Bounty Part VIII

Bounty Part VIII...This is the last post for today, I'll do more in a few days.

“Howard you will be coming with me.  We are acquiring transport to the facility and we will infiltrate it secretly through this access point.” Ax pointed to an entrance to the north of the main door.  “We’ll go immediately left once inside and down this set of stairs.  It looks confusing down there, but I think what we are looking for is the main laboratory at the end of the long hallway here.” She pointed again and pushed Howard’s shoulder out of the way.

            “I still don’t want to go, I believe my usefulness is at an impasse and if I am to continue with my mission I must kill you now!” Howard whipped out a concealed blaster and aimed it at Ax’s stomach.

            Her reaction was smooth and quick, she was already close to him and so she grabbed for his legs and yanked him out of the chair, throwing the blaster off down the hallway.  Howard tried to run and grab it, but Ax pulled out a long blade from her back pack and stabbed the metal into Howard’s leg.  Howard screamed out in pain, stopping short of the blaster.  He was pinned to the floor of the ship and Ax stepped over him and stooped to pick up the blaster. “Give it back!  You aren’t supposed to be alive; Daren Nevil should have killed you.” Howard yelled at her.

            “Daren Nevil was just as much of a coward as you are now.  You are the one that will die.  You had this blaster set to vaporize me.  What was your plan after that?  Take over the ship?  Fat chance, B4D6 would have killed you anyway.  I don’t like being threatened. Bounties are meant to be paid for; you can’t deliver so I’ll make my own withdrawal from the main facility.  You don’t have to pay me now.” Ax picked up Howard’s head and stared into his eyes.  The man was in utter terror.  “I can’t have you calling a bounty in.  I’ll have to kill you.” Ax stood over him once again.  He suddenly became enraged by her gaining the upper hand so quickly.

            “You’ll have to have a challenge killing me if I’m not here.” Howard dislodged the knife from his leg and pulled himself up. “EC1 pick up now.  Space port one.” Howard smiled at her. “It was interesting to be held by you Ax, you are truly a worthy opponent.” He started to disappear. She lunged for his legs.

            “That won’t help, within moments I won’t even be here.  By the way I fed you false information on how to get into the facility; in fact I’m not even sure it’s there in the next city. Ha, hahahahaha!” He completely vanished from the ship.

To Be Continued...

Left you all hanging, this should be good. Bye for now...

Bounty Part VII

Bounty Part VII...The Plot thickens.

“Coming up on the spaceport, master.” B4 replied.

            “Right.” Ax straightened.  She leveled out the Curious Maiden and brought her between the running lights for approach.  “Landing gear down.”  The ship pivoted around lowering its landing feet.  With precision Ax brought the ship down to rest with an easy thud.  Howard sat behind the two chairs watching what was happening.  He started to sweat and cough at the approach.

            “What’s wrong?  Getting cold feet for this dangerous mission?” Ax looked back.

            “No!  Of course not, I’ll go through with it.  We just need to be as discreet as possible.  This place may be a garden spot in the galaxy, but there are still killers here.” Howard gulped.

            “I’m one of them.  You just keep your mouth shut; let me do the talking so you don’t end up like Daren Nevil.  I wouldn’t want to explain that.”  Ax ended her discussion by pulling down the lock clamps for her ship. “B4 stay aboard.  In case of trouble I’ll tap my wrist communicator and you’ll find us on the locater.  Any questions?”

            “Yes, how will I know you are done?” B4 asked.

            “We’ll come back.” Howard spoke up.

            “I’ll be back; Howard will be getting transport elsewhere, not with me.” Ax laughed deeply through the helmet.  She disengaged the safety on the exit and the hatch lowered to the ground.  A rush of forest wind came through the ship and she could smell the indigenous trees, their saplings and the type of leaves.  She got up and started to the exit.  On her way she grabbed her most concealable weapon, the flame thrower and concealed it in one of her side pockets of her pants.

            Howard followed sheepishly; he seemed nervous and distraught over being on Elis Prime.  Ax thought it odd; his nervousness didn’t seem like his character, a cold, hard killer.  He showed no remorse in killing Daren Nevil and yet here he was a coward.  Ax kept her eyes on him as they walked off the ramp.

            She was very careful with her identity even here on Elis Prime, she encountered others who hunted bounty hunters and her name appeared more than once on different planets.  She then decided at that point to conceal even her real name from some of the databases.  She didn’t usually kill anyone unless the contract called for it, then she showed no remorse.  It resulted in her being wanted for murder though; it wasn’t true, even the police of the planet had wanted the man dead.  The charge was bogus of course, trumped up by officials who knew the case.  It didn’t matter now; she was away from that planet, seven years away.  By now she hoped people would forget her mistake.

            She walked out onto the tarmac and breathed in the crisp air through her filtered mask.  She looked out to the city and could see different species of alien crossing the busy streets.  A group of aliens with highly pronounced foreheads came closer to her and her passenger/hostage.

            “Here’s our welcome committee.” Ax muttered under her breath.  She tried to appear taller as the aliens drew closer.

            “Markis Cordly, It’s been awhile since we have seen your ship.  Are you making deliveries to the outer rim territories?” The first grey alien asked.  He was cloaked in an auburn robe, his head was shaved exposing his four tendril hairs making his long ears stand out from his head.

            “Greetings, I’m just delivering this man Howard Joneson, he has business here.  I merely want supplies and fuel.  Are you still working with dura-plates?” Ax bowed down to the towering alien.  She figured she needed to get in the good graces so she could get off planet without a hitch, although blowing up an electro-chemical planet was not the ideal quiet exit.

            “Yes, we still use the valuable metal.  You are welcome to stay as long as you need to.” The grey alien bowed and glared at Howard as he left.  Once the aliens were out of view, Ax turned to Howard.

            “I want you to find the location of the main plant.  Do that and I’ll do the rest.  I expect a full compensation for the trouble I’m going through.  Any questions?”

            “Yeah, where do I meet you?” Howard asked slyly.

            “Meet me?  No, no, no we’re together on this.  You are not going to be out of my sight at all.  If you pull anything I need to know about it.  You are not going to run off and set me up for failure.  You got that?” Ax glared at the man she was forced to accompany.

            Howard gulped for a moment and then stared into the black visor of the breathing mask. “I understand, but what can I do right now to pull that off?”

            “Don’t play dumb with me, I’ll show you our mainframe computer and you can hack into the central processing core of your organization.  You still have access, of course you do.  Once you have established where it is we’ll procure some transportation to our location and be dropped off. B4 then will pick us up when we have successfully delivered an implosion bomb.  Come on let’s go get you into that system.” Ax finished as she escorted Howard back aboard her ship.

            Inside she pushed Howard toward the mainframe in the lower bowels of her ship.  She made sure he didn’t venture toward the front of the ship where her quarters were.  B4 was in constant communication with Ax.  As she explained the intricacies of her system, B4 related the information that Ax had requested.

            “According to planetary scans there are large concentrations of electro-chemical energy in fifteen to twenty facilities across the planet.  One signal stands stronger than all the other ones.  It is located twenty miles from our present location.  Its energy output is at least three to four cities strong.  This is very strange, there are no other energy sources going to the building.  Whatever that complex is, it is generating an enormous amount of power.  What makes it more difficult to annihilate is the planet defense system, anything unauthorized gets shot down and then they are hunted to the source. I just thought you would like to know where we stand even though you have already chosen your path.  I will await your call for when you arrive outside the facility.  I am now transferring the coordinates directly to your visual display.

            You can access it through your wrist computer and draw up the map to where you are going and even how to get in.  I hope I have been of help.”

            Acting like she hadn’t heard a word of what B4 said she continued to guide Howard to the Ecological Cleansers program.  Howard shifted under her watchful eye and then went to work imputing his data to lead him to the direct blueprints of the facility they were going to.  Ax smiled underneath her helmet.  ‘This was what I wanted in the first place.’ She thought to herself.

            “Ax Darnell, this is your information you will want.  I don’t want to be seen at that facility.  I don’t have access into the building, I’m not important enough.” Howard stuttered.

To Be Continued...

Bounty Part VI

Bounty Part VI...Oooh it gets better!

“B4, do you have access to the ship video surveillance?”

            “Yes, I do,”

            “Can you show video feed from below this deck?” Howard tried to plead.

            “Your efforts to try to acquire the identity of my master are artful but futile.  You will not see anything of what you want,”

            “How long have you been out in space?”

            “Seven years, six months, fourteen days and eighteen minutes.  We have visited a total of twenty one planets and two moons.  Why do you ask?” B4 relayed.

            “I was trying to remember my history.  I figured I could get the identity of Ax from calculating the exact year.”

            “Well, whatever you are thinking, you are wrong.  That’s only how long we have been in space.  I never said anything else.  You should be monitoring our slipstream course.”

            “I don’t know how to do that.  I’m used to the standard hyper-drive.  This technology is way beyond my comprehension.”

            “Do you admit then that you can’t place Ax’s age?”

            “Yes…unfortunately.” Howard became quiet after his ideas were crushed.  At that time Ax came up sporting a square shaped helmet with a black visor and a breathing apparatus attached where the mouth is.  Her clothes were of a metallic black armor on her upper torso, reinforced so no one could tell she was a woman.  Her pants were of bulky black cotton with military boots.

            “Satisfied?  Ax asked smartly.  Her voice sounded even deeper than when she had her chrome helmet on.

            “Yes, I suppose so.” Howard simply said.  He sighed heavily and just turned in his chair.  Ax walked past him and looked at B4D6.

            “What’s with him?”

            “What are the words…I believe I took the wind out of his sails as it were.” B4 tried to get the human expression correct.

            “Ah, in other words he can’t figure out who I am and he has no idea how to work our technology.  Wonderful, Howard don’t feel bad if all goes smoothly we should be able to disarm whatever biological weapon there is on Elis Prime.  If not we won’t be around to blame.”

            “That’s comforting.” Howard said sarcastically.  An alarm rang through the ship.

            “That’s it, prepare to drop out of slipstream, we’re here at Elis Prime.  I’m sure we’ve already been detected.  The Curious Maiden will make even a stir. B4 drop our shields so the planet can scan our ship.” Ax sat in the pilot seat adjusting the ship for entry to normal space.  Suddenly the ship phased into normal space facing a giant green world below.  It seemed to glow with life.  Under her new helmet, Ax smiled.  She could see how the terrorist appreciated this planet.  The Eco Cleansers had chosen the perfect planet in the far reaches of this galaxy.

            Within two minutes a short soft beeping sound echoed through the cockpit.  Ax knew it was local planet defense. “Open a channel, B4.  I’ll speak to them directly.  This is Markis Cordly requesting dock at your space port.  I have one passenger who needed transport and I would like to fulfill my contract.  I only ask to refuel.” Ax waited for a reply.

            “Markis, what kind of a name is that?” Howard asked.

            “Shut your trap, are you negotiating?  I don’t think so.” Ax snapped.

            “Curious Maiden, we have approach vectors for you, do not deviate.  Proceed directly to our space port for refueling and delivery.” The traffic control officer stated, having no personality at all.

            “Proceeding on course.” Ax replied.  She took over the steering and veered through the planet’s atmosphere.  The planet was full of flora and fauna.  Ax could see different varieties of birds soar through the air.  A few of the species were the size of yachts or single fighters. She watched as a grey feathered Balis flew next to their ship and the giant bird seemed to want to race.  Ax smiled and veered the ship even deeper into its decent.

To Be Continued...

Bounty Part V

Bounty Part V will be a little longer here.  I hope no one loses interest...

Ax moved past the chair and sat down in her seat, “Alright B4, I’ll take over,” B4 released control and allowed Ax to take the helm.  She pulled up on the column and gained their altitude even faster.  Soon they were out of the planet’s atmosphere.  Ax punched in some coordinates, and then she initiated the slip-drive.  The Risk Taker launched into the wormhole and was safely on its way.

            Ax unstrapped herself and went to where the civilian sat. “What happened?  Who are you?  Why should I keep you alive?” she pointed her blaster at his head and she pulled a knife out and pointed it between his legs. “Talk! Now!”

            The man gulped, “My name is Howard Joneson.  As I said before, I represent the Enviro-Control.  Daren Nevil’s crime was already sentenced and the only thing left was to follow through with the execution.  I was the one to carry it out.  The genocide he committed had repercussions across the galaxy.  Everyone will know that the great Ax Darnell caught the criminal and delivered him for execution,” Howard tried to readjust in his chair.

            Ax only tightened her grip on her blaster as well as the knife.  “Last question…Why should I keep you alive?”

            “As long as you keep me alive, you’re safe.  Enviro-Control needs a report from me every six hours, so when they don’t hear from me, they’ll come looking for me,” Howard continued.

            “He makes a valid argument, master,” B4 replied.

            “Did I ask your opinion?  Where do I drop you off?” Ax had her helmet almost touching Howard’s face.

            “Elis Prime would be fine.  By the way your payment has risen since you made such a successful delivery,” Howard replied coolly.

            “I don’t like having my cargo killed in front of me.  It’s bad for business,” Ax turned to return back to her chair.

            “Do you know that Daren Nevil’s terrorists group waits to destroy one more world?” Howard asked making Ax stop in her tracks.

            “What world?”

            “The one that started life…Earth,” Howard hesitated.

            “Earth shouldn’t be a threat to the Eco Cleansers.  There are barely a billion people on Earth,” Ax commented.

            “True, but it is the seat of humanity.  These terrorists are aiming to wipe out humans from the earth and just have nature take its course.”

            “Alright, Howard, where should I go?” Ax responded.

            “As I said before Elis Prime, there are no other systems more sympathetic to the Eco Cleansers than that one.  Are you able to conceal this ship?”

            “What do you have in mind?”

            “People don’t take kindly to bounty hunters, you’ll need to change your appearance of the ship or cloak it, and otherwise we’ll be fired upon,” Howard explained.

            “B4, are we able to switch the hull plating while in slip-drive?” Ax asked her robot.

            “We can as long as there are no major course corrections,” B4 replied.

            “Alright, initiate hull transfer and reveal the Curious Maiden,” Ax continued.

            “Your outfit is going to have to change.  Terrorists know of the chrome-helmeted Bounty Hunter Ax Darnell,” Howard looked at Ax carefully.

            “Don’t worry; I won’t look like a bounty hunter.  I’ll still have a helmet on though.  You won’t know my identity that easy,” Ax smiled from behind her chrome helmet.  The gall of Howard Joneson to even suggest such a thing annoyed her beyond words. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, touch anything and B4D6 will personally vaporize you,”

            “He can do that?”

            “Yes, and he doesn’t have a strict moral code so don’t try anything.  B4, watch him closely,” Ax turned and walked away to the elevator.  Howard sat down on his little pull out chair deflated by all that happened.  He straightened up and looked at B4.  As soon as Ax was gone from the upper level, Howard began his own inquiries.

To Be Continued...

Bounty Part IV

Next up Bounty Part IV... This is a rather longer story.  I hope you are enjoying it.

The air on Arkon reminded Ax of low gravity training, back in her academy days, breathable, but thin.  The ship shifted, down toward the southern region of the nearest continent.  She could see the spaceport with running lights on the approaching vector.  The Risk Taker lowered through the thin layer of clouds and down to the runway.

            Ax could see a group of officers and one civilian, standing close to her touchdown site.  She was uneasy about the whole set up, but a job was a job.  B4D6 landed the Risk Taker about fifty meters from the group.  Ax applied her entire body armor, including a side arm and blaster concealed in her armored boots.  She adjusted her helmet, making sure no one could see her and then she walked briskly back to the cages, finding Daren huddled in the corner.

            “This is my business, get over it,” Ax told him and she shot him with a tranquilizer dart.  He went down even further, no longer offering any resistance.  She opened the cage door and pulled Daren Nevil out in his crumpled form. “B4, watch my six, I’ll be back shortly, I hope,” Ax called to her robot companion.

            “I will be monitoring your signal and I am keeping weapons lock on our guest.  Happy hunting,” B4D6 tried his hand at human humor, not quite getting it correct.  Ax ignored him and she opened the exit, walking with the unconscious bounty on her arm.

            Galaxy Force maintained their position, while the man in civilian clothes came running up to the Bounty Hunter.  The man was young and handsome, but he seemed to have an agenda.  He pulled out a small bottle, the contents of which were red and poured it down the throat of the man lying on the runway.

            Ax’s reaction was instinct; she pulled out her blaster and aimed it at the man’s head. The Galaxy Force close behind him reacted as well, pulling up their blaster rifles aiming to kill.

“Tell me what you did if you value your life,” the man dropped the bottle and put his hands up.  He looked at the chrome helmeted Bounty Hunter.

            “I represent Enviro-Control.  This man was wanted in several different ways.  I chose to end his life in a humanitarian way.  I have your payment for delivering him,” the man sneered at Ax.

“I’ll settle for taking you with me so we can discuss why I should spare your life.  If those guards make one move I’ll kill you,” Ax invited the man to walk with her.  He walked slowly, away from Galaxy Force and joined her.

            “You’re not going to kill me are you?”

            “We’ll see, let’s go,” Ax pointed her blaster so the man started moving toward the Risk Taker.  The guards started ordering Faux to halt.  She realized she needed more aggressive negotiations.  With her helmet communicator, she called B4D6.

            “B4 give the guards a warning shot,” Ax continued walking with the civilian.  The Risk Taker opened fire and shot just short of the guards’ feet.  The blast left a hole in front of the Galaxy Force.  Instantly the Galaxy Force soldiers retreated.  Ax hurried the man onto her ship.  She closed the hatch within moments. “B4 get us out of here!” B4 needed no other words, the engine roared to life and the ship began its accent out of the city.

            “What do I do?” the man asked.  Ax looked at him, “Follow me,” she motioned for him to come with her.  She came to the cockpit and pulled out a side chair from the wall.  “Sit and stay quiet,”

To Be Continued...

Bounty Part III

Here is the continuation of Bounty...

“Hey, let me out of here! I can’t be in a cage it gives me claustrophobia!” the man yelled.

            “Speaking of which, I’ll go check on him,” Ax answered.  She tromped back to the cage, where the man continued to make racket. He looked up at his capture.

            “What do you want?” the man sneered.

            “I want the bounty on your head.  If I bring you in alive, you’re worth twice than if I bring you in dead.  I’d cooperate if I were you,” Ax peered at the man; he was in a tattered pull over and rugged jeans.

            “They won’t keep me alive.  They want me dead.  I did too much.” the man answered. 

            “Daren Nevil, I think you are trying to play me, to ignore the Galaxy Force and take you to an off-world where you can escape,” Ax smiled underneath her chrome-helmet. 

            “You won’t make it to Arkon, the terrorist group I belong to will hunt you down,” Daren spat.

            “I’ll take my chances.  Besides, we’re closing in on Arkon, thanks to our hidden star-drive.”

            “What’s that?  I’ve never even heard of it,” Daren asked in surprise.

            “I picked it up on a world you’ve never been to.  Shut up, it’ll all be over soon.  I can move on to better contracts than you.  Stay comfortable,” Ax walked away from the pitiful terrorist.  She entered the cockpit and looked at their estimated time for arrival to Arkon.  Refueling was one of the goals she had for this trip, as well.

            “Did he chat much?” B4D6 asked.

            “He wouldn’t quit begging for his life.  A little of his threats seemed plausible, but we’ll deal with it as it comes,”

            “Our entry-point is coming up.  I’m cutting the star-drive engines,” B4 replied.  The Risk Taker slowed down to normal space.  They arrived at Arkon in less time than through the wormhole.

            “Have we been identified yet?” Ax asked.  She adjusted their heading toward the dark brown planet below.  Spatial-lights and city lights could be seen through the thin cloud layers.  A loud beep came through the intercom system.

            “They have detected us.  Should I wait to reply?” B4 asked.

            “I’ll answer them,” she got on the comm. and cleared her throat. “This is Risk Taker requesting permission to land at the spaceport,” Ax waited for a reply from the space traffic control.  A minute passed by and no answer.  ‘Maybe they were bogged down with traffic?’ Ax thought.  Another minute passed, she was about to call out again, when a voice came over.

            “This is Percy Machintosh, Space Traffic Control; proceed on approach vector to Konnis City.  Do not deviate from path.  The local authorities will meet you at the spaceport,” he disconnected his transmission.

            “Friendly sort aren’t they?” Ax smirked.  B4D6 made no comment.  She turned the ship and pressed the button to retract the star-drive tubes from under the ship.  Her landing gear came down in solid metal blocks, reinforced with Dura-steel.  

To Be Continued...