also if you want some abience music, look no further

Yoongi is half-conscious, his mind and body reeling, pulling away from the sheer will-power that held him together. The mountain isn’t all too high- it appeared dauntingly high, ominous and dark when Yoongi had been lucid enough to properly behold it. But after what felt like a few minutes of closing his eyes to rest, he was in the middle of climbing up the dark rocks and edges. But no matter where he found himself, Jimin was there.

Every time he opened his eyes, Jimin was there.

They’re on the side of a mountain, resting as much as they could before they had to inevitably move again.

There was no point, Yoongi knows. Deep down he knew from the moment he laid eyes on them- there would be no escape, there would be no release. But he needs to do this, not for anything else, but to give himself something concrete to do- something to achieve.

And maybe, if he held on long enough, he could somehow save Jimin.

He knows it doesn’t make sense. That it was unlikely. And maybe him continuing like this was in fact endangering Jimin even more. Jimin was still relatively healthy- and he had been in hiding before. Maybe he could escape.

He wants to tell Jimin to leave him, to save himself.

But Yoongi has always been a little selfish.

When Yoongi opens his eyes after what felt like just a few minutes of resting, he finds himself inside a little alcove, carved into the mountainside after years of corrosion and expansion. Jimin is there, eyes looking upwards towards the cloudy and ruddy sky. Yet his eyes are filled with stars.

He’s beautiful.

Painfully so.

But even with his body and mind giving up on him, Yoongi can recognize the longing in Jimin’s eyes. Recognize the pain of being torn away from his home, of being in a place where he had no control, no say.

There was so much more to this, so much more than he could have known. So much more than Amic could have known. So much more than the Captain could have expected.

What could they do, when the manifestation of death was stalking them, was taking over this planet? And maybe Yoongi was only Human- he didn’t have any special ability, any special senses; Humans were listed as some of the weakest species in the Known Universe

‘I’m sorry,’ Yoongi tells him quietly.

Jimin is startled at his words, clearly not expecting him to be awake. He shifts closer, his head tilting questioningly. It makes Yoongi want to smile, knowing that Jimin was leaning closer as though hoping that the proximity would help him understand.

‘Sorry,’ Yoongi tells him again, not sure how he had the strength to smile.

‘Saw...saw-ree?’ Jimin repeats haltingly.

Maybe his fevered thoughts and yearnings for another time, where they were safe together actually existed. Didn’t Humans, at one point, believe that all life lived over and over again, how souls and spirits were always meeting, in every lifetime, in every era- one continuous loop, one continuous series of meetings, of living, of loving, of crying, of running, screaming, bleeding, laughing.

One continuous series of just dying.

Yoongi could laugh. He could curse at his luck with this lifetime. Was it luck? Was it fate.

Or was it something else entirely.

Would he see Jimin again in another life? Would he find him again?

He had to. There was no other option. Not after this.

Not after all of this.

He has to find Jimin again. He has to make everything right.

‘I’ll make everything all right,’ he promises. ‘I’ll make everything all right.’

Yoongi is somehow aware of the rest of the climb. Aware of every pained step, of every strained breath. Aware of all the cuts, wounds, gashes that appear over his skin, seeping through the fabric of his clothes. But Yoongi can’t stop it anymore than he can stop his own injuries. He’s aware as they enter what appeared to be a sort of communications tower, the large signal-chargers long deactivated and corroded to its very core, the wires broken and eaten away, covered in years of decay and rot.

Jimin is somehow able to open the door and Yoongi has no control over his body.

He collapses the moment he crosses over the threshold and everything turns blissfully black for a while before the solar eclipse wakes him up again. He feels rather cold and he feels his body being moving around, his arms and legs moving on their own.

When he stops moving, he realizes his bags and equipment have been removed and he catches sight of them, propped up to the side. Jimin is looking over him, desperation and fear etched all over his face.

His expression suddenly reminds Yoongi of the day he left Earth, bidding his sister goodbye.

There was a promise he couldn’t keep. A promise he wouldn’t be able to fulfill.

What would the GLA say to his family? What would his mother say? What would his sister do?

He points towards his bag, hoping Jimin would understand. He brings back the bag, pulling out the communications booster-device which was now entirely pointless considering this station was dead. So he just shakes his head, smiling in apology at Jimin. It takes a moment, but Jimin pulls out the empty cigarette packet, hands carefully peeling the main cover as though worried he was going to damage the years old packaging of paper and flimsy packaging.

In this dark and ruddy room, where the only untainted light came from Jimin’s eyes and still soft-looking hair, another source of colour and light fills his sight and Yoongi’s heart shatters even more. His entire being is tearing apart and he wants nothing more than to just sit on the balcony floors, where the woodwork had faded due to sun-exposure, listening to the sound of the kettle bubbling on the stove because his mother always had hot water at the ready. For emergencies, she had said. He just wanted to sit outside, listening with amusement at his sister’s shrill screams as her favorite television series suddenly decided to take a dramatic turn in plot.

Her hairclip falls into Jimin’s palm, glittery and small, still perfectly preserved, not a single sequence out of place. Jimin studies it for a while, the light reflecting off of the small glittery ornament in tiny purple stars across his face. He hands it to Yoongi, hands shaking.

He asks a question, quietly, carefully. He’s obviously asking about the clip, what it was, who did it belong to, why did he have it on him?

But that would take too much time to explain. It would take too much time to tell Jimin all about his mother, his sister, their home, about Earth. It would take too much time and Yoongi wishes with all his heart, all of his being to just show Jimin all of this.

Take him back to Earth, take him through the streets down in-planet, take him through the markets, show him all the “tourist” spots that are only there for show and not for any functional use other than to rob you of your units. He wants to take Jimin to the cafés, to show him that one bakery where they make really good croissants. Would he like croissants? Probably would. Everyone loves croissants.

Yoongi takes the clip and puts it on to his hair with shaking hands. Jimin is quick to help him, gently setting it into his matted strands. Jimin looks terrified and heartbroken. And Yoongi is a little selfish because he wants to see him smile.

So he strikes a pose, a terrible one in fact. Jimin is crying, tears sparkling down his cheeks, nodding as he tries to smile. He says something, as though indulging Yoongi in his little fevered attempts to create a lighter atmosphere. It makes Yoongi laugh, and this in turn makes Jimin smile for real. His eyes crinkling, smile wide enough to push up his cheeks.

‘Sunshine,’ Yoongi holds his hand out towards Jimin, confident that he would take it.

Jimin is quick to take his proffered hand, and instead of just holding it, presses it to his face.

What Yoongi would do to have this for the rest of his life. To feel Jimin like this- close, intimate, and so precious.

But Yoongi would disregard all of that, if it meant Jimin could be safe. If it meant he could return home, away from this place, away from this disease, away from all of this pain.

But Yoongi has always been a little selfish. He’s always been a little greedy, wanting more, needing more. Knowing full well that he shouldn’t. That he couldn’t.

Or that he didn’t deserve it.

But he pushes all thoughts aside. Pushes everything away. Pushes away this dank room, pushes away the thinning air, pushes away the sounds of his failing mind and body. Pushes away the fact that his vision was now dimming at an alarming pace.

With what energy he could, he gently the thin and soft skin under Jimin’s eye.

‘I’ll always find you, so wait for me,’ Yoongi tells him quietly, ‘my sunshine.’

Jimin is understandably confused, not sure what to say in response. He wishes Jimin could understand. But maybe it was better he didn’t.

Instead he tugs on their hands, pulling Jimin closer. He shuffles closer, his face occupying most of his sight.

Yoongi is selfish, and he knows this. But he won’t stop himself.

He leans up just a little- enough so that their lips touch, meeting for a small light kiss.

‘I’ll always find you.’ He repeats, looking deep into his eyes, looking deep into the solar eclipses that now rule his universe.

His sight is fading, and Yoongi has always wondered how it would be to know, to be aware, that you were dying.

He doesn’t have to wonder about it anymore, because death was an all too familiar state of being for him. And now it was coming for him.

Yoongi sense them before he sees them. Before Jimin is even remotely aware- he feels them coming for him, his soul, his mind.

His memories.

He wants to warn Jimin but he was no longer in control of anything. Jimin is crying, his tears falling onto his chest and they feel like rocks, crushing him under every drop, carving out a permanent space to lodge themselves into his very being. Jimin holds him like he doesn’t want to let go- like he can’t let go.

And Yoongi doesn’t want to go. He knows that they’re coming, but he doesn’t want to go. He won’t-

In a nauseating rush, Yoongi feels himself being torn away- was his soul torn out? His body scattered?

All he knows is that they’re here- and they stood tall, like looming crumbling towers over him, impossibly large, impossibly tall- red bleeding out of them, crushing him in wispy clouds of red odour.

‘Y-you can’t touch him,’ Yoongi manages to whisper out.

Had he spoken the words or were they just resounding in his mind? In his soul?

‘You will not touch him.’

They just look down at him. Curious almost.

Then one by one, they move away from his view- terror like he’s never felt before rushes through his body. Terror for Jimin- terror that they will find him, terror that Jimin will do something terribly brave, but terribly stupid.

He thrashes, a sudden energy surging from him as he sheds his body- sheds his mind. His soul breaches through the tangible restraints of his movement and pure terror drives him across the red oppression.

‘JIMIN-!’

The light around him flashes, and the air pulses around him, suppressing him and crushing him, pushing him far away.

‘No-!’

 His body stretches- breaking down into impossible formation across an endless expanse of cold darkness. His mind drawn and his memories are suddenly written in starlight that can be heard- a melody, a song- one that trembles each time a note ascends to a colour Yoongi has memorized- neither silver or gold, neither cold or warm.

‘I’ll come back- I’ll come back- wait for me-‘

The music stops abruptly and blackened hands appear through the colours and the song- the stars dim, the eclipse fades, and Yoongi is lost.

He struggles one last time- one last surge- crying and reaching out for the song that surges forward to meet him, stars turning into supernova in their attempt to reach for him-

‘I WILL COME BACK TO YO-‘

*

‘I think I’m close,’ Yoongi reports.

‘I’ve finished planting the explosive- we’re ready to come get you and Jimin,’ Hoseok replies as he settles the empty OrTank into a small crevice along the mountain side. According to Namjoon’s calculations, planting it here would bring one side of the mountain towards the back down, possibly creating a few landslides and triggering a quake that would spook the Ynqabans enough to be in chaos. According ot their calculations and observations, there were no living settlements in that area either, so Namjoon had given his approval. It would create enough of a bang to resonate quite loudly over the rather flat terrain, and that was what they needed. Looking away from the small but powerful explosive now neatly tucked next to a black rock, he glances up at the sky above.

‘Also- I don’t know how this will effect anything, but it looks like it’s gonna storm really hard.’

The mist had cleared to one side, the sky lightening somewhat from the area they had initially found the crashed Užkulisai. Considering the usage of masks, the gear, and the general corrosion that was plenty over the area and undoubtedly over the entire planet, Hoseok doesn’t think getting caught up in this storm would be a good idea. He glances down at the unconscious Ynqaban, bound and gagged all too enthusiastically by Taeh’yung. They were certainly not taking them into the ship, but they couldn’t leave them out here, exposed to the storm.

‘What do we do about them?’ he asks, looking up and over at the Užkulisai where Namjoon stood by the windows, tying up the Ynqaban they had chosen to interrogate. Namjoon had definitely changed when it came to situations like these, moving forward with a grim understanding and a sense of acceptance that spoke far more than his actions or lack thereof.

Taeh’yung appears around the corner, hands sooty and blackened from doing Spaces knew what. He’s also holding a “claw”, one of the retractable mechanical claws from one of the cybortronics. He clearly took a fancy to it and Hoseok doesn’t want to know what he was going to do with it.

‘Why don’t we put them inside the machine and lock them in? I think they’re strong enough?’ the Zhak’gri suggests, pointing at the heap of cybortronics to the side, looking a lot like pot-bellied Beings all over each other in a drunken slump.

‘Yeah- let’s do that.’ Namjoon nods from the inside, waving to indicate that he was done tying up the Ynqaban.

‘You mean I should do that,’ Hoseok rolls his eyes as he easily picks up the scraggly and unconscious Ynqaban and hauls them over his shoulder. Namjoon sheepishly mumbles an apology before calling Taeh’yung to collect the Ynqaban from inside the ship.

Hoseok doesn’t want to look all too closely at the unconscious Ynqaban. War and conflict between pirates was one thing, but internal conflict within a planet, within a species, within its people was something else entirely. There was pain that was somehow much more pronounced, much more personal, and infinitely crueler.

‘I’ll help you Hobi!’ Taeh’yung beams as he reappears, unconscious Ynqaban floating along behind him. He then proceeds to quite easily gathering the remaining unconscious Ynqabans into the neon green triangle, not unlike what Hoseok had seen in the slaver ship. Spaces, that felt like it took place sols ago.

Putting them in pairs, Hoseok stuffs the Ynqabans into the cockpit of the cybortronics. It was fascinating and Hoseok wishes he had more time to actually analyze the mechanics and systems behind the cybortronics. It was almost entirely mechanical, with a system of self-reliant, static-based mechanics that was quite energy sufficient to an extent.

He doesn’t want them using these cybortronics to come after them or to possibly set up an attack against them so Hoseok quickly tears off the mainframe wires and dislodges what looked and he hopes are the control-panels. Throwing them out into the ground outside, Hoseok climbs out and pulls down the heavy clear casing over the cockpit and makes sure it’s shut properly. Taeh’yung is waiting for him, arms held up and wide as though expecting Hoseok to jump.

It makes him want to laugh and with an amused grin calls down, ‘I’m not jumping down Tae, but I still appreciate the suggestion.’

Taeh’yung pulls a grumpy expression that’s more adorable than irritated but steps aside nonetheless. Hoseok climbs down, jumping onto the sandy black floor without so much as raising the dust.

‘Next time I’ll catch you!’ Taeh’yung tells him with a serious nod. Hoseok isn’t sure if that’s a promise or a threat.

‘Sure thing buggy,’ Hoseok chortles, patting the tall Zhak’gri’s arm.

‘If you’re close to one of the entrances, you should be able to find the central-Bridge quickly- they all connect to it. It’s where “The Collectors” stay.’ Namjoon tells Yoongi. ‘They’re kind of the bosses- I have a feeling they’re the ones who sell off the parcels to the pirates. Or at least handle that part of the transaction.’

‘Should I get rid of them.’

‘No Yoongi,’ Hoseok can clearly see Namjoon facepalming. He was doing that a lot. ‘Please stay low and do not engage unless strictly necessary.’

‘Come on, let’s get going bug,’ Hoseok calls Taeh’yung who had stayed rooted, eyeing the cybortronics like one would eye some art display.

‘Sk’jin’s tracker is moving again,’ Namjoon says quietly. ‘But there’s something off about it- I think it might be a storm somewhere close-by- it’s causing a lot of issues with the signal frequency.’

Hoseok pulls out his own screen, wiping at the misty surface and internally praying no damage would come to it from the exposure to the acidic mist around them. The tracker screen glitches sporadically, and Sk’jin’s marker blinks in and out, appearing at random all over the map.

‘What do we do?’ Hoseok asks with worry. They had seen him being taken away; perhaps to another similarly crashed Ynqaban fort. If they knew who he was, there was no doubt that the Ynqaban would want to call for some expensive exchange or transaction. But if Sk’jin was able and conscious, he would undoubtedly be able to survive. Hoseok is still shocked that Yoongi would leave Sk’jin behind like that- that the Human would actually just leave all of them behind. He’s also shocked to hear about how Sk’jin had flown the ship out, knowing full well Jimin wasn’t secured, when the entire mission was based solely around him.

‘We have to settle our priorities,’ Namjoon says tersely. ‘We need to retrieve Jimin first- Sk’jin is more than capable of protecting himself. Who knows, he might be insulted that we’re even worried about him.’

Hoseok smiles wryly at that. That was a possibility. He could also possibly greet them with annoyance, maybe lecture them about being late.

‘Lisai, keep Sk’jin’s tracker on top priority and the moment you get a clear line, inform me at once.’

‘Understood Captain.’

‘He’s probably giving his captors a run for their lives,’ Hoseok chortles, pausing midstride to call Taeh’yung along, seeing as the Zhak’gri hadn’t followed him. ‘Taeh’y-!?’

The Zhak’gri is brushing his hands together as though dusting them, a pleased smile on his face, clearly satisfied with himself. He notices Hoseok’s stunned expression and holds up two thumb’s up before skipping over.

‘Cool right?’ he asks delightedly, gesture towards the now neatly stacked cybortronics towards the side of the mountain, below a cliff face.

‘They’ll be away from the explosion! So Namjoon doesn’t have to feel guilty!’ Taeh’yung looks like he’s expecting some form of praise.

‘Um-…yeah, that’s really good buggy,’ Hoseok swallows, eyes narrowing as he looks for the fissure where the explosive was placed. ‘You didn’t move anything else?’

‘Nopes!’

‘All right…uh, good job,’ Hoseok pats Taeh’yung higher head, fluffing up the dark strands.

Taeh’yung grins brightly before taking his hand in his own and swinging it between them as he merrily pulled them back to the Užkulisai.

‘My hands are shaking.’ Is Yoongi’s extraordinarily calm statement.

‘What-‘

‘What? Are you okay?’ Namjoon asks immediately.

‘I don’t know. I feel strange.’

Hoseok curses internally; no single Being, no matter how strong or altered, could easily survive a crash landing like that. Yoongi was pushing his health, the limits of his physicals capabilities.

‘…we never got to check you after the crash- what if you have an injury-‘

‘No it’s not that,’ Yoongi replies- he sounds a little odd, his tone unnatural in a way that Hoseok has never heard before. ‘I’ll be fine.’

‘-but Yoongi-‘ Namjoon splutters.

‘What is his medical status?’ Hoseok asks as they quickly make their way inside the antechamber, the door sliding shut behind them quietly.

‘Last I checked, he was miraculously all right,’ Namjoon replies, sounding hassled. ‘We need to get them both back as quickly as possible- we’re good to fly out right?’

‘We are,’ Hoseok nods as he runs up the stairs alongside Taeh’yung who looks thoughtful again. ‘We can set out right now.’

‘Let’s do that.’

They rush into the Bridge and Hoseok realizes their hands are still clasped together. Taeh’yung squeezes his hand and plants a wet sloppy kiss on his cheek before throwing himself onto Yoongi’s vacated chair. Though hassled Namjoon raises an eyebrow at him in question and Hoseok can only shrug. But it’s sweet- almost makes Hoseok feel like he was missed and needed inside the ship.

‘I’m here. I’m at the central-Bridge,’ Yoongi tells them. ‘I don’t think we’ll be able to find any access to ship’s archives. Everything has been scavenged.’

‘All right,’ Namjoon replies at once, a frown on his face as he ran analysis on Yoongi’s most recent health tab reading. ‘You’re close. Just hang on- we’ll get you out the moment you get Jimin.’ He looks up from his screen and nods once at Hoseok.

‘Lisai- let’s start up and keep the ship low- activate shields but keep at minimum levels,’ Hoseok calls out.

‘Right away.’

‘Everything’s set up right? The Ynqabans put away?’ Namjoon asks.

‘All prepared,’ Hoseok replies, eyeing the cybortronics, satisfied that they wouldn’t get in harms way once the mountainside comes down.

‘Please be careful of the mountainside. Proximity at 3.2 meters.’

Hoseok carefully steers them out into the opening, away from the mountain side. He eyes the screen where Jimin’s tracker was blinking clearly at them, and not too far from that position was Yoongi’s own tracker. Eyeing his control panel, he steers them higher up into the mist, distant forks of lighting light up the horizon in the distance.

‘I’m taking us over the ship,’ Hoseok calls, ‘The main entrance has a series of landing platforms I think- we can retrieve them from there.’

‘Take us a little lower- I want to see it,’ Namjoon calls. Hoseok nods quietly, lowering them out of the mist, a little taken aback by how disorienting the mist was seeing as how much higher they were in the air than he had anticipated. He was going to have to keep that in mind.

‘All right- yeah I think we can do that- it doesn’t seem like it’s connected to any other place that the Ynqaban would use as a platform for escape,’ Namjoon calculates before adding, ‘Take us to the edge over there, we’ll be close enough but hidden behind that ridge.’

Nodding Hoseok calls out to Yoongi, ‘All set here Yoongi- just give us the word.’

‘I’m almost there-‘

The Human’s voice cuts off abruptly but they can still hear the line from his side. The Užkulisai slowly takes off, the mist and blackened dust swirling around them.

‘Yoongi?’ Namjoon asks carefully, they could hear nothing more than the Ynqaban language, some casual yelling. Yoongi’s tracker was stationary but there was no indication of him being uncovered or exposed.

Taeh’yung twists in his seat, eyeing them from the front, looking worried.

‘Safety belt Tae,’ Hoseok reminds him absentmindedly as Namjoon calls Yoongi again.

‘Yoongi, hey are you all right? What’s going on?‘ the Kutsoglerin asks worriedly.

To their complete and utter shock, the distinct sound of the Heliord blade activating rings through the line.

‘-!’ Hoseok increases their speed, ‘Lisai, prepare for hover-mode over unstable terrain-‘

‘Yoongi what’s going on?!’ Namjoon demands, watching with wide eyes as Yoongi’s tracker moves in startling speed. ‘- get us there now- drop us down over the platform, draw the rest out and pull them away.’

‘Do I set off the explosion?’ Hoseok asks.

‘No- don’t,’ Namjoon gets out of his seat the moment they’re stable in the air. ‘We don’t need that anymore- take us over the top, Taeh’yung and I will go get Yoongi and Jimin.’

Taeh’yung cheers from where he’s sitting before he quickly disengages himself from the seat and runs up the stairs.

‘Let’s go get my Chim!’ he exclaims brightly.

‘There’s a storm approaching hard from the west,’ Hoseok reports, catching sight of huge bolts of lightning in the distance that was moving all too quickly to his liking. ‘, this could up with our hover-‘

‘Just get us as close as possible, we can’t let Jimin and Yoongi be taken or compromised,’ Namjoon orders, quickly pulling on protective gear though he didn’t need it as much as the others did. Taeh’yung is waiting impatiently by the doorway of the Bridge, vibrating almost with delight.

‘Communications Manager Sk’jin’s tracker cleared and operational. Renewing data input.’ Lisai announces suddenly.

And even though Hoseok is occupied, focused on flying the large ship through the mountainous ridges and terrain through disorienting mist and cloud, his eyes instantly search for the tracker screen.

It’s no longer glitching, no longer unstable. Instead very plainly and very clearly shows Sk’jin’s tracker blinking clearly at them. And at an extremely close distance.

‘What the -‘

‘Communications Manager Sk’jin’s coordinates are 21.98.00.33.’

An almost delayed shiver of apprehension crawls down Hoseok’s back and he twists in his seat to look back at Namjoon who has also clearly realized what Hoseok has.

‘That’s where we were-‘

A bright light erupts from Hoseok’s right outside the window, the mist and clouds disintegrating and evaporating as ripples of pure energy bubble out of the mountainside, bringing the wrong side of the mountain face down.

*

The light erupts out of the corner of his eye but Namjoon cannot look away from the tracker that blinks at him.

This wasn’t right- it couldn’t be right. There was no way.

‘Pa.’ Taeh’yung’s voice is small and strangely afraid. ‘We have to go to him now.’

The tracker light flickers and disappears.

For a second that expands what felt like a lifetime of petrifying horror, Namjoon is suddenly overwhelmed with everything.

‘Pa!’

Snapping out of it, Namjoon rushes back to the Navigation Table.

‘Change of plans,’ he orders out, his body moving seemingly on its own accord with confidence and reassurance; which was good because Namjoon is lost. ‘Lisai, switch to autopilot and take us to the platform at 22.95.03.21. Hoseok- you’ll be going and getting Yoongi and Jimin.’ He buckles into his seat, hastily directing Taeh’yung back to safety. Hoseok would be able to blend in with ease- they didn’t know what was happening with Yoongi but he’s already sure that any form of discretion would be pointless now. Yoongi had clearly snapped- he probably saw something or heard something that triggered him and despite the calm and entirely nonchalant look the Human possessed as his permanent expression and attitude, there was an underlying chaos that had been threatening to boil over ever since he had collapsed in the Nightmare Planet.

‘But what about Sk’jin-‘

‘I’ll go to him,’ Namjoon replies at once, ‘Taeh’yung and I will go to him after we drop you off.’

Hoseok nods in understanding, taking the abrupt change in plans in stride. When they break through the last misty layer, whatever distraction or diversion they had planned on creating with the explosion had obviously worked because crowds of Ynqabans were spilling out, cybortronics lining up and moving already.

‘Lisai fire low-grade shells towards the right of the mountain- let’s draw them out and lead them to the other side,’ Namjoon orders as they turn around the mountain ridge, descending as quickly as they could. Hoseok is out of his seat as the ship fires 4 missiles behind and below them. ‘And prepare all Medical Bays asap!’

‘Understood.’

Hoseok is quick to run out, his movements quick and light as he calls out, ‘Lisai, open weapon storage unit 03- are all units charged?’

‘Taeh’yung, will you be able to find Sk’jin?’ Namjoon asks brusquely as they hover over the platform. It was empty of any living Being, only old and corroded frames of old ships and shuttles lay about, black dust gathered in mounds around the rough floors.

‘Yes,’ Taeh’yung replies, or at least, Namjoon thinks it’s Taeh’yung because the voice that replies to him sounds distinctly different.

‘I’m at the door- lower the ship more.’

‘Lisai, set the ship to hover at 1.2 meters,’ Namjoon orders, clambering over to the pilot’s seat. Namjoon couldn’t fly it in space, where the risks and potential for accidents was higher and more likely. But down here, in-planet, it should be similar to piloting a Transporter. Given the Užkulisai is far larger than any Transporter Namjoon has ever piloted or driven. He just hopes the autopilot is good enough to take them back to the mountainside and back here to the platform.

‘I’m here,’ Hoseok reports, ‘No Ynqaban on sight- headed in now. I’m almost close enough to catch real-time coordinates from Yoongi’s tracker.’

‘All right- keep low, if we need to barrel through, we’ll come barreling through,’ Namjoon replies and adds, ‘Lisai, take us to Sk’jin’s last coordinates.’

‘Redirecting coordinates and trajectory.’

‘Careful with the storm- wind’s harsh down here,’ Hoseok adds and Namjoon catches sight of his lithe slim figure running across the wide compound towards the wide doorways. Glancing around Namjoon notices how the clouds seem much closer, heavy bulky storm clouds that appeared unnaturally dark and heavy. Lightning roped around them in thick branches. They would have to work incredibly fast.

‘Find closest landing ground,’ Namjoon orders as he gets up, ‘Keep the ship running.’

‘Understood.’

Namjoon runs out of the Bridge, Taeh’yung close behind him.

‘How did we not see him?’ Namjoon curses as they rush downwards, ‘How did the bomb trigger? Unless it was purposefully tampered with it shouldn’t have gone off -!’

Taeh’yung is strangely quiet behind him, not bothering with the masks or protective gear and quietly slips into the antechamber to wait.

Namjoon fumes under his breath, the only action he can take and the only emotion he can express because every other response resulted in heavy guilt.

‘,’ he curses under his breath as he retrieve the medical pack from the Dock and pulls down a gravity-stretcher alongside it. Sk’jin was hardy and tough- his coordinates had been at a relative distance from where they had placed the actual explosive, and Namjoon can only hope.

‘Approaching suitable landing site, 120 meters below Communications Manager Sk’jin’s last coordinates.’

‘How’s the weather? When will the storm hit?’ Namjoon asks as he runs out of the Dock and into the antechamber where Taeh’yung was standing, waiting for him to return.

‘Storm approaching in 2 minutes.’

‘,’ Namjoon reaches into his pocket to retrieve the mask- not for anything else but simply for the filters and channels available through the visors. ‘Scan for living Beings in the area.’

‘Scanning.’

The door opens and the wind that gushes in actually pushes Taeh’yung back a little by the sheer force of it.

The mountainside they had left not 10 minutes ago is entirely unrecognizable.

Namjoon had made clear and careful calculations, taking in the size of the explosive, calculating the amount of energy it would expel, the density of the mountain rock, the structure of the layers above and below the main crust, and even down to the fault-lines he had to quickly scramble and find through what he had hoped wasn’t outdated GLA archives regarding the planet. They only wanted to create a diversion, not trigger a whole series of natural calamities.

They certainly did not want Sk’jin to get caught up in all of this.

Namjoon jumps out and is instantly disoriented as he sinks a few inches in the fresh loose blackened soil left behind by whatever avalanche had just ravaged the place.

‘Lisai keep an eye out for avalanches or landslides,’ Namjoon orders as he eyes the sky above them. The storm was going to hit anytime. He winces as a thick fork of lightning strikes a nearby peak, debris and rock flying high into the air from the contact. Taeh’yung walks ahead, seemingly undisturbed by the fierce wind and dust crackling along the visor on Namjoon’s helmet.

‘Scan for living Beings!’ Namjoon orders again, hand gripping the medical pack tightly, doing his best to catch sight of any sign of Sk’jin in this collapsed mountainside.

Suddenly Taeh’yung darts forward just as rain drops heavy and large start to fall around them. Namjoon doesn’t try to stop Taeh’yung or question his actions but instead follows immediately.

‘I think we’re on him,’ Namjoon reports back to Hoseok.

‘I’m inside- halfway there.’

Namjoon climbs up the gravely slope, the rain falling in a steady earnest shower now. But one look back shows Namjoon that it wasn’t going to be a pleasant shower for long. There’s a bright flash of green just as lightning strikes another nearby peak and the rain picks up speed. Namjoon ducks as a wave of blackened coarse soil flies overhead, rain starts to wash over his visor but he’s able to find Taeh’yung lanky green high-lighted form ahead.

‘Is it-‘

Sk’jin is half buried in the coarse blackened soil, wearing clothes Namjoon does not recognize. His skin is extraordinarily pale, his face strikingly sunken, and to his horror, his eyes are open. Namjoon scrambles forward, placing the medical kit down and extending the stretcher immediately. Taeh’yung isn’t moving but Namjoon has no time to spare to see what the Zhak’gri was doing or how he was faring. Namjoon hovers over Sk’jin, blocking the acidic rain from hitting the Khol’isa face-on. For a moment Namjoon absentmindedly thinks Sk’jin would really not appreciate any damage to his face or hair.

His eyes are glazed, the red of his eyes dim and seemingly desaturated. Even his hair has lost all vibrancy and when Namjoon places his hand over the Khol’isa’s chest, it’s still and harrowingly quiet.

‘ -‘

A bright flash of green sends Namjoon tumbling down the slope a few steps, he barely manages to catch on to a larger bit of rock and painstakingly rights himself. The medical kit has fallen close to his head and grabbing it again, Namjoon scrambles up. By the time he crawls back the storm has hit them full on and everything is a blur of rain, wind, black sandy soil, and hissing steam from the acidic reactions of the toxic rain falling around them. But Taeh’yung’s form is clear, and so is Sk’jin’s who was now entirely out of the soil, eyes closed and chest heaving.

He wants to ask Taeh’yung what happened, but they don’t exactly have time. Thunder booms overhead and lightning temporarily floods the air with neon white light.

‘We got him!’ Namjoon yells, not sure if Hoseok could hear him over the sound of the storm or if his call was even going through with the storm. The stretcher is by Taeh’yung’s side and he’s gently tugging the Khol’isa on to it, lifting him from around his shoulders. Namjoon grabs Sk’jin’s calves and together they manage to place the Khol’isa over the stretcher. Namjoon quickly activates the straps and they shoot out from the side, wrapping around the Khol’isa and keeping him steady. Hastily pulling off his helmet, Namjoon places it over Sk’jin’s head, activating it quickly so that the visor would cover his face and protect him from the acid downpour.

Without having to say a word, or at least, Namjoon doesn’t think Taeh’yung has said anything because the storm is too loud, they pick up the stretcher and make their way down. The storm howls around them and Namjoon is praying that they don’t slip or fall in the midst of this chaos.

The lights of the Užkulisai is the only indication of where it is, as sheets of acidic rain washes over them. Namjoon guides them down, the rain itching at his synthetic skin and scalp. Focusing his sight, Namjoon picks the fastest and smoothest route towards the back of the ship.

‘Lisai! Open the doors!’ Namjoon pants out, vaguely surprised to find himself short on breath. A clear rectangle of light appears quite close by and they pick up speed.

The sensory overload from the storm almost entirely shuts out the moment Namjoon steps foot inside the antechamber.

‘Hoseok! We’re in- we got Sk’jin!’ Namjoon calls out again.

‘-ough the central-bridge-…ay down now-!’

The line is broken up and nearly all entirely white-noise, but Hoseok didn’t sound panicked and was clearly headed towards the central-bridge or was at least somewhere close.

‘Lisai start scanning Sk’jin now, prepare medical treatment in Bay 1!’ Namjoon nearly trips when the stretcher suddenly lifts up. Quickly checking around him, Taeh’yung had let go of the stretcher, his eyes unfocused, his movements paused halfway.

‘Taeh’yung we need to-‘

‘Pa- I can sense more- it’s faint,’ Taeh’yung stops completely, body turned towards the doorway, peering out into the stormy expanse beyond the doorway. ‘I think some of them are still alive.’

‘They captured Sk’jin and were clearly headed to hand him over,’ Namjoon shakes his head immediately as he directs Sk’jin’s stretcher towards the bend of the antechamber. Lightning strikes close by, filling the air with bright light tinted green where Taeh’yung stood. ‘Even if we do get to them, we can’t take them where we’re going. Our priority is our team, our mission; anything and anyone else is extra baggage.’

*

Hoseok dives straight into a world of chaos, panic, and hysteria.

Their plan had taken a completely unexpected turn- now triggering a series of events they had no way of predicting.

Yoongi was not responding but his tracker was still moving.

Jimin’s was in the same stationary position, not too far from where Yoongi was.

And Sk’jin.

How had that happened? Had he been captured and were they bringing him back here for ransom/trade? But what would have triggered the explosion? He had made sure it wouldn’t be triggered by movement, so the idea that the rain or some crumbling rock would have detonated the explosive was highly impossible.

The Ynqaban people are streaming out of the place below him. Hoseok doesn’t bother transforming himself too much, seeing as most were too panicked and occupied with running away. They were also shockingly old and fragile looking.

The Ynqaban they had come across were all clearly at their prime. Or at least, what could be considered their prime. They wouldn’t need any brute force charging through here, though Hoseok doesn’t take panicked hysterical crowds lightly. Those types were always the ones to cause the most damage. He’s a few levels above the central-bridge zone, and Hoseok isn’t sure if the area had recently caved in on one side, or if the entire left-wing of the dock had always been covered in a mighty mound of debris and parts. But judging by the way dust whirled in the air, the way everyone seemingly preferred to choose the incoming acid storm over staying indoors, he’s guessing it’s very recent.

‘Hoseok! We’re in- we got Sk’jin!’

The tightness in his chest is a little relieved and Hoseok can breathe better.

‘Almost through the central-bridge!’ Hoseok calls back, ‘I’m making my way down now!’

Hoseok curses, not allowing himself to look over at the avalanche that was the entire left-wing of what was clearly an impressive Dock. He runs past empty make-shifts homes, fashioned after tents and shacks. Runs past Ynqabans who were hysterically running past him, clutching at their own chests because they possessed nothing of value except for their own lives.

What had they started?

Hoseok shimmies down a few looped wires, landing lightly on his feet before darting straight towards one of the massive entrances to the side. This clearly lead towards the central-bridge, based on what the Ynqaban had told them and judging by how Yoongi had successfully snuck in.

Hoseok quickly glances at his screen, checking for directions. There were too many Ynqabans and too many entrances all too close together. But amongst this pandemonium, Hoseok notices something distinctly strange.

Streams of Ynqaban are running out of the massive entrances save for one that remains hollow and startlingly dark.

Pushing past the stream and nearly tripping into the suddenly silent long corridor, Hoseok instantly changes his stance to a defensive one. The sound of the rushing crowd just meters from him has suddenly hollowed out, sounding miles away as though Hoseok hadn’t just escaped the stampede of fleeing Ynqaban. He’s not sure why, but instinctively he knows he needs to remain quiet.

The corridor is long and rather empty. It’s also quite wet. A coolant pipe seems to have burst somewhere but the fluids are rotted and stagnant, a strong odour of mildew fills the air. And it’s strong enough to momentarily hide the stench of blood that hits Hoseok like a wave.

The lights suddenly flicker and Hoseok looks into a scene of absolute carnage.

Bleeding and mangled bodies are strewn about without a care. And judging by most of their fallen forms, in the process of running away. Or were at least trying to before something got to them.

Hoseok slips a little as he fully enters the central-bridge, and he’s not exactly surprised to find that the cause of his misbalance were pools of blood. There’s a sudden flurry of movement and it all happens so quickly Hoseok doesn’t quite know what to make of it.

Yoongi is almost levitating due to the speed with which he was moving. His Heliord blades are gone and what skin could be seen was entirely splattered in blood. The Ynqabans who are valiantly trying to fight him have already clearly lost- their terrified shrieks transform into horrendous gurgling as Yoongi gets to them in a flash.

‘Yoongi-!’

The Human is on him in a flash and Hoseok barely manages to defend himself.

There’s a crazed, unhinged look in the Human’s dark eyes- and to Hoseok’s complete shock, tears were flowing down Yoongi’s cheeks.

‘Yoongi stop!’ Hoseok hisses, countering the Human’s brutal clawed swipe.

Hoseok is surprised to find that Yoongi’s strike doesn’t actually hurt- in fact the Human was barely using his full strength. Had he tired out? It had been over 10 minutes since Yoongi’s abrupt silence over the Comm and Hoseok is pretty sure only 10 minutes against starved and weak Ynqabans wouldn’t tire the former GI agent like this.

He’s seen him fight in Gremio Arena and that was a definite testimony to the Human’s endurance, skill, and ability.

Yoongi doesn’t seem to recognize him, mindlessly and recklessly pushing forward. Yoongi is a deadly fighter- but he was also not himself. It was as though the Human was moving solely on muscle memory, his mind entirely elsewhere. Hoseok counters him easily, and with one quick and calculated hard shove, misbalances the Human and sends him flying back to the ground.

Yoongi lands with a loud thwack, his head smacking hard on the wet floor. Hoseok is quick to get to the Human, wondering if he’d been too harsh. Yoongi had very unnervingly commented about not feeling good.

Yoongi…Yoongi wasn’t technically a species of living Beings according to most. While he didn’t fall under the category of an AI, or a cyborg. Diagnosing him was difficult, figuring out how he would respond to most situations, how he would understand his environment, how he would translate what he saw or heard- this lack of information regarding the former GI agent made fore-planning difficult. What triggered him to become like this? What had happened?

A terrible thought runs through Hoseok’s mind but he knows it’s not true- Jimin was still in whatever cell they were keeping him in. He was alive.

Yoongi breathes strangely, an almost rattling sound as his back arches from the floor. Cursing under his breath, Hoseok slides towards the Human, checking him for injuries. He can’t find any wound or detect any broken or dislocated limb. He can’t say for sure about internal injuries but Hoseok doesn’t dismiss it.

‘- Yoongi, hey- focus on me,’ Hoseok speaks quickly.

He wants to take time and carefully search the Human, but they can’t. They don’t have time, and they still needed to retrieve Jimin-

‘-hey, listen!’ Hoseok says sharply, snapping his fingers before Yoongi’s face. Yoongi’s eyes focus and he’s staring at Hoseok with a clarity that Hoseok isn’t familiar with. Hoseok can tell he’s lucid, but there is no recognition in his eyes.

‘You need to tell me right now if you’re injured.’ Hoseok demands quickly. They didn’t have time for care and patience- Hoseok could bind and perform emergency treatment for now.

Yoongi is suddenly sitting up, eyes wide, pupils the size of pin-pricks.

‘What’s- what’s happened-‘ Yoongi gasps out, his body heaving as he struggles to breath. ‘-where am I-‘

‘- Yoongi-‘

‘I- I couldn’t- I tried-‘ Yoongi stammers, his eyes wild as he tries to wipe his hands clean against his stained suit. ‘I- it’s-‘

‘Yoongi?’ Hoseok doesn’t know what to make of this sudden change in the Human.

‘I-I’m-‘ Yoongi balks and Hoseok realizes that the Human was going through a panic attack.

Quickly he shoves his head between his knees, grip firm on his nape while he roped his other arm across his chest.

‘Hey- breathe with me for a second,’ Hoseok tells him as calmly and quietly as possible. ‘Breathe with me- on one take a deep breath and hold it till I say so.’

Unsure whether or not the Human heard him, Hoseok takes a purposeful breath loudly and clearly. A second later, Yoongi does the same.

‘Hold it,’ Hoseok orders quietly, ‘And let go slowly- and then inhale slowly again-‘

Yoongi suddenly slumps sideways but it’s only for a fraction of a second because he’s suddenly heaving and coughing, violently turning in Hoseok’s arms on all fours.

‘Yoongi-‘

‘Jimin-‘ Yoongi gasps out, ‘Need- need to find Jimin-‘

‘ing Spaces hold still-‘ Hoseok grabs him, and holds tight. ‘What the happened-‘

‘Why are you here,’ Yoongi asks, his voice suddenly stoic and his expression unnervingly neutral though he’s still breathing strangely. ‘I thought you would wait outside-‘

‘We ing lost contact!’ Hoseok snaps before he adds, ‘I’ve come to get you and Jimin out, let’s ing move already and leave this place!’

Hoseok makes for the lowered doorway, eyeing Yoongi carefully who looks around the central-bridge, a look akin to surprise on his features. He blinks rapidly, eying the corpses around him. His hands fist, as though expecting something to be there.

‘Yoongi!’ Hoseok calls sharply. Whatever mental GI agent breakdown or existential crisis he was about to have could wait until they were back on the ship.

‘Yoongi- we need to get Jimin!’

Yoongi’s head snaps up, his focus and clarity re-tuning once more and he nods, quickly making his way towards Hoseok. They quickly sprint through narrow doorway, littered with freshly fallen rock-chips, clearly from the explosion. Yoongi asks no further questions and Hoseok also keeps quiet.

‘According to this he should be further ahead,’ Hoseok ventures as he glances at his screen again.

The doorway branched off into smaller narrower hallways seemingly carved of stone. The central-bridge had clearly fallen apart and the Ynqaban had carved this series of tunnels through the ship and into the mountain-face. It’s bitingly cold and everything appeared damp. The odour that seemed to permeate the air outside the bridge had clearly been spewed out from within these tunnels. It’s also eerily silent and Hoseok doesn’t like how far they were plunging into the darkness. He has no way of knowing what they would meet once they leave this place.

If they can.

They reach a forked pathway and Hoseok is about to reference his screen again when Yoongi darts past and into the right tunnel, his body slamming purposefully on a door that looked almost identical to the rock-face that made the tunnel.

Rushing over, Hoseok also throws his body weight onto the door and after the second combined shove, the door creaks and the rusted bolts chip off.

Yoongi tears down the heavy door while Hoseok quickly sets his screen to the brightest mode.

Light floods the cramped and stinking room and for a moment Hoseok thinks it vacant but a pair of orb-like eyes glow at him from the corner, a rumbling growl follows. Hoseok quickly flashes the light into the corner and he’s met with hisses, the eyes turning away and now showing a matted head, covered in lumpy wounds, random chunks of hair, and a freshly bleeding large wound towards the top of his head.

Hoseok feels a trill of caution, one that was probably some remote primal reaction at the sight of the Being. He was obviously malnourished, unkempt, and has probably never really seen the light of day, but there was no mistaking what he was.

The species that hailed from the small and violent planet of Pravasi M’hanun were famed for their blood-lust and cannibalistic tendencies. They were an ancient civilization, with the potential of great growth as a society due to their keen intelligence, physical hardiness, and ability to easily adapt. However despite all of this, their greatest desire, or at least their greatest love, was not in community or development, but rather in blood baths and carnage.

The GLA had tried to intervene, fearing their extinction with the way they quickly and easily killed each other, but the species from Pravasi M’hanun had an incredibly short gestation period, and their children were, mildly put, aggressive since birth.

It always struck Hoseok as odd, seeing any of the 5 main species from the bloody planet outside in the Known Universe. They were prizefighters and if fed well, and provided for (in the form of constant fights and gore), could be quite loyal. Most of the species from Pravasi M’hanun looked similar; pale smooth skin, dark hair, their extremities stained red as though the blood they had spilt permanently staining their appendages, and in some cases sharp elongated teeth.

While Hoseok is 99% sure this wild Being was of Pravasi M’hanun, he’s not sure which of the main 5 species he might be. The most commonly seen of the species were the Vicitra, who were the most civil (if you could call it that) of the 5 and had a good command over Standard.

How did he end up here? In Ynqaba of all places? Hoseok feels a surge of pity at the sight of the abused Being. He seemed incredibly young- had he known no other life? He’s about to pull Yoongi away, when the Human takes a step forward.

‘Yoongi I don’t think-‘

A hand appears around the head, fair despite being dirty, carding through the matted lumpy hair on the wild Being’s head.

‘It’s okay,’ an unexpected voice says quietly in accented Standard.

The wild looking Being shifts a little and Jimin’s face pokes out from beyond his arms.

He looks filthy- covered in dirt and Spaces knew what else- but his eyes are still glowing, familiar shapes in the dark of the room. He’s covered in equally filthy garments, wrapped around his body in swathes as well as over his head. He appeared to be shivering.

‘Jimin-!’ Hoseok is so relieved he could collapse.

‘Wait-‘ he holds out his hand, ‘don’t come close.’ And Hoseok is thoroughly confused.

Jimin was suddenly speaking Standard

Yoongi stills too, and in this darkness, Hoseok can’t make out his expression. Instead after a second, Yoongi quietly and slowly kneels onto the floor.

‘Sunshine?’ he whispers.

The young wild Being flinches, growling and hissing at Yoongi as he turns swiftly- his posture curled and ready to spring. Hoseok realizes that whoever this was, was trying to protect Jimin.

‘It’s okay,’ Jimin says again from behind the Being who is focused only on Yoongi. Hoseok has a feeling Jimin is talking to him, and not them.

Yoongi takes a small step forward and the growling increases. Then oddly enough, Jimin holds out a hand to stop Yoongi from approaching and gently pats the other Being, saying something gently in inaudible Standard.

The Being seems to calm down but doesn’t really move away, doesn’t stop growling at Yoongi.

‘Jimin? Are you all right?’ Hoseok asks quietly.

‘I’m okay.’ Jimin replies, hand appearing again to give him a thumbs up.

‘So uh- who is this?’ Hoseok asks, also crouching down.

Yoongi had a point- they didn’t want to approach him as though challenging him. This Being was running purely on whatever feral instinct had protected him so far- and seeing as he was now protecting Jimin, he was using those instincts to protect him too.

‘C-can speak-‘ the Being growls out. ‘-n-not animal.’

‘Not animal,’ Jimin repeats gently now appearing from behind him.

He looks worse for wear now that Hoseok has a closer look. He looks exhausted, and blood has matted and dried over his skin on the side of his head. There’s a huge splotchy mess of blood on the side of his neck, the skin torn that Jimin has clearly tried to cover with some make-shift bandages.

‘Not animal,’ Yoongi also says quietly, his head tilting to the side. ‘What is your name?’

His expression turns a little less aggressive, a little more unsure.

‘J-J—‘ he stutters out heavily.

Jimin quietly crawls out a little more, now shifting to his knees. He winces and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Yoongi who seems to move without his own knowing, hand reaching out as though to catch Jimin.

There’s a loud snapping growl and the young Being is growling aggressively again.

Jimin is quick to placate him, gently speaking in his own language this time, eyes looking over at them urgently as though wanting to say more.

‘It’s okay,’ Jimin tells him quietly, hand brushing down the nape of the wild Being. ‘Friends. Trust. Safe. They are safe.’

His posture still doesn’t let up, but he’s stopped growling. At least there’s some improvement there.

‘Yoongi? Move back,’ Hoseok calls to the Human. But he doesn’t move, hand still extended. Instead he shifts forward, eyes never wavering from the young Being.

Hoseok can feel sweat dripping down his back. Yoongi was in no condition, both mental or physical, to deal with an attack that was no doubt going to be a whole lot of crazy.

Jimin and Yoongi seem to be communicating, solely through their eyes because the former nods slightly. He’s saying something to the Being, his voice soothing and gentle, clearly addressing Yoongi in the conversation with the wild Being.

He moves away a little more and Jimin’s crouched up form slowly shows.

Hoseok’s breath catches in his throat as he sees Jimin’s feet, bloody and crusted. His injuries are obviously purposefully inflicted. Was he badly injured? What happened?

‘Who is he?’ Yoongi looks at the unknown Being who sniffs the air rather aggressively as the Human slowly approaches, hand still extended. It reminds Hoseok of how aggressive creatures or panicked creatures are approached. This was an extension of trust, to show that they meant no harm. Yoongi’s blood smeared hand is palm up, slowly inching forward, never looking away.

Hoseok also approaches slowly, angling himself to better see and better position himself in case things went dire. Closing in on the three of them, Hoseok realizes how young this wild Being really is. He couldn’t be more than 20 sols at most. Also, in this proximity, Hoseok recognizes the look in his eyes. It wasn’t aggression or threat- it was fear. It wasn’t aggression or primal instincts causing him to shake and growl, it was complete fear. But at the same time, despite this fear, he was crouching before Jimin, not moving away despite Jimin’s gentle words.

Slowly, Jimin extends his hand forward to, reaching towards Yoongi’s proffered hand. The young wild Being pauses, tearing his eyes away from Yoongi and instead looking at their hands.

‘It’s okay,’ Jimin tells him again, his words a little tense as though fighting pain. ‘Safe. Jimin safe, Yoongi safe, Hoseok safe.’

He just blinks, unmoving, still coiled as though waiting to spring into action.

‘Safe, Jungkook.’

His posture relents a little and Jimin’s hand safely reaches over to Yoongi’s still raised hand. Jimin smiles, eyes wrinkling as he looks over all of them, as though what just happened couldn’t have ever taken a turn for the worse. He tugs Yoongi closer, his other hand still gently caressing the young Being, Jungkook, over his nape and shoulders.

‘We need to go soon,’ Hoseok says quietly, more to Yoongi because he was the one who would understand. But to his surprise, Jimin nods and after a quick thoughtful look says, ‘Important- Jungkook important.’

‘What do you mean?’ Yoongi breathes out, hand gripping Jimin’s firmly.

‘Jungkook,’ Jimin says quietly, looking away from Yoongi before gently tugging at the rag like tunic Jungkook was wearing. ‘Show.’

Hoseok doesn’t understand what Jimin could possibly mean but there’s a sense of anticipation. Amidst the mess of what happened during the past 24 hours, with what they had seen, and with what they had heard; Hoseok is more than ready for anything.

Jungkook is clearly not here for this, but after a few gentle murmured words from Jimin, he shakily turns, bowing his head even more. Pity overwhelms Hoseok again, wanting nothing more than to bathe this child and feed him something warm and hearty.

Jimin pulls up the dirty rag like tunic, making soft soothing sounds as Jungkook shudders.

Hoseok thinks he’s ready for anything. And maybe he wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch of crazed Yishengs suddenly burst through. Or maybe if rabid creatures came to crash their impromptu meeting. Or maybe Namjoon would call to say Sk’jin had transformed into a cybortronic. He wouldn’t be surprised.

Maybe with one exception.

There on his back, a long indent runs down the back of the young Being’s spine. Identical to the one on Yoongi’s back. And if Hoseok isn’t mistaken (he isn’t) identical to the one on every Being born from one of those “eggs”.

‘Like you,’ Jimin says, his expression serious but at the same time eager. ‘Yoongi- like you. Same.’

‘Hoseok- we got Sk’jin inside, he’s stable-...torming a lot, have you-...nd Jimin?’ Hoseok nearly jumps at the unexpected call. Namjoon sounds breathless and strained.

Hoseok cautiously backs away, not wanting to speak too loudly in case he startled the others.

‘We found him- they’re both all right- Jimin and Yoongi- and Namjoon we uh- we found something-...well, someone.’ Hoseok says quietly, backing away slowly.

‘-hat? Found what-’

‘We have to go,’ Hoseok tells the group. ‘The storm will overwhelm us if we don’t go now- the road might still be clear, we need to leave now.’ He addresses Jimin next, wondering how and when he managed to understand Standard or if that had somehow been a fluke- like some survival instinct kicking in and taking over for a while.

‘Jimin- we need to go now, they’re waiting for us- I don’t know when it will be safe later.’

Jimin nods in complete understanding before he pulls down the tunic and says in a gentle tone, ‘Jungkook. Go, safe place. Safe home.’

The young Being shakes his head, eyes wild, body trembling.

‘Namjoon- we’re heading out in a few minutes- I don’t know how long it will take us- are you clear?’

‘-oming over now- visibility is lo-...iking you up wh-...dropped you-.’

‘Jungkook,’ Jimin repeats again, his tone is gently pleading and persuasive and for a moment Hoseok feels strangely persuaded too despite the fact that he didn’t need any persuasion in the first place. It occurs to him that Jimin is probably doing something out of his own ability, which then makes Hoseok wonder why he hadn’t done anything prior to this. He had effectively stunned an entire arena filled with battle-crazed Pompen, what stopped him from doing the same here?

Hoseok is suddenly very worried over Jimin, wondering how incapacitated he must have been, or what was done to him to make him this incapacitated.

After some shaky breaths the young Being, Jungkook, finally seems to calm down, his eyes taking a slightly glazed appearance.

‘Follow me,’ Jimin tells him, pulling him gently by the threadbare collar of his tunic. But Jimin struggles to stand, wincing in pain and then collapsing. But Yoongi is there before Jimin’s knees can hit the floor.

His movement is fast and it triggers Jungkook who jumps violently, snarling out, teeth snapping before he lunges at Yoongi.

But the Human is quick to defend himself and to Hoseok’s surprise, doesn’t harm Jungkook. Instead with deft movements, twists and deflects Jungkook away, bringing him down to the floor, and hitting a point on his neck that makes him immediately fall to the ground, unconscious.

All with one arm.

His other arm is holding Jimin against himself, allowing the latter to use him like a crutch to upright himself.

‘Jungkook!’ Jimin gasps out in worry.

‘He’ll be all right,’ Hoseok says quickly, rushing over to grab the unconscious Being. He’s extremely thin, but surprisingly tall as his limbs uncurl from their previous coiled and tense posture. Hoseok frowns as he lifts him into his arms; he barely weighed much and now that he wasn’t growling and snapping his teeth at them, Hoseok can see all too well how young he was.

‘.’

Shouldering the boy over his shoulders, Hoseok stands up and checks on Jimin.

He hadn’t even been able to protest or make any comment before Yoongi lifts him up and positions him onto his back.

‘Just hang on,’ Yoongi tells him quietly. ‘You’re safe now.’

Jimin wraps his arms around Yoongi’s shoulders as securely as he could with limbs that were clearly shaking and straining from the exertion of having to hold on. He winces, back curved in a way that Hoseok knew was a reaction of pain from somewhere on his torso. His head is wrapped in make-shift bandages, matted with blood and other dirt smeared all around it. They needed to really bring them back to the ship and have them treated.

And then gently, as though afraid of hurting Yoongi, Jimin leans his bruised head up against Yoongi’s blood splattered face. His eyes close, exhaling out shakily.

‘Safe,’ he whispers.

Yoongi doesn’t reply, only carefully hitches Jimin up a little higher on his back, arms securing around and under Jimin’s knees to support him.

‘I’ll lead,’ Hoseok tells them, ‘Stay low and behind me.’

Yoongi nods in reply and they set off.

‘Namjoon- what is your position?’

‘-e’re close-...hree minutes-’

‘Follow me- Namjoon is headed here.’

‘Sk’jin?’ Jimin asks quietly from behind them.

‘He’s- he’s all right,’ Hoseok replies, sparing a glance back to look at Yoongi. The Human shows now sign of remorse or regret. ‘Everyone is all right- we’re all safe.’

It was bizarre speaking to Jimin like this- like he could understand. It’s even more bizarre to hear his sigh of relief, followed by a low, ‘I’m happy.’

They enter the central-bridge without incident and it’s just as void of living Beings as it was when Hoseok had previously entered the place. He hears Jimin’s sharp intake of breath, but they move quickly, barely spending more than a few seconds as they dart through the thickening pools of blood on the floor.

‘Yoongi?’

They enter the long corridor and Yoongi still hasn’t responded to Jimin’s question. It was just his name- just a single word, but Hoseok can hear the multitudes of questions behind it.

It’s eerily silent and empty when they run out of the corridor and into what was previously a very large Docking Bay. The avalanche of ship parts and destroyed remnants of thousands of living Beings pile up everywhere. Oddly enough, it’s even more overwhelming empty than it was when it was bursting with panicked hysterical Ynqabans.

‘We need to move 3 more levels- Yoongi, you good?’ Hoseok asks, glancing back behind him and nearly pausing at the sight of the two behind him. It had been dark before, so Hoseok hadn’t been able to see them all too clearly.

There was an strange contrast between the two of them.

Yoongi was pale skinned, dark clothed, and expression blank, blood now browning and drying over his entire Being.

Jimin was warm skinned, dirty but pale clothes, splattered in blood and other things, openly crying tears as he looks around; pain apparent from his features.

But despite the obvious and immediate contrast, Hoseok can’t help but somehow pair the two unlikely Beings- fitting so close, so perfectly- yet terrifying, haunting, and beautiful all at the same time.

Almost like an eclipse.

Climbing up isn’t as difficult or cumbersome as Hoseok had anticipated; the lack of screaming and running Beings shows them closer and easier ways of moving upwards and Hoseok is no more strained than a Being carrying deadweight on his shoulders would be.

‘We’re here! Hurry up, lightning is catching on!’ Namjoon calls, the line much clearer.

‘They’re outside-’

‘-it’s raining,’ Yoongi states. ‘I don’t have a helmet, neither does Jimin.’

‘Give Jimin mine,’ Hoseok pauses shortly, ducking his head down. ‘Jimin, take the helmet-’

‘No- Hobi,’ Jimin shakes his head before gripping harder on Yoongi’s shoulders. ‘Fine- not hurt. Won’t hurt.’

‘It won’t be too bad on me either you’re not well-’

‘Jungkook- give to Jungkook-’ Jimin nods towards the unconscious child. They didn’t have time to argue or debate the matter so Hoseok just nods and starts jogging towards the large platform landing gateways, deftly removing his helmet tabs before applying them over Jungkook’s unconscious head.

‘This will hurt,’ Hoseok calls over his shoulder grimly, diverting a little to grab a large bit of canvas like fabric that had torn out the side of a make- tent. He throws it over to Jimin who catches it, wincing at his bruised and raw hands scrape against the harsh fabric.

‘So make sure to at least stop direct contact.’

‘Hoseok-!’ Jimin tries to make him stop but they don’t have time and at this moment they just really needed to get out.

The rain isn’t too bad at first- and if it weren’t this copious or heavy, Hoseok would have been able to tolerate the slight sting. But 10 seconds in his scalp is burning and try as he might, his eyes are burning too. Luckily the lights from the Užkulisai are strong and bright enough for Hoseok to just about make out where he was headed.

Hoseok increases his speed, finding the now damp gritty soil oddly good for running, and focuses on the bright lights ahead. However he’s distracted by a sudden and violent twitch.

‘- !’

It’s cold, it hurts, and it’s an extremely effective way of waking anyone up. Hoseok picks up even more speed, not caring that Jungkook was now bouncing on his shoulder, clearly adding to the pain, triggering what was sure to be a confused and aggressive consciousness from the young Being. But the doorway to the antechamber is right there-

‘Hoseok where are you- the doors are opened and-’

Hoseok barely crosses over into the Užkulisai when Jungkook lets out a guttural scream and falls out of his shoulder in a loud wet heap. He skids across the floors, leaving behind a wet and dirty mess of rain water and grime.

‘What the was that?!’ Namjoon demands, the ship tilting dangerously.

‘Jungkook you’re safe-’ Hoseok tries to calm the young Being, speaking in a low tone, trying his best to sound gentle despite the creeping gnawing at his skin from under the suit where the rainwater had seeped in. He swallows with great pain, unable to catch his breath, throat raw and his windpipe stuffed.

Yoongi and Jimin appear behind him, both of them collapsing onto the ground in a pained heap. Jimin curls up on the floor at once, his body trembling against his will but he’s trying to move- trying to get to-

‘Jungkook-!’

Jungkook is bordering hysteria, clawing at his head and face, trying to remove the mask. Hoseok can hear him hyperventilating and screaming under the helmet. He stumbles out of the antechamber and into the Lobby, falling heavily against the wall, trying to crack the helmet open by hitting it against the wall. Hoseok follows at once, only just aware that he too was breathing harshly and very loudly. He wants to approach Jungkook, to calm him down or at least knock him out but he’s too violent, too scared, too-

‘Jungkook it’s all right,’ Hoseok painfully gasps out, ‘You’re-’

‘Hobi? Chim?’

Taeh’yung appears from the other side of the Lobby where the Medical Bays were- he’s also wet, hair clinging to the side of his face. He looks worried, eyes wide. But before Hoseok can warn him, before he can say anything, Jungkook finally frees himself of the helmet, letting out a strangled guttural scream.

‘Oh!’ Taeh’yung gasps loudly, a smile forming on his face as he looks at Jungkook, ‘Another baby-’

With a loud shriek and with speed and force that has Hoseok reeling, Jungkook launches himself at Taeh’yung, burying his teeth into the Zhak’gri’s neck, taking them both down.

‘Taeh’yung!’

*

(Author’s Note)

So.

Jungkook.

Yeap.

Imagine him from around their debut era, a whole baby, must protect (says the person who is doing this to him sigh)

Important note here and disclaimer- you cannot knock someone out by simply applying pressure to certain nerve points. It’s kinda impossible but then again this is sci-fi but I thought I needed to clarify that because I am not about misinformation

Pretends like I knew this all along and didn’t only just find out I was lied to all my life, thank you every martial arts film ever made as well as star trek

that being said there are areas in the body that if hit with enough pressure and years of training and skill and with the right timing/environment, you can knock someone out with a quick jab right at their windpipe in the throat- this isn’t a joke, but should be used for very very serious situations where it’s life or death because you could potentially kill the other person.

i swear this was just research idk how i ended up with all of this info please don’t report me

and yeaaaaa I sort of made my 10 days schedule xD

ALSO DDAENG HAD ME DEAD

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT

NOTHING COULD BEAT OUTRO:TEAR RAPLINE GOES AND DOES THIS I AM NOT ALL RIGHT

So in case you don’t read my other fics, just some minor news about how I might randomly go mia or not responding to comments is because my sister has been really unwell for the past year, and we’ve finally found a diagnosis and so now we’re treating her. She’s scheduled for surgery next week I think and though the entire thing is not life-threatening or a very complex procedure (it’s Cushing’s Disease and apparently only 1 in every 10 million ever contract it?!?!? Like, thank you life?!?!) but it’s still stressful T_T

Writing gives me a way out of thinking too much, but so does replying to comments and I’m sorry if I haven’t replied!!

And how do you tattoo a gif of Yoongi telling Jimin he loves him and Jimin’s reaction onto your forehead? Asking for a friend