Hello everyone! I just finished up the game a few days ago and noticed a severe lack of Scott x Cora fics/content so I decided to help out and add my own fic! Like a lot of my stuff, this'll probably be a one shot unless people want to read more of this particular story. If you have any requests for other one shots you'd like to see, feel free to let me know! The title comes from the credits song, "Under Stars" by AURORA, in case you weren't aware. It's an awesome song. I hope y'all like the fic!
A foreign sun gently crests the horizon, the red giving way to orange, giving way to pink and finally blue as the sky began to signal that a new day had started on the as-yet unnamed planet. With the sun rose the wildlife, vaguely chirp-like sounds began in earnest in what could almost pass as a pine tree, you know, if you squinted real hard and tilted your head just right. In a small clearing lays a single tent, a fire pit, a pair of chairs, some well-secured equipment, and a small shuttle, its parent vessel maintaining a stationary orbit in the planet's thermosphere.
"Good morning, Scott. It's time to wake up," said the disembodied voice. At least he was using his external speakers instead of just piping his voice directly into his brain.
Scott groaned but only moved enough to flip the leftover comforter from the empty half of the bed-pad onto himself, "What time is it again, SAM?"
"It is 6:30 Standard Helius Time and 6:03 according to this planet's 26-hour-day," said SAM.
Scott let out another groan, "And why are you waking me up at 6:30 on the first vacation I've had since I got thawed out?"
"Because I was instructed to wake you up an hour after she left, Pathfinder," replied SAM, matter-of-factly.
At that, a smile cracked Scott's lips, and he let out a soft chuckle, "Of course you were."
The groggy pathfinder stretched and got out of bed. It wasn't long before a fire was roaring, a pot hanging above it. Scott sat in his seat and took in the planet waking up with him. Gaz-46, they were going to have to come up with a better name than that, had first been pinged by an Initiative reconnaissance satellite two weeks ago and had been quickly tagged as a potentially habitable world as initial tests came back promising: breathable air and drinkable water, chief among a long list of positives.
Upon further investigation of the initial findings, however, vast swaths of toxic fungal growth appeared to cover all but a fraction of the land on the planet. With no apparent monoliths poking out of the ground that might lead to a vault and a quick fix, Gaz-46 found itself freefalling on the list of priority worlds for terraforming for the Initiative.
Seriously, they were going to have to come up with a better name than that. "Toxic Fungal Death Planet is a better name than Gaz-46," breathed Scott.
"What was that, Pathfinder?" asked SAM.
"Wha-? Nothing, SAM, that was nothing," replied Scott, quickly. On second thought, Toxic Fungal Death Planet sounds like a really bad Batarian metal cover band that his friends would've listened to while trying to be rebellious on the Citadel.
"Your coffee is ready, Scott," said SAM.
"Thanks, SAM," said Scott, pouring the life-giving liquid into two mugs and a little cream into one. Scott stood up with the cups and looked out into the forest, "Alright, which way did she go?"
"She left the campsite due south; my bet is that she went to the nearby cliff that you two passed yesterday."
"Perfect!" exclaimed Scott, his characteristic energy seeping into his frame as he headed off in the direction of his early rising companion. As the Pathfinder wove his way through the trees, he couldn't help but feel that this really was a beautiful planet. The towering trees and cool air are what he felt Colorado would've been like had he ever managed to visit before heading off on this grand, sometimes stupid adventure.
Despite the inherent dangers of the planet, Scott felt lucky to be here, lucky that Gaz-46 popped up right around the time where a "vacation" was coming up for him and his crew while the Tempest went through some maintenance. While the others were spending their time on the Nexus or Meridian or any of the numerous other outposts they had helped set up since they came together, he was able to convince the Initiative leadership to lend him a small ship and some supplies so he could get some more thorough scientific readings from the planet. They weren't too keen on the idea at first, but he managed to smooth talk Kesh, Kandros, and Addison, ("It's in an empty system, no Kett or pirate activity to speak of") and the three bullied Tann into okaying the time and resources.
If he got some tent-time with his bunkmate under the stars, well, that was just a happy coincidence.
Scott cleared the line of trees and found her meditating a few yards from the cliff's ledge, overlooking the foggy, forested valley that stretched out below them. He took the time to ensure he approached her as quietly as possible, partly to not disturb her, but mostly because he always loved the serenity her face held. For someone as professional as her, the worry-free look she had during her morning meditations was exactly what he needed to start his day right. Well, that and the coffee.
He put her mug down near her and placed a light kiss on her cheek, being rewarded with a slight smile as he took a seat on a rock with a great view of her as well as the valley.
The meditating woman breathed in the aroma of the newly arrived coffee, opened her eyes, and found Scott, her smile growing a bit wider. "Good morning, Scott," said Cora.
"Is it morning? I thought it was still last night since vacation mornings start at 8:30 at the earliest and I'm pretty sure it's only seven right now," Scott smiled good-naturedly.
"Pathfinder, it is actually 7:07," chimed in SAM.
"And we're not technically on vacation," said Cora.
With that, Scott flopped back onto the rock, "Vacation? Scientific research mission? What's the difference?"
Cora grabbed her coffee and moved to sit next to Scott, leaning over him till her face was above his, a hand on either side of his shoulders and her smile as bright as the sun rising on the horizon. "If you wanted a vacation, we could've stayed on the Nexus," she said. "But I doubt we would've had a night like last night on the station."
Scott's brow furrowed and lips pursed in mock deep thought, "I suppose you're right, Lieutenant." Scott's hands found Cora's hips and the commando straddled him, pressing her body closer to his, "And I doubt we'd have a morning quite like this one, either."
The two explorers gazed into each other's eyes, the fire from last night roaring back to life as their lips crashed together.
"I am sorry Pathfinder, Lieutenant Harper, but you are scheduled to collect samples of Gaz-46's toxic fungus by 7:30," said SAM. "To make it to the predetermined site in time, you must leave soon."
Cora stifled a laugh in Scott's shoulder as he rolled his eyes, "SAM, I thought we had talked about timing?"
"I am sorry, Pathfinder, but if this mission is to retain legitimacy, an itinerary must be maintained."
Scott sighed, and Cora pushed herself off of him, stretched and took a sip of her coffee. "We should get moving then," said Cora. "Too much talk about fungus anyway."
"And 'Gaz-46'," said Scott, throwing his hands up in frustration. "If we only do one thing today, can it please be renaming this planet?"
Cora laughed again and leaned in for another kiss, "Of course."
The two headed back to the campsite to grab the necessary equipment and to put on their environmental hazard suits before heading off towards the border between their safe forest and the fields of toxic mushrooms.
The pair got to work, taking catalog of the various mushrooms they picked. They walked through the fields, making sure to get as much geographic variation as they could for their samples. If it weren't for their toxicity, it would almost be a nice view.
"That should be enough, Scott," said SAM after a few hours of collecting and cataloging samples.
"Oh really, SAM? That's good to hear!" said Scott, laying the sarcasm on thick before turning to Cora. "The next time I suggest disguising a romantic getaway as a scientific research mission, please quarantine me."
"Quarantine you and take control of the Tempest for myself?" Cora said, tapping a finger on her helmet's chin and giving the idea some thought. "I think I can do that."
"With Cora's implants still intact, the transition would be smooth, Pathfinder," said SAM.
"You're not supposed to agree to that, SAM!"
The two shared a laugh as they took off back towards their campsite. By the time they had stored and secured the samples on the shuttle it was noon, so the pathfinder and his second-in-command grabbed some rations and returned to their rock overlooking the valley. With the midday sun beating down and the early-morning fog long since evaporated, the valley took on an even grander air to it.
"How about 'Forest-topia'?" offered Scott.
"Absolutely not," responded Cora, a little too quickly for his liking.
"Gaia?"
"You saw all of those killer mushrooms, right?"
"Dorado?"
"Too… Mythical…"
"Endor."
"Nope."
"Toxic Fungal Death Planet?"
"What?"
"Nothing."
With that, Cora gave Scott a side eye and the Pathfinder couldn't help but laugh, soon joined by his companion. The two continued their lunch in silence, enjoying each other's proximity as well as the gorgeous view. Neither one was looking forward to the afternoon block of work, which had them hiking in the opposite direction to catalog samples at various sites in the forest.
Scott finished his last indulgent bite, and the two began to collect their things when a shuttle roared over their heads, moving down into the valley below.
"Are we supposed to be joined by any Initiative personnel today, SAM?" asked Cora.
"None were scheduled," replied SAM.
"Looks like we have some unannounced guests," said Scott.
"Just a moment," said SAM, Cora and Scott shared a quick look as the AI performed whatever function it was working on. "The craft has turned off its transponder, but its drive pattern matches activity associated with a relatively new pirate operation in the Govorkam system."
The shuttle set down in a small clearing several miles away from their perch, the dots of little pirates disembarking and milling about the patch of earth.
"Do you have an accurate count?" asked Scott.
"Five figures have exited the shuttle, Pathfinder, but there could be more inside," replied SAM. "With their flight path and velocity, it would have been difficult for them to have spotted you."
"Well, we'd be rude not to stop by and say hello, wouldn't we?" asked Scott.
Cora merely rolled her eyes and shook her head, "And you were worried today was going to be boring."
"SAM, can you see them from the orbiting ship?"
"Yes, Pathfinder."
"Keep an eye on them and let us know if they move, alright?"
"Acknowledged."
With that, the two pathfinders took off back to their ship and changed into their armor. They only brought it as a condition set by Tann. He didn't quite understand why he'd need his gear for a quiet, boring scientific mission to an empty system but Scott found himself happy that he had agreed to it.
Scott had just clipped on his helmet when Cora stepped out of the shuttle, her shotgun in hand.
"Did you bring any cookies?" Scott asked, he could practically see the look she was giving him. "What? I don't want to show up empty-handed! First impressions are important."
"You're ridiculous, Scott Ryder."
"You know you love it." That had certainly earned him an eye roll.
Cora walked over and patted his chest plate, "You're lucky you're cute."
Scott smiled and nodded his head, "The luckiest."
The two secured their weapons and set off to greet the most unlucky group of pirates in the Heleus Cluster.