Riverworld Page #7

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the real Jessie.

I just want to

find the real Jessie.

That's it.

Perhaps that was

the real Jessie,

The one so vividly displayed,

Or would you prefer to cling

onto a burnished image

From the past?

You're so good at reading

the bumps on my head,

You tell me.

Sadly, I suspect

You would not be able

to accept the truth.

I have no reason

to accept your truth.

If you wish

the discomfort to end,

You will.

You don't have

the slightest clue who I...

Am.

You have a surprising

appetite for abuse.

It would seem you've

come to the right place.

Leave me alone.

If I had to come

back from the dead,

Why not somewhere

hot, man, like Jamaica?

This is not Eyrie.

You may want to

conserve energy.

We've got a long

climb ahead of us.

Look, man, I hate

waiting, man.

I always have.

Not much on sleep,

either, I'd say.

Hey, sleep is for the rich.

I prefer the casino.

Good place to hang out

all night,

And it kinda keeps me out of

the upper tax bracket.

A man after my own heart.

I too enjoy a good wager.

It's another

slaver camp.

Same as every

grailstone

Between here

and the river.

Nine slavers,

a dozen slaves.

What is up with

mankind and slavery?

Each grailband only

works once a day,

So if you want to

eat well...

The strong will always prey

on the weak.

That is the sad nature

of humanity.

Hey, Sam,

I've been meaning

to ask you,

What was it like

in the civil war?

Nothing civil about it.

There is one more thing.

I saw one of our friends

down there...

Hal.

He's being

held captive.

So, if the professor

made it,

What about Matt?

Then it's settled.

We're taking

the stone.

Three to one odds,

The element of surprise

on our side.

Could be worse.

Allons enfants de la patrie...

Le jour de gloire

est arriv?...

You enjoy fighting

far too much.

Yeah, it beats

driving a taxi.

All right,

Mr. Porter.

Here we go.

Coming.

Jessie...

Jessie?

She said to tell you

She was in love

with another man,

And to give you this.

Jessie!

We are not your enemies,

Mr. Ellman.

Our salvationist cause seeks

to free you and your kind

From this eternal

riverworld prison,

But you are too

pathologically stubborn,

And your animosity

for Mr. Burton

Runs too deep

for you to be useful.

Can I...

Can I go back

to being dead now?

Oh, I would have you killed,

But that would only facilitate

your eventual resurrection

By your champions,

Who are deluded enough

to believe

That this farce of an existence

Is a second chance.

They are pathetic dreamers

and will soon be defeated.

Enjoy your stay

with us, Mr. Ellman,

Which will be eternal,

Unless your nemesis,

Mr. Burton,

Can bring this world

to an end.

If I were you,

I would pray for his success.

Tomoe Gozen...

Go and find him.

He needs your help.

Hello?

Is someone there?

Can you hear me?

Yes...

Who are you?

Please answer me.

Jessie?

Jessie, is that

really you?

Oh, God, Mattie!

I can't believe you're here.

Jessie, are you

all right?

How long

have you been here?

I think...

Four years.

Maybe more. I...

I stopped counting.

Four years?

I looked for you.

I hoped you were somewhere

along the river, and...

Shh, shh, shh,

it's all right. I'm...

I'm here, Jessie.

I'm here now.

What have they been

doing to you?

They're messing with me,

playing mind games,

Make me think things

about you.

Me?

What have they

been saying?

That you were with

some guy on the river,

Crap like that

To try and break me,

But it's not working,

So they try to drown me,

But that's

not working either.

So they're

basically screwed.

God, Jessie,

I've missed you.

I just want to

wrap you up

And not let go.

Mattie...

I need to tell you.

There was someone.

Burton?

You know him?

Yeah.

We've met here

on the river.

When I woke up

on the riverworld,

It was insane.

Richard saved me.

Yeah, I saw it.

I saw it all.

He set out to explore

the riverworld,

And I joined him,

But it was hoping

to find you,

Hoping to find out

why we were here.

I'm sorry, mattie.

It's okay, Jess.

I can't imagine

what you've been through.

We're together now.

Thank you.

Right now we've got to

figure out a way

To get out of

this asylum.

Mattie!

Mattie,

they're coming!

- Jessie!

- No, please!

Leave her alone!

Help! No!

No, Jessie!

This is no

pleasure cruise,

Gentlemen!

Nyet...

We're just travelling upriver

to end the world.

Now, get back to work

and find our hidden friends.

We'll need that woman engineer

before we reach the tower.

Get up!

You know,

I hate to give idiots

of that magnitude credit,

But they're going to

find us sooner or later.

I should have

disabled the engines

When I had the chance.

Oni.

You...

Told me to find him

and to help him.

Who?

He will come.

You are prepared to fight.

Good.

Oh, my God!

Oh, thank you.

No problem,

my friend.

Antonio?

Last time I saw Antonio

was on Sam's boat,

But listen,

how'd you get here?

I'm not

really sure.

I-I remember

going underwater.

I woke up on the river

Somewhere not far

from here.

I never thought I'd

see any of you again.

You're safe...

How do you do it, huh?

Just fht like that

And sit there like

it doesn't even touch you?

We were fighting

the good fight.

There is no institution

in human history

I detest

more than slavery,

But try as I might,

My eyes are

inevitably drawn,

Not to the joyful faces

of the free,

But the still expressions

of the dead.

Insha'Allah.

I tell myself

That what happens

on the battlefield

Is the will of allah,

But the truth is,

They are dead, and I am not,

And I prefer it that way.

Look, you freed

these people.

They're going to

want to thank you,

So why don't you try

and look like

You think you did

the right thing, eh?

Aw, hell.

Why not?

Matt, don't!

It appears you were

correct, Mr. Ellman.

You are hopelessly obstinate

and disruptive.

I've been trying

to explain

To your friend,

Mr. Ellman,

That Mr. Burton

is only doing

What is necessary,

What is right.

It is the others

Who are wrong.

I'm pleased to see that you

at least agree with me.

You're wrong.

I understand why richard wants

to destroy this world,

But I never agreed

with his methods.

He is a man from another era,

One less sentimental

than your own,

But that does not

negate his logic.

It negates everything.

He's a dangerous man

who has to be stopped.

Jessie...

Don't say any more.

I see.

Then as long as your attachment

remains with Mr. Ellman,

You are compromising yourself,

And our efforts.

Unless you convince

me otherwise,

Neither of you will ever see

the light of day again.

No, no!

I'll be waiting,

come find me.

Come find me, Matthew.

Phantom...

More treachery!

Not that you weren't

a gracious host,

But I got to run.

Your grailband,

my dear.

Pardon?

I'm unbound,

and I'm famished.

Destroying the world

as we know it

Can work up

quite an appetite.

What the hell's

in there?

The fusion reactor.

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