Touch
It took a medium force kick to knock the metal panel loose. The Operative dropped down, back into the dead man's room. He moved past the body, completely ignoring it until he heard the voice. "Mal. Guy killed me, Mal." He turned fast, looking around the room and finally finding the bot, which seemed to be staring right at him, accusing. "He killed me with a sword." The Operative didn't have time for this nonsense. He listened to the message, pulled out his gun and fired at the bot, turning it into nothing more than circutry again. Time to find Captain Reynolds.
Malcolm was balanced on the rail. The Operative kept quiet, taking careful aim before he fired, sending the great Captain to the ground. "You shot me in the back!" The Captain got up, part of him appearing shocked over such a move. "I haven't made you angry, have I?" Mouthing off again, making petty jokes.
He moved forward slowly. "There are a lot of innocent people in the air being killed right now." Mal's words made him stop, several feet still seperating the two.
"You have no idea how true that is. I know the secret. The truth that burned up River Tam's brain. Rest of the 'verse if gonna know it too. 'Cause they need to."
He knew the secret, did he? The Operative just studied the Captain, the fire in his eyes. This man faught hard for what he believed to be the greater good. Little did he know that the only way to find the greater good was to find a world without sin. Or to make one. "Do you reall believe that?" The Captain's answer was affirmative. No surprise there. "Are you willing to die for that belief?" Again, with little hesitation, the answer was affirmative. The Operative raised his gun.
Reynolds' bullet hit first, aimed at the Operative's gun hand. More shots fired, sending the Operative to the ground, hiding. "Of course, that ain't exactly Plan A," he growled. That mouth again.
The Operative rose once Reynolds no longer stood near him. The Captain was making his way to the backup unit. The Operative jumped, catching a chain in his hands and aiming a kick that knocked the Captain lose and sent him further down into the metalwork that surrounded the unit. Still, Mal wasn't on level with the backup system. The Operative moved, undoing the attachment and sending the chain the Captain was attached to cascading downwards. Reynolds landed with a weak grip on the floor that surrounded the unit as the Operative moved from the chain and began moving towards the Captain once more. Landing on the Captain's tensed arm, rather than sending Reynolds spiralling downwards, knocked the Operative off-balance, giving the Captain time to get to his feet.
The Operative flew into him and the fight began. It started simple. Fists, feet, kicks, punches, holds. Rough and tumble. Crude, but effective. Finally, he knocked the Captain back, giving him time to draw his sword. Mal pulled out a ridiculously small blade as well and the fight continued, each refusing to yield to the other. Finally, he got Mal where he wanted him. Got close enough to run the sword into him. "Do you know what our sin is, Mal?" It was time to let the Captain die, reminded of his flaws.
"Hell, I'm a fan of all seven." He struck the Operative, head to head, driving him back, then sunk his small blade into the Operative's leg, sending him to the ground. "But right now..." He pulled out the sword. "I'm gonna have to go with wrath." The Operative dodged the blow. This was not the grand arena. No room here for such turns of phrase, such dramatics. The fight raged on until Mal hit the ground.
It was time to end this. The Captain picked himself up, allowing the Operative to hit him from behind, hand moving into the nerve cluster, effectively paralyzing the Captain. The Operative wiped his sword clean as he spoke. "You should know there's no shame in this. You've done remarkable things. But you're fighting a war you've already lost." he moved forward, ready to run the Captain through. He hadn't expected him to move, blocking the sword and hitting him in the throat.
"Well, I'm known for that," the Captain said calmly. He moved the Operative to a railing. "Piece of shrapnel tore up that nerve cluster my first tour. Had it moved. Sorry about the throat. Expect you'd want to say your famous last words right now. Just one trouble. I ain't gonna kill you." He pinned the Operative in place with the sword. "Hell, I'm gonna grant you your greatest wish. I'm gonna show you a world without sin."
As Mal walked off, the gasping Operative had no choice but to watch as the recording started. "These are just a few of the images we've recorded and as you can see, it isn't what we thought... There's been no war here and no terraforming event. the environment is stable. It's the Pax..."