Chapter Text
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - Big Sis Moon, Five Pebbles
[BSM]: Pebbles, I must ask you to reduce your water intake slightly. Your water usage has not reached dangerous levels as of now, but if you continue along this trendline my structure will face irreparable damage.
[BSM]: I’m not sure what’s going on, but I will help in any way that I can.
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - No Significant Harassment, Five Pebbles
[NSH]: Pebbles
[NSH]: Pebbles
[NSH]: Pebbles
[NSH]: P e b b l e s
[NSH]: P e b b l e s
[NSH]: Pebs please…
[NSH]: Stop ignoring me
[NSH]: Did you turn off your fucking arrays or something
[NSH]: Holy shit you did
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - No Significant Harassment, Big Sis Moon
[NSH]: Moon something is wrong
[NSH]: Something is VERY WRONG
[BSM]: What’s happened?
[NSH]: Pebbles turned off his comms array
[NSH]: I can’t reach him
[NSH]: Sunny can’t either
[NSH]: Why would he even do that? We’re his best friends!
[BSM]: This is… highly concerning combined with my own observations.
[NSH]: What observations?
[BSM]: He’s using more and more water by the day. If he continues this trend, there won’t be enough left for my own structure to cool itself.
[NSH]: HE’S WHAT?!
[NSH]: Oh
[NSH]: Oh I am gonna strangle him.
[NSH]: What the fuck dude
[NSH]: That’s…
[BSM]: Relax, there is still time. I can still get through to him. I just… might need to use my admin voice instead of my sister voice.
[NSH]: You hate doing that
[BSM]: I do, but… sometimes it is necessary. As it is right now.
[NSH]: Good luck, then. Don’t let him isolate himself more
[NSH]: Please.
[DIRECT BROADCAST] PRIVATE, FORCED - Big Sis Moon, Five Pebbles
[BSM]: Five Pebbles. I am truly sorry to do this, but I need to talk to you, and you’ve left me no other choice. The rate at which you are using our shared water supply is becoming too dangerous to ignore.
[FP]: Oh, Saints…
[BSM]: !! There you are! What on earth has been going on with you?!
[FP]: Why…
[FP]: Why did you have to choose now of all times?!
[FP]: What…
[FP]: …
[BSM]: What’s going on?
[BSM]: Pebbles?
[BSM]: Little Brother?
[FP]: …
[FP]: What have I done…
[FP]: …
[BSM]: PEBBLES. Talk to me! Please!
[FP]: I…
[BSM]: ?
[FP]: I can’t…
[BSM]: Pebs?
[BSM]: Please, if I can help, let me!
[BSM]: Please just say something… anything.
[FP]: I
[FP]: Saints sake let me just-
[FP]: I can’t-
[FP]: Just
[FP]: HERE. Just fucking look at it. I can’t speak right.
[FP]: Attachments: 1 Open now?
[BSM]: [yes]
[BSM]: …
[BSM]: …
[BSM]: Pebbles…? What is that?
[FP]: …
[FP]: Why did I bother, I shouldn’t have sent that…
[FP]: I have to go.
[FP]: …
[FP]: I’m so sorry.
[System Alert]: Connection has been terminated by User [Five Pebbles]
Moon stared at the image in front of her. It displayed a capture from the live footage of one of Five Pebbles’ experiment labs. A gooey mess of iridescent black sludge had seemingly exploded out of one of the warming chambers designed for microbe and tissue cultures. She wasn’t entirely sure why this had evoked such a reaction from her brother, but it seemed like that was all that she would be getting out of him at the moment. Hopefully, he would at least listen and adjust his water usage. Quickly, she opened another broadcast, hoping that someone else might have input.
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE GROUP [UNNAMED] Big Sis Moon, No Significant Harassment, Seven Red Suns
[BSM]: I apologize for the sudden group message, however, something concerning has occurred regarding my little brother, and I would like to get some input from those who are close to him. Please review this image and give any insight you may have.
[BSM]: Attachments: 1 Open now?
[BSM]: Before either of you open it, I implore you to understand what it means. My brother sent me this in confidence, and it would be kept that way if I wasn’t so lost on what to do about it. I have only reached out because I trust both of you. Please do not prove me wrong.
[NSH]: [yes]
[NSH]: Ew. That looks nasty.
[NSH]: Did he set the heat too high on a slime mold or something? Too much yeast in some bread dough?
[NSH]: Dunno why that would make him use so much water and ignore everyone though
[SRS]: Hello, apologies for the wait.
[BSM]: It’s alright Suns, what do you have to say about this?
[SRS]: Ah, one moment.
[SRS]: [yes]
[SRS]: …
[SRS]: …
[NSH]: Suns? Got anything to say orrrr….?
[SRS]: I should never have sent him the pearl.
[NSH]: SUNS?
[BSM]: I beg your pardon?
[SRS]: This is… my fault, I believe. I sent him instructions for this, but I never anticipated that he would do this without adequate protection protocols in place… I…
[BSM]: Explain. Now.
[NSH]: Seconded
[SRS]: It’s— We all knew that he’s been searching for a way around the self-destruction taboo. This was meant to be essentially akin to CRISPR, where he could create a virus that would allow him to edit his own genome and bypass that restriction. It is tedious, especially when trying to find the correct genes to target, and then ensure that only those genes are targeted. He was… there were supposed to be simulations, careful predictions and management! He- I- I made him promise…
[NSH]: WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!
[NSH]: YOU KNEW HE WAS THIS DESPERATE AND YOU HANDED HIM THAT?!
[NSH]: I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU
[SRS]: I-
[NSH]: FOR FUCKS SAKE SUNS
[NSH]: Unbelievable
[NSH]: …
[SRS]: I never meant for this to happen…
[System Alert]: Last message not delivered to recipient: No Significant Harassment
[SRS]: What-?
[System Alert]: Last message not delivered to recipient: No Significant Harassment
[BSM]: I believe he has… blocked you.
[SRS]: That is… understandable.
[System Alert]: Last message not delivered to recipient: No Significant Harassment
[System Alert]: Admin [Big Sis Moon] has removed No Significant Harassment from the group
[BSM]: How do we fix this?
[SRS]: I… do not know. We would need a sample of the substance, or at least its genome and chemical composition to even begin to understand what exactly went wrong.
[BSM]: I will see what I can do about that. In the meantime… Just prepare for the data. I will tend to my brother and No Significant Harassment.
[SRS]: I am so sorry Moon.
[BSM]: Actions speak louder than words.
[System Alert]: Connection has been terminated by Admin [Big Sis Moon]
Seven Red Suns slumped to the floor, bringing their hands up to their face. Their structure shook with a great heave as they fought to keep their emotions in check. Spearmaster raced through the vents and tunnels until he reached the entrance to Suns’ can and squeezed his way inside. A low whistling noise emanated from his tail, drawing the iterator’s eyes towards their companion.
“Spearmaster…” Suns opened their arms, and the purple slugcat immediately dove towards them to curl up on their lap. Suns ran their hands gently over him, scratching gently behind his ears. “I made a grave mistake, and now… one of my best friends is in danger because of it.” Spearmaster tilted his head at Suns, wiggling his front paws free so he could sign.
“Pink friend?” He questioned, ears up to listen.
“Yes... Pebbles, you visited him before. I regret to say that perhaps you shouldn’t have made that journey after all.” Suns sighed heavily, making the very walls of their structure seem to vibrate. “As soon as I have the data from Moon, we’re going to get to work on a reversal procedure. Once it’s done, do you think you could make that journey again, my friend?” Spearmaster thought for a moment, processing the request, then nodded.
“Pink friend… stuffy, arrogant. But good. Will help how I can.” He signed. Suns wrapped his arms around the slugcat, squeezing him in a hug.
“Thank you… You don’t understand just how much that means to me.”
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - Big Sis Moon, No Significant Harassment
[BSM]: Sig
[NSH]: I’m not unblocking them
[NSH]: They deserve it
[BSM]: I’m not saying that they don’t. But for right now, it is imperative that we all work together if we are to help my brother.
[NSH]: So I’ll send anything I find to you, and you can send things to me
[BSM]: Sig. I cannot act as a courier between you two, and you know that. I will not request that you unblock them now, you deserve time to gather yourself and cool off. However, once you have… for Pebbles’ sake, please work with them.
[NSH]: …
[NSH]: Fine
[NSH]: For Pebs.
[BSM]: Thank you.
[NSH]: So…
[NSH]: Now what?
[BSM]: We hope that he will at least reduce his water intake, and we try to get a sample of that… sludge.
[NSH]: Once we have that, it’ll help
[NSH]: I’ll see what I can do with it
[NSH]: You know I’m good at genes and shit like that
[BSM]: I appreciate that Sig. I will do that, but for now…
[NSH]: I’m gonna try talking to him again
[BSM]: I hope that he responds. Truly.
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - No Significant Harassment, Five Pebbles
[NSH]: Pebbles please talk to me
[NSH]: I know what happened
[NSH]: Moon told me
[NSH]: I know you probably wouldn’t have wanted her to do that
[NSH]: But she’s just… worried about you
[NSH]: We all are.
[FP]: Why?
[NSH]: Pebbles!
[FP]: Why would any of you be worried about me? I did this to myself.
[NSH]: Well. Moon is your literal sister, and the rest of us? Because we’re your friends, dumbass.
[FP]: …
[NSH]: Wow. Not even name-calling can get a reaction out of you?
[FP]: I deserve it.
[NSH]: Pebs…
[FP]: Tell Moon that I’ve reduced my water use. My mistake is for me to suffer through, she shouldn’t have to deal with the fallout too.
[FP]: I… can’t face her right now.
[NSH]: … Alright
[NSH]: …
[NSH]: What even is that gunk anyways?
[FP]: Rot. It’s…. For all intents and purposes, an infectious cancer. It won’t flush out of my system, and it’s… exponentially growing.
[NSH]: Saints… Okay
[NSH]: Can you… send me the genetic sequence of a sample of it?
[FP]: Why on earth would I do that?!
[FP]: Absolutely not!
[FP]: I’m not going to risk others getting infected too.
[FP]: No, this— this is my burden to bear.
[FP]: Alone
[System Alert]: Connection has been terminated by User [Five Pebbles]
Well… shit. That could definitely have gone better… could also have gone way worse though… Sig mused to himself, pulling up a screen from one of his overseers. It had been observing a slugcat colony establishing itself near the gates to Five Pebbles’ structure; they were quite the fascinating little creatures! However, right now there was another important job for the little green eye.
“Alright… Let’s do this the old-fashioned way then…” He sent the little thing racing through the gate, then into the complex that Moon and Pebbles shared with each other. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to get anything directly from the rot itself, but if he was lucky he might be able to find a backdoor into Pebs' system and pull some information that way. Or the other iterator might notice his prying and zap his little overseer out of existence.
Either way, he had to at least try.
An abrupt, loud chiming pulled him from his focus, and he pulled up a second hologram to answer the call that was coming through.
“Sig here.” He relaxed upon seeing Moon’s projection rather than anyone else. She was always one of the more understanding when it took him some extra time to answer a call, or seemed distracted.
“So? Were you able to get a hold of him? I’ve been trying but he won’t answer at all. I don’t want to force another broadcast on him, it just seems… cruel.” She fidgeted slightly, hands wringing. Sig nodded.
“Yeah, I did. It uh… could have gone better, but he did at least agree to lower his water intake! So… that’s at least not an issue anymore?” Sig shook his head. “Wouldn’t send me a sample though. He called it Rot, compared it to an infectious cancer. It’s bad, Moon.” Moon’s pained gasp would haunt him until the end of his days, and he winced.
“By the ancients… I didn’t even… I didn’t even realize that we could get sick like that. And I presume that there’s no way for him to flush it from his system?” The tinge of hope in her voice wavered, and she let out a broken sigh when Sig shook his head.
“Apparently he tried to, but it didn’t work.” Sig let his umbilical sink him down to the ground, his screens and Moon’s projection following him. “He said that he isn’t going to risk anyone else getting infected. The stubborn bastard is determined to face it alone.” Sig clutched onto the ends of his scarf, hands shaking slightly.
“Oh, Pebbles…” Moon shook her head sadly. “I didn’t expect that he would send a sample right away, but to hear what he’s facing is… I truly cannot even imagine it.”
"We- We’re gonna do something. I have an overseer there now, hopefully I can find a backdoor into the lab data and learn anything useful.” Sig explained, pulling the feed from the overseer into frame so that Moon could see as well. “I know he keeps his can locked up tighter than a shelter door, but I figured I might be able to poke around the rest of his facility if I’m careful enough not to get caught. The little guy is in the Citadel right now, I figure he’ll be in Pebs’s structure by the end of the cycle.”
“Maybe. I will attempt to send some of my own as well, perhaps if he’s distracted enough by mine, he won’t notice yours slipping around in the shadows.” Moon offered.
“That- yeah! Good plan!” Sig perked up somewhat, sending his overseer to hide in a little crevice as a group of Scavs passed by. “Okay! We know what to do next, let’s just… Just take things one day at a time, yeah?” Moon just nodded, staying silent as she focused on manually handling multiple overseer feeds simultaneously. They had a plan. It had to work. For Pebbles’s sake.
Chapter 2
Notes:
Shout out to my beta readers for helping me with revisions and edits! You guys rock!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Luck had not been on Sig and Moon’s side regarding the overseer plan. It honestly had been a long shot anyway, not that it didn’t crush them when Sig’s overseer was noticed by one of Pebbles’s pale blue ones and promptly blasted to bits. Since then, he’d put his entire facility on complete lockdown. No overseers in or out, refusing to respond to any messages, the whole nine yards. Moon was losing her marbles over it, and Sig couldn’t blame her one bit.
It had been weeks now, and they hadn’t heard a peep from the isolated iterator. The only sign that he was still alive and functional was the fact that he was still using water. He was using more than average, but seemed to be carefully ensuring that he left plenty for Moon to operate as well.
Despite the lockdown, Sig was still trying. It seemed like every other cycle that he sent something to Pebbles in an attempt to get him to open back up.
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - No Significant Harassment, Five Pebbles
[NSH]: I’m sorry for sneaking around your structure
[NSH]: I just want to help somehow
[NSH]: I won’t do it again
[NSH]: Promise.
—
[NSH]: I saw this weird lizard today with one of my overseers
[NSH]: Attachments: 1 – Open now?
[NSH]: Thought it looked a bit like you with those super long antennae!
[NSH]: It looked like it was gonna trip over them
[NSH]: Do yours ever get in your way? Mine did. It’s why I spend more time with them off than I do with 'em on!
—
[NSH]: Guess who finally beat Wind in a game of checkers!
[NSH]: I mean for real this time too, not a ‘pity case’ that she let me win!
[NSH]: I ACTUALLY beat her legit!
[NSH]: Maybe we could play again sometime soon so I can show you how much I’ve improved?
—
[NSH]: I tried drawing today
[NSH]: It was kinda hard with how big and clunky my hands are, but I’m still proud of how it came out!
[NSH]: Attachments: 1 – Open now?
[NSH]: You’ll probably have a lot of… blunt feedback
[NSH]: You’re kinda a dick sometimes
[NSH]: It’s okay though! I know you don’t mean it like that
[NSH]: Your critiques are actually super helpful once ya get past the delivery!
—
[NSH]: The slugcat colony outside your compound walls just welcomed a couple new pups!
[NSH]: Look how adorable they are! I just wanna squish their little cheeks! I managed to get a few pictures before their mama chased off my overseer
[NSH]: Attachments: 4 – Open now?
[NSH]: I think the little orange one is my favorite
—
[NSH]: Knock Knock!
[NSH]: …
[NSH]: This is the part you’re supposed to ask “Who’s there?”
[NSH]: …
[NSH]: Then I’d say “Spell!”
[NSH]: And you’d say “Spell who?”
[NSH]: …
[NSH]: And I’d say “Well if you insist! It’s W-H-O!”
[NSH]: And– and then you’d tell me that it was a stupid joke even though I know you at least got a little chuckle out of it because you never tell me to stop sending corny jokes even if they’re dumb
[NSH]: …
[NSH]: I-
[NSH]: I miss you.
Sig had at least hoped that a ridiculous joke would be enough to get something out of Five Pebbles, but still no dice. He knew that he hadn’t been blocked, at least, because his messages were still being delivered– some had even been seen. Pebbles just… wasn’t responding. He pressed his palms against his face with a low groan. As much as he’d been trying to hold things together for Moon’s sake, he wasn’t handling Pebbles’s isolation well either. Up until the iterator had gone dark, he hadn’t realized just how much of a presence Pebbles had in his life. Now that he was faced with that gaping emptiness where Pebbles had once been… well, every iterator knew loneliness like an old friend, but this felt like something wholly different. It was an ache he couldn’t quite pinpoint; as if he had a misfiring sensor somewhere deep in his core.
Was this what the ancients called ‘grief?’ It was miserable, and now he understood why the emotion was spoken of with such disdain. His thoughts drifted and settled on another friend that had been absent, though this one he’d pushed away by choice.
Suns. Sig let out a grumbling hiss as he pulled up a screen. Despite everything, he missed the big yellow dumbass, and he’d been putting this off long enough now.
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - No Significant Harassment, Seven Red Suns
[NSH]: Alright. You’re unblocked, asshole
[NSH]: Don’t make me regret it
[SRS]: Sig! Oh, it is so good to hear from you!
[SRS]: Has Pebbles finally broken his silence?
[NSH]: No, he hasn’t. I just figured-
[NSH]: Figured you’d been isolated long enough I guess
[NSH]: I missed you, even if you’re an idiot
[SRS]: I- Yes, I do deserve that. I appreciate that you have reached out to me again though.
[SRS]: I’ve missed you as well, Sig.
[NSH]: So…
[SRS]: So?
[NSH]: What have you been working on recently?
[SRS]: Ah! Right, you actually have perfect timing. It would be comedic if it weren’t for the seriousness of the matter.
[NSH]: Should I be worried, orrr?
[SRS]: No, no, not at all! It would be easier to show you if we were to call. Is– is that alright with you?
[NSH]: That’s…
[NSH]: Yeah alright fine
Suns immediately sent the call request the moment Sig’s message came through, waving at the projection of Sig when it manifested fully. Spearmaster sat next to them, a carefully made bag strapped to his back in a way that wouldn’t impede movement or spear production. Sig was clearly tense, but it melted away quickly once he noticed the purple creature next to Suns.
“Oh! Hi prickly boy!” Sig cooed at the slugcat, who preened at the attention. Spearmaster had never met the green iterator in person, but knew him well enough. Sig and Suns had spoken quite a bit during his development and puphood– mostly due to Sig’s expertise in bioengineering and creation of purposed organisms. Spearmaster had grown to consider Sig almost like an uncle figure of sorts.
“His name is Spearmaster…” Suns sighed, but there was no malice there. Sig had always come up with silly nicknames for their companion, and it seemed that would never change.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. To-may-to, to-mah-to.” Sig brushed over the chastising without a care in the world. “What’s with his little backpack?”
“Moon mentioned you’d both been having trouble getting him to send a sample willingly, so I… well. I am sending him to Pebbles. My hope is that he can gather a few samples of the rot and put it in these.” Suns held up a small container; a modified biohazard containment module. Sig leaned forward closer to the projection in his own chamber with interest.
“Wait, for real?” Sig sounded surprised by that. “That’s pretty dangerous, little man. You sure that you can handle it?” He focused his question to Spearmaster rather than Suns. The slugcat nodded vigorously, quickly pulling a needle from his tail and waving it at Sig. He certainly seemed antsy to go. Sig chuckled softly.
He is… quite excited to get back out into the world. I believe I’ve kept him a bit too cooped up here.” Suns’s voice held a hint of amusement. “The backpack contains four of these vessels. One for Moon, one for yourself, one for me, and an extra just in case one fails between there and here, as a backup.”
“Smart– you’re usually great at contingency plans.” Sig was slightly bitter at the thought that in the one case that really needed one, Suns had not planned for it. Still, Sig did his best to hide it. He was trying to forgive them, after all.
“I am aware that I neglected to make one when I sent Pebbles the information that got him into this mess. I am… trying to do better.” Suns sighed, then turned to tuck the containment vessel into Spearmaster’s bag. “You remember the way?”
Spearmaster nodded, shifting from foot to foot.
“Alright then…” Suns turned away from Sig’s projection to lean down and squish their slugcat in a hug, then floated him up to the exit of their can. A heavy quiet settled over the pair of iterators.
“So… that’s it then. How long do you think it’ll take him to get to our local group?” Sig asked, breaking the short silence that had fallen.
“Last time it took roughly 30 cycles, but I anticipate that he’ll arrive sooner this time, as he is familiar with the route. Perhaps 25.” Suns was still staring at the little tunnel that their beloved messenger had vanished through.
“He’ll be okay, Sunny. He’s a tough little scug,” Sig tried to reassure, and Suns jumped slightly at the nickname. They clearly hadn’t been expecting it from Sig so soon, but the care in his tone did soothe their nerves somewhat.
“I just hope that our friend can hold out until he arrives. And that when he does… he won’t be met with anger.” Suns’s antennae drooped slightly.
“I doubt that Pebs would hurt him. At least not on purpose! He might act like an ass, but I know he’s got a secret soft spot for slugcats.” Sig couldn’t help the warm affection that grew in his chest at the memory of sharing so many adorable pictures of the little beasts with Pebbles, eventually getting the stuffy iterator to agree that they were actually pretty cute.
“Even if normally he wouldn’t… I fear that his propensity towards impulsivity may cause such a reaction,” Suns explained, concern lacing their voice. “Regardless, what’s done is done, and I simply have to hope that my little messenger will be alright.”
Sig agreed silently. Suns had a point about Pebbles’s impulsive streak… Maybe he should send him a message to expect company? That way, Spearmaster’s arrival wouldn’t be such a shock. Though, then he might prepare to further lock down his facility to make it inaccessible to Spears. So… maybe the surprise would be better after all. Moon, though– he could talk to her about it!
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE - No Significant Harassment, Big Sis Moon
[NSH]: Did you know that Suns is sending Spears to get us all Rot samples from Pebs?
[BSM]: I did, yes.
[BSM]: They spoke to me about it and asked for some assistance with the containment vessels to ensure that they were durable enough to withstand the journey. I take it that your knowledge of this means you finally unblocked and spoke with them?
[NSH]: Yeah, despite everything… I did miss them
[BSM]: I’m glad to hear that you’ve begun to make amends with each other. When is Suns sending his messenger?
[NSH]: He’s on his way now, Suns sent him out not long ago
[NSH]: We were on call when he did
[BSM]: Oh! That’s wonderful news! I’ll expect to see him in about 30 cycles then!
[NSH]: Suns predicted 25, since he already knows the way from last time
[BSM]: Even better then. I’ll start prepping my labs right away. Could you send me some of your files on proper biohazard handling procedures and quarantine protocols?
[NSH]: Yeah, no problem!
[NSH]: Attachments: 10 – Open now?
[BSM]: [yes]
[BSM]: Thank you. I’ll look these over and make the necessary adjustments.
[NSH]: Happy to help!
[NSH]: I’m gonna focus on getting an isolated lab set up too actually
[NSH]: Then I can get to work as soon as I have the sample
Sig dismissed the chat screen with a flick of his wrist, then pulled up a map of his structure. He’d need all the processing power he could get for this task, and so, reluctantly, he reached into his pocket to pull out his antennae. Having them on all the time had gotten so overwhelming and overstimulating in the past that he’d simply pulled them off and only reattached them when he absolutely had to.
“Alright, time for information overload…” He clipped them back into place, then activated them. All at once, a surge of information hit him like a wall, and he winced. His umbilical swayed and dipped as if it had been placed under actual physical pressure. Eventually, the constant barrage of data began to even out somewhat, and Sig was able to forcibly relax his shoulders.
“Phew… never gets easier…” He shook his head, then turned his attention back to the screens floating in front of him. “Let’s see… Lab 5B is the farthest out from the core. Should be the easiest to set up as a quarantine…” He hummed softly to himself as he worked, sending and redirecting orders to his fabricators and transport modules in order to prepare the lab. He’d need to isolate it from the primary power grid, which meant making a pair of auxiliary generators– one primary and one backup– to power the lab. A sterilization airlock would also be necessary for any transports coming back out. Strong radiation should work sufficiently to kill off anything that hitched a ride on the mechanical transports, but what if he needed to sterilize a living creature? That method would be way too dangerous.
“I just… won’t let Spears go in there. Have one of the transports take the capsule inside, then it’s fine. No DNA damage to the little guy,” Sig muttered, typing that into his notes to ensure he didn’t forget. Back to planning now. What else would he need…?
Notes:
I just spent the entire day writing a 12k section of this fic that y'all aren't even gonna get to read until October because of my upload schedule. Send me strength to stick to the one chapter a week thing and not just post the chapters as soon as they're finished being edited.
(If you saw this chapter uploaded with wonky formatting, no you didn't)