Bluebird

Space Oddity

Benny was apparently something of a celebrity in Cape Space. He really was the youngest astronaut- a record that, even twenty years later, had yet to be beat- and the inventor of the cryostasis system, just as he'd said. Not only that, but apparently something of a hero, too. The details of that story weren't particularly clear, but it sounded like he'd saved the lives of his crew when something happened to their ship. Benny would be happy to hear that they had indeed been found, very shortly after splashdown, alive and well.

It also explained the manner of his waking, somewhat.

Metalbeard wondered why there was no mention of Benny's old crewmates after their initial retrieval, though. Had something else happened to them? He understood that he and his crew weren't exactly in the need-to-know for that, but he hoped they at least told Benny, he deserved to know.

The residents of Cape Space had a lot of questions for them. Where had they found Benny? How had they found him? Did they still have his stasis pod? What was he like?

There was one other concern Metalbeard had, and after dropping several very specific words, he found who he needed to talk to about it.

Who knew the Director was sympathetic to the Master Builder cause?

"Captain, this doesn't leave my office."

"Aye, I understand."

"Blue's crew are still alive. Black and Yellow are here, but Red and White had to go into hiding- they started training to become Master Builders shortly after they were all retrieved, I think it may have something to do with the accident. But they never mentioned Blue ever training for it..."

"He didn't have a very high opinion of us at first, so I doubt it. But I know what I saw- the lad was shapin' metal with his bare hands. Only Master Builders can manipulate matter like that. I've no doubt he be one of us, somehow."

"I'll send word to Black, she's the only one who'll know how to get ahold of Red and White. They'll want to see him for themselves."

"I'd like to see the lad as well."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Only relatives are permitted to see him right now."

"What? But ye can let his crew see him?"

Kenning quirked a rueful smile at the captain. "They're the only family Benny has left."

Benny heaved a bored sigh, toying with one of the few leads still attached to him. There had been so many tests, since he'd been brought to the hospital. So many tests. And they wouldn't give him the results of any of them. But he hadn't really received much for treatment, so he supposed he was in decent health. He did get scolded for using his head as a battering ram, though- it was a miracle he didn't have a concussion. When he brought up the numbers, he only got odd looks. He didn't bring them up again.

The nurses had told him that his new pirate friends had inquired about him, but no one else had come to see him. His family, he wasn't surprised about, but his crew... They would have knocked down every door between them, just for a glimpse of him. If they were still alive. He hadn't been told anything of them one way or the other. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to start crying again. He felt like such a baby.

There was a commotion in the hallway, and he wiped at his eyes as his door opened to admit a rather harried doctor. "You have visitors," he announced flatly before promptly leaving again. Benny tilted his head. There was something familiar about all that racket...

"BENNY!" came a chorus of shouts as a very colorful crowd of four piled through the door, and he lit right up.

"Guys!!" He gave up trying to stop the tears when they crowded around him, practically smothering him with affection. "You're all okay?!"

"I can't believe you're still alive!" Jenny sobbed as she clinged to him. Benny clinged back just as fervently. "They announced you officially dead when we couldn't find you after a year...! We started to think you got burned up in atmo with the ship..."

"I asked so many times, but nobody would tell me anything about whether you guys were still alive or not..."

"We're still here, Bluebird, thanks to you," Ken assured, giving him a squeeze. "We were drifting for just under a day before they managed to pick us up."

Benny frowned as he realized something, pulling back to look at them. "Hey, why do you all still look so young?"

"I'm assuming they haven't said a word to you about that either," Penelope ventured.

"No," Benny confirmed. "They've put me through an absolute shit ton of tests, but not a single word about what they're for or what the results are. What's going on?"

"It's because of the cryostasis," Lenny answered. "It worked too well. It's been twenty years since the accident, and yet we've barely aged one. And we were only under for about twenty-two hours. Benny... you..."

He drew in a shaky breath. "Just tell me, Lenny."

"Barring any catastrophic events that would leave you in itty bitty particles, it's looking like you'll effectively be immortal. You might even recover lost limbs," Penelope said. "Your regenerative abilities are off the charts right now."

Benny gave a wobbly grin as it sank in. "Hey, does that mean I'm the cure for cancer?" he tried to joke.

"You might be," Penelope answered, all seriousness.

"Oh, God."

"Hey, it's not all bad, is it?" Lenny said, giving him a reassuring smile. "You'll still have us for a good long while."

"But not forever," Benny said quietly, miserably. "And what if... What if I meet someone? And fall in love and get married? He's only gonna have a normal lifespan, I won't be able to grow old with him, I'll lose him way too soon..."

"Hey, we don't know for sure yet," Lenny soothed. "And even if Penn's right, they might still wind up finding a cure for us."

"Yeah right," Benny huffed, leaning against him. "It was hell trying to figure out how to make the system work in the first place."

"There's one other thing, Benny," Ken said. Benny looked back at him. "You're, uh. Kind of on Lord Business' hit list now."

"What? Why? I'm not a Master Builder!"

"Actually, you are," Lenny said softly. "Metalbeard told us about what you did to his ship, to help everyone escape. Tell me, have you been seeing anything weird? Floating numbers, maybe?" Benny froze. "You have, haven't you?"

"How did you..."

"Ken and I are Master Builders now, too. But we had to train for it; how you just up and became one is beyond me."

"Then why are you guys here? Why aren't you in hiding?"

"We were," Ken said. "Soon as Penn and Jenny told us you'd been found, we had to come see you."

"So that's what took you all so long..."

"And why no one would tell you anything about us."

"Nobody here is going to breathe a word about you, either," Jenny assured. She grinned. "We're actually here to 'break you out', as it were. So they have an alibi." Benny's eyes went wide.

"But- but what if I'm not-"

"You're fine," Penelope assured. "Like I said. Regenerative abilities. You're actually cleared to leave now." She tossed a backpack at him. He caught it and unzipped it; his blue spacesuit was inside. "Get ready Benny, we're blowing this popsicle stand."