TLea Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) Ensign Jack MancusoEngineerUSS Avandar(( Somewhere aboard the wreckage of the Avandar))::He sat in the darkness of the ruined bridge, alone and quiet, sittingvery still in the Captains chair.His eyes didn't open, or move. His hands twitched slightly. The only soundthe slow heaving of his breath.To any ho had observed the scene, they would probably believe he had satdown and fallen asleep.::Jack: How long are you going to sit there and ignore me?Mancuso: As long as it takes. ::He opened his eyes and looked at...himself.The uniform still flawless.The bright shining Ensign.:: You aren't real.Jack: Ouch. That really hurts me Jack. I'm as real as you are.Mancuso: Oh? And what are you then? Am I going mad?Jack: ::Smiling:: Yes. Yes you are. But regardless....I am you. Conscience.Guilt. Whatever you wish to call it.Mancuso: ::Laughing:: I always envisioned this taking place with an angelon one shoulder and a devilon the other.Jack: Really? Well...I'd think that madness is unexpected.Mancuso: To hell with you. I'm not crazy.Jack: OH!? Are you so sure? Because you're prepared to do whatever it takesto get off this planet.Prepared to go against your friends, the Captain....all for a chance toescape. Where I come from that'scalled mutiny Jack.Mancuso: SHUT UP!! I'm just trying to save us. All of us. It's for theirown good. Only Commander Umas sees itlike I do.Jack::: Stepping around to look him in the face:: Are you really trying tojustify yourself to me? I am you. I know what you know.Mancuso: Stop.Jack: You're just a scared little boy.Mancuso: Stop!Jack: You're scared and now you want to run away.Mancuso: STOP IT!!Jack: :: He threw his hands in the air.:: I give up. Your heart is becomingblack. Hollow. Cold. There's no room in it for anyonebut Jack Mancuso and his distorted sense of right and wrong. LOOK AT YOU!You're becoming a desperate, cold and remorseless man.YOU are the worst of what you truly are Jack.Mancuso: ::He sighed:: And what are you? Some mental defense that my mindhas thrown u to save itself?Jack: That might be one way to say it. Another would be to say that you areon the edge, looking out over an abyss.I mean hell Jack, you're the one sitting in a dark ruined bridge talking toyourself. If that doesn't scream out for you to seek help and pull yourselftogether I don't know what does.Mancuso: ::He lept to his feet now:: I am not crazy. I'm not. I'm anengineer. I have ideas that can help us.That can save us. And I'm going to save us. All of us. Push comes to shove,whether they want it or not. And heaven help anyonethat stands in my way.Jack: ::Nodding slowly:: And so fear, desperation, and bitterness push youover the edge. Dad would just loveseeing you fold under the pressure like this.Mancuso: Oh....nice try. You're so smug and self righteous.Jack: You'd rather I show up all ethereal and transparent? Rattling chainsand shouting 'Turn back now before it's too late'?Fine...we'll do it the hard way.Mancuso: ::He spun around:: What's that supposed to mean?::He froze, realizing the other Jack was gone, if he had ever really beenthere. Regardless, he had made his choice. Hehad picked his side. And there was no turning back now. He was a greatengineer. And now he would prove it. He felt something slide down his cheekand he reached up. He looked at it on his fingertips for a moment. Why hadhe been crying? Shaking his head, he turned to walk out of the bridge. Hewas just tired. He needed sleep. His imagination was just running away withhim.::Ensign Jack MancusoEngineerUSS Avandar Edited March 11, 2012 by FltAdml. Wolf Adding Round 2 prefix.
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