The Initiation

(A Really Bad) Pilot

The only bad part about having a good security system is how Goddamn loud it is. It took everything Nick had not to shove his gloved fingers into his ears and rip out any actual capability of audible comprehension. 

"How'd they catch up to us that fast?" His companion, Artie, shouted over the alarm. Even then, Nick had to give him a squint of hesitation, and think about what he had just asked him.

"Oh- fuck if I know," he shrugged, pushing the accelerator forward. Their dog, Lollipop (Artie's idea), rested his fat head on Nick's thigh, tongue hanging off to the side, getting his lap wet with slobber, eyeing the bag of Goblin Jerky (TM) on the dashboard that Nick forgot about. "Really? You need to go out now?"

Of course, Nick knew nothing about animals, or anything that couldn't give direct requests. AKA, he was really bad at taking hints.

"Art, take your fucking dog out."

"He has a name, dickhead."

"A shitty name."

"Fuck you."

Artie tugs on the dog's chain collar, stumbling to the side while the alarm blares seemingly louder, and their ship is lurched to the side by a Nacirema force's astro canon. Dammit, Nick just got this piece of shit equipped with bangin' speakers, now offline due to the hit. Great, now the screaming alarms would be the only consistent beat he'd have access to for a while- other than Artie's whining.

He was only focused on the task at hand: getting to the nearest fuel station and swapping their ship out for a brand new occupation as a stowaway in some storage crate. So, he didn't exactly notice the comparatively silent pitter patter of paws on the metal floors, as Lollipop the Legend himself came bounding back down the hallway, Artie tripping after him. Only when big ass toe beans slapped down on the control board did Nick really pick up on what was happening. 

"No, you shitty-" he started, spoken through grit teeth, but the German Shepard's paw had already clumsily slammed down onto the jump initiator. Or, the 'Light Speed' button, if you like. Nick was thrown back against his seat at the sudden speed, and the dog flew back, Artie letting out a loud grunt as he landed against his stomach. He protected the dog's body against his as he slammed against the wall of the ship. Nick didn't need to press anything to stop after that, as the ship's engines had given into the heat, shutting down and essentially throwing the three of them forward again at the sudden change back to normal velocity.

"Dammit!" Nick yelled, a certain growl to his voice as the lights began to flicker, ultimately turning off. The ship's normal LED lights were replaced with flashing red warnings. "We have to get off the ship."

"And go where? Into open space?" Artie asked, skeptical. "We're in the middle of God knows where."

Nick was already on that issue. One of the few things still functioning, thankfully, were the emergency protocols, giving him coordinates to the nearest habitable planet. Pressing a few buttons, they were already on track to crash landing there. Nick gave Artie a victorious grin.

"Don't ever question my piloting skills again."

"You're right. I know for a fact they suck."

Nick gave him a narrow eyed glare, though didn't say anything, just hoisted the dog up into his arms, stumbling as the ship rocked violently like a boat at sea in a thunderstorm. Sounded like one too. The screams of alarms were replaced by the sound of ship parts being ripped off as shrapnel into open space.

"Hey, be more careful with him."

"What? He's not whining."

"He still deserves respect."

"His name is Lollipop and he's the reason our ship is burning. If you wanted him to be a respectable dog, you would've named him Bandit or something cooler, and trained him to at least keep his paws to himself."

Artie scowled. "White knight."

Nick winked, knowing he'd gotten under his skin, and headed towards the escape pod with Lollipop in his arms, adjusting him to be more comfortable. The ship's escape pods, thankfully, hadn't been compromised. 

Reaching them with only skinned knees from tripping, the pods only had room for one person and some wiggle room. Nick strapped Lollipop inside, turning to Artie, who was prepping his own. Taking him by the collar of his shirt, he yanked him towards him, pressing a kiss to his mouth. Artie furrowed his brows, but didn't pull back, only hitting his shoulder.

"Oh, you think I forgot about you and that Norphinish chick in the face of death? Get in your damn pod."

Nick scoffed, taking a deep breath and wiping at his mouth and his sweat glistened forehead. It was getting hot in the ship with temperature control going haywire, and fires spreading, dark shaggy hair sticking to his face. Making room for himself inside the pod with Lolli, he buckled himself up, leaning outside the pod before closing the cover. Artie was doing the same. 

"Just don't die, yeah?" Artie mumbled, giving him a once up with worried stormy eyes. Nick shrugged.

"You should find comfort in these pods being self piloted. Since you think I suck."

He gave him an encouraging smile, which Artie returned (though less genuine), and they both sat back, closing their pods and ejecting. 

It was amazing, the view. Space by itself was beautiful, but space as the background to flames and destruction was gorgeous. I mean, it sucked that they lost their ship, and home, and clothes, and basically everything they owned, but at least there was a decent view when he was plummeting 40,000 feet to the ground. 

Nick grimaced as he had to struggle for room with Lollipop, the dog's hot breath against his cheek, wet tongue licking a stripe up his face. 

"Jesus Christ," he grumbled, reluctantly scratching the dog's head. "You're lucky Art thinks you're cute."

His dark eyes looked back out the window of the pod, widening as he witnessed a chunk of flaming metal being pulled into the planet's orbit with them, heading straight for Artie's pod.

"Art!"Nick yelled, despite knowing he wouldn't be able to hear him. He lurched forward in his seat out of pure instinct, only being able to watch as the shrapnel slammed up against Art's escape pod, throwing him off route, and spinning out of control. It got hot real quick after that, Nick's pod falling through the planet's atmosphere and covered in flames. Nick couldn't see Art after that.

Not that he wanted to watch his best friend die. 

Good thing he didn't have a chance to dwell on it long, as when he landed, his head slammed against the window, knocking him out almost instantly.

God, that sucks.