The boys were fast at work initiating the launch sequence. The rumbling as the tractor beam tugged ever harder reminded Slash of the early days on Nexus. Things were much simpler back when the worst he had to fear was being murdered. But he had discovered that far worse fates awaited the unlucky in this universe, possibly in the room where he currently stood. Or even in the shoes he currently stood in.

"We have a few minutes to initiate jump," Mac said, reading diagnostic screens as Alex rapidly pressed buttons.

"That's plenty of time," Vora said, aligning requisite configurations on a different screen. "I'm done on my end. Whenever you're ready, Alex."

Alex slammed a fist down on a button panel.

Emergency jump initiated. Warning: energy systems reboot immanent, Said Nexus' voice over the comm.

There was a whirring sound as various lights around the station shut off.

"Better strap in gentlemen," Vora said, belting himself to his seat. "No anti-grav in just a sec."

Grateful for the reminder, Slash strapped himself in the remaining seat and instinctively swiveled it around toward the wall of hyperbolic chambers. They'd kept up their end, now it was his turn to make sure no harm came to them.

"Jumping in 5... 4.... 3.... 2.... 1...."

Alex's voice cut off as darkness sliced across the inside of the relay station and a jolt through them all against their seat belts. Slash found the darkness strange. Had the visor closed? But he didn't dare look. His eyes stayed trained on the chambers.

After seconds that felt like an eternity, another jolt seemed to signify that they were on the tail end of the jump. Gravity took hold once more as the lights turned on. Systems began booting back up. And one by one the hyperbolic chambers slid out and began to release students from their various lengths of slumber.

The other boys were still shaking off the journey, but Slash was already up. He nearly fell down after coming to his feet, but he began to frantically search for Dixon's pod. The wall arm pulled pods out one by one, but Slash could see that Dixon's was already on the smudged and grey floor of the relay station. He peered through the viewing window to make sure. Slash could barely believe how peaceful he looked.

The idea to sabotage the pod in order to delay his wake or possibly kill him outright became impossible before he could fully consider it. Other kids from other pods were blinking awake, boys and girls who were shaking and coughing up the preservative fluids involved in the hyperbolic process.

Slash supposed the usual time period used for waking had been shortened due to the perceived emergency by the station. It was too late, Dixon would soon be awake. Slash shrugged his shoulders, still looking at the viewing pod window with his back turned to the other boys. He didn't want them to see his expression. True, he wouldn't kill him outright with people watching - it would look bad. But the moment he opened his big fucking mouth or tried to take charge - and Slash was one hundred percent certain he would - his life would end then and there, consequences be damned. Slash smirked. Nothing, nothing within the realm of possibility could possibly save Dixon now.

"Impossible," Mac muttered.

"Vic, we've got a situation," Alex said.

"What's going on?" Slash asked, turning around to face them but stepping back and resting a hand on Dixon's pod.

"The gravity... it has to be manually turned on. It's off right now."

"What? How is that possible?" Slash asked, but a tiny part of his mind waited for the tiniest movement from Dixon.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Only one way," Vora said, raising the station visor.

It was dark outside, but it was clear that the ansible relay station was on a planet. There was a dark forest in the background. Somehow, there was a shimmering light coming down from the sky. Slash couldn't see what it was from where he stood near the middle of the relay station.

"How?" Slash muttered. He wanted more than anything to dash over to the visor and take a closer look, but he refused to even for a second take his eyes off of Dixon. A second was much too much to risk.

"What is that?" Mac muttered, craning his head to look up like the other boys did.

"That, my friends, is one of the most famous lightshows in the homeworlds. Never seen it before, myself. It's called an aurora." Alex turned meaningfully to Slash. "Welcome home, Vic," he said with a bright smile.

"We're home?" A girl said, finding the strength to step out of her pod. She nearly fell to the ground in her simple white gown, but another boy helped her.

"Awesome," said another boy, stretching. "Where exactly are we? I thought we were getting dropped off at an orbital station."

"Interesting story actually," Alex said, smirking.

"Guys, something else." Mac was looking outside. His expression was worried.

"Oh, what now?" Alex said.

"There are people outside. They're armed."

Slash's feet burned underneath him, urging him to go look. But he couldn't. No matter what, he couldn't allow himself to let Dixon out of his sights another time.

When Dixon's pod finally began to hiss open something occurred to Slash. He had assumed the situation would be contained on the ansible relay stations. Dixon would awake and react predictably. Slash would give him what he'd had coming for a long time. But this was different. His worst fears were confirmed when he saw a visibly relieved boy turn to the rest.

"Don't worry, everyone. Those men are from HQ, you can tell from their tags and gear. We're saved!"

Saved? These were the people that had put a homicidal maniac on an isolated ship full of school children. Victor realized that they would want Dixon alive. They probably had plans for him. Well, too bad. Slash had plans for Dixon, too.

As soon as the hyperbolic suspension fluids drained from his pod, Dixon started coughing and sputtering to life again.

And without a blink of hesitation or remorse, Slash began to choke it right out of him again.

"Vic. Victor, what the hell are you doing?!" Alex shouted. "HQ is right outside. We don't need to do that, anymore."

But Slash did not let up. Murder flared in his eyes as his friends and a few random students rushed over to pull him off.

"You don't understand," he said simply. "We can end this here."

Vora and Alex tackled him to the ground as other students watched.

"We've already got a fuck-ton of explaining to do, Victor. We don't need this," Mac said, standing over them.

"Yeah, Vic. Take it easy, buddy."

"I'm not your fucking buddy!" Slash screamed. "You are all going to regret not letting me finish this now."

Then, realizing he had lost, Slash fought to bring the searing fire in his belly under control. He needed to look composed, to be composed. There was no choice now but to face Dixon socially and intellectually. Slash ground his teeth in annoyance and spoke through them as the sound of soldiers entering through the bay doors echoed through the spherical chamber. Slash was angry with himself. If only he hadn't let himself live in the fantasy of being Victor. Lesson learned.

"And my name is not Victor. It's Slash."