by Simon E Bond
“Richard, I could sure do with your help now my friend”, thought Charlie.
Placing the bits of clothing into the container, he grabbed two rocks, but he needed something else. Searching through what was left of the inside of the clothing, Charlie found some bits of paper and a ship ID card. He glanced at it; the woman in the picture was pretty and she belonged to Stout as per the employer reference.
"A waste of a life," said Charlie in a humble tone.
But he could not let his thoughts take over his task; goose bumps had started to appear all over his body as he struggled to hold the rocks together with his hands shaking.
“Right, get to it”, he thought.
Throwing the bits of paper and contents from the coat into the container, Charlie struck the two rocks together. Nothing; he repeated the action a couple of times, but still nothing.
It was quickly becoming frustrating to Charlie, but he could not give up and had to keep going.
Suddenly, a spark shot out from between the rocks and onto the paper.
"Yes!" Charlie shouted.
With no wind, it was perfect. He noticed two small plumes of smoke slowly rise up. He quickly let out two gentle puffs of breath and flames started to flicker; he had warmth at last.
Carefully picking up the container, Charlie took cover. The stars shone bright in the sky and the moon was hanging over the horizon. His body was drained and he was becoming hungry, but with no other living thing in the desolate place, he would have to think about food another day.
The fire started to burn fiercely and Charlie decided to get some rest. Barely clothed, he curled up in a corner and closed his eyes…
"We are closing in on him now, sir. We should have a fixed position soon,” replied the pilot in the scout craft.
"Good; hopefully he survived the night. Get him back to me quickly,” said Stout.
Stout was wrapped in his dressing gown as he sat on the foot of his bed; alone this time with no female for company. Stirring a cold cup of tea, he wiped the sleep from his eyes as he watched and listened to the communications come in from the scout pilot.
"I see him… on the edge of that cliff,” said the pilot.
"Like a rat, a dirty animal,” thought Stout.
The fire had slowly burned out and only glowing red cinders remained when Charlie moved his body onto his side.
Charlie slowly started to awaken; he could hear the sound of a craft in the distant above growing ever closer.
"What the…" mumbled Charlie as he opened his eyes. It was morning; the heat had returned and the sun was blinding once again.
The scout craft slowed down as it approached Charlie and started to hover over him. A ladder was thrown from the door and landed by his side.
"Get me closer, I am not breaking my neck on a damn fall,” said Zed as he attached his gun to his back.
"No problem; just have to take it slow. This planet is a real bitch of the elements,” replied the pilot, turning around to face Zed.
"That don't mean shit to me as long as we get paid,” Zed replied.
The pilot agreed, laughing, and grabbing his controls, he edged closer to the ledge as Charlie stood up.
"Hey, what the hell is going on?" Charlie shouted, his voice being drowned out by the roar of the engines.
Zed appeared at the door and slowly climbed down the ladder. Adjusting his goggles to get a better view of Charlie, he aimed his gun right at him.
"We have our target, sir," said the pilot relaying the message back to Stout.
"Good; get him back here, clothed, and fed. He needs rest to be ready for his next task,” Stout replied.
Charlie wiped the dust being kicked up by the craft from his eyes but it was pointless as each time he did, more would hit him in the face like small needles piercing his skin.
"Get your hands up; don't try to be clever mate,” shouted Zed, aiming his gun.
"Did you have any part in this sick torture game?" asked Charlie with his hands clasped firmly behind his head.
"Stout always has time for games; if you are considered expendable, then you meet your end any way he chooses,” replied Zed, holding his finger over the trigger. "Now don't say a fucking word!"
Charlie followed the order and moved forward towards his captor, not knowing what it would lead to.
The scout ship above descended lower and the dust blowing around became more extreme. They both had to board quickly.
Moving around behind Charlie, Zed urged him to quickly grab the base of the ladder by digging the gun into his back.
"Come on, move up there," ordered Zed.
Charlie climbed aboard the scout with Zed following closely behind; within seconds, the door slid shut and the craft started to climb.
An android sat facing Charlie, so he stared straight back at him. Charlie flinched when the android reached over with a blanket and wrapped it around him.
"Your body temperature will reach normal readings soon,” said the android.
Charlie had been dehydrating while lying in the morning sun; this would cool him down significantly.
"Thank you," replied Charlie as he looked sheepishly towards the android.
"You’re welcome. You will be made to feel at home on-board Stout's ship," replied the android.
Charlie only had one thing he wanted—to bring death to Stout, something he had no hope of achieving at present.
"We will be on-board in thirty minutes,” said the android.
The scout craft was moving through the atmosphere at high speed, leaving the landmarks of the surface behind like nothing more than a distant memory.
Suddenly, Charlie reached out for Zed; he wrapped his hands around his throat trying to chock him.
"You and your boss are fucking scum," shouted Charlie straight into Zed's face.
Struggling for air, Zed gasped as he tried to break free of the tight grip.
Charlie jerked forward as a loud crack hit him on the back of the head. Falling onto the deck, he looked up and saw the android staring down at him holding a gun in its arms just as he blacked out…
Chapter Seven
Waking up was a slow process for Charlie. A set of lights shone down onto him from the ceiling above. As he sat in a chair with his arms tied behind his back, Charlie heard movement and looked up. Something felt different; looking straight ahead, he viewed a mirror in front of him attached to the wall and saw that his overgrown facial hair was gone.
"Hello?" Charlie called out.
The room was small and square; it was almost as if he was in some kind of cell. A camera started to track him from the ceiling and watched his every move.
"Stout?" said Charlie.
But there was no response.
Charlie's eyes became fully focused and as he glanced over to the mirror again, he also noticed his head was shaven. His scruffy mound of hair now gone—even though it was an improvement by anyone's standards, it startled him.
"Glad we could meet again,” a voice from inside the camera crooned.
Lurching forward, Charlie tried to stand up but was quickly forced back down into the chair. It was bolted firmly into the floor; he was going nowhere.
"Save your strength, you will need it as we progress,” replied Stout.
"This game is over!" Charlie shouted at the camera. "Over… you hear me? I’m not going through that hell again."
The door slid open and Zed walked in accompanied by Carter who was pointing a gun straight at Charlie.
"Here, let’s make you comfortable so you can stretch your legs,” Zed said, grinning.
He reached down and unbolted the metal studs attached to the legs of the chair then cut the cable loose from Charlie's wrists and feet.
"Fucking scum,” shouted Zed as he sent a hammer blow across Charlie's face with his fist, knocking him against the wall.
Zed was preparing for another shot when Stout said, "Now, now children, plenty of
time for that.”
Zed's fist was curled up ready and waiting but his master had spoken; he had to calm down.
"Let's get this piece of shit to Stout; he has something else planned,” said Zed. He and Carter grabbed Charlie and all three left the room.
The corridor was straight and narrow and lead away from the cell bay area where most of Stout's subjects were locked up waiting for a death sentence or just abandoned.
"You need to learn how to keep your mouth shut,” said Carter as he grabbed hold of Charlie's arm with a firm grip.
"You’re not worth it at the moment,” replied Charlie, blood splattered across his face.
Carter did not answer and neither did Zed as they approached the entrance to a lift.
Pressing the button for the top floor after all three got inside, they stood in silence. Stout's ship was huge and it seemed like an age until they finally made their way to his chamber. After they arrived and the doors slid open, Zed shoved Charlie inside while Carter placed his weapon firmly onto Charlie's back.
“Stout must be planning his next move”, thought Charlie knowing he had to escape the nightmare.
"You’re back! Hope you are on your way to recovery,” said Stout.
The two men behind him bellowed with laughter at Charlie's expense.
"Enough," Stout said firmly as he adjusted his view, "Bring him up here to me,”
Next to Stout was a large metal dish with a covering over it, steam was rolling out from underneath.
As Zed and Carter walked Charlie up the steps, he struggled to break free.
"Open his shirt,” said Stout.
"Hey, what the fuck are you going to do now?" screeched Charlie.
Stout opened the cover; inside the dish laid a pile of hot ashes burning bright red. Stout grabbed a hot poker from beside him and placed it into the dish.
"Let go of me, I am going to kill you once I get out of this,” shouted Charlie while being forced to his knees.
When Carter opened Charlie's shirt as instructed, he looked a little nervous and unsure about what his boss was planning next, but he dare not argue.
"Zed,” said Stout, gesturing for him to come closer before he started to whisper something.
"What was that, Stout?" he replied.
Gesturing for him again, Zed walked closer to Stout; the stench was almost unbearable as Zed leaned over him.
"What was what? Well, it’s this…,” said Stout. Grabbing Zed's head, he plunged the tip of the poker into Zed's eye. It made a sickening pop as he let out a blood curdling scream.
"Shit, what the…" shouted Carter as he watched the member of his team being butchered.
Charlie closed his eyes; he couldn’t watch. He tried to blank everything out and almost vomited.
Then, without hesitation, Stout forced the rest of the poker into Zed's skull, and penetrated his brain.
No more screams could be heard as Zed hit the floor with a thud; he was dead.
"Now we have a vacancy which I hope you will soon fill. Zed did not follow orders too well and when that happens a person is of no further use to me," said Stout, wiping the blood from the poker with a rag.
"You killed him; he was one of yours,” replied Charlie, shaking with fear.
"Come now, personal feelings should not get involved in anything."
"Get rid of it," Stout said into his intercom.
"Yes, sir," replied an android as the door opened and one entered the room.
Grabbing hold of Zed's arms, it dragged the body towards a door. The android disappeared through the door with the body trailing a dark pool of blood behind it.
"Carter, get one of the scout ships ready; Charlie will be needing it," said Stout.
"I will, sir. I’ll be in the docking bay waiting,” replied Carter and quickly left Stout's chamber.
Charlie stood up. Buttoning his shirt up again, he looked closely at Stout sitting upright in his chair.
"Now do I have your full attention?"
"You do,” Charlie replied hesitantly.
"I have a little mission lined up for you and it involves bringing something back for me," said Stout.
Unsure what it would lead to, Charlie went ahead with the conversation anyway.
"We will be leaving shortly; to be honest, the view out there has become something of a boredom for me," said Stout, adjusting himself in his seat. "There is an N class cargo ship we have locked on to and we will be setting off on a new course soon."
"N class? But that is prime cargo; diamonds and that kind of thing,” replied Charlie.
"Exactly and I want what is on-board. You will have all the weapons you need and a good scout ship to bring the supplies back to me,” said Stout.
"Not a chance," Charlie replied. Not wanting to be a part of it, he turned his back on his enemy.
Charlie knew it may involve taking a human life; that type of cargo would be heavily guarded inside and any attempt would me met with force. Charlie decided to leave and made his way to the chamber door when a shooting pain pulsated all around Charlie's head. He dropped to the floor and saw Stout had his finger firmly on the switch that would end Charlie's life.
"Like I said, I have full control over you. I can end your life within seconds if I want,” Stout coughed, clearing his throat nonchalantly.
Releasing the button from underneath his finger tip, Stout allowed Charlie to stand up; he was a little dizzy but he was okay.
"Take him to the docking bay; Carter will be prepping Charlie's craft,” said Stout to another android.
"Yes, sir," it replied.
He grabbed Charlie by the arm and proceeded to walk him out the door.
"One more thing; your new look—shaven head, no beard; you need to be menacing to your enemy. You have to be in control,” said Stout.
Charlie was grinding his teeth with anger as he left with the android to undertake the mission. He had no idea if he would even make it out alive.
The docking area was filled with the odd ship; they all had Stout's company logo attached to them. Huge steel beams made their way up in straight lines towards the ceiling and cargo was being unloaded all around.
"Don't question this; just follow orders. We are on course with the vessel Stout wants,” said the android.
Stout's ship was moving fast and had already left outpost Krone and the ship’s thrusters burned brightly as it edged its way towards the outer rim of space.
"Leave him here with me; I’ll get him geared up,” said Carter.
The android nodded then left. Carter had open containers laid out at the foot of the ramp ready for Charlie.
"Put this amour on; it’s the best we have on board so you will be well protected,” said Carter while unpacking various types of ammunition.
"Hope you got my size,” replied Charlie with a wry smile.
Carter did not respond and continued unpacking. The weapon was something Charlie was not used to; he had never fired a one in his life. That was not to say he had never got into dangerous issues whilst digging or gambling but they were usually resolved by a fist fight or making a quick getaway in his craft.
"Listen up,” said Carter in a serious tone. Placing a large rifle in Charlie's hand along with a magazine, he said, "You have this equipment, take a hold of it,"
Carter walked around behind Charlie and placed a grenade belt around his waist. He started tightening it until it was digging into Charlie's skin, he said, try not to mess around with these too much; you’ll need to be well out of the area when one goes off,”
"What do you mean?" replied Charlie.
"Let's just say it packs the extra punch."
Looking up at the craft, Charlie noticed that it looked like it had been refitted with a large steel tank at the back just for this mission.
"Yeah, I got it refitted to look like a fuel tanker; well… that was the idea,” replied Carter as he walked around checking each part of the craft.
>
Charlie had to get on-board the cargo vessel but needed some kind of cover in order to succeed in the mission. It wasn’t standard cargo on-board so no mistakes could be made; Charlie's life depended on it.
"You ready? We have to get going,” said Carter while pointing his thumb towards the cockpit window.
"You’re coming with me?" replied Charlie.
"Damn straight. I fly this ship and no one else besides me has the skills when it comes to this job,” said Carter as he walked up the ramp with Charlie quickly following behind.
The ship was small inside; hardly any room to breathe and barely big enough to fit two people.
"Get yourself strapped in while I link the comms with Stout. Remember; you listen to me, no fuckups,” said Carter.
"Okay,” replied Charlie in agreement.
The two of them strapped themselves into their seats and Carter grabbed the controls.
"Booster's set to maximum; fuel check okay,” said Carter, adjusting his headset while going through the pre-flight check.
Charlie wanted some answers and turned to face Carter.
"You don't seem too concerned about losing Zed. Does that not bother you; the way that Stout murdered him?" said Charlie.
Carter quickly turned the comm switch off to make sure Stout wasn’t listening in.
"My feelings don't come into it. Zed was an asshole most of the time and the things he has done…" Carter paused for a second. "Let's just say I am glad the bastard is dead, it could have just as easily been me."
"Did he owe a debt to Stout? Was it a revenge killing maybe?” speculated Charlie, looking confused.
The tension between the two of them grew; both were nervous and just wanted to get the mission over with.
"Tazar One, you are cleared to disembark,” a voice announced through the intercom.
"Like I said, just shut the fuck up and listen to my orders,” said Carter, squaring up against Charlie.
"Tazar One, do you copy?" repeated the voice.
Reaching for his headset again, Carter responded quickly.
"Yes, this is Tazar One; we are ready for go,” he replied.