Hazel and Klunk (An RnC Subnautica AU)

Chapter 11: Escape

Building the small cruiser became the priority. The base platform was the first thing we had to build with the vehicle fabricator, and the rest were fabricated on the platform.

Routine settled in easily. We'd go collect materials for a day or two, come back to base and fabricate the next piece. The boosters, the engine, the storage area, a small vehicle bay—just barely large enough for all of our vehicles—and repair station, the cabin, and all of the controls; we had to build them all.

On day seventy-three, our ordeal was finally over. The Neptune was complete. We could leave whenever we wanted, whenever we were ready.

At the dawn of day seventy-four, Hazel woke me up to see the sunrise on this ocean planet one last time. We swam back to the lifepod that brought us together and sat on top of it, waiting for 4546B's parent star to rise over the water's horizon. It was where our journey began, and it was then going to be where we spent one of the final moments of the journey.

"So what are you thinking of doing once we get back to civilization?" Hazel asked, as if I actually knew how to get my life together. "Continue with chemistry?"

"I... I don't know," I answered honestly. "How can I worry about what I'm going to do with my life if I don't even know if I'll have a roof over my head or food to eat?"

She stared at me, wide-eyed, water still dripping from her hazelnut-colored hair. The romantic in me could hardly pretend I didn't notice the way her amethyst purple eyes sparkled in the rising light, even as I turned away.

"Who the fuck said I wasn't going to stick by you?"

I turned back to face her, ears pricked upright. "Pardon?"

"Say I still have my lease on the apartment in Aleero, that lease has room for one more person. It's a two bedroom apartment, but Spring and I only ever use one bedroom and the others have their own apartments. You could stay with Spring and I until you get yourself together."

With the inside of my lip pinched between my teeth, I added, "But um.... My record?"

"None of those were felonies and aside from the Eye of Infinity you were flagged as a victim in Dr.Nefarious' takeover plot, rather than an accomplice."

"What? Why?"

"There was no documentation that you were actually working of your own accord rather than a programmed directive... as is the case with most robotic criminals. It is very easy to override a robot's personal views with simple coding." She shifted on the lifepod roof, turning away to face the sunrise. "I should know... A criminal I was sent after by the GR hacked Spring's systems and turned her against me... forcing me to fight my best friend as much as she was fighting herself. In the end I managed to get her back but... not before I suffered a few blows."

I'd never seen Hazel look so vulnerable, even when she was ill. Nobody had ever mentioned the incident she spoke of in my presence.

"Just... out of morbid curiosity, when you were in Ratchet and Clank's custody... How did you deal with that? Even Ratchet admitted that was cruel, but given the charges his hands were tied."

"I don't remember any of that... The last thing I remember was being powered down post 'release'. The next thing I remember was waking up in Nefarious' lab on Magmos."

"Oh... then I won't mention it."

"I don't even want to know."

Silence settled between us.

"With hindsight, you were just doing what you were programmed to do: destroy."

"And having seen both sides of the coin I am disgusted with myself."