He
remembers his sister as the girl with fingers that
danced in constant movement, her laughter always an exasperated cough
like she swallowed mouthfuls of chimney smoke. He remembers
her reluctance & refusal to wear dresses. She dreamed of
being a writer; she dreamed of being an engineer. Succeeded in the
latter. A turian killed her. He begins to hate & to
lay blame.
His
only friends are dead, mercenaries fueled by a
like-minded cause.
Jack
Harper goes into isolation.
Alone,
he condemns himself. Alone, he must be. On a
self-piloted ship, he manages. He cuts away his identity,
transferring credits across accounts. This is his personal sacrifice,
his metamorphosis. He begins to write a MANIFESTO in quietude
with only the stars to keep him company.
His
downward spiral is a momentary affair. He pulls up a metal
seat in front of the vast window that showcases infinite space. His
chest heaves with a wistful sigh when he sits down. That worn
body slumps forward, heels of his palms digging into his temples. He
bites his lip until it bleeds, a crimson rivulet down his
neck. The whirring begins again, things beyond his CONTROL &
understand. Help him; he wants to UNDERSTAND so he can CONTROL this.
Mia’s
name is a melancholy gasp. Her only eulogy. She will not go
down in history; she does not deserve to be concerned. He spares her
his manifesto. Ben & Eva are self-righteous names;
he chooses to remember them as martyrs for his new cause. The
moment of ruin VANISHES! Gone without a trace. Out of sight,
out of mind, he fishes out a cigarette. Tremors seize hold of his
hand. It won’t be the last time.
Power,
he needs more. More biotics. More years tacked onto his
lifespan.
When
they hear his name, the collective imagines GREATNESS. Not once do
they imagine a young boy struggling to raise his baby sister.
Nor would they imagine brother & sister hopping from home
to home with Jack’s promise a single word:TOGETHER.
In
this foster home, his shoulders sag & little Mia wears a
guilty look. Her head hangs low when Jack learns to hold his
high, a challenge in his steel blue eyes. Mia’s blue eyes water &
they become shimmery like the Seven Seas on beloved Earth. A
man pretending to be their father asks about food & money,
staples for happiness. Staples for survival.
Mia
just wanted the best for them.
’
I swear to God, you’re gonna get what’s coming to you. Fuckin’ rats.
’
❝I
did it.❞
He
accepts blame
as a child, but never as an impervious adult. He stares up at the man
whose face fades from memory now save for his massive gullet that
trembles. He remembers the white t-shirt stained from sweat &
grease. A homey cliché. This boulder grabs him by the frail wrist
&
strikes his right cheek. Then, his hands until they become swollen
&
red, bruises blossoming throughout.
Only
eight
years old.
Morality
shapes
itself today.
Mia
learns to keep her hands to herself. Jack learns to step up for a
cause.
At the present time, your behavior is characterized by your need for autonomy of action. It is very important to you to be able to make independent decisions regarding the things you do and how you behave. You wish to apply your abilities, strengths and resources in the manner you find personally meaningful. For this reason, you maintain a good degree of autonomy, and you vigorously fend off the demands of others or their attempts to govern you.
Interpretation of the Colors You Find Most Pleasing
Of great importance to you now is…
…alert self-protection.You carefully scrutinize everything that crosses your path, and you don’t say yes to it until it has passed your acid test. You decidedly and resolutely fend off everything that could hinder your personal development, and you keep your distance from unpleasant people who try to manipulate, define or influence you. The thing you have consciously planned is…
…obtaining sufficient funds.
It is very important to you to have enough money at your disposal so that you can afford whatever you wish to have or do. For this reason, you are currently spending more time thinking about your finances, and you anxiously deliberate on how you could obtain the necessary money. The certainty that you have sufficient funds strengthens your sense of self-worth and helps you to meet other people with confidence. You have unrealistic expectations regarding your…
…relaxing favorite pastime.
When the difficulties of daily life or human interaction become too much, you prefer to retreat to your favorite pastime, a quiet hobby or into the world of your thoughts, dreams and fantasies. If you try to achieve the necessary balance to daily routine through a regular practice of meditation, you will find what you have actually been looking for: inner detachedness and peace. It would also be ideal if you could occasionally spend time in the great outdoors. You believe a particular help in achieving the inner peace you desire is…
…the wisdom to avoid risks.
You give careful thought to what you do and what you say to whom. You hide your emotions and objectives behind a friendly but inscrutable mask in order to protect yourself from unpleasant confrontations and criticism. Your caution and reserve can be a sign of intelligence but also an expression of underlying fears. It would do you good to reveal your emotions and fears to someone you feel very close to in order to break through the wall of mistrust that you have erected around yourself. When you are pressured by problems, your internal computer screen displays the recommendation…
“whatever happened working towards the same goal? i even feel ashamed that i’m keeping the fact i ever worked alongside of you a secret from shepard.” nothing about claire redfield’s words were condescing, on the contrary, they almost seemed hopeful.
❝Claire, that goal hasn’t changed. There’s been some minor… altercations to ensure the maximum amount of success. What Shepard doesn’t know won’t hurt. Remember that you won’t be saving one life, you’ll be saving thousands.❞
He taps his cigarette and counts to ten in his head, awaiting the moment she accepts the burden. She’s a martyr’s fire.
“And what would the leader of an anti-alien organization want from me?” Nyreen pondered out loud, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. The Illusive man always had an ulterior motive, the real question is; what is it? He wouldn’t ask for the Talons leader for a nice chat.
❝You misunderstand my intentions. I come to you in peace. Cerberus doesn’t warrant your destruction; we require your help. The Reaper threat is too powerful to ignore.❞
This was a man who could lie his way out of any situation. He stood tall, hiding behind this blue veil. His jaw grew tense. His entire body was a mountain that refused to budge, defiant against all that nature had to throw at him.
“You don’t understand humanity at all, Jack. If you weren’t attractive and a man, you’d be in terrible trouble.”
❝I know enough to keep humanity’s best interests in mind, doctor. I’m perfectly fine. Have your aspirations ever gotten you into trouble? You seem smart enough to be untouchable.❞
