─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

SEASON 1 EPISODE 4

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Setting:

First half of the chapter: UC Vigilance

Second half: Mars

System: Sol

Faction: United Colonies (UC)

Planet: Mars

Place: Cydonia

Remember to vote and comment for clear skin.

☆☆☆

Jimin

The UC Vigilance was gigantic.

The interrogation room was a minuscular sliver of the warship. The ops center, which was really just the bridge, was the single most gigantic room Jimin had ever seen. It was larger than the entirety of the Lodge, and that building was made to house over a dozen people.

Like every UC ship, it was white and clean. There were no stains on any surfaces, no weapons left out, no armor scattered around. Everything was put in its proper place, and as Jimin approached the center of the room, he noticed one table there, where Min Yoongi stood. The Commander was tapping on the table that had a touchscreen, and Jimin spotted data from what he assumed was a Crimson Fleet ship.

"Mr. Park," Commander Min said without taking his eyes off the data. "Meet my assistant, Jeon Jungkook."

Jimin glanced around but didn't see a single person that appeared to be the assistant. However, a few moments later, a man stepped out from behind the Commander. His raven hair was fluffy and thrown in twenty different directions, and he had glasses that fell down the bridge of his bunny-like nose. His eyes were wide and jumping between every spot on the station. He had a tablet in his hands that he hugged against his chest.

"Nice to meet you," the man, Jungkook, said in one breath. He spoke so fast, Jimin had to wait two full seconds before his brain processed what the assistant had said.

"H... Hi?"

"My name is Jeon Jungkook, I'm the Commander's assistant." Jungkook smiled, and it scrunched up his cheeks and doe eyes. "Whenever you have evidence, you bring it to me and I'll reimburse you with credits!"

Jimin didn't question why the bunny boy was bouncing and shouting. The bridge, or ops center, wasn't loud enough to warrant the excess noise. If anything, it was rather quiet, and Jungkook's voice echoed in the ginormous room.

If Jimin knew more about starship engineering, he would be able to identify how the ship was made and why there were so many tables and screens around the bridge. He saw the hatch leading to the cockpit, so that meant nothing in the bridge was there to fly the ship. If that was the case, then why did they need so many screens? Surely pirates weren't that hard to keep track of. Yes, they were dangerous, but they weren't organized-

"The pirates are getting more organized by the day," Commander Min said. "The evidence you collect will help us prove to the UC navy that we're dealing with a serious threat."

Jimin scoffed. "The UC navy doesn't see the Crimson Fleet as a serious threat?"

"Of course not. Unlike Spacers and House Va'ruun, the Crimson Fleet hasn't dared come close to Jemison. As long as New Atlantis is safe, the UC will deem the Crimson Fleet not dangerous enough. Little do they know, they're letting the Fleet grow more organized. The longer we wait to take them down, the more powerful they become."

"That's why we can't emphasize enough that we need the evidence," Jungkook said. Again, he said it all in one breath. He pushed up his thick-framed glasses with his pinky finger, and Jimin saw a hint of ink on his hand. "With enough dirt on the Fleet, we can convince the UC to send more support."

"Understood. So what's the plan?"

"Captain L/n is preparing your flight lessons now, and when she's ready, you'll go with her and learn to fly. We've discussed with the Vanguard, and they've agreed to let her come on missions with you, but only on the ship. She doesn't leave it unless there's an emergency, got it? She's there to help you fly."

"Got it. She can stay with me but can't leave the ship. What's after that?"

Commander Min tapped on the table and showed a scan of what appeared to be Mars. "Mars is home to Adler Kemp, a pirate captain in charge of sending new recruits to the bosses for evaluation. We've sent recruits to him before, but not many made it past the first trial. We're hoping your reputation gets you far. We're going to load several crates of Aurora on your ship and clear it with the UC patrol in Mars' orbit so you can land in Cydonia. You sell the Aurora to Adler and express your interest in his work. From there, you should be in."

"Aurora is all it takes?" Jimin asked with a snort. "If that's the best plan you have, then we're screwed."

"What is a pirate's main source of income?" Jimin didn't know how to answer. Commander Min chuckled. "Smuggling. You're smuggling Aurora to Mars, and not just a little bit of it, but tens of thousands of credits worth." Commander Min paused to shake his head. "Don't think about taking it elsewhere. You get caught with it anywhere other than Mars, you get arrested and the deal's off."

For once, Jimin had no plans to run away or ruin his second (now third) chance. He hated the UC, but SysDef offered him a deal that benefitted him more than any job had in the past. His mother would receive money, he would learn to fly for free, he'd get an excuse to do crime, and he'd get amnesty for his past criminal activity. Jimin knew he was stupid at times, but he wasn't that stupid.

"Yes sir," Jimin said, but the sir sounded forced. The single word clumped up on his tongue and burrowed itself in the saliva resting there. "What happens after I'm in?"

"We've only gotten that far once, and if I'm not mistaken, you'll be taken to meet the bosses. We don't have much intel on them, but their names are Delgado and Hoseok. Co-commanders of the Crimson Fleet."

"I assume killing them isn't an option?"

"No. The pirates are scum. You kill one leader, another rises to take the throne. Any pirate would kill to be the leader, so it's not worth it. We need to wipe them out all at once or not at all. Once you pass Adler's trials, Hoseok will test you next, and if he approves, you'll be taken to Delgado in the Kryx system. Do you think you can handle it?"

Jimin straightened his shoulders. He felt like a soldier. "For my sake, I sure as hell hope so."

Jungkook giggled. "Well, that's optimistic."

Jungkook slid his tablet across the table toward Jimin. Jimin picked it up and saw details about Adler Kemp and a woman named Saoirse Bowden. She worked for the Trade Authority stationed in Cydonia.

"Your target is Saoirse Bowden. She'll direct you to Adler's location if you tell her about the sample of Aurora you have. Don't go straight to Adler, we don't want him to get suspicious about who sent you. While on Mars, search for evidence. Slates, stolen items, data, whatever you can find," Commander Min explained.

"Does that mean you want me to move out now?"

"The sooner the better. Go speak to Y/n in docking bay twelve. I'll have Jungkook escort you. Dismissed. Oh, and good luck. You'll need it."

Gee, that was inspiring.

Jimin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he grinned. It was tight and painful. He dropped it as him and Jungkook departed the ops center and took the winding corridors down to the elevator leading to the docking bays. As soon as they entered the tiny box of despair, Jungkook pressed the button for them to descend, and Jimin grunted.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry." Jungkook coughed and cleared his throat. "Are you claustrophobic?"

Jimin pressed his hand against the metal railing as the elevator bumped and creaked. "I'm fine."

"We can take the stairs-"

"Don't make me call you a UC slur," Jimin mumbled. He rubbed his temple, and Jungkook shut up to give him peace and quiet.

The ride went by in a flash, and soon enough, Jimin found himself strolling through the hallway leading to all the ship hatches. There were over a dozen ships attached to the UC Vigilance, and Jimin's new ship was one of them. Jungkook guided him to docking bay twelve, which was a bright red hatch.

"Here we are. Do you have any last questions before I let you go?" Jungkook asked. He had a forced grin on his face, and Jimin noticed he was trembling.

Jimin leaned against the wall and scanned Jungkook from head to toe. He had the same uniform Commander Min had, only his shoulder pads weren't as decorated as the Commander's. Along with that, UC SysDef had standard hard-soled sneakers while Jungkook wore thick combat boots. Contrary to how Jungkook acted, he appeared to be the strongest on the Vigilance. He had chest muscles that would put any bodybuilder to shame, and his biceps were large enough to squish Jimin's neck if Jungkook put him in a chokehold.

"Yeah," Jimin said. He clicked his tongue. "How are you a higher-up in SysDef if you act like such a nervous bitch?"

Jungkook's face went as pale as Jimin's did in the elevator. "I... well..."

"Wow, no wonder why SysDef hasn't beat the pirates yet. We have the Commander that looks like a cat and the assistant that stutters and looks like a bunny."

"I... do not," Jungkook muttered as he kicked at the ground.

"Right, and I don't have a drinking problem." Jimin paused to roll his eyes. "I'll do the job, but for the record, I hate the UC, and I hate this entire ship."

Jungkook gave Jimin a toothy smile. "At least that means you'll do the job right."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?"

"You're an asshole. Pirates like assholes." Jungkook came closer and squeezed Jimin's shoulder. "Y'know, I hear pirates like to punish their traitors by keelhauling them across their largest ship while slowly draining the oxygen from their suit. But it'll be fine. The Commander chose you for a reason, right? I'm sure you can hold your breath for a really long time." Jungkook released Jimin's shoulder as he walked away and waved. "Good luck."

Jimin watched the assistant leave, and Jimin had no clue what the fuck just happened. How had Jungkook gone from a shy little bitch to an intimidating force in a matter of seconds? However, Jimin had no desire to know what Jungkook was hiding, or why he was putting up such a nervous exterior. Instead, he set his shoulders and opened the hatch.

It was going to be a long day.

☆☆☆

Mars sucked.

Y/n had demonstrated how to control the yoke and altitude of a ship by flying them to Mars. Jimin had gotten a chance to control it, and it didn't go as terribly as he was expecting. Y/n and him had managed to land the ship together, and Jimin felt more confident with his abilities, but not confident enough to begin flying on his own. That was his first lesson, and at the moment, he was on Mars in Cydonia. It was awful. It made the worst parts of Neon look like paradise.

The inside of Cydonia hissed with steam and heat. There was no nature, and dust swirled everywhere. Thanks to it being an industrial city, there were no traditional skyscrapers, and it looked like the polar opposite of New Atlantis. Whereas New Atlantis was pristine with fresh skies, chirping birds, and a nice chilly breeze, Cydonia was mucky with polluted air, thumping machines and buzzing mining lasers, and pockets of warmth that made color rise to the back of Jimin's neck. His hands were dripping with sweat by the time he went through security.

The entrance to the city was packed with miners as it was a mining colony. They were wearing dirt brown extractor uniforms covered in slimy red grease. Not a single person, including the security guards, had a clean face except for the obvious tourists. They were also the ones wearing the cleanest clothes.

Above him was a glowing maroon sign that said "Hours Since Last Incident," and the timer said 006 hours. How wonderful, there had been a crime a mere six hours before Jimin had arrived-

'Bang!'

The security guard under the sign sighed and pulled out a remote. Within less than a second, the timer switched from 006 to 000. No one panicked or shouted. Whoever had shot the gun had either already been detained or was too drunk to aim at anything worth screaming about. Seeing as the line for the Broken Spear bar laughed at the gunshot, Jimin figured the latter was the more likely option.

Jimin had heard tales of the Broken Spear back home. It was known for pirate activity, which led Jimin to believe he'd end up skipping the line to go speak to the pirates inside. He opted to follow orders first by passing under the crime sign and going down the metal ramp that led to the core of Cydonia.

The entire city was made of metal, and there were the occasional bombs that went off underground to clear more space for miners. The charges shook the earth and made loud screeches that sounded like thunder.

Jimin, having grown up on Neon, was accustomed to the crack of lightning and a thunder's roar. If anything, it became peaceful to him. All the chaotic sounds of Cydonia felt like Neon, and it brought him serenity in his time of need. If he was going to meet with the Crimson Fleet, he'd need all the peace he could get. He could die within the next ten minutes.

He could die without seeing his mother one last time.

Jimin brushed the thought off and descended to the core. To the left was a doorway leading to the giant residential area Mars had. Unlike New Atlantis, there weren't apartment buildings but rather mini rooms that could be rented out. They were like sleepcrates, which was where Jimin lived in Neon. Sleepcrates were cramped rooms with a toilet and a bed or two. He hoped Mars had more space than Neon, but the dirty state of Cydonia didn't have him brimming with hope.

The sight before him was as gorgeous as it was terrifying. He overlooked the main part of Cydonia, which was made up of metal walkways that creaked every time someone took a step. An SSNN, or Settled Systems News Network, radio beacon was set up. It was a cylinder-shaped radio that was about two Jimin's tall and had gray SSNN letters on it. However, it wasn't on, meaning he couldn't hear any of the recent gossip.

On the right was the Trade Authority. It was a notorious company that set up shop around the entirety of the Settled Systems. It bought and sold everything, whether it was illegal or not. Jimin had heard a story someone brought a live fish into the Trade Authority, and the Authority still bought it. Even weirder: Someone came in to buy it within an hour.

Past the walkways was the mine of Cydonia. It was a giant area almost like a hangar bay, and there were robots overseeing humans as they did their mining work. Some of them wore spacesuits, others didn't. The common theme was it was a pit of red dust, flashes of scarlet laser light, and robotic voices echoing orders to the workers. Jimin couldn't hear the orders from his position; he was too far, not to mention too preoccupied with all the idle chit-chat occurring around him.

Jimin went to the Trade Authority instead of wasting time gawking. When he entered, he noted that it was the same size as the Authority in Neon. It was the nicest building out of anything Jimin had seen so far in Cydonia thanks to how clean and organized it was. There were no filing cabinets open, no products thrown around, and no stained faces or uniforms.

A man twice Jimin's height stood behind the front desk with a wide, toothy smile on his face and the signature Trade Authority uniform on. It was an ugly shamrock color with seaweed green shoulder pads, and the company name was embroidered in black letters near the left collarbone.

"How can I help you today?" the man asked. His voice was more optimistic than every one of Jimin's friends combined.

Not that he had any friends, but still.

"I'm looking for Saoirse Bowden, some of my sources on Neon told me she could help me with a... sensitive shipment," Jimin said, and the man proceeded to point to the corner.

Near the coat rack that lacked coats was a woman, who held a tablet, wearing an identical uniform to the man. She didn't take her eyes off the device as she beckoned him forward. All he saw was her thick, clumpy mascara as he attempted to gain her attention; however, even that sight was barely visible to him due to her frizzy bobbed hair covering her forehead and, by extension, the top of her eyes.

"Sensitive?" she asked.

He cleared his throat and dropped the volume of his voice. "Aurora."

"Nice find, but unfortunately, we don't have the means to transport it."

"What? The Trade Authority turning down contraband? I thought you took everything."

She huffed and kept tapping away at her tablet. "I wish, but UC security is right outside our door. This location has to be more careful. But, for a price, I might be able to direct you to someone who could help."

Wonderful. Jimin had to spend his credits.

For the fucking UC.

"Does this satisfy you?" Jimin asked as he tossed her a credstik from his pocket. It was worth 1,000. It was all the creds he had on him (Y/n had given it to him just in case) ever since he had gotten arrested. If that wasn't enough, he was screwed.

"Oh, how funny." The woman shoved the credits into her pocket. "Now I do remember. Look for Adler Kemp in the Broken Spear. He's hard to miss." She faked a shudder. "He has a receding hairline."

Jimin left without replying. Frankly, he didn't have time to deal with her. He didn't know what he was expecting. The Trade Authority were thirsty assholes who would do anything for credits, so it was a good thing Y/n had given him those credits. Maybe she wasn't so stupid after all.

Back up the ramp Jimin went. He didn't bother glancing back at the dirty mines below the rest of Cydonia. For a city, it had a lack of buildings and districts. Jimin couldn't comprehend how it was considered one of the largest cities in the UC. Were they that pathetic they couldn't build anything nicer?

The Broken Spear bar prided itself on being heard before seen. Jimin could hear the blasting metal music before he blew off the long line and stepped inside. He got several curses from disgruntled guests, not that he bothered responding to them.

The bar was packed to the point where Jimin could only smell sweat. There were miners, tourists, Cydonia natives, and security guards pushing their way through the crowds. Jimin had to stomp on feet to get the ones ahead of him to move their asses.

Eventually, Jimin got to see what the bar looked like. It was ugly. It was a basic, boring metal bar top with two bartenders working. Every stool was filled; however, there were two other sections. There was a small dining area with a dozen metal tables, each of them having four seats. Then there was the part Jimin stood in. It was the tiny staircase that led down to the main section of the bar, but on the right side, there was a lip where a single table and chair was.

A man with a receding hairline sat there.

He wore classic Crimson Fleet colors without making it obvious by wearing the pirate skull logo. He had a red and black jacket on that attempted, but failed, to hide his beer gut. His pale face was dragged down by wrinkles that weren't fully developed. Although he appeared no older than forty-five, he held his hip as if he had gone through multiple hip replacement surgeries.

"If you're not gonna buy me a drink, move on," Adler said over the buzzing chatter.

Jimin came closer and rolled his eyes. "Saoirse Bowden sent me. Said you could help me with a sensitive shipment."

"Oh, did she now?" Adler asked with a tongue click. Jimin could barely hear it over the blasting music. "What kind of sensitive shipment are we talking about?"

"Starts and ends with an a, comes straight from Neon."

Jimin didn't want to say it with UC security around the corner, so he thought it was safer to keep the exact name out of his mouth. Seeing as Adler's chapped, thin lips pulled up into a crooked smile that showed off his chipped front teeth, Jimin figured he made the right call.

"Who are you?"

"Park Jimin. Neon street rat. Maybe you've heard of me?"

Adler's bushy eyebrows shot up. "The legendary Park Jimin, the best lockpicker in Ebbside. What brings you to Cydonia?"

"Got caught smuggling a while back, thought I'd give it another try. Here I am, passed the scan with flying colors."

Adler laughed. It sounded like a dying fish thanks to how floppy and wet it sounded. He slapped his knee as if Jimin had performed a stand-up comedy routine.

"You just decided to do that after getting caught the first time?" Adler asked with a chuckle in his words.

Jimin noticed there were weapons behind him, but also a slate. They were placed on the table in a disorganized mess. The slate could be evidence depending on what it was. That slate was worth credits. Credits that could go to his mother.

Jimin shrugged. "It opens up more jobs if I can do it right."

"Can't argue with that, my friend." Adler stood and clapped Jimin on the shoulder. "How much you got in your cargo?"

"At least fifty thousand creds worth."

Adler's eyes bulged, and that was when Jimin noticed the bags hiding under them. They were like a deformed frowny face on his skin.

"Shit, let me buy you a drink, pal. Sit, please. What do you like?"

Jimin snorted. "Whatever knocks me out the fastest."

Adler laughed again. It was even wetter than before. "I like your style. I'll get my people to unload the goods from your ship, and I'll be back with your drink."

Jimin took the opportunity to sit. Adler's slate was right there. It was a metal slab that could store data such as writing, images, videos, and audio recordings. Most used them for audio recordings. Seeing as there was a music symbol engraved in the center of the slate, Jimin guessed Adler's had incriminating voice evidence.

Jimin's eyes remained on Adler. As soon as Adler turned to speak to the bartender, Jimin shoved the slate in his pocket as quickly and quietly as he could. A cough left his lungs. It purged whatever guilt he felt from stealing from the Crimson Fleet. As much as Jimin was a shitty person, the Crimson Fleet was much worse. Guilt had no place in his heart. At least not during the mission.

Two minutes later, Adler came back with a shot Jimin downed without hesitation. Adler cackled and clinked his glass against Jimin's empty one.

"You've always been loyal to my friends, Mr. Park," Adler said. His voice was slithery like a reptile's. It sounded like his tone had scales that prevented him from speaking clearly, and every sentence he fired out was garbled. "Now, you brought us fifty thousand credits. Why us?"

"I assume you'll give me at least half of the profits seeing as I did the heavy lifting. The Trade Authority won't give me that much, so you're my next best option. Just as I've always been loyal to your friends, they've always been loyal to me. I trust we can reach an agreement that satisfies us both."

Adler paused to take his shot. He made an 'ah' sound when he was done. "You want credits."

"Only thing I've ever wanted." Jimin waved his glass back and forth. "Well, maybe not the only thing."

It went quiet between them, but the quiet was fake. The bar had switched songs. What played was music with no lyrics and all bass that vibrated the entire room. Jimin's fat ass was getting a massage, and he couldn't tell if he liked it or not.

"What if you can make credits long-term?" Adler asked.

Jimin leaned back and licked his lips. "You have my attention."

"What do you say you meet my friends?"

That could either be a trap or Jimin's ticket into the Crimson Fleet. No matter what, he was in too deep to back out. That caused him to plant a smile on his face. It didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You think they can handle me?"

Adler grinned. Jimin noticed his lips were so broken there was dried blood on them.

"You know where Charon is?" Adler asked.

Charon was Pluto's moon. Not quite far enough for him to use his Grav Drive, but not close enough for a quick journey. It was an uninhabited moon that, to Jimin's knowledge, wasn't heavily guarded by the UC. That made it the perfect place for the Crimson Fleet to hide out in UC territory.

Or to murder someone like Jimin.

"Pluto, yes," Jimin said. He kept his posture loose. He let his legs spread by a hair, and his neck coiled back to show off more of his jawline. A man in his forties wasn't likely to fall for Jimin's appearance, but it was the most Jimin could do in that situation. "What do I have to do?"

"You're going to meet with Jung Hoseok. He's on a ship named Pandora. Don't keep him waiting."

It was going to be a long day.

☆☆☆

The Pandora was an ugly ship.

It had a skull spray painted on it in three different colors: Black, white, and red. They each took up a quarter of the symbol, and it appeared messy as a result. The ship itself was small but had powerful firepower. Based on the scan Y/n took, the ship was called a Crimson Fleet Wight. It had missiles, lasers, and rail guns along with shielded cargo to hide contraband from authorities. Oh, and to top it all off, it had a scan jammer mounted under the cargo hold to improve their chances of getting by UC and Freestar surveillance.

"Don't panic," Y/n said. She rubbed his shoulder, and as much as he hated having a UC dog touch him, he had to admit it was comforting. "Hail the Pandora and ask for Jung Hoseok. Don't mention me, okay?"

Jimin nodded as he came in hailing distance of the ship. As soon as the blue button flashed on the flight control panel, he clicked it. In a second, he was connected to the Pandora's radio.

"Look who finally showed up," a male voice said. It was scratchy like he hadn't had water in two years. "Adler told me you worked for some of our friends back on Neon. The legendary Park Jimin. Expert lockpicker, hacker, and pickpocket. Doing crime on Neon is one thing, but doing it for pirates is another. You think you can handle it?"

Jimin cleared his throat. "I can. I'll prove it."

"For your sake, you better. You may have proven yourself loyal to my friends on Neon, but you need to prove your loyalty to me. You get a test assignment, and I want proof it was done. Go to Saturn's moon, Enceladus, and meet up with the Ragana. They're smuggling Austin Rake to safety, and I want him dead."

"Why?" Jimin asked, and he regretted it as soon as the single word slipped by his tongue.

"He double-crossed the Fleet. The only way out of the Fleet is with a torpedo up your ass, so go show him what happens when you try to leave. If you're not back in two hours, I'll have one lodged up yours too, got it?"

Jimin didn't want to find out if he was into that or not, so he nodded despite how the man couldn't see him.

"Understood. I assume I'm speaking to Jung Hoseok?" Jimin asked. His tone hitched as he said it.

There was a chuckle before the response came.

"Go kill Austin Rake. Bring me his body."

Then, the connection dropped.

"He's friendly," Jimin commented, to which Y/n snickered.

"I trust you can get us to Saturn?"

"On it. Booting up the auto pilot now."

He needed help activating the auto pilot, but as soon as it was set, Jimin had thirty minutes to kill. They had fantastic Grav Drives, but their regular engines weren't lightspeed. They had never unlocked that power despite all the advancements they had made. Maybe one day, but it wasn't coming anytime soon.

Throughout the thirty-minute flight, Y/n prayed and mumbled words Jimin couldn't hear. She did yoga, too. Part of him wished he had the motivation to take care of his mind and body like that, but he also knew it'd take time away from earning credits, so he came to terms with it.

Soon enough, they were at Saturn's moon, Enceladus. It was a rocky moon with no distinct features. It didn't have an atmosphere either. Minerals on the surface included helium-3 and argon, but not much else. If Jimin wanted to start a pet rock collection, it'd be a solid start, but otherwise, he chose to avoid it.

Outside the cockpit's window was a small ship; it was his target. The Ragana was a medical transport ship, according to Y/n's scan. It had eight crew members, and Austin was listed as one. As Jimin passed by, the blue hail light glowed. Jimin flicked it.

"Please state your business here," a man said. His voice was muddied by a thick accent. If the history books Jimin read were correct, then the accent sounded like an Old Earth Russian one. The books described it as a distinct style where certain letters, like r, were pronounced heavier than the others.

"Here's what's going to happen: You're going to let me dock so we can talk face-to-face. If not, I blow your ship to hell. What'll it be?"

Silence appeared for a long moment.

"Docking bay is open. You're welcome aboard."

Jimin didn't know how to dock, so Y/n did that part. Jimin sat back and watched as she used the controls to align them. She did it without breaking a sweat. If only Jimin could understand piloting the same way she did. Granted, Jimin took to most things naturally, which gave him hope he could master piloting soon.

When they docked, Y/n stopped him and shoved an AA-99 assault rifle in his hands. She motioned to the unmarked spacesuits behind them. They were lined up in glass containers in the hallway connecting the cockpit to the bridge.

"I'll go with you, but we're hiding our identities. If something goes wrong, you'll need my backup." She paused and pointed to the heavy metal plates making up the suits. "Plus, it wouldn't hurt to wear bullet-resistant armor, right?"

Jimin couldn't argue with that. After her explanation, they geared up together. From his experience working in a mine, Jimin knew how to put on a spacesuit. At least he wasn't totally useless.

Two minutes later, they were geared up, and Jimin took the AA-99 and held it in front of him. It rested against his chest. It was large enough that he needed two hands, but it was curved near the handle for ease of carrying. It was military-grade, just like Y/n's modified shotgun. She had that while Jimin had the assault rifle. He much preferred shotguns, but any weapon was better than none.

They departed the ship and entered the Ragana. Inside was a tiny space with a ladder leading to what Jimin imagined was the cockpit. Ahead of them was a sliding door, and Jimin opened it. What revealed itself to them was a prison-like space. There were six people standing in a circle, and there was a cell behind them. It was the only thing of note in the cramped room. There was barely enough room for four people let alone six. Jimin opted to stand in the doorway.

He didn't pay attention to the other crewmates. Instead, his eyes focused on the man with an obnoxious mustache as bushy as Adler Kemp's eyebrows. It covered the man's upper lip, and what remained of his bottom lip was as small as the room. He had a black jacket on and camouflaged pants.

Long story short, he was the ugliest creature Jimin had ever seen.

"Please, we are innocent transporters, we don't want any trouble. Just tell us what you want," the man said. Ah, that was Russian-accent man. The captain of the ship, Jimin assumed.

"I'm giving you an opportunity to live. Surely you see the weapons my friend and I are holding." Jimin waved his rifle back and forth before shooting it at the ground by the man's foot. The crew jumped and shouted out in panic. Jimin grinned behind his helmet. "The next one goes between your eyes. Or, you can kill Austin Rake and give me his body."

Jimin didn't want to get the blood on his hands. He could've blasted their ship to shreds, but he figured the UC wouldn't approve of that. That led him to his current affair. A group of panicking workers choosing between life and death.

"Well," the man said. He placed his hand on his holstered Eon pistol. "It appears I do not have a choice."

"Are you serious?" another man said. Jimin assumed that was Austin Rake.

He had a black and red colonist jacket on. Colonist jackets were known for how puffy and insulated they were. The coat made Austin's face appear chubbier than it actually was. His cheeks looked like two blobs of fat stapled to his face, and he had beady eyes and a buzzcut that didn't help balance out his features.

The Ragana's captain shrugged. "It's either you or everyone."

"Two random assholes from who knows where-"

"The Crimson Fleet," Jimin interrupted, and Austin went quiet at that.

Before Jimin could process what was happening, Austin was firing at the man opposite of him. A firefight ensued. Jimin pulled Y/n out of the room and watched the chaos. Within a minute, it was over, and the captain and Austin Rake were dead. The remaining crewmates were left trembling and sitting on the ground with their knees pulled against their chests. Sobs echoed around the chamber, and Jimin ignored them as he stepped in and picked up Austin's body.

If Y/n disapproved, she didn't say it. They went back to their ship, and Jimin strapped the dead body to one of the flight seats, got out of his spacesuit, undocked, then began their thirty minute trip back to the Pandora. As soon as Jimin sat in the pilot's seat and buckled himself in, Y/n approached.

"I'm glad you didn't kill anyone on the Ragana, but was making them kill their own crewmate really necessary?" she asked, and Jimin tilted his head.

I didn't want to kill anyone was what Jimin wanted to say, but he didn't bother giving an explanation Y/n wouldn't believe. Crime was Jimin's livelihood. No one would believe the known criminal wanted to avoid murder.

When he didn't answer, Y/n sighed. "I know you're doing a dangerous job, but please, whenever you have an opportunity to spare lives, take it. The captain didn't need to die."

Disappointment laced her tone, and Jimin didn't know how to respond to it. He chose not to. For the rest of the trip, he ignored her sulking and focused on the task at hand. He took a glance at the slate he recovered and learned it was, in fact, evidence he could use against Adler. It was an audio recording of Adler planning a huge smuggling operation out of Neon.

Yay, that meant Jimin could get credits.

Thirty minutes later, they approached the Pandora. It was in the same spot as expected, and Jimin lined up to begin a docking procedure when light flashed outside. All at once, there was a shout over the comm, and Jimin gasped as he pushed himself back in his seat. Flashes of rainbow light erupted in the otherwise black void that was space. It was the typical flair of a Grav Drive. Seconds later, ships came into view. Enemy ships that jumped in from who knew where.

"Weapons online, those are Ecliptic warships!" Y/n said as she flipped on the weapons systems. The missiles came to life along with the lasers, but Jimin couldn't comprehend what had occurred.

Out of nowhere, mercenaries showed up to take on the Crimson Fleet. However, Jimin and the Pandora were outnumbered. There were five enemy ships and only two of them. Jimin was about to be in a firefight. Except there was one problem.

Jimin barely knew how to fly.

☆☆☆

Upcoming Destination:

System: Volii

Faction: Freestar Collective

Planet: Volii Alpha

Place: Neon

UPCOMING CHARACTER:

☆☆☆

𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭:

Ecliptic is one of the most dangerous factions in the galaxy. They are a mercenary group who murder innocents, steal, smuggle, and more as long as the price is right. They'd even attack a giant ship like the UC Vigilance if they were given enough credits.

Despite how dangerous they are, the UC and Freestar refuse to crack down on their criminal activity. Occasionally, the UC and Freestar will hire Ecliptic, which is why they're reluctant to take the mercenaries down.

☆☆☆

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

SEASON 1 EPISODE 4

𝐄𝐍𝐃

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A/N: We're finally going to Neon 😏

Raven try to make a short chapter challenge: Impossible.