nuguseyo2013 for everyone, part 1
Title: Melody
Recipient: everyone
Group & Pairing: BTOB, general
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: brief mentions of war
Summary: After losing the war, there isn’t much left for Hyunsik on his home planet of New Seoul. He heads off to try his luck at space travel, hoping to find some answers about himself as he searches for a newfound peace. Unfortunately, his luck isn’t the product of his own choosing. This is a Firefly inspired AU.
Author’s Note: This story is inspired by the tv show firefly, but it isn’t necessary to know about the show. If you do know about it, then you’ll recognize the connections :)
“Doctor, subjects 153 and 155 have been checked in.”
The doctor’s assistant checked off several names on her clipboard, her heels clicking down the lab hallway as she walked. Motion sensor lights flicked on around her. Very few people were working in the laboratory so late at night.
Looking away from the microscope, the doctor swiveled her chair to the side, “Have the blood samples been sent to the lab for DNA analysis?” Stacks of labeled Petri dishes were arranged on the table besides her. In front of her, a holographic diagram of a string of DNA was being projected on a clear screen by a small circular device.
The hum of the refrigerators and temperature-controlled heaters broke the silence of the room.
“They are on their way right now.” She glanced at her clipboard, the latest report flashing across the top of the screen. “Analysis of the samples has begun. The results will be sent to you directly.”
“Thank you,” said the doctor, grabbing her palm and removing her gloves in one well-practiced fluid motion, “make sure the director receives the report as well. This is code eight clearance. Prepare the testing lab for tomorrow. We need to run a test for amino acid deficiency in subject 156.”
“Yes doctor.”
The doctor grabbed the hologram-projecting device and placed it in her pocket. It wouldn’t do to leave important confidential information lying around the laboratory. The information in her pocket was worth more than her own life.
Without warning, a red light began to flash in the hallway, and not soon after a high-pitched alarm began to beep loud and clear throughout the lab. The assistant raced to the door where an armed guard appeared.
“What is it?” asked the doctor, unsettled by the alarm. She dropped everything she was planning on doing to rush to the door.
“Dr. Choi, we’ve had a break in. Subject 156 is missing from his chamber.”
“Shit, how did this happen?” The doctor brushed past the guard and headed out the door, leaving them to follow her.
“They took out our security feed, hacked the codes, and took out the guards.”
They stopped at the nursery where the entry door was wide open and the guards and nursery workers were lying on the floor, small darts sticking out of the skin at their neck. Chamber 156 was broken into, pieces of the control panel scattered across the floor. Whoever had done the deed was a sloppy thief.
“Get a team on this,” said Dr. Choi, “news of this does not leave the building. I’ll call it in.”
She grimaced and curled her hand around the baby blanket in the chamber. It was still warm.
//
By the year 3500, a new pinnacle to understanding the fine details human genome had been reached through the success of science, study, and perseverance.
Genesis’ genetic engineering program was a success, a miracle of scientific and medical practices merging together to create the perfect human. After years of research and countless trials, the genesis project had done what no others had managed to do before them, reconfigure the human genome sequence by sequence.
The process had first begun in 3400 by altering the physical characteristics of the unborn child, manipulating DNA before implanting a fertilized egg into the mother’s womb. Genetic disorders were wiped out and replaced with healthy, proper code. Families eagerly became a part of the program and willing test subjects to practice DNA manipulation were never hard to find.
But, the scientific study had only completed its first phase. Then came the breakthroughs in understanding what gene segments could make humans heal, learn, and process faster. These manipulations were added into the genetic coding of babies. Generations of test children grew up learning speech and fine motor controls far quicker than their peers. Some could do complex math while others became promising athletes. Each new group built off the success of the previous.
The genesis project kept tabs all its children - study data improved the program - as they conducted trials only the governing planet coalition knew about. Every ten years they would focus their program on a new planet, populating a new set of colonies with their experimentation so that their true goal was not brought into question.
On the surface, the project promoted genetic disorder screening and minor cosmetic DNA changes. If the parents wanted a girl, the genesis project could guarantee the sex of the child. However, the planet coalition wasn’t funding the project because they wanted to help their civilians. They were after the perfect human, one that could be molded and transformed - the perfect soldier, doctor, or worker.
Test group number 28 was the most promising group yet to develop. Heightened senses, fast recovery time, stronger mental capabilities, and improved immune resistance to disease were important for the makings of a super human.
As promised, the project staff would return for future testing.
///////
3532 C.E. Battle of Song Ridge
“Sir! We’re not going to be able to hold them off for long here, they’ve got us cornered.”
The smell of burning plasma reactions made Hyunsik’s stomach clench, and smoke from the resulting explosions clouded up his eyes. Thunderous gunfire went off all around them. A flash of light and a piercing screech of a bomb shook the ground beneath him.
“Sir? What are our new orders?”
Hyunsik touched his communicator earpiece; it was fried by the planet coalition’s jamming waves. The ground radio would still be working since it operated on an older frequency. Their new technology was rendered useless by their enemy’s deep pockets.
He sat back. Removing his rifle from the rocks it was resting on, and stared at the face of his worried subordinate. Hyunsik was new to being in command, having been promoted to sergeant only three weeks prior. His wits, strength, and tactical knowledge trumped his young age. He had climbed the military ladder quickly. This was his third commanding mission of a small group of rebels.
“We were told to hold the range until our air reinforcements can make it, but my earpiece’s fried by the jamming signal. I need to return to base to report our condition,” Hyunsik said curtly, gathering his strength and beginning to plan the dangerous trip back up the mountainside.
The private wiped dirt off his forehead, “What do you need sir?”
A lone plasma stream hit the mountain face above them, causing rocks to shower down on them. “Stay here with who’s left and fall back together up the mountain, but don’t let their sensor array reach the left side. Go up from the left and take it out. If you run into trouble, Sergeant Kim’s group should be stationed on the left.” What was left of Sergeant Kim’s group was. “Focus on taking out the array.”
Hyunsik knew he was putting himself in danger by returning to their communications base alone, but they needed to destroy the sensor array that was damaging their communication signal. If he couldn’t contact the forces based outside the mountain range, then no one else could either.
The troops were scattered across the range - those that were left at least. It was of upmost importance that the reinforcements were informed about the danger.
Another huge blast knocked vibrated through the ground. Hopefully, it was their side that sent the bomb over this time.
“Yes sir!” the private said with a grim look on his face. Hyunsik wasn’t sure if this would be the last time he’d be seeing the private, or the last time the private would be seeing him.
But, he didn’t have time to think of such things. Leaving the private to relay his message, Hyunsik made a break for the barricades to his right. They weren’t bomb proof, but they were reinforced to survive repeated plasma blasts.
He made his way up the mountainside carefully, dodging behind rocks and shattered equipment - broken down guns and shields - all the way to the communications base. The base was empty, reserves likely called down to fight, but the radio itself was still intact.
Hyunsik raced over to type in the command message, sending his authorization code and order request on the cracked keyboard. The radio screen blinked red, a good sign. His message was going through and now he just had to wait for the response.
A loud explosion went off to his left, and Hyunsik peered out from behind the blast wall. The plume of smoke arising from the enemies left side meant their side might have knocked out the signal array. If he were right, his earpiece would begin working momentarily while it scanned the radio channels for their secure signal.
The beeping from the communication radio brought Hyunsik back from his racing thoughts. He jogged back, and crouched down to read the message. Soon reinforcements would be arriving and they would be relieved of the crushing pressure of the coalition’s guns.
Except, they weren’t coming.
Hyunsik froze, heart dropping down into his stomach as his fingers grazed the screen.
“What?” he mouthed. Their reinforcement troops weren’t coming. They were left here to win an impossible battle if that was the case. He clenched his hand into a fist; he didn’t want his death to amount to this. A frost took hold of his chest, wild and frightening.
The gunfire around him fell silent, and then came the sound of air ships shuttling down from above. Fuel cores warping the atmosphere and lighting up the sky. The noise was deafening to Hyunsik’s ears, his jaw dropping open when he stumbled back to see the sight of terror in front of him.
His earpiece, now working, was screaming out the command for immediate surrender. Shit.
They had failed; he had failed. His head throbbed uncomfortably with the sound of wind beating against rocks.
A pulse blast sent him sprawling backwards. His head colliding with the rocky defense wall and knocking the wind out of him. Gasping, Hyunsik slumped over while choking for breath, stars shining in his vision.
A siren blazed somewhere above him, loud speakers echoing immediate surrender.
//
The warmth of New Seoul in the summertime seemed dry and desolate when Hyunsik returned. Like a faded memory or an old picture bleached out from the sun. What was once cheerful was replaced with grey - a dirty future for a once thriving place.
How long would it take for the planet to recover, for the people to recover? Hyunsik didn’t know how to find the answers to the questions that kept him awake at night. He was still a kid with an above average physique with the ability to work under pressure and told to lead a group of men when he didn’t know what he was doing. Fighting for a cause he believed in that was now a forgotten dream and plasma burn scars.
Now time seemed to stretch out for eternity. He’d done so much, yet he felt like he did so little.
The slight limp in his walk on rough days was a sad reminder.
Coming back to the planet’s capital after being off world for a year fighting on a nearby moon was hard. Nothing was the same as it looked before; planetary coalition officials had already changed the city with their offices and buildings. He had to go through three checkpoints - being a member of the defeated side - before he could gain entry to the public trams.
The officials looked at him strangely - pointing out a birthmark at the side of his neck - while they logged his fingerprints into the system. Hyunsik felt violated as they poked and prodded at him before they let him go. He wasn’t a thing just because he was a member of the losing side; he was a human being too.
Hyunsik’s hometown was one fourth empty from the last time he’d laid eyes on it. His feet passing by several boarded up houses, and empty and closed stores. The resistance movement had hit his home planet as hard as it hit the other rebelling planets and moons. Business that relied on planetary shipments disappeared with trade blocks. People quietly left the bordering towns and moved to the bigger cities, or off world. Even after one hundred years since initial colonization, New Seoul wasn’t completely self-sufficient.
There was something wrong with the planet’s soil. Some plants grew, but not the staples needed to feed the entire population. Elements had to be introduced, and without good soil there weren’t any crops. With the right shipments of premade nutrients the plants would grow if they were brought in. Regular doses of nitrogen and phosphorus into the soil made the grass grow and the trees sprout leaves.
The annual planting festival saw that the supplements were added. There hadn’t been a planting festival since the fighting began two years ago.
Too many small time farmers went out of business because of the fighting. In the end the coalition had hit them where they hurt the most. Destroying their nutrient synthesizers had been the last piece that sent their reserve tumbling down. They were broken.
Welcoming New Seoul, the twenty-third planet in the planetary coalition.
His house didn’t even look the same anymore.
His mother cried when she saw him, “Hyunsik I thought you’d never come home to me.” She dropped her shovel in the yard and came running over to him at the gate of their land.
Hyunsik hadn’t felt this happy in a long time, dropping his bag and closing rapidly decreasing gap between them. He brought his arms up and hugged her; she still smelled like flowers and felt like pure warmth. Content to stay like this while she babbled in his ear about missing his face and how good it was for him to be home again.
He was a day early, his father still out in the ranch and his brother traveling from his new hometown to meet them. Hyunsik was fine with this news. Sitting on the porch of his family home with his mom and letting the new sheep herding dog lick his hand was enough of a welcoming.
“What are you going to do now?” his mother asked, and Hyunsik could hear the worry behind her question, “Are you going to stay here with us?”
With a far out stare into the sky, Hyunsik let his body relax into the chair. “It’s hard. I want to be here with you, but after all the fighting, I can’t think straight. I can’t relax.” He paused, “I think what’s best is that I get away for a while. I want to travel, see the planets, find some peace and quiet. Maybe see a doctor off-world about my seizures.”
“That’s come back?” his mother asked worriedly, “is it bringing you trouble again?”
“Started up bad a year ago again, the meds aren’t working great anymore.” Hyunsik’s thigh muscle twitched in response. He’d had the problem since he was a kid, but a special combination of drugs and vitamin consumption stopped the attacks when they occurred. Being in the war without a regular med supply weakened him.
They’d told him it was genetic, but no one in his family had ever had the problem.
His mother sighed, “I’m sorry we didn’t have the means to fix it when you were a kid.”
“It’s not your fault mom.”
“I know, I know.”
In the corner of his eye, he saw his mother nod her head, hair falling out of her hairpins and blowing in the gentle breeze.
“I love you, and when you do go, just don’t forget to come home,” she said, “I thought I lost you once as a baby, and again to the fighting, I don’t want to lose you a third time.”
Hyunsik smiled, “Of course. I’ll bring you and dad back all the wonders of the star system on my journey.”
“A glittering rock from Lavender is enough for me. I always wanted one. I’ve heard they shine like the sun with the right light.”
“One glittering rock it is. What do you think dad wants? One of those guitars from Nonus that tune themselves?” Hyunsik scratched the dog behind its ears.
“He’ll be happy with seeing you again. How long are you planning on being away? Not that you need your mom telling you what to do.”
“A year or two maybe,” Hyunsik said, “until things here get settled.”
His mother breathed through her teeth, “It’ll be a long time for that to happen. Are you sure you’ve made up your mind? We can always use your help on the farm. Milking cows is peaceful, so I’ve heard.”
“I don’t think farming is really my thing right now.” Hyunsik folded his hands in his lap. He had experienced many a dark, solitary, and fearful night since the end of the fighting. There hadn’t been time to think about anything besides staying alive and winning. Now, the unpleasant memories were rushing to the surface.
“I understand Hyunsik. You take your time.”
Hyunsik nodded and bowed his head. The ground beneath his feet was solid, but his heart leapt at the thought of being out there in the vast dark sky, flying past the stars and catching rides on spaceships traveling from planet to planet. He could feel the strong thumping in his chest calling him away.
He soon found himself drifting through space.
//
5 years later
“Where’s my money Hyunsik?” The greasy words slipped out of the offender’s mouth.
Hyunsik’s hand slipped down to touch the tip of his gun, but the whir of a stunner gun firing up stopped him, hand twitching in midair. Four large men blocked the exit of the falling down warehouse where he was meeting his employer.
The dim light coming in through the broken windows above them made Hyunsik squint to see the man as his eyes adjusted from the bright outdoor light.
“It’s coming like I told you,” said Hyunsik calmly. It was no use to try and argue with the man. He was the one holding the weapon to his head. “I need another few days to sell the shipment. If you let me work for Tetch, I’d have more to give you.”
His employer waved his gun in Hyunsik’s face, “You’re not working for my competitor you lousy piece of shit. You do remember who owns you right? Or do you need a reminder.”
The muzzle of a gun poked into his shoulder blades, shoving him forward a step.
“No, no reminder, I know. No need to point that thing around.” Hyunsik frowned, muscles tensing with unreleased action. How much longer would he have to put up with this treatment? Hyunsik bit his tongue and curbed his desire to punch him in the face.
“Good.” The grease ball said, “I was beginning to wonder just what you’ve been up to this past week. Barely checking in with me, running around with my shipment of Gendarian liquor in your hands like you own it. Your debt to me still stands, and until you pay it off, you’re mine.”
“Yes I know.”
“When you come back in three days you better have the money, or we might have to have a little reeducation, you and I.”
Hyunsik’s mouth twitched. He still had the scars on his back from his last, reeducation session. As if his employer would let him off. The tracker implant imbedded in his arm made it impossible to leave without being found out. Someone was always watching.
This is what he got for being in trouble with the one person who could supply him with the meds he needed to stay alive.
“Now get out of my sight.” His employer waved his gun around.
Hyunsik didn’t need to be told twice.
//
There wasn’t enough liquor in the system to take all of Hyunsik’s problems away.
Hyunsik rubbed the bridge of his nose; he had the worst headache. The guys down at the market had played a tough bargaining game with him. He somehow managed to offload the rest of his illegal shipment of Gendarian liquor. It was a prime vintage, but the toxicity in the brew had hallucinatory effects and getting around the blocked items list was tricky.
He popped a vitamin pill and swallowed it with the last swig in his glass.
The bar tender stopped in front of his spot at the bar, “You need a refill?” he asked.
Hyunsik looked up and nodded, sliding his glass over for the bartender to pour in more cheap beer that tasted like stale musk. It was better than the Blackridge liquor that smelled like piss and he swore tasted like it too.
If there was one thing that Hyunsik needed, it was to get off this god-forsaken planet. He’d been here for nearly two years now - two years too many - and being stuck here wasn’t the worst of his troubles. Worse yet, he hadn’t been home in three years.
Being a wanted man on the exact planet you were stuck on made it hard to procure a transport out. Especially when you still owed the men you borrowed from money. Hyunsik didn’t know how long it would be until he’d worked enough jobs to pay his debts and take the next ship off. Considering he had enough money to also pay for the voyage to some moon that wasn’t a complete shit hole like Aries V.
All he wanted to do was drink his beer in peace, and hope someone would come around looking for his services. A few of his regular contacts appeared to have gone missing this past week.
He was halfway into his glass when the men at the far table started to argue. Normally, Hyunsik wouldn’t bat an eyelash at this behavior because off-worlders always caused trouble, but he hated Rees Jinty, a local illegal goods dealer. Any time he had a chance to point his gun at Jinty, he’d do it.
Jinty laughed and his two goons grabbed the out numbered man he was doing business with by his two arms.
Everyone else in the bar ignored it. Jinty had someone thrown out of the bar on almost a daily basis. He was a cruel, disgusting, and sorry excuse for a man.
When the men started throwing punches, Hyunsik forgot all about his headache. He set his drink down and cracked his knuckles.
Things were finally starting to get interesting.
//
Fighting came as easily to Hyunsik as gold squeezed from the poor came to the wealthy.
Wiping his hands, Hyunsik swirled his tongue over his bottom lip. He’d bitten it on accident when he elbowed Jinty’s man in the gut before he could draw his gun. Allowing the man who was caught to break free from the other goon’s hold.
Of course, they’d all been thrown out of the bar for causing trouble and breaking a chair. Hyunsik sometimes underestimated his own strength. How was he supposed to know the chair was poorly made and would shatter upon impact after being slammed into someone’s back? It appeared that the man Hyunsik had rescued had managed to wheedle the money out of Jinty himself while Hyunsik threw his bodyguards out the bar before they all got kicked out by the bar staff.
He knew getting into a fight wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but most of the runners on this planet needed to get the shit kicked out of them. Thankfully, most of them were afraid of Hyunsik’s employer - debt collector - to come after him in his sleep. Or well he hoped. He might have to watch his back for a few months.
The man shoved the bag of coalition coins down his leather vest, “Thanks for the help in there.” He extended his hand and Hyunsik gave him a firm handshake in return. “My name’s Seo Eunkwang. I’m the captain of the ship Melody here on business. You’re a really good fighter.”
“So I’m told.” Hyunsik relaxed and let out a chuckle, “I’m Lim Hyunsik and it’s no bother, Jinty and I have some bad blood between us.”
Captain Eunkwang’s face warmed up; the bruise on his jaw stretching as his lips peeled back into a smile.
Hyunsik didn’t have any need to give out false names to a ship captain, they were the here today gone tomorrow types. He rubbed his sore knuckles, “But why is a ship captain dealing with Jinty?”
Everyone who came to this planet had a reason for being here.
Captain Eunkwang patted his vest where the money had disappeared to, “Delivering an important shipment for a customer through Jinty. Seems like the customer didn’t want to pay the asking price.” The devious smile on his face told Hyunsik that the shipment wasn’t candy and flowers.
“Well, Jinty’s a thief, he was probably trying to stiff you,” Hyunsik said. “You should choose a different fence next time.”
“I’ll look around, unless you’re offering yourself?” Captain Eukwang asked slyly, an easy going smile on his face.
Even with his lip smarting, Hyunsik couldn’t help his mouth from turning upward. “I don’t really do that type of work often. I’m more in the fighting,” - he crossed his arms - “line of business. I could ask around for you though Captain.”
Captain Eunkwang extended his hand, “And they always told me people on Aries V weren’t friendly.”
Hyunsik laughed, “Follow me, I’ll show you the real Aries V.”
//
If Hyunsik had known the captain wouldn’t leave him alone, he’d have been easy on his offer to give him his knowledge of the Aries V dirty underworld. Of course, this seemed to give the captain an excuse to badger him with strange questions that vaguely sounded like an interview.
Though, there was something about the man that Hyunsik admired - his sense of duty and friendly nature. Captain Eunkwang was like a breath of fresh air around these parts.
Sitting in the dirty courtyard outside his lean to, the captain didn’t seem to care that Hyunsik was checking over his collection of guns right in front of him.
“Hyunsik you’re a smart man,” said Captain Eunkwang, “how’d you like to join my crew? We’re setting off for an important high paying job on Boris Landa and we could use someone like you.”
Hyunsik took his eyes off the N-7 blaster he was cleaning, removable parts all over the table, and squinted up at the man talking. The light shining from Aries V’s star was always at its brightest this time of day when it even cut through the particle haze air rovers gave off above them. He’d shown the captain around some dealers, left the man with his contact information, went to scout out for a job, and the man had found him again not before long.
Unfortunately, no one seemed to need someone as a bodyguard or threaten anyone for once. He’d go out again tomorrow. In a place like Aries V, finding a disreputable job had a twisted way of landing itself in your lap before you knew it.
Captain Eunkwang smiled, “You’d get paid for your work and living expenses are covered by all the crew. So how about it?” His copper toned hair stuck out of his grey cap like pieces of straw.
Hyunsik sucked in air through his teeth. He’d wanted a reason to get off this backwards planet and here was one. It was very well possible however that his offer was too good to be true.
Living on Aries V was tough if you lived in the lower levels. The higher the elite went, the lower the rest fell. Everyone else fell in around the middle. Poor, but not so destitute they had to succumb to the shipyard trade or becoming just another name the growing list of indentured servants.
“Someone like me? What kind of work you do anyway on that ship?” He rubbed the blaster’s barrel with a cloth to remove particle plasma buildup. A bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck.
The captain put a hand on the gun strapped to the holster on his side, and by the way his hand gripped the handle like an old friend, Hyunsik knew there was something more to this man than met the eye.
“By the way you handled that fight back there it wasn’t hard for me to see that you’ve done this before. Lot’s of times even, am I right? And in my line of business we find ourselves in certain situations where your expertise would come in handy.”
Hyunsik nodded his head, he’d been fighting since his dad handed him his first G-2 mini plasma gun. He was supposed to use it to ward off lizards from approaching the sheep, but he’d spent a lot of his childhood shooting rocks off boulders and perfecting his shot.
“So I’m guessing you’re a mercenary, a gun for hire, but from the way you stopped me from being flattened by your buddy back there I bet you don’t just look the other way.”
“I could’ve left you to die there.”
“But you didn’t, not that I really needed your help, but much appreciated,” Captain Eunkwang said, “I never liked Jinty, every time I do a job on this planet he tries to screw me by not going to pay the price we agreed on.” He crossed his arms, “This is definitely the last job I take on this planet. We’re shipping out tomorrow 0900 if you need more time to think about it.”
The piece of heavy metal in Hyunsik’s hand felt very light. “Maybe.” He hesitated; it wouldn’t take much for him to pack up his limited belongings and leave. There wasn’t anyone here worth missing - at least not anymore after the people he’d come planet side with left him penniless to die. Leaving would require a level of finesse Hyunsik was willing to do to wiggle out of his debt contract.
“Well the offer’s good and my crew’s friendly. Like I said, we could really use someone with your skills. Your pay will be dependant on our business, but business’ usually steady. Plus, you can get away from this…great planet.”
Hyunsik snorted, “I’ll be paid and the crew is friendly is your sales pitch?” Aries V was great, everyone came here hoping to make it big in the industrial mines and ended up too piss poor to get off the rock and start over.
“It’s worked for me before,” - Captain Eunkwang raised his eyebrows - “If you don’t like it on my ship, your share in the cut would be more than enough to relocate.”
Hyunsik nodded his head. “I’ll think about it.” He paused, “If I chose to accept, could you get me time to visit the medical center on Boris Landa, or another planet?”
“If nothing goes south, I can’t see why not. You sick?”
“No, just old pains. Haven’t been able to see a proper doctor in years.” Hyunsik didn’t want to disclose that he could at times be prone to seizures. He was fine as long as he took his meds, and those were easy enough to come by (except when being held over him by a vindictive debtor).
“Then think it over. We can get you to a doctor no problem. We have a former nurse on board. He’s pretty capable.” Captain Eunkwang stood up and stretched, then gave him a two finger wave as he got up and began to walk back up the soot caked street towards the shipyard.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, got some stuff to do,” he called out when he reached the top of the hill that separated Hyunsik’s shantytown from the cities first level.
All Hyunsik had left were weapons, pills, booze strong enough to strip paint off metal, and an old photo tablet that was worth taking.
If he took Eunkwang’s offer, he’d get to leave this planet as nothing but a sour taste in his mouth and a bitter memory to sleep by. As long as Eunkwang kept word, he’d see a competent doctor about his seizures. If he didn’t, he’d be stuck here until he managed to score a ride on the next cruiser off to another planet. Probably not on an outer rim planet, but maybe on a farming colony on one of the newly formed moons of Seti IV.
Then again, Hyunsik hadn’t tried his hand at farming in over ten years. Not since before he joined the resistance army and left for the temple back on his home planet. The feel of a shovel in his hands and raising livestock no longer was the type of life he wanted to lead. Also, the likelihood of him finding a medical facility on a newly formed moon that could treat his problem was low.
He shook his head and stopped staring at the blinking light up a head for city patrol, and reached for the plasma coil, coming up empty. In his hands was his N-7 blaster; completely put back together without him realizing he’d did it.
Well, I’ll be damned, he thought.
//
A sharp pinch would be all that he’d feel. His brain would feel the sensation of his pocketknife digging into the skin and tissue of his arm, carving out the round metal tracker. The little device kept him from leaving on penalty of death by small dosage of lethal poison.
He wasn’t supposed to know where it was, but for a couple hundred coins he could buy the knowledge of someone who could find out. Hyunsik was supposed to give this money to his employer the next day, but screwing him over brought Hyunsik great pleasure.
The wound would scar without a dermal scar treatment; however, Hyunsik wanted the scar. His wounded arm began to twitch, neurons firing, muscles contracting, and fatigue setting in.
Hyunsik grimaced, he needed to take yet another pill. They were wearing off quicker and quicker over the past few years and the prospect of them not working a year from now was frightening. There had been no miracle solution outside of New Seoul.
Bright red blood pooled into the gauze he’d taped onto his arm and it sent a dull throb up his spine. Sometimes he needed something left to remember.
//
Setting the gun down in front of him Hyunsik got up and entered his lean to he bought off a miner a year ago. He lifted up his sleeping pad off the floor, unearthing his old military bag, and began stuffing everything worth anything inside.
He didn’t belong here, and he didn’t really feel like he belonged anywhere. Not since the war.
But anywhere right now was still better than here.
//
Hyunsik wrapped his fingers tight around the bag strap over his shoulder. The last time he was at the ship docks, he was coming in Aries V and not planning on leaving. After reviewing the shipyard-docking manifesto, he located Captain Eunkwang’s ship, a class c transport ship listed under the name Melody.
He weaved through the crowded dock, passing shipments of ore and crystals destined for core rim planets. Huge crates were being lifted off a giant cruiser class ship with a large docking crane. The place looked much like how Hyunsik had remembered it a few years earlier, busy and smelling like engine discharge.
The Melody was docked in one of the other landing pads being a class c transport ship without a high priority-docking request. Hyunsik walked up to the dock communication feed that would patch him directly to the ship. He’d have to send a message to get the ship to own its main hanger doors.
His hand was reaching up to hit the call button when someone came up next to him and spoke loudly.
“Hey? You have business with the Melody?”
Hyunsik dropped his hand and turned. A young man in grease stained tan coveralls stared back at him, a large crate of metal parts in his arms.
“Yeah, the captain offered me a job, so I’m here.” Hyunsik let out a small smile when the stranger’s eyebrows disappeared into his hair.
“Oh! You’re the gun guy Eunkwang hyung was talking about.” He set his crate down on the ground and bowed, “I’m Jung Ilhoon, the ship’s mechanic.” Hyunsik stared at Ilhoon in disbelief, the man looked far too young to be a ship mechanic. Then again, he reasoned, looks can be deceiving.
“Then, I’m Lim Hyunsik, the gun guy.” He cocked his head to the side and made Ilhoon laugh.
Ilhoon breezed past him to the control box, “Sorry about that, I’m bad with titles. Let me get the code entered.” He opened the key code box and punched in the password sequence. “Your bunks going to be right next to mine, so I’ll show you around.” The heavy metal hanger door rolled open to show a half empty cargo hold.
Taking his first steps towards the docking ramp, Hyunsik opened his mouth to voice his confusion over his sudden entrance without being checked over by the captain. He could be a ruthless mercenary or coalition planet alliance spy. Well, he was the former, but he very well could be the latter. “Thanks Ilhoon, but shouldn’t I see the captain first?”
Ilhoon picked his box back up and was already up the walkway, “Why would you want to see the captain any more than you’ll have to?”
A clanking sound came from the ship, almost in response to Ilhoon’s sentence.
“Hey, what’s that about your captain?” Captain Eunkwang was coming down the metal stairs that led above the lower cargo hold. His shirt was half tucked into his pants and from the shadow of a mustache above his lip, Hyunsik had half a thought the captain had just woke up.
Captain Eunkwang’s face went from relaxed to enthusiastic when he saw Hyunsik standing awkwardly in the center of the docking ramp.
“Hyunsik!” He hurried down the rest of the steps. “I was planning on seeing you here this morning before we left.”
“You were?” The ship must really be in desperate need of an enforcer, not that Hyunsik wasn’t one hundred percent sure he provided the best service. “Isn’t that a bit of a gamble?”
Captain Eunkwang stuffed the other half of his shirt into his pants, “I know a man desperate to get off a planet when I see one. I knew you were a good pick.” He waved at Hyunsik to come closer, “Don’t just stand there, and come on in. We’re on a bit of a tight schedule.”
Ilhoon walked up to Eunkwang and handed him to crate, “Here you wanted this, so you can have it. I don’t know what you think you’re going to do with a pile of broken scrap service parts, and don’t ask me to put it together.”
“I see you’ve already met Ilhoon. He’s our mechanic - ”
“Hyung, I already introduced myself, go away and do your captain duties and stop bothering us. I’ll show him around.”
Eunkwang pulled a face, “Why are you sending me away?”
“Because we need to get off this rock and you’re delaying our departure.”
“Did you fix the leak in the nanocore fuel line?”
“Hyung I did that yesterday. I told you last night.”
The two of them squabbled over ship maintenance, and Hyunsik stood watching, his bag getting heavier by the minute. Firearms weren’t light, and he’d stuffed his entire gun collection in one bag. Luckily, most of his guns were high powered and small. Except for his favorite, the deadly and affective Jones rifle. It packed a giant punch in a gun that was almost as long as his forearm.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but can I be shown the place to drop off my things?” he asked, cutting through the banter. “The gun guy’s guns don’t weigh feather pillows.”
Both their heads turned back in Hyunsik’s direction.
“See hyung, you’re holding up business.” He pointed his finger at Eunkwang while he spoke; “I’m going to take you to your room.”
“Thanks.” Hyunsik hiked the strap further up his shoulder.
Eunkwang sighed and nodded, his hands adjusting his grip around the crate, “I’ll go get started on our departure call. Hyunsik, I’ll see you in the mess hall for second meal. I trust Ilhoon to get you acquainted.”
“Yes sir.”
“You can call me captain, or Eunkwang, or even Eunkwang hyung like Ilhoon. We’re all friends here.”
Hyunsiks tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he hadn’t called anyone hyung in a long time. He’d dropped planetary cultural language after the fighting. The Melody’s crew must be from his local system, they didn’t say hyung just anywhere.
Ilhoon rubbed his nose before taking the second bag Hyunsik had hanging over his shoulder without asking. “Just call him old man. Come on, this way. We’re leaving now.” He motioned for Hyunsik to follow him up one side of the metal staircase, leaving Eunkwang on the ground floor below.
Below them, Eunkwang called out to Ilhoon, “Ilhoon I’ll send Sungjae after you.”
Ilhoon threw his head back and yelled down, “Big threat hyung.” He reached the top of the staircase and pointed at the two possible directions you could take.
“If you go straight, you’ll end up the dining hall, where the meals are. To the right, and you’ll find be led up a staircase to the upper storage room, but there isn’t anything up there except spare equipment. We’re going straight.” He pointed ahead of him and began down the short metal plated walkway lit by domed lights on the ceiling of the ships no nonsense construction. A sealed door separated the end of the hallway from the cargo hold.
Ilhoon patted the metal door like it was an old friend. He appeared to be strangely at peace in the giant flying metal contraption.
Hyunsik fell in step behind him, staying only a pace or two away, “And the ship quarters?”
“Past the dining hall, the rooms are actually in the stretch between the cockpit and the dining hall.”
Ilhoon touched the door side panel, and they entered into the dining hall. The room was oval shaped and painted from bottom to top in dull beige. Although it was small, Hyunsik could tell it was well used by the stocked cabinets and space travel rations lying in disarray on the countertop of the kitchen.
“It’s a little messy - we haven’t been planet side for four weeks since we got here, and it’s nice to not eat something out of a can. Our fresh food supplies were running low,” Ilhoon said, frowning and pulling up excuses.
Smiling, Hyunsik shook his head, “Looks great.”
They walked past the giant table bolted to the ground (as most large furniture was in space ships), and Ilhoon led him to a second hallway. After passing through another airlock door, Hyunsik saw what Ilhoon had meant about the crew quarters all being next to each other.
The hallway was lit with the same overhead lighting, but light was spilling in from far door, where Hyunsik assumed must be the entry to the cockpit.
“You will be right here,” - Ilhoon hit the control pad on the side of the panel, and door opened up in the wall, sliding into the metal framework. “You can reconfigure the controls to password lock your room. Actually, you probably should or Sungjae will come snooping.”
“Okay, I’ll be sure to keep out the Sungjae,” Hyunsik said slowly, and he entered the room with Ilhoon close behind him. The way this Sungjae person was being talked about, Hyunsik wondered what he’d be like when he met him.
The layout was simplistic, a bed, a small table and chair, and a pull out sink with toilet compartment underneath. Besides a few empty boxes lying on the floor - Hyunsik assumed for storage - the room was sparse. However, an empty room was fine with Hyunsik because he didn’t have many things to fill it up with.
He set his bag down on the floor with an audible thud.
“It’s not much, just some old standard issue bedding - it’s all clean though, did the laundry last night,” said Ilhoon as he set Hyunsik’s other bag on the table. “You can do whatever you like with it. The captain doesn’t care what you do as long as it’s not trouble.”
“Got it,” Hyunsik said, glad to not be carrying around a bag full of guns anymore.
Ilhoon smiled, “I’ll show you around the rest of the ship -”
The speakers on the top of the door squeaked, and the ship wide intercom system started to patch through from the cockpit.
“This is the captain speaking, we’ve been given the go to signal a bit earlier than expected, so we’re going to head out. Ilhoon we’ll be needing you in the engine room and everyone else finish the undocking procedure.”
Groaning, Ilhoon took a beeping radio transmitter out of his pockets and put it up to his ear, “Yeah yeah I heard you, I’ll be right there.”
Hyunsik straightened up, he’d forgotten the busy schedule a space ship maintained after years of living planet side. He cracked his knuckles, “Any way I can help?”
“Know anything about engines?” Ilhoon asked, “Or know anything at all?” He licked his lips and gave Hyunsik a weary smile. Hyunsik had to grin; this young mechanic had a horribly attractive charm around him.
“I helped service a few engines in my day,” he said, resting his hands on his hips. “I think I can manage it.”
“I like you,” said Ilhoon after a brief pause. “A man after my own job.”
//
By the time Ilhoon had the engine worked up after breaking through the planet’s atmosphere, Hyunsik had learned the proper procedure for priming the old engine to start up (if he remembered all the steps in the correct order). Space-time ran on a different standard clock than planet time, which corresponded to the rotation around the planet’s central star. Due to this, Hyunsik found himself being whisked off by Ilhoon to the dining hall. His two years planet-side made him feel rusty about being on a ship again.
Most space ships timed standard space-time to match the planetary time before docking to save them the resulting time lag.
The voices leaking out from the dining hall clued Hyunsik in that the rest of the crew must be inside. He followed Ilhoon’s steps through the open door.
“We’re here,” Ilhoon said to Eunkwang, who was lounging at a chair by the table. Two other men sat next to him, and a third was frying something in the kitchen by the sizzling sound that reached Hyunsik’s ears.
“Good,” Eunkwang replied, taking his elbows off the table and straightening his back. The man sitting to his right remained slouched over. His eyes were tired, but Hyunsik couldn’t tell if his face appeared sleepy, or if he actually was sleepy.
Eunkwang gave Hyunsik a smile and waved them over, “Sit down, Peniel’s frying up some sausages.”
So that was what the sizzling and the pleasant smell were from. Hyunsik felt his stomach rise up to the occasion even though they had left the planet merely an hour earlier.
Sleepy eyes cleared their throat, “You the enforcer with the giant guns?”
Hyunsik unconsciously flexed his arms.
Eunkwang pulled a face, frowning at sleepy eyes. “Changsub, I was going to do the introductions.”
Hyunsik folded his hands in his lap, wondering if anyone on this ship was normal. Well, normal as one could come in this day and age. He smiled; cautious of the man at Eunkwang’s other side that hadn’t spoke but was eying him with an intense stare.
“Fine, go ahead.”
“This is Lim Hyunsik,” Eunkwang said, and Hyunsik nodded his head towards the crewmembers. “He’s got excellent combat experience, which will be useful - as everyone here knows.”
“Hello.” Hyunsik felt like he was being scrutinized under the weight of unspoken questions. Just what exactly did this crew get themselves into?
However, Eunkwang pointed out the remaining nameless crew without giving any further explanation. “This is Lee Changsub.” The man at Eunkwang’s right waved. “He’s our genius pilot.”
“The best pilot for this old ship,” said Changsub while pointing his thumb at his chest, “No one else could fly this ship and keep it in one piece as well as me.”
“Right.” Eunkwang continued, moving to the man on his left, “That’s our youngest Yook Sungjae, he’s our technological genius from Nonus and works with me on jobs. I’m training him.”
So, this was the Sungjae that had been mentioned to him twice. Hyunsik made sure to give him a careful onceover because here was a man with mystery. Nonus was a resort planet - a high-class dream - that boasted the latest advancements and innovations outside of the core rim planets.
Sungjae smiled and his good-natured face became very handsome. “Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand for Hyunsik to shake. “If you need anything looked into, let me know.”
Hyunsik gave Sungjae’s hand a firm shake, “You’ll be the first I ask.”
“Great! It’s a deal.”
The last crewmember set down a plate of sausages on the table. They were glistening with oil and smelled delicious if not a bit burnt around the edges.
A calm voice interrupted their talk, “I’m Peniel and I’m just here.” He had very white teeth when his lips curled back into a friendly expression and a strong face.
Sungjae shook his black hair off his forehead, “Hyung, you’re not just here.”
“But,” Peniel said, but he didn’t finish his sentence before Eunkwang spoke for him.
“Peniel came onboard as a passenger a few months back. He’s come to be an integral part of our crew. He was a nurse back on Titan.”
“Before I quit,” Peniel added. “Harassment.”
“Peniel hyung’s the best at central rim standard,” Sungjae said, “and he’s from one of the central system planets.”
“I just sort of came on and haven’t left,” said Peniel, shrugging his shoulders. The stilting way he spoke keyed Hyunsik into the fact that the central standard must be his first language.
Blinking and taking all of the information in, Hyunsik scanned their faces to memorize who was who. “Good to meet you all. I hope we can work well together.”
Eunkwang jabbed his fork into a sausage, “Speaking of work. We’ll be in Boris Landa in four days. That gives us four days to cement our plan in place. Thanks to Hyunsik joining, I think getting in and out will be a lot easier than we were projecting.”
Once again, Hyunsik felt clueless. Eunkwang had mentioned a high paying important job on Boris Landa twice now, but this was the first time he had given a taste to what the job was. “What’s the job?”
“You didn’t tell him hyung?” Sungjae said, surprise evident in his tone.
Eunkwang had the sausage in his mouth, taking a bite, grease dripping down the tongs of his fork. He winked, “It’s a rescue mission.”
“Who’s the target?” Hyunsik questioned.
“A man named Lee Minhyuk.”
Hyunsik licked his lips, “What’s he in for that needs rescuing?”
“He’s a friend of ours,” Ilhoon said softly, “was doing some private business on Lavender but we lost contact before the pick up.”
Sungjae rested his elbows on the table, “We tracked him to a science lab on Boris Landa.”
Boris Landa, the planet of the wealthy in the star system - full of tall cities and the latest advances in science and mechanics. A great place for the new, old, and questionable. Hyunsik had never been to Boris Landa, but he’d read the reports and travel posters. He’d wanted to visit it once in his past to see its famous holographic concert hall.
“A science lab on Boris Landa? That’s going to be damn near impossible.”
Changsub pointed at him, “That’s why we have you. We have the brain, but we lack the muscle.”
Hyunsik mouthed a silent ‘what’ with more words hanging unspoken on his tongue.
“Minhyuk was our muscle, but he’s got himself all abducted like and now we’re kind of just a floating metal ship filled with testosterone and too much caffeine,” Changsub added, picking up a steaming mug next to him and breathing in deep. “Delicious dark roasted coffee from Geneva.”
“He’s an addict,” Eunkwang said as if it explained everything about Changsub’s personality. Then again, Hyunsik bet that it probably did explain a lot about Changsub. “You think you’re ready to learn about our plan?”
“It sounds tough, but I’ll do my best to help you rescue your friend,” responded Hyunsik. “When do we start?”
Eunkwang pointed his fork at him, “Right now.”
There was a sense of good old-fashioned honesty that came from the crewmembers on the Melody. Hyunsik had only known some of them for mere minutes, but he could already start to tell that they were of a good sort. Thieves and conmen they might be; however, they were more human then Hyunsik had encountered over his years traveling to distant planets.
They felt like a family, and he only felt a little bit jealous of the fact.
//
Hyunsik opened the door to his cabin, his head was throbbing and there was a hum at the base of his skull that would not go away. He’d spent the rest of the day with Eunkwang and Sungjae shoving information down his throat about the mission on Boris Landa.
All of this information and he didn’t even know what the Lee Minhyuk guy looked like that he was saving. What he did know was that he was an important friend and was the crew’s second in command - before he got snatched. A man with fighting skills beyond what a normal human could ever accomplish. The crew appeared to hold him in such high esteem that Hyunsik wondered if Minhyuk’s fighting skills really were that legendary or if they were just fooling him.
Thinking about why someone would be picked up and reappear in a science lab gave Hyunsik an unsettling feeling in his stomach.
He’d heard stories about scientific experimentation going on during his days fighting against the coalition. They’d intercepted strange coded messages that didn’t appear to be involved with their fighting. Rather, they were for something else that they’d never been able to dig deep enough into the coalition’s secrets to find out.
It didn’t matter to them then. Science reports of off planet research and experimentation weren’t important to the fighting strategy. If it didn’t involve the mobilization of army and weapons, it wasn’t needed.
Hyunsik did however believe that the coalition was doing something shady behind the scenes. Their captured fighters were never the same after returning during a prisoner exchange. What happened to them, no one knew, not even the fighters themselves. A blank spot in their memory they told them. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
Wherever this Lee Minhyuk was he was in need of rescue.
//
part 2
Recipient: everyone
Group & Pairing: BTOB, general
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: brief mentions of war
Summary: After losing the war, there isn’t much left for Hyunsik on his home planet of New Seoul. He heads off to try his luck at space travel, hoping to find some answers about himself as he searches for a newfound peace. Unfortunately, his luck isn’t the product of his own choosing. This is a Firefly inspired AU.
Author’s Note: This story is inspired by the tv show firefly, but it isn’t necessary to know about the show. If you do know about it, then you’ll recognize the connections :)
“Doctor, subjects 153 and 155 have been checked in.”
The doctor’s assistant checked off several names on her clipboard, her heels clicking down the lab hallway as she walked. Motion sensor lights flicked on around her. Very few people were working in the laboratory so late at night.
Looking away from the microscope, the doctor swiveled her chair to the side, “Have the blood samples been sent to the lab for DNA analysis?” Stacks of labeled Petri dishes were arranged on the table besides her. In front of her, a holographic diagram of a string of DNA was being projected on a clear screen by a small circular device.
The hum of the refrigerators and temperature-controlled heaters broke the silence of the room.
“They are on their way right now.” She glanced at her clipboard, the latest report flashing across the top of the screen. “Analysis of the samples has begun. The results will be sent to you directly.”
“Thank you,” said the doctor, grabbing her palm and removing her gloves in one well-practiced fluid motion, “make sure the director receives the report as well. This is code eight clearance. Prepare the testing lab for tomorrow. We need to run a test for amino acid deficiency in subject 156.”
“Yes doctor.”
The doctor grabbed the hologram-projecting device and placed it in her pocket. It wouldn’t do to leave important confidential information lying around the laboratory. The information in her pocket was worth more than her own life.
Without warning, a red light began to flash in the hallway, and not soon after a high-pitched alarm began to beep loud and clear throughout the lab. The assistant raced to the door where an armed guard appeared.
“What is it?” asked the doctor, unsettled by the alarm. She dropped everything she was planning on doing to rush to the door.
“Dr. Choi, we’ve had a break in. Subject 156 is missing from his chamber.”
“Shit, how did this happen?” The doctor brushed past the guard and headed out the door, leaving them to follow her.
“They took out our security feed, hacked the codes, and took out the guards.”
They stopped at the nursery where the entry door was wide open and the guards and nursery workers were lying on the floor, small darts sticking out of the skin at their neck. Chamber 156 was broken into, pieces of the control panel scattered across the floor. Whoever had done the deed was a sloppy thief.
“Get a team on this,” said Dr. Choi, “news of this does not leave the building. I’ll call it in.”
She grimaced and curled her hand around the baby blanket in the chamber. It was still warm.
//
By the year 3500, a new pinnacle to understanding the fine details human genome had been reached through the success of science, study, and perseverance.
Genesis’ genetic engineering program was a success, a miracle of scientific and medical practices merging together to create the perfect human. After years of research and countless trials, the genesis project had done what no others had managed to do before them, reconfigure the human genome sequence by sequence.
The process had first begun in 3400 by altering the physical characteristics of the unborn child, manipulating DNA before implanting a fertilized egg into the mother’s womb. Genetic disorders were wiped out and replaced with healthy, proper code. Families eagerly became a part of the program and willing test subjects to practice DNA manipulation were never hard to find.
But, the scientific study had only completed its first phase. Then came the breakthroughs in understanding what gene segments could make humans heal, learn, and process faster. These manipulations were added into the genetic coding of babies. Generations of test children grew up learning speech and fine motor controls far quicker than their peers. Some could do complex math while others became promising athletes. Each new group built off the success of the previous.
The genesis project kept tabs all its children - study data improved the program - as they conducted trials only the governing planet coalition knew about. Every ten years they would focus their program on a new planet, populating a new set of colonies with their experimentation so that their true goal was not brought into question.
On the surface, the project promoted genetic disorder screening and minor cosmetic DNA changes. If the parents wanted a girl, the genesis project could guarantee the sex of the child. However, the planet coalition wasn’t funding the project because they wanted to help their civilians. They were after the perfect human, one that could be molded and transformed - the perfect soldier, doctor, or worker.
Test group number 28 was the most promising group yet to develop. Heightened senses, fast recovery time, stronger mental capabilities, and improved immune resistance to disease were important for the makings of a super human.
As promised, the project staff would return for future testing.
///////
3532 C.E. Battle of Song Ridge
“Sir! We’re not going to be able to hold them off for long here, they’ve got us cornered.”
The smell of burning plasma reactions made Hyunsik’s stomach clench, and smoke from the resulting explosions clouded up his eyes. Thunderous gunfire went off all around them. A flash of light and a piercing screech of a bomb shook the ground beneath him.
“Sir? What are our new orders?”
Hyunsik touched his communicator earpiece; it was fried by the planet coalition’s jamming waves. The ground radio would still be working since it operated on an older frequency. Their new technology was rendered useless by their enemy’s deep pockets.
He sat back. Removing his rifle from the rocks it was resting on, and stared at the face of his worried subordinate. Hyunsik was new to being in command, having been promoted to sergeant only three weeks prior. His wits, strength, and tactical knowledge trumped his young age. He had climbed the military ladder quickly. This was his third commanding mission of a small group of rebels.
“We were told to hold the range until our air reinforcements can make it, but my earpiece’s fried by the jamming signal. I need to return to base to report our condition,” Hyunsik said curtly, gathering his strength and beginning to plan the dangerous trip back up the mountainside.
The private wiped dirt off his forehead, “What do you need sir?”
A lone plasma stream hit the mountain face above them, causing rocks to shower down on them. “Stay here with who’s left and fall back together up the mountain, but don’t let their sensor array reach the left side. Go up from the left and take it out. If you run into trouble, Sergeant Kim’s group should be stationed on the left.” What was left of Sergeant Kim’s group was. “Focus on taking out the array.”
Hyunsik knew he was putting himself in danger by returning to their communications base alone, but they needed to destroy the sensor array that was damaging their communication signal. If he couldn’t contact the forces based outside the mountain range, then no one else could either.
The troops were scattered across the range - those that were left at least. It was of upmost importance that the reinforcements were informed about the danger.
Another huge blast knocked vibrated through the ground. Hopefully, it was their side that sent the bomb over this time.
“Yes sir!” the private said with a grim look on his face. Hyunsik wasn’t sure if this would be the last time he’d be seeing the private, or the last time the private would be seeing him.
But, he didn’t have time to think of such things. Leaving the private to relay his message, Hyunsik made a break for the barricades to his right. They weren’t bomb proof, but they were reinforced to survive repeated plasma blasts.
He made his way up the mountainside carefully, dodging behind rocks and shattered equipment - broken down guns and shields - all the way to the communications base. The base was empty, reserves likely called down to fight, but the radio itself was still intact.
Hyunsik raced over to type in the command message, sending his authorization code and order request on the cracked keyboard. The radio screen blinked red, a good sign. His message was going through and now he just had to wait for the response.
A loud explosion went off to his left, and Hyunsik peered out from behind the blast wall. The plume of smoke arising from the enemies left side meant their side might have knocked out the signal array. If he were right, his earpiece would begin working momentarily while it scanned the radio channels for their secure signal.
The beeping from the communication radio brought Hyunsik back from his racing thoughts. He jogged back, and crouched down to read the message. Soon reinforcements would be arriving and they would be relieved of the crushing pressure of the coalition’s guns.
Except, they weren’t coming.
Hyunsik froze, heart dropping down into his stomach as his fingers grazed the screen.
“What?” he mouthed. Their reinforcement troops weren’t coming. They were left here to win an impossible battle if that was the case. He clenched his hand into a fist; he didn’t want his death to amount to this. A frost took hold of his chest, wild and frightening.
The gunfire around him fell silent, and then came the sound of air ships shuttling down from above. Fuel cores warping the atmosphere and lighting up the sky. The noise was deafening to Hyunsik’s ears, his jaw dropping open when he stumbled back to see the sight of terror in front of him.
His earpiece, now working, was screaming out the command for immediate surrender. Shit.
They had failed; he had failed. His head throbbed uncomfortably with the sound of wind beating against rocks.
A pulse blast sent him sprawling backwards. His head colliding with the rocky defense wall and knocking the wind out of him. Gasping, Hyunsik slumped over while choking for breath, stars shining in his vision.
A siren blazed somewhere above him, loud speakers echoing immediate surrender.
//
The warmth of New Seoul in the summertime seemed dry and desolate when Hyunsik returned. Like a faded memory or an old picture bleached out from the sun. What was once cheerful was replaced with grey - a dirty future for a once thriving place.
How long would it take for the planet to recover, for the people to recover? Hyunsik didn’t know how to find the answers to the questions that kept him awake at night. He was still a kid with an above average physique with the ability to work under pressure and told to lead a group of men when he didn’t know what he was doing. Fighting for a cause he believed in that was now a forgotten dream and plasma burn scars.
Now time seemed to stretch out for eternity. He’d done so much, yet he felt like he did so little.
The slight limp in his walk on rough days was a sad reminder.
Coming back to the planet’s capital after being off world for a year fighting on a nearby moon was hard. Nothing was the same as it looked before; planetary coalition officials had already changed the city with their offices and buildings. He had to go through three checkpoints - being a member of the defeated side - before he could gain entry to the public trams.
The officials looked at him strangely - pointing out a birthmark at the side of his neck - while they logged his fingerprints into the system. Hyunsik felt violated as they poked and prodded at him before they let him go. He wasn’t a thing just because he was a member of the losing side; he was a human being too.
Hyunsik’s hometown was one fourth empty from the last time he’d laid eyes on it. His feet passing by several boarded up houses, and empty and closed stores. The resistance movement had hit his home planet as hard as it hit the other rebelling planets and moons. Business that relied on planetary shipments disappeared with trade blocks. People quietly left the bordering towns and moved to the bigger cities, or off world. Even after one hundred years since initial colonization, New Seoul wasn’t completely self-sufficient.
There was something wrong with the planet’s soil. Some plants grew, but not the staples needed to feed the entire population. Elements had to be introduced, and without good soil there weren’t any crops. With the right shipments of premade nutrients the plants would grow if they were brought in. Regular doses of nitrogen and phosphorus into the soil made the grass grow and the trees sprout leaves.
The annual planting festival saw that the supplements were added. There hadn’t been a planting festival since the fighting began two years ago.
Too many small time farmers went out of business because of the fighting. In the end the coalition had hit them where they hurt the most. Destroying their nutrient synthesizers had been the last piece that sent their reserve tumbling down. They were broken.
Welcoming New Seoul, the twenty-third planet in the planetary coalition.
His house didn’t even look the same anymore.
His mother cried when she saw him, “Hyunsik I thought you’d never come home to me.” She dropped her shovel in the yard and came running over to him at the gate of their land.
Hyunsik hadn’t felt this happy in a long time, dropping his bag and closing rapidly decreasing gap between them. He brought his arms up and hugged her; she still smelled like flowers and felt like pure warmth. Content to stay like this while she babbled in his ear about missing his face and how good it was for him to be home again.
He was a day early, his father still out in the ranch and his brother traveling from his new hometown to meet them. Hyunsik was fine with this news. Sitting on the porch of his family home with his mom and letting the new sheep herding dog lick his hand was enough of a welcoming.
“What are you going to do now?” his mother asked, and Hyunsik could hear the worry behind her question, “Are you going to stay here with us?”
With a far out stare into the sky, Hyunsik let his body relax into the chair. “It’s hard. I want to be here with you, but after all the fighting, I can’t think straight. I can’t relax.” He paused, “I think what’s best is that I get away for a while. I want to travel, see the planets, find some peace and quiet. Maybe see a doctor off-world about my seizures.”
“That’s come back?” his mother asked worriedly, “is it bringing you trouble again?”
“Started up bad a year ago again, the meds aren’t working great anymore.” Hyunsik’s thigh muscle twitched in response. He’d had the problem since he was a kid, but a special combination of drugs and vitamin consumption stopped the attacks when they occurred. Being in the war without a regular med supply weakened him.
They’d told him it was genetic, but no one in his family had ever had the problem.
His mother sighed, “I’m sorry we didn’t have the means to fix it when you were a kid.”
“It’s not your fault mom.”
“I know, I know.”
In the corner of his eye, he saw his mother nod her head, hair falling out of her hairpins and blowing in the gentle breeze.
“I love you, and when you do go, just don’t forget to come home,” she said, “I thought I lost you once as a baby, and again to the fighting, I don’t want to lose you a third time.”
Hyunsik smiled, “Of course. I’ll bring you and dad back all the wonders of the star system on my journey.”
“A glittering rock from Lavender is enough for me. I always wanted one. I’ve heard they shine like the sun with the right light.”
“One glittering rock it is. What do you think dad wants? One of those guitars from Nonus that tune themselves?” Hyunsik scratched the dog behind its ears.
“He’ll be happy with seeing you again. How long are you planning on being away? Not that you need your mom telling you what to do.”
“A year or two maybe,” Hyunsik said, “until things here get settled.”
His mother breathed through her teeth, “It’ll be a long time for that to happen. Are you sure you’ve made up your mind? We can always use your help on the farm. Milking cows is peaceful, so I’ve heard.”
“I don’t think farming is really my thing right now.” Hyunsik folded his hands in his lap. He had experienced many a dark, solitary, and fearful night since the end of the fighting. There hadn’t been time to think about anything besides staying alive and winning. Now, the unpleasant memories were rushing to the surface.
“I understand Hyunsik. You take your time.”
Hyunsik nodded and bowed his head. The ground beneath his feet was solid, but his heart leapt at the thought of being out there in the vast dark sky, flying past the stars and catching rides on spaceships traveling from planet to planet. He could feel the strong thumping in his chest calling him away.
He soon found himself drifting through space.
//
5 years later
“Where’s my money Hyunsik?” The greasy words slipped out of the offender’s mouth.
Hyunsik’s hand slipped down to touch the tip of his gun, but the whir of a stunner gun firing up stopped him, hand twitching in midair. Four large men blocked the exit of the falling down warehouse where he was meeting his employer.
The dim light coming in through the broken windows above them made Hyunsik squint to see the man as his eyes adjusted from the bright outdoor light.
“It’s coming like I told you,” said Hyunsik calmly. It was no use to try and argue with the man. He was the one holding the weapon to his head. “I need another few days to sell the shipment. If you let me work for Tetch, I’d have more to give you.”
His employer waved his gun in Hyunsik’s face, “You’re not working for my competitor you lousy piece of shit. You do remember who owns you right? Or do you need a reminder.”
The muzzle of a gun poked into his shoulder blades, shoving him forward a step.
“No, no reminder, I know. No need to point that thing around.” Hyunsik frowned, muscles tensing with unreleased action. How much longer would he have to put up with this treatment? Hyunsik bit his tongue and curbed his desire to punch him in the face.
“Good.” The grease ball said, “I was beginning to wonder just what you’ve been up to this past week. Barely checking in with me, running around with my shipment of Gendarian liquor in your hands like you own it. Your debt to me still stands, and until you pay it off, you’re mine.”
“Yes I know.”
“When you come back in three days you better have the money, or we might have to have a little reeducation, you and I.”
Hyunsik’s mouth twitched. He still had the scars on his back from his last, reeducation session. As if his employer would let him off. The tracker implant imbedded in his arm made it impossible to leave without being found out. Someone was always watching.
This is what he got for being in trouble with the one person who could supply him with the meds he needed to stay alive.
“Now get out of my sight.” His employer waved his gun around.
Hyunsik didn’t need to be told twice.
//
There wasn’t enough liquor in the system to take all of Hyunsik’s problems away.
Hyunsik rubbed the bridge of his nose; he had the worst headache. The guys down at the market had played a tough bargaining game with him. He somehow managed to offload the rest of his illegal shipment of Gendarian liquor. It was a prime vintage, but the toxicity in the brew had hallucinatory effects and getting around the blocked items list was tricky.
He popped a vitamin pill and swallowed it with the last swig in his glass.
The bar tender stopped in front of his spot at the bar, “You need a refill?” he asked.
Hyunsik looked up and nodded, sliding his glass over for the bartender to pour in more cheap beer that tasted like stale musk. It was better than the Blackridge liquor that smelled like piss and he swore tasted like it too.
If there was one thing that Hyunsik needed, it was to get off this god-forsaken planet. He’d been here for nearly two years now - two years too many - and being stuck here wasn’t the worst of his troubles. Worse yet, he hadn’t been home in three years.
Being a wanted man on the exact planet you were stuck on made it hard to procure a transport out. Especially when you still owed the men you borrowed from money. Hyunsik didn’t know how long it would be until he’d worked enough jobs to pay his debts and take the next ship off. Considering he had enough money to also pay for the voyage to some moon that wasn’t a complete shit hole like Aries V.
All he wanted to do was drink his beer in peace, and hope someone would come around looking for his services. A few of his regular contacts appeared to have gone missing this past week.
He was halfway into his glass when the men at the far table started to argue. Normally, Hyunsik wouldn’t bat an eyelash at this behavior because off-worlders always caused trouble, but he hated Rees Jinty, a local illegal goods dealer. Any time he had a chance to point his gun at Jinty, he’d do it.
Jinty laughed and his two goons grabbed the out numbered man he was doing business with by his two arms.
Everyone else in the bar ignored it. Jinty had someone thrown out of the bar on almost a daily basis. He was a cruel, disgusting, and sorry excuse for a man.
When the men started throwing punches, Hyunsik forgot all about his headache. He set his drink down and cracked his knuckles.
Things were finally starting to get interesting.
//
Fighting came as easily to Hyunsik as gold squeezed from the poor came to the wealthy.
Wiping his hands, Hyunsik swirled his tongue over his bottom lip. He’d bitten it on accident when he elbowed Jinty’s man in the gut before he could draw his gun. Allowing the man who was caught to break free from the other goon’s hold.
Of course, they’d all been thrown out of the bar for causing trouble and breaking a chair. Hyunsik sometimes underestimated his own strength. How was he supposed to know the chair was poorly made and would shatter upon impact after being slammed into someone’s back? It appeared that the man Hyunsik had rescued had managed to wheedle the money out of Jinty himself while Hyunsik threw his bodyguards out the bar before they all got kicked out by the bar staff.
He knew getting into a fight wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but most of the runners on this planet needed to get the shit kicked out of them. Thankfully, most of them were afraid of Hyunsik’s employer - debt collector - to come after him in his sleep. Or well he hoped. He might have to watch his back for a few months.
The man shoved the bag of coalition coins down his leather vest, “Thanks for the help in there.” He extended his hand and Hyunsik gave him a firm handshake in return. “My name’s Seo Eunkwang. I’m the captain of the ship Melody here on business. You’re a really good fighter.”
“So I’m told.” Hyunsik relaxed and let out a chuckle, “I’m Lim Hyunsik and it’s no bother, Jinty and I have some bad blood between us.”
Captain Eunkwang’s face warmed up; the bruise on his jaw stretching as his lips peeled back into a smile.
Hyunsik didn’t have any need to give out false names to a ship captain, they were the here today gone tomorrow types. He rubbed his sore knuckles, “But why is a ship captain dealing with Jinty?”
Everyone who came to this planet had a reason for being here.
Captain Eunkwang patted his vest where the money had disappeared to, “Delivering an important shipment for a customer through Jinty. Seems like the customer didn’t want to pay the asking price.” The devious smile on his face told Hyunsik that the shipment wasn’t candy and flowers.
“Well, Jinty’s a thief, he was probably trying to stiff you,” Hyunsik said. “You should choose a different fence next time.”
“I’ll look around, unless you’re offering yourself?” Captain Eukwang asked slyly, an easy going smile on his face.
Even with his lip smarting, Hyunsik couldn’t help his mouth from turning upward. “I don’t really do that type of work often. I’m more in the fighting,” - he crossed his arms - “line of business. I could ask around for you though Captain.”
Captain Eunkwang extended his hand, “And they always told me people on Aries V weren’t friendly.”
Hyunsik laughed, “Follow me, I’ll show you the real Aries V.”
//
If Hyunsik had known the captain wouldn’t leave him alone, he’d have been easy on his offer to give him his knowledge of the Aries V dirty underworld. Of course, this seemed to give the captain an excuse to badger him with strange questions that vaguely sounded like an interview.
Though, there was something about the man that Hyunsik admired - his sense of duty and friendly nature. Captain Eunkwang was like a breath of fresh air around these parts.
Sitting in the dirty courtyard outside his lean to, the captain didn’t seem to care that Hyunsik was checking over his collection of guns right in front of him.
“Hyunsik you’re a smart man,” said Captain Eunkwang, “how’d you like to join my crew? We’re setting off for an important high paying job on Boris Landa and we could use someone like you.”
Hyunsik took his eyes off the N-7 blaster he was cleaning, removable parts all over the table, and squinted up at the man talking. The light shining from Aries V’s star was always at its brightest this time of day when it even cut through the particle haze air rovers gave off above them. He’d shown the captain around some dealers, left the man with his contact information, went to scout out for a job, and the man had found him again not before long.
Unfortunately, no one seemed to need someone as a bodyguard or threaten anyone for once. He’d go out again tomorrow. In a place like Aries V, finding a disreputable job had a twisted way of landing itself in your lap before you knew it.
Captain Eunkwang smiled, “You’d get paid for your work and living expenses are covered by all the crew. So how about it?” His copper toned hair stuck out of his grey cap like pieces of straw.
Hyunsik sucked in air through his teeth. He’d wanted a reason to get off this backwards planet and here was one. It was very well possible however that his offer was too good to be true.
Living on Aries V was tough if you lived in the lower levels. The higher the elite went, the lower the rest fell. Everyone else fell in around the middle. Poor, but not so destitute they had to succumb to the shipyard trade or becoming just another name the growing list of indentured servants.
“Someone like me? What kind of work you do anyway on that ship?” He rubbed the blaster’s barrel with a cloth to remove particle plasma buildup. A bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck.
The captain put a hand on the gun strapped to the holster on his side, and by the way his hand gripped the handle like an old friend, Hyunsik knew there was something more to this man than met the eye.
“By the way you handled that fight back there it wasn’t hard for me to see that you’ve done this before. Lot’s of times even, am I right? And in my line of business we find ourselves in certain situations where your expertise would come in handy.”
Hyunsik nodded his head, he’d been fighting since his dad handed him his first G-2 mini plasma gun. He was supposed to use it to ward off lizards from approaching the sheep, but he’d spent a lot of his childhood shooting rocks off boulders and perfecting his shot.
“So I’m guessing you’re a mercenary, a gun for hire, but from the way you stopped me from being flattened by your buddy back there I bet you don’t just look the other way.”
“I could’ve left you to die there.”
“But you didn’t, not that I really needed your help, but much appreciated,” Captain Eunkwang said, “I never liked Jinty, every time I do a job on this planet he tries to screw me by not going to pay the price we agreed on.” He crossed his arms, “This is definitely the last job I take on this planet. We’re shipping out tomorrow 0900 if you need more time to think about it.”
The piece of heavy metal in Hyunsik’s hand felt very light. “Maybe.” He hesitated; it wouldn’t take much for him to pack up his limited belongings and leave. There wasn’t anyone here worth missing - at least not anymore after the people he’d come planet side with left him penniless to die. Leaving would require a level of finesse Hyunsik was willing to do to wiggle out of his debt contract.
“Well the offer’s good and my crew’s friendly. Like I said, we could really use someone with your skills. Your pay will be dependant on our business, but business’ usually steady. Plus, you can get away from this…great planet.”
Hyunsik snorted, “I’ll be paid and the crew is friendly is your sales pitch?” Aries V was great, everyone came here hoping to make it big in the industrial mines and ended up too piss poor to get off the rock and start over.
“It’s worked for me before,” - Captain Eunkwang raised his eyebrows - “If you don’t like it on my ship, your share in the cut would be more than enough to relocate.”
Hyunsik nodded his head. “I’ll think about it.” He paused, “If I chose to accept, could you get me time to visit the medical center on Boris Landa, or another planet?”
“If nothing goes south, I can’t see why not. You sick?”
“No, just old pains. Haven’t been able to see a proper doctor in years.” Hyunsik didn’t want to disclose that he could at times be prone to seizures. He was fine as long as he took his meds, and those were easy enough to come by (except when being held over him by a vindictive debtor).
“Then think it over. We can get you to a doctor no problem. We have a former nurse on board. He’s pretty capable.” Captain Eunkwang stood up and stretched, then gave him a two finger wave as he got up and began to walk back up the soot caked street towards the shipyard.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, got some stuff to do,” he called out when he reached the top of the hill that separated Hyunsik’s shantytown from the cities first level.
All Hyunsik had left were weapons, pills, booze strong enough to strip paint off metal, and an old photo tablet that was worth taking.
If he took Eunkwang’s offer, he’d get to leave this planet as nothing but a sour taste in his mouth and a bitter memory to sleep by. As long as Eunkwang kept word, he’d see a competent doctor about his seizures. If he didn’t, he’d be stuck here until he managed to score a ride on the next cruiser off to another planet. Probably not on an outer rim planet, but maybe on a farming colony on one of the newly formed moons of Seti IV.
Then again, Hyunsik hadn’t tried his hand at farming in over ten years. Not since before he joined the resistance army and left for the temple back on his home planet. The feel of a shovel in his hands and raising livestock no longer was the type of life he wanted to lead. Also, the likelihood of him finding a medical facility on a newly formed moon that could treat his problem was low.
He shook his head and stopped staring at the blinking light up a head for city patrol, and reached for the plasma coil, coming up empty. In his hands was his N-7 blaster; completely put back together without him realizing he’d did it.
Well, I’ll be damned, he thought.
//
A sharp pinch would be all that he’d feel. His brain would feel the sensation of his pocketknife digging into the skin and tissue of his arm, carving out the round metal tracker. The little device kept him from leaving on penalty of death by small dosage of lethal poison.
He wasn’t supposed to know where it was, but for a couple hundred coins he could buy the knowledge of someone who could find out. Hyunsik was supposed to give this money to his employer the next day, but screwing him over brought Hyunsik great pleasure.
The wound would scar without a dermal scar treatment; however, Hyunsik wanted the scar. His wounded arm began to twitch, neurons firing, muscles contracting, and fatigue setting in.
Hyunsik grimaced, he needed to take yet another pill. They were wearing off quicker and quicker over the past few years and the prospect of them not working a year from now was frightening. There had been no miracle solution outside of New Seoul.
Bright red blood pooled into the gauze he’d taped onto his arm and it sent a dull throb up his spine. Sometimes he needed something left to remember.
//
Setting the gun down in front of him Hyunsik got up and entered his lean to he bought off a miner a year ago. He lifted up his sleeping pad off the floor, unearthing his old military bag, and began stuffing everything worth anything inside.
He didn’t belong here, and he didn’t really feel like he belonged anywhere. Not since the war.
But anywhere right now was still better than here.
//
Hyunsik wrapped his fingers tight around the bag strap over his shoulder. The last time he was at the ship docks, he was coming in Aries V and not planning on leaving. After reviewing the shipyard-docking manifesto, he located Captain Eunkwang’s ship, a class c transport ship listed under the name Melody.
He weaved through the crowded dock, passing shipments of ore and crystals destined for core rim planets. Huge crates were being lifted off a giant cruiser class ship with a large docking crane. The place looked much like how Hyunsik had remembered it a few years earlier, busy and smelling like engine discharge.
The Melody was docked in one of the other landing pads being a class c transport ship without a high priority-docking request. Hyunsik walked up to the dock communication feed that would patch him directly to the ship. He’d have to send a message to get the ship to own its main hanger doors.
His hand was reaching up to hit the call button when someone came up next to him and spoke loudly.
“Hey? You have business with the Melody?”
Hyunsik dropped his hand and turned. A young man in grease stained tan coveralls stared back at him, a large crate of metal parts in his arms.
“Yeah, the captain offered me a job, so I’m here.” Hyunsik let out a small smile when the stranger’s eyebrows disappeared into his hair.
“Oh! You’re the gun guy Eunkwang hyung was talking about.” He set his crate down on the ground and bowed, “I’m Jung Ilhoon, the ship’s mechanic.” Hyunsik stared at Ilhoon in disbelief, the man looked far too young to be a ship mechanic. Then again, he reasoned, looks can be deceiving.
“Then, I’m Lim Hyunsik, the gun guy.” He cocked his head to the side and made Ilhoon laugh.
Ilhoon breezed past him to the control box, “Sorry about that, I’m bad with titles. Let me get the code entered.” He opened the key code box and punched in the password sequence. “Your bunks going to be right next to mine, so I’ll show you around.” The heavy metal hanger door rolled open to show a half empty cargo hold.
Taking his first steps towards the docking ramp, Hyunsik opened his mouth to voice his confusion over his sudden entrance without being checked over by the captain. He could be a ruthless mercenary or coalition planet alliance spy. Well, he was the former, but he very well could be the latter. “Thanks Ilhoon, but shouldn’t I see the captain first?”
Ilhoon picked his box back up and was already up the walkway, “Why would you want to see the captain any more than you’ll have to?”
A clanking sound came from the ship, almost in response to Ilhoon’s sentence.
“Hey, what’s that about your captain?” Captain Eunkwang was coming down the metal stairs that led above the lower cargo hold. His shirt was half tucked into his pants and from the shadow of a mustache above his lip, Hyunsik had half a thought the captain had just woke up.
Captain Eunkwang’s face went from relaxed to enthusiastic when he saw Hyunsik standing awkwardly in the center of the docking ramp.
“Hyunsik!” He hurried down the rest of the steps. “I was planning on seeing you here this morning before we left.”
“You were?” The ship must really be in desperate need of an enforcer, not that Hyunsik wasn’t one hundred percent sure he provided the best service. “Isn’t that a bit of a gamble?”
Captain Eunkwang stuffed the other half of his shirt into his pants, “I know a man desperate to get off a planet when I see one. I knew you were a good pick.” He waved at Hyunsik to come closer, “Don’t just stand there, and come on in. We’re on a bit of a tight schedule.”
Ilhoon walked up to Eunkwang and handed him to crate, “Here you wanted this, so you can have it. I don’t know what you think you’re going to do with a pile of broken scrap service parts, and don’t ask me to put it together.”
“I see you’ve already met Ilhoon. He’s our mechanic - ”
“Hyung, I already introduced myself, go away and do your captain duties and stop bothering us. I’ll show him around.”
Eunkwang pulled a face, “Why are you sending me away?”
“Because we need to get off this rock and you’re delaying our departure.”
“Did you fix the leak in the nanocore fuel line?”
“Hyung I did that yesterday. I told you last night.”
The two of them squabbled over ship maintenance, and Hyunsik stood watching, his bag getting heavier by the minute. Firearms weren’t light, and he’d stuffed his entire gun collection in one bag. Luckily, most of his guns were high powered and small. Except for his favorite, the deadly and affective Jones rifle. It packed a giant punch in a gun that was almost as long as his forearm.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but can I be shown the place to drop off my things?” he asked, cutting through the banter. “The gun guy’s guns don’t weigh feather pillows.”
Both their heads turned back in Hyunsik’s direction.
“See hyung, you’re holding up business.” He pointed his finger at Eunkwang while he spoke; “I’m going to take you to your room.”
“Thanks.” Hyunsik hiked the strap further up his shoulder.
Eunkwang sighed and nodded, his hands adjusting his grip around the crate, “I’ll go get started on our departure call. Hyunsik, I’ll see you in the mess hall for second meal. I trust Ilhoon to get you acquainted.”
“Yes sir.”
“You can call me captain, or Eunkwang, or even Eunkwang hyung like Ilhoon. We’re all friends here.”
Hyunsiks tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he hadn’t called anyone hyung in a long time. He’d dropped planetary cultural language after the fighting. The Melody’s crew must be from his local system, they didn’t say hyung just anywhere.
Ilhoon rubbed his nose before taking the second bag Hyunsik had hanging over his shoulder without asking. “Just call him old man. Come on, this way. We’re leaving now.” He motioned for Hyunsik to follow him up one side of the metal staircase, leaving Eunkwang on the ground floor below.
Below them, Eunkwang called out to Ilhoon, “Ilhoon I’ll send Sungjae after you.”
Ilhoon threw his head back and yelled down, “Big threat hyung.” He reached the top of the staircase and pointed at the two possible directions you could take.
“If you go straight, you’ll end up the dining hall, where the meals are. To the right, and you’ll find be led up a staircase to the upper storage room, but there isn’t anything up there except spare equipment. We’re going straight.” He pointed ahead of him and began down the short metal plated walkway lit by domed lights on the ceiling of the ships no nonsense construction. A sealed door separated the end of the hallway from the cargo hold.
Ilhoon patted the metal door like it was an old friend. He appeared to be strangely at peace in the giant flying metal contraption.
Hyunsik fell in step behind him, staying only a pace or two away, “And the ship quarters?”
“Past the dining hall, the rooms are actually in the stretch between the cockpit and the dining hall.”
Ilhoon touched the door side panel, and they entered into the dining hall. The room was oval shaped and painted from bottom to top in dull beige. Although it was small, Hyunsik could tell it was well used by the stocked cabinets and space travel rations lying in disarray on the countertop of the kitchen.
“It’s a little messy - we haven’t been planet side for four weeks since we got here, and it’s nice to not eat something out of a can. Our fresh food supplies were running low,” Ilhoon said, frowning and pulling up excuses.
Smiling, Hyunsik shook his head, “Looks great.”
They walked past the giant table bolted to the ground (as most large furniture was in space ships), and Ilhoon led him to a second hallway. After passing through another airlock door, Hyunsik saw what Ilhoon had meant about the crew quarters all being next to each other.
The hallway was lit with the same overhead lighting, but light was spilling in from far door, where Hyunsik assumed must be the entry to the cockpit.
“You will be right here,” - Ilhoon hit the control pad on the side of the panel, and door opened up in the wall, sliding into the metal framework. “You can reconfigure the controls to password lock your room. Actually, you probably should or Sungjae will come snooping.”
“Okay, I’ll be sure to keep out the Sungjae,” Hyunsik said slowly, and he entered the room with Ilhoon close behind him. The way this Sungjae person was being talked about, Hyunsik wondered what he’d be like when he met him.
The layout was simplistic, a bed, a small table and chair, and a pull out sink with toilet compartment underneath. Besides a few empty boxes lying on the floor - Hyunsik assumed for storage - the room was sparse. However, an empty room was fine with Hyunsik because he didn’t have many things to fill it up with.
He set his bag down on the floor with an audible thud.
“It’s not much, just some old standard issue bedding - it’s all clean though, did the laundry last night,” said Ilhoon as he set Hyunsik’s other bag on the table. “You can do whatever you like with it. The captain doesn’t care what you do as long as it’s not trouble.”
“Got it,” Hyunsik said, glad to not be carrying around a bag full of guns anymore.
Ilhoon smiled, “I’ll show you around the rest of the ship -”
The speakers on the top of the door squeaked, and the ship wide intercom system started to patch through from the cockpit.
“This is the captain speaking, we’ve been given the go to signal a bit earlier than expected, so we’re going to head out. Ilhoon we’ll be needing you in the engine room and everyone else finish the undocking procedure.”
Groaning, Ilhoon took a beeping radio transmitter out of his pockets and put it up to his ear, “Yeah yeah I heard you, I’ll be right there.”
Hyunsik straightened up, he’d forgotten the busy schedule a space ship maintained after years of living planet side. He cracked his knuckles, “Any way I can help?”
“Know anything about engines?” Ilhoon asked, “Or know anything at all?” He licked his lips and gave Hyunsik a weary smile. Hyunsik had to grin; this young mechanic had a horribly attractive charm around him.
“I helped service a few engines in my day,” he said, resting his hands on his hips. “I think I can manage it.”
“I like you,” said Ilhoon after a brief pause. “A man after my own job.”
//
By the time Ilhoon had the engine worked up after breaking through the planet’s atmosphere, Hyunsik had learned the proper procedure for priming the old engine to start up (if he remembered all the steps in the correct order). Space-time ran on a different standard clock than planet time, which corresponded to the rotation around the planet’s central star. Due to this, Hyunsik found himself being whisked off by Ilhoon to the dining hall. His two years planet-side made him feel rusty about being on a ship again.
Most space ships timed standard space-time to match the planetary time before docking to save them the resulting time lag.
The voices leaking out from the dining hall clued Hyunsik in that the rest of the crew must be inside. He followed Ilhoon’s steps through the open door.
“We’re here,” Ilhoon said to Eunkwang, who was lounging at a chair by the table. Two other men sat next to him, and a third was frying something in the kitchen by the sizzling sound that reached Hyunsik’s ears.
“Good,” Eunkwang replied, taking his elbows off the table and straightening his back. The man sitting to his right remained slouched over. His eyes were tired, but Hyunsik couldn’t tell if his face appeared sleepy, or if he actually was sleepy.
Eunkwang gave Hyunsik a smile and waved them over, “Sit down, Peniel’s frying up some sausages.”
So that was what the sizzling and the pleasant smell were from. Hyunsik felt his stomach rise up to the occasion even though they had left the planet merely an hour earlier.
Sleepy eyes cleared their throat, “You the enforcer with the giant guns?”
Hyunsik unconsciously flexed his arms.
Eunkwang pulled a face, frowning at sleepy eyes. “Changsub, I was going to do the introductions.”
Hyunsik folded his hands in his lap, wondering if anyone on this ship was normal. Well, normal as one could come in this day and age. He smiled; cautious of the man at Eunkwang’s other side that hadn’t spoke but was eying him with an intense stare.
“Fine, go ahead.”
“This is Lim Hyunsik,” Eunkwang said, and Hyunsik nodded his head towards the crewmembers. “He’s got excellent combat experience, which will be useful - as everyone here knows.”
“Hello.” Hyunsik felt like he was being scrutinized under the weight of unspoken questions. Just what exactly did this crew get themselves into?
However, Eunkwang pointed out the remaining nameless crew without giving any further explanation. “This is Lee Changsub.” The man at Eunkwang’s right waved. “He’s our genius pilot.”
“The best pilot for this old ship,” said Changsub while pointing his thumb at his chest, “No one else could fly this ship and keep it in one piece as well as me.”
“Right.” Eunkwang continued, moving to the man on his left, “That’s our youngest Yook Sungjae, he’s our technological genius from Nonus and works with me on jobs. I’m training him.”
So, this was the Sungjae that had been mentioned to him twice. Hyunsik made sure to give him a careful onceover because here was a man with mystery. Nonus was a resort planet - a high-class dream - that boasted the latest advancements and innovations outside of the core rim planets.
Sungjae smiled and his good-natured face became very handsome. “Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand for Hyunsik to shake. “If you need anything looked into, let me know.”
Hyunsik gave Sungjae’s hand a firm shake, “You’ll be the first I ask.”
“Great! It’s a deal.”
The last crewmember set down a plate of sausages on the table. They were glistening with oil and smelled delicious if not a bit burnt around the edges.
A calm voice interrupted their talk, “I’m Peniel and I’m just here.” He had very white teeth when his lips curled back into a friendly expression and a strong face.
Sungjae shook his black hair off his forehead, “Hyung, you’re not just here.”
“But,” Peniel said, but he didn’t finish his sentence before Eunkwang spoke for him.
“Peniel came onboard as a passenger a few months back. He’s come to be an integral part of our crew. He was a nurse back on Titan.”
“Before I quit,” Peniel added. “Harassment.”
“Peniel hyung’s the best at central rim standard,” Sungjae said, “and he’s from one of the central system planets.”
“I just sort of came on and haven’t left,” said Peniel, shrugging his shoulders. The stilting way he spoke keyed Hyunsik into the fact that the central standard must be his first language.
Blinking and taking all of the information in, Hyunsik scanned their faces to memorize who was who. “Good to meet you all. I hope we can work well together.”
Eunkwang jabbed his fork into a sausage, “Speaking of work. We’ll be in Boris Landa in four days. That gives us four days to cement our plan in place. Thanks to Hyunsik joining, I think getting in and out will be a lot easier than we were projecting.”
Once again, Hyunsik felt clueless. Eunkwang had mentioned a high paying important job on Boris Landa twice now, but this was the first time he had given a taste to what the job was. “What’s the job?”
“You didn’t tell him hyung?” Sungjae said, surprise evident in his tone.
Eunkwang had the sausage in his mouth, taking a bite, grease dripping down the tongs of his fork. He winked, “It’s a rescue mission.”
“Who’s the target?” Hyunsik questioned.
“A man named Lee Minhyuk.”
Hyunsik licked his lips, “What’s he in for that needs rescuing?”
“He’s a friend of ours,” Ilhoon said softly, “was doing some private business on Lavender but we lost contact before the pick up.”
Sungjae rested his elbows on the table, “We tracked him to a science lab on Boris Landa.”
Boris Landa, the planet of the wealthy in the star system - full of tall cities and the latest advances in science and mechanics. A great place for the new, old, and questionable. Hyunsik had never been to Boris Landa, but he’d read the reports and travel posters. He’d wanted to visit it once in his past to see its famous holographic concert hall.
“A science lab on Boris Landa? That’s going to be damn near impossible.”
Changsub pointed at him, “That’s why we have you. We have the brain, but we lack the muscle.”
Hyunsik mouthed a silent ‘what’ with more words hanging unspoken on his tongue.
“Minhyuk was our muscle, but he’s got himself all abducted like and now we’re kind of just a floating metal ship filled with testosterone and too much caffeine,” Changsub added, picking up a steaming mug next to him and breathing in deep. “Delicious dark roasted coffee from Geneva.”
“He’s an addict,” Eunkwang said as if it explained everything about Changsub’s personality. Then again, Hyunsik bet that it probably did explain a lot about Changsub. “You think you’re ready to learn about our plan?”
“It sounds tough, but I’ll do my best to help you rescue your friend,” responded Hyunsik. “When do we start?”
Eunkwang pointed his fork at him, “Right now.”
There was a sense of good old-fashioned honesty that came from the crewmembers on the Melody. Hyunsik had only known some of them for mere minutes, but he could already start to tell that they were of a good sort. Thieves and conmen they might be; however, they were more human then Hyunsik had encountered over his years traveling to distant planets.
They felt like a family, and he only felt a little bit jealous of the fact.
//
Hyunsik opened the door to his cabin, his head was throbbing and there was a hum at the base of his skull that would not go away. He’d spent the rest of the day with Eunkwang and Sungjae shoving information down his throat about the mission on Boris Landa.
All of this information and he didn’t even know what the Lee Minhyuk guy looked like that he was saving. What he did know was that he was an important friend and was the crew’s second in command - before he got snatched. A man with fighting skills beyond what a normal human could ever accomplish. The crew appeared to hold him in such high esteem that Hyunsik wondered if Minhyuk’s fighting skills really were that legendary or if they were just fooling him.
Thinking about why someone would be picked up and reappear in a science lab gave Hyunsik an unsettling feeling in his stomach.
He’d heard stories about scientific experimentation going on during his days fighting against the coalition. They’d intercepted strange coded messages that didn’t appear to be involved with their fighting. Rather, they were for something else that they’d never been able to dig deep enough into the coalition’s secrets to find out.
It didn’t matter to them then. Science reports of off planet research and experimentation weren’t important to the fighting strategy. If it didn’t involve the mobilization of army and weapons, it wasn’t needed.
Hyunsik did however believe that the coalition was doing something shady behind the scenes. Their captured fighters were never the same after returning during a prisoner exchange. What happened to them, no one knew, not even the fighters themselves. A blank spot in their memory they told them. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
Wherever this Lee Minhyuk was he was in need of rescue.
//
part 2