Riverworld Page #10

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Yoshinaka...

Never would have

let one soldier

Delay his mission,

Not even me.

You know,

I got to tell you,

This yoshinaka guy

of yours,

He doesn't sound

that great.

You are a true

warrior, Matthew...

And as such,

Never allow

the indulgence of self-doubt

To cloud your vision.

He's not with us.

Well, where is he?

Where's Hal?

I am sorry,

But somewhere

down the river,

There's always

a chance he may be there.

I just want

this nightmare to end.

Well, you may get

your wish.

What the hell...

No, stop.

Jesse?

You said

he wouldn't be here.

Who?

Who are you

talking about?

You!

I don't understand, Jess.

Is this you?

Are you real?

Or is this another one

of their chess games?

Chess...

One of my favorites.

Mine, too.

Your move.

No, his.

I'm sorry, Matt.

So, this was all planned?

A charade?

Everything

in the prison cell?

Why?

You weren't

supposed to be here.

Why couldn't you just give up,

Stop looking for me?

We tried to tell you.

Does he really mean

this much to you?

Matt, this isn't about him.

I know you, Jess.

There is nothing

that would ever turn you

To something like this.

Never, not without him.

Don't fool yourself.

Look, this world isn't a dream,

It's a nightmare...

One that has to stop.

Matt...

I love you.

I will always love you.

Jess...

This world is our home now.

It's all that's left.

Everything else is gone.

If you destroy it,

there will be nothing.

We will be nothing.

Look at me.

Jess.

Look at me.

I can't.

Why are you doing this?

You ever heard about

rat-baiting?

In the east end,

The common folk

would catch rats

And make them fight each other

for sport.

That's what

the riverworld is.

It's a vast barrel

filled to the brim

With the most dangerous vermin

ever created,

Humans,

Battling each other

for someone else's pleasure.

It's a game!

And it's one I intend to end,

Now, on my terms.

So, it's a game,

and you don't want to play.

I get that.

I'm not sure I want to play,

But what gives you the right

To make that decision

for everyone else?

It's the only way!

There's no escape.

Finally, they gift us

with their presence.

If there's a God in this place

I sincerely hope he's on our side

Or impartial

at the worst.

I thought you didn't

believe in God.

I don't. I'm merely thinking of

the rest of you.

Our lords and masters.

You want to save this place?

Then do something!

Stop me!

No, because you are cowards.

You are murderous cowards!

Come on, Jess!

Are you

with me, girl?

I don't know anymore.

How many days?

How many days

did you have with her?

I had eight weeks.

That's it.

That's all I was given.

But you know something?

I'll take it.

Those memories...

You want them wiped out?

Obliterated?

Richard...

Please.

You are right.

You are both... Right.

I'm being selfish

and irrational,

And perhaps

the rest of the rats

Deserve a chance

at such happiness,

And I am not

a hero,

Or a builder, or...

Someone who makes

things better.

See, I'm a different

kind of rat.

I'm a biter,

And I'm damned well

going to bite!

Burton, no!

Run, Getty.

See you again, brother.

I am just gathering

It is so good to see you my friend.

You too.

How long

have you been here?

Just one day.

Have you seen

any of the others?

You are the first,

Which feels right.

It makes me happy.

Do you know what happened?

It is all a bit confusing.

Do you?

I thought we were

at the end of the world,

But apparently not.

I honestly don't know

if it was all a dream.

Is that not how life is?

But hearing you again,

I think we may have been

dreaming the same dream.

You were hurt, right?

Yes.

And you had found Jessie.

That's right.

I did.

But then what?

Everyone is

waiting for you.

Oh, you...

Ugh, stop

hugging me!

Dude! I dropped

a tear for you!

It's good

to see you, brother.

It's good to see

you, too, man.

We've got lots

to talk about.

Matthew...

Assalamu alaikum.

Welcome back,

my brother.

It's good to see you, my friend.

Yes.

Captain Sam Clemens,

at your service.

Sam...

Well...

Here's to old friends.

Jessie...

Where is she?

We were hoping...

hoping you might

know more about that.

No, I just

got here myself.

She's bound to be here

soon, right?

How long have you been here?

Just long enough

To get the boat

back in ship shape.

I remain determined

to go back to the source,

To unravel this mystery,

Claim this world

as our own.

Is this the same boat?

Not exactly.

So you've been here long enough

to build a new one?

Aw, got great sea legs,

this girl.

You survived, and we didn't,

is that it?

None of us survived, Matt.

Sam and I were just

the first ones back.

We've been collecting

everyone else since then.

How long?

It's been eight years.

Eight years?

Son, if history has

taught us anything,

If this place has educated us

in the ways of this life...

We all have to know

there is hope.

Matt, there's aloways gonna be hope.

You did well,

Matthew Ellman.

I didn't do anything.

It may not have

seemed like much, but...

You saved this world.

By forcing Burton

off the tower,

The vessel's force field

prevented the blast

From fusing with

the planet's power source.

I didn't force him

to do anything

He wasn't already

prepared to do.

A sequence of events

leads to a consequence.

You were principal

to that sequence.

Without you,

The result would have been

catastrophic.

We all died.

You're here now, aren't you?

Not all of us.

Where is she?

I don't know.

You're lying.

Like you,

Jessie has no grailband.

I can't track her.

Then how...

You can track my friends.

So as long as I'm with them,

You know

where to find me.

Your sense of loyalty

Was one of the reasons

why we chose you.

I didn't ask to be chosen.

In fact, I'd rather be unchosen.

When the time is right,

Matthew,

Once you have

fulfilled your destiny.

What destiny?

I just want to

find Jessie!

And so you shall,

my friend.

And so you shall.

Aw, hell, it's not like

there's any hurry.

We're going to be here a while,

And that's a certainty,

A damned dead certainty

if ever there was one.

Full speed ahead, Mr. Youseff!

We've got a long

river to run.

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