Dismantle The Sun

Chapter 1

"... And the stars look very different today"- Space Oddity, David Bowie

The misty reams of space swirled around and hugged the bow of the giant, rustic space ship that weaved its way through the dusty nebula. The pink atoms of space dust parted as the battered hull cut a track creaking as she did so from her long journey and heavy cargo. Mites of star dust weaved lazily about her bulk. Glimmering agains the worn plating they highlighted the faded and stratched name: SS Norrington. Surveying the tranquil beauty of the reaches of space, on the bridge, stood a blondely handsome man, deep in pensive thought, his blonde hairs ruffled by the breeze that blew through the cabin.

"Captain, we have incoming" Came a voice from his left. Percival, the communications expert, a large man in a small chair that he complained about near constantly, not helped by his bulky mechanical arm, has a frown on his face as he stared dedicatedly at the screen before him. A small dot was quickly approaching the icon on the ship in the centre.

"Incoming what?" He asked, briskly, a slight frown making its presence known on his pleasing face.

"I...don't know. There's no other ships in proximity" He enlarged the diameter of the sensors with a flcik of his cybernetic finger and thumb and saw no other presence.

HULL BREACH IMMINENT the automated voiced of the ships alert system blared deafeinigly over the air. Sirens blared, the red alert lights flashing on and off and off and on again.

"Brace for im-" The blonde man started to bark a command but was cut off as the ship rocked as the sound of screeching tearing metal tore through the bridge, sparks flying from stations as the crew ducked for cover of were thrown from their seats.

AFT HULL BREACH

"Seal the sector! Lance, where's the nearest port?" ordered the Captain, the authority waving off him, like hot air hanging about tarmac in the blistering heat of a summer's afternoon.

"Two clicks past the starboard dwarf" he said, efficiently, with a vague gesture of his right hand. The man in charge sighed deeply, thinking for a parsec moment. He resolved his jaw.

"Can we make hyperspeed?" he asked shortly.

"We can try" grinned Gwaine the pilot, wildly handsome, as his fingers flowed over the keyboard, his serious brown eyes twinkless and betraying the audacity of his smile.

With a roar of the engines and the muttered affections of the pilot, the view beyond the windows blurred into a column of distant stars alnd light.

"How long?" asked the captain.

"Twelve....no ten seconds" replied Lance, his exotically handsome face stern.

"Prepare to dock" Leon, the ship's second in command instructed from the captain's shoulder.

"Hold on to your knickers ladies, it's going to be a rough one!" Gwaine announced as they aprubtly dropped out of hyperspace with a strained sound from the engine ans a shower of sparks from the pilot's console.

"Woo! That's a good girl!" He cheered, his Irish hands raised in joy as he praised the battered ship. The captain scowled at his joy, Leon clearing his throat in a surreptitious cough as he covered a small laugh at the pilot's infection joy.

"To the port, Gwaine." The blonde man reminded him sternly, arms folded tightly across his broad armored chest.

"Yes sir Cap'n Princess sir" He muttered and initiated the docking proceedure and the ship slid into the docking station, slotting in snuggly. There was a moment of calm, before a loud clunk reverberted through the hull.

"Sounds like a new engine." Leon sighed.

"We need to inspect the damage. Leon, Gwaine, Elyan, with me. Percival, Lance, go and do the paperwork. Don't get accused of anything illegal." ordered the blonde man, moving around the cabin with the swift efficiency of experience and purpoise.

"I'll just pretend we don't have a cargo bay full of liberated trackers shall I?" smiled Percival cheerfully.

"You've got the idea, sweetheart" grinned Gwaien implishly, as Percival rolled his eyes, blush sitting pertly on his cheeks.

"Gwaine! Get moving!" yelped the Captain as Leon gave him a glare to chivvy him along.

"C'mon, don't want to get left behind." Elyan grinned. As Percival and Lance made their way out of the ship onto the busy crescent shaped port, the remainined crew and their captain made their way swifly to the site of the impact.

With a swift series of taps on the keypard the aft section of the ship was unsealed and the doors slid open gratingly to reveal the carnage beyond. The curved roof had been punctured and was peeling in, and exposed wires sparked overhead. Whatever had hit them hadn't pierced any further through the ship as the change of pressure had slowed the projectile, which had formed a crater in the floor of what had once been an empty cabin, surrounded by scrap metal and electronics torn from the sides as it pased through.

The men looked grimly at the damage, with a nod from the captain they began to shift the chunks of debris from the missile, piling it up in corners for scrap.

"What-" Leon dropped a twisted plate of metal and looked down at the foot he had revealed.

"Someone's been dropping prisoners" Elyan snorted as he glanced at the appendige.

"And when I find them I with erase them" The pilot grumbled, hauling a large sheet to the side, causeing a cascade of clutter to crash along with it. Still partly concealed was a very pale, very much still breathing body.

"Quickly!" He commanded, brushing his hands along the flanks of the man, impossibly curled infrotn of him. His thumb trailed along a razor sharp cheek bone, searching for a reaction, he stood lost in the moment. Wiht a loud creak, another plate was pulled away and the Captain swiftly pulled the figure from the impact dent before the rest of the rubble could collapse on him ad deposited himon the clear floor. He wore a simple grey tunic and trousers and looked remarkably well preserved for someone who had apparently been in open space with no vessel or protective suit. When there was no movement, he bent and slapped the man hard on the cheek.

"Ow!" burgled the man grabbing his cheek. Instantly the men surrounding him had pistols in their hands, whirring with charge.

The blonde captain stood straight and stared att he figure, joined by Elyan and Leon. The man blinked back at him.

"Um. Hello." he blinked, slowly coming back to himself, wife eyed.

"Who are you, and what are you doing tearing holes in my ship?" The Captain asked pointedly, focussing the barrel of his gun. The man looked around alarmed at the destrcution around him.

"Did I do that?" the man asked confusedly.

"Answer the question." The captain repeated shortly.

"Oh-I'm Merlin." the man stammered, alarmed. The blonde man squatted down, not breaking his glaring eye contact.

"And?" he asked softly, but threateningly.

"....And I fell." he spoke, his words slow and deliberate, his eyes blue in confusion, he glanced up at the captain beckoningly.

"You fell. Into my ship. Destroyed an entire sector. And took out my engine. Do you have any idea who I am?" The man on the floor shook his head mutedly.

"My name is Captain Arthur Rothwell. Doubtless my reputation has preceded me." Arthur replied, his chest puffed out in pride, while Gwaine rolled his eyes in the back ground and grinned at the man's confusion.

"I think you were a bit too fast for it, Princess" he joked. Arthur didn't miss the subtle hufftle of laughter that escape the other man's porcelain nostril. He scowled.

"Take him to the brig. Not you Gwaine! You stay here and sort out....this" The blonde man waved his hands around in exasperation, leaving Leon and Elyan to haul the intruder to the brig, their faces appropriately schooled in straight expressions as they went about their tasks.