What Did You Do, Captain?

I can end it

The corridors were dark and hard to navigate. The little bits of lighting from the cryo chamber and the life support rooms made it manageable at best. The Captain knew this ship front to back but still geld onto the walls as they traveled the familiar paths. Every so often something would change, sending spikes of adrenaline through them. Their vision would double, outlining everything in red and blue.

They knew now, after meeting the bandit again, that anyone who stepped on this ship was doomed to these loops the same as them, but they had prayed Dark was an exception.  They didn't want to kill again. They hadn't wanted to kill him in the first place.

Dark was manipulative and obsessive and controlling, but there had been a time that Captain loved him. They still loved him. Mark was their true love but they couldn't ignore the feelings they formed for the other man. He had been their first.

Would Captain kill again for Mark? Would they kill someone they loved, again?

Behind them started a slow knock, a half foot closer each time, with long silent seconds in between each. Someone walking slowly along was hitting the wall with their knuckles every so often.

Captain stepped into the first room they came to, closing the door.

"Captain."

It was Mark. They felt the tension leave their shoulders but it returned moments later. It wasn't Mark. Dark had done it again. It had been a very good ruse, but Dark couldn't sound  exactly like Mark no matter how he tried. 

"Hey, who are you? What are you doing on my ship?" Now that voice was Mark!

Power started to return to the ship, but only basic power, they weren't running on full capacity just yet. Captain opened the door but didn't step out, kneeling to look out and listen.

Mark looked calm and composed, with a big and innocent, but confused, smile. Dark had slightly longer hair that was in his face and a disgusted sneer.

"I told you to let me in, to open the door. You wouldn't. You just followed the Captain blindly like you always do." Dark waves his hand absently,  pulling at his tie. 

"Well yeah, their the Captain. They know what they are doing." Mark ran his hand through his hair. This Mark knew that Captain had killed Dark. This was the Mark that had started to doubt the Captain's intentions and had started to push Captain away.

"Do they? You don't seem so convinced." Dark's voice rumbled down the hallway, a quiet scream ripping the air after it as he seemed to glitch.

"The only person I trust more than myself..." Mark was cut off.

"Is the Captain, but... doesn't all of this seem a little..."

"What are you saying? No, shut up, I'm not letting you manipulate me."

"I'm not the one manipulating you, Mark."

"Yes, you are.  You're trying to make me doubt the Captain. "

"The Captain who..  has trapped you in this endless loop? The Captain that you saw kill me?"

"How could you know about that?"

"We all remember our deaths, don't we? Well.... some of them. You don't remember the first time, do you?"

"I do. The Captain agreed when I said the first time was..."

"Through the window on the main bay?"

"No, it was..."

"Captain. Come out and tell him the truth."

Captain was shocked at being addressed but they got up and walked over to the arguing pair. They realized now that Mark had a gun pointed at Dark, but it was slightly lowered. He wasn't a killer.

"Captain?" Mark asked, looking hopeful, but he could read them better than anyone. He knew the truth,"Why would you lie?"

Captain shook their head as Mark lowered the gun. They hated the hurt in his dark eyes.

"I could stop this. " Dark offered. 

"What?" Mark lifted his gun again,"You can what?

"Stop this.  You know I can. "

"Tell us how." Mark demanded.

"Well... I'll end the Captain. It will break the paradox. Killing Captain doesn't do it,  but you know I have power.  You know I can do it. Same offer I extended to Captain, I'll extend to you. Doesn't matter which one of you I end. It can be either one." Dark stepped in the direction of the Captain, Mark lifting his gun.

"Stop where you are."

"Don't you want this to end?" Dark took another step.

"Not like this." Mark whimpered, "Captain. What do I do?"

Two choices came up. Tell Mark to shoot or tell him not to shoot. They were so scared as multiple versions of Dark split off from him, one laughing, one screaming, and one grinning triumphantly as he took another step.

"Aren't you tired of making choices, Captain? Just let me end it."

The Captain chose and Marks eyes widened, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"He is unarmed, Captain. His threats are empty. Even if he kills you, we come back. We are immortal. I won't kill him just because you said to. I know you're scared."

"As they should be." Dark laughed and finally stood, his face no more than an inch from The Captain's as he grinned, like the wolf he was. He tilted his head to the side then stabbed the Captain up under the ribs. They tried to cry out, but no sound came,"If you die from this blade, you won't respawn. This is the best way to end this. If I can't have you, if you choose HIM over ME, then this is the fate you deserve."

"CAPTAIN!" Mark screamed and ran to them, shooting Dark in the temple and watching Dark crumple to the floor.

Captain stumbled back but as they fell, Mark caught them, slowly sitting down and sitting against the wall with them in his arms.

"No, no. Captain... no..."

They started to pass out.