ALIENS: WOLF SOLDIER
Phase Two: The Betrayal
Chapter 32 (Final Chapter)
.o.o.o.
"I want to make this recording before anything else happens." Artorus began, looking into the recording lens. "For the last few days, I've witnessed carnage and death on a level that I never believed possible."
"One could say that this comes with the job I do- I am, after all, a soldier. Still, I am forced to wonder if there is really a line between combat and life or between base violence and human nature."
"The mission- for what it's worth and not much at that- is over." Artorus added. "I don't know if the result is what the Company wanted, but at this point, I feel fine in saying that I really don't care. I'm not interested in the paradoxical nature of life and death and duty."
"After a while, I've just gotten sick of it. Swanson said that one day, we'd appreciate him- and we do." Artorus remarked. "The commander and the first officer are dead, along with half of the unit and the hundreds of people who were in the complex."
"I'm sure that this mission- disastrous as it is- will beget a hearing into why we were fighting with the soldiers from the Company." He leaned back. "As a dog of war- no pun intended- we do as we are ordered, and Abel ordered those men to terminate us."
"We took the liberty of resisting them, and this in turn cost even more lives." Artorus paused. "There were two people that I hold responsible for this- Abel and Geraldy, and both of them are now dead."
Artorus laughed weakly. "I expect that the universe is duly grateful for my services."
"As a final note, I plan on recommending several soldiers from this unit to be decorated posthumously- it's the least I can do."
He then turned off the recorder. "Sorry, but your dream will never come true, Geraldy." Artorus added and left the room.
.o.o.o.
Rita and the others turned around as Artorus walked up to them. He tossed a small object on the floor. "There it is." He remarked blandly.
The all stood there and looked down at the portable drive. Artorus then walked forward and stepped on it soundly, flattening it into the ground. "It's over."
He then walked over to a crate and silently sat down on it, resting his chin on his hands.
"Artorus?" Rita whispered.
He suddenly jerked slightly and looked up at her, he then smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry- I was just upset there for a moment." He explained. "Are you all alright?" He asked, standing up.
Jackson looked at him. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Artorus shrugged. "I'm a wolf, I have thick skin." Came the answer. "But more importantly- is anyone hungry?"
Redford smiled. "Shit, I could do with a drink."
.o.o.o.
Artorus sat in front of the viewing port, looking out into deep space. Rita walked over to him and sat down next to him in the dark room. He sighed as she pressed up against him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"When I look into space, I see the unknown- a vast void of uncertainty." Artorus began. Rita looked up at him quietly as he traced little circles on his chest, her fingertips gliding across the fabric of his shirt.
He smiled. "It's pretty overwhelming sometimes." He began. "But it's not so bad when you have someone beside you- to share it with." He added and looked down at her.
Rita blushed. "Artorus?" She blurted out.
He then took her hand and stood up. "I'd like to spend a little while in a real bed, before I go back into cryo." He remarked. "And I could some company."
Rita blushed and smiled at him.
.o.o.o.
Artorus; along with Rita and Jackson, Redford and Frost, and McKenzie and Einrich (The former with his arm in a sling and the latter supporting herself on crutches.) all stood at the memorial ceremony for the marines that had died.
It now seemed a strange contrast to see Artorus dressed in a dark blue officer's uniform. Rita was silently glad that regulations in the armed forces had progressed to the point where she was required to wear a skirt.
Rita sniffed slightly as she listened to the Minister give the eulogy. She looked over briefly at Einrich, who was wearing flight glasses to cover her eyes. She then turned back and focused on the row of caskets before them.
Then, on cue, they- and all the other Marines- raised white gloved hands in solute.
After the service ended, Artorus walked away and stood under the shade of large tree. Crows stood in the branches above him, looking down at him occasionally as if in expectation of something.
"I wonder what will happen next?" Artorus thought out loud.
(- End -)
.o.o.o.
I had a lot more planned for the end of this story, but I'm just so burned out from it all. I always meant to finish it, but it just took me longer then I expected. I now realize that I made some mistakes in how I wrote this.
I probably now wouldn't write in so many characters, and I also wouldn't have so many bad guys. Like many long stories, there gets to be a point where things start to flag and there's just not enough to keep it going.
Sometime during the last few chapters, this happened. I actually wish I had never had Geraldy in it. He was a burden to write for. There were just simply too many people in this storyline.
Here's a tip for you writers, don't have too many characters. Many of the scenes in this story just didn't need to have eight people in them. It was insane for me to think like that. And as a result, there were several cop-out deaths.
Anyway, Artorus will be back one day, I just don't know when or how. So, I'll see you all around. It's been fun few years.
-Bojack727