Expectations: The Red Shirt Always Dies
Series Expectations
Adventure Fourteen: The Red Shirt Always Dies Part 2 of 5
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: KyuWook, Yunjae, WooGyu, Various
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure
Length: Chaptered
Beta: tahoeturquoise
A/N: This story is inspired by Star Trek and the Kpop community.
Summary: Lives are put at risk when the captain makes a reckless decision. The away team struggles to survive a perilous journey. New heroes emerge while old heroes are lost.
Prior Adventures
The away team had been on the planet Pixxel for six hours; in that time the shield had gone up a total of four times. Three of those times the shield had been maintained for less than ten minutes before the sky turned a golden hue signaling its collapse. The forth time the shield had gone up…it had stayed up.
The away team had come to a fork in the road.
One path led to a mountain top where there was an ancient structure of unknown origin. The people native to the planet called it the Snow Fortress. They believed it belonged to the ancient God of Snow. The natives of the planet had explained to the team that their ancestors had once worshiped the God of Snow, but they had turned their backs on him after the great blizzard that had killed thousands. They had begun to worship the God of Blood instead and this had greatly angered the Snow God. In retaliation he had placed a strong curse upon the fortress, locking away all its hidden treasures. The people informed them that any who attempted to enter the fortress never returned.
The other path led down the mountain to a village where the people of Pixxel had originally found the beacon they had used to call for help. The people of Pixxel were a primitive people; their level of development was similar to the Bronze Age on Earth. The technology of the shield that covered most of their continent and the beacon were far beyond their limited science.
Lieutenant Yesung, who was leading the away mission, insisted on the path to the village. He reasoned that if the beacon had been found there then it was the most likely place to find the power source for the shield. Also, he stressed it would be warmer and much safer than traveling up the mountain.
Ensign SungGyu disagreed, strongly.
“Ensign, your concerns have been noted, now do your duty and let us proceed toward the village,” Lieutenant Yesung ordered in a chilly voice as he brushed away snow from his uniform.
“Sir, might I suggest we split the away team up,” Ensign SungGyu offered. “We can then go both routes and increase our chances of finding the power source.”
“No, I will not split the team up.”
“Sir, the shield is back in place. We can not contact the ship,” SungGyu reminded the lieutenant. “We need to optimize our chances for success.”
“It might go back down any minute. It has been going up and down for weeks,” Yesung pointed out.
“It has never been up for this long,” Ensign Minho added carefully. The young science officer knew the lieutenant was at the end of his patience.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Yesung responded.
“The people in the last village told us that the time for the Jex to hatch is quickly approaching. Once they hatch, the Jex will fly out of their caves and when they find the shield up they will devour any living beings in their sight,” Ensign SungGyu said firmly. “There will be no escape.”
“Wrong,” Lieutenant Yesung declared, waving his phaser. “We have these.”
Ensign SungGyu exhaled slowly and reminded the lieutenant, “But we are here to help the people of this planet…we can not protect everyone with our phasers.”
“I know this…” Lieutenant Yesung paused to glare at the annoying ensign, while clenching his fist as he slowly holstered his phaser.
“I think it would be a smart move to split up the team…best way to cover the most ground,” Ensign Kangin said encouragingly. Kangin considered Yesung a blustering fool and why Leeteuk had insisted on him leading the mission was beyond Kangin’s comprehension. Kangin had enjoyed watching Ensign SungGyu ruffle the lieutenant’s feathers.
“If I split up the team…then you will be the one going up the mountain, alone,” Lieutenant Yesung snapped at SungGyu.
“Yes, Sir,” SungGyu agreed, taking a step away from the group. “I will gladly go up the mountain alone as long as someone goes up the mountain.”
Doctor Nam, who had been quiet the entire time while SungGyu tried to talk sense into Lieutenant Yesung, stepped up to stand by SungGyu’s side, letting them all know…Ensign SungGyu would not be going up the mountain alone.
“I would also like to take the mountain path,” Minho quickly proposed, unable to hide his eagerness to go with SungGyu.
“I want to go up the mountain also,” Ensign Jonghyun said following his friend Ensign Minho’s lead.
Kangin offered, “I will go with them, too.”
“No,” Lieutenant Yesung ordered. “Ensign Kangin, you are the head of security on this mission…you are staying with me. Ensign Minho you are the only science officer we have. I will need you when I find the device powering the shield.” Lieutenant Yesung smiled at the Ensign Jonghyun and told him, “But you are more than welcome to go with Ensign SungGyu.”
“Cool,” Jonghyun said taking a step toward Ensign SungGyu, looking relieved.
Yesung smiled at Ensign SungGyu and told him, “And that is your team.”
“I am going with him,” Doctor Nam told the lieutenant, while still flanking Ensign SungGyu’s right side.
“You are the only doctor we have,” Yesung pointed out. “You are coming with me.”
WooHyun reminded the lieutenant, “I am a volunteer…I’d hate to have to resign.”
“You…you can’t do that.”
WooHyun grinned at Yesung. “Try me.”
“Then go with him…it isn’t like you are a real Star Fleet doctor,” Yesung snapped.
“Nope, not a real Star Fleet doctor,” WooHyun confirmed, still grinning at Yesung. “You won’t miss me at all.”
“Then it is settled,” SungGyu said quickly before the situation deteriorated more. “Doctor Nam, Ensign Jonghyun and I will proceed up the mountain and the rest of you will go down to the village to investigate the power source.”
“Yes,” Lieutenant Yesung agreed as he looked at the crew members that were on his team. He still had eight people with him, not including himself. He begrudgingly admitted to himself the division of the teams wouldn’t look good to most superior officers. He was sure Captain Leeteuk would understand why the teams were split as they were but he could almost feel Commander Jung’s judgmental gaze on him from orbit.
Lieutenant Yesung’s eyes settled on Ensign Eunhyuk, who had been strangely quiet. He couldn’t think of a better crew member to sacrifice to Ensign SungGyu’s team. He had heard Ensigns Eunhyuk and Junsu arguing frequently about Ensign Junsu’s friendship and admiration for Ensign SungGyu. Ensign Eunhyuk was not a fan of Ensign SungGyu, and Lieutenant Yesung was not a fan of Eunhyuk. “Wait, you can also take Ensign Eunhyuk with you.”
Ensign Eunhyuk nodded his head and stepped forward to join Ensign SungGyu’s team. “Yes, Sir.”
Yesung smiled, knowing he had the advantage and he had managed to get rid Jonghyun, who he considered a useless deadweight. Why the captain had sent a young, inexperienced transporter tech on an away mission he could not comprehend. He had also gotten rid of Ensign Eunhyuk, who could be downright disrespectful at times. And he had managed to get rid of Ensign SungGyu, who was trying to upstage him. He regretted losing Dr. Nam but he knew the doctor would not follow him. There were rumors about Dr. Nam and SungGyu being lovers, but Yesung still felt confident in his team even without the doctor.
“Good luck,” Yesung told the other team, surprising himself at how sincere he managed to sound.
****************
“I knew this would happen.”
Yoochun, who was sitting on the small sofa in his quarters watching Yunho pace, agreed, “You did.”
“You know what his plan of action is?”
“Is there one?”
“It’s to wait! His plan is to wait! Wait!”
“Oh, and you are so not good at doing that.”
“Now, the away team is cut off from us…like I knew would happen.”
“You knew.”
“I practically begged him to send them by shuttle but he rejected that idea…so now they are defenseless and trapped on a continent filled with killer insects that could hatch at anytime.”
“They reported that the modifications Changmin made to the phasers allowed them to work when the shield was active,” Yoochun reminded the former captain.
Yunho stopped pacing and held up his hands. “But we still can’t communicate with them or beam them back to the ship.”
“There isn’t anything you can do.”
Yunho sighed. “I just can’t help but worry for them.”
“I know.”
Yunho plopped down on the sofa beside Yoochun and confessed, “I feel…an unusual amount of anxiety.”
“It’s because there is an idiot in charge of your ship and he won’t take any of your brilliant suggestions.”
“He did allow Ensign SungGyu to join the away team.”
Yoochun’s expression soured. “If he gets killed you are in so much trouble…I will actually have to work more.”
“Yoochun…”
“That boy has amazing skills at delegating. I never have to worry about any of the bureaucratic bullshit; I get to focus on being an engineer. I show up in the mornings and if there are any issues that need to be addressed he leaves me a nice list and his recommendations on dealing with the issues. The list is always alphabetized, too.”
“At least you take advice from others.”
“That’s because I am not King Leeteuk, who only wants his court of simpletons surrounding him. I have a low tolerance for stupid.”
“You have a low tolerance for anybody who doesn’t have above average intelligence.”
“So true…this is why I never liked Leeteuk. You should have never handed over command to that simpleton.”
Yunho kept his mouth shut.
Yoochun’s eyes widened when Yunho didn’t chastise him. Yoochun slowly turned to look at his oldest friend. “You have had enough of him, haven’t you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I can feel it. You are going to take back your ship. It’s about damn time!”
“No…”
“You should…that asexual freak needs to be knocked down a peg or two.”
“Can we stop with the childish name calling?”
“When I call him asexual it is the truth. The only hard on Leeteuk ever got was when he found out all his superior officers were dead and he was the highest ranking officer left on the Expectations.”
“Stop it.”
“He’s a fool.”
“You are acting juvenile with this name calling.”
“Don’t act like you approve of him or his methods.”
“It’s his refusal to follow any suggestions that I find difficult to deal with.”
“How difficult?”
“At the moment I am having extreme difficulty.”
“Go on…”
“The entire away mission is at risk,” Yunho said in a perfectly controlled voice. “I suggested we send a shuttle down to study the perimeter and he also vetoed that idea.”
“You should have never given up command.”
“You have already said that.”
“But you are starting to realize it…aren’t you?”
“Maybe I always realized it…but it was the right thing to do. I was following Star Fleet regulations.”
“Always following regulations.”
“Not always.”
“I would have backed you…if you had stayed in charge.”
“I know you would have.”
“He couldn’t have taken command if we both stood against him. This ship doesn’t move without my permission.”
“He outranks me.”
“He’s a shitty excuse for a captain.”
“He outranks me.”
“I promise you, if the admirals back at Starfleet had known we would be in this messy predicament someday…they would have fixed that.”
“The admirals at Starfleet are not here…and he outranks me.”
“What will it take for you to move against him?”
“I will not commit mutiny.”
“Even if the entire away team dies?”
“Don’t say that.”
“It could happen…it almost happened on the last mission. If you had not gone out of your way to develop a good relationship with the Rebellion the entire away team would have been lost.”
“I know.”
“Is it truly mutiny when you are acting in the best interest of the ship?”
Yunho snorted. “Yes, it is. Almost all mutineers claim they were serving the greater good.”
“It’s true in this case.”
“I am not doing it. I just have to work on communicating with him…developing a rapport where he is more open to my suggestions and perhaps I need to try to understand his reasoning better.”
“Or Jaejoong needs to pop that baby out already.”
“Yoochun…”
“Jaejoong will not allow you to suffer like this. He will take care of it.”
“I will not allow him to do so.”
“As if you could stop him.”
“I am the one mind he can’t manipulate; well, not without my knowledge.”
Yoochun leaned his head back. “You should let him.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then maybe Heechul could declare him too stupid for duty,” Yoochun offered hopefully. “It’s true.”
Yunho sneered. “Not likely.”
Yoochun wrapped an arm around Yunho’s neck. “Are you still disenchanted with your first love’s recent behavior?”
“He was not my first love.”
“Your first man-crush then.”
“The only relationship I have ever had with Heechul is one of friendship…and…”
“And what?”
“He seems different to me.”
Yoochun shrugged. “He does seem different. I think he is probably having a hard time dealing with the fact he pranced all over the ship while claiming to be a pretty princess.”
Yunho shook his head. “Would Heechul…really be bothered by that? I know I would be…but I thought he would take it more in stride…like you would.”
The engineer removed his arm from around Yunho’s neck. “You think I would be okay with prancing around the ship thinking I was a pretty princess?”
Yunho turned and looked at his friend. “I think you are comfortable enough with your sexuality that you could handle it.”
Yoochun eyed his friend suspiciously and asked, “And you aren’t?”
“Don’t.”
“Why have you been hiding out in my quarters tonight?” Yoochun asked with a grin, suspecting something else was going on with his friend.
“I am not hiding out…I need to talk this over with someone.”
“Why not your beloved?”
“Because the more I bitch to Jaejoong about it the more he will feel like has to act once his telepathy returns.”
Yoochun smiled smugly. “I totally believe that…but explain to me again why you are not as comfortable with your sexuality as I am?”
Yunho expression darkened. “We were discussing ship’s business.”
“We were gossiping about what a sucky captain Leeteuk is…what did Jaejoong do?”
“He’s done nothing…yet.”
“Tell me now, or I will be forced to torture it out of you.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I am just saying only one of us could have been a mastermind serial killer.”
“Do not even joke about that.”
“Tell me.”
Yunho rotated his shoulders and complained, “It’s all Ryeowook’s fault.”
A dumbfounded Yoochun asked, “How…why?”
“He kept showing him pictures of cattle.”
Yoochun looked truly confused when he asked, “Does Jaejoong want you to have sex with a cow? I didn’t know Joongs were that freaky.”
Yunho turned to give Yoochun a completely deadpan look. “Yeah, that is it. You guessed it.”
“On…the holodeck?”
“You are one sick bastard!”
“Hey, we knew that already. I am just trying to catch on!”
“Jaejoong wants to fuck me…there, are you happy? Let the mockery commence.”
Yoochun was unable to hide his surprise. “You have never let Jaejoong fuck you?”
Yunho fidgeted in his seat. “Shut up.”
“It’s actually quite pleasurable.”
“Shut up.”
“It’s completely idiotic how some people…including you…continue to associate penetration with masculinity or lack of masculinity.”
“Stop.”
“Do you think I’m less of a man because I have had guys fuck me up the ass?”
“No, of course not!”
“Good, because it has nothing to do with manhood.”
“I know this.”
“Then you are a very selfish lover.”
“Don’t say that!”
“It’s the truth,” Yoochun told Yunho. “He’s having your baby and you won’t even give him this.” He shook his finger at him. “Bad Yunho! Bad!”
Yunho moaned. “Where is Kangin when I need him?”
“He is stranded on a planet with vampire spiders.”
Yunho got off the sofa and explained, “I know it’s totally selfish of me…but the idea literally turns me off. I just…I can’t.”
“Is this the first time he’s asked?”
Yunho nodded his head. “When his abilities aren’t being blocked…he gets how…how uncomfortable I am…and he feels the discomfort.”
“Yeah, I can get where you being petrified would be a turn off to an empath.”
“I just…I have to focus on the ship right now, before somebody dies.”
“If somebody dies, it isn’t your fault. There isn’t anything you could have done short of mutiny…although, like I said, you have my support if you decide to mutiny,” Yoochun said, reassuring his friend.
Yunho sat back down on the sofa and asked Yoochun, “Do you sometimes get the feeling he is looking for something specific?”
“What do you mean?”
“He says the reason we are not searching for a way home is because it is part of Star Fleet’s mission is to explore. He seems very interested in the technology in this galaxy.”
“The technology in this galaxy is very interesting; to be fair, it makes no sense at all. It has no technical basis for why it works. It left Changmin deeply baffled at times.”
“But it seems like…there is more to it. He won’t let me go on away missions, because he says he can’t in good conscience risk Jaejoong or Changmin…but why does he not allow Kyuhyun to go on them?”
“Because Kyuhyun doesn’t do a good enough job of hiding the fact that he thinks Leeteuk’s a dumbass. He won’t let me go either.”
Yunho shook his head. “It still seems like he is searching for something specific…something he doesn’t want us to know about. Don’t you find anything odd about the planets we have visited and the directions we have gone?”
“No, he says he is just randomly picking directions and planets…and it seems very random.”
“But what if it isn’t?”
“What are you saying?”
Yunho pondered over his answer carefully before answering the question, “I am not sure…it just seems like I am missing something vital. I can’t shake my gut feeling that something isn’t right.”
Yoochun could not hide his growing unease. “Then you better listen to your gut…Star Fleet spent a lot of time nurturing your gut feelings. Now, I am worried. Yunho, your gut feeling isn’t something to take lightly. How many times has it saved your ass? All our asses?”
“I need proof of-”
Yunho was interrupted when his insignia went off and the voice of Jaejoong was clearly heard, “Where are you?”
Yunho paled and before he could answer, Yoochun answered for him, “He’s hiding from your cock.”
The former captain glared at his best friend.
“Well…tell the coward my cock is no longer interested in him, along with the rest of my body.”
Yoochun lifted his hand up to his face to hide his grin when he told Jaejoong, “I will do that your, Highness.”
“Jaejoong, I am actually discussing-” Yunho stopped when he heard Jaejoong close the connection between them.
“Oops, my bad.”
Yunho sighed and got up from the sofa. “Can you be serious for just a moment? We were actually discussing something very important, now you have him all worked up. I will have to go settle him down.”
“Then in all seriousness, believe me,” Yoochun told Yunho. “I am on your side. You tell me what you want and all of engineering will support you. I don’t allow the type who will kiss Leeteuk’s ass in my department. If I see them exhibiting any of that kind of behavior I reassign them to security.”
“I don’t want to do anything…not yet…just wait and keep your eyes open.”
“I will be hyper alert,” Yoochun vowed. “If you want to wait…we will wait; if you want to mutiny, we will mutiny.”
“I would rather not spend the rest of my life in a penal colony with you,” Yunho told Yoochun as he headed for the door.
Yoochun got up to walk his friend out. “I know…you stuck on a penile colony; that is like, your worst nightmare come true.”
Yunho stopped in his tracks, clenched his fists and swung around to face his friend. “That’s it. I am going kick your ass.”
Yoochun held up his hands in surrender and slowly started backing away, but couldn’t stop laughing at the infuriated look on his friend’s face.
**************
“I am going to die,” Ensign Jonghyun complained to Ensign Eunhyuk as they followed Ensign SungGyu and Dr. Nam up the rocky path. The journey had been cold and tedious with Ensign SungGyu making sure they maintained a steady pace. The only excitement came from the occasional encounter with the gentle goat-like creatures that that inhabited the mountain.
WooHyun, who had been eavesdropping on the ensigns to distract himself from the cold weather, frowned.
“Don’t say that,” Eunhyuk scolded as he wiped his uniform free of the light snow that was falling. “What a crazy thing to say.”
“It’s true,” Jonghyun insisted. “I’m totally the red shirt on this mission.”
“No…no, you are not.”
“Yes, I am. I am a transporter tech…what the hell am I doing on an away mission? I never wanted to be on away missions.”
“That doesn’t mean you are the red shirt,” Eunhyuk persisted. “Maybe…maybe the captain thought you would…would be useful somehow.”
“Or he is still a little light in the head.”
Eunhyuk frowned. “Don’t say that about the captain…I am sure he had his reasons for sending you.”
“His reason was to provide the mission with a red shirt.”
“There are a lot of unproven ensigns with Lieutenant Yesung’s group, too,” Eunhyuk pointed out.
“I am the red shirt, don’t deny it.”
“You’re not.”
“I am and we both know the red shirt always dies.”
“You aren’t a red shirt…it could be someone else.”
Jonghyun rubbed his freezing hands together. “I guess it could be you.”
“Me? I am no red shirt. I am a bridge officer,” an affronted Eunhyuk promptly denied. “I am not a red shirt.”
WooHyun reached out and took SungGyu’s hand, subtly squeezed it, and whispered, “We need to take a break.”
SungGyu, who was focused on the task ahead of him, shook his head. “We have a long way to go. The danger increases the longer we wait.”
“We need to take a break.”
“No,” SungGyu insisted, freeing his hand of WooHyun’s. “The Jex could emerge anytime, and the snow isn’t heavy right now. We can’t afford to take a break.”
“We are taking a break,” WooHyun stated loudly for all to hear, stopping in place. “We need to warm up a little.”
“I am all for a break,” Ensign Jonghyun quickly and eagerly agreed.
“A short break,” a perturbed looking SungGyu agreed, knowing better than to argue with the doctor. He then pulled out his phaser, adjusted the settings and aimed it at one of the larger rocks on their path. The rock glowed red as the heat of the phaser warmed it. The team quickly gathered around the rock to get warmer.
Once they were all settled in and sitting around the heated rock, WooHyun turned to Jonghyun and asked, “What is this about a red shirt? The only one wearing red is Ensign SungGyu.”
“He isn’t a red shirt though,” Jonghyun quickly explained. “It has nothing to do with the color of the uniform.”
“Then why call it a red shirt?” a perplexed WooHyun asked.
SungGyu answered, “It is an old Star Fleet superstition.”
“Superstition about what?” WooHyun questioned.
Eunhyuk explained, “A long time ago on away missions the guy in the red uniform almost always died. Back in those days the command officers all wore gold.”
“Yeah, it got to where nobody wanted to wear red anymore,” Jonghyun added. “So they changed the uniforms so the command officers wear red now.”
WooHyun turned to SungGyu. “But you are an ensign?”
“I took command courses at the academy,” SungGyu explained.
“Not all command officers start off in red,” Eunhyuk explained. “Usually they have to make lieutenant before they get to wear red. But SungGyu here…was a shining star at the academy, weren’t you?”
SungGyu, who made no attempt to be humble, agreed, “Yes, I was. I was at the top of my class. Since my second year at the academy I have worn red.”
Eunhyuk stared back at SungGyu, who he considered to be an arrogant lower ranking ensign and quickly reminded them all, “Some people do not take command courses at the academy but work their way up the command ladder. Some of the greatest commanders…were just people who knew how to act in adverse situations.”
“That hasn’t happened in decades,” SungGyu pointed out. “Star Fleet Academy tests every cadet for The Kirk Factor to see if they have command potential, so very few natural leaders slip through the cracks anymore.”
“It could still happen,” Eunhyuk declared; he was itching to remind SungGyu he was actually the higher ranking ensign on the mission.
SungGyu shrugged. “I suppose if you were in Star Fleet long enough.”
“What about doctors? Can a doctor be a red shirt?” WooHyun asked, looking down at his blue uniform.
“No, not you,” Jonghyun reassured him.
“Why not me?”
“Because of him,” Jonghyun said, pointing at SungGyu. “He’s the chosen one and you are his best friend. You two have many adventures ahead of you.”
Eunhyuk sneered in disdain. “The chosen one?”
“Yep,” Jonghyun said nodding his head. “Lieutenant SooYoung told Minho to stick with Ensign SungGyu; that he was the best chance this mission had of success.”
SungGyu brightened considerably. “She did?”
“Yep, and everybody knows you are Commander Jung’s favorite,” Jonghyun added.
“No,” SungGyu replied, shaking his head. “No, no I am not.”
“You totally are,” Eunhyuk told him, “But you aren’t Captain Leeteuk’s favorite, are you?”
SungGyu met Eunhyuk’s gaze and told him, “None of us on this mission are his favorites, it appears.”
Eunhyuk frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“If we were his favorites we would have come by shuttle,” SungGyu said as he stood back up and stretched. “But as it is, we are going to actually have to use our legs to make it up the rest of this mountain.”
“Are you confidant the power source is at the top?” Jonghyun asked as he also stood up.
“I am confident,” SungGyu told him. “It’s the only choice that makes sense.”
WooHyun gracefully stood back up and asked, “So you are certain Lieutenant Yesung is going in the wrong direction?”
SungGyu looked at Eunhyuk and asked, “What do you think? You were on the last planet that had a shield like this. Do you think it is in the village or on the mountain top?”
“The mountain top,” Eunhyuk reluctantly admitted. “The other one was on a moon. I am pretty sure Changmin had some logical reason for it being in an elevated position.”
“He did,” SungGyu agreed. “I read the reports. I know walking down to the village would be the warmer and easier choice, but I am convinced it is the wrong path. Since this planet has no moons, the mountain top is our best chance.”
Eunhyuk nodded his head. “I agree”
“So let’s get moving,” SungGyu said as he started back up the path. This time Eunhyuk followed closely behind him. “Sadly, those clouds do not look promising. It looks like more snow is on the way.”
Eunhyuk looked up at the sky and saw the dark clouds moving in. “Why didn’t he send a shuttle with us?” The navigator couldn’t keep from asking. It bothered him that so many were pointing out flaws in Captain’s Leeteuk’s logic…flaws he couldn’t ignore any longer.
“That, Ensign Eunhyuk, is a very good question,” SungGyu replied. “I can’t imagine why any captain would risk stranding us here like this.”
WooHyun hung back with Jonghyun and told him, “I don’t like that you think you’re a red shirt. You should put such thoughts out of your head.”
Jonghyun smiled at the doctor and confessed, “I actually feel a lot better about that, now. I have a feeling we are going to be the ones that save the day in the end.”
“Oh, most definitely,” WooHyun said, grinning back at the ensign.
******************************
“Yunho, can we talk?” Heechul asked as soon as Yunho and Jaejoong walked into sickbay the next morning for Jaejoong’s scheduled examination.
Yunho and Jaejoong, who both looked glum, turned to face the chief medical officer, neither looking pleased to see him.
“Perhaps later; I need to be with Jaejoong, now.”
“Of course,” Heechul quickly agreed. “I meant after Jaejoong’s exam, of course.”
“I am also trying to get the captain to see me,” Yunho told the doctor, not bothering to hide his irritation. “I am hoping to persuade him into actually doing something in regards to the missing away team, so if he grants me an audience I will have to postpone our talk.”
“I understand, and I wish you luck with the captain.”
Yunho’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Do you?”
“Yes,” Heechul assured Yunho. “I do not want the away team to come to harm.”
Jaejoong walked away from Yunho and Heechul’s conversation, not even remotely interested in what they had to say to each other. He didn’t need telepathy to know his mate was extremely irritated with the doctor. He headed into the exam room where he found Ryeowook waiting for him.
“Good Morning,” Doctor Cho told the Joong.
“What’s so good about it?” Jaejoong grumbled as he sat on the exam bed. “I have been pregnant for 94 days. I’d like to know what is good about that.”
“Well, look on the bright side; if you were a normal human your pregnancy would be much longer…at this point you would have been pregnant for 284 days.”
“If you just jinxed me into being in this state for 190 more days…I will hurt you…hurt you bad!”
Ryeowook winced, noticing his friend’s foul mood.
“Did I just hear you speak? Did words leave your mouth?” Yunho asked as he entered the exam room, having left Heechul behind. “I thought perhaps you had forgotten how to talk.”
Jaejoong folded his arms in front of him, clamped his mouth shut, and glared at his mate with his vivid blue eyes.
“Trouble in paradise?” Dr. Cho asked as he reviewed the readings on the monitor.
“This ship is far from paradise at the moment,” Yunho told the doctor and then clamped his own mouth shut. The ship had been out of contact with the away team for a total of eighteen hours, and Captain Leeteuk still insisted on doing nothing. The stress of what was going on with the ship and the away team, plus having to deal with an extremely moody mate was weighing on Yunho and he was close to reaching the limit to his patience.
“Both of you are in bad moods…great,” Dr. Cho commented.
“Yes,” Yunho admitted. “And I would appreciate it if you would never ever bring up bovines again in his presence.”
“Bovines?” Ryeowook asked, looking completely confused by Yunho’s request.
Jaejoong snorted and lay down on the exam table.
“Okay, I won’t…” a still confused Ryeowook agreed. Dr. Cho stepped closer to the bed and looked up at the scanners. “No more talk of cows, I promise. We should be focusing on this wonderful news instead.”
Jaejoong looked up at the scanners above his head. “What?”
“He’s growing again and he’s moving into position,” Ryeowook explained. “This is good news.”
“Growing again? I thought he was already fully developed?” an excited Yunho blurted out. “When you say moving into position…do you mean he is getting ready to be born?”
“Yep,” Ryeowook answered as he reached out and felt Jaejoong’s stomach. “He’s just putting on some extra weight.”
“How much extra weight?” Yunho asked.
“He’s at about 5kg. He’s a big baby,” Ryeowook answered, giving Jaejoong a sympathetic look. “Maybe he won’t get much bigger.”
Jaejoong, who hadn’t said anything since Yunho entered the room, just closed his eyes.
Yunho reached down and squeezed Jaejoong’s wrist. “Hey, stop pouting. This is good news. Soon Changmin will be born…won’t he?”
“Yes,” Heechul, who was leaning against the doorway, answered as he studied the monitors. “He could be born today or anytime in the next ten days.”
An unpleased Jaejoong sat up and glared at Heechul. “I believe I have requested repeatedly that you not be present for my examinations.”
“Yes, you have, but as Chief Medical Officer the health of every member of this crew is my concern,” Heechul replied, “Even yours.”
“Since I am capable of healing myself, please feel free to exclude me from your concerns.”
Heechul sighed. “Unfortunately, I can not take you up on your offer…since Changmin resides inside of you; but I can respect your current wishes and leave…for now.”
Jaejoong watched Heechul leave the exam room. “I didn’t think I could like him less…and then I did. I prefer him crazy.”
Yunho, who was still holding Jaejoong’s wrist, asked, “Why aren’t you happier? Are you worried about the birth? I think I remember you telling me once that you wouldn’t be spared the pain of labor.”
Jaejoong pulled his arm free of Yunho and swung around to sit on the side of the exam bed, but in doing so he almost tumbled off the bed. Being pregnant had only added to Jaejoong’s lack of grace, but luckily Yunho was there to grab a hold of him and prevent him from falling, which irritated Jaejoong even more. “If you haven’t noticed, I am trying to be angry with you!”
Yunho turned to Ryeowook and asked, “Will you please give us a moment?”
Ryeowook nodded his head and left the exam room.
Yunho placed both of his hands on the side of Jaejoong’s face. “Please, let it go.”
“Yunho-”
“I know I was a jerk yesterday. This time I am completely in the wrong. I know this and I am sorry. I behaved badly, but I can’t change how I feel.”
“I will soon be able to change how you feel,” Jaejoong threatened.
“You can, but I will know you are doing it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…it means we are having a baby…why are we fighting about this? It was never an issue before. Why do you have to make an issue of it right now?”
“Because…because I am sick of being pregnant, sick of these blue eyes, sick of this blond hair, and I am sick of being a hermaphrodite. I want my old body back…the one you chose.”
“You are beautiful in your Joong form,” Yunho told him in soft whisper as he ran one hand through Jaejoong’s hair. “So beautiful.”
“I am sick of being feminine.”
Yunho bent down and kissed Jaejoong’s forehead. “Honey, I hate to break it to you, but you were never a shining example of masculinity.”
“No, but you never called me Honey then!”
“I will stop immediately,” Yunho vowed, realizing what he was unconsciously doing.
Jaejoong leaned his head against Yunho’s chest. “I just want him to be born so I can switch back.”
“He’s on his way.”
“But then I am conflicted because I don’t want him to be born either.”
Yunho continued to run his hand through Jaejoong’s hair. “I am confused.”
“I want him to be born but I also don’t want him to be born. His birth only means the day of our reckoning is growing closer.”
“Have you already forgotten about Taemin? He could be proof that the day never comes…or that we find a way to survive.”
“He could have been from an alternate reality,” Jaejoong reminded his mate. “Taemin is not proof of anything.”
“He is to me…I have no intention of dying,” Yunho assured his mate, “None at all. I don’t know how I know…but I know Taemin is our future son from this reality.”
“You can’t know that.”
“But I do know.”
Jaejoong sighed and wrapped his arms around Yunho’s waist, while keeping his head pressed to his lover’s chest. “I am sorry…for being difficult. I know the situation on the ship is killing you.”
Yunho closed his eyes. “I…I have to convince him to send help to the away team. I can’t even imagine why he thinks it is okay not to send help.”
“If you can’t convince him…I will,” Jaejoong promised. “Once Changmin is born this ship will no longer be at the mercy of that lunatic.”
Yunho pressed a kiss to Jaejoong’s forehead. “No, I will handle it. You can not be involved in any way. Captain Leeteuk is my problem.”
************
Kangin stood outside in the chilly weather gazing at the mountain in the near distance. Lieutenant Yesung had led them to the village where the beacon had originally been found. The people in the village had been extremely friendly…too friendly, if you asked Kangin. They had offered to house and feed the away team, promising to lead them to the shield’s power source at first dawn. Night was quickly approaching and a storm was rolling in.
“Do you think they will be okay?” Ensign Minho asked as he stepped out of one of the large huts the villagers made their homes in.
“They have the standard survival gear.”
“And thankfully the phasers work,” Minho added as he walked over to stand beside Kangin. “The insignias continue to be worthless along with the tricorders,, unfortunately.”
“Hey, the universal translators are working…that’s a plus. If they didn’t, our poor fearless leader might not get a nice comfy bed to sleep in and a full stomach.”
“Fearless?”
Kangin just grinned and pointed out, “The storm looks nasty. It has to be worse up on the mountain. It’s so much colder up there.”
“I am sure they have taken cover.”
“Yeah, and hopefully they will get to the top of the mountain and turn off the shield before the mean spider bats hatch and get pissed.”
“Spider bats?”
“My name for the Jex.”
“It is a rather accurate description.”
“So do you agree the villagers are not going to lead us to any power source tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Minho concurred, looking around the primitive village. “It is very doubtful the power source is here…as I have repeatedly informed the lieutenant.”
Kangin reached out and patted Minho’s back. “It’s not your fault that Lieutenant Yesung is an idiot.”
“Then why did Captain Leeteuk give him command of this mission?” Minho questioned the older ensign.
The older man shuffled his feet nervously before he answered honestly, “Nothing was ever easy for Captain Leeteuk…he had to fight for everything he had. Yunho had a natural ability to lead others that made his superiors dote on him, Kyuhyun had two powerful admirals as parents…Leeteuk had to work harder and longer than everybody else…I really think he just wants to give Lieutenant Yesung a chance to prove himself.”
Minho frowned. “Although his reasons seem kindhearted they are not logical. The academy tests everyone on their command abilities. I know some believe in fairness…but I am not in favor of it when my life and the lives of others are put at risk.”
Kangin rubbed the back of his neck. He felt the need to defend his old friend. “Captain Leeteuk has his reasons…and Lieutenant Yesung did pass his command courses.”
“He was only allowed to take command courses after applying multiple times, and he barely passed them,” Minho pointed out. “I am well aware of Lieutenant Yesung’s record at the academy.”
“Even Yunho let him be in charge of the bridge on the third shift,” Kangin reminded Minho.
“Yes, with the understanding that he would immediately contact a superior if a problem arose,” Minho clarified. “I have worked with him on the bridge multiple times and it was not always a pleasant experience.”
Kangin reluctantly nodded his head. “At least he let us break into two groups.”
“It wasn’t his idea.”
“I know…”
“Ensign SungGyu barely managed to talk sense into him.”
“No, he just showed him up a couple of times, and then Lieutenant Yesung’s ego was more than happy to part with the golden ensign,” Kangin answered with a snort.
Minho smiled remembering Lieutenant Yesung’s frustration. “At least Captain Leeteuk had the good sense to include Ensign SungGyu on the away team.”
Kangin gave an uneasy chuckle but didn’t correct the young science officer’s misconception.
**********************
“Captain, I need to speak with you,” Heechul announced as he entered the Captain’s Ready Room.
Captain Leeteuk, who was sitting at his desk sipping tea, set his cup down and sighed in relief at seeing the doctor. “Oh, it is just you. I have this fear that Commander Jung is going to storm in here any moment and strangle me.”
“Yes, you are wise to be afraid,” Heechul agreed as he remained standing. “Your recklessness with the crew’s lives, your inability to admit wrong doing, and your refusal to correct your prior mistakes is pushing all of Commander Jung’s buttons.”
Leeteuk weakly smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I know…it’s working exactly as planned. Only the extremely obtuse would fail to notice how displeased he is with me.”
“And anyone who isn’t extremely obtuse would share his growing concerns.”
“Oh, please…most of these people like to take orders. They wouldn’t have joined Star Fleet in the first place if they didn’t like to be told what to do. Commander Jung is the exception…born to command and all that. He just can’t help himself. He’s so…so…” Leeteuk paused trying to think of a proper word to describe his very disgruntled second in command. “Noble.”
“He’s about to be a father, too.”
“Yes, I know.’
“Soon.”
“Soon?” Leeteuk questioned, his calm fading quickly into alarm.
“Yes, soon.”
“I need specifics! Don’t play word games with me!” a panicked Leeteuk demanded as he stood up and slammed the palms of his hands against his desk.
“I mean Changmin will be born within the next ten days, perhaps as early as tomorrow.”
“Maybe it will not be as soon as you think…he’s a hybrid. You could be wrong.”
“Do you want to risk it? Changmin might be half human, but Jaejoong is not…and once Jaejoong’s telepathy returns-”
“We are finished,” Leeteuk announced as he walked around his desk and started pacing his office. “We will have to move up the plan.”
“I know this.”
“It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped.”
“The plan will have to be adapted,” Heechul reminded the captain.
“Yes, I know. I am adapting it as we speak,” Leeteuk told Heechul as he pressed his insignia. “Commander Jung, please inform Ensigns Zelo, Jong Up, and Ilhoon they will making up the next rescue team. I have decided to take your advice and send a shuttle to the planet. You pick the pilot of your choice, but not Ensign Junsu. Maybe Ensign Changjo…yes, definitely him. He’s never gotten to fly an actual shuttle before. They will be leaving by shuttle at 0800.”
“Sir, I strongly protest,” was Yunho’s immediate response.
“Protest noted,” Leeteuk responded, while grinning at Heechul. He then tapped the insignia, ending his connection with Yunho.
“You are going to send him over the edge…those boys are practically infants.”
Leeteuk leaned his head back and said through his laughter, “I know…two of them were first years and the other two were barely in their second year. I feel mutiny in the air.”
Heechul leaned against the wall of the cabin and curiously asked, “Are you really going to send them?”
“No, no, no…” Leeteuk quickly answered, sitting back down at his desk. “I am going to send Ensign Henry and Lieutenants SooYoung and DongHae in their place…but that is just between the two of us.”
Heechul nodded his head in approval, “A much wiser choice…you will have gotten rid of the science officer, the transporter chief, and the engineering prodigy at a most opportune time.”
Leeteuk picked up his cup of tea and slowly took a sip before replying to Heechul. “I know…it’s all too easy.”
Adventure Fourteen: The Red Shirt Always Dies Part 2 of 5
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: KyuWook, Yunjae, WooGyu, Various
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure
Length: Chaptered
Beta: tahoeturquoise
A/N: This story is inspired by Star Trek and the Kpop community.
Summary: Lives are put at risk when the captain makes a reckless decision. The away team struggles to survive a perilous journey. New heroes emerge while old heroes are lost.
Prior Adventures
The away team had been on the planet Pixxel for six hours; in that time the shield had gone up a total of four times. Three of those times the shield had been maintained for less than ten minutes before the sky turned a golden hue signaling its collapse. The forth time the shield had gone up…it had stayed up.
The away team had come to a fork in the road.
One path led to a mountain top where there was an ancient structure of unknown origin. The people native to the planet called it the Snow Fortress. They believed it belonged to the ancient God of Snow. The natives of the planet had explained to the team that their ancestors had once worshiped the God of Snow, but they had turned their backs on him after the great blizzard that had killed thousands. They had begun to worship the God of Blood instead and this had greatly angered the Snow God. In retaliation he had placed a strong curse upon the fortress, locking away all its hidden treasures. The people informed them that any who attempted to enter the fortress never returned.
The other path led down the mountain to a village where the people of Pixxel had originally found the beacon they had used to call for help. The people of Pixxel were a primitive people; their level of development was similar to the Bronze Age on Earth. The technology of the shield that covered most of their continent and the beacon were far beyond their limited science.
Lieutenant Yesung, who was leading the away mission, insisted on the path to the village. He reasoned that if the beacon had been found there then it was the most likely place to find the power source for the shield. Also, he stressed it would be warmer and much safer than traveling up the mountain.
Ensign SungGyu disagreed, strongly.
“Ensign, your concerns have been noted, now do your duty and let us proceed toward the village,” Lieutenant Yesung ordered in a chilly voice as he brushed away snow from his uniform.
“Sir, might I suggest we split the away team up,” Ensign SungGyu offered. “We can then go both routes and increase our chances of finding the power source.”
“No, I will not split the team up.”
“Sir, the shield is back in place. We can not contact the ship,” SungGyu reminded the lieutenant. “We need to optimize our chances for success.”
“It might go back down any minute. It has been going up and down for weeks,” Yesung pointed out.
“It has never been up for this long,” Ensign Minho added carefully. The young science officer knew the lieutenant was at the end of his patience.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Yesung responded.
“The people in the last village told us that the time for the Jex to hatch is quickly approaching. Once they hatch, the Jex will fly out of their caves and when they find the shield up they will devour any living beings in their sight,” Ensign SungGyu said firmly. “There will be no escape.”
“Wrong,” Lieutenant Yesung declared, waving his phaser. “We have these.”
Ensign SungGyu exhaled slowly and reminded the lieutenant, “But we are here to help the people of this planet…we can not protect everyone with our phasers.”
“I know this…” Lieutenant Yesung paused to glare at the annoying ensign, while clenching his fist as he slowly holstered his phaser.
“I think it would be a smart move to split up the team…best way to cover the most ground,” Ensign Kangin said encouragingly. Kangin considered Yesung a blustering fool and why Leeteuk had insisted on him leading the mission was beyond Kangin’s comprehension. Kangin had enjoyed watching Ensign SungGyu ruffle the lieutenant’s feathers.
“If I split up the team…then you will be the one going up the mountain, alone,” Lieutenant Yesung snapped at SungGyu.
“Yes, Sir,” SungGyu agreed, taking a step away from the group. “I will gladly go up the mountain alone as long as someone goes up the mountain.”
Doctor Nam, who had been quiet the entire time while SungGyu tried to talk sense into Lieutenant Yesung, stepped up to stand by SungGyu’s side, letting them all know…Ensign SungGyu would not be going up the mountain alone.
“I would also like to take the mountain path,” Minho quickly proposed, unable to hide his eagerness to go with SungGyu.
“I want to go up the mountain also,” Ensign Jonghyun said following his friend Ensign Minho’s lead.
Kangin offered, “I will go with them, too.”
“No,” Lieutenant Yesung ordered. “Ensign Kangin, you are the head of security on this mission…you are staying with me. Ensign Minho you are the only science officer we have. I will need you when I find the device powering the shield.” Lieutenant Yesung smiled at the Ensign Jonghyun and told him, “But you are more than welcome to go with Ensign SungGyu.”
“Cool,” Jonghyun said taking a step toward Ensign SungGyu, looking relieved.
Yesung smiled at Ensign SungGyu and told him, “And that is your team.”
“I am going with him,” Doctor Nam told the lieutenant, while still flanking Ensign SungGyu’s right side.
“You are the only doctor we have,” Yesung pointed out. “You are coming with me.”
WooHyun reminded the lieutenant, “I am a volunteer…I’d hate to have to resign.”
“You…you can’t do that.”
WooHyun grinned at Yesung. “Try me.”
“Then go with him…it isn’t like you are a real Star Fleet doctor,” Yesung snapped.
“Nope, not a real Star Fleet doctor,” WooHyun confirmed, still grinning at Yesung. “You won’t miss me at all.”
“Then it is settled,” SungGyu said quickly before the situation deteriorated more. “Doctor Nam, Ensign Jonghyun and I will proceed up the mountain and the rest of you will go down to the village to investigate the power source.”
“Yes,” Lieutenant Yesung agreed as he looked at the crew members that were on his team. He still had eight people with him, not including himself. He begrudgingly admitted to himself the division of the teams wouldn’t look good to most superior officers. He was sure Captain Leeteuk would understand why the teams were split as they were but he could almost feel Commander Jung’s judgmental gaze on him from orbit.
Lieutenant Yesung’s eyes settled on Ensign Eunhyuk, who had been strangely quiet. He couldn’t think of a better crew member to sacrifice to Ensign SungGyu’s team. He had heard Ensigns Eunhyuk and Junsu arguing frequently about Ensign Junsu’s friendship and admiration for Ensign SungGyu. Ensign Eunhyuk was not a fan of Ensign SungGyu, and Lieutenant Yesung was not a fan of Eunhyuk. “Wait, you can also take Ensign Eunhyuk with you.”
Ensign Eunhyuk nodded his head and stepped forward to join Ensign SungGyu’s team. “Yes, Sir.”
Yesung smiled, knowing he had the advantage and he had managed to get rid Jonghyun, who he considered a useless deadweight. Why the captain had sent a young, inexperienced transporter tech on an away mission he could not comprehend. He had also gotten rid of Ensign Eunhyuk, who could be downright disrespectful at times. And he had managed to get rid of Ensign SungGyu, who was trying to upstage him. He regretted losing Dr. Nam but he knew the doctor would not follow him. There were rumors about Dr. Nam and SungGyu being lovers, but Yesung still felt confident in his team even without the doctor.
“Good luck,” Yesung told the other team, surprising himself at how sincere he managed to sound.
****************
“I knew this would happen.”
Yoochun, who was sitting on the small sofa in his quarters watching Yunho pace, agreed, “You did.”
“You know what his plan of action is?”
“Is there one?”
“It’s to wait! His plan is to wait! Wait!”
“Oh, and you are so not good at doing that.”
“Now, the away team is cut off from us…like I knew would happen.”
“You knew.”
“I practically begged him to send them by shuttle but he rejected that idea…so now they are defenseless and trapped on a continent filled with killer insects that could hatch at anytime.”
“They reported that the modifications Changmin made to the phasers allowed them to work when the shield was active,” Yoochun reminded the former captain.
Yunho stopped pacing and held up his hands. “But we still can’t communicate with them or beam them back to the ship.”
“There isn’t anything you can do.”
Yunho sighed. “I just can’t help but worry for them.”
“I know.”
Yunho plopped down on the sofa beside Yoochun and confessed, “I feel…an unusual amount of anxiety.”
“It’s because there is an idiot in charge of your ship and he won’t take any of your brilliant suggestions.”
“He did allow Ensign SungGyu to join the away team.”
Yoochun’s expression soured. “If he gets killed you are in so much trouble…I will actually have to work more.”
“Yoochun…”
“That boy has amazing skills at delegating. I never have to worry about any of the bureaucratic bullshit; I get to focus on being an engineer. I show up in the mornings and if there are any issues that need to be addressed he leaves me a nice list and his recommendations on dealing with the issues. The list is always alphabetized, too.”
“At least you take advice from others.”
“That’s because I am not King Leeteuk, who only wants his court of simpletons surrounding him. I have a low tolerance for stupid.”
“You have a low tolerance for anybody who doesn’t have above average intelligence.”
“So true…this is why I never liked Leeteuk. You should have never handed over command to that simpleton.”
Yunho kept his mouth shut.
Yoochun’s eyes widened when Yunho didn’t chastise him. Yoochun slowly turned to look at his oldest friend. “You have had enough of him, haven’t you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I can feel it. You are going to take back your ship. It’s about damn time!”
“No…”
“You should…that asexual freak needs to be knocked down a peg or two.”
“Can we stop with the childish name calling?”
“When I call him asexual it is the truth. The only hard on Leeteuk ever got was when he found out all his superior officers were dead and he was the highest ranking officer left on the Expectations.”
“Stop it.”
“He’s a fool.”
“You are acting juvenile with this name calling.”
“Don’t act like you approve of him or his methods.”
“It’s his refusal to follow any suggestions that I find difficult to deal with.”
“How difficult?”
“At the moment I am having extreme difficulty.”
“Go on…”
“The entire away mission is at risk,” Yunho said in a perfectly controlled voice. “I suggested we send a shuttle down to study the perimeter and he also vetoed that idea.”
“You should have never given up command.”
“You have already said that.”
“But you are starting to realize it…aren’t you?”
“Maybe I always realized it…but it was the right thing to do. I was following Star Fleet regulations.”
“Always following regulations.”
“Not always.”
“I would have backed you…if you had stayed in charge.”
“I know you would have.”
“He couldn’t have taken command if we both stood against him. This ship doesn’t move without my permission.”
“He outranks me.”
“He’s a shitty excuse for a captain.”
“He outranks me.”
“I promise you, if the admirals back at Starfleet had known we would be in this messy predicament someday…they would have fixed that.”
“The admirals at Starfleet are not here…and he outranks me.”
“What will it take for you to move against him?”
“I will not commit mutiny.”
“Even if the entire away team dies?”
“Don’t say that.”
“It could happen…it almost happened on the last mission. If you had not gone out of your way to develop a good relationship with the Rebellion the entire away team would have been lost.”
“I know.”
“Is it truly mutiny when you are acting in the best interest of the ship?”
Yunho snorted. “Yes, it is. Almost all mutineers claim they were serving the greater good.”
“It’s true in this case.”
“I am not doing it. I just have to work on communicating with him…developing a rapport where he is more open to my suggestions and perhaps I need to try to understand his reasoning better.”
“Or Jaejoong needs to pop that baby out already.”
“Yoochun…”
“Jaejoong will not allow you to suffer like this. He will take care of it.”
“I will not allow him to do so.”
“As if you could stop him.”
“I am the one mind he can’t manipulate; well, not without my knowledge.”
Yoochun leaned his head back. “You should let him.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then maybe Heechul could declare him too stupid for duty,” Yoochun offered hopefully. “It’s true.”
Yunho sneered. “Not likely.”
Yoochun wrapped an arm around Yunho’s neck. “Are you still disenchanted with your first love’s recent behavior?”
“He was not my first love.”
“Your first man-crush then.”
“The only relationship I have ever had with Heechul is one of friendship…and…”
“And what?”
“He seems different to me.”
Yoochun shrugged. “He does seem different. I think he is probably having a hard time dealing with the fact he pranced all over the ship while claiming to be a pretty princess.”
Yunho shook his head. “Would Heechul…really be bothered by that? I know I would be…but I thought he would take it more in stride…like you would.”
The engineer removed his arm from around Yunho’s neck. “You think I would be okay with prancing around the ship thinking I was a pretty princess?”
Yunho turned and looked at his friend. “I think you are comfortable enough with your sexuality that you could handle it.”
Yoochun eyed his friend suspiciously and asked, “And you aren’t?”
“Don’t.”
“Why have you been hiding out in my quarters tonight?” Yoochun asked with a grin, suspecting something else was going on with his friend.
“I am not hiding out…I need to talk this over with someone.”
“Why not your beloved?”
“Because the more I bitch to Jaejoong about it the more he will feel like has to act once his telepathy returns.”
Yoochun smiled smugly. “I totally believe that…but explain to me again why you are not as comfortable with your sexuality as I am?”
Yunho expression darkened. “We were discussing ship’s business.”
“We were gossiping about what a sucky captain Leeteuk is…what did Jaejoong do?”
“He’s done nothing…yet.”
“Tell me now, or I will be forced to torture it out of you.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I am just saying only one of us could have been a mastermind serial killer.”
“Do not even joke about that.”
“Tell me.”
Yunho rotated his shoulders and complained, “It’s all Ryeowook’s fault.”
A dumbfounded Yoochun asked, “How…why?”
“He kept showing him pictures of cattle.”
Yoochun looked truly confused when he asked, “Does Jaejoong want you to have sex with a cow? I didn’t know Joongs were that freaky.”
Yunho turned to give Yoochun a completely deadpan look. “Yeah, that is it. You guessed it.”
“On…the holodeck?”
“You are one sick bastard!”
“Hey, we knew that already. I am just trying to catch on!”
“Jaejoong wants to fuck me…there, are you happy? Let the mockery commence.”
Yoochun was unable to hide his surprise. “You have never let Jaejoong fuck you?”
Yunho fidgeted in his seat. “Shut up.”
“It’s actually quite pleasurable.”
“Shut up.”
“It’s completely idiotic how some people…including you…continue to associate penetration with masculinity or lack of masculinity.”
“Stop.”
“Do you think I’m less of a man because I have had guys fuck me up the ass?”
“No, of course not!”
“Good, because it has nothing to do with manhood.”
“I know this.”
“Then you are a very selfish lover.”
“Don’t say that!”
“It’s the truth,” Yoochun told Yunho. “He’s having your baby and you won’t even give him this.” He shook his finger at him. “Bad Yunho! Bad!”
Yunho moaned. “Where is Kangin when I need him?”
“He is stranded on a planet with vampire spiders.”
Yunho got off the sofa and explained, “I know it’s totally selfish of me…but the idea literally turns me off. I just…I can’t.”
“Is this the first time he’s asked?”
Yunho nodded his head. “When his abilities aren’t being blocked…he gets how…how uncomfortable I am…and he feels the discomfort.”
“Yeah, I can get where you being petrified would be a turn off to an empath.”
“I just…I have to focus on the ship right now, before somebody dies.”
“If somebody dies, it isn’t your fault. There isn’t anything you could have done short of mutiny…although, like I said, you have my support if you decide to mutiny,” Yoochun said, reassuring his friend.
Yunho sat back down on the sofa and asked Yoochun, “Do you sometimes get the feeling he is looking for something specific?”
“What do you mean?”
“He says the reason we are not searching for a way home is because it is part of Star Fleet’s mission is to explore. He seems very interested in the technology in this galaxy.”
“The technology in this galaxy is very interesting; to be fair, it makes no sense at all. It has no technical basis for why it works. It left Changmin deeply baffled at times.”
“But it seems like…there is more to it. He won’t let me go on away missions, because he says he can’t in good conscience risk Jaejoong or Changmin…but why does he not allow Kyuhyun to go on them?”
“Because Kyuhyun doesn’t do a good enough job of hiding the fact that he thinks Leeteuk’s a dumbass. He won’t let me go either.”
Yunho shook his head. “It still seems like he is searching for something specific…something he doesn’t want us to know about. Don’t you find anything odd about the planets we have visited and the directions we have gone?”
“No, he says he is just randomly picking directions and planets…and it seems very random.”
“But what if it isn’t?”
“What are you saying?”
Yunho pondered over his answer carefully before answering the question, “I am not sure…it just seems like I am missing something vital. I can’t shake my gut feeling that something isn’t right.”
Yoochun could not hide his growing unease. “Then you better listen to your gut…Star Fleet spent a lot of time nurturing your gut feelings. Now, I am worried. Yunho, your gut feeling isn’t something to take lightly. How many times has it saved your ass? All our asses?”
“I need proof of-”
Yunho was interrupted when his insignia went off and the voice of Jaejoong was clearly heard, “Where are you?”
Yunho paled and before he could answer, Yoochun answered for him, “He’s hiding from your cock.”
The former captain glared at his best friend.
“Well…tell the coward my cock is no longer interested in him, along with the rest of my body.”
Yoochun lifted his hand up to his face to hide his grin when he told Jaejoong, “I will do that your, Highness.”
“Jaejoong, I am actually discussing-” Yunho stopped when he heard Jaejoong close the connection between them.
“Oops, my bad.”
Yunho sighed and got up from the sofa. “Can you be serious for just a moment? We were actually discussing something very important, now you have him all worked up. I will have to go settle him down.”
“Then in all seriousness, believe me,” Yoochun told Yunho. “I am on your side. You tell me what you want and all of engineering will support you. I don’t allow the type who will kiss Leeteuk’s ass in my department. If I see them exhibiting any of that kind of behavior I reassign them to security.”
“I don’t want to do anything…not yet…just wait and keep your eyes open.”
“I will be hyper alert,” Yoochun vowed. “If you want to wait…we will wait; if you want to mutiny, we will mutiny.”
“I would rather not spend the rest of my life in a penal colony with you,” Yunho told Yoochun as he headed for the door.
Yoochun got up to walk his friend out. “I know…you stuck on a penile colony; that is like, your worst nightmare come true.”
Yunho stopped in his tracks, clenched his fists and swung around to face his friend. “That’s it. I am going kick your ass.”
Yoochun held up his hands in surrender and slowly started backing away, but couldn’t stop laughing at the infuriated look on his friend’s face.
**************
“I am going to die,” Ensign Jonghyun complained to Ensign Eunhyuk as they followed Ensign SungGyu and Dr. Nam up the rocky path. The journey had been cold and tedious with Ensign SungGyu making sure they maintained a steady pace. The only excitement came from the occasional encounter with the gentle goat-like creatures that that inhabited the mountain.
WooHyun, who had been eavesdropping on the ensigns to distract himself from the cold weather, frowned.
“Don’t say that,” Eunhyuk scolded as he wiped his uniform free of the light snow that was falling. “What a crazy thing to say.”
“It’s true,” Jonghyun insisted. “I’m totally the red shirt on this mission.”
“No…no, you are not.”
“Yes, I am. I am a transporter tech…what the hell am I doing on an away mission? I never wanted to be on away missions.”
“That doesn’t mean you are the red shirt,” Eunhyuk persisted. “Maybe…maybe the captain thought you would…would be useful somehow.”
“Or he is still a little light in the head.”
Eunhyuk frowned. “Don’t say that about the captain…I am sure he had his reasons for sending you.”
“His reason was to provide the mission with a red shirt.”
“There are a lot of unproven ensigns with Lieutenant Yesung’s group, too,” Eunhyuk pointed out.
“I am the red shirt, don’t deny it.”
“You’re not.”
“I am and we both know the red shirt always dies.”
“You aren’t a red shirt…it could be someone else.”
Jonghyun rubbed his freezing hands together. “I guess it could be you.”
“Me? I am no red shirt. I am a bridge officer,” an affronted Eunhyuk promptly denied. “I am not a red shirt.”
WooHyun reached out and took SungGyu’s hand, subtly squeezed it, and whispered, “We need to take a break.”
SungGyu, who was focused on the task ahead of him, shook his head. “We have a long way to go. The danger increases the longer we wait.”
“We need to take a break.”
“No,” SungGyu insisted, freeing his hand of WooHyun’s. “The Jex could emerge anytime, and the snow isn’t heavy right now. We can’t afford to take a break.”
“We are taking a break,” WooHyun stated loudly for all to hear, stopping in place. “We need to warm up a little.”
“I am all for a break,” Ensign Jonghyun quickly and eagerly agreed.
“A short break,” a perturbed looking SungGyu agreed, knowing better than to argue with the doctor. He then pulled out his phaser, adjusted the settings and aimed it at one of the larger rocks on their path. The rock glowed red as the heat of the phaser warmed it. The team quickly gathered around the rock to get warmer.
Once they were all settled in and sitting around the heated rock, WooHyun turned to Jonghyun and asked, “What is this about a red shirt? The only one wearing red is Ensign SungGyu.”
“He isn’t a red shirt though,” Jonghyun quickly explained. “It has nothing to do with the color of the uniform.”
“Then why call it a red shirt?” a perplexed WooHyun asked.
SungGyu answered, “It is an old Star Fleet superstition.”
“Superstition about what?” WooHyun questioned.
Eunhyuk explained, “A long time ago on away missions the guy in the red uniform almost always died. Back in those days the command officers all wore gold.”
“Yeah, it got to where nobody wanted to wear red anymore,” Jonghyun added. “So they changed the uniforms so the command officers wear red now.”
WooHyun turned to SungGyu. “But you are an ensign?”
“I took command courses at the academy,” SungGyu explained.
“Not all command officers start off in red,” Eunhyuk explained. “Usually they have to make lieutenant before they get to wear red. But SungGyu here…was a shining star at the academy, weren’t you?”
SungGyu, who made no attempt to be humble, agreed, “Yes, I was. I was at the top of my class. Since my second year at the academy I have worn red.”
Eunhyuk stared back at SungGyu, who he considered to be an arrogant lower ranking ensign and quickly reminded them all, “Some people do not take command courses at the academy but work their way up the command ladder. Some of the greatest commanders…were just people who knew how to act in adverse situations.”
“That hasn’t happened in decades,” SungGyu pointed out. “Star Fleet Academy tests every cadet for The Kirk Factor to see if they have command potential, so very few natural leaders slip through the cracks anymore.”
“It could still happen,” Eunhyuk declared; he was itching to remind SungGyu he was actually the higher ranking ensign on the mission.
SungGyu shrugged. “I suppose if you were in Star Fleet long enough.”
“What about doctors? Can a doctor be a red shirt?” WooHyun asked, looking down at his blue uniform.
“No, not you,” Jonghyun reassured him.
“Why not me?”
“Because of him,” Jonghyun said, pointing at SungGyu. “He’s the chosen one and you are his best friend. You two have many adventures ahead of you.”
Eunhyuk sneered in disdain. “The chosen one?”
“Yep,” Jonghyun said nodding his head. “Lieutenant SooYoung told Minho to stick with Ensign SungGyu; that he was the best chance this mission had of success.”
SungGyu brightened considerably. “She did?”
“Yep, and everybody knows you are Commander Jung’s favorite,” Jonghyun added.
“No,” SungGyu replied, shaking his head. “No, no I am not.”
“You totally are,” Eunhyuk told him, “But you aren’t Captain Leeteuk’s favorite, are you?”
SungGyu met Eunhyuk’s gaze and told him, “None of us on this mission are his favorites, it appears.”
Eunhyuk frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“If we were his favorites we would have come by shuttle,” SungGyu said as he stood back up and stretched. “But as it is, we are going to actually have to use our legs to make it up the rest of this mountain.”
“Are you confidant the power source is at the top?” Jonghyun asked as he also stood up.
“I am confident,” SungGyu told him. “It’s the only choice that makes sense.”
WooHyun gracefully stood back up and asked, “So you are certain Lieutenant Yesung is going in the wrong direction?”
SungGyu looked at Eunhyuk and asked, “What do you think? You were on the last planet that had a shield like this. Do you think it is in the village or on the mountain top?”
“The mountain top,” Eunhyuk reluctantly admitted. “The other one was on a moon. I am pretty sure Changmin had some logical reason for it being in an elevated position.”
“He did,” SungGyu agreed. “I read the reports. I know walking down to the village would be the warmer and easier choice, but I am convinced it is the wrong path. Since this planet has no moons, the mountain top is our best chance.”
Eunhyuk nodded his head. “I agree”
“So let’s get moving,” SungGyu said as he started back up the path. This time Eunhyuk followed closely behind him. “Sadly, those clouds do not look promising. It looks like more snow is on the way.”
Eunhyuk looked up at the sky and saw the dark clouds moving in. “Why didn’t he send a shuttle with us?” The navigator couldn’t keep from asking. It bothered him that so many were pointing out flaws in Captain’s Leeteuk’s logic…flaws he couldn’t ignore any longer.
“That, Ensign Eunhyuk, is a very good question,” SungGyu replied. “I can’t imagine why any captain would risk stranding us here like this.”
WooHyun hung back with Jonghyun and told him, “I don’t like that you think you’re a red shirt. You should put such thoughts out of your head.”
Jonghyun smiled at the doctor and confessed, “I actually feel a lot better about that, now. I have a feeling we are going to be the ones that save the day in the end.”
“Oh, most definitely,” WooHyun said, grinning back at the ensign.
******************************
“Yunho, can we talk?” Heechul asked as soon as Yunho and Jaejoong walked into sickbay the next morning for Jaejoong’s scheduled examination.
Yunho and Jaejoong, who both looked glum, turned to face the chief medical officer, neither looking pleased to see him.
“Perhaps later; I need to be with Jaejoong, now.”
“Of course,” Heechul quickly agreed. “I meant after Jaejoong’s exam, of course.”
“I am also trying to get the captain to see me,” Yunho told the doctor, not bothering to hide his irritation. “I am hoping to persuade him into actually doing something in regards to the missing away team, so if he grants me an audience I will have to postpone our talk.”
“I understand, and I wish you luck with the captain.”
Yunho’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Do you?”
“Yes,” Heechul assured Yunho. “I do not want the away team to come to harm.”
Jaejoong walked away from Yunho and Heechul’s conversation, not even remotely interested in what they had to say to each other. He didn’t need telepathy to know his mate was extremely irritated with the doctor. He headed into the exam room where he found Ryeowook waiting for him.
“Good Morning,” Doctor Cho told the Joong.
“What’s so good about it?” Jaejoong grumbled as he sat on the exam bed. “I have been pregnant for 94 days. I’d like to know what is good about that.”
“Well, look on the bright side; if you were a normal human your pregnancy would be much longer…at this point you would have been pregnant for 284 days.”
“If you just jinxed me into being in this state for 190 more days…I will hurt you…hurt you bad!”
Ryeowook winced, noticing his friend’s foul mood.
“Did I just hear you speak? Did words leave your mouth?” Yunho asked as he entered the exam room, having left Heechul behind. “I thought perhaps you had forgotten how to talk.”
Jaejoong folded his arms in front of him, clamped his mouth shut, and glared at his mate with his vivid blue eyes.
“Trouble in paradise?” Dr. Cho asked as he reviewed the readings on the monitor.
“This ship is far from paradise at the moment,” Yunho told the doctor and then clamped his own mouth shut. The ship had been out of contact with the away team for a total of eighteen hours, and Captain Leeteuk still insisted on doing nothing. The stress of what was going on with the ship and the away team, plus having to deal with an extremely moody mate was weighing on Yunho and he was close to reaching the limit to his patience.
“Both of you are in bad moods…great,” Dr. Cho commented.
“Yes,” Yunho admitted. “And I would appreciate it if you would never ever bring up bovines again in his presence.”
“Bovines?” Ryeowook asked, looking completely confused by Yunho’s request.
Jaejoong snorted and lay down on the exam table.
“Okay, I won’t…” a still confused Ryeowook agreed. Dr. Cho stepped closer to the bed and looked up at the scanners. “No more talk of cows, I promise. We should be focusing on this wonderful news instead.”
Jaejoong looked up at the scanners above his head. “What?”
“He’s growing again and he’s moving into position,” Ryeowook explained. “This is good news.”
“Growing again? I thought he was already fully developed?” an excited Yunho blurted out. “When you say moving into position…do you mean he is getting ready to be born?”
“Yep,” Ryeowook answered as he reached out and felt Jaejoong’s stomach. “He’s just putting on some extra weight.”
“How much extra weight?” Yunho asked.
“He’s at about 5kg. He’s a big baby,” Ryeowook answered, giving Jaejoong a sympathetic look. “Maybe he won’t get much bigger.”
Jaejoong, who hadn’t said anything since Yunho entered the room, just closed his eyes.
Yunho reached down and squeezed Jaejoong’s wrist. “Hey, stop pouting. This is good news. Soon Changmin will be born…won’t he?”
“Yes,” Heechul, who was leaning against the doorway, answered as he studied the monitors. “He could be born today or anytime in the next ten days.”
An unpleased Jaejoong sat up and glared at Heechul. “I believe I have requested repeatedly that you not be present for my examinations.”
“Yes, you have, but as Chief Medical Officer the health of every member of this crew is my concern,” Heechul replied, “Even yours.”
“Since I am capable of healing myself, please feel free to exclude me from your concerns.”
Heechul sighed. “Unfortunately, I can not take you up on your offer…since Changmin resides inside of you; but I can respect your current wishes and leave…for now.”
Jaejoong watched Heechul leave the exam room. “I didn’t think I could like him less…and then I did. I prefer him crazy.”
Yunho, who was still holding Jaejoong’s wrist, asked, “Why aren’t you happier? Are you worried about the birth? I think I remember you telling me once that you wouldn’t be spared the pain of labor.”
Jaejoong pulled his arm free of Yunho and swung around to sit on the side of the exam bed, but in doing so he almost tumbled off the bed. Being pregnant had only added to Jaejoong’s lack of grace, but luckily Yunho was there to grab a hold of him and prevent him from falling, which irritated Jaejoong even more. “If you haven’t noticed, I am trying to be angry with you!”
Yunho turned to Ryeowook and asked, “Will you please give us a moment?”
Ryeowook nodded his head and left the exam room.
Yunho placed both of his hands on the side of Jaejoong’s face. “Please, let it go.”
“Yunho-”
“I know I was a jerk yesterday. This time I am completely in the wrong. I know this and I am sorry. I behaved badly, but I can’t change how I feel.”
“I will soon be able to change how you feel,” Jaejoong threatened.
“You can, but I will know you are doing it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…it means we are having a baby…why are we fighting about this? It was never an issue before. Why do you have to make an issue of it right now?”
“Because…because I am sick of being pregnant, sick of these blue eyes, sick of this blond hair, and I am sick of being a hermaphrodite. I want my old body back…the one you chose.”
“You are beautiful in your Joong form,” Yunho told him in soft whisper as he ran one hand through Jaejoong’s hair. “So beautiful.”
“I am sick of being feminine.”
Yunho bent down and kissed Jaejoong’s forehead. “Honey, I hate to break it to you, but you were never a shining example of masculinity.”
“No, but you never called me Honey then!”
“I will stop immediately,” Yunho vowed, realizing what he was unconsciously doing.
Jaejoong leaned his head against Yunho’s chest. “I just want him to be born so I can switch back.”
“He’s on his way.”
“But then I am conflicted because I don’t want him to be born either.”
Yunho continued to run his hand through Jaejoong’s hair. “I am confused.”
“I want him to be born but I also don’t want him to be born. His birth only means the day of our reckoning is growing closer.”
“Have you already forgotten about Taemin? He could be proof that the day never comes…or that we find a way to survive.”
“He could have been from an alternate reality,” Jaejoong reminded his mate. “Taemin is not proof of anything.”
“He is to me…I have no intention of dying,” Yunho assured his mate, “None at all. I don’t know how I know…but I know Taemin is our future son from this reality.”
“You can’t know that.”
“But I do know.”
Jaejoong sighed and wrapped his arms around Yunho’s waist, while keeping his head pressed to his lover’s chest. “I am sorry…for being difficult. I know the situation on the ship is killing you.”
Yunho closed his eyes. “I…I have to convince him to send help to the away team. I can’t even imagine why he thinks it is okay not to send help.”
“If you can’t convince him…I will,” Jaejoong promised. “Once Changmin is born this ship will no longer be at the mercy of that lunatic.”
Yunho pressed a kiss to Jaejoong’s forehead. “No, I will handle it. You can not be involved in any way. Captain Leeteuk is my problem.”
************
Kangin stood outside in the chilly weather gazing at the mountain in the near distance. Lieutenant Yesung had led them to the village where the beacon had originally been found. The people in the village had been extremely friendly…too friendly, if you asked Kangin. They had offered to house and feed the away team, promising to lead them to the shield’s power source at first dawn. Night was quickly approaching and a storm was rolling in.
“Do you think they will be okay?” Ensign Minho asked as he stepped out of one of the large huts the villagers made their homes in.
“They have the standard survival gear.”
“And thankfully the phasers work,” Minho added as he walked over to stand beside Kangin. “The insignias continue to be worthless along with the tricorders,, unfortunately.”
“Hey, the universal translators are working…that’s a plus. If they didn’t, our poor fearless leader might not get a nice comfy bed to sleep in and a full stomach.”
“Fearless?”
Kangin just grinned and pointed out, “The storm looks nasty. It has to be worse up on the mountain. It’s so much colder up there.”
“I am sure they have taken cover.”
“Yeah, and hopefully they will get to the top of the mountain and turn off the shield before the mean spider bats hatch and get pissed.”
“Spider bats?”
“My name for the Jex.”
“It is a rather accurate description.”
“So do you agree the villagers are not going to lead us to any power source tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Minho concurred, looking around the primitive village. “It is very doubtful the power source is here…as I have repeatedly informed the lieutenant.”
Kangin reached out and patted Minho’s back. “It’s not your fault that Lieutenant Yesung is an idiot.”
“Then why did Captain Leeteuk give him command of this mission?” Minho questioned the older ensign.
The older man shuffled his feet nervously before he answered honestly, “Nothing was ever easy for Captain Leeteuk…he had to fight for everything he had. Yunho had a natural ability to lead others that made his superiors dote on him, Kyuhyun had two powerful admirals as parents…Leeteuk had to work harder and longer than everybody else…I really think he just wants to give Lieutenant Yesung a chance to prove himself.”
Minho frowned. “Although his reasons seem kindhearted they are not logical. The academy tests everyone on their command abilities. I know some believe in fairness…but I am not in favor of it when my life and the lives of others are put at risk.”
Kangin rubbed the back of his neck. He felt the need to defend his old friend. “Captain Leeteuk has his reasons…and Lieutenant Yesung did pass his command courses.”
“He was only allowed to take command courses after applying multiple times, and he barely passed them,” Minho pointed out. “I am well aware of Lieutenant Yesung’s record at the academy.”
“Even Yunho let him be in charge of the bridge on the third shift,” Kangin reminded Minho.
“Yes, with the understanding that he would immediately contact a superior if a problem arose,” Minho clarified. “I have worked with him on the bridge multiple times and it was not always a pleasant experience.”
Kangin reluctantly nodded his head. “At least he let us break into two groups.”
“It wasn’t his idea.”
“I know…”
“Ensign SungGyu barely managed to talk sense into him.”
“No, he just showed him up a couple of times, and then Lieutenant Yesung’s ego was more than happy to part with the golden ensign,” Kangin answered with a snort.
Minho smiled remembering Lieutenant Yesung’s frustration. “At least Captain Leeteuk had the good sense to include Ensign SungGyu on the away team.”
Kangin gave an uneasy chuckle but didn’t correct the young science officer’s misconception.
**********************
“Captain, I need to speak with you,” Heechul announced as he entered the Captain’s Ready Room.
Captain Leeteuk, who was sitting at his desk sipping tea, set his cup down and sighed in relief at seeing the doctor. “Oh, it is just you. I have this fear that Commander Jung is going to storm in here any moment and strangle me.”
“Yes, you are wise to be afraid,” Heechul agreed as he remained standing. “Your recklessness with the crew’s lives, your inability to admit wrong doing, and your refusal to correct your prior mistakes is pushing all of Commander Jung’s buttons.”
Leeteuk weakly smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I know…it’s working exactly as planned. Only the extremely obtuse would fail to notice how displeased he is with me.”
“And anyone who isn’t extremely obtuse would share his growing concerns.”
“Oh, please…most of these people like to take orders. They wouldn’t have joined Star Fleet in the first place if they didn’t like to be told what to do. Commander Jung is the exception…born to command and all that. He just can’t help himself. He’s so…so…” Leeteuk paused trying to think of a proper word to describe his very disgruntled second in command. “Noble.”
“He’s about to be a father, too.”
“Yes, I know.’
“Soon.”
“Soon?” Leeteuk questioned, his calm fading quickly into alarm.
“Yes, soon.”
“I need specifics! Don’t play word games with me!” a panicked Leeteuk demanded as he stood up and slammed the palms of his hands against his desk.
“I mean Changmin will be born within the next ten days, perhaps as early as tomorrow.”
“Maybe it will not be as soon as you think…he’s a hybrid. You could be wrong.”
“Do you want to risk it? Changmin might be half human, but Jaejoong is not…and once Jaejoong’s telepathy returns-”
“We are finished,” Leeteuk announced as he walked around his desk and started pacing his office. “We will have to move up the plan.”
“I know this.”
“It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped.”
“The plan will have to be adapted,” Heechul reminded the captain.
“Yes, I know. I am adapting it as we speak,” Leeteuk told Heechul as he pressed his insignia. “Commander Jung, please inform Ensigns Zelo, Jong Up, and Ilhoon they will making up the next rescue team. I have decided to take your advice and send a shuttle to the planet. You pick the pilot of your choice, but not Ensign Junsu. Maybe Ensign Changjo…yes, definitely him. He’s never gotten to fly an actual shuttle before. They will be leaving by shuttle at 0800.”
“Sir, I strongly protest,” was Yunho’s immediate response.
“Protest noted,” Leeteuk responded, while grinning at Heechul. He then tapped the insignia, ending his connection with Yunho.
“You are going to send him over the edge…those boys are practically infants.”
Leeteuk leaned his head back and said through his laughter, “I know…two of them were first years and the other two were barely in their second year. I feel mutiny in the air.”
Heechul leaned against the wall of the cabin and curiously asked, “Are you really going to send them?”
“No, no, no…” Leeteuk quickly answered, sitting back down at his desk. “I am going to send Ensign Henry and Lieutenants SooYoung and DongHae in their place…but that is just between the two of us.”
Heechul nodded his head in approval, “A much wiser choice…you will have gotten rid of the science officer, the transporter chief, and the engineering prodigy at a most opportune time.”
Leeteuk picked up his cup of tea and slowly took a sip before replying to Heechul. “I know…it’s all too easy.”