Morning was barely beginning on Iscarmilas, the purple sky painted a light lavender as Deimos sat sheltered underneath it.
The human was sitting on his ship with his legs dangled over the edge, a pile of wires and scrap metal on his right and a portable computer on his left that displayed some scrolling data with a wire connecting it to the item wrapped on his wrist.
He did not seem to notice either, more focused on fiddling with the long gray item wrapped around his right arm. It wrapped around most of his forearm, with a display screen and several buttons on either side of it.
Deimos fiddled with the display on it, poking and prodding some wires and with the screen as he finished putting all the pieces together. Every few minutes he would hold out his arm, turning it around a few times, and then return to fiddling.
Eventually the gentle sounds of morning were quietly interrupted by footsteps behind him. He stopped his tinkering and glanced up towards the approaching person. "Good morning, Hifuld."
The human's boss gave him a smile as they settled down next to him, placing a tray of Sky Flower Tea and some small green pastries that were called Algae Bites. Hifuld handed Deimos one of the pastries, and then grabbed one for themselves.
"So, how's the Communicator working for you?" Hifuld asked as they motioned to the human's arm, where the gray communicator sat wrapped comfortably around his forearm. "You've had it for all of a day and already broken it?"
Deimos snorted in amusement. "I didn't break it, I just wanted to look inside, check the hardware. It's an older model, it was cheaper, and I wanted to see if I could upgrade it myself."
Hifuld made a noise of approval. "That's a good idea, you'll save a lot of Nova doing that." They took a sip of the warm tea. "So, what's the verdict?"
The human glanced down at the communicator. "Well… I could do it, but I'll need to get different wires and might have to buy new parts but it should work. I'm just glad I managed to afford one at all."
"Well, it's a little easier now that the Galactic System is making sure Iscarmilas actually follows their laws. We can finally afford to eat and buy things for fun again," Hifuld pointed out as they leaned back. "Actually, a lot of things have gotten better here now that they know there was a problem. This planet is rather peaceful now..."
Hifuld turned their gaze towards the sky, and Deimos found his own eyes following them. The lavender sky was slowly turning a different shade of purple as the day truly started to begin. He took a deep breath, and let out a sigh.
"It's a bit boring, though. Don't you think so?" The human asked.
His employer sent him a curious look. "Boring?" They repeated incredulously. "What do you mean? You'd rather be chased by Desler's goons all over town than sit and relax?"
Deimos quickly shook his head. "No, no! I just mean that… I- I don't know!" He focused on the Communicator on his hands, working on refitting what he had taken apart. "I kind of liked the chaos… Not knowing what would happen every day, causing trouble with you guys, it was fun… It was…"
He trailed off as a word tried to slip off his tongue. Familiar… But the feeling that had made that word appear in his mind vanished before he could analyze it further.
After a few moments of silence, Hifuld made an accepting noise. "Well, I can understand that. It is quite odd to not have anything crazy going on all the time…" They sent Deimos a playful glare. "But I feel the need to remind you that my life was pretty pretty peaceful until you literally tumbled into it, so I'd wager a bet that you're just a constant source of chaos."
The human snorted and held up his hands in an innocent gesture. "Hey, I'm not the cause of the chaos. I just put whatever was already there into motion!"
"Pfft, that's the most bullshit excuse I've ever heard."
Deimos couldn't stop the snickers that escaped him, and Hifuld soon joined them in their laughter. After a few moments they trailed off, and fell into a silence once more with the green alien finishing off their tea and the human putting the finishing touches on his communicator.
This silence, Deimos noticed, wasn't a comfortable one. It was tense, and awkward. There was something hanging in the air between them, and the human wasn't sure exactly what it could be.
He glanced at his boss, and noticed a strange expression on their face. It looked like they were guilty, sad, and excited all at once. What was going on? He needed to know, it was killing him.
"Dee, I need to tell you something important."
The alien beat him to it, and Deimos felt relieved that he didn't need to be the one to bring it up. He looked at Hifuld with furrowed brows, but made sure to incline his head so that they knew he was listening.
Hifuld paused for a moment, scratching the edge of their teacup, and then took a deep breath. "I'm leaving Iscarmilas."
The human dropped his screwdriver in surprise, his red eyes were wide as he stared at his boss. "Wait, really?!"
"Yes, really. I'm selling the scrapyard, and I'm moving to Voetis." Hifuld returned their gaze towards the sky. "It's a major outpost in the System, especially for ship building. I'm going to do what I've always wanted to, and build ships there."
Deimos felt his heart swell. "Well, I'm happy for you, Hifuld!" He elbowed the green alien. "I bet your shop will be the best of the best in the whole Galactic System, maybe even beyond!"
The unsure expression on Hifuld's face vanished, replaced by a confident smirk. "Heh, well… Isn't that already a guarantee? If I can keep my scrap yard profitable in this dumb, I can make a good ship repair shop."
"I'll have to visit you when you're set up!" Deimos offhandedly remarked.
Hifuld made a confused noise. "Wait, so you're staying on Iscarmilas?"
"Um… Yes?" Deimos furrowed his brows. "Were you wanting me to come with you?"
Hifuld snorted. "Oh, no. I wouldn't force you to do that. I had just thought that…" They motioned to the ship they were both sitting on. "That's why you bought this ship, right? You wanted to leave."
"I did- I still do, but…" Deimos frowned and let out a frustrated sigh. "I just… If I do leave, what do I do?"
"That's up to you, kid."
Hifuld responded as if it was the easiest question to answer, but Deimos didn't feel like it was. He barely knew anything about the other planets in the Galactic System. If he left, where would he fit? What would he do? Where would he go? There were so many questions that he wasn't sure he had an answer for.
Before he could voice these concerns to Hifuld, the alien stood up and motioned for the human to follow them. "Come on, I have something for you."
Deimos curiously trailed after the alien. They hopped off his ship, and headed towards the garage at the scrapyard. Once they were in front of it, Hifuld pressed the button and allowed the large door to open.
Inside of the garage was a familiar ship. "Whoa! It's your zipcraft!" It was the small, dark blue ship that Deimos had flown on his first trip off-planet with Hifuld. He moved closer, walking around the ship with a critical eye. "You repaired it?"
"I did." Hifuld glanced at the key they were holding. "But it's not my ship anymore."
When Deimos turned to give the older alien a confused glance, they tossed the key towards the human. With quick reflexes, Deimos caught it and stared at it for a long moment before realization hit him. "Wait, Hifuld, no I can't-"
"Yes, you can." Hifuld waved away his attempt to return the key. "It's yours now. It can fit in your ship's hangar, and every good vessel needs a zipcraft. Think of it as your severance pay."
"But you love this ship!"
"That's true, I've had it for a long time." Hifuld glanced at the ship, eyes glowing with fond memories. "I saw how well you flew it, remember? The only other person who has flown this old girl that well is me. I trust you with her."
"But I…" Deimos stopped, as he realized the gravity of the gift he had been given. It wasn't just severance pay, it was a parting gift. They were going their separate ways, and unsure of when they would meet again.
For them to give him such a beloved ship like this, Deimos knew he couldn't turn that gesture away.
"Thank you, Hifuld. I'll take good care of her."
"You'd better, or I'll know." Hifuld teased, but the expression on their face showed only a nostalgic sadness. "And… Whether or not you decide to stay on Iscarmilas, make sure to come visit me when you can. Okay?"
Deimos nodded firmly. "I will, I promise."
"Good." Hifuld wrapped a lazy arm over his shoulders. "After all, without you there to cause trouble, I'd probably get bored really quickly."
"Hey!" The human whined like a petulant child, his shoulders slumped. "Is that all I'm good for?"
"That and the cheap labor."
"Hifuld!"
Deimos helped Hifuld finish up the last of their business on Iscarmilas, tying any loose ends, and planning the flight. Within a few days they were exchanging farewells as the ship took off into the sky. He waved until the ship was out of view, beyond the purple sky.
The next few weeks passed in a blur, with Deimos unsure of what to do. His ships were repaired, awaiting a journey, but he found he couldn't leave. It should be easy, I have everything I need! I could leave right now! Hell, Rimaf and Mifyd are both gone. If Belos gets that job on Cisora, they'll be gone too. Why is it so hard for me?
He stopped on the streets, his red eyes staring up at the large building where he had lived for so long. He walked inside, his mind still plagued. Their troubles were over, life was peaceful, people were leaving the planet. Everything has changed so fast, everyone has moved on… So why can't I?
Running a hand through his long black hair, he exited the elevator and walked into the living room. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of Lala, Lozo, Belos, and Franklin clustered around the large holographic screen, which displayed a bright red 'breaking news' label.
"What's going on?" Deimos asked as he crouched down to get a better look at what was being reported.
Lala spun around to face him and grabbed his arm tightly. "Dee! Look, look, look!"
Somehow, with Lala still clinging to his arm, he managed to angle himself in a way that allowed him to see exactly what the reporters were talking about. As he read the writing near the bottom of the screen, he let out a surprised noise.
"Padlantis has contacted?!" He exclaimed.
"YES!" Lozo yelled, latching onto the human's other arm and shaking him. "Padlantis did it! They did it!"
An event of this magnitude had not happened since Deimos had begun living in the Galactic System. For a planet to make contact meant that they had become technologically advanced enough to contact planets outside of their own and, in some cases, even travel to them. It meant they were officially no longer a No-Contact planet, it meant that…
"We can go HOME!" Lala exclaimed, finishing his thought for him.
Deimos blinked several times, and shook off his shock at last. He knelt down, wrapping his arms around the twins, and pulling them into a crushing hug. "Yes! I'm so happy for you guys!"
Belos and Franklin quickly joined in the hug, stealing away the two twelve year olds for a few moments to give their own congratulations. The children let out squeals of excitement, soaking up the happiness from the adults.
"We gotta pack!" Lala declared when she was finally set down. "We have to bring everything to show Papa!"
Lozo nodded firmly in agreement. "Uh-huh! We gotta bring all the stuff, my toy rocket, the books we got, and our favorite foods so Papa can try them!"
"Yes! And then-" Lala suddenly froze, grabbing at her long green hair with a cry. "But wait! How are we supposed to get back home?!"
The twins' excited expression vanished in an instant, replaced by sadness. The Galactic System couldn't exactly pick up everyone who wanted to return home once a planet became contacted, which meant some people had to wait months or years to go home if they didn't have a way there.
Deimos felt a protective feeling wash over him as the sight of the twin's worry. No, they deserved to go home now! They shouldn't be stuck here just because they didn't have a way home! He wouldn't let that happen to them! He could make sure it didn't!
He moved to stand with the duo, gaining their attention. "I can take you to Padlantis."
Lala and Lozo exchanged a look, their eyes wide with reignited hope.
"Really? Can you?" Lozo asked.
The human nodded in determination. "I finished repairing my ship months ago. It doesn't have a warp drive, so it may take a little longer, but I can still get you home!"
"YES!" Both twins exclaimed in terrifying unison. They barreled into him, and sent all three of them to the ground.
He could feel them shaking against him, their eyes were tear-filled, but their smiles wide with glee.
Lala was the first to free him as she got back up, bouncing on her toes. "Well what are we waiting for! We gotta go pack!"
"Yes! The sooner we pack, the sooner we can leave!" Lozo scurried after his sister, the two of them running down the hall faster than a ship using warp drive.
Once they were out of view, Belos gave Belos a look. "So, you're leaving too, then?"
"Just to take them home, I'll be back on Iscarmilas soon…" Deimos tried to reassure him, but his promise sounded weak even to his own ears.
Franklin snorted. "You know, kid… We won't be upset with you if you leave."
"We'll miss you, of course." Belos placed a hand on his shoulder. "But you shouldn't stay cooped up here just because of us. We always knew you'd leave eventually."
Deimos blinked in surprise. "You did?"
The older human chuckled. "Of course we did! A crazy kid like you? We knew that if things ever calmed down here, you'd get bored quickly. You ain't the type to stay in one place forever, that's not you."
The younger opened his mouth to argue, but hesitated. Their words comforted him and made the ball of tension in his chest unravel somewhat, but it was still there. As though those words weren't exactly what he needed to hear.
"B-but… I don't have a plan, I always have a plan…" Deimos muttered anxiously, recalling his previous experiences. "Even if I do leave, what am I supposed to do?"
Franklin shrugged and leaned back in his seat. "Bah, I'm sure you'll figure it out. You always have."
"Deimos, hurry up!" a high-pitched voice called from further down the hall.
Belos chuckled. "You'd better hurry and get your stuff and ship ready, I don't think those kids will be very patient for very long."
Deimos rolled his eyes at the twins and their overabundance of energy as he nodded at Belos. "Right, well… I guess I have to go now."
He walked away from them silently, and none of them found the courage to acknowledge just how vague his parting words truly were.
Despite Lala and Lozo's desperation to leave the instant Deimos had offered to take them home, he managed to convince them to wait a day so that he could make sure the ship was prepared for her first true flight.
Using the navigation programming on his ship, he was able to calculate that their fastest route to Padlantis would still take weeks at best. He set the course, checked the fuel and oxygen tanks, and made sure to buy plenty of food and emergency rations. As long as he made sure to stop and refuel at several outposts along the way and he kept the supplies well stocked, their trip would be a smooth one.
As the twins added their supplies to the ship, Deimos did some last minute checks on all the hardware. He had done a good job repairing it, but it didn't hurt to be extra cautious.
He trailed his hand across the painted words on the side of the ship: Her name. Hifuld had insisted that every ship needed a name, and he had given her one with Franklin's help (the older man was incredible at astronomy).
"Andromeda…" He muttered as he tried to imagine what the creature looked like, but nothing came to mind. "If I ever go to Earth, I hope I will be able to see one."
Deimos climbed onto the flight deck, his red eyes staring up at the purple sky. It was a clear day, perfect for flight. He turned to look at the open main hangar near the end of the ship, and the bridge that was above it.
He moved to the dark blue ship in the hangar, which he had named Auriga. He smiled at the name, heart warm at the sight of his friend's gift.
"You're such a beautiful ship." He moved to the button on the side of the hangar, pressing it to seal the doors. "But I hope I don't need to use you on this trip, no offense."
When he was sure the doors were sealed, he opened the hatchway and climbed into the rotating midsection of the ship. This was where gravity was generated for a few parts of the ship, such as the living area, storage, and kitchen. The bridge, hangar, and most everywhere else on the ship did not have gravity when off-planet.
Walking down the rotating aisle, Deimos stopped at the hatch door against the non-spinning wall and slid it open. As he leaned through, he saw Lala and Lozo sitting on the beds they had made for themselves as they rummaged through their heavy suitcases. At the sound of the heavy metal door, they both quickly looked up.
Lala was on her feet in an instant, scurrying over to him with a hopeful smile. "Is it time? Are we leaving?"
The human couldn't help himself as he scratched his chin with a thoughtful hum. "Well… I don't know…" He hummed again, with even more of a dramatic tone. "Maybe we should just wait a few more days… After all, we wouldn't want to miss this week's episode of Star Shards…"
"Deimos!" Lozo whined, his arms crossed and foot tapping in an adorable attempt to look stern. "No teasing!"
The human chuckled and gave in. "Alright, alright! We'll be leaving in ten minutes, so get ready and meet me on the bridge by then! I want you both strapped in your seats by then, okay?"
"Yes, sir!" The preteens called back as they ran to their stuff and finished double-checking as fast as they could.
Deimos went back through the main hangar, climbing the ladder up the tube to reach the bridge. It had a few seats set up, with the one near the front having access to all the controls. Behind the seats was a huge metal slab with a display screen at the top and functioned as a navigation console, and against the wall were many circular screens that displayed different data for him to absorb.
He moved to the navigation console, and began tapping away at the touchable screen. He zoomed out the map, gently tapping the image of Iscarmilas and then sliding across until he reached Padlantis. With a tap, he confirmed his choice.
"Calculating fastest route to Padlantis!" The chipper computer voice declared. A bright yellow line stretched across the screen, connecting to the outposts he had chosen and finally landing on the blue planet itself. "Route chosen. Arrival to Padlantis will occur approximately 504 hours after flight begins!"
Deimos winced. It was a long trip, but unless he somehow managed to get his hands on a warp drive in the next seven minutes, it was their best option. He hoped the twins wouldn't mind such a long wait to get home. He hoped the hours would pass by faster in space.
A few minutes later everything was prepped. The twins were in their seats, while Deimos began powering on the ship. "Ready?" He asked, though to the twins or himself he wasn't sure.
"Ready!" The two twelve year olds chorused eagerly.
With a simple push of a button, they took off. The planet behind them became smaller and smaller as they headed towards the space above them.
Deimos stared at the small planet below them, a frown on his face as an odd feeling overtook him. It wasn't like he was a rookie at this, he had been on several delivery jobs while working with Hifuld, it wasn't his first trip off-planet.
Still… there was an odd feeling in his heart that told him this would be different.
