Expectations: The Red Shirt Always Dies
Series Expectations
Adventure Fourteen: The Red Shirt Always Dies Part 4 of 5
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: KyuWook, Yunjae, Various
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure
Length: Chaptered
Beta: tahoeturquoise
A/N: This story is inspired by Star Trek and the Kpop community.
Summary: Lives are put at risk when the captain makes a reckless decision. The away team struggles to survive a perilous journey filled with dangers. New heroes emerge while old heroes are lost.
Prior Adventures
It had all happened too quickly, Eunhyuk thought.
One moment he was moving up the mountain alongside Ensign SungGyu; the next the high pitched screams of Ensign Jonghyun had alerted them something was very wrong.
Eunhyuk turned around to find the other two crewmembers surrounded by a swarm…yes, a swarm of flying spiders.
“The Jex!” SungGyu shouted as if it were the worst curse word he knew. The younger man had his phaser out, and was running toward the swarm before Eunhyuk had even caught his breath, much less moved.
Eunhyuk quickly followed suit, pulling out his phaser. He had never fired a phaser outside of practice drills. As he raced after SungGyu toward the swarm, he could not imagine what they could do to save the other two men, not if the poison was as deadly as they had been told. How could they possibly shoot the Jex without hitting Jonghyun and Dr. Nam?
SungGyu raised his phaser and fired a wide range stun beam, dropping everything in its path.
“Of course,” Eunhyuk muttered under his breath as he raced with SungGyu to the fallen crewmembers. Stunning Jonghyun, Dr. Nam, and the Jex was the only option they had.
Eunhyuk and SungGyu reached the fallen crew members at the same time. Eunhyuk knelt down beside Jonghyun and searched for a pulse. He quickly found a strong and steady pulse. He looked Jonghyun over and found no bites from the Jex. “I think he is just stunned.”
“Damn!”
Eunhyuk looked up from Jonghyun to see SungGyu pull the med-kit away from Dr. Nam and run it over the man’s pale, limp body. Eunhyuk dropped Jonghyun’s wrist and reached over to feel WooHyun’s neck, searching for his carotid pulse. The doctor’s skin was cool and clammy to the touch. Eunhyuk was barely able to find the pulse; it was weak and thready. On the side of the doctor’s face was a large welt that seemed to be getting bigger by the second.
“He’s not breathing,” Eunhyuk told SungGyu in a strangely calm voice; years of Star Fleet drills had done their job. Eunhyuk knew the doctor’s time was running out. He repositioned the doctor’s neck and got ready to start breathing for him.
SungGyu tossed the useless med-kit away. He pulled out his phaser, adjusted the settings and fired toward the frozen stream at what appeared to be its deepest point.
Eunhyuk watched as the water instantly melted.
“Help me get him in the water,” SungGyu commanded.
The navigator was instantly up, helping the other ensign carry the lifeless doctor to the water. Eunhyuk was amazed at how strong he felt as he helped SungGyu lower the doctor into the water.
“He has to sink,” SungGyu shouted as they pushed the doctor down into the water. Once the doctor was completely emerged SungGyu grabbed Eunhyuk and pulled him back to the bank with him. Then he pulled out his phaser, adjusted the settings again, and fired once more at the icy water, watching impassively as the ice reformed.
Eunhyuk, who had not questioned anything, stared down at the frozen ice. “What did we just do?”
“Hopefully, we bought him enough time,” SungGyu explained, wiping his brow. “If we can keep him frozen…until we get the shield down, the Expectations might…will be able to save him. The med-kits are as useless as the tricorders here.”
Eunhyuk looked up at the Fortress of Snow at the mountain’s peak. “Another reason we must succeed.”
“Yes,” SungGyu agreed as he knelt down by Jonghyun. “Also, if the Jex are stirring…we have no time to waste. Help me revive him. Time is running out.”
********************
Ryeowook walked into sickbay keen on distracting himself with work. He wanted to focus on anything but the path Kyuhyun was set to embark on. He was also eager to divert his attention from the distance he and his husband had between them now. That they had drifted so far apart…so far apart that Kyuhyun didn’t even trust him stung.
He looked around the empty sickbay and he prayed it remained empty…and not filled with the bodies of the young crewmembers the captain had knowingly sent into harm’s way. He hated the traitorous thoughts floating around inside his mind, but he couldn’t deny them. Yunho and Kyuhyun were right to be upset.
Ryeowook strolled through sickbay but came to a stop as he caught movement in Sulli’s room at the back of sickbay out of the corner of his eye. He moved towards it expecting to find Lieutenant SooYoung, but instead found Heechul standing over the young girl with a familiar look of affection on his face.
“Still fond of her?”
Heechul turned around to face the other doctor. “What?”
Ryeowook walked closer to the bed and pointed at Sulli. “You were very attached to her…in your former state.”
“In my demented state.”
“Yes.”
Heechul looked back down at the sleeping girl. “And you think I still am?”
“You were looking at her fondly, or it at least looked that way to me.”
“Was it fondly or compassionately?” Heechul asked to clarify, his tone sounding strangely curious.
“All doctors have compassion…or all good doctors have compassion. I thought I saw affection in your expression…fondness.”
Heechul reached down and trailed a finger across the surface of the bed. “I was a compassionate doctor?”
“Of course.”
“And even in my demented state…I was fond of this girl?”
“Yes,” Ryeowook answered uneasily. “Is something wrong?”
Heechul shook his head, his eyes still glued to Sulli. “No.”
“You just seem…off.”
Heechul met Ryeowook’s gaze. “Do I?”
“Yes, but feeling affection for Sulli…that seems right.”
Heechul looked back down at the girl. “She was held against her will, raped and beaten for over a year…perhaps, even in a demented state I could find my compassion for such a wounded soul.”
“If anyone could…it would be you.”
“This brain is highly evolved,” Heechul agreed. “Perhaps, it should not ever be underestimated…its power…its capacity for compassion.”
“This brain…”
Heechul quickly explained, “My brain, of course; Changmin was the only one that could compete with my intelligence, but now we know he was no mere human. Ensign Henry is highly intelligent in certain areas, but he lacks the overall intelligence Changmin and I shared.”
Ryeowook looked doubtful. “I don’t think Changmin got his intelligence from Jaejoong.”
“Doctor…dear doctor,” Heechul guffawed unable to hide his amusement at the younger doctor’s words. “I am sure Jaejoong is much more intelligent than he seems to be. Appearing intelligent is not…is not a great priority for those who are naturally superior.”
“Then what about Changmin?” Ryeowook asked curiously. “He loved reminding us of how smart he was.”
“Changmin was the exception to many rules.”
“True,” Ryeowook agreed looking down to Sulli. “Do you think she will awaken when Changmin is born?”
Heechul tensed. “Is that the theory?”
“Just one,” Ryeowook answered. “I don’t put much faith in it.”
“Dr. Cho, I wouldn’t spread that theory around if I were you,” Heechul told Ryeowook without answering the question.
Ryeowook frowned. “You wouldn’t?”
“No,” Heechul answered as he turned to leave the room. “Not in times like these.”
Ryeowook followed after Heechul and asked, “Why have you not declared Captain Leeteuk unfit for command.”
Heechul stopped in his tracks and turned back around to face Ryeowook. “He is not unfit.”
“Is he not?”
“No, he is completely sane.”
“Then why is he making such poor choices?”
Heechul shook his head and explained, “Doctor, just because you do not agree with his choices does not make him insane. This ship is not a democracy, we do not follow a majority vote.”
“I know…aren’t you upset that so many lives are at risk?”
“Yes, I am…I find it very unsettling…actually.”
****************
Yoochun’s eyes never left Yunho, who was standing as close to the force field as he could get, glaring out at the empty security department. “Next time you are not allowed to talk.”
Yunho didn’t turn around or acknowledge Yoochun had spoken.
“Seriously, you went all Prince of Joong on him…or are you the Princess of Joong?”
Yunho remained silent.
Kyuhyun, who was leaning against the wall, fought to keep from smiling as he looked down at Yoochun, who was sitting on the floor beside him. “Are you going to do the talking next time?”
“No, you are sugar lips,” Yoochun told Commander Cho. “Sungmin would have been putty in our hands if you had sweet talked him.”
Commander Cho rolled his eyes. “I highly doubt that.”
“It’s true…we would have already been out of here.”
“I believe the days of me being able to sweet talk our Security Chief are long past,” Kyuhyun told the engineer. Kyuhyun had not forgotten the beating he had received at the hands of Sungmin not long ago.
“You are wrong.”
“Is he not in a relationship with the Prince Siwon?”
Yoochun shook his head. “Oh, the prince doesn’t really favor dick, but he likes being celibate less. Once the prince woos Lieutenant SooYoung into his bed-his time with Sungmin will be a thing of memory.”
“You are a real asshole.”
“It’s the truth,” Yoochun maintained. “I hope the little traitor is listening in on this conversation, because let me assure him he is a straight man’s poor substitute for a woman…and for a woman like Lieutenant SooYoung-he’s no substitute at all.”
“Yoochun…” Commander Cho warned.
“It’s true. I am as bisexual as they come…but damn, I’d toss many a man aside for the pleasure of sliding my hands up those very long---perfect legs. I could write many a song about the flawlessness of those legs. I can’t say I blame the prince at all…not at all.”
“Yoochun,” Yunho snapped, not turning around. “Can you make some attempt to act in a slightly professional manner?”
Yoochun held up his hands. “We are prisoners. I am just getting into my role. I am going to be the twisted, nasty prisoner that all the young boys fear.”
Kyuhyun’s expression darkened and he walked to the opposite side of the detention cell.
“You are purposely antagonizing Lieutenant Sungmin,” Yunho informed the engineer.
“Yeah,” Yoochun confirmed with a grin. “Don’t act like you care…I heard it in your voice. You are done with Lieutenant Sungmin. I have seen this before.”
“Don’t.”
“Yunho, I am not judging you,” Yoochun informed the former captain. “You Jung boys have your limits when it comes to people. Changmin, he only allows for a certain amount of stupidity when dealing with others, but your limit has to do with honor.”
“I am not done with anyone.”
Yoochun smiled fondly at Yunho. “When you get the ship back…and you will get the ship back…Sungmin will no longer be the chief of security.”
Yunho turned around and stared down at the engineer. “You think you know me so well?”
Yoochun clutched his chest. “I do and I am so happy for Kangin. He finally gets to move up in the universe.”
“You are certain of this?”
“Yunho, I know you better than any man…well, any man who does not have the benefit of telepathy…but honestly, most the time I think I know you better than your bondmate.”
“You think so…”
“Yep, and it is because I know you so well that I’d follow you to hell and back-or the brig.”
Yunho smiled. “So you would follow me to hell?”
Yoochun met Yunho’s gaze and confirmed, “Anywhere. I know my path is best served with you. I just wish…”
“You wish what?” Yunho prompted.
“That one of us would have fucking thought to cut the power to the damn transporters,” Yoochun wistfully told his oldest friend.
Yunho let out a sigh and nodded his head. “You and me both.”
**************************
“If I make it out of here alive, I am going to kill them both.”
Minho, who was tied to a wooden pole beside the angry older ensign, asked, “Them both?”
“Yes, I am going to kill Lieutenant Yesung and then the captain….right after I kill all these little fuckers,” Kangin vowed as he glared at the villagers who were busying themselves with what they were calling The Great Blood Sacrifice.
“I did repeatedly question the logic in feasting with a people who admit to worshipping the Blood God when the Jex are known for sucking their victims dry of blood.”
“Yes, we know,” Yesung snapped from the other side of Minho. After feasting the night before, all of Yesung’s away team had awakened to find themselves stripped nude, paralyzed, and tied to poles topped by totems of the Jex in the middle of the village. The elders of the village had regretfully informed them they would be sacrificed in an attempt to appease the Jex and spare the village. “You were right, okay? You were right! I was an idiot! Now, think of a way to get us out of here.”
“I remain mostly paralyzed and unable to move my extremities and even speaking proves to be difficult. Escape at this time seems very unlikely,” Minho informed the lieutenant. “The paralytic they slipped to us during the feast is most affective,” Minho reminded Lieutenant Yesung. “At this time, I see no chance for escape.”
Yesung looked to his opposite side where the young ensign beside him could only blink his eyes and was unable to speak. “I know…some of us have not even regained the use of our tongues.”
“I also voiced my objection to eating food that had not been scanned by a functional tricorder,” Minho reminded the other lieutenant.
Kangin nodded his head remembering Minho’s warnings. “You need to be more like Changmin when he suggested something-”
“You listened to Changmin because Captain Jung made you listen…he did not so easily disregard the advice of the science department,” Minho finished, sounding miffed.
“I was going to say Changmin made you feel stupider than Rictulim Scum if you did not follow his advice.”
“True,” Minho conceded. “I never mastered that aspect of my mentor’s personality.”
“To be honest, Changmin was always like that. I remember when Yunho, Yoochun and I were first years and we would have small holidays from the academy, Yunho would take us back to his house. His mom was a real peach, but Changmin had a mouth on him even then. I wish I’d known back then it was separation anxiety from being away from daddy…I would have loved to give him hell for it.” Kangin grinned just imagining the indignant look Changmin would have given him.
“I wish Changmin had been here yesterday,” Yesung admitted with a sigh.
“Me too,” Kangin said wistfully.
“Lieutenant Jung would never have agreed to come on such an ill-advised mission,” Minho pointed out.
“Very true,” Kangin concurred.
“Wish I had not agreed to it,” Yesung conceded.
“Maybe the Golden Boy will save us yet,” Kangin said wistfully.
Minho cast his eyes up toward the top of the mountain where the great fortress stood. “It is highly doubtful. The villagers have reported seeing the Jex in the wooded areas surrounding the mountain…Ensign SungGyu’s team will be in the midst of them.”
“I hope you are wrong,” Yesung confided. “I really hope you are wrong.”
“As do I,” Minho confessed. “But if the bite of the Jex is as poisonous as the villagers claim then success would prove extremely unlikely.”
“I thought they paralyzed you and then sucked your blood?” Kangin asked, confused.
“They do and what the villagers used on us is no doubt a much diluted dose of the Jex’s powerful paralytic. Undiluted, the Jex paralytic is much stronger and humans can only live for a few minutes after being bitten. Their hearts and lungs would quickly cease to function.”
“And we are being sacrificed to them,” Yesung said, groaning.
“Yes,” Minho confirmed. “The villagers hope when the Jex descend on this village they will take us as an offering and spare the village…which is very unlikely.”
“Can either of you two move your fingers?” Yesung asked, unable to hide his increasing panic.
“Nope,” Kangin answered.
“No,” Minho replied.
Yesung sighed and shut his eyes. “Then I fear we are doomed.”
Kangin disagreed, “Nah, I wouldn’t count Yunho out just yet.”
“Yunho…isn’t in command,” Yesung pointed out, and then reluctantly added. “He can only save us…if Captain Leeteuk allows him to do so.”
Kangin smiled and stared up at the mountain, “No, I think Yunho was working on our rescue plan even before we left, and I wouldn’t count his golden boy out just yet either.”
*******************
“Enter,” Jaejoong said, responding to the door chime alerting him to the fact that somebody wanted in his quarters.
“Jaejoong!” Ryeowook exclaimed in a panicked voice as he entered the large quarters that Yunho and Jaejoong shared.
The Joong, who had been resting, awkwardly sat up in bed after hearing the alarm in his friend’s voice. “What’s happened now?”
Ryeowook barged into the bedroom, out of breath and waving his arms in the air. “Don’t panic!”
Jaejoong watched the doctor, who was obviously panicking, while he rubbed his large belly. “I am fine, Changmin is fine, and Yunho is fine…why would I panic?”
“Yunho is fine?”
“Yes, the bond says he is fine…I can’t telepathically connect to him but I know his health is fine…why are you questioning it?”
“Ummm…Yunho is in the brig.”
“Isn’t that like jail?”
“Yes,” Ryeowook responded. “He’s in jail with my estranged husband…who doesn’t trust me, and Commander Yoochun.”
Jaejoong got off the bed as gracefully as he could manage, which wasn’t graceful at all. “I can understand Commander Yoochun ending up in jail…but my Yunho? Why is my Yunho in jail?”
“They haven’t been charged with anything yet…and I only know they are in the brig because someone from security told me. Apparently he…he was going to let Yunho out, but Sungmin dismissed him before he could do it.”
“Sungmin has Yunho in jail?”
“Yes, on Leeteuk’s orders. Nobody knows though, if the person from security had not told me…I would not know. I tried to see them but they won’t allow visitors in there”
Jaejoong let out a growl and headed out of the bedroom. “The number of ingrates aboard this ship is astoundingly large.”
“They haven’t charged them, like I said…which is not customary. You can’t just lock up officers without charging them,” Ryeowook said in disbelief as he followed Jaejoong out of the cabin.
“There is nothing to charge them with! Yunho has done nothing wrong.”
“I don’t know…” Ryeowook paused, not wanting to voice his suspicions. “Nobody has charged them but Yunho has charged Captain Leeteuk with a multitude of wrong doings…along with Lieutenant Sungmin. From the charges against them…it appears the captain and Sungmin have been holding Shindong against his will for weeks.”
Jaejoong headed down the corridor toward the lifts, not saying anything as Ryeowook continued to rattle on.
“Also they beamed them to the brig…from on the ship. That is dangerous and forbidden. I can’t believe they would do that…although, they were probably scared of Yoochun. If Yoochun had got wind of their plan he could hold the whole ship hostage. Everybody knows Yoochun is only loyal to Yunho and apparently my husband is only loyal to Yunho, too.”
Jaejoong entered the lift and ordered for it to take them to the bridge.
“Why are we going to the bridge?” Ryeowook asked, alarmed.
“I am going to confront the…the captain directly,” Jaejoong informed the doctor. “I have had enough of this childish behavior. It’s so frustrating having to be told what is going on.”
“I can only imagine,” Ryeowook told the Joong, imagining how difficult it must be for a person who normally could read minds like other people use their senses of hearing and sight to lose the ability.
The doors to the lift opened and Jaejoong stepped onto the bridge and every eye was on him. He immediately headed for Leeteuk, who sat in the center of the bridge in the captain’s chair. “Lackluster human, explain to me why you are holding my mate against his will?”
The crew, who had not heard of Yunho’s arrest, let out a collective gasp of surprise.
Commander Ji-Hoon, who sat beside Captain Leeteuk, informed Jaejoong, “I don’t believe you have permission to be on the bridge.”
“I don’t believe I asked for permission, nor do I require it.”
A shocked Ensign Junsu turned around in his seat at the helm to look at the captain. “Why? Why is Cap…Commander Jung being held?”
“That’s what I am trying to find out,” Jaejoong informed the ensign without taking his eyes off Captain Leeteuk.
Dr. Cho added, “Also Kyuhyun and Commander Yoochun are being held in the brig.”
Jaejoong’s eyes drilled into the captain’s, who just smiled back to him. “Yes, the three men this weak specimen of humanity find most intimidating are all locked away.”
“My dear Jaejoong, you insult me. Tell me, has your telepathy returned?” Leeteuk asked as he stood up. “Are you able to see into my mind?”
With a look of utter disdain, Jaejoong informed the captain, “I don’t require telepathy to spot your weaknesses…they are glaringly obvious to those of us that are more evolved than the average amoeba.”
Lieutenant Sungmin, who had been standing quietly at the back of the bridge, stepped forward. “Jaejoong, that was entirely inappropriate.”
“Hush, peasant,” Jaejoong snapped at the security chief as he held up his hand in Sungmin’s direction.
Sungmin opened his mouth to respond, but Leeteuk shook his head stopping him. “It’s alright, Sungmin. I want to hear about my glaring weaknesses. What are they?” Leeteuk asked, looking truly interested in what Jaejoong had to say.
“Release Yunho and we will both tell you,” Jaejoong told the captain with a wicked smile.
Leeteuk smiled just as wickedly back to at the Joong. “You tell me first.”
Jaejoong tilted his head and peered closely at Leeteuk and carefully explained, “There is something…terribly unethical about you…cruel…criminal. I have an instinctive dislike of you…which oddly, I did not have when you were a brainless, nude shell of a human being.”
“Is that so?” Leeteuk asked, remaining nonchalant.
Jaejoong gaze shifted to Commander Ji-Hoon, who fidgeted underneath Jaejoong’s scrutiny, and added, “Yes; I feel the same way towards him. There is something not right about you two…and even Doctor Kim is surprisingly more repugnant, now. Why is that?”
“Lieutenant Sungmin, escort Jaejoong to visit Commander Jung and the others,” Captain Leeteuk ordered his calm exterior remaining intact. “Please assure Commander Jung that I am sure it is all a terrible misunderstanding and I will be down to resolve the situation shortly.”
“I am going with him,” Ryeowook declared.
“Of course, Doctor,” Captain Leeteuk told them as he sat back down in the captain’s chair looking unperturbed to all who saw him.
**********
Eunhyuk looked out on the graveyard of skeletons that covered the landscape surrounding the stone fortress that towered above them. They had made it up to the mountain’s peak in record time. The three of them had moved as one with one goal in mind. The complaining that had filled the first part of their journey had completely disappeared as they raced to save Doctor Nam and all the other helpless souls trapped underneath the shield. They had easily dealt with the Jex that had appeared on their journey both swiftly and efficiently, but their unease rose with the increasing number of Jex sightings.
“It really is a puzzle…a puzzle,” Ensign Jonghyun said in disbelief while shaking his head as he read the warning again that was carved into the great door of the fortress. “That we made it here…isn’t enough. We have to solve a puzzle.”
Eunhyuk, whose eyes were on the skeletons of the beings who had come before them, stated, “And it is not an easy puzzle.”
“No, not easy,” Jonghyun agreed.
“So many failed…to solve the puzzle,” Eunhyuk stated, rubbing his arms feeling a chill even through the insulated clothing he wore.
“These bones, are they all from beings that live on his planet?” Jonghyun questioned, pointing to the skeletons that were different shapes and sizes.
“No, I don’t think so,” Eunhyuk answered as he looked at one extremely large skeleton that had unusually large teeth. “I just hope if anything like that one is on the planet…they are far away and they stay far away.”
“What kind of prize is worth so much that so many people threw their lives away to get it? What could it…” Jonghyun paused as he heard Ensign SungGyu discharge his phaser. “What is he doing?”
“I don’t see any Jex,” Eunhyuk stated as he hurried in the direction of Ensign SungGyu, who was outside the fortress’s gates.
Jonghyun followed after Eunhyuk as they hurried to Ensign SungGyu. He had a carved out a shallow cave in a huge rock that faced out from the mountain. He looked at them and explained, “This spot seemed the safest.”
“Safest for what?” Ensign Jonghyun asked, confused.
“I want you two to wait here for me. If the Jex appear again, you can take turns with the phasers protecting yourself. The dome’s force field is not strong enough to withstand a major Jex attack. This way, they will only have one way of getting to you. With the phasers you should be safe. You just have to take turns shooting at them. The phasers don’t have an endless energy supply, but they will last a really long time if you are careful with them.”
Eunhyuk blinked, stunned by what he realized the other ensign was implying. “You are going in there…in there by yourself?”
SungGyu nodded his head. “Yes, it’s the smartest course of action.”
“It’s suicide!” Jonghyun protested immediately. “It’s probably suicide if we all go in there…but to go alone…that’s crazy!”
“It’s not suicide,” SungGyu said, objecting. “It’s the best chance we have.”
“And if you don’t come back?” Eunhyuk asked at a loss. “What do we do if you don’t come back?”
SungGyu met Eunhyuk’s gaze. “Then you have to decide for yourself if you are going to complete the mission. I can’t make you do anything...but if I don’t come back…the success of the mission…the lives of so many will rest on your shoulders.”
Eunhyuk swallowed nervously, never wanting such a burden placed on him. “Maybe we should just wait…the Expectations could still save us.”
“I don’t think so,” SungGyu told the older ensign. “I think we have to save ourselves.”
Eunhyuk looked up at the sky and remembered Junsu’s warnings. “Were we ever expected to survive this mission or were we doomed from the start?”
SungGyu reached out and grabbed Eunhyuk tightly by the wrist, making him look him in the eye. “We are only doomed if we allow it.”
Eunhyuk tried to pull his wrist free, but SungGyu held on firmly. “No,” SungGyu persisted. “You have to put those negative thoughts out of your head…they have no place here.”
Eunhyuk pleaded with the younger man, “How can you say that? You’ve seen the graveyard of bones…there are thousands of skeletons. How can you say we aren’t doomed after seeing that?”
“They were not us!” SungGyu answered resolutely. “I don’t know why they were here…what they were looking for, but we are here to save lives. We have a greater purpose and we won’t fail. We can’t fail.”
Eunhyuk shook his head refusing to be persuaded. “If you thought success was guaranteed…you wouldn’t have built this hole for us to hide in. You are not even sure if you will survive!”
“Ensign Eunhyuk, the mission’s success is not determined by whether I live or die. Don’t get me wrong, because believe me, I have no desire or intention of dying,” SungGyu told him after releasing his wrist. “If I don’t make it out…if I get in trouble in there…hopefully you can succeed where I failed.”
“We will,” Jonghyun vowed, unwillingly moved by the other man’s words.
SungGyu smiled at Jonghyun and confirmed, “You will.”
“But we won’t need to…you will get the force field down,” Jonghyun told SungGyu clinging to his positivity. “I know you will. I have every faith in you…just like Lieutenant SooYoung does and like Commander Jung does. You can do it!”
“I hope so…but if I don’t make it back…tell Doctor Nam-tell him I am really sorry,” SungGyu told Jonghyun as he backed away from them.
Eunhyuk let a loud sigh, feeling the weight of their situation. “You saved his life. What do you have to apologize for? It isn’t like you had a choice.”
SungGyu gave Eunhyuk a confident grin. “Now, that’s what I like to hear. We saved his life and we are going to get this shield down. We are going to save everyone!”
“And we will be heroes,” Jonghyun added, smiling triumphantly as he watched SungGyu hurry toward the Fortress of Snow.
**************
Yunho watched as his blond, blue eyed, very pregnant mate approached the cell with Ryeowook at his side.
“You didn’t know you were bonded to criminal, did you?” Yunho said in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“I am not,” Jaejoong answered firmly. “I am bonded to a man of great honor, loyalty, integrity and decency.”
“You will make me blush.”
Yoochun appeared beside Yunho and declared, “I think it is time for Changmin to be born.”
“That would be really nice,” Kyuhyun agreed.
“Yes, wouldn’t that be great?” Jaejoong replied, irritated. “Nobody wants him to be born more than I do.”
“Can’t you just cut him out?” Yoochun asked, looking to Ryeowook. “What did they used to call it…a caesarian section?
“No!” Ryeowook answered, horrified. “Babies are born when babies are ready to be born. Not when it is convenient for their parents. Even taking a human baby before it is ready to be born can lead to psychological damage and immunological weaknesses.”
Yoochun rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know, but Jaejoong could heal the baby and his telepathic powers could really help us out, right now.”
“They could,” Jaejoong agreed. “But if cutting Changmin out was an option I would have done it days ago.”
“You thought about cutting him out?” Yunho asked with a frown.
“Yunho….don’t; you don’t have to look like this…feel like this.” Jaejoong informed his mate. “You can not possibly understand.”
“You are beautiful-”
“Stop,” Jaejoong commanded, interrupting Yunho. “I swear if you tell me I am beautiful in this condition one more time…”
Yoochun gave Yunho annoyed look and impatiently asked, “Can we get back to the subject at hand? We are prisoners! I’d help Jaejoong cut Changmin out at this point.”
“But sadly, even if it was a possibility it would not solve our immediate problem,” Jaejoong explained.
“It wouldn’t?” Yunho asked.
“No, once Changmin is born I will immediately start shifting back to my prior form.”
Yunho was unable to hide his alarm. “What do you mean? Will it take days like before? You were in so much pain.”
“No,” Jaejoong answered, shaking his head. “I will be evolving into a lesser being…a human. It will not take as long.”
“A lesser being?” Ryeowook questioned. “You still have telepathy and all your other abilities in your human form.”
“Yes, but I am still not in my highly evolved Joong form.”
Kyuhyun fought to keep from grinning when he said in a deadpan voice, “I think we all have just been insulted.”
Yoochun nodded his head. “I am sure of it.”
Yunho ignored the insult and asked, “Jaejoong, you once told Changmin and I there were rogue Joongs.”
“I did.”
“Is it possible for Joongs…to take over humans?” Yunho asked. “To control them?”
“Yunho, surely you know I can make a human do whatever I want.”
“That isn’t what I am asking. I am asking…can a Joong consciousness inhabit a human body and control them?”
A look of fear appeared on Jaejoong’s face. “There were occasions…in the past…yes.”
“Why are you asking that,” Ryeowook demanded, feeling a chill run up his spine.
“Shindong was locked away because he questioned Captain Leeteuk on why the ship kept visiting planets known for holding ancient Joong artifacts,” Kyuhyun explained, understanding immediately what Yunho was hinting at.
Yoochun backed up against the wall of the cell. “Is it possible? It would explain a lot. They do seem off. Commander Ji-Hoon used to be a pretty decent guy.”
“But Heechul is still Heechul,” Ryeowook maintained.
“No,” Yunho said with conviction. “He is not.”
Ryeowook shook his head, disagreeing. “I know you are not happy with him, but I have worked closely with him for years. True, at times he seems off…but I have seen the Heechul we have always known and loved.”
Yoochun disagreed, “Doctor Cho, I am going to have to side with Yunho. Heechul has not been the same since he came back…not even close.”
“If it is…” Jaejoong paused and stated with certainty, “It is true. I have felt…a strong dislike for them since they returned to their mental facilities, but I thought it had to do with Leeteuk usurping command from Yunho and the other two supporting him.”
“So the bastard hasn’t been eavesdropping on us with the ship…they are telepathic. That’s just great!” Yoochun declared. “We are so screwed.”
“No,” Jaejoong insisted. “The human bodies they inhabit are not capable of telepathy.”
“But it is believed that some humans will have the capacity for telepathy in the future,” Ryeowook corrected. “Some humans are born with empathic abilities.”
“Not like a Joong though,” Jaejoong insisted.
“The Guardian will transport Earth humans…” Yunho stated and he suddenly paled as a horrible thought occurred to him, but he chose to keep it to himself.
“Yes, but I have never met an Earth Human…that wasn’t my biological son that was telepathic or even remotely so,” Jaejoong maintained.
“Really? How many times have you told me I was special? Didn’t the gateway open quickly between us?” Yunho questioned.
“We have a timeless love,” Jaejoong insisted.
“Or maybe it has something to do with my earthling brain,” Yunho maintained.
“This brain is highly evolved compared to the others on this ship,” Ryeowook repeated, horrified as he realized the truth. “That’s what Heechul said today…he was talking about himself. I found it odd…but it was Heechul, who is always a little odd…so I didn’t think too much of it.”
“Heechul…Heechul was anything but ordinary,” Kyuhyun added. “Even demented he could see right through people.”
Jaejoong reluctantly agreed, “He was very complex…for a human.”
Adventure Fourteen: The Red Shirt Always Dies Part 4 of 5
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: KyuWook, Yunjae, Various
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure
Length: Chaptered
Beta: tahoeturquoise
A/N: This story is inspired by Star Trek and the Kpop community.
Summary: Lives are put at risk when the captain makes a reckless decision. The away team struggles to survive a perilous journey filled with dangers. New heroes emerge while old heroes are lost.
Prior Adventures
It had all happened too quickly, Eunhyuk thought.
One moment he was moving up the mountain alongside Ensign SungGyu; the next the high pitched screams of Ensign Jonghyun had alerted them something was very wrong.
Eunhyuk turned around to find the other two crewmembers surrounded by a swarm…yes, a swarm of flying spiders.
“The Jex!” SungGyu shouted as if it were the worst curse word he knew. The younger man had his phaser out, and was running toward the swarm before Eunhyuk had even caught his breath, much less moved.
Eunhyuk quickly followed suit, pulling out his phaser. He had never fired a phaser outside of practice drills. As he raced after SungGyu toward the swarm, he could not imagine what they could do to save the other two men, not if the poison was as deadly as they had been told. How could they possibly shoot the Jex without hitting Jonghyun and Dr. Nam?
SungGyu raised his phaser and fired a wide range stun beam, dropping everything in its path.
“Of course,” Eunhyuk muttered under his breath as he raced with SungGyu to the fallen crewmembers. Stunning Jonghyun, Dr. Nam, and the Jex was the only option they had.
Eunhyuk and SungGyu reached the fallen crew members at the same time. Eunhyuk knelt down beside Jonghyun and searched for a pulse. He quickly found a strong and steady pulse. He looked Jonghyun over and found no bites from the Jex. “I think he is just stunned.”
“Damn!”
Eunhyuk looked up from Jonghyun to see SungGyu pull the med-kit away from Dr. Nam and run it over the man’s pale, limp body. Eunhyuk dropped Jonghyun’s wrist and reached over to feel WooHyun’s neck, searching for his carotid pulse. The doctor’s skin was cool and clammy to the touch. Eunhyuk was barely able to find the pulse; it was weak and thready. On the side of the doctor’s face was a large welt that seemed to be getting bigger by the second.
“He’s not breathing,” Eunhyuk told SungGyu in a strangely calm voice; years of Star Fleet drills had done their job. Eunhyuk knew the doctor’s time was running out. He repositioned the doctor’s neck and got ready to start breathing for him.
SungGyu tossed the useless med-kit away. He pulled out his phaser, adjusted the settings and fired toward the frozen stream at what appeared to be its deepest point.
Eunhyuk watched as the water instantly melted.
“Help me get him in the water,” SungGyu commanded.
The navigator was instantly up, helping the other ensign carry the lifeless doctor to the water. Eunhyuk was amazed at how strong he felt as he helped SungGyu lower the doctor into the water.
“He has to sink,” SungGyu shouted as they pushed the doctor down into the water. Once the doctor was completely emerged SungGyu grabbed Eunhyuk and pulled him back to the bank with him. Then he pulled out his phaser, adjusted the settings again, and fired once more at the icy water, watching impassively as the ice reformed.
Eunhyuk, who had not questioned anything, stared down at the frozen ice. “What did we just do?”
“Hopefully, we bought him enough time,” SungGyu explained, wiping his brow. “If we can keep him frozen…until we get the shield down, the Expectations might…will be able to save him. The med-kits are as useless as the tricorders here.”
Eunhyuk looked up at the Fortress of Snow at the mountain’s peak. “Another reason we must succeed.”
“Yes,” SungGyu agreed as he knelt down by Jonghyun. “Also, if the Jex are stirring…we have no time to waste. Help me revive him. Time is running out.”
********************
Ryeowook walked into sickbay keen on distracting himself with work. He wanted to focus on anything but the path Kyuhyun was set to embark on. He was also eager to divert his attention from the distance he and his husband had between them now. That they had drifted so far apart…so far apart that Kyuhyun didn’t even trust him stung.
He looked around the empty sickbay and he prayed it remained empty…and not filled with the bodies of the young crewmembers the captain had knowingly sent into harm’s way. He hated the traitorous thoughts floating around inside his mind, but he couldn’t deny them. Yunho and Kyuhyun were right to be upset.
Ryeowook strolled through sickbay but came to a stop as he caught movement in Sulli’s room at the back of sickbay out of the corner of his eye. He moved towards it expecting to find Lieutenant SooYoung, but instead found Heechul standing over the young girl with a familiar look of affection on his face.
“Still fond of her?”
Heechul turned around to face the other doctor. “What?”
Ryeowook walked closer to the bed and pointed at Sulli. “You were very attached to her…in your former state.”
“In my demented state.”
“Yes.”
Heechul looked back down at the sleeping girl. “And you think I still am?”
“You were looking at her fondly, or it at least looked that way to me.”
“Was it fondly or compassionately?” Heechul asked to clarify, his tone sounding strangely curious.
“All doctors have compassion…or all good doctors have compassion. I thought I saw affection in your expression…fondness.”
Heechul reached down and trailed a finger across the surface of the bed. “I was a compassionate doctor?”
“Of course.”
“And even in my demented state…I was fond of this girl?”
“Yes,” Ryeowook answered uneasily. “Is something wrong?”
Heechul shook his head, his eyes still glued to Sulli. “No.”
“You just seem…off.”
Heechul met Ryeowook’s gaze. “Do I?”
“Yes, but feeling affection for Sulli…that seems right.”
Heechul looked back down at the girl. “She was held against her will, raped and beaten for over a year…perhaps, even in a demented state I could find my compassion for such a wounded soul.”
“If anyone could…it would be you.”
“This brain is highly evolved,” Heechul agreed. “Perhaps, it should not ever be underestimated…its power…its capacity for compassion.”
“This brain…”
Heechul quickly explained, “My brain, of course; Changmin was the only one that could compete with my intelligence, but now we know he was no mere human. Ensign Henry is highly intelligent in certain areas, but he lacks the overall intelligence Changmin and I shared.”
Ryeowook looked doubtful. “I don’t think Changmin got his intelligence from Jaejoong.”
“Doctor…dear doctor,” Heechul guffawed unable to hide his amusement at the younger doctor’s words. “I am sure Jaejoong is much more intelligent than he seems to be. Appearing intelligent is not…is not a great priority for those who are naturally superior.”
“Then what about Changmin?” Ryeowook asked curiously. “He loved reminding us of how smart he was.”
“Changmin was the exception to many rules.”
“True,” Ryeowook agreed looking down to Sulli. “Do you think she will awaken when Changmin is born?”
Heechul tensed. “Is that the theory?”
“Just one,” Ryeowook answered. “I don’t put much faith in it.”
“Dr. Cho, I wouldn’t spread that theory around if I were you,” Heechul told Ryeowook without answering the question.
Ryeowook frowned. “You wouldn’t?”
“No,” Heechul answered as he turned to leave the room. “Not in times like these.”
Ryeowook followed after Heechul and asked, “Why have you not declared Captain Leeteuk unfit for command.”
Heechul stopped in his tracks and turned back around to face Ryeowook. “He is not unfit.”
“Is he not?”
“No, he is completely sane.”
“Then why is he making such poor choices?”
Heechul shook his head and explained, “Doctor, just because you do not agree with his choices does not make him insane. This ship is not a democracy, we do not follow a majority vote.”
“I know…aren’t you upset that so many lives are at risk?”
“Yes, I am…I find it very unsettling…actually.”
****************
Yoochun’s eyes never left Yunho, who was standing as close to the force field as he could get, glaring out at the empty security department. “Next time you are not allowed to talk.”
Yunho didn’t turn around or acknowledge Yoochun had spoken.
“Seriously, you went all Prince of Joong on him…or are you the Princess of Joong?”
Yunho remained silent.
Kyuhyun, who was leaning against the wall, fought to keep from smiling as he looked down at Yoochun, who was sitting on the floor beside him. “Are you going to do the talking next time?”
“No, you are sugar lips,” Yoochun told Commander Cho. “Sungmin would have been putty in our hands if you had sweet talked him.”
Commander Cho rolled his eyes. “I highly doubt that.”
“It’s true…we would have already been out of here.”
“I believe the days of me being able to sweet talk our Security Chief are long past,” Kyuhyun told the engineer. Kyuhyun had not forgotten the beating he had received at the hands of Sungmin not long ago.
“You are wrong.”
“Is he not in a relationship with the Prince Siwon?”
Yoochun shook his head. “Oh, the prince doesn’t really favor dick, but he likes being celibate less. Once the prince woos Lieutenant SooYoung into his bed-his time with Sungmin will be a thing of memory.”
“You are a real asshole.”
“It’s the truth,” Yoochun maintained. “I hope the little traitor is listening in on this conversation, because let me assure him he is a straight man’s poor substitute for a woman…and for a woman like Lieutenant SooYoung-he’s no substitute at all.”
“Yoochun…” Commander Cho warned.
“It’s true. I am as bisexual as they come…but damn, I’d toss many a man aside for the pleasure of sliding my hands up those very long---perfect legs. I could write many a song about the flawlessness of those legs. I can’t say I blame the prince at all…not at all.”
“Yoochun,” Yunho snapped, not turning around. “Can you make some attempt to act in a slightly professional manner?”
Yoochun held up his hands. “We are prisoners. I am just getting into my role. I am going to be the twisted, nasty prisoner that all the young boys fear.”
Kyuhyun’s expression darkened and he walked to the opposite side of the detention cell.
“You are purposely antagonizing Lieutenant Sungmin,” Yunho informed the engineer.
“Yeah,” Yoochun confirmed with a grin. “Don’t act like you care…I heard it in your voice. You are done with Lieutenant Sungmin. I have seen this before.”
“Don’t.”
“Yunho, I am not judging you,” Yoochun informed the former captain. “You Jung boys have your limits when it comes to people. Changmin, he only allows for a certain amount of stupidity when dealing with others, but your limit has to do with honor.”
“I am not done with anyone.”
Yoochun smiled fondly at Yunho. “When you get the ship back…and you will get the ship back…Sungmin will no longer be the chief of security.”
Yunho turned around and stared down at the engineer. “You think you know me so well?”
Yoochun clutched his chest. “I do and I am so happy for Kangin. He finally gets to move up in the universe.”
“You are certain of this?”
“Yunho, I know you better than any man…well, any man who does not have the benefit of telepathy…but honestly, most the time I think I know you better than your bondmate.”
“You think so…”
“Yep, and it is because I know you so well that I’d follow you to hell and back-or the brig.”
Yunho smiled. “So you would follow me to hell?”
Yoochun met Yunho’s gaze and confirmed, “Anywhere. I know my path is best served with you. I just wish…”
“You wish what?” Yunho prompted.
“That one of us would have fucking thought to cut the power to the damn transporters,” Yoochun wistfully told his oldest friend.
Yunho let out a sigh and nodded his head. “You and me both.”
**************************
“If I make it out of here alive, I am going to kill them both.”
Minho, who was tied to a wooden pole beside the angry older ensign, asked, “Them both?”
“Yes, I am going to kill Lieutenant Yesung and then the captain….right after I kill all these little fuckers,” Kangin vowed as he glared at the villagers who were busying themselves with what they were calling The Great Blood Sacrifice.
“I did repeatedly question the logic in feasting with a people who admit to worshipping the Blood God when the Jex are known for sucking their victims dry of blood.”
“Yes, we know,” Yesung snapped from the other side of Minho. After feasting the night before, all of Yesung’s away team had awakened to find themselves stripped nude, paralyzed, and tied to poles topped by totems of the Jex in the middle of the village. The elders of the village had regretfully informed them they would be sacrificed in an attempt to appease the Jex and spare the village. “You were right, okay? You were right! I was an idiot! Now, think of a way to get us out of here.”
“I remain mostly paralyzed and unable to move my extremities and even speaking proves to be difficult. Escape at this time seems very unlikely,” Minho informed the lieutenant. “The paralytic they slipped to us during the feast is most affective,” Minho reminded Lieutenant Yesung. “At this time, I see no chance for escape.”
Yesung looked to his opposite side where the young ensign beside him could only blink his eyes and was unable to speak. “I know…some of us have not even regained the use of our tongues.”
“I also voiced my objection to eating food that had not been scanned by a functional tricorder,” Minho reminded the other lieutenant.
Kangin nodded his head remembering Minho’s warnings. “You need to be more like Changmin when he suggested something-”
“You listened to Changmin because Captain Jung made you listen…he did not so easily disregard the advice of the science department,” Minho finished, sounding miffed.
“I was going to say Changmin made you feel stupider than Rictulim Scum if you did not follow his advice.”
“True,” Minho conceded. “I never mastered that aspect of my mentor’s personality.”
“To be honest, Changmin was always like that. I remember when Yunho, Yoochun and I were first years and we would have small holidays from the academy, Yunho would take us back to his house. His mom was a real peach, but Changmin had a mouth on him even then. I wish I’d known back then it was separation anxiety from being away from daddy…I would have loved to give him hell for it.” Kangin grinned just imagining the indignant look Changmin would have given him.
“I wish Changmin had been here yesterday,” Yesung admitted with a sigh.
“Me too,” Kangin said wistfully.
“Lieutenant Jung would never have agreed to come on such an ill-advised mission,” Minho pointed out.
“Very true,” Kangin concurred.
“Wish I had not agreed to it,” Yesung conceded.
“Maybe the Golden Boy will save us yet,” Kangin said wistfully.
Minho cast his eyes up toward the top of the mountain where the great fortress stood. “It is highly doubtful. The villagers have reported seeing the Jex in the wooded areas surrounding the mountain…Ensign SungGyu’s team will be in the midst of them.”
“I hope you are wrong,” Yesung confided. “I really hope you are wrong.”
“As do I,” Minho confessed. “But if the bite of the Jex is as poisonous as the villagers claim then success would prove extremely unlikely.”
“I thought they paralyzed you and then sucked your blood?” Kangin asked, confused.
“They do and what the villagers used on us is no doubt a much diluted dose of the Jex’s powerful paralytic. Undiluted, the Jex paralytic is much stronger and humans can only live for a few minutes after being bitten. Their hearts and lungs would quickly cease to function.”
“And we are being sacrificed to them,” Yesung said, groaning.
“Yes,” Minho confirmed. “The villagers hope when the Jex descend on this village they will take us as an offering and spare the village…which is very unlikely.”
“Can either of you two move your fingers?” Yesung asked, unable to hide his increasing panic.
“Nope,” Kangin answered.
“No,” Minho replied.
Yesung sighed and shut his eyes. “Then I fear we are doomed.”
Kangin disagreed, “Nah, I wouldn’t count Yunho out just yet.”
“Yunho…isn’t in command,” Yesung pointed out, and then reluctantly added. “He can only save us…if Captain Leeteuk allows him to do so.”
Kangin smiled and stared up at the mountain, “No, I think Yunho was working on our rescue plan even before we left, and I wouldn’t count his golden boy out just yet either.”
*******************
“Enter,” Jaejoong said, responding to the door chime alerting him to the fact that somebody wanted in his quarters.
“Jaejoong!” Ryeowook exclaimed in a panicked voice as he entered the large quarters that Yunho and Jaejoong shared.
The Joong, who had been resting, awkwardly sat up in bed after hearing the alarm in his friend’s voice. “What’s happened now?”
Ryeowook barged into the bedroom, out of breath and waving his arms in the air. “Don’t panic!”
Jaejoong watched the doctor, who was obviously panicking, while he rubbed his large belly. “I am fine, Changmin is fine, and Yunho is fine…why would I panic?”
“Yunho is fine?”
“Yes, the bond says he is fine…I can’t telepathically connect to him but I know his health is fine…why are you questioning it?”
“Ummm…Yunho is in the brig.”
“Isn’t that like jail?”
“Yes,” Ryeowook responded. “He’s in jail with my estranged husband…who doesn’t trust me, and Commander Yoochun.”
Jaejoong got off the bed as gracefully as he could manage, which wasn’t graceful at all. “I can understand Commander Yoochun ending up in jail…but my Yunho? Why is my Yunho in jail?”
“They haven’t been charged with anything yet…and I only know they are in the brig because someone from security told me. Apparently he…he was going to let Yunho out, but Sungmin dismissed him before he could do it.”
“Sungmin has Yunho in jail?”
“Yes, on Leeteuk’s orders. Nobody knows though, if the person from security had not told me…I would not know. I tried to see them but they won’t allow visitors in there”
Jaejoong let out a growl and headed out of the bedroom. “The number of ingrates aboard this ship is astoundingly large.”
“They haven’t charged them, like I said…which is not customary. You can’t just lock up officers without charging them,” Ryeowook said in disbelief as he followed Jaejoong out of the cabin.
“There is nothing to charge them with! Yunho has done nothing wrong.”
“I don’t know…” Ryeowook paused, not wanting to voice his suspicions. “Nobody has charged them but Yunho has charged Captain Leeteuk with a multitude of wrong doings…along with Lieutenant Sungmin. From the charges against them…it appears the captain and Sungmin have been holding Shindong against his will for weeks.”
Jaejoong headed down the corridor toward the lifts, not saying anything as Ryeowook continued to rattle on.
“Also they beamed them to the brig…from on the ship. That is dangerous and forbidden. I can’t believe they would do that…although, they were probably scared of Yoochun. If Yoochun had got wind of their plan he could hold the whole ship hostage. Everybody knows Yoochun is only loyal to Yunho and apparently my husband is only loyal to Yunho, too.”
Jaejoong entered the lift and ordered for it to take them to the bridge.
“Why are we going to the bridge?” Ryeowook asked, alarmed.
“I am going to confront the…the captain directly,” Jaejoong informed the doctor. “I have had enough of this childish behavior. It’s so frustrating having to be told what is going on.”
“I can only imagine,” Ryeowook told the Joong, imagining how difficult it must be for a person who normally could read minds like other people use their senses of hearing and sight to lose the ability.
The doors to the lift opened and Jaejoong stepped onto the bridge and every eye was on him. He immediately headed for Leeteuk, who sat in the center of the bridge in the captain’s chair. “Lackluster human, explain to me why you are holding my mate against his will?”
The crew, who had not heard of Yunho’s arrest, let out a collective gasp of surprise.
Commander Ji-Hoon, who sat beside Captain Leeteuk, informed Jaejoong, “I don’t believe you have permission to be on the bridge.”
“I don’t believe I asked for permission, nor do I require it.”
A shocked Ensign Junsu turned around in his seat at the helm to look at the captain. “Why? Why is Cap…Commander Jung being held?”
“That’s what I am trying to find out,” Jaejoong informed the ensign without taking his eyes off Captain Leeteuk.
Dr. Cho added, “Also Kyuhyun and Commander Yoochun are being held in the brig.”
Jaejoong’s eyes drilled into the captain’s, who just smiled back to him. “Yes, the three men this weak specimen of humanity find most intimidating are all locked away.”
“My dear Jaejoong, you insult me. Tell me, has your telepathy returned?” Leeteuk asked as he stood up. “Are you able to see into my mind?”
With a look of utter disdain, Jaejoong informed the captain, “I don’t require telepathy to spot your weaknesses…they are glaringly obvious to those of us that are more evolved than the average amoeba.”
Lieutenant Sungmin, who had been standing quietly at the back of the bridge, stepped forward. “Jaejoong, that was entirely inappropriate.”
“Hush, peasant,” Jaejoong snapped at the security chief as he held up his hand in Sungmin’s direction.
Sungmin opened his mouth to respond, but Leeteuk shook his head stopping him. “It’s alright, Sungmin. I want to hear about my glaring weaknesses. What are they?” Leeteuk asked, looking truly interested in what Jaejoong had to say.
“Release Yunho and we will both tell you,” Jaejoong told the captain with a wicked smile.
Leeteuk smiled just as wickedly back to at the Joong. “You tell me first.”
Jaejoong tilted his head and peered closely at Leeteuk and carefully explained, “There is something…terribly unethical about you…cruel…criminal. I have an instinctive dislike of you…which oddly, I did not have when you were a brainless, nude shell of a human being.”
“Is that so?” Leeteuk asked, remaining nonchalant.
Jaejoong gaze shifted to Commander Ji-Hoon, who fidgeted underneath Jaejoong’s scrutiny, and added, “Yes; I feel the same way towards him. There is something not right about you two…and even Doctor Kim is surprisingly more repugnant, now. Why is that?”
“Lieutenant Sungmin, escort Jaejoong to visit Commander Jung and the others,” Captain Leeteuk ordered his calm exterior remaining intact. “Please assure Commander Jung that I am sure it is all a terrible misunderstanding and I will be down to resolve the situation shortly.”
“I am going with him,” Ryeowook declared.
“Of course, Doctor,” Captain Leeteuk told them as he sat back down in the captain’s chair looking unperturbed to all who saw him.
**********
Eunhyuk looked out on the graveyard of skeletons that covered the landscape surrounding the stone fortress that towered above them. They had made it up to the mountain’s peak in record time. The three of them had moved as one with one goal in mind. The complaining that had filled the first part of their journey had completely disappeared as they raced to save Doctor Nam and all the other helpless souls trapped underneath the shield. They had easily dealt with the Jex that had appeared on their journey both swiftly and efficiently, but their unease rose with the increasing number of Jex sightings.
“It really is a puzzle…a puzzle,” Ensign Jonghyun said in disbelief while shaking his head as he read the warning again that was carved into the great door of the fortress. “That we made it here…isn’t enough. We have to solve a puzzle.”
Eunhyuk, whose eyes were on the skeletons of the beings who had come before them, stated, “And it is not an easy puzzle.”
“No, not easy,” Jonghyun agreed.
“So many failed…to solve the puzzle,” Eunhyuk stated, rubbing his arms feeling a chill even through the insulated clothing he wore.
“These bones, are they all from beings that live on his planet?” Jonghyun questioned, pointing to the skeletons that were different shapes and sizes.
“No, I don’t think so,” Eunhyuk answered as he looked at one extremely large skeleton that had unusually large teeth. “I just hope if anything like that one is on the planet…they are far away and they stay far away.”
“What kind of prize is worth so much that so many people threw their lives away to get it? What could it…” Jonghyun paused as he heard Ensign SungGyu discharge his phaser. “What is he doing?”
“I don’t see any Jex,” Eunhyuk stated as he hurried in the direction of Ensign SungGyu, who was outside the fortress’s gates.
Jonghyun followed after Eunhyuk as they hurried to Ensign SungGyu. He had a carved out a shallow cave in a huge rock that faced out from the mountain. He looked at them and explained, “This spot seemed the safest.”
“Safest for what?” Ensign Jonghyun asked, confused.
“I want you two to wait here for me. If the Jex appear again, you can take turns with the phasers protecting yourself. The dome’s force field is not strong enough to withstand a major Jex attack. This way, they will only have one way of getting to you. With the phasers you should be safe. You just have to take turns shooting at them. The phasers don’t have an endless energy supply, but they will last a really long time if you are careful with them.”
Eunhyuk blinked, stunned by what he realized the other ensign was implying. “You are going in there…in there by yourself?”
SungGyu nodded his head. “Yes, it’s the smartest course of action.”
“It’s suicide!” Jonghyun protested immediately. “It’s probably suicide if we all go in there…but to go alone…that’s crazy!”
“It’s not suicide,” SungGyu said, objecting. “It’s the best chance we have.”
“And if you don’t come back?” Eunhyuk asked at a loss. “What do we do if you don’t come back?”
SungGyu met Eunhyuk’s gaze. “Then you have to decide for yourself if you are going to complete the mission. I can’t make you do anything...but if I don’t come back…the success of the mission…the lives of so many will rest on your shoulders.”
Eunhyuk swallowed nervously, never wanting such a burden placed on him. “Maybe we should just wait…the Expectations could still save us.”
“I don’t think so,” SungGyu told the older ensign. “I think we have to save ourselves.”
Eunhyuk looked up at the sky and remembered Junsu’s warnings. “Were we ever expected to survive this mission or were we doomed from the start?”
SungGyu reached out and grabbed Eunhyuk tightly by the wrist, making him look him in the eye. “We are only doomed if we allow it.”
Eunhyuk tried to pull his wrist free, but SungGyu held on firmly. “No,” SungGyu persisted. “You have to put those negative thoughts out of your head…they have no place here.”
Eunhyuk pleaded with the younger man, “How can you say that? You’ve seen the graveyard of bones…there are thousands of skeletons. How can you say we aren’t doomed after seeing that?”
“They were not us!” SungGyu answered resolutely. “I don’t know why they were here…what they were looking for, but we are here to save lives. We have a greater purpose and we won’t fail. We can’t fail.”
Eunhyuk shook his head refusing to be persuaded. “If you thought success was guaranteed…you wouldn’t have built this hole for us to hide in. You are not even sure if you will survive!”
“Ensign Eunhyuk, the mission’s success is not determined by whether I live or die. Don’t get me wrong, because believe me, I have no desire or intention of dying,” SungGyu told him after releasing his wrist. “If I don’t make it out…if I get in trouble in there…hopefully you can succeed where I failed.”
“We will,” Jonghyun vowed, unwillingly moved by the other man’s words.
SungGyu smiled at Jonghyun and confirmed, “You will.”
“But we won’t need to…you will get the force field down,” Jonghyun told SungGyu clinging to his positivity. “I know you will. I have every faith in you…just like Lieutenant SooYoung does and like Commander Jung does. You can do it!”
“I hope so…but if I don’t make it back…tell Doctor Nam-tell him I am really sorry,” SungGyu told Jonghyun as he backed away from them.
Eunhyuk let a loud sigh, feeling the weight of their situation. “You saved his life. What do you have to apologize for? It isn’t like you had a choice.”
SungGyu gave Eunhyuk a confident grin. “Now, that’s what I like to hear. We saved his life and we are going to get this shield down. We are going to save everyone!”
“And we will be heroes,” Jonghyun added, smiling triumphantly as he watched SungGyu hurry toward the Fortress of Snow.
**************
Yunho watched as his blond, blue eyed, very pregnant mate approached the cell with Ryeowook at his side.
“You didn’t know you were bonded to criminal, did you?” Yunho said in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“I am not,” Jaejoong answered firmly. “I am bonded to a man of great honor, loyalty, integrity and decency.”
“You will make me blush.”
Yoochun appeared beside Yunho and declared, “I think it is time for Changmin to be born.”
“That would be really nice,” Kyuhyun agreed.
“Yes, wouldn’t that be great?” Jaejoong replied, irritated. “Nobody wants him to be born more than I do.”
“Can’t you just cut him out?” Yoochun asked, looking to Ryeowook. “What did they used to call it…a caesarian section?
“No!” Ryeowook answered, horrified. “Babies are born when babies are ready to be born. Not when it is convenient for their parents. Even taking a human baby before it is ready to be born can lead to psychological damage and immunological weaknesses.”
Yoochun rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know, but Jaejoong could heal the baby and his telepathic powers could really help us out, right now.”
“They could,” Jaejoong agreed. “But if cutting Changmin out was an option I would have done it days ago.”
“You thought about cutting him out?” Yunho asked with a frown.
“Yunho….don’t; you don’t have to look like this…feel like this.” Jaejoong informed his mate. “You can not possibly understand.”
“You are beautiful-”
“Stop,” Jaejoong commanded, interrupting Yunho. “I swear if you tell me I am beautiful in this condition one more time…”
Yoochun gave Yunho annoyed look and impatiently asked, “Can we get back to the subject at hand? We are prisoners! I’d help Jaejoong cut Changmin out at this point.”
“But sadly, even if it was a possibility it would not solve our immediate problem,” Jaejoong explained.
“It wouldn’t?” Yunho asked.
“No, once Changmin is born I will immediately start shifting back to my prior form.”
Yunho was unable to hide his alarm. “What do you mean? Will it take days like before? You were in so much pain.”
“No,” Jaejoong answered, shaking his head. “I will be evolving into a lesser being…a human. It will not take as long.”
“A lesser being?” Ryeowook questioned. “You still have telepathy and all your other abilities in your human form.”
“Yes, but I am still not in my highly evolved Joong form.”
Kyuhyun fought to keep from grinning when he said in a deadpan voice, “I think we all have just been insulted.”
Yoochun nodded his head. “I am sure of it.”
Yunho ignored the insult and asked, “Jaejoong, you once told Changmin and I there were rogue Joongs.”
“I did.”
“Is it possible for Joongs…to take over humans?” Yunho asked. “To control them?”
“Yunho, surely you know I can make a human do whatever I want.”
“That isn’t what I am asking. I am asking…can a Joong consciousness inhabit a human body and control them?”
A look of fear appeared on Jaejoong’s face. “There were occasions…in the past…yes.”
“Why are you asking that,” Ryeowook demanded, feeling a chill run up his spine.
“Shindong was locked away because he questioned Captain Leeteuk on why the ship kept visiting planets known for holding ancient Joong artifacts,” Kyuhyun explained, understanding immediately what Yunho was hinting at.
Yoochun backed up against the wall of the cell. “Is it possible? It would explain a lot. They do seem off. Commander Ji-Hoon used to be a pretty decent guy.”
“But Heechul is still Heechul,” Ryeowook maintained.
“No,” Yunho said with conviction. “He is not.”
Ryeowook shook his head, disagreeing. “I know you are not happy with him, but I have worked closely with him for years. True, at times he seems off…but I have seen the Heechul we have always known and loved.”
Yoochun disagreed, “Doctor Cho, I am going to have to side with Yunho. Heechul has not been the same since he came back…not even close.”
“If it is…” Jaejoong paused and stated with certainty, “It is true. I have felt…a strong dislike for them since they returned to their mental facilities, but I thought it had to do with Leeteuk usurping command from Yunho and the other two supporting him.”
“So the bastard hasn’t been eavesdropping on us with the ship…they are telepathic. That’s just great!” Yoochun declared. “We are so screwed.”
“No,” Jaejoong insisted. “The human bodies they inhabit are not capable of telepathy.”
“But it is believed that some humans will have the capacity for telepathy in the future,” Ryeowook corrected. “Some humans are born with empathic abilities.”
“Not like a Joong though,” Jaejoong insisted.
“The Guardian will transport Earth humans…” Yunho stated and he suddenly paled as a horrible thought occurred to him, but he chose to keep it to himself.
“Yes, but I have never met an Earth Human…that wasn’t my biological son that was telepathic or even remotely so,” Jaejoong maintained.
“Really? How many times have you told me I was special? Didn’t the gateway open quickly between us?” Yunho questioned.
“We have a timeless love,” Jaejoong insisted.
“Or maybe it has something to do with my earthling brain,” Yunho maintained.
“This brain is highly evolved compared to the others on this ship,” Ryeowook repeated, horrified as he realized the truth. “That’s what Heechul said today…he was talking about himself. I found it odd…but it was Heechul, who is always a little odd…so I didn’t think too much of it.”
“Heechul…Heechul was anything but ordinary,” Kyuhyun added. “Even demented he could see right through people.”
Jaejoong reluctantly agreed, “He was very complex…for a human.”