Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ryley Robinson had drawn the short straw at birth. Or what Alterra considered the short straw, rather. Alterra did not look kindly on those born with disabilities, because in their eyes, disability meant a blow to production. It meant you were a liability, not an asset. It meant you were better off sitting on the sidelines being table fed scraps until you lived out your natural, useless life of doing nothing but watching the world pass by around you. If parents learned the child they were expecting would probably be born with some sort of disability, either that child was given up to the system at birth or aborted so their parents could get right on producing more productive offspring. If the disability was discovered later, then poof. You disappeared in the system.

Mutism apparently counted as a debilitating disability. After all, if you couldn't bark orders and had to take the extra time to write or sign them out, you were too slow to be of any help to anyone. No one could be bothered taking the time to learn sign-language these days. It was a waste of time, resources, and potential that could be put to better use elsewhere, and since it couldn't be detected in the womb, it had taken years for anyone to realize he couldn't speak and could only really make sounds. It wasn't that he didn't understand what everyone was saying or how they were saying it, it was just that he couldn't do it himself. In those years, he had grown attached to his parents because of course he would. He was a little kid who loved mommy and daddy, and mommy and daddy loved him right back. Up until the moment they realized their child wasn't 'normal'.

Poof. Into the system. Not a word of warning. They waited until he fell asleep one night, packed him up, and ditched him at the closest facility for children like him. He woke up to strangers and not even a goodbye note, so F his parents. He liked to pretend they'd never existed or imagine they'd died before he'd known them and the ones who had ditched him were imposters. He'd never seen them since or even spoken to them. For all he knew he had siblings somewhere out there he would never know about, because he wasn't considered worth the effort to even keep in the loop.

From that day on, he had been made fully aware of just how 'lucky' he was that he was Alterran and not anything else, because Alterra treated their 'disabled' far better than most others did apparently, and that wasn't saying much. He'd grown up being told right from the get-go just how useless he was and how worthless he would always be, but instead of being brainwashed into thinking he was 'one of the lucky ones'—okay, so maybe a bit of that rhetoric had stuck—he became determined to prove them all wrong. Prove everyone wrong! He was more than nothing. He wasn't useless! He would make something of his life one day…

Subnautica

The education offered to children with disabilities was subpar. You learned the basics you'd need to get by in life if you went out to a grocery store or by some miracle landed a less-than-minimum wage job, and that was it. Most of his learning he'd done himself. He'd gone to libraries, snuck into lectures, scoured the internet, snuck into schools and classes where possible… He'd done everything he could to challenge his mind, and he was a brilliant student! He wouldn't say he was a genius, but he liked to think he was at least well above average. Adaptable, quick-witted, a fast learner—he was something his parents would have been proud of if they'd just given him a chance…

His bit his lower lip and willed back threatening tears of frustration. Tears always made an appearance whenever he started to think this way. Think about mom and dad and the life he could have had if he'd just been born normal. He grimaced in disgust. Normal. He hated that word with a burning passion, but the reality was, there was a such thing as normal and there was a such thing as abnormal. He just had to keep reminding himself there was no shame in being abnormal. It just meant you got to show what you were capable of in other ways that weren't exactly conventional! So that was what he did.

Space exploration had always enticed him. Not so much the science of it as the curiosity. The science wasn't necessarily boring, in fact he was really into Earth and Space sciences, but the exploration and research aspects of that particular brand of science intrigued him most of all. He set his sights on getting a job where he could maybe catch the eye of someone willing to give a mute a chance at something more. Did he believe it would happen? Not really. He couldn't even recall off the top of his head the last time anyone with any form of disability had reached any kind of notable heights with Alterra—though he knew it had happened—but he wasn't deterred. He was nothing if not a fighter.

In Alterran society, it took a miracle to get any kind of work when you were disabled. If you caught that miracle, you tended to land less-than-minimum wage jobs that maybe gave you minimum wage later if you proved you were good enough to hack it. That wasn't enough, so he cut out the middleman, so to speak, and shot right for the stars. Literally. He took to volunteer work. Gave his services freely to whatever captain came in with a dirty vessel. He would clean it, fix it if he could, he would work until that stupid thing was sparkling, and maybe if he was lucky, he'd get tossed a credit for his trouble. Most just laughed and mocked him figuring it was the best he could do. Beg for table scraps like he was supposed to by showing off a little and hoping he got 'more than was his due'. FYI, he usually didn't. In fact, he was lucky to get a thanks. Usually it was 'go buy yourself something nice' or 'get away from my ship' or 'Mute, you aren't getting a credit from me'. He'd begun networking in this manner when he was fourteen, but it was years before it finally paid off…

Subnautica

Captain Hollister had blown in on an ill-fated wind during an icy winter's night just as Ryley was about to pack up and head 'home'. Preferably before freezing to death. The weather was so bad you could barely see two feet in front of you. He'd spotted the lights and the door of a decent-sized spacecraft opening wide. He'd spotted the silhouette of a big, burly, rough-looking man with a greying beard and somewhat wild hair. The man's eyes swept the docks, intense and hard, and fell on him. He could only gape.

"You there, deckhand!" the man called out. Ryley looked quickly around before realizing the man was talking to him. He looked back at him and pointed at himself questioningly. "What's the matter? Speak up! I can't hear you over this damnable wind." Ryley was still, unsure how to respond. The man waited a moment for a response. "Can you speak?" he finally asked, sounding a little annoyed. Ryley shook his head. "A mute then. Poor man." Ryley frowned and shook his head rapidly and firmly. "You have a spunk to you I see. I don't see how you could consider yourself not unfortunate given the stigma Alterra has you living under. Have you a place to stay?" Ryley tentatively nodded. "Is it close?" Hollister asked. Ryley grimaced and shook his head. "Very well. Get in. My request can wait for the dock workers after this cursed storm passes us by. Until then it'll hardly do to have you freeze to death out here. Or me for that matter. The ship can hold out one more night. Ryley shifted uncomfortably. "Come now. I won't bite," the man said. Ryley tentatively nodded and cautiously approached. Quickly the man ushered him inside then shut the door behind them.

Ryley looked quickly and suspiciously back at the Captain, eyes narrowed, before looking around. Narrowed eyes soon became wide with awe and wonder. "Are you a worker here?" the man asked. Ryley looked quickly over at him, having almost forgotten his presence. He shook his head in response. "Then what are you doing out so late in a blizzard?" the man demanded. Ryley looked at the supplies in his hands and held them up. "Why the devil are you cleaning and repairing ships at dock if you aren't getting paid?" The man asked. Ryley shifted a little and bowed his head, a resentful look flashing through his eyes. "Of course. Foolish question. If I know Alterra, and having been born here I certainly do, odds are very good you have little choice. What is your name?" Ryley looked up at him warily, put his things down, then moved to sign a response. "No, none of that. I never did get around to learning that hand-wavy nonsense." Ryley frowned, put out by the attitude. "Write it down," the man ordered, taking a piece of paper and a pen and offering them. Ryley took the materials and did so, writing his name in mild annoyance and offering them back.

"Ryley Robinson. Ah. I am Captain James Hollister, a freelancer who works for whoever is willing to pay for my services. Alterra just so happens to be the one that can most often afford those services. Perish forbid they contract out to anyone who isn't Alterran by birth. Fortunately for them, the best of the best happens to be just that," Hollister said. Ryley pointed questioningly at him. "Of course me!" Hollister replied. "Hmm… As long as you're here, could you perhaps find the time to do some work around the ship? I can promise you'll be well-compensated." Ryley tentatively nodded and prepared to get out his things. "Not now you silly thing! Goodness knows how long you've been working already. Take a well-deserved rest. Best you not end up killing yourself with exhaustion."

Ryley stared at him, trying to puzzle out how to feel about the 'silly thing' remark. He felt like it should be insulting, but somehow, coming from this man's lips, it didn't seem that way. It seemed like it was just a natural turn of phrase the Captain used. He seemed too busy and no-nonsense to be bothered with anything truly malicious.

"There are spare rooms scattered about. I'm sure you can find something to suit your needs. I'm going to bed. If you're hungry, there's a map that can guide you to the kitchen. I have a good man there. Been with me since he was a little scamp like yourself." Ryley started, a bit offended—he was older than that—and frowned in annoyance. "Ozwald is the name. He prefers Ozzy. If he's awake, tell him I sent you and he'll whip you something up. He'll be glad for the company besides. If he doesn't so happen to be awake, help yourself. I'll explain the missing items to him come morning. If he catches you mussing up his kitchen, or café as he likes to claim, then pray. He's quite proud of it and very protective over the ridiculous thing. Damned if he doesn't serve up a meal fit for a king though. The man can turn anything into a delicacy it seems."

With that the Captain left, leaving Ryley standing in the middle of the hallway completely unsure of what to do. Curiously he looked around the hall once more, then at his things, then heard his stomach grumble and looked down at it in surprise. When was the last time he'd eaten again? He grimaced. It had been a while, he realized. Sleep sounded tempting, but no. This could finally be the chance he'd been waiting for, and he couldn't screw it up. He could forgo sleep for a night or two. He'd done it before. He'd gone as long as four! Admittedly he'd promised himself he'd never do it again, but that was beside the point. The point was forgoing one night of sleep—or was this going on two? Three?—wasn't new to him. Eating, though, was kind of pertinent to keeping up his energy, so he supposed he was off to the kitchen. He set his things down in the hall—because setting them in a cabin would mean staring at a comfy bed, which would only tempt him to crawl in—and went to find the location in question.

Subnautica

The kitchen wasn't too hard to discover. He reached it in about ten minutes after stumbling around blindly for a while—so much for the map being easy to find—and peered inside. It was dark, but he could make out two or three small tables with chairs, a counter, and a back room that was probably the cooking space. There was likely a food storage area in there, but it sounded like someone was shuffling around. Probably this 'Ozzy' the Captain had spoken of. He approached the counter carefully. He couldn't exactly call out, and a random sound would just spook the guy, so he set about scouting for anything that might have been left out so he wouldn't have to startle the ship's cook.

There wasn't much to be gleaned. It seemed they'd run pretty low on supplies, and he'd seen a fair bit of damage around the ship, so it was possible they'd gotten lost somewhere in space for a while or went through an asteroid belt or meteor shower, but there were still scraps around. Like this nutrient block he'd just found behind something. Needless to say, it looked like it had been there a while. He stared dubiously at it, wondering if eating it would kill him or not. As he stood there pondering the actions and consequences of putting a block of questionable quality into his mouth, the kitchen door opened. He didn't hear it. Nor did he hear when someone froze and caught their breath.

"Who the hell are you?" a voice suddenly demanded from behind.

Ryley started and whipped around, eyes wide. He blinked at the man in surprise. The stranger was well-built. A bit rough looking with short red hair. Not small but not gigantic either. Probably about six foot five or so, maybe a little more. He looked about how you'd expect, but also not at all like you'd expect. For instance, you wouldn't have expected the tattoo all the way up his arm, or the ear hole in the ear opposite said tattooed arm. Not a normal piercing, an outright hole. Ryley shifted, unsure how to respond to this, then held the nutrient block towards the man in question. The man stared at the block incredulously. "What, you offerin' it to me or askin' if you can eat it? I wouldn't advise either kid, now who the hell are you?" Ryley pulled out the piece of paper he'd written his name on and handed it over. "Whatsamatter? Can't talk?" the man asked, taking the paper and glancing over it. "Ryley huh? Sounds like a girl's name." Ryley blinked, then frowned, unimpressed. "Easy. I'm kiddin' ya. Ryley's about as unisex as it can get." Ryley huffed, snatching back the paper. "Yikes. Got a temper on you I see. Touchy, touchy. Seriously, what are you doin' here? Who even are you? Stowaway? Thief?"

Ryley lay the paper down and began writing furiously on it before handing it back. The man took it. "Captain invited you on, huh? Guess he figured cheap labour. What, you doin' this for a meal?" Ryley scowled, balling his fists, and looking ready to deck the man. "Fiery little shrimp, ain'cha?" Ryley went for the deck. The man caught his fist, smirking in amusement more than anything. "Okay, okay, I get the picture. I'll shut up. Sorry. Not a lot of people mesh with my personality. A little too outspoken for 'em. Maybe kinda careless with words too. Look, I really don't mean ta be insulting. Just comes across that way sometimes. Besides, you can't deny it's just… weird. Seeing someone like you, well, anywhere. Alterra tends to hide 'em away. Ryley gave him a hard and insulted look. "You know what I mean. Look, you hungry or what?" Ryley, glaring, soon sighed in frustration, reigning in his temper, and nodded. "Okay. I'll whip you up somethin'. You a new hire or Hollister just recruiting your services as a one-time deal?" Ryley held up one finger. "Impress him and it might be a regular thing. He usually docks up here whenever he gets back from a trip. One of the best hubs on offer. He ain't shy with his pay, so I promise you'll be goin' home plenty pleased after he compensates you."

Ryley shrugged and took the paper, writing something down on it. The man picked it up, reading it through. "You figure he'll probably cheap out? Why? 'Cause of what you are? Nah, Hollister ain't like that. He's a good guy. Fair as fair can be. He'll pay you whatever he would have paid anyone else, I guarantee it. Don't even worry about that. He's not gonna scam ya. Full meal or snack?" Ryley indicated something small with his fingers. Mostly because he didn't dare ask for more. "Full meal it is then," the man said, smirking with a playful glint in his eyes. Ryley blinked in surprise and couldn't help but smile a little. "Name's Ozzy. Nice ta meet 'cha." Ryley nodded and sat on one of the stools to wait. "I come from a little backwater town somewhere in the south of Alterra territory. Probably wouldn't recognize the name even if I told you, so I won't bother. Got hired on with Hollister at eighteen. Was lookin' for a job so I could save up for college. The old man wanted me to get into a trade. I just wanted to cook. Guess he didn't figure culinary school was masculine enough. He was always a hardcase. Never liked that I was more into cooking than metalworking. Blamed my mom for it and well, I'll spare you the details. That's getting a little too personal for casual conversation with a stranger. Anyway, figured pleasing the old man would spare the old lady, so began saving up to get into a cooking program on the sly. Figured I'd just tell dad I'd gone into plumbing or carpentry or somethin'. Hollister noticed my penchant for kitchen while I was working as a mechanic for him, 'cause I figured tellin' my father I was a mechanic would satisfy him. The Captain was impressed. Decided he couldn't go back to eating like he had been before he brought me on, so hired me at the close of our first expedition together. Probably helped that I spilled a few too many of my woes to him one drunken night. He doesn't seem it, but the guy is real supportive. Advocates chasing your dreams. Figures there's no time to be held down by Alterra's corporate bull. He was never one for the whole 'work until you die whether you like your job or not' thing. He's more the 'work until you die only if you love your job that much' type. Anyway, the job earned me more than enough to get through culinary school and netted me this full-time gig afterwards, so here we are."

He glanced at Ryley to see a response. Ryley was scribbling something and soon handed if over. Ozzy grabbed it, reading through. "How did my old man take it? Pfft, who says I ever told him? Far as he knows, I'm still a mechanic. I mean, I'm not incompetent when it comes to stuff like that. Could have probably been a damn good one, honestly. It's just not where my passion lies. My passion lies here." He gestured around. Ryley gave it an incredulous once over. "Okay, so it's not all that impressive, but one day I'll upgrade. Maybe own my own place. Little café on a corner street or up in space," Ozzy said, leaning on the counter with a friendly smile on his face as he waited for whatever he was cooking to finish up.

Ryley couldn't help but smile back. He liked this man, he decided. Ozzy was good at filling the silence, and that was something Ryley could really appreciate. Especially in a society where everyone usually just tended to make the silence weird like they expected one day he'd suddenly burst into speech. Hey, if there was a fix for it, he'd love to find said fix. Far as he knew there wasn't though, and Alterra wasn't going to waste resources researching one. This was the hand he'd been dealt, so he had to make the most of it. It wasn't like he was ashamed of it. It was just inconvenient.

"What about you? Any story of woe to share with old Ozzy?" Ozzy asked. Ryley snorted incredulously. "Okay, maybe not old, but you get the picture." Ryley watched the man carefully, trying to figure out how much he was willing to share. "Hey, your secrets are safe with me. Goodness knows how many of 'em I'm holdin'. Probably gonna end up taking most to my grave. Life of a bartender slash café owner." Ozzy cracked a can of something and gave it to him. Ryley picked it up, considering his answer, then took the paper again, examining it. He blinked when Ozzy slid him some more sheets and glanced up at the man curiously. Ozzy smirked. "Take your time," he said with a wink. "I've got cookin' to do anyway." He turned his back and set to work again, and Ryley watched a moment before looking at the paper once more. After a couple minutes of thinking it over, he sighed and began to write while sipping at the can of what he'd now determined to be alcohol.

Subnautica

Ozzy read through the story of woe solemnly as Ryley ate the food he'd been given. Finally, Ozzy lowly whistled. "Sounds like you need another beer about as much as I do. Maybe more," he said, sliding his new companion a second can of the stuff. Ryley gave him a curious look. "Okay. Since you've shared your whole life story, might as well elaborate a bit on mine. Explain myself a little," Ozzy said, perching on the counter. You know when I said my dad blamed my mom for me bein' so interested in cooking? He got back at her by beatin' her regularly. Figured it was just punishment. If he saw me foolin' around in the kitchen or doin' something he decided wasn't 'manly' enough, I got the same treatment. Sometimes got it just for the laughs too. He was a real creep. Guess it wasn't totally his fault though. Usually, you only end up like that if you've been raised like that. I mean, it's his fault he couldn't be bothered try'na break the cycle, but hey, whatever. That job's fallin' to me now, and I'm tellin' ya, Ry, if I ever have kids of my own, they're gonna be raised nothin' like I was. Or my father."

Ryley tilted his head curiously as if asking a question and pointed at the word 'family' on the paper. "Nah. I don't got a family. Haven't really had much time to pursue one," Ozzy said. "Up in space most of the time, and it's generally not a great idea to get involved with your coworkers. I mean I'm not gonna condemn it, heck one day I might even be there, but it ain't somethin' I'm sold on. Too many risks."

Ryley hesitated then pointed at the words disabled and children. "Hey, what do I care if my kid has some kind of disability? If I have the knowhow to handle it, or my wife does, then we will. Especially after hearing your backstory." Ryley wrote something. "What do I mean by knowhow? I guess I mean there are some, well, difficulties I'll call 'em, that I just don't have the ability to handle. Look, I'm not a smart person, okay? And while I'm usually patient, it's not necessarily in the way I'd have ta be to handle somethin' that complicated. Like, real, real complicated. There's… there's a point where you'd just be doin' a kid a disservice hangin' on when you clearly can't do it. Can't give 'em what they need, can't deal with them like you need to, can't be…" He trailed off. "Can't be good enough," he finally said quietly. There was silence a moment as Ryley watched him with some sympathy. He guessed he could kind of get that. In challenging cases. Mutism didn't count as challenging though. Ozzy shook his head and forced a smile. "It takes a special kinda person to properly raise a kid that has somethin' that big goin' on inside. I'm not that kind of special person. Doesn't mean I wouldn't love it or go visit it or try to be some kinda presence in its life, it just means I'd be letting someone who actually knows what they're doin' deal with the stuff I can't." Ryley was quiet, considering this. After a moment, Ozzy sighed. "Hey, I'm headin' to bed. You should too, once you've finished up. Help yourself to whatever you want, okay?"

Ryley looked concerned and shook his head, then quickly wrote something down and handed it over to him. Ozzy took it and glanced through. A smirk pulled at the man's lips. "Hey, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything, and you're not scarin' me off. It's been a hell of a trip is all. I'm way overdo for some shuteye. It wasn't the happiest note to end a conversation on, I'll give ya that, and yeah maybe I'm goin' to bed a little sad, but it's also a big relief y'know? To get some of that baggage off my chest. Usually I'm the one collecting other peoples' baggage. Not too often I can unload my own, so honestly, I wanna thank you for that." Ryley nodded, clearly not convinced. "Hey, it's fine," Ozzy said, reaching out and squeezing his shoulder gently. Ryley blinked at the hand, then at him in open surprise, looking almost overwhelmed. Ozzy's smile fell. "That rare for you, huh?" he said. "I get that. Maybe not as bad, but I mean, a kind human touch wasn't exactly somethin' my dad advocated. Mom was pretty good at it though." Ryley nodded. Ozzy smiled and stood. "Have a good night, okay?"

Ryley nodded again and watched after the man as he left. It had been a long time since he'd had any sort of meaningful conversation with anyone. Had he ever had any sort of meaningful conversation with anyone, he worriedly wondered? He couldn't even think of one off the top of his head. This was… new. Really, really new. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He was used to being treated like a blight, not like a human, and now that he was experiencing the other side, it was kind of unnerving. Not in a bad way, but still. Unnerving.

Subnautica

Ryley wasted no time in throwing himself into his work, determined to impress and please the Captain that had given him this chance to prove himself. The conversation with Ozzy, and the food, had refreshed him, so now he was doubling down on his efforts. He left no surface unwiped, no floor unscrubbed. He left no broken piece of tech unaccounted for and if it was something he didn't know how to fix, he did as much as he could to make others' jobs easier later. He worked nonstop for hours until he was ready to drop dead from exhaustion, but he had to do this right. He had to! He had to prove to Hollister, to himself, to everyone, that he was worth something and that this hadn't all been for nothing.

He didn't feel the eyes on him until he was exhaustedly scrubbing off the last bits of dirt from the sides of the ship, barely able to stand anymore. Exhaustion was written on his face and bags were heavy under his eyes, so he hadn't even heard the man come out. If asked, he couldn't have told you how long Hollister had been watching before finally speaking up. "Robinson!" he said. Ryley froze in place when he heard the voice and quickly turned, eyes wide. "How long have you been out here doing this?" Ryley was still, considering his answer. Sheepishly he held up ten fingers. The 'hours' part was surmised. "Did you sleep at all last night?" Hollister demanded. Ryley hesitated, then shook his head. "Then get to bed! Now! No crew of mine, temporary or not, is going to drop dead from exhaustion on my watch. You've done just about all there is to do, now no more! For goodness' sake, the ship hasn't looked this good since it was new. I didn't ask you to restore it to a showroom state. Sleep. Now." Ryley opened his mouth as if to make a sound of protest. "No! I don't want to hear it. Bed."

Ryley closed his mouth, shifted, looked up at the ship once more, then defeatedly back at Hollister. Had he blown this, he uncertainly wondered? Was there a such thing as being too good or too thorough when it came to ships? Were debris and dirt and scratches like battle scars or badges of honor? Had he disrespected the man by making sure the thing was spotless? Bowing his head, he moved passed the captain to go towards home. "Where are you going? I meant on my ship."

Ryley winced, looking sheepishly at him, then hurried inside said ship to sleep in one of the cabins there. He had to pass by Ozzy's café, he realized, and he hesitated a bit. Had he been too direct or open last night? Had he scared the man off? He uncertainly made his way passed it, glancing in and half hoping Ozzy didn't notice. Ozzy's back was turned to him, and the man was admiring the café in disbelief, shocked at how spotless it was. Quietly Ryley tried to tiptoe passed.

"Ryley, hey, hold on! Did you really do all this last night?" Ozzy suddenly asked. Ryley froze, wincing, and sheepishly turned to the man, nodding tentatively. "This is amazing! The place has never looked so good. You even got the stupid coffee machine to work properly again! You got some tech knowhow you held out on me about." Ryley, surprised at the response, grinned awkwardly, not sure how he was supposed to react. "Did you sleep last night?" Ozzy asked, suddenly looking concerned. Ryley shifted. "Seriously? You're crazier than Keen!" Ozzy said. Ryley tilted his head curiously. "Second Officer. Not important right now. Come on. I'll bring you to the cabins. Get you settled in an open room. You can't do stuff like this to yourself. You know that, right?" Ryley shrugged in a way that implied he did in fact know that, just didn't really care. "You should probably take it to heart," Ozzy sternly said, leading the way. Ryley followed, quiet. He wasn't used to being cared about like this. First Hollister, now Ozzy? Honestly it was really weirding him out. In only good ways. "Here we are. Room right next to mine so if you need anything, you know where I am," Ozzy said.

He opened the door to the empty cabin and Ryley stepped inside, looking around the room he'd been deposited in. That Ozzy had put him right next to his own room was honestly kind of touching. He looked back at Ozzy and clasped his hands together gratefully. Ozzy smirked. "No problem. Now for goodness sakes get some rest already. I'll see ya later." Waving, he left. Ryley shut the door behind him and turned to the bed. Upon seeing it, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Tiredly he made his way over and collapsed onto the covers…

Chapter Text

Ozwald Jones had not been handed an easy life. From the outside looking in, it seemed idyllic. Mom and dad were both together, dad had a great paying job, mom was climbing the career ladder like no one's business, their family was popular in town, and far as anyone could tell, they were happy.

It was all a lie of course. Airs put on for show to present the look of something normal when it was anything but. Dad was a prick with a bad drinking habit. Mom was a small and timid woman with no close friends or family anywhere nearby. Nowhere she could run to, to escape, no one she could turn to who wouldn't just laugh in her face if she claimed pillar-of-the-community dad was a drunk creep, no chance against a man the size of her husband if she tried to get away or fight back… All she had was him. Some plucky little kid conceived out of wedlock that had stuck her in this relationship in the first place. Her parents had found out about the pregnancy. Insert shotgun wedding here because Sol Trans-Gov culture, and here they were.

Ma loved her son to bits. Pop? Well, the old man had never had much of an example growing up. He'd tried to be a dad at first, Ozzy knew, and for a while things hadn't been bad, but it hadn't lasted long. A part of Ozzy felt like it was his fault, but he knew it wasn't. Not really. Maybe he'd triggered it a little, but was it really because of him things happened like they did? No, he told himself sternly. Dad had had the choice whether to let his kid's decisions trigger him or not, but seriously, what had the old man expected would happen? It wasn't like pop had been the one spending time with him. That had been all mom, and mom had loved to cook, bake, and sketch. Simple as that. That's what Ozzy grew up doing, that's what he ended up loving. Sure, dad had introduced him to mechanics, and honestly those were some of the best memories of the old man Ozzy had, but it hadn't been a regular thing like it was with mom.

Elementary school had been bad. Ozzy was good at the arts and crafts thing, courtesy of ma. He guessed his pictures were a little too sissy for the old man, because dad had never been a fan of them. After about the tenth project burned to ash, he'd taken to just hiding them away from the guy for only mom to see. Things went from bad to worse when he entered high school, because the home economic he'd pursued beyond eighth grade was cooking. Biggest mistake of his life had been telling dad. When he'd done so, it hadn't been pretty. Mom tried to get in the middle and ended up in hospital. He'd promised himself then and there to never put her in that situation again, but it seemed breaking promises was a trait he shared with his dad. He tried to protect ma, he really did, but some young teen versus a full-grown, very large man? It didn't end well. About all he could say for it was that it started to put him in hospital more often than his mom. That was something he guessed.

He'd wanted to do culinary school after graduation, but telling his dad as much would have been as good as signing his death warrant, so he brought home a brochure for trade school instead to keep the old man off his case. He told his mom in secret his true ambitions though. Cooking school with a side of art. She'd been thrilled. Encouraged him fully. She'd always been the encouraging one. Dad had just been, well, something else. Funding his schooling was going to be a task and a half. While dad could afford it, he wasn't about to ask the old man for any kind of loan to get into college. He never wanted to be indebted to the guy for anything. Ever. Mom offered him her funds instead, but he'd outright refused. Promised her he'd get a respectable job and work through it himself. Went down to the docks to find one and ran into Captain James Hollister. Landed a job as the ship's mechanic. At least until the Captain tasted his cooking and they got to talking. There was alcohol involved, and Ozzy knew he'd been too loose-lipped that night, but hey, it had all worked out in the end. Hollister kept him on as the ship's chef and part-time mechanic when needed.

Subnautica

Ozzy spent the next couple years with Hollister saving up for culinary school, and the moment opportunity struck, he leapt on it. Keeping his job promised to be easy. Wouldn't be hard to schedule around the captain's expedition timetable. Hollister had taken in a teenaged stray off the streets and was currently putting the kid through high school. A college schedule lined up pretty well with a high school one, which meant Hollister's would line up too given the man was now planning things around his ward's school breaks. Captain had taken on a heck of a responsibility. One way bigger than himself and his career. Kid wasn't bad. In fact Ozzy was kind of fond of him.

Ozzy met Aubrey LaFette freshman year of college. He was pursuing his culinary ambitions, she was pursuing engineering and science. They'd met at a freshmen party through mutual acquaintances. "You're doing culinary school? That's certainly atypical," she had said. He'd been on the verge of excusing himself at that point. "I like it," she'd suddenly added out of the blue, a warm smile on her lips, and any thoughts of excusing himself were immediately swept away in favour of something else he couldn't figure. "I'm pursuing a career in engineering and science. Majoring in chemistry," she said, giving him a dazzling grin. It was the first time anyone had ever made him weak in the knees like that. He awkwardly grinned back and hid said awkwardness by drinking from his beer cup and hoping she hadn't noticed. He'd enjoy this girl's company tonight he figured. Considering she stuck around.

About halfway through the party, he got a call from his father. At that point, any hope he'd had of remaining sober through the night poofed out of existence. You'd think such calls would have increased his resolve since the old man was clearly drunk and mom was crying in the background, but nope. Ozzy wasn't exactly the brightest bulb out there. Never had been. He'd like to pretend that night had never happened, forget it entirely, but if he did then that would mean forgetting what LaFette had done for him that evening, and that wasn't something he planned on doing anytime soon. She'd been a real one. In college there weren't a lot of those.

He didn't remember what happened after he drank himself into a stupor. He didn't think he wanted to, because he had vague recollections of screaming, a little begging… When he woke up though, he realized he was choking and wished that he could pretend he didn't know on what. He couldn't move his body. He couldn't find the strength. He would die here on this floor like this and no one would be the wiser! "Ozzy!" he heard a girl's voice cry out. He felt urgent hands rolling him quickly over so he could vomit properly. "You're going to be okay," he heard the girl saving him fearfully whisper. "I'm going to get you help." He felt like he knew the voice, but couldn't pinpoint it. He didn't have time to figure it out either before he blacked out again.

The next thing he registered was waking up in a hospital room feeling worse than he'd ever felt in his entire life. He looked slowly around, head pounding, and his eyes fell on a girl curled up on a soft chair at his bedside fitfully sleeping. It took him a minute to recognize her. It took him even longer to compute, you could be sure. Some random girl he'd never met before that night, practically a stranger, sitting up with him in a hospital the entire night? People didn't do that for other people. Definitely not in the environment he'd grown up in. More likely they propped you up, if that, maybe tossed a blanket over you if they were particularly generous that day, and ditched, figuring you'd pull through. He tried to find his voice to speak but couldn't. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth. "Miss," he finally managed to hoarsely whisper.

The woman stirred awake, her gorgeous amber eyes falling on him, and the way she lit up to see him awake and alive… It did something to him. "Ozzy," she breathed, and that did something to him too. He swallowed thickly and suddenly felt incredibly self conscious and embarrassed.

"Did I hurt anyone?" he numbly asked.

Empathy filled her eyes, and she shook her head. "No one who didn't deserve it," she answered. "You kicked the ass of some guy beating up his girlfriend because she tried to stop him from feeling her up."

"She okay?" he asked in concern.

"She's right here," she answered, smiling sadly at him. He started, bowled over, and lost all ability to form coherent sentences. Her smile fell slowly. "Thank you," she said. "I know you probably hate yourself for losing control like that, I know you probably didn't plan to hurt him, but it wasn't only evil that came of it, alright? There was some good too, so please. Don't let the guilt eat you up."

"I didn't… I don't wanna be my old man!" he said, looking away from her and sounding pained.

"You won't be. You were the one saving the person that was being hurt, not the one doing the hurting," Aubrey said. Ozzy turned woefully to her. She smiled ruefully. "Your lips get a little too loose when you're drunk," she said.

"Oh god," he said, burying his face in his hands. He didn't want to know.

She was silent a moment. "I'm flattered you think I'm supermodel material," she teased gently.

"Oh god!" he exclaimed. "Was I the reason your boyfriend…?"

"Ex," she cut off. "That was the last time he ever raised a hand against me, and no, it wasn't your fault. He'd been berating my looks before the beating, trying to humiliate me. That's why you said what you did. While attacking him."

"Glad you got outta that contract when you did," Ozzy dryly said.

She smiled ever so slightly, but the smile slowly vanished again. "It was touch and go for a moment they say. Had to pump your stomach to save your life… I'm not going to ask about the phone call, I can surmise it had something to do with your parents, but was it really so bad you needed to try and drink yourself to death?"

"Into a stupor, not to death. Guess that didn't exactly pan out," Ozzy replied.

She nodded and considered her response. "Is this going to be an ongoing problem?" she asked.

"Look, it's not somethin' I do regularly, okay?" he said with a sigh. "Usually try my best to avoid that stuff, 'cause becomin' my father? That ain't on my agenda. When I slip up, though, I slip up bad. Real bad."

"I guess we'll have to work on that then, won't we?" she replied, smiling kindly at him.

"W-we?" he said, stammering a bit and flushing.

She smiled, resting her chin and cheek in a hand looking vastly amused. "Would you rather do it alone?" she asked. He stared at her, extremely puzzled. "When you're trying to conquer something, having a partner hold you accountable and check up on you can do wonders," she said.

"Partner?" he asked. He hated the way his voice cracked a little.

She grinned, eyes glittering a bit, and was clearly fighting the urge not to tease him about how the word had flustered him. "Why not?" she asked.

He stared at her like a fool. He couldn't help it! The woman was drop dead gorgeous! Petite but toned build, short brown hair, amber eyes, sunkissed skin… "O-okay? I guess? Let's partner up." He hated the way he faltered a bit on the word 'partner' again. "Can't be worse off than I am now."

"We need to work on your optimism," she teased. He couldn't help but smirk and huff a bit of a laugh. She grinned, pleased to have gotten an almost-chuckle out of him, and stood. "Well then rest up partner. You need it. Here. My number. In case you need me for anything. I'll see you on campus when they release you. Let me know when you're out. And if you need a ride."

"S-sure. Aubrey, right?" he said.

"You remembered! That's great!" she giddily said. She caught her breath and flushed a bit, eyes widening like she was shocked she'd blurted that out. He grinned. It was the first time he'd seen her flustered, and he was more than a little pleased he'd caused it.

"I mean, you're not wrong considerin' I barely remember anythin' else," Ozzy said.

She smiled once more, a little shyly this time, and nodded. "Take care of yourself Ozzy, okay? If they haven't released you by tomorrow, I'll maybe stop by again."

"Sure. Uh, goodnight Aubrey," he said.

"Goodnight," she replied, smiling at him. He couldn't help but watch after her as she left.

Subnautica

He stood outside the hospital struggling to decide whether to get a ride or not. She'd said to let her know when he was out, and he had. Now she'd asked if he wanted a lift, and he wasn't sure how to answer that. He shifted a little. He didn't want to scare her away or nothing, but she had offered. Tentatively he sent her a confirmation and let out a breath. He told himself to get it together. She was just a nice girl he'd met at a party. Practically a stranger. Nothing was happening between them, nothing ever would. She was way out of his league anyway. Probably rich, probably brilliant, definitely gorgeous, kind as he'd ever seen… Her ambitions and goals were probably leagues ahead of his own, so it was best he stomp down thoughts of a potential relationship here and now.

It was ten minutes before she got there. Tensest ten minutes of his life. When she stepped out of her vehicle wearing some gorgeous yellow floral sundress, his mouth went dry. "Ozzy, hi!" she called cheerfully. Stiffly he approached, palms feeling clammy.

"Hi Aubrey," he greeted.

She frowned in concern. "Hey, is something the matter?" she asked.

"With-with me? Nah. Just, uh, still a little unsteady," he lied.

"Then we'd better get you back to your dorm where you can rest," she said.

"Oh, I um, live and work on board a spaceship," he said.

"Well, that's a boast if ever there was one," she said, sounding amused.

"No, I really do!" he said. "It's called the Borealis. Captain is James Hollister. One of the best around. I work the café and do some mechanics on the side. I can uh, show you around. If you want."

She considered this a moment then smiled and nodded in agreement. "Alright. Let's go. Show me this spaceship of yours."

"Hollister's," Ozzy corrected. She grinned and nodded.

Subnautica

"Whoa. This is really something," she said, admiring every nook and cranny of the ship in vast curiosity. "This isn't purely Alterran made."

"It's not?" Ozzy asked.

"No. I'm seeing signs of Mongolian engineering as well. Sol also. Maybe some Savannaha and Oceanic too," she said.

"You can pick all that out?" he asked, impressed.

"Of course," she replied, smiling at him. "It's part of my studies after all."

"Oh yeah, engineering," he said, flushing a bit. She smiled and went back to admiring the craftsmanship. He shifted a little. "Uh, Aubrey, you hungry?" he asked. She gave him a curious look. "Just thought I might whip us up somethin' to eat if you were," he said.

"Don't you need to rest?" she asked.

"I'm feelin' okay enough to cook," he answered with a smile.

"If you're sure," she said, a little concerned.

"I am," he replied, grinning at her.

Subnautica

It was just them with the entire canteen to themselves, and Ozzy tried real hard not to think about it that way or let his imagination get away from him. They were eating, that was all. This wasn't a date or anything. There was no way she'd have been down for that. "So, guess you heard me spill plenty about myself at the party, huh?" he said.

She smiled ruefully at him. "I'm half convinced you poured out your entire life's story. I wanted to stop you because I know that if I did something like that, I'd be humiliated. I was afraid you would probably be too. I couldn't get to you though. My ex had me… preoccupied," she said.

He winced and decided not to pursue that line of questioning. "So, how about you take a turn? Tell me a little about yourself. Pretty sure you know everything about me by now, but I know precious little about you," he said.

She smiled at him. "I'm Sol by heritage, but was raised Alterran. My birth parents disappeared when I was young. They worked on board a spaceship like you. One day it went off on an expedition and just… never came back. Disappeared into thin air. My best guess is they were killed. I was adopted not long after," she said.

"Family well-off?" he asked.

"Some might even say wealthy," she replied with a soft smile. "I try not to bring attention to that sort of thing though. It's a surefire way to guarantee none of your friends are true, I feel. A surefire way to sabotage any future prospective relationship as well. You just never know if they're in it for the money or for you."

He winced a little. If any part of him had hoped something could come of this before, it didn't now. If she'd told him she was wealthy, judging by what she was saying she probably had no intention of getting romantic with him. Of course, if he looked at it that way then it was a pretty good sign she didn't want to make friends with him either, but here they were being friendly, right? Or was this just a little courtesy before they parted ways and never met up again?

"Oh. Must be tough," he said, not completely able to hide the glumness in his voice. "Sorry you gotta go through that." She frowned, tilting her head curiously at him. She picked up on cues like no one's business it seemed. He'd have to watch himself.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm uh, feelin' a headache comin' on actually. Maybe we should just wrap this up. You can take what's left with you if you want. No big deal," Ozzy said.

"It is delicious," she replied, smiling a little. "The best I've tasted since leaving home." He didn't meet her eyes or smile. She frowned a little. "Ozzy?" she asked. He glanced at her. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Nah. It's fine, promise," Ozzy said. "I just… thanks. For savin' my life and bein' there for me at the hospital. For the ride too. I owe you one. Two. Three actually."

She seemed to be reviewing the things she'd said in her head, because suddenly her eyes lit up in realization and she looked a little alarmed. "Oh. Oh, Ozzy, no. I didn't mean it like that! You just have this way about you, you know? It makes people want to open up to you. Tell you things they wouldn't usually. Oh gosh, I never even thought of how it might sound to you. I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean it like that."

He looked surprised at first, but then couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "R-really? I-I mean thanks."

She smiled, relaxing a little now that she felt her error had been corrected. "Seriously. You're an excellent listener. I'm not sure what it is, but talking to you comes so easy. Just… be careful with it, alright. I can't imagine it's easy to lock up the woes of a hundred different people inside you and have no one to share your own with."

"Eh, it's not so bad," Ozzy said, smiling and shrugging a shoulder. "Sometimes stuff gets pretty heavy yeah, and that's tough to deal with, but you kinda get used to it."

"As long as you don't depress yourself doing it," she said with a concerned frown. "Look, if you ever need someone to talk to, you have my number alright?"

"Yeah. Hey, thanks LaFette," he said, smiling at her fondly. She flushed ever so slightly and focused on her food once more.

Subnautica

He and LaFette had been tight all through college. He'd hoped they'd keep going strong even beyond it in other ways. Things didn't always turn out like you hoped though.

He wasn't sure what had driven him to go out walking that night. It wasn't something he usually did, but he just couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. He figured the walk would ease his mind. Then he heard the screaming. Her screaming. "Aubrey?!" he shouted without thinking, immediately racing in its direction. "Aubrey! Aubrey, where are ya?!"

"Ozzy!" she shrieked.

"Shut up!" he heard a man snap. He scowled and poured on the speed, barrelling towards the voices. He arrived in time to see a man fleeing the scene. She was on the ground sobbing. It was clear she'd been beaten up bad. Clearer still that the guy had had no intentions of stopping there, given her blouse had been torn open. She scrambled towards him quickly and threw herself into his arms. He was seeing red and glaring after the guy, desperately wanting to chase him down and beat him into a fine pulp, but with her in his arms sobbing, that wasn't gonna happen. He pulled her to her feet quickly and got her away from there as quickly as possible.

He brought her to her dorm safe and sound. Begged for her to go to a hospital until she finally relented and agreed. He took her without hesitation and waited anxiously for the report. It wasn't pretty, but not as bad as it could have been either. She'd put up a fair fight. A good enough one, at least, for him to make it to her in time to stop it from getting worse. He brought her home, made sure she was safe, and stayed the night on the couch just to be sure no one tried anything funny.

Come morning, she was quiet. Sat across from him at the table in her housecoat, both hands shaking and grasping a mug of hot cocoa. He was quiet. Wasn't his place to breach conversation right now. "Hungry?" he finally asked. She shook her head, and he didn't say anything again. Just stayed there as long as she needed until at last she felt comfortable enough to send him away. Leaving her was the last thing he wanted to do, but she probably needed some alone time now. And he needed to track down the creep who'd tried to… He didn't even wanna think about it. He wasn't gonna kill the guy or anything, that wasn't the type of person he was, but at least he'd know what the man looked like so he could keep her away from him.

Subnautica

One week later, she came to him with the news. Told him the guy who had attacked her that night had been her ex. Told him how helpless she'd felt when he grabbed her. Told him she never wanted to feel like that again. She said she was thinking of trying her hand in the army for a bit. Figured the training she'd get there would help her not to be such an easy mark. He despised that her ex had made her feel this way…

"I don't like it," he said.

"I know," she quietly answered. "But I need this. If he hadn't run, if something had happened to you… It would have been my fault, and I wouldn't have been able to do a thing to stop it."

"I wouldn't have wanted you to get involved! Just one more person to look out for who could end up dead. Aubrey please. You don't need to do this," he said.

"I want to," she said. "I have to."

"And if it doesn't help?" he asked.

"Then at least I tried! At least I'll still have some sort of knowledge about what to do and how to protect myself as best I can," she said.

"Take a martial arts class. Don't join the flippin' army!" Ozzy protested. She was quiet head hung in frustration and guilt. "LaFette…" he began.

"I'm going," she said.

He felt like he'd been struck in the gut. Subconsciously he fingered the promise ring hidden in the pocket of his jacket, trying to ignore the pain he felt in that moment. She'd be gone maybe for years. He wouldn't see her for flipping years! When she came back, would she still be the same Aubrey he wondered? When she came back, would their relationship still be like it was now? Those questions terrified him more than he could ever say… For a long, long time he just stared at her, torn between anger and dismay.

"Fine," he finally relented, a bitter note in his voice that he couldn't hide. He pulled his hand from his pocket, leaving the ring there. "I hope this gives you what you're lookin' for." He hated the way her pretty lips turned down in a concerned frown at his testy remark.

"Ozzy?" she vulnerably asked, sounding almost scared.

"Just…" he began before trailing off with a defeated sight. "Just don't go and get yourself killed, okay? Be careful. Come back to me alive, Aubrey. I'm beggin' ya."

"I will. Don't worry about me. Everything will be okay," she promised, tentatively smiling at him again. He wasn't sure how much he believed that… He watched her walk away that night and cursed himself for not working up the courage to give her the stupid ring…

Chapter Text

Ryley had no idea for how long he'd slept, but when he woke up, he felt like something was different. Frowning curiously, he lifted his head and looked around. Things felt… off. Like they were in motion? Wait… His eyes slowly widened, and he caught his breath, leaping out of bed and racing to a window. He pulled back the panelling covering it, peered out, and gasped in horror, lungs expanding about as much as was humanly possible. He was in space!

He began to inwardly panic, slamming the panelling shut and having a mild freak out. Had they forgotten he was here? Had they kidnapped him? Were they slavers or traffickers or pirates stealing him away to sell him off somewhere? No, that was ridiculous he told himself. That only happened in stories. Okay, maybe not just in stories, but that was beside the point! They'd seemed so genuine. Maybe that was how they tricked you though. Or maybe they really had just forgotten he was here and headed off into space, dragging him along unintentionally. Would they be mad if he showed himself? Would he be in trouble? It wasn't his fault if they forgot he was here! Dammit, what did he do? Where did he go? Maybe to Ozzy's café? To Hollister directly? Did he wait until someone came to get him? Did he hide out here and just sneak food and water until they returned to port, and he could sneak off again? No one ever had to know he was still on this ship! Especially not if he wasn't supposed to be. He could disappear like that! He was great at disappearing.

After his momentary freakout, he got it together and drew a breath. Okay. Be calm, be collected, be adaptable. He was good at that. He was good at taking a bad situation and turning it around as fast as possible. Get down to work, don't think too much about it, get yourself in order, get established, then start to panic. When it was safe to do so. Time to look at this rationally. He'd put on his big boy pants, he'd walk out there, he'd go to Ozzy's café, he'd hope the man didn't lose it on him, he'd enlist his help if the guy proved reasonable, then he'd go to Hollister. He could do this. Taking another breath, he exited the cabin and looked warily around like he was sneaking about. He grimaced, tried to tell himself this wasn't a situation where he needed to skulk, and set off bravely for the café, hoping for the best.

He reached said café in about three minutes and peered inside. His heart plummeted. Ozzy and Hollister were there, but so were a host of other crew members. It looked like they'd all sat down to a meal, which meant it was either breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and he was about to interrupt it. A total stranger to most of these people. That invited questions he didn't want to handle. Maybe skulking wasn't such a bad idea after all. He made as if to leave, but just then Ozzy caught sight of him and smiled.

"Ryley!" he called. Ryley froze, catching his breath. Everyone's heads turned his way, and a hush fell over the room that he immediately despised. "About time you got back to the land of the livin'. Pull up a stool and have somethin' to eat. You must be starvin'," Ozzy continued like he was oblivious to the looks the rest of the crew were giving the stranger in their midst. Ryley swallowed hard, whimpered quietly to himself, and approached the man, feet feeling like lead. "We were startin' to really worry there," Ozzy said as Ryley tentatively sat on a stool. Ryley gave him a curious look. "You've been sleeping for almost three days straight," Ozzy bluntly explained. Ryley's eyes blew open in shock. "Here, drink up. You must really need it by now." Ozzy slid him a few bottles of water, and about that time Ryley realized how thirsty he really was. He swallowed with a parched throat and lips and took the water, downing it quickly. "Hey, I'll whip up somethin' special just for you. Restocked at the last port. Let's get some food in ya. A lot of it. Goodness knows you're gonna need the energy," Ozzy continued.

Ryley gave him a curious look, but nodded nonetheless and cautiously began looking around. There were still some eyes on him, but most had gone back to what they were doing. He stiffened when he saw the Captain rising and approaching though. Hollister soon sat down at his side. "We were considering stopping over at the next station and getting you medical intervention," he said. Ryley was quiet, staring at him. "How long have you gone without sleep?" the Captain asked. Ryley hesitated, then sheepishly raised two fingers. Then added one more and shrugged in uncertainty. What on earth is going on in your head man?" Hollister demanded. Ryley bowed his head a bit ashamedly.

"Go easy on him Cap'n. He's a mute, en't he? Probably just wants t' prove he's just as good as everyone else," one of the other crew members said. Ryley looked curiously towards him. Not that he wasn't grateful, but he had no idea who this was.

"I'm well aware of Alterra's views on the disabled," Hollister dryly said. "I can't imagine growing up with that was at all pleasant." Ryley frowned and shook his head, then gave the crew member and that crew member's companion a curious look. "Of course. Introductions. Ryley, Victor Huggins and Josephine Fournier. Cousins. Huggins, Fournier, Ryley Robinson," the Captain said.

"Hey," Fournier said, giving him a warm smile.

"Ozzy's talked a lot about you. You left quite the impression on our resident chef," Huggins added, smirking. "Here." He moved over to the counter and slid Ryley a paper and pencil in case he needed to write anything down.

Ryley gave him a grateful look. "Tell us, Robinson. What drives you?" Fournier asked, balling her hands and resting her chin on them, intent on studying him.

Ryley frowned then began to write. Soon he handed the paper over to the others to read through. "Well, you're an ambitious one, aren'cha? 'Bout as determined as I've seen in a long time. Keep up the good work I say. One day it'll pay off," Huggins said as he finished reading and handed it to his cousin. "'Specially if you're always so methodical."

"Humph, a word of advice though, Mr. Robinson. Don't be quite so anal as you were with my ship. For the sake of your own sanity," Hollister said, frowning at him. Ryley shrugged and wrote something down. "The work keeps you sane, hmm? I suppose after years of being put down and refused any sort of meaningful work, you would be quite enthusiastic about it." Ryley wrote a little more down. Hollister read it and smirked, snorting a half-laugh. "If minimum wage grunt work is all you'll ever be capable of, you'll be the best you can possibly be at it, hmm?" He slid the paper over again. "Tell me, why do you think you'll only ever pass as a grunt?" Ryley jotted a response down. Hollister read it. "No, I don't suppose barking orders would come easy to a mute, but I'm sure there are other ways you could get the message across." Ryley scribbled a response. "Sign language is a dying art, is it? I suppose in the sort of environment Alterra has fostered, that makes more sense than I would care to admit. I doubt a single person on this ship knows it, or even bothered to learn." He looked up at Ryley. "I can see the practicality of its application though. I'll tell you what. You're going to be stuck with us for a few weeks. Maybe a month, maybe two. You were so dead to the world I didn't have the heart to wake you, so instead I took you with us. Don't worry. You'll return home soon enough. Until then you'll be well taken care of on this ship and certainly reimbursed for the inconvenience of being stuck in space with nothing but the clothes on your back and the gear you hauled along. Doubly imbursed if you accept the offer that I make you." Ryley tilted his head curiously. "While you're here, teach my crew sign language. As I said, I can see the practicality of its application. Who knows when it might come in handy, after all?" Ryley stared at him blankly, hardly able to believe his ears. "Well, what do you say? Hollister said. "I'm certain communicating in such a way will be far more efficient for you than writing down everything you wish to say."

"We'd join that class," Fournier said, gesturing between herself and Huggins. "Ozzy would too probably."

Ryley stared a moment, considering this, then finally nodded in agreement. "Very well then. It's settled. Start tomorrow. Pick a time," Hollister said. Ryley showed ten fingers then two more. "Twelve? Lunch? Yes, I suppose that would be most convenient. Lunch and learn. Efficient. I'm impressed. So be it. You have access to anything on this ship you need to make up resources for your lessons. I will be eagerly anticipating them. Not everyone will be of the same mind, of course, but I feel that most will eventually come around. And Robinson, should you run into any problems on board, let me know and I'll be sure to deal with them. I will not have you treated as a freak under my watch." Ryley nodded, overwhelmed. Nodding was all he could have done even if he had been able to speak, at this point. "Excellent," Hollister finished, standing up.

"Don't worry sir. Jo and I'll watch his back," Huggins said, smirking mischievously.

"You're not taking him out to play catch with meteors, Huggins. That's final," the Captain firmly said before leaving.

Ryley started and gave Huggins a shocked look. Huggins grinned wickedly. "Bit of a spoilsport, en't he?" Huggins said. Ryley stared incredulously at him.

"It's not as crazy as it sounds. There are these exosuits, see? Victor can't help but test their limits. Tougher than anything you've ever seen. Tougher than this ship. Probably tougher than the one we're shipping them to as well." Ryley tilted his head curiously. Jo smiled. "You think the Borealis is something? Just wait until you see the Aurora." Fournier said. Ryley wrote something else down and handed it over. Fournier read his question and chuckled a little before looking up at him once more. "The Aurora is Alterra's crowning glory. A brand-new Alterra Long-Range Capital Ship. The first of its class. Biggest ship anyone has ever laid eyes on. There's room on board for one-hundred-fifty passengers and then some. It's due for a maiden voyage pretty soon—a mission to travel to the Ariadne Arm and build a phasegate. Multi-year journey, when you tally up all the time it will take in total. One-hundred-fifty-seven are slated to join it. I run a shipping company. They contracted me to ship the components of the Phase Gate that Aurora will be transporting. They asked if I had any recommendations for a Captain who could fly the vessel. I'd travelled once or twice in Hollister's company for shipping jobs—sometimes with Huggins—and had seen firsthand how skilled of a captain he was, so I put forth his name without question. Not that it mattered. He was already the first pick."

"Alterra knows a good thing when they see it," Huggins threw in.

"So they contacted Hollister, arranged for him to take on the mission, then sent him a list of crewmembers they required him to bring along. They gave him the go-ahead to fill out the rest of the register with various selections of his own which they'll review later. Alterra will have the final say on who stays and who goes. Some positions were open-ended, others were guided. For the guided ones they gave Hollister a list of potential candidates and left it up to him to narrow that list down, so he's had to be pretty choosey. When he set out to pick up the required crew and do his recruiting with Ozzy and Keen, I got wind of it, and since Alterra had asked me to ship a bunch of exosuits up to the Aurora in preparation for the voyage, I contracted him to help me out figuring we'd save a few credits teaming up and tackling our respective missions at the same time. He agreed, now here we are. Still collecting crew, still recruiting. There'll be a few Alterra picks that'll show up the day of departure, but other than that, the job is straightforward."

Ryley nodded, took back the paper, and wrote something else down before handing it over to them again. Huggins took it this time. "You want our stories then? Fair enough." He jerked a thumb at Fournier. "Older cousin despite me accent and her lack of one."

"I have about three years on him," Fournier said, smirking. "Mom and dad? Their relationship didn't hold up too well. Not that I'm surprised. Alterran ideals and Sol ones are pretty distinct. Dad walked into it with expectations mom couldn't meet, mom walked into it with ones dad couldn't. They figured to try and see if a kid would save it, and to no one's surprise, it didn't. Mom ended up moving back to Alterran territories to live with her brother."

"Her brother was me old man," Huggins said. "He were southern Alterran to my mother's northern, but despite that, Jo was always in my life. Her parents' marriage hadn't ended badly, just ended."

"Victor ended up a lot more carefree than your average Alterran. Not a surprise. He spent more time with his mother than his father, and since Northern Alterrans are generally more easygoing than southern ones, he picked up the mannerisms," Fournier said.

"You say like I didn't get them from you too," he said, smiling at her. Fournier smirked a bit.

Ozzy approached with a full breakfast of toast, eggs, bacon, and fruit, and set it down in front of Ryley. Ryley's eyes widened. It was the most food he'd ever seen in his life! "So whadaya think, Ry? You mentioned you wanna prove yourself. You figure this impromptu space voyage will be opportunity enough for you?" the cook asked with a grin. Ryley blinked at him in disbelief, then looked at the food again and began to eat, choosing not to answer that. Ozzy chuckled and patted his shoulder as he sat next to him again. Ryley left the café that day with a list of ship rules to study, courtesy of his three companions, so he wouldn't feel so out of place or lost.

Subnautica

Head still swimming from all that was happening, Ryley made up the materials he believed he would need to teach the crew sign language the next day. As soon as he was done that, he was out and about seeking ways to improve and maintain the ship as best he could. It seemed that maintenance was split between crew members and monitored with a schedule. If he could take the pressure off them in that regard, not only would he not have to feel useless, but maybe he'd also get a good reference out of it. Or a few. He didn't let anyone know he was doing this of course. It would get back to the Captain either way, he realized. It was only a matter of time before it was brought to the man's attention that someone was handling maintenance exclusively, and it wouldn't be hard to piece together who. He gave it a couple days at most.

It took half of one.

He sat down in the café when the dinner bell sounded through the ship. The first face he was met with was Hollister's, who plopped down across from him and startled him. "Huggins tells me someone has been taking care of ship maintenance behind the scenes," the man said. Ryley blinked at him in disbelief. "Word travels fast," the man said. Ryley was quiet. "Need I even bother to ask if it was you?" Hollister asked. Ryley shifted a bit. "Hmm… Keep up the good work, Robinson." Ryley started, eyes widening, then nodded quickly. He hadn't expected that positive of a reception. Hollister nodded back then left once more to mingle with the rest of his crew.

"High praise from the captain. Nice job," Fournier said, joining him with a tray. Ryley looked at her in disbelief. She smirked. "The one you'll really have to impress, though, is Second Officer Keen." Ryley tilted his head curiously. "Right. We never really filled you in on him, did we? He's Hollister's right hand. The Captain practically raised him. He was an orphan Hollister picked up one day and never put down."

"T' be fair, it wasn't like Keen's life was goin' anywhere except down the gutter," Huggins said, the next to join them at the table. "Story we heard is he was a young teenager when Hollister scoped him out. Destined for big trouble. Guess the Captain saved him from disappearin' into the system and never bein' seen again." Ryley pointed to himself. "Nah, Keen wasn't like you. I mean he has his problems, but not ones Alterra acknowledges."

"They're not exactly big advocates of mental health," Fournier threw in. "They do just enough to put on airs and increase productivity, but that's about the extent of it."

"Point is he's a real hardnose. Set in his ways. Has the makings of a true Alterra stooge, but at the same time he's just about the farthest you can get from one. You just have t' know how to handle him right," Huggins said.

"He's on leave right now, so you don't really need to worry about him," Fournier added. Ryley nodded, logging the information away for later.

"Hey guys. Food good?" Ozzy said, approaching them and leaning on the table with a warm smile.

"Do y' even have t' ask? 'Course it is. The day you churn out anythin' bad is the day we start t' worry," Huggins replied.

Ryley smiled at Ozzy, scribbled something on a piece of paper, and slid it over to him. Ozzy read through it. "A rundown of the crew? I mean, that's a lotta crew to name. The Borealis is Hollister's ship. Far as permanent crew he keeps, there aren't a whole lot. You've already met most of 'em. There's Hollister, Keen, and me. Fournier and Huggins I guess could be semi-regulars, but other than that, nadda. Most of the crew he uses are temps. One-timers lookin' to make a quick buck or land a decent-paying summer job. You're not gonna have to worry about them," Ozzy said.

Ryley nodded. It was a good starting point, and he found himself growing increasingly more excited for this voyage. He hoped desperately that he left a good impression on the Captain. He scribbled something on the back of a paper before pushing it over to his companions. "Headin' out to throw together a lesson plan? Good luck. I'm rootin' for ya, Ry. Really hope it all works out in your favour. Goodness knows you could use the break," Ozzy said. Ryley nodded and waved, leaving his companions behind. He wasn't the most extroverted guy around anyway. Ozzy and Huggins certainly were though. He wasn't sure about Fournier yet. Either way, the three of them at the same time was a bit overwhelming. He was barely used to one person at a time paying him attention. He should probably try and adjust to the change. After all, he'd be here a while.

Subnautica

His time on board the ship went by surprisingly fast. Ryley could hardly believe it. It was the best experience he'd ever had, honestly, and he'd been shown the most respect he'd ever known throughout it. Hollister had made sure of that. By the end of a month, most of the crew currently on board the Borealis were functional in the use of sign language, and it was rare he had to pick up a paper. As long as he went a little bit slow and kept it simple, they could keep up. The particularly studious had no trouble handling sign at his regular speed or grasping more complex concepts. Huggins and Fournier had caught on quickly. Ozzy was about average, as was Hollister, but that was fine. He could slow it down a bit for them. They, Huggins, and Fournier were about the only ones he interacted with regularly on board anyway.

The entire time he was with the crew, he was riding high. He barely even noticed it, so when he crashed, well, let's just say he hadn't expected to crash as hard as he did on the return trip… He'd seen the Aurora. Been in awe of it. They'd dropped off a batch of exosuits—there were more to come—and a load of crew members and headed back to return him home and pick up a fresh batch. Remembering what he was going back to and what he would be leaving behind made him physically sick. Up here he'd started to really feel… oh what was the word. Useful? At home? Respected? All the above plus more? Yeah, that was probably the one. He just wasn't sure how to express the feeling in words… Signs, rather; and that was saying something too, given how expressive and animated he tended to be.

Ryley was indifferent to most of the temp crew, and they were indifferent to him, but when he was around Hollister, Ozzy, Huggins, and Fournier… He didn't know. He guessed he actually felt like he was part of something. Like someone cared. Like he was seen and heard and acknowledged, and all of that was so completely new to him and felt so right and so good, and just the idea of leaving it behind… That was a hard pill to swallow.

The two days coming up to their docking, he didn't leave his room. Ozzy was first to notice, and deeply concerned, the chef had tried to coax him out but couldn't. Ozzy had gone to Hollister for help. Hollister hadn't pressed. Ryley got the feeling the Captain had a sense of why he was behaving like he was. After that, Ozzy didn't press either. Just sometimes sat outside the door sketching and talking to him through the barrier, filling the silence and keeping him company. Offering him some comfort too and sometimes even slipping a drawing beneath the door. Semi-regularly Huggins would stop by to try and invite him on a space walk, or Fournier would ask if he wanted to play a board game, but their attempts always fell flat and inevitably they gave up. Eventually though, on the day they would be docking, he let Ozzy in.

Ozzy just sat there at his side on the bed keeping quiet. Just being present. Ryley was more grateful for that than he would ever be able to express. "Hey, you'll be okay, alright?" Ozzy finally said when the port came into view. Ryley was quiet. Just stared at it approaching. "We're gonna see you again ya know. We'll be back in another couple weeks! Just… be here, okay? I'll treat ya to some of my best cooking. Heck, I'll even take ya somewhere nice if you wanna try somethin' new."

Ryley smirked a bit and jokingly signed: "Thought you weren't one to get into a relationship with a coworker." Well, that was what he aimed to say at least. It was easier to kind of mentally focus on what he wanted to express in words but couldn't, and display it through the signs as closely as he could. He'd almost come up with a language all his own doing that, which was a little counterintuitive, but still. It wasn't always verbatim what he would have liked to say if he could speak, but it got his points across.

Ozzy snorted, smirking. "You're cuter than most," he teased.

Ryley laughed and grinned, looking towards the port again. Soon he turned to Ozzy once more, his smile fading. "Thank you. For everything," he signed.

"Hey, you're my friend. You know I've always got your back," Ozzy replied, nudging him gently.

Ryley smiled. "Yeah. Friend," he signed. Wow that concept was new… The term was so foreign to him. He'd never really had a friend. Ever. He was a little too much for most to handle a lot of the time. Ozzy had just happened to match his energy somehow. It wasn't the same type of energy, but it was definitely on the same level. Huggins and Fournier were more the same type, but not so much the same level. Huggins sort of left him in the dust there. Fournier was a little closer but still up there. Ryley looked towards the port again and his smile fell.

"You're gonna be okay," Ozzy repeated gently. Ryley nodded even though he wasn't sure how much he believed that, but something about the chef just reassured you. Oz was a good guy.

Subnautica

As the Borealis pulled into port, Ryley stood in the front of the ship looking glumly towards the depressing docks. He didn't want to go back to that life… He heard footsteps approaching him from behind but didn't turn. He didn't need to. The footfalls were heavy and distinct and could only belong to one person aboard this ship.

The captain came up next to him and stopped at his side, looking out over the docks. "I'm looking for another new crew member you know," he said. "A Systems Maintenance Chief. Someone who can give orders and will carry out the tasks assigned them to the best of their ability." A sad look passed over Ryley's face. If Hollister got himself a Systems Maintenance Chief, there would be no need for his services anymore he knew. A part of him had sort of hoped he'd made himself indispensable to the man. A part of him had hoped the captain would find some reason to let him stay… "Do you really think so little of yourself, Robinson? You tend to give off the impression you think much more of yourself than most do," Hollister continued, turning to him ruefully. Ryley started and looked quickly up at the man, eyes wide. "I want to hire you. Bring you on as a member of my crew. Not only on the Borealis, but the Aurora too. Goodness knows it's long overdue. I kept letting it slip my mind. It always seemed so natural having you on board. Even I sometimes caught myself forgetting you weren't my man."

Ryley stared at the Captain hopefully. "Are you sure about this?" he signed.

"My boy, I haven't been so sure of anything for a long time now," Hollister replied after deciphering the signs. "I want you part of my team. If you will accept it."

"What if I can't live up to it?" Ryley signed.

"You have yet to disappoint," Hollister replied. "Do you accept or not?"

Ryley shifted a bit, suddenly nervous and a little overwhelmed. He'd wanted this desperately from the moment he'd first set foot on this ship, but now that it was in front of him… He wasn't sure. He felt scared. Uncertainly he nodded his head, realized how ridiculous he was being doubting himself, then narrowed his eyes determinedly and nodded again with more confidence.

"That's the spirit. Now get your things together and report here by five tomorrow morning. Welcome to the crew my lad," the Captain said. Ryley grinned widely, beaming at the man as he began to comprehend what this meant for him. He was stepping into a new future, and for the first time in his life, it actually looked bright.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Second Officer Keen was a hardnose. The strictest of the strict. Everything needed to be done by the book, every order needed to be followed without question. Down time? What was that? Breaks? If you absolutely must. Lunch? Scarf down a nutrient block and get back to work. There were duties to attend to. Ryley would never claim he got along with the man. Captain Hollister hadn't immediately introduced him to Keen as the new Systems Maintenance Chief. It seemed he much preferred to ease into that when it came to his SO. Within a week, Ryley understood why. If ever anyone had looked down their nose at him, it was the Second Officer. Ozzy kept reassuring him the guy wasn't so bad, and that he really wasn't as tactless or prejudiced as he was coming across, but Ryley had yet to be convinced.

In every way, shape, and form, he and Keen clashed. They were polar opposites. Keen liked to be in control, Ryley didn't like to be controlled. Keen had a level head that lent to sound decisions, Ryley struggled with a hothead that led to some pretty questionable impulse reactions. If Keen said up, Ryley went down. If Keen said stop, Ryley would go. A part of it was general pettiness, but a bigger part was because they had two completely different outlooks on the same situations. If Keen wanted to be cautious and plan, Ryley would take the plunge and chance it. You got the picture. When Captain Hollister finally informed the SO that the mute on board was the new Systems Maintenance Chief, it went about as well as expected. Keen was visibly outraged.

"Captain, I advise very strongly against this!" the Second Officer blurted.

"Why?" Hollister challenged simply.

"What good will he be in a situation where orders must be immediately and clearly given and followed? What use is sign language in the midst of chaos where no one's eyes are on anything other than what they're doing at any given time?" Keen demanded.

"He has already proven himself to me, Keen, but it seems my recommendation means precious little to you," the Captain said, frowning at the man.

Keen seemed to fall in line briefly, but then quickly took an attitude again. "Extend the trial period. I should like to see how he handles high-pressure situations with my own eyes," he said.

"What issue do you really take with this, Jonathan?" the Captain asked.

"Precisely that!" Keen insisted.

"Don't lie to me, boy," the Captain warned.

"The man is a total wildcard with no regard whatsoever for any order handed him by his superiors aboard this ship!" Keen blurted, caving immediately.

"Just you," Ryley signed. Hollister gave him a harsh look and he winced, lowering his hands and resorting to glaring.

"Keen, no one but you has reported any trouble with Mr. Robinson," Hollister said, looking back at his officer.

"Because no one else on this godforsaken ship can be bothered," Keen argued. Ryley scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Enough," Hollister sharply chastised the two of them, giving Ryley a warning look. Ryley backed down, hunching in on himself. Hollister turned his attentions back to Keen. "This is how it's going to be. Like it or not, Mr. Robinson is part of our crew now. Learn to live with it."

"But sir…!" Keen began.

"Enough Keen! If you wish to discuss this further, you will do so in private with me," Hollister said. Ryley made a sound of protest. "Don't you worry yourself about it, Robinson. If it should be pertinent for you to hear, you'll hear of it." Ryley frowned but begrudgingly let the matter go. He gave Keen a dark, annoyed look. The SO glared back with equal spite.

Subnautica

Over the years, Keen knew, Captain Hollister had picked up many strays. Of all those strays though, none took the cake like Ryley Robinson. Ozzy was an insufferable but lovable twit. Robinson was just plain insufferable. A twit as well. He'd met him when he returned from a requested leave. A leave that had gone about as badly as you would have expected for someone with his luck. It was best to not think about the details of that sorry soiree, he decided. For his own sanity's sake.

The first thing he had been greeted with, upon his return to the Borealis, were stories of a mute who had travelled with the Captain on his latest expedition that Hollister had every intention of travelling with again. Not so bad, right? He had actually been quite keen on meeting the young man in question. Right up until he had. Then reality came back with jarring force.

Robinson was defiant, abrasive, stubborn, prone to complaining, too inquisitive for his own good, too observant for anyone's peace of mind, and all-around difficult to handle. Robinson was a pest of the highest caliber. Robinson had caught the captain's eye more than anyone else ever had since Keen himself, and Keen was less than pleased about it. Worst of all, Robinson saw through the airs he put on to keep the crew in check and had a desire to expose him to them. He might have succeeded too if not for Ozzy. Had he mentioned how dear he held the chef? No? Well, he held him very dear. Not that Ozzy would ever have the satisfaction of knowing as much. Oz was a good man and a good friend who had gone out of his way to watch out for him and protect him during his youth, after Hollister had taken him in. The chef had had the audacity to call it babysitting just to mock him, but truth be told, he would have been lost without Oz in his younger years. Ozzy had developed something of a big-brother complex towards him back then and had treated him accordingly, always watching out for him or helping him with his problems when Hollister couldn't or was too busy to. Homework? Oz tried. Relationship advice? Not a problem. Bullies? They had better hope the Captain got to them before Oz did. Graduation? Ozzy had cancelled a date and closed the canteen early with no hesitation to be there for him right along with Hollister. Keen remembered graduation day. Some years ago now. He had gone with an old friend of his, Saran Yu. She'd been stunning that night. To feel her arm linked through his… Quickly he shook off the stray thought, chastising himself for it. The point was, when Hollister finally separated him and Robinson, it was barely in time to stop outright war. It wasn't that Ryley was a bad sort, he just wasn't the sort that Keen got along with. He dealt with enough defiance as was from another old friend of his. A young man by the name of Cameron Berkeley. He didn't need Robinson's defiance on top of that. Frankly, Keen wasn't sure anything could salvage the shreds of his and Ryley's relationship, if you could call it that, but he knew Hollister was hoping for the best and most certainly didn't want to disappoint the man. Not after everything the Captain had done for him.

Subnautica

Ryley had learned really quick that Keen was not a fan of defiance. The SO was used to people falling in line without question. The few who didn't always threw him for a loop and knocked his self-assurance down about twenty pegs. High-maintenance and Keen didn't go well together. He had no temper for that. Anyone breaking protocol caused him to get flustered and let common sense slip, because deep down inside, Keen was not a confident or secure man. It was a glaring weakness the SO needed to work on, but most no one even knew about it because Keen gave off such an authoritative aura that no one dared try him. Those who did were the ones who saw what he hid away. Ryley was one of those few. He half wondered what would happen if he just casually exposed the reality of it to the rest of the crew and knocked the Officer off his high horse.

"Ryley, this is moronic," Ozzy flatly said when he finished reading through Ryley's little proposal.

"Well someone needs to humble him a bit!" Ryley signed in annoyance.

"He's the Second Officer! He can't afford to lose that kinda credibility. I ain't gonna stop ya if this is what you're hellbent on doing, but I'm warnin' you now, you're gonna regret it. There's a reason people who know the truth about Keen keep their mouths shut. Me included." Ryley started in surprise. Ozzy smirked wryly. "It's called respect. Look, I know you two don't get along, but Keen's a good guy. Better than you think. Believe it or not, when he was younger, he was actually a lot like you! Careless, a little reckless, kinda defiant… He grew out of it as he got older and gained experience. Hollister taught him well. Point is he doesn't deserve this. Just give him a chance, will ya?"

"Why should I give him a chance when he won't even entertain the thought of giving me one?!" Ryley demanded through signing.

Ozzy sighed. "Fine. Do what you gotta do, but I'm not kiddin'. You pull this off and you'll regret it," Ozzy said.

"What's he going to do? Shoot me?" Ryley signed with a snort.

"It's not about what he's gonna do, it's about what you're gonna do," Ozzy replied. Briefly Ryley hesitated before steeling himself and firmly shaking his head. "Okay, fine, but don't say I didn't warn ya. Here he comes."

Ryley turned around with a frown and saw the Second Officer entering the room. A hush immediately fell over the crew before the chatter started back up again. This time, though, far quieter than it had been before. Ryley was mildly disgusted to see them all quelled like that. Keen approached the counter. "Ozzy, the usual if you please," Keen said.

"Sure thing, Scamp," Ozzy replied, turning to go prep it.

Keen frowned at him in annoyance then glanced over at Ryley coldly, pinning him with a condescending gaze. "Robinson," he icily said.

Ryley nodded in acknowledgement then signed: "Tell the truth. You get off on the fear you bring?"

"There is a difference between fear and respect," Keen snapped. "Not that I imagine you know anything about the latter."

"Not that you'd get any of the former if they saw the real you," Ryley signed in retaliation.

Keen fixed him with a hard, dark look. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" he asked coldly. Ryley just smirked. Keen glared at him darkly a moment longer before huffing and turning attention back to Ozzy. "Can we hurry this up Oz? I have places to be that aren't here."

"That better not be a dig at my café," Ozzy warned, frowning at him.

"It's not," Keen replied, giving Ryley a pointed look. Ozzy shrugged and finished the prep before putting it all together and letting it cook. Ryley scoffed, got up, and left in annoyance.

Subnautica

As Keen passed by a room on patrol, he heard the Captain's voice and paused to listen. "Now, now, Robinson. Keen's not so bad. I think he may be a little jealous of you though. The last time I showed this much favor to anyone, it was to him," Hollister said. Keen started and frowned. This bore closer inspection. He crept nearer to the door. "Only-child syndrome? That's a new one. I suppose Ozzy's been telling you stories?" A pause. "Suddenly daddy dearest is paying attention to someone who isn't him and you feel he's taking it out on you? Be careful, Robinson. I'm not one to tolerate any disrespect aboard this ship. I've told Keen off for it about a dozen times and I'll do the same for you… Now, now, I know Keen doesn't make it easy for you to like him, but don't take it to heart. As far as he's concerned, it isn't in his job description to make friends. His job is to command and lead. He struggles with balance in such matters. Keen started and frowned. Harrumphing, he knocked on the door of the room and peeked in. Hollister and Ryley looked over at him. "Keen, what's the matter?" Hollister asked.

"Checking up on you, Captain. We're due to arrive in port within the next few hours," Keen said, glaring harshly at Ryley who didn't even bother meeting his eyes.

"Ah yes. Sector D," Hollister grimly said. "Will you be going ashore?"

Keen was quiet. "It may be best if I don't," he quietly said.

Hollister frowned in concern. "What happened?" he asked. Keen was quiet. "Has it something to do with Yu and Berkeley?" he asked. Ryley glanced over, curiosity peaked.

"Not here, Captain," Keen coldly said, looking at Ryley.

"So then something did happen between you three. It seems Yu and Berkeley are the key perpetrators in all your major dilemmas," Hollister said.

"Friendship, it seems, is bad for my physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, but I'm stuck with them now. I have no regrets about Saran. Cameron remains to be seen," Keen said, crossing his arms.

"We'll discuss the matter in a moment," Hollister said. He looked to Ryley. "Dismissed, Robinson." Ryley saluted, stood up, and left, giving the evil eye to Keen as he went. Keen huffed and entered the room, making his way to the observation windows and leaning on the bar.

Subnautica

Hollister smiled fondly at his Second Officer. Time had passed so quickly… From the day he had found the young man, an emancipated youth on the streets of the sector they were soon docking in, to now, it seemed like a blink of an eye. Letting him stay one night had turned into letting him stay a week, then a month, then a year, then two, then three, then four, then five… It had been the closest he'd ever come to settling down, and he'd done it in a settlement he despised with a boy that wasn't his own. He'd gotten said boy through school alive, oftentimes cutting his expeditions short to accommodate the young one's educational breaks. He'd started paying into a college fund that wasn't his responsibility just because he had wanted to. He'd taken him on his expeditions, he'd mentored and trained him up to be his successor because he'd thought to himself it was about time he got himself a Second Officer, and never once had he looked back or regretted a moment of what he'd done. Nor had he ever felt pride anything like it in all his days.

More than once over the years he had expressed to Keen how much he'd wished he had been able to make it official, but of course Jonathan's birth parents hadn't bitten. Ever. No matter what he offered them. It didn't matter though, because as far as he was concerned, Keen was his in every way but blood. Maybe not in the eyes of the Trans-Gov, but in his own eyes. He couldn't have asked for anything more than that.

Jonathan had grown into a fine young man. Hollister had never doubted he would. Keen was tall, good-looking, smart as a whip… Quite frankly his pride and joy. The apple of his eye, Ozzy would tease. Keen, to no one's surprise, had always found the chef annoying but tolerable. In fact, he'd even become rather fond of the man. The nickname Scamp had fallen to the wayside as the boy had grown up, but every so often Ozzy would tease him with it again. Keen never seemed to begrudge the chef that. His SO would never admit as much out loud, but he'd become quite accustomed to the endearing term over the years. It had made Jonathan feel cared about.

"What's wrong, son?" Hollister gently asked.

Subnautica

Keen tensed up but didn't immediately answer. Hollister patiently waited as he always did. He loved the captain dearly. That he had the honor of calling such a man his father if he so wished to, meant more to him than Hollister would ever know. He shied away from doing such when they were at work, so to speak, but in private or intimate moments, he didn't hold back with terms such as 'dad' or 'father' or 'da'. The first time he had let one of those slip, he had feared Hollister would shut him down immediately. Instead, the captain had smiled an amused and fond smile. He had stammered over an apology, but Hollister had told him he would have none of that and informed him quite plainly that he was welcome to call him such as he pleased. The captain had in fact told him he would be honored by it, so he had taken him up on the offer in full.

"She slept with him," Keen said in response to Hollister's question.

There was silence. "I'm sorry, Jonathan," the Captain solemnly said.

Keen shook his head and turned around, leaning against the railing. "I don't know how to feel about it. Yu and I were never official, goodness knew I made sure of that, but…" Keen trailed off.

"I'm listening," Hollister gently said.

Keen let out a slow breath. "It's been four years since we last saw Cameron," he said. "He was studying in the Mongolian states."

"If I recall correctly, his departure was quite hard on you, wasn't it," Hollister said.

"What else do you recall?" Keen tiredly asked.

"Everything you told me," Hollister said.

Keen shook his head. "When he walked up to us on his return, we barely recognized him. As trite as it sounds, he left a boy and unfortunately came back a man. For as glad as I was to see him again, I was in equal parts resentful for it because suddenly Yu wasn't spouting the usual, 'you're like a brother to me' nonsense on him. I confronted her about the matter. It didn't end well. You told me, once, not to be jealous of a child. Well, he's no longer one. Given how I left things with Yu when I stormed off on her, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when a few days later after my head had cooled and I went to try and make amends, I found them far closer than they had any right to be. Cameron looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Yu was stunned. It wasn't as if I hadn't seen it coming, but it was painful. So very, very painful," Keen said.

"Running away isn't going to fix things between you three you know," Hollister said. Keen closed his eyes, turning away from him. "Go back, Jonathan. Make things right."

"What's right anymore?" Keen asked, shaking his head. "I don't even know what we are!"

"What do you want to be?" Hollister asked.

"How the devil should I know?" Keen demanded.

"What's makes you hesitate?" Hollister asked. Silence. "Is it Berkeley?" the Captain asked sympathetically. Keen's jaw twitched ever so slightly. "What are you afraid of?" Silence. "Hurting him? Losing her? Both?" Keen let out a shaky breath. "You can't run away from this, John."

"I know," Keen said.

Hollister nodded and gently squeezed his shoulder. "I'm here for when you need me. Always," he promised. Keen nodded. "Be careful, son. If you don't act soon, you may well lose them both." Keen winced and bowed his head.

Subnautica

Keen sat in the Atrium sipping on brandy and watching the nearing planet out the window. He heard footsteps approaching and glanced over. Oz.

"Hey, heard what happened between you and Yu. You okay?" Ozzy asked, pulling up a seat next to him.

For a moment, Keen was quiet. "I noticed the change in how she viewed him the moment I saw them together. Her hanging off his arm, him grinning brilliantly down at her with the sort of expression I wanted to smack off his face." Oz huffed a laugh. "I despised how pleased with himself he looked… I've always been the sort of man that makes other men jealous. Berkeley is the sort of man that makes men like me jealous."

"He's cute at that."

"No doubt. It annoys me immensely. Should I really be surprised, though? All I've left in my wake regarding Saran is a string of broken promises… It hurts," Keen replied.

"I mean, how do you think it felt for her?" Keen glanced warily up at him with a frown. "You realize you've told me about every relationship you've ever had, right? Including the ones you had when you and her were foolin' around playin' friends with benefits."

Keen looked down, expression bitter. "I was stupid."

"Wouldn't say stupid, just… undecided. Inexperienced," Ozzy said.

"Delusional," Keen dryly corrected.

Ozzy smirked a little, but his smile fell soon after. "You always said you knew she wanted more from you. So what? You didn't feel the same?"

"I did feel the same," Keen replied.

"So then what stopped ya?" Ozzy asked. Keen was quiet. "Berkeley?" Ozzy pried.

Keen gave him a sharp, warning look. Ozzy let it go, focusing on his own drink for a bit. Keen watched him silently a moment, then turned away. "I didn't want to hurt him. It seems he didn't have the same qualms," he at last said.

"Didn't he?" Ozzy asked. Keen closed his eyes. Ozzy watched him but didn't pry. Just shrugged and looked back out the viewing windows. "Young guys are morons. Make too many mistakes to be good for anyone's health. Least of all theirs," he said.

Keen huffed a half-laugh, but the brief smirk fell. "So, what do I do?" he asked.

"I'm only good for so much, Scamp," Ozzy replied. Keen gave him an annoyed look. Ozzy sighed. "Ya keep goin'. Things are gonna be a whole lot more complicated now than they could have been, but you guys'll figure it out. Determinators each one of ya."

"She'll sleep with him again," Keen said.

"With you both, probably," Ozzy said, shrugging. "Neither of you made the big move, so now the ball's in her court. Unless you plan on makin' it official, the three of you will be stuck as FWBs for a long time to come. At least until she gets her own head squared away. But I mean, you don't wanna hurt Berkeley, he doesn't wanna hurt you, she doesn't wanna break either of your hearts, so you're kinda in a catch twenty-two here Scamp, and there ain't an end of it in sight. There won't be until one of you puts on the big boy, or girl, pants and takes the plunge. Since you and Cameron are bound and determined to make Yu the one who pulls the pants up, seems you're gonna be waitin' a while."

"Tell me what to do," Keen said.

"If you love her, tell her and make it official," Ozzy said. "You wait much longer, suddenly she's not gonna be so certain where her heart belongs anymore."

"I'm not convinced I'm courageous enough to do that," Keen said.

"She likes the cowards it seems," Ozzy said.

"What was the name of that woman you've been pining for since college again?" Keen bit, giving him an annoyed look.

Oz frowned at him and huffed. "Guess we're both sinkin' in the same boat. To cowardice?" he asked, raising his glass.

"Humph. To cowardice," Keen dryly replied, lifting his own. Ozzy chuckled and together the two drank.

"We're docking soon you two," Hollister said from behind.

Keen and Ozzy looked back. Keen grimaced but said nothing. Hollister watched him a moment, clearly concerned, but soon left, shutting the door behind him. Ozzy turned to the SO. "You gonna be okay to do this?" the chef asked.

Keen stood up. "I'll be fine. The first person I need to see is Yu," he said.

"Good luck, Scamp," Ozzy said, punching his arm lightly.

"I'll need it," Keen dryly replied. The moment the ship was docked, he was off it and making his way to her house feeling more than a little nervous.

Chapter Text

Jonathan Keen had always claimed he was an orphan. That, of course, was a bold-faced lie. Emancipated more like it. He preferred to pretend his DNA templates had never existed. Of course young, underaged teenagers on their own out of sight of parents or the government, tended to have a bad habit of disappearing. Desperate young teenagers who could get no proper paying job and had looks to spare tended to disappear even faster. He pointedly avoided that route, but he knew he was running out of options. He could only stay in youth centers and hostels for so long, and every job prospect he'd reached for fell flat. Putting himself through school without any support was difficult enough, a full-time job all its own. He didn't have time to go job hunting, or shop for clothes he couldn't afford, or do interviews that would probably lead nowhere because he wasn't qualified, or sign himself out of school to work a minimum wage position, or any of that! Dropping out wasn't an option, but any job that was quick, profitable, and required no education, narrowed your career path down to the unsavory.

Prostitution would have made him bank he knew, but it was the last thing on this planet he wanted to resort to. Easy as it might be, the trauma and risk that came with it simply wasn't worth it. He couldn't afford to take it completely off the table though. Theft, while unsavory, was something he could get by on, but he preferred not to. On occasion he would resort to it when he was desperate, to his own disgust, but he'd been lucky thus far in that whenever he got caught, he could play up his innocence, muss up his hair, and ride by on good looks and young age. It was only a matter of time, though, before it inevitably transferred into prostitution when he ran across a shopkeeper who was more interested in pleasure than pity and played the blackmail card. Would he resort to that to keep himself out of jail? He wasn't sure yet and wasn't inclined to find out if it could at all be helped.

So where did that leave him now? He looked behind him with a frown when he heard the boy shadowing him cry out. He turned fully around, hands on his hips, and shook his head. It left him with a little tagalong three years his junior by the name of Cameron Berkeley. A tagalong who certainly shouldn't be following him around right now, but was doing so anyway because his usual companion, Saran Yu—one year Berkeley's senior and one year Keen's junior—was at home with a bad flu. It was one less tagalong to deal with though, he supposed. Berkeley looked up at him and grinned sheepishly, little dimples appearing on his cheeks. He would grow up to be ridiculously good-looking, Keen knew, so the last thing he wanted was for the boy to follow him into this particular part of the settlement.

The sector in question was where all the depraved wretches liked to hang around. Keen had learned early on to never enter it without a knife on his person, and to never let himself be spotted alone if he could help it. He sighed in frustration. He had a job interview coming up, a promising one, and if he missed it, he could kiss it goodbye. While initially he'd been willing to risk the boy's mental and emotional wellbeing by letting him follow him into said sector, the closer they got to it the stupider and more selfish he realized it was. Cameron was worth more than a job, and if that child set one foot in the area, Keen wasn't convinced he would be able to protect him. He wasn't convinced he'd be able to protect himself. Whenever he entered this sector, he basically became a steak walking into a kennel filled with ravenous hounds. He wouldn't drag Cameron in with him.

"Go home, Berkeley," Keen said, walking back and offering his hand.

"But why?" the boy whined, taking his hand and accepting the help up.

"Because this isn't a place for you," Keen replied. "Why don't you go to the little store we like and get Saran some soup? I'll give you some money so you can, then meet you two at her place later. Right now I have a job interview, and I can't bring you with me."

"I can wait outside!" Berkeley stubbornly insisted.

"No. You can't," Keen bluntly replied. If he allowed that kind of stupidity, he'd exit the building and find an empty sidewalk. "It's going to take too long. It's better if you go to see Saran instead."

"But…" Berkeley began.

"Go," Keen said, pointing. Cameron pouted at him, and usually that worked in any situation that wasn't a risk—he was more a sucker for this boy than he cared to acknowledge, despite how annoying the child was—but this wasn't one of those situations. Keen held his ground and soon Cameron huffed and stormed off in a little tizzy. Keen waited until he was certain the boy was gone, then drew a breath and turned, looking towards Sector D, as he liked to call it. The 'D' was for depraved. Sighing, he entered…

Subnautica

Keen raced out of the store breathless and terrified. Frustrated, angry, frightened tears burned his eyes. The job interview went worse than he'd anticipated. He probably should have guessed as much. It had sounded too good to be true, and everyone always said that when something sounded too good to be true, it usually was. In retrospect, there had been warning signs. There'd been no job posting for it, to start. Instead, he'd learned of it through word of mouth from a stranger on the street who remarked he looked 'perfect for the position' and promised one-hundred credits an hour for four hours of work on call. He should have walked away right then and there, but he hadn't. It had been too lucrative an opportunity to ignore, so he'd taken a chance and now he was paying for it.

It had been a trap. That was the best way to describe it. An unassuming novelty shop with a shady shopkeeper. A shopkeeper with a dirty little secret the nature of which was best never delved into. A dark back room, cameras… That was all anyone needed to know to put it together, and apparently the eyes of this particular shopkeeper and his associates had been on him longer than he wanted to accept. The lot of them had mentioned Cameron and Saran… Not by name, but by description. That had horrified him more than anything else.

He wiped furiously at his eyes, sniffing. They'd offered to leave his friends alone, but it came at a price. Keen wasn't proud of what he'd done to ensure their safety, but he was starting to realize now that the bargain he'd been offered probably meant nothing and he'd been duped. If those people wanted Yu and Berkeley, they'd get Yu and Berkeley no matter what he did to try and protect them. It was more likely, though, that they didn't even know who the two were let alone where they lived. Their intentions were probably just to keep him on a leash for as long as they pleased, dangling his two younger friends above his head, and Keen knew he'd go right along with it, because if there was any chance at all that the things he did at their behest would spare Cameron and Saran a humiliating fate worse than death, he'd do it. A small chance was better than no chance.

He heard them shouting mockingly after him, calling he'd forgotten his pay and pursuing him, probably to drag him back. He clenched his teeth and sped up as much as he could. He didn't plan on stopping until he collapsed or was caught. They'd tried to convince him to keep his mouth shut. They'd tried to elicit a promise. He'd given them neither. Instead, he'd kneed one of them right where it hurt and fled. Now they feared the worst and were right to, because if he got away from this, they were as good as exposed. If they caught him, though, he knew he'd never escape again. Or be seen again. Or leave that dark room again…

He screamed when suddenly someone put out an arm in front of him and scooped him up in a manner that placed his back against the stranger's torso. He began struggling and kicking, fearing the worst, but whoever had seized him was big and powerful. He kept screaming and crying out for help in the vain hope that someone in this hellhole would choose not to turn a blind eye for once, but of course no one did.

"Boy! Boy! What on earth has happened to you?" he finally registered the man shouting. About the same time, he realized the stranger wasn't trying to drag him away anywhere or harm him.

"He took that road!" he heard one of the men chasing him shout.

Keen gasped in terror, going white as a sheet. "No! No, no, please, I don't want to, I don't want to! Dad, mum!" he pled, thrashing again. He hated himself for calling out to the people who'd never given a damn about him before and probably wouldn't give a damn about him now even if they saw what was happening, but it had just slipped out on instinct. When your ultimate fate was in the hands of a stranger, estranged family started looking really good really fast.

The stranger suddenly set him down on the ground, though kept a firm grasp on his upper arm, and spun him roughly around. Keen looked up and gasped in fear. Above him towered a large, burly man well over six feet looking down on him with blazing, fiery eyes. The youth was stricken silent and still, mouth agape. Then he heard the shouts of those pursuing him and turned quickly to them, catching his breath. His gaze darted back to the man who held his life in his hands, and all he could do was wait and pray he was friend and not foe…

Subnautica

James Hollister was not a fan of putting to port in this particular settlement. He regarded it with blatant disdain. The northern sector wasn't so bad. He might even call it civilized. It was the south that was the problem, and the south was where the docks happened to be. He didn't trust a single deckhand or dock worker present to so much as look at his ship, let alone touch it, and he had narrowly avoided more than a few scraps with men looking to prove something and pick a fight. He'd been forced into others. After about the fifth incident like that, he'd taken to carrying one of those new-fangled Mongolian tech pistols around with him, as well as a good old-fashioned blade just for good measure. Clearly even a man his size and bulk, who could deter most attacks by appearance alone, couldn't escape the roughness of this sector.

He had visited this port many times. Despite his utter disdain for it, the prices were good. You couldn't restock for cheaper anywhere else. Besides that, he'd picked up his fair share of temporary crew here. Helped them get away from it all, promptly deposited them in places that were far safer with better prospects… He'd saved lives that way and intended to save more still if it could be helped. The usual routine was normally straightforward. Stop at the docks, resupply, get a bite to eat, scout any prospects for temporary crew, return. He supposed he was long overdue for something to break routine. He just hadn't expected it to be something like this.

The child was anywhere from thirteen to fifteen years of age. He ran like hell itself was on his heels, tears streaming from his eyes, and tried desperately to wipe them away and hide the terror, but it wouldn't be hidden. He didn't believe the youth even registered he was there, half-wild from fear. It was clear to anyone with eyes to see that he needed help and that he was desperate and scared and in trouble. Not a single person seemed the least bit concerned. Some hid away, others didn't spare a second look or even a first. Like this was an everyday occurrence. Others muttered, but didn't chance stepping in, just looked sympathetic. Their sympathy would mean nothing to this boy who they were about to watch be snatched away and never seen again, though. At least that would be his fate if the shouting of men behind the youth was anything to go by.

The people of this settlement, of this sector, excelled at turning a blind eye. See no evil hear no evil. They would probably step over their fellow man at every given opportunity if given the chance. Especially if there was a monetary incentive. A single credit would probably be more than enough to convince them to do as much. Not to say every luckless fool in this forsaken settlement in this dangerous sector was like that, but the vast majority were. Since no one else would step in, then, he'd do it himself. Damn him to hell if he let anyone snatch this boy away from him.

He put out an arm as the youth was fleeing. Caught him about the waist, lifted him right off the ground, and swung him around so he was trapped against him and couldn't run himself into a worse situation or into his death. The cries for help and screams started immediately. He didn't fault the child for it. Gods only knew the fear he felt right now. "Boy! Boy! What on earth has happened to you?" he demanded loud enough to pierce through the screams. The boy seemed to register his voice and calm down a little, if only from the surprise of it all.

"He took that road!" Hollister heard a man shout. His eyes darkened, his blood starting to boil a bit.

The boy gasped in terror, going pale as a ghost. "No! No, no, please, I don't want to, I don't want to! Dad, mum!" the child screamed, thrashing in his arms. Hollister's heart plummeted. Did the child have parents waiting at home for him? Gods, he couldn't even imagine the hell they would go through if anything happened to their child. He set the boy down on the ground in the hopes it would make him feel safer, but he kept a firm grasp on the upper arm so he wouldn't run away. He spun the youth around. The boy looked up at him and gasped in fear, clearly stricken by the intimidating figure holding him. Hollister was vastly amused by how comically wide the youth's eyes opened. The shouts drew nearer, and the boy turned quickly, catching his breath. Then his gaze returned to Hollister, and the man saw that the boy knew he was backed into a corner. Trapped between two unknowns, wondering if he'd exchanged one evil for a worse one. Hollister intended to set his mind at ease as quickly as possible.

He saw the men racing around the corner. Three of them. He frowned and knelt in front of the youth, taking his shoulders firmly. "Son, I told you not to wander off!" he said loudly enough for the men to hear. If they desperately wanted the child, the presence of his 'father' wasn't going to deter them. The presence of a tech pistol, though, might.

"Wh-what?" the youth asked, eyes still comically wide.

"Your mother and I told you to be home in time for dinner, and what do you do instead? Go missing and force papa to search for you," the man said as the men closed in. They paused some distance back, his appearance and words temporarily freezing them and causing the trio to re-evaluate their strategy. "Now come on. We're going home." He draped his arm over the boy's shoulders, took firm hold of his upper arm again, and started guiding him quickly away from the pursuing men.

The boy glanced nervously back as they walked. "Sir, they're following," he warned, looking warily up at him and tentatively deciding he was the more trustworthy one.

"I know," Hollister replied. He kept stealing glances in windows and the trio was quickly closing the distance. He expected a good old-fashioned mugging anytime now, so it was best if he faced them on his terms instead of theirs. He stopped suddenly and turned sharply around, eyes narrowed as he moved the boy behind him and let him go. If the youth ran, he would do all he could to keep these three off his back until he got safely away. If the boy stayed, he'd do the same about a thousand times more determinedly. The startled men stopped. "Run home," Hollister murmured quietly to the boy. It would be one less thing to worry about. Then the young one said the last thing he'd expected.

"I have no home sir," he whispered.

Hollister started a little, but tried not to let his surprise show. He could question the child later once they were out of this. Assuming, of course, he survived. "Gentlemen, may I help you?" Hollister demanded of the trio firmly.

"How much for the boy?" one of the men finally said, taking the plunge.

Hollister's eyes blew open wide, and it took him a second to process that. For all these people knew he really was the boy's father, yet here they were trying to buy him off him? "Excuse me?" he asked in disbelief.

"How much for your son?" the man answered.

"Are you really asking if I'll sell you my boy?" Hollister asked.

"Not your boy. Just his labour. A business contract. One-hundred credits," the man said.

"Has anyone ever actually sold their child to you for that?" Hollister incredulously asked, hardly able to process this. The 'corporate jargon' didn't shake him. Not for one second.

"I've paid less. Come now, it's only for one night's work," the man said, smirking darkly.

"Are you insane?!" Hollister demanded.

"Too low, hmm? Two-hundred," the man said.

"No!" Hollister said in outrage.

"Three-hundred. Come on. I'm putting food on your table. Goodness knows your family must need it if you're sending the kid out to get a job. I'm offering him a job," the man said.

"I'm not renting you my boy! Not for all the credits in Alterra," Hollister snapped, reminded once more of how much he despised this place. His heart twisted inside him as he realized just how desperate some families out here must be if they'd handed this man their children for less than one-hundred credits, but it didn't excuse them. Not by any stretch of the imagination. After all, who knew how many of those desperate parents had offered up their children simply because they weren't willing to offer up themselves?

He turned around and started leading the boy away once more. It was high time someone reported this place to the Alterra higher-ups he decided. No, Alterra wasn't the most savoury or empathetic bunch, but they weren't without standards or morals either. Though at times it might seem like they were only getting worse with each passing year, for now they still held to the charter all Trans-Govs held to; but damned if they didn't dance the fine line at times. Of course, it seemed a common corporate trait. Every Trans-Gov was guilty of it in some way or another. The Mongolians and Savannah's were about the most honourable in that regard, but even they didn't always stick to it as closely as they were meant to. Alterra for her part had all but abandoned more than one settlement that had run dry, leaving the people destitute. They still did enough to keep up appearances and maintain their rights to the territory though, which meant they weren't obligated to put out the credits it would take to return those people home. Which meant it was basically a slow death for the ones who resided there. Doubtless Alterra had conveniently 'forgotten' other settlements or 'accidentally' lost their records. Who knew if anyone still survived on those? Corporate corner-cutting was cutthroat at the best of times. It was particularly easy to cut corners when you had stakes clear across galaxies.

"You get money for him, or you get an early grave," another of the men darkly said. Hollister paused, looking quickly back. They had pistols he saw, and he wasn't the least bit surprised by it. The youth let out a fearful breath and Hollister practically felt his muscles coil, prepping to flee at a moment's notice.

"Run to the docks. Find the Borealis. They'll protect you," he murmured quietly to the boy. The youth looked quickly at him, eyes wide in disbelief like the concept of anyone looking out for him was beyond his comprehension. Hollister focused on the men again. "You're not getting my child," he said evenly, hand hovering over the tech pistol. "Not now, not ever. Don't make this worse for yourselves than it's already going to be. Let us go and no harm no foul."

"But sir, the footage and cameras. What if others…" the boy began. Hollister looked quickly down at him in disbelief. The boy winced and hung his head. He saw the way the youth's eyes glanced passed the men though, in the direction he'd come from. Hollister realized in that moment that the teenager wouldn't run to the Borealis as he'd been told, once the men were engaged. He'd leap on the distraction, race back to wherever he'd come from, and he'd try to be a hero because he was young and inexperienced and naïve, and still clung to the sort of hope, empathy, and faith that Hollister only wished he still had. His respect for this young one grew, but his hope he'd be able to save him plummeted significantly. Fools walked in where angels feared to tread and all that. Clearly this one was a braver young fool than he'd initially realized.

"We will deal with that soon enough, I promise you, but not now. It would be the pinnacle of stupidity," Hollister said. "Do as I say, and all will go well for us both. Don't and we'll run into more trouble than necessary, understood?" The boy hesitated, looking back at the men, then sighed and turned to Hollister, defeatedly nodding and hanging his head.

The Captain's eyes went back to the men, who were discussing amongst themselves whether it was worth it to start opening fire in the middle of a street and risk everything. They seemed to come to an accord, nodding to one another, and Hollister feared the decision wasn't going to be in his favour. Or the boy's. "Fine," the man said, much to the Captain's relief. "We have what we want from him anyway." Hollister's heart plummeted again, his lips parting ever so slightly as it dawned on him what that probably meant. The way the youth shrank behind him looking wounded only emphasized as much. "You know where to find us when you get desperate boy. It wasn't as bad as all that. Here. Take your pay." He threw some credits on the ground. The boy tried to run for them, but Hollister put out his arm, stopping him. The youth looked up at him in confusion. Hollister held his ground. So did the men. The wind began blowing the credits away and the youth gasped in dismay. The men smirked coldly and turned, walking away.

As soon as they were gone. Hollister watched solemnly as the teenager raced towards the floating credits and tried to snatch them all, frustrated tears shining in boy's eyes. He was able to collect only about a quarter of what was his due. Hollister sighed heavily and approached the teen, who watched forlornly as the rest of the credits were blown away in the wind.

"They'll help other desperate families now," Hollister murmured. The boy looked quickly at him, expression pained, but he soon bowed his head, nodding in understanding. He looked at the money he held, grimaced, then threw it up to the wind as well. There was no point in him keeping them anyway anymore… "I'll pay you whatever they promised you," Hollister promised.

"I just want to forget this day ever happened," the boy answered, wrapping his arms tightly around himself.

Hollister sighed and placed a hand on the child's shoulder. The boy looked warily up at him. "What happened?" Hollister murmured gently. "What did they do to you?" Frustrated tears burned the youth's eyes, and he sniffed, furiously wiping them away. Hollister didn't press. "What's your name?" he asked.

The boy hesitated to answer. "Jonathan sir," he said at last. "Jonathan Keen."

Hollister was quiet, summing young Keen up. "You're not going to leave well enough alone, are you?" he soon said.

The boy, Jonathan's, jaw tightened ever so slightly. "I… It was a little novelty shop no one would look twice at. They took me behind the counter to-to a back room. It was supposed to be an interview for a job, I…!" He slammed his mouth shut quickly and it quivered a bit. "He can't… It isn't right! He had so many data disks… He kept them in a shoebox! There were-were cameras… I need to destroy it. I need to destroy it all!" The youth began to pace. "I need a lighter or matches or-or something! He can't get away with this! He can't keep…"

"You want to burn it all down," Hollister said. Keen stopped, looking quickly at him. For a moment there was silence. "Burning down another's property…" Hollister began.

"I'll take the jail time!" Keen said.

"And what do you think will happen to you in a place like that?" Hollister asked.

"I don't care! Just as long as none of what he has ever gets a chance to be put on public display!" the boy said.

Hollister shook his head, mystified by this child. He was wise beyond his years it seemed, and not quite so reckless as Hollister had first imagined. This one thought about consequences, he thought about what would happen to him, but he actively chose to take the chance anyway because he perceived it was the right thing to do, and that the right thing was worth giving up your life and dignity for.

"You're brave. A fool, but brave," Hollister said. Jonathan was silent, frustratedly glaring at the ground. "Go to the docks. Find the Borealis. Leave this matter to me. Not a trace of anything hidden there will be found ever again." Except perhaps the data disks. Those should be turned over to the authorities, but then again, the authorities were probably as corrupt as it could get in this sector. Keen looked quickly up at him in shock. "Just let the crew know we may be here for some time," Hollister continued. At least they would be if he was caught burning the shop in question and everything in it to the ground. At that point he would be looking at arrest, a trial date months down the line, and certainly no less than five years jail time, and in fact likely more. His intention, though, was to hand command over to someone else if it came down to that. No one on board was qualified, and for the first time in as long as he could remember he regretted never investing in training up or hiring a second officer, but he had friends on the outside who would be willing to step in and take on the oversight of his ship until he was released from prison. Probably years down the line… No, no second guesses! Dammit, if the boy could find the courage to sacrifice years of his young life for the greater good, sacrifice maybe even the entire prime of it if they punished particularly hard, then he could find the strength to spare the child that fate and give up his own.

"Sir…" the boy began.

"Just go. Maybe you're willing to sacrifice yourself for this, but I'm not about to sacrifice you," Hollister said. The boy's eyes widened, vulnerability filling them. The words had stunned him it seemed.

"Wh-what?" Keen asked, voice tight and disbelieving. Hollister's heart twisted inside him. You would almost think this youth had never heard anything like those words before in his life… He'd called out to his parents though, hadn't he? Hollister knew he'd heard it! Then again, that didn't necessarily imply his parents cared… It was just natural for a young person to cry out for their caregivers when terrified or in trouble. "You don't even know me," the boy said.

"I don't have to, to want to see you safe," Hollister replied. "Go."

"I'm not going to leave you!" the boy insisted. "You shouldn't have to get in trouble for me!"

Hollister smirked wryly. "If things go well, I won't," he replied. The boy was quiet, trying to process this. "Walk away. Be safe. If I go to jail for this, I go to jail for it. I'm well-respected and well-known in Alterra, so have a far better chance of being let off light than you would. I'm willing to take this risk. You, I think, have been through quite enough. Too much in fact." Keen shuddered a little. "It's alright. You're safe now. You won't be hurt again, I promise," Hollister gently said, tilting the boy's chin so he'd look at him, then withdrawing his hand because goodness knew the young one was probably sick of touch at this point.

"They-they threatened my friends. I wouldn't have done it if they hadn't!" Keen began.

"You don't need to make excuses. Not to me, not to anyone," Hollister said. "The blame is solely on them. They're getting what they deserve." Keen, head bowed, looked determinedly back up at him and nodded. Hollister nodded back and set off in the direction the boy had come from. He would find this shop soon enough, he felt. A novelty shop wasn't exactly a common sight, after all.

"Sir, please, let me come with you! I can show you where it is," Keen called out. Hollister turned, spotting the boy scrambling after him.

"Keen, I've told you…" Hollister began.

"It's harder to spot than you think," Keen cut off. "Follow me!" Without waiting for an answer, the boy raced away. Hollister stared after him in disbelief, grimaced in concern, then ran after him. The boy was quick on his feet the Captain noted. While his longer stride kept him close enough to keep the youth in sight for now, when the boy grew up and his own gait lengthened, Hollister would be easily outpaced. Jonathan had the type of build ideal for swimming and running.

The boy ran straight to an unassuming novelty shop hidden down a side road, and Hollister had to admit the boy was right. It would have been harder to find than he had expected it would be. They stood across the street from it. He kept the youth out of sight. He got out of sight himself when he saw the men leaving, laughing and talking amongst themselves. They were closing up for the evening it seemed. They waited until the group had long gone out of sight. Suddenly the boy darted towards the door and set to work on the lock. Hollister pursed his lips. Breaking in, it seemed, wasn't a foreign concept to the youth. That concerned him. He wasn't surprised the boy hadn't just stayed out of the way. He wished he had, but one's teenaged years were a reckless time filled with bad decisions.

The boy shoved open the door in only moments. Hollister trailed after him, keeping an eye out for anyone unsavoury who might be nearby. His grip on his tech pistol was firm, and he was ready to point and shoot at a moment's notice. The boy ran for a door behind the counter and pulled it open. Hollister followed. The moment he entered the room, though, his lips parted in horror, eyes widening and a knot growing in the pit of his stomach. "By the gods…" he said in a breath when he witnessed the setup.

The boy went straight to a shoebox set in a corner and looked it over before turning to Hollister. "Give me a lighter or something!" the youth insisted.

Hollister frowned and approached calmly, picking up the box and tucking it under an arm. "We'll destroy it, but not here," he said.

"No! We destroy it here with everything else!" Keen vehemently insisted, gesturing around the room.

Hollister looked around it tiredly and tried not to think about what went on in this place. He felt a lump in his throat and swallowed over it. He looked at the boy again. "Go," he ordered. "This cannot happen with you in this room. I promised you nothing would be left. Nothing will be. You, though, will not be associated with it. Cross the street if you absolutely refuse to leave me, or go to the Borealis, but do not let yourself be implicated in this matter, Keen. For your own sake."

"But sir…!" Keen began.

"Enough! Off with you," Hollister sternly said. Keen shifted a little but then bowed his head and obeyed, turning and walking out of the room. Hollister sighed, looked back around the room, set the shoebox down, then opened the cameras to take out any footage that might still be inside. He paused when he saw the newest disk. Jonathan's, no doubt. The label written on it was something he wished he could bleach out of his brain forever. In disgust, he tossed the footage with all the rest, struck a match, and set the place alight without a second's hesitation. The mattress, the recordings, the drapes… Then he left the room, grabbed up anything that looked worth sparing on the shop floor, set them aside for others to snatch away or the authorities to collect, then crossed the street to find the youth.

Subnautica

He spotted Keen peeking his head out of a nearby alley and went to him, not once looking back at the fire. "Do you have a family?" he asked the boy.

Keen's eyes hardened and he bowed his head. "As far as you or anyone is concerned, I'm an orphan," he said.

"So not one worth mentioning," Hollister replied. Silence. "Why did you call out for your parents?" he asked.

"Instinct," Keen bitterly replied.

Hollister nodded. Just as he'd deduced. "Where are the friends you were trying to protect?" he asked.

"I… The northern district," he answered in a murmur. A beat. "The men lied to me. They saw them and could describe them but didn't know their names. Probably not where they live or go to school either, so I was just scammed."

Hollister sighed through the nose, closing his eyes and massaging the bridge of said nose. Looking at the boy again, he asked, "Did they wound you in any way that would require a hospital?" he asked. In his opinion, the boy should go to one anyway, but he seriously doubted the youth would comply. Keen shook his head negatively. Hollister nodded, observing him with a critical eye. "It's getting dark. Do you have any place to go?" Keen shook his head more vigorously. "Then come with me to my ship," Hollister said. "You can get a good meal, sleep in a decent bed… Or I can bring you to the northern sector and leave you with people you know." Silence. "Do you want to see your friends? Just to be sure?" Hollister asked. Keen was quiet. "Walk with me and tell me what you want to do as we go. We can't stay here any longer." Keen nodded in agreement, and the two set off…

Subnautica

Keen watched the stranger curiously, staring up at him as he trailed behind. He realized, then, that he had yet to learn the name of this man who had rescued him. "Sir, I never learned your name," he said. "What was it?"

The man glanced down at him. He was so large, Keen marvelled. The biggest man he'd ever seen! "My apologies, young Keen. I'm afraid I've been quite distracted, as you can well imagine. My name is James Hollister. I'm captain of the Borealis, my personal ship.

"A captain?" Keen said, audibly intrigued. "Then you've been to the stars!"

Hollister smirked ever so slightly. "In a manner of speaking," he said. "To space, more accurately."

"I've heard all sorts of things about space," Keen said. "Is it as exciting as they say?"

"It can be," Hollister replied, smiling a little.

"I would like to go one day," Keen sadly said, bowing his head. "I don't think I'll ever be able to though. I can barely put myself through basic education, let alone college. Not because I'm incapable. I simply can't afford it."

"I never went to college you know," Hollister said. "I learned things on my own and from mentors. I apprenticed men greater than I and learned from them. Book smarts and theory are all well and good, but they can never compare to the wisdom of experience."

Keen considered these words, taking them to heart. It gave him some hope for a better future than what he could earn for himself, but he would believe it when he saw it. "I…" he began before trailing off. Hollister gave him a curious look. "I want to see my friends," Keen forced himself to say. He didn't know why he was always so reluctant to call them such, or inform others about them, but he was. He wanted to be sure they were safe though. They had to be safe… Hollister nodded and allowed him to take the lead.

Subnautica

Keen peered into Saran's home from across the street, just out of sight. Cameron was there. The two were playing a game. Saran looked worried though, eyes constantly straying to the window. Cameron must have told her he had intended to meet up with them. That he hadn't would be worrying the slightly older Saran. Cameron too, probably, though the boy likely wouldn't think much about it.

"It seems she's expecting someone," Hollister said, causing Keen to jump a bit. He looked curiously back at the Captain. "You should go to them. Let them know you're alright. Stay a little while." Keen looked away woefully. "It won't hurt you know. I'll wait right here for you." It was a cold night, Hollister knew, but he had a thick coat and gloves. He could get himself a cup of coffee from a nearby café. This sector wasn't so bad. In fact, it was beautiful. How there'd come to be such a divide between north and south he didn't know.

"I don't…" Keen began before trailing off. "I don't think that's such a good idea." He felt too ashamed at the moment. Too… tainted. Tainted… He hated that word, he decided.

"And if they get it into their heads to try and find you?" Hollister asked.

"I'm not…! I can't… I don't deserve to be with them right now," Keen quietly said.

"No. None of that," Hollister sternly said, turning the child to face him. "I won't hear it. You are not unworthy of being with them. What happened was the fault of those men, not you. Never you. You deserve to be happy and loved. You deserve to feel safe and secure. You deserve every friend you have, and every opportunity given you. Don't run from them. Go to your friends. You don't have to stay long, just long enough for them to see you're alright. I promise I'll be right here, and if I'm not, I'll be in the little café just down the street."

Keen gazed up at the man feeling overwhelmed. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard kindness like this or been shown such dignity or concern. All he could do was numbly nod before he hurried off to meet up with Berkeley and Yu.

Subnautica

Hollister waited patiently for Keen to return, sitting out in the cold on the wooden bench with a cup of coffee steaming between his hands. The boy looked content in that home with his companions, grinning and laughing and playing games. He watched as the youth's face fell when the girl's mother came in and informed them it was time for bed. She took Keen and the other young boy from the room and soon emerged, the younger child ist her side and Keen trailing a bit behind looking upset. "Jonathan, you can stay if you like," the woman said, sounding a little concerned.

"No ma'am. I'll be alright. I always am," Keen said.

"Jonathan…" the woman began.

"I'll be alright," Keen insisted. The woman frowned, looking unconvinced, but soon sighed and nodded defeatedly before packing the younger boy into her vehicle and leaving. Jonathan watched after them solemnly then crossed the street, dragging his feet. The boy looked nervously up like he half-expected Hollister to be gone. Hollister sighed and rose. Keen perked up a bit and hurried towards him.

"Are you hungry?" Hollister asked.

"I'll be alright," Keen said.

Hollister barked a sharp laugh. The boy started, then looked offended. "Come with me," Hollister directed.

"I'm fine!" Keen insisted.

"No. You aren't," Hollister replied. "Come." Keen frowned but followed nonetheless. It wan't as if the man left him much choice.

Subnautica

Ozwald Jones was no stranger to Captain Hollister bringing in strays from the rain. Hell, he'd been one of them. More or less. When he saw some scrappy-looking fourteen-year-old plod onto the ship after the guy like a little lost pup, though, he'd been mildly disturbed. He hadn't been with Hollister long. This marked his second expedition with the guy, and he knew next to nothing about him beyond the fact he liked to take on troubled young men and women and give 'em a shot at a better life. Never before, though, had the man brought someone this young on board.

As established, Ozzy didn't know a lot about James Hollister. He knew a lot about this particular port, though. He'd been here before with his parents on a business trip. The northern half of the settlement? Not so bad. The southern part? Your worst nightmare. The captain bringing aboard some kid from the southern sector, a sector known for its depravity, was cause enough for alarm bells to be raised, and he couldn't help but be worried about the man's intentions.

"Ozwald, Jonathan Keen. Keen, Ozwald Jones," Hollister introduced.

"Charmed," Keen greeted, offering a hand and sounding far too mature for his age.

"How old's this scamp, Cap?" Ozzy incredulously asked. Keen frowned, a little put out by the response.

"Fourteen he says," the Captain replied.

"Seems a little young to be on a ship," Ozzy said.

"If he had anywhere else to go, he wouldn't be," the Captain answered.

"Where're your parents, kid?" Ozzy asked, ignoring the Captain. His attention needed to be on the boy just in case.

"Are you old enough to rightly call me kid?" Keen challenged.

Ozzy smirked a bit. "Yeah. I am. Eighteen."

"Then you're a 'kid' too!" Keen protested, pointing at him.

Now the kid was starting to sound his age, Ozzy figured. "Not one young as you. Hey, scamp, you get into trouble or need help, look me up, okay? I'll help ya out, promise," he said.

"Your concern, while understandable, is unwarranted I assure you, Ozzy," the captain said, getting a sense for why the ship's chef seemed so concerned for the boy's wellbeing. "I have no ill intent toward the boy."

"I'm not a boy!" Keen protested. Both Ozzy and the Captain gave him dubious looks, and he shrank in on himself a bit, eyes widening, then frowned and began to pout, crossing his arms.

"Come along Jonathan. I'll show you to your cabin. Right next to yours, Ozzy, if it will help you feel better. Ozzy nodded. It would. Hollister nodded back and led the boy away. Ozzy hesitated then followed. Just in case. It wasn't that he didn't want to trust the captain, it was just the boy was the more vulnerable one right now. Hollister didn't seem to mind his presence, though the child gave him wary, dirty looks every so often, clearly wondering who he thought he was tagging along. Ozzy chalked it up to general naivety mixed with whatever level of jadedness came with living in the southern sector of this place.

True to form, the captain brought the boy right to a cabin next to Ozzy's and ushered the boy inside. He left the door open though, just to ease Ozzy's fears. Ozzy pulled out a sketch pad from a bag, grabbed a pencil, and began to sketch a little as the captain settled the youth. "What are you drawing?" the boy suddenly asked, snapping him out of his focus.

Ozzy blinked and looked at the kid, who was now staring at him. He searched around. Hollister had walked off. Ozzy grimaced. He must have really been in the zone if he hadn't noticed the man leaving. He looked back at the boy. "Where's the captain?" he asked.

"What are you drawing?" Keen repeated.

"Seniority rules. You answer first," Ozzy replied.

Keen frowned, considering this response, then to Ozzy's surprise, he relented and nodded. "He went to get bed linens," he said matter-of-factly.

"Uh huh. Told ya to pester me, huh?" Ozzy said.

"I'm not pestering! I simply asked a question," the boy indignantly replied. It was adorable how grown up he tried to sound, Ozzy decided.

"Sure thing Scamp," Ozzy replied, smirking. Keen started and looked offended. Ozzy chuckled and showed him the pad.

Keen examined it curiously. "It's the docks," he said, sounding mildly surprised.

"Yep. Creative bug bit," Ozzy said, smirking and tucking the pad away again. "Was gonna draw you and the captain then figured neither of you would appreciate that much."

"Why?" Keen asked.

"'Cause if I'd drawn you and the captain, first question out of your mouth after seeing my drawing woulda been 'why are you drawing me', and that woulda been real awkward to explain," Ozzy answered.

Keen looked ready to argue, then seemed to hesitate and second-guess himself before nodding in understanding. "The captain said you cook," the boy said.

"Yep. Ship chef and part-time mechanic," Ozzy replied. "Why? Hungry Scamp?" He figured the captain would have fed the kid already, but maybe not. Besides, Keen was clearly headed towards a growth spurt, if not there already, so for the next few years he was gonna be packing away the food with no hints of stopping.

"No," Keen said. His stomach grumbled a bit. There was a beat. Ozzy's lips quirked up in an amused smirk. He didn't even bother saying anything. Keen shifted uncomfortably. "Only a little," he mumbled.

"Bedtime snack comin' up," Ozzy said.

"It's not a…!" Keen began.

"Kid, even adults still have bedtime snacks sometimes. Least I do," Ozzy said.

"You're not an adult," Keen replied.

Ozzy grinned. He liked this kid, he decided. He was a clever little parasite. "Touché," he said. "Come on. I'll bring ya to the kitchen. Whip ya up somethin' nice. Want somethin' cold or hot?"

"Warm," Keen answered in a measure of defiance that wasn't actually defiance.

"Sticky toffee pudding sound good?" Ozzy asked. Keen faltered and Ozzy grinned. He'd found the kid's weakness right off the bat it seemed.

"Yes," Keen quietly said, sounding a little sheepish.

"Hey, no shame in that. One of the most delicious things in the galaxy," Ozzy said with a laugh. "Might have some myself before I head to bed." Keen just nodded. "You're gonna love it scamp. Not just the puddin' either. Everything about this adventure."

"I'm not a…!" Keen began before sighing in frustration. "Fine! Fine. Call me whatever you will," he said, giving up on arguing the nickname. Ozzy smiled at him. He was gonna get to like this kid he knew. Kinda hoped Hollister kept him around if he really had nowhere else to go. Better he be with them up in space than in the settlement he'd been picked up in, after all.

Subnautica

The moment Keen set foot in the café, he was assailed from all sides by the delightful aromas. Immediately his stomach began to growl even louder. "Anythin' you want besides the pudding, just ask for it, alright?" Ozzy said, going behind the counter. "Can hear your stomach grumbling from here. You're a scrawny little scamp. Too scrawny for someone your age."

Keen frowned at him, looked towards the menu, then asked for something small. Ozzy, not to be deterred, whipped him up a seven-course meal. Justified it by claiming he or Hollister would probably just finish whatever Keen couldn't. Keen, staring at the spread, just felt overwhelmed. In a good way though.

It wasn't long before Hollister returned to the café to join them and check on Keen. The Captain paused, mildly amused to see the boy scarfing down an entire seven-courser. Ozzy was in the back doing dishes, so Hollister approached the youth and sat next to him. Keen looked up at him wide-eyed, a fork in his mouth, looking like he'd just been caught red-handed. "Eat up boy. Goodness knows you need the meat on your bones," Hollister said. Keen frowned a bit, tilting his head, but then huffed and went back to eating. Hollister waited until the boy had finished the last of his dessert before breaching the next sensitive topic. "Where do your parents live?" he asked, picking at whatever had been left over.

Keen looked quickly at him. Hollister waited patiently. The boy turned away from him. "They're dead," he bluntly replied.

"Where are these dead parents of yours?" Hollister pressed.

Keen was quiet. "Does it matter?" he finally asked.

"I won't bring you with me when I go to confront them," Hollister said.

"Then they'll only lie until you decide I'm the one who was in the wrong," Keen bitterly said.

"That, I assure you, won't happen," Hollister replied.

"You're not the first who's assured me of that," Keen said with a bitter laugh, arms wrapping tightly around himself.

"But I'll be the last," Hollister said. Keen just looked frustrated. Hollister considered the young man's predicament. "Very well," he said. "I won't go to them." Keen looked up at him in mild surprise. Hollister rose. "Come along Jonathan."

"Where are we going?" Keen questioned warily.

"Bedtime for you I'm afraid. You've had a trying day, to say the least, and have nowhere else to stay, so you'll stay here in a cabin all your own in a proper, warm bed. Did you really think we were setting up a room for you for no reason?" Hollister asked. Keen shifted, considering this, then nodded in agreement, rising to follow the Captain. "You'll be alright now, my boy. You'll be alright," the man promised in a murmur. Those words made Keen feel safer than he'd ever felt in his life, and the Captain proved true to them more so than Keen could have ever fathomed…

Chapter Text

Some Years Ago

"Jonathan, something the matter?" Hollister asked from behind as Keen was sitting at his desk looking through the pictures of Cameron's high school graduation.

Keen jumped a bit and turned quickly, eyes wide. He relaxed when he registered who was there. "No. Nothing at all Captain," he said. "Just looking at some pictures Yu sent of Cameron's graduation. She was his date…"

Hollister looked dubious. Keen shifted a little. "Son, don't be jealous over a child. Start to worry when he's a proper, fully developed man," the Captain said.

"You're always so reassuring, sir," Keen dryly answered, unimpressed. Hollister smirked ever so slightly. Keen huffed and looked back at the pictures woefully. "She graduated last year. She took him as her date. It was supposed to be me you know."

"I know. She had made you promise you would go with her. You were quite pleased by that," Hollister said. Keen closed his eyes. "You realize you could have stayed that night, don't you?" Keen was quiet. "To be all business all the time will only damage your health and mental wellbeing. Contrary to Alterran rhetoric, work and money are not the most important things in one's life." Keen's jaw ticked ever so slightly. "Did you ever apologize to her for missing it?"

Keen winced hard. "No sir," he sheepishly mumbled.

"Then it's high time you did so, don't you think? It would help you both feel better about that night." Keen sighed and nodded in agreement. They were due back in port any day now, he knew. He missed Saran dearly…

Subnautica

When the ship docked, only Yu was there to greet him. He frowned in a measure of concern. Usually, Cameron was present as well. Yu looked upset. That concerned him more, and he moved to a better position, starting to feel a little anxious. He scanned the docks for Berkeley but saw no sign of him. The moment they were docked, he was off the ship. "Saran," he said, going straight to her and gently taking her arms. "Where's Cameron?"

"Home, I assume. He's upset with me," she replied, not meeting his eyes.

"Why?" Keen asked.

"He… he asked again if I was sure we could never be more than friends. I made it pretty clear to him I saw him as a brother and nothing else, so that hurt him pretty bad," she said. Keen was quiet, shifting a bit. "I suppose a part of him blames you for it," she continued.

Keen let out a breath. "I should have been there," he said.

"No. It would have been a conversation that had to happen eventually anyway," she replied, forcing a slightly strained smile.

"No, not for that. I should have been there the day of your graduation. I shouldn't have left. I just… I'm not sure I ever apologized for that," he said. In some roundabout way he'd avoided doing as much even now, he noted to himself, but Yu and Berkeley were used to that from him. He wasn't convinced they should be though. He owed them better. They had certainly put up with him long enough that they deserved that much at least.

Her smile fell and she bowed her head. "You didn't, but it's alright John. You were busy. I understood," she said, not meeting his eyes. That hurt more than he cared to admit.

"Still…" he murmured.

"It's alright," she cut off firmly.

He nodded and looked around with a frown. "Did you come down here all by yourself? Through District D of all places?" he asked.

"Not unarmed I didn't," she replied with a huff, rolling her eyes. "Good thing too given the number of looks I got on my way here."

Keen shook his head with a frown. "Cameron should have known better," he said.

"Cameron is eighteen," she replied, smirking a little.

"Still old enough to know better," Keen reaffirmed.

"Not necessarily old enough to have a proper grasp of action and consequence, though," she replied. "It's one thing to know something. It's another to understand it. It's another to have the wisdom to act on it. He probably figured we'd always been fine before, so I'd be fine now."

"That boy," Keen said with an annoyed and frustrated sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "Honestly. Berkeley is smarter than that. At least he'd better be given he wants to go in for engineering." Yu smiled a little. He frowned at her curiously. "Why are you smiling? This is serious," he said.

"I'm just a little surprised is all. That you've kept tabs on him," she said. "I know there's been tension between you two for a while now." Keen was quiet, shifting a little. "Come on then. Let's walk. Make our way to Berkeley's house and say hello," she said, taking his hand in hers gently and leading him away from the docks. He followed her dutifully.

Subnautica

Yu and Keen walked through Sector D sticking close together. They kept both eyes open, so to speak, to be sure they weren't attacked from out of nowhere. "I despise this place," Keen murmured, bad memories flowing back in droves.

"You never did tell me why," she remarked. "You changed around it I noticed, the night you met Hollister."

"It isn't important," Keen replied.

"John…" she began.

"Yu, it's nothing," he repeated more firmly, giving her a warning look.

She frowned and pursed her lips in frustration before sighing in annoyance and letting it go. She scanned their surroundings. "We're being watched. Closely," she said. He pulled her nearer to him and she smiled fondly to herself.

"Keep moving," Keen said, picking up the pace a bit. She nodded, reaching into her handbag and grasping a hidden weapon. Suddenly Keen heard a door to a nearby shop open behind him. Before he could turn, he felt someone seize his arm and yank him roughly back. He shouted as he was pulled away from Yu.

Yu spun around, drawing her concealed pistol, but suddenly she was seized from behind by a man who burst from another shop. A convenience store. She screamed and began to struggle. Keen fought desperately against the men holding him. At least two he could tell now. Decent-sized men both, because goodness knew less than that wouldn't have been able to hold him down. Yu struggled to regain control of her pistol, but the man holding her squeezed her wrist until she was forced to drop it. She kicked violently back at him, glad she'd worn heels, and he screamed in pain, staggering but keeping a grasp on her. For about half a second.

Suddenly the man cried out in pain and went down. Yu didn't bother wondering what had happened. She just dove for her pistol, snatching it up and aiming at the men holding Keen. "Let him go!" she ordered. They threw him into the street and fled immediately, Keen crying out in pain. Yu ran to him, not bothering to fire on the men, and quickly pulled him out of the road before he could be hit by something. "John! John, are you alright?" she breathlessly asked.

"I'm fine," Keen replied. "What of you?"

"Fine," Yu said. She looked back at the man who had gone down, then to whoever had sent him there. She gasped. "Berkeley!" she exclaimed.

Keen looked sharply up in disbelief. Sure enough, there was Berkeley sporting an annoyed expression on his face, flicking his hand as if trying to shake away pain. "Yu, Keen," the young man said without turning to them. Instead, Cameron took to rubbing his hand.

Keen frowned and stood up. "Let me see," he directed.

"I'm a big boy, Keen. I can take care of myself," Berkeley bit a little sharply.

"Let me see please," Keen said, sounding mildly exasperated. Berkeley gave him an annoyed look then sighed, holding out his hand. Keen examined it, feeling gently around. Berkeley winced. "You might have broken something," he said.

"It'll heal," Berkeley said.

"Cameron," Keen said.

"John," Berkeley replied.

Keen frowned in annoyance, eyes narrowing. "For goodness' sake, for your own good health listen to me for once!"

Berkeley opened his mouth to argue. "Cameron," Yu said, cutting him off before he could. He looked quickly over at her. "Get it checked out," she said.

"It's fine," Berkeley replied.

"Have you seen the Borealis yet? Hollister's ship?" Keen asked. Berkeley gave him a curious look. "Would you like to?" Keen pressed.

Berkeley shifted, glanced at the man he'd lain flat, looked at his hand, then sighed in annoyance and nodded, relenting. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd decided to stay home," Yu said.

"I changed my mind," Berkeley replied, shoving his hands into his coat pockets and walking passed them. He bumped Keen a little rougher than necessary as he did so. Keen sighed in annoyance and followed him with Yu.

Subnautica

Berkeley watched silently as his hand was firmly wrapped by the medical officer on board. Keen waited near at hand, quiet. Yu had made her escape, neither blind to the tension hanging thick in the air, nor wanting to be part of it. As soon as the medical officer finished tending the wound, he left. Clearly Yu hadn't been the only one feeling the tension. Keen and Berkeley sat in silence together, Berkeley leaning forward in his seat. Keen was quiet. "I'm sorry I missed your presentation," he soon said. Berkeley was quiet. "I know you didn't see me, but I did attend the cap and gown remotely." Berkeley glanced quickly up at him, looking a little vulnerable for a moment before hiding it away and looking down again. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you decided to come meet me at the docks." Berkeley shrugged. "I… Yu mentioned…" Keen began. Berkeley tensed up, jaw clenching tightly. Keen stopped himself. "I'm sorry, Berkeley," he finally said.

"It's fine. I'm fine," Berkeley said.

Keen was quiet. "What are your plans now?" he finally chose to ask, steering clear of the Yu topic.

Berkeley winced and shifted a little before looking tiredly and somewhat sadly up at him. "I think we should talk about this with Yu," he said.

Keen frowned, concerned at this, but nodded in agreement. He rose, offering his hand to Berkeley. Berkeley looked at first like he would refuse it, but soon sighed and took the offered hand. Keen pulled him to his feet and stared at him a moment. Berkeley stared back with a troubled expression. He shifted then hugged Keen without warning. Keen stiffened briefly, but then hesitantly returned the hug. Berkeley let him go and walked passed him. Keen followed, now more than a little worried about where this was going.

Subnautica

"Abroad?" Yu asked in disbelief, eyes wide. "You're going off to study abroad? Where?"

"The China Territories. In the Mongolian States," Berkeley muttered, not meeting her eyes. Or Keen's, for that matter.

"When are you planning on going?" Yu demanded.

There was a beat of silence. Berkeley finally leaned back in his seat, tongue flicking out over his lips in a nervous sort of tick. "By the end of the week," he said. "I'm all packed up. Everything is in order. It's just a matter of getting on the spaceship now. It-it's due this Friday. It takes off Saturday morning." Keen was bowled over, stunned to silence. Yu's lips were parted in disbelief, hurt and guilt in her eyes. "It wasn't because of you, Sar," Berkeley said quickly. Yu clearly didn't believe it. "I just needed a change of environment. The Mongolian States have always fascinated me," Berkeley insisted.

"Cameron…" Yu began.

"For how long will you be away?" Keen asked.

"Not sure. Long enough to get my bachelor's degree at least, possibly more, so four years plus thereabouts," Berkeley replied, picking at the wrapping a bit. He flinched when Keen lightly but sharply slapped his hand. He gave the man a dirty look but otherwise accepted the correction with a huff. There was silence for a while.

"I wish you all the luck in the world, Cameron," Keen finally said, sounding defeated. He couldn't help but feel like this could well be the last nail in the coffin for his and Berkeley's relationship.

"I know John," Berkeley replied quietly.

"Will you come back?" Yu asked, sounding anxious.

Berkeley smiled softly at her, though the smile was a bit strained. "Of course I will. Just… not for a while. It's probably for the best anyway. For all of us."

"Cam…" Yu began before stopping herself.

"It's fine," he cut off. "Really it is." Keen was quiet, wishing he was anywhere but here right now. When the three of them parted ways, and Cameron and Yu walked home, he returned to the Borealis, disappeared into his cabin, and possibly wept.

Present

Some Weeks Ago

Keen had known this would happen the moment Berkeley revealed himself to them after coming home from the China Territories. There was no denying the way Yu had gawked at him. Oh this leave from the Borealis just got better and better. "What happened to his being like a brother to you?!" Keen snapped sharply.

"What does it even matter to you how I view him? It's not like we're official or anything! Which, by the way, was your decision, not mine!" Yu retorted. "You're the one who didn't want to get serious. For goodness sakes, John, you won't even call it a date when you and I go out together, so what does it matter if I flirt with Berkeley a little here and there?"

"I was under the assumption we were unofficially official!" Keen snapped.

"And I was under the impression we were at best friends with benefits! At least you certainly seemed intent on keeping us there," Yu retorted.

"Then what are we, Saran?!" Keen demanded.

"How about you tell me?!" she shot.

"It doesn't really matter now does it, since you're suddenly so interested in flirting it up with Berkeley!" Keen replied.

"Get out!" Yu shouted, pointing at the door.

"I planned to! You know what? We are just friends with benefits. Have fun with your boy toy!" Keen snapped sharply back, storming out of her house and slamming the door behind him. Yu sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

Subnautica

It was only near the end of his leave that he cooled off enough to try and apologize to her and make amends. He went to find her to do so. Around this time of day, she was always in the park. He found her alright. Found her in Berkeley's arms nose-to-nose beneath a tree on a hill that was supposed to be his and hers. He couldn't find words to speak. To say it hurt would be an understatement. When they spotted him, they were startled. He didn't say a word to either, just turned on his heel and stormed off. "John!" Yu called after him in alarm, but it was Berkeley who chased him first. That was probably for the best, because Keen refused to be held responsible for whatever he would have done to Yu had she been the one who ran after him. He refused to be held responsible for whatever he did to Berkeley too for that matter, but Berkeley was more durable, therefore far more likely to survive a violent outburst than Yu.

"Keen! Keen, wait, please!" Berkeley pled. Keen took the opportunity to lash out, making a blow at him. Berkeley dodged it but barely, wide-eyed and mortified. "John, nothing came of it!" he insisted.

"Nothing came of what?" Keen darkly asked, teeth clenched.

"Do you plan on listening to the full story or murdering me before it's done?" Berkeley asked.

"That depends very much on how you tell it and what you say," Keen replied.

"I won't try and defend myself. I found her crying after you and she argued, I wanted to make her feel better, so I brought her to a bar to get her a drink. I'd hoped to talk to her and try to help her feel better about what had happened! One drink turned into two, then three, then four, then five, and the next thing we knew, things were happening that couldn't be taken back," Berkeley said. "Nothing has gone on since!"

"What do I care if it did? She and I were only friends with benefits anyway!" Keen snapped.

"Oh for goodness' sakes," Berkeley said, visibly annoyed. "She loved you, Keen! It was no big secret. It was you who refused to take it to the next level. She wasn't going to wait forever for you!"

Berkeley couldn't dodge the blow he delivered that time, and was sent to the ground with a shout of pain. Keen leapt on him, enraged to hear those words recited back to him. Enraged even more about how true they were. Viciously the two tangled on the ground. Berkeley put up a good fight, Keen would give him that, but when all was said and done, he was the bigger man. At last, getting the upper hand, he raised his fist to strike.

"Jonathan, stop!" Yu cried, catching his arm from behind and keeping him from hitting the younger man. "You're going to put him in hospital!"

Keen glared down at Berkeley furiously. She was right, he knew, and a part of him fully intended to do just that, but another part acknowledged that Berkeley wasn't wrong. At the end of the day, nothing had ever been made official between he and Yu. That was entirely his fault and he fully acknowledged that. When he'd stormed off the day he had argued with her, he had given the impression their unofficial arrangement had met its untimely end. At the time maybe he'd meant it, but you meant to do a lot of things in the heat of the moment that you didn't actually want. Like putting Cameron in a hospital.

"Keen, I swear to you nothing has happened since!" Berkeley said, sounding afraid. Not for himself, though. For Yu and maybe even him for whatever reason. Keen glared at him, then scoffed, standing up and pulling his arm away from Yu gently but firmly. He glared down at Berkeley quietly then huffed and turned, walking swiftly away. "John!" Cameron cried out, going after him desperately. "John please, I'm sorry! I promise you I am! I didn't mean for this to happen. It wasn't supposed to happen!"

"Well it did!" Keen snapped.

"Do you want me to leave? If you do, I will. I won't ever look back! I never wanted to hurt you! John!" Berkeley exclaimed in dismay, giving up on pursuing his friend and just stopping in his tracks. Keen kept walking but then paused with a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shook his head bitterly and looked darkly back. "Please. I know this can't be fixed, I do! I know it can never be made better, just… Whatever you want from me, I'll give it to you. Anything at all."

There was silence as Keen glared darkly at him. "You were drunk, were you?" he finally said.

"It isn't an excuse," Berkeley wisely said.

"You regret it do you?" Keen asked.

"I regret betraying her trust. I regret even more betraying you," Berkeley answered. Keen's jaw twitched ever so slightly. He would grant the younger man points for honesty though.

"And you expect me to believe you'll do whatever I say without question or hesitation," Keen said.

"I'll do whatever you say without question, hesitation, or expectation," Berkeley answered.

Keen shook his head at him bitterly. "Return to the Mongolian States and don't come back," he mercilessly replied. "Don't look back at me, don't look back at her, don't speak. Do nothing but put one foot in front of the other until you're long out of sight."

Berkeley was silent, arms wrapped tightly around himself. He looked miserable. As he should, Keen determined coldly. Letting out a shaking breath, the younger man turned on his heel and walked away from him. He passed Yu without looking at her. He didn't even turn when she reached out to catch his arm, just pulled it away and kept going as quickly as he could. Yu covered her mouth and looking down, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. She didn't try to go after him. Nor did she try and pursue Keen when he stormed off the other way.

Present

They docked in Sector D. Keen made immediately for Yu's place. It took him an hour to walk there. He dreaded it each step of the way and knew this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. He stopped outside her door, hesitating, but was soon able to talk himself into knocking. Within two minutes, she answered. She caught her breath when she saw him there. "Drunk were you?" he asked, sounding more bitter than he'd meant to. Tired and angry too, he presumed.

She wrapped her arms around herself. "He didn't tell you the whole story. What happened that night was my fault, Keen. Not Berkeley's. I was certainly more sober than he was at the time. You know he can't hold his liquor for the life of him. Don't blame him for this, please! Hell, I couldn't even tell you if he remembers that night! He woke up severely hungover with me at his side and was stunned. I woke up hungover and confused he couldn't remember. He practically had a panic attack when he realized what had happened and what it could mean for us. All of us. Not just me and him. You know Berkeley. You know he would never have done that to you if he'd had a coherent thought in his head that night!" Keen continued glaring at her, anger sparking in his eyes. "Oh don't pretend like you've never pulled things like this on me before! Never official, remember? Friends with benefits, remember? God, how many people have you slept with since high school again? Because I know for a fact it wasn't only me!"

Keen's jaw clenched ever so slightly. "Nine," he bitterly answered. "I've had a grand total of nine sexual partners." He frowned a little, thinking back. "Seven consensual," he corrected quietly. She started, looking shocked. Keen sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his hair. "In fact, as far as you or anyone else is concerned, there was only ever seven."

"John?" she asked in concern.

"Don't!" he immediately cut off. "Just don't."

"You can't just drop something like that on me and play it off like nothing!" Yu protested.

"Watch me!" he snapped sharply. "There were seven partners, five were female, two were male. You were among the five female. That's all there is to it. And yes, while you and I were… spending a great deal of time together," he hated that he couldn't say dating, "I was indulging here and there. There's a reason I've come back. I'm more than aware of what you've put up with from me over the years." There was silence between them. After a moment, he let out a shaky breath and shook his head. "I'm sorry I was too much a coward to make things official. I'm sorry I was too undecided to make anything more of us than what we were," he finally murmured.

"You still can," she answered quietly.

"Perhaps, but it seems I have a little rival now," Keen said in frustration.

"The rival you sent away?" she asked.

Keen started, recalling what he'd said to Berkeley, and cursed loudly. "Has he gone yet?" he demanded.

"I don't know," she tiredly replied. "I haven't seen him or been able to contact him since the day you drove him off."

"Dammit!" Keen said. "By now he must be in the Mongolian States again."

"He might have stayed in the hopes of fixing things between you two," she offered.

"He had no way of knowing when or even if I would ever come back," Keen replied.

"He would know. Just like I knew. It's a question of whether he obeyed your order immediately or put it off in the hopes of maybe fixing things," she quietly and tiredly said.

Keen started and met her eyes once more. For a moment, there was silence between them. "I'm sorry for everything I've put you through. For everything I've put him through as well," he finally said.

"It's fine. We'll sort it all out. For now, find Berkeley. Make up at least somewhat, then maybe it'll be best if we all roll the dial back a bit and get on a level field with one another," she said. "No romantic relationships muddying the waters, just Berkeley, Yu, and Keen. We'll work up from there. All of us."

That hurt more than he would like to admit, but he heard the wisdom in the words. It would be best for all of them to start at square one. Then they would let the chips fall as they may. "Agreed," he said quietly. Yu nodded. Keen pulled out his PDA and searched Berkeley's tracking number. "How has work been?" he asked.

"It's been alright. Alterra's a bit too stifling an employer for my liking, but a job is a job. Besides, it seems something is in the works. There's a big project floating across desks. With luck I'll find myself on it," she said.

"I'm aware of it. Hollister was the Captain assigned to the job. He's been given leave to select a few crew of his own. I'll put forth your name to him, assuming you're not already on Alterra's list. Hollister could use a technician. Something to think about," he said.

She smiled a little. "I'll keep it in mind. Thank you."

As Keen scrolled across the map, his heart sank. He sighed and closed his eyes. "He's not here," he quietly said.

"Check the docks. Signal's not always good in that location," she said. "He would have wanted to meet you when you returned. He's probably been down there each day checking the manifest and searching for the Borealis. Go and make things right between you. I'll come by later. Finishing up a few things here first." Keen nodded and hurried to return to the docks.

Subnautica

Berkeley had no idea why he had decided to meet the Borealis as it came into port. Keen had made it perfectly clear he never wanted to see him again, and while he had promised the man he would leave, before he did, he wanted to try at least once more to fix this rift between them. Staying as long as he had already was pushing his luck, but it would be weeks before the Borealis returned again. He couldn't wait another two months for them. If he missed this opportunity, that was it. He needed to see the man. Fate, though, had other plans. No sooner had he reached the docks when he was waylaid. Now he was being pressed by men he had never met and didn't trust. "It's a good job. Good pay. A few hours' work. We take some photographs, record a couple of skits, and you're on your way to fame and fortune."

"I'm an engineer, not a model," Berkeley bluntly replied. "Good day, gentlemen."

He tried to walk away but was grabbed by the arm. He gasped a bit in surprise as he was pulled roughly into an alleyway and pushed up against the wall. He stayed calm because panicking right now would only spell ruin. He'd find a way out of this somehow or other. Then again, what did it matter if he just disappeared? It wasn't like he had much to stay for anymore… He'd lost his two best friends, he'd fallen out of touch with his parents, and while he'd been meaning to link up with them again, as of yet he hadn't so would anyone even care at this point if he vanished, he bitterly wondered to himself? Would anyone even notice? He hoped they intended to kill him, but he doubted it. This was Sector D, after all. If you disappeared here, odds were your fate was worse than death, so he wouldn't disappear. He'd do everything he could to avoid disappearing, in fact.

"Let me go," he coldly warned. His response was a serrated knife to the throat, and he swallowed in fear. He regretted everything, but too little too late.

"How much will you be worth, I wonder?" the man holding him against the wall said. Suddenly Berkeley brought his knee up between the man's legs. The man screamed in pain and Berkeley broke away, racing from the alley frantically. The men pursued him immediately, and he knew he was done for if they caught him. His odds weren't good. He didn't know this sector well, which meant he was on their home turf, which meant he was as good as caught already. The docks he was on were empty say for the terminal, an unmarked ship, and the Borealis. The Borealis was too far away to reach, the unmarked ship probably belonged to these men, and going to the terminal would be pointless. They'd probably pass him over to his pursuers without a second thought if it meant these people left them alone in exchange. He ran into an alley to try and lose them and cried out in alarm. Ahead of him was a wall he had no chance of scaling! He whipped around quickly. They were closing in on him more slowly now. He saw zipties and rope. He saw tape. He saw weapons. Nervously he backed himself against the wall and scanned for any sort of weapon. He spotted a metal rod and dove at it, scooping it up and brandishing it. He regretted not bringing a pistol along. He'd known better. He'd just figured he'd walk into Sector D, get to the docks in time to meet the Borealis and Keen, then buy a ticket to the Mongolian States and leave after they'd hopefully spoken. In and out quick and simple. Nothing was ever simple here though, was it?

"Berkeley! Berkeley, where are you?!" he heard a familiar voice shout from somewhere nearby.

Berkeley started, eyes widening in shock. "Keen?" he asked, looking in that direction. Wait. This was his chance at salvation! "Keen, help me!" he shouted desperately.

The men rushed him before the words had fully departed his mouth, and he tried to fight back, but numbers overwhelmed. Quickly they covered his mouth and began dragging him out of sight behind a crate. He tried to shout again, but couldn't make a loud enough sound for it to matter.

"Berkeley! Cam!" Keen called, closer now. Berkeley fought desperately to try and alert his friend of his whereabouts, but his attackers had a firm grip on him. Already they were binding him with the zip ties and tape. They taped up his mouth too, and eyes. His heart pounded in his chest, plummeting rapidly, and he was terrified that this would be it. Said heart sank into the pit of his stomach when he heard Keen run passed the alley calling for him. Soon the footsteps and voice faded away and he wanted to scream in frustration, because of course this would be his luck. The men forced him up, wrestling him quickly out of the alley doubtless to bring him to their ship. He tried to shout again for help while struggling, but it was futile.

"Let him go!" he suddenly heard Keen shout. He caught his breath, turning his head in what he presumed was his friend's direction. He tried to scream through the tape.

"Grab that one too!" one of the men ordered.

"Oh no. You won't be taking anyone," another voice said. Berkeley recognized it as Captain Hollister's. As Keen's friends, he and Yu had been invited on board the Borealis fairly often over the years as it stopped by their settlement, so he knew the man well enough. He could have cheered then and there, but wasn't quite willing to celebrate just yet.

"Give me the boy," Keen said through what sounded like clenched teeth. Berkeley couldn't help but feel mildly annoyed at the term, but he doubted Keen would ever stop referring to him as 'the boy'. Berkeley felt the serrated blade being pressed against his throat again and caught his breath. "Give him to me!" Keen shouted. "Please, I'll pay you." Berkeley heard the desperation tinging his friend's voice, and that brought him more relief than anyone would ever know because it meant that John still cared. He'd been so afraid he didn't…

"The authorities!" he heard one of the men shout from somewhere nearby, and his heart almost stopped because he knew that now their best option was to cut their losses. Probably literally. He was the losses. He realized instantly what was coming and shouted in terror, jerking his head and neck back from the knife as best he could in a desperate attempt to save his own life. He felt the blade rip across his throat.

"Cameron!" Keen shouted.

"Fire!" Hollister ordered at the same time.

He felt himself thrown down to the ground. Bullets and lasers echoed out all around him and he had no idea what was happening in the battlezone roaring on the docks. Nor did he care. He was just relieved he was still alive. Given how much blood he felt spilling from his throat though, no one could be blamed for thinking otherwise. Hell, at the rate the blood was spilling, his life expectancy might be at best a few minutes anyway.

"Cameron! Cam, no! No, please no," he heard Keen plead. He felt his friend turning him over. He felt John's hands on his neck, trying to staunch the blood. He let out a wheezing breath to try and signal he was still alive. He was vaguely aware of Keen begging him to hang on before he lost consciousness.

Subnautica

Keen waited outside medical bay, hands covering his mouth. To say he was terrified of the news that would come out of that room was an understatement. "He'll live," Keen barely registered the doctor declare. "They didn't cut deep enough to kill. Seems he pulled his head back just in time to spare himself a premature grave. No injures besides it except some cuts left by the zipties. He's woozy, lost a good amount of blood, and will have a mean scar, but he'll recover in a couple of days."

Keen barged passed without waiting to be permitted and went right to Cameron's side. The young man was rubbing his sore, bandaged wrists in annoyance. He oomphed when Keen pulled him into an unexpected hug. Extremely unexpected in fact, because Keen was not what you'd call an affectionate or touchy-feely sort of man. "Am I still exiled?" Berkeley dryly asked.

"Keep quiet," Keen ordered bluntly. After a moment more, he at last determined it was safe to let Berkeley go. "I'm bringing you back home. You need to rest," he said.

"Isn't Hollister leaving on an expedition soon?" Berkeley asked.

"Not that soon. We're going. Now," Keen said.

"Yu…" Berkeley began.

"Will hear of this ridiculousness soon enough. Right now, my priority is getting you somewhere safe," Keen said.

Berkeley nodded in agreement and was surprised when Keen pulled him into a hug once more. Sighing in defeat, the younger man leaned against his friend. Honestly, he felt more relieved than Keen would ever know. "I'm going to leave, John. Just as I promised."

"You don't have to. I'm sorry. For everything," Keen replied, pushing him gently back.

"It's best for all of us," Berkeley said. "I won't go so far as the Mongolian States. Just away from here. Pursue career opportunities elsewhere so that maybe everything between us can reset."

"Yu said something similar," Keen said, still not releasing his shoulders.

"Then she realizes it's for the best too," Berkeley said.

"You're going nowhere until you've recovered from your wounds," Keen said.

"Fair enough," Berkeley said, offering him a smile. Keen nodded and hugged him briefly again.

Subnautica

Ozzy waited with Ryley in medical bay for Keen to leave the room Berkeley was holed up in. Word was Cam had run afoul of what amounted to space pirates and nearly lost his life. Ozzy felt a tap on his arm and looked over.

"Who are Yu and Berkely? Have I met them?" Ryley signed.

"Nah. Sorry. Forgot you haven't crossed them yet. Saran Yu and Cameron Berkeley are old friends of Keen's, both of 'em. Every so often one or the other or both stop by for a visit when the Borealis is in port. Keen says Yu's recently been brought on as a technical officer on offer from Alterra. One of the best in the field. Berkeley's a recently graduated freelance engineer. Works for whoever's willin' to pay the big bucks I guess. Does favors for Yu and Keen no charge or at a discounted rate. There's some kinda tension between Keen and him though, and I don't mean the romantic type. Somethin' is up with them. I figure it's probably best not to get involved. Might have to do with Yu, might have to do with the fact Berkeley's a lot like you in all the ways Keen hates, might be a mix of both."

Ryley smirked and signed: "Sounds spicy."

Ozzy couldn't help but laugh at that. The door to medbay opened just then and he looked quickly over in time to see Keen exit, looking tired. "John, everything okay?" Ozzy asked, standing up. Keen shook his head. "Berkeley gonna be okay?" Ozzy carefully breached. Keen nodded. "You doin' alright?" Ozzy asked. Keen gave him an incredulous look. "Right. Stupid question."

Keen let out a breath. "He'll be ready to go home by tomorrow. I plan on seeing him there," he said.

"And Yu?" Ozzy asked.

"It's… complicated," he replied.

"I was askin' if she knows what happened to him yet," Ozzy said.

"She'll know soon enough," Keen said.

"Uh huh… Seriously, you doin' okay?" Ozzy asked.

"Not now Ozzy," Keen replied, walking away. "I don't need you psychoanalyzing me."

"Like I'm smart enough for that," Ozzy called after him. Keen gave him a hard, annoyed look and huffed, leaving. Ozzy smirked a little, but he was genuinely worried about the guy. He hoped John would come around and open up to him a bit sooner than later. Satisfied everything was okay, he left medbay with Riley in tow.

Subnautica

Fournier read through an article grimly while she and Huggins sat in a coffee shop near the docks, waiting for Hollister's call. "What are you reading?" Huggins asked.

"An article about the Degasi," she replied.

"That ship that disappeared years back?" Huggins asked. "I remember it. A real do it was. When me parents heard about it, they doubled down on tryin' to discourage me from going to space on expeditions, so I doubled down on refusing."

"I know. My father started to get uneasy too and began implying I should stop going up there as well. Wanted me to start running things from the ground. It didn't help there was a kid reported to be on board. Some eighteen or nineteen-year-old whose old man was a high-ranking Mongolian chief. That shook dad pretty bad."

"My parents even worse," Huggins dryly said. "Y' think the Mongolians will ever find them? Or at least what happened to them."

"Torgal's a pretty big name to just disappear into thin air like that, so they'll definitely try," she replied, holding a mug in one hand and the paper in another.

"What system was it in again?" Huggins asked.

"The system orbiting star 4546," she replied. "Not a lot of information on it. A few known planets, but no one knows anything about them. They're in Mongolian-occupied space, so your best answers will probably come from them." She sipped at her coffee.

"Little short on Mongolians around these parts, cuz. Good riddance to 'em I say."

She gave him a vaguely annoyed look, but she wasn't surprised at the prejudice. Alterra and the Mongolian States did not get along. At all. She couldn't have begun to tell you all the rhetoric spewed in the school systems against the Mongolians. Meanwhile, Alterra bragged itself up. Not a shocker. It seemed Alterra bragged itself up above any other Trans-Gov, but hey, the other Trans-Govs were probably doing the same—putting down the others and talking up themselves. It was a vicious cycle. For as much rhetoric as Alterra spewed, the Sols, Savannahs, Oceanics, Mongolians, etc, probably spewed equal amounts against Alterra. What could she say? Business was cutthroat.

"So whadaya know about the Torgals?" Huggins asked, curious.

She snorted. "Paul Torgal was one of the biggest stakeholders in the China Territories and ran probably the single largest mining company there was. Sixty-nine or seventy years old. One legitimate son, Bart Torgal, who he claimed was his only child, but everyone knew otherwise. He was fifty when the kid was born. You don't move around that much, have that kind of wealth and status, boast those kinds of looks—and you can bet he had it going for him even at his age—and somehow end up having your first kid at fifty. There's not a chance."

"Judgemental Jo," Huggins teased.

"His reputation as a lech precedes him," she replied.

"Fair enough. So how many illegitimate children you figure?" Huggins asked.

She snorted in derision, putting down the article. "Who knows, who cares? If I had to guess, at least two or three. Maybe more," she said. "Rumor has it he got around a lot. Ah well. What happened to Degasi was a tragedy for sure, but it's not the first time something like that happened. Mercury II, remember?"

"I've heard of it plenty. Another of the arguments me parents kept bringing up to try and keep me from pursuing a career on a spaceship," he said.

"It disappeared around star 4546 too," she said, pushing back her chair and standing up. "Clearly that's not a place ships want to be. Come on. The Borealis should be heading out again soon. That friend of Keen's, Berkeley, is due to be offboard in not too long now. Let's go." Huggins nodded, finished his coffee, then rose and followed her dutifully.

Subnautica

The cousins entered the ship's canteen to a sense of solemnity hanging heavy in the air. "Degasi. Such a tragedy. It's Mercury II all over again," Hollister remarked, reading the same review article that they had been reading outside while a plate of food sat untouched in front of him.

"You doin' okay Captain?" Ozzy asked, a concerned frown on his lips.

Hollister shook his head. "Bad memories is all, Ozwald. I knew the captain of the Mercury II well. Very well… Intimately…" Keen, sitting nearby, gave him a surprised look, eyes a bit wide. Hollister wryly smirked but offered little more information than that. "Diana was a good woman who deserved a better fate. I can't help but resent the Mongolians a little for how the matter surrounding Mercury II was handled. They were Sol Trans-Gov, but at the time the Mongolian States were refusing to let ships from rival Trans-Govs into their territory. Permission was only granted if the passage was necessary."

"Which meant?" Keen fished.

"Which meant no search crew from Sol or Alterra could go in and look for them. Which meant only the Mongolians were able to. Which meant that many less eyes on the matter. The Mongolian search efforts were a spectacular failure, as far as the general public knows. There are rumors, though, that they did in fact figure it out, just hid the matter where they had no right to," Hollister said.

"Damn Mongolians," Huggins said.

"That attitude will not be permitted on board this ship, Victor. Guard your tongue. We're all guilty of some sort of shady dealing or other. Mongolians are far from the worst offenders. In that I would dare say Alterra may take the cake, so to speak," Hollister said. "Now come along. We have work to do."

"Yessir. Sorry," Huggins replied.

The Captain looked over his crew. "Now, we're on our way to pick up some more participants in the Aurora expedition coming up, but there's a side quest I've been tasked with. A planet in Alterra's sights they want scouted out for usability. It's on the way, so we'll be making a detour. We have no idea what will be waiting for us down there, so be prepared."

"Yes sir," the crew all said, saluting him. Hollister nodded, rose, and left. Keen trailed behind him. A few more matters needed to be tied up, such as the Berkeley one, but after that, they were free to head out.

Chapter Text

"Do we know anything about this planet we're arriving at in a few more hours?" Ryley signed to Ozzy in the cafeteria.

"Not a thing," Ozzy replied. He looked up and spotted Keen entering the canteen. "Keen!" he called. Keen looked over at them and approached. "I hear we're due to arrive at that mystery planet by the end of the day. What's the plan?" Ozzy asked.

"We make planetfall by six. There we divide into two teams, stay the night in the ship, then set out early the next morning at approximately five. One team will focus on data collection and the scanning of flora and fauna. The other will mark resources of note and gather up samples and materials where they can. The information we collect will be returned to Alterra for review, and if they deem the planet rich enough in resources, they'll stake a claim before the Mongolian States, the Savannah Trans-Gov, or the Sol Trans-Gov have the chance to. We remain until we hear word either way, and if the project is a go, we claim the location for Alterra and set up a research facility to receive the scientists and miners who will be sent there later."

Ryley tapped on the counter. Keen gave him a mildly annoyed look. "What if the fauna isn't so friendly?" Ryley signed.

"That will be the Captain's directive to give," Keen replied. "He will brief the crew prior to entry into the planet's atmosphere." He looked at Ozzy. "Any plans to join one of the teams sent out? You may find some edible flora you can make use of."

"Not a chance. Not until I know for a fact that settin' foot on that alien soil isn't gonna get me killed," Ozzy replied. "Then maybe, maybe, I'll venture out a bit."

Ryley tapped on the counter again. Keen looked at him with an annoyed frown. "I'll join a team," Ryley signed.

"No," Keen bluntly said.

Ryley's eyes narrowed. "Why not?!" he signed. "I can't scream for help, but I can scream. I can't shout out orders or warnings, but I can shout and get attention. I'm not incapable Keen."

"No. I can't allow it. You'll get yourself and others killed," Keen replied.

"Because I can't talk?!" Ryley furiously signed.

"That may in fact play a part, yes; but it's far more likely you'll get yourself killed because you, Robinson, are neither a seasoned explorer nor a trained survivalist," Keen retorted. "I refuse to risk the entirety of this crew for one inexperienced crew member wanting to play adventurer."

"I can handle myself!" Ryley insistently signed.

"Your orders are to stay on the ship!" Keen snapped.

"No," Ryley signed, a conspiring smirk crossing his lips.

As he expected, Keen faltered. He faltered in a big way. All eyes turned to the scene curiously as the Second Officer struggled to figure out how to respond to such blatant defiance. "I am your commanding officer. You will do as I say or be charged with insubordination," Keen finally said. Much of the bravedo in his voice, though, had evaporated as he tried to tone it down and keep the interaction quiet and hidden from prying ears.

"Fine. You don't want me to go with a team, I'll go solo," Ryley signed.

"And get yourself killed?" Keen demanded. "I won't allow it."

"So stop me," Ryley challenged.

"Robinson!" Keen angrily shouted.

"Keen," Ryley signed calmly, pointing at him.

Keen faltered again. Murmurs were beginning among the crew. Keen glanced uneasily back at them before turning to Ryley once more. "I… Shall we bring this up with the Captain, then?" the Second Officer asked, bravedo vanishing again.

"I won't go far," Ryley signed.

"I said no," Keen replied.

"You were willing to let Ozzy go!" Ryley protested.

"Because Ozzy I can trust not to be a damn fool!" Keen snapped. "I will not risk the lives of others for a defiant little…" He stopped himself before he could say something he regretted, but leaving the sentence unfinished was twice as bad because it left Ryley to try and fill in the blank. Ryley narrowed his eyes, a deep frown on his face. Safe to say he was assuming the worst.

"If you don't trust me out there alone, then put me with a party. Problem solved," Ryley signed.

"I said no and that's final. Now I have no time for your nonsense. There are more important concerns on my mind than your reckless spirit," Keen said.

"Either I go out solo or I sneak into a party. Your choice," Ryley signed firmly.

"You want to go out and get yourself killed, be my guest! One less thorn in my side. I have no time for your nonsense," Keen said.

"Sneaking it is," Ryley signed before shrugging.

"Departing this ship is not your directive!" Keen fired back.

"So what?" Ryley signed.

"I… You…" Keen stammered, faltering again. "So help me I'll bring you before the Captain for this insubordination!"

"You go to Hollister for all the problems you can't make go away?" Ryley signed.

"Keep up with this attitude and my current problem will be sent away sooner than it thinks," Keen coldly said.

"You just don't have the spine to deal with it yourself," Ryley signed.

"No! You're wrong. I simply respect the captain too much to step on his toes when it comes to his latest favorite," Keen replied.

"Then call him here and let's talk it out," Ryley signed.

Keen stared at him, then glanced around the café at the observing eyes. To summon Hollister might be perceived as a show of weakness, but then any move he made at this point might be, short of backhanding and arresting the Systems Maintenance Chief. That, though, would probably invite the captain's wrath.

Subnautica

"Keen, he can join up with me when I head out. I don't mind watchin' his back. He's goin' stir crazy in here. Can you blame him for wantin' out?" Ozzy soon said. Things were getting dicey now, and he couldn't watch this anymore. The murmurs of the other crew were increasing, the volume getting a bit louder, and if no one stepped in soon, Keen was gonna end up in a position he might not be able to get out of. Ryley didn't understand what he was doing here. He didn't understand how badly it could go or how horribly it might end for the SO. He was still new to this lifestyle. Chain of command, ship rules, common courtesies… none of that meant anything to Ryley. Not yet. It was something he was gonna have to learn sooner than later, but Ryley moved fast and with determination. If he set his mind to something, he pursued it relentlessly. Waiting for him to learn the hard way wasn't an option. He needed to be outright told. If Robinson kept on the way he was going, he would screw them over worse than he could even imagine. He would talk to his friend about what he was trying to do later. He probably should have done it first time Ryley implied it was what he wanted to do at some point. First things first, school the guy on the subtleties, or not-so-subtleties, of mutiny.

"Come again?" Keen said, looking at him in disbelief.

"If the guy wants to explore, let him explore, but there's safety in numbers. I may not be any kind of survivalist either, but two still stand a better chance out there on an alien world than one does," Ozzy said. "I'll be his party. Back him up if things go bad."

"Absolutely not!" Keen said. At the same time, Ryley frantically shook his head, a little alarmed by the statement.

"Well for once you two agree on somethin'," Ozzy said, smirking. The two started and exchanged quick looks before turning back to Ozzy.

"The captain will deal with Robinson's insubordination," Keen said more calmly now. "His defiance will not go unpunished."

"Keen," Ozzy said firmly. "I'm offerin' you a way out." Keen shifted and glanced at the observing crew, then turned to Ozzy once more. "Very well," he relented. "He's your responsibility."

"And I plan on takin' it plenty seriously," Ozzy said, giving Ryley a hard look that made the younger man wince and quell a bit.

"Then I absolve myself of anything bad that might happen to him," Keen said, giving Ryley a dark look.

"Sure. No problem. On my head. I get it," Ozzy said, handing Keen his usual. Keen took it, nodded a thanks, then walked out. Ryley watched him go then gave Ozzy an annoyed look. "We'll talk later," Ozzy said. "Now isn't the time. Look, there's a lot you don't seem to understand about bein' up here in a spaceship a million miles from safety. When we go out tomorrow, I'll fill you in on a few things you seem to have missed. Leave Keen alone Ryley. At least for now. Until you actually understand what you're inviting pullin' off stunts like this."

Ryley hesitated, but it was rare that Ozzy ever took a tone or attitude like this unless it was serious, so he nodded in agreement. He'd hear his friend out before he pursued matters further.

Subnautica

Landing the ship? No problem. Scouting the area and preparing to ready a base camp? Not an issue. Being forced to sit on the sidelines and just watch it all happening? Ryley was less than impressed. "Come on, it ain't so bad. Guys like you and me, we ain't specialists or scientists or anythin' like that. Leave things like that to people who are," Ozzy, sitting at his side, said. Ryley gave him a look that screamed 'don't try and make me feel better'. "Hey, instead of sulkin', why not make somethin' of the downtime?"

Ryley considered this, then turned to him again and began to sign. "Were you serious about coming with me to explore?"

"Yeah. Besides, no better time to have that little talk I said we needed to have," Ozzy said.

"Now is a good time too," Ryley signed, frowning.

"Tell ya what. I'll give ya a spoiler. The word 'mutiny' mean anythin' to you?" Ozzy asked. Ryley started. "If it doesn't now, it sure will after tomorrow," Ozzy added. Smirking, he patted Ryley's shoulder and got up to leave. He had to start prepping dinner. Pretty soon the crew would be back on the ship, and they'd be ravenous. Ryley watched after him, then looked towards Keen - who was down on the ground overseeing the setup - a bit uncertainly. He hadn't actually thought of that, he uneasily noted to himself.

Subnautica

The next morning found Ozzy and Ryley making their way through the foreign, alien world armed with machete's. Alterra had banned weapons from survival kits, but this wasn't a survival situation, these weren't from a survival kit, and Hollister was a contracted Captain, not Alterra. At least for now. Fournier had mentioned something about how the Trans-Gov was really starting to wear the guy down though. Ryley turned to Ozzy and tapped his shoulder. Ozzy looked over at him. Ryley tilted his head curiously and signed, "Are we going to have that talk or what?"

"Sure," Ozzy said, stopping by a plant that looked edible, cutting off a piece, and tasting it. Ryley grimaced. He half expected the man to drop dead from poisoning one day, but given the amount of antidotes and neutralizers Oz tended to bring along, this wasn't the guy's first go-around with alien flora. Still…

"I'm not going to have to bring you back paralyzed or dead, am I?" Ryley signed.

"Maybe," Ozzy said, shrugging. "I figure this is gonna be what kills me one day if anything does. Not exactly the adventurin' type. This is about as daring as I get, and I mean, one day I'm gonna come across somethin' I don't have a catch-all for."

"Can we not make that day today?" Ryley signed.

Ozzy smirked but didn't directly answer that. He grabbed a piece of fruit from a tree and bit into it. "Now this is good," he said. He tossed Ryley a piece. Ryley caught it, looking incredulous, then grimaced and figured what the heck. He bit into it and his eyes widened a bit. He stared at it in disbelief. "See?" Ozzy said. "I swear you can find the best delicacies out there on uncharted worlds." Ryley nodded and took another bite. It made his mouth feel numb, but not in a necessarily bad way. Maybe it had a mild paralytic component to it, which meant eating too much would be a bad idea, but eating a little? Not so bad. He signed as much to Ozzy. "You got a brain on you, I'll give ya that. Never even thought about the numbness," Ozzy said.

"How have you survived again?" Ryley signed with a teasing smirk.

Ozzy laughed. "Luck," he replied. He took a seat on a rock and Ryley perched on a log. Ozzy's smile fell a little. "Look, whatever's happenin' between you and Keen, it can't keep on like this. The man's Second Officer. The only guy higher up than him is Hollister. When you're in a position like that, you can't afford to lose respect or credibility. Not up here. Not in the dead of space where the nearest help is a million miles away. You don't like him, he don't like you, and that's fine, but try'na mortalize him to a crew that's puttin' their full trust in him up where no one can hear you scream, ain't a good idea. When trust and respect go out the window, people get scared. When you get scared, sometimes your brain doesn't work so well. When your brain stops workin', you start getting stupid. When you start getting stupid, you make bad decisions. Decisions that could cost you your life and everyone else's. Keen's a lotta things - Self-conscious, unsure of himself, anxious, easily flustered, fakes it 'til he makes it - but one thing he isn't is careless. Despite those flaws, despite how little you think they lend to a good leader, he doesn't let 'em get in the way. For the most part, he keeps a cool, level head. For the most part, his decisions save lives. Is it always gonna be that way? Nah. He's made costly mistakes before and he'll make 'em again, but everyone screws up once in a while. Sometimes real bad. What you gotta do is learn from it, not keep makin' the same mistake over and over. Keen's good at that. He's saved more lives than he's cost. Strip him of the trust and respect he's built with this crew, you risk mutiny and incite rebellion. Getting Keen into the kinda trouble he can't get out of, you risk everyone. Hollister will back him one hundred percent, then maybe we lose the Captain too. What then? The rest of us are just a buncha inexperienced extras with no clue how to fly a ship or how to get home. What happens to us when the Captain and SO are out of the picture?"

"Death?" Ryley sheepishly signed, looking thoroughly embarrassed now.

"Oh yeah. In a big way," Ozzy said. "At least if their idea of mutiny is tossin' the Captain and Second Officer out the ship. Maybe we get lucky and they just toss 'em in the brig, but then the minute we land, guess who's in trouble? Deep, deep trouble."

"The crew," Ryley signed defeatedly.

"And the one who incited it most of all. You know the death penalty's still a thing, right?" Ozzy said. Ryley grimaced, a hand subconsciously going to his throat. "Inciting mutiny's one of the few things that can still land you it. The number of lives on the line, the amount of risk… it's too dangerous to chance someone doin' it again, so they punish it hard."

"Okay! I get the point," Ryley signed. "I'll stop and try to make it up to him."

"Keen holds grudges real good. Good luck with that," Ozzy wryly said, smirking. Ryley grimaced. Of course. Just his luck. Ozzy chuckled. "Come on. We should probably head back before we go too far and end up lost. Or something's food."

"Ryley, Ozzy!" a voice shouted out. They started, looking quickly over in surprise.

"Was that Keen?" Ryley signed.

"Yeah. It was," Ozzy replied, standing uneasily up. "He sounds freaked out. No other reason he'd use first names. Keen's formal when it comes to stuff like that." Ozzy turned around. "John, over here!" he called.

It was only seconds before Keen shoved through the foliage and came to a stop. "Back to the ship, now!" he ordered, pointing.

"What? What's goin'…?" Ozzy began.

"Now!" Keen commanded, drawing a weapon and staring passed them nervously. Ozzy and Ryley exchanged mildly alarmed looks and began to run back. Keen waited until they'd passed him, eyes fixed on whatever was behind them—neither dared turn around to check—then pursued quickly, taking up the rear. "This planet is not safe. Designation Red if I have anything to say about it."

"Excuse me?!" Ozzy freaked. Ryley made a questioning sound, since clearly he had no time to sign out a full question.

"It means deadly. Do not visit unless absolutely necessary. Maybe it can be used in a pinch or for specialized things, but never beyond that," Keen said. "The only thing rated more dangerous is designation deep red. That means never, ever visit. Inhospitable. Guaranteed fatality."

"We never saw anything!" Ozzy said.

"Exactly," Keen said. "They don't intend for you to see until it's too late."

"They?!" Ozzy demanded. "Oh screw this shit. The hell was behind us, Keen?!"

"All you see is darkness. An unsettled feeling washes over you like something is watching you, but you don't know what. It gets darker and darker as it draws close, and you think that maybe night is falling, but it isn't night. Whatever it is, it hides in those shadows. Shadows it generates. If you find yourself caught in the darkness, it's too late."

"How many of us died for you to figure that one out?!" Ozzy demanded. Keen was silent, expression grim. Ozzy and Ryley's hearts sank. Ryley made a sound, looking uneasily around. It was getting dimmer.

Keen whispered a curse under his breath about five times, picking up the pace. The darkness was coming from multiple angles now, and the planet was suddenly eerily quiet. "Do you have weapons?!" he blurted desperately.

"Machetes!" Ozzy replied.

"Dammit all!" Keen shouted. "Get up a tree!"

"They can't climb?" Ozzy asked.

"Damned if I know, but it's a better chance than we have on the ground," Keen replied. "Captain, come in. We're surrounded! Get the ship off the ground if you haven't already."

"Keen, where are you? We're coming for you," Hollister replied.

"Negative! Don't chance it. We've lost too many already. Get off the ground or you may not get another opportunity!" Keen replied frantically as eerie wails began to sound around them, growing louder.

Ozzy yelped and leapt at the nearest tall tree, heaving himself quickly up. Ryley followed in alarm and looked down at Keen. Keen was holding his ground. Ryley shouted. Ozzy looked quickly down, and his eyes widened. "Keen, get up here now! You got a better chance fighting from above than below!" the head chef shouted.

Keen cursed and quickly began to climb after them. Ryley waited, hesitating to go further without knowing the man would catch up. "Robinson, move!" Keen ordered. Ryley of course didn't, looking unimpressed. "Damn you!" Keen snapped. Ryley ignored and only started climbing again when Keen was closer. They reached the uppermost branches of the tree. As they climbed, the light grew brighter and the shadows began to fade. None of them were willing to believe that meant they were safe just yet though. Sure enough, slowly the light began to dim again. Keen fired blindly into the darkness. There was a horrible sound, and the light suddenly was back full force, but soon it was dimming again.

"Are-are we gonna die here?" Ozzy asked in terror, eyes wide. He was not a brave man, he'd fully admit to that. In fact, he was an outright coward far as he was concerned. When dealing with people? No. When dealing with the unknown? Oh hell yes.

Ryley looked urgently around for a sign of the ship and gasped in relief when he saw it rising above the canopy. His eyes widened in horror, though, when he saw the entity clinging to it. He made a sound of alarm, pointing. Ozzy and Keen looked quickly over, and their eyes widened as well. "Captain, it's on you!" Keen shouted into the communicator. An electromagnetic pulse surged out from the ship. The creature dropped with an unholy shriek. Hollister turned the ship their way and flew rapidly towards them.

"Keen, I'm opening the docking bay. You have to get into the ship," Hollister said. "Find a way!"

"How about old-fashioned rope?" Ozzy asked.

"Rope should do the trick. Captain, at the very least, I'll get you Robinson and Ozzy," Keen said, taking Ozzy's suggestion without thinking twice about it.

Ryley started and looked quickly over at him in disbelief, eyes wide. That hadn't been expected. He would have figured the guy would leap at the opportunity to sacrifice him. Ryley was used to being the expendable one. The one everyone was willing to drop first. That a man who presumably disliked him, if not outright hated him, was willing to save his life instead of his own, wasn't a gesture he was used to. He didn't let himself think too much on it though. If that was how it was going to be, fine. The problem to solve was how to save all three of them instead of sacrificing one.

"I'm not leaving you behind, son!" Hollister said, very real fear and unease creeping into the man's voice. Ryley started, eyes widening. He looked quickly at Ozzy.

"Long story," Ozzy said with a grimace.

"I'll find a way out. These were never a problem before midday. If I can just hold out until night… I'm not sure of the biology or patterns of these creatures, but if they're only active come the afternoon, it won't necessarily be impossible," he said. "As long as my ammunition holds," he added under his breath to Ozzy and Ryley.

"We ain't leavin' you behind!" Ozzy protested. Ryley nodded vigorously in agreement. Keen gave them both an incredulous look. Mostly Ryley. Ryley winced a bit. Clearly Keen had thought much the same about him as he had thought about Keen. Namely that the other would be delighted to leave his opponent behind.

"Keen, rope incoming," Hollister said. The docking bay opened, and Huggins and Fournier were right there. Without hesitation they threw down the rope to them and anchored it, ready to drag the trio up with a few other crew members. The shadows were all around the three now. They could barely even see the rope!

"Go!" Keen ordered. Ozzy and Ryley scrambled for the line and seized it. Ryley started up first. As the smallest and lightest, he would theoretically also climb the fastest. Ozzy was right behind him. Keen held his ground, firing at the unseen entities in an effort to ensure they didn't reach the rope and board the ship.

"Keen!" Ozzy shouted. Keen grabbed the rope and started to climb quickly after the other two. He shouted in alarm when he felt something seize him and fired blindly back at it. The shadows dissipated a little, and he climbed higher.

Ryley dragged himself onto the ship. Ozzy followed. Ryley looked quickly down at Keen, who had been a significant way behind them, and gasped when he heard the man shout and saw him being dragged down. Since he wasn't firing anymore, it could be assumed he was out of ammunition. Ryley cried out then grabbed the rope again, sliding quickly back down. He pulled out the machete he had on him, expression determined.

"Ryley!" Fournier cried out.

"Robinson, get back on board the ship! That's an order!" Keen shouted, kicking at whatever had seized him. Ryley ignored him, and as soon as he reached the man, he jammed his machete down into whatever was below. It screeched, releasing its would-be victim, and quickly Ryley cut the rope below Keen. Numerous shrieks rang out and the shadows completely faded away. Keen gaped in shock and looked at his associate in disbelief. Ryley smirked, sheathed his machete, and headed back up once more. "What on…?" Keen began before trailing off. He looked back down uneasily, grimaced, then starting to climb again, choosing not to question it.

Subnautica

Ryley and Keen were quickly seized and hauled up into the ship with the remaining rope. The doors to the docking bay were closed, and for a moment they sat there trying to catch their breath and get over the shock. At last Keen looked at Ryley, eyes narrowed, then huffed and stood up, brushing himself off and marching agitatedly away. Ryley winced and bowed his head in frustration.

"Don't take it so hard," Huggins reassured, noting the crestfallen look. "It's his way of sayin' thanks without actually havin' t' say it. Guess he figures it would condone insubordination." Ryley sighed in frustration but nodded in defeat.

Ozzy approached, patted his shoulder, and hauled him to his feet. "You okay?" he asked. Ryley nodded then pointed at him. "Yeah. I'm fine. Here's hopin' Keen is too," Ozzy said, looking after the man. Ryley nodded a bit distractedly as he mentally reviewed everything that had just happened. Somewhere deep inside him, an inkling of respect began to grow for the Second Officer…

Subnautica

They'd lost thirteen out of fifty on that planet, Ryley and Ozzy learned from a solemn Fournier. Far too many, as far as Hollister and Keen were concerned. The crew tried not to think about the disaster on the uncharted planet Hollister had been hired to scout out. Huggins and Fournier had had the misfortune of being stuck with the parties that went scouting. They'd seen a lot of crap over the years and had been on more adventures than they could count—had more than a few close calls too—but nothing had compared to what they experienced the day they made planetfall on that uncharted jungle world. Their team, B, was the lucky one. Fewer casualties than team A.

That same evening, Hollister and Keen fought tooth and nail to get the planet they'd just left a Designation Red. They went so far as to enter a shouting match with the Alterra higher-ups in front of the entire crew, in fact. Keen was even more passionate and determined than Hollister about it, it seemed. Inside Ryley, that inkling of respect that had begun to form started to grow. Inwardly he found himself applauding every word the SO said. Sure, the guy still grated on his nerves like no one's business, but damned if he wasn't starting to admire the man. Even if just a bit. He doubted the Second Officer shared the sentiment, but that was beside the point. The point was that for the first time since meeting Keen, Ryley found himself wanting to prove his worth to him somehow. The thing with Keen was that if you wanted to prove yourself to him, especially after antagonizing him, you had to bend over backwards to do it. Testing his limits with the Second Officer and nearly exposing him to the crew had backfired horribly. The man wasn't easily impressed as was, and gods help you if you'd gotten on his bad side. Like he too-often tended to, Ryley had gone too far. Now he was going to have to pay for it.

Despite saving the man's hide, Keen made sure to make his life as difficult as possible in retaliation for the disrespect he'd shown the SO the night he'd tried to call him out in front of the crew. Now to be fair, for a while he'd taken his lumps. He figured he probably deserved them. When Keen showed no signs of backing off though, even after Ryley figured he'd paid for his mistake a thousand times over, he began to get bitter and a little snarky. In turn, Keen pushed him even harder, so now it was on. If the SO wanted to play hardnose and refuse to make up, fine. If he wanted to make his life miserable, fine! He'd just be sure to return the favor in full. So, he did.

Needless to say, it didn't make things better between them because why would it? He and Keen's dynamic only escalated straight up from there until eventually Hollister gave in and separated them, making sure they crossed paths as little as could be gotten away with. They still thought it was too often and the captain did as well, but the latter held onto the hope that one day they would make amends. Time would tell, Hollister supposed. He just hoped it didn't tell too late.

Chapter Text

"Why are you like this?!" they heard Keen furiously shout from somewhere down the ship. Given the lack of a shouted response, they could only assume he was yelling at Ryley. Each one of them in the canteen grimaced, and Hollister rose to go address the matter, leaving them behind.

"Y'know, things were gettin' t' be pretty stale before Ryley showed up," Huggins remarked. Ozzy laughed and Fournier smirked. Ryley hadn't brought a huge change or anything, but he'd been a shake-up to the routine. A new face with blue highlights in black hair, a particular fondness for hair gel—seriously, the man kept his hair immaculate—and most jarring of all, no voice? You could bet it made things interesting. For the most part, he was well-liked by the permanent crew, but most of the temporary members had been hot or cold depending on how they perceived people with disabilities. In Alterra, a lot of the time the stigma was negative in a big way. Huggins liked the guy. A lot. Fournier was lukewarm, but always started out tentative around anyone she didn't know extremely well. She was getting more chummy with him lately. It went without saying that Hollister and Ozzy were fans. Second Officer Keen, though, was another story because of course he was. Why wouldn't it be Keen?

They all liked the SO, don't get them wrong, but Keen was, in Huggins' words, wound tighter than a drum on the best of days. Huggins often clashed with him in fact, so he tended to try and avoid the guy. He just couldn't be bothered. Ryley, on the other hand, could, which had made for one hell of a show the day he'd tried to expose Keen to the crew in the canteen. They weren't going to lie, they'd been invested. At least Huggins had been. Ozzy had been more concerned. Fournier had disapproved but hadn't gone out of her way to put a stop to it either. She and Keen? They weren't what you'd call the best of friends. She had her own problems with the guy, but there was a mutual respect there. They worked together well in fact, as long as they both stayed quiet and didn't bother with one another beyond asking for something or maybe on occasion asking after the other's health. Keen also tended to ask her what sort of trouble her cousin was up to, and whether she threw Huggins under the bus or not depended heavily on what exactly it was he was up to at the time. If she deemed it life-threatening or dangerous, she ratted him out. If she saw no harm in it, she shrugged and played it off like she had no clue.

"That's it! I've had it!" Ryley signed angrily to Ozzy, Fournier, and Huggins, storming into the crew lounge. "I'm giving this up for a lost cause."

"Giving what up?" Fournier asked.

"Making amends with Keen!" Ryley signed.

"Right. That," Fournier said.

"Oh this is gettin' juicy now," Huggins said, grinning wickedly. Ryley scoffed.

"Don't do something you're going to regret, Robinson. For your own sake and ours," Fournier warned.

"I won't! I'll just give him a dose of his own medicine," Ryley signed. Fournier looked unconvinced, but didn't press.

"I've got yer back," Huggins said, smirking at Ryley.

"Fine, then so will I. Just as long as it's reasonable," Fournier said. Ryley nodded in agreement.

"I'm stayin' outta it altogether," Ozzy said. "Look, Ry, don't take Keen's attitude to heart. He's under a lotta stress right now. In personal and work life both." Ryley grimaced but then sighed in frustration. He didn't nod an affirmation, but didn't shoot the idea down either. Hollister came back into the canteen looking perturbed, so they assumed the conversation with Keen hadn't gone great. The man didn't seem outright angry either though, so it couldn't have been all bad.

"Everything good, Captain?" Fournier asked.

"As well as can be expected," Hollister replied. "We'll be off again soon. Almost all Alterra designated crew have been accounted for. The pre-selected ones who haven't been brought to the Aurora already will come on their own. I have a few more selections of my own to make, then Alterra needs to review them, but for the most part, the matter of crew is wrapped up. Any updates on the shipping end of things?"

"Huggins and I have a few more things to work out, so we're going to have to separate from you for a while, but we'll meet up again the day of Aurora's maiden voyage," Fournier said.

"About time we got this moving," Huggins said. "We'll be on the call with Alterra when they review your selections. Jo needs t' sign off on some of 'em too."

"Very well. We'll see you then and meet you in person once more on the day Aurora is slated to take off," Hollister said.

"Good luck Captain," Fournier said, saluting.

"I certainly can't shake the feeling we'll need it," Hollister replied, saluting back.

Subnautica

Hollister had been very, very careful with his selections for this voyage. Before he confirmed or agreed to anything, he had to be one-hundred percent certain of the candidate's legitimacy and skill. Alterra gave him a large pool to choose from, almost every person in it extremely well qualified. His permanent crew put forth names as well. People they knew of who they could one-hundred-percent guarantee the efficiency of. Keen brought up Yu and Berkeley without hesitation, advocating for them more than he'd ever advocated for anything. Hollister was inclined to agree. Whenever he had the pleasure of seeing Keen's companions in action, they'd never disappointed, so he'd put their names forward to the panel to see if they would pass the screening. Within a week he'd gotten confirmation, and in fact Alterra told him outright to give Yu the position of Chief Technology Officer. Under her authority would be all the engineers, technicians, and maintenance staff that would accompany them on this voyage. Now that he'd tied things up on his end, though, it was down to the final review.

"Your selections are fine, Captain Hollister, with the exception of one," one of the women on Alterra's review panel said.

"Oh?" Hollister coldly asked, crossing his arms. Everyone present—Ozzy and Ryley included—knew exactly where this was going, and Ryley shifted uncomfortably.

"Your Systems Maintenance Chief," the woman said. "Ryley Robinson, is it?"

"What of him?" Hollister asked.

"How do we put this, Captain?" a second woman asked.

"You want a mute to act as Systems Maintenance Chief?! Are you mad? What use could he possibly be commanding a staff? He has no voice to use!" one of the men said, not pulling his punches. Ryley shrank in on himself a bit at the words, and Huggins on his end looked like he wanted to tear them a new one, jaw clenched tight. Even Fournier looked about ready to leap down their throats, eyes blazing furiously.

"Ryley Robinson has been with me for a long time. He has yet to disappoint," Hollister said.

"Has he ever led a staff?" the same man challenged.

"He has," Hollister said.

"How well did that go?" a second man dryly said.

"Very," Hollister said firmly, giving the man a dark look. "He's not incapable."

"This isn't some backwater crew we're talking about, Hollister. These are trained professionals each one. None of them will take kindly to calling a mute their chief," a third man said.

"They're not going to have a choice," Hollister replied. "I have no intentions of leaving Ryley behind."

"Captain, meet us half-way!" a third woman said in exasperation.

Ryley tapped Hollister's shoulder. Hollister looked over. "Captain, it's alright. Really. I'm willing to stay behind. This is the greatest opportunity you've ever had. Don't give it up for me," he signed.

"Unacceptable," Hollister said. "You're coming with me, Robinson." He turned back to the board. "What is your idea of meeting you half-way? If it involves leaving one of my crew behind, I refuse."

"Here, here!" Huggins couldn't help but blurt.

"Captain, be reasonable!" the first man said.

"The fact I haven't stormed out yet and taken my people with me should tell you just how reasonable I'm being!" Hollister replied. They were quiet. "Non-Essential Systems Maintenance Chief," Hollister finally said with a frustrated sigh. "Basically, a glorified janitor." Fournier's cheek ticked slightly. "It sickens me to lower him to such a rank already, but if it guarantees his involvement with this mission, I'll do it. He will head up a janitorial staff and be on standby in case the full Systems Maintenance Chief falls ill or needs help," Hollister continued.

"Fine," the first woman relented coldly. "If you want to jeopardize this whole thing for the sake of a mute, so be it."

"More likely I'll guarantee some level of success!" Hollister bitterly snapped. "Robinson, come along. We have a crew to prepare." Ryley nodded, more grateful to the Captain than Hollister would ever know, and rose to follow him with the rest of the permanent crew in tow. Now it was down to the wire.

Subnautica

Yu, as a member of command, stood with Hollister and Keen reviewing each person Hollister was inclined to select for this voyage. Her input was invaluable. "With a critical eye she screened each and every engineer, technician, and maintenance worker that walked into the hangar the day of the flight. She had reviewed many of them already, but not all. That meant there would be some she might have to train or focus more attention on, because there was no time anymore to switch out those who seemed they might fall short.

"We're short fourteen crew. Are they really going to be late today of all days?" she demanded of Hollister and Keen.

"Not late, Boss. Right on time. At least for me," a familiar voice said.

She gasped, looking quickly over, and her eyes widened. "Berkeley!" she exclaimed in shock.

"Surprise," Keen said from behind. She looked back him, caught off-guard, and he offered her a small smile. She looked over at Berkeley once more.

"I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity when it was tossed my way," Berkeley said, approaching them.

Yu grinned at him. "Welcome aboard, Engineer. You must have really impressed," she said.

"Seems I've made a name for myself," Berkeley replied.

There was a shout from behind and Berkeley grimaced a bit, looking hopelessly back. On the ground surrounded by luggage was a hapless, mousy looking man with mousy coloured hair. He wore spectacles and had freckles everywhere. He wasn't of an impressive stature, nor of notable build. In fact, he was of average height, if not shorter than was typical for a man. All-in-all, nothing of any note to anyone really. "Hollister, Yu, Keen, meet Peter Hinkle," he said, gesturing to the newcomer. "I've worked with him in the Mongolian States. Alterran through and through and average in every conceivable way. Nervous, high-strung, easily worked up, but his corporate handlers absolutely adore him. More specifically how easily they can control him. Frankly, his most notable trait is his brilliance."

"You flatter me, Berkeley," the man bitterly and dryly said in an accent similar to Huggins' but far less pronounced. He staggered up and adjusted his glasses. "Do you mind giving me some help here?"

Berkeley sighed in exasperation and returned to the man to help him out. "Peter Hinkle? Hinkle, Hinkle," Hollister said, scanning the roster. "Ah. The head technician. He'll be the immediate supervisor of the technicians and mechanics on board. He answers only to you and your superiors, Yu."

"Brilliant," Yu said.

"Don't judge a book by its cover. There's a reason someone who seems so plain was put forth by Alterra," Keen said. "I get the distinct feeling his brilliance, if indeed he's as brilliant as Berkeley claims, was only part of it."

Berkeley approached with Hinkle at his side.

"Captain," Hinkle said, readjusting his bags and awkwardly offering his hand to Hollister.

"Hinkle," Hollister greeted, shaking it. "This is my Second Officer, Jonathan Keen, and the Chief Technology Officer, Saran Yu. You'll be answering to her directly."

"Keen, Yu," Hinkle greeted with a nod. He offered his hand to them as well and they shook it. "I'm honoured to be part of this voyage. Thank you for the opportunity, sirs and ma'am."

"Prove to us you're worth the high praise," Yu said.

"I intend to ma'am," he said.

"Off with you then. Berkeley, help him set up," Yu said.

"Whatever you say, Boss," Berkeley said, smiling and winking at her. She flushed ever so slightly but otherwise remained stoic as the two left.

"Really?" Keen sarcastically asked once Berkeley was out of sight. She frowned at him warningly.

"That's another off the list," Hollister said, checking the list of names. "Medical staff should be showing up last. Support staff and engineering staff are still trickling in."

"Excuse me, Captain?" a voice said. Hollister looked up. There was a woman standing not far away. "My name is Sarah Wilson. I'm head of Human Resources?" she said.

"Ah, Wilson. Welcome aboard the Aurora," Hollister said.

"It's an honour to be included in this expedition, sir," she said, approaching them and offering her hand. "My partner Ava - romantic and otherwise - is running a little late, but she'll be here soon, I assure you," Wilson said. "We uh, we had a bit of a fight so travelled separately."

"Ava…?" Keen fished.

"Elheim, sir," Wilson said. "Also human resources."

"Very good. Thank you for the notice, Miss Wilson," Hollister said.

"Of course, sir," Wilson said.

"So, she's your significant other?" Yu asked, smiling.

Wilson was quiet a beat. "For now," she answered. Yu's smile fell and she tilted her head with a curious frown. "Things have been… strained is all," Wilson elaborated.

"Keep it personal and out of the workplace and we'll have no issues. Again, welcome aboard," Hollister said.

"Thank you, sir," she replied.

"Why did you leave without me?!" an angry voice demanded.

Wilson grimaced a bit and turned. "Ava," she greeted. "I was under the impression you wanted to travel separately."

"Well I didn't," the woman, Ava, said.

"My apologies," Wilson said. She gestured at Hollister, Keen, and Yu. "This is the Captain and two of his command staff."

"Ms. Elheim. Second Officer Keen," Keen greeted, nodding at her.

"Chief Technology Officer Yu," Yu said, smiling.

"Oh. My apologies for the outburst. I wasn't aware," Elheim said.

"As I told your partner, keep personal matters personal and work matters at work," Hollister said with a frown.

"Yes, of course sir. I'm sorry," Elheim said.

"Hollister, Keen!" an excited voice called out. They looked over and perked up. Jogging towards them was Huggins, Fournier trailing behind. Huggins hugged them each without hesitation, grinning. Hollister smirked fondly. Keen grunted a bit. Yu giggled a little at her friend's discomfort. "I can't believe we're finally here!" Huggins continued, beaming at them. He looked over at the two women. "Oh. What have we here?" he asked, giving them both a charming smile. Wilson appeared a little flustered and taken aback. Elheim looked stunned.

"Huggins, meet Sarah Wilson and Ava Elheim," Hollister said. "They're a pair, so no ideas now." Huggins frowned at him in annoyance, then put on the smile again and turned to them. "A pleasure t' meet you both. The name is Victor Huggins."

"Th-the pleasure is ours," Sarah said, still looking flustered.

Huggins looked towards Fournier, who was closing the distance between them. "This is me cousin, Josephine Fournier, but call her Jo. She prefers it," he said, gesturing to the woman. "She's in charge of the shipping. I'll be down in Parts and Services."

"A pleasure," Fournier greeted, nodding at the two.

"Oh. Of course," Wilson said.

"Excuse Victor. He's a bit of a wild one," Fournier said.

"You'll get used to it," Huggins said with a wink. Sarah's cheeks flushed. Elheim, meanwhile, was glaring at her.

"You really won't," Fournier said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on, Jo," Huggins said. "I'm not so bad."

"You're worse, Victor," Fournier said. She looked at Hollister, Keen, and Yu, and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Captain. Keen."

"Always a pleasure to travel with you, Josephine," Hollister said.

Fournier nodded. "Victor, come on. We'd best settle in our cabins. We can come down and mingle later.

"Right. Lead the way, Jo," Victor said. She headed off and he followed her.

"Really?" Elheim bit at Wilson, crossing her arms.

"Don't pretend you haven't given second looks to other men and women before," Wilson replied, frowning at her.

"Ladies, workplace versus personal," Hollister warned.

"Sorry Captain. We'll take it elsewhere," Elheim said. She took Wilson's wrist and led her off.

"Well, this'll be spicy," Yu remarked in amusement. "Did you see the way Huggins flustered her?"

"Oh please," Keen said.

"We'll be up in space for anywhere between one and three years, John. The more drama the more entertainment," Yu said.

"We'll have quite enough drama as is," Keen said. Yu smirked at him and bumped against him gently. He started and flushed a bit.

"Four more names off the list," Hollister said, checking them away.

"How many more are due to arrive?" Yu asked.

"The nine passengers, six more engineers, and the entirety of the medical staff. About fifteen," Hollister said. "The medical staff isn't surprising. They're due to arrive last, as established. The passengers we'll pick up along the way. Only four will come aboard here. The last to arrive on board should be the Mongolian Emissary. He'll arrive in the third month or so, so after the phasegate jumps into Mongolian Territory."

"Do we have any information on him?" Keen asked.

"Only that his name is Jochi Khasar and we'll need to assign him bodyguards," Hollister said. "We'll determine that after he has arrived."

"Excuse me, Captain?" a newcomer called out. They looked over and saw a woman approaching with short brown hair. She stopped just short of them and saluted. "Aubrey LaFette reporting for duty. I have military, command, and engineering experience, and performed stellar in all evaluations."

"Ah, LaFette. Welcome aboard. Settle in one of the cabins. The entire crew will be debriefed once everyone is on board," Hollister said.

"Yes sir," she replied.

"LaFette, LaFette… That name sounds familiar," Keen said. He'd heard it before.

"I travelled once with the Borealis some years ago," LaFette said.

"Ah, that must be it. Very well. Settle in then," Keen said.

"Yes sir," she said, smiling at him and walking passed.

"Now where are all the others?" Hollister asked, getting mildly annoyed with the latecomers.

Subnautica

Ozzy, smiling, was tending the café. That he'd been given run of an entire café had him giddy. Head chef on board and never prouder for it.

"You know, cooking is a kind of chemistry if you think about it," a familiar voice said.

He caught his breath sharply and looked immediately up, eyes wide. He shouted in delight. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Aubrey!" he exclaimed, racing around the bar and grabbing her up in her arms, spinning her in the air. She laughed in delight.

This was how she walked back into his life? Strolled in a crew member on a years-long expedition? The world had never felt brighter! He'd probably regret doing this later and feel embarrassed about it, but right now he couldn't have cared less. All he cared about in this moment was her. Her laugh ringing in his ears made him feel some type of way, so he put her down real quick.

"We could make another kind of chemistry," he flirted before immediately regretting it when she looked surprised. That surprise, though, was followed by a grin brighter than a star, and he had to subtly lean on the counter for support. Neither of them followed up on the remark, just got right into the catching up part of things and kept at it for a good long while. Maybe she slipped a flirtation or two in there somewhere, but he couldn't for the life of him pinpoint where. She could be real subtle when she wanted to be, and even when she wasn't all that subtle, she gave him too much credit for brains. He'd never been good at picking up on romantic hints. He was a simple chef who sketched on the side, nothing more nothing less. It wasn't like he was a complicated guy. Honestly, the fact he didn't bore her to death shocked him, but he guessed maybe new and exciting got kinda lame after a while. He couldn't figure any other reason she'd hang around with him.

"How'd ya find me?" he asked as they sat together at his bar. She was tracing little pictures on the back of his hand thoughtfully, chin resting on the back of her free hand.

"Mmm… Is it so hard to believe it was just coincidence?" she asked.

"Come on LaFette. I know ya better than that. You never did coincidence well," Ozzy said. She smiled a bit, giving him an amused glance, then chuckled a little, focusing on her invisible pictures again. "Ya ever thought about puttin' a pencil or brush between those fingers?" he asked.

"Would they feel as nice as this?" she asked, smirking mischeviously.

He flushed a bit and coughed awkwardly, glancing away. "Nah. Guess not," he more mumbled than anything.

"Next time I'll use fingerpaint," she teased.

He turned back to her, smiling a little. "Too messy," he said.

"Then I guess we're sticking with invisibility," she said. "Here. Guess what this is."

She began to trace a picture on the back of his hand and soon stopped. "Eye?" he asked.

She smiled. "And this?" she asked, tracing another.

"Pfft, too easy. Heart," he said.

"Mmm hmm. This?" she asked, tracing one more.

"The letter 'U'," he answered matter-of-factly.

"And when you put it together?" she asked.

"Eye, heart, U?" he asked, frowning curiously. She waited a moment, her smile slowly falling the longer he didn't elaborate. What? Was he supposed to catch onto something here? "What?" he asked.

She sighed and smiled again, though the smile was a little sad. "Nevermind, Ozzy. It's not important right now," she said.

"O-kay?" he more questioned than stated. "Aubrey, you okay?"

"I'm alright. Wonderful in fact. After all, I'm here with you. I… I've missed you Oz. A lot," she said.

He smiled a little. "I've missed you too," he gently said, turning his hand beneath hers and squeezing her own gently.

She glanced at their entwined hands and flushed a little, then forced a smile and looked up at him again. "Have you?" she asked.

"'Course I have. Only every day," he replied.

She grinned and leaned forward, kissing him on the cheek. Her lips lingered a little longer than he was used to, and a flush burned his cheeks. Soon she drew back, gazing up at him. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner," she murmured.

"Nah. It's no big deal," he replied, brushing it off. "What's a few years between friends?"

"Yes. Friends," she said, expression a little strained like she was forcing herself to be happy.

Ozzy frowned in concern. "Somethin's botherin' ya. I can tell. Hey, what's goin' on? You know I'll do anythin' to help you, right?"

"I know Ozzy," she replied, smiling a little. "It's just stress is all. Nothing you need to worry about. I'll take this time on the ship to sort it out. Don't worry. If I feel like I need help, you'll be the first one I come to."

He shifted a bit uncomfortably. "It's not a guy, is it?" he uncertainly asked. He wasn't sure he wanted the answer to that.

"No," she replied. "Or a girl for that matter. It's just personal matters."

"If you need to talk…" he began.

"I know, Oz. I know," she said affectionately. He smiled worriedly at her and nodded. "So, anything exciting been happening?" she asked.

"On my end no, 'cept for this. As far as interesting things goin' on onboard, I don't know much, but I do know there's gonna be some drama brewing soon. The scamp's gonna have a hard time of this expedition," Ozzy said with a sigh.

"The scamp?" she asked.

"Keen," he clarified. "Love triangle between him and his two best friends. It's been complicating things between them for a while now. They stepped it back a bit, but it's still brewin', and this trip's not gonna make it easy on any of 'em."

"Watch out for him. It's tough dealing with something like that," she replied.

"I know," he dryly said.

Her smile slowly fell as she seemed to consider something. "I'm sorry for what I did. To you. When I left," she soon murmured.

"Nah, don't be. Ya did what ya figured ya had to," he said. She was quiet, looking down. "Did it help?" he asked.

"A little," she replied. "A lot. I mean, realistically a woman my size won't be able to take on a man your size, at least not easily, but it's better than the nothing I had before."

"You had me," he said, sounding a little hurt.

"I won't let you risk your life for mine. Ever," she seriously answered. "I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me."

"It's a whole lot less likely I get hurt than it is you do, LaFette," Ozzy solemnly said. "How do you think I'd feel if somethin' happened to you because I wasn't there to stop it or just decided to sit it out?"

A flicker of guilt passed through her eyes. She hadn't thought of it like that. She'd been so busy trying to keep him physically safe that she'd forgotten about keeping him mentally and emotionally safe as well. "I'm sorry Ozzy," she said apologetically.

"It's okay," Ozzy said. "Hey, let's stick together this trip, huh? Watch each others' backs."

"I'd like that," she said with a smile. She left his company with a farewell, a goodbye kiss, and a promise they would see one another again soon. He hated watching her go…

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Most everyone on board Aurora had been picked out of a Corporate pool, but there was no denying their capabilities. Not many stood out, but a few had caught Hollister's attention. The one that had done so most, though, was Chief Medical Officer Thomas Danby. No one knew what to think of Danby when he arrived on board Aurora with the rest of the medical staff. Corporate selected, yes, but not Corporate. Hollister had been anticipating his arrival. He had met Danby near the start of the whole selection process along with Ozzy and Keen. The doctor was an unusual one. Carried himself like a man with something to hide, Ozzy had claimed. Hollister had almost outright rejected him on the basis of that alone, because Ozzy's sense for people couldn't be beat. However, doctors willing to take on voyages this long and this potentially dangerous were few and far between, and Danby had been nothing if not persuasive. He was, in fact, the only crewperson in the roster who Hollister agreed to that didn't meet his one-hundred percent criteria. At best, Danby reached seventy on the captain's radar, so it was a miracle Hollister agreed to take him on at all. Danby only slid in by virtue of being slightly less sketchy than any other qualified medical personal Corporate put forward. By about point one percent. And that was only achieved by means of Danby's 'bonus points', so to speak, in charisma and persuasion. The man had been convincing. Exceedingly so.

Hollister, Yu, and Keen stood close together, watching the new medical officer warily. "Are we sure we want him along?" Keen asked.

"We have no other choice. Every other pick corporate put forth for CMO was even worse," Hollister said.

"So tell them to go back to the drawing board and put together a new batch," Keen said.

"There's no time anymore. We're already started," Hollister replied. "It's Danby or nothing."

"Very well, but I don't like this," Keen said.

"Neither do I," Hollister replied as the Chief Medical Officer approached them.

"Captain Hollister, I'm Thomas Danby," Danby said, offering his hand.

Hollister eyed the hand warily before meeting the newcomer's eyes and taking it. "A pleasure," he said.

Just then there was a loud bang and a shout of alarm. Startled, they all turned towards the sound quickly. Hollister, Yu, and Keen's eyes widened. "Robinson!" Hollister hollered as other nearby crew screamed in shock.

Subnautica

Thomas Danby, still in the process of shaking the Captain's hand, blinked blankly at the sight he'd just beheld. It happened so fast he could barely process what had occurred. The crewman they called Robinson had just flown passed them like he'd been fired out of a canon. The Captain raced towards his injured man, as did many of the mingling crew, and Danby just heaved a sigh. This was not a good sign of things to come, he determined. Begrudgingly he approached the limp body, blatantly unimpressed. Why now? Why so soon after his arrival?

"Robinson, Robinson, get up. Open your eyes," Hollister pled.

"Captain, please," Danby said, kneeling next to Ryley and checking for a pulse. Basic first aid was fine. Basic first aid he could do. "He's alive. Pulse strong. Let's get him to medical bay. I'll have a look at him there," he said. Hollister was quick to pick the wounded man up, and Danby started in surprise. He honestly hadn't thought the older man had it in him. He was a little taken aback, but it certainly made things easier to manage. Hollister carried his wounded crew member straight to medical bay while the Second Officer and Chief Technology Officer stayed behind to greet the rest of the arrivals.

Danby looked around at the instruments available in med bay. Everything he could possibly need was here. Good. He wouldn't have to stumble bum his way through or ask questions about what anything was if he didn't recognize it. "On the table if you please," Danby said. Hollister laid Ryley down looking immensely concerned. Danby huffed and hooked the injured crewman up to the machines. If he'd known the crew would be this high maintenance right off the bat, he would have asked for more pay or argued harder for someone else to go in his place. "I trust this isn't going to be a regular occurrence with your staff?" Danby said somewhat patronizingly.

Hollister frowned. "No, it's not," he answered.

Danby typed in some commands on the machines and turned to observe their work, taking notes to keep up appearances. The readout came and he snatched it, skimming what it said. "Multiple ribs cracked but none thoroughly broken say for one. He also has a dislocated shoulder, a broken arm, a broken leg, and a punctured lung, because why not? Doubtless due to the one rib that broke all the way through."

"Can you help him? That's all I want to know," Hollister said.

"I can manage," Danby replied. "Then after he's told me how this sorry incident happened, I'll be sure to give him a lecture he won't soon forget."

"He won't be able to answer you, if you don't know sign language or have a pen and paper handy," Hollister said.

"Excuse me?" Danby asked.

"Ryley Robinson was born mute. He communicates through sign language. If the one he is conversing with doesn't know it, he writes it down instead," Hollister said. "Each voyage we take he teaches an impromptu class to help any new crew understand him. This time he has only been permitted to teach the staff he heads up. Whoever else might be interested in learning will have to sneak themselves in. Given the heavy presence of corporate, I doubt many will go out of their way to do so. Especially given Alterran views of the even mildly disabled."

"Well, this gets better and better, doesn't it?" Danby said. "Very well. Don't worry about your man. He'll be back on his feet in no time. The machines can handle the procedure easily enough."

"I intend to stay to make sure they do," Hollister said.

"Does he not have other friends who would like to be told of his accident?" Danby asked.

Hollister was quiet a moment before huffing and heading out. "I'll be back, doctor."

"No doubt," Danby said, watching after him. As soon as the man left, he turned to Ryley and pursed his lips, then went to the computer and began to input commands. He heard a pained groan and glanced over in annoyance. The man under his care was stirring. "Welcome back to the world of the living, but I'm afraid you're going to have to go right back under if this is going to go at all smoothly," he said.

The man, Ryley Robinson, looked dazed. Confusedly he looked over at him and made a questioning sound. "I'm going to assume you're asking what happened and not who I am, since that would be a ridiculous question to ask after finding yourself waking up in a medical bay. Ryley blinked blankly and flushed a bit. Danby's eyes narrowed, unimpressed. "Medical Officer Thomas Danby," he coldly articulated. "You're as lacking in common sense as I thought you might be after seeing you fly across a room and cracking against a wall." Ryley winced. Danby sighed. "Apologies. It's been a long day. Now to the question you should have asked. Multiple cracked ribs, one broken all the way through that punctured a lung. Broken arm, broken leg, dislocated shoulder. None of the above procedures needed to fix these things will be pleasant for you, so I'm afraid, Mr. Robinson, that we must say goodnight." Ryley made a sound of protest that Danby could only assume was supposed to be 'wait', but he ignored it completely in favor of pressing the big red button so he could get this over and done with as painlessly for his patient, and himself, as possible.

In only moments, Ryley was under. Danby turned attention back to the computer, finished inputting the commands, then initiated the procedure, quickly leaving the room so as not to contaminate it while the machine operated. He locked the door from the outside and waited for the Captain to return with whoever else might be interested in this particular crewman's survival. Hollister returned with one person, which was just about the saddest thing Danby had ever seen, but he didn't comment on it. "Ozzy, this is Medical Officer Thomas Danby. Danby, head chef Ozwald Jones."

"How's Ryley?" this 'Ozzy' immediately questioned as he offered his hand for a shake, visibly concerned.

"He'll live," Danby answered, shaking dutifully. "Some broken bones, some cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a punctured lung. The punctured lung is being addressed first of course, followed by the rest in whatever order the computer decides to do it in. All that mattered to me was that the lung was prioritized. Surprisingly enough, no head trauma. Though I half suspect he's already had plenty of that." Ozzy snorted a bit, lips quirking up in a worried but good-humoured smirk. Danby smiled a little as well, but it soon disappeared. He turned to Hollister. "In all seriousness though, really question that one's common sense. For his own sake."

"Hey, he has bad moments, but all in all the guy's pretty practical," Ozzy defended. "Least where it matters to be."

"It doesn't matter to be practical around potentially lethal tools?" Danby challenged.

"T' be fair, the propulsion and repulsion canons are virtually identical," a new voice said. Danby looked curiously over as another man and a woman entered the room. It had been the man who had spoken, and he looked particularly guilt-stricken, so Danby could only assume he had something to do with this. "He's familiar with the propulsion canon. Not so much the repulsion one," the newcomer continued.

"And you are?" Danby asked.

"Victor Huggins. This is me cousin, Josephine Fournier," the man greeted.

"How's Ryley?" Fournier questioned in concern.

"He'll pull through," Danby replied. "If you would like to wait, take a seat. I have to make sure the robots are behaving appropriately instead of turning into butchers," he said.

"Wait, what?" Huggins asked.

"If you'll excuse me, all," Danby said, ignoring the question and giving them a curt nod before turning to the window.

"Now wait just a minute!" Ozzy protested.

"Ozwald, at ease," Hollister ordered. Ozzy glanced at him, grimaced, then relented, bowing his head and nodding. Together the group of four sat, waiting for the report.

Subnautica

Danby watched the machines working, in awe of them. It was really quite something to observe the precision with which they operated. They were impressive and always had been. He took in every detail. He'd always liked to watch them at their work and wonder if human surgeons had ever been even half as good. Then, during his practicum, he had seen that some were even better. Those, however, were few and far between. The only reason he'd ever viewed or assisted a doctor in cutting open a patient themselves at all, was because it was required for said practicum. He had gleaned enough to be able to tell when an error was made and how to fix it if it was mild, but precious little else.

As luck would have it, about five minutes in there was an error. Moderate. He sighed through the nose, bowing his head and shaking it hopelessly. Of course it would be moderate. There was a chance he could stumble his way through that based on rote, he supposed. The machine began to beep and quickly stopped dead. "What's happening?" Ozzy immediately asked, standing fearfully up.

"A complication the computer can't compensate for. I'm going to have to go in and manually deal with it," Danby said.

"What's that beeping? It sounds bad," Ozzy said.

"His vitals are dropping, so if you'll excuse me, I need to act quickly," Danby said, starting to suit up. What the devil had those bots done? Quickly he entered the room and approached his patient, checking on the situation. The broken rib was the cause of this, he determined. It wasn't what he'd call a moderate error himself though. Closer to mild. He supposed it had only pinged as higher because the robots had decided it was too much a chance for them to take with something they couldn't accurately measure. Of all the times for something like this to happen. He knew what to do, if barely, so he'd gotten lucky this time, but if this was going to be a common occurrence, he couldn't guarantee his luck would hold out.

The truth was, it had taken him a week too long to determine he couldn't hack medical school. Not because he was unintelligent or lacked the capability, but because he was simply too lazy and too impatient. He had always preferred immediate gratification to long-term satisfaction. He had trouble focusing at the best of times, his attention span was probably shorter than was normal, and damn it all, if he'd come to that conclusion only a little earlier, he could have dropped out and taken the majority of his investment with him! Unfortunately, the deadline had already passed and he'd been stuck in it. Disappointing his parents was the last thing he had wanted to do. He'd told them since he was a little boy that he would be a doctor like mother was. He'd taken all the appropriate courses through high school, he'd watched his mother and learned from her, he'd done part time work as a paramedic which meant he'd taken advanced first aid courses, but medical school? It had proven to be beyond his capability. Rather, beyond his motivation. He just didn't see the point to it! Doctors these days didn't even use skill to deal with patients. The robots did it all for them! Computers and AI read your vitals, ran their tests, and spewed out a diagnosis all within an hour, maybe two, then the patient was sent off to a treatment room where the robots cared for them there as well! For the most part at least. He'd always wondered what the point of medical school was anymore, so naturally he'd done what his young brain told him was best at the time. Cheated. Learning to cheat hadn't been easy. He'd never been very good at lying and hadn't been raised to view it as acceptable either, but in the end, it was all a matter of trial and error. Sometimes it worked but sometimes it was costly. He'd only narrowly avoided being expelled from Medical School about four times within the first few months. He was nothing if not a fast study though, and with each mistake he made that almost cost him, he learned a little more and never made that same mistake again until he'd mastered the technique. Looking back, if he'd put half the effort he spent learning to lie and cheat into actually studying, he would have graduated top of his class legitimately. That, however, hadn't been his lot, so here he was.

He fixed the problem quickly, carefully dealing with the bone hindering progress, stabilized the vitals which he probably should have done first—was that right or no? Shouldn't one get rid of the problem causing the destabilization before stabilizing?—then started the machines again, because damned if he tried to repair a collapsed lung himself. He'd probably just end up killing the poor young man. He stood back, arms folded as he watched from inside the room. Now that he was suited up, he might as well. It gave him a better view of what the bots were doing anyway.

"Will he be alright?" a voice asked over the room intercom. The Captain.

"As I said before, Captain, he'll be fine," Danby replied.

Subnautica

It took about half an hour before the machines had completed their tasks. They'd fixed the dislocated shoulder, properly set the broken bones for later casting by yours truly, repaired the lung, and repaired the ribs as best they could manage. It would only be a matter of healing now. Robinson's work, whatever it was, would have to be taken slowly until then. When the machines stopped moving around, Danby entered a side room, stripped off all contaminated equipment, washed thoroughly, and entered the procedure room again to set to work with the casting. He hoped to complete it before Ryley woke up. He had mostly done so when the man began to stir and return to the world of the living.

"Welcome back Mr. Robinson. Can I trust this won't be a regular occurrence?" Danby asked, finishing up the arm cast. The man turned dazedly to him, looking confused, then grimaced and honestly shook his head. Danby was less than impressed by the answer. "At least you're honest about it," he said with a sigh. "Do me a favor and try though, why don't you?" Ryley nodded in agreement. "You're lucky. The robots ran into an issue. I had to correct it. For a moment there it was touch and go," Danby said. It was true, and he hadn't exaggerated the situation, but he hadn't downplayed it either. He'd learned early on in medical school that you didn't really need to. The imagination did that for you. The fine line to dance was how to discover the perfect balance between vague and detailed to make yourself seem more skilled or knowledgeable than you actually were.

"Was it that bad?" Ryley signed. Danby stared blankly at him, sighed, then retrieved a paper and pen, shoving them into the man's hands. Ryley frowned and wrote down the question, handing it over. Danby read it through, considered spinning a yarn, then rejected the notion because why bother? There was no reason to try and talk himself up or make himself seem grander than he was. Frankly he barely even cared about that anymore. It had faded more and more as he grew older.

"No. It wasn't," he answered, handing the paper back. A fragment of bone the computer calculated was too risky for a machine to compensate for. A simple fix. Nothing to write home about." Ryley scribbled something else down. Danby read it. "You were on the verge of crashing, yes." He said, handing the paper back. Ryley wrote something else. Danby frowned, annoyed by this, and decided maybe taking that sign language course wouldn't be such a bad idea if Ryley was going to be one of 'those' patients. He sighed, reading it through, and started, staring for a moment. Soon an amused smirk pulled at his lips. "Yes. I suppose I did save your life," he replied, handing the paper back. "Really though, it was nothing. Anyone with basic to moderate first aid could have pulled it off." Ryley wrote something down. Danby read through it. "If you want to consider it a big deal, I'm hardly going to argue. It's just more credibility in my pocket." Ryley wrote something down. Danby read it, and ever so slightly he shifted, starting to feel uncomfortable. "I… well, you're welcome. I suppose. Really it was nothing. You don't owe me anything, I assure you. Now your friends are waiting for you on the other side of that window." He pointed it out. Ryley looked over curiously. "Captain Hollister and Ozzy, I believe the other's name was. Also a Victor Huggins and a Josephine Fournier. Maybe by now there are a couple more, but I hardly know the state of your social life." Ryley frowned a bit and wrote something down. Danby glanced at it and huffed a laugh. "Nonexistent, is it? Believe me, I know the feeling. Was it work or, well, other issues?" He didn't need to state what he meant for the implication to be clear. Ryley looked sadly down. "Pretend I never asked. My apologies," Danby said, a note of sympathy slipping into his voice. Ryley shrugged a shoulder and scribbled something. "Partially your fault too, hmm? Introvert?" Ryley nodded. "So am I, but in my case, I never had much use for friends." Mostly because the majority of those he might have befriended would have also been the only people who could have discovered what he really was. Namely a fraud. He… half suspected a measure of guilt had kept him from making other companions outside school and the profession. Besides, if you had no friends or family, you had nothing to lose if you were ever exposed. "Now, what happened?"

Ryley took back the paper and scribbled his answer. Danby read through it. "You were testing a new tool Huggins was showing you and it backfired horribly," he read out loud. Huggins winced hard and sheepishly looked over at the others, who were glaring at him angrily.

"I take the blame for this. I should have known better, but I won't claim t' be the brightest bulb in the bunch," Huggins said.

Ryley snatched the paper, wrote something else, and showed it to Danby. He read it. "It says: Neither am I, but in my case it's just general carelessness and recklessness negating any common sense I otherwise have." Danby looked at him. "Fortunately for you, it's my job to stop people that lack common sense from being casualties." Ryley signed something at him.

"He says you delivered in a big way," Fournier translated for Danby.

"Yes, well, back to the report," Danby said. He looked back at the paper and continued to read. "To be fair, I didn't realize the kind of power it had. Enough to do some serious damage to something flesh and blood, but not enough to punch a hole through a plasteel sheet. To be fair again, I thought it was a propulsion canon."

"Repulsion that one," Huggins sheepishly said.

Ryley frowned and signed: "What moron designed them to look virtually identical anyway?" Danby raised an eyebrow.

"He asked what moron designed them to look virtually identical in the first place," Huggins translated. He looked at Ryley. "A repulsion canon is technically an upgraded propulsion one." Ryley signed something again. "He says: 'You'd think there'd be a better hint of that than a colour swap.' Unfortunately for us, there isn't." Ryley signed once more and Huggins smirked a bit. "He says maybe he was also a little too close to the plasteel sheet he was aiming for."

Ryley nodded then took back the paper. He wrote something else down and handed it to Danby. Danby cleared his throat. "After firing the canon, he realized he was flying backwards. The next thing he realized was that the stupid thing had been cranked up to ultra instead of standard. He claims it wasn't your fault. You never adjusted anything on it. The third thing he processed was the sickening sound of his own body cracking against a wall. The fourth was the searing agony of breaking bones and the fifth his sudden difficulty breathing. The last thing he processed before blacking out was alarmed shouting." Danby looked at him. "I would highly suggest you think twice in future, Mr. Robinson, before testing any new fancy tools on yourself." Ryley sheepishly nodded. "Good. You're free to go."

Ryley tentatively sat up, feeling around his tender, now wrapped ribs. "You're going to have to take it easy for a while when it comes to work," Danby said. He looked over at the viewing window. "Hollister, make note of that!" Ryley frowned a bit. "Don't give me that look. It's for the best. The faster you heal, the faster you get back to your job," Danby said.

"He's correct, Robinson. Don't disregard the doctor's orders," Hollister firmly said over the intercom. Ryley winced, then sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Good. Captain, Ozwald, Huggins, Fournier, you may enter now," Danby said. It wasn't long before the door opened, and the four in question approached. Danby quietly left the room to give them some space.

Ryley watched after him then looked at his friends. "I like the guy," he signed. "I really like him."

"To be fair, you got off to a good start. Danby just saved your life," Ozzy said. "No one else is very fond of him. There's just somethin' about that one… I can't place it."

"Keep an eye on it. Whatever you can find out, let me know," Hollister said. "He doesn't sit right with me either." Ryley frowned, confused by their unease, and looked curiously at the door Danby had exited through. The next morning the Aurora set out on its long voyage, all crew and passengers say for the ones they'd be picking up on board.

Subnautica

One month into the expedition, it was clear to Danby that Ryley would indeed be one of 'those' patients. He ended up in medical bay at least thrice a week, and his arm and leg were healing much slower than anticipated, which was a concern. "What are you doing that's getting you so damaged all the time? Preventing you from properly healing as well? I told you to take it easy with your work," he finally said to the younger man, unable to keep quiet about it anymore. Ryley stayed silent. "Robinson, please," Danby said with a frustrated sigh. Ryley frowned at him and looked around for a piece of paper. "Use your sign language," Danby said, rolling his eyes. "After about your sixth visit I took to slipping into your little classes and picking up what I could." Ryley started, looking at him in surprise and seeming almost touched. Danby shifted uncomfortably. There was something about the young man, amongst other choice few people on this ship, that made some small, hidden part of him wish he was a better person than he actually was… "Just… keep it basic. I'm struggling a bit with it."

Ryley nodded. "I can't get them to follow direction if they don't respect me as their head janitor," he signed.

"You mean Non-Essential Systems Maintenance Chief," Danby said. Ryley gave him a look. "I know, I know. It's basically the same thing. However, one affords you a bit more dignity at least."

"Does it? The point is, getting them to do anything is like pulling teeth. I'm mute, so they figure I don't deserve to head them up, so they vanish, and I have to work because if I don't, this entire ship falls into disrepair," Ryley signed.

"I think I understood the gist of that," Danby said. "Have you reported any of this to Keen or Hollister?"

"Keen won't give a flying… never mind. Hollister is too busy to bother with something this small," Ryley signed back.

"If you won't report it, I will the next time one or the other of them comes in for a checkup. They know you're supposed to be taking it light. You can't keep this up, Ryley," Danby said. "Not if you want to recover properly."

"No. I'm fine. Don't worry. Please, just don't say anything. I worked too long and too hard for this position to make them think I can't handle it," Ryley signed, standing up after Danby had finished dressing a burn. He left agitatedly while Danby frowned worriedly after him and sat back to consider the situation.

Subnautica

"I notice Robinson hasn't been healing well. Is something the matter?" Danby asked Keen as the man came in for his biweekly physical.

"No. Not as far as I'm aware at least. He's said nothing about it, Ozzy's said nothing, Yu hasn't seemed to notice anything awry, Hollister hasn't mentioned a concern… Why?" Keen suspiciously asked.

"As I've said already, Keen, he isn't healing well. Not nearly as fast as he should be. That tells me he might be straining himself, but I haven't a clue why. He understood perfectly well that he should be taking it easy. If he isn't, I'd like to know the reason," Danby replied.

"It's probably because he's a defiant little…" Keen began before sighing in frustration. "I'll look into it and let you know what I discover."

"Thank you," Danby said, saluting. Keen nodded, saluting back, and strode out of the room.

Subnautica

True to his word, Keen really started living up to his name, keeping a close and constant eye on Ryley. It wasn't long before he began to notice some troubling patterns. Patterns such as Ryley continuing to carry on with his duties and work despite all the opposition from the opinionated Alterra drones surrounding him; Ryley taking on the jobs of three different people all at once and going until exhaustion just to keep things on the ship running smoothly and on time; Ryley struggling to keep up with all the work being piled on the janitorial staff because getting them to listen to him was next to impossible. They pretended he didn't exist most of the time, not even bothering to look his way. If he confronted them, they claimed they couldn't hear his orders in clearly mocking tones. Keen heard them poke fun at their boss, heard them muttering about how a mute had no place on board a ship like this, and inevitably, the SO snapped and put his foot down. He put it down hard, and in some cases up the backsides of particularly defiant and ornery staff who dared try and argue with him.

"You will treat your commanding chief with all the respect afforded to him or so help you gods!" Keen roared at the terrified janitorial staff as Ryley gawked at him from behind in disbelief, eyes wide. Roughly Keen threw down the man he'd been on the verge of scourging in front of them all. Instead, he'd settled for a literal kick in the ass. A hard, hard kick in the ass that was going to send the guy straight to Danby.

Ryley couldn't say he was surprised, honestly. Chain of Command was extremely important to Keen. It kept things orderly. It kept things controlled. It kept things running smoothly. The SO was obsessive compulsive like that. When Keen saw that said chain wasn't being followed, to say he was royally ticked would be understating it. Ryley wasn't sure when the guy had started observing him, but he knew full well what set him off. Ryley had been trying to sign out orders to his subordinates to get them to do something and give him an opportunity to actually start healing up properly. They took to pretending not to see him or understand anything he was signing. 'Speak up' had been one of their favourite taunts. Needless to say, Ryley's frustration and dismay was mounting steadily, and he was bracing for a long day of doing the work of an entire janitorial staff alone, but just as he was about ready to give it up for lost, Keen had made the scene.

Ryley hadn't noticed at first. He only realized something was up when a hush fell over the mocking staff. He'd frowned, puzzled, and turned around only to catch his breath, startled. Keen had been approaching like a predator, eyes dark and dangerous. Ryley could only stare as the man came up next to him and stood at his side, glaring down at the staff below. There had been an awkward silence before Ryley turned back to them and began signing his instructions again. He'd almost jumped out of his skin when Keen loudly and clearly began to translate exactly what he was signing so there would be no question at all of what had been ordered. It forced the staff to pay attention, but they still hadn't listened. Instead, they'd tried to get defiant again, in particular the guy who had just gotten his backside literally handed to him by Keen.

"If I catch wind of a single act of defiance displayed towards Non-Essential Systems Maintenance Chief Robinson again, I will see you all dismissed at the next station and replaced! Go! Do your jobs as you were instructed and get that sorry sight to medical bay," Keen venomously spat, pointing at the man in question. Immediately the staff split to do their jobs and obey the order.

As soon as the last one cleared out, Ryley let out a breath of relief and turned sheepishly and a bit guiltily to the man. "Thanks," he signed.

"There will be no defying chain of command under my watch," Keen sternly replied. "It keeps things orderly, it keeps things running smoothly, and the moment it breaks, chaos ensues." Ryley had to resist rolling his eyes, because at this point he could pretty well recite Keen's little speech by heart. The man babbled on about chain of command a little longer before at last wrapping it up, and Ryley made sure to put on a smile and nod like he hadn't heard it a dozen times before. Keen glared at him, looking unimpressed, so clearly he'd noticed his audience's eyes glazing over in boredom and his head robotically nodding or shaking as needed. Ryley sheepishly grinned. Keen harrumphed. "I intend to remain with you the rest of the day to ensure these degenerates heed your commands and make no further fuss," he announced out of the blue.

Ryley's grin immediately vanished. "Sir, that won't be necessary," he quickly signed.

"It decidedly is. They have grossly disrespected you for long enough. After today, they'll never dare to do it again. Come now, don't be like that. It won't be so bad," Keen said, looking mildly annoyed. Ryley hesitated a moment, but then again maybe he could use the help. Hey, maybe it could even be a step towards a friendly relationship with the SO. Looking back at Keen, he nodded tentatively in agreement. Come the end of the day, the janitorial staff was no longer talking back, mocking, or ignoring him anymore

Subnautica

"I know you said something," Ryley signed to Danby during his physical. One of the rare times he wasn't in to see the man for an accident. "There'd be no reason for Keen to keep watch on me otherwise. Yu is my immediate supervisor."

That said, Yu spent most of her time with the engineers and technicians. Janitorial staff was low on her list of priorities because she'd figured out fast that he was good at what he did. In lieu of that, normally she didn't check up on him. She trusted him to get the job done one way or another. He hadn't mentioned anything to her anyway, and each time she asked, he just played it off like everything was okay. He probably shouldn't have. She likely would have rung them through the ringer worse than Keen, but he'd never intended for anyone to learn what was going on. He'd certainly never told Keen, or even Ozzy despite Ozzy sensing something was up. Danby had been the only one on this ship to notice that something was wrong and not just take him at his word that he could handle it. Of course, he'd never told anyone as much about it as he'd told Danby either. A part of him almost regretted doing so, but a bigger part was massively relieved and grateful to the man.

"My concern is seeing my patients properly healed. You weren't healing properly. I needed to get to the bottom of it somehow. I didn't tell Keen anything you told me. I made mention you weren't healing as well as expected and asked if something was wrong. He did the rest," Danby said.

"What about Doctor-Patient Confidentiality?" Ryley signed.

"In the depths of space where every untended injury can cost you your life? Don't make me laugh. Of course the policy still holds, but there will be exceptions from time to time. There always are, circumstance depending. I'd say this particular one called for it," Danby said. "You're healing much better now I notice. By next week, we should have you out of your casts. Our last stopover before we reach deep space is a Mongolian port where we're slated to pick up an Emissary for whatever reason. Presumably a guarantee of smooth passage and good diplomatic relations. By then you should be able to go off and buy the things you need to resupply one last time before we begin the bulk of our journey, so I would say it's a good thing I set Keen on you when I did."

Ryley nodded and sighed. "Thank you, Tom. You're a real one," he signed.

Danby's cheek twitched ever so slightly, and he shifted uncomfortably again. Awkwardly he cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I'm pleased you think so, but don't," he said.

"Why shouldn't I?" Ryley signed, looking incredulous.

"Because then when I inevitably end up disappointing you or failing someone, you won't be completely disillusioned," Danby dryly replied.

"I mean, no one's perfect," Ryley signed.

"I know. And I'm the farthest you can get from perfection," Danby said quietly, watching the ground solemnly.

Ryley frowned in concern and tapped his leg. Danby glanced up. "Are you okay?" Ryley signed.

Danby sighed and leaned back in his chair, contemplating how to answer. "Maybe one day we can talk about it, but not today," he said.

"Alright, but I'm always around if you want to tell me what's happening. I owe you two now," Ryley signed, looking concerned.

"I know, Ryley. I know," Danby defeatedly replied, guilt written across his face. He smirked weakly. "You literally can't help but hang around medical bay." Ryley nodded, too worried to chuckle or defend himself, then offered a reassuring smile, stood, squeezed the man's shoulder lightly, and left. Danby stayed put, silently watching after him and feeling more conflicted than he had in a very long time…

Chapter Text

Thomas Danby had been genuine every time he told his parents he wanted to be a doctor. He'd admired Mother so much for what she'd done. She'd been so excellent at it. Nothing would have pleased him more than to follow in her footsteps and be every bit as good. Reading medical texts, though, was one thing. Studying them and remembering the things he'd read had been quite another, and by the time he was in med school, Mother was, well, unavailable. The stroke was the first sign something was wrong. By then it was too late. She took a turn for the worse not long after, so couldn't offer him much help. Turned out even doctors weren't immune to sickness. Given all of that and everything mother was suffering, disappointing her and father hadn't been something he could bring himself to do. If they had ever learned what their son had done instead, though, he would have been a bigger disappointment to them than he ever could have been if he'd just confessed he'd gotten in over his head. As a youth, he hadn't realized as much. As an adult he certainly did. Not that it mattered anymore. Mother hadn't lasted long and father couldn't go on without her, so took his own life. He cursed the old man for that. You would have thought he could at least hang on for his son, but maybe he hadn't deserved to keep his father. He was nothing either of them would have been proud of anymore.

It had been his biochemistry teacher who found him out when he was in medical school. Caught him buying answers for an exam from another student. The teacher made an example of that other student most severely, and Danby knew his head was on the chopping block next, but to his surprise, that wasn't how the whole thing played out. As it turned out, his biochemistry teacher had suspected something was amiss for quite some time. You see, Danby had passed the first exam with flying colours. That exam, though, had been one the students were supposed to fail. It was never designed to be passable. It was designed to assess one's knowledge. Going into it, Danby had known how to answer only a handful of the questions. Far from enough to pass. He'd panicked and the rest was history. Maybe if he'd known from the start that it was a test meant to be failed, his confidence in himself wouldn't have been so shaken that he gave it up and took the lazy man's way out. The point was that from that day forth, his biochemistry teacher had been watching him intently. Not once had the man caught him cheating, and every time he thought he had, Danby talked his way out of it with lies and stories so convincing they simply couldn't be refuted, because usually they came with evidence. Of his own devising, by the way. What could he say? He'd taught himself to lie extremely well.

Danby would like to forget that what happened from that point on had ever happened. His teacher had taken him into his office, sat him down, and told him quite simply he could ruin him completely with only a few words just like he had with the student who had sold him the answers. End his school career, end any prospects of a future education, end every prospect he would ever have for a job afterward. He would be labeled a liar and a cheat, his life would be as good as over, and Danby had braced for the worst because he knew full well that he deserved it, but then the teacher had done something unexpected. Offered him an ultimatum…

Subnautica

"Alterra could use someone with your particular skills," the man said.

"What skills?" Danby numbly muttered, staring at the ground in a state of shock.

"Deception," the man replied. Danby looked quickly and warily up. "Tell you what. I'll keep quiet about this. Turn a blind eye, let you keep on going like you are, but in exchange, you owe something to Alterra."

Danby was wary of this, but Alterra already owned almost every aspect of his life, so what did it matter if they owned one more piece of it? "Go on," he cautiously replied. He never should have said those words.

"Alterra likes their flies on the wall."

"What?"

"Birds that sing."

"You're not making any sense."

"Mole's, boy. Eyes and ears to the ground."

Danby stared at him blankly. "Are you insane?" he soon said.

"Do you have a choice? Come now. It won't be so bad. Keep an eye on Alterra's rivals. A Mongolian or Sol or something stops in, chat them up. Maybe a little gas to make them really loose-lipped. If the company sends you a directive about a certain patient coming in, maybe be a little nonchalant about the doctor-patient confidentiality spiel. Corporate espionage, that's all. Everyone does it. Doctors are trusted. Extremely so. Not like you'd be the only one in that position."

"But…"

"It's that or your life is as good as ended."

"I can't just…!"

"One call." The teacher put a hand on the phone. "That's all it'll take to ruin you. One call." He picked it up, fingers hovering over the dial pad.

Danby had been stiffer than a board. "Yes," he'd finally said in a breath. "Yes, I'll do it." He was nothing if not a good liar, he told himself again. So maybe he didn't pry as much as they hoped he would. So maybe he wasn't as nonchalant about doctor-patient confidentiality as they expected him to be. He didn't want to disgrace his mother more than he already had, cheating his way through this ridiculous program. The Hippocratic Oath and doctor-patient confidentiality were all he had left! Alterra would never know. He wouldn't make a mistake like this again! They couldn't… they'd never know. He would handle this. He always found a way…

Subnautica

The longer he was their stooge, the more of him they stripped away without mercy. Doctor-Patient confidentiality? Hanging on by a thread. Read shattered. Hippocratic Oath? So far so good, so that was something at least. Honour? Nonexistent. It sucked the life out of you, but he'd brought this on himself he knew, and he was damn good at it. He stayed within firm parameters and never breached them, but Alterra had its ways of complicating things.

"What can you tell us about the Sol Ambassador that came in the other day?"

"Absolutely nothing. The man was tight-lipped."

"Gas?"

"Refused it."

"Questions?"

"Avoided."

"Concerns?"

"Routine checkup."

"Dammit, Danby! You're lying to us!"

"If you don't believe me when I have no information to give, why believe me when I do? If you aren't going to trust me, just end my misery. Don't keep me stuck in this vortex of yours any longer." The other was silent. "When I get results, I get them. Forgive me for the times I don't."

"Get out."

He nodded and left the room to return to his post. What could he say? He was exceedingly good at lying, and any mistakes made were never repeated. The information the Ambassador had spilled under gas was more than he could have hoped for and extremely serious. A nightmare for the Sol Trans-Gov if Alterra got a hold of it. It was better it stay secret. Who knew? Perhaps it would one day be of use to him instead. He couldn't imagine how, but it was possible. The next patient coming in was from the Savannah Trans-Gov. He couldn't afford to keep this one's secrets, so too bad for him. With luck, it was just some grunt who had nothing of any importance to offer but something that might seem like it was of interest to Alterra anyway.

Subnautica

Avery Quinn was the man's name. A skilled Captain, apparently, but in the grand scheme of things nothing of any note whatsoever. Alterra wouldn't be pleased, but here was hoping the man had something wrapped up in that head of his. "It's not often the Savannah Trans Gov crosses into Alterra's territories. Special occasion?" he casually asked the man as the machines were doing their job scanning him.

"Nothing in particular. Just a stopover on the way to Mongolian-controlled space."

"Mongolian? Really? What's the occasion in the Mongolian Independent States?"

"Some mutually beneficial transports," Avery replied.

"Nothing untoward I hope."

"Not as far as I'm aware. Are all you Alterrans so suspicious?"

"Business is cutthroat, as they say," Danby replied. "Alterra's always interested when its rivals meet up together near its regions."

"Gonna give themselves aneurysms if they keep up like that. The Savannahs and Mongolians aren't plotting anything, and if they were, darned if I'd know about it. I fly the ships, nothing more."

"And I treat patients. Whatever Alterra worries itself over isn't any of my concern either. A good thing the Sols aren't also involved in this little partnership though, or Alterra really would malfunction."

Avery smirked a bit. "The goods are being delivered to the Sols."

"You love playing dangerously, don't you?"

"Alterra should learn to mind its own business."

"I agree, but that's not how corporate works. Eyes on all rivals at all times. Tell me the Savannahs are any different."

"We are. We're little enough that we don't sweat the small stuff or work ourselves up over potential trade alliances or whatever other kinds of alliances the Trans Govs form. Again, not my problem. I fly a ship, I drop off goods, I go home."

"Well then I wish you the best on your trip," Danby said. He had enough information now that it would pacify Alterra anyway.

Subnautica

The Alterra Board listened with eyes wide to Danby's report about the Savannah-Sol-Mongolian trade dealings. Danby personally didn't think it was anything worth getting up in arms about, but if they wanted to panic themselves over the matter, that was their business. His work was done as soon as this meeting was over.

"It seems the Mongolians are pushing their limits these days. Stepping out of line. They've been headed that way for a while now. It's unacceptable."

"They're doing business like everyone else," Danby said in mild annoyance. "Besides, are we forgetting the Savannahs and Sols are also involved?"

"No doubt a Mongolian initiative."

"You're assuming," Danby said. Not a surprise of course, given how much Alterra looked down on the Mongolian States, but mildly offputting nonetheless.

"The Savannahs wouldn't dare and the Sols are lost in their own little dream worlds. Mongolia is the only facilitator that would make sense."

"Assumptions once again. No matter. Believe what you want. My work is done."

"We'll be in touch, Danby. We may have another job for you soon with Mongolia's name written all over it."

"Oh I'm sure you will," Danby dryly said before signing off. Hopefully, they'd let whatever they were thinking fall to the wayside. Breaking out into war with the Mongolian States was in no one's best interests. Last he'd checked, Alterra was trying to stabilize relations with them besides. It would be ridiculous to jeopardize that over something they couldn't even prove. Then again, it was Alterra. They were capable of a lot if they got ideas into their heads and let them fester. Once more, though, not his business. He headed home and put the whole affair out of mind. A pity it couldn't have stayed that way.

Subnautica

As established, when it came to spying for Alterra, he'd always stayed within firm parameters and never breached them. He wouldn't let himself. So, when something new came across his desk sure enough centering on the Mongolian States, well, he wasn't pleased.

"You want me to what?!" Danby demanded, furious at this new directive they had given him. It wasn't the norm. It was out of his realm of expertise! He didn't want this!

"The assignment is straightforward," his handler calmly replied.

"No! I agreed to be your little fly on the wall, for years I played that role to a T, but I never agreed to something like this! I am a doctor, sir. My job is to save people, not harm them!"

"You're a pretend doctor, Danby. Nothing more, nothing less," the man replied coldly.

The words stung hard, even though he knew they were true, and he flinched to hear them. There was a beat of silence. "That doesn't mean I take the Hippocratic oath any lighter," he answered more quietly. It was all he had left. The only thing he could cling to anymore.

"You spat on that oath when you lied your way through medical school!" the man snapped.

"My success rate says otherwise," Danby quietly answered.

"The computer's success rate! God help you if it ever goes down," the man replied.

"It won't!" he quickly argued.

"It's happened before," the man said. "You'll do this, Danby, or so help us your career is over! You know what we have the power to do to you."

"I'm not going to become this," Danby replied, slapping the back of his hand on the debrief.

"Yes you will. It's either that or kiss your reputation and career goodbye!" the man answered, leaning over the desk. "No one will have more ample opportunity than you to complete the job. You're the best chance we have. You'll have a partner in it, don't worry. He'll be our last hope of carrying this plan out if you fail, so it's not necessarily going to be all on you. Be glad for that."

"Alterra is seeking strong diplomatic relations, not shattered ones. Is this actually coming down from the top, or is someone suddenly going rogue?"

"Whatever is happening behind the scenes isn't your business. Your business is to get the job done. Do it or lose everything. Your choice!"

Danby was quiet, glaring darkly at the man. At last, he let out a shaking breath, bowing his head defeatedly. "Who?" he asked. A file was immediately placed down in front of him, and he stared at the name with hollow eyes. "Alterra wants continued peace with the Mongolian States, not war. If I do this, it brings war," he said.

"No it won't. Even if it does, only half of Alterra wants continued peace. The other half aren't so inclined."

"The other half are traitors to both parties then."

"For Pete's sake, it's just politics, Danby, not treachery! Get your head in the game! Look, this is the side you're on right now, so deal with it. You'll make it onto the Aurora, there's no question of that. We'll be sure of it. From there, do what you do best. Lie your way to trust and success and stomp on anyone who tries to hinder you," his handler said.

So he did…

Chapter Text

Three months into the journey, they reached the China Territories. There they picked up their last passenger. Initially Ryley hadn't thought much about the Emissary from the Mongolian Independent States. He'd looked curiously up from what he was doing when the man arrived on board at the Mongolian port, but little else. Dark eyes, a slightly richer skin tone, medium to long black hair tied back, a well-groomed smattering of facial hair, and Mongolian features - literal Mongolian, not Trans Gov - were about the extent of what he gleaned. He watched him greet and be greeted before being led off by Keen and Hollister, and that was about it. It wasn't his place to wonder about the guy anyway. As far as status went, Emissary left him in the dust. Ryley, as established, was basically a glorified janitor. Odds were he'd never cross the man's path, and the man would never cross his. If they saw one another at all during this voyage, it would be in passing or at Ozzy's café where odds were good they still wouldn't interact. If anything, the man would turn up his nose at him. Maybe even outright dismiss him like a dog.

Sure enough, the first couple days after, he saw neither hide nor hair of the Emissary. The third he spotted the man exploring the ship. The Emissary caught sight of him and paused curiously to watch him going about his business. Probably trying to figure out his place on this ship. He'd just ignored the scrutinizing gaze and carried on. Eventually, the Emissary's curiosity was satisfied, and he walked off. Neither of them acknowledged the other's presence beyond that.

He'd see the man on and off in his general vicinity over the next month. Through word of mouth, he learned his name was Jochi Khasar. Every so often Emissary Khasar would stop by to observe him in his duties. He would never interrupt or strike up a conversation or get in the way—just watch. It seemed he did the same to others as well because many of the crew had remarked in private that his presence unsettled them. Ryley wasn't sure why. Khasar minded his own business and didn't cause trouble. He just figured the guy was trying to stave off boredom. He didn't think much about the misgivings of the others. At least not at first. When cabin fever struck, though, agitation and enmity reared its ugly head…

Subnautica

Conflict was inevitable. Up in the dead of space where you relied heavily on one another to stay alive, you couldn't afford to make enemies of the people you put your faith in. You held each others' lives in your hands. You couldn't let out your frustrations on the wealthy passengers either because you would bring Alterra's wrath down on your head, as well as the wrath of whatever company those passengers might be representing. The Mongolian States, though, were something distinctly separate from Alterra and her sisters. A rival Trans-Gov with whom prejudices ran high. Which meant there was a stranger in their midst. A foreigner all alone with no one to stand at his back and no bargaining chip to his name because they were doing him the favor, or so Ryley had learned via the rumour mill.

You see, there were some on board, even high-ranking, that tended to not watch their words around him. In their eyes, he was just some "dumb mute" who had been handed a pity position that basically boiled down to head janitor. Non-Essential Systems Maintenance Chief was just a fancy way of dressing it up. Given he was a janitor who couldn't speak, kept mostly to himself, and never really engaged in much conversation, they considered him inconsequential. Which meant he heard quite a lot he wasn't supposed to hear. Alterra doing Mongolia a favor instead of the other way around had been one of those things, though he had no idea what the favour was.

Now, Jochi Khasar had made no friends during his time on board. There were precious few he deigned to interact with, and it was rare for him to engage them even then. His primary points of contact were Keen and Hollister. On occasion, he'd make his way to Ozzy's café and chat him up. He or Danby, or whoever else happened to be there. Never for long though. Apart from that, he kept to himself in his VIP room, whittling away the time reading books and religious texts. On occasion, he would pray—at least once each day—and every few days he would take a walk around the ship and observe the crew at work while avoiding the entitled passengers. He stood out here. His customs were different from theirs, and his attitude and beliefs made no sense to most aboard this ship because religion wasn't part of the culture of Alterra. Even discussing it was taboo. Heck, the very word was considered suspicious, so the Emissary was a target. A target who had no one to help him. He was what one would consider 'fair game'.

Ryley hadn't realized the extent of the animosity at first. He was like Khasar. Mostly kept to himself. There was choice few aboard this ship he could call friends, so in as many ways as he was 'in the loop', he was also out of it. He knew that members of the crew, and even some of the passengers, were unsettled by the Emissary. He had never known how bad it was becoming, though. He should have suspected something was wrong when Khasar began to stop by his work area far more often than before looking troubled. In fact, he should have sensed something was wrong the moment the man first spoke to him…

Subnautica

"You there! What is your position?" a voice asked from behind. Ryley didn't recognize it, so he turned to see who it was. When he realized who had spoken, he started in surprise and blinked, taken aback—the Emissary. "Well?" the man asked, sounding mildly irritated and a little annoyed. Ryley regretted not wearing his nametag today. He looked around, hoping to see someone who would answer for him, but there was no one. He hoped, then, that his silence wasn't perceived as disrespectful to the Emissary.

He turned back to the man and grunted, pointing to his mouth. The Emissary looked puzzled but soon seemed to catch on. The man's expression softened immediately. "Ah, a mute. That isn't any trouble, I assure you. I am well-versed in sign language."

Ryley stared at him a moment, a little surprised by the response. Very few had ever reacted so naturally. Most often they became uncomfortable, made excuses, and shuffled away. More obnoxious ones would start to ask probing questions about how he'd managed to survive and get through life unable to speak. When he let them know that he was in a leadership position on top of that, they always seemed utterly flabbergasted like they couldn't even begin to wrap their heads around the idea of someone with such a "debilitating" disability actually achieving something.

After a moment, he tentatively signed his position to the man. "Really? Impressive. I wasn't aware Alterra was so… open-minded."

Ryley snorted, a smirk crossing his lips. "They aren't," he signed. "I was recommended by Captain Hollister. He insisted on it in fact."

"Did he now," the man said. "What, pray tell, did you do that so endeared him to you he took your side against even the corporation?"

Ryley shrugged and signed: "I'm not sure, but clearly I did something right. The Captain gave me a chance when no one else would, so I was determined not to let him down. I guess he was impressed with my work. Alterra didn't want to assign me here, but he told them he wouldn't be going anywhere without me. He was the best Captain on offer, so they really weren't in a position to bargain with him. Too much was at stake."

"A good work ethic is among the most admirable of qualities," the Emissary said, nodding in approval. "I'm impressed. To rise through screens of prejudice and achieve what no one thought possible, takes a special sort of courage and determination. With that sort of sticktoitiveness, you will rise to great heights, my friend."

Ryley was completely blown away. This man had not at all been what he was expecting, given the stories he'd heard about the Mongolians. He had grown up being told they were highly intolerant of those with disabilities, as their culture was very superstitious, and often would just purge 'those sorts' from their midst. He'd never been sure how true that was, so he'd taken it with a grain of salt, but it had still lingered in the back of his mind. Growing up, Alterra would always tote how they were so much better when it came to handling people with disabilities because they let them live among the populace 'as if they were normal'. Not that Alterra offered much more than that, Ryley dryly thought. If you had a disability, you were a blow to productivity as far as they were concerned, so it was best you stayed out of the workplace. Live off the scraps the company tossed you and be happy. He inwardly scoffed in disgust at the thought, but it was better than being purged, he'd told himself, so when he was young, he'd just accepted it for what it was.

"I do not believe we have properly met. I am Emissary Jochi Khasar, of the Mongolian Independent States," the Emissary said, snapping him out of his thoughts. Ryley realized, about that time, that he'd perhaps been observing the man quietly for far longer than was comfortable for either of them.

"Sorry. Ryley Robinson," Ryley replied, signing his name out. "I didn't mean to seem rude, I just wasn't expecting this sort of reaction."

"Ah, you've heard the rumors," Jochi said. Ryley's eyes widened and he quickly went to sign a denial. "No, no, don't bother. I'm not offended really. The history of the Mongolian States hasn't always been something to be proud of. Unfortunately, mistakes from the past linger on far longer than the good done in the present. These days the negative always overwhelms the positive, it seems. Even if it's in the minority. No doubt you've heard stories about me as well that don't exactly lend to a benevolent image. I'm afraid I do come across as quite a bitter and testy man at times. I tend to be easily annoyed and agitated, but it depends on the circumstances. If someone has a decent explanation, that annoyance fades quickly enough. What other things, I wonder, have you heard?"

"That you tend to be disdainful," Ryley signed.

"Ah. That. I assure you it's not so much disdain as it is mistrust and over-wariness. On occasion curiosity," the Emissary replied. "Still, it is a weakness I must work on."

"Where is he? Where did the Mongolian scurry to?" an agitated but distant voice shouted out.

Ryley looked up at the upper decks in confusion, then glanced questioningly at the Emissary. The man pursed his lips and turned to him, putting on a smile. Strained this time, though. "Would you mind terribly if I stayed with you? Perhaps helped you with some of your work? I find the work of our hands is often the most fulfilling." Ryley tilted his head curiously at him, a puzzled frown on his lips, then nodded tentatively and beckoned for the man to follow him. Emissary Khasar did so dutifully, looking somewhat anxious.

Subnautica

The next few hours, the two worked together in silence. Every so often the Emissary asked a question, which Ryley would dutifully answer. They spoke and signed about each others' lives and struggles as well. The Emissary was an engaging man, and eloquent. He had a way of causing you to let your guard down and open yourself up more than usual. It was clear how he'd gotten his position. The janitorial staff were confused, to say the least. A high-profile passenger slumming it with the grunts and getting his hands dirty with menial work, wasn't something you saw every day. It would only be a matter of time before word spread that the Emissary was playing Janitor with the Non-Essential Systems Maintenance Chief, though. In the meantime, however, Ryley carried on like it was just another day, signing his subordinates directions.

"Did they always listen so well to you? I have heard Alterra's views on people with disabilities is… subpar. Like ours once were," Khasar eventually said. Ryley smirked and shook his head. "How did you overcome it?" Khasar asked.

"Second Officer Keen," Ryley signed. "He's a hardnosed, by-the-book sort. Strict as all hell. Chain of Command is extremely important to him, so when he found out they weren't respecting it, enough said. Somewhere deep down inside, he's a good man with a heart bigger than he would care to acknowledge, I think. That probably helped too." Too bad they didn't get along, he inwardly added. Keen wasn't a bad man, just a clashing personality.

"Then perhaps I should give him a fairer shake than I have been," the Emissary said. "I have found his regular check-ins and constant inquiries about my comfort quite taxing and off-putting. I know that he is only trying to do his job and protect me from the others, it was one of his primary directives, but having a guardian is not something I favor." Ryley observed him quietly a moment. Feeling his gaze, Khsar turned with a curious frown. "What? What is it? Is something the matter?"

"Why did you come here? To hide that is. Before today we'd never even exchanged a single word. I would've thought Hollister and Keen would have been your first picks. Both are far more capable of helping you than I am you know. You said it yourself. It was literally in their job descriptions," he signed.

"Maybe so, but what good will that do anybody if the crew decides to mutiny over their defense of a religious foreigner? You mentioned to me while we were working that most tend to forget your existence, so why would anyone think to check here at all until the janitorial staff's rumours about where I am spread?" the Emissary replied.

"A fair point," Ryley signed.

"Besides, I enjoy your company," Jochi said. Ryley smiled a little and chuckled, nodding. He wasn't averse to the Emissary's either, to be fair.

"There's the Mongolian!" a voice shouted. Ryley's smile fell, and quickly he looked up with Khasar. Above them was a crewman pointing down at them. Soon six others joined him.

"Mongrel, what do you think you're doing crawling around in the dirt? Feeling at home down there?" a woman asked borderline mockingly.

"Mongol," a voice from behind the mob sternly corrected. Riley and Jochi's eyes widened in surprise. "And even that, might I add, is a term in question," the voice continued. A smile crossed Riley's lips, and his tense posture melted away. A relieved breath escaped the Emissary's mouth, and his shoulders sagged as he relaxed. Keen. The Second Officer could come across as harsh and intolerant sometimes, but when the chips were down, he'd put himself in the corner of the underdog no matter who it was. Sure enough, marching up to the forefront was the Second Officer in the flesh, expression dark.

"What's the difference between the two?" one of the mob scornfully asked. A few chuckles answered his remark. Keen held his tongue and Riley's smile slowly fell, a puzzled expression crossing his face. Why was the man being silent? That wasn't his usual response to matters like this.

"Gentlemen, Gentlewomen," Emissary Khasar said, stiffly straightening up and glaring up at them. "Is it a crime for me to want to pass the time with a little manual labour? I find the work quite fulfilling. Perhaps you should try it sometime."

"Return to your chambers, Emissary," Keen ordered quickly, shutting the man down. "For your own sake. That's an order."

Riley stiffened up again, eyes widening once more. This time in shock. It wasn't like Keen to react like this to such situations. What did he mean 'for your own sake'? Was the situation really so volatile, he uneasily wondered? He looked worriedly at the Emissary. "With all due respect, Officer Keen, I will not be driven into hiding by intolerance and ignorance," Khasar replied.

"Emissary, please," Keen said. "This is for your own safety, sir. And for the safety of the crew."

Ryley's head snapped back around to look up at the officer. "Safety of the crew?" he immediately signed, frowning a bit.

"Concerns have been raised about corporate espionage, general espionage, and possible terrorism," Keen said calmly.

"What? That's utterly ridiculous! Why on earth would I sabotage the ship carrying me through space? And of what use to the Mongolian States are corporate secrets anyhow? The whole notion of spying is preposterous!" Emissary Khasar said, clearly outraged.

"I would agree, but this is a deeply political matter that goes beyond your feelings or mine. Emissary Khasar, please," Keen said, looking down at him.

Ryley gave the Emissary a worried look and shook his head. "Go to Hollister," he signed.

"No. It's alright," Khasar said. "There is no need to fan the flames further than this. For now." He offered a slightly forced smile. "When faced with hatred and intolerance, give them nothing to hate. Or hold against you for that matter." Ryley stared at him wide-eyed, stunned by the response. Khasar turned back to Keen. "Very well. I shall return to my chambers." Keen nodded, eyes locked on the mob. Khasar turned to Ryley once more. "Thank you for your company and for allowing me a place to hide a while. I am truly grateful."

"I can't in good conscience let you leave!" Ryley signed frantically. If those men and women were hellbent on doing the Emissary harm, there was nothing Keen would be able to do. He was just one man against who knew how many agitated crew members. If they were this up in arms, it was just as likely they'd trample the Second Officer underfoot trying to get to Khasar, as it was that they'd relent and let the man go.

"It's alright. I'll be alright. Rest assured, soon this will all be sorted out. I have a purpose and a plan. I was chosen as Emissary for a reason you know," Khasar replied with a smile. "Perhaps I shall see you tomorrow. Have a good night, Mr. Robinson."

"Ryley," Ryley signed.

"Ryley," Khasar corrected. "Sleep well," he added, walking away with a wave. Ryley watched uncertainly after him and shifted uncomfortably before looking up at Keen again, who seemed to be bracing for a mutiny then and there. Frowning, he hurried over to the ladder and clambered up it to back the man up. Just in case. Two would have better odds against many than one would have, even if it was only by a margin. Keen glanced at him with a disapproving frown and shook his head subtly, trying to warn him off. Ryley pointedly ignored the hint, glaring at the mob coldly. Fortunately, they seemed to determine the effort wouldn't be worth it and soon broke apart, wandering away. Ryley let out a relieved breath.

"Maintenance Chief Robinson, never do something so risky again," Keen said, posture relaxing a little once they were out of the danger zone. Ryley gave him a dubious look. "Right. What am I saying? This is you we're talking about," Keen said with a sigh. Ryley smirked and winked. Keen shook his head hopelessly at him and walked away.

Subnautica

Over the next couple of months, Jochi stopped by daily. What started out as one visit a day, though, soon became two. Then three. Then four. He was hiding from the ones hating him, Ryley knew, and each time he saw the man, the fatigue and stress and hurt darkening the Emissary's face grew more prominent. He wasn't the only one who had taken notice. Keen had as well, but the Second Officer tended to be too invasive for Khasar's liking. Though the Emissary had become more open to the man's company, he still tended to prefer quiet and alone time, so usually he sent Keen off or slipped away from him, much to Keen's exasperation. Apparently, Jochi was a far more difficult assignment than was anticipated. Inevitably, that was what almost cost the Emisssary everything.

When one day Khasar didn't come, Ryley knew something was wrong. After giving his janitors their directives for the day, he set off to find his companion. Within two hours he discovered where the man had gone, and he wished immediately he'd started looking sooner. In horror he gaped at the Emissary, who was laying unconscious and badly wounded in the cargo bay. Snapping out of the shock Ryley ran to his side and dropped to his knees next to him, checking for a pulse and any severe wounds. He wasn't exactly an experienced medic, that was Danby's job, but everyone on this ship had some form of first aid training. Just in case. Alterra had been sure of it. Frantically he began shouting in alarm and kept shouting without words until others raced to help.

Subnautica

Danby hovered over the computer systems, programming the robots to do their thing. Ryley stood anxiously by. It was usually him visiting this place, he wryly noted to himself. He tended to be a little, uh, reckless with his tools. Headstrong, careless… He averaged three or four visits to Danby a week, so ironically the man was probably his closest associate on this ship aside from Ozzy and arguably Hollister, Huggins, and Fournier. It was honestly a little embarrassing. Ryley cleared his throat. Danby looked curiously over.

"Is he going to be alright?" Ryley signed. He kept it relatively slow, simple, and straightforward with Danby. Just in case. True, the man had begun to learn sign language shortly after meeting him - Ryley had been his teacher and chief motivating factor in that - and as such was quite good at it by now, but still.

"It's not as bad as it looks. In a day or so he should be back to normal," Danby assured after a couple of seconds of working out what had been signed.

The doors to the med bay opened and Danby looked over along with Ryley. Ryley winced. Hollister and Keen had arrived, and they looked livid. Clearly the news had spread quickly. "How is he?" Keen demanded.

"He'll be alright in a day or so," Danby replied.

"Did anyone see who did it?" Keen asked.

"Ryley was the one who found him," Danby answered.

"Robinson, report," Hollister ordered, looking sharply at him. Ryley shrugged. "Does anyone have the faintest clue?!" Hollister shouted.

"Hmm… Come to think of it, a few patients came in earlier with injuries and some severe lacerations on their faces, arms, hands, and bodies. They looked as if they'd been in quite a fight. Judging by the shape Emissary Khasar is in, he might have been that fight. It doesn't seem he went down easy, according to the computer readouts. I'll give you their names, Captain, and let you do with them as you see fit," Danby said.

"Do so. This outrage will not be tolerated! Heaven help whoever is guilty of it, because I certainly won't," Hollister furiously said. Danby went to the sign-in sheet and copied down the names in question before handing them over to the Captain, who read through them. "Keen, take this and round them up. Give them fair warning I'm on the warpath and let them know they had better make ready for it," Hollister ordered, handing the paper over to his Second Officer.

"Sir," Keen agreed as he saluted. He cast a guilty look Khasar's way, then left to do as the Captain had commanded.

"Ryley, how did you find him?" Hollister asked, turning to Ryley again.

"He stopped by each morning and worked with me for a bit. When he didn't show up today, I thought something might be off and went to search. I found him in cargo," Ryley signed.

"Gods, this is a political nightmare!" Captain Hollister said.

"Captain, I should hardly worry. I have no intention of bringing this matter up to the States," a somewhat weak voice said. Khasar. Ryley and Hollister looked quickly over, Ryley's eyes filling with concern and Hollister's flashing brilliantly with unspoken wrath.

"Like hell you won't! Not one of them will get away with this. If I have to drag this through the courts of Alterra and the Mongolian States both, so be it! You will have justice, Emissary Khasar. Dammit, I should have done something sooner. I knew their hostility was only growing, Keen reported as much and expressed his concern it was getting out of hand, but I never thought they would actually… Dammit all, this is my fault. I apologize profusely, Sir, for the actions of my crew. I take full responsibility for them, each and every one."

"There is no need for apologies, Captain. You are hardly in a position to babysit every single one of your crew every moment of the day," Khasar said. "I will be fine, I assure you."

"No. You will have justice one way or another," Hollister vowed, turning and storming away.

Ryley stayed uncertainly, watching his… friend. Yes. He supposed at this point he could call the Emissary a friend. Maybe. It was strange, having that thought. He'd never had many friends. Not really. Acquaintances and coworkers, yes, but friends? That had been a little tougher. There was Ozzy, to a lesser degree Huggins and Fournier, maybe even Hollister, and that was about it. Danby too, but at times he felt like he might be more of an annoyance to the Medical Officer than anything else.

"I'll be alright, my friend. Do not worry for me," Jochi said as if sensing his uncertainty.

Ryley hesitated, then nodded and pulled up a chair without hesitation, sitting on it. "You're staying? Really? I've never seen you stay with anyone before on the rare occasion it isn't you in the chair or table. You've never really cared enough to," Danby said. Ryley shrugged. "I suppose it really isn't that surprising you two hit it off."

"And why, pray tell, is that?" Khasar warily asked.

"Because you're the odd ones out," Danby answered simply. "A mute and a Mongolian on a ship full of Alterrans with no disabilities to be seen, aside from Ryley's. That you'd find a kindred spirit in one another was inevitable I'd say." Ryley was quiet, staring at the ground. He'd never really thought about it that way before. Jochi apparently had no comment to give either.

Subnautica

The day Khasar was mobile again, he was summoned by Hollister and presented with every crew member on the Aurora. The Captain called the entirety of his stock to account for what had befallen the Emissary. He singled out the ones they suspected were guilty of the crime and handed them to the man on a silver platter to do with as he wished.

"I hold no ill will against them, Captain, so I do not wish to see them punished. I ask only for an apology, and we can leave it at that. I'm no more inclined to stir political tensions than anyone else," Khasar answered, and that was that. The attackers looked flabbergasted, stammered their apologies, and were sent away in shock, shaken to the core.

The next five days, Ryley didn't see the Emissary. On the sixth, he went to Ozzy's café and started. There, sitting at a table surrounded by various, grinning crew—in fact the very ones who had attacked him prior—was Emissary Khasar, chatting them up like nothing at all had happened. Ryley stared, flabbergasted, and made his way to Ozzy, Danby, and Keen in disbelief. The three were currently watching from afar, Keen playing watchdog, Danby playing intrigued observer, and Ozzy trying to pick up whatever was being said, looking as mystified as Ryley was.

"What the hell is happening?" Ryley signed to them.

"No clue. Guess they were all pretty impressed with him for not throwin' them under the bus," Ozzy replied.

The table erupted into laughter and one of the most outspoken, racist members of the crew—the man absolutely despised Mongolians and barely even acknowledged the half-Mongolian Yu most of the time—clapped Khasar heavily on the back and said, "You're one of the good ones, Khasar! One of the good ones!"

Ryley grimaced, exchanging disgusted looks with Ozzy. Danby looked equally disenchanted. Keen made as if to step in, but Danby caught his arm and shook his head. Keen hesitated then stood down. The four of them observed Khasar's reaction closely. There was a slight tick at the side of the Emissary's mouth, but the man maintained his composure excellently. "Gentlemen, I am in fact par for the course when it comes to the Mongolians. It seems you may have just met some of the bad ones," Khasar said with an easy smile. Fresh laughter erupted, which the Emissary joined—though it sounded a little forced—and soon the table quieted down into casual chatter.

"Gotta give him props. Not sure I'd be able to keep from clappin' back if I were in his shoes," Ozzy said.

Ryley was quiet, watching his… friend. He remembered Jochi's words to him the first day they had spoken. "When faced with hatred and intolerance, give them nothing to hate," he signed to Danby, Keen, and Ozzy.

"That's not much a 'you' quote," Danby remarked. Ryley pointed to Khasar. "Ah. Now that I can see."

Khasar soon excused himself from the group and approached them at the bar, noticing their presence. "Jochi, how can you stand that?" Ozzy asked in disbelief as the man sat on a barstool.

"The path to enlightenment and understanding cannot be traversed in one large leap, or even run up. You must take it slowly, step-by-step. Today it may be that I am 'one of the good ones', but who knows? In a few days, weeks, months, perhaps I am just the average. One man among many men and women who so happen to be Mongolian. Maybe then they will view things in terms of 'the bad ones' instead of 'the good ones'."

Ryley shook his head, mystified at this man sitting with them. "No, they're right. You're one of the good ones. Among humanity," he signed.

"I'll drink to that," Ozzy said.

"Here, here," Keen agreed, favorably impressed.

"Oh, why not? Top me off," Danby said, smirking in approval.

Khasar smiled and offered his glass, as did the others. Ozzy filled their drinks, then his own, and the five toasted together, downing the beverages in one go.

Chapter Text

A privileged life had not been something Jochi Khasar had always had. He'd never known his father, to start. Rumours circulated around three or four different possibilities. Suffice to say mother had not had many options open to her when it came to work. Leave it at that. Not least among those three or four rumoured possibilities was a high-ranking Mongolian Chief by the name of Torgal who, as far as anyone knew, had only one legitimate son. Note the term legitimate.

Torgal had been aware of his existence of course, and also aware of the potential blood tie, but the man wasn't known for going much out of his way for his potentially illegitimate offspring. The man had regarded him with idle curiosity and from time to time had checked in on his wellbeing or left gifts of money with mother, but beyond that had done nothing for him. To be fair, though, Jochi had regarded Torgal with much the same sort of indifference. Curiosity and little more. To be fair again, he frequently read or watched reports about the Chief—along with every other one of his potential fathers—but had never gone out of his way to meet or speak to him. Or any of them really.

When the Torgal's legitimate son had been born, Jochi's curiosity had increased and transferred more to the child. He had poured over newspapers and reports about this potential half-brother just to keep tabs on him, and couldn't help but feel proud of how the boy was growing. A brilliant child, it was said, and good-mannered. Forever curious, giddy about the things he was passionate about—Torgal's pride and joy. He never resented the child. There was no reason to when he couldn't even be sure the Chief was his biological father, and even if there had been proof, he'd had no reason to hate the little one. The boy didn't give you anything to hate. He was in a word utterly adorable, and sometimes Jochi caught himself wondering, on bitter days, how such a sweet boy could be the son of someone so flighty and self-obsessed. Or so that was the impression he'd had about Paul Torgal when he was young. Over time that perspective had shifted a little. For instance, the man adored his son and did everything he could to give him a good life. The gifts of money to his illegitimate and potentially illegitimate children had never dried up either. There'd even been a report he donated some organ or other to one who'd gotten particularly ill. Not that the man hadn't had the money to have his donated organ replaced by cybernetic parts or organic ones—which was never clear—but that he'd been willing to give something like that up at all had won him a little respect from Jochi. Still, when Paul Torgal started to fixate or obsess on something, even his golden child tended to fall to the wayside, and those were the times Khasar looked down on him most because goodness knew a child so gifted needed the extra attention.

He never went out of his way to meet Torgal, nor did he try to contact him. It wasn't his place or his business, and there was no guarantee he was the man's son anyway. He would have liked to meet Bart though. Not even just because of the potential blood tie, but also because of genuine curiosity. He would have loved to pick the boy's brain and have a few deep discussions with him. They were similar in that it seemed, albeit Bart's mind was more geared toward the scientific and mathematic than the philosophic and artistic. Of course, he could have been wrong. He'd never had much of a chance to know the boy on a more personal level, after all. Not until one day when Torgal had had some business to deal with in the Mongolian settlement where Khasar lived with his mother…

Subnautica

Torgal's pending arrival was the talk of the settlement. Jochi wasn't sure how he felt about it. Mother wasn't either. She'd gone very quiet when she learned the man was coming and had stayed that way since. He hated that Torgal had something to do with her melancholy. He hated seeing his mother sad. She suffered more than enough as was. It was only recently that that began to change with his obtaining a decent-paying job and starting to drive off every lustful letch that suggested something of her. He'd told her she didn't need to anymore and that he would take care of them, but he suspected she still did what she felt she had to when he wasn't at home to stop it. She'd never wanted her son to be their provider. She'd felt such a heavy responsibility was too much for a teenager, and perhaps she'd been right, but he'd always been mature for his age and more driven than most.

He was right there along with many others to greet the Mogolian Chief as he came in. He doubted the man would even recognize him in the crowd. Sure enough, Torgal walked right by. His son followed behind him focused on a device and not really paying attention to where he was stepping. The boy cried out as he tripped and began to fall, causing the Chief to look quickly back. Jochi acted swiftly, darting forward and catching the boy as well as the device the child was holding. The boy blinked and looked quickly up at him, eyes wide. The welcoming crowds had gone silent because it was well-known not to touch the Chiefs or their families without permission. Jochi almost regretted taking this risk and looked toward his potential sire in some measure of nervousness. The man's eyes were locked on him. He straightened the boy up and gave him his device back before stepping away a little and bowing his head to the man.

He wasn't sure if Torgal recognized him or not, but the man kept watching for a long moment. "What is your name, youth?" the Chief finally asked.

"Jochi Khasar," he answered promptly, not meeting the man's eyes. Silence again, and if Torgal hadn't recognized him before, he knew who he was now.

"Have you room in your house for accommodations?" Torgal asked.

Jochi looked up at him quickly in full-blown shock. "There's a spare room and space enough in the main ones for two to sleep comfortably. I would give the boy my bed and stay in the living room, or otherwise sleep on the floor of my room and guard him," he replied.

Torgal pursed his lips, considering this. "And what would your mother say?" he asked.

Jochi bit back the urge to challenge him on how he knew he had just a mother. Embarrassing the Chief would win him no approval. "Sir, I don't know, but I can ask her. I don't see why or how she would or could refuse you."

"I'll ask her myself. Lead the way."

"My Chief, his mother is a prostitute. You can find more respectable lodging," one of the onlookers boldly said.

Jochi visibly winced. "What's a prostitute?" the little boy asked, looking up at him.

"She entertains people, little one. In special ways," Jochi replied. The boy seemed satisfied by this answer.

Torgal was glaring at the one who had spoken and looked less than impressed. "Prostitute or not, lodging is lodging and I would firmly suggest you not belittle the unfortunate woman or the lot she was given again." Jochi inwardly cheered the Chief. Torgal turned to him once more. "Lead the way."

Jochi nodded and began to make his way to his mother's house. Torgal came up alongside him silently. "Thank you," Jochi quietly said. Torgal harrumphed and patted his shoulder.

Subnautica

Mother was stunned when Torgal appeared at her door and made his request personally. She stammered over an agreement and stepped aside. The Chief entered with his son in hand and looked around. "This will be suitable," he said.

"There is a spare room you and the boy can share."

"The boy will distract me from my work. He can share a room with your son and we'll leave it at that." Torgal looked at Khasar. "I trust you'll behave appropriately. Also not get to blabbing too much with him. The boy needs to study his lessons after all." Khasar understood the vague warning. He wasn't to mention anything to Bart about any sort of potential blood tie and was to behave towards him as a babysitter, nothing more. The former he would do, there wasn't a guarantee of a tie anyway, but they'd see about the latter.

"Sir," he said nonetheless. Torgal nodded and went to settle himself leaving an anxious-looking Bart behind.

The boy looked up at Khasar, eyes wide and nervous. Khasar shook his head and looked down at him, putting on a warm smile. "Come along. I'll show you to my room. You can have the bed. I'll settle on the floor."

"But you'll be uncomfortable," the boy said.

"I'll be fine, don't you worry." He let the boy to his room.

Bart stepped inside and looked around in wonder. "I like this," the boy said, walking in and starting to explore. He didn't touch anything though. A respectful little thing, wasn't he? "You have so many books! Instruments too."

"I enjoy such pursuits," Khasar said. "You can read the books if you want, or see the instruments."

"Really?" the child asked, looking at him with eyes wide.

"But of course. I will even help you to read words you might struggle with."

The boy frowned. "But I'm a good reader."

"There's always more to learn."

The boy considered this. "My name is Bart Torgal. What's yours?"

"Jochi Khasar. A pleasure to meet you."

Bart nodded. "Everyone says that all of the time, but I think you actually mean it."

"Intuitive, aren't we?" he said, smiling.

"What does that mean?"

"That you have a very good sense for things, especially people and their motives."

"Oh. I like learning."

"Then feel free to browse the books to your heart's content."

Bart nodded. "Do you know my father?"

Jochi's jaw twitched a little. "No. I know who he is, but not who he is personally."

"He's a Mongolian Chief. He runs mines too," Bart chirped. The boy's smile became a bit of a frown. "I think he wants me to learn how as well, but I don't really want to. I want to study nature, not the things that destroy it!"

"If something is mined properly, it causes little disturbance to nature, but I agree with you that it certainly isn't good for the natural world either," Khasar said.

"Father doesn't understand that. He doesn't understand anything I say," the boy said a bit sadly.

"I think he does, but he has his own ideas and plans that he simply can't interrupt."

"I don't like that. I want him to listen to me more than his boring associates."

Khasar chuckled a bit. "Children are never taken seriously, are they? Not even me still."

"Are you a child?"

"In a sense."

"Then we should stick together," Bart said in as practical a tone as he could, nodding his head seriously.

"I would like that. Very much," Jochi murmured fondly.

Subnautica

They'd spend hours in his room pouring over books and playing various instruments the boy had never seen before. He'd even helped Bart with his lessons and then taken him outside to play because he didn't think it was good for a little boy to be stuck inside all the time doing nothing but studying. He took him for walks and down to a little stream nearby and all over the place. The child had loved it. He'd been sure not to go too far though, because he could sense Torgal's increasing leeriness of the situation. The man had started to watch them more closely now and seemed on the verge of telling them to come back in and forbidding them from leaving again, so he brought Bart back and then backed off for a little bit so Paul could spend time with his son.

For the next two weeks, the pattern continued. He would take Bart for as long as could possibly be gotten away with before returning him in time to pacify the Mongolian Chief. He wanted to spend as much time with the boy as possible, though, because when this was all over, even if he never saw Bart again, he wanted the child to remember him.

Bart had cried when it was time for them to leave. Khasar had been near to tears too, eyes shimmering a bit, but he kept composed because he couldn't let the Chief see how much he wanted to be part of this potential brother's life. If he did, he might really never get to see Bart again, assuming there was still a chance he would get to at all. Torgal had been annoyed at the boy's tears, and suspicious of them, but had soothed him nonetheless as best the man knew how. After they left, Jochi just went back to his room and stayed there for the rest of the day and night.

Subnautica

Life went on, the years crept by, and he kept rising in station and rank despite his less-than-ideal origins. He was well-spoken, intelligent, convincing, and diplomatic, which all lent to him obtaining a high-ranking political position all his own. He liked to think it would have been something his father—whoever that had been—would have been proud of if he'd bothered to stay. Mother died of some undiagnosed illness when he was twenty-one, and that had almost broken him, but he knew she would have been proud had she still been here. Notably, it had been Paul Torgal to pay for the funeral. The man had also gifted him a substantial sum of money on top of it. Not that money made him feel any better about losing his mother. In the wake of his mother's death, he'd begun contacting other potential illegitimate children of Torgal's just out of curiosity. It was strange to think there might still be family out there somewhere. Interestingly enough Torgal had stayed at least once with every one of them, Bart in tow. The Chief's motives became more and more mysterious.

The Torgals themselves he never saw in person again until shortly before the Degasi was scheduled to take flight. He'd been assigned to meet with Paul and discuss the situation and the plan. Bart would be there too. The boy probably wouldn't recognize him as an adult when last the youth had seen him he'd been a teenager, but it was what it was. Torgal certainly knew him though. He came to him in person and alone shortly before they were scheduled to meet. Jochi was still going over the questions he was to ask. Paul had apologized about his mother. He'd gone quiet but then thanked him genuinely and told him also that it meant more to him than Paul knew. Torgal had nodded. Bart had come in searching for his father. Both he and the Chief had looked over, and he saw the boy recognized him from somewhere, just couldn't place it. Torgal had gone to his son and ushered him away, though the boy stayed staring a moment longer before following, and Khasar let out a breath.

When they finally met, the discussion didn't go well. That was to say it started well, very much so, until it came up that Torgal intended to take Bart with him into the dead of space.

"I'm sorry, you're going to what?" Khasar asked, losing the plot briefly.

"The boy is coming with me," Paul said like he'd expected this confrontation to happen.

Khasar was quiet for a moment. "The boy is eighteen," he finally said.

"Going on nineteen. He's old enough."

"To go into the dead of space into uncharted territories with a patched crew on an untested ship?"

"I sense disapproval," Paul said.

"He's eighteen."

"We've been through this."

"You're going to get him killed," Jochi said flat out.

"We have the best protection money can buy, I assure you."

"You're going to get him killed," he repeated, tone lower.

There was silence briefly. Bart, sitting at his father's side, was now paying close attention, staring at Khasar. "That's none of your concern," Paul finally said.

"Of course it's my concern," he replied before the words had even left Torgal's mouth. Bart seemed to sense the growing tension.

Silence. "He's none of your concern," Torgal finally repeated.

"Until proven otherwise, yes. He is. Even if proven otherwise, it will still be my concern. I'm not inclined to dismiss the risk involved in this or the threat to his wellbeing."

"You're overstepping your boundaries."

"You're not taking him."

"Yes I am, and there's nothing you can do to stop that."

Khasar glanced at Bart, whose eyes were now a little wider. Perhaps the boy recognized him now. Perhaps the boy realized also why Khasar suddenly seemed so concerned for him. It wasn't as if Paul Torgal's questionable life choices would have been kept secret from a youth as intelligent as Bart for long. Khasar turned back to Paul. "Leave him home where he'll be safe."

"He needs to learn the ins and outs of the business. I've taken all necessary precautions to protect his safety, I assure you. Cerebral implants and advanced training included."

"This is madness."

"This is business."

Briefly, very briefly, he'd considered attacking the man. It wasn't something he was proud of, but the thought had crossed his mind, and there was no hiding from that. "You cannot leave. You cannot take him."

"I can and I will."

"You will regret this choice."

"Is that a threat?"

"Would a threat keep you here?"

Torgal was quiet for a moment. "A threat would get you arrested," he finally replied.

"Then it is a word of caution."

"He'll be safe. I'll make sure of it."

Khasar looked over to Bart once more, then sighed through the nose and turned attention to Paul again. "Then I wish you the best of luck. I hope you stay true to your promise and keep him protected."

"There is nothing more precious to a parent than their children."

"I never would have guessed."

Paul huffed and chose not to comment on that response. They finished their discussion a few minutes later and immediately after, Bart dragged his father rapidly away. Khasar could only assume the boy intended to confront the man and ask some difficult questions. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about that. It was only moments after that Bart stormed out on the verge of frustrated tears. Khasar watched quietly and tiredly. The boy held his head in his hands, then shouted, kicking something on the ground. Bart seemed to sense he was being observed and turned quickly his way. He stayed put and said nothing. The boy approached and he contemplated walking away but decided against it. "What's your name?" Bart asked.

"Jochi Khasar. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bart."

"I remember you. From my childhood. You were the one that was so nice to me when we stayed with you."

"I recall it."

Bart seemed to consider asking something, then decided against it, shoulders slumping. "A pleasure to meet you again as well, Mr. Khasar."

Bart turned and began to leave. Jochi couldn't stay quiet. "I don't know!" he called after the boy. Bart paused. "You wanted to ask a question; I know you did. If it was the one I think, the answer is I don't know." Bart was still a moment longer before walking away. Khasar closed his eyes and hung his head. He never saw the boy again.

Subnautica

It was three years after the Torgals' disappearance that he became an Emissary of the Mongolian Independent States. He made it his personal mission to find out what happened to them, but it required overcoming more than a few hurdles in the way. It was years before he could convince the Trans Gov it would be worth it to launch a proper investigation. That was when Aurora came into the picture. He knew it was his best chance to find answers and so put forth the proposal as soon as he could. Fortunately, he was excellent at making a case. They agreed to his plan, as did Alterra, and the Aurora's secondary objective was put into place. Now here he was, years down the line and on the search for answers that might be found too late but would at least give him, and any other possible illegitimate children of Torgal's, some closure. That was something at least.

Chapter Text

Ryley got along well with Engineer Berkeley and CTO Yu. Ozzy had figured from the start that he would, particularly with Berkeley, and sure enough the chef had been right. He always was. The man had a good sense for people and relationships. Ryley got the feeling it probably stemmed from his years running a café. Goodness knew how many woes had been spilled out on him. Goodness knew how many people he dealt with on a daily basis. In a job like that, where being a people person was an asset, you were bound to catch onto the subtle nuances better than most.

"Robinson," Berkeley said as Ryley joined him in the cargo bay after being summoned there by Hinkle—a technician and member of the command team who oversaw Parts and Services—and Senior Engineer LaFette. Neither of them met him when he arrived though. They were busy with their own tasks. It was instead Berkeley who was tasked to greet him and give him the rundown.

"What's happening?" Ryley signed.

"An issue with the vending machines," Berkeley replied.

"Apparently the Technicians and Engineers can't live without them," Yu said from behind. Ryley turned curiously and saw her approaching them with an amused smile.

"Don't lump me into that lot," Berkeley said.

"Why? You're by far the worst," Yu answered without missing a beat.

"Funny," Berkeley dryly replied. He then looked at Ryley. "Once you're done with this child's play, I have something a little more substantial I could use your eye on."

"If anyone sees me working outside my job description, I'm fired and brigged faster than you can blink," Ryley signed.

"Yes, well fortunately for you I know how to dance the fine line between essential and non-essential damn near perfect," Berkeley replied.

"Don't worry Robinson. If anyone tries to get on your case for it, I'll jump on theirs," Yu added, a twinkle in her eye. "I've already set Hinkle straight, so that's one less problem you need to worry about." Ryley tentatively smiled. Truth be told, even though Yu was technically his immediate supervisor, he hadn't been around her or Berkeley much. Yu's absence was understandable. She was busy and only getting busier. She, Hinkle, and LaFette made up a sort of trifecta, given how closely their departments worked together, and were constantly on the go with little time to get hands-on with their underlings. After Yu learned how Ryley had been treated by the staff he headed up though—no doubt she'd heard the story from Keen—she'd tried to get a lot more hands-on. Started using Berkeley as a go-between for her and him.

"Come on, deal with the vending machines and the coffee maker and I'll show you the other thing," Berkeley said.

"The coffee maker. Now there's the real essential," Yu said with a somewhat self-deprecating smirk. "Hey Berkeley, you know how they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach? Well, the way to mine is through caffeine. Something to think about."

"Bite me," Berkeley said.

"You say as if I haven't already," she replied, walking away. Ryley started and looked at Berkeley in disbelief, who was as red as red could possibly get. Ryley raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"I… she was kidding!" Berkeley insisted a little too quickly. Ryley kept staring him down. He shifted uncomfortably. "We were a little drunk!" he blurted gracelessly.

"How often have the two of you been a little drunk?" Ryley signed, a mischievous and teasing glint lighting up his eyes.

Berkeley grimaced then sighed defeatedly, resigning himself to the fact he'd just been exposed. All he could really do at this point was keep as much of his dignity intact as he still could. "More times than she's been a little drunk with Keen," he answered. "The hell does she see in him anyway?"

"Right. The hell does she see in the tall, handsome, sophisticated, battle-scarred, no-nonsense, commanding presence that is Second Officer Keen?" Ryley signed.

"Go to hell, Robinson," Berkeley replied.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to pry into that drama. It would just be too depressing," Ryley signed.

"How about you go do your job?" Berkeley bluntly replied, eyes narrowed and arms crossed. "Come find me when you're done, and I'll show you the other matter." He stormed off in a bitter temper and Ryley winced, feeling a little bad. He really hoped he hadn't pushed it too far with Berkeley. He hadn't meant to upset him. Much.

Subnautica

It was about an hour before Ryley figured out what was going on with the vending and coffee machines. When he did, he couldn't help but smirk in amusement. They'd been sabotaged. By two separate people. If he had to guess? Berkeley and Yu. Doubtless each of them had decided to go and sabotage the thing the other held dearest just to see how it worked out. He was genuinely curious how that would go over. He chuckled and stood up, dusting his hands off against one another. The two could really get under his skin sometimes, especially when they went after the escape pod supplies or other things he looked after, but hey, it was ultimately just something to do up in the dead of space. He supposed he should go find Berkeley now. His smile fell a little. Apologize also, he inwardly added before setting off.

He found Berkeley in the Prawn Suit bay, examining some of the damaged suits and looking mildly annoyed. Ryley cleared his throat as he approached. "Huggins has been using the prawn suits to play catch with meteors again," Berkeley said, looking back at Ryley.

"I'm sorry for what I said," Ryley signed.

"No, it's alright. You're honestly not wrong anyways," Berkeley ruefully said. "At the end of the day I'm her side piece at best. She never admits it, and Keen always denies it, but it was always him she had it worse for."

"I mean, to be fair Keen's not an easy guy to compete with," Ryley signed with a dry look on his face.

Berkeley snorted, a smile dancing on his lips. "True enough." A sad and somewhat rueful look filled his eyes. "He has it all. Looks, brains, build, height, authority, conviction, courage…" Ryley grimaced. His own smaller stature had always been a sore spot for him, which lowkey added to his resentment of Keen, petty as it was. Berkeley shook his head bitterly. "Really what chance do men like you and I have against that?"

"Ouch," Ryley signed, frowning.

Berkeley ruefully smirked. "Deny it," he challenged. Ryley grimaced a bit. "The man has at the very least a head on most every other male aboard this ship say Ozzy, a few others, and the absolute unit that is Hollister."

Ryley outright laughed at this. Hollister was indeed something else. Burly, big, and in better shape than most young men, woe to any upstart who tried to take him on in a wrestling match. Ryley had seen it happen. "Ozzy told me that once upon a time, Keen as a young upstart tried to take the captain on in a wrestling match and walked away completely humiliated," he signed.

"You can bet I would have paid to see that," Berkeley said. "John is over six feet and built like an athlete. A prize to be sure. Her prize. I'm really just the consolation."

"Is Keen even interested in women? Or in any relationship at all?" Ryley dryly signed. He'd never seen the man express interest in anyone, frankly. Well, besides Yu, but even that was more a casual interest than a genuine intrigue it seemed. Berkeley knew the SO far better than he did though.

"Keen is… indifferent. Not disinterested, not interested. I've seen him serious about Yu and no one else. In high school he experimented a little. Decided it really wasn't his cup of tea, but probably wasn't out of the cards either if he got interested enough," Berkeley said with a shrug. "Whether that's stood the test of time and the passing of raging teenaged hormones I don't know. Nor do I particularly care. The point is he still displays enough interest in Yu to keep her hopes up, but not enough for her to believe it's a guarantee. The man gets under her skin like no one's business. Frustrates her. I think she likes that. Considers it a challenge."

"So why are you still holding onto her?" Ryley signed curiously.

Berkeley ruefully smiled. "Because she's my Keen. Displays just enough interest to keep my hopes up, but not enough for me to believe it'll be a guarantee, and I'm just mad enough that I'll accept as much up until the day she makes her final choice."

"I could never be bothered with any of that. Not that anyone was ever really interested in the short mute with a testy temper," Ryley signed with a somewhat bitter expression on his face.

"Lucky you," Berkeley said, smiling wryly. "It'll save you from this sort of drama. Anyways, down to business."

"What did you want me to look at?" Ryley signed, nodding in agreement.

"To be honest? Nothing. I just wanted to see how you've been holding up. I haven't exactly been blind to how your subordinates treat you, or to the tumultuous tension with Keen, or to the disdain and prejudice you've been subjected to every day since we embarked on this ridiculous voyage… You've gone from having numerous allies to very few, and I'm… Oh blast it all, I'm worried about you," Berkeley said. "So is Yu, but she's not going to be the one to say it, so I might as well."

Ryley started, then looked deeply touched. There was a pause. "That was… unexpected. Thank you, Cameron. For caring enough to check up. It's been… something else," Ryley finally signed, smiling fondly but ruefully at the man. "Keen helped make it a lot more bearable, to be fair, but still."

Berkeley sighed. "John is a good man beneath the no-nonsense, all business, Alterran exterior. You just have to work to find it is all. Sometimes he'll give you glimpses, but it's all you'll ever get until he considers you a trusted friend. Or ally at the very least."

"I know," Ryley signed, looking a little disheartened. "I believe you, and Oz, and Hollister, and everyone else who's ever said it to me. It just… it feels like earning his respect or anything more than his disdain is out of the cards for me at this point."

Berkeley looked sympathetic and nodded. "You want to know how many years it took me to break through?" he asked. Ryley tilted his head curiously. "Six or seven, thereabouts," he continued with a smirk. "I met the man in childhood, and the only reason I got anywhere with him at all was because I was two or three years younger, admired and looked up to him, and clung to him like a leech. Yu and I followed John around like puppies for years, despite all his attempts to drive us away, and by the time I reached high school, he'd become accustomed to our presences. Suddenly, almost overnight, he became extremely protective towards me. Never would have made it beyond freshman year if not for him. I half suspect his sudden turnaround had something to do with Yu. She and Keen hit it off a little faster then me and Keen did, and I suspect heavily that was because of how persistent and determined Saran is. When she sets her mind on something, she does it, and you're not going to have a hope in hell of stopping her. Keen calls her the most aggravating woman he's ever known."

"Because she pierces through his armor and sees past the airs he puts on," Ryley signed, nodding. "Funny how that works out for some and backfires for others."

"It's all about how you present to him the fact you can see through him," Berkeley said.

"Too little too late now," Ryley signed with a sigh.

"I wouldn't say too late," Berkeley replied. "You're just going to have to work a little harder than most. Honestly, if you don't want to put forth that kind of effort, no one will blame you. It takes determination beyond the ability of most to break through to Keen as is, let alone for someone who earned his ire to do it." Ryley grimaced and looked down. He wasn't sure he was willing to put forth that kind of effort. "No, don't feel so bad about it," Berkeley said nudging him gently. "You're really not missing out on much." Ryley huffed a laugh, smirking, and nodded. "Now, did you find out what was wrong with the vending machine?"

"Saran Yu," Ryley signed, a glint in his eyes.

Berkeley started and frowned in annoyance. "Of course. Why am I not surprised?" he asked, crossing his arms. "I swear that hobby of hers is going to get us all killed one day."

"Death by starvation?" Ryley teased.

"Up yours Robinson," Berkeley bit, frowning at him. "But in all seriousness, no. Just the other day I nearly ended up punching a hole through the cargo bay with a repulsion canon because she in all her infinite wisdom decided to tweak the drone's programming. Said it was like me now. Didn't like being told what to do."

Ryley chuckled. "You really don't," he signed. "I've seen you drive Keen half up a wall because of it."

"How else can I get back at him?" Berkeley asked, a grin spreading across his face and a mischievous glint lighting up his eyes. "She claimed it was all that kept her from being so bored she took a spacewalk in her skivvies."

"Spicy," Ryley teased, a playful glint in his eyes. "Tell me the truth, what did that do for you?"

"No comment," Berkeley flatly said, frowning at him.

"Did you and her get a little drunk that night too?" Ryley teased.

"No comment," Berkeley answered. The smirk crossing his lips, though, told Ryley all he needed to know, and he chuckled in amusement.

"Berkeley, Robinson, back to work!" they heard someone call. Both of them grimaced and looked dryly over. Keen. "No one gave you permission to take a break. We're about to enter an asteroid belt. We need all hands on deck." Ryley and Berkeley glanced at each other out the corner of their eyes and smirked. Both of them dropped to the ground, putting their hands on the deck. Keen started and stared at them in disbelief like he couldn't comprehend what he was even seeing. Frowning, he put his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes. "Don't be funny. Get up off the ground."

"Why? We're quite comfortable here," Berkeley replied.

"Cameron!" Keen snapped. Berkeley sighed in annoyance and stood with Robinson.

"How about you pull that stick out your backside for once John?" Berkeley bit. "Get a sense of humor."

"As if you're one to talk about humor," Keen bit. "You're about as dry as they come."

"At least my dry humor still passes for humor," Berkeley said, smirking as he walked by with Ryley. Ryley chuckled and Keen glared daggers into both their backs before sighing in exasperation and letting it go.

Subnautica

Ryley was more than a little pleased to find himself working alongside CTO Yu. It wasn't often he got the opportunity, and when he did, she usually delegated him tasks a little more fitting to his experience and know-how. Things that were actually somewhat challenging. "Did you find out what went wrong with the coffee machine?" Yu asked.

"Berkeley," Ryley signed, smirking.

"Humph. Of course. Why am I not surprised?" Yu said, rolling her eyes.

"Like minds," Ryley signed.

"Not really. He's more the petty revenge type," Yu said. "Getting him to retaliate is always a riot though.

"What's the story with you three anyway?" Ryley signed before taking down a rope and throwing it to her.

"Three?" Yu asked. Ryley gave her a look and she shifted a little uncomfortably. "I suppose you've heard more than a few takes on it," she said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Just Ozzy's and Berkeley's," Ryley signed. "Honestly surprised there aren't more. It's not exactly a scandal, but it's the most interesting thing going on up here right now aside from Elheim, Wilson, and Huggins."

"Most others know how to mind their business. Usually Berkeley's pretty good at that too," Yu said. She sighed in some frustration. "I won't even try to guess what Ozzy has gleaned over the years, but I'll go out on a limb and say Berkeley's take is that he's my side piece?"

"Isn't he? I mean, Keen's not exactly easy to beat, but somehow I doubt he's very interested in that kind of pleasure," Ryley said.

Yu huffed a bit of a laugh, smirking. "You're not wrong about him being hard to beat, but believe it or not there's more to attraction than looks and presence." She finished the current task and quickly moved to the next one with Ryley.

"I'm not questioning that," Ryley signed. "I'm just curious. I mean Berkeley and Ozzy can speculate all they want, but they can't exactly presume to know your thoughts. Sometimes what others see through your actions isn't what's going on in your head."

"Oh, I know. Who's anyone to presume they know what anyone else thinks? I mean we're people, it's in our nature, and more often than you'd think, we're right. Other times, though, we couldn't be more hopelessly wrong," Yu replied. She considered the situation and sighed. "Keen was the first boy I ever crushed on, Berkeley was the first friend I ever made. Our parents knew one another well, so Berkeley and I grew up together. I met Keen in the second grade. He was in third. I'm not sure what it was, but something fascinated me about him. Berkeley and I were attached at the hip, so it was only natural Berkeley met him too, and suddenly he had a new hero. I must admit I was a little jealous. I had always been the one Cameron hung around with and looked up to before, then suddenly Keen was taking him away. That grudge faded quickly enough though, in the wake of my infatuation. In high school Keen stopped looking at me as a nuisance and began to display a little more interest. You can bet I made sure of that. By the time Cameron reached eighth grade, John and I were unofficially dating. He never was one for making things official straight away, but I was his date to prom. He promised that he would be mine as well, but… Well, you know how Keen is."

"Alterran through and through," Ryley said ruefully. "Job first, relationships last."

"It was more loyalty and love for Hollister that drove him away. He wanted to be something the man could be proud of. He wanted to prove himself. Hollister was his hero and Keen knew from the moment the captain scooped him up in his early adolescence, that one day captaining a ship like his surrogate father was what he wanted, so he put all his focus on that. He was off on an expedition come my prom, so I took Berkeley instead. The problem was Berkeley had developed something of a crush on me over the years, but I had never seen him as anything more than a little brother," Yu said.

"Ooh… The 'bro zone'," Ryley said, grimacing.

Yu harrumphed. "Anyone who says those can never be broken out of is either bold-faced lying or deep in denial," she said. "I made it clear to Berkeley on prom that he would never be more to me than a brother, and that hurt him I know, and I hated myself for it, but at the time, it was what it was. My focus in life was twofold. Career and Keen."

"Clearly that's not how it stayed given you and Cameron like getting a little drunk together," Ryley signed.

Yu outright laughed. "Is that the euphemism he used?" she said. "I like it. He was always clever that one." Ryley chuckled, nodding. Yu grinned playfully, but her eyes were sad and that couldn't be denied. She turned her head from Ryley to look elsewhere, and her sad smile vanished. He frowned in concern. "Berkeley went away to study abroad after his graduation. Get his mind off how things ended between us, get over his crush, hopefully meet someone else and forget he'd ever felt more for me than friendship… Alterrans are good at running and hiding from those sorts of things—pretending they never existed, lying to themselves about their own feelings or fleeing them… He was gone for years. When he finally returned, well, suddenly he wasn't the same little boy I remembered who always followed me around demanding answers to questions or asking for advice."

"I'll spare you the embarrassment of the cheese and say it for you. He was a man?" Ryley signed, smiling gently.

"And how," Yu said with a frustrated sigh, drawing her fingers through her hair. "Sometimes the years barely change you at all. Sometimes they make you unrecognizable. He was the latter. I was out with Keen in the park. We were sitting on a picnic table chatting, catching up on each others' lives because for the past few years, we hadn't been able to see much of one another. He'd been off expeditioning with Hollister, I'd been off studying and advancing my career. We'd missed one another so made plans to meet up and speak, then this young man who looked familiar but that we couldn't place approached us and we fell quiet because we both felt like we'd seen him somewhere but couldn't remember where. He was young, healthy, extremely good-looking. He actually garnered a wary frown from Keen, who presumed he was coming to make a play for one or the other of us. He said our names and we must have looked completely confused because then he sighed and said, 'You don't recognize me, do you?'. It was about that time it clicked. I can't imagine how flabbergasted we must have looked, because he smirked and chuckled with that ridiculously attractive little glint in his eyes showing up and those cute little dimples on his cheeks… The features he gets when he lets his humor shine through and chase away the stoic, dull, annoyed look usually on his face. I remember flushing. I remember my heart skipping a beat. I remember feeling ashamed about it because, well…"

"For so long you'd seen him as just a brother, and your reaction to him in that moment was definitely not how a sibling should react?" Ryley signed, smirking a bit.

"I could barely make myself spit out his name, and the way he grinned and laughed, the way it lit up his face…"

"Did something to you it definitely wouldn't do to a sibling?" Ryley teased, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Yu smiled gratefully, aware of what he was trying to do. It was helping. Even if only a little. "Keen was first to snap back to his senses. He stood, welcomed him back, and Berkeley grinned and gave him a bear hug. Keen of course was flustered, he was never very touchy-feely. Berkeley knew as much and was probably just trying to get under his skin, but John returned the hug anyway. Even settled into it a bit and smiled. They'd developed a close relationship all their own over the years. One that was clearly more sibling-like than mine had ever been with Cam."

"Relationships change, Yu," Ryley signed. "Maybe when you were younger yeah, it was genuinely sibling-like because children don't exactly think about romance like this, but I mean, to be fair it was probably fading for him into your teens. You just couldn't see past the kid in turn until he came back and suddenly wasn't one anymore. It's called a bias. Heard of it?"

"Get patronizing, Robinson, and I might just feed you to the boys in parts and services," Yu said, frowning at him. She sighed. "But you're not wrong." She shook her head. "I remember standing there in shock. He went to hug me, but I retreated in horror. Not because I didn't want to hug him, I just… I was scared to… The hurt in his expression when I pulled away… I won't ever forget it. Maybe that's part of the reason he developed this notion that he would never be more than a side piece if he became anything at all. He told me he wasn't going to ask for more from me than friendship."

"I'm going to guess he never did? When we Alterrans say things like that, generally we genuinely mean them. Our word is like a contract all its own. It's about the best thing we have going for us," Ryley said. "Assuming there's no double-speak or 'hidden clause' in our words, we mean them."

Yu shook her head. "You're right. He never requested more," she said. "That was all me. He was thrilled, don't get me wrong, but it was all me. It always is with either of them… The first time we really were a little drunk. Keen and I had gotten into a bad argument, he'd stormed off, and I broke down. Berkeley tried to comfort me without overstepping and I guess he figured a bar was a safe place to go. FYI, it wasn't. Don't bring your sad, depressed friend of the sex you're attracted to into a bar. Life tips from CTO Yu. Cameron was naïve like that though. At least in those sorts of ways. It just… kept escalating from there. It didn't take Keen long to realize he had competition when he started feeling bad about how he'd left things with me and came back only to see Berkeley and I far closer than we had any right to be. Of course, since nothing had ever been made official, it just got complicated instead." Ryley was quiet, taking this in, and for a moment there was silence between them. "You know Robinson, you have a way of making people open up to you. Like Oz. Be careful what you do with that power," she said. Though her tone was teasing, he heard the strain in it.

"Right. None of my business. Sorry," Ryley signed. "Don't worry. I know how to keep quiet."

Yu gave him an unimpressed look and he responded with a mischievous grin. She couldn't help but smile back before looking around. "Uh oh, look out. Here comes Hinkle," she warned, spotting the man in question approaching and looking mildly irritated at something or other. "Deep breath. He might want to rant. Especially when he catches you out of your station." Ryley huffed a half-laugh and set about making himself as unnoticeable as possible.

Technician Hinkle stood out among the other Alterra drones. No one could really place why though. He got along with Danby fairly well, but aside from the doctor, Hinkle didn't have much for friends on board the ship. Or anything that could even pass for them. Ryley had tried to be friendly with him, but the guy didn't seem to be great at picking up on social cues, so came across as disinterested and snobbish most of the time. A real stick in the mud.

"Robinson, why are you out of your station?" Hinkle demanded.

"My help was requested," Ryley signed. Surprisingly enough, Hinkle had known sign language from the start. It wasn't something Ryley had figured the guy would have learned, but he wasn't complaining that he had.

Hinkle gave Yu an annoyed look. "Do I really have to run through this matter again, Saran?" he demanded.

"Oh lighten up Peter. There are tasks that need doing that are more Ryley's expertise than anyone else's. Alterra wants only the best, remember?" Yu challenged.

"Corporate will hear of this if it keeps up," Hinkle said.

"What will it matter a million miles from home base?" Yu replied. Hinkle glared at her then harrumphed and marched away.

"Thanks," Ryley signed.

"No problem," Yu replied, smiling at him. "Hinkle's a corporate stooge, but my goal is to break him out of his little shell by the end of this voyage and see what he hides away under that plain exterior of his."

"You figure it's something wild?" Ryley signed.

"Miracles do happen," Yu joked, grinning. Ryley laughed and the two went back to work.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Peter Hinkle

Peter Hinkle had lived a mundane life. Or so he liked to tell himself. It was all work no play. He hadn't taken a vacation in his life. He couldn't. There were people who relied on him. Dad was deaf so had never been able to get a decent-paying job because Alterra considered him 'unfit to work'—they were ridiculous sometimes—and mom's income wasn't enough to support them all. Plus, that income dried up when she got hurt on the job and couldn't work anymore. He'd been all they had! Might as well have been a child labourer for everything he'd done workwise prior to adulthood. He'd kept it under wraps so Alterra couldn't get on his case though. They wouldn't have stood for child labour, which he guessed was a point in their favour. He stopped hiding his work when he reached the legal age for hiring.

He was a protégé when it came to engineering. Hadn't even needed secular education. He'd apprenticed for someone who saw his skill and took him on, and that experience had continued transferring throughout all his jobs in adulthood. It wasn't long before Alterra caught wind of him. They had a good eye for talent and a good eye for a strong work ethic. Those were two traits considered ultra-desirable in the Trans Gov, along with loyalty, and he had all three. The ideal worker. Unfortunately, it left little time for socializing, so his social intelligence was down the drain. He'd never had friends. Ever. He'd never had time for them. It wasn't that he wouldn't have liked to have them, it just wasn't practical for the lot he'd been given. It was an exhausting life, but he thrived on it. Or so he liked to tell himself.

Mom and dad had always felt so guilty. He hated that they felt guilty. He kept telling them he was doing this gladly and that he didn't mind it, but he guessed he could see why his reassurances hadn't meant anything to them. If he ever had a kid, the last thing he'd ever want was for them to have to play provider while he sat laid up at home unable help them or do his job of taking care of them, but it was him or it was nothing, and his family couldn't just do nothing! He didn't want to see his parents homeless and shoved into some pathetic little residence where Alterra hid all their poor so they could claim a zero percent homelessness rate. Those places had the bare minimum of necessities for the people that lived there and nothing more! One bedroom, one bathroom. Have a family? Hey, complimentary sleeping mats for the floor! No. That wasn't happening to his family. It just wasn't.

For a long time, Alterra had overlooked his lack of any kind of secular education. He'd been naïve enough to think they always would, but he wasn't one of the 'unfit' like his father. He could actually make something of himself. Oh he hated them sometimes. The point was, he'd had no excuse not to pursue a secular education, so why hadn't he? New management came in, his qualifications were called into question, and next thing he knew, he was in front of a panel looking like a mouse in a trap. A live trap, just to clarify.

"Peter Hinkle?" one of the panel members boredly said, skimming a file.

"Yes sir," he pathetically replied.

"You have quite the resume."

"Yes sir."

"Where is your education field?"

A beat. "I had none, sir," he said in the smallest voice he'd ever used. He hated the looks he'd gotten. "I'm naturally gifted," he lamely added as if that would buy him less scrutiny.

"Then you should have had no trouble obtaining a degree."

"Sir, we didn't have the money to put me through school. Dad couldn't work, Mom was injured at her job and couldn't go back after that."

"You can't work without a degree, Mr. Hinkle."

"I've been managing the last few years," he replied in some small measure of defiance. He regretted that defiance when they all gave him extra cold looks, but he didn't apologize for it.

"Without a degree, I'm afraid your work career ends here."

He felt like he'd been punched. "You do that and you've lost one of the best damn workers and technicians you've ever seen. I'll hire out my services elsewhere. I don't want to, my loyalty has always been to Alterra, but if I have no choice, I have no choice." Maybe the Mongolian States or the Sol Trans Gov would be more accommodating.

They considered this a moment. "We'll tell you what, Mr. Hinkle. We'll waive the degree requirement in your case if you do something for us."

He took a few seconds to try and puzzle out what they meant. He couldn't. "Elaborate," he said.

"We're in the market for some corporate flies on the wall, so to speak. Eyes and ears on rival Trans Govs. You on occasion hire out your services to them, you take note of what it is they're doing, you report back to Alterra if anything seems of particular interest."

He stared at them. "Corporate espionage?" he deadpanned.

"Espionage has such a negative connotation to it. More Corporate monitoring."

"And you somehow think I'd make a good spy."

"Monitor."

He could have face-palmed. "You somehow figure I'll make a good monitor."

"You said it yourself. If you have no choice, you have no choice."

He shifted a bit. "Fine," he said. Nothing too bad would come of that, right? It was just keeping an eye on some rival Trans Govs and sounding the alert if something seemed like it might be of interest to Alterra. Those other Trans Govs probably had their own spies doing the same thing anyway! He could one-hundred percent do this. There was nothing difficult about it. They sent him off happy with his response, and he went about his day-to-day with only the occasional break from pattern to report back to them.

Until Aurora.

Subnautica

He stared at the file in front of him in open horror, mouth agape and skin pale. "You seem shocked, Mr. Hinkle."

"Are you insane?!" he blurted before the man he was talking to had even finished the sentence. "I'm a corporate informant, not this!"

"It must be done."

"Alterra wants peace with the Mongolian States, not war! Who the hell authorized this? Because it certainly wasn't the board!"

"Let's just say not all of the board are in agreement with how to handle the Mongolian Independent States."

"Is there really a civil war brewing in Alterra?" Hinkle demanded. "We're supposed t' be in agreement. It's what makes us strong in the first place!"

"Alterra is going through a rough patch. No need to worry about civil war, it'll all be worked out in the end," the man said, having the decency to look a tad embarrassed about what was happening between him and his peers.

"There won't be any fixing it if this plan of yours succeeds!" Hinkle said, slapping the back of his hand against the file.

"That isn't your concern. We'll manage, that's all you need to know. Your job is exactly what I've given you. Don't worry. You'll have a partner in it."

"I'm not involving myself in this."

"You can't afford not to. It's this or be fired and lose everything. What happens to your family then?"

"You can't afford t' fire me," he sneered.

"Watch us."

"You expect me to believe for a second that after everything I've done for you, even outside of this side job, you'd be stupid enough to fire me?"

"As much as we like you here, everyone's replaceable, Mr. Hinkle. Even you. Think about it. Think about your parents too while you're at it." Hinkle stared at him, then deflated, bowing his head in defeat. What else was he supposed to do? He couldn't afford to lose this job. There were people who relied on him, and he couldn't let them down. He wouldn't. "You'll be on Aurora's maiden voyage. Prepare yourself for a long time in space. Don't worry. Your parents will be provided for in your absence."

"They'd better be," he bitterly replied.

Ava Elheim

Ava Elheim had be subjected to unrealistic expectations her entire life, held up to standards she couldn't possibly reach. Her sister had been a child prodigy who excelled at absolutely everything she'd ever done. She would have gone on to be great if she hadn't died of some illness or other in her teens. Enter her. The replacement child who couldn't hope to stand in the shadow of someone so amazing. She wished she'd known her sister, really she did, but she hated the legacy that said sister had left behind. Drowning in it was all she'd ever been able to do, because she wasn't a prodigy. She was just regular Ava with no special skills or particular proficiencies whatsoever. She'd never been anything of note to anyone, but so much had been expected of her. She wasn't as beautiful as her sister had been, she wasn't as smart as her sister had been, she wasn't as ambitious, she wasn't as exciting, she wasn't living up to her potential—read her sister's potential. It was so unfairly hard.

It wasn't that she hadn't tried to be all those things. She'd tried her best. Her best could never have hoped to be enough, though, and she'd been left floundering. She'd run away from home in her teens, so her parents ended up losing two daughters instead of one. She'd never really forgiven herself for that one. She'd tried to keep in contact with them, but they'd been so bitterly angry that eventually, she'd just given it up say for once in a while on special occasions. Sometimes they were warmer to her reaching out than at other times.

She'd gone to live with a school friend of hers, Sarah Wilson, and that had been the best thing to ever happen to her she thought, because it had culminated into a relationship she'd desperately needed to make herself feel validated. They'd even gotten into the same field! Looking back now, though, maybe that relationship had actually been the worst thing for them. At least it had started to seem that way as Sarah got more standoffish and bitter. Ava hadn't realized what she was doing to the woman until far too late for it to matter. She hadn't seen herself becoming like her parents—demanding more than should have been expected, holding her partner up to unrealistic expectations. Had it bordered on abuse, she vulnerably wondered? She hoped not. She hadn't meant for it too. Maybe it had though and that was why Sarah had finally left.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and snapped out of it, looking over. "Ava, you need t' stop blamin' yourself for what happened between you and Sarah. I mean it. This is starting to get embarrassing," Hinkle said, breaking into her thoughts.

She frowned. "Oh shut it, Hinkle."

"I'm serious. You need t' stop blamin' yourself. It's not doing you or anyone else any favours. Focus on work, keep putting one foot in front of the other, take things day by day, and eventually it'll take your mind off all of this. The world will start feeling better again, just work at it a bit."

She blinked at him then glanced away in some ashamedness. Hinkle was a surprisingly stable anchor in her life right now. He didn't consider himself one, in fact he probably thought he was just doing his job of keeping things running on this ship, but she really appreciated his grounding presence. He laid it out simply. There was nothing complex in the words he said, they were just based and clear. He let her rant, he let her cry, he listened to her woes—if in some annoyance—and he did what he could to reassure her. He really wasn't as bad a sort as others thought. He came across as indifferent and irritated, but clearly some part of him cared or he wouldn't still be staying close to her when he sensed she needed someone. He was good at picking up on what others required. It was a little surprising he wasn't more outgoing or friendly than he was. He could be.

"Thank you, Peter. Really," she said. He stared at her a moment like he was trying to figure out what that meant, then shrugged and went back to work. She couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe breaking him out of that shell of his was possible after all. Yu had been at him in that respect, she knew. It couldn't hurt to help the CTO out with it. Admittedly she was getting curious too, and maybe it would help her take her mind off Sarah for good.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson had lived a relatively stable life. Supportive parents who helped her be the best she could be, carefully selected friends who wouldn't be a bad influence on her… it seemed everything was going her way. Then she met Ava Elheim. She hadn't liked her at first, but Ava had been something so different from what she was used to that she couldn't help but be drawn to her. She wasn't used to having friends with not-so-stable family lives, so the prospect of expanding her horizons and getting a better understanding of people and their challenges had been tempting. Exciting even.

Ava had always been a handful, Sarah had known that going into the friendship, but she couldn't let the girl be homeless on the streets when she heard Ava had run away, so she'd talked to her parents about it, and they'd agreed to let Ava stay. It had been good, really it had. Ava had been an interesting study and a good friend. How she could be so nice coming from a house that had held her up to a pedestal she couldn't reach was something amazing to Sarah, and she really respected Ava for holding onto that good side of her even despite her struggles.

The relationship had been inevitable. She'd known it would be difficult, really she did, and she'd been so ready for that. For a year it had been so great! Then Ava had gone back to see her parents and when she'd returned, well, she'd never quite been the same. She remembered how devastated her partner had looked when she'd come home. They'd spent the night cuddling and Sarah had figured it would all be good. The next day marked the beginning of the end. Suddenly Ava was becoming a lot more demanding and starting to hold her to unrealistic expectations. Take time off work to be with her in her time of need. Blow off important meetings to come home and spend time with her. Sure those all seemed reasonable at the surface, but it was like Ava wanted her to completely break off all her work commitments just to stay home and be what? An emotional crutch? Did Ava even want her to work anymore at all? She loved working and wasn't about to give it up. She noticed toxic traits building up but she blew them off because she knew Ava didn't mean to be this way, but they got worse and worse and eventually, she just couldn't anymore.

The last year of their relationship had been a strained one. She got harsher with Ava, she started spending more time away from her than with her, she began pushing her aside and she'd felt terrible about it, but each time she tried to go back to the way things were, it ended in a fight and tears and it was just… maybe some people could have handled that, but she wasn't one of them. High-maintenance and her had never worked well together. Maybe because she worked with high-maintenance clients daily, and going home was supposed to be a relief instead of more work that hit even closer to home. She'd known the relationship had to end. She had wanted to try a bit more before it came to that, she'd even talked to Ava about it. Ava had tried, so she'd stayed a little longer because she knew as much, but ultimately it had been pointless. In her heart it had been over for a long time, and she couldn't go back. It was for the best, she told herself. It would be a separation Ava needed to get herself together, and it would be freedom for her from a life she just couldn't see herself sharing with the woman anymore. All Ava ever wanted to do anyway, aside from work, was sit at home. No desire to explore anything or go anywhere or have any sort of fun. You'd think Sarah would be the boring one given the way she dressed and acted, but no. She wanted so much more than that. She hadn't expected to find it on Aurora.

Subnautica

Victor Huggins had been Ava Elheim's opposite in every way—bold, daring, exciting, laid back. He wasn't jealous or clingy, he didn't get unnecessarily annoyed when she couldn't make a meetup, he didn't hold her to unrealistic expectations and in fact encouraged her to do whatever she set her heart on because he knew how it felt to be stifled and didn't want that for her. He'd never tried for a romantic relationship even though she'd known he'd been interested. He'd been perfectly fine staying just friends! She probably started looking for something more even sooner than he did. His letter to her about the prawn suits had been the second to last nail in the coffin for her and Ava's relationship. The following night she'd spent out with him playing catch with meteors and sitting together watching the vast beauty of space. That had been the final nail. The next day she'd called an end to it with Ava. She felt like scum doing so, but there was no future for them. If they stuck to it, they'd both just be miserable and she knew that Ava knew it too, just had been in denial. It had been harder for her than she liked to pretend. She'd gone to Victor and cried in his arms but hadn't wanted to talk about it. He hadn't pried like Ava would have, just held her and stayed there with her until she was feeling better.

She wished the best for Ava, she really did. Maybe somewhere up here she'd find the one for her. She deserved to have someone, but that someone couldn't be her. Whoever it was, they'd have to be good with high-maintenance people. They'd need to be tolerant and willing to handle the emotional scars. They'd need to be willing to put in the work Sarah had never been able to, and one day maybe Ava would find stability in her life again. That wasn't Sarah's to ponder over anymore, though. Her purpose now was to keep moving forward in her own life and hope Ava moved ahead in hers.

"Mornin' beautiful. Up for another space walk?" Victor asked, meeting up with her at breakfast in Ozzy's Cafe.

"Hinkle's going to kill you, you know," she replied with a smile.

"Hinkle owes me now," he said with a wink. She grinned at him and nodded in agreement.

Chapter Text

"You're going to get yourself killed," Keen said flatly to the Mongolian Emissary, arms crossed. "Instead of sending me away as always, why don't you let me do my job? Why must you make things difficult and risk your life unnecessarily? What is it about me you find so distasteful?"

"You must admit you can be overbearing at times," Khasar calmly replied, fingers tented as he sat and listened to the man rant at him for making things difficult. "It is not that I do not appreciate your efforts, Jonathan, it is just that we are all but strangers to one another, and I am not much for socializing unless it is with someone that I consider a friend."

"So if we become friends, you'll stop being a problem?" Keen bluntly asked.

"Perhaps," Khasar said.

"Then let's make friends! Where do we begin?" Keen, exasperated, said, throwing up his hands.

"Well, we could start by your leaving now and meeting up with me at Ozzy's café for breakfast in the morning," Khasar said, visibly amused. Keen fumed, not sure what the Emissary found so very entertaining about this.

"Tell me, do you understand the concept of a bodyguard?" Keen questioned.

"I do," Khasar said.

"And you realize they aren't meant to be your friends, correct?" Keen said.

"Yes," Khasar said.

"Then what about this arrangement is so difficult for you to grasp?" Keen demanded.

"Nothing," Khasar answered.

Keen closed his eyes and breathed deeply in through the nose, trying to keep calm and feeling a headache pulsing behind his eyes. Oh this man annoyed him. He wouldn't say he disliked him, Khasar was hard to hate, but you had better believe he got under your skin. "Fine," he said in exasperation. "I absolve myself of any and all ill that may befall you while out of my sight!"

"You were already absolved," Khasar answered, and Keen had to fight the very real urge to outright strangle the man.

"I dislike you," he bluntly said, turning and walking away.

"That will be very detrimental to building up a friendship indeed," Khasar said.

"Khasar!" Keen snapped, losing his cool.

"I do not want strangers hovering over my shoulder every second of the day and standing outside my door every moment. If I am to spend every hour of every day in the presence of a bodyguard, I will know that man thoroughly and trust him completely. I will trust a friend to defend me long before I trust a stranger," Khasar said.

"Then why on earth did you run to Robinson when you felt threatened?!" Keen demanded.

"Because he was not intimidating, like me he kept to himself, and he was invisible. I took a chance. He didn't see me as 'just business' besides, so, we connected. That is why I prefer his companionship to yours. To Ryley I am not just another job," Khasar said.

Keen was quiet, glaring at him. "Fine. Breakfast it is. Will anyone else be joining?" he coldly asked.

"I would like for Ryley to be present. It is more comfortable for me to get to know others in a group setting. Ozwald of course will be there already. Perhaps you should even invite along your two friends, Yu and Berkeley. Danby seems a good sort too. I enjoy his company when he offers it. Maybe one or two others. Fournier and Huggins perhaps. There is prejudice in Huggins that I would like to whittle away. He is a good man underneath it all. I don't fault him for his skewed ideas when Alterra has been so relentless in promoting them," Khasar answered.

"How about we just throw a party?" Keen snidely asked.

"Point taken. Who would you like present?" Khasar amended.

"I offer no amendments," Keen bluntly said, eyes narrowing a bit. "I will extend the invitations, though I doubt Robinson will be pleased to receive one from me."

"I will invite him, if you would prefer," Khasar said.

"Alright," Keen said. "If that's how you want to play this, so be it."

"Thank you, Jonathan," Khasar said. "I am sorry for being so particular."

"You aren't the first and you won't be the last. Just the most infuriating," Keen replied, turning and leaving this time. Khasar winced and couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Subnautica

Khasar was first to arrive at Ozzy's café the next morning, looking a little nervous. Ozzy, still preparing things for breakfast, spotted him and offered a warm smile. "You look like you could use a drink," he teased.

"At six in the morning?" Khasar asked.

"One can't hurt. Might help you calm down for the big meet up. Nervous?" Ozzy asked.

"My hope is that the group setting will help," Khasar said. "It is not only Keen I would like to know better, after all. I assume you've received news of who all will be joining. What can you tell me about them?"

"Keen's a hardnose with a stick up his backside but a sense of duty that can't be beat," Ozzy summed up. "Crackin' that shell? It's gonna be a journey, I'll warn you now. He's business first, pleasure later. Makings of a real good Alterra stooge. If he didn't end up in prison, he would have ended up with them. At least if Hollister hadn't snatched him up. He was some teenage orphan at risk of crossing over to the wrong side of the tracks before the Captain got his hooks in him, far as I understand it. Wasn't that he was a bad kid, just teenagers aren't known for making the smartest decisions. Especially young to mid ones. Also not sure 'orphan' is the word to use. That's what he claimed, but far as I can tell, he was emancipated by the state. Learned as much when Hollister mentioned he was gonna try and adopt him but couldn't 'cause the birth parents wouldn't sign off."

"You are older than Keen by some years then?" Khasar asked.

"Only about four," Ozzy answered with a shrug.

"And what is your story I wonder?" Khasar asked.

"Sol Trans-Gov mom, Alterran dad. Dad was an abusive prick and mom deserved better," Ozzy answered.

Khasar noted the slightly more aggressive cleaning of a glass and felt a little bad asking. "I apologize if I have opened old wounds," he said.

"Nah. It's fine. The old man was never a fan of my passion for cooking. Figured it wasn't manly enough. Blamed my mom for it and took it out on her regularly. On me too," Ozzy said. "Wasn't a great time in my life. Leapt on a position with Hollister when he offered it. To this day the old man has no clue what I actually do. Just tell him I'm a mechanic to keep him happy and off mom's back. Not that it always saves her."

"What of the others?" Khasar asked.

"Ryley is great. Keeps to himself though. Hell, I probably know more about him than anyone else on this ship. Well, except maybe you. You probably know as much about him as me at this point given how often the two of you hang out," Ozzy said.

"You have had far longer to know him than I," Khasar said.

"If you know his backstory, how he ended up here, and his general distaste for Keen, we're about on par with our information."

"I know it."

"Then it isn't him you need to learn much about. Let's see. CTO Yu is somethin' else. Passionate about what she does but not passionate about Alterra. A bit of a rebel, has a hobby in tinkering with programming, frustrates Berkeley and Keen both with it. The three of them are childhood friends. Once upon a time you couldn't find a tighter trio, but then Keen's job started getting in the way of his social life and well, the guy was never great at prioritizing what was really important. Berkeley and Yu have stayed tight. Keen's been drifting away. Yu holds onto him, Berkeley's more in the vein of leave it to happen however it will, 'cause between you and me, and I guess Ryley, I figure there's been some tension between them for a while that Yu's sittin' in the middle of."

"Ah. Drama. I must admit I did not expect that from Alterrans. It seems to me their 'business model' relationship dynamic would have prevented such a thing," Khasar said.

"Yeah, well, Yu's a Mongolian name, isn't it?" Ozzy said. "I'd figure it is, since her old man was Mongolian."

"I had thought he might be. And her mother?" Khasar asked.

"Alterran through and through, but not much a fan of the whole business model relationship," a new voice said.

Ozzy and Khasar quickly turned and Ozzy grinned. "Mornin' Yu. You met the Emissary yet?" Ozzy asked.

"No, I haven't. Emissary Khasar, I'm Saran Yu, the Chief Technical Officer aboard Aurora," Yu said.

"Jochi Khasar. My pleasure to meet you," Khasar answered.

"The pleasure is mine. No offense, but I really don't know why we're helping you at all in whatever quest you've lined up secretly with the Captain and Keen. Competition and all," Yu said with a smirk.

"At least it's not my nationality or race that embitters you towards me," he said.

"I wouldn't say I'm embittered. Annoyed perhaps, but little more."

Khasar nodded and looked at the chef. "Ozzy was just in the process of telling me a little about my breakfast companions."

"Well I might as well pick up where he left off then," she replied, seating herself on a stool and smiling. "Mother was spontaneous. Alterra isn't exactly known for their spontaneity. She wasn't much interested in a relationship formed around a business model. Felt it was too artificial and took all the romance out of the thing. Cultures like the ones the Mongolians, Savannahs, and Sols fostered were much more her style. Spontaneous, genuine, true, passionate, though I suppose passion and spontaneity are more Sol Trans-Gov than Mongolian or Savannah Trans-Gov."

"The Mongolains, at least, are in general a very reserved people," Khasar confirmed.

"That probably factored into why she got on best with my father. She was, after all, still Alterran, so a little reservation went a long way. That's something it seems Alterra and the Mongolian Independent States both share. A tendency towards privacy even when we'd do well not to keep it to ourselves. Mother was more prone to being open with people, but father's reservation still appealed to her. Anyway, to make a long story short she met him, they hit it off, now here I am," Yu said.

"And are you your mother's daughter, I wonder?" Khasar asked.

"Beyond any doubt," Yu replied with a glint in her eyes, smirking mischeviously.

"Hey Jochi, what do the Mongolians think of the whole business model thing Alterra does?" Ozzy asked.

Khasar snorted, the side of his mouth quirking up in a smile and eyes dazzling almost mockingly. "We believe that relationships, meaningful ones, are far too complex to put to a business model. How the family lives of Alterrans survive is beyond our understanding."

"We barely do. There's a reason Alterra ranks highest of all the Trans-Govs in relationship dissatisfaction you know," Yu said.

"As far as I can tell, you put no models on friendships, so why should you do so for romantic or familial relationships?" Jochi wondered.

"More romantic than familial," Ozzy replied with a shrug. "Some try with the whole familial thing, but usually that doesn't go so well. You can pull it off with a spouse 'cause usually you're on the same playin' field, but it's a little trickier with other family. Children don't care about business models, and the only non-structured relationship a parent ever gets is with their child, so suddenly throwing structure into the mix years later don't work so well. Siblings don't even start developing that kinda business dynamic with each other until adulthood, and even then, it's usually just a formality. A kinda practice run to appease society. As for friendships, we have models for those too dependin' on the circumstances and dynamics of the friendship. Some are more lenient about it than others, some are pretty rigid. Childhood friends usually don't bother with it. Friends made in adulthood lean more towards the business model thing dependin' on their spontaneity."

"I find it all quite fascinating, in a sad sort of way," Khasar said.

"It's why Alterrans romancing outside of Alterran boundaries is so rare. Most other Trans-Govs aren't willing to bend to the relationship business model, and most Alterran's aren't willing to compromise it. It takes a special sort to make a go of those sorts of cross-cultural romances," Yu said. "There's a reason those of us who had that kind of parentage are drawn to one another. Each side balances the other out, so we're not usually as bad of sticklers, we're more genuine in our interactions with one another, and we're less closed off, though not loud enough to be what you would consider 'overwhelming'."

"And where do you sit on the scale, CTO Yu?" Khasar asked.

"Well, when it comes to privacy, I can tell you I'm more of an open book. My mother's daughter, remember?" Yu replied.

"The woman matches me in that," Ozzy said with a laugh.

"No one matches you, Ozzy," Yu replied, smirking a bit. She turned to Khasar. "Ozzy is one of the best. He has this way about him that makes you want to open up and spill all your dirty little secrets. His willingness to open up about himself and listen without judgement helps draw the unsuspecting in. He's like a carnivorous plant. The man could have made one hell of a spy."

Ozzy snorted in derision. "No thank you. Life-threatening missions? Not exactly my cup of tea," he said. "Come on Yu, give me some credit here. I know when to keep a secret."

"And when to spill them," Yu teased. She looked at Khasar. "In all seriousness though, the man's judgement in regards to things like that is on point, and even then he doesn't usually 'spill' the secrets so much as allude to them or a matter they addressed."

"There was never any question in my mind he was a cleverer man than he gave himself credit for," Khasar said, smiling at Ozzy.

"Come on guys, you're gonna make me blush," Ozzy awkwardly muttered.

"LaFette finds it cute when you do," Yu teased. Ozzy did blush this time, starting and looking a little unnerved.

"LaFette?" Khasar asked.

"Aubrey LaFette is an old friend of Oz's. High school, was it? College?" Yu asked, looking at Ozzy. Ozzy chose to keep quiet, so she shrugged, turning back to Khasar and smirking. "I'm of the opinion Oz has nursed quite the crush on her but doesn't figure a woman like Aubrey could ever settle for someone like him. She's quite corporate in lots of ways, but there's just enough of her that isn't to make a difference and 'break the shackles', so to speak. Ozzy doesn't believe me when I tell him she's interested in him. He's not one for picking up on her subtle flirtations. Alterrans are good at keeping subdued in those sorts of things. They like to leave you questioning whether more is meant by it, or if it's just a unique turn of phrase that means nothing. I suppose in part because then, if the affections aren't returned, they can back out with their dignity intact and pretend they never felt more either. A sad sort of defense mechanism I think, but I understand it. Goodness knows I've dabbled enough in the matter."

"Keen playin' hard to get?" Ozzy asked in a teasing manner. His smile was a sympathetic though.

"No comment," Yu flatly replied.

"Why you keep after him is beyond my understanding, boss," another voice said. Khasar looked back and saw a man approaching. Curious, he looked to Ozzy for an introduction.

"Cameron Berkeley. One of the best engineers around," Oz explained. "Cam, you meet the Emissary yet? Name's Jochi Khasar."

"No, I haven't, but it's a pleasure anyways. You know, you've caused quite the stir on this ship. Made a lot of Alterrans uncomfortable. Even Yu, albeit for different reasons" Berkeley said.

"Why I have done so is beyond my understanding. Thus far I have done my best to stay out of the way and keep to myself," Khasar replied, bowing to the man on instinct before reminding himself that wasn't common practice in Alterran culture. To his surprise, though, Berkeley bowed back in an equally respectful manner. "Oh. I must admit I did not expect that."

"I studied in the Mongolian States," Berkeley said. "Picked up on a lot of the social protocols. I probably couldn't remember half of them if you asked me to, but a few stuck."

"Did you pick up much of the Mongolian language?" Khasar asked, interested now.

"My high school language elective," Berkeley replied, smirking. "And yes, it blossomed in the Mongolian States. I wouldn't say I'm completely fluent in it, but I'm fluent enough to carry on a somewhat complex conversation."

"Should you like to brush up on it, I am always open to conversation," Khasar said in the native Mongolian tongue.

"I may have to take you up on it, Emissary," Berkeley replied in the same tongue. Khasar grinned, lighting up a bit. It was rare for him to hear his native language outside of Mongolian territory. Very few bothered to learn or speak it, it seemed. Or he had just been unlucky in finding any who did.

"I have to say I am very impressed so far," Khasar said in the common Alterran tongue, more and more amazed with the young man.

"At least someone appreciates my efforts, eh Yu?" Berkeley said, nudging her with a smirk on his lips.

"I appreciate your efforts," she replied. "Like not tattling on me when I fiddle with something, not ratting me out to Hollister when I compromise his second in command, putting up with my constant pestering… I appreciate you a lot."

"Just not in the ways that matter apparently," he answered as he sat. "You know, work. Other."

"That 'work' was your first thought when it came to things that matter, should tell you all you need to know," she said.

"Keen is a thousand times worse!" Berkeley protested. "Also, for your information, just because work was the first thing I said, doesn't mean it was the first thing that crossed my mind."

"Fair enough," Yu relented. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt I suppose. I owe you that much at least."

"Your generosity is overwhelming, Boss," Berkeley flatly replied. He looked towards the door. "Ah, here's another member of the party. Ryley!" he called, beckoning the man over. Ryley, entering the cafeteria, smiled, and approached when Berkeley called him over. He sat next to the man and grinned at him.

"Morin' Ryley. Still waitin' on Fournier, Huggins, Keen, and Danby," Ozzy said.

"Fournier and Huggins are occupied this morning," Yu said. "Don't expect them to make it."

"And Keen and Danby are going to be a bit late," Ryley signed. "Keen…" He paused, hesitating a bit. "Took a bad fall," he finally finished.

"You never hesitate like that unless you're lying," Ozzy said, frowning in concern.

"Did you two get into it again?" Berkeley asked in a measure of worry.

"You honestly think Keen would have been the one to take a fall if we got into it and it went too far?" Ryley signed with a dubious look on his face.

"Fair enough," Berkeley said. "So what actually happened then?"

Ryley hesitated and glanced worriedly at Khasar, who frowned and straightened up a bit. Ryley focused on them all once again. "Some members of the crew and a few irate passengers cornered him in the engine room up in arms about how he was protecting the Emissary. They started asking questions and firing accusations, and there were some weird rumors about terrorism and treason flying around, then Keen tried to put his foot down and one of the few guys on this ship who actually have a hope in hell of taking him on in a fight, figured to get rid of a problem and shoved him over the railing." Khasar's eyes widened in shock and concern. Yu caught her breath and Berkeley stiffened up with eyes wider than even Khasar's were.

"What?!" Yu demanded.

"Is he alright?" Berkeley chimed almost at the same time.

"I was on the catwalk below them overhearing the conversation. When he went over, I tried to save him. You can guess how well that went, but I mean, it did the trick. Broke his fall, spared him serious injury. He ended up pulling me off the ledge with him, but that was my fault and I got off far easier than he did anyway. He was unconscious with the air knocked out of him, I wasn't, so I waited until the psychos above took off whispering how everyone would probably figure it was just a tragic accident if they left him for dead, then I ran to Danby and Hollister. Danby got Keen breathing properly again, Hollister got the idiots who pulled it off locked up in the brig - the Captain was on the verge of killing them outright, so they got off easy - and I exceeded my weekly quotient for medical bay visits, but it all worked out. I got off with a couple of sprains and some bad bruising. Keen got off with a decent concussion, bruised ribs, and a mildly sprained back," Ryley signed.

"And because of it, it's going to look worse than it is when he arrives, so please no one make a fuss. You all know how he hates it," a new voice said. They turned.

"Danby! What's going on, man?" Berkeley said.

"Drop it," Danby warned. "As far as Keen would have anyone know, he misstepped and fell over the edge."

"Why does he want people to think that?!" Ozzy demanded.

"It isn't so much people as it is the Emissary," Danby said, gesturing to Khasar. "He was of the opinion the man would probably blame himself for what happened if he knew the truth. Ryley believed it would be unfair to Khasar to keep him in the dark about such a matter—that he wouldn't appreciate it. I tended to agree, but client-patient confidentiality and all that. Now that Robinson's spilled the beans, it really doesn't matter anymore."

"So I'm supposed to just pretend he wasn't nearly killed for my sake?" Khasar demanded.

"No. You're supposed to not make a fuss about it," Danby said.

"The man could have died!" Khasar replied.

"Emissary Khasar, if you think this is the first time he's been to med bay because of…" Danby began before stopping himself.

"Because of me?" Khasar demanded in borderline outrage.

Danby hesitated and sighed. "Doctor-patient confidentiality. I'm sorry sir, but I can't answer that question."

"I am thinking of a number between one and ten," Khasar said.

Danby gave him an amused and somewhat mystified look. "I'm thinking of one between ten and fifteen." Khasar stared at him in disbelief, trying to process this information. Danby simply shrugged and sat. "Don't make a fuss. Make a fuss, and whatever friendship you're trying to build with the man will be as good as out the window. Keen doesn't like being fussed over or confronted about matters he'd sooner keep to himself or see hidden. If you decide to confront him anyway, well, you're a clever man. I don't think I need to explain to you how you'll have to approach it."

"No, you do not," Khasar said, expression grim and dark now as he considered how to go about getting answers from his designated bodyguard. Unofficially designated. Alterra had hinted at, but not outright ordered, the guard, and Keen was simply in the best position to be involuntarily volunteered. He hadn't chosen to risk his life for a stranger! That job had been shoved off on him. The question now was whether he was going through with it simply because it was his duty to—which wouldn't be a surprise given what he knew of the man—or because he had a better heart than Khasar gave him credit for even despite Ryley, the man who ran afoul of Keen most on this ship, claiming as much already. Khasar knew that it wouldn't be hard for Keen to let him die and be absolved of the mistake. When he was out of the SOs sight, he stopped being the man's problem. Keen hadn't had to risk death for him. In another vein, Keen didn't have to give him as much space as he was giving him at all. He clearly didn't like the idea, but he did it anyway. Maybe there was some measure of respect after all?

Before he could send his mind into a tumultuous spiral, he heard someone else come into the café and turned with the others, say for Danby. It was Keen, torso wrapped firmly. He was moving slower than usual and was clearly in pain. Berkeley, surprisingly enough, was first to stand and go to him.

"John! What happened to you?" the Engineer asked, playing oblivious in accordance with Danby's suggestion.

"A misstep off a catwalk," Keen brushed off immediately. "I'm fine." Danby snorted in derision and Keen gave him a borderline murderous look. Huffing, he turned to Berkeley once more and started, taken aback by the genuine concern written on his old friend's expression. He sighed, willing himself to relax his tense posture a bit. "I'm alright, Cameron. Just don't think about it," he assured less testily. Berkeley looked dubious, but nodded nonetheless.

"You, a man with the grace of a cat, misstepped off a catwalk?" Yu challenged, bolder and more direct in her questioning.

"Yes," Keen flatly said, eyes narrowing a little. "Drop it."

"The fact you're saying that tells me there's more to this story," Yu said. Danby subtly kicked her under the bar, and she winced, giving him a dirty look.

"There's nothing more to it," Keen sternly replied. "Let's just all sit at a table so we're not talking down a line." Danby was first to do so, followed by Ryley and then the rest. Khasar glared at Keen. Keen pointedly ignored him, sitting at the table with the others. Khasar shook his head and joined them.

"Khasar," Keen greeted in annoyance. "Friends now?" Khasar was quiet, choosing not to respond to the passive-aggressive hostility. This was not a discussion to have in a group, and he was starting to regret not agreeing to the one-on-one breakfast; but then if he had, he would never have known the truth of what happened to Keen. Goodness knew he wouldn't have pried about the wrapped ribs. Prying was something deeply looked down on in Mongolian culture.

"You do realize you're not escaping this conversation, right?" Yu said to Keen.

"We'll talk later," Keen relented with a sigh. "My purpose in this dinner isn't to be fussed over. It's to get to know the man I'm supposed to be protecting but who will have none of it, so he'll stop being a thorn in my side and start cooperating." Khasar's cheek twitched a bit. Ryley, watching him in concern, frowned at Keen.

"You really are getting that sick of people who can see through you, aren't you?" Berkeley said. Keen gave him an annoyed look and chose not to comment. Instead, he turned his frustrations on the Emissary.

"Happy? We're having breakfast. Please, enlighten me on how you want to progress this friendship from here," Keen said.

"A lack of secret keeping would be nice," Khasar answered, refusing to be put off.

"Oh I'm quite sure it would be. Unfortunately, not all of us can afford that luxury, Emissary," Keen replied.

Khasar leaned back in his seat, regarding the man with a cold, calculating, piercing gaze. "You resent me I feel. Resent being put in this position as my guard against your will. For that I can hardly blame you, but I sense there's more to it. I somehow doubt it is prejudice against Mongolians, given your fascination with CTO Yu. Is it then a prejudice against those you perceive as wealthy or political? Is it prejudice based off rumors you have heard of me? You asked me what it was about you that I found so distasteful. I answered you truthfully. Now answer the same question for me."

Keen glared darkly at him. "Maybe breakfast wasn't such a good idea," he finally said. "Fall into line, Khasar, and we won't have this problem anymore." He picked up his plate to try and leave, but Ozzy pushed him firmly back down into the seat, giving him a harsh and warning look. Keen violently shrugged him off and moved to leave again.

"Stay down, Jonathan. I would very much like to get to the bottom of this too," Hollister's voice said from behind. Keen started, whipping around quickly with eyes wide.

"Captain!" he exclaimed, scrambling to stand again and salute.

"Sit down! Right now, I'm not speaking to you as your Captain," Hollister snapped. The unspoken implication hung heavy in the air. That he was speaking to Keen as his father. Keen stiffened a little, then sat back down, quelled and looking miserable. He chose silence. Hollister watched him quietly. "If you don't want this assignment, Keen, say so and I'll give it to someone else. There's no shame in that. Goodness knows you have more than enough on your plate as is." Keen turned away and chose to continue in silence.

"I will not ask you to die for me, Officer Keen. Least of all when it isn't even a task you wanted. That is why I reject the notion of bodyguards at all. Why should anyone be forced to give their life for a stranger? I understand if they choose to, but if it is anything else, I want no part of it. If you, if anyone, must risk their lives for me, even to the point of chancing death, then let them do so willingly, though I would sooner stop it from happening at all."

"You don't get that luxury Khasar!" Keen snapped, completely losing his cool and causing the startled Emissary to jump a bit.

Ryley slammed his hand on the table and immediately signed, "He has it!"

"Then you be his bodyguard!" Keen shot.

"Enough!" Khasar sharply said. "If you're angry with me, I understand, but do not take it out on anyone else. If you must blame me for whatever happened to you—and given how hostile you're being I can only assume it was because of me—so be it, but I never asked or wanted you to do anything of that sort for my sake!" He caught Danby's startled expression and could only assume the doctor hadn't expected him to so effortlessly expose Keen without exposing him as well. In fact, the doctor looked outright touched by it.

Keen was struggling to process what he'd just heard and figure out how to address it. There was tense silence all around. "I'm sorry," the Second Officer finally said, voice quiet. To say the rest of them were shocked was an understatement. Keen apologizing for anything was rarer than you'd think. Normally he never needed to. His judgement was sounder than that. When it wasn't, though, usually his concession was walking away without a word and giving you the victory but not necessarily the apology.

Khasar relaxed ever so slightly. "This is why I wanted your friendship. So it wouldn't be your resentment I earned," he said. "I don't want to see you hurt, John. Least of all for something you didn't even want to be part of. That they did this to you, that you were harmed because of me and I wasn't even there to try and spare you it… Do you have any idea the guilt that brings? You aren't the first man who has been assigned to play my bodyguard, and if you die doing so, you won't be first in that either. I don't want that on my conscience. That is why I choose to take my life into my own hands if I have the option to. Even to my detriment. Because I would sooner die than have anyone else do so for me. Since we are both trapped in this arrangement now, I deemed it best that at least one of us be a willing participant, and goodness knew it wasn't going to be me."

Keen whispered a curse under his breath, frustratedly drawing a hand through his hair, then sat. "Why do you make it so difficult to hate you? Why can't you be more like Robinson?" Ryley started and gave him a dirty look, eyes narrowed.

"Could almost believe Khasar has a better read on people than I do," Ozzy finally said, trying to ease the tension a bit.

Khasar sat and turned to him with a slightly forced smile. "I don't believe anyone on board this ship has a better sense for people than you do, Ozzy."

"All this dialogue is well and good, but it doesn't answer the initial question. What about this assignment, Jonathan, do you find so distasteful?" Hollister asked, far more focused on tackling the root of the problem than the surface of it. Maybe Khasar thought the root was Keen not wanting this position in the first place, but Hollister knew his second officer better than anyone. Khasar's assumption was wrong.

"His blatant disregard for his own life and safety!" Keen spat like to admit as much left a bitter taste in his mouth. "For goodness sakes, how can you help someone who doesn't want to be helped?! Why am I risking my life for a man hell bent on dying anyway and rendering the sacrifice null and void?"

"Danby, tell me you have a therapy degree," Hollister said. Keen started and gave the Captain a look of disbelief.

Danby let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Oh not one deep enough for this," he answered.

Khasar, stunned at first by Hollister's response, wasn't stunned for long. "Captain, it is alright. His is a valid concern."

"He doesn't need you to tell him as much! Nor do I," Keen said.

"Very well," Khasar said. He looked to the Captain. "There. Our stances have been made clear. I want no man to risk their life for mine and he isn't inclined to risk his own for a stranger who would spit on the sacrifice either way. Can we please agree, now, that my being without a bodyguard is best for all of us?"

"No. We most certainly cannot," the Captain answered.

"And I'm in agreement with him. What you need to understand, Emissary, is that if I'm putting my own life at risk for yours, it isn't simply out of duty. It's because I choose to. Believe it or not, even strangers are willing to die for one another on occasion. I volunteered for this. I know you didn't catch that bit of the conversation, but it's the truth. The Captain mentioned how we would have to find someone to play bodyguard, and rather than seeing anyone else take on the task, I offered to do it myself. If your issue with this whole thing is seeing an unwilling man die for your sake, then let that matter go. I wasn't unwilling. I volunteered because I deemed you worth protecting. A friendship can grow from that alone, but you don't seem to be the sort interested in making friends, and neither am I, so we're at an impasse I don't think either of us is going to be able to cross until we lay all our cards out on the table, so there's my hand. I saw how you carried yourself, I observed your interactions with others, I perceived the sort of man you were, and I decided it was the kind worth defending even at cost of my own life. I did that willingly. Now you do your part so I'm not carrying the entire weight of this thing on my shoulders! I want to protect you, Khasar, but you seem hell-bent on not being protected."

There was stunned silence all around. Ozzy was first to recover from it. "Uh, guys, I think we have work to do. Somewhere else. That isn't here," he said to the others. There was an immediate chorus of agreement and quickly the party rose and separated, leaving Khasar, Hollister, and Keen to work it out. The only ones who remained were Ozzy, who couldn't exactly leave the café untended, and a curious Danby, who returned to the bar to listen in with Oz. Neither Khasar nor Keen were upset by the mass exodus. In fact, they were immensely relieved by it. For a moment more, no one spoke.

"I do not wish to be the cause of your death," Khasar finally said with a sigh.

"Then I won't die," Keen replied.

"You cannot promise that!" Khasar argued.

"Friendships are built on trust, so at the very least, trust me in this," Keen all but pled. "I understand you've faced trauma in the past with bodyguards and death, but this is the present. Live in it."

For a long time, there was silence between them again. Hollister waited patiently for this to be resolved one way or another. "Very well," Khasar finally relented, sighing in defeat.

Keen let out a breath of relief. "Thank you," he genuinely said.

"Please do not make me regret this, Jonathan," Khasar said, walking passed him to leave.

"Or me, son," Hollister added in a murmur to Keen as Khasar left.

"I won't," Keen said. Or at the very least he'd do his darndest not to.

Danby and Oz turned back to one another now that that little scene was over. "I really should make my way down here more often if this is the sort of juicy drama you're exposed to all the time," Danby murmured lowly. Ozzy huffed a laugh, smirking at him.

Chapter Text

"Ah, Emissary Khasar. I trust you and Keen have worked out your problems?" Danby asked when Khasar entered the medical bay. Keen trailed behind.

"For the most part," Khasar answered. "It will take some getting used to, but we have reached an understanding."

"Finally," Keen said rolling his eyes. "Thomas, take care of him. I'll be outside waiting."

"Of course," Danby replied. Keen nodded and left the room. Danby turned attention to Khasar once more. "How are you feeling?" he questioned.

"Fine. No pain, no sickness, no malaise," Khasar replied.

"Mentally?" Danby asked.

"Better than I was at the start. In no small part thanks to men like Ryley and Ozzy. You as well, Thomas. Thank you for wanting to keep me alive. It's a welcome change," Khasar said.

"I'm a doctor. I need to keep everyone alive," Danby bluntly answered. There was a beat. "What do you mean a welcome change?"

"I'm sorry. Pessimism slipping in I suppose. It just seems there are very few on this ship pleased with my existence. I am not blind to the way many look at me," Khasar said. "Unfortunately, I do not think that will change any time soon."

"Alterrans don't appreciate deviations from the norm," Danby said, smirking a little. "They don't like other Trans-Govs who challenge their systems either. What can I say? Business is cutthroat. Sometimes literally. You're a prime target. Probably worth millions."

"You are always so good at reassurance, Thomas," Khasar flatly replied, frowning at him. "Really, I don't know how I would cope without you." Danby huffed a laugh before quickly hiding his smile and awkwardly clearing his throat. Khasar tilted his head curiously. "Tom, is something the matter?"

"No," Danby answered. "Nothing at all." He hesitated, considering something, then looked towards the door. "Keen!" he called. Almost instantly Keen opened the door, doubtless in case anything was going wrong. "This is going to take a while. You should get yourself something to eat or focus on some of your other duties. I'll contact you when we're finished here."

"What is this, a complete physical?" Keen asked. Danby and Khasar both gave him a look. He shifted a bit and sighed. "Of course it is," he said.

"And a full psych too. In case you weren't aware, John, as the resident medical officer my job is to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of my patients. Sometimes that takes a great deal of time. Count yourself lucky I never did a full psych on you, because I doubt you would have liked the results, let alone complied with the instructions." Keen harrumphed and left.

"Must we do a psychological exam?" Khasar asked with a sigh.

"It won't be so bad," Danby answered. "At least not for me. We'll start with the physical. Give you time to collect your thoughts. "I uh, also need to make a recording of you. For your designated escape pod."

"Designated escape pod? A recording? I was not briefed on either of those," Khasar said, sounding a little annoyed by this unexpected detail.

"Yes, well, it is what it is," Danby replied vaguely. "It will only be brief."

"Fine," Khasar said with an annoyed sigh.

"Give me a moment," Danby said, pulling out a recording device and fiddling with it a bit before handing it over.

"Playing pre-recorded distress call. High priority passenger…" the robotic voice began. It trailed off and Danby gestured for Khasar to speak.

"Jochi Khasar," Khasar said, sounding bored and annoyed. Danby checked the recording and frowned a bit, holding up two fingers to indicate to the Emissary to repeat the last name. Khasar frowned. "I said Khasar," he testily said, now irritated. "Why do I have to record this anyway?"

Danby cut off the recording with a sigh. "Because as a high-priority passenger, you receive a special escape pod just for you. That way, in the event of a disaster, should the pod deploy and you not survive, the AI can play back the message attached to it to help identify any remains or simply confirm the identity of the one who occupied it, should there be no one there," he said. "It's all routine, I assure you."

"I was told nothing about this," Khasar said, sounding unconvinced.

"What do you expect I'm going to do? Prank you?" Danby bit. "What sort of prank could I even play with your voice-recorded message?"

Khasar sighed. "Apologies Thomas. You must understand this voyage has been… trying, to say the least. I have had to constantly look over my shoulder ever since boarding this ship. As I've said, it seems everyone wants me gone, so one can never be too careful."

"No. One cannot," Danby replied, not turning to face him as he uploaded the recording. "Lifepod Thirteen is your designated escape pod. Not the best of omens, if you believe in that sort of thing, but I don't."

"It is not a superstition shared across our cultures," Khasar replied.

"It would be quite poetic though, in its own dark way, if some ill was to befall you inside it," Danby said, smirking. "I'll ensure this is downloaded into the AI. Now, onto business. Step into the scanner."

Khasar nodded and stood. He stripped off his coat and any other excess clothing, then got into the scanner. Danby typed a few commands into the computer and it began to read him. Danby watched the readouts with a careful eye. Khasar didn't move or speak, letting the AI do its job. In about five minutes, it stopped. Danby scanned through the document as Khasar left the scanner. "What is the conclusion?" the Emissary asked.

"You're in peak physical form," Danby answered, sounding impressed. "I wouldn't have expected it from one of your… social standing. No offense. All that walking about the Aurora must be keeping you in perfect shape."

"Being of a high social standing…" the Emissary began.

"And presumably significant wealth," Danby dryly threw in.

Khasar gave him a mildly annoyed look. "Does not mean I let myself become completely useless," he continued. "I intend to live the longest life I can. Allowing myself to become a sloth hardly lends to that goal. I dabble in archery, I practice the ancient earthen traditional arts of Bohk and Bajutsu, due to the latter I am an accomplished rider… Need I go on?"

"Your resume, Emissary, is quite substantial," Danby said.

"What of yours?" Khasar asked.

Danby was silent a beat, then sighed. "We don't talk about mine," he dryly said. "It's nothing to write home about. Really. I'm actually quite dull."

"And that means I should not be interested in knowing more about the people I am trapped in space with?" Khasar asked.

Danby shrugged. "Honestly I could tell you nothing you don't already know about me," he said. "Now come on. Let's finish up the psychological exam then get you back to your watchdog before he has an aneurysm." Khasar snorted a laugh, the side of his mouth quirking up in a slight smirk. He nodded in agreement and made himself comfortable on a nearby couch to await questioning.

Subnautica

"My, my, Jochi. A bit of a basket case it seems," Danby said as the examination concluded.

"I sleep with one eye open constantly. Try it sometime. For months on end. See how well you manage," Khasar bluntly challenged, looking unimpressed.

"Fair enough, Khasar. Fair enough," Danby said. "Try to let yourself relax a little though, alright? It won't do you or anyone any good if you become neurotic. Especially not poor Keen. Unhappy fool wouldn't be able to handle that. He'd probably become just as mad as you, and you two could spend the remainder of the voyage locked in the brig in newly neurotic bliss."

Khasar rolled his eyes hopelessly, but the doctor did have something of a point he knew. He began to put his things back on. "A group of us are going to the cinema tonight. Would you be interested in joining?"

"I have quite a lot of work," Danby said.

"It will do you no good to work yourself to death up here, Thomas. Take a break. We would be delighted with your company," Khasar said.

Danby considered the invitation for a moment. "Perhaps," he said. "Check in with me before you go and if I've found the time, I shall join you."

"Very well. Do not overwork yourself, friend," Khasar said. Danby nodded and saw him out.

Subnautica

Ozzy watched LaFette from behind the bar until realizing he'd probably been staring way too long. She probably figured he was being a creep at this point, so he quickly looked away, focusing on the glass he was cleaning and trying to forget Yu's gentle teases and prods about LaFette having a thing for him.

"What kind of chemistry are you cooking up in that kitchen of yours?" LaFette asked, approaching him and perching on a chair with a gorgeous grin.

"It's a surprise," he answered, smiling at her.

"Ooh. I like surprises," she said. "Can I be involved?"

"If you were, we'd be cooking up a whole other kind of chemistry," he replied, deciding to try his luck and test if Yu's implications had some basis to them.

"Elaborate," she said. He started, flushing. He wasn't sure how to respond to that one. There were a lot of ways to respond actually, it was just he wasn't sure which way would be the way she liked. Her smile began to fall a bit and he hated that, so scrambled to come up with something.

"Thought you scientists liked to investigate those types of questions hands-on," he blurted borderline gracelessly, but he kind of managed to save it. He hoped. The grin was back full force, and her cheeks were burning a bit, so he felt pretty proud of himself for that one and smirked, giving her a wink before starting to wipe down the bar.

"Well?" she said.

"Well what?" he asked.

She sighed in a measure of frustration and he winced, looking up at her. What? Was he supposed to do something here? Maybe he was more Alterran than he figured, he wryly noted to himself. She smiled ruefully but fondly at him, looked as if she wanted to ask a question, then seemed to shove the notion aside because well, while she might have been Sol by birth, she was raised Alterran. "Don't ever change Ozzy," she said, tone as rueful as her sad little smile. "It's frustrating, but I like it at the same time. Stops me from making a fool of myself."

"What are you talkin' about? How could you ever make a fool of yourself?" he asked, frowning. She just smiled at him and offered no response. Yu's words again started pricking at the back of his mind, and his jaw twitched a bit. He thought back to Keen and Khasar's conversation, remembered Keen's words to the man about laying all his cards out on the table so they could stop dancing on eggshells around one another, and figured what was the worst that could happen? Before he could genuinely start thinking along that line though – because if he did, he'd stop himself – he took the plunge. "Come on Aubrey. We've been playin' this game for years now. What are we lookin' to get out of this? I sure know what I'd like."

"And I know what I would," she said.

"So why are neither of us saying it?" he asked.

"Do our desires align?" she questioned.

"We're not gonna know if we never lay it out!" Ozzy said.

"I can get to work on a contra…" she began.

"Screw the contract. I like you more than platonically and I'd really like it if you felt the same. If you do, let's take the plunge already. It you don't, we can settle for stayin' just friends if you still even want that. Clear enough a contract for ya?" Ozzy said.

She blinked at him in surprise. "You've gotten bold," she said. He was fast regretting opening his mouth, he decided. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked.

"What?" he asked.

"You mentioned another kind of chemistry you wanted to experiment with. Is it the kind that can be done in public?" she asked.

"Aubrey, I'm a simple man with a simple mind. Cut and dry yes or no please," Oz said.

She smiled at him. "You're more Alterran than you think it seems," she said. "Yes. My answer is yes. I've only been waiting for this since freshman year of college."

"You could've been the one to take the leap of faith," he said.

"I was afraid to take a chance with a man like you. The loss would have been soul-crushing. I suspect that's why you kept quiet as well," she said.

He blinked at her and grimaced. He couldn't exactly argue with that one. "So what, you want a contract drawn up?" he asked.

"Ozzy, I'm more Sol by nature than I pretend to be. No, I don't want a contract drawn up. If you do then we can, but…" she began.

"Screw the contract," Ozzy said. "Never was one for the business model crap anyway. It's the Sol half of me."

"Then why aren't you whipping me into the backrooms?" she asked.

"Because it's unsanitary?" he replied, not sure how to answer that and going for flat-out honesty.

She burst into laughter and leaned over the bar, kissing him on the lips briefly and unexpectedly before drawing back with her beaming grin, leaving him gaping in shock and blushing about as red as his hair. "Never change Oz," she said affectionately again, rising to leave. A desperate urge not to let her go shot through him, and before he could think it through, he reached out and caught her hand. She glanced at it curiously, then at him with a ridiculously attractive tilt of her head.

"Café can close for a while," he said. She flushed and beamed at him, that star-like grin lighting up her face once more, and he couldn't take it. Swept her off without a second thought, tossed up a closed sign – the people eating inside would leave when they were finished – and brought the woman straight to his room.

Subnautica

He lay on his side, head propped up in a hand as he looked down on the gorgeous woman lying next to him on her stomach. His hand gently trailed up and down her back and side. She was awake he knew, but was pretending to be asleep because he could only assume she was thoroughly enjoying it. He pressed a kiss between her shoulder blades, and she couldn't hide the grin or the soft little giggle. She turned her head and he bent down, pressing his lips to hers and nuzzling her nose.

"Alterra won't be happy we're turning business into pleasure," she said, exposing the side of her neck to him. Obligingly he began to decorate it with kisses.

"Mmm, tell that to Wilson and Elheim," he murmured.

"That's not going to last long, assuming it's still on at all," Aubrey said with a huff.

"Oh, I know. I've seen the way Wilson's been lookin' at Huggins lately," Ozzy said.

"Poor Elheim," Aubrey said with a sigh. "I schooled with her and Wilson you know. Ava never could win in love. Not with men or women. She's such a nice girl too."

"High expectations though, if the rumour mill's to be believed. Boring too," Ozzy said.

"People sicken me," Aubrey replied.

"I mean, you gotta admit Huggins is exciting. The man hijacks prawnsuits and plays catch with meteors outside the ship for the fun of it," Ozzy said.

Aubrey laughed and grinned up at him again. "Boring isn't always bad," she said.

"Um, ouch?" Ozzy said, frowning a bit. She stole a kiss quickly and he couldn't stay mad at her for that one.

"Maybe in some ways you're boring, but all those secrets you're squirreling away in that head of yours make you one of the most interesting people on this ship," she said, tapping his forehead.

"You only like me for my information," he teased with a grin before kissing her again.

"Mmm, I'm sure Danby prefers it more. That man seems to have his nose in everything," she said.

"Curious guy," Ozzy replied with a shrug.

"I've seen him tapping you for tidbits more than once," she said. "I notice it's happening more and more often. If he keeps it up, I might start to get jealous."

Ozzy huffed. "Thomas is an odd duck, that's for sure. Can't shake the feeling I should be careful with information around him, so he doesn't get much from me he doesn't already know," he said.

"Oh?" she said, frowning curiously.

"Now who's tappin'?" he asked before kissing her again.

She smiled a little against his lips. "Give me something interesting and I'll give you something interesting in turn," she said.

"You figure I won't already have the information?" Ozzy asked with a grin.

"The Mongolian is careful with his secrets," she murmured quietly.

Ozzy's smile vanished immediately, and all sense of romance gave way to business and a measure of concern. "What?" he asked.

She sighed, brushing back that short hair of hers that so perfectly framed her face. "There's a woman who's been paying a good deal of attention to him as of late. Which would be all well and good, except this same woman has confided in me multiple times how little she thinks of the Mongols, so her interest in your friend? Suspicious at best. He hasn't really noticed her until recently, because recently she's become a little more forward. She upped her game, so to speak, when Khasar finally allowed Keen to do his job and hang around him more often. I suppose before then she figured she had all the time and opportunity in the world to pull something clever. When Keen began hanging around the Emissary, he became a threat in more ways than one. Given she doesn't know whether Khasar is interested in women, men, or both, Keen is a threat in that regard. He's also a threat in the sense that if Khasar is indeed interested in women, she doesn't know whether she'll be able to pull anything off regardless with Keen playing watchdog. She's the kind of girl that would catch the Emissary's attention. Studied in the Sol territories, knows multiple languages including Mongolian for whatever reason, which is suspicious in and of itself, very pretty, very good at playing a part, very smart because intelligence doesn't guarantee a lack of ignorance, and philosophical enough to make him curious. I don't know what her game is or what she intends to do with him, but I can't imagine it's anything good given the vitriol she spews about the Mongolian States and how often she's told anyone who'll listen that she wants him off this ship or out of sight out of mind. She said he's playing hard to get, so I think he might be detecting something untrustworthy in her for himself, but the question then becomes whether he'll trust his gut or take a chance."

"I think I may love you," Ozzy flirted. She huffed a laugh, lips quirking up in a smirk. "Hey, I'll get to the bottom of this. No one hurts my friends. Not if I can help it."

"You're a better man than you give yourself credit for, Ozzy," she said, smiling softly and affectionately at him. He smiled back. "Guess I owe you information now," he said.

"Your remark about Danby was certainly intriguing," she replied. "I thought you two were friendly."

"Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. Might even consider him a friend, but there's just something about him… I can't place it, but I don't trust it. I wanna trust him, believe me I do, but everything inside me is screaming I shouldn't, and I don't know why. Some subtle sign I'm pickin' up on subconsciously but can't quite bring to the front of my brain. He's just… I feel like he's hidin' somethin', y'know? I'm good at spotting liars. Always have been. Don't know what he has to lie about, but I'm ninety percent sure I'm right, and if I am, then I'm ninety-five percent sure whatever it is ain't insignificant."

"Do you think he suspects you know?" she asked.

"I know he does," Ozzy answered. "Puts him off. I catch the looks he gives me sometimes, and none of 'em are good. Usually, we're fine with each other, but when he really starts pryin' and I really start dodgin', well, friendly banter turns into a chess match real quick, and the both of us are at a stalemate. Two kings just dancin' around a board unable to touch one another."

"Until one or the other of you does a suicide rush," she said, sounding concerned. "Do you think…" She trailed off. "Do you think he's dangerous?" she finished quietly.

"Honestly don't know. Don't wanna think it, but I don't know," Ozzy said. "Pretty sure he can be dangerous, but then so can anyone else. Let's just say I won't be surprised either way. Still, I might be able to use him to my advantage if I smell somethin' fishy about the whole Khasar thing."

"You'd make one hell of an informant, you know that?" she said.

"Already am," he replied, eyes glittering a bit. "Unofficially." She smiled and pulled him back for another kiss that didn't stay a kiss for long. He walked out of his room far later than he'd ever planned to, flustered and blushing like mad. He cursed the fact he'd left the café unattended for so long, but also totally didn't regret it for a second.

Subnautica

Things were not supposed to go like this, Danby thought to himself as he paced restlessly back and forth in his room wringing his hands. He was not supposed to have started growing fond of the Mongolian Emissary. Of anybody! A year, though, was a long time. Too much opportunity for things to change. Especially in such a small space when every face you saw was a familiar one and you couldn't help but get to know them. There was a knock on his door, and he jumped, catching his breath. He willed his heart to slow down and let out a breath, turning to it. "Yes?" he said.

"Thomas, are you alright? Are you coming along with us to the cinema?" the Emissary asked through the door.

"Yes. Yes, of course. It… slipped my mind," Danby said. "I have one more appointment for the day, then I'll join you."

"We will be waiting in Ozzy's café," the Emissary replied.

"Of course," Danby said.

He waited until the Emissary was out of earshot, then let out a shaking breath and ran his hands through his hair feeling increasingly stressed and troubled. How had he gotten into this mess, he wondered to himself? It was a ridiculous question he knew. He understood full well how. None of this was supposed to have happened. He sat at his desk and began jotting down some notes. There was a knock at the door soon after.

"Enter," he said. The door opened and in walked Peter Hinkle, looking lost in thought. Hinkle was just about the best damn technician on board the Aurora, if not the topper. An Alterra stooge through and through, he'd been among their top picks to send on this voyage. Like him, though, Hinkle's purpose here was two-fold. "Hinkle," Danby greeted.

"Corporate sent me a message. The Emissary's physical was this morning. You never reported to them how it went," Hinkle said.

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Danby replied.

"There's no confidentiality when it comes to him. You know our orders," Hinkle said.

"Tell me, Peter. When was the last report you sent on the Emissary, hmm?" Danby challenged.

"You really think I'm any more thrilled than you are about reporting his every move back to them?" Hinkle asked.

"If only that was all it was," Danby bitterly said.

Hinkle was quiet a beat. "I've done my part in that," he lowly said. "Lifepod Thirteen is ready to go."

Danby was quiet, glaring at the papers on his desk. He'd stopped writing at this point. Sighing through the nose, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, tenting his fingers. "Who knows the truth about my mission here?" he finally asked.

"No one but me, just like no one knows my role in it 'cept you," Hinkle said. Danby was quiet. "Time isn't our friend, Danby. The longer you wait…"

"Don't talk to me about time constraints! You had it easy! No need for you to build up repertoire with the man," Danby snapped, eyes flying open.

"Thank the powers that be for that. I can't even look at him these days," Hinkle said, clearly stressed. "How the hell did we get sucked into doing Alterra's dirty work?"

"I agreed to this matter because I was ruined if I didn't. What's your excuse?" Danby said, gesturing for the man to take a seat.

Hinkle huffed a laugh. "Misplaced ambition and an inability to say no to corporate. Man alive we're selfish bastards," he said.

"More so me than you, given you're your elderly parents' only source of income," Danby quietly said. "It wasn't your neck alone on the line if you refused and ended up fired."

"That's not why I was selfish. I was selfish because odds are good they wouldn't have fired me at all. Agreeing to this just guaranteed that. Now I'm living to regret it," Hinkle said. He sighed. "Sorry. I can't imagine how it must feel for you. You actually had to get to know the man." Danby was quiet, back to glaring at the papers again. "Listen, a complication has arisen."

"What now?" Danby asked in exasperation.

"A woman on board is starting to show interest in him. One you wouldn't think would have any. She despises Mongolians but has taken to putting the moves on him."

"Then another Trans-Gov planted spies of their own, or another branch of Alterra did."

"Spies who'll have their own ways of dealing with the Mongolian. Stick to the plan. Hopefully we're quicker on the draw than them," Hinkle said.

"How do you suggest we proceed?" Danby asked.

"I'm washin' my hands of this! I've made my bed and lain in it! Now it's your turn. Man alive, neither of us signed up for this." Danby was quiet. "I did what was required of me. If it so happens you can't bring yourself to go through with your part of it, at least there's that," Hinkle solemnly added.

"Either way I'll have had a hand in what happens to him," Danby bitterly said.

"Just do what you're told and don't think about it. Makes things easier," Hinkle said.

"Not for me," Danby said.

"Convince yourself it does," Hinkle replied.

Danby huffed. "Here's the recording. Do with it whatever you must," he said, passing said recording over.

Hinkle nodded and took it. He turned the recording in his hand, pondering something. "How long's it been for you?" he asked the doctor, sounding almost sympathetic.

"Years," Danby bitterly replied. "For years I've been their loyal dog, leaping at their beck and call. One of the best at what I did, but a dog nonetheless. Intelligence gathering was my primary directive. Glean information, distribute information, nothing else."

"Their top informant," Hinkle dryly said.

Danby nodded. "If they wanted a low-profile job completed subtly and quietly, I was the man for it, but I did not under any circumstances sign up for this."

"Then I'm guessin' they put you in a position you couldn't get out of," Hinkle grimly said.

Danby clenched his jaw. "You could say that," he bitterly replied. He looked up at Hinkle once more, who was still staring absently at the tape. "What did they threaten you with?" he asked.

"Ruin and firing like you guessed," Hinkle replied. "The usual Alterra BS. Like I said, I doubt they would have seen it through—at least in my case—but I couldn't… I couldn't take the chance they would. There are people who rely on me, Thomas, just like you said, and they're worth more to me than some-some…"

"Mongolian with a fancy title?" Danby asked.

Hinkle was quiet. "I'm sorry you were put in a position where he had to become more," he at last said.

Danby bowed his head and glared at the floor like it had spited him. "I'm good at keeping my distance," he said. "I'll handle the matter of the woman. Get her out of our hair. This is Alterra's playing field, not anyone else's." Hinkle nodded, rose, and left with the recording in hand.

Subnautica

"Hey Scamp, whadaya know about that lady flirting with Jochi?" Ozzy asked Keen as the two of them waited for the others to arrive. Keen had come in with Khasar and was ditched promptly after when the woman in question waltzed up and lured the Emissary away.

"I know she's making my job difficult again," Keen said, clearly put out.

"He's serious about it then, huh?" Ozzy asked.

"He's curious I'll say," Keen corrected. "Very curious. Which means trouble for me. No one likes a third wheel when they're in the middle of courting someone, which means I should start expecting regular dismissals if this carries on. Which means multiple opportunities for things to go wrong."

"You talk to him about it yet?" Ozzy asked.

"I have. I informed him I wasn't of the opinion getting involved in a relationship while on a diplomatic mission was a good idea. To his credit, he agreed. To his credit also, he's thus far declined to go anywhere alone with her. At least that's something."

"Khasar's smart," Ozzy said, nodding. "He knows the deal."

"Does he?" Keen dryly asked, arms crossed.

"I mean, if I'm wrong and he starts sendin' you away for dates, you can just fill the time hittin' up Yu," Ozzy said.

"Not on the clock I can't," Keen answered.

"John, you're always on the clock," Ozzy bluntly said.

"We're in the depths of space. I have to be," he answered.

"I'm thinking you need a release more than anything," Ozzy said.

"Oz," Keen warned, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Ya know, you could leave him with me for a bit. You didn't wanna go to the cinema anyway, so go off and do something with Berkeley and Yu instead. Mostly Yu. At least you'd better get on that before Cameron beats you to it." Ozzy said, nudging him. Keen gave him a dark look, but then seemed to start considering the option. Ozzy hoped he went for it. Gave him more time to get a read on Khasar and his lady friend.

"Let me know if anything changes and when you all move on from the café to go to the theatre," Keen said.

"Will do boss, Ozzy replied with a two-fingered salute. Keen cast another uneasy and concerned look Khasar's way, sighed, then left in frustration, throwing up his hands. Khasar took a good solid five minutes to notice his bodyguard wasn't around anymore. When he did, his smile fell, and he scanned the café seeming worried. He excused himself from the woman and approached the counter. Ozzy had figured he might. He smiled as the man approached. "Your watchdog took off to let loose a little. About time far as I'm concerned. The man's been nothin' but business since we headed out."

Khasar sighed. "He is going to work himself to death," he said in a measure of exasperation, running his fingers through his hair. "Much like Danby."

"Sad but true," Ozzy said. "Hey." He leaned over the counter secretively. "What's up with your little lady friend over there, huh? You hidin' somethin' Jochi?"

"Hardly," he answered. "Although I must confess, I find her intriguing."

"Yeah?" Ozzy said. "She really must be special to catch your eye. You never struck me as the romance type."

"Because I am not. In my occupation, it is very difficult to find time for it and more difficult still to find someone whose interest is truly in you and not your station or your wealth," he answered, looking somewhat troubled. "Besides, Keen is correct. There is a time and place for courtship. Up in space in the middle of a diplomatic mission is not one of those times."

Ozzy was sympathetic. "Look, if you're interested in her, go for it. I've got your back. If there's somethin' fishy about her, you know I'll have ya covered," he said.

Khasar gave him a fond, sad smile. "Aside from typical Alterran prejudice, you mean?"

Ozzy winced. "Yeah. Aside from that. Caught onto it, huh?"

He hummed, considering this question. "Ignorance and prejudice can be combatted much of the time, but not always. A part of me hopes it can be combatted with her, but that she is showing interest despite her distaste for Mongolians suggests to me her intentions are not true."

"Hey, don't give it up before it's even gotten started. If you like her, you do your thing that you do that somehow softens the hardest of hearts and run with it. Sometimes things worth fightin' for don't come easy. Believe me, I know," Ozzy said.

Khasar smiled at him fondly. "Ryley claims that I am one of the good ones when it comes to humanity, but I suspect you may have me beaten out, Ozzy," he affectionately said.

"So people keep tellin' me," Ozzy said. "Not sure how much I believe it though. Didn't have the best influence growin' up. Like alcohol a little too much when I get my hands on it. There's a lot about myself I don't like."

"We are all our own harshest critics," Khasar said.

"Yeah. I guess. Hey, weren't you due for a checkup today with Danby?" Ozzy asked.

"It has been completed. I invited him to the cinema as well. Get him away from work for a little while. He claims he will come, so it's best we wait for him. Fournier and Huggins have yet to arrive as well, I notice. Until they do, however, I think I will take your suggestion and try with the woman again," Khasar said.

"Just be careful, 'kay? You're not exactly in a safe position up here," Ozzy said. "I've got your back, but I can only do so much."

"I'm sure Keen will pick up the slack once you have reached your limit," Khasar answered with a laugh. "Him and many others." Ozzy smiled warmly at him. Khasar returned to the lady in question and Ozzy couldn't help but hope Fournier and Huggins arrived sooner than later with Ryley so they could get the Emissary away from her.

Subnautica

It was Danby who arrived first, Ozzy noted. The doc looked distracted. When he spotted Khasar speaking with the woman across the café, however, he paused and frowned curiously. Ozzy took note of it. Maybe Danby would end up being an unexpected ally in this. Danby crossed to the counter, still watching Khasar and the woman, then looked at Ozzy and raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Woman's been hittin' him up for a while now. He didn't really notice until recently, so now he's curious I guess. Not sure about her though. Rumor has it she's not a fan of Mongolians. Don't see why she'd suddenly be into this one," Ozzy said.

"You say as if status and money aren't key factors in the matter," Danby said.

"Maybe, but I dunno. Just seems off, y'know?" he said.

Danby looked towards them once more, considering Ozzy's words. "Elaborate," he soon said.

"Word is he hasn't really noticed her until recently, because recently she got a little more forward. After Keen started hangin' around, guess she figured he was a threat to whatever she's lookin' to get out of Jochi. She doesn't know if Khasar's into men, women, or both, and if he's into women, she's not sure she'd be able to pull something off with Keen playing watchdog anyway. Apparently she's the kind of girl that would catch Jochi's attention. Studied in the Sol Territories, knows multiple languages including Mongolian, ironically enough, which to be fair is kinda suspicious given how little she thinks of them, and she's pretty and smart to top it off. Kinda philosophical too. It's a combo that has him curious, but I mean, given the vitriol she spews about the Mongolian States, it just feels wrong."

Danby considered the information carefully. "Perhaps I should have a go at her myself. See if I can't figure out her little game," he said.

"Would be great if you could. She doesn't really talk to me," Ozzy said. He looked up and smiled. "Ryley, Jo, Vic, there you are!" he called. The three in question approached.

"Evenin' Oz," Huggins said, tipping his hat.

"How goes the café?" Fournier asked.

"Business is boomin'," Ozzy said. "Danby and I were just discussing Khasar's new friend."

"If he's smart, he won't get involved. She says some pretty questionable things about Mongolians," Fournier said.

"T' be fair, who aboard the ship doesn't?" Huggins dryly said. "He's not exactly the class favorite."

"You had a conversation with him not long ago, didn't you? Sparked the suspicious word detected warning with the mention of religion. How did it go?" Fournier asked.

Huggins was quiet a beat. "Maybe I've been a little unfair to him, but he's not without hypocrisy either," he admitted, looking down.

"Him doing his job isn't indicative of how he actually feels about the whole rivalry between Trans-Govs," Fournier said.

"Maybe," Huggins said.

Khasar excused himself from the woman he was speaking to and made his way over to them. "Victor, Josephine," he greeted, bowing to them.

"Jochi," Jo replied, bowing back. She didn't mind him using her full first name, but he was one of very few who could get away with it.

"Who's the new friend?" Huggins bluntly asked.

"Just that," Khasar replied. "More acquaintance than friend."

"Keep it that way. It's not like she doesn't know what your status is. Odds are she's playin' ya," Huggins said.

"There is a chance of that, yes," Khasar said.

"So why subject yourself to it at all?" Huggins asked.

"One cannot live a truly fulfilling life if they live it in a constant state of paranoia," Khasar said.

"She's not your friend, Mongolian. I'll warn you only once," Huggins said, crossing his arms.

"Your warning is noted," Khasar said. He didn't mind being called 'Mongolian' by Victor. There was no real maliciousness behind the turn of phrase, and while yes there was prejudice there, Victor had improved immensely since the start of their voyage. Rhetoric was difficult to overcome, but Victor was taking leaps and bounds towards shedding it. "Shall we make our way to the theatre?" Khasar asked. Ryley nodded, but was warily watching the woman his friend had been speaking to. "Then let's be on our way," Khasar said, touching Ryley's arm to snap him out of it. Ryley looked quickly over then grimaced a bit, but accepted the correction nonetheless.

"We should probably signal to Keen we're headin' out," Ozzy said. "He might drag Yu and Berkeley along with him if they decide to join us."

"I will handle the matter," Khasar said, sending a signal to Keen. "There. Now he can decide what he wishes to do." That done, the group headed off.

Subnautica

Danby kept a close eye on the woman who had caught Khasar's attention. He was far from the only one. The rest of the Emissary's surprisingly large 'friend group', if you could call it that, were keeping an eye on things as well. Particularly Ryley and Ozzy. Even LaFette. They were funnels for information. It was the first time Oz had ever been forthcoming with him in regards to info dumps, so to speak, and the chef only did so because they were on the same side in this matter. Within a month, Danby had all the information he needed to make his play.

"I notice you have yet to make a real move on that woman you've been spending time with," Danby remarked to Khasar as they dined together at Ozzy's café.

"I am wary about such matters and have been unable to get any sort of read on her motives behind pursuing me," Khasar said. "Her affections feel… false, is the word."

"Yet you keep on with her?" Danby said.

"There is a reason for her interest, and I do not believe money or station is it," Khasar said. "She was born into wealth and station as is. If her motivation is neither wealth nor status, then what is it? It feels wrong, is the term I shall use."

"What has Ozzy said? He's usually good at picking up information about such things," Danby replied.

"She, I feel, is pointedly avoiding him, which only lends further to my suspicions," Khasar said.

"Do you believe she means to do you harm?" Danby asked.

"Extract information, more likely. She tends to ask rather prying questions."

"Hmm… You know, I'm not so bad at extracting information myself. If she won't speak to Oz, maybe she'll let something slip to me."

"Go on," Khasar said, leaning forward curiously.

"Bring her somewhere somewhat isolated. Make excuses to leave then go off and hide somewhere within earshot. I will be waiting in hiding also, and after you've departed her company, I'll emerge and see if I can't do some prying myself. Should she confess anything, you'll be nearby to hear it. If not, you can feel that much more secure in whatever relationship you're toying with," Danby said.

"Very well. I must admit I'm quite interested in what you might dig up," Khasar said.

"Then let's make a plan of it," Danby said.

"Let's," Khasar agreed.

Subnautica

Danby watched from hiding as Khasar bid the woman, Sylvia Something-or-Other, goodbye and walked away. She grimaced when he was out of sight and looked like she wanted to scrub any hint of the man away. He slipped out of hiding and approached her. "Ah, Miss Sylvia. There you are. I've pencilled you in for a complete physical. If you have time now, we can get it done before I summon someone else."

"Very well, doctor," she replied. He nodded and led her away. She followed dutifully.

"I notice you've been spending quite some time with our resident Emissary," he noted as they walked.

"What of it?" she asked, frowning.

"I'm curious, that's all. The rumor mill has it you despise Mongolians," he said, stopping near to where he knew Jochi was hiding.

She chuckled somewhat coldly. "His money and station make up for the displeasure," she said.

"You were born already into wealth and station," he said.

"What's a little more?" she asked.

"Redundant is what it is," he replied. "If the rumors are true, why would you deign yourself to marry a Mongolian just to achieve something you already have and don't need more of? You can drop the money and status narrative. I don't need to know your true reasons for courting him, but don't insult my intelligence by feeding me outright lies."

"And what is your suspicion, Doctor?" she asked, frowning at him.

"Since I highly doubt it's true love, I'd assume you feel there's something to gain from him. If it's not money and status, it's something else. Information, perhaps?" Danby replied.

"Are you accusing me of spying?" she indignantly asked.

"You said it, not I," he replied. "Ask if I'm surprised. A Mongolian Emissary on a ship full of Alterran stooges and who knows what else? The game was rigged against him from the start. I'm about ready to start taking bets on who gains the most intel on the man. Without a doubt, you're far from the only one sent to do so."

"But I'm by far the best," she couldn't help but boast, a smirk playing across her lips.

"Without a doubt. Carnal pleasure has been the downfall of many a powerful man, and on occasion woman, throughout history," he said, continuing to lead her towards the medical bay and away from where Khasar was holed up. The moment he was sure they were out of earshot, however, he paused again and turned to her. "Tell me. Does seducing him pay more than assassinating him?" Her smirk immediately vanished and she grew pale. There was silence a moment before she stormed away. He chuckled, glanced towards where Khasar had been, and gave the hidden man a salute before going after her. She was, after all, due for a physical. He hadn't lied about that.

Subnautica

He met the Khasar in the Atrium later that evening. The man was sitting on the edge of a platform, leaning against a low railing and watching the galaxy pass by outside. He looked forlorn, and for a moment Danby almost regretted doing what he'd done, but the truth had needed to come out one way or another. Both he and Khasar had known that going into this. "Jochi," he greeted his companion, sitting next to him and leaning on the low railing as well.

"I have broken it off with her," Khasar said. "I told her there was no room for romance during a diplomatic mission and that I couldn't afford to be distracted anymore. She didn't take it well. Quite a slew of rhetoric spewed forth from her lips."

"Are you surprised?" Danby asked.

"No. Disappointed but not surprised. Such things are commonplace for one in my position," the Emissary replied.

"I'm sorry you had to learn her true motives so abruptly and directly," Danby said.

Khasar was quiet, watching out the windows. Soon, though, he put on a small smile and turned to Danby. "Thank you, Thomas. I owe you a great deal for this," he said.

"You're welcome," Danby said.

"I noticed you led her out of earshot at the end of your conversation. What did you say to her that made her so pale?" Khasar wondered in amusement.

"I asked if seducing you paid more than assassinating you," Danby replied, smirking a little.

"Does it?" Khasar joked. The two of them chuckled, Danby's strained, but Khasar didn't seem to notice. Without a word, the Emissary rose, squeezed his companion's shoulder lightly, and began to walk away.

Danby stared numbly out into space feeling sick to the stomach. He let out a shaking breath, bowing his head. "No," he suddenly said.

Khasar froze in place, smirk vanishing. A chill ran up and down his spine. His heart sank slowly into the pit of his stomach, and somehow he knew, just knew, that this conversation had suddenly become far darker and more dangerous than he had been any sort of prepared for. He looked back at Danby, stunned. Desperately he tried to wrap his head around what he had just heard. Silence hung heavy between them. Danby wouldn't even look in his direction…

"What?" Khasar at last asked.

Danby shook his head, closed his eyes tight, and bowed his head. Sighing through the nose, he rose and turned to look at the shocked Emissary. Khasar held his ground, scarcely able to process this. Danby felt a lump in his throat and tried desperately to ignore it. Instead, he approached the Emissary. Part of Khasar wanted to flee, it wanted to flee desperately, but another part kept him rooted to the spot. Danby came up alongside him. "Don't get into Lifepod 13," the man seriously warned. Khasar couldn't have found his voice to speak if he'd wanted to. Danby examined him a moment longer, then walked by.

Khasar let out a shocked breath, looking down at the ground with heart pounding fearfully in his chest. He was starting to come to terms with what that might mean, but nothing had ever jarred him as badly as this. Quickly he spun around. "Thomas!" he called.

Danby paused in the doorway, looking back. "Don't," the Medical Officer warned simply. "Just don't." Khasar was stricken silent. Danby shook his head. "Take nothing from me that I offer you. Trust nothing that I prescribe. Trust no treatment, no suggestion, no advice, anything. Go nowhere with me alone, don't follow me, and don't be a fool. For your own sake."

"I am not afraid of you," Khasar replied.

"Then you're an idiot," Danby answered.

"If you wanted to kill me, I would be dead," Khasar replied. "Goodness knows you have had enough opportunity."

"I'm working up the nerve," Danby bitterly said. "For your own sake, Jochi, stay away from me."

"I will not turn my back on a friend," Khasar answered.

"Lucky for you we aren't friends then," Danby said, leaving without further hesitation. Khasar stayed stock still, processing all he had learned. Had he really just heard all of that? A part of him knew he should tell someone, Keen or Hollister or Ozzy or anyone! Another part, though, rejected the notion. It was this part he obeyed, knowing full well the sort of fool he was being, but he feared that if he told anybody, Danby's life would be forfeit. Forgiveness was in his nature. Who was to say the same could be said of the others? At least when it came to a matter like this. It wasn't as if the assassination of another Trans-Gov's ambassador was a small crime. He let out a shaking breath, unsure of where to go from here.

Chapter Text

Hinkle had done what he needed to do with that stupid recording, cursing himself all the way. Lifepod Thirteen was dealt with. Now he needed to get his mind off it. He'd been agonizing over the whole situation for the past month, and it was driving him half up a wall. He went to find Elheim. She was always a good distraction. Kept his mind occupied. He'd found her within a few minutes and they'd begun to hang out. Now he was regretting it.

Large, strong hands tightened around his throat, and right now he was reconsidering all his life choices. Darkness began to veil his vision. It was only a matter of time before he blacked out to strangulation. Hopefully, the man whose throat he had his own hands around in turn was feeling it too. What had he been thinking playing knight in shining armour? Look at him! He hadn't stood a chance! But damned if he'd let the man get away with slapping Ava for rejecting a crude advance. Ava, as before, was being held back from reaching him because of course the man hadn't been alone, so about now, Hinkle was kicking himself for not just calling for backup from Keen. Instead, he'd tried pulling rank on this guy. It hadn't worked and that would have been the ideal time to call in the SO, but then the man had kicked Ava while she was down and that was that. If he survived this stupidity, the guy strangling him now was brigged one-hundred percent for the rest of the voyage, then arrested upon returning to Alterran space. People were getting too bold up here.

He was on the verge of passing out, and at this point he was pretty sure he was going to be the ship's first murder victim—it wasn't like he'd made a lot of friends up here—but suddenly the man shouted as he was tackled off him by someone else. Hinkle sat up gasping and coughing for breath, holding his definitely bruised throat. He looked quickly over to see who his saviour had been and his eyes widened a bit. The Emissary! You had to be kidding him! The man had some moves, he noted. Was Khasar pulling off martial arts? He snapped out of his shock when the guys holding Ava threw her to the side and went for the Emissary to help their friend. Khasar cried out as he was seized from behind and wrenched off his current target. The Emissary threw back his head, connecting with the face of one of them, who yelped and lost his grip, but the other held strong and threw Khasar into a wall before grabbing him again and wresting him back. Hinkle cursed and ran at them, tackling the opponent and dragging him to the ground with Khasar. The fall gave Khasar the opportunity to pull free, and he turned on the second attacker and fought to keep him down, but the first and third men attacked, seizing both of them and pulling them off their friend. Ava got in on the fight this time as well, clawing at the one who'd struck her in the first place and instigated this mess. The man shouted in pain, letting go of Hinkle. Hinkle whipped around, decking him violently and knocking him out cold. He heard Khasar shout and gasped, turning quickly. The other guy was up and had driven a fist into Khasar's stomach. Now Hinkle understood full well what his secondary mission up here was, but at the moment he was beyond caring. He sprang into action, attacking the one who'd struck Khasar and dragging him away from the Emissary. Immediately he locked himself in battle with him. Ava raced to help just in case while Khasar pulled free from the third man and began defending against him.

"Jochi!" a familiar voice shouted. They all looked over. Keen was racing towards the scene with Ryley at his back as well as Wilson. The SO and NESMC had probably been hauled into Human Resources to have their differences worked out for about the hundredth time. That would explain why Wilson was with them and why Keen hadn't been stuck to Khasar like glue. Khasar pulled away from his attacker and let Keen and Ryley take the guy on instead. The Emissary then hurried to help Hinkle and Elheim. Elheim got out of the way. Khasar and Hinkle were more equipped to handle this than she was. The two of them wrestled their target to the ground and pinned him there with his unconscious companion. The third soon joined his friends on the ground.

"Wilson, Elheim, inform the Captain immediately of this outrage and send some others to help subdue these three," Keen ordered.

"Yes sir," Wison said, saluting and running off. Elheim stayed put, worried about Hinkle.

"Elheim, that was an order!" Keen snapped.

"Peter's hurt!" she said.

Keen looked over at Hinkle and saw the dark bruises around his throat and more than a few bleeding wounds around the head. "Then get Danby!" Keen amended. Elheim hurried to do so.

Subnautica

The last place Hinkle had wanted to be was in the Captain's office stuck next to the guy whose life he was supposed to be ensuring didn't last long. He hated every second of this. Khasar looked thoroughly embarrassed about this whole situation. When the Captain came in in a tizzy, they both winced a bit and exchanged looks. Keen and Ryley were standing by as witnesses along with Elheim and Wilson. It was awkward. Extremely awkward. Elheim was clearly worried sick and Peter appreciated that because not many would worry over him, but the others he wasn't so sure about. Keen seemed ticked, putting it mildly. Wilson was pretty stoic. Ryley was maybe a bit concerned, but more confused.

The Captain sat heavily across from them. "What. Happened?" he asked, tone dark.

Hinkle and Khasar exchanged glances once more then looked back at him. "The big one tripped," Hinkle said flatly. "His friends assumed we had something t' do with it so attacked us, and we had t' defend ourselves."

Hollister looked highly unimpressed. "He tripped," the man repeated, clearly not buying that line of malarky. Hinkle cursed himself for that. Danby had always been the better liar.

"Captain, Marco was attempting some lewd flirtations with me and when I rejected him, he hit me. He hit me so hard I was knocked to the floor. Peter tried to pull rank to get him to back off, but Marco kicked me while I was on the ground instead and Peter tried to defend me. It just wasn't much of a matchup," Elheim said.

"He would have been passing out about the same time I did, I promise you," Hinkle said. "That said, I'm glad Emissary Khasar showed up in time t' witness the attack and take my side in it."

"The situation was not hard to determine when Elheim was bruised and being held back by two others while you and this 'Marco' were wrestling on the ground," Jochi said.

"Thanks," Hinkle muttered quietly. "Anyway, Marco's friends got back into the fight and suddenly it was three against two and well, you know what happened after that."

"Humph. I will review the information and determine my course of action from there. Until that time, you both are free to go on your way. Don't worry about Marco and his friends. They're well and brigged now," Hollister said.

"Yes Captain," Khasar and Hinkle said together. They rose and awkwardly shuffled passed the witnesses. Ryley reached out, touching Hinkle's arm. Hinkle glanced over. Ryley smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Hinkle shifted a bit, nodded, then kept going.

For a moment, the two men walked down the hallway in silence. "We never speak of this again," Hinkle finally said. Khasar chuckled a little. Hinkle glanced over at the man. "Thank you."

"But of course, Peter. I could hardly have stood by watching you be killed now, could I?"

Hinkle shifted uncomfortably, staring at him, then suddenly turned down another hall and began walking quickly away. "Don't take Lifepod Thirteen!" he called back. He heard Jochi freeze in the corridor and inwardly cursed himself.

"How many are there?" the Emissary called after him.

"I don't know, Emissary! I don't know what other Trans Govs or branches of the fractured Alterra Board sent people up here! I know of three in total. One of those three is me! Another was that woman hanging off your every word for a while there, and she wasn't hired by the people that hired me. I'm not saying the third. That's up to you to figure out."

"Do most of them seek my death?"

"Pray to your gods they don't, because if they do, you're a rat trapped in a terrier pit up here and always have been." Turning, he stormed away. This time Khasar didn't follow.

Subnautica

Hinkle was overlooking the engines when footsteps approached from behind. He didn't bother turning. Probably Elheim. He felt a touch on his arm and turned. He started a bit. It was Robinson. He frowned a little. "Robinson, is there a problem?" he asked, turning around and crossing his arms.

Ryley signed a reply. "I just wanted to say good job out there standing up for Elheim. She's had it rough I know. She really didn't need the extra grief."

"I did what any decent person would have done," Hinkle said with a sigh.

"Yeah, but you're the last one anyone would have expected it from," Ryley signed. "Looks like Yu was right about you having a wild side."

"No comment," Hinkle flatly said.

Ryley smirked a bit then began to sign again. "I've been meaning to ask. How did you already know sign language when you first came up here?"

Hinkle was quiet a moment. "Father was deaf," he finally confessed. "One of the 'unfit', according to Alterra." Ryley's smile vanished and he looked a bit concerned. Hinkle shook his head and looked back over the engines again. "Keep sticking it to them, Robinson. Maybe one day they'll get a clue." Ryley was quiet for a moment. Hinkle glanced at him. Ryley nodded in agreement once he saw Hinkle was paying attention again, then walked away.

Hinkle watched after him and saw Elheim approaching as Ryley was leaving. She stopped at Hinkle's side. "Thank you," she said.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, not quite meeting his eyes.

"It's okay if you're not," he said.

This time she met his eyes and gave him a small smile. "I'm alright." He nodded and went back to monitoring the engines. She stuck around, leaning on the railing next to him.

Subnautica

It was Ozzy who noticed the change between Khasar and Danby first. Danby was doing his best to avoid the Emissary—in fact, to avoid them all, which had them pretty confused—and Khasar was doing his best to stick to the man and draw him back. Currently, Ozzy was watching closely as Danby, upon arriving and spotting Khasar, turned on his heel and marched right back out.

"Turns out Ava Elheim and Sarah Wilson broke up a while back," Aubrey remarked.

"Was a long time comin', just sayin'," Ozzy replied.

"Sarah ran straight into Huggins' arms. Ava was a wreck I hear. Recently Hinkle made the mistake of chastising her for letting her emotions get in the way of her work and regretted it immensely," Aubrey said.

"Peter's not the brightest bulb in the bunch. Least not when it comes to social cues. In everything else sure, but not in that. He and Elheim already butted heads, so not a shocker him tellin' her off pushed her over the edge."

"Clearly it didn't push her far. She's on a date with him now. I suspect to try and get back at Sarah. I assume that was Ava's condition for forgiving Hinkle and letting him continue in good health with all limbs intact," Aubrey said.

"Sarah and Ava never struck me as that compatible anyway. The split was probably good for the both of 'em," Ozzy said. He hadn't even looked her way when he spoke. It didn't go unnoticed.

Aubrey glanced up from the report she was reading and followed his gaze. She pursed her lips in concern. "What happened between them? Do you know? Khasar and Danby, that is."

"No clue, but whatever went down, it's bleedin' into our reationships with the doc too," Ozzy said.

"Hmm… Where are Keen, Yu, and Berkley?" she wondered.

"Some kinda error was made in navigation when they were fillin' in for the Nav guys, so Keen's probably chewin' 'em out. They may be his two best friends, but they ain't gettin' special treatment from him for a screwup like that," Ozzy said.

"As well they shouldn't. A mistake of that magnitude up here can cost lives," Aubrey said. "Seems Khasar has given up for the time being."

"I really gotta talk to them about what's goin' down," Ozzy said. "The sooner the bet…"

All of a sudden a large explosion rang out and the entire ship lurched violently, sending the crew and passengers alike to the ground with screams or shouts. The power was knocked out and immediately the emergency siren began to blare - a red light flashing brightly in the dark. Alarmed, everyone looked up, too stunned to move.

"Abandon ship! Get to the lifepods now!" Hollister's frantic voice blurted over the speakers.

"S**t!" Ozzy exclaimed, vaulting over the counter and grabbing the stunned Aubrey's hand. Fournier seized Huggins' arm and dragged him with her quickly. Jochi and Riley, both on the ground, were trapped there ducking and covering as crew and passengers in the café stampeded over them both.

"Hurry," Khasar said, helping Ryley up the moment it was safe. The two immediately began to run. They were the last ones to leave the café and tried not to think about the few motionless forms they caught glimpses of on the ground who hadn't been quite so lucky as to be up against the walls.

Subnautica

"Move, move, move!" Keen ordered as he, Yu, and Berkeley raced down the corridors.

"We're moving!" Berkeley replied as more and more frantic passengers scrambled to get to the escape pods.

"Starboard side lifepods are damaged beyond repair. It's a race to the Port side ones now," Keen said. He twisted the handle of the first pod section and pulled it open. "You two, get into the first pod you can!"

"What about you?!" Yu exclaimed, wide-eyed in fear.

"Don't worry about me. The Captain and I have Lifepod Nineteen on reserve."

"That's on the other side of the chamber!" Yu protested.

"I'll make it. Lifepod two is operational. Go! That's an order!" Keen replied. He wasn't about to tell them he intended to be among the last to leave. It was Hinkle and Elheim that raced in next, followed by Fournier and Huggins. "Elheim, Hinkle, lifepod three! Go!" Keen ordered. They ran to it without question. "Fournier, Huggins, lifepod four!" They obeyed. Keen raced back out of the pod bay to try and herd as many to safety as he could. The number of panicking people was staggering. Dammit, why were the lifepod chambers spaced so far apart?! He forced his way through panicking crowds bellowing orders to try and keep things orderly, but he was one man. There was only so much he could do! It scared him that so many faces were so familiar… They, at least, did a better job listening to him than others. Those who listened best would be the lucky ones.

Subnautica

Ryley and Khasar had no clue how they'd gotten so far behind. Fires burned all around, sparks were flying, and the entire ship was shuddering in a rapid descent. They threw open the doors to the escape pod bays and began running. Khasar remembered Danby and Hinkle's warnings. Twenty-five, full; twenty-four, full; twenty-three, full; twenty-two, full; twenty-one, full; twenty, full; nineteen, reserved for Captain and SO. Ryley inwardly cursed while making a grunt of displeasure, and fingered the pod as they passed purely out of spite. Eighteen, full; seventeen, full; sixteen, full; fifteen, full; fourteen, full; thirteen, empty. Ryley broke for it. Khasar grabbed his arm quickly. "No! Not that one. It's been reserved for someone else. Keep running." Ryley kicked the wall with an angry shout and kept running. Twelve, full; eleven, reserved and full; ten, reserved and full; nine, full. Fear was mounting steadily in them both. What if there was nothing else left? In the distance, they could hear so many fighting and scratching to get what remained…

A light lit up, revealing the pods in this section that were still available. Lifepods seven, five, and thirteen were all that were left. "We're in luck," Khasar said, smiling a bit. He heard a sickening creak up ahead and caught his breath, looking up. His eyes widened. The roof was about to cave in. "Ryley run!" Khasar ordered, shoving him ahead. If only one of them beat the collapse, he would see to it, it was his friend. He himself would take his chances with Lifepod Thirteen.

The roof above caved in. Ryley shouted, diving forward and barely making it. Khasar leapt back and shielded his face from the flames. Ryley shouted at him. "I'm fine, but the collapse blocked off Lifepod Seven. Keep going! I'll take Lifepod Thirteen with whoever it was reserved for! Survive, Ryley! Go!" Khasar called Ryley looked uncertain as he backed away. Khasar offered him a reassuring smile, then turned and ran back towards Lifepod Thirteen, smile falling. He prayed the younger man would make it. In the distance, he saw Keen throw himself into Lifepod Nineteen. If Keen was boarding, that meant time was up and he had done everything he could. Khasar quickly got into Lifepod Thirteen, strapped in nervously, and hoped against hope it would all work out.

Ryley raced down the corridor, determined to reach Lifepod Five. He practically threw himself into it. Lifepods One through Twenty-Five—this whole pod bay in short—launched out of the ship at the literal last second, and Ryley watched in horror as the Aurora blew up and began to fall from the sky. He looked around his pod. His eyes widened in alarm when the fire extinguisher came loose. He barely had time to realize what was happening, inwardly curse, and try to throw up his hands up to defend himself before it launched at him and there was darkness…

To Be Continued...