Dismantle The Sun

Chapter 2

"Gwaine. What is that." Arthur said, disapproval sitting squatled in his voice, from were he stood on the bridge, the rest of the team collected around him for their staff meeting. Gwaine had arrive with an animal in tow, a cat, with soft looking downy brown and white fur that was mottled, and a tail that waved behind it like an intelligent breeze. Its ears stood largely on its face, and with a soft rage of affection, Arthur realised that they reminded him of the mysterious Merlin, he quickly tampt that thought down.

"My new friend! I called him Leo. He's a Leptailurus. Say hello to your uncle Arthur, Leo" the large beast hissed loudly in response, it's long tail flickering with condemnation, and Arthur felt a headache beginning to form in his head.

"You can't name it Leo!" Objected the first mate: Leon, immediately.

"Why not?" Gwaine asked, his optimistic eyes dancing with unsupressed mischief. Leon gestured obviously so himself, in wordless indignation.

"Pfft, you're just jealous it suits him better." Gwaine dimisses his concerns with a casual wave of his hand.

"I am not jealous of a....cat!" Vouched Leon, his voice strong with ire. Arthur felt the headache expanded. And closed his eyes in despair.

"How dare you!" The door hissed sputtering open, and Percival entered the bridge and approached the captain.

"Captain" A welcome releif, Arthur turned away from Gwaine and Leon still arguing loudly, the cat watching them disinterestedly.

"Percival. Please tell me you have some good news that does not involve feral aliens." he commanded, as if his will alone could summon the good news.

"Good and bad. We can't fix the ship." Arthur swore loudly and rubbed his forehead where the ache was intesifying.

"But! Look at this." With a swift flick at his metallic wrist he presented a holographic scream of the port manifest. Scrolling down he stopped at the Starship Josephine.

"Battle class cruiser, hyperdrive, double manifold controls and - the best bit - on it's way back from trading on Jupiter 3. Cargo hold is full of crystal-grade tech." He rattled off, a light began to grow in Arthur's eye.

"Tech worth more than a handful of trackers. How many crew?" he asked, his voice serious as the rest of the crew, barring Gwaine and Leon, gathered around the schematic that beamed from their communications expert's hulking wrist.

"Six, only two left abourd" Percival repored.

"Hopefully they planned for guests. Gentlemen" he raised his voice to address Gwaine and Leon where they were gesticulating wildly, still bickering over Gwain'es new pet.

"We're moving house. Gather everyone - don't forget our guest." he commanded lleaving no space for argument.

"And Leo?" Gwatine asked, his voice full of a foreign earnest hope as Arthur busied himself.

"....fine." Arthur conceded, not wanting this to drag out any longer, the ache in his head now a piercing pain.

"Hah!" the Irish pilot turned to Leon and stuck him tongue out.

"Do that again and I will cut it off." Leon snarled with glower.

"Maybe then we'd get some peace." Percival cut in, his level tone betrayed by the smallest of smiles on his face.

"Oi! If you know what my tongue could do you wouldn't be so quick to-" retorted Gwaine, his eyebrows as salacious as his tone.

"Enough! Did I not just give you an order? Get on with it." Arthur ordered and flopped into his chair as they all left to prepare. He needed a holiday.