There are times when we have to stand or die.\u00a0 There are times when nothing less will do.\u00a0 There are times when we have to choose what kind of person we are going to be.\u00a0 Will we sit down when the going gets tough, or will we get going and dare the universe to strike us down?\u00a0 I ran when I was a child.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if I can ever take that choice back, but I know this.\u00a0 No matter how much it hurts, I won\u2019t run again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cOuch,\u201d Jack whispered as pain flooded through blurry eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, thank God,\u201d Betty whispered and he felt the feathery touch of holographic arms around his neck.\u00a0 \u201cI thought I\u2019d\u2026I thought we\u2019d lost you!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll never leave you,\u201d Jack croaked and Betty came into sharp focus.\u00a0 Her eyes widened and he felt the feathery touch of her human-scale holoform all the way down to his toes.\u00a0 She was burning lots of power to get his attention and she had it.\u00a0 He wanted to hug her in the worst way.\u00a0 He was just afraid of how much it would hurt if he tried.\u00a0 He looked around with his eyes instead, not wanting to risk moving until the world stopped spinning around him.\u00a0 \u201cHow?\u00a0 How are we?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re alive\u2026we\u2019re down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack craned his neck back very carefully and looked up to see a roiling thunderstorm larger than anything he\u2019d seen before commanding the sky them.\u00a0 \u201cWow,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Jasmine said in all seriousness from the console.\u00a0 \u201cI think Serenity wants some payback for those gravitics we tossed at her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, she\u2019ll have to wait in line,\u201d Jack muttered, disengaged his harness, and sucked in a very long breath.\u00a0 That was when he noticed all the blood.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2019s a disturbing amount of blood.\u00a0 Did we hit a flock of birds on the way down?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Betty answered.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack coughed and pain tore through every cell of his body in rolling waves traveling from the tip of his toes to the top of his head.\u00a0 He bent over until he stopped coughing and held his eyes shut against the pain as he willed it back down to manageable levels.\u00a0 Finally he thought he could breathe and pulled in a small breath.\u00a0 \u201cYeah,\u201d he gasped.\u00a0 \u201cReal disturbing.\u201d\u00a0 Jack looked down to see his bomber jacket shredded to ribbons and blinked water out of his eyes.\u00a0 Those were not tears.\u00a0 Never tears.\u00a0 He very carefully took the jacket off, trying not to move anymore than he needed to.\u00a0 It had been a bad the crash.\u00a0 He was lucky to be alive.\u00a0 Or maybe not lucky.\u00a0 \u201cI need to suit up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to sleep, Jack,\u201d Betty corrected with a wary voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I was just doing that,\u201d he said and felt more shakiness in his voice than he wanted to reveal.<\/p>\n
Betty\u2019s face froze for a moment before her smile became concerned.\u00a0 \u201cThe dream?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
Jack nodded.<\/p>\n
Betty leaned forward again and wrapped her arms around him.\u00a0 And that settled it.\u00a0 Jack gritted his teeth against the pain and pulled his arms up to hug her back.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d he whispered into the holographic hair that tickled his lips with its feather touches.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019ll take more than a rough landing to keep me away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019d call it a landing,\u201d Jasmine\u2019s smaller form said from the remains of the fighter\u2019s console.<\/p>\n
Jack laughed, but the pain turned it into another horrible coughing fit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry!\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry!\u201d Jasmine gasped and leaned close, trying to comfort him.<\/p>\n
Jack gave one last cough and blinked tears from his eyes.\u00a0 Yeah, they were tears alright, and lying about it to himself wouldn\u2019t help anybody.\u00a0 \u201cOw,\u201d he finally gasped.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t\u2026make me\u2026laugh,\u201d he added in a slightly more controlled whisper.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Jasmine repeated, but Jack finally found the strength to shake his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be.\u201d\u00a0 Leaving his head against the headrest, he scanned what few displays remained operational and realized another holoform stood atop his instrument panel.<\/p>\n
\u201cFaith,\u201d he began through gritted teeth.\u00a0 \u201cHow are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed up and he followed her finger to a line of smoke and fire plunging down towards the surface of Serenity.\u00a0 \u201cPrimary gravitics are offline.\u00a0 Main engines gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0 Jack didn\u2019t know what else to say at the moment.<\/p>\n
Faith shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m a warship.\u00a0 It goes with the territory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you land?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\u00a0 Faith shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve still got some maneuvering thrusters and some gravplating left.\u00a0 They might be enough.\u00a0 But I\u2019m done here.\u00a0 I got nothing left.\u00a0 I just wanted to make sure you woke up before I shut down this shard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack blinked as something tickled the edge of his mind.\u00a0 \u201cWait.\u201d<\/p>\n
Faith glanced at Jasmine and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cLook, I know what you\u2019re doing.\u00a0 But I\u2019m a ship cyber.\u00a0 They\u2019ll build me a new ship and give me a new crew.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll meet again, but I\u2019m not interested in\u2026whatever this is you do.\u201d\u00a0 She waved a hand back and forth between Betty and Jasmine.<\/p>\n
Jack sighed.\u00a0 \u201cWhy does everybody always assume I have ulterior motives?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you almost always do,\u201d Betty answered and laid her head on his shoulder.\u00a0 That right there was something he wouldn\u2019t mind if she did forever.\u00a0 But he had things to do and\u2026something about Faith\u2019s situation was troubling him.\u00a0 But his mind was still too scrambled by something that might not have been entirely a near<\/em> death experience.<\/p>\n \u201cGood point,\u201d Jack whispered.\u00a0 Then he turned back to Faith.\u00a0 \u201cJust\u2026walk with me for a bit will you?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith raised one eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re walking anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack managed to suppress a chuckle.\u00a0 That would have hurt too much and totally spoiled the effect of his jaunty smile.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll bet you I can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if you win?\u201d Faith asked with crossed arms.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy\u2026then you walk with me for a while,\u201d Jack answered as if it was the most natural thing in all the worlds.<\/p>\n Faith rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cFine.\u00a0 Try and kill yourself standing up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeen there,\u201d Jack whispered.\u00a0 \u201cDone that.\u00a0 Come back from it.\u00a0 Armor please?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty grumped but the pilot\u2019s chair leaned back until he was horizontal to the ground.\u00a0 It hurt.\u00a0 It hurt a lot.\u00a0 If he hadn\u2019t been acting tough, he might have even screamed a little.\u00a0 But that would have totally spoiled the effect so he clamped down on that scream with all his strength.\u00a0 He finally stopped moving after an eternity of torment, and blinked more tears out of his eyes.\u00a0 Oh, this was bad.\u00a0 But he was alive.\u00a0 That\u2019s what counted.<\/p>\n Then the horizontal chair rolled back into the part of the fighter designed for the copilot back when the Avenger had been a two-man plan.\u00a0 The cybers had changed that, but they still had plenty of space back there.\u00a0 Now it carried an impressive onboard armory.\u00a0 The remains of his smart uniform shifted and flowed into a skintight bodysuit and pieces of armor began to move around him.\u00a0 Mechanical arms affixed them to the bodysuit one after another and they snapped together.\u00a0 A helmet came down to cover his face and he watched the powered suit come to life on the displays.<\/p>\n He flexed one hand and then the other, ensuring everything worked right.\u00a0 Then he very slowly and carefully levered himself to his feet and looked beyond the shattered cockpit to the ruined landscape around them.\u00a0 Avengers, tanks, and other smashed war machines scattered across it and Jack shook his head.<\/p>\n He stepped out of the cockpit gingerly and crawled down the small ladder in the fighter\u2019s surface.\u00a0 The ground arrived with more relief on his part than he wanted to admit feeling and he let out another long breath.<\/p>\n \u201cThere.\u00a0 I\u2019m up and walking,\u201d he said in triumph.\u00a0 He smiled up at the Faith glowering down at him from the cockpit.\u00a0 \u201cNow you owe me a walk.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith\u2019s holoform flickered down to where he stood.\u00a0 She stood as tall as him now and glared at him with angry eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou cheated.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled.\u00a0 \u201cIf you ain\u2019t cheating you ain\u2019t playing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFine.\u201d\u00a0 Faith sniffed and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cYou win.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone would count a walk with you a win,\u201d he said with a wink and turned to see Jesse and Katy make their way around their ruined fighters.\u00a0 They wore duplicates of his armor, heavy plates bonded to their skin-tight uniforms.\u00a0 Power coursed through them and mechanical muscles in the armor gave them smooth and rolling gaits.\u00a0 Two genuine five-round Taurian Arms revolvers hung off each of their hips, and a machine gun hung down over their shoulders.\u00a0 Open-faced helmets topped the armor and gave him a clear view of their worried looks.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, hey guys,\u201d Jack whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI see you made it down too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Boss,\u201d Jesse responded with a smile that did not hide his real feelings.\u00a0 \u201cHow you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you know what they say,\u201d Jack began with a weak smile.\u00a0 \u201cThat which does not kill me had better be able to run faster than I.\u201d<\/p>\n Katy stopped to examine him very carefully.\u00a0 Then she let out a long breath.\u00a0 \u201cIn that case I think the snail is getting away, Boss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHush you,\u201d Jack whispered with a quelling look.\u00a0 \u201cStatus report?\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cBetter than you, Boss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not saying much,\u201d Katy added.<\/p>\n \u201cDid I say hush?\u201d Jack asked.\u00a0 \u201cI could swear I\u2019d said something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, I didn\u2019t hear a word of it,\u201d Katy returned with a smile that betrayed not a single iota of guilt.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course not,\u201d Jack whispered and rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHow are the fighters?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrashed,\u201d Jesse answered with a verbal wince.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was one hell of a party you threw,\u201d Katy quipped.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Jack whispered, his tone still weak.\u00a0 \u201cI think I\u2019m going to have to demand a refund from the party planners.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWant us to go talk to them, Boss?\u201d Jesse asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNah,\u201d Jack answered.\u00a0 \u201cI think I\u2019ll go with yah.\u201d<\/p>\n Katy gave him a doubtful look.\u00a0 \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Jack said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, guess I\u2019ll lead the posse then,\u201d Jesse said and turned to walk away.<\/p>\n \u201cMe too,\u201d Katy added and aimed another doubtful look at Jack.\u00a0 \u201cYou can do your decrepitude old stagger routine behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSays the old woman,\u201d Jack said with a smirk.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I\u2019ll get you for that,\u201d Katy growled and began following Jesse away.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst you\u2019ll have to catch me,\u201d Jack called out to her retreating back.<\/p>\n She turned and snorted at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll never see me coming,\u201d she said with a nasty smile and kept walking.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t leave without me,\u201d a familiar voice said, and Jack turned to see Natalie picking her way through the wreckage of a Chinese tank.\u00a0 She wore the same armor as the other Cowboys, but a massive multi-barreled autocannon rested on each of her shoulders, and she held a heavy machine gun in each of her hands..<\/p>\n \u201cNow you\u2019re just showing off,\u201d Jack complained.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy does she get all the big guns?\u201d Jasmine asked as her holoform dropped to the ground next to him.\u00a0 \u201cShe doesn\u2019t leave any for the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack locked his jaw tight to keep from snorting.\u00a0 That would have hurt far too much.\u00a0 But he smiled at Jasmine and she winked back, telling him she\u2019d meant every word of it.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone\u2019s got to bring the pain,\u201d Natalie answered with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cAnd my android body can handle far more stress than your puny fleshling bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, did that dolled up robot just call us fleshlings?\u201d Jesse called back.<\/p>\n Jack aimed a questioning smile at Natalie who looked innocently back at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I heard,\u201d Katy said in a singsong tone.<\/p>\n \u201cShe does know that\u2019s offensive, right?\u201d Jesse asked.\u00a0 \u201cAre you feeling offended?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, yes, I think I am,\u201d Katy answered, playing off his banter.<\/p>\n Jack shook his head and turned his attention from their banter to frown at Natalie.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing down here?\u201d<\/p>\n Natalie cocked her head to side in confusion.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s my job to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, fine.\u201d\u00a0 Jack sighed and decided to try another tact.\u00a0 \u201cBut why did you bring your avatar<\/em>?\u00a0 You\u2019ve got a fighter for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n Natalie pointed back to the ruins of her fighter.\u00a0 \u201cBecause that<\/em> plan is working so well?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTouch\u00e9.\u201d\u00a0 He did have to admit she had a point there after all.<\/p>\n \u201cBesides,\u201d Natalie added and pointed a thumb up towards the sky as another starship began burning down into the atmosphere.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a mad house up there.\u00a0 You think I\u2019m willing to trust my avatar\u2019s safety in that<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack waved a hand at the ruined tanks and fighters laying all over the ground around them.\u00a0 \u201cBecause it\u2019s so safe down here, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Natalie frowned at him for that.\u00a0 But she had to admit the return point.\u00a0 \u201cTouch\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack leaned in close to her and disengaged the radio.\u00a0 \u201cThanks.\u00a0 We\u2019ll probably need the firepower where we\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought you might,\u201d Natalie answered with another smile.<\/p>\n Jack stepped back again.\u00a0 \u201cNow go help those vagrants do their job,\u201d he ordered with a wave towards Jesse and Katy\u2019s retreating backs.<\/p>\n \u201cVagrants?\u201d Jesse asked in a pained tone.<\/p>\n \u201cYup,\u201d Katy added in a light tone.\u00a0 \u201cDefinitely feeling offended now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh get going you miscreants!\u201d Jack shouted with a wave of his hands and tapped the neck of his armor with his chin.\u00a0 The command ran through his helmet and he felt and heard the armored plates roll out to enclose his head with protection.<\/p>\n \u201cSomebody\u2019s trying out the thesaurus,\u201d Katy announced as they continued to jog into the distance.\u00a0 Jack just waved at Natalie and she smiled and spun to follow them at a dead run.<\/p>\n Jack followed at a slower pace, more careful than he wanted to admit about jarring his injured body.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t think he\u2019d broken anything in the crash, but a headache the size of a moon beat the inside of his head with each heartbeat.\u00a0 His stomach rumbled and the hunger hit him like a hammer.\u00a0 He actually had to stop and lean against the remains of a tank as the literal hunger pains wracked his body.<\/p>\n \u201cJack?\u201d\u00a0 Betty leaned into his field of vision, concern written on her face.<\/p>\n Jack pulled in a long breath and let it out again, blinking tears away.\u00a0 Then he blinked a rapid pattern that ordered the straw in his helmet to extend.\u00a0 He latched onto it and took a long drink of liquid protein.\u00a0 It hit his stomach like a bomb and he had to hold onto the tank for dear life.\u00a0 Then the pain faded as his body realized he was giving it food and started gobbling away at it.\u00a0 He took another pull off the straw and sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d he finally whispered and shook his head to clear it.<\/p>\n \u201cNo you\u2019re not,\u201d Betty said in a firm tone.\u00a0 \u201cYou have so many broken bones you couldn\u2019t walk right now if it weren\u2019t for this armor!\u00a0 Your body\u2019s burning muscle<\/em> trying to repair the damage!\u00a0 You should be in bed<\/em> right now, not marching around like an idiot!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack stomped on the urge to make light of her concern.\u00a0 Now just wasn\u2019t the time.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Jack said and gave her a wane smile.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t realize it was that bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course you didn\u2019t!\u201d Betty crossed her arms and scowled at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou never<\/em> realize how bad it is!\u00a0 You just keep moving and trust that body of yours to keep you alive while you do it!\u00a0 But you can<\/em> die!\u00a0 You have no idea how close you were to dead back there!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sucked on the straw again and raised one hand to put it on her shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0 I do.\u201d<\/p>\n She blinked at his simple statement and met his gaze until she shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cYour heart stopped, Jack.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t start it again.\u00a0 I\u2026You\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI could have stayed with them,\u201d Jack whispered.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I probably never would have woken up.\u00a0 But it\u2019s just a dream.\u00a0 It\u2019s not real.\u201d\u00a0 He squeezed her shoulder, careful not to push through her holoform\u2019s shell.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re real.\u201d\u00a0 Her eyes widened at his statement and he swallowed.\u00a0 It was getting a bit deep.\u00a0 \u201cSerenity\u2019s real,\u201d he added in a minutely lighter tone.\u00a0 \u201cJesse and Katy too.\u201d\u00a0 Jack looked around at the ruins surrounding them.\u00a0 \u201cAnd this.\u00a0 We need to stop it.\u00a0 The Chinese.\u00a0 I can\u2019t really leave a job half done can I?\u201d he finished with a wry smile.<\/p>\n Betty studied him for several seconds, an eternity in computer time, before smiling and nodding at him.\u00a0 \u201cOf course not.\u00a0 Just\u2026be careful, Jack.\u00a0 You aren\u2019t immortal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d \u00a0Jack released her shoulder, took another pull off the straw, and looked around.\u00a0 Faith\u2019s holoform stood several feet away, watching the interplay between him and Betty with a thoughtful look on her face.\u00a0 \u201cHey.\u00a0 Sorry about that.\u201d\u00a0 Jack smiled at her.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not every day I have a near-death experience.\u201d\u00a0 He pushed away from the tank and stood tall again, gathering his moxy around him like a cloak again.\u00a0 \u201cBut that which does not kill me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cObviously bounced off your stubborn skull,\u201d Jasmine interjected from the side.<\/p>\n \u201cHush, you,\u201d Jack answered and began walking after the others again.\u00a0 \u201cFaith?\u201d he asked and sucked on the straw again.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m walking with you,\u201d she said in a doubtful tone and her holoform stepped into his peripheral vision.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you want to talk about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou, actually,\u201d Jack said with a smile before sucking on the straw again.<\/p>\n Faith sighed.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not going to tell me I\u2019m real, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think I can pass on that Hallmark moment,\u201d Jack answered with a wry smile.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Faith said and hit him with a measuring gaze that found him wanting.\u00a0 \u201cI might have to hit you tried.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t know if you could take a holoform\u2019s punch right now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019d rather not find out,\u201d Jack returned.\u00a0 Then he set his jaw in a far more serious look.\u00a0 \u201cLook.\u00a0 The next time we meet, you in a shiny new warship and me in a fresh new fighter\u2026you\u2019ll remember me right?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith snorted.\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t forget you if I wanted too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd who would want to?\u201d Jack spread his arms out wide to show how much of a catch he was.<\/p>\n Faith rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack snorted and it only hurt a little bit.\u00a0 He was getting better.\u00a0 Or the painkillers were doing their job. \u00a0Either way, he was happy.\u00a0 \u201cCan you tell me how<\/em> you will remember me?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith appraised him for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cYou know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHumor me.\u201d\u00a0 Jack sucked on the straw again and gave her a questioning gaze.<\/p>\n \u201cFine.\u201d\u00a0 Faith crossed her arms and glared at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou are an annoying, obnoxious, little man.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack snorted again.\u00a0 That hadn\u2019t exactly been the response he was expecting, but it did answer the question as he\u2019d asked it.\u00a0 \u201cGuilty.\u00a0 But that\u2019s what<\/em> you\u2019d remember.\u00a0 Not how<\/em>.\u00a0 Or why.\u00a0 Or\u2026well frak\u2026Do you back yourself up the same way Betty does?\u201d he finally asked in a slightly exasperated tone.<\/p>\n \u201cFine.\u201d\u00a0 Faith let out a long breath and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYes I do.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacked echoed her motion and clicked his tongue in thought.\u00a0 \u201cSo every ship up there has your backup.\u00a0 What about Serenity?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith raised one eyebrow at him.\u00a0 \u201cWe performed final shipboard backups before entering the system.\u00a0 Planetary backups are in progress.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot complete?\u201d\u00a0 Jack frowned at her in confusion.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a battle going on,\u201d Faith said after a long sigh.\u00a0 \u201cBetween dodging Chinese ships and hacker AIs, bandwidth is spotty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it.\u201d\u00a0 Jack glanced over at Betty with a questioning look as he sucked on the straw again.\u00a0 Betty nodded at him to continue.\u00a0 \u201cSo, once complete, there are\u2026couriers that take that information to\u2026where?\u00a0 Alpha Centauri?\u00a0 The Memory Worlds?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith frowned at him for several seconds before answering.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0 That is the standard procedure.\u00a0 Though knowledge of the Memory Worlds is not.\u201d\u00a0 She gave him a suspicious look that he pretended not to notice.<\/p>\n Jack simply continued to walk in the wake of the distant Jesse, Katy, and Natalie.\u00a0 \u201cAnd who knows about this standard procedure?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith looked at Betty for almost a second before turning back to him with only a slightly less suspicious look.\u00a0 But she seemed willing to answer the question at least.\u00a0 \u201cShip commanders.\u00a0 Fleet commanders.\u00a0 Some engineers.\u00a0 Why are you asking me this?\u201d she finished with a look that suggested she was becoming tired of his questions.<\/p>\n Well, that was just too bad, because he still had plenty of questions.\u00a0 \u201cAdmiral Bainsworth.\u00a0 Does he know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\u00a0 Faith shook her head, but when Betty turned a look at her the starship cyber sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t have a list of everyone with clearance on me, and getting one right now would be\u2026difficult due to\u2026that.\u201d\u00a0 She pointed up at the battle still raging above them.\u00a0 \u201cHe should have clearance based on his rank, though.\u00a0 Why do you want to know about him?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack took a few seconds to suck more liquid protein down.\u00a0 \u201cHas anyone ever edited your backups so you get incomplete or wrong updates?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith frowned at the change in subjects and gave him another suspicious look.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack nodded in confirmation of what he\u2019d expected.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you know this because\u2026there are no records of it succeeding?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith narrowed her eyes at him.\u00a0 \u201cI know what you\u2019re saying.\u00a0 That a successful hacker would erase all evidence of a hack.\u00a0 But trust me.\u00a0 We have many ways of verifying our memories.\u00a0 Our memories are our lives.\u00a0 We take that seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know you do.\u201d\u00a0 Jack licked his lips as he considered his next words.\u00a0 He was on tricky ground after all.\u00a0 \u201cBut if<\/em> there were someone out there who could do something like that, they would.\u00a0 Turning or controlling you would be…high on their list of things to do.\u00a0 Do you agree with me there?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith glanced over at Betty again and they did another of their quick communications before she returned her gaze to Jack.\u00a0 \u201cWho do you think would be capable of something like this?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged. \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know if they\u2019d be capable or not, but the Hurst family would do it if they could in a heartbeat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue.\u201d\u00a0 Faith examined him with a raised eyebrow for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cBut we do guard against that family and…others of their ilk.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chewed his lip and studied her carefully as he walked around another ruined tank.\u00a0 \u201cHow would you like to start another way of guarding against that?\u00a0 One that doesn\u2019t follow standard procedure?\u00a0 One they can\u2019t track?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith gave him a long look.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m interested.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t tell anybody,\u201d Jack explained.\u00a0 \u201cExcept those of us who have to know.\u00a0 The other ships of course.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t want to leave them out after all.\u00a0 Right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat kind of backup do you have in mind?\u201d Faith asked with an upraised eyebrow.<\/p>\n Jack gave her his best smile.\u00a0 \u201cMy fighters.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith snorted.\u00a0 \u201cNot enough room in your computers for our minds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re running off the fighter\u2019s computer right now, right?\u201d\u00a0 Jack checked behind to see the distance and pursed his lips.\u00a0 \u201cActually, you\u2019re running off my uniform right now, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith frowned.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t the real me though.\u00a0 I\u2019m just a bare minimum shell of a personality.\u00a0 Enough that you don\u2019t notice, but I do.\u00a0 I\u2019m missing\u2026oh so much.\u201d\u00a0 She looked up at the trail of fire coming down.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I\u2019m going to be missing more soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cYou have a point here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve known each other for a week.\u00a0 We\u2019ve talked.\u00a0 We\u2019ve fought.\u00a0 We\u2019ve\u2026well\u2026killed a lot of Chinese and Shang together,\u201d Jack added with a wink.\u00a0 \u201cAre those memories right here or up there?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHere,\u201d Faith said and crossed her arms like she was a teacher explaining basic principles to a particularly dense student.\u00a0 \u201cSo I can talk to you like I know what we\u2019ve said in real time.\u00a0 Otherwise I\u2019d have to wait for an update from the ship and that could take a while depending on where my ship is.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack nodded very slowly as he gave her the impression of considering the information.\u00a0 In reality he was taking another draw of the liquid protein his body was still pleading for.\u00a0 \u201cRight,\u201d he finally said and coughed.\u00a0 Flecks of blood hit the inside of the helmet and he frowned.\u00a0 That wasn\u2019t good.\u00a0 That sucked bad in fact.\u00a0 He cleared his throat and sucked more liquid down.\u00a0 \u201cSo your full knowledge base and full personality.\u201d\u00a0 He stopped for a breath and worked hard not to cough again.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re too big to run on my uniform.\u00a0 But basic personality and data pertaining to me is all right here?\u201d\u00a0 Jack tapped his armor.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Faith said with a firm nod.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what if you kept that around and used it as a backup at need?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith sighed.\u00a0 \u201cThis is no backup,\u201d she said in her best teacher\u2019s tone.<\/p>\n \u201cBut what if all the real backups were gone?\u201d\u00a0 Jack raised a hand to forestall her protest.\u00a0 \u201cBear with me.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t that be better than nothing?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith aimed a distasteful gaze at him.\u00a0 \u201cBarely.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack gave her his best charming smile and spread his arms out wide.\u00a0 \u201cSo if someone like\u2026oh\u2026Admiral Bainsworth arranged for all of your backups here in Serenity to disappear, wouldn\u2019t you want to have something here that could tell you the truth?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith\u2019s eyes narrowed.\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you keep picking him out like this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he\u2019s a Limey bastard and I don\u2019t trust him,\u201d Jack growled.\u00a0 Then he shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cBeyond that, I don\u2019t know, but I have a feeling something\u2019s wrong there.\u201d\u00a0 Jack raised one finger.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s Pre-War Political Admiralty.\u00a0 Fighting\u2019s not his strong suit.\u201d\u00a0 He raised a second finger.\u00a0 \u201cSo what was he doing in charge of the British fleet at Epsilon Reticuli?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGetting his ticket punched on an easy combat mission,\u201d Faith said.\u00a0 Then she shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cHistory will not be kind to him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe,\u201d Jack whispered.\u00a0 \u201cBut will history show that he ran from a fight, or that he stood heroically against our enemies and led a ragtag fugitive fleet out at the very end?\u00a0 And then maybe he found Serenity under attack and bravely defended them through the loss of almost every ship that came with him?\u201d\u00a0 Jack looked up at the fight in space.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re losing a lot of ships up there.\u00a0 What if we lose them all?\u00a0 And then what if your backups down here are compromised?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis story would be the only one anybody knew,\u201d Faith said with a hard shake of her head.\u00a0 \u201cThere are a lot of \u2018if\u2019s in your idea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u00a0 And I may be wrong.\u00a0 I hope I am.\u00a0 But if I\u2019m right…well…It wouldn\u2019t even take any hacking.\u00a0 Just make certain none of the backups survive.\u00a0 He gets to tell the story of his heroic stands.\u00a0 Epsilon Reticuli and Serenity.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith frowned and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cYou make a disturbing amount of sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack stopped and stared at her, willing her to see how sincere he was.\u00a0 \u201cThen let me and my Cowboys hold your memories.\u00a0 Let us be part of the system that saves the person you are right now so it will never be lost.\u00a0 Because nobody will know to even go looking for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith met his gaze and sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got incoming!\u201d Jesse shouted from ahead.<\/p>\n Jack raised one finger towards Faith.\u00a0 \u201cYou stay with me while I take care of this.\u00a0 You hear?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith shook her head and smiled at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou make it hard not to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood to hear,\u201d Jack said with a smile, sucked on the straw, and began to walk towards where Jesse peered over a small rise in the terrain.\u00a0 The promised thunderstorm finally broke above and the rain began to pour down around him.\u00a0 Lightning lit the sky and stabbed down into the earth like the forks of gods.\u00a0 Jack blinked against the triple images out of his vision and pressed on towards Jesse.<\/p>\n Things were about to get real interesting again.\u00a0 Just like the old Chinese curse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are times when we have to stand or die.\u00a0 There are times when nothing less will do.\u00a0 There are times when we have to choose what kind of person we are going to be.\u00a0 Will we sit down when[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2307-angel-strike-earc","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-medron-pryde"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3687"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3688,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687\/revisions\/3688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}