(no subject)
Oct. 18th, 2016 03:34 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
balthazar’s base design and hardware is probably standard issue but his outer appearance and supplemental hardware are unique & new cause they’ve never used an android as a system’s ai before
cass is not pleased at first to hear he won’t actually be the only person on board, since that’s why he took the job, but when they meet before launch, balthazar is just so lowkey congenial and makes him laugh and knows how to scritch a cat’s chin just right
and thinking it over cass decides it IS less disconcerting for the ship’s built-in ai to have a face he can talk to
done 2 more chapters! shorter ones, but still ~5000 words together in 2 days!
i’ve about reached the halfway point, i think: probably a little more than half for part 1, and a little less than that for part 2i didn’t even realize but…..balthazar’s air assault is just as strong, even though he’s the weakest in terms of raw attack power
that makes cass the strongest and yet the only one without aoe attacks
Immediately to their right was a low desk holding a flatscreen monitor and a keyboard and mouse, none of which reacted when prodded.
“There’s no power cable attached,” Lotus told him.
“Actually, there’s no computer either,” said Balthazar after a glance under the desk.
“I believe it’s a wireless display,” Lotus offered. Balthazar hummed in response, as though greatly impressed.
“A vintage 1912 wireless monitor!” he cooed. “Truly, the Queen of the Ocean.”
He was surprised to hear Lotus actually laugh.
In a single motion, Balthazar slid the card through the reader, pulled the lever, and hit the call button. A motor began to whir from far below them, and in less than a minute, the doors pulled open.
“Wait!” Cass grabbed Balthazar’s arm, pulling him back from the door.
“W-what’s wrong?”
Cass had not protested until this moment, yet he seemed surprised at Balthazar’s confusion.
“This elevator only goes down,” he insisted. “That’s what’s wrong.”
It took Balthazar a moment to catch on, and a sudden chilled passed through him.
…yet the elevators only went down.
Balthazar took a half-step forward, leaning over the threshold of the elevator doors and scrutinizing every inch.
“It’s totally dry inside…” he murmured.
“So?” Cass was clearly still ahead. “That just means the shaft is watertight.”
“True, but…” Balthazar rubbed his chin, “if we’re meant to go further down…then perhaps it’s not ‘everything below C Deck’ that’s underwater…”
“–but only D Deck?” Cass eyed the elevator suspiciously. “I mean, I guess so, but…”
“I’ve got it!” Inspired, Balthazar reached around the lift door. There were only two buttons, C and E, and he hit the latter, quickly moving back outside as the doors closed.
“This way we’ll know the doors opened down there,” he said quietly, as he and Cass pressed their ears to the grate. They heard a faint *ping*, and the unmistakeable sound of the doors grinding open.
Castiel hit the call button again, and they leapt out of the way as the lift returned…just in case.
“…It’s bone dry,” Balthazar observed, craning his neck to peer inside. Cass frowned deeply at it nonetheless.
“Why don’t you stay here?” Balthazar offered, touching Cass’ arm. “Worse comes to worst, you can avenge my death.”
Cass looked rather appalled.
“Why don’t you stay here?” he countered, tilting his head with a smirk. “At least I’d be buried on an Olympic-class ocean liner.”
“Fair enough,” Balthazar conceded with a smile as he stepped onto the lift. Castiel followed quickly, and hit the button.
“You know,” he murmured thoughtfully as the doors closed, “if the shaft is watertight, then it must be airtight, too.”
Balthazar’s stomach did a small, determined flip.
The two-deck ride seemed interminably long as he considered any possible way they might have been tricked into drowning themselves. His hand twitched nervously, but Castiel took it and held on tight.
The doors slid open.
There was no flood, and yet they hesitated, peeking around the corner as though the seawater might be lying in wait.
Finally, they exhaled.
“You see?” Balthazar chuckled breathlessly as they slowly emerged onto E Deck. “Not a drop of water in sight.”
“No, there’s plenty of water,” Cass corrected him, slowly raising his eyes and pointing to the ceiling, “…riiiight above our heads.”
“Tell me something,” slightly flushed, Balthazar smiled at him, “is this you in a good, or a bad mood?”
Castiel smiled sweetly back, but declined to answer.
naturally cass has to go through a battery of medical tests and boosts before launch. he’s pretty sure he’s had more blood drawn than is strictly legal at this point
balthazar starts meeting him after the appointments with refreshments and to walk him home. cass asks if he just happened to be around or what and balthazar explains that as cass’ only support during the mission he needs all kinds of supplemental software beyond a simple ai on legs
so much so that they’ve even had to upgrade his hardware to hold it all
“you’re not the only pincushion on site,” he jokes
“at least you don’t have to obsessively rehydrate every time,” cass gripes, angrily drinking his juice box
“no?” says balthazar, bending his arm & making fake squeaky noises
(actually a number of the additions are balthazar's own ideas based on his interactions with cass the devs look through cass' file like 'where are you getting this info??' 'i talk to him' says balthazar with subtle condescension 'wth we didn't program him that way' 'of course you didn't' says balthazar. 'but what makes you think i like you better than him?')
cass moves from his apartment into an onsite dorm in the runup to launch, and balthazar starts spending more and more time there
he’s supposed to be in the lab at nights recharging & shit so when he gets back after his first overnight stay at cass’ the devs r just like
“where the hell have you been???”
“sorry, guess i just forgot,” says balthazar entirely insincerely
“literally HOW did you forget?? you’re a computer you don’t even have a brain to forget WITH”
“sorry, guess i just forgot,” says balthazar, already out the door again
part 1
1. 3rd class cabin
2. door 5
3. large hospital room
4. door 8
5. door 6
6. door 9
7. safe
part 2
1. 3rd class cabin
2. door 4
3. large hospital room
4. door 7
5. door 1
6. door 9
7. 9years
8. true
9. epilogue
The dust has settled.
The dirt of the vast, arid expanse is soaked through with blood and strewn with heaps of steel and iron and pieces of the soldiers who wielded them as weapons.
Castiel’s body lays against the torn door of a transport, pinned by the long spear that pierced his chest. His head is fallen forward, hanging over a small, deep red puddle between his feet, although his blood has long stopped flowing.
Soft footfalls dare to disturb the battlefield, kicking up tiny spirals of dust as they approach.
“Oh, Cassie…”
Balthazar reaches out, laying a gentle hand on Cass’ still head.
He chuckles.
“What have you gotten yourself into?”
( Read more... )please i really need a fic where cass & balthazar are just slowly getting together and everyone who knows balthazar is like, “is he in love? guess we’ll have to wait and see cause he’s ~too cool to show it in public”
except he’s like knucklebiting giddy in love and spends all his time making detailed date notes because cass is so cute and perfect and balthazar wants everything to go just right