(no subject)
Title: Acts of Insurrection (12/20)
Authors: butterflyweb and nemesis_cry
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: OT5
Warning(s): violence, graphic sex, language
Summary: It's been six months since Changmin crashed on the remote planet known as Elysia. Five months since Yunho and Junsu found him. Four months since Jaejoong was shot by a man he and Yoochun both trusted. Now training as the Empress' men, former soldiers and former rebels have shed past allegiances in service of a common goal. But the tide is turning--and not in their favor.
Banner credit: luvmeanddespair
A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful feedback for the first part. We hope you enjoy this one!
Prequel: Acts of Contrition;
Acts of Insurrection: One; Two; Three; Four; Five; Six; Seven; Eight; Nine; Ten; Eleven
Chapter Twelve
The smug son of a bitch is surprisingly strong, gun trained on Yoochun as he hauls Junsu to his feet, clapping restraints on arms and legs with a warning not to try anything, unless he wants 'another hole in his pretty face'. He herds them from the small cell into the waiting clutches of the Guard, Junsu's heart icing over in his chest as he recognizes some of them. There's disgust etched on familiar faces, sharing space with utter hatred and he's never felt so removed from his former alliance as now.
Their eyes alight on Yoochun at his side, the other man wearing a glare like armor, shoulders tensed and back.
Muzzles press into his back, pushing him forward and nearly tripping him as he's forced through passages, a sick kind of deja vu winds through him.
"Welcome back, Kim," someone spits and he sets his jaw with a closed fist.
***
Yunho taps the comlink in his ear every minute, waiting to intercept his lovers' conversation. They're being unusually quiet and it doesn't take a genius to know why. Every parameter is relayed from Changmin's craft. No information comes from Jaejoong's, not even the cold but necessary 'message received' when they tell him what's ahead, what their status is and most importantly: what ships of the ones zeroing in on their position happen to be friendly.
The Empress watches him through lowered lashes, her knees drawn up to her chest, her razor embedded in the edge of the table. She stuck it there when they sat down. He's not sure if he's supposed to take it as a warning. He has other things to worry about than her Majesty.
"Everything looks good from here, Cerberus," Changmin's voice whispers into his ear. "Going to amp this up a bit, see what's outside our range."
"Copy that, Shim," he replies, eyes flicking to the transmission from Changmin's craft. He reverts to the impersonal terms almost automatically. Allegiance or no, he spent 7 years as a pilot for the Guard, two as a Captain. It's what is comfortable, and right now, it's what he needs.
Jiexi smiles at the name, pushes the scanner towards him again, claiming his attention. "All these ships answer to me. Some are new models, recently acquired. Others... well, you can see for yourself. We can use the Cerberus as headquarters. It's fast enough to keep up with the recent makes." Plans of the ship revolve in 3D before him. Nothing he doesn't know already. "It also has fighters that can rival any Guard craft out there."
Hardly, Yunho wants to tell her. Their models are good for a few guerrilla attacks. They can't compete with the Guard. Not in a frontal attack. His lips thin as he nods, neither confirming or denying but gods know if he suffers any more losses, a title won't save her.
"How big is the enemy fleet, Yunho?" she asks over the rim of the panel, voice soft. "Hundreds? Thousands? How many people do we need?"
More than you can spare, he thinks, shutting off the scanner and resisting the urge to throw it at her. "We can't fight like them. We'll need spies. We'll need to work from the inside." And considering Guard battleships are harder to enter than bank vaults on the Central Powers, they've got their work cut out for them.
"I won't be a coward about this," Jiexi protests, teeth gritted. "We'll win or we'll lose fighting under our banner, same as the Guard. We won't hide."
He eyes her cautiously. "Then you'll lose... and you'll lead hundreds, thousands of people to their deaths."
Predictably, she reaches for her razor, hesitating before her fingers touch the handle. "Wrong. You will. That's our deal, remember?"
Win or lose in her name, he doesn't care anymore. Men will die and it'll be his fault. He thinks he can live with that, if it means Jaejoong will look him in the eye again; if it means Yoochun and Junsu will be safe.
"We'll broadcast a signal. They'll know you're behind the attacks and not just random terrorists," he placates, knowing there's all the more danger in that. As soon as the Guard will know they've been infiltrated, background checks will intensify, passage controls will double. Men will die.
She opens her mouth to reply when the comsys crackles to life, Yunho's hand unconsciously going to his ear.
"Captain," Changmin, his voice tight with strain, "We have an incoming ship. Scanners are picking up Imperial signals."
This could be it, lies unspoken.
"Waiting for orders."
Except one of their ships isn't, breaking from the set formation and move into attack position. Jaejoong. Goddamnit.
"Shim, get him in line," he bellows into the comlink. It's hopeless, their sensors are loud and clear on the matter. "Fuck, go after him!" he reiterates, the Empress and her plans forgotten. He's not losing another one. "Keep his wing and keep him out of our firing solution. Cerberus out."
The ship swerves in pursuit, crewmen jumping into action without needing to be told to. They lack Guard discipline, but they make up for it in fanatical enthusiasm.
Jiexi's at his side, razor in hand. "He's going ahead, isn't he?" she breathes and he thinks he understands how men fall so easily into her trap. She's as changing as the wind, treacherous like it too. She'll blow them into a black hole if they're not careful.
"Yes," he grits out, comlink picking up Changmin's helpless calls and Jaejoong's silence. "The damn fool..."
"This is why we're going to win, Yunho. This is our advantage." She nudges his shoulder only briefly. "We've got a stake in it, all of us." Her footsteps are hard on the metal floor, ringing dully as she takes her seat at the center of the bridge. It would be so easy to trust her.
"Our sensors are picking up a class F vessel," a crewman notes for the benefit of the room, tattooed brows wrinkled in thought. "Does the Guard still make those?"
Jiexi anticipates him. "Not since before I was born."
Yunho's hand goes to his ear, staring at the scanner. "Shim... Changmin," he amends because this isn't the Guard, "are you absolutely sure it's broadcasting an Imperial signal?"
There's slight hesitation on the other end, static interfering and it would, it's normal; they're too far to be picking up a decent wave. At last it comes through: "Negative, Cerberus. It's not coming from them."
Fuck, Yunho thinks, turning to Jiexi and wondering if she'll put her razor through her throat if she feels she's lost her honor. That might be easier to work with.
"Your Highness?" the same crewman intercedes. "It's the Ariel. One man crew... Captain looks to be alone. I can hear an SOS."
"Patch him through," she orders, a desperate male voice filtering through the bridge.
"Don't shoot! For Gods' sakes, don't shoot! We're a rebel vessel with the Guard at our tails..." The transmission is weak at best, interrupted by brief pauses. "Ship called the Acheron... came out of nowhere..."
Yunho feels his blood run cold.
Perfect circle, he thinks, and they're right where they started.
"Permission to throw them a welcome party?"
Jiexi nods. "Granted." To her crewmen, she adds: "Tell the Ariel to make herself scarce. We've got this covered. And call in every rebel ship in range... War's started, boys; today's the day. Let's make it a good one."
Authors: butterflyweb and nemesis_cry
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: OT5
Warning(s): violence, graphic sex, language
Summary: It's been six months since Changmin crashed on the remote planet known as Elysia. Five months since Yunho and Junsu found him. Four months since Jaejoong was shot by a man he and Yoochun both trusted. Now training as the Empress' men, former soldiers and former rebels have shed past allegiances in service of a common goal. But the tide is turning--and not in their favor.
Banner credit: luvmeanddespair
A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful feedback for the first part. We hope you enjoy this one!
Prequel: Acts of Contrition;
Acts of Insurrection: One; Two; Three; Four; Five; Six; Seven; Eight; Nine; Ten; Eleven
Chapter Twelve
The smug son of a bitch is surprisingly strong, gun trained on Yoochun as he hauls Junsu to his feet, clapping restraints on arms and legs with a warning not to try anything, unless he wants 'another hole in his pretty face'. He herds them from the small cell into the waiting clutches of the Guard, Junsu's heart icing over in his chest as he recognizes some of them. There's disgust etched on familiar faces, sharing space with utter hatred and he's never felt so removed from his former alliance as now.
Their eyes alight on Yoochun at his side, the other man wearing a glare like armor, shoulders tensed and back.
Muzzles press into his back, pushing him forward and nearly tripping him as he's forced through passages, a sick kind of deja vu winds through him.
"Welcome back, Kim," someone spits and he sets his jaw with a closed fist.
***
Yunho taps the comlink in his ear every minute, waiting to intercept his lovers' conversation. They're being unusually quiet and it doesn't take a genius to know why. Every parameter is relayed from Changmin's craft. No information comes from Jaejoong's, not even the cold but necessary 'message received' when they tell him what's ahead, what their status is and most importantly: what ships of the ones zeroing in on their position happen to be friendly.
The Empress watches him through lowered lashes, her knees drawn up to her chest, her razor embedded in the edge of the table. She stuck it there when they sat down. He's not sure if he's supposed to take it as a warning. He has other things to worry about than her Majesty.
"Everything looks good from here, Cerberus," Changmin's voice whispers into his ear. "Going to amp this up a bit, see what's outside our range."
"Copy that, Shim," he replies, eyes flicking to the transmission from Changmin's craft. He reverts to the impersonal terms almost automatically. Allegiance or no, he spent 7 years as a pilot for the Guard, two as a Captain. It's what is comfortable, and right now, it's what he needs.
Jiexi smiles at the name, pushes the scanner towards him again, claiming his attention. "All these ships answer to me. Some are new models, recently acquired. Others... well, you can see for yourself. We can use the Cerberus as headquarters. It's fast enough to keep up with the recent makes." Plans of the ship revolve in 3D before him. Nothing he doesn't know already. "It also has fighters that can rival any Guard craft out there."
Hardly, Yunho wants to tell her. Their models are good for a few guerrilla attacks. They can't compete with the Guard. Not in a frontal attack. His lips thin as he nods, neither confirming or denying but gods know if he suffers any more losses, a title won't save her.
"How big is the enemy fleet, Yunho?" she asks over the rim of the panel, voice soft. "Hundreds? Thousands? How many people do we need?"
More than you can spare, he thinks, shutting off the scanner and resisting the urge to throw it at her. "We can't fight like them. We'll need spies. We'll need to work from the inside." And considering Guard battleships are harder to enter than bank vaults on the Central Powers, they've got their work cut out for them.
"I won't be a coward about this," Jiexi protests, teeth gritted. "We'll win or we'll lose fighting under our banner, same as the Guard. We won't hide."
He eyes her cautiously. "Then you'll lose... and you'll lead hundreds, thousands of people to their deaths."
Predictably, she reaches for her razor, hesitating before her fingers touch the handle. "Wrong. You will. That's our deal, remember?"
Win or lose in her name, he doesn't care anymore. Men will die and it'll be his fault. He thinks he can live with that, if it means Jaejoong will look him in the eye again; if it means Yoochun and Junsu will be safe.
"We'll broadcast a signal. They'll know you're behind the attacks and not just random terrorists," he placates, knowing there's all the more danger in that. As soon as the Guard will know they've been infiltrated, background checks will intensify, passage controls will double. Men will die.
She opens her mouth to reply when the comsys crackles to life, Yunho's hand unconsciously going to his ear.
"Captain," Changmin, his voice tight with strain, "We have an incoming ship. Scanners are picking up Imperial signals."
This could be it, lies unspoken.
"Waiting for orders."
Except one of their ships isn't, breaking from the set formation and move into attack position. Jaejoong. Goddamnit.
"Shim, get him in line," he bellows into the comlink. It's hopeless, their sensors are loud and clear on the matter. "Fuck, go after him!" he reiterates, the Empress and her plans forgotten. He's not losing another one. "Keep his wing and keep him out of our firing solution. Cerberus out."
The ship swerves in pursuit, crewmen jumping into action without needing to be told to. They lack Guard discipline, but they make up for it in fanatical enthusiasm.
Jiexi's at his side, razor in hand. "He's going ahead, isn't he?" she breathes and he thinks he understands how men fall so easily into her trap. She's as changing as the wind, treacherous like it too. She'll blow them into a black hole if they're not careful.
"Yes," he grits out, comlink picking up Changmin's helpless calls and Jaejoong's silence. "The damn fool..."
"This is why we're going to win, Yunho. This is our advantage." She nudges his shoulder only briefly. "We've got a stake in it, all of us." Her footsteps are hard on the metal floor, ringing dully as she takes her seat at the center of the bridge. It would be so easy to trust her.
"Our sensors are picking up a class F vessel," a crewman notes for the benefit of the room, tattooed brows wrinkled in thought. "Does the Guard still make those?"
Jiexi anticipates him. "Not since before I was born."
Yunho's hand goes to his ear, staring at the scanner. "Shim... Changmin," he amends because this isn't the Guard, "are you absolutely sure it's broadcasting an Imperial signal?"
There's slight hesitation on the other end, static interfering and it would, it's normal; they're too far to be picking up a decent wave. At last it comes through: "Negative, Cerberus. It's not coming from them."
Fuck, Yunho thinks, turning to Jiexi and wondering if she'll put her razor through her throat if she feels she's lost her honor. That might be easier to work with.
"Your Highness?" the same crewman intercedes. "It's the Ariel. One man crew... Captain looks to be alone. I can hear an SOS."
"Patch him through," she orders, a desperate male voice filtering through the bridge.
"Don't shoot! For Gods' sakes, don't shoot! We're a rebel vessel with the Guard at our tails..." The transmission is weak at best, interrupted by brief pauses. "Ship called the Acheron... came out of nowhere..."
Yunho feels his blood run cold.
Perfect circle, he thinks, and they're right where they started.
"Permission to throw them a welcome party?"
Jiexi nods. "Granted." To her crewmen, she adds: "Tell the Ariel to make herself scarce. We've got this covered. And call in every rebel ship in range... War's started, boys; today's the day. Let's make it a good one."