Ask When You Wish Upon a Star

[Dash Pavan]

KODA STATION, OUTER RIM
1700hrs local time​

Koda Station was a small, austere place. A trading post that was more functional than friendly, it had far too little to occupy the mind and far too many empty corners for Dash to sit in and worry.

He had said goodbye to Michael Harda and their ship. Dash had pushed both of them hard on their race back from Kro Var, burning most of their fuel reserves and using almost every trick in the book to persuade Harda to do overtime in the cockpit.

The pirate had not reacted to well to him aborting their mission before it had really begun, much less to the vague excuses Dash had given. He had let the man take their ship back to the Core and keep it for his trouble, which had cheered him up slightly, but he had still slapped Dash's rear when they parted and muttered something about next time.

But right now, Dash did not care. He had messed Harda around and wasted a favour that would now be twice as hard to call in, but it did not matter. He had to get to Ezra, wherever he was and whatever it took.

A week ago he would never have believed he would be here. But being connected with his boyfriend's head and heart, if only for a moment, had opened Dash's own. He had been reminded of who they both were, everything they had shared, and how much despite it all he loved Ez. The Rhinnalian was not sure his boyfriend felt the same anymore, or that he was even still his boyfriend. But in a way that did not matter either.

The pain that had radiated across their bond was unlike anything Dash had ever felt. Ezra might be in danger, from himself or whatever had pushed him to the edge and beyond. Dash could not leave him to face it alone. He would find him and offer his help. Somehow, he would get stubborn ass Ezra to accept it.

Koda Station was the only place out here with decent long range comms; Dash had used them to send a message to the only friend he could trust in times like these. He hunkered down on the dockside, pulling the shoulder cloak of his armour around him and gazing out at the stars.

Where are you baby?


@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

The hum of The Freebird’s hyperdrive downed out all other sound while Leon meditated on what he’d felt. Even after hours of meditation he wasn’t any clearer on the meaning. It was like being stabbed in the heart. It was like having his guts ripped out. It was crushing like the pitch black vacuum of space… and at the center of it was Ezra.

He thought back to Hera and hoped she understood, or at least hoped she’d be open hearing his explanation. He couldn’t explain his compulsion, but whatever this was… he felt ordained to it. There was no question in Leon’s mind whether or not this was the force. It was. The end. Hera’s warning replayed in his mind after the debacle with Peef. He couldn’t say he had a better plan, but this time he had the right reason.

A small nudge on his hand brought him back to reality. He glanced down to see Peetwo’s oversized photoreceptor looking up at him. He reached out and stroked the top of the little droid’s head, while asking, “We close dude?”

Peetwo nodded and Leon stood. Twenty minutes later he stepped into the hangar of Koda Station. He drank in the vagrant commerce as he scanned the dock side for Dash. Something reflected out of his periphery and his attention landed on a very familiar forest green pauldron. Leon’s signature smirk settled on his lips as the gravity of Dash’s outfit echoed the severity of the situation.

Leon was dressed in his typical mission attire. Around his hips he carried his full arsenal. Daybreak, the saber they’d found together, Anton Vari’s saber, the burden of his mistake on Berchest, and the trophy he’d taken from the Sith Master, The Ace of spades. Even at a glance he knew, they were aligned in this mission.

Stepping up behind Dash he said, “Nice pauldron, Anakkona?”

He sighed, and settled in with Dash on the dock, “Alright, lets share what we know.”

Leon would relay a dismal amount of seemingly useless information from what he’d been able to see in meditation. He’d also recount his experience when he felt Ezra. Maybe something seen from a different perspective could illuminate the path.

@Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

"You bet" Dash replied, clapping hands with the Adumarian. He could have hugged him right now and not just because he was the kind of friend who bought him gifts.

"I don't know much" the Rhinnalian sighed, looking down at the bulkhead. "Ezra's dad said he took off, but he didn't really say why. I know it was something massive though..." he swallowed at the mere memory of that pain "...something awful. I felt it even though I was a thousand lightyears away".

Dash did not say what he really feared, what he suspected was the truth. It was his fault. He had left Ezra alone, cut him off, and somehow pushed him over the edge. His boyfriend had always been so much more composed than him, so much more 'together'. Dash had no idea he could mean so much to him, or that he could hurt him so deeply just by staying away. But what else could it possibly be?

He stood up, hefting his pack uneasily. The Casket seemed to weigh heavier with every passing hour and a dull ache was creeping up his neck. Dash had not communed with Jadis since leaving Kro Var, closing his mind to her every attempt to reach him. She would be furious when she learned he had stepped off the path she set. He would have to face her eventually, but he hoped to avoid it as long as possible.

He did not care about her right now. He just wanted to be off, anywhere, just to feel he was looking. "What about you man?" he asked Leon "you two are close. Has he been in touch at all? Have you heard anything we can use?".

Ezra had a dozen safe places he could retreat to, but if he was running from his own family then all of them were no good. Dash was at a loss where Ez would go, or what he would do when he got there. He did not want to wait to find out.

@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon listened intently as Dash spoke. To his chagrin his buddy didn’t know anymore than he did. Leon closed his eyes and thought out what they knew. They’d both felt something painful revolving around Ezra, and they’d both gotten a text from Ez’s dad telling them he was gone. That was it. It wasn’t much to go one, and Baudelaire could tell Dash was doing his best to hold it together.

“Sounds like we know the same stuff…”

Leon sighed, “Nah, but that’s not abnormal,” he chuckled derisively, “It’s also not exactly helpful.”

He ran a hand through his hair while he racked his brain, “Alright, let’s think about what we know,” Leon crossed his arms over his chest and rested his chin in his palm, “We both felt Ezra through the force. We both got a text from his Dad. We know this is bad.”

Baudelaire frowned as a thought slipped into his mind, “What if we tried to reach out to him through the force?”

They both knew he was gasping at straws, but he had to have faith, the force would provide the answer. He stood and offered Dash a hand up.

“I’m feeling restless, you need anything for the trip? This might be the last time we get to stock up for a bit?”

If Dash didn’t need anything Leon would start heading back to The Freebird. Suddenly, Leon’s mind flicked to Jayna. He’d been so consumed with Ezra he hadn’t even considered her. Fear tried to creep in, but Baudelaire didn’t feed into it. He knew how strong she was first hand and knew she’d tease him for worrying about her, so he sent the text anyway. What was up with the hold this family had on him?

@Alhon @Sreeya

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash realised he should not be surprised Leon had felt it too - the echo of Ezra's pain through the Force. The two of them were roomies after all and had shared a bromance stronger than any Dash could think of. To know Leon had a sense of just how serious this was made the Rhinnalian feel a little less alone.

"I don't know" Dash said, thinking fast "the last thing I felt from Ez was him withdrawing, like he went inside himself. He might be harder to reach now than ever before". He frowned in frustration, eventually grasping Leon's hand. "But it's worth a shot, and with two of us maybe we can". They had little to lose; any heading, however vague, would be better than none.

Dash had what he needed and followed Leon to his ship, deep in thought as they wove quickly through the dockyard crowds. Part of him was scared to reach out to Ezra again, fearful of what they might find. He just knew his boyfriend was in a terrible place and there were things so much worse than the unknown.

He spied what he thought was Leon's ship, sitting proudly in the direction the Adumarian was leading. It looked solid, but nimble, like it might just be kitted out for this kind of thing. "I know it's not about how they look" he said as they reached the docking port "but it looks good man". The most Dash could tell anyone about most ships was their shape and colour, but he knew they were a keen interest of Leon's. His friend had to be proud to have his own.

"Shall we get on and try reaching out to Ez, or do you think we have a better chance in orbit, away from the hustle and bustle?". Dash was the Knight of course, and probably the one with more of a Seer's disposition, but he was full of uncertainty right now. He felt so anxious he almost jumped at every loud noise.

@Zay

 

[The Storyteller]

If the two reached out through the Force, they would see nothing initially. It was dark and empty. It wasn’t even the frigid chill that sometimes represented Ezra’s presence in the Force that Dash was likely familiar with. Leon felt an unpleasant amount of distress, and suddenly they would both be hit with a full body feeling of anguish. They saw faint glimpses of a helmet and a crimson visor, fear running down their spine. The image disappeared as soon as it appeared.

If Dash concentrated harder, he would be able to get glimpses of a laboratory. He would also see familiar trees and oceans that would remind him of Thyferra. It was up to them whether they could recognize the logo of Asteria Industries. If so, they would have to arrive there and find a way in. Tiamat was not present at the moment.

@Zay @Alhon

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

”My thoughts exactly,” chuckled Leon as he pulled Dash up. Dash and Leon both fell inward as they meandered through the market toward The Freebird. As the Lancer Patrol Craft came into view Leon smiled a little pride welling up in his chest at Dash’s compliment.

“Thanks, she’s a beauty and a beast,” he said, giving the boarding ramp strut an affectionate pat as he made his way into the ship.

Once inside, Peetwo would make his appearance. The little droid did an excited little jig when it saw Dash. Then it looked behind the knight as if expecting another. It’s little photoreceptor dipped to the ground.

“Don’t worry Peetwo. We’re gonna find him,” said Leon as he scooped the droid up and placed him in his usual resting spot. Over his shoulder to Dash he said, “Make yourself comfortable. There’s a wet bar in the lounge if you want coffee or something stronger,” he said with a playful smirk, “I say we get away from this station and see what the force has in store.”

Dash was free to look around his ship while Leon stepped into the cockpit and got everything going. Forty-five minutes later they were in space and moving away from the station.

“Alright, Peetwo, take over for me,” said Leon.

The little BD unit hopped off his shoulder and onto a little perch. The little guy pulled out his scomp link and connected to The Freebird’s main console, taking control of the ship. Satisfied, Leon gave the droid another little pat before heading back into the main area of the ship.

Baudelaire could feel Dash’s anxiety, his fear, and his uncertainty.

He took a seat next to Dash, Leon took in a deep breath and held it then let it out slow. He breathed in again this time saying, “I breathe in the force believing that it will fill my lungs,” he slowly let the breath out, “and it does.”

“You ready?”

Once Dash was prepared Leon would move to the floor and cross his legs and open his mind to the force. It started the same way that it always did, dark. He wasn’t sure if it was because he’d never really meditated with another person about the same thing before, but his ADD was struggling. Then, slowly he began to feel the force.

The hum of The Freebird began to drown out everything else. He remembered the first time he’d set foot on this ship… It had been in a hurry and with Ezra. He could feel the lump in his throat form as his emotions swelled, instead of backing off and trying to put them away, he leaned in.

Fear, it was always fear. He was afraid they wouldn’t be able to find Ezra. Afraid that if they did find him he wouldn’t be strong enough to bring him back. Afraid they’d be too late… then… the blank formless void of his mind began to illuminate. Before he could make anything out, he felt his fear swell up and threaten to overtake him. His breath came in ragged gasps as he teetered on the edge of a panic attack.

Then he felt white hot anguish wash over him. The pain was so immense it threatened to collapse his connection, but he couldn’t. If this was what Ezra was facing and feeling then he couldn’t give up. He had to bare this. Through the pain he began to seek a thread or trail to follow. He needed something, anything, to give them a tip on where they needed to go.

Terror ran down his spine as the vision took form in a series of flashing images. A helmet and a crimson visor flashed by. Then a logo of some sort. It was familiar, but he couldn’t place it. Where had seen that before? Leon’s eyes snapped open. He sprang up from where he was sitting and sprinted for a pencil and paper. He sketched out the logo and it dawned on him. It was Asteria Industries. He’d seen the logo sketched in the margins of Ezra’s diary.

“I think I know where we need to go! What’d you see?”

@Alhon @Sreeya

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash threw back a quick caf while Leon busied himself with take-off. The Freebird seemed to have most things you might need, all squared away in a compact design. The Rhinnalian was starting to see the appeal of having your own ship and adapting it to individual taste.

The caf raced through him, making him feel alert and ready to try reaching out but doing nothing to steady his nerves. He strapped himself into the co-pilot's chair as they made their ascent into orbit, cracking a smile at the Peetwo's affectionate antics helping Leon.

Once they were up and in the droid's safe hands they headed back through to make their attempt. Dash sat down on the floor opposite Leon, adopting the same crossed leg position, their knees almost touching. The proximity should buttress both their senses and give them a better chance of divining something useful. He tried to time his breathing with the Adumarian's, slipping into a mirrored rhythm.

Dash closed his eyes and finally let himself think about Ezra. A torrent of his own anxieties rushed at him, but he did not push them away anymore, letting them wash over him and feeling through them. Leon's presence made a real difference, and Dash was able to see past his own fears, joining his mind with the Adumarian and shadowing his own thoughts.

The Force was silent at first, empty and dark. Then the anguish struck and Dash winced, hissing in pain but holding his connection. It was Ezra again, his boyfriend was alive but he was nowhere near ok. He was hurting deeply, his feelings in turmoil. The familiar crimson visor flashed in Dash's mind. This again? What did it mean?

The maelstrom of emotions was a strain to bear, but Dash was no longer a rookie and he had seldom been more determined. He gritted his teeth and focused, cutting through the angst to glimpse a shadowy laboratory and branded corporate buildings nestled by the coast.

His blue eyes flashed open. "He is still on Thyferra!" Dash was almost angry at himself. He would have gone straight to Ezra's homeworld had he known he was still there. He had never dreamed his boyfriend could still be right under his parents' nose.

"I think he's at some labs by the sea, I really hope he's not doing anything stupid". He did not know the logo, but it seemed Leon had that covered "Let's punch it and get there fast. If you know the company, we can pull up the exact location en route".

Dash got up and scrambled towards the cockpit. He felt, rather than saw, Jadis move with him, snapping at the edge of his thoughts.

@Zay @Sreeya

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon barely suppressed a whoop of excitement as he sprung up following Dash. He slid into the captain’s seat and put everything into motion. A few minutes later they were shooting through hyperspace.

Leon leaned back in his captain’s chair, “There we go, one step closer to finding Ez,” he said, flashing Dash a smile.

It always surprised Leon how far a little hope could go.

Baudelaire fell into his usual pre-mission protocol. It started with The Emryc Thorne Routine, then shifted into meditation, followed by a shower, and finally checking his weapons. Currently, he was building a saber hilt from pieces of his blastsword. It wasn’t quite right but he could tell he was close. It was time to start thinking of it’s name.

He reached for the ceiling in a stretch and groaned before collapsing into a relieved heap. Leon pushed himself up from his table and rounded the corner into the lounge and poured himself a cup of caf. He was doing his best to stay strong. To maintain his emotions but he just couldn’t stop worrying.

Peetwo chortled over the ship’s coms and Leon trotted toward the cockpit.

He slid into his seat, flipped a few switches and pulled back on the hyperdrive. Outside the viewport the mottled miasmic blue hes of hyperspace burst open revealing a landscape fulled with white lines. These pillars collapsed into stars and the brilliant emerald planet of Thyferra lay before them.

“Let's do this,” he said with his mischievous grin, as he took The Freebird in.

@Alhon @Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

Asteria Industries

The laboratory would be distinct among several that lined the Thyferrian coast, shorter than other skyscrapers, the building backed into the mountains that divided the coastal city, giving the illusion it was smaller than it actually appeared. Adjacent from the central office, near the peak of the mountain were AI's satellite and observatory used to gather data for one of its many research programs at the center. There was a common landing platform on top of the building, visitors and employees alike entered through the same doors, and were all subjected to security screenings. As innovators in astro-navigation, its founder, had taken measures to ensure leaks or sabotaging were well controlled.

No windows could be breached, though the entirety of the building was covered in windows, the glass panes bringing in the natural light of Thyferra. Those who visited would also notice the amount of security holos that covered corners and rooted out any blindspots. However, there was an access point at the observatory, a secured door, though anyone who tried to reach it would have to trek through the rainforest, up the mountain.

The observatory was connected underground with the larger facilities, much of Asteria Industries working labs were underground or inside the mountain itself. Security was not lax once someone was inside, many of the corridors were secured; others once you entered had to be decontaminated from outside particles, bypassing this system will set off alarms. Some of the research labs had new satellites, others with various components of hyperspace engines, and then there was the lab with the experimental hypergate, clearly not authorized (or even recommended) for official organic transportation, it offered Asteria Industries opportunity to fix bugs, identify alt-matter feedback loops, and continue to improve the efficiency of the technology.

@Zay @Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

As the Freebird lanced through hyperspace, Dash took the time to prepare himself. He stayed away from any more meditation, preferring to wait and see what they found on Thyferra without risking further ventures into the Force.

He checked over his amour and saber, making sure he had everything he needed for whatever they might face.

He was reminded of how Ezra was usually the one to bring the kit, Dash often travelling with little more than the clothes on his back. Sometimes, not even those. The flashes of memory were bittersweet. They only reminded the Rhinnalian where they were headed and plunged him back into worries about what Ez was doing in a laboratory when he was in a bad place. The two things did not go together well for Dash, and nothing he had quickly read about Asteria Industries had made him feel better.

He pulled off his shirt and stepped over to the washbasin, blocking out the distant sound of Leon working out down the corridor.

Dash looked at his reflection in the mirror, splashing cold water over his face and trying to tell himself for the thousandth time that this was not his fault. But it undoubtedly was. What else could send his stoic boyfriend on the run. He splashed his face again and tried to wipe his eyes dry.

The image of Jadis flashed behind him in the mirror.

Dash whirled, but she slapped him across the face. An actual slap that connected and sent him spinning. He managed to grab the basin, steadying himself and rounding on her, ice forming in his palm. But she was gone.

"What. are. you. doing?". He found her image back in the mirror now, her porcelain features contorted in fury. Her words seethed with anger.

"It's none of your business" Dash replied, stroking his red cheek. The slap had definitely been real, but she had never been able to touch him before. It scared him more than he let on.

"I lead you to a power that will give you all you desire and you abandon it, to chase a boy?!" Jadis' words were so shrill Dash feared the mirror itself would crack and splinter.

"Ezra is in trouble" Dash said, straightening "and I am going to help him. Kro Var will still be there when this is all sorted". He tried to sound confident that it would be sorted, that it could be.

"Something as large as destiny does not wait for something as small as love" Jadis spat, her eyes brimming with cold fire. "Even now, others move on the mountain. You must not delay!".

The blast of ice leapt from Dash's palm, frosting and shattering the mirror. Jadis' voice was silenced, though he could not even look at her as he did it. He could not listen to her either, not now. There was too much in his head.

He got dressed and fastened his armour back on in silence, resolving to leave the Casket here on the ship. As it he felt the Freebird bank low, Dash finished up and headed through to the cockpit. They were here.

The only thing that mattered was finding Ez.

@Zay @Sreeya

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon examined the perimeter of the lab they were looking for on his datapad. The image display wasn’t perfect. Asteria Industries had done a really good job maintaining their privacy, but a seventeen year old with access to the holonet and a hyper fixation disorder could cobble together some surprisingly good information. Ironically enough the biggest tip that helped him find an accurate map was a drone shot from high above used for a couple of seconds in an ad run a couple months ago.

Dash entered the cockpit, “Everything alright, bud, thought I heard glass breaking?”

He was concerned about his friend right now. Dash’s anxiety seemed like it was starting to peak. Baudelaire didn’t know how to help him, but he wanted to at least give his friend a moment to vent before they got started. He wouldn’t push it, but he hoped Dash trusted him enough to know Leon would accept him no matter what.

But well wishes unspoken are rarely heard.

Once they were ready, Leon would display the map he’d found of the lab. He pointed out a couple of possible entries from easy to access points and then heaved a sigh as he pointed to the observatory.

“I hate to say it, but I think this area might be our best way in,” he puffed out his cheeks, “It’s going to be a real bitch though.”

Leon hoped beyond hope Dash’s perspective could lead to an easier way in, but the more he looked at the space the more it seemed their best bet. What was the old saying, “The hardest road is always the right one?”

Baudelaire hated that saying.

@Alhon @Sreeya

 

[Dash Pavan]

"Sorry man, I saw something in the mirror and it made me jump" Dash said hurriedly. He wanted to explain, but there was too much to say just now. "It's a bit damaged - I'll give you the credits to fix it up".

He decided to say no more about Jadis for now. He was fairly certain he had blocked her out again, though her words still rang in his mind. Even now, others move on the mountain. You must not delay.

The Freebird touched down on solid ground and soon the only mountain Dash was focusing on was the one outside. He scanned over Leon's map, noting how Asteria Industries had built there place right into the slope. The Rhinnalian saw the security door his friend was talking about near the summit; it looked like a good way in, but it would be a trek.

"I really want to just set down on that pad, go in the front door and start shouting his name" Dash said after a long moment. He had a feeling Leon knew how it was. Ezra was here, right here. The urge to charge in and find him, whatever the consequences, was almost overpowering. "But we'll only end up arrested, or worse. I've seen the security the Thornes have and I bet this place is very similar".

Dash shook his fists anxiously "I'm with you. The trek up through the forest will take longer, but we should be able to get in a lot more quietly and hopefully find Ez before anyone knows we're there".

_______
​

The hike up through the rainforest was even worse than they had anticipated. The ground was steep and the trees and undergrowth completely untamed. Dash was sweating buckets under his armour, but it felt too dangerous to remove it not knowing what lay ahead.

Even as the facility came into view, Dash was still at a loss what his boyfriend was doing here. It looked like a science or technology lab; if Ezra was angry with him, it was a poor place to nurse his feelings. He would have been better off at the Manor with his every need met.

"Did you read what they do at this place?" Dash asked Leon as he trampled through the bushes. The Rhinnalian needed information, but he also needed to keep his mind busy. It could not be much further now and he was already steeling himself for coming face to face with Ez.

@Zay @GABA

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

"I'm not worried about the mirror, I'm worried about you,” he replied with his usual smirk. When Dash didn’t open up, Leon didn’t press. He could see the fire in his friend's eyes and any worries he’d had melted. When Dash mentioned busting through the front door and screaming, Leon cocked an appraising eyebrow, but then the Jedi Knight pointed out how tight the security would be and Leon sighed. So much for making a scene.

“I agree, under the radar gives us the best chance of getting to Ez. I just wish we didn’t have to climb a mountain to be sneaky…”

⌬⌬⌬​

Baudelaire’s dismay at needing to climb the mountain was gone in a flash. The fresh air, the dense forest, the humidity, everything about this was awesome. He didn’t lose sight of his objective, but he wasn’t about to stomp around all gloomy and what not when they were hiking a beautiful trail in near perfect weather.

Dash looked miserable. This wasn’t his thing and Leon knew it, so he tried to do what he could to make the trek easier, but there wasn’t much he could do to make this funner for The Rhinnalian, so when Dash asked about the lab, Leon said, “They make, uh, like, space travel tech. They have two big items, the hypergate, and the path engine. Both utilize some old ass tech to travel by coordinate rather than hyperspace lanes,” Leon knew he wasn’t explaining this well, “That make any sense at all?”

Eventually, the dense brush gave way to sparse landscape and the duo came to the base of a cliff face. Leon peered up, and wasn't too far of a climb. Peetwo settled into the sling bag around his shoulder and powered down, heights were not this little droid’s thing.

“Welp, it’s not gonna get any easier,” he said, verdant eyes scanning the cliff. Leon stepped up to an outcropping and began his ascent. The rock was porous, which was great because that meant more places to grab, it was fucking terrifying though because it also meant a lot of false hand and foot holds.

“Careful where you grab, this is gonna be dicey,” called Leon down to Dash.

@Alhon @GABA

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash had thought the lab itself was unimportant until now, but listening to Leon made him start to wonder. Hypergate? "Space travel by coordinate? As in you just step through it and you're there?" he actually stopped walking for a moment. "But that does not actually work right?".

The Rhinnalian's homeworld and family were pioneers in medicine, but this kind of technology was way above his head. Surely hypergates were not actually a thing? If they were, did that mean Ez could vanish somewhere before they even got to him?

Dash quickened his pace regardless through the undergrowth, reaching the foot of the cliff and watching Leon start to scrabble up. His blue eyes looked up and down the rockface, considering. He entertained using his ice to make a stair or similar, but his instincts told him to conserve his strength. Determined, he followed up after Leon the old fashioned way.

It was hard going. While Dash was light and nimble, he had short limbs and small hands and made slow progress, climbing steadily but a fair way behind the Adumarian. "One day, it won't be hiking or rockclimbing" he called up to Leon "we will have to snowboard somewhere, and it will be you lot sweating at the back". Of course, he remembered how good the Adumarian was on his hoversled, which probably meant he would a fair snowboarder too.

They eventually reached the top without incident, though Dash had a few grazes and did not look or feel his best. But he could see the door now, set into the rock up ahead. It might as well have had Ezra's name written on it for all the anxiety it caused him.

Getting in was all that mattered. A small control panel blinked by the door. They had no codes and Dash was tired of pussyfooting around. Completely forgetting Peetwo might have had a solution, he grabbed the panel and flash froze it, hoping the Thyferran circuitry would not be designed for subzero temperatures. With any luck the door would hiss open and they would be in.

@GABA @Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon stopped to look back at Dash who seemed stunned by the revelation, unfortunately, Baudelaire couldn’t give a confident response to Dash’s question.

“Sorry, man I’m not sure. I’d say from the amount of information I was able to find on the Asteria, it would be really weird if it didn’t work,” she shrugged, “Honestly, I hope not,” he muttered barely wanting to say what he was thinking, “Cause if it works, and we don’t catch Ez now we might not get a second chance…”

Their pace increased following the conversation and they were climbing the mountain as quickly as possible. Leon moved across the rock face with practiced precision. His climbing lessons with Motep were really showing up here. He reached for a hand hold, but it snapped away at his grasp so he shifted and caught another, this one held. He’d been doing his best to lead the way for Dash as best he could, but again, this wasn’t really something Leon could make fun.

“Suuuuure, buddy, I believe you,” he teased looking back over his shoulder knowing full well the only person in the order that could out-skim him MIGHT have been Maura. Then again, there wasn’t much Leon could do about Dash’s affinity in cooler weather. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if the homie couldn’t just ride his own avalanche or something. The thought of Dash surfing an avalanche was pretty great, and just the distraction he needed to finally pull himself over the top of the cliff.

He took a breath then anchored a line and lowered it to Dash. Baudelaire had only gotten after the higher they’d climbed, and he knew they were going to need all the strength they could muster if things got weird just up ahead.

Once they were both up top, Leon would point out the door. “Once you’ve recovered that’ll be where we make our entry.”

Baudelaire chewed on his lip a moment, then reached out to the force. He was looking for anything that might resemble or feel like Ezra in the area. They didn’t have a lot to go on and knowing what they were looking for before they made entry would be way better than going in blind.

“Okay, once inside what’s the plan?” he asked.

@Alhon @GABA

 

[Dash Pavan]

It seemed luck was with them and the security door hissed open, its controls crumbling from Dash's ice. "The plan is we push in until we find him" Dash said, not wanting to hold back "then we find out what the hell is going on". He gave Leon a determined look and then hurried through the door.

They found themselves on a metal gantry, seemingly an access or fire escape that hung suspended above a large uninhabited room. The wide open floor below had the look of a research bay, with consoles and scientific equipment around the edges and packed into alcoves. Huge power cables snaked across the ground between all the kit, coalescing in the centre around a huge structure swirling with light.

There were no staff in sight, but Dash found himself running down the gantry steps anyway, a mix of curiosity and fear pulling him toward the pulsing construct below. He reached ground level and gasped, realising what the nexus of energy between the pillars was. "So this is a hypergate..." he breathed, though Leon would no doubt confirm. What was it doing on with no one here?

Dash felt like the gate had its own gravity, a gentle persistent pull that seemed to beckon him toward it. The Rhinnalian held his ground, glancing around furiously for his boyfriend, but there was no sign of him. He could be somewhere else in the facility, but Dash somehow knew he was not.

He reached out to the Force again, not wanting the answer that came. He found himself glancing at a nearby console, still flickering with the results of a completed program. There was no mistaking the echoed maelstrom of pain that hovered by those controls, before seeming to flash past Dash into the gate.

"Ezra was here" Dash said, solemnly "not long ago. But he went through that, through the gate". It seemed an incredibly reckless thing to do; even if the thing worked it was not even tested from the little Dash knew. Had Ezra cared? Had he, had he killed himself? Did he feel so bad he was prepared to try?

A klaxon sounded above and emergency lighting suddenly flared to life. An automated voice blared about an "unauthorised gate activation" and Dash heard running boots in the distance.

Their choices were few. Dash couldn't know what Leon thought and there was little time to ask. They had taken some risks in their time, though none like this. But if Ez was alive, the only way to reach him was through the gate.

"Looks like its the gate or jail" Dash shouted to the Adumarian over the sirens "you with me buddy?" He could not wait for answer, turning and sprinting towards the event horizon.

@Zay @Sreeya

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

”Be like water then,” Leon chuckled as Dash let himself in. Experience had taught Baudelaire this would lead to security swarming them like pissed off hornets, but to his astonishment nothing happened. Weird. Dash made entry and Leon was fast on his heels.

As soon as they entered he could feet it Like a tether was attached to his chest and practically dragging him toward the freaking-spinny-glowy-stardust-magic looking thing. He and Dash hit the ground at nearly the same time, both in awe of the… the… uh, “So, this is a hypergate…”

Recognition hit him over the head like a bursting water balloon. Sketches in Ezra’s diary came to mind and took on a new form. “Y-yeah,” he managed, “That’s a hypergate.”

The pull of the gate was like a siren call to his curiosity, but he locked it down. He was here for Ezra. He closed his eyes and purpose reinvigorated his determination. He felt Dash do the same, it was funny how in tune they were on this. The image of Ezra he’d seen on Akiva. The first time he’d felt their connection. The moment the Force had confirmed what he’d felt. They were brothers. Leon wouldn’t leave Ezra like he’d had to leave Adumar. He was different, capable, strong even, surprisingly.

His jaw set, just as Dash revealed they were on the right track. His verdant eyes opened and stared into the swirling portal. That feeling in the center of his chest was aimed directly at the portal— blaring alarms cut through the silence. Leon’s mischievous little smirk settled on his lips.

“Nah, I think I’ll climb back down the mountain an—HEY!” Dash was already running, “At least let me finish my joke, sheesh!” called Leon as he dashed after The Rhinnalian. The pull of the portal seemed to suck the sound from his mouth as his concept of reality was once again stretched, crumpled, and reformed anew.

Baudelaire stumbled out of the hypergate a step behind Dash. The droning klaxon call of the alarms in the observatory was replaced by the near silence. A plain stretching as far as the eye could see covered the ground in an ocean of long waving grasses. The wind rippled through the blades resembling the rolling waves off the shores of Ellora. It was beautiful in its simplicity. Tranquil but alien.

Leon swallowed, almost afraid to speak, as if doing so would awaken some killer plant the size of a planet or some shit, but reached out for Ezra in the force and said to Dash, “Anything?”

@Alhon @Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

The first thing they would notice once they stepped through the hypergate was that the gate was…gone. There was no immediate way to get back into the lab. It was empty fields ahead of them and empty fields behind them. It was eerily quiet. The air was still and there was no wind. Initially reaching out with the Force yielded nothing, but if they continued, they would feel a subtle pulse that confirmed that Ezra was nearby.

They would walk for over a mile and find more endless blades of grass and no wind. The skies were clear and there were two suns. Eventually they would see a silhouette in the distance. The figure didn’t move initially, its body language suspicious. For a moment it appeared as if the figure would bolt.

However, if the boys kept walking ahead, they would begin to recognize Ezra’s familiar form. The part Sephi quickly began to walk towards them, first walking fast and then breaking into a run. He skidded to a halt when he saw Dash and Leon. Instead of the normal stoic, his face was full of shock. His eyes betrayed that he had been crying for hours and his general appearance was ragged.

“Wh-” He stared at them incredulously, “H-How did you…get here?” Ezra asked, his voice hoarse. He was completely stunned and unable to process whether this was real or a hallucination. The emotions threatened to spill over, but his shock kept them at bay for now.

@Alhon @Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

As Leon reached for Ezra in the force he felt nothing, he started to lose hope. He turned back, the portal was gone. They were stranded. Had this been a trap? Panic threatened to rear it’s ugly head, but Leon wouldn’t be shaken. He closed his eyes. Memories flooded his mind. The first time Ezra had shown him THE Routine. The first and last time Leon had tried to teach Ezra to Skimboard. Laughing all night long at stupid shit then getting their asses beat in class. Fist fights over stupid shit. Kashyyyk, Ellora, Berchest, Ord Mantell, Eiram…

There were few in life who knew Leon as well as Ezra did. In his mind's eye, an echo of the cool presence he knew was Ezra gingerly, brushed against his consciousness. Leon’s eyes snapped open filling with tears as he looked toward the west. Without a word he reached out grabbing Dash’s shoulder. By now Leon had no doubt the knight had felt it. The ripple. The hope.

Leon trotted beckoning Dash on, “C’mon!”

Over endless plains of grass under the watchful gaze of twin sun’s Leon and Dash closed the distance on Ezra. Then as if stepping out of nowhere, there was a figure. Leon didn’t have magic space elf eyes, but even from this distance he knew it was Ezra. The Adumarian threw his arms around Dash, “Uh, what the hell are you waiting for? Go get him!”

Leon hung back, still making his way toward Ezra, but at a respectful enough distance to let them have their moment before he unleashed the mightiest form of their handshake the universe had ever seen.

Now he just needed to stop crying, where the fuck was Ezra’s big ass bag when you needed it?

@Alhon @Sreeya