Spiritu Santi Sunset, Ares Shield Season 1 - Episode 5

[Needles]

As the aerosol blew his hair around his head, Needles screamed,
”What the rutt are you about?!?”

When the chloroform started to dull his senses, his eyes went wide with fear…and then rolled into his head. Not having far to travel, Ned’s body slid down to the floor of the cell with a soft thud.

His long haired form seemed strangely at peace, and his chest rose and fell with the easy slumber of the righteous…even in sleep, he was a con man.

[Israel Pasalewe]

Israel watched as Ned’s body went limp. ‘Time to play’, Israel thought as a sly grin smeared across his face. Israel opened the cell, and began to drag Needles to the infirmary.

Infirmary

Israel used restraint straps to tie Needles down. Arms, hands, feet, and legs. Each had its own strap binding it tightly to the operating table. Israel took out scissors, shaving cream, and a old fashioned razor; laying them out as if he was going to be performing a high risk operation.

Starting with Ned’s hair, Israel carefully cut off fist full after fist full; allowing it to fall softly through his fingers. As the last chunk of soft hair fell to the cold floor, Israel laughed as he started in on Ned’s beard. It was removed quickly. Israel then sprayed some of the shaving cream into his hand, and proceeded to give Needles a nice clean shave. Tilting his head to admire his own work, Israel said, “Ahh, smoother then a waxed man’s teat.” Israel smelled the air, “Huh? It even smells better, too. Well, my Ned, only one last thing to shave.” Israel leaned close to Ned’s ear as if whispering a secret to a lover. “I won’t be using shaving cream either. A nice straight shave, skin against blade will be best.” As he unbuttoned Ned’s pants, Israel felt some what shy. He hadn’t shaved a man down there since Marcellus.

Slowly, but steady Israel shaved Needles’ lil needle. A few spots bleed, but nothing so bad that it would cause an infection.

[Lt. Karl Womack]

"A walk!Oh NO! Corporal Hightower sent me to find you and I forgot! I'm so sorry!"

Keeping a hold of Shanti’s hand, he moved with purpose toward the Infirmary. Ignoring the newly shorn Needles, Karl focused on the wounded Patron…his mind quickly putting together the unseen events.

His people were in trouble.

Between Esteban and vengeance, Ray had more than he could handle already…which left only one medic.

Blue eyes snapped to Shanti’s,
”Come on, sweetheart."

Moments later in the cargo bay, the two stood surveying their vehicular options.

Tibby’s floater…too big for the festival choked city streets.

Ray’s buggy…ditto.

Karl needed something mean…something that said, ‘Get the rutt out of my way’, but could still fit through Spiritu Santi.

With a smile, his eyes found the chrome forks of his selection.

A few seconds later, Karl screamed,
”D, Catri…someone close this gorram door behind us but be ready to open the rutter quick-like!”

Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at Shanti,
”Alright darlin’, hold on to your teeth.”

Birthed from the first peel of thunder of the first storm of the Earth-that-Was, the Fat Mutha's motor roared to life, rattling the very atoms of the Ares Shield. Though unbelievably loud in the confined space, Womack revved the powerful engine, adding fuel to the deafening din. With a squeal of the rear tire, the cop and the chyeh shot from the ship like a dragon from her cavern.

Not bothering to brake at all, Karl revved the cycle faster toward the center of town.


<<OOC You all have no idea how hard it was for me NOT to include a Meatloaf song here>>

[Shanti]

”Alright darlin’, hold on to your teeth.”

The heavy red and white Emergency Responder bag that she'd slung over her shoulder bounced bruisingly against Shanti's back as Karl revved the engine and cut the clutch, jolting them from the cargo bay.

The vibration of the powerful engine shook her entire slender body. Hold on to her teeth?!? What about the rest of her!? Had she Marlowe's build, the force with which her arms locked around Womack's chest might have crushed his ribs. Then it was just the wind, and the roar, and the solid strength of his body against hers as they tore through the streets of Spiritu Santi. For an exhilarating (and terrifying) moment, the Chyeh lost the emotions the day had wrought.

For a moment, with Karl's powerful muscles outlined against her and the howling surge of the Fat Mutha between her thighs, Shanti felt free. She tossed her head back into the wind, her sudden exhilarated scream of laughter torn away in it's grasp and carried to parts unknown.



Shanti & Womack continue in:SPIRITU SANTI



OOC: NOTE: The E. does not advocate riding helmetless or without proper gear. But it is, on occasion, hella fun!

[Israel Pasalewe]

After he was all done, Israel left Ned strapped to the table since he wanted to wake him up while he was still in Israel's control. Moving to the drawers, Israel opened the top drawer, and removed a smelling salt. On his way back to Ned, Israel also grabbed a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

Gentle Israel began to wake Ned with the smelling salt.

[Mr_Universe]

The following broadcasts over every frequency of every broadband comm array and every channel of the cortex. The voice of the mysterious Mr. Universe is indecipherable, morphing from a young child to a mature woman to a man with a Londinium accent to a dozen other personas with every word.

The screen transitions from darkness to a capture shot of Serenity Valley…the bodies of seemingly thousands of Browncoats laid out for categorization and burial.

”Remember Serenity Valley…the birthplace of Unification and the death of Independence.”

The screen dissolves to a still capture of the Battle of Fort Necessity, when Colonel Harlan Jessup and Major Isaac Terrell led the final charge against Adam Man’s forces.

”Remember Fort Necessity…the reawakening of Independence.”

The screen dissolves for a final time, ending with the last stand of the 666th against the Reavers…the camera slowly zooms in on the face of Harlan Jessup, roaring his final command.

”Remember Andersonville…the birthplace of the New Independence.”

The screen fades to black, but the eerie voice of Mr. Universe offers one last cryptic message,
”Find Mei-mei…rise again.”

Regular transmissions and communications resume.



<<I know that the various ships and settings are not technically synched up time wise, but I wanted to use this cross ‘Verse broadcast as a way to draw all the stories into a similar moment. Damn you paradox…I’ll hear none of your complaints.>>

[Ares Shield]

All Ares Shield crew continue posting HERE

[Ares Shield]

The Ares Shield hovered over the coastal town of Spiritu Santi, while one of her own, Mancoon Krylin, waved from the ground beside his beloved Sarah. The Newlyweds’ smiles could be seen from the cockpit of the craft, where only Corporal Edward Hightower resided.

Ed felt the tug of loss grip his stomach, but unlike the abyss he felt upon hearing of his sister’s death, he felt at peace with the separation from his friend. Mancoon had fought far longer and far harder than a man of his character should, and his dark penance had ended with the gift of Sarah.

Taking one of his hands from the control wheel, Ed raised a battered CorePad up to eye level. It contained the electronic versions of Mancoon’s romance novels…their tales of fanciful love no longer needed by their prior owner. It had been Krylin’s gift to Hightower, and though he knew it couldn’t be seen by the pair on the ground, he kissed the Corepad and held it over his heart.

The Shield wobbled up and down in an airman’s wave, offering a final salute to her greatest marine.

A moment later, she was gone.

FADE TO BLACK


<<So ends Spiritu Santi Sunset, the fifth episode of The Ares Shield. Stay tuned for Missa Solemnis >>

<<My eternal thanks to Taokan for her unbelievable contributions>>

[Officer Fletcher Stone]

Epilogue


Life took on a sterile quality, when viewed through a rifle scope. Colors were muted…silence reigned. In the end, everything seemed reduced…less real. Psychologically this difference helped snipers disassociate themselves from their targets. Their mind would cast an unconscious division between the real world and the world in the scope, so everything that existed within the confines of the cross-hairs was the proverbial other and hence not real. The theory being that Death was easier to invite upon a fantasy.

Through the scope of his 50 caliber sniper rifle, Fletcher Stone watched Mancoon and Sarah as they moved down the moonlit avenue toward her cottage. Unlike the delusion needed by some killers, he knew his targets to be living-breathing, real people…and it meant nothing to him. They would die…slowly, and not a shred of his being required the least little bit of trickery or convincing.

He had missed the Shield by a day, so his only lead now rested between the ears of Krylin. His plan was a simple one: wound Krylin…mortally, rape Kent, get intel on the Shield’s whereabouts from Mancoon, kill them both. To that end, he had waited for the better part of the afternoon on a nearby rooftop…alone with his thoughts, waiting for his targets to appear.

The scope centered on Krylin’s right shoulder. Hit correctly it would take the big man a good long while to bleed out. Plenty of time for intel gathering.

His emotionless eyes narrowed as he readied to fire.

“Manny will be sorry he missed this,” thought the killer.

In the crosshairs, the pair opened the door to the cottage and started inside…Fletcher’s finger started to pull the trigger.

“It will be the last thing you do,” whispered a voice behind him.

Stone crouched low and spun away from his sniper mount, drawing his sidearm as he turned toward the speaker.

He couldn’t help the surprise that floated across his face,
”You.”

“Yes, me,” confirmed Pilate.

The Operative stood at ease, his custom made black suit blowing lazily in the wind. He would have appeared the very picture of relaxation were it not for the pistol trained on Fletcher’s forehead.

Stone’s gun pointed down, but he did not drop the weapon. His cold eyes locked gazes with Pilate’s,
”Your words carry no weight here, puppet. Find somewhere else to flex your muscles, or I’ll tell you the difference between power perceived and power factual.”

“The Ares Shield has gone to Bellerophon to the High Mass. Womack seeks Silko and through him Niska.”

Fletcher’s eyes widened again,
”Why tell me this?”

Not for a second did Stone doubt the tale’s validity. He had learned a long time ago that these Operatives seldom lied…their faith wouldn’t allow it.

Pilate ignored his question,
“Mancoon Krylin and his bride are not to be harmed, and this place, the entire planet of Alleluia, is closed to you and your kind.”

The dead eyes of the killer glared back,
”That sounded a lot like an order.”

With one floating step, Pilate closed the distance between them, and his pistol’s barrel hovered less than an inch above the flesh of Stone’s forehead. Always in complete control of his emotions, the Operative’s voice betrayed him and carried more than a hint of anger,
“Not an order…a threat. Harm the Krylins or tarnish this soil again, and I will bring to bear every weapon at my disposal. Tell Niska further trespass will see his organization obliterated, razed by the fires of Judgment,” his upper lip twitched in hatred, “Murder and war will visit every corner of his realm, and my brethren and I will not stop at his physical possessions…we will erase his very name from history itself. We will wipe his footprints from the ‘Verse.”

Stone smiled,
”You don’t have that type of power.”

Pilate’s gun finished its journey and now rested between Fletcher’s eyes,
“I swear to God Almighty that I do.”

The killer seemed unaffected by his predicament and allowed a pregnant silence to grow between them. Finally he addressed the Operative…his question a simple one,
”Why get involved?”

Pilate responded without hesitation,
“It is my job.”

The men resumed their silent battle. After a span, Stone blinked,
”Very well. I have what I needed anyway.”

The Operative backed away until he stood at the stairwell,
“Leave this place immediately and never return.”

Fletcher’s grin curled higher,
”Have I been cast out Michael?”

Pilate simply repeated,
“Leave immediately.”


****

A short span later, Stone broke atmo in his Whippoorwill. As soon as he could open a secure channel, he called his second,
”Manny, turn around and burn hard for Bellerophon. They’re going after Silko at the Mass,” he paused as Sandoval asked a question, ”No…don’t tell anyone else. Times come for us to move up the food chain.”


<<For those of you not familiar with Fletcher Stone he was sent by Niska to hunt down the Shield>>