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spaceiplier · 6 years ago

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SPACEIPLIER: Icarus

Marks first instinct was to step in front of his crew. He pushed through them, coming to a halt inches away from Kivlithos. The Graeldur general towered above him. Taller than even Tyler. The top of Mark’s head barely scraped his chin. An impressive and intimidating form. A man that Mark had once trusted.

The last time Mark had seen him, he had been warm. Grandfatherly. He’d come to them, asking for help. Asking them to jump into the frying pan, knowing that soon they’d burn. Now he smirked at them. All the cards in his hands, and five GLE guards to back him up.

“Hello, Mr. Fischbach,” Kivlithos said, smiling down at him. Smug, self-satisfied jerk. “It is good to see you.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know why.”

Mark’s eyes darted down towards where Kivlithos hands were clasped behind his back. The robotic spider. How much had it recorded? How much did they know now? About Mark’s father? About Dark going after the crystal? They knew that they had agreed to stop the GAAP, but how far did the information go?

Kivlithos continued to smile.

There was nowhere to run. They could try to run back to the pod, but then what? Go back to Nihill? They’d be easily overtaken, even if they did manage to relaunch the pods. Besides, there was no way Mark would leave his dogs with them.

He felt Amy’s knuckles against his.

“I assume that I don’t need to explain the many grievous errors and crimes committed by you and your crew,” Kivlithos said. “But let me just say, you found more than we dreamed you would ever find. You even incriminated yourself for us! You and your crew really were the perfect fit.”

Tyler shifted, and every GLE officer snapped, training their guns at him. Tyler froze.

Kivlithos waved them down, smirking at his fellow Graeldur. “Oh, he won’t attack. Not when accidents can happen.”

Tyler didn’t move.

Mark wanted to get angry and punch Kivlithos. He wanted that burning rage from the past few months. He wanted to protect his friends, and he wanted this smug bastard out of his face. This was his crew, and his damn ship. But he couldn’t do a thing. He could only glare as he felt his skin grow hot.

“Now,” Kivlithos pulled out a holo-screen. It lit up with a list. “Let’s get started, shall we? Keeping a criminal from justice. Aiding and abetting a criminal and known terrorist. Lying to the GAAP, and conspiring against them. Planning to commit treason. Working with a known arms dealer –”

“The GAAP works with him too!” Ethan blurted out before slapping his hands over his mouth.

Kivlithos looked up, locking eyes with Ethan. Mark stepped between them, blocking his view. Their eyes met, and Kivlithos chuckled.

“Always the hero, aren’t you, Mark?”

Mark glared.

“Needless to say,” Kivlithos said, looking away to deactivate his holo-screen. “These are serious charges, serious charges indeed. I’m afraid I’m going to have to arrest you. Oh, but don’t worry. I’m sure your sentence won’t be too harsh. Thirty years in prison minimum? Possibly more, if those treason charges hold up. And as for the android,” Kivlithos looked Mark dead in the eye as he smirked. “I’m sure his creator will be happy to see him back.”

Mark didn’t register what he did next until he’d already done it. With all the force he could muster, Mark swung his fist and crashed it straight into Kivlithos smug smirk.

It did nothing. Kivlithos’s hard exterior did more damage to Mark’s hand that his hand did to his face. Still, there was some satisfaction at seeing that smile drop into absolute shock.

Before the guards could rush forward, Tyler’s own fist swung over Mark’s head, crashing into Kivlithos. Now that did damage. There was a sharp CRACK as fist connected to head and Kivlithos was sent crashing down. Dazed, and still stunned. At the same time, Amy ducked around Mark, stun gun aimed and firing. She took out two guards before Kathryn was there, tackling one as Tyler took on the other. Mark jumped in to take out the last, while Ethan began to bind Kivlithos wrists together.

Dodgy stood there as the entourage fell.

Ethan stood as soon as Kivlithos was restrained, folding his arms and glaring at Dodgy. The nervous human made a move to run, but Ethan barked out a sharp, “Hey!” Dodgy froze, and Ethan shook his head. “You’re not going anywhere.”

It didn’t take long, but soon Mark was surrounded by groaning GLE officers, one dazed GAAP general, and a human who looked just about ready to shit his pants. Amy and Kathryn finished tying them together.

“What…” Tyler looked about at the mess they’d caused. “What do we do now?”

“Y-you committed a Cosmic Crime!” Dodgy squeaked. The crew turned to look at him. He swallowed hard, hands shaking. “You assaulted a GAAP general! You are resisting arrest. You attacked the GAAP! C-Cosmic C-Crime!”

“Tyler,” Mark said, trying to sound controlled and confident. A front was all he could manage now. Deep down, he was scared shitless, but it would do no good to show that. “Get all of them onto a pod and jettison it. Set it to send out a distress signal once we are far away.”

Tyler begin picking up officers, dragging them to the pod. Dodgy followed, uncertain where he should go but terrified to stay in the same room as Mark.

“Amy, Ethan,” Mark turned to them next. “Get the dogs, and get Bing. Make sure they’re okay. Then look through our supplies. See if we have enough to last a few weeks in dead space.”

The two took off running. Mark turned to the last member of his crew. Kathryn’s tail lashed, and her claws were digging holes into her sleeves as she crossed her arms.

“Kathryn, I need you to call Jack. Have him send us coordinates for the location of the nearest dead space, and then the one after that. Send the ship into dead space. We’re going dark.”

Her ears flicked and she took off running, pulling out her comm as she went. Soon, Mark was alone in the hallway. Nothing to show the crime that had been committed except for a few drops of blood from a broken nose.

Mark turned and started walking away.

This was insane.

Everything was happening so fast. Mark didn’t know what to think, or what he should think. Merely weeks ago, he had trusted the GAAP. Now he was on the run from them. Now he had officially committed treason, and on top of that, a Cosmic Crime. He was fucked.

But it wasn’t himself he was worried about. No, whatever happened to him happened. It wasn’t him, but his crew.

It was the dogs. Chica and Henry, who had been a constant source of love and devotion. Who had made coming home every day worth it. Chica, who brought so much joy to Mark’s life, and who had led him to friends he could never replace. Henry, who brought humor and love to everyone around him.

It was Ethan. The goofy, ever active android who had just recently turned seven. Ethan who looked to the stars with a dream of having his own ship. Who dreamed of taking his own helm and helping people. Ethan, who worked hard every day, and always made sure his friends were smiling.

It was Tyler. His oldest friend and trusted confidant. Tyler, who had saved his ass from fight after fight. Risking his own neck to stand up for what was right. Tyler, who saw injustice and jumped to right it. Who had Mark’s back, time and time again. Tyler, who had always been there with a new point of view and a few short words to get Mark back on track.

It was Kathryn. Sweet, competitive, wickedly smart Kathryn. The woman who had left behind everything to find adventure in the vastness of space. Steadily working day after day to keep this ship running smoothly. Kathryn, who was always there to challenge them to push farther. Whose claws and fangs protected them from any scuffle. Kathryn, who cared so deeply, and fought so bravely.

It was Amy. Amy… from the moment Mark had seen her – eyes alight and laugh alive as she beat the shit out of those purists – Mark had fallen and fallen hard. She was beautiful. She was smart and she was kind. No matter how lost Mark felt, she was always there to guide him home. He was so lucky to have found Amy, and he was so lucky to have her future tangled with his. Amy, who kept them organized and headed forwards. Amy, who kept his head on straight. She was so important to him.

These were the ones Mark was scared for. The ones who he had brought into this fight.

They had to make it out of this. Mark had to protect them.

With a groan, the ship began moving. Tyler appeared down the hall, moving towards him with a stoic expression. Mark barely looked up, so lost in his own thoughts.

“I jettisoned the pod,” Tyler said. He came to a halt before Mark, staring him down. “Are you alright? That couldn’t have felt good on your hand.”

“What?” Mark looked down at his hand. The moment he acknowledged the injury it began to sting. “Ow!” Mark shook it, as if trying to shake off the pain. “It’s nothing. Just a few bruises. Should be gone in a few hours.”

Tyler huffed out a small laugh, “I just realized. You heal that fast because you’re a Xanhull.”

Mark stopped shaking his hand. He looked down at it. The blooming yellow bruises under scrapped red skin. Scars curved slightly from the palms from where Madapriel had burned him. Already the cuts and bruises were starting to fade.

“I guess so,” Mark said. His back no longer itched as badly as it had been before. The markings were now stark white, and fully formed. He still felt hot, and he still felt something tugging at his chest, but for now everything had settled. Maybe his body had just been desperately wanting him to realize, and once he did the symptoms faded.

“What’s the plan?” Tyler asked as the silence between them began to grow.

Mark looked up from his hands. Right. Focus on the present. “We need to get to a dead space and lay low for a while. They can’t find us there. After that, we’ll sneak back to Nihill. At this point, I don’t care if the Barrel gets stolen if we land it there. We just need to get the others and the dogs to safety. From there we can start talking about what to do about Dark and the GAAP.”

“Is this the right move?”

Mark frowned, “What do you mean?”

Tyler held up his hands placatingly. “Look, I am all for hunting down Dark and figuring out what exactly is going on with him. I’m all for protecting him from the GAAP. Paying some kind of rectification for what my species has done. But just to look at it from the other side…”

Tyler sighed, rubbing his eyes. He looked tired. “We’re Cosmic Criminals now. That means life in prison. Death penalty is a possibility if we do anything worse. I have your back, no matter what. But them…” Tyler gestured down the hall. Towards where the rest of the crew was working. “They didn’t sign up for any of this. Can we really just lead them into this fight?”

“I’m worried about them,” Mark admitted. “I’m worried about you. Everything that has happened… everything we’ve done… I don’t know anymore. I want to do what’s right, but I should be the one to do it. Not you, and not them. This is my problem. I didn’t know any of this was going to happen when I agreed to find Dark.”

“But I agreed.”

Mark looked up. Standing there was Amy, Ethan and Kathryn flanking her. At her feet were the dogs. Chica ran up to him, tumbling into his arms with all her happy goop. He knelt to hug her. At Amy’s feet, Henry’s collar beeped.

“All right Mark? All right Mark?”

“Eventually,” Mark said, hands running through Chica’s goop.

Henry whined, “Mom Amy. Sweaty Mark.”

“I’m the one who agreed to find Dark,” Amy said. Mark looked up at her, rising to meet her gaze. She gave him the familiar, tired smile. “I’m the one who said we would help. I’m the one who made the first move, not you.”

“I’m still the leader—” Mark tried to say.

“And we’re your crew,” Ethan said. “We trust you, man. Look, I don’t want to die. I don’t want to go back to my creator, or go to prison, or whatever. But I’m willing to risk it if it means helping people. That’s what we do.”

“But,” Mark said, looking around at his friends. “This is dangerous. We could die.”

“We’re headed towards a dead space spot right now,” Kathryn said, holding up her comm. “I called Jack. We’re a few hours from it, but if we go fast, we should make it. I’m not sure what we’re going to do after that - or if we should even stay together - but we just need to get to safety and then we’ll talk.”

“We’re going to make it,” Tyler said, hand coming to clasp Mark’s shoulder. “We have to.”

Mark looked around at his crew. His friends.

Determination set in. This was what he was going to fight for.

“Thank you,” he said. “Now let’s get this hunk of metal moving. We’re going to have a GAAP ship on our tails any minute now. Get moving!”

The crew scattered, running to their stations. Lingering for just a moment, Amy squeezed Mark’s hand before she was gone. One last confirmation that they believed in him. That they could survive this.

They had to survive this.

“Sure, only call me when you need something. Not like I was doing something. Not like I was having a great time, catching up with old friends. Not like I was finally getting some down time. Not like I was—”

Sean muttered to himself, angrily setting his course towards the ping of the call Kathryn had sent him. It hadn’t been long. A panicked request for a dead space zone, along with the words: the GAAP found us. Jamming buttons, and flipping switches, Sean exited the smoggy atmosphere of Nihill and set off towards the Barrel.

He was angry at Mark. He was upset at the rest of the crew. There was broken trust and remnants of a crumbling friendship between them. Words that couldn’t be taken back, and actions burned into history. What had happened then had hurt Sean, and he wasn’t going to forgive them just yet.

But he would be damned if he let them get hurt because of hurt feelings.

Sean had spent so much of his life alone. Sure, he had the robots. They had been made to be companions. Made to make him less alone. They served that purpose well, and Sean cared a lot for them. Even if they were just metal and a few lines of janky programming. The robots though… they couldn’t replace what he’d been missing.

People.

People who wanted him. Who got mad at him, and who annoyed him, and who shared moments of happiness and humor. Who shared his holidays and traditions because they wanted to, not because he programmed them to. People who watched his back because of trust they’d built together. People who were real and wanted him because he was real.

The Barrel crew had made him a better person. He’d opened up and learned to trust. He’d stopped throwing himself into destructive habits. He’d seen himself become happier. Sean hadn’t been happy for so long… when he realized he had been happy it had scared him.

The trust was gone, but the bonds he shared with his friends remained.

Those people were who he’d chosen to chase across the galaxy, and those people had asses he was going to save.

“Uh, Jack?”

Sean didn’t look up. He continued muttering, focused on what was ahead of him.

“Sean.”

“... it’s not like I said that going back was dangerous. Could have been considerate and at least given me the coordinates instead of having to hack the ping. But nooooo…”

“SEAN.”

Sean looked up.

Chase was standing there, arms folded and hat crooked. JJ bounced behind him, twirling his mustache as he moved rhythmically, peaking over Chase’s alternating shoulders. The two robots watched him scowl at them, before he turned back to his controls.

“What?” Sean asked.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure those idiots make it to the dead space zone. Obviously.”

“Oh,” Chase looked back at JJ, who gestured wildly, abandoning his mustache momentarily to make his point. A few of those gestured were swears, Sean was 90 percent sure. Chase looked back at him. “JJ does make a point.”

“JJ needs his wiring looked at,” Sean said.

“Sean, this is too dangerous. And besides, they—”

“Shut up!” Sean said, turning to face them. Chase’s mouth closed with a clack of metal against metal. He looked shocked, and for a second Sean felt bad. Then he shut it down, and shook his head. “I’m helping them. I don’t care that they broke the trust. I don’t care. I mean, I do care, but that’s not the point. I’m still fucking mad at them, but I don’t care. Not right now. They’re my friends, and I’m not going to let them get hurt. Not… not again.”

For a moment, Sean and Chase stared at each other. JJ’s bounce slowing as he looked back and forth between them. A silent stare down Sean know he was going to win.

Chase finally said, “Okay. I still think this is going to end badly, but okay.”

“Good,” Sean turned around and faced the controls. “Go get Jackie ready. We need to be ready in case this is a fight.”

In the back of his head, Sean felt something itch. A dull pressure at the forefront of his mind. The all too familiar presence of ANTI as the AI took assessment of the situation.

Slowly, it slipped away.

It didn’t take long before the Barrel appeared on his radar. A small blip, but accompanied by that signal code. It was them, and they were fine.

For a moment, Sean had a felt relief. They were okay. Still far away, but they were there.

Then that relief was destroyed.

WARNING: CRIME SCENE

The blaring red letters appeared across the screen. Sean knew what it meant. Whenever he’d come across those words, he’d turn around and run as fast as he could. Those words meant that the GAAP had caught someone. Those words were a warning to civilians incase people started shooting, but it was a worse warning to Sean.

Those words meant that they’d caught them.

Sean hit the brakes, stopping his ship. He jumped out of his seat as he hit reverse, pulling back as to not enter any GAAP radar. Striding towards the door, he shouted.

“Chase!”

Chase came running as Jack strode towards the pods. “Yes, Sean?”

“Keep the ship out of GAAP radar. Head back for Nihill if you have to.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m taking a stealth pod,” Sean said. “Should be enough to slip under their radar and get on the Barrel without them noticing. I’ll get on, help them, and then I’ll be back. Stay here, keep out of sight.”

“But…”

“That is an order,” Sean shot Chase a look. The robot hesitated, then nodded. He turned and ran towards the controls, while Sean reached the pod bay. He climbed inside his only stealth pod, took a deep breath, and launched.

Their engines were gone.

Mark blinked through the haze. Colors seemed to move slower than the world, smearing together as people walked before him. Sound was echoing through his skull. Bouncing from ear to ear, soft and faded. Someone was yelling, but he couldn’t tell who.

Something throbbed on the side of his neck. Mark tried to lift his hands to brush at it, but they wouldn’t move. Something was attached to his wrists, keeping them together. When had he been handcuffed? It must have been after they shot the knock-out agent at him. The little disk, now attached to his neck and slowly feeding the toxin into him.

A blue and yellow formed moved in front of him, thrashing and yelling. Someone else - a gray form - held the blue and yellow one. Yelling and moving. It was so loud that Mark flinched. What were they yelling? They were yelling at him? Why were they yelling at him?

Their engines were gone. That was what Mark remembered. He’d been in the control pit when the GAAP ship had caught up. Loud noises, and the entire ship shook as each engine and thruster was shot out. They’d drifted before the GAAP pods had come. Officer after officer.

They hadn’t been able to fight back for long.

“—ARK!”

Mark lolled his head up. His neck felt like it couldn’t support the weight of his own head, but he had to look. He knew that voice. Who was that?

“MARK!”

Amy. That was Amy’s voice. Where was she? All the colors were blurring together. Everyone was moving too fast. He couldn’t focus long enough to find her. Where was Amy? Chica… where was Chica? He couldn’t tell. His neck started throbbing again, and his head fell.

Too much.

It was too much.

Mark felt someone grab him under his armpits and start to drag him backwards. He didn’t fight. He couldn’t. There wasn’t anything left in him, and the universe was too much. Just let it happen, and the colors blurred.

There was only so fast a pod could move. Especially a heavily modified pod with several illegal features, such as GAAP radar blockers. Sean had to sacrifice speed for stealth. He couldn’t let them know he was here. He had to have surprise on his side if he hoped to do any good.

He hoped he got there in time.

The pod was small. Large enough to fit another person or two, but not comfortable in the least. Sean’s tail was curved around, and every time he moved, he bumped into something. The tiny radar set up on his comm beeped periodically, filling the space with noise. It would have been infuriating if he wasn’t so focused.

“Just hold on,” Sean muttered under his breath. “Just a little longer.”

The comm beeped again. Nothing.

Beep.

There, just on the corner of the radar. The small blip signifying a ship. Sean steered towards it, his eyes straining to catch sight of it. There was nothing spanning the black sky. Sean was almost ready to accept it was a glitch when there it was. A small dot in the empty void. As he came closer, pushing the pod to the edge of its speed, he saw the smaller ship next to it.

The small ship was smoking. The Barrel, engines shot out and tiny next to the giant ship next to it. It was a GAAP ship, engines firing up. They were leaving.

“No…” he breathed.

Instinct kicked in before his brain did. Search for heat signatures on the Barrel, send a tracker on the GAAP ship, stay out of sight and stay low. Sean positioned the Barrel between him and the larger ship, hoping beyond hope that they were on board.

Two heat signatures. Distorted with the heat of the destroyed engines, but there were two signatures on board. There was another beep on his comm as the tracker latched on, sending the location back to him. He had to be fast, but he could get on the ship, get those who’d been left behind, and then go after the ship.

“I can do this,” Sean said to himself. Reassurance? He didn’t know. He was running on fear at this point. Hands shaking, he almost wished that ANTI would take control. Make all his problems go away. But no, he had to do this. He had to save his friends.

He had to do this.

The pod docked with the Barrel. Sean was on his feet and moving before the door opened, running inside the ship. Instantly he began to cough. Smoke filled the air. Alarms blared, and everything tinted red. It was cloudy. Impossible to see through. The ventilation was off. Where the fuck did they keep their control panel?

Distantly, Sean heard barking. The dogs!

Sean felt around the sides of the walls, trying to find the protrusion that was the control panel. Where was it? He couldn’t remember through the panic. His hands frantically slamming into the walls, trying to find it. His lungs were choking, and his eyes stinging when finally, his fingers grazed something.

The panel.

He grabbed it, bringing it close to his face. Ventilation, ventilation… there! He hit the emergency back-up. Within moments, the air was cleaner. Sean coughed, trying to clear out his throat as well.

The barking continued.

Pushing himself off the wall, Sean ran into the Barrel.

“Chica!” He shouted, running from room to room. “Henry!” Nothing. The place was trashed. All of Amy’s creations tipped over or smashed. Furniture upturned and torn apart. Supplies scattered. Sparking panels, and glitching screens. Sean knew a raid search when he saw one. They must have been making sure none of the stolen information was left behind.

“Smelly Jack! Smelly Jack!”

“HENRY!” Sean yelled, turning on his heel as he heard Henry’s call. “Where are you?”

“Dumber Mark stuck!”

“Keep talking, Henry!” Sean followed the noise as best he could. The Barrel was so much bigger than his ship, and the noises were obscured by the alarms continuing to go off. Henry kept yelling, sometimes accompanied by a Chica bark. With their help, it didn’t take long before he found them.

Running into the room, he stopped short.

Bing lay on the ground, mangled and smashed. His digital eyes glitched wildly, showing two X’s. His legs were broken, and one arm was gone. The torso was scuffed and broken open in some parts. Sparks flew from his exposed wiring.

It was just like Google.

And just like with Google, Sean saw Mark first.

Nausea rose from his gut. Sean clapped his hands over his mouth, trying not to vomit. He was fine. Bing was just broken. He could fix Bing. Mark wasn’t dead, it was just Bing. It was just Bing, and Mark was okay. Captured, but okay.

He could fix this.

“Smelly Jack!” Henry ran in circles, panicked out of his mind. “Loud Mark is gone, mom Amy is gone, bright Ethan is gone, cat Kathryn is gone, silent Tyler is gone, loud Mark is gone, mom Amy is--”

“Hey,” Sean knelt next to Henry, holding out his hands. Chica rushed into them, but Sean kept them open until Henry stopped chanting over and over. “Hey, it’s okay buddy. I’m going to fix this, okay? I’m going to get your family back.”

Henry stopped and stared at Sean. “Smelly Jack get mom Amy back?”

“Yes,” Sean smiled, slowly reaching out to pet Henry. “I promise.”

Henry whined.

“Let’s get you guys out of here,” Sean stood, picking up Bing. They’d smashed his main processor. Fixable, but for now Bing couldn’t do anything. Sean hoisted him over his shoulders, and with the dogs at his feet, he carried him back to his pod.

Henry and Chica settled into the back. Still nervous and on edge, but safe now. Jack set Bing down. The robot twitched as his wiring was jostled, then settled. Sean secured him, then turned on his comm.

“Yeah Jack?” Chase answered.

“I’m sending you my location,” Sean said, disengaging from the Barrel. The pod slowly started drifting away. “I need you to come to me. I have the dogs and a busted robot that you need to come pick up.”

“What about you?” Chase asked.

Sean scowled, hand tightening around the comm. “I’m going after that fucking GAAP ship, and I’m getting them back.

The lights stopped hurting after nearly an hour.

Mark sat on the white padded table, face in his hands. The knock-out toxin had wrecked his senses. Noises were too loud or too soft. His eyes were still having trouble focusing on anything, giving Mark a headache. Even just touching his own face felt weird. As if some parts of his skin were dialed up to eleven, while others tingled and were numb.

It would wear off, but Mark didn’t know when.

He was all alone in the room. He’d only managed to catch a few glimpses of the room before he covered his eyes. White, with several lamps about. He was sitting on what he assumed was an examination table. He hadn’t caught sight of much else.

All he knew was he was fucked.

He didn’t know where his crew was, he didn’t know where his dogs were. He was in no condition to do literally anything. The only thing Mark could think of that wasn’t another point in the Mark Is Fucked pile was that call to Sean.

Sean knew they’d been intercepted by the GAAP, and he knew they were supposed to be heading for a dead space zone. Maybe he’d know they were here. Maybe he’d followed them. Mark knew that Sean always did have a hard time just leaving things alone.

Maybe… just maybe…

Mark heard the door open. A near silence whish as the door slide, allowing several beings inside. Daring a peak, Mark looked between his fingers. There were four of them. Three in white doctors’ coats, one in the familiar gray and gold uniform of a GAAP general.

Kivlithos.

“Welcome aboard my ship,” Kivlithos said, taking a seat nearby. Mark inched away, but stopped when just that option caused pins and needles to shoot up his spine and legs. “A shame you haven’t been able to see it properly. Don’t worry, the stun agent will wear off soon. Then you’ll be back to your normal, annoying self.

“Go fuck yourself,” Mark said, his mouth dry.

Kivlithos chuckled.

There were suddenly hands on Mark’s shoulders. They pushed him back until he was lying flat on the table. He wanted to fight back, but just them touching his clothed shoulders was too much. It was when they tried pulling his hands away from his eyes that he really started fighting.

“You’ll be fine,” one of the doctors muttered next to his ear. To Mark, it could have been shout. “Hey, hey… just calm down. It’s going to be okay.”

“I don’t trust you,” Mark said, yanking his hand from one of the doctors. It felt like he’d ripped every hair from his arm. “Get away from me!”

It was useless, though. Soon, they managed to pull his arms down, strapping them to his sides. The strap went across his chest, keeping him still on the table. Mark kept trying to open his eyes and see what was going on, but every time he did his vision swam and the dull pound in his head got worse.

“W-what are you doing?” He asked. There was a creaking noise as something was pulled over him. Daring a look, he saw a large metal arm hanging over him, holding a rectangular scanner.

“We’re going to scan your chest,” the doctor that had spoken to him said.

“Quite a shock,” Kivlithos said, interrupting the doctor. “Learning you are Xanhull. Learning that your father managed to survive as Xanhull in the GAAP for decades, undetected. Unfortunately, all records of him have disappeared. That hacker associate of yours – Lixian – must have wiped him from our servers. Even your brother and mother have disappeared.”

Mark sent a silent thank you to the animated hacker.

“But we have you. A half Xanhull. Some might assume your kind would be rare, but we have found others. The half Xanhulls often don’t even know who they are, much like you. That makes them weak. Easy to find and catch. A shame, that no half Xanhull has retained the regenerative abilities of their parentage. Maybe you will prove to be the outlier, Mark Fischbach.”

Mark took a deep breath as the machine above him began to whir.

Noises followed. The doctors muttering to each other. The scratch and squeak of feet walking around him. The tapping of pens against holo-boards. The occasional whir as the machine started up again. As they worked, Mark’s senses started settling. He managed to open his eyes, and everything was clear. Colors were still a bit blurry, but he could watch them walk around him without pain.

A doctor – different than the first one – finally turned to Kivlithos, showing him a holo-board. “He’s like the others. See, here is the Xanhull orb. Right next to his heart. It’s too small to be able to fully regenerate a new body. I and my associates presume that it’s too small to even allow him to regenerate on his own. It has caused faster healing, but back from death? Not possible.”

Mark didn’t know if he should feel relieved or terrified.

“So, he would be useless to take in for study,” another doctor said, still not the one that had spoken to him. “We could, but it would be pointless. He is free to face the justice system.”

Was there a word that meant relieved and terrified at the same time? Because Mark was feeling that.

“Well then,” Kivlithos turned to Mark, a slightly disappointed look on his face. “I suppose you’re just like everybody else.”

“Guess so,” Mark said, trying not to show how scared he really was.

“Take him to the cells,” Kivlithos said, opening the door and speaking to a guard standing just outside. The guard came in, waiting until the doctors undid the straps. The last one – the doctor who had tried to be nice – helped him stand. His feet still felt like the floor was ice. Wobbling over, the guard took his arm and escorted him out.

Not another word from anyone. Just the silent departure as Mark was taken away.

Mark was nearly shaky with plain relief alone. His legs were wobbling, but not just from the toxin now. After every memory from Madapriel about the horrors of a GAAP research lab, he was relieved that he had avoided it. It was terrifying, knowing he had been that close to becoming a lab rat. He would have rather died.

But now he was stuck on this ship. They manipulated him and his crew into doing their dirty work, and thus breaking the law. They knew too much. They wouldn’t let them go. With a Cosmic Crime as well, they were facing life in prison.

Sean might know they were captured by the GAAP, but what could he do at this point? This was a high security ship. A battle reinforced cruiser with top of the line engineering. Sean couldn’t break onto this with a few lines of code and a homemade welder. Even if he could, he’d be caught in seconds.

The only way off this ship was in cuffs.

“Where are we going?” Mark asked the guard.

“Inner System.”

Mark frowned. “The Inner System is kind of big. Could you be more specific, pal?”

No response.

“Great. Thanks. Real talkative there, aren’t you?”

Still no response. Mark sighed, looking around. The halls of this ship were clean and white. A few janitor robots wandered, keeping everything spotless. The halls also kept a steady stream of people, walking about and doing their jobs. Some of them met his eyes, smiling. A few even said hello.

They didn’t know he was a prisoner.

Soon, the halls become emptier. They entered a lift, taking them down into the belly of the ship. Exiting there, Mark was hit with a wave of cold. It was no longer as pristine as the upper ship. Exposed pipes ran along the walls. The sounds of the engines echoed throughout the halls. The guard guided Mark through them, coming to a half before a barred door.

“Tyler!”

Tyler’s head snapped up. Relief washed across his features as he jumped up, rushing the door. The guard took a nervous step back as Tyler slammed into it, testing the true strength of GAAP prison bars.

“Mark! Oh, thank god you’re okay. What did they do to you? Did the stun thing wear off? Where are the others?”

“G-get back,” the guard ordered.

Tyler ignored him, opting to stay as close to Mark as he could.

“That is not a suggestion!” The guard barked, finding a trembling but slightly more imposing voice. “Get back against the far wall. Hands up.”

Tyler gave the guard a nasty look, backing up with his hands raised.

The guard opened the iron bars, watching Tyler carefully with a hand on his stun gun. Mark was shoved forwards, stumbling into the cell. The door shut behind him with a clang. With one final humph, the guard walked away.

Tyler was on Mark in an instant, wrapping him in a hug that should have cracked his bones. Mark squeaked, waving his hands as the air was forced from his lungs.

“You’re… killing… me…”

Tyler let go. “Sorry! I just… you were gone, man. They took you away, and we didn’t know where you went. Then they separated us. I think Kathryn and Amy are together. I don’t know where Ethan is. I’m sorry, I tried to keep us together but there were so many and I—”

“Hey,” Mark said, shaking his head. “Not your fault. You did what you could. None of us could have fought off an entire battleship. They caught us; that is nobody's fault.”

Tyler walked backwards until he hit the wall. He then slide down, collapsing in a heap. Mark had never seen Tyler so… defeated. His hands hung in his lap, his eyes vacantly staring at nothing.

“I meant it you know.”

Mark moved to sit next to Tyler. “Meant what?”

“Back when we were kids. You and your brother having all those ‘how far down the stairs can I jump down’ challenges. Or the ‘how far out the gorge can I jump’ challenges. Or the ‘how many beeys can I have on my body at one time’ challenges. Or the—”

“Okay I get it,” Mark said, shoving Tyler with a huff.

“Every time you would do one of those stupid challenges, I always ended up being the one who took you to the hospital. Didn’t matter what, but you always got the short end of the stick. Broken arm, scraped knees, and chipped teeth. I always stuck you on my hov-bike and took you to go see your mom at the hospital.”

Tyler looked down at Mark. Mark never truly appreciated just how tall Tyler was until he was right up next to him. A giant of a person, who somehow managed to look small as he talked of their childhood.

“I always told you I’d be there to take you wherever you needed to go. The hospital, usually. But I tried to always be there, and now… now I can’t.”

“We’re going to be fine,” Mark said. He grabbed Tyler’s arm, trying to reassure him. “We will be fine. I… I don’t know if I’ll get out of this, but I’m sure you and the others can. They’ll let you go. And life in prison isn’t so bad. You guys can still come visit me, and once you get out then you can go back to Felix. Either stay with him or go after Dark. You guys will make it out of here.”

“Why do you always have to be the hero, Mark?” Tyler asked.

Mark winced. “I’m not trying to be. It just keeps happening! Do you think I wanted to go to prison? No, of course not! But it’s better if I go, and the rest of you go free. I’ll plea. Make a bargain, and get you all out.”

“I won’t take that deal,” Tyler said, frowning and folding his arms. His fingers dug into his sleeves.

“Too bad, you’re taking it,” Mark shot back.

Tyler rolled his eyes. “You’re so stubborn.”

“Stubborn? I’m not stubborn! I’m right! The best outcome to this is that I take the fall, while you and the others make it out of here. Get new identities, or some shit. Make new lives.”

“None of us want that, you know. We came with you for a reason.”

“Yeah, well, life is a bitch,” Mark said, looking away from Tyler. He stared at the bars, remembering all those years ago. That stupid kid who dropped out of school and ran away. That person would have never thought this is where life would leave them. Yet here he was.

What could he have changed? At what moment did everything start going wrong? Was it when they’d accepted the GAAP’s offer? Or when Mark had hurt his arm, bringing Madapriel back to life? Was it when they’d gone to Felix, or was it when Mark had gotten so in his own head about his life that he’d dropped out of the academy?

Mark didn’t know, and it didn’t matter. He couldn’t change the past.

“If,” Tyler started, holding up a finger. “If, and only if, that situation plays out, then I’ll do it. I’ll take everyone far away and I’ll protect them. I’ll keep them safe for you.”

Mark swallowed, trying to keep his emotions down. “Thanks, Tyler.”

The noises of the engine slowly lulled Mark and Tyler to sleep. The day had been long, and the night was eternal in space. The future was uncertain, and the past was set into motion. All that was left was to sleep and rest before their fates were decided.

Felix watched as the robots filed into his office. Fingers steepled, he carefully took stock of each one. Even after knowing Jack for years now, he had never met his creations. He’d done a damn good job on them, considering his overall lack of training. One obviously needed a replacement core, and another was smashed, held in the arms of the tallest red robot, but a decent job nonetheless.

On leashes, held by the companion robot, two dogs accompanied them into the room. A cyborg dog, whose collared kept beeping out, “Mom Amy.” A much larger green Dulcosi bounded behind him, running up to everyone and whining.

Edgar grunted in his lap.

On the screen, Lixian’s animation was frozen, backed by the sound of frantic typing. Marzia stalked the edge of the room, talking quietly to someone on her comm. Brad and Sive walked in and out of the room, bringing information to Marzia, who would take a moment to respond to them, then continue her comm conversation.

“Brad,” Felix said. Brad looked up from where he was flipping through a holo-file, walking over. Felix leaned in towards him, gesturing at the robots. “Get them set up with a storage room, and get a mechanic for that busted one. Also, please arrange for a caretaker for the dogs.”

Brad nodded. “Will do. They also brought this message from Jack with them.”

“Put it up,” Felix said.

Brad tapped a few buttons on his comm. The screen wavered, a small box popping up with Jack’s face. The sound of Lixian’s typing paused briefly, but not for very long. Jack ran a hand through his hair. He looked hopped up on adrenaline, eyes wild and teeth bared. Soot covered his face, and a line of grease stained his cheek.

“The GAAP captured the Barrel crew,” Jack said. Behind him, the broken robot was being sniffed by the dogs. “They fucked up the Barrel. Engines are shot, thrusters destroyed. It’s drifting out around the Sceifarr 2.054 sector. Shouldn’t be hard to find, the GAAP warnings are still signaling all over the place. They left behind the dogs, destroyed the robot. Also, all their computer systems were raided and destroyed. They left behind nothing. There is no way to replace it. I’m going to go after them.”

Felix’s eyes widened.

“Call me if you want to help, but don’t try and talk me out of this,” Jack said. “I’m not coming back until I get them back.”

The call went dead.

“Sive!” Felix said, the masked man leaning back to appear in the doorway, his arms full of files. “Get in contact with the niners in the Inner System. I want all of them undercover, looking for what is going on. Civilians and GAAP, I don’t care who. All of them on alert.”

Sive nodded and ducked away.

“Brad, start bringing me schematics of every prison in and surrounding the Inner System. I also want schematics of the Justice Hall.”

“Right,” Brad said, running after Sive.

“You have a call incoming from the Hall of Representatives,” Lixian said, animation briefly coming to life.

“Pull it up,” Felix said, sitting up straight and flicking a bit of lint off his jacket. Leveling the screen with an unimpressed glare, he watched as his GAAP contact appeared. The nearly unbearable little Urashi, glowing like a dying star.

“Good Morning Mr.—” the contact tried to say.

“Why are you calling?” Felix said, interrupting. He’d worked too hard and too long to get where he was to take the pleasantries from some snotty kid who’d gotten where he was because of daddy's money.

The contact sniffed. “We are just calling to inform you that despite some recent, ah, revelations the GAAP still values your business and will not be taking further actions against you or your people. Provided, of course, that all this just blows over and none of this particular information is slipped outside these calls.”

Felix smiled tightly, “Oh don’t worry. I know how to toe a line.”

“Excellent,” the contact said. “Thank you for your business.”

The line went dead.

“I got rid of all the GAAP bugs. No little robots or tapped lines. We are free to speak without their interference now. I also hacked their system,” Lixian said as soon as the contact was gone. He was staring straight at Felix in a way that made his heart sink. There was a genuine sadness in the animation’s eyes, and a tenseness in his shoulders. The way he stared, hands still for once. It was nerve-wracking. “I found something. It… it’s not good.”

“What is it?” Felix asked.

“It’s about Mark.”

Mark lost track of the days. The meals were never at the same time, and the lights were always dim. Tyler and Mark slept in shifts, never letting the other be unconscious without someone to watch their back. Through their own system, it must have been nearly a week, but Mark couldn’t tell.

After what felt like days, they were taken to a larger cell. There, they reunited with the others.

“Are you all alright?” Mark asked, looking them over as he hugged Amy.

“We’re fine,” Kathryn answered. “Do you know where we are?”

“No idea,” Tyler said.

“You’re okay?” Mark said softer, pulling back slightly to look at Amy. She nodded, giving him a small smile.

At that moment, several guards appeared. Letting go of Amy, they faced them as they entered the cell. Each produced a set of cuffs, going to each person and restraining them. Kathryn’s reached down to her feet, not allowing her to use her stronger agility. Tyler’s were connected to a collar, keeping his arms bent as his wrists were kept near his neck.

“Where are we?” Ethan asked. “Where are you taking us?”

“Get in line,” one of the guards said, ignoring the questions. “Single file. Walk this way.”

They lined up, walking out of the cell. A few guards flanked them, guiding them down the halls. There was no one else there, the halls clear of any other life forms. Soon, they reached a port, leading off ship. Mark, taking the back, watched as they walked through the port and reached a small room that separated off in other small rooms.

“Take a room,” a guard said. “Undress and put on the uniform. Slide your clothes through the slot once you are done. Then step through the scanner that will open up on the far end. Walk through until you get to the end. Once you reach there, place your hands on your head and wait to be cuffed again.”

Mark stepped inside. The door closed behind him, the cuffs disappearing. He was left in a room with no windows. On the far end he saw the outline of a door with no handle. In a corner, a camera was pointed at him. Sitting on a shelf was a neatly folded gray suit, a pair of shoes and socks next to it.

“Mind turning that off?” He asked the camera.

No response.

Shrugging, Mark undressed and put on the jumpsuit. It wasn’t especially comfortable, obviously made for someone with slightly smaller shoulders than him. The fabric was rough, and the shoes pinched his toes. The moment he finished dressing, leaving his own clothes in a heap on the floor, the door on the far end slide open.

Mark slowly walked through. The air buzzed for a second as it searched his body, but no alarms went off. Reaching the far end, he saw the others waiting for him, already cuffed. They were already being taken away. Without him.

“Wait,” Amy was saying. “Where is Mark?”

“What’s going on?” Mark asked, looking around confused. He made a move to follow them, but a guard stepped in front of him.

“Come this way,” the guard said, ushering in the opposite direction of the others.

Panic filled Mark. He tried pushed through, trying to run after them. It was no use. They were stronger than him, holding him back as he tried desperately to reach for them.

“I’ll find you!” Mark yelled after them.

“Mar—!”

The door shut behind them before Amy could call his name.

“This way,” the guard shoved him back. Mark stumbled, giving them a glare before turning and walking where they wanted him to go. Down a tunnel until he was brought to a small cell at the end of the hall. The door was barred, but the rest was solid and blocked off.

“What’s going on? Why are you separating us?” Mark asked. He walked inside, the door shutting behind him. The guard took his cuffs off as Mark stuck his hands out. Confliction crossed the guards face as Mark pleaded for an answer.

Looking either way and seeing no one, the guard faced Mark with a wince. “You’ve been charged with treason.”

Mark blinked. “W… what? We haven’t even had a trial yet!”

“There was one held a few days ago. Smaller, with just a few representatives. I’m not even supposed to know about it. I just overheard Kivlithos talking about it. They’re charging you and your crew with treason. Since you’re the leader…” the guard swallowed. “I’m sorry. Since you’re the leader, you’ve been given the death penalty. Three days.”

For a moment the room was spinning. Mark’s knees felt weak. Nothing made sense as those words registered. The guard almost tried to jump forwards as Mark stumbled back. The death penalty. They’d tried and charged him, and he was going to die. He… he was going to die in three days.

Wait.

“What about my crew?!” Mark said, grabbing the bars. “What about them? What is going to happen to my friends?”

“They’ve also been sentenced with treason, but have been sentenced to life in prison. That’s where we are now,” the guard said. “GAAP Central Prison. They’ll be held here.”

Mark walked back, going to sit on the slab bed protruding from the wall. The guard gave him one last pitying look before leaving. Mark buried his face in his hands.

At least his crew was going to be okay.

That was what Mark focused on as he sat in the cell. His friends were going to be safe. Stuck here, but they were alive.

Mark had always known that if he was going to die, he would be fine with it. He had done the best he could, and as long as his family was taken care of then he could die and be done with. The universe was so big. The galaxy filled with extraordinary people. He was just one in billions. Sure, he had done things. Good things. He’d helped people, and he had saved lives. He had put himself on the line to make sure that he left behind a galaxy that was better than the one he had grown up in. He had done that. He’d started the cogwheels to making a better place. Others knew about Madapriel. Others could pick up where he left off. That was what Mark had told himself his whole life.

If he died, then he had done his best and he could die in peace.

But as he was faced with death, he felt scared. Perhaps it was just the anticipation. Three days to sit alone and think about his imminent demise. It was one thing to accept his theoretical death, and it was another to just die. But to sit there, knowing he would die soon and being powerless to do a thing about it… it was terrifying.

He would miss his friends. He’d miss Chica, who had brought so much joy into his life. He’d miss Tyler, Kathryn, and Ethan who had become some of his closest friends. He’d miss his mom and his brother. He’d miss Sean, and hell he’d even miss the robots. He’d miss Amy, who had become so important to him.

They were safe.

That was all that mattered.

Pulling his hands away, Mark saw that they were shaking.

“Fuck,” he whispered. He didn’t want to be scared. He wanted to be at peace with what fate had given him. He didn’t know how to stop this. It was unjust, and it was cruel, but that was just where he had landed. There wasn’t anything he could do to stop it. Break out? How? He had no tools, no friends who could help. He was alone.

Even if Sean had seen them get caught nearly a week ago, how could he help? This prison was the highest security prison in the galaxy. Since its creation, only one being had escaped, and they had escaped because they jettisoned themselves into space, dying instantly. There was nowhere to go. The nearest planet days away. The nearest space station was GAAP, and just as high security as this place.

Nowhere to run. Nowhere to go.

Mark was going to die in three days.

Three days, and he hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to his family.

Sean had begun planning the moment he had gotten the call from Lixian and Felix.

Lixian had uncovered plans to sentence the crew of the Barrel with treason, making an example out of Mark and handing him the death penalty. They hadn’t been official, but then Lixian had hacked a camera into the trial. Consisting of only four representatives out of hundreds, the trail had lasted barely five minutes as the sentence was carried out. This was a cover up, and they were moving quickly.

Sean reached the prison a day after the crew did. Two days left, and not nearly enough time or resources.

Lixian found schematics of the prison, but they were more daunting than helpful. Check-stations, cameras, heat sensors, motion sensors, facial recognition, everything. Even some things Sean had never heard of. Each prisoner had a tracker placed not only on their clothes, but even the guards were tracked. There were scheduled patrols, and random patrols. Prisoners were allowed out into the yard or kept in their cells on a randomly algorithm generated schedule. Not to mention the entire surrounding area was impossible to get into without permits and pre-scheduled visits. The easiest way would be with produce for the kitchen, or through the garbage chutes, but those were scanned thoroughly.

Just looking at the complicated mess of a floorplan, Sean felt hopeless.

That wasn’t just the worst part. He was all alone in this.

Only one niner was planted on the GAAP Central Prison. Only one, and they were a low-level guard who was mostly there to keep an eye on things. Marzia couldn’t make it in time. It would take her a week to travel there, and by that time Mark would be dead. He’d called Robin, and even he couldn’t help.

He was completely alone, and his friend was going to die in twelve hours.

“This isn’t going to work,” Felix said, setting down the glass of whiskey he’d been nursing. “I’m sorry, Jack, but we would need months of planning at least to even have a chance at breaking in. Months of infiltration, setting gears into motion, manipulating the system in our favor. Right now, we could get you inside, but that’s about it.”

“That’s all I need,” Sean said, avoiding looking at the little comm screen showing Felix.

“No, it isn’t, you idiot,” Felix said, shooting him a look. “ANTI cannot save you from this. You can’t even save yourself from this, much less another person.”

“Then what do you recommend?” Sean said, throwing up his hands. “What do I do, Felix? I cannot just watch as Mark dies. I fucking refuse.”

“I… I don’t know,” Felix admitted. “But I do know that if you go in there you will die. Then there will be two people dead.”

“Just do what we planned,” Sean said, checking his guns. “I’ll do the rest.”

Felix sighed. “I don’t want to lose a friend, Jack.”

“Then if it makes you feel better, don’t call me a friend. I’ll just be another body doing a job, and this will just be another mission.”

“You’re not…”

“Just shut up already!”

Sean was breathing hard. His hands were clenched. ANTI flickered at the back of his mind, warily watching. Ready to jump in. Sean took one breath in, and one out. Vision wavering with angry tears, he looked at the comm screen. Felix was watching him with surprise, concern, and fear.

“I have to do this.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s what Mark would do,” Sean said. “Stupid, impulsive, head up his own ass Mark would jump in and save his friends. Because that’s what people with friends do. They care about each other. They try and help each other. I haven’t had friends in so fucking long, and now that I have them, I have one chance to try and do this one thing right.”

“You’re not Mark.”

“No,” Sean agreed. “I’m not Mark. I don’t want to be Mark. I’m my own fucking person. But I’ve changed. I’ve tried to change into someone better. So much of that was me. I tried to become someone better. But Mark and his crew helped. I want to be a better person, and the Jack I was when I met them would leave them to rot. I want to be the kind of person who helps.”

For a moment Felix just stared at him. Then he shook his head. “Fine, I’ll get you inside. I’ll have my niner on the inside ready with an escape pod. But that is literally all I can do with this amount of prep time.”

“Thanks,” Sean said. “Honestly. Thank you.”

Felix glared. “You make it out alive.”

Sean cocked his gun, “I’m getting us both out alive.”

The room was white. A single window at the back, showing several GAAP representatives and generals. Kivlithos among them. A camera crew was setting up across from a white chair. A doctor stood in a corner, prepping a needle. Mark, dressed in simple gray clothes, was led into the room. Hands and feet shackled. They brought him to the chair, taking off his chains and letting him sit. Once he sat, they strapped his wrists and ankles to the chair.

“Are you comfortable?” One of the guards asked Mark.

He snorted, “Am I comfortable? I’m going to die.”

The guard flinched, backing away with the other.

Mark hated that they were broadcasting this. They had to make an example of him. An example of the ones who stood at the cliffs edge and dared to fly. Don’t cross the government. Don’t make the mistakes he did. It was a warning to his friends. It was a warning to the galaxy. It was a warning to Madapriel.

Don’t challenge them. Don’t fly towards that early grave.

“Are we ready?” The doctor asked the camera crew.

Thumbs up. The camera trained on one of the generals – a Reponere – holding a list of Mark’s crimes. They nodded, and the cameraman held up a hand.

They went live.

Amy didn’t look away. She owed it to Mark to not look away.

Everyone in the women's wing of the prison was watching. They didn’t know that the two women, huddling in the back corner of the room knew the man about to die. They didn’t know that Amy’s world was crumbling around her. They didn’t know.

Kathryn was hugging Amy. Amy was hugging Kathryn. They were holding each other, and Amy was staring straight ahead, watching the screen broadcasting the stream of Mark. A general on screen. He was reading off a list of crimes. Amy wasn’t listening. Her eyes were searching for Mark. Any glimpse of him.

She hadn’t gotten to say goodbye.

That one fact clawed at her chest. She hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to the one person who mattered the most, and now she was going to watch him die.

Kathryn grabbed Amy’s organic hand, squeezing it. Her cyborg arm had been taken away, replaced with a simple plastic one. It was useless. It bent at the elbow, and only if Amy moved it. A safety precaution, but Amy felt even more helpless. She had always had to fight tooth and nail for what she wanted.

Now she couldn’t even write her own name.

The charges were finishing up. Amy sat up straighter, waiting for that one last look at Mark. The general finished. The screen changed. Amy’s breath caught in her throat as sudden tears overtook her.

Mark sat, strapped down to a white chair, definitely staring into the camera. Daring his audience to pity him. Daring his audience to hate him.

Even with only minutes left of his life he was trying to say something. Trying to convey some message to the universe. He wasn’t going down without a fight, no matter how small that fight was. He was daring the universe to see him as he was, and see what had been taken from him.

Amy started crying silently, tears running down her face.

She wasn’t going to stop fighting. Not now. She was losing too much.

“Goodbye,” she whispered.

Lost in a crowd, Ethan looked up at the screen.

He was all alone. His friends had been taken from him, one after another. First Mark, then Amy and Kathryn, then Tyler. One by one they were taken away until Ethan was left in a crowd of other prisoners.

He stood in the center of them, watching the screen.

Ethan had never felt jealous of an organics ability to cry. It was messy, and it was gross. Fluids coming out of multiple orifices, and heaving convulsions from their chests. Once they started it was almost impossible to stop. Ethan had been a shoulder to cry on several times, mostly for Kathryn when her world got too much. He’d never wanted that.

Mark came on screen.

He looked serious. Angry. It reminded Ethan of the time an anti-android protester had tried to convince Mark to sell Ethan. To get rid of him. That look on his face as Mark calmly explained that Ethan was his friend… it was the same face. That quiet defiance that the world he was seeing wasn’t right, and he dared it to prove him wrong.

Ethan had never wanted to cry, but now the only thing he wanted more than anything was to find some way to express how he was feeling. Just how much he wanted that physical ache organics could feel. He experienced every emotion. Every despairing sorrow. Ethan knew what he was feeling.

But that dull ache described to him by his friends… he couldn’t feel it. Even as Mark’s eyes looked into his with that determination and fear, all Ethan wanted was to feel that ache.

But he couldn’t. He wasn’t made to do that. So, he watched, and wished he could cry.

CRASH!

Tyler slammed into the wall. He turned, running at the opposite wall with a roar.

CRASH!

He slammed into that one. He turned and faced the wall. He ran, repeating the same motion he’d been doing since they’d put him in here.

CRASH!

He’d tried fighting them. Tyler had tried fighting his way through every guard and wall in his wall to get to Mark. Once he’d heard the announcement, he’d turned away from Ethan and run at the guards with fury in his eyes.

It hadn’t taken long to take him down.

So now he ran at the walls, screaming himself hoarse as he tried to crush the walls. Tried hard as he could to save Mark.

CRASH!

Dents were beginning to form. Cracks running along the concrete walls. They would budge. They would break until his rage. But not soon enough. Tyler knew that. He knew that he could slam his body into a mountain and eventually, it would fall. But the years he would need to fell a mountain could not make up for the moments until Mark would die.

As Tyler ramming himself into the walls, over and over, all he could remember was the words he’d spoken so long ago. The words he’d promised Mark. A promise he’d broken.

“I really showed them, eh?” Mark asked, laughing.

Tyler started to chuckle too before he noticed Mark buckle in pain.

“Broken ribs,” Mark said, smiling tensely at Tyler. “The nanobots are still working at fixing them.”

“You’re gonna get yourself killed one of these days,” Tyler shook his head, half-teasing. The other half seriously worried that Mark would one day get himself killed.

“No, I won’t,” Mark countered. “You won’t let me.”

Tyler roared.

He ran at the wall.

CRASH!

He turned, breathing hard. Tears building up in his eyes, he ran at the wall.

“Right! Right, Jack!”

Sean stopped in his tracks, turning around and going right. He had no idea how he’d made it this far into the prison. After climbing through the garbage chute, he’d somehow managed to make his way through the halls. It must be because of Mark. The galaxy was focused on this event. Guards must have been laxer.

The hallway was quiet. In the distance he could hear the jeers and shouts of a crowd of prisoners, watching the broadcast. Keeping close to the walls, he ran along them. Keeping low, keeping out of sight. In his ear, Felix and Lixian talked him through the maze of the prison.

“They’re showing Mark,” Lixian said, a forced calm in his voice. “Hurry up.”

“Guard ahead,” Felix said. “There is a vent to your left, just before the turn. Take that.”

Sean ducked into the vent, carefully taking off and replacing the cover. Once inside, he crawled as quietly as he could.

“How much time do I have?” Sean muttered, freezing as he heard someone passing by.

“Not long. Five minutes or less,” Lixian estimated.

Sean started crawling. He’d make it.

He had to make it.

“Thanks for the dinner, Wade.”

Wade smiled over at Mandy and Bob, picking up the remaining dishes alongside his wife, Molly. The four of them in his dining room, enjoying their weekly get together. “Thank Molly,” he said. “Do you think I could cook this well on my own?”

Molly laughed and took the dishes from him, disappearing into the kitchen and reappearing with a small chocolate cake. It was a normal routine that Bob and Wade had kept up since graduating the Academy, finding their own jobs in the GAAP and creating their own families. A small get together every week to stay in touch.

It wasn’t much, but it was fun.

Before slices of cake could be handed out, the holo-screen turned on. With a high-pitched beep, the screen turned to a recording of a GAAP general, greeting the audience.

“Did you know about this?” Bob asked Wade.

Wade shook his head. He hadn’t heard anything about a mandatory screening. The general went on and on, talking about the importance of security, and how the GAAP had been founding on bringing the galaxy together. He recounted the history of the founders, going over the ideals their government was founded on. The usual speech.

“Wha…” Molly looked over at Wade, before looking back at the screen. “What is going on?”

“Today,” the general said. “We unfortunately have found a traitor. A man trusted with sensitive information, and trusted with the recapture of a dangerous terrorist. This man not only gave this information to known illegal arms dealers, but aided and abetted this terrorist in escaping arrest. He has assaulted GAAP generals and officers, committing a Cosmic Crime. Now, we do not take his sentence lightly. His actions will have ripple effects across the galaxy. To squash those that would follow in his actions, and rise up under illegal banners with intentions of attacking the peace and reducing the GAAP back to the chaos of before, we have given him the ultimate punishment. As a warning to those who he has influenced, we send out this broadcast. This man is a criminal, and the actions he has committed are heinous. Do not follow in his footsteps.”

Bob and Wade shared a confused look. Bob had managed to snag a comfortable, higher up position in the GAAP. He shook his head at Wade. Even he didn’t know who they were talking about.

Looking back at the screen, the general tapping his file to the desk, nodding at the camera. The camera changed perspective, and Wade felt his stomach drop.

He hadn’t seen him since senior year of the Academy. Brash and loud, with stars in his eyes as his hands mastered every ship he touched. Mark Fischbach, an old friend of his who had disappeared one night with only a note. They’d talked a few times over the years, but never really reconnected. He was always busy, saving people. Wade had seen him in the news a few times, each with a headline of bravery and selflessness alongside his crew.

Now he was staring at the screen, eyes boring into him with defiance. His arms and legs held down, dressed in gray. Dark circles under his eyes, and a sallowness to his skin. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. For a moment, his eyes looked off screen. A flash of fear, but then he stilled himself.

Wade had seen that look on his face. The face he used when the instructors had told him he was flying wrong, even though he’d aced every test.

“Oh my god,” Bob breathed.

The general continued to speak of Mark’s treason. Of his deception, as he pretended to help while selling secrets to the enemy. It all slipped away. Wade’s vision tunneled as he realized – that angry kid with dreams too big and a determination to take it on – was going to die.

Bob went pale, Mandy holding her mouth. Molly had collapsed in her chair, her hand a vice in Wade’s. His breathing was shallow. His chest felt tight. He was sweating, and his hands were shaking.

Mark Fischbach was a traitor, and he was being executed.

“Two minutes.”

“I know I know,” Sean said, shoving the unconscious bodies of the guards out of view of the windows, sneaking back outside the control room and looking either way. “I’m almost there. Any more guards?”

“Two outside the execution room, four inside with the generals, two inside with Mark.”

“Got it,” Sean hurried down the hall.

He was going to make it.

The whole galaxy was watching. Some with disinterest, some with hate. Some with scorn, and some with fear. Some would be crying at the loss of a friend and family member. Some would be crying at the loss of someone they had viewed as a hero. Some would be celebrating, glad to have what they viewed as a danger gone from their lives. Some would be happy, falling into the lies and believing they were safer now.

Only one watched with an interest privy to their eyes alone. An interest singular to a complex web of hate, grudging respect, and debt.

Madapriel brushed some hair from his eyes. He didn’t know why he’d let it get so long, but it reached his shoulders now. Maybe a small difference from his DNA source. Maybe just casual indifference to his appearance. He didn’t especially care. His goals were set, and he had no interest for other matters.

Mark, however… ever since the moment Madapriel had taken his DNA, he had found some hateful fascination with him. At first, it had been his creation. The union of a Xanhull and a human. Before the fall of Unohsket, a Xanhull would have never dreamed of procreating with another species. Not out of malice, or some superiority complex. Xanhulls were a close-knit community. Procreation was a serious matter, and the combination of DNA was taken with utmost thought.

To casually create a life that could not follow in its parentages footsteps was considered thoughtless and cruel. A half-Xanhull would be weak and defenseless. Doomed to fall to the cruelty of the universe.

When Madapriel had first come back he had been angry. Confused and lost in this new world that had destroyed and scattered his people. He had wanted to find control, and found it in what he thought was mercy. Ending the life of what should have never been.

Now… Mark had proved to be valiant. Obviously having been never truly taught the traditions and rights of his ancestors, but still… a person who had discovered morals to hold onto and a family to protect.

In Mark’s memories, Madapriel had found understanding. The frustration of a child, unsure of where he fit in the galaxy and a desperation to find his place. Running away from a place that was wrong, and falling into the arms of a friend who guided him to freedom.

In Mark’s memories, Madapriel had experienced the death of one of his own. Through the eyes of a child who didn’t truly understand, but with his own grief mingled with a confused boy who was losing his father. This grief, now in the heart of a man who had watched the slow death of one of his own. A death that could have been avoided, but was taken to give a future to his children.

In these memories, Madapriel now found respect for the man he had once tried to kill.

In a way, Mark had saved his life.

Not just with his DNA. Yes, his accident had brought Madapriel back. His misstep had given Madapriel the opportunity to take back what had been taken from him. Mark’s blood was now an opportunity to set in motion his plans. But it wasn’t just the DNA. It was the memories. It was how Mark had forced to him see him as a person. Alive, fighting, and ready to take on anyone who tried to hurt his friends.

It was a reminder of who Madapriel himself was.

It was a reminder that Madapriel was here to take back what he was owed for all his kind, not just those that were dead.

Madapriel owed a debt to Mark. A life for a life.

Could he truly repay that debt? Mark was on death's row. Far away, and under lock and key. Moments away from death. Could Madapriel honestly repay what he owed?

“Dark?”

Madapriel looked up from the screen. Wilford stood in the doorway, fiddling with his mustache. For a moment, a pang of regret for what he was about to do to the merc stabbed his heart. He shut it down. Wilford was a necessary sacrifice. One life for millions.

“Yes?”

Wilford coughed, “Uh, Google? That robot guy? Yeah, he found what you’re looking for. The crystal thingy. Says that if we head there now, we will be there within a few days.”

Madapriel looked back at the screen.

“Tell Google,” he said, fingers running over the vials of blood set before him. “That we may have to take a detour.”

Lethal injection.

Mark couldn’t stop himself from glancing over at where the doctor was preparing a needle. Filling it with what, he had no fucking clue, but he knew that it was bad. It would kill him. His orb was too small to withstand whatever they gave him. It would destroy him.

He looked back at the camera. There were no microphones in this room. Even if he screamed and wailed, no sound would reach those who were watching. So, he stared. He hoped his eyes would at least convey that what was happening wasn’t right. That he wasn’t going to let them murder him without a fight.

Amy…

Amy was watching.

For a moment Mark nearly broke. He knew that they would make his friends watch. He was an example. He was the leader. Don’t be like him, they would say. Don’t follow in the footsteps of a man who had everything to lose and the morals to be stupid enough to continue fighting. Don’t fly to close to the sun.

At the end of the day, Mark didn’t care.

He would stick to his morals, and he would die by them.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel regret. Amy, Tyler, Ethan, Kathryn, Sean, Henry, Chica… he was leaving them all behind. His friends and his family. They would all see him die, and that was a fate he wished he could change. Let him die alone if he must, but don’t force those he loved to see him die helpless.

He couldn’t change a thing now.

Mark closed his eyes for a moment.

He would miss Kathryn and her jokes. Her fearless determination and her wickedly smart strategies. He would miss Tyler, and his grounded morals. His opinions that made Mark think about his world, and his steadfast form watching his back. He would miss Ethan and his laugh. The way he went out of his way to make those around him laugh, and how he would talk about his own dreams that seemed so far away but were just within his grasp. He would miss Chica and Henry, the dogs who had made his life so much better. Those two puppies who brought joy and life to his day. He would miss Amy, and her love. Her steady hand, guiding him back to his goals and her hand against his.

He would miss Sean, and he would miss his family. He’d miss friends he hadn’t spoken to in years, and the people he had saved. He’d miss those he had given his life to helping, and he’d miss those long nights watching the stars.

Mark would miss living.

He opened his eyes.

What he saw before him was the end. The road paved with broken glass that he walked – fighting for every step – had finally grown too sharp. The shards cut too deep. Mark could still see more of that road. He saw a life he wanted, but here was where he could not pass.

He would miss that road, and every painful step. He would miss the smooths spots, and he would miss the rough patches. The life he had lived was one Mark was proud of. He had done what he could. Now it was time to let the others walk the road.

Mark would miss living, but he knew that this was not the end. Not the end for his friends and family. Not the end for this galaxy.

Just his end.

The doctor walked towards him, needle in hand. Pointless dread settled in his gut. Even after coming to terms with his death – even after facing the reality that this was it – Mark was scared. But being scared was what made him alive. It’s what made him important, especially in that moment. Fear and death were what kept the universe moving. Running and running until the stars exploded and lives ended. Life was precious, because life would end.

Mark hoped he had done enough.

“Any last words?” The doctor asked, tapping the needle.

Mark looked at the camera, “Can they hear me?”

“No,” the doctor said, looking at him with indifference. “Just for record purposes.”

“Alright,” Mark said, looking above the camera. Right at the generals who were watching his death like it was entertainment. Meeting the gaze of every being in that room, his eyes finally landed upon Kivlithos. The man who played god, watching as Mark’s wings burned.

Mark raised his chin, not backing down even for a moment. “Then fuck you.”

“I will… write that down,” the doctor said, taken aback.

The needle was set against his arm.

The door was there. Just at the end of the hall. Like Lixian had said, two guards waiting just outside the door. They alert, but not expecting an attack. Not from him.

With surprise on his side, Sean easily took down the guards watching the door. Silently, he darted towards them, and before they realized, he was attacking. One punch for each, and an extra kick to the head. Quickly stooping, Sean picked up the keycard and swiped it. He had to be in time.

The door beeped, and Sean swallowed to catch his breath.

The door opened.

In a single moment, Sean took in the entire scene. A window separating the room from several generals, each looking at him with shock. A camera, trained on Mark, sitting in a chair facing them. A doctor standing at his side, holding a needle.

The needle was in Mark’s arm, and the needle was empty.

He was too late.

The guards on either side of Mark raised their guns. Without hesitation, rage flashed through Sean. That pounding itch in the back of his mind enveloped him, but this time Sean was too furious to be forced away. The hatred and the anguish were too strong, even for ANTI. He was screaming with sorrow and rage as ANTI stepped into his body, leaving Sean’s hands on the controls as his eye burned red and glitch lines ran down his skin.

With a roar, Sean and ANTI launched himself at the guards. Each didn’t even have a chance to fire. Sean’s teeth sunk into the throat of one, ripping it out with a spray of blood. He was on the next in a moment, claws sinking into the guard’s skull and dragging downwards. They were dead without a chance to speak.

Blood soaking his hands and mouth, Sean and ANTI turned to the doctor. The man was already begging for his pathetic life. He didn’t have much time to beg. Sean’s hand closed around his throat. It crushed under his grip, the neck snapping instantly. Sean and ANTI dropped him, letting him crumple to the floor in a sad heap.

“Mark!”

ANTI retreated for a moment as Sean ran around the chair, kneeling next to Mark. He was still breathing. He was still looking. Sean’s claws cut the straps. He grabbed Mark’s face, shaking him.

“No, no, no, no, no,” he pleaded. “Mark, don’t you dare fucking die. Don’t you dare. I snuck through garbage for you, don’t you dare fucking die on me.”

Mark opened his mouth to respond. There was a moment where he breathed in, a sad smile on his face. Then he breathed out. Quietly, he fell limp. His eyes glazed over, staring straight ahead. No longer looking at Sean. No longer alive.

Mark… Mark was…

“No,” Sean pleaded. “No, no, no, no!”

He shook Mark, but he was gone. There was no reaction. Just a slow relaxing of his muscles as the smile faded from his face and his eyes stared vacantly ahead.

“MARK!” Sean screamed.

The door burst open. Guards ran into the room, guns trained on him. They were yelling at him, telling him to get on the ground. Telling him to surrender.

Sean didn’t even think. He just let himself fall back into that mindless rage as ANTI stepped into his body. He turned slowly, staring into the terrified eyes of the nearest guard.

He attacked.

Without thought, he tore and slashed, ripping through every breathing body in front of him. Blood covered him, but he didn’t care. All that he cared about was destroying those that had taken his friend from him. They fell. A few got a shot in, or a stab. The wounds were meaningless. They didn’t slow him down. Not as he tore through their bodies, coming closer and closer to those fucking GAAP officers, watching him.

And then he was there. Smashing through the glass. He killed them, one by one. Enjoying as they died under his hands. They had nowhere to run. He was blocking the only exist, and he had no problem killing them as they tried to flee.

He killed and killed until there was only one left. The Graeldur general. The one that had manipulated and used his friends. The one who had sentenced his friend to death. The one who now stared at him with fear, hands raised.

“Now, now,” he said, a tremble of fear in his voice as he tried to regain control. Tried to offer a pathetic excuse for his life. “Let’s talk. I can give you money. Power. Anything you want.”

“You took my friend – his friend – away from me,” he hissed, the voices overlapping each other. “The only thing I want is to see your black heart bleeding out in my hand.”

Sean and ANTI reached down as one. ANTI’s cruel enjoyment and Sean’s devastated grief merging into a single goal. They grabbed his throat, and with the other hand, clawed through his chest. His skin was thick, but they didn’t care. Tear after tear until finally Sean and ANTI held his still beating heart. With a yell, his claws sunk deep into the heart until it was crushed between his fingers.

“It’s in there!”

Sean crumpled to the ground. The adrenaline of his grief waning, Sean lost the will to go on. He’d killed, and he’d raged. He didn’t care anymore. In that moment of weakness, ANTI took complete control. What happened next was a blur to Sean. The scream of guards, the sting of wounds appearing on his body. He barely registered the gradual movement as ANTI tore through the prison.

He was too late.

If he had only been there moments before… if only he had moved faster… if only…

There was one moment of agony that nearly tore Sean from the back of his mind. A searing pain in his leg. A flash of fire and agony as something dug into his flesh, the leg screaming at him.

There was a tug.

The pain flared. And then ANTI dulled it, forcing him even farther back. Back and back, until all he registered was the darkness.

The cameras cut out just before the second guard died. Felix and Lixian knew that Jack wouldn’t leave that place until they were all dead. He wouldn’t leave until ANTI forced him too. They sat in horrified silence, watching the darkened screen.

The silence was deafening. Moments passing. Neither Lixian nor Felix found it in themselves to say a thing. What they had just seen… what they had heard through the comms, and what had been cut off as the comm was damaged, it was too much.

“The GAAP has started a war,” Felix said quietly, almost to himself. “Whether they know it or not, this is a war.”

In the resounding silence of Felix’s statement, Lixian said nothing. Moments ticked by as they watched the blackened screen. Then, as a small alert came up on his screen, he said, “Jack made it out. Niner got him into a pod. He’s badly hurt.”

“I have a niner nearby,” Felix said. “Send them to pick him up and treat him. Bring him here.”

Lixian nodded. Suddenly, there was a sharp PING as something came across Lixian’s alerts. He jumped into action, typing and muttering.

“What is it?” Felix asked.

“Someone else just hacked into the prison!” Lixian said. “I… I can’t explain it. It’s like the system just turned against itself, but it is someone. They’re too much, I can’t get control back!”

For a moment, the screen showed Lixian, animation jolting in stuttered motions as he frantically tried to regain control. Then he was gone, and the screen was replaced by a large blue, red, yellow, and green G.

Perfect distraction, that AI was. A reckless program, tearing its way through the prison drawing all attention to it. Alarms blaring, system shutting down. Undetected as Madapriel’s own perfect machine took control. An evolved and better version of what it used to be. Now, able to learn and take control. He walked down the halls, not even bothering to shield himself from cameras. They were all erased. They were all off. The GAAP would never know he was here.

Down the halls, twisting and winding his way until he reached a room washed in red.

He stepped inside. Bodies lay everywhere. Torn apart in an obvious attempt at revenge. Oh, how senseless and sloppy. Understandable, but inelegant. A hurried decision to destroy what was in its path.

Sitting slumped over in the chair, eyes staring straight ahead, was Mark.

Madapriel came to stand next to him. His hand grabbed the top of Mark’s head, lifting it to stare into his lifeless eyes. He was too late. How regretful.

“Red eyes,” Madapriel said, staring as Mark’s true Xanhull eyes slowly revealed themselves as his body shut down. “Even in death, you still find some way to piss me off.”

There was no reply. Just the drip of blood, and distant blare of alarms.

“Still,” Madapriel said, letting go. Mark’s head fell. A reminder of every dead Xanhull staining the GAAP. Yet another reminder of what he was here to accomplish. “I still have a debt, and I have a duty. The GAAP shall never lay their hands on our kind ever again.”

Kneeling, Madapriel gathered Mark into his arms. With little effort, he stood and turned to the door. Stepping over bodies, making his way back through the halls, Madapriel took away Mark’s body.

The GAAP had taken enough from them.

It was time he took it back.