Chapter 5 - Ayden #2
I scan him—irregular pulse, low oxygen saturation. Not good.
Without hesitation, I pull off my mask and snap it onto his face.
The second I inhale, I feel the burn in my lungs. The air is filthy.
“We need clean air now,” I say through clenched teeth. “He’s not gonna last long in this.”
“I’m calling it in,” Vlad says, fingers flying over his comm. “Melissa, we’ve got a situation. Logan’s critical, air’s unbreathable. Ayden gave him his mask. We need evac. Now.”
I can’t hear her reply, but Vlad’s face says it all. Not yet.
“Okay,” he mutters. “Oscar, is the rest of the sector safe? We need to restore systems before reinforcements can come in.”
Jason and Xenon are out cold now. Probably passed out from the lack of oxygen.
I glance at Logan’s vitals again. Slight improvement. I inhale two quick breaths from the mask before slipping it back over his mouth.
Then—hummm—a faint vibration runs through the walls.
Airflow.
“The system’s restarting,” Vlad confirms. “Air should clear soon.”
“Melissa says we’ve got about 14 minutes until the oxygen’s back to safe levels,” Oscar adds.
“Not fast enough,” I whisper, watching Logan’s chest rise slowly. “But we’ll hold.”
We sit in silence—minutes dragging by like hours.
When my visor finally flashes green—Air Quality Acceptable—I nearly collapse.
A second later, the lab doors hiss open.
Medics flood the room, hauling equipment, masks, stretchers.
They rush to Logan, Jason, Xenon. Checking vitals. Administering injections. Stabilizing them.
I sink into the nearest chair, muscles trembling with fatigue and relief.
“Well done, all of you,” says a tall guy with a shock of red hair. “You held the line. Now let us take it from here.”
“Thanks. Just... make sure they’re okay,” I say, voice rough.
“They will be. You’ve done your part.”
I close my eyes. The air’s fresh now. The systems are humming. My friends are in good hands.
For the first time all day... I breathe easy.
Later that day, the verdict drops: aside from those who died in Sector 6, the rest of the base got off with minor injuries. Nothing life-threatening. Not enough to qualify for the regeneration sarcophagi—those cycles are limited, so it’s bruises and broken bones the old-fashioned way.
As for the saboteur? One of the bodies. His fingerprints were everywhere. And he’d left behind a video—full of hopeless ramblings about isolation and space madness.
That night, the six of us are back in our quarters, finally relaxing with a well-earned drink.
“I’m telling you,” Jason grins, tracing the long blue scar on his temple, “this is gonna add serious charm points.”
“Maybe... but for now it just looks like someone painted you with bathroom disinfectant,” Logan smirks.
“You’re one to talk,” Jason fires back. “At least I don’t have a cast on my arm and need help to take a leak.”
“Hell no—I am not helping with that,” I jump in immediately.
“Oh, come on, some binomial solidarity?” Xenon laughs. “We are crewmates.”
“Sure,” I shrug, “but I draw the line at bathroom duty.”
Logan lets out a theatrical sigh. “What am I supposed to do? I’m one hand short here.”
“Find a girl,” Jason suggests, laughing so hard he nearly spills his drink.
Yep. Jason’s never been the sharpest in the pack—but we’re not exactly a squad of philosophers, either.
“Speaking of loyalty,” Igor says, rifling through a drawer, “anyone seen the last chocolate bar?”
“Sorry, I stress-ate it after today’s madness,” Vlad shrugs unapologetically.
“You what? Man, those things are practically sacred!”
“Exactly. That’s why I ate it.”
“You’re a terrible partner,” Igor groans.
“Eh, silver lining—you won’t gain any weight,” Vlad grins. “Anyway, I’m off. I’ve got a date with Melissa.”
I’m not surprised. The blonde bombshell showed up during Logan’s bandaging, and Vlad poured on the charm like engine coolant. He was in full flirt mode.
I might’ve done the same with the nurse patching up Logan’s head if I hadn’t been so on edge the whole time.
“Xenon and I are shipping out tomorrow,” Jason announces. “That nutjob almost took us down with him. We’re patched up enough—it’s time to hit the stars again.”
“I think Vlad’s gonna hang around another day or two to pursue his medical interest,” Igor smirks. “Then we’ll follow.”
I glance at Logan, his cast cradled in a sling. He’s not going anywhere fast.
He looks at me with a huge grin. I already know what’s coming, but I ask anyway.
“So... what’s the plan?”
“Well, given my charming condition... I’m thinking: Gekkaria,” he says brightly. “Some home-cooked convalescence. And you could really use a break, bro. You’ve been tense.”
Tense? He has no idea.
How can I relax when I know exactly who’s waiting on Gekkaria?
That blonde. That girl who’s been messing with my head since the day we met.
She was eleven when we first landed—sharp, fearless, intense. I’ve watched her grow up through annual visits and holo-messages she sent to her brother. Each time, she somehow managed to throw my equilibrium out of whack.
Now she’s seventeen. And stunning. Gravity-defying curves, bright eyes, that wild grin—and the same piercing blue stare as Logan. Being around her is like walking through a minefield barefoot. And I see Logan every damn day.
Her fire, her charisma, her laugh... it all sticks in my brain like a song I can’t get out of my head. I can already see the woman she’s becoming—strong, brave, relentless. It scares me how much I see it.
And the worst part?
She’s the only one I can’t want.
She’s Logan’s little sister.
If he ever suspected what’s going on in my head, he’d kill me. No hesitation. He wouldn’t even ask questions.
So I fight it. Hard. Every single day. But it’s a battle I’m not winning.
Why her? Of all people—why the one person I can’t have?
It’s insane. It’s unfair. It’s maddening.
And now Logan wants us to spend weeks with his family?
I look at him—his wide smile, his hopefulness—and I give up.
“Fine,” I say, barely hiding the dread. “Gekkaria it is.”