Cautionary Tales

These were their final minutes. All ten of them looked at each other, checked their gear for the umpteenth time. Jack looked at them all. At the pain they had gone through. The training. These were his comrades. The final members of the Resistance. They were all that was left, and this was their final push. He looked over to Echo and they both nodded each other. Time to roll out. Their van came to a sudden, and unexpected halt.

From the front of the Van he could hear Teddy call via van-speakers.

Teddy - Gate Control.

As quickly, as the speakers flared up, they died down again. It was their signal. They just hoped that their signature would hold up. Everything they had planned for these past few months was riding on this. He looked at each of them once, nodded, smiled, winked.

Jack - Right. Everyone, time for action. Masks up.

On his command, they pulled up their skull masks, and prepared themselves. It was only seconds before the car would begin to move again. Placed into three teams of three each they´d then enter via the front entrance of the gala event, and bring to bear their weapons against the invaders.

As they could hear the creaking of the old iron gate, they knew they were in. The tension was thick enough to cut someone with. Then it was broken. Monroe. The Aussie, holdover from their Cell in Canberra, Survivor of the Battle of NoFran, the giant radioactive crater that made up Frisco nowadays, had begun to recite their mantra.

As the van pulled up to the entrance, 

everyone began to fall into the chant.

As I follow the light

And the enemy may lead me astray

All is well

And we will win

As Liberty and Courage are by my side

Always

The ensuing firefight was over quickly. They lost Smiler, Tweed and Monroe. The enemy was brought to heel, lost all their firepower. He ordered the others to pack up as quickly as possible, loot whatever they could, and shoot the hostages somewhere out of sight. He kept the most important piece to himself. The ambassador was wounded. A nearly fatal shot, from the looks of it. Nearly fatal. It was quite clear that he would survive, given enough time. These bastards could be nigh-in unkillable, if left alone.

Echo looked at him, pointed her weapon at the ambassador. He knew what she was about to ask. Grinned under the mask.

Echo - What ab

It was why he also knew that he had to cut her off.

Jack - We´re going to take him last. I want to interrogate the fucker first.

She looked at him. A long moment passed. The sound of gunfire in the distance. The remaining, less important hostages had been shot. Media attention was guaranteed. She then looked away. Moved to the outer perimeter. Left him alone with the ambassador.

Jack looked at him. It. Up close, it looked even more distasteful. Like a bad dream come hangover morning made real. Disgustingly unreal. He moved closer.

Ambassador - Wh...y....why...do....you....do....this? We came....in peace....we brought you prosperity...

He grinned. He knew where this was going. He waited a long time for this moment, in particular. 

Jack - You´ve taken our freedoms. You´ve taken our leaders! YOU`VE TAKEN OUR HOMES! OUR CULTURE! HOW DARE YOU CALL THIS PROSPERITY?!

Ambassador - Before...we came...you were....in flux....we stabilized your....world...your leaders asked...us to step in....

He stepped closer. Close enough, that he knew that a single whisper would carry.

Jack - I know. But I´d rather see Earth burn by our hand, than prosper under yours.

He put his gun to the ambassadors ....even in his mind, he could not justify to call that a head. Where they knew that the things thoughts sat. And pulled the trigger.