Chapter 26: Metallic Shells (1)

Alexander walking past the pitiful corpses of Red and Belly stared at their corpses. He had defeated the duo instantly and without much effort.

"So fragile..." Alexander commented his words in a mere whisper.

Hushed he began to stare at the Helios space station, thoughts of conquest and domination brimming with force.

'With such a weak world, is there truly no greater ruler than I?' Alexander mused, 'Who else would be capable, who else would carry such a burden, Who else but I...'

He appeared to look at his reflection, his helmet covering his eyes and face.

He hadn't taken his helmet or mask for the last few years. His last moment of true reflection moons ago when Ralph once lingered the world. 

Before the slaughter he was a nobody, now he was something greater. The steel mask was a reminder of what time had taken. While he had lost his own face, he had gained something greater - power. 

Yet, while such an understanding was met, Alexander pondered more deeply. 

He had deduced for numerous months yet, his mind cracked at one single thought. Since his inception, his past was lost. While it never affected his actions, the question remained.

"Who was I?"

While others could forget and continue persisting with their lives, Alexander could not. 

He could not forget. 

He could not forget the questions, the constant thoughts and hours dedicated to the one question.

He could not forget the numerous memories of those he slaughtered.

He could not forget their suffering, the details of their everyday life, and the pain they felt. 

It was times like this, that he hated the silence. The silence made him think and it made him rage.

Rage that his own perfection had made him waver. 

Alone, he felt his mind wander. The more he wandered, the more he found the world insufferable. 

He had forced himself to live as a force of nature, a monster whose righteousness was only his own. Many had died, and all those who did not bend were slaughtered.

It was times like this when he hated the universe. 

For he hated its imperfection, its imperfect people and its imperfect landscapes. 

He was given imperfect thoughts, ideas and memories. 

He hated it. 

And although he hated it he found peace in knowing that such filth would be recycled, used for perfection instead of imperfection. 

"You know better than anyone." His reflection commented, talking to him.

As if amused by his delusion Alexander replied spitting on its remarks.

"And why would I be wrong?" Alexander rebuttled, and as if in queue he once again donned his mask.

He found solace in donning the role for he would make the world right. 

Right in its crookedness, until it was made even. 

"I hope you were joking about torturing the Meriff..." Angel interrupted, her voice bringing Alexander back to the world of the living.

Her presence had suddenly manifested causing him to look around the facility. Her powers appearing to have imrpoved.

Looking at the facility being Hijacked, her voice projected from the speakers.

"Your powers have improved," Alexander commented.

"Don't change the subject, Lex." 

"I wasn't trying to."

"Then are you going to answer the question?" 

"No." 

Paused, Angel couldn't but remain silent. 

"Do you not value human life?" Angel voiced with concern.

"Should I?" 

"You should..." 

"Maybe not then."

"..." 

"Are you going to explain why you haven't left the facility yet?" 

"I don't answer your orders, Angel." 

"Look, I'm just-... Fine, do what you want, just help my father okay." 

"I'll think about it." 

"You're a real asshole you know." She voiced, before leaving.

Staring back at the Stars, he watched as her presence quickly left as it manifested. 

"With such power and so little will. What a waste." Alexander thought before leaving towards Concordia, his men quickly travelled to Crisis Scar and repurposed it. 

As Angel's presence faded from the facility, her mind remained fixated on Alexander.

She found herself back in her chamber, surrounded by screens and pulsing energy, yet feeling more isolated than ever. The image of Alexander staring into the abyss, his rage palpable even through her remote connection, haunted her.

She paced the small confines of her prison, her bare feet padding softly against the cold metal floor. Her father's watchful eye was ever-present, but in this moment, she couldn't bring herself to care about his surveillance. Her thoughts were consumed by the man who had just left such a lasting impression on her.

"What am I doing?" Angel whispered to herself, running her fingers through her dark hair. She had reached out to Alexander on a whim, hoping to find an ally, maybe even a friend. But what she had found was far more complex and dangerous than she could have imagined.

She replayed their conversation in her mind, cringing at her own words. "You're a real asshole, you know." The memory of her outburst made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. It wasn't like her to lose her composure like that, but something about Alexander always seemed to push her buttons.

Angel's fingers danced over a nearby console, bringing up holographic images of Alexander's past exploits. The fall of Atlas, the expansion of his Iron Legion, the ruthless efficiency with which he conquered Pandora. She had known all of this before, of course, but seeing it laid out before her now, in light of their recent interaction, made it all the more real.

"He's a monster," she murmured, tracing the outline of his helmeted figure on one of the screens. "A force of nature. Unstoppable. Uncontrollable." Yet even as the words left her lips, she felt a twinge of something else. Admiration? Attraction? The thought made her stomach churn with a mix of excitement and revulsion.

Angel closed her eyes, trying to sort through the tumult of her emotions. She had spent so long isolated, manipulated by her father, that any connection to the outside world felt intoxicating. But Alexander was different. He wasn't just a link to the world beyond her prison; he was a world unto himself.

She thought back to the moment she had witnessed, Alexander's reflection in the makeshift mirror, his internal struggle laid bare. In that instant, she had seen beyond the mask, beyond the conquerer, to the lost soul beneath. It had stirred something in her, a deep-seated empathy that she couldn't shake.

"We're not so different, are we?" Angel mused aloud, her voice barely above a whisper. Both trapped, both struggling against the roles thrust upon them. But where she retreated inward, Alexander lashed out at the universe itself.

She found herself wondering what it would be like to be held in those arms that had crushed so many. To be the focus of that intensity, that passion. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, equal parts thrill and terror.

But even as these thoughts swirled in her mind, reality crashed back in. She was trapped here, a prisoner of her father's ambition and her own power. And Alexander... Alexander was out there, reshaping the world in his image, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

"I can't..." Angel choked out, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn't voice her feelings, couldn't even fully admit them to herself. How could she harbor such emotions for someone capable of such cruelty? Someone who spoke of torture so casually, who viewed human life as worthless?

Yet the heart wants what it wants, and Angel's heart yearned for connection, for understanding. In Alexander's brokenness, she saw a reflection of her own pain, her own isolation. It called to her, a siren song of shared suffering.

Angel's powers flared, the screens around her flickering with static. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She couldn't afford to lose control, not with her father watching, not with so much at stake.

"I have to focus," she told herself firmly. "I have to help Dad. I have to... I have to save Jack." The words felt hollow, a rehearsed line in a play she no longer wanted to perform. But what choice did she have?

She turned her attention back to Helios, to the unfolding crisis that threatened to derail everything. Angel knew she should be focusing on guiding Jack, on helping him navigate the treacherous waters of Hyperion politics and Pandoran survival. But her mind kept drifting back to Alexander.

"Maybe..." she started, then stopped herself. It was a dangerous thought, but one she couldn't shake. Maybe Alexander was the key. Maybe, in helping him, she could find a way to help herself. To break free of the chains that bound her, both physical and emotional.

But how could she reach him? How could she bridge the gulf between them, between her naive idealism and his hardened cynicism? Every interaction left her feeling off-balance, unsure of where she stood or how to proceed.

Angel's fingers hovered over the controls, tempted to reach out to Alexander again. To try one more time to connect, to understand. But she hesitated, fear and uncertainty holding her back.

"Next time," she promised herself. "Next time, I'll find the words. I'll make him understand."

As she turned her attention back to the crisis at hand, Angel couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation mixed with her dread. Whatever came next, she knew that her path and Alexander's were now inextricably intertwined. For better or worse, their fates were linked.

And in the quiet of her heart, in the space between breaths and heartbeats, Angel held onto a sliver of hope. Hope that somewhere beneath the armour and the rage, there was still a man capable of connection. Of understanding. Of love.

It was a foolish hope, perhaps. A dangerous one, certainly. But in a world as harsh and unforgiving as Pandora, hope was sometimes the only thing left to cling to. And so Angel clung to it, even as she prepared herself for the battles to come.

Alexander strode into Concordia, his ebony power armour gleaming under the artificial lights. The city was in chaos, citizens running in panic and Hyperion forces scrambling to maintain order. As he made his way toward the centre of the commotion, he spotted Jack and the other Vault Hunters gathered near the Meriff's office.

"What's the situation?" Alexander asked, his voice carrying a tint of authority.

Jack turned his face a mix of anger and disbelief. "It's the Meriff. He's locked himself in his office with some kind of shield. Can you believe it?"

"And why, precisely, is this our concern?" Alexander inquired, his tone blunt.

Jack ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his voice. "Because he tried to sell us out to Zarpedon! He's been working with the Lost Legion this whole time. We trusted him, and he stabbed us in the back!"

Nisha chimed in, her hand resting on her holstered pistol. "Turns out our esteemed leader's been lining his own pockets while Concordia burns. I say we teach him a lesson he won't forget."

"I see," Alexander replied, his voice neutral. "And what do you propose we do about it?"

Athena stepped forward, her face set in determination. "We need to disable the shield and confront him. He might have crucial information about Zarpedon's plans."

Alexander nodded, considering the options. "Very well. I'll handle the shield. The rest of you, prepare to move in once it's down."

As Alexander moved toward the control panel, Timothy spoke up, his voice quavering. "Um, guys? Maybe we could, I don't know, try talking to him first. Like reasonable people?"

Jack turned to his doppelganger, his expression softening slightly. "Look "other me", I get where you're coming from, but this guy's already shown he can't be trusted. We can't risk him pulling another fast one on us."

As Alexander worked on the shield controls, Wilhelm grunted, "Don't see the point in keeping him alive. Just blow the whole place up and be done with it."

"Because," Athena replied, her patience clearly wearing thin, "we need information. The Meriff might know Zarpedon's weaknesses. We can't afford to lose that intel."

Aurelia laughed, a cold, cruel sound. "Oh, darling. There are so many delightful ways to extract information. I could demonstrate, if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary," Alexander interjected, his focus still on the controls. "The shield will be down momentarily. When it falls, we move in swiftly and efficiently."

Jack nodded, his face set in determination. "Alright, people. Let's do this by the book. We're the good guys here, remember? We need answers, not a bloodbath."

With a final keystroke, the shield flickered and died. "It's done. Move in," Alexander commanded.

The group surged forward, weapons at the ready. They burst into the Meriff's office, finding the man cowering behind his desk.

Jack stepped forward, his gun trained on the Meriff but his voice controlled. "Alright, Meriff. We know what you did. But you've still got a chance to make this right. Tell us everything you know about Zarpedon's plans, and maybe we can work something out."

The Meriff raised his hands, his voice quavering. "Now, now, let's not do anything hasty. I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement. I've got money, lots of it!"

Alexander stepped into the room, his presence immediately drawing all eyes. "I believe you're mistaken, Meriff. There will be no arrangement. Only answers."

The Meriff's eyes widened as he recognized Alexander. "You... you're the one they call the Warlord. Please, you have to understand. I had no choice!"

"There's always a choice," Alexander replied, his voice cold. "You chose poorly. Now, you will tell us everything you know about Zarpedon's plans."

As the interrogation began, Claptrap, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly piped up. "Ooh, ooh! Can I be the bad cop? I've always wanted to play bad cop! I'll be all like, 'Tell us what you know, or I'll... I'll... give you a really disappointing high five!'"

Jack sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Claptrap, buddy, maybe sit this one out, okay? We're kind of in the middle of something here."

"Aww," Claptrap's eye drooped. "I just wanted to help."

Alexander, unfazed, turned back to the Meriff. "Speak. Now."

The Meriff spilled his secrets quickly, detailing Zarpedon's plans and the extent of his own betrayal. As he talked, Jack listened intently, his expression a mix of disgust and determination.

Finally, the Meriff ran out of information to share. He looked up at them, his eyes pleading. "That's everything, I swear. Please, just... just let me go. I'll leave Concordia, never come back."

Jack ran a hand through his hair, conflicted. "I... I don't know, guys. He's a snake, but killing him in cold blood? That's not who we are. There's gotta be another way."

Alexander stepped forward. "Jack, we have what we need. The Meriff is no longer useful to us."

"No longer useful?" Jack turned to Alexander, his voice rising. "He sold us out! He was going to hand us over to Zarpedon! We can't just let that slide!"

"I'm not suggesting we do," Alexander replied calmly. "But killing him serves no purpose now. He'll face justice for his actions, but not like this."

Jack's face contorted with a mix of anger and uncertainty. "Justice? What kind of justice can we even give him here? We're not exactly swimming in prisons on this moon."

As Jack spoke, Alexander noticed a subtle movement from the Meriff. The man's hand was inching towards a hidden compartment in his desk.

In a flash, Alexander moved. His hand shot out, grabbing the Meriff's wrist just as he pulled out a small pistol. The room erupted into chaos.

"He's got a gun!" Timothy shouted, diving for cover. "Oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die!"

Nisha and Wilhelm raised their weapons, but Alexander was already in motion. He twisted the Meriff's arm, forcing him to drop the gun, then slammed him face-first onto the desk.

"That," Alexander said, his voice dangerously quiet, "was a very poor decision."

Jack stormed over, his face a mask of fury and betrayal. "You see? This is what happens when we try to play nice! He was going to shoot us!"

Alexander kept the Meriff pinned. "No, Jack. This is what happens when you let your emotions cloud your judgment. If you had been paying attention instead of debating morality, you might have noticed his movements."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Finally, Athena spoke up. "What do we do with him now?"

Alexander considered for a moment. "We can't leave him here. He's a liability. But we also can't afford to waste resources guarding a prisoner."

"So we kill him," Nisha said with a shrug, a grin spreading across her face. "I've got some ideas that might loosen his tongue a bit more."

"No," Alexander replied. "We use him. The Meriff still has influence in Concordia. We can use that to our advantage."

He turned to the Meriff, who was still struggling weakly against his grip. "Listen carefully. Your life is forfeit. But I'm offering you a chance to die with some shred of dignity. You will announce to Concordia that you're stepping down. You'll endorse Jack as your successor. Then, you'll disappear. If you do this, I'll ensure your death is quick and painless. If you refuse, well... I'm sure Nisha and Aurelia would be happy to demonstrate their creativity."

The Meriff's eyes darted around the room, seeing no sympathy in any face. Finally, he slumped in defeat. "I... I'll do it. Just... make it quick."

Alexander nodded, releasing his hold. "Jack, prepare to address the citizens. Athena, Wilhelm, escort the Meriff to the balcony. Ensure he doesn't attempt anything foolish."

As the others moved to follow his orders, Jack approached Alexander, his voice low. "I don't like this. It feels... wrong. We're supposed to be better than this."

Alexander turned to face Jack, his mask inscrutable. "This isn't about being better, Jack. It's about survival and control. Concordia needs stability if we're going to retake Helios. This way, we get that stability without a messy power struggle."

Jack's eyes narrowed, a mix of emotions playing across his face. "And what about justice? What about doing the right thing?"

"The right thing is what keeps the most people alive," Alexander replied. "Sometimes, that means making difficult choices. The people will see that we can be merciful when it serves a purpose, but ruthless when crossed. That's a powerful message."

Jack didn't look convinced, but he nodded slowly. "I... I guess you're right. Sometimes you have to do the ugly thing for the greater good, huh?"

"Precisely," Alexander agreed. "Now, let's conclude this unfortunate business."

They moved to the balcony, where a crowd had already gathered. The Meriff, his face pale and hands shaking, stepped up to the microphone. He delivered his speech as instructed, his voice barely steady as he announced his resignation and endorsed Jack as his successor.

As the Meriff finished speaking, Jack stepped forward, visibly steeling himself. He addressed the citizens of Concordia, his voice growing in confidence as he spoke:

"People of Concordia, I know you're scared. I know you feel betrayed. But I promise you, we're going to make things right. We're going to take back Helios, stop Zarpedon, and build a better future for all of us. It won't be easy, and it won't always be pretty, but together, we can turn this around!"

The crowd cheered, seemingly won over by Jack's earnest speech.

Throughout it all, Alexander watched silently, his mind already moving on to the next steps in their plan. As Jack finished his speech and the crowd began to disperse, Alexander turned to the Meriff.

"It's time," he said simply.

The Meriff nodded, resigned to his fate. "I... I understand. Just... make it quick, like you promised."

Alexander gestured to Jack. "As agreed, the task is yours."

Jack stepped forward, his gun in hand but his resolve wavering. "Do we... do we really have to do this? Maybe we could just lock him up somewhere?"

Alexander's voice was firm. "We discussed this, Jack. It's necessary."

Jack nodded grimly, raising his gun. His hand shook slightly as he aimed. "I'm... I'm sorry it came to this," he said to the Meriff, his voice barely above a whisper.

He closed his eyes as he pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed across the now-empty balcony, and the Meriff crumpled to the ground.

Jack lowered the gun, his face a mask of conflicted emotions. "That... that wasn't easy. But it had to be done, right? For Concordia. For everyone on Helios."

Alexander placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. "You did what was necessary. Remember that feeling, Jack. It's the weight of leadership."

As the echo of the gunshot faded, Alexander addressed the group. "Dispose of the body discreetly. Jack, you'll need to establish control quickly. The rest of you, be ready to move out. We have a space station to reclaim."

As the others moved to follow his orders, Athena approached Alexander. "That was... efficiently handled," she said, her tone neutral but her eyes questioning.

Alexander met her gaze. "Sometimes, the most effective solution is not the most satisfying one. Remember that, Athena. It may save your life one day."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the others to deal with the aftermath. As he moved through the streets of Concordia, his mind was already focused on the battles to come. The Meriff had been a minor obstacle, easily overcome. Zarpedon and her Lost Legion would prove a far greater challenge.

But Alexander was ready. Ready to face whatever the universe threw at him, ready to reshape Pandora and beyond in his image. And woe to anyone who stood in his way.

Jack watched Alexander go, then looked down at the gun in his hand. He holstered it slowly, his face set in a mixture of determination and unease. "We're still the good guys," he muttered to himself. "We have to be."