a long time ago that the agreement was obsolete on both ends. The longer he gazed upon the Va'ruunian woman, the more difficult it became to ignore the desire to be with her… It was easier to ignore when Avery wasn't in her presence. But… Could he really leave Andreja behind? Could he really go on without the astronomer by his side? Starborn be damned…
"What if we update our deal?" Avery didn't understand where this bravery was coming from. Maybe from his heart? For the first time today, Avery took a confident step forward. Andreja's eyebrow raised as he neared her. "What if we eliminate Constellation from the deal we made? Instead, we agree to protect each other… We agree to stay together for the rest of our lives… Forever…" This 'deal' was nothing but a masquerade. It was the best way Avery could confess how he felt for the astronomer below him.
"Forever?" Andreja's eyes sparkled up at him as she spoke. Avery took another step down the ramp, closing the distance between himself and Andreja. All reservations he had held about ending Constellation flitted from Avery's mind. The sense of loneliness that threatened to crush him seemed to dissipate at the prospect of Andreja staying with him.
"Andr'ja De'la…" Avery's tongue expertly ghosted over the Va'ruunian pronunciation of the astronomer's name. Extending his hand to the woman, Avery made his final offer. "Stay with me forever…" Avery didn't have the chance to fret about his request before Andreja slid her hand into his own.
"Of course," Andreja whispered. The intimate touch of Andreja's hand sent jolts of pleasure up Avery's arm. Pulling the astronomer in, Avery tenderly brought his lips to meet Andreja's. His entire body screamed, finally! The contact lasted for several euphoric seconds, and then it was over. Not releasing him from her embrace, Andreja gazed up into Avery's eyes. "Shall we go?" Avery grinned at the woman's adventurous spirit.
Untangling her from his arms, Avery pulled Andreja into the starship. They practically ran to the cockpit, eager to begin their new adventure together. Once they had prepared for takeoff, Avery had their meager ship orbiting Jemison.
"I know Constellation is over…" Avery said to Andreja in the adjacent copilot seat. The astronomer raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to continue. "But the crew of Constellation… Their stories are nowhere near over. That includes our story. So, Andreja, where to next? Pick a star and let's begin." Avery gestured to the countless stars littering space before them. The gesture sent a wave of nostalgia through his body. It reminded him of the same question he had asked Maxile when the nurse had first joined Constellation.
"Hmmm…" Andreja mused, putting on a show of checking out each star dotting the blackness of space. "You choose this time. I don't mind where we go… As long as we are together." Reaching over, Avery captured her hand in his.
"Good choice," Avery agreed. With only slight effort, Avery set the grav drive and imputed a set of random coordinates. "I can't wait to get started." Activating the grav drive, time and space morphed around their starship, rocketing their twosome into the unknown. These are only growing pains. Don't count us out yet!
The Key, Orbiting Suvorov, The Kryx System
Year 2331, August 2nd
1905 Universal Time
Damian Delgado
"Fuck!" Damian slammed a fist on his desk. After his failure to capture the artifact last week, he hadn't stopped seething. Damn Avery… Damn Constellation… Everything about that mission managed to go completely out of control. It was supposed to be a simple mission. Tail Avery's starship to the artifact location, kill him and his entire crew, take the artifact. Sure, it put Damian and his men in UC territory, but he had expected his Fleet to handle whatever the UC threw at them. What he didn't expect was for those… magicians to appear out of thin air and fuck up everything. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Damian growled as he assaulted his desk further. What the fuck was all that!?
The entire experience had been a humiliating nightmare. Avery had been right there… Damian finally had his younger brother right where he wanted him. But then his entire Fleet was surrounded by a bunch of magic men. Damian had figured he could have weaseled his way out of at, until that little blond idiot pulled that stunt. His mind played back to the dazzling event. The second Avery's crewmate touched that artifact, everything had fallen into chaos. Damian and his men were helplessly yanked into the air. It was as if the moon's gravity had passed over to Avery's crewmate. To add insult to injury, when Damian's tether to Avery's crewmate was severed, he had launched over twenty feet across the surface. His rough landing earned him a sprained ankle.
Stalking from his desk, Damian spanned his gaze out the observation window of his office. The Fleetist worked diligently at the workstation in the bridge of the spacestation below. Not even his most experienced Fleetist stood a chance at the strange new enemies Damian encountered on Kurtz. The artifact resonated in Damian's peripherals. What is the secret to this… thing? When Avery's idiot subordinate touched the artifact, he managed to unleash some sort of secret power. When Damian touched it… nothing.
Fuckin' Avery! Damian cursed his brother once more. No matter how much time it would take, Avery would pay for how he humiliated Damian. I swear… I'll hunt down every single member of Constellation and destroy them… And then I'll find those damn spacemen and they'll suffer for screwing with the Crimson Fleet…
"Delgado." A stern voice at his doorway pulled Damian from his internal rant. In his anger he had failed to notice his second-in-command's arrival. Naeva Mora leaned in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
"What!?" Damian snapped at the women. Her indifferent expression remained unchanged to his outburst. Although he wasn't in the mood for conversation, Damian couldn't deny the respect he held for Naeva. She was as cunning as she was heartless. Naeva held no mercy for the innocent when it came to the progression of the Crimson Fleet. A true member, through and through. Damian didn't consider Naeva soft in the least… Well, unless she spent time with Crimson Fleet's chief engineer, Jasmine Durand. Not that it was any of Damian's business, but he was pretty sure the two women were in a relationship.
"Just got word back from our contact," Naeva explained, pushing herself from the doorway. The woman strolled into his office, coming to a stop at the artifact that lay on a desk. "He said his people have successfully infiltrated Toliman II and we can begin…" Naeva trailed off as she inspected the metal artifact. With all the recent drama, Damian had forgotten the recent alliance he had formed. The idea of forming an alliance baffled him as much as it sickened him. First of all, who was dumb enough to trust a pirate? Second; had Damian really fallen that low? Who was he to need an alliance?
"How are the new recruits coming along?" Damian asked. Despite loathing collaboration with a third party, Damian couldn't deny that their ideals alined… for now. The Crimson Fleet could simply betray his contact when that time came. But first, Damian needed to cultivate the Fleet's numbers. They'd received requests to join from all over the Settled Systems recently. Their infamy was growing astronomically.
Aborting her inspection of the artifact, Naeva turned to answer him, "the first round of recruits are ready for action. The next group of fresh meat should be arriving in a few days… Within a few months our numbers should be doubled." Retiring back to his desk, Damian stared at the assortment of knicknacks on his desk. The alliance had clear criteria. If Damian wanted funding, the Crimson Fleet needed to start spreading throughout the Settled Systems. No one would be safe. Small settlements… Individual colonies… Large Settlements… If the Crimson Fleet started invading territories in the galaxy, their contact would secretly fund the Fleet. Damian figured in the process he would have an easier time tracking down artifacts.
Truth be told, Damian didn't know why the artifacts intrigued him so much. Obviously, he couldn't harness the same power. But if Avery wanted them… Damian wanted them… That was a bridge he'd cross when he arrived at it. For now, he would honor the agreement he set with his contact. He had no clue how their alliance benefited his contact… Nor did he care.
"Sounds good," Damian nodded to his second-in-command. His past failure wouldn't define him or the Fleet. Credits… Territory… Fame… It would all belong to the Crimson Fleet. And anyone who opposed that ideal would be crushed. "When we train this next group of recruits, it's time to start spreading our men. I want all of the Settled Systems to fear the Crimson Fleet. Naeve, you need to make sure everyone is up to par. Anyone who shows you any weakness… Dispose of them."
"Got it," Naeve gave him a half-assed salute, before vanishing out the doorway. Once again Damian found himself plagued with the infuriating thoughts of Constellation. Damn you, Avery… Glancing down, he read over the list of names before him. Avery Del… Simeon Bankowski… Sarah Morgan… Maxile De- The list went on and on… How could such a small crew defy him so easily?
"Avery… You just wait…" Damian lifted the paper closer to his face. This wasn't over… The artifacts would belong to the Crimson Fleet. "I'm going to kill you… and everything you love…" Pulling a lighter from his pocket, Damian lit the list of Constellation members on fire. The flame instantly caught, setting the sheet ablaze. Damian let the paper fall into the metal can next to the desk and silently watched as it crumbled into nothing. Prepare yourself, Avery… There's going to be a big change in the galaxy…
Notes:
Over 200 thousand words and I finally finished! I started this fanfiction on a whim back in November and with persistence, planning, and time, I finally completed it. I've said in past A/N that I don't consider myself a writer... But, I like how it makes me feel. And writing this fanfiction, I grew an appreciation with Starfield's characters. Not that I consider it a wonderful game... But I certainly love the idea. I never wrote this fanfiction with the intent to post... I did it for me. But if anyone found joy/amusement reading it, that makes me happy. I love the idea of family and friends working together toward a common goal. It's very One Piece coded.
A lot of things that happened in this fanfiction were planned since the beginning. Maxile was always planned to touch the artifact and be a clone. I always intended Avery to be related to Delgado. Hence the name 'Avery Del.' (I hid that secret really well, right?) Barrett's injury was a last minute decision. I felt it would really push Avery to make some sort of change in how he is treating the artifacts.
This fanfiction has been really fun to write. Especially with everything the premise allows me to do. Literally anything can happen with the artifacts. So writing the characters to bicker and fight while they deal with the problems they face was enjoyable. Especially with the dramatic, badass moments they got.
I really do want to thank Broc for his couple of comments. I don't feel this fanfiction is for everyone. It is very niche... But by your comments, it seems you were able to relate and enjoy it. So thank you. It was very encouraging.
Anyway, as usual, any errors or sentences that don't read well, please let me know. Anyone that managed to make it to the end, thank you so much!
Wickett
Broc (Guest) on Chapter 1 Wed 19 Feb 2025 03:32PM UTC
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Broc (Guest) on Chapter 8 Thu 20 Feb 2025 09:50PM UTC
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Wickett54 on Chapter 8 Fri 21 Feb 2025 11:30PM UTC
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Broc (Guest) on Chapter 10 Thu 07 Aug 2025 02:20AM UTC
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Wickett54 on Chapter 10 Fri 22 Aug 2025 10:31PM UTC
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