Chapter 6 - Complications part 9

(He removes his helmet)

Kane-*Thats your target*


=I look down at Kane=

Really?

=I look back to Dante=

Dante?


(He nods)

You want to kill me?
For money?
Your own cousin?

(Jason)

=I groan a little=

Fine, dinner and a movie, okay? I can't promise anything in bed though. My hips still hurt from having that elite use me as a trampoline.

=She laughed=

@ Jason- Ohhhh, I don't know.

=She ran a hand over my chest, and it felt good=

@ Jason- You could just lie back, and let me do all the work.

=I pause a moment in shock=

What?

=I look for an escape=

Youre my...cousin?


(He nods)

Like I had said.
It was a long time ago.

You are a bounty hunter?


=I look around again, uneasy=

Freelance...Artist...

(Dylon)
=i don't get a response, so I take my mask off again and continue wandering. I eventually see Rain talking with another Spartan. I stay back a bit and watch=

Kane-*The bounty. Get it now*

=I am frozen in shock=

Kane-*Rain!*


(He sighs as Andrea hacks him)

Andrea-*Now we can have some silence*

Dante-Follow.

(He turns and walks off. Motioning for Sarah to come along if she wanted but having Weaver and Gin stay back)

=I reluctantly follow the two=

Rain-So um...

Dante-No talking

(Jason)

=Okay, I gotta admit, that sounded very good. I mean, come on. Ask a guy if he wants sex, and his answer will most likely be yes. And despite the fact that my bones ached, the idea of Miri's warm, soft skin against mine, and the scent of her hair...........yumm=

(Dylon)
=I see the two walk off, a young woman joining them, and I see two giant armored soldiers staying there. I walk over=
Um...hi? How's things?

Sarah-Fill me in at least? I couldnt really hear you...

Dante-In due time.

(The trio enter the messhall)
(He goes to the display and grabs a vegan meal)
(She grabs a bottle of water and a plate with grilled salmon)

=I see the display and grab some pork-chops. Way better than what my "cousin" and his friend were having=

(They sit at a table and begin to eat)

(He watches as Rain eats the chops. He scowls as he lays his helmet down next to him)
(He begins his meal with a prayer)


(Weaver and Gin)

(A moment passes before they respond)

Weaver(looks down at the man)-Identification?

(Dylon)
Oh, great, this kind.

I don't have any identification except for an entire crew of people who will all identify me as Bullet or Captain Bullet. What about you?

(Jason)

=I could feel my grin spread over my face=

Alright, fine. You win. I'll get something nice to wear, then i'll make dinner.

=I walked off towards my room=

Any movie you want to see?

=Miri grinned a little=

@ Jason- I don't know........ surprise me.

(A moment passes)

Weaver-General Weaver.

Gin-Commander Gin.


(They continue eating)

Dante-So..you want to kill me?

Rain-Youre my cousin. Lets start with that.

(He sighs)

Dante-Many years ago. You were born. My father and your mother never were on the best of terms. I had only seen and heard your name once.

=I listen intently=

(She listens as well)

(Dylon)
=I inwardly roll my eyes at their slowness=
Good lord...

Nice to meet you. May I ask why you are here?

(A moment goes by)

Weaver-We are here to protect the people aboard this ship and the planet below

Gin-Direct orders from the person you saw leave.


Rain-So...you are like what?

Dante-I am a Spartan.

Rain-Obviously...

Dante-If you mean how do I remember that. I have a photographic memory. I remember everything I see and hear.

Sarah-Wow...

Rain-Oh...Go on...

(Dylon)
=I resist the urge to sigh=
And who was that?

=I cross my arms, unintentionally putting my hand near my revolver=

(A moment)

Weaver-The one in armor

Gin-Dante Faulkner

I haven't been religious since my wife died way back when. I had been a Priest before I met her, then an engineer. After her death, I turned to science. Science. With the Knowledge I gained from it I would change not only the world around me, but myself, aesthetically and internally. I'm not human anymore. not really. Technologies and DNA have been added, swapped, changed, upgraded. I forcibly mutated myself. I forcibly made myself change. Forced myself to be able to take the change. To survive. A living testament to my failure to save her. I wasn't smart enough, couldn't come up with a cure fast enough, soon enough, to save her.

(Dylon)
=I nod=
okay. So, what are you? I don't think I've ever seen any Spartans your size, or in that armor.

(A moment passes)

Weaver-We are SHIELDS.

Gin-Advanced Spartans. Trained for direct combat.


Dante-Nothing much after that. We lived our own ways.

Rain-You a Spartan and I a Freelance Artist.

Dante-Bounty Hunter.

=I feel anger rise=

Freelance. Artist.

(He stays calm)

Call it what you like cousin. It is bounty hunting.

(Jason)

=I showered, and got dressed. As I walked out, Miri entered my room, and a minute later, I heard the shower turn on. Then, I got started on dinner. I will say this: cooking, is not as easy as they make it look. You need to pay attention to detail, make sure the food is properly cooked, and also make it presentable. That said, I had the benefit of two years to pick up a hobby. Cooking, was my hobby. For dinner, it was chicken parmesan, with a nice salad dish. For drinks, I only had water=

(Dylon)
So they finally managed to do something worthwhile...how many of you are there?

(Dormii)
=I run out of ammo after a full days worth of shooting. I go back to my room and sit down=
What the hell? Why don't I feel anything?

(A moment)

Weaver-There are currently six SHIELDS deployed.

Gin-Four of us are on a planet helping the locals.


=I stand up and take out my Katars=

You see these. I dont care if you are my cousin. I will kill you.

(Sarah stands up and gets out of the way)
(He continues to sit and look at Rain)

Come now Kris. You wouldnt do that.

=I bring the point of one of my blades to his neck=

Its Rain.

(Jason)

=A few minutes later, and dinner was ready. I got the table ready, and had the food all laid out when Mir walked out of my room. She was dressed, not fancy, or for anything special. She was wearing a casual shirt, and wore casual pants. Despite that, I was fairly certain I was going to trip over my tongue=

Miri, you look good.

=She smiled=

@ Jason- So do you. Mmmhmmmmm, food smells good.

=I pulled out a chair for her, and she sat down=

(Dylon)
Why aren't you fighting the Covenant, where you would be more useful?

(They can not formulate an answer)

Weaver-Umm..


(He stands up and activates the wrist-blade)

Dante-I think I will win.

(He activates cloak and moves behind Rain)
(He brings the blade up to Rain's neck)

Dante-I know. I will win.


=I am scared stiff=

Okay. Okay.

(Dylon)
I could tell you why, if you want to hear it.

(Dormii)
Seriously, I don't get this. I don't feel anything. What the hell happened to my happiness? My sadness, my anger? Where the hell did it go???

(Mali)
=as i see Dormii's thoughts form. i realize that that is why i need to help him. I need to make him feel like he is...whole again=

But how do I do that...?

(A moment)

Gin-Alright...


(He backs away and shakes his head)

I can not believe we share the same blood.
Pathetic

(He goes back to his side of the table and sits down. Motioning for Sarah to join)

Sarah-I..Im going to go find a room

(She heads off)

=I sit down and look at my cousin=

(He notices the cross)

(Dylon)
Well, I personally believe that the UNSC doesn't really care about any of it's people, it just makes a show of it when, in reality, the leaders of these so called, United Nations really just want to escape and let everyone else die in the process.

=i shrug, my arms still crossed=
That's my theory, anyway.


(Dormii)
=i lie down and think=
Why....

(It takes some time for them to process Dylon's statement)


=I see him eyeing the cross=

What

=I look at the dogtags=


Dante-Tell me about her.

Rain-About who?

Dante-Zoey

(Dormii)
=i start to fall asleep=
I don't understand....

Weaver-That...makes..sense


=I eye him=

What?

Dante-Tell me about Zoey. She must have been important to you.

=I sigh=

No

Dante-Kris. Tell me.

=I look away=

(Dylon)
=i uncross my arms and nod=
Glad I can give my enlightenment to another. If you ever wish to have a life free of political bullshit, let me know. The Nearly Dead are always accepting new reruits.

=i smile and wave, starting to walk off=
So you guys later.

=i walk off, wandering around again. i put my mask on for ease of carrying=

Rain-Stop calling me Kris

Dante-That is your name. I know what you are going through.

Rain-How?

Dante-I lost my parents at seven. I vowed to not use my name until I killed the man responsible. I learned that I shouldnt do that.

Rain-I vowed...to not use it...until I killed all Sangheili.

Dante-Good luck with your vow Kris.

(He stands up and heads off to his room)
(She had found a room and made herself comy)

=I stand up. Not knowing where to go next=

(Dylon)
=i keep wandering around, singing different DJ Champion songs. I start with Alive Again=
You're driving me...alive again! You're driving meee....Alive Again!

(He enters his old room and sighs)

Its been awhile

*It has*

There you are.

*I decided to leave Kane with a special present*

(He grins)
(He takes off his armor and lays down on the bed)

(He says a short prayer and falls asleep)

=I head off to a room and claim it. I remove my things and go to sleep=

(Dylon)
=i keep wandering around, singing=
Oh lord, there ain't no heaven
Oh lord, there ain't no heaven
Oh lord

(Jason)

=I sat in my own chair, opposite her, and we ate dinner. We talked a bit, but there was only one thing I wanted to talk about=

Miranda, listen, I know you've already forgiven me, but I--

=She cut me off=

@ Jason- I know what you're going to say. Jason, I said I forgive you. Isn't that enough?

=I honestly didn't know. I mean, after looking so long for forgiveness, I had found it. Other than taking down Vigil, what would I do with my life now?=

You can have a life with Miranda.

@ Miri- Yeah, you're right. It's just, after waiting for so long, I've finally found forgiveness. I just, don't really know what to do now.

=She flashed me a wicked smile, and I suddenly felt her foot press against my leg=

@ Jason- Well, I have some ideas of what we could do.

=Her foot got to my groin, and I nearly choked on a piece of chicken=

(Dylon)
=i put my mask on and comm the transport on the planet, telling him to come pick me up and take me back to the Dead and Back. i head towards the hanger as the Pelican takes off. i arrive in time to meet the Pelican. i get on board and he takes me back to the D+B where I head to my room, the lights dimmed so it doesn't hurt my eyes. i put my mask on the stand with my armor and jump on my bead, falling asleep almost instantly. i dream the same dream i always do; purple and pink, explosions, a seared skull with a needle in the temple...it doesn't wake me up, i've grown used to it, I just let it play, again and again, searing the insides of my eyelids like always=

(Jason)

=A few minutes later, we were in my room, the movie completely forgotten. She held true to her word: she did all the work=


=I walked out of the room, wearing mostly my shirt, and some sweats. I made my way to the bridge, and Argo was waiting for me=

@ Jason- So, enjoying redemption, Jason?

=I sat at the navigations chair, and mildly glared at the A.I.=

If you must know, yes. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my soul. And, =I gestured around me= Those damn visions of Adam have stopped.

(He sighs unable to sleep)
(He had been in his meditative state)

(Clearing his mind of everything)
(Not everything)

Hmm.

So strange to be back...

=Zero's pelican approaches a planet, but is clearly still decently far away, even judging simply by eye. He tries his comms again=

(Static-ish) Is....Nyone...dow... ther?.... Pls... Respond... Ver....

(He can hear a beeping from his helmet)

(He sighs as he loses concentration)

God...

(He stands and puts on his armor)

Yes Andrea?

*Distress signal found*

Upload coordinates

*Uploaded*

(A waypoint appears on his HUD)

Thank you.

(He heads off to the hanger)

=I wake up in the Medbay feeling tired. There are no Doctors around. I notice the Med-Bay's Comm beeping, and I head over to it. I hear the message repeated.=

@Whoever Sent The Message: Hello? Anyone there?

=An AI appears on Zero's console. Its avatar appears as an average hight man, wearing a long think blue robe covering his entire body with a colar that covers the bottem half of his face, with a tan mage's hat that conceals most of the top. Between them his pitch-black skin and glowing yellow eyes are visable=

*Zero, it appears that another AI has locked onto our signal.*

Freindly?

*Unsure.*

Alright, thank you BM.

=I wake up in a cold sweat=

God bless it...

=I shake my head=

*Rain. Distress call*

Like I care, Kane.

*Just thought you wanted to know*

I didnt


(He hops into the Pelican and heads off to the coordinates)

=The AI appears again, holding a long staff like a walking stick=

*Zero, a pelican is inbound*

Good. Thank you, BM.

=He clutches one of the wounds in his stomach=

Lets hope they brought some fresh medical supplies...

(He approaches the waypoint)

(He opens a comm)

This is Dante Faulkner.
Who are you?

=I comm back=

Zero-Four. Are you a Spartan?

I am.

Zero-Four. Are you the only one on the Pelican?

(He awaits the response)


(Sarah)

(She gets up and stretches)
(She heads off to the messhall)


(Rain)

=I stand up and head to the messhall=

Me and my AI are the only ones. Other than...

=I look into the back of the pelican and see the other injured person=

No-one. Just me and my AI.

*I have scanned the Pelican*

Yes?

*Two heat sources*

(He comms Zero)

Why lie to me.

(He sighs)

Alright. Follow.