Chapter One: More Than One?
Erik grimaced at the window as they left Kenda'ar. After freeing a small mining colony last week, the ship had undergone some rather heavy repairs and seeing as how Mars was too far off they had to stay. Which meant a rather lovely vacation there for the two love birds. It had been nice, to take a moment to cherish each other. But something he had said still haunted him. Which was why he was heading to the brig now…
They were eating dinner. Something akin to steak on Earth and starchy plants familiar in the markets known as Vites. Purple potatoes essentially and were rich in nutrients vital to most interplanetary life. Three moons rising above them in the distance, music playing in the background, a melodic piece on the (insert instrument), an instrument Erik ended up buying and hoarding in their ever shrinking music room. It had been a good evening.
Jack had been talking about the expanses of the universe. "There are so many planets, and so many that are unexplored. So many are unlike Earth, with creatures dominating it that aren't even humanoid, some uninhabited, and some even almost exactly like them…" He sighed then and looked to the window where he gazed off dreamily, "But nothing beats home. Even though returning is always a risk. Sometimes it's terrifying to think of the true nonexistent reaches of infinity, even for me…"
Erik smiled softly at the wistful tone. Always the dreamer. Then something he said seemed to sink in as he asked "Wait. How close are these Earth… siblings? To how Earth, my Earth, is?"
He leaned his head on his hand and tilted it to the side with a slight frown. "In our universe? Despite it being ever expanding, I can't imagine that there are very many."
"But… Have you come across any? Ones we could reach?" He asked, leaning in curiously, one long thin finger tracing the back of Jack's hand.
He sighed and slowly gripped his fingers as he looked back down at them. "I'm not sure exactly, but no more than ten I think. Considering new planets and solar systems need time to form and how rare a near exact copy can occur. The societies are likely different, and the characters of the people. But in theory, they should be very similar. The only exception being my world, there's likely only one center of the universe…" He concluded with a small chuckle. "But why the sudden interest?"
He shrugged "Well. I just thought- and this might be the... wine? What is this called again?" his voice was warm with drink, eyes sparkling gold in thought and mild inebriation.
He chuckled, "Just because I live in space, doesn't mean I know how to pronounce everything. If it's wine to you, let's call it wine… as you were saying?" He asked with a signature smirk.
Erik snorted and rolled his eyes, moving his hands to cross his arms. "Well forgive me for being a bit drunk and curious about my husband's culture. Or... shared cultural experiences?" Now he may have been trying to get off track to antagonize him as Jack groaned in response.
"Get on with it, I swear you can make a simple question last for hours." He said in a playful tone.
Erik laughed at that. "You aren't wrong. If Nadir we're here it would take even longer I assure you. I get it from him you know. But as I was saying, I asked because I was curious if there were multiple … multiple versions of me? I just- I don't know. Find the thought depressing. And worrisome…" his voice trailed off as he thought of how bad off he was when Jack found him. Dying trapped in the rumble of his home under the Opera.
He sensed his husband's sadness and said in a softer tone as his smile did the same. "I think there are… I can't be sure until I check at the bridge, but chances are that there are a good few." And he felt he predicted Erik's thoughts when he said, "You want to help them don't you?"
Erik gave a half smile, hidden under his veil "Am I that predictable? Well… I'm not completely sure. On the one hand, I am absolutely repulsed with directly dealing with people, especially humans from Earth like places… And on the other hand, I only now have a conscious and even care to really help others now because my husband is a hero and it rubs off. I… I know how much pain they are in, if they're like me, that I just… I feel wrong. Letting them suffer when I know I can relate. I can Help." He looked at Jack, the only person in the universe that he would ever willingly take advice from and hold it to the same worth as his own. The man he trusted with his life and soul. "I have a feeling I know the answer but… What should I do Jack?"
He looked his husband in the eyes and said seriously, "If it really would make you feel better, we have the universe to aid, and if these souls need help, I wouldn't live up to my namesake if I didn't at least try to help them, or help you."
And that was that. Which led Erik to nervously pacing the brig, his metal leg whiting faintly as he walked. A gloomy shadow staring at Jack who was hunched over screens and holographic displays.
Jack looked up at the noise of Erik approaching before looking back at the controls in front of him. "Don't get your hopes up… I'm not entirely sure if our ship can track down individuals on planets, but we can start with solar systems and narrow it down from there." he muttered before returning to the screen.
Erik came behind him, glancing at the monitors, only able to read some of the symbols there as Jack's language turned out to be far more convoluted than any Earth language- as much as Jack refused to admit it. "Well… Hopefully we won't find anyone with my kind of life or luck." He sighed. In a way he felt responsible somehow, for their lives, even though he did nothing to them.
Jack looked at him over his shoulder a bit consolingly after he pressed a few buttons, then turning back around he pressed two final buttons and the ship was calculating the certain specifications and brought up a number on the screen. "Well what do you know…" he said with a triumphant smile as he stepped back.
Erik swallowed and asked, his heart sinking "Is… is that really the symbol for e-eight?"
His husband nodded and set the trajectory for the nearest Earth. "Do you want to go?" He asked to be sure, his hand over the controls.
Erik's jaw set stubbornly as he made up his mind on the spot. He nodded saying "Of course… let's hope they aren't as bad off as I was when you found me."
Jack nodded slowly and gave the ship the command to proceed and set a course for what he marked as Earth 2…
O.G.
I hope you all will enjoy this little experiment of mine. I've worked out the plot with my cowriter and this is going to be absolutely epic, I can tell. It will have everything one could possibly want from a phantom fic all in one.
I would like to give a special thanks to my cowriter, embergiest, check out their Tumblr for some awesome characters and art! They are the creator of Jack who is honestly one of the most well written o.c.'s I've ever encountered, with their own amazing world, lore, and backstory. Throughout this project there will be several more characters that they are in charge of, including this next Erik.
Please if you liked this, reveiw, share! I really look forward to sharing this epic adventure with you all.