The nightmare -- Distant Yuggoth: The Outer Rim

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Date Posted: 12:06:26 04/29/02 Mon
Author: Victor
Subject: The nightmare
In reply to: Victor 's message, "Floating aimlessly" on 18:55:05 04/27/02 Sat

The Stingray still drifted, on empty, through space. It had been a day and a half since the incident but it was still fresh in Victor�s mind. He would give anything to have his friends back, and now they were gone. It was his fault. He knew it and that was all there was to it. Victor still sat in his chair slumped in it in an awkward position. He didn�t care. The pistol still swung around his right index finger, moving in the same repetitive motion.

His rations on the ship were down to a few meals�he could probably spread it out over the next few days if possible. The air supply was still in good shape, but depending on how long he stayed out here, it could become a potential problem. None of these things really mattered, as the most pressing problem was that he was drifting towards an asteroid belt. It was just another thing he couldn�t control, and he was just using it as a distraction to avoid thinking about all that had occurred.

They had just gotten off a successful job where they had captured a rogue transformer for the Cybertronian government. Usually they don�t hire people for jobs like this and would just issue a general warrant that would draw cowboys (a term Victor and many other bounty hunters used to describe themselves) from all over the SPUniverse. This matter was different though; it required a certain amount of secrecy and care. It was delicate. In all likelihood it involved a government humiliation or a trusted individual who went AWAL, either way it meant the government wanted to deal with it fast and get it behind them. Whatever it was, they got their pay and they were happy. Victor�s group paid off some of their debt, got some food, paid for some damage they had caused to the town during the chase with the transformer, and then were low on cash, again. To their surprise, they already had another job offer. It was a simple grab and go mission. They were to pickup an item and drop it off to a designated location. But something didn�t feel right about the mission. The pickup was scheduled for Tankup�s Bar.

Lately, word had drifted among the cowboys and others of similar trades that Rugby was cracking down. Victor had already made visits there multiple times too�It just wasn�t good business to go to a place that was looking for you. One of Victor�s associates was already locked away in the Brig, and with how slow the Rugby judicial system moved it could be forever before he even got a sentenced. Victor would rather die than end up in that pit. Pushing his feelings aside because of the pay off such a seemingly simple job would earn, he made the administrative decision for the team to take the job. It was the worst decision of his life.

They flew into Rugby with no problems. They passed all the security with no difficulty. James was to Victor�s right; he was a monster of a guy. Standing at 7 foot even, he was not a person that could hide very easily. The huge spikes of blonde hair that came off his head didn�t help either. James was dressed in a white, sleeveless shirt and dark blue pants. He was the team�s explosive expert and all around muscle. Surprisingly, he was also a strategic genius. Mike followed behind them. He had been best friends with Victor since they grew up on the moon colony. He was shorter than Victor�s 6�4 build, standing at about 5�5�� he was the shortest of the group. His brown hair lay in a mess around his face; the only thing he did to fix it was run his fingers through it. Such things as appearances did not matter much to him. He was the group�s computer expert and get-away pilot. In his right arm was an experimental data jack that allowed him to hook directly into computers, letting his mind take full control. It made him one of the fastest hackers in the galaxy as well as a fierce pilot. On Victor�s left stood the stunning Sara. She stood at an impressive 5�11�� and had long straight hair that fell down to the small of her back. Victor thought her face was picture perfect. Sara was the groups weapon expert, she could get a hold of almost anything or she would just build it. They also used her for stealth when Mike�s small size wasn�t required. Victor was the group�s leader, and was the best fighter of them.

They entered Tankup�s in a casual manner, walking up to the bar and ordering a few brews. The faculty�s owner made a few glib remarks about James�s freakish hair. In the background, a local band played an upbeat jazz tune that fit Victor�s taste perfectly. A young man of Asian decent passed by Victor; a cold chill ran down his back. That guy is dark, Victor thought. It wasn�t a good sign.

�You like the song?� a man who took the barstool next to Victor asked.

�Yeah, I especially like the saxophone player.� Victor replied. The man smiled.

�You ready?�

�Always�� Victor said as the man pushed a black brief case towards him. The drinks arrived, and Victor took a sip. He casually grabbed the case and slid it to his other side.

��Hold it right there.� The man abruptly said, pulling out a small gun and sticking into Victor�s side before he could hand off the case to Sara.

�It�s a setup!� Victor yelled as he spun around the man and slammed him head first into the bar, breaking his nose. The team jumped up from their seats and made a sprint for the bay. Security teams appeared from every direction, fully equipped to take Victor and co. down.

�Victor Mancuso, we have a warrant for your arrest on charges of theft, conspiracy, and murder. You�re coming with us.�

�Like h--- I am!� Victor yelled as he pulled out his pistol and shot a hole through the first guard. An officer was down; the security team was now free to use deadly force. They were more than willing to. �Fall back! James, Mike, Sara! Fall back!� The team took off in the opposite direction as security chased after them. Bar patrons had already hit the ground, knowing what was about to occur. They made it to the hallways, which had already been cleared by a security warning. Victor pulled out four modules and threw three of them to his friends. All of them placed them on their person, and in the same instance they disappeared from sight. Under this cover, they were able to make it back the Docking Bay.

Another security guard team appeared to their right and they were looking directly at the team! Their helmet visors must have been equipped with heat sensors.

�Take cover!� Victor yelled. The team hid behind crates and other object in the pay. They would pop up from behind them and shoot at the guards who had done the same. A gun turret came down from the ceiling; Sara quickly blasted it into submission. Mike rolled from one crate to another that was by a computer system. He plugged in and his eyes closed. Soon, another gun turret descended from the ceiling, but this time it aimed at the guards. Under the heavy assault, they fell back into the hallways; Mike unplugged himself. �Let�s make a run for it.� Victor ordered. The team took off across the open Bay, towards the Stingray.

Two security teams edged back into the Bay looking about cautiously. They took notice of James lumbering across the open area. He was the first to go down. Mike was the next. He was hit seven times before he hit the cold ground. Victor and Sara made it to the craft. They opened the ships ramp. The air rushed out of the ship with a hiss. It lowered to the ground. The security guards kept firing, shot deflecting off the metal surfaces of the ships. They ran up the stairs. Victor made it in and ran to the controls. Sara stumbled through the entrance. She was shot in the back. The ships ramp closed.

Victor lifted the ship off the ground and spun it to face the guards. His two friends bloody corpses lay in the middle of the Docking Bay, taunting him. The Stingray�s guns blazed with hatred towards the security guards. They were forced to fall back once again. Victor guided the ship towards the exit, he hit the shield modulator, and he closed his eyes and hoped.

The Stingray went through the shield causing it to ripple in an array of colors. Victor engaged the HTML Drive� and left Rugby space.

�We made it out�� Victor said as he turned to look at Sara. She was on the ground breathing heavily, blood coming out between her fingers that gripped the exit wound. She coughed up blood. Victor ran to her, holding her up in his arms.

�It's all...just...a......dream� She gave a forced smile. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her body went limp.

�The days just seem to be longer,
There�s no more strength in these broken hands.
Our faces sunken with hunger,
Turning upward we fall to our knees�
-�Closure,� East West

"I'm just watching a dream I never wake up from� � Spike from Cowboy Bebop

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Replies:

The new nightmare -- Victor, 12:30:27 05/13/02 Mon
- Deeper in -- Victor, 09:16:50 05/28/02 Tue