─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
SEASON 2 EPISODE 8
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Location:
System: Alpha Centauri
Faction: United Colonies
Planet: Jemison
Place: Armistice Archives
A/N: Yeah I'm not even gonna lie to y'all, this is a sad chapter. The past is finally catching up with Jimin and it's not gonna be fun. Good luck. Take as many pacing breaks as you need.
☆☆☆
Jimin
The bar was empty.
No metal music blasted through the speakers, no patrons chit-chatted about the miserable states of their lives, no bar stools squeaked, no dance floors bounced from shoes stomping against them. There was no sound other than the hissing radiator that spat out clumps of hot air. It wafted by Jimin's face, and it smelled of expired, moldy milk.
Jimin approached the bar and sat on one of the stools, creating the first squeak of the night. No bartender was there to take his drink. Not that he wanted that; his throat was far too dry and tasted of mucus. His skin tingled from the dust on the counter, and he had to keep his hands on his lap so he could avoid the goosebumps.
"Any reason you chose here?" a deep male voice said from behind him.
Jimin let out a trembling breath and raised his bare hand to his mouth to nibble on his nails. His gloved one brought his scarf over his shoulder so it would dangle in his eyesight. It was a minuscule reassurance that perhaps Jimin would be okay.
"I don't know," Jimin answered, though the words were forced out of his tongue. Like they were wrenched from his lungs and plastered on the bar as compensation for what he had done.
Jung Hoseok rounded the bar and stopped right in front of Jimin, where Bog had once been all those moons ago. Only Hoseok didn't have his scarf. Instead, he had crimson red pirate gear and a cape that went down past Jimin's eyesight. He had gold studs that flickered in the bright light of the Crimson Fleet's bar, and his jaw moved up and down to chew on the watermelon gum.
Hoseok popped a bubble in Jimin's face. "You want me to forgive you?"
"I..." Jimin averted his eyes and bit harder on his nails. "No."
"Good. Pirates don't do forgiveness. Now, how about a drink?"
Hoseok went back and forth between chewing his gum and stopping so he could whistle. He scanned through the countless bottles until he found the disgusting sewer water that was piss-colored: Bog's Grog. Despite Jimin's best protests, Hoseok poured him a drink. Hoseok didn't bother getting one for himself.
"I didn't want to hurt you," Jimin said as his hands wrapped around the cool glass. Hoseok had put two ice cubes in it, and the coldness seeped through Jimin's gloves. As soon as his bare hand made contact with the material, he wished he could retract it and chew on his bent nails again. "You know that, right?"
"Parkie, this is a bar, not a therapy session." Hoseok paused to pop a bubble in Jimn's face again. The watermelon scent wasn't as strong as Jimin remembered. "If you want therapy, go beg your UC besties for it."
The UC weren't his besties. How could they be? They had killed his father, his mother, and even Park Jimin. He had lost his childhood thanks to the UC. He would never know what it was like to study, or get nervous for an exam, or feel scandalous for underage drinking and smoking, or have a teenage party where they teased one another for having crushes. Or, most of all, he would never know what it was like to learn to tie his shoelaces.
Jimin watched Hoseok, and the man couldn't stand still. He rotated from side to side with his head nodding back and forth as if a tune were playing in his head. Perhaps it was the squeaks of the radiator he danced along to, or perhaps it was the screams of his fellow pirates. Screams Jimin had caused.
"Did it hurt?" Jimin whispered, his words firing out in spite of his quiet tone.
Hoseok blew one more bubble before leaning over the counter. "You killed me. What the fuck do you think, Park?"
Jimin rushed to his feet and paced back and forth. Bog's Grog wasn't enough; he needed all the alcohol the Fleet had. Still, he had a feeling it wouldn't be enough.
Jimin cleared his throat. It didn't stop the mucus from building inside him. "I tried to help you."
"Some help you were."
Hoseok blew a raspberry and tossed a bottle of Bog's Grog at Jimin. It shattered against Jimin's torso. Liquid soaked his leather outfit, and the drips of alcohol soaked into every ounce of him. It was on his clothes, yet he could taste it. It tasted like blood.
"I didn't want to kill you, Hobi," Jimin said, his voice becoming scratchy.
Hoseok rounded the bar and stood across from Jimin. From the closer distance, Jimin could see the bags under Hoseok's eyes. Along with that, there were wrinkles near the edges of his cheeks, right before the skin intersected with the lips. His hair wasn't as curly as before. Frizz lined the top of Hoseok's head, though it was brittle. Almost like if Jimin ran a brush through it, chunks would fall out.
Hoseok clicked his tongue. "But you did. Look at what you've done."
Jimin gasped when he saw Hoseok's face change. It wasn't the same as before. There was no heart-shaped smile, no inviting brown eyes. Jimin had never seen him so dull; however, it went beyond that. It smelled of burning flesh and rotting corpses. When Jimin glanced down, he saw the body of Delgado by his side. The entire floor had been replaced by the deceased Fleet.
His feet stumbled over the limp limbs, and he ended up on the ground, covered in thick, oozing blood that originated from the fresh bodies. Liquid clogged his nose until he was snorting it. The slimy substance trickled into his mouth and traveled down his throat. It punched and kicked at his stomach; his eyes burned and his fingers couldn't feel anything but mounds of decomposing skin.
"This is what you did to us!" Hoseok shouted, and Jimin snapped his head up in time to see Hoseok melting.
The man's cheeks slumped, his eyes popped out, and his hair disintegrated. Hoseok fell and joined the corpses, and Jimin heard a high-pitched scream. He didn't realize the sound came from him until more blood rushed down his throat and prevented more noises from coming out.
Jimin extended his arm and pointed his right hand in Hoseok's direction. The pirate slumped to the floor regardless of Jimin's attempts. His hand kept reaching and reaching and reaching, but it was too late. The scene faded away, and he entered a black abyss.
An abyss he would never escape.
☆☆☆
"Jimin!"
He snapped to a sitting position and heaved, sweat pouring down his head and bare chest. A hand made its way to his shoulder. As soon as it touched him, he yanked it off him and whipped around, preparing to retaliate. A trembling Y/n was by his side with her bulging eyes darting around his face. He released her as soon as he saw her quivering lower lip.
"Honey... shit, I'm so sorry," he whispered. He went to kiss it better, but she placed her hands on his chest and motioned with her head to the door.
Jimin turned and saw it was blown off its hinges. Chips of wood flaked across the floor, and the hinges were scorched. Jimin threw the covers off himself and realized he was sparkling; he had used his powers.
"Particle beam," she muttered, hiccupping as she said it.
"I... I did that? While sleeping?"
She kissed his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "That's the fifth night in a row you've had a nightmare, Minnie."
Jimin stayed quiet for longer than he should have. "I know."
"But it's never gotten this bad."
He sunk his head. "I know."
Footsteps echoed in the hall before Y/n could continue. Sarah came inside with her blonde hair all frizzed up. Her pajamas were a shining silver matching set of shorts and a t-shirt, though based on the way the shorts were inside out, Jimin had a feeling they weren't on before she came to them.
"What happened?" she asked in a hurried whisper.
Y/n shushed Jimin and answered on his behalf. "Nightmare. Bad one. He triggered his powers in his sleep."
"He did what?!"
Jimin sucked in a sharp breath that pricked at his tongue. "I didn't mean to."
"I know, but... shit. You're lucky you weren't on your ship, you would've sucked yourself out into space."
Sarah was right. The Lodge had far more comfortable beds, so they preferred sleeping there, but they slept on the ship more often. Jungkook and Sam slept on the ship with or without Y/n and Jimin's presence, which meant out of respect, the couple were going to begin sleeping more on the ship. However, Jimin couldn't. If he could trigger his powers in his sleep...
"No more sleeping on the ship, got it," Jimin said before waving Sarah off. "I'm sure I woke the others. Can you tell them everything's okay? I'll pay for the door."
"Walter will, you save your credits for your mother."
After Sarah said that, she departed, and Jimin had to admit he was grateful he wouldn't have to pay for such an expensive item. However, the relief was short-lived. The memory of Jung Hoseok's smile came back to him. Though Jimin wore no shirt and only had baggy gray sweatpants on, he felt like Hoseok's scarf was tied around his neck. It squeezed tighter and tighter and tighter, until...
"Jimin," Y/n whispered, rubbing her hand over his shoulder. "Let's move to your room and talk about it."
They left their bedroom behind, and it pained him to see how he had blasted the door straight off. On the bright side, Jimin still had the bedroom he had received upon first arriving at the Lodge. After Y/n and him had gotten together, Jimin had disregarded his room except for in rare cases, like when Y/n had asked him to take her on his bed a week ago.
When they entered Jimin's space, he noticed how barren it was. He hadn't bothered decorating. Why would he? By the time he had gotten settled in, he was mostly sleeping either on his ship or in Y/n's room. Or not at all.
Sweet darkness came to him once Y/n shut the door. He collapsed on his bed and scurried his way under the thick covers. The four pillows awaited him, and he buried his head in the middle of them. It only got better when Y/n came in beside him, all dressed up in her adorable alpaca pajamas.
His arms brought her closer, but as soon as her chest hit his, he shuddered and forced himself away. He hid his right hand behind him and placed his eyes anywhere other than on her.
"Hey, it wasn't your fault," she said in a gentle tone. Although she wasn't touching him, her voice felt like it was. Almost like it was a hand reaching out and stroking his long locks. "You can't stop nightmares."
"But my powers can trigger in my sleep. I can't sleep with you anymore."
She scooted closer and took his hand out from behind his back. Then, she kissed the back of it and held it against her, right over her heart. He felt each beat and counted them. More and more with every beat, his breathing calmed until his lungs leveled and he began breathing from his nose as opposed to his mouth.
She gave his hand a squeeze. "Of course you can. You know it'd be worse if I wasn't here."
"Maybe, but you're at risk if you're here." Jimin stopped himself, and the steady breathing he had just done rocketed away from him. Erratic heaves tore free from his heavy tongue and waltzed in the small gap between them. "I can't sleep anymore. It'll be a risk, I'll always be a risk to everyone around me."
"But-"
"Is this what I am? All I do is hurt people. Friends. Innocents."
"Minnie, hey," she whispered, but it was far too late for comfort. His teeth clattered together as his eyes zipped around the walls. It was one of the largest spaces in the Lodge, yet he felt confined. Like he was in a cell. Perhaps the same cell Jasper Kryx had once been. "That's not true, you help people."
"Then why does everyone around me die?!"
"Jimin-"
"I can't even sleep without hurting people!" he shouted in a desperate whine, and his body convulsed as the words reverberated past his cracked lips. The tip of his tongue grimaced, and it caused his fingers to sparkle with the beginnings of a particle beam. He snapped his fist shut and continued his onslaught of heaves. "I can't even... I can't..."
She embraced him, but it didn't stop his convulsions. Whimpers and whines escaped him, and she absorbed each one, her hand brushing his hair and bringing temporary tingles to his head. The goosebumps trickled down his arms and refused to leave his skin, even as he burrowed himself against her.
"You're okay," she whispered into his ear, and her delicate breaths breeze by his flesh. He shuddered from the contact and allowed his long hair to sprawl out over her neck, covering her in darkness.
They nuzzled up with one another for a silent five minutes. Jimin's cries became silent hiccups. When her touch soothed him enough to form coherent sentences, he pulled back so he could peer into her soft irises. They had little dots and freckles all around them, almost like the freckles on Jimin's cheeks. Her eyes reminded him of the times he had gone to the temples to receive powers; the colors he had witnessed then were present in Y/n's gentle gaze.
"I killed people," he said, his voice low but never once cracking. "Innocents, murderers, somewhere in between... It didn't matter, I didn't discriminate. Larry, Austin, Delgado... Hoseok. They're all dead because of me."
"I know what it's like. For the longest time, I struggled with the same thing."
Jimin pressed his forehead on hers and held her waist. "What'd you do about it?"
"Cried. A lot."
Y/n stopped to chuckle, and he found himself smiling at her words. She pinched his cheeks and grinned with him before continuing.
"I'm still not over it, to be honest. Universals don't believe in killing. They look at me like I'm some monster, and sometimes, I think I am. I don't think you can get over it, but you can try to accept it as part of who you are."
"Do you?" he asked. Then, after a moment of hesitation, "Know who you are, I mean."
She hid her face against his chest, and he felt her trembling breaths. "I don't know. Do you?"
They both knew the answer to that question. Jimin had said it not too long ago, and they had discussed how lost Jimin had been. His entire life had been a directionless cycle: do crime, give credits to his mother, hope she didn't overdose, repeat. Insanity was the process of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Jimin wondered if that was what had happened to him on Neon. Looking outside of his bias, Neon was a shit hole with more crimes than people. Yet he loved it. Or, he had loved it. He wasn't sure if he had the same soft spot for it as he once had.
Jimin twirled a piece of her hair and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not sleeping tonight."
"I know. Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
With his thumb and index finger, he guided her back so he could face her, and his lips collapsed on hers. It was as sweet and delicate as her lullabies, or her calming hugs after a long day. They didn't move; their mouths connected and shared a moment of serene silence. The only sound was the quiet 'smack' of their lips when they backed away.
"I love you," he whispered, and his voice was slow and slurred, yet somehow clearer than any other sentence he had said that night.
She cuddled up on his chest. "I love you too, goofball."
Jimin wouldn't sleep that night, or the next, or the night after that. The very prospect of hurting Y/n caused his nose to flare and his eyes to burn with hot, sticky moisture. Sometimes he wished he could chuck his powers into a bin and punt it all the way to the Cheyenne system. Without them, he could sleep. With them, he could crack the mystery of the universe. He didn't know what that mystery was, but perhaps they could find out soon. After all, Constellation was his new family.
And he vowed to never let his family down.
☆☆☆
Jimin's stress wasn't over yet.
After analyzing more of the Terrormorph samples and having Jin lead a research team, they were ready for Jimin to go to the Armistice Archives. It had been delayed thanks to Jin's discovery that the New Atlantis Terrormorphs had cells that matched the Terrormorphs from Londinion. That meant the UC had to issue galaxy-wide alerts and take more time with the political side of the conflict rather than the physical.
Jeon Jungkook stayed by Jimin's side as they prepared to face the Cabinet. Jimin had stopped by the ship to have Jungkook oversee Jimin's exercises, and it was safe to say Jimin had been doing them wrong and needed correction. Surprised? Nope. Jimin couldn't do anything right, apparently. Even convincing the Freestar and House Va'ruun was mostly Jin, not Jimin. If Jin hadn't been there...
"I'm not allowed in the Archive with you, but I can escort you there," Jungkook said as the metal box of doom came to a stop.
The doors parted and revealed the UC's Cabinet room. Jimin had to meet with the UC Cabinet one last time so he could have their access card. It was the last one. With the three, Jimin would have access to the most dangerous site in the world. More dangerous than the toxic Narion battlegrounds with countless dismantled mechs and radioactive creatures. More dangerous than the Red Mile. More dangerous than Suvorov. Although the data wouldn't try to kill him like any of those other areas, the knowledge Jimin was going to retrieve could cause another Colony War if given to the wrong people. Except that time, the Colony War would turn to xenowarfare.
Jimin entered the Cabinet room with Jungkook and saw the familiar leaders of the UC waiting for him. There were still two empty chairs, as always.
"Captain," Logan said with not so much as a wrinkly smile on his face. "Once inside the Archive, you are to go straight to the Terrormorph data. All of it is labeled and put in alphabetical order, but the employees will direct you just in case. If you go anywhere else, you will be kicked out of the Vanguard and banned from ever entering UC space again. If you even attempt to take that data anywhere other than the Cabinet, I'll have a long chat with your Freestar buddies to make you the most wanted man in the galaxy."
Jimin grinned. "Sir, with all due respect, that sounds fucking awesome."
Logan grunted, as did the rest of the Cabinet. Sometimes Jimin wondered why they trusted him with such a delicate task. Sure, Jimin wouldn't be alone; Jungkook would stay outside to oversee the process. Jungkook was one of the most trusted UC citizens. Yet he wasn't allowed inside the Archive. Jimin was. Why?
Jimin knew he had an impressive record. Taking down the Fleet and Terrormorphs made him trustworthy, but enough to outrank Jungkook? Or maybe Jimin didn't outrank Jungkook, it was just that Jimin was in the right place at the right time. That led to circumstantial trust. Jimin wasn't trusted, but they had to trust him considering he was the "local hero" and the one who had aided in pushing the Terrormorphs back. Of course he got credit for a couple Terrormorphs but not taking down the entire Crimson Fleet. Jimin had a feeling he saved far more lives from stopping the Fleet than the Terrormorphs, yet no one would ever know about that except the higher-ups.
Logan leaned forward on the table and folded his hands together. "Jungkook will monitor you, as will representatives from the UC and Freestar. Don't get any ideas. That is the most guarded information in the galaxy."
"Sir, I was a criminal because I wanted nothing more than credits. When I stopped the Fleet, I had the most credits in the known galaxy in my hands, yet I turned it over to the UC anyway. Don't worry, you'll get your knowledge soon."
"Good. I'll have a team escort you back here once you're out of the Archive. Captain Park, please step forward."
He did. He approached the table and held out his hand for the UC's access card. Logan slid it into Jimin's grasp, but before letting go, he held Jimin's hand and squeezed it to the point where Jimin thought his bones would crack.
"Captain," Logan whispered with his voice a mix between raspy and smooth. It almost sounded desperate. "The people lost faith in us after the spaceport attack. We need this. If you complete the mission successfully, we will grant you UC citizenship."
Upon hearing that, Jimin wished he could slap Jungkook, Logan, and himself. In that order.
His eyes bulged so far out of their sockets he swore they popped out of his skull. He released Logan's hand and staggered back with a dropped jaw and a stiff posture. It took five full seconds for Jimin to process what he had heard, but when he did, rage stormed inside him.
"Are you fucking serious?!" he shouted, and the Cabinet flinched at that. It was their turn to have dropped jaws.
It seemed like it would be an absolute honor to have UC citizenship. And no, Jimin wasn't being sarcastic. If he received UC citizenship, he could purchase property in the UC and finally stop being treated like a dog by everyone around him. Well, it wouldn't stop the Vanguard from bullying him, but at least he could shop aboveground and not go to the Well for all his needs. He wouldn't be seen as Freestar; he'd be a citizen.
In the future, he could settle down with Y/n in New Atlantis. Being a citizen would allow that, and it'd also allow for a marriage in UC territory. They could have kids in UC territory, if they wanted them. He could purchase property for his mother. She could get out of that dump called Neon and away from the temptation of Aurora. That would lower the risk of her ever becoming addicted again.
All those benefits from being a UC citizen, yet Jimin was beyond enraged. It wasn't because of the offer; if anything, he believed he deserved it after the impressive feats he had pulled off. No. It was because of his girlfriend.
Y/n had been a Vanguard for over a decade, yet she wasn't a citizen. She had been born in New Atlantis, fought Terrormorphs during the fall of Londinion, aided in the destruction of the pirates, and far more, but she didn't get the citizenship offer. Jimin did.
"Do you seriously prefer Freestar over Universals?" Jimin asked in a louder voice than he intended. He couldn't find the strength to care. "Why in the actual fuck would I get citizenship before Y/n?"
Logan rubbed his head and sighed. "Do you do anything other than think about her?"
"Is that seriously what you took out of that?!" Jimin broke off and had to nibble on his nails and pace back and forth. "She's been a dedicated Vanguard for over ten years. She was a child when you sent her to Londinion, and you couldn't even grant her citizenship? What do you have against Universals?!"
Logan leaned back in his chair while the other members of the Cabinet averted their eyes. "The Vanguard has been trying to get her out since the second she joined, and they're right to do so. There is nothing wrong with being a Universal, but a Universal in the Vanguard is frowned upon. It makes us look weak. Like we just accept anyone, even the people who have vowed not to kill. It makes her look bad too. A Universal's job is taking life? Not good. We've trusted her and made her a higher-up in the Vanguard, but that's all we're willing to do."
Jimin rolled his eyes. "Then I guess you're not getting your information, Logan. Unless you make her a citizen at the same time you make me one, I'm not doing it."
"Excuse me? You're in no position to be making demands."
"I'm the one holding the access cards, and also the one the Freestar representative wants to enter the Archive. Without me, you don't get your precious Terrormorph data. I'm not going to stand for such corruption. Y/n has proven herself over and over again. Are you forgetting she fought Terrormorphs too? She helped take down the damn Fleet. Oh, and did I mention you sent her to Londinion when she was a child? Yeah, she was fourteen. A child. Hang on, let me say it one more time: you sent a child to fight Terrormorphs."
"You've made your point," Logan said with a hand wave. The UC president tapped his fingers on the table before glancing at his colleagues, who all nodded. Then, he shifted his attention back to Jimin. "No."
Jimin stalled before he found it in him to reply. "What?"
"You don't get to demand whatever you want just because you think you're so important. Neither of you are getting citizenship. There, now it's fair, right? Be careful, Captain. You aren't as invincible as you think."
Jimin didn't think he was. If anything, he felt the opposite. Around every corner, he had been beaten down, insulted, and almost killed. Delgado had literally killed him if it hadn't been for Jimin's powers. He had powers, yet he felt weaker than he ever had in his life.
"Fine. That's fair," Jimin said, rolling the words around his tongue before spitting them out. He huffed and left before they had a chance to say anything more. Jungkook rushed after him, but Jimin held up his hand as they entered the elevator. "Don't. You know as well as I do how unfair they're being."
"I agree, but they're the Cabinet, Jimin. You may not like them, but we need them."
Jimin leaned against the metal box of doom as it descended, and he mumbled a curse. "I thought Logan was fair. Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong."
Jungkook didn't answer that, not that there was anything to say. Logan had, at first, seemed reasonable. More reasonable than Alexandra, anyway. That had changed. He had put on a facade that fooled Jimin. Maybe Jimin wasn't as good at reading people as he had once thought.
The elevator opened soon enough, and they were on their way to the Archive, which was located in between the Freestar and Va'ruun embassies. That meant they had to pass by the spaceport, and although it had been a week since the attacks, that didn't change how it had impacted New Atlantis.
As he trekked by the spaceport, he noticed the color scheme was far different. The sun was out and shining with no clouds to obstruct it, but it didn't stop the crimson lights from overpowering any luminance the daytime had. The sidewalks were painted in red. Part of Jimin wondered if that was the lighting or leftover blood that hadn't been cleaned.
The fountain didn't so much as spit out a single drop of water. There were homeless laying against the concrete, and UC security had to get them to leave. Jimin swore he saw two dismembered fingers inside the fountain, but he looked away before he could confirm it.
Gates were set up and new ships weren't allowed into the main spaceport. Only trusted sources, such as Jimin, were allowed in. Tourism had stopped. Even some natives were turned away unless they had citizenship, which most didn't. Being born in New Atlantis didn't guarantee being a UC citizen, and that led to most having to find new homes while the UC sorted their shit out.
Security had quadrupled. Reporters clamored to interview anyone who somehow made it inside the city. The anti-xeno team was present, and they held AA-99s with the same explosive rounds Jimin had. They were cladded in heavy armor, and Jimin couldn't tell what their appearances were due to the helmets hiding their faces.
Jungkook led the way past the spaceport. The familiar rumble of engines from ships entering the atmosphere wasn't present. It had been replaced by shouting reporters and civilians. Some begged to be let off world while others were trying to find out how the UC was responding to the spaceport crisis. Logan had made a statement and honored the ones, including Jimin and Y/n, who had saved the spaceport and countless lives. It didn't matter. It wasn't enough. No speech could make up for the lives lost that day.
Somehow, Jimin managed to make it by the spaceport and to the Archive building. It was different from what he was expecting. There were two guards out front, and the words 'ARMISTICE ARCHIVES' were above the entrance, written in gold. Inside wasn't the Archive itself, though. Inside was a museum dedicated to the Colony War and the lives lost, which included the lives lost for the Freestar. Both the Freestar Collective and the United Colonies were present, and Jimin didn't know how to feel. Seeing the two factions combined should bring warmth, but all it brought was unease.
Jimin entered and skipped the presentation the historian was giving. She spoke about how many were slaughtered and how the galaxy had changed since. Mech construction was banned, and any operational mechs were to be sent to mech yards and scrapped. The Freestar were known for their giant mechs that could level skyscrapers. However, they were slow and clunky, and rockets could destroy them. It caused many pilots to burn to death while in their own cockpits.
Knowledge wasn't evil, as the Va'ruun ambassador had said. It was what humans did with it that created the evil. That was what the Archive represented: potential evil. Jimin going to open the Archive was a huge deal not because they believed the knowledge would be used for evil, but rather because it was the first time it would be opened since the Colony War. The first time since countless had died for pointless reasons. It was more what the door opening symbolized than the knowledge itself. Though he was sure the fact that he was gathering Terrormorph data didn't help either.
Of course, the entrance to the Archive was through an elevator. That wasn't surprising. If not because of Jimin's fantastic luck, then because of how it had to be stored underground in the event of war. That way it wouldn't be destroyed by bombings.
Jimin and Jungkook entered the elevator and waited as they descended. The ride was bumpy and far; much farther than riding up to the Cabinet room in the MAST skyscraper.
Sweat formed on Jimin's bare hand, and he pulled at his scarf in an attempt to stop more moisture from forming. If Jungkook noticed Jimin's behavior, he didn't comment on it.
The doors parted, and a soft 'ding' echoed in the chamber. What awaited him was the white and red color scheme of the Archive. Before him was the entrance, which had two doors on either side of a UC, Freestar, and House Va'ruun tribute. It was a gray, stone slab with a wide golden bowl on top, almost as if it was there to collect tears. On the wall above it, which had a thick red stripe painted there, were the symbols for all three factions arranged in a mini triangle with the UC on top.
On the left of the trophy was a UC guard, and on the right was a Freestar. Both were armed and didn't bother glancing in Jimin's direction. The doors were secure, and without a word, the Freestar guard pressed her ID against the scanner to open the right door.
"I can join you up until the vault," Jungkook whispered, and Jimin nodded as they went in.
Every wall except for the middle slab was white. The middle was red, like the red stripe near the trophy. Jimin didn't understand how the workers didn't go insane surrounded by such a lack of color. The computers had little cyan sparks, but nothing more. They had white cases and chairs with the occasional gray accent to help them pop. The desks attached to them were littered across the space of the vast room. Even the ceiling was at least ten Jungkook's tall.
There were three windows leading to the monitor stations. House Va'ruun was in the left corner, the UC the top left, and the Freestar the top right.
"Captain, please approach our monitoring station," a female voice said. He identified that it was coming from the UC side. Though the lack of people working at the Va'ruun station was a hint, not to mention the Freestar side appeared too far to be where the voice had came from.
Jimin approached the UC monitoring station, and next to the window that allowed him to peer inside was a code reader. Specifically for the UC. That meant he had to get the UC's access card ready.
"You know the rules," the woman sitting inside the station said. She had bobbed hair and fake lashes, and she chewed gum. Not as aggressively as Hobi had. "Once you're ready, put the access cards in the corresponding readers. We'll be monitoring the entire process. Every piece of data is labeled and has logos on it so you can identify them easier. If you take anything other than the Terrormorph data, we will shoot on sight. Turrets are inside, so don't bother."
Part of Jimin wondered what his odds were if he decided to attack. He had no weapons; the UC would never allow him to bring anything, even a knife, within fifty feet of the Archive. Still, he had powers they didn't know about. That would give him the surprise advantage, not to mention the fear. Fear was the second most powerful emotion behind hope. If he could strike terror in them, he could win. Maybe. That was only if Jimin had a death wish, but he didn't. Especially not over data.
Jimin peeked at the red stripe running down the middle of the room, and in the back was the heavy metal vault door that intersected with the only color in the room. Once he identified the entrance, he stalked around the space and entered the cards one at a time. Once he inserted the last one, the Va'ruun card, he heard a hiss coming from the vault door followed by a screeching 'creak!'. Jimin winced, as did Jungkook, and the two shared a glance before Jungkook helped him to the Archive.
Jungkook leaned against the metal with his arms crossed over his chest. With his head, he motioned for Jimin to enter the Archive. That was it. Jimin was alone.
He did as he was told and stepped inside. Right away, he noticed the temperature. Drafts of freezing cold steam blew in from the pipes in the ceiling. There were five glass cells containing the data, and within those cells were twelve locker-like boxes that stored the data. The woman hadn't been lying: there were logos and labels. He spotted House Va'ruun's ring-like logo on one of the containers, followed by several logos he didn't recognize.
Jimin strolled by and peeked at each one. The area was bright with four square lights mounted on the high ceiling. Each cell block had individual lights to illuminate the logos and labels. Jimin read them and saw Freestar mechs, the Battle of Cheyenne, the Narion Treaty, and so on. History was in front of his fingertips, and he'd be lying if he said it wasn't tempting. He could receive millions if not billions of credits if he stole data and sold it. However, it wasn't worth the risk or the harm it could cause if he sold it to the wrong person.
His feet carried him forward, and the cell on the right caught his attention. They were the battles, and it was the same cell block that had the Battle of Cheyenne in it. He scanned over each battle until he got to the last two data entries. One was the Colony War, and the other...
Jimin stiffened and felt his heart cease its motions. No more blood entered his brain, causing it to fuzz up with numbness. The scarf on his back blew in the breeze coming from the bundles of steam hitting him in the face. His hair got brushed back so he could get a better view of the last data entry in his view.
The Crimson Fleet.
All at once, the night before came to the forefront of his mind. Images of Hoseok's grim smile, his teeth stained with bits of broken watermelon gum, flashed around him. Dizziness haunted Jimin, and his hand slammed against the glass to hold himself in place. It didn't help. His knees were far too weak. They shook and shook until he stumbled down, and in between his raspy breaths, he heard Jungkook calling to him, though the words couldn't register in his numb brain.
At least a minute passed by of Jimin on the ground with a hand over his heart, clutching at his jacket. His scarf fell over his shoulder due to the hunchbacked position he was in. Tears stung him, but they didn't bother falling. Earlier, in Y/n's arms, he had released all the moisture his body had to offer.
By the time the minute was up, there was a hand on his back, luring him to the lip of the vault. Jimin leaned against the entrance and peeked at Jungkook, who had entered the Archive to rescue Jimin.
"I'm sorry," Jungkook said with a cough. He scratched the back of his neck and didn't make eye contact. His voice was as rushed as ever. "Instinct."
Jimin had to catch his breath before he could reply. "You went in after me? Without permission?"
Jungkook shrugged and didn't verbally answer, but Jimin didn't need him to. Right when Jimin was about to speak, two guards approached. One was Freestar, the other UC. Jungkook mumbled a curse before following the guards away.
"Wait, no," Jimin called after them, but they didn't listen. "Don't punish him, please. It was my fault. He didn't touch any data, I promise-"
"Just do your job," the female Freestar guard interrupted without bothering to glance back. "And let us do ours."
How could Jimin do that without knowing Jungkook's fate? Jungkook had entered the Archive to protect Jimin, and it was because, once again, Jimin couldn't control himself.
Sparks bounced off the tips of his fingers as deep, seething breaths fired out of his burning nostrils. Watching Jungkook depart made his vision turn into a dripping shade of crimson. It infected every substance in his sight, including his own hand.
He gazed down at his flesh and watched as the red slithered over him, as soft as a liquid, yet he couldn't feel it. It wasn't there in reality, but Jimin thought it was. That was what got him to close his fist. The sparks disappeared, as did the red tint his vision had. A few pants left him, then, he swiveled on his heels and entered the chamber once more.
Jungkook would never forgive him if he wasted the sacrifice. So, Jimin trotted on with his shoulders set and his chin up. He marched straight to the back and found the cell that contained the Terrormorph data. The glass door swung open, and Jimin pulled the data block out of its slot. It was a narrow gray slab that felt like metal but wasn't. It had a beeping maroon light that showed it was working. With an eye roll and a tongue click, Jimin stormed back out, and as soon as he did, the vault snapped shut behind him.
"One job," the woman behind the UC monitoring station said. "You had one job, and you couldn't even do that right. Do you have any idea how the Freestar will react to this?"
"I can hear you, y'know," the female Freestar agent said from behind the Freestar monitoring station. "Maybe next time you should send someone who won't panic at... what? Air? Did the steam vents scare you?"
"Oh, don't blame us! He's a Freestar native!"
The Freestar woman blew a raspberry. "He's been watered down by those damn Vanguard. The UC poisons everything they touch."
Jimin crept away and let the two hash it out, although they were right: Jimin had failed. Although the data rested in his hands, he had entered the vault twice, technically. Jungkook had pulled him out, and Jimin went back in. The agreement was once. It didn't seem like a huge deal, but the small things mattered. Oh, and that was without factoring in how not only had Jimin gone in twice, but another person had went with him. So he broke two of the terms: go in once, and go in alone.
Jimin was doing a wonderful job.
However, the memory of Hoseok's smile had him forgetting the pressure the UC had placed on him. It caused him to shiver despite the warmth of the Archive. The vault had been freezing, yet the space near the elevator was so warm, like a delicate embrace. Jimin wished he could hug Y/n. He made a mental note to do it as soon as he got back home.
After passing by the UC and Freestar guards waiting in the front (who both shot him judgmental glares), he went in the box of doom and took the shaky journey to the surface. Jungkook was nowhere in sight. It wasn't until he reached the exterior that he found Commander Min's assistant brooding on a bench not far from the Archive building.
Jimin wanted to go over, but there was a squad of guards waiting there to take Jimin back to the Cabinet. Jungkook got up and joined them when they surrounded Jimin, which meant they had to go. Yippee.
It was a silent walk. If there were any citizens nearby, Jimin couldn't tell due to the towering figures of the guards who kept him safe. New Atlantis had the lowest crime rate in the Settled Systems, he wondered why-
'Splash!'
Well, that was childish. Someone had thrown a tomato at the male guard on Jimin's left, and pieces of it spilled on Jimin. The red goo slipped down his neck. It felt like blood. That very thought had his throat drying up, and he had to force himself to think of Y/n and his mother so he wouldn't spiral into despair again.
More tomatoes came, but Jimin had no clue where they were coming from. Shouts followed. The guards didn't bother shouting back, and neither did Jimin. The angry civilians were firing out insults toward the UC. Jimin's senses were overwhelmed. Even Neon didn't overstimulate him in such a manner.
"Protect your city!" a male voice shouted.
Another female chimed in with, "You protect a rat over us!"
"What is the UC doing about the Terrormorphs?!"
"Save our city!"
"Why won't the president talk to us?!"
Several cries rang out, and Jimin kept his eyes down. He was grateful most of the citizens were ranting about the Terrormorphs instead of Jimin's status as a rat. Word had to have gotten out that a Freestar, much less a Neon native, was sent to the Archive. SSNN, or the Settled Systems News Network, had their dirty little fingers in every branch of government. If Jimin were to guess, they had sources from inside the UC, and they reported on Jimin climbing the ranks of the Vanguard. The UC had tried their best to hide Jimin, but it looked like he was in the spotlight after all.
It took them twenty full minutes to get to MAST despite how short of a distance it was. When they arrived, riot police were there to hold back the masses that had formed. Jimin squeezed inside and found Y/n waiting there with Commander Tuala, and Tuala snatched the data from him.
"Get out of here, it's not safe," Tuala said, motioning to Y/n. "She'll escort you out the back."
"And me," Jungkook said, rushing up to them with sweat covering his head.
He agreed, and he left Tuala to deal with the Cabinet who were definitely pissed with Jimin. The trio went out the back exit of MAST, which led to an isolated sidewalk. There were UC flags decorating it on either side, and streetlights that never once flickered stayed right by them to illuminate each detail. Some flags were navy blue, the classic UC color. Others were a dark red with white letters Jimin didn't recognize, but he assumed they represented the other colonies within the UC.
In the distance were the rallies of the UC citizens. They screamed, asking why the Cabinet had been so quiet since the attack, which was true. President Logan had given one speech and called it a day. Yes, the UC's plan to stop the Terrormorphs was top-secret, but that didn't mean the people had to be kept in the dark completely. Jimin would talk to Logan about it, but he had already pushed his luck enough.
The three of them strolled as the weeps and wails soared on in the sky. Ash skimmed by his nose, and he smelled the fire soon after. If the riots continued to escalate, how would the Cabinet react? Would anything change?
Jimin brushed his hand by Y/n's, and she joined hers with his. The touch reminded him he was alive and fighting. Fighting for what, he still struggled to know, but he was trying. For the time being, that was enough.
"It's over," Y/n said, but Jimin couldn't meet her gaze. "It'll take them time to get through the data, you can take a break."
No, he couldn't. Jin would need help. Although Jimin had never been good at science, he had to help Jin. He didn't know why. It was instinct, really.
"Y/n, I appreciate you being here, but do you mind if Jimin and I have a moment?" Jungkook asked, which she agreed to without hesitation. She slipped away from him and went out of earshot, keeping an eye on their perimeter. If Jimin wasn't emotionally drained from the day he had, he'd find it attractive how protective she was.
Jungkook approached, but before he could say anything, Jimin placed his hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"Thank you for pulling me out of there. I don't think I would've made it without you. But... what did they do to you?"
Jungkook's posture slumped. "Demoted me. I'm not Commander Min's assistant anymore."
"What?! Just for that? But it was my fault-"
"Jimin," Jungkook interrupted in a hurry. "It was my choice, not yours. I'm lucky I didn't get kicked out of the UC."
It went silent for a beat too long. Jimin had to break it.
"What's going on?"
Jungkook chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "I thought you didn't care about my tragic past."
Jimin didn't. Everyone in space had a tragic past. Y/n, Jungkook, Jimin, his mother—the list went on and on. Not every story needed to be told, and Jimin wasn't sure if Jungkook's fell under that category or not. However, after everything Jungkook had done for Jimin, Jimin felt like he owed him. In a way, Jimin felt like he owed everyone. Y/n, Jungkook, his mother, and Constellation. Maybe even the UC too.
"For a moment, let's pretend I do," Jimin whispered, and Jungkook teared up. Then, he shut his eyes and sucked in the air around him.
"I knew pirates before I knew my own name. Ever since I took my first step, I wanted to stop the Fleet. For good. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they're gone, but..."
"Sometimes you prefer the fight?" Jimin asked, and Jungkook nodded.
"At least I knew I was doing something. I was helping someone. Even if it was just one person, that was enough for me. Now, I don't help anyone. All I do is exercise, teach Vanguard, and do stupid things that get me in trouble. Being Commander Min's assistant was all I had left. I had a chance to get called on a mission to go out and fight any remaining pirates. Now I don't even have that. I've gotten everything I've ever wanted, so there's nothing left for me to do."
"That's not true. You have plenty of reasons to keep fighting."
Jimin found it hilarious how he had no reason to fight, yet there he was, lecturing Jungkook about purpose. Jungkook had a purpose since he had come out of the womb, while Jimin had nothing but Neon. And even with a "purpose," like Constellation's mission, Jimin didn't feel it. He didn't feel it the way the average person would.
Jungkook crossed his arms over his chest. "Like what?"
Jimin met Jungkook's gaze. The man's eye bags had gotten far larger than Jimin remembered, and his hair was thinner. Shorter. Jungkook had always worn UC clothing, but that day, he wore a leather jacket, jeans, and a white t-shirt underneath, topped off with thick combat boots. It was basic attire he could have gotten from a clearance store two hours ago.
"Join me," Jimin said before he gave himself a chance to regret it. "Stay on my crew permanently." Jimin paused to whack Jungkook's chest. "Hey, I'll even let you name my ship. What do you say?"
"Do you think that'd give me a purpose?"
Jungkook's voice was low. Vulnerable, maybe. Jimin recognized the tone. It was the same tone Jimin had with Y/n whenever he woke up from nightmares.
Jimin came closer and held out his hand. "I do."
Jungkook peered at Jimin's gloved hand as it floated in the tiny gap between them. Countless major events had happened, and Jimin knew the Cabinet would punish him for breaking the rules; however, in that moment, all he could focus on was Jungkook's rushed breathing and trembling legs. Then, the moment ended. Jungkook took Jimin's hand and shook it.
"Then okay. I'm in."
☆☆☆
A/N: I hope you had fun with this chapter!!!