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trash bin PART TWO
| the pygmalion. . . ???  OPENING PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . _PROGRAM CRASHED _PROGRAM REBOOT? >N >SCAN PROGRAM . . . _PROGRAM CRASHED . . . >EMERGENCY LEVEL . . . >EMERGENCY LEVEL . . . _EMERGENCY LEVEL LOADING LOADING. . . LOADING. . . LOADING TEXTURE-NIGHT-SKY, TEXTURE-FULL-MOON, TEXTURE-DIRT-PATH, TEXTURE-CAMPFIRE LOADING SOUND-CRICKETS, SOUND-GRAVEL, SOUND-WIND, SOUND-FIRE-CRACKLING UPLOADING USER UPLOADING USER UPLOADING USER UPLOAD SUCCESSFUL TRASH BIN It feels more like an electrical zap than dying. Dying might feel a little bit more like falling asleep, but this is harder, more painful. If you've ever been electrocuted, the feeling might seem familiar; the discovery you make when you open your eyes, too, is likely very familiar. It's the night sky. Stars twinkle, a fire cracks warmly. You sit up and observe the surrounding area, and it's like you've woken up in some sort of canyon. The fire burns brightly, the moon shines beautifully, the crickets sing, and it is ... peaceful. Mostly. You know you're dead. This must be, then, the after life? Or something like it, at least. The horizon stretches on forever, the dirt and gravel seemingly endless. The moon is so big and bright, it's like you could reach out and touch her. There's a shed not too far from the fire, only but a stone's throw away, as if someone else might have made it, and then went inside it. Approaching it, you can see the light glowing inside it through the dusty windows that are littered with fingerprints. A computer screen, so large and wide that it's baffling, sits, waiting. Turning knob reveals that the shed is unlocked, and stepping inside... it doesn't feel any different from the outside. A chair sits in the center of the room, a strange contraption strapped to the head of it. It looks like it would lower itself upon the head of whoever dares to sit on it, and wires from it's bottom curl up towards the machines attached to the screen. Several smaller desktop screens sit beneath the giant monitor. They, too, are hooked up to the machines scattered around the room, to the ominous one perched on top of the medical chair, and they blink, as if fighting to stay alive without use. Pressing the giant monitor on, it lights up, and displays, strangely enough... a security camera feed. You push the button. It switches to another room. Again, another room. Again, another room. So on and forth. You peeping tom! But no one can blame you, in the end. You might as well digitally haunt the rest of the ship until the game ends, and AL-2955 can clean out the trash bin. ...Right? rule book taken characters information cards |
no subject
[ Elizabeth says firmly. They've talked, for weeks. Endlessly going over strategies and theories on dealing with them. ]
I helped him after my trial, Bull. Despite everything he's done and said to me - I wouldn't put my faith so blindly into him if I didn't believe he knew how to handle this.
[ She lifts her finger up a bit, wagging it almost with scold. ]
If that image needed to be maintained, would he show his face without his mask? His image is less of a vanity and more of keeping himself alive. You saw ... you saw what that creature did to Hancock when he disclosed that information.
[ Elizabeth shudders at the thought of it, the thought of that creature inside of her again. ]
Like all of us, I doubt he was given full disclosure upon arriving. But, to sound like less like some follower... his big issue is trust. Rhys died because of Jack's insane ideals of being betrayed. [ However, she looks a bit vulnerable. ] He needed to be kept in check. To have someone keep him calm. ...That person was me.
[ Yes, Elizabeth had definitely been in talks with Jack. A lot. Despite hating it. ]
Just because he didn't lay all his cards on the table doesn't mean he's ignorant. This is a game and he's paranoid. We all were paranoid - isn't that why you and Dorian killed Arumat?
[ oh... That wasn't even meant to sound vindictive, she's genuinely curious. ]
I don't know all of the answers but I know - ... I had some relationship with Jack that kept him from doing stupid things like this after I was revived.
no subject
[ He is pretty good at reading people: it is one of the skills they give you in the Ben-Hassrath. He doesn't seem to mind any finger wagging or vindictiveness, though. ]
If he wanted that information out, there are ways to do that without taking that mask off - if there's one thing you learn as a spy it's that information is the easiest thing in the world to spread, it's containing it that's the issue. You drop a rumor, you leave an anonymous note to someone with a big mouth, you write it on a damn wall at 3am if you have to. He could have used his team, people who could be trusted, to change the tide.
What the creature, what that thing in you, did to Hancock, it was able to do because he had no reason to believe you couldn't be trusted. That literally anyone couldn't be trusted! These things rely on that. They want you to think that because someone is acting just like themselves, they aren't dangerous that is the point. If he didn't know it before you, he certainly knew it after. He hasn't found a single alien since you is the truth. If he had any idea about who they were or when they'd strike again, he could have limited the damage Dave managed. [He almost sounds angry. It's been frustrating: so many rushing to defend each other based on what they want to believe about a person. It isn't anyones fault. Nature is hard to overcome. Still the part that should sting, the accusation of paranoia, doesn't seem to bother him. He's back to cool and even pretty quickly.]
You think I trust anybody? I don't. And that was a mistake. I killed Arumat because I was working on bad intel under bad direction, and because I wanted to believe I could help my people. My picture was too big - didn't give a damn about most anyone actually on this ship. [At least, not until after he was dead.] I'm not saying this as some way to prove I'm better. I made my fucking mistakes.
If someone cares about you, they don't ask you to be their damn keeper. To rein them in like they're out of control without you. You were an obvious target: cleared from alien infection. It was clear people were going to trust you with information, to ask shit of you and because of that the aliens were going to go after you. That much is logical. He used you for his own play at trying to be King on a chessboard where we're rapidly losing ground. He let you die. He doesn't deserve your defense from the afterlife.
if he wanted to win this fucking game, he should have played better from the start.
[She can defend him if she likes but hearing this - "despite everything he's done and said to me." Monsters aren't dragons or darkspawn - mindless beast with claws and teeth, that have the decency to attack you from the front, show you what they want in a fight. Monsters are men who make you believe their bullshit.]
no subject
[ Elizabeth grew uncomfortable. It was like she was alive once more. The thing about this girl? When she saw an endgoal in sight, she'll sacrifice her morality to achieve it. Booker slaughtered countless men to ensure her freedom... so what cost had she given Jack for his cooperation?
She gulps when Bull offers suggestions and she can't defend it. Things could have gone so many other ways. ]
What any of those possessed did... Jack has limited resources just as Jessie or anyone else with a role had. Restrictions, if you will. Running head first into the situation would put a target on his back - risk any information or relationship he had with those who gave him his role. I don't understand how this works, admittedly... you were in communication with Alice or something, correct?
[ There's a huff of frustration when she mutters - constants and variables - knowing that the scenes can play out so differently. She know Jack hasn't told her the truth and she hasn't told Jack the truth. It was a toxic relationship at times, but Elizabeth is hopeful enough to redeem him but - not now. Not when she knows he doesn't see his own sin.
As Bull speaks, she listens. His struggles with killing don't feel as regretful, he made his mistakes, sure but.. as he goes on, she freezes. He doesn't get it. ]
I took that responsibility! Jack didn't beg for an alliance, I planned it. It had to be done. Jack trusted me enough - and rightfully so. Because I needed him too. I needed someone to take those creatures out and I put my vote of confidence in him. Bull, men with nothing left to lose often have the most to give. Jack would die to bring those down - maybe not for my own need for revenge after being violated - but our interests aligned.
[ She's lying to herself. She cares about Jack. Among all of it, no matter how she cringed when he touched her in reassurance, trusted her and spoke fondly of her. She was afraid of Jack. She was afraid of what would come if she didn't kill him - all to make herself feel better about being played a fool by a man who kept his own daughter locked up as she was. It matters not and she came to terms that she couldn't kill him. She couldn't.
But when Bull spoke of Jack letting her die, she grips her fist tightly and she'll quickly push Bull away in disbelief. ]
Don't you dare! I died - [ It hurt to say those words and she feels her chest grow hollow. Her eyes gloss over briefly as she blinks away any tear that may stray. ] - I died because of my own carelessness. I didn't spend the night in Jason's room... He asked me and I declined, thinking there was - thinking the best out of a worse situation. It was nothing to do with Jack!
[ She accepts this fact, but she has to reiterate: ]
...I've seen horrible men accomplish amazing things. I - ... what I want now is foolish. I wanted revenge. I wanted redemption. Neither of those would make me feel any better. It's foolish.
no subject
[He waves a hand as if he wants to say more. To make a connection. Continue the thought down the logical path.]
Men with nothing left to lose are dangerous, they make mistakes. I've been a man with nothing to lose. It's not as effective a tool as he makes it sound. [ And this place had used that against him, hadn't it? A man with something to lose is easier to manipulate. The trade maybe doesn't always seem worth it. ] And maybe you don't want to ask me. I think people underestimate revenge. Redemption. Bad folks can do a good job of convincing themselves they're doing the right thing. Bad folks who see the right end of the axe don't hurt people anymore.
no subject
So you - ... you worked with Jack too... [ She recalls Jack's words: because I'm the highest ranking member here. Bull made some valid points and she weighs them, but something seems off. There was a group... to fight these aliens? ] So you had a group and yet... was Dorian a member as well? Was he part of this group as well? Wouldn't my death be by your groups doing too - not just his for failing to find those creatures?
[ She tries to make sense of it - she rambles quickly like a child with questions she doesn't expect the answers to. She has to wonder if Jack was involved in Arumat's death as well. ]
I think we all are making mistakes now. We're scared and vulnerable. [ It's easy to see even after she "pushed" Bull back, her body language reads defensive. ] Anyone in that ship can do what I did to Hancock and Light or what Dave did to - oh, God, all those people...
[ She composes herself a bit better. ]
I'm sorry, I just...
no subject
Still, we knew after and some part of me didn't believe you were really clear. It was a mistake on my part - one of us should have watched out for you. So, you're right. Some of that is on me as well, and for that, I'm sorry. I know that won't mean much now, but best we can do now is try all we got to root them out. Make them regret ever trying this shit with us.
We've got an advantage - on this side, we know we're safe. Everyone dead is free of infection and that's a damn good bonus. We're trying something: refining Alice's plan. I don't think it's a mistake.
no subject
[ Elizabeth feels ashamed to admit it. ]
I offered my powers in exchange for my revenge, but truly? I planned to kill him. [ poor Little lamb ] I don't think he was lying, Bull... You have to believe that my interactions with him.... He took his mask off, if you would. There was too much at stake to have secrets.
[ Bull apologized and she quickly raises her hand to shoo the thought off. ]
No, it is far too late for that and I never once - not even when I arrived I never blamed anyone. Not Jack, not Jason - not anyone who could have saved me. It's just how the hands were dealt and now, I have to try and live with my choices.
[ Bull gets passionate with his words. It's hard not to feel some inspiration. ]
Whether your group was ill equipped or not, we failed while living. Accepting that is something I'm struggling with but - purpose presents itself with opportunity. I'm scared of dying again but I'm even more terrified of people I care about on that ship joining me here.