[IC] F I N A L L Y - L I B E R A T E D

[Xandrya]

---

Alfie Vanderbilt & Lilliana O'Hare

A collaborative post between @beyond visions and @Xandrya

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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 they 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 senseless. 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.

"Did I say too much? Annoy you... maybe?" Lieutenant turned his torso towards Lily. "Perhaps so..." 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. "Lily... I'm sorry it seemed like I was... only making things... worse."

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. "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."

”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.”

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.

”Offensively speaking, we’re at an extreme disadvantage…” 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… ”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?”

"You are right... that I do believe, Lily." 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. "But, I sincerely hope that there will always be an us... That these hell hounds muzzle their razor teeth before ripping to shreds the unity of us hawks."

"I hope so too," she said, closely considering what Alfie was saying. "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."

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. "We will have to try our best..." 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...

---

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.

"I am so not a lightweight...," 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. "In fact, I could not only out drink you, but also Thrax... Okay, maybe not Thrax. But definitely you, Lily."

"Come on! You are light as a feather!" Lily laughed, jokingly giving Alfie a quick jab on the arm, she herself feeling the effects of the alcohol as well. "But be careful what you wish for, because now you have to prove you can out-drink me."

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.

"Would you like to toast to miracles? Because that's what you need right now," she continued, placing the bottle back on the table.

"Ha, really? Watch me make you eat your words-- well, I guess it's more like drink your words," 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, "Woo! Ha, ha, ain't slowing down now, Lils." Grabbing the bottle, this time Alfie pours his own glass before letting the secound shot sink down and against his lips. "Hold up, not done yet." 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. "What--... Wait, I'm NOT drunk... Nah... Nope." The third shot tips upside down by the flick of Alfie's wrist. "Boom! Bam! Boom! Your turn!--" 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.

"Three for three!" 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.

"I think it's past your bedtime, kid."

Lily pulled him off Thrax, who had an undecipherable look on his face yet still remained silent. "What do you say we call it a night, leave the tie-breaker for some other time?"

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, "Breaking News! Aggressive Decay Outbreak!"

---

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. "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 infected. But here... our deaths likely mean executions... or the result of the excess of torture."

"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." Lily then got up, extending a hand out to the Lieutenant so he could get to his feet as well.

"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."

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, "Lily... you're the reason why I do... even when it's not necessary."

[beyond visions]

---

Theo Callahan & Isabel MacGilios

Collab between @beyond visions and @Vashonn

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We Are The Ones- Son Lux

---

First, it was a crisp clean breath of air inhaled as he planted one foot after the other. The beat of his heart matched the rhythm of the war drums. Except, no, these were not war drums, not tonight. With his eyelids sliding over the blue irises, he slightly swayed his head in the direction of these vanguard drummers. There was no doubt that they were combatants, pounding to the musical existence purposed to honor the majesty of their king.

The way everyone stood before the groom, rendering him their undivided attention while walking down the aisle, made Theo feel as if he won a war, like he some kind of hero. Raising his right fist, Cassie's palm was curled around his wrist. This was to symbolize her as his right-hand. To allow her to accompany him as he approached the arch, was an act to honor the second-in-command and to display her blessing in the superior's decision. Declan will do the same to the Renaissance, unless of course her right-hand forbade to give her his blessing.

With Cassie at such a close proximity to Theo, she could sense something... not right. Although he wore what appeared to be a neutral straight face, she could only barely hear beneath the sound of the drums, his rapid, nervous breathing and notice the slight shaking of his arm. Cassie could likely feel his accelerated pulse with her hand pressed against the vein in his wrist. It was fear blended in foreign forms of anxiety, it was rare to ever sense Theo's heart accelerating due to something other than adrenaline. But what was he scared of?

Once reaching the wedding arch, Cassie loosen and released her grip on Theo, retreating behind the arch but still only a few feet away from the Spartan. Now, Theo stood by the wedding officiant, a muse, as most marriages are orchestrated by the faction responsible for the festivities of Churchill.

The sun was setting, Theo could not help but be reminded of when the sun rose just that very morning, how he was just so confident then. Where is that confidence now? Then, he was able to just so easily scoop her up into his arms, twice. Though now, Theo could not help but repeatedly adjust his tuxedo, trying to force some comfort while reminding himself that he did not look like an overgrown child playing dress up.

Soon enough, the drums stopped...

The distinct whine of horsehair across stretched metal string bellowed into the still pulsing air, as an orchestra of violin, viola, cello, and bass cued in upon the last beating of the drums. A delicate timbre danced off the hairs of the audience gathered around Colony Square, many dressed in as well of apparel as they could manage, though it was quite obvious that a fair number of the Muses were better suited than most, thanks to Madame Saint-Claire's endeavors. Were it not the Renaissance's own wedding, many would argue that Madame had dressed the most lavishly, with a great billowing blue gown pushing outwards around her, forcing those seamstresses who stood beside her to stand a tad bit further, leaving the Madame with much more room so close to the wedding arch.

As the droning of the single chord grew and flourished, faces began to turn toward the mouth of the aisle, each one peering for a glance at the bride. A thousand of them were gathered there, each cramped between the aisle and each side of the street, some stood atop roofs, others watched from windows, even a couple who leaned from a balcony above the colony's lone casino, Jack of All Trade. Each one gazed to the rear of the aisle, the long white satin walkway stretching to where, now, stood the Renaissance.

The dress had been made from a mix of the finest crimson and silver silk ever spun by the seamstresses, perfectly fit around Isabel's body in masterful tailoring, modest in its display of her snow-white skin, though still accentuating the curves of her physique in a near-provocative manner. The train of the dress spread far behind the Renaissance by several yards, which was kept up from the ground by a single younger bridesmaid, who was surprisingly dressed delicately, as well. Isabel's hair had been unbound from its tight bun in which it was usually kept, flowing down to the edges of her shoulder blades; dark, wavy, shining, beautiful. Perhaps the only physical trait which had been left untouched from earlier that day was by the mask she wore, though it looked to have been polished and carefully treated to look as if it had just been crafted.

Though she kept her arm low, it could still be seen as they walked that Declan's hand was gingerly gracing Isabel's open right palm, symbolizing in the same fashion the importance of his position beside her as they walked. Isabel's mind churned and moiled, the tea she had drank only moments before already seeming to wear off, doing little to pacify her cascading thoughts.

It had seemed to be a great while to her before they had arrived at the end of the aisle when Declan removed his grasp of Isabel's arm, leaving the young bride to walk the few short steps before she stood beside her groom, such a great height above her. In that short time, the strings of the orchestra were drowned out by a sudden rush of thoughts to the girl's mind, a festering of untouched ghosts suddenly jumping to the forefront, jabbing at her with a vile hatred.

You'll never find love.

Just then, Isabel blinked, a strange numbness jumping into her head as all of the thoughts seemed to ease and drip away. She turned her head to gaze up at Theo, who had seemed so confident prior to their parting, yet now stood in a shrunken manner, though it wouldn't have appeared obvious to those who weren't standing as close to the Spartan as she was. She was perplexed then, in that moment, though perhaps the mask upon her face had covered her confusion, but the feeling was cast aside as she stared again into his eyes, and she spoke softly to him,

"You would give me your heart..."

There was a lull in the orchestra, before finally, the music ceased, and there were no other sounds to be heard, but one, by Theodore.

"And so I give you mine."

With his jaw tightened, teeth clamped over each other and not lip moving, Theo squeezed the single sentence from his throat, "I will honor that..." To anyone at distance, even the approaching officiant would only have heard grunts from the vanguard, yet with Isabel at such a close proximity, his words were audible enough to be received accurately.

"We have been invited here today to witness and celebrate the uniting in marriage of Renaissance Iseabal MacGilios and Spartan Theodore Tobias Callahan. They are taking the first step of their new beginning-- their life together..."

As the well-suited officiant eloquently recited his introduction, the reality of this bond between the two factions morphed and transformed into the personal bond between two people- a man and woman, intertwined through marriage. The very voice of this officiant blurred from Theo's ears as he could not resist the battling thoughts that bubbled in his head. These thoughts considered an action that would prove to Isabel his declared honor, yet it may sacrifice a portion of the respect the vanguards have for their king...

"Spartan Theodore Callahan," Just as the officiant called his name, Theo retained focus on the wedding, tearing him away from his wandering thoughts. "Do you take Renaissance Iseabal MacGilios to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?"

The most interesting part of this ceremony was Theo being asked these questions. Documents and contracts were already signed to promise and declare this alliance, yet this wasn't just an alliance. It was a marriage, something that allowed Theo and Isabel to unite their factions beyond just their lifetime, since this meant that the two could create an offspring that would lead the two factions further to unity, just as his or her mother and father did. In fact, this marriage makes it possible for Theo and Isabel to function like a royal family, even to the point that their descendants may only distantly remember when their was a separation between vanguard and muse.

Yet this ceremony was not about dominance, control, and power, a document could simply declare that. This ceremony imitated one that many rehearse in declaration of love. It was a wedding, an artificial means to generate an authentic emotion. Love, did he feel that yet? Not yet, but loyalty. Does he feel that now? Yes. He will give her his heart, and so she will give him hers. Yes, they have loyalty, thus they will be bound for love-- with every part him, he believes that.

"I do."

"Renaissance Iseabal MacGilios, do you take Spartan Theodore Callahan to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

She hadn't thought much of it, having only mimicked Theodore with those two simple words, yet as they eased their way from her lips and made passage into the air, Isabel felt the rest of the world slip from her focus, her mind shifting away once again to deep, dark thoughts. She remembered disgusted slurs, absolute abhorrence, spiteful stares that would stab past her as if she were a vicious animal. In a moment when all was meant to be a part of happiness, the Renaissance thought only of being enveloped in hatred, sickened by it, swaying just slightly on her feet before steadying herself in recognition of her surroundings. Carefully she swept away each thought, replacing herself in the moment, each time drifting back again to another time of darkness, until finally there were no more memories to bring forward in her mind, and she once again stood in a blank trance, tilting her head just so to stare up at Theodore's own gaze. For a moment then, she felt a sort of warmth fill her chest, which she couldn't help but reply to with a smile.

"They have formalized the existence of the bond between them with words spoken. Therefore, it is my pleasure to now pronounce them husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride!"

And so it came time to confront the very action that seeded fright in him. What he wished to do could gain respect from Isabel, yet disrespect from his faction. The vanguards would assume, and perhaps even accuse their king of grovelling to the muses. But was he even a king at all if constantly in fear of what his own vanguards may slander about? No, he was purposed to ensure the security of the colony - as for how he chose to honor his wife, that was up to him. This wedding, this entire day, was not a day about Muse and Vanguard. It was about Isabel and Theodore, two people who happened to rule over a faction. Whatever the Vanguards may assume, it no longer mattered to him. Because in the end Theo acted by the will of his passion. It is the reason why he can become impulsive, yet heartfelt.

Theo dropped to one knee, taking Isabel's right hand and slowly drew his lips upon it, kissing her as if he were a loyal subject addressing royalty. Then in that moment, it was quite ironic to reminisce that just during sun rise, he spoke of giving Isabel a real kiss. To the Vanguards, nothing was more unreal than to witness their towering commander and king fall to his knee below the Renaissance queen. The faces of these soldiers turned from comfort to frowns of disgust or disapproval in reaction to such controversy.

But as for the Muses, it was a surprise, to say the least. Though perhaps, a good one, a surprise that proved Theo being capable of humility. This was something no one would forget about, especially not the Muses, as near the wedding arch an artist stood present, recording the scene with a stroke of his brush. To Theo, this was a matter no longer concerning submission and dominance, but sacrifice; showing not the Muses, but to Isabel, that he is humble.

A stunned expression fell over the Renaissance's visage, pulling at the simper which had previously been fixed upon her lips, tugging them open in a subtle astonishment. Below her now kneeled the same man who, throughout their meeting that same day, had flaunted his size and strength, yet before the entire colony, was showing a docility that had perhaps never surfaced before. Though she couldn't help but feel flattered by her groom's demure, Isabel's mind viciously tore her trance away.

This will not bode well. Closing her gawked jaw, Isabel swiftly fixed a feigned smile in an attempt to allay any discussion from the other colonists, of which there was sure to be plenty among them in whispered words.

Theo was not sure if she approved of his action, or if she disapproved of it. Her expression seemed to accept it, yet he was still worried because there was the chance that Isabel found it inappropriate. Theo rose to his feet, wishing to kiss her again, this time either on the lips or at least on the cheek. But since he was not sure if Isabel was disappointed in him, Theo decided to simply keep silent, hoping she had anything to say while he folded his arms, ready to escort her down the aisle.

Graciously, the newly-wed wife raised an arm to grasp at her husband's elbow, while the officiant announced the consummation of their marriage. Staring out at the crowd, Isabel watched as the Muses gathered around applauded in praise, many of which she had suspected to be deterred from any celebration of the event, which made her smile. Yet, there was a strangeness in the air, as if something weren't quite right. Some Vanguards were applauding, yet those who were lacked a deal of enthusiasm, and what seemed to be a greater number had yet to lift their hands at all, some pocketing them in a sort of protest. She felt Theodore's arm tense, clear to her that he had noticed it, too. Silently, they strode back down the aisle together, Cassandra and Declan following shortly behind them, leaving the room needed for the bridesmaid to carry the bride's train.

---

In The Event Of A Sudden Loss- Greg Haines

---

The Painting Room was at the rear of the Theatre, purposefully sectioned away at the end of a hall between the other more delicate hand crafts and the aural composition halls, to ensure there was a near absolute silence to be had for those who were busily brushing their conceptions onto canvas. It was here that one was left to think by themselves, and it wasn't uncommon for the Muses here to be driven mad by their own minds. Perhaps that was the appeal of the place for some, for it was only in complete silence they could finally let themselves think, lest the chaotic sounds from the world outside further jumble their scattered thoughts.

At the center of the room, there sat a lone painter, gingerly dipping his brush between the pool of water he had beside him and the various array of acrylic he had spread across his palette, tapping away at his canvas. Before him stood his subject, the pair of newly-weds, which he would glance to occasionally to study before returning back to his work.

Theo was posed facing slightly side-ways with his left arm wrapped around Isabel's waist. Though with his right hand, Theo repeatedly kept shifting from his hand resting in his pocket, to readjusting the collar of his tux. But seemingly enough, the tight-fitting suit no longer bothered him, well, not as much as their wedding ceremony did, more accurately his approach to kissing his bride. Theo could tell the artist was becoming quite annoyed with his fidgeting, though Theo was extremely worried about what Isabel thought. All this night, Theo hoped that kissing her the way he did, would please and honor her, yet now he feared that he did the exact opposite of that.

With each adjustment of Theo's collar, Isabel's own jaw tightened, knowing that sooner or later they would have to speak of what had occurred. The walk to the Theatre was shrouded in silence, and had stung at the front of her mind with every step. There was clearly something eating at Theodore, and Isabel knew fully well what it was, but struggled to find the words to begin.

Finally, the words fumbled forth, feebly carrying their message with them. "I'm, ehm, flattered you decided to wear the suit," her mind was instantly flooded with regret. How could she have started with something so trivial as a suit? Granted, the Madame had tailored it herself, though Isabel was certain there was some sort of ploy behind her sewing it so tightly, whatever it was.

"Oh," Theo wished Isabel said that sooner, like when it was a concern to him before he knelt down and kissed her hand. "Eh, thank you," he whispered back, holding his smile for the picture. "Um-- Isabel... Can we... can we talk?" Theo broke away from his pose, sliding his arm off of Isabel. "I just need to know... What I did back there-- Was that wrong to do-- it's not something traditionally done... Did I ruin the ceremony for you?"

Isabel cleared her throat, placing a gentle hand around the Spartan's wrist, pulling it back into place around her waist as the old painter behind the canvas peered around with a rather miffed expression. "Theodore..." she let herself trail off, pulling together the words of her next sentence. "I... Don't know how I should feel about it... The way your Vanguard reacted, the way they stared... Theodore, you honored me, in front of the whole of Churchill... I'm touched, truly, yet..." Her words began to strain in anguish and confusion, her expression turning forlorn and grim.

"I..."

She pulled away from him, storming toward the exit into the hallway with the back of her hand gracing her lip, a tear beginning to stream down her pale cheek. The oaken door swung open, and she quickly passed through, the tail of her dress pulling along behind her.

Theo did not want to be assertive, aggressive, the way he was in her war room. His skin was squeezed against a suit he has surrendered to for her sake. And now his wife was fleeing from him-- instantly, it was as if time itself slowed down, and as for sound, he heard no other but the sudden soft sounds of his humming. He specifically only hummed through the intensity of one emotion, and this time it was not rage. In sorrow, more accurately, when experiencing loss, humming was his means of breathing. To cancel out all commotion, in exchange for silence through a memorized symphony borrowed from a childhood lullaby, the one his mother once sung to him. The earliest memory of family was the only resource he knew possible to save him from the ever consuming void of loneliness. The void of loneliness, it acts like oblivion- the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening, almost as if you do not exist, because no one identifies that you do. You only identify something or someone, if you care about it. And though his conscious mind could not understand these concepts deeply, Theo felt them, internally.

Even as he hummed, the familiar lyrics of his mother's lullaby was now replaced by Isabel's words, the ones that swore her heart be given to him. If Theo believed she was lying to him, he would not be sad at this very moment, nor would he have said, 'I do' under the wedding arch. Instead, that drew him to only one conclusion, he lost her heart. Why Theo lost it, he did not know. But neither was Theo going to allow his question to be left unanswered. If anything, he at least deserved a reason.

Bursting into a sprint, suit began busting at the seams. He chased her, but he was not charging at her. No, because as soon as he was within earshot of her, he cried out, "Wait! Isabel, let me at least know-- Did I-- No-- I did-- I did this to us, didn't I?"

Already toward the end of the hallway, Isabel turned her head to stare back at her husband, glistening streaks flowing across her cheeks and dripping down onto her chest. For a moment, she stopped, staring back at Theo, her thoughts racing as she thought of how scared she was for the future. All in one day, she had become overwrought with uncertainty and terror. Now it finally bubbled to the surface, and she only thought to flee lest it be seen.

"It isn't about what you did," her voice was strained and her words cracked. There was a pause in her speech, letting her next few words sink into Theodore's thoughts. "It is about what will happen next." She turned away, leaving the Spartan to stand alone in the hall, the seams of his suit having split and torn, the clarity he had sought being cast into ambiguity, stirring up a biting, fierce bitterness inside of him.

[beyond visions]

---

Carmen Comfort & Cassandra Voss

Collab between @beyond visions and @Heretic

---

Her white lace-gloved curled as her fingers wrapped around another glass of champagne. At this point Carmen was feeling slightly tipsy. The waiting of the bride and groom to finally appear at their reception has prolonged for over half an hour now, and well the attendees have gotten impatient enough to proceed to feast without them. Although the meals served there in Colony Square were beyond what any prisoners of this colony could imagine tasting, Carmen was not interested. Well, she perhaps would be interested in trying cow, an animal once devoured by old-earthers, yet because she was such a gossip, she was much more intrigued by what could have possibly happened between Theo and Isabel.

Between the muses and the vanguards, Carmen was far more nosy to know the perspective of the vanguards, since they were most repulsed by their Spartan King's actions. Although eavesdropping on the muses meant it were more likely that Carmen would discover what happened when the two visited the Painting Room to have their portraits painted, she still wished to know any juicy rumors from the vanguards before knowing the truth. Carmen always believed that the truth is what made life worth living, yet rumors kept it from being boring.

In her deep blue Victorian gown, Carmen grasped the fabric of her dress upwards in order that she does not trip as she skipped her way curiously to the crowd of vanguards. The English flag that was her cape swung with each bounce, making it obvious that she was indeed the Victorian of the masterminds. But Carmen did not care that with each step, she emerged deeper into a crowd of mostly unhappy men and women of the colony's military. But among them all, Cassandra Voss's opinion mattered the most to Carmen, she was Theo's second-in-command after all.

From what Carmen knew of Cassandra was firstly, the two women were not friends, nor were they even close to be acquaintances. Carmen has always had this suspicion that Cassandra took great romantic interest in Theo just by the way she reacts and responses in care to the man, thus Carmen has tested this theory by asking intrusive questions to Cassandra about Theo and her, or by flirting with Theo in front of Cassandra. Although from the way it appears, the flirtations are not made because she feels any seriousness for Theo, but simply to get an irritated response out of Cassandra. Usually the way Theo reacts to Carmen's flirting is by either ignoring her or nervous, uncomfortable laughter. However, there was no Theo in sight, but no matter, she still wish to know how Cassandra felt about all of this.

"So... Theo Callahan, your dream-man, on his knees for another woman, the prudish Isebal MacGilios. I wonder... Cassandra, friend, how does that bode with you?" Carmen shot Cassandra a smug smirk before waving up her glass of champagne for another sip.

Cassie turned around, a sigh escaping her lips as it was confirmed that it was in fact Carmen who had approached her. "Oh I'm perfectly fine with their union. In fact," Cassie broke Carmen's personal space by getting close enough to whisper in her ear, "it is such a relief that he's now married because that means he'll be pestering poor Isabel all day instead of me." She then backed off, returning Carmen's smirk with one of her own before she took a sip from her glass of champagne. "And you've got to admit, the food is to die for, am I right?"

Cassie pulled on one side of her dress purely out of habit; it was extremely rare for her to dress up and she wasn't used to it anymore. After downing whatever was left of the champagne on her tall glass, Cassie eye the serving of beef on the table. "Come on little one, you need some meat on your bones if you're going to continue pretending to be intimidating."

As Cassie walked by Carmen, she patted her on the head, laughing at her as she went. She knew she was reaching her limit, which wasn't very high to begin with due to the fact that she never liked getting sloppy drunk in public, and it was easy to deal with Carmen and even easier to mess with her.*

Did Cassie not know? It has been over thirty minutes and neither Theo, nor his newly wedded wife has shown up since their vows. Or perhaps, Cass was just pretending to be so calm. Carmen did not necessarily ask Cass about Theo's whereabouts, though she likely would not tell her anyways. "Me, pretending?" Carmen scoffed, shooting Cassie a glare while the woman walked her distance. "You seem awfully relaxed for a faction who grovels to the muses. I mean, am I wrong? After all, a faction does follow in the footsteps of their leader, so have fun bowing your knees to the muses." Carmen was quite brave to say such surrounded by a crowd of vanguards. In fact, after the Victorian finished speaking not only did Cassie turn around, but so did all of the vanguards around her. Carmen was now at the center of some rather pissed-off faces, yet she giggled as they frowned and their brows furrowed. They only turned around because they feared that she could be right, and Carmen enjoyed every second it.

As soon as Carmen finished speaking, Cassie stopped dead in her tracks. The girl actually had the guts to speak to her in such manner, and to make things worse, she was showing total disregard towards the rest of the vanguards around them. Cassie's immediate reaction was to attempt to contain the growing anger within her, but she failed when she made a fist and crushed her empty glass, the shards painfully cutting into her hand. That was all it took to finally send her over the edge.

Within a couple of seconds, Cassie turned around threw a punch aimed at Carmen's jaw. The impact knocked the small girl off of her feet, and even though Cassie also lost her footing for a moment, she was able to remain standing.

"You better watch what you fucking say to me next time!" she screamed at Carmen, one bloodied finger pointing accusingly at the girl lying on the ground. It was then Cassie felt a tug from behind as one of her fellow vanguards pulled her away from Carmen's immediate surroundings.

Dazed by the impact, Carmen slowly opened her eyes with head swaying as she pushed herself from off of the dirt. And while blood seeped from the corner of her lips, she formed a crooked smile. It has been since her days in the business of arsonry that she has tasted that type of action.

While climbing back to her feet, she whipped her head around to the right, feeling the presence of another. "Carmen-- No, I don't care what you say your strategy was-- this--- this was reckless!" In her ear she could hear Everett Netherwood, her mentor and the colony's former Victorian, scold her.

Carmen's next words were mumbled, Everett pulled out the blue velvet handkerchief from his suit jacket, wiping away the blood from her lips. "Now, what was that?" Carmen tugged at his bow tie, pulling him closer to listen to her whisper, "Everett...," she called his name strictly for the purposes of stressing the seriousness of her next words, "say it with me, long live Queen Cass..." Everett tilted his head confused, "You're not talking straight-- how many times did she hit you?" With his arm around her shoulders, Everett started escorting her out of Colony Square and towards her quarters. "You don't get do you? It is because she hit me that this vanguard-muse alliance will crumble... They will never accept Isabel as their queen, not when they have Cass, someone they see strength in. And if Theo stands by his wife, then we're talking civil war between muses and vanguards... unless Cass prevents that civil war from happening by--"

"Overthrowing Theo-- Carm, you're talking about a vanguard challenging another vanguard-- Cass killing Theo... That's... that's just... cruel..."

"It's strategy... thought you said I was being reckless."

[Heretic]

---

Theo Callahan, Cassandra Voss, & Rylan Kane

Collab between @beyond visions & @Heretic

---

Not much after Cass's short scrap with Carmen, she was informed that Theo summoned her presence. Which due to the sudden absence of the bride and groom at the reception, this already seemed unusual. Theo was with Cap'n at the edge of the Carter, a location that stood at the very center of vanguard territory. When Cass last saw Theo, he was dressed in a tux, yet now he was wearing his normal attire, cargo pants, combat boots, and his dog-tag. He stood with his back slightly facing his second-in-command. His posed seemed awfully ridged and more over on the defensive, though his fists remained balled up. Cap'n stood a distance away from the now boiling king, with a worried expression.

With Theo's jaw tightened he spoke behind gritted teeth, "Were you thinking of abandoning your duty of being my second-in-command by leaving Churchill?" He asked a question, yet his tone and inflection made it sound like a threat. He seemed awfully calmer than usual when furious, yet it was always more dangerous to watch Theo harness his anger rather than release it.

And so her secret was out. Cassie looked over at Cap'n before mouthing the words bad move to him while shaking her head. She was going to tell Theo...eventually, but she wanted to do it on her own terms to lessen the impact the news would have on him. But now she was stuck, and she could only hope she would be able to distance herself from his wrath as soon as possible. Not because she was scared of what he might do to her, but rather, to avoid him changing his mind about her in any way possible.

"I--I'm not abandoning you...they just need me out there more than you need me here. Theo, you have Isabel now, and while she won't exactly take over my role, she'll be here to help you out to the best of her abilities."

Cassie slowly walked over to him, her mind somewhat clouded given her slightly drunken state. She clutched a handful of material from the side of her dress to alleviate her tension as she went.

"I may not be here to fulfill the duties as a Second-in-Command for the time being, but I'll still be a Vanguard."

"How noble of you..," Theo uttered sarcastically."But yes, you are right. You will still be a vanguard, but a vanguard under my command," as Theo adjusted all emphasis on the word, 'my', he dared a menacing scowl at Cap'n. "Which means I tell you where to go." It was as if all of the humility Theo was ever capable of showing had been drained clean since Isabel. He was now aggressively assertive, hostile with every word.

"Of course it'll be under your command, I've always been beneath someone and it's not like I'll be given the chance to do things my way!" Cassie shouted, realizing that she was going into somewhat of a sore subject for the both of them. But she didn't care at the moment, nor did she care that Cap'n was just a few feet away, bearing witness to one of the many intense arguments between the top two members of the vanguards. But that didn't matter much; it's not like they were known for their patience anyway. "But you can quit your fucking power trip because it's obvious I'm not going anywhere now!"

Cassie hurriedly walked past Theo, intentionally bumping him on the side as she went to stand a distance away from him, her arms crossing and her back to both men once she reached the edge.

"This is your fault,.." at first, that claim seemed like it was directed towards Cass, especially since she was the last person he was speaking to. Yet when Theo finished his sentence, it was obvious who bore the accusation, "now walk the plank, you failed jolly-rancher son of a bitch!"

Though the man is a big hulking mass of muscle, Theo is faster than he initially looks, because it only took a matter of seconds for Theo to charge Cap'n with both hands pushed forward till the First Combatant was forced off of the edge of the Crater. His body rolled against the dirt hill till he finally hit the bottom of the dueling pit. As soon as Cap'n looked up with his one good eye, there was Theo positioned in a stance that clearly meant he was ready for fight. As it being his first instinct when in battle, Cap'n unsheathed his cutlass, though quickly tossed it aside saying, "Forget the blade-- fuck it, want t' act like a star-buzzin' bitching blackhole slave driver, then I'll bloody you up you wit' 'tis steel hook and the bare bones of my knuckles!"

"No, stop!" Cassie was quickly rushing to place herself between her fellow vanguards in order to prevent a bloody fight. This was ridiculous, and she slowly came to the realization that she had been the biggest idiot for pissing off Theo, especially on his damn wedding night.

"We can't fight, not like this, not each other..." She hoped she was making sense as the words poured out because oddly enough, all the arguing wasn't sobering her up. In fact, it was doing quite the opposite. "Don't you see what's going on? We're right where the enemy wants us; whether that's the Overseers or one of us down here, we can't give them the satisfaction of losing to ourselves."

Cassie suddenly started shaking. Maybe she was cold because her dress wasn't necessarily the warmest article of clothing she owned, or maybe their situation had gotten so intense that it elicited such response from her. But either way, it was clearly visible that she was struggling to keep still.

To Theo, Cass did not appear to be excessively drunk, perhaps slightly tipsy, though not to the point of rocking back and forth like she did. Witnessing her in such a weakened state, was something that just did not feel right to Theo. She was Cassandra Voss, for years, before Theo rose to the title of Spartan, this woman was of rank higher than him, she commanded him, she was stronger than him. Though, in her own ways, she still is, Cap'n has always known that. And now, as Theo realizes that his second-in-command would leave the comfort of the colony to potentially put her life on the line to accomplish what can be done on the field, he sees her strength in the sacrifice, even when he runs to her side, catching her before she can fall.

"C-Cass what's-- tell me exactly how you're feeling," His right arm was wrapped around her back, supporting her up while his left hand held onto her shoulder. In his head he was theorizing any possible reasons for why she would be on the verge of unconsciousness. And then, he panicked when speculating, that just might be on the verge of death.

"Oh shit," he whispered the curse in fear. "Y-You don't think that you were... poisoned, that someone is using you as leverage to force me out of the wedding?"

Cassie thought about it for a moment, her pulse increasing at the possibility that someone could have specifically targeted her to break up Theo and Isabel's marriage.

"No, I don't think so," she finally shook her head, thinking back to when she first got to the wedding ceremony and remembering she grabbed her own drinks. "If they wanted to poison me, they would have had to ruin the entire batch. But hold that thought—" she said, pushing Theo's hand aside as she rushed to the edge to throw up. The woman struggled for a few moments before she could compose herself.

"I think I should go back and get cleaned up. You two play nice now..." she managed to say as she walked away, leaving Theo and Cap'n by themselves.

[Heretic]

---

Cassandra Voss & Reno Wylde

A collab between @Heretic and @Apollosarcher (slightly NSFW)

---

Cassie headed back to the reception, but not before stopping by her room to brush her teeth and get a quick drink of water. Once she made her way back, she walked over to Reno who was standing by himself.

"Quite the wedding, wouldn't you say?"

"I wouldn't really be able to tell you. Most weddings I've seen were in film." He answered, chuckling a little. "Come on boss lady, I'll walk you home while the rest of the fools party into the night. They don't need a gunslinger or a sheriff right now, and I get the feeling you need a good friend... A bottle of scotch." He put his hand over her shoulders. "Or some vodka, maybe scotch? I dunno. You tell me what you want to find the bottom of and I'll supply it or go find the bastard who can." Reno might have not loved the Vanguard like the rest, but he was always there for his friends. Cass was counted among the few and thus whenever hard times befell them he was ready to assist.

"I hate to break it to you, but you have the worst judgment right now." Cassie laughed, allowing Reno to lead the way. "It wasn't that long ago that I got sick, although I'm not sure what was the cause. Oddly enough though, I actually feel better, even more so than before." She shrugged her shoulders, glad to have someone to talk to and hang out with for the remainder of the evening without any of the drama. "So here's what we'll do. I'll let you pick my poison for the evening, but only if you can promise me that it's one of the best bottles you'll grab."

"Hmm well, if I'm picking I believe tequila since you're having a bad day, and no one has ever been sad while drinking tequila." He smiled and turned to walk backwards in front of her now as he spoke, wearing his usual grin. "So I guess I'm cooking dinner as well? No point in drinking the good stuff if we don't at least try to keep it down." He laughed, spinning just in time to avoid a passing cart. He was constantly aware even when talking to her. "So I finally finished rigging that old juke box in my loft, we can test it tonight while we're drinking. Got a bunch of random records shoved in it so we gotta figure out what's good."

"Wow...drinks, food, and music? If I didn't know any better I'd say we were about to have a date." Cassie looked behind her as they went, coming to the conclusion that leaving the wedding ceremony early was the right call, especially when that meant she could get away from the girl who just a few years ago was going through puberty and was hellbent on making Cassie's life a living hell since then. "Thanks for saving me from that, I needed to get away." She showed Reno her bandaged hand, a small drop of blood soaking through the wrap. "I hope I don't end up with the scars as the only memory of this evening," she went on before realizing the double-meaning of her words. "But anyway, tequila sounds good, can't wait!"

"I dunno about a date Cassie, but call it what you like." He stopped, looking at her hand. "You going to tell me what happened to bust up your hand?" He asked curiously. "Hey now... I promise tonight will be better than that... I know you and the big man are close. I don't like the marriage either as it puts more power between the two." He grumbled and sighed. "I know I'm not prisoner like you all but this is home to me... Only home I've ever known. I just want everyone to get a chance for a life here." He explained as he moved to the small stable with Charlotte waiting inside before he began to remove her saddle.

"It's not so much him that's being problematic, I can always handle that; it's Carmen. I swear she makes it her daily goal to push me over the edge. That is why I punched the living hell out of her..."

Cassie leaned against the fence as she watched Reno work. "But you have admirable intentions for this place, and I appreciate that, you know?"

"Carmen's a kid. She's gonna cause trouble." He answered chuckling. "Same as Dodge used to be a kid." He grunted setting the saddle aside and grabbing a brush, treating Charlotte to a wonderful rub down. "She can be a bitch sometimes and other times, she's as sweet as daisy." He answered as he offered Charlotte a carrot. "She's a Mastermind Cassie, you go by poker rules. Drink only what you trust and be polite, make sure you walk out with more than you entered."

Finishing brushing down Charlotte he chuckled. "I just want a place nice enough to make a home... People here forget that beyond those walls all manner of terrible things go on. No matter how much we food we have, savages out there have more guns and bullets to scavenge. The have each other to eat when it's bad. So we need the Overseers as friends, it's why I stand by peace... No matter how much trouble it gets me." He finished adding a little cream around the Charlotte's eyes to drive away flies. Washing his hands he started up the stairs towards the loft. "Now I do believe we need to start drinking."

"Hey, I'm all for peace," Cassie replied, pointing to herself, "but that doesn't mean I'm a pushover. That's where people make the mistake." She rubbed Charlotte behind the ear, waving goodbye once Reno suggested they start drinking. Cassie followed him upstairs, grabbing the front end of her dress with her good hand so that she wouldn't step on it and trip. At that point, it was very likely that Cassie would make such mistake.

"Back in the good ol' bachelor pad, one of my favorite spots to hang out at." Cassie went straight for the couch and made herself at home, leaning her head on the backrest and closing her eyes. "Please don't make my drink too strong, I have a feeling I'm being a total lightweight tonight."

"I'm just saying the other leaders in the Vanguard... They like battle. They hate Overseers. Worse is that the Muses are unstable at the best of time and now our factions have to play nice? I'm sorry but I just don't see this working and I'm worried what Theo will do to keep his wife happy." He sighed as he poured them both a glass of tequila from an expensive, well-maintained and varied shelf of alcohol. "Forgive me but I trust a Mastermind more than a Muse... At least with a Mastermind you know they make the smart moves... Muses are emotional and hard to predict."

He sat, down picking up an acoustic guitar he'd salvaged and tuning it slightly as he sipped his drink. "What about you Cass? What are your plans in this mess, since I've decided to stick my neck out and stand right in between Theo and putting bullets in the Overseers."

"You do make a good point regarding the Masterminds, but now I have to take a step back and let Theo and Isabel run things even if I disagree with them. That's what both factions decided, and I have to be supportive, otherwise it'd make things worse." Cassie took a sip of her drink, momentarily cringing as the liquid made its way down her throat. "But regarding the Overseers... I say we only match them in violence, not surpass them. If we want to better our relations, we have to refrain from behaving like the savages we're made to look."

Cassie had always been one to turn to violence more often than not, but her recently adopted diplomatic approach was growing in her and she started to truly believe in the old saying "Beat them with kindness".

"Heh. You guys aren't savages... Far from it. I would know." He answered as he poured more booze for himself, putting the bottle between them on the table. He turned on the juke box beside the chair and it picked a record and began to play. He sat the guitar aside for the time being as music filled the room. "Yeah but... I dunno, something spooks me about Isabel, something's off about a girl like that. I'd just be careful, woman seems the jealous type and if you cross her it might come back ten fold."

"Hmm, yeah, she's too...calm isn't she?" Cassie made herself even more comfortable by slipping off her shoes and tucking her legs underneath, placing her arm on the backrest to lean against it. She finished her drink but played around with the empty glass, the effect of the alcohol starting to settle in. "How does that old saying go? You gotta be careful with the quiet ones? But I'm not interested in causing any sort of trouble...that ship has long sailed."

Cassie then leaned forward to pour herself more tequila. She took a small sip and nodded her head in approval. "Still tastes great." She leaned back again, this time against Reno's arm. "Here's to their happiness," she said, raising the glass in the air before gulping down its content.

"Yeah... To happiness." Reno added, knocking back his drink as well. "Did I tell a bunch of the townfolk damn broke into the jail? They had ropes and wanted to lynch the Overseers." He chuckled at the thought. "As if that would solve anything." He poured more tequila his buzz returning now. "So Dodge goes out there with Calico holding rifles, telling them to leave. They mock and yell at them... Fairbanks walks with a fucking grenade right into the middle of the crowd and pulls the pin." He grins.

"Apperantly they all screamed and ran for cover. Dropped everything they had on them too." He chuckled. "It was a fucking dud. She walked right back inside and started on her paper work." He smiled again. "The woman is crazy, but damn it's fun to watch her work." He added as he put an arm over Cassie's shoulders. "Hey... You can crash here tonight if you need." He added setting slowly taking his guns off his belt and setting them on the table. "I know it sucks to be alone... Did it most of my life."

Cassie chuckled, genuinely amused by Reno's story. "I can't believe she did that! I mean, I can, but I can't. You've got quite the handful, I'll tell you that much... But it's a good thing, otherwise, how would you be able to deal with the same crazies trying to break into the jail?" Cassie watched as Reno disarmed and put his gun on the table, and she did the same with her empty glass.

"And I'll stay as long as you give me something comfortable to change into," Cassie replied.

"You know where my closet is if you want to borrow something... And yes the hat is off limits." He teased, knocking back another drink. "Yeah... But we're family. We're all broken and bad people... Of course I'm the worst of the bunch." He added in a slightly strange tone knocking back yet another drink as he poured one more. "I'm probably the worst person in Churchill." He spoke as if commenting on his own failures. He never talked much about life before he arrived there, and obiviously he was in a different mood tonight. She might be able to pry more out of the tight-lipped cowboy with a little more liquor and some well placed words.

"You're talking nonsense, kid. From what I've seen you're a great person." Cassie padded him on the knee before she stood up to walk to his closet. "And I might steal your hat just because you were extremely harsh on yourself just now."

Cassie walked off after giving Reno a smile. She went up to his closet and didn't waste any time in picking out one of the first items she saw: a black, button-down shirt. She took off her dress and shoes before she slipped on her pajama for the evening, wondering what the night still had planned for them.

A few moments later, Cassie walked back to Reno barefooted across the cold floor. She took her seat next to him again, her head starting to spin just a little bit. "For the record, this current you is fine, so don't change," she emphasized, jokingly poking him on his side.

"I dunno about great... But being here? With you all? Makes it home. I wanna do right cause you all deserve that." He answered, setting down his cup and grinning as he turned to her. "Besides, if I do change it'll be because I'm settling down." He stopped for a moment looking at her. "What about you Cass? You ever think you'll try to settle down?" He smiled, looking away at the door. "I mean... I grew up outside these walls... Hidden in a hole with my parents, most of my life... I just... I just want to have a life where I don't have to fear everything around me is out to kill me."

"Settling down will do you great given your history, but I'm not too sure about me. I mean yeah, it sounds nice, but from what I've heard it's hard to put up with me sometimes." Cassie smiled, and an unintentional chill traveled down her spine, causing her to shiver without warning. "If given the choice though, I'd go for it. There's no better feeling than safety... I mean, knowing someone will be right by your side through thick and thin is something I think the majority of us long for."

Cassie then stared at Reno, wondering what he was thinking at that moment for some reason.

"Well... I got you and the Sentinels... So I guess that's the first step." He turned, looking at her for a long moment. "You know I always got your back, right?" He said looking into her eyes for a moment before he leaned in to hug her. While it wasn't rare for Reno to display affection, it was different now. "You guys... You guys made me feel welcome... Forget about what I am... You especially, Cass. You always welcomed me without a question." He sighed. "And you never questioned things even when you had the right to... So thank you... For being wonderful and kind to the man who probably didn't deserve it."

Cassie returned the hug, feeling genuine sympathy for Reno since he appeared to be extremely vulnerable at that moment. "No need to thank me...you're good to me and I simply return the favor. And just so you know, that's the way it will continue to be. You're a good man, Reno Wylde." Cassie then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, smiling and giving his hand a light squeeze to reassure she meant what she said.

"I don't know about good, Cass... You ever stop to think about how long I was out there? My parents left me in a bunker to lead tribals away. I was sixteen when they just vanished from my life." He paused, taking her hand, eyes unfocused as if it all played out before him. "I left to find them... Just me and a couple of guns." He chuckled now, an unnerving slightly cruel chuckle.

"First time I killed was my third day traveling... Out of water, I saw a tribal dragging his loot through the wastes. Took my pistol and hid... When he passed I shot him, missed his heart." He moved now from her as if by instinct, pouring a drink right up to the rim of the glass and knocking it back. "Caught him in the lungs, bastard went down dust and with the punctured lung it made so he couldn't fight back as I looted him for everything he had."

"I only had five bullets... So I left him bleeding in the ash, didn't think twice about it." He blinked. "Before I came to Churchill I had killed fifty eight people. Some were women, some barely more than teenagers. Didn't matter, the world out there hated me, wanted to eat me... Yet here at night I wake up in a cold sweat, gun in my hand. Slight noises make me jump for a gun... That world made a monster, Cass." He turned back, meeting her eyes. "The others... They don't know... Maybe the Overseers? I told the old captain about it when I got signed on to the colony."

"I still go there sometimes, on quiet nights... Or when Theo tells me to get out of the bar." He spoke. "I never found my parents... So I go out there and think... Remember what made me and look for the only people who ever showed me any good in the world." Reno spoke, telling her all. Cass finally knew what kind of man Reno was, and he wasn't some Hollywood style hero. He was a man the who had a deck stacked against him, just like Reno always did, and he won anyway... Except the only prize he got was to keep living in the hell hole that was Earth.

"So you know the truth now. Why I got the nickname Tombstone." He spoke before turning to look at the wall of booze across from them as the jukebox finally finished the album, the room going silent. "I'm the worst criminal in Churchill and the town doesn't even know it." He grabbed the bottle about to drink right from it.

"Hey, no, you've already had enough." Cassie quickly moved forward to grab the bottle from Reno, taking it from his grasp as if it was literally poison before setting it down on the table. "That's um...that's a lot to take in. I'm not judging you for it, it's just that I didn't know you had such an intense past. Honestly no one would be able to figure it out unless you told them, so that means something." Cassie then stayed quiet for a moment, finding the right words to say next. She grabbed her glass for another shot to take the edge off.

"It's not like an urge, right? I mean, do you get any pleasure from it?"

"Killing ain't something I like doing, no." He answered, looking at her. "Guess it speaks to how much I like and trust you... That or I have somehow gotten even more drunk than usual." He gave her one of his usual fun grins. He spoke as if trying to put they fun back on their night, knowing he'd probably already spoiled it.

"Well, I'm glad I'm in your good graces," she joked back, winking at him. "But what do you say we call it a night? I feel that all this drinking is going to make me tired soon."

"Sleep sounds good to me." He answered, slowly getting up before he turned and picked up Cass just to mess with her. "Or were thinking of using my bed for something else?" He asked, slowly bringing them both over to the bed at the back of the room.

Cassie smiled, looking at Reno before she glanced over at the bed. "Hmm, not really, but I guess the responsibility falls on me now to wear you out."

Reno laid her down pressing his lips to hers and flicked off the lights as he climbed into bed with her.

[beyond visions]

---

Theo Callahan, Cassandra Voss, & Rylan Kane

Collab between @beyond visions & @Heretic

---

His hands were permanently stitched into the offense of two fists, shards of broken fingernails punctured pass the bandaged palm till those fingers sank into thick skin. The only flesh felt against the cloth-wrapped knuckles was his opponent's rib-cage

crumbling.

Sweeping from his teeth and cake against his lips, the blood of this opponent, cannoned in cough from out of the bleeding cavity that was now his mouth. He collapsed against the dirt of the fighting pit, in presence before the king that bruised and bloodied him there. Yet, that was all a facade. It was an illusion for a man becoming disillusioned. In reality, there was no glory, nor victory, nor even an opponent. For, that night in the dueling pit there was truly no enemy of his but himself. There was nothing but the self-destruction found when a hurt soul throws jabs at punching bag till his body fails and falls dehydrated.

Like Theo, Cap'n did not sleep that night. Instead he kept his one good eye in constant watch of Theo, he was his king and Spartan after all. Even after shoving him off the cliff of the Crater and causing him to rolling down the hills to the bottom, Cap'n was near close to giving up hope in Theo, but not yet. Wit' th' right queen by his side, he be sure t' live up be worthy o' his title once again. Either that or by solo rule will he retain the strength he had... once he be freed from his wife, is what Cap'n often thought while observing his miserable king.

Once Theo collapsed, Cap'n grabbed his own canteen. At first he tried nudging Theo with his foot, the king remained unresponsive. So, Cap'n uncapped his canteen, though just as he was about to let the chilling water fall in out pour against Theo's face Cass returned. Without asking about her whereabouts since it was no business of his, and he would just assume she was attending the wedding feast, Cap'n went straight to explaining what happened to Theo, "He never slept last night. He's been here, not saying a word t' anyone, beatin' his knuckles o'er this bag." Cap'n laid his hook on Theo's punching bag, leaning on it. "When upset or angry, most men indulge in rum or wenches-- well, I guess since he's married now he can't do th' second-- but does our king here get himself drunk? No, he gets dehydrated." Cap'n stuck out his hand, offering Cass his canteen, "Already tried nudging him awake. Cass, would you like to do the honors of splashing this in his face instead?" Abruptly before Cass grabbed the cateen Cap'n laid out a few last remarks, "I don't believe he's angry at the Vanguards for the blacklashed earned during the wedding ceremony. If so, he would have been yellin' and cursin' at all of us till he was blue in the face. Cass, she-- Isabel-- is destroyin' him."

Cassie grabbed the canteen from Cap'n, shaking her head as she usually did when she was disappointed. "It's only been a day!" she replied, suddenly becoming angry at the situation and not really anyone in particular. She splashed some water on Theo's face, waited, and then did it again. After a few moments, she stood up straight to stare at Cap'n. "He should have known better. I mean for goodness sake neither of them blindly went into this marriage, so why is he so torn up?"

Cassie placed a hand on Cap'n's arm, gently pulling him away from a seemingly lifeless Theo just to be out of hearing distance for the sake of it.

"Do you personally know what's going on between the two of them? Because we can't allow this man to be destroyed by his wife...not when he's our leader."

"I be not one fer gossip, but..." Cap'n released long sigh before a honest claim to a concern of his. "I was really worried about 'im. So, I sent a few initiates t' eavesdrop durin' th' reception, 'n it turns out despite th' way he honored her, Isabel was not happy about wha' he did fer her. When they were gettin' thar weddin' portrait painted, she walked out on 'im." At first, like many of the Vanguards, Cap'n believed Theo weak to bow to Isabel in pathetic submission, yet to see the man damaged now. It makes sense that the wedding was never meant to be political, at least definitely not for Theo. He wanted their wedding day to be about him and Isabel, especially after the interruption of the Overseers, he made the effort to show a more sensitive side to Isabel in the gallery, and then to ultimately humble himself before her, not caring what backlash he may face. Though even after Theo's most gallant endeavors his wife walks away from him, leaving him confused and without a clear answer. "You know th' term, 'destroyed', perhaps ain't th' best choice o' word. No, hardened be a better way t' describe 'im." Cap'n no longer believed Theo weak, no, because not even dehydration could stop from turning to his compulsive violent habits. "No, he ain't destroyed... but everythin' 'n everyone in his way will be." Cap'n grasped Cass by both shoulders in the seriousness of the moment, "Cass, we know Theo can have his pissy fits, but if that man's heart hardens-- all of his passions 'n even his dreams will be replaced by nothing but bloodlust. Likely he will never stoop to killin' innocents, but does he deserve t' be forsaken by us while developing into a soulless warmonger? I'm not giving up on 'im, but I've given up on Isabel being his wife. Cass, if you don't want this dark future fer Theo and you don't want t' challenge him since it will result in death fer one of you,
then you need t' seriously consider being queen."

The expression on Cassie's face turned into one of disbelief.

"Cap'n, that'd be doing exactly the opposite of how I intended to handle their union. As much as we all would have liked for this marriage to have been legitimate, it was nothing but a political stunt." Cassie stopped for a moment, thinking about her own newly-formed relationship with Reno, if she could call it that. But Cap'n had a good point. Love could do horrible things to people if it was used against them. "I'll talk to Isabel, see what the problem is. She wanted a more thoughtful and emotional man, didn't she? Her rejection and outright disrespect towards Theo shows she's not taking their marriage seriously, and that is something I will not tolerate. A change of heart doesn't relieve her of her responsibilities to uphold her vows, and if the Muses want this union to work, then I suggest they school her on how a wife should behave around her husband, otherwise I'm pulling rank to reverse this ill-fated marriage and get this done and over with."

Cassie crossed her arms in a defensive posture. "That's my plan for now anyway, we'll have to figure out the rest as we go along."

"Very well, Cass, I do believe-- Oh, he's wakin' up now." Cap'n stepped forward towards Theo after grabbing his canteen from Cass's hand. "If you remain dehydrated, you're going t' kill yourself." Theo did not move sluggishly, instead, even as he was dizzy, Theo seemed skittish. He moved quickly, suddenly, and without any grace as he lifted himself off of the ground. "Nothing's going to kill me...," Theo mumbled returning to his boxing pose as threw punches at the bag.

"You're not immortal, now stop it." Cassie walked forward to grab Theo's wrist and prevent him from further exhausting himself until he became unconscious again. "You may not like me for this, but later today I'm gonna go talk to Isabel. I'm going to figure out what the hell is her problem and why she's treating you like dirt."

Cassie looked at Cap'n, hoping he'd back her up if Theo disagreed with her.

As he glared, his eyes narrowed down instantly to her hand as she put a grip on his wrist. Theo did not jerk his arm away, but instead he awkwardly stared down at her hand until she let go. He did not want to be touched right now, not when locked in a mindset of defense. If anything, he just wanted to be alone. Though he knew as Spartan, he could never be alone unless he looked occupied with his own feats of strengthening his physical body, it is why he stubbornly continued to box even after Cass told him to stop."What happened to you wanting to go back on the fields with the combatants? I shouldn't be so controlling with your life, so I was going to say yes. If it is your plan to get involved in my marriage. Then you should have not even told me, you know I'm going to say no." Upon his last word in that sentence, Theo struck the bag with all the might in his brawny body. "You will just make things worse."

"Oh, you think I am going to make things worse?" she scoffed, deliberately taking a step closer to Theo although leaving enough space between the two of them as to not be in the way of his boxing. "I hate to break it to you but you've done that all on your own. This marriage doesn't just affect you, you know, and as the current highest-ranking sane member of the Vanguards, I do fully intend to interfere. And don't worry, I'm still keeping my word on going back out into the field, but first I must make sure my people are well taken care of right now because apparently their current leader isn't doing a very good job of it."

Finally, he stopped in his boxing, allowing his arms to fall by his waist. He then turned to Cass, "Want to question me as a leader? Want to question my sanity?" Theo leaned over by her ear and whispered, "Cassandra, if I really was insane, you'd be knocked the fuck out." Theo spewed his words straight into her ear, yet he hissed in such quietness that only she could hear his biting menace so clearly.

"But that wouldn't be the case if I were to challenge you," she replied with a hint of bitterness in her voice. Sometimes the man just drove her to the brink, and she had no choice but to go along for the ride like every other time. "Now I suggest you let me move forward with my plan before this gets nasty."

Cassie then motioned for Cap'n to follow her, deciding that she had had enough of Theo for the moment.

"Alright, fine go and piss off, but I'm going to need the First Combatant for important business that benefits the colony and involves the Overseers. You know, if I had the time or the care, I would ring that bell over there myself," once the Crater's bell was rang, a duel or fight would then be offically commenced. "Then it would be me challenging you, not the other way around. The only purpose for a fight like that would be to finally put you in your place!" It was extremely tempting, yet the Overseer laid more of a priority to him rather than Cass.

"Finally, some work on your behalf. It only took shouting and threats being made to force you to snap out of that pathetic, self-pity state you were just in. Cap'n, keep an eye out for him please, I need to go talk to someone and I'll meet you again soon." Cassie then left both men to deal with the Overseers. She wanted to take care of a couple of things first before she went out into the field.

"And yet she defies me, there will be consequences..." After speaking Theo took Cap'n's canteen, finally quenching his thirst. Just because he told her to piss off, did not mean that Theo gave her any permission to continue on with her plan. He just decided not to put in the effort to stop her, not after he warned her.

"'Tis better t' hear you say 'consequences' 'n not revenge." With Theo, there was a difference, and Cap'n knew that. "But th' Overseers, I do believe that be your concern, at least fer now."

"Yes, I would much rather focus my mind on something other than the horrid drama of my marriage." And with that Cap'n and Theo walked their way towards the cell rooms.

[beyond visions]

---

Cap'n Hook & Lilliana O'Hare

A collaborative post between @beyond visions and @Xandrya

---

"What are you going to do to her? You just can't just take her from us!" Alfie spat an order the held no authority, yet he did not care that the Overseers were rendered powerless. Watching the combatants under Theo's command pry Lily from the cell, was a sight that struck a nerve in him. So much so that once in his life he did not give ample thought to the decision of ramming his fist straight through the face one of the vanguards taking her away. "Let me deal with Mr. Kiss-up!" Theo quickly barked before the vanguard who was struck could react in similar violence. Theo stormed through the cell room and straight towards Alfie, yanking him by those slick black strains before dragging and tossing him in a vacant cell across from where the Overseers were held. Theo then slammed the door behind Alfie. "You have no idea what is coming for you! I am not the man to piss off right now, especially not while we have your precious captain and her!" Theo curled a tight grasp around Lily's arm upon the word her, while Alfie desperately began beating his palms against the cell door that served as a barrier between him and Lily. "L-Lily, I swear-- I'll find a way out of here-- then I'll find you-- and--" out of his anguish made cries of agonizing promises that could never possibly be kept.

Lily could only look at her Lieutenant with an expression that communicated help me, but she didn’t dare say those words to him, not when they were already in enough trouble.

"Stay put Lieutenant Vanderbilt, just listen to them!"

As the Vanguard had quite the grip on her arm, Lily attempted to pull away a few times, but he wouldn’t budge. Her mood then quickly shifted to one of loathing and disgust. ”Ease up, wouldn’t you? I’m cooperating and we’re obviously unarmed and outnumbered, so no need to be so rough. We are civilized people.”

Before there go be a response to the corporal, Theo spoke to his First Combatant, "Kane, you must leave immediately there is no time to waste. I should have order the search last night, instead of waiting for my second-in-command who decides to worry herself in matters that defy me. I swear if she-- Er... Nevermind my rants right now, just go! And, Cap'n..." Theo lowered his voice, speaking with a tone of sincerity that seem so rare since the wedding, "Good luck, seriously... Good luck." It was even those short-lived moments that Rylan still had hope that Theo would not be clouded by his own dark-side, that he may find some escape, even if it meant regretting his mistakes the end. "Aye, sir." Cap'n reacted with a nod before exiting Churchill with Lily.

---

KODA - New Blood

---

"You know you can really learn a lot just by the echoes of this underground bunker." Just as he was about to lock Thrax's cell door, Theo stopped in his tracks, listening to the captain speak from behind the cell bars. "And from what I can guess, you take our only female Overseer, because you could never convince your own wife to sleep with you." Within a split second and with his brute strength, Theo bashed through the cell door. It was then that Theo hit his breaking-point. He tried being less domineering and more submissive, yet that only earned him the disappointment of his faction, the displeasure of his wife, and later resulted in a conflict with his second-in-command. Not for a moment was he going to allow Tiberius Thrax spew insults at him.

No blows were drawn, not when all the regret Theo felt for the past day was of an essence that choked him of all happiness, leaving him with hate. His hands constricted around Thrax's neck, lifting him from off of the ground. And in the same, to defend his life, Thrax rendered Theo the same attack by hopelessly attempting to strangle Theo in his weaker grasp. He did not even spare him a threat, Theo remained in pure silence as he watched the life leave from Thrax's eyes. The only sound heard was the harrowing cries of a young man watching his only figure father die, "NO! PLEASE-- PLEASE-- I-I'M BEGGING--." Alfie could not muster to finish his plead because his sobbing proved overwhelming as he reached his hand out through the bars, despairingly wishing that he could do anything in hell to save his captain.

Thrax's body eventually crumbled in a deathly state. Yet, the berserk king has just now released everything he bottled up, and there was not a soul to stop him as he grounded through Thrax's skull like pestle against a mortar. It felt so different, to be grinding away at the face bone of a man rather than throwing jabs at a punching bag. Theo stepped back upon this realization, stopping himself before the captain would become unrecognizable. No, he had one last use for Thrax just yet...

By his hairs, Theo dragged Thrax's body through the halls of the vanguard base, with every soldier that he passed by eyeing their king in utter shock. Some were disturbed, but most witnessed this as a wake-call that furthered his vengeance, and even justice. Justice, because in the end Theo just slain a dictatorial man only known to the colony as a tyrant who slaughtered and oppressed the people of Churchill. A man who also allowed his lieutenant to scourge the Renaissance over the shortage of crops. It appeared justice was a messy, blurred line, and Theo matched the blood-stained face of an anti-hero.

Casting Thrax's corpse in Colony Square, he still did not let a word slip from his lips, but Theo let his actions speak instead.

---

Once Lily, Cap'n and the rest of his accompanying combatants were quite a distance away from the colony, Cap'n turned to the Corporal, "Eh, Corporal O'Hare, be it? 'Tis now your turn t' take th' lead. Unlike Theo, I won't lavish you wit' threats nor insults jus' 'cause you wear th' colors of a hated crew. Th' world out hear be a lot different when you're outside those walls. So, I've seen monsters, 'n unless you give me a reason, then I be not goin' t' assume that you are one. Can you be trusted? Can you give me your word that you would be truly leadin' us t' th' ship 'n not t' a lie?"

"You've got my word, Mr. Kane, you as well as the rest of your men," Lily replied, nodding towards the crew that was accompanying them. She was currently at the mercy of the enemy, and she wasn't foolish enough to antagonize them, not when she was at a disadvantage. A little tip she'd learned at a rather young age. "Never start battles you're not gonna be able to win" her parents always warned her. "You and us share something in common...we both hate being outside of those walls. Preferably, we wouldn't be down here at all, but you know, what can you do.

Lily guided Kane and his group through the path that she-along with Thrax and Alfie-had walked not too long before in the opposite direction. But the difference now was that she had been stripped of her weapon, and thus felt a vulnerability unlike before. Maybe that's why she fiddled with the edge of her crimson uniform top as they walked.

"I can't except you t' jus' be defenseless?" Cap'n took Lily's fingers and wrapped them around the grip of his Ruger SR1911 9mm pistol. "You've given me your word, I be not makin' any threats, but any sane scallywag would claim it not wise t' betray this trust, not when thar are eight o' us combatants here." In total Cap'n carried four weapons with him: his pistol, his shotgun, his flintlock, and his cutlass.

"We're almost there, just a little bit longer." Lily turned a corner, the ship finally coming into view. "See? There she is in all her glory."

Cap'n smiled and laughed in glee, "Aye... I have not seen a ship since my arrest." He practically sprinted right towards the ship while reminiscing of his old space pirate days. Cap'n circled the ship excitedly, admiring every corner of it. "Not as sleek as I imagined, but who wouldn't take sturdy over sleek?" Glancing over at the ship's outer door, Cap'n recongized by the handle that it was finger-print activated. "After you, m'lady," he said while giving Lily a comically and dramatic bow.

Lily gave Kane a genuine smile, forgetting for a moment about their situation as she placed her hand on the sensor to give them all access to the ship. "She's sturdy alright, and that's why we love her. Speaking of which, I only ask that you be gentle with her."

Once the access door opened, Lily motioned for Kane and everyone else to follow her. It felt somewhat odd to have that many people on board as it was usually just her and her superiors. "The weapons locker is just right down the hall on the port side--"

Lily stopped, padding her pockets in search of something. "Ah, here we go," she said, tossing the key to one of Kane's men. "Knock yourself out."

"Keep this up, O'Hare, 'n you jus' might want t' think o' the faction you would join," Cap'n spoke encouragingly before turning towards the cockpit. Though as he made his way, the ship reverberated with the sudden sounds of gunshots. They were being watched. With his shotgun now in hand, Cap'n marched towards Lily, positioning himself in front of her and using his body as a human shield for her. The Outsiders hated Churchill because the Overseers, a regiment of guard that served the Collective, a government they believed is responsible for abandoning the home-planet. "Stay back, lass! The blood of you Hawks seems t' be th' top item on thar menu!" Against the edge of the ship's outer doorway, Cap'n fired round after round with each splash of Outsider blood staining his eye-patch.

---

Battle Cry - Imagine Dragons

---

The sudden onslaught of gunshots startled Lily, the woman suddenly taking the pistol Kane had given her off safety mode to aim it at the entrance. When Kane got in front of her, she adjusted her aim ever so slightly so that the shots wouldn't so deafening. "I'll be back!" she shouted, making a split-second decision to go for more ammo. She tapped on Kane's shoulder to advise him of her departure before quickly leaving his side, her body low to the ground as to not make herself an easy target. Lily hurried down the hall as the rest of Kane's men rushed in the opposite direction. When she reached the weapons locker, she noticed it had been opened but remained unscathed. They didn't have any time, none of them did. "Prove your worth," she whispered among the chaos of shouting voices and gunshots as she grabbed a few boxes of ammunition before hurrying back to Kane. For some reason, Lily hoped he was okay.

Now leaning on his right knee, Cap'n held a tight grip with broken finger nails pressing against his shotgun. Every muscle in his voluntary muscle in his control remained clench through the pain of a leg riddled with bullets. "Argh! Damn it! Come on bastards! You've might 'ave jus' added a peg-leg t' my pirate-getup!" It was clear, they were outnumbered, and it beginning to seem that the Outsiders did not just sent scouts, they likely had an entire camp watch over the ship, since it appeared to be out of the ordinary that an Overseer would land quite distant away from Churchill.

"Minotaur! Shite!" Cap'n cried the nickname of one of his combatants as he watched the soldier crash against the English soil. "Damn brawny lad was a rank above initiate-- corporal-- like you! He jus' wanted to prove himself!"

"Can't play the hero unless you're sure you can be one!"

Harsh words? Most definitely, but far too often, Lily had witnessed both men and women go out of their way to prove themselves, only to end up dead like the poor soul not too far from them whose death was being mourned by Kane. Lily then placed a hand on his shoulder as a sign of solidarity. "It's always the good ones to go-"

More outsiders closing in. Lily quickly took aim and shot at two of them as she pressed her back against the wall. Somewhere along their firefight, a bullet had managed to find its way to her arm and get lodged nice and deep in it. She audible cursed, her hand clutching the wound that was just below her elbow for a moment before switching hands to shoot. If they thought she was gonna go down easily, they obviously didn't know her all that well.

Upon hearing her curses, Cap'n glanced over at Lily, "Ah, damn, not you too!" Shaking his head he enforced attention back onto the painted savages that surrounded him. There had to be some way in hell they would make it out, Cap'n was determined of it before being knee deep in the bodies of his men...

[beyond visions]

---

Theo Callahan & Reno Wylde

A collaborative post between @beyond visions and @Apollosarcher

---

In the war room Theo clenched a grasp on the croupier stick with his right hand, pushing around figurines as he played his war games on the London map. He curled his left arm around his favorite lap dog, Ammo, a pug gifted from the colony's First Trapper. Theo has been known to be a doggish king after all. He was now surrounded by a crowd of his five other hounds: Armor the bullmastiff, Bullet the rottweiler, Bruiser the giant schnauzer, Crusher the Rhodesian ridgeback, and Junkyard the mutt. The hounds were all well-trained guard-dogs, Theo has to thank the First Trapper for teaching him how to properly train them to be killers on command. Of course, Theo cherished his pets for being more than vicious warriors, but he treasured their unwavering loyal.

"THEO!" Came a yell, as four pair's spurs could be heard advancing up the hall, that was the unmistake sound of the Tombstone himself. His voice carried anger and rage Theo had rarely heard, the Sheriff had faced down mobs with a calm and collected attitude. Yet whatever had the Sentinel mad was enough for a man usual content to remain in the background of politics to come storming towards his office.

Four Sentinel's stepped into his room, the four most senior among Reno's hand picked protectors of the town. Reno did not hold his guns instead his fingers tapped along pearl grips of the thunder and lightning he carried. Reno wanted words for now it seemed, because if he hadn't Theo knew one of those guns would be tossed at it him and they would settle this Reno's method.

A game the cowboy had yet to lose at. "You want to tell me why one of the men in my jail? One of the men I'm supposed to give due process to is a bloody corpse in the street? And you better have one of hell of an answer because I also noticed I'm short another one too." He growled. His hands stopped tapping, Calico and Dodge flanking his left right both cradled rifles they had just come in from patrol. Behind him stood Fairbanks chewing gum, the four looked down right imposing with the shining badges and spurs.

As Theo was being flanked by his own vanguards, his hounds who were positioned by his side, Bullet and Bruiser began growling at Calico and Dodge. "Relax!" Theo barked in that usual bold booming yet sharp tone Theo is capable of. Though his command was not meant for the Sentinels, but rather for his hounds as he whipped his head over in their direction. He waited for the dogs to lie down before then reinforcing their position, "Yes..." Once Theo laid his lap dog down on the ground to be with the others of his kind, the Spartan then leaned against the war table with his back while the croupier stick remained gripped in his right hand, and the end of it rested in his other hand. "Okay... You want an answer.." Theo glanced down at the stone flooring before finally looking up at Reno and sighing, "I fucked up."

Reno growled. "Damn right you did! Theo this could mean war, a war where it's us against people who have the ability to kill us from the sky." He answered with a tone lighter than before. "Theo they could make us surrender if they like, bomb us until we raise a white flag and hand over our guns. What little protection we have left, then they make this a police state." He answered quietly looking at the man falling into a chair. "And know you would claim to fight to the last but... We couldn't, that would doom women, children, and elderly alike to more death." He withdrew a flask from within his jacket taking a long swig from the whiskey. "Churchill can't fight a war and we wouldn't last without Churchill."

"Please tell me no one witnessed the murder at least... We could scapegoat it if we have too." He spoke looking Theo in the eyes.

"You have a point but... here's the thing..." Reno and Theo were definitely not on the same page, of course, it is given that Theo was never thinking of the Collective ever coming back. Because if it ever came true that the Collective did reclaim Churchill, there likely with no longer be a Churchill. The New Earth project would be announced as a failure all of the convicted criminals would likely be hunted down and transferred to real prisons. Theo himself, the murderer of an Overseer Captain would be then charged with an account of murder and likely his life sentence be raised to a death sentence. "This brain-eating amoeba, this aggressive decay, was enough for me to assume that the Triple C was never going to reclaim this colony. And also, prior to the pandemic mankind discovered extraterrestrials. What are the odds that Collective Space conflicted with them after the outbreak , thus to the point of spanning into galactic war? So, is your fear of anyone witnessing Thrax's corpse only Collective related?"

"Hell no. I moved the damn thing before the locals decided to go carrying it around cheering, Thrax was bad but that mean Alfie is in charge now. What do you think he's going to do to get back at us? Overseer's got as much firepower as we do or more. Thing is they don't have to play by the rules, to them everyone but me is a criminal here." He leaned forward. "Not to mention I've heard reports of Outsiders closer and closer to the town. They are getting braver Theo." He moved looking at his three deputies quietly, they had stayed quiet and hadn't moved. Calico eyes darts and Fairbanks had taken to rolling a cigarette.

"Theo. We can't go on fighting everything. Trust me I tried to fight world once. It's lonely, it's hard, and you lose what makes you human along the way." He gave a nod and the others filed out of the room without a word. Sentinel's had gotten silent communication down very fast, made it easy to talk in a gun fight. Turning back to face Theo he looked the man in the eyes. "Alfie is gonna want revenge, and that little shit nose won't kill people he'll capture workers or soldiers further out and haul them in for torture. It's how he is and before you go suggesting killing another one. They are in my custody, next body I find missing from my jail we settle this with a draw." He added with a soft voice.

"A draw are you serious? That's like a me, a seven foot giant, challenging you, a five foot man, to a boxing match. That's not even in the same weight-class." It is a bit ironic how Theo, a convicted arms-dealer, now does less practice with guns like he should. Of course his method when it comes to shooting is not a refined one, but rather like one of a reckless juggernaut. Accuracy is not quite his strong suit unless it comes to close combat. "Besides the next body you find missing in the cells is the fucking Renaissance's responsibility. When the Oveerseers first arrived at the gates of this colony, we settled an agreement that I would let her handle Vanderbilt, while I remain under control of Thrax and O'Hare, that was back when I actually cared about wooing my so-called wife."

"To be fair I don't reach for it until my opponent clears leather." He smiled taunting a little. "Besides, it's how I handle my problems. How many smugglers have surrendered or thieves given up based on knowing that if they kill a Sentinel they duel me." The man answered looking Theo in the eyes. "Way I see it, it's a warning. Now as for our lovely young Renaissance, I'll go make sure she knows the situation and that Alfie is off limits. Seriously if more people keep dying in my jail I look incompetent." He got up from his seat. "Also Theo... Piece of advice, you want to murder someone in my prison... Let me know first if he's got it coming I'll make sure it's a fair fight." He turned and stopping at the door. "Anything else before I go see the young lady?"

"Yeah... Unlike most of the vanguards you've been quiet about the whole situation." Theo backed off of the war table, laying the croupier stick against it. "You know... this union between the Muses and the Vanguards, between Isabel and I. It's like Athens and Sparta as one nation, well that's at least what Carmen told me when we last spoke privately. She had little faith in it. But, what is it that you think? Also, more importantly... what was your personal opinion about my move to kneel before Isabel for the ceremony's kiss?"

Yes, that last question was a matter Theo felt the most insecure about ever since it happened. He has been bottle all of those insecurities and slowly translating them in blended leaks of anger and power-tripping. For once in his life when he knelt down to kiss her, Theo genuinely believed he was doing something right, proving that he was capable of humility, proving that he was ready to embrace it. But when only gaining backlash from both his own faction and the woman he did it for, he has since done the very opposite of humility because of what he gained from it.

"Look... I don't approve of the marriage cause of to many eggs in one basket if that's what you mean. If there weren't leaders of two faction's and say it was down right great but I can't shake the feeling this could mean trouble." He frowned. "From who I can't say but I just know it ain't going to be good." He stopped drawing a cigarette from his coat and his lighter. "As for my thoughts on kneeling? It was good, husband and wife ought to be equals in marriage no one should stand above the other." Lighting up he took a look drag.

"Yeah but never forget, Greece fell because the states inside it took to warring against each other. When the armies of foreign powers came, Sparta had sacked their allies and gotten fat on their food and wine. They fell easily and became nothing more than a puppet in someone else's game." He stopped by the door. "And Theo? One last piece of advice, don't trust what she says at face value. Muse's are first and foremost actors." He added stepping through the door a trail of smoke the only sign he'd been here.

[beyond visions]

---

Theo Callahan

---

Solo Post

---

Indeed Theo had his regrets, that has been admitted. Yet, if time could be reversed in an alternate dimension, the only thing that would change about Thrax's death would be the setting and the audience. If things were different, no one would speak of Thrax's death, but of his execution. With the proper ceremony, murder would be justice. How does one bring justice to the murderer? Publicize him as an executioner with a ceremony. Though, still there is no glory to the title of executioner. But give the high-skilled executioner a gun and throw him into a duel with his lesser-skilled opponent. And though this opponent equally bears a gun like the executioner, he not at all an equal. Who decided there to be a gun fight? Perhaps the opponent is a skilled swordsman or pugilist, and prefers a match according to his craft. Though does the executioner give a fair match to his opponent by dueling according to the opponent's skill set? No, because after all who made the rules of the duel? The executioner. Duels should not automatically be branded as a fair fight, since weapons are only tools, without the proper skill the tool is useless. Skill is the only think that equalizes the battlefield. How does one bring glory to the executioner? How does the executioner become the hero? Turn him into the seasoned gladiator against the ill-prepared slave. That, in Theo's eyes, was Reno Wylde, a gladiator disguised in an American western costume.

He lectures Theo about fighting, that they cannot fight forever, yet right after that little speech, the Sheriff warns Theo with a duel if another prisoner in the cells go missing. But what Reno called a warning, Theo saw as a threat. Yes, the Spartan King tolerated him at the moment, because he didn't feel intimated by the Sheriff. No, in all truth, Theo was inspired by him. Not only does Reno use heroic rhetoric to further develop this righteous persona, but Reno had strategy with his executions.

Theo was aware that he needed to be more refined with his strategy as Spartan King. His image was his reputation, and a bad reputation could result in being overthrown. So, he could not possibly let Thrax's death go without notice. Theo is not sorry that Thrax is now dead, but he is sorry that he could not publicize an execution or be like his First Sentinel and glorify himself in a duel. Thus after an hour so of war games, Theo returned his hounds to their kennels before making his way towards his room. Once inside his living quarters, Theo opened the dresser trunk positioned horizontally from his bed. Within this trunk were the armor pieces he wore during combat. He did not intend to suit up into the juggernaut he was, but simply grabbed for the black leather jacket he wore during the coldest winters.

After slipping into the jacket Theo opened the right top drawer of his desk to take a special item- Thrax's hawk pin with the title "Captain" decorated below the metallic bird. There still laid the sticky stain of blood against the metal from when Theo busted his nose and let all contains droop down. Of course Theo would be sure to rip the pin off of Thrax before throwing him out into the center Colony Square, it was like a trophy piece to Theo. With that now pinned against his leather jacket, the Overseer emblem against Theodore Callahan's chest would be confirmation to all rumors that circulated around the topic of a dead Overseer Captain. Sure, he was not the ceremonial executioner or the glorified gladiator. But with the bloodied pin, Theo at least let it be known that the deed was done by his hands alone.

[Vashonn]

---

Madame Saint-Claire

---

Wedding Night

---

Though it wouldn't have been as large of an issue to many of the participants in the reception that neither groom nor bride had arrived at the reception precisely as they were supposed to, the lack of punctuality tugged at the Madame's mind, lifting her from the group of posh Muses she had surrounded herself with in a rather brusque manner and pushing her away from the festivities, forcing her toward the Theatre. Araminta Saint-Claire's thoughts were strewn about in confusion as she strode her way down the hall toward the Painting Room, only to arrive at the door, met by the aged man who was now rising from his canvas, the portrait only halfway completed.

"I've just missed them, haven't I?" The Madame's voice was strained from the near panic she had already put herself in, and the gentleman's solemn nod only pushed her away from the scene yet again, her heels clicking furiously against the wooden floorboards as she strode from the Theatre, her mind set toward the one place she knew to find the Renaissance.

---

"Isabel!?" the Madame could hardly maintain her calm composure she had become so accustomed to wearing, letting it fall from her face as the cry of her Renaissance's name echoed through the house.

The Renaissance's home was only a short walk from the Theatre, standing rather overtly alone from the abodes of the rest of the colonists, surprisingly well-built for what materials the colony had to spare when they had begun to construct Churchill into what was now seen. The house was two stories in height, with an attic atop of that, and no basement below. The color scheme was generally a pale blue throughout the house's interior, though the color would shift occasionally to more eccentric, lively shades in some of the more frequented rooms - the living, dining, and entry rooms all fit a similar energy, much brighter and optimistic than many of the rooms surrounding them.

A single staircase led from the entryway to the second floor, which the Madame quickly ascended as she tugged at the frills of her dress - she cursed, for a moment obviously upset with the pomposity of her get-up - and turned, looking down the hallway which had cut into the walls portals to different rooms, each one designed to how the Renaissance saw fit for them to be. As she strode down the dimly lit corridor, the Madame looked from left, to right, then left again, into each of the rooms - private study, studio, bedroom - then to her right once more, looking into the closet, the door to which had been swung open, and a ladder had been unvelied from above, leading into a black expanse. After a brief pause, Saint-Claire finally lifted herself onto the steps of the ladder, pushing herself upward into the darkness.

As she finished her ascent, the Madame turned to face the one source of light in the attic, coming from the opened window from which the sounds of festivities rang in. She gazed about, letting her eyes fall on each upturned and destroyed painting, the canvas on many of them split and torn, paint and tools strewn about the space in a chaotic fervor. Finally, she spotted a red mass hunched over itself next to a blade cast onto the floor. The Madame let a hand fall upon it, and from it rose the tear-stained face of the Renaissance.

---

Cassandra Voss, Iseabal MacGilios & Madame Saint-Claire

---

Collab w/ @Heretic

---

Present Day

---

Cassandra had made her way to the house of the Renaissance, though it took her some time to convince the few Muses stationed outside that she was to be let in. After she had finally made it inside, however, the Madame had become another serious obstruction, which took further convincing to finally allow the Vanguard to see Isabel. Cass was led upstairs and into the studio, noticeably bare for what it was intended; the room itself was a white color with a single lamp hanging from above, and had placed at it's center a stand and canvas, which was turned so that one could not see it's painting from the door. From behind the canvas stepped Isabel, dressed incredibly modest in a gray floral dress, which reached down to her feet and wrapped around her ankles.

The Renaissance led the three of them downstairs, entering the living room at the rear of the house. After Madame Saint-Claire spoke quietly to a housemaid, the three of them spread throughout the room, the Madame sitting at the edge of a settee, Isabel in a polished rocking chair, and Cass standing in the middle. Though there was a bit of unease felt between the two Muses as the Vanguard refused to take a seat, they both thought better than to speak of it, until the housemaid arrived just a short moment later, carrying in tea.

"Have a drink, darling, if you'd like," peculiarly, Saint-Claire spoke kindly to Cassandra, pouring a porcelain cup partially full with the steaming liquid, sliding it across the short table toward the Vanguard.

Cassie nodded, whispering a quick "thank you" as she reached for the cup of tea. Maybe it would help to ease the anxiety she was currently experiencing, but she'd nonetheless remain standing.

Taking a long drink from her own decorated teacup, the Renaissance fluttered her eyes close as she set the cup back onto its saucer, lowering it down to her lap. After a swift sigh escaped her lips, Isabel finally let her eyes open, though kept her gaze lowered as she spoke. "So, I understand you want to speak to me about my marriage. Very well," her cold blue eyes lifted to meet Cassandra's before she continued. "What would you have me do about my husband?" Her voice was darkened and serious, which stung out at the air with a sharpened edge.

“Well for one, you can both try to get along. He's not easy, trust me I would know, but we all need this to work. The majority of Churchill depends on you too now." Cassie was becoming slightly irritated that Isabel was being so difficult in attempting to make her marriage work. Did she even care about her people? "If there's anything I can do to help, you just let me know, but you have to swallow your pride and fulfill your duty. That's how it is, and that's how it'll continue to be. It may not be something you want, but you don't have much of a choice."

Cassie took another sip of tea, eyeing the Renaissance as she waited for her to respond, almost as if challenging her. Isabel sat back, letting the curve of the wooden bands of her chair tilt her backwards as she tried to let her nerves ease. "You speak as if I'm at fault for your Spartan's brash behavior," though her words could have been an attack, the way Isabel let them roll from her mouth into the air gave off a strange relaxed tone, as if she were stating the obvious.

"Yet you truly wouldn't be so quick to think that as soon as I go to my husband and apologize for his behavior, then all of our troubles will go away," the Renaissance's gaze drifted about now, not entirely set on one thing to look upon. "I would think you of all people would see what disruption Theodore caused..." absent-mindedly, Isabel grabbed for her tea and took a drink, allowing a brief moment for Saint-Claire to pipe up, "the Vanguard have not taken this lightly, I can assure you. What ensures that there remains a balance of power within your faction? Only the blood of your own comrades. But, just how long can the King truly keep his crown?"

Isabel's eyes broke from their haze and locked onto the Madame, a coldness seeping into their already frozen color. Saint-Claire sat back in her seat, pulling her cup toward her lips to show that she was finished speaking. The Renaissance then reset her gaze to look once again at Cassandra as she spoke, her voice finally seeming to be properly distressed given the circumstances. "What would you have me say to him? What words will make their way past his ears so that he may finally find a meaning in them?"

"Have you even discussed each other's expectations for this marriage?" Cassie spread open her arms as she talked, a sign she was becoming increasingly agitated. "Because that's the first topic you both should have addressed!" Now pacing back and forth, Cassie took a quick glance at Saint-Claire, and she could have sworn the Madame would at the very least like to exchange a few words with her.

"No, you know what? It's fine. If even the sight of him repulses you, there's nothing we can do about that. But let's get one thing straight. You will at the very least pretend that this marriage is working, or we are gonna have some serious problems."

Without a second to spare, Cassie turned to leave the Renaissance's home. On her way out, she deliberately yet delicately placed the teacup on the entryway table before opening the door and shutting it close behind her in a rather brisk manner, leaving both women alone to react. They sat there in silence for a short moment, Isabel gripping the handle of her cup tightly as Saint-Claire sipped gently at her drink, letting the air still to a deafening quiet.

"I swear, it never seems to make much difference what you say to those lot," the Madame placed her teacup and saucer down on the table while she continued. "I do hope that that one doesn't become too great a problem, or I'd hate to have to--"

"Have the handmaiden prepare a bath for me," the Renaissance stood suddenly from her chair, placing her cup quickly beside the Madame's before she strode toward the front of her house, then to the stairs. "I'm going to go see my husband."

[beyond visions]

---

Theo Callahan & Carmen Comfort

---

First he locked the door of his room, Theo could not risk being followed. After doing so, he grabbed another key hidden under a mess of documents within his desk drawer. This key brought him to the trap door beneath his bed. Since, Theo was far too large to simply crawl under his bed, he first pushed it back, giving himself enough space reach the ladder this trap door led to. Descending down the ladder, Theo progressively made his way to the surface of this secret passage. Though, this passage was no secret to any of the faction leaders, nor to their second-in-commands, this lair was a safe room for them. Theo could never imagine retreating to the tight space if Churchill ever were under siege, he refuses to retreat when his colony is under attack. Yet the place did have it's uses whenever attempting to meet another faction leader in private...

"Oh so the rumors aren't so far off?" said the figure adorn in a rich, royal purple cloak. Carmen, let her hood easily slip off her bright blonde locks, before taking light and delicate steps towards the towering giant who slightly hunched his back over so that he may not bust his skull against the low rising ceiling. Of course these rumors that she spoke of pertain to the death of a particularly famous Overseer Captain. "Not far off indeed," Carmen gently tapped the metallic hawk pinned against Theo's leather jacket.

"Call it a badge of honor," his words were spoken in a deep, gruff voice, sounding overly tough. Carmen smiled at his response, stroking her fingers against the pin once more before resting her hand against her hip, "Oh I will." With a sigh, she lifted up a burlap sack, "But we are not here to gossip about the dead, that's a job for the Karma rogues. However, I am here to transfer the goods."

"Oh, Carm, I haven't yet--"

"Listen, Theo, you know I'm not expecting much from this, just keep it," Wrapping her palm around his, she lifted up his bandaged hand and guided his fingers to curl a firm grasp around the sack. Slowly he adjusted the focus of his blue eyes to make full eye contact with her pale, perfect face. "Then why are you helping me? Why have you been helping me?"

"Theo, I know your heart... I know what type of man you are-- one to kill and die for everything and everyone you feel so passionate about." Theo ruled with intensity, that was famously known, and will be especially known more when further news of Thrax's death spreads. He acted upon feeling, though since he has gotten closer to Carmen, Theo has put effort in relying moreover in logic by practicing in his own games of strategy. However, if Theo denied that it was his emotions that essentially lead him to his newfound, greater purpose, then he would be lying. "Yet I can only do so much for you, after all I'm not Isabel, I'm not your wife. Even as I support you now, I do believe that you will be crushed, Theo, this dream that I silently support, will be crushed by Isabel. She will not see the greater purpose in what you want, and instead she will believe that you are just using her for her own victories and pleasures." With what she said, there could be an offense taken, but Carmen was prepared to face even Theo's wrath with her sweet speech.

"So, you are only giving me your support to eventually watch me self destruct?" he questioned so bluntly, folding his arms in an expression of irritation.

"But who is it to blame, hm? Remember, Theo, you chose Isabel over me." Carmen sighed, there was no need for them to be uncivil and harsh, even if a bit upset over his decisions. As Carmen talked to him now, she communicated in a soft whisper, speaking to him in a kind tone. "And the life you dream of, the future you wish for, I am truly uncertain that your wife will ever give it to you. So I will."

As Carmen caressed her tiny fingers against the hazel strains of his beard, a giggle slipped passed her lips. In Theo's ears, it almost sounded like innocence, almost...

---

[Heretic]

---

Cassandra Voss & Reno Wylde

A collab between @Heretic and @Apollosarcher

---

"Hey, Reno!" Cassie jogged up to him to catch up. After an already intense morning, she was glad she had ran into him. But nonetheless, a part of her was somewhat skeptical about their relationship, and that scared her. What if they weren't on the same page? If she didn't have Reno to talk to, then she'd be on her on again, and probably alone for the rest of her life. As strong as she was, she couldn't handle that, no after the night they both shared and the potential it brought forth.

"So I may have convinced Isabel to sort things out with Theo. That's an improvement, right?"

Reno's cigarette hung from his mouth as he moved towards Cass taking her hand with his own, he didn't want last night to have been a one time thing. He knew they shouldn't be embracing openly but alone in a hall should be fine, they were far from prying eyes there. "That might not be enough... Theo murdered Thrax with his bare hands right infront of the man's Lieutenant." He added.

"He did what?" Cassie exclaimed, her voice carrying through the walls. She realized she'd have to go talk to Theo immediately, especially since she'd given him a free pass by assuming that the majority of the problems in his new marriage were due to Isabel.

"Tensions are bad but... We have to let the other two here go eventually and they are going to want payback." He answered, looking at Cassie for a moment. "And now I'm nervous about what's coming or what Theo might do tp keep them from retribution." He sighed and took the cigarette out of his mouth, crushing it with his foot. "By the way... I missed you." He mumbled, still holding her hand blushing slightly.

Cassie stared at Reno as he put out his cigarette and mumbled a few words that despite the strife about to occur, it made her smile nonetheless. "I...missed you too." She gave his hand a light squeeze, and then she remembered something, her expression suddenly displaying an inner conflict not previously present. "I have to go talk to Theo...and Rylan. I had agreed to leave my position for some time and go out into the field. But a lot is happening right now, and we have to figure out what's best for everyone, including us." She paused before she looked into his eyes.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"...I want to go honestly. Walk out of here and spend days riding around just being with you." He sighed. "But I need to be here, Theo needs someone speaking common sense and if need be a lawman to lead a muntiny." He sighed, looking at Cassie. "But I can give you something better than me... Charlotte likes you, when you go take her with you. She saved my life more times than I care to remember. She's the only good thing to ever come out of those wastes in my opinion."

He looked at Cassie before pressing his lips to hers for a soft quick kiss. "I say right now, we do what feels right but keep it a secret. No need to go telling everyone that you and I are a couple. If we have to, only then do we tell, otherwise we keep to ourselves until things calm down. I'm on my way to see Theo's wife, need to have a talk with the woman... She might be planning Alfie's death and with Thrax dead that cannot happen." He answered, he knew that one death could be forgiven but the murder of the two highest ranking officers among Overseers would mean war.

"Okay, please go prevent another death before it's too late," she smiled, letting go of Reno's hand as she walked away. "I'll consider taking Charlotte with me...I think she'd make a great companion on the field but I'd have to run it by Cap'n first. It's his world out there, and I don't want to interfere." Cassie stopped at the doorway and turned around to face Reno, and almost immediately relinquished the thought of her inevitable departure which would cause her to leave him so soon. "I'll see you later, okay?"

And with that, she was off to find Theo.

[beyond visions]

---

Turning Point: Lady Spartan
Theo Callahan & Cassandra Voss

Collab between @beyond visions and @Heretic

---

Lolo - Weapon For Saturday
_{"I am nothing but your dearest friend, I will keep your secrets locked up. I'm the one who can defend,
and I'm taking what's mine. I won't go down without a fight. You can try to tie my hands, I will break the knots around them. I got my sword and my shield. And I can see the battlefield..."}

---

"Just a second!" Theo's reply sounded sharply as he finished adjusting the leather straps of his spiked gauntlets. The man in his nature was a giant, though fully dressed in his armor, Theo was a tank. As each fist fit firmly into the gauntlets, Theo studied the spikes that protruded from the gauntlet's knuckles, recalling that it is the end of these knuckles that carve in the difference between life and death. His hand moved towards the knob of the door as his feet now adorn in metal boots brought him there. After unlocking it, Theo cast his blue eyes down at Cassandra Voss. Though perhaps it was his leather jacket that drew her eye, specifically the metal hawk pinned to his chest.

"Have you gone absolutely mad?" Cassie accused him after noticing the pin he had for display on his leather jacket. She pushed her way past him, decidedly not waiting for a response. "Tell me, Theodore, what the hell was going through your tiny little head when you killed Captain Thrax?" she continued, turning on her heel to face him before she closed the distance between the both of them. Cassie then pulled the pin off of his jacket. "Is this worth killing us over?" she shouted, throwing the pin against the wall with all her might.

As soon as the pin hit the wood floorboards, Theo tilted his head over to where it landed. Taking off his Spartan helmet and resting it in his arms, Theo turned back to Cass. "It would have happened... eventually..." the volume of his voice was low, yet grim and gruff, as if the only thing moving was his tongue and not his lips. Usually when speaking in this way Theo acts disdainfully bitter, yet his posture did not seem so. His eyes even, they were downcasted, reflecting his despondent behavior. "Cassandra, he's done terrible things... If I let that kind of man go without an execution, I would have been overthrown by not just us vanguards, but all of Churchill-- strung together in a riot." Tiberius Thrax was no blameless man, the cruelest among all past captains of the colony. In fact, Thrax conspired a riot to murder the last captain, Robert McGarth, for his leniency towards the convicts. Fifteen of Theo's soldiers fell under Thrax's influence to spark the riot. Indeed, it was the choice of the soldiers to help conspire in such, though they did not believe that they were helping Thrax, but that he was foolish enough to give them the chance to riot, the chance to let the riot backfire on him and escape the colony facade that is their incarnation. He played with their hearts and gave them false hope.

"But the gloating Theo, that was not necessary...I would have preferred you poisoned the man or something, you know, to avoid drawing any more negative attention to ourselves." Cassie sighed, ashamed as she realized that maybe she had overreacted given that Theo kept calm, oddly enough. She walked over to where the pin lay on the floor and picked it up, inspecting it for a moment before walking back to Theo. "Sorry, the day is not going as planned," she said, grabbing Theo's hand to open it palm up and place the pin on it, "I talked to Isabel, then I ran into Reno and I told him I was leaving...but hey, it's a new adventure."

With the pin now against the center of his armored palm, Theo lifted it up to his eyes, giving it one more glance before shoving the metal away into the pocket of his leather jacket. For Churchill, the pin was confirmation for all fellow citizens, though where he was he is going, he must be a man and let confirmation come from his own lips first. "Cass... I've decided that it be best...," he began, though paused midway through his sentence to let his right hand fall against her shoulder, to clarify the gravity and significance of his proceeding words. "That you stay and I go..." Theo felt this decision would benefit the entire faction and colony as a whole, it would not only relieve pressure off of the union between the Spartan and the Renaissance, but Theo could also rally support from the three other outer factions to eliminate the rising hoard of Outsiders. Recently, he has spent hours studying strategy in order to stabilize vanguard outposts that ultimately protect Churchill. "I must fight, and you must rule. So, here... I want you to have my helmet," He raised up the helmet, crowning her with it. "In my absence, you will be Churchill's Spartan."

Cassie was at a loss for words. She simply looked at Theo, stunned, as multiple thoughts danced around in her head.

"That's the reason you're wearing that armor, right?" she asked in a low voice, finally speaking after what seemed like an eternity of silence. Her breathing slowly picked up. Was she ready for such responsibility? How would people feel about Theo stepping down and giving her the reigns? She wouldn't have to leave Churchill, but she still had to deal with its problems, like telling Vanderbilt that his precious captain was dead. "I just have one question...if I'm the new Spartan, who's going to take my place? Who's going to become my second-in-command?"

"A second command? Let me tell you about your second command," Theo leaned in with his grasp on her shoulder tightened and his forehead now pressed against the Spartan helmet that she wore. "Don't let them... don't let them go. The sun may gleam gloriously and you may feel like a goddess, but the wax of your wings will surely melt," Theo never spoke like that, in such a poetic fashion that alluded to a mythic tale. Complex metaphors and flowery language are such things that always seemingly go over his head, yet now, it was as if he has been studying. "This is the tale of Daedalus and Icarus... and before it becomes the tale of Cassandra Voss and Theo Callahan, I will glide to the sun no more, lest you watch me plummet and drown because of my own ambitions." With the hand that did not rest against her shoulder, he curled his fingers around her palm. And with the bags under his eyes swelling with water, Theo gave a saddened chuckle, "Ha, I sound like a damn poet, heh ha, like it? Is it Isabel approved?"

"Isabel would absolutely love it," Cassie whispered sympathetically, giving his hand a light squeeze simply for reassurance. She'd never seen Theo so emotionally-driven before, yet somehow it frightened her. But then again, change had that effect on her a lot of the time. "But you don't have to worry about a thing here, with the vanguards that is," she changed the subject, taking a few steps back to take off the helmet. It weighed more than she expected, and it was growing more uncomfortable by the moment. "I'll take good care of them here, and I promise I'll do my best to not let you down." Cassie eased the helmet onto her hip, using her arm to keep it in place. She then smiled, one of those that indicated she was up to no good. "It'll be as if you'd never left..."

As an immediate reaction, a smile eased onto his chiseled face as he began walking towards the door. "Wear that title too well and I might not want to come back...," Theo laughed while suddenly facing back at her. With his hand resting against the door frame he did not just leave her with flattery, he left her with what he believed was the truth, "In the face of danger, you've got the valor, and I swear to you, there's danger in the politics of this place. But you've served under two Spartans, so I do not doubt that you know your way around it. Though, it is wise advice to say that both the muses and the masterminds are not as honest nor direct as us. You'll have to find your own way to read the Renaissance and the Victorian. Oh, and speaking of which-- Cass, try not to go for Carmen's throat while I'm gone. She's really not as... bad as she seems."

"Yeah, well, I'll believe it when I see it. But don't worry about the other two, we'll deal with them... Actually, Reno went to talk to Isabel a little while ago. He and I—we're seeing each other." Cassie sighed with relief. Theo would be the only person to know about their relationship, and for good reason. Given her newfound position, Cassie ran the risk of someone using Reno against her if they found out their status, and she simply wouldn't allow that. "Obviously this stays between us three. No one needs to be concerned with our personal lives, and that's the way it's going to be."

It is not often that Theo sees eye-to-eye with Reno, and perhaps never will, but if it was through that man that Cass found happiness, then Theo was not going to stand in their way. He had no right to. Upon hearing this news, Theo stepped back towards Cass to lay a hand upon her shoulder, leaning in to whisper, "I swear it on my head, your secret is safe with me. Though, you will know as you take this title, that personal never means private... This is a lesson that I will soon learn."

[beyond visions]

---

Carmen Comfort

---

_{Ft. Everett T. Netherwood}

---

"Carmen, my dear..." the Master Engineer whispered sweetly the name of his superior, laying a kind hand against her shoulder to console her. Though in her sulking, the Victorian shrugged off his palm with eyes remaining in constant stare with the window of her study. She watched as the once Master Physician, Thea Olivia Jackson, made her path beyond the walls of Churchill as diseased exile and a framed woman. "History... will remember her as a..." Carmen slowly lifted up her journal, a book that recorded history in her own perspective. She flipped through the pages, searching for her most recent entry before then reading it aloud, "A sick doctor who resorted to biological warfare in order that she infect the First Physician that came before her. Thus, securing the position for herself..." In consuming guilt, Carmen shut the book as a tear rolled down her cheek. Seeing this Everett grasped the Victorian's two shoulders, forcing her to face him as a he, her mentor, spoke sternly to her, "So you're going to just cry about this, hm? If you wanted the father of your child to remain secret, this had to be done, Carmen! She was beginning to know too much, after all the woman delivered Atlas in the first place. We should have gotten rid of her then. I fear others may gather the same suspicions."

"I have a orphaned her boy-- Thea doesn't have long does she?" Once the false evidence used to frame the doctor was found, Thea was trapped inside quarantine and forced in with the colony's sick and infected, in order that she would face a punishment equivalent of a crime she did not commit. After twenty four hours exposed to the diseased, Thea was stripped naked, exiled, and left to die in the savage wastelands beyond Churchill. Everett did not answer her question, to him, she need not to worry about the framed doctor. Instead he responded with, "I have a better question, will the truth ever be known?"

"The truth..." she began, with chin now slight raised. "Yes... But it must come from my lips only, and Isabel MacGilios shall be the first to know... though it may come at a cost of... perhaps her heart, or more..."

"Yes, indeed," Everett was delighted that Carmen seemed to retain her composure after the pep talk. However, he knew it would be better for the both of them that she not worry about appointing the next Master Physician, perhaps one of the most significant positions in all of Churchill. Everett knew of a doctor that could quite possibly prove to be a great asset in the upper ranks of the masterminds. "Yet, Carmen, my dear Victorian, you have already got your hands tied up in political and personal affairs. Let me be the one to push efforts on granting the role of Master Physician to a skilled doctor."

"Of course, of course, but to allow you to grant such a high position, you must be of higher rank and well... that's what I want, you to be my right-hand. The Wizard must have been a grand second-in-command for you as Victorian, though I have not grown to particularly trust him the same way I trust you." She would have commanded him sooner to fulfill such a role, though she has always had the fear of his refusal. After all, Everett was the colony's former Victorian before Carmen defeated him in a challenged match of chess, well, before he let her beat him. Though, she knew, all the plans plotted are now finally linking up, nothing can ruin this for her, not Thea Jackson nor Agoston Szabó. In a time as dire as it is, she needed people she could trust her life with, and the life of her son.

---

[Vashonn]

---

Iseabal MacGilios & Reno Wylde

---

Collab w/ @Apollosarcher

---

Reno's spurs jingled as the Marshal Dodge and Deputy Calico fell in step behind him as they entered the theartre. Reno took a look around at the room, curious as to where all the people might have been. Of course he knew Muse's were much more social mingling and working with the townsfolk. He could only imagine the gossip they could collect with all the places they could be at once. No doubt they probably had intel rivaling the Masterminds ability to spy and collect info.

Reno paused however spotting a disused banjo in the corner, he frowned a moment picking up an old banjo. Dusting it off carefully the Sentinel tuned it, trying to remember the cords carefully Calico peaked over his shoulder. "Heh, you gonna play us a song boss? Murder ballad and such love songs?" She taunted his taste in music as he turned around. "Keep mocking, and I'll make you do a song princess." He shot back at her moving up setting a small wooden stool up on the stage.

"Alright. Here's one my pop's taught me, he couldn't sing much else but he could get this one just about right." He smiled knocking on the wood as he began to play; he sang - the echo carried through the halls of the theatre. The song seemed to make everything sad, pain in his voice. As he sang enjoying the quiet of the room, only the people there were those he trusted, and he found music a better outlet than shooting people.

Soon he had finished stopping to set the guitar aside, thinking of the nights alone hidden from the world. Learning to strum a guitar and play the piano under his mother's constant and careful gaze. What would they think of him now? A killer of men, a lonely gunslinger, perhaps they would think of him only as their son and nothing more.

Silently, the door behind the lawkeepers crept open, bringing forth the Renaissance, adorned in an extravagent black and crimson dress, along with two of her personal Au Pair trailing behind her, both also dressed in a lavish manner. As Isabel strode down the aisle, she listened closely to the man's performance as he strummed out his lamentation. Stopping a few rows from the stage, she stood silently, letting the man only known to her as Sheriff play the song out; the air sat still for a moment, and she finally spoke.

"I'm impressed by your performance, Sheriff," Isabel nodded her head to him. "I hadn't thought of you as a musician, though I suppose we cannot be so quick to judge each other by our demeanor alone." She began walking down the aisle again, taking short, steady steps as she made her way to the stairs of the stage, paying little mind to how one of her maids broke off from the group and made her own way to the other side of the theatre, disappearing behind a dark wooden door.

"Though I'd be flattered to have you visiting for just a quick chat, I'm sure you, being the lawman, are here on business," the Renaissance stopped a distance from the group, her eyes drooping lazily behind her red mask. "If you've come to talk to me about my husband, I'd rather avoid the topic at this moment. I had already planned to meet him later today." Her voice was filled with an almost boredom, though there was a faint hint of annoyance in Isabel's tone.

"Reno Wylde or Tombstone, if you care for nicknames." He said, setting the guitar aside. "My mother was first chair violinists in Sydney Orchestra. Of course she could play anything she fancied, she had a bad habit of learning any instrument she liked." He spoke calmly standing up without so much as reaction to her sudden appearance. His deputy and marshall stepping to either side, as they looked like figures right out of film.

"No. I've not come to speak about the Spartan. I wished to talk about Alfie... And the fact he will be going back unharmed to the Overseers." Spoke the first Sentinel eyes meeting her's and locking. "Thrax is dead. There will be hell to pay for his death but the Overseers could attack with force if we kill both their officers." He withdrew a flask taking a swig passing it back to Calico who drank happily passing Reno back a cigarette.

Lighting his cigarette as he tipped back his hat. "If that's trouble I'm awfully sorry but I gotta do my job to keep the peace." He spoke fingers tapping against the grips of his pistol as always. "If that means posting guards on Alfie twenty four seven so be it but I am hoping we can be amicable." He spoke smiling as he drew his left pistol spinning them as if bored by the talks never bothering to aim it.

The Renaissance audibly scoffed, crossing her arms as she quickly drew tired of the Sentinel, having brought up the one thing she had attempted to keep off of her mind. "Surely you wouldn't think that sending back Thrax in a wooden box is going to make things easier between us and the Overseers, regardless of if Vanderbilt is in a box beside him? I hadn't planned on doing anything to the Lieutenant until I had my new husband sorted out," Isabel lifted her gaze in contempt at the Sheriff before she continued. "And frankly, I'm saddened you thought it best to come to my theatre and threaten me over actions I hadn't the opportunity to make." Isabel walked closer to the man, her maid remaining at a distance.

"I was thinking to actually invite the Overseers into our home, but your notorious leader has managed time and time again to let his brute anger get the best of him," her words were coming out quick and deliberate, fueled by an irritation that was nearly palpable. "Wouldn't it be significantly better for both of us to be dealing with the issues that are right in front of us, rather than seeking out new ones?"

"Miss, I have made no threats. I just know you have had past issues with the prisoners and I simply wished to let you know that due to Spartan's... Issue's. We can't allow you to have him." He stopped spinning pistol slammed it into the holster giving a slight bow placing his hat over his heart. "If I offended I assure you it was not my intent."

"I agree their are more important things to other people. But you'll remember the Spartan murdered a man in my custody. Which means I will discuss with Overseers how best to amend the issue." He spoke carefully here, words which could tread the path of sounding like mutiny. "I know the Spartan is brute and has caused this mess but since I am the only non-prisoner here I'm about the only one they will speak with without commanding things." The sheriff sighed.

"I didn't come for a argument for a fight more so just to be polite about the situation and how I'll have to handle it. I may speak with Carmen as well... And I'll speak with you all after I try to reason with the Overseers. I may be a Vanguard but I stand for all of Churchill." He took a long drag on his cigarette.

Isabel let her eyelids lazily droop down, cocking her head back as she took a deep breath. "Very well," She stepped back, her maid falling back in step behind her as the Renaissance made her way down the stairs of the stage. "I'm glad we decided to have this discussion, though I do hope our next interaction will be on friendlier terms," Isabel took a glance back toward the group on the stage, stopping near the same row she had stood to hear the Sentinel's performance. There was an odd smile upon the woman's otherwise blank expression, though it couldn't have been discounted as genuine.

"I do hope that, after this situation has been settled, I will still have my chance at judging Vanderbilt. It would be a shame to have gone through the trouble of capturing them, only to let them loose to wreak havoc on us again." With the peculiar smirk still fixed on her lips, the Renaissance made her departure.

[beyond visions]

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Vladimir von Wolfgang & Carmen Comfort

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Collab between @beyond visions and @Scarescrow

Frédéric Chopin- Funeral March

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_{Later that Evening}

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Carmen leaned against the edge of her balcony, sipping away at a glass of champagne as usual, even if there was nothing in particular to celebrate. "The Raven Follower" they call him, he was of the mysterious sort. Everett, now her second in command, highly recommended the nomad doctor. He has apparently made a few appearances within the colony, in study of Churchill's society. But now, Carmen was going to meet the creature, face to... mask. How muse-like of him was it to wear a mask, Why is it always the crazy ones to wear a mask? I hope he's not too crazy... Don't need another Isabel in Churchill... After refilling her glass, Carmen turned to be startled by him. He truly captured both his bird mask and his Raven title by the sudden perched position against the balcony's fence. "Well, Vladimir von Wolfgang... aren't you one for surprises?" Carmen's lips curled to form a smile as she skipped over to him, with the champagne glass swaying between her two fingers. "My second-in-command has spoken highly of the rumors that circulate around your name. But bird-man, impress me-- amuse me-- what makes you so special to be the colony's Master Physician?" She lifted up her glass to take a sip.

Without looking back, Vladimir von Wolfgang murmured. His voice filled with sadness, "I can see them all from up here. The children, the fathers, the mothers, the guards. I thought I was home, in a room filled with my love ones. But the Aggressive Decay came and left, leaving behind its path only death and those lucky enough to survive. And sooner or later, these people here are going to suffer the same tragedy." .

Turning back to let his eyes to meet hers, with the bird mask between the two, Vladimir speaks, "My lady, I can not offer you with any thing better than what remains in your expertise. But I'm the best at what I do, and all we need is for the Mastermind's influence to be increased. Maybe then, at that time, when you have everything in your control, then you could finally be free from your own position. To be finally liberated from all your chains.

Pulling a small vial containing a scarlet liquid out from his bag, for the first time in the conversation, Vladimir von Wolfgang's voice seemed to tremble, "And here is what going to turned the balance and win the favor of all of Churchill. " Through his journey following the ravens, Vlad discovered this as a implementation of the disease. The disease in that vial is not contagious, and it is not the cure for the disease. One time, he released one drop of this on one of his patient, and the patient spilled all what he knows. But with that information, there came the price. Those patients suffer a tremendous amount of pain, which resulted from mental deficiency to death.

Handling the small object with care, Vladimir's voice became normal, a small sigh could be heard when the weight of the object disappeared from his hand. "Now," Vlad said while relocating his mask, "I can join you in your mission to sabotage the other two factions. The only thing I asked in returned is for you to fund my project, curing the Aggressive Decay once and for all. Oh, and before I leave, Mrs. Carmen, do you have any question for me?"

Carmen lifted up her delicate little fingers to simply touch this vile vial. Her smile grew bigger, with teeth like a predator now exposed. "So... you're my little alchemist," Carmen let her fingers trail off of the glass and up his arm, till her hand met with the mask itself. "Though before I promise said funds... What does this little potion do?" After a tiny tap of the beak, Carmen let her hand rest back at her side. "As of now I need essence of insanity itself..." The Victorian leaned in to whisper, "There is a particular queen of another faction, who like yourself, enjoys masquerading in masks-- I need her to undo herself, for her to taste the same amount of lunacy that let her to murder her own family."

Vladimir von Wolfgang took out a heavy book, filled with speculations, notes, records and picture of those had die on his journey. Although unable to see through the mask, Carmen could have swore that the formation of his face muscles seem to resemble a grin when seeing his work. "The vial that you are holding contain 1% of the Aggressive Decay. I named it the Lesser Decay. Easier to manipulate compare to the Aggressive Decay. Apply one drop of this to anyone will make them to spill out every secrets that they hold. But the victim will suffer a tremendous amount of pain, resulting anywhere from mental deficiency to death. In some rare cases the victims would became insane. But for the most cases, the victims will always die." Closing the book, Vladimir continued his speech, but with a little excitement in his tone. "But for your request, Ms. Carmen, your case is a little bit tougher to crack. You required this victim to be lost of direction, paranoia, damage to the cerebellum and cerebrum region of the brain, while not contagious for other." While speaking, Vlad started to walk around in the circle. Suddenly, Vlad stopped to walk, his eyes look directly into Carmen's eyes. "Ms. Carmen, I will take your case. But you will need to give me a small DNA of the person you wanted to kill. A hair or something like that. And I will prepare other things for this. Although I can not guarantee that she will kill others in her faction, but I can surely bring her into insanity. Though, please remember, everything has its price. You are required to fund my project for the cure of the Aggressive Decay. And the vial containing the Lesser Decay you are holding, believe it or not, I do have a cure for it."

"The Aggressive Decay is light-years away from us in Collective Space. From what I have heard of you doctor, you're a child of this dusty rock we called Earth... I was never born here." Indeed, Vlad was a native of the home-planet. A wanderer and nomad is what she has heard whispered of him. Yet, strangely enough the doctor was intrigued by a disease plaguing a galaxy far from them. Carmen sought out to know why. "How can you even properly research a disease that does even exist within our own galaxy?" With their eyes still locked, Carmen began to pace him in circle just as he did with her. "What is your motivation? Do you ever hope to venture off into the TRAPPIST-1 system?"

For a moment, the room was filled with silent. The sound of the clock ticking, the breath of two sentient beings, the sound of the floor creaking under each step of Carmen. For a moment, the true sound of silence can be heard for Vladimir von Wolfgang. Vladimir didn't know how long has he been in that state. A second? A minute? Or an hour? Snapped out from the state he used to be, slowly but surely, Vlad answered each question that Carmen previously gave to him. "Ms. Carmen, I have dreamt of traveling to the TRAPPIST-1 system as a child. But not now, and what lies in the future remains in future. And for the disease that I am researching, I can not assure that they are identical until I see the record. But hearing from your previous question, these two "Aggressive Decay" on the TRAPPIST-1 system and "Aggressive Decay" on Earth are identical in many symptoms. Even though perhaps, there are still some differences to them, but that can be easily explained due to the differences in the atmosphere, different in the way of transmission,... etc. And for my motive."
There is an odd moment of pause before Vlad continued his answer. Vlad pulled his mask up, but still using his hand to cover his own face. The voice now sound more happier, with some chuckle can be heard from Vlad while he was talking. " Now, my motivation may sound irrelevant as first. But please hear my out. I am in love with the idea of death. My interest span from physiological, biological, and the idea of death itself. And an idea is immortal, for Frank Ocean once said, 'We all know we have a finite period of time. I just feel if I'm going to be alive, I want to be challenged- to be as immortal as possible. The path to that isn't an easy way. But it's a rewarding way.' For me, beating something as physiological as death is not going to be easy, especially when facing the Aggressive Decay. But by winning, I shall be remembered forever. And there is nothing better than playing a chess game with death itself on behalf of all humanity." Answering every question that Carmen put out for him, Vladimir felt something that he had never felt in a long time. The sense of a having a friend, of someone with the same thought, and the ability to share his secret took Vladimir a few minutes to calm down.
Having his emotions to settle, Vladimir pulled his mask down, the tone of a soulless person filled in every words he spoke. "Are you now satisfied with the answer I gave to you? I hoped that I had explain my reason clear. Now without my interruption, I wish you a good night." Vlad looked at his pocket watch, then raised his head, looking at Carmen. "Or may I say, I wish you to have a good day."

"W-wait!" her trembled in an urgent shout before he could walk out the door. "Wait..." She uttered now more softly, trying to hide her sudden attraction to this man. Even as he just spoke, she was lost in his words, she craved for him and not just for his knowledge that unraveled a sudden mystery about the Aggressive Decay on earth, but she has never had any true fascination with another man since the father of her child. Yet, to Carmen she has always been the one to dabble in the shadows with her net of spies, and because of the Karma Rogues, Carmen has been able to piece together some type of past for every colonist in Churchill. However, Vlad was not from here, she knew nothing about him, and to just be able to see just his lips for a second, peaked more than her interest, it induced a sudden obsession to know more. "I want you... Funds, resources-- you can have it, as long as I can have you..." Carmen then took steps towards Vlad. "And... and is it too much of a burden if I asked to you without your mask, even if it is just a portion of your face?"

The silent that once left the room, now returned to fill the place. The cool atmosphere of the night before was now starting to warm up. "The reason I wore this mask was to protect myself. But after a long time, I just don't like to see my face anymore. So I almost always wore this mask. Now, I no longer remember of the face of who I am, but only the face of who I was. But if it is your request, Victorian of the Mastermind, then I will show my face for you." Slowly, Pulled down his mask to his nose, the only thing that Carmen can see from "The Raven Follower" was that he has a brown hair, a small scar on his forehead, and a pair of blue eyes. But his image can only maintain for a few second before the bird mask replaced his face. "Please, consider this as a small payment for the favor that I own you for the wonderful conversation we had yesterday. And now, please allow me to leave the place." After bowing to the Victorian, Vlad walked out of the room, heading toward his caravan. Before losing his conscious because of sleep, Vlad murmured, "The raven is coming."