It’s…strange.

Not because it felt foreign, or because it felt uncomfortable.

It felt strange because for that single moment, for that fraction of a moment- time seemed to still and open, a solid and corporeal existence of reality itself, woven and formed from starlight and music, had appeared.

And for that fraction of a moment, Jimin felt as though he could look into all of Time.

Time has always been strange. There was a measurement yes, but it was always based off of a conduit of light that shone upon a location of existence, creating night and day. Time itself was immeasurable, its existence a strange thought that could not be sensed- yet could be seen in the strangest of ways.

Time wrapped itself around everyone- Time layered over skin, over hair, over molecules, over atoms- Time layered itself over Life and Death and Darkness. 

And to his surprise, Time was younger and smaller than Jimin had expected.

Younger, smaller…and inexpressibly alive.

But that moment is gone, and Jimin is no longer inside the Lobby in the Užkulisai, but instead he finds himself inside a wide and strangely squat dark room. It’s excessively large, and what at first appeared to be pillars were thick constructs of wires connecting ceiling to floor, spreading out like roots into the floors. The room is dark but tiny blinking lights guide Jimin’s eyes and sense of perception in this dimness. The only clear bright area is at the very center where large panels of glowing screens hang, forming a strange chandelier like construct, and in the very center stood a Being.

He was dressed entirely in white, his hair dark, and his feet bare above the coils of wires.

He looks away from the screens and through the holographic projection, meets Jimin’s gaze.

‘Navvula! Let me out! Please! Don’t do this!’

It hurts.

‘We will not be apart from our home – if she dies then we will die with her.’

It’s too much- there’s too much noise- a wild pulse, hands slamming against an encasement- and the overwhelming song of anguish.

‘But this is my home too! You’re family!’

 ‘Thank you.’

His eyes suddenly seem ringed with silver, light of thousands of lifetimes shining bright and Jimin cannot breathe- he can only wait-

‘I hope you find your home.’

‘This is JD,’ Kai says and with a jolt, Jimin only just realizes that Namjoon was standing there too.

‘Are you all right?’ Namjoon asks worriedly.

He can breathe just fine- the sounds are gone- the anguish, the sorrow, the pain- it’s gone.

‘I- yes,’ Jimin replies, surprised to find himself sounding so normal despite what he just felt. He looks away from the tall Kutsoglerin to look ahead again to find the Being still standing there, unmoving.

‘Is he the one who wanted to speak to us?’ Namjoon inquires.

‘He is,’ Kai nods before gesturing and walking ahead before he explains. ‘Em is at the other port, JD wanted privacy.’

Namjoon nods to that, glancing about the place before saying, ‘It’s been a while since I’ve been here.’

‘Oh! How long?’ Kai asks, interested.

‘Over a decade?’ Namjoon ruminates, ‘They all look the same, so I’m gonna guess not this floor.’

Jimin doesn’t pay much attention to their small talk. He’s unable to look away, unable to un-see who- what he was looking upon.

Jimin’s sight has always been a combination of what he can physically see, and what his Soul can see. What exists in the eclipsed light of two separate existences intersecting.

Time is layered over everything. And sometimes, Jimin can see this- a layered intersection between two existences eclipsing.

And over JD, Time erupted in chaotic warped waves- a complex and impossibly layered thickness that seemed to cling to him, wanting to pull him down.

And this isn’t the first time Jimin has seen this.

The Being, JD, waits for them, hands crossed behind his back. Upon closer inspection, Jimin notices that his shirt isn’t pure white, but a soft light grey in colour instead. He has no clear expression on his face but he didn’t appear aggressive or conniving. There is no hostility, no suspicion- there is only waiting.

‘How long?’

JD doesn’t respond immediately before he replies in a language he had feared he would never hear again.

‘Too long.’

It’s strange.

JD is old- a heavy weight of age, time, and a clear and profound pain seemed to blanket him. His Soul however-

‘I see snow,’ Jimin replies back in the heavy tongue of the Megibīyan. ‘Soft snow- your…your Soul is filled with snow.’

JD blinks a few times before his expression softens, the slightest hint of a smile on his face. Jimin passes through the holographic projections and stands before the strange Being.

‘The darkness of Nothing stained me- followed and surrounded me,’ he says simply, ‘But I found Light.’

He doesn’t explain any further, but Jimin can definitely feel it clearer now.

‘It’s beautiful.’

‘He is,’ JD agrees before asking, ‘Who are you?’

‘I am the Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti, the Fate of Menigišiti,’ Jimin replies, ‘By birth, my name is Jimin. You have information about Megibīya?’

‘I know it as Bhumi,’ he replies and adds in a tone that hints at something gentle, ‘We were waiting.’

It’s strange; because Jimin is suddenly filled with dread, filled with pain, and with anguish. This Being had been there. He had been in Megibīya. Here was another living Being, with intact memory and awareness, with full knowledge and memories of a reality that was shrouded in mystery and obvious conspiracy. 

‘Waiting for what?’ Jimin manages to whisper.

‘I was waiting for rescue- they were waiting for their Home. But it would seem that I found their Home- after all this time.’ JD answers.

Jimin doesn’t realize that he’s fallen to his knees.

‘How- how long ago?’ Jimin’s entire body shakes. He’s vaguely aware of Namjoon saying something but he doesn’t step in. And Jimin is grateful for that.

‘I can show you,’ JD says, kneeling down in front of him.

‘How?’

‘Would you like to Sleep?’ JD asks him, extending a hand.

Dread fills him again, apprehension and fear.

It’s strange.

Because JD’s Soul was filled with snow, just enough to cover him anew. But past that, beyond the secure and gentle shield of snow lay a darkness as pitch black as space, and as wounded as the white existence that had entrapped Jimin.

Jimin is afraid- but he needs to know.

Raising his hand and placing it in JD’s, Jimin takes a quiet and careful breath before nodding.

‘Show me.’

*

Jimin is once again momentarily displaced.

Gone is the dark and strangely squat room. Gone are the coils and coils of wires, the holographic screens. Namjoon and Kai aren’t there either- it’s only Jimin, and JD.

The hallway they’re in is lit with a soft white light that filters down from trees to high above for Jimin to see, the walls on either side disappearing into a misty void far above. There are piles of soft snow around the ashy wooden floors, the same as what Jimin could sense but now can see for sure. He fights the urge to kneel and touch it.

There are doors on both sides of the hall that seems to go on quite endlessly. They’re all identical- a grey grained wood, with silver handles make up the closed doors. Identical, but Jimin knows- can sense they’re not the same.

‘Where are we?’ Jimin asks, looking at JD to address him.

In this clear light, he can study this strange Being clearer.

He looks…quite ordinary.

There is nothing that stands out remarkably, nothing to give way to the fact that he exuded an extraordinary amount of sheer presence – one attained through unimaginable pain- but also, through indescribable love. JD’s lack of immediate expression and character is similar to Yoongi’s- an almost blank mask covers their faces.

But the clear difference comes from the fact that JD was sure.

Jimin can sense pain, anguish, hurt, confusion- but he can also sense love, adoration, loyalty, and a warmth that felt like a hearth. And this created that surety in JD’s eyes.

‘My memories,’ JD replies. ‘Rather than tell you what happened, I can show you, without fear of being overheard.’

‘How many know?’

‘Only those who matter.’

‘Then why are you showing me?’

JD doesn’t answer, instead just pauses for a while before he asks quietly, ‘Who are you?’

He’s asking him for more than just his identity. There’s more to the question.

There was obviously more to JD, more to who he was, where he came from, and what he knew. The same way Jimin was just simply more.

‘I don’t know how I’m here,’ Jimin begins quietly, his voice reverbs down the hallway quietly, almost endlessly. ‘I know I died- or I think I did- and…-and everyone died too. There are so many things I don’t understand- how Megibīya is involved, what the Red Evil were truly doing there. How they were in design with the GLA- everything is unknown to me I-‘

The mounting frustration and anxiety he had been facing ever since waking up finally seemed to break loose out of him. He had done well in containing it; the lack of information, the vagueness of everything, the fear, the stress- as someone who used to be the Fate and, in essence, the guide of a whole System of living planets and their unique species and races and individuals, Jimin found his current situation straining and aggravating.

But he’s been trained and taught and tutored- not to mention vastly experienced in all matters involving crucial infrastructures ranging from within governing systems, to that of combat training groups- and Jimin knew that the best tactic, as an observer and as someone who didn’t want to appear as a threat but only as a neutral party, was to never ask questions.

Questions lead to suspicion, it lead to discomfort. Because questions either birthed truths, but it mainly spawned lies upon lies. So Jimin learnt how to sense, to feel, to read the answers presented to him, only without words.

So he had let the crew within the Užkulisai be as they were, simply watching them in their state without pushing question or agenda. And it frustrated him beyond words- especially before he could understand directly what they meant. And now with his broadened range of understanding, Jimin was able to even more clearly realize just how much of a mess everything was.

‘I’m afraid,’ Jimin confesses. ‘Afraid of finding out why. Afraid of how- I read the reports, I listened to the trials and meetings and-…the Red Evil was using my technology- they were using the same technology I have leant to my ship. And…-‘

‘And Bhumi didn’t possess this technology?’ JD inquires.

Jimin shakes his head.

‘It means they were able to enter my System, and steal our technology. Or it was given to them.’

JD doesn’t move, doesn’t say anything.

‘Bhumi, or as I knew it, were aware of the Universe beyond their planet- but from the way you speak, it is as though they were supposed to be hidden.’

Jimin pauses at this, wondering how good of an idea it was to speak to someone he didn’t know about something so secretive that he hasn’t even told the Beings responsible for taking him back. That he hasn’t even told Yoongi.

‘My System is a unique one,’ Jimin finds himself saying, ‘We are hidden from view- hidden from physical sight, as well as scans and signals- we are invisible- and we have existed like this for as long as memory and history goes back.’

JD nods once to his statement, a little delayed. It reminds Jimin painfully of Yoongi and his lack of social etiquette and understanding.

‘We were aware of course, that by completely hiding ourselves, we were erasing a large expanse of space- and without an explanation, a vast expanse of space that has no history of black-holes would be suspicious and would garner attempts at observation or study,’ Jimin continues. ‘We were lucky to an extent at first- we…have a complex system- and that made it difficult for the GLA to find us during the earliest phases.’

JD nods to that again.

‘As our technology expanded, so did theirs. Which is why we made it appear as though the our sun was a particularly violent pulsar- spewing radioactive light and waves that contained but terrifying levels,’ Jimin explains briefly. ‘It would be reason enough to explain any difficulty in being able to observe our system or attempt to set up a channel. It would also be enough to put away any Being from attempting to enter the area.’ He pauses for a moment, looking down the hallway though not really seeing anything. ‘We knew that we still needed a way to observe our surroundings- we needed to be careful. We also needed to study what lay beyond. Isolation, regardless of its intention, will never allow for growth.’

At that JD seems to almost smile, nodding once in agreement again.

‘So we allowed Megibīya to extend past our barriers- make it appear to be a primitive planet. There is not a lot of room for growth in Megibīya- the only areas that can be inhibited that aren’t part of the ocean is small,’ Jimin looks down at his feet, snow sparkles at him faintly. ‘It was only meant as a gateway- a way to observe, a watch-tower.’

‘The GLA never took her in,’ JD states.

Jimin nods, ‘She was not important enough…but…we were.’

JD’s expression changes a little, a shadow crossing his face.

‘The Yisheng sensed us beyond the radioactive signals spewing from our system- they saw…they saw past us.’

‘How?’

‘By chance,’ Jimin says carefully. ‘We had another planet, like Megibīya, that existed just a little past the borders of our protection. She was called Akramana.’

The light in JD’s eyes flicker.

‘It was by chance…but also a flaw,’ Jimin confesses. ‘Our system of protection sometimes waned, sometimes created gaps- and Akramana was the planet that was second furthest in our system. We were always careful- we could somehow time when these gaps would appear, we would make sure to have them sealed, to reinforce these areas. This is how the Yisheng found us- but they never made it past Akramana- and they could only see us there- when we allowed. It’s how we signed the treaty.’

JD can obviously tell that there are parts of this story that Jimin isn’t telling him completely. But he doesn’t push.

‘Do you trust it?’ JD asks instead. It’s not condescending or filled with scoff.

‘The treaty or the GLA?’

‘The treaty, the GLA, your people.’

Jimin shudders.

‘Of course,’ he replies instantly. ‘We- we have our way. We are aware of lies, we sense them-‘

‘You have thought about it,’ JD cuts in quietly. ‘You realized that there was a possibility.’

Jimin cannot answer.

Of course he thought about it.

It was one of the first things that entered his mind.

The GLA were tricky of course. They had other plans, other tricks, attempts to break the Treaty, or to create a better one where they could profit off of them. But as far as Jimin knew, they had all been united in the belief that this Treaty was the best deal for them. That what they possessed in their system was far too risky to risk.

A small shuffling sound momentarily shakes Jimin out of his stupor.

For the first time, Jimin sees an actual smile on JD’s lips. He’s looking down the hallway and Jimin follows his line of sight.

He immediately falls to his knees, snow drifting off around him, a wretched gasp escaping him.

She’s no more than 11 sols.

‘Anda,’ JD greets the young Megibīyan.

Jimin’s body shakes, his breaths shallow.

She looks at him curiously, her yellow eyes large and innocent. She’s wearing a tunic like smock, a little dirty around the hem, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. It reminds Jimin of the nightgown he had when he was  younger.

My daughter, my child, my family-

‘Can you find the door?’ JD asks.

She nods shyly, smiling at the two of them before turning on her heel and running off.

‘W-who is she?’ Jimin manages to ask, attempting to calm himself.

‘Her name is Andamaina,’ JD replies taking a step forward and stooping down just a little to hold his hand out to Jimin. ‘She is the adopted daughter of the Captain, and of Navvula.’

Jimin knows this name- has heard it-

‘Navvula! Let me out! Please! Don’t do this!’

 ‘We will not be apart from our home – if she dies then we will die with her.’

‘They died,’ Jimin whispers quietly.

‘But this is my home too! You’re family!’

 ‘Thank you.’

 ‘I hope you find your home.’

‘They all died.’

JD doesn’t respond, hand still extended down. Jimin bows his head, lowering himself until his head touches the snow on the ground.

He cannot beg for forgiveness. He cannot expect to be forgiven.

The only thing he could do now was to know.

Small hands pat his head and Jimin’s head shoots up at once. Andamaina stands before him, as real as JD, just as alive-

His hand meets thin air instead of the hands before him.

‘Her name means egg,’ Jimin says quietly instead, drinking in the sight of the young Megibīyan.

Her name means daughter, child, family-

‘It was- it was a common name, one of endearment, of love, care,’ Jimin continues.

Her name means abandoned-

‘Lead the way Anda,’ JD says gently.

The little girl takes a few skipping steps down the hall, turning around, clearly waiting for them to follow her. Jimin takes JD’s extended hand and pulls himself up to his feet. JD doesn’t move yet, but instead levels him with a careful look.

‘Where we are going is dark and remote,’ he states simply. ‘This will hurt.’

Jimin nods in understanding.

‘This is the pain I allowed to happen,’ he declares, ‘- it is only right if I bear it myself.’

Only pausing for a second more, JD leads the way.

Anda smiles brightly and runs ahead, her small feet creating echoes around the hallway.

‘Why is she here?’ Jimin asks after a while.

‘I couldn’t let go,’ is all JD says.

‘For how long?’

‘For too long.’

They walk in silence, following the pitter patter of bare feet before them. Pausing some ways ahead, Andamaina beams at them and opens a door, stepping inwards and disappearing.

‘JD…’ Jimin begins carefully, pausing before the door, feeling and smelling the rain that was falling behind it.

JD stops, waiting for Jimin to continue.

But Jimin remains mute- not sure what to say.

‘You have arrived,’ JD says quietly. ‘You have arrived and that is all they would have wanted.’

The door opens completely and Jimin feels the lightning before he sees it, before he hears it.

A mighty sky roars above him, thunder cracks the heavy clouds, lightning echoes in light, casting illumination just enough to show how impossibly thick the storm was above them.

Lightning strikes the sandy shore Jimin finds himself in, bordering a dark storming ocean to one side, and a tall forest to the other side.

Jimin doesn’t recognize this shore- doesn’t recognize the skies, the planet.

‘Where are we?’

‘At the beginning,’ JD replies.

‘Of?’

As though answering Jimin’s question, there’s a burst of movement from the clearing in the trees and another version of JD steps out.

He-…he looks alive. He looks strong, young, untouched by death, by Time, by lifetimes of pain unimaginable. He bellows with the wind, clearly delighted. Jimin finds himself smiling in response- the joy and excitement he exuded was infectious.

Momentarily, Jimin forgets that JD is there. The real JD. So when he crosses ahead of him, a figure in white so alike yet so painfully different from what was clearly his past self- Jimin jolts back to reality.

‘Is this your home?’

‘It was,’ JD replies looking around. ‘It is the planet of K’arishkhali, wrought from lightning and storms.’

As though in response to that statement, the sky thunders and a bolt of lightning hits the sandy beach. Jimin surmises that maybe the younger JD was here looking for fulgurite. There’s another thunderous clap but this time it’s not natural.

A familiar transporter breaks through the shockingly low clouds that broiled over the stormy ocean and crashes into the sandy shore, wet sand flying up in arcs. Jimin knows the make of this ship. Remembers the decisions made to purposefully design and equip Megibīya with outdated GLA machinery, combined with their own skill and resources. They needed the perfect cover for their gateway- not too conspicuous, yet not too old so as to fail in defending itself.

‘Hey! Is anyone hurt? Don’t worry! The coastal guard will be here!‘

JD’s voice rips through the storm and Jimin finds himself looking at the scene closely. The transporter was what they called a scout-pod, travelling ahead of the mothership. They were incredibly strong and durable, and with this sort of storm, Jimin knows that they would have kept the transporter at very high security settings. He almost wants to tell JD it was futile to attempt to open the strong casing that protected the pod. Instead he watches as past-JD frantically searches over the ship for any source of entry.

Inside Jimin spots a few figures, seated firmly and securely- momentarily knocked out from the shock of the crash. This would also have been their first time leaving the protection of Menigišiti.

Jimin wonders if JD’s giving up as he runs away from the pod. But Jimin is mistaken because JD rushes towards a parked hover-transport and he’s extracting something from the storage unit. Rushing back into the stormy beach and crash-site, JD skids across the sand before he’s fumbling around the front window edges, clearly hoping to breach a gap between the reinforced glass and melded metal.

‘Move away from my ship!’ a voice hisses.

Both past-JD and Jimin whip around at the voice.

Jimin has to hold himself back from taking leaping steps to barrel into this strong figure. To hold him close and cradle him safe, to make sure that no more harm would befall his children.

To hold him away from what Jimin knew would be death and hopelessness.

‘Hey whoa ok, I was just checking to see if you guys were ok!’ JD replies stammering, his arms sticking up into the air as he sits up.

Standing in front of him with a bleeding head was a species of Being he couldn’t identify.

The Megibīyan were a tall and strong species, their biology shaped by the unique genesis of their planet. They appeared menacing, but Jimin knew them as some of the most gentlest Beings within the Menigišiti System. The planet had a small population, and the continuation of their species was a complex process. Yet despite all of this, they volunteered to be the gatekeepers, to watch over the gateway.

The Megibīya Wenedi had valiantly led them through their empty planet- hope dying before their very eyes. Jimin still carries them in his soul, in his heart.

‘What were you trying to do?’

‘Woah ok let’s not do something we will both regret!’ JD is shivering in the rain- fear, adrenaline, the cold. ‘I was just trying to extract the window pane so that I could help your crew – they don’t look so good right now.’

Jimin can already tell from the way he studies JD, that he believes him.

‘Hurry up.’

JD is skilled. Jimin is awed by the swiftness, adaptability, and precision with which he worked. By the time he’s done, the rest of the Megibīyan inside have woken up. Jimin watches with a sense of wonder as they regard JD with care, but also with a sense of respect. All 4 inside the pod step out into the rain.

They were beautiful.

Beautiful and lost and alone.

And Jimin can do nothing to rewrite this.

‘How did you do that?’

‘Do what?’ JD looks wary, understandably so.

‘Take my ship apart so quickly, this ship is not your planet’s make.’

It wasn’t supposed to be the make of any sort of known planet.

‘Uh well,’ Jongdae mumbles. ‘It’s um – I’m a Mechanical Engineering student?’

Jimin almost giggles at the amused expressions on the faces of his- of his…-

The startling reality of their future from this point hits Jimin hard.

When this had happened, had he already left for Megibīya? Had he already arrived at the gateway only to find it collapsing, the gatekeepers slaughtered, their death bleeding red into the sky?

‘But yeah, um, the coastal guard will be here to help you guys out mor-‘

‘What?’

‘The coastal guard-‘

‘How long will it take for them to get here?’

’10-10 more minutes?’

‘We should take him back- he should know what to do.’

‘He’s young- he’s too young. We will not take him from his home.’

‘We will not keep him. Only until it is over. Then we can return home- back to our Mother.’

Jimin hadn’t noticed how the rain had seeped down to his very soul, falling through him and drowning him in the ignorance he had been blinded with.

I abandoned you.

‘You will fix my ship.’

‘What?’

‘My ship. You’re going to fix it.’

‘Hurry!’

They tell JD the simplest of truths, the bare minimum of who they were. Jimin watches with similar confusion with the way JD not only integrates himself into the Megibīyan but somehow just seems to belong.

Language becomes a barrier for JD and the Megibīyan, but there are few who can communicate and translate.

The children love him at once- following him with confusion and excitement.

‘He looks like our Heart- like our Mother,’ they giggle amongst each other.

Jimin’s heart breaks beyond repair.

They share laughter, hot food, warm blankets, and the joy of childish games uniting any people together.

Jimin catches their names here and there. He carries their names deep in his mind. And each laugh, each smile, each joke they make at each other, carves the syllables of their names deeper into his heart.

Navvula reminds Jimin of the Megibīya Wenedi Yyna. Both are fiercely loyal, devoted, strong.

And like Yyna, Jimin could not hold her last breath within him.

‘Well guys, um, have a safe trip?’

They’re back on the beach. The mothership repaired and running better than ever.

‘If this is his home, why does he look homesick?’ Navvula asks no one in particular.

They leave, and Jimin is almost in shock. He knows they could see it. He knows that they could see how JD had left his heart back in the mothership. But they leave, and JD is alone on the stormy beach.

They stand together for a long moment, staring at the clouds, willing them to come back. But it’s late now, and Jimin knows that JD, for all the good he’s done, for all the heart he poured out for people he did not know, deserved to go back home and be safe.

Jimin hears its song before he sees it.

‘It’s a lore in K’arishkhali,’ JD suddenly says, appearing beside him. Jimin had nearly forgotten that he was here too.

Jimin watches in awe as a magnificent shape forms in the clouds, taking shape and form of music beyond the stars. He has only ever known of it. Has only ever dreamt of it.

‘We call them Ts’iur Vachrobis,’ JD explains.

This was Time- this was Beauty.

Jimin wants to leap up, to touch the stars of its great chest, to fall into the depths of its song and let it take him away through the storm and beyond the light of the stars.

The sky around them darkens and Jimin realizes that this memory was dimming- that it was slowly fading into unconsciousness. In the strange shifting darkness that tries to take over, Jimin hurries over to past-JD, who was now kneeling, overwhelmed.

There are stars in his eyes.

When light reappears, Jimin finds himself in the ship again, with JD on a make-shift bed of sorts. Andamaina is here. Dressed in cleaner clothes, eyes curious as she watches JD with admiration and delight. She rushes out, and it’s as though the energy she exuded propelled JD to sit up.

‘Are you all right Jongdae?’

His name was Unyana- son, child, leader, orphan-

‘Yeah – what happened?’

Andamaina scurries over and sits on JD’s lap, the latter smiling down at her, a joy that Jimin recognizes as genuine and warm.

‘There was a strange sonic anomaly when we left you at the shore. We came back to see if you were all right and then you passed out.’

Recollection crosses JD’s eyes.

‘If you feel better then we can take you back-‘

‘Can I stay?’ Jongdae asks suddenly.

Jimin holds his breath, waiting for both the answer and the question.

‘This is your planet, where you belong – do you not cherish her?’

‘I do – she is my home. I think she wants me to go with you.’

‘You should have stayed,’ Jimin whispers quietly.

‘Why would I leave my home?’ JD replies before opening a door to the side.

Jimin follows quietly, leaving the small room behind him and instead enters an area that looks like it could be the Bridge of a ship.

They had arrived at a familiar place- this was

‘-Grisial,’ Jimin breathes out. ‘They came so far.’

‘Grisial was once a place I could not think about without pain,’ JD reaches a hand out as though to touch the crystals in the distance.

‘And now?’

‘And now I see only beauty.’ For a moment there’s a faraway look in his eyes, a light shining from within not unlike the Grisial crystals themselves.

‘According to what the Captain told me at the time, we are now a year since I joined the crew,’ JD clarifies.

‘A year?’

Had they felt it? Had they felt the decay and death of their planet?

‘He told me that 13 ships escaped-‘

Jimin cannot weep anymore.

Megibīya was not a large planet with a large population- but they had a fair number of population that had been carefully maintained and blessed. 13 ships would have barely amounted to the population living in a town.

How many had he let down? How many had he abandoned?

‘None of the other ships had survived,’ JD continues to tell him.

Jimin is numb, the light of the glittering crystals before him seem to mock him.

‘There is information you might find of importance.’ JD says quietly. ‘A smaller ship similar to the one that crashed on the shores of my country had survived long enough to be picked up by a GLA Patrol Unit outside the System of Axudar. They were allowed to stay there while the GLA investigated the matter.’

‘It has been many years,’ Jimin whispers.

‘It has. But they had carried our message back to the GLA to tell them that we would return to Bhumi.’ JD pauses a moment before adding, ‘We did not see them again. We assumed that they would join us in Bhumi.’

A strange creeping sensation crawls down Jimin’s back.

‘I am not saying that there is hope,’ JD tells him plainly. ‘It is something you could look into.’

Jimin nods quietly, looking away from the Grisial crystals and closing his eyes. His eyes burn, a sensation that spreads through and burns into his brain, painting everything a horrendous and familiar red.

‘They knew,’ JD speaks.

When Jimin opens his eyes he finds himself inside a hallway that is wrecked apart with chaos, panic, screaming sirens, and a glaring red light that comes from a planet Jimin knows is supposed to be a muted soft brown, with vast expanses of light blue, ringed with violet towards the edges that gives way to the midnight blue of space beyond.

This- this was-

‘They knew that they were coming back to die.’

There’s a sudden burst of movement as JD appears behind them, attempting to run into the Bridge ahead. But Unyana stops him, standing close to the entryway.

‘Captain!’ JD looks a little older here, his hair longer.

Jimin weeps with Unyana- weeps for the planet dying, weeps for the homes destroyed, weeps for the families bound to a fate of darkness.

‘I can’t take it-‘ Jimin gasps out, breath coming out in choked exhales.

Navvula appears, attempting to rush and gather JD away and down the hall. But JD moves past the two, rushing into the Bridge that is stained red.

Jimin can see the once beautiful planet, debris floating around it- forming rings like a protoplanetary disc and it-

‘How did we not see,’ Jimin chokes out.

‘No! I have to stay here and help!’ JD yells.

Or was it Jimin crying out the words.

Let me stay- let me stay let me stay-

The very air trembles and Jimin knows he cannot stay.

‘What did the message say?’

‘The Panel sent this,’ Tsirin pulls up the message for all of them to see. ‘They sent it directly to me, and not to the Council. This worries me.’

Before Jimin can ask what she meant, the message pops up, a video that’s static and blurred, the audio grainy and filled with background noise. It was the Yisheng Ndica, who had been able to understand them, a gift, no doubt, from their abilities as a Yisheng. Yishengs were called S’wezete in Menigišiti. But none had been born for over a millennia.

‘I hope you can receive this message,’ the Yisheng Ndica declares, looking unsure and worried. ‘We received a strange signal from a planet close to your System, from a planet the GLA calls Bhumi. We’re not sure if this is part of your extended System, but reports of great destruction, and a reported “cleansing” has taken place there. We have already sent out our forces to observe the situation. This is the message sent, and I hope you can clarify this for us. If this is simply my over-thinking, please correct me. If not, I am making my way to Akramana now, and we can discuss what to do.’

Tsirin immediately plays the message sent.

It’s incredibly fragmented and filled with excessive noise. However, words can be made out, and the Megibīya Wenedi both pale, their black eyes widening. They were tall and hulking, their skin texture rough and almost stone like even in colour. Their eyes were jet black, with a sort of yellow-ochre star shaped iris at the center.

‘-ing. We are leaving-…hips have left with the women and childr-…tayed behind to divert-…oming-…trong and many I cannot expla-…T’S HERE. THEY’RE HERE. WE NEED TO LEA-…ything is red-…it is evil-…’

The message breaks off to play another section. This one a different  voice.

‘-just a few of us have escaped. We beg of you. Please help us-…hips flying out but are being hunted-…ping to the closest system we can find- …is evil. They are evil- … hat is it. It came and made the sky red-…everything was bleeding- nnot escape-‘ the message falls silent for almost 10 whole seconds before there’s a burst of static and then suddenly the message is crisp clean and clear: ‘-it appeared out of nowhere. They knew our home. They were able to overcome our defenses. My Heart, they are here to bleed us dry.’

He cannot stay because he was too late.

‘No!’ He screams alongside JD. ‘I MUST help!’

Navvula is stronger than them- the Megibīyan were exemplary fighters, who had a powerful strength they only used when needed. They were always able to overpower Jimin when he trained with them, chuckling at him and lightheartedly teasing him about his height.

‘You do so much already,’ Navvula speaks gently. There is resignation and sorrow in her voice. But there is also acceptance.

‘You have saved the ship so many times – and in turn saved me. Saved my husband. Saved every life in here.’

They’re at the emergency capsule launch unit.

The ship tilts dangerously and the lights go off.

Navvula takes advantage of this and shoves them into an emergency capsule.

That’s also when they notice that none of the children are in the launch room – in fact there is only one activated capsule.

‘Navvula!’ They scream, slamming their fists against the capsules cover. ‘Let me out! Please! Don’t do this!’

‘We will not be apart from our home Jongdae – if she dies then we will die with her.’

‘But this is my home too! You’re family!’ they scream, his vision blurring fast with tears.

His own pulse is the only sound he registers.

He sees Navvula smile at him as she places her palm on the small square of glass.

Jimin reaches up to keep his palm there as well.

‘Thank you Jongdae,’ she says quietly. They can barely hear her.

‘I hope you find your home.’

They are thrown out into space.

He watches in cruel motion, not 10 seconds after he was launched off the ship, as the mother ship explodes in a silent scream of bright lights that rips through the galaxy.

Family

Love

Abandonment

Their capsule is caught in the explosion and they’re flung into the orbit of Megibīya where her gravity pulls them to the surface.

Jimin feels a dreadful sense of returning home as everything around him turns to a blissful dark.

By the time Jimin wakes up he finds himself inside a medical unit and he wonders if it was all a dream but when he’s face to face with the Beings he knows as the Omhlophe, inside a building that is clearly of Megibīyan architecture and construct, Jimin screams until he’s sedated.

‘This is where I died.’

Jimin doesn’t know if he said it, or if JD- no, Jongdae, said it.

But he’s no longer in the tiny medical chamber. The Omhlophe are no longer gathered around him, the white of their clothing and masks stark against the red.

‘I was later rescued by the GLA,’ Jongdae continues to narrate, quietly guiding them outwards and into a broken landscape Jimin recognizes immediately. He watches as massive ships fly in, all of which he recognizes as the ones the GLA Panel had arrived in. And around the larger ships are smaller ones- ones that Jimin recognizes as the same type Yoongi and his team had flown in with.

The memory is short, warped, hazy. But Jimin recognizes the forms of those transporters and with what he’s learnt from his unfortunate stay in Ynqaba, and what he’s learnt so far- from what he’s learnt of Yoongi- combined with his own experiences, the haze begins to clear.

‘Do you know how long you were here?’ Jimin asks as the memory fades, darkness slowly creeping in from all sides. Jongdae shines, the white of his clothes clear and contrast as the darkness morphs an shifts into a dark room. Jongdae walks over to a seemingly normal wall and opens a door, light flooding.

Jimin notices how past-Jongdae is sitting in the corner of the dark room that is a strange accumulation of wires, frames, metallic structures with no clear meaning or form. He also notices how Jongdae’s eyes are foggy, a clear indication that he was blind.

‘Too long.’

‘What happened here?’ Jimin asks, still unmoving though he jumps a little as Navvula reappears from the shadows, grinning as she speaks in echoes to Jongdae.

‘Hallucinations?’

‘Wishful thinking.’

Jimin finally manages to move, finding strength when he sees Andamaina smiling at him from behind Jongdae’s legs.

‘This was long ago,’ Jimin comments, feeling a strange sense of calm in him. ‘How are you here?’

‘The same way you are,’ Jongdae replies as they step out. He closes the door behind him and Jimin feels lighter. ‘More or less.’

Jimin stares at the floors, his feet startlingly clean. He had expected to see his feet covered in grime, soot, blood, and maybe even entirely burnt. It was strange.

‘You asked about these Beings you referred to as the Omhlophe- I believe you saw them back in there?’

Jimin nods at once, ‘Is that all you remember?’

Jongdae nods, looking down to gently pat Andamaina’s head.

‘They were also there- on that ship, run by what we call the Akramanese.’ Jongdae says carefully before adding, ‘We were mistaken about their name?’

Jimin nods, hesitating a little as he says, ‘The Red Evil- I don’t…the Akramana are not-…were not-‘

‘You do not have to tell me all- just that I am glad this confusion was somewhat solved,’ Jongdae tells him kindly.

‘You won’t be able to find more information on them,’ Jongdae continues as he starts to walk up the hallway again.

‘What do you mean?’

‘She was able to find some information-Em, your Captain’s information analyst. I was also looking into it before you arrived,’ JD states simply before saying bluntly, ‘You need to be careful.’

‘What do you mean?’ Jimin asks carefully- this wasn’t just a warning regarding his safety.

‘The Omhlophe were indeed involved with what you refer to as the Red Evil.’ JD explains. ‘They were what I believed based off of evidence discovered in the remains of the Akramanese mothership, as well as extensive investigation conducted by the GIU, that they were Beings, not too different from the way the GI are born.’

Jimin can’t help the sharp inhale he takes.

‘I may be wrong, and this is all conjecture, but I believe that when the Red Evil inherited the idea of re-genesis from the Yishengs, they attempted to recreate all species as a whole. The Omhlophe are most possibly, survivors or a result of these recreations. The same way the Yishengs created the GI, the Red Evil created the Omhlophe.’

‘They were referred to as the pure ones,’ Jimin quotes, remembering what had happened. ‘There…-I am correct to assume that you know, what the Human in my ship is?’

Jongdae nods once. Jimin feels the skin on his face pull a little from where his tears had overflown. It feels unfamiliar that he had wept- because now, now-

‘I am also correct to assume that you know much about the eggs- the OrTanks of Beings grown by both the Yishengs and the Red Evil?’

Jongdae nods again.

Jimin pauses before he decides to simply tell JD all he knew from Ynqaba. Everything from the eggs, the talk between Namjoon and the others, what Jungkook had told them about his past.

‘There were more- I know it. Not just Jungkook- based off of what I heard the Collectors say. Even the GI made appearances there considering they had their uniform in stock with them.’ Jimin concludes. ‘I do not believe that what you have said is conjecture- but perhaps one of the many truths we can now see.’

‘We have never been to Ynqaba or that region- but we were in a nearby region in the past,’ Jongdae comments, looking thoughtful.

‘Do you have it?’ Jimin asks quietly, carefully.

‘Have what?’

‘The mark. On your back?’

‘I had many marks,’ Jongdae tells him quietly, looking up as a shower of snowflakes fall about him afresh. ‘But I was made new again.’

‘What-…who was here?’ Jimin pauses at a blank stretch of wall.

‘You can feel it?’ JD asks, turning to glance back.

‘I recognize it. Or at least…’ Jimin now recognizes it. He’s not sure why but he doesn’t want to touch the wall despite how much his hand was itching too. He feels a small pull on his pant-legs, finding Andamaina behind him, shaking her head at him. Jimin takes a step back.

‘It called itself the Original Nightmare,’ JD says quietly, ‘Another failed creation.’

He could feel the echoes of it back there. He could feel the echoes of it in Sk’jin.

WHY ARE YOU HERE-

‘You’ve met it?’

‘No- no, just…just missed it,’ Jimin whispers.

Jongdae is looking at him curiously but doesn’t press for answers.

Memories were to be respected after all.

‘How do you do this?’ Jimin asks as he looks behind him at the endless hallway. This was not just some memory vault- everything in here breathed life.

In every sense of the word, this was all of Jongdae.

‘It’s not with everyone,’ Jongdae tells him as they approach the final door. ‘Not everyone can come here.’

There’s a quiet giggle and they both glance back, spotting Andamaina by one of the doorways.

‘How did you know I could come here?’ Jimin asks as they stop before the first door. Or was it the final one?

‘Time is strange,’ Jongdae says quietly, slowly reaching up to touch the surface of the door before them. ‘And we have lived through Time that existed beyond itself- a reality that does not exist here. And as those Beings, we carry that Time in us.’

Jongdae places his palm over the door and it seems to glow. Jimin can feel soft cool touches on his skin, like snow falling over him.

‘They all do,’ Jongdae continues. ‘Those who were born of that ship- those created from that Time; we all carry it in us.’

‘Can we return to that Time?’

Jongdae shakes his head.

‘It can come to you, repeat itself over and over- appear before your eyes; the way they always appeared before me.’ Jongdae removes his hand before reaching for the handle.

Jimin thinks back to the dark room, where Jongdae sat, unseeing but filled with want as Navvula’s laughter echoed around him.

‘You cannot return to it, but perhaps you can look at it.’

Now, Jimin realizes what the strange calm is.

‘Will I be able to return after I have looked?’

Jongdae has a melancholic expression in his eyes, ‘You will, but you don’t know what you might lose there- or what you might bring back.’

‘You brought light,’ Jimin comments, looking around and adding, ‘-and snow.’

Jongdae looks around, the melancholy replaced with something akin to pride and devotion.

‘I like it,’ Jimin smiles. ‘Your present is so…so full of light.’

‘I found my Light,’ Jongdae looks at him, a small smile on his face as he opens the door. ‘And I will follow him for as long as he will let me.’

Waking up was like falling asleep. The door that had previously been closed opened and Jimin is staring at a dark ceiling covered in wires. There’s some movement and a familiar figure appears above him.

‘How long were we sleeping?’ Jimin’s body feels heavy and lethargic. His limbs feel limp and oddly rubber like.

Namjoon smiles at him before reaching down to help him sit up.

‘Almost exactly 18 hours- enough for Taeh’yung to call over 500 times,’ he chuckles and then sighs as though exhausted.

Jongdae doesn’t look surprised by this information and sits up, his movements small and contained as he rolls and flexes his shoulders from having been stationary for so long.

‘I’ll tell them you’re up,’ Namjoon steps back. He looks tired but there’s a gleam in his eyes, a sense of grim satisfaction as well as though he learnt something new.

Jimin looks about the place, almost surprised to find everything startlingly normal and real.

‘Memories are incredibly real, Jimin,’ Jongdae says quietly, almost startling Jimin with the usage of his name. ‘But you cannot linger in them.’

Before Jimin can ask Jongdae to clarify, Kai appears, grinning easily at them. Clearly he’d spent some time with the others as he greets Namjoon with familiarity.

‘Are you done?’ Jimin asks instead, looking up at Namjoon.

Namjoon smiles wryly with a nod towards someone to the side and says, ‘We were done a couple of hours ago.’

‘Ah…so, did you havi-have fun?’ Jimin stammers a bit with Standard, having felt so at ease speaking one of his native tongues.

Namjoon chuckles under his breath while someone snorts, clearly amused. They must have investigated more on the matter Jongdae had told him previously. Jimin sits up properly and takes a look around.

The other Being in the room is…interesting, to say the least.

Her soul felt similar to that of an Android’s life-force. But just a tad bit stronger. She’s wearing many robes- not the type Sk’jin liked to wear, but what appeared to be thick textured fabrics that swathed her oddly formless body. Jimin can’t be sure if she’s facing him or not. Extending from her short hands are long extensions that seem to move all on their own, with no sense of direction or purpose.

‘This is Ems- our Information Analyst,’ Kai introduces with a wave.

Ems waves her long fingers in greeting, not moving from her place that Jimin realizes is the center of this entire space.

‘Hi princeling- good nap?’ she asks.

Jimin flushes, not sure if he would be rude by correcting her name for him. Instead he chooses to nod and says, ‘Thank you for having us-‘

‘-eh, ransacked as per usual. Always taken for granted- you leave me and then show up and then cause all of this ruckus I am sick of being used like this-‘

‘No, Ems, come on-‘

‘It’s not like that Ems-‘

Both Namjoon and Kai begin at once, though they both look amused as they placate her with gentle praise and flattery. A hand appears before him and Jimin looks up. Jongdae is already on his feet, looking not quite as illuminating as he did when they Slept. Taking a deep breath and bracing himself, Jimin takes Jongdae’s hand and stands on his feet.

There was still a lot he didn’t know, and what he knew now wasn’t entirely verifiable. But in his heart he knew.

‘Is everything good?’ Namjoon asks.

Jimin nods and says, ‘Everything is good.’

He knew what he had to do now.

Kai skips over to them with a bright smile and hands Jongdae a Comm-Device that the latter reaches for at once.

‘I guess it’s time we get going,’ Namjoon smiles and nods at Kai and Jongdae.

‘Yeah! Get the out of my house!’ Em calls from her position, ‘Stop up my air!’

‘It’s not like you really need it!’ Namjoon barks back with amusement.

It’s nice seeing Namjoon here- somehow lighter, in his element, feeling at ease because of how grown he was into this sort of environment. This sort of setting probably felt most like home to him.

‘Who wants to go first?’ Kai asks.

Namjoon raises his hand after a quick look at Jimin who nods.

‘Lets go.’

Kai holds his hand up and the moment their hands meet they both vanish.

‘Time is not what we believe it to be,’ Jongdae tells him quietly, ‘You carry another Time within you, and by returning to it, you might find that things have changed.’

‘I know,’ Jimin replies, not surprised that Jongdae already knew what he was going to do.

‘Be careful,’ Jongdae finally looks at him, his eyes clear and electric, ‘Trust no one.’

Jimin almost jolts at his words. He briefly wonders what happened that Jongdae’s eyes had once clouded over in permanent blindness.

‘What-‘

‘Belief, hope, redemption- these are things we all have, it is a common force within all of us. But where it comes from, where it is born, are all different.’ Jongdae tells him quickly, ‘Some are born from pain, some are born from fire- some are born of desperate promises.’

Kai returns, smiling as he holds up his hand respectfully.

Jongdae steps back, his gaze still holding Jimin’s.

‘Jongdae-‘ Jimin tries.

Kai looks between them, clearly wondering if he should step away.

‘Trust only what you See,’ Jongdae takes another step back. ‘Trust only what they are born of.’

Returning to the Užkulisai, Jimin almost feels a strange sense of disassociation.

He had been born into this ship, and what he saw, what he heard, what he knew, was born of this ship.

But in this moment, after walking through Time and Memory, he almost doesn’t recognize it. He knows he’s in the Lobby of the Second Level- but at the same time, it feels entirely unlike itself.

‘Are you okay? It does take some time to adjust,’ Kai says kindly just as Jimin hears loud yelling and thundering footsteps.

‘Yes,’ Jimin smiles up at the Dakaṣayaii, ‘Maybe dizzy?’

‘That happens,’ Kai chortles as he steps aside just in time because Taeh’yung dives into the air, a bright wide grin on his face and Jimin has braced himself to fall back onto the floor but it never comes. Because instead he’s not standing, instead he’s been scooped up and away, and the sound of something heavy painfully landing on the ground fills the air.

Of course it’s Yoongi.

‘I wasn’t going to hurt him-‘ Taeh’yung wails from the floor just as Jungkook appears, Sk’jin behind him looking very amused. ‘-I missed him-‘

‘Are you all right?’

Yoongi’s voice is quiet and meant only for him.

Jimin looks away from Taeh’yung’s wails, Kai’s high-pitched chuckles, and Sk’jin’s teasing comments to address the Human who had quite literally plucked him away from Taeh’yung’s well meaning greeting.

He almost forgets, that Yoongi had recoloured his hair.

Since the moment Jimin had awoken, Yoongi has had blue hair, fading into a odd washed out sky blue. But now it’s dark, a little dry, and painfully familiar.

It’s not just the hair.

It’s not just Yoongi.

The walls behind him, the sound of Taeh’yung’s whines, Sk’jin snorts, of the conversations, the sounds of the ship- everything is familiar and just-

‘I am,’ and Jimin surges forward, wrapping his arms around the Human in a tight hug. ‘I missed you.’

Now that he was back, Jimin feels it. How much he had missed Yoongi- and how now, seeing him and having him in his arms, finally settled the disassociation. He pulls away gently, smiling at a slightly wide-eyed Yoongi.

‘Literally- that was quite the hit and miss,’ Sk’jin snorts as he leans against the wall while Jungkook shuffles forward, keeping a distance between himself and Kai as he approaches Jimin.

‘I’ll get going now then- thanks for the food and stories,’ Kai smiles, nodding at Sk’jin who graciously returns the nod with a flip of his now dark hair.

‘Kai- please wait,’ Jimin stops the Dakaṣayaii before he can teleport.

Kai pauses, a questioning but open expression on his face.

‘One minute,’ Jimin says as he quickly darts into his Cabin ignoring the cramps on his legs from having slept too long. Inside, he rummages inside the closet before finding what he was looking for. Finding an appropriate soft-clothed stretch of cloth, he wraps the smooth Grisial crystal the size of his thumb in the cloth and quickly makes his way back to Kai and the others.

The Dakaṣayaii still looks at him questioningly but doesn’t refuse the small bundle and takes it in his hand.

‘Can you give this to Jon-JD?’

‘Of course,’ Kai smiles. ‘What is it for?’

‘For- uh- for beauty.’

Kai doesn’t seem remotely confused by his reply and instead smiles and nods.

‘Okay then-‘

‘JONGIN DON’T LEAVE!’ Taeh’yung pounces on the Dakaṣayaii, long arms wrapping around Kai like restraints.

‘Tae please-‘ Sk’jin walks over again, looking comically exhausted.

‘Hey, next time we can go visit the others, how about that?’ Kai struggles to speak as he rights himself with the help of Sk’jin who watches with a smile akin to a strained mother. ‘When you’re all done and safe with all of this yeah?’

Taeh’yung brightens up at this.

‘Of course! And when you see Baek again, tell him he’ll be proud!’ Taeh’yung lets go and stands up straight, taller than the Dakaṣayaii even though he had successfully made himself look inches shorter. ‘I did a great thing!’

Kai chortles and agrees easily.

‘And! And! Kiss Cheimi for me?’

A strange look passes Kai’s face before he huffs out a laugh and with a funny smile says, ‘I don’t know about that- but I’ll see.’

Taeh’yung just grins and waves his long arms in farewell.

‘Good luck,’ the Dakaṣayaii says, nodding at them. ‘Be careful.’

Sk’jin smiles and bows his head gracefully.

And just like that, the Dakaṣayaii vanishes.

‘That’ll always look a little creepy,’ Hoseok comments before adding, ‘Welcome back Jimin.’

‘Thank you,’ Jimin smiles, looking up at one of the cameras up on the ceiling.

‘Are you hungry?’ Sk’jin asks, clearly in a much better mood from the last time Jimin saw him. ‘Made a bunch of food. Mainly Human because remember Kyungsoo? He’s a really good cook- apparently he’s head-chef of his ship.’ He cackles a moment before adding, ‘He gave me some recipes.’

‘Eat?’ Jungkook asks, looking hesitant but also pleased. He’s nervous, Jimin notices, and immediately recognizes why. Giving Yoongi’s hand a gentle squeeze, he reaches over for Jungkook who immediately ducks under his arm.

‘Yes! Eat!’

Jungkook smiles brightly at him and it’s almost enough to break Jimin’s heart again.

He had such a beautiful soul- so young, so gentle; bruised but healing, scarred but healing. If there was any reason to do this, then it would be for Jungkook.

For Jungkook and the others out there just like him.

‘You met him didn’t you?’ Taeh’yung asks, voice low in his ears, his tone downright gleeful as he studies Jimin’s face. ‘You have some snowflakes on you.’

‘I did,’ Jimin smiles.

‘He’s great,’ Taeh’yung grins.

‘Who is?’ Namjoon asks, reappearing from his Cabin, dressed in new clothes and looking a little more awake.

‘Me,’ Sk’jin says pointedly and adds, ‘Because I’m an amazing cook.’

Jimin is almost worried that Namjoon might take offense. He’s not overreacting in the slightest because Namjoon and Sk’jin have fought over less. But instead Namjoon rolls his eyes good naturedly and says, ‘I’m sure you are.’ And it doesn’t sound condescending.

Jimin is reminded of Jongdae’s words and realizes the accuracy in them. Was it because of the Time they shared, that he just knew about it, or if it was just a lucky circumstance- but something tells Jimin it wasn’t luck.

The same way Jimin could see the snow, the same way he could feel the dry sand of a parched and forgotten desert, Jongdae had obviously been able to feel them.

Namjoon’s resolve, his drive, his existence was born from pain.

Hoseok’s motivation, his need for redemption, for something to take away what he wrought with his hands, was born of fire.

Sk’jin’s chaotic spirit, his strained resolve, his guilt, was born of broken promises.

They all had something, a reason that though right here, right now, appeared identical- the reasoning, the personal meaning, and expectations they all had were vastly different from each other’s.

Different from Jimin’s.

Jimin trusts them all. Trusts that they will do what they say.

And now he knows.

‘All right, now that we’re all here- I can begin,’ Namjoon announces.

‘You never stopped, how do you begin if you don’t stop?’ Sk’jin mumbles from the Kitchen counter. Namjoon rolls his eyes again, and it’s not heavy with irritation or annoyance. It’s almost friendly and Jimin is confused. He looks at Yoongi for an answer but the Human just gives him the tiniest shrug and directs him towards a chair at the table.

‘Hobi?’ Taeh’yung calls out loudly, making Jungkook flinch a little at his volume.

‘I’m here!’ Hoseok announces as he makes his way down the stairs. ‘Just making some adjustment with the autopilot.

Outside, Jimin notices how they’re still in Grisial. It pains him now to look at it. Knowing what he knew now- this was no longer a place of bright lights, of beauty and wonder.

It was now a place of disappointment, sorrow, and loss.

Jimin moves away from the chair Yoongi had pulled out for him, and instead taking the Human’s hand, guides them to the other side of the table, putting their backs to the view of the window. Yoongi doesn’t say anything, but simply follows.

Jimin eases himself on the kitchen stool, fighting the urge to slump onto the counter and just sleep. He’s exhausted in more than one way but he’s filled with a sense of renewed realization. He feels movement next to him and Yoongi has adjusted their seats so that he sat behind Jimin, angling himself so that Jimin could lean on him.

‘Thank you,’ he breathes out, leaning back.

Yoongi’s hair is dark, and with the way he was looking at him, it makes him remember Jongdae’s words.

‘Memories are incredibly real, Jimin. But you cannot linger in them.’

‘Did something happen?’ Yoongi asks quietly, taking his hands into his own. He studies their hands as though his life depended on it.

‘I saw Dreams- more Dreams,’ Jimin explains quietly as Sk’jin begins to loudly complain about how no one took his cooking seriously and was taken for granted.

‘Sk’jin’s dramatics aside,’ Namjoon clears his throat after taking an indulgent sip of tea. Sk’jin huffs mightily, but it’s more for Jungkook’s amusement who grins delightedly at the way Sk’jin was acting.

It warms Jimin’s heart.

‘Now that we’re all here and we’re almost at the edge of Grisial- I think we need to re-adjust our plans and put together new information.’ Namjoon announces. Jimin would have smiled at the serious and slightly staged manner in which Namjoon spoke, as though trying to mimic other captains or leaders during meetings.

‘First of all, I was able to find out a lot of information about Ynqaba, as well as the Yisheng ship that crashed there, but is apparently still in existence in the Pomoč Nebula.’

Namjoon slides his NaviLet towards the center of the dining table and taps over the surface. Two holographic images take form. One from the footage recorded by the Užkulisai, the other from the official GLA archives of the previously mentioned ship.

Buried and covered in decades of rubble and erosion, the massive ship still bore a vague semblance to the perfectly functional model on the right.

‘These are models that were in existence before the new ones came out. They’re still used in areas that are a bit more harsh- for example the Pomoč Nebula,’ Namjoon taps at the screen and a map of the Pomoč Nebula appears in a swirl of cosmic clouds an stars. ‘There’s a massive pulsar in there, and so the Yishengs are watching over the evacuation of the 8 exoplanets there. It’s been in operation for almost a decade now.’

‘Is there more to it?’ Sk’jin asks with a wry smile. Namjoon snorts around his cup of tea before nodding.

‘So much,’ he states, ‘When we first looked it up, we initially thought it might have been under Yisheng Amme’s control. But it isn’t- it’s actually under Yisheng Ndica’s control.’

‘But he died,’ Hoseok frowns, ‘Right?’

‘Nothing official,’ Namjoon rolls his eyes. ‘But definitely out of commission-‘

‘Dead!’ Taeh’yung beams in confirmation, hands holding up “v” signs.

Everyone stares at him for a second before they all just take his word for it, without question.

‘All right then, so if it’s a dead Yisheng’s ship, whose is it now?’ Sk’jin asks.

‘All Yisheng property belongs to the Yisheng Headquarters- or at least, it used to before. But now, all Yishengs and especially all uh, gone Yisheng property belongs to the GIU,’ Namjoon shrugs one shoulder and says with a short laugh, ‘This is under K’mara’s watch.’

Hoseok whistles low.

‘Of course because it’s GIU, we can’t really get into their archives, they’re separated from the GLA,’ Namjoon continues. ‘K’mara couldn’t get the GI, but she could get all of the Yisheng property. We all know how massive the GI motherships are- but with additional Yisheng ships under their command- they’ve taken most of the Yisheng’s power and influence.’

‘But that means it’s basically impossible to access their information,’ Hoseok frowns. ‘We can’t figure out what or how this duplicate came to form when the original happens to be in Ynqaba.’

‘No, but the GIU is still under the GLA to an extent- they need to give up their information anytime the GLA sees fit,’ Namjoon replies, ‘Basically anyone under the GLA employment can ask for information.’

‘So…you faked an ID?’ Sk’jin asks dubiously.

‘No- I didn’t have to. Because our new comrades at the Stravechi Nava decided they wanted to aid the evacuation in Pomoč and sent an inquiry. The GIU had to give them all of the information, and Kai was of course, kind enough to pass it all to us.’

Hoseok grins at that.

‘So needless to say, Kai and his crew members were able to access some data,’ Namjoon emphasizes lightly. ‘And now we know this.’

He taps a few times and the model of the Yisheng ship shows clearly.

‘This model was made 45 sols ago- past the time of its intended manufacture. From the information based off of this model, production was stopped 80 sols ago. There is of course no reason to recreate an older model, especially if you already have a new one that’s better.’ Namjoon nods at the model again as it slowly spins. ‘Also, this was not manufactured in Tayi- it was manufactured in the System of Axudar.’

Jimin almost jolts out of his seat.

This is the place Jongdae had mentioned to him. He had said it might still hold some matter of importance to this mission- might still hold some answers. But it had been so long ago.

But maybe now- maybe now it wasn’t so.

‘This is an extremely interesting System,’ Namjoon continues, ‘It’s actually a System that we had planned out as a stop before getting to Bhu- uh, Megibīya. At least one of the locations in our many routes to get there. But I guess considering all of our routes have the same risk as well as benefits- we could actually go here.’

‘What else is there other than this ship having been made there?’ Hoseok asks as he indicates towards the holographic ship with a sausage-skewed fork. Jungkook watches the sausage with wide eyes, mouth already filled with food. Hoseok deposits the sausage on Jungkook’s plate, making the latter blush a little, ducking his head in thanks.

‘This might be a stretch- and it also might seem a little…’ Namjoon pauses, clearly thinking of the correct way to word it, ‘-vague. But we found something that seems to connect Axudar with Megibīya.’

Everyone’s eyes naturally flicker towards Jimin and he thinks it’s justified if he looks shocked.

‘There’s a myth- a lore of sorts in Axudar,’ Namjoon begins and he adds with his hands held up as though to block any form of accusation or disbelief. ‘It’s called the “Eclipsing Travellers”- and it’s based off of their astrological beliefs.’

Jimin feels distinctly uncomfortable.

‘What is it about?’

He’s always surprised by how normal he sounds despite feeling anything but.

‘Like all planets- their view on the cosmic sky is simply a selective view of the universe from their orbit around their sun- and for many millennia they’ve always documented and observed a few stars- or unidentified cosmic bodies – from their System.’

‘Menigišiti,’ Yoongi comments before Jimin can.

Namjoon nods, ‘I believe that’s what it is- we calculated and projected their images and documentation of the stars and yes- it fits nearly perfectly with where Megibīya is. And if as Jimin had suspected before, if his System did sometimes lose their camouflage ability, they would have been able to see the light of their sun- creating a rather eclipsing effect of visibility to observers.’

‘You think this is where maybe all those years ago, they were able to find Jimin’s System?’ Sk’jin asks.

‘It’s a possibility. Axudar has 3 habitable planets and they’re all a part of the GLA. For a long time. And not just that, but Ndica was born there.’ Namjoon says carefully as he taps on the screen and a planet appears instead of the ship. ‘He is a native of the planet of Kaitūtei. And I don’t want to…imply anything, but they are the original founders of one of the scientific boards that supported the Theory of Digitized Souls.’

Hoseok and Sk’jin’s expression changes.

‘That explains a lot about Ndica,’ Hoseok comments under his breath.

‘So I’m guessing this planet is very open to “scientific experiments and research”?’ Sk’jin asks lightly.

‘Very open is putting it mildly. They linger just below the “illegal” line in terms of research. Of course they’re careful with it- and well, for the past few centuries that Ndica was alive and was Yisheng, the amount of illegal activities surrounding their “scientific endeavours” has been reduced. Of course that might just be because of Ndica’s influence, but it could-‘

‘-could also be that he covered it all up,’ Hoseok completes, leaning back on his chair as he thinks. ‘I’ve never been to Axudar.’

‘Well that’s because Kaitūtei is under GLA Environmental Protection,’ Namjoon states clearly.

‘What the is that?’ Sk’jin asks in disbelief.

‘My question exactly,’ Namjoon replied, ‘But we didn’t have to look far- it’s actually a protection given to certain planets that have specific weather slash environments that are stagnant in their natural state- like maybe a magma-based planet, on a completely frozen tundra like Helada.’ He taps on a planet that looks more like a white chiseled marble than a planet. ‘You cannot go mainly for your own safety. Only with special permission or if you have a native returning back.’

‘Please tell me one of us could pass off as a native,’ Sk’jin asks, staring blankly at Hoseok at that.

‘He can’t,’ Namjoon  laughs. ‘But it won’t be needed. Actually, I have new identities created for all of us. And this is where Kookie will be able to help. Only if he wants of course,’ Namjoon adds quickly. ‘We can do it without Jungkook’s agreement.’

‘I want to help,’ Jungkook states immediately.

‘Kookie honey you don’t even know what it is,’ Sk’jin says at once, directing a glare at Namjoon.

‘He doesn’t have to do anything of that sort. We’re not going to give him up or anything. Axudar has two other planets- one of them houses, quite convenient to Ndica and his fellow conspirators plan of domination, a center for taking in refugees or Beings who have lost their planets.’

The familiar dread returns in full force in Jimin’s stomach. He realizes he hasn’t been able to eat a single bite since Namjoon started speaking.

‘This is Kaitūtei’s neighbouring planet, they’re quite close actually- Māhanga. It’s one of the…craftier planets in the System- and this one is not protected by the GLA.’ Namjoon smiles, evidently pleased.

‘Craftier how?’ Hoseok inquires as he leans in, studying the planet on display.

‘It’s one of the leading planets in bioengineering and research in Android technology. They’re not always mentioned, because the public generally assumes all of this research is based in Tayi but-‘

‘-it’s a larger community,’ Sk’jin frowns. ‘It’s a large scientific research community. Because Tayi is clean- well, it’s clean because we assume the Yishengs are clean. No research can actually always be ethical-‘

‘-it can,’ Jimin and Taeh’yung say at the same time.

Sk’jin frowns at this before deciding not to argue it and he continues, ‘-so most of the “darker” aspects of research are kept elsewhere. So I’m guessing Māhanga is one of them.’

Namjoon nods, ‘So that’s where we’ll be going. Our claim is that we discovered Jungkook when we were raided by pirates. We managed to escape, and Jungkook here is a stowaway. And like every trading company would when they find a stowaway, they bring them back to a center where they won’t be questioned about their legal or illegal activities.’

Hoseok nods to that before asking, ‘I don’t want to be a party pooper but-‘ Taeh’yung sniggers at that, ‘- I know it’s important we understand more of what happened to better prepare for what we might find but. How is this exactly related to our mission.’

Namjoon nods at that question, as though agreeing to it. ‘That’s why I said that it might be a little vague. But we know for a fact that Yisheng Ndica was part of the Panel that was part of the GLA envoy that negotiated with Jimin and his System. And from what we say in Ynqaba, it’s safe to say that Ndica had also approached that area and now it is how we last saw it. Also, we found Jungkook there,’ he smiles at the young Being who smiles back. ‘-the connection is too clear.’

‘By going there, what do we hope to find out that we cannot access through the archives?’ Hoseok asks again.

‘Again, based on our past experiences- with not just Ynqaba, but with Pompa, with Orvan- there is more than what we are simply given or shown in the archives. And all of this information- things we considered secret regarding things like the Alliance, or how there was a massive war and take over in an entire System – or even Jimin’s System. These are all things that we never could find in database. But things that were glaringly obvious once we got there.’ Namjoon tells him earnestly. Jimin notices how Sk’jin is watching Namjoon, a strange look in his eyes as he studies the Kutsoglerin.

‘What about Yoongi?’ Hoseok asks.

Yoongi looks like he wants to ask ‘what about me?’ but Namjoon seems to know exactly what he meant.

‘We dug into it of course. We dug in deeper into Yoongi’s past record. But what I had been able to find was all that was available. Even with 3 of us digging through- we also found no notification, no single indication of the existence of the GLA group he was part of. There are a lot of communities under the GLA as well as Venture Unit, GIU that have smaller sub-organizations that fall under the similar description. But they’re all either under the Venture Unit or certain Divisions of the GLA like Planetary Relations, or even the Division of Technology and Development. But there was none that fit Yoongi’s description despite there being recorded footage of Yoongi’s trips.’

‘What about the GI? How does that narrative fit in?’ Hoseok inquires.

None of Hoseok’s questions were meant to be condescending or questioning Namjoon’s research- but rather as a means of making sure that they were able to do all they could to secure their safety.

‘Of course from what we know from the Gaia Case, Ndica wasn’t directly involved in the creation of GI- but that doesn’t mean his information wasn’t given to his fellow Yishengs when they were still debating or finalizing their plans of a takeover. What we can learn about what they do- can maybe give us an insight to how it could have influenced the design the make- how they could have possibly been conceived,’ Namjoon adds with a look at Yoongi. ‘It may not answer anything. But if we’re able to see the roots-‘

‘-if we can go back to the inception of this technology, to where it was born, then maybe we have a better chance of understanding it,’ Yoongi concludes.

Namjoon nods to that while Sk’jin also seems to be in agreement.

‘And Tlun’hla was, even by their standard, rather fanatic in his beliefs regarding his own divinity and superiority.’ Namjoon adds, ‘This can also give us insight-‘

‘He was really into it,’ Taeh’yung comments randomly, ‘When they questioned me about my abilities they thought I would have been useful but I was too wild to control.’

There’s pin-drop silence in the kitchen.

‘They what-?’ Namjoon near-screeches.

Hoseok’s jaw drops to the ground, and Sk’jin closes his eyes as though pained by what he was looking at.

‘Yeah- it’s why I was put in Teronko’ng Prison until Kai, and Baek, and-‘ Taeh’yung pauses suddenly before continuing, ‘Until I was rescued!’

‘They locked you up?’

Taeh’yung shrugs as he eats again, ‘I think they said something about me being too powerful to kill? But they didn’t want me about? So they put me in prison. Also I didn’t really like them. Worshipping some old alien like it knew everything and was right-‘ Taeh’yung rolls his eyes, ‘-doesn’t allow for personal growth you know? Absolutely no character development.’

Too powerful to kill?

There was no doubt to Jimin that Taeh’yung possessed in him something far older, far more powerful, and far darker than anything he could hope to even understand. But if the Yishengs dared not try to touch him…

‘They found you after what you did in Ymir?’

Taeh’yung nods, ‘I think they thought I might be able to help. Wasn’t interested- sounded boring.’

It’s with a shared shiver with everyone around the table that Jimin is grateful that Taeh’yung was the way he is.     

‘It feels risky,’ Hoseok says slowly. ‘But I see exactly what you’re getting at.’

‘We won’t do it even if a single Being on this table doesn’t agree.’ Namjoon tells them all again, repeating what he said before. ‘We will only continue if everyone agrees.’

‘What do you think?’ Yoongi asks quietly from the side.

‘Oh right- was there anything interesting you had with your meeting?’ Hoseok asks. ‘With the person who had information about Megibīya.’

Sk’jin raises an eyebrow at him in question as well.

‘He just…’ Jimin pauses, looking down at the spoon in his hands. The handle is lightly hammered, creating a textured pattern in multi-facets across the cylindrical surface. On it, he can see multiple reflections of everyone around him.

‘How many Yoongis do you see?’

‘He just showed me his past,’ Jimin says looking up, ‘What happened to him, how he met my people. How he died.’

No one asks questions, still waiting for Jimin to continue.

‘I saw a lot- I…felt a lot.’ Jimin looks down again, hand gripping the spoon. ‘I am still trying to understand what I saw. I need more.’

‘More what?’ Jungkook asks quietly.

Jimin glances around at everyone on the table before lingering on Yoongi who is starting down at his hand, gripped around the spoon.

‘More Dreams.’

*

Sighing quietly to himself, Jimin shrugs on his clean shirt, ignoring the way his skin still felt a little damp. He tries not to look at himself in the mirror too much but he can’t. Now with what he had seen.

It’s strange.

Because the way Time blanketed and weighed JD, impossibly layered and heavy, a strain like an elastic bond stretched to its limit.

Jimin sees it every time he looks into a mirror.

He pats his bare head dry, the scars and bruises nearly almost all healed and gone. Carefully, he pulls the soft fabric beanie over his head. When he steps out of the little en-suite, Yoongi is there by the desk, standing straight and nearly lifelessly. His only movement is to blink as he looks at Jimin, as though waiting for him to say something.

Jimin makes his way over to the desk, looking out of the window for a moment before tapping along the surface of he HUD and dimming the thick reinforced glass to drown the light. Instead a soft nightlight illuminates the room.

Yoongi slowly takes his hand, making Jimin look away from the dim window.

Jimin can’t look at Yoongi.

‘What did you see?’

Yoongi waits patiently as Jimin takes a while to construe his words.

In here with Yoongi everything feels incredibly raw again. Was it because Yoongi had been there? Or was it because of the possibility that Yoongi knew more than he was aware?

Or because Yoongi knew more than he wanted to remember?

‘I was blind,’ Jimin manages to get out. ‘That was what I saw. I was blind.’

Yoongi’s other hand reaches up and angles Jimin to face him.

‘It was not your time,’ Yoongi says quietly, his gaze never moving away from Jimin for a second.

That doesn’t explain anything- neither does it really answer anything. But strangely it means something to Jimin.

Yoongi takes his hand away from where he was gripping the edge of the table and places it against the side of his face. He closes his eyes, sighing out quietly.

Jimin’s never really noticed it this clearly but Yoongi has thick lashes. They’re sweeping to the side, creating a sharp outline over his eyes. Leaning in, Jimin quietly kisses Yoongi’s closed eyes.

There’s another sigh and Yoongi reaches blindly for Jimin’s other hand. Placing his hand in Yoongi’s, Jimin laughs quietly as Yoongi raises it to the other side of his face. Then suddenly he pulls back, surprising Jimin as he stands in front of him. He laughs breathlessly when Yoongi leans in close to wrap his arms around him, lifting him up onto the desk and leaning in closer.

‘I missed you,’ the Human says quietly, eyes still closed, soaking in on the feeling of Jimin’s hands on his face.

Jimin gently draws his thumbs up and down Yoongi’s cheeks, leaning forward on the table so that he’s pretty much sitting at the very edge to be closer to the Human.

‘I think I’ve missed you forever,’ Yoongi whispers. ‘Before I Woke up, before I Knew- I’ve always missed you.’

It’s back again but twice as painful- it’s a physical palpable pain and it’s a unique heartbreak unlike anything Jimin has ever experienced before.

‘And I just- I don’t know-‘ Yoongi’s eyes are still closed, but his brows furrow a little bit.

‘You don’t know what?’ Jimin asks, voice cracking to a whisper.

‘Why does it hurt?’

‘W-what hurts?’

‘Everything- everything hurts-…when you touch me-‘

On instinct Jimin tries to pull his hands away but Yoongi holds onto them, the furrow between his brows deepening. He steps closer as well, close enough for Jimin to acutely feel the warmth of his body against his own.

‘-when I hear you, when you laugh, when you kiss me, when you look at me.’

Yoongi opens his eyes, arresting Jimin’s gaze, making it impossible to look away.

‘But it hurts more when you don’t- and…I don’t-…why-’

Kissing Yoongi is easy. It feels natural. It feels right.

And the way Yoongi holds him, the way he seems to want to never let go. And Jimin holds him just as close, not realizing that he was crying until Yoongi’s fingers reach up to trail up after their movement. They pause, lips still touching, sharing their breath in the dim cool darkness of his Cabin.

‘Something has changed,’ Yoongi states in a low voice as he pulls away. ‘What did you see when you saw him?’

‘You know him?’

‘I saw him before.’ Yoongi replies. ‘I saw them, and it was confusing.’

Yoongi is looking at him as though he’s realized something. Jimin wants to ask, but he doesn’t know how.

‘But not anymore.’ Yoongi whispers before kissing him lightly again and whispering against his lips, ‘What did you see?’

‘I saw a lot,’ Jimin closes his eyes. ‘And I have so much more to see.’

‘Dreams?’

‘Dreams.’

‘Whose dreams?’

Jimin opens his eyes, looking down at Yoongi.

‘Yours and mine.’

‘How?’

‘I- I want to try something,’ Jimin tells the Human.

‘What is it?’ Yoongi asks

Jimin holds his hand up, palm up.

‘I think there is- there is something, that only we know,’ Jimin says quietly. ‘Something that…only we can know- only we can find.’

‘What is it?’

‘I don’t know- but I want to find it. I want to know why-‘

Jimin thinks back to Andamaina, back to Navvula, back to his people- who all returned to Megibīya, holding onto the idea of hope- of their Home.

He thinks of what he has learnt from Namjoon, from Hoseok, from Sk’jin, from Taeh’yung.

He thinks of the GLA, of the Yishengs, of the Treaty, of the Panel that were headed to Akramana- he thinks of his sister.

And he thinks of Yoongi- of the blurred faces from his dreams and memories- of his past so intertwined with Jimin’s very existence.

‘What can I do?’

Yoongi offers no hesitation, no apprehension.

‘Lead me where you will, and I will follow.’

‘Would you like to Sleep?’

*

(Author’s Notes)

Okay you know what

From the last time I updated

There’s been so much

That’s happened

I can’t even begin to explain???? Or describe my emotions?????????

I just?!?!??!! Really!!!??!?!?! Love!!?!?!! Bts!?!?!?!?!! Bless my children forever

Please everyone!! Tell me how you’ve been! Tell me what you think of this chapter!!

I’ll be updating this month and a bit into next year!! I also have this small personal project I’ve had since early this year and it’s a yoonmin 6-chaptered fic and I’ve written 2 chapters already appx! I also got!!!!!!!!

OMG GUYS I GOT COMMISSIONED TO WRITE A FIC????????????????

IM SHOOK????????????????????

LIKE

WHAT?????????????

So yeah

A yoonmin fic hehehehe

ALSO MY THESIS WENT GREAT MY PROFESSORS APPLAUDED ME AFTER MY FINAL PRESENTATION FOR THESIS 1

I NEARLY ING CRIED

I WAS SO EMOTIONAL

For anyone interested my thesis is original 3D visual development for a VR game!

*coughsitsactuallyyoonminfromadegubutalteredtofitavideogamemyprofessorshavenoideaitsbasicallyfanfictionhahahahahahahaha*

*gunshot noises*

I’ve been

Love shot

*gunshot noises*

Watching MAMA tonight was the biggest mistake of my life

I cAME HERE FOR A GOOD TIME AND GREAT PERFORMANCES

AND

AND

HOBI AND JIN OUT HERE MAKING ME SOB- LIKE CHEST-PAIN SOB, UGLY SOB

Actually I didn’t cry because I am A HARD HEARTED but I did tear up and my throat closed up and I couldn’t breathe

How did y’all fare?