Deus Ex Machina: Episode 12 – "Motive behind the Madness"
"'The future of humanity is in better hands than you think'? Can you actually make sense for a change instead of hitting me with another riddle? You had no problem doing so when you told me we were all doomed," said Jon.
Patrick let out a heavy sigh. "Sure, why not? I'll reveal myself to you, down to the smallest detail. I mean it's the least I can do before I kill you," he said happily.
"But first, let us go back a little ways in time for a quick history lesson or none of this will make any sense. You see back when we were all still in university, I wasn't exactly the most popular person around…then again, I never really was but I'm sure you're already fully aware of it. Anyways, yeah…I was the kid everyone picked on, berated, beat up, etc all throughout my entire fucking school career. The lone exception was my dad. He was the one thing that kept me from either becoming a drug dealer, murderer, killing myself, shit like that. He and I were best friends… no, we were more than best friends, more than father and son, we were a team. I never knew my mother since she was murdered shortly after I was born so he was all I had. Then one day, he lost his job and we were in a dire situation. So he enlisted…all just to keep a roof over our head and food on the table. Then one day, the covenant attacked and during that time, he suffered a serious head injury due to being too close to an explosion. He survived thanks to his armor…but it changed him. He was no longer the kind, caring person that I knew. He was someone…that scared me. He was nasty, brutal and ruthless. I don't know where he got little band of cronies from but that's when it all happened; The drug operation, his plot to take over the city, everything including the kitchen sink."
"He even forgot he had a son. Yeah, imagine that. Your own father forgets you even exist. I was able to prove to him that I was his and when that happened, he beat the shit outta me. I was on my own from there. I had never felt so alone in my life…but there was one thing that kept me going. My desire to eradicate the covenant grew with each passing day. I began to develop an insurmountable thirst for vengeance and let me tell you…vengeance is one hell of a poison. Shame and rage are its two main ingredients and I had plenty of both. Still, I was able to stay strong, keep going, knowing one day that I would obtain my goal. Then there came the day where you made that nice little remark about my him!"
Jon's head moved back slightly, remembering that day and how Mike told him he should have apologized.
"Feeling a little guilty? Good, because that's when you factored into the equation as well. I then wanted to revenge against both the covenant and you after that. I wanted to show you what it felt like to hit rock bottom while I took out the race of overzealous warmongers."
"So that's why you killed Mike? Just to make me-"
"No," Patrick cut him off sternly. "Jon…above all else, the only thing I ask of you is to believe me when I say I did not kill Michael."
"Then…what happened?" Jon replied reluctantly.
"You're not the only one who went though hardships during your little vigilante crusade Jon and considering the living hell Mike went through for a full month while you were sleeping like a baby though most of it, he should have been the one to break down, not you," said Patrick.
Jon's fists were now clenched. He tried to speak. "Do you know what I-"
"Yes Jon! Yes I do! However, I wasn't finished speaking yet so be a good listener and shut your mouth for a second! Anyways, in addition to being tortured for a month, he also braved fighting an uber-strong you, who was willingly being led around by a parasite you could have easily overpowered, as well as a mob that wanted him dead as well as you and also saw the downfall of his best friend while you turned a blind eye to everything he was going through! So don't you dare try to justify to me that you're the one who's suffered the most here!"
Jon was about to retaliate when he then found himself unable to speak, unable to come up with any retort whatsoever for one reason and one reason only: Patrick was right…about everything. The memories came rushing forward, this time with crystal clear clarity. It was like a slideshow that Jon couldn't stop. He now remembered seeing the deep sorrow in Michael's eyes, the silent cries for help, how he hadn't even noticed it, not for a second.
"All of these events are what drove Michael…to commit suicide."
There was nothing Jon could say. He knew Patrick was right. Jon suddenly felt hollow, like he wasn't even in his own body. He wanted to die…until he remembered that he could leave just yet. There were still a couple unanswered questions.
"Wait a minute," said Jon. "Then...that video...who was that?"
"A simple robot clone designed to look like a human. I could never kill Michael. He was one of the very few people that was actually kind to me on a day-to-day basis. He shot himself shortly after you left. I found him dead and just for the record, I gave him a proper burial next to the rest of your classmates. Besides, you do remember I specialize in robotics, right? asked Patrick.
"Oh yeah...that's right...that answers that, let's pick up where we left off. You were MIA shortly after you enlisted. What happened after that?"
"To make a long story short: Covenant attack, a man named Leonard Phillips saves my life, we become friends, share each-others life stories, he agrees to help me out after hearing my plan and that's where the decapitators and robot come from. My extensive studying of covenant technology also helped me in screwing up their communications, hence the false order to retreat, buying us time to prepare and counter-attack. The whole robot fiasco and luring the UNSC down here though…yeah, that was all me. I was never under control of the covenant nor did I ever get captured by them. I just gave you that whole speech and pulled that stunt to share my misery and feeling of hopelessness with the rest of this uncaring world…and boy did I ever do so."
"However, I feel like we've evaded the main topic long enough and I have explained everything you've ever wanted to know, no?" said Patrick.
"Go on," said Jon.
"The decapitators and the Deus Ex Machina robot. How did the pheromone get there? Why all of a sudden is the robot taking orders from the marines and aiding you when it was previously trying to kill everything in salvation city? One, because I placed the pheromone there and two because I programmed it to do so."
"What? Y-you mean…"
"Yes Jon, its initial directive was to carry out said Doomsday mission until it had achieved its primary objective. It was then programmed to shutdown until its back panel was opened. Then, its new primary objective activated and its original one was completely erased. The decapitators are also part machine and are programmed to protect the robot at all costs upon reaching the vicinity of the robot. However, despite the fact that there is not a bio bomb inside the robot, there is a bomb in there nonetheless…a nuclear bomb."
A thought suddenly crossed Jon's mind. "Patrick…what's the robot's final objective?"
"Oh you're smart today Jon…the robot's final objective is to aid the marines in re-taking The Pillar of Autumn II. Once aboard the ship, they are to proceed to the teleporter the covenant are using to move all equipment from their ships to ours and enter the heart of the covenant fleet."
"Back up…a teleporter did you say?" asked Jon.
"Why yes, didn't you know? The covenant would never bring their own ships onto our planet for fear that they'd become 'desecrated' by our planet or something like that, something to do with their crazy religion, I don't know. What I do know though is that it's reason enough for them to take over our ship so it could act as a middle-man of sorts…and that is where they made their biggest mistake."
On-board the Grand Transcendence, the place was a hive of activity; equipment being moved, communications being monitored, more Sangheili readying to go through the portal, when suddenly there was flash of white light. When the flash cleared, all attention turned toward the entrance to see a human robot and two Sangheili standing next to it. Everyone froze, unsure of what to do. A message then played on the robot's external speakers.
This is specialist Patrick Owen of the United Nations Space Command, serial number X29-423-334 and every last one of you genocidal monsters have about ten seconds to pray to your damned heathen gods. This is what you bastards get for fucking up my life. Have a good day in hell.
"So that's explains why we lost contact with our warriors aboard the human ship," said the fleet admiral.
"So you mean to tell me that when the robot and the decapitators go through the portal, then…"
"Yes Jon, yes indeed..."
The fusion warhead inside the robot detonated, atomizing the robot, decapitators and everyone inside the command room instantly. It quickly caused a series of chain reactions that spread throughout the ship, quickly reaching its reactor. After about a minute of chain explosions, the super carrier finally erupted into a massive white and blue ball of light, tinged with ultraviolet. The nine other smaller ship that were grouped around it were also caught and vaporized in the nova-like explosion. The entire covenant fleet was effectively wiped out.
A flash suddenly came out of nowhere, so bright that Jon's visor had to polarize to 100% to protect his eyes. It lasted for about four minutes. When his vision finally came to, he looked around and saw Patrick standing in the exact same spot where he was before the flash. He hadn't moved, hadn't tried to attack him, nothing. He just stood there as he finished his sentence.
"…Ka-boom."
Jon simply stood there, trying to comprehend what had just taken place. If that explosion was indeed inside the covenant mothership, then that meant that the war was over, humanity was victorious and it was all thanks to the man whom up until a few minutes ago was the person responsible for what seemed like their complete annihilation. Patrick then spoke exactly what was going through Jon's mind, his words matching the exact thoughts as they were processed.
"It's kinda funny…I've done such terrible things within the last 30 or so hours, things that would make people like you and Captain Griffiths shoot me dead on sight…yet I turned out to be the good guy all along. Isn't that strange?" Patrick laughed.
"I…I'm stunned…too stunned for words even," said Jon.
"Then don't tell me how you feel with words. Tell me how you feel with your fists…because if I recall correctly…we're not quite done here yet," replied Patrick as he turned his back to Jon and walked a few steps.
"Now if my memory serves me correctly…oh that's right: We still have a score to settle!" said Patrick as he turned around, pointing his finger at Jon.
"Yes…yes we do!" said Jon, his fists clenched as he picked up and readied his assault rifle.
Every able marine was searching the battlefield looking for any wounded or survivors and killing any remaining covenant. Even Griffiths was among them, working alongside the rest of his men, including Karl and his crew. After what they'd been through, it was the least he could do for them. He stopped to wipe the sweat off his brow when Fitzgerald broke through the com.
"Captain, can you talk?"
"I suppose, what's up?"
"It's about Jon…we've lost his signal sir."
"What? What the hell happened?"
"I don't know…he just dropped right off the map."
"What was his last known location?"
"Right where we'd sent him to find Jacob."
Griffiths didn't know what was going on but one thing he was sure of; he was absolutely fed up with mysteries and unexplained phenomenon's "Alright that does it. Get me out best able men and two hornets. We're going after him now!"
End Chapter
Author's Note: One more chapter left. Yes, it will all end in the next chapter guaranteed. The storytelling is out of the way, now it's time to settle the score!