In my first chapter, I started with Caine being in a prison. (He actually spent his sentence in a place called the Deadland(s). I wrote this chapter to give further background to Caine and try and blend my story with the movie to be more accurate.
A/N June 22- Minor edits to formating. No story changes.
Caine lunges at Titus just as Famulus hits a button closing the airlock doors. A gust of wind yanks Caine towards the exterior doors. As the oxygen is sucked from his lungs, Caine struggles against the vacuum outside, kicking one of the storage lockers open. Caine and the contents of the locker are sent hurtling into the void. Caine spins end over end as he tries to grab one of the small packs, ice crystals forming on his skin and his lungs burning from the lack of air. Desperate
Floating in space with only 38 minutes of oxygen remaining, Caine images of Jupiter flash through his mind. Trying to slow his breath he, he can see her as if she is right there with him. She is like the warm sunshine on a summers day. She is like the flowers in the fields, with bees dancing around her. She is everything he has been missing his whole life. For so many years he has been focused on only survival.
As Caine's oxygen levels drop he begins to recall first arriving at the Deadlands, a barren planet leftover from a failed terra-forming project. Not suitable for colonization or seeding, it became a dumping ground for criminals. The weak never lasted very long, preyed upon by vicious men who had all but forgotten they were men.
Sitting in a run down space transport, Caine sat across from two other criminals. Just as it was time to land, one of the officers stood up and started shouting instructions. "Once we land, you have 30 seconds to get out. You will each receive a pack with rations for three days. There's water about a days walk east of our landing site. The transport will no doubt attract attention of anyone nearby, so if I were you, I wouldn't stick around to long." Two other officers stepped forward with guns raised, while the first one began to remove the restraints from Caine and the other two inmates. Looking at Caine, he said, "I had a brother in the Legion," shoving a pack into Caine's arms, he added quietly, "I packed this one myself. Take care out there." Caine only nodded as he and the other two were pushed toward the grav-beam.
Once on the ground the two men, one was a reptillian splice and the other simian, possibly a gorilla splice, opened their packs to see what they got. Some water packets, and purifying tablets for the water they find, a small to medium sized knife, some rations, and a foil blanket for a shelter. It wasn't much by any standards. The two strangers started to walk east, when one turned and spoke to Caine, "Hey, you heard them, nearest water is east. We should stick together, at least for now."
But Caine wasn't interested in teaming up. Besides he knew that going to the only major water source in a days journey or more, was the most likely place to find trouble. No Caine was better off on his own, like he always was before, even when he was with the Skyjackers, he had been a loner. Shaking his head he walked off in the opposite direction.
After finding some cover, Caine opened his pack to see what supplies he had. Like the other two splices, he was given water and purifying tablets, some rations which might last a few days if he was very careful, a foil blanket and instead of a small knife he had a larger one with serrated edge which could be used to defend himself far better than the standard issue. In addition to this he had a rough stetch of the surrounding area, which probably represented a few days journey in each direction from his starting location. He was also given a couple of his personal items, leftover from when he was still in the Legion. An arm band, a pair of gloves and a couple other small gadgets that would be very useful out here.
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."
"I see." Titus blinks and looks coolly at Jupiter. "You still don't trust me." Raising his eyebrows in irritation he chides, "Even though you trust the man I hired. I'm sorry, but talking to Mr. Wise is no longer possible."
"Why?" Jupiter's eye widen and she swallows anxiously.
"He attacked a servitant and destroyed a host of guards. Given his history, I was advised to return him to the authorities. You do know what he did, don't you?" Jupiter gives a slight nod. "And you still trust him. Beauty and her beast." Titus says in wonder.
"Why wouldn't you tell me sooner?" she asks.
"So you can plead for this." Titus reveals a sheave with a royal seal on it. "The original rite of pardon and reinstatement my lawyers procured for him and Mr. Apini. I kept it, knowing how you felt, even if you wouldn't admit it." Titus moves to hand the sheave to Jupiter, but pauses saying, "To be fair, there was a time when I would have used something like this against you. But now if you can believe anything, Jupiter, you can believe that the life of one splice matters very little to me compared to the lives of my subjects." Titus finally hands the sheave over to Jupiter. Titus then says, "Goodbye, Miss Jones," and turns and begins to walk away.
Jupiter wasn't entirely convinced of Titus' intentions. He was the type of person who was used to getting his own way, usually without having to put in a great deal of effort, but maybe there was some truth to what he was saying. Without Caine here, she truly was alone. At least before, even though Caine was no doubt locked in a cell somewhere, she knew he was still nearby. "Titus," she says, "I'll do it."
Titus grins as she speaks his name. By the time he turns to face her, however, his expression is solemn. "Thank you," bowing his head, Titus leaves her to prepare for the wedding.
***
As Caine and Stinger are preparing to launch and rescue Jupiter. Jupiter is making her way into the grand hall filled hundreds of Sims all staring at her. Shocked at the opulence of the affair, Jupiter steps forward onto a hovering platform, which takes her down towards the alter.
Jupiter nervously makes her way through the ceremony, when there is commotion outside. A loud crash is heard and debris from the now crumbling walls plummets to the floor far below. A small single person spacecraft breaks its way into the side of the chapel and out shoots a lycantant skating through the air.
"Caine?" Jupiter says shocked to see him barging into the ceremony. Last she knew, he was being transported back to the Aegis. Caine lands right beside her, gun pulled and aimed at Titus, causing him to jump back, hands in the air.
"Mr. Wise, you are as resourceful as promised," Titus says in a way that somehow makes him seemed impressed and bored at the same time.
Jupiter looks at Caine then back at Titus, "This whole thing was nothing but a lie," she upbraids Titus.
Caine says to Jupiter, "Was the ring executed?"
Jupiter looked down at her hand and watched as the half-completed bond disappeared, as if it never happened... almost. "No." she said.
"Once you were married he was going to murder you," Caine says still out of breath, emotion filling him to the brim, but not quite overflowing, "He told me right before he threw me out the airlock."
"Honestly," Titus smiles and shakes his head, "I don't believe my mother was ever as beautiful, or as gullible as you, my dear." Titus almost chuckles as he speaks as if this were all a game.
"May I kill him?" Caine growls.
"Just get me out of here," Jupiter says fed up with the constant deception. Hesitating a moment, Jupiter looks back at Titus, who is still wearing that smug look and she decides, right then and there, she's had enough. Balling up her hand into a fist, she punches him right in the face. The shock on Titus' face and the motion of his head whipping back gave her some satisfaction, however fleeting.
Caine smirks at the Entitled standing in front of them, who is now bleeding profusely from his nose. Caine contacts the Aegis ship and Captain Tsing to let them know Queen Jupiter is safe and Lord Titus is in custody. Caine keeps his gun trained on Titus until Stinger arrives on board the clipper. "The Aegis shouldn't be far behind," Caine says, turning to Jupiter and making sure she is unharmed. Other than her right fist, which will probably need to be checked out, she appears fine. As proud he is of Jupiter's actions, he is a little jealous that she wouldn't allow him to retaliate against Titus.
Once Stinger arrives to hold Titus and Famulus, Caine takes Jupiter somewhere quiet, until they can return to the Aegis ship. Jupiter opens her mouth to thank Caine again for saving her. But she is not in the mood for words, instead she just shuts her eyes, trying not to think about all the crap that she has been through. Caine stands close but still a respectful distance, as he watches his queen trying to hold herself together. Jupiter looks down at her hand, still stinging from punching Titus. She smiles, remembering the look on his face and Caine smiles to see her smile, even for just a moment.