~6:21~
"I don't have anything to say to you," Jimin says, gritting his teeth and glaring at the man.
"You don't have much choice. Your fate lies with what you say to me," Mr. L/N says with a dismissive hand wave. Jimin doesn't let up; he continues to glare, his fingernails digging into the arms of the chair he sits in. When he stays quiet, Y/N's father lights up. "Good. Now, tell me, why are you here?"
"I'm here to look for Y/N."
"You told me you couldn't turn her over since you care about her too much, then you lose her? How does that work?"
Jimin glances over at Yoongi, who doesn't return the stare. "We were on a rescue mission and got separated when the ship crashed. Surely your radars picked up a giant crash landing?"
Mr. L/N brushes the comment off. "The ground shook, so I sent a team out to investigate. They are yet to get back. You're telling me you didn't look for Y/N when you crashed?"
"You have no idea how badly I wanted to, but there was too much smoke. I believe she was with Jungkook. I have confidence he got her out to safety."
"Confidence? You're placing way too much faith in that boy."
"Jeon Jungkook is an excellent fighter and a good friend. He cares about Y/N. If anyone can get her out of a situation that dangerous, it's him. I trust him with my life, which is why he's my Executive Officer."
He chuckles. "Making all these big decisions already, I see. I assume you've been to Kepler?" Jimin's left eye twitches, but he doesn't answer. "Silence. I stand by my original claim: maybe Namjoon chose the wrong leader. Perhaps my daughter would have made a better fit. Having a L/N in charge would have led to her handing herself over to guarantee your protection."
He keeps rambling on, but Jimin doesn't listen. As soon as he mentioned Namjoon, he felt an overwhelming sense of anger spike up inside his heart. The man's body is pointed toward them, his face leaning over the desk not too far away from Jimin. Jimin balls his hands into fists as the man keeps talking about how much better a L/N would do.
"I miss Namjoon, he seemed like a remarkable man. He presented himself well."
"You have no right to talk about him," Jimin says, snapping out of his thoughts.
The man leans closer, giving Jimin a taunting smile. "Namjoon would have taken my deal. He would've understood the crew comes first, and hard decisions must be made." Jimin grits his teeth. "He's a real Captain." He feels himself leaning his body closer, his blood boiling. "Namjoon should be the one sitting here right now, speaking to me." Jimin narrows his eyes, fury flooding into his vision. He sees all red. However, what he says next pushes Jimin over the edge. "Tell me, Park Jimin... what were Kim Namjoon's last words to you?" He can't hold back any longer.
Jimin punches him.
He did a quick punch to the nose, but it was enough for her father to snap back with blood pouring out of his nostrils. He holds his nose in shock, then laughs. "You motherfucker, I think you broke my nose!"
Jimin rolls up his sleeves. "I can break a lot more than that if you'd like."
He prepares to stand, but Yoongi places his hand on his arm to stop him. When Jimin meets Yoongi's eyes, he sees the pleading look in them and decides to stand down. He's not sure how Yoongi calmed his anger, but he did.
"I praise your boldness, but unfortunately, that's not going to get you anywhere. I still need you to tell me why you're here," Mr. L/N says while holding his nose. Before Jimin can respond, there's a buzz at L/N's comm. He groans, rolling his eyes before pulling out a tissue and pressing it against his nose. He pushes the button. "Yes?"
"Sir, we have Belt ships incoming."
His face falls. "We can scan them?"
"I think they want us to know, sir."
"No shit. Prepare for counter attack immediately. Even if it's a trap, we can't risk losing our people. Prepare the infantry in case they land."
"Right away, sir."
He turns off the comm and runs his free hand through his hair, then taps against the comm once again. "Send four guards up to me now." He doesn't give whoever is on the line a chance to respond. After, he stands and glares at Jimin. "We're under attack, I must see to this personally, but you two are going to have some very nice company that will keep you safe. Don't worry, everything will be okay. I can't wait to finish our chat."
The man goes toward the elevator but stops halfway to speak. "Jimin?" The Captain hides his fear; he simply stays quiet. "You lost my daughter, you taunted me and refused me, you even hit me... I want you to know that after all of this is over, I will kill you like I did Namjoon. Without mercy, without hesitation. You will never see Y/N again, if she's even alive."
Jimin sits there seething, and without another word, the man starts forward again. The elevator opens, and four guards storm into the room as he goes inside the elevator, giving Jimin a friendly smile before pressing a button. The doors close, and the man vanishes.
"Fuck," Jimin whispers. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Try anything and we'll shoot," one of the guards says, poking the barrel of his AR against Yoongi.
"Yeah... this!" Yoongi says, grabbing the barrel and forcing it upward. In his shock, the guard shoots, but it only hits the ceiling. Jimin panics as Yoongi strikes the man in the stomach, right under his armor, ripping the AR free and shooting him in the head.
Jimin rushes into action, tackling the guard closing in on him. He pins the man down and fights for the AR. The second guard clicks off the safety to his weapon, but Jimin quickly breaks the rifle free of the first guard's hands and rolls over. He jumps behind the chair and lets out a yelp when a bullet grazes his arm, ripping his shirt's fabric and drawing blood. It hurts like a knife wound, but he refuses to focus on it. When the frenzy of bullets is over, he peeks out with his AR and fires.
The guard he took the AR from tries running, but Jimin shoots him in the back. The second one crouches to reload. There's no cover in the room except for the chairs and desk, so Jimin and Yoongi have the natural advantage. That means he has a perfect shot of the second guard, and he takes it.
As soon as the last guard falls on the ground, Jimin checks on Yoongi and is pleased to see him picking up his second guard's AR along with stealing any ammo that was left behind by the deceased.
"You're insane," Jimin says in a pant. Yoongi gives him a shy smile before noticing Jimin's wound.
"You're bleeding."
"Women bleed for a whole week once a month. I'll be fine, we need to focus on getting out of here before Y/N's father kills us."
"I agree, but please never use that analogy again." Jimin gives Yoongi a sly smile. Yoongi holds up his hand before the Captain can speak. "Don't make any more jokes, this isn't the time for them."
"What can I say, jokes help me deal with my depression," Jimin says, and Yoongi gives him a horrified look. Jimin's smile falters. "No more jokes, right. Let's go."
~6:21~
"My father, knowing I loved him, gave away Jungkook? Why?! It doesn't make any sense!" you shout.
"Honey, please calm down-"
"Oh don't you dare honey me! You stood there and watched as dad hit me! As he screamed at me!" Your mother jumps from shock and hurt, but you only shake your head in disgust. "You have no right to call me your daughter."
"Y/N, please-"
"Save it. We have more important things to do. We have to find where the Blackwell was and search for clues."
"What about your father?" Jungkook asks, and you scowl.
"He's not my father anymore."
Before you can leave, the TV forces itself on. An emergency broadcast plays, a robot voice ringing out. "Attention all citizens of Ganymede, this is not a drill. We are under siege by the Belt. They have touched down on the surface and are getting closer to us by the second. This is our last stand. Evacuate to the bunkers immediately. Repeat, this is not a drill. Evacuate to the bunkers immediately."
The idea of your home being under attack doesn't settle in. All you can do is widen your eyes and hope your lungs will accept the stale air of the kitchen. It works. Barely, but it does.
"Jungkook, we have to hurry," you whisper.
Your mother places the knife down and starts to run to the back of the house, where the stairs are.
With his head, Jungkook motions to your fleeing mom. "What about them?"
"I don't care about them anymore."
You stride out of the house, storming past Alisha and not caring what she has to say. People are already swarming outside. Even in the outskirts of the city, everyone is rushing to get to safety. The bunkers are in the middle of the city, where they'll be heavily protected.
You look up in time for your eyes to widen. The sky is littered with Belt ships. There are dozens, all closing in. Most of them are large, about the size of the Moonchild.
"Holy shit," you whisper, throwing a hand over your mouth. "If we don't find the Moonchild soon, we'll die."
"Hey, hey," Jungkook says, standing in front of you. "We're not going to die. We've made it out of much worse."
"Jungkook, look up! It's over! Ganymede will be destroyed, my home will be lost... my family..." You break off, and Jungkook gives you a knowing look. "W-Why can't I just let them go?" you ask, your voice cracking.
"Because you'll always care, Y/N. You always will. That's who you are. You can never truly stop caring for them, no matter what."
Tears roll down your face. "But I want to."
"I know, but getting rid of your passion would get rid of you. I'm sorry, I wish we had more time to talk, but we have a ship to find."
You nod, blinking your tears away and sniffling. Jungkook grabs your hand, leading you down the road and to the main city. You're not sure where the Moonchild will be, but you have to try. You're going to guess outside the city. Problem is, if the Belt sees it, they'll shoot.
You're in the heart of the city now with people screaming and running around in a pack. When you notice the alleyways, you see how practically no one is going through them, and you nudge Jungkook, who gets the hint right as gunshots go off.
The sudden loud noise causes you to scream in fear. You force your lips to close to prevent more sounds from coming out, and you just barely manage to keep up with Jungkook.
The Belt is here. They're opening fire on innocent civilians.
Jungkook leads you into the closest alley as he pants, his cheeks glowing blue with the tiniest hint of red. "We need to get out of the city, and fast."
"Where do you think the Moonchild will be?"
"I honestly have no idea-"
Before he can finish his sentence, he gets hit in the back of the head with what seems to be the butt of a gun. He groans, letting go of your hand and sliding down against the metal wall of the alley.
"Jungkook!" you shout, facing your attacker. You see three armored men standing there, helmets on, their figures tall and thin. Much taller than you.
The nearest one grabs you, and you squirm for a moment before your fighting skills return to your mind. You plant your feet as he tries to drag you away, and you yelp before lifting up one leg and kicking his knee as hard as you can. He yells in pain, and the other two whip their ARs up, about to shoot when another male's voice is heard from behind them. While they're distracted, you rip the AR free of the one you kicked and whack him over the head with the butt of the gun. Even with the helmet, he groans and falls over, and you do it twice more. Then, once you're sure he's down, you search to see who saved you.
A tall male figure dashes out of the shadows, holding what looks to be an AR. He quickly shoots at your opponents with surprisingly good accuracy. The two soldiers fall over, and you jump in shock, whipping your AR up to meet the intruder. You don't peek back at Jungkook yet, you simply crouch there, preparing to fire to protect the boy. When the new face is revealed, you lower your weapon and almost cry.
Jin.
Jin laughs when he sees you, but you can tell it's of relief, not amusement. You drop the AR and can't help but rush forward. He meets you halfway, embracing you and slightly picking you up, your tippy-toes barely on the ground.
"You have no idea how good it is to see you," you whisper.
He brings a hand up to the back of your head and squeezes your hair. "I think everyone feels that way when they see me."
You chuckle, pulling back and looking into his eyes. "I never thought I'd let a joke like that go, but here we are. I'm so glad to see you're alive."
"Me too. I see you have Jungkook."
The boy rubs the back of his head, slowly standing and giving you a small thumbs-up. "I'll be okay, but my vision is a little hazy."
You give him a grateful expression, then glance back at Jin. "Are you okay?"
"Seeing you alive and well makes everything better. Where's Jimin and Yoongi?"
Your smile falters. "I was about to ask you that." Jin seems horrified at your words, so you fill him in. "We split up on the ship, I haven't seen them since."
"Oh, Y/N," Jin mumbles when you tear up. He brings you back in, holding you tightly against his chest. You're so grateful that he's here, but you miss Jimin more than anything. Not knowing if he's alive or dead? It terrifies you. You know he's a fighter, and he always finds a way, but where is he?
"We need to keep moving. The quicker we're out of the city, the safer it is for all of us," Jungkook says.
You reluctantly pull away from Jin and agree. After you do, you pick up one of the men's ARs and toss it to Jungkook, who easily catches it and straps it around his body. You grab one and do the same, but seeing as Jin already has one, you don't offer him the last one. He takes it regardless. When you give him a puzzled look, he shrugs.
"Can never have too much ammo."
You can't argue with that, so you stay quiet and walk with Jungkook to the edge of the alley. You peek out and see absolute chaos on the streets. There are bodies everywhere. The sight makes you gag, but you keep your mind as focused as possible.
"Where are the others?" you ask Jin.
"The others are onboard the Moon. They sent me to try and find your family and thought you would be there."
"Just you?" Jungkook asks, and Jin nods. "How did you get in?"
Jin tilts his head. "What do you mean?"
"Didn't a guard stop you?"
"I came in from the east side. There were no guards."
Before you have time to react, the ground rattles so hard that you're thrown off your feet. Just as you're about to hit the ground, Jin grabs you and keeps you steady. Jungkook holds the alleyway's wall for support with his eyes wide.
"What the hell was that?" Jin asks, and you peer up in time to see a large cruiser opening its bottom latch, about to drop a bomb on the lower end of the city. You're far enough away that it won't kill you, but it'll rattle you again.
"Shit! Brace yourselves!" you yell. Jin keeps a steady grip on you as you prepare for the impact.
It never comes.
The Moonchild flies right above the enemy ship, dropping its own bombs on the top of it, annihilating the enemy. It pops and burns, small explosions going off as the Moonchild moves far enough away to be out of range. Then, the enemy vessel explodes, the sight blessing your eyes. You let out a loud cheer, pumping your fist in the air. Jin and Jungkook mimic your actions.
"Hell yeah! Baekhyun is one hell of a pilot!" you yell, clapping for a few seconds before smiling. Looks like you found your crew. Now, you need to get out of here.
You turn your attention back to Jin, then to Jungkook, who's pale and glowing red, though he doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Good since you still have to cross an entire city to get to the exit. A city swarming with people and enemies who want to kill you.
This is going to be a long day.
~6:26~
As soon as the elevator hits the bottom floor, Jimin steps out and raises his AR, preparing to shoot. However, no one is present, which amazes the Captain. Considering how much war is going on, he figured there'd be a welcoming party, or guards left behind by Mr. L/N just in case Jimin and Yoongi got out.
"Let's keep moving, we have a lot of ground to cover," Jimin says, urging the man forward.
"Where are we going?"
"We have to find the Moonchild. My guess is it's outside of the city. I wish we had a way to contact them."
"I wish our armor wasn't crushed," Yoongi says. Jimin agrees. He could really go for some functional armor right about now. "Do we know what's happening?"
Jimin shakes his head, then looks around. He sees a TV mounted on the wall not too far away, the text reading 'evacuate immediately'.
"Do you think we're welcomed in the Ganymede bunkers?" Jimin jokes, trying to ease the tension.
Yoongi hums. "I definitely am."
"Oh really?"
"I have my charms."
"Well, they worked on me, so I'll choose to trust you on that." Yoongi gives him a confused gaze, about to reply when Jimin gives him a nervous chuckle and steps forward. "Come on, let's get outside," Jimin interrupts as he approaches the main door.
When he's through it, both him and Yoongi lower their weapons and watch as people scream. Bullets fire off and bodies cover the ground. Jimin's whole galaxy seems to come crashing down at the sight. Several of the buildings are already burning, and there's an explosion in the sky; it came from a ship that was blown to bits. Jimin goes pale. What if Y/N is somewhere out there?
"It's your fault," a male voice says from a few feet away. Jimin and Yoongi snap around, bringing their ARs up in sync and facing the figure. Y/N's father stands there with his eyes narrowed.
"What are you talking about?" Jimin asks. The man is unarmed, so Jimin would lose sleep over killing him, not to mention that this is Y/N's father. The last time he killed someone she knew, it didn't go over well.
"I came in contact with the Belt. More specifically, Jackson."
Yoongi has his finger over the trigger to shoot the man, but Jimin gives him a stern expression to make the man back off. Then, her father continues.
"He came here a minute ago, seeking sanctuary. He told me what you did."
Jimin rolls his eyes. "Us? I'm sorry, the only reason we were on his ship is because he took Jungkook. Who you turned in, in case you forgot."
Her father hesitates, nibbling on his bleeding lower lip before setting his jaw. "And that lead to her death."
Jimin slowly lowers his AR as clamminess swims between his fingers. "What are you talking about?"
"He found Y/N's body outside the ship. It's your fault," he whispers, breaking off. "You killed her."
Jimin's AR slips out of his hands as he feels his mind set itself on fire. Yoongi stares back at him in concern as Y/N's father rushes away, probably searching for someone or something, but Jimin doesn't care. His heart snaps in half, his entire body filling with overwhelming pain. He falls to the ground, immediately throwing up, gagging and spitting after. All his emotions come at once. His tears rush out of his eyes.
This is worse than Namjoon.
Jimin screams, gripping into the dirt and yelling out her name, letting his forehead rest against the back of his hands. He screams until his lungs burn and he's gasping for air. He rocks back and forth. Her name leaves his mouth multiple times before he goes back to sobbing, unable to control the noises coming out of him.
"No, this can't be happening, this isn't real," he whispers in a broken breath with his body shaking and tears dripping out of his eyes. The chaos around him becomes silent. His thoughts of Y/N's smile are the only thing he can see.
Yoongi wraps his arms around Jimin, and the Captain can't help but jump into the older man's embrace, sobbing relentlessly against his chest. Yoongi sighs, resting his hand on Jimin's back and keeping him close, his chin hitting the top of his head.
"Why her?" Jimin asks with a voice crack.
"I don't know..."
"It should have been me," Jimin says in a whimper while he scratches at Yoongi's shirt. "It should have been me. Why couldn't it have been me?"
After another minute of Jimin sobbing, Yoongi gives him a nudge. "Jimin, I know you don't want to hear this..."
Jimin sniffles, then pulls back, nodding. "We have to go... we have to go," he mutters, reaching out with his shaky hand and grabbing his AR. He stands, anger burning through his body. His vision is clouded, his thoughts narrowing on that man: Jackson. He needs to find Jackson.
"Jimin? What are you doing?" Yoongi asks as Jimin checks to make sure his AR is fully loaded.
He clicks off his safety and walks away as he answers. "I'm going to kill that fucker."
Yoongi races after him. "He could be the key to stopping the war."
"Exactly why he should be six feet under."
"I know how much pain you must be in, but Jimin-"
"Pain?" Jimin interrupts, whipping around and stopping. "My life was shit, and then she showed up. I love her with everything I have. She was the last thing keeping me grounded, and he-" Jimin breaks off, letting out a small whine as more tears roll down his cheeks. He throws a hand over his mouth, giving Yoongi a pleading glance.
Yoongi hesitates, then nods. "We'll get him, I promise. But can we at least look for the Moonchild first? Jimin, you're still their Captain. They need you."
Jimin finally breaks out of his anger. He sees Baekhyun's face, Seulgi's, Hoseok's, Taehyung's... Jungkook's. Is he alive? Was it only Y/N? Jimin's pain comes back, but for once, he doesn't let it consume him.
"You're right, you're right. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I can't imagine what you're going through right now," Yoongi says. Yoongi continues to surprise Jimin, but in the best way possible.
Jimin wipes away a tear. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being here," he says. He can tell Yoongi wants to say something grumpy back, but he bites his tongue and nods instead.
"You're welcome."
~6:26~
Jungkook keeps you close and holds your hand while the two of you bump into countless people. The bullets are directed away from the mass of civilians as Ganymede fights back. Clearly your father mobilized a counter-attack, which is drawing the enemy's fire away. As the entire city moves south, trying to get to the bunkers, you, Jungkook, and Jin are running west, attempting to get to the exit.
You keep moving, nearly falling over when other people slam into you, but Jungkook keeps you on your feet. Some people gasp upon seeing you, but you ignore their reactions and sprint with Jungkook, Jin pushing through behind you. You push and push, but eventually, the crowd becomes too much.
"Just don't let go of me!" Jungkook yells out over the chaos. It's safe to say his cheeks are burning bright blue.
You don't have the strength to talk, so you decide to trust him. However, you get thrown back, and your hand slips out of his. A yelp leaves your constricted lungs as you stagger back. Another set of arms wraps around you.
"I got you," Jin says, and you give him a nod of thanks before grabbing his hand and continuing forward.
"Are you okay?" Jungkook shouts, and you throw him a thumbs-up.
The crowd parts, but their screams bite on your ears while the overwhelming scent of blood and sweat clog your nostrils. Somehow, you manage to storm through to the sidewalk. By the time you do, you're gasping for air. There are still people running around you, but not nearly as many, which gives your lungs a chance to catch up.
"Where's the exit?" Jin asks.
You point forward. "It's not too much farther, straight up ahead."
Right as you're about to keep moving, more bullets fire, and the screams somehow amplify. Your ears ring from the sudden volume change. More bumps and bangs occur on your body from the masses scampering away. That's when you see it: a group of civilians are on the ground with holes in their skin and blood pouring down their figures.
You gasp and stumble back, looking up in time to see a group of Belt soldiers coming closer, raising their ARs and preparing to fire. Jungkook steps in front of you and Jin, about to take them all on with his cheeks burning bright red. The Belters seem surprised by his presence and hesitate for a moment, but you know it won't matter.
So, this is it. This is how you die. You really don't want to die on Ganymede, let alone away from Jimin, but you've lived a decent life. At least you met your soulmate. With Jimin's eye smile in your mind, you prepare to meet your fate. That's when a loud roar is heard. Everyone freezes as a giant 'thunk' sounds off. You're thrown back from the shockwave of it and land on the ground. You ignore your pain and snap up, searching for the source of what threw you back. Upon finding it, your eyes almost jump out of your skull.
There's a massive creature standing there between you and the Belt.
Your mouth falls open, and you realize this is nothing like you've ever seen before. It's not the human-like creatures, not the praying mantis, but something more.
It stands on two massive feet at around fifteen feet tall, and it has claws for hands that are a mix of dark green and grey. It has a head, or at least the start of one. Its skin almost looks like liquid dripping off its body. There's spikes starting to form on its back, a small tail present as well. If an amalgamation of pus, goo, and claws came to life, you imagine that monster is what it'd look like.
"Come on!" Jungkook yells, grabbing your hand and shoving you forward.
The creature snarls, then jumps into action as the Belt opens fire. You watch in horror, and for the first time in what feels like years, you freeze. No such being has ever been discovered before, yet here you are, peering at it as it tears soldiers to shreds as if they're pieces of paper.
Jungkook drags you away, and his cheeks burn red as he does. As he pulls you, you notice the beast clawing at its opponents and knocking them around like they weigh nothing. It terrifies you, sure, but you have more pressing matters. That thought is what gets you to snap back into focus and unfreeze.
You slip into another alleyway, panting and trying not to throw up both from your sudden rush of adrenaline and seeing a gigantic creature ripping men into tiny pieces.
"What the fuck. What the fuck?! How the hell are we supposed to stop that thing?" Jin asks with a quivering lower lip, his voice higher than normal.
"I don't know. It looks unstoppable," you say in a whine, turning a corner and trying your hardest to navigate the city. You may have lived here, but in your moment of panic, you can't help but feel claustrophobic.
"Shit," Jin says in a groan.
You peep over at him. "What's wrong?"
"My comm, it's busted. Must have been destroyed in the crowd. I'm missing one of my extra mags for my AR, too."
Ah great, this is going well.
You keep twisting and turning until finally you break out of the alley. The giant gray wall leading outside of the city is the first thing you see.
"Come on, the door is right there!" Jungkook says, and you rush over to it. You slow to a stop as Jungkook kneels in front of the panel, popping it free when the door doesn't open with the correct button. "Shit, Jin, I need you."
Jin nods and straps his AR around his shoulder, kneeling down next to Jungkook. "I can get it open, I just need time. Keep watch." Jungkook hums and stands, going next to you and keeping his AR level with his eyes.
From this angle, you can see the crowded roads. Soldiers are everywhere, and when you glance up, you spot how the ships are getting closer by the minute. You scan through the crowd as it parts, and your eyes narrow, then widen. You see a small military outpost, where Ganymede is preparing its offensive. Several soldiers are loading up and preparing for a war. However, it's the person standing in the center of them that makes you go still.
Your father is there.
Jungkook sees him too, going stiff for a moment before slowly peeking down at you. "Y/N, we need to get out of here."
You throw your AR over your shoulder right as Jin pops open the door. You sigh, giving Jungkook a sullen expression. "You know I can't go with you."
"Y/N, no."
"Jungkook, look at me," you say, and when he does, you continue. "Everything that's ever happened to us has happened because of him. Your enhancements, the Belt, me running away... Jungkook, I need to get to him. This entire journey to Ganymede has been about him. I need to see it through."
His red eyes fill with tears. "But what if you don't come back?"
You avert your eyes. Despite Jungkook's concerns, you know what you need to do, both for yourself and your crew. You can't go another moment without speaking to your father, not when he's right there.
"Guys, we need to hurry," Jin says, and you sniffle before nodding and addressing Jungkook.
"I'll come back, Jungkook. You know I will. If I can sneak onto a Belt ship and bring your dumbass back from the most powerful enhancements out there, I think I can survive this."
He gives you a huff, then returns your smile. He hesitates before embracing you. You shut your eyes and enjoy your closeness with him, though it doesn't last long; you know what you have to do. When you pull back, you give Jungkook a firm nod.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be okay," you whisper as Jin approaches you.
"What's going on?"
"My father is over there."
Jin pokes his tongue against his cheek. "Then we really need to leave. I don't think any of us want to be seen by him."
"Only two of us are leaving."
"What?" he asks, but you don't give him a chance to keep talking. You swivel around and saunter toward the outpost, but Jin's voice makes you freeze for a moment. "What are you going to do?"
You let out an almost unnoticeable breath, tilting your head back so your left eye can see the two of them.
"I'm going to restore my family's honor."
~6:32~
Seulgi shivers as the Moon shakes once more, her skin crawling at the thought of the Belt closing in on them. Baekhyun dodges an incoming swarm of missiles, groaning as he twists the yoke, doing a dive while the missiles explode only a few inches away from the Moonchild.
"Jesus, what's going on, Baekhyun?" Seulgi asks.
The Pilot huffs. "We're being chased by some small ship, I can't identify it."
"Can you get him?"
"Of course, watch this," he says, suddenly stopping the engines and floating. The ship dashes in front of them, shocked by the Moon's movements. Baekhyun uses the short range cannons to shoot pellets in front of them, which blows up the enemy. "Someone doesn't have shields."
"Shit, we need to touch down, there's no way we can defeat all of them," Seulgi says, and Baekhyun hums in agreement. "There has to be at least four dozen ships. Where's Ganymede's resistance?"
"Well, we got four so far. We're making progress."
"They have a battleship."
Baekhyun slumps his shoulders. "Yeaaah, maybe we can't destroy that one alone."
Seulgi gives the Pilot a pat on the back. "I'd say you've earned a promotion. I'm going to go find the others. Touch down on the outside of the city when you can so we can support Jin, and if you can, destroy one or two more of those bastards."
"Yes ma'am," Baekhyun replies, giving her a small salute as she saunters out of the cockpit.
Taehyung is waiting in the bridge. "Any update from Jin?"
"Nothing yet, I'll check on him in a few minutes. Right now we need to handle our part up in the sky. We'll find them, Tae, I promise."
His frown deepens, but he nods. "What can I do?"
Seulgi appreciates that he's willing to help, and she lets that show. "Gear up, we're going in. I'm thinking we split up and search the city. I'll send another team to Y/N's home to reinforce Jin, then we can search the other three parts of the city. I'll look for Y/N's father myself. We need to find out what the hell is happening."
"We need to get off this planet with our crew."
"That's exactly what we're going to do. No one's dying today."
Hoseok dashes up to the bridge. Upon seeing Seulgi, he lights up. "Seul, there you are. I brought armor and put it in the bay. Whenever we land, we should be ready to go."
"Thank you, Hobi. Have you been able to track Y/N, Jimin, or Yoongi?"
His slumped posture gives her her answer. "Whatever happened to them must have busted their armor. I have a faint ping on Jin, but his comm seems to be down."
"Well... shit. We'll have to start with Jin. Where is he?"
Hoseok hesitates. "Outside the city."
Her eyes widen. "Outside?"
"He was inside at some point, but now he's out."
She cracks her knuckles before rubbing her temple. "Alright, let's not assume the worst. Maybe he found Y/N and is getting her to safety."
"I think that's the most likely theory."
Seulgi gives him a grateful nod. She's still suspicious of Jin, which is why she sent him. Both to prove his loyalty and so the main crew can stay together. She feels awful for doubting him, but she has to in a high pressure situation such as this. She's the highest rank present, so she's calling the shots. Hoseok has been helping her, and she can't be more thankful. He always solves her problems. She knows she would choose him to be her executive officer if it were up to her.
"Alright fantastic four, we can do this," she says as Baekhyun slows the ship down and prepares to land. "Which side are you landing on?"
"The west."
"West side, let's see what happens," Hoseok mumbles.
She nods as anxiousness creeps into her system. Y/N is out there somewhere, lost and alone. Seulgi can't help but be on edge thinking about that. At first she saw Y/N as a friend, maybe someone she could trust, but when she opened up about her past, it became much deeper than that.
Ever since Seulgi lost Jisoo back on Earth, she's felt dead. Seeing Y/N so upbeat and ready to be friends made her shut down and remember what her life was like. She was terrified of becoming friends with the new girl, but now she's angry at herself that she didn't do it sooner. Seulgi's going to do everything in her power to bring her best friend home safely.
"Alright, we're in," Baekhyun says, locking the ship and making sure the shields are up before standing and heading onto the bridge. He addresses Seulgi. "What do we do?"
Seulgi straightens her shoulders as all three of the remaining crew members gather around her. "We need to find Jin first and see his progress. Best case scenario, he found all of them and we get back here and depart. We shouldn't be here in the middle of a war, but maybe Jimin will have a better idea. Worst case scenario, Jin bails on us and he brought no one back. Then we have to go in, locate Y/N's house and hope she's there, or her family knows where she is. I really don't like the idea of splitting up, but we might have to."
Everyone somberly nods. No one answers or makes eye contact, and that makes Seulgi shake her head and lean against the closest table. When she sees them pay attention to her, she continues her speech.
"Look, I know we're all scared. I'm terrified too, but that doesn't change that our crewmates need us. Jimin has put his life on the line several times to protect us. Y/N took a bullet for me, I'll never forget that. She put herself in her father's sights and risked losing the crew to keep us safe. Yoongi may be new, but he's trusted us with secrets that I know I wouldn't tell just anyone. And Jungkook, he gave himself up to save us. Our crew needs us to band together now and stay strong. Understood?"
The three look at her in awe but quickly agree. Taehyung and Baekhyun rush down to the main bay, going right for their armor. Hoseok approaches Seulgi as she follows them.
"You're a natural," he whispers, and Seulgi gives him a nudge.
"I wouldn't be here without you. Tracking Jin's suit, keeping me happy, getting the armor... I can't thank you enough."
He gives her a shy smile. "I just want to help. Anything I can do, let me know."
She returns the smile. "You've done more than enough."
She makes a quick decision. Seulgi knows they're in a rush, but she can't help it: she leans up and kisses his cheek. He goes stiff and giggles at the contact. She pulls back and doesn't give him a chance to reply before descending into the bay.
"W-What was that for?" Hoseok asks when he follows her.
"For being you," she replies, making sure her AR is loaded before throwing it across her body. She looks up in time to see Taehyung and Baekhyun fully armored except for their helmets. They don't want to be mistaken for Belt fighters in case they run into anyone they know, so they keep their helmets off. "Looks like we're waiting on you, Jung."
"R-Right, sorry."
He armors himself up, and Seulgi couldn't be prouder. That boy always manages to crack her up. However, she pushes her growing feelings aside to instead join Baekhyun and Taehyung's side as they stare out at the walls of the city not too far away. Hoseok takes a few seconds, then approaches them, grabbing his scanner to keep an eye on where Jin is.
"Where is he, Hobi?" she asks, admiring the surface. She's never seen Ganymede, and when she looks at the sky, she can't help but be blown away. Being this close to Jupiter... it's both terrifying and beautiful. She understands why Y/N would be freaked out by this, but Seulgi wants to sit down under a rock and paint the sight.
When Hoseok doesn't reply, Seulgi reluctantly snaps herself out of her thoughts with a sigh. The paintings will have to wait, so she takes a mental picture for later. Maybe she can sketch it on a napkin or something.
She gazes over at him expectantly, but he's staring at his scanner with furrowed brows. "What is it? Is everything okay?"
"The scanner, this can't be right..."
"What?" she asks, and he lets out a sharp breath.
"He's coming straight for us."
~6:38~
You stand in front of the outpost, listening to your father barking orders as the men carry them out. You have no idea where that creature is, but you doubt your father has seen it yet. The least you can do is warn him.
"Alright, dismissed," he says, and the crowd clears.
He peeks back down at his hologram, mapping out plans and strategies. You've never seen him in action before. Up close he's almost... scary. He knows what he's doing. No wonder why he's here, leading Ganymede against their battle with the Belt. He doesn't notice your presence, so you clear your throat. That gets him to glance up, and when he sees you, his eyes fill with shock. Then, he smiles.
"My dear Y/N, I'm glad to see you're here-"
"Save it. We need to talk. Away from here," you interrupt, motioning to the busy streets.
"Alright, there's an abandoned road right over there. I doubt anyone's around. They're busy saving Ganymede, which is what I should be doing, but since you insist on talk-"
You cut him off by strutting off in the direction he pointed to. He hesitates before following, and you notice he brought a pistol. He purposefully grabbed it from the table he was standing in front of. This makes you more anxious than usual as you round the corner.
It almost looks like a desert behind the large building hiding the road. The dirt appears lighter than the rest, and he was right—no one's around. It's a long, black road with the dirt on the side. There's a car at the end, but no one's in it. The car looks abandoned, just like the rest of Ganymede right about now.
"You finally decided to come home after all this time," he says as you stroll further down the road.
"I had to, this is my planet. I have to fight for it whether I like it or not," you whisper in response, admiring the tall building on the left and the giant wall on the right. It seems like an alleyway, but a road at the same time. It's confusing. A very unique back road for sure; you wonder if your father comes back this way often.
At this point you're standing in the middle of the street with your father at the mouth of it and staring you down. You finally give in to his stares, sighing and turning around. You glare at him for a few moments, but it's clear he's not going to speak, so you do.
"What's your game? Huh?"
He stays quiet for longer than he has to. "I only want what's best for my planet."
"You gave Jungkook up. Why?"
"Y/N, surely you understand that Jungkook is a wanted man by the Belt. I thought by turning him over, the Belt would ease up on their attacks. Maybe stop the war completely."
"So you hand him over without negotiating?"
He quirks a brow. "Who said I didn't do that?"
"Stop beating around the bush. Just answer the damn question."
"I did negotiate. They said they wouldn't attack for an entire month." He motions to the sky, where Belt ships are still coming closer. "Clearly they lied."
"Yeah, and Jungkook had to suffer for it," you mutter, kicking the dirt with your sneakers.
"I know you care for the boy, but it was truly the best opti-"
"Bullshit! You hated him from the start! I know you turned him in to Mars too!"
"Again: he was a wanted man. I'm a hero, I have a reputation to uphold. A criminal was dating my daughter. What does that say about the L/N's, huh? Did you ever think about that?"
You shake your head with tears in your eyes. "You never cared about me. You only cared about yourself."
"If I didn't care about you, I would have killed you by now."
"Kill? Seriously? That's your best defense?" you ask, your voice raising an octave higher than normal. There's a small whine in your words as they fire past your dry lips.
"Look, I know that throughout your childhood-"
"Don't. Don't even go there."
He hesitates before clearing his throat. "Excuse me?"
You roll up your sleeve, going all the way up to your bicep, motioning to a scar. "Do you remember when you gave me this?" you ask in a whisper, then you turn around and lift up your shirt. There's another small scar near the back of your hip. "Or this?" You drop your shirt and face him again, gritting your teeth. He has wider eyes than normal, paired with shaking hands. "Oh, now you realize how fucked up it is to beat your own daughter!"
"Y/N-"
"No! It's my turn to speak! You screamed at me all my life, you beat me to a God damn pulp, you disowned me for trying to live my own life, and then you have the audacity to look horrified by your own actions as if you haven't been doing it to me my whole fucking life!"
Seething breaths storm in and out of your nose, but he stays still despite your trembling body, dumbfounded by your words.
"And that's just what you did to me," you continue with a shudder in your tone. "Every bad thing that happened to me happened because of you, and the same goes to my crew. Did you really feel the need to torment Jimin about Namjoon?"
That gets him to show emotion: he smiles. "Your little boyfriend punched me when I brought that up."
"What?!"
"He was in my office not too long ago."
"He's alive?" you ask in disbelief, tears clouding your vision. You can't help the smile of relief on your face. He made it. He's on Ganymede with you. However, your relief is short-lived.
"Not for long."
Your smile falters. "What did you do?" He doesn't answer; instead, he casts his gaze downwards. You resist the urge to open fire. "What the fuck did you do?"
He peers up again, giving you a blank stare. "I told him you were dead."
"Excuse me?"
"Your little boy toy has been a pain in my side. Harboring a criminal, trying to tell me what to do with my daughter and my planet, showing up and demanding answers, then he tops it all off by punching me. I figured if I told him you were dead, he wouldn't want to live either."
As if on instinct, you raise your AR with your heartbeat speeding up.
He holds up his hands. "Y/N, what are you doing?"
Your hands are sweating, and your finger taps against the side of the trigger. Your stomach curls in on itself when you think about killing anyone, let alone your father. But now, in this moment, it feels almost right. He could have killed Jimin—he may have indirectly killed Jimin. He could have killed your soulmate.
"You took Jungkook from me twice, you tormented my lover, you abused me all my life, taunted me, used me... disowned me, and I'm assuming you brought me back here to kill me. Whose side are you on?"
"The side that will win. I'm doing what I have to do to make sure at least part of Ganymede will survive. Offering Jungkook was a way of doing that. The Belt guaranteed my safety in exchange."
"You're not a hero, you never were and you never will be," you say with tears rolling down your face.
"Y/N, let's talk about this-" You point your AR down and shoot him in the thigh. He shrieks out in pain, kneeling and clutching his new wound. "You little bitch! You'll pay for that!"
With a head shake, you lower your AR. "That's nothing compared to what you did to me."
He grunts and rolls his eyes. "The Belt will destroy Ganymede and your crew along with it. You better hurry, maybe you can reach Jimin before he gets killed. Maybe you can say goodbye."
Breathing becomes one of the most difficult tasks in the world. Despite all the chaos, your top priority is to move and find Jimin. You promised Jungkook and Jin you would see them again, but you once told Jimin he's your number one priority. You weren't lying. He'll always be your number one priority.
You begin to march away, but as soon as you rush past him, he calls out your name. Although you don't want to, your body moves on its own and swivels back to face him.
He wheezes from the agony of his wound and spits on the ground, then narrows his eyes. "The next time we see each other, I'll have you arrested."
"No, you won't."
"Why?" he asks, and the single word is softer than anything he has ever said to you before.
Your entire life has led to this moment. You know that now. The beatings, the emotional abuse, him tormenting your friends and new family... it's all led to this. You've struggled with your identity for so long, but now, you know it. You know who you are.
"Because I'm going to show the world what a true L/N is..." You trail off for a moment and set your shoulders. "Me."
He snorts. "You? Y/N? You're no L/N!"
"No, you're the one who's not a L/N."
"Fine, then prove it. Save Ganymede, then save Triton," he says, but once you go stiff at the word 'Triton,' he backtracks and lets out a rapid, shaky laugh. "Y/N, we still have a bond, you and I. You know that, I'm your father-"
You raise the AR again, aiming right for his head. "Your men attacked Triton. You gave the orders to fire upon my crew..."
"Y/N, surely we can move past this. Namjoon's death-"
"You killed my big brother, you bastard."
You pull the trigger.
His lifeless body falls over, and you let out a short breath. Your hands shake, and your AR slips out of your hands, falling onto the hard surface with a 'thud'. You put both of your hands over your mouth, realizing what you've done. You just killed your father. Your blood. After vowing not to kill unless necessary, you murdered a man in cold blood, regardless of his past actions.
Then, a memory floods your mind.
It's you and Namjoon in the greenhouse. He was crying, telling you to gear up, but you saw right through him. So, you approached him, and at your smile, he hugged you. And you hugged him back. Your Captain was always there for you when you needed it. He always supported you; he brought everyone up and overcame impossible odds. He was the best he could be, and you miss him more than anything else in this world.
At that thought, you stare at your father's body with no remorse. If you have to go to prison for that, so be it. He deserved it. You wholeheartedly believe that. You, who couldn't bring yourself to look at Jimin when he possibly killed Yeonjun. You believe your own father deserved it.
With that in mind, you wipe away your only tear and pick up your AR, throwing it over your body once more. You turn around and gaze out at the city. There are explosions going off, and Ganymede is on the offensive. The ships still flood the sky. You doubt Ganymede is surviving this, but you have no choice. You have to at least try and help them. Jimin needs you. So, you hold your AR tightly and strut forward without ever looking back.
All that's left is mentally praying that Jimin is okay.
End of part 1, part 2 coming soon...