A Scripta

Tamerlane"Statesman, I feel that this is my fault. I should make amends to him. I have an idea."

"I swear on everything that's holy, Sunstorm, this is his absolutely last chance. He will go on trial and be found guilty of murder. Period."

"I understand," Sunstorm said, walking away. He turned down a corridor and went into a conference room. Closing the door, he flipped out his cell phone and pressed a button. "Lodestar."

The lights in Masonry's cell brightened, so he knew a teleport was coming through. He turned and sat up, expecting Pinkerton, the prison shrink. Instead he saw two pairs of glowing white eyes appear before the bodies formed.

Masonry's eyes narrowed. "Great. Want to gloat over your failed experiment? See the human whose life you people destroyed?"

Sunstorm had appeared and was standing behind a chair. Seated in that chair was an older man, almost bald. He looked like he had been a strong man once, with broad shoulders and thick legs, but age had made him brittle. Sunstorm spoke, "Masonry. We are very sorry."

"Sure. I'll remember that when they strap me down to get me ready for the lethal injection." He nodded to the man in the chair. "Who's that?"

"He used to be --"

The man put a hand on Sunstorm's arm and smiled. "I can still speak for myself, my friend." Sunstorm bowed his head and stepped back.

"Masonry, I've heard many things about you. Many good things."

"Good. It's over now. I'm an evil villain and not worth your time."

"I beg to differ." The man got up shakily, holding onto the back of the shair for support. Masonry watched him gather his strength, and noticed that his eyes glowed even brighter. "My apologies, but we're getting weaker by the day."

"Oh, no, I'm not falling for that shit again."

"It's a statement of fact, not an evocation for guilt. The human part of me wishes to die. I would be happy to go with him into that good night, but Sunstorm told me what has happened to you."

"And you want to help. How heroic."

"That is what we are, Masonry, heroes." He started toward Masonry, but faltered. Masonry moved like a flash and caught him before he fell.

"You look familiar," Masonry said quietly, letting the old man lean on him.

"You might have seen me around."

"What's your name?""Jack Simon. I used to be known as Powerhouse Jack."

Masonry's eyes went wide. "I used to read about you in the comic books. That was World War II stuff. You were in the Sand Kings, the ones who went behind the lines in Africa and captured Nazi soldiers." He studied him. "Most of them are dead and gone. Did you...have you always been..?"

Jack nodded sagely. "You should know from your prior bonding that we've been around for years."

Sunstorm spoke up. "Benakasar had only recently arrived in this system and had never bonded."

"That explains much. Can I sit down?"Masonry guided him to the edge of the prison cot. As he settled in, he said, "So Sunstorm tells me you've had a hell of a time. First you take something so that you can enact your version of justice against those who abused you, then your friend's armor begins to slowly kill you, as well as the drugs you're taking which cause you great pain. So to heal yourself and help a wounded creature you join instantly with a Kheldian that threatened to kill your friends, and you gave up and became the bully that you had striven to destroy those many years ago. Do I have it?"

Masonry closed his eyes and heard E-VAC's words, "How does it feel to be the big kid in the sandbox?" "I wanted to help people," he said quietly, opening his eyes.

"I know, Masonry, I know. You need to let go of the anger."

"How can I? They goad me and insult me--"

Jack shook his head. "This isn't about our friends, Masonry. If they're your true friends - and from what I've heard and seen, they are - they'll stick with you."

"I've said I'm sorry over and over-"

"And then you do things to prove you're not."

"Like what?"

"Oh, like threatening to skip town to make Guardian Pace look bad."

He closed his eyes. "That was stupid on my part."

"Yes, it was."

"He won't forgive me."

"I wouldn't. You need to prove it to him, and that'll take time."

"He doesn't want to see me anymore.""We can ask him if he's sure about that. I'm sure he's not." He studied Masonry. "But it's not about them. It's about you."

"I'm a murderer, a villain."

"If you were a villain you wouldn't have caught be before I fell."

His eyes narrowed. "So that was a test, then?"

"Not at all, Masonry. I'm getting old. I was 25 when I threw Panzers across dunes. I worked until about fifteen years ago, retired and did a lot of philanthropic work, mentoring new heroes. It's time for me to go."

"So you want my body?"

Jack folded his arms across his chest. "No. I want to help save a good man."

Masonry got up and paced the room. "How long have you been on Earth?"

"My first host was a farmboy in Greece just before the Trojan War. I've been everything from that simple farm boy to a famous military leader."

"Who, Cesear?"

"No. Timur-e Lang."

Masonry furrowed his brow.

"Also known as Tamberlaine, a Persian who conquered much of Asia after Genghis Khan."

"Oh. You've always been in the military?"

"Mostly, but not always." He smiled. "I left my resume in my other pants."

Masonry turned back to him. "I can't believe you want to help me like this, a perfect stranger."

"Like I said earlier, it's what heroes do."

The silence lasted a long time. Masonry wanted to be a hero again - he didn't remember how he had changed, why he did - all he felt was power, the want and need to destroy and show the world--

"I won't let you use me, either, Masonry."

Masonry blinked. "How did you --"

"Because I've seen that look in men's eyes when presented with the kind of power the bonding offers."

Masonry looked down.

Jack smiled. "I've been around the block a few times, Masonry. You can't fool me, and neither can the Renegade."

"He's dead."

"No, he's not."

"Yes, he is."

"Part of him will always be in you. It's why you still want to kill your friends because of what they're doing. He took the anger you felt about your abusers and put it on everyone who tells you what to do. That includes your friends."

"I guess I'm stupid."

"No, Masonry, gullible. And you want to please people."

He nodded. Jack stood up shakily. "Masonry, you don't have to make a decision right now. I'm not going anywhere."

"Can...can you stay here? Talk with me some more?"

He glanced at Sunstorm, who gave the most imperceptive nod. Jack sat back down again. "I'll be happy to. Sunstorm, could you please see if we can have some lunch?"

"Of course, Lodestar."

Masonry tilted his head. "Is that your Kheldian name?"

"Yes."

As Sunstorm disappeared in a teleporting light, Jack turned to Masonry. "Do you have any girlfriends?"

"Two of them."

He chuckled. "Do you get their names confused?"

Masonry snorted. "I thought you'd get all holier-than-thou on me."

"No. You're a handsome man. I'm surprised you don't have a list as long as your arm." Jack sat back. "Tell me about them."