Chapter Text
“I’m just saying, Bro,” Shang Qinghua’s voice was always grating, but this early in the morning it had a special ring to it that made Shen Yuan go for his coffee almost immediately. “We’re wasted as a mining planet.”
“Just because you have a morbid fascination watching the carnos hunt doesn’t mean others would,” Shen Yuan said, though they both knew that was sadly optimistic on his part. Honestly, the space Syndicates would pay top dollars to see prisoners dropped on Eden Alpha to be eaten alive by the planet’s introduced megafauna. He snorted into his cup, but held his ground. It was the principle of the thing. “I for one wouldn’t want prisoners running amok where I live and work, even if they were being hunted. We have enough chaos. I don’t think Dorothy has recovered from when the raptors got into her breakers. It still smells like burnt feathers in there.”
That had been a very strange day and it was true: their main AI still had some raptor shaped bugs in her system that tended to make work a lot more interesting. As the thought crossed his mind, Shen Yuan scooted on his chair across to his second desk, where he could look over his gauges.
“All systems are steady. Air quality: Green,” he read out and rubbed an eye sleepily as Shang Qinghua parroted his words for the voice system to record it down. Then he rolled back to his main computer to check the multiple cameras.
The top left one, facing the back of the facility and the catalyst for their very strange conversation, was still crawling in feasting carnos. Even in black and white, he could see where the blood was splattered over their bodies, their eyes taking on a deadly shine through the camera. He wasn’t sure what they’d caught, nor did he care as long as it wasn’t some person stupid enough to leave the safety of the facility’s walls. That meant an alarm code and tons of paperwork that he was very much not in the mood for.
Leave it to the Union of North American States to terraform a planet by resurrecting ancient megafauna. He rolled his eyes and returned to his blissfully caffeinated coffee.
“We have enough trouble getting reliable people to stay here,” he added, not quite wanting to continue Shang Qinghua’s insomnia-driven idea of death-by-carno, but given no other interesting topics had been offered, it was all his mind had to run with. “If we started dropping prisoners into the forest to get eaten by the carnos or the plants, just what kind of people would that attract?”
“Interesting ones?” Shang Qinghua offered, a dubious tint in his tone.
“You mean Syndicates,” Shen Yuan said. “Better to be the forgotten scientists on a forgotten planet, Bro. A quiet life is better than what they’d force on us.”
“But so boring.”
Shen Yuan couldn’t argue that one. Even with a planet designed to kill from plants to animals, it was nonetheless a boring life. Their facility was large enough to fit hundreds of people, but they were more like a mining factory with the same people in and out. The only new blood they tended to get were the seasonal workers that were shipped in to help with the Meteorite Sulfur mining, but once the mining season closed, over thirty percent of their personnel left the planet too. That meant Shen Yuan knew everyone and everyone knew him. They were family here, a tight knit group, but when it came to excitement, they were on the low scale.
Everything was designed to be too controlled, as was only fitting for an otherwise volatile setting. And while that meant safety, it also meant boredom. No one had reason to come here unless it was to work, get married, or bring supplies. They were the last outpost on a far out system. Boredom came with the territory.
“Get married then,” Shen Yuan said, the usual response since Shang Qinghua had a marriage profile in the interwebs. Shen Yuan, too, had one, as did all the single crewmen who were open to the idea. Shen Yuan had put his up mostly on a dare, but he knew Shang Qinghua had sent his out with true hopes, which made it poor sport to actually tease him with.
Shang Qinghua groaned on cue. “It shouldn’t be this hard to attract a mate.”
“We are in a forgotten part of the galaxy,” Shen Yuan pointed out, because it was true. People were attracted to money and work, not the planet itself. “Why would people want to live here? Hell, we don’t even know why we stay.”
Another groan and Shen Yuan’s eyes flickered back to the security feed. The carnos were still chomping and tearing, but he could see bones now. “We can always plaster feathers on your arms and head and you can dance for a mate like the raptors do,” he offered, snickering at the idea, especially when he thought of the main fauna handler in the facility’s stoic, unimpressed face. “Thirty marks says you’d attract Mobei Jun that way.”
“He’d murder me for getting too close to his pets,” Shang Qinghua scoffed, which was probably true. The man always tended to look like he was about to kill someone.
“You never know. He may be impressed,” Shen Yuan said before his personal datapad gave a soft beep. He rolled his chair to pick it up and check his inbox. Given it was the main communication besides calls, there was nothing out of the ordinary about opening up the message. In fact, it was so normal to him, he almost didn’t realize what it actually was until the blue triangle logo registered in his brain.
“Holy shit?” he breathed out, blinking down at the message typing itself out on his screen. A response to his marriage profile? What were the fucking odds? “You’re not going to believe this, Bro. I got another one.”
Shang Qinghua went quiet for a moment, then sputtered in indignant rage. Shen Yuan smirked while the page loaded fully. “How?” he demanded. “You only posted that profile to win twenty marks! How do people keep seeing yours and not mine?”
It was honestly a good question, but since Shen Yuan didn’t have the answer to it, he simply chose to revel in the other’s exasperation. “It’s not like I can control that,” he pointed out, then scrolled to the top of the page once it finished. It was the fourth to date that he’d gotten and the three before had been from nearby colony stations. They tended to be poorly funded, barely-held-together scrap heaps, so a residence on a hostile planet with a guaranteed paycheck was sadly preferable.
But the insignia of the Chinese tiger character in white over a black diamond was unknown to him. Dynasty IV, it read at the top and he had to stare. New China had many space stations of note, but the Dynasty fleet was among the elite which tended to get bigger and richer the higher in class they went. Dynasty IV was no doubt Syndicate run and militarized to boot, the shiniest of shiny, so to speak.
The idea of anyone from such a place responding to his ad on a jungle planet was laughable. Surely whoever it was knew just what Eden Alpha was?
“Dude, where is Dynasty IV stationed?” Shen Yuan asked dumbly, blinking at the page.
“Dynasty IV?” Shang Qinghua sounded as incredulous as he felt. Still, there was a promising roll of wheels on the man’s side of the mic as he scooted to his database. “Fuck, dude. Talos Prime. That’s, like, all Syndicates that way. Why would they contact you?”
“To marry me I guess?” Shen Yuan only grew more baffled as he read over the opening statements, which were the standard legal gibberish for answering the contract. “Maybe they want to see the carnos?” he mused, because that honestly made more sense then what was before his own eyes. He rubbed them just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating this.
Marriage Contract: 3 Year Plan - Renewable.
Status: Available
Response from: QQ009 - Dynasty IV.
Recipient: UV002 - Eden Alpha.
Review contents?
YES | NO
In a daze, Shen Yuan clicked the affirmative and the clipped pages loaded up, skittering down his datapad like a line of running spiders as each character wrote out, line by line in a haze of green over the translucent gray film.
My name is Shen Jiu, QQ009, of Dynasty IV. I am interested in the marriage profile you have presented. You will find my qualifications listed below.
Lack of bullshit, at least, and Shen Yuan felt his mouth twitch a bit into a hesitant smile. The others had put far more flourish into it, gushing outside of the profile outline, but it seemed this Shen Jiu hadn’t felt the need.
DOB: 27 October, 2283. Current Age: 30. Sex: Male. Gender: Male. Height: 184 cm. Occupation: Systems Technician.
There were other questions that were part of the pamphlet, questions with only two or three answers each. The man’s disdain for this whole process rang out clear enough that Shen Yuan realized his smile had widened. Definitely no bullshit here, which was oddly refreshing no matter how weird this was to be reading.
After the second application had filtered in, he’d stopped feeling anxious about it. The first answer to his profile had been so blatantly full of lies he’d deleted it while he and Shang Qinghua had laughed themselves sick, and the others had followed a similar pattern. It was just a kind of game to him, something to pass the time, not something that could potentially change his life forever.
But this felt different. There was nothing but crisp, simple answers. Shen Yuan wasn’t sure if Shen Jiu was trying to be vague on purpose, or had simply not known what to say about himself. He’d had the same problem filling out his profile, in fact, and felt a pinch of sympathy as the awkwardness continued through the application.
It was only when he reached the bottom section that suddenly there was a block of text, instead of just simple words. Curiously, he scrolled down to read it through.
You are no doubt curious as to why someone from a position on a space station would look to the fringes of the galaxy for a new home, and to be honest with you, I hardly know the truth of it myself. I only know this place has stagnated and I want out. Perhaps it is rash to take this step to escape, but I am willing to walk this path. This station is anyone’s dream, but for me that dream has cracked. I am tired of a world without colors. Perhaps your world can return them to me.
Enclosed are my personal correspondence codes. Should you find me worthy, I will be waiting for a reply.
Then it ended, like that crack of odd vulnerability hadn’t occurred. Following the signature was a bar-code, which oddly unsettled him. He’d heard rumors that some of New China’s most elite ships took to bar-coding their residents like they were nothing more than gears in a machine. The idea that had been right made his stomach flop.
“I’ll call you back,” he said to Shang Qinghua and cut the connection abruptly around the man’s squawk. He muted further calls besides those on the emergency line and sat back in his chair to reread the letter. It was as perplexing to him as the first time through, but that one paragraph of openness drew him in. He couldn’t even explain why, other than a sense of camaraderie. Hadn’t it been his own desire to escape that had led him to this backwater place?
By the third time through, he found himself curious enough to scroll down to the connection codes. To see them, this connection to a stranger in a far away place, trickled in the anxiety in an instant. Once more, it was real, that what he chose to do would affect himself and another person. Did he even dare answer? What did he really have to offer?
He licked his lips before rolling to his main desk for a flimsy and stylus. It was a very old fashioned habit to retain from his school years, writing things out by hand, but it helped him focus his thoughts, and after a few scratched out attempts, he felt confident in writing out his reply. Well, as long as he didn’t overthink it.
Shen Yuan took a deep breath then started.
Marriage Contract: 3 Year Plan - Renewable.
Status: Available.
Response from: UV002 - Eden Alpha.
Recipient: QQ009 - Dynasty IV.
Shen Jiu -
I’m curious about a lot of things, like how you managed to even find my profile from so far away. Even with a great interweb, Eden Alpha tends to be overlooked. I’m not sure what you’ve heard of this place, but I can’t promise you a grand adventure or even a rich home. We are a recycled scientific facility turned mining operation. My main job is actually similar to yours. I make sure all connections and communications remain open and accessible to all parts of the facility. Dynasty IV is probably bigger than our entire operations, but we only take up a tiny speck of this planet. I can promise you open space and fresh air, if nothing else.
Any rumors you’ve heard of how Eden Alpha was terraformed are probably true. We deal with carnivorous megaflora and megafauna here, though the facility has more safety codes than you’d believe to keep us safe. We keep some raptors in house mostly for entertainment's sake and the ‘dons for transport. I don’t know how to tell you to prepare yourself for that, because nothing I did to prepare myself helped in the end. It’s just something you have to experience first hand.
This is not a yes, yet, but I’m definitely interested. Feel free to respond back if you’re still interested too,
Shen Yuan.
P.S. I know our last name is common but still, what are the odds?
Shen Yuan looked over the page with a small smile then clicked SEND before he could talk himself out it. Once it was lost in the interwebs, he sat back in his seat again, hands clammy as they ran down his face.
Seriously, what was he doing? His mind panicked. What if this guy actually wanted to marry him? That meant sharing his quarters, maybe even sharing his workspace since their jobs lined up so well. What would that even look like?
Three years was the shortest amount of time offered, and when he’d put his profile up he hadn’t thought it long at all. But what if Shen Jiu actually came and married him, but they came to hate each other? Three years would be an eternity, then. What if the guy murdered him in his sleep?
And why the fuck did he want to leave behind a utopia like Dynasty IV for a place like Eden Alpha? He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the man seemed downright desperate to leave. Why else would he want to marry into a place of no concern? Sure, they mined the Meteorite Sulfur that powered filtration systems for nearly all of New China’s fleets, but if that was all Shen Jiu wanted, he could have come in on a work contract. Why marriage? And why Shen Yuan?
It boggled his mind so much he went cross eyed. Sighing to himself, Shen Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose and scooted back to the security feeds. The carnos were slowing down, their numbers dropping as they left with full bellies. He squinted at the bowed ribs he could see to try to guess what had been their meal, but to his stressed mind it only became an indistinguishable mess. Probably for the best.
When his datapad pinged again, he practically jumped out of his skin. He had no idea what timezone Dynasty IV was in, but he doubted they were both in the morning. Was he on lunch break, typing while eating? Was he almost off work in the evening, planning his dinner? Or was he lost to a sleepless night, browsing ways of escape instead of sleeping?
Marriage Contract: 3 Year Plan - Renewable.
Status: Available
Response from: QQ009 - Dynasty IV.
Recipient: UV002 - Eden Alpha.
Shen Yuan -
When one is looking for a far away place, Eden Alpha is easily accessible. I’ve heard many things about Eden Alpha and what the North Americans did there, but that is not the draw. It is the distance. If I wanted a grand adventure and a rich life, surely I'd stay where I am or look elsewhere?
I’m under no illusions that your facility is small and that the planet is inhospitable. I know full well what I am getting myself into. I need a spouse to get me off station and your profile came up. You are who I chose. I don’t need promises. I just need to be free.
Since our skills align, I need not convince you that I could be of use to your facility. I learn fast and am willing to adapt to what is needed to be your spouse. Your profile was vague on what your interests are in a life partner, however.
I’m still interested, but I ask for more specifics. What would being married to you mean for me?
Shen Jiu
P.S. Considering how many Shens live here, the odds aren’t that great. But perhaps if this goes well, we can consider it a turn of luck.
Shen Yuan huffed a laugh as that sense of disdain came through again. This Shen Jiu really didn't like to talk personally, did he? Shen Yuan couldn’t say he liked it much either and already his stomach flipped with stress. But there was something else, too: a sense of excitement that this was another person to meet. A new face. A new perspective. Someone who was interested in… well, maybe not Shen Yuan himself, but the space he occupied. When was the last time he’d had that?
He was back to his flimsy and stylus before he even thought about it, a grin stretching his face, and watched his handwriting shift to typed letters with an odd hope in his chest.
Marriage Contract: 3 Year Plan - Renewable.
Status: Available
Response from: UV002 - Eden Alpha.
Recipient: QQ009 - Dynasty IV.
Shen Jiu -
Marriage here is mostly a work contract with live-in benefits. Unless you specifically wish not to work, you’ll be put to work somewhere in the facility but you’ll share my quarters. If you choose to divorce after three years, a percentage of my wages will go to helping fund getting you off planet, unless you wish to remain, in which case you’ll have to apply for a working contract out of your own pocket.
If you choose to renew the marriage for another three years (or longer) you’ll have a stable home and community life. It’s not altogether exciting, but you’re right. If you wanted excitement, you’d have picked something other than Eden Alpha.
As for my personal preferences… well, I'm not looking for a bed warmer. We’ll probably be like roommates and hopefully friends? I’d rather you be yourself that way we both know if we’ll mesh or not. I can’t offer you much but what I can offer you I will. This isn’t a cushy home. There are dangers here. I want someone to talk to, share things with, but not if that makes you uncomfortable. You want to be free. If you don’t want anything to do with me, I still don't mind helping you out as long as you’re polite and treat my home with respect.
A low bar, but I’ve honestly never thought this would be answered. I guess the better question is, what are you looking for in a spouse?
Shen Yuan
P.S. I like that. I’m already feeling a bit lucky.
He hoped that wasn’t too honest, but there was no denying the butterflies he felt. Shen Yuan sent off his response then rolled to his desk to check a beeping sensor, quieting it by typing in a code. Once more, all was as it should be, peaceful and familiar. Same old, same old. Only the flutter in his chest and the shake in his hands reminded him of what was happening. It still didn’t seem real, even with his body’s reaction to it. Someone wanted to marry him and move here. Shang Qinghua’s death-by-carno was suddenly far more plausible than this.
That didn’t stop the datapad from pinging again, or Shen Jiu from answering. He couldn’t believe this was happening, but life really did keep turning. He peeked at the response, curious, and immediately felt a grin slip over his lips.
Marriage Contract: 3 Year Plan - Renewable.
Status: Available
Response from: QQ009 - Dynasty IV.
Recipient: UV002 - Eden Alpha.
Shen Yuan -
I suppose that is acceptable. I find myself unsure what I want either. I just know that I want off this station and I’m willing to risk marrying you to do it. Perhaps that makes me a callous man, but those are my terms. I want out. We shall just have to figure the rest out together, if you will still accept me.
Shen Jiu
P.S. Considering you have indulged me this far, I feel the same.
Shen Yuan leaned back in his seat, breathing a tad shallow, then blinked when he realized something was attached to the document. Curious, he clicked on the small triangle icon to open it and downright choked when the picture loaded.
A man stared resolutely at him, features sharp and pretty, hair short and styled. His eyes were the color of storm clouds and just as chaotic, churning with thoughts. His mouth was thin and set in a grim line, but this didn’t detract from his imposing stature at all, nor his beauty. He took in the starched white uniform, the bags under Shen Jiu’s eyes, and could practically feel the man’s need to leave. If this was what a dream in space looked like, he was better off here.
Maybe having a roommate-spouse wouldn’t be so bad after all? Shen Jiu was direct, boarding abrasive, and it was clear he was intending to use Shen Yuan as a stepping stone. Since marriage didn’t mean much to Shen Yuan, he could hardly care. And why should he? He’d be helping this guy out and if they didn’t like each other, they could end it, no strings attached. Surely there were worse things in the world than coming home to someone after a day’s work?
It tickled his heart, that thought, that maybe he wouldn’t have to spend another day alone. Even if it was with a stranger, there was time to make friends. Marriage was just a label, but a friendship was a choice. That couldn’t be too bad of a thing, could it? And if he could make a friend while helping the guy out, all the better.
“You’re probably part of the Syndicate and running from a hit on you,” he mused to the datapad as he stared down Shen Jiu’s picture. Honestly, the severe man could easily be lying and weaseling out, but the Syndicate had no power on Eden Alpha. It was a good place to hide, if that’s what Shen Jiu really wanted.
Still, he couldn’t help but think that Shen Jiu was being honest. It wasn’t like Shen Yuan was a catch. What would the man really gain from lying? A nowhere position on a nowhere planet? If he meant Shen Yuan harm, that didn’t make sense either. He didn’t know Shen Jiu, nor any person related to a Syndicate. He owed no money or debt. His family lived on a nearby rickety communal colony craft, hardly the stuff of legends.
He was no one in the vastness of space, yet Shen Jiu had picked him. That had to mean something.
He tapped the upper corner of the pad to get into his marriage profile, where his own picture stared back at him. He’d had the profile for two years, but the picture automatically updated to his current work ID picture, which meant Shen Jiu had looked at his boring, disheveled face and found someone worth betting on. Flattering, that, if confusing.
“You’re going to kill me in my sleep,” he muttered, before clicking STATUS. His heart jumped as it highlighted and erased, ready for him to type, to choose.
Marriage Contract: 3 Year Plan - Renewable.
Status: Pending.