This is the End For Now

They were all dead now, mostly, Xanthiana couldn't determine if the Ark brain could/would reanimate them as she had to snap some necks and impale some of them on various hanging machinery, so in theory they could be brought back, but she had done her part. She was bleeding from various injuries, Elly was trying to tell her to slow down, but she couldn't, she had a job to do even if the virus killed everyone on the planet, at least she'd have the satisfaction to herself that she had done her part to try and stop it.

Xanthiana had one bullet left in the sniper rifle, she had saved it for the last ark zombie. Rushard was there, standing with none of his usual swagger or ego. He was just like the rest, a barely functioning zombie, whatever power the ark brain had, had, it was mostly gone, it seemed with each zombie Xanthiana killed the ark brain got weaker and the zombies got dumber. The last few had barely been able to function, not enough to not hurt her of course, but not enough to be much of a threat.

"You could just leave him." Elly almost sounded sad at the nearly brain dead Rushard lurching their way.[

"No I can't, because he might recover, or put simply even he doesn't deserve to remain like this." Xanthiana took aim with the rifle, it was just as she always imagined it. Well not really she had hoped he would be giving orders or shouting at someone to stop her or something. Instead he was lurching and broken, just another shell of a person wounded by the ark tech that was more lethal than just about anything else in the new world. the bullet hit him right above his right eye and it sprayed his brains out behind him onto the humming machinery of the ark brain. As his body hit the ground the ark brain flickered an image in front of Xanthiana, the image was badly damaged barely functioning, but it looked to be that of a young female human, though Xanthiana was sure that was just to play against her emotions.

"Why are you doing this? You're votan I'm trying to save this world for you." The voice was barely there, Elly informed Xanthiana the ark brain was dying.

"Not like this, the war is over, this virus will only harm our people not save them." The ark brain frowned.

"At least you're a votan, finish me as soon as I am destroyed the virus will be halted, you win." Xanthiana did as ordered, she had saved one grenade and tossed it at the remains of the ark brain. She didn't turn around to see the explosion, it made her sad that it had come to this, sad that the world had forced them to be at issue with the ark brains instead of working with them.

Xanthiana left the ship and just sat down while it burned. She was hurt, bleeding, but she'd be all right Elly told her as much, eventually things would be all right, and so would the rest of the planet. Well that or everyone would get killed in a horrible apocalypse, either or really.

** Authors note, this will be my last Defiance blog for a while. I enjoyed writing these, but my heart just isn't it to as much much. It's hard writing in someone elses universe, and I feel I'm not doing the universe justice. So thanks for the journey my three readers, I hope you liked it!

Ark Brain Problems

Xanthiana had her rifle out and she was scoping out the targets down below. She could make out Rushard's men, they were all walking really weirdly near a salvaged piece of ark that had been clearly dredged out of the water (Xanthiana could see sea weeds and such still on the ark) she didn't know how they had gotten it to shore, but that was irrelevant, it was ashore and spreading the illness. The people were moving very oddly though, not exactly walking in a normal manner at all.

"What's wrong with them?"

"Their infected with the arkbrain, its controlling them specifically to protect itself."

"How do you know that?"

"It attempted to do the same thing to you, but after our last contact with ark tech I've modified my device to avoid the code it sent out." Xanthiana was proud of the ego device, she didn't even know it could do that.

"That's quite impressive."

"Well you don't like having your agency robbed of you, neither do I." Xanthiana could see down below the men had seemingly taken notice of her, probably because the ark brain after it failed to take her over made them aware. Xanthiana took aim and blew the first ones head off, the rest didn't seem disuaded at all instead they opened fire, but the ark brain controlled people were very inaccurate, she was able to kill three more of them before they even came close to her position.

"Impressive Xanthiana, I'm consistently pleased with your ability for marksmanship."

"Thank you Elly, I can't farm, I'm a terrible cook, and I style my hair like I'm not paying attention in the morning, but killing people its something I'm born to do." Xanthiana was running out ammunition, but she was running out of people to shoot sooner so the ammunition wasn't an issue. Xanthiana almost felt bad because the Ark Brain clearly didn't understand tactics or cover or literally anything to do with combat, she finished the last one off with another head shot and then made her way towards the ark. She had five rounds left and some explosives she hoped would be enough to stop the Ark Brain.

"I'm feeling better about our chances Elly, I think we can handle this."

"My scans of the ark show at least twenty people still inside."

"And there those good feelings just went."