++++++++++++
“Fucking wake up Byun!” Baekhyun hears the voice of one of his superiors as he pounds on the door, and Baekhyun immediately wakes up and sits in bed trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.
He pulls on a shirt and goes to press the button that unlocks his door, staring bleary-eyed at the night pilot of the ship.
“What took you so fucking long?” says Jowon, as he glares at the young pilot, giving him a disgusted look.
“Um” Baekhyun says trying to gather his bearings, his voice is still laced thick with sleep “I—” he begins, but Jowon cuts him off.
“What if there was an emergency!” He yells, and Baekhyun immediately startles and stands straighter.
“I-I… Is there—??” He says worried, and Jowon rolls his eyes.
“Obviously not,” the older deadpans, “but your tardiness could cost the lives of passengers, pilot! You never know when something could happen.” and Baekhyun gulps. He wants to stand up and defend himself, but it's no use. So he just clenches his fist and stays silent. “Now I need you to take control of the ship, because I can’t anymore.” he says, and Baekhyun stares at the digital clock on the wall that reads it’s five AM. He should at least get to sleep two more hours before his seven AM alarm rings.
“Um?” He says lamely, still confused and tired. He had just barely gone to bed after two a few hours ago because the ship was going through a rough patch in the Adler belt— the captain wanted him to be there to have experience with how to navigate the tough terrain— but now he has to be up again?
“Don’t question your superiors, you just fucking listen and do it, okay?” Jowon says, before he turns on his heel and leaves Baekhyun at the door without another word, tired and exhausted. Baekhyun’s about to head in when he catches a glimpse of Jowon with his arm around the night engineer’s waist leaving with him in the direction of his room, and Baekhyun clenches his fist before he sighs and let’s it go.
He’s rarely one to get mad, usually choosing to face troubling situations and adversity with a smile on his face and jokes. But there’s only so much one can take when everyone in the aviation crew hates him and want nothing to do with him. Baekhyun sighs again, but then hurries to get ready; washing his face and slipping into his uniform. Knowing Jowon, even after all the talk of being alert and whatnot, the elder probably left the pilot seat empty deciding it was no big deal to leave the ship in auto pilot without supervision for a few minutes. But that’s not a risk Baekhyun is willing to take so he lightly sprints through the halls after he is dressed and ready, passing the dimly lit corridors, before reaching the empty cockpit.
He quickly logs into the systems and checks to make sure everything is on course, sighing thankfully when it’s clear. He finally sinks into the chair with a deep sigh and goes through his daily check up, making sure all parts of the ship are functioning and all the cameras are running and operating. When things look good he settles deeper into the pilot's seat and lets his thoughts wander.
Baekhyun came onto the Two Moons six months ago, right after graduating from the academy. It had been a dream of his to be a pilot on this ship, but he never thought he would achieve his dreams so soon, especially not right after graduating. However, he had been lucky, and one of his professors who had seen him working hard through the years at school— and who Baekhyun had talked to his dreams about— wrote to the captain of the Two Moons, when the captain was seeking out new crew at the time.
His professor had actually worked on the ship with Captain Minhyuk when they were both just lower level pilots. This was before the Captain had moved on to head the ship, and his professor growing tired of the adventurous life on the Two Moons, had settled down on a planet he had visited a few times, wanting to take it easy. However, the two still kept in contact, and so when Minhyuk brought up his dilemma, his professor recommended him, and the captain immediately took his professor up on the offer to hire Baekhyun. It had been thrilling and amazing at first, but all good things come at a price, because people who had worked years to get to work on the ship, didn’t appreciate a fresh-out-of-school graduate with no prior experience coming in, and taking positions they had worked years to get. It didn't matter that Baekhyun picked up everything within weeks, it didn't matter that he worked so hard. To them, he had cheated his way in and so he must be bad, and Baekhyun felt like his dreams were slowly transforming into a nightmare.
Immediately there was gossip, and a few pranks were pulled, but it was only limited to the people in his department- the small aviation crew, who had a personal vendetta against him.
Baekhyun would say this was like highschool— well, the academy in this case— however he had always been popular with everyone back on his planet and in the academy. His smiles, easygoing attitude, along with grades made him fairly well loved and respected. And he also loved in turn, befriending and getting to know everyone and making friends by the tens. He loved people, and definitely didn't need a reason to be hateful to anyone, but apparently the crew on Two Moons thought differently.
Plus, the popularity he had in the other departments, as the handsome young pilot didn't help him. Every single pilot in the aviation crew disliked him, and he didn’t know how to improve the situation. It was bearable at first, but recently, things were getting worse with the taunts being a little bolder, and the pranks going a little too far. Baekhyun puts his arm over his eyes as he thinks.
It's not that kids back at the academy didn't get jealous of each other, but kids there were his own age— they were all equals and when one was jealous not much could be done. If they threw an insult, he threw one back. However, here, everyone was older and he couldn't just go around using fists and words. He was working and this was a job.
Baekhyun wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to hostility, especially when he hadn't done anything wrong truly in the first place. He was used to smiling and making jokes, and people playing back.
In a way Baekhyun can understand them. The two moons is a revered and famous ship throughout the galaxy. It's a ship that was created by the united galactic alliances for sole the purpose of rescuing people from planets where the dead had infested, and transporting them to a safer planet that was taking refugees. He can understand them because one can only dream of landing any kind of position on a ship like this.
But still, it’s funny because everyone else aside from them was actually welcoming. It was a big ship and he still talked and joked with other crew he happened to bump into, but everyone else had a lot to do, and not a lot of time to spare. They mostly kept to their own departments so it was hard to really become close to them.
Well most of them. Baekhyun had gotten to know some of the other crew well, and if not for them, he doesn't think he would have stayed on the two moons for as long as he has. Even though this was his dream, and this was all he had wanted, the alienation and bullying was hard for him to swallow.
He felt weak and pathetic when he had thought of quitting like that; but being ignored when he tried to get along, having drinks and food dropped on him on purpose, and once even having garbage dropped into the washer when it was washing his clothes. Baekhyun keeps quiet, but mostly because he's lost on what to do.
But he has made friends now, and Baekhyun’s thankful for them. The Captain's mates and Chef Kyungsoo in the kitchen have kept him strong. And he hasn't told them about any of the bullying yet, but that's because just knowing that there are people on his side who care for him is enough. First mate Minseok, especially, comes to mind and he blushes trying to snap out of it.
“Friends!” Baekhyun tries to remind himself.
The ship has a captain, and a first, second, and third mate. Minseok was the first mate and he worked closely with captain Minhyuk looking over the aviation department, engineering department and doing other jobs the captain required of him. The second mate Yixing kept track of the cargo, and overall account of things abroad as well as route and travel. And lastly, the third mate Kris had his hands tied with the safety and security of the ship and passengers, making sure everything from food, to the passengers themselves followed code and were hazard free.
The mates often all walked around together, all three of them taking note of different things regarding parts of the ship, and meanwhile, the captain handled bigger issue like finances, rescue operations, and galactic politics with upper management, and making sure the ship and rescue operations ran as smoothly as possible. Thus in turn, the mates made sure that their greatest weapon in the whole mission, their ship, ran as smoothly as possible too.
Baekhyun had met the three of them on the first day of his job after Minhyuk had introduced him to the crew and had sat him down at one of the pilot’s seats. Minhyuk had asked Jowon to help him get accustomed to the equipment and teach him, but Jowon had sat down for approximately five minutes, and given Baekhyun a monotoned low down of everything, grazing over most details, before returning to his seat and continuing his animated conversation with another pilot.
Baekhyun had been confused and unsure, and he didn't want to touch anything because he was afraid he would mess up the ship's systems, so instead he sat there, hands in his lap hoping one of the two pilots on duty would help him out or talk to him, but when that didn't happen he just sat there uncomfortably unsure of what to do. That's when Minseok, Yixing, and Kris had shown up. At first they just walked in and looked through the systems, Yixing and Kris had went to talk to the captain, who office was only a door down while Minseok flipped through the flying records, but then he looked up and looked confusedly at Baekhyun for a second before realization dawned on him.
“Omg! You’re the new pilot right?” he exclaimed excitedly, and Baekhyun had nodded unsure of who they even were but Minseok was there in a second, introducing himself and Yixing and Kris too when they returned. And he immediately asked if Baekhyun had everything figured out, and when Baekhyun gave him a deer caught in headlights look he had laughed and immediately jumped in to explain everything to him. He had been incredibly patient and an amazing teacher and after a week of the three of them stopping by, Baekhyun felt like he had gotten a hang of things. Baekhyun smiles thinking of their first meeting and then his thoughts drift to last night instead.
He sighs again, smiling a little as he thinks of how Minseok had patiently sat and taught him how to easily navigate through the asteroid belts last night, and he was daydreaming when the very voice that he was fantasizing about woke him up from his thoughts.
“Baekhyun?!” and said pilot jumped as he heard the voice behind him, not even realizing the door had been opened.
He turned around and saw Minseok standing there dressed and ready to go as he came into the compartment and logged onto the machine. “What are you doing here right now? You should be asleep. Where’s Jowon?” Baekhyun quickly glanced at the clock it was still only 6AM.
“Um,” Baekhyun said, “Jowon said he wasn’t able to pilot anymore so he asked me to take over for the night,” he lied, and Minseok logged into the last of the systems and then straightened up with a furrow in his brow showing concern.
“This is the second time this month he has asked you to cover for him. Is he not feeling well? He didn't report anything at the monthly checkups last week. What’s going on?” he asked, looking at Baekhyun as if he’d know the answer— which he did— but Minseok didn’t need flack from the crew for supporting the newbie, so he looked away and put on a fake grin.
“It’s honestly no problem sir! I don’t mind,” he said cheerfully and threw a wink. “I got this! Plus more practice for the new kid you know,” and Baekhyun went back to checking the navigators and systems as Minseok looked on.
To Minseok, Baekhyun was only twenty-three and incredibly apt, but he was also only twenty-three and he just seemed so painfully young to Minseok. But he worked so hard and contrary to popular belief, Minseok did in fact know what was going on with the aviation crew, and how they had been treating their newest member. He had hoped it would stop but it had only been getting worse, and he wasn't sure what to do. He had talked to Yixing about it, but the other seemed just as lost about it as he was. They hadn't really ever faced anything like this before, because Baekhyun was a first on a ship like the two moons, where only the most experienced usually came, especially for higher level positions like piloting.
Even Minseok had been a little weary of Baekhyun at first honestly. But Baekhyun quickly proved his worth by demonstrating his ability to fly, as well as handle controls and settings on high tech equipment that the Two Moons housed with little to no difficulty. He had been trained well at the academy, that much was obvious, and Minseok's doubts were immediately erased. However, it seemed that the other crewmembers in the aviation department didn't share his opinions.
But this wasn't just his own consensus. Other people who had watched Baekhyun closely the first few weeks also realized how talented he was. Yixing especially had fallen for the youngers easygoing attitude and talents and had warmed up to Baekhyun even sooner than Minseok had. And Kris, who in general was very wary of people. Even he had come to like the young pilot. Sometimes unknowingly, when Kris had a few minutes of break, he would hover behind Baekhyun as he was flying, and he would quiz him about things. Kris would smile each time Baekhyun got answers right, or gently correct him if he got them wrong— patiently explaining things to him with a twinkle in his eye— and Baekhyun who Minseok had learned was always eager to learn more, ate it up.
At first it was just all of them trying to understand the new recruit better, but in time they were all just genuinely drawn in by the younger, and had found a good friend in him.
For Yixing who tended to keep his thoughts and opinions to himself, he found a confidant in Baekhyun. He discusses things with the pilot that he rarely even talks to Kris, Minseok, and the Captain about. And Yixing also teased and coddled Baekhyun a lot, he also had a bit of a motherly side, and apparently Minseok and Kris were giant grumpy old men and were no fun so Yixing instead would go off to find Baekhyun to play around and sing with— a common interest they had found they shared.
Minseok smiles because Yixing has found a good friend. Minseok and Kris were both thirty, but Yixing was still only twenty-seven, three years younger than them, though he already had quite a bit of experience under his belt from his father being the captain of a royal merchant ship. Yixing had helped out on it, till he decided he wanted to go off on his own and explore the world a little, so he left his father and two older brothers and went ship hopping. Going from ship to ship, and garnering experience. That's actually how Minhyuk had found him and hired him once he saw his ability. Yixing had only been on the Two Moons for a year now, but it was nice that he had found companionship with the also new Baekhyun.
Minseok slowly saw his evenings, after duty let up, being transformed into evenings spent in Yixing’s room with Kris, Baekhyun, and even Kyungsoo occasionally, crammed into the small space, and they would all exchange songs and melodies and Baekhyun would sing unabashedly, while Yixing played guitar, and it was so peaceful spending time with them all. Before Yixing and Baekhyun had joined, it had just been Kris, Kyungsoo, and himself. And no doubt, they all have good memories together, but they all also aren't the most talkative. So when some of the older crew who had been on the two moons for years started retiring one by one, Minhyuk started hiring new people, and they all welcomed cute adorable Zhang Yixing with open arms, and though they were a little weary at first, they also soon welcomed Baekhyun into their little group of friends too.
Minseok sighs thinking about it now. Baekhyun didn't deserve this, and since Minseok himself was first mate, and department head of the aviation crew, he needed to solve this.
‘But how?’ was the question. Would talking to them make them even more sneakier and abusive to Baekhyun, or would keeping quiet continue to make them more daring? He was lost on what to do, and it hurt his heart because Baekhyun was a smart kid, hardly one to get into issues like these.
The young pilot had not only charmed the four of them and the captain, but also everyone else from the other departments, and even the passengers on the ship. It was only the aviation crew’s jealousy blinding their vision, and causing them to miss out on how much Baekhyun had to offer, and how hard he worked.
Minseok sighed tiredly and worked a hand through his hair. Baekhyun and him had been sitting in awkward silence for a while and it was now nearing seven so Yixing was probably up at this point. Minseok called him into the cockpit through the intercom, and as soon as he arrived, the first mate quietly explained the situation to him outside of the piloting room, and asked him to man the ship as he got some food into Baekhyun.
Yixing nodded upset, as he agreed. Minseok had told him about what was going on, and truly he wanted to just straighten the whole aviation crew up right then and there, but Minseok and Kris had warned him how that might make the others even more harmful, and fearing for Baekhyun they had all kept quiet. It's not like they could just fire the whole crew and keep Baekhyun. If such a thing were reported, Baekhyun would probably get the boot instead. So Yixing watched Minseok softly pat a tired Baekhyun on the back and Yixing's heart hurt.
“Up up up!” Minseok said ushering Baekhyun up and out of his seat and then out the room.
“But the ship?” Baekhyun exclaimed before he saw Yixing at the door, and Minseok nodded at the other, as he gently pushed the young pilot along.
“Yixing can take care of that, don’t you worry” Minseok assured him, and Baekhyun gave up and waved cutely at Yixing as he and Minseok walked past him and down the halls leading to the kitchen.
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“I'll have the bacon and omelet please.” Minseok said and when the chef handed him back two thin stripes of bacon, and Minseok made a face. Chef Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and added three more strips, complaining about greedy first mates and Minseok grinned up at him.
Kyungsoo then looked at Baekhyun and frowned. “Early morning again?” he asked, and Baekhyun flinched before he schooled his expression and smiled at the chef.
“Haha, the pilot on duty wasn't feeling very well,” he lied, and Kyungsoo kept frowning before finally giving up and instead smiled ruefully at Baekhyun. He set to clean off the stove and looked back to grin at the younger pilot.
“How about pancakes, kiddo?” he asked, and Baekhyun smiled when Kyungsoo winked at him. “I’ll add in the chocolate chips I usually keep stashed away for only the people I like too,” he whispered mischievously, and Minseok pouted.
“Hey! I'm your first mate and an old friend! Why do I never get any?” He whined and Kyungsoo faux frowned at Minseok.
“I said it loud and clear, chief. Only the people I LIKE get special treatment. Besides, look at those extra bacon strips you haggled out of me. I should honestly report you to headquarters for gluttony,” He scolded, and the two went back and forth as Baekhyun laughed.
When Baekhyun’s plate was finally served to him, he and Minseok carried their food over to the crew section in the cafeteria— which was empty because of how early it was— and they both sat down to eat. Kyungsoo promised to join them as soon as he finished up a final order, and handed duty over temporarily to someone else before breakfast rush.
Meanwhile, Baekhyun and Minseok laughed over the silly things they had seen passengers do, and talked about the difficult maneuvering on the asteroid belt the night before. They ate slowly before Kyungsoo joined them with his own plate of omelet and sausages, and then breakfast really picked up as Baekhyun once again spent the hour laughing at Minseok and Kyungsoo bickering like little kids. And soon Baekhyun joined Kyungsoo in teasing and making fun of Minseok, while the older pouted at them and complained about insubordination within crew.
However, Baekhyun's little happy bubble burst when they all finished their food, and it was time to get back to work. So they all got up to head back to their respective jobs.
Kyungsoo waved goodbye to them as lines of people began forming at the passenger's side of the cafeteria, and Baekhyun and Minseok dropped off their plates and went back to the cockpit.
And after a little bit, Kris and the rest of the morning shift for the aviation team joined them and Minseok, Yixing, and Kris then left to look over other parts of the ship, while Baekhyun sat alone for an hour thinking about his breakfast with Minseok and blushing.
++++++++++
They corner him in the bathroom just as Baekhyun finishes showering. His hair is still dripping wet, and he had only just pulled on his pajama bottoms. He attempts to pull on a shirt but they snatch it from him, all five of them, and push him to the ground.
“Hey Byun, how’s it going?” Jowon asks laughing, and Baekhyun wants to snark back with a, ‘great until I saw your ugly faces’, but he decides to stay silent instead and throws them all a smile.
“Just wonderful thanks. But I actually need to sleep now so—”, he attempts trying to leave just half naked, but Jowon kicks him back really hard and the wind is knocked out of him. His smile immediately falls, but Baekhyun isn't going to let them get to him, so he tries to keep positive. This is just a little brawl between men he thinks, he's been in fistfights at school once or twice before, so this can't be that big a deal.
However Jowon is older then him, and he doesn't really want to fight him, so he tries to reason with the older instead.
“Look I don’t know what I did guys but—”, he begins, but one of the other pilots cut him off.
“Oh just shut the fuck up,” the tall wiry pilot Sunlee says, and Baekhyun wouldn't think the man had the guts to talk to him like that with how mousey he looks, but here they are. “You're always acting like such a kiss up to everyone and so cute. Is that how you got this position too?”
And they all laugh stupidly as Baekhyun thinks of a way out. He’s still wet, cold, and not fully clothed, but he wonders if he can push past them to run down the hallways. However Jowon grabs the back of his hair just then, and forcefully pulls his head to look at him.
“Exactly Byun I was wondering how a little shit like you managed to bypass the standard ten years of experience and make it onto this ship as a pilot. A smiling little shit who has nothing better to do then flirt around, and do the bare minimum.” And his hold tightens on Baekhyun’s hair, and Baekhyun's suddenly scared. He remembers why this is more frightening than regular old school fistfights were. For one, in school, he always had his friends; he had Jongdae and Chanyeol, and even if someone pounced on them, and they ended up bloody and wounded, they were there together, and they always had his back. But here he is alone, no one knows about what’s going on, and Baekhyun’s terrified.
“I heard you came highly recommended by your professor who worked with Minhyuk, newbie.” Jowon says shaking him by the hold he has on his head, and Baekhyun’s scalp aches, but the senior pilots voice just keeps pitching lower, and the mock expression of curiosity he had been holding fades into deep seated anger and hatred, as his grip on Baekhyun’s hair becomes even tighter.
“So you're a pretty little thing Baekhyun. Be honest. Did you sleep with your professor to get here, you slut?” and ice floods through Baekhyun's veins and humiliation feels more like a cold shower, compared to the mildness, and warm fuzzy heat of embarrassment. Baekhyun tries to deny it as he shakes his head, but before he can even get the words out, Jowon talks over him again. Ruder, harsher words, that leave Baekhyun numb, “You probably came highly recommended as a first class whore, and that's why Minhyuk even took you in. He’s such a tight-ass about everything, he probably just needed some fun too.” And Jowon looks at him with such loathing and hatred, Baekhyun doesn't feel safe anymore. There's a cruelty in Jowon’s gaze, and Baekhyun realizes he needs to leave, but trying to twist out of the older pilot’s hold is fruitless, and when he sees a spark in Jowon’s eyes that can only be described as a dirty leer, Baekhyun’s hands begin to shake.
“Please,” He began his voice shaking a bit as he puts a hand on Jowon’s bicep that is gripping him, and tries to push him away again, and when he doesn’t let go Baekhyun starts struggling in earnest.
“Look I don't know what I have ever done to you guys but this is too much.” He says trying to be sterner, and still fighting him off.
Baekhyun’s not sure how, but one second he’s glaring at them, and the next his eyes start to water, and his vision blurs. It's been six months of hate, rejection, and loneliness, and he just doesn’t have the strength anymore. He's honestly tried his best, but all Baekhyun ever knew all his life was family and friends; it wasn't easy leaving Chanyeol and Jongdae at the academy when he came here. With no one to call his own here in the start, he could only hope this would be good, he was going after his dream job after all. But all he got was cold faces, and questions left unanswered when he tried to learn anything.
It was hard and it's not getting better, and Baekhyun just can't fight anymore. He's scared, and he doesn't want to be a toy in their sick game of anger and jealousy. The pilots will all get their wish, he thinks, he will leave and they can have someone more experienced, and their own age now finally.
He’s about to say this when one of the other pilots, a stout thirty-two year old suddenly starts hitting Jowon’s arm. “Okay I think you did enough man, look, now he’s gonna cry. You scared him enough, let's go.”
And Sunlee starts pulling at him too, “Jowon I think you took it too far this time. Let go of him already.” and Jowon looks like he wants to argue, but the other pilots clearly aren't willing to take it as far as he is, so after taking one last look at Baekhyun’s crying face, Jowon pushes him back into the wall, letting go of his shirt and then storms out.
One of the other pilot’s looks like they want to stop and pacify Baekhyun, but Sunlee grabs him and pulls him out with him. “Don’t worry about it, he’ll be over it soon enough.” he says, and they all race out of the changing room as Baekhyun sinks to the floor curling into himself, and stares at nothing.
He shaking really bad, and he can't stop, and he wonders if it had only been Jowon who had been cornering him tonight— how far the older pilot would have really been willing go to release his frustrations out on Baekhyun. And that’s when Baekhyun really breaks down and cries. He doesn't know how long he sobs into his knees for, it feels like hours but it’s probably only a few minutes. His tears do dry up soon, however, he can't find the strength to get up so Baekhyun stays on the ground, still shirtless, and hugging his legs as he soaks through parts of the soft cotton of his pajama pants. Eventually he does get up though, and considers dragging himself to either Minseok, Yixing, or Kris’s room— to someone— but he never liked being a burden, and he's too tired tonight anyways, so instead he pads quietly to his own room. His eyes feel swollen, and he's so tired, and nauseous, so it doesn’t take long after he collapses into bed for sleep to overcome him.
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Human life is so pitiful. You finally get somewhere, and then your just free falling again. Like a roller coaster where you go up and up, and you are so close to the sky, fingertips reach up to meet the sun, but there's only so high you can go before you're shook back to reality at the stutter the coaster gives at the top. And its beautiful, its so beautiful and blue, and the air is clearer, cold and crisp at the top, but then you see the fall, and you smirk bitterly because good things can only last so long right? So you fall fast and quick, in an ugly fall that has your breath leaving and your eyes closing. That is life, that was the ride, and it was a ride you have rode multiple times because the high it gave you was addicting. But you also grow more numb to the ride, the feeling's not as intense as the first time, you’re more washed out with each go, but you're still just as afraid. That is life though, and Baekhyun doesn't think it's worth it anymore, so he free-falls one last time.
++++++++++++++++++
He’s drifting and dreaming, and it’s so loud in his dream. Arms are grabbing at him, and he’s frozen and paralyzed with fear even though he wants to run. And it’s so loud, why is it so loud? Is he screaming? Why is he screaming? What’s grabbing him? He’s scared. Baekhyun’s really scared.
The black flashes and suddenly Baekhyun is startling awake as he realizes it was a dream. He's disoriented because it's loud in real life too, sirens are blazing, and alarm lights are dyeing the room in a terrifying red. Baekhyun haphazardly gets out of bed, and looks around bewildered and confused for a second before it hits him. This is like a replay of the night before, except, instead of loud raps on his door, the ship is officially in emergency state. This is serious.
This is real.
The lights mean an infection has spread on board, and it could be as safe as only one or two contained people, or it could be a death trap of uncontrollable numerous dead, going around and killing crew and passengers.
Baekhyun is terrified.
How long have the alarms been going? He is so lost, he had only woken up with a start just a few seconds ago after being out cold since the previous night.
His head still pounds, his eyes are still raw from his crying jag, and he feels a little dizzy. However, he shakes himself and takes a deep breath as he rushes to his closet and pulls out his fighter suit that usually just caught dust, and pulls it on. He also keeps an ear out for sounds outside that could tell him if there’s anything walking out there, and takes out the gun from the case under his bed. The crew was given guns for emergencies like these, and Baekhyun feels the weight of the weapon as he grips it like a lifeline and stands. He takes a final deep breath as he stands in front of his door, but Baekhyun can't find the courage to open it and leave.
Even though this is something Baekhyun was trained to handle at the academy. He knew what to do, what he had to do, if he was going to be on the Two Moons— a passenger ship that could accidently slip a person or two on board with an infection by accident— that he would need to be ready for this. He had gotten A’s in all of his shooting range practices, because he knew even though an onboard epidemic was rare and hadn't happened for over a decade on any ship now, the possibility was still there.
So he presses his ear to the door and listens to see if he can hear anything outside, but it's dead silent everywhere, and only hearing his own breaths makes Baekhyun panicky. He thinks hard about his next plan of action, the ship is powered off and in emergency state, and now everyone is required to make their way to the other end of the ship where the shelter deck is. Baekhyun is unfortunately all the way on the opposite end where the crew dorms are, to make sure passengers are the first to make it to safety. However where is the other crew? He probably really had been knocked out the night before because the hall sounds empty. He guesses he was so tired and worn after yesterday’s crying jag that he probably hadn't woken up till a few minutes after everyone else had started evacuating. It’s probably because Baekhyun was a deep sleeper anyways, but after a night when he was really tired he was even worse to wake.
He steps away staring at the button, then finally steels his nerves and runs forward pressing it, after that, he’s running out at full speed. His first priority is getting out, making it to the safety zone, and taking any possible stragglers left behind with him.
He can't help it though, when he runs and keeps looking around so fast whenever he even thinks he hears something, he’s probably given himself whiplash at this point. His vision is fuzzing as he tries to keep calm, but he’s just so terrified. Baekhyun literally has no idea what is going on. Like why the ship is on emergency lockdown mode yet there's no one in sight, and Baekhyun doesn't know how many dead could be roaming around ready to attack. For all he knows all the ship could have been infected and turned into dead by now and he slept through it. He shivers and almost chokes up as tears start to sting at his eyes, but he pushes the thoughts away. No! They have to be alive.
But will he be able to get to them…
He still keeps half an ear out for the possibility of the others or even dead roaming around, but it's hard to focus, as the hallways get longer and darker, wrapped up in more of that sinister red. Shivers run down Baekhyun's spine, and everything feels too loud and silent at the same time. He turns right and left keeping his eyes out, his hands shaking, and his breathing is uneven, and it almost seems like shadows are standing at every corner. Baekhyun hasn't even gotten past the front end of the ship but he is already drenched in a cold sweat, with his hair sticking uncomfortably to his forehead. But he has to keep going, he needs to keep going.
He runs and runs past the rest of the crew dorms, and even the storage units on the ship. But it’s when he’s already reached the passenger’s section that he really starts to freak out. He still hasn’t seen anyone yet and it’s terrifying him. No dead, no passengers or crew, nothing.
He starts thinking of the worst-case scenario. Did they have to make an emergency evacuation, using the few escape pods the ship kept to leave in the middle of dead space and try to make it somewhere safe? Is he alone? Did they even make it to the quarantine zone, or was everyone just hiding in the rooms on the ship? Was there even an actual emergency or was this a false alarm, a nightmare maybe? Baekhyun had to pinch himself at the last one.
However, he is just running past a room when a dead, his flesh rotting and pungent smelling, groaned and speeded toward him. Baekhyun startled, but immediately gripped his gun and let out fire, shooting straight for the head like he had been told, and the dead dropped as Baekhyun gasped and shook. With his hands trembling, he shot twice more at the still body just incase, and then started tumbling over himself, trying to get away. Okay, so there was definitely something going on.
He picked up his pace again, panting hard and tears running down his eyes, because that was close, but he doesn't want it to be that close again, so he dries his eyes and continues. If there is one dead running loose, then there were bound to be more.
Baekhyun’s almost out of section C in the passenger dorms, when he turns a corner and runs straight into another body. He falls back petrified, grabbing for his gun, but then he’s looking into Minseok’s wild eyes also holding a blazer and Baekhyun almost hugs him in relief. Thank god. It’s like all the fear, horror, and fright leaves Baekhyun almost immediately when he sees those pair of eyes, even though they are still out in the middle of possible danger.
Minseok relaxes immediately at the sight of him too, running over to help him up, “Baekhyun! Are you okay?” he asks, checking him over. “You aren't bitten are you?” he questions, and his sharp eyes look at him, but Baekhyun is just so thankful he’s even here. He shakes his head immediately choking up, and Minseok sags in relief, immediately grabbing his hand and running, “We are getting out of here.” he says, and Baekhyun nods even though Minseok can’t see.
Just then he remembers, Baekhyun was so thankful to even see Minseok that he almost forgot to ask what was going on. “Minseok Hyung!” Baekhyun says as they run through halls and halls of passenger rooms, “How bad is the breakout?” and Minseok looks back at him quickly before looking upfront again. He is quiet for a minute before he finally sighs.
“Really bad. I'm not sure on an exact number obviously, but it could be anywhere from as low as a hundred, to as high as five-hundred.” He says, and Baekhyun’s hand becomes clammy in the olders. If Minseok and him happened upon a swarm of dead right now… they wouldn't live.
Minseok keeps going though, “I heard from those fucking bastards what they did to you last night.” he seethes, “Yixing, Kris, Kyungsoo, and me, we were so worried when we didn't see you leave. But then I overheard Sunlee talking.” Minseok says glaring at nothing and the grip on Baekhyun’s wrist becomes tighter. Baekhyun doesn’t comment, instead keeping watch behind them and on the doorways as they move swiftly through the halls.
“It's okay hyung. I'm okay” He finally says when Minseok looks back at him, fear, and hurt crossing his face when he thinks Baekhyun might be mad at him for not catching this sooner. But Baekhyun gives him a calming smile and some of the tension seeps out of Minseok's shoulders, as the other sighs.
“I'm sorry Baekhyun.” he says, pausing and not saying anything for a while, “I knew about them. I knew and I didn't know what to say or do. I was hoping they would stop and let their petty childish anger go, but they didn't. And then I was scared they would bully you more if I did say something, and I’m just, I'm so sorry.” He says and Baekhyun sighs. Minseok isn’t at fault here and yet he is torn up and feeling horrible. “It’s okay.” Baekhyun just says again and squeezes his hand.
They have been running for a while and Baekhyun is panting tiredly at this point but he keeps up his pace, when a thought suddenly crosses his mind.
“Hyung? Why were you even all the way down here?” he asks, and Minseok ducks his head not answering, as realization suddenly dawns on Baekhyun, “Hyung!” Baekhyun looks amazed. “You didn't come... all the way back for me... did you?”
And Minseok looks at him for a second before he’s looking ahead again. It seems like that’s becoming a habit when they are together. “I couldn’t leave you Baekhyun. I can’t. I would never forgive myself if something had happened to you, and I had the chance to save you, but I didn't. Not a second time. I already let you down once, so I just. It would kill me. I had to come and get you.” He says and Baekhyun feels sad and happy all at the same time.
“It's okay. You weren't the one who did it Hyung. I told you it’s okay.” Baekhyun says smiling sadly as they got closer to the main area. “But I’m really glad you came honestly. I was so scared.” And Minseok looks at him pained, but squeezes his hand in reassurance. Baekhyun takes a deep breath at the confession and looks up again just as he sees a dead hobble up next to them, down the stairs they are passing, and Baekhyun shoots him dead in the center of the head once, and then on the side, just for good measure and Minseok raises his eyebrows at him, impressed.
“Nice shot.” he says, but he picks up the pace a bit more. “We have to be careful around here. This is where the infection started, a passenger was bitten very minutely, and I guess they didn't see it, and the machines didn't catch the infection in his blood either. It rarely happens because the machines are so advanced now, but I guess nothing is free of mistakes. Nonetheless, from what I heard, he was feeling under the weather and passengers just thought it was the shock of what he had been through, but then he turned at night, and infected and killed the other people in his room. And when the door to their room was opened by someone later, the dead got out and people coming out of their rooms to see what all the fuss was about were then ambushed, and it went downhill from there. Someone rang the alarm and then all the other crew were up and about, and the fighters were off. The last I was with everyone, we were fairly close to the shelter zone. But there were also way too many dead, Baekhyun. They were standing around blocking access to the quarantine zone, so the fighters are probably trying to clean up the area now, and then hopefully the captain can get the gate open and the people safely inside.” Minseok says, and then is quiet for a second before he whispers and Baekhyun has to strain to catch it, “ but so many people were infected Baekhyun. So many lives were lost when they should have been safe.” Minseok says gripping his gun tight, and Baekhyun isn't sure what to say. This is the first time such a huge scale attack has happened on a ship, and it's shocking.
Baekhyun and Minseok run and reach the ship's main common area and suddenly it's obvious why Minseok is so terrified. Here, the ship literally looks like it’s overrun with dead. Usually the Two Moons carried around five thousand passengers, and looking at this now, probably one tenth of them at least had been infected and turned.
“Fuck Hyung.” Baekhyun says literally stopping in his tracks as Minseok grabs his arm trying to move him, but the young pilot is frozen.
The sight is horrifying. Dead are swarming the place, and when he looks around to see why, he sees multiple half eaten and chewed on bodies lying on the floor with dead munching on them. Some of the people are actually dead, but some of them are still, to Baekhyun’s horror, alive. They are dying slowly and painfully, and Baekhyun sees a woman whose arm is being devoured just a few feet away, and her eyes are empty voids, but tears that are falling give her away. She’s alive; she’s literally being eaten alive. And its not just her, there are so many other bodies lying around that are still alive, that the dead don't even pay any attention to Baekhyun and Minseok. They already have a feast.
Baekhyun gags.
His stomach rolls at the sight, and the stench coupled with the image are so strong he needs to vomit, and he barley registers Minseok moving him.
They slowly make their way across the large open room and Baekhyun’s in a daze. They have to pass a body where a dead has feasted on a man’s skull, his bloody brains half spilling out and his eyes dead and lifeless, and the young pilot wants to fucking scream. He doesn't want this. This is so terrifying, and he feels sick and scared, as he fists Minseok's jacket with shaky hands trying to regulate his breathing, but he just starts crying instead. He wants to scream, he's so fucking close to screaming his throat closes up and Minseok hugs him.
“It's okay Baekhyun it's okay, you're going to be okay. Keep moving, you’re okay, keep moving.” and Minseok holds a hand over Baekhyun's mouth to muffle his loud sobs against his palms. He’s concerned because Baekhyun is crying so hard he’s violently shaking at this point, and they are both afraid the younger’s legs will give out. They somehow manage to continue though, even if its slow going.
The academy trains them in a lot of things, in different areas of ships, how to fly ships, how to fix them, the dynamics of crew, the history and politics of the universe. They also teach them about the dead, the history of the dead, the infection, how it came about, how to fight the dead, and finally how to kill it. But Baekhyun thinks they haven't done justice to just how terrifying the dead are. How scary and morbid being in their existence is, because they look so much like humans. The WERE humans, but then they tear into living beings and chew on them with such serene calm faces, and Baekhyun gasps for air and whimpers again.
The pilot has seen the dead once. Once as a child, but he had been whisked away to safety, so he didn't have to see too much. However, that last glance looking at the burning buildings and walking corpses is forever engrained into his mind. He had felt hopeless and empty even then, but he feels tenfold that now.
“Baekhyun!” Minseok yells at him and Baekhyun snaps out of his thoughts. “You have to get it together okay. Those things, if they get their hands around you, they crush your bones to splinters with one grip. We have to move Baekhyun.” And Baekhyun takes in a gulp of air, and shakily releases his hold on Minseok, nodding at him. Minseok grips Baekhyun’s hand securely, and then they run at full speed through the high wide ceilings in the open area of the galley, as dead on all floors walk around. Some start eying them when they run, their boots thudding on the floor, and their fast movements catch the dead’s eye, but Baekhyun and Minseok shoot any who attempt to approach them down and get out of there as fast as they can, never looking back.
They are so exhausted at this point, but they are also more than halfway to the safety zone, so they continue to run with deep-seated exhaustion in their muscles. Sometimes alternating between jogging when they can barely catch their breath anymore, to back to running when fear overwhelms them again.
Minutes pass when they finally see it and Baekhyun breathes out a stuttering sigh of relief as they get closer. Baekhyun immediately spots Yixing in the safety zone, as he anxiously tries to get people through the machines.
“Baekhyun.” Minseok says hopeful and Baekhyun smiles tearfully.
“I know hyung. We made it.”
Baekhyun then spots Kris too, and the other has clearly been keeping an eye out for them because he runs over to Yixing and points them out and then both of the two are waving their arms with thankful expression on their faces.
The situation looks fairly in control in the safety zone. Everyone is behind the area where the gates go down and are lined up waiting to go through the quarantine machines so they can be on the inside the quarantine zone. And the fighters are surrounding the area in a semi circle shooting at the hoard of dead getting to close. The gates are obviously left open just for Baekhyun and Minseok now because everyone else is already inside. Once they get in then everyone can retreat to the quarantine zone and finally regroup.
They are some feet away, almost there, so close when Baekhyun sees the crew fussing and Jowon who looks hysterical, as he cries and throws a fit, hits something and suddenly a hiss is heard and the doors are shutting. They haven't even gotten inside though.
He hears screaming from the inside and Yixing rips Jowon off the system and tries to undo the code, but only the override the Captain holds can help them now but the Captain is probably already inside the quarantined zone trying to get the systems of the ship stabilized and throwing together a game plan to reclaim the ship as soon as possible. And once the doors are closed they won't be open again until the fighters are officially dispatched to kill the dead, and who knows how long that will take.
They were so, so close, but Baekhyun knows they can’t make it and they stop a few feet away as they see Yixing’s and Kris’s terrified faces disappear behind the doors and Yixing’s yells echo as an afterthought. And finally with a resounding final thud, the dead claw at the metal a few more times and wander around it and Baekhyun and Minseok stand frozen. Eventually the dead are going to realize they can't get inside and then they will turn elsewhere and spot them.
Just standing there.
And then they will come.
A shiver runs down Baekhyun’s spine because this is it. This is impossible to survive. Minseok and him are going to die even though they tried so hard and Baekhyun feels so much and so little at the same time. He's angry and scared and he wants to cry, but he also has resigned himself to his fate now as he looks down at the floor, his hold on his gun slackening as he takes a tiny scared breath and thinks of death. He almost falls to the floor because he gives up, he wants to give up, he wants to fall and never try again. Let the dead infect him and bite him and crush his bones painfully one by one. They will grab his arms and then grab his waist and break ribs, in their chase to taste the softness of his flesh, and the warmth of his blood.
And then once his life has finally painfully left him, he will be turned into monsters just like the other dead, his lifeless corpse finding mobility again in the chase for death but soon shot down by the fighters when they come back to retake the ship. But as Baekhyun is thinking, Minseok suddenly shakes him.
“Baekhyun, hey.” he says shaking his shoulder lightly. “Stay with me here, this isn't over yet. We are still breathing right? That means we have to continue to try and survive. I'm not letting us die like this. I WON’T let us die like this, so pick up your gun.” And Baekhyun wants to say no and that he gives up but Minseok has a point and he can't let fucking zombies end him like this, he’s survived it once so he will again. Baekhyun takes a deep breath and nods.
“Let's go!” He says squeezing Minseok's hand back and then they are both running full speed to try and find a room they can take shelter in. Their last bet is that they can hide out in some room long enough for the fighters to dispatch and find them and save them, but it's a long bet.
Baekhyun doesn’t have the heart to tell Minseok that once the dead realize they can't get into the safety zone, some of them are going to turn around and try and find a new source of food, and there's only Minseok and Baekhyun left now. Their blood will be scented out sooner than later, and the ships flimsy doors can't hold them safe forever. Especially not when the weight of many dead trying to get to them will eventually press onto the metal, they will push onto it till the metal gives, and then it’ll only be a matter of time.
But Baekhyun forces that image out of his mind and tries to focus on living, as Minseok grabs his hand and they run. They’ve only just gotten past one hallway when Baekhyun passes past a room crowded with dead. He’s about to look away and run faster, but spots a tuft of curly brown hair on a little girl. Curls fall down her back, her cheeks red from crying, and she looks barely two years old. He stops in his tracks with a jerk and Minseok looks back.
“What the fuck Baekhyun!!?” He yells, but Baekhyun is already inside the room, pulling out his gun, and shooting at the dead with perfect aim from the doorway. He’s killed off the last one just when another dead rounds the corner and is running right towards Baekhyun.
“Fuck!” Minseok screams and takes aim a second before the dead would have wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s skull and killed him, and they both slump forward from relief. That was a close call Baekhyun thinks, but his thoughts are interrupted by the little girl still crying. He runs up to her and makes sure to see if she's untouched, and when she looks healthy Baekhyun sighs thankfully and pulls her into his arms, picking her up easily and holding her close.
“Where do you think her parents are?” Baekhyun asks, turning to Minseok who just shakes his head.
“Probably turned.” He says sadly, and Baekhyun nods hugging her closer.
“Come on Baek, we are still too close to those doors, those dead are going to be out for us soon.” Minseok says and Baekhyun doesn’t have to be told twice. He runs to Minseok and they are both about to leave when they hear a hiss.
A familiar hiss of doors, and Minseok looks wide eyed at Baekhyun who has a similar look on his face. It can’t be. I can’t fucking be. The doors wouldn’t open again once they have just been shut. They fighters take at least a few hours to rest and take care before they come out to exterminate the dead again, so why are the doors open?
“Sh—should we..? Baekhyun asks hesitant. What if they heard wrong, and now they would just be running back into danger. The dead would surely smell them this time, and then run after them.
Minseok looks just as torn as he does, but then they hear the familiar ring of guns and they both don’t even think twice as they run back to the doors at full speed and see the giant gate opening in slow ascent, and Baekhyun actually starts crying into the soft hair of the little girl he is carrying. She’s been silent ever since he grabbed her, and she clings to him just as he clings to her, and it seems she trusts him to bring her to safety, so he promises himself, and her, that he will.
Minseok beside him looks just as thankful, but he also sees the swarm of dead in front of the gates. “It’s going to be hard Baekhyun.” he says unsurely, and Baekhyun nods slowly.
“It will.” he agrees, but for the first time tonight he adds, “But we can do it Minseok. Let's get back safely.” And Minseok looks at him for a second before he nods smiling when he finally sees a flicker of hope in Baekhyun’s eyes.
“Okay.” He agrees quietly, and they both face the door. They see Yixing and Kris and standing there grim, but Yixing has his hands tightly clasped together in anxiousness, as he gives them a look.
“You better make it.” his face says and Baekhyun half smiles, and he sees their captain standing next to Yixing and nodding at them, and then giving orders to the fighters. He calls something out to them and then motions to the left and Minseok gently nudges Baekhyun along with him in that direction, and some of the fighters start moving over to the left side leaving more work to the other fighters and start clearing up the corner left area.
Two tense minutes pass as the fighters work to make a small opening or passage way of sorts so they can pass, and they just barely get the last of the few pushed back when Minseok is yelling, “NOW!”, and Baekhyun runs with all his strength and runs past the dead who are being backed up now by the fighters, and he runs through the little gap and to the other side of safety where Yixing and Kris wait for them. And Kris pulls Baekhyun the last stretch out and Baekhyun falls towards Yixing and collapses in his arms.
He hears Minseok right behind him but then there's a grunt and he turns around just as Yixing's face changes from relief to horror. “MINSEOK!” Yixing and Kris yell and Kris throws a hand out as Minseok’s jacket is grabbed, but Minseok just yanks himself away and reaches back for Kris who pulls him through too, and they both stumble back and fall.
Minseok and Baekhyun are breathing harshly and the fighters quickly back up and the Captain shuts the gates. And suddenly they are completely
Baekhyun falls next to Minseok to make sure though, and he grabs Minseok’s arm checking it over. Thankfully only the uniform has been torn through, and his arm is in one piece and Baekhyun prays to a silent god in thankfulness.
Finally safe.
+++++++++
Baekhyun and Minseok stand at the outskirts of the line as the rest of the passengers go through the machine. And when they're done, the rest of the crew that didn’t have immediate business to take care of inside the quarantine zone head in next. Yixing and Kris had gone in earlier to help the captain, but Minseok and Baekhyun were allowed to take a moment to catch their breaths, and now they are the last three to head in, including the little girl.
Baekhyun walks into the large sleek machine so it can take an array of tests to determine if he’s been infected or not, taking blood samples, and conducting a 360 scan on him. He eventually gets an all-clear and then Minseok sends the little girl in after him and they both hold their breath, but she pings clear too and waddles over to Baekhyun for him to pick up. And last but not least, Minseok walks into the machine as it hums to life again, producing results a minute later, as the digital screen gives him the green pass, and now everyone has finally made it over to the other side.
The inside of the quarantine zone isn’t much to look at, it’s like a very large gym, with no windows, and the rooms, walls, and ceiling, are painted pitch black. There is also a control room situated in the corner, elevated from the ground and with stairs leading up to it, but besides that its just an empty black box. Baekhyun thinks, it’s black because is a comforting color which reminds one of space, since planets carry so much danger, from dead and infected, to natural disasters, etc— space is quiet and peaceful and doesn't have these problems. Well it wasn't supposed to, Baekhyun thinks as he can still hear faint screeching behind the door, and he shivers. Currently people are packed into the area like sardines though, and even picking their way to a less crowded spot is hard.
Minseok puts an arm around him and they steer themselves close to the control room where all the other crew are sitting around, and Baekhyun spots Yixing who’s pushing through the crowd and making his way towards them. He beams when he is finally at their side. He makes sure they are okay and smiles apologetically when he tells Minseok that the Captain is calling for him. Minseok nods and heads up to the control center, handing the little girl into Baekhyun’s arms again from when she’d wriggled into his earlier, and leaves his friends with a smile.
Yixing looks at the little girl, “Did her parents turn”, he asks sadly as he pats her head, and she nuzzles more into Baekhyun's chest.
“No idea”, Baekhyun says hugging her closer, “I just found her in a room with the surrounding her. I don’t know if they are dead or alive.”
“Was it close to the quarantine zone?” Yixing asks, and Baekhyun nods,
“Then there's a chance she might have slipped away in all the commotion and gotten lost since there aren't any passenger rooms close by. Her mom or dad might still be alive and around.” Yixing says, and Baekhyun hopes so, as he nods hugging her, and she in return, brings her little arms around his neck. He looks at the sea of people gathered in the huge area, sitting or lying on the floor, and he hopes Yixing is right. His eyes then drift up to the control room, and he sees Minseok through one of the windows, talking to Kris and the captain. They were probably planning the rescue operation for the ship, and Baekhyun looks warily back down at Yixing, who smiles just as tiredly at him. They finally make it the rest of the short distance to the area where the crew are sitting- right under the control room- and take a seat themselves too. Yixing and him chat softly for a few minutes, Baekhyun filling him in on what had happened; why he hadn't woken up, how scared he had been before Minseok showed up, and then all the running around after they thought the doors had permanently shut on them.
Yixing in turn tells him how they had all looked around while they were escaping, all of them— Minseok, Kris, Kyungsoo and himself trying to spot him, but he wasn't there so they had feared the worst. And then they heard Sunlee talking to another crewmember about him, when he hadn't known they were behind him, and Minseok just snapped then and forced the other to fuss up. And after that Minseok ran to look for him and they had tried to stop him but Minseok said it was his fault and he would bring Baekhyun back. Yixing is close to tears when he hugs Baekhyun softly saying he's glad Minseok had gone back, and he's glad he's safe. Baekhyun returns the hug and they stay like that for a few minutes before finally separating.
They are still talking when Minseok returns and Yixing is being called upstairs again so he leaves Baekhyun with a warm smile and a knowing look, and Minseok looks puzzled but doesn’t question it.
“Is she okay?” he asks, sitting next to Baekhyun. And the young pilot nods.
“Sleeping” he says, looking over at Minseok. He feels so much right now after hearing from Yixing what Minseok had done for him. How he had gone back for Baekhyun on just a chance that he might be alive. Baekhyun feels like his chest is too full of love right now and like he might not be able to contain it all so he takes a quiet breath and just focuses on Minseok instead. Looking at a face that is tired and worn, with frazzled and messy hair, but Minseok still so, so, beautiful. He was always beautiful. Is always beautiful.
They sit in silence for a while, both of them leaning against the wall with their eyes closed.
The tiredness is creeping on Baekhyun so he almost falls asleep before Minseok’s voice cuts in.
“You did well out there today by the way. You wouldn't think this was your first time seeing the dead.” Minseok says and Baekhyun hums, turning his face to look at the other man.
“It wasn't,” he says, and Minseok opens his eyes in surprise and looks over. “I thought you had been in the academy since you were a little boy.” Minseok exclaims and Baekhyun nods.
“I…” Baekhyun begins, unsure of how to start, so he looks at the crowds of people. I was from the planet Athena when the sickness spread and people were attacked.
Minseok’s eyes widen because there are very few people in the galaxy who haven't heard of planet Athena. Athena was one of the worst cases of a planet becoming infested by dead ever. While most places have an outbreak ranging anywhere from 50-1000 mac. At Athena however, by the time rescue ships arrived, the living to infected population ratio had become 4:10. Once a rescue happens, most planets are finally reclaimed, and all the dead are eventually finished off. And after enough time passes, checks are done to make sure it is indeed habitable, so people can be reintroduced to the land. However, Athena is one of those rare planets, that was just left to rot in the universe, because only some sort of large scale recovery mission could even begin to kill the amount of dead that currently lived there- and it just wasn't worth the losses. Athena was now a lost planet.
“By the time the fighter planes arrived, and took in the state of the planet, some of the armies from the galactic forces considered retreating and leaving us few survivors to succumb to our fates. They didn't think we were worth it. But the Two Moons had refused to leave us then, and I don't remember a lot when they came, but I remember the few people we had left alive in my town, trying to make a run for it to the ship. My mom and me included, but we encountered a whole shitload of dead and… and I don't remember a lot but I remember being alone, close to a burning building, crying because my mom had ran in another direction to get the dead away from me. She had told me to run to the ships, but I could only cry, and I remember seeing a dead coming towards me and I was so scared. But then a fighter was suddenly there. He shot the dead down and rescued me, and he took me back onto the Two Moons… I don't remember a lot after that. We stopped at other cities, more people were rescued, though there weren't a lot, and finally we were taken to a new planet.”
Baekhyun sighs, and when he looks up, Minseok looks stony faced and Baekhyun tries to force himself to smile, but he honestly feels just as shitty inside. “We were all brought over to Zeon then, where I stayed at the local orphanage for a few months, before I decided I wanted to train at the academy and become a hero like the people on the Two Moons instead. The Two Moons saved me… and I’ll always remember that.” he says smiling and stares into Minseok’s deep brown eyes. They don't say anything again for a while, but then Minseok almost shamefully looks away.
“That’s…” he tries to fish for the right words, unsure of what to say. He's in awe of Baekhyun’s will to join the fight, of the very things that took his home and people away, but he's also sad for the things Baekhyun had to endure. Finally he frowns a little as he says, “You came here with so many aspirations, and your reasons for joining are so… pure. But instead you were bullied, and Jowon almost had us locked outside just because he was a little scared. Are your illusions of us as heroes shattered now?” he whispers, and Baekhyun pauses at that, before he finally lets himself smile.
“Children always look at things through rose colored lenses anyways,” he says quietly. “Besides. Even though everyone on this ship isn't exactly like I had thought, some of them definitely were. And there were some, even better than I had hoped ” He says looking at Minseok his voice growing quieter. And soon he's whispering, so only the two of them can hear. And they silently stare at each other for a long time.
“You came back for me.” Baekhyun mentions, his voice raw.
“But I didn't stop them from hurting you though.” Minseok counters without missing a beat, or looking away.
“You were trying in your own way Minseok. I understand. And I’m not mad.”
“You could have died tonight if you didn't know your way around a blaster Baekhyun.” He utters, finally choking up too, and Baekhyun wriggles closer to the older.
“But I do and i'm okay Minseok hyung. We both are. It's okay.” and Baekhyun leans his head on Minseok’s shoulder.
Minseok’s gaze looks far away, and Baekhyun closes his eyes. It's been a tiring few weeks, and with the addition of all of this, adds to the pressure and anxiety. They lost a lot of people tonight. People that were supposedly safe, but something went wrong and they suffered a nightmare for a second time. A lot of them died living that nightmare, and Baekhyun sighs hugging the little girl in his arms closer to his chest and shutting his eyes. He doesn't want to think anymore he can't. He falls asleep just a few minutes after.
Baekhyun rouses awake from a dreamless when he hears a voice talking and he wakes up disoriented. His lap is empty and Minseok is gone from his side. Baekhyun panics for a second before he recognizes the captain’s voice speaking through the loudspeakers, and he sees Yixing holding the little girl a little further away. She's wide awake and playing with his hair.
Baekhyun gets up with sore legs and a slight migraine as he shakes his head listening to the captain.
“— A plan has been set and the fighters will soon be dispatched. The operation to reclaim the ship will begin at nine sharp. I know everyone is tired and scared, but we are taking the utmost care to plan this mission and bring soon bring everyone some good news. This was Captain Minhyuk signing off.” and the Captain finished as the static cut off.
Baekhyun looked over at Yixing just as the older turned to him and he smiled and made his way over.
“Hey.” he said ruffling Baekhyun’s hair when the younger yawned. “She woke up and was being fussy, but I thought you could use some more sleep so I took her off your hands for a bit.” Yixing says, and Baekhyun smiles gratefully as the little girl makes grabby hands at Baekhyun so he takes her into his lap again.
“Thanks hyung.” he says, but Yixing just waves him off. “I hope she didn't bother you too much.” he adds, stroking through her curls, and Yixing chuckles. “Nah.” he shakes his head smiling. Just then they hear the creaking of metal from the stairs of the control room, and Kris is coming down so Yixing waves to let him know where they are and he’s soon joining them.
He groans tiredly resting his cheek on top of Yixing’s head and releases a big breath of air.
“Hard time?” Baekhyun asks as he smiles at him pityingly. Kris was probably the only one, besides the captain, who probably hadn't gotten a break since the invasion had happened. Safety was the third mates department, so Kris had probably been with the captain the entire time, planning and arranging the whole rescue, and he was also probably due back soon.
Kris snorts at his statement, and closes his eyes going silent. “I can't believe this happened though.” he finally whispers after a couple of minutes. He’s still in the same position, but his hand goes to grab fistfuls of Yixing’s fighter suit to keep him grounded, and his voice wavers thick with emotion. “It was my duty to keep the passengers safe and I failed. People managed to slip on with the infection, and I didn’t know anything at all until it was too late, and so many people had died. And now even more fighters are going to go out there and risk their lives.”
And it wasn't that the Two Moons didn’t encounter death often. When they are travelling and picking up people from planets with the infected, they regularly send out fighters that aren't sure of they are going to make it back or not. However, it was a first, that the one place they believed they could finally be free from the death and decay, was now also unsafe.
Yixing rubs at Kris’s arm trying to soothe him. “Kris this isn't your fault, okay? How were you supposed to know a passenger had the sickness when everyone close to him didn’t? And on top of that, the machines also didn't detect anything, so you couldn’t have known. Something like this was only bound to happen Kris. Space has been too peaceful for too many years.” And Kris still looks really upset, but he relaxes a little more in Yixing’s hold.
They all sit around like that before Kris finally takes a deep breath straightening up. “Alright well we should all go upstairs, the rescue mission will start soon and we are all a part of it.” and Baekhyun gapes, because he had no idea he was on the team too.
“W— wait, I!” he begins, and Kris smiles tiredly.
“Yeah the Captain chose you specifically, he thinks you would be the best for the job.” And Baekhyun is shocked, but he’s needed, so he nods. Yixing hands the little girl over to another crewmember, and then they all head upstairs.
+++++
They arrive into the control room, and it’s a medium sized room, with a large table in the middle, and small screens lining all four walls. There are also desks that go all the way around, and numerous of headphones with mikes attached, resting on them, and plugged into the control panels in front. He doesn't have time to really look though, because Kris is immediately tugging him and Yixing towards the large group surrounding the table at the center, and the captain is sitting on it, addressing the crew. Kris spots Minseok and Kyungsoo standing at edges so he pulls them all towards them, and Minseok nods at them, but Kyungsoo immediately pulls Baekhyun into a quick hug before letting go. “I'm so glad you're safe.” he whispers earnestly, and Baekhyun squeezes his hand in return smiling at him for a second, before they both face forward again. The captain is only answering questions right now, but when the last of the few crew who is assigned to this rescue mission arrive the captain claps his hands to start.
“Alright men. This is a mission to retake the ship and this is how it’s going to work. We have split the ship into sections on the map, and we are sending out a pair of shooters to each section. Some places we might send out more than one pair, depending on how dangerous it is, but we will let you know. Now your guys’s job is to help the shooters. Each person here gets a pair of shooters, and your job is to be their eyes and ears, and help them get to the section they are assigned, and help clear up that section. The areas are the places you know best, so that's why you guys have been specifically chosen out of the rest of the crew. For example Kyungsoo is head chef and he knows the kitchen inside and out, so he was obviously appointed to cover and clear the area of the cafeteria. Though it's a large area so he will get to other cooks and their shooters to help him. Your goal is to get the fighter to the area as safely as possible, and only exterminate dead that are in or close to your path. When you get to your designated area then you and your fighters are required to exterminate all dead from that area and call it clear. Is that understood?” and everyone nods, and Baekhyun steels his nerves as the Captain runs through other details, and then finally hands out assignments. Baekhyun is obviously charged with the area around the front of the ship, so the cockpit and rooms around it and he looks over and Minseok, Yixing, and Kris, and they are all charged with the galley where the most dead were and he shivers.
Why the Captain picked Baekhyun, he doesn't understand. It wasn't training because he could have sat at someone's side while a more advanced senior pilot ran two lives through dead infested corridors. And Baekhyun doesn't believe that he knows the frontal ship of the area any better then a senior pilot would. He is still a newbie, and he shouldn't be part of an operation that is so important when there are pilots who are above him and can do the job just as well.
Baekhyun can’t stop thinking about it, and it's driving him up a wall as he sits in his seat in front of set of screens and jitters. Eventually he can’t take it so he nervously walks over to the Captain and stutters out his thoughts.
Minhyuk tries to fight a tired smile off his face, and Baekhyun is sure the other would give a big belly laugh if it weren’t for the grim circumstances, so instead he takes Baekhyun to the side of the room and asks him why he thinks this.
“Make it quick though pilot.” Minhyuk says looking back, “We have an operation to run, there are people dying out there.”
“I—I know.” Baekhyun stumbles. “I just… I hope you didn't choose me just because Minseok and the other mates told you about what happened. I don’t want to take this mission when there is probably someone better suited, and more senior then me” Baekhyun says quickly, all in one rush, and Minhyuk raises his eyebrows at him, but turns on his heel and walks towards the control panel smirking.
“Hurry up pilot, and get back to duty,” he dismisses him just like that, “like I said we don't have time to waste. Also if your impression of me is that I would simply choose you on a whim because you were bullied, and thus endanger the safety of my other men, then your opinion of me must be pretty sad.” he says giving Baekhyun a playful frown and Baekhyun blushes suddenly embarrassed and Minhyuk laughs a little before he sighs. “Baekhyun you're the best choice because your level headed, smart, and quick-witted, and you also just ran through those corridors they are going to run through, so you know where to go and not to go best. I truly think you're the best match for this job, and maybe I might not have chosen you if you hadn't made half that trip here without Minseok. You’re right. The other pilots are as informed as you about the northstar, and could do an equally could job as you. However what they did gave you leverage, and so they only have themselves to blame for your opportunity above theirs. Now do your job well pilot and don't disappoint okay?” he finished with a fond smile. And Baekhyun immediately stood straight and saluted, “Yes sir!”
Minhyuk smiles one last time before turning and leaving, and everyone is ready by now so Baekhyun quickly returns to his seat beside two other people who will be around close proximity to where he is- they are stationed at the crew dorms- and Baekhyun nods at them.
Everyone flits through the cameras to survey the areas their fighters are about to head off to, and the best route to get there, before finally setting to the screen where this will all begin. The cameras show the gate keeping the dead out of the quarantine zone isn't as busy as it was earlier. But there are still quite a few dead, lining the huge doors trying to get in. Baekhyun scrubs through his own screens, quickly solidifying the route he's going to take and if there are any dead there, but even though the screens are empty now, he knows that the moment the fighters go off and shots are ringing, the dead are going to be in a frenzy from the sounds and smell of live flesh.
Finally the Captain speaks. “Ready everyone?” he asks. “I already explained this, but I’m going to say it once more so pay attention. The shooters are already aware of the area they are in charge of, so you just need to direct them there, help be a second eye for them, and be their support. If they are struggling, send for back up. Talk to each other, and talk to your shooters. And guys. I know you know, but I need to tell you again. These are real people in these suits, real people fighting out there to protect those in here… and you might see some of those people die tonight, but be strong. You need to be strong for them. And then get back out there and fight again. For those that give up their lives tonight, they give them up to protect this ship, and people, and the other fighters, so keep fighting.” And everyone nods their heads solemnly.
“Okay then, take your positions.” and Baekhyun sits tensely in his seat. He steals a glance and Minseok, Yixing, and Kris, who are a few seats to his right, and then back at Kyungsoo who is behind him, before quickly staring at his monitors again. They look ready to fight, so he will to.
He stares at the screen where all the fighters are suited up by the doors and he counts thirty of them. And he hopes thirty come back, but he knows it's hard. Minhyuk tells them he’s going to turn their intercom devices on now, and they all put their headphones on, and Baekhyun takes a deep breath. The switch goes off and there's static for a second before Baekhyun hears breathing, so he clears his throat. He hears indistinct voices in the back of other people talking to their fighters too, but Baekhyun focuses.
“Hello men. I’m Pilot Byun Baekhyun, and I’m going to be your aide on the mission today. I hope we can accomplish this mission safely together, and I’m going to help you guys reach the ships frontal area alright?” he asks nervously, and licks his lips. He definitely rambled there.
The first person to answer has a deep voice, and he immediately replies, “Roger sir. I’m fighter Choi Seojoon-”
“And I’m Kim Myungsoo,” another softer voice chirps in.
Seojoon continues, “do you perhaps have a route for us?” he asks and Baekhyun looks at the screens again.
“Nice to talk to you both. And yes I do.” Baekhyun says, quickly outlining the path he thought they should take, and assured them that he would be there to guide them also. He's relieved when both Myungsoo and Seojoon agree with his route and are onboard though.
The captain then gives them the final call for everyone to wrap up and for the mission to start, and Baekhyun breathes out a long breathe. “Alright men. We are about to start.” he says, and soon it quiets down and Minhyuk stands by the intercom and turns it on.
“Hello passengers, this is captain Minhyuk speaking. It's been a few hours and the fighters have been readied so they are now going on a recovery mission to retrieve the ship. Lets wish for their safe return to us, and a successful mission.” and as Minhyuk beeps away, all the heads of the crowds turn towards the fighters who head to line-up in front of the hatch and take position. They leave through the now turned off quarantine machines, and stand straight with their guns readied. The moment the gates raise, the dead are going to be flinging themselves that them.
“Men on the count of three.” Minhyuk says voice solid, and everyone tenses up in anxiety. “One… Two…”
“Three.” Baekhyun whispers at the same time Minhyuk yells it from behind them, and the Captain presses the button that causes the hatch to hiss open, and Baekhyun can hear the snarling and spitting of the dead in his headphones and he light tremors run through him in fear, but he holds steady.
Everyone holds their breaths, watching the doors give way upwards, bit by bit, and the moment they hit the halfway mark, the dead start hurtling and throwing themselves at the team and that's when the blaster shots ring out.
There's low sizzling noises in Baekhyun's ear as Myungsoo and Seojoon blast through the heads of the dead and tear their skulls to pieces before they get too close. The fighters all work in unison at the start, fighting beautifully to push the dead at the gates back and away until they are past the gate, and Minhyuk shuts the door leaving the hero's outside, while they are safe inside.
“Get to work now everyone.” Minhyuk says voice full of command, and Baekhyun focus on the crackling of the comms and the breaths Seojoon and Myungsoo let out.
“Ok Seojoon and Myungsoo. I’ve got you okay. Make sure you guys stick together now as you fight, because the moment the opportunity presents itself, you guys need to run down that third hallway in front of you there and you can't leave without one another.” he says quickly but calmly, and they both shout out a roger, as they continue to avoid, and aim, and shoot, hardly able to catch their breath.
After the gate shuts its a bit of a free for all as the fighters fire down any dead in their way, and soon pairs are heading out left and right, down the route that will take them the quickest to their appointed area. Seojoon quickly fires down two dead, and Myungsoo shoots one as they finally find and run down the hallway they need to.
They’re off, and Baekhyun directs them quickly through the dark halls. And this might not be the fastest route to northstar, but it's definitely the safest compared to going through the galley and facing the hundreds of dead there. Baekhyun concentrates on the cameras as he keeps giving them instructions, and soon they are just following a straight path north for a while so Baekhyun checks ahead to make sure the area is clear. He's clicking a few cameras ahead when he spots a group of five dead and he swallows nervously before sitting up straight and concentrating.
“You guys are going to come up on five dead soon, okay?” and he hears the two men take slight shaky breaths, and Baekhyun sees them in that moment as not just heros, or fighters, but as regular people like himself and others.
They are two men doing a job they had bravely signed up for, but they were still scared because that was human, no one wanted to die. Baekhyun is going to make sure they both come out of this safely.
“You guys will be okay, don't worry I have a plan. Stand about two rows down from them- your guns should still be able to hit the targets from there- but this depends on you guys also being in able to shoot accurately. If you take too long to kill them, they are going to reach you and get their arms around you, kill them before they can okay?”
“Roger.” they both said as they drew closer, and Baekhyun kept his eyes peeled on the monitors. The five dead hadn't detected anything yet, and Baekhyun checked the other halls the two fighter were coming down, to make sure there weren’t any dead lingering there, just incase, and as soon as he thought that, he saw a movement on screen in a supposedly empty hallway Seojoon and MyungSoo were just about to pass. His blood runs ice cold and Baekhyun slams his palms down on the table.
“MYUNGSOO TO YOUR RIGHT HALLWAY! SHOOT NOW!” and the two men startle, but Myungsoo shoots almost reflexively, according to the orders and a dead lands just at his feet almost toppling onto him as he finally sleeps once and for all.
And they all breathe in anxiety but Baekhyun takes a sharp inhale and focuses, “one more hall guys and then stand there and shoot, the dead. The probably heard you, so run and get good aim!”
And Myungsoo and Seojoon breathe roger again as they race down one more hall and stand a good few meters away from the dead, and they start shooting as soon as they confirm their shooting distance.
They let their guns go, and both of them land one shot each as the dead hurtle toward them. Two of them fall one after another as the pair land a good few shots, but the last one is fairly fast for their kind, and it gets too close for comfort to Seojoon in the end. It almost has its arms around the shooter's body, ready to crush his frame, when Myungsoo screams out loud and shoots, repeatedly at the dead until it finally falls to the floor.
Baekhyun who had been holding onto the edge of the table painfully, his knuckles white, and breathes shaky, hears Myungsoo let out a helpless scared sob and Baekhyun shakes but looks at the monitors. Tears are falling down his cheeks because Seojoon almost died and he almost watched it happen, but he breathes, and looks, and focuses, wiping the tears away with his sleeves because they aren't letting him see clearly.
“You guys are okay. You have got this okay? You're okay, you’re okay. Keep going straight guys. There’s no dead around but those were a lot of gunshots and if any of them heard they are going to start coming there. You need to get out!”
And he watches nervously as Seojoon who had collapsed from shock gets up with Myungsoo’s help, and they take off down the hall again.
“About twenty more hallways down guys. You guys got the very front of the ship so it's a long ways down but the further ahead you get, the safer you will be. I know that was terrifying, I’m sorry. You guys are almost there though, you are going to be okay.” he hears them both breathe out a yes as he checks the monitors closely. He watches them extra closely this time, making sure there are no mishaps like the last incident and he sees another dead standing aimlessly in the corner of a hallway and he stops the two.
“The hallway up ahead has a dead standing there, he's not moving so just shoot him.” and Myungsoo raises his gun and makes out a figure and a head in the red emergency lights, and he shoots the body to the floor. There were some dead like that, dead who were not as bloodthirsty as others.
While most dead ran towards at the first sign of living creatures and tried to get their hands on them. Some dead just stood there aimlessly, even while having the ability to move around and ample strength, they still just stand there like the dead bodies they are. Only they stand upright, instead of resting in the ground. Baekhyun wondered if they still had some human left in them, and it’s their way of quietly awaiting a second death.
After that, Myungsoo and Seojoon take off again, and Baekhyun keeps an eye out for them. They keep up a good pace and head down hallway after hallway, but this side of the ship is thankfully empty, and they only encounter about two more dead in the middle of the hallway walking around, and shoot them down easily and swiftly. They are only four more hallways away from the aviation’s area when Baekhyun tells them to slow down.
“I need to check out the area and see if there are any dead nearby so stand back to back and give me a second.”
“Roger that” they reply, and take positions as Baekhyun quickly but thoroughly looks through all the rooms around the aviation center from the closed cockpit, to the hallways leading into it and around it. He only finds one dead though, walking around aimlessly in front of the Captain's office and breathes a sigh of relief.
He checks the hallways the pair is in again, and any hallways close by before he reports the good news.
“Okay. The area is mostly empty. There is one dead by the Captains door, but you can shoot him about two hallways down and after that you should be clear.” he says, and he hears them sigh in relief, and he does too.
Everything else in the frontal area of the ship is locked down. When emergency mode on a ship is triggered, the most important parts like the Captain's room, engine room, cockpit, etc, are locked and sealed immediately, so danger stays out.
Seojoon and Myungsoo make their way a little slower and more relaxed down the hall, and shoot the dead in the head ending its life immediately. And after making a final check on foot to make sure the space is truly clear incase the security cameras didn't catch something, they stand in front of the main hall.
“Okay looks like everything is clear. You guys are now to stay in this area until the recovery mission ends, or unless another unit needs backup, but until then you can relax. I'm watching the monitors for you guys, and keeping lookout. Good job and congratulations.” he adds, and the two both look towards a security camera that's pointed at them and wave.
“Copy loud and clear.” Seojoon says and him and Myungsoo drop to the floor and try to relax, taking calming breaths.
Baekhyun lets his headphones fall off a little so he can still hear in case of an emergency, but he wants to look around and see how everyone else is faring.
He turns around and catches Kyungsoo’s eyes, and the chef smiles at him, but his eyes are tired and sad. He still manages to give him a thumbs up though and Baekhyun nods his thanks as he looks back at his screen to make another check and make sure no dead are heading towards the aviation area. But it's still all clear.
The young pilot turns back in his chair keeping an eye out, and he hears Seojoon and Myungsoo quietly talking amongst themselves, but he doesn't focus on making out any words. Instead Baekhyun listens to how everyone else is doing too and hears instructions and directions being thrown out around him.
He peers over at the mates and sees Minseok spitting out orders for the main galley, and Baekhyun shudders as he thinks about that area again. Minseok, Yixing, and Kris, all work together with each of their two fighters, and try to put down the dead in the galley.
“Kyungsoo!” Minseok suddenly screams, and Baekhyun and Kyungsoo startle. “Your men are clear right?!?! SEND THEM TO THE GALLEY! WE NEED BACKUP! QUICK!” And Kyungsoo says roger and is back to speaking into his headphones urgently, and Baekhyun makes a quick glance to the monitors around the aviation center to make sure it's still clear before looking at Minseok and his screen. He sees Minseok's fighters surrounded as they try and shoot off the dead, and Minseok urgently speaking to them. Baekhyun hands go cold and numb, but then Kyungsoo’s fighters appear on the screen and shoot down some of the dead surrounding Minseok’s men so the two fighters in the middle can get out. And Minseok, ever composed, strong, resilient Minseok, takes a lungful of air and shakily gets back to giving orders.
Baekhyun looks back at his own monitors and checking through them all to make sure everything is still safe. He wants to laugh because this is so fucked up. When he was younger, Chanyeol, Jongdae, and him used to play video games almost like this. Video games with pretend virtual fighters that ran around on ships and planets, fighting the dead. And all three of them would have such a good time laughing and playing, and Baekhyun wants to scream because he's basically playing a video game with real lives right now, real people, and he doesn't think he can ever play a video game ever again.
Baekhyun looks at Minseok's screens again from the side, and he is glad to see that the situation seems to be under much better control with most of the dead down now, but the galley is a sight to see. There are so many bodies everywhere, and it's sickening so Baekhyun looks away and listens to Seojoon talk quietly to Myungsoo to calm himself.
Minutes go by, and most people are finished by now. A few fighters still have places to clean up, and Baekhyun just quietly keeps listening to his pair of fighters talking, while he runs through the camera screens to see the situation around other places on the ship. Suddenly someone lets out a guttural yell.
A crewmember he doesn't know screams into his mike “SOOHYUN GET THE FUCK AWAY! SOOHYUN! SOOHYUN!” and Baekhyun watches him scream for his fighter again, but Baekhyun can't take it, so he covers his ears and looks away. He still can't keep out the last scream the crewmember gives though because it's downright bloodcurdling and terrifying. And Baekhyun doesn't want to think about how he probably watched someone die. But he knows he will never be able to get those screams out of his nightmares.
The crewmember sits back in his seat and his stare is lifeless, but tears are in his eyes as he asks his other fighter if he's okay. The Captain is standing behind him at this point with a stiff expression on his face as he turns around.
“We need a lot of back up in passenger section A please.” He says calmly, but his fists are balled up tight behind his back.
Other crew Baekhyun doesn't know, but who are assigned to section B and the one from C both meekly raise their hands and get their fighters out there.
Baekhyun tenses up and here’s the people next to him whispering. “His fighters opened up a room, and there were a swarm of dead locked in there. One of the fighters managed to get away but the other…”
Baekhyun feels sick but distracts himself again. He can't. He really can't anymore.
What feels like hours but is only forty-five more minutes of fighting continues. Baekhyun just keeps his eyes on his own monitors and focuses. And finally all the crew have their headphones down, and Minhyuk looks around the room.
“It looks like the last of the fight has ended crew, good job and good job to the fighters. We will now do a final check of the surroundings so get ready. You are divided off into sections; make sure your area, any surrounding hallways, and rooms, just anything, is clear of dead. Once you and your fighters are done, you can head back towards the gates. But make sure to check behind all doors and areas, don't leave a spot untouched understand?” And everyone replies yes in unison, and then get back to work.
Baekhyun relays the orders to Seojoon and Myungsoo, and they all get to work immediately. Baekhyun keeps an eye out as they scour the halls looking through every hallway and every room. Baekhyun is always scared when they open doors, and he keeps telling them to be careful, as he worries obsessively.
But eventually they do finish with no dead found, and Baekhyun tells them they can start heading back. He follows them on the camera all the way until they are finally in front of the gates with some of the others who are also done, he breathes a sigh of relief.
“Good job guys.” he says, “You fought incredibly bravely and you're finally done. Rest well now because you both deserve it.” and he's about to turn of the com, when he hears “Thank you Baekhyun” back, and Baekhyun feels a weight being lifted off his shoulders.
A lot of the others have already returned too and it takes just a half an hour more for all the fighters to gather at the gate. Minhyuk then switches on the intercom to speak to the passengers and crew.
“Hello this is Captain Minhyuk speaking. I would like to inform everyone that our fighters have fought incredibly bravely, and have now returned from a successful mission. The ship is now cleared of the dead.” And Baekhyun swears the whole control room shakes as the happy yells of the crew and passengers below vibrate within the quarantine zone.
Minhyuk gives them a moment to let them calm down before he continues talking.
“The fighters will now enter. I would like to say out of the thirty men we sent out tonight, only twenty-seven return to us. We lost three great men who fought bravely for us, and I hope you will all remember them in your hearts because without all of them, we could have never reclaimed the ship. Now then, the doors will open, and the fighters will enter. The rest of the crew, please report to the outside of the gates in full equipment. It is now our turns for the cleanup. Passengers this should take anywhere from three to five hours, I hope you bear with us, you should soon be allowed to reenter your rooms. Now this is Captain Minhyuk signing off.”
And Minhyuk pressed the door to let the fighters in and as they did the room erupted into clapping and cheers again and Baekhyun stood up too and clapped and people followed him.
The fighters came in and they started taking off their bloodied and dirty suits, but that's not what Baekhyun remembers. Baekhyun remembers the moment they take off their and helmets and he sees their expressions from the little window in the control room. He had to stop clapping because the agony and fear and tiredness was terrifying to watch. Baekhyun's thinks they would have much rather been greeted by silence.
++++++++++
Finally everyone is outside the gates and Minhyuk makes sure everyone has weapons on them just in case a dead was missed.
Then they set out to clean the ship of all the mess left behind. Minhyuk instructs half of them to drag the bodies of the dead to the incinerator, and begin to burn all of them, while the other half of the crew was to clean up the mess of blood and all the other stuff left behind. Minseok and the mates then head off with the captain to check up on and open up all the systems again, and get the ship up and running on course. They have already been delayed nearly seven hours because of this and they need to get back to moving.
Plus the Captain probably has to report everything that has happened back to headquarters. Aside from the fact that the ship locks all important rooms in an event of an emergency, the ship also sends out SOS’s to headquarters, and nearby ships. But now that everything is solved, the Captain has to probably assure them things are under control again.
Kyungsoo pats Baekhyun’s shoulder as he's in deep thought and smiles at him. “Want to help me clear out the cafeteria?” he asks, and Baekhyun nods and they head out with a group of other people.
They have to pass the main galley again and Baekhyun’s hands shake, he can't look around and he focuses his eyes on Kyungsoo instead, looking at the other’s profile, and Kyungsoo feeling the eyes on him, turns.
“Something on my face?” he asks, and Baekhyun shakes his head, and the look in his eyes must be as terrified and wild as he feels, because Kyungsoo holds his gaze and takes his hand. “You will get used to it Baekhyun you're okay.” And Baekhyun nods swallowing his fear and trudges on with Kyungsoo, still not looking.
The cafeteria isn't any less gory, but it's definitely more tame compared to the galley. There are quite a few dead lying around their skulls blown off, and Baekhyun gets to work with Kyungsoo and the other people who are clearing this area out, and they pick up the rotting smelling bodies and place them on the carts that were assigned to their group. They each separate into pairs, picking up and dragging the dead to put them to the cart. Baekhyun wonders if picking up bodies is worse, or if cleaning up blood and bits of rotting dead flesh and guts later is worse. But he doesn't know so he keeps at it. A person in their group was assigned to keep tally of how many bodies there are and the tally comes out to thirty-two. Baekhyun knows in his gut that the galley probably had five times as many.
Eventually when the area is clear, and ten or so bodies are piled up high on each cart they start pushing them down the halls to the incineration chamber.
They all have to take turns heaving the bodies into the fire, and watching them burn to black char as flames engulf them in vibrant hues. Baekhyun's scared and tired, and today is a day he won't easily forget, he can't.
He absentmindedly helps clean up other parts of the ship where help is needed, and then the teams that are assigned to clean up blood and guts take over. They wipe the floors, walls, and every inch of the area down until it is sparkling like nothing ever happened and the passenger rooms have been cleaned up and good look as good as new.
Soon passengers are brought back, and the ship sets on course again. And with his work all done and his assistance in other tasks appreciated, Baekhyun is dismissed from duty till the next morning.
He takes slow steps back to his bedroom, and falls asleep.
+++++++++
Baekhyun wakes up that morning and lies in bed exhausted. He was so tired and emotionally worn, he just dragged himself to his room and passed out. And now waking up, he has time to think about all that went on yesterday. Its still early and he has a few hours before his shift, so he just quietly thinks- fear, sadness, and grief overwhelm him, and he can't stop thinking about all the lives lost. He’s rubbing at his eyes when there is a knock at the door, and Minseok’s voice floats through.
“Baekhyun..?”
And Baekhyun gets up and out of bed in a second. He crosses the room to press the button and open the door, and Minseok is standing on the other side, tired and worn and looking lost. Baekhyun gently tugs him into his room, closing the door behind him, and Minseok stands there for a few seconds before he breaks down and starts crying.
Baekhyun doesn't know what to do, he can barely deal with this himself, but seeing Minseok hurt is even more painful. He takes Minseok towards his bed and makes him lay down, as he takes off the others shoes, and then gets in with the older and pulls the covers over them.
They talk a lot that morning, once Minseok finally calms down enough. He tells him about all the fear and sadness, how he had just said goodnight to all the passengers that night only to wake up to most of them being walking corpses by the morning. He talks about having to shoot the dead and how it was so hard. And it's not that Minseok had never shot dead before, sometimes the planets the Two Moons went on required additional help from the crew, to aid the fighters in rescue. But he had never shot down dead he knew before, and Minseok says he clearly remembers as he shot the dead corpse of an old lady who said he reminded her of her son. He feels horrible and conflicted and even though it was to save lives, it's still painful.
He also tells Baekhyun that the headquarters isn't taking the news of this whole incident well. The story about the Two Moons is on every channel in the galaxy at this point, and Minseok knows there are going to be repercussions.
“I’m afraid for the Captain.” he says, and Baekhyun hugs him close and tight because he knows Minseok feels helpless about all of this, but Baekhyun has no answers for him, and condolences wont help either so he just holds him tight instead. It wont do anything, but maybe it might give Minseok’s heart some peace he hopes.
They lay like that for a long time, till Minseok can’t push off his duties anymore and Baekhyun has to be up for his shift too and they get ready together and Baekhyun follows Minseok to the cockpit where Sunlee and another pilot are piloting the ship along with Yixing and Kris in the back.
Minseok disappears into the Captain's office, and Baekhyun plops down beside Kris who turns and gives him a big hug, and Yixing rubs his arm.
“I know you're in a lot of shock and very upset, but I have just a little bit of good news for you.” Yixing whispers and Baekhyun perks up, raising his eyebrows.
“Well, about the little girl from yesterday,” and Baekhyun nods, listening intently. When cleaning duty had begun yesterday, Baekhyun barely had enough time to run and press a quick kiss to the cheek of the little girl, because he knew he couldn't look after her anymore. She had to be cared for, with the rest of the orphans and Baekhyun frowns. He’ll try to visit her around lunchtime, she was such a sweet thing, and Baekhyun had grown attached.
“Well…” Yixing drawls and Baekhyun wants to hit him. He’s not much in the moods for games right not. But Yixing's eyes absolutely gleam, and he just ends up gushing out the rest. “Her parents were found! Both! They were still alive and had just been separated from her trying to get into the safety zone.”
And Baekhyun’s jaw drops and he just about squeals, and Yixing squeals along with him. “I know I know! They saw Lei, the women who takes care of the orphans, taking the little girl along, her name is Hana by the way. Anyways! They all had a teary reunion and I was there and I told them how you had saved her, and they were so, so, thankful to you Baekhyun.” and Yixing holds his hand and telling him this, and Baekhyun just about cries.
He’s glad there's at least one less orphan in this world because of the dead, even just one less.
++++++++++++++
After that everything happens in a whirlwind, and things change too fast for Baekhyun’s liking.
The rest of this mission is short; it doesn't take long to finally reach Loct— the drop of planet for the refugees— and to get them safely transported onto the planet, and on their way. Baekhyun even gets to see Hana one last time, happily leaving in the arms of her father, and with her mother by her side.
But then the storm picks up again, and the Two Moons is asked to make a swift return to planet Exo, the neutral head planet of the galactic alliances.
The alliance says they are only calling them back to check the ship and see what's wrong— and to replace any equipment that was faulty and needed repair. “To prevent anything like this from ever happening again,” they had said. But the Captain and Minseok are already preparing for the worst.
There has been an outcry of fear from people, aliens, and all other creatures, across the universe, and they want to see a scapegoat for this. They are terrified, because if the ship that is supposed to rescue them and keep them safe, can't even do its most essential task, then who are the people to trust? Fear is inconsolable until the cause of fear is dealt with. And now the alliances are dealing with the fear.
Within two days of landing on the Exo planet as guests, their Captain is taken into custody for gross negligence and involuntary manslaughter, and the Two Moons is turned upside down to find evidence that isn’t there. However, alliances won't ever tell the populaces that this is just a slip up that could happen to any ship at anytime. Instead they spin the story to make it a mistake that definitely could have been prevented.
Eventually a court date is set, it's an expedited trial so it starts within a week, and it is nationally broadcast. Minhyuk still looks regal and strong as always even as he stands guilty to the rest of the world, and the crew stand helplessly, and stony faced at the sides. However there is some luck on their side.
The law enforces that were in charge of finding evidence against the Captain on the ship obviously couldn’t find anything, because there was nothing. And really all the results just kept proving that it was the machinery that had been faulty. Also the enforcers had tried to bribe a couple of the crew to testify against the Captain, but they were immediately brushed off without a second thought. The Two Moons was one of the biggest and most celebrated ships, and whether the crew were loyal to the captain or not, they definitely thought of the Two Moons as their home, and they would never want to tarnish its name.
The Two Moons was also the symbol of peace and victory for the alliances, and it stood for the bravery of the people and a win, every time the ship rescued people from a dead infested planet. So really, they couldn’t possibly have a scandal like this going around, it's been the example for other ships for years. The alliances just hadn't anticipated the crew being so fiercely loyal the ship and captain, and not being able to find even a smidge of dirt against Minhyuk. He was a truthful man, and Baekhyun knew they would find nothing scandalous on him.
So at the end of a month long trial, faulty machinery is blamed, and a new case is opened up against the company that makes the machines. Baekhyun however hears through the grapevine that sometimes people are found who have the disease, but it hides itself in the system and shows up randomly without warning. However if the public got word of this, it would spark widespread hysteria, so fines are handed out to the company, and even though the captain is declared, not guilty, he is still forced to discharge honorably. The whole thing hardly takes a few weeks, but it’s like everything changes in that time.
While the Captain is let go and made to suffer the consequences of a mistake that isn't his fault. Many of the crew are instead, decorated in badges, and medals of honor— anyone who aided in the final attack are. Baekhyun, Minseok, Kris, and Yixing, amongst others, all receive gleaming tokens, and they cry that day, because it was at the cost of their Captain, and Baekhyun will never forget what Minhyuk has done for him.
They cry again later that week because Minseok is only thirty, but he now wears the title of the new Captain of the Two Moons, also its youngest Captain in its history.
“I never wanted to become captain like this.” He says when the ceremony is over, and Baekhyun doesn’t know what to reply. He’s walking through the halls with Minseok, hand in hand, and they are heading off to their rooms to sleep because Minseok didn’t care for celebrating tonight.
“I know,” he finally says back, and Minseok looks so lost, “you will be alright Minseok hyung.”
“I don’t know how to lead Baekhyun,” he says, and Baekhyun shakes his head.
“You will learn. You have Yixing and Kris to help you, and I will be here too. And Suho” the new first mate, “is new, but he has experience too. Hyung, don't worry. Plus Captain Min— ” Baekhyun pauses, “Minhyuk hyung, also went through everything with you last week too. So don't worry. I know you can do it.
And Minseok looks like he want to argue again, but Baekhyun frowns and then pulls him into a kiss to shut him up. It’s their first kiss, and Baekhyun would have rather it been for different reasons, but beggars can’t be choosers.
At first it’s an innocent peck on the lips, but soon it turns into a series of closed mouth kisses, and when Minseok prods into his mouth with a tongue and that's when Baekhyun puts a stop to it because he still has stuff to say.
He pulls away panting and Minseok does the same, but he looks lost before sheepish. “Too much?” He asks and Baekhyun laughs and shakes his head.
“No I just want you to know for sure Hyung.” And Baekhyun holds his hands. “You're not in this by yourself, we will all help you as much as we can. You will be okay Hyung, okay?”
And Minseok looks down for a bit before he finally looks up at Baekhyun again and nods hesitantly. “Okay.” he says with a smile slowly starting to bloom on his face and Baekhyun is breathless again because Minseok always looks so beautiful when he smiles.
“Can I kiss you again?” Minseok asks and Baekhyun laughs.
“Yes please!”
++++++++
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seokmonsters) wrote2016-03-18 07:25 pm
