Hey guys I'm actually way ahead on this story, more chapters are posted on ao3 so I'm basically updating until I catch up

pls leave me a comment :)

Two months away from earth felt like an eternity.

Two months to get to the edge of the solar system, beyond Pluto, on a moon flung out in its orbit cycle, stretched away from the sun like the tip of an uncurled flower. The sun was little more than a star among other stars, shining down on Kerberos with a cold light.

Takashi Shirogane stepped from the ship into that light, in what he felt was a rather cliched reenactment of Apollo Eleven. Cameras placed on the outside of the ship watched him, and so did the Garrison on earth, three billion miles away and five hours in the future.

Doctor Holt and his son Matt Holt followed soon after, their footsteps dropping into the dust. Shiro looked around. The planet looked pretty lifeless from here. However, the two scientists didn't see it that way. They shuffled about, huffing and puffing over the comms, immediately beginning to assemble their equipment for measurements, with a bit of witty banter.

There were long poles for a tripod, sample cases – Shiro helped carry them out—and the drill.

Shiro had gotten to know Matt and Doctor Holt better than he'd ever imagined doing back on earth, and if it were possible a bit too well, as sharing tight quarters with two other people for such a prolonged amount of time was definitely a sort of bonding experience. He was relieved for the gravity again, relieved to stretch his legs a little bit. He wandered away from the two of them, only a few paces, but enough to soak in the personal space.

He'd learned practically everything there was to know about their routine, their past, their stories, their family. The sly Kate, the exuberant Matt, and of course Mrs. Holt, herself a scientist, (botany not astronomy) consigned to wait on earth. He'd barely met them back on earth but now he almost felt like part of their family.

And yet, Shiro wasn't really a scientist. He thought of himself as more of a soldier. That was what he was good at, the more tangible, real stuff, less of the heady theories. But at this moment he couldn't help getting a little philosophical.

They were now standing farther from earth than anyone ever had before—well, any humans, Shiro amended, although the existence of extraterrestrial life was still unconfirmed, and would be until they returned to earth and examined their samples. He looked out beyond Kerberos, beyond the solar system, into the great unknown. If there was life out there, what would it be like?

In all honesty, his pragmatism told him that even Pluto wasn't far enough. The chances of ever encountering whatever life might be floating around out there in the galaxy were slim at best. But if mankind ever did make first contact—well—he hoped it would be a good one. Humans had yet to touch a new civilization without squashing something on accident or on purpose. Was that just the nature of first contacts? He hoped not. Because that made him the explorer on the sailing-ship. Hopefully he was more of a Magellan than a Cortez.

Because the history of civilizations meeting… well, it was troubled. Whichever one is more advanced in technology tends to subsume the other. Maybe that was why the thought of encountering extraterrestrial life gave him such apprehension. But it was also why it was important that brave, intelligent people like Matt and Doctor Holt were at the head of the effort. And, of course, modesty notwithstanding, he had the honor of being chosen with them. Because the Garrison was, in a sense, trusting him to represent earth, and in the event of first contact, the three of them would have it on their shoulders to start things off on the right foot.

Shiro returned to the group as Matt and Dr. Holt crouched by the tripod.

"Steady," said Dr. Holt as the drill pierced the surface. The first exciting confirmation: it was indeed frozen water. Water was the element of life, the reason why Kerberos was a target to begin with.

When the drill retracted, it brought with it a beautiful blue ice core. Matt grinned and touched it.

"Easy, son," said Dr. Holt. "This ice is delicate."

"Amazing," said Matt. "Isn't this exciting, Shiro?"

Shiro smiled. "You guys get a little more excited about ice samples than I do."

Dr. Holt couldn't help correcting him. "This is history in the making. Not only have we traveled farther than any human ever has, but this ice could hold microscopic clues about the existence of life outside earth."

"Think about it," said Matt eagerly. "We could use those clues to become the first people to meet aliens!"

Dr. Holt continued smiling with amusement. "My life's work would be complete." Shiro detected the irony—it was unlikely in any case that they personally would have that privilege. But one could dream.

There was a tremble and the ground around them began to shake. Shiro stumbled back in confusion, but quickly began to take stock.

"What is that?" he heard Dr. Holt say over the comms. "Seismic activity?"

"We should get back to the ship," said Shiro. Whatever this was, it alarmed him. The ground was shaking violently now. It wasn't safe to be out here.

The sky was darkening and a shadow slid over the site. He looked up for the source of the shadow and found it. Something was coming over the horizon. A shape like a dark bird, with the wings and outstretched neck of a goose. But this was no bird—it was huge. Purple lights ringed it and out upon its head, a purple light flared.

For a half-second he couldn't even think beyond trying to fathom this thing.

Garrison. Are you seeing this?

They must be. But by the time they responded with instructions it would be too late.

This was first contact.

And he wasn't Cortez or Magellan. He was an unlucky native of the Yucatan, about to catch the smallpox.

"Run!" he shouted. His heart squeezed hard. "Come on! Run!"

They ran—for what? Their own craft? A harsh light poured down from the shape in the sky, bathing Kerberos in violet. The rumble turned into a roar and the ground cracked under its shaking. Rocks began to rise into the airless space. Shiro's feet lost traction and he realized with terror they were caught in the force of some beam. Boulders lifted and moved.

They ascended – and everything went black.

Shiro's eyes stayed closed for a moment, as if glued. He felt oddly sluggish. There was a dull ache in his legs—well, many aches. He felt bruised all over.

What had happened? Kerberos—they'd reached Kerberos. Earthquake.

No. Tractor beam.

First Contact.

His eyes fluttered open.

He could see Matt and Dr. Holt crouched beside him. They were kneeling, helmets covering their faces. Shiro was trained to make quick observations, and several astonishing ones came to him at once.

Astonishing observation number one: His helmet was off. And he was breathing. They were in a ship. The one he'd seen in the sky? It must be. And these aliens breathed the same air.

Astonishing observation number two: There were voices, and they were speaking. In English.

How was that possible? He didn't have time to dwell on it. The floor was a cold, hard metal. His eyes swept up to meet a spacious, if dim, bridge and a glowing red console.

They were not alone—neither here nor in the universe.

One alien stood behind them, larger than a human, wearing black and purple armor. It held a weapon, clearly some kind of gun. Its face was hidden by a helmet.

Another alien stood before them on the bridge, less heavily armored. He caught a glimpse of purple fur on large, tufted ears. His breath caught in his throat. The speech was coming from a screen behind this alien. Shiro strained to push aside his bewilderment and focus on the message. It was imperative to understand what was happening. He'd already missed too much while unconscious.

"Emperor Zarkon. We were scouting system X-9-1 as ordered when we found these primitive scientists," said the alien on the bridge. "I don't think they know anything useful."

There was another face on the screen, a helmeted nonhuman face with yellow eyes. Even before it spoke, Shiro found the sight of it chilling for reasons he couldn't explain.

He struggled to wrap his muddled mind around the words. Emperor…

"Take them back to the main fleet for interrogation."

This, he understood. There could be no further doubt, these creatures were hostile.

"The druids will find out what they know."

Shiro's eyes widened as he struggled to his knees.

No. It's not supposed to happen this way. Dr. Holt. Matt.

He tried to collect himself. Say something. Anything.

It was his Garrison training that surfaced. The words spilled out, ungraceful, and desperate, but the best he could come up with. "Please! We come from a peaceful planet! We mean you no harm! We're unarmed!"

A hit to the back of the head took him out again.