Luck of the Stars [Part 3]
Aug. 8th, 2020 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: It started with Frankenstein chasing up the engineering officer, Muzaka Starr, for a late checkup. But there's something about the man that interests Frankenstein the more he interacts with him.
Notes: Space AU square for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
trope_bingo. :D
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 2,047
Total word count: 6,307
Status: Work in progress
"Do you have anything to occupy yourself with?" Frankenstein asked as he placed a new slide onto the microscope. As much as he appreciated Muzaka wanting to make sure he was all right, he didn't want Muzaka to be bored either.
"Heh, I can't exactly bring my hoverbike in here to work on," Muzaka said from Frankenstein's desk.
"Oh? Is that what you do in your spare time?" Interesting. But yes, there wasn't enough space in Frankenstein's office for a hoverbike engine, let alone the full machine.
"Yeah."
"Then go to her," Frankenstein said. When he looked over at Muzaka's silence, Muzaka's lips were a thin line.
"I'm safe here," Frankenstein continued, picking up his scanner again. One more scan and he nodded. "There's still no change."
"How long did it take before you noticed the difference?" Muzaka asked.
Frankenstein hummed, thinking it over. "A couple of hours," he said. "Not a full day later."
"So there's still time."
Frankenstein raised an eyebrow, amused. "Are you suggesting you'll follow me to bed to make sure I'm all right?"
"If it means you won't be alone for someone to check on ya, yeah," Muzaka replied with no hesitation.
Frankenstein shook his head, still smiling. "I'll send a message in the morning. Go and do something that isn't staring at the walls."
Muzaka studied him for a few seconds and then nodded. "If you're sure."
"I am."
"All right," Muzaka stood up from Frankenstein's chair and stretched. Frankenstein was surprised to not hear Muzaka's joints crack considering how he hadn't moved much in the past couple hours. ...Had it been that long? Damn. He should have made the suggestion earlier but Muzaka probably wouldn't have been satisfied if he had.
"But thank you, for staying."
Muzaka shrugged. "Just make sure you contact me, all right?"
"I will," Frankenstein said, hearing Muzaka leave.
* * *
Frankenstein slipped into his bed, his eyes already drooping. But he had promised Muzaka. He picked up his communications stick, its screen lighting up and hovering above it. He flicked to the messages window, finding Muzaka easily enough.
The icon to show the recipient was typing showed up almost instantly.
Frankenstein smiled.
Frankenstein chuckled at that, yawning.
He set the stick down, the screen disappearing. He switched the lights off and was asleep instantly.
* * *
Frankenstein woke up well enough a few hours later. He felt well rested and when he got out of his bed, his night clothes still fit him the same as they had the night before. His hand was unchanged as well.
* * *
When Frankenstein entered the cafeteria, he smiled at the sight of Muzaka, leaning an elbow on a table, resting his chin in his palm as he ate.
It didn't take long to collect breakfast and Muzaka hadn't moved away just yet.
"Morning," Frankenstein said, taking a chair opposite Muzaka. "Night shift?"
"Yeah," Muzaka said, his eyes half-lidded. "She's been actin' up lately, so she needed more checks an' tests."
Frankenstein nodded, starting to eat. "As you can see, I'm still alive and myself, so you're free to go to sleep."
Muzaka narrowed his eyes at him. "Or maybe I'm hallucinatin' you."
"Then you definitely need to sleep," Frankenstein said lightly. "Doctor's orders."
Muzaka made a grumbling sound, grimacing. "Fine. I'll see ya later," he said as he collected his tray.
"Of course."
* * *
Throughout the day, Frankenstein felt no different than usual. He'd scanned himself in the lull between seeing patients, but there had been no wild changes.
Frankenstein sat in his office chair with a soft groan, leaning his head on the headrest. That did feel nice.
He opened his eyes a slit when his office door slid open. Someone else who was needing seen?
He smiled at the sight of Muzaka, looking far more alert than the last time they'd met.
"Did you at least go out for lunch?" Muzaka said with a shake of the head.
"I was able to grab something quick," Frankenstein said. "And everything is as it should be," he said before Muzaka could ask.
Muzaka smiled softly. "Ready for dinner then?"
Frankenstein laughed, pushing himself to his feet again. "More than."
* * *
Frankenstein hummed as he watched the stars move past the window he and Muzaka had been able get a table at. He turned his attention back to Muzaka as they started eating. "Are you convinced yet that I'm not going to mutate into something just because we touched?" Which, in all honesty, was an actual hazard with explorative space travel.
Muzaka poked at his food, frowning. "Can ya blame me for bein' worried?"
"Not really."
"But...yeah, I do feel better knowin' now," Muzaka said. "Thanks."
Frankenstein smiled at him.
* * *
The area they teleported down for their next shore leave was another beach-like area, the sea a bright violet. The sand was bigger, more like shining rocks with much larger flat ones that were as long as an adult. Those ones had a dip or fissure that had collected water in them, and Frankenstein eyed them with distrust. He knew there was going to be at least one fractured bone in the med bay caused by a bad fall.
"You collectin' again?" Muzaka said, walking over.
"Of course," Frankenstein said. "Do you want to help?"
Muzaka looked across at the flora around them, his hands jammed in his trouser pockets. "I can give you company instead?"
"That is more than enough," Frankenstein said, already heading for the closest plant that had caught his interest.
It didn't take long for the sounds of chatter to fade in the distance, Muzaka pointing out other plants while Frankenstein collected his samples.
"What are you plan-"
"Frankenstein!" Muzaka hissed, cutting him off.
Frankenstein froze, hearing the sharp command in Muzaka's tone, that he'd spotted something out of place. Something dangerous?
He slowly stretched up from his crouch, trying to see what Muzaka had.
There was a group of aliens on the other side of the small clearing they were in. They were a little shorter than Frankenstein, four dark eyes peering at them from under their wide-rimmed leaf hats. They were quadrupeds, with a more humanoid top half where a head would be on a human animal, like a centaur. Their clothes were the same shade of yellow as the leaves around them and bulky enough that Frankenstein couldn't see more details of their true shape. They weren't a race Frankenstein had seen before, nor their clothes one that Frankenstein recognised.
The four of them were also pointing phasers at them.
Frankenstein raised his hands, leaving his samples by his feet.
When the leader of the group called out to them, Frankenstein blinked, shaking his head. The universal translator usually helped to cross the language barrier, but all he heard a jumble of what sounded like growls, interspersed with other low sounds that he wasn't sure his throat could emulate.
If the translator didn't work, then the aliens were a race that humans hadn't been in contact with before.
It was something Frankenstein would have normally been excited about, to learn more about them, but not when he had phasers pointed at his chest.
Frankenstein snapped his head to Muzaka, his eyes wide, when Muzaka replied in the same language, one growl so deep Frankenstein was sure that must have come straight from his chest.
The aliens seemed as surprised as Frankenstein was, starting a flurry of an exchange that was too fast for Frankenstein to follow, even if he could understand what was being said.
It didn't last long, the aliens storing their phasers away as two scurried away.
"How-" Frankenstein exhaled, dropping his hands. "How did you know what they were saying?"
"Huh?" Muzaka scratched his cheek. "I learned their language?"
"How were you not snapped up by the comms division?" Frankenstein murmured, staring in the direction the aliens had disappeared in. To fluently know a language that hadn't been fully recorded yet... That was rare, and very valued.
"Eh," Muzaka said, shrugging. "I can pick up the important parts of a language and I like talkin' with people, but I can't do that all day. Listening to the hum of an engine through..." He smiled wistfully.
Frankenstein saw the aliens return with more in tow.
"What did you tell them?"
"I let 'em know we're here and they're gathering a welcoming committee for us - they're also bringing their doctor so you can chat about what they use their plants for."
Frankenstein perked up, instantly picking out the alien who had a holo-pad in their six-fingered grasp. "Thank you!"
"Heh, no problem."
* * *
Muzaka leaned on Frankenstein's shoulder as they walked through Alaunus' corridors, his feet dragging a little. Their extended meeting with the hurroffs had taken quite the toll on Muzaka.
"How's your throat?" Frankenstein asked as Muzaka led him to his private quarters.
Muzaka grumbled something before he grimaced. "As well as expected." His voice rasped, which Frankenstein wasn't surprised at, considering what he'd been making his throat do over the last number of hours. "Thanks for gettin' me outta there."
Frankenstein laughed softly. "You were starting to look like a caged animal every time dela Cruz approached you for more clarification." No, while Muzaka could learn a language, he wasn't passionate about the sheer amount of interactions that would force him into. "It would have been cruel to let that continue."
"Wasn't sure if dela Cruz was tryin' to torture me by tryna wring out every little detail," Muzaka grumbled.
"The wrong connotation has strained enough relations already," Frankenstein pointed out.
"Yeah, well, hopefully I gave enough basics dela Cruz won't need to seek me out again."
Frankenstein tried to hide his smile. He really did.
Muzaka saw it anyway and he grimaced. "Do I need ta hide from my messages again?"
"From what I've heard of her, dela Cruz can be rather...persistent in her work."
"An' that's comin' from you." Muzaka huffed before studying him. "Can I get a doctor's note? Sayin' I've got somethin' contagious?
Frankenstein raised his eyebrows, still smiling. "And how is that meant to stop you from receiving messages? I'm sure there are people who would welcome being contacted while they're ill to distract them."
"Not me, nope." Muzaka shook his head furiously. "Zero contact. None. It also screwed with my throat. Can't talk."
"Again, unless whatever malaise you have unfortunately suddenly developed has also taken your motor and eye control, you could still be able to answer a message."
"But there is somethin' I could have which meant I can't respond?" Muzaka said hopefully.
"I'm not informing other crewmembers that you've slipped into a coma."
Muzaka grimaced. "Damn. Hiding it is." He looked to their right and brightened. "Here we are."
"Will you be able to reach your bed with no trouble?" Frankenstein asked. Muzaka, while tired, didn't seem quite exhausted enough to trip over his own feet, but that could be due to having support.
Muzaka opened his door with the swipe of his hand before he peered into his quarters. It was clean and sparsely decorated, almost looking like someone had only just moved in, and not spent years in already. "Yeah, I can make that." He let go of Frankenstein's shoulder, walking in. "Thanks f'r everythin'."
"I wasn't going to let you stumble home by yourself," Frankenstein said, shaking his head.
"Such a nice doc, heh." Muzaka grinned at him. "Night."
"Goodnight," Frankenstein said, hearing the door hiss shut as he left.
Now to decide if he wanted to start working on his samples right now or head to bed himself...
Summary: It started with Frankenstein chasing up the engineering officer, Muzaka Starr, for a late checkup. But there's something about the man that interests Frankenstein the more he interacts with him.
Notes: Space AU square for
trope_bingo. :D Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 2,047
Total word count: 6,307
Status: Work in progress
"Do you have anything to occupy yourself with?" Frankenstein asked as he placed a new slide onto the microscope. As much as he appreciated Muzaka wanting to make sure he was all right, he didn't want Muzaka to be bored either.
"Heh, I can't exactly bring my hoverbike in here to work on," Muzaka said from Frankenstein's desk.
"Oh? Is that what you do in your spare time?" Interesting. But yes, there wasn't enough space in Frankenstein's office for a hoverbike engine, let alone the full machine.
"Yeah."
"Then go to her," Frankenstein said. When he looked over at Muzaka's silence, Muzaka's lips were a thin line.
"I'm safe here," Frankenstein continued, picking up his scanner again. One more scan and he nodded. "There's still no change."
"How long did it take before you noticed the difference?" Muzaka asked.
Frankenstein hummed, thinking it over. "A couple of hours," he said. "Not a full day later."
"So there's still time."
Frankenstein raised an eyebrow, amused. "Are you suggesting you'll follow me to bed to make sure I'm all right?"
"If it means you won't be alone for someone to check on ya, yeah," Muzaka replied with no hesitation.
Frankenstein shook his head, still smiling. "I'll send a message in the morning. Go and do something that isn't staring at the walls."
Muzaka studied him for a few seconds and then nodded. "If you're sure."
"I am."
"All right," Muzaka stood up from Frankenstein's chair and stretched. Frankenstein was surprised to not hear Muzaka's joints crack considering how he hadn't moved much in the past couple hours. ...Had it been that long? Damn. He should have made the suggestion earlier but Muzaka probably wouldn't have been satisfied if he had.
"But thank you, for staying."
Muzaka shrugged. "Just make sure you contact me, all right?"
"I will," Frankenstein said, hearing Muzaka leave.
Frankenstein slipped into his bed, his eyes already drooping. But he had promised Muzaka. He picked up his communications stick, its screen lighting up and hovering above it. He flicked to the messages window, finding Muzaka easily enough.
[I'm still alive as of 01:00. F]The icon to show the recipient was typing showed up almost instantly.
[For a doctor, I would have thought you would sleep earlier.]Frankenstein smiled.
[Being a doctor involves a lot of work and long nights. F]
[And it's better for your health if you have more sleep.]Frankenstein chuckled at that, yawning.
[True. Thank you for your concern. F]He set the stick down, the screen disappearing. He switched the lights off and was asleep instantly.
Frankenstein woke up well enough a few hours later. He felt well rested and when he got out of his bed, his night clothes still fit him the same as they had the night before. His hand was unchanged as well.
[Still alive and still the same height. F] he sent to Muzaka. There was no immediate response and Frankenstein went to get ready. Muzaka was probably busy. When Frankenstein entered the cafeteria, he smiled at the sight of Muzaka, leaning an elbow on a table, resting his chin in his palm as he ate.
It didn't take long to collect breakfast and Muzaka hadn't moved away just yet.
"Morning," Frankenstein said, taking a chair opposite Muzaka. "Night shift?"
"Yeah," Muzaka said, his eyes half-lidded. "She's been actin' up lately, so she needed more checks an' tests."
Frankenstein nodded, starting to eat. "As you can see, I'm still alive and myself, so you're free to go to sleep."
Muzaka narrowed his eyes at him. "Or maybe I'm hallucinatin' you."
"Then you definitely need to sleep," Frankenstein said lightly. "Doctor's orders."
Muzaka made a grumbling sound, grimacing. "Fine. I'll see ya later," he said as he collected his tray.
"Of course."
Throughout the day, Frankenstein felt no different than usual. He'd scanned himself in the lull between seeing patients, but there had been no wild changes.
Frankenstein sat in his office chair with a soft groan, leaning his head on the headrest. That did feel nice.
He opened his eyes a slit when his office door slid open. Someone else who was needing seen?
He smiled at the sight of Muzaka, looking far more alert than the last time they'd met.
"Did you at least go out for lunch?" Muzaka said with a shake of the head.
"I was able to grab something quick," Frankenstein said. "And everything is as it should be," he said before Muzaka could ask.
Muzaka smiled softly. "Ready for dinner then?"
Frankenstein laughed, pushing himself to his feet again. "More than."
Frankenstein hummed as he watched the stars move past the window he and Muzaka had been able get a table at. He turned his attention back to Muzaka as they started eating. "Are you convinced yet that I'm not going to mutate into something just because we touched?" Which, in all honesty, was an actual hazard with explorative space travel.
Muzaka poked at his food, frowning. "Can ya blame me for bein' worried?"
"Not really."
"But...yeah, I do feel better knowin' now," Muzaka said. "Thanks."
Frankenstein smiled at him.
The area they teleported down for their next shore leave was another beach-like area, the sea a bright violet. The sand was bigger, more like shining rocks with much larger flat ones that were as long as an adult. Those ones had a dip or fissure that had collected water in them, and Frankenstein eyed them with distrust. He knew there was going to be at least one fractured bone in the med bay caused by a bad fall.
"You collectin' again?" Muzaka said, walking over.
"Of course," Frankenstein said. "Do you want to help?"
Muzaka looked across at the flora around them, his hands jammed in his trouser pockets. "I can give you company instead?"
"That is more than enough," Frankenstein said, already heading for the closest plant that had caught his interest.
It didn't take long for the sounds of chatter to fade in the distance, Muzaka pointing out other plants while Frankenstein collected his samples.
"What are you plan-"
"Frankenstein!" Muzaka hissed, cutting him off.
Frankenstein froze, hearing the sharp command in Muzaka's tone, that he'd spotted something out of place. Something dangerous?
He slowly stretched up from his crouch, trying to see what Muzaka had.
There was a group of aliens on the other side of the small clearing they were in. They were a little shorter than Frankenstein, four dark eyes peering at them from under their wide-rimmed leaf hats. They were quadrupeds, with a more humanoid top half where a head would be on a human animal, like a centaur. Their clothes were the same shade of yellow as the leaves around them and bulky enough that Frankenstein couldn't see more details of their true shape. They weren't a race Frankenstein had seen before, nor their clothes one that Frankenstein recognised.
The four of them were also pointing phasers at them.
Frankenstein raised his hands, leaving his samples by his feet.
When the leader of the group called out to them, Frankenstein blinked, shaking his head. The universal translator usually helped to cross the language barrier, but all he heard a jumble of what sounded like growls, interspersed with other low sounds that he wasn't sure his throat could emulate.
If the translator didn't work, then the aliens were a race that humans hadn't been in contact with before.
It was something Frankenstein would have normally been excited about, to learn more about them, but not when he had phasers pointed at his chest.
Frankenstein snapped his head to Muzaka, his eyes wide, when Muzaka replied in the same language, one growl so deep Frankenstein was sure that must have come straight from his chest.
The aliens seemed as surprised as Frankenstein was, starting a flurry of an exchange that was too fast for Frankenstein to follow, even if he could understand what was being said.
It didn't last long, the aliens storing their phasers away as two scurried away.
"How-" Frankenstein exhaled, dropping his hands. "How did you know what they were saying?"
"Huh?" Muzaka scratched his cheek. "I learned their language?"
"How were you not snapped up by the comms division?" Frankenstein murmured, staring in the direction the aliens had disappeared in. To fluently know a language that hadn't been fully recorded yet... That was rare, and very valued.
"Eh," Muzaka said, shrugging. "I can pick up the important parts of a language and I like talkin' with people, but I can't do that all day. Listening to the hum of an engine through..." He smiled wistfully.
Frankenstein saw the aliens return with more in tow.
"What did you tell them?"
"I let 'em know we're here and they're gathering a welcoming committee for us - they're also bringing their doctor so you can chat about what they use their plants for."
Frankenstein perked up, instantly picking out the alien who had a holo-pad in their six-fingered grasp. "Thank you!"
"Heh, no problem."
Muzaka leaned on Frankenstein's shoulder as they walked through Alaunus' corridors, his feet dragging a little. Their extended meeting with the hurroffs had taken quite the toll on Muzaka.
"How's your throat?" Frankenstein asked as Muzaka led him to his private quarters.
Muzaka grumbled something before he grimaced. "As well as expected." His voice rasped, which Frankenstein wasn't surprised at, considering what he'd been making his throat do over the last number of hours. "Thanks for gettin' me outta there."
Frankenstein laughed softly. "You were starting to look like a caged animal every time dela Cruz approached you for more clarification." No, while Muzaka could learn a language, he wasn't passionate about the sheer amount of interactions that would force him into. "It would have been cruel to let that continue."
"Wasn't sure if dela Cruz was tryin' to torture me by tryna wring out every little detail," Muzaka grumbled.
"The wrong connotation has strained enough relations already," Frankenstein pointed out.
"Yeah, well, hopefully I gave enough basics dela Cruz won't need to seek me out again."
Frankenstein tried to hide his smile. He really did.
Muzaka saw it anyway and he grimaced. "Do I need ta hide from my messages again?"
"From what I've heard of her, dela Cruz can be rather...persistent in her work."
"An' that's comin' from you." Muzaka huffed before studying him. "Can I get a doctor's note? Sayin' I've got somethin' contagious?
Frankenstein raised his eyebrows, still smiling. "And how is that meant to stop you from receiving messages? I'm sure there are people who would welcome being contacted while they're ill to distract them."
"Not me, nope." Muzaka shook his head furiously. "Zero contact. None. It also screwed with my throat. Can't talk."
"Again, unless whatever malaise you have unfortunately suddenly developed has also taken your motor and eye control, you could still be able to answer a message."
"But there is somethin' I could have which meant I can't respond?" Muzaka said hopefully.
"I'm not informing other crewmembers that you've slipped into a coma."
Muzaka grimaced. "Damn. Hiding it is." He looked to their right and brightened. "Here we are."
"Will you be able to reach your bed with no trouble?" Frankenstein asked. Muzaka, while tired, didn't seem quite exhausted enough to trip over his own feet, but that could be due to having support.
Muzaka opened his door with the swipe of his hand before he peered into his quarters. It was clean and sparsely decorated, almost looking like someone had only just moved in, and not spent years in already. "Yeah, I can make that." He let go of Frankenstein's shoulder, walking in. "Thanks f'r everythin'."
"I wasn't going to let you stumble home by yourself," Frankenstein said, shaking his head.
"Such a nice doc, heh." Muzaka grinned at him. "Night."
"Goodnight," Frankenstein said, hearing the door hiss shut as he left.
Now to decide if he wanted to start working on his samples right now or head to bed himself...