-I see you suffer, Jazz… I sense your loss of control. – the voice of Dark Shell has spoken again. -And you were the one to tell ME that you and only you can destroy everything I have? Look at yourself. A single little soldier, so-called hero, who had enough LUCK to win so many times. For example, did you wonder what could happen if that dock gate wasn’t open? A little handicap from me… I didn’t want my victory be that easy… But it all ends here. I actually will have the pleasure to end your legend by myself!
Jazz was still confused. He couldn’t tell where Dark could be; actually he wondered if he could realize where his own self is. The questions of good and bad were still juggling in his head and just wouldn’t let any other thoughts to attention. This was the opportunity Dark Shell was waiting for.
-I’d finish you with a single blow right now, but let’s stay true to our roles in this show. Tell me something. Tell me something witty. Or maybe even stand up and fight. Whatever it will be, you don’t stand a chance… You can barely sit already.
Dark Shell was right, however Jazz decided to take this one last chance, as it could be the only thing to keep him sane, maybe even alive.
-Oh, I’ll stand up all right… - said Jazz with difficulty. -I will… I will kill you. This is the last thing I can do.
-So you want it the hard way. Very well then! It will be much more interesting. – Dark Shell ended his line with a snicker, which was interrupted by the announcer:
-10 minutes until impact! Everybody leave NOW!
Jazz picked up the Bouncer he left on the floor and quickly dashed towards a higher track in the hall. Dark Shell was yet nowhere to be seen, or maybe Jazz still couldn’t see clearly enough. Suddenly, he heard a shot. He noticed that his forehead stings… And then he saw his bandana fall to the floor.
-Darn, I missed. Guess I’ll have to come a bit closer!
Adrenaline was flowing in Jazz’s blood again after this shock and all his senses were finally at maximum tension after a long blur. He noticed a higher ledge and quickly reached it, grabbing a Machine Gun lying there. He heard shots again, but this time he ducked to the floor, rolled off it and fell back to the bottom of the area. He noticed Dark Shell behind a few pipes and aimed his newly acquired weapon at there, still moving to avoid getting hit. Once he moved a bit closer, he started shooting and steam began to come out of them, making it harder to see for both Jazz and Dark.
-Your cover’s blown, emperor! You won’t get away from me this time!
-Who said I want to? – Dark Shell jumped out from behind Jazz; how did he get there so fast was beyond Jazz’s notion. Nonetheless, the duo clashed their guns, pushing at each other just like their weapons were nothing but swords. The wrestling lasted for a few moments until Dark kicked Jazz in the stomach. Jazz yelled in pain and crouched, so Dark took this opportunity and aimed the final blow. Suddenly, Jazz turned around Dark and grabbed him by the neck.
-Your shell’s strong, but let’s see if I can break your neck!
-Less talking, more doing! – responded Dark Shell and threw Jazz off himself, shooting as soon as he could hold his gun in a right way. Jazz covered himself with his Machine Gun, immediately followed by the Bouncer he took off his back once again. He jumped back behind a ledge and shot a bouncy bullet in the direction opposite to where Dark Shell was. Dark however noticed this move and crouched under a bridge, then shot a few rockets where Jazz hid, but he didn’t know that the green rabbit had already abandoned this position and was swinging on one of the cables attached to some machinery on the ceiling, aiming for another ledge near a window. Then it came out that these rockets were in fact homing projectiles and have altered their direction, going straight at Jazz. He immediately jumped to another cable and swung it to the ledge. The rockets passed right over him and hit the window, breaking it open. All the air started escaping through it right into outer space, dramatically altering inside’s pressure. Jazz grabbed onto ledge’s fence, while Dark caught on to the nearest pipe and shouted:
-Let’s see how long you can hold on before being dragged into void!
-Oh, why don’t you just shut up?! – responded Jazz even louder and shot a bouncer at Dark. However, he missed greatly.
-Hah! Looks like you can’t even keep your aim! But I promise I WON’T miss!
Dark Shell once again grabbed his gun and started to aim, but suddenly Jazz’s bouncy bullet apparently ricocheted back and hit the pipe Dark was holding onto, letting steam out of it right into Dark Shell’s eyes.
-GHAH! – shouted Dark in panic. He couldn’t see a thing, so he just started shooting aimlessly. Jazz took this opportunity and let out a series of bullets from his Machine Gun, adding a few words:
-Take your worthless promises with you to hell!
Dark Shell was hit in the hand he was holding the pipe with and accidentally loosened his grip, flying to the gap in the window.
-NOOOOOOOOO!!! – was the last cry he let out before he disappeared behind mothership’s outer structures. Jazz’s final mission, his vengeance, was over.
-That was for every single soul that left this reality from your hand… Universe will be a much better place without you and your cursed leadership.
Jazz Jackrabbit just stood there for a few moments, looking around. After so many bothers, he actually felt better. In fact, his mind was once again clear. He looked around and summarized:
-…this final scene was sure similar to something else. Why do I have this strange feeling it has something to do with Dark Shell’s uniform?
-2 minutes until impact. Evacuate immediately. – said the announcer, but this time it sounded like a computer-generated voice.
-Darn! How do I get out from here? – Jazz finally realized he actually didn’t have any escape plan. But he was certain that Dark Shell somehow had one.
-Where was he standing when I couldn’t see him, again…?
Jazz looked around again and noticed the same steaming pipes he shot back in the very beginning of recent duel. He used all of his remaining strength to reach them regardless the pressure still pushing him in opposite direction. After sometime near a minute, he was finally there, examining the wall behind. There was a gap between two of the pipes.
-There has to be a way to get inside!
-1 minute until impact. Evacuate immediately.
-I know, shut up you piece of junk!
Once again, Jazz had to quickly examine the area. He needed something he could break those pipes with, anything… And then he noticed…
-Dark Shell’s gun!
It was hooked on a nearby safety fence. Jazz quickly jumped to it and noticed there’s something else around it… His bandana. Without thinking much, he tied the gun to himself with it, then had to go back to the pipes. He blasted them with few shots, then finished them off with few kicks and jumped into the now open gap.
-Bingo!
There was a single escape pod waiting inside. Jazz came over and opened it, then took the seat inside.
-30 seconds until impact.
-Now, where’s the start button…?
Before he could start looking for it, the pod closed and started itself. The floor beneath it opened and it fell through to Shellion’s mesosphere. Jazz grabbed the steering pad and flew off to the depths of space…
-10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
A similar illumination to the one on Carrotus has spread, swallowing nearly the whole surface of such a big planet as Shellion. At least Jazz had the comfort of not following the fashion and leaving a part of planet’s ecosystem alive. But either way, he still repeated himself in mind that it was the only way he could do it… Now, being sped up by the impact’s recoil, he was roaming through the galaxy with no goal, right into the future, which was even more unknown than ever before… Nobody has heard a word of him since then.

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The cloaked character interrupted his story, picking up his cup of coffee from the table. He looked around to see if any new listeners have joined him. Unfortunately, there was still just one squirrel humanoid sitting in front of him and staring with disbelief. Disappointed, the mysterious storyteller took a good draught of coffee, letting his tablemate ask questions.
-But wait, couldn’t the rest of the fleet drag off their mothership somehow? And why it was so fragile in the first place?
-Beats me. I’m not the one to know.
-Well then, how do you know all of this anyway? You made it all up, didn’t you?
Before the storyteller could answer these questions, a rabbit soldier lurked out of the door with a “R.A.B.T. Recruitment Room” sign over it and shouted:
-Next one!
-I’ve got to go now, so I’ll just end as briefly as I can. As I said before, there was no word of Jazz since he defeated Dark Shell, just like he disappeared all of sudden. But just recently, he got to know that his brother is alive. With this knowledge… He decided to take the path of a soldier of fortune once again. It all looks like soon, very soon, we shall all hear of him in action again.
-But…
-See ya, buddy!
Before quickly leaving, the cloaked character left something on the table. It was a long, scorched and rapt piece of red material.
His tablemate spent few more hours just sitting there and looking at it.

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And now, hop on to Black Light Burns' MySpace and listen to The Mark as an outro song.