Nightmares were strange.

Perhaps it was because he wasn’t supposed to see nightmares or dreams, but Sk’jin doesn’t know why nightmares control him like this. But that’s a lie. He knows. Sk’jin knows why this hurts him more than anything else. Why this drains him.

The world is white around him, and there is no end to this terrain of nothingness. No shadow, no depth, nothing. Simply white, and it is endless. He looks down at his hands.

They’re not his hands.

There were many hands.

And they all held the remains of what looked like glass shards. But looking closely at the shards told Sk’jin that they were his horns.

The blood that drips out of the sides of his head washes the whiteness around him in red and he’s back there again.

The Khol’isa didn’t have to sleep to be plagued by nightmares. They lived a nightmare. They called it the Wake of the Bloodmoon. The extended period of “living” in their treacherous and torturous planet. Blood was the colour of the sky, and blood was the colour of their eyes as they cried out against their sun.

Sk’jin has lived and has been reborn through several millenniums, reborn into the Bloodmoon time and time again. Until one day he woke to a peaceful quiet that unsettled him to his core. Because this was something he craved. Something he imagined- something he dreamt of.

So then why did the shadow of the Bloodmoon follow him here.

Raksane Tayi was beautiful- an oasis of life, colour, peace, and security. But everything is touched by the shadow of the Bloodmoon. Sk’jin tries to escape it, chasing after a relief that never comes. Chasing after a relief that would clear his eyes, shine a light strong enough to diminish the shadow of the Bloodmoon that followed him every waking second of his existence.

But it never came. It never came and Sk’jin continued to live, spreading the shadow of the nightmare that haunted him everywhere he looked.

There was no relief, no rest, no dreamless sleep. And he lived in eternal fear of it.

The landscape of his planet, long-gone and nothing more than a memory, transforms and lifts around him. The stained mountains, the cruel peaks, the bleeding rivers- even the air is rank with its colour. There was no escaping it and Sk’jin is afraid. 

And Sk’jin knows why he’s afraid. Because nightmares were a reflection of life. In life you had no control over what happened to you, why it happened to you, and how it happens to you.

Hands, red and cruel in their form, rise around him from the mountains. They convolute in on themselves, hands after hands after hands in massive waves chasing after him, to pull him back to pull him out. Sk’jin doesn’t move. He can’t move. He’s tried running but that never worked. So he just waits and lets the hands like ocean waves pull him down towards a gaping darkness tinted red.

WHY ARE YOU HERE?!

The most frightening aspect of a nightmare was finding out that there was no waking from the one you were living.

WAKE UP!!

Sk’jin wakes up inside a cold room with metal walls, metal floors, and metal ceilings. He blinks a few times, waiting for the reddish tint of his vision to wash away, but it always lingered, tainting everything with blood.

One side of the room is caged and barred, the other side is only held up with an Atmoshield. His head throbs with pain as he sits up, unable to stop groaning a little as he does so.

Grezma stretches out before him in a thickly layered field of moon-rock. This was a pretty good prison; using an Atmoshield as part of the defenses meant that prisoners could jump out if they wanted, only to die rather immediately. Sk’jin would be impressed if it weren’t for the fact that he’s currently very irritated and in a lot of pain.

He touches the side of his head, wincing as he does so. There’s no bleeding, but a large and impressively bumpy lump has formed on the side of his head.

But that doesn’t hurt as much as his temples. Gingerly, Sk’jin massages at the side of his head, trying his best to breathe without giving in into hyperventilation. His heart was beating like crazy, his muscles felt extraordinarily weak. He tries not to think about his nightmare. But every time he closed his eyes, hands gripping bleeding shards of crystals appear out at him, beyond his reach, beyond his ability to heal.

He manages to move a little and lean against the wall of the room, concentrating on keeping it together.

‘Deep breaths,’ Sk’jin mumbles to himself. ‘Deep breaths- in and out.’

He could do this. He was alive and here and present again. He could do this.

‘Are you all right?’

Wincing sharply as a result of turning his head too quickly, Sk’jin blinks a few times and registers Hoseok peering across at him from beyond a few barred doors. In this dim light, the yellow of his eyes gleam bright.

‘Do I look all right?’ Sk’jin grumbles, unable to retain his normal refined and elegant mannerism.

‘I tried to explain that you were unwell, that you needed medical help, but,’ Hoseok shrugs.

Sk’jin breathes out slowly, willing his pain away. He glances over at Hoseok, frowning a little though not out of pain.

‘How did you do it?’ Sk’jin asks.

Hoseok looks confused.

‘I’m good at reading Beings,’ Sk’jin states. And he’s not showing off either. Sk’jin has lived a very long time and he’s able to accurately guess a Beings character and their personalities easily. Living for so long, with little to really occupy and keep you, harnessed in you an uncanny sharpness in determining someone’s character.

‘Namjoon is a Being who has firm beliefs, prejudices, some self-righteousness, and an unwillingness to break from he considers pride because he believes that will make him weak. Of course he doesn’t realize his “pride” is in fact his own insecurity and doubts- but he hides them well and he’s intelligent enough to know. But there are aspects of your life you cannot control and that’s where he’s easy to manipulate. Easy to control,’ Sk’jin reels off. Hoseok is unmoving, staring at him.

‘Lal Haenoon is a power-hungry Being who despite his intelligence and long years guiding the Venture Unit, is bitter that he hadn’t been approached for the deal held between the Venture Unit, the Yishengs, and the Akramanese,’ Sk’jin says easily, letting go of his head and trying not to move it too much. ‘Because had he been approached, it’s extremely likely that his manipulation would have caused even more trouble through the Known Universe than it already has.’

Moving slowly, Sk’jin shifts where he’s sitting to look at Hoseok properly. The Ngfy’widan is leaning closer through the bars, as though to listen closer.

‘K’mara is shrewd and cunning- but her inability to garner trust disables her from truly gaining the power she craves,’ Sk’jin chuckles a little at the sight of Hoseok’s evident surprise at his criticism of his fellow Khol’isa. ‘Of course we have Lmiura who is similar to Namjoon except she’s somehow more unstable.’

‘Lmiura? Unstable?’ Hoseok can’t seem to help himself.

‘I understand if you don’t see it,’ Sk’jin smiles and he’s not saying it in a way that’s belittling Hoseok’s lack of understanding.

‘But then there’s you,’ Sk’jin carefully shifts forward and leans against the bars. ‘You’re a good Being Hoseok. It doesn’t matter what you have done, where you have done it, to whom you’ve done it. You are a good Being.’

Hoseok seems to squirm before leaning back away.

‘You have a good heart- an approach that isn’t darkened by the life you lead. And it’s not ignorant optimism,’ Sk’jin smiles at Hoseok. ‘What you did, what you decided to do, doesn’t make you a bad Being.’

Hoseok shifts away.

‘It doesn’t make you a good Being either,’ Sk’jin adds and Hoseok pauses, looking up curiously at him again.

‘It just makes you someone who’s trying to live.’

Hoseok’s expression doesn’t let up, still staring at him.

‘So you’re saying that killing my father was something I had to do to live?’

Sk’jin’s species, the Khol’isa, didn’t have parents or other Beings who bore them into the Universe. They were born, a result of natural evolution and metamorphosis that shaped them into their current state of existence and standing as Beings. Other species of Beings however, were born and existed as a result of procreation, leading to the branch of relationships between parent and child. So while Sk’jin has never experienced the idea or the notion of having parents, he can sympathize to a certain level, on how it must feel to know that your own father had been involved in a ploy to destroy the Known Universe.

‘Well it certainly is something you have to live with,’ Sk’jin replies.

‘How did you know?’

‘I did some digging,’ Sk’jin replies. ‘And I have my sources.’

‘Like your call to Ngobut’jha?’

‘Spaces, Namjoon told you too?’ Sk’jin chuckles, feeling just a minor flare of irritation.

‘Lisai doesn’t have the language you were speaking in her index.’ Hoseok says somewhat dully. There was a heavy sort of recklessness in the way Hoseok spoke, like he no longer cared for the consequences of his words or actions. Also, Sk’jin is pretty sure Namjoon wouldn’t want him knowing that he asked Hoseok about his conversation.

‘Is that why you’re here? To somehow justify yourself? To gain redemption?’ Sk’jin asks with a wry grin. ‘I won’t tease you- come on, it’s all right.’

Hoseok gives him a deadpan look from between the bars for a while before sighing and nodding.

‘Yeah, I figured,’ Sk’jin grins. ‘It’s all right Hoseokkie- it’s a cliché reason yes, but there’s a reason why it’s so cliché. Because we never learn.’

Hoseok gives him a questioning look.

‘We repeat the same mistakes over and over again- a circle.’ Sk’jin raises a hand and draws a circle in the air. ‘You committed what in general unbiased laws would only be considered an extreme act of terrorism and manslaughter. Personally killing 3 of the Board of Divisions, your father, and approximately 16 more Beings involved in one night. But the numbers don’t appall you, the act of killing itself doesn’t faze you. What did strike you was the fact that after killing your father you realized that those Beings you killed came from the exact same place your father did.’

Sk’jin looks over to find Hoseok staring blankly ahead of him, a stricken look on his face, clearly reliving something in his head.

‘Suddenly everyone was a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a friend, a lover, a sister, a brother.’ Sk’jin sing-songs. ‘Beings who knew others- Beings who had their beliefs,- and then as you stared at them, you thought you recognized them- you saw your father in them- but when you looked at your father, you realized you didn’t know him at all. You didn’t recognize him.’

Sk’jin breathes out slowly, his headache now just a dull throbbing he could easily ignore.

‘Now you see your father everywhere; you see him in Namjoon, you see him in me, you see him even in Yoongi,’ Sk’jin names each of them. ‘And most of all you see him in yourself. What he was doing isn’t any different from what you did. He fought and killed and went around other Beings backs the same way you fought and killed and went around his back. All for what you believe in. Or at least thought you believed in.’

‘Am I that easy to read?’ Hoseok asks, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

‘I’m just that good at reading people,’ Sk’jin scoffs before adding, ‘And getting a look at everyone’s files certainly helped.’

‘How did you even get those? I don’t think you’re allowed- even K’mara can’t touch those,’ Hoseok says somewhat dully but nowhere near angry that Sk’jin did some snooping. Sk’jin guesses that Namjoon would probably breathe fire if he knew that Sk’jin had been in neck-deep with his personal files.

‘Like I said,’ Sk’jin smiles. ‘I have my resources.’

‘You should hook me up to your source- they sound really efficient,’ Hoseok laughs humorlessly.

‘I’m afraid I can’t,’ Sk’jin chuckles. ‘They wouldn’t trust you.’

‘And they trust you?’

‘Considering what we went through…then yeah.’

‘I don’t think I want to know,’ Hoseok turns a little to smile at him.

‘Good, because I’m not telling. Some stories are better left untold,’ Sk’jin says dramatically.

‘Then why are you here?’ Hoseok asks, turning to look Sk’jin properly in the eye. ‘If you’re not here because of “self-righteous reasons”, or for “redemption”, then what are you here for?’

Sk’jin knows he probably doesn’t look very trustworthy as he smiles coyly at Hoseok, ‘Maybe if you help me embroider more robes, I might just tell you.’

Hoseok knows when he’s not going to get more information and he huffs out of short laugh in response.

‘I hope you know that you won’t find redemption,’ Sk’jin says bluntly, looking at Hoseok.

‘I know that.’

‘Doing this isn’t going to make any of that go away.’

‘I know that too.’

‘So why are you really here?’

Hoseok sighs out.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Nope,’ Sk’jin over accentuates the ‘p’. ‘You know exactly why.’

There’s a flash of anger in the Ngfy’widan eyes.

‘You’re trying to prove to yourself that you’re not your father,’ Sk’jin says easily.

Hoseok looks away again.

‘Look, I’m not defending what they did because the Yishengs honestly,’ Sk’jin says, the bitterness in his voice seeping in a little more than he intended, judging by the expression on Hoseok’s face. ‘But your father did what he thought was right. What he thought would protect the Universe, what remains of his planet, of his species, his family…he just wanted to protect what mattered the most to him. And that’s what you did too.’

‘Are you trying to make me feel better?’ Hoseok asks him after a while, a tinge of incredulity in his voice.

‘Hoseokkie, I’m not here at a therapist or as a Yisheng to listen to your problems. Spaces knows I have my fair share,’ Sk’jin chuckles humorlessly. ‘There is no definitive say to what is right, what is wrong. Many Beings believe that death, destruction, violence, is a resulting reaction of our failures, our lack. While some believe that it is a part of life- to equalize all the good there must be some bad right? And then there’s us- we’re not anywhere in particular in our beliefs- either because we don’t know what we want to believe in, or because we’re afraid of believing because that will lead to a bitter disappointment.’

It’s quiet again. There’s barely any sound.

‘Do you still think I have a “good heart”?’ the Ngfy’widan chuckles.

‘Oh honey,’ Sk’jin smiles, leaning against the bars to grin and wink at Hoseok. ‘You’re an absolute sweetheart.’

Hoseok snorts once. Then twice. Then he breaks out in to hysterical laughter.

‘This is so stupid,’ Hoseok manages to say as he pushes himself upright, having fallen over from laughing so much. ‘Look at us- look at all of us. There’s the Captain of our ship- some weird cyborg construct Being with years of trauma that we can’t even begin to hope to understand. There’s you, a Khol’isa who used to be the leader of one of the largest pirate-clans across the Universe, and there’s me- someone who killed their own father for a “cause” I don’t even know if I believe in anymore for reasons I cannot plainly state.’

‘And then there’s Yoongi,’ Sk’jin adds.

‘Please, let’s not start on him,’ Hoseok groans.

‘Not much to start on anyways,’ Sk’jin replies with a shrug that Hoseok doesn’t see but it didn’t matter.

They sit in silence for a while.

‘That’s how you knew? Through your father.’ Sk’jin clarifies.

‘Yeah- both of my parents were closely involved in the Isbahaysiga Alliance case,’ Hoseok chuckles under his breath. ‘It was a great cover-up, I have to say.’

‘Did you come across him having some shady meeting?’ Sk’jin grins. ‘Or did you walk in on some important phone call.’

‘No, nothing like that,’ Hoseok sighs out. ‘He told me about it.’

Sk’jin ignores the way the metal cage spins briefly as he turns to look at Hoseok.

‘I think he thought I’d be a good addition to the cause,’ Hoseok shrugs. ‘Or at least he thought I’d agree with him. I mean I get why he would think so…when you’re working as an agent…after some time…’

‘You realize everything repeats itself. All the violence, the deaths, the greed, the selfishness,’ Sk’jin yawns out. ‘It’s just one massive cycle.’

‘And I thought about it for a while,’ Hoseok sounds like he’s confessing something he has never said to anyone. And Sk’jin wouldn’t doubt it either. ‘I thought about it but- the idea of it just seemed so-‘

‘So bizarre? So outlandish? Wrong?’

‘Yeah…’

‘But at the same time you found yourself agreeing, you could understand why your father would think that.’ Sk’jin supplies.

Sk’jin looks away from Hoseok to stare out of the wide gap, to stare at the moon-rocks.

‘Well all make decisions and choices that we don’t always understand but we do them anyways. And the outcome is something we can’t blame on anyone but-‘

‘-Yoongi.’

‘What -Spaces Yoongi!?’ Sk’jin flinches in alarm when he finds the Human sitting casually outside the barred wall.

Hoseok is scrambling up, eyes wide as he regards the Human.

‘Are you all right?’ Yoongi asks, completely unfazed and unsurprised at their reactions.

Sk’jin wonders if Yoongi actually liked creeping about like this just for the reaction.

‘How did you find us? Where’s Namjoon?’ Hoseok asks at once, looking around for the tall captain.

‘In Debris 337,’ Yoongi replies. ‘I tracked you.’

‘Tracked us-?’ Hoseok looks a little confused.

‘I put tracking tabs on all of you.’ Yoongi replies.

‘When?!’ Sk’jin demands.

‘During the first week,’ Yoongi supplies easily.

‘How did we not notice-‘ Sk’jin begins, wondering how the GI agent managed to pull of such a feat without his noticing. Then he pauses to think. Out of anyone in the Universe, Yoongi would be the one who could pull off something like this. Sk’jin feels a chill spread around his body as he thinks of how easily he had overlooked Yoongi, often ignoring what the former GI agent was potentially capable of.

‘Using what?’ Hoseok questions, looking incredibly wary and alarmed. ‘None of my triggers went off.’

‘It’s in the food.’

Sk’jin and Hoseok stare at Yoongi in utter disbelief.

The previous tremor that had run through Sk’jin’s body is back and it feels rather permanent.

‘I’m joking.’ Yoongi’s face is stoic.

Hoseok seems to let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. Sk’jin wonders if he should laugh.

‘It’s in the tea. Namjoon doesn’t eat, so I shifted it to tea.’

Or maybe not. Hoseok seems to be questioning everything he’s ever concluded about Yoongi, too stunned by this easily relayed revelations on bioengineered tracking. How was this even possible?

‘I put very small trace amounts of a rare radioactive element in the tea so I can isolate the isotope frequency straight to all of you.’

‘You poisoned us?!’ Sk’jin splutters out.

‘It wasn’t enough to harm any of you-‘

‘Okay wait- we can discuss this later but right now we need to know how in the we’re gonna get out,’ Hoseok nearly yells out. ‘Yoongi- how do we get out of here. How did you even get here? We were pretty much delivered in here through a Transporter. There’s no way we can get out unless you happen to have a Transporter waiting for us.’  

‘I don’t.’

Hoseok huffs loudly.

‘I came here to make sure you were both all right,’ Yoongi explains and honestly this would be sort of sweet if it weren’t for the fact that Yoongi says this without a single hint of emotion.

‘Where’s the Pluns’na?’ Hoseok asks.

‘It’s been towed away with the Užkulisai at Debris 149,’ Yoongi replies. ‘The Orvan Forces will arrive in 3 hours. You’re being sold for 800,0000 units.’

Sk’jin catches Hoseok looking at him with an alarmed expression but honestly Sk’jin is irritated.

‘I am worth twice that amount,’ he snaps, causing Hoseok to facepalm while Yoongi nods in agreement.

‘Yoongi- wait, how did you get here,’ Hoseok demands, his voice strained and his tone controlled as though trying not to scream.

‘I used the lifts.’

Sk’jin looks past Yoongi to look at Hoseok who looks like someone hit him over the head.

‘…the lifts.’

‘Yes. There’s a magnetic strip that lowers and raises a few of the moon-rock through the tiers.’ Yoongi explains.

‘…and you just got on it?’

‘There were other Beings there too. They didn’t see me.’

Sk’jin and Hoseok share a dumbfounded expression.

‘I’m joking. They were headed here to collect Hobi.’ Yoongi looks at Hoseok. ‘Your friend wants to chop off your head.’

‘…he’s not my friend.’

‘Wait- so what happened to the guards?’ Sk’jin asks.

‘I threw them off the lift.’

There’s another sticky silence that follows.

But before any of them can say anything there’s the distinct sound of footsteps hurrying in.

‘I think they’ve noticed the missing…where did Yoongi go.’ Hoseok begins before he’s spinning around, searching for the Human.

A full dozen K’it’y show up, armed and armoured, their eyes narrowing as they stare at Sk’jin and Hoseok both of whom looked far from oblivious to anything suspicious.

‘Search the cells,’ one of them barks. ‘Pair up and proceed through each row. There’s another one of them missing.’

Sk’jin shares a look with Hoseok, a fleeting one because the next thing that happens is the lights go off. Then they hear a shrieking gasp and by the faint light of the Atmoshield that surrounded the prison block, Sk’jin witnessed two of rear guards crumple to the ground.

‘What was that-?!’

Sk’jin swears he’s keeping watch of the fight (the better term to use would probably be “shooting fish in a barrel”) but he can’t spot Yoongi. Instead one by one, the small platoon of guards sent over to check on their tiny prison cell are being picked off in this dim lighting.

Sk’jin counts at least 5 that fall onto the ground in crumpled heaps before the guards scatter about, keeping space between each other, trying to cover more ground.

‘Hey-‘

One of the guards closer to where Sk’jin’s cell was crumples down on to the floor. Sk’jin has no idea what’s going on. He can’t even spot Yoongi amidst all of this and the K’it’y start freaking out, reporting the situation desperately. One completely loses his mind and starts running off in one direction, firing his TeorSer, creating bright flashes of light.

Amidst this flashing of light, Sk’jin catches sight of a shadow that doesn’t seem to match up to anything Sk’jin can immediately see, moving quickly and swiftly.

‘Go stand by the prisoner cells!’ one of them shouts and they pell-mell run towards Sk’jin and Hoseok’s cells, aiming their TeorSers at them.

‘STAND BACK!’ they yell, aiming their TeorSers at them. Sk’jin could roll his eyes as he takes a modest step back.

‘What the  is that thing?!’ one them pants over the sound of yelling and TeorSer fire from the other side of the prison.

A rather short Human, Sk’jin wants to say, but now was not the time to run his mouth.

The sound of the previous TeorSer going off suddenly stops, followed by a not so pleasant cracking sound that causes everyone to flinch.

It’s deadly silent.

‘Is…is it gone?’ one of them whispers.

Hoseok actually snorts out loud, unable to control himself.

‘Shut up!’ one of them roars.

They stand back to back, TeorSers raised high, lights from its barrel shining brightly around in a rather chaotic manner. Sk’jin sighs and leans against the wall.

‘Yoongi I didn’t know you were so dramatic,’ Sk’jin yawns.

‘Shut up!!’

‘He is, isn’t he?’ Hoseok chuckles. ‘I guess he got a TeorSer now though.’

There’s a collective sound, of heads turning towards Hoseok’s direction and Sk’jin can practically smell their fear.

‘Who do you think is gonna go down first Sk’jin?’ Hoseok drawls from his cell.

‘Oh,’ Sk’jin mock poses a gesture of thoughtfulness, rubbing his chin with great care. ‘I think perhaps- the second one from the back with the slightly more yellow light on his TeorSer-‘

A flash of light fills the air from the back of the prison cell and the K’it’y Sk’jin was describing spins where he stands, falling down in a heap. Everyone turns at once, TeorSers firing up a blazing storm. Sk’jin grimaces and sits back down, covering his ears from the excess noise.

‘Is it gone?’ one of the whispers.

Sk’jin could roll his eyes at their stupidity. Panic and fear made you do stupid things, but these Beings had to be some of the dumbest guards Sk’jin has had the misfortune of meeting.

‘Right,’ Hoseok says casually. ‘I have a really good feeling about the one standing to the edge over there-‘

Hoseok doesn’t even complete his sentence as the aforementioned K’it’y literally flies out of the prison, a TeorSer shot carrying him down the hallway and out of the Atmoshield.

Hoseok makes a sound akin to wincing, as though he felt sorry.

‘My turn!’ Sk’jin says cheerfully, standing up and leaning against the bars, grinning at the K’it’y. ‘How about the-‘

‘You shut your mouth!’ he hisses at Sk’jin, reaching into cover Sk’jin’s mouth.

The K’it’y only realizes his mistake after his arm breaks, bent over the bars of Sk’jin’s cell room. Sk’jin reaches over and grabs the K’it’y by the hair and slams his head against the bar, a resonating cracking sound resounding through the air. He doesn’t care that a few of the TeorSers are aimed at him, clearly about to fire, because they fall to the ground with heavy metallic thunks, as their owners skid down the hallway in a flash of bright light.

There’s a momentary sound of struggling and the other guard who probably made the same unfortunate mistake of reaching into Hoseok’s prison cell also slides down the bars, eyes rolling to the back of his head.

‘Is that all?’ Hoseok asks Sk’jin who nods as the lights switch back on again. He glances at the heaps of K’it’y guards, feeling a little sorry for them. They had no idea what they walked into.

‘Yoongi?’ Hoseok calls.

There’s no answer.

Sk’jin and Hoseok share a look.

‘I swear, if he’s left us here-‘

‘Yoongi?’ Hoseok calls again, looking apprehensive. ‘Do you think he injured himself?’

‘…I honestly really doubt that…’

‘Yoongi?’

Sk’jin and Hoseok share another look. Then there’s a loud explosive sound from beyond their small prison and they both sigh.

‘He left us here didn’t he.’

‘He did.’

*

‘I have a mission for you, Yoongi, if you are willing to take it.’

‘What is it?’

‘I want you to keep track of the remaining crew members. I believe that the Yisheng Yixing, Baekhyun, and the Heladian Min-Seok will remain back, with the added company of my lieutenant Zitao.’

‘What do you expect me to observe during this tracking period?’

‘Simply keep watch. Follow their actions. Do not stop them, do not get in their way. But if they are in danger, make sure you survive it.’

‘And if they separate?’

‘Your priority is the Heladian and the Yisheng.’

‘The Heladian?’

‘Yes.’

K’mara stands up from her seat and walks over to the large window, pulling aside the curtain and allowing the oddly misty light of Unnivel to flood inwards.

‘Love is a strange thing. It is unpredictable and yet at the same time, entirely readable.’

‘I do not understand.’

K’mara turns slowly as she regards Yoongi with a smile.

‘No one does.’

*

Namjoon starts at the sound of the explosion. There’s excited exclamations from his prison mates in the other cells, all clearly waiting for their trial or possible ransom pick-up. Namjoon wonders what they’re going to do to him.

Also, where had Yoongi vanished to? He was literally right behind Namjoon the entire time, in plain sight for everyone to see and poof! He vanishes.

‘Woah- there goes another one!’ his prison mate to the left was apparently very enthusiastic about explosions.

‘Does this happen often?’ someone asks, probably new like Namjoon.

‘Nopes! First time! This is fascinating!’ the voice to his left declares. It’s a deep, strangely melodic voice that pitches up to something strangely child-like and perhaps altogether too giggly.  

‘…how long have you been here?’

‘Around 6 months I think? I’m not sure to be honest…’

Namjoon drowns out the chatter around him.

This was going to be very difficult to explain to the special-jury. And honestly, it was a good thing he hadn’t sent in his Captain’s log just yet. They probably don’t need to know about this slight detour in their journey to Bhumi. It probably wasn’t going to settle well with them either.

Did the Orvan Forces reach out to the Grezma outpost and warn them about their coming? Did Sk’jin have bounty over his head now and everyone remaining and still actively involved in the Isbahaysiga Alliance was now after Sk’jin, so by association, the rest of them? Namjoon sighs heavily- Sk’jin was certainly more trouble than he was worth.

Long-Huon.

Why was that language barred from Lisai’s access probe? Long-Huo was a pretty decent planet with a good standing with the GLA. They produced some of the best pilots their side of the Universe, and the only other thing Namjoon can think about when the planet Long-Huo comes up is the foolish fire-breathing legend. Apparently, the Long-Huo species of Beings could breathe fire when enraged. This was honestly the stupidest thing Namjoon has ever heard. Stupidest, and biologically impossible too. Manipulation of fire was a different story, where you could contain and control the energy of the atoms as they oxidized into light, heat, and energy.

What did Sk’jin have to do with Long-Huo? During his long centuries of piracy, the Khol’isa never once came into contact with the planet or her people. Yet here he was, speaking like one of her natives.

But that didn’t matter now. Because Yoongi understood the language (the questions of how and why would probably be answered another day) so at least, Namjoon would be able to determine what was being said. He’d be able to determine if Sk’jin was in fact colluding with K’mara to take over this mission just like Lmiura feared.

He would definitely be mentioning this to her during the log.

If he could return to the ship in one piece of course. There’s a bright explosion that rapidly diminishes and a few cheers from around the prison again. Namjoon has no idea why these Beings are here, or what they were imprisoned here for. Either internal back-stabbing, or debts unpaid, or something equally basic and common for outpost prisons. Namjoon watches as a few of the populated moon-rocks, or Debris as they were called, light up in a chain reaction and Transporters fly out as quickly as they can.

This was probably Yoongi’s doing. Or Sk’jin and Hoseok. Had they been captured too? Or did they get separated. Maybe Hoseok would be able to talk them out of this but judging by the random explosions and chaos overtaking Grezma, any chance or hope of diplomacy is long gone.

Namjoon backs away from the view beyond the Atmoshield. Perhaps if he just climbed out, lowered himself onto an open platform, got a TeorSer, maybe steal a Transporter, he’d be able to get out of there. But he doesn’t know where the ship is. Where any of his “crew” are, and flying solely on autopilot wouldn’t get him anywhere. He was stuck in here, waiting for his “crew” or for anyone to get him out of this. Maybe Lmiura would hear of this one way or another. But then again, they were off-grid. Rolling his eyes at himself, Namjoon turns his back to the Atmoshield only to nearly jump out of his skin because Yoongi is standing outside his cell, like he’d been there the entire time. This was starting to feel a lot like déjà vu and Namjoon has a feeling that this wasn’t going to be the last time it happens.

‘! Yoongi!’ Namjoon approaches the bars quickly. ‘How in Spaces did you even get in here?!’

‘Through the main entrance,’ Yoongi points to the right.

‘…were there no guards?!’

‘I took them out.’

‘…what about the others?’ Namjoon asks, recovering a little from Yoongi’s monotone narrative.

‘Sk’jin and Hoseok are being held captive. The ship is in Debris 149. Sk’jin is being sold to the Orvan Force for 800,0000 units-‘

‘Isn’t that rather less-‘

‘-and Hoseok is scheduled for execution but I removed the execution party and disabled the lift leading to their prison.’

‘…that’s…very nice of you, Yoongi.’

‘You’re being sold to the Isbahaysiga Alliance for 500,0000 units-‘

‘That’s really insulting.’ Namjoon scowls, wondering why he’s so bothered by this. ‘Also, how did you even find me here? Were you able to hack into the outpost’s operating system?’

‘I am headed for the Governors Hall to access the main operating system screen.’ Yoongi explains. ‘And I found you because I put a tracking tab on you.’

Namjoon’s thoughts are put on immediate pause.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I came here to make sure of your location then I’m going to isolate this prison so that it cannot be accessed.’

‘Wait- no, go back,’ Namjoon waves his hand. ‘What do you mean you’re tracking me?’

Yoongi blinks at him in what Namjoon suspects might be exasperation.

‘I put tracking tabs on all of you.’ Yoongi says, his tone sounding like he’s said this before.

‘When.’ Namjoon inquires as politely as he can.

‘During the first week,’ Yoongi replies.

Namjoon blinks a few times, suppressing the urge to search himself immediately for said tracking tab. How did he not notice? If Yoongi applied it on him, Lisai was supposed to warn him immediately. Or was Lisai somehow controlled by Yoongi? But his own firewalls and surveillance software would be triggered by the installation of any software or malware Yoongi could potentially use.

‘What sort of tracking tab?’ Namjoon asks, arms crossing.

Yoongi looks up at him, arms crossing as well, mirroring Namjoon’s stance.

‘I put it in the food.’

‘I don’t eat.’ Namjoon points out.

‘I’m joking.’

The possibility of Yoongi actually joking is one Namjoon never even considered. He doesn’t know how to deal with this statement.

‘So how did you put the tracking tabs on all of us?’

‘It’s in the tea.’

Namjoon feels his eyebrow twitch. Yoongi still stares up at him, expression unimpressed and entirely blank. Namjoon also thinks, somewhere in the back of his mind amidst all of the what the actual -s that Yoongi had essentially lied to everyone on board the Užkulisai and proceeded to basically poison them.

‘Please explain.’

‘I put very small trace amounts of a rare radioactive element in the tea so I can isolate the isotope frequency straight to all of you.’

‘So you’re saying that you poisoned us with a radioactive chemical.’

‘It wasn’t enough to harm any of you. Only trace amounts to enable an isotropic frequency read.’

Namjoon is annoyed that it’s an extremely simple yet brilliant plan. There were countless elements that had a unique isotropic frequency that could be tracked based solely on their chemical and radioactive composition. They were exceptionally rare, making it all the more ideal for tracking purposes. The only reason such a tracking method hasn’t gained wider recognition in its functionality was because the elements in question were so rare, obtaining them often lead to lots of units and time spent, death, or a lot of deaths.

‘Can we move on.’ Yoongi intones, no hint or suggestion of asking for permission in his voice. It was more of an order.

‘So, you’re going to isolate this prison. And then?’ Namjoon rubs at the side of his head.

‘Then I’m going to head to the Governor’s Hall, take over the operation system, freeze all communication channels and launch rings. All the Transporters are wired to the outpost’s operating system so I will disconnect all of them.’ Yoongi explains.

‘So was this your plan all along?’ Namjoon asks, rather impressed. ‘It’ a good plan. Though I wished you at least gave me a head’s up-‘

‘No- I ran away instinctively.’

Namjoon’s face falls comically.

‘So what are you planning on doing now?’ Namjoon asks, ‘Let me out and we can go get the ship-‘

‘I can’t open these bars without using the master-key.’

‘The what?’

‘The master-key.’

‘…I think there’s a way where you could hack-‘

‘It’s been programmed so that any tampering, both internal and external, will trigger and remove the Atmoshield.’

‘It’s fine, I can survive in vacuum,’ Namjoon waves his hand dismissively.

‘Any tampering, both internal and external, will trigger and remove the Atmoshield from around the Grezma.’

‘…I see your point now. And the master-key is in the Governors Hall?’

‘Yes.’

‘…so then why are you here?’

‘To check on you.’

Namjoon feels a little touched.

‘And to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.’

Namjoon grimaces down at the Human.

‘I’m not doing anything- you’re the one that’s causing all that,’ Namjoon points behind him and just on cue, there’s display of light energy and a few of the moon-rocks bounce off of each other, crashing into other moon-rocks.

‘I simply laid down a series of basic distraction tactics to pull the Grezma guards somewhere else.’

‘Basic.’ Namjoon turns briefly and another chain of moon-rocks detonate in the far distance.

‘Yes.’

They stare at each other contemplatively. Well it’s contemplative on Namjoon’s half; he has no idea what Yoongi is thinking. Then as abruptly as he had appeared, Yoongi turns and walks out.

‘Yoongi!’ Namjoon hisses after the Human.

‘What?’

‘What are you doing?!’

‘Getting the master-key.’

‘…you should have said so!’

‘I did.’

Namjoon doesn’t know what to say to that.

‘Oh. You wanted me to say goodbye.’ Yoongi pauses.

‘No-‘

‘I’ll catch you later Cap,’ Yoongi mimics Sk’jin’s pose, saluting him in mockery before turning heel and walking away.

Namjoon doesn’t know if he feels more irritated at Sk’jin for being a bad influence, or exasperated at Yoongi for picking up said bad habits.

‘Hey neighbour! Was that your friend?’

Namjoon ignores the question from his left and retreats into his cell.

‘Hello?’

If Yoongi is indeed successful in basically overtaking the Grezma operating system, then they were scot-free. They would have to get their ship to a decent enough place to launch them out, and they could leave this  mess behind and just hope that they don’t get caught.

‘Helloooooooooooooooooooo?’

And for that they would probably have to “take care” of the governors who controlled Grezma and Namjoon has no doubt in his mind that Yoongi was more than capable of doing that.

‘Aaaaaaaaare youuuuuuuuuuu theeeeeeeeeeeeereeeeee?’

Namjoon can't even hear himself think anymore.

‘Oh come on, don’t leave me hanging here- I’m sad and lonely- come on, talk to meeeeeeeeeeeeee!’

Namjoon bristles with irritation and barks out, ‘What?’.

‘Finally!’  the voice turns from sorrowful and low to gleeful and pitched immediately. ‘What’s your name?’

Namjoon sighs heavily. This Being probably overheard his conversation with Yoongi though they were being quiet and it was generally quite noisy what with all the shouting and cheering going around.

‘Namjoon.’

‘Nice! Hi Namjoon!’

A hand waves awkwardly at Namjoon from around the wall separating their cells.

‘Yeah hi.’

Namjoon doesn’t bother waving.

‘You didn’t wave!’

Alarmed, Namjoon looks over at the hand that was now limply extending out towards him.

Tentatively, and questioning himself and his sanity, Namjoon waves.

‘Yay!’ the hand waves energetically.

‘It’s kinda awkward talking like this, so I’m gonna come over all right?’ the voice asks.

Namjoon rolls his eyes.

‘Yeah sure come over-‘

There’s a flash of green light, a triangle forming on the wall in bright green before a triangle shaped hole replaces the wall and a Being stands there, bright grin on his face.

‘Hi!’ he waves a glowing green hand, like this was all normal.

‘What the -‘

‘So,’ the Being approaches him rapidly and Namjoon backtracks out of instinct, unsure how to react to this strange Being who is smiling a tad bit too much to his liking. He looked nothing like how his voice sounded like. He’s much too young, much too smiley, and entirely too pleased to be there. Namjoon had somehow envisioned a slight, wizened Being with long hair and crooked teeth, a permanently mad look to his eyes. But this Being in front of him radiates energy, strength, and a sort of joyful bounce to his steps. He’s entirely anthropomorphic save for the copper lines that extend from the corner of his eyes to his hairline. His eyes are glowing green, the same shade as the wall, and his hair has green strands weaving in and out of the overall brown. His skin is sun-kissed and freckled at the high points of his face, and Namjoon doesn’t know if he’s seeing things (he’s still working on the believing aspect of what he’s currently witnessing) but the Being’s skin seemed to faintly patterned over with the same copper colour edging from his eyes. He’s quite tall, though shorter than Namjoon, and had a slimmer narrower built as well.

‘How the did you do that?!’ Namjoon gasps, blinking rapidly and wondering if his eyes were tricking him.

‘So- you’re planning on getting out of here right?’ the Being asks, ignoring Namjoon’s clearly defensive stance.

‘Uh- yes-?’ Namjoon manages to get out, unsure of what he was even saying because none of this made sense.

‘Great! So do I! Let’s help each other out! I’m guessing you have a ship?’ the Being asks again, crouching down next to Namjoon, peering at him with great interest before saying in a low voice, ‘Woah, Kutsogleran…’

He’s suddenly too close, almost nose to nose and Namjoon would have broken out into a defensive strike but there’s something about this Being that unhinges him deeply. A formidable power lurks around this Being and Namjoon is not one to poke a monster with a stick. With this proximity, Namjoon is able to really look into this Being’s eyes. They’re a dark green, ringed twice with copper and a strange depth to the darkness of his iris, like an entire universe lay behind his eyes.

‘Um yes-‘

‘But what’s this?’ the Being raises one eyebrow quizzically before he giggles and it’s probably the creepiest thing Namjoon has heard.

‘You have something in you-‘ he says and there’s a flash of light followed by a surge of pain that goes away as quickly as it comes and Namjoon is winded, too shocked to move.

‘There! Done! I don’t think it was important anyways.’

‘What-?’ Namjoon manages to wheeze out, his body doesn’t feel any different. He feels no surge of weakness or anything. There’s no change.

‘All right time is ticking!’ he bounces straight up again. ‘Let’s do this!’

He raises his hands and the air around them is green again and the bars simply vanish, leaving behind a gaping triangular hole. The Being turns around to look down at Namjoon.

‘What are you waiting for? Let’s go!’

*

It’s music. Yoongi is sure of it.

At least that’s what his mind tells him. If he thinks back enough, he might be able to name it and where it came from.

He can hear it all the better after the alarm that had rung loud and sharp from within the ship had stopped.

It was beautiful and tinged with sadness. Simply an old echo of the life that had once created its melodies and harmonies.

Yoongi stores this information into the depths of his mind.

It felt precious and pure.

He watches as the crew members make their goodbyes. He stands at a safe distance, close enough to see, but not enough to hear. Something inside Yoongi tells him he should give them privacy in this moment.

The Engineer is there too. The “digitized-soul”.

It’s only him and the Heladian now and he can’t seem to move away.

They’re speaking too quietly, their movements too small, their actions too loud.

Yoongi feels strange as he watches the ship take off and smoothly exit the Yaaig’Ra Ari Mothership.

The remaining members had moved away from the engines and the turbines. They now stood no more than 5 meters from where Yoongi sat.

‘What if they don’t come back?’ The Heladian asks out loud. His voice reminds Yoongi of empty and hollow caves that once shone brightly with crystals and ice.

‘They will,’ the Cahyan replies, voice quivering.

‘They have to.’

*

‘Hrikth’ak Union. From the Baal System.’

‘The Shnezur-ghur-Shnezur United Front, from the Neina System.’

‘Oh- that’s a good one. Okay, Latise Clan, from the Ni’Oflun System.’

‘I’ve never been, but I knew someone who went there- are the planets really all that severe?’

‘You have no idea- I never bolted so fast in my life.’

‘Yeah, gonna avoid that System then. Okay, how about Qoçu from Quilincar?’

‘This is some severe name-dropping here Hoseokkie, I better up my game too.’ Sk’jin laughs from his cell.

Hoseok and Sk’jin were entertaining each other by naming pirate-clans they’ve either dealt with, or messed up with. They had been at it for nearly 15 minutes now and Hoseok finds that neither of them are running out of names.

‘Okay the Matit’ee Network in I’latri,’ Sk’jin calls out victoriously.

‘Wow- I’latri? Really?’ Hoseok hums in awe and wonder.

‘Unfortunately yes. Nearly died there.’

‘Will you two shut up?!’

Hoseok and Sk’jin glance over at the K’it’y in question with an unimpressed look. There were half a dozen of them, heavily armed and armoured. So heavily armoured you could barely see their faces.

‘What about the Kẻ Trộm Union?’ Hoseok asks, looking away from the guards.

‘Oh! I haven’t gone there,’ Sk’jin replies, tapping along the side of the bars of his cage.

He looks drained and tired. Despite his unwavering “cheerfulness” (Hoseok prefers to call it unwavering -ness) Sk’jin definitely looks ill and weak. Even the red of his eyes don’t gleam like Hoseok has seen them gleam.

‘I met a few of that clan, but never dealt with them.’ Sk’jin adds.

‘If you two don’t shut up I will come in there-‘

‘-and I will personally decapitate you,’ Sk’jin drawls lazily. ‘Please, by all means, do come in and entertain me.’

There’s a chilling silence that follows. Because Sk’jin (even in his current state of ill-health) was most probably the most beautiful Being to have graced this prison cell but there was no mistaking that predatory gleam in his eyes that held promises of pain. It also didn’t help that there had been bodies littered around them. Though they had only been responsible for one each, the entire visual of it was pretty damning.

‘No? Then you shut up,’ Sk’jin smiles. ‘I’ve never been to Kẻ Trộm but I have had a few…meetings with their sister-network; the Người’côn Estate. Frankly frightening and I believe a lot more ruthless than their male counterparts I must say.’

‘I’m surprised you made it out alive,’ Hoseok chuckles.

‘Oh, I had to make a lot of deals to get out of there alive,’ Sk’jin chuckles. ‘I had to be rather persuasive.’

Hoseok would rather not hear the details of this persuasion and proceeds to name another pirate-clan he had the pleasure of dealing with.

‘Rähilin Klann?’

‘I killed their pirate-head.’ a new voice says.

‘That’s cool-?!’ Hoseok looks up to find Yoongi standing outside his prison cell, looking nowhere near like he was clearly responsible for the thundering explosive sounds, the bright flashing of light, the chaotic show of Transporters flying about haphazardly, or the occasional screams they heard via the open-channel K’it’y Comm-Devices that were still switched on.

Then the guards around them fall over slowly, one by one.

‘Yoongi you piece of -‘ Sk’jin seethes, standing up at once.

‘I know how to get us out.’

‘Yoongi you’re the best-‘ Sk’jin coos delightedly, cheering a little.

‘But Namjoon is missing.’

‘Yoongi what the actual -‘ Sk’jin exclaims, facepalming.

Hoseok looks down at the fallen bodies, wondering how in Spaces Yoongi just did that but there is a time and place for everything and now was not the time or place to question the former GI agent’s ability to kill. Also, to an extent, Hoseok does not want to know. He’s been living inside a relatively small space with this Human for nearly 2 months now and Hoseok has found out under a span of an hour that not only has he essentially poisoned them, but he’s single-handedly capable of overthrowing an entire outpost.

‘What do you mean he’s missing?’ Hoseok asks as Yoongi pulls out a device from his pocket that’s covered in a worrisome amount of blood and taps it to the side of Hoseok’s prison bar. The bars sink into the ground and Hoseok steps out quickly.

‘I cannot track him. He’s disappeared,’ Yoongi explains as he gingerly steps over the fallen bodies, headed for Sk’jin’s cell.

Hoseok picks up a TeorSer, making sure it was fully charged and functional.

‘…is he dead?’ Sk’jin looks alarmed. ‘How the do we even start the ship if he’s dead? Spaces even when he’s dead he’s still annoying.’

So maybe Sk’jin wasn’t speaking out of concern over Namjoon’s whereabouts.

‘No he’s not dead,’ Yoongi replies as he taps the side of the wall next to Sk’jin’s cell. It glows blue briefly before the bars sink down as well. Sk’jin steps out, immediately grabbing a TeorSer for himself as well. Hoseok doesn’t have the time to think about how they’re all armed and off the grid and how this would make an ideal moment to take over the Užkulisai. This does however, make him pause for a moment to regard Yoongi.

The Human agent could have easily left them behind, taking over the mission easily. He could pilot the Užkulisai there was no doubt about it, and he was certainly more than capable of flying off-grid and getting to Bhumi without too much trouble if needed. Why did he come back? Sk’jin is asking Yoongi more questions as the  latter weaves around the fallen guards, searching their pockets and bags for something.

‘Namjoon was being held in a larger and more populated prison than this one,’ Yoongi explains as he removes a few of the Comm-Devices. He hands them to Hoseok and Sk’jin before attaching one on his ear and he produces a slim heavily customized screen as well as a familiar looking one. ‘Then he disappeared 26 minutes ago.’

‘Isn’t that Namjoon’s-‘ Sk’jin begins before Yoongi is ing it into his hands.

‘Yes. Please keep track of the Užkulisai,’ Yoongi says as he taps along the other screen.

‘What are you doing now?’ Sk’jin asks, unsure what to do with the screen in his hands.

‘I am looking for Namjoon through the Grezma surveillance feed.’

‘How did you get access to that?!’ Hoseok demands.

‘I found the master-key-‘

‘Wait- what do you mean master-key?’ Hoseok asks.   

Yoongi looks up from his screen to level him and Sk’jin with a blank look. Ordinarily, this would be that moment where the Being in question has an exasperated or frustrated expression on their face, clearly put off by the torrent of questions. But Yoongi is extraordinarily blank-faced.

‘After I left this cell hold, I went to the “gibbets” where Namjoon was being held to check on him. I secured your locations, and went to confirm our ship's location. After listening to some conversation, I was informed that I would need a master-key in order to find my way around. None of the guards had a master-key so I went straight up to the Governors Hall. Just as I assumed, the master-key was there. Your not-friend was there as well. I don’t know what story you might have with him, but he did want to behead you so I-‘

‘You beheaded him?!’ Hoseok splutters.

‘No. I thought maybe you might want to do it yourself. I do not know how a Ngfy’widan performs his revenge or if there was any to execute at all so I gagged him and put him inside a cupboard-‘

Sk’jin breaks out into hysterical giggles.

‘-then I broke into the main suite and found the master-key and came back here. I also found our ship in the process. The Užkulisai is docked near the Maintenance Bay to strip it down but I shut down that area.’

‘How did you do that?’ Sk’jin asks, staring down at the Human in shock and respect.

‘The Governors Hall has an operating screen that allowed me to control the entire outpost. I have shut down all outpost Transporter mobility save for the one outside and locked all magnetic rifts so the lifts cannot be used.’ Yoongi reels off. ‘I then loaded their software onto this, so I can control Grezma through this.’

‘That’s…’ Sk’jin trails off, ‘…you did that…in under an hour…’

‘We don’t have time. The Orvan Forces will arrive here in an hour.’ Yoongi holds up the screen, showing an message recently received from the Orvan Forces.

‘But what about Namjoon?’ Sk’jin asks again. ‘How did you lose his isotropic reading?’

‘I don’t know.’

Hoseok notes that this is the most expression he’s seen on Yoongi’s face.

There’s the slightest furrow between his brows, as he walks towards the exit. A small Transporter is waiting for them, half inside the shelf that was protected by the Atmoshield and half outside.

‘So what do we do now?’ Sk’jin asks, looking excited as he gets inside the cozy 6-seater Transporter.

‘We find Namjoon,’ Yoongi says simply as he slides into the pilot’s chair, handing Sk’jin the other screen. ‘Then we get out of here.’

‘But our records are here-‘ Hoseok argues. They were definitely going to get a random called over all of their heads and their ship, there was no doubt about that.

‘I’ve removed our record from their archive,’ Yoongi replies quietly as the Transporter hums to life and they swiftly take flight. Yoongi expertly navigates them through the shifting moon-rocks, as though he’d been doing it for years.

‘Yoongi didn’t you say that the Orvan Forces would be headed here in an hour?’ Sk’jin asks lightly out of nowhere, the light from the screens in his hands illuminating him in a pale blue light.

‘Yes.’

‘And you’ve basically shut down all communications going in and out of Grezma.’

Hoseok has a bad feeling about this.

‘Yes.’

‘So there was no information about what appears to be a slaver-ship making dock at Grezma?’

‘What?!’ Hoseok looks past where Sk’jin is sitting, staring in disbelief as a massive ship looms over the edge of the moon-rocks. It was most definitely a slaver-ship and clearly a powerful one. And more than that, this was a starcraft clearly designed by and for the Venture Unit. Meaning this outpost was more than just an outpost. What had Keghtsa gotten mixed into?  

‘Who are they?!’ Hoseok asks into the air.

‘I don’t know but it seems like they’re sending their own fleet to check.’ Sk’jin looks over at Hoseok, a hard look in his eyes. ‘We both know that’s no ordinary slaver-ship,- we need to get out of here right now!’ Sk’jin secures himself in. ‘Yoongi, you need to get us to our ship and we need to get out now.’

‘We need to get Namjoon or we can’t start the ship,’ Hoseok frowns at Sk’jin.

‘We can- we have his NaviLet- but we can’t allow that to catch us.’ Sk’jin nods towards the twinkling lights. ‘This is and has to be the Isbahaysiga Alliance. The Orvan Forces clearly contacted them. If we get caught, it’s not just us. Our mission, our cargo- think about what they’ll do if they get their hands on our cargo! Think about what will happen if they find out why we’re here.’

The Isbahaysiga Alliance was technically eradicated but not even a few months into their mission, echoes of its reanimated corpse seems to trail after them everywhere they went. There was something strange about all of this. Hoseok doesn’t know why, and he can’t explain how, but clearly there was something, some information, some additional aspect of their mission that was entirely hidden from them.

Because their mission was one that closely corresponded with the Isbahaysiga Alliance, in one way or another. And if they find out their mission, and who they’re working for, then this was going to end horribly for them.

‘What about Namjoon?’

‘He’ll manage if he’s smart enough. They’ll most probably take him along- if I’m not mistaken then one of the reason why they’re here is most likely because they have “cargo” here. This outpost has too many prison cells to make sense,’ Sk’jin shake his head. ‘We’ll get Namjoon out, but right now we need to leave immediately.’

‘Understood,’ Yoongi says quietly, hearing the obvious logic in Sk’jin’s plan.

‘We need to find out who they are, and where they’re headed, then we can decide what exactly we have to do .’ Sk’jin’s expression changes entirely. He looks serious and contemplative, turned in his seat to watch the distant dark grey ship with apprehension reflected in his eyes.

But Hoseok can’t help but feel fearful for the Kutsogleran Captain. He would have no idea what was happening to them. And now that they couldn’t track him anymore, it would make everything all the more difficult.

‘He’ll be fine.’ Yoongi says out of nowhere as they take cover, weaving through thickly clustered moon-rocks. Yoongi has his eyes fixed on a large layered slab up ahead. Hoseok can just about make out their ship.

‘He’s faced worse.’

*

‘I hope you know what you are doing.’ K’mara says to the Yisheng.

‘And I hope you know what you are doing too.’ The Yisheng replies.

K’mara does not reply to this and instead raises her Comm-Device to and states clearly without any remorse or regret or hesitation in her voice.

‘Destroy it.’

It’s strange.

This wasn’t the first time Yoongi has watched the destruction of a planet.

Light in clear arcs spread over the screen, disrupting the holographic projection. It’s beautiful in a way that shouldn’t be beautiful. A cruel and sad beauty that doesn’t make sense to Yoongi.

The Yisheng’s eyes are closed, unable to watch.

The holographic projection shuts down as the light grows too bright. K’mara is unmoving and she doesn’t look away from the Yisheng who finally opens his eyes

‘I’m doing what I have to do.’

Did knowing what you were supposed to do in any way affect what you were supposed to do? What you had to do?

Yoongi watches them quietly, unmoving from behind the pillar.

The light from the broken remains of the planet burns into his mind.

*

‘HEY! GET US OUT OF HERE TOO!’

‘HEY KID- LOOK KID I’LL GIVE YOU A TON OF UNITS, JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE YEA?’

‘PLEASE GET US OUT OF HERE I BEG YOU-‘

Namjoon just follows the strange Being in front of him who skips down the long rows with ease, ignoring the pleading cries and extending hands merrily.

‘So- how did you end up here?’ he asks, not looking back as he merrily weaves in and out of the rows.

‘I’m still not entirely sure.’

‘But you have a ship right? Like you’re the captain?’

‘Yes?’

‘Cool- and what about your friend? What does he do?’

‘Uh- he’s the weapon’s specialist.’

‘Really? Nice!’ the Being stops in front of a heavy door. ‘Hey, do you mind if we make a quick detour?’

‘What-‘

The Being raises his hands and places them on the door. There’s that same bright green light and suddenly the door isn’t there anymore, and instead a triangular hole is there. There’s no melting, no cutting, no shaving, no signs of force or energy used against the thick metal doors. The entire front slab is missing as though it had simply never been there in the first place. Bolts and screws are cleanly halved, no signs of cutting, no sawing, nothing. It just simply didn’t exist anymore.

The Being steps inside the dark opening, glowing faintly green.

‘Let’s go!’ he reaches forward and pulls Namjoon in.

Namjoon briefly wonders what’s wrong with himself, why he was allowing some random Being to pull him about. Then he realizes it.

He was afraid.

They’re on some stairs that go downwards. Honestly Namjoon didn’t think that they would excavate into the moon-rock to create dungeon like spaces.

‘I think they’re here somewhere,’ the Being mumbles looking like he had difficulty seeing before he makes a small sound of exclamation and rings of pure green energy pulse out of him, forming seemingly solid blocks of light in green.

‘That’s better- green’s all right for you?’ he turns to ask Namjoon, eyes glowing copper.

‘I-‘

There’s a plaintive cry from below the stairs and Namjoon then realizes what he’s looking into.

A dungeon this most certainly was. Cramped cages of thick metal bars cropped up everywhere, forcing Beings to stand pressed up against each other without the possibility of rest or the possibility to stand straight. It was dark and damp and cold and the crying sound resembles a gasping and dying groan, one that sounds too familiar to Namjoon.

The Being lets go of Namjoon’s wrist and the rings around him expand wider outwards, illuminating the low ceilinged dungeon. It wasn’t a large place but Namjoon can count at least 50 separate Beings of all age, gender, species, and race gathered in here.

‘Hey,’ the Being says softly, carefully walking up towards one of the cages.

‘Do you remember me? You remember me right?’ he asks softly.

What was going on?

‘I’m going to help you. I’m going to help all of you, all right? Just hang in there, you’re going to be safe soon, all right?’ the Being’s voice is gentle and soft.

He steps away, arms extending outwards until the rings of light reached the very end of the dungeon. Then in one collective sweep, everyone inside the dungeon seemingly loses consciousness.

Namjoon immediately backs out, scrambling up the stairs.

Who was that? What was he doing?

Never in all of Namjoon’s years alive has he witnessed such a display of “power”. He’s so caught up in his thoughts that he nearly doesn’t see the K’it’y guard that runs in, eyes wide as he regards the triangular entrance over the heavy metal doors. Namjoon easily knocks him out, a single swinging punch to his jaw, sending him crashing downwards. Namjoon arms himself with his TeorSer and just in time too, because a shot is fired at him and Namjoon ducks back inside the doorway only to come face to face with the stranger Being.

‘Hey-‘

‘No!’ Namjoon says fiercely. ‘I don’t know what your deal is. But I don’t want anything to do with you or this ed up you have going on there-‘

‘Oh look! They’re here!’

Namjoon doesn’t want to look away but he does. Staring out of the triangular opening and into the Atmoshield covered gateway ahead, Namjoon watches as a large starcraft, clearly of Venture Unit make, and clearly a slaver-ship, pulling in slowly into Grezma’s orbital border.

His bones feel like they’re on fire, his wrists burn and his skin crawls with hatred.

‘Shhh, it’s okay.’

A soft voice says next to him. Somehow, he’s gently patting Namjoon on the head in a comforting manner. Namjoon jerks away, colliding painfully with the wall behind him.

‘I’m sorry you had to see this again- I bet you thought they were all gone right?’ the Being says, eyes wide and filled with sorrow.

‘What are you talking about-‘

‘The slaver-ships. They’re still here, just creeping along poor systems, too far from the GLA’s protection.’ He says softly. ‘Like them.’

He points down the stairs.

‘Robbed away from their planet.’

Namjoon grits his teeth. He couldn’t get into this. He can’t. He was on a mission, and he had to fulfill it. He had to complete it.

There’s a burst of fire over their heads and Namjoon ducks even lower, quickly followed by the Being next to him. Aiming and firing quickly, Namjoon makes his target and hears a cry of pain.

‘Someone’s broken into the keep! Bring the guards here! At least hold it until they get here!’

Namjoon grimaces.

He was going to have to escape quickly. 

‘Hey Namjoon?’

‘Spaces, what?‘

‘Do you need help?’

Namjoon huffs irritably, firing another shot.

‘No really, I can totally help,’ the Being next to him grins, his hands glowing green.

‘No I got this.’ Namjoon grunts back.

‘You don’t “got this”,’ he intones, mimicking Namjoon’s tone. ‘They’re going to bring reinforcement and your TeorSer isn’t enough to hold them back.’

Namjoon huffs, closing his eyes.

‘So what do you suggest we do?’ he asks the stranger in front of him.

‘Nothing. We wait until they come arrest us, we surrender, and we get taken into their main ship,’ the Being points a glowing finger towards the looming starcraft. ‘Then we burst out of there, freeing all of the captured Beings, and we return them to safe Docks, and give them new lives to live!’

He does a little cheer.

‘Are you insane?’ Namjoon asks. And he asks this very seriously.

‘Would an insane person respond with a “yes” or a “no”?’

Namjoon wipes at his face. He’s had the worst possible luck in the past few months. This was the crowning glory.

Where even was Yoongi? Didn’t he say he would be coming back? And that Namjoon shouldn’t do anything stupid? Spaces, everything about this was stupid.

There’s a lot of noise, yelling and shouting and alarms ringing.

The Being next to him cups his hands over his ears and one eyebrow up, as though listening intently.

‘Ah, the reinforcement is here. We’re really outnumbered here.’ he says with a shrug and a smile.

Namjoon did not have time for this. He did not have the time, the mental capacity, or the general wherewithal to process any of this.

‘Look- you can continue on your quest to free those Beings but I have things to do, places to be,’ Namjoon growls out, shouldering the TeorSer properly and aiming properly. There were gas lines that fed oxygen into the prisons, probably close to the doors where there control panels would be located. If Namjoon can aim at one of those and create a diversion, then he could simply escape the Atmoshield and find the closest Transporter which no doubt should be close-by and fully operational judging by the amount of guards pouring in at this given moment. Then he would have to of course find the others and get back to the ship.

‘So do I,’ the Being states, with a firm nod of his head. ‘So I’m sorry for having to do this.’

Namjoon should have expected this.

Green light flashes around him and he expects pain but there’s nothing. In fact Namjoon wonders if he’s just imagining things until he realizes he can’t move. He can’t even open his mouth. Is this really happening to me, what the actual .

The Being stands up, brushing his knees.

‘I’ve been following them for a while now you see,’ he explains as Namjoon slowly lifts into the air. His eyes can still move and notices with horror as glowing green lengths of rope-like light binds him down and lifts him, following the Being back down the stairs. ‘And I have my heart set on freeing them.’

He looks back up at Namjoon, eyes wide with earnestness and sincerity.

‘I was given a chance, an opportunity.’ He says quietly, looking down with a sad smile. ‘And I wasn’t able to give back what I was given. So I want to make sure that I can extend that chance, that opportunity, and help those who can’t help themselves.’

Namjoon thinks this is all very good for this Being. Hooray for spreading hope and all that. But Namjoon cannot spare any of that right now.

‘But don’t worry Namjoon, you won’t be left behind and I’ll make sure you that you’re safe!’ the Being smiles gleefully again, eyes glowing a little. ‘I know for a fact that your crew will come back for you. Your friend won’t leave you. I can guarantee it!’

Namjoon rolls his eyes. Do you even know my crew? He wants to ask.

‘Oh right! I realized I haven’t introduced myself!’ the Being poses, fingers held up in a ‘v’ as thudding footsteps can be heard running down the stairs into the dungeon.

‘Call me Taeh’yung!’

*

‘They found out.’

‘About?’

‘Zhoumi and his involvement.’

‘Do you think you can find Zhoumi after this?’ K’mara doesn’t look up from her screen.

‘I don’t think he ever left Šerdesas in the first place.’

‘That is what I believe too. Do they plan on leaving?’

‘They are already headed there.’

‘Is the Yisheng there as well?’

‘He is.’

‘Good. Keep them all in one place.’

‘Understood.’

K’mara looks up from her screen.

‘Good luck, Yoongi.’

Yoongi pauses, mulling the words over in his mind. He catches sight of a large vase filled with large pale lavender flowers. Yoongi can smell their perfume from here.

‘Admiral.’

‘Yes?’

‘How many flowers do you see in that vase?’

*

(Author’s Notes)
AYO GUESS WHO IS FINALLY HERE.
Since I’m a broke student and I live off of kind and thoughtful people, I have been able to watch Bon Voyage 2 and can I just. Say. Something. Really. Quickly. And. That’s. 
EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS SO CUTE. I LOVE FAMILIES, I LOVE THEIR BOND, I LOVE HOW COMFORTABLE AND EASY THEY ARE WITH EACH OTHER THEY’RE JUST SO. *HUGS THEM ALL VIOLENTLY*
AND WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT YOONMIN 
I say we have to talk about Yoonmin but I don’t know what to say I’m at a loss I’m just waiting for inspired fanfics to drop like please, this is great material I beg of you.
AND ALSO KIM JONGDAE WITH BLOND HAIR AND FAKE FRECKLES IS KILLING ME I AM CURRENTLY DEAD 
And SM why would you do this to Jongin my precious son, and to Baekhyun, my other son who honestly does sort of pull off the mullet BUT CAN WE NOT PLEASE BYE