‘I thought you told Yoongi not to use his TeorSer.’

‘I did.’

‘Then why in Spaces are you arming yourself with one?’

‘Because you know as well as I do that this is not some simple arrest for bribery or obstruction- this is the Far Space Operative, not space-border patrol.’

‘Ah. You figured that out.’

Namjoon turns to look at Sk’jin grimly. They were at the Hangar Bay where their defensive weapons were stored. Sk’jin notices that Namjoon doesn’t hand him any.

‘What happened in Orvan may have taken place almost 800 years ago but I don’t think they would so easily forget who you are,’ Namjoon states bluntly. ‘Now would be the time to tell me exactly what happened so that we can get ourselves out of this situation.’

‘Aw, are you looking out for me?’ Sk’jin simpers.

Namjoon levels Sk’jin with a serious expression but before he can open his mouth to say anything, Sk’jin beats him to it and says, ‘Don’t worry- I got this, you won’t need the TeorSer.’

And he makes to walk away, headed for the air-lock anteroom but Namjoon grabs him by the arm and jerks him back.

‘No- you listen to me,’ Namjoon all but growls, stepping in to really face Sk’jin. ‘If you hadn’t disobeyed my orders from the beginning then we wouldn’t be here right now-‘

‘Oh really?’ Sk’jin loses all semblance of coy playfulness and he leans in closer too, eyes narrowing as he rounds up against Namjoon. ‘Then tell me Captain, what would you have done at that time had it not been for my bribery? Hand me over to the Orvan forces? I guess you would have done so- that way you would have one less Being to stress over and as the mission went on you would find more excuses to get rid of the rest of us until only you remained- the hero of this mission.’

Sk’jin’s eyes burn a neon red but Namjoon doesn’t look away, instead he pushes Sk’jin back with an extraordinarily blank face.

‘Do not,’ Namjoon says, voice incredibly low, ‘accuse me of your own selfishness.’

‘Guys- they’re extending a passage-tube. What’s the plan?’ Hoseok’s voice chimes in on their Comm-Devices, breaking the intense stare down between the Kutsoglera and the Khol’isa.

‘The plan is that someone stops being an  and remembers that I have more experience with the Orvanan and let me handle this,’ Sk’jin down right hisses.

‘No- the plan is that someone stops assuming he can do and let me handle this before he ruins the entire mission!’ Namjoon snaps.

‘If one of you could decide what to do then we would be extremely grateful,’ Hoseok’s resigned voice grumbles.

‘You’re “experience” with Orvan is what lead us here in the first place!’ Namjoon rounds back at Sk’jin who crosses his arms over his chest, looking Namjoon down from his nose though he’s shorter than the Kutsogleran. ‘This is clearly an attempt to make you pay for whatever you were involved in, or whatever you did.’

‘And you think taking that is going to help solve this issue?’ Sk’jin retaliates, gesturing briefly to the TeorSer. ‘Clearly you have never been in a position where mediation is the key to-‘

‘Your mediations did for us and now we’re here-‘

‘This is out my control-‘

‘If you had told us from the beginning that you had a criminal record here-‘

‘As Captain shouldn’t you have asked us all ‘stead of goin’ along and giving us a trajectory without any of our input and just sayin’ “hey look, I’m ing intelligent and just follow my lead yeah?” y’think I didn’t notice?’ Sk’jin laughs humourlessly, before he shoves Namjoon backwards. ‘Y’think you’re so much better than me yeah? Y’think you can lord over me because you don’t have a criminal record like min yeah? Let me tell you somethin’ sweet cheeks- cuz despite all the information you know and all the oh so horrifying things you’ve discovered- you have seen nothing!’

Namjoon finds himself back against the wall as Sk’jin crouches in a strange stoop, eye flaring red and his ethereal features look sharp and frankly terrifying.

‘You know nothing,’ Sk’jin hisses before he stands up straight, brushes down his robes and puts on a simpering smile again. ‘So you stay here like the good boy that you are, and let me handle this. No violence required.’

Then he spins on his heel and says, ‘Hoseok, could you accompany me? I need someone level-headed for this.’

Namjoon glances over and to his surprise finds both Hoseok and Yoongi standing near the entrance to the Hangar. Hoseok has a deeply troubled expression on his face. Yoongi seemed to be holding him back from entering and only lowers his arm after Sk’jin stepped away.

‘Yoongi- could you take the Bridge?’ Hoseok asks the Human who nods in reply and walks back out.

Hoseok follows after Sk’jin into the air-lock anteroom, giving Namjoon one last look of something Namjoon can’t rightly define.

Namjoon slumps on the ground, taking in a deep breath.

Sk’jin was terrifying in a way that bordered madness. And somehow that felt like the realest form of Sk’jin’s true being. Inexplicably, something Yoongi had said comes to Namjoon’s mind.

‘You talk differently.’

‘What do you mean Yoongi?’

‘Last time I heard you speak, you spoke differently.'

‘It was a different time.’

But Namjoon can’t dwell on that right now.

‘Lisai, can you get me a visual link for Iris-02 and Iris-03?’ Namjoon sighs out from behind his hands. ‘Send the feed to Anteroom 1.’

‘Understood Captain.’

Namjoon picks himself up as the ship jolts a little, clearly being pulled into an external Hangar Bay. Inside the Anteroom, Sk’jin and Hoseok are waiting for the go-to signal before they open the doors.

‘We’ll keep watch from here- if there’s any trouble then I’ll send Yoongi in.’ Namjoon says quietly as he approaches them, holding out his palm. The Iris was a small device that used static energy to stick itself to any non-metallic object- perfect to attach on clothing. It also had a camouflage exterior and was virtually undetectable by most basic scanners. It was also highly illegal. 

Sk’jin does a spectacular job of not noticing Namjoon and being completely deaf to his words. Hoseok instead turns and nods in acknowledgment, taking the small devices from Namjoon’s palm.

The door-panel to the side lights up green and Namjoon takes a step back next to the mounted screen on the opposite wall. The door slides open with a silent woosh into a long stretch of ominously see-through passage-tube. The door from the opposite side of the ship opens as well to reveal a host of Beings- Orvanans dressed smartly in their olive-toned uniform.

‘They’re armed.’ Yoongi’s comments.

‘It’s fine,’ Sk’jin says confidently as he steps forward, closely followed by Hoseok.

‘Lisai?’

‘Feed is live.’

‘Yoongi?’

‘Ready to fly out on your command.’

Namjoon heaves a sigh and watches as the screen lights up.

‘He’ll handle it.’

Namjoon is taken aback from Yoongi’s comment. He doesn’t know what to say, so instead he nods.

*

Yoongi has travelled for many years.

His mind is able to conjure up every single memory he has of every single galaxy, system, planet, moon, Docking Arc, Settlement Arc he has ever visited.

But this is the first time he has ever been aware of his surroundings.

The helmet he had worn when he went to Sleep told him everything he needed to know about Nuqtai, everything he needed to remember, all the probabilities and variables calculated into the mission while on Nuqtai were made Known to him, all of the other agents were also listed.

They were to mislead their target, observe and study him, and have him exterminated. This was a mission routine Yoongi has performed countless times. And it has never raised questions before. But now it does.

Who was he that he was under their target?

The plan was to lure the Venture Unit agent into one of the plateaus that was heavily industrialized with several hydroplants built around the edges. After killing the agent, they would then dump the body in one of the ravines or tubes that would later flow to the filtration system, eradicating any evidence.

Why they were after this field agent, Yoongi doesn’t know. It wasn’t explained to him. But they wanted him dead.

Nuqtai is extremely populated and messy. Its original inhabitants fled nearly a millennium ago and now the planet was a sort of free-for-all pirate base that was sort of acknowledged by the GLA and were left alone for most of the time.

The Venture Unit had something to do with it of course. Their involvement was the only thing that stopped them from having the GIU launch a cleansing attack over Nuqtai. But information is vital, and Nuqtai sold you any and everything if you were willing to pay the price.

Yoongi walks the streets of the the Gna Plateau, the largest and most populated Plateau in all of Nuqtai. He’s walked this area before but Yoongi takes the time out to notice things he never saw before, things he didn’t notice before, and Beings he’s never paid attention to before. Yet, his mind is able to process each race, each species, and sometimes even provides him with a name and background if they were famous enough to fall into the GLA Public Criminal Records.

Yoongi stares down at the open food stalls around him. Changing the settings of his visor, Yoongi reads the ingredients involved in all of the foods sold and watches as a couple of Beings eat rehashed organic gunk dyed and processed to look like meat. He also notes exponentially high levels of bacteria and viruses in each of the stalls. Readjusting his screen back to normal, Yoongi passes through the crooked streets unseen and unnoticed before walking straight into an eatery.

An eatery was an establishment made to look like a regular saloon or bar, except more than just drinks were served in here. Walking behind a couple of scantily clothe freeloaders, Yoongi passes through the security check with ease and finds himself a corner to stand in. The visor on his helmet focuses on each Being inside the eatery and narrows down the criteria of Yoongi’s search. The main reason why he was walking the streets of Nuqtai.

Then his helmet alerts him and shadowing one of the Android waiters, Yoongi makes his way across the crowded floor and over to the booth that has been highlighted by his visor. It’s easy enough to duck under the booth table without anyone noticing and Yoongi just sits on the floor, listening.

‘-lling you, this isn’t just about Cha’kneng Prison- I know Beings all right? I know some who escaped in time- but they’re being hunted down too- they’re looking for some or something!’

Yoongi listens quietly, noting that though dirty, the tiles of the floor of the eatery was quite aesthetically pleasing.

‘-at’s not just it- there’s something else happening. Something big-‘

‘You need to stop stressing out over things-‘

‘No you listen! None of M’fynes’s lot are here! None of his ships, his crew,- there’s an entire slave stock rotting in his dungeon right now because none of his men have returned!’

Someone spills their entire drink 4 booths down. It’s a strange unpleasant smell.

‘He was last seen in Trinaest, using the COGS as a cover up-‘

‘So he obviously got caught, the COGS is swimming with GLA officers-‘

‘He didn’t get caught- if he did we would have known!  This isn’t the Venture Unit- or that Khol’isa - there’s something else going on here!’ the voice speaks empathetically. 

‘Oh yeah- so who you think it is then huh?’

‘Something bigger than we could have ever thought- ‘

A freeloader leans in across the counter, her skin is pure gold and her eyes are jet black. A forked tongue slides out from between her lips and laps at the drink below her.

‘It’s the Venture Unit- they’ve probably gotten someone new who doesn’t know how things work-‘

‘It’s not the Venture Unit! Think about it! The Ui’dum Clan have also gone completely missing- not a single trace of them-‘

‘I agree with Frid,’ another voice speaks gruffly. ‘It’s not just the Ui’dum Clan either- so many have gone missing. ‘The N’dini Phuthume system was attacked just the other week.’

‘Attacked? What do you mean?’

‘Three planets. Blown up. Poof! Just like that.’

An ugly rodent-like animal crawls up Yoongi’s boot, its fur is grey and white. It sniffs at Yoongi for a while before skirmishing away, only to get trampled under a boot 2 tables down.

‘That’s nonsense- a solar flare or something-‘

‘There have been other planets blowing up- you can’t deny that there’s a pattern-‘

‘Some sort of planet killer- some strange new tech I’m guessing-‘

‘It’s not just planets- it’s suns too. Sapped out and drained to the extent where the fission inside of it has gone stone cold- I’ve been on one of them- it was ing weird-‘

‘There’s no point speculating on like this it doesn’t affect us-‘

‘Of course it affects us! We’re a part of this universe- we live in it!’

The boot pulls away and tracks blood and organs behind it, causing the golden-skinned freeloader to slip on it as she slinked across the room. She falls painfully on her back and an uproar of boisterous laughter fills the eatery.

‘You sound ing scared.’

‘That’s because I am- there has been a lot of question asking going around as well- it’s not just me. It’s not just pirates who are noticing- haven’t you realized how many agents are about? How many GLA officials are raiding our areas-‘

‘Not to mention the GIU suddenly manning up and spreading around in that massive ship of their’s-‘

‘So you’re all just scared of something you can’t even name- huh, the Hrul Clan really are a bunch of cowards-‘

A scuffle breaks out and just as quietly as he had come, Yoongi leaves the eatery. No one saw him go in, no one sees him go out. Easily leaping up the rafts, Yoongi walks through the cramped rooftops of Nuqtai, electric frequency rising around him like the breeze.

Yoongi thinks back to all the memory that he now had- that he was now aware of.

A nameless fear.

Planet killer.

Sun reaper.  

A lingering thread of fear sews its way through the fabric of Time and it won’t cut loose.

*

Sk’jin is smiling serenely as the Orvanan officers approach them. Hoseok walks a little behind Sk’jin, feeling almost like Sk’jin’s personal bodyguard and the Khol’isa was royalty he was protecting during a diplomatic meeting. Except this is not a diplomatic meeting, and Sk’jin is not royalty but in fact an ex-criminal with an extremely colourful past even by “normal” standards.

And for someone who was about to apparently face arrest, Sk’jin is extremely calm and almost excited about this whole process. Hoseok on the other hand feels nothing but dread.

After watching Namjoon and Sk’jin’s argument escalate, Hoseok was worried that his and Yoongi’s bet would come to conclusion a bit too soon and they’d both kill each other. They were in the weapons hold after all and it wouldn’t be too surprising considering the intensity of their argument.

But before he could intervene, Yoongi (who honestly Hoseok had forgotten about) had stopped him from attempting to break apart the argument because Sk’jin was honestly starting to freak Hoseok out.

‘Hoseok, it seems pointless to ask this, but how good is your hand-to-hand combat skills?’ Sk’jin asks as they step closer to the center of the passage-tube.

‘Sufficient enough for whatever you might be planning,’ Hoseok replies with a frown.

‘So modest,’ Sk’jin bestows him with a small smile. ‘I don’t need modesty though, if things don’t work out quite how I want them to.’

‘Well I guess you’ll have to really make this work,’ Hoseok grimaces as they pause to a stop.

Sk’jin simply chuckles before turning to address the Orvanan officer.

‘Good day-‘ Sk’jin begins but suddenly the Orvanan officers raise their TeorSers straight at Sk’jin’s face, just inches from his nose. To his credit, Sk’jin doesn’t even flinch or appear surprised. Instead he sighs and rolls his eyes.

One of the officers grabs Hoseok who allows himself to be captured and tries not to roll his eyes as they cuff him.

‘We do not tolerate terrorists entering our borders so freely, Khol’isa.’ The Orvanan officer spits out. ‘You are lucky we did not shoot down your ship.’

‘You couldn’t have shot it down in the first place- we were in warp,’ Sk’jin replies bluntly. ‘If you’re trying to threaten me, at least make it plausible.’

Hoseok really wonders how Sk’jin has survived this long considering how mouthy he was.

‘Silence scum!’ the Orvanan officer forcefully presses the nozzle of the TeorSer on Sk’jin’s forehead, tilting the Khol’isa’s head backwards.

‘You will not be given any trial or court hearing-‘

‘Yes because if I did stand trial your entire planet will be kicked out of the GLA and a majority of your government tried and imprisoned for violation of the GLA Treaty,’ Sk’jin interrupts blithely, as though a TeorSer wasn’t nestled against his head. ‘Tell me officer, would the court so easily let your planet go scot-free when they find out that you’re one of the hidden planetary systems involved in the Isbahaysiga Alliance?’

Hoseok watches as the officers all quickly pale and look terrified. A few of them even lower their TeorSers.

Hoseok knows this case. The Isbahaysiga Alliance was the largest illegal trafficking pirating network. It had taken over 4 centuries of attempting to infiltrate the Alliance before the Venture Unit had finally been able to find and identify the pirate clans involved. And through this, were able to narrow down the list of planetary systems involved. Hoseok’s entire family line had at one point, been involved in this case. Both of his parents had participated in infiltrating the network, which frankly speaking, had been been extremely complex and well covered for a pirating network. It wasn’t like all pirates were dumb- not at all. But with a network this large and this extensive, it had been too difficult finding the root source of all the problems. And though there had been over 20 pirate clans involved in the Alliance, any information regarding the Alliance had been extremely difficult to find. But after its exposure 5 sols ago, the GLA and the Venture Unit had discovered that there had been over 10 planetary systems involved as well. Either selling out their own planet, or selling out their neighbouring planets.

The investigation and court trials regarding these planetary systems was still ongoing.

But that wasn’t the most horrifying part of this entire case. The Isbahaysiga Alliance had been working with the Akramanese, supplying them with any and everything they could get their hands on. At this point, it wasn’t just trafficking live Beings for ill intentions, this was harvesting and Orvanan was obviously deeply involved. 

But Hoseok had no idea Orvan had been involved in the Isbahaysiga Alliance. How had they overlooked this planet? Hoseok was deeply involved in this case, having been assigned the mission in tracking down one of the many pirating clans involved in this.

There had been a few well known pirating clans involved. Clans that Hoseok knew had formed or struck a deal with the Venture Unit. So he had tried to use this same channel in order to gather information but there had been an alarming rate of disappearing clans.

Pirate clans were not small. The smallest had some thousand members in it, and the clans involved in the Isbahaysiga Alliance had been large and spread out.

Before they could even find or capture any of them, they all started dropping off of the face of the Universe and no one saw or heard from them anymore. The pirate clan Hoseok himself had been in tasked to find had also entirely vanished, followed shortly but a whole bunch of others.

But after overturning many of the remaining pirate clans who still remained, they were able to successfully stop the Alliance. Or that was what Hoseok thought. If Orvanan was still involved in this “business”, how many other systems were involved? And did the Venture Unit know of this?

But most importantly, how did Sk’jin know?

‘So tell me, Officer,’ Sk’jin takes a small step back away from the officer with an exaggerated innocent expression on his face. ‘What would Orvan do then? Oh, it would be so horrible! Outcast and shunned by all of the Universe- I mean I don’t even think any pirate clan would want to partner with any of you after that- right Hoseokkie?’

Hoseok only sighs in reply. Sk’jin was having too much fun.

The officers in the back glance at each other, and Hoseok can see how the officer holding him looks around confused and scared.

Sk’jin crosses his arms, ‘I mean I guess it would be all right for the high ranking officials- they would be able to escape, live a normal-ish life in some secluded place in disguise. They are rich enough. But what about you?’ Sk’jin looks around at the officers inside the tube.

‘What about the rest of you? I just bribed my way through the borders of your wonderful planet with a mere 20,000 units, I mean,’ Sk’jin shrugs. ‘Do you even have enough money for retirement? Do you even have enough money if someone you love gets taken?’

This draws out the most reaction from the Orvanans. They all look frightened and at their wits end. Hoseok wants to know what Sk’jin meant by what he said. But that would have to wait until later.

‘You haven’t sent the evidence yet- it’s been 800 years, you know this won’t end well for you either,’ the main officer snaps though Hoseok is beginning to see the unrest in his eyes.

‘What makes you think I haven’t,’ Sk’jin feigns surprise. ‘I have a good friend inside the ship who would very well indeed just push that button for me and you can say goodbye to any semblance of a normal life.’

‘Because if they do, we will kill you and destroy your ship,’ the officer growls.

‘Honestly I don’t think my Captain would really care if you did kill me,’ Sk’jin replies with a shrug. ‘In fact I’m pretty sure he’s planning something right about now to just get rid of me anyways.’

‘Wouldn’t be too far off,’ Hoseok grumbles, causing the officers around them to look at each other in alarm.

‘So how about this hm?’ Sk’jin reaches over and holds the officer’s hands in his, making himself a little shorter than him. ‘You let us go, and we forget all about this. You all get to go back to your homes, no one gets hurt, your planet can continue to strive illegally and we’re all happy. Hm?’

There’s something different about Sk’jin’s voice. A strange lull falls over the passage-tube and all of the officers stare at Sk’jin as though mesmerized.

‘I-‘ the officer stammers.

‘Shh,’ Sk’jin says gently, rubbing his hands between his own. ‘It’s all right- I understand that you’re in a difficult position. But think of your planet, of the Orvanan people and how far they have come. But if you do this, then everything will fall apart. You don’t want that do you?’

A few of the officers shake their heads in reply.

‘Of course you don’t- you love your planet, your home planet. You would do anything to protect and save her, correct?’ Sk’jin’s voice is the most beautiful thing Hoseok has heard and as he speaks, almost feels the need to nod as well.

This time a majority of them nod their heads.

‘Hoseok snap out of it. Stay alert- these are not the only officers on board.’

Hoseok blinks a few times and only then notices how the officers in front of them have red tinted irises.

‘So what do you say officer? Let’s all just forget this, maybe you could start a worker’s union, get them to raise your pay more right?‘ Sk’jin reaches out to pat another officer. ‘That way you can support your families better, and you could even go on holiday-!’

‘FIRE!’

Hoseok ducks immediately, grabbing Sk’jin down.

The officers in front of them crumple in bloodied heaps as TeorSer shots fire through the narrow space.

They were attacking their own people?!

‘Shut down the passage-tube and disconnect now!’ the voice roars.

To Hoseok’s immense alarm, glass doors start shutting down around them, sectioning the passage-tubes before each section is thrown out into space.

‘Sk’jin move!’ Hoseok hisses as he tries to pull the Khol’isa up. But Sk’jin is boneless and his weight throws around in a strange manner and to Hoseok’s horror, he notices an immense amount of blood pouring from his side. As he pulls up Sk’jin to stand, he notices how drawn and aged he appeared suddenly.

‘-‘

Namjoon appears out of nowhere, dragging both of them up and pushing them forward.

‘The doorway!’ Namjoon yells and Hoseok sprints forward, one of the glass doors shutting narrowly behind Namjoon who half carries Sk’jin’s unconscious form. To Hoseok’s utter and complete dismay, the glass casing of the passage-tube begins to crack. He nearly overruns and sprints through the doorway. Skidding to a stop, Hoseok activates the magnetic-panels to make sure the passage-tube is attached to their end.

There’s a loud explosive sound and a flare of light from the right of the ship.

‘Shields are holding. The ship is safe.’ Yoongi calls in quietly. ‘Attack?’

‘Don’t engage-!’ Namjoon yells.

There’s an alarming cracking sound that deafens Hoseok and for an alarming fraction of a second, Hoseok feels the harsh pull of vacuum, and air whipping around him and out of his lungs. There’s a brief wailing alarm, triggered clearly by the sudden breach in the internal sealing of the ship but it stops almost as abruptly as it began It takes him a few seconds to find his bearings.

‘Hoseok?’

Yoongi sounds confused and this frightens Hoseok. There’s a coughing sound and Hoseok pushes himself up, trying to recover from whatever the just happened.

Sk’jin is coughing, his blood smears the area around him, further staining his robes. The air-lock anteroom door is shut and there’s more flashing lights beyond the small window. The ship shakes from the force of what Hoseok gathers are proton-missiles and Grade A TeorSer fire.

‘Where’s Namjoon?’

‘Spaces -‘ Hoseok manages to stand up and barrels into the door way. ‘He’s out there-!’

It’s too bright outside, what with the continuous explosions and detonations over their ship.

‘- Lisai locate Namjoon now- I’m heading out, Yoongi increase shield while I go and get Namjoon back-‘ Hoseok nearly leaves the anteroom but remembers Sk’jin.

‘- Lisai prepare Medical Bay 3 for emergency treatment for Communications Manager Sk’jin,’ Hoseok orders as he quickly stoops down and picks up Sk’jin. Sk’jin is much taller than him and is dead weight so it’s difficult for Hoseok to balance the injured Khol’isa properly- his breathing is quickly turning rapidly shallow and loud.

‘Understood. Opening Anteroom 2, airlock initiate.’

‘What-?’

Hoseok manages to get into the Lobby in front of the Medical Bays when Namjoon appears from the other hallway leading to the other anteroom.

‘Namjoon-?’ Hoseok manages to get out. How did he get there? When did he get there? What happened?!

‘Yoongi get us out now!’ Namjoon yells, running towards Hoseok and helping him carry Sk’jin into the Medical Bay.

‘But they have us in lock-rift,’ Hoseok manages to get out as they carry and place Sk’jin over the prepared Medical Bed at once.

‘We took care of that,’ Namjoon replies hurriedly as he hurriedly pulls down the emergency seats by the Medical Bay door.

‘Hitting warp in 10 seconds.’ Yoongi announces.

Hoseok jumps over to the emergency seat and straps himself on as well.

‘What the happened?!’ Hoseok demands, turning to address Namjoon who honestly doesn’t look all that fazed or remotely rumpled. He looked completely fine.

‘You were thrown out into open space!’ Hoseok adds as though to remind Namjoon of what had just happened.

‘Yeah well,’ Namjoon grimaces as the familiar pull of warp settles in the lining of Hoseok’s stomach. ‘Good thing I don’t actively need air to survive.’

*

Though the mission was to assassinate the Venture Unit field agent Jongin, codename Kai, Yoongi and the unit he was in were tasked to set up a fake gathering of different pirate clans. Or at least, fake to an extent because actual representatives of massive pirate clans were making assembly in the allocated meeting place in one of the more obscure plateaus of Nuqtai.

Yoongi calculates that the other agents involved were responsible for bringing in the other clans- luring and tricking them to meet here. Or perhaps this was really a meeting that had nothing to do with them, but now they were going to make sure it never happened.

Yoongi notes that there are 2 pirate clans, and a poorly disguised GLA infiltration unit.

They’re fairly easy to take out. A single well placed and cleverly angled shot triggers a shootout amongst the meeting goers and the other agents take out the survivors from their vantage point.

Now they would wait for Jongin, study his movements, follow him as he investigates the meeting turned massacre and see who he reported back to.

It is Yoongi’s task to follow the Dakaṣayaii around, having been assigned this particular step of the plan. And being both a field agent and a Dakaṣayaii, made it incredibly difficult for Yoongi and the rest of the unit. Because although already trained to be covert and quick, Jongin had the ability to teleport.

They would have to make sure to bait him long enough to examine him and then assassinate him once they retrieved sufficient information. Yoongi doesn’t know who is doing all of the analysis but it’s not him.

Yoongi watches the Being, Jongin, carefully as he examines the ship that brought Yoongi over to Nuqtai. It made the most sense for them to use themselves as bait to lure Jongin in. So they moved in purposefully obvious yet covert ways that Jongin could track without it being too suspicious.

But this also raises a thought in Yoongi’s mind. Jongin knew about them. Or at least had an idea of who they were. Of who Yoongi could possibly be.

They have to pretend like they don’t know Jongin is there, and so they purposefully place themselves in places that can be seen or viewed. Hidden well enough from sight, but enough for Jongin to spy on them.

Yoongi finds that Jongin is exceptionally talented and is incredibly attuned to his surroundings. Almost in level with his own skill. Yoongi can already tell that Jongin is not comfortable- he does not have the surety of someone who is completely confident in their disguise. He keeps glancing around.

This has never happened before.

Whenever Yoongi has had to follow his targets, no matter how trained or attuned, they have never sensed or detected him. Yoongi could walk up right next to them and they wouldn’t notice. What was happening now that Jongin seemed to sense his presence.

Jongin’s head suddenly snaps up in his direction and for the first time in all of his known memory, Yoongi is suddenly fearful for himself. He moves instantly and it’s not a moment too soon because the Dakaṣayaii has teleported right above him.

Yoongi remains incredibly still.

There’s a small sound and Yoongi knows Jongin has teleported.

Yoongi realizes he’s sweating. He removes his helmet and finds that his breath is shallow and his hands are shaking.

His mind tells him what it is. What he was experiencing. What was happening. And Yoongi almost can’t believe it because he has never felt this or been aware of it.

Fear.

It was fear.

*

The Orvanan were involved with the Akramanese. That was how Gritha had been able to so easily gain wealth and power- he had clearly been in contact with the Isbahaysiga Alliance members- possibly the pirating clans, and had sold his people for power.

Namjoon feels a sick wave of nausea hitting him. Just how far and deep had the Akramanese infiltrated their Universe? Orvan had not been listed as one of the planets or systems involved in the Isbahaysiga Alliance, so how many remained and were still running a thriving business of selling their people out to cruel and disgusting clients?

‘What about the rest of you? I just bribed my way through the borders of your wonderful planet with a mere 20,000 units, I mean, do you even have enough money for retirement? Do you even have enough money if someone you love gets taken?’

Namjoon frowns at that. He remembers the Orvanan officer he had briefly talked to inside the Dock, how nervous and scared she seemed when Namjoon caught sight of her wrist.

In the underverse of all things illegal and sneaky, the marks on her wrists were known as “cuff-links”. A fancy term for a far from fancy chain of events that lead you to owning such a pair.

Slaves or trafficked Beings were all subdued heavily through drugs which were pumped directly into their system through specialized cuffs. These cuffs had the tendency of leaving behind nearly entirely permanent brands on the skins of the bearer’s wrists. The continued serration of the skin, exposure to not too hygienic conditions, and eventual adaption, the cuff-links remained a part of the Being’s skin for as long as they lived. A Yisheng could probably heal and smoothen over the skin, and some surgeries were available to have them removed and smoothed over, but these procedures are expensive and in all reality, Beings with cuff-links often didn’t survive long enough to have them removed.

‘Lisai, zoom into wrists of the officer holding the TeorSer to Sk’jin’s head,’ Namjoon orders.

‘You haven’t sent the evidence yet- it’s been 800 years, you know this won’t end well for you either,’ the officer looks unsettled.

‘Sending image.’

The footage is from Hoseok’s Iris and clear as day, Namjoon sees the serrations on the officer’s wrists. What did this mean?

‘What makes you think I haven’t,’ Sk’jin is adopting that annoyingly innocent voice of his. ‘I have a good friend inside the ship who would very well indeed just push that button for me and you can say goodbye to any semblance of a normal life.’

‘Because if they do, we will kill you and destroy your ship,’ the officer tries to threaten but Namjoon can see the panic in his eyes.

‘Honestly I don’t think my Captain would really care if you did kill me,’ Namjoon catches sight of Sk’jin shrugging. ‘In fact I’m pretty sure he’s planning something right about now to just get rid of me anyways.’

‘Wouldn’t be too far off.’

Namjoon rolls his eyes.

‘So how about this hm?’ Sk’jin reaches over and holds the officer’s hands in his, making himself a little shorter than him. ‘You let us go, and we forget all about this. You all get to go back to your homes, no one gets hurt, your planet can continue to strive illegally and we’re all happy. Hm?’

There’s something different about Sk’jin’s voice. A strange lull falls over the passage-tube and all of the officers stare at Sk’jin as though mesmerized.

‘I-‘ the officer stammers.

‘Joonie.’ Namjoon tries not to grimace.

‘What?’

‘I’m detecting movement. We need to get Sk’jin and Hoseok back inside.’ Yoongi replies, no urgency in his voice.

‘Movement?’

‘Shh,’ Sk’jin is actually soothingly patting the Orvanan officer’s hands in his. ‘It’s all right- I understand that you’re in a difficult position. But think of your planet, of the Orvanan people and how far they have come. But if you do this, then everything will fall apart. You don’t want that do you?’

‘Can you remove the rift-lock?’ Yoongi asks.

Namjoon can see the Human already readying the warp engines.

‘Almost done,’ Namjoon replies as he glances at his NaviLet. Lock-rifts were designed to seize and hold a ship hostage. They were practically impossible to to get out of and often left your ship in lockdown. However, when the Far Space Operative had extended the passage-tube, it not only literally bridged the two ships together, but created a digital bridge for Namjoon to use and more or less, hack into their ship.

‘That’s not allowed.’ Yoongi comments.

‘Yeah well, try me,’ Namjoon grits out as he bypasses the security system easily and finds the lock-rift controls.

‘I did not mean to disapprove.’

Namjoon doesn’t know how to feel about this interaction with Yoongi exactly. But he doesn’t dwell on it. He has bigger issues to deal with.

‘Of course you don’t- you love your planet, your home planet. You would do anything to protect and save her, correct?’ Sk’jin’s voice sounds very pleasant and very agreeable.

‘Communications Manager Sk’jin is using Tšeptjoa, Captain.’

‘Thank you Lisai,’ Namjoon mumbles as he access the lock-rift. He could easily disengage at once but that would sound the alarm over at the Far Space Operative ship instead and Sk’jin and Hoseok would be in danger.

‘There are more officers gathering at their end of the passage-tube.’

‘Hoseok snap out of it. Stay alert- these are not the only officers on board.’ Namjoon warns. The Tšeptjoa was the Khol’isa method of hypnosis, or as they would prefer to call it, suggestion. It was much more potent when you stared into the eyes of the Khol’isa, or if you were weak-minded, caught off-guard, or disorientated.

‘So what do you say officer? Let’s all just forget this, maybe you could start a worker’s union, get them to raise your pay more right?‘

If Sk’jin was able to carry this out right, then they might actually be able to get out of this without any problems.

‘That way you can support your families better, and you could even go on holiday-!’

‘FIRE!’

‘They won’t be able to make it back.’ Yoongi says over the Comm just as Lisai announces, ‘Communications Manager Sk’jin has been compromised.’

‘They’re firing at their own officer?!’ Namjoon gawks at the footage momentarily before he quickly disengages the rift-lock.

‘Namjoon they have a squadron assembling- they’re disconnecting the passage-tube.’

‘-‘ Namjoon opens the air-lock door and can already feel a draft pulling out from behind him. The passage-tube was already falling apart. He dodges one of the hastily shot TeorSer fire and runs down the clear tube, keeping low.

‘Yoongi make sure the shield holds!’ Namjoon yells, watching in alarm as the glass around turns opaque as fractures as fine as hair fork through the entirety of the passage-tube.

‘They’re shutting down the tube. The only magnetic lock left is from our end-‘

‘-‘

Hoseok is trying to pick up an unconscious Sk’jin from the floor. There’s a lot of blood. Hoseok is uninjured, only a little fazed.

‘Get to the doorway quickly. The passage-tube is disengaging in sections.’

‘The doorway!’

Hoseok seems to understand right away and he sprints ahead.

‘Sk’jin you bastard why the -‘ Namjoon grits out as one of the dividers slams shut just inches behind him. Cursing even more, Namjoon hurries but oddly enough, Sk’jin is lighter than he appears, a strange displacement of his weight considering he was entirely unconscious and should be dead weight.

Something explodes behind him and there’s a bright light.

‘Shields are holding. The ship is safe. Attack?’ Yoongi’s voice is clear on his Comm-Device.

They can’t attack, there were too many issues they would have to deal with in a legal standing in any future Dock if they were to fire.

‘Don’t engage-!’ Namjoon yells but then he notices the divider in front of him start to lower. They weren’t going to make it.

But one of them could.

Namjoon bodily throws Sk’jin down the tube just as the tube around him breaks apart.

Then everything is eerily silent.

It wasn’t like it wasn’t painful. There was that compression around his body, his eyes feel pressured and his ears close up. This isn’t a natural thing to go through but then again, Namjoon doesn’t necessarily have a natural body either.

‘Namjoon?’

Namjoon can’t answer because that would mean having to speak. And speaking would mean expelling air from his lungs and he needed that for a while. 

The blast from the explosion pushes him almost out into space but Namjoon grabs onto the aileron of the back right wing and quickly ducks under it, laying low to stay under the protection of the shield. He feels the entire ship shudder as another missile hits it. Washes of heat ripple across his exposed skin and Namjoon grimaces at the discomfort.

He manages to crawl-float over to the second anteroom doorway and only then he speaks in a rush of air leaving his body.

‘Lisai, open Anteroom 2.’

‘Understood Captain.’

The door opens and Namjoon floats inside, angling and pushing himself in a swimming motion and settling on the floor as the door closes automatically behind him.

The air-lock lifts and for most people they would suffer from disorientation or loss of senses, maybe even feel sluggish, but Namjoon moves quickly. He dashes out of the anteroom and out into the Lobby where a very stunned Hoseok carried Sk’jin.

‘Namjoon-?’

‘Yoongi get us out now!’ Namjoon orders as he helps Hoseok lift the Khol’isa.

‘But they have us in lock-rift,’ Hoseok argues.

‘We took care of that,’ Namjoon replies as he looks around for the emergency seats and pulls them down.

‘Hitting warp in 10 seconds.’ Yoongi announces.

Hoseok is also sitting down, strapping himself in as he asks, ‘What the happened?! You were thrown out into open space!’

‘Yeah well,’ Namjoon sighs, taking a deep purposeful breath. ‘Good thing I don’t actively need air to survive.’

‘…what?’ Hoseok looks rightly dumbfounded.

‘We are in warp.’

‘I don’t exactly have lungs,’ Namjoon explains as he makes himself more comfortable. Hoseok is looking at him with a searching look.

‘…how does that even remotely work,’ Hoseok’s tone is almost a deadpan, like he wasn’t sure what he was even asking.

The Medical Bed gleams a little as the capsule like shield lifts and covers Sk’jin in a clear casing. Several animatronic arms disengage and start working on his injury.

‘Someone wondered if it would be possible to build lungs that could withstand the pressure and vacuum of space,’ Namjoon shrugs. ‘They failed because it’s not possible.’

‘And then?’

‘And then they decided to replace the failure with bionic lungs- I mean I don’t use them for their actual purpose of inhaling in oxygen and exhaling out carbon dioxide,’ Namjoon explains before adding, ‘You can ask if you want.’

Hoseok looks at Namjoon in serious wonder for a while.

‘How are you alive?’

‘Medication and this not so stable but irreplaceable bionic blood,’ Namjoon taps at the side of his neck where he knows some of his “veins” could be seen. Hoseok glances at his neck, eyes narrowing.

‘Designed and built just for me,’ Namjoon smiles dryly.

‘Can’t the Yishengs do anything about it?’ Hoseok’s tone of voice suggests that he’s done research about Kutsoglera. It was possible that he read up the Yisheng archives on his planet as well, just like Yoongi did.

‘They tried their best- but too much of my “body” depends on it. Last I heard, they were trying to recreate it, so that if I lose blood, I could replenish my body.’ Namjoon waits for the information to sink.

‘If you bleed, then basically you’re dead?’ Hoseok frowns even more.

‘More or less yeap,’ Namjoon replies just as Lisai announces, ‘Communications Manager Sk’jin is stabilized. Proceeding with knitting.’

Hoseok breathes out in relief.

‘It’s called Tšeptjoa,’ Namjoon indicates towards Sk’jin. ‘What he was doing. Or at least trying to do.’

‘What’s that?’

‘The Khol’isa hypnosis thing,’ Namjoon clarifies. ‘It was much more powerful before- caused a lot of precautionary acts to take place surrounding their addition to the GLA. But it’s subdued over time. Evolution.’

‘Evolution?’

‘Well, as much as it’s possible for their kind to evolve.’ Namjoon shrugs. ‘Anyways- it’s a bit like hypnosis- a bit like suggestion. More like very seductive suggestion- when applied it’s supposed to make you feel like what they’re saying is the best thing.’

‘We’re at green in 20 seconds.’

‘What did you mean by “trying to do”?’ Hoseok inquires, watching as the Knitter works its way over Sk’jin’s side.

‘It…didn’t work how I know it’s supposed to.’ Namjoon replies with a frown, also watching the Knitter work its way to the top of the injury. They’re not in the correct angle to watch as Sk’jin’s tissue heal together slowly, leaving behind a small bumpy lesion that would go away in a month or so. ‘He wasn’t supposed to lose consciousness.’

‘He lost consciousness after getting shot though,’ Hoseok counters with a frown on his face.

‘No- not according to his health tab,’ Namjoon grimaces in reply. ‘Might be the same reason why it’s like this.’ He taps on the side of his head.

Hoseok looks at Sk’jin thoughtfully before saying, ‘They’re…they don’t fall asleep right?’

Namjoon nods in answer.

‘Is it all right for him to you know,’ Hoseok gestures towards Sk’jin’s unconscious form. ‘Pass out?’

‘Honestly I don’t know- nothing about him makes sense.’ Namjoon replies. He catches Hoseok giving him a look that clearly translated into ‘you’re one to speak’.

‘We’re in green. No indication of pursuit.’ Yoongi announces.

‘Has he told you why?’ Namjoon asks as they undo the safety belt and stand up before he clarifies himself. ‘Why he’s wanted in Orvan?’

Hoseok shakes his head.

‘What do we do about the trajectory?’ Yoongi asks.

Namjoon sighs.

‘It hasn’t even been a month and we’re probably going to have to fly off the grid already,’ Namjoon scowls before pausing to add, ‘Are you injured?’

‘No I’m fine- but are you sure you’re all right?’ Hoseok asks, eyebrows raised in question as he looks over his form quickly.

‘Lisai.’

‘Captain Namjoon is in optimum health.’

‘Thank you.’

*

Capturing Jongin takes a lot of planning. It made sense now that he was assigned a group to take him down. Predicting where he would teleport was close to impossible. But their plan included several variables which are covered extensively with traps designed to capture the Venture Unit agent.

Granted, Jongin does escape 3 out of the 8 traps they set out for him though it’s all out of sheer luck. And Yoongi doesn’t know why but he is relieved every time Jongin escapes capture.

However this time around, Jongin is captured in their 4^th trap.

Although each trap was planned and designed differently, the extermination process was the same for each of them. Lock the Venture Unit down with porter-cuffs, disabling him from teleporting, and then swiftly stab him under the rib straight into one of his main arteries and then get rid of the evidence.

They capture him near one of the ships they put out for bait.

And Yoongi knows how this mission is supposed to end- and he already sees how one of the agents has a dagger out.

Yoongi watches, with a strange sense of urgency, as Jongin fights off one of the agents even though both of his hands have been compromised by the porter-cuff and he can no longer teleport.

Stop it. Now. He must live.

Yoongi gets their first, stabbing Jongin with his own dagger, purposefully lower and misdirected. He slaps on the porter-cuffs that are just a little too large on Jongin’s wrists.

They transport him to the hydroplant and Yoongi is chanting in his mind. It barely takes a minute before they arrive.

Don’t die don’t die don’t die don’t die don’t die don’t die

Quickly, they throw the Venture Unit agent into the long and narrow tube that had previously been empty but now was filled with water. Yoongi tries not to feel alarmed.

It’s a moonless night and it makes them blend in with the dark landscape to the point of being invisible. This is certainly not the first joint mission Yoongi has been in. But it’s the first time that he’s aware of the other Beings in this team. It’s the first time that he’s aware that they were also breathing.

And somehow he finds that this makes it almost difficult for him. Almost.

The lid to the tube closes and Yoongi sets into action immediately.

He was one against 5, but he moves fast, and he moves with surety.

He had already set his TeorSer to the highest setting and instantly takes down 2 of the other agents with clean shots straight into their necks. The others set into action as well, and are again seemingly confused like the agent Yoongi had come across in Zhoumi’s apartment. So he’s able to take one down fairly easy but the remaining two recover.

Yoongi flies backwards.

His back hits the side of a concrete wall but he’s up at once throwing a dagger that lands straight into one of the agent’s helmet. Using the fallen agent’s body as a shield, the remaining agent shields themselves from Yoongi’s TeorSer and bodily launches the freshly dead agent at him.

This fight is much more brutal than his first fight with one of his own fellow agents.

Yoongi feels his shoulder pop out as the agent grabs him by the arm, their intention was to clearly break his arm. But Yoongi quickly pops his shoulder back in. The Being in front of him was taller than him by a few inches and outweighed him by at least 15 kilos. Pivoting on his foot, Yoongi aims a kick that is easily deflected and causes his knee to entirely dislocate. But it’s exactly what he had planned.

Unsheathing his other dagger, and leg still captured by the agent, Yoongi drives it straight into the agent’s ribs, now exposed from having lifted their arms against Yoongi’s previous attack. But the agent doesn’t fall easily. Snapping the blade with a downward strike, the agent grabs Yoongi in a tight and almost paralyzing choke hold. But using his smaller stature and quickness, Yoongi climbs over this Being and using his good leg, holds the latter in a choke hold as well. At this angle, the agent can’t exert all of their force and just as Yoongi planned, let’s go of their hold. Yoongi swings downwards immediately, upsetting their balance. He bends his knee around their neck right before impact and he hears the crack indicating a broken neck.

Panting, Yoongi rights his dislocated knee. He feels it acutely. He’s so aware of the pain that shoots through his entire leg. Yoongi knows the entire list of injuries he has sustained. Down to every minor cut and bruise. But he doesn’t remember any of them the way he was feeling it now.

He hurries to the tube they had dumped the Venture Unit agent into and with some difficulty, opens the lid again.

It’s empty.

So he did survive and he was able to work his way out of the porter-cuff. Yoongi slides down the tube, gasping in pain.

There’s a faint hissing sound and Yoongi jumps to action at once. Coughing, Yoongi carefully pulls himself up, dragging himself off of the floor and crawls to each of the fallen agents. He quickly disengages their helmets, pulling them off before they can reduce to dust.

He finds one of them still alive. And a thought occurs to him.

Yoongi drags him back to the small hideout and taking off the Being’s helmet, attaches the Android chip into his helmet. Finding and stealing the Android chip was relatively simple and easy. First making sure that the agent was indeed entirely unconscious and keeping him that way, Yoongi accosts a maintenance Android and quickly relieves it of its chip.

Attaching the chip into the slot under the back of the helm, Yoongi readjusts the agent on the floor. Taking his own helmet, Yoongi rewires the other helmet to connect to his and initiates the download for the Android Core.

Then he waits.

*

It’s extremely dark and warped. There are voices and they sound distant and strange and harsh. Sk’jin tries to move but he can’t. It was dark but there’s too much light now- too much light and too much heat I’m melting I’m melting I’m melting someone please help me someone is someone there please help me-!

Hands pull at him, tearing him apart and he’s too exposed but he can’t breathe- he’s suffocating there’s no air there’s no air I can’t breathe I’m melting where are you please help me what’s going on-

His head feels like it’s on fire and everything falls away but the hands remain and Sk’jin fights and fights and fights and everything is screaming-

‘-SAVE ME!!!’

The Medical Bay swims in front of his eyes and the pain on his head nearly overpowers the pain on his side. His throat hurts from having screamed himself awake. Someone’s face swims into view and for a moment Sk’jin momentarily thinks it’s-

‘Hoseok-‘

Hoseok has his wrist in an unbelievably tight grip, one that Sk’jin can’t move out of. But it was understandable considering Sk’jin’s fingers were digging around his throat. Sk’jin stares around him in confusion and fatigue.

‘Sk’jin,’ Hoseok says quietly, eyes calm and level. ‘Let go.’

Sk’jin releasing his hand as quickly as possible, staring in surprise at the discolouration already forming on Hoseok’s throat. Hoseok lowers his hand, one eyebrow raised.

‘Nightmare?’

Sk’jin wants to laugh. Khol’isa didn’t sleep. They couldn’t sleep. They had no such things as nightmares. But he can’t say that.

Hoseok is looking at him with that look. And Sk’jin can’t stand it.

‘Oh yes,’ Sk’jin huffs out, laying back on the Medical Bed. He had apparently sat up amidst his thrashing before nearly strangling Hoseok. ‘Very original nightmares.’

Hoseok gives him a skeptical look, clearly surprised by his sudden change in personality, before looking over his health tab on the mounted screen.

Sk’jin knew he was overdoing it. It had been a long time since he used Tšeptjoa. It wasn’t the same, and while he was speaking, he already knew he wasn’t going to last.

He could feel a headache build in the back of his head while he spoke to the officer, layering his voice with Tšeptjoa as best he could. He couldn’t even filter it out, channeling only towards the Orvanans. He had hoped Hoseok wouldn’t be too affected.

Everything rushes back to his mind and Sk’jin sits up abruptly again.

‘Woah easy there-‘ Hoseok exclaims.

‘Are we in pursuit? Or in the process of being pursued?’ Sk’jin demands, ignoring Hoseok’s apparent worry as he made to get off of the Medical Bed.

‘You shouldn’t move- you just got knitted,’ Hoseok pushes Sk’jin back and the Khol’isa is surprised how easily Hoseok manhandles him.

‘You got shot,’ Hoseok adds and this is new information. It also explain why the side of his robes were soaked in blood and neatly cut off. It was a pity, he really liked those robes.

Hoseok wonders if Sk’jin was really all right- he seemed dazed as he stared at his side. He was probably in shock.

‘We’re not in pursuit- Namjoon hacked into their ship and disabled them then we jumped into warp,’ Hoseok explains. Sk’jin looks up from his healed wounds and stares blankly at some random spot before looking up at Hoseok and saying with the most earnest expression Hoseok has seen on the Khol’isa.

‘Thank you Hoseok- you saved my life.’

‘It wasn’t me,’ Hoseok replies, feeling taken aback at the genuine tone of Sk’jin’s thanks. ‘It was Namjoon.’

A ripple of different emotions washes over Sk’jin’s beautiful face. A contrast to how aged he had looked when they had been in the passage-tube. Sk’jin seems genuinely speechless and confused.

‘What were you doing in Orvan?’ Hoseok asks, remembering what Yoongi had said to him. Just ask.

Sk’jin raises one eyebrow in amusement before he replies with a chuckle, ‘Trying to set free a shipment of slaves.’

Hoseok guesses he must have looked incredulous because Sk’jin laughs out loud, wincing a little towards the end before he settles back more comfortably. His usual personality seems to come back as he gives Hoseok a beautiful smile and gestures for Hoseok to draw closer.

‘Come Hoseokkie, let me tell you a story.’

Sk’jin was honestly such a confusing Being.

‘One of my men,’ Sk’jin narrates. ‘Was from a war-torn planet- his federation was the usual, y’know. Corruption, monopoly of power, dictators, all that good stuff. He managed to escape while he was being transported through a slave ship. Oddly enough it’s the only possible way of getting out. So some years after working together, he received news that his family had been sold off to Orvan. Now poor fella thought his family had died. They hadn’t you see. Just sold off somewhere else.’

Hoseok nods, encouraging Sk’jin to continue. The channels in his Comm-Device is quiet and Hoseok knows that Namjoon and Yoongi were probably listening in on the conversation.

‘And he was a good Being,’ Sk’jin continues. ‘Being a pirate doesn’t mean you’re bad you know? I mean, I think we can all testify to the fact that your title doesn’t instantly make you “good”.’

Hoseok nods in agreement.

‘He was a good Being and most of all he was a good friend as well. Also really good at laying out traps, he was brilliant,’ Sk’jin looks like a proud parent. ‘So of course, being the kind and benevolent Clan Leader that I am, I told him we would get his family back. Maybe do a good deed by freeing the slaves and anonymously dropping off the entire lot of them at some GLA Dock you know?’

Sk’jin looks amused at his own narrative.

‘So we go all the way to Orvan, in disguise of course. It took us around a month until we were able to find them. Or at least what remained of them. Then that’s when we found out about the Isbahaysiga Alliance and oh boy it was like finding a treasure trove full of priceless jewels,’ Sk’jin chuckles in a rather dark way. ‘So we all stayed a little longer, I befriended the wonderful savior of Orvan, Prime Minister Gritha, and found out more information. And then one thing lead to another, I exposed him to all of Orvan- quite spectacularly mind you. But that’s when I found out that basically every Orvanan was a slave to the “Saviors”- basically upper-class politician snobs. There is an unspoken rule in Orvan- everyone has to buy their way out of the slavery contract they’re born under by a certain age. If not, then you were actually sold off, but if you could buy your freedom or someone helped buy you your freedom, then to an extent, you could continue living a “normal” life in Orvan.’ Sk’jin grimaces as he lightly scratches around his healing side.

Hoseok hands him an anti-inflammatory wipe and the Khol’isa swipes around his fair skin with a relieved expression.

‘So anyways. I was charged with defamation- and then of course arson because you can’t blame me for making my escape with what I had on hand,’ Sk’jin throws the wipe straight into the shredder tube.

‘What did you have?’ Yoongi asks unexpectedly.

Sk’jin gives Hoseok a gleeful smile before replying, ‘A 200 year old bottle of Orvanan wine, a birthday candle, and lots of anger.’

‘Birthday candle?’

‘It was Gritha’s birthday.’

Hoseok can’t control the laugh that escapes him. Sk’jin gives him an amused look.

‘So yes. I almost get captured, but my men come and rescue me. We burn down and destroy their parliament building and make our escape.’ Sk’jin concludes. ‘I like my stories to be happy ones, but I’m afraid this one doesn’t have a happy ending. We weren’t able to free any slaves. The entire planet was enslaved. We could do nothing.’

Sk’jin looks strangely melancholic which surprised Hoseok.

‘Why not report them to the GLA? Or even the Venture Unit?’ Hoseok asks though he knows the answer by now.

Sk’jin snorts. ‘Because the Venture Unit knew- and were involved in it of course. It wasn’t until your organization had its own little civil war that all of this got exposed.’

Hoseok sighs, thinking about the Gaia Case and how extensively it had spread throughout the Universe.

‘I guess it’s thanks to you Hoseokkie,’ Sk’jin adds, his expression turning a little serious. ‘You were the one who uncovered all of it right?’

Hoseok is spared having to answer when Yoongi asks, ‘But why were there birthday candles next to you.’

Sk’jin breaks out into laughter again before he replies to Yoongi’s question.

Hoseok leaves the Medical Bay before Sk’jin can ask him more questions.

Hoseok didn’t agree with nearly everything Lal Haenoon used to say, but he had once said something that Hoseok would never forget.

‘Don’t ask questions, it only invites more.’

*

Freshly showered, Namjoon takes care as he dries his hair. Though natural, his hair, like most features on his body, were implanted into him. Draping his damp towel over the air-vent, Namjoon proceeds to pull on his trousers before digging up a shirt to wear.

His panel-screen dings quietly with a familiar chime and Namjoon pulls out the tiny drawer over his bed and pulls out an oblong box. Lined neatly inside the box are small capsules in various colours. Namjoon picks out the white and blue pill and dry swallows it before putting the box back in.

‘Communications Manager Sk’jin is at the door, Captain.’

Glancing over at the projected camera live-feed Namjoon does indeed find Sk’jin standing by the doorway. He's wearing different robes, less flamboyant and somehow more pajama-like. 

‘Open,’ Namjoon orders out as he goes back to finding himself a shirt.

‘Am I disturbing you?’ Sk’jin asks as he steps in.

‘Not at all,’ Namjoon replies, finding a shirt and shaking it out of its folds.

Sk’jin stares and it’s not in a erse or disgusted manner. He’s genuinely baffled. And Namjoon understands how it can be shocking. If he hadn’t grown (so to speak) in this body, Namjoon would be in utter shock.

The skin on his neck ended abruptly just above his collarbones before patches of bionic skin pads over at random, diffusing into whole areas that were entirely metallic in appearance. His arms were a combination of exposed metallic framework, attempts made to recreate bionic tissue that then blended down to the skin on his hands. And Namjoon knows that Sk'jin has seen his very own "cuff-links". He doesn't bother to attempt to hide it. The best part of all of this were his ribs which were open wide and you could actually see through into his body.

And that was just his upper body. 

Namjoon did own body-suits that replicated some semblance of skin that would cover his body if he chose, for whatever insane reason, to go shirtless in public. But it was also made of a very durable material with a tensile strength that far exceeded that of living skin and flesh so it made a good protective shield if Namjoon wanted extra-protection.

To his credit, Sk’jin only looked curious and not completely aghast by the sight of his frankly mutilated excuse of a body. A few Beings have walked in on Namjoon changing and have either fainted or screamed out loud.

‘How can I help you?’ Namjoon asks, putting on his shirt.

‘I came here to personally thank you for saving me back in the passage-tube. You were right, I purposefully withheld information that would have prevented all of this from happening and for that I apologize,’ Sk’jin doesn’t seem very apologetic but Namjoon can sense the sincerity in his words.

So if Sk’jin was able to do that, then so could Namjoon.

‘I accept your apology.’ Namjoon replies sitting down on his desk. ‘And in turn, I would like to apologize for purposefully excluding you and making it difficult for you to speak freely.’

Sk’jin raises one eyebrow at him as though amused.

‘Speak freely?’ Sk’jin repeats with a smirk.

Namjoon rolls his eyes, ‘You know what I mean.’

‘Sure sure,’ Sk’jin grins. ‘I accept your apology.

‘Do you have anything else to add? More Systems looking for you?’ Namjoon asks lightly though he’s pretty sure Sk’jin knows it was not meant as a joke.

‘I gave you the full detailed list of moons, Docks, Arcs, planets, Systems both GLA and non-GLA, as well as potential pirate-clans and federations that may want me dead or worse,’ Sk’jin replies. ‘I can vow that I have hidden nothing from you.’

‘Then why were you placing a call to Ngobut’jha?’ Namjoon crosses his arms, staring straight into Sk’jin’s neon red eyes.

‘How do you know this?’ Sk’jin’s eyes narrow dangerously, his entire countenance transforming immediately.

‘Lisai alerted me of an unregistered call taking place through unofficial channels. As Captain, I had to make sure where this call was going, to whom it was addressed to, and what was being said.’

‘You were listening to a private phone conversation-‘

‘You were making an illegal unlisted call from an unregistered device, I think that gives me, the Captain of this ship and mission, plenty of reason to listen in on what you were “conversing” about.’ Namjoon responds smoothly. ‘So why were you contacting Ngobut’jha? As far as I know, there’s nothing remarkable about that planet. Or is this like another Orvan situation-‘

‘You are stepping out of line,’ Sk’jin seethes. ‘I have given you the list with more than enough detail regarding my past- I am hiding nothing in that aspect. My personal life, my personal business is my own- you have no authority over who I call!’

‘It is if it’s through unofficial channels,’ Namjoon repeats grimly.

‘It was a personal call. Stay. Out. Of. It.’

Sk’jin turns around sharply and leaves the room.

The door to his room closes shut and Namjoon sighs.

‘Lisai, have you been able to track who Sk’jin was calling?’

‘Negative. Call was placed to an unregistered device originally issued by the Yisheng Directory.’

‘Yisheng Directory?’

‘Affirmative.’

Even more than before, nothing made sense.

*

Why was he even doing this?

Yoongi waits for the Being to wake up, just like him, and just realize. But why was he doing this? Why did he need this other Being to Waken?

It’s a lot faster than what Yoongi anticipated. The agent’s body twitches in front of him, back arching stiffly before slumping down harshly.

Yoongi watches, unmoving and silently as the agent writhes in pain. His screaming is muffled inside the helmet.

Yoongi hesitates for a moment before approaching the writhing figure and relieves him of his helmet.

Eyes of anguish lock with his own and the screams are painful to Yoongi’s ears. Veins pop up around his head, blood pouring from his eyes.

But most of all, Yoongi sees nothing. He sees nothing more than motor responses to pain, mechanism to a flooding of unknown triggers unexplained and alien.

There’s a cracking sound and Yoongi knows his back has broken from the force of his seizures.

How had Yoongi survived this?

The Being is entirely still and Yoongi knows he’s died. He collects the chip from the helmet and puts it over the Being’s bloodied head. Yoongi watches as the body disintegrates completely 23 seconds later.

He raises his hand up, feeling the texture of his skin. He knows everything about Humans. Knows all there is to the species as a whole. What made him special?

He knows he won’t have the answers to that. The only other Being who would remotely understand him or explain to him why he was the way he was, would be Zhoumi. And Zhoumi is missing.

Collecting all of the chips, Yoongi heads back to the nondescript ship that brought them to Nuqtai. He pauses at a distance.

Disengaging his helmet, Yoongi extracts the chip from that helmet and waits.

The ship explodes- bright light and energy leveling the area around it, creating a sizeable crater in its wake.

The helmet in Yoongi’s hand disintegrates as well.

He watches as hoards of Beings gather around the remains of the explosion, he can hear their yelling and shouting. Attempts are made to subdue the roaring flames.

They were simply gone.

Nothing remained of the agents who had existed within that space, who occupied mass, who travelled with time. Nothing remained. They were nothing.

Yoongi pulls off his gloves completely and raises them up. They’re outlined against the roaring fire in the distance.

‘But I’m here.’

There are footsteps behind him and Yoongi slips away quietly.

It’s easy enough stealing an operating screen. Yoongi disconnects it from any active channels and terminates all other applications within it before sliding in one of the chips. Out of all of the chips he’s collected, only one of them had an additional mission after completing the Nuqtai mission.

Yoongi reads the mission carefully.

[MISSION 4125-9220-2811]

[COORDINATES _THE HIVE]

[OBJECTIVE: TRACKING]

[TARGET: STRAVECHI NAVA]

[OBSERVATION_DO NOT ENGAGE]

[INCOMING JOINT MISSION FROM HEADQUARTERS]

[ACCEPT]

[RECEIVING DATA]

[DECOY DELIVERED_EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY]

[DECOY DELIVERED_ALL CLANS MOVING]

[MISSION 4125-9220-2811 EXECUTE IMMEDIATELY]

[MEETING POINT NUQTAI:

                        [21. 988. 1290. 81_ FINT’AL PLATEAU]

                        [GLA 12:00]

Again, this ship.

Zhoumi had that file on it. Tracking and following it. And now, there was this mission. This only fortifies Yoongi’s previous conclusion about the involvement of this ship, Zhoumi, and them. And he wants to understand.

Taking out the other pirate clans had not been a simple act of drawing the Venture Unit agent out. It had all been part a bigger plan.

And Yoongi can’t fathom why. There were other agents involved in this, judging by how this was a joint-mission. It was already approved, so this was another segment of the plan. But what was the plan? It wasn’t an assassination or termination of the Stravechi Nava. But one thing Yoongi knew for sure was that they knew about them. The Stravechi Nava was aware of them- and it was possible, that somehow, they would know about Yoongi.

They could help him understand.

And in order to understand, Yoongi would need to get close. 

Wiping the screen of any of the previous information and then destroying it completely, Yoongi destroys the chips as well, crushing them into fine powder between his hands.

Setting up another screen he had nicked, Yoongi looks up the Hive. He has been there twice before, all for missions of assassination. It was easy. Because the Hive is a massive Dock, almost the size of a small moon, with cities within its structures. Spying on the Stravechi Nava from this point would be easy.

Yoongi glances at the time and searches for the Fint’al Plateau. It’s a 2 hour flight from where he was currently located. He had 3 hours to get there.

Taking a deep breath, Yoongi pulls the helmet over his head once more.

*

(Author's Note)

Just found out that the first day back at uni falls on my birthday.

Life is great. 

I am so happy.

It's great. 

hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha