Chapter Text
"We have a problem, Captain," Gideon's voice cut through the quiet bridge.
"I know Gideon," Rip sighed as he slumped in his chair, the feeling of a hollow victory made him want to scream. He looked over the rest of the crew, devastation at their loss was etched on every person's features. The Oculus was destroyed, but at a price none of them expected. He'd moved them to the Temporal Zone to escape for a while.
"No, sir. The loss of Mister Snart has created a series of ripples," Gideon countered, voice urgent. "By allowing him to destroy the Oculus there have been ripples throughout time."
Rip's head cocked a bit as he listened, his eyes sharpened. "What kind of ripples, Gideon?"
"We need to move back in time and leave Mister Rory outside the Waverider so that his timeline can shift properly. He's currently in the galley, unconscious. The Timeline is trying to correct itself despite the fact that he is on board and outside of time at the moment."
"What?" Martin asked, eyes wide with surprise. "I thought things didn't affect us here on the Waverider until we left the ship. How is this possible, Gideon?"
"Normally changes in the Timeline do not affect those on a Time Ship. There is a massive shift in the Timeline, Professor Stein," Gideon replied. "As such, we must help the correct the timeline."
"Gideon, what is going to happen when we stop?" Rip asked as he moved to strap himself in his customary chair. "And why do we need to abandon Mick?"
"We are not abandoning him," Gideon insisted. "We need to put him in the timeline."
"Or else ... what?"
"The Timeline will shatter the Waverider," Gideon replied bluntly. "Shall I prepare for the time jump?"
"Do it. But let's get everyone strapped in," Rip replied as he hopped out of his chair and dashed for the kitchen. His feet moved automatically as his mind raced, trying to figure out what could possibly happening. He skidded to a stop at the door to the kitchen and saw Ray leaning over Mick's unconscious form. The arsonist's face was a picture of pain as he clutched something tightly in his right hand.
"He just collapsed!" Ray insisted from his place next to Mick on the floor. "What's going on?"
"Gideon has found a problem. We need to get him to the bridge. We have to make a Jump, now, Mister Palmer," Rip replied as he moved to Mick's left side and started to pull the unconscious man up.
"What? I thought ... what's going on?" Ray asked, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. He moved to mirror Rip. The two got Mick to his feet, but he was a dead weight against them.
"Apparently the Timeline is threatening to rip the Waverider apart," Rip replied as they dragged Mick to the bridge.
"I thought we were outside of time here," Ray replied, looking more confused. "We're in the Temporal Zone and we just destroyed the Oculus... right?"
"Doesn't seem to matter that we're outside of time. We caused a rippled that's threatening to pull the ship apart. Gideon has found a point in time that we need to travel to, and hopefully once we get Mister Rory outside the ship, the timeline should correct itself," Rip announced as they hit the bridge, hoping to get everyone caught up. He and Ray carefully got Mick into the nearest seat and pulled the bar down to get him strapped in. Rip took the few steps to get into his chair. "Prepare for a jump."
"I don't understand," Jax said as he dutifully strapped in. "We're not leaving Rory behind, right?"
"No, Mister Jackson," Gideon replied as the ship shuddered. "Prepare for Time Jump."
"Not even remotely, but let's do this anyway," Rip replied as he typed a few commands into the pad attached to his chair. He gasped as the view outside the view-port looked like the light in the Temporal Zone was coming to tear the ship apart. He tapped in the command to Time Jump the ship and closed his eyes, more nervous than the first time he'd ever been in a ship that Jumped. The lurching sensation that seemed to pull from somewhere behind his sternum and navel in opposite directions made him feel nauseous in a way he hadn't felt since he'd started training. The Jump lasted longer than normal as the ship shuddered and shook, a feeling like sparks tearing their way across Rip's mind as they continued their journey.
"We have arrived, Captain," Gideon's voice sounded distant, distorted.
"Near line Rory is in ship danger?" Rip asked, his eyes widened as he heard the scrambled sentence. It didn't even contain all the words he'd meant to speak, let alone in an order that made sense. "OUT side Zone shred Mister? Conscious is IN now?"
"Captain, you seem to suffering from a severe case of Linguistic dyslexia," Gideon stated, the AI sounded a little disturbed. "Take a few moments to reorient yourself. We seem to have jumped farther than I anticipated."
"How far, Gideon?" Martin asked, his eyes were completely unfocused but he seemed to be handling the situation calmly.
"Six thousand years into the past, Professor," Gideon replied sounding embarrassed.
"Oh my god," Jax moaned as he leaned over the side of his chair and threw up. "We gonna die..."
"You'll be fine, Mister Jackson," Gideon assured him.
"ThouSixAndPast?" Rip asked, irritation clear on his face as he still couldn't speak correctly.
"Yes, Captain," Gideon offered as she managed to untangle what Rip was trying to say. "Six thousand BC according to the language of 2016."
"Out, Rory?" Rip asked slowly.
"Yes ... I would recommend taking Mister Rory outside as soon as possible so the Timeline can reset," Gideon offered.
"Good now," Rip sighed as he stood, his legs wobbled a bit but managed to stay on his feet. He headed over towards Mick and pulled the still unconscious man's safety bar up. He slung an arm over his shoulder, hoping to get the Timeline to leave them alone as the ship shuddered. "Clues?"
"None yet, Captain," Gideon offered apologetically.
"I'll help," Jax offered as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He slung Mick's other arm over his shoulder. Together they managed to get Mick up and moving again, despite the fact he was still out like a light.
"This is so freaky," Jax offered as he and Rip dragged Mick.
"I'm numb but okay," Sara offered as she jogged ahead of them. Her steps were a bit harder than normal, and her feet seemed to want to cross each other every few steps but she managed. "I'll get the airlock."
"Hm," Rip offered as a positive sound, not quite ready to try his words again yet.
"You're welcome," Sara replied, eyebrow raised knowingly. The ship shuddered hard and knocked the group against a wall. "This is weird."
"Deed," Rip offered, he gave a faint shrug as they started on their way again. At least he was getting close to the words he was looking for. He and Jax managed to get Mick all the way to the airlock without further incident and waited for Sara to palm the door open.
"So, just take Mick outside, right Gideon?" Sara asked before she would move out of the way for Rip and Jax to take the arsonist outside.
"Time knows what it wants to happen. We created a ripple with the destruction of the Oculus, now we must stabilize it before Time Unravels," Gideon replied simply.
"Right. Take Mick outside or we end the universe we've been trying to save," Sara replied with a sigh. She felt a thrill of nervousness at the thought of what might happen to Mick.
"Now," Rip said as he and Jax stepped outside. Time rippled around them and the sound of Time Wraiths screeching made them shiver. The wraiths came close but didn't attack, they seemed to take some of Mick's weight, which had Rip twitching.
"Dude, what are these things? Other than fuel for my nightmares for the foreseeable future?" Jax asked as they moved towards the edge of the Waverider's shield.
"Time Wraiths," Rip managed, mildly proud he'd managed to speak correctly. "Dangerous."
"Great... why are they helping?" Jax asked, eyes wide.
"Timeline correction...?" Rip offered, the question in his voice said he didn't really believe what he was saying. "Guessing."
"Right," Jax replied. He paused as the Wraiths started to pull Mick from their hold. "Down now."
The wraiths screeched as Mick was laid on the ground and his teammates moved back a few steps. They didn't say anything, just hovered over the arsonist, swirling quickly. Light gathered and a rumbled started in the ground.
"Ship! Now!" Rip shouted as he grabbed Jax's arm and booked it for the Waverider. The two ran and made the ramp just as the light changed to a bright red and blue swirled together, separate but together. "Pretty, but scary."
"Nice to see English has come back to you," Jax offered as he panted, leg twinging with pain from the run.
"Time jump..." a voice whispered near Jax ans Rip, startling both of them. "...now!"
Rip's eyes went wide as he pulled Jax away from the airlock. "To the bridge! Gideon?"
"Preparing to Time Jump," Gideon announced.
"Under whose authority?" Rip asked as he helped Jax and Sara brace against a wall.
"Captain Cold's authority, Captain," Gideon replied as the ship shuddered and launched into the air. "Dropping supplies."
"Snart's on board!?" Jax exclaimed. He sputtered for a few moments before he shook his head and gave up. "Time Travel is so weird."
"Said well, Jackson Mister," Rip replied, he made a sour face as he realized his speech wasn't completely back to normal yet.
"How bad is this gonna be?" Jax asked. "From back here..."
"Suck this will. Much very," Rip offered as he braced, eyes closed. "Protection on bridge, not here will be found."
"Right," Jax replied as he tightened his grip on the supports near his hands and hoped the jump wouldn't be too bad.
"Initiating Time Jump," Gideon's voice cut through whatever might have been said as the ship shuddered and shook, nearly dislodging those in the cargo bay. As soon as the shaking stopped and Sara, Jax, and Rip could walk, they made their way to the bridge to find Martin staring at a ghostly image of Leonard Snart, seated in the captain's chair.
TBC ...