[b][i]He bears up his Cross[/i][/b] [b][u]The Jolly Undertaker, Hangar: 14:56[/u][/b] [b]Damien slide into the pilot seat of his hovercraft with lithe grace. His forehead was beading with cold sweat. In his hand was a brand new bottle of hard whiskey. Enough to put a big man to sleep for a long time. He turns it over in a dirt caked hand. He scowls, quickly throwing it onto the hangar floor. Ian had been right... He was just a man on the run. Well this time he wasn't just running... he was charging. He slides his craft's doors into their manual safety locks. Firing up the ignition, his thrusters break into low orbit speed, pushing him out the hangar. He could feel his heart aching with fear... His mind was shattered with anxiety.[/b] [i]This is madness...[/i] [b]The phrase seemed to rotate in his mind like a tumor that refused to slow its cancerous grip.[/b] [i]"Teelo... Start a recording for me..."[/i] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YKIrPuLm48M [i]"Recording start."[/i] [b]Damien takes a deep breath as the Velvet Moth super cruiser enters his view port.[/b] [i]"I guess I'm saying this to whoever cares... Hell, I doubt you'll hear this. So, I guess I'll just make this out to some friends... Zhackie... It's been good, and I'm proud to call you Boss... And friend. I wish we could have talked more... But I've never been good with words. Eleif, you got a good head on your shoulders. You got a fire in you that is something real special, so thanks... For putting up with me."[/i] [b]Damien's tone turns quiet for a moment as he watches the guard ships of Imogen's crew buzz into high alert. He flashes his distress lights, signaling his peaceful approach.[/b] [i]"And Ian... Thanks, kid. It took me awhile... But you helped me figure it out... I owe you a lot. You are truly a brother. I hope that one day, you can be twice the man I am to compensate... Just don't go overboard."[/i] [b]Damien sets his cruiser into still mode as he begins to power on his comms.[/b] [i]"Charlotte, I'm sorry. I let you down... And I ran. I left everything. And now, I'm running again... Some husband, eh? I'm sorry I couldn't have protected you..."[/i] [b]He checks his frequency as his breathing quickens.[/b] [i]"And to myself... You really suck. You are a fūcking disgrace. But you should feel proud. You are finally manning up enough to do the impossible. You better hope it was worth it... Teelo, cut the recording."[/i] [i]"Recording end."[/i] [b]Damien switches his comms open and waits in silence for a brief minute before he hears a metallic voice coming through the other end.[/b] [i]"Dr. Lordan... You come back after chewing off my arm? You are one crazy son of a bitch."[/i] [b]An amused chuckles crackles through the speakers.[/b] [i]"What the hell do you want?"[/i] [i]"I want you to leave this controlled space."[/i] [b]Uproarious laughter bursts from the other end, followed by a fit of robotic coughing.[/b] [i]"And why would I do that?!"[/i] [i]"Because... I'll go with you..."[/i] [b]Silence... Then a cold and sinister voice.[/b] [i]"You'd risk your life for people you barely know?"[/i] [b]Imogen wasn't stupid... He knew Damien would only do this for something he cared about.[/b] [i]"Might as well. It was that... Or drink..."[/i] [b]Silence, once again. The minutes seem to drag on as Damien's heart seemingly skips a couple beats.[/b] [i]"Very well, Dr. Lordan. I'll leave if you come with me."[/i] [b]Damien lets out a pained sigh. This was it... This is how he would go... His ignites his thrusters once more, diving his ship into the hangar of Imogen's massive warship. The doors quickly seal behind him as he touches down on the cold hard surface of the metal floor. The hangar is empty... Eerily so. Pushing up the sealed door, Damien hops from the cockpit onto the ground. He looks around, suddenly aware that he is shaking. Suddenly, the door far opposite of him slides open. The man... The monster in red and black, the machine from hell, the infernal furnace of hope, Imogen Creed, steps through. His towering height and hateful disposition stare right through Damien. Imogen marches on, with a new extra plated right arm. It was as if death were screaming bloody murder.[/b] [b]Damien could feel his his synapses ache in distress. His legs wanted to give out. His skin tingled with something that was beyond fear. As Imogen drew close, his eyes widened in terror... Yet, he stood paralyzed like bird caught in the gaze of a snake.[/b] [i]"Well, well... Like a lamb to the slaughter... Why shouldn't I kill you where you stand?"[/i] [i]"Because with me, you won't need the fifth pyramid..."[/i] [b]Imogen lets out a harsh, machine laugh. Right to the point. Damien was always brief when he was nervous.[/b] [i]"So you can trust me enough that I'll just leave now that your onboard?"[/i] [i]"I-I can't..."[/i] [i]"That's what I always hated about you Damien... You always did the morally good thing rather than the smart thing... I don't need you. I don't need the fifth pyramid. This is just a game."[/i] [b]Imogen takes another step forward, only for Damien to take one back.[/b] [i]"You see... We don't need heroes. We need madmen. Or else nothing would get done. And you... You just aren't mad enough."[/i] [b]Imogen swings out an arm, catching Damien's head. Damien quickly draws his six-shooter, unloading into Imogen's chassis... To no avail. He quickly tries biting down on his hand, his metal jaw scraping against the pointed fingers. Imogen quickly latches his hand into Damien's mouth and pulls down until the metal jaw rips off. In another motion, Imogen draws a knife and stabs it into Damien's right eye. Damien lets out a pained shriek as Imogen slams a fist into his chest, cracking his metal augment.[/b] [i]"Bite my arm off now, fūcker!"[/i] [b]Imogen swings out once more, burying the knife into Damien's throat. He repeats the motion until Damien's legs begin to falter. As he bleeds out, Damien throws an arm in a weak strike... Only to topple over into a pool of his own crimson life force. His eyes glaze as death embraces him in one quick motion. Damien's mind quickly floods with memories... Of his wife... His daughter... His friends... Only for darkness to quickly replace them. He closes his eyes as he accepts his fate.[/b] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=822P87a773c [i]"Join your whore in hell."[/i] [b]Imogen slams a foot into Damien's head until he can hear a definitive crack. With a chuckle, he picks up Damien's limp body and throws it to the side.[/b] [b]Dusting off his hands, Imogen calls into the ships audio system, his voice ringing out through the whole ship.[/b] [i]"Alright boys, The Judge is dead. And we got what we wanted... Trace his ship's last coordinates... We are taking this war to his asshole pals."[/i] [b]Imogen cuts his comms as Proxies flood the hangar, getting to work.[/b] [b]A mere hour later, The Velvet Moth breaks it's flight path, it's head turned towards the astroid field... Only one place in mind... The Jolly Undertaker.[/b] [i]"I never was one for keeping promises... Sorry Dr. Lordan, looks like I won't be leaving with you..."[/i] [b]Imogen chuckles in his quarters, as he watches his ship drift through space.[/b] [spoiler]Closed[/spoiler]