The Journey to Seattle
The 09ers find out about Zack's destiny.
Chapter 1: Cat
Zack had been her CO, her leader, her mentor. He had made her who she was. He had taught her everything she knew and given her a reason to fight, to survive. So how could they expect her to function now, when there was nothing left to keep her going? Well, they did. But more importantly, HE did. And that was reason enough for her. Because he wasn't here anymore but if the chance existed, no matter how small, that he was watching her still, she couldn't disappoint him. She wouldn't. She wouldn't betray his memory and his trust in her by just giving up, by letting his work go to waste. The decision was taken: their siblings had to be protected and it was her duty to ensure it.
X5808 made her way to the bedroom, packed some essentials, burned the rest and left the place she had called home for the past seven months. She was going to Seattle.
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Chapter 2: Zane
Zane was sure of only three things in his hectic life. First, he would never go back to Manticore, he would die before he let them take him. Second, his siblings took precedent over everything else no matter what. And third, his big brother was invincible. So finding out about Zack's death wasn't something easy to process. And having the words said by Zack's SIC was even worse, for he wasn't supposed to deny their truthfulness. Even when every fiber of his being told him to do it. Because it couldn't be true. No soul could take Zack out; no being had the strength to keep their brother away from them. Zack would never leave them, he had promised them as much and he always kept his promises.
It didn't take him a second to make the decision, he was going with her. But not only to help find and protect the rest, he was going to find Zack and prove everyone wrong. His brother was alive.
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Chapter 3: Jondy
Jondy had always had a special relationship with Zack. Back at Manticore, Jack, Max and her were the youngest of the unit. Once on the outside, with Jack dead and Max missing for so long, she had stepped up as the baby of the family. This had allowed her certain benefits she took full advantage of. The most useful, getting away with almost everything thanks to a well placed pouting. The hurt puppy look worked charms on Zack every time. Truth was that for all his tough exterior, inside he was a big softy. One second he was livid because of her latest rebellion and the next he was asking her to be more careful and letting it slide. She knew he loved her and he knew she would never contradict him when it counted. It was no more than a brotherly game, the younger one giving the older one some trouble.
So who would she anger now? Who would care for her enough to be irritated by her constant lack of responsibility? Sure, her siblings loved her to bits and she knew it, but there was something about big brother Zack that was so undeniably his. He provided a sense of security; you knew he would always be there to help with a big cute frown on his face. But it was more than that, it was the love he held for all of them. Because he had had a choice between happiness and them, between a life of his own and a life of protector and he had chosen his siblings. That was saying something. They owed him not only their freedom and their lives; they owed him the family they were able to have. So of course she jumped at the opportunity of this reunion, at the opportunity of helping to honor his memory by keeping everyone safe.
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Chapter 4: Krit and Syl
They had been the first to know. Being part of the mission had those advantages. Or disadvantages was more likely. Because now they were destined to live the rest of their lives knowing they had been there, that they could've and should've made a difference. In one horrible night they had manage to lose to Manticore both their sister and big brother. How did everything go to hell so fast? And why had they run, leaving Zack and Max behind? They would never forgive themselves.
So the fact that their siblings were trying to convince them they had done what they could, that they were right to retreat because Zack wouldn't have had it any other way, that wasn't something they were eager to hear. They wanted to be blamed, they were blaming themselves. Why couldn't the rest just jump on board instead of making them feel even worse?
They made a pact that first night, to spend the rest of their lives protecting the others, keeping them safe, trying to make up in part for the two siblings they couldn't save.
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Chapter 5: Brin
She knew everyone thought her dead. Nobody was expecting her to survive going back to Manticore. Not the way she was when she had been recaptured and knowing what Manticore did to those that betrayed them. So the expressions on her siblings' features when she found them after all that time, that was to be expected. They knew Manticore had burned to the ground; they had seen the news and read the truth behind them. They just hadn't expected someone surviving Manticore's fall. Least of all someone they had thought dead even before.
What truly surprised her though was that they didn't know about Max. That she was alive and behind everything. She was too ashamed to go back to Max, they hadn't parted in the best of terms, but she had thought her siblings would've jumped at the chance of a reunion. Hadn't she looked for them?
Well, she wouldn't have to now, they were all going to Seattle. It was decided. With Manticore gone and Zack gone, it was more important than ever to stay together. They didn't know which face the new enemy would have and they needed to be prepared.
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Chapter 6: The truth comes out
And alive he was, Zane was right. But it wasn't as happy an occasion as you might expect when they finally found that out. Cause the good news of their CO being alive and safe out there was tainted by Max's betrayal. Turns out that she wasn't the same person they remembered and her loyalty to their family had weakened over the years. She had failed their brother in his moment of need and by that, she had kept them away from him.
They got the address and never looked back. No amount of crying or apology stopped them. Max had found a new family and chosen them over her siblings, well, it was time she faced the consequences. Zack would probably be back when he was well again, he had never been able to deny her anything. But for the rest of them, those who had seen what Zack had sacrificed for everyone over the years, those who valued it and loved their brother over everything else, they would never forget.
He had died for her, to save her life, but what she had done with that life, had her dead to them.
THE END