For Jane
It was done. The Doma were finished. At least the corrupt, self serving, Human part of it was finished. The building, the symbol, the majestic structure that towered over the rest of the city; that still stood. Despite the scorch marks, despite the bullet impacts and despite the blood that now peppered its walls, it stood. Was that a good thing? Had the immense architectural colossus become a symbol of everything wrong with the elite of Novus-Kriyog? Or did it stand as an enduring symbol against those that would ever again try to sow harm and terror amongst the innocent?
Jane continued to ponder this as she stared up at the golden tiled roof of the landmark. The sun began to shine through the smoke and dust that had been kicked up during the final battle to take the Doma. She realised that she was probably one of the few around in the area who could actually stand to breathe normally; her government issued mask was still good for one thing. She had considered not using it before the skirmish - wearing a symbol of the Doma, right before you planned to overthrow them, came with risks. But at the same time it was too useful in a fight to not have it. Now that the fight was over it was probably best removed. As Jane took off the apparatus she took a long, hard look at the porcelain face that covered the front of it. It was meant to instil different feelings in different loyalties. Security, safety and pride in those who believed in the government. Fear, dread and horror in those that opposed it. She wondered if the face, like the building, could ever take on new meaning.
As Jane started walking up the steps along the edge of the tower to get to a higher level, a sharp pain shot up her left side. She looked down, and there it was; shrapnel had broken through her armoured clothing. Most of the heavy stuff had been kept out, it wasn't fatal, but enough had made its way through to cause significant bleeding. She would have time enough to find medical assistance. And whilst emergency crews would be on their way, the number of injured loyalists and rebels was extreme. The medics would need time to tend to them. Jane could wait.
The pathway from the public square to the private gardens of the Doma had always been a guilty pleasure. After a certain point only government employees, and specifically only those with the right clearance, could get through. The gardens had some of the best views out across the city, thanks to the buildings naturally elevated position, and tactical zoning laws meaning that no other building could obscure it. As Jane thought about it, it was likely yet another symbolic gesture, rather than something purely practical. You could see everything at this point; from the razor spires of the Kooling Ward out to the tranquil savanna just outside the city gates. She clutched her left side, keeping heavy pressure on the wound, making sure it didn't get any worse. She took her time traversing the marble steps, as the sounds of the ebbing chaos below gently faded.
As she got to the entry gate, Jane realised with a smile that it was locked. The power was still on in the building, so security systems shouldn't have been affected. She swiped her key-card, and sure enough, the gate opened automatically with a soft welcome tone. Without the mask, she could feel the noticeable difference in the air once she stepped into the gardens. Jane looked out at the artificial oasis. It was untouched, undisturbed and unaffected by the maelstrom of violence that had preceded. Her favourite spot was out towards the edge of the gardens, where the best views could be savoured. But it wasn't of the city. No. Jane had spent almost two decades working for the Doma; doing their bidding, silencing their enemies, and shaping history to their will. She could traverse the city with her legs bound and her eyes blindfolded. She knew every secret, every hole, and every sinner that occupied it. The view Jane savoured and enjoyed the most, in her quiet moments between threatening innocents and ending lives, was of the sea.
The ocean water was still as the evening sun hung low in the sky. A million orange diamonds reflected off the surface, dancing in space. Jane set down on the ground, at her favourite spot. Here, there was a large stone surface that protruded at just the right angle, so that she could lean back, and finally rest. Rest. It was something that hadn't seemed possible for the longest time. But she could rest now.
And yet, it didn't feel right. As she sat against her favourite rock, and stared at her favourite sight, Jane couldn't help but start to breathe heavy. It wasn't the injury. It was something considerably more significant. The weight of all that had transpired. The good, the bad, and the unspeakable. Although this wasn't the end of the struggle, and certainly not the end of the work she would need to do, it was certainly the closing of a long and brutal chapter that she willed would never be repeated. So much had happened. So many lives had been caught in the crossfire. Jane thought back to the start of it all. Her recruitment. The missions she carried out. Her allies. Ben. The shattering of the lies she had believed her entire life. The choice to make a change. The insurmountable effort to right every wrong.
It was just too much. She had stayed as solid a figure as she could be in the fight. She had to. Others looked to her for direction. For confidence. If she remained devout in their cause, resolute to what they were fighting for, they would prevail. And they had. Her breathing got heavier. She could take a moment. Or more accurately, she had to take a moment, as there might not be one later. Once the dust had settled, and the bodies counted, people would come for her. Both allies and enemies. She would face them head on, as she always had. But that would be later. For now, in this moment, this was for her.
And so Jane let go. She let her breathing speed up. Her face began to scrunch up uncontrollably. She couldn't open her eyes, or close her mouth, as much as she tried. Her head fell into her arms. The tears fell to the ground. She wept endlessly. A never-ending outpouring of all the guilt and elation and the everything in between that could not be accepted or confronted up until this point. The emotions that were put on hold because it wasn't the time or the place to deal with them. Because morale had to be maintained. Because things could have been much worse. Because when you thought about it, we were the lucky ones. Chin up, stay positive.
But not now. Now was for Jane. And she would take as long as she needed. Because she knew that after this, then they could start again. Where the bad blood of the past could be washed away. And where good things could finally be realised.
Jane continued to ponder this as she stared up at the golden tiled roof of the landmark. The sun began to shine through the smoke and dust that had been kicked up during the final battle to take the Doma. She realised that she was probably one of the few around in the area who could actually stand to breathe normally; her government issued mask was still good for one thing. She had considered not using it before the skirmish - wearing a symbol of the Doma, right before you planned to overthrow them, came with risks. But at the same time it was too useful in a fight to not have it. Now that the fight was over it was probably best removed. As Jane took off the apparatus she took a long, hard look at the porcelain face that covered the front of it. It was meant to instil different feelings in different loyalties. Security, safety and pride in those who believed in the government. Fear, dread and horror in those that opposed it. She wondered if the face, like the building, could ever take on new meaning.
As Jane started walking up the steps along the edge of the tower to get to a higher level, a sharp pain shot up her left side. She looked down, and there it was; shrapnel had broken through her armoured clothing. Most of the heavy stuff had been kept out, it wasn't fatal, but enough had made its way through to cause significant bleeding. She would have time enough to find medical assistance. And whilst emergency crews would be on their way, the number of injured loyalists and rebels was extreme. The medics would need time to tend to them. Jane could wait.
The pathway from the public square to the private gardens of the Doma had always been a guilty pleasure. After a certain point only government employees, and specifically only those with the right clearance, could get through. The gardens had some of the best views out across the city, thanks to the buildings naturally elevated position, and tactical zoning laws meaning that no other building could obscure it. As Jane thought about it, it was likely yet another symbolic gesture, rather than something purely practical. You could see everything at this point; from the razor spires of the Kooling Ward out to the tranquil savanna just outside the city gates. She clutched her left side, keeping heavy pressure on the wound, making sure it didn't get any worse. She took her time traversing the marble steps, as the sounds of the ebbing chaos below gently faded.
As she got to the entry gate, Jane realised with a smile that it was locked. The power was still on in the building, so security systems shouldn't have been affected. She swiped her key-card, and sure enough, the gate opened automatically with a soft welcome tone. Without the mask, she could feel the noticeable difference in the air once she stepped into the gardens. Jane looked out at the artificial oasis. It was untouched, undisturbed and unaffected by the maelstrom of violence that had preceded. Her favourite spot was out towards the edge of the gardens, where the best views could be savoured. But it wasn't of the city. No. Jane had spent almost two decades working for the Doma; doing their bidding, silencing their enemies, and shaping history to their will. She could traverse the city with her legs bound and her eyes blindfolded. She knew every secret, every hole, and every sinner that occupied it. The view Jane savoured and enjoyed the most, in her quiet moments between threatening innocents and ending lives, was of the sea.
The ocean water was still as the evening sun hung low in the sky. A million orange diamonds reflected off the surface, dancing in space. Jane set down on the ground, at her favourite spot. Here, there was a large stone surface that protruded at just the right angle, so that she could lean back, and finally rest. Rest. It was something that hadn't seemed possible for the longest time. But she could rest now.
And yet, it didn't feel right. As she sat against her favourite rock, and stared at her favourite sight, Jane couldn't help but start to breathe heavy. It wasn't the injury. It was something considerably more significant. The weight of all that had transpired. The good, the bad, and the unspeakable. Although this wasn't the end of the struggle, and certainly not the end of the work she would need to do, it was certainly the closing of a long and brutal chapter that she willed would never be repeated. So much had happened. So many lives had been caught in the crossfire. Jane thought back to the start of it all. Her recruitment. The missions she carried out. Her allies. Ben. The shattering of the lies she had believed her entire life. The choice to make a change. The insurmountable effort to right every wrong.
It was just too much. She had stayed as solid a figure as she could be in the fight. She had to. Others looked to her for direction. For confidence. If she remained devout in their cause, resolute to what they were fighting for, they would prevail. And they had. Her breathing got heavier. She could take a moment. Or more accurately, she had to take a moment, as there might not be one later. Once the dust had settled, and the bodies counted, people would come for her. Both allies and enemies. She would face them head on, as she always had. But that would be later. For now, in this moment, this was for her.
And so Jane let go. She let her breathing speed up. Her face began to scrunch up uncontrollably. She couldn't open her eyes, or close her mouth, as much as she tried. Her head fell into her arms. The tears fell to the ground. She wept endlessly. A never-ending outpouring of all the guilt and elation and the everything in between that could not be accepted or confronted up until this point. The emotions that were put on hold because it wasn't the time or the place to deal with them. Because morale had to be maintained. Because things could have been much worse. Because when you thought about it, we were the lucky ones. Chin up, stay positive.
But not now. Now was for Jane. And she would take as long as she needed. Because she knew that after this, then they could start again. Where the bad blood of the past could be washed away. And where good things could finally be realised.