Starbourne, page 38
Layne scoffed and waved his hand at Jaeden. “So now I’m letting you have a gun too.”
“Give me a pistol; I saw that you’ve got a shield. Obviously it won’t hurt you, but it’ll still be a distraction to them.”
Layne turned his head as he heard an officer yell out that the weapon was nearly booted up. The other groups of assailants had all but escaped at this point, and the dock was deadly quiet. Layne looked back at Jaeden and weighed his options.
His proposal, while not the strongest, did offer the greatest chance that Layne had at this time. Not to mention, if he refused the help, once that weapon was functional, Layne would be shredded by the gunfire.
“Alright, but I’m watching you. Closely,” Layne said, reaching for his paralyzer control. “Once there’s a break in the fighting, we both make it towards the ship. But we have to take that gun out.”
“What?” Jaeden exclaimed. “Why?”
“We won’t get far if that thing opens up on my ship. It has to go,” Layne said, pointing his remote at Jaeden. “Don’t make me regret this, kid.”
“Kid? What’re you, like three years older than me?” Jaeden scoffed.
With an audible beep, the paralyzing barrier around Jaeden was dropped. Jaeden slipped out of the prisoner pod, falling onto his hands and knees as he tried to stabilize himself. Layne watched as Jaeden rubbed his wrists and neck. The man then withdrew a container from his pocket and ejected something into his hand.
“What’s that?” Layne said, reaching out and grabbing Jaeden’s hand.
“Happy pills. They help me focus.” Jaeden said, “I think I need to be focused for this don’t I?”
“You’re stretching what little trust I’ve got, kid,” Layne said.
Jaeden popped the pill into his mouth and searched for a pistol. Picking up the female agent’s weapon and checked the magazine. “Yeah well, just go with it.”
Layne took cover behind the transport truck and peered around the corner at the security officers. The gun atop the vehicle was now fully operational and an officer took up position, pointing the weapon right at them. Jaeden had moved to the opposite side of the transport truck and knelt in a ready position.
Officers positioned themselves on either side of the truck and aimed their weapons towards Layne and Jaeden. Layne took aim at one of the guards and heard gunfire from behind him. Jaeden had engaged with those officers trying to flank them.
Joining the defense, Layne fired on the officers he saw. Their small arms shots did little but hold the officers at bay for the time being. Each shot landed only fizzled into the orange barrier shields of the officers.
“Wait, you see that?” Jaeden called out to Layne.
Layne first looked at Jaeden, then followed his line of sight. From his position, Layne couldn’t see anything. “What are you–”
“Engage!” John Long’s voice called out over the loudspeaker.
“Oh, hades!” Jaeden cried out.
“Take cover!” Layne added in, ducking behind the truck once again.
“Are you out of your mind!” Jaeden called out.
Layne dared not look up as the familiar whirling sound of the Little Suzy rang out, signifying the weapon was about to fire. But as Layne waited to hear the repetitive laser blasts hit their target, the whirling lingered on and on. Even more curious was that amongst the sound of the weapon warming up, Layne thought he could hear screams coming from the armored vehicle.
The bounty hunter took a deep gulp and positioned himself to look at the scene. As his head turned the corner, he could see several unconscious guards laying on the ground, and a few others reacting as if being electrocuted.
With a wrinkled nose, Layne glanced over his shoulder to Jaeden. The convict was fixated on the scene up ahead as if he could see why the Officers were dropping left and right.
Is this kid some sort of Technologist? What is going on over there.
Layne looked to capitalize on the chaos and aimed the gunner of the Little Suzy. Squeezing off three shots, he struck the officer, who fell from atop the armored vehicle. To his dismay, the gun began to fire without its operator. The weapon swung freely, and a stream of laser fire ripped through the port.
The stream-like-beam of lasers cut in a sweeping motion across the port. Layne watched in horror as the uncontrolled stream of the bullets struck the cab of the transport truck that Layne had been covering behind.
“Oh shaz!” Layne called out.
As the projectiles hit the truck, Layne turned to move away as fast as he could. Just as he leapt away from the truck, the cab ignited under the pressure of laser fire, and the subsequent explosion jettisoned Layne across the shipyard. The bounty hunter soared through the air and collided with his own spacecraft, the Oro.
Layne’s skull ricocheted off the hull of his ship, and his mind nearly slipped into unconsciousness as he rolled down the side of the ship and fell onto the pavement below.
Jaeden stood over the limp body of Layne, the man who had tried to capture him. Who in fact, did capture him. If not for the efforts of a few gangsters and security officers, Jaeden would be secured aboard a bounty hunter’s ship, on his way to a prison cell, or worse. In a way, Jaeden supposed he was thankful that the ludicrous events had unfolded as they had.
“You need to go.” A familiar voice said.
“I can’t just leave him here,” Jaeden said, looking down at the unconscious bounty hunter.
There was a gash on Layne’s head which bled freely. The wound was likely a result from his earlier scramble with a security officer, and only made worse by the explosion which sent the man hurdling through the air before crashing into his ship. Jaeden knelt beside the bounty hunter and turned him over to rest on his back.
“He’ll only try to apprehend you again.”
“Maybe,” Jaeden replied. “Or maybe I can convince him to help me.”
“A man like this only understands one thing. Credits.”
Jaeden rose to his feet and turned to face his now two-time savior, Atom. The Technologist had approached the armored vehicle from behind and used his cybernetic abilities to overload the officers. The confusion he caused allowed Layne to take the shot that ended the standoff in the spaceport.
“Well, I don’t have much, but I can offer him everything I have. Maybe it’ll be enough to at least buy a ride.” Jaeden said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Unlikely.” Atom retorted. “Your bounty is exactly seven hundred and fifty thousand credits. Why would he turn that down for a few thousand.”
“So, then I just leave him here for somebody else to deal with?” Jaeden asked, pointing at the wounded bounty hunter.
“You should terminate him. He will only cause further hindrance.” Atom replied dryly.
“I can’t do that. I won’t.” Jaeden said defiantly, shaking his head. “Too many people have died around me today. I won’t be responsible for anymore.”
“Why allow him to live? Of what benefit is it to you?” Atom asked, eyeing Jaeden evenly.
“Because it’s the right thing to do?” Jaeden said, not intending the answer to sound like a question itself.
Atom pursed his lips together tightly as he studied Jaeden. The Technologist sighed softly and turned his attention to his wrist jockey. He entered several keystrokes and muttered to himself as he worked. Jaeden wasn’t quite sure what the man was working on, but he turned away from Atom and looked back down at Layne.
“If you can’t trust him to do the right thing, now you can at least pay him to do it.” Atom said.
“What do you mean?” Jaeden asked, turning back.
“I’ve transferred you some credits that you may use in persuading this… man.” Atom looked down at Layne, with something akin to disgust in his eye. “Take care he doesn’t aim to betray you. I won’t always be there to help you.”
Jaeden raised his wrist jockey to see that an automatic deposit had been made to his account, in the amount of six million credits. “How did you—”
“Get off this planet. I will continue the search for Teagen McKay here.” Atom said, turning to leave. “We will be in contact.”
“Wait,” Jaeden called out to the shrinking figure. “Why are you helping me?”
“Because,” Atom called out from over his shoulder. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“The United Central Governments have abandoned us beyond the rim, leaving a clear way for lawlessness to reign unchecked. Will you join us and become a symbol of justice in the untamed frontier?”
(Frontier Marshall’s Call to Action)
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
“Hey, buddy,” Jaeden whispered, gently patting the bounty hunter on the cheek. “Hey, wake up, would ya?”
Layne groggily stirred to the slaps. He writhed in pain while on the ground, eyes fluttering as he struggled to focus. Jaeden kneeled beside the man and waited as he gathered his senses. He tried to offer a calming presence to the process. Layne shook his head and looked around in confusion.
“You’re alright,” Jaeden started, patting the bounty hunter on the chest. “We’re both alright.”
“Well, this is awkward, isn’t it?” Layne said, rising to a sitting position.
“On account of you getting tossed around like you were made of tissue?” Jaeden said.
“No,” Layne said, pushing himself up to a kneeling position beside Jaeden. “Because I still need to bring you in.”
Jaeden gave the man a quizzical look. He realized that while the bounty hunter had repositioned himself, he had withdrawn his pistol and pointed it at Jaeden. Exhaling a deep weary breath Jaeden shook his head. He had hoped to avoid this but still sought to find a peaceful solution with Layne.
“Listen, I know you’re only in this for the credits,” Jaeden started, both men rising to their feet. Layne kept his gun trained on Jaeden as they rose. “What if I offered you more than the bounty to help me?”
“Go on,” Layne said, narrowing his gaze on Jaeden.
“The bounty on me is what, nearly a million?” Jaeden explained. “What if I doubled that, just for a ride to Vos Tresslar.”
“And where would you get that kind of creds?” Layne asked suspiciously.
“I grew it myself, with tender love and care. What does it matter? Are you interested or not?” Jaeden replied.
“Triple your bounty,” Layne said, adjusting the grip on his pistol.
“Fine,” Jaeden agreed.
“All upfront,” Layne added.
“No way,” Jaeden objected. “I’ll transfer you a third now, and two thirds when I’m safely on Vos Tresslar.”
After a tense moment of the two men staring each other down, Layne finally relented and nodded towards Jaeden. The bounty hunter holstered his pistol and relaxed his shoulders. Jaeden breathed a sigh of relief as well. He wasn’t sure what his options would have been if this negotiation had failed.
“It’s a deal. Two and a quarter mil for a trip to Vos Tresslar,” Layne said, extending his hand out.
“Deal,” Jaeden agreed, shaking the man’s hand.
“Well, I say we better get moving before the backup security team gets here,” Layne said, turning to move toward his ship.
“Or anyone else for that matter,” Jaeden added.
“Anyone else want you dead that wasn’t here today?” Layne asked as he lowered the ramp to his ship. “Maybe an ex-girlfriend?”
“Let’s not stick around to find out,” Jaeden said, a hint of dry humor in his voice.
The ramp to the Oro Medonte hit the floor with a soft thud, and both men climbed aboard the vessel. Layne limped as he walked, holding his leg.
“Something wrong with your leg?” Jaeden asked.
Layne shook his head and stomped his foot. “Just pins and needles. Must have been from laying on it.”
Jaeden followed him with outstretched hands in case he needed to help stabilize the larger man. Once both were onboard, Layne withdrew the ramp and moved further into the ship. They continued inwards until they came to a lounge with several couches and chairs.
“You can settle in here; I’m going to get us off the ground. Then we can talk.” Layne said before continuing down another corridor.
Jaeden nodded his understanding and made his way to a comfortable-looking couch. He lowered himself into the seat gingerly, groaning as he sat. Almost instantly his entire body ached in relief to finally relax.
It had occurred to Jaeden that he hadn’t stopped moving since the operation with the freighter and had been jumping from one fight to the next. He allowed himself to sink into the seat, nearly passing out in the process, but he fought against the urge to sleep. He couldn’t sleep, not yet. Not until an understanding was made with Layne.
After what felt like an hour sitting in the lounge alone, the ship gently rumbled, and a sense of vertigo overtook Jaeden; the telling sign the ship was taking off from the planet and entering the atmosphere. It was a feeling Jaeden had never really gotten used to, but after today’s events, he was thankful for it. It meant that soon he would be out of harm’s way and this whole mess would be firmly behind him.
The sound of boots clicking on metal sounded down the hallway as Layne remerged into the lounge. He looked better than when Jaeden had last seen him, likely feeling more himself after some time to recover. The bounty hunter had washed the dried blood off his face as well, and the wound on his head looked to be cleaned.
“So,” Layne started as he settled into a large comfortable-looking chair opposite where Jaeden sat. “Jaeden Starbourne.”
“Yeah?” Jaeden responded, unsure of where the conversation was headed.
“Where you from, kid? How’d you get into this mess?” the bounty hunter asked while pulling off a boot and shaking it above the ground until a small pebble dropped out.
Jaeden exhaled deeply and sunk further into the comfortable couch. “It’s a long story.”
“Best keep it to yourself then; this will be a short trip,” Layne responded, his head cocked to the side.
Eyeing the bounty hunter carefully, Jaeden assessed if he was joking or not. “Well, just a few weeks ago I was working on the Indigo Station orbiting Mars.”
“Oh, you’re going to tell me anyway then?” Layne remarked, the hint of a smirk present on the man’s face.
With a furrowed brow, Jaeden responded to the passive-aggressive comment. “I don’t have to if you really don’t care.”
“I don’t, really,” Layne said, replacing the boot on his foot and settling back into his chair.
“Whatever, man, then why ask?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. Professional courtesy?” Layne said, rubbing his hand across his chin. “But yeah, I don’t really care.”
“You’re a little bit of a dirk, you know that?” Jaeden snapped, the comment flying free a little too quickly.
“Yeah, I hear that a lot actually.” Layne coldly. “Also heard worse.”
“Forget you then, just leave me alone until we get to Vos Tresslar,” Jaeden said, crossing his arms.
Layne rubbed two fingers together absentmindedly, while looking at Jaeden. A sift sigh escaped from the bounty hunter and he leaned forward. “Listen, kid, I’m sorry. Usually when I bring people onboard, it’s against their wills, so the conversation is a bit more…”
“Confrontational?” Jaeden finished.
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Yeah, well, trust me, this isn’t exactly my first choice either.”
“No doubt,” Layne said, rising to his feet.
Jaeden watched the bounty hunter as he made his way over to a cabinet on the far side of the ship’s lounge. He opened a cupboard and pulled a bottle free before inspecting it. With a nod of approval, Layne shut the cupboard door and grabbed two glasses from the counter. He walked back over to Jaeden and put both glasses on the table.
Popping the cork out of the bottle, Layne looked at Jaeden. “You’ll like this; trust me.”
He filled one glass halfway, and with the bottle still tilted, swung his hand to fill the second glass. Liquid spilled over the table but the ship’s owner seemed not to care. Once the second glass was half full, the bounty hunter replaced the cork and put the bottle on the table. He picked up one of the glasses and motioned for Jaeden to take the other.
“Go on,” Layne said as an added point that he wanted Jae to drink the dubious liquid.
If it was poison or a sedative, Jaeden would wait until the man took the first sip, just to be sure. The paralyzing effects of the dart felt like they were finally wearing off. Jaeden didn’t care much for the loopy sensation it caused.
As if reading his mind and anticipating his thoughts, Lanyne added “It’s not laced with anything, vanguard’s honor.”
“You were a vanguard?” Jaeden asked, picking up the glass.
“Long, long time ago yeah. Still got the badges around here somewhere, I’m sure.”
“Really?” Jaeden scoffed.
“No, not really. Who holds onto that junk.” Layne said rubbing a finger under his nose.
Jaeden stared at the glass and then at Layne. “You go first.”
“Let’s start over,” Layne said, clinking his glass with Jaeden's. He raised his cup high to salute Jaeden. “Layne Chambers, frontier-brokered bounty hunter, at your service.”
Jaeden nodded politely and raised his own glass. “Jaeden Starbourne, wanted criminal extraordinaire, apparently. But you knew that already, I suppose.”
They both took a swig of their drinks, but to different effects. Where Layne mouthed his drink with a cool demeanor, Jaeden nearly spat the contents out, followed by a series of deep coughing.
“Yeah, it’s pretty rank, isn’t it?” Layne chuckled, refilling his glass.
“Rank? It’s disgusting!” Jaeden exclaimed through a coughing fit.
“In your opinion, what do you think’s wrong with it?” Layne asked, settling back into his chair.
“Besides the fact that you just poured me a glass of antifreeze coolant?” Jaeden said behind watering eyes.
“Alright, alright, it’s not that bad. Is it?”
