Part 3 - The Battle For The Volans
This unfolding scene was one all too familiar for Star Orion. He had faced many, and slain more, in battles for bounty and general skirmishes that weren't always his fault. He was a 'wrong place, wrong time' kind of man. But he was also a very prepared man in these situations, knowing various forms of martial arts and battle tactics. Some would say that he had the mind of an ancient warlord, however others would suggest that he's just a highly skilled murderer. He prefers to be known as a mercenary. This was another of those 'wrong place, wrong time' situations, and he was best equipped to do something about it. He always fought these battles alone. It's much more difficult for many men to pinpoint one single target than to vaguely open fire at many. The noise grew louder, footsteps marching closer to Orion's position, the noise behind him of panic and fear beginning to subside as those he left behind grew curious of the lack of noise. This helped Orion concentrate. In the distance, the door slid open. Nobody came through. Instead, a smoke-bomb was thrown towards Orion. They'd just inadvertedly played into his hands. He was trained in stealth fighting, and so he walked towards the smoke, letting it engulf him. Then came the rush of the invaders. Drawing the two batons, he readied himself, and as the first few charged into the smoke, he dispatched them with a few swift blows that knocked them clean out. On they came, and down they fell, as one by one, he incapacitated them.
It seemed like he'd been fighting them for hours, although by now he had help from a few of the ship's crew, tying up the incapacitated invaders, and dragging them to a separate cargo hold. Soon there were no more, which confused Orion, as he expected to have more resistance to his defence. Suddenly, screams were heard in the passenger hold, and shots were fired. Running back towards them, Orion beckoned to his allied crew members, and they headed back towards the screams.
"Stop where you stand, Orion!"
Before him was the scene of Cassie being held at gun-point by a man who only identified himself as Commander Uchett.
"One more step and she is one with the afterlife!"
Laying down his batons, Orion held his hands up.
"What do you want from me? Leave her out of this!"
Looking around, he saw that he was vastly outnumbered. And the guns these soldiers had weren't rubber bullet calibrated. He could safely assume that the gun at Cassie's head was also not of this calibration.
"You owe me, Orion. You know exactly WHAT you owe me as well."
Orion's head bowed. In a previous mission, Orion had destroyed the command centre of Uchett, and several of his biggest space-transporters.
"You know I was only claiming a bounty, It's not me you're after, it's the River Corporation, they're the ones who paid me!"
Uchett's face filled with anger. He was physically shaking, and his trigger-finger was getting twitchy.
"You're the one who blew up everything I'd worked for! Not that infernal River! You're the one who ended the lives of so many of my trusted men and women! You're a murderer and you will be brought to justice!"
Orion looked up and stared right into Uchett's eyes.
"If your 'trusted' men and women hadn't opened fire first, I wouldn't have had to kill them! Live and let live, you know my rules, Uchett!"
The commander signalled with his arm, and several banks of soldiers formed in between him and Orion, as he backed away towards the exit.
"Until my debt is paid, I'll keep your whore! I want fifty million dollars, and I want them within one week!"
Stuck in his position, Orion could do nothing but stare at Cassie. He was going to save her, and he wasn't going to pay Uchett fifty million dollars. He was going to find that man and kill him, and everyone else who stands in his way. A new and intensified rage came over Orion, and he charged at the soldiers, catching them off guard and taking a few out. An almighty brawl ensued, perhaps partly wanted by Uchett, who needed Orion to be delayed long enough for him to escape to his ship. It soon turned from brawl to massacre, as necks were broken, heads were stamped on, and bones were broken. Star Orion was in an incoherent rage. He would kill everyone in the universe until he got to Cassie. He was just a bounty hunter, a mercenary, but now it was personal.
It seemed like he'd been fighting them for hours, although by now he had help from a few of the ship's crew, tying up the incapacitated invaders, and dragging them to a separate cargo hold. Soon there were no more, which confused Orion, as he expected to have more resistance to his defence. Suddenly, screams were heard in the passenger hold, and shots were fired. Running back towards them, Orion beckoned to his allied crew members, and they headed back towards the screams.
"Stop where you stand, Orion!"
Before him was the scene of Cassie being held at gun-point by a man who only identified himself as Commander Uchett.
"One more step and she is one with the afterlife!"
Laying down his batons, Orion held his hands up.
"What do you want from me? Leave her out of this!"
Looking around, he saw that he was vastly outnumbered. And the guns these soldiers had weren't rubber bullet calibrated. He could safely assume that the gun at Cassie's head was also not of this calibration.
"You owe me, Orion. You know exactly WHAT you owe me as well."
Orion's head bowed. In a previous mission, Orion had destroyed the command centre of Uchett, and several of his biggest space-transporters.
"You know I was only claiming a bounty, It's not me you're after, it's the River Corporation, they're the ones who paid me!"
Uchett's face filled with anger. He was physically shaking, and his trigger-finger was getting twitchy.
"You're the one who blew up everything I'd worked for! Not that infernal River! You're the one who ended the lives of so many of my trusted men and women! You're a murderer and you will be brought to justice!"
Orion looked up and stared right into Uchett's eyes.
"If your 'trusted' men and women hadn't opened fire first, I wouldn't have had to kill them! Live and let live, you know my rules, Uchett!"
The commander signalled with his arm, and several banks of soldiers formed in between him and Orion, as he backed away towards the exit.
"Until my debt is paid, I'll keep your whore! I want fifty million dollars, and I want them within one week!"
Stuck in his position, Orion could do nothing but stare at Cassie. He was going to save her, and he wasn't going to pay Uchett fifty million dollars. He was going to find that man and kill him, and everyone else who stands in his way. A new and intensified rage came over Orion, and he charged at the soldiers, catching them off guard and taking a few out. An almighty brawl ensued, perhaps partly wanted by Uchett, who needed Orion to be delayed long enough for him to escape to his ship. It soon turned from brawl to massacre, as necks were broken, heads were stamped on, and bones were broken. Star Orion was in an incoherent rage. He would kill everyone in the universe until he got to Cassie. He was just a bounty hunter, a mercenary, but now it was personal.