Solitaire 2 - Jarrick
From Xinda
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Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The Second Part of the series looks at Jarrick's leass than triumphant return to Trodenhiem and reveals the truth behind Emperor Konstantin and the Imperial Family of Trodenhiem.
[edit] Part 1
"Well it seems very clear to me!" Cried Vinzo down the phone, "This is suicide sir, he'll kill you the moment you pop up on the radar. You should know that no-one, especially not wanted men such as yourself, can get into Trodenhiem without the Emperor hearing about it!"
"Looks like I've managed it though Vinzo," came Jarrick's dry rasping voice, a voice that could send chills down even the bravest of men's spines, the strange emphasis at odd places in the sentances, "I'm here right now, in fact, turn around."
Vinzo turned and the site that met his eyes stunned him to silence, there just outside his office door stood Jarrick himself, dressed in his old black military long coat, his scarred face partly hidden by his Commissar's hat. There was a clicking as his prosthetic limb moved to push open the door, and odd smile of satisfaction on his face.
"I bet you didn't expect me to get this far, well Vinzo I did. Its amazing what you can achieve with the right tone of voice is it not," Said Jarrick his voice still papery it reminded him of the old mummy films, "Anyway I'm here now and I want to see Konstantin. So arrange it for me will you, I must leave before someone notices I'm here."
Fletch continue to do the benchpresses, 3442...3443...3444...he could have carried on for longer but Drax came and stopped him. Drax was an odd character, even stranger than the eccentric Sedt with his odd mannerisms. Drax did everything with absolute precision, skill and the maximum exertation of ability possible. His style was one of absolute precision, precise measurements of power, he dressed to match, crisp suits were the order of the day. His speech was the strangest thing though, his tone perfectly measured as with the volume...
"Its time to see how good you and Daphne really are. Come on get ready and let's go."
[edit] Part 2
"Ah Drax, its so good to see you again," Said Jarrick his features distorting into a wicked smile, "I had rather hoped the Emperor would show up, but it seems you can't rely on these people for thier punctuality. I'm sure he has other 'commitments' to see to."
The wind whipped about Jarrick's longcoat. His chosen meeting place was so like Jarrick. Geddon was a big place, but the lower levels were restricted to those that guarded the Under City prisons below. This open air metal catwalk with the decor of rusting metal and industrial pipes, with the sounds of a city above and the sounds of a violent prison below, it stank of Jarrick.
"You came allone? I'm surprised to say the least, but then you are full of surprises aren't you father." Said Drax staring hardly into Jarrick's eyes, there was a gasp of shock from Fletch and Daphne behind him, "I had expected more for an attempt on Konstantin."
"I would never kill your dear brother, neither of them. Never, he may have turned his back on me, but no-one's betrayel was quite as absolute as yours. I trusted you above all others, you were my eldest, my heir, and you spat in my face and joined Konstantin," Spat Jarrick venomously, "This was not an attempt on his life, it is vital that I talk to him about the Project. He must know..."
"He knows everything, he knows enough!" Drax retorted rawing his pistol and longsword, "And so do I, enough to know what must be down! Daphne go and tell the Emperor, Fletch, you stay and watch my back okay!"
With that he jumped at Jarrick, his eyes blazing with hatred, his movements graceful and perfect. But Jarrick was like a god among men, he simply side stepped, catching the reverse thrust of the sword with his prosthetic and spinning Drax to the edge of the catwalk. He drew a large pistol from his coat and fired off three shots. The recoil showed, the impacts threw Drax from the catwalk and he tumbled uncontrollably down into the abyss below. Fletch was about to rush forward and avenge the death of his teacher when Jarrick threw him back shattering his advanced prosthetic in the process.
"Enough!" He yelled angrily, "This is family business and has nought to do with you. I suggest you leave and tell dear Konstantin of Drax' fate at my hands. I have no doubt he'll have a replacement, but the news should be symbolically devastating. Tell him that next time I ask to meet him, he should meet me in person and allone. Now go before I change my mind and deliver the message myself."
Drax fell, the distance was mindblowing. He tumbled past pipes and walkways and old buildings...occassionally he'd hit a walkway but the momentum was so great he tore right through. Just as he began to feel as if he'd be falling for ever there was a heavy impact and everything ended. Drax did not experience what happened next, he was already dead. He had hit a pipe, but instead of smashing through it had stopped his fall, however he'd landed on his back, and the force had broken it in two and he now hung stretched around it, broken before the wind blew him from it, tumbling down into the Under City where his body landed in a river of industrial waste and was never seen again.
Jarrick left the walkway dissappointed. He'd believed that Konstantin would have come in person. He hoped desperately that he'd be able to explain and warn him of the dangers of letting Zhukov loose on the Project. There was more than just his own position at stake, if Zhukov was given ample time he could continue the experiments and create...it didn't bare thinking about. Konstantin had been the farthest he'd ever taken the Project, the farthest, he now realised, that any man should take it without playing God completely and creating the near immortal...it was possible, but Jarrick hadn't dared go any further. But Zhukov, he'd go as far as he wanted...it'd take years but he'd do it eventually, and when that happened...
He'd see Konstantin if it was the last thing he did!
[edit] Part 3
Fletch ran for his life, he had no idea whether or not Jarrick would follow, but seeing what he did to Drax didn't make him want to hang around one way or the other. If what he'd heard about Jarrick was even halfway true he knew that trouble was ahead, he was a man with an extraordinary knack for surviving the unsurvivable.
The walkway clattered beneath him as he ran, it groaned and creaked under his weight. It wasn't going to give he knew so he tore on faster and faster, there was no looking back, he had to warn Konstantin of Jarrick's presence in Trodenhiem before Jarrick could cause any serious problems. Not that killing Drax wasn't major, but he was fearing some mass national problem, possibly an uprising or the assassination of Konstantin, but he doubted Jarrick would. It seemed he had some sort of lingering affection for the Emperor it now emmerged was his son!
Jarrick attached the replacement prosthetic in the place of the one that had broken in his fight with Drax. It pained him that he'd had to kill the boy, but it was necessary, despite the fact that Drax wasn't a naturally born human it didn't chnage the biological link between them and his instincts screamed at him as he had fired the bullets that had ended his son's young life. From a rational viewpoint he knew Drax would be back, but unless they found the old Drax' corpse there'd be huge holes in his memory.
As he knelt hunched over his new prosthetic something tapped him on the shoulder. Turning his head slightly he say the long blade of Sedt's rapier, sighing he stood slowly letting the pistol fall to his feet, he then kicked it away off of the catwalk.
"I didn't want to kill him you know, but he forced my hand," Said Jarrick as he put his hands on his head, "It is vital that I speak to Konstantin, that I warn him. Can't you see...? Zhukov is too dangerous to put in command of the Project, have you any idea what he'd do with those resources at his fingertips?"
"I'm not here to talk, I'm here to take you to Konstantin. Clearly if you're willing to kill your own son to speak to him you must be serious, I know you'd never do it lightly." Whispered Sedt, anger edging his voice, "So you're coming with me, let's go, and no tricks!"
But before Jarrick could reply there was a heavy clatter as a man dressed in the uniform of a Trodonian General slammed down onto the walkway, lifting up the handaxe in his right hand he swung it at Sedt and knocked Jarrick behind him with his free hand before drawing a shortward.
"Vitori!?!" Gasped Sedt, his eyes widening, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Protecting our father from you!" Yelled Vinzo angrily, "I'll not see him dead by your hand!"
"Vitori, no!" Cried Jarrick, but it was too late, Vinzo hadn't heard him and had launched at Sedt. Armano was vastly superior to Vinzo in skill and strength and with a flick of his rapiers he laid Vitori low with a neat x slashed in his chest. Vinzo fell back collapsing on the catwalk.
"So he was working for you! Who else do you have working inside Konstantin's government? How many more brothers do we have?" Demanded Sedt forcing Jarrick to his feet, "Any sisters you neglected to mention?"
"I...I suppose its time I told you two, together..." Said Jarrick, visibly shaken, "I'll explain everything, just please let me see Konstantin, once I'm done, I'll go and never bother you again! I promise."
Some time later Vinzo got to his feet slowly. Blood trickled from the deep wounds in his chest, but it'd take more than that to finish him. He ripped his shirt and bounded it tightly about the wounds to staunch the bleeding before gathering his weapons and leaving. It was clear he couldn't return to Konstantin...
"Such a shame Vitori, I really trusted you, for all your heavy handedness."
"K..." Gasped Vinzo turning around and coming face to face with his worst nightmare, "Khaine? How the hell did you...?"
"Come now Vitori," Said Khaine tutting, "If I told you that, you'd be able to do it, and that wouldn't do."
"I...you...you're dead!"
"Oh yes, the CU, dear deary me, thought you'd disposed of me when you had me locked in at that fuel depot when the CU fleet bombarded it?" Mocked Khaine stepping into the light, his scarred and heavily tattooed features showing Vinzo just what kind of monster his brother had become, red eyes flashed malignly in the sublight and there was a cruel smile on his lips, "Its a shame, had you succeeded, I'd have been gone for good, but I'm here and now I'm going to have to deal with you lie Sedt thought he had!"
"Over my dead body!"
"Dearest brother," Mocked Khaine once more, "Look down, it soon will be."
Vitori looked down to see Khaine's fist punched clean through his chest. The tattoos all over Khaine's body glowed red briefly and Vinzo slumped forward into the brother he'd once loved more than any other. Khaine removed his arm and licked the blood from it before collecting Vinzo's blood in a metal bowl and drinking it. He shuddered a mad glint flickering in his peculiar...almost unique red eyes.
[edit] Part 4
Konstantin looked at the man he had once lovingly called father, anger and hatred welled up in his deep red eyes. This was a serious occassion and there was no call to hide the peculiarities from the man that had created him. It was clear to Konstantin that Jarrick meant business, he'd come to Trodenhiem, he'd killed Drax, but spared Fletch and Daphne, something was getting to even Jarrick and he knew for a fact that it must be serious. Jarrick valued his own life above everything else and he wouldn't risk it if he meant nothing by coming here.
"Sedt tells me you have some questions that want answering, so I suppose I'll start shall I, your siblings are Alejandro Drax, Armano Sedt, Vitori Vinzo, Fletch Reise, Daphne Reise, Khaine and Clara Verdun. The eldest is Fletch but he only has augmented strength and instincts. Of those Vitori, Drax and Khaine are now dead. Though I've no doubt you'll bring back Drax." Said Jarrick, his voice every bit as terrifying as ever, "Fletch is the eldest, strength and sensory modifications, then Drax, speed, strength, agility and sensory, then Sedt, the same but to a far greater degree. Then Vinzo, strength and agility, then Daphne, Intellect, Instinct, Sensory, Strength, Speed, Agility, Dexterity, Then you and Khaine, twins, the same as Daphne but to a greater extent however something went wrong with Khaine and he acquired a homocidal madness. Finally there's Clara, she is the true truimph of the Project, immensely powerful but extremely unstable and volatile mentally. That's why she's held in a hidden facility, she's too dangerous to let out of the tank."
"Wait you're telling me Khaine is dead? Since when! I thought he was deep cover, working for you!" Said Konstantin as he absorbed what Jarrick was telling him, "How can he be dead?"
"He was not working for me! I realised if the truth of him came out he'd threaten your position of power so I had Vinzo remove him at Exxon." Replied Jarrick a cold as ice, "Yes Konstantin I maintained your power for you!"
"I don't need your help, you belong to the past! Now tell me what you wanted to warn me about and go!" Yelled Konstantin suddenly angry, "Come on you didn't come here for a nice little family chat!"
Khaine watched proceedings from outside, he didn't know what was being said, but he knew for a fact that he wanted to kill every damned one of the scum in that room. He shifted his weight ready to jump in and surprise his family.
[edit] Part 5
The window shattered, alarms blared and Sedt jumped into a ready position but stood shocked as he saw who it was that had so inelegantly interupted proceedings. There covered in glass, blood staining his right arm was Konstantin's mirror image. He stood with a smile of pure malevolence on his face.
"It is such a cliche that there's an evil twin and a good twin, so let's make this short shall we?" he said taking a mocking pose and tone as he removed his T-shirt showing off the mirror tattoos of Konstantin, "Oh yes, very soon there shall be just one where there were two!"
"Khaine? But how..." Gasped Jarrick, "Y-You're dead!"
"Quiet old man, its your turn next! But you are not allowed to speak to me you freak!" Screamed Khaine, "I will have your blood, and then I will be the only one! First I'll kill your most beloved son, then I'll kill you, and who knows who else!"
With that he seemed to jump instantly from his position to Sedts, a skullcrushing punch sending Sedt sprawling out cold to the floor.
"Not your turn yet dear brother!" Said Khaine sadly, "Can't have him interupting can we Kon! Wouldn't do, this is between you and me!"
Khaine sped forward once more almost blinking between the two places, his arms plunged deep into strong human meat grabbing at the kidneys he tore them right out leaving the body to fall to the floor out conscious from the pain and shock. Khaine looked smug for a second and then looked down at the kidneys and then the body before staggering back a look of horror on his face as a dagger protruded from his heart. He utter a single oath before turning and fleeing through the broken window.
Konstantin screamed in pain and devastating sorrow as he knelt down to the one person who had loved him for the freak his father had made him. Two great holes in her abdomen were bleeding violently. Fletch flung him aside and picked Kathryne up weeping slightly as Daphne kept an eye on Jarrick. Fletch then ran with Kathryne in his arms through the guards and staff that had rushed to the scene, he pushed them aside uncaring and finally reached the Imperial Infirmary.
Konstantin was on his hands and knees, his sobbing abated slowly and he looked up out of the window, his hair hanging over his face in wet rat tails a look of absolute hatred and rage plastered his handsome features, he launched himself out of the window into the night. He would avenge what Khaine had done to the most beautiful woman to have ever enter his life.
[edit] Part 6
Konstantin could sense where his twin was going, it was on a higher instinctive level. He'd have his vengeance one way or another. No-one, but no-one harmed his love in this way, and now he would make sure Khaine paid to ultimate price. He wasn't thinking straight he knew, in fact he wasn't thinking much at all as he jumped from ledge to ledge in pursuit. His mind was dominated by instinct now and driven by rage. He wasn't about to let Khaine go.
"Will she live?" Asked Fletch desperately, he'd rushed her straight to Dr Zhukov in the Palace infirmary. He was covered in blood, the flow of which the Doctor had now stemmed, and needless to say he wasn't happy.
"For now," Replied Zhukov coldly, "But I can't guarentee the permanency of that. If she reacts badly to the drugs then it could be a matter of mere hours, but everything looks okay at the moment, I have here on artificial kidneys, but..."
"But what Zhukov?" Cried Daphne trembling, "Will she live or won't she?"
"She'll require extensive surgery to replace the Kidneys and repair the damage." Replied Zhukov unphased by Daphne's interuption, "Unfortunately the kind of surgery required would kill any normal human such as her and we only perfected it to save the likes of you."
"Then she'll die!" Said Fletch falling to his knees, "Its hopeless."
"Not quite, we can do one thing, but its our only option..."
Konstantin's fist ploughed into Khaine's face sending him tumbling backward across the rooftop. Khaine's tattoos glowed red as his own blood spilt upon them. But even as he fell he righted himself, landing on his feet and sprung back at Konstantin only to find himself flung aside by a casual backhand. Khaine tumbled dazed, not by the blow, but by the ease with which his brother had managed to pull it off.
"You! You killed her!" Yelled the Emperor picking up a length of heavy pipe that lay on the floor, "Now I'll kill you!"
"She got in the way!" Spat Khaine, "You were the only one who was going to die in there! Now you'll just have to die out here!"
With that Khaine lunged forward at Konstantin only to find himself thrown back again a bone crushing blow dealt by the pipe across his face. He lay there, uncnscious and unable to move as Konstantin moved in for the kill. Just then a bright light enveloped the rooftop and the sound of a helicopter reach Konstantin's ears over the deafness of battle.
"Your Majesty, its not safe here, you must come with us!" Came a voice over the loudspeaker on the helicopter. Konstantin turned to lay down the killing blow only to find that Khaine had gone, he searched the rooftop quickly, but found no trace of him before getting on ther helicopter and leaving.
[edit] Part 7
"Where on Paradisia is he!?!" Yelled King Aaron, who had rushed over from Forthampton the moment the news had been sent, "I demand to see him and I demand an explaination!"
Aaron had arrived to find his daughter lying comatose, hooked up to a number of machines with two nasty looking wounds in her abdomen. Needless to say he wasn't happy and he had stormed about the Palace demanding to know where Konstantin was and demanding an explaination.
"Your Majesty, please," Pleaded Daphne, "He's on his way now, he's been chasing the man responsible for this!"
"And who is that then?" Stormed the King, "I want to know what happened to my daughter!"
"My brother..." Said Konstantin wearily as he staggered weakly into the room. A look of fury distorted the King's features.
"You're brother! You never told us you had a borther!" Yelled the King, "What else have you kept from us! Kept from my daughter?"
"Kathryne knew, but advised against telling you unless I felt I absolutely had to." Said Konstantin sighing as a docter saw to his wounds, "I'm sure you've heard rumours about the Solitaire Project?"
"Of course but that's a load of hogwash if ever..."
"Alas no, the rumours are true." interupted Konstantin raising his hand to silence his father in law, "I'm afraid to say the rumours are only the least of the rumours. The Project successfully created a number of 'Solitaires' the most recent of which stand before you now."
"What do you mean? Your guards..."
"And myself yes. Let me explain..."
It was nearly 40 years ago when the latest incarnation of the Solitaire Project began. It was continued in secret, headed and funded by Farden Jarrick and he was helped my Dr Ignato Bleu. Bleu was a genetic genius, decades ahead of his time and Jarrick was able to provide the funds and security that Bleu needed.
But to be able to grow altered superhumans known as Solitaire, they needed a suitable doner. As luck would have it Jarrick's DNA was perfect, and so the first of his children was concieved an born, his name was Fletcher. Shortly after Fletcher was given to a foster family unaware of his true nature.
Some years later once the processes had been refined a series of other Solitaires were created. Myself and my twin brother Khaine were the ultimate result of this. Though another Clara Verdun came after, but nothing is known of her. None apart from Sedt, Drax and Myself were originally aware of our true nature as sons of Jarrick, the amazing abilities of those unaware remained dormant, a subconscious safety reaction.
After time more of us were discovered, Vitori Vinzo and Khaine, we brought them into the fold having turned against Jarrick, and together rebuilt Trodenhiem. Long story short I decided to investigate the Project and make public the horrors commited so that we could begin to atone for them. It was then that we discovered Fletcher and Daphne. By this time Khaine was already believed dead, having proven too mentally unstable.
Over the last few days Dr Lyzanda the ehad of the investigation was murdered, prompting Jarrick to return to Trodenhiem to try and stop the Project and leading to the death of Drax and Vinzo and the return of Khaine who sought to kill me. However Kathryne jumped between Khaine and myself, taking the full brunt of his attack...
"I...how? What are you?" Stammered the King, "I mean...?"
"Genetically speaking I am human, however with a number of alterations. I am faster, stronger and more agile, my senses and instincts are also sharper." Said Konstantin, "Now however it seems that the Project is the only way to save your daughter. She'll never survive the operations that are needed unless he strength is enhanced."
"I'll never let you do that to my daughter!"
[edit] Part 8
"Zhukov is done?" the Emperor asked, anxiety dripped as thickly as the dread that saturated his voice, "Is she safe?"
"She is stable Majesties, she's a tough one, even without the enhancements may I say." Replied Zhukov, "She's taken to the enhancement, her body has accepted them and the damage is all but repaired. Needless to say she'll be off her feet for some time, the operation needs time, as does the body, to readjust and repair naturally what we can't do."
"Then she'll survive?" murmered the King, hope filling his voice, "This wasn't in vain?"
"I have done all I can Majesty, " reassured Zhukov smiling thinly, "At this stage it is too early to be certain, but my professional opinion is she'll pull through and be just fine given time."
24 hours earlier...
"How can you say that! She's tough I know her, she can pull through!" Yelled the King, "Why are you so adamant that she can't pull through without the enhancements? Its almost as if you want her to become like you!"
"Don't you dare insinuate that! I would never wish what I am on anyone else unless there was no choice," cried Konstantin in response, "Zhukov is the leading anatomical doctor and scientist in Trodenhiem and is among the foremost, if not the number one expert in his field in the world! If he believes there is no other way then I believe it too!"
"How can you trust this man, this stranger with the life of the woman you claim to love?" Roared the King his choler rising, "I certainly don't, I'd be happier if she were taken back to Forthampton to be treated there!"
"You've seen the charts! Yu've heard Zhukov's view, ye Gods you even spoke to experts in Forthampton! They all agreed that moving her any distance at this stage could be fatal!" Replied Konstantin regaining his cool, "If you really insist we can have one of your Doctors come over to watch over proceedings. I've already shared the data on the Project with a Docotor Smith from Forthampton on a classified and confidential basis and he's already on his way, but we don't have time to wait for his arrival. We must press on!"
"She's stable for goodness sake..."
"Excuse me Majesties?" interupted a medical aide, "I have news from Zhukov. Her majesty's health has deteriorated. It seems a minor infection has caught in the left wound and Zhukov needs a decision now or there's a real chance the Empress will die."
"My dearest daughter, why did it come to this?" the King wept as he knelt by his daughter's side, "Was it really worth it?"
"D...dad?" Came the weak voice of the Empress, "You're here...I'm so sorry. I hate to frighten you like this but..."
"I know, Konstantin told me everything...I'm so scared Kathryne, I can't lose you! Not like this, it'd break my heart!" the King continued, tears continuing to well in his eyes, "You don't need to be sorry, I understand why you did what you did. Despite everything he's a good man..."
"I can hear a but coming in there..."
"But he insists the only way to save is to...to..."
"Make me like him..." finished Kathryne, her voice fading slightly, "I understand. I don't want to break your heart, if its really the only way...how can I not do it?"
"Oh Kathryne! You are the noblest of daughters for taking a decision I couldn't bring myself to make." whispered the King as he stood, "I'll let Konstantin get a word in before they start..."
"Hello again Kathryne..." Said Konstantin kneeling beside her bed, "I'm sorry its come to this, c-can you ever forgive me for all fo this? I never wanted this and...ye Gods I hope you understand!"
"I do, you are the one I truly love. I cannot break your heart for all the world, just as I cannot break my father's. As much as I may not want it, I will do what must be done for you and for the King, I do it willingly I want you to know that." She whispered her voice dying, "I want you to know that, and that no matter what...I love y..."
The Empress fell back into her coma leaving the Emperor gripping her hand tears pouring from his eyes, a look of absolute sorrow and fear on his face. A look that would change to grim determination and then hope as the next few hours passed.
"When will she be awake?" Asked the King, "I want to speak to her...before I leave."
"I'd give her until morning, we'll try to wake her then." Replied Zhukov, "As I said, she's strong and tough. Her body is taking the ordeal in stride. With any luck faint scars will be the only physical reminder of this ordeal."
[edit] The Series
Main Story
- Solitaire - Trodenhiem
- Solitaire 2 - Jarrick
- Solitaire 3 - Khaine
- Solitaire 4 - Twins
Side Stories
Solitaire Series Extras
