I hope everything has been well? I wanted to check up on you, perhaps even stop by with some drinks as a gift, if you're interested.
I apologise that I haven't been in contact earlier, I've been a little occupied with a variety of tasks. Some of which that have been a little risky, but I thought I'd take the time to catch up on all of my familiars before I venture off again into the Houses.
It may be of interest to forewarn you that Shozak may attempt to prey on you to use as a tool for his 'war against me'. Saw him try to go after others, presumably to try to barter with them.
Some admittance to be had... I have missed you, and your simplistic ways of sorting out other fools. I've pondered some things, particularly your approach regarding these things, oh - it would be so much easier to kill foolish ones rather than try to steer them onto the right path.
But none of that matters at the moment. I'm interested in knowing if you're safe and doing well, which I hope you have been thriving?
The comm feed opened before the connection had been properly established, a blur of rolling unidentifiable objects flicked across the feed, masked to the eye and ear by bursts of heavy static. The disruption and faulty feed began to clear with a slow crawl away from the uncomfortable noise of the interference, emerging from the artificial fog, replaced by perhaps an equally uncomfortable silence as the red glare was barely captured by the camera. Seems even after three years that faulty optic still had yet to be replaced. Though it undoubtedly would not escape Revenant's notice that his communications rarely if ever started in absolute silence. Emerging from that silence came a repetition of one of the words she had spoken.
"Familiars."
A pause, another slow crawl towards silence, the only familiarity in this behavior was the unblinking gaze, and the artificial growl added to the voice via faulty comm link-up.
"A rather outdated word after so long, Revenant."
"First Lazurith emerges without your mark in my hunting grounds, not a full day passes and here you are. As repetitive and convenient as it ever was."
"While I acknowledge the otherworldly miracle delivered in the form of you finally realizing the value in my approach, I will not deny how late it has come. Nor the endless collection of tumors that flourished, unchecked, and tended alike as a result of that. Nor the consequences, of which mostly I, and my people were forced to suffer on your scientist's behalf."
A momentary pause, to perhaps allow those words to sink in. Or perhaps a moment to think.
"Sh'ozak is still just as predictable as any of the starlight newborn are, it seems. His continued schemes are hardly of any consequence to me, nor a change from his typical behavior."
"If you and your cultists, be they machine hearted tyrants, or nomad worshipping infants, do not have anything to provide me or my pack that is worthwhile or gives reason to tolerate your presence in our home. I see no need to continue this conversation."
What? What has transpired now? Cultists? What are you on about? I know about Lazurith running away, wants to live his life as 'Freelance'. But did he do something? What tumors? These anomalies were inevitable, sadly, with or without their lives continuing.
[They obviously became off-guard, if not afraid, upset, confused and lost at what is transpiring. Completely oblivious as to why he may be upset.]
... But... Why... do you not see me as an individual anymore? We both spoke many years ago, and we knew that our... occupancies would get in the way in some regard, but to even... push me aside too? I'm afraid I'm failing to understand here, Wolf...
"I've said this to many before, by way of pushing off unfair judgement of the self. /We are not ourselves when desperate/. For how long have you been desperate, Revenant. From all that I've seen, it appears to be from the very moment you understood your life was forfeit. You have not accepted your mistake, you have clung to others, sapping them of life, of sanity, of hope, just to see some speck, a glimmer at the end of the tunnel, that your life may not crumble to dust."
"Then allow your rage to consume you. When their behavior puts that manipulation in jeopardy."
"Kimiko. Lazurith. Vincent. Caliban. Aspen."
"The rage that consumes you, is the rage of a dying animal, that scorns the darkness creeping up on it as the light begins to fade. The revelry of destruction, a symptom of self loathing, of which you have struggled with for quite some time. You know what it is that you do. You've questioned it countless times."
"You have not been yourself, since before we ever met. Your life, is nothing but desperation and delusion."
"Kimiko and Sh'ozak certainly did a number on my mental, oversteps that I barely recovered from, perhaps I did not deserve a second chance, perhaps you do, yet, /life isn't about deserving, it never was/."
"From the moment you turned your weapons against me, claiming some "implant" forced you to do it. I have not considered you an individual. You, are a slave, of which I spent far too much time attempting to break from its shackles."
"You have been right about one thing, however, Revenant. It seems all are fated to betray and turn against you. The problem is you never cared to understand why, as ever, the mind that seeks enlightenment, is blind to all those /beneath it/, void of self-awareness or understanding of others."
"You always wanted to be more than you are, to unlock the secrets of the stars, to understand all there was and yet to be, your fatal flaw was dismissing your humanity, and failing to understand that you yourself were not above the pitfalls of our species."
"Though at this point, both hives and now some orphaned elder playing at god have violated your mind so far beyond repair I'm genuinely shocked you even remember my name all these years later."
"You don't even remember how you got here."
"This journey was a doomed effort from the start, the moment you let that thing inside of you, you've used everyone around you as a tool to further your own goals. You've been around this wretched universe of ours long enough to know your hope is misplaced."
"If you require proof, you need look no further than the fact you sold your soul to your husband's greatest enemy for the lie of salvation."
"You and I have cheated death for far too long, what separates us is that I would sooner die, than kneel and beg to be saved."
"Your only hope of a peaceful one now is to take matters into your own hands."
"Die a free woman, or continue clawing and begging for every inch that alien will give you towards eternal servitude."
All have died - rebirthing themselves anew with temptations, twisted themselves from paranoia, fears, trying to bare the burden of others rather than heed caution and advice. To be addicted to their own visions and illusions of revenge. But you?
You clearly did not understand. Desperate? Sapping? Usurping their hope? You are truly humorous, Wolf. I have told them the key to maintaining their composure, that they should keep afar from the Sentinels, the anomalies that grew stronger and stronger. They did not listen. It is upon them as they inflicted harm to themselves, after I warned them that meddling with it would cause pain.
But you? You pushed me as much as you helped me. You hurt me. You comforted me with your points of view. You spoke as if you were higher than others, swallowed within your own ego, that you are the one who gets to determines others fates, that you would end my life over such meager things, despite my willingness for patience. And all I ever had shown you in return was loyalty, was my care for you, Wolf. Why are you suddenly having a problem with me now and not before the time I had to leave for my expedition?
Tools? Furthering... what goal? Oh /stars/ - what a terrible revelation you have unveiled from me - I opened up myself to you, I trusted you with my vulnerability, I gave you my affection, I risked my life for you, I almost died for you, I made a vow with you -- I stuck to it, how we were so similar... yet so different... But why? In order to achieve... what, precisely? What am I scheming here, Wolf? We had an understanding, we did so much together. And I did it all because I admired you, I found you fascinating. Forgive me for trying to care for you and ensure you are well.
Ultimately, I am myself, Wolf.
Harbinger doesn't control me. Death doesn't. No one does. I don't care about the Vault, as much as it intrigues me, I am more than capable of calling it off if I so desire.
And I found out the truth regarding Hunt.
But ultimately, I. Am. Not. His. Tool. I. Do. Not. Need. To. Adhere. To. His. Dreams. Of. Destruction. I am my own person, I can come to determination and understanding of what and why these things happen. And nor did he desire it, Hunt always wanted me to follow my own heart. The conflict between him and Harbinger was a means of neutering a grave threat. Hunt did not take it to heart. I found his journals. The truth is, Harbinger was right to strike him down. Hunt was going to get several others harmed with his fixation for revenge, for power.
Those others who turned? They are weak and arrogant, who want the easy answer, only ending up to inflict pain to themselves. The quick and easy solution is not always the best one.
But if you want to turn? To abandon me too? I had hoped we could spend some time together to talk about the finer things in life, rather than putting onto mind of these 'grand motions' - perhaps treat you to a new recipe I have learned. But I suppose not.
Time after time, I am only being proven once again, that people will always fail to prove their point of paranoia, their supposed warning without evidence. Is Harbinger evil? Life being black and white? There is no evidence. There never was any. It is all grey, always has been. I have done so much to ensure that there is a fighting chance against the upcoming storm.
Yet it seems Humanity is insistent on me going against it. And true, we all suffer the same, but I suffer through the knowledge that I /need/ to continue - to eventually pave that path. That is determination. To ensure we all get a chance to be ultimately be permitted to fight for one's survival rather than face unstoppable annihilation. Bu-
[They threw their arms up in a shrug. A complete dismissal of trying to further explain anything more, giving up as their arms settled down again.]
You traitorous bastard. Of course you wouldn't keep up your end of the vow. Ending up like every other Human alleyway scumbag, subjecting yourself to speculation and paranoia. This is the lie you want to live in. This is what YOU wanted.
I'll be more than happy to prove you wrong when I finish my task.
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