Another Life (Oc x reader)

Chapter 3 - Star with a Temper

"Michelle, open a signal to USIC command." Ethan tells her.

"Signal open."

"Radiation levels?" Ethan asks.

"It's like going to the dentist for a little checkup." You answer.

The ship shakes. "Just Sirius A saying hello." Yerxa says.

"Ease us into orbit." Ethan tells William.

"Entering orbit in three, two.. one."

"Great. Three revolutions around Sirius A, then it's off to Persea." Ethan says, the a crash sound and the ship jerks.

"This star's got a temper." You say as you get your balance again.

"That's an understatement." Ethan mumbles.

"You just gotta get your sea legs back, Ethan." Yerxa says. "You'll be fine."

The ship shakes violently and you jerk toward Ethan who luckily catches you before you fall to the floor. He helps you, but the ship still shakes.

"William!" Ethan says as he looks at screen, helping you back on your feet. You get to your work station in the observation deck.

"I see it. Changing trajectory now." He says.

Yerxa goes to your screen by your workstation, slightly pushing you away but you excuse it because of the situation.

"It's okay. We just gotta find a more stable way around-"

The ship jerks more violently.

"We need to abort!" Ethan says.

"What? No! No, listen to me. I know this ship. She can take a beating." Yerxa protest.

"Not without falling apart, she can't." Ethan tells him.

"Ethan, you are overreacting. You need to relax and let this happen."

"We have done one swing, Ian. We won't make another."

"We've already initiated the second swing. If we quit now-"

"We are not gonna make it."

"Yes, we will. Will you just listen to me?"

The ship jerks against and electricity crackles, a panel on the ceiling falls loose.

"William, abort now. That is an order." Ethan tells him.

"Exiting orbit in three, two, one." William counts down and Salvare flies out of the stars orbit.

...

"I'm telling you, you reach 27, you might as well cut off your balls because nature is gonna do it for you." Michelle says.

"Why 27? Why not 26 or 28?" Bernie ask as he walked into the mess hall.

"Twenty-Seven Club." She says and he raises an eyebrow at her. "Amy Winehouse, Demetrio, Cillian Glass, Harper Glass' dad? All brilliant, and all dead by 27. Why do you think they sent up 20-something on this mission?"

"Because of our good health and shiny teeth." Bernie says.

"Because after 27, it is all cowardice all the time, until one day you wake up, and you're ancient like Ethan Stone and you should not even get out of bed, let alone lead a mission across the galaxy because, you know, safety first." She says with bitterness.

"Upside is you die old, so.." Sasha chuckles.

"Wow.. you are the least sexy guy that I have ever met. So sad. Yikes." Michelle tells him.

"Sorry, does anyone else feeling this? It's like the floor of a frat house in here." Sasha asks the crew in the mess hall.

"This can't be your first time in artificial grav?" Petra asks him. "Not even one of those Orbital Resorts?"

He scoffs slightly. "A week up there costs, like, a hundred grand per person, so.." They look at him. "What? My parents have been."

"Enjoy your private room." Petra tells him.

You walk into the mess hall.

"Okay, as the public's representative and mission observer, my room is a diplomatic perk." Sasha tells them.

"Diplomatic prick." Javier mutters under his breath and Michelle laughs.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Oh, I heard what he said." Michelle tells him.

"Hey, guys. Don't you have anything better to do?" You ask them.

"I say go ahead." Oliver speaks up, not noticing that it was you who had said it as he was sitting by the table faced the other way. "Recuse yourself from the mission, and if you're off your game cause you got then of your crew-mates killed? Own it."

You frown angrily but before you can say anything you look at August when she speaks.

"Uh, I'm.. I'm going to engineering. Run that life-support diagnostic, please." She tells him.

"Sure thing." He says and she leaves the mess hall.

"Are you serious?" You ask as you step up so you're on Oliver's view.

"What? Was it something I said?"

"Yes, it was something you said. You don't know?" You ask looking around at them. "Her brother died on the Pilgrim."

Oliver cringe in regret. You sigh and leave the mess hall.

...

"How are you adjusting?" Zayn asks Ian Yerxa.

"I've got a sleep hangover." He answers. Zayn gives him an unimpressed look and tune to leave. "I'm struggling." He then admits.

"Finally, a little bit of honesty from you."

"What was I supposed to do? Tell Dubois to go piss off?"

"Sure. Why not?"

Yerxa scoffs. "She thinks the mission is better served under Ethan's command." Yerxa sighs. "She better be right."

"Let's unpack that."

"Unpack what? This is the most important mission in the history of humankind. Our first contact with an alien civilisation?"

"And?"

"And I hope he's up for it."

Zayn nods. "I'll keep an eye on him.. but so far Ian, he's just doing his job."

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