Eagle On A Pole - Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
The sentence still rings through Wash's head today as he drives to Sand Trap. The sun beats down on his armor hot enough he can actually feel it. His armor enhancements are only the healing unit he confiscated from York, and a couple others. They'll surely come into use here.
His hands are tight on the steering wheel and his foot was full force on the pedal. A scowl is pulling his eyebrows together over his eyes, invisible due to his armor. It was times like these he really appreciated what his armor hid.
Church had been right, he had been all along. They were some cold mother fuckers. What he really had to ask himself: was if he cared. If it mattered that he'd kill anybody for money. It sounded easy enough to say yes, but he had to think about it hard. What if they asked him to kill his own parents? Could he do that? He thought hard….. Yes, he could. But… what if they asked him to kill his only lover? Could he have done that then? Could he do it now? Even after what she'd done to him, he couldn't help but miss her. Her bright, white smile, black hair, gray eyes. It was only natural of him to wish he could say yes.
At Sand trap, he got out and relaxed a little. At least he'd made it. He looked up to the roof of the base, atop it was a flag. On the pole, it looked like an eagled rested, it watching him. At least, he thought it looked like an eagle. His mind swiftly was back to his lover. "Maine.." He muttered before heading off towards the base.
Worked Up So Sexual - The Faint
It wasn't really Sister's job of choice, but it wasn't so bad. And she did make plenty of money---like, two hundred dollars an hour. But then again, she wasn't really paying attention. Not that she could figure up a days sum anyway.
The men at the outpost in Foundry were watching her patiently as she thought over how mad her brother would be if he found out how she made her money…. She'd probably die. Or, at least be grounded for sixty years. It was worth it to her though.
They all watched her as she turned around and removed her shirt over her shoulders, tossing it aside. Yeah, she'd be dead. But it didn't matter to her, he'd never find out anyway.
The men were silent as she slowly pulled down her jeans. Then she turned around with a smirk. Men watching her was a huge confidence boost for her. She pushed one of the men back into a chair and sat with her legs at his hips. He was grinning deviously as his other teammates glared. She'd get to them later…..
I Will Posses Your Heart - Death Cab For Cutie
No matter how she denied it, Church knew the truth. They both did. Maybe the fighting was to cover up the way they were truly feeling, or maybe it was real. He didn't know which. All he knew was that he loved Tex and that he'd figure out a way to make her realize it. She was asleep in her Valhalla bedroom, the window was just at the side of the base. It opened up to be visible only when she choose. He stood, staring at it in the moonlit night. His instincts were telling him to run well he still kept his legs still.
Instead of listening, he grabbed a few rocks and tossed them lightly at her window that looked like the side of the base. Nothing. He tossed a couple more gently and wondered if she even heard. Nothing yet again, so, he tossed them a bit harder. Rustling filled her room, she was up now. He waited with his hands in his jean pockets. The window opened and she gazed groggily out to him. He cleared his throat. She didn't look angry, she really didn't look sober either. It was hard to place her expression. Then her expression was bewildered. "What are you doing?" Her bell voice startled him a little, it was pure, not angry. Simply, she'd asked him a question.
"I wanted to see you." His voice was rough, he swallowed the lump in his throat. It felt like he'd just walked into a dragon's cave.
She looked around before reaching towards him. He came over, not sure what she was doing. Using him, she crawled from her window, landing in his arms. Startled, he just stared at her. With a quick movement, she kissed him on the lips. It was the first time since she'd left Blood Gulch. Oh, how he'd missed her.
When she moved away, he was smiling. "I will posses your heart. No matter how black it is." He said happily.
15 Step - Radiohead
His blood boiled as Maine made his way to Valhalla, the AI in his head muttered excited murmurs. As he walked, he tried to put together the pieces of his last attempt at killing these stupid Valhalla men. He'd fought them only a few times, all of them scattered, but he didn't ever kill one of them. It was almost like they were invincible.
"Don't be stupid." Sigma protested in her female monotone. It wasn't like Sheila's a bit more deep, and maybe a bit calmer.
This was so useless, if he couldn't take them scattered, how could he take them united? Truth was, he really didn't have much of a choice but to try. If he didn't, the Director would have him killed. Sure, he could try to run, but there was a huge risk that came with that, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to deal with it. Wouldn't it be easier to just try? At least then he'd be okay…… sort of.
He hissed and saw the edge of the canyon approaching. He'd slide down and attack the blues first. Last he heard, they only had one guy anyway. It should be a piece of cake.
Fifteen steps to go.
He sighed as he continued. Then he stopped at the edge and glossily stared down. The entire canyon seemed pretty abandoned actually. But the Director had promised him they'd be here. He started his slide downwards. He'd not fail again. He'd never be so foolish as to let these men beat him again. Mostly for himself, but also for the Director.
It only hit him as he stepped towards blue base that: the only reason they won was because they were just that stupid. He sighed, it was times like these, he wished his mom would have dropped him a few times.
Crooked Teeth - Death Cab For Cutie
Caboose and his dumb Epsilon friend were really chewing on Tucker's last nerve. It didn't even make sense to him how someone, anyone, could be as stupid as them. It just wasn't right. A disgrace to the entire human species. And yet, he was the one stuck with them. It was almost too easy to believe that this was planned in someway. That his life was planned out to be a disaster. The doctor probably shout, "Congrats Mrs. Tucker! It's a disaster!" After he was born. His parents probably gave him the middle-named disaster. Luverneus Disaster Tucker.
He sighed. Trying to make sense of these people was useless. More then half the time, he didn't even understand what they were saying. It was too official, everyone he knew were dumb asses. Each one more useless then the other. Epsilon Church had to be the worst. Then Caboose. Sarge, and last Grif. At least he was kinda intelligent.
He wondered as he crouched on the ground with his sword, what he'd been doing. Why had he even wasted time with them? And why had he actually wanted to believe that there was something to find here? That possibly they could help? He didn't know. But he did know he'd wasted a lot of precious time. There had been nothing to find now. And there had never been a single thing to find before either.
Enemy Fire - Ryan Adams
Was it really too late? No! Of course not! Sarge thought as he imagined shooting Grif. It would be so easy right now. Just one shot that he'd say was an accident.
They were all in battle right now. Alien gun fire whizzed by them as they hid behind a wall. They'd taken out one, but there were plenty more scum where that came from.
Sarge fired randomly down the hall and an alien groaned painfully. "Yah!!!" Grif shuddered as Sarge laughed. Tucker maneuvered closer to the edge in a crouch, his trained eyes locked on the gun fire's pattern. "I think we should send someone orange in to distract them!"
"No way! I'm not going in there!" Grif whined in a light, hysteria voice.
"He's yellow!" they heard Epsilon Church correct.
"Shut the fuck up you, dick!" Tucker ordered. It truly amazed everyone that he listen.
"Hey, where am I?" They all groaned in response; except Caboose.
"You are in a temple! With mean people!"
"Wow… that sounds really- huh? Where am I?" Caboose continued in the background as Sarge finally sighed. He'd not be able to kill Grif today. But at least he'll get to kill some scummy alien!
"Yah!" He fired at Grif anyway. He jumped out of the way.
"Ahh!! SARGE!!"
No One's Gonna Love You - Band Of Horses
It was almost like a faded picture, or a picture with a reflection on it now. Church could barely remember her now. Tex had been gone more then four years today. The rubble of her ship still rests in peace in Valhalla. It seems almost blurry to him now. Her face. It was the basics he remembers. Like, her fiery hair, emerald eyes, pale skin. Her face had almost faded from his ghostly memory. He wishes he could remember her smile, her entire being, but he can't. She's just like a slowly fading memory.
The only thing he could say: was that it was right. It was all right. Times did heal your wounds. Maybe not fully, but they did to an extent. He wouldn't cry like he did the first two times that it was the anniversary of her death, or the first night she'd left, he couldn't.
The only thing he felt was his old wound burn like salt had been poured in. It was a lesser pain; this was a lesser anniversary. He stared at the ship with no expression.
She'd torn him into a million pieces, but even he could recover enough to live. Just like any other who's lost someone. He sighed and turned towards blue base.
It was pretty obvious to him what was his remaining. All he was, was an ever living ghost of what once was and what could have been. Whether he liked it or not, he'd never be the same without her. Without his other half.
Tourist Trap - Bright Eyes
Tex wasn't sure how she'd expected to feel upon returning, but it sure wasn't what she felt. Everything, everyone, was… different. The way things were hadn't changed too much, except now, the team wasn't all here and Church looked at her like he waiting for her to pickup and leave again without telling him goodbye. Too often now, she asked herself why she'd ran off. Why she'd never said goodbye to Church properly. But she knew the answers. She'd not told him she was leaving, because he was the only person in the universe who could have changed her mind.
Caboose was blabbing to her, but she was tuning him out, just watching Church as he watched her. They hadn't even properly greeted each other. What would things be like now? Her chest hurt as she thought about how he could easily hate her. When she thought about it actually, she wanted him to hate her. It was the only way that she'd never hurt him again. His eyes showed her that he didn't, that he couldn't, but he wanted to.
After Caboose bounded off, Church strolled over to her, the question in his eyes. Was she staying? It took her a moment to find her voice. "I… I don't think I'll unpack, Church. Because… this honestly… doesn't feel right. I'm not sure if this is where I live anymore."
Our Swords - Band Of Horses
They'd struck at night, their best aliens stealthily sneaking towards the base and taking out the guards. They groaned and shouted in response. The only one to hear were the sharp ears of Junior. He lay curled up in a ball on a pillow on the floor by Tucker's bed. He shot up and listened carefully. His alien senses amazed Tucker, and now was no exception. He heard the footsteps and the faint movements of air as they gestured military signs in their language. Instead of hurrying, Junior just slowly crawled atop Tucker. "Blarg!" A tremor shook Tucker violently as he awoke.
'What? What is it buddy?" He asked groggily.
"Blarg!" Junior pointed to the door and crawled to the floor. If it'd been a cartoon, he would have been strait as a board and pointing stiffly. Tucker got to his feet gracefully and silently. He grasped his sword by the hilt, but didn't activate it. His footsteps were silently as he went to the door and opened it. He glanced speedily from side to side and caught a glance of the aliens. One was dragging one of his comrades out of their room and had a gun aimed to his head. He didn't watch further and looked at Junior, who was now to his hip. They both nodded and Junior got out his alien needler.
They stepped out and Junior fired at the aliens that were headed into another comrade's room. They were surprised and killed, but only two out of ten. The others returned fire, hitting Tucker on the leg. It burned and he took cover in his room, while Junior continued to return fire back evenly.
Suddenly, all fire seized. "May I speak with you?" It was a man this time, a freelancer in black armor. Tucker came out.
"What the hell do you want?" His voice was harsh, but shaky.
"The artifact, of course." His ominous tone screamed danger.
"Yeah, I should have guessed that." Then the man fired at them again. Tucker and Junior retreated out the bedroom window and took off to hide in the catacombs.
Before that, Tucker began recording a distress call and left it in a long hall building.
The Scientist - Coldplay
It had never been his plan to do this, but then again, what had been his plan? Church couldn't help but feel a tad bit of frustration towards himself. He'd screwed up so much in his life.
Last Resort felt so lonely without a single soul. Even Gary was gone. He walked into the building and walked towards the ramp. His mind flashed with memories of what had happened here years ago: the Great Destroyer. He laughed at it now. Tucker had been the one to fuck everything up then. Not Caboose, like he'd first presumed. And Tex wasn't the Great Destroyer.
Her memory hovered in his head as he climbed the ramp and then down the hall where they'd first met the alien. Crunchbite. The alien that impregnated Tucker. "Urg.." He mumbled, that was still creepy and weird.
The console Gary had once been in, was now just an empty computer with only a few gadgets. He wanted what was left, even if he didn't fix anything, he wanted to try.
Gently, he activated the console and then searched it for the program he wanted. Surely it would be charged up by now.
He activated it and put in the date he wanted. The time machine transported him and he was crouched in his old living room in Houston. The only light on was in the kitchen, he could see the light's dimly yellow light. He snuck to the counter and peeked into the kitchen. On the floor, him and Tex sat, both of their eyes locked on each other. Future Church's chest ached. Her green eyes watched the younger him as he popped the cork from a bottle of wine. Gingerly, he poured a fourth of a cup for both of them and handed it to her. It almost looked too heavy for her hands to hold, but she held it with no shake or anything.
They both raised their glasses. "To you and me." Church's voice broke off the silence, their glasses dinged together and both of them took sips. He sounded different, less annoyed, more content. It hurt future Church's mental when Tex crawled onto younger Church's lap and he wrapped his arms around her. She set her glass on the tile and turned around. He reached out and ran his fingertips over the plains of her face. She reached out and touched his lips with her fingertips. He leaned forward and kissed her lips. She tangled her fingers in his hair and he pulled her close around her waist, setting his cup next to hers. The wine inside it took a minute to freeze up like Jell-O.
The cool air on the floor surrounded them, but it was nothing.
Future Church watched tremblingly as younger him unbuttoned her jeans and she began unbuttoning his shirt. The future was so fucked up, but Church couldn't stop himself from marveling at her, even now. Gradually, their clothes were scattered. Tex stood and pulled him up with her. 'I love you." She mumbled, it was the first and last time he'd ever hear that.
"I love you too." That was when he went back to his time. There was nothing left for him to see or hear. That was all he'd wanted to hear.
The End
RvB: Music
