The air on the Emerald’s Delight bridge was thick with tension as Briasyraa loomed over Radcliffe. Her emerald-green skin seemed to glow under the dim lights of the bridge, and her sharp eyes were fixed on him. Her towering Orion bodyguards, hulking and armed, stood flanking her like statues, ready to spring into action.

“You have a choice, Orlando,” Briasyraa said, her voice smooth but cutting like a blade. Her irritation was kept down, but it was simmering just below the surface. “Prove your loyalty and kill the spy. Or are you not the man I thought you were? Have your wedding vows made you weak?”

Radcliffe stood motionless, his face pale. Torvak, held at disruptor-point by two of Briasyraa’s bodyguards, kept her gaze fixed on him, her usual calm demeanour now tinged with defiance. Hawkins stood to the side, his jaw clenched, doing everything he could to suppress the urge to intervene too soon.

Radcliffe turned his head slightly, his eyes locking onto Hawkins’. In that moment, the silent signal passed between them. 

Hawkins nodded unnoticeably.

And the ‘fun’ began. 

Radcliffe’s hands moved faster than Orions could track. With a sharp twist, he threw the dagger that Briasyraa had given him at one of the Orions standing by Torvak. At the same time, he yanked the disruptor from the nearest guard’s holster and fired, taking down another one of Briasyraa’s men. 

Hawkins surged forward, striking another guard with a well-placed kick. Chaos erupted as the bridge exploded into a firefight. Their cover was blown, and they had no other way out.

Torvak wasted no time either in joining in with the madness. Using her training, she twisted free of her captors, grabbing a weapon from one of the fallen guards. Her disruptor blasts were precise, forcing Briasyraa’s forces into cover. She was quick, agile and moved without hesitation. 

“Fools!” Briasyraa screamed, slamming her fist on a nearby console. “Do not let them escape!”

More guards poured onto the bridge, overwhelming the three spies. Hawkins and Radcliffe moved back-to-back, firing at anything that came too close. Sparks flew from consoles as stray disruptor bolts struck them.

“We’re outnumbered!” Radcliffe shouted over the chaos, ducking as a disruptor blast narrowly missed his head.

Torvak backed toward them, firing as she moved. “We need to fall back. There’s no winning here.”

Briasyraa barked orders to her crew. “Cloak the ship and set course for the Vayt Sector, maximum warp! I will not have these three insects stop my plan. This galaxy will remember my name when I ignite the fires of war!”

The yacht trembled as its engines roared to life. Hawkins’ heart sank as he realised Briasyraa’s plan was in motion. Was everything about to fall apart?

Torvak fired another shot, taking out a guard before looking at the others. “We should split up. I’ll disable the ship. You two focus on the subspace communication jamming device. Without it, she can’t start the war.”

Hawkins hesitated, his eyes darting to Radcliffe before focussing back on Torvak. “You sure?”

Torvak grinned; even in the chaos, she enjoyed all of this. “Don’t worry about me, Starfleet. Just get that device out of her hands.”

The three exchanged a final glance and then moved. Torvak sprinted toward a side corridor, her disruptor blazing as she created a path for herself. Hawkins and Radcliffe veered in the opposite direction, covering each other as they made their escape.

A console near them exploded in a shower of sparks, forcing them to duck. “This is insane, not what I expected for our honeymoon!” Radcliffe yelled, helping Hawkins to his feet.

“At least we can say our wedding day was exciting,” Hawkins replied, his tone dry despite the danger.

Hawkins and Radcliffe pressed forward, their boots pounding against the polished floors of Briasyraa’s ship as they ducked behind bulkheads and dodged incoming fire. The alarms blaring around them were almost deafening, and the ship’s tremors signalled its engines accelerating toward their destructive destination.

Rounding another corner, Hawkins raised his disruptor and fired at an approaching guard, dropping the Orion with a single, well-aimed shot. Radcliffe followed, covering their flank and taking out another crew member who had drawn a weapon.

“Which way to the device?” Hawkins asked, breathless, glancing at Radcliffe.

Radcliffe looked at the scanner he had picked up from one of the guards they had taken out. He gestured to the right, his movements sharp and precise despite the chaos around them. “Just a few more corridors down there, and then we’ll have to bypass the security system. I hope your hacking skills are up to date.”

“Don’t start doubting me now,” Hawkins shot back; he grinned despite the situation.

The two paused at an intersection, backs pressed against the wall as they caught their breath. The distant sound of footsteps and shouting echoed from behind them, and Hawkins knew their window of opportunity was rapidly closing. He leaned out to check the corridor ahead, scanning for more of Briasyraa’s crew. They had to be quick on their feet. They had to act fast.

But before Hawkins could move again, Radcliffe grabbed his arm and spun him around. Without a word, he pulled Hawkins close, their lips meeting in a brief but fierce kiss. Radcliffe placed his other hand against the back of Hawkins’ head, his fingers moving within his hair. The passion of it sent a jolt down Hawkins’ spine. His heart skipped a beat. For a second, he was taken back to the moment they kissed after exchanging their vows. 

When Radcliffe pulled back, his eyes locked onto Hawkins’, blazing with determination. “Whatever happens, we’re getting out of this. Together.” He said flirtatiously. 

Hawkins nodded, his voice catching slightly. “Damn right, we are. You owe me so much.”

Radcliffe smirked, his usual charm breaking through the tension, and then raised his disruptor again. “Now, let’s go blow up that jamming device.”

The moment passed as quickly as it had come, and the two charged down the corridor together. An Orion crewman appeared from a side passage, raising his weapon. Radcliffe dropped him with a clean shot before Hawkins could react. Another Orion emerged, wielding a blade, and Hawkins took him down with a swift, precise blast.

They moved like a well-oiled machine, covering each other as they advanced deeper into the ship. The intensity of the firefight only seemed to fuel their determination. Hawkins took one more look at his husband. 

This was like old times.

They were inseparable.

He loved it.

He loved Orlando.