ECHO DIARY ENTRY #1: TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FALL OF HELIOS
[ when rhys comes on the screen, he doesn't look... good. he's in what looks like a hospital bed, eye covered in gauze, temple port also covered in gauze, and a giant hole in his arm where his cybernetics used to be... also too covered in gauze. he's in a old faded hyperion t-shirt and there are cuts and bruises on his face and body, slowly healing up.
when the video pops on, his one good eye looks a little frantic before settling on the camera in relief and he smiles slightly before lifting his free hand to run through his hair -- except, well, the free hand was holding up the tablet recording him so it falls onto his lap and shows a good shot of the ceiling. there's a quick swear from rhys and then he grabs the tablet again, holding it back up. ]
Fuck -- I just. I totally forgot how to use a tablet. I'm so used to my freggin' arm.
[ he pauses, a pained look on his face and this is one of those times rhys would be running his free hand over his face or pinching his nose or a thousand other fidgety habits he has -- but he can't. ]
... Okay. Okay, first entry. I, uhm. I called my parents? I told them it was the crash and bandits and -- wait. Shit, fuck. I'm doing this all wrong, I have to explain. This, this is supposed to... be a log, right? ECHO log. I have to --
[ his eye looks away from the camera and he bites his lip, visibly tearing for a moment. he takes a sobering breath before looking back at the camera and in a firmer voice: ]
Handsome Jack tried to kill me.
[ and just like that, he crumples. his free eye overflows with tears and he drops his head back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling as he just lets it come. ]
I -- I put all my trust in him. All my faith! I thought, I fucking thought we could do things together. I was so stupid. Blinded by fucking loyalty and thought, I don't know. I thought we were partners? I just wanted to give him back Hyperion, rule it with him, be something with him.
[ a pause and angrily, he lets out in a sob -- ]
Then he betrays me and I had no other option! I had to kill him! I had to kill everyone!
[ he throws the tablet afterwards, a spinning view of the hospital room is seen before it slams right into the wall and cuts out. ]
[ Jack has to give the kid credit. He's not bad with security stuff at all. Now, granted, not as good as him, but, hey, it actually took him some time to crack the encryption on the drive. Jack is actually feeling pretty pleased with himself, all things considered, because for having the shittiest fucking tech he's had to deal with since he was-- Well, since he was a kid, honestly, he's done pretty goddamn well. He's spent the time looking through some of the files, since he's the kind of person that's going to look for nice, factual information over "garbage emo shit," as he'd noted the folder's name. So, in that, Jack learns two important things.
One, Helios was no more.
Even before Jack gets to those videos, he's able to figure that much out. At first, he denies it as he reads, because it sounds ridiculous. Impossible. Helios was more than even Jack, because he had watched it be built. Hell, he had helped build it. Helios was where he worked, but it was also the closest thing he had to home. His lifeblood was in that stupid space station, and to know it's just gone is like hearing that someone he cared about had died. He feels grief over that, even though he knows it's stupid, but it's not just that loss. It was also his chance, he thought. He wanted Rhys to go to Helios so badly because he knew there was something there. He couldn't remember what, and that was still true, but he knew there was some way to escape what he had become here. So, whatever he was now, that was what he would be. That's one revelation that sinks in heavily.
And, two, much more upsettingly, which he finds frustrating-- The extent of Rhys's lie.
Helios and Hyperion were a part of it, of course. He can't help but feel angry over that lie, because of anyone, someone that worked for him should know that Hyperion was his life. He still wasn't sure if that was something he necessarily enjoyed, but it was what it was. It was a means to make his dream reality, and as such, there's a sting in Rhys not relaying that information. However, it's inconsequential in the face of the rest. He doesn't even get the full extent just looking at the colder, less emotional files, but as soon as he starts to stumble across everything about Atlas, he understands. Or at least, he feels he does. His expression grows more grave as he reads about all of Atlas's files, the prototypes, the business, everything he can take away from what he sees before him. But finally, it's stumbling across paperwork confirming what Jack is reading in between the lines here that gets him to snap.
It's his deed. It's not that Rhys had managed to find success on his own, to take a dead company and reshape it in his image, which is something Jack would admire. He's a thief. He had stolen that deed from him, and anger and hurt burn hot enough in Jack's chest that the glass of booze that he'd settled down with while he read gets thrown at the wall with enough force to truly destroy it. Jack stands from his desk to stalk around his room instead, since there's too much of that dangerous anger for him to do anything else. ]
Fucking piece of shit—
[ He's angry at Rhys, but he's angrier at himself. He knew. He knew, because when has it ever been any goddamn different? He wonders what it is about him that makes people want to betray him, because every single time he decides to trust someone just a little bit? It gets tossed back in his face. ]
Every goddamn time!
[ The vicious anger that comes every time with betrayal means that he can't continue this now. He makes shouts out a sound of frustration, but after that, he leaves his room, since he decides he can't stay here. He's not sure what he'll do, but he just has to do something else. Looking in the face of someone else in his life screwing him over isn't something he can continue with right now.
As always, Jack is too blind here to look at himself as the common factor. ]
Edited (spellin + ok look i can't type for shit apparently) Date: 2016-08-10 04:57 pm (UTC)
[ It takes several days before Jack can stomach looking into the hard drive again.
Every time he looks at it, all of that rage just bubbles up again, but at least the extent of it lessens each time. So after yet another trial about someone he doesn't give a shit about, looking at it doesn't inspire him to toss it in the nearest microwave. He figures that's about as good as he'll get. Another glass is poured, and he hopes that he'll be able to make it through more without throwing it at the wall. Which, thank god for the mystery cleaning crew. It would have made him even angrier to have to clean up his own mess in this case.
He starts looking over more business files, but he feels that anger bubbling up again. For each measure of Rhys's new success, Jack can only feel that it's made by screwing him over. But he has to make it through all this shit, and as a result, he decides to go looking into some of those more personal files. There's no real, logical reason for it. He just thinks that he might be able to find something to laugh at to make himself feel better here. So "fucking garbage emo shit" seems to be as good a place to start as any. ]
You look like shit, pumpkin.
[ Jack laughs, since the way Rhys looks here genuinely cheers him up, since he's both bitter and a terrible person. Seeing just how injured Rhys looks absolutely fills Jack with the sort of sadistic glee that he's infamous for, because really? He's actually sad that he hadn't caused it himself. In fact, it's easy to see how the corners of Jack's eyes turn up with genuine pleasure once Rhys states that Jack had tried to kill him.
But, to even his surprise, it's short-lived.
When Rhys continues speaking, Jack's expression of pleasure fades away bit by bit until it settles into something colder, but also uncertain. It's not what Jack had been expecting to hear, and that's clear. He's surprisingly quiet as he watches and listens to Rhys as he breaks down, and once the video is finished, Jack sits there in silence for several moments. He brings his glass up to his lips and takes a large swig, almost emptying it. He breathes out a harsh breath that comes after that distinct burn of taking too large a drink of something strong. ]
Just—
[ Jack starts to speak, but his voice is rough. It could be from the liquor, considering he coughs right after, but it's hard to tell. ]
The hell is that supposed to mean? I- You goddamn piece of shit. You...
[ He trails off, then unplugs the harddrive from his datapad roughly. jack stands from his desk and picks his glass up again to finish it off, but he's quick to start pouring another. ]
Talking about faith and betrayal? Jesus. What- What a friggin' load of skagcrap. That dick doesn't even know the meaning of either goddamn one! Fuck!
[ He corks the bottle again angrily, but he ends up taking his new glass to the bathroom with him as he goes to shower.
It seems like he can only make it through one tonight. ]
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momijizukamori
> vid_001
Date: 2016-08-09 03:28 am (UTC)[ when rhys comes on the screen, he doesn't look... good. he's in what looks like a hospital bed, eye covered in gauze, temple port also covered in gauze, and a giant hole in his arm where his cybernetics used to be... also too covered in gauze. he's in a old faded hyperion t-shirt and there are cuts and bruises on his face and body, slowly healing up.
when the video pops on, his one good eye looks a little frantic before settling on the camera in relief and he smiles slightly before lifting his free hand to run through his hair -- except, well, the free hand was holding up the tablet recording him so it falls onto his lap and shows a good shot of the ceiling. there's a quick swear from rhys and then he grabs the tablet again, holding it back up. ]
Fuck -- I just. I totally forgot how to use a tablet. I'm so used to my freggin' arm.
[ he pauses, a pained look on his face and this is one of those times rhys would be running his free hand over his face or pinching his nose or a thousand other fidgety habits he has -- but he can't. ]
... Okay. Okay, first entry. I, uhm. I called my parents? I told them it was the crash and bandits and -- wait. Shit, fuck. I'm doing this all wrong, I have to explain. This, this is supposed to... be a log, right? ECHO log. I have to --
[ his eye looks away from the camera and he bites his lip, visibly tearing for a moment. he takes a sobering breath before looking back at the camera and in a firmer voice: ]
Handsome Jack tried to kill me.
[ and just like that, he crumples. his free eye overflows with tears and he drops his head back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling as he just lets it come. ]
I -- I put all my trust in him. All my faith! I thought, I fucking thought we could do things together. I was so stupid. Blinded by fucking loyalty and thought, I don't know. I thought we were partners? I just wanted to give him back Hyperion, rule it with him, be something with him.
[ a pause and angrily, he lets out in a sob -- ]
Then he betrays me and I had no other option! I had to kill him! I had to kill everyone!
[ he throws the tablet afterwards, a spinning view of the hospital room is seen before it slams right into the wall and cuts out. ]
part 1
Date: 2016-08-10 04:08 pm (UTC)One, Helios was no more.
Even before Jack gets to those videos, he's able to figure that much out. At first, he denies it as he reads, because it sounds ridiculous. Impossible. Helios was more than even Jack, because he had watched it be built. Hell, he had helped build it. Helios was where he worked, but it was also the closest thing he had to home. His lifeblood was in that stupid space station, and to know it's just gone is like hearing that someone he cared about had died. He feels grief over that, even though he knows it's stupid, but it's not just that loss. It was also his chance, he thought. He wanted Rhys to go to Helios so badly because he knew there was something there. He couldn't remember what, and that was still true, but he knew there was some way to escape what he had become here. So, whatever he was now, that was what he would be. That's one revelation that sinks in heavily.
And, two, much more upsettingly, which he finds frustrating-- The extent of Rhys's lie.
Helios and Hyperion were a part of it, of course. He can't help but feel angry over that lie, because of anyone, someone that worked for him should know that Hyperion was his life. He still wasn't sure if that was something he necessarily enjoyed, but it was what it was. It was a means to make his dream reality, and as such, there's a sting in Rhys not relaying that information. However, it's inconsequential in the face of the rest. He doesn't even get the full extent just looking at the colder, less emotional files, but as soon as he starts to stumble across everything about Atlas, he understands. Or at least, he feels he does. His expression grows more grave as he reads about all of Atlas's files, the prototypes, the business, everything he can take away from what he sees before him. But finally, it's stumbling across paperwork confirming what Jack is reading in between the lines here that gets him to snap.
It's his deed. It's not that Rhys had managed to find success on his own, to take a dead company and reshape it in his image, which is something Jack would admire. He's a thief. He had stolen that deed from him, and anger and hurt burn hot enough in Jack's chest that the glass of booze that he'd settled down with while he read gets thrown at the wall with enough force to truly destroy it. Jack stands from his desk to stalk around his room instead, since there's too much of that dangerous anger for him to do anything else. ]
Fucking piece of shit—
[ He's angry at Rhys, but he's angrier at himself. He knew. He knew, because when has it ever been any goddamn different? He wonders what it is about him that makes people want to betray him, because every single time he decides to trust someone just a little bit? It gets tossed back in his face. ]
Every goddamn time!
[ The vicious anger that comes every time with betrayal means that he can't continue this now. He makes shouts out a sound of frustration, but after that, he leaves his room, since he decides he can't stay here. He's not sure what he'll do, but he just has to do something else. Looking in the face of someone else in his life screwing him over isn't something he can continue with right now.
As always, Jack is too blind here to look at himself as the common factor. ]
part 2
Date: 2016-08-10 07:04 pm (UTC)Every time he looks at it, all of that rage just bubbles up again, but at least the extent of it lessens each time. So after yet another trial about someone he doesn't give a shit about, looking at it doesn't inspire him to toss it in the nearest microwave. He figures that's about as good as he'll get. Another glass is poured, and he hopes that he'll be able to make it through more without throwing it at the wall. Which, thank god for the mystery cleaning crew. It would have made him even angrier to have to clean up his own mess in this case.
He starts looking over more business files, but he feels that anger bubbling up again. For each measure of Rhys's new success, Jack can only feel that it's made by screwing him over. But he has to make it through all this shit, and as a result, he decides to go looking into some of those more personal files. There's no real, logical reason for it. He just thinks that he might be able to find something to laugh at to make himself feel better here. So "fucking garbage emo shit" seems to be as good a place to start as any. ]
You look like shit, pumpkin.
[ Jack laughs, since the way Rhys looks here genuinely cheers him up, since he's both bitter and a terrible person. Seeing just how injured Rhys looks absolutely fills Jack with the sort of sadistic glee that he's infamous for, because really? He's actually sad that he hadn't caused it himself. In fact, it's easy to see how the corners of Jack's eyes turn up with genuine pleasure once Rhys states that Jack had tried to kill him.
But, to even his surprise, it's short-lived.
When Rhys continues speaking, Jack's expression of pleasure fades away bit by bit until it settles into something colder, but also uncertain. It's not what Jack had been expecting to hear, and that's clear. He's surprisingly quiet as he watches and listens to Rhys as he breaks down, and once the video is finished, Jack sits there in silence for several moments. He brings his glass up to his lips and takes a large swig, almost emptying it. He breathes out a harsh breath that comes after that distinct burn of taking too large a drink of something strong. ]
Just—
[ Jack starts to speak, but his voice is rough. It could be from the liquor, considering he coughs right after, but it's hard to tell. ]
The hell is that supposed to mean? I- You goddamn piece of shit. You...
[ He trails off, then unplugs the harddrive from his datapad roughly. jack stands from his desk and picks his glass up again to finish it off, but he's quick to start pouring another. ]
Talking about faith and betrayal? Jesus. What- What a friggin' load of skagcrap. That dick doesn't even know the meaning of either goddamn one! Fuck!
[ He corks the bottle again angrily, but he ends up taking his new glass to the bathroom with him as he goes to shower.
It seems like he can only make it through one tonight. ]