─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

SEASON 3 EPISODE 10

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

System: Alpha Centauri

Faction: United Colonies

Planet: Jemison

Place: New Atlantis

☆☆☆

Jimin

Jimin figured it was only a matter of time before he ran into Logan again.

With a sigh, he set down his drink and glanced at the UC's president, who sat next to him at the Viewport bar nestled between the spaceport and the NAT that took them around the various districts in New Atlantis. Logan hadn't aged a day since the last time they spoke all those months ago. In-person, anyway. They had a couple video and phone calls since then, but their last in-person discussion ended with Jimin firing a particle beam at the president's head.

"Mr. Park," Logan said. The squeak of the barstool didn't overpower the classical music playing from the speakers in the high ceiling.

For an elegant bar, the prices weren't bad. Or maybe Jimin was just rich. That was why he went to the Viewport every other day; good drinks, good prices, good service, and good for keeping a low profile. Jimin still had a bounty in the UC, after all. Thanks to him giving a random Cydonia worker frostbite.

Jimin tapped his finger against the wooden counter. The bark didn't feel as cool as it used to. "Logan. I would say it's good to see you, but I have a feeling you're not happy with me."

"No, not really," Logan said, waving over the bartender with hair like Cora's, only much poofier and darker. The woman didn't so much as ask Logan what he wanted, instead placing a shot glass in front of him and pouring the liquor Jimin didn't recognize in. "What were you doing on Cydonia?"

"Business. Won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't. You're lucky I'm not having you arrested right now."

Yeah, Jimin was. As much as Jimin hated the UC, Logan was lenient with him, and he couldn't be too angry about it. Firing a particle beam at the UC president's head wasn't a great idea. Still, Logan hadn't locked him up for it. At least one person in the UC, other than Y/n, was generous.

"My work with Ryujin is confidential," Jimin said, and Logan side-eyed him at that.

"Ryujin? Shit, you're close to getting your mech, aren't you?"

"Damn right. You still okay with me using it?"

"Mr. Park, we talked about this. You can use it for Londinion, but only under the condition that the UC gets it afterwards."

That was a fair trade. The UC wanted to destroy it publicly—like a public execution—to serve justice to the ones who had lost their lives to the mechs the Freestar unleashed across the UC. For once, Jimin believed the UC had no ulterior motives. Logan had gotten teary eyed at the thought of destroying it.

"Sure, sure." Jimin paused to take a sip from his drink. It was better than Bog's Grog, but he had no idea what it was. He got a random drink every time he went there. "But that aside, how'd you find me?"

"I didn't. Just wanted a drink. Is it so hard to believe the president has some downtime?"

Jimin didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Of course the universe threw Logan his way. To be fair, considering how much time Jimin spent on New Atlantis thanks to the Lodge and Noel's constant tests, it was a miracle he hadn't run into Logan beforehand.

Instead of answering, Logan took his shot and stared at one of the holograms hovering over the three-layered shelf carrying various drinks. The one he stared at had an SSNN recording of the Terrormorph riots. Yeah, months later, UC citizens kept rioting about the spaceport attacks. New Atlantis hadn't been the same since.

The Viewport bar, once the most popular bar in New Atlantis, had four customers in it—including Logan and Jimin. That was the reason they weren't swarmed the second Logan stepped inside. One person, a woman with an ugly pink jacket that had puffed up shoulders, sat at one of the twelve tables scattered around the hexagon-patterned floor with golds and blacks making up the color scheme.

The other was a weird dude, standing off to the side in the corner near the self-service bounty clearance machines and Tracker's Alliance mission boards. Sometimes, when desperate for credits, individuals could use those mission boards to carry out tasks for the Tracker's Alliance. Missions had slowed down since the Crimson Fleet got taken out. However, the Tracker's Alliance, who were the galaxy's bounty hunters, had plenty of work for taking out Spacers and Ecliptic. Jimin had never done any tasks for them, but if he got desperate enough, he would.

The individual in the corner had an all-black spacesuit on with a matching helmet that didn't show his face. Problem was it was unlike any suit Jimin had seen. It consisted of a cape for both the front and back, concealing the chest and back armor, so Jimin had no idea how well-protected the man was. The stranger had a solid six inches on Jimin, not to mention he had far superior muscles despite Jimin's Vanguard training. Whatever. As long as the man didn't bother them, it was fine.

"Well, I guess I can't blame you for that," Logan said. The bartender took the empty glass away, and Logan didn't bother asking for another. "Ever since the attacks, no one in the Cabinet's been able to sleep."

Jimin sipped his drink again. "We got that in common."

"We have more than that, Mr. Park." Logan snorted. "I got reprimanded by my Cabinet for trying to open the Archives again."

Jimin coughed on the liquid burning his throat. He had to speak through his winces. "Again? Why?"

"I don't know. Look around. Look at what New Atlantis has become."

Logan motioned to how empty the bar was, how the streets had few people, how the guards looked stiffer than normal. Half of the people outside covered themselves with cloaks and held onto pistols. The other half walked fast without stopping to talk to others. No children ran around with laughter while making chalk art on the sidewalks.

"I just wanted to see if it could tell me how to fix this," Logan whispered, his tan hand paling as he curled it into a fist. "My people are living like this, and all I can do is watch. The most powerful person in New Atlantis can't do shit to help them. What does that say about our galaxy, huh?"

"Nothing good, sir. Nothing good." Jimin wished he could take four shots in a row and forget all about Ryujin and everything that had been happening, but reality kept pulling him back down. Reality Logan reminded him of. So, he hopped off the stool and tightened his scarf. "I think it's best if we aren't seen together. I still got a bounty on my head, after all."

"Jimin, you should give the credits to the authorities and get the bounty lifted."

"Yeah, but that'd make your life a lot easier, and why would I want to do that?" Jimin stepped back and raised both his arms, motioning to himself. "Besides, you really think any security guard is suicidal enough to try and put handcuffs on me? This is New Atlantis, not Neon. Your people actually have the will to live here."

"That doesn't mean you should prance around waiting to get caught."

Jimin moved his arms down, placing his wrists together in Logan's direction. "Is that so, Logan? Then what are you waiting for? Arrest me."

Logan didn't budge, and Jimin knew he wouldn't. The man was more bark than bite, not to mention what Jimin had done was a minor offense. So he gave some random lady a minor case of frostbite that healed in a day. Big fucking deal. Jimin had gotten lung damage thanks to the UC coercing him into going undercover for the most dangerous faction in the galaxy, yet he never got a chance to arrest them. Why should he be punished for something so minor in a galaxy where rapists, serial killers, and pirates get away with their misdeeds every day? Priorities, right? One case of frostbite mattered more than murderers, apparently.

"I'll see you around," Jimin said, lowering his arms and hopping back; however, he didn't leave just yet. What caught his attention was the lack of people in the space. Or, more accurately, the one person who seemed to stay despite Logan and Jimin's banter.

Jimin eyed the black-suited stranger and observed the way the helmet clouded the dude's face with a dark visor the bar lights reflected off of. Although hesitant, Jimin approached, feeling as if he had to. Like the universe willed it to be.

The stranger, who had his arms crossed over his chest, picked his head up at that. "Huh. Not used to people coming up to me. The suit usually scares them off. Although I guess that's my fault, isn't it?"

The man's voice was garbled and full of static thanks to his suit's filter. It was impossible to tell how old he was, but if Jimin were to guess, he had to be in his mid-life due to the gruff laying in the depths of his tone.

"Scary?" Jimin asked with a snicker, leaning against the wall and mimicking the man's pose. "No, just looks like you're trying too hard to be intimidating."

A garbled laughter came from the man. "Ouch. One minute into the conversation, and I'm already getting sized up. Well, outside 'heroic' individuals like yourself, the suit can give people pause. That can be handy when I need it."

"That make you a mercenary? Bounty hunter? Ooh, if you're really spicy, maybe military."

"Retired, actually. From too many lives to count. But I've seen all those things, yeah. And a few more." He paused to click his tongue. It sounded boosted thanks to the filter. "I spend a lot of time in the fringes these days. God help you if you come across something someone wants. You'd think it was things like civilization and factions that caused people to want to shoot each other. Nope. Even without that, it's still winner take all."

Jimin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Wow. Are you always this edgy?"

"Only when I need to be."

"Fair enough." Jimin paused to shrug. "But that's pretty bleak, dude. Plenty of people want to help others."

"Of course." He waved his hand as if it were no big deal. "That's what makes the reality so tragic."

"And what reality is that, stranger?" Jimin pushed off the wall and stood in front of the man, quirking a brow at the stranger's cryptic nature.

"Well-" The man stopped before he could begin, and he chuckled. "Wait a second. I think I'm in danger of having a real conversation with someone for a change. Better stop here. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Jimin expected the stranger to say something more, but the black suit remained silent. Words waited to leave Jimin's mouth, but he held them back. That had him retreating and nodding his head to Logan, who sat at the bar with another shot in his grasp. The President returned the gesture, and then, Jimin departed the bar.

Who was that?

Asking her was the best chance he had. She had seen countless universes, right? So perhaps that conversation took place in another, even if it wasn't with Jimin. Almost every Jimin in almost every universe had died, after all, but maybe the others rose to take his place. Like Y/n.

"Time will tell," she answered, and he groaned, leaning against the exterior wall of the Viewport and ignoring how empty the New Atlantis streets were. Some battered "FUCK THE GOVERNMENT" signs were thrown around the cracked concrete. Graffiti lined the fountain and various building walls, too.

Do you ever have any solid answers for me, or are you always gonna be this cryptic?

"Jimin, I wish I could tell you, but the Emissary already hates that I'm talking to you. They are one of the few Starborn more powerful than me. If I keep giving up information, it could end badly for you or me."

The Emissary sounds like a piece of work. Why can't you go against them?

"We've been friends for more years than I can count. Besides, I agree with their views that if you are going to walk the path of the Starborn, you need to figure it out yourself. I try to help and guide you, but it is up to you, Park Jimin. Prove you're worthy."

I'll never be worthy. Look at me. Look at all I've done. But whatever helps you sleep at night, I guess.

Jimin rolled his eyes and pushed off the wall. Y/n didn't bother replying, not that he would have listened if she did. The Starborn possessed the voice and face of an angel, yet he couldn't see her as anything other than the annoying devil on his shoulder. Yet, in the quiet moments, at night when he was curled up in bed, he would call to her and chat about bullshit. He knew she knew they were bogus conversations meant to take Jimin's mind off the real Y/n. And maybe, just maybe, for a few second, he could pretend he was talking to his wife again. The Starborn was nothing like Y/n. Though, sometimes, for brief moments, Jimin let the two blend together. Just for brief moments.

"I'm sorry, for whatever it's worth."

Jimin shoved his hands in his pockets and opted to listen to the Starborn that time. Her voice cracked over the sorry, and he chuckled out loud. Not like there were any bystanders to hear it.

Yeah. Me too.

☆☆☆

Jimin hated Ryujin, so instead of going back, he opted for training.

Neon was his home but also his training grounds. Ever since he had received his grav dash power, he realized he needed to work on mobility and mastering his physicality. That led him to wearing a sweat-covered white tank top and black drawstring joggers as he traversed the upper level of Neon. He had scaled the scaffolding and gotten to the rooftops, above the conduction grid, which was a dome-like structure covering the majority of the city. Only the Trade Tower and Ryujin Industry poked their heads through. Jimin stayed on Ryujin's side and observed the rooftops.

He stood on top of one of the thick pipes pumping shit and piss to the ocean. The fish in the water didn't care about human waste, so Neon decided dumping it in the water was better than finding environmental-friendly ways to dispose of it. Probably Bayu's decision. That bastard owned Neon, and he had no intentions of making it a respectable place.

The rooftops were brighter than one might expect. Despite the gray clouds that cloaked Neon in darkness, the rooftops shined thanks to the conduction grid that got struck with lightning every couple seconds. The grid shined a bright yellow to match the strikes. Every strike powered Neon. That was the schematics Hoseok had stolen during the Fleet ordeal; it was how Jimin had gotten to the Legacy.

Jimin shook the thought off and heaved as he prepared to do another set. The rooftops consisted of scaffolding, metal bars jutting out from the sides of buildings from construction workers being lazy and not finishing the structures, and giant pipes that hauled all the essentials from one end of the city to the next. Or, in the case of the pipe Jimin stood on, fecal matter to the water.

The upcoming path was a difficult one that had twists and turns nearing the grid. If Jimin got struck with lightning, game over, but he didn't care. Part of him hoped he wandered too close to the grid.

A deep breath rocketed through him. And then, he jumped. His grav dash powered up as he felt his eyes burn bright with a mix of cyan and green, and he burst forward. Both of his hands were ungloved for once. He reached out with his bare skin and held the pipe in front of him, hoisting himself on top of it. That didn't mean he succeeded, though; no, he had far more to do. His goal was to get to the top of Ryujin, and then jump off of it.

Jimin ducked, dove, and sprinted across the rooftops. Sweat bounced off his body, but he ignored it. His mop-like hair stuck to his neck as he used his hands and legs to propel himself forward. The pipes whined when he pressed his sneakers against them and used them to move forward more.

It took five minutes, but Jimin completed his obstacle course and made it to the base of the top part of Ryujin. He had climbed it before, yet that didn't change how he trembled peeking down and seeing the long drop into the ocean. He looked up and saw how far it was to the top. That didn't deter him. If anything, it had him breathing harder and letting the adrenaline shoot through his veins.

His hands reached out as his grav dash kicked in. He kicked off the black wall making up Ryujin and flew upward. The metal railing came into view, and he grabbed it with one hand. A grunt left his parched lips. His grip wasn't strong enough, but his other hand wouldn't budge to help him. That had him hanging in air with nowhere to go.

One option left.

Jimin cursed at himself for failing, and then he released the railing and free fell. Grav dash saved him. He let the cyan light surround him and shift him backwards to bang his back off the metal flooring. Another grunt passed his panting lungs. His heartrate refused to slow down, and he held his left hand over it, rubbing his thumb back and forth. He wished Y/n were doing it instead.

"You are pretty bad at this, Park Jimin."

The female voice had him snapping up, and when he saw Andreja leaning against the side of the tower, he stopped rubbing his chest and rubbed his eyes instead.

"Andreja? The hell are you doing here?"

"Monitoring you. Orders from Jungkook."

"And you're just telling me that... why?"

"I do not follow orders well," she said, her voice as slithery as always. "But that is no matter to focus on. What are you doing?"

He sat up with an eye roll, huffing his hair out of his field of view. "It is something to focus on. How long have you been here? How did you get up here in the first place?" Jimin paused to groan. "And I'm training, not that it's any of your business."

"Very well, very well." Andreja stepped closer and cleared her throat, motioning to her person. Then, she blinked away with a cloak, and Jimin sighed.

"So I take it you've been here a while."

"The entire time." She reappeared to point to the scaffolding not too far back. "You are not the only one good at climbing. Any other useless questions?"

"Maybe, we'll see. My brain's a little fried from falling on my ass."

Andreja offered Jimin her hand. "Then get off it."

Jimin accepted the help and stood, brushing himself off as if that would help his frazzled state. He imagined he looked like he hadn't slept or drank anything in days. And maybe that was true.

"Why did Jungkook send you?"

"Ah, another useless question," Andreja said. Her dragon-like eyes narrowed on him. "You saw me cloak myself, yes? Did that not explain it enough? I am the only member of Constellation who can do that."

"How can you do that? Ryujin tech?"

"Of course not." Andreja turned her wrist and showed the tiny chip waiting there, glowing a soft blue. "It is my own design."

"Your own? Not Va'ruun's?"

Andreja blew him off with a hand wave and went over to the edge of the platform, sitting down and letting her legs dangle. Jimin hesitated, and then joined. He gulped as he peeked over the edge, grimacing at the sight. Andreja didn't bother mocking him like he thought she would. He couldn't tell if he should be grateful or not, so he sat there silently instead of questioning it. The entire time, he kept his eyes above, not below.

"Why do you insist I am Va'ruun?"

"Are you not?"

Andreja didn't answer for a long beat. "No."

Jimin waited and waited, and then, in his mind, he asked the question he hoped he wouldn't have to. Is she lying? He sent it to the voice inside his head, and the response was a resounding yes.

"You're a bad liar," Jimin replied with a humorless chuckle. "I know you're a Va'ruun pet."

"Why does it matter?"

"Ah, deflection. Classic." Jimin decided to answer regardless of how much of a deflection it was. "Because Va'ruuns are murdering psychopaths who worship a damn space snake. Why would I want a violent murderer on my crew?"

Andreja whipped her head around at that. "Not all of us are like that."

Jimin tilted his head back and forth once. Twice. Three times. And then, he leaned closer, placing a tight hand on her shoulder. A solar flare came to mind, and his glowing crimson eyes reflected off her tan skin as his hand had her flesh heating up.

"Interesting." He trailed off and watched her squirm under his grasp, not caring if he burned her or not. "So... who's 'us,' Andreja?"

She widened her eyes at that. "Jimin, I-"

"Doooon't care." He cut her off by squeezing her, and she yelped from the pain. "Answer the question."

"Fuck you." She punched him, and he took it, releasing her thanks to the force of her punch.

"Oh." Jimin rubbed his jaw and laughed, peering at her with a smile. "Is that how we're doing this? Very well."

Jimin pushed her off the edge and grabbed her wrist, causing her to cry out as he held her in place. She dangled more than just her legs, and he smirked as he watched her jumping, now-beady eyes jolt around the long drop before settling on him. Her hand made a grabbing motion toward him while her other arm flailed around, same with her legs.

"Who's us, Andreja?" Jimin repeated, his voice short and punchy.

"Are you out of your mind!"

"I don't know." Jimin loosened his grip, and she flailed more, attempting to plant her feet on the side of the wall. It didn't work. "But are you sure you want to find out?"

"Jimin!" the voice in his mind shouted, the sound of Y/n's sharp tone reverberating in the walls of his skull. "What are you doing? She may be Va'ruun, but this is no way to treat her! She could be good!"

"Good? What are you talking about?" he said aloud, leading to Andreja knitting her brows.

"There are some universes where she's a Va'ruun zealot but others where she's righteous and just what you need. Please, don't do this."

"And what if she's a zealot in disguise, huh? How many have to die until we weed out the weak links?"

"Has anyone died yet?"

Jimin rubbed his lips together at that, and then, he sighed and tightened his hold on the woman. That didn't stop her from flailing and glaring, though.

"Enough of this!" Andreja shouted over the harsh winds and rain of Neon. "Pull me up! Now! The crew would never support you if they knew you did this to me!"

"Just answer the question. Is it that hard?"

Andreja scrunched her face up and managed to hoist her arm up to grab onto his. She met his gaze and lingered for a moment before nodding. "Okay, okay, fine, please listen: I am no Va'ruun, not yet. I am an associate sent to investigate Constellation." She didn't wait to fire out her next words, giving Jimin no chance to react. "But I have no intention of betraying Constellation. I have not sent my supervisor any updates in years."

"Is she telling the truth, Y/n?"

"Y/n?" Andreja asked, her single word barely heard over the thunder.

"I don't know. It varies depending on the universe, but killing her is out of the picture either way. If she wanted to hurt you, she would have in the six months you've been vulnerable. Please, pull her up," Y/n said, her voice as echo-filled as before.

"Fine." Jimin grumbled to himself as he pulled Andreja up, as per Y/n's instructions. He watched the zealot keel over and cough. Some mucus poured out of her nose. "Care to explain yourself?"

"You are insane!" Andreja got up, whipped around, and slapped him hard enough to leave a bruise. "You do that to me over an accusation? Not that I owe you an explanation, but I have no interest in becoming a zealot. I am no zealot. Not every Va'ruun associate is like that."

"Then what are you like?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, Andreja. It's not like you're ever around." Jimin kicked at the ground and stepped away to give her some space. "Just because you haven't killed us yet doesn't mean you won't, so how am I supposed to trust you?"

"How am I supposed to trust you?" Andreja jabbed a finger in his direction, and then pointed to the burn mark on her shoulder. "If you can snap at any moment over a misunderstanding, how can anyone follow you? Why are you our leader?"

"Because no one can do what I can." Jimin approached and saw a dark red glow on her face. He thought it was Ryujin's lights, but upon closer inspection, he realized the origin of the brightness: his eyes. His eyes were a deep red, but, for some reason, he adored that. His right hand sparkled with the same hue. "But you're welcome to try overthrowing me if you disagree with my decisions."

Andreja stared with her eyes narrowed and her shoulders set. Her posture didn't crack once despite almost plummeting to her death. The woman curled her hands into fists before backing away from Jimin.

"I will not endanger my friends."

"If you insist," Jimin said with a hand wave. "But don't think you have a spot on my crew after this. Va'ruun pets aren't allowed."

"You know nothing about my past."

"Sure I do." Jimin clicked his tongue and came closer, not allowing her to back away further. "You were a criminal like me. An expert pickpocket." He motioned to her person. "Cause of that cloak, right? Makes you wonder where you got such revolutionary technology, and if you, some lowlife from nowhere, managed to make it, why haven't others like Ryujin?" Jimin paused to chuckle. "No offense, of course."

"You dangled me off a tower. We are far past offenses, Park Jimin." Andreja pushed him back, and he snorted at her behavior but otherwise let her speak. She then took a moment to breathe, and she fired out her words as fast as Jungkook. "Yes, the cloak is Va'ruun, but it is rare and not the best. It malfunctions more than it works, so only operatives like myself get it."

"Operatives... right, been there done that." He pointed to Ryujin behind him. "You think Ryujin's trustworthy?'

"Of course not-"

"Then why should I find you trustworthy? You're doing the same job, only for space zealots. At least Ryujin has a somewhat positive impact with their tech. Va'ruun? Name one good thing they've done."

Andreja ignored that. "I know I am not the most trustworthy person, but are you? It seems you have hurt Constellation far more than I have, and I have been in it far longer than you."

"Just because you haven't hurt it yet doesn't mean you won't, Andreja." Jimin blew a raspberry at her and sat on the ledge, letting the rain soak his mullet. "That doesn't change that I don't want you on my crew."

"I told you, I am no zealot. The Va'ruun have not received a single transmission from me in years, Jimin. You are making a mistake. Every Constellation member trusts me. Do you not trust them?"

"No," Jimin said without hesitation. "The only ones I trust are Cora and Y/n, and one of them's a kid and the other one dead, so what does that say?"

Andreja came over and cautiously sat next to him, though she scooted away by a hair so she was no longer in grabbing distance. It wouldn't matter. If he wanted to throw her off the edge, he would, though he didn't have the energy to.

"Jimin." Andreja paused and shook her head. "Why did you say Y/n's name before? When you attacked me?"

Ah, great. The talk about how the Starborn existed and Y/n was the voice in his head. Seeing as he didn't believe Andreja's story, he wasn't expecting her to believe his, but at that point, who the hell else did he have to tell? Jungkook? Yeah, no. That bunny man would berate him and call him insane.

"Because she's the voice in my head," Jimin replied with a sigh, slumping his shoulders. "I know how ridiculous that sounds, but do you remember when I touched that artifact all that time ago and said I watched myself die? You almost shot me."

"I regret not pulling the trigger now, but yes, I do. Why?"

"Every time I touch an artifact, it's like I get transported into some alternate dimension. The last time I touched one, I saw Y/n. Not my Y/n, though. Another universe's Y/n. She's the voice in my head. The one who's been guiding me this whole time. She's what's called a Starborn, and there are others like her. Others like... me. Beings with superpowers who discovered the secrets of the artifacts and I guess ascended, I'm not sure. I haven't gotten that far yet."

Andreja glanced up at him, both her brows shot up. "Alternate dimensions? Starborn? Slow down, what are you talking about?"

"I wish I could explain it more clearly, but even the voice in my head won't help me." He slapped the side of his head. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"You're welcome," Y/n's voice answered.

He rolled his eyes.

Asshole.

She heard it, he was sure, but she didn't reply to his curse. So, he turned his attention back to Andreja and did his best to explain the absurdity of the situation.

"I haven't told anyone because I knew they'd call me crazy. Shit, I feel crazy just thinking about it."

"Then why did you tell me?" Andreja asked, and Jimin stared at the ocean below for a long moment.

"I don't know. I don't trust you, and quite frankly, I don't think I even like you as a person, but... Andreja, whether we like it or not, we're the only two in Constellation who know what it's like. Crime. Bad decisions. Bad life. The others have had their hardships, sure, no doubt about that, but they're all..."

"Good?"

"Yeah. Good." Jimin met her stare. "Hell, I dangled you over the top of Neon and almost killed you. You almost shot me all that time ago because I looked scared. Do you think any other member of Constellation would do those things?"

Andreja chuckled. "I suppose not."

Quiet took over, and Jimin enjoyed it. Not even Y/n came to bother him, not that he would mind that. All that remained was the pounding rain and the crashing ocean waves below. His legs dangled off the edge, and he kicked them back and forth, feeling the air. Heights terrified him, and he felt his lungs tighten as pressure built up on his head, but he otherwise didn't react. Weakness was unacceptable in that moment. Not in front of Andreja.

"I do not know if I believe you or not," Andreja started, interrupting the momentary solitude, "but I would like to. And I would like to remain on the crew." She stopped to motion to his right hand. "I understand your distrust of me, but if I did anything, do you think my actions would be any match for the power you hold at your fingertips?"

Jimin could take down the entire UC overnight if he wanted to. Shit, that sounded appealing as fuck. If he ever got bored, he could do that, but what mattered was what Andreja said. No, she couldn't do anything. No one could. Just a couple minutes prior, he had been seconds away from dropping her into the ocean and pretending he had no involvement in her death.

"Well, you have a point. But I'm going to assign Taehyung to you, to have him watching you and searching your tech here and there. Just to be safe."

"As you wish, Captain Park."

They went silent after that, but not for long. It was brief to give them a beat to reflect on all that had happened. Sweat covered Jimin like the rainwater, and that was what he reflected on most. Training. More and more training to attempt to control his powers, yet he knew it was futile. The universe controlled him.

"Oh, and Captain, the next time you decide to dangle me off a roof, make sure you use your solar flare as well. Extra pain, extra fear. I was not very scared."

"Like hell you weren't. You looked like you were about to piss yourself," Jimin said with a huff.

Andreja shifted her body away from him. "Who said I did not?"

Jimin laughed, and after a second, she did, too. The two laughed while overlooking the gloomy horizon of Neon, and he had to admit he was glad he came to his senses and allowed her on the crew. With her Va'ruun cloaking tech and experience in crime, she could aid in his Ryujin quest. Plus, she had no issue making questionable choices. That was what he needed. Someone more willing to take risks. For Y/n. Well, Andreja wouldn't see it that way, but Jimin would. And that was what mattered.

"I'm sorry for that. I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I am." Jimin held up his right hand, watching red sparkles fly off it. "These powers aren't what they used to be. Every time I use them, it gets worse. I... feel worse. Like I need to keep going. Keep causing all this harm."

"That does not sound like you."

"I don't know, Andreja. I think it does." Jimin closed his fist. It didn't stop all the sparkles that time. "Why do you think the UC chose me to take down the Fleet? I was the only one willing to do what it took. Killing. Torturing. Just... harming." The sparkles finally ceased, and he opened his hand to relax it. They came back right away. "Now I can't even sleep without fearing triggering something. Some hurt. Some death. It's only a matter of time before I hurt a Constellation member, and not like I did to you today. I mean irreparably. You're right about me, Andreja. I can't be trusted."

"Maybe." Andreja came closer. Within grabbing distance. "But you are our captain, and we need you."

"No, Y/n needs me, and I'll do anything to bring her back."

Andreja placed her hand on his shoulder. "Do you mean that? Anything?"

"Anything. I don't care what it does to me, I don't care what it does to Constellation, and I don't care what it does to the galaxy. If it means she can come back safely, I'll destroy this whole planet. No, the whole fucking faction."

Jimin got up and charged his hand with an anti-gravity pulse. His hand went green before turning to a dark red, and he fired it out over the ocean, watching as gravity got sucked away from the space. Water flew into the air like a tsunami, and Andreja scrambled to her feet to watch the unexplainable act. Then, a few moments later, the gravity returned, and the water splashed back down and tormented the structure of Neon before calming once more.

"That," he said, spitting out the word, "killed my wife. I killed my wife. I killed Hoseok. I killed Larry. I killed Delgado. I killed Austin." Jimin swiveled around and made eye contact with Andreja, his gaze narrowed. "So what the hell, huh? What's a few more?"

"Jimin-"

"I'm going back to the ship. I've kept the crew waiting long enough. Don't stay up here too long, yeah? The weather's not good."

Jimin stormed past her and took the familiar path down to Ebbside. Scaffolding awaited him, and he descended it with ease. All those years growing up on Neon taught him how to climb, even if he hated heights. He ended up on the concrete ground with puddles that vibrated thanks to the booming music coming from the countless clubs. Ebbside was club central and made the Astral Lounge look like shit by comparison. Jimin could hear the Ebbside clubs' cheering, moaning, and music from miles away.

Andreja didn't follow him. If she did, she was cloaked and Jimin couldn't tell, though he doubted there was any point in cloaking. Jimin knew of her presence, so no purpose in hiding again. So, Jimin didn't look for her and departed Ebbside with no one bothering him, just how it should be. He got the chance to think about everything that had happened, and that resulted in his hand sparkling a bit. He closed his fist to keep it at bay as best he could, but it wouldn't matter. It wouldn't stop.

Not until Y/n was back in his arms.

☆☆☆

A/N: Told ya I had more chapters coming real soon. I hope you enjoyed this one, and I'll see you soon for the next one!

Thanks for reading!