Jupiter Ascending /Caine Wise

Chapter 13 - The Deadlands

The Legion may have taken his wings but no one thought to take the rest of his equipment, it just ended up being catalogued as personal by the incompetents who took him into custody. It seems everyone was eager to keep this incident quiet. True rumours spread about the defect lycatant and his attack. This led to many splicers assuring customers that their stocks were of the highest quality. But the identity of the Entitled Caine attacked remained secret, likely hushed up to prevent any fluctuations in stock prices.

***

Two weeks later Caine came across the bodies of the men from the transport ship. Their bodies had been stripped of everything of value and left to rot. Shaking his head, Caine did what he could to cover their bodies and give them a half-decent burial.

For ten years Caine wondered the Deadlands, always doing his best to avoid the others who have been banished here and forgotten. From time to time there would be a few drop ships with basic rations. No one ever landed, the cargo was lowered down with grav-beams. It was never enough for everyone so only the strongest or most ruthless were able to secure these for themselves. However on this day, Caine sees a different type of ship, it seems to be flying over the planet in a search pattern. Bunching up his eyebrows he watches as it tracks across the sky. He's heard of people who have managed to get off world if someone was in search of a particular talent. But in all his years he never saw it himself, until now he just attributed it to stories desperate men tell themselves to try and keep hope alive.

After an entire month passed, Caine was tired of being in his small cell. He was beginning to think that whoever had taken the trouble to find him had forgotten about him. 'It would be just like an Entitled to be so fickle,' Caine thought to himself. Just when he was beginning to wish he was back in the Deadlands he finally got to meet the man who went to so much trouble to find him.

***

Strange voices are shouting, as Caine blinks and tries to remember where he is. There is a mask over his face, and he realizes he was floating in space and running out of air. "He's going to kill her," he gasps still recovering from oxygen deprivation and panic recalling Jupiter being in danger. "He's going to kill her!"

Desperate to get to her in time, he turns to his old friend and mentor. Even after his betrayal, he knows that few others are capable of helping get through Titus' defences. There's no time to lose, he has to get to Jupiter before it's too late. Caine can't even think about what her would do if anything happened to her. Even if she could never forgive him for his actions, he had to try and keep her safe.

***

Jupiter anxiously paces in her quarters. What am I doing? she asks herself. This is insane, I can't marry someone I just met. This whole thing is insane! If Titus is telling the truth then maybe I could help to save more planets from being Harvested. Jupiter shudders at the very thought.

Just then Titus enters her room, looking puzzled, "Is there a problem?"

" No, I'm so sorry," Jupiter says, looking back at the wedding dress in her room, "I don't think I can do this."

"I told you not to think about it like a wedding on your world. It's just a contract in order to protect people. - Innocent people," Titus presses, beginning to grow tired of her hesitation.

"I know, I get that, I do." Jupiter says, but is cut off by Titus, speaking rapidly about the planets she could be saving and how beautiful they are. Each word Titus says is expressed with sincerity, but there is a darkness in his eyes, his brows furrowed with determination "I'd love to see them one day," Jupiter placates, "but... right now, I need to speak to Caine."