#tabby nic'hel

[whumpapalooza]

Whumperless Whump Event Day 15

ALT - wild animal attack

thanks @whumperless-whump-event for organizing this event! happy to participate!

COSMIC SERVICE INTERNSHIP – AEGIS ASSIGNMENT YEAR 1, MONTH 5, WEEK 2

The whole situation was probably avoidable, but of course it didn't go that way. One attack and a hasty race through the woods later, Glen and Tabby found themselves separated from the rest of Aegis's crew. They sat close together, pressed against the dirt wall of a ditch.

(Note: it is more accurate to say that Glen was propped up.)

“Chuck, you with me?” Tabby asked. “How bad did it get you?”

The mandibles had left seven puncture wounds, all connected by a shining welt that ran from the crook of his elbow to his palm. There wasn’t a lot of blood, but his skin felt like it was on fire and the pain wouldn’t let up.

Tabby reached out for permission to inspect the wound. Glen tried to hold it out for her – but as soon as he moved it, his skin felt like it would split. Glen gasped and threw his head back, trying to quiet the screaming pain.

“Ah, fuck,” Tabby hissed. “Don’t move, okay? Hang on.” She leaned in to meet his eyes. “Seriously, please, do not move. Acidic tongue – that can’t spread.”

Glen was too dizzy to nod. “Got it,” he breathed – but even the slight vibration from his voice sent tendrils of searing pain through him. Glen focused on deliberately breathing and tried not to spin with the rest of the world.

[whumpapalooza]

Whumperless Whump Event Day 1

"It's just a scratch, I've had worse."

cheers to @whumperless-whump-event! thanks for organizing this!

COSMIC SERVICE INTERNSHIP - STARCRAFT AEGIS ASSIGNMENT YEAR 0, MONTH 1, WEEK 1

They'd only been aboard Aegis for five weeks, so most of the crew was still dancing around each other in the way professional acquaintances do.

But Brando got the impression that Tabby Nic'hel, the xenozoologist, was staring to consider him a friend. He knew some things about her - music preferences, studies that interested her, favorite jokes. But still, she was prickly and short-tempered, so he wasn't pushing his luck.

Then, one morning, they were making breakfast in silence when Tabby managed to cut herself while chopping peppers.

“You okay?” Brando asked when he heard her gasp.

“Castor and fuckdamn Pollux…” Tabby folded over, swearing through the pain with her shoulders hunched.

“Tabby?” Brando put his spatula down to go to her, but she raised her uninjured hand to stop him.

“Don’t look – you don’t want to see it,” she said.

That alone made Brando's stomach lurch. “Is it that bad?” he asked.

“No, you’re just that queasy,” Tabby retorted. “Don’t worry about it,” She stood up straight and whistled. “It smarts, but it’s just a scratch.” She shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”

Brando scoffed. “Yeah, well, Hecatezen gave you stitches the last time you said that,” he reminded her.

Tabby grinned over her shoulder. “Hey, I never said that was a scratch. I only said I’d had worse,” she corrected. “That just happens to be a low bar.”

And for some reason, that’s when Brando realized she trusted him.

“I’ve had worse. That just happens to be a low bar.”

She said it offhand – but not like she what she said didn’t matter. Her tone was easygoing, but her words were deliberate. Like she was taking a spontaneous leap of faith.

She wanted to share more with Brando. And Brando, though he was fighting back empathetic nausea, was listening.

[whumpapalooza]

WHUMPTOBER 2022

No. 15 EMOTIONAL DAMAGE Lies | New Scars | Breathing through the Pain

(Space Interns Masterpost)

(Part 1)

“Guys, they came here! They’re armed! They’re –“

Glen’s voice cut off. His line went dead.

Blare opened her line. “Glen, are you there?” she demanded. No answer. “Glen, respond!”

They waited. Nothing but silence answered. Blare exchanged a look with Slipper; she heard a low growl in the physician’s throat.

“We need to get back over there,” Tabby said.

“How?” Brando countered. “Do you know anything about how this craft works?”

Then a voice came from their speaker. “Crew of Aegis, this is Seraph helmswoman Jede.”

Blare opened the line. “Where’s Glen?” she growled.

“Relax, Aegis, he’s fine,” said Jede.

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Tabby snarled from behind Blare. Brando nodded agreement.

Blare opened the line. “You’re lying,” she said.

“Maybe,” Jede said smugly. “What are you going to do about it?”

“What do you want?” Blare asked.

“We’ve already got it: an engineer.”

Blare frowned. “Why ours?” she asked. “Why not one of your own?”

Jede didn’t answer right away. “Check the brig,” she said eventually. “You’ll get all the answers you need there.”

From the sound of Tabby’s scoff, she didn’t like that answer. Blare opened the line and said, “We’re not going anywhere until we talk to Glen, first.”

"You’re aboard a UCD. I suggest you do what you’re told instead of pressing your luck.” Then the line went dead.

Blare opened the line. “Jede,” she said. There was no reply. She pursed her lips. She looked at Slipper, whose tail was flicking back and forth.

“What do we do?” Brando asked from behind them.

Blare had the same question. But she knew it was her job, as helmswoman, to answer it. She opened their line again. “Glen,” she said, “hang tight. We’re going to fix this.” Then she closed the line, turned to her crew, and said, “Let’s head for the brig.”

“You know where that is?” Tabby asked.

“Yes,” Blare said, leading the way. “This is a five-floor craft. It’s one floor above us.”

The others followed Blare out of the tractor beam bay, and they emerged into the dimly lit hall. The only lights were the red strips running along the baseboard. Blare walked to the rounded staircase at the windows and headed up.

As they ascended the staircase, Blare couldn’t help but cast a glance out the window. She could see Aegis. Her heart clenched.

On the next floor, she led them towards the center. The brig door was stuck open halfway.

“I smell blood,” Slipper said.

The hairs on the back of Blare’s neck raised. She swallowed. Then she stepped through the parted doors.

It was a round room with ten beds. Though there were no visible walls, the low hum of electricity told Blare that one of the forcefields was activated.

“Aegis…I’m guessing?”

They all jumped and turned sharply at the voice. Blare’s heart was pounding in her throat as she peered through the gloom. There was someone lying in bed in one of the cells.

He wore the same uniform boots and pants as they did, but he’d removed his shirt. His side was bandaged, but the bandages were soaked. Blood dropped from the bed onto a pool on the floor. He had a bruise over the half of his face that they could see.

Slipper’s frills spread. No doubt the physician’s instinct was to rush to the injured man’s side.

Blare held a hand out to bar Slipper from moving. It might be a trap. “Who are you?” she asked.

“Engo.” The man’s voice was hoarse.

“The blood’s his own,” Slipper whispered to Blare. “I can sense his vitals. He is no threat.”

Blare furrowed her brow. She lowered her hand and Slipper hurried to the forcefield. Blare, Tabby, and Brando followed closely. Blare saw that the panel was already unlocked and hit the key to shut off power. The humming electricity stopped, and Slipper rushed to Engo’s side.

Slipper muttered to himself as he started to peel back bandages. Then he raised his voice. “How did this happen?” he asked.

“Bit by a…star dog,” Engo rasped.

Slipper curled his lip. “You’re lying,” he said. “I smell burned flesh.”

Blare’s stomach rolled. She swallowed back her disgust and forced out an even voice. “You lie as easily as your helmswoman,” she said. Engo’s face relaxed, like the thought comforted him. “Jede said that we’d find our answers here. Well? What’s going on?”

Engo opened his glassy eyes and met Blare’s gaze. He spoke in slow exhales. “Half of our crew is dead.”

Blare heard Brando give a slight gasp. She felt like her blood had iced over.

“You can go ahead and…check the Med Bay,” Engo continued. He licked his dry lips. “Because they’re all there. What’s…what’s left of them, anyway.”

“You’re lying,” Blare said. It had to be another lie - but she didn’t like how sincerely Engo had spoken.

“Go ahead…check,” Engo suggested.

“Blare,” said Tabby. “I’ll go.”

“I’ll go with you,” Brando offered.

“No,” Tabby insisted. “Only one person needs to see it. I can do it.”

Blare closed her eyes. “Okay,” she said. “Stay on comm the whole time, though.”

Tabby tapped her chest and opened the comm line. “You’ve got it,” she said, her voice echoing both in the brig and in Blare’s head. “Where is it?”

“Next floor up,” Blare said. Tabby nodded and left the brig.

Engo rested his head back on his pillow. A tear rolled down his bruised face. Minutes passed. Slipper cleaned and dressed the wound in silence.

And finally, they heard Tabby’s voice in their heads.

“Blare, I’m at the Med Bay,” she said softly. “It’s not a lie.”

[whumpapalooza]

PROMPT - "it's all my fault" CHARACTER - Tabby Nic'hel (Space Intern ocs)

anyway, here's Whumperwall as always, thank you to @badthingshappenbingo for the card!

They were invited to a conference in the Jericho Galaxy, so they went to the Jericho Galaxy.

And then Brando and Tabby became hostages.

By the third day of the conference, Tabby had started to feel a little overwhelmed. As interesting as the panels and presentations were, they weren’t enough to distract from how loud and crowded the conference center was.

It had been Brando’s idea to get away from it all for an afternoon. “We’ll go to the docking bay, hang out on Aegis,” he said.

Tabby wasn’t difficult to convince. “Okay,” she said. “I told Blare I’d meet her for a presentation, but I’ll meet you for lunch after?”

The presentation turned out to be very boring, but Blare and Tabby kept each other awake. They parted after the presentation, and Tabby headed straight for the docking bay. She strolled through the rows upon rows of crafts with her hands in her pockets.

She arrived at Aegis and scoffed. Brando had lowered the ramp, but had forgotten to raise it after he’d boarded. He’s lucky it’s just me. Blare would have thrown a fit if she’d seen.

Tabby ascended the ramp and headed for the lift. Its platform was two levels up – at the communal space. But when Tabby tried to connect to the system and summon the platform back to her level, nothing happened. Tabby rolled her eyes at Aegis’s glitchy behavior and took the stairs.

Tabby reached the communal space and checked the dining hall first. Brando wasn’t there. She checked the kitchen next, but he wasn’t there either.

Tabby left the kitchen and was headed toward the stairs to check the cabins when she heard a chirp over Aegis’s speaker system, followed by a voice she had never heard before.

“Come to the bridge.”

Tabby’s face went cold. She turned very slowly to see the monitor in the lounge showing a video feed.

A young human with long silvery-blonde hair hovered over Aegis’s helm. His left hand was encased in a sleek bronze metal glove.

Tabby’s eyes darted to the corner of the screen, where she saw Brando bound to the wall by a single wrist.

Tabby glanced back at the primary lift. For half of a moment, she wondered if she could make a break for it and get help. But she looked over at the bridge lift and had a strong feeling that if she didn’t do what she was told, Brando was going to suffer for it.

“I’m on my way,” she said.

The man at the helm nodded. Then the video feed cut and the bridge lift’s platform lowered to Tabby’s level.

Tabby got on. It took her up. As soon as the platform stopped moving, Tabby stepped onto the bridge and looked into the face of her captor. His eyes were cold, but Tabby could see the red around his irises.

Has he been…crying?

“I didn’t want this,” the man said suddenly. He lifted his left hand – the one encased in the glove – and Tabby could see his fingers were shaking. “All I wanted – all I wanted was to leave quietly and get my pay. I’m a fucking dead man, now!” the man shouted. Tabby flinched. “You’ve seen me. You’ve seen everything. I’ll be hunted until the day I die, and that’s pretty fucking soon if I don’t finish this job.”

Tabby let him ramble, her eyes flicking over to Brando. She raised an eyebrow in hopes she could convey the question: are you okay? Brando nodded confirmation. Then Tabby turned back to the burglar. “Maybe we can help you,” she said.

The man chuckled wetly. He sniffled. “Not likely,” he said.

“We can try,” Tabby said. “What’s your name? I’m Tabby.”

The burglar wrinkled his nose. Tabby could see tears welling in his eyes.

“He’s Brando,” Tabby offered, jerking her head in Brando’s direction. Brando gave a small wave with his free hand. “Come on. What do we call you?”

The burglar took a shaky breath. “…Frand,” he whispered.

“Thanks, Frand,” Tabby said, her hopes rising. “Why don’t we unbind Brando over there and we’ll talk this out, okay?”

Frand didn’t make a move. He sniffled.

“Please?” Tabby pressed.

“I don’t trust you,” Frand said.

Tabby swallowed. “I know you don’t.” She smiled ruefully. “I don’t really trust you either. But we can start trusting each other now. I –“ She broke off and looked at Brando. He nodded. Tabby looked back at Frand and took a deep breath. “I can show you how to lift the ramp and raise shields,” she said. “Then we won’t be bothered by anyone else. All I’m asking is that you free Brando.”

Frand considered this. Finally, he nodded.

Tabby and Frand did exactly as Tabby said, and then Frand opened Brando’s cuff. Brando got to his feet, his eyes on Frand the whole time. Frand’s eyes darted between the pair. “What now?” he asked.

“Now, we figure out our options,” Tabby said.

“Maybe we start by talking about this job you’re on,” Brando suggested. “I’m assuming it has to do with that thing on your hand?”

Frand looked down at the glove. He curled his fingers. “Yeah.”

“What is it?” Tabby asked.

Frand’s eyes welled with tears again. “It’s an empathic gauntlet.”

“So, you use it to feel what others are feeling?” Brando guessed.

Frand shook his head. “The other way around.” He sniffed. “You can make anyone feel anything.”

“That’s a pretty powerful device,” Tabby remarked.

Frand snorted. “Except it’s just a fucking prototype. You have to touch someone with it for it to work.”

Brando and Tabby exchanged a glance. So we’re safe as long as he doesn’t touch us.

“What’s your job, then?” Tabby asked. “What were you hired to do?”

Frand shook his head. “It was supposed to be easy,” he whispered.

“What was it?” Brando pressed.

Frand uncurled his fist. “I just had to sneak this from the conference to – to my employer,” he said. “But he changed the location, and I – my ship can’t go that far. I needed transportation.”

“So you went for the smallest craft docked at the conference center,” Brando realized. Frand nodded. “Except –“

“Except you came along,” Frand snarled. After his outburst, he went deathly silent. He took in a deep breath, then exhaled shakily.

“So,” Brando said hesitantly, “you need a ride.”

“Yes,” Frand snapped.

“Okay – okay, I understand,” Brando said, holding up his hands. “But –“ He pursed his lips, then admitted, “The thing is, neither of us know how to pilot this craft.”

Frand’s hands shook. “You don’t even…” He took another shuddering breath. “So you’re more useful dead than alive.”

Brando paled.

“No – no, we’re not,” Tabby cut in. “Listen, Frand. If you kill us, you’re committing an even more severe crime.” She gestured to the crests on her and Brando’s chests. “Look at us. We’re SCS interns. You really think they won’t come at a murder case of their own people with everything they’ve got? They’ll find you, Frand. We’re too messy to dispose of.”

Frand’s breathing quickened as Tabby spoke. Then, when she finished, he moaned. “But if I don’t get this to my employer, then I die.”

“Then work with us,” Tabby said. “We’ll get someone to protect you.”

“I…I…” Frand swallowed. “How do I know I can trust you?”

“Well, it’s either that or you’re on your own,” Tabby said. “It’s up to you.”

Frand looked down at the empathic gauntlet on his hand. He flexed his fingers. His brow furrowed in thought, and his tears dried up. His face turned red.

Tabby stiffened. He's not going to trust us, she realized. So she acted.

Tabby lifted her head, her gaze on the empty space behind Frand, and gasped loudly. “We’re being hailed!” she lied.

Frand’s head shot up, and he instinctively turned to see. Tabby rushed forward to knee Frand in the groin. Frand yowled, curling in on himself, and Tabby smashed her elbow into the base of his skull.

Frand stumbled forward, his gasp cut short as his eyes rolled back and he dropped to the floor.

Tabby stepped backwards. Brando came up beside her.

“Is he out?” Brando asked.

“Not for long,” Tabby said. “Come on, we need to bind him.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Brando and Tabby knelt beside Frand. Brando lifted Frand’s right wrist and held it to the cuff he’d just been bound to. Meanwhile, Tabby started unbuckling the gauntlet on Frand’s left hand.

“That was really clever,” Brando remarked as he locked the cuff.

“Thanks.”

“I mean, don’t get me wrong,” Brando said. “It could have gone really badly and I hope you never do anything like that again, but –“

“You couldn’t just leave it as a compliment, huh?”

Brando chuckled. Tabby allowed herself a smile.

And then, without opening his eyes, Frand turned his left hand over and grasped Tabby’s wrist.

Tabby tried to pull back, but Frand had a firm grip. Tabby felt a rush of cold, and then –

Brando reared back and landed a punch on Frand’s jaw. Frand’s head smacked against the wall, and he fell still again. Tabby fell backwards onto the floor, and Brando unfastened the rest of the gauntlet’s buckles before pulling the glove from Frand’s hand and throwing it across the bridge.

Brando whirled around and dropped to his knees. “Tabby – Tabby, did he get you?” he demanded. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Tabby, say something.”

Tabby’s eyes were stretched wide, and there were tears welling in the corners.

“Tabby – Tabby, come on,” Brando pleaded, gripping her shoulders tighter.

“Oh, no,” Tabby ground out. “No, no – it’s – it’s my fault.”

“Tabby!”

A delirious laugh made Brando turn his head. Frand’s eyes were half-open, and he was smiling weakly.

“What the fuck did you do to her?” Brando growled.

“I–“ Frand broke off in a giggle. “I only gave her all the guilt she’s ever felt.”

Brando’s heart leapt into his throat. He turned back to Tabby; her cheeks were slick with tears. “It’s my fault,” Tabby said through gritted teeth. “Oh, Castor and Pollux, it’s my fucking fault – it’s all my fault, it’s all –“

Brando pulled Tabby toward him and threw his arms around her. He squeezed tightly. “C’mon, dumbass, come back,” he mumbled into her hair. “You’re okay.”

“It’s all my – it’s my –“ Tabby couldn’t finish a single thought, her breaths coming in rapid gasps. “No – no – no –“

Brando curled his fingers into fists. He breathed slowly against her, hoping that she would instinctively follow his rhythm.

Tabby took in a breath, huffed, and then inhaled again. “It’s all my fault,” she whispered.

“Even if it is,” Brando murmured, “it’s okay. You’ll be okay. C’mon, you’ve got to hear me.”

Tabby’s exhales continued to tremble, but they evened out. Her inhales became slower, more controlled. Finally, her muscles relaxed.

Brando leaned back. He raised a hand to cup Tabby’s cheek, and her tears seeped between his fingers. “You with me?” he asked.

Tabby’s eyes wouldn’t meet his, but she nodded. “Holy shit,” she muttered. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. “That was unpleasant.”

Brando rubbed her shoulder. “Yeah,” he said. “It was.” He sat down beside her. “You’ll be alright, though.”

“I know.” Tabby pressed her palms to her eyes. “Ugh.”

“Does your head hurt?” Brando asked.

“No,” Tabby said, “it’s just…confused.” She drew her legs close to her chest and laid her chin on her knees. Brando put an arm around her shoulders. “I feel like I just time-traveled.”

“Do you know what that feels like?” Brando asked.

“No. Shut up.” Tabby rolled her eyes. “I’m saying, it really felt like I was…back. There. On Hel. When I was a kid.” She shrugged. “And now I’m here again.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Kind of, yeah.” But then she didn’t speak for half a minute. She rubbed her eyes, tapped her feet, ran her fingers through her hair. Eventually, she groaned and burrowed her face into her arms. “I don’t know where to start.”

“I’m not in a rush,” Brando assured her.

“I am. I want to get this over with,” Tabby admitted. She let the next words tumble out of her mouth without thinking. “My mom’s not a good person.”

Brando nodded. “Okay.”

“When I was little, I just thought – that’s how parents are,” Tabby said. “But then I started going to school, and…” She swallowed. “Well, I realized my teachers, my classmates, my neighbors – everyone danced around me. They were afraid.”

Brando furrowed his brow inquiringly.

“Of my mom,” Tabby clarified. “They’d never even met her. But they knew who I was, and who she was, and they – they wanted nothing to do with us. Who would?” she added bitterly. She turned her head to the side and met Brando’s eyes. “She’s a crime boss.”

Brando blinked. “Oh.”

“Yeah. She’s the head of one of the biggest crime syndicates in Eastern Hel,” Tabby explained. “And I – I –“ She bowed her head. “I’ve seen some things, Brando.” Brando leaned against her. “I watched her –“ Tabby cut herself off, took a deep breath, and said, “I watched her do a lot of bad shit, and I didn’t do anything.”

Brando couldn’t help himself. “Tabby, you were a kid.”

Tabby rounded on him and snapped, “I’m not a kid anymore.” Then she deflated. “I’m sorry. I just – I’m not powerless. Not now. And I feel like –“

“It’s not your fault. It’s hers.”

“Mhm.”

Brando had the feeling that Tabby was just humoring him. But he also knew that she was still reeling from the emotional experience she’d just had, and that he wasn’t going to convince her to believe him in that moment. So instead of fighting it, Brando just squeezed Tabby’s shoulder and leaned his head on top of hers. Tabby rested her head on his shoulder. They listened to the hum of Aegis for another few minutes.

Eventually, Brando nudged Tabby in the shoulder. “You ready to call the others and end this?” he asked.

Tabby pressed her lips together and nodded. Brando got to his feet. He turned and helped Tabby stand.

Tabby held onto his hand for a moment longer. “Listen, about –“

“It stays between us until you say otherwise,” Brando said.

Tabby smiled. “Thank you.”

[whumpapalooza]

Titans, part 7

FEBUWHUMP DAY 28, ALT PROMPT 8: "I'll never forgive you"

angst and recovery, yaaaay @febuwhump

(Space Interns Masterpost)

(First) (Prev)

Tabby sat by Brando’s bedside in Med Bay for as long as she could, hands folded in genuine-best-friend-style concern. Then, when she couldn’t take the sizzling silence anymore, she got up to leave.

“You alright?” Brando murmured, half-awake.

Tabby halted in the doorway but didn’t turn to face him. “Yeah,” she rasped.

Brando’s sleepy eyes cleared. He lifted his head and stared at the back of her head. “You’re not,” he realized.

Tabby didn’t lie a second time. Her head dropped. “Yeah.”

“You want to talk about it?”

Tabby took a breath in. She turned her head. “No,” she said. “I want to hold onto…this.” She gestured between Brando and herself. “Just for a little longer.”

Brando turned his head slightly, furrowing his brow.

“I know we have to talk about what happened,” Tabby said, facing him. “I know that things have – things are going to change. This…changes things for us. But I just…I’m not ready.”

Brando blinked a few times. “What…are you talking about?” he asked.

Tabby’s gaze was just shy of Brando’s. “I let them have you,” she said. “When they knocked you out, that last time…I –“ She swallowed. “I’m so sorry. I could have – I should have –“

“Hold it,” Brando said, sitting up. “Slipper said they almost killed you. You shouldn’t be sorry for doing what you needed to do to stay alive.”

“I’m not,” Tabby admitted miserably.

Brando didn’t flinch, didn’t say a word, and somehow that was worse than Tabby had expected.

Tabby felt the silence eating away at her insides, so she spoke again. “I’m not sorry, and that’s why I am sorry,” she confessed. “I’m not sorry that I saved my own neck – and I’m sorry that’s how I feel, but –“

“No - no,” Brando croaked, “I’m relieved that you did what you did. You saved your life.”

“I should have saved yours,” Tabby argued. “I should have wanted to save yours, but I – I was so scared, and I couldn’t – I didn’t want to die.” She clapped a hand over her mouth to hide her wobbling lip. For a few moments, she breathed into her cupped hand. Then she curled her fingers away and said, “I didn’t want to die – not even for you.”

Brando shook his head. “Tabby, I would never ask you to – I would never forgive you if you tried to give your life for mine. Your life is…precious.”

“You –“

“Mine is too,” Brando added. “That’s why…” He waited until Tabby met his eyes. “The truth is, I wouldn’t trade my life for yours, either.”

Tabby’s chin creased, and a sob nearly escaped her.

“It doesn’t mean we love each other any less, because we wouldn’t die for each other,” Brando continued. “It just means we love ourselves, too.”

Tabby did sob this time. She rushed forward and threw her arms around Brando, pressed her face into his shoulder, and cried. He returned her embrace and gripped her with ferocity.

“I’m glad you’re alive,” Tabby choked out.

“I’m glad you’re alive, too,” Brando whispered.

They dissolved into silence that stitched them close.

[whumpapalooza]

FEBUWHUMP DAY 27, ALT PROMPT 9: friendly fire

a little worldside bar fight, as a treat @febuwhump

(Space Interns Masterpost)

It wasn’t Tabby’s first bar fight, but it was Brando’s.

The fight started in a booth near the back. Brando and Tabby, sitting at a high table in the center of the room, watched as the brawl escalated and absorbed the other bar patrons.

“Should – should we do something?” asked Brando.

Tabby rolled her eyes. “Yeah,” she said, downing the last of her pint. “We get out of here. Bar fights are messy.” She tapped her wrist against the center of the table. “I’ve got the tab. Let’s go.”

Brando kept his eyes on the fight as Tabby stood and pulled on her jacket. When Brando didn’t follow suit, Tabby grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to his feet. “Come on.”

The pair slipped through the fray, nimbly avoiding waving fists and lashing tentacles. They were nearly at the door when Tabby got shoved by a young man.

“Hey!” Brando shouted.

“Brando, let it go,” Tabby warned.

But it was too late. The man turned his eyes on Brando and lunged. Brando leaped backwards, knocking into a pair of women throwing punches. He turned to apologize, but they shoved him.

It was a flurry of activity, and Brando quickly became disoriented. He dodged punches, kicks, nails, tentacles –

Brando lost track of Tabby. He whirled around. “Tabby!” he cried just as a punch landed on his jaw. He stumbled backwards. His back hit the wall.

“Shit! Sorry!”

Brando blinked. Tabby had hit him?

Tabby grabbed Brando’s arm and pulled. Too focused on the blooming bruise on his jaw, Brando hardly noticed as Tabby dragged him along the wall and toward the door.

They made it outside, but Tabby didn’t stop. She led Brando down the street and into an alleyway. There, she burst into laughter.

“I told you!” she giggled. “Bar fights are messy. Are you okay?”

“My pride’s more busted than my jaw.” Brando ran his fingers over his cheek. He grimaced. “Actually, that’s a lie. You hit hard. Fucking ow.”

[whumpapalooza]

FEBUWHUMP DAY 25: muffled screams

Tiny, ambiguous whumpage @febuwhump

(Space Interns Masterpost)

Brando came into consciousness against his will. Pain flooded his senses, and he started to scream.

A hand clapped over his mouth. Brando fought the grip, his agonized bellow muffled. But then his voice died as he recognized –

Tabby, Brando realized, breathing in her perfume. His eyes focused, and he saw her worried face. She was covered in debris, and there was a thin trail of blood curving down her cheek – but her eyes were alight with determination.

She raised her eyebrows. You going to keep quiet if I take my hand off?

Brando stifled a mirthless huff. Yeah, yeah.

Tabby removed her hand. Brando didn’t make a sound.

[whumpapalooza]

Meadow

For @theonlythingimfuckingisstupid! Thanks for the submission! :)

(One Word Prompts 3)

(Space Interns Masterpost)

He could smell flowers.

He blinked awake and saw a star-speckled indigo sky. Two moons on the opposite ends of the horizon stared down at him like great eyes.

He raised a hand, tracing blades of grass and flower petals. A strange feeling crept over him; he didn’t recognize any of the plants. Panic spread through his blood. Where am I?

His skull thundered as he sat up. He hissed through his teeth and raised a hand to his temples.

A voice cut through his racing thoughts. “Look – he’s alive!”

He looked up and saw two figures running through the grass toward him. Each had three eyes and were covered in shaggy locks of gray-and-black fur. Not human, he realized. Aliens.

“No way,” the alien on the right breathed. The tips of his fur curled into neat springs. “Are – are you okay?”

That was a good question, but it was answered with another. “Where am I?”

“You’re on Skadi,” said the alien on the left.

“Who are you?”

The alien on the left knelt in the grass. “I’m Pei.” She nodded to her curly-furred companion. “He’s Rus.” Rus waved. “What are you called?”

The human in the flowers blinked. “I’m...” He looked down at the grass, his brow furrowing. “I’m not sure.”

The aliens glanced at one another in surprise.

“Do you remember…anything?” Rus asked.

“…No. Maybe? I feel like everything’s fuzzy.”

“It’ll come back to you,” said Pei. Her words were meant to be comforting, but her tone wasn’t hopeful.

“In the meantime,” Rus said, “we’ll…we’ll call you Wick. Okay?”

“Wick?”

Pei rolled her eyes. “He’s trying to convince me it’s a good name for our child.” She held out a hand. “Here – let’s get you up.” Rus leaned forward and extended a hand as well.

Wick took their hands and let them pull him to his feet. His back left the soft, springy grass and several crushed flowers fell from his jacket. He was over a head taller than either Skadian.

Chirp.

Wick’s head shot up. “What was that?” he demanded.

“What was…what?” Rus asked.

“That sound,” Wick said. “It sounded like a chirp.”

Rus and Pei exchanged glances. “I didn’t hear anything,” Pei admitted.

Chirp.

“There!” Wick said, whirling around to look for the source of the sound. “There it is again. You heard it that time, right?”

“…No.”

“Why don’t we get you back to our cabin?” Pei suggested. “Maybe some rest will help you recover.”

Wick wanted to argue, but he couldn’t find a good reason – so he nodded and let the pair lead the way. They waded through the tall grass. Wick breathed in the refreshing scent of moonlit flowers and resisted the urge to sneeze.

When they reached the trees, Rus and Pei slipped under the cover of the woods, but Wick couldn’t help but glance back at the meadow. Something tugged at his heart as his eyes rested on the squashed grass where he’d regained consciousness. He let himself stare for another few seconds before hurrying after the Skadians.

Rus and Pei led him up a steep forest hill. At the top, a small spring bubbled into a brook. They walked along the brook’s path until a stone cottage came into view. Soft golden light streamed through its windows, and Wick could see smoke gently curling from the chimney.

“Home awaits,” Rus said.

As they approached the property, Wick heard another chirp.He glanced behind him, but he was starting to realize that the sound was following too closely to be external.

Rus opened the door to the cottage and stepped aside to let Wick enter. Wick ducked under the doorway and stood in the foyer, his hair brushing the ceiling.

Pei followed behind, patting Wick’s arm. “Do you drink rue?” she asked.

Wick frowned. “Rue?”

“Hot water with citrus,” Rus explained, closing the door behind him. “Pei swears by it.”

“I’ll heat some water,” Pei said.

While Pei retreated into the kitchen, Rus led Wick to a seat by the fire.

Wick heard another chirp as he sank into a plush armchair. That sound is definitely coming from my head, he thought.

Wick watched Rus stoke the fire for several minutes. Then Pei joined them with a tray holding three ceramic cups. She blew across the top of a cup before placing it in Wick’s hands.

Wick breathed in the tangy steam. “Thank you,” he said, and took a sip. Warmth spread through him from the moment rue touched his tongue. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“I’m glad we found you,” Pei said. “It’s cold out there, and you have no fur!”

“How did you find me?” Wick asked, taking another sip.

“Well, we wanted to investigate that light.”

“Light?” Wick echoed.

“There was a bright light in the trees, towards the meadow,” Rus explained. “We wanted to make sure there wasn’t a forest fire or something that would threaten the house.”

Wick frowned. “I don’t remember any bright light,” he said.

“You’re all confused,” Pei said. “It’s okay. Maybe you’ll feel better after you rest. We have a spare bed you can use. It may be small for you, but…it’s better than sleeping in the grass,” she joked.

Wick cracked a smile and looked down into his rue. A squished slice of an unfamiliar citrus fruit floated at the top. For some reason, this flattened his smile. Wick felt like something was right in front of him, and yet he couldn’t see it. His brow furrowed in concentration.

“Is something wrong?” Rus asked.

Wick’s knee started to bounce, rippling the surface of his rue. He stared intently at the citrus slice.

I didn’t know any of the flowers in the meadow, either… Wick’s throat tightened. What is wrong with me? Why am I so bothered by this?

“Wick?” Pei asked.

“Brando,” he replied without thinking.

Pei drew back. “What?”

Brando’s head lifted. “Hm?” Then, his eyes widened. “Oh!” He looked between Pei and Rus. “That’s – that’s my name. I’ve just remembered my name.”

“That’s great!” Rus said.

“Can you remember anything else, Brando?” Pei asked.

Brando opened his mouth, but found that nothing sprang from his lips. “I – don’t think so,” he admitted.

Rus nodded. “That’s okay,” he said. “Maybe it’ll come back after you sleep.”

They finished their cups by the fire, and then Rus led Brando to the spare room.

“Summon us if you need anything,” he instructed. “We’ll get you sorted when we wake.”

Pei had been right; the bed was too small for Brando. But he was so tired, and his head was so full, that he barely cared. Brando pressed his head against a plush pillow and fell asleep at once.

An hour later, his eyes shot open at the sound of a chirp.Moments later, Brando was back asleep. Another hour passed.

Chirp. He woke up, then fell back asleep.

Almost exactly an hour later: chirp.

Chirp.

Chirp.

Finally, six chirps later, Brando heard urgent knocking at his door. Soft sunlight filtered through his window, so Brando figured it was morning. He got to his feet so quickly that he nearly bumped his head on the ceiling.

There was more knocking at Brando’s door. “Brando!” Pei shouted from the other side. “Brando, come quick!”

Brando yanked open the door. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

“Rus has gone to see, but –“ Pei grabbed Brando’s arm. “We saw another light in the trees!”

Pei dragged Brando out of the cottage. They followed the stream, passed the spring at the top of the hill, and skidded down the slope toward the meadow.

Rus was waiting at the edge of the trees. “More humans!” he whispered excitedly as Pei and Brando approached.

Brando crouched in the undergrowth and looked out into the meadow.

There were three of them.

Leading the trio was a tall woman; she had dark lines running across her cheeks and forehead. She was flanked by two other humans – a short woman with deep blue eyes, and a man with curly, sandy hair.

“Do you know them?” Rus whispered.

Soft disappointment landed in Brando’s chest. They didn’t look familiar. Brando shook his head.

“Well, they’re definitely here for you,” Pei said quietly. The humans in the meadow were investigating the squashed grass where Brando had awoken.

“I don’t – I don’t recognize them,” Brando confessed.

Rus looked surprised. “But you’re wearing the same garments and everything!”

Brando looked down at his own clothes and realized that Rus was right. The humans in the meadow wore the same indigo vests that Brando did.

Should they be familiar to me?

In a moment of courage, Brando got to his feet and stepped into the meadow. He moved so silently that none of the humans realized he was there until he spoke.

“Looking for me?” he called.

The humans whirled around. Relief cleared all of their eyes. They smiled at him.

They definitely know me, Brando thought. He stood several yards from them, too uncomfortable to get any closer.

The human with sandy hair furrowed his brow. “Are you okay?” he asked.

That voice sent ice down Brando’s spine. In an effortless instant, the name left his lips. “Glen.”

The sensation of memories returning was overwhelming; Brando leaned forward and pressed his fingers to his forehead. “Whoa.” His knees suddenly felt too weak to support him.

Several voices cried Brando’s name as he dropped into the grass.

Brando felt hands on his face, lifting his chin. He looked up into Tabby’s deep blue eyes.

“Hey, you with us?” she demanded.

“Y-Yeah,” Brando gasped. “I think I am.”

temporary amnesia, by beloved

also I like to think Brando sends Pei and Rus a gift for their child since they were so kind to him

[whumpapalooza]

FEBUWHUMP DAY 11: Chronic Pain

(Space Interns Masterpost)

They all learned about it in the span of six months. Slipper was the first to notice, in the very first week of the internship.

“Ptahfi,” he said, “you’re limping.”

“I’m alright,” Glen promised. “Just hurts a bit.”

But Slipper, being a good physician, dragged him down back to Med Bay anyway.

It was Blare who noticed, next – in the third month. The pair had been taking the stairs to the dining area when Glen stopped to rub his calf.

“You okay?” Blare asked.

“Yeah – yeah, just sore,” he assured her.

Then, in the fourth month, Brando noticed. “You good, buddy?” he asked.

Glen looked up from stretching his leg. “Huh? Oh – oh, yeah. Fine.”

Finally, mid-mission in the sixth month, Tabby rounded on him. “What’s wrong?” she demanded.

Glen recoiled. “What?”

“You’re favoring one side,” Tabby remarked tartly. “What happened?”

“N-Nothing.”

“Chuck…”

Glen held up his hands. “Nothing, I promise,” he said. “It just hurts sometimes.”

“What does, your leg?” Tabby asked. Glen nodded. “Hurts how?”

“Tabby, I’m okay.”

“Hurts how?”

Glen’s shoulders raised. “Um…it aches?”

Tabby narrowed her eyes. “Does Slipper know?”

“Yes!”

Thankfully, Tabby let it go – they had a mission to complete, after all.

But after the mission, she cornered him outside their cabins. “Were you ever going to mention it?” she asked. “To any of us?”

Glen fiddled with his jacket zipper. “Probably not,” he admitted. “It’s just…y’know, part of my life.”

“So are we.” Tabby stared him down until he met her eyes. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

Tabby leaned against the wall. “So, how long has that been going on?” she asked.

“Since I was a teenager,” Glen said. “It was like, one day out of nowhere it just…ached. It comes and goes. But it…” He looked embarrassed suddenly. “It’s always there.”

Tabby’s brow furrowed. “And Slipper doesn’t think it’s…like, anything pressing?”

“No,” Glen confirmed.

Tabby nodded. “Well, thanks be for that, at least.”

“So…” Glen cast a glance Tabby’s way. “Are we good?”

Tabby grinned. “You never have to worry about that, Chuck.” She stood on her toes and ruffled Glen’s hair.

[whumpapalooza]

FEBUWHUMP DAY 8, ALT PROMPT 6: Natural Disaster

The whole team goes on a mission. :) @febuwhump

(Space Interns Masterpost)

“Ah, fuck it’s hot.”

“There’s three suns. What’d you expect?”

“I expected a little sympathy, but apparently that’s too much to ask.”

“We’re all baking in it – why should you get more sympathy?”

“Aires above, would both of you knock it off?” Blare interrupted them with a sharp rebuke.

“He started it,” Tabby grumbled.

“Objectively did not,” Brando said.

They were on a routine mission on a Stage 1 planet. They had only been off their craft for twenty minutes, and they had come during nighttime, but it was still swelteringly hot in the ravine where they were collecting samples.

Blare whirled around to glower at the bickering pair. “Brando, get the samples. Tabby, shut up.”

Both Brando and Tabby rolled their eyes, but neither argued. Brando knelt on the ground to clip a leaf from a plant.

“Warmbloods,” Slipper grunted, half to himself. “Always complaining.”

Glen chuckled. “It’s what we do best,” he said.

“I’m just saying what we’re all thinking,” Tabby said over her shoulder. “It’s ridiculously hot.”

“Shut up,” Blare said.

“Don’t tell me you disagree, you liar.”

“No, seriously, shut up,” Blare said. “I think I hear…” She frowned. “Is that thunder?”

The crew fell peered up at the sky and listened.

“It does sound like thunder,” Brando murmured, getting to his feet.

“But there’s no clouds,” Glen pointed out.

The pebbles on the floor of the ravine began to rattle. Slipper’s frills spread. “That’s because there is no thunder,” he said suddenly. He tilted his head upwards and pointed. “Rockfall!”

Blare’s head snapped up. “Run!” she ordered.

The next few moments were loud. More and more rocks overhead came dislodged and tumbled down into the ravine as the crew sprinted through.

Blare heard her crew’s shouts underneath the cacophony of the rockfall. Brando’s bellow, Tabby’s shriek, Glen’s warning to Slipper to look out –

And then something large and heavy landed behind Blare. The force of the wind knocked her off her feet and onto the ground.

Blare covered her head and prayed to whatever deity might be listening. She felt debris catch in her hair.

And then, the rumbling stopped.

As the last of the rocks rolled down, their clatter echoing off the ravine walls, Blare propped herself up on her forearms. She saw Glen and Slipper lying in the space in front of her. She rolled over and, to her horror, only saw rubble.

Tabby and Brando were trapped on the other side.

Or worse, they were...

“Tabby!” Blare yowled. “Brando!”

There was no response. Blare’s heart leapt into her throat.

No – no, no. She scrambled to her feet and rushed over to the debris. “Brando! Tabby!” she shouted again.

“Blare!”

Blare tilted her head back and sighed. “Tabby, are you alright?” she asked.

“We’re both fine! You?”

Blare turned around, the word fine nearly on her lips. Then she saw Slipper kneeling beside Glen.

Glen didn’t get up.

“Oh, fuck,” Blare breathed.

“What’s going on?” Brando shouted.

“Glen’s -” Blare broke off. “I’ve – I’ve got to go see –“

“We’re okay! Go!”

Blare stepped away from the debris and rushed to Glen’s side. She dropped to her knees beside Slipper. “Is he okay?” she demanded.

Slipper took Glen’s chin in his hand and tilted Glen’s head to the side. Blare blanched at the sight of blood staining his sandy hair.

“Glen, can you hear me?” Slipper asked. He leaned in close and tilted his head so that he could hear Glen’s breathing. When he withdrew, he lifted Glen’s eyelid. Then the other. “He is likely concussed,” he reported to Blare. “His pupils are dilated, but equal.”

“That’s…a good sign, right?” she asked. Slipper nodded. “Still…we need to get him back to –“ Blare broke off. “Oh. Oh!”

“Glen is our engineer,” Slipper reminded her. “Without his codes, we cannot tractor to Aegis remotely.”

“So we’re stuck here until he wakes up,” Blare realized. She pressed a hand to her cheek. “How – how long could that be?”

“It is difficult to say,” Slipper answered, pressing an absorbent fabric to Glen’s hair. “He is deeply unconscious. I doubt our calls will rouse him.”

“Yeah.” Blare sat back. She sighed and pulled herself to her feet. “I’ll…I’ll go tell the others.”

“I will attempt to stop the bleeding.”

Blare brushed the dust from her arms as she made her way back over toward the debris.

“You guys still there?” she called.

“Still here!” Tabby replied. Then, at the same time, she and Brando asked, "How is he?"

“Out cold,” Blare said. “Slipper says he’s probably concussed.”

“But he’ll be okay, right?”Tabby asked.

“Slipper didn’t say otherwise,” Blare said. “But as long as he’s out, we can’t get back to Aegis.”

“Well, that’s a problem.”

Blare nodded. Then, remembering that they couldn’t see her, she said, “It is.”

“How long do we have before the suns rise?” Tabby asked.

Biting back a swear, Blare lowered her head. She had forgotten about the triplet suns. If just two were to rise over the horizon, the heat would unquestionably kill all the human members of the crew.

Blare glanced down at her wrist and tapped it twice. “Sunrise time for current location,” she said. After a few moments of calculations, the light number hovered over her wrist. “We’ve got three and a half hours,” she said.

“I mean…you don’t think he’ll be out that long, do you?” Brando asked anxiously.

Blare cast a glance back at Slipper, who was pressing a fresh absorbent fabric to Glen’s head. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

[whumpapalooza]

aa bthb! i gotta go with bloody nose for Brando 👀 -thatsgonnaleaveamark

@thatsgonnaleaveamark This was fun!! Thanks so much for the submission, friend!

And thanks again to @badthingshappenbingo for the bingo card!

(Space Interns Masterpost)

(Rudi's Bad Things Happen Bingo Card)

The lake was frozen over. The ice was nearly a foot thick, but Brando could see right through it and into the clear water beneath. Schools of fish Brando didn’t recognize drifted through patches of gently waving lakeweed.

“Okay – I’m ready,” Glen said.

Brando turned over his shoulder to see his crewmate lifting a large bag over his shoulder. The bag’s strap almost didn’t fit over the puffy coat Glen was wearing.

“How long do you think this will take?” Brando asked.

“In theory, this is a simple job,” Glen said, turning his back to Brando. He started walking inland. “All I have to do is detach the core, replace the battery, and then re-attach the core.”

“Okay,” Brando said. He stuffed his gloved hands into the pockets of his own puffy coat and followed Glen up the rocky slope. “So, that’s in theory. What about in practice?”

“Oh,” Glen said. “Who knows? I’ve stopped trying to predict these missions.”

The pair were on the planet Belisama, a planet home to three different species of sentient aquatic beings. The planet was known for its many lakes, and especially the lighthouses that were built to illuminate those lakes.

The lighthouses were unlike any Brando had ever encountered. They had been nicknamed “inverted lighthouses,” and the name was apt. Instead of standing tall over the lake to shine light over its surface, the lighthouses were built underwater, and had the beacons shine directly through crystalline depths.

The beacons of these lighthouses were powered by electricity, which was a source of power that the peoples of Belisama could not harness without coming to harm. As such, the lighthouses were maintained by extraterrestrial engineers – like Glen.

Glen had been assigned to maintain a lighthouse beacon after its light had gone dim in a polar front. Brando had followed him to the planet’s surface to assist him.

They entered the lighthouse on a small, rocky cliff. After climbing down a frozen metal ladder, they stood on a circular lift at the center of the tower, and that took them down to the lantern room.

They reached the bottom floor of the lighthouse, and then the doors to the lantern room opened.

Freezing water trickled in from cracks in the walls and was slowly filling the room. The water was yet to reach the height of the lift, but it was enough to consider the room flooded.

Glen sighed. “Of course,” he muttered. He swung his bag off his shoulder and onto the floor of the lift. “It looks ankle-deep,” he said, “so the core should be dry. I should still be able to take care of it. I’m going to head over and detach the core. Can you get the battery out of the case?”

“Yeah – sure,” Brando said. Then Glen took a step into the water, and Brando felt a chill crawl up his spine. “Wait!” He grabbed Glen’s arm and pulled him back onto the lift.

Glen’s voice rose. “What – what?”

“There’s something in there,” Brando said. He pointed, and Glen followed his finger to see cloudy blobs floating in the pooled water.

“What the nethers is that?” Glen’s voice was disgusted.

“Looks…” Brando knelt down. “Looks like a jellyfish.”

“What’s a jellyfish?”

“You don’t have jellyfish on Ptah?” Brando asked. Then he waved his hand. “Never mind. I’m going to call Tabby. She’ll have an idea of what these are.” He tapped his chest four times. Glen followed suit.

“DiHonos and Ptahfi to Nic’hel,” Brando said. A few moments passed, wherein Brando and Glen listened to water slap against the sides of the lighthouse. Brando heard a chirp in his head and repeated himself. “DiHonos and Ptahfi to Nic’hel.”

“You’ve got her. What’s happening?”

“Yeah, hey,” Brando said. “So, the lantern room’s flooded.”

Tabby laughed. “That sucks. Need a tractor beam?”

“No, we’re still staying to replace the battery,” Glen said.

“Yeah, I’m just calling to ask about these things in the water,” Brando said. “There’s this – like, jellyfish thing.”

“Jellyfish?”

“Am I the only one whose home planet had jellyfish?” Brando huffed. “They’re like – gelatinous blobs with tentacles.”

“Oh!” Tabby sounded excited for a moment. “Yeah, we had those on Hel. Called them something different, though.” Then she paused. “But, yeah, okay, I think I know what you’re talking about. Belisama does have a species similar to – what’d you call them?”

“Jellyfish.”

“Right. Well, I wouldn’t worry too much. The Belisaman jellyfish species is pretty docile unless provoked, so you should be fine…”

Brando grinned; he recognized Tabby’s habit of trailing off when she wanted to ask something. “What is it?” Brando asked.

“I’m just wondering…the jellyfish – it has orange nerves, right?”

Glen peered into the water. “Yep.”

“Okay. So…the thing is, this specific species you’re dealing with – it’s a physio-telepathic species,” Tabby said.

“What do you mean, physio-telepathic?”

“I mean, unlike fully telepathic species, the jellyfish has to be physically connected in order to bond with someone’s mind.” Tabby paused. “And physio-telepathy is…well. Like I said – don’t provoke it, and you should be fine. Just be careful, okay?”

“Got it. Thanks, Tabby.”

Chirp.

Brando clapped Glen on the back. “Okay. Sorry for the wait,” he said.

Glen nodded. “Can you unpack the battery?” He pulled his omnigadget from his belt. “I’m going to detach the core.”

“Got it.” Brando reached into the bag Glen had packed and pulled out a large, heavy case.

The job went simply, like Glen theorized. He stepped into the water, detached the core, and brought it over to the lift. There, he swapped the damaged battery with the new one.

When Glen stepped back into the water, he held the new core up high and shuffled around the jellyfish. His teeth began to chatter as he slid the core back into place and began to re-attach it. When Glen was finished, a low tone began to hum from the core.

“S-sounds like it’s working,” Glen said. “Now to start it…” He reached for the switch and flipped it.

At once, bright light filled the room and spilled into the lake’s depths.

Brando shielded his eyes, but he was beaming. “Nicely done,” he said.

Glen smiled. “Thanks. But – like I said…simple job.”

“When you know what you’re doing, yeah,” Brando joked. “I’d have gotten frustrated just –“ Brando broke off, his eyes widening.

The jellyfish was no longer floating aimlessly in the shallows. Its nerves were twitching, and it was speeding toward Glen’s feet.

Without thinking, Brando leapt off the lift and landed with a splash in the water. He surged forward, wrapped his arms around Glen, and pulled him off the ground.

“H-Hey!” Glen gasped. “What are you -"

“I don’t think the jellyfish likes the light!” Brando hissed. He looked down at the jellyfish, which was curling a tentacle around his ankle. He swore. “Okay…um. We may have a problem.”

“What?” Glen twisted to get a view of the water. His face fell at the sight of Brando’s ankle. “Oh." Then he looked back up at Brando’s face, and his eyes widened. “Oh. Brando, your nose – it’s bleeding.“

“My…” Brando felt something warm roll from his nostril. “Oh. Yep. Sure is.” He swallowed. “…Glen, I’m going to put you down,” he said, “and I need you to get to the lift without disturbing the jellyfish.”

“Well – what about you?” Glen demanded.

“We’ll call Aegis and figure it out,” Brando answered. “Now, are you ready?”

Glen looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded. Brando slowly lowered him back into the water. Glen shuffled away without sloshing too much.

Brando watched Glen take the step onto the lift, and then he let out the breath he’d been holding. “O…kay,” he said calmly. “Now all we have to do is call Aegis.” He rapped his knuckles against his sternum. “DiHonos and Ptahfi to Ae – ah!” Brando’s head tilted upward, and a hand shot up to his temple. His eyes shot open wide.

“Brando!” Glen cried. He rapped on his chest four times. “Ptahfi to Aegis! Ptahfi to Aegis! Someone, answer me!”

Brando felt like his brain was a rapidly pulsing with every beat of his heart. The throbbing felt unreal, unnatural.

Chrip.

“Ptahfi to Aegis – we need help!” Glen shouted.

“What’s going on?” Blare sounded bewildered.

Tabby was on the comm, too. “Did you piss off the jellyfish?”

Brando could hear Glen explaining what was happening – but when Brando tried to raise his voice, to say something, his voice wouldn’t cooperate.

Flashes of light burst in Brando’s vision, and with them came sharp pricks of pain behind his eyes. He cried out, his knees bending but not buckling.

Brando felt another bead drip down onto his lip. The pain behind his eyes grew hotter. Brando’s knees bent again as he moaned.

“Oh, fuck,” Glen gasped. “Guys, his nose is really bleeding.”

“Okay, that’s bad,” Blare said. “If this jellyfish thing is doing something telepathic, and Brando’s nose is bleeding, then that means his brain is rejecting the bond.”

“What can I do?” Glen asked.

“It doesn't like the light - can you turn off the beacon without putting yourself in danger?” Tabby suggested.

“No – I can’t reach it.”

“Brando needs to sever the connection,” Blare said. “Either he breaks himself out of it, or…”

Brando felt a warm stream of blood roll down his chin, dripping off into the water. Nausea rose in him at the sight of his own blood, tainting the clean shallows pink.

A surge of pain blasted through Brando’s head, and he let his knees fold. He dropped with a splash onto the flooded floor, gripping his head with both hands.

“I have to do something!” Glen shouted.

“Blare, can’t we sever the connection some…other way?”Tabby said.

“You mean –“

Brando’s howl drowned out whatever Blare said next. Blood from his nose dripped into his mouth, and he leaned all the way over to touch his forehead to the water.

Glen’s boots came into view as he approached the edge of the lift. “Brando!” he shouted.

Instinctively, Brando’s head shot up – just in time to see Glen swing down.

Everything went silent and dark.

When Brando's senses came back to him, he groaned. His forehead felt bruised. He blinked up at Glen languidly.

“Are you okay?” Glen asked. Brando nodded once. “Can you say something?”

“…M’ head,” Brando rasped.

Glen grimaced. “Yeah, I’ll bet it hurts,” he said. “Um…sorry.”

Brando furrowed his brow. “What…?” He felt too tired to ask what happened, but Glen seemed to understand.

“Uh…” Glen looked over his shoulder at the case that had held the beacon’s battery. “I severed the connection the jellyfish had with you.”

Brando blinked. He knocked me out?

“Your nose was gushing blood,” Glen said defensively, reading Brando’s expression. “Blare says you weren’t going to last much longer.”

Brando hummed, closing his eyes.

“Can…can you move?” Glen asked. Brando bit back a groan, but he nodded. “Come on. Let’s get you to Slipper.” Glen leaned forward and threw Brando’s arm around his shoulder. “Ready? One, two…” And with a grunt, he helped lift Brando to his feet.

Brando stumbled against Glen. “S’rry,” he murmured.

“You don’t have to talk,” Glen said. He gave Brando’s wrist a comforting squeeze. “Just stay with me.”

[whumpapalooza]

Titans, part 1

FEBUWHUMP DAY 7: Used as an Experiment

It's always fun to write a little Brando-Tabby goodness! @febuwhump

(Space Interns Masterpost)

(Next)

“Aegis 004 Personal Records. It has been six days since our capture, and in that time –“

“Tabby, it has been maybe three hours.”

“Shut up – I’m backlogging.”

“Backlogging?” Brando echoed. “Why the nethers are you backlogging? As if you’ll have anything else to do while we’re trapped here.”

“I’m bored now, though.”

“Ah, fuck. Not for long,” Brando hissed suddenly. He got to his feet. Tabby followed his gaze to the outside of the cell.

A pair of pirates were approaching the wall of crackling electricity. One of them clicked a few symbols on the keypad. Sparks stopped bursting from the cell walls. The pirates marched forward and seized Brando’s arms.

“Hey!” Tabby shouted, stepping forward. One of the pirates unsheathed its claws and began to gurgle.

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Brando snarled.

Tabby kept her eyes on the pirate’s face, avoidant of the talons. “Let go of him,” she demanded.

“Tabby,” Brando warned.

“Brando,” she shot back.

Brando lowered his voice. “Aegis will get us out of here soon enough,” he said. “We just have to…hold out.”

Tabby narrowed her eyes at the pirates, but she stepped back. The pirates made garbled noises to one another, and then a rattling sound that had the cadence of laughter.

The pirates pulled Brando away. He cast a glance over his shoulder, blinking at Tabby. “Don’t worry,” he mouthed.

“Don’t boss me around,” Tabby mouthed back.

And then he was gone.

Eighteen minutes later, there was a click outside of the cell. Tabby scrambled to her feet as a pirate stepped into view.

“Where’s Brando?” she demanded. The pirate stepped close to the cell and leaned in. “Where is he?” she said again.

“Your companion lives.”

Tabby did not like the pirate’s wording. But she kept her composure and curled her lip into a sneer. “Prove it,” she said.

“First, a question.” The pirate raised his chin. “You are made of water and electricity.”

“That’s not a question.”

“Your species is well-known through the universe for being…unbreakable.”

“Again, not a question.”

The pirate’s lips made a foreign s-shape. “Why, then, have we found your companion to be so fragile?”

Tabby’s breath caught. Her fingers began to shake. “What have you done?” Her voice was strained.

“It lives.” The pirate stepped forward, sliding through the electric wall and into the cell with Tabby. “But we are not finished.”

“What do you want?” Tabby asked. She swallowed. “I’m a xenozoologist. If you’re interested in human biology, take it up with me. Brando’s just the flower guy.”

“Fascinating,” said the pirate. “I have heard rumors of humanity’s pack bonds, but never did I imagine it was true.” He leaned in to inspect Tabby with his six roving eyes. “You are sentient – revered through the galaxy for brilliance, even – yet you allow basic instincts to influence your behavior.”

“Are you going to ask any questions,” Tabby said, “or are you just going to lecture me about my own species?”

The pirate rattled with laughter. “My questions need not be asked when you give answers so willingly.” He turned away and slid through the electric wall. Once on the other side, he gave a high-pitched yowl that made Tabby’s hairs stand on end.

A wide door slid open, and three figures stood on the other side.

At least, two figures stood. One was supported between them.

“Brando!” Tabby shouted.

One pirate dialed on the keypad to make the electric wall vanish. They stepped forward and threw Brando into the cell. Tabby rushed forward to support him as he collapsed to the ground.

The six-eyed pirate turned back to Tabby. “Farewell for this wake, xenozoologist. I will consider your offer.”

“Consider this,” Tabby snarled, making an archaic hand gesture. Even if the pirate didn’t know what it meant, it felt good to deliver.

The pirates rattled with laughter and left through the wide door. The moment it slid closed, Tabby’s anger melted away.

“You with me?” she asked.

“Hm.” Brando took a shuddering breath.

“What did they do?” Tabby asked. She didn’t want to hear the answer, but she had to.

Brando’s eyebrows flicked up, then his lids parted halfway. He gave a wry smile. “Oh, a bit of this, a bit of –“ Brando broke off with a grimace. “Ugh.”

“Brando, I need specifics.”

“Yeah, sorry.” Brando tilted his head back. “I’m just nauseous. They, uh…stunned me a bunch.” He shook his head. “No idea why. They didn’t…ask anything.”

“No,” Tabby said, “but I think I know what they’re up to.” Brando raised his eyebrows inquiringly. “They’ve never met humans before. I think they’re looking at us like we’re…y’know.”

“Aliens?”

“Yeah.”

“So it’s not bad enough that we’re captives to some pirates. No, they have to be science pirates. Sadistic, experimental, science pirates.”

“Yep.”

Brando hummed softly. “Hey, Tabby?” he asked.

“Yeah?”

“I’m bored. Can we do some backlogging?”

Tabby smiled. “Aegis 004 Personal Records. It has been a week since our capture, and in that time…”

[whumpapalooza]

PROMPT - serum injection CHARACTER - Slipper Hecatezen (Space Intern ocs)

So, tumblr ate your ask, @randomlifeunit - that's fun! I'm sorry this took so long, and thank you for the submission, friend!

And, thanks as always to @badthingshappenbingo for the card!

After a devastating world war, the planet Perses had been reclassified to Class 0 – a certified “failure” of a planet. It was practically uninhabitable, with pockets of continents oozing with radioactivity. The Perseans that survived the war had been evacuated and relocated across the galaxy.

Slipper didn’t think a mission on Perses – even in a designated safe zone – sounded like a good idea.

He was right.

Slipper led the way through the streets, Brando and Tabby close behind.

“Okay. This is…great. I love it. I love this.”

“Brando, shut up.”

“No, it’s fine! It’s awesome. I love being in a ghost city on a planet that has two hours of sunlight a day.” There had been light while they were briefed, but night had fallen since they’d entered the city.

Yowling echoed through a nearby alley. Brando jumped.

Tabby rolled her eyes. “It’s just a roz fight,” she said. “Calm yourself.”

“Not all of us know every single creature in the universe by the sounds they make,” Brando grumbled.

“You shouldn’t waste your energy with focus on fear,” Slipper said.

“Easier said than done,” Brando said.

“Especially for a braveless like Brando,” Tabby teased.

Click.

Slipper stopped in his tracks. He looked down at his foot.

“What’s wrong?” Tabby asked.

“I appear to have tripped a trap,” Slipper answered. At the same time, there was a loud whistling sound as something hurtled through the air.

Slipper felt something strike his neck.

Tabby and Brando gasped. “Fuck!” Tabby cried. “Slipper, you –“

Slipper raised a hand to touch the foreign object. It appeared to be a syringe. He tugged, but the needle wouldn’t come loose.

“Holy shit – hang on,” Brando said, rushing forward. He reached up and touched the syringe. “Oh, okay – that’s a good sign,” he said in a voice too high to be genuine. “It’s, uh – it’s stuck between your scales. Tilt your head.”

Slipper tilted his head away from Brando, ignoring the prick of pain that followed.

Brando gripped the syringe with one hand and placed his other palm against Slipper’s neck. “I should be able to…” Slipper felt a pinch. “There we go. Got it.”

Brando stepped away, syringe in hand. Tabby stepped closer.

“Let me see that,” she demanded. Brando handed over the syringe. Tabby inspected it with a hum. “Um...Slipper, a bunch of this went into you.”

“I’m aware,” Slipper said, and collapsed.

“Slipper – Slipper!” Hands grabbed his arms as his knees buckled. A face entered his line of sight. “Hey, can you hear me?”

Slipper gritted his teeth and hissed. “What was in that syringe?” he demanded.

“I don’t know,” Tabby said. “Talk to me – what’s happening, and what can we do?”

Brando shushed them suddenly. He cupped his ear. Slipper raised his head to listen, but there was ringing in his eardrum. After a few moments, Brando threw Slipper’s arm over his shoulder and started to lift him. “I hear voices,” he whispered.

“No one should be anywhere on this continent,” Tabby said. “What do you mean, you hear–“

A bright light washed over them all.

Slipper could hear an engine revving somewhere within the headlight’s too-bright beam. He curled his lip and shut his eyes.

“Oh, Dioscuri,” Tabby swore. “That guy’s got a plasma burner.”

Brando nodded. “We’ve got to fucking move!”

Tabby threw Slipper’s arm over her shoulder, rose, and then all three fell in step to hobble onward. Slipper tried to walk faster, but his left foot had gone numb. He shuffled along with Brando and Tabby to support him.

An ear-splitting tseew pierced the air as a bolt of electric energy crackled past them. Brando gasped and tightened his grip on Slipper’s wrist. “I see an alley – past the library!” he said.

Tabby nodded. “Let’s hope there’s a back door.”

Another bolt of electricity shot past them.

As they entered the alley, Tabby slid out of the support chain. She rushed ahead and tested the door. At first, it wouldn’t budge. But she quickly picked the lock and the door slid open. “In!” she shouted.

Brando bore the brunt of Slipper’s weight as they entered the building. Tabby slammed her elbow down on the keypad, shattering the screen, and then followed. She shut the door the moment she was through and set the lock from inside.

“That should hold them, right?” Brando asked as he helped Slipper sit down on the floor.

Tabby nodded. “Yeah. Slipper, you still with us?”

Slipper’s nostrils flared. He spat something in a Hecatean hiss. Then he said, “My vision is compromised, and I have numbness.”

“What do you need?”

Slipper barely had a moment to process what she had said before it suddenly felt as if a solid mass were striking straight through his head. He folded over, grasping his temples with his claws.

“Fuck,” Tabby spat. “I’m getting in touch with Aegis. Brando, get ready to move him. We need to get to the roof and get off this planet.” She tapped her chest four times. “Nic’hel to Aegis,” she said. She waited. “Nic’hel to Aegis,” she said again. She tapped her chest another four times.

“Don’t tell me,” Brando said dryly.

“Yep. Scrambled signal.”

“Okay,” Brando sighed. “So we’re sieged by unknown predators on a planet that’s supposed to be uninhabited. We can’t reach Aegis. Slipper’s –“

“Brando, the recap is not helping.” Tabby reached into her sash and pulled out her glasses, hooked them over her ears, and tapped the frames. “Hm.” She forward to reach into the darkness and pulled something off a shelf. She held it out for Brando to see.

“Vitamins?” Brando said. “Are we in a drugstore?”

Slipper’s breath rattled, but he managed to croak, “Look for triptans.”

“Triptans?” Tabby echoed.

“Or anti-inflammatory tablets,” Slipper said. “Triptans are…preferable.”

“Do you know what the serum was?” Brando asked.

“I do not,” Slipper said, “but I know what it is doing." He hissed. “It has triggered a severe migraine.”

“Triptans or anti-inflammatories. On it,” Tabby said, slipping into the gloom. She moved stealthily through the racks, her eyes skimming the labels. Fortunately, they were written in Standard; before its reclassification, Perses had been a Gal-U affiliate.

It didn’t take long for Tabby to find a bottle of triptan tablets. She snatched it from the rack and returned to her crewmates. She announced her arrival, but kept her voice low, for Slipper’s sake. “I found some triptans.”

Slipper didn’t even crack open an eye. His nostrils flared, and he asked, “Water?”

“Yeah, I’ve got my flask,” Brando said, reaching into his sash.

Tabby poured three tablets into her palm. “Here,” she said, kneeling in front of Slipper. She took his hand and uncurled his clenched claws before dropping the tablets into his hand.

Slipper held out his other hand. Brando handed him his unscrewed flask. Slipper sipped at the flask, then popped the tablets into his mouth.

“How long will it take for these to help?” Tabby asked.

Slipper swallowed. “I have not eaten since the midwake meal,” he murmured, “so they will likely take effect within the hour.”

“And we were supposed to check in with Aegis at around the same time,” Brando recalled. “When we don’t, they’ll realize something’s wrong.”

“So, what? All we can do is wait?” Tabby asked.

Slipper closed his eyes and burrowed his face into his arms. “All we can do is wait.”

[whumpapalooza]

"Stone" for Glen for the one word prompts? 👀 - whump-captain

Thankee for the submission, friend! :) Enjoy!

(One Word Prompts 3)

(Space Interns Masterpost)

It was a smooth stone with a perfectly round hole. According to the people of the planet Janus, it was called a hag stone.

One of the Janusites explained its function. “Our planet is close enough to a space-distortion that looking through a hag stone will show you an alternate reality,” they explained.

“That sounds awesome,” Tabby said. She, Brando, and Glen had just completed a mission on the planet and were enjoying the rest of their stay.

“Different stones show you different realities,” the Janusite continued. “There is a waterfall, not far from here, that drips in such a way that it has created thousands of hag stones.”

“I’d love to see it,” Tabby said eagerly.

“Eh. I don’t know. It sounds like too much of a gamble for me,” Brando remarked.

“I’ve never had the courage to look through,” the Janusite said, “but I’ve heard that it helps you understand yourself better.”

“Come on – let’s at least go see the waterfall,” Tabby pleaded.

“I wouldn’t mind that,” Glen said.

Brando sighed. “Okay,” he said, “but I’m not looking through a hag stone.”

“More for Chuck and me, then!” Tabby cried, linking her arm through Glen’s.

They arrived at the waterfall when the sun was directly overhead. The air was warm, but the soft mist from the waterfall lowered the temperature considerably.

“Check it out!” Tabby said, leaping onto a rock in the middle of the stream. “I see a pool over there. That’s got to have some hag stones.”

“Would you watch your step, please?” Brando fretted.

“Come on, Chuck.” Tabby ignored Brando and held out a hand. Glen took it and joined her. Their combined weight wobbled the rock a bit.

“I see a path,” Glen said, stepping onto the next flat stone. “We might get our feet wet, but –“

“That’s fine,” Tabby said. “I just want to see an alternate reality!”

Tabby found the first hag stone. She plucked it from a puddle and held it up to the sky. “Okay, fellas, take bets on whether it’s really cool or totally mundane!”

“Mundane,” Glen and Brando said at the same time.

“Boring,” Tabby snorted. She closed her left eye and held the hag stone hole in front of her right eye. “Oh! Okay, so it looks like…it’s dark…” She tilted her head upward. “Oh. Based on the stars, I’d guess that I’m on Hel.”

“So, in some alternate reality, you never left your home planet,” Brando supposed.

“Ew,” Tabby said, pulling the hag stone away from her face. “That sucks for alternate me.”

A splash turned their heads. Glen had stepped into the water; the current rushed past his ankles. He leaned forward and plucked a stone from the bottom of the stream.

“Got one,” he said. He held it out to Tabby.

Tabby shook her head. “Nope – your turn!” she said.

Glen regarded the hag stone for a moment, then shrugged and held it to his eye. He hummed in surprise.

“What do you see?” Tabby asked.

Glen gestured out into the open air. “I see a massive forest.”

“What kind of trees?” Brando asked.

“I wouldn’t know,” Glen said. He swung around, facing away from them both, and tilted his head down. “And this way…I see a river going down a hill, feeding into a bunch of farms. It’s beautiful. I don’t think it’s any planet I’ve ever been to, though.”

“What makes you say that?” Tabby asked.

“The sky’s orange.” He hummed. “Oh! I see someone. They’re…not a species I’ve met. They look…like…um, they sort of look like…” Glen trailed off, letting the sound of the crashing waterfall finish his thought.

“What do they look like?” Tabby asked eagerly.

Glen didn’t answer.

Brando leaned forward. “Glen?”

Glen’s head snapped up. “Oh – sorry. I…zoned out.” His hand fell by his side, hag stone barely hooked on his finger.

“You okay?” Brando asked.

“Hm?” Glen turned around. “What?”

Tabby and Brando recoiled, their voices rising with alarm.

“Whoa – whoa –“

“Chuck, your nose –“

Glen furrowed his brow and raised a hand to his face. His fingers traced the wide line of red that trailed down over his lips. He pulled his hand away in surprise. “Oh,” he said. “That’s blood.”

“I noticed that,” Tabby said. “You feeling okay?”

Glen’s brow furrowed as he stared at the red streak on his fingers. “Yeah…” he said. “I’m fine.” He lowered his hand into the stream to wash away the blood.

“I don’t like this,” Brando said. “Can we get out of here?”

“Yeah, I’m cool with that,” Tabby said. She leapt from rock to rock until she landed on the pebbly bank.

Glen stepped out of the water. He looked down at the hag stone on his finger, and for a moment he looked like he might pocket it. But then he gently placed it in a puddle and rejoined his friends on the shore.

[whumpapalooza]

For the one word prompts-- Ember with Tabby!

Thanks so much for the submission! :) I went a little overboard - four pages on Word - but I had so much fun thinking this one up that I don't care lol. Please enjoy!

(One Word Prompts 3)

(Space Interns Masterpost)

“Fossilized egg of chóvolisaurus regina, extinct species from planet Brigid.”

The exhibit’s label was perfectly clear, but it was wrong. Tabby knew the difference between a fossil and a live egg – and the egg sitting in case in the museum was live.

So she stole it.

Tabby hurried back to Aegis and hid in her cabin.

It’s about two feet long, Tabby mused, and it’s got octagonal ridges. She pulled several bestiary tablets from her shelves and started swiping through pages of eggs. The shell is black, with silver and gold lines… Tabby ran her finger over the egg. Ridges are sharp to the touch, but not uniform…

When the rest of the crew returned from the museum, someone knocked on Tabby’s door.

“Don’t come in – I’m sick,” Tabby lied.

“Oh.” Glen’s voice was muffled on the other side. “You want me to get Slipper?”

“No – I just need some sleep,” Tabby insisted. Glen seemed satisfied with this answer and left, and Tabby returned to her research.

Maybe I need to stop going by species, and start narrowing it down by galaxy… Tabby went to her shelves and picked up several more tablets.

Several hours later, there was urgent knocking on her door.

“Ugh – what now?” Tabby demanded.

“Tabby, open up. It’s me.” Blare’s voice was low.

Tabby rolled her eyes and didn’t look up from her tablet. “I’m sick.”

“I know about the egg.”

Tabby froze. “What?”

“I know about the fucking egg – now will you let me in?”

Tabby got to her feet and crossed the room to unlock the door. It slid open to reveal stern-faced Blare on the other side.

Blare entered without invitation. “Where is it?” she demanded.

Tabby slid the door closed and locked it. “How did you –“

“The museum just went on lockdown over it.” Blare’s eyes fell on the egg, wrapped in plush blankets beside a pile of tablets. She stepped closer and knelt beside it. “How in Aries’s name did you do it?”

Tabby folded her arms. “I have my ways.”

Blare pressed her fingers to her forehead. “And I’m assuming you had a good reason?”

“It’s a live egg,” Tabby explained, “not a fossil.”

Blare sighed. She hung her head.

“It belongs in its natural habitat,” Tabby continued. “I’m taking it home.”

“Which is…where, exactly?”

Tabby uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve narrowed it down to four galaxies, thank you,” she said crossly.

Blare spun around. “Quit being so defensive!”

“Then back off!”

“I’m trying to help you!” Blare snapped.

Tabby recoiled. “You’re what?”

“Yes!” Blare said. “I’m trying to help you. What are the four galaxies?”

“Um…” Tabby rattled off the names. “But – hold on. What do you mean, you’re trying to help?”

“Believe it or not, Tabby, I trust your judgment,” Blare said. She turned back to the egg. “You wouldn’t do something like this without a good reason. I’ll help you see it through.” She folded her legs and picked up a tablet. “How have you been determining its origin?”

Tabby took a few moments in silence, then she joined Blare on the floor beside the egg. “Well, this is what I’ve been doing…” She leaned over and swiped the screen on the tablet in Blare’s hands, explaining her reasoning. Blare nodded as Tabby spoke, interjecting only occasionally. Once Tabby finished her explanation, Blare got to work.

An hour passed. Blare and Tabby leaned against Tabby’s bed, swiping through tablets and comparing notes in easy silence.

“Oh, what about Horus?” Blare asked eventually.

“Huh?”

“Horus – it’s a planet of avian people.”

Tabby hummed. “Good thought. But no, it’s definitely a reptilian egg – so it’s got to be from a planet that…” She trailed off, lowering her tablet.

“What?” Blare asked.

“…What if it’s…not from a planet?” Tabby asked. “What if it’s from –“

“A moon? Or an asteroid?” Blare suggested eagerly.

An hour of research later, they reached a conclusion. Blare departed to the bridge to set a course, and soon Aegis arrived at the center of an asteroid belt. Brando, Slipper, and Glen looked bewildered. “What are we doing here?” Brando asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Blare and Tabby answered at the same time. Then Blare pointed to Glen and said, “You can tractor us onto an asteroid, right?”

He could. Glen sent Tabby and Blare onto the surface of the nearest asteroid – an oddly-shaped clump sporting deep cracks.

The moment Tabby’s feet touched down on the asteroid, triumph made her grin.

“This is it,” she said. “We’re definitely in the right place.” She tucked the egg under her arm and started walking.

“Where are you going?” Blare asked.

Over her shoulder, Tabby said, “I’m finding a nest.”

Blare hurried to catch up as Tabby started to climb a slope. “How do you know we’re in the right place?”

Tabby nodded to a nearby crevice. “Look at the indents: octagonal.” She patted the egg. “Our little friend has octagonal ridges. This is definitely a nesting asteroid.”

At the top of the hill, they found a wide crater.

“Could this be a nest?” Blare suggested.

“Maybe. Do you see scorch marks?”

“Scorch marks?” Blare echoed. She slid down into it and held a hand out to support Tabby.

“Yeah,” Tabby said, taking Blare’s hand. “If I’m right about this, then this species incubates its young by breathing fire on them.” She stepped down into the crater. “Come on, let’s look for cinders.”

They ventured forward. After half a minute, Blare noticed the first scorch mark. It was faint, but when Blare knelt to examine it, she determined it was ash.

They saw more singed stone as they carried on. As they approached the center, they also noticed fragments of eggshells.

“They match yours,” Blare remarked.

At the center of the crater, they found a raised bed of stacked rocks. The entire pile was brushed with black soot.

“That’s got to be a nest,” Blare said. Tabby nodded. “So, the egg will be safe here?”

“Yep,” Tabby said. “This is a communal species, so any nesting adult will likely take it.” She stepped forward and held the egg up to her face. “All right, little one. Glad you’re home.” She knelt beside the nest of cindery stone. She laid the egg down carefully, turning it slightly so that it didn’t wobble.

A staggered bellow echoed through the crater. Tabby and Blare spun around to see something magnificent standing at the top of the crater’s ridge.

“No way,” Tabby said. “It’s a dragon. It’s actually a dragon!”

The dragon leapt down, unfolding its wings. Iridescent black scales shimmered in the starlight as the creature glided toward them. Its scythe-like tail steered it in a gentle curve, and its wings tilted to bring it to a halt.

It touched down on the surface of the asteroid and trotted forward a few steps, towering over Tabby and Blare.

Tabby saw the scales on its throat start to glow gold. “Oh, fuck,” she said, scrambling to her feet. She rushed over to Blare and pulled her away from the nest.

The dragon’s jaws parted, and a jet of blue flames burst from its mouth. Blare couldn’t help but gasp as the fire engulfed the egg on the nest.

Tabby and Blare watched, mystified, as the egg withstood the heat. Tabby could feel sweat beading on her nose and forehead.

After about twenty seconds, the dragon snapped its mouth shut and drew its head back as the last of the blue flames licked at the egg.

The egg twitched. Its ridges began glowing gold.

“Is it hatching?” Blare asked eagerly.

A scraping sound came from the inside of the egg. The adult dragon sat and curled its tail over its claws, a satisfied purr rumbling in its throat.

“I think so,” Tabby said. She dropped to one knee to get a better look.

There was a pecking sound, and the top of the egg snapped off. A tiny head poked out, parting its jaws to reveal rows of serrated fangs. The hatching dragon croaked, then coughed – and a spray of embers burst from its mouth.

Tabby’s eyes gleamed. “Look at you!” she breathed. “Oh, you’re beautiful.”

The adult dragon leaned forward and nuzzled the hatchling.

Blare placed a hand on Tabby’s shoulder. “We should probably go,” she said.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Tabby got to her feet, stepping back without taking her eyes from the dragons.

The adult turned its gaze on Tabby. It bowed its head and blinked slowly.

“Oh, you’re welcome,” Tabby said, blinking in return. Then she looked at the hatchling. “You live a good life, okay?” she said. Then she tore her eyes from them, turned her back, and she and Blare walked away.

~SPACE DRAGONS ARE CANON, YAY~

[whumpapalooza]

For the word prompts: 18. Whistle with Slipper?

Thank you so much for the submission, anon!! :)

(One Word Prompts 3)

(Space Interns Masterpost)

Click.

Slipper stopped in his tracks. He looked down at his foot.

“What’s wrong?” Tabby asked.

“I appear to have tripped a trap,” Slipper answered. At the same time, there was a loud whistling sound as something hurtled through the air.

Slipper felt something strike his neck.

Tabby and Brando gasped. “Fuck!” Tabby cried. “Slipper, you –“

Slipper raised a hand to touch the foreign object. It appeared to be a syringe. He tugged, but the needle wouldn’t come loose.

“Holy shit – hang on,” Brando said, rushing forward. He reached up and touched the syringe. “Oh, okay – that’s a good sign,” he said in a voice too high to be genuine. “It’s, uh – it’s stuck between your scales. Tilt your head.”

Slipper tilted his head away from Brando, ignoring the prick of pain that followed.

Brando gripped the syringe with one hand and placed his other palm against Slipper’s neck. “I should be able to…” Slipper felt a pinch. “There we go. Got it.”

Brando stepped away, syringe in hand. Tabby stepped closer.

“Let me see that,” she demanded. Brando handed over the syringe. Tabby inspected it with a hum. “Um...Slipper, a bunch of this went into you.”

“I’m aware,” Slipper said, and collapsed.