Chapter Text
It happens fast. Too fast. No warning message, not even a ‘do not cross’, just silence and then suddenly there’s the screech of metal as their hull is torn and the ship is going down. The ship is awash in red, alarms blaring loudly, too loudly, orders are shouted across the bridge. Blue water is growing closer, heat beginning to crawl across the ship from the speed. Last ditch efforts to change their course, to do anything, are done with frantic hands and fearful eyes. Atop it all, watching with panic winding its way through her chest even as denial is on the tip of her tongue, is Chloe Bourgeois.
There are a number of things she could do in this situation, few of them appealing. But a decision needs to be made. Quickly. In this moment, there is no time to waste, lest it be paid for in the lives of those aboard. For once, there are no snappy comments or harsh words as the Captain works alongside her crew. For once, her actions are not showy but fast and urgent in directing the others where they need to go and what to do. For once, Chloe feels the weight of every person aboard the ship on her shoulders.
(if only that was enough, but determination does not create a softer landing nor does understanding steer a crash pod)
“Captain Chloe!” She turns, an angry retort on her lips, but it dies when Kagami continues, “All passengers and staff excusing us are gone.”
Good. Good. Now for everyone else. The ship is going to crash, the best they have managed is a controlled descent for an ocean landing. No use in staying. Chloe’s hands are white as she grips the table, looking around at the others. Wondering how many will survive. How many are already gone. It makes her feel sick. If this is responsibility, if this is power, then she does not want it. Too late now though.
“Listen up!” Chloe’s voice is loud, and typically that is cause for complaint, but it is necessary to be heard over the alarms. The crew turns to her, pausing in their actions, and even the slight distraction sets off dozens of other alarms. “The ship is cleared. It’s your turn to head to the crash pod!”
“Captain, you are not staying!”
It is Adrien who speaks for the crew, her loyal first mate and oldest friend only on this ship because she asked, and Chloe scowls,
“Of course, don’t be ridiculous! I’m coming, now, go, go!’
They pause for a moment and look at her, frozen under the red paint covering the room in some kind of macabre photo as burning wreckage hits water that is far too close. A rictus of stress and terror on their face. And then they bolt, a stampede towards the door, no pushing or shoving, but chaos all the same. Chloe is left, alone, in the bridge with red light and a blaring alarm. And then she looks at the controls. It finally sinks in what the Captain is meant to do. Go down with the ship. And Chloe laughs, loud but swallowed by the echoing screech off the walls. Go down with a hunk of metal? When everyone else is gone and the crew has done what they can? No. There is no need for some faux philosophical debate or contemplation on what she will do. Chloe is many, many things- and perhaps cowardice is among them- but she will not needlessly sacrifice her life in a useless martyrdom. And so she runs.
(If she had known, maybe they would not have had to come back and then- well, maybe does not change what happened)
The sprint through the ship is frantic, too slow and too quick, the beating of her heart threatening to crack a rib and yet time seems to pass so slowly as if right here. It is dead, not a single person left aboard, and it already feels like a ghost ship. Like there is nothing left but memories, and no one left to remember them. Chloe shakes off the thoughts, running faster. Too slow and her pod will end up crushed or ruined by the ship. As it is, she’ll already be too close for comfort already if something were to go wrong with it. The door to a pod is wrenched open, Chloe nearly falling over as she goes from running to trying to swing herself into it, hissing quietly at the chair.
“Buckle, buckle you stupid thing.”
It clicks. The pod ejects. And Chloe sees the wreckage of the ship burning across the sky.
(It’s almost beautiful, the colours of the sky and the fire and the steel grey ship coexisting for a single moment, and then, of course, the ship hits the water with too much force and Chloe isn’t thinking of much but pain).
(and who might you be? Asks a curious being- tired, hurt, and ancient- and they watch)