(no subject)

[lastgunslinger]

Roland lets go of Mal's hand and steps forward, moving with tight, hair-trigger grace, as though he could snap at any minute but for steel discipline and control wrought by years of experience. The way he moves, he's not conscious of the weight of the iron at his hip. It's an extension. This is his natural state.

It's terrifying.

He gathers each one of them with his eyes. "Ninety-six minutes. That's what we've got. We don't have time for heroics. Get in, do what you must, and get out."

There's a kind of cold serenity to Roland Deschain. Always has been.

"If there are questions -- if you're not certain what you're supposed to do -- any questions at all -- now's the time."

Complete silence.

His eyes glitter with something akin to

(no prisoners)

malice.

"Then stand, and be true."

He turns to the door.

"You heard Mal. Let's go."

Comments

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith's heard the word dinh before.

Susan told her its definition once.

Now she really knows what it means.

Stand and be true. Fucking right we will.

The Academy is toast.

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

Cuthbert finds himself surprised by how familiar this feels.

He'd thought that being on a spaceship in another world would make it feel different, somehow.

And yet it doesn't. Because for all that they are in another world, on a ship floating in the blackness of space, and for all that the people clustered around him are not just gunslingers, but Slayers and mutants and pyros and wizards and preachers and renegades--for all of that, it's the same old story.

He's listened to

(friend brother dinh)

Roland make speeches like this more times than he can remember--and at Jericho Hill, he'd never thought to have the chance to do it again.

Cuthbert stands with his feet apart and his hands resting on the polished sandalwood of his guns, and his eyes shine.

It is very well.

[simon_doctor]

He'd protested the decision to put him and River in two different groups, for the assault. It's possible that this man, this gunslinger, is the only reason he was able to subside and accept it.

Keeping River safe and out of the fight is not an option. Sending her into the fight at Roland Deschain's side ... is the best surety he'll get.

Simon meets Roland's eyes. He doesn't say anything aloud -- take care of her, or if she gets hurt I'm holding you responsible, or similar. He understands enough to know that it would be redundant.

I'm trusting you to keep her safe. Still not spoken aloud, but it's almost palpable about him nonetheless.

[badinlatin]

We are not gonna die.
Maybe for the first time in Mal's life, he understands what soldiers said to him after Serenity Valley.
You never leave Serenity.

Mal is ready.

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

Not for the first time, Zoe has the feeling that if Roland had been her commander in the war, she'd have laid down her life for him without a moment's hesitation.

Not for the first time, that thought chills her.

But the man knows what he's doing.

Stand and be true. It's time.

[swinging-cod.livejournal.com]

*Jayne don't take kindly to Roland having the last word over Mal.

Not at all.

But he pushes it aside, and takes a deep breath.

Stand, and be true.

Okay.

He can do that. Just this once.

He remembers something he said, once.

These are stone killers. They ain't cuddly like me.

True now, even more than it was then. And he's ready.

Let's go be good guys.

He looks to the door, and waits.*

[young_tmriddle]

*He's not a gunslinger. He's not a Slayer. He's not a hero.

He's a good man trying to do the right thing.

But he is a wizard and an Opener. Both gifts will serve him well today.

Then he will return home and Door will know his promises are worth something, at least.

The quicker they go, the sooner they'll be done.

Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Ostium of the House of Arch is ready.*

[prydeful]

Dark deeds and secret matters, you can fix it but it doesn't last
In the part of her that kinda sorta almost still believes in prayer, Kitty says a quiet one that none of their side'll be hurt too badly, and that the other side cries from their wounds.
Bright flash, the mirror shatters, who's reflected in the broken glass?
That's about it. She learned her lessons about anything like this years ago.
When the black knight moves you can feel a hand disturb the game
Time to go.
You can hear the city asking for the white pawn's name
She's not tense, just patient. She knows what she's to do, and she'll get it done.
Between the black squares and the white there's gonna be a sacrifice tonight
However she has to.
Before the black knight moves again, you better do the same.

[book-moshi.livejournal.com]

Book doesn't like this man. Doesn't trust him. But his words

(stand and be true)

are like a physical blow to his heart, and he's ready now. He's ready.

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

Oh Roland you bastard I love you

She turned her back on him once. She just hopes to God ka doesn't put her in that position again.

How can you turn away from your father's face twice?

She draws, the heavy heirloom of her lineage in one hand, one of Crowley's guns in the other, and prepares to follow Roland Deschain into the teeth of death again.

[mr-brautigan.livejournal.com]

He's read the books.

He's read the books, and now it's the words of John Cullum, one of the founding fathers of the Tet Corporation -- it's John's words that Ted wasn't able to forget when he read them, and it's John's words that Ted can't get out of his head right now.

I denied Discordia and regret nothing; I have spat into the bodiless eyes of the Crimson King and rejoice; I threw my lot with the gunslinger's ka-tet and the White and never once questioned the choice.

If this is to be the end, let it be such an end as this.

Ted Brautigan -- Ted Stevens Brautigan, and you can check for yourself: the letters in that name add up to nineteen -- faces the door.

[aj_crawley]

As Roland comes level with him, Crowley checks his guns one last time. Then his fingers - the fingers of his left hand - drift up, and brush ever so lightly over his breast-bone.

It isn't the obeisance the gunslinger is due, what he has the right to expect - just like their mismatched crew isn't even a fraction of what this Academy would expect in an attack.

But Roland expects nothing at all. And neither do they.

It's enough.

Stand and be true.

Say hallelujah. Say amen.

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

Now that it's come down to the last moments before battle, Ace can see, perhaps, why Eddie loves and honors this man.

Stand and be true.

Better believe it, mate. Just watch and see what a determined pyro can do.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

Too late for doubts now, for fears. This is the true test.

She doesn't know this man, but Mal trusts him, the crew trusts him, and he is willing to die for River. That is enough.

Stand and be true.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, taking in these last moments of peace into herself. Then her eyes open and she draws her gun. She is ready.*

[river_meimei]

She's standing close to Simon, looking down. When Roland steps forward, her eyes drift up to him.

No smile. Not now. Not as they pull towards the dock of the Academy that maimed her; not as this assorted ka-tet (for they have one purpose today, whatever happens before and after, and that is the meaning of ka-tet) stands with guns at the ready and hard faces.

But something in her face relaxes, just slightly, and her chin lifts.

When Roland turns to the door, she straightens just a little, and her whole posture shifts. She's poised, now, sharp-eyed and waiting. Not leaning into Simon, any more. Maybe not quite noticing him.

It's time to be a weapon in her own hand.

Time to catch the rose.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

It's terrifying if you don't know that cold serenity from inside and out. Maybe it's better to find it so.

But they are what they are, and they are glad of it.

Alain stands, back straight and face hard and hands resting easily on the butts of his guns, and his eyes gleam.

This is the deepest core of them. That taut, straining grace, and that iron control.

Stand and be true.

No quarter. No prisoners.

It is very well.