(Til Death Do Us Part) 13: My Love Will Never Die
23 Mar 2023Silvia Sharpe
Venus injects Silvia with a pain inhibitor and pushes her out of the room through the doorway just before the airlock slams shut. Silvia can do nothing but watch as Venus smiles and mouths the words "I love you". Venus turns around and runs towards Diaz drawing her knife out. She had watched as he had beat and abused Silvia. To say she was livid would be an understatement.Silvia pounds on the airlock door screaming, tears streaming down her face. The look in Venus' eyes told her everything that she needed to know. Venus had fully intend to kill Diaz or die trying.
'VENUS!!!!!! VENUS!!!!!! NO!!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!!!!!'
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Grenshaw struggles to his feet. The gaping wound in his side bleeding profusely and leaving him in a considerable amount of pain. Once on his feet he slowly starts making his way towards his rifle which Ava had tossed away from him as she slashed open his side exposing his ribs. As he reaches down to grab the rifle Ava rushes in and drives one of her cybernetic hands into the space between Grenshaw's ribs and grabs hold of his heart shouting out in a venomous tone.
'You miserable piece of shit! You just don't know when to give up do you? Burn in hell you monster!'
She crushes his heart as she finishes her sentence. Grenshaw lets out a gasping cough, a bit of blood coming out of his mouth. Just before he collapses he plunges his Kabar up into Ava's chest. She lets out a scream and reels back in pain. She closes her eyes thinking back on her life and uses her pain inhibitor. She struggles to her feet staggering and stumbling over to Genesis collapsing at the base of the boarding ramp. She musters up the remaining bit of strength she has left and drags herself up into the cockpit and pulls out a med kit attempting to stop the bleeding but the damage is too great. Ava sends out an emergency evac signal knowing her time is short. She turns her head and looks over at Silvia screaming and crying still pounding on the glass of the airlock. Her vision fades to black and her arms fall limp to her sides as the life leaves her eyes.
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Diaz round kicks Venus in the ribs. She lets out a scream slashing down at Diaz's leg. The blade dances off his shin guard and Venus is sent to the floor. Diaz grabs one of the canisters next to him and throws it at Venus striking her in the back. Venus gets back up and rushes at Diaz. She stumbles past him as he steps aside. She quickly switches her knife to her other hand and slashes at his side. The knife makes solid contact and slices through his jacket and flight suit and down through his flesh, dragging across the bone. He grabs Venus by the back of her armor and slams her against the wall. He lands several solid blows on her face. Venus manages to slip out of his grasp and tries to dart over to pick up her knife but Diaz lands a full force kick square on the side of her ribs, a loud pop can be heard and Venus cries out in pain before dropping to the floor. Diaz limps slowly over and picks up his pistol. He proceeds slowly to the airlock where Silvia is still pounding on the glass screaming and crying. Venus forces herself back onto her feet wincing in pain nearly vomiting as she takes a deep breath. She staggers a bit and tries to take a step forward. Pain explodes throughout her body as her pain inhibitor wears off leaving her to bare the full effect of the pain she is in. She screams out and leans against the wall to brace herself. She sees Diaz making his way towards the airlock, pistol in hand.
*I can't let him get to Silvia*
Venus musters up all of her remaining strength to run over to the door. Time seems to slow down as she rushes to the airlock. Diaz reaches up to press the override button and raises his pistol. Silvia's eyes go wide as the door opens. Venus makes it to the door just as Diaz pulls the trigger.............
BANG!
BANG!
......... Two separate gunshots go off as Silvia stares at Venus who is now standing between Diaz and her. They both have a look of pure horror on their faces. Diaz crumples to the ground with a solid thud, a single gunshot to his back. Jules is standing behind him her cybernetic stump sparking. Blood dripping from the gash on her chest and bullet wound in her right shoulder and standing on her unbroken leg. On her blood covered face a smile. She lowers her right arm drops the pistol and collapses to the ground. Her breathing is labored but she is alive.
Venus looks at Silvia a pained look mixed with sorrow on her face. She coughs up blood and she feels a sharp pain in her back. Venus gasps for air as she crumples into Silvia's arms. Silvia yells out in panicked tone.
'VENUS!'
Blood begins to soak through Silvia's clothing from a gunshot wound to her chest. The round from Diaz's weapon had been fired just before Venus had stepped in between the two of them. Silvia collapses to the ground dropping Venus and gasping for air. She closes her eyes and passes out from a lack oxygen.
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A few days later Silvia wakes up in the hospital on Amenta A6. Her ribs are wrapped up and she has stitches in her face. Someone is holding her hand and their head is on the bed. She squeezes the hand and in a scratchy and pained voice lets the person know she is awake.
'Hey. What? Where... Where are we?'
Jules lifts her head, her face is badly bruised and she has several stiches all over. Jules now has a new violet cybernetic arm to replace the one Diaz had cut off. Silvia squeezes her hand even tighter when she sees Jules face. She looks around the room and notices flowers and cards, one single display stands out the most among the many. Two perfectly preserved bouquet of Royal Blue Calla Lily sit at the foot of the bed. She didn't even need to read the names engraved in the plaques to know who they were for.
Tears began pouring down Silvia's face, she couldn't even form thoughts. Her heart felt like it had been torn in two. A knot formed in her throat, and she let out a cry heard throughout the hospital floor. Jules crawled onto the bed with Silvia and held her tight. Venus had given everything she had left to keep Silvia safe. Jules pulls Silvia's head into her chest and holds her tightly as she cries grieving the loss of her love and best friend.
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A few days later Silvia is seen standing outside Venus' estate. Royal Imperial Naval command officers are present and a Chaplain is reading off a memorial transcript. Silvia is dressed in an extraordinarily beautiful black dress the like of which resembles Imperial Fashion. As a tribute to Venus, Gold, platinum, and Tanzanite jewels are attached in a very intricate pattern across the shoulders and chest. She is wearing a black veil and is holding a solitary Royal Blue Calla Lily. Jules is standing next to her wearing her nicest Imperial Naval dress uniform a solemn look on her face. As the funeral comes to an end, a ceremonial 21 gun salute is performed and Venus' body is lowered into the ground next to her mother and father's graves. Her headstone reads
Here lies
Captain Venus Aloy Duval
December 22, 3278 - March 22, 3309
May she rest among the stars