this is the second update!!! 

‘Uh, actually Jimin might have said something about it in passing but we did not have time to elaborate.’

‘The First Children are basically the first thing Yisheng created- entities of Time, Space, Existence – they created the Universe you could say, though it’s more a matter…well, the way hosts of bacteria would grow in discarded waste of another living Being.’

Namjoon grimaces at the description though the other GI seem to have no care.

‘But some places are, well, richer, better for bacteria to thrive in, so to speak,’ Prat’tna wipes at his bowl with a bit of bread, ‘And in these places, if you place the Artoo’ii, or the Eggs, as you refer to them, you get, supposedly, purer, stronger, better.’

‘So Ynqaba, Lowet- these places are, uh, blessed? By the First Children?’

Prat’tna nods, tearing another chunk of bread.

‘There are countless other places like this- that the Red Evil, the Yisheng, they were able to track down and host their creations, to let them grow. They clashed here, between Ynqaba and Lowet. The Yishengs had first taken Ynqaba, and the Red Evil took Lowet.’

Namjoon can’t help but think of the stark difference in result left behind by each separate party in each respective planet. Yishengs were considered good, bringer of life, healing- yet all Ynqaba had to show was black scorched dust for earth, acid rain for water, and pain for life. Yet here in Lowet, life appeared to be flourishing in its own way.

‘When the Yishengs found out about Lowet, they tried to attack- but of course the Red Evil would not back down- Yisheng Ndica ran away but the Red Evil were greatly destroyed too. You’ve noticed the difference, haven’t you, between the two planets.’

Namjoon nods.

‘Lowet was lucky you could say,’ Prat’tna pauses, ‘Do you know what happens when a Yisheng dies?’

Namjoon does not.

‘Their Life-force is released,’ Prat’tna explains. ‘And as we all know, Yishengs have this in plenty. So you see- as you know, the Red Evil once used to be Yishengs-‘

‘-what?!’

‘-and it’s the same, when the Red Evil die. Lowet was a poor planet, their lands ravaged with drought, famine, disease. And yet somehow, this is the best thing that could have happened to it,’ Prat’tna continues. ‘And many of the Artoo’ii hidden here, by the Red Evil, awoke as a result. The Beings of Lowet, took them on as their own; generations here have lived, with the blood of Beings from species that would have never stepped foot in this System otherwise. Your Artoo’ii is one of them- well, unluckier ones in Ynqaba- we tried to bring them all back here as much as we could, but the Collectors are all s with their own pockets in mind.’

The one who brought us our food, the youngling with them, they adopted that Human youngling when he was born,’ Prat’tna nods in the direction of the hallway. ‘The Beings of Lowet know that their population is low- and they accepted us too. I came here- we all came here, because many many decades ago, after Ndica left a mess here, Amme sought us, the ones who Woke up, and told us to stay here.

‘But you literally just said you don’t trust Amme why are you still here?’

‘Because we had nowhere else to go,’ Prat’tna says simply. ‘But now, we might.’

‘But- the Eggs, they’re just living here- they’re a part of this community now aren’t they, I don’t think they would easily give up Beings they’ve adopted-‘

‘-and not everyone is as lucky- look at your Artoo’ii,’ Prat’tna interrupts. ‘There are so many like him in Ynqaba- some are lucky in their own way, making their living as part of the Beings there- some are sold, some are killed- some are traded, and most recently, sold to the Omhlophe. Not everyone is as lucky.’

‘How are you staying hidden?’

‘The water.’

‘The water? The ocean?’

Prat’tna nods, ‘What is the primary rule for life to flourish?’

‘You need water,’ Namjoon frowns.

Prat’tna just nods, as though that was the explanation Namjoon was looking for.

‘The most likely case, with the Artoo’ii, is they will be reported to the GLA Court, or the Venture Unit. And with how the GLA Court regards them, it’s best we can assume they will want them destroyed.’

‘So you want Jimin to find a way back into Menigišiti, and take all of the Eggs, maybe even the GI, everyone born out of this mess, and hide them in there?’

Prat’tna nods.

‘But you can’t find a way in.’

Prat’tna nods again, finishing his last bite of bread.

‘And this is the part where you say you want me to help,’ Namjoon asks bluntly.

Prat’tna nods.

‘Basically you now want me to tell Jimin all of this- I should tell you that ultimately our plan is to go into Menigišiti. You know that right?’ Namjoon inquires, ‘It’s what Jimin wants the most- to go back home.’

Prat’tna smiles at that.

‘I mean, if that’s it, then great. We can leave tomorrow- if you’re saying that, in a sense, Amme can be trusted, let’s get going, meet up with them, and get going.’ Namjoon is ready to leave now.

‘It’s not that simple.’

Namjoon huffs out, ‘Why not.’

‘Because Menigišiti will not allow Jimin to go home.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘When I said I looked for an entryway into Menigišiti, I said I felt like I was missing something.’

Namjoon nods, remembering.

‘We stayed there for over a sol, just searching. Because the cells are there just to stabilize the resonance that protects us- if you know what you’re looking for, then you can find an opening. But it was almost as though all of this was purposefully hidden, purposefully masked. And so we stayed until we found something.’

‘What did you find?’

‘A ship. Akaraman design, right at the outskirts of the borders, and behind it several cargo ships, of Axudarian design. They detected us, and gave me chase, a few Transporters on me. We lead them back to Megibīya. We were able to take them down. We went to investigate each Transporter- Axudarian, all of them. But one of the pilots was from Menigišiti.’

‘What?’

Prat’tna doesn’t add on, instead he reaches into his jacket to retrieve a small screen. He sets it down past his empty dishes, onto the stone table. Tapping a few times, a complete projection pops up.

The GI don’t pause as they eat, barely paying attention.

It’s a clear scan of a Being from a species Namjoon obviously does not recognize. But Prat’tna doesn’t bother to explain and instead expands on the head, turning the projection over so that Namjoon could see.

‘I’m guessing those markings are not native to this species?’

Prat’tna doesn’t even both to answer and instead opens the lids of the projection.

Namjoon nearly falls back from his seat, looking down at the dark eyes, a ring of light like an eclipse forming the iris.

‘What the ?!’

‘I expanded my search. We went to Axudar.’ Prat’tna continues. ‘It wasn’t even difficult- entering any System undetected and safely was not an issue for us. But what we discovered it was just-.’

He extracts more projections.

‘Axudar is protected from the outside- a special GLA protection over it’s System, established by Ndica to hide what he was doing to his own people, and then later, with the help of Menigišiti, turning it into a prime example of what Yisheng wanted- what he had always wanted. A whole System simply living, controlled without knowledge, without understanding- just existing a perfect life.’

‘Ndica did this to his own System? Are they all Eggs-‘

‘-no. The Beings of Axudar are the way they are because they chose to be like that.’ Prat’tna explains heavily, sweating slightly as he leans back. One of the GI hands him some tablets out of nowhere. Namjoon eyes these with confusion.

‘Just some precaution,’ Prat’tna smiles, ‘It’s mainly to make everyone feel better.’

He dry swallows the pills. ‘Sometimes, eating is tiring- takes a lot to digest I guess?’ he coughs out a laugh.

‘When I further investigated Axudar, I found that out of the 3 planets, Kaitūtei was the root. Here, I found it nearly entirely occupied by those from Menigišiti- all of them, with their eyes changed.’

He swipes across the projections- images taken of a diverse group of Beings in extraordinarily normal settings- all of them, their eyes eclipses.

‘I don’t understand I thought this was- this just Jimin-‘

‘It is. This is recreated surgically, to symbolize that Menigišiti is taking control of their own fate.’ Prat’tna pauses before he adds, ‘The rebels call them Verktaë- tainted eyes.’

‘Rebels? In Axudar?’

Prat’tna nods, ‘Axudarians, some of the Artoo’ii who survived long enough to escape.’

‘So not all of Axudar is entrapped?’

‘It will be soon- Ndica’s death has thrown things out of loop for them. Ndica was meant to present Axudar as the ideal utopia, a System that could indeed work where the Beings were all happy, free, and no violence, no death, no “evil” existed.’ Prat’tna snorts, ‘But then he went and died.’

‘So then who has taken over Axudar? Clearly he was running all of the shots-‘

‘A new set of guides who call themselves The Great Council.’

‘You’re telling me that Menigišiti is basically running all of Axudar?’

Prat’tna nods, ‘And they’re pushing it further, beyond what Ndica had planned, pushing and creating their own fate.’

‘Was this Ndica’s manipulation? He did this, didn’t he? He took what was already happening in Menigišiti and added to it- this was a revolt- it was all staged,’ Namjoon says slowly, ‘This was all planned- to take down the Great Council-‘

‘The Great Council was involved,’ Prat’tna shakes his head, ‘This couldn’t have happened without the Great Council being involved.’

‘But surely-.’

‘This was planned for a long long time. Ndica is not the sole Being to blame here,’ Prat’tna exhales out slowly, his sweating abating somewhat. Namjoon guesses his medication kicked in somewhat. ‘Out of the 11 Wenedi pairs, 7 were already involved-‘

‘-you’re telling you didn’t know about this?’ Namjoon asks incredulously.

‘You can be as surprised as you want but I can tell you this- I knew nothing of any of this; looking for it within the Great Council?’ Prat’tna scoffs, ‘I wouldn’t have dreamt of it.’

‘You were too loyal to Jimin and his sister,’ Namjoon ruminates, ‘They knew you would inform them at once.’

‘Probably,’ Prat’tna sighs. ‘I spent 5 terrified months in Axudar- many of us were lost as we tried to escape. But in doing so, we were able to free many of the Artoo’ii Ndica had grown and used there- used mainly to further Ndica’s ambitions and twisted ideals. A few of them are here in Lowet- other villages, living a normal life. Some have banded together, to try and free the others still left in Axudar.’

The GI have finished eating, stacking up their bowls and dishes and sitting quietly.

‘I spent some more months, tracking and following the ships entering Menigišiti- we were able to infiltrate one of the ships- Yyna, well, another Yyna, had managed to enter; but I have not heard from her since.’

‘She never got out?’

‘The ship she was in never came out,’ Prat’tna explains, his expression tired. ‘We tried to find out what those ships were carrying- were they taking in things, or taking out things- but…’ Prat’tna gives Namjoon a sharp look, ‘You could say they’re a bit difficult to track.’

Namjoon ignores this and instead says, ‘So those ships have a way of getting into Menigišiti- meaning that clearly there’s a way of getting in- but only either with those ships, or with some tech developed within Axudar.’

Prat’tna nods in confirmation.

‘That’s why Jimin can’t go back in- why he won’t be able to take all of the Eggs in with him,’ Namjoon wipes at his face, leaning back on the chair and slumping a little. ‘And basically, you want to go to Axudar? And then stop whatever is locking Menigišiti down, in order to return home.’

‘That is ultimately, our mission. Yours too now.’

Namjoon closes his eyes- great.

‘How can we be sure, that by going into Axudar, into Kaitūtei, where the entire population of Beings from Menigišiti who clearly never want to go back, we will find a way to get inside Menigišiti?’

‘There is a Yisheng ship at the core of Kaitūtei- the same ship as the one that crashed into Ynqaba; you could say that this is the heart of everything- where Ndica developed his actions and plans, where this new Great Council now stay. I could never get close- but from what the Artoo’ii there told me, this was where everything started. Where everything starts and ends.’

‘Surely you can’t expect us to just casually waltz in-‘

‘What’s that?’

‘…what’s what.’

‘You just said it-‘

‘-waltz in?’

‘Yes.’

‘It’s- it’s a saying, I meant, just casually stroll in-‘ Prat’tna makes an expression of understanding, ‘-into Kaitūtei, into this place that’s clearly going to be very guarded I’m sure. I’m pretty sure we could raid a ship- we have Taeh’yung, I’m sure a couple of ship should be fine seeing what he did in Grisial, and then use that ship, slip into Menigišiti-‘

‘-we can do that yes,’ Prat’tna says tersely, ‘But…-‘

‘-but you want to know what’s in Axudar.’ Namjoon sighs out.

Prat’tna nods.

‘I want to understand why.’

The GI stand up, taking their dirty dishes and going over to the sink to wash it.

‘And you want Jimin to lead.’

‘Because I know he would want to know why.’

‘You’re just using him again.’ Namjoon feels a flare of protectiveness in him. ‘It’s why you chose not to go personally. Why you decided to have me kidnapped- be a middleman of sorts between the two of you.’

Prat’tna looks down, unable to speak.

Namjoon pushes his chair back and stands up.

‘Tsirin is there.’

Namjoon pauses.

‘His sister.’

Prat’tna nods.

Namjoon curses under his breath.

‘Is she-…is she being used, the way Jimin was?’

Prat’tna nods.

Of course like this, Jimin would definitely want to go to Axudar. There was no doubt about it.

‘It’s late,’ Prat’tna says, ‘You should sleep.’

Namjoon’s pretty sure it’s because Prat’tna was verging on fainting judging by how fatigued he appeared. Regardless he nods. He needed a moment too.

He’s shown into his room, again set up with an odd arrangement of flowers. Namjoon feels bad for not being Jimin, who was clearly expected somehow. Namjoon steps out.

He needed fresh air.

Outside it’s quite late. The sky above dark, but the stars are clear. There’s a particularly bright streak to the north, and Namjoon guesses it’s the remains of the Ynqaban moon. Lowet had a very small and distant moon, shining down faintly in the form of a waning crescent. It’s peacefully filled with sound outside. The rush of waves along the shoreline, the reeds and plants in the gentle breeze, nightly insects, and talking voices filtering in and out at random from small stone windows.

Namjoon finds himself walking towards the beach.

The ship is still there. There are no lights shining aboard, but Namjoon’s sure the dark windows were watching his move. No doubt he was being tailed too.

He finds a spot, with some flat sediment rock jutting out to serve as a temporary seat.

Of course now, they would definitely have to go to Axudar. They could raid and take over and ship easily of course- but to what end? And how were things even run in Menigišiti anymore?

Would Jimin’s return be met with gladness, or would they protest, or worse attempt to kill him? Did the new Great Council effectively rule both all of Axudar and Menigišiti? Jimin’s return would definitely not be a welcome event.

So then what could they do?

The threat that the unborn Eggs carried with them was not unjustified if Namjoon thinks of it. The GLA Court had good reason to be doubtful and mistrustful. The Yishengs would not be able to prove or vouch for anything as it was them who ultimately orchestrated this entire mess in the first place. For the GLA Court and everyone involved, having the Eggs destroyed was an effective way of dealing with the issue.

But Namjoon cannot and will not allow it to happen. And of course it made sense, that the Jury, the GI, and anyone involved with this side of the situation, would want to have the Eggs safely taken care of in a place that, for all of living history, mostly remained completely hidden.

But now that could not be done, because well- who knew what was really happening in both Axudar and Menigišiti at this point.

The best line of action they could take would be to first split into two teams. The first would get a hold of one of those ships entering Menigišiti, enter the System, and understand what was happening from within. Clearly, if ships were entering Menigišiti, some form of communication channel was available. This could be duplicated and applied to their own communications network. Then after establishing this, the second team would enter Axudar- preferably with more GI doing this, in order to infiltrate the System and into Kaitūtei to investigate this Yisheng ship. Communication would be absolutely key in all of this of course- there was no underestimating how much this could go wrong.

Namjoon leans forward on his working arm; the Jury knew full well what they were sending them into. How did they expect them to be able to remotely succeed? Why not tell them the whole truth? Unless the Beings within the Jury didn’t trust each other.

Namjoon rolls his eyes at himself. Of course they didn’t. K’mara and Amme were both part of the original Panel that Ndica lead to have talks with Menigišiti in the first place. No one with a living and functioning brain would trust Lal Haenoon, and as for the others…Namjoon wouldn’t put their motives as being strictly moral or ethical. Even though Lmiura had scouted him for this purpose with what he believes were genuine intentions, she was not above suspicion or doubt.

There was genuinely too much to think about and trying to fit them all into one scope would be overwhelming, and at this moment- the Special Jury was not strictly important to them.

Namjoon barely flinches when he notices the GI standing a little behind him. He’s not wearing the helmet so Namjoon is able to recognize him.

‘Oh- hey, feeling better?’ Namjoon asks him. Dehin just looks at him, no expression, no response.

‘How are your injuries?’ Namjoon rephrases his question.

‘Improved.’

Namjoon is not expecting the next statement.

‘I like the ocean.’

Namjoon does a double take, eyeing the GI carefully.

‘It is nice.’ Namjoon agrees, ‘Did your uh, planet, have an ocean similar to this?’

‘It did.’ Dehin confirms.

‘So…are you awake?’ Namjoon asks carefully.

‘I’m not asleep.’

‘No as in-‘

‘I understood. It was a joke.’ Dehin’s face twitches funnily, as if he was about to laugh.

So he was awake. Slowly waking up. Or something along that line.

‘Um- I’m sorry about what happened- I guess? Sorry about your injuries.’ Namjoon offers. He’s not exactly apologetic, but he guesses it’s the polite thing to do.

‘It was a result of self-defense.’

‘Thank someone else gets it,’ Namjoon mumbles before adding out loud, ‘Wanna sit and just stare at the ocean? I heard it’s supposed to be soothing.’

Dehin looks at him for an uncomfortably long period of time before he sits down.

‘It is soothing.’

His tone had some emotion to it- Namjoon’s not sure if he heard right, or whether he was projecting, but he most certainly did.

Now it makes Namjoon think even more.

Yoongi was definitely unwell. There was no denying that. And his health issues starting spiking soon after what was no doubt his “Awakening” or “Waking” or something like that. Prat’tna had said he had died- or at least, another him had died many times before the one right now, and it didn’t exactly sound like every version of him that had Woken up had died because he had been killed by some outside action or force. It was almost as though Prat’tna right now was edging very close to actually just simply dying,

‘-our brother Yoongi is dying.’

Namjoon fidgets.

Just how long did he have? Was there a way of preventing this? Obviously maybe stop introducing the Android core to GI, regardless of whether or not they were regurgitated or puked up, it didn’t matter. Or maybe it did. Would Yoongi, knowing this, would he wish to go through with the Android core treatment to regain his previous memories, regain a sense of self-awareness?

Clearly Prat’tna seemed to think it was important for himself to do so.

Was there a way of saving them, with their intact and reborn memories? Because so far, no other GI or Egg, or whatever other name they have, has had a reaction like this unless they were somehow introduced to implementing the Android core. Yet they all seemed completely fine, normal- it was completely possible that for the GI, after some prolonged exposure to a “normal” society and environment, where they weren’t overwhelmed, they would potentially learn to adapt, slowly learn how to behave and be aware that they were living Beings with their own lives outside of a mission. The other Eggs, like Jungkook, and clearly so many others just within this tiny village, were living completely normal lives.

And yet, regardless, all of them were in danger from the ing GLA Court it would seem. As well as the Omhlophe because these were two completely different stories he was getting. But either way, one thing for sure was that the Omhlophe were entirely not to be trusted and avoided at all cost.

‘You are stressed.’

Namjoon looks around at Dehin.

‘Uh yeah- just worried about-…worried about my friends.’ Namjoon admits.

‘Me too,’ Dehin replies, ‘I see them in my dreams.’

‘What do you see in your dreams?’ Namjoon asks curiously.

‘Many things,’ Dehin answers, ‘But mainly I see a red sky, rain, trying to be quiet- I see…I also see the beach.’

Definitely memories. Yoongi often spoke of seeing dreams, but not being able to understand it.

‘Do you see dreams?’ Dehin asks him instead.

‘Sure, but I don’t always remember them.’

‘Do you want to?’

‘Not really I guess. You?’

‘I don’t have a choice.’

It’s startling to hear it.

‘I’m sorry,’ Namjoon doesn’t know why he feels choked up but he does.

Somehow they end up staying out by the shoreline till sunrise. The fish-merchants wave at them, carrying wet-lanterns with them and docking on their small boats just as the sky lightens a little. They watch the boats take off, some sort of rudimentary engine propelling them forward over the gentle motion of the early morning water.

‘Guess we should be heading back-‘ Namjoon shouldn’t be surprised when he finds that Dehin is gone. Muttering under his breath, Namjoon gets up, brushing off sand from his clothes.

The early morning crowd are already up. A few smile at Namjoon when they notice him. The villager who had brought the food in the night is also there, outside of their home. They have their youngling strapped to their back, still sleeping. The Human youngling is also sleepy, but determined to be helping so was carrying a dust-pan of sorts.

When Namjoon makes his way back to the GI’s house (???) he finds it still as empty and lifeless as before. Looking around, he finds that there’s a living space past the kitchen area. But they’re all empty.

‘Prat’tna?’ Namjoon calls out.

No one answers him.

He’s thinking of maybe going back to the ship when he notices another villager with the same cart, but with different food. Clearly breakfast. He watches them ignore some doors, and knock on a few specific ones. He stays back until they’re done, waiting until they leave, before Namjoon makes for the doors.

Inside, in varying stages of eating and odd-dress, are a few of the GI. It isn’t until after the 5^th door and 5^th apology does Namjoon find Prat’tna.

He was clearly not well.

‘Good morning.’

‘Not that good for you,’ Namjoon says slowly, looking down at the large Being who looked strangely diminished. His skin which was already a grey ashy colour, is somehow pale and waxy looking. He has a breathing mask over his face. To the side of the bed is a medical set up just one step away from establishing a full Medical Bed.

‘I slept very well,’ Prat’tna defends himself, struggling to get up. Namjoon wants to help but doesn’t know if it would be accepted. In the end, Prat’tna does manage to sit up.

‘I see that you didn’t.’

‘Couldn’t.’

‘Understandable- it’s odd isn’t it?’

‘…which exactly are you referring to.’

‘I guess…the normalcy of this place,’ Prat’tna heaves out, ‘I couldn’t sleep here for so long. Couldn’t…couldn’t be at peace it felt so wrong to be here. I felt wrong.’

‘And now?’

‘Now, it’s a dream- and I know I’ll have to wake up at some point.’

‘Right. About that,’ Namjoon crosses his arm over his chest, ‘Maybe you stop doing that.’

‘What?’

‘The whole waking up the GI thing. It’s clearly killing you- and the others. Why do it if it’s just to go through a memory lane,’ Namjoon asks bluntly, ‘Which then ultimately kills you anyways- also, how is that even working out for you?’

‘I did what I wanted to do- I knew I had to wake myself long enough to get to Jimin if he one day found me.’

‘…technically you found him.’

Prat’tna snorts at that and ends up coughing heavily and deeply.

‘How can you be lost, if you are bound to the fate of being found?’ Namjoon quotes quietly.

Prat’tna looks up at that, dark circles heavy even on his grey skin. He grins, teeth showing.

‘Hmm,’ he hums, leaning sideways on the bed post, voice muffled by the mask. ‘I guess that’s a good point.’

‘I can’t promise you that we will do what you want,’ Namjoon tells him bluntly. ‘You will have to tell Jimin yourself. Explain everything- what happened before he was born- how he was raised, about his sister- about Ndica. He’s been beating himself up for months now- he’s just-…’ Namjoon stops, ‘He’s so lost. Maybe you can help him find what all of this means.’

Prat’tna smiles in a somber manner, eyes closing as he takes deep breaths. The room starts to light up softly, the sun now fully up in the sky.

‘He probably blames himself.’

‘Are you happy about that?!’ Namjoon demands incredulously.

‘No,’ Prat’tna levels him with an angry glare before it softens, ‘That just sounds like him.’

Prat’tna pulls the table towards him, where a neat place of food waited for him. Next to the food is a screen which he first picks up and says, ‘Here- they are still inside Yisheng Amme’s ship,’ Prat’tna hands him the screen. ‘You want some tea?’

‘Oh uh, sure.’ Namjoon says absentmindedly, taking the screen eagerly and sitting down on the chair next to the bed. Were the GI all obsessed with tea what was with this tea obsession. He takes a sip and okay fine it’s nice but Namjoon doesn’t see all the hype about boiled water with some random vegetation steeped into it. Nonetheless he still accepts it because okay, it tasted nice.

‘How have you been tracking them this whole time?’ Namjoon frowns, looking down at the screen. Those were clearly not digital trackers.

‘Uh-‘ Prat’tna coughs into his cup of tea.

And it clicks and Namjoon wishes that sometimes, his brain would pick up on all of the signs.

‘Oh for s sake did he poison us again?!’

Prat’tna laughs heartily.

But it gives Namjoon some hope. This meant that they in turn could track him, and know he was doing okay too. Unless-

He looks at the tea cup he had just sipped from, before side-eyeing Prat’tna who puts his own cup down, reaching for his still steaming bowl.

‘Prat’tna.’

‘Each signal is unique to your Being, the isotope reading changes depending on the Being who consumed it.’

‘What-‘

‘We collected samples when we boarded your ship- at least we did, for all members of your crew save Taeh’yung. Not even a hair sample from him.’

Namjoon stops his mind from going to places.

‘What you’re drinking right now contains something to counter balance what Yoongi gave you-‘

Namjoon grimaces, putting his teacup down, ‘Can you GI please stop poisoning everyone around you this is not building trust.’

‘They would try to come find you.’

‘And I would very much like to be found,’ Namjoon says pointedly.

Prat’tna smiles at him, chuckling quietly.

‘Once they leave the Yisheng ship, we will approach them.’ Prat’tna informs him. ‘Your Comm Device is still activated and your channel to your ship’s operating system still on. You’ve done a good job with this.’

Namjoon begrudgingly accepts the compliment, his cup of tea very much indeed left alone now; although Namjoon suspects he’s been drinking the counter balance for the past couple of days already. It’s the thought that counts.

‘We would like to request that you switch it off.’ Prat’tna holds up the tiny device in his palm.

‘Why. If they track my location right now and find me here, it would probably be easier for me to go there seeing as you probably wish to head in that direction. Also it’s not like your location is hidden from Amme seeing as she directed you here,’ Namjoon frowns, reaching for the Device though Prat’tna closes his palm.

‘Because the Omhlophe have your ship.’ Prat’tna states firmly. ‘And I’m not sure with how much confidence you can state that your ship wasn’t entirely compromised, but I would much rather no one is able to track you down here.’

That was a definite plausible risk. Even if the Užkulisai was completely shut down and Lisai terminated within the ship’s network, being able to use the hardware present on the ship to recover usable data to potentially track some form of remaining network was entirely possible. It would take a very long time to do so, but Namjoon would rather not have the Omhlophe coming down to this tiny village.

He nods at Prat’tna who unfurls his palm again, his hand only shaking slightly, and Namjoon takes the device.

‘You can access it through the screen,’ Prat’tna informs him.

Namjoon nods, sighing a little and feeling bad for having to shut off what could definitely be his last way of managing communications back to the others.

‘I’ve made arrangements, for you to see someone who can help you with your arm.’ Prat’tna tells him.

‘Now that’s a risk,’ Namjoon says lightly, ‘Not a lot can fix this without triggering some sort of alarm- not if the Jury and possibly the Court is out for me.’

‘You’ll be fine,’ Prat’tna reassures him before adding, ‘We weren’t going to bring you here actually.’

‘I’m honoured,’ Namjoon says blankly.

‘But your arm- and face, I know what it’s like to operate handicapped,’ Prat’tna explains, ‘And for whatever is going to happen in the near future, you’ll probably need both your arms. You need to be armed.’

Namjoon all but facepalms.    

Prat’tna guffaws at his reaction.

‘You can set out this afternoon and get there in a few hours or so by boat- but only halfway,’ Prat’tna tells him, turning around to level him with a serious look, ‘I don’t want to compromise anyone from this village, but I don’t want to bring any attention to ourselves either. So you’ll take the boat midway, and then before you reach the opposite banks, you’ll swim the rest of the distance, and then get around.’

‘Oh yeah, sopping wet really won’t get me recognized,’ Namjoon rolls his eyes.

‘It’s not that I think the other villages and towns will so easily give up information, but talk is talk,’ Prat’tna tells him simply.

‘Yeah okay,’ Namjoon sighs, ‘Who’ll take me?’

‘I’m sure you’re old enough to go by yourself?’

Namjoon knows he shouldn’t rise up to the bait and he really does try. Prat’tna guffaws again.

Namjoon is given an air-tight, water proof sack to keep his clothes and a screen, a local-network Comm Device, and a map and directions and he’s sent off on his merry way to the trading town across the channel. Namjoon is having some whiplash with this sudden freedom – was this some form of conditioning or manipulation, Namjoon really can’t tell. Technically he really wasn’t a hostage, no one was trying to harm him, and they were all ultimately working towards the same outcome if you looked at the whole picture.

But it still felt strange and Namjoon wonders if he’s just been living a high-stressed life for too long now.

The fish merchants don’t seem at all surprised by this voyage, they just smile at Namjoon and talk amongst themselves. They mime ask him some questions, with a few random Standard words thrown in enough for Namjoon to understand. It takes a little under an hour to get halfway through the channel.

Stripping off his clothes, Namjoon places them inside his water-proof sack. The fish merchants look at him with unabashed surprise. They seem worried, that he would fill up with water and sink.

It makes Namjoon chuckle. He shows them the hand-held water-propeller the GI had presented him with. It would allow him to zip through the water with no problem, even with one arm.

They would wait for him till nightfall, Namjoon just had to make it back on time.

The trading town is much bigger, built in a similar fashion but much more densely populated and with a slightly wider variety of Beings. It was always somewhat strange to be in a place that had almost no GLA influence. Also quite rare, but even places like Nuqtai was very heavily influenced by GLA-produced technology and mediums. But here: it felt incredibly alien. And even if no one was looking twice at him, Namjoon feels like he’s sticking out, like some glaring neon symbol.

He ignores this feeling and looks down at his screen, wiping away the water that drips from his still wet hair to the surface. He needed to head to the other side of the town. Typical. Of course he did. The fish merchants had asked/mimed him if he had any units on him, and no, Namjoon did not. They had pressed coins into his hands, insisting that it would be necessary. And Namjoon’s somewhat glad because he takes the local transport, a delightfully rustic but absolutely ingenious water-based transport-system running through the town in narrow water-channels. Namjoon climbs in, the sun warm through the woven fabric stretched above his head.

For one painful moment, Namjoon almost lets go of the very well contained, very securely held together contained overwhelmed emotion deep inside him. He grips the wooden hand rail before him tightly, clearing his throat quietly and breathing out slow.

But it hurts.

It hurts because everything reminds him of what he just barely remembers, the smallest snippets of joy before a lifetime of pain and anger and loss.

The conductor of the water-channel transporter walks along the wooden edges, a bag in their hands. Namjoon hands them a few coins, receiving a small token in return, with a number printed neatly on top. His stop was the 8^th one, and he was currently in the 21^st. Namjoon sits back, looking straight ahead, not trusting himself to really look around himself.

So instead he fiddles with the screen.

There was no limit to what he could do with the screen. Prat’tna had just handed him his own from the room. Because of course, it’s sort of brilliant planning in a way. Namjoon can’t and won’t compromise the safety of innocent Beings. Even if Prat’tna truly respected and cared for those villagers, Prat’tna was ultimately in the end, a sort of politician. Of course bring Namjoon here was carefully planned- for good reason.

Namjoon can’t believe he’s so easily being used by so many different Beings.

He really should have just stayed in retirement in Dziko, just been an ordinary Navigator, and helped the Daonin retrieve items that were out of their short-reach.

It’s impossible to not look up. It’s impossible to just stare at the screen on his lap.

The transporter rocks a little at each stop, and Namjoon looks up, watching the locals either clamber off or get in. It’s not possible to not compare- to not wishfully fantasize that this is what Kutsoglera would have been like.

When Namjoon gets off on his stop, it’s with some relief.

His stop was clearly somewhere in a more mechanical zone. The stone huts here are covered in a layer of dark soot, tall chimneys giving out wisps of smoke and the smell of heated metal wafts along occasionally with the breeze. There are displays with parts here and there, modern Transporter parts on display. It feels nice- familiar as Namjoon paces down the stone-paths. A few workshop employees try to hail him but it’s not the annoying calls from Flotsams and Jetsam he’s familiar with. There are even androids here, though they’re clearly from Ts’ets’khli which was weirdly placating. And without a doubt, Namjoon knows he’s looking at a few fully grown Eggs- integrated into the society here, part of the community. Some are easy to tell apart from the locals, with their own striking features. Some blend in much more. But Namjoon knows what to look for.

Maybe retiring here would be nice, Namjoon ruminates to himself, allowing himself to somewhat relax.

It’s short-lived because he immediately spots Beings who are clearly pirates of some sort. They stand out starkly. They’re not doing anything wrong or being invasive, they were just in the area, maybe waiting for some repairs they couldn’t afford in Nuqtai.

Namjoon is instantly on edge.

This was probably normal. The locals didn’t seem to regard them with anymore attention than they did with Namjoon so he just takes another way around to his location.

He finds the stone hut he was headed for. Nothing stood out about it from the rest. It was clearly a cyborg repair store judging by the happy cyborg animatronic outside, waving merrily at random. Crude, for sure, but it could work, Namjoon begrudgingly admits, sighing quietly under his breath.

‘You found the place.’

‘Sure did.’ Namjoon replies back, not surprised he’s being tracked. He wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the GI were on his tail right now, watching his every move.

There’s no further response or comment, so Namjoon grits his teeth and enters the store.

It’s well lit, cubicles here and there with some locals concentrating on their task. One of them looks up, blinking furiously because their eyes were adjusting. They speak a few words and then stop, grimacing apologetically before yelling out a name.

‘Ka-Yee!’

‘Moe?’

‘Nameria stal’na Kutsoglerin!’ the local yells and before Namjoon can register the surprise at being so easily recognized, a figure from the back steps past the oil-stained curtain hurriedly, eyes wide and pleased.

Namjoon hasn’t met another Kutsoglerin in a very very long time. For so many, it was painful to look at each other- for some it was needed comfort and reassurance.

For Namjoon…

‘Wow,’ he breathes out.

He’s shorter than Namjoon, stockier, and not too much of him was drastically changed.

Suddenly Namjoon finds himself being hugged.

After some random tears from the fellow Kutsoglerin, some happy yelling and the employees in the shop clapping and bustling about, Namjoon finds himself in the backroom.

‘Wow- it’s been a while since…well, since I’ve met another Kutsoglerin.’

‘I- yeah, same,’ Namjoon still can’t get over his shock. He has plans on punching Prat’tna, who cares if he was dying.

The other Kutsoglerin just grin, clearly delighted, looking all over Namjoon.

‘You look like !’

‘I- yeah, look I-‘

‘-no! I meant, uh- wait, I haven’t even introduced myself!’ he slaps his forehead before extending it out, and then switching for his other arm instead, noticing Namjoon’s soon-to-be possible hand-shake predicament. ‘I’m Ka-Yee.’

‘Namjoon,’ he shakes Ka-Yee’s hand which turns into an extended handholding.

‘Am I being weird?’ Ka-Yee asks.

‘Uh-‘ Namjoon wants to say yes but he sort of understands.

‘So I’m guessing you’re here for repairs?’ Ka-Yee asks as soon as he lets go of Namjoon’s hand.

‘Yeah- uh,’ Namjoon squints at Ka-Yee, ‘Wait- how are you even here in the first place?’

Ka-Yee gives him a small shrug, ‘Wanted to get out of the GLA, if I’m being honest. I did what I could to repay…well, to repay for everything. But it was like living a constant reminder, you know?’

Namjoon nods slowly.

‘And well- I was in Ghandhar for a while, then moved to Svat as well- studied some in Cheimaros! That was great. I also moved around to Nuqtai as well but,’ Ka-Yee makes a face, ‘Too rowdy.’

‘And now you’re in Lowet.’

Ka-Yee nods, giving him a genuine smile, like he was genuinely happy to meet Namjoon.

‘And well, with my background, I just thought, why not have a cyborg repair shop? I worked with some very notable Beings in this field I’ll have you know,’ Ka-Yee beams proudly.

‘Oh I don’t have doubts I’m just-‘

‘-yeah I know,’ Ka-Yee’s mirthful expression shifts to a much more serious one, ‘I know.’

Namjoon guesses that he’s also being weird too. Just staring at Ka-Yee.

‘So, arm? And eye?’

‘Oh- yeah, yeah. Uh, long story?’

Ka-Yee throws his head and laughs.

‘No need to tell me- you must’ve been desperate to do something that dangerous.’ Ka-Yee nods at his mangled arm.

‘How long will it take?’ Namjoon asks with hesitation.

‘Well, lucky for you, till tomorrow evening?’ Ka-Yee tilts his head, squinting as he thinks hard, eyeing his arm and damages.

‘That’s- really fast.’

Ka-Yee wiggles his eyebrows, ‘I’m kinda guessing you’re in a hurry aye?’

‘Yeah- I uh, my team is waiting for me,’ Namjoon tells him, a rush of emotions hitting him hard.

‘Come on then, can’t keep the team waiting,’ Ka-Yee stands up, ‘Let’s get you measured. Give me your preferences. And are you stocked up on your pills? Because, again, you look like .’

‘I would really appreciate some,’ Namjoon exhales, trying to stabilize his voice.

‘I can give you a 2 weeks stock? A month too but you’ll have to wait a week for that.’ Ka-Yee stands up, patting his pockets and muttering about his keys.

‘I really appreciate it- just the 2 weeks is just great,’ Namjoon manages to say as Ka-Yee calls back a confirmation before slipping back out to the front.

Namjoon leans back, inhaling deep and long before crouching forward, head touching his knees, exhaling.

‘Hey…uh, you in pain?’

Namjoon turns his head a little. Ka-Yee is peeking in, concern in his eyes.

‘Just the usual, existential crisis I guess.’

Ka-Yee quirks an eyebrow before he laughs, ‘Yeah I guess that can happen.’

Namjoon is measured, giving his input when asked, but mainly just listening to Ka-Yee speak. Because his fellow Kutsoglerin talked a lot. He’s not sure if it’s because he’s met another fellow specimen, but Namjoon just listens to this normalcy. Allows himself to feel like he was a simple normal citizen, coming in for repairs after some normal accident. Allows himself to feel like this was a normal life he could have had.

Maybe in another lifetime, maybe in another Time.

He leaves, carrying with him medication, and a much lighter heart. Ka-Yee walks with him till his transporter stop. He’s known around the place, occasionally waving in greeting to random stall owners or store-keepers.

Namjoon is in a daze as he returns.

But it’s a peaceful daze.

He takes his time, returning through the ocean water. The sun was close to setting, the water calm and the other fishing boats pulling in. Namjoon just floats for a moment on his back, watching the sky above him transform colour.

When he gets to the boat and the fish-merchants, they pull him in with their usual greetings that Namjoon was now starting to get a hang of and offer him drying towels, pouring him a hot drink.

At the shoreline, Dehin is standing there. Namjoon’s not sure if he’s waiting for him or not, but somehow it’s welcoming. Strangely endearing as well.

‘Hey, how are you today? Your health?’ Namjoon asks once he’s close enough.

‘Improving,’ is Dehin’s reply.

They help the fish-merchants carry back their equipment and help secure the ships. Namjoon helps as best as he can with one arm, picking up their methods quickly.

‘They have left the Yisheng ship,’ is the first thing Prat’tna tells him when he gets back to the GI stone house. He was sitting outside the stone house, a small pit dug up next to him where bits of dry wood and dried stalks were piled. He nods at the low stool by the wall for Namjoon to sit on. Dehin disappears into the stone hut with an awkwardly timed wave.

‘Where are they?’ Namjoon asks as he lowers himself down.

‘I believe they are headed for Māho-5,’ Prat’tna isn’t wearing the breathing-mask anymore. He looks a little better out here in the natural light. He holds his hand out and Namjoon takes a second before he realizes he’s asking back for the screen.

‘Māho-5?’ Namjoon frowns.

Prat’tna nods, tapping a few times before handing it back to Namjoon. ‘I’ll get the fire starting. They’re looking for you. They’re still opening the network connection, in hopes that you can connect back.’

‘I-…yeah,’ Namjoon mutters quietly, looking down at the tracker.

‘What did Ka-Yee say?’

Namjoon sends Prat’tna a glare before he replies, ‘By tomorrow.’

‘He’s very good at what he does.’

‘How long have you known him?’

‘A few sols- he has good friends here, many are Artoo’ii.’

Namjoon’s not surprised.

‘Does he know?’

‘Maybe. I don’t ask.’

‘What about the Kutsoglerin in the…in the OrTanks.’

‘I told him when we found them,’ Prat’tna informs him. ‘I guess he thinks you’re here because of them.’

‘He’s not entirely wrong in a sense.’

Dehin steps back outside, carrying with him a lit flint. After some prodding, he gets a small fire going in the pit.

‘We can set out after your arm and other injuries are healed,’ Prat’tna tells him. ‘The ship has been prepared.’

Namjoon nods, handing Prat’tna back the screen.

It’s quiet after that, with no one saying a word. It’s quiet but- it’s so incredibly filled with sounds and noise.

And Namjoon just…just listens.

*

Namjoon won’t admit it out right but he’s looking forward to going back into the town, meeting with Ka-Yee again. Maybe the lighter attitude he had was so drastically different that the fish-merchants found it a bit amusing. They wave at him as Namjoon dives into the ocean, and he waves back as well.

This time it’s not overwhelming.

Namjoon allows himself to just be a part of the town. Allows himself to be a part of this life he hasn’t experienced. Has never really been a part of.

Ka-Yee actually comes to pick him up at the stop. Greeting him cheerfully again and pulling him into a hug that Namjoon returns with less stiffness than yesterday.

Small victories.

‘Well- here it is,’ he waves his hand around in a flourish, ‘You’ll definitely need help with this part- the face stuff I think you’re good?’

Namjoon looks down at the arm.

There’s definite elements of cyborg-based design, over the much more bionic and fluid forms Namjoon was familiar with. But it was wonderful.

‘This is amazing,’ Namjoon grins.

‘Come on you big goop, let’s get you armed,’ Ka-Yee wiggles his eyebrows at an alarming rate.

Ka-Yee tells him random stories- a flare of exaggeration, lots of voice-acting, and plenty of eccentric dialogue that Namjoon can’t rightly say were complete exaggerations. 

‘Flex fingers?’

Namjoon does as he’s told.

‘Okay I’m gonna throw stuff at you and you’re gonna catch it,’ Ka-Yee stands up, looking for stuff to throw.

They run a few more tests and Namjoon feels lighter. Like a weight was lifted off of him though technically more weight has been added to him.

‘Thank you,’ Namjoon says again, looking down at his arm. ‘Thank you again.’

‘Pshaw!’ Ka-Yee waves a hand, ‘I’m just happy the skin-tone wasn’t too off.’

‘I’m quite sure I’ll have some comments but it’s fine,’ Namjoon rolls his eyes.

‘There’s always someone in the crew who will point something out,’ Ka-Yee sighs dramatically. ‘All right- let’s do that handsome face, sit sit.’

Namjoon would flush with colour if he could.

It does get late by the time they’re done and Namjoon no longer has a gaping eyeball rolling about. The faint line that showed where the skin was sealed was only visible in certain angles.

‘Is that an accident or like, cosmetically purposeful?’ Ka-Yee pokes at his dimple.

Namjoon swats at his hand, pulling away from the mirror, ‘Cosmetically purposeful, sure.’

Ka-Yee gasps comically.

‘I want to ask you something that is potentially risky, but is the safest way to somehow tell my crew members that I’m safe,’ Namjoon says after Ka-Yee brings them tall metallic tumblers of something frothy and cold.

‘Sounds like something dumb I could stand behind,’ Ka-Yee nods, a line of froth above his lip.

‘Is there a surveillance unit, preferably from the Underverse somewhere here?’

Ka-Yee grins, teeth showing almost devilishly.

*

‘You’ll come by to visit right?’ Ka-Yee asks as they walk down the market to the water-channel stops.

‘I want to retire here,’ Namjoon says honestly as he hands him back the hooded cloak he had borrowed. There was an eatery- the only eatery, down in the busiest part of the market, closest to the air-docking planes. Ka-Yee had pointed out the camera to him from a good safe distance. So Namjoon just takes one clear look directly into the camera, and then steps in, and leaves through the back entrance.

It was risky, but Namjoon had to do something. Something tells him he won’t be able to communicate with the others, for reasons he can’t be clear about.

‘Hey- you can be my apprentice,’ Ka-Yee snickers.

He hugs him again, a bit longer than his other hugs.

‘Keep yourself safe- don’t shred that arm, I won’t repair it, you hear me?’ Ka-Yee threatens.

Namjoon steps into the transporter with a small laugh, squeezing himself into the seats.

‘I’ll do my best.’

Namjoon waves until they turn down the channel.

Namjoon realizes he’s still smiling as they make their way back to the shoreline stop.

And maybe he was being too familiar, too carefree – but Namjoon had honestly forgotten the pirates he had seen the previous day. And here they were, standing so close to him.

And the problem is that, they’re looking straight at him, a hint of recognition sparking in their eyes.

Namjoon takes steps back, eyes averting at once, hoping beyond hope he’s not recognized. But how would he be recognized? From where? And how? He doesn’t make it more than 4 steps when his legs collide with small shapes, excited childish babbling filling his immediate surroundings.

Looking down with a sinking feeling, he finds the two younglings from the village, beaming up at him, babbling in their childish voices at him, clearly recognizing him.

.

‘Mėnulis! Saulės!’ the villager from the previous night is there, looking surprised to find Namjoon there and waving over their children.

The two younglings giggle- pushing themselves off of Namjoon’s legs just a little. They’re both amazed at the new arm, clearly wondering where this new attachment came from.

Namjoon’s senses prickle- he feels eyes on him and he knows he’s recognized. The local villager is saying something, laughter in their tone as they pick up the younger of the two off the ground, merrily making conversation with Namjoon. They’re clearly talking about his newly fixed face. The Human youngling immediately steps away as well, laughingly explaining something to the villager and pointing up at Namjoon.

Namjoon dares a glance at the pirates and his suspicions are confirmed.

They’re talking amongst themselves, not even hiding their reaction, pointing at him. Walking towards him. And then pointing at the villager.

The villager picks up on it almost immediately. Their stance changes, eyes narrowed at the pirates.

- .

‘Prat’tna,’ Namjoon says in a low voice, hastily switching on his Comm Device receiver. ‘I think a few pirates have recognized me-‘

Suddenly the villager yells something out loud, and with their free arm, points at the pirates. The youngling in their arms covers their ears and the Human youngling locks his arms around the villagers legs.

There’s an immediate reaction.

The shoreline stop quiets down drastically and everyone, including the Androids, stare at the pirates.

‘Captain Namjoon,’ the villager says quietly, nudging him with a free elbow before picking up the Human youngling with a bit of a struggle. Automatically Namjoon takes the Human youngling in his arms, and quickly follows the villager.

‘Come,’ they say, snuggling their youngling closer and pushing their head down, covering their sight. Namjoon does the same, looking back briefly and noting how the locals were making a ring around the pirates. Gone is the normal and quaint shoreline stop, replaced rather with a very serious tone.

The locals around them start to make a wall with their bodies, shielding them as they walk through.

‘What’s going on?’ Namjoon asks breathlessly, following the villager.

‘It’s normal.’

‘What?’

‘Sometimes, pirates, Collectors, try to come to Lowet, to take the Artoo’ii away. To try and buy them, or sometimes worse. They are simply protecting their own.’

‘I’m- I’m sorry, I should have-‘

‘This is not your fault. I was just about to tell you some new development.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Namjoon asks, anxiety creeping in. He holds the Human youngling closer as he hears faint shouting noises, the sound of fighting.

‘Yoongi has been arrested in Maho-5. There has been an arrest warrant issued for you, Sk’jin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taeh’yung, as well as Jimin, though there is no picture for him.’

‘What are the charges?’ Namjoon demands but hastily apologizes to the villager who looks back in worry.

‘Involvement in the Isbahaysiga Alliance.’

Namjoon contains his curses, holding the youngling in a more secure manner as he walks briskly. That’s how those pirates recognized him.

‘We will leave tonight.’

*

Namjoon apologizes to the villager again once they get off the boat. He’s still carrying the Human youngling. But the villager just shakes their head.

He delivers them back to their stone-house. Dehin is there, waiting for him when he turns back around. They head back to the ship, already completely set up and ready to leave. Prat’tna is there, sitting on a gravity-lift, clearly intended to shuttle him about quickly. He looks displeased, as though he was shoved into it without his consent.

‘Who sent out the warrant.’

‘The GLA Court.’ Prat’tna replies at once. ‘The Special Jury has been compromised now. Amme was called back to Šerdesas. It’s possible that the members of the Special Jury will undergo investigation.’

‘-‘ Namjoon curses, ‘-what about the others? Where are they?’

‘Just around the outskirts of Māho-5. If I’m not mistaken, Hoseok has changed, and is currently still within the premise. Yoongi’s arrest has been registered, and the Venture Unit agents in the area are all headed there to pick him up.’

‘I need to contact them-‘

‘-the Deputy who controls Māho-5 is working for Axudar.’ Prat’tna tells him bluntly.

Namjoon gapes down at the Megibīyan.

‘All the more reason to call them and tell them-‘

‘-it is not just that.’

‘Then what is it.’ Namjoon demands. He had both his arms now, he was feeling very ready to punch a sick Megibīyan to get a screen and a communication line back to the others.

‘When I was in Axudar, I was able to discover a lot about how Axudar brought in so many living Beings to experiment on before Ndica finalized his creations. He brought in inmates from prisons all around the Universe. Cuab-D2 is a massive prison just 4 hours from Axudar by warp, and some 2 days from Māho. Cuab is one of the resource pools Ndica had control over. That was until after his death. But then, the Deputy Fanger of Māho took over. But she still sent over more of the inmates gathered there into Cuab.’

‘Are you suggesting we allow them, allow Yoongi to be arrested so that we can find a way in?’ Namjoon asks incredulously.

‘That is a way-‘

‘No!’ Namjoon practically shouts.

‘Fanger will not allow the GLA, or the Venture Unit, or the GIU to take Yoongi prisoner. She will have Yoongi delivered to Cuab, and I am more than certain the others will follow.’ Prat’tna continues, not allowing Namjoon any time to protest, ‘According to surveillance, and by how the systems are run between Māho and Cuab, there will be no way to get Yoongi out of Māho without having to go through Cuab. We will wait for them there.’

‘And we can tell them that.’ Namjoon says with emphasis. He feels like he’s talking to a wall, yelling into space. ‘We can send out a message- maybe we don’t know their exact coordinates or network, but we can hone in on the general location of their signal to-‘

‘No.’

Namjoon gapes down at Prat’tna.

‘What is wrong with you we need to tell them-‘ Namjoon is so frustrated he wants to pull at his hair.

‘Because right now, the forces in Axudar are attempting to take over the largest and most extensive pirating network in the Underverse.’

‘I literally don’t care-‘

‘-which has taken over Cuab-D2 for the past sol or so.’

Namjoon frowns at that.

‘What?’

‘This pirating network is the reason why I was able to escape Axudar in the first place. The Artoo’ii who escaped Axudar, the ones who remained to help those trapped, joined with this network in hopes of being able to provide a channel or means of escaping.’

‘Then that’s great- if you know them, we can access their methods to enter Axudar, like you want,’ Namjoon frowns.

‘They have been infiltrated.’

Namjoon throws his arms up.

‘I believe that those who have infiltrated this network will undoubtedly be alerted of Yoongi’s identity-‘

‘Prat’tna I am literally begging you please, let me speak to the others and-‘

‘Namjoon why are not listening to what I am saying.’

Namjoon was going to do it. He was going to punch a dying Being.

‘Someone in your crew is betraying you.’

Namjoon laughs.

‘No. We literally went over this ourselves before. None of us are betraying each other you can’t say that,’ Namjoon says bluntly.

‘I will not allow you to call in to tell them anything because of their connection to Axudar,’ Prat’tna explains in a pained manner.

‘I don’t believe you,’ Namjoon states simply. ‘You know what, fine, you say you’re not going to allow me to call them- fine. You can stop with the bull.’

He turns away and walks in.

Fuming under his breath, Namjoon takes a seat inside the Bridge. Some time later, Prat’tna comes in as well.

With no announcement, the ship readies for take off, slowly lifting into the air. Namjoon spies the villagers in the distance, watching them take off.

‘I-…honestly sometimes I wish we had known nothing about what was out there,’ Prat’tna confesses quietly from behind him. Namjoon ignores him. ‘Sometimes I wish we all just- stayed where we were- remained ignorant, hidden and alone in our own planets, our systems.’

The ship pulls up beyond the clouds, entering space and pulling out of the sky until pale blue is darkened completely to black.

‘But it’s- it won’t be like that,’ Prat’tna says faintly, ‘because nothing will stop what’s out there, from finding us. From finding you.’

Ynqaba is a small circular light covered in a twinkling smudge of asteroids.

A sudden memory strikes him out of nowhere. A desperate and anguished voice, but delivered almost flat. Namjoon turns his back to the window abruptly.

‘What is it?’ Prat’tna asks.

Namjoon turns his back to the curvature of Lowet gleaming in the dark of space behind and all around them.

‘Just remembering something.’

Everything turns white as they pull into warp.

‘You should have left me here to live!’

*

Just because Namjoon was explicitly not allowed to contact his crew, didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. Namjoon is resourceful and honestly if he wasn’t surrounded by GI he would have succeeded in at least one of his attempts. However, his many attempts have no ultimately lead him to being tied down to one of the Lobby couches. The GI almost seem apologetic, even putting a blanket over his knees and a pillow under his head.

One of them even brings a cup of tea with a straw in it for him.

Namjoon is so frustrated he can’t even begin to express himself.

Again, he doesn’t understand how they’re travelling this fast. How were they making this many lightsols in warp? 

The GI sometimes let him out of his bounds, but then again, Namjoon finds every possible way of attempting to get his hands on a way of communicating with the others, including locking himself in a bathroom, accessing a wiring system that he knew was linked closely to a communications-network. The door is blown out and Namjoon is basically tied up again.

He’s followed to the toilet since then, and Namjoon accepts it because he did bring this on to himself.

He pointedly ignores Prat’tna, and the elder Megibīyan doesn’t try to reach out either. He’s updated on the progress of the others via screen, held by a GI agent, while he’s tied up.

They were now a little less than a day away from Cuab-D2 and at least Namjoon is allowed to research this “network” Prat’tna had mentioned.

And it is nearly impossible to find anything until Prat’tna sends him the appropriate files, probably a peace offering. Which Namjoon accepts but extends no peace, only sending the Megibīyan glares. It’s the most he can do right now, tied up like this.

Namjoon is not above punching a dying Being. Sk’jin would be proud.

Run by an Ožkan called Ilya, the pirating network in question was incredibly old, and incredibly widespread. It reminds Namjoon a little of Sk’jin’s old pirating network

It wouldn’t be surprising if they mimicked Sk’jin’s style. The Khol’isa was after all, incredibly infamous during his time, and much later on. There have since been many pirating networks that have attempted to mimic Sk’jin’s style.   

This network, one that didn’t even have a name to them, was probably the most extensive and hidden one after Sk’jin’s own. Of course that was assuming everything he was looking at was complete. Namjoon’s sure that there must be more to this pirating network than just simply deep-core infiltration. According to the side-notes, through which Prat’tna was communicating to him with, Ilya was supposed to be assassinated by the GI because he was too close to the whole -storm mess. He survived it, and apparently since then, has been closely keeping a watch in this general area.

Namjoon leans back as comfortably as he could, bound as he was, on the Lobby couch. The GI who was holding up his screen lowers their arms, just sitting.

‘You probably don’t want to watch me think, staring blankly into the air,’ Namjoon tells them, ‘And as I am very bound, I don’t think you need to really sit here all the time.’

‘In case you try something fishy.’

‘Oh, that’s good usage of the word.’

‘…thank you.’

‘I do kinda wanna walk around though,’ Namjoon smiles his best, ‘Helps me process my thoughts.’

They bring him a sort of walker- a stretch of mechanics that rotates as he walks. Namjoon just sighs but gets on, fully bound save for his legs.

‘The GLA Court has sent a special unit to Yoongi back.’

‘ or kill,’ Namjoon asks grimly.

‘Probably the latter.’

‘Can’t we do something about that or would that ruin your chances of entering Axudar hm?’

He gets no response.

It was so infuriatingly frustrating. Namjoon does not understand this logic and honestly there was none. Either that or Prat’tna was not telling him something. Namjoon doesn’t even want to entertain the idea of someone snitching.

It was laughable at best, considering everything they’d been through together. It was absolutely impossible.

Namjoon gets off the walker with a huff.

‘Did you finish processing your thoughts?’

Namjoon just grimaces.

‘That was very quick.’

It feels like an insult somehow.

The next few days are the same. Namjoon is regularly tied up, straw-fed tea and other drinks, carefully given his medication, and during certain assigned hours, someone holds up a screen for him, and Prat’tna updates him on every notable activity.

Apparently Jungkook and Hoseok were doing an exemplary job pretending to be Venture Unit agents and had taken over the operation, and infiltrated Deputy Fanger’s entire department. The real ship sent by the GLA Court to “” Yoongi is by some miraculous work (from Sk’jin and Hoseok), legally obliged and authorized to only “” Yoongi back from Cuab-D2 rather than take him directly from Māho. And according to Prat’tna, the ship was also safely taken care of by both Jimin and Taeh’yung, and they were now, with their new smaller ship, hidden within the ship.

They’re halfway there, when Prat’tna tells him that the prison-ship docked in Māho-5 was now entering warp to head to Cuab-D2.

Apparently they’re not able to get any form of surveillance or footage from within the prison ship so Namjoon simply watches their individual trackers, their movements projected into a blueprint of the ship, painstakingly procured by Namjoon himself after he tutors 3 GI agents on how to get it.

‘We’ll be there in a few hours.’

Namjoon doesn’t even flinch at Prat’tna’s voice from somewhere to his right.

Right now, Namjoon was laying flat across a wide bench, the projection of the blueprint and 6 shining bright dots occasionally moving about it shining from a screen on top of his chest.

‘That’s great.’   

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Uh huh.’

He hears Prat’tna sit down heavily.

‘We can’t get any activity from within the prison-ship, but we are able to get some look into Cuab-D2.’

‘That’s great.’

‘It seems that Cuab-D2 has been overtaken by the network lead by Ilya. His right-hand, Jn’young, seems to have infiltrated the whole system.’

Namjoon read the name in Prat’tna’s notes. Knows he was an Egg that escaped Axudar.

‘We have also picked up on transmissions being sent and received by the prison-ship to and from Axudar.’

This draws Namjoon’s attention.

He hasn’t seen Prat’tna since they left Lowet. And he looks worse for wear. His skin was almost loose on his frame; like he was sagging somewhat. His yellow eyes turning a strange murky and unclear colour.

‘Have you been able to intercept those transmissions?’

‘No. There’s also messages being sent from Māho-5 to the prison-ship. Those we have been able to intercept.’

The blueprint over Namjoon’s chest shifts, instead audio piping through.

‘Don’t take them lightly.’

‘I’m not. If anything you did- how the could you allow something like this to happen-‘

‘-how was I supposed to know?!’

‘Both of you keep calm- now is not the time. I’ve set up the timing perfectly- this will still work.’

‘What about the Zhak’gri?’

‘I’ve already set it into motion- we can’t draw any suspicion from him.’

‘And the GI?’

‘He’s almost dead- really giving out that one.’

‘The others?’

‘The Khol’isa is weak too. I’m worried about the Vicitra.’

‘Why not set ours onto him? He looks young- she’d be more than happy to take him on.’

‘And what about the Venture Unit agent? I’m telling you- he’s not one to overlook.’

‘I’ll take care of him. But first we need to separate all of them. Or get them down to the Hangars and we pull out the outer Atmoshield. We can get a few of them that way.’

‘But doesn’t Axudar want them?

‘Axudar will get what they want regardless. We need to concentrate on getting the Zhak’gri out of the way, putting Ilya in Cuab, taking Jn’young out, and maybe take care of Jaen.’

‘What about E’nid, she won’t take this.’

‘Then we take care of her too.’

‘How are the communication lines?’

‘Ready to deactivate the hardware settings any time; but just a second, Camil.’

‘What?’

‘I’m genuinely concerned about the Zhak’gri. Will the medication be enough to knock him out?’

‘Yes- but make sure that whoever gives him the food has absolutely no idea. I can’t look at him without feeling like he knows what I’m thinking- he freaks me out.’

‘Can’t you just take him out-‘

‘Evdos don’t be an idiot.’

Namjoon feels himself shaking with anger.

‘After docking in Cuab-D2, this group of infiltrators from Axudar will then start up their coup, so to speak.’ Prat’tna tells him calmly as the audio cuts off and is replaced with the blueprint. Prat’tna taps along his own screen and the projection changes.

‘This lower area contains all of the inmates. Some of them are Ilya’s network- but most of them have already been compromised,’ Prat’tna explains. ‘This area is where all of the Hangars are. If we follow on their discussion, they plan on removing the outer Atmoshields around the whole prison-ship. This will also create a dense field of debris around them. Our plan is to exit warp the moment this happens- so we can shield our approach within the debris.’

‘And then what?’ Namjoon grits out.

‘I was going to ask you.’

Namjoon’s anger skyrockets. Sitting up, screen on his chest falling with a clatter on the ground, Namjoon rounds up to glare at the Megibīyan.

‘You want me to what?!’

‘What do you want to do?’

‘Contact the others now and warn them!’

‘The infiltrators from Axudar have already shut down all communication channels and have made it impossible to send in any-‘

‘Unbound me,’ Namjoon demands.

A GI who was probably always there appears and undoes Namjoon’s bounds.

Namjoon stands up and storms upwards to the Bridge and straight for the Navigation Table. He’s ready to throw punches if he’s stopped but there’s no need. The Table is empty and no one was standing guard over it. He grabs one of the NaviLets from the slot under the wide lip of the Table before he starts.

‘Make and model of the prison-ship we’re tracking?’

[CUAB_D2_RQ-0072-1]

It immediately pops up, along with the blueprint that had been projecting above his chest just a minute ago.

‘Network channel integration?’

[INTERNAL ROUTER NETWORK | MANUAL OS ]

Undeterred, Namjoon proceeds on.

‘What’s the name and make of the ship we’ve started using?’ Namjoon asks, barely acknowledging Prat’tna when he appears. It’s his breathing that alerts Namjoon more than anything.

‘Laikin-‘

Namjoon is already off.

‘Redirecting my Comm Device UZ_N_001 network to access Lisai OS, aboard the Laikin.’

The line connects immediately.

‘-‘ Namjoon almost drops the NaviLet. He also almost flinches, expecting to be bound up but it doesn’t happen.

‘- Hoseok? Sk’jin?’

The line is clear, but there’s no response. No one was connected to the Laikin. No one was aboard the Laikin at the moment so they couldn’t hear him.

But Spaces, does it make Namjoon feel better. If he could, he would take a moment to just take in this moment of assurance.

They were all right. Somehow this proved it.

He quickly strengthens the signal, redirecting and accessing the Communications Board. In less than a minute, Namjoon can access the surveillance footage from the Laikin.

It was empty, but he can access every single angle from outside the ship as well.

Namjoon takes a deep breath.

‘Okay- this is what we’ll do.’

*

‘They’ve just shut off their communications network for the hardware.’ Prat’tna reports, sounding utterly weak and faint, his voice nothing more than a raspy breath at this point.

‘Get ready to pull out of warp the moment they blast their Atmoshields!’ Namjoon orders, pulling himself through his space-suit, leaving it to sit around his waist for the moment before pushing his arms through.

‘Understood, Captain Namjoon.’

Namjoon stares down at the NaviLet, at the surveillance of the Laikin. He’s internally chanting that they don’t make it to the Hangars. Hoseok was in the mid-section of the ship, Taeh’yung higher-up. But Jimin, Yoongi, Sk’jin, and Jungkook were headed for the Hangars, clearly redirected there.

‘There’s something happening in Cuab-D2. It’s going to start.’

‘Wait-‘

Namjoon sees them.

It’s Jungkook first, running ahead, looking determined and pleased.

Had he grown? He had- his hair was longer too, his cheeks fuller. He looked-…he looked healthy, and happy.

A minute or so later, Sk’jin appears. Unlike Jungkook, Sk’jin appeared a little diminished- weighed down. He walked without any of his previous flourish- no extra flounce to his steps. And then Jimin appears, and behind him Yoongi.

Namjoon can barely look at the Human.

He looked drawn out, skin already paler than usual, his clothes hanging off of him strangely.

He can hear them speaking and for a moment he’s almost forgotten that he could speak to them now. Warn them to move.

‘H-hey!’ Namjoon yells. Jungkook was inside the Laikin’s hangar. ‘Jungkook! Kookie!’

The Vicitra can’t hear him from the Hangar. It was impossible. Namjoon works quickly; he would need to redirect the mic towards the Hangar. It shouldn’t take too long.

‘Namjoon.’

Sk’jin has stepped out of the safety-line for the emergency Atmoshield. And so does Jimin. Jungkook is still inside the Laikin- Namjoon could do this- he could do this-

‘Wait- I can do this- I can access it-‘ Namjoon grits through his teeth, ‘Come on- come on Jungkookie come on-‘

‘They’re sending in some sort of team from the back-‘

The NaviLet screen flares orange and in a blink, everything on the display changes- the view shatters and-

Namjoon watches with horror as the two tracking dots, Jimin and Sk’jin, are suddenly rocketing out of the blueprint, out into space.

‘-!’

‘Pulling out of warp in one minute.’

Namjoon drops the NaviLet and heads for the end of the Hangar they were all gathered in. He quickly finishes up pulling up the space-suit on, the same as the other GI numbered at a neat 41, who were all gathered in the Hangar, waiting for him in separate units and teams.

‘Brief revision- calling each team!’ Namjoon yells out into the quiet Hangar, ‘Verbal responses are greatly appreciated understood?’

He gets a quiet chorus of ‘Yes, Captain Namjoon.’

‘Team 1!’

‘Make safe living quarters in the top-tier of the prison-ship. Contain inmate activity. No killing unless strictly necessary.’

‘Team 2!’

‘Contain cell-levels, gather and detain all inmates. No killing unless strictly necessary.’

‘Team 3!’

‘Subdue mid-levels- track all functioning Comm Devices. No killing unless strictly necessary.’

‘Team 4!’

‘Contain and detach Cuab-D2.’

‘Team 5!’

‘Find and secure all Laikin team members aboard the prison-ship.’

‘Good!’ Namjoon braces himself against the walls of the Hangar. ‘Nineti- you’re coming with me.’

‘Pulling out of warp in 5…4…3…2…1.’

Bracing himself, he grabs one of the extension-cords, tying it around his waist the same time Nineti nods and gives a delayed response to his order, doing a routine check of his body-jets. He hands him a space-gear helmet and Namjoon hooks it under his arm rather than wear it over his own head.

‘Suit 18-D ready for space-walk.’

‘Ready the Hangar for space-walk!’ Namjoon orders. ‘Teams 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 get ready!’

‘We’re almost clearing the debris- we’ll be on top of the prison-ship in 20 seconds.’

Namjoon counts the seconds down, hands forming fists. The ship vibrates several times but it’s nothing bad, the central gravity of the ship allowing them to stand and stay centered despite the obvious twists and turns they were taking, avoiding hurtling pieces of debris from the prison-ship.

‘Nineti will find Jimin,’ Prat’tna coughs out, ‘Find your friend.’  

‘Hangar decompressed- ready for space-walk.’

Namjoon doesn’t respond as he and Nineti start their run down the de-compressed Hangar, leaping out of the protective Atmoshield.

It’s bone-shattering cold but it doesn’t hurt Namjoon- doesn’t do anything to him really- at least for this time being.

Below him the prison-ship is a dark blob, the stars illuminating its shape from below. An arc of light grows from the space between Cuab-D2 and the prison-ship, sharply highlighting the sudden expansion of debris rocketing from compromised Hangars, lining up the entirety of the prison ship.

The GI are already in formation, moving downwards towards the ship in several directions.

Nineti next to him activates the compressed body-jets at his ankles and hips, repositioning himself before shooting downwards straight to the sudden field of ring of debris. Namjoon follows suit, tucking the helmet under his arm securely.

‘1 minute Captain Namjoon, and counting. Please avoid the shrapnel.’

Namjoon would roll his eyes but he can’t- a massive Transporter, spinning desperately with the force that wrenched it out of its Hangar shoots straight at him. Twisting mid-space, Namjoon propels himself through the emptiness, using another large object, to essentially ricochet in the direction he needed to go.

’35 seconds, you should be able to see him now.’

There’s another bright arc of light to his side- the massive field of debris around him bathed in a wave of white and-

For a moment, Sk’jin seemed like a cluster of stars- a constellation of ancient and distant stars forming his outline in the dark of space.

’20 seconds.’

Dodging a few more still hurtling debris and flotsam spiraling out of the ship behind him, Namjoon disengages the lock from the extension cable, thumb around the stopper to activate immediately once he secured the Khol’isa.

’10 seconds.’

He’s drifting slowly, the force with which he had been thrown into space no longer wrapped around him, dragging him further into the dark of space. Namjoon suppresses the shudder of horror, images of the Khol’isa lost in the dark of space.

‘5 seconds and counting 4-‘

Namjoon stretches his arms out-

‘3.’

Sk’jin is frozen- icicles forming around his eyes, nostrils, mouth- a thin layer of ice builds around him, hair encased in it.

‘2.’

There’s another arc of light behind him- reflected in Sk’jin’s half-open eyes- and when Namjoon touches him, for a brief second, as the light fades away, it remains bright in the Khol’isa’s neon-red eyes.

‘1.’

Securing the extension-cord around him, moving as carefully and as quickly as he could, Namjoon secures Sk’jin to himself before pushing the helmet over the Khol’isa’s head.

The ice around his head and face dissipates instantly.

Namjoon waits a painful 3 seconds. And then Sk’jin blinks, eyes unfocused, but staring straight at him.

Namjoon wants to smile, wants to tell him that he’s okay- that he got him-

‘Namjoon-!’

A massive crate is hurtling towards them- Namjoon quickly shoves Sk’jin from himself, disengaging himself from the cord. Twisting in the boundless space around him, Namjoon rises upwards helplessly. There’s a massive slowly floating Transporter above him and setting himself up right, Namjoon pushes up against it, redirecting himself as he activates his compressed-jets.

Sk’jin’s eyes are still open- his fingers encased in a thin film of glittering ice twitch- shards of ice like diamonds breaking from his skin.

Making sure the Khol’isa was still secure, Namjoon twists the stopper on the cord, attaching Sk’jin firmly to himself, and reignites the body-jets, sending them shooting back through the debris.

He spies Nineti doing the same, just a little ahead- his form outlined by a faint glowing that Namjoon recognizes as Jimin.

‘All teams have entered,’ Prat’tna says faintly.

Namjoon is careful as he steps through the Hangar Atmoshield; Sk’jin’s previously stiff body falling apart in his arms. His weight nearly making Namjoon trip but he’s quick to upright himself. He spots the others waiting for them, Medical Beds brought down for immediate treatment.

Namjoon almost doesn’t blame them for not paying him much attention or mind as they gather around Nineti and Jimin, who was still faintly glowing. Namjoon rushes to place Sk’jin over the Medical Bed; there’s a strange rasping rattling sound coming deep from Sk’jin’s chest and Namjoon has to stabilize the Khol’isa immediately.

Carefully he pulls the helmet off; he’s surprised when Yyna comes to help him, placing the security straps over Sk’jin not a moment too soon because the Khol’isa starts twitching violently, his body going through shock-

‘He’s not breathing,’ Yyna tells him, voice monotonous and calm.

‘Sk’jin- !’ Namjoon curses, ‘Sk’jin hey, breathe! Breathe! Sk’jin you can breathe please breathe listen to me- listen to my voice!‘

Yyna is placing extracting a tube with a mask at the end from the side of the Medical Bed and places it over Sk’jin’s nose and mouth. Sk’jin’s eyes are unseeing, covered in a strange film, the white of his eyes blotched and reddened, his skin bruised all over, but now reddened.

A few excruciatingly long seconds later, Sk’jin’s whole body arches upwards, pushing painfully against the restraints around him- eyes wide and rolled back before he crashes down, trembling and shaking worse than before.

‘Hey- you’re okay now- I got you okay?’ Namjoon knows it not much help- and that there’s nothing to do about it but he holds Sk’jin down; Sk’jin who was still ice-cold.

‘We need to bring his temperature back up,’ Namjoon says to Yyna who nods, tapping along the extended screen above the Medical Bed. Namjoon takes off the restraints as he grabs one of the blankets at the foot of the bed- he feels the mattress warming up gently.

‘I’m cold- r-really c-cold-c-can’t m-m-move-‘ Sk’jin stutters out faintly- barely audible. The strange film over his eyes slowly giving way as bloody tears began to leak out.

He throws Yyna the blanket before scooping the Khol’isa up in his arms- Sk’jin gasps out, hands grasping over Namjoon’s space-gear- earnestly crying now and Namjoon-…Namjoon feels his heart break.

‘Shh- hey I got you, we got you, you’re safe I promise-‘ Namjoon says gently, placing him over the warm blanket that Yyna quickly folds over the shivering Khol’isa.

‘He’s stabilizing,’ Yyna reports, ‘The scans are clear, he has not sustained any serious injury.’

Namjoon breathes out slowly, relief flooding him.

‘Jimin is stable,’ Prat’tna says with a faint smile, spooking Namjoon as he hadn’t heard him step closer. ‘He probably collided with something- it seems like he dislocated his shoulder, but he has no broken bones. He’s still unconscious.’

Namjoon nods, finally looking over to the other Medical Bed, where Jimin was similarly wrapped in a blanket, unconscious but also safe. The others gather around him, simply watching – were they relieved? Glad? Namjoon honestly can’t tell.

‘The Fifth Team have already been deployed- they are now securing Yoongi and Jungkook.’ Prat’tna tells him.

‘Good- what about Taeh’yung?’ Namjoon asks worriedly, looking around for his screen.

‘The Sixth Team is getting to him,’ Prat’tna tells him as he hands him his screen. ‘They should secure him in a few minutes.’

Namjoon nods, accessing the prison-ship’s surveillance again.

‘Hoseok?’

‘Team One is approaching. They will secure him, don’t worry,’ Prat’tna tells him reassuringly as he slowly and carefully kneels down before sitting on the floor.

‘Hey-‘ Namjoon frowns, kneeling down as well.

‘Tired,’ Prat’tna smiles, ‘Just needed to sit for a moment, was starting to get dizzy.’ He looks over to the side before calling out, ‘Take them both up to the Medical Bay- watch over them, link their stats over to Captain Namjoon’s screen.’

The GI don’t respond, only moving to obey the orders as they push the Medical Beds out of the Hangar with a gentleness that certainly did not match up with their emotionless brutality. The moment they’re out, Prat’tna falls back gracelessly, panting a little.

‘Woah hey-‘ Namjoon crawls over quickly, looking over the GI with worry.

‘We found him,’ Prat’tna smiles, ‘He’s safe- our Fate is safe- we are saved.’

‘I’ll go get the oxygen tank-‘ Namjoon makes to stand but Prat’tna reaches out, missing as he attempted to grab a hold of Namjoon’s hand. He immediately pauses, turning his full attention to the GI.

‘Ilya and Jn’young are both secured as well- Cuab-D2 has been shut down completely- the levels cleared.’ Prat’tna breathes out, yellow eyes fixed on a spot on the ceiling. Namjoon doesn’t need to check but he’s sure the Medical Bays were there.

‘The prison-ship has been contained. The last of the inmates are being rounded up.’ Prat’tna grins, ‘Everything has gone according to plan.’

Namjoon tries to respond in kind, but he can’t, realizing what Prat’tna was doing.

‘Let me go get the tank for you,’ Namjoon pleads, ‘Don’t you want to talk to Jimin? Tell him everything you told me yourself?’

He senses movement, rather than hearing it or seeing it, and Namjoon knows the others were gathering around them.

‘I walked alongside my Fate for years and years,’ Prat’tna breathes out, ‘In waking, and in dreaming- and I know I will still walk with him, beyond what ties me down, beyond what lets me go-‘

‘Come on-‘

‘If I push on-‘ Prat’tna finds his hand, ‘If I push on, and if I am like this, before him, it won’t-…he doesn’t deserve this- I can’t- I can’t see him-.’

‘But-‘

‘He will know- of course he will,’ Prat’tna wheezes out, his words come out rasped, breathless, ‘But I don’t want him to see me like this. I don’t- I don’t think I could-’

‘Prison cells are all secured.’

Prat’tna smiles at him, ‘It is done then.’

‘How- uh, how many did we lose?’ Namjoon asks carefully.

‘8,’ Prat’tna breathes out, ‘You did the best you could- you did very well. The mission has succeeded.’

Namjoon doesn’t want to hear that right now.

‘You have guided us well, Son of Kutsoglera,’ Prat’tna smiles, ‘Maybe we were wrong, to shut ourselves out from the beauty that lay beyond what-…beyond what we deemed worthy.’

Namjoon doesn’t know what to say. He can’t look away from Megibīyan. Sure he was held in a very weird hostage situation, and it wasn’t an ideal situation to be in- but Namjoon can’t help but be moved. 

‘I’m…I’m sorry,’ Namjoon says helplessly. He doesn’t know exactly what he’s apologizing for.

Prat’tna snorts faintly, blood bubbles out of his mouth, ‘There’s no need- no need- I’m sorry. Please- please tell him-‘

Prat’tna’s breaths are fainter and fainter, incredibly shallow despite how his whole chest heaves.

‘It’s- it’s good. I can…I can rest too now…finally. I’m sorry…-‘

It’s there again- that look of reverence.

‘Will you make sure that- that the village-‘

Namjoon nods quickly, ‘Of course, of course I will.’

Prat’tna smiles, relief in his features.

‘Maybe now- maybe now, we are-‘

‘-you’re found,’ Namjoon manages to say.

Prat’tna’s smiles his last exhale, eyes looking up straight ahead.

The GI all around the Hangar raise their hands to the air, palm open before creating a fist and then holding it over their chests. Namjoon does the same.

‘Mission successful Captain Namjoon. Now securing Ngfy’widan Hoseok.’

Namjoon exhales out slowly, lowering his arm before bending over, straightening out the Megibīyan carefully.

‘Link me to Hoseok and the others,’ Namjoon wipes at his face, sitting down on the floor, ‘Let’s get you all home.’

*

(Author’s Notes)

Ayeeeeeeee why do I do this to myself I ask, writing such wonderful characters and killing them off hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Also if you guys don’t know…uh, Ka-Yee is Jackson Wang’s real name and yes that’s Jackson

Am I bringing in got7 into this mix, not exactly! but I also wanted to say STREAM 100 WAYS im proud of my boy also am I a lowkey jinson shipper who knows maybe I am I can’t say much ahahahhahahahaahaha not but really I planned for this to take place ages ago but just recently decided that it should be Jackson because why the not also it was his birthday

And! Here is a summary of every bit of information we can now combine together that we have so far learnt because I know this can get confusing and I am so sorry if I am not clear but I do want everyone to be in the same page:

1. The first children are the first creations of the original and first Yisheng who came to THIS universe in THIS dimension of time and space
2. The first children are not so much, living Beings but rather entities of life, death, light, darkness, etc. all combined- they are not like, “gods” of anything, but rather everything that Exists, with a living consciousness and stream of thought that has since the Beginning™ existed. They then, individually, created and streamed their thoughts into form and mass, creating planets systems stars suns etc, and in this stream of living thought, living Beings were born
3. The first of these living Beings, this area the Cradle of Life so to speak, is where Taeh’yung’s people are from- the way they live/exist/die is utterly different from how the rest of the living Beings after them live/exist/die
4. Not a lot is known about Taeh’yung and his history
5. The first children created other living Beings similar to Taeh’yung
6. Yisheng escaped his dimension of death, destruction, corruption and in this dimension wished to create a new universe where none of that would exist, where no death destruction all that wouldn’t exist
7. However Yisheng is an idiot and of course that can’t, because it would be same concept as saying “im a human and I don’t want to give birth to a human so im still gonna get pregnant but go to the moon and have a moonling instead” clearly you’re still gonna give birth to a human
8. So all of the first children were, in OG yisheng’s eyes, tainted, and their creations also tainted. So he went on a killing rampage. Many of the first children and their creations died, many were able to escape, many were able to completely hide. Yisheng soon stopped, and hid within himself and disappeared from Time and Space though he still continued to hope to find the answers of finding a way to create the “utopia” he desired
9. This “utopia” was a dream that was inherited by the other Yishengs, born as a result of the OG Yisheng wanting to continue his desires through this new breed of living Beings. Obviously not all Yishengs think like this but those who do/did tried their best to find a way to convert/change/rebirth all of Life so that death/destruction/etc would never exist anymore
10. This is how terrible experiements were born, including the one that resulted in Sk’jin’s ship crashing in the Nightmare Planet and of course most importantly the Red Evil who were experimented on Yishengs. They came back twisted and still looking for the same results- kinda like two sides of the same coin in a sense.
11. The Red Evil then created the Omhlphe, who like the GI, were kinda emotionless but faulty experiments used to carry out “crowd control” – the GI killed people who were starting to get too close to the truth (like how Ilya was supposed to be assassinated for getting too close to the Axudarian bull), and how the Omhlophe wiped out and destroyed escaping refugees from planets the Red Evil would destroy
12. Back to the First Children, mengisiti is one of the First Children, who hid her creation within layers of resonance and water (because life exists only where water is) and in hopes that her children would live in safety, trust, and honesty, she split herself into two- the Heart and the Fate and since then they’ve been in hiding
13. Axudar was of course effected by the First Children being so close- they almost understood that mengisiti was different unique and special – their obsession with immortality as a result of their own short life, influenced further by mengisiti’s closeness, and later Ndica’s ness, resulted in them being the way they are now. also potentionally a first children??? who knows, certianly not me
14. The red evil were the first to discover a way of somehow permeating Mengisiti’s borders by finding a weak spot during mengisiti’s resonance phasing, Ndica hopped onto this and then pushed forward an incessant attempt to influence mengisiti because as he suspected, mengisiti was definitely one of the First Children
15. Ndica, despite being the mass killer that he was, was in fact, very smart- he discovered that by exposing his creations to areas that could potentially be linked to the First Children somehow further developed them, giving them an actual existence and awareness. So he found “hot spots” in hopes of furthering his experiments to recreate all of life under this one singularity. He also later found that by exposing Beings close to the core of their planets worked similarly as all planets ultimately are filled with life. This was also why the Red Evil harvested planets and moons and systems, as a means of powering the Eggs they were growing inside their ship

I hope

That uhh

Cleared things up