Fiction #1 "You win some, you learn some" Chapter 4/4; ‘Ransom’

Chapter 4/4; ‘Ransom’

'Good to see you are still with us' Flashfresh said. 'What the fuck happened to you?' 'Oh, don’t ask' Nashh replied. A Silent stare followed; the answer clearly insufficient... 'A moment of weakness, I am sorry, it won't happen again'. 'Good, ensure it doesn’t' Flash responded firmly as he turned to a small gathering of pirates at a table in the corner. 'Come with me, we have business to discuss'.

As the pirate commander and rookie get to the table Gorgoleon slides Nashh a mug of beer, silently staring at him. 'Thanks' Nashh nodded and sat down.

'Attention bastards!' Flashfresh bellowed. The table fell silent. 'I have reliable information from a business associate and close friend of mine of the planned route of an Archon class freighter'. Nashh’s eyes lit up…

'I intend to intercept it here', pointing at the tactical map spread on the table. 'I want a tackling team at this side of the MV-618 gate and a high damage tactical squad at moon 4 in case we need it'. 'A nice clean run gentlemen no fuck ups, we go in, get what we want and get out you hear?' 'Aye, yes sir' the Bastards mumbled in reply. 'Right then, Gorgoleon, Happy San and z0de will be tactical squad, N00bish and Jmaar you will be the eyes and back-up tackle team in ME-213'. 'Nashh you are with me'. We have less than fifteen minutes, so let's roll people! Ship up and move!

The Bastards jumped of their seats and made their way out of the bar, exited like teenagers shouting 'yar!'

The purposefully straggling z0de grabs Nashh by the arm, pulls him close to whisper in his ear; 'don't fuck this up teachers pet, or I'll shoot you myself'. Nashh jerks free his arm, grabbing z0de by his throat, squeezing, one hand already on his holstered blaster. 'Just don't get in my way pretty boy and you'll be fine' he says in a calm low tone, thinking of her as he says it…

Left gasping for air, z0de composes himself. As Nashh walks off into the direction of the hangars he clears his throat and takes a moment to sort himself out, brushing off imaginary dust from his leather jacket. He quickly looks around to see if anyone saw what just happened then makes his way to the hangars himself muttering incoherently...

The Pirates undocked together scaring the handful of people outside the station enough to dock immediately. Nothing worse for a peaceful pilot than seeing your head-up-display fill up with the flashy red of doom. The journey was short and the pirates set themselves up in their positions. The wait didn't last long.

'They're here' Jmaar spoke softly in the fleet channel as if not wanting to be heard. 'Stay cloaked' Flashfresh instructed, 'when they jump, jump with them'. There was silence as the star-gate activated. The behemoth held its cloak as it came through on the waiting pirate’s side of the gate. Its captain already knowing its fate by looking at the red pulsating signatures of Flash and Nashh’s interceptors. The gate burned brightly twice more.

'Let’s do this Nashh' the pirate fleet commander said, too late. Nashh had already activated all his modules and his microwarpdrive pushed his crow straight towards the giant space transporter. 'Point' Nashh coldly reported, as did N00bish, now orbiting the target. 'Roger' Flash confirmed, 'take his shields and I'll hail them...what the f..!?'. ..

'Nashh! Nashh! Respond! Nashh!'. 'No point boss' z0de interrupted, he is no longer in his ship, he has boarded the freighter..'. God damn him! 'Hold fire, I repeat hold fire, I am going in after him....'

Nashh knew the layout of the freighter like the back of his hand. Most of his youth, and his adult life for that matter had been spent onboard his dads. As he ran up the first set of stairs the docking bay lights flashed again. Someone was coming after him. He didn't stop; this one was his. The opportunity he had wanted for so long.

Along the long corridor to the control room the thought of taking over the ship occurred to him. 'Not this time' he told himself…

A peek around the last corner revealed an armed guard with a slaver dog. The precious cargo had apparently warranted security on board but not an escort.

'd-don't come any closer!' the guard stuttered, clearly an amateur. He let loose the dog and waited anxiously as it disappeared around the corner. A high pitched 'yelp' did not help his nerves.

Nashh slowly stepped around the corner and started steaming towards the sweating and shaking guard. The man was in shock and could barely lift his blaster. At point blank range Nashh did not rush; taking the guards weapon with his left hand, whilst raising his own with his right.

He tilted his head slightly, his scarred eye burned with anger. Without any other emotion he pulled the trigger, exposing the inside of the guard’s skull leaving a pink mist where his head had been. The lifeless body fell to the floor.

It was his first human kill, but he didn't feel any better or worse for it, there would be more…

'Nashh!' Flashfresh came bolting around the corner half tripping over the dogs remains. 'What the fuck are you...' Flash stopped and looked somewhat perplexed from the headless body back to Nashh’s void gaze.

'You are along to watch and learn young pirate..'. 'I know' Nashh interrupted 'but this is something I have to do' he continued calmly as he took the more powerful ion rifle out of Flash’s hands.

The renowned pirate’s mouth opened slightly and his eyes widened as Nashh turned around and put the ion rifle against the wall next to the control-room door. The rifle was powerful enough to blast a hole through the wall and the armed guard on the other side.

The door unlocked and the captain stepped back as he opened it. Nashh stepped in just as the second guard’s corpse folded over…

'a-anything you say' the captain uttered, sweating profusely. 'I know' Nashh smiled an evil smile. He had memorized the words a long time ago, and with his CEO watching he got to say them himself, finally...

"You are kindly requested to pay ransom in return for your precious ship and pod, if you do not pay up in ten seconds you shall surely perish...’

’My name is Nashh Kadavr, remember it...’