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The harsh shriek of an alarm overhead cuts through the dark, lighting up the cabin in a stark red light. Jonny shoots up from where he was unconscious on his bed, barely clothed and on his feet in an instant. The sound repeats, the light flashes, and he realizes that the ship really is shuddering and swaying under him, not just in his intoxicated mind. The tone and the pattern take him a moment to decipher, then he’s running for the door. It slides open automatically in front of him with a hiss he barely catches. The hallway too is flooded in the emergency light, lurching in a way that nearly sends him sprawling on the floor. He uses his tail to balance, starting to run again just as Tim pokes his head out of his cabin.
“What the hell is going on?!” Tim shouts after him as he squints against the light.
“We hit an asteroid field!” Jonny yells over his shoulder.
Tim’s footfalls join in behind him, socked feet thudding on the floor. “Canons?”
“Canons!” Jonny snaps. He turns down one inclining corridor, Tim down the other.
The sound of metal rending fills the open space, the following jolt sending Jonny sliding backwards. He leans forward to counter it, spurred on by the alarm. He stops at a service door, which he wrenches over to reveal a ladder. He begins to climb two rungs at a time, knowing that the lift wouldn’t dare operate in an event like this.
He’s spit out at the top into another hall, where Nastya is already putting out a fire on the bridge. She, too, looks as though she’d just rolled out of bed in a robe and slippers and seemingly nothing else. Jonny zips past her with a pat on the shoulder, not waiting for her reaction.
He comes up to another door, nearly running into it before it slides open. He’s finally reached the cockpit, where Brian is frantically throwing switches. He looks up as Jonny enters and throws himself into the chair at Brian’s right hand.
“Asteroids!” Brian yells over the noise, not that it’s hard.
“Oh really?! I couldn’t tell! It’s not like we have an alarm code for that!” Jonny barks back, breathless.
Brian frowns. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m just trying to do my job !”
Jonny flips the switches on his side, taking manual controls. “Well you’re shit at it!”
Whatever retort Brian has is drowned out by a space rock slamming into the windscreen. Jonny and Brain both automatically raise arms to protect their faces. Jonny’s tail thrashes, and he slams a hand on the console.
“Tim, talk to me, what’s happening out there?!” He shouts into the microphone.
The speaker crackles in return, then comes an explosion. Finally, Tim’s voice; “Planetary collision, total annihilation on both ends! I gotta say Jonny, I’d like it a lot more from a few dozen miles away!”
“My apologies Tim, I’ll be sure to pass the message along to the pilot! We’ll plan better next time!” He snarls back.
“We didn’t plan for this, Jonny.” Brian snaps, starting to bank the ship left.
“No shit, Brian, I’m being sarcastic!” Jonny barks back.
“Now is not the time!” Brian answers.
Jonny frowns in response, bringing up the ship’s radar. Objects highlight in red all around her, some passing dangerously close to the solar sail as others collide with her body directly. He flicks a few switches and pulls a lever, then clicks another button on the speaker.
“Brian, keep Tim’s line open on your side, I’m getting Nastya.” Jonny commands as he connects to the bridge.
“Yessir!” He responds, doing just that as he continues to bank.
“Nas!” Jonny snaps off.
“A bit preoccupied here, Jonny!” Her voice responds, strained.
“Overclock the shields!”
Nastya makes a frustrated noise. “It’s not that simple, and we’re on fire!”
“I saw that, just get down to-!“ He starts.
She interrupts. “We’re on fire, Jonny, I’m not leaving right now!”
Jonny puts up his hands. “Fine! Fine, we’ll just-“ He pauses, looking at Brian. Then past him slightly. “Tim!”
“ Yeah?! ” Tim shouts back, distant now.
“Clear a path between twenty and forty degrees, wide enough for the ship! Brian, pull the sail in, I have an idea!” Jonny moves the radar in front of him, flicking a few more switches. Above the alarms, something begins to hum.
“I don’t like when you have ideas…” Brian responds, but the sail starts to retract.
“Just trust me on this one.” Jonny waves him off, watching the path start to clear. He picks up the microphone from the center console, clicking it on.
“Attention all crew, your humble captain advises that you hold the fuck on! As much fun as I’m having frolicking through this lovely field of debris, we’re about to make a quick little getaway at light speed .” He grins as he speaks.
“ What?! ” Tim and Nastya’s voices come through at the same time.
“ Are you fucking crazy?! I’m still out on the deck! ” Tim practically screams.
Jonny rolls his eyes. “Shut up, hold on, and keep shooting!”
Brian sputters. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!”
“Yeah, I do. Punch it, Brian!” Jonny grips the handle over his head, bracing for the force.
Brian, however, only stares at him. “I’m not doing that!”
Jonny’s grin turns into an equally manic frown. “Why the fuck not?! Captain’s orders! Go, hit it!”
“Tim is still on the deck and we’re taking heavy damage, you can’t just--! Jonny, you’ll get someone killed!” A pause. “You’re not even a captain!”
Jonny’s frown turns into an outright scowl. “Then I’ll do it myself!”
He launches away from his side and over to Brian’s, practically falling across his lap. His tail smacks Brian in the face just as huge brass hands seize his sides. Jonny’s hand falls on the largest, furthest lever, gripping it. As Brian pulls him away, he yanks it, and the ship lurches backwards. The familiar pressure of going sub-light hits him like a truck and he tumbles to the ground in a heap.
“Jonny!” Brian shouts, standing to push the lever back again.
The feeling immediately goes away, but the alarms stop. The emergency lights fade out, and the regular washed-out white ones fade in. From where he’s crumpled on the floor, Jonny begins to smile again. His tail gently thumps on the tiles. Brian slowly turns to him, looking furious.
Jonny blinks up at him. “…Are you nude?”
Brian, who is in fact nude, stoops down to lift him by the front of his plain white shirt with both fists. “You absolute-!” He stops himself.
In the newfound silence of the cockpit, a rapid mechanical ticking can be heard. Frantic, almost like a clock that fell behind and has to run to catch up. Brian abruptly sets Jonny back on his feet.
Jonny fumbles to stand straight, even keeps swaying. “Absolute what, Brian? It worked! ” Jonny puts his hands on his hips, tail still wagging proudly.
“Jonny, your mech-“ He starts to speak again.
“ Oh god, I’m gonna fucking throw up… ” Tim’s voice interrupts.
Brian instantly turns back to him. “Tim, are you alright?!”
“ I’m in one piece if that’s what you mean. If anyone needs me, I’ll be a puddle in the gun bay. ” Tim responds, followed by a click.
The door to the cockpit slides open a moment later, and Jonny is abruptly being smacked upside the head. He yelps and turns just in time to get Nastya’s finger in his face.
“Jonathan Vangelis d’Ville, you are the most reckless, brainless lump of flesh and screws I have ever met, what in the hell did you think you were doing?!” She snaps.
Jonny blinks at her with his hands up. Glances down, then back up. “Why are you also nude? Is there a memo I didn’t get again?”
She pulls her robe tighter, closing it. “ Jonny !”
“ Alright, alright, I’m sorry. Yes, it was a stupid idea, but it worked. It was a planetary collision we had no other way of getting around at that lazy pace we were making without getting beat to hell.” He crosses his arms, tail lashing now. “Besides, I didn’t hear any ideas coming out of you .”
Nastya’s face morphs into a snarl, jabbing him in the chest. “You could have gotten all of us killed if you had gotten even one thing wrong.”
“But I didn’t. It all went according to plan, we’re alive! And Aurora is relatively okay.” He defends.
“She needs repairs , Jonathan!” Nastya raises a fist as if to strike him over the head.
She doesn’t get the chance. Brian’s brass arm shoots out, hand wrapping completely around her wrist. “Nastya, not right now. Please.”
“Brian-“ She starts.
“Listen.” Brian demands, holding up a finger.
She, too, hears the clicking, her eyes falling on Jonny. First his face, then slowly to his chest. “Jonny.”
Jonny sighs heavily , “Whaaat?”
“Your heart.” She points, lowering her arm to free from Brain’s hold.
Jonny gently touches where he knows the gauge protrudes from his chest, borderline self-conscious. “Yeah?”
“It’s beating extremely fast, and somewhat irregularly.” Brian also points out.
That earns another eye roll from Jonny. “Yeah, it does that sometimes. Now why don’t you find someplace to put your bare copper ass that isn’t directly on the seats?” He starts to brush past Nastya, only for his arm to be grabbed this time.
“Where are you going?” Brian asks. Nastya crosses her arms, clearly still pissed.
“To get a drink, and maybe scrape up Tim’s liquified remains.” He huffs back.
“I think you should lay down…” Brian offers.
“In case you didn’t notice, I was laying down, then I was not, because some scrap-for-brains decided to get a touch too close to a natural disaster!” Jonny snaps.
Immediately, Brian’s expression goes from concerned to angry. “That wasn’t my fault! Do you really think I would steer us like that on purpose?! I’m not you, Jonny!”
Jonny barks a laugh, shaking off Brian’s hand and starting to exit again. “Even I’m not that stupid! I’d at least do it alone!” With that, he sweeps out…. Only to stumble on his third step and hit the wall.
Nastya… sighs. She sighs, and follows him, setting a hand on his back. “Jonny. Stop being a little asshole for five minutes?”
“Can I get a ‘ thank you Jonny, you’re such a smart and helpful captain!’ first?” He glares.
Brian and Nastya answer at the same time, “No.”
Nastya steps even closer. “How’s your vision?”
Jonny pauses, staring down the corridor. “Bad. It’s bad.”
Nastya curses softly, glancing over her shoulder. “Brian… Go put some pants on. I’m taking him to the living room.” She starts to wrap an arm around Jonny, aiming to help hold him up.
Jonny can only assume Brian salutes, then starts to walk away, back towards his quarters. He does let Nastya hold him up though, stumbling alongside her. “It’s called the Commons, Nas.”
“Do not get smart with me, Jonny. You got my girlfriend beaten up.” She retorts.
Jonny grimaces. “I didn’t get her beaten up!”
Nastya rolls her eyes and shakes her head, deciding not to keep pointing fingers.
As they pass the lift, the doors ding and slide open. Immediately, a far too chipper voice rings out. “Jonny! That was a right lovely show. You should have seen it from the lower decks, the rocks went straight past! Whoosh! ”
Jonny grimaces harder. “That’s nice, TS.”
“And I held on, just as you ordered. Clung straight to a box, it slid across the floor and went smack against the wall, with me on it.” The Toy Soldier continues, falling into step with them both.
“Sounds like a blast, TS.” Jonny responds.
“Quite more like a smashing good time.” It laughs at its own joke, then stops suddenly and looks him over. Its tone turns concerned. “Oh, did you get hurt?!”
“His mechanism is acting up.” Nastya answers. “I’m making him lie down.”
“ I’m making him lie down. ” Jonny mocks. Nastya glares, and that makes him look down at his bare feet.
“Oh, no… What’s the matter with it? Can I help?” The Toy Soldier swaps sides to be next to Jonny.
By now, the trio is rounding into the commons where a light in the middle hangs from the ceiling by its wires. Nastya’s description of it is accurate, though; The space is taken up by a large couch and a couple armchairs. Even a pool table rests at the back by a bay window to the stars, with the cues all knocked over now. An area rug that was clearly picked out by Ashes ties the room together in a mismatched sort of way.
Nastya drags Jonny over to the couch, starting to lower him down. “No, TS, I don’t think so.”
“Oh.” It almost deflates, pouting.
Jonny sits on the edge of the couch, wrapping his tail into his lap. “You know how you can help? Go find Tim!” He feigns enthusiasm.
The Toy Soldier immediately perks up. “Aye, sir!” It turns on its heel, marching out of the room again.
Nastya watches it go with a huff. “You know someone needs to look at it, Jonny. Are we going to do it the easy way?”
“Haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about, Nas.” He leans back, arms up on the back of the couch.
“The hard way it is, then. Stay here. Please?” She goes to step out again, and Jonny doesn’t stop her.
“I’m staying here, but not because you told me to.” Jonny scoffs back. He lets his head fall into the cushions, dizziness overtaking him by then.
The only sound in the room is the gentle spark of the busted light, and the rapid, irregular clunking of machine in his chest. He presses his hand to it, the gauge cold against his palm even through his shirt. He can almost feel the tubes on the outside pulsing with the force it’s taking to keep him running. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, it aches horribly in a way unique to these moments, a tight squeeze in his entire chest cavity. It makes his head swim and his stomach churn.
The next thing he knows, cold metal hands are wrapped around his bare ankles, yanking him into a supine position on the cushions. Jonny’s eyes snap open and at his feet is a fully-clothed Brian in a stupid t-shirt and well oversized sweatpants. His lips move, but the only sound he catches is rushing blood. Brian looks at him as though expecting an answer, eyebrows raised.
“Can’t hear you, mate.” He says, the sound distant.
Brian frowns, leaning over him. He speaks slowly. Check your heart , his lips read.
Jonny frowns. “Don’t do it…”
I’ll be careful. Brian voices.
“I’m not getting out of this, am I?” He sighs.
When Brian shakes his head, he relents. His shirt isn’t big enough to pull down far, but it can go up; He folds it up to his throat, showing off a swath of all kinds of scars, and tufts of hair. Also exposed is the gauge that protrudes from his chest, which is clicking rapidly against the highest end. Brian sits on his knees, leaning in close to examine it. He places three careful fingers just below the glass, eyebrows creasing in a way that shows concentration. He’s counting, though he can’t tell if it’s out loud or if he’s just mouthing the numbers. Jonny chooses that moment to let his eyes fall closed.