Jimin can’t get the door to fully close.

It keeps opening behind him, leaving a gap of white.

Frustrated, Jimin goes back to the door and holds it close.

Finally, after a few moments, it stays closed.

Exhaling out slowly, Jimin sags with relief.

He’s not sure why, but he doesn’t want the door open in any way.

Finally, he turns around to face the house. The floors are still shaking, the stairs and bannisters vibrating. The glass windows are shattered, glass on the floors, rain storming inside as thunder and lightning explode every few seconds outside. The door to the study is unhinged, leaning dangerously against the doorpost in a precarious position. Inside, the white curtains have been flung open, the window forcefully opened as though a great wind blast through. The little decorative items everywhere are on the floor. Jimin steps in, the broken bits of glass cool under his feet. He picks up the model of the solar system Earth belonged to and hangs it back up. The little sun model in the center flickers faintly and after a few seconds glows again. Jimin shakes off the broken bits of glass on the soft yellow blanket. He removes the large chunks of glass one by one, each piece returning to its original place. Jimin takes time to make sure he gets every broken piece, returning it to its original place, until the window is repaired. He rearranges the small room to its original state- or at least as best as he could.

He moves on to the small kitchen, returning the broken plates to its original state, the pots on the floor back to the counter, pushing back the chairs that had been flung hard, the long window streaming in a mute light from the storm still raging outside. When he’s done with the kitchen, Jimin finds that the great windows by the stairs have repaired themselves, the storm ebbing just a little, no longer howling, screams of pain and anguish mingled with the wind.

The bedroom is halfway fixed- the windows repaired, but the furniture and other items in the room flung about.

Jimin fixes up the frames first- several hung up on the walls, all framing some random scenery.

A forest bathed in early sunlight, a small city amidst clouds, the night sky alight with stars, a pale young moon just faintly visible over an unknown horizon, a grey shoreline with boats, a dim hallway lined with multiple doors.

Jimin straightens them out carefully before turning to the rest of the room. He returns all of the items on the desk back to their original position. He switches on the lamps, straightens the curtains, rearranges the cushion and blanket over the armchair to the side. He makes the bed last, fluffing up the pillows, dusting the covers and rearranging the blanket.

It’s cold, and Jimin shivers a little. He opens the closet door and inside he finds one single jacket. It’s the one Yoongi had worn back in Menigišiti. Jimin knows it well- knows the stitch of the fabric, the curve of the pattern making the sleeve. But it’s clean and comforting, and Jimin slips it on over himself.

It’s still raining, but it’s no longer filled with anguish and pain.

He looks around the room, checking to see if there’s anything he hasn’t fixed.

There’s a quiet yet clear clicking sound that echoes around the house.

It fills Jimin with fear.

Taking a few shaking steps, Jimin brings himself to stand by the bedroom doorway.

A cool white light glows mildly, innocently, at the end of the hallway outside.

The door is open.

Frightened, Jimin is stuck. He stares and stares and stares.

Suddenly, he regains control over his body and he bolts. He slams into the doorway, shutting it aggressively.

He’s panting, hands shaking around the old-fashioned door handle that seemed to push against his hold, the doors pushing with a gentle and persistent force.

After several painfully stretched minutes, the door remains shut, no longer strained against Jimin’s hold.

He lets go slowly, but he remains close, distrusting of the door before him.

It remains closed.

‘Hey sunshine.’

Spinning, Jimin looks around wildly.

Yoongi sounded like he was right behind him.

‘Yoongi?’

There’s nothing more.

But the rain has now ebbed to a much more gentle shower, the clouds lifting.

Jimin walks over to the wide windows by the stairs, looking out into the open sky outside.

Warmth spreads from the tip of his nose, all the way down to his body. Jimin hadn’t even realized he was cold all over. A sense of relief washes over him, his shoulders lowering from their rigid and squared tautness.

He was okay. They were okay. Jimin realizes that maybe he’s unconscious.

He makes his way to the bedroom- maybe he would lay down, and wake up properly after a while. He still didn’t know what had happened, why it had happened; he would need to be prepared, and he would need to be well for that. Nodding to himself, Jimin tucks the jacket closer around himself and opens the bedroom door wider to let himself in. He pauses, looking back at the main door.

‘Please don’t,’ he finds himself whispering.

It remains shut.

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

Yoongi had been cornered- a mass force of some form of specialized unit overwhelming his attempts at regaining control over the -ship.

There’s a singular moment- one where he’s crouched behind the landing stabilizers of the -ship, TeorSer fire erupting all around him in a shower of sparks as it hits the ship above and around him – and he’s able to look out into the dark of space.

Light erupts like delayed lightning outside, illuminating the massive eruption of debris and chaos spilled outside.

Too much time had passed.

He was too late- he was too…-

Something explodes behind him but Yoongi cannot bring himself to care for it.

He looks down at his hands. His arm is bleeding- grazed by a shot from a TeorSer. His left leg has a long cut, someone had thrown something sharp at him, taking out one of his two Heliords. He has one fused out TeorSer, and one flickering Heliord. He was outnumbered, out-timed; Yoongi is lost.

He can barely see the opening to the tunnel that he had run out of, where Jungkook was fighting his fellowbeing to the death. It had been more than 10 minutes for sure, and no sign of Jungkook.

Yoongi knew he didn’t have time- even then he knew he had no way of getting to Jimin.

And now Jungkook-

Another explosion erupts, screams ringing through the large Hangar. The orange Atmoshield is only faintly illuminated in the air, the lights of whatever explosion more than enough to really shine a light in the Hangar. The -ship shudders violently, shifting in its place, exposing half of Yoongi.

But he can’t find it in himself to hide- to take cover.

The dark of space yawns before him.

There’s another explosion and amidst that, Yoongi can feel footsteps approaching him- heavy and uneven, running without much balance.

The dark of space waits for him.

A rush of anger and anguish overwhelms him and Yoongi jumps to a stand, spinning on his blood-soaked knee to face his would-be attacker, Heliord ablaze before him.

But the figure never makes it to him, doesn’t even get close.

With the light of one final explosion that takes out the heavy-armored platoon transporter that had brought in the heavily-armed special unit team, Yoongi looks up at the GI who stood ahead of him, the body of his now dead attacker on the floor at its feet.

The silhouette of the GI is painfully familiar.

‘Amic?’

The GI just studies Yoongi for a moment and then turns around and walks away.

His breath returns to him in a deep and heavy gasp and Yoongi finds that his ears are ringing.

There are more GI, walking about in a calm efficient manner, easily overtaking the specialized unit that had overtaken the Hangar.

A sudden burst of energy overtakes Yoongi and the Human stands, sprinting back towards the tunnel.

‘J-Jungkook-‘ Yoongi gasps out loudly, calling for the young Vicitra as he enters the tunnel.

He finds the youngling close to the opening, slumped on the curve of the wall, pale and splattered heavily in blood.

‘Jungkook!’ sliding down to his knees before the youngling, Yoongi rushes to check his vitals.

Shaking fingers at the Vicitra’s blood splattered throat reveals a steady pulse.

His side is drenched in blood, the smell overwhelming. Looking around wildly Yoongi spots the older Vicitra slumped in an unnatural heap on the floor some ways off. There’s a loud commotion in the Hangar where the Laikin was parked but Yoongi doesn’t pay it any mind.

He needed to get Jungkook help- the Laikin had a Medical Bay that was still hopefully functional. Yoongi doesn’t understand what the GI being there meant- but the last time they had shown up, they had lost Namjoon, their ship, and any semblance of stability they had tried so hard to maintain.

Yoongi repositions himself, his breaths harsh in his own ears, to lift the Vicitra up.

Jungkook was taller than Yoongi and was very heavy. Unconscious his weight seems denser, and with Yoongi’s physical state, he’s barely able to lift him. He hears calm footsteps approaching him but a sudden panic flares within him. Jungkook was like him, but was also unlike him and the other GI. What would the GI want with him, what would they do to him? Yoongi’s grasp on the youngling is desperate and with hysterical strength ignites his Heliord at whatever was approaching them. The footsteps stop almost immediately.

Somehow, Yoongi is able to move, clutching Jungkook close to himself, Heliord flickering on and off before him.

He doesn’t realize he’s fallen until Jungkook tilts at an odd angle, making them crash into the wall to the side.

‘I got you-‘ Yoongi hysterically mumbles, ‘-Jungkook I got you-‘

He covers the youngling with his own body, abandoning his flickering Heliord.

‘-oongi?’

His mind in turmoil, Yoongi has one singular coherent thought: protect Jungkook.

Jimin had protected the youngling against himself, against pain, brought him with him- they were both here because of Jimin. Both here as a result of Jimin’s strength, his heart; Yoongi would do anything to make sure Jungkook was safe. He had to- he needed to – because now Jimin was-

‘Yoongi!’

Yoongi snaps out of it.

Namjoon’s kneeling beside him. For a wild moment, Yoongi wonders if he’s hallucinating.

‘Yoongi- look at me,’ Namjoon’s tone is gentle. ‘Let Jungkook go, I need to take him to the Medical Bay.’

‘W-what-?!’ Yoongi can barely speak, throat constricted, vision blurred with both tears and black spots. Namjoon sounds like he’s underwater.

‘Let go,’ Namjoon says gently, ‘I’ve got him, I’ve got you too.’

‘N-Namjoon?’

Namjoon places a hand on Yoongi’s shoulder and then to the side of his head. He was real- he was real and he was here.

‘You’re safe,’ Namjoon tells him, ‘It’s safe now.’

With shaking hands and weak arms, Yoongi finally lets go of his hold on Jungkook.

His whole body still protests as Jungkook is carefully lifted onto a Medical stretcher that had been waiting for them at the side. Namjoon is fiddling with something in his pockets before he pulls out a few compressor shots. He’s gentle when he tears at the already damaged sleeve on Yoongi’s jacket, finding skin to press the shot. Yoongi barely feels it. Namjoon uses all 4 he had taken out and slowly, Yoongi’s head clears up of the dark fog, his sight clearing up, and the sounds around him clearing up. The spot where Namjoon had administered the shots was slowly burning.

‘J-Jimin-,’ Yoongi manages to choke out.

‘He’s fine- he’s in the Medical Bay too,’ Namjoon is resting a tentative hand on his shoulder. A new hand- attached to a new arm to his shoulder. Namjoon was fixed up. ‘So is Sk’jin- they’re both recovering, they’re not in danger.’

Relief washes over Yoongi in painful waves.

Unable to stop, he curls in on himself, choking breaths escaping him unwarranted. He numbly feels an arm wrap around his shoulders.

‘Let’s get you fixed up too,’ Namjoon says quietly. ‘You need rest, come on.’

Yoongi’s not sure if he’s moving on his own accord but he’s standing up, his legs weak but not wobbly anymore.

‘The others are okay,’ Namjoon tells him, supporting him up to the point where Yoongi is barely walking on his own. ‘Hoseok is fine- Taeh’yung was drugged I think, but he’s fine too.’

They were fine. They were all fine.

‘What- what happened?’ Yoongi knows he’s not being specific.

What did happen? To Namjoon, to this prison-ship, why and how were the GI here?

‘The GI took me,’ Namjoon explains, maintaining an easy pace to not rattle Yoongi too much. ‘Back in Lowet- there’s a lot to discuss but not right now- first you all need to heal up-‘

‘-you’re- you’re healed up too-‘ Yoongi slurs out.

‘Yeah- yeah I uh, I met another Kutsoglerin, he fixed me up.’

Yoongi’s mind is abuzz with questions but they disappear as quickly as they form. He can’t think straight, his mind settling from the utter chaos it had been thrown into.

They exit the long tunnel and Yoongi spots the Laikin, still smoking a little but no fire ignited anywhere. The Laikin’s Hangar gates are blown up and they’re definitely going to have to fix that immediately.

Next to the Laikin is a new ship- it’s massive, and it’s familiar.

‘Isn’t- isn’t that a Yisheng ship?’ Yoongi’s neck hurts, he can’t look up.

‘It is,’ Namjoon confirms, ‘Like you said, no one checks or registers Yisheng ships. No wonder the GI are invisible.’

Yoongi is lead inside, passing one of the GI who stood guard at the bottom of the ramp. But Yoongi doesn’t have time to pay attention. There’s a sense of dread, of curiosity, building up in him.

He’s half lifted, his feet barely touching the ground of this inner Hangar. He’s pretty sure he blacks out for a moment before he’s opening his eyes again just as Namjoon deposits him on a Medical Bed.

Looking around, Yoongi spots Jungkook in the Bed next to his. There’s a GI there, hands moving deftly as they track the Vicitra’s vitals, administering medication and stabilizers.

Namjoon pushes him back and Yoongi faces the ceiling.

‘Where- where’s Jimin?’ Yoongi manages to get out, head turning about.

‘The other Bay with Sk’jin,’ Namjoon informs him immediately, dragging down the scanner over the Bed just as another GI enters. ‘Were you hit anywhere?’

Yoongi shakes his head slowly.

‘I have to go- need to meet Ilya, and Jn’young,’ Namjoon tells him. He looks hesitant, unsure whether he should leave Yoongi be. But the Human just nods, waving a hand in gesture. The GI approaches them, clearly ready to take over.

‘I wasn’t- wasn’t badly injured, I’m fine,’ Yoongi tells the Kutsoglerin. Somehow it’s still strange to acknowledge that Namjoon was standing there before him but at the same time Yoongi can’t quite get around to really digest that information.

Namjoon nods, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a Comm-Device. ‘Until we can start rewiring every single hardware aboard this ship or issue new ones, we can use this.’

Yoongi fits it to his ear at once, rolling the other one off.

‘I’m going to go meet up with Hoseok, and then go meet Ilya and Jn’young,’ Namjoon tells him, ‘There’s- there’s a lot to be said, shared-‘

For a moment, Namjoon looks at him with a scared expression. Not fearful of him, or afraid of whatever it was that he heard, but rather Namjoon looks scared for him.

He knew.

His time spent with the GI was probably a challenging but informative one.

Yoongi manages a small smile.

‘It’s okay,’ he says quietly.

Namjoon opens his mouth and then closes it. He does this a few times, looking uncertain, eyeing the GI in the Bay with them.

‘Namjoon. It’s okay,’ Yoongi tells him firmly, ‘We all know.’

He looks hopeless, sighing quietly for a moment before he nods again. ‘I’ll keep in contact, you can contact Hoseok now too, he has one of the Comms.’

Yoongi nods his thanks, fiddling with the Comm in his ear, twisting it till it gives a small click.

Namjoon pauses briefly, reaching over to squeeze Yoongi’s hand.

‘It’s good to see you again,’ Namjoon says quietly.

‘Yeah-‘ Yoongi swallows painfully, ‘Yeah, you too Captain.’

Namjoon just grins before he turns and exits the Bay.

The GI begins almost at once, no time wasted or lost.

It’s jarring, watching the GI work like this. Jarring, but also familiar. It was like watching a recording of yourself from a memory you weren’t quite sure you remembered having, or if the familiarity of your observed actions in the recordings ignited some muscle memory deep within you.

‘Hoseok?’

‘Yoongi?’ the Ngfy’widan’s voice is clear and relief instantaneous. ‘- .’

‘You- you’re okay?’ Yoongi manages to get out, blindly watching the GI cut open a wide gap in his pant-leg to access his cut there. It’s not deep, but the angle was odd, pulling at his skin with each flex of his leg, making the cut tear apart wider.

‘Yeah- I’m- I’m fine but- what about Jungkook? He’s doing okay? He’s with you? Namjoon told me he has Sk’jin and Jimin in.’

‘Yeah- yeah he’s with me,’ Yoongi breathes carefully, closing his eyes as they start to sting. ‘He’s with me.’

‘Good…-good, Spaces, Yoongi I’m just-‘

‘Yeah- me too.’

‘Just rest up for now- and uh- I’m meeting Namjoon, and then…’

‘Yeah,’ Yoongi mumbles quietly.

Sitting up, Yoongi carefully peels off his bloody jacket, whatever Namjoon had shot with him, probably some painkiller and inhibitors, was working very well. Only his body was sore in the usual way it was sore. The GI takes it away, pausing before the shredder-tube, glancing back at Yoongi as though in second thought. If Yoongi could see past the helmet he knows he won’t be seeing much of a reaction. So it’s mainly based on intuition that Yoongi just nods. There was no point in saving the jacket.

There’s a ripping sound to the side and Yoongi notes that the GI tending Jungkook is surgically removing the Vicitra’s very heavily bloodstained clothes. He’s sustained some serious injuries; injuries that would definitely scar heavily. His attention is drawn away when the GI tending him comes back with some neatly folded clothes that were definitely freshly laundered. Yoongi briefly wonders why they had spare clothing like this about, and where they were keeping it. The GI keeps it at the foot of the Bed before stating in an unnervingly familiar voice, ‘I need to seal your leg and arm injuries.’

Yoongi peels off the rest of his clothes, sitting nearly as his skin is disinfected and cleaned before his wide open cut is sealed, a generous and even coating of growth serum patted all over.

‘We’re the same.’

Yoongi is startled by the voice.

The GI doesn’t continue.

What did he mean? That they were both GI?

But his answer is given when the GI pulls up at the sleeve of his own uniform, revealing skin that’s so bruised and scarred, it was nearly impossible to tell what his original skin colour could’ve been. But Yoongi knows him. Knows that his skin colour is a warm tan, and if his helmet was taken off, a pattern of darker skin would be decorating his facial features in his native race’s cultural practice. Malkr had once explained to him that they had this pattern imprinted into their skin from birth, with their cultural patterns from each “tribe”. It meant something, a representation of something significant. But Yoongi wonders if he would still have them as he was right now.

He was one of the first to be taken by the Red Evil in Megibīya. 

‘Yeah- we are,’ Yoongi nods, ‘Thank you Malkr.’

He gets no other words from Malkr as he works on Yoongi’s injuries. The GI working on Jungkook’s injuries is still there, still working with no pause.

‘Is he all right?’ Yoongi asks.

He’s not sure if he’s going to get a reply but the other GI replies, ‘The Pravasi H’manun recover and repair much faster than most living Beings.’

That didn’t answer Yoongi’s question directly, but it sort of did anyways. Yoongi is aware that the response was probably not qualified by most conversation standards as an adequate one; nonetheless it makes sense to him.   

Yoongi studies Jungkook’s vitals from his Bed, and notes with relief that he was indeed stable, and that he was definitely going to be making a speedy and complete recovery.

Malkr completes cleaning up Yoongi’s wounds and binding his injuries and sealing them by handing him over a few tablets and pills. Yoongi remembers these; some far locked away memory from when he was barely gaining a conscious awareness.

He wonders if these might help.

He dry swallows them before pushing himself to the side of the Bed and carefully standing. He walks over to Jungkook, his side no longer drenched in blood but neatly sealed and contained, his skin shiny with serum. His brow is smooth, no indication of pain. But Yoongi notes with a quiet sigh, the dark circles around the youngling’s eyes.

The GI attending him is still working on his leg, but there seemed no need for any alarm.

Turning around, Yoongi is not surprised to find Malkr gone. He steps out of the Bay, finding himself in a sort of large lobby. It’s empty, with no real indication of it being lived in. The décor and placed items seem very staged, at least to Yoongi, but there’s also a sense of satisfaction as he looks around.

Balancing himself by placing a hand on the wall, Yoongi trudges along the length of the lobby towards the other Bay. The doors are open, probably intentional, and Yoongi quietly peaks inside, finding two occupied Beds.

Sk’jin is horrifying pale, bruises deeply embedded all over his body and up to the sides of his face, the corners of his mouth, and around his eyes. The colours are so vivid; angry almost, strained as though attempting to burst through in purples and reds through his skin. But his vitals look normal too- stabilizing all though he’s placed within an encased Pod-Shield rather than just laying over the Bed. They were probably trying to stabilize his temperature; the Khol’isa generally had a high tolerance for weather-based fluctuations and or extreme conditions, but Sk’jin was different.

Jimin looks marginally better. The bruises developing around him aren’t as vivid- but they’re deep and blossoming, creeping up his neck from the bit of his revealed chest.

While Sk’jin was definitely cared for and tended to, Jimin was placed almost meticulously.

The pillow under his head is different- handmade almost. There’s also a jar of some sort of weed placed on the sliding shelves beside the Bed.

There’s a clumsy sort of attempt- one that Yoongi is able to recognize.

He walks over to Jimin, feet cold on the smooth shiny floors.

He looks uneasy; restless even in this unconscious state. Carefully, Yoongi brushes back Jimin’s hair- a little matted and clumped up, away from his forehead. Tentatively, he drags his thumb over his cheeks.

With an abrupt, slightly choked up sigh, Yoongi leans up against the Bed, careful as he places an arm over Jimin’s chest and touches his forehead against his.

‘Hey sunshine,’ Yoongi whispers quietly.

The restless movement under Jimin’s closed eyelids stop- his chest rises, inhaling slow and long, before exhaling quietly. The tautness, almost imperceptible, dissipates. 

He presses a light kiss on the tip of his nose, his hand properly cradling the side of Jimin’s face.

Taking a few more long and shuddering breaths, Yoongi pushes out the terrified images of Jimin being hurled out into space. He pushes out the overwhelming fear that had consumed him.

Taking Jimin’s hands in his, Yoongi presses kisses over the bruised skin before placing them down again.

Quite suddenly, the whole air hums, the ship just ever so slightly vibrating, and Yoongi knows that the engines are running up again.

Looking away from Jimin, Yoongi glances out of the Bay. It was empty. Frowning a little, Yoongi makes his way out and down the way he had come in. Down at the inner hangar, Yoongi notes the absence of any living Being, just some storage-crates and repair kits pushed up to the side of the walls. The hangar gates are open, so Yoongi has a clear view of the main Hangar they were in. Outside, the stretch of space framed by the massive gateway is busy with movement and light.

Yoongi watches the debris outside for a while longer before he notices the pain in his feet. And like some Earthian domino effect, the rest of his body follows and Yoongi takes a deep breath.

‘It’s all right,’ he tells himself, ‘Just a little longer.’

With one last look outside, Yoongi turns and freezes where he stands.

The Hangar which had been empty was now crowded with the GI. They stand, simply observing him- or no, Yoongi doesn’t think he’s being observed.

It was almost as though they were waiting.

There’s around 20 of them inside the Hangar; they must have been ordered to stay back to keep the ship in check just in case of emergency.

A strange memory like a dream resurfaces and-

‘How many Yoongi’s do you see?’

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

The visor clicks upwards, revealing an expressionless face that regards Hoseok with a familiar yet different gaze before she says in an equally monotonous voice, ‘Mission successful Captain Namjoon. Now securing Ngfy’widan Hoseok.’

There’s a pained groan from Jaen and Hoseok is scrambling towards the Axudarian.

Her body was shaking violently, eyes open but unseeing as they roll back at random. Quickly, Hoseok rips out the holster strap from around Jaen’s hip and pries open before setting it between her teeth. She immediately chomps down, her neck strained, muscles taut and rigid.

‘She’s in shock- hey! You got a med-kit on you or something?’ Hoseok yells at the GI.

Of course this Being was a GI. No other Being in this Universe could so uncannily take out a whole room of armed Beings with that level of efficiency and deadliness without a single injury on themselves.

She doesn’t move, and Hoseok’s not sure if she’s heard him. Cursing under his breath, and very confused at the sight of the GI here and now, it takes a moment to realize that the GI had said Captain Namjoon.

‘Are you speaking to Namjoon?’ Hoseok swivels to look up at the GI, ‘I need to talk to him.’

The GI blinks once before producing a small Comm Device from a hidden side pouch on her thigh and hands it over to him.

Hoseok immediately puts it on before turning his attention back to Jaen, sweat beading profusely on her brow.

‘Hoseok?’

He’s not ready, Hoseok realizes, to hear Namjoon’s voice.

‘Hey- hey I-‘

‘.’

Hoseok exhales, kneeling down on all fours, fatigue seeping into his very core.

‘You’re all right?’

‘Yeah- yeah I am-‘ Hoseok has to shake himself, he had an injured Axudarian here, he needed to be on top of the situation and he needed to- ‘and you?’

‘Yeah I’m-‘ Namjoon lets out a small short laugh, ‘Yeah I’m fine. It’s uh-‘

‘I-‘

Hoseok can’t get it in him to say anything just yet.

He hasn’t felt overwhelmed like this in a long time. He wishes he were knocked out- incapable of doing anything except to maybe get better. He’s exhausted.

‘I have an injured Being here- I need to get her treated immediately,’ Hoseok finds himself saying. He can’t not do anything right now.

He’s been running like this for so long- he couldn’t just stop. He had to keep running.

He doesn’t even finish speaking when the GI crouches down, pulling out a small tube from her inner pocket, somewhere in the uniform, and presses one end against Jaen’s hip. The Axudarian arches up from the floor, eyes bulging out before settling down, breath escaping her noisily and smoothly.

‘Are you injured?’ Namjoon asks, seemingly having gotten a hold of himself during this stretch as well.

‘No injuries- just confused,’ Hoseok tells him as the GI makes adjustments on his bandages he had strapped over Jaen hurriedly. ‘Namjoon I don’t know where the others are I lost contact-‘

‘-Sk’jin and Jimin are with me, I’m landing inside soon- right next to the Laikin, I think that’s where Yoongi and Jungkook are.’

‘-and what about Taeh’yung I haven’t seen him at all-‘ Hoseok rushes to say, leaning back onto the Navigation Table as the GI calmly stands and makes her way to where Camil is slumped on the floor. He wasn’t dead- Hoseok can see his chest moving with every breath he took.

‘-he was drugged I think, I don’t know how, but I know his location too, the GI are bringing him down from the pods-‘

‘-ing Spaces-‘ Hoseok looks up at the ceiling, propping his arms up on his knees. ‘Were they trying to rocket him out of the ship?’

‘Seems like it.’ Namjoon answers, ‘Hoseok, you’ve met and talked to Ilya, the Ožkan commander of the network?’

‘I have- he’s-…yeah I have,’ Hoseok replies, unsure how to explain Ilya’s background history with Sk’jin and whether that was immediately relevant or not. ‘Why?’

‘And the Khol’isa, Jn’young?’

‘Yeah,’ Hoseok frowns, ‘Why?’

‘What are they like?’

‘Oh- I don’t…I don’t know if I’m being honest- they were open to us but that’s-…that’s another story, but what’s the context of your question?’

‘I need to talk to them- Jn’young is injured I hear, so is Ilya but he’s better- waiting for either one to stabilize enough so I can talk to them.’ Namjoon explains before adding, ‘We can’t stay here for long.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s highly likely that Axudar is headed this way- we need to leave Cuab at once.’

‘But-‘ Hoseok looks down at Jaen’s injured form, at the floating debris littered outside like some massive asteroid field.

‘I’ve already made arrangements to go back to Māho,’ Namjoon sounds urgent, ‘I sent some of the GI to handle the situation there and keep it in lockdown for us-‘

‘-but the ship-‘

‘-I’ll be talking to Ilya, ways to clear up the debris enough for us to leave,’ Namjoon tells him, he sounded like he was moving, ‘And I’m not sure how much of what he knows- though considering his connection, maybe not in a personal level-‘

Hoseok is not too surprised to hear that Namjoon knew so much already.

‘He knows- he knows almost everything –um, he’s well, a friend of Sk’jin’s.’

There’s a sort of stunned silence for a while before Namjoon speaks again, ‘Was he a member of Sk’jin’s network in the past?’

‘He was a child- one of the rescued Beings who lived aboard Sk’jin’s ship for a long while,’ Hoseok explains, ‘Namjoon it was-…it’s almost as though Sk’jin thought of him as a son.’

It’s quiet for a while.

‘I’m guessing in a sense convincing him might be easier than I expected then.’

‘If we’re in danger from Axudar then definitely yes.’ Hoseok replies.

‘Right- okay, I’ve been told that Yoongi has been found, as well as Jungkook. I’m going to go check on them first,’ Namjoon tells him. ‘Another team will be approaching you soon. It seems that Ilya’s recovered enough- I need him to authorize the GI aboard the ship- tell his crew that we’re- well, they’re safe.’

Hoseok has so many questions.

The last time the GI had made their appearance, Namjoon was kidnapped and Yoongi was nearly killed.

‘All right I will-‘ Hoseok jumps a little, noticing 3 other GI now standing to the side. ‘ okay yeah the team is here.’

‘All right- they’ve been ordered to follow you. They’re taking Taeh’yung down to the Medical Bay I’m guessing that’s where you’ll be headed?’

‘I can come to you- if you’re going to meet with Ilya-‘

‘I think- , I don’t know what-‘ Namjoon pauses, clearly thinking hard, ‘No I think stay with Taeh’yung, we still don’t know what’s happened to him- his vitals were all over the place according to the report sent to me. He’s stable, but I don’t know what they did to him.’

‘All right,’ Hoseok nods once before he stands up, wincing as his body protests the movement. ‘I’ll go get buggy. What do I do with Camil here?’

‘He’ll need to be interrogated no doubt-‘ Namjoon stops abruptly. ‘I found Yoongi and Jungkook.’

‘Are they okay?’ Hoseok demands immediately.

‘.’ Namjoon curses softly.

It’s quiet for a while, and Hoseok waits on edge.

‘Yoongi? Hey, Yoongi,’ Namjoon sounds gentle, like he was trying to wake someone from their sleep.

Jaen groans slightly and Hoseok immediately makes his way over to the Axudarian.

‘Yoongi?’

‘Hey, Jaen, can you hear me?’ Hoseok leans over, looking over the Axudarian’s face for any signs of great distress.

‘Yoongi- look at me,’ Namjoon’s tone is gentle. ‘Let Jungkook go, I need to take him to the Medical Bay.’

Hoseok can’t help but imagine the worst.

‘Let go. I’ve got him, I’ve got you too.’ Namjoon sounds impossibly gentle. ‘You’re safe. It’s safe now.’

‘Is she stable?’ Hoseok asks the GI who was treating her.

There’s a single nod.

‘He’s fine- he’s in the Medical Bay too. So is Sk’jin- they’re both recovering, they’re not in danger.’

‘Which Medical Bay are you taking Taeh’yung, the Zhak’gri?’

‘Medical Bay 17-4N,’ one of the newer GI informs him.

‘Let’s take her there too- are the injured being taken care of?’

‘They are,’ the GI answers, albeit awkwardly late.

‘Let’s get you fixed up too,’ Namjoon says quietly. ‘You need rest, come on.’

‘When can internal communications go up?’

‘Unknown for now.’

Great, Hoseok nods tersely to that before gesturing at Camil.

‘Tie him up, he’ll need to be treated for his injuries, but keep watch over him constantly. If he wakes up, report to me or Namjoon.’ Hoseok states.

‘Understood.’

‘The others are okay,’ Namjoon sounds like he’s addressing a child, ‘Hoseok is fine- Taeh’yung was drugged I think, but he’s fine too.’

‘We head straight for 17-4N,’ Hoseok announces, ‘If possible, bring all who need to be treated here, or at least close by.’

There’s no response but Hoseok really isn’t expecting one from the GI. ‘Lead the way.’

Two of the 3 GI produce collapsible stretchers, and in a matter of minutes, have both Jaen and Camil on them. Hoseok walks directly behind the first duo who were carrying Jaen between the two of them.

Hoseok takes a look around- he’s able to at least differentiate the inmates from the local crew- but amongst them, who were involved in Camil’s backstabbing schemes? And how much of it was done because of a true belief in what Axudar wanted, and how much was out of necessity and threat?

Working and living as an agent meant not asking yourself questions like these, but Hoseok can’t help but wonder why. They all knew, clearly, from having Jn’young aboard their network, and from Ilya’s experiences; yet why would Beings outside of Axudar, so firmly side by an act, by a belief that so evidently lacked morality and went against ever existing principle?

What lead Camil to side with Axudar, when he was in the same crew as Jn’young, as Jaen who was from Axudar. Even E’nid would prove an exemplary example of how wrong Axudar was in doing what they did, were still doing; E’nid escaped the mandatory class-slavery in Orvan and was living proof.

But Hoseok can’t ask that- not when he’s lived it; not when he’s existed within this very situation, hoping he was on the right side, believing he was on the right side, but coming out of it still aflame for the actions he took.

The GI pause, nearly making Hoseok walk straight into one of them.

‘What’s wrong-‘

There are hurried footsteps- several, approaching them. The GI were clearly waiting for a signal from them.

‘Secure Jaen and Camil if things up,’ Hoseok orders, ‘I’ll cover you.’

There’s no acknowledgment of his orders but Hoseok walks past, not before grabbing on of the TeorSers from the GI. He stops at the corner, listening closely. The footsteps pause- cautious before turning a corner. But suddenly the footsteps sprint- rushing around the corner in a huge surge.

E’nid is there, a large TeorSer in her hands, ready to fire as a few others stand behind her. There’s a stretched second of confusion- E’nid recognizes Hoseok, but she’s looking at the GI with fear and confusion.

‘Stand down!’ Hoseok orders at once, throwing down his own TeorSer. ‘E’nid- stand down!’

E’nid hesitantly obeys, and signaling to the others to stand down. Hoseok notes how a few other Beings poke their heads around the corner.

‘What’s going on?’ she asks breathlessly.

‘These are the GI,’ Hoseok explains hurriedly, ‘They’re here to help, they came with my captain-‘

‘-the missing one?’

‘-yes, and Jaen is here- but she’s injured-‘

E’nid’s eyes widen, looking down at the stretcher with fear.

‘She’s all right but we need the Bay-‘

E’nid is hurrying over, nearly tripping on her own feet as she stumbles to kneel by the stretcher.

‘She’s all right- she’s all right- but E’nid- look at me,’ Hoseok says hurriedly, kneeling on the other side of the stretcher. E’nid looks up with tears in her eyes.

‘I’m sorry, but I need you to tell the others that the GI are here to help- and to make their way to the 17-4N Medical Bays, or at least the North wing section right now,’ Hoseok tells her in a clear and calm voice. ‘We are not safe here, and we’ll need to move soon. But we need everyone to stay together, make sure no one is lost- at least until communications are up.’

After a few seconds, E’nid nods, blinking away tears. ‘Yeah- yeah I got it- we have short-radio communications and-‘

‘Okay- get that up and running, repeat what I said,’ Hoseok tells her firmly but gently.

She takes a deep breath before looking over to the side, calling the others who were with her.

Hoseok stands up, looking over to the surviving crew. They look confused, but put together. Of course, this was Ilya’s crew, and they would know what to do, would manage to stand their ground.

‘Is he dead?’ E’nid’s tone is cold.

She’s gesturing to Camil’s knocked out form.

‘No,’ Hoseok shakes his head, ‘We need him for interrogation.’

She nods to that, giving him one last hateful look before turning her attention back around. ‘All right, everyone split up- let’s spread the news quickly and reconnect in 4N.’

They swiftly disperse in small units; efficient, quick, and alert.

E’nid stays on the other side of the stretcher, keeping pace as soon as the GI start walking.

‘What happened?’ she asks after a while.

‘Camil shot her,’ Hoseok explains.

She moves so quickly, Hoseok can barely see where she’s moved to. But she’s on top of Camil’s stretcher, hands gripping around Camil’s head in a horrifying grip-

E’nid is barely there for more than a second before the GI calmly remove her, without dropping Camil’s stretcher.

‘E’nid!’ Hoseok quickly takes over restraining the Orvan, pulling her still struggling form away from the GI.

She’s strong, but Hoseok has the upper hand. He’s also trying not to hurt her.

‘We need to interrogate him-‘ Hoseok grits out, twisting her just enough to stop her from struggling, but not enough to actually hurt her. ‘-please, I know how you feel- E’nid listen-‘

‘We came across more- more-!,’ she can’t say it properly because she can’t fathom it either, ‘We came across them- the others and I just-‘

She starts to cry, crumpling down.

‘They didn’t hesitate- they didn’t even stop I knew them- I knew all of them and they didn’t-‘

Hoseok carefully lowers her to the ground, kneeling beside her.

‘They even- we stopped a whole unit headed- headed for the living quarters upstairs and-‘ she coughs, barely able to get her words out. Hoseok carefully reaches for her shoulder, patting her there before squeezing gently. He looks over at the GI and nods down the hallway. They move in unison, making their way down the hall.

‘Why- why would they do this?’ E’nid asks.

She’s not expecting an answer.

‘I understand,’ Hoseok says quietly.

He feels E’nid looking at him.

Hoseok curls his hands into fists, fire smarting his palms. Hoseok understood- all too well.

He understands their confusion, their paranoia, the way every single action simply tugged at the floor beneath their feet.

It’s how he’s been living his life for the past 5 sols.

‘Hoseok?’

‘Yeah- I’m here,’ Hoseok replies at once, ‘I’m still moving up towards the Medical Bay.’

‘Okay-  I uh, I’m coming there to pick up Camil.’

‘Why? I’m taking him up to the Bay,’ Hoseok answers.

‘There’s been some reported attacks,’ Namjoon tells him carefully, ‘Ilya’s crew- I think their confusion and panic is driving their judgment right now. The GI broke the fight apart but 2 of Camil’s crones died as a result and we need to interrogate them.’

‘I get it,’ Hoseok looks at E’nid who was wiping at her face, gaze determinedly pointed downwards towards the floor.

‘Okay- I’m coming over to meet you and your team. All still good?’

‘Yeah, I guess,’ Hoseok stands, extending his hand down to the Orvan who takes it, standing up as well.

‘I just left Jungkook and Yoongi at the Bay aboard the GI ship,’ Namjoon tells him, ‘Jungkook has a very fast recovery rate, of course, but he’s been really badly injured.’

‘How bad is it?’ Hoseok asks as E’nid takes a moment to communicate over her short-radio as well.

‘We found him on time,’ Namjoon explains tersely, ‘Yoongi was….’

He trails off for a while.

‘You were aboard Yisheng Amme’s ship.’

‘Yes, how do you know?’

‘The GI told me,’ Namjoon answers, ‘And from what the GI told me…Amme was involved for quite a while.’

‘She was,’ Hoseok confirms, turning the corner in the hallway. The GI are some ways ahead, already slowing down for them to join them. Down towards the end of the hall Hoseok sees a lift.

‘The GI also told me about…and from what Yoongi said to me, it seems like he knew too.’

‘Knew what?’ But Hoseok has a good feeling he knows what Namjoon is referring to.

‘About Yoongi- and others potentially like him- not just as GI or- or as an Egg.’

‘Yeah- I uh- Yoongi told me.’

‘Oh.’

‘Is he…is he awake?’

‘He is. I gave him a Comm- you can talk to him- he should connect to the network now.’

‘I will.’

‘I’ll see you soon.’

They catch up to the GI while E’nid is still talking, listening intently over the slightly static sounds.

‘Hoseok?’

‘Yoongi?’ Hoseok closes his eyes- relief flooding him, uncaring he was walking blindly. ‘- .’

‘You- you’re okay?’ is the first thing Yoongi asks him.

‘Yeah- I’m- I’m fine but- what about Jungkook? He’s doing okay? He’s with you? Namjoon told me he has Sk’jin and Jimin in.’ Hoseok can barely contain himself. They stop before the lift, the GI accessing the screens.

‘Yeah- yeah he’s with me,’ Yoongi sounds carefully monotonous. ‘He’s with me.’

‘Good…-good, Spaces, Yoongi I’m just-‘ Hoseok finds a wall and leans against it.

‘Yeah- me too.’

‘Just rest up for now- and uh- I’m meeting Namjoon, and then…’ Hoseok breathes out quietly, turning when he feels a hand on his shoulder. E’nid gives him a supportive look before nodding towards the opening lift doors.

‘Yeah,’ Yoongi mumbles quietly.

The lift is silent.

‘Are they always this motionless?’ E’nid asks, looking at the GI, ‘I know they’re here, but somehow it’s just-‘

Hoseok lets out a small snort, ‘Yeah, I live with one, so I know what you mean.’

‘Do you get used to it?’

‘You get used to not getting used to them I guess,’ Hoseok answers honestly.

E’nid, who looking down at Jaen chuckles a bit.

‘Your captain is coming in?’

‘Yeah- they’re rounding up Camil and his…I dunno, his crew? Put them somewhere uh,-‘

‘Safe,’ E’nid says dryly.

‘Yeah.’

E’nid nods to that.

The lift stops, the doors opening to a surprisingly clean and undamaged hallway.

‘We’re in the North wing now,’ E’nid tells him, ‘We shouldn’t be too far from the Medical Bay-‘

There’s a weird shudder that erupts around the ship.

E’nid gasps, immediately moving low, towards Jaen’s stretcher and redirecting the GI towards the wall, gesturing at them to crouch to which they comply.

There’s a strange chorus of voices, yelling so loud it reverberates through the air in a familiar tone.

‘Oh -‘ Hoseok manages to say before the air sparks bright green in furious dizzying succession and a sloppy, very uneven triangular emptiness opens up on the wall and ceiling, dropping in Taeh’yung right before them.

The walls and floors ripple with a strange force, erupting into strange triangles and pyramids jutting out before collapsing immediately. Explosions of mold like moss spread and disintegrate into ash, the strong stench of ozone burning through the air, making Hoseok’s eyes water. There are bursts of strange growth erupting from the edges and corners of the hallway, briefly overwhelming Hoseok before dropping away from him like ash.

Taeh’yung stands in a haze, as though the air around him couldn’t quite contain him.

He’s screaming but there’s no audible sound; he’s standing utterly still, but everything seemed to be hurtling around him in a daze of lights and shadows. The ground ripples from where he stands, neon-green eyes locking down on the stretchers.

His mouth opens, a bright light shining so bright it’s almost painful.

Hoseok has never felt fear like this.

‘Taeh’yung!’

Hoseok pushes against the force and weight of the air- and somehow this seems to jar all of reality around them, the walls and ceilings righting itself.

Then Taeh’yung groans, pain evident in his voice as the strange light dims and Taeh’yung falls to one knee, clutching his head in his hands.

E’nid is peddling backwards, grabbing the stretcher with Jaen in it, as though to pull her aside, pushing ash away from her face.

Taeh’yung looks wild, his eyes ablaze and his movements unclear and loopy- he’s clearly still not all there, his movements swaying violently. But he keys in on the movement, eyes narrowing into a glare that petrifies E’nid where she was crouched over.

But then he dismisses her, before his gaze lands on the stretcher to the other side.

‘You-!’ Taeh’yung points over in Camil’s direction, his movements simultaneously too fast and too slow- each swaying motion reveals another form another shape-

Taeh’yung lets out a shriek- high pitched and many layered- several voices screaming. He dashes himself against the wall, as though to set himself right. The wall dents, forming deep craters.

‘Buggy-‘ Hoseok immediately steps forward, arms raised up towards the Zhak’gri but Taeh’yung retches violently, making Hoseok peddle back in alarm.

Taeh’yung coughs, whacking against his chest as he heaves. The shadows pulling around him are shrieking, curling and writhing around him.

‘What-?’ E’nid is breathless, watching with fear.

Taeh’yung hits his head again, the copper lines around his skin flickering in light, neon green flickering around him in a way that made Hoseok’s eyes water.

‘What did you do to me?!’ Taeh’yung roars at an unconscious Camil before retching again.

Footsteps approach from behind them and Hoseok doesn’t want anyone to intrude in on this moment.

‘E’nid- I’ll take care of this- you take Jaen- I’ll calm him down-‘

E’nid is alarmed, torn between needing to stay to keep an eye on things but also take Jaen up to the Medical Bay.

Hoseok barely registers the appearance of the additional GI, only noticing them because of the Being who comes with them.

Namjoon appears, eyes wide as he takes in the sight before him.

‘Namjoon-‘

Everything abruptly stops, and Taeh’yung turns to face the Kutsoglerin, suddenly looking very much like a child.

‘Pa!’ Taeh’yung’s voice is wobbly, his lower lip trembling before his whole face scrunches up and he bawls, flailing a little before barreling into the Kutsoglerin.

Namjoon looks a little overwhelmed before he hugs the Zhak’gri back, a smile on his face.

‘Hey buggy,’ he says gently. ‘You’re not doing so good?’

Taeh’yung groans thickly, a choked sob stuck in his throat as he leans against the Kutsoglerin with his entire weight.

‘E’nid,’ Hoseok calls the Orvan away from the strange reunion, ‘Take Jaen up, the GI will help you.’

E’nid nods hesitantly before standing up on shaky legs, still eyeing Taeh’yung with both fear and confusion. Straightening up himself, Hoseok walks over to the two.

Namjoon adjusts the Zhak’gri, easily picking him up and walking towards Hoseok to meet him halfway. The Kutsoglerin smiles at him.

He looks good- his eye healed, his arm fixed and new. There’s determination and steadiness in his eyes and Hoseok…- well, Hoseok also wants to slump against him in tired relief.

‘Do you need me to carry you?’ Namjoon asks gently as the GI stand in formation around them, one of them approaching Camil’s form to cuff him. ‘We’ll go to the Medical Bay all right? Get you fixed up?’

Taeh’yung ropes his arms around Namjoon’s shoulder, nodding into his neck. Some of the GI take Camil with them and walk off back towards where they had come from.

‘This is almost like how when we first met, right?’ Namjoon grins down at the Zhak’gri.

‘It is,’ Taeh’yung wails in multiple voices.

Namjoon grins at Hoseok.

He can’t help but smile back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

Namjoon deposits Taeh’yung on the Medical Bed, the Zhak’gri’s arms still wound tight around him. Hoseok thinks that if anyone else were to be on the receiving end of this embrace, they would be wincing in pain. But Namjoon is being very gentle and even pats his head a few times.

There are random bursts of weird lights, walls and floors and anything around Taeh’yung erupting into echoing triangles before immediately collapsing into its normal state. Even Namjoon’s arms ripple in specific patterns, but the Kutsoglerin doesn’t notice or mind it much.

There were a lot of confused Beings gathering and waiting for some sort of explanation. E’nid had gathered a majority over to the other side of the massive Lobby, clearly communicating what had happened.

Hoseok nearly throws an instinctual punch when he feels a hand on him.

It was one of the GI, holding up a compressor-shot.

‘Oh I’m not injured,’ Hoseok grimaces, taking a step back but he’s nonetheless administered with it.

‘I think this is illegal,’ Hoseok frowns, wrenching his arm out.

‘You’re tired,’ Namjoon tells him, ‘They’re probably giving you a booster.’

Hoseok rubs at him arm, finding himself on the other side of the Bed where Taeh’yung was throwing some kind of kiddish fit.

‘What’s going on Namjoon?’

Namjoon sighs, ‘I’ll explain on the way to meet Ilya- I should get going.’

He wants to go with Namjoon. He’s not sure if he should though. Because as Hoseok looks down at Taeh’yung who, poor thing, did look very uncomfortable and unwell; he feels a sense of responsibility to watch over the Zhak’gri. They’ve never been in a situation where he’s been remotely unwell.

‘I’m fine!’ he pouts, as though reading Hoseok’s mind, ‘If you want to leave me and I die, it’s okay Hobi.’

Hoseok just barely stops himself from rolling his eyes. Taeh’yung seemed fine.

There’s a quiet cough from behind them and Hoseok turns to find the Medic that had been there when they had brought in Yoongi to the other Medical Bay. She smiles tentatively, looking somewhat disheveled, before saying, ‘Hi, do you require any assistance?’

The doors warp, the opening of the doorway shrinking into a triangular shape before readjusting itself. The Medic jumps back, eyes darting all around.

‘Oh- yeah,’ Hoseok nods, standing aside to gesture to Taeh’yung, ‘We don’t know what happened and uh-‘

She nods, walking in carefully before looking over Taeh’yung critically.

Taeh’yung grimaces comically, coiling inwards and turning away from the Medic. The floor around him ripples like water, making it impossible to step up any closer.

‘Taeh’yung,’ both Hoseok and Namjoon say sternly.

The Zhak’gri groans and straightens up again, the floors levelling. Now the ceiling ripples instead, occasionally sending down a shower of ash at random.

‘Can you tell me how you feel?’ the Medic asks, pulling down the full body scanning apparatus from the domed headboard of the Bed.

‘Like ,’ Taeh’yung sniffs, not looking at the Medic.

‘Tae,’ Hoseok lets out with exasperation.

‘Fine,’ he relents with a mighty frown, ‘I feel like I’m falling apart. My tummy really hurts, my head is all over the place and-‘ he burps mightily, ‘-I don’t like it.’

‘We think he ingested something that’s making him like this,’ Namjoon tells the Medic. She nods in understanding before addressing Taeh’yung.

‘We will probably need to pump your stomach,’ the Medic tells Taeh’yung gently, ‘To make sure we know what it is you ingested. We’ll need to follow up with something to flush your system too.’

‘That’s gross,’ Taeh’yung whines.

The Medic talks to Taeh’yung like he’s a youngling. ‘You’ll get better that way, and you can eat nice tasty food again.’

‘Okay,’ Taeh’yung pouts.

Namjoon is squinting at his readings as the scanner finishes its job.

‘All okay?’ Hoseok asks, reaching over to pat the Zhak’gri’s head.

‘Yeah- I mean I guess,’ Namjoon shrugs, ‘We’ve never had any data to compare with when it came to Zhak’gri’s, so-‘

‘I’m feeling better,’ Taeh’yung declares, in an eruption of triangles that warps his Bed and the Medic into a brief liquid state.

The Medic falters back, hand over her chest, eyes wide and incredibly pale.

‘Sorry,’ Taeh’yung winces.

‘We’ll come see you again okay buggy?’ Hoseok smooth’s out Taeh’yung’s hair, ‘Just concentrate on getting better.’

‘Is everyone else okay?’ Taeh’yung asks, looking up with big eyes.

‘Yeah, they’re okay,’ Namjoon answers, reaching for his own Comm Device and putting it on Taeh’yung’s ear. ‘Everyone is getting fixed up and resting, so you do the same while Hobi and I get us to safety okay?’

Taeh’yung nods before he points at his cheek expectantly.

Namjoon gives him a blank look, clearly confused.

Snorting, Hoseok leans in and presses a kiss on the Zhak’gri’s forehead. Taeh’yung beams, a ripple erupting from him happily. Namjoon just grins before leaning in to kiss his cheek as well.

‘See you later Hobi! Daddy!’

‘Oh for ’s sake,’ Namjoon grumbles as they exit, accepting a Comm Device from a GI who appeared to have been in the Medical Bay with them the whole time.

‘I think that whole situation was set-up for that purpose,’ Hoseok chortles, turning back to wave at Taeh’yung who was still laughing. ‘I need to stop by a Bay for a moment.’

Namjoon nods in understanding.

They walk all around the large Lobby, ignoring the looks thrown their way. Looking inside a few random Bays, Hoseok comes across E’nid and Jaen. The Axudarian was still knocked out, but she seemed to be out of immediate danger judging by the relief in E’nid’s face. She spots him and gives him a small smile.

‘Could I borrow a radio?’ he asks her quietly.

E’nid nods and throws him her own.

‘We’re going to go meet up with Jn’young and Ilya,’ he tells her.

‘When can communications go up again?’

Hoseok turns to Namjoon who says grimly, ‘They used a simple but effective method to shut down the network- it’s just a matter of how quickly you’re able to redistribute new Comm Devices and launch a new channel.’

‘We’ll work on that,’ E’nid promises, rolling her shoulders a little as though readying herself.

They leave and make for the exit-way again. The Beings close to Taeh’yung’s Medical Bay move away as more lights erupt at random, matter and space rippling into triangles and other formations.

‘What do you think they gave Taeh’yung?’

‘I was thinking about that,’ Yoongi chimes in quietly.

‘Yoongi!’ Taeh’yung wails.

‘Hi. Bug.’

Hoseok catches Namjoon’s lips twitching, as though repressing a smile.

‘The GI used to administer bioware, anticore, against some of our missions,’ Yoongi continues to explain, ‘It was a way to either strip them of their species-specific abilities, or in some cases, cause what seemed to be a completely natural systematic breakdown within them, with no trace, no cure.’

‘I heard of that,’ Namjoon frowns as they exit the Lobby, ignoring the stares sent their way again.

‘The Red Evil used a similar method, but-‘

‘­-but it eventually wears off!’ Taeh’yung chimes in with an added groan.

‘The GI headquarters had a lab full of them.’

‘If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be surprising that someone working for Axudar would have access to it,’ Namjoon frowns, ‘But how did this group have it on hand?’

‘Unless they were expecting Taeh’yung?’

‘Unlikely,’ Hoseok shakes his head, ‘I overhead them talking a few times, they were not ready for Taeh’yung- and whatever they used on him wasn’t exactly full-proof.’

‘It’s possible they had some things to use- potentially against Jn’young,’ Namjoon theorizes, ‘He would pose the highest threat in this situation- other Beings aboard the ship too, possibly.’

‘And of course, Axudar would have the anticore for a Khol’isa,’ Hoseok frowns before he asks, ‘Yoongi- how many types of anticore even existed?’

‘Every possible kind.’

Namjoon grimaces at that.

The stop in front of the lift Hoseok and E’nid had come up in.

‘Are we in danger right now,’ Yoongi asks, ‘From Axudar. This was planned with them, so I’m thinking they’re expecting some form of communication with them.’

‘Yeah, that’s why I want to get us out of here as quickly as possible,’ Namjoon explains, ‘I’d rather not be taken to Axudar like this.’

‘What do you mean?’ Hoseok asks but then the lift door opens and a bunch of injured Beings are being escorted out. A few of them look at Namjoon and Hoseok with a hint of fear and confusion, but don’t stop.

They wait until they all exit, before entering the lift themselves. Hoseok counts 4 GI with them. He does a double count just to make sure he’s not overlooking anyone.

‘When I was in Lowet, I met a Being named Prat’tna,’ Namjoon explains, ‘He was like Yoongi- in the sense, he remembered who he was.’

‘Another baby who woke up?’

‘Yeah, and he wasn’t the first of himself, to wake up,’ Namjoon continues, leaning back on the lift walls, ‘Another him woke up before, and before that too.’

‘How many of him were there?’

‘Apparently he’s the last,’ Namjoon frowns, arms crossing over his chest, ‘He was one of the uh, ambassadors, from Bhumi, Megibīya, he was with Jimin when they landed. He was taken by the Red Evil, but left behind and saved by Amme.’

‘So what Amme said was true,’ Hoseok frowns a little, taking the opposite wall and leaning against it, ‘What does this have to do with going to Axudar?’

‘Because according to Prat’tna, you cannot enter Menigišiti- Megibīya yes, but not Menigišiti.’

‘He tried?’

‘Yeah,’ Namjoon nods as the lift stops. They descended much lower down the prison-ship. The hallway looks more like a large maintenance shaft than anything else. ‘He was with other GI, going around the region in hopes of finding an opening for almost a whole sol, when he came across Axudarian ships, and ships whose make came from a planet within Menigišiti.

‘They detected Prat’tna and his team, and chased after them. Prat’tna was able to bring them down into Megibīya, and overtake them there,’ Namjoon continues as they walk down the long shaft. ‘Most of the Beings within the Transporters and ships were Axudarian- but one of them was from Menigišiti.’

‘Were his eyes changed?’

Namjoon gives him a double take before nodding.

‘Prat’tna took the Yisheng ship and entered Axudar with no problem,’ Namjoon continues as they reach the end of the shaft to find a small tram network. They stop by the tracks. ‘The only way to enter Menigišiti would be to take a ship made from there. But it’s not just that too- stealing a ship shouldn’t be too hard and-‘

‘-and we wouldn’t have to even go to Axudar. But you want to.’ Yoongi states.

‘I do- and I think, maybe after I tell Jimin my meeting with Prat’tna, maybe he will also want to go to Axudar.’ Namjoon ruminates.

‘Jn’young gave us a pretty clear and accurate description of what happens in Axudar,’ Hoseok tells Namjoon, ‘We concluded that we wouldn’t go to Axudar. It’s too dangerous for both Yoongi and Jungkook, not to mention Jimin himself.’

Namjoon nods to that, a deep furrow forming between his brows. An open tram appears around the corner, on it a GI was already sitting, steering the tram.

They clamber inside, a slightly tight fit, Hoseok’s knees pushed up against Namjoon’s.

‘But the root problem isn’t necessarily in Menigišiti,’ Namjoon explains, ‘If we are able to take the eggs, the New Borns, whatever you want to call them, and put them in Menigišiti, if Axudar is still able to access the whole System, they’re still in danger.’

Hoseok grimaces at that.

‘You can’t expect us to solve whatever issues are going on within Axudar, or to hope that things will work out enough by somehow bringing Jimin back to them,’ Hoseok argues, ‘They basically revolted against Jimin and his sister, throwing them over to gain control over their fate or something.’

‘There’s nowhere to hide,’ Namjoon states bluntly, ‘I don’t know if you know this but the Omhlophe are in a sense, working for the Court-‘

‘What?!’

‘-and they’re being used to track the eggs, have them destroyed,’ Namjoon scowls, ‘They’re also the ones who put out the arrest warrants for us.’

‘That makes sense,’ Yoongi drawls. ‘We’re technically failing the mission the Special Jury had to beg for- failed already, I’m guessing, though it could be said that there was no hope for success to start off with.’

Namjoon’s scowl grows heavier as he says, ‘But we can do this.’

‘How?’ Hoseok demands, ‘We obliterate all of Axudar? Because that seems to be the only singular way of doing so-‘

‘No,’ Namjoon says firmly, ‘Prat’tna said that the heart of the issue was in the depths of a Yisheng ship buried in the core of Kaitūtei. He said that a mimicry of the Great Council that once served Jimin and his sister, and others like them in the past, is controlling and pushing Ndica’s work.’ Namjoon pauses, ‘His sister is there.’

‘We know,’ Hoseok sighs out, leaning back a little as the tram picks up speed, going up an incline.

‘And what does Jimin say about that?’

‘Well, we didn’t know about the whole not being able to go inside Menigišiti part of this Axudarian narrative,’ Hoseok scowls, ‘But Jimin felt that the threat posed over both Yoongi and Jungkook would be too high- also, it’s highly likely that Jimin would not be welcome at all.’

Namjoon nods to that.

‘We will need to discuss this as a team.’ Yoongi says quietly, ‘With Jimin. With Sk’jin, Jungkook.’

‘And me!’ is a warbled addition. ‘I’ll be better soon.’

‘Of course buggy.’

The tram stops at a landing, a door partially open at the end.

The doorway opens into a short tunnel before turning and opening up into a massive and extended hangar. This was not a landing hangar, but rather a storage one, with massive stacks of cargo freights lining up high and long. There’s a lot of commotion, some sort of construction going on. The moment they clear out of the cargo stacks, Hoseok finds a wide and open view of Cuab-Ds.

Cuab-D2 was massive. The connecting bridge that held the prison-ship to Cuab was shattered- most of the debris from this massive construct was what littered this overall region. There are a few bright emergency Atmoshield bubbles extending over certain sections, with repair-bots and maintenance-bots crawling all over the area. A few Beings were running about, operating machinery as they hurried to secure the area as best they could. Hoseok concentrates and spots the GI here and there.

They don’t stop until they make it about halfway, a makeshift sort of resting spot/medical center set up inside an empty cargo freight. The GI stood there as well, a few moving along quietly and administering medical aid.

Towards the edge of this makeshift encampment, Hoseok finds the Beings they were looking for.

Jn’young, the Khol’isa has his arm covered in tissue-plast, the side of his face shiny with serum. He looks tired as well, his knuckles bruised, the cut on his lip semi-healed. He mainly looks angry that he was in that state- something that Sk’jin would definitely display. He’s eyeing the GI warily, but he doesn’t comment.

Hoseok nudges Namjoon and nods subtly towards the Khol’isa. Namjoon gives him a small nod in return. Hoseok doesn’t see Ilya anywhere just yet.

Jn’young catches sight of them almost immediately. He stands carefully, studying them openly.

‘Jn’young,’ Hoseok greets the Khol’isa. ‘This is-‘

‘We spoke,’ he announces without preamble, eyes narrowing a little as he studies Namjoon, ‘Namjoon?’

Namjoon stops to a stand before the Khol’isa, ‘We did.’

‘You rescued us,’ Jn’young says bluntly. ‘Potentially as a side-effect of rescuing your team. We are grateful.’

Namjoon only hesitates for a moment before he replies, ‘I am sorry we did not get here sooner.’

Jn’young just shakes his head a little in response.

‘Where’s Ilya?’ Hoseok inquires.

‘Not too far,’ Jn’young looks around, jumping a little as the GI move in unison through the crowd to find the Ožkan. ‘You said there were things that needed to be discussed?’

‘Yes.’ Namjoon nods, ‘We need to leave as soon as possible.’

Jn’young frowns at that.

‘What is your reasoning?’

‘The group of Beings who have infiltrated and attempted to overthrow your network work for Axudar.’

Jn’young’s expression is stone-cold.

‘What is your evidence?’ he asks evenly.

‘Camil attempted to kill both Jaen and E’nid,’ Hoseok tells him at once, ‘Jaen was shot, she’s being taken care of right now. E’nid is with her. You can communicate with her if you wish.’

He hands Jn’young the short-radio device.

The Khol’isa snaps it up at once before walking away, speaking into the device in a low voice.

Hoseok finds an overturned OrTank and sits on it.

‘Sk’jin just woke up,’ Yoongi says quietly. ‘But he’s gone back to sleep again- or at least, uh, knocked out.’

‘Jimin?’

‘Still asleep.’

‘Jungkook?’

‘Asleep.’

‘Yoongi you should rest. Please get some sleep- we’ll figure things out,’ Namjoon tells him.

‘Okay.’

Hoseok rolls his eyes and Namjoon grins.

Hoseok spies Jn’young approaching them, Ilya limping next to him. The Khol’isa is still saying something, Ilya nodding as he listens, a stony frown on his face.

‘They’re here.’

‘How is he almost like Sk’jin’s son?’ Namjoon asks, watching the two approach them before standing up properly.

‘He was a child before Sk’jin was trapped in that planet,’ Hoseok explains, ‘He was continued to be raised in Sk’jin’s network even after a majority of them- he later took over, after Sk’jin’s…successor? Died.’

Namjoon nods thoughtfully to that. ‘How was Sk’jin’s reaction?’

Hoseok sighs out, ‘What do you think?’ 

Jn’young and Ilya approach them close enough for them to stop talking. Hoseok gives them both a short smile while Namjoon turns to face them. Ilya looks at him with wide eyes- a spark of recognition, of confusion in his gaze.

‘I’m Namjoon,’ he introduces himself, ‘We spoke, albeit briefly.’

Ilya nods to that, ‘You said there was something important that needed discussing.’

‘There are several matters at hand that do need to be discussed and looked into thoroughly,’ Namjoon explains, ‘But first and foremost, we need to leave this region as quickly as possible.’

‘What are your reasons?’

‘The perpetrators of this mess are involved with Axudar, with what they call the Great Council in Kaitūtei- whatever they were attempting to do, it was done in collaboration with Axudar,’ Namjoon explains. ‘I don’t know if, or when, Axudar would be coming here, if at all, but it is very likely that they would have reported Jimin’s presence here.’

‘I overhead them speaking,’ Hoseok adds, ‘While I was with Jaen and E’nid, and we uncovered Camil’s involvement, I was able to use his Comm Device to listen in on their conversations. Apparently they had heard nothing from Axudar since the last time they communicated, but only said that they would definitely be arriving here.’

‘If you want to secure your network, your crew, we need to leave now,’ Namjoon urges, ‘I do not know what forces they would bring- what they might try to do, but we need to leave this region.’

‘Where do we go from here then?’ Ilya inquires, still making no move or suggestion that indicated he would be taking Namjoon’s advise.

‘Back to Māho-5 for now,’ Namjoon explains, ‘While there are other perpetrators there, the one you call Evdos, and the Deputy Fanger- I had some of the GI sent out to take care of them,’ Namjoon informs them.

There’s a twitch in Jn’young’s brow.

‘Maho-5 should at least provide us with some temporary safety, and time to repair, plan further ahead,’ Namjoon explains quickly, ‘But for now, I need you to send out the orders to clear up the debris outside, enough for us to warp safely- your people are already setting up a way to install a new communications network and distribute new Comm Devices.’

Ilya doesn’t say anything, clearly thinking through what Namjoon has said. Then he gives a short nod before turning to Jn’young.

‘The ship is armed with short-range canon, lets clear up the area to leave.’

‘It would take about an hour,’ Jn’young says more to Namjoon than Ilya.

‘The GI will help- please give them the coordinates and passcodes to access the weaponry aboard this ship,’ Namjoon indicates to one of the GI who was standing not too far from Ilya.

Both of them jump a little, not having seen the GI there.

‘We will get ready to leave in an hour,’ Ilya declares as he holds up the short-radio, ‘All crew members who are capable report back to your Bridges, everyone else make sure we are secured. Shut down areas that are unstable and or not ready for warp- all injured report to E’nid.’

The crew is effective. They move immediately, taking action as the more capable ones help the more injured ones. The most capable ones remain to seal entryways and secure the compromised storage hangar.

‘What about Cuab?’ Hoseok nods towards the massive prison.

‘There’s nothing we can do for now,’ Jn’young says in a neutral tone. ‘They were already in league with Axudar. I saw to it that they would not speak again.’

The gleaming red hue of his eyes are icy and cold, a dismissive attitude that would make most shiver.

‘I also think you will like to know that among others, Camil has been restrained and contained,’ Hoseok tells them, ‘We will need to interrogate him.’

A sour look overtakes Ilya’s features briefly before he nods.

‘Once we are settled and ready to leave,’ he states.

Namjoon nods before adding, ‘To get the truth from him, I would like to suggest we ask Jimin to interrogate him.’

Hoseok eyes Namjoon carefully.

‘That sounds like a good idea,’ Jn’young says in agreement. ‘Where is he?’

‘He was in the Transporter Hangars when the Atmoshields were deactivated,’ Namjoon says before adding, ‘As well as Sk’jin.’

Ilya’s expression falters, eyes wide and pupils shaking, ‘Is-‘

‘He’s all right,’ Hoseok quickly explains. ‘He was found in time- he’s resting.’

Ilya breathes in, closing his eyes briefly before nodding in thanks.

‘E’nid tells me that she’s going to be able to set up a new network within the hour before we take off,’ Jn’young adds.

‘How are they all here?’ Ilya asks, nodding at the GI.

Oh right, Hoseok has temporarily forgotten that Ilya had nearly been assassinated by one of the GI.

‘They were looking for Jimin,’ Namjoon explains, ‘They want to go back home.’

Ilya looks puzzled at this, as does Jn’young.

‘Don’t the GI live, or well, report back to Šerdesas?’ Jn’young asks hesitantly.

‘The GLA Court wants to have them, and every other egg, New Born, whatever you want to call them, destroyed,’ Namjoon states bluntly, ‘Taking them into Menigišiti and protecting them there, away from the GLA, is our plan.’

Ilya and Jn’young glance at each other briefly before Ilya says, ‘We will first begin the process to leave, and then, when Jimin has regained consciousness and his strength, we shall carry out interrogation. And I believe it would be prudent, to then come up with a plan to help the GI, as well as the New Borns.’

Namjoon pauses a moment before he nods.

Ilya and Jn’young walk away, and Namjoon turns to face Hoseok.

‘That went smoother than I anticipated,’ Namjoon breathes out slowly.

‘I believe Ilya is just trying his best to do what he thinks is right.’

‘Doing what he thinks is right, versus what is right, and whether anything is right are completely different things,’ Namjoon rubs at his neck as though massaging out some ache though Hoseok knows it’s a practiced moved carried out by most Kutsoglerin to integrate themselves into most society and not be mistaken for Androids or cyborgs.

‘What do we do now?’ Hoseok asks.

‘We help out.’ Namjoon explains. ‘We need to get out of here as quickly as we can.’

They don’t take an hour- in fact everything is cleared up and set-up by 30 minutes. E’nid had set up a new network, and was halfway through distributing new Comm Devices for everyone. A majority of the debris was cleared just enough for them to pass through. The Atmoshield around the prison-ship is brought back and reinforced by Namjoon, Jn’young, and a few others in the Second Bridge.

Hoseok, Ilya, the GI in Māho, and Yoongi manage to create and pass a whole new GLA approved trajectory for the prison-ship, so that their return would not be questioned or raise flags. The GI also report back to Namjoon that after following the network Camil had used to communicate with Evdos, they were able to track all of his crones in Māho and rounded them up, including Deputy Fanger.

Hoseok and Namjoon make their way downwards back to the Transporter Hangars after they hit warp.

‘I won’t feel safe unless we’re somehow on the move,’ Hoseok confesses to Namjoon. The Kutsoglerin nods in agreement.

They also left so that Ilya could address his network. There was a lot to be discussed, a lot to explain; and Namjoon and Hoseok had excused themselves mostly out of respect, but also because they didn’t exactly have all the time in the Universe either. It would take 3 hours to get back to Māho, and they would need to reform a lot of their ideas, plans, and ultimately, establish their main objective for this mission. Ilya asks them to tell him when Sk’jin wakes up.  

Apparently Taeh’yung had somehow, in a weird woozy drugged state, had managed to make his way down to the Hangars.

Hoseok had thought about taking down the others food, but Namjoon had said it wouldn’t be necessary, as they had food in stock aboard the GI ship.

It’s an absolutely stunning ship- sleek and chrome, but with a minimal understated design. The Laikin is in a sorry state next to it, its hangar gates gaping wide and covered in black marks indicating something had ignited and exploded there.

Hoseok doesn’t see the GI in here. Either they were all about the prison-ship, helping where they were designated, or hidden somewhere Hoseok can’t see. Namjoon leads them inwards, and Hoseok spies a gently lit Medical Bay towards the side of the living lounge area.

‘Do you plan on using this ship from now on?’ Hoseok asks, studying the place.

This was much much larger than the Laikin, and probably twice as large as the Užkulisai as well.

‘Yeah,’ Namjoon nods, ‘It’s able to enter Axudar without detection, and-‘ Namjoon stops, looking around with an irritated scowl, ‘Did you know that Yisheng ships have a faster warp core?’

‘Oh- oh?’ Hoseok does a double take at the Kutsoglerin. ‘But-‘

‘Yeah! It’s approximately 30% faster than the Standard,’ Namjoon continues walking ahead, ‘It’s how the GI move around so quickly.’

‘Does Yoongi know?’

‘Maybe,’ Namjoon says darkly, ‘Or maybe it just slipped his mind.’

Hoseok snorts at that. That sounded plausible.

They quietly approach the Medical Bay, looking inside to find an amusing but heartwarming scene.

Jungkook is curled up near Sk’jin’s feet, a small pipe still stuck into the crook of his elbow connecting to a clear compressor still halfway filled over his head. He’s resting his head on Sk’jin’s thighs, who was completely knocked out. The bruises on his skin are painful to look at.

Taeh’yung is stretched out over both Medical Beds, his feet propped up near Jimin’s torso, his upper body resting at what could only be an awkward angle on Sk’jin’s Bed, one hand resting on Jungkook’s hair.

Yoongi is there too, sitting on a low comfortable looking chair by Jimin’s Bed. It looks like he pulled it out from the lounge area. There’s also the remains of a meal next to him.

To Hoseok’s surprise, Yoongi seemed to have actually taken their word and taken care of himself. He also appeared showered and washed, wearing clothes Hoseok has never seen before, in purplish hues.

‘The moment he woke up, he just stumbled there,’ Yoongi tells them without preamble, pointing at Jungkook. ‘He’s all right, he’s on a very high dosage of medication- just sleeping it off I guess.’

‘And buggy?’ Hoseok walks over to adjust the lanky Zhak’gri. This angle was surely terrible for his back. Or maybe he was actually comfortable?

Yoongi actually snorts.

‘He stormed in- all flashing lights and ,’ Yoongi sighs as he points at the ceiling above them where the metal has rippled in triangular patterns, ‘I thought he would break me in half.’

Hoseok laughs at that.

‘What about you?’

Yoongi just shrugs in response before turning to address Namjoon.

‘So- wanna start with what happened when you got kidnapped?’

Namjoon snorts, walking over to the wall and pulling down a bench. Hoseok walks over to Yoongi and sits on the floor next to him, leaning back on his chair. He’s surprised when Yoongi squeezes his shoulders, albeit briefly.

Taeh’yung lets out a funny snoring snort, making them all pause, glancing over at the Kutsoglerin. Taeh’yung sits up at an odd angle, his eyes still hazy but he was no longer acting out aggressively. Instead he smacks his lips a few times, before turning over and snuggling into Jimin’s Bed, sandwiching himself into the space there.

Namjoon just grins, sitting back and says, ‘You guys go first and tell me what happened in Amme’s ship.’

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

When Jimin wakes up, he’s in a world of muted pain.

What he remembers most keenly is the cold, the overwhelming crushing force pushing through him, the glare of the orange Atmoshield, and Yoongi’s smile.

His throat feels incredibly dry and scratched.

He tries to speak, to alert someone that he’s awake.

Someone appears before him- he’s not sure who it is, but he can’t tell who it is.

Something is pressed against his lips and Jimin realizes a little late that he’s being given water. In his eagerness to drink, he coughs and splutters, his body lurching forward in a whirlwind of dizziness and pain. His throat feels better, but the pain has settled into his lungs now.

Feeling like he couldn’t quite breathe in enough air, Jimin heaves.

He can’t see- everything glares at him with too much brightness. His vision jumps in sharp glaring colours.

Then everything goes black again, just the faint electric hum of the lamp next to the bed. The room is hazy, but he can tell that it’s still dark out; it wasn’t raining anymore though. The lights of the room are enough to illuminate the familiar shapes. Exhaling, Jimin turns on the bed, reaching out to the space next to him, his hand finding-

Jimin opens his eyes to find Sk’jin watching him from his own Bed.

Sk’jin looks battered, but he seemed awake. At least much more than Jimin himself.

‘Wh-what-‘

‘What happened?’ Sk’jin completes his question, voice barely audible, ‘A load.’

Blinking hard, Jimin breathes in and out in a deliberate manner. The ringing in his ears that he hadn’t noticed before was quieting slowly. He opens his eyes once they’re faded away. The lights are incredibly soft, the opening past the doorway nearly entirely dim, but Jimin can just about point out floor lights.

He doesn’t hear anything- just a familiar hum of being inside a ship. The Medical Bay did not look familiar- neither like the one in the Laikin, or the Užkulisai, or the prison-ship.

‘Where are we?’ Jimin sounds weak even to himself. What had happened to him? This was such a strange feeling.

‘We’re back in Māho,’ Sk’jin tells him in a strained coarse voice, ‘Finally getting that ing UV bed, can you believe it?’

‘What happened-‘

But a shudder of pain overtakes Jimin- it’s a combination of strange cramps, hunger, and nausea.

‘Oh Spaces, is that what I sounded like?’ Sk’jin is saying.

Jimin grips at the sheets around him, exhaling noisily.

‘Hey, at least try to sound a bit y-‘

Jimin can’t help but laugh.

Jimin gingerly rolls his shoulders, finding that his pain was ebbing away the more he gained clarity.

‘We also have a new ship,’ Sk’jin continues, as though Jimin was not in the midst of pain, ‘The GI ship- or a Yisheng ship, one of them.’

‘What-‘ Jimin turns his head over to look at the Khol’isa.

‘It’s best to just let Namjoon explain it I guess,’ Sk’jin sighs before he sits up carefully. ‘We have ty luck.’

Jimin laughs- more like wheezes.

‘No I mean it- especially the two of us- , I don’t think anyone else has been flung out into space like this.’

‘That’s what happened?’ Jimin asks breathlessly.

‘Yeah- the GI saved our asses,’ Sk’jin turns a little on the Bed, facing Jimin now.

Jimin makes to sit up but he can’t, his mind is all over the place- did Sk’jin just mention the GI?

‘Oh don’t be so dramatic,’ Sk’jin croaks, ‘The more you move, the better you’ll feel.’

Jimin can’t help but laugh again. Sk’jin is posing on the bed with the attitude of the healthiest Being in the Universe.

‘You look like !’

‘Excuse you!’ Sk’jin gasps out, ‘Is that how a prince behaves?’

Jimin laughs even more, his body shaking at Sk’jin’s indignation. But it does work, moving does make him feel better. After a few long pain riddled minutes, Jimin manages to sit up.

‘I feel sticky,’ he declares with a croak. His hands feel weirdly numb and thick.

Sk’jin laughs, ‘Yeah I do too. I tried to get up to wash up at least, nearly collapsed. Kookie nearly cried.’

‘He’s okay?’ Jimin asks at once.

‘They’re all okay,’ Sk’jin tells him soothingly. ‘Taeh’yung and Jungkook went to wash up I think- can’t say if it’s separately or together.’

‘What about Yoongi?’

‘Who do you think gave you your new pair of lungs!’

Jimin doesn’t know what to think of what Sk’jin’s just said, but his expression must have been enough because Sk’jin hastily says, ‘, he’s fine, that idiot of a Human is fine. He only recently left the Bay like 30 minutes ago with Hoseok- something about a new model of blasters and weight issues.’

‘Why wouldn’t you say that?’ Jimin asks weakly.

‘Comedy,’ Sk’jin says darkly.

‘When- when did you wake up?’ Jimin hopes he’ll get a straightforward reply.

‘About 2 hours ago?’ Sk’jin shrugs, ‘Threw up for like, 15 minutes.’

Jimin wheezes, pain shooting down his body and ebbing away as quickly as it came. Something finally registers in his mind.

‘Namjoon?’

‘Yeah, in all his metal glory,’ Sk’jin rolls his eyes, ‘God, what a tale- I’ll leave that for him to narrate.’

There’s a sad expression in Sk’jin’s eyes as he says so, not quite looking him in the eye.

He’s finally able to sit up, goaded? Encouraged? By Sk’jin from his own Bed.

Clearing his throat, Jimin asks: ‘So. What- what’s next?’

‘We’ll be leaving soon, according to what Hoseok said.’ Sk’jin replies, watching Jimin struggle with amusement.

‘With Ilya?’ Jimin tries to straw together everything.

‘I don’t know what they’re planning,’ Sk’jin tells him honestly. ‘Ilya is…he’s facing something everyone in a pirating network fears the most. It’s something I’ve never experienced. So I…I don’t know.’

‘What happened?’

‘Camil, our excellent green haired companion, turns out is a low-life scum who works for Axudar,’ Sk’jin scowls, ‘He was betraying Ilya for sols it would seem, by how thorough he had managed to turn over the network- Camil, our friends Evdos and Fanger too by the way- not to mention around a thousand other crew? I don’t even know how many outside the ship’s current population are sided with Camil.’

Jimin’s mind is spinning.

‘With Axudar?’

Sk’jin nods, ‘They’re contained for interrogation right now.’ He hesitates for a moment, ‘They want you to talk to them, get answers.’

Jimin blinks a few times, hands gripping into careful fists as he flexes his digits.

‘How many would they like me to interrogate?’

‘You’re not surprised?’

‘No,’ Jimin replies honestly, ‘I would like to interrogate them.’

‘Namjoon says it’s very likely that Axudar has been notified about us- about you,’ Sk’jin continues, ‘It’s why we left Cuab so quickly.’

Jimin nods to that in understanding.

But I know that Namjoon has a lot to say to you…’ he trails off for a moment, ‘I would summarize for you. Save you Namjoon’s flare for dramatic narratives.’

Jimin would roll his eyes if he could.

‘But…’

‘But what?’

Sk’jin looks up and lets out a small shriek.

Yoongi was at the doorway, his hair a little awry as though he had run here. They hadn’t heard him approach.

‘You ty Human-‘ Sk’jin curses.

Yoongi just quirks an eyebrow at Sk’jin before making his way to Jimin, an expression of pure relief on his face.

‘Ugh, my eyes.’ Sk’jin mumbles.

Jimin wants to hold his arms up, welcome Yoongi to him and hold him close. But his arms fail him, only his body lurching forward awkwardly. But it’s all right, because Yoongi’s arms are around him in an instance.

But Jimin is only momentarily relieved before pain shoots across his body.

Yoongi is apologizing as Jimin lets out a strangled gasp of pain, stammering words as Jimin tries to shake it off, teeth gritting down hard at the way his skin felt electric. Yoongi’s touch was always electric- but in a good way; this time it felt painful and uncomfortable.

‘, forgot to tell you that any added contact tends to feel like ,’ Sk’jin remarks. ‘Nearly punched Taeh’yung when he hugged me too.’

Jimin hates it, hates the way Yoongi’s hands are hovering- he just wanted to hold him properly. But now a whole series of pain hits him, new senses overwhelming his body.

‘Sunshine I’m so sorry-‘ Yoongi probably hasn’t even heard Sk’jin, crouched over in a weird angle over Jimin. It’s a combination of pain, laughter, and joy that makes Jimin reach out for the Human.

He almost jerks away, afraid of causing Jimin pain.

‘You don’t hurt me,’ Jimin whispers to him. With some difficulty, he’s able to tug Yoongi closer just a little.

Taking the hint, Yoongi carefully climbs onto the side of the bed, allowing Jimin to lean on him, twitching with the way his body responded in spasms of pain. Yoongi stays still as Jimin adjusts himself against the Human, not daring to move an inch himself in fear of hurting Jimin.

‘Disgusting,’ is Sk’jin’s comment.

Jimin laughs, leaning back against Yoongi who carefully wraps his arm around Jimin’s back to support him up against his chest. From this angle, Jimin is able to study the soft but coarse fibered fabric of whatever it was that Yoongi was wearing. It felt soothing- the colour was wonderfully soothing.

‘This is a nice colour on you,’ Jimin tells Yoongi, exhaling and willing himself to let the pain just ebb away.

‘You didn’t even get a chance to look at me,’ Yoongi laughs.

‘I saw enough,’ Jimin lifts his head just a little to look around at Yoongi.

He looks exhausted; sallow. But there’s definitely a bit more energy to him, the hollow of his cheeks not too pronounced. And the look in his eyes still the same.

‘Spaces, please no making out,’ Sk’jin pleads.

Yoongi kisses his forehead above his eyebrow loudly. Sk’jin makes retching sounds while Jimin laughs, wincing a little at the pain from the contact. Yoongi’s arms fully wrap around him and relief blossoms through him.  

‘You’ll be in pain for a while,’ Yoongi says almost apologetically, ‘Sensory overload- especially with things like touch- light too.’

‘Okay,’ Jimin feels better as his body adjusts to the new sensations outside of his clothes on his skin, and the Bed under him. He flexes his toes, pulling up his legs a little bit more before lowering them again.

‘So,’ Sk’jin says loudly. ‘What news from beyond the scene?’

Yoongi chuckles quietly, the sound soothing.

‘The prison-ship will require some intense repairs,’ Yoongi tells them, ‘Not just external damage- but in order to track and locate whatever Camil and the others have been incorporating into Ilya’s network to benefit Axudar.’

‘Is it bad,’ Sk’jin asks quietly.

‘It’s…we still don’t know what sort of damage he’s caused,’ Yoongi says hesitantly before continuing with some frustration, ‘Obviously time is of the essence here and-‘

There’s hurried steps, the space outside lighting up a bit more and two figures approach them, coming into focus as Jimin blinks hard a few times.

‘Jimin!’ Namjoon and Hoseok are rushing towards them.

Yoongi scowls, grip around Jimin tightening just a little bit more.

‘Oh it’s like that,’ Sk’jin makes an amused face.

But before Namjoon or Hoseok can say anything, and before Yoongi tries to intervene, Jimin begins.

‘I’ll go in and interrogate the prisoners,’ Jimin states clearly, ‘Have they been approached before this?’

Yoongi exhales with annoyance.

‘No one has gone in to talk to them,’ Hoseok tells him. ‘Also I think it’s so that they don’t accidentally murder them.’

‘Accidentally,’ Sk’jin parrots with a snort.

‘He just woke up after being flung out into space,’ Yoongi says evenly, ‘At the very least-‘

‘No I can do this,’ Jimin squeezes Yoongi’s arm, ‘I promise you- if I couldn’t do it, I would say so.’

Yoongi nods, looking down at Jimin’s hand.

‘Well, that was faster than I expected,’ Sk’jin groans, moving to dangle his legs over the Bed. Hoseok is quick to assist him.

‘Let me grab you both strollers,’ Namjoon quickly makes his way to the side of the Bay.

‘Are you sure?’ Yoongi asks quietly.

‘I am,’ Jimin squeezes his hand again, ‘I need to know and- and I think it is best, that we leave as quickly as we can.’

If Axudar knew that Jimin was with Ilya, it was without a doubt, that they would definitely try to come after him- or at the very least, try and harm him and the others around him. Jimin cannot risk that from happening. But he also needs to know more.

Sk’jin groans as he sits on the stroller, face pale with the effort.

Yoongi half carries Jimin to his stroller, uselessly piling on the folded blanket over his legs as Jimin takes a moment (alongside Sk’jin) to get used to his body moving.

‘Wish I had someone that carried me like that too,’ Sk’jin mumbles while Hoseok laughs and says, ‘You literally told me you didn’t want my help!’

Sk’jin chooses to ignore that and with a tap on the arm-rest of the stroller, floats away towards the doorway. Obviously Sk’jin had a bit more time to recover.

Jimin looks down at his arm-rest as well, trying to figure out the controls.

‘Where are Taeh’yung and Kookie?’ Namjoon asks.

‘Shower I think- and maybe they fell asleep again?’ Sk’jin muses, looking around outside with interest, ‘This is a pretty fancy set-up, those Yishengs, I swear.’

‘I got you,’ Yoongi says quietly behind him, his stroller moving forward gently.

Jimin leans back, body coiling in momentary discomfort and a displaced heaviness settling over him.

It takes almost 15 minutes just to get to where Camil and the almost thousand others were being kept. It was quite convenient that they had prison cells to start off with.

This block of the cells which previously housed actual inmates, as well as the fake inmates that had welcomed Ilya’s returning crew from Māho’s containment facilities was emptied out and filled with a new sort of prisoner. The GI are here too, standing guard over the massive space. The ever changing surveillance feed shows the new inmates in varying degrees of fear, frustration, resignation, guilty pleas, and injury. A few were still in Beds, while some were nursing minor injuries. Namjoon and Hoseok tell him all of this as they further descend and Jimin is pushed out into a watch-tower first. The cyborgs that are stationed here have been decommissioned, seeing as their main function had been corrupted, allowing Camil to use them as he chose. Their seats are vacated, and instead Ilya and Jn’young are there, clearly waiting for them.

‘It’s good to see you awake,’ Ilya greets him when he’s pushed in, ‘I’m sorry to ask this of you so soon.’

‘I understand,’ Jimin replies at once, ‘I don’t want to waste time, and I want the answers myself. There is always time to rest later.’ 

Ilya just sighs out, nodding slowly. He smiles at Sk’jin when he’s pushed in as well.

‘Feeling better?’

‘Oh please, I used to do space-walks for fun before,’ Sk’jin replies blithely before addressing Jn’young, ‘Hey pupa, feeling better?’

Jn’young gives Sk’jin a flat look before turning in his seat to look back at the surveillance feed.

‘Camil is at cell 177-B,’ Ilya tells him.

‘Is there any question you want me to ask him directly?’ Jimin rolls his shoulders a little, sitting up straight and slightly stretching his back. His pain is minimal, and Jimin takes it as a good sign.

Ilya hands him a Comm Device in reply. Jimin takes it and attaches it to his ear.

‘I’ll go with you,’ Yoongi says it more like a question.

Jimin shakes his head, ‘It’ll be better if I speak to him alone.’

Namjoon nods in agreement to this while Jn’young also gives his approval before adding, ‘Besides, Camil’s all tied up.’

Yoongi still goes with him all the way down the remaining tower, but he remains inside the lift. He presses a soft kiss on the top of his head, before tilting him back and kissing his forehead.

Warmth spreads throughout his body from the spot.

‘I’ll be out here if you need me.’

Jimin floats ahead on the stroller. He doesn’t see any of the GI himself, but he’s sure that they’re there. He wants the full account of what happened, but he’s sure he’ll get that later. Sk’jin did say that there were things Namjoon wanted to tell him specifically and he can guess what it could potentially be.

The cells are entirely open to one side, showing the new prisoners inside but shielded by a powerful barrier. They all gawk at him, and Jimin senses fear, hostility, and paranoia radiating off of them. But none of them say a word. How they were able to hide their true intentions aboard such a highly secure and regulated network, with Beings who were constantly in the look out was a formidable and worrisome notion.  

He stops at the cell numbered at 177-B. the protective barrier has been lifted already, so Jimin easily glides in. At the very center of the very square space, Camil is tied up on his Medical Bed. He’s still in the process of recovery. The Medical Bed lowers, and Camil stirs, eyes opening in woozy confusion. He spots Jimin a few seconds later just as Jimin parks himself at the side of the bed, meeting him at an eye level. Camil flinches when he recognizes him.

‘I have no excuse,’ Camil says at once before he can get a word in himself, ‘I had no choice.’

Jimin sits up a little straighter, adjusting the blanket Yoongi had put around his legs. He exhales slowly, the command of truth ready to be bestowed on the tip of his tongue.

‘You most certainly don’t.’

 

 

*

 

 

There’s nothing that distinguishes when Jimin uses his, frankly, strange abilities.

Taeh’yung exuded physical power; power that distorted mass and space and possibly even time. It was visible, it could be felt, and there was a real wildness to it that immediately struck fear into anyone who saw it.

Sk’jin’s eyes flared red- the air turns hazy, and you’re impossibly relaxed. Or you’re constricted, unable to look away as everything pulsed red around you.

Hoseok was probably the most physically apparent, considering he changed every physical aspect of himself, sometimes no longer distinguishable from the Being he had shifted into.

But with Jimin there’s nothing to be seen.

The only reaction came from the Being he was addressing.  

Camil relaxes instantly. His somewhat frantic gaze, his pulse, his breathing; they all even out. According to the statistics from the Bed running continuous readings on him, it was almost as though he was asleep.

‘That’s it?’ Jn’young asks, looking somewhat put-off.

Both Namjoon and Sk’jin snort.

‘Explain your connection to Axudar, and what you do on their behalf.’

Jn’young looks very unimpressed, giving them all a look as though asking again ‘is that it?’.

Hoseok leans in a little more, listening intently.

‘I was first approached 28 sols ago,’ Camil replies, eyes half closed, his words coming out just a little bit slurred but still understandable, ‘I was attending a deal on Ilya’s behalf in Šerdesas when I was arrested. I assumed it was because of my fake identity of a low-level pirate, and that I had caught some bad-luck as a random patrol had taken me. However, I was taken up to the Yisheng Headquarters instead, and I was in a meeting with Yisheng Ndica, and Yisheng Tlun’hla.’

’28 sols,’ Ilya says quietly.

Sk’jin quietly reaches over, placing his hand over Ilya’s.

‘Camil had been arrested briefly- but we were able to bail him out of prison within a few weeks.’ He adds.

‘They told me that I was chosen to participate and help the Yishengs in their quest to finally make peace across the whole Known Universe. That Ilya’s network would be an important key, a channel, through which they would be able to facilitate this change. I told them I did not care for their actions. That if this were indeed something that could change the Universe for the better, why would they not implement it with the GLA or even the GIU.’

‘He’s smart,’ Hoseok sighs out, looking fatigued and sad. ‘Most pirates feel no obligation or debt towards Yishengs, they address and look at Yisheng with suspicion, unlike most other Beings.

‘What do you mean?’ Jn’young asks.

‘This is what brought down the Venture Unit,’ Hoseok says evenly, his hands forming tight angry fists though his expression is anything but. ‘The Yishengs had a whole system working for them, of non-Yishengs, of Beings from all over the Known Universe who were in positions of power, authority, or influence.’

‘Like agents, officers, Directors, Chiefs-‘ Namjoon lists off, glancing over at Hoseok, ‘The Yishengs amassed and took advantage of the positively cultish-obsession and reverence most of the Known Universe had towards them and used that as a way to further their plans. Clearly, the Yishengs discovered your network, and believed that Camil would have been the best to approach.’

‘They simply wanted our help.’ Camil explains, ‘They could not enter or save Axudar they said, and wished for me to investigate on their behalf. I told them they had to make better lies, because the Yishengs are allowed anywhere, anytime; even non-GLA federations welcome them. And Axudar was the home System for Ndica. They dropped the act. Then they told me if I refused to do as they said, they would expose the network, expose my family, and have them all arrested by the Venture Unit.’

Ilya sags.

‘They said I would only need to run them a small errand. And after I was done, I would be freed. I did not trust their words- I would not. But I had no choice- I could not refuse.’

Namjoon recognizes this because Hoseok had lived through refusing this very choice given to him.

Hoseok did what Camil could not.

‘I was warped and sent to Axudar. Ndica went with me, took me to Kaitūtei and we were greeted and welcomed with so much splendor and joy. I could see all living Beings, alive and well, of all ages – living happily in a unified system within this new world! Ndica had opened my eyes to a new possibility of living! To a new hopeful way all of life could coexist, with no anger, no pain, no fighting, no more hiding! But Ndica took me away, told me I refused this life, therefore I had no claim to witness it. Instead he took me down. Away from the joy and unity. And I stood before the Great Council.’

Namjoon stands up straighter, frowning deeply. He notices how Jimin’s expression changes but he schools it quickly.

‘What did the Great Council say to you?’

‘They welcomed me, and asked me if would I complete my errand. I asked them what my errand was. I didn’t know of any errands. Ndica did not tell me. They told me that my errand would be to break the fates of the bound, the fates of those born in a ruthless cycle, misguided and lost, to bring back the lost children, back under one heart. I said I didn’t-…I didn’t know?’

Camil sounds confused, his voice regaining some clarity. But Jimin sits up straighter, no other action from him, and Camil slumps back.

‘What happened after that?’

‘They said that Ilya’s network would be able to bring to them all of these lost children. That they would  be able to set them free from their fates.’

‘Who were the Beings you spoke to?’

‘The Great Council.’

‘How many were there?’

‘I…it was bright. I could not see. But only 4 voices spoke to me- I felt that there were more.’

‘Will you show me?’

‘I don’t…’ Camil sounds confused but Jimin is already standing.

‘Jimin, I don’t think you should do this.’ Yoongi says immediately.

Namjoon catches sight of Yoongi hastening from his waiting spot towards Camil’s cell.

‘Jimin I don’t think you should-‘ Jn’young also adds hesitantly, sitting up straight.

But Jimin reaches forward, lightly touching Camil’s forehead.

It lasts less than a second and Jimin is recoiling, as though electrocuted.

Yoongi is there in a flash, pulling him back.

‘Are you hurt?’

‘No- it’s nothing I just-‘ Jimin looks confused, ‘I can’t see.’

‘What?’ Sk’jin gapes at the surveillance.

‘Just ask him questions for now,’ Namjoon says tensely, ‘Jimin.’

Jimin nods, sitting back down again while Yoongi stands by.

‘What else did they say?’ Jimin sounds unsure, his expression uncertain.

‘They said they would give me time to think my answer through. And they let me go.’

‘That can’t be right,’ Jn’young frowns, ‘Beings who enter Axudar don’t just casually walk out – even GLA officials visiting tend to undergo some level of…influence, so to speak. Especially if you’re passing by Kaitūtei.’

‘Did they contact you?’

‘No- but when I wanted to find them again, they contacted me.’ Camil explains drowsily, ‘And I knew I was ready.’

‘Why?’ Jimin sounds timid.

‘I was so tired,’ Camil hums, ‘I was so tired of…of how all of Life was doomed to a Continuum that was so cruel, endless in repetition. I wanted to rest. I would see dreams, of Axudar- I would see the unity, joy, tranquility and peacefulness of Axudar and my heart broke.’

‘Is that why you chose to- chose to obey the Great Council?’

‘I did not obey them- they did not force me to follow their law or authority- I chose this. Because I wanted it.’

Sk’jin sighs, leaning back. Jn’young’s expression is grave.

‘I think it’s safe to say Camil was…for lack of a better word, brain-washed in the process of his recruitment.’ Hoseok says calmly, ‘There are…few Beings in the Known Universe who are capable of such persuasion. The Khol’isa are-‘

‘-not that powerful,’ both Sk’jin and Jn’young say in unison before Sk’jin explains, ‘We need prolonged eye-contact, a trusting and weak mind, and mainly inhibitors. This is-…this is-‘

‘This is almost exactly like what Jimin can do,’ Hoseok says quietly next to Namjoon, ‘If the Red Evil, or the Creveni or the Akramanese- whatever you want to call them, were able to stabilize their creations by tying their fates to Jimin, what would Ndica be able to do with his sister?’ Hoseok exhales slowly, watching as Jimin asks a few more questions, ‘Prat’tna says that Tsirin is there, and with what we all know, it’s highly possible that she’s being used by this Great Council to be able to control Axudar to this level.’

Namjoon nods to that.   

Hoseok opens his mouth to say something but he stops, looking down at his hands before he asks, ‘How many do you think they recruited like this? Beings who believed they made the choices they did out of their own volition, out of…-out of what they believed was the truth?’

Sk’jin turns a little, eyeing them both with a sad expression in his eyes.

‘I don’t know,’ Namjoon replies honestly.

So many had worked to recruit officers and officials and Beings of every walk of life into Ndica’s twisted vision for the Universe- so many had believed in it. But how many were truly in belief of what they were told? And how many were like Camil.

It was terrifying to think about it. What the Yishengs did, or tried to do, all of that combined with the destruction that came and followed the Akramanese/Red Evil – all of this was, in a way, stopped 5 sols ago. However, what would happen with those who supported the Yishengs. Many major officials and officers and Directors alike, or Beings in positions of power were exposed to be a part of this network as a result of the Venture Unit’s purge- but how many still remained? And how many were still trying to follow in on what Ndica, Tlun’hla, and other Yishengs before (and Spaces forbid, after) them? Clearly Axudar was still attempting this by implementing Underverse networks; they obviously struck gold by managing to get a hold of Ilya’s network.

This was another major issue that the Jury probably feared, and not knowing what to do, sent them as scapegoats instead. 

‘Did you inform Axudar that I was here?’

‘I did.’

‘What did they say?’

‘They said they would be ready to welcome you home.’

‘Were they prepared to come to Cuab-D2?’

‘Yes.’

‘Were you delivering your crew to Axudar?’

‘I was bringing them home. So that we could all live in peace and unison. And with Ilya’s network, we would be able to branch out and connect us all.’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

Jimin spends an additional hour interrogating Camil. He gets a full list of the Beings following Camil’s lead within Ilya’s network, as well as locations that were compromised within the safe-houses among the network’s hoard.

It’s with relief when Jimin is pushed out of the cell, leaving Camil to slumber again.

‘I think they’re using Tsirin to control Axudar,’ Jimin says at once, looking up around at Yoongi, ‘And I think Ndica meant to use her to fulfil his plans to cover the Known Universe in his will. As what the original Yisheng had wanted.’

Yoongi agrees to that, also knowing that that was exactly what the others were thinking too. When they heard of the possibility that Tsirin would still be alive, the likeliness of her being kept prisoner the same way Jimin had been kept, was definitely on everyone’s minds. This confirmed it.

‘I think I’ll be able to walk about now,’ Jimin says as they enter the lift. ‘It doesn’t hurt anymore.’

‘Yeah?’ Yoongi shuffles over to the side a little to look down at Jimin, ‘Maybe we can exchange places.’

Jimin laughs, taking his hands and kissing them. He looks up, his smile slipping just a little as his fingers entwine with his own.

‘Yoongi I-‘ Jimin sighs out, stopping as the lift slows to a stop.

‘Later?’ Yoongi bends down swiftly, kissing Jimin’s hands in return. ‘We still need to sleep for uh, 28 hours.’

’28?’ Jimin laughs, squeezing his hands before dropping them back to his lap as the doors open.

‘I think we deserve it,’ Yoongi smiles, walking back into the watch-tower room.

‘Hey,’ Namjoon smiles at them as they enter. ‘Feeling okay?’

‘Yeah, I’m okay,’ Jimin confirms, stopping at the center of the room. Ilya and Jn’young are still sitting, Jn’young has his back to them, clearly thinking hard.

Yoongi cannot fathom what it must be like for them right now.

Hoseok is turning Sk’jin around and pushing him towards where they were standing.

‘Jimin, thank you again,’ Ilya says as he walks towards him. ‘We uh- we have a lot to think about.’

Jimin nods to that, giving him a small smile.

‘Where do you plan on going?’ Ilya asks carefully, ‘You are more than welcome to join us, to recover and make sure you have all the information you need before you take the next step forward.’

Namjoon glances at Jimin before he replies, ‘We don’t want to endanger you-‘

‘-what happened is hardly your fault-‘ Ilya says firmly.

But Jimin shakes his head, ‘We can’t.’

Ilya nods to that, glancing over at Sk’jin who was determinedly looking at his hands on his lap.

‘We will be leaving Māho in a week,’ Ilya continues, ‘I have already begun contacting our posts and other branches. Some locations are completely overrun.’

‘What do you plan on doing?’

‘We can’t allow this to go on,’ Jn’young answers instead, ‘This is past trafficking- past what the Alliance were doing. We’ll put an end to what we can control.’

It sounds terrible- with no positive outcome. Challenging a belief so deeply indoctrinated within a Beings fundamental value or system at this scale- this was decades, centuries of conversion. It could not, would not be easy to undo.

Ilya nods to Jn’young’s words.

‘The damage is extensive,’ the Ožkan continues. ‘But we will do what we can. I will check our other infiltrators as well- see how we can possibly warn other networks.’

‘If it’s any comfort,’ Hoseok offers, ‘The Venture Unit would be quite willing to help, though for a price.’

Ilya snorts, ‘Of course- we’re already housing a bit of interns, no doubt they’re raring to report back.’

Hoseok chuckles at that.

Sk’jin is quiet as they return back to the GI ship. He floats ahead of them, not quite paying attention to what was being said, but answering when called. Namjoon walks ahead to keep in pace with the Khol’isa, his voice occasionally carrying over as he talks to Sk’jin.

‘It’s funny seeing them not fight at every turn,’ Yoongi remarks to Jimin who blinks a few times before comprehending what Yoongi had said to him. He studies the two ahead of them while Hoseok snorts adding, ‘Give it a couple of days, I’m sure they’ll start fighting over some small non-issue again.’

‘Stop -talking me, I was thrown out into space,’ Sk’jin barks, not even turning to look at them. Namjoon on the other hand looks around, confused, clearly not possessing whatever ability Sk’jin had to sense the back-talk.

Jimin jabs Hoseok, stifling his laughter as Namjoon looks back a few times in confusion. Hoseok is covering his mouth with a hand, the other balancing himself on Jimin.   

A while later, Hoseok jogs ahead to keep up with Sk’jin while Namjoon makes his way towards them.

‘We’ll be ready to leave soon,’ Namjoon sounds a little apologetic. He was probably discussing this with Sk’jin earlier, telling the Khol’isa what they had discussed when both Sk’jin and Jimin had been unconscious. ‘I’m ordering a number of the GI to stay here with Ilya, and the others to return to Lowet. Ilya says he can give them Transporters to return back to Lowet and other places.’

Jimin nods in understanding.

Namjoon gives him a brief look before turning to address Jimin again, ‘I uh, I met Prat’tna.’

Jimin does a double take, eyes widening before he schools his expression again.

‘Was it-…was it really him?’

‘Um yeah, Yoongi and Hoseok say they’re called…regurgitated?’ Namjoon says carefully. ‘He um-‘

‘-is he here?’ Jimin asks, voice filled with anticipation and badly repressed hope.

Namjoon can’t seem to help but look at Yoongi again but realization dawns on Jimin and he says, quietly, ‘Oh.’

‘He wanted me to tell you some things, and I guess, before we make any decisions of what to do next, we should all be in the same page about things.’ Namjoon says carefully.

Jimin nods, his hands in tight fists.

‘Uh,’ he begins, looking straight ahead, his jaw clenched. ‘Are there…are there more?’

Namjoon pauses a moment before he shakes his head, ‘It was just Prat’tna.’

Jimin studies him for a moment, and Namjoon looks away almost immediately.

‘I’m not too sure,’ Namjoon says hesitantly, ‘Prat’tna did say it was only him so far and uh- I met, one of the GI, he said his name was Dehin. He’s still in Lowet, he was uh, in a fight with Jungkook back in Grisial. So he’s uh, healing.’

‘Dehin?’ Jimin whispers, a smile on his face before it falls.

‘Yeah, Prat’tna called him that and…-well, I’m not sure how much he remembers, if he was exposed to the android-core or not…he did say that he had uh, dreams, I’m not sure how much of it is well-‘ Namjoon looks at him helplessly.

But Yoongi knows what it means. Dehin had very recently been exposed to the android-core- his memories were resurfacing in a very abstract way.

‘He fought Jungkook?’ Jimin lets out a breathless wet chuckle, ‘Jungkookie is strong.’

Namjoon smiles at that, ‘Yeah he really is.’

Jungkook is awake by the time they get back. But he’s drowsy, a result of very strong medication and treatment he needed for his blood loss. He’s crouched by the doorway by the hangar, and he staggers upwards towards them. He first collides into Sk’jin, nearly tipping the Khol’isa backwards with a tight hug. Sk’jin is laughing, squishing the youngling’s face in his hands. Jungkook protests but doesn’t move away immediately. Hoseok ruffles his hair as he walks past to get into the ship.

Then Jungkook staggers towards them. Jimin stops and gets up, arms held up for the Vicitra who has unshed tears in his large eyes.

Yoongi and Namjoon both move fast enough to stop the two of them from crashing onto the ground.

Jungkook has Jimin up in the air, his feet a good feet off the ground in his embrace. Yoongi worries, not sure if Jungkook was being too strong or forceful. But Jimin doesn’t seem to be in pain, just hugging the youngling back as fiercely.

Jungkook seems to sway a little, dropping Jimin who falls back against Yoongi’s chest, immediately secured.

‘You shouldn’t move around like that just yet,’ Namjoon grins at Jungkook who leans against him for balance. ‘Come on, I’ll carry you in?’

Jungkook beams brightly at that, face flushing slightly as he nods.

‘Namjoon’s new vow after getting back functional arms is to sweep Beings off of their feet,’ Sk’jin drawls.

Namjoon barely staggers as Jungkook clambers onto his back, looking all too delighted at being higher up than everyone else. The youngling had grown a lot, but Namjoon was still taller by a bit.

‘I don’t think he’s carried Hoseok?’ Jimin laughs, taking Jungkook’s outstretched hand and swinging it at a strange height.

‘I wouldn’t mind,’ Hoseok chimes in.

Namjoon just rolls his eyes.

‘Good luck carrying us all,’ Sk’jin scoffs, ‘Some of us have dignity.’

‘I would never do such a thing,’ Namjoon laughs at Sk’jin who turns his nose up in the air in exaggeration. Jungkook’s feet kick a little, clearly delighted in having everyone up and awake, and also slightly woozy from medication.

Yoongi collapses Jimin’s stroller and follows them inwards. He returns it back to the Medical Bay and as he walks out finds Jungkook being lead away by Sk’jin while Namjoon and Jimin sit down in the kitchen area. There’s food on the table and Jimin is drinking steadily from a cup.

He says something to Namjoon who nods, sitting up a bit straighter as he retrieves his NaviLet. Jimin looks up, as though he knew Yoongi was there all along.

Yoongi gives him an encouraging smile.

Making his way upwards, Yoongi comes across Hoseok coming down.

‘Oh hey, is Namjoon downstairs?’

‘Yeah- uh, he’s talking with Jimin, I think to catch him up on things.’ Yoongi explains.

Hoseok stops.

‘Ah…well, I guess we uh-‘ Hoseok frowns, looking back up and down before saying, ‘I guess we just…find spare rooms?’

Snorting, Yoongi nods in agreement.

The long hallways are startlingly different from what they were used to. Hoseok tells him about the large motherships used occasionally by the Venture Unit, and also about their ever-moving old headquarters. Yoongi doesn’t have the heart to tell him that he knows each and every single ship Hoseok is telling him about, just nodding and listening. The ship was of course huge, but absolutely minute compared to the GIU motherships. They find Sk’jin standing in front of a large alcove with washers stacked up, nearly entirely except for a towel wrapped elegantly around him like some toga.

‘The Laikin is here right?’ the Khol’isa asks at once, ‘I need a new change of clothes.’

‘Yeah but uh, I don’t think you should be going around like that-‘ Hoseok begins.

‘Please,’ Sk’jin rolls his eyes, stuffing in his dirty laundry into the washers, ‘I’m a vision.’

Yoongi would agree normally but Sk’jin’s skin is splotched and bruised, and you couldn’t help but wince when you looked at him.

‘Your items are being brought up for you,’ a GI tells Sk’jin from behind him.

Sk’jin is so startled, his towel-toga nearly unravels at the sight of the GI. Even Hoseok jumps just a little. Yoongi on the other hand, had already seen him approaching.

‘Ugh!’ the Khol’isa grunts, ‘It was annoying enough with that Human! Now there’s a million of you!’

‘They will be delivered to your rooms soon.’

It was still weird seeing them like this, after nearly being killed. Namjoon had explained that part of the story to him, but it still felt strange to Yoongi.

‘Ngfy’widan Hoseok, your quarters are right here,’ another voice behind them says. Hoseok doesn’t jump too much at this new voice. ‘Human Yoongi, this is yours.’

The new GI indicates to 2 doors they had walked past on their way to speak to Sk’jin.

‘Oh, thank you,’ Hoseok manages to get out.

Yoongi is not surprised to find that his room is basically a standard set-up for the GI. A bare space with a narrow table with softly glowing panels, a bench, and a uniform laid out on one side.

‘Wait,’ Hoseok frown, looking in over Yoongi’s shoulder. ‘Is there some sort of confusion?’

‘No,’ Yoongi smiles with a shrug, ‘I’m GI, this is what GI’s are used to. It’s our standard quarters.’

Hoseok frowns, looking at the table Yoongi has long used as a bed for as long as his memories of this life can go back.

‘That’s…’ Hoseok grimaces before looking at Yoongi, ‘You do know that that’s an autopsy bed right?’

It’s not too surprising when Hoseok points it out.

‘Come on, this isn’t right,’ Hoseok pulls Yoongi out of the room, ‘We can share.’

It makes Yoongi smile; touched that Hoseok would be offended on his behalf, be worried, on his behalf.

‘Or he can just use Jimin’s,’ Sk’jin pokes his head out of his doorway, giving Yoongi several exaggerated winks, ‘Why bother with separate rooms aye?’

Hand on one hip, Hoseok levels Sk’jin with an unimpressed look. But it does nothing to deter the Khol’isa, rather Sk’jin winks suggestively at Hoseok adding, ‘Or you could share mine Hoseokkie.’

Hoseok pretends to think about it before saying, ‘I don’t think you’re quite up to it just yet, maybe after you regain your strength.’

Sk’jin cackles, saluting Hoseok’s witty remark before disappearing through his doorway.

They discuss random inconsequential matters as Hoseok unpacks some of his belongings, rearranging his furniture and going around the space, inspecting air-vents and outlets.

‘It’s just a 500 strams difference?’

‘Yeah.’

‘What’s the point in making a new model?’

‘That’s what I was thinking.’

Sk’jin joins them later, showered and smelling strongly of freshly laundered clothes.

‘The GI are questionable but they have great taste in detergent!’

‘It’s the most effective in getting rid of blood and guts.’

Sk’jin does not appreciate the reasoning.

‘I’m starving, let’s go eat!’ he announces.

‘Is Taeh’yung still sleeping?’ Hoseok asks to no one in specific.

‘Yeah just checked in on them,’ Sk’jin replies, ‘Jungkook is with him too. They’re both knocked out.’

‘Getting better?’

‘Just a matter of the medication working,’ Sk’jin pauses before adding, ‘Will Taeh’yung recover fully?’

Both Hoseok and Sk’jin look at him.

‘I don’t know,’ Yoongi replies honestly, ‘I’ve only seen an anti-core being used once before on a Heladian. He made a full recovery after being administered with the corrective antidote.’

‘Taeh’yung isn’t exactly like most Living Beings,’ Sk’jin says slowly, ‘It’s possible if something were very wrong with him, he’d let us know, or he’d uh- well, show it?’

Hoseok snorts, ‘Neither of you were there when he first got around to consciousness, I thought I was going to end up being plastered all over the walls.’

‘We could ask the GI?’ Sk’jin asks hesitantly, ‘Maybe they have a uh, antidote thingy?’

‘We could,’ Hoseok nods, ‘If I can find one-! !’

A GI is standing by the doorway, a tray in their arms with bowls of some sort of soup.

‘How may I assist you?’ she asks.

‘Oh uh- well-‘ Hoseok clutches at his chest weakly.

‘We believe that Taeh’yung the Zhak’gri was administered with some form of anti-core,’ Yoongi tells the GI, ‘It is possible that the anticore was not made for his species, so we do not know how to treat it. Could you run an analysis to check him for anti-core?’

Sk’jin and Hoseok squirm a little where they stand as the GI doesn’t say anything for a full 10 seconds before she replies, ‘Understood. Mission accepted.’

‘Spaces this is going to be really annoying to get used to,’ Sk’jin sighs before adding, ‘Again.’

Yoongi just pats him on the back.

‘That was the most insincere back-patting I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing.’

Downstairs is empty. Neither Namjoon or Jimin are at the dining table though their cups and other items are there. The Medical Bay furthest down the area is lit, however, and Yoongi makes his way there quietly as Hoseok takes a seat at the dining table and Sk’jin makes his way to the pantry at once.

The Medical Bay in here has been turned into a sort of temporary morgue. Yoongi knew that the bodies of the other GI who had died when they came in to control the chaos Camil had started were already removed and ready to be transported back to Lowet. But Namjoon had kept Prat’tna in this Medical Bay, mainly so that Jimin would be able to say his goodbye.

Carefully, not quite trusting himself to be sneaky anymore, Yoongi looks inside the Medical Bay.

Namjoon is speaking, hand occasionally gesturing. Jimin is nodding, his expression sorrowful but there’s expectation- as though he knew all along. He’s looking down at the Megibīyan, tears still clinging to his skin. Jimin is gentle as he touches Prat’tna’s face.

Namjoon’s voice is low, and Yoongi can’t quite hear them but he doesn’t really want to. It felt like a private discussion- one that should be respected. Yoongi simply turns, putting his back to the wall and he waits. He can hear Sk’jin and Hoseok talking some ways across, the hum of the ship, the sound of his own pulse.

‘Yoongi?’

He looks inside carefully.

Jimin and Namjoon haven’t moved, but they’re both looking at him as though they knew he was there. He stands by the doorway, feeling a little sheepish.

‘The GI are done with what they need to do,’ Namjoon says, ‘We can leave now.’

Yoongi nods to that.

‘I’ll contact Ilya and tell him we’ll be leaving within the hour now,’ the Kutsoglerin adds, ‘I uh, think he’ll want to say his goodbyes with Sk’jin.’

Yoongi nods again, walking in slowly as Namjoon walks out.

Jimin doesn’t say anything until Yoongi reaches him.

‘He said he didn’t want to-…didn’t want me to see him like this,’ Jimin pats Prat’tna’s face gently. ‘I cherished his words so much- his, and Yyna’s- they were like family to me.’

‘Namjoon told you?’

Jimin nods.

‘I’m…I’m not surprised,’ Jimin says carefully, ‘Of course the Great Council would not always be neutral in how they…acted or relayed information. Of course they would try, to set a path, to set fate and the hearts of all towards a path they believed was correct. We knew that- Tsirin and I knew that…’

‘But?’

‘But I don’t know how we didn’t see it,’ Jimin confesses, ‘How we couldn’t have noticed that Ndica’s influence was not one where he was trying to gain our resources, or to try and join us to the GLA-‘

‘He masked his true intentions by playing up to your fears,’ Yoongi concedes.

Jimin nods, ‘We were very thoroughly played.’

‘What do you want to do next?’ Yoongi asks gently.

Jimin has his palm over Prat’tna’s forehead, the other hand over his chest. He didn’t appear to be thinking of what to say- Yoongi can sense determination and a finalization in the way Jimin carried himself.

His eyes were no longer glazed over with confusion, or denial, or betrayal. There was pain of course, worry- but there’s a resolve within him that both encourages Yoongi, but also slightly unsettles him.

Jimin leans down and kisses Prat’tna’s brow.

‘I just want to maybe sleep,’ Jimin confesses as he stands up straight.

‘For 28 hours?’

Jimin smiles looking around at Yoongi, shoulders hitching up a little as though to laugh but he stops, eyes caught on something behind Yoongi.

Yoongi also turns, breath hitching at the sight before him.

All of the GI are gathered just outside the Medical Bay, just watching them, in their complete uniform.

‘Oh-‘ Jimin breathes out, making to move but stopping himself. He clutches at Yoongi’s arm, hand sliding down to take his hand and Yoongi quickly intertwines their fingers.  ‘I-‘

Suddenly, the GI bow low to him.

‘Oh- uh, please don’t-‘ Jimin stammers out, taking a hesitant step.

They all immediately stand up, making no move to go away.

Jimin breathes out shakily, looking pained.

‘I…’ he begins quietly, ‘We have…we have finally found each other.’

It’s quiet, only faint sounds from the kitchen area is just barely audible.

‘And I will take you all home,’ Jimin’s voice is determined, ‘And we can all be…be safe, and well, and whole.’

‘Thank you for finding me,’ Jimin says quietly as he turns to look at Yoongi instead. ‘Thank you for waiting.’

The GI step away but Yoongi doesn’t pay too much attention, instead leaning in to gently touch his forehead to Jimin’s.

‘I will always find you,’ he whispers.

Jimin places his free hand over Yoongi’s chest, right above his heart.

‘You said I could…I could borrow yours?’

Yoongi nods, placing his hand over Jimin’s, barely touching it, still afraid of somehow hurting him.

‘Just for a while,’ Jimin whispers, ‘Can I?’

Yoongi nods, smiling faintly in a teasing manner as he says, ‘It’s yours. It will always be yours.’

Jimin looks like he’s trying not to blush, but also still maintain a serious expression.

‘You’re-‘ Jimin laughs a bit.

Kissing his forehead Yoongi ducks down to kiss his nose, and then lips as he pulls him in close very carefully, afraid of causing any discomfort.

‘I mean it.’ He says in a more calm tone, ‘My sunshine.’

Jimin’s eyes are shining right before he closes them, leaning in to kiss Yoongi.

‘ing Spaces-!’ Hoseok yells, making them both jump, eyes widening in surprise, looking around the empty Medical Bay.

There’s a mighty crash of what was definitely kitchen utensils and loud choking gasps. Yoongi and Jimin can’t quite make out what was happening until-

‘For ’s sake this is ridiculous!’ Sk’jin screams from the kitchen. ‘ing GI!’

 

 

 

*

 

 

There’s a heaviness in the air.

There always was, with farewells.

But it mostly centers around Sk’jin and Ilya.

They’re still talking, separate to the side while the Axudarian and Orvan Jaen and E’nid talk to Hoseok and Namjoon. Yoongi is speaking to several gathered units of the GI, voice inaudible.

‘You seem to have made up your mind.’

Jn’young, like Sk’jin, and like other Khol’isa Jimin is assuming, looks impeccable despite being rather battered and bruised himself. He had sustained some serious injury, but he didn’t display any signs of pain or discomfort.

‘I have,’ Jimin nods.

‘Well, if that’s the case…’ Jn’young trails off, ‘It won’t be easy.’

‘It won’t,’ Jimin agrees. ‘But I have to.’

‘It needs to work.’

Jimin smiles at the Khol’isa.

‘When it does, can I count on you and Ilya?’

Jn’young gives him a charming smirk, ‘Oh, of course your highness.’

‘Ah, you heard about that,’ Jimin mutters under his breath.

Jn’young just smiles in a pleased manner, eyes wrinkling in a mischievous way.

They all return back, one by one. Jimin waves at the GI, who all wave back belatedly. Some even salute Namjoon who splutters, waving back hastily before ducking in, clearly embarrassed. Hoseok laughs after him, waving goodbye at Jaen and E’nid.

Sk’jin is the last to enter, his expression carefully schooled and calm. He doesn’t say anything, just buckling himself into his new seating station at the communications board as they enter the Bridge.

It’s quiet as they prepare the ship for warp. There were a total of 7 additional GI aboard alongside them. Jimin wonders if this was to match up for the amount of Beings aboard this mission.

Sitting back on a footstool, Jimin leans back as the security straps unfold around him. Jimin only opens his eyes when he feels a hand over his own. Turning his head a little, he finds Yoongi looking at him worriedly.

Jimin smiles at him.

The light of warp fills the large Bridge.

There’s a small sigh of relief from Namjoon and Hoseok as they’re given a silent notification that they’re at green.

‘If anyone needs me, I’m working on my tan,’ Sk’jin says the moment the ship is also cleared at green.

The GI don’t answer of course, but Hoseok nods in understanding. Namjoon just looks over, watching as Sk’jin vanishes through the doorway for a while before he looks around over at where Jimin and Yoongi were sitting.

‘Jimin, you need to rest up too,’ Namjoon says after a while.

Jimin nods, smiling at Yoongi as he helps him stand though there’s no need. Jimin’s tired, his body aching at random places, but he wasn’t completely invalid.

But he won’t argue that he didn’t like it.

‘I really should go wash up,’ Jimin chuckles, looking down at his stained clothes. He still felt oddly grimy but there were things that needed to be done before.

‘I’ll bring you a new set of clothes?’ Yoongi offers, gesturing to the ones he was wearing. Jimin nods with a smile, reaching out to touch the fabric again. It felt comforting against his skin.

Yoongi hovers around him as he gets up, making Jimin snort at the display. Yoongi was probably still reliving Jimin’s pained reaction from earlier, which was why he was so careful around him.

Jimin stops by a doorway before entering his own quarters as Yoongi makes his way in search for new clothes. The door opens quietly and the room inside lights up softly.

On the bed Jimin can just about make out two forms. Jungkook is snoring very quietly, while Taeh’yung blinks sleepily at Jimin, eyes gleaming a faint green at random.

‘Hey,’ Jimin smiles at the Zhak’gri.

‘Chim, I feel like ,’ Taeh’yung complains, ‘My insides are funny.’

Jimin walks over to the sleeping pair, smiling to himself at how funnily they’re wrapped around each other.

‘Is this comfortable?’ Jimin asks, leaning in to properly place the blanket over Jungkook’s legs.

‘Super,’ Taeh’yung yawns.

‘Why are you here?’ Jimin asks, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed.

‘Kookie is young,’ Taeh’yung smacks his lips a few times, eyes closed, ‘He’s strong and-‘ he yawns quietly, ‘-it’s soothing.’

Jimin smiles at that.

‘We all like it,’ they say from the shadows, ‘Soothing.’

Jimin ruffles Taeh’yung’s hair

Jungkook was still medicated, so he wasn’t too bothered by Taeh’yung’s invasion of his personal space. Maybe he liked it too- found the additional presence comforting.

‘We’re already moving?’

Jimin nods.

‘We’ll be in warp for a while- everyone’s safe, and we’re resting.’

Taeh’yung smiles at that, huddling in closer to press his face against Jungkook’s back.

Jimin backs away quietly, the lights dimming softly. Stepping out, he finds Yoongi waiting for him, a small folded lump in his hands.

‘They’re still sleeping,’ Jimin tells him. ‘I think they’re both going to need to sleep off their medication for a while, recover their strength.’

Yoongi nods to that before he says, ‘You should too.’

‘I think I was the one who told you that you need to sleep.’

Yoongi breaks out into a smile.

‘Just overheard Namjoon ordering Hoseok to go rest.’ The Human confides, ‘Threatened to carry him.’

Jimin smiles at that, ‘Delta sleep sounds good.’

‘It’s not,’ Yoongi says with so much comic seriousness Jimin’s not sure if he should laugh or not.

‘Here,’ Yoongi holds up the clothes he had with him. ‘Dug around, found these.’

Jimin takes them carefully, a strange sense of not wanting to contaminate the new clothes. It’s not like he was filthy or anything, but seeing the soft purple fabric makes Jimin want to regard it with some form of reverence. Like it was a piece of home he wanted to cherish.

‘It’s uh, it’s a nice fabric, comfortable,’ Yoongi says, making Jimin realize he’d just been staring at the clothes blankly.

‘Oh- oh yeah,’ Jimin is surprised to find himself somewhat teary eyed.

‘What’s wrong?’ Yoongi asks gently.

Jimin shakes his head, ‘It just-…they feel really nice?’

Yoongi just smiles.

‘I’ll take your other clothes to keep for wash,’ he tells him, guiding him away from Jungkook’s doorway. ‘Sk’jin really likes the detergent here.’

It makes Jimin laugh.

The room designated for Jimin is similar to the one Jungkook, and now Taeh’yung, were using. It’s much more spacious than the one in the Laikin and the Užkulisai. And maybe because this was a Yisheng ship, it felt much more softer with the edges of the design, as though hoping to convey comfort and safety with the design for those who would use it.  

‘Where’s your room?’ Jimin asks.

‘Oh uh-‘ Yoongi pauses at the doorway. He doesn’t quite look at Jimin as he says, ‘Uh, I’m sharing with Hobi at the moment.’

A lot of questions go through Jimin’s mind.

‘The GI, when they uh, assigned and prepared the rooms they…well, I am GI, so mines just like the ones they use,’ Yoongi shuffles a little. ‘So Hoseok told me, I could share with him.’

‘Stay with me,’ Jimin says though it’s more of a question.

In the Laikin they had been sharing, though they honestly hadn’t had the chance of actually going about to sharing the space too much.

Yoongi nods a bit hesitantly, unsure where to look and Jimin feels bad.

‘I mean, um, if you want to,’ Jimin says at once, ‘I’m not- I’m not forcing you if you’re not comfortable-‘No!’ Yoongi says quickly, ‘No that’s not it I uh-‘

Jimin waits for an explanation but Yoongi is getting rapidly flustered before he holds his hands out and says, while addressing Jimin’s knees, ‘I’ll uh, take your stuff to wash.’

Jimin wheezes, his whole body shaking with laughter as soon as he recovers.

Was Yoongi shy?

Yoongi still isn’t quite looking at him, still holding his hands out. Jimin walks over to take his hands and asks, ‘Will you stay with me?’

Yoongi nods, ears bright red, fingers twitching a little in Jimin’s hold.

‘Yeah, uh, I will.’

Jimin laughs again, and Yoongi, still embarrassed hurriedly asks, ‘I uh, do you need help? Or like, uh, anything.’

Jimin turns his wrists upwards, showing Yoongi the seams of his cuffs. He’s about to make a joke, maybe something along the lines of some exaggerated account of how royalty never undress themselves but Yoongi beats him to it, fingers moving deftly to undo the fastenings there.

Yoongi looks up with wide eyes, realizing what he’d done, ready to take a step back, but Jimin holds on to his hands.

‘Can you help me?’

Yoongi flushes with colour and pales rapidly. Jimin is about to take it back before he nods, releasing a slow exhale, meeting Jimin’s gaze with a quiet determination that in turn makes Jimin flustered.

Slowly, Yoongi reaches for the collar of the light jacket around Jimin, unhooking the higher flap and flattening it away. This is completely different from when Yoongi helped him take off his clothes last time. There’s an unspoken but shared acute awareness of their actions.

Yoongi doesn’t stop; he slowly and carefully undoes the fastenings of his jacket, his breath fanning across Jimin’s slowly exposed collar and neck. But Yoongi doesn’t quite touch him, as though still afraid of hurting him. He tugs at the jacket and Jimin allows it to fall to the floor, the sleeves slightly catching on his inner-shirt.

Yoongi ducks a little, untucking his shirt from his trousers; he’s almost too slow, difficult to work around an activity without touching the person you were trying to help undress. So Jimin turns his head just a little, lips nearly brushing over Yoongi’s bent head.

‘I’m not hurt,’ he whispers quietly, ‘You can touch me.’

Yoongi looks up briefly, eyes darting a little all over the place, fingers fumbling with the fastening over his chest.

‘You don’t hurt me.’

Yoongi undoes the final fastening before standing in front of Jimin again. He looks at him. They’re close. Slowly, Yoongi further opens the panels of his shirt, before pushing the garment off of his shoulders completely. He leans in, arms around him as he lowers the garment completely.

Jimin almost jumps at the slight and soft touch against his shoulder. Yoongi’s lips press lightly against his exposed skin, following along his collar as his fingers trail down his now bare arms as he pulls down his sleeves.

Yoongi’s lips are warm and soft against his throat.

The moment it comes off Jimin raises his hands to gently catch onto Yoongi’s shirt before pulling it upwards.

Yoongi starts slightly- looking taken aback, and endearingly shy, shoulders turning in just a little.

‘I- I’ve showered already,’ Yoongi says breathlessly.

‘Didn’t Ilya say hygiene was a priority on his ship? I thought that was a good rule.’ Jimin teases but he drops the hem of his shirt nonetheless. Yoongi quickly takes his hands in his, kissing his knuckles before murmuring against his fingers, ‘I’m scarred.’

Jimin’s chest twinges with pain.

‘And I’m not?’

The scars from where he was recently stabbed is still there, skin puckered but healed, discolouration slowly fading away but still apparent. His sides are bruised, a majority of his skin splotched and bruised.

Yoongi swallows, mouth opening and closing before he says softly, vulnerability heavy in his words, ‘You can touch me too.’

Jimin lifts Yoongi’s shirt off of the Human, and before he has time to say anything else, Jimin leans in to kiss the starting point of a long jagged scar that extended from Yoongi’s collarbone to his hip.

Yoongi’s skin is an expanse of every possible scar, bruise, and discolouration possible on a living Being. There are part of his skin that have sunk in a little from deep tissue damage, heavy scarring that discolours his skin from deep within.

Yoongi’s hands shakily rest on his waist, smoothing down to his hips, fingers slipping under the bands of his trouser. With slightly shaking hands he undoes the fastenings, allowing the trousers to drop to the floor. Jimin does the same, making Yoongi lean in, his forehead pressed down to his shoulder, breath escaping him shakily.

Carefully he reaches up to cup Jimin’s face in both hands and kissing the top of his head. Jimin reaches for his wrists, smiling at the Human.

Jimin has already been stark- before Yoongi- in the OrTank and previously after that as well. But there’s something different this time, as Yoongi offers him his arm for balance as Jimin kicks off his underwear. He shivers just a little, feeling Yoongi’s eyes on him.

It doesn’t make him want to hide- just makes him want to be closer.

Without a word Yoongi guides him into the en-suite and opens the shower cubicle, gently pushing Jimin in first directly under the shower square. He struggles a little with the settings before tapping on the in-built screen to the side.

They both jump when the water hits them. It makes Jimin laugh, shoulders curling in a little instinctively as he ducks under the water some more, pushing his hair out of his face. He feels arms curl around him tentatively, a body pressing up against him under the main stream of water. He leans back, taking Yoongi’s arms and pulling them around him in a tighter and firmer embrace.

And then slowly, Yoongi pulls him closer, exhaling quietly as though finally relieved to be holding him this close again. Jimin nuzzles back against the Human, smiling against his temple. They just stand like that, the water flowing around them in a soothing steady shower. For a moment, Jimin thinks Yoongi won’t be able to let go of him. But slowly, Yoongi lets go of one hand to run his fingers through Jimin’s hair.

Jimin closes his eyes at the gentle feeling.

‘You’re not in pain?’ Yoongi asks.

Jimin shakes his head with a smile.

‘It looks worse than it actually is, I mean it.’

Yoongi is incredibly gentle, washing his back and side carefully. Jimin smiles fondly at how Yoongi doesn’t allow him to even rinse off the shampoo from his own hair. Yoongi is quite systematic, dealing with one limb at a time. It’s funny how there’s not much embarrassment anymore, or hazed lust in his movements as he kneels down to scrub at Jimin’s feet. Yoongi was on a mission, and he was going to complete it.

He’s careful around the still fresh cut that somehow got onto his ankle with Jimin even realizing it. Yoongi even carefully washes his ears, making sure the water didn’t go in as he studiously concentrates on the back of his ears. Jimin shivers slightly, holding back a sharp gasp when Yoongi’s hand reaches between his legs. He leans his head onto the Human’s shoulder, eyes closed. It’s helpful that Yoongi is quite methodic, an almost impartial regard to this process, only concentrating on getting Jimin showered and cleaned.

It doesn’t stop Jimin from shivering, his right leg nearly giving way as Yoongi’s fingers drag through.

When he’s done, Yoongi is about to turn the shower back again but Jimin takes the soft padded scrub from him and switches their roles.

He’s embarrassed when Jimin does the same for him, hesitant, shoulders curling in a little, as though trying to hide himself from Jimin’s sight. Jimin doesn’t push it, but instead he leans in, taking Yoongi’s chin gently with his hand and kissing his nose and forehead.

‘I’ll get your back?’ Jimin asks gently.

Yoongi somewhat hesitantly turns around, showing his back to Jimin.

There’s a massive burn scar spread across Yoongi’s back, skin bumpy and pulled and gathered at random. Not even a day ago, he had seen the tops of his scars and old injuries. The layers of damaged skin is a heartbreaking sight.

Jimin mirrors Yoongi’s motions and actions, rubbing the shower-pad over his shoulders and down his back. The indent down his back is strangely not too scarred, and Jimin presses a light kiss next to it.

‘I was- I was so scared,’ Yoongi is almost inaudible over the shower. ‘I thought I lost you and I-‘

Jimin stops, leaning in closer to listen.

‘I was-…I didn’t know what to do.’

Jimin leans in and hugs him tight.

‘Thank you for coming back.’

They finish showering, and Yoongi is methodic again as he helps Jimin apply some of the regrow-serum on his more intense bruises. Jimin kisses Yoongi around his face every time he can, making the Human wrinkle up his face, eyes fond.

Jimin combs through his hair with his fingers, and Yoongi closes his eyes, enjoying the sensation.

‘That’s nice,’ he mumbles, sounding sleepy.

Jimin grins, leaning in closer, their bodies almost touching, before kissing him softly.

He jumps a little, feeling Yoongi’s hand on his waist, returning his kiss slowly. Jimin wraps his arms around Yoongi, pulling him closer so they touch, skin wonderfully warm and soft.

‘Jimin?’ Yoongi presses a kiss to his neck, exhaling out slowly.

‘Hm?’ Jimin shivers. Yoongi doesn’t say anything immediately, instead taking his time to kiss his neck and throat.

‘Jimin,’ Yoongi whispers against his skin- he almost sounds like he’s pleading. With some difficulty, Jimin tilts Yoongi away from his neck to face him instead.

‘Yoongi?’

‘Teach me how to touch you.’

His voice is low, carefully level though Jimin can hear the restraint in his tone.

Yoongi touches him tentatively, fingertips gliding over the expanse of skin around his waist.

Jimin knows exactly what he means. It’s almost funny, because Yoongi had touched him- every single inch of him in the shower and yet here he was, asking permission to touch him. But Jimin knows what he means.

‘Show me how to touch you,’ Yoongi pauses, sounding strained now, ‘Teach me how to touch you if-…if that’s okay, if I can-‘

Jimin kisses Yoongi hard, pulling him closer, needing him closer. Yoongi reciprocates at once, his gasp lost between their lips.

Hands tentative at first, move down along his body. But they gain confidence.

Yoongi’s touch is reverent; desperate, as though afraid he would never be able to touch him again.

‘I got you,’ Jimin manages to get out once they part for breath, ‘I got you-‘

Jimin feels himself being lifted, hands gripping around his thighs, and suddenly his back is hitting the cool covers of the bed. He arches up to meet Yoongi, drawing him down quickly, his skin aflame, his heart wild.

He pushes himself up a little to kiss Yoongi but the Human stops, hand clenched in a fist beside his head on the pillow, a pained expression on his face.

‘Wait-‘ Yoongi’s eyes are screwed shut, swaying in an alarming way above Jimin.

‘What’s wrong-‘ Jimin asks worriedly, his pulse loud in his ears, looking all over the Human in fear.

‘I- I’m-‘ Yoongi huffs out a laugh that’s embarrassed more than anything else, ‘I got dizzy.’

There’s a long pause where they’re both breathing heavily, not moving- not daring to move.

Then Jimin lets out a short laugh. He can’t help it. Then they’re both laughing, breathless and dizzy with more than just temporary dip in blood pressure. They’re unable to move apart, their bodies flushed with heat, flushed with want and need.

‘Think I might have, uh, rushed ahead too quickly,’ Yoongi mumbles, face red.

‘You’re okay?’ Jimin asks, unable to stop smiling, nuzzling against Yoongi’s red face.

Yoongi chuckles, eyes closed, trying to overcome his dizziness. ‘I just can’t- just can’t stop touching you.’

‘I’m here,’ Jimin hugs him, pulling him down to rest against his body. ‘I got you.’

Yoongi exhales heavily, a low groan as he settles on top of Jimin, shivering against him. Yoongi presses his ear over where his heart would be, listening and pacing himself. Jimin cradles his head closer, kissing the top of his head. After a while, he turns them over, letting Yoongi lay back.

‘This is not what-‘ Yoongi breathes out slowly, less red in the face his eyes no longer hazy, ‘This is not what I had imagined.’

Jimin laughs, straddling the Human and leaning down until their noses bumped. He takes Yoongi’s hands, kissing them before pushing them up above his head, kissing his face gently as he brushed his hair out of his face. He then gently rubs at Yoongi’s temples, making the Human close his eyes.

‘Sunshine.’

Yoongi reaches up for him, hand cupping his face and drawing him down for a kiss.

They kiss slow, deep, allowing themselves to take a moment. Jimin traces down Yoongi’s jaw to his neck and then chest. He blindly reaches and searches for his hands, taking them by the wrist before placing his palms over his hips.

Yoongi sits up, never breaking their kiss, hands mapping downwards, gripping at his thighs, tucking him even closer, sharing a gasp in the process before flipping them over. The bed is small, so they nearly fall over. Jimin laughs, arms clinging around Yoongi’s shoulders as the Human chuckles, sounding as wrecked as Jimin felt.

It’s difficult to move and coordinate when neither of them really wants to separate even if it’s for a short period of time.

Yoongi touches him with such absolute purpose- as though storing every single sensation in his memory, mapping and memorizing. Jimin is filled with adoration- his chest nearly bursting and he speaks before he can really manage to bring together the words in his mind.

‘I love you,’ he sighs out.

Yoongi stops chuckling, his hands stilling. Jimin slowly realigns his legs, wrapping them around his hips. Yoongi exhales noisily.  

‘I love you so much Yoongi,’ Jimin smiles breathlessly.

Yoongi doesn’t say anything, instead moving slowly but surely, to wrap his arms around Jimin’s torso, lifting him a little from the bed, kissing him slow as they sink into each other.

‘I love you, I love you-‘

Jimin swallows his words, tongue tracing each word, tasting Yoongi’s strained mumbles, until they’re both unable to do anything more than just breathe against each other’s lips.

‘You’re- you’re everything I’ve wanted to feel-‘ Yoongi gasps out. ‘Everything.’

Jimin shivers almost violently, holding him, wanting him, needing him closer.

‘I love you so much.’

Jimin bares himself in every possible way.

And Yoongi is there to cover him, their bodies eclipsing.

‘I love you.’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Author’s Notes)

 

;)

;)

;)

Yeah so I can never really write full so *shrugs* though I guess this is probably

The most

Explicit thing ive written

WHO ELSE WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE WEEKEND WATCHING BANGBANGCON??? BEST WEEKEND EVER

Ive been having issues with my router

Its been a while

And as a result

My laptop never connects to the wifi, my sisters laptop can do it, our phones can connect

I thought it was my old laptops problem

But I bought a new laptop in February and still no connection

Turns out my routers ed

I was supposed to update this last week

Clearly from my notes

Sorry for this monstrosity but it piled on T_T

Also I want to formally announce that when I say ILY it means I love Yoongi

He has been just giving and giving and giving this month I have never been more blessed I love him so much

Good news related to the fic I will update the next chapter faster!! As its been!! Somewhat already written sigh

Hows everyone holding up with quarantine?