─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

SEASON 4 EPISODE 8

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Location:

System: Volii

Faction: Freestar Collective

Planet: Volii Alpha

Place: Neon

☆☆☆

Jungkook

Jimin hadn't left his room in over twenty-four hours.

Yes, Jungkook had counted. Everyone had. For Sam's sake, but also for Jimin's. Every hour that passed was important. Any second, Sam could go through a blood clot. VASCO and Sarah watched over him. Barrett handled the flying, not that there was much of it. The others did their leech duties and pretended everything was normal.

Jungkook wished he could do that. As executive officer, or XO for short, he had to handle everything in Jimin's absence. Overseeing leech inspections, ensuring the fridge remained stocked, feeding Marbles (though Andreja did that most days), setting up cooking schedules, and more Jungkook couldn't be bothered to remember in that moment.

The kitchen had bumps and creaks due to the air conditioning on full blast. Sam, all drugged up and dealing with hot flashes, had to remain chilled, so the rest of the crew dealt with the arctic temperatures; however, Jungkook didn't mind. Red Mile temperatures were far worse, and Jungkook had grown up there.

He sat in front of Kim Taehyung, who had Marbles cuddled up with him. Aside from Jimin, Marbles liked Taehyung the most. And Cora, but Cora was preoccupied in the infirmary. That meant Marbles had clung to Taehyung's side like it was going out of style. Jungkook did the same. Something about Taehyung's presence kept Jungkook's vision focused and his body free of sweat or random palpitations.

The white tip of Marbles' tail brushed by Taehyung's cheek, and she let out a soft meow as she tapped her claws against Tae's chest. He wore a typical flightsuit, though his was less typical thanks to the paint splatters covering the gray fabric. It became red, blue, and pink rather than a drab gray. Some of it smeared on Taehyung's neck, too.

"How did you sleep?" Jungkook asked to break the ice. It wasn't like they had food to distract themselves with (no one had eaten much the past day and a half).

"Was I supposed to do that?" Taehyung scratched behind Marbles' ears. The orange cat hopped onto the table and sprawled out on her back, and Taehyung grinned and scratched her exposed belly instead. Marbles kicked her hind leg, and Taehyung laughed, though his grin never met his eyes, and his laugh didn't convulse his body like it had in the past.

"Yeah, I get it. I didn't either." That explained the dizziness in Jungkook's vision and how he wobbled each time he had stood up that day. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not much to say, I guess. I didn't know her." Taehyung paused to shrug, keeping his dark brown eyes on the cat. "But I guess that's how it is with Jimin, huh? I don't know him, I don't know her. Been here two years, but it feels like I don't know anyone. Myself included." Taehyung laughed again. There was more humor in it that time. "It's funny, isn't it? The time I felt the best was when I was mind controlled. How fucked is that?"

"That's not your fault, y'know. I don't think we talk about purpose enough. Not just the crew, but everyone." Jungkook motioned to the cafeteria that lacked people, though his focus was on the space. And outer space itself. "We live in a galaxy with hundreds of planets. You can run to the cockpit and jump us to any system you want. Any planet, any moon, any place... It's not easy to narrow that down. How would you even know where to begin?"

Taehyung scooped Marbles back into his arms and rocked her back and forth. Marbles responded by meowing, and Taehyung smiled at her while stroking her fluffy cheek with his large thumb.

"I don't know." It was the most honest answer Jungkook had ever heard. "There are countless choices. What if I make the wrong one?"

"You think you made the wrong one by joining us?" Jungkook asked, standing and approaching the kitchen area of the cafeteria. It was on the left side and had all the essentials: a fridge, countless cabinets, a stove with more burners than needed, an oven, and, much to Jungkook's dismay, a microwave. There was more, but Jungkook focused on the stupid microwave. Microwaves were to Jungkook what elevators were to Jimin.

Jungkook snatched a plastic cup and dumped ice in it from the ice machine attached to the fridge. Then, also attached to the fridge, he poured water thanks to the filter, and he made sure there was more ice than water. He didn't know why, but he adored ice. Something about crunching on it made him feel special.

"Not for a second. Where else would I get to pet a cat this cute?" Taehyung did an "attack" on Marbles, which included him using both hands to rub her belly at rapid speeds, and Marbles meowed and kicked her back leg more. "Besides, I'd be on Neon doing tattoos if I weren't here. Not as fun."

"But you love art, don't you?"

Taehyung sat back and ceased his tickle spree on Marbles. One of his fingers drifted by the swan under his eyes. "Yeah. More than anything."

"You miss the tattoo shop?"

"Sometimes, but I have far more to draw now." Taehyung carried Marbles to the window and gazed out it. Jungkook joined him, offering the water. Taehyung took a sip with Marbles clinging to him for dear life, thanked Jungkook, and went back to peering at the endless black abyss. "Does it ever bother you?"

"What?" Jungkook asked, taking his turn to sip the water.

"Knowing we'll never see it all. We won't see everything in the Milky Way, let alone the whole universe. I mean, think about it: we're ants. Less than that, actually. We're nothing more than half a grain of sand in the universe." Taehyung placed his hand on the window, sighing. "There are billions, no, trillions of lifeforms out there. Maybe more than that." Taehyung glanced at Jungkook. "I'll never know them all. I'll never see it all. But... I bet it'd be beautiful."

Jungkook stayed quiet for a beat. "Yeah. Yeah, I bet it would be."

Both of them went silent after that, listening to the thumps of the air conditioning. No other sounds came to them. The ship had been silent the past day. No one dared disrupt it. Aside from Marbles, who had the privilege of blissful ignorance and meowed as much as she wanted.

"I miss my parents," Taehyung said out of the blue, and Jungkook perked his head up at that. "Maybe it's selfish, thinking that right after Jimin lost his..." Taehyung let out a sharp breath. "But I miss my parents. And maybe I'm jealous of Jimin."

"Jealous?"

"He cries over his mom. He knew her. He loved her. I know it's selfish, but I can't say the same. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't shed a single tear. That makes me a pretty shitty person, doesn't it?"

"We're all shitty people, Tae. It's just about who embraces it." Jungkook took Marbles from Taehyung to cradle her, using one hand to hold her and his metal one to hold his water. She was like his baby. He didn't want kids, so a cat would due. "But, for what it's worth, I don't think you're a bad person. Just a confused one."

Taehyung snorted. "Gee, thanks. Makes me feel much better. I think I'd rather be called a bad person."

Jungkook cracked a bunny-like smile at that, but he didn't answer. He observed Taehyung's side profile as the artist scanned the endless space. His jawline was sharp, his cheeks a bit chubby and rosy, and his eyelashes long. Jungkook had never admired eyelashes prior to that point, yet there he was, and he had to stall for a moment.

Jungkook knitted his brows together, rubbing the back of his hand—the one that held Marbles—on his chest and feeling the thrums of his heart underneath his long-sleeved compression shirt. The touch didn't stop his heart from galloping inside him.

"What else do you think?" Jungkook asked to distract himself, and Taehyung looked over at him.

"Huh?"

"What... What else do you think about? About the galaxy, or anything." Jungkook stopped to slump his shoulders. "It's been a long day. Humor me."

"Sure, Jeon, but my thoughts aren't that enthralling."

Jungkook kept his gaze steady. "Humor me."

Taehyung pursed his lips before nodding. "Alright, well, I think about Y/n. Universals, or whatever. Growing up on Neon means I didn't know God existed until I met her."

"You think He exists?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Taehyung chuckled. It sounded breathless. "I don't think I'm worthy of faith, but what are the odds there aren't any higher powers, Jungkook? There are more galaxies than we can count. You think there isn't a higher power out there right now? Maybe it makes me stupid, but I want to believe there is. God, a serpent, or whatever else, I want to believe in something. Something that believes in me."

Jungkook didn't realize he had been inching closer until Marbles meowed and clawed her way to Taehyung's grasp, and Jungkook stiffened with wide eyes, but his shock didn't stop his words.

"I believe in you."

Taehyung peered at Jungkook without saying anything, the two standing close, Jungkook's metal arm itching to reach out. To do more. But when Taehyung's breath hit Jungkook's lips, he coughed and backed off, feeling heat on the back of his neck.

"I, uh..." Jungkook trailed off and took another drink of his water. "I should go check on Jimin. XO duties, y'know?"

"Right." Taehyung held Marbles a bit tighter. "Duty calls. Wouldn't want to keep you."

"Yeah, right. See you around."

Jungkook chugged more water, dumped the rest in the sink, and stomped off to Jimin's quarters. He had to linger outside, mumbling curses and tugging at his curls. No one was around to witness it. That was about the only thing he had going for him in that moment.

Jungkook pressed his metal hand against his forehead to cool himself off and wipe the sweat away. When he finished, he gained the willpower to knock. No answer. As expected. No answer meant he could go in, and Jungkook took the invitation while attempting to appear presentable. Aside from his pink cheeks and ears, of course.

Inside was Park Jimin, curled up in bed with his eyes on the padauk taped to the wall. A Vanguard jacket encompassed him. He didn't cry, sniffle, or look up upon Jungkook's arrival.

"Sir, I'll be in and out as fast as I can," Jungkook said, stuttering and firing out the words. He had to clear his throat. It didn't help. "I need to know our next course of action. We can't keep floating around."

They hadn't even given the slate to the Rangers yet, that was how behind they were. But then again, after all that had happened, no one wanted to move.

"I..." Jimin didn't look up as he forced words out. "Am going to shove you up a Terrormorph's ass if you don't get the fuck out right now."

"Sir." Jungkook made his tone sharper that time. "I will leave as soon as you give me an order."

Jimin rubbed his clammy forehead against his pillow, and his voice came out muffled. "Go to Neon."

"Sir, going to Neon is out of the picture. If we go with you onboard, they'll blow us out of the sky."

Jimin snapped up with glowing red eyes. "I don't care! Go to Neon and find that bastard Ularu! I want to know who the hell killed my mom!"

Jungkook flinched, but he couldn't say he didn't expect it. "Yes, sir. I'll figure it out."

Jungkook departed, ensuring Jimin couldn't get another word in. The door snapped shut behind him, and Jungkook pressed himself against it, peeling through his brain to find ideas for what to do next. If he brought the ship to Neon, it'd get blown up. If he didn't do Jimin's request, he'd get blown up anyway. So, he had to think outside the box.

Help arrived in the form of Y/n, who held a water bottle and approached. She slowed when she spotted Jungkook there.

"Not good?" she asked, and Jungkook shook his head.

"His eyes were red."

"Shit." Y/n left the bottle outside the door. "Anything we can do?"

"Go to Neon, is what he said. He wants me to talk to Ularu."

"Ryujin's CEO?" Y/n paused before grunting. "Ah, shit, that's right. That guy who was hunting us had a Ryujin suit on. If anyone knows about him..."

"It's Ularu. Problem is, if we go to Neon..."

"We get blown sky-high. So we need a new ship." Y/n stroked her chin, and then she motioned to Jungkook as if he knew everything. "We're in Jemison's orbit. Kryx isn't a far jump."

"You want to go to..." Jungkook trailed off, his jaw slacking. "You think Commander Min will give us a ship?"

"They gave Jimin a ship, back in the day."

"But he was a UC employee. Both of us are deserters."

"You think Commander Min will care? You're basically his son." Y/n nudged his metal shoulder and dragged him to the cockpit, kicking Barrett out and plopping in the pilot's seat while he took the co-pilot's. They both strapped in, and Y/n plugged in the coordinates. "You'll have to do all the talking. Commander Min isn't my biggest fan."

Commander Min didn't like anyone. Other than Jungkook and Tuala, who had come out of his depressive spiral once Y/n had returned, but he had been fired due to his attitude. That left him in an apartment next to Y/n's parents' place. At least they were all together. Like a family. Not that Y/n had visited much since the incident. To Jungkook's knowledge, anyway.

The jump commenced after Y/n announced it via the comm. They were in Kryx not long after. In Kryx was the UC Vigilance, where all the Crimson Fleet ordeals had occurred. The Key was there, though it had been remodeled to look functional. Oh, and it had the UC symbols on the outside reinstated. Otherwise, it was the same ugly space station as before.

Y/n flipped on the hail and commed in to the Vigilance, to which Jungkook took over as soon as a female voice asked him who he was.

"This is Executive Officer Jeon Jungkook, part of Captain Park's crew. I am requesting a meeting with Commander Min."

The woman on the other end of the line—someone named Lieutenant Toft—had him wait. Minutes later, they were approved for docking, and Y/n took the familiar yet odd path to the first docking bay. Being back wasn't on his bingo card, yet there he was.

"Ready?" Y/n asked after they locked in.

"As ready as I can be, I guess. You making me go alone?"

"I'm a laughing stock to the UC now." Y/n smiled, but it didn't crinkle her nose or cheeks. "Besides, I think Commander Min's missed you. You should see him on your own."

That much was true. Getting booted from the UC meant Jungkook hadn't seen Commander Min much, and Y/n leaving the Vanguard meant she hadn't seen Commander Tuala much. Both of them had their reasons to stay away, though Y/n talked about hers about as much as Jimin talked about his problems.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, then," Jungkook said, squeezing her shoulder with his real hand and standing, letting his prosthetic dangle. Well, dangle wasn't the correct term. Metal arms were stiff. His was no different. Yet, he had trained himself to give it a small dangle. To look more real.

"See you around, Jeon."

Her tone didn't go too high or too deep. It was airy; breathless. He released her shoulder and gazed at her, though she didn't meet his stare.

"You doing okay, L/n? And don't give me an 'I'm fine.' I know it's bullshit when a woman says something is fine."

"At least you're learning," she said with a small whistle. She had a classic New Atlantis accent without realizing it. New Atlantis accents were the "wait, I have an accent?" accent of the galaxy. It had no Martian drawl or Akila rasp, but it had a "rich" sound to it, where her words were clear, no matter how breathless she became. "I'll be alright."

"Alright is a synonym for fine, so don't say that."

"It's the truth." She peeked up at him, keeping her smile. "It's just not easy. Seeing Jimin like this."

"Didn't know you cared."

"Jungkook, there is no one in this world I hate more than Benjamin Bayu and Park Jimin, but he was my fiancé. I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't care, no matter how pissed I am at him."

After all that time, hearing Y/n curse continued to feel foreign. Like a different person spoke to him. In a way, maybe that was true.

"Yeah, sure." Jungkook returned her smile. "See you in a few, then."

Jungkook left before any further words could come, not that he thought they would. He dipped his head to Sarah in the bay, who handed him a pistol. Could never be too careful.

"You ready for this?" Sarah asked while he holstered the Eon and prepared the hatch for boarding. He slowed his movements, his metal arm gripping the handle.

"No." It was the most honest answer he had ever given. Looked like Taehyung taught him conversation skills that day.

"I can't blame you. Commander Min scares the hell out of me."

"You? Sarah Morgan? You fought in the Colony War."

"I suppose that's the thing, Jungkook." Sarah stopped to sigh, her leather jacket that appeared to be a mix between crimson and dark pink squeaking as she did so. "Perhaps some people are worse after war than during it."

Jimin.

That was Jungkook's first thought, followed by Jungkook. He didn't know why.

"Can't argue with that," was Jungkook's response. He wasn't sure if he believed it or not. "Well, see you on the other side. If Yoongi doesn't kill me for not visiting enough, I should be back in a couple minutes."

Sarah oversaw his departure. He opened the hatch and trekked into the UC Vigilance with Sarah cheering him on, but it ceased once she shut the door behind him, leaving him in territory he never thought he'd be in again.

The good old UC.

Bleach smacked his nose and snapped it in half. Jungkook's metal hand pinched his poor nostrils and grimaced from the bright lighting the UC was known for. Bright white lighting, to be exact. The slim halls had black floors and fluorescent lights in the ceiling to guide the way forward. Countless tiny staircases (of no more than six stairs) led to different rooms Jungkook had no interest entering. Instead, he went to the one in front of him with a UC SysDef officer standing at attention. That stupid navy blue beret covered the man's otherwise shaggy brown locks.

Jungkook didn't miss wearing those.

"Mr. Jeon, Commander Min is ready for you."

Mr. Jeon. Mister. Not the old titles he had possessed. Not Commander Min's right hand. Hell, the officer hadn't bothered to call him Executive Jeon.

Fucking United Colonies.

Jungkook wondered what it'd be like to stay in Porrima and live in a factionless system his whole life. They had less rules and no governments that had plans to overthrow the main factions, but they had more crime and no organization. Well, not as much crime as Neon, but that was an unfair comparison.

Maybe life would have been better if Jungkook hadn't left Porrima. Left the Red Mile. But maybe he didn't; after all, no matter what he did, he somehow managed to end up right back in the Porrima system anyway. Escaping your past wasn't easy, huh?

Jungkook followed the officer without speaking. They took the familiar path to the bridge, passing by several officers Jungkook knew who didn't greet Jungkook. At least they had pretended to treat him with respect back when he had been Yoongi's assistant. What Jimin had said before about the UC bullying anyone who wasn't a UC native proved more and more right every time Jungkook encountered the UC. The military had it worse, for some reason. Call it ego, call it bad character, but either way, the UC military was a shit hole. Like the Well back in New Atlantis.

After a bumpy elevator ride that reminded Jungkook of Jimin and a short walk through yet another hallway, Jungkook found himself on the bridge he had spent years on. A vast space with anti-Fleet posters hanging from every support pillar keeping the high ceilings as high as they were. Screens broadcasted the latest pirate news. Not much to report. Most pirate cells had died off after the Fleet, though some rose to attempt to take their place. It never worked.

Some Fleet remnants had attempted to overthrow SysDef's control, but without proper leadership, they too died off. That was more proof that Delgado and Hoseok had been the real obstacles all along. Pirates were dangerous on their own, but the most dangerous pirates were the ones that were organized. Delgado had kept the Crimson Fleet organized, and Commander Jung had gifted them with more credits than any other pirate cell could dream of.

Behind the front table was Commander Min Yoongi. Like all the other officers not busy doing anything, he stood at attention in his padded gray and navy blue commander attire. It was thicker than his actual arms and legs, and it had a UC emblem on the right shoulder with a pointy collar. The dark outfit contrasted his pale skin. Hell, the damn white lighting contrasted his pale skin. Porrima's snow had nothing on Commander Min.

A gummy smile stretched across Yoongi's thin lips. "Executive Jeon. To what do I owe the honor?"

At least someone addressed him by title.

Jungkook abandoned the guard escorting him and went up the short staircase, ignoring how white everything around him was. The walls, ceiling, and floor. He wondered how he hadn't gone insane during his time with the UC. Too much white could cause someone to lose their minds. Well, to be fair, they had more screens than any other room in UC territory. The entire back wall consisted of one giant screen and a dozen smaller ones on the left and right sides of it.

"I wish I could say a general visit, but you know I wouldn't come during business hours unless it were important."

Jungkook mimicked Yoongi's posture and stood at attention. It felt odd, doing so for Commander Min on the Vigilance. For the past two years, Jungkook had done it for Captain Park, who deserved to be Commander Park, in Jungkook's opinion, though the Freestar had to approve him for such a high rank. Maybe he could file for it after he finished his Ranger quest.

Home planets or factions had to approve of significant rank changes of ship captains. Every ship owner was a "captain," but few were "commanders." The best of the best got that title. Those who had contributed to their faction or home planet beyond the average person. Well beyond. Jungkook believed Jimin fit into that category, though with him being banned from Neon over a murder he hadn't committed, Jungkook doubted Jimin would be considered for a prestigious rank anytime soon.

"I know, son, so ask away. What favor do you need?" Yoongi asked, his tone as deep as always. As deep as Taehyung's, though Yoongi had more scratch to his voice.

Of course Yoongi knew it was a favor. Of course.

"Well..." Jungkook stuttered over the single word. He hadn't done that as much since joining Jimin's crew. "It's complicated, but do you think I could borrow a ship?"

Yoongi's pupils dilated, speckles of hickory surrounding them. "A ship?"

"I know how it sounds, but I need to go to Neon, and the ship we have right now can't go there. Our ship is banned from Neon."

Yoongi sighed. "What'd he do?"

"I know you won't believe me, but he was a good person, that's what happened. Doesn't go over well on Neon." Jungkook paused to tighten his jaw. "Any criticism you have of Commander Park can be saved for later." The commander was on instinct; Jungkook had a new commanding officer, and he wouldn't let Yoongi forget it. Jungkook loved Yoongi, but he was buried in tradition. "He just lost his mother."

Yoongi's eyes almost popped out of his head. "He lost his..."

"Yes, so please spare me your daily Commander Park hatred and tell me if I can borrow a ship or not."

Commander Min chuckled. "You changed."

"No. I stopped being afraid."

Yoongi didn't answer for a long moment. What filled the void was the beeps from the screens, distant and incomprehensible chatter, and rushed footsteps from officers darting around and handing off paperwork. The paper rustling was as distant as the chatter, though Jungkook focused on it. It had been his job once. Not anymore.

"I may be able to spare a small ship."

"That's fine. Anything works as long as it holds two people." Every ship did; a pilot and a co-pilot. That was all he needed. "I'm grateful for anything, Mr. Min."

Mister. Not Commander. It didn't feel as odd to say as Jungkook thought it would. He didn't say it as fast either.

"Sure," Yoongi said, tapping on the hologram top of the rectangular table before him. "I have a few spares, but they must be returned in twenty-four hours UTC. Have I made myself clear?"

"Understood. If all goes well, it should take no more than six hours. I'll send a comm when I'm on my way."

Jungkook collected the information from Commander Min and ended up with a slate Sarah could decipher. Jungkook had done that once for years on end. Perhaps it was time for a break.

Jungkook went to leave, but Yoongi clearing his throat had him pausing in the archway. He didn't bother turning around, forcing Yoongi to speak louder.

"It was good to see you, Executive."

Jungkook peeked his head over his shoulder at that. The term warped his mind and sunk its teeth into the lines of his brain, yet the title didn't get his heart pumping the way Taehyung had. It didn't have him doing mental cartwheels with a tint of pink on the tips of his ears. And it didn't have him bowing and thanking Yoongi over and over.

Instead, Jungkook nodded.

"It was good to see you too, Mr. Min."

☆☆☆

Jungkook hated Neon.

It felt like a crime being there without Jimin, but Jungkook had another companion to make up for it. A companion who knew Neon as well as Jimin, if not better.

"Damn, I missed grease like this," Taehyung said as he tossed another ball of meat in his stuffed mouth. He spoke in a slur due to the width of the food slathered across his lips and teeth. Not that his teeth were appealing anyway; they had more cracks and dents than the average Neon sidewalk.

Jungkook sat next to Kim Taehyung in a creaky stool with torn black padding on top. In front of him was a quick eatery focused on serving food Jungkook wasn't sure passed any health inspections. Not that they had them on Neon, though.

Flickering pink lights illuminated Taehyung's sharp jawline and long lashes. His nose curved out at a smooth angle that made him appear more like a sculpture than a human. Made sense that an artist would be art himself.

Jungkook couldn't focus on Taehyung's appearance, though; the reek of Neon distracted him. On top of the lab concoction known as "Neon meatballs" Taehyung chowed down with constant slurping sounds (how he slurped meat was beyond Jungkook), there was the normal fecal matter and general rotting stenches ramming their fists up Jungkook's nostrils.

Rain stampeded against the roof covering the indoor city of Neon, though they were at Ebbside, so it was more open and allowed for puddles to stain the cracked concrete pathways lined with homeless and vendors begging bystanders to buy their shitty products. Weapons were the main choice. Discount weapons that didn't fire. Jungkook guessed, anyway.

"You done yet? We have an urgent mission," Jungkook said while Taehyung drank blue milk. Jungkook didn't want to know where the color came from.

The booth-like "restaurant" smelled of oil and hissed steam in Jungkook's face. It had amber lighting that flickered like the rest of Neon's lights, though the warm color scheme of it contrasted the otherwise dark and cool tone the rest of Neon was known for. It was clever business to have such drastic lighting. It made you stand out.

"Nope." Taehyung popped the 'p,' and it resulted in bits of dark brown meat spitting out and hitting the wooden counter. Fake wood. It felt more like plastic. "Jimin and I are the Neon natives. The rest of you are UC junkies." Taehyung paused to swallow. "Maybe some factionless and inner Freestar junkies, too. And now that Jimin's banned from here, I can't just up and visit whenever I want. This could be my last time for a while to have Neon food."

Well, that much was true. No one enjoyed Neon food except Neon natives, which meant the cooking shifts consisted of "standard" food.

AKA: Food that wouldn't kill them.

Everyone onboard had a cooking day except Y/n, who had given Jimin puppy eyes and managed to get out of it in exchange for an extra cleaning shift every week (though, knowing Jimin, he probably had given it to her for free, but she had insisted on an extra shift). Jungkook had the Thursday dinner shift and alternated between different stews. Growing up, warm food was king. Anything to beat the cold.

Taehyung finished a few minutes later. Jungkook didn't bother speaking to avoid interrupting the process. The faster they got out of Ebbside, the faster they got to Ularu and could figure out what the hell was going on.

With the bowl empty and the bill paid (by Jungkook), they departed, not uttering a word while they traveled through the drug den that was Ebbside and back to Neon Core.

Less tourists had visited Neon thanks to the mind control. Since Ryujin was a Freestar company, the internal neuroamp hadn't made its rounds into UC territory. In fact, the UC had banned the tech from being sold there. Some with internal neuroamps, like Jimin, were allowed in UC territory if they were important enough, but most were turned away, and if an internal neuroamp was used on UC grounds, the individual who had used it would be banned for life.

It was the first time in Jungkook's life he saw the UC had better morals than the Freestar.

Most of Ryujin's operations ceased in the UC. It sounded bad for them, but it wasn't. The internal neuroamp had enough success in the Freestar that it offset the losses from the UC. UC citizens didn't enjoy purchasing from Freestar vendors anyway. Once again, Ryujin was on top. Maybe more than before thanks to Ularu's leadership.

Ryujin pointed toward the black sky of Neon. Well, it was golden due to the conduction grid, but beyond that was pitch darkness. There was an opening in the grid that sparkled every time lightning struck it, and the top of Ryujin's spire poked out of said gap. It looked more like a statue than a company.

"I don't think I've been inside Ryujin, have I?" Taehyung asked when they stopped outside, his hand falling to the butt of his holstered pistol. Both of them had pistols. Who would enter Neon without at least one firearm?

Ryujin didn't have the best atmosphere, seeing as the entire front lobby had more credits invested in the brass dragon hung on the wall than Jungkook had ever owned in his life. And that was coming from the executive officer of Captain Park Jimin's crew.

Aside from the dragon, Ryujin had air conditioning that helped Jungkook. The heat of Neon caused him to sweat for hours upon hours. Showers didn't help, and he had to deal with the Neon stench and heat all night.

No, the heat didn't go away once he got off Neon. If anything, it got worse.

Growing up in the cold meant the blistering heat of Neon had him feeling like he had traversed an entire planet on foot with no breaks or water. His throat was parched, his long-sleeved compression shirt soaked with sweat, and his lungs felt empty no matter how much air he sucked in.

Ugh. Neon.

Jungkook brushed it off and entered the monstrosity known as Ryujin Industries. It had a lavender scent. Or maybe lilacs. It had a mix between the two, and not a single molecule of the normal Neon rot entered. The aroma was so powerful, Jungkook could taste it. Not an exaggeration.

Murmurs and occasional laughter bounced around Jungkook's ears, and the spacious lobby had two dozen people in it, though the wideness made it seem more like ten.

A female guard without a helmet approached the moment Jungkook stepped inside. "State your business."

"Executive Jeon Jungkook of Captain Park Jimin's crew." Jungkook straightened his shoulders. "I am here to meet with Ularu on behalf of Captain Park. She informed him he can visit anytime he needs anything."

The guard searched Jungkook and confiscated his weapons, and Taehyung received the same treatment. Their weapons stowed away behind the front desk. The guard proceeded to lead them up the elevator to the executive floor. All without saying a word. Taehyung fiddled with his fingers in the back, and Jungkook did his best not to attempt to soothe him.

It took three minutes to arrive. Upon doing so, Jungkook noted the all-crimson interior with splashes of white. Ularu's office was on the lefthand side, and after a small staircase and a final pat down from the guard, Jungkook and Taehyung entered.

Ularu Chen, Ryujin's new CEO. No older than fifty and had the skin of a newborn yet the sharpness of a battle-worn commander. Her nose, like her jaw, was straight and her most prominent feature. It was as if she had taken a nail file to it.

Eyeliner and dark eyeshadow covered her thick eyelids, and her dark irises flickered up to meet Jungkook's form. Her neat, brunette hair remained in a tight bun no matter how much she moved, not that she had to move much, considering she sat in front of a computer with her gloved hands tap tap tapping away on the silent keyboard.

"Executive Jeon," she said, her voice somehow deeper than Taehyung's. Sharper, too. It commanded all other noises—not that there were any aside from Taehyung's mouth breathing—to halt. "About time we met."

"You know me?"

"I know everyone on Captain Park's crew." Ularu waved her hand toward Taehyung, who cowered behind Jungkook. "The one hiding is Mr. Kim, correct? Captain Park's childhood friend?"

"Friend is debatable," Taehyung muttered, and Jungkook nudged him to keep him quiet, though a smile tickled the ends of Jungkook's lips.

"So you did your research. Maybe that means you know why we're here."

"I do, yes. An assassin hunting your crew. Not a good situation."

Jungkook placed his metal hand on the wooden desk. He wondered what it felt like. It seemed like years since the last time he had touched real wood.

"You know who it is?" he asked, his voice lower than he intended. He went to adjust, but he stopped halfway and opted to glare instead.

"No, I don't. But I've seen the footage, and I have theories. A Ryujin suit." Ularu chuckled before Jungkook could rage, and he shut up and let her finish. "We didn't give it to him. If you ask me, Jimin made some enemies. Or maybe more than some."

"Can we skip to the part where you tell us the truth?" Taehyung asked, coming up by Jungkook. His hand went to the desk, too. A fleshy hand. It could feel the wood. "I don't think our captain will like this bullshitting, Ms. Chen."

"You know me, Mr. Kim?"

Taehyung smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "I did my research."

Ularu didn't answer. No one filled the gap with small talk, further questions, or so much as coughs. All that remained was quietude amplified by Ularu's soundproof office. That and the fact that she had closed the door.

"I had my analysts scan the purchase logs. We found a few matches who bought both a suit and an internal neuroamp, but no one goes to Ryujin for our suits. They're basically unheard of. Only four people in our records bought both, and three of them were women. The man is dead now." Ularu paused to shrug. "Neon native, so I'm not surprised."

Jungkook scoffed. "Then what does that mean? How could he have gotten a Ryujin suit and an internal neuroamp?"

"Relax, I'm getting there. Jimin ensured I could sit in this seat." Ularu extended her hands to point to the office and quirked a brow. "It is in my best interest to stay on his good side, regardless of if he's using those powers of his or not."

Great. She knew about that, too. CEOs. Ugh.

"So?"

"So," she said, leaning her elbows on her desk, "I will help you. No price. I believe Masako Imada and Imogene Salzo are the two who supplied him with the suit."

"Masako? Ryujin's old CEO?" Taehyung asked, and Ularu nodded.

"Correct. Masako vowed revenge. Imogene isn't too happy with Mr. Park either, seeing as he threw her under the bus. When you screw people over, they come back to bite you. Problem is, neither of them have much combat experience. That's where the assassin comes in."

Taehyung knitted his brows. "The assassin has a vendetta too. Y/n told us the assassin left a note in his mom's apartment."

Ularu stiffened at that. "What? His mom's..."

"Oh, looks like we have information the CEO doesn't," Jungkook said with his shoulders slumping. "The assassin found his mom's apartment. She's..."

"But the guards said..." Ularu trailed off and leaned back. "Shit. He mind controlled my guards to stay off my radar, didn't he?"

"I would assume so." Jungkook stroked his chin with his real hand, feeling the bumps and warmth there. "I'm guessing the assassin's been stalking us. That would explain why he knew where to go. Jimin visited his mom not long before the assassin got to us."

"Yes, that would make the most sense. And he left a note, you said?"

Taehyung hummed. "A note that said 'this is for Taylor.' Not sure who Taylor is. Didn't leave a last name."

"Of course not. That'd be stupid." Ularu rubbed her temple, shut down her computer, and rolled away from the bulky frame it had, making better eye contact with Jungkook. "If the assassin has a vendetta like your friend claims, then you're dealing with three dangerous people who will stop at nothing to get what they want. You need to get Jimin to use his powers again. That might be the only chance you have."

"He did use his powers against the assassin. They didn't work."

"I saw the footage, but no suit can withstand something like that forever. If you were to ask me, Masako and Imogene took so long to take revenge since they were working on upgrading that suit to combat Jimin. That means it's only a matter of time before they come for me."

"Ah, that's why you want Jimin to use his powers," Jungkook said with a snicker. No humor was in it. "To protect yourself."

"Of course I do, and you'd do the same. But beyond that, I don't want Captain Park to die. I don't care for him-"

"But he's a valuable asset." Jungkook clicked his tongue but didn't bother arguing against it. "Can't blame you. If it means you'll do your best to keep him alive, I can't be mad about it."

"Precisely. Well, I have nothing more to say if you don't. You can tell your captain I will send any information I have his way."

"Like Masako's location?"

"If I had that, I would have given it to you. She was Ryujin's CEO, Executive Jeon. Finding her won't be easy, but if she turns up, I'll inform you, though be warned it could be a trap."

Jungkook didn't disagree, and with that, he departed the office with Taehyung, returned to the lobby to gather their firearms, and strolled Neon's streets once more. The odds were it would be one of the last times. Jungkook didn't know how to feel about that.

Every atom of him should be grateful. Neon was a shithole with more crime in one minute than New Atlantis had in a year. Yet it was difficult to part from a place you had grown so accustomed to, no matter if you hated it or not. Maybe Jungkook would miss Neon. Maybe part of him wanted to.

"Last time here," Jungkook said while walking with Tae. Everywhere he looked, there were flashing pink and cyan signs, hissing vents, moist sidewalks either from condensation or rain dragged in by citizens, and obnoxious virtual advertisements on the side of buildings. Most advertisements were audible those days, meaning the core of the Neon soundscape was robotic voices telling him to go buy shitty products or get a facelift.

"So?"

"So tell me about it. About your childhood here."

Taehyung snorted. "Not much to tell. I hid in the shadows most of my life. Everyone used to tell me I was smart for that."

"Well, were you?"

"I guess. Kept me out of trouble. Unlike half the population, I didn't end up in a gang. Still don't know manners, though, so don't expect me to say please and thank you." Taehyung grinned as he said it, and Jungkook nudged him with his real arm. He would never know what Ularu's wooden desk felt like, but he knew Taehyung's warmth. A fair trade, in Jungkook's opinion.

"Boring." Jungkook faked a yawn as they approached the elevator to the spaceport. "At least tell me one interesting fact before we leave. Something only a Neon native would know."

"Gosh, not much to say about Neon that hasn't already been said, but alright..."

Taehyung trailed off and glanced around the scenery. It was emptier than Neon Core had ever been, with maybe twenty people sauntering the cracked concrete sidewalks, and of the twenty, half of them mind controlled others. At least they had left Taehyung and Jungkook alone.

"Every Monday," Tae said, his voice quiet. Maybe deeper, too. Every word sounded breathier than the last, and his pupils dilated while they darted around every centimeter Neon had to offer. "I used to sneak into this woman's restaurant. Shit, I don't remember her name or even the restaurant, but I'd steal something every Monday."

"She ever find out?"

Taehyung stayed silent longer than needed. "One day, I saw security dragging her out and shutting the place down. Something about smuggling Aurora, and that's a no-no. Biggest no-no on Neon. Murder? Meh, fine. Sell Aurora without Bayu getting a cut? Borderline execution. It's a miracle she didn't get shot."

Jungkook didn't bother calling the elevator despite being in front of it. Instead, he stood by Taehyung's side. "I'm sorry."

Taehyung shook it off. "That's not the point. The point is, I sat with her while they shut her place down and stole her entire livelihood. We just... sat. In the rain. Then, she told me she knew the whole time. Every damn Monday, she let me take a meal. And I never even knew her name."

"I..." Jungkook cut himself off and lowered his head. "I didn't know people like that existed on Neon."

"Neither did I. Maybe that's why I turned out different than most, but there are good people on Neon. If Bayu weren't ramming it into the ground and selling Aurora to everyone, maybe it'd be a powerhouse of the galaxy. Maybe..." Taehyung paused and wiped his clammy hands on his flightsuit. "Maybe Jimin's mom would be alive."

Jungkook allowed the information to wrap around his neck and squeeze and squeeze and squeeze; squeeze until the old Jungkook almost fired out stutters and mumblings that didn't mean anything. All he did was stand there, and Taehyung stared at him, their gazes locking.

"For what it's worth," Jungkook said, giving Taehyung yet another nudge followed by a soft smile, "I know one or two Neon rats I like."

Taehyung's boxy grin blessed Jungkook's sight. "One or two?"

"Maybe." Jungkook winced. "One. Just one. And he's not you."

Taehyung laughed, and Jungkook listened. The sound was soft despite Taehyung's deep voice. There were no hiccups; it was a clean laugh with no bumps or squeaks. Gentle, maybe. Like him.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Jungkook said with a huff, motioning to the elevator before them. "Now c'mon. We have a lot to do."

Taehyung paused at that, his laughter fading and his sight focusing on Neon one more time. Jungkook observed Tae's side profile, scanning over his wide pupils, loose shoulders and jaw, and trembling form. It was a tiny tremble; one a trained officer like Jungkook could notice, but others not so much.

Then, after a silent minute of his gaze prying apart every detail of Neon, Tae turned back and kept his boxy grin. There were tears in his brown eyes that time.

"Yeah. Let's go."

☆☆☆

Oh my God Jungkook's fruity holy moly who would've thought 😱😱😱