#oh i didn’t quite get the orbital speed right while trying to land my ship on the sun station

[castielrisingabove]

One of my gifts in Outer Wilds is that I can almost always out-stupid your stupidest death. Feeling ashamed you forgot your suit when you left your ship? One time I got so excited to land I unbuckled mid landing and died on impact. Bummed you got sucked into the sandfall on the twins? Once I managed to fly the shuttle directly into timber hearth, trapping me inside.

[cant-blink]

Prisoner, Ch. 1

Summary: Gigan and Megalon meet a young Ghidorah. Gigan is intent on converting the child into their pirate crew, whether he likes it or not. 

-

What the hell happened here?

Glancing between the red planet ahead of them and the radar meant to detect life, both seemed desolate. But that can’t be right, he’s heard all about this world and the rare fauna it held, valued on the exotic pet black-market. Yet the sensors were picking up no life down below. Not even a plant.

Gigan rechecked the coordinates, just to ensure that they made it to the right world. Yep, it was and he wondered if there was some sort of malfunction.

He glanced back, seeing Megalon play-wrestling with Scoli. He said nothing to the beetle and centipede, as he directed the ship to orbit this world. Maybe they were in a bad spot? But as they moved, there continued to be no signs of life down below. Odd, very odd indeed. It was almost li-

Wait, there we go! The radar was finally picking up life signatures by the world’s single giant ocean. That’s a relief.

He lets out a soft breath, a smile growing on his beak as his hooked claw reached out and delicately pushed some of the buttons on the control panel. He glanced back again at his crewmates.

“Hey,” he started, getting their attention. “We’re going in for a landing.”

And that’s the only warning they were getting to brace themselves before he plunged the ship down into the atmosphere with speed. Flames erupt from the front of the ship and the floor began to tremble slightly before increasing in intensity. The emergency light flashed as warnings came to the control panel’s computer to slow the fuck down! But Gigan held firm, his beak cracking into a wide grin. 

The screaming coming from behind him only encouraged his behavior as they cut through the last layer of cloud.

Cutting it a bit short, he leveled out the ship close enough to the ground to whip up a huge plume of dirt and debris. Their momentum held firm, the landscape zooming beneath them at breakneck speed.

Looming up from the horizon was a mountain, that they were heading straight for!

“GIGAN, STOP IT!!” he heard shouting and he was pretty sure it was Megalon. He lets out a laugh before activating the anti-gravity devices to lift the ship up higher to avoid a mountain range. There was the ocean just beyond, purple in color. Here we go. He finally brought the ship to a halt and began hovering it down towards the ground. Easy now, easy... Putting down the gears, the ship landed delicately onto the rocky shore. 

Perfect, as always!

Turning towards his crew, he saw Scoli clinging to a wall and Megalon stuck on his back and he shook his head slightly. But he did nothing to help up his clumsy friend as he refocused on the control panel. 

“Get ready to go. I’m going to activate the cameras; I want full 360 view of the place.” He glanced out a window. “Don’t want to miss out on an opportunity, after all.”

-

He’s almost done with this world.

Its lifeforms were quite large and plentiful, and so many of them had young. Perfect conditions for harvesting lifeforce and fueling his growth. He’s already gathered enough victims into his bio-sac dome to make the journey to the next world and was now occupying his time until his meal was ready for consumption. Nothing more fun than a round of exploration, and senseless murder!

He had just found the ocean, and he was playing with it. Its water seemed to have solidified into a thick purple substance, like gelatin, and it seemed to be alive in and of itself. It would rise up in thick tendrils and nudged against his legs in an attempt to engulf him; it reminded him of his bio-sac’s tentacles snatching up anything that came too close. 

Luckily, it was very easy for him to pull free and it only encouraged his curiosity. He would bite into the jelly and his teeth would penetrate a transparent layer. There was the taste of salt-water in the fluid that poured into his maw. 

Blegh.

He wasn’t a fan of eating it, and he lets the pieces splatter onto the ground from his mouth. But biting chunks out of it was still very fun indeed. What was more fun, though, was him spotting a creature further out to sea. It wasn’t a species he’s met before, and how could he resist flying out to meet it?

This prey was the largest creature he’s met in his short life so far, about half his size. It stood upright, without front appendages beyond a few small tentacles at the front of its body. Its disproportionately large feet were gouging chunks out of the gelatin ocean as it walked on its surface. It had a crest structure jutting out the back of its head and a large glowing... eye on either side of it, glowing a bright amber. 

It seemed so blissfully unaware of his presence as he flew over it, as if it was confident its sheer size would protect it from harm. No doubt, it had no natural predators on this measly planet, but he was anything but natural.

He opened his jaws and shot flaming energy balls at it. The thick purple liquid rippled out as some of his fireballs struck the surface, explosions coming up around his prey. It lets out an echoing booming cry and the young Ghidorah does not let up. He shoots another trio of fireballs, one of them striking its tail and severing it to fall into the disturbed ocean. The tentacles thrashed around as its cries grow more high-pitched in distress.

Chuckling to himself, the young dragon swooped in from behind, his talons out to sink into the creature’s flesh. It began to struggle, but he was not to be dislodged as his three jaws surged forward to tear into its flesh. Rip it apart bit by bit.

After a moment spent torturing this creature, his wings began to flap. Luckily, this world had a thick atmosphere with light gravity, allowing him to take off with relative ease even with this added burden.

There was a bit of a suction effect trying to pull it off the ocean, as if the creature was gripping it, but with another tug, he ripped it free. Chunks of the purple gelatin fell from its feet and back onto the rest of the ocean.

He flew this creature back to the beach, and dropped it onto land without care. Its collision onto the beach was not a pleasant one from the sound of it and it seemed to struggle getting itself back up. He doesn’t allow it to recover as he landed beside it, his jaws clamping onto different parts of its mangled broken body before lifting it into the air.

Hearing the cries of fear and pain as he slammed his prey into the ground repeatedly was like music to his ears and always had him wanting to hear more. He hoped this was a plentiful species, as he was starting to run out of toys to play with.

It was a sure sign that soon, it’ll be time to move on. 

Dropping his still-living prey onto the ground one last time, he planted a foot onto it to keep it pinned and leaned down to start stripping flesh from its body to devour. He didn’t require flesh to survive, he needed only to sap their life energy. But it was still fun to taste, to rip apart, even better if they were still alive while he did so.

His right head caught sight of something flashing through the sky over the mountains. His left head focused on it as well as he fed, his large eyes taking in every detail.

Not a meteor, but a ship. It was landing somewhere much further up the beach.

Oh, good! More toys to play with! It’s not often that prey just hand themselves on a silver platter like this.

Licking his bloodied lips, he shifted his foot to where its giant amber eyes were, assuming this must be the head. The creature wasn’t even struggling anymore, even as he placed all his weight onto that foot, crushing it beneath his weight. Feeling the bones break apart and the blood spreading over his sole, he pulled his foot away to admire his work for a moment before turning away. He started running towards the ship, his wings fanning open wider to catch the wind until he built up enough speed to kick off the ground and fly into the air.

Let’s have some fun.

-

“Ghidorah?”

Megalon tilted his head, looking back at the screen Gigan was watching, spotting a small kaiju flying in. The cyborg had the image zoomed in and enhanced, and he can see a three headed creature making a bee-line straight for them. The beetle has never met this infamous ‘Ghidorah’ before, so he wasn’t sure what he was expecting. This, however, wasn’t it.

“That’s Ghidorah?” he couldn’t help but ask. This was the creature that killed off Gigan’s Masters? The one the cyborg was lusting over? The one the beetle declared as his rival? THIS was the cosmic terror?!

Well, beating this thing to a pulp was going to be easier than he thought and he was about to hurry outside to do just that when Gigan speaks up.

“He’s not my Ghidorah,” he told him with audible confusion and disbelief. “This is a whole new one. I never heard of another Ghidorah being created.” The cyborg chuckled slightly as he watched the screen. This hydra was a lot smaller than the one he knew, a youngster most likely. Was his Ghidorah breeding somewhere out there and this was one of his offspring? Isn’t that very interesting...

“What do we do with it?” Scoli asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Gigan chortled. “We invite him to join us. A Ghidorah, even a young one like this, will be more valuable than anything else we can poach from this planet.”

“If he’s so valuable, shouldn’t we sell him?” Megalon asked with an edge to his voice. He didn’t want to have this... thing with them, so he’s willing to say anything to get rid of this little dragon. Gigan’s Ghidorah or not, Megalon didn’t want the potential competition for the cyborg’s attention.

Gigan was more than aware of what the beetle was trying to do and he couldn’t hold back a smirk at Megalon’s jealousy. “No amount of money would be good enough.” He heard the ‘hmph’ from the insect and turned back to look at the little hydra. “Like it or not, Megalon, we’re keeping him.” He looked towards Scoli. “Clear out one of the containment units, one of the heavy duty ones, just in case. We’ll meet you outside.”

Scoli nodded softly before turning and scurrying away towards the lower decks. Gigan spent another moment to watch the little dragon come in for a landing nearby before opening the doors and moving towards the exit.

Megalon rushed to keep up. “But what if it’s not a Ghidorah and it’s just some random thing that LOOKS like a Ghidorah?” What did he have to say to discourage this cyborg’s interest in this youngster?

“You’re being silly now, babe,” Gigan said with humor before continuing. “I know what a Ghidorah looks like. There’s no mistaking them for anything else.”

“But... but... He’s so tiny! Are we really going to play baby-sitter until he’s all grown-up?”

“I play baby-sitter with you all the time, soooooo...” Gigan drawled before he looked over his shoulder at him, knowing exactly how to shut this beetle up. “You’re not trusting me, Megalon. Acting all jealous over a kid of all things.” He maintained hard eye-contact with the insect. “Keep yourself in check, or I’ll start reconsidering our friendship.”

Megalon froze for a moment. Did Gigan just call him- “I’m not jealous!” the beetle stated defensively, fumbling over his thoughts a bit as he tries to come up with a valid excuse for his behavior. “I just don’t think this is a good-”

Suddenly, the sound of an explosion came and the ship’s foundation shook. Gigan knew immediately what was happening; the damn kid was attacking their ship! Without another word towards Megalon, he rushed outside and turned in the direction the young Ghidorah should be. There he was, shooting... fire at the hull.

He never knew his own Ghidorah to spit fire. In the time they spent together in Nebulan captivity, he’s only ever seen him shoot lightning. Very interesting...

The little one very quickly caught sight of his movement and all three of those heads turned towards him.

Silence...

-

Well, this wasn’t what he was expecting.

He was expecting small lesser creatures to be in this ship; that’s always been the case in his experience. But what came out was no small creature, oh no. This one was damn near twice his size!

He’s never seen anything so huge in his short life; in fact, he’s never met a fellow kaiju before. He was still young enough that different races still held novelty to him, and his eyes took in every detail. The creature had green flesh and gold... scales? And three wings, and one eye. And 2 extra appendages that ended in silver hooks. A weapon, that’s what this thing is.

But he was not one to be easily intimidated; even as young as he is, a Ghidorah was still not a creature to mess with. Besides, can you imagine how much life-force he can syphon out of this thing? Sure, it’s not as potent as the souls of children, but the sheer amount would more than make up for it. It would be enough to fuel TWO trips to the next world!! This thing looks very pointy and sharp though, so best to be carefu-

“Hey, kid,” the creature spoke in an odd mixture of a natural and mechanical voice. Really, the fact it talks at all was most surprising. The young Ghidorah never had anyone actually talk to him in a way he understands. Supposed it was an inevitability, but what now?

Flee, or try to kill it for that bounty of lifeforce? Never before has he ever had to make that kind of decision. He usually just defaulted to the latter.

“Ghidorah, right?”

Wait, how did it know his name...?

...

Heh, seems his reputation has preceded him. But then, what did this thing want? It knew who he was and yet doesn’t run in fear? His suspicions were starting to overcome his pride. For the first time, he engaged in this conversation. “Who are you?”

“Name’s Gigan,” the creature said in a strangely casual tone that did nothing to ease the young dragon.

“How do you know who I am?”

“Heh, I know another Ghidorah,” he told him. “Great friends, him and I. Used to work together in another solar system. A pleasant surprise to see another one here. You’ve been having fun, I see.”

The young dragon narrowed a pair of eyes. Another Ghidorah? He had no idea there were other Ghidorah out there. The idea any of them would be friends with this thing was dubious though. 

“Why did you come here?” He had no intentions on stopping his questioning, especially not while he was still on edge about this whole situation. 

"Glad you asked. Y'see, I travel around, stripping worlds of their resources, and life," At once the young Ghidorah's eyes lit up a bit with interest, and this 'Gigan' seemed to notice as he chuckled. "Yeah, sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Exactly why I worked so well with the other Ghidorah, when our goals align perfectly, huh?" He took a step closer and the dragon's body tensed up, still apprehensive. Thankfully, Gigan comes no closer. "I came to this world looking for a good time. And here we are. Fate works in strange ways, bringing us together, huh?"

The youngster can already tell where this was going before this funny-looking creature said it.

“How can I not give you the opportunity to join me? Whaddya say, kid? Interested?” 

The hydra doesn’t answer or move for a long moment. So many red flags were shooting up in his heads, and he was unsure if it was just his natural instinct to distrust other lifeforms. He just... didn’t like this thing. He didn’t like how it spoke to him or the words it was saying. It just... seemed manipulative.

He should get out of here. Whatever this thing has planned, it wasn’t good and he takes a step back. 

His instincts seemed to prove correct as the creature’s beak twisted into a smirk at seeing him step back. His tone too seemed to change, still friendly but with an edge laced into it. 

“You sure you want to do that? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The little Ghidorah said nothing, glaring at this creature before shaking his heads. Yeah, it was time to leave. He should fly back to his bio-sac and devour what he can before vacating this planet. Now. The urgency in his instincts only got worse when he spotted movement by the door to find another giant kaiju, roughly the same size as the one in front of him. It wasn’t as sharp-looking, but it did have pointy front limbs. It had no wings that he can see and it had a strange... horn between giant golden eyes that looked to be made of a bunch of little eyes.

“Such a shame,” the pointy one continued, the red jewel on that forehead starting to glow. “I was hoping you’d be smarter than the last Ghidorah.”

The youngster couldn’t ignore the red-flags anymore and he attempted to make a run for it. But no sooner had he turned his heads than he felt a jolt as a red beam erupted from the creature, hitting the scales in his chest.

Thankfully, his underside had heavy plated armor that held up well, but it was still enough force to stumble him back. He screeched in anger before regaining his balance, facing the two giant kaiju.

Seemed he had no choice but to stand and fight, in what would be the most dangerous battle he’s ever faced in his young life.

[capricornus-rex]

A Legacy Begun (9)

Chapter 9: A Padawan’s Trial | Cal Kestis x Reader

Summary: After a long time of running and fighting, you and Cal decided to finally settle down after all these years to raise a family. However, it was never a life of peace whilst the shadow of the Empire looms over your heads.

Prompt/s in play: Anon prompt (found in Chapter 1 link) + fic idea

A/N: Didn’t have the time to switch on my PS4 just to customize a saber lol so I went to saberforge.com and used their 3D Saber Builder instead. Here’s what i made for Cassidy Kestis’s saber!

Also posted in AO3

Tags: Scruffy! Cal Kestis, Daddy! Cal Kestis, Adult! Cal Kestis, Jedi Family, Jedi Offspring, Force-Sensitive Offspring, Settling Down, Rebel Alliance

Chapters: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 | Previous: Part 8 | Next: Part 10 | Masterlist

9 of ?

1 BBY

Your slender fingers wove Cassidy’s bright, scarlet locks into tight, chunky braids. You hummed her favorite lullaby—a force of habit—as you secured the end of the braid with a band. She skipped towards the mirror hanging on the wall and let her fingertips glide over her hair.

“Is that how you like it?”

“Yes, Mommy, thank you!”

“You’re welcome, darling,” you received your thanks in full payment of a kiss and hug from Cassidy. “Go fetch your things now. Don’t forget your jacket, okay?”

“Okay!” she hopped down from her bed and started rummaging through her cabinets for stuff that she’ll bring in the trip.

You excused yourself and exited her bedroom, Cassidy was too excited to coherently reply to your permission. The ten-year-old’s heart was racing, her mind imagined so many things that could possibly happen, and she began visualizing what the place would look like.

Due to her excitement, she didn’t realize that she had taken a bit of her time in packing. She had gone through a raincheck of the contents of her backpack thrice now. She hastily slung the bag on her shoulders and snatched her crumpled poncho lying on a pile.

“Coming, Mom!” she announced, speeding out of her bedroom to join her parents at the door.

She slipped her both her hands into you and Cal’s hands, the three of you left your homestead and trekked towards the Mantis waiting a few meters away from the house.

The ship’s entry ramp unfolded, Cassidy lets go of your hands when you’ve reached a certain distance between the ship, her backpack bobbed up and down in every step as she ran towards the luxury cruiser.

“Aunt Cere! Aunt Merrin!” Cassidy squeaked happily, attempting to fit both women in her scrawny arms.

“Cassidy! Look how big you’ve gotten!” Cere chuckled, her hand patted Cassidy’s head and then hovered it to the empty space to emphasize the girl’s height.

“Any longer and you might just out-tall me—if that’s even a word!” Greez came in waddling into the scene. He had all four of his arms open for Cassidy and she gladly threw herself into them.

“I grew three inches this month!” she bragged, then proceeded to tease him by tussling the non-existent hair on his head to further establish her taking the lead in this height race she has with the Lateron.

The captain grumbled, uncertain to the crew whether he was joking around or is genuinely frustrated that the once-tiny Kestis kid is getting taller and taller each month. You and Cal eventually caught up with the crew, greeting each other with embraces and claps on the shoulders or backs.

“She’s quite excited,” Cere’s eyes rolled to the side, referring to Cassidy who was now busy checking out the terrarium.

“Yeah, let’s hope the entire ordeal doesn’t deter her,”

“She’ll be fine, [y/n],”

Revisiting the engine room and then spotting the lone white cot on the side brought back a lot of memories, it’s as though a long time has passed since you and Cal slept here. It had become an extra room since the three of you have made a home by the forest in Zera III.

You approached the now-empty workbench, you weren’t used to seeing it bare, having only the non-slip mat left—it was eventually returned to its former, cluttered glory when Cal settled the toolboxes specifically for this trip.

“Everything she’ll ever need is right here,”

“Where is she?”

“With Greez at the cockpit,”

“Oh no, is she pestering him to teach her how to drive?” the idea seemed rich, you’re already imagining the Lateron dealing with the redheaded handful that is your daughter.

Cal’s mockingly pensive look and a quick glance to the direction of the door meant “yes.” The two of you laughed among yourselves, Greez’s shouts from the cockpit amplified the comedy that was playing out in your heads. When the laughter died down, you surveyed the quarters.

“Is it just me or did this room just got narrower?”

“Feels pretty much the same to me,”

“Yeah, brings back memories,”

Cal leaned closer to you, his warm breath blew on your shoulder and the hairs on your nape pricked up.

“Oh yeah, which ones?” he purred suggestively.

“Very funny,”

He teased you some more, brushing away the hair over your shoulders to expose your neck for his lips to brush against.

“Cal, not while she’s here,”

“We can always lock the door—say it suddenly jammed,” he nibbled your earlobe as his hand searched for yours to intertwine with.

He continued to suckle your neck, a weak yelp escaped your throat—his eyebrows flicked up upon hearing it, his lips curled in satisfaction as he continued prod the tip of his tongue to the crook of your shoulder. Your arm began to move by itself, reaching for the railing as support—you knew what your body was trying to make you do, with your only weapon being your willpower, your hand gripped the edge of the table instead.

“Well? How about it, love?” he sniggered.

You didn’t know why it pained you to pull yourself away, just when your body was beginning to heat up. You twirled to face him, looked him in the eye and gathered the guts to tell it to his face.

“Might I remind you that we have our daughter on board,” you steeled your voice, when you saw the puppy eyes being deployed, you bit your lip and fiddled with the buckle of Cal’s armor. “But later—when she’s sound asleep.”

A glint in Cal’s eye shone brighter than the white dwarf star found in Zera III’s sky. Amused, you stood on the tips of your toes to plant a tender kiss on his lips. You playfully clapped his chest with both of your hands before walking out of the quarters.

You switched on the holotable and typed the coordinates of Ilum. The message reflected on Greez’s computer and he charted the Mantis to its course.

“Now en route to Ilum!” the Lateron captain announced.

The family lounged in the holotable couch, Cassidy knelt behind Merrin in an attempt to braid her platinum hair which has grown dramatically over time—the length had already reached the center of her spine—and bantered with her father.

“Hey Dad, did you and Mom go to the Gathering together when you were younger?” Cassidy finally secured the twisted braid with a pin fastened to the back of Merrin’s head.

You and Cal exchanged glances, something warranted your eyes to meet. Then Cal quickly turned back to his daughter who now sat beside him on the sofa.

“No, we didn’t, unfortunately,”

“Would’ve been great if you did!”

“Yeah,” Cal trailed off, then returned his glance to you, a rather shy smile traced along his lips. “It would.”

The Mantis’s speed had slowed down, indicating your arrival in the planet’s orbit. Cassidy rushed to the cockpit. In her excitement, she stood between the seats, leaning closer and closer until she gets a better view of the ice-white planet that filled the roundness of her black pupils.

“Whoa, kid! Settle down, we’ll get closer in a few seconds!” Greez grumbled, both amused and overwhelmed by the kid’s wild hybrid of enthusiasm and excitement—honestly, he couldn’t tell which of the two anymore.

“Cassidy, you’ll hit your head once we get atmospheric turbulence,” Cal softly scolded as he assisted in flying the ship.

Cal cautioned her to buckle up and she ran to the nearest seat she could find—the chair opposite of Cere’s. The Mantis quaked as it cut through the thick clouds and heavy sheen of the snowstorm. Greez knew exactly where to the land—in the same spot behind a rock wall against the direction of the wind.

The child hopped out of her seat and sprinted towards the quarters where she had stashed her backpack. She moved with such brisk in the same fashion that one would be in when the phrase “This is not a drill” rings in an alarm. She slipped into the beige poncho with dark grey sleeves which she inherited from Cal. Despite the height she prided herself with, the poncho’s length fell to her shins—had she been shorter, it would have been a robe!

It didn’t bother her though, for she knew that it would keep her extra warm. She popped out of the quarters, the flap of the poncho billowing as she waddled about excitedly.

“Where’s Mom?”

“She’s already in the Temple,” Cal took her hand and the blizzard’s air wafted into the ship, sending literal chills down everybody’s spine.

“Cassidy,” the child glanced over her shoulder to the call of her name. “May the Force be with you.”

She repaid the greeting with a smile and then headed out of the ship. The coldest wind to have ever existed blew onto her already-numbing face, specks of ice pricked her freckled cheeks, and snowflakes have already adorned the twists of her braids as they billowed in the harsh winter gale.

“This blizzard is just the beginning, Cassidy! But don’t let it discourage you,” her father lectured as they stamped through ankle-deep snow—in Cassidy’s case, it’s calf-deep.

Her arm shielded her eyes as she felt the hand of her father on the small of her back, guiding her through the trek towards the entrance of the temple. A great mound of snow, perhaps meters thick, divided Cassidy and her kyber crystal.

“There’s no way we’re getting through this path,” Cal hinted, indirectly urging her to think for herself.

Admittedly, she didn’t anticipate that she’d be challenged head-on this soon. This didn’t discourage the Padawan, she unstrapped her backpack and fished out her own pair of climbing claws—she punched the wall, driving the metal nails into the rock face caked with ice and snow, and started scaling upward.

“Attagirl,” Cal muttered under his breath.

He watched his daughter scale the ice wall, Cassidy had become more acrobatic and lithe with her movements—something that she has utilized greatly to her advantage as she grew up with her training.

The beads of sweat freeze over her pores the second they come out, the closer she got to the top of the ice wall, the heavier her body felt.

“No…! Not now, not when I’m so close!!” she growled through clenched teeth, tugging her one arm out of the wall and then burying the claws again a few inches above her head to hoist herself up.

Come on, Cassidy! Pull up!

She coaxed herself mentally, a stripe of frosted sweat dripped along her temples until she finally reeled herself upward, scuttling through the snow to bring her body to the flat surface. She spotted a pair of boots planted on the soil, when she shot her head up, it was Cal; apparently, she was too caught up in reaching the top of the wall that she didn’t realize her father had beaten her to it. But it wasn’t a race, this was a trial—a trial that she had to face alone.

“Good job,” the emotion in Cal’s voice had unusually become stricter, almost sounding like Jaro Tapal. “We’ll be expecting you inside.”

Without awaiting a reply from her, he disappeared into the opening of the wall—Cassidy followed him into that opening and found an empty room. Another spherical entryway was found in the opposite side of the chamber; easily enough, she figured out the pulley mechanism to trigger the lens to open up, pooling the wall with golden light.

Cassidy followed the path that led to the platform overlooking the main foyer of the temple. She finds both of her parents by the ledge—her mother sitting erect yet relaxed while the father stood tall and proud, their backs turned against another lens.

As the daughter approached, her eyes widened at the sight of the largest crystal she’s ever seen—suspended from the ceiling, at the center of it all, white fog swirled in front of her as she exhaled her gasp.

“Impressive, and to think the main path had been blocked,” you began without prompt, drawing the attention of the girl to you. “But in this temple, you’ll find trials more challenging than the last. Finding one’s kyber is easier said than done. This whole place will test your mettle. Not only will the Force guide you to your crystal, but it will try you—constantly. Your training and skills are your only tools through this obstacle. We will keep a close eye on you, but everything you have to do—you do it alone. You do understand this, don’t you, Cassidy?”

“Yes,” she stiffened her demeanor and steeled her voice. “Yes, Master.”

“Good. May the Force be with you, my child.”

You channeled the Force towards the pulley mechanism, the latch tore off from the port and the metal cover rumbled to reveal a beam of the same warm, golden light. Cal aligned the giant crystal to the light, reflecting and extending the ray of light to the archway that has been frozen solid by another wall of ice. The ice transfigured into water at the mercy of the warm light and then turned to mist the instant it crashed against the snow.

That was Cassidy’s cue. Her Gathering had begun.

Marching through that archway felt like going through a portal to another dimension. Stagnant, cold air wafting through her freckled cheeks was her greeting, and the chill of the cave was her host. The spaciousness of the cavern took her breath away, freezing her lungs as she inhaled and relished in the unforgiving beauty and mystery of Ilum’s ice caves.

Surveying the vastness that stretched in front of her, no sign of her would-be crystal yet. Her eagerness has betrayed her.

“Come on, Cassy, keep moving,” she coaxed herself.

Cassidy aimed the center of the caverns with her eyes, then carved a path on her own towards the inner conclave—with her objective in mind—and disturbed the snow with the soles of her boots. There was an invisible line that she followed—she believed that it was the Force guiding her; but while she’s grateful of the guidance, the anticipation of a challenge, of a test, dangled in the back of her mind.

A rather narrow stone bridge appeared before her. It was fragile—almost too fragile, in fact, that the slightest blow of wind made the rock crack and dust off tiny debris and snow. But on the other side of the beam was much more stable ground, she didn’t think that the sight of such would be so attractive.

“Only one way to find out,”

She puts one foot in front of the other, her pads of her toes touch the first inch, she cautiously brings the other foot next without putting too much of her weight; in a feathery grace, she stretches both her arms for balance as she treaded through the balance beam.

The sound of the bridge giving way was trying to discourage her, but with every light step she takes, she brushes away the thought. Not long enough, she’s made it to the end. Cassidy exhaled sharply upon her realization, but the stone was already crumbling beneath her feet, and so she sprang away a split-second before half of it collapsed, falling into the foggy abyss.

“Did you hear that?” you snapped from your meditation—a way of tracking where Cassidy probably is at the moment.

“She’s fine. I can feel her footsteps from here,”

“I know. But this could possibly be the first challenge she’s faced so far,”

At her arrival of the empty conclave, the statues—caked with snow and whose details have been eroded over time—welcomed her with their hands clasped together. Fascinated, she takes a step closer, examining their details and textures, looking past the snow that obscured their features. This conclave was also the center of a crossroads; each path seduced her with the same end goal, but what they don’t show her is what lies between the crystal and her.

Like any other youngling with the thrill of harvesting their kyber, she wasn’t thorough with her thought process. She’s unconsciously imposed a challenge upon herself when she began going in and out of each pathway. The longer she finds herself losing her bearings, her anxiety, frustration, and impatience combined became louder. The snow and the cold air delivered these emotions to you and Cal Kestis.

“Do you sense it, [y/n]?”

“Yes, so many,” you replied as-a-matter-of-factly. As tempting it might be, you restrained yourself from connecting with Cassidy through the Force.

Let her learn. Let her do this alone. You chanted to yourself, training yourself do what’s on your mind.

It felt like the air had formed ice inside Cassidy’s lungs by now, after running around in circles for a good chunk of time. Vexed, she kicked a wad of snow against the tip of her boots; her little tantrum had allowed her to blow off some steam and thought of her Plan B.

Feel, don’t think. Cassidy recalls the words of her mother.

Keeping herself grounded, she closed her eyes, and concentrated—just as you taught her. Through her mind, she entered each one and saw what they have laid—dangling the prize in front of her like bait to a fish—using her instincts, she assessed them one by one. The moment her eyes shot up, she knew exactly where to go.

Inside the tunnel, it was dim but at the corner of her eye, a mischievous twinkle played with her vision but she never doubted it. She knew what it was. Cassidy followed the gold spark until it revealed itself—hanging by the point of a stalactite like a droplet waiting to fall. A meters-wide gap separated her from the natural enclave where the crystal awaited her.

“That’s it. I know it!” she gasped.

Cassidy didn’t waste any time in heading towards the crystal that calls her. It was the only thing that filled her clear, dark irises. She proceeded to traverse the hostile terrain. Sprinting to her left side, the rock pillars became her stepping stones, bringing her ever closer to her objective. The ridge wall at the end of the path connected her to the enclave.

Due to her over-excitement, a jump done too soon nearly cost her life. Her own climbing claws had her literally hanging on for dear life. Her startled cry ricocheted between the icicles, the echo caused the icy chimes to jangle in a tone-deaf song, the wave of anxiety that sourced from the young Kestis girl alerted her parents.

“She’s found it,” Cal declared.

You could only imagine how Cassidy is holding up right now. That cry that the walls of the cave relayed a different message, but one thing is clear: she’s in the middle of a struggle right now, and she only has herself to depend on.

“Come on…” you mouthed, barely a noise parting from your lips.

Cassidy scaled the porous ice wall, digging the claws deeper through the layer of snow until she could hit something solid. Her arm hooked on the ledge, pulled herself up and squirmed farther away until she’s gotten her body on the ground. Her head angled up, the crystal glimmered so brightly like starlight that she had to blink away for a moment, and then returned her gaze to it afterwards.

Her legs dragged on, summoning herself towards the crystal. When she got close enough, the crystal nestled between her fingers and she gave it a good, quick tug. She let the yellow shard roll on the whole of her palm, her heart leapt and she felt the air in her lungs warm up. She exhaled until her breathing transitioned into a triumphant laugh.

“I got it…!” she annunciated.

The second half of the challenge was finding her way back. Seeing that some portions of the path that led her here were only a one-time use; she retraced her steps—except the stone bridge that gave way, she had to think of another way. Fortunately, she was able to improvise another bridge by Force-pushing a boulder on her left side—landing it into a clean incline for her to slide down on.

From there, things were now easy for Cassidy. She hiked the snow-caked path and found the archway from whence she came. The sight of the giant crystal in the foyer washed relief over the young one, she kept her head high in search of her parents. They appeared before her, proud smiles riddled their faces to welcome her back.

“Well done, Cassidy,” you beamed.

“You have found your kyber crystal, despite the challenges that the Force bestowed in your path. Now, it’s time for you to construct your saber.”

Her parents regrouped with her on the ground level, she followed them to the entry blocked by the mound of snow. You and Cal glanced over your shoulders, fixating your eyes on your daughter.

“Together?” Cal invited.

The child beamed, she tucked her knees and extended her arms—mimicking the posture of her parents—and mustered all the Force she could gather in her being to blast away the mound of snow that barred their exit.

The storm had subsided when they got back out in the open. The family returned to the ship, and they were greeted back by the crew members, Cassidy was especially excited to show off the tiny yellow shard that rested between her fingers. Cal beckoned her to the workbench in his old quarters and showed her the toolboxes filled with components.

“There’s so many to choose from! How will I know which one is the right one for me?”

“You meditate on it as you build, trust your feelings. The Force will help you,” he directed. “It will guide you to what is best for you.”

“Okay… I’ll try, Dad,”

“There’s a good girl,” he kissed her forehead. “I shall leave you to it now. May the Force be with you, Cassidy.”

First, she dug through the container of components. For each and every part she examined, she selected the ones that might have struck something in her, much like a magnetic force that attracted her to it. When it was apparent that she’s finished choosing the parts—from the sleeve down to the emitter—she laid them out in a neat, straight line one by one, with the kyber crystal at the center of it all.

She took a deep breath, relaxed her entire body and began reaching out to the Force for assistance. Even with her vision shrouded, the components moved to her whim—they fittingly connect with one another. Her crystal nestled underneath her switch, the sleeve and pommel latched together. When the final click came from the emitter, she opened her eyes and found the finished product lying in front of her.

Shaky hands cradled the completed hilt, her thumb trailed towards the switch—she hesitated for a second before pressing it—the yellow beam that hissed out of the emitter startled her, but she quickly smiled it off and stared at the golden glow of her very own lightsaber. Finally giving it a feel, she waved it carefully in the narrow space, it hummed to the motion of its owner and she fancied a single basic spin with it.

Her heart jumped with joy, butterflies fluttered all over her stomach, and she celebrated this victory within herself. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of the bright golden beam.

“I did it… I DID IT!!” she squealed from the room, not knowing that her entire family overheard her little celebration.

[fallenfurther]

You can’t save everyone

The next part to my FabFiveFeb-Alan Entry. Alan’s not fixed yet but I had to show the brother’s responses. They are on there way. I will fix him. 

Warning: Hinting and reference to Character death

****

".... everyone." Scott finished but the feed was gone. "Alan!? John! What happened?"

John's hologram appeared next to the visualisation of the two ships. John didn't look happy. "He's turned off the com on both Three and his wrist."

"Grgh!" Scott roared, "That boy is going to be in serious trouble when he gets back! He knows the rules!"

Scott fumed, and sat down hard on the sofa. He noted the worried look he got from Brains out the corner of his eye and tried to calm down a little. Damn it, Alan! You know better than this! Scott crossed his arms over his chest and watched the feed, John's hologram now gone. He knew his brother would be trying everything to get back in contact with Alan. But until then, all Scott could do was watch the small hologram of Thunderbird 3 continue the rescue. Worry sat deep in Scott's gut as be watch Thunderbird 3 manoeuvre around the spiralling cargo ship. It was never the safe cargo that got into situations, was it? Always the delicate stuff that could blow a hole in the side of a hull. The ship's design didn't help, with multiple smaller sections sticking out that were obviously not part of the original design. Brains' was muttering about it under his breath, as he watched his own design pushed to its limits. The man's eyes also glued to the protection.

"He can't do it! He won't be able to move out the way!" Brains exclaimed standings up. Scott looked at the man, whose face was one of horror, obviously having done the calculations in his head, before looking back at the projection. Quiet 'Oh no's' came from his companion. Grandma sat down beside Scott and took his hand. Virgil and Gordon were on a rescue and Scott was thankful they didn't have to watch their youngest brother do something stupid. Alan was doing tremendously well manoeuvring Three; however, he must not have seen the amber warning over one of the added-on sections go red. A few seconds later and it exploded, swivelling the ship straight into Thunderbird 3. They watched in horror as Brains' pulled up the readings that were being transmitted from Three.

"One thruster is destroyed, and the other c-could function but not for long. Certainly not long enough to land. The ion engine is undamaged, s-so he'll still be able to get back to Earth’s orbit."

Scott's heart was in his throat as he watched the hologram of his brother's rocket move in close to the cargo ship. He knew it was currently manoeuvring using thrusters, but it still felt like it was limping. Thunderbird 3 would be out of commission for a while. They'd have to dock it with Five until parts could be transported up. Damn it! It was going to take time and hassle to do that! Scott put his head on his free hand and took a deep breath. He wanted to start pacing, yet he had to watch, he had to make sure Alan was safe. His Grandma rubbed his back, and he looked at her. The worry on her face added more to his load, and Scott turned away to watch the now steady Thunderbird 3. It looked like Alan had managed to grasp the other ship, so they moved together. With no more detail than what was in front of him, Scott took both his Grandma's hands in his and waited anxiously for Thunderbird 3 to move away and head home.

***

John watched the hologram in the observation room. EOS was fielding calls, fully aware that John couldn't concentrate on anything but his brother. She may not be human, but she was starting to understand their complex emotions. EOS also knew John. She knew that he would monitor everything, even the smallest details, to make sure his brothers were safe and aware of any perils. Then there were times like this, when his brothers pushed themselves further than they should, and the concern crept into his face. EOS knew not to speak up. John was focused and would startle. Instead, she predicted what he would want and need, and monitored Virgil and Gordon, who thankfully were just tidying up their rescue. She was thankful she could do many things at once, and she flipped between each task swiftly.

EOS tried the scanners again, trying to work the code to make it clearer and to pick up life signs. She knew what John needed to know, but it seemed that she just couldn't give it to him. She wanted to blow the scanners circuit in retaliation for not working as she wanted it to but held back as John's heartbeat picked up. She was at his side immediately, ready to compute anything he desired.

***

John flicked through the readings coming from Thunderbird 3. He could only get the basics on the limited data stream they had, and there was a delay due to the distance. Scrolling through the damage to the engines caused John's heart to sink. It was going to be a big repair job. John was glad he wasn't on the island right now. Scott would be fuming and worried, which was never a good combination. He could imagine quite clearly his eldest brother pacing back and forth, and the exhausted sighs he'd be making. It was like Tracy Island had its own resident tornado at times. John sighed. He didn't envy the responsibility on Scott's shoulders, and considering all, Scott handles it as well as he can. John flipped back to the engine readings, he knew Brains had read through them, so he didn't have to inform Scott of the situation. The ion engine popped up. All were within range, but they weren't active. John left these up and went back to the hologram. He wanted to be the first to know when Thunderbird 3 moved.

Another explosion from the cargo ship made John's heart jump.

"Come on, Alan. Get out of there." John said to himself. Eyes on the warning signs, indicating the weaker points and volatile parts of the ship. Why did people think they could get away with such poor modifications and not jeopardise safety? He floated impatiently waiting for Thunderbird 3 to move. His eyes flitted over the diagram as two more of the orange hazard lights turned red. Seconds later, they exploded, tearing the cargo ship apart and sending shrapnel towards Thunderbird 3. John eyes were glued to the hologram as the part attaching Thunderbird 3 to the ship came away. Alan, get out of there! John willed, as more warning lights went red and another explosion occurred sending more wreckage at Thunderbird 3.

Out the corner of his eye, John saw one of the sensors change. The fuel temperature sensor was no longer producing a reading. Fear filled John. Alan should be able to fly without the sensor, but what if it indicated damage that they couldn't see? The indicators changed in front of his eyes, and relief filled him. The ion engine was starting up, Alan was on Three! John flipped the sensor display away, zoomed in on Three and he watched for movement. A smile crept on his face as the rocket started moving away from the exploring ship. His eyes stayed on it as he waited for Alan to clear the blast radius, the fuel sensor forgotten, and already thinking ahead to welcoming his brother onto Five.

Then he watched it happen. The hologram of Thunderbird 3 flickered as the sensors struggled to keep up with the changes. John watched as Thunderbird 3 was torn apart. The explosion tore up the side, along the fuel and oxygen pipes. John quickly pulled up the readings from Three, but there were none transmitting. His baby brother was on Three. He knew the cabin was self-contained with its own oxygen supply, but it wouldn't last long, a day at max. Most of the oxygen was carried in the main body. That was assuming the cabin hadn't been breached. John accessed Thunderbird 5's sensors and tried to boost them, frantically setting them to scan for life signs. He needed to know if Alan was alive. He had to find his baby brother. But it was just too far away, and John closed his eyes and held his head in his hands.

Alan.

Not Alan.

John was brought out his thoughts by a call from the island. He snapped himself to, took a deep breath and slipped into professional mode, pushing the pain deep down. He answered the call and he came face to face with the terrified hologram of his eldest brother.

"Tell me he's okay, John. Tell me you can get a reading on him." Scott's voice was desperate.

John looked into his brother's eyes and said nothing. John watch Scott crumple and fall into the sofa, and he knew Scott was running through options. The same options that were now running through his head.

“It too far for me to go in the exosuit. We need to find a vessel willing and able to take us there. EOS, scan the area and check the GDF log of authorised and unauthorised ships that are in orbit and a day’s flight from Thunderbird 3.”

“Right away, John.” His dependable AI replied. John turned back to Scott. He had to give Scott something to do, otherwise he’d pace a hole in the floor of the villa, though he might do that anyway.

“Scott, get onto Colonel Casey. Explain the situation and see if they have any vessels up here or on the ground that we might be able to use.”

“FAB.”

Scott’s hologram disappeared and John’s head dropped. They all knew the odds. They would all tell themselves this was a rescue, but deep down, their hearts were breaking. John wiped away the tear he couldn’t stop and turned to EOS. A nod and a list of vessels, their routes and maximum speeds were listed in front of him, along with a hologram of all their locations in respect to the remains of Thunderbird Three.

“Thank you, EOS.” John started the task of assessing which vessels could help them and contacting them.

***

EOS watched John work. She had only stopped to inform him that Virgil and Gordon were back on the Island. Continuing to field calls elsewhere, she had listened in when Scott had sat his brothers down and broken the news. Gordon had struggled to believe it, and he and Virgil watched the holograms. EOS had learnt how each brother showed and expressed pain, and she could see it in all three. Grandma had comforted Virgil and Scott had sat down with Gordon. Scott had explained what the plan was, and after a short time of sitting in silence, the younger Tracys disappeared in different directions. EOS fielded Gordon’s call to Penelope, who changed her plans and had Parker fly straight to Tracy Island. There was tension and worry in every Tracy, and EOS had concerns about John. She monitored his bio-readings, breaks, meals and sleeping patterns. He was overdue a meal by two hours now, and she was starting to see the effects of mild dehydration, but the look on his face as he worked told her she shouldn’t inform him.

EOS continued to monitor the wreckage. She was aware that Thunderbird Five’s scans couldn’t be improved, but she still scanned. Hope was an amazing thing for humans. She’d learnt that first-hand, and she wanted to give it to John. There was nothing new in her last scan, just wreckage moving as it should. EOS scanned again, then analysed every byte of data that came from them. She analysed it again. Something was different. There was a blip. One piece of the wreck had moved in a direction it shouldn’t have. It was only a fraction out, nothing to concern John with, but she noted it for later. Five minutes later she ran the scan again. The wreckage had moved further in the wrong direction. She rechecked the data. Whether it was significant, she couldn’t tell, but John was on a call to a nearby vessel, and it could wait. The call lasted a while, and another five minutes passed, and another scan was performed. The blip was definitely moving, and EOS plotted its trajectory. It was heading for Earth.

***

John hung up. Another ship wanting to help but unable to due to the superiors wanting the schedule to be kept. They considered it a recovery. That meant it wasn’t a priority. Well it was for him! It was his little brother out there. Lost in space. Anger churned inside him. Anger at the lack of help, anger that his brother was lost, anger the he couldn’t do more. John took a breath and tried not to let it surface. He had a job to do.

“John.”

“Yes, EOS.”

“Something has shown up on my scans.”

John looked up at EOS, gazing into the lens and seeing his reflection. He turned to the holograms before him.

“Show me.”

The picture changed and EOS highlighted a small scrap of debris on it. EOS displayed the time next to it and then flipped through the scans from the past forty minutes. John saw what she saw. The wreckage changed direction. Only something with an engine could do that. It was a flicker, a small spark of hope in his heart. Alan was a Tracy. John zoomed in, but the scan struggled to resolve the image. A quick run through Thunderbird 3’s inventory and the idea came to him.

“It’s moving a little too fast to be Alan on his board, but it could be the space pod. I would expect it to go faster if configured, but if damaged it might be slower, or if not configured, the basic engine would go about that fast.”

“A space pod would not have enough fuel or oxygen to get back to Earth.” EOS stated.

“But if we, or someone, could meet it halfway we might just…”

John could feel it now, the hope. He headed back to the list of vessels, trying to find one that might just be able to make a detour. As he was searching, a call came from Tracy Island. John accepted it and was greeted by Scott.

“There is a small spacecraft attached to Global One. Colonel Casey and the GDF are going to allow us to use it. It should be able to get you there and back. There is a shuttle being prepared now, but it won’t be able to launch until tomorrow. I’ll be on it and will meet you when you return to transport Alan back to Earth.”

EOS brought the information on the GDF vessel up in front of him, and John scanned the data. His eyes fell on the maximum velocity. It really was a small ship.

“Scott, it’ll take almost two days to reach Thunderbird Three in this ship. Alan won’t have that much time.”

The sorrow in Scott face tore into John.

“I know, but we have to bring Alan home.”

“FAB.”

John cut the link and looked at the last scan of the wreckage.

“You didn’t mention the pod.” EOS stated and John swore he could see the confusion in her lens.

“I don’t want to give him false hope. There is limited oxygen on the space pod. There is no guarantee we’ll make it in time.”

[gumnut-logic]

Dirt (Part Eight)

From here.

For @ak47stylegirl - I promise I will return to Alan soon - I kinda knocked him out, so he isn’t very chatty at the moment. Also this chapter talks about Virgil, but since he is as unconscious as Alan, um, he doesn’t say much either.  ::pines for the lack of the Virg::

As always, many thanks to @vegetacide and @scribbles97 for their help with this fic...you know that couple hundred words I scribbled down in ten minutes before work just so I could write something...yeah, that fic which is now approaching 11,000 words in length ::headdesk:: I’m still writing V.T. Green, I promise!

Warnings: a little bit of language, and Pen and Ink in this bit :D

-o-o-o-

All of London startled and looked up as multiple Thunderbirds streaked through the clouds above the city. The legendary ships roared in concert at speeds enough to blink and miss.

John played his instruments like the genius he was. Eos had Shadow and One while he concentrated on Two, his brothers’ lives in his hands. Above him, the holographic system let their vitals dance. Alan’s were the poorest, but Virgil’s were dipping lower. Gordon’s had the potential to follow.

“Thunderbird Five, you have clearance at Northolt and permission to land in the parking lot at Hillingdon Hospital.” Colonel Casey paused a moment before switching to the Aunt who loved them. “God’s speed, John.”

He murmured a thank you, but his concentration was total as he manoeuvred Two in for a clean landing beside Accident and Emergency at the London Hospital. Sensors sketched out Eos doing similar at the military base with One and Shadow.

FAB1 streaked in behind Two and landed smoothly beside her huge sister.

“Eos, you have control. I’m going down.” His daughter’s acknowledgement was lost amongst his thoughts.

-o-o-o-

“Gordon, time to go.”

He blinked and found himself leaning on Penelope’s shoulder. What?

A hand reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. His helmet lay on the floor of the car and the odd thought that Grandma would disapprove wandered through his head.

He had the distinct impression that moving was going to hurt, and as he levered himself upright, he found he was too right for his own good. Worse, a groan forced itself out between his teeth.

So much for the stoic hero.

“Stay still.” Her hand ghosted over his arm and she disappeared from his side, only to reappear through the open door on his other side. Her hand touched his cheek and he found himself staring into her beautiful blue eyes.

He could have sat and stared all day.

“Well, my dearest, you don’t have all day. Though I will take the compliment as it was intended.” The smile on her face sparkled.

A blink and he shook himself, trying to focus. His head was foggy. Not a good sign with a bleeding injury. A glance down at himself and he found his shoulder padded and wrapped in bandages. When had that happened? Despite the proficiency of its application, the gauze was stained red and the red was spreading.

Penelope was urging him out of the car.

Damn, he had bled all over the upholstery. “Sorry.”

“Not to worry about that now, Gordon. It is time to go. We don’t want to worry Scott, now do we.”

No, Scott was grey enough already. Though not as grey as the time Gordon had powdered his brother’s hair in his sleep. Now that had been the perfect prank. Spring-loaded pillow launcher and all.

“Well, no wonder he has grey hairs.” She was pulling gently on his uninjured arm. “Out you come.”

“I can carry him, if you like, m’Lady.”

That snapped him out of it. Gordon threw himself out of the car and almost landed on his face as his equilibrium redefined his centre of gravity as being somewhere closer to the south pole.

“Oh dear.” Two sets of hands caught him; one pair gentler than the other.

“Are you quite all right, Mister Gordon?”

“Fine, Parker.” To prove it, he took a step forward...and yes, the ground again attempted to connect with his forehead.

“I think, sir, that you should lie down.” Parker’s hands were firm on his arm as the world continued to wobble.

Now that just wouldn’t do. “No, no, I can walk.” He straightened and tried not to groan.

“Are you sure, sir?”

No. “I’ll be fine.”

“Gordon, you have a bullet hole in your shoulder. Please do not risk your health on my account.” And before he could protest, Penny had slipped herself under his good arm and wrapped hers around his waist.

Despite everything, he found it several kinds of wonderful to be held by her.

Her perfume was all flowery.

Under her power, they made it slowly but surely in the direction of accident and emergency. At one point a huddle of nurses and doctors dashed past. Not long after he was confronted by his eldest brother, worry in the blue of his eyes.

“Hey, Scott.” A blink and two important factors shot to the forefront of his brain. “Alan? Virgil?” There had been dirt. So much dirt.

Those eyes turned in askance to Penelope and their brow crinkled before darting back to him. “C’mon, Gordon, time for you to lie down.”

Scott took him gently from Penelope. “Hey, I wanna stay with Penny.”

“I’m not leaving you, Gordon. Please lie down and relax.” She reached out and touched his cheek again.

That was nice.

Her gentle smile was even nicer.

“Okay, loverboy, rest time for you.” And Scott was manhandling him onto a hover stretcher. A nurse appeared from nowhere and he was being dragged into the concrete maze of the major hospital.

Penny held his hand.

And he held on tight.

-o-o-o-

John hit atmosphere and the elevator’s thrusters kicked in with a roar.

Data streamed into his tablet. Further information on the man who had captured his brothers and the implications of the events that followed.

The man was dead. GDF forces had swooped in and picked survivors out of the rubble, forced to do the job of IR while fifty percent of their operatives were being hospitalised. International Rescue was down for the count.

Eos was juggling incoming calls. John had calls of his own to make.

Grandma was beside herself with worry and Kayo was on her way to collect the Tracy matriarch.

John was on his way to collect Scott. Or at least the pieces of him that were likely all over the waiting room floor.

Scott never managed well when a brother was injured and this time there were three. One critically and two not far from joining him. While John worried about Alan, Virgil and Gordon, Scott was a concern of another kind.

And he wasn’t answering his comms.

It was a long eight minutes to London.

Gravity was its usual annoyance, as were the odd and gawking stares in his direction as he landed in the parking lot. With TB2 having made her entrance and exit shortly before, the press had been alerted and he found himself subject to a lot of unwanted media attention.

“John Tracy! Can you tell us what happened?”

“How many members of International Rescue have died?”

“Who shot the extremist?”

“Is Alan Tracy dead?”

“Who inherits International Rescue?”

What the f-? There were flashing lights all around him, holocams hovering about like bees.

John hated crowds, especially those involving the press. Scott went out of his way to make sure he wasn’t exposed to them, but his brother wasn’t available right now.

Head down, no eye contact. “No comment.”

“No comment.”

They crowded in on him and he grit his teeth.

A sharp crack and a yelp. A squawk and the clattering of plastic on concrete. A scream and a flash of light. John looked up to find holocams falling like rain. One close to him simply stopped and dropped. Another sparked, spun and dove at the nearest reporter. She screamed and ran.

The holocam chased her.

Oh.

The crowd began to disperse in erratic squeals and yelps of fear. John took advantage and dashed through to the doors of the hospital. Behind him, the elevator fired its thrusters, adding to the confusion, and launched towards orbit.

“Eos, you are dangerous.”

“Yes, John, and don’t you forget it.” The amusement in her voice had him smiling.

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

A glance at the fast disappearing elevator, he turned and hurried inside.

-o-o-o-

Scott was stuck in the waiting room.

He hated waiting rooms. He hated waiting.

But more than anything he hated hospital waiting rooms. Stark and miserable they were turning points between pain and relief.

And the chairs always sucked.

His head was pounding.

Brains and Moffie had left to find them all some food, Moffie dragging Brains behind her. Penny sat not far from him, prim and neat as always, Parker beside her, ever vigilant. She smiled gently at him if he looked in her direction.

He didn’t look in her direction.

She had handed Gordon over to him, concern in her eyes as his little brother played the manly card before passing out completely almost as soon as Scott had managed to get him onto the stretcher. Same reason as his other two brothers were in this god forsaken place - blood loss.

Too much Tracy blood had been spilt today.

And why? Who was that asshole? His eyes still stared at him over that gun barrel. Two still loomed behind him. Virgil still lay limp on the ground, pain in every breath.

The grapple gun and that godawful crunch of bone.

No expression, no sound. Just gone.

Cable trailing.

The backwash of its passing had been like a sudden breeze.

The sound of Virgil in pain.

So much pain.

“Scott?” The voice was soft, and unmarred by space static. He looked up to find John standing in front of him, still in his uniform, solid, dependable and there.

Pushing himself to his feet, he met his younger brother eye to eye. A beat and Scott wrapped his arms around him and tugged John close. A breath against the smooth material of John’s spacesuit and his brother returned the embrace.

“How are they?”

Scott bit his lip. “It was close.” God, so close. “But you know that.”

“I do.”

John was no doubt frustrated that he no longer had access to his brothers’ vital stats now their uniforms had been removed. Scott squeezed him just a touch tighter. “You gonna hack the hospital?”

“Give me five.”

And with that they separated, John taking a seat beside him. Sure enough, less than five minutes later, John was holding up his tablet with three columns of stats scrolling across it.

All three were stable. Alan was still low and in surgery, as was Virgil. Gordon was being prepped. John flicked a finger and they had video.

“Still with us.”

Scott swallowed and looked down at his hands. “Who was he?”

“A thug. Money, power, the usual.” John’s turquoise gaze narrowed a little at him. “He’s dead.”

“I know.”

“So do the press.”

Scott’s head shot up. “What?”

“One of the questions they threw at me on the way in. ‘Who shot the extremist?’”

“Aw, hell.”

“That is one descriptor.” Scott knew what was coming next. “They are going to want to know the answer to that question.”

“Fuck.” It was little more than breath, but it came from his gut. No. Please, no.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“He did it to save me.”

“He did it to save all of you.”

Scott let his head drop into his hands. “He may not even remember.”

“It’s on record. Two’s cameras.”

Of course, he knew that. “I know that.” His head throbbed the obvious at him.

John was frowning at him. “Have you seen a doctor? That is quite a shiner you’ve got on the boil there.”

“Too busy with Gordon.” Scott waved off his brother’s concern.

John caught his hand. “Do I need to pull up your stats to convince you? You took a few nasty hits today.”

“Had to, he was going to kill Virgil.”

John’s eyes flickered at that. “It doesn’t change the fact you need attention and probably a bed at the very least.”

“I need to wait for news on Alan, Gordon and Virgil.”

John waved the tablet at him. “Here is your news. I can let you know if anything changes.” Just to piss him off, John stood up, and, pulling him along behind, approached the desk. A few efficient words and Scott was suddenly being escorted to a cubicle.

John followed. No doubt to make sure he got there and stayed.

Any other time he would have stood up to his little brother, dug his heels in and refused. But there had been so much pain today, so much everything, he found he had nothing left.

He just wanted his little brothers to be safe.

It was his job to look after them.

“Scott, take a breath, rest a moment, give yourself a chance to recover.” As Scott sat on the edge of the bed and the nurse darted off to get equipment, John stood directly in front of him and caught his eyes. “We will get through this, I promise. We will find a way.”

A half-hearted smirk. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”

John’s lips curled into a soft smile. “I borrowed it from the best.”

-o-o-o-

Part Nine

[miss-pearlescent]

Search Through the Universe (6/6)

Rating: M

Read Chapter 1 here

In truth, having a cock stuffed up inside you and these seat belts pressing against your boobs wasn’t the most comfortable position. But you were so turned on that you didn’t care. And watching yourself being tied up by Kai on the screen above you?

Major turn on.

You squirmed as he spread your legs wider to strap them in with his own. Then he set your hands comfortably atop his on the arm rests.

“Ready?” he whispered in your ear.

You shivered and felt that go straight to your curled toes. “Is it scary?”

“Not to me,” he teased. “But it can be for a beginner. Don’t be scared, you’re safe with me.”

You took a deep breath to calm your sudden nerves.

“Trust me?” he asked.

You licked your lips and nodded. “Mhmm.”

“All right. Hold on tight, Cookie.”

For a second, you heard the sound of a car zipping away. Then you felt the wind. Your hair whipped around you as you struggled to keep your eyes open.

And then you felt the vibrations.

“Oh my god,” you said to the air. It was so loud around you, you couldn’t even hear yourself.

But you could definitely feel the vibrations in the seat. It was the little groin part of the chair that stuck out. Your pussy was pressed against it, and as the seat vibrated, you had a nice little vibrator to your clit.

You bit your lip to keep back your moans but you were already about to come. The wind in the small space only got stronger and you braced yourself as you felt the buttons of your pajama shirt popping open.

The wind buffeted against your sensitive nipples while the seat seemed to change vibration rhythms against your clit. You writhed as you tossed your head back against Kai’s chest, needing release.

Your fingers had been holding on tightly to his hands and you ripped them away from the arm rests to place them on your breasts.

He knew exactly what you needed.

He rolled your peaked nipples against his fingers, flicking them occasionally with the wind, the two of them relentlessly teasing you. You opened your eyes and saw two things.

Stars.

And the screen above you, showing your exposed body being toyed with by Kai’s hands.

“I’m going to come,” you gasped.

“Let it out.” You swore you heard Kai growl behind you. “I want to watch your release.”

But just before you could, the ship pitched forward.

And then back.

And then forward.

Your eyes rolled back as the ship continued on its trek, causing Kai’s cock to slip in and out of you just enough that you could feel the ridges.

And every time the ship fell back, you felt his cock slam right back into you.

You choked out a sob as it hit you right where you needed it. Over and over and over.

Then you felt something sharp on your shoulder and you could barely open your eyes to see Kai biting down on your shoulder.

Your whole body seized and you saw stars in your vision as you came. The white hot blaze traveled from your belly to every inch of your skin as you screamed Kai’s name. You could feel the wetness dripping down your shaking legs as you had orgasm after orgasm.

It wouldn’t stop.

If it wasn’t another vibration that triggered it, it was Kai’s fingers. If it wasn’t his cock pumping in and out, it was you opening your eyes for a second to see the recording above you.

It was too much.

Your whole body quivered as the space ship finally began to settle. You squirmed as he kissed your neck and you felt another orgasm hit your body. “I’m sorry. I think I’m still coming.”

He only continued kissing. “Did I wear you out?” he asked with a smile on his lips.

You gulped in a few breaths of air. “I think so.” You brushed the hair out of your face as you braced for another orgasm. The ship hadn’t stopped vibrating completely. “Does the trip to space usually take that long from Earth?”

Kai gave you a peck on a cheek and leaned back with a devilish smirk. “Actually, we’ve orbited the Earth almost four times now.”

You fought for composure even as you moaned. “What?”

“We were up in space in less than a minute, but I hit auto-pilot when we got out of the atmosphere.”

He rubbed a warm hand along your stomach as you melted into jelly from your last orgasm. “Why?”

He gave you another peck, this time on the forehead. “You seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

—

“W-what’s that?”

Kai looked up at the red planet. “Humans call it Mars.” He murmured before returning to his licking job.

Without gravity being a variable, Kai had easily perched Cookie upon his shoulders. It was a perfect position for her to gaze out at the stars she had never seen while he feasted on her sweet flesh.

The thought that he was acting like a barbarian only encouraged him more.

“And what’s that white thing on—oh…” Her thighs shook as her body rocked forward with the force of another orgasm.

He held her in place, piercing her wet entrance with his tongue to taste all of what she had to offer. “It is the exploration machine the humans put on Mars. It’s been there for years.”

“I-I see.” It was cute how she could barely form words anymore.

“Did you know that many organisms on the planet had tried to fornicate with it?” he asked as he brought her back down to his lap.

She held onto his hand tightly as she shakily made her way down. “But I thought there was no life on Mars.”

“No life that humans could detect.” He nibbled on her ear, knowing it was a sensitive spot for her. “But ever since the machine landed on the planet, it has stunk of lewd mating scents.”

She ducked her head. “Kind of like your ship does now, I guess.”

Kai put a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to his. “Your scent does not stink. If it did, do you think I would have this?” He brought her hand to his cock, letting her know how hard he still was.

Her cheeks turned pink. “You haven’t come yet,” she gasped and lowered herself to the floor of the ship. “Here, let me help.”

Before he could stop her, she was already setting her full lips to his tip. The sight made him groan. His head fell back against the back of the chair and he drew in a breath when he saw the recording screen above him.

His little Cookie was watching him seductively as she tried to take his length into her mouth. She was trying to devour him.

His hips jolted upwards because he had never expected to find himself making love to someone’s mouth. But here he was, and he was about to lose control of himself.

“Mmm.” The sound came from Cookie’s throat and vibrated up his cock. It was the same sound she made when she had tasted whatever she had tried to feed him yesterday from her bowl.

She was enjoying this.

He really wasn’t going to last.

He grabbed her by the hand and shoulder to push her away. He breathed heavily to calm himself, telling himself he needed to do this despite the hurt in her eyes.

“Kai?” she asked softly.

“What is the position that causes the fastest orgasm in human females?”

She blinked. “What?”

He was gritting his teeth, holding in his release.

She sputtered. “Well, it’s different for everyone—”

He grabbed her by both shoulders, ensuring he didn’t dig into her soft skin. “What is the position that will make you have an orgasm the fastest?” he asked desperately.

Her eyes went wide and she gulped. “Doggy-style.”

He didn’t know what that meant so he released her. “Show me,” he growled.

Cookie turned around and found two safety bars to grip. Then she jutted out her bottom until it was in his face.

He still wasn’t quite sure what doggy-style meant.

“Fuck me,” she whispered as she wiggled her hips. “Get up and put it inside me.”

He stood from his seat and found that his cock was at the perfect level to her entrance. Her hips were floating from the lack of gravity so he held them still for his invasion.

He surged his hips forward.

“Kai!” she screamed. “I’m…I’m coming already.”

Her foot wrapped around his knee as she shook underneath him. He gripped her hips tightly as he pumped in and out slowly.

“I can’t, Cookie. I can’t hold it in anymore.” He could barely form full sentences himself as he felt her pussy trying to milk his cock.

“Then don’t,” she groaned. “Fuck me properly.”

That was all the permission he didn’t know he needed. He picked her hips up higher, changing the angle so he could increase the speed with which he entered her.

Her entrance was so slick that he could feel her juice flowing down his own legs and he pushed in and out of her. She cried out with every orgasm, but he continued at the same tempo, causing the ship to creak and rock despite being on auto-pilot.

With one last thrust, he pushed her up against the side of the ship, feeling her warm skin flush against his as he pumped his seed into her. He rested his forehead against her shoulder as he breathed her in, his hips still rocking back and forth on their own accord.

“Tell me we’ll see each other again,” he whispered through his labored breathing.

“You’ll have to give me a break first. My body is going to be sore for weeks.”

He backed away and spun her around, bringing her to sit on his lap. “I have a primary med bay. Which part of you hurts?”

She laughed and combed her fingers through his hair. Belatedly, he realized she was teasing. “I’m fine. But how can we see each other again if you are leaving?”

“I…” He hesitated. “I can stay.”

His determined Cookie shook her head furiously. “You can’t. You have a home.”

“I can stay until we find the one who targeted my ship. It can be labelled as an investigative mission.”

“And after that?”

He drew in a breath. “After that, I will ask you to travel with me. I am a voyager; I have no permanent home. I will bring you back to Earth whenever you ask, but I want to show you the rest of the universe.”

He watched as her lower lip quivered. “Really?”

He nodded. “Of course. I can outfit the ship to accommodate two passengers, and I’ll learn human customs while I’m on Earth.”

A sly smile curled on her lips as she looked around the ship. “Actually, I quite like it as it is.” She threw her arms around him. “Just like how I like you the way you are.”

Kai was ready to give up his life as a voyager just to settle in bed for a lifetime with his Cookie.

THE END

---

Sorry about this update being a bit late this week; Christmas is nearing and things are getting busy. I didn’t even read over this last chapter to edit it BECAUSE IT’S A VERY RAUNCHY CHAPTER and I gotta be a normal human being in a couple hours. Can’t be thirsting over Kai in public! There is an epilogue for this story somewhere in my brain, but I honestly cannot say if I’m going to write it out LOOOOL It really depends because I also have a sequel...as well as other stories I want to write.

In the meantime, thank you all for reading! And thank you for the kind messages <3 <3 <3 Hope to put out more stories soon!!!!!!!!!!~~~~~~

[bestfriendforhire]

Children of BFFH, Entry 68

 1:07 a.m. of April twenty-ninth was probably not a special time for very many people globally, though perhaps galactically.  Momma Mila might know for certain, but I never bothered to ask her.  Grandma Death certainly would know.  She quite literally knew everything, such as my tendency to count down the seconds to this time every single year.  If most of my friends had a clue the type of things I did yearly…  Well, they’d probably cringe, frown, sigh, or make some bad joke, but I was about to have an amazing time!

 The moment the clock struck 1:07 a.m. I mentally called out :Grandma Deaaaaaaath!:

 She didn’t need the call, of course, but I liked doing it.  Before I was even done making the sound, I was floating in a void and shivering, though not with excitement.  At my request, Grandma Death let me see her as others saw her for one second each year on my birthday.  The sight was… well… I made sure not to eat or drink anything too recently before this time.  Even a second of seeing her was enough to send many people to the looney bin permanently.  Others had dropped dead at the sight, but I was tough.  I wasn’t so tough that I turned down the suuuper warm hug that I received after enduring the sight of the Reaper, but who could be Boss-level tough at eight?  He hadn’t been!

 “Are you ready?” she asked me, smiling at me in the child-like form she used around Momma Emma.

 I nodded excitedly.  Moving the moment my changing room appeared around me.  Yes, she could have just materialized my costume over me, but what fun is that?  I was changing into my very own superhero outfit for the first time ever!

 Last year, I had picked a fight with the boss as a birthday present.  Though fun, he really didn’t take me seriously at all, partly because I made the mistake of requesting a duel with him at his strongest.  How was I supposed to know he could be god-tier at whim?

 The year before that had me vacationing on a few different planets with a technically dead version of Momma Emma and a matching aged version of Momma Mila.  Sadly, Momma Emma just couldn’t get over how young I was, since she had last seen me… much older.  Grandma Death wouldn’t tell me when she dies even on my birthday.

 At five, I thought eating a moon-sized sundae would be a good idea… Turns out that even I can’t get myself to eat that much, even with all the time I’d want.  For my fourth birthday, I requested a dozen fights with Messy when she wasn’t holding back.  Seven-year-old Messy wasn’t willing to fight me all out, so I ended up fighting twenty-three-year-old Messy—the youngest version of her willing to fight me at four—who didn’t even have to concentrate to beat me.  Luckily, she took me on an incredible shopping trip afterward!

 My first few birthdays weren’t really that extraordinary, since I drastically underestimated what Grandma Death was willing to give me.  I had a tiara that grew with me from my first birthday, a pile of pirate treasure from my second birthday, and a marble-sized explosive with enough power to obliterate a city if I activated it.  I still planned on using that bomb eventually, but I didn’t have a clue where yet, though I did plan to stick around and feel the blast.  Worst case, I’d die.  Not a big deal.

 I bounced on my toes as I opened the box for my costume, staring at it excitedly.  This suit had technology that would make even Poppa Jarod drool, having been designed by a hundred-year-old version of me.  By that time, I was sure to have studied the technologies of countless planets!  I did have a very small feeling of guilt for inflicting the wishes of an eight-year-old me on a one-hundred-year-old me, but I was sure I would get over it.

 Concentrating on numerous sections of my suit, I frowned.  With my vision, I should be able to see ten thousand times magnification by human standards, but I couldn’t make anything out.  Had I shielded my own suit from myself in some way?  Why!?  Shrugging, I finally started putting it on, letting out a small scream when the suit ate me!  The entire suit was plant-based, but I couldn’t control it!

 “Even at one hundred, you have quite the sense of humor.” stated Grandma Death with a smirk after she brought me back to life.

 Dozens of thoughts on getting even with her came to mind, but every plan came to an abrupt end with the same thought: getting even with myself wasn’t a good idea.

 “There there.” teased Grandma Death as she mussed up my hair.  “I made you that one.” she told me, pointing at a wall that opened up next to us.

 “Just get changed before I change my mind.” stated a voice from behind us.

 “Messy!?” I exclaimed, whipping around to stare in surprise.

 She was wearing one of those little masks that stick to the face, letting her normal blonde hair be free.  Her suit was red, like Calamity’s, but there were white lines creating symmetrical designs over it.  The suit was also textured with very, very small SKs.

 “... Sidekick, really?” I asked with a grin when I realized what that probably meant.

 “If you’d prefer I play the main hero, I need to switch outfits.” she told me, gesturing as if she had the other outfit waiting around the corner.

 “We can both be heroes!” I assured her, admiring how she instantly changed the letters to smiley faces in a puff of dark energy.  Her powers really were useful.  I couldn’t believe she was actually doing this for me!  “Just a sec!” I told her as I dashed to my suit, jumping in place when my hand passed through some sort of barrier I hadn’t noticed.  When the shock died down, I realized that I could feel my suit.

 “Sorry, but I’m going to make you forget the design once you’re done.  I don’t want you to miss out on discerning that you can do that on your own.” explained Grandma Death, her blue eyes literally sparkling with her delight.

 I nodded, though I was a little disappointed.  Grandma Death had made plant-based circuitry that I could easily reshape with my magic to activate different parts.  Plus, there were many varieties of plants woven throughout the suit.

 “Thank you, Grandma!  This is so neat!  I was going to call myself ‘Daemon’ after the Greek idea, since people would relate that to something demonic these days, giving me a parallel to ‘Calamity’ being a hero as well as some fun with the original meaning.   I’m not sure now…” I admitted, thinking about it.  “Oh, and sorry, Messy.  I’ll need to read through the…  Nevermind.  Thank you, Grandma Death!” I told her, now knowing complete details of what every last circuit in my suit currently could do.

 Huh.  I also knew how to put it back in order, assuming I had enough control at the moment.  I tried, making giant thorns shoot out in three different directions before reverting back down to bind into the suit.  There was no trace of demonic energy left in them!

 Hugging Grandma Death, I told her “That’s so cool!  I really will get that level of control eventually, right!?”  When she nodded, I hugged her even harder, ignoring when she pretended she couldn’t breathe.

 With a brief flex of will, I put a giant ‘D’ on the chest of my suit, deciding to stick with Daemon.  Then I had my suit wrap around me, easily arranging it back to its proper shape.

 “Fair warning, but any attempt to permanently disable my connection will result in this part of your birthday being cancelled.” warned Momma Mila from the suit’s earphone.

 I nodded, knowing she’d be aware, as I studied how the earpiece functioned.  Knowing that I’d eventually be able to do this on my own was thrilling!

 “As we progress, you two will be engaged in more and more difficult scenarios.  Please remember that these are real beings.  Mother will not bring any lost lives back should you make mistakes.” warned Momma.  “First engagement…”

 Momma explained the trajectory of a shuttle that had been shot while entering orbit.  Messy and I were to save the ambassadors in the name of Best Friend For Hire—apparently the Boss was even paying us for this one—and stop the shuttle from damaging the city below.  We had twenty seconds to figure out our approach after being deposited on a rooftop.  Far too easy!

 At the speed of thought, Messy and I compared ideas, knowing we shouldn’t make a big show of saving the ambassadors, since the Boss wouldn’t approve.  I grew wing-like structures and used a spell to create airflow around me.  Messy just flew.  She could fly at whim through energy manipulation, though she hated the glow or shadowy effect equally.  Technically, both of us could fly through becoming energy temporarily, but we’d probably freak out the ambassadors even more that way and wouldn’t look as cool.

 To keep things simple, we just slowed the shuttle down and carefully landed it after checking with the ambassadors where they were supposed to be landing.  Momma Mila had hacked the shuttle’s computer before we were even airborne.  Knowing every ship’s hardware and software had to be nice.

 For our next mission, we stopped some robbers as they prepared to blow open a vault.  Then we stopped some space pirates—I hadn’t known that was a real thing—attempting to hijack another ship.  We stopped a building from being blown up without alerting the inhabitants of the danger.  There was a neat rescue mission where we flew a custom ship designed specifically for this birthday.  Grandma said Messy and I really did get to keep the ship for later, though Messy was against me tinkering with its hardware.

 A few dozen heroic deeds later, we lost.  An entire planet died.  Once our ship was blown up due to a slight miscalculation, Messy had attempted to shield an entire planet from an armada with a linked weapon system designed for planetary annihilation.

 “That one had a very low probability of going well on the first try.  Ready for take two?” asked Grandma Death.

 “But Sis said…” started Messy in surprise.  Then she started to smile.

 “Yep.  Momma said you wouldn’t bring them back to life.  She hadn’t said that particular universe wouldn’t be voided.” I agreed, smiling too.  “May we discuss our strategy a bit before we try again?”

 Grandma Death nodded, so Messy and I collaborated on a plan of attack.  That plan failed too when we tried it.  The next one failed as well with a chunk of the planet still being destroyed.  Again and again, our failures continued to add up.  Under the stress, Messy was having trouble keeping her emotions in check, leading to her power going out of control.  Well, mine weren’t as perfectly controlled as they could be either.  We started taking long breaks between tries.

 On our eleventh try, Messy and I abandoned our ship to fight in the void with our magic from the start.  She hurled me toward the distant end of the approaching armada while spewing power to create light like a miniature sun.  As the armada slowed to ascertain what was happening, they missed the very thin line of plants I was leaving in my wake.

 Unfortunately, some of the villains fired at Messy after she started disabling their engines.  I really, really hoped she didn’t check whether Grandma Death killed just the gunner or the entire crew.  No one got to live after attempting to harm Messy.  If Messy did check, she probably wouldn’t come be a hero on my next birthday, assuming I stuck with trying this again next year.

 My plants spread out like a web over what I estimated to be a thousand miles.  The plan was for me to connect the various engines, forcing my plants to burrow through to connect with every ship’s power grid.  Instead, I accidentally did something else I’d probably be forced to forget: I somehow made the web conscious and hungry for power.  Was this what future me had done to have the suit she made eat me?  Seconds after the enormous plant touched the ships, they went dark.  Even crazier, the plant grew and split into two.

 In my head, Messy was asking what I just did, but believed me when I admitted to having no idea.  In response to asking if I could control them, I tried, willing the mass of them—they had continued splitting as they fed—to come back to me.  Unlike controlling unintelligent life, I encountered resistance, but they did obey.  Reverting them back down to plant fibers was an effort and a half, but I managed, ignoring the protest I felt from them.

 Messy did her portal thing and pulled me back onto our ship.  “Sis has an estimate for how long the crews can live without their systems running, but I want a reset.  Still too many dead.” she told me with an expression that told me she wouldn’t accept any argument.  Even villains weren’t allowed to die on Messy’s watch, like the ideal of a hero.  “Think you can do… that… again?”

 Unlike her, I wasn’t bothered by the deaths of villains.  Whether they died now or later, Grandma Death would be dealing with them.  If they were redeemable, she’d give them a chance, and they wouldn’t get a chance to blow up another planet in this life if they were dead.

 Despite my sentiments, I shrugged and attempted to create a very small, conscious plant.  I grew a plant, but there wasn’t any sense of consciousness.  “Maybe I need the sense of desperation?  You know what our powers are like.” I told her, frowning at the plant on my palm.

 She nodded and shrugged.  “Mom, mind if we try again?” she asked, mentally sending me her plan to try again with a number of changes.

 On our next try, Messy was making me glow, though she had hurled me and wanted me to grow my energy-sapper again.  With the focus on me, she started disabling ships.  There was no consciousness to the web this time, allowing me to disable engines and then weapon systems with precision.

 Finally, we had our victory!  After trapping the crews, we uploaded Momma Mila to the ships, did some repairs, and happily let her take the villains to a prison she knew about.  Messy and I had a small victory party on our ship, sharing the cake she had invented this year.  Grandma Death joined us, of course, and even Momma Mila had some, appearing in a very human-seeming body.  Before I managed to put my fork down, I was back in my room, watching the clock turn to 1:08.  I happily flopped back onto a bush I had grown for that purpose, smiling at my ceiling and wishing I could tell the rest of my friends about what they had missed over the course of today’s celebrations.  At least I’d be able to talk with Messy about our adventures this year.

[eloarei]

Thank goodness for self-indulgent slapdash babbling fics about your OCs, eh? Here, have an “Alien Anthem” story from Snake’s point of view. It might not make a lot of sense, but it let me achieve my word count for the day.  2000 words (of an alien stalking the ship’s new human inhabitant) under the cut: 

It had never seen anything like this creature. Well, except for the hundreds of others of its species that the crew was slowly watching die out, killed off by various environmental hazards or eaten by their mutated brethren.  But it'd never seen one up close or in person. The creature was so beautiful, so unique, and so full of energy. It was so creative too, and so intelligent. It knew so many things, not just about itself, but about others. The creature liked to be called 'Bren', or 'he'; 'it' was wrong. He, Bren, also told the crew that they were supposed to be called 'he's and 'she's and names like 'Ant' and 'Ling', things none of them had known before. Bren didn't know if he should call it a 'he' or a 'she' or even a 'they' like the Greys sometimes used, but he did know that its name was Snake. Snake (who didn't know it was called Snake at the time) stayed back when the Greys went to go collect Bren from the Earth, and then watched from one of the video screens as the human was taken to his new home. It waited a little while for the Greys to leave the human alone and go back to their jobs, and then it invited itself in. Bren's home was very nice! Not a lot of rock, and almost no water at all, but it had a good amount of nice, dry dirt, and quite a lot of trees. And the trees were very dry as well, with rough bark and flat green leaves. The structure in the middle was very enclosed, but there were multiple entry points. Inside the 'house', it was rather dark. No plants, no phosphorescent moss. It did have several soft pieces of furniture-- very odd, but luxuriously comfortable. The first was in the bigger center room, the one with the flat stone-pile in the wall, and the second was in the room where the Greys had put Bren; the human was sleeping upon it. Snake approached him. Furtively, it touched his face. Soft, a little moss-like-- malleable and strong, Snake thought. As it had intuited, the human would likely make very hardy babies. It could feel its inside adjusting to the new information already, feel the first speckles of pale brown-pink begin to prick at its skin-- though it would take a lot more contact than that to erase the red it was born with or the bits of Grey silver it had picked up since joining the crew. But that was okay. Snake was not in a hurry to breed. Yes, it could feel the time was looming, but not significantly faster or closer than it had over the past year. It could probably hold off until it had had the chance to assimilate enough of the human's DNA to produce a viable batch of children. And if the process took too long, perhaps they could speed it up by engaging in the reproductive methods of the Earth creatures; to the best of Snake's understanding, that provided quite a lot of extended contact between the soft absorbent parts of both parties. It was something to think about later, though. Bren was moving around a bit now, apparently just shy of waking. Snake withdrew its hands from Bren's soft face and left to go observe the human from a safer distance; as much as it was fairly sure it liked the human, it thought he was prefer to have some time by himself. Besides, it needed to get outside the habitat in order to unlock the doors. (The access tunnels were unlocked, but they were supposed to be a secret, and it didn't assume Bren would find then-- not right away, at least.) Snake watched from outside, through any of the numerous observation screens it could hack into, as Bren woke and made a fuss about the situation, and when Bren approached the door to the outside, Snake unlocked it for him, and retreated to continue watching as Bren ran down the halls. What a fast creature, with his strong, steady footsteps! Snake imagined its babies having such a stride. Would they have hair, too? Or those funny protrusions the humans had coming from their faces? It could only guess. The Greys apprehended Bren rather quickly and chattered at him in their garbled version of his language until he seemed to understand the situation he'd found himself in and allowed them to lead him back to his new home. He and the Greys talked for a while, and Snake thought maybe it would invite itself in, now that it knew Bren had become accustomed to non-humans. But before it could finish unlocking the door, it was stopped by the angry Grey-- the 'doctor'. “So you're the cause of the trouble, hmm? I should have known. You should stay in your habitat when we have a new member, or you are putting yourself at risk of catching whatever diseases it has brought on board with it. And don't even think about going in there just yet! Go. Go home. I'll be monitoring you!” Snake huffed at the Grey but did as told. It wasn't as if the Greys could (or would, at least) do anything to harm or even inconvenience it, but it didn't like to be on the receiving end of those glares that this particular one liked to give out. So for the time being, it went home to its damp, rocky habitat. The place was only the second home Snake had ever known, and it liked it well enough. It was a far cry from the tall and deep volcano innards it had lived in before; the pool the Greys had given it was only three times as deep as Snake was long-- quite small! But it was comfortable, with its ferns and its soft mud, and it didn't resent having to stay there for a while. Better, probably, to give Bren some time to adjust to the ship and the Greys. (They were, after all, very strange.) It was the next day that it finally got to meet Bren. The human seemed very apprehensive of it, when they came across each other during his tour of the ship's control room. “What's with the Snake?” he asked, eyeing it warily. “Survivor from before planet!” they Grey which Bren had taken to calling Ling said. 'She' (as appointed by Bren) gestured at it, moderately fond. “Just like you, the only of its kind! Unique and rare specimen we save. As I say before, that is purpose of this vessel. Save last, study planet when empty.” Bren seemed skeptical. “And what did you find on this thing's planet?” “Oh, plant. Mineral. Not much. All life slowly dying from poisons. Naturally occurring! But not compatible with animals. This reptilian would have starved.” “Uh huh,” Bren said, not very impressed, apparently. “Yeah, you guys are real magnanimous people, aren't you?” That was a word Ling had clearly not yet heard (and maybe Bren had used it on purpose for that reason), so it shut down their conversation rather quickly. It wasn't much of an introduction, but Snake figured it would do. At least now Bren was familiar with it, and maybe wouldn't be frightened if it came to visit him in his home. That, as a guess, was only half correct. Bren was, in fact, quite frightened when Snake appeared “out of nowhere”, but only for a short moment. He quickly calmed and then became curious how it had gotten into his house to begin with. “This,” Snake said, and demonstrated its skill in picking locks, on the front door which Bren had kept locked apparently out of habit. Instead of being impressed by its skill, Bren was again momentarily frightened-- surprised or shocked were the words he would use-- when Snake's thin arms emerged from under its smooth plating. “You have hands!” Bren said, staring at them. “Okay. I wasn't expecting that. And you can talk too? Geez. Well, I guess you are an alien. I don't know what I was expecting.” Glad to have impressed Bren in some way or another, Snake opened its lower set of plates as well, and revealing its second pair of limbs-- identical to the top two, just lower. “More hands,” it said, wiggling them at him. “Huh. So I guess you're really more of a Lizard than a Snake,” Bren suggested, but Snake didn't like that. “I Snake,” it told him. “You say.” Bren bit his lip as he stared at Snake. “Yeah, I guess I did say that.” Ultimately, Bren was impressed with Snake's lock picking and hacking skills, and they decided to go on an adventure together-- not because either of them were trying to get out (the ship was orbiting Earth, far too high in the sky to land safely if you jumped out, Snake was sure) but because Bren was feeling restless and wanted to press his boundaries-- which was one of Snake's very favorite hobbies. The Greys, who watched everything they did, talked to them over the ship's speakers when they realized the two of them were bypassing door locks instead of just asking for the doors to be opened. “You are not prison, Bren!” Ling said, when they finally managed to get her to come find and talk to him. “We open doors for you! Any door, any time! You not need reptilian for open doors.” She narrowed her eyes at Snake. “How even you do, reptilian?” (Snake didn't bother answering. It usually didn't.) Neither of them were in any trouble, but since they'd been found out they decided to head back to Bren's home, done with adventuring for the day. “Those are some pretty clever fingers you have there,” Bren said, by way of compliment. Snake didn't know quite what he meant by that, but it was pretty sure that meant Bren approved of its hands (that was what 'fingers' meant, right? The little wiggly bits on hands?), so it reached out and laced their hands together-- one of its, and one of Bren's. Bren seemed surprised and a little uneasy, but he didn't pull back. “Uh, okay,” he said, and then proceeded to go about his business (which mostly consisted of grabbing one of the Earth books the Greys had stocked his house with, and then sitting on the couch to browse through it) with Snake's hand twined up in his own. He loosened his fingers at odd intervals to see if maybe Snake was ready to let go, but didn't force it. A few hours passed, with Snake mostly peering over Bren's shoulder as he read (it didn't have a clue what the book was for, but Bren seemed to enjoy staring at it, so Snake did the same, figuring it couldn't understand something it wasn't familiar with), and Bren mostly reading. By the time Bren finally did break away from Snake and excuse himself to go find something to eat in his weirdly clean kitchen, Snake felt full and warm and different on the inside. Satisfied, it went back home to get some food itself and take a nap. In a little nest of mud, dozing, it stretched its plates and looked down at the soft skin under the middle-most plating-- and there it was. Among the red and the plentiful silver freckles, its very first splotch of pale brown-pink. Not enough for babies, but a good first step. Maybe tomorrow it would get another one. xXx (More about these characters in my Alien Anthem tag.)