Fic: (NaNo) The Citadel - chapter 1

[silentdescant]

title: The Citadel or The Grid (any opinions on this?) - chapter 1
rating: NC-17 (Already!)
summary: Sci-Fi AU: Several decades in the future, Dominic, Billy, and the rest of the guys work and live on an orbiting space station, which gets infected and taken over by an alien force. The boys have to fight the evil stuff and save the day. :)
note: So, I wrote this all last night, and already it's almost the same length as Written Truth, which I wrote over like, 5 days. Anyway, it was all inspired by the picture that is the background of the banner (beneath cut). It's a wallpaper by digitalblasphemy.com.

wordcount total: 4,110
wordcount for this chapter: 4,110

index

(click for bigger, and here's the same thing with the alternate title)

The slowly revolving structure seemed to go on forever, when in reality it was only a few hundred kilometers in diameter. Even that was relatively small by the standards of man-made planets; most of the commercially-produced Oribtons were about half the size of the moon or larger. But Orbiton: Citadel was special, unique in its design. The architectural teams had taken decades to design and perfect the blueprints, and then several more decades had passed before the structure became inhabitable.

 

Generations of laborers and scientists had contributed to the project, and now, eight years after its premiere launch, Citadel was the single most popular space structure in orbit around planet Earth. Its diminutive size was deceiving; the floor plan was designed so efficiently that Citadel actually had the largest maximum occupancy level of its class of Orbiton. It served as a very large city for its inhabitants, though its main purpose was personal dwellings for the middle classes of society.

 

The secret to the design was the incredible use of the Orbiton’s inner space. All other Orbitons were shaped similar to a barbell, with extremely large, rotating discs that held the living spaces, while the connecting beam and its offshoots contained the dining, entertainment, and working places. Citadel, on the other hand, was shaped like a gigantic sphere, only made up of a closely-spaced grid, giving each corridor a spectacular view of outer space and the millions of other softly-glowing gridlines.

 

Detailed maps were extremely vital, considering the structure’s mere size and maze-like hallways. In addition to the physical maps posted on the walls, each occupant was equipped with a tracking device, which they could access from any of Citadel’s computers, to both figure out where they were and find the nearest restroom, eatery, shopping arena, etc. The Orbiton’s dense spherical shape made it ideal for businesses, specifically software companies, to both house their headquarters and their employees, and still be in close contact with competing companies and their Earthside manufacturing plants.

 

Citadel functioned like a satellite planet unto itself; it was entirely self-sustaining, and could survive, even thrive, if it drifted out of Earth’s gravitational pull and into its own orbit around the sun. Though a few of the newer Orbitons could do the same, Citadel was unique in this area as well. Most other satellites depended on Earth for routine check-ups, occasional food and supply drops, and computer hardware updates. Citadel produced its own food in a centrally-located greenhouse wing, housed its own maintenance employees, and had the resources to build new equipment if the situation called for it. Citadel’s low orbit meant that it didn’t have to do such things, however, and, while still in its early stages, it still depended on Earth’s shuttle-loads of supplies and people.

 

The only thing Citadel did not have was weapons. The onboard police were equipped only with badges and handcuffs; guns, both those with physical projectiles and those using electricity, were strictly prohibited and anyone found smuggling them onboard would be immediately deported back to Earth, where they would then serve a prison sentence.

 

The things Citadel did have were impressive, though: a leading medical research facility; a fleet of plasma-powered jets, for short trips to Earth, the Moon, or other Orbitons; no less than four complete software companies, along with satellite branches of six more; an entertainment studio; and the third-largest shopping arena in existence (France and Japan claimed the first two spots with their shopping-only satellites).

 

Each sector of the Citadel’s grid housed a carefully planned number of dwellings, offices, and conspace (short for consumer-space, which was a name for everything that wasn’t a dwelling or office). In effect, Citadel was a planet, with each sector as a city unto itself; the cities couldn’t survive independently of each other, but inhabitants in the cities could live without ever visiting another sector of the grid.

 

Dominic Monaghan was not one of those people. He had, in fact, been to every corner of the space station. Over the course of almost seven years, anyway. Dominic had been on the developmental team and had been placed on the Orbiton after its opening to ensure things kept running smoothly. He knew the central corridors like the back of his hand, and could easily navigate through the main grids and maintenance passages. He had top-level clearance and could legally access any room or computer on the Orbiton with no questions asked. Of course, he wasn’t the only one with such clearance; Dominic’s best friend, Elijah Wood, a young man a few years Dominic’s junior, had also been a long-time slave to the project. Elijah was more concerned with the physical structure, though. Many members of his family, going back to both of his grandfathers, had been on the architectural team. Dominic’s brother was also on that team, but had chosen to stay Earthside once Citadel was airborne. However, Matthew Monaghan still made routine flights up to the Orbiton with the rest of an inspection team to visit his kid brother and the magnificent space station.

 

Dominic himself was part of the programming and software team, and his main job on the Orbiton was to keep the life-support systems in working order. This meant an occasional stint in one of the many clinics, especially if the doctors were temporarily understaffed. Dominic was not a doctor, and he made that fact clear to everyone he helped, but he had started his career in medical school and transferred to Citadel’s life-support program at his brother’s urging and his several of his professors’ recommendations. Therefore, he had not finished his medical degree, though he was more than knowledgeable enough to treat minor cuts, scrapes, and coughs.

 

Presently, Dominic was en route to The Sugar Beat, a bar in his grid sector, to meet Elijah. They routinely got together for drinks after work, and Elijah had mentioned earlier in the day that he wanted to talk to Dominic about something important. The Sugar Beat was their usual after-hours hangout, and they often found several of their colleagues enjoying drinks at the bar.

 

Dominic walked quickly through the corridors, making a series of quick turns that came from years of experience walking this very path. The frosted glass doors hid the customers from outside view, so Dominic couldn’t tell if Elijah was already inside or not. He pushed open the door and scanned the area, looking for Elijah’s dark hair at the bar. He found it and smiled.

 

Elijah turned to face him when Dominic was still several steps away, treading slowly in an effort to surprise his friend. Dom flung his head back and groaned good-naturedly.

 

“How do you do that?”

 

“I have a sixth sense,” Elijah whispered conspiritorally as Dominic took the stool beside him. “No, actually, I could see you in the reflection of the bottles behind the bar.”

 

Dominic focused his gaze on the bottles in question. He could see a warped, backwards view of the establishment behind them, including the entrance.

 

Elijah was only a couple years younger than Dominic, but he often looked even younger than that. He was also American, though most of his colleagues on the design and architectural team were Western European. Citadel was an international project, but each country contributed its own brand of genius, and it wasn’t often that there were foreigners within a specific team.

 

Elijah continued to tease Dominic. “Also? You’re the only person in this sector who’d dare to wear a shirt that shade of… what is that, yellow? Green?”

 

“It’s yellow-green, actually, and just because I have some fashion sense—”

 

“That’s what you call fashion sense?” Elijah burst out, giggling. “Have a drink, my friend, maybe then you’ll gain some common sense. Since you obviously don’t have any while sober…” Elijah waved a hand at the bartender, signaling him over to take their Dominic’s order.

 

“Oi!” Dominic cuffed Elijah on the back of the head, and then settled down to wait for the bartender, aware that they were probably creating a scene in the thinly-occupied bar.

 

“What’ll it be, Dom?” asked the bartender, whose name was Alessandro Mentini, Alex for short. Dominic and Elijah were a couple of Alex’s most loyal customers.

 

“Um…” Dominic stalled, scanning the labels behind the bar. “Appletini, I suppose. Actually, make it Fizzy. I’ve got some work to do tonight.”

 

Alex nodded once and began retrieving the ingredients for the drink. Elijah called after him, “Refill for me, too!” but Alex was already at the other end of the bar, taking another customer’s order.

 

“So, Lij, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

 

Elijah sighed, frowning at the remains of his own drink. “It’s not good news, Dom.”

 

Dominic sat up straighter and turned his body toward his friend, instantly concerned. “What’s wrong?”

 

“This is… I… Okay, listen. We’ve been friends for, what, six years?”

 

“Seven and a bit,” Dominic corrected absently, wrinkling his brow.

 

“You’re like a brother to me, man. I’m really not supposed to tell you this, but I have to.” Elijah sighed again, deeply. “Dom, there’s a structural problem with the grid.”

 

Elijah lifted his head to meet Dominic’s gaze. Elijah’s crystal-blue eyes told Dominic that what he was saying was the truth. Dominic’s jaw dropped slightly open.

 

“Dom?”

 

Elijah and Dominic both turned to see Alex offering Dominic his green-tinted martini, a wedge of green apple stuck on the edge of the glass.

 

“Did you want a refill, Elijah?”

 

Dominic took the glass and sipped it as Elijah nodded at Alex. After Elijah received his drink, he turned his stool back to face Dominic, who knocked back a large mouthful of his martini.

 

“Okay,” he said, slowly spinning his stool. “Tell me.”

 

“I was doing rounds today, checking some of the central support columns, and I found something that wasn’t supposed to be there. I don’t know what the hell it is yet, but… Listen, it’s outside, so I can’t easily get to it, and it’s… I don’t even know how to describe it. But it looks bad, and I know for a fact that it’s not supposed to be there.” Elijah spoke softly, keeping their conversation private, but he held Dominic’s gaze.

 

Dominic absently stroked the edge of his glass with his fingertips. “Is it new, whatever it is? Or has it been there since construction?”

 

“It must be new. I really can’t say for sure, but I think I would’ve noticed something like this, y’know?”

 

“Is it… machinery? Or organic?”

 

“I don’t know. It was on the shadow-side of the corridor, and I could only see the edge of it. You’d think, with all these windows, that there would be a good view of it, but I checked the whole area, and I couldn’t see anything except for out one window.”

 

“How can that be possible?” Dominic asked rhetorically. “Take me there?”

 

“Finish your drink and we’ll go. It’s in sector K6, so it’s pretty close to center.”

 

“And close to us,” Dominic added. They, along with most other Citadel employees, inhabited sector J, which neighbored sector K. He downed the rest of his drink, wincing as it burned down his throat, and waited for Elijah to swallow the last sip of his and settle their tab.

 

Elijah led the way out of the frosted-glass-enclosed Sugar Beat and down several corridors until they reached an express elevator. Elijah punched in his ten-digit access code and the door slid open, allowing them both inside the small elevator.

 

The service elevators were larger than the public ones, as they were used to transport supplies and larger groups of people, but the express elevators were restricted to those with higher-level clearance and therefore smaller. The express elevators had only sector-stops, jumping from A to B to C, etc, while the public elevators had stops at every level within the sectors.

 

Within seconds, the doors slid open again and Dominic and Elijah stepped out into sector K. The corridor was empty in both directions, and Dominic glanced from left to right repeatedly until Elijah’s hand closed around his arm, tugging him to the left.

 

“This way,” he said grimly.

 

As they walked, Dominic looked out the windows at the network of glowing blue windows and beyond, to the deep blackness of outer space. Out the opposite windows, Dominic could faintly make out Earth behind the overlapping grid structure. The sight never ceased to amaze him.

 

Suddenly, Elijah halted, causing Dominic to run into him from behind.

 

“One of these windows,” Elijah murmured, pulling Dominic closer still. “Alright, here, look out here, at the support beam. Y’see that juncture right there?”

 

Dominic looked out the window to where Elijah was pointing. He saw the juncture and tried to make out the shapes in the shadows. He leaned forward until his nose bumped the glass portal. Elijah chuckled at him.

 

“Can you see it? That… lump? Do you think it’s organic?”

 

Dominic tilted his head, trying for a better view. “You said you couldn’t find a better view than this window?”

 

“I couldn’t find any view but from this window.”

 

“It does look… Yeah, I guess it does look organic, but just because of the imperfections. It’s rounded, but not smooth. At least, not from what I can see.”

 

“What do you think it is?”

 

“I don’t know. Is it a problem, though? I mean, what if it’s just a sloppy weld or something? You sounded really serious earlier, but this doesn’t seem too bad, right?”

 

“It’s not a sloppy weld, and I told you, I don’t remember it being there.”

 

“But Elijah, you said you can’t see it from anywhere else, and even from here, it’s hard to make out. Maybe you just missed it.” Dominic shrugged at his friend.

 

“I didn’t miss it, Dominic,” Elijah said, frustrated. “It wasn’t there the last time I inspected this section, which means… I don’t know, it means something. It didn’t just randomly appear. I don’t understand why it isn’t visible from some of the other windows, though. I don’t know how that can even be possible, but I personally checked just about every window in this block.”

 

Dominic turned back to the window and examined the unknown thing as best he could from their distance. “Those support beams,” he began suddenly, “they’re hollow, aren’t they? There’s only life support systems and wiring in there, right? Which leaves a lot of extra space.”

 

“So you’re saying whatever it is is inside and just… poking out?” Elijah asked hopefully.

 

“Maybe. And the juncture is such that, if the thing is only poking out in that one spot, it would be covered up from any other angle.”

 

Elijah grinned. “You, my friend, are a genius.” Then his face fell. “But… That means there’s a leak. No matter what it is, it’s not a good thing.”

 

“Elijah, c’mere,” Dominic murmured, pulling his friend into a one-armed embrace. “It’s okay now, though. You found it, and tomorrow you can find some of those suited wonders and have them take out on a little excursion to examine it.”

 

“I’m sure Orli appreciates that nickname immeasurably,” Elijah replied, grinning again. He was referring to their mutual friend Orlando Bloom, one of the “suited wonders” that performed external inspections and maintenance.

 

“Hey, I can’t help it that the nickname stuck,” Dom said, shrugging innocently.

 

“Oh, by the way, I thought you’d be interested to know that Boyd’s back in town. He flew in this afternoon.”

 

Dominic’s face became instantly blank and then he broke out into a wide, giddy smile. “Billy!” he cried, darting down the hall and leaving Elijah behind, laughing.

 

Billy Boyd was a shuttle pilot. He flew commercial shuttles and supply freighters from Earth to the various Orbitons and satellites. He was officially an employee of Citadel, but he often flew for other Orbitons for extra money. The last time he’d docked at Citadel was several months ago, and Dominic had missed him terribly.

 

Though Dominic considered Elijah his best friend, Billy was a step above. Dominic often called Billy his soul mate, at which point Billy would nod and laugh and say that Dominic’s had a bit too much to drink.

 

If what Elijah had said was correct (and Dominic had no reason to doubt him), then Billy will have been onboard for just over three hours. The first thing he always did after docking was take a shower and then a nap, and then meet up with Dominic for a drink or… something similar.

 

Dominic decided to try his luck and visit Billy’s living quarters first. It was only after he’d sprinted down several long corridors and knocked, panting, on Billy’s door that he realized he could’ve looked up Billy’s tracker number in one of the many computer stations to find out where Billy was.

 

But after a moment, Billy opened the door. Dominic launched himself into Billy’s arms and they both stumbled at the force of his impact.

 

“God, I’ve missed you, Bill,” Dominic said happily, squeezing Billy tightly. He heard Billy reach out to shut the door again, giving them more privacy.

 

“I missed you too, Dommie,” Billy said as he stroked Dominic’s blonde-streaked hair. “I wanted so badly to come back sooner but I got held up at one of the other Obritons. I’m sorry.”

 

“No, it’s okay, really,” Dominic said, pulling away and smiling. “You have to work. I understand. You’re here now, though.”

 

“I am here now,” Billy replied, grinning wider. “How have you been, Dom?”

 

“I’ve been really good, actually. There was a minor incident at one of the food processors, so I stepped in at the clinic to help out while the doctors were overloaded. And, um… That’s all the exciting stuff that’s happened. Mostly I’ve just been working, sleeping, and going out with Elijah and Orlando.”

 

“And how are Elijah and Orlando?” Billy asked politely.

 

“Orli’s okay, last I heard. I haven’t seen him in a few weeks, actually. Elijah’s just found—actually, I’m not supposed to talk about it, sorry. I just remembered. But anyway… You sound like you’re hiding something.” Dominic cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “How are you, then, Billy?”

 

Billy’s smile stretched even wider, showing his small teeth. “I’m very well. I just got promoted.”

 

Dominic’s mouth dropped open in happy surprise. “Really? That’s fantastic, Billy! Tell me about it!”

 

“I’ve been promoted to fleet captain, on the recommendation of two—not one, but two—of my employers. But the best part is this, Dommie: they’ve almost doubled my pay, so I don’t have to make any extracurricular flights to supplement it, unless I want to, that is.”

 

“Y-you mean…”

 

“I mean, I just travel from here to Earth and back again,” Billy said, nodding excitedly.

 

“So, you’ll…”

 

“Stay for longer, be gone for shorter.”

 

Dominic bounced on the balls of his feet and flung his arms around Billy again. “Oh my god, Billy, that’s fantastic!” he cried, the sound muffled by Billy’s thick sleep shirt.

 

“I thought you’d like that,” Billy murmured, squeezing Dominic.

 

After a moment, Dominic leaned back, still captured by Billy’s arms clasped around his back. He took in Billy’s appearance, which he’d missed due to his excitement.

 

Billy looked tired, but that was to be expected after a long shuttle flight. His short hair stuck up slightly at the top, leading Dominic to believe that Billy had indeed had a nap, but he looked excited now, his eyes and face relaxed and happy.

 

“Are you jetlagged?” Dominic asked. Billy shrugged and shook his head. “You want to go out for a drink? Or maybe go out for dinner or to the cinema or something? Or just stay in?”

 

Billy thought briefly about Dominic’s suggestions, then grinned wickedly.

 

“As I recall, I haven’t even kissed you yet,” he said softly, leaning closer to Dominic as Dominic arched up into him. “I think we should stay in tonight.”

 

“Mmm, I think so too,” Dominic replied, relaxing in Billy’s arms. “And also, why haven’t you kissed me yet?”

 

“No particular reason.”

 

“Care to remedy that anytime soon?”

 

“I could make you wait, but I don’ think I’d be able to stand it, watching you right here in front of me and knowing I haven’t felt your lips against mine in months.”

 

“Then don’t make me wait,” Dominic growled seductively, pulling Billy to him with his arms wrapped around Billy’s neck.

 

Billy’s smile evened out as their faces drew closer and when their lips finally met, the kiss was more passionate and desperate than giddy and joyful, as their conversation had been moments before. There would be time for giddiness and joy later, but for now, they’d waited long enough for this moment.

 

Dominic closed his eyes tightly and breathed in the smell of Billy, a smell he’d long missed clinging to his clothes and to his skin.

 

Their tongues tangled between their lips and Dominic was so caught up in the feeling that it took him a minute to recognize that Billy’s hands were trying (and failing) to unbutton his shirt. Dominic moved his arms helpfully and quickly pulled apart Billy’s sleep shirt, which had only been buttoned with three of the five loose buttons anyway. Seconds later, when bare skin met bare skin, Dominic moaned into Billy’s mouth and arched closer still, grinding his hips against Billy’s and feeling his erection through the layers of both of their trousers.

 

Soon enough, though it didn’t seem like it to Dominic, they were both naked and lying on top of the blankets of Billy’s bed, their skin growing slick with sweat though the room was kept cold from Billy’s long absence.

 

“Dom, Dommie, I missed you,” Billy breathed, his voice and lips vibrating against Dominic’s skin.

 

“God, Bill, oh god, yes, I missed you so much,” Dominic moaned in reply, tangling the fingers of one hand in Billy’s short hair and his other hand in Billy’s. “Fuck, I missed this, I missed kissing you, missed touching you, missed you full stop,” Dominic continued breathlessly.

 

Billy moved his hand from Dominic’s hip to between their bodies, cupping Dominic’s balls and gently stroking both of their erections. Dominic moaned again, louder this time, and arched his hips against Billy’s, pushing himself into Billy’s hand.

 

“A bit impatient, eh?” Billy laughed softly.

 

“It’s been too long,” Dominic whinged, pulling Billy’s head back in for another kiss.

 

“Far too long, yes.”

 

“Don’t need patience anyway.”

 

“Although…” Billy breathed heavily, quickening the pace of his strokes and nipping at Dominic’s ear. “I’ve heard that good things come to those who wait…”

 

“Fuck that, I want to come now, and I want to see you, feel you—god, Billy, yes!”

 

“Yeah, like that, fucking come for me, Dommie… God, love you, Dom, I do.”

 

“Love you, Billy. Missed you so much.”

 

Dominic let the brief high from his orgasm take him and he flopped down on the bed, utterly relaxed and limp, tired from his exertions. Billy flopped down beside him and together they looked up at the shuttered window above Billy’s bed. Dominic reached out his hand until it came into contact with the small control panel on Billy’s nightstand and, after a moment of fumbling, the shutters retracted, revealing a spectacular view of the glowing blue gridlights. Dominic blissfully stared up at the amazing sight, but Billy turned his head to watch Dominic.

 

“Should clean up, don’t you think?” Billy asked lazily, bringing his hand up to caress Dominic’s cheek.

 

“Too tired now. It’s beautiful, innit? Citadel.”

 

“It is,” Billy agreed, shifting so that he, too, was looking up through the skylight. “I love… I love the way you get after sex, Dommie. You just say whatever you’re feeling and it’s always so beautiful. I wish I could feel the love that you feel.”

 

That made Dominic turn his head. He gazed at Billy through half-lidded eyes, smiling peacefully. “You do feel it, Bill. Just now, when you told me what you love. I know you feel it.”

 

Billy flashed Dominic a grin. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Billy. My soul mate, and don’t you scoff at me.”

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Dom,” Billy replied innocently, leaning forward to kiss Dominic on the tip of his nose. “My soul mate.”

 

Dominic smiled wider, his tongue caught between his teeth, then turned back to stare up through the window.

 

“Alright, c’mon, now,” Billy groaned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. “Let’s get cleaned up and then I need some more sleep and you can go back to admiring the mass of glowing machinery outside.”

 

***

chapter 2