Author's note: Well, here it is, everyone - it's finally over.
This was a really sour-sweet chapter to write, but I'm very proud of how it turned out. This is yet another 9,000+ word montrosity, but it makes up for it in the end.
I might write a few more stories on this game as well. Like I said before, there's tons of scenarios I'd like to explore. But in the meantime, I'm going to take a nice, refreshing break from writing - cause holy heck I need one. When you read, keep in mind that this was supposed to be based off of jacksepticeye's first letsplay lol.
Pretend that this whole story is an alteration of it, where he takes Emmet instead of Maegan and the game glitches out and becomes awfully realistic for no reason. As always, let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments, I hope you enjoy^^
Deedee rarely had dreams. She barely slept at all, really. But ever since the days of caffeine deprivation started, it eventually became easier and easier for her. Withdrawal, she'd scoff, rolling her eyes. But tonight was different. Sleep was no longer a peaceful, relaxing, and careless time of the day.
She tossed and turned, the memory of Tom's expressionless face flashing again and again in her mind. The gunshots, the blood, the pummeling sand, none of it she wanted to remember. "We're all going to make it out of this together." She recalled declaring to her team. But she was the one to miss Thomson's collar by an inch when he fell.
But what if she caught him? What would it change if she did? She couldn't help but wonder. She could've bandaged his arm with tape, but would it have worked? Could he have lived? Or would he have bled out and died right in front of her and Baby's eyes instead...?
The thought was unnerving. If it happened, it would have been scarring for her. Even more scarring for poor Bronco. She glanced over at his sleeping form in the dark. He was snoring quietly, his head still resting in his arms, and his leg fully bandaged. The blood stains and bruises were the only traces left of the encounter from before.
He seemed so peaceful, blissfully unaware of the trauma they had faced. Somehow forgotten it all, as if it never happened. A selfish side of the captain wished she had taken the medicine instead, maybe then she would feel better - forgotten it all. Disappeared.
"Th-Th-They killed him." She remembered Baby thundering back in the ditch from before. He was grinding his teeth, and the look he gave her... The look of hurt, sadness, and fury. She knew she couldn't let the soviets get away with what they'd done. She couldn't risk them hurting anyone again.
The guilt and regret Baby wore on his face afterwards was indescribable. The amount of blood mudded on his trembling hands was frightening. "I'm sorry." She told him, slowly realizing what he had done and all that had happened. The man gulped back his tears, but couldn't look at his hands, not even at her.
"It's ok..." Was all he had to say before he turned and limped towards the horizon. Dawkins could only hope that the anesthetic made him forget what happened. He didn't deserve to be haunted by something that she was responsible for.
Minutes ticked by as the blonde eyed the airlock anxiously, almost expecting Tom to burst inside again with that stupid smirk he always did, topping it off with a smug; "Did you miss me?" Just like that faithful night...
But nothing came. Nothing changed. Just a dull, airy silence as a reminder of what they were missing. And all Deedee could do was close her eyes and hope the blackness would wash her worries away. She knew she couldn't let Baby or Emmet down, not now. Not at the brink of hopelessness.
They were the last family she had. Her only family. Without them, she would be completely alone. Her stomach churned as her mind wandered deeper into her fears. She imagined watching them both die the same way as Tom. Only instead, she would catch Bronco by the arm before he slipped, but she couldn't cling on.
His petrified and bewildered expression flashed in her memory again. The look of pure desperation. She could imagine the feeling of his bulky arm slipping from her whenched fingers, the merciless aching of her muscles, his weight dragging her down with him. Would she have fallen with him in order to escape her lonely fate? Could she last living in the shuttle completely alone? Could she have dealt with seeing him, too, fall into the empty blackness?
Taking a deep and steady breath, she reminded herself that they were fine. They were safe. They couldn't lose hope. They would get through it together. "I haven't broken my promise yet." She had told Baby only a few hours prior. They would survive, she reassured herself. She refused to fail anyone else. They had to be strong. She had to be strong.
With that in mind, she lulled herself into a dreamless sleep.
...
"I think I've got it!"
Emmet's proud voice announced from the bunker, interrupting Deedee's desperate coffee-creating experiment, "It's a prophecy, I assume. And because these shapes just happen to be in the same position as those pyramids - as Baby mentioned earlier - They must be connected, somehow."
Dawkins sighed, sauntering over with her trademarked astrocitizen mug in hand, "What about the text at the top? Were you able to translate it?" "Yes, of course," Ellis cleared his throat respectively, "The heart of the sun shall be set ablaze... The moon shall be nourished by a fruit from the earth... An object of worship shall ignite a star..."
"...Is that it?" The woman questioned after the long pause, "It's just a riddle?" "Not just any riddle..." The chemist pointed out, adjusting his glasses, "I think I've already figured it out, but I need to visit one of the temples to find out for sure."
Emmet noticed Deedee's concerned stare, and frowned sourly, "You can't risk leaving Baby here by himself anyways. Don't worry about me. I'll come back. If I see any more of those communists, I won't hesitate killing them." He declared, gesturing towards the rusty shovel propped near the door.
"Ok." The former athlete spoke, defeated, "I believe you. Just come back quick so we don't have to worry. That way, we can go out together for the next trip." A faint smile tugged at her lips, she knew that Tom would laugh in utter disbelief if he were there. Regardless, it was obvious that she was afraid. She didn't want him to leave alone and risk dying, but they had no choice.
"We can't last much longer with our soup supply empty like this. Like Tom said, we have no choice but to starve." The blonde remembered telling him previously, she slumped back in her seat bitterly.
Emmet plucked the shovel from the floor, studying the dents and scrapes from the attack ten days ago, "Make sure to take care of Baby while I'm gone. Based on what he's told me, he wouldn't want to feel responsible for what happened yesterday."
Dawkins' expression tensed, "I will. I know he needs it." She assured, understanding his worries. Watching the chemist cautiously activating the door, she added, "Safe travels." Once the airlock fell shut, a knot formed in her throat. That was what she told Tom when she first sent him out... after handing him the broken lighter. She felt guilty now, she was so spiteful at him and his shameless comic relief. She was so careless, so ungrateful.
The way he came back so drained and lifeless. She didn't ask him what happened during his journey... She didn't even have a chance to tell him she was sorry. A sour taste appeared in her mouth, and it wouldn't go away.
Deedee caught a glimpse of Baby rummaging with his collar in his seat, looking slightly anxious. "Feeling any better?" She asked him curiously. He blinked at her sluggishly, but nodded with a short hum. His fingers gripped the hem of his suit tighter, "My tongue's jus' a bit... heavy... but my leg 's not hurtin' as bad, at least..." The young adult answered gingerly. His eyes were still noticeably glazed over from the drug.
"Good." Deedee said with a weak smile, "I tried to patch up your suit too. So none of those scrapes or bruises risk getting infected." Bronco studied the stitches in a particularly large rip in his shirt. A long, jagged tear caused by the planet's unforgiving climate. Some parts of his battered arm were still visible beneath the broken fabric.
His eyes barely wavered, his expression slack. "Thank you." He blurted out among the silence, "...When this happened durin' jobs, Ma' and Pa' didn't do much for me... No matter how much I whined n' cried, they jus'... gave me a toy or a nasty drink to shut me up. I still dunno if they really cared or not..."
Deedee scrunched her nose, while the man fidgeted with his shirt, looking dazed, yet contemplative. "What were... your parents like...?" He questioned hesitantly, catching the captain by surprise. "Oh, mine?" She stammered, not expecting it, "They were a, uh... rich, upper class couple, believe it or not. They always said that they were proud and that they believed in me... but that was all before I screwed up." She scoffed, "Broke my leg, you know the story... I let them down, and I still haven't forgiven myself for it."
Baby frowned, inspecting a squished soup can near his feet, "That... kinda happened to me too..." He confessed, his deep voice suddenly going soft, "But mine... never thought I was anythin' more than brawn. Nothin' but a stupid burden. A libee... liby... liability. When I let e'm down, I got spotted by cops, earned a bullet to the gut, Pa' was about ta' leave me behind..."
Deedee's face went white at the mention. "I a'most thought he would, but... There was this look in 'is eyes... it was fear-like, an' my Pa' wasn't afraid of nothin'. The next thing I knew, I was back at home. 'im and Ma' were there, cursin' up a storm. I could tell they were real upset. But I knew that they were sad, too. They had to be... unless, that's jus' what I wanna believe..." Baby continued, toying with his hands.
"They turned me in to the cops. An' no matter how many times I told the guards that they were lyin' about me lyin' - they wouldn't listen. I dunno... maybe it was for the best. After awhile I jus'... started blamin' myself for it all..."
"Don't say that." Dawkins snapped, a pang of sadness jolting through her. She knew he didn't go too deep into detail about his past when Emmet was there. It might have been the mind-numbing effects from the anesthetic, but she couldn't tell. Learning more about it only made her feel more guilty.
"Your past makes mine look like a paradise. You didn't deserve it, neither of us did. There's no point in blaming ourselves, now. If anything, we should be glad that we're hundreds of thousands of lightyears away from it all."
"Right." The ginger replied, a half-hearted smile grazing his lips. He peered out the window, into the brand new array of temples looming tall in the distance. His grin faded, "I'm sorry for lettin' you down after all of my... dumb expeditions..."He said, monobrow furrowing. "It's fine." Dawkins assured, "At least you came back alive, that's a reward enough."
"I jus' wish I could'a done better. Fought those soviets like I promised." He muttered, groggily resting his face back in his hands. "If I knew that the clan would be there, I wouldn't have sent you." Deedee claimed. She tapped finger on the table in hesitation, "And I'm sorry for letting you kill them. I didn't want them to get away with what they did and... I know the violence can't be a good memory... especially with your parents..."
"It's alright, Cap." He replied sour-sweetly, "I was scared. I didn't want e'm to hurt anyone else either. I couldn't let e'm get away...an'... poor Tom..." His fingers dug into his collar again, rubbing at an unseen object. Dawkins couldn't help but stare curiously. Baby caught her gaze, and hunched his shoulders, almost shamefully. His hand curled protectively around the hidden item.
"Oh sorry, it's ok if you don't-" The captain tried, but froze when her friend revealed it regardless. An... action figure?
...
Panting heavily from fatigue, Emmet paused at the foot of the star temple. He tried to brush the sweat from his face, but scowled, realizing his knuckles were merely smacking his helmet's glass. He could still feel the hot, sandy wind whipping at him from behind. Debris of the ancient building was scattered at his feet, blending in with the lemon-colored sod.
He eyed the artifact in his hands, studiously. An item of worship. He recalled reading on the paper. What else that the crew had could fit into that category? They didn't exactly remember to grab a cross before the station exploded.
The pyramid was breathtaking, and so were the other structures blurred into the blazing horizon. Even if the prophecy - or more specifically - riddle, didn't work, there was bound to be something there. Or at least, a small percent chance, as he calculated.
The former chemistry teacher slipped into the doorway, and instantly, his brown eyes went wide. An endless hallway decorated with egyptian cow statues awaited him inside. Holding his shovel close, he began his suspenseful journey through the cold, cave-like dungeon. The narrow hallways seemed neverending, twisting and blending together like a labyrinth.
Too bad the lighter was recycled and the expedition module wasn't fully upgraded. Emmet felt like he was walking in circles, wandering alone in an invisible maze. But at least he hadn't found any soviets yet. A bit ironic that they wouldn't camp inside the star temple, he thought spitefully.
Right when Ellis was about to turn away from (yet another) dead end, he spotted an orange light blink from a room he didn't recognize. He furrowed his brow, confused, but drew his shovel threateningly.
"A-Anyone there?" He called, his voice wavering despite his efforts of a courageous facade. No response. Emmet's noodle-like legs shook with adrenaline, but he forced himself to slink forward regardless - weapon extended like a sword. Then, he paused, jaw dropping, before awkwardly attempting to clean his glasses behind his mask.
A gold mine, the brick rocks polished into a fine bronze and silver. A shrine, it seemed. The chemist barely noticed the giant cow statue as he approached. He yelped as he spotted the thing's jaws stretched wide with sharp, jagged teeth. After exhaling in relief, he became captivated by the runes carved into the walls.
Hieroglyphics of cows were sketched along the rocks, spreading up to the ceiling and pillars. They appeared oddly similar to the artifact he held. The scientist thought hard, glancing from it to the statue, then at it's gaping mouth.
He curiously rose a brow, before setting the golden item inside. The structure's teeth immediately snapped shut, making the black man's heart skip a beat. It sunk into the floor, making a sound similar to chalk grating against a chalkboard. Then, a clump of materials fell from the ceiling. They plopped onto the floor, right at Ellis' feet.
He gaped in awe, searching among the rubble to find precisely four soup cans and three flasks of chemicals. Stuffing it all into his space suit, he peered up at the ceiling, forcing a gleeful grin, "Thank you..." He said to no one in particular, bowing respectively. Without further ado, he stormed back to the temple's entrance.
...
"I've always pretended that I was 'im durin' jobs. Mainly when I hurt the bad guys, or well... people." Baby blambered to the captain, studying the tiny action figure in his hands. His lips were tight in a frown, but his expression was innocent, looking much too young compared to the rest of him, "Bu' he's cool, right? A real superhero - cape and everythin'..."
Deedee watched with discomfort as he mimicked flight with the disfigured toy, sputtering airplane noises with a childish grin. It was almost like he had reverted back to his childhood years. As odd as it was, she couldn't help but feel bad for him.
Baby froze a moment, pausing the toy in mid-flight before turning to her, "Wanna giv' 'im a go?" He held out the item generously, eyes beaming. Deedee eyed him up and down, like she had back when he was insane. But reluctantly, she plucked it from his hands.
"He... is pretty interesting..." She offered, examining the multicolored mess of plastic. "The soviet socker" The ginger had called it, harshly reminding her of the event she encouraged the day before, "So...this was your only friend back on Earth?" She asked after a moment of silence. Baby merely chuckled, a low, hearty laugh that she'd only heard once or twice before, "Yeah, the one n' only. Ain't he the best?" He took no notice of the woman's guilt-ridden gaze, "Flyin' around... helpin' people, selfless with a heart o' gold. That's how I want'd to be, too."
The man appeared to be lost in his thoughts, nearly as bad as the 'jobs' and 'drills' predicament from before. "...Did you ever go to school?" Dawkins questioned further, setting the figurine softly on the table. Bronco's boyish grin wavered a bit, "Not really... unless football practice counts. I never really..."
He folded his hands, suddenly feeling out of place, "...had alot a' friends. Not because I didn't want e'm, but because Ma' and Pa' were always around. They didn't want me talkin' to anyone. 'Specially not about the jobs, they said that they were a secret. I never really... talked much because of it."
"...At least you can now." Deedee said, reminding him of his new freedom, "I hate to say it, but... it's best that you never see those lunatics again. That way, you don't have to be mistreated and taken advantage of like you were before." A refreshing, joyful look washed upon Baby's face, one that wasn't caused by the medicine, for a change, "Yeah." Was all he said, before peering out the window, wordlessly. Admiring the bright hue of the vast golden desert.
The two sat like that for hours. Every once in awhile, they would bring up another question or an event from their pasts to share. Strangely, no papers were printed from ASTRO's monitor - But there was no need to waste time reading its useless print outs, anyways. Interaction was much more important.
"Y'know, when I was stuck in jail for all those months, I... never thought I'd ever get out. I was scared. I saw some men who served a 20 year sentence like mine. They lost their... light. They were like my Pa', they couldn't be happy without faking it and hurtin' people. It was like they... lost something in e'm." Baby said, once more recalling his heart-breaking past.
"'Cause I was so afraid of it happenin' to me, I made sure to run as soon as I got the chance. Is... that what leaving Earth was like for you? Findin' the Astrocitizen program and all?" Deedee furrowed a brow, thinking hard, "Mine was nowhere near as bad as yours. I just needed a vacation from my jobs, a break from all the stress."
The memory of Emmet bringing up the same problem flashed through her mind, she almost smiled, "But I guess I got stress, regardless. I didn't expect this 'vacation' to lead to more nonsense and craziness... But well, here we are..."
It began to get late after that, Deedee recalled. Though, she didn't remember how she ended up slouched in a corner with the burly man enveloping her in a big, warm embrace. Despite the awkward tension and wondering if her friend was even conscious enough to know what he was doing - she felt as if all her fears melted away.
It had been so long since she had felt comfort and warmness. Those were the feelings she only felt when she sipped the bitter-sweet taste of coffee. It was a reassuring feeling - refreshing. Almost like her parents hugging her when she completed her first iceskating tournament. But Baby's embrace was better, somehow. Almost hopeful, encouraging. Reminding her that everything was alright.
She softly patted his arm, which was looped stiffly around her neck. She was unsure if he was asleep or not, but she noticed the blood seeping through the wrap on his thigh, the crimson stained in his space suit.
Bronco softly pulled away after a short silence, "Do ya feel any better?" He asked awkwardly, offering a comforting smile, "I know you've been stressed, bein' captain and all... I remember my Ma' used to hug me when I got done with the jobs, and it always helped me feel better." Deedee released a breath she didn't realize she was holding, "Yeah, it sure did. I guess I didn't realize how much I needed it..."
She looked up to find Baby's eyes wide awake, staring at the floor, tentatively. He silently noticed her gaze. After a short moment, he mumbled, "I hope we can find a new home, somewhere. This shuttle's nice and all, but... I... I miss Earth. I can't help but wonder if... we can ever go back."
"I do too." Dawkins admitted, tucking her knees into her chest. She was close enough to her crewmate to feel every steady pulse of his heartbeat. She imagined the aftermath of the bombing. The thought of miraculously coming back and landing in an unrecognizable, uncharted wasteland. No life, no one, nothing. She wondered if there was even an Earth to go back to.
The thought made her stomach churn... or maybe it was just hunger.
"We'll find our new home soon." She promised her lone companion, squeezing his hand, "We will."
...
"Hey? Hey, Cap? I think I found somethin'!"
Deedee shot up from her seat, looking towards the window where Baby was standing. He pointed at an object that stuck up from the sand outside. "Is that a... machine?" The blonde pondered, perplexed. "It kinda looks like one..." The ginger replied after squinting a bit, "Do you think I should go grab it? It doesn't look too far from the shuttle."
Deedee paused with caution, remembering his still unhealed injury, "Are you sure you can with that leg?" Bronco licked his teeth, twiddling his fingers uneasily, "Well... I can try." He offered. Dawkins bit her lip nervously, fingers tapping on the windowsill, "Ok, fine." She digressed, "As long as it's not a bomb. But if you trip, don't think I won't run out there and drag you right back in here, got it?"
The man nodded obediently, snatching a mask off the wall and racing out the door. Deedee watched him through the glass, grimacing as she recalled the random bomb they encountered during their previous space odyssey. The outcome wasn't a pretty one. Unless fiery explosions in space counted as universal fireworks, that is...
When Baby stumbled back inside a few moments later, he was lifting a large metal box in his arms. He set it gently on the table, brushing off the remaining grains of sand. It resembled a telephone, but looked slightly different and much bigger. The two studied the strange alien symbols carved into it's design.
"Maybe it's an alien communicator?" Dawkins guessed, poking a finger at a random button. An odd gurgling noise emitted from the device, sounding like a foreign alien language.
Deedee backed away, startled, as the shuttle around them began to distort. The air around them became scalding and heavy and the walls deteriorated into dust. Tall trees and plants suddenly loomed over them, but they were dying - supposedly because of the suffocating heat.
Dawkins and Bronco sputtered breathlessly, the overwhelming temperature already reflecting on their faces. They could faintly see the three pyramids in the background. A blinding light blasted from each of them, and into the brilliant blue sky. It was just like Earth...only, it was dying.
But how could something so beautiful die so fast? The trees couldn't have been dead forever, could they?
The air was becoming impossible to breathe, burning into their lungs as the two humans gasped desperately for it. Baby's face was already turning a frightening white because of it. Deedee knew they wouldn't survive long unless they acted fast. She scrambled for the alien machine, which was halfway buried under a liter of sand at her feet.
Baby's eyes were glued to the sky, his lips trembling, he choked, "Deedee - look!" She did, and she was met with the lights from the pyramids flickering out. Like a fading light. The Earth-like turquoise of the sky blotched into an unnatural yellow. She could see the trees start to shrivel up and die right before her eyes. And with it, the small amount of oxygen.
Without thinking, the woman punched a button that looked suspiciously like an "x."
Miraculously, or 'plot conveniently,' as Tom would say - it worked. The whirring noise returned yet again, stripping the foreign land away in a matter of seconds. As soon as the new world appeared, it vanished. Leaving the two astrocitizens to collapse back to the bunker's floor, gasping for breath.
...
"Time travel?" Emmet breathed, eyes wide, "Is that even physically possible?"
One look at his comrades proved the suspicions to be true. Baby was cowering in his chair, sweat drenched through his hair and his face flushed pink, while Deedee had sand sprinkling from her suit, sweat dripping from her brow. A closer look around revealed smears of fresh dirt decorating bits of the floor, which was impossible to find outside.
"That's what we saw, unless it was just a dramatic simulation of a nightmare." Deedee said, wiping crumbs of sod from her mouth in disgust. "No." Bronco spoke up beside her, still panting, "I could feel the heat and air burnin' from... everywhere. Th-The sand splashin' up like a storm. It was too real to just be a dream."
Emmet huffed, setting four soup cans on the table, "I always miss the interesting things that happen here, don't I?" He sighed, removing his helmet wearily. The African American licked his lips, mindlessly drumming his fingers on his chair, "But imagine what the gift of time travel can do for us on Earth!" He said suddenly, perking up.
"Sure, there would be paradoxes, and maybe a few screw ups in the space time continuum - but still! We could go back to the way things were..." Ellis looked over at Deedee, his finger tapping fading, "How far did you go back?"
The blonde woman frowned, knowing the answer wasn't what he wanted to hear, "Far enough to find a jungle right where we were standing. Probably thousands of years ago." She claimed.
The chemist shifted on his feet, imagining coming back to a prehistoric Earth. Where dinosaurs walked the land, or maybe an outcome of the horrible Ice Age. "On second thought, that wouldn't be the best idea..." He decided.
"Anyways, what happened at the temple? Did the riddle work as expected?" Dawkins questioned, noticing he hadn't brought back the artifact. "I don't know for sure if it did, but... let's just say it accepted my offer." The black man answered, dropping the rest of his materials onto the floor, "I can't believe there's a chance of us completing it. It's too bad that we still don't know what it does."
"Oh, I almost forgot - ASTRO picked up a reception of the rest of the prophecy, God knows how - but It said that completing it can cause the planet to revert back to how it was before - a paradise." Deedee declared, she ripped the proof from the AI's printer, proudly presenting it.
Emmet rose a brow, "A ritual of offering various items to three possessed temples can turn this place from a desert to a place like Earth?" He stated apathetically, "I'll admit that I find that a bit hard to believe."
"Well, that apparently what it says, real or not real, the only way to know for sure is to find out." Dawkins replied, "We'll set out together tomarrow. Take some of our supplies with us to help us survive."
"Wait, we'll... leave the shuttle?" Baby piped up, looking apprehensive. "Yeah... I mean, we don't exactly need it, do we?" The captain pointed out. She took a moment to remember all that had happened there, good and bad. A moment of sadness washed over her. She couldn't help but feel that the other two felt the same. Like they were about to abandon their home.
"Well... we might as well start preparing." Emmet stated nonchalantly, "Upgrading, crafting and all that. I'll try to work on building a few things..." The wimpy man scratched his chin, hesitantly, "...I think...uh, Tom encouraged me to start practicing."
Deedee smiled a bit, but it faded, "Looks like he did have some good advice under all those jokes, huh?"
...
The fire crackled like popcorn, the smoke sizzling into the empty orange sky. Baby licked his lips, the smokey smell reminding him of the warm, sweet, gooey taste of marshmallows. It was too bad that cold, nasty soup was the only food available - and the taste of expired tomatoes roasting over the fire wasn't a pleasant thought.
Beside him, Deedee and Emmet stared brokenly at the burning embers, memories of their previous homes flickering through their minds. They weren't sure if night was approaching yet. There was no dependable star in the sky to act as a clock like on Earth.
They began to miss ASTRO's automatic time updates back on the shuttle. Leaving it behind took alot of bravery, but they managed to do it, despite the risks. The depressing "Goodbye" note the AI had left them was heart-wrenching enough to read. But once they had stopped to rest and light a fire, their worries somewhat eased - melting away like the trash they used to set the camp aflame.
"See? I told you it was a good idea to craft a lighter." Emmet claimed, comfortably crossing his legs on a rock, "Even with the air's miniscule amount of oxygen, you can still light a fire if you use the right components and materials. I can't say I've ever tried it before, but hey, it works."
The chemist was even generous enough to craft them all expedition helmets - mainly just for better "facial and eye protection against harmful toxins in the atmosphere," He got the idea after he discovered how to craft glass by mixing certain resources together.
Deedee poked experimentally at the fire, watching the way it moved along with the light breeze. The sweet, ashy smell of it seeped into her mask. It was beautiful, no doubt. A reminder of what they were missing from Earth.
"What if the soviets find us cuz of the light?" Bronco blurted out fearfully, glancing at shadows flickering off of the stone walls. Ellis sighed, not wanting to be reminded of danger when they had finally found peace, "If they do, we'll shoot them." He stated bluntly, "That's why we decided to go out all together. Right, Captain?"
"Yep." Deedee spoke, hugging her legs closer to her chest, "That's exactly why." The trio went quiet again, relishing in the comforting warmth of the fire and the cool, desert air. The rocks they were sitting on weren't exactly comfortable, but the sand around them felt almost like a beach without an ocean.
Thinking about it was a pleasant thought. The captain could just imagine the crow of seagulls and soothing wash of waves passing by. She recalled the feeling of drifting through the cool, salty ocean of California.
Rocking back... and forth, back and forth with the waves.
...
"Breakfast is served." Emmet announced out of nowhere, clanging a make-shift spoon against metal. Deedee and Baby both grumbled as they were startled awake at the noise. They were already attempting to bury their heads in sand to mute it out. "Come on, you two can't sleep forever." Ellis scolded, unamused.
Stripping a plate carrying three soup cans away from the fire, he took the pan carefully and set it on a rock nearby, "I decided to, you know, improvise. I thought you two could use some energy for the journey, anyways. Especially with all that happened while I was gone."
Dawkins scoffed in response before regretfully sitting up. It was only then she noticed how gaunt her features had become. She inspected the way her cheekbones jutted out frighteningly and felt the burning sensation in her stomach. "I would have saved it for last night," Emmet continued, "but it's much smarter to eat it now so we have energy."
Baby glanced over dazily, sniffing at the new cooked food with wonder. His starved appearance made Deedee grimace, the incident from day 15 flashing back in her mind. The two took their portions with no hesitation, feeling how nice and well-baked it felt. "It's about time we earned a warm meal." Deedee chortled half-heartfully, "It's too bad a stove wasn't installed back on the shuttle."
"Heh, you said it." The former chemistry teacher agreed. He cracked the lid of his can open, gently stirring the hot red liquid. Before the others could bring their meals to their lips, Dawkins suddenly brought her own can to the air, "Hey, how about a toast for good luck before we set out?" She offered.
Her two comrades hesitantly exchanged glances before nodding, "To finding our new home." She said with a half-hearted grin. All three cans clanked in unison, as if they were cheering with luxury wine. Then, the trio greedily slurped down the satisfyingly cooked soup, preparing for the unexpected.
As soon as they knew it, their journey to the moon temple began. Deedee was surprised to find a hidden valley among all of the sand dunes. The stone walls looked sculpted and smooth, almost like the famous "Grand Canyon" back on Earth. Emmet chimed in, saying that the place could've once been home to fresh, running water just like it.
Dawkins swept her long, golden bangs back behind her head scarf, scowling in annoyance. Her two companions weren't in any better grooming condition. Both were sporting messy afros and full beards at that point - a reminder of how long it had been since their home's demise. The thought made the captain shiver, despite the planet's scorching heat.
The crew refused to give up, only occasionally stopping to take a break in some shade or to take a drink of jugged water they had taken from the ship. How the liquid was produced in the first place was a mystery, but no one dared question the logic.
They all remained uncomfortably silent as their odyssey continued. It wasn't necessarily because of fear, but rather, uncertainty. Baby distracted himself by busily twiddling his thumbs, while Emmet's focus was drawn to the map in his hands, "We're close." He claimed, squinting at the bronze horizon through his visors.
Sure enough, the massive structure appeared right where the valley came to an end. The crescent shaped building loomed dangerously over them, coating them all in a deep shadow. "Wow..." Deedee drawled in awe, "This looks... amazing."
It looked the same as it did in the flashback, only bigger and much older. Dead plants seemed to decorate the outside, proving that life there was once present. But not anymore. "I hope it doesn't end up being a maze like the last one." Emmet muttered, shielding his eyes from the light, "I could've came back alot faster if it wasn't."
Baby looked more afraid than astounded, "Don't...uh, dungeons and temples have traps? Like the ones built in the floor and big, rollin' rocks...?" He rambled, his voice wavering. "As long as the 'big rocks' part is out of the question, traps are the least of our problems." Ellis said, "Getting stuck and starving, suffocating or dehydrating somewhere, however..."
The trio approached the entrance where a large, fancy, iron door awaited them. "Damn, it won't budge." Emmet cursed after his feeble attempts at jerking the doornob. Before he could mentally debate on how to get inside, he heard Baby boom from behind him, "Leave it to me!"
With a running start, the man had catapulted himself straight through the wall - completely obliterating it. His companions cringed at the harsh cracking noise that followed. But a moment later, the ginger shot up with a satisfied grin, somehow unharmed.
With a new swig of confidence, the three disappeared into the strange mansion, the faint scent of copper dribbling into their masks. Inside was dark, almost too dark. Even with Deedee holding a beacon of light, it could only illuminate so many paces in front of them. Everyone's confidence withered away with it - especially Baby's.
His legs were already trembling and he was clinging onto his partners for dear life. "Oh, don't tell me you're afraid of the dark now." Deedee seethed with frustration. She could only barely see his sheepish smile in the blackness. "Only a little bit..."
The slight distraction was all the blonde needed to accidentally slip on a rock in the floor. Or... was it a rock? A "click" noise resounded through the air. She heard both of her men yelp in fear, and reeled back just in time to avoid an object swiping by her head. Raising the lighter to greet the faint silhouette, she noticed that it was a... cow statue with... sharpened utters?
"Are you kidding me? What the heck even is that!?" The captain hissed at the thing in a panic. Her crew shushed her in terror, trying to remind her that there was a chance they weren't alone. "On second thought, traps are definitely a problem," Emmet whispered to her, correcting himself contemptfully, "Just be careful so none of us get skewered next time."
It felt like hours had passed as they aimlessly wandered the dungeon. Remarkably, no other traps were encountered, and after walking up at least four nightmarish flights of stairs, they discovered a room containing a giant stone bowl. One last staircase lead to a cliff that dipped inside the structure like a spoon.
"This must be it." Deedee stated, studying the murkily-colored ritual room. It was alot less... impressive than she expected. Emmet stepped forwards, unraveling the prophecy's paper and a lone soup in his hands.
"Wait..." Baby spoke up after the short silence, "How do we open it? We broke the can-opener back on the ship, right?" Ellis' face paled as he checked the lid of the can, finding no tab. The chemist slapped himself in aggravation, "Well, looks like it'll have to accept it anyways." He decided, voice sharp like poison.
He scrambled up the folds of stairs with determination, then stood at the foot of the bowl, silently peering down at his crewmates. The man dramatically held the can out in the air before letting it go, listening to the quick smack of it's landing.
After a moment with no reaction, the soup abruptly began to evaporate into nothing - metal and all. A dull hum reverberated through the tunnels, catching the humans off guard. It continued for a second, before a sound that resembled a thunder clap blasted through the air.
The floor buckled, losing it's gravity before pelting into different directions. The three were flung against the wall like ragdolls, screaming in terror as memories of the ship crash rewinded in their minds. Unexpectedly, it stopped, and the room began to piece itself together in a different shape. A familiar blinding light flashed in Baby and Deedee's eyes. The ceiling lifted open, broadcasting the other two temples in the same condition.
Emmet dangled from a ridge, gripping a pillar desperately, "I'm guessing it worked..." He mumbled joyfully, despite the horror clear on his face. The rumbling eventually came to a stop, leaving the room in a dull silence.
"...Now there must be one last thing to do." Deedee semi-confidently declared, gazing towards the central pyramid in the distance.
...
The captain grabbed the rusty lever, working the machine's controls gently upward. It took a minute to get the ancient cogs to start spinning, but when they did, the stick jerked forwards. And instantly, she felt something in the ground jolt alive.
"Hey, Deedee! Look!" Ellis called from outside, sounding breathless. She bolted to the nearest shattered window, and what she saw left her completely speechless.
The sky began to warp to a brilliant blue and the canals that scarred the planet gushed with fresh, beautiful water. It seemed to have came from nowhere. The blonde woman almost thought she was hallucinating. She rushed outside to greet Baby and Emmet, who were standing frozen with their jaws dropped. The former athlete stood between them, tugging happily at their arms, "We did it!" She cheered, a wild smile on her face, "We frickin' did it!"
The new star's light beat refreshingly upon the land, the steady warmth seeping into the astrocitizens' suits. The sweet smell of the fresh water shore filled their masks. They found their ship sitting not too far away from the beauty in all of it's hideous wreckage. For once, they could overlook it.
Small hints of plant life were developing near the water's shore. Contrasting bits of green and blue among the dead yellow sand. Baby was the first one brave enough to remove his helmet, inhaling the fresh, foreign oxygen. "It's... clean." He spoke, almost unbelieving, "It's... it's cleaner than Earth!"
The others soon followed, feeling the cool desert air fill their lungs. Their brawny friend bounded towards the riverbank, yanking off his gloves and dipping his hands into the water. The liquid came away crystal clear, not a speck of dirt in sight. He stared intently at his nearly unrecognizable reflection. Wondering how long had it been since he looked in a mirror.
Emmet stood inquisitively at the bank, digging his hands into the fertile soil. He massaged it through his fingers, admiring the clay-like texture. "I can't believe it..." He breathed, shock donning his features, "I really didn't think it would - there's... th- it doesn't make any sense!"
Deedee stepped up beside him, her moppy dirty blonde hair drenched over eyes, "But it's here." She stated matter-of-factly. The black man only clicked his tongue, "Yes, but-" A splash of pure water slapped him straight in the face, the captain cackled giddily across from him, "It doesn't matter, genius. It's here."
A sudden strong hand gripped the former chemistry instructor from behind, causing him to squeal in surprise. Baby hefted him up, lips curled in a grin. Water dripped down his face and beard, marring his appearance in a blend of pale and orange. "Heads up!" He vaguely warned.
Bronco tossed the scrawny man into a deep puddle of water, who instantly shot up from the surface in a blind panic. After catching his breath, Emmet sighed, resting comfortably on the ridge, "It is... very nice, actually." He admitted, setting his arms behind his head.
A big wad of muck flew by and whacked him right in the face, snapping him awake. Deedee covered her mouth, trying to stifle another shameless laugh - but two mounds of mud to her head cut her off. She glared in Baby and Emmet's direction, dipping her hand for more sod to throw.
Ellis successfully dodged her attack by ducking in the water, while Bronco earned a smack of the substance to his nose. As if defeated, the giant dramatically let himself go limp and back-flipped into the harbor - resulting in a mighty splash that drenched everything in a eight foot radius.
Chuckles of laughter resounded from the group, all of them shortly forgetting the trials they faced to get there. But it wasn't long before the star began to fade and their excitement geared down to suspense.
"So... what do you think we should do now?" Emmet asked the captain a few hours later, "We have a whole new world that belongs to us now. We have so much to do and so many things to explore." The African American was wearing a faded white tank top, his orange shirt discarded and tied around his waist.
The three humans were stargazing, resting beneath the eerie burgundy sky. Some stars were still visible among it, glistening behind the colorless clouds. "First of all, we need to help give this place more vegetation, just to see if it can offer us any food better than soup. We should also start building shelter, and maybe a few other things... Who knows, we might be able to rebuild some items from Earth. The possibilities are endless." Deedee claimed, studying the unearthly atmosphere.
"Yeah, I agree about the 'building' part. It would be nice to have a few beds, appliances and tables again, instead of just rocks..." The copper-skinned man replied, a sad look in his eyes. "An' shampoo, scissors, razors, deodorant, and Q-tips, huh?" Baby mentioned from beside them.
Deedee smiled, although a bit sourly, "Right." She said. Her friend scratched his neck hesitantly, suddenly stuttering, "I think I see another constalli... cansill - consalla-" "Constellation." Emmet corrected. "...Yeah."
"What is it?" Dawkins tried, "It's not another superhero or fish like the last times, is it?" "No." Bronco answered, shaking his head, "...Do you want me to show you?" The blonde smirked, raising a brow, "Yeah, I'm curious."
The ginger pointed up, gesturing at an empty part of the sky, "There." He stated, squinting, "Right there. Do you see it? ...It's Earth."
"...What, really?" Deedee said, befuddled, "But there's... nothing there."
"Exactly. Cause this is our Earth. This is our home." Baby explained, bringing his hand back to his side, "There's no goin' back. Like you said. This is our new Earth, now."
Dawkins dug her fingers into the sand, suddenly feeling grim. She noticed Baby wiping at his eye, as if he were crying, "It makes me sad, thinkin' about it. We left everything behind - everyone. I almost miss e'm... Ma' and Pa'. I miss the old man..." He trailed.
"We all do." Emmet assured, "...I miss my students, my family, my stupid low paying job and..." He paused, looking at the stars again, "It's all gone." The captain sighed, remembering her own family that she was so ungrateful for. Then, she eyed the garden of plants her and her team had planted so far.
"Missing them won't bring them back." She reminded her team regretfully, brows furrowed, "We have to keep moving forward, regardless of it. We have a whole world to bring back to life."
The two men nodded discreetly, stretching out tiredly in the sand. The blonde sat up a moment, as if she was watching the birthing world around her begin to steadily bloom.
"This is our new Earth, afterall."
The tall, looming lavender trees tossed back and forth in the wisping wind. The star's beaming yellow rays were barely visible behind the countless minty leaves and exotic fruits. Shabby patches of grass had grown into sword-like blades beneath them, running like carpet throughout the strange jungle.
A small futuristic hut stood in the midst of the nature, a small garden seperating it from the rest.
Deedee sat on a home-made bench, taking a long sip from her mug, which was filled to the brim with perfected pecan-colored coffee. She let the sweet taste linger on her tongue for awhile, before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Not bad for three years in the making." She teased in her old friend's direction.
Emmet was tinkering endlessly with several building components scattered around him. His face was tight in concentration, a gloved hand resting over his ungroomed goatee, "Yeah, just like the other hundred and twenty four things I've crafted to perfection." He scowled, rolling his eyes, "Trust me, I've counted." He twisted his goggles back over his eyes, trying to focus harder.
"Oh c'mon, you know I'm kidding." Deedee chuckled, patting him on the shoulder, "To think we used to call you useless back on the ship, am I right?"
Baby hesitantly wandered over, inspecting a small orange bottle in a hand. He brushed a few strands of red curls from his forehead, automatically, "Wow... has it really been that long?" He asked, noting the blonde's previous comment, "It doesn't really feel like it."
"Well, our calendar isn't exactly perfected yet, but yes. According to how many 'nights' we slept here, it's been nearly three years." Emmet replied. He rearranged the set of flasks in front of him, tapping a spoon against the glass.
Deedee leaned back against the wooden counter, running a finger along the unearthly purple boards, "...We haven't changed much since then, huh?"
Emmet offered her a look and a short smile, "Nope, not at all." He tweaked a bit more at his materials, sticking out his tongue experimentally, "Excluding how you went from a motivational speaker to... whatever you are now." He continued, "It kind of reminds me of a certain someone from the past, but... I won't mention who."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Deedee chirped, overlooking his response, "It's nice to finally have a break from our worries after so long. We can't be caught up in work all the time, right? We have to at least try to enjoy life. No laws, no drama... just a whole world that belongs to us."
"Speakin' about work..." Baby brought up, squirting a portion of Emmet's chemically-produced shampoo into his messy hair. He grimaced slightly, "I think you made this stuff a bit better this time. It doesn't burn as much and... it smells pretty nice, too."
"See? Improvements." Ellis chanted, pointing to the bottle as an example. "Yeah, but what about that one 'razor' invention you tried to craft a few days ago? Y'know, the knife you duct taped to the end of a stick?" Deedee mentioned, quirking a brow. "That's... a work in progress." Emmet retorted, unconsciously brushing the bandages taped to his cheek.
"I bet if you went out to that valley to the east, you could find some resources to help fix it." The black man claimed with a gesture of his glove. Dawkins teasingly stroked her chin, "Or... I could let you two suffer with that butcher knife awhile longer." She mused, "I'll admit that y'all looked alot better when all hell broke loose all those years ago."
Emmet looked over at her, baffled, as did Baby, even with the 'shampoo' smearing and bubbling down his face. "Oh, really?" Ellis bluffed, "Guess you wouldn't mind me stopping my studies of how to make the lipstick you miss so dearly..." Deedee narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Oh - you wouldn't dare." Ellis chuckled, "That's what I thought."
The chemist rolled back in his chair, dismissing her with a wave, "Safe travels." Was all he said, before returning to his restless experiments. Bronco stood awkwardly beside him, shifting from foot to foot, "Try to be careful out there, 'specially with those weird chipmunk things that've been poppin' up, lately..." He cautioned, tugging self-consciously at the hem of his faded green shirt.
"Abominations..." Ellis muttered, remembering the many crops and supplies they had lost to the pests. Deedee chortled at his banter, already mid-way out the door, "Ok, I will." She promised, "Just find a way to control them without making them go extinct. Try re-inventing peanut butter or something."
With that, the captain set out to the east of the glade. Again, she found herself entranced by the land's alien nature, even after all the years of seeing it daily. The purple vines and multicolored moss decorated every wiry tree limb and bush. It almost looked like Earth, but splayed with alternate colors and shapes.
The dusty yellow rock below was almost invisible compared to the rest. Deedee kicked idly at the stones at her feet, before gazing into the bright turquoise sky. She had a perfect view of a cliff teetering in the distance. The shape of it rung a figurative bell in her mind. The way the ridge beside it was curved like a staircase and the lone tree...
It sprouted right near the edge, right above the abyss that swallowed the mountain below. The sight gave her an awful sense of dejá vu, but she tried to shrug it off. Nothing else seemed familiar. It was all just... rock. Nothing special ...other than a small ravine that just happened to catch her eye. Trailing it, she realized that it lead to something she somehow overlooked.
Dawkins bit her lip, noticing the crevice in the mountain behind all the vines. Reaching a hand to brush the drapery away, her curiousity inevitably got the best of her. She offered one more anxious glance towards the meadow behind her, before she slipped inside.
It was dark, eerily dark - but a faint hint of light caught her eye. It was artificial, either a hand-made lantern or torch, it seemed. The blonde studied it curiously, wondering if there could be something else living there. Cautiously, she approached, following the small river deeper into the cave. Glimpses of nature ornaments decorated the walls, as did odd drawings that were painted alongside them. A few in particular, caught the captain's attention.
Besides the stick figures doodled in a few places, there was one of a poorly drawn spaceship and others that reminded Deedee of objects from Earth. She twitched suddenly, hearing something clatter from behind her.
The sound of someone hissing in frustration was next, making her duck under a large boulder in alarm. A shadow rose from the floor, revealing the unknown being fumbling with something in it's hands... or were they hands? Deedee peeked over right as the light popped back on again.
Her eyes widened as she saw the figure standing with it's back facing her. It was hard to make out in the dark, but it held the torch-like item close, illuminating it's humanoid silhouette. Closer inspection revealed a long veil of fur draping down it's head and a knitted reef of leaves along it's nape.
Hints of a muddy yellow were visible through some reins, catching Deedee off guard. The thing turned to the side suddenly, jutting out a hidden arm to click uselessly at a broken lighter.
Dawkins' hand went to her gloss-ridden lips in silent shock. The 'thing' appeared to be a man that looked on the verge of his mid to late 30s or 40s. His long, greying brown hair was hidden under the tuft of minty leaves and his left arm was halfway missing, the rest of it bundled in a thick wad of bandages.
His lone eye caught the glimmer of blonde reflecting in the blackness, and shot up. Heart racing, Deedee brought her hands to the air, slowly rising to her feet. The man's eye went wide as he stared her up and down, completely speechless. The lighter slipped from his hand, clacking to the floor.
Deedee hesitated as she stood there, fumbling with her words and unsure of what to say. Hell, what could she say?
"Tom...? Is that you?"
Without warning, he stumbled, lurching forward and embracing her with his lone arm. No more words were spoken while he squeezed her with all of his weary might. Homesick tears dripped from his cheek, but his quiet broken sobs slowly morphed into overjoyed chuckles of happiness.
The strange scent of burnt gasoline stung at Deedee's nose, but she tried to ignore it, "B-B-But how in the hell did you...?" She stuttered, bewildered at the sight of her long lost friend. Gently pulling away, Tom smirked, even while his eye was bloodshot with tears and his smile was twisted with sadness. His voice cracking, he answered;
"Military training."
"But you fell! Me and Baby saw it, and... your arm..." The captain spoke, staring at the injury's remnants, "There's no way you would've survived that, so how?" Tom snickered before he snapped on a hand-made lamp nearby. The rest of the cave was lit alive, shown to be completely stacked with soup and countless supplies,
"Hell, Deedee, I'd love to ask you the same thing."