A Broken Man

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TITLE: A Broken Man
AUTHOR: Dave Bushe
TYPE: Story
RATING: G
DISCLAIMERS: All characters names and trademarks are copyright Tribune Entertainment Company.
I am simply having some fun in their universe. Posting to archives is fine as long as my title and name stay with the story.
SPOILERS: "The Joining"
NOTES: What happens after the Joining?
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A Broken Man
by Dave Bushe<davejb@mail1.tinet.ie>

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Sandoval stood outside companion headquarters in Washington; the sun was
beating down on the back of his neck. He looked up and wondered, wondered
why...
Then he took a gun from his pocket and put it to his temple
"I am sorry" he whispered and pulled the trigger.

***

24 Hours earlier.

Sandoval watched as Boone disappeared into nothing and as Zo'or turned and
walked from the room.

"I am sorry Boone" he whispered and then strode out of the room. As he left,
Da'an entered and stared at the tank for a minute. He turned his head to one side,
unable to hide the strong emotion he felt at the loss of his human friend. He blushed
for a moment. Da'an raised his hand and pressed it to the glass of the now empty
tank.

"Forgive me Boone. This should not have been allowed, but it was Zo... the
Synods wishes."

***

Auger stood by Lili, noticing the single tear that fell from her eyes and
feeling helpless. She had just arrived and told them what Sandoval had told her,
Boone had died. He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.
Doors was sitting at Auger's desk, motionless. Finally he stood up.

"People we still have a job to do, now more than ever, lets get back to
work"
He walked slowly from the room. A few seconds later Dr Parker followed him.

"Auger, how could he have just died, the Taelons have the medical
technology, they could have saved him?" asked Lili.

"I don't know, but he will not be forgotten, one day soon, we will drive the
Taelons from our plant," This time she did not shrug his hand away.

"I have to get back, Sandoval will be looking for me" and she walked towards
the lift.

As she got to the lift, the door slid open, and out of it stepped Agent
Sandoval.
She froze. All around her, people pulled out weapons and aimed at Sandoval.
A voice called out from behind her.
"That is enough, put your weapons away". Doors stood in a doorway at the
back of the room.

"This way" he called.

Sandoval walked over and followed him through the door. Lili whirled around
to see Auger look as puzzled as she was. Without a word, they turned and followed
Sandoval. As they entered the room, Doors was saying,

"...This changes our plans, Will you be ready in time". Both Sandoval and Dr
Parker nodded

"What are you do doing in here" he demanded of Lili and Auger.

"A better question might be what is he doing here" Auger pointed at
Sandoval. A look of regret passed over Doors face.

"I am sorry, but we could not take the chance of anyone knowing, even
now..." his voice faded for a second ".....They were beginning to suspect Boone,
Sandoval had to be completely secure."

"We were ready for all this, we knew they were coming. We had made
preparations, Agent Sandoval was our first"

"But that can all be explained later, we have to move out of here now, He
has to raid this place in two hours" he said pointing at Sandoval.

"Jonathon what the hell is going..." started Lili, but Doors cut her off,

"Anyone here in two hours will be killed. We must get out of here,I told you
I will explain it all to you later." His voice softened "Please get my people out
of here."

Lili and Auger looked at each other and ran out of the room. A second later
an alarm started and the evacuation started. Doors turned to Sandoval.

"You had better get back before you are missed!" and with a curt nod
Sandoval left and headed for the lift. Lili looked up, saw him leaving and ran after him,
She justmade it into the lift in time. The implant stared at her for a minute, and
she simply asked "How long". A look of sorrow passed over his face as he replied.

"Too long and not long enough."

"After all you have done, all you have killed how? how could you..."
She could see the tears welling up in his eyes.

"My CVI allowed me to do what is necessary, it lets me do what has to be
done, I chose the many over the few and I have to live with that."

Lili did not speak, but a look of understanding passed over her face and she
out a hand on his shoulder.

"I am sorry" she said simply.

Furious anger came over him "Do not be, I am not. I have done only what is
needed to stop the terror I know is coming." Lili looked into his eyes.

She saw the pain that fired them and straight through the lie.

"And it is not over yet" he whispered more to himself but Lili heard. Then
he visibly straightened and his face became impassive once more.

"I have matters to attend to, You will now be working directly under me
Captain, return to my office and await me there." He ordered.

As soon as Lili had left, Sandoval pulled out his global link and punched in
a code. As soon as a face came up on the screen, he said. "Now."

***

An hour later he walked into his office to find Captain Marquette sitting
there, waiting for him.

"Captain you will be directly under my command now. Assemble a strike team
we will be raiding the Resistance in 30 minutes." He ordered.

"I am going to report to Zo'or".

"Yes Sir" she replied and left the room.

If she had turned, she would have seen the look of grief that passed over
Sandoval's face.

As Lili selected the strike team from the records, she realised what had
been bothering her, if they knew about the church, they knew about her and the
information could only have come from one source, Boone.

"The bastards" she hissed.

Now the tears fell openly; they must have taken it from his mind before he
died. Then it all fell into place, she was being set up, Sandoval had to let her be
taken by the Taelons, but she knew about him now, he had only one choice. As the full
facts hit her, Sandoval entered the room behind her and shouted.

"Captain, you are under arrest, do not move, do not try to resist."

Lili suddenly understood it all, and she realised what he needed her to do.
What she had to do. She reached slowly for her gun and then whirled around.

The last thing she saw was the look of anguish that passed over Sandoval's
face as he shot her.

***

Auger was overseeing the last of the equipment being moved out. As he looked
up, the news headlines came on the video monitor.

"...It has just been confirmed that it was Joshua Doors who was killed by
that bomb blast in Washington DC."

"Oh no" whispered Auger He ran in Doors office to see him sitting at his
desk, with tears flowing freely from his eyes.

"Jonathon, I am so sorry" offered Auger.

Doors said nothing and Auger stood in silence for a few minutes.

"Come on, we have to get out of here." Doors remained silent for a minute.

"I am staying, I have to finish this now".

"Jonathon. No. You are coming with us" Auger insisted.

Doors stood up and opened a safe on the back of the wall and handed Auger
the contents.

"This is all you need, now go quickly, they are here" he said pointing at a
monitor.

"No not without you" maintained Auger.

"Leave now" shouted Doors and started pushing Auger towards the door.
"Auger, go they are coming, this is what has to be done."

Doors reached into his pocket and showed him what he was holding. It was a
vial of clear liquid. The colour drained from Auger's face as he realised what it
was.

"No!"

"It has to be done, please go" Doors begged.

Auger ran and made it into the sewer just in time. As the strike team poured
in, Doors put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a gun and started picking off
troops.

Sandoval merely shot him with his Skrill and ordered two of his men to take
the stunned body.

***

As Sandoval escorted Doors into the room where Da'an and Zo'or waited, a
look passed between them and then they stopped in front of Zo'or. Sandoval spoke.

"They knew we were coming, the place had been cleaned out except for him, he
killed three of my men before he was subdued."

"He is enough, the resistance will crumble on its own" replied Zo'or. "And
the traitor, Marquette..?"

"She is dead" replied Sandoval, "along with the Resistance"

A look of pain passed over Da'an's face. Zo'or looked pleased. Without a
word of warning, Doors reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial.

"You are right about the Resistance, there is no need for it anymore."

As Zo'or recoiled, Doors dropped the vial and it smashed on the floor in
front of the two Taelons.

Sandoval looked at Da'an "I am sorry" he whispered.

"You,.....you have done this?," asked Zo'or in amazement. Da'an looked at
the implant with sadness and simply replied. "I understand."

Doors stood there watching as the Taelons began to show the symptoms of the
virus at an accelerated rate.

"We have improved the virus for our own needs, it is ten times as potent."

"We choose to live free."

He watched the two Taelons fall, and walked from the room.

After a moment Sandoval followed.

**End**

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