[hr][center][h1][color=778899]Alfie Vanderbilt[/color] & [color=008080]Lilliana O'Hare[/color][/h1][/center][center]A collaborative post between [@beyond visions] and [@Xandrya][/center][hr] Alfie was on down on his knees now. From his cracked lips, the heat of his breath smothered the misty cell bars. It was relief, to imagine that [i]they[/i] could be so easily torn and ripped apart from each other. Captain Thrax, was just beyond those iron bars. Although the Sheriff does not appear to be the man who indulges in senseless murder, depending on what side one is on, determines whether or not one believes killing Thrax is [i]senseless[/i]. Although, in such a desperate situation for the Overseers, Reno Wylde seems like the one man that they can render any hope in, Alfie is hesitant to do so. Everyone has their own sense of "justice", a type of perspective that can contradict what is assumed. How moral and righteous in Reno's mind would have it seemed if suddenly he triggered a bullet straight through Thrax's heart. The Sheriff could say it was a quick death, a merciful death. In his eyes, he could supposedly believe that he was saving Thrax from torment by those like Theo who set themselves on a revenge quest. But the Overseers did not need a savior, because they were survivors. And Alfie was determined to carry both Thrax and O'Hare on his shoulders, crawling through hell, if that was what it would take to survive. [color=778899]"Did I say too much? Annoy you... maybe?"[/color] Lieutenant turned his torso towards Lily. [color=778899]"Perhaps so..."[/color] Yes, Lieutenant taunted the convicts from the start, but prior to then he honestly admitted his own sense of being scared to the Corporal. Words were his only source of a defensive mechanism in the his state of fear. [color=778899]"Lily... I'm sorry it seemed like I was... only making things... worse."[/color] As he apologized to the Corporal, a bundle of black strains from his hair hung down against his forehead, no longer slicked back and combed neatly. No, because during all of this, every since they were just put inside the cell, Alfie could not help but give into the bad habit of his amidst any sort of uneasiness, it was fidgeting with his hair. His outward appearance resembled his inward anxieties. [color=778899]"I would never mean to get us in any trouble... I guess I was just sc--- Ah... nevermind... Yeah no... No, I was scared and a little angry... It was hate and fear... I acted... rash."[/COLOR] [color=008080]”We’re all on edge, Lieutenant, don’t be too hard on yourself. I know I was extremely tense a little while ago, but it was only out of concern for our safety. You know how unpredictable and unstable those people are; especially their leader.” [/color] Lily stood up to pace around the room, the same feeling of dread since their capture still present. However, she did her best to not let it show in front of her superiors. She then walked over to where Lieutenant Vanderbilt knelt and joined him with her back against the bars. Witnessing young Alfie display such high level of distress didn’t help her feel any better, but for the moment, they only had each other to rely on. [color=008080]”Offensively speaking, we’re at an extreme disadvantage…”[/color] she paused to look at the Lieutenant, part of her eager to push back the strands of his hair which had fallen out of place but immediately telling herself it was beyond inappropriate. But they bothered her nonetheless… [color=008080]”but what if we find a way to blindside them? It’s extremely risky but if we agree to do everything they say, who’s to tell what they’ll do after they’re done with us?”[/color] [color=778899]"You are right... that I do believe, Lily."[/color] Even as she positioned herself sitting against the bars besides him, the Lieutenant remained on his knees. Cooperation, he was willing to follow with it, since his submission may secure any sort of stable, sensible survival for Thrax and Lily. As for his own life, he was not sure how future circumstances will be ruled out. For it seemed that retrieving the Overseer ship was a vanguard matter. Whereas, Alfie knew that it was extremely possible, concerning the marriage alliance between MacGilios and Callahan, Theo may wish to gain further his wife's favor by allowing her to decision what be done of the Lieutenant. [color=778899]"But, I sincerely hope that there will always be an [i]us[/i]... That these hell hounds muzzle their razor teeth before ripping to shreds the unity of us hawks."[/color] [color=008080]"I hope so too,"[/color] she said, closely considering what Alfie was saying. [color=008080]"But, keep your chin up. We have to remember that even after we're long gone, our history will live on for future generations. We just have to make sure we're painting a favorable picture."[/color] Lily looked away for a moment, her mind drifting to a future she often imagined; that of the human population living in harmony and solidarity. At the moment, such idea was too far out of anyone's grasp, but hopefully a change for the better would come during her lifetime, although the chances of such thing occurring were extremely slim. [color=008080]"We will have to try our best..."[/color] she whispered, the statement not necessarily aimed at the Lieutenant. The Overseers spent an entire year stationed on the lunar base before gaining a leave to return back to home. Even surrounded by the devices like the holo-television that kept them connected to Collective space, a year, floating in the stars can become lonely because nothing can replace organic, raw human contact. In moments like those, the formalities of rank seem to dissolve, leaving the three Overseers to be mere family. And currently, it felt like another one of those moments. And then it suddenly occurred to Alfie, the last fondest memory he had with Thrax and Lily before any word of the aggressive decay was uttered... [hr] There was laughter, banter, overall joy after they were successful in shipping off the next order of crops to the Collective. They were seated in the base's lounge, a room whose most distinct feature was the wide stretch observatory window that gave any viewer an open view of both the moon's craters and the open vastness of outer space. After a game of pool with Thrax winning, the three of them were rested against the red sofa with a bottle of Thrax's favorite dark rum resting against the coffee table. As for background music, the stereo there lowly played new electronica hits with the occasional trap song. [color=778899]"I am so not a lightweight...,"[/color] Alfie laughed in denial while in response to Lily when she teased him about his physical ease to drunkenness with just a couple of sips. [color=778899]"In fact, I could not only out drink you, but also Thrax... Okay, maybe not Thrax. But definitely you, Lily."[/color] [color=008080]"Come on! You are light as a feather!"[/color] Lily laughed, jokingly giving Alfie a quick jab on the arm, she herself feeling the effects of the alcohol as well. [color=008080]"But be careful what you wish for, because now you have to prove you can out-drink me."[/color] Lily leaned forward to grab the bottle of rum off of the table. She unscrewed the cap and poured some for herself and some for Alfie. [color=008080]"Would you like to toast to miracles? Because that's what you need right now,"[/color] she continued, placing the bottle back on the table. [color=778899]"Ha, really? Watch me make you eat your words-- well, I guess it's more like [i]drink[/i] your words,"[/color] He lifted the shot glass right against his mouth, eyes quickly darting over at Thrax. Alfie never normally drank, because, well, Lily was in fact right about him being a lightweight. Drunk Alfie was quite hilarious to witness, usually in Thrax's presence, the Lieutenant always acted so professional. After shooting the rum down, Alfie cheered, [color=778899]"Woo! Ha, ha, ain't slowing down now, Lils."[/color] Grabbing the bottle, this time Alfie pours his own glass before letting the secound shot sink down and against his lips. [color=778899]"Hold up, not done yet."[/color] Like the time before, Alfie yet again poured his own drink, except now with the alcohol really kicking in, he leaves a little spill when filling the glass up. [color=778899]"What--... Wait, I'm NOT drunk... Nah... Nope."[/color] The third shot tips upside down by the flick of Alfie's wrist. [color=778899]"Boom! Bam! Boom! Your turn!--"[/color] Alfie falls against the sofa's back cushion, reclining with his arm resting around Thrax's shoulders. While the Captain smoked, Alfie's head slouched against Thrax's chest. Lily made a face as she downed her own drinks, keeping up with Alfie but briefly regretting it. She was sure she could out-drink him, but going down that path wasn't necessarily a pleasant experience. [color=008080]"Three for three!"[/color] she announced upon finishing her last shot, carelessly slamming her glass on the table in front of her as if it wasn't made out of glass. She then looked over at Alfie who appeared to be comfortable using Thrax like his own personal pillow. The boy was hilarious when drunk. [color=008080]"I think it's past your bedtime, kid."[/color] Lily pulled him off Thrax, who had an undecipherable look on his face yet still remained silent. [color=008080]"What do you say we call it a night, leave the tie-breaker for some other time?"[/color] Alfie glanced up at Lily as she pried him from off the Captain. And just as he was about to respond to her, Alfie's throat tightened as he felt bile ascend from up his GI tract. Quickly Alfie pushed Lily back and sprinted towards the nearest restroom down the hall. The sounds of regret could be distantly heard from the men's room... Alfie did not remember much from that night, yet he remembered everything the day after. The Lieutenant awoke from his bed, hearing the sound of the lounge's television, [i]"Breaking News! Aggressive Decay Outbreak!"[/i] [hr] Alfie's brow furrow because of a memory he wished to forget. It felt so unfair that he could only barely remember the drinking game, the last fondest memory he had with Lily and Thrax, but he could recall every detail about the day after, the day the Aggressive Decay first drove fear into every citizen connected to Collective Space. Alfie pressed his head against the cell bars, eyes closed and lips curling downwards in a frown. [color=778899]"Lily... Would it have been better if we... were never Overseers? If we all died like the rest of Collective Space? At least there, we would have died [i]infected[/i]. But here... our deaths likely mean executions... or the result of the excess of torture."[/color] [color=008080]"Being tortured and killed is a worst-case scenario, yes, but that doesn't mean it's set in stone. Given the choice, I'd much rather take a shot to the back of the head here than die of infection up there."[/color] Lily then got up, extending a hand out to the Lieutenant so he could get to his feet as well. [color=008080]"But let's not dwell on that, okay? What's done is done and there isn't really anything we can do but hope for the best and put up a hell of a fight if it becomes necessary."[/color] She gave him a slight smile, hoping to pull him out of his depressive state His fist curled around her palm, using her arm's muscle to manuever his body sitting next to hers. Through the faintest of whispers, Alfie admits, [color=778899]"Lily... you're the reason why I do... even when it's not necessary."[/color]