Imposter [Part 47]
May. 30th, 2021 08:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: The rescue.
Contains: Dead bodies.
Notes: Among Us AU! :D
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi
Word count: 2,014
Total word count: 53,465
Status: Work in progress
Kentas tried to steady his breathing, tried to keep himself loose for when he needed to bolt again as he approached the medbay doors. He should be fine. There were still two sets of doors between him and the imposter and the doors wouldn't open at the same time.
He got to the door, but he paused, glancing back. He should have heard the door close already...
Em was still at the doors, making sure they wouldn't close.
[What're you looking at me for?] Em grumbled. [Open the door already.]
Kentas couldn't stop his soft smile as he turned back to the door. Unlocking the door was done in a matter of seconds, and Kentas dashed away, both him and Em entering the lab at the same time.
They raced towards the specimen room doors, and Kentas felt every second tick by as they waited inside decontamination. Em had his hand pressed to where the doors would open, while Kentas kept his eye on the lab doors, in case the imposter decided to go straight through them than wait.
[Aaand they're in!] Tao said. [Lock 'em up, Em.]
Em's hands were already moving across his pad as the decontamination doors opened in front of them.
Kentas heard Em's exhale when the light by the door flashed red.
[All right, yep, looks good. Imposter's just starin' at the door. Head on back to the dropship now.]
Nodding, Kentas and Em started running again.
*
Muzaka slowed to regain his breath as he approached the Union ship. He'd been here before, but he hadn't gone inside.
[There's still a couple agents wandering inside,] Tao told him. [They're mostly keepin' to their rooms, so you can go in. I've tweaked their cameras to loop, so anyone peekin' in Security won't see ya.]
Muzaka nodded. [How long do I have left?]
Tao didn't answer straight away. [Em and Kentas aren't here yet, an' Takeo's still doin' the checks, so you've got time.]
Muzaka could still feel the deadline looming. He didn't have a weapon, or a plan - he just knew he had to get Frankenstein out.
[What way do I have to go?]
[He's in their Medbay, by the looks of it,] Tao said. [It's...pretty much one of the furthest away areas from the exit.]
He exhaled. Of course it was.
[They probably didn't want people having a short route to escape,] he heard Tao mutter under his breath.
That sounded about right. And he was wasting time right now. Time neither of them had. Muzaka strode forward, the doors opening before he reached them. Must have been Tao.
[Head right.]
Muzaka did as Tao directed, keeping an eye out on anything he could use as a weapon. The ship was newer than the base or their dropship, that much was clear even at a glance. The walls and floor were so much shinier, with less rust and grime sticking to them. Muzaka didn't see open panels, where the panels had broken from too much opening and closing to fix their innards either.
It also meant less clutter he could use as a weapon. Would he need to risk going into one of the rooms to find one? If he needed one.
He might not, if things went well. There was still a chance of that.
[Just keep followin' the corridor until - damn, one just went out. Duck into the room on your left.]
The room looked like it was Storage, and while Muzaka waited for Tao's signal, he rummaged around the boxes, looking for something to use.
Even if the ship was newer, they still needed the same tools to maintain her, and Muzaka picked up a wrench. That should do it.
[You're clear now,] Tao said. [Head left and keep going.]
[All right.] Muzaka kept the wrench in his hand, but out of obvious view as he left Storage.
Now he just had to get to Frankenstein.
*
Frankenstein drifted in and out of consciousness. They were too tired to move, too tired to even focus their eyes sometimes, so there were points where all they could see were fuzzy lights, nothing more.
But they couldn't fall asleep. Not now. They had to know if the others had made it off the planet.
Though how would they manage to know that... Only if the agents told them, and Frankenstein doubted anyone at the Union would offer up any information to them. Especially now. After what they'd done.
Or not done, in the Union's eyes.
But...they didn't regret it. They wouldn't have gotten so close to Em, to Muzaka, to the others if they'd continued to follow their orders to kill as many crewmates as possible.
They'd wanted to stop killing, and it looked like it would happen one way or another now.
It would have been nice to experience what it was like being on a ship without a constant reminder of who they were working for but...
They sighed. What was done was done. They couldn't escape now.
They saw the door open from the corner of their eyes, but didn't turn to look. They didn't have the energ-
A familiar white 'suit filled their vision. [Frankenstein?]
It felt like a hand was on their shoulder, but that wouldn't make any sense. Why would Muzaka be here?
[Frankenstein, c'mon, talk to me.]
[Muzaka...?]
A soft exhale. [Good, yer still - anyway. Let's get outta here.]
Frankenstein's mind was still trying to understand what was going on, processing things annoyingly slow. [Why...are you here...?] They heard the screech of metal being twisted, Muzaka grunting with exertion.
[You thought I'd just leave ya behind? Seriously?] One by one, the weights on Frankenstein's limbs disappeared.
Well. Now that they were trying to consider how the others would have reacted... They wheezed a chuckle. [I was...unable to think straight at the time.] They'd only considered what was best for the others, not if the others would agree to that decision.
They could see from the way Muzaka's helmet tilted that they were looking them over. [You can't walk, can ya?]
[Unfortunately, no.] Gravity was enough to hold them down right now, and they were lucky to even still be conscious after what their body had gone through.
[Then I'll carry ya.]
Frankenstein had just enough time to understand what Muzaka had said before they found themself in Muzaka's arms, their head resting on his shoulder.
This...was a much more preferable carry than their previous one.
But they'd spent what little reserves they had left, and they couldn't keep their eyes open any more...
*
Muzaka frowned. [Frankenstein?] he said, tightening his grip when Frankenstein went limp.
No response.
Just... He'd fallen asleep, right? He couldn't be...
Muzaka span on his heel and ran out of the room, making a beeline for the exit.
[You're doing fine - no other agents are moving in your direction.]
That was all Muzaka needed to hear and he dove forward, not caring how much noise he made. [We've got the fuel,] he found himself saying as they exited the ship, most of the snowfall gone now. He followed his own tracks back to the base, the shadows in the distance feeling far too far, no matter how fast he ran. [Em and Kentas are still alive too - they're makin' their way to the dropship now.]
Nothing.
That was...fine. Frankenstein was just resting after what had happened.
[You can relax,] Tao said in Muzaka's ear. [I can see Boss' vitals - he's still alive.]
Muzaka briefly closed his eyes, hands tightening on Frankenstein. [Thanks. I mean it.]
Hopefully Frankenstein would be fine until they make it back to the dropship.
*
"We good?" Tao said, keeping his eye on the others, as he drummed his finger against his pad, bouncing his leg as well. Black was still locked in the labs, staring at the door, and good. They weren't going to cause any trouble.
"Engines are ready."
So now they just had to wait for the others to arrive.
Muzaka was going through the western building while Em and Kentas were charging up the central area. They would end up meeting right before-
Tao sucked in a breath.
Blind spot, blind spot yet again. He'd been so focused on the others that he hadn't checked if the dropship itself was clear. There was still an agent hovering near the entrance. It must have detected an energy signal, or maybe noticed some vibrations or something.
Didn't matter.
What mattered was that the others were heading straight for them.
What could they do? Muzaka's arms were busy holding Frankenstein, the agent was equipped to handle Em, which left Kentas? The agent still had a gun that could pierce through 'suits.
And Takeo had to pilot the ship. He couldn't leave the cockpit now - he had to launch the ship as soon as everyone arrived.
Think. Thinkthink, was there anything he could do? Tao didn't have much time, the others drawing closer with every passing second. He couldn't tell them to stop, because this was their only chance - and if the agent came onto the ship to investigate...
Now.
It had to be now.
What could he use as a distraction? The agent was probably an android, but Tao didn't know how to interface with them - it would take too long, and the androids would have more safeguards against hacking than the security systems. Pass.
Nothing on the cameras he could us...
He saw Aris' body in Electrical.
That was something he could use.
He just had to hope the androids were still human enough to have a flinch instinct.
"Gonna report a body," Tao told the others. "Keep going past the agent."
Gave them a heads up, so now he had to time this perfectly. Too early, and the agent would have enough time to recover; too late, and the agent could have already shot at them.
Just enough for the agent to see them, but not enough to aim properly.
He'd done this before.
He could do it again.
Tao saw the agent turn away from the dropship doors. Too early. Look between Muzaka and Em. Still too early. Reach for their gun.
At the speed the others were moving, Kentas would meet the agent first, Em slowing down enough to fall behind him.
The agent aimed.
Towards Kentas.
Now!
Tao glanced at Aris' body, still limp against the Electrical wall and parts of her suit obviously charred, seeing the report icon fill in in the corner of his pad.
He pressed it, bracing himself for the alert.
*
Muzaka gritted his teeth as the alert blazed across his visor, the warning klaxon slamming into his eardrums, trying not to flinch out of instinct.
He saw the agent twitch their gun to Muzaka's right, aiming for the flashing red light.
Distracted.
Kentas pulled ahead, since he wasn't carrying anyone, grabbed the agent's gun and shoved the agent to the ground. Kentas tossed the gun in the other direction, and Muzaka might have seen it fall over the edge of the cliff. He wasn't sure. He didn't pay it much attention, just trying to get to the doors as fast as possible.
The doors opened, the four of them tumbling in. Muzaka saw the doors close with the agent still trying to reach them.
As soon as the doors closed, the room rumbled around them. They were in the air.
His back knocked into the wall as everything shifted, as the ship tilted upwards and he slid down to sit, pulling Frankenstein's helmet off and his own.
Frankenstein's eyes were closed, his face pale, but when Muzaka put his ear closer to him, he could hear his breathing. It was laboured, but he was breathing.
He knew Tao had told him, but he needed to see and hear it for himself.
Muzaka let out a shuddering breath. He felt the ship continue its ascent as he hugged Frankenstein close, making sure he continued to hear Frankenstein breathe.
M-21 was going to kill the final agent as they ran past, but it didn't quite fit his character at the moment, so Kentas' bulk to the rescue, aha.
Just the epilogue left. :)
Summary: The rescue.
Contains: Dead bodies.
Notes: Among Us AU! :D
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi
Word count: 2,014
Total word count: 53,465
Status: Work in progress
Kentas tried to steady his breathing, tried to keep himself loose for when he needed to bolt again as he approached the medbay doors. He should be fine. There were still two sets of doors between him and the imposter and the doors wouldn't open at the same time.
He got to the door, but he paused, glancing back. He should have heard the door close already...
Em was still at the doors, making sure they wouldn't close.
[What're you looking at me for?] Em grumbled. [Open the door already.]
Kentas couldn't stop his soft smile as he turned back to the door. Unlocking the door was done in a matter of seconds, and Kentas dashed away, both him and Em entering the lab at the same time.
They raced towards the specimen room doors, and Kentas felt every second tick by as they waited inside decontamination. Em had his hand pressed to where the doors would open, while Kentas kept his eye on the lab doors, in case the imposter decided to go straight through them than wait.
[Aaand they're in!] Tao said. [Lock 'em up, Em.]
Em's hands were already moving across his pad as the decontamination doors opened in front of them.
Kentas heard Em's exhale when the light by the door flashed red.
[All right, yep, looks good. Imposter's just starin' at the door. Head on back to the dropship now.]
Nodding, Kentas and Em started running again.
Muzaka slowed to regain his breath as he approached the Union ship. He'd been here before, but he hadn't gone inside.
[There's still a couple agents wandering inside,] Tao told him. [They're mostly keepin' to their rooms, so you can go in. I've tweaked their cameras to loop, so anyone peekin' in Security won't see ya.]
Muzaka nodded. [How long do I have left?]
Tao didn't answer straight away. [Em and Kentas aren't here yet, an' Takeo's still doin' the checks, so you've got time.]
Muzaka could still feel the deadline looming. He didn't have a weapon, or a plan - he just knew he had to get Frankenstein out.
[What way do I have to go?]
[He's in their Medbay, by the looks of it,] Tao said. [It's...pretty much one of the furthest away areas from the exit.]
He exhaled. Of course it was.
[They probably didn't want people having a short route to escape,] he heard Tao mutter under his breath.
That sounded about right. And he was wasting time right now. Time neither of them had. Muzaka strode forward, the doors opening before he reached them. Must have been Tao.
[Head right.]
Muzaka did as Tao directed, keeping an eye out on anything he could use as a weapon. The ship was newer than the base or their dropship, that much was clear even at a glance. The walls and floor were so much shinier, with less rust and grime sticking to them. Muzaka didn't see open panels, where the panels had broken from too much opening and closing to fix their innards either.
It also meant less clutter he could use as a weapon. Would he need to risk going into one of the rooms to find one? If he needed one.
He might not, if things went well. There was still a chance of that.
[Just keep followin' the corridor until - damn, one just went out. Duck into the room on your left.]
The room looked like it was Storage, and while Muzaka waited for Tao's signal, he rummaged around the boxes, looking for something to use.
Even if the ship was newer, they still needed the same tools to maintain her, and Muzaka picked up a wrench. That should do it.
[You're clear now,] Tao said. [Head left and keep going.]
[All right.] Muzaka kept the wrench in his hand, but out of obvious view as he left Storage.
Now he just had to get to Frankenstein.
Frankenstein drifted in and out of consciousness. They were too tired to move, too tired to even focus their eyes sometimes, so there were points where all they could see were fuzzy lights, nothing more.
But they couldn't fall asleep. Not now. They had to know if the others had made it off the planet.
Though how would they manage to know that... Only if the agents told them, and Frankenstein doubted anyone at the Union would offer up any information to them. Especially now. After what they'd done.
Or not done, in the Union's eyes.
But...they didn't regret it. They wouldn't have gotten so close to Em, to Muzaka, to the others if they'd continued to follow their orders to kill as many crewmates as possible.
They'd wanted to stop killing, and it looked like it would happen one way or another now.
It would have been nice to experience what it was like being on a ship without a constant reminder of who they were working for but...
They sighed. What was done was done. They couldn't escape now.
They saw the door open from the corner of their eyes, but didn't turn to look. They didn't have the energ-
A familiar white 'suit filled their vision. [Frankenstein?]
It felt like a hand was on their shoulder, but that wouldn't make any sense. Why would Muzaka be here?
[Frankenstein, c'mon, talk to me.]
[Muzaka...?]
A soft exhale. [Good, yer still - anyway. Let's get outta here.]
Frankenstein's mind was still trying to understand what was going on, processing things annoyingly slow. [Why...are you here...?] They heard the screech of metal being twisted, Muzaka grunting with exertion.
[You thought I'd just leave ya behind? Seriously?] One by one, the weights on Frankenstein's limbs disappeared.
Well. Now that they were trying to consider how the others would have reacted... They wheezed a chuckle. [I was...unable to think straight at the time.] They'd only considered what was best for the others, not if the others would agree to that decision.
They could see from the way Muzaka's helmet tilted that they were looking them over. [You can't walk, can ya?]
[Unfortunately, no.] Gravity was enough to hold them down right now, and they were lucky to even still be conscious after what their body had gone through.
[Then I'll carry ya.]
Frankenstein had just enough time to understand what Muzaka had said before they found themself in Muzaka's arms, their head resting on his shoulder.
This...was a much more preferable carry than their previous one.
But they'd spent what little reserves they had left, and they couldn't keep their eyes open any more...
Muzaka frowned. [Frankenstein?] he said, tightening his grip when Frankenstein went limp.
No response.
Just... He'd fallen asleep, right? He couldn't be...
Muzaka span on his heel and ran out of the room, making a beeline for the exit.
[You're doing fine - no other agents are moving in your direction.]
That was all Muzaka needed to hear and he dove forward, not caring how much noise he made. [We've got the fuel,] he found himself saying as they exited the ship, most of the snowfall gone now. He followed his own tracks back to the base, the shadows in the distance feeling far too far, no matter how fast he ran. [Em and Kentas are still alive too - they're makin' their way to the dropship now.]
Nothing.
That was...fine. Frankenstein was just resting after what had happened.
[You can relax,] Tao said in Muzaka's ear. [I can see Boss' vitals - he's still alive.]
Muzaka briefly closed his eyes, hands tightening on Frankenstein. [Thanks. I mean it.]
Hopefully Frankenstein would be fine until they make it back to the dropship.
"We good?" Tao said, keeping his eye on the others, as he drummed his finger against his pad, bouncing his leg as well. Black was still locked in the labs, staring at the door, and good. They weren't going to cause any trouble.
"Engines are ready."
So now they just had to wait for the others to arrive.
Muzaka was going through the western building while Em and Kentas were charging up the central area. They would end up meeting right before-
Tao sucked in a breath.
Blind spot, blind spot yet again. He'd been so focused on the others that he hadn't checked if the dropship itself was clear. There was still an agent hovering near the entrance. It must have detected an energy signal, or maybe noticed some vibrations or something.
Didn't matter.
What mattered was that the others were heading straight for them.
What could they do? Muzaka's arms were busy holding Frankenstein, the agent was equipped to handle Em, which left Kentas? The agent still had a gun that could pierce through 'suits.
And Takeo had to pilot the ship. He couldn't leave the cockpit now - he had to launch the ship as soon as everyone arrived.
Think. Thinkthink, was there anything he could do? Tao didn't have much time, the others drawing closer with every passing second. He couldn't tell them to stop, because this was their only chance - and if the agent came onto the ship to investigate...
Now.
It had to be now.
What could he use as a distraction? The agent was probably an android, but Tao didn't know how to interface with them - it would take too long, and the androids would have more safeguards against hacking than the security systems. Pass.
Nothing on the cameras he could us...
He saw Aris' body in Electrical.
That was something he could use.
He just had to hope the androids were still human enough to have a flinch instinct.
"Gonna report a body," Tao told the others. "Keep going past the agent."
Gave them a heads up, so now he had to time this perfectly. Too early, and the agent would have enough time to recover; too late, and the agent could have already shot at them.
Just enough for the agent to see them, but not enough to aim properly.
He'd done this before.
He could do it again.
Tao saw the agent turn away from the dropship doors. Too early. Look between Muzaka and Em. Still too early. Reach for their gun.
At the speed the others were moving, Kentas would meet the agent first, Em slowing down enough to fall behind him.
The agent aimed.
Towards Kentas.
Now!
Tao glanced at Aris' body, still limp against the Electrical wall and parts of her suit obviously charred, seeing the report icon fill in in the corner of his pad.
He pressed it, bracing himself for the alert.
Muzaka gritted his teeth as the alert blazed across his visor, the warning klaxon slamming into his eardrums, trying not to flinch out of instinct.
He saw the agent twitch their gun to Muzaka's right, aiming for the flashing red light.
Distracted.
Kentas pulled ahead, since he wasn't carrying anyone, grabbed the agent's gun and shoved the agent to the ground. Kentas tossed the gun in the other direction, and Muzaka might have seen it fall over the edge of the cliff. He wasn't sure. He didn't pay it much attention, just trying to get to the doors as fast as possible.
The doors opened, the four of them tumbling in. Muzaka saw the doors close with the agent still trying to reach them.
As soon as the doors closed, the room rumbled around them. They were in the air.
His back knocked into the wall as everything shifted, as the ship tilted upwards and he slid down to sit, pulling Frankenstein's helmet off and his own.
Frankenstein's eyes were closed, his face pale, but when Muzaka put his ear closer to him, he could hear his breathing. It was laboured, but he was breathing.
He knew Tao had told him, but he needed to see and hear it for himself.
Muzaka let out a shuddering breath. He felt the ship continue its ascent as he hugged Frankenstein close, making sure he continued to hear Frankenstein breathe.
M-21 was going to kill the final agent as they ran past, but it didn't quite fit his character at the moment, so Kentas' bulk to the rescue, aha.
Just the epilogue left. :)