"Hoseok, this has nothing to do with me."

Jeon Jungkook was standing in front of a broad, messy table draped in a giant old-fashioned map scattered with carved symbols, like small figures on a giant chess board.

Jungkook could recognize the symbols of different Fortresses in some of the carvings, though he also saw some he did not know, that were scattered on this map of galaxies with minute precision.

Hoseok was leaning over the opposite side of that broad table, and he slammed one of his fists down hard on the tabletop to emphasize his next point.

"It has everything to do with ALL of us!"

The small figurines on the table rattled, some toppling, but Jungkook appeared entirely unshaken by the force of Hoseok's words.

"Hobi, I respect what you're trying to do here. 'Justice for all' makes for a nice recruitment speech for the masses, I'm sure, but I'm not here at this little rebel camp of yours because I wanted to be."

Jeon Jungkook shifted in his tan boots, prepared to leave the tent.

Hoseok's voice softened. "Kookie, wait. Please."

Jungkook sighed. His almond eyes narrowed and his lips pursed with suspicion. "What?"

Hoseok sent a hand through his rustling, sweaty crown of hair. Not long back and camp and the heat and his own fervor were already getting to him.

"Despite the numbers we seem to have on the surface, the... number of people in this camp that I trust with the whole truth of things is minuscule. But there's so much that needs to be done to bolster our defensive and offensive strategies around here, Kookie, and with your combat experience... your skill level..."

"Do you think I've just FORGOTTEN what happened in the arena?! What you DID?!" Jungkook's breathing became violent as the image of Kim Taehyung's lifeless form flickered like a ghost before his eyes, and then the turbulent ocean of Shae's eyes from over shoulder, mid-conflict. Jungkook's fists clenched as if he might channel that violent energy into action. He was silent some time to forcibly steady his breathing and his fury.

When he spoke again, Jungkook's voice was stiff from swallowing so much emotion.

"You think, because you talk righteous motives, all of a sudden I'm gonna trust my earnest efforts into helping you with," he cast a critical gaze over the tabletop, "whatever this is? You're sorely mistaken."

Hoseok sighed, hanging his head as his palms fell flat onto the tabletop and he leaned in over it, his shoulders hunched up tightly beneath his crumpled green shirt. He remained silent, staring down at something that his former comrade couldn't see.

Jungkook went on, "I'm here to protect the people who are important to me. And to make sure Petra never sees the other side of her prison again. Those are my missions while I am here. I'm not interested in taking any orders from the likes of you. Now if you'll excuse me."

With that, Jeon Jungkook's brown boots curled into the sand as he pivoted around, and marched out of the Strategy Tent to go check in on his priorities.

Jung Hoseok pulled his head up, his typically bright eyes clouding over as he watched Jungkook head back outside into camp.

The troubled combat specialist sank into a chair with a heavy sight. He thought to himself, Perhaps I should have led with what happened to our former base camp, then maybe he would have stayed to listen. Jungkook may be pissed off at all of us right now--especially me--and I get it... but he's also merciful.

--

Woozi swooped aside the open flap of a particularly large tent.

Taehyung had been too busy admiring the scenery to notice the short human in front of him had stopped moving, and he walked right into Woozi--almost toppling the small, furious bean.

"So sorry!" Tae gave a boyish, apprehensive grin with his hands raised delicately between him and his annoyed tour guide.

Woozi just glared, turning back and lifting the tent flap in front of him once again.

Tae was surprised to see a fingerprint panel etched into a very solid fiberglass-looking wall beneath that particular burlap-y flap.

Woozi's hand rested onto the fleshy colored pad next to the door. Then hard metal slid to one side, and the door opened.

"Why is this giant building underneath a tent?" Tae asked as he followed Woozi inside.

"Because it disguises it. If an air raid happened on this whole camp, people wouldn't automatically be able to recognize this as a storage facility. We've created the illusion of several small tents side-by-side from an aerial view for this facility."

"Oh." That's kinda smart. Tae plucked at the ends of some of his silvery hair and gave a satisfied nod of approval.

Taehyung started to slowly turn about the room he had just followed Woozi into, surveying the storage facility.

Rows upon rows of gear, spare parts, extra cans of pickled vegetables...you name it, and you could probably find it somewhere wedged onto the thin metallic shelves. These shelves were, Tae noticed, on rolling racks that you could shift one direction or the other, depending on what items you needed access to.

Tae nodded slowly in approval. More space to utilize. Also smart. Then he asked, "Wait. You keep your weapons and ammunition in here, too?"

Woozi scoffed. "What do I look like, an amateur?"

Tae was about to say Yes, but something about the look on Woozi's face told him that he'd better not.

Woozi snapped, "No. We've a separate storage unit for weapons and munitions, which you'll get to see soon enough. But my job as tour guide has come to an end." Thank God. "Vernon will take it from here. VERNON!"

There was a loud clanging sound of something heavy and metallic falling onto the hard floor of the storage unit. Then an echoing, "OUCH!"

Woozi rolled his eyes. "I swear..."

Eventually, a young man quite literally crawled out of the racks, grunting and shifting on his elbows until he was free of the metal prison he'd found himself in.

This new young man wore jean overalls with tears in the knees and heavy grease stains, and he had a neon pink bandana wrapped around his head that was holding back waves of his slightly greasy, dirty blonde hair.

He rose to his feet in a springy motion and bounded over to plant himself firmly at Woozi's side.

Tae looked down to see that the young man called Vernon was wearing bright orange converse shoes with zany pink-and-purple socks.

Vernon was almost as tall as Tae, but Tae could tell by the softness around the boy's more angular features that this Vernon kid was still, in fact, a kid.

In contrast to Tae's calm survey of the young man, Vernon's mouth hung slightly open as he gaped from Tae, taking him shamelessly all-in.

Taehyung wasn't sure if it was the unusual new silver tint to his hair, the crisp blue of his eyes... or if maybe his reputation as an enemy Gwangju Ai had preceded him. Considering their battle had been broadcast for the entire rebel forces to see.

Tae stuck out a hand. "Hello. My name is Kim Taehyung."

Vernon looked curiously down at Tae's hand, like a scientist studying an animal in the wild, but he didn't shake it. "I already know who you are." He looked back up at Tae's face, and an awkward silence followed his words.

Taehyung attempted to stifle it by asking brightly through his starlight smile, "What's your name?"

The vibrantly clad storage facility worker answered bluntly, "The name's Vernon. I work here. Why are you here?"

The kid's gaze shifted down to Woozi. When he spoke to the angry little man, Vernon's tone of voice instantly tuned into a mischevious, childish frequency. Night and day. "And why are you here? Don't you have some Yoongi ass-kissing to do?" He was smirking now.

Woozi answered, "Say that again and I'll—"

"What? Kick me in the shins? I mean, that's as high as you can reach, soooo...."

In a flash, Woozi jerked forward. But Vernon was faster.

Giggling with the purest glee, Vernon started racing about the slim spaces of the storage unit, with the tiny and furious Woozi bolting after him like an electric pink angry pomeranian, barking insults as he went.

Tae giggled at the messy blur of Woozi's pink hair and Vernon's bright orange sneakers, streaking and zigzaging in a colorful blur.

There was another loud, metallic clanging sound. Another echo of Vernon shouting, "OUCH!"

The breathless racing began anew, according to the scuffling of sneakers on the hard floor that Tae could still hear--though Woozi and Vernon were now out of sight.

Taehyung stood casually, patiently, still waiting by the entrance door.

Then the main door slid open. Through it walked Shae, much to Tae's relief for some semblance of familiarity.

Shae and Tae stared shyly at each other, neither really knowing what to say to the other after quiet waves of greeting.

Just as Shae opened her mouth to speak...

"GOD DAMMIT VERNON IF YOU PINCH MY EARS ONE MORE TIME I'M GOING TO CUT YOUR FUCKING FINGERS OFF IN YOUR SLEEP."

"HAHAHAHAHA YEAH RIGHT FAIRY PRINCESS. I sleep on the top bunk. AND YOU...CAN'T....REACH."

There were more shuffling noises from the caverns of the storage facility.

"I WILL END YOU."

"HEHEHEHE..."

Vernon turned a corner in haste, his dirty blonde waves of hair windswept around his face...when his sneakers screeched to a sudden halt on the hard floor in front of where Taehyung and Shae now stood together.

Vernon was looking at Shae as if startled out of a dream...so dazed was he that he didn't notice Woozi catch up to him and land a sudden, solid kick to Vernon's left shin.

"OUCH!"

"That's what you get," Woozi muttered in satisfaction.

Vernon winced, leaned forward, and braced a hand against his leg to stifle the pain. But then he looked up at Shae's face again.

Shae was watching this Vernon kid with amused curiosity. "Hello there." Her smile was hiding a laugh.

Vernon let go of his leg, pretended indifference, and cleared his throat. "Hi. My name's Vernon." He stepped forward and stuck his hand out towards Shae.

Woozi rolled his eyes at Vernon's gesture.

Tae wondered sourly to himself why he wasn't afforded the same courtesy.

Shae tentatively reached out her own hand. Instead of taking her full hand, Vernon clasped the tips of her fingers delicately and turned their potential handshake into a kind of informal court gesture—complete with a short bow, but minus the hand-kissing.

Vernon flushed and let go. Then he said all in a rush, "You're as pretty as you are terrifying. Kinda like how Tae is as mystifying as he is tragic."

Shae blinked a few times in rapid fire. "Uh. Thank you?" What does he mean by terrifying?

Vernon beamed. "You're welcome." Then he turned to Woozi and asked in a loud murmur, "Why are they here, Woozi?"

Woozi held his temples between his fingers and glared. "Taehyung is your new unit leader. Shae is now part of your unit as well. Congratulations. You're not alone anymore in this shithole."

Vernon looked like he was about to faint. "Th-they're...staying? With me?" His eyes flickered suspiciously in Taehyung's direction.

"Yeah, kid. Buck up and get used to it." Woozi dusted himself off.

Shae piped up, "I promise I'll work hard! I want to be helpful."

Tae added, "Yeah, and I'll be sure to do my best. I'll be the most fun boss you've ever had." Tae gave a wink as if this sealed the deal.

Vernon looked from Tae to Shae. He shook his head slowly and closed his eyes. As if forgetting he wasn't alone, he whispered to himself, "Maybe this means I can take naps in the middle of the day now."

Shae and Tae exchanged glances.

Woozi smacked his own forehead. "How can you be such an idiot, and a genius, all at the same time?"

Vernon gave this question an earnest thought for a moment, then shrugged. "It's a gift."