One Last Job
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:10 am
He gripped the leather of his controls one last time as he stared out into the void as he had for almost 15 years. He watched the bustling of traffic going to and from the station and began to grow weary. He thought of all the jobs he'd done aboard that very station and smiled. Being a war-torn mercenary, he wished he didn't love his job. Being a mercenary was a hard life. Being the best was even harder, and he was the best. Still, he loved doing what he did and he regretted nothing. Aside from being a wanted criminal in most systems. He laughed at the thought and spun his cockpit chair around to face his old friend.
The captain stood. “Well Jacks, she’s all yours now. I trust you’ll take care of her, and if you don’t, you know I’ll have to come beat your ass,” he smirked.
Jacks grabbed his old captain and gave him a bear hug. “Now don’t you go dying out there, Kickback.”
“Relax,” Kickback said. “This is my last job and then I’m retired for good. If there’s any funny business, I’ll give you a call.”
The Elitists’ shuttle hovered in close to the SS Mercy as a voice came over the comm link. “I trust everything is a go, Captain Martell?”
Kickback responded, “Aye, but I’d prefer it if you called me by my callsign.”
“If you do this job right, we’ll call you whatever you want. Now, do hurry, as we’re a little behind schedule.”
Kickback shoved on his helmet and walked to the door where Jacks was standing. Jacks reached in his pocket and pulled out a silver knife with an ivory handle.
“It was my father’s from before the war, when we still lived on Earth. You’re the closest I've got to family, so I wanted you to have it. For good luck and all.”
Kickback smiled and gave a soft thanks and sheathed the blade into his boot. He nodded to Jacks to open the door. As the door opened, Kickback looked at the luxurious shuttle of his Elitist employers. It looked almost brand new, like it’d just been assembled. He wondered how much it’d fetch on the market, but that’d have to wait until after the job. Kickback jetpacked his way over to the shuttle and banged on the steel door for entry. The door slid open to reveal four well dressed Drucari councilors. ‘Alien cunts,’ Kickback thought.
The councilor closest to him motioned him over. “Come, come. There is no need to just stand there, Captain. Have a drink, the journey will be quite long.”
Kickback pulled off his helmet and took the drink from the councilor’s hand and nodded his thanks.
The councilor across from him held up his glass and said, “Let us toast our honored guest, who when none else would come to our aid, he alone answered our call.”
Kickback laughed, “Well you lot are paying the most. So, who's the target and what are my parameters?”
"In due time, Captain. Right now, we relax and celebrate."
Kickback turned up his drink as he felt the shuttle change course. He peeked out of the cockpit window to see the SS Mercy in the distance. He bounced up and drew his blaster.
“What the hell do you think-what-wha-“ Kickback felt his chest tighten as his vision blurred. He dropped his weapon and fell to the floor. He tried to contact Jacks but the signal was being blocked.
One of the councilors chimed in, “I’m afraid you've been misled, Captain Martell. You see, the only thing we need from you, is your use as a bargaining chip. The Empire wants you so badly, they've offered a cease fire to the captors! You must be quite the problem.”
Kickback felt the shuttle jolt as the cannons fired again and again. “Oh, and I am terribly sorry about your ship,” one of the councilors jested as Kickback fell unconscious.
The captain stood. “Well Jacks, she’s all yours now. I trust you’ll take care of her, and if you don’t, you know I’ll have to come beat your ass,” he smirked.
Jacks grabbed his old captain and gave him a bear hug. “Now don’t you go dying out there, Kickback.”
“Relax,” Kickback said. “This is my last job and then I’m retired for good. If there’s any funny business, I’ll give you a call.”
The Elitists’ shuttle hovered in close to the SS Mercy as a voice came over the comm link. “I trust everything is a go, Captain Martell?”
Kickback responded, “Aye, but I’d prefer it if you called me by my callsign.”
“If you do this job right, we’ll call you whatever you want. Now, do hurry, as we’re a little behind schedule.”
Kickback shoved on his helmet and walked to the door where Jacks was standing. Jacks reached in his pocket and pulled out a silver knife with an ivory handle.
“It was my father’s from before the war, when we still lived on Earth. You’re the closest I've got to family, so I wanted you to have it. For good luck and all.”
Kickback smiled and gave a soft thanks and sheathed the blade into his boot. He nodded to Jacks to open the door. As the door opened, Kickback looked at the luxurious shuttle of his Elitist employers. It looked almost brand new, like it’d just been assembled. He wondered how much it’d fetch on the market, but that’d have to wait until after the job. Kickback jetpacked his way over to the shuttle and banged on the steel door for entry. The door slid open to reveal four well dressed Drucari councilors. ‘Alien cunts,’ Kickback thought.
The councilor closest to him motioned him over. “Come, come. There is no need to just stand there, Captain. Have a drink, the journey will be quite long.”
Kickback pulled off his helmet and took the drink from the councilor’s hand and nodded his thanks.
The councilor across from him held up his glass and said, “Let us toast our honored guest, who when none else would come to our aid, he alone answered our call.”
Kickback laughed, “Well you lot are paying the most. So, who's the target and what are my parameters?”
"In due time, Captain. Right now, we relax and celebrate."
Kickback turned up his drink as he felt the shuttle change course. He peeked out of the cockpit window to see the SS Mercy in the distance. He bounced up and drew his blaster.
“What the hell do you think-what-wha-“ Kickback felt his chest tighten as his vision blurred. He dropped his weapon and fell to the floor. He tried to contact Jacks but the signal was being blocked.
One of the councilors chimed in, “I’m afraid you've been misled, Captain Martell. You see, the only thing we need from you, is your use as a bargaining chip. The Empire wants you so badly, they've offered a cease fire to the captors! You must be quite the problem.”
Kickback felt the shuttle jolt as the cannons fired again and again. “Oh, and I am terribly sorry about your ship,” one of the councilors jested as Kickback fell unconscious.