Living The Life Of Riley

[Riley Mackenzie]

Riley's Bio: The Last Gravedancer

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A year ago today:
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I woke up this morning across the way from landing pad: Hou- NW 8675309 & pulled my last tube of synth paste out of my pocket & had breakfast while I waited for today's pay to land.

It didn't take that long, & after about an hour, the air displacement from a relatively tiny freighter re-arranged the litter on the street as I made my way into position behind a crate about fifteen feet from where the the ship's landing ramp will drop.

Soon enough, my mark walks down the plank as I pull my knife, approach him & say: "Hey! I like your boots, want to live?"

...Hmm. He doesn't seem to understand the trouble he's about to be in, because he just sighed at me, rolled his eyes & shook his head.

Without a word, he pulled out two thin gold bars from his coat pocket & held them out to me like a pair of cards.

SCORE! I thought to myself, knowing I can stay fed with those for almost a month.

"Your a real smart tourist" I say out loud as I reach out for the bars & get to mugging the dude all proper like.

Before I knew it, the guy shifted his weight, & like a flash, broke my knife-wrist by one good hit with the bars like a hammer.

I dropped the knife & fell to my knees before the pain even started, & the next thing I know, I'm knocked on my back as the guy's boot breaks my nose and I start swallowing blood.

Oh, god...I think I'm in trouble.

Facing up at the sky, I catch a glimpse of the transport's name as the dude drops to his knees on top of me.

I blink a couple times, & the next thing I see is a fist of rushing knuckles a split second before my left eye socket shatters. (At least I think it shattered...I'm more worried right now about what I think he's doing to my jaw)

Oh god...this turned out to be a BIG mistake & I really wish I could scream.

::I'm sorry...please...I won't do it again...just stop...please, I'm begging you...(sob) ...I don't want to die...i'm so sorry...::

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'I should stop...Why don't I just stop?...I'm going to kill this guy...So, just..stop Riley.........Damnit, STOP!!'

...Crap, I think I might have gone too far...this guy is pulp.

I lift myself up & look around while holding my boot to the muggers throat, & notice a group of people pretending not to watch from across the street & in front of what looks like a bum-camp.

Oh, god...this turned out to be a BIG mistake & I really wish I could scream.

I feel guilty now, so I reach back into my pocket & toss down all six of the gold bars I have on me, & they land with a thud onto the guy's chest as I call for an ambulance through my neural net.

"These should pay for your room & board in a med-bay until you heal." I say down to him, and begin to walk across the street to offer an address of general menace to the shocked & onlooking lot:

"I'm giving this money to Mr. Crippled here, & If I find out that any of you vultures lift it off him before the medics arrive, I will turn my ship around & do the same to each & every one of you!"

"ARE - WE - CLEAR?!"

My answer comes in the form of speechless fear and averted gazes.

I turn on my heel & reboard my transport as the memory of what I've just done forces the pit of my stomach to sink with regret.

::I'm sorry...please...I won't do it again...just forgive me...please, I'm begging you...(sob) ...I don't want you to die...i'm so sorry...::

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