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The ranger arrived early for his shift at the guard station, slightly bleary-eyed from the time of day and the unsettling grayness that filled the sky. It was hard to wake up now when any sense of daylight was washed out by the dark clouds overhead. He sat patiently, his ranger fatigues damp from the walk over, but smiling slightly to himself nonetheless. Part of him was oddly grateful for the weather, because for the first time in months, he felt useful again, shuttling injured people off to the infirmary and responding to other emergency calls. He didn’t quite mind the rain when there were important things to do - it was almost like being OTG again.

The commanding officer finally began listing off the shifts for the day and Nate joined the group guards and a few rangers, hands folded behind his back. Two guards high-fived one another when they received on-call shifts at the station, clearly happy with getting the ‘easier’ of assignments. That earned them a disapproving glare from their CO and brought an amused smirk to Nate’s face. If they didn’t want to get out in the mud, Nate wouldn’t mind picking up the slack. 

The next moment, someone was bursting through the doors, dripping wet and apparently filled with energy. Nate raised an eye brow at the words ‘back out there’ knowing that could only mean that Owen had just returned from a late shift somewhere. Silence filled the room when their CO looked around for someone to pair the him with, clearly none of the others were revving to go. “I’ll join him, Ma’am,” he finally spoke up, his chin lifting as he stepped forward, “We’ve worked briefly together before.” 

That sense of excitement Owen had been feeling immediately diluted when Nate, of all people, volunteered. Nate, who’d been injured not weeks before. Nate, a ranger and not a guard- rangers only ever actually stepped up in emergencies, otherwise they did their candyland excursions and generally bragged, nothing else actually productive in Owen’s opinion. Owen, he was TRAINED for this. He’d spent nearly a decade prepping for and responding to emergency situations: dinosaur attacks, faulty generators, Outsider confrontations... he didn’t NEED some hot-headed, armed geographer slowing him down. (Nor did he need to spend any time with someone who might question his leadership skills and abilities, given his recent loss.)

Owen quickly assumed the soldier-like position Nate held, standing up straight with his arms behind his back. “Ma’am-”

He was cut off quickly. “Then generators for Farm Hills are cutting out, and we need recon. Assess the damage and get in touch with maintenance if needed. Then, you can check all the boxes for the wall.”

“All due respect, his experience OTG, and I need someone familiar with the wall-” Rangers had a more exciting job, going OTG when they pleased, but guards made sure they had something  to come back to. Owen didn’t particularly want a thrill seeker along with him (or anyone at all), and that’s what he’d come to assume rangers were. “Just give me a probie or something. Has medical even CLEARED him?”

They were used to rain, but this wasn’t just a light shower. As soon as the storm got heavy, everyone was focused on hunkering down until it passed- it seemed like a good plan, storms hadn’t usually lasted too long in Alia Terra.

That was yesterday.

As soon as the science team “assessed” that this wasn’t going to be a quick thunderstorm, the guards, Command, and rangers, even, sprung into action. The Infirmary was setting up to go mobile, if need be, and preparing for fall injuries and the like, while the rations department was trying to figure out their own problems. While many people managed to get home before it got too bad, some were stuck in random places- the cafeteria, restaurants... luckily that’s all most civilians needed to worry about. Food, water, and shelter. They assumed the guard and command could keep them safe within the walls.

Provided the walls stayed up and functional.

Owen volunteered for a late shift in one of the towers, manning the sonic canon and radioing in the storm developments. It wasn’t the safest place, not with the winds and rain, but if the walls’ security was compromised they’d need every post stationed, and they were spread thin as it was. When what should’ve been daylight broke, he’d switched with another guard and trekked through the downpour back to the Guard Station. The chaos of the storm somehow calmed him; it gave Owen a purpose, and enemy to withstand, and all non-essential things could take a backburner. That’s why, entering just long enough to shed his soaked jacket, he knew he had to get back out there.

In the fray, he found his commanding officer, already delegating to the first shift guards and rangers reporting in. “Gimme something,” he asked, not even thinking of sleeping yet. Though some guards shot him looks, knowing he SHOULD be requesting a nap, his CO just sighed, recognizing that determined look in Owen’s eyes.

Shit. Sure, that wasn’t the reaction Addison should have had when she’d heard about Owen’s bff disappearing.. dying like the others they’d lost. But Addison wasn’t good at grieving, or dealing with others’ grief. She preferred to throw herself into work until she was too exhausted to think, and then deal with it later alone. As bad as she was at giving sympathy.. or showing empathy.. It was just because that’s how she preferred it. But as similar as Owen and Addison could be at times, there were other ways they were polar opposites and Addie knew that he shouldn’t be alone, even if he wanted to be. 

She’d climbed in the rover with some of the guards without hesitation, just waiting for someone to stop them or question them- few people got on the wrong side of Addison Bennett and didn’t regret it, but nothing drastic happened. She rode in silence, staring out at the passing terrain though this time there was no excitement about going OTG and getting to leave despite not having the clearance. She didn’t even feel dread at the danger they may face, the danger those guards had faced a few weeks ago. It was just an empty hole in her chest devoid of anything other than regret for what her brother was going through. again.

Addison was just following along, trailing behind a little as everything sunk in. She remembered being a child before the fence had been finished, that feeling of anxiety she’d mostly forgotten creeping back in as her mind heard the sounds that’d terrified her so young. She’d grabbed a gun from the rover to protect herself if need be, but most creatures lurked in the darkness not the daylight. Owen knelt down in the dirt and Addison knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. “Hey,” she said softly. she gestured to what he was holding in his hands. “Wanna talk about it?”

Owen wasn’t surprised Addison got in the rover. He’d only have been alarmed if she hadn’t, really. No matter how separate their work could be, Addison knew better than anyone how Owen could get- sullen and solitary, pushing anyone and anything away. When their dad died, he’d completely switched professions in order to not have to deal with the constant reminder of his grief. But this... this was something altogether different.

He continued staring at the bracelet as she knelt next to him, but for once, he didn’t shut down. He couldn’t, not with her. Not when they were all they had left. “He saved my life, you know?” Yet another person he loved, sacrificing their lives for his own. His mom, his dad, now his best friend. They’d all seen something worth protecting in him, and yet all Owen could do was try not to spiral into the horrible questions and self-doubt. Why him? Why did he have to live? Why hadn’t he, instead of Axel, done the brave, stupid thing? Perhaps he WAS a little more cautious, because of his sister and not wanting to leave her alone, but in the heat of the moment he should’ve stepped up. But then why did he also feel so intensely GUILTY for being glad he was alive. They’d lost so many guards that night, and any one of them could’ve been him. Allos didn’t care about personality, or family. Half of him was angry that yet another person he loved  had wasted their life to protect the rather sad excuse for living he was accustomed to. Owen didn’t date, he rarely went out socially, and other than his sister and some decent work friendships, what did he have to show for it?

“And we were talking about the stupidest shit in the rover. CARDS. Some stupid bet on a card game. If I’d’ve known...” he trailed off for a moment, sniffing back some tears. God he hated crying, every part of it was uncomfortable. “There’s just so much I didn’t get to say.” Like I love you, and you’re my best friend. Things he’d never said enough anyway. With his dad, at least Owen got to say GOODBYE. But this? They didn’t even have anything to bury. 

Sleep was always a bit of a cluster fuck at outpost seven. Getting a bed was a maybe, sleeping in the courtyard forced you to listen to every conversation and every noise that happened in the general vicinity. In the past he’d tried to sleep in the small office he had as head scavenger, but after experiencing the freedom of the jungle, it felt claustrophobic to lock himself in the tiny room. When another loud clang sounded throughout the courtyard, Nasir finally called it quits. Only his familiarity with the layout of the courtyard and the Outpost allowed him to make his way through the building despite the fact that the sun had yet to rise. In a small book, that was locked in a drawer in his desk, there was a list of all the supplies collected by his scavengers and what had been requested. With efficient, but sloppy, handwriting he copied it down and tucked it into an inside coat pocked for safe keeping, before making his way outside the protective walls of outpost seven. 

On his early morning journey, outpost six was his first destination. Every so often food or flashlights or other supplies would be left behind for emergencies, and with practiced ease, he broke into the mostly abandoned building. It was probably too early for any guards to be lurking, and with this outpost already abandoned, it was unlikely anybody had stayed there overnight. Still though, he worked silently as he looted what little supplies had been left behind, and he slipped out just as quietly as he arrived. The next logical stop would be outpost three. It was farther away, but five rarely had anything of use and four was commonly guarded. By the time he made it there the sun was lighting up the sky, making the jungle much easier to navigate. Without too much trouble, he did to outpost three what he had done to five. Any supplies left behind were shoved into Nasir’s duffle bag, and checked off the list he had copied down earlier.

It was amazing that barely used outposts could be more comfortable than the one he lived in, but alas, such was the luck of life. Still though, he saw no reason to rush his departure. If nothing else the outpost was silent, something he desperately missed while he was in camp. After a quick moment of contemplation, he found a corner in which he could quickly escape from if need be, folded up his jacket, and dozed off for a quick nap. It was only noise of guards, who were notoriously loud, that woke him up hours later. Looking out from one of the windows, he saw the small patrol move on from outpost three, much to his confusion. That’s when a familiar voice rang out. The next question was: is Owen alone? He observed the other man as he cautiously made his way through the outpost, only approaching when he deemed that yes, Owen was alone. “Mon ami, I didn’t expect to see you here.” Fearlessly, Nasir walked out of his hiding place, draping himself around Owen’s back and shoulders, “What a lucky day it is for me.” He then slid off, moving until he was in front of the guard.

Owen wasn’t sure what he expected. There weren’t many Outsiders he’d’ve liked to become acquainted with- some had a hatred for Alia Terra he couldn’t comprehend- but if he were to run into any colony teenagers it would’ve ruined his day. Having to drag them back, report them to Yates... it’d’ve been such a hassle, that it added to the relief that he found when a familiar face came ‘round the corner. He hadn’t even bothered pulling out his gun- call it recklessness, or faith in the fact he held some sort of authority. Most Outsiders probably wouldn’t waste a bullet on him, that much he was certain of (that is, if they carried a gun) and even so, it’d just lead to some awkward relinquishing of resources as per Owen’s orders. Do not engage. If only Yates knew the extent of some of those forbidden engagements guards had.

He didn’t even realize how much he’d actually wanted to be touched until it was happening, and he felt his bad mood melting of, his eyes shutting momentarily. Axel had always promoted ”having fun”, and while this might not have been what the man would’ve approved of, Owen couldn’t help but feel responsible for keeping his spirit alive. And that meant breaking a few rules for the sake of wondering why they were even in place. It meant stopping thinking about the consequences all the time.

“You here to make my job harder?” No matter how serious he’d meant to sound, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from rising into a small smirk.”Can’t really restock if you’re here-” he cut himself off “and what if it hadn’t been just me?” What would Nasir have done it one of the less compassionate guards had stayed behind? Or if he wasn’t alone? No doubt they’d’ve still entered the outpost to do their job... This whole circumstance could’ve been much worse had specific decisions, completely unplanned for this occasion, hadn’t been made. Maybe it was kismet- or maybe a bullet had barely been dodged. Perhaps literally, as well as figuratively. Still, with Nasir right in front of him, Owen couldn’t help but be hyper aware of how alone they were, how alone he both did and didn’t want to feel. Assuming, of course, Nasir hadn’t brought any other Outsiders with him. Owen couldn’t know that yet.

terrascarred:

James still remembered that mission only a few weeks before. It was supposed to be something quick, simple - just another trip to check out CRS8. But it hadn’t gone as planned. A pack of Allos that weren’t very friendly left the group tattered and torn by the end of it. A number of lives had been lost that night. While he tried to keep it to himself and cover it up it wasn’t hard for James to tell that Owen was mourning one of their fallen. Probably a friend he’d been close to on the squadron. It wasn’t James’ place to ask questions and knowing the kid, he didn’t want any asked anyway. 

“Whiskey, neat,” James answered, swirling the amber liquor in his glass absently. “Been a long day. You get the day off today or were you on this morning?”

Owen could only wonder if this was how soldiers felt back on Earth 1. That camaraderie that accompanied training together, risking their lives together for their people... Many of the guard were ex-military, so it would make sense. Like soldiers, guards were equally expected to perform acts of bravery and self-sacrifice when necessary. It was just strange to have been on the receiving end; it felt wrong. Like it should’ve been Owen. Or at the vary least, Owen should’ve been right there with him.

Being the survivor had never felt pleasant.

“Sounds good right about now,” Owen observed, and when the bartender saw him, he nodded and gestured to James, knowing they understood what he meant. Two of the same, on him. 

“I was in the sonic towers all day, so you know.. it was hell.” One thing about duty he despised were the times he had to stand still and wait. “But I dunno... might volunteer for an OTG expedition. Change of scenery and all that.”

Owen had been in a decidedly bad mood since Axel had died. Irritable, withdrawn... while he could usually reign it in for his shifts, going back out into the jungle WITHOUT his best friend made him almost intolerable to the rest of the guards. When he insisted he and his rover could check in on Outpost 3 ALONE, and meet up with the team at Outpost 5, some of them even seemed relieved. Being OTG felt like sand paper on his heart, and he really just needed some time to himself to process it all before he could adequately handle this new world that didn’t have Axel in it.

Besides, O3 only rarely had break-ins, and from what they could tell, it only ever lost minimal supplies. That was what happened when outposts fell into disuse.The Outsiders came in intermittently to rob it of the few supplies the guards tried to leave there for emergencies. It was why Owen had a duffel bag full of supplies to either exchange or replace in the rover. Some problems just didn’t have a solution. If they didn’t stock the Outpost, and they got stranded, it could be catastrophic, and since they weren’t authorized (generally) for deadly force against Outsiders, it was a cyclic hamster wheel they may never stop running.

Approaching the Outpost’s front entrance, Owen could already tell it’d been broken into since the last time he’d been there, and the signs looked distinctly human. Uncertain of whether or not he was alone, he call out, hardly stopping himself from rolling his eyes. “If you’re here, you need to leave. I’m armed.” Whether they be an Outsider or some wayward Alia Terran teenagers, they didn’t need to be there.