(Marina's POV)
"Hang on, Quinn! Hang on!", I begged, as I ran through the halls to get to the med bay, while carrying her. "I'm sorry. I should have told you.", Quinn apologized to me.
I enter the next bay and called out, "What do I do Hue?!" "Place Quinn in the pod, Marina. That's all we can do for now.", Hue replied.
I nod and shakily go to place Quinn in the pod, accidentally hitting her head on a piece of equipment. "Oh, shit! I am so sorry, Quinn.", I apologized to her, placing her down onto the pod bed.
"You trying to kill me?", Quinn jokingly asked, as an attempt to lighten up the situation. A couple of tears filled my eyes, as I looked down at her.
"That's not funny, Quinn! That's not funny!", I sobbed. She reached up and wiped a tear away.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you smile again.", Quinn said. Her hand fell, as she lost consciousness.
"Quinn... Quinn!", I called out to her, kneeling down. "Hue, please tell me she's sleeping.", I begged.
"Yes, Marina. Just sleeping.", Hue replied.
(3rd POV)
The door opens and Anaya and Gary are in the door way. Gary walks over to comfort his girlfriend, while Anaya's gaze was fixed on Quinn.
Remorse and sorrow filled her eyes, as she stood at the doorway, fighting off tears. Avocato, Little Cato, Alex, Mooncake, and Sheryl walk up to her and she quickly wipes her eyes and they join Gary and a bawling Marina.
(Anaya's POV)
"Give me an update, Hue. What do we know about Final Space poisoning?", Marina asked Hue. "Think of it like stagnant water... A breeding pool for disease. When Final Space was sealed away from the flow of the universe, space-time itself stagnated, poisoning all organic matter.", Hue explained.
"What's the cure?", I asked Hue, trying to hide my desperation. "Oh, there isn't a cure.", Hue informed us.
It takes all of my strength not to collapse to my knees. Alex lets out a small whimper, her tail tucking between her legs.
I quickly leave the room, as I hear Marina saying, "Figure it out, Hue. Please." I walk up to a window and pull out my medicine bottle of antidepressants and take two.
I look at the bottle and only notice one left. I sigh and slide down against a wall and buried my head into my hands.
This is all my fault.
(Marina's POV)
Everyone but Gary left the med bay. "I wish I knew what she was going through. I wish she told me.", I said, as Gary rubbed my back, as an attempt to comfort me.
"It would not have helped, Marina.", Hue stated. "How do you know?!", Gary demanded.
"Because I did know what she was going through. And there was nothing that I could do about it.", Hue replied. "Wait... You knew Quinn was sick? And you didn't tell me?!", I asked him, trying to not loose my cool.
Gary poured me a glass of whiskey and I swallowed it, as Hue asked, "It did feel wrong. But then for some reason. I did it anyway. Is that what being human feels like?" I ignore him and take a seat in one of the chairs Gary pulled up for me.
"Hang in there Quinn.", I whispered to her, not ready to loose my best friend.
(Alex POV)
I was working on engine maintenance listening to classic rock. I was so deeply focused that I didn't even notice Avocato and Little Cato walk in.
"Alex!", Avocato called up. I perked up, turned off my music, and looked down at them.
"Want to join us for a snack break?", Avocato asked. I smile, tail wagging.
We sit in the galley as Little Cato and I munch on the plate of cookies in front of us. I look over at Avocato, who seemed to have something on his mind.
"Are you okay, Avocato?", I asked. That snapped him out of his thoughts and he smiled down at me, while ruffling my hair.
"Yeah, I'm just worried about Quinn. She wasn't looking to great.", Avocato replied. I nodded in agreement.
"But I know you guys will find a way, you always do.", I said. He sighed and looked to the window.
"I hope so, kid.", Avocato said with a frown. I gave him a sad smile, whipped my face, and stood up.
"I better go check in at the bridge to see if the black hole messed with anything. Bye Avocato and Little Cato!", I called back to them while walking out the door.
I was on my back working on one of the control panels that got shorted out during the super charge when Hue spoke up. "Excuse me? Sheryl?", Hue asked.
"Yeah, Hue?", Sheryl replied. "Have you ever tried your very hardest, but it's just not good enough?", Hue asked.
His question caught my interest and I sit up to listen. "Ugh, story of my life, mate.", Sheryl answered.
Hue then asked, "How did you handle it?" "By going on benders and peeling my skivvies off for any man who gave me a second look. You know what I mean, don't ya?", Sheryl replied.
"What are benders?", I asked. Biskit, who is still working on his project.
He smiled at me, patted my head, and said, "You'll find out when your older." "That is unhelpful and sad.", Hue said to Sheryl.
"Oh, actually, it was big fun until it wasn't. The one thing that could've worked, I was too afraid of.", Sheryl said. "And that one thing was?", Hue asked.
"Asking for help.", Sheryl replied. "I've never asked for help before. I don't even think I know how.", Hue admitted.
"Uh, you're barking up the wrong tree for that, Doggo. Ask someone who's actually done it.", Sheryl stated. "Hmm... Ruminating, considering...", Hue said to himself.
I look down at my wrist guards thinking about when I was sick. I don't remember much about what happened to me.
All I remembered was passing out one day and waking up in my bed two days later with my wrist guards on. Kevin warned me not to take them off or I would get sick again.
If he helped me, maybe he could help Quinn. Then, everyone would be happy again.
"You could call Kevin Van Newton? He really smart, so he could help.", I suggested. After some consideration, Hue accepts.
So, I go to a control panel and call him. "Wait! What the-", Kevin said, before I cut him off.
"Hey Kevin! It's me!", I greeted with a smile and a tail wag. He smiles when he sees me.
"Hey, Hun! How's your space adventure going?", Kevin asked me. "It's been amazing! I saw a nice Titan, helped in a jail break, and almost got sucked into a black hole! These past few days have been the most fun I've had in a long time!", I exclaimed.
He chuckles at my enthusiasm and said, "Sounds like you've been having a real blast." I suddenly remembered why I called and calmed down.
"Actually Kevin, there's a reason I called you. We have a problem and Hue needs your help to solve it.", I confessed. Hue then speaks up.
"Hello, Kevin. It's Hue. From the Galaxy Two. We met before on the-", Hue said. "It's Hue. from the Galaxy Two. What the hell do you want?", Kevin spat, interrupting him.
"I'm calling for... Help. Huh... That wasn't so bad. How have you survived this long without contracting final space poisoning?", Hue asked. Kevin then frowned.
"Actually, a few months ago, symptoms of Final Space poisoning started appearing on Biskit, Alex, and I. But it was worse for Alex. I don't know why, but Final Space poisoning was affecting her much faster and worse than the rest of us. Just before it was too late, I found a cure.", Kevin explained. I was in awe.
Is that what happened to me? Poor Kevin must have been so upset.
"And that was?", Hue asked. "Celenium. It absorbs everything, including the nasty stuff we're breathing here. But don't get too excited. It's one of the rarest elements in the universe.", Kevin explained.
"Hmm. I think I can work with that. Thank you.", Hue stated.
(Anaya's POV)
As I sat against the wall, self-loathing thoughts invaded my mind. All about how all of this was my fault and how I was killing Quinn.
The world around me became blurred and a sharp ringing invaded my ears. It slowly became harder to breath.
I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice Avocato walk up to my until he placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Anaya." I jumped and jolted my head up to look into his concerned eyes.
"Are you okay?", Avocato asked. I try to force a smile, but I quickly fell apart and sobbed into my hands.
He sat down beside me and hugged my, bringing my face into his chest. I gripped onto the front of his shirt as my tears left a damp spot.
"What's wrong?", Avocato asked me. I looked at him, took a deep breath to calm myself, pulled away, wiped away my tears.
"Just like you have your regrets, I do too. My actions did this to Quinn. It's my fault she's like this. It's my fault we're here. I did this to us.", I confessed. He gently cupped my cheek and turned me to face him.
"Why would you think that?", Avocato asked. I pulled away and looked out through the window.
I took a sigh and started, "It was months ago, during the battle to close the breach in space..."
(Flashback: Anaya's POV)
Quinn went to go follow after Marina and Tribore, the former carrying the anti-matter bomb, but I stopped her before she could. "Quinn wait, there's something you need to know. Can we go somewhere private?", I asked her.
Quinn nodded and we walked into the next room to talk. "What's up?", Quinn asked.
I look into her eyes and started. "I had a vision, of you going into the breach and closing it. I checked for different pathways, but all end in the destruction of the Universe.", I explained.
Quinn looks at me shocked. "But in the path where you do close the breach, I see us coming for you. Quinn if we don't act now, the future, our future, will be gone. So, what are you going to do?", I asked her.
She said nothing for a moment, took a deep breath, then turned to me with determination in her eyes. "Whatever it takes.", Quinn states.
(End of Flashback: Anaya's POV)
"Like I said, it's all my fault.", I finished, as I looked away, not able to take any judgmental looks I would receive. Avocato sighed and I looked away to avoid the look that would, no doubt, reflect disdain and disgust.
He cupped my cheek and I was welcomed with an unexpected sight. He smiled at me in a way that conveyed compassion and understanding.
I broke down as he brought me into a hug, one I was happy to recuperate. "It's okay. I understand.", Avocato said and repeated, much like a mantra, while rubbing my back.
After a minute, Hue came on over the comms. "Anaya, Avocato, I don't mean to interrupt what you are doing, but you are needed in the bridge.", Hue said.
We nodded and Avocato helped me up and we made our way to the bridge, closer than ever.
(Marina's POV)
After Anaya and Avocato joined us, Hue began to explain. "I believe we can create a celenium implant. Throughout the half-life of the isotope, it would absorb the poison in Quinn's bloodstream. Perhaps something like this.", Hue said, showing us an example.
"That looks like nightfall's chip.", Little Cato said, stating what we were all thinking. Hue then continues.
"Ideally, the chip would be positioned near the anterior cerebral arteries to prevent further psychotic episodes. Like that.", Hue finished, showing us what it would look like. "And Quinn becomes nightfall.", Sheryl said, as we were to shocked to say anything.
"It's a full freaking circle. Or is it a rhombus?", I asked. "Yeah. It's a full freaking rhombus.", Gary said, agreeing with me.
But, Hue cuts in. "Oh. There is one major problem. Perhaps I should've led with this. The celenium is on a comet that is traveling 91,000 miles per hour. Surface temperature... 100 degrees below zero. Brrrrr! That's chilly, yo.", Hue said.
"How do we land on a rock that's hurling through space at a bazillion gazillion miles per hour?", Avocato asked. Sheryl smiles and states.
"Problem solved! We could do a hook and grab. Yeah, done it plenty of times. We harpoon it with a grappling hook, zip-line over to it, Mooncake and Anaya blasts us down...", Sheryl trailed off, as we get the idea. "And this is foolproof?", I asked her with narrowed eyes.
"Worse plans have succeeded, and better plans have failed. Besides, it's for Quinn, love.", Sheryl replied. Thinking about or options, I begrudgingly said, "Thank you, Sheryl."
"Let's get to it then!", Sheryl said, walking off.
(Alex's POV)
It was decided that Avocato, Little Cato, Anaya, Mooncake, and I would go get the celenium. Marina wanted to come, but she wanted to stay with Quinn more and Gary wasn't going to leave his girlfriend to deal with it alone.
So it's up to us. "Well, I've done some entirely crazy things in my day, but this is going in my top 10. Let 'er rip, Hue.", Sheryl said, piloting us towards the comet.
"Shooting anchor in 3, 2, 1.", Hue said, attaching the anchor to the comet and pulling us close enough. "Guys, you're good to go.", Sheryl announced.
We walk out in our gear, Anaya was wearing a big jacket with furry lining and thick pants, and I make it to the edge first and peek up at the comet. "The comet looks a little scary.", I whimpered, tail in between my legs.
Avocato rubs my back to comfort me. "It's just a comet, hun. Oh! Holy hell! I-I take it back.", Avocato said, finally seeing the comet.
Anaya steps up and takes a clip that was attached to the line, one that we each had wrapped around us."Lock it up!", Anaya exclaimed.
We do so and we steadily zip line over to the comet. "Incoming!", Anaya warned, as parts of the comet broke off that we had to dodge.
"Keep it quick, guys!", Sheryl exclaimed over the coms as the comet pieces hit the ship. We make it to the comet and I pull out the device that would tell us where the celenium was.
I ran in the direction it was pointing to and the others followed after me. The device beeped as we made it to where the celenium deposit was.
I put it away and said, "The celenium deposit is a mile below the surface." Anaya steps up and readys an energy blast.
She turns to Mooncake. "Let's do this, bud, for Quinn.", Anaya said.
"Chookity pok!", Mooncake cheered, charging up. He and Anaya both blast the spot simultaneously and stop when they blasted far enough down.
Cracks started forming in the ice. "Uh, there's cracking?! Do you see the cracking?", Little Cato asked in a worried tone.
"I see it! Come on!", Avocato exclaimed, tossing his son a line.
(3rd POV)
Meanwhile, in the med bay. Gary and Marina were by Quinn's side as the Final Space poisoning got worse.
"Where are they, Hue?", Gary asked the A.I. "They are on the comet.", Hue replied.
"And Quinn?", Marina asked. "Her bio readings are getting weaker, Marina. There is no assurance this will succeed.", Hue answered her.
"Give us some more time, Hue! Please!", I begged him, desperate not to lose my best friend. "Time is not mine to give, Marina. It belongs to none of us.", Is all Hue can said.
(Alex's POV)
As we were climbing down the line and into the hole, the cracking was getting worse. Much worse.
"We need to hurry.", Avocato stated. We slide down the rest of the way and I brought out the scanner again.
I quickly located it and pointed to the wall. "Here!", Avocato called out.
He handed me a drill from his satchel and hands it to me. I drill in and see the celenium.
But before I could drill anymore, the hole starts to cave in. "Watch it!", Avocato exclaimed, tackling us all out of the way.
And as the rocks fell, Anaya and Avocato covered Little Cato and I as we held onto each other, scared.
(Anaya's POV)
The rocks stopped falling and we separated. I knelt down and checked on the kids, who were unharmed.
We look up and noticed the opening was sealed. "We're trapped.", Little Cato said, fear evident in his voice.
I bring both the kids into a hug to comfort them, while I look at Avocato, both of us silently trying to figure out what to do in this precarious situation. Alex breaks out of the hole and continues to drill for the celenium.
Just as she got it, we hear... "Avocato? Anaya? Little Cato? Alex?", Sheryl called out.
"Sheryl!", Little Cato exclaimed. I never thought I'd be so happy to hear her voice.
"Oh! I thought you lot might be dead. Do you have the stuff?", Sheryl asked, as I let go of Little Cato and walk over to Avocato, trying to find a safe way out. "We got it, but we need you to come and pick us up. We can't go back the way we came.", I explained to her.
The cavern shakes again, indicating another impending collapse. "On it.", Sheryl replied.
"Alright, do it, Mooncake and Anaya. Do that thing you do, baby!", Avocato cheered. I charge up another blast, as Mooncake does the same.
"Chookity pok!", Mooncake exclaimed, as we blast a hole bellow us for Sheryl to pick us up. We drop down as the cave starts to collapse and Sheryl catches us.
We watch the comet disperse before dashing off to the med bay. We make it and I gasp as I see Quinn looked so much worse.
"Celenium in the med bay, yo!", Little Cato exclaimed with much urgency, as Alex handed Marina the Celenium, which she had put into a capsule earlier. Hue extends what looks like a drill out and opens the top.
Marina quickly shoves the celenium in and the drill closes. "Celenium... Smelting... Chip... Fabricating... Drill... Operative.", Hue announced.
"Hurry, Hue!", Marina urged. He starts up the drill and brings it to Quinn's head.
As he started to drill in, Quinn started shrieking in excruciating pain. "What's happening?!", I asked Hue, worried for Quinn.
"Her body is too weak to withstand the fusion.", Hue explained. The wind got knocked out of me, as I processed that Quinn may die.
I can't let that happen. "C'mon, Hue. There's got to be something you can do.", Avocato stated.
"This procedure requires Quinn to be conscious. Any chemical interference can jeopardize the fusion. But, there is... One way.", Hue said. "Anything!", Marina and I exclaimed in sync.
Marina looked at me confused for a moment, then looked back to Quinn. "We can fuse her pain receptors with someone else's. But, they would feel all of the pain that Quinn is feeling.", Hue explained.
"I'll do it.", I quickly volunteered. Marina looks at me shocked.
"But, Anaya-", Marina started, but I cut her off. "I don't care if it will hurt. What will hurt worse is if I do nothing, Now do it!", I demanded.
Hue extends a disk that shines a light onto me. "Link established.", Hue explained.
"I don't feel... Aah!", I started, but I started screaming, as a wave of excruciating pain washed over me.
I collapse onto my knees as I continued to scream. I turned back to see she was still in too much pain and looked up at the ceiling and demanded, "Raise it more!"
"Anaya, that is something I do not recommend.", Hue said. I suddenly feel a clenching pain in my chest and I bend over, grasping the area, feeling lightheaded.
"Cardiac arrest in progress.", Hue announced to the room. Avocato races to the defibrillator on the wall and grabs them.
He runs back over to me and kicks me to the ground as I was struggling to breathe. "Come on. Come on, baby. Come on, Anaya!", Avocato yelled out to encourage me.
He places the paddles on my chest and a thump hits my chest. "Aah! Aah!", I screamed, finally able to breathe again, the chest pain fading away, but I continued to feel Quinn's pain.
"More, Hue!", I demanded the A.I. again. "Your troponin levels are critical. Any more and you may-", Hue started to explain, but I cut him off.
"Just do it! I don't care what happens to me! I just want to save my friend!", I exclaimed. Avocato's eyes widened looking down at me and I screamed, as Hue transferred more of Quinn's pain to me.
My nose started to bleed out of both my nostrils and my eyes, as I screamed, "¡Oh Dios mío! (Oh my God!)" "Anaya? Anaya!", Avocato exclaimed, kneeling down next to me and cradling me to his chest, as the pain faded away.
I stopped screaming and panted, as I tried to catch my breath. "Celenium implant complete. Blood filtering. Life signs stabilizing.", Hue announced.
I gave a tired smile as relief filled my being. Quinn was going to be okay.
(Marina's POV)
After the procedure, everyone left Quinn and I alone, even Gary. After several hours, she finally woke up.
I smiled down at her. "You're okay.", I said in a breathy tone.
"You're smiling again.", Quinn noted with a smile of her own. "Tell me about her. Tell me about your sister.", I told her.
She then starts telling me about her sister, Avery.
(Alex's POV)
After the procedure, Little Cato and I went to eat. Who knew a life or death situation could make someone so hungry.
And as we enjoyed our food, Little Cato and I got to know each other and found out we had a lot in common. We both like thimbles, we are great with technology, we're both great climbers, and we both know what it's like to lose a parent.
I was going to show him my room so he could see some of the things I've been working on when we passed Ash's room. But that's not why we stopped.
We stopped because we saw Ash inside. Except she was different.
She was older, her hair was shaved on the right side of her head, and she had two eyes. We walked in and Little Cato called out, "Ash?"
She looks at us and replied, "I'm back."