Notes: So this is the chapter I introduce something about Mercury that I had talked about on a tumblr post previously, and I wanna talk about it here first before I get on with this chapter.

Mercury - the actual literal planet - has no atmosphere. No sound can be heard there (as I mentioned a couple chapters back). So really… Mercury shouldn’t have any reason to speak verbally.

If I had realized this when I first started writing this story, I would have made him mute from the start, only speaking in his own form of Mercurian (is that a word?) sign language. But I didn’t realize this until around chapter 13.

So this is what’s going to happen instead.

Mercury never spoke for the beginning of his life, and didn’t even really have the ability too. The other Planets all learned his sign language too, so he never had a need. 

Until humanity came about. 

Mercury, Mars, and Venus all have visited and talked to humans in the past. They also have the ability to shapeshift into looking like humans (Mars briefly did this in chapter 8), and in general they are just extremely powerful beings (Saturn was able to split an asteroid completely in two by himself with no effort at all). So Mercury gave himself the ability to speak in order to communicate with the humans as they *probably* wouldn’t naturally know Mercurian sign language. Sign language is more natural and his preferred way to communicate, but he still speaks too.

Again, if I had realized the no atmosphere = no sound to be heard earlier on, I would have made Mercury speak in sign language from the very beginning and be mute. But I didn’t and I was realllyyy upset that I didn’t since that would’ve been awesome to include. So this is the best I can do since it’s all already been written.

Alright, on to the story! 

Mercury did wake up within only a few days. Though he was dazed and confused, his awakening still sparked joy and relief in everyone. Venus hugged him, as did Earth, Mars, and everyone else. Saturn scolded him for worrying them, but then joined in hugging him too. Mercury was still in pain, but held them back and smiled. 

“What happened back home?” He signed once everyone had had their fill of hugs. Though he was off his home Planet, and sound could be heard, he never spoke. He never really found a need to. 

“Well, you remember the asteroid, right?” Venus asked. Mercury nodded, quickly clarifying that he meant what happened afterwards, “Well, it kinda made a huge impact. It’s been a couple days here and I don’t think it’s safe to go back yet.”

Though he looked disappointed, Mercury didn’t object and just nodded solemnly. He understood the logic behind staying away a little while longer, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He didn’t do anything more, and the other Planets exchanged worried glances.

“You’ll be okay,” Uranus was the first to speak, crouching down to where Mercury was sitting, “At least you’re still standing straight! You’ll be all good, when I got hit I was all crazy,” He threw his arms down and did a headstand, and the others laughed - even if they knew it hadn’t done exactly that to Uranus himself, just his planet. He was being goofy, acting as though he wasn’t unconscious for several months and briefly forgot who everyone was. “You’ll be good as new soon!”

Mercury smiled, though he tried to hide it. “That’s ridiculous and not what happened, and you know it.” He signed.

“I know nothing!”

“I won’t argue that.”

Uranus laughed, not really caring that he had been insulted. At least he got Mercury to act like himself again, and he knew he didn’t really mean it. He never did.

“You can probably stay here for a bit, until your place calms down,” Venus suggested, “Or at mine if Earth is busy. Earth?” He looked around suddenly, realizing Earth had been silent throughout this conversation, “Earth?”

“She’s over there,” Neptune said slowly, pointing off into the west. The other Planets followed where he was pointing, immediately concerned. 

Earth stood at the edge of a rock, staring down into the waters below. Her eyes were dull yet hyper focused on the ripples appearing below. She stood stiffly, fists clenched. She seemed frozen in shock, unable to do anything but watch… something, something in the water below.

“Uh, Earth?” Saturn called out, “Are you alright?” When she didn’t answer, Mars started to walk over to her. 

“Hey Earth, what’s up?” He asked as he approached her. She still didn’t answer, and remained silently staring into the waters below her. “Earth?” He asked again. Earth was normally bubbly and happy, not at all like this. She wasn’t the type of person to fall into strange trances or zone out completely.

Several moments passed, and no one spoke, or even let themselves breathe. It was quiet all around them aside from the low sound of the hot breeze as it hit against their backs.

It seemed like an eternity passed before anything happened. Earth blinked once, and it was then that they noticed just how dim her eyes were - not the shining bright white they usually were, but instead a flat gray. She finally turned to face Mars, and glanced over at the rest of the her family too. She looked to each individual Planet, before her eyes landed on Venus. She paused, and then slowly opened her mouth to speak. “I…” She whispered, voice weak and breath catching in her throat. “I…I think I made more.”

With those words, her eyes shut and she fell to the ground, unconsious.. Mars quickly caught her and looked over to the others, panicked. She was still breathing, but it was shallow, and her hands were shaking.  They rushed over to her, all of them, and Pluto helped Mercury over.

“What’s wrong with her??” Saturn demanded, eyes wide in shock. Mars shook his head, sitting down but still not letting go of Earth. He held her with one arm and gently shook her with the other, hoping for some kind of reaction. Her weak breaths remained steady, but no other reactions were given.

“What the hell is that?” Jupiter’s voice interrupted their worry, and they all caught sight of what Earth had been staring at earlier. Saturn carefully stood and walked over to him, so he too could get a better look. Venus and Uranus followed.

Swimming in the water was… Something. Something small and smooth and shiny blue in color. Something that none of them had ever seen before.

Silence once again swept over them. The thing, the creature, swimming in the water, making small splashes every so often, was the only thing that didn’t get the message.

It was Venus who spoke first. He took a deep breath, hands shaking ever so slightly.

 “I didn’t… I didn’t know she actually did it…” 

***

“Giovanni, we need to talk about this,” Thomas stared at the AI who keeps betraying all of his secrets to his friends. 

“Joan said if I told them what was going on then they wouldn’t tell Emile and Remy I’ve been making bets with the rest of the crew on when they’re gonna get together.”

“You’ve been doing what??”

“Hey, you guys are boring! I gotta get entertainment somehow!”

“Not the point here!” Joan interupted, turning to Thomas, “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on? Something as big as this, and you told Giovanni of all people before me?”

“I didn’t really tell him, he kinda just saw it too…” Thomas sighed, knowing that didn’t help his situation at all. “I wanted to but this just… this is so insane. I didn’t think you or anyone for that matter would believe me.”

Joan stared at him in exasperation, glaring with arms folded across their chest. Thomas sighed guiltily. That was a complete lie and he knew it. Joan would never have thought that he was crazy - maybe a little sick or something, but not once they knew how serious he was. Joan had been his best friend for so many years, he trusted them more than anyone else on - or off of - Earth. If Joan and Thomas had switched places, they would’ve told him in a heartbeat.

Thomas shouldn’t have kept this from them.

“How long has this been going on?” Joan finally asked, “When did you first find out?”

“Technically when that first asteroid was going to hit, a few months ago,” Thomas admitted, “I didn’t know what it was then but I saw the Planet Saturn out of the corner of my eye, I thought I was imagining it then though.”

“And then?”

“Then you got sick and Venus came and healed you.” Thomas said, “Then he came back to visit and Mars, Mercury, and Saturn all came too. They’ve only visited once since then.”

Giovanni took the next awkward moment of silence to quietly slip away, preferring to eavesdrop without his presence being shown (even if they both knew he was there). But neither Thomas nor Joan spoke after that for a long time, which gave Thomas’ thoughts a chance to run wild.

Was Joan going to hate him now? Logically speaking, of course not. This was not enough to ruin over a decade of friendship. Maybe they would be mad for a while, but never would they hate him, right? Unless they did. Unless this did ruin everything and the rest of the trip was going to be a literal hell. Was he going to be stuck in a small confined space - a literal space ship - with his ex best friend, who would now hate him, just because he was an idiot who didn’t know how to trust people? Would they have to turn back because of this? Would the Jovian Planets somehow take advantage of this and use it to kill them all?? Wow, this was a mistake.

Thankfully, Joan spoke and interrupted Thomas’ spiraling thoughts.

“Well next time I meet a supernatural or mythical creature, you are going to be the last to know,” they joked, and Thomas mentally celebrated. Joan was smiling, that was a good sign, right? “I get it, I get why you didn’t tell me. But seriously, I’m your best friend. Have a little faith next time, deal?”

Thomas sighed in relief, smiling and rubbing the back of his neck, “Yeah, definitely a deal.”

“And holy crap, the Planet Venus healed me? Is that why I feel like ten times better than I ever have before? That’s crazy…”

Thomas laughed, “Yeah, probably.”

“Am I gonna get superpowers now -”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Talyn’s voice cut through, and they both turned to see the smaller pilot standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. “But Remy wants you, Thomas. Requesting Captain’s assistance or whatever. I’d go see what he wants.”
    Thomas nodded, and turned to Joan, “We can talk more later? I swear I’ll explain everything then.” Joan nodded, and the two - well, three, plus Talyn now - walked down to meet Remy. 

    They found the tall naturally tanned man staring at a holographic map in front of him, sunglasses in his hand and eyes focused intensely. Once he noticed the three had entered they were back on and he was grinning, “Hey!”

    “Hey Rem, what did you need?” Thomas asked, and Remy ran over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking his friend and captain excitedly.
    “So we get to decide where we’re going to next now!” He said, “Originally we were just kinda gonna float around and take some cool pictures, but our request from like months ago finally got approved - I mean jeez girl, they take forever - and we actually can go farther and do more now!”

    “Wait for real?” Joan asked, “That’s awesome!”

    Remy nodded, releasing Thomas and picking up his coffee, “It is! Okay, so here are the options! We can explore some more planets and stars and actually land on them, or we can keep heading out farther,” He grinned, “Like, waaayyy farther than originally planned. I vote we try to get closer to Alpha Centauri. I doubt we can actually get there but we can get closer, at least!.” 

    “Oh my god yes!” Talyn laughed. “We could get some awesome photos too that way!”

    Thomas now had a huge smile on his face,“I can’t believe it, this is so awesome!” He exclaimed, “We can go that far!? Or actually really land somewhere? This is amazing!”

    “Hell yeah!” Remy grinned, “So Captain, what are we doing? It’s your choice.”

    Thomas stopped, his smile disappearing instantly. Memories of Saturn’s warning flooded his mind as he remembered his words.

    “If you don’t turn back now, you are going to get killed,” The words hissed, “I’m telling you now, if you don’t turn this ship around, you and everyone you love will regret it. You will all be dead within a week, I promise you that.”

    Maybe he didn’t truly mean it? Maybe he was just trying to seem tough? No, if that were true his next reaction would make no sense, when Thomas asked if he was threatening or warning him. Though it was hidden well, he seemed scared for them. There would be no reason for that hidden worry to appear if he was lying. He genuinely did believe that if they kept going, they would all be killed.
    But Mercury, Venus, and Mars wanted them to keep going, right? They wouldn’t let them die. Especially not Mars, Mars seemed to be trying to live out his love of adventure through them. He wouldn’t let their journey end early. They would all defend the ship, right? 

    But… did he really want his crew stuck in the middle of a war between such powerful beings? Thomas really didn’t know who was more powerful, Venus, Mercury and Mars, or Uranus and Jupiter. And truthfully he didn’t know which side Saturn would be on either. Did he really want to chance this? Even if Venus, Mercury, and Mars won, there was no way his crew would come out unscathed.

    “Maybe… Give me some time to think it over.” Thomas said, words carefully calculated. “I need to think about it and…”

    He needed to talk to the Planets about it, see what they would say. 

    Remy nodded, “Okay, cool, just hurry it up, okay? I need to finalize where we’re heading by like… I don’t know a couple days? Just hurry!”

    “Well that was descriptive,” Joan laughed, “At least give a real time frame.”

    “Ugh fine, like… three days, sound good?”

    Thomas nodded, “Yup, I just need to… talk with some people.” He said, hoping Remy and Joan would get the hint. Talyn still didn’t know, and if Thomas was being honest he was already getting nervous with how fast the amount of people who did know was growing. Nothing against Talyn, obviously, but maybe five people was enough. 

    More than enough, if he was being honest.

    “Alright, but hurry! I’m still voting Alpha Centauri, I wanna get some cool photos.” Remy grinned, taking another sip of his coffee. He threw his arm over Thomas’ shoulders, and smiled wide at the two others in the room. “We’re going to Alpha Centauri, b*tches!” 

    Thomas laughed, “Maybe, Remy. I’ll think about it.”