Chapter Text
“It’s your lucky day, Convict,” David says four hours before the scheduled dive. Simon spares him a glance from the corner of the cell. “Your expedition in the Blood Ocean has been postponed.”
Simon gripped his hands into fists; he knew better than to speak yet.
“An unmarked ship wandered into our orbit, and boarding it has taken priority,” David said. He scratched behind his neck and shrugged. “Resources and all that. I’m sure you know the drill.”
He did.
The Consolidation of Iron took everything it could get; devouring all in its path.
Simon almost found it hard to believe there were any ships unaccounted foe by C.O.I. or Eden, but it wasn't out of the range of possibility.
“The ship’s small, so it’s unlikely to hold too many people, but the Captain likes to be cautious and wants a little more muscle when we crack that baby open.” David held his hand toward the bars. “If you agree to help, she will grant you a full day’s ration pack and a blanket. Yours to keep in this cell and on the sub when your actual job gets going.”
“And if I refuse?” Simon asked. The sub was his ticket to freedom. Why would he risk his life over a single packet of food and a blanket? “I already made my deal and you have to honor it.”
“It’s a Captain ration,” David said, smile tight. He crossed his arms and leaned back. “And cooperation would make the Captain happy. You want her to be happy before she shoves you in the Iron Lung, don’t you? Could be the difference between a cup of water or a bottle in your supplies.”
Simon exhaled. “Fine.”
He didn’t like it, but if he got the cuffs off, he could defend himself. Simon didn’t enjoy the name of “The Butcher” but he could live up to it, if he had to.
He would not die when his freedom was already so close at hand.
The cell door opened and Simon stood.
The strange ship floated in orbit around the moon with no sign of intentional movement. The large thrusters appeared off in the back. Their own vessel had no problem lining itself up within boarding range.
As he had been told, there were no obvious declarations of its faction.
Some poor soul really had the rotten luck to strand themselves next to a C.O.I. ship.
“Ready?” David asked. They had suited up and stood in the airlock of Captain Ava’s ship. It became clearer why Ava was willing to give up one of her own ration packs when Simon realized the boarding team was a single mechanic and himself. C.O.I. really was hurting for people. “Let’s hope it’s abandoned or the crew’s dead. It’ll make this faster.”
Simon doubted that would be their luck.
He and David kicked off from their ship and a quick trip through Space had them landing on the side of other ship near it’s airlock.
Simon took a moment to peer into the void of space above AT-5. The empty, black sky stretched on forever.
David knocked a hand against his arm to return his attention to the task at hand.
“Not even locked.” David snorted after the outer door opened and they slipped inside. “Amateurs.”
The inner door opened and they stepped inside. Their suits noted the atmosphere was save and both took off their helmets to breathe easier.
Simon gaped at the interior. Clutter was on the floors and surfaces, clothes and metallic wrappers, but the equipment looked new and the walls were clean. The design was nothing like he’d seen before, but it felt old despite looking new–like something that came out of the rare picture book from when Mars had first been settled.
“What the fuck is this?” David asked, tapping his knuckle against a large pane of clear material. It didn’t sound like glass, but it was clear. “And why is it everywhere?”
Tapping drew Simon’s attention. He turned his head toward a tunnel where footsteps echoed. A blond man rounded the corner and gaped, eyes wide at Simon and David. He had a flight jacket rolled down at his waist and wore a plain t-shirt. The stranger continued to gape and put a hand in his hair.
“There are people on the ship,” he said. He put his glasses up on his head and pointed at David and Simon. “You–are you real? Am I hallucinating?”
Poor bastard.
Isolation in space really did a number on a person. Even in his cell, Simon had other inmates around him and the guards. Poor treatment was better than being alone.
“I take it that means you’re the only one here?” David asked, taking over the conversation. He sauntered closer to the man and threw an arm around his shoulder. “That makes things easy.”
The man put his glasses back over his eyes. “What?”
“I don’t know what station you’re a part of, or where you came from, but you, my friend, are in C.O.I. space! That means this ship now belongs to the C.O.I.” David patted the stranger’s chest. “Which includes you. Welcome to the Consolidation! I recommend cooperating.”
Simon took a careful step closer to the two when the stranger pulled himself away from David and put his hands up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you aren’t taking my ship!” The man shouted back. “The Hail Mary has a mission! I know our engines aren’t working right now but Rocky is going to fix that and then we are leaving.”
“Sorry man, but orders are orders and we are commandeering this lovely vessel.” David lunged and grabbed the man before he could resist. A quick twist had the stranger yelping and restrained with both arms behind his back. “Convict, go find the mechanic.”
Simon nodded and walked toward the inside of the ship. As he passed the stranger, wide eyes behind the glasses were full of fear and panic.
“No! Wait!” The stranger struggled but David’s grip held true. Everyone knew how to pull double duty after the Rapture; every person could fight if they had to. The stranger breathed hard. “Don’t hurt him!”
“If he surrenders, the Convict won’t have to hurt him,” Simon heard David say as he ventured further into the ship.
The odd clear walls were throughout the other areas, too, almost like twisting tunnels. After searching the ship, Simon couldn’t find any signs of another crew member. Lots of science equipment and exploration gear, but no other people.
However, he did find something rather strange in the room with the crew bunks.
“I didn’t see anyone else, but there was a giant rock on the other side of the wall near the beds,” Simon said. He looked at the stranger, whose head was down and teeth grinding in anger. “Where are you hiding the mechanic?”
Simon wanted this job over with.
He wanted to get the expedition over with.
He wanted his freedom, dammit!
“That was Rocky,” the man said, inhaling through his nose. “He’s an Eridian and he’s asleep. I’m supposed to be watching him.”
Simon met David’s eyes behind the man's head; David mouthed, “Cuckoo.”
“What’s with the tunnels?” Simon asked instead of acknowledging the insult. And why did he keep his imaginary pet friend rock on the other side? “They’re everywhere.”
“Rocky’s atmosphere is deadly to humans, so I don’t recommend breaking those tunnels unless you want your face burned off and lungs full of ammonia,” the stranger said. He narrowed his eyes in pure protective anger; imaginary or not, the stranger was going to fight them over a rock. “Don’t touch him.”
“Whatever,” David yanked Grace toward the airlock. “Let’s get him in a cell. Ava can figure out where to put him to work later and we can salvage this thing after the dive.”
Simon nodded and followed, glad he didn’t have to do anything.
“Salvage? You can’t salvage my ship!” the man cried. He twisted in David’s hold, struggling like a desperate, wild animal. “Let go of me!”
He kicked David hard in the shin, enough to break free for a moment.
Simon caught the stranger by the arm and restrained him again without a thought. Whatever station or ship he’d grown up on, they’d slacked on his defense training.
“Fucking hell, let’s just let back.” David rubbed his leg and pulled on his helmet. “Get him in a suit.”
“Please don’t do this,” the stranger begged, turning toward Simon. “Rocky will be so scared if he wakes up alone. We didn’t mean to trespass. We will leave as soon as he wakes up, I swear.”
“Not up to me,” Simon answered. The man’s face fell and he went limp. “Come on.”
The stranger made no move to put on the space suit hanging near the airlock until it became very clear that David was going to open the door whether he had his suit on or not. The stranger scrambled to get it on, managing to secure his helmet just in time.
Simon still had to shove him out of the airlock to get him moving, however.
The Captain met them at the other airlock.
She shoved a ration pack and a blanket in Simon’s hands and took the stranger elsewhere with Jack at her side. For interrogation, if Simon had to guess.
“Good job,” David said, patting Simon on the shoulder. “But you still have to wait in the cell until the expedition.”
Simon had expected nothing less.
At least they left his cuffs off.