Critical Failure

At the last moment, reason reasserted itself. What was he thinking? He couldn't risk ruining their relationship, not when they'd just managed to salvage it. He pulled back slightly, his breath caught in his throat, heart pounding.

But as Thaddeus continued to talk, oblivious to Jasper's inner turmoil, Jasper felt a growing certainty. This wasn't just a fleeting attraction or a moment of weakness. These feelings had been building for weeks, maybe even months. He thought about how Thaddeus challenged him, inspired him, made him see the world differently. He thought about the flutter in his chest whenever Thaddeus smiled, the way his day brightened when they worked together.

Jasper took a deep breath, gathering his courage. He had to say something. Even if Thaddeus didn't feel the same way, even if it changed things between them, he couldn't keep this bottled up any longer. The risk of losing what they had was terrifying, but the thought of never knowing, of always wondering "what if," was even worse.

"Thaddeus," Jasper interrupted, his voice slightly shaky. "There's something I need to tell you."

Thaddeus turned towards him, his expression open and attentive. "What is it, Jasper?"

Jasper's heart raced as he opened his mouth to speak, the words he'd been holding back for so long finally ready to spill out. He wiped his palms on his trousers, suddenly acutely aware of every sound, every sensation. "I... I think I'm-"

"Well, well! What have we here?"

The booming voice of Captain Flint shattered the moment like a bolt of lightning. Jasper literally jumped, his heart leaping into his throat as he stumbled backwards, suddenly very aware of how close they had been standing. 

Thaddeus, however, remained perfectly still, only the slight tightening of his jaw betraying any reaction. For a moment, he betrayed a flicker of emotion, disappointment or perhaps frustration, before it smoothed into his usual neutral expression.

Captain Flint strode towards them, his cybernetic eye whirring as it focused on the pair. "Beaufort, I didn't expect to find you above deck. And with young LaBrant, no less."

"Captain," Thaddeus acknowledged, his voice carefully controlled. "Jasper was assisting me with some observations."

Flint's organic eye narrowed, darting between Thaddeus and Jasper. "Observations, eh? And what exactly were you observing at this hour?"

Jasper opened his mouth to respond, but Thaddeus smoothly cut in. "Cosmic jellies, sir. Their migration patterns can offer valuable data on stellar currents."

"I see," Flint said, though his tone suggested he didn't quite believe it. He turned his piercing gaze on Jasper. "And you, LaBrant? Finding the night shift educational, are we?"

Jasper swallowed hard, feeling the crushing weight of disappointment wash over him. The perfect moment, shattered. The courage he'd mustered, dissipating like mist. "Yes, sir. Very educational." 

The captain harrumphed, his cybernetic eye spinning rapidly. "Well, don't let me interrupt your... studies."

"Yes, Captain," Thaddeus replied.

With a final, suspicious glance at Jasper, Captain Flint turned on his heel and strode away. Jasper let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"That was close," he muttered.

Thaddeus's lips quirked in a small smile. "Aye. Though I suspect we haven't heard the last of it." He paused, then added more softly, "You were saying something before we were interrupted?"

Jasper's mouth went dry. The moment had passed, the magic of their earlier connection overshadowed by the captain's intrusion. Doubt crept back in, whispering of complications and risks.

"It's... it's nothing," Jasper said, hating himself for the lie. 

"Are you sure?" Thaddeus pressed gently. "It seemed like you had something significant on your mind."

For a brief moment, Jasper considered taking the plunge, letting his feelings spill out. But fear held him back. "I just... wanted to thank you," he said lamely. "For sharing your perspective with me tonight. It meant a lot."

Thaddeus tilted his head, a slight furrow appearing between his brows. The engineer's shoulders seemed to slump ever so slightly, and the openness that had characterized their conversation all night dimmed. But then Thaddeus nodded, his expression smoothing out.

"Oh," Thaddeus said, his voice carefully neutral. "Well, you're welcome, Jasper. I'm glad you found it... enlightening."

There was something in Thaddeus's tone, a note of what might have been regret or frustration, that made Jasper's heart clench. Had Thaddeus been expecting, maybe even hoping for, something more?

He straightened up, his posture shifting back into its usual rigid stance. "Well, we should both get some rest."

Jasper nodded, then remembered to vocalize. "Right. Yes. I'll... I'll see you later?"

"Of course," Thaddeus said, already turning towards the stairs. But he paused, half-turning back to Jasper. "And Jasper? If there's ever anything you need to tell me... well, you know where to find me."

As Jasper watched Thaddeus disappear below deck, he felt a mix of disappointment and hope. The moment had passed, but Thaddeus's parting words lingered in his mind. "If there's ever anything you need to tell me... you know where to find me." It wasn't a dismissal, but an invitation.

In the days that followed, Jasper noticed a subtle shift in their interactions. The tension he'd expected never materialized. Instead, Thaddeus seemed more... accessible. Their conversations, once limited to work-related topics, began to meander into personal territory.

Jasper entered the engine room, a steaming mug in each hand. He placed one near Thaddeus's workstation, the rich aroma of coffee filling the air.

Thaddeus's fingers paused over his console. He reached for the mug, inhaling deeply. "You remembered. No sugar."

Jasper shrugged, though Thaddeus couldn't see it. "Hard to forget when you threaten to reprogram the replicator every time someone gets your order wrong."

A small smile tugged at Thaddeus's lips. "Well, at least one person on this ship has a functioning memory."

Jasper chuckled, leaning against the workstation. "So, what's on the agenda today? More calibrations?"

Thaddeus nodded, his fingers resuming their dance across the console. "The port nacelle's been acting up. I'm running a diagnostic now."

"Need an extra pair of hands?" Jasper offered, sipping his own coffee.

Thaddeus paused, considering. "Actually... yes. Hand me the phase coupler, would you?" Thaddeus asked, not looking up from his work.

Jasper reached for the tool, but just as his fingers closed around it, the ship gave a violent lurch. The deck seemed to drop out from under him, and Jasper found himself thrown off balance.

He flailed, trying to catch himself, but it was too late. He crashed into Thaddeus, sending them both tumbling to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

For a moment, they lay there, stunned. Jasper found himself sprawled on top of Thaddeus, their faces mere inches apart. He could feel the warmth of Thaddeus's breath on his cheek, could see every detail of those striking, milky white eyes.

"Jasper?" Thaddeus said, his voice slightly breathless. "Are you alright?"

Jasper swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of every point of contact between their bodies. "Yeah," he managed, his own voice sounding strange to his ears. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay? I didn't crush you, did I?"

A small smirk played at the corners of Thaddeus's mouth. "Please. It'd take more than your scrawny ass to crush me."

Jasper laughed, the sound slightly shaky. He knew he should move, should get up and put some distance between them. But something kept him there, frozen in place by the warmth of Thaddeus's body and the intimacy of their position.

Thaddeus's expression softened, his unseeing eyes somehow finding Jasper's with unerring accuracy. "Jasper," he said softly, "your heart's racing. Are you sure you're alright?"

Jasper felt his face flush hot. Of course Thaddeus could hear his heartbeat, probably feel it too, given how closely they were pressed together. "I'm fine," he said quickly. "Just... startled, I guess."

But Thaddeus's brow furrowed slightly, his hand coming up to rest on Jasper's chest, right over his heart. The touch sent a jolt through Jasper, like a low-voltage current running beneath his skin.

Jasper felt panic rising in his throat. This was too much, too close.

"Thaddeus, I-" he started, not sure what he was going to say, but knowing he had to say something.

But before he could finish, the ship's comm system crackled to life. "Engine room," Captain Flint's voice barked, "report. What the hell was that?"

The spell broken, Jasper scrambled to his feet, offering a hand to help Thaddeus up. "We should... we should probably check what that stall was," he said, his voice still unsteady.

Thaddeus nodded, but there was a thoughtful expression on his face, like he was turning over a particularly complex problem in his mind. "Right," he said slowly. "We should do that."

As Jasper moved to the adjacent console, he couldn't help but notice how easily they'd fallen into this routine. The tension that had existed between them after that night on the deck had gradually dissolved, replaced by a comfortable camaraderie.

They worked in companionable silence for a while, the only sounds the soft beeping of the consoles and the occasional slurp of coffee. Jasper found himself stealing glances at Thaddeus, admiring the focused set of his jaw, the nimble movements of his fingers.

Jasper was running a diagnostic on the port nacelle when he noticed an irregularity in the readings.

"Hey, Thaddeus," he called out, frowning at his console. "I'm seeing some odd fluctuations in the plasma flow. Might be nothing, but—"

Before he could finish, a violent tremor shook the ship. Jasper stumbled, barely managing to catch himself on the edge of his workstation. The lights flickered ominously.

Thaddeus's head snapped up, his unseeing eyes wide with alarm. "That's not nothing," he said, his fingers already flying over his console. "Plasma pressure's spiking across all manifolds."

As if on cue, alarms began blaring throughout the ship. The calm of moments ago evaporated, replaced by a frantic energy as crew members rushed to their stations.

Jasper pushed his way to Thaddeus's side. "What do you need?" he asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the cacophony.

Thaddeus's head tilted slightly in acknowledgment. "Monitor the plasma flow rates. If they spike above 95%, we'll have to initiate an emergency shutdown."

As Jasper rushed to comply, the ship gave another violent lurch. Warning lights flashed on every console, bathing the engine room in an eerie red glow. The very air seemed to vibrate with the strain being put on the ship's systems.

Jasper was already moving, his body operating on instinct honed by countless drills. He knew without being told that this was bad—catastrophically bad. If they couldn't stabilize the plasma flow, the entire ship could go up in a matter of minutes.

Thaddeus worked frantically, his fingers flying over control panels and exposed wiring, desperately trying to reroute power and stabilize the ship's critical systems. But even his brilliant mind was struggling to keep up with the cascading failures.

The chaos in the engine room reached a fever pitch, alarms blaring and crew members shouting over the din. Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the ship, knocking Jasper off his feet. He scrambled up, his ears ringing, to see one of the main engines engulfed in flames.

"Thaddeus!" Jasper yelled, his heart pounding in his chest. "Thaddeus, where are you?"

Through the smoke and flickering emergency lights, Jasper spotted Thaddeus. The engineer was trapped behind a wall of flames, his face illuminated by the orange glow of the fire.

"Jasper!" Thaddeus called back, his voice strained. "You need to get out of here! If another engine blows, the ship could start to rip apart!"

Jasper took a step forward, but Thaddeus held up a hand to stop him.

"No! Listen to me," Thaddeus said, his tone brooking no argument. "Get to the lifeboats. I can still stabilize the systems from here."

"I'm not leaving you!" Jasper shouted, coughing as smoke filled his lungs.

Thaddeus turned back to the controls, his fingers flying over the console. "That's an order, LaBrant! Go!"

For a moment, Jasper stood frozen, torn between his duty and his heart. Then, with a muttered curse, he spun around and sprinted towards the emergency equipment locker.

"What part of 'get to the lifeboats' was unclear?" Thaddeus yelled, sensing Jasper's movement.

Jasper yanked open the locker, grabbing the fire extinguisher. "All of it! You're insane if you think I'm going to leave you here!" he shouted back, already racing towards the flames.

The heat was intense, searing Jasper's skin as he approached the fire. He could see Thaddeus through the flames, still working furiously at the controls, sweat glistening on his brow.

"You stubborn idiot," Thaddeus muttered, but Jasper could hear the fear – and something else – in his voice.

Jasper aimed the extinguisher at the base of the flames, his arms shaking with the effort as he swept the nozzle back and forth. The white foam hissed as it met the fire, slowly beating back the wall of heat.

"Come on, come on," Jasper muttered through gritted teeth, willing the flames to die down faster.

Finally, the last of the fire sputtered out, leaving behind scorched metal and the acrid smell of burnt circuitry. Jasper dropped the empty extinguisher and rushed to Thaddeus's side.

"You're the most pig-headed, reckless son of a—" Thaddeus began, but Jasper cut him off.

"Yell at me later. What do you need me to do?"

Thaddeus's expression shifted from anger to focused determination in an instant. "The auxiliary coolant system. It's not responding to remote commands. We need to manually override it or the other engines will overheat."

Jasper nodded, already moving towards the indicated panel. "On it. What's the sequence?"

As Thaddeus rattled off a series of complex instructions, Jasper's hands flew over the controls. The ship shuddered around them, metal groaning under the strain.

"Coolant flow increasing to engines two and four," Jasper reported, his eyes fixed on the readouts. "But engine three is still critical."

Thaddeus cursed under his breath. "We need to shut it down completely. But if we do, we'll lose maneuverability."

"Better than losing the whole ship," Jasper countered. "Just tell me how."

Working in tandem, they raced against time, their movements a well-choreographed dance of survival. Jasper called out readings while Thaddeus made rapid calculations and adjustments.

"Temperature in engine three dropping," Jasper announced, a note of hope in his voice. "We're almost there."

Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the ship. Jasper lost his footing, crashing into Thaddeus. They clung to each other and the console, struggling to stay upright.

"What was that?" Jasper gasped.

Thaddeus's fingers skimmed over the readouts. "Microfractures forming in the hull. The structural integrity field is failing."

Jasper's heart sank. "Can we reinforce it?"

"Not from here," Thaddeus said grimly. "We need to get to the auxiliary control room. It's our only shot at holding the ship together."

As the smoke began to clear, Jasper noticed Thaddeus wincing with each step. "You're hurt," he said, his voice tight with concern.

Thaddeus shook his head dismissively. "It's nothing. We need to focus on getting to the auxiliary control room."

But Jasper could see the way Thaddeus favored his left leg, the slight tremor in his hands. "Let me help you," he insisted, wrapping an arm around Thaddeus's waist for support.

For once, Thaddeus didn't argue. He leaned into Jasper, his breath coming in short, pained gasps. "Take the next left," he instructed, his voice strained. "There should be an access corridor that leads directly to auxiliary control."

"Hey, Thaddeus," Jasper said as they hurried down the corridor, alarms blaring around them.

"What?" Thaddeus grunted, his face set in concentration.

"If we survive this, remind me to tell you something important."

Thaddeus's eyebrows rose slightly. "It better be worth almost dying for, LaBrant."

Jasper managed a small smile, despite the dire circumstances.

They stumbled through the ship, the acrid smoke stinging Jasper's eyes and making it difficult to see. The emergency lighting flickered ominously, casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls.

"Watch out," Thaddeus warned as they approached a junction. "There's likely to be debris from the explosion."

Sure enough, Jasper's foot caught on a twisted piece of metal. He stumbled, nearly losing his grip on Thaddeus. "How do you do that?" he asked, steadying them both.

"Do what?" Thaddeus replied, his unseeing eyes fixed straight ahead.

"Know exactly what's around us, even in this chaos."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Thaddeus's face. "I've memorized every inch of this ship, LaBrant. It's my job to know her inside and out."

They pressed on, Thaddeus guiding them with uncanny precision despite his injury and the smoke-filled corridors. "Next right," he said, his voice growing weaker. "The auxiliary control room should be just ahead."

Jasper could feel Thaddeus leaning more heavily on him with each step. "Stay with me," he urged, tightening his grip. "We're almost there."

As they rounded the corner, Jasper saw the sealed doors of the auxiliary control room looming before them. "We made it," he said, relief washing over him.

As the doors to the auxiliary control room hissed open, Jasper and Thaddeus stumbled inside. The room was a maze of blinking consoles and holographic displays, all flashing urgent warnings.

"Get me to the main terminal," Thaddeus gasped, his face pale with pain and exertion.

Jasper guided him to the central console, easing him into the chair. "What now?" he asked, his eyes darting between Thaddeus and the array of flashing lights. 

Thaddeus's hands flew over the controls, his fingers moving with practiced precision despite his injuries. "We need to reroute power to the structural integrity field," he explained, his voice tight. "If we don't reinforce the hull soon, we'll be torn apart by the spatial stresses."

"Tell me what to do," Jasper said, moving to stand beside him.

"Monitor the power distribution grid," Thaddeus instructed. "I'm going to shut down all non-essential systems. We need every scrap of energy we can get."

As they worked, the ship groaned and shuddered around them. Jasper could hear the distant sound of metal tearing, and his stomach clenched with fear.

"Thaddeus," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "if this goes sideways-"

"We'll make it," Thaddeus cut him off sharply. "I didn't drag myself through a burning ship just to give up now. And neither did you."

Jasper nodded, swallowing hard. "Right. Power levels are at 60% and rising."

"Good," Thaddeus said. "Now, on my mark, I need you to initiate a full restart of the integrity field. It'll leave us vulnerable for a few seconds, but if we time it right—"

He was cut off by a violent tremor that shook the entire room. Jasper stumbled, catching himself on the edge of the console.

"Never mind! Now, Jasper!" Thaddeus shouted. "Do it now!"

Jasper slammed his hand down on the control, his heart pounding in his chest. For a terrifying moment, all the lights in the room went dark. Then, with a low hum, the systems came back online.

"Did it work?" Jasper asked, holding his breath.

Thaddeus's fingers danced over the tactile readouts. "Hull integrity stabilizing," he reported. "We're not out of the woods yet, but we've bought ourselves some time."

As if in response, the ship gave one last shudder, then settled into a more stable vibration.

Jasper let out a shaky laugh, relief washing over him. "We did it," he said, half disbelieving. "We actually did it."

Thaddeus leaned back in his chair, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Was there ever any doubt?"

But as the adrenaline began to fade, Jasper noticed Thaddeus's face growing even paler. "Hey," he said, concern creeping back into his voice. "Are you okay?"

Thaddeus opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes rolled back, and he slumped forward in the chair.

"Thaddeus!" Jasper cried, catching him before he could fall. 

Jasper's heart raced as he held Thaddeus's unconscious form. "Medical emergency in auxiliary control!" he shouted into his communicator, hoping the ship's systems were still functioning enough to relay his message.

With gentle urgency, he lowered Thaddeus to the floor, careful to support his head. Jasper's eyes darted over Thaddeus's body, searching for injuries he might have missed earlier. In the harsh emergency lighting, he noticed a dark stain spreading across Thaddeus's left side.

"No, no, no," Jasper muttered, carefully lifting Thaddeus's shirt. A nasty gash ran along his ribs, likely from debris during the explosion. How had Thaddeus managed to keep going with an injury like this?

Jasper quickly stripped off his own uniform jacket, wadding it up to press against the wound. "Come on, Thaddeus," he pleaded, his voice cracking. 

The minutes stretched on, feeling like hours. Jasper kept pressure on the wound, his free hand clasping Thaddeus's tightly. He found himself talking, the words spilling out in a desperate stream.

Just as Jasper was beginning to fear the worst, the doors to auxiliary control hissed open. Dr. T'Lana, the ship's chief medical officer, rushed in with her team.

"Report," she demanded crisply, kneeling beside Thaddeus.

Jasper quickly filled her in on Thaddeus's condition as the medical team swarmed around them. He found himself reluctant to let go of Thaddeus's hand, even as the doctor began her scans.

"Multiple lacerations, second-degree burns, and a punctured lung," Dr. T'Lana announced, her voice calm but her movements swift. "We need to get him to sickbay immediately."

As they lifted Thaddeus onto a stretcher, his eyes fluttered open briefly. "Jas...per?" he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

"I'm here," Jasper said quickly, squeezing his hand. "You're going to be okay. Just hang on."

Thaddeus's lips moved, forming words too quiet to hear, before his eyes slipped closed again.

"We must move now," Dr. T'Lana insisted, already steering the stretcher towards the door.

As they rushed Thaddeus to sickbay, Jasper struggled to keep pace with the medical team, his eyes never leaving Thaddeus's pale face. The ship's corridors were a blur of emergency lights and repair crews, but Jasper barely registered any of it.

They burst into sickbay, which was already crowded with injured crew members. Dr. T'Lana efficiently directed her team to an open bio-bed, her voice calm but authoritative.

"Prepare for emergency surgery," she ordered, her hands flying over the medical controls. "Mr. LaBrant, I need you to step back now."

Jasper hesitated, reluctant to leave Thaddeus's side. "But I—"

"Now, private," Dr. T'Lana said firmly.

With a heavy heart, Jasper retreated to the far wall of sickbay. He watched helplessly as the medical team swarmed around Thaddeus, calling out vital signs and administering hyposprays.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. Jasper paced, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Every now and then, he caught a glimpse of Thaddeus through the crowd of medical staff – the shock of his red hair against the white pillow, the stark paleness of his skin.

After what felt like hours, Dr. T'Lana approached Jasper, her face impassive but her eyes showing a hint of fatigue.

"Mr. Beaufort is stable," she reported. "We've repaired the internal damage and treated the burns. He'll need time to recover, but he should make a full recovery."

Jasper sagged with relief, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from his chest. "Can I see him?"

Dr. T'Lana nodded. "Keep it brief, he needs rest."

As Jasper approached the bio-bed, he was struck by how vulnerable Thaddeus looked. The usual lines of concentration were smoothed from his face, making him appear younger. Jasper gently took Thaddeus's hand, mindful of the IV lines.

"Hey," he said softly. "You really scared me there, you know that? Don't ever do that again."

To Jasper's surprise, Thaddeus's fingers twitched in his grasp. Slowly, his unseeing eyes fluttered open.

"Jasper?" Thaddeus murmured, his voice hoarse.

"I'm here," Jasper replied, squeezing his hand gently. "How are you feeling?"

Thaddeus grimaced. "Like I have a wound in my side and just ran through a burning ship. What happened?"

As Jasper began to fill him in on the events after he lost consciousness, he couldn't help but notice the way Thaddeus's hand remained firmly clasped in his own. It felt right, somehow – as if this was where they were always meant to end up.