Author's Notes:

Update before bed and before my editor can look her over. That's right, I live life on the edge!

Right. Yeah. Anyways, I'll probably read this tomorrow and cringe at all of the mistakes and horrible fuckups. So bear with me, it'll get better, probably. If you don't want to read unedited garbage, probably give it a day or so.

I swear I'm not a piece of shit...

Edit: Has been edited, probably.

Jack’s gruff voice boomed within the helmet as Hans skillfully piloted Irma through ruined streets and burning wreckage. “AA is down, moving to the rendezvous!” He called up a digital map that immediately pinged the team’s position, opposed to the meet point. There was a great amount of ground to cover, and none of it was green. The smell of his own sweat bit at his nose, telling of filters hard pressed by all of the ash and smoke to keep up.

The Colonel’s voice crackled back through the hazy connection. “I read you. Anti-air batteries destroyed. Australians have been notified. I have bad news for you.” The words hung in the air, thick and disgusting to behold.

Both Jack and Hans groaned quietly over squad comms; Hans’ video feed showed him letting his head tilt back as he cursed mutely. Shaking his head, Jack keyed his mic with his chin. “Go ahead Colonel. We’re listening. Hans, keep speed.” Jack shifted in his harness, suddenly finding the position uncomfortable.

The lack of video feed from the Colonel was telling enough about the state of things in Tokyo; the crackling, fading connection of a simple radio feed meant only bad news. “The Covellans have reinforced their position heavily, and seem to be massing for a large scale push back out into the city. If we attack now while they organize we may stand a chance of defeating them, but at high costs.” Colonel Wsu sounded dead tired, as if he were running on fumes.

On squad comms, Hans shook his head. “Das ist schlecht… This is very, very bad Jak. We can’t risk ourselves for a fool’s errand.” The veteran pilot shifted, and for once looked torn. His voice carried no small amount of regret for his words. "I like it as much as you do, but orders are orders."

“Right, but we can’t just leave them high and dry… There’s gotta be something we can do. Just don’t feel right, yah know?” Hans nodded, and brought up a more detailed map for Jack. Looking it over as Hans piloted Irma, an idea struck like an explosion inside Jack’s mind; a toothy grin spread over his features as he keyed comms back to Colonel Wsu. “Colonel Wsu, I gotta question for yah.” Jack’s barely noticeable twang came out just a bit, showing his excitement towards the idea practically burning a hole in his head. Hans glanced up at the video feed with curiosity, before returning his attentions to his masterful work.

There was a brief pause before the Colonel answered. “What question?” The man almost seemed uninterested in whatever Jack had to say. The interference grew worse for a moment, before thankfully clearing up

Jack’s own smile spread even wider as he sat back in the magnetic harness on Irma’s back. “Colonel, how much explosive material do you have? TNT, RDX, C4, I don’t care. If it booms, I need to know.” Irma crushed a tiny japanese car beneath her grasping feet; the concrete faring no better as she jogged at forty kilometers per hour down the cluttered roads and side streets.

Colonel Wsu’s response made it sound as if he had gained a sudden, baited interest in whatever Jack was planning inside his head. “We have plenty, short on everything else including socks. Why? What are you planning? C4 can’t scratch those Corvellan’s armour, you should know this.” There was a hint of annoyance in the Wsu’s voice, but he was forcing himself to remain optimistic.

“Colonel, correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks like the Corvellan’s have built their landing camp about two blocks from the Dentsu building. Base has gotten real big since they first landed, lots of patrols, heavy walls, good support…” Jack let his voice trail off by accident as he visualized the next part with beautifully visceral detail.

The Colonel, however, was not such a big fan of dramatic pauses. “Yes, yes they have. Get to the point Mercenary.” Somebody interrupted the comms call on the Colonel's side, and he shot a string of rapid fire japanese at whomever it was before returning to the comms. “Well?”

Jack’s grin grew dangerously large as the Dentsu building came into view on the horizon, towering over much of the city ruins. “The Dentsu building. I’m gonna blow it up, and land it right on top of their ugly fucking heads.”

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With the camp finally in range, the teams comms burst at the seams with radio traffic. It seemed as though the whole square was a living, breathing entity that fueled itself off of its hate for the enemy. Troops jogged back and forth, unloading supply trucks and loading said supplies into everything else. Squad sergeants bellowed and beckoned, coercing and threatening their subordinates into coherent units. Vehicles roared to life as men and women loaded into them, until every window and gunport bristled with rapid fire death. Skillfully avoiding crushing any unfortunate privates, Hans skirted Irma's armoured bulk through the buzzing hive of activity. Jack caught sight of Colonel Wsu standing beside two combat cars. The frontmost one was being loaded down with crates; big olive drab pelican crates that were loaded down with the letter and number of the day. C4.

Spotting the armoured walker, the Colonel turned and waved the two-man team over, as a small squad of marines gathered in front of him. Dismounting and falling to the ground with a muted thud, Jack began treading over as fast as he could. Again, Hans did not join him; favouring to simply piggyback off of Jack's optics and audio feeds. The Colonel nodded to Jack, and did not bother snapping a salute; in return, neither did Jack. As Jack came to stop before Colonel Wsu, he found himself staring at the remains of the squad that they'd pulled out of the fire, Oni squad.

With his hands clasped behind his back, the weathered Japanese colonel cracked a wary smile. "Welcome back. Oni squad will be attached to you for this stunt of yours, they'll follow your lead. Try to bring them back in one piece." At that he turned, and fired off a rapid string of Japanese at Oni actual. The woman replied so quickly that Jack's translator only managed to spit out garbled gibberish. The pair saluted each other, before parting ways. The last of the crates had been loaded into the first vehicle, and without a word the small squad mounted up. Suddenly finding himself standing alone amidst whirling activity, Jack let out a slow sigh and fought the urge to rub his eyes. A slight twinging pain sprang up in his thighs and forearms, prompting action. As he turned on his heels, Jack keyed the voice command dimple in his helmet.

"Armour, administer half dose, midday." He fought and failed to suppress the pleasant shivers and groan that he let out as the stimulants flooded his system like ecstasy. Jack shook his head and the fog rolled back, leaving everything razor sharp in contrast.

Hans just had to ruin the moment. "Hey, cowboy! You gonna mount up, or should we leave without you?" Hans had removed his patrol cap in favour of a sweat band. The inside of the walker was guaranteed a toasty warm at the best of times. A day's worth of stubble was beginning to show on his drawn cheeks like a healthy dose of salt and pepper.

"Oh can it, kraut. There in a shake." Jack kicked off at a jog as he scanned his readouts. Despite the close calls, everything was in the green and his ammunition was holding steady. With the chemicals flooding his veins, he felt like he could take on the whole world. Or topple one of Tokyo's tallest towers. I'll settle for one out of two. With a wicked grin, Jack vaulted onto Irma's back and pounded the access hatch with his armoured fist. "Come on Bismark, let's go stomp some Slugs!"

The small convoy peeled out well ahead of the main force; Irma's heavy metal bulk acting both as scout and fire support, while the roof gunners of the combat cars swivelled about in search of inhuman targets. The middlemost vehicle was loaded for bear with enough plastic explosives to level a city block; most of Oni squad remained in the rearmost vehicle, every weapon available jutting out from the armoured gunports. With an uncaring kick, a Japanese microcar was set skittering across the debris filled street, clearing the way for the convoy. As they neared Corvellan controlled territory, Jack sent his drone buzzing into the ash clogged skies to add to their sensors.

Keying his squad mic, Jack rested the muzzle of his grizzly rifle on Irma's shoulder as he spoke. "So Hans, tell me about Irma, the human one."

Glancing up at the camera situated in the corner of his cockpit, the German pilot smiled offly and returned his gaze to the streets. Jack arched a brow as the smile spread. "Irma... She is quite the handful, let me tell you. Very adventurous, and always getting herself in some kind of trouble. I thank my lucky stars that my wife works from home, we could never afford a sitter who could keep up." Hams sighed longingly as he disengaged one of his control gauntlets and reached out of frame. He tugged a small picture from somewhere, and pressed it against the camera. The vidfeed was filled with the image of his family. A beautiful wife with long flowing brown hair, a gorgeous little girl with bright rosey cheeks and blonde hair was reaching out to the camera. They were both dressed for sunny weather, and Jack could just make out the pyramids in the background. Jack's eyes dwelled on the picture, his mind on just how happy they both looked. The smiles were natural, filled with love for the person behind the camera.

Tearing his eyes away, Jack forced himself to smile for the benefit of the other soldier “They waiting for you back in Germany?"

The older man smiled and shook his head. "Thankfully, no. Alexis was visiting her sister on Mars with Irma when the invasion started." Hans' smile faltered a bit, showing the strain that the sheer distance imposed upon his heart. He blinked hard, before shooting a smirk at the camera as he stuck the picture back where it belonged. "What about you Jak? Got some special lady waiting for you back in feddy territory?"

The immediate frown from Jack made the German pilot's smile lose some of its luster. "No. once upon a time I did, but not any more. Now she's my boss." He snorted hotly and rechecked his rifle for the umpteenth time; his chin engaged full squad comms. "Heads on a swivel, we’re approaching the target zone. Bird face owns this part of town, so watch it." A slew of affirmatives greeted his warning, all stern and austere. Finding humour in it, he disengaged squad comms and stood in the harness to grab his drone as it buzzed in for its return. With deft fingers he pulled its battery out, and slapped in a new one. His eye in the sky bobbed a bit, before zipping back up into the smoke.

The convoy didn't slow as they careened down a back alley; the occasional body splayed out in a cut in doorway. The combat cars bucked as they crushed pale twisted bodies of the unfortunate and slow. A sudden keening sound blared in Jack's helmet as a bright red marker popped up before them. "Woah! Brake, Brake!" Wheels screeched and brake pads squealed as Irmas clawed feet dug deep into the pavement, stopping her dead in her tracks barely two meters from the alley exit.

"What is it lead?" Oni Actuals voice came over the radio laced with annoyance and worry. At that point, Jack's drone had fed the data to Hans, and Irma reduced her silhouette; her twin shoulder cannons deploying as a precaution.

Jack snapped back over the radio as he rested his rifle barrel on Irma's armoured head. "Keep quiet, Low Baller contact." All radio chatter went utterly silent, leaving nothing but the sounds of burning Tokyo all around them. Then, a low, pounding sound began to reverberate through the alleyway. Wumpthumpwumpthumpwumpthump

Like a ponderous beast of burden, a massive armoured crawler crept past the alley mouth, the sheer size of the vehicle blocking out the light. It's ten armoured legs carried it down the street, it's back bristling with long range guns. Behind it followed a platoon sized pack of Corvellan heavy infantry, the real fighters of the war. Slowly, Irma deployed her shield, and used it as a visual block against the marching war group.

By the time the group passed, it felt like an eternity had gone by in waiting. Jack let out a breath he hadn't realized that he'd been holding in. "Alright, pinging the group for Colonel Wsu. Let's roll Oni. Almost there." The tension in his body didn't bleed out a single bit as Irma cautiously crossed the street; the combat cars followed shortly as their roof mounted heavy spikers panned and pined for targets.

Without incident the convoy crossed the debris strewn street and dipped down into the parking garage that sat under the massive tower. The only thing barring their access was a rolling steel gate, one that made a gut wrenching squeal as Irma's graspers dug into it and pulled it upwards. With her bulk shifted to the side, the combat cars entered the parking garage. Irma was last, the mangled steel gate falling closed behind her.

Doors swung wide as the marines piled out barrel first, their night vision goggles scanned for any sign of movement in the dark and nearly empty garage.

"No contact."

Jack dropped from Irma's harness and let his grizzly hang limp in its sling on his shoulder. Halogen lights went up and flooded the area with harsh light as two of the marines grunted and struggled to haul the first pelican crate out. The top popped open, revealing row after row of C4 bricks and their remote detonators. Approaching the group of marines, Jack disengaged his helmet seal and pulled it off. The Okinawan marines almost seemed surprised. Perhaps he didn't look how they had expected him to.

"Alright, who amongst yah knows how to wire explosives?" Jack's common wasn't the best, but it got the point across. Several of the marines looked amongst themselves, before their combat medic, and squad leader stepped forward. The woman pulled off her ballistic helmet and nodded to Jack.

"I know a bit. Say what you need." The woman had a severe asian face that was marred by deep sunken eyes; ringed with paunchy dark bruises. Jack figured she looked like he felt half the time.

Smiling confidently, Jack pulled out a brick of C4 and its detonator. "Alright boys and girls, the first lesson of the day is the demolitions alphabet. Starting with D. D is for don't get close when it's primed, because you will die. The next letter is P. P is for plenty. If in doubt, use more." He quickly showed the marines the dummy proof way to wire them up, and slave the receivers to his master detonator. Approaching a wall mounted map of the office building, Jack planted an armoured finger and ran it up the first five floors. "You see the elevator shaft here? We're rigging every load bearing pylon east of them. Split into teams of two, and sound off when you finish. If it even remotely looks structural, rig that shit. I don't want to see a single brick left in those crates when we bug out. I'll take the fifth floor, and work down to the fourth. Hans and Irma won't be able to do much without bringing hell down on our heads, so keep your eyes on. Maintain radio contact, and regroup down here when you finish your floor." He scanned the group, finding only eyes filled with the want for vengeance starring back at him. He smirked. "Let's go blow up a tower boys and girls. Oorah?"

The squad before him boomed "OORAH!" Their voices echoed through the dead structure, foretelling its doom.

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Heavy combat boots crashed down onto the dust covered stairs as the squad ascended the dark tower; night vision goggles turning the world an off, eerie green. Two marines split off at each floor, their voices hushed and hurried as they strapped load bearing pillars with high explosives. Just beyond the polarized windows, the Corvellan base could be seen through the ash and haze. Their structures were strange in an uncanny valley sort of way, made of metals unknown to man and set at odd angles. Troops milled about like ants, unaware of what the marines were doing.

As Jack crested the last step, he halted in his tracks. Just beyond the fire door, something was moving on the fifth floor. He carefully eased the door open; his weapon entered the room first, followed by his heavily armoured form. Again the noise came to him; it sounded like garbled speech coming through a rebreather. Jack's eyes narrowed as he spotted the owner's shadow. Corvellan's... Jack frowned as he activated his magnetics and hunkered down behind cover. His vision shifted from hazy green to a sharp blue as everything metallic popped up in his vision. The unmistakable avian body of the Alien invaders was stooped over something, it's comrade chattering idly back at it. By the size of them, they had to be light infantry. Looting? Or sight seeing? Don't matter, you bastards are dead.

Jack slung his rifle over his back as he set the crate full of explosives gently down on the floor. His knife slid silently from its leather sheath; his feet carried him closer and closer to the hated enemy. Finally, he saw what the crouched Corvellan was rifling through- a hello kitty backpack? What? Jack arched his brow as the standing alien gestured to the random knick knacks that lay strewn about the dirty office floor. A seemingly random collection of Japanese tourists toys and memorabilia lay in a pile; the two aliens seemed fascinated by the cheap plastic toys.

The Corvellan's weren't exactly an ugly alien; most of them seemed very slight, with predominantly avian features. Their entire bodies were covered with a sappy purple sludge that was supposedly engineered, most likely to keep them healthy in earth's oxygen rich environment. The light infantry equivalent of their military arm left trails of it everywhere, like slug trails. Their equipment was impressive technologically, but was unacceptable by human standards as it always seemed to require full maintenance every few hours. As Jack crept up upon the pair, he could see every minuet detail in their backs. The two were apparently shooting the shit in their language of beak clicks and guttural throat noises. Their stances were relaxed, and unprepared. Some scientists had supposed the Corvellan's to be minorly telepathic, hence why the less trained were less alert and easily scared. They relied too heavily upon being able to read the minds of their fellows.

The standing Corvellan clicked its beak lightly as it shouldered its weapon and gestured idly to its comrade. The following warbles were turned to arterial spray as Jack pounced on him and jammed the knife into its neck. The crouched alien turned on his heels and his saucer eyes went even wider as he squawked and chirped. The first fell to the floor in a spasming heap, just as the seconds weapon barrel lifted. The first bolt of incandescent energy barely missed Jack's chest, while the second burned a tin can sized hole into his left shoulder. Letting out a bellow of pain, Jack barrelled into the second Corvellan, driving it to the ground as its weapon discharged repeatedly into the empty office. With his good arm pinning the alien's weapon down, and his left unresponsive, Jack was forced to act a little more brutally then planned. His armoured helmet slammed down into the Corvellan's face, shattering its brittle beak like glass. The thing writhed in pain and thrashed against its assailant, all to no avail as Jack slammed his head back down again, cracking open the aliens skull. It twitched and mewled softly as goopy clear blood flowed from its wounds. Pulling his knife free from its four fingered grasp, Jack planted it in the Corvellan's skull to ensure his own safety.

"Longbow Actual, we heard shots." Oni actual voice sounded over his comms as he smeared the blood darkening his visor. The teams below hadn't run into any trouble, and that meant he was behind.

"I'm fine Oni actual, just dealing with some unwanted guests. Took a graze, I'll be aight." Jack muted his grunt of pain as the morphine dulled the feeling of his muscle melting off the bone. The trauma suite would deal with the wound well enough. Guess I'm taking a break after this so they can slap some vat muscle on me. yay. I wonder if it’ll fall off... Jack shook his head to clear his hazy thoughts away and unlimbered his sabot pistol. Dragging the crate into the center of the room, he got to work.

Halfway through rigging the fourth floor, he got the call of finished from all three squads. Hans' voice came through his comms, clear as glass. "Jak, UAV shows slug patrol breaking course to head to us. They are close."

Before Jack had a second to answer, a second call sent out. "This is fireteam one! We are under attack on first floor!" The sounds of gunfire echoed through the building, forcing Jack's hand to work faster. Row after row of pillars was jury rigged with explosives haphazardly slapped against the concrete surfaces. His HUD blinked red, and warned of falling blood pressure and too high of a heart rate. A curious, cursory glance to his left confirmed his worst thoughts. His armour was scorched black and a deep crimson red was slowly trickling across his breast plate. An off white foam was peeking out of the hole, already hardening to seal the breach. Maybe it’s not as bad as it looks. Grimacing at the thought, but feeling nothing but the calming cool numbness of morphine, Jack shook his head and ordered his trauma suite to plug the hole however it could. A sudden, white hot pain exploded through the pleasant numbness, and the blood pressure warning stated that he was stabilized.

With his body trying to rebel, but his hydraulics and mind demanding mission completion; Jack slapped the last brick of C4 into place and rigged it to blow in tandem. His legs began acting on their own volition, turning his towards the stairwell and taking it down five steps at a time. By the time he'd reached the first floor, the fighting had gotten even worse. The remaining fireteams had regrouped, and were holding valiantly. Oni Actual whirled on her heels as Jack barged through the steel door, Corvellan bolts peppering the wall near him.

The medic whirled her hand over her head and yelled. "All accounted for! Fighting withdrawal!" One by one the soldiers backed out of the floor, emptying their magazines to keep the Corvellan's pinned down. Several light infantry aliens had gotten a little too ballsy, and had earned six point five inch superheated spikes through their avian bodies as a result. As the last of the marines fells back, Jack beckoned to Oni Actual.

"Come on! Let's get the hell out of dodge!" The woman nodded, and began backing towards the open door as a small cylinder thumped over a desk. Jack's armour had only just popped up a proximity warning when the spine grenade exploded, showering the two in toxic barbs. Oni Actual fell to the ground and writhed, her face already becoming a mask of pure agony as she foamed at the mouth. With his right side bristling with barbs, Jack levelled his pistol and shot her through the top of the head. His shoulder sprang open, and a homing rocket streaked out into the office for revenge. He never got to see the end results as he tripped and tumbled down the concrete stairwell. At the bottom, he forced himself up, and set off with a strong stride. The marines had already loaded up, and they were waiting for him. The roof gunner of the final car opened his mouth as if to ask where his squad leader was, but when he saw Jack's side bristling with barbs, he made a face of disgust and turned away.

Hans kneeled Irma down and wretched the parking garage door open as Jack clambered aboard with one hand. "We gotta go cowboy! UAV picked up transport ship landing, we’re gonna be overran real soon!" The man sounded almost panicked as the combat cars shot out into the light of day and opened fire down the street. Irma followed suite, and her shoulder cannons spoke with utter authority. As the ragged convoy peeled off, Jack hefted his good arm high and activated the detonator. There was a brief pause, before a muffled crump echoed through the streets. The following blast spewed hunks of pulverized glass, concrete, rebar and flaming office supplies out in all directions. The gargantuan tower sagged, its remaining structural supports going off like muted shotgun blasts. For a moment, it appeared as though the tower wouldn't fall; a second later there was a resounding boom as the building separated from its foundation. Hundreds of tonnes of concrete and steel came crashing down onto the alien base, the cacophony of chaos was almost outdone by the transport ships reactor going critical and filling the world with vibrant light. The shockwave of dust and debris nearly toppled Irma over backwards; the smaller combat cars were sent skittering off like toys. At that point, a large hunk of concrete glanced across Jack’s helmet, damaging the display and destroying environmental containment. His HUD flickered, the area map flooding with blue friendly signatures.

Colonel Wsu’s voice boomed through Jack’s damaged comms, and contained the holy commandments of Terra. “ALL UNITS, INTO THE BREACH! FOR EARTH!” The returning war cries were shut out for a moment as the hypersonic banshee wail of terran air support. The ground superiority fighters streaked in, their nose mounted gatling guns let out pealing lightning roars, their tracer rounds ripping the hated enemy asunder. Wing mounted cluster bombs fell, and split the earth open as the Japanese ground forces charged pell-mell into the breach opened by the falling tower.

At that point, the morphine high had lost its edge for Jack, and he was sagging badly in the harness when Han’s voice crackled through. “Hey Jak, still alive up there? HUD says that you’re wounded!” Irma was treading back towards the fight, hell bent on tasting more combat. They were practically inside the base, their flanks matched on either side by engaging units. The perpetuating dust cloud made it impossible to see much of anything, save for the violent tracking back and forth of small arms fire and tank cannons. Hans’ face was barely visible through the broken connection, but it was clear that the man was stressed beyond natural bounds and intensely worried. “Answer me Cowboy! Come on, don’t you dare die on me!”

Not answering the pilot, Jack slowly shook his head and thumped his helmet against Irma’s back. A slew of screens opened across his damaged face plate, until one final one popped up; its edges lined with blinking red.

Jack gritted his teeth and confirmed. I DIE ON MY OWN TERMS. Rapid confirmation sent the message away like a whim, and the armour clacked quietly in his ears. Jack did his best to brace for what was to come; his muscles tensed and his eyes closed. Truth be told, nobody was ever ready. The needles punched in simultaneously, and saturated his body and brain with combat stimulants. As they seeped in, his life signs winked out of the HUD, and his harness magnets disengaged. His eyes shot open, and the world around him became a swirling drug fueled ballet of death, gunfire and dust. Jack was barely aware that Hans was shouting his name as he barreled across the battlefield, screaming at the top of his lungs. His sabot pistol barked and bucked in his hand, its muzzle seeking out targets of his boiling fury. Rounds snapped and hissed by him, some sizzling his armour like cheap plastic. They only served to fuel his hatred, while the potent cocktail of adrenaline and psychoactive combat drugs propelled his body forward like a demon.

Before him, a large CDF battle tank took a direct hit that sheared the turret nearly clean off; setting the entire vehicle ablaze. Corvellan heavy infantry was advancing, cutting the attackers down in droves. A brilliant bolt of energy struck Jack’s helmet, and the feed was lost. After moments of black, painful silence, it returned with a vengeance. The Terrans had committed to a full on bayonet charge, and Jack had piledrived his way right into it. The feed winked out again, only to come back moments later as a Corvellan heavy trooper was taking swings at the blood raged Jack. His pistol spoke, driving round after round into the alien's chest as Jack screamed incomprehensibly in rage. Flecks of bloody foam speckled Jacks cracked display as the heavy trooper charged him. It stumbled back and roared in defiance as it was struck once again, before being crushed under tread by a flaming CDF battle tank whose turret had been sheared off. The vehicle sped onwards, until exploding into a brilliant ball of flames and shrapnel amidst the enemy. Jack lifted his pistol as if he were drunk, and fired randomly at the flickering silhouettes in the dust until his pistol clicked dry. The video flickered one final time as he stumbled; screaming his rage as he spat up blood that spattered the inside of the screen, before shutting off completely. The words Replay and Close flashed before Flitters eyes.

Selecting the close option, Flitter struggled to pry herself out of the heavy helmet. She took a deep, calming breath, before looking around to find Jack. A faint smile graced her split lips when she found him slumped against the bed, his head sagged backwards and his mouth open as he snored quietly. Scooting carefully to his side, Flitter curled up in his lap, and pulled the blanket over the both of them. The human’s arms twitched in his sleep, and as if on autopilot, wrapped themselves around her warm, fuzzy body. Flitter gently nuzzled his left shoulder, where the skin was just a touch lighter than the rest around it. I’ll have to ask him about it in the morning… Flitter looked up at Jack’s calm face, her mind drifting back to the savage mask of pure hatred that had stared back at her from the weak reflection in his helmet. There had been pain in his addled eyes, something he sought to squash and hide away from the world. Slowly sitting up in his lap, Flitter placed her broken lips against his bearded chin and kissed him as softly as she could. As she curled up in his lap again, Flitter rested her head against his chest and let his steady heartbeat lull her asleep.