Outsider

[Laowai]

The door to the hangar slid open with a loud metallic rolling sound. The light from outside cut the dim light within the cavernous room and suddenly a bound, hooded form tumbled through the doorway.

"get up you fool" Ben growled, grabbing the whimpering figure by his belt and shoulders he picked him up and forced him stumbling forward until he hit a workbench with a loud CLANG, scattering tools onto the floor. The figure stumbled and fell again, hitting the ground with a thud. His arms were bound tightly behind his back, and his head covered by a dirty cloth bag, which smelt strongly of engine degreaser, the man was whimpering.

"get up" Ben said again. Forcing the man to his feet he slammed him into the bench again, this time holding him in position, face down on the bench top. The man moaned in terror as Ben held him down. "Oh shutup" he said, removing his combat knife from his belt he sliced the man's wrist bindings apart. Suddenly, his wrists free the man reacted in terror, flinging his arms up quickly he caught Ben by surprise and broke free of his grasp, he went to run, but hooded and unable to see, he ran smack bang into an engine cowling by the bench, hitting his head with a loud clang and falling back to the floor.

"That was stupid" Ben said calmly, kicking the man square in the stomach as he lay on the ground. The man groaned loudly, but now completely winded was unable to resist as again Laowai slammed him facedown onto the bench top. Quickly grabbing the mans left arm he forced it out across the table top and before the man could do anything, cuffed him to a heavy grinder bolted onto the bench. The man struggled but was held securely in place by the cuffs, and was unable to move his arm.

"thats much better" Ben said. Reaching over he yanked the man's hood from his head. A wide eyed, bruised and battered man's terrified eyes looked out urgently. Ben cocked his head to the side and smiled " Welcome Dr Remington, do you know where you are?"

The man struggled again, a look of absolute terror crossing his face, but he was unable to speak, a rag had been stuffed deep into his mouth.

Ben went on. "In case you don't, you're on Crete". Remington, the Brettonian Dr that Ben had spoken too some time earlier, struggled again, trying to speak but only mumbling unintelligible sounds from behind the gag in his mouth.

Ben walked around the bench, "now Dr, there is no need for you to speak, only to listen"

"our little deal didn't come off as you promised, did it?" he said "Your station was on alert when i approached, my ship was fired upon, and the dock, was quite well stocked with military personnel wouldn't you say?"

Walking around the bench, Ben started picking up the tools that had been dropped when the Dr had hit it, but slowly, deliberately and one at a time. The man watched his movements, petrified. Ben shook his head at him "Don't worry Dr, I'm not going to kill you". The Dr looked at him, not struggling as much, he grunted something, a sound, that sounded like "really?

Laowai guessed his meaning "yes Dr, really, you will see your station again before tomorrow is out"

The Dr's head dropped to face the table top, his groan of relief quite audible. Looking down, he did not see the large wrench that Ben had retrieved from the floor. Nor did he see the sudden, quick sharp movement as Ben swung it forcefully down on his arm. There was sharp, sickening CRACK as the Brettonian's arm broke under the blow. He screamed in pain, the sound muffled, but an unmistakable sound of sheer agony. Unable to stop himself his legs buckled in shock and he sunk to the floor, his broken arm still cuffed to the table and bent at an angle no arm should bend, only increasing the pain.

Ben said nothing, as he reached over and unlatched the cuffs. The man's arm fell quickly to his side and he groaned loudly again, water filled his eyes and his sobbing cut through the rag in his mouth. Cradling his broken limb he looked up at Laowai in terror.

"Oh, don't worry about that, you'll see a medic before you leave" Ben said casually, tossing the wrench onto the benchtop with a loud clang. He crouched in front of the shaking man.
"now, here's what will happen now, you will go back to your little station, and your research, and we will keep our bargain, but...."

He paused and stood up, walking to a nearby container he retrieved a small metal cylinder like object. He held it up, and the Dr recognised it as asub dermal injector. Ben smiled and inserted another small metallic tab into the hilt of the injector. Walking back to the Dr again he placed the injector on the back of his neck and activated it, there was a small hissing sound and the Dr flinched.

"But" Ben continued, "this time, a different vessel will approach the station, and it will not activate the local defense net, when it docks... " he paused again, holding up the injector, "and it will dock, because if for some reason it doesn't, a transmission will be sent to the security tag i just injected next to your spine, and it will explode, the effect, is usually quite... dramatic" Ben gestured out with two open hands and fingers, the universal mime for BOOM.

The Dr was now shaking, a combination of shock, and fear... but Ben went on, "when it docks, you will receive your cargo of blueskin freaks for whatever you people do with them, and i will get paid"

He stood up, walking to a wall mounted comm unit he called for a transport, and a medic. "The tab is tamper proof Dr, try to remove it and it will go off"

Ben took the injector again and reaching into another container her took a small glass vial of clear liquid and inserted it into the hilt. he crouched in front of the Dr again "now, are we understood?" the Dr nodded franticly and Ben reached over and removed the gag. "yes yes yes" The Bretonnian gasped, "yes... yy... yes ok..k..k.., i understand"

"excellent" Ben said and leaning slightly, injected the Dr with high strength pain killer. The Dr slid further onto the floor, cradling his shattered arm, relief written all over his face.

Laowai stood up, walking to the cupboard again he removed a small green bottle of Baijiu and two glasses, pouring himself one, and filling the second glass he kicked a chair in front of the collapsed Dr and put a glass in front of him.

"To cement our new deal" he chuckled... downing his shot quickly.

"you see Dr?" he smiled, that same smile that the Dr had noticed, only seem to make the situation that much more fearful "we corsairs can be quite easy to do business with, don't you agree?"

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