And I replied in turn, "You don't always have to repulse the ladies, you know. Maybe try leaving the wife a gift of goodwill next time!"
We laughed. Once we arrived at our rendezvous with some camaraderie of ours we'd be able to snuff these piggy police with but a flick of the wrist.
That brought me back to my old days in Rheinland... My family had been a reluctant assimilant into the strange, warlike, industrious people, only weeks before the sleeper ships finally left for orbit. Though my people had been harassed by hers for millenia, we trusted in her equally as long tradition of workmanship. And it had turned out that the superior metalworking enabled my ancestors to survive...
But I was suddenly snapped back to attention when we were intercepted at the end of the trade lane. These pigs would have no such chance as my predecessors did.
Three police Drakes were closing on the duo as they rounded Shinjuku Station. Before they even got within weapons range, an unmarked fighter emerged from seemingly nowhere and blasted two of the Drakes from existence. A voice cackled over the comm system.
"You guys need a better route. Ever heard of cruise engines?" the voice asked.
Sayne simply laughed, "You've always been a bit of an ass, Merlow."
The voice was none other than Doyen Robert Merlow, a born and raised criminal mastermind who knew a thing or two about fighting. He swiveled his ship around to face two more Drakes, dispatching them with ease before falling into formation with Sayne.
"What's the damage, Sayne?"
Commander in Chief of the Migrant Fleet / Former Fleet Admiral of the Liberty First Fleet Second Survivor of the Mentat Program. We must give and take with good measure. Give too much, we become complacent. Take too much, we incur the wrath of our own. Tread Lightly. --Supreme Bashar Robert Merlow--
(Hey Sayne, if you have plans for a contractor already then Ill change the profile of this character. If your ok with it, enjoy.)
Dale Kavannah scowled as he threw another shot of whiskey down his neck. The liquid burned as it went, warming his stomach and easing his anxiety. The fact remained however that Sayne Jadyn had failed to report in on the status of his mission. Kavannah was never in a good mood, more so when the people he paid to make a hit failed to report in. If Jadyn was still alive, Kavannah swore he would rip the mans eyes out himself.
The burly Bretonian was one of the most feared Lane Hackers on Mactan. His tatty bomber jacket and shaven head added to his general look of menace, not to mention his dense musculature and impressive height. He had many enemies scattered across Sirius, one less now that Jadyn had hit his target.
Dale knew that Jadyn had hit the mark; it had been plastered across the news for the past hour or so. What Dale didnt know was whether Jadyn escaped or not. There had been word of a starship chase. If the bastard led the Kusari Naval Forces to the location of Mactan then they were all screwed.
Yes, today had not been a good day for Dale Kavannahs nerves, and certainly not a good day for his underlings. He bitterly ordered another scotch, almost throwing the credit chips at the barman.
Mr. Kavannah, A voice spoke from behind him. It was Clyde, one of his pilots. Jadyns ship is landing in hangar bay three, he has company.
Dale threw back his fourth whiskey and slammed the glass on the bar. Red faced and very angry, he stood up and spun around. His day is about to get a lot worse.
With that, he marched from the canteen, heading for hangar bay three.
We pulled into the hangar bay. An angry man in an angry getup was waiting for us.
"I'll take one of the officers we tractored in... I'll see what I can get out of him."
With a wink I headed off to Mactan's quite indispensable questioning facilities. "You're a big boy, you can handle him, can't you?"
Of course, as I saw the two enter into their typically male argument while I walked away, the alarms began. I didn't have long, and I broke into a run. My little reward was already waiting for me.
"Hold it there Jadyn," Kavannah walked towards Sayne, his blaster raised. "Get your hands of my man,"
Sayne roughly let go of the Hacker's flight suit, tripping him and kicking him in the ribs.
"You have limpets for underlings Kavannah," He said bitterly, lowering his weapon.
"Do you know what you have done," Dale spat, keeping his weapon trained on Sayne. "I wanted a clean kill! You have gone and made it the biggest thing since the damned Nomad war."
"Stop your overacting Kavannah, your target was hit, there was a bit of a scuffle. We weren't followed, if thats what you're worried about."
Dale said nothing, but lowered his weapon. "You are insufferable Jadyn. If I need you I will contact you."
With that, he spun around and walked towards the exit.
Sayne watched him go, a slight grin crossing his face. Kavannah was nothing but another fool that was getting dangerously close to crossing him.