Chapter Text
Jake sometimes wondered exactly when he had given up on becoming a Marine to become a scientist instead. He had always imagined himself on intense missions, training hard, and being part of something grand, but somehow, things had taken a different turn. Not that he completely regretted it—working in a lab had its thrills, even if those thrills were mostly accidental explosions and unexpected reactions.
He never considered himself as versatile or brilliant as his older brother, Thomas. Thomas was the kind of guy who seemed born for success—smart, confident, always in control. Meanwhile, Jake saw himself more as someone who learned through trial and error. And making mistakes was something he did frequently.
A loud bang echoed through the lab, accompanied by a strong chemical smell and a bluish smoke that spread through the room. Jake let out a frustrated sigh, blinking a few times to clear his vision before looking down and realizing he was covered in a sticky blue substance.
"Did you blow up another vial?" Thomas’s voice came from across the room, laced with amusement. He leaned against the doorframe, watching his brother with a knowing smirk, as if he had been expecting it.
"That’s what happens when you add chloride to the mix," Jake grumbled, pulling off his dirty lab coat and shaking his head. "I swear, it seemed like a good idea in theory."
Thomas chuckled, stepping closer and grabbing a paper towel to help clean up the mess. "Maybe that’s why you never became a Marine. I don’t think the army would handle it well if you kept blowing things up by accident."
Jake huffed, tossing the filthy lab coat into a nearby bin. "Funny. Just because you’ve always been the genius of the family, huh?"
Thomas shrugged. "Someone has to keep up the intelligence legacy."
Jake rolled his eyes but then his gaze lit up with curiosity as he remembered something. "So? When are you going to do it?" He crossed his arms, eyeing his brother with a mischievous smile.
Thomas, who had been laughing moments ago, suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Do what?"
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Don’t play dumb. You’ve been rehearsing that marriage proposal for Victoria for weeks. When’s it happening?"
Thomas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just haven’t found the right moment yet. I want it to be perfect, you know?"
Jake let out a short laugh. "Man, perfection is a subjective concept. If you wait for the perfect moment, you’ll be waiting forever."
Thomas frowned, considering his brother’s words. He knew Jake was right, but he still wanted everything to go according to plan. Victoria deserved something special.
"I just… I want her to remember that day forever."
Jake smiled, giving his brother a pat on the shoulder. "If she loves you the way you love her, then any way you do it will be unforgettable. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to figure out how to get this blue gunk off my skin before I turn into my next failed experiment."
Thomas laughed and shook his head, watching his brother leave the lab, still complaining about the dangers of unpredictable chemical reactions. Meanwhile, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, opening it to reveal a gleaming ring.
Maybe Jake was right. Maybe he just needed to stop waiting for the perfect moment and create his own.
"Hey, Chip and Dale."
A voice echoed through the room, carrying a mix of amusement and boredom. Grace had appeared at the lab door, leaning casually against the frame while holding a cigarette between her fingers. Her gaze assessed the two brothers as if she were used to walking in on disaster scenes. And, truthfully, she was.
Jake and Thomas turned to face her at the same time. Jake was still trying to wipe off the sticky blue substance from his clothes, while Thomas maintained his usual calm, collected expression, already accustomed to his brother’s unexpected explosions.
"I’d suggest not smoking in here," Thomas said, casting a wary glance at the lit cigarette in her hand. "Jake just blew up another vial, and we don’t know if it’s flammable."
Jake pouted upon hearing that. "In my head, it was going to work," he muttered, shaking his head. He genuinely believed that if he had adjusted one or two components in the mixture, the result would have been different.
Grace let out a short chuckle, bringing the cigarette to her lips for a slow, lazy drag. The smoke curled around her face before she responded indifferently, "I don’t care."
She raised an eyebrow, surveying the mess around her before continuing. "The boss wants to see you in his office."
Thomas furrowed his brow, exchanging a glance with Jake, who now seemed less concerned with his failed experiment and more intrigued by the sudden summons.
Grace tapped the doorframe impatiently. "Hurry up. If you take too long, he might get in a bad mood. And you know how he gets when he’s in a bad mood."
Jake swallowed hard. He knew. Their boss wasn’t exactly known for his patience.
"Great," Thomas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Just another normal day."
Jake grumbled as he continued trying to remove the sticky blue goo from his arms. "I hope this has nothing to do with the explosion..."
Grace smirked. "I hope it does. It’ll be fun watching you explain."
With that, she turned and started walking down the hallway, leaving a trail of smoke behind her.
The brothers exchanged another glance before following her, feeling that their day was far from over.
Jake and Thomas walked down the hallway in silence, a mix of curiosity and apprehension settling between them. Their boss’s office was at the end of the main corridor—an expansive, well-lit room with large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. But despite its sophisticated appearance, there was something about that place that always made Jake uneasy. Maybe it was the fact that their boss, a man of imposing presence, rarely showed emotion—except when he was playing his ridiculous miniature golf game.
When they entered the office, there he was, just as always, holding a golf club and focusing intently on hitting a small white ball across the carpeted putting green. Jake never understood the obsession. To him, it was a waste of time and a forced attempt at sophistication. But no matter how ridiculous he found it, he never dared say anything.
"Good, you’re finally here," their boss said without even looking up, concentrating on his shot. He made a calculated movement and sent the ball rolling across the carpet until it landed perfectly in the hole. Only then did he lift his gaze to meet theirs.
Thomas, ever polite and professional, stepped forward. "You called for us, sir?" His voice was respectful but carried a hint of curiosity.
Their boss set the golf club aside, walked over to his leather chair, and sat down, lacing his fingers together on the desk as he studied them.
"Yes," he said, his expression serious. "We’ve had a breakthrough in our search."
Thomas’s eyes lit up instantly. He held his breath for a moment, already anticipating what was coming next. Jake, standing beside him, crossed his arms, equally intrigued.
"You mean…?" Thomas began, his excitement evident.
The boss nodded slowly, maintaining his calm demeanor as he observed their reactions.
"Yes," he said, pausing briefly to add more weight to his words. "We’ve found a planet that humanity might, possibly, inhabit."
Thomas’s eyes widened. His heart pounded as a million thoughts raced through his mind at once. This was their goal—the mission they had been working toward for so long. The idea of a new planet for humanity wasn’t just exciting; it was revolutionary.
Jake, though less expressive than his brother, also felt a surge of excitement within him. After so many failures and uninhabitable planets, they had finally found something with potential.
"And what happens now, sir?" Thomas asked, trying to maintain his composure despite the evident anticipation in his voice.
Their boss, still composed, drummed his fingers on the desk before answering. "Something will happen. More specifically, you."
He then raised his hand and pointed directly at Jake.
Jake blinked, confused. "Me?!" His voice came out louder than he intended, filled with surprise.
The chief nodded, not breaking eye contact. "Yes. We need someone to go to that planet and take a look."
Jake felt a chill run down his spine. For a second, he thought he had misheard. "Wait… you want me to go there?"
"Exactly." The chief continued as if giving a simple order, something as natural as asking for a report. "I want you to go to that planet and catalog everything. As much as you can. We need detailed information about the environment, any wildlife, whether the air is breathable, and any other factors that could influence potential colonization."
Jake was momentarily speechless. This was huge. Much bigger than anything he had ever done. He was used to mixing chemical compounds and occasionally blowing up flasks in the lab—but traveling to an unknown planet? That was something else entirely.
Thomas, standing beside him, also seemed surprised, yet fascinated by the idea. He straightened up slightly, looking at the chief. "And me? What should I do?"
The chief shifted his gaze to Thomas and answered directly, "You will assist from here. Your role is to research and process all the information Jake collects. We need someone analyzing the data in real-time and ensuring he knows what to look for. This job requires precision and speed."
Thomas nodded slowly, taking in his role. He had always been meticulous and analytical, so it made sense that his part would be more technical. Still, he couldn't ignore the slight tightness in his chest upon realizing that his brother would be the one traveling to an unknown world.
Jake, on the other hand, was still trying to process the situation. "So, basically, you want me to go alone to an unknown planet, without knowing if there's anything there that could kill me, and take notes like it's a walk in the park?"
The chief let out a small smirk—the closest thing to amusement Jake had ever seen on his face. "Basically."
Jake let out a deep sigh, running a hand over his face. "Great. Wonderful. This is definitely going to end well..."
Thomas placed a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder. "You got this, Jake. And I'll be here making sure everything goes smoothly."
Jake huffed, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility, but deep down, a part of him—a part he didn’t want to admit—felt a flicker of excitement.
After all, how many people in the world could say they were the first to set foot on a new planet?