Repercussions: (Space Outlaw 4)

  Repercussions

  (SPACE OUTLAW 4)

  Dominique Mondesir

  Copyright © 2017 by Dominique Mondesir

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover art by streetlightgraphics

  Edited by Andrea Harding

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Epilogue

  62. Author Note

  Also by Dominique Mondesir

  1

  T sat in Dusty's Inn sipping the drink clutched between his hands. His Mohawk had now grown out, and he scratched the unkempt hair on his face. He looked at his three friends along the bar and shook his head.

  What a sad state of affairs they had found themselves in.

  All of their clothes had holes, their hair had not been maintained, and they nursed half-empty drinks in front of them. As he was about to take another sip, T's shoulder was knocked forward, spilling the contents of his glass down his front.

  He turned in his chair to see the offender walking away. "Oi, you spilled my drink!"

  A short Tingoneese turned on his heels and looked at T with an upturned nose. "What?"

  "I said, you spilled my drink."

  "So?" the Tingoneese said.

  T shook his head and stood up. He walked over slowly. "Do you know who I am?"

  The offender shook his head and looked at T in confusion.

  "I am T, of the Worm Enforcers, and--"

  "Sit down. No one gives a fuck!" shouted a voice in the bar.

  T looked over his shoulder to see who had spoken.

  "A bunch of washed-up losers! That's what they are," said another voice.

  "Come here and say that to my face," T said, looking around the dimly lit room.

  "No one wants to fight a cripple," said a voice, and the room erupted into laughter.

  The short Tingoneese tried his best to hide his laughter but failed. "Look, maybe it's better if you--"

  "Maybe it's better if I what?" T interrupted, walking up to the man and poking him in the chest.

  "Look, I apologise. But I don't want to fight someone in your condition," he said, looking down at T's leg.

  The metal leg stood as a replacement to the one he had lost. It was rusted in places, and a dribble of oil leaked out of the joint. T tried to move forward but the leg locked in place. He gave it a slap to free it up.

  "Look, as I said, I'm sorry. See you later." The Tingoneese turned to walk away.

  "Hey, I'm not done talking to you," T said, trying to grab the individual's coat but coming up short and falling flat on his face.

  As spilt beer, dirt and vomit coated T's face, the room erupted in laughter once again. He felt hands grab him under the armpits and hoist him up. On his feet once more, he shook himself free of his friends' grip.

  "Where the fuck were you when I needed a hand?" T asked, pushing his friends away.

  They said nothing but looked away and skulked back to their chairs. T looked at them in disgust. The once great Worm Enforcers, now nothing more than a bunch of drunks.

  He made his way back to his chair and sat down with a heavy sigh. Knocking back the remains of his drink T placed his head in his hands. How had it come to this?

  Silence fell around the bar but T didn't notice. He felt the elbow of one of his friends nudge him in his side. He looked over and his friend nodded to the entrance. T looked over and saw a group of off-worlders standing at the entrance.

  One figure stood in the centre, pale skin adorned with luminous tattoos. Purple slicked-back hair sat above what appeared to be a glowing red robotic eye encircled by a star tattoo. The other eye was jet black. He wore a purple reptile-skin jacket, and the men around him had covered their faces with animal masks.

  "My oh my, what a sorry state of affairs we have here," he said in a voice just above a whisper as he entered the room.

  T turned his head away and faced the front of the bar.

  "The smell of failure in here is so overpowering it clogs the nostrils. Coats the skin."

  T still said nothing as the stranger walked into the room. He heard the footsteps, but he refused to turn his head. He heard people in the room leave in twos and threes.

  "They told me what a miserable place this was," said the hoarse, gravelly voice, "but I never believed it. My, my, this truly is a place dreams go to die. And die they have."

  T started to rise from his seat but he felt a pair of hands slap him on the shoulders. They ran through his hair before slapping him once more.

  "Leaving so soon?" the voice whispered in T's ear.

  "I... Look, I just came in here looking for a drink. That's all."

  "So did I," said the voice. "So did I. But why don't we drink together, as friends? My name is Dre, by the way," Dre said, taking a seat next to T.

  Dre leaned over the bar and pulled a bottle towards him. He gave it a quick glance and nodded in approval. Uncorking the bottle, he lifted it to his lips but stopped. "Where are my manners? Do you want some?" he asked T.

  T gave a shake of his head. Dre shrugged his shoulders and drank his fill.

  He slammed the bottle back down on the bar and wiped his lips. He drummed his fingers along the wood; it was the only sound in the room. T could feel Dre's eyes on his face. He watched Dre's hands as they tapped on the bar and noticed that the backs of his hands where also tattooed with stars.

  "You may not know this, but I think you can help me," Dre said.

  "I don't see how I can."

  "Look... What's your name?"

  "T."

  "Look, T, not many people know what they can do before they try. They don't allow themselves the pleasure of finding out. It's so fun. Why don't you give it a go?"

  T said nothing and kept his face pointed forward.

  Dre let out a sigh and resumed tapping his fingers. "There was a man that came
through here some time ago. Dark, tall, obnoxious, with a bone in his ear. He would have had a crew with him. One of his crew came from this city, or so I'm told. Now, what I want to know is what became of him."

  T licked his lips. He felt sweat trickle down his spine and puddle in the small of his back. He went to speak but his words caught in his throat. Clearing it, he tried again. "I wouldn't know."

  Dre barked a laugh that sounded like it wanted to start but never got going. T brought his drink to his lips but spilled most of it on the bar. He tried to steady his shaking hand but it was a losing battle.

  "Your hand and leg say otherwise."

  T lowered his drink to the table and looked to his three friends. All three had their heads lowered; he wouldn't find any help there. "As I said, I don't know anything about this man you speak of. The only thing I may have heard is he caused a whole bunch of trouble for some big-time gangster. He also destroyed half this city before he left. Where he is now..." T gave a shrug.

  "You sure know a lot for someone who doesn't know anything," Dre said with another laugh. "So you have no idea where he is?"

  "No."

  "And he wouldn't be the same person who took that leg of yours, in this very bar?"

  "I said I don't know shit! Are you hard of hearing as well as half blind?"

  "What's with the temper, friend? We're just having a conversation."

  T got up from where he sat and looked around the room at Dre's men. The animal masks covered their heads completely. T looked over to his friends and nodded his head towards the door.

  "Going somewhere?"

  "I don't know who you think you're talking to! I don't know who this city thinks I am, but they must have forgotten. I am tired of taking people's shit! Do you hear me? The Worm Enforcers stood for something around here, and they will--"

  "People treat you like shit because that's what you are, T. A stranger can look at you and see what you can't see in the mirror. They know you better than you know yourself. But now isn't the time for change. That ship has sailed."

  "You don't know anything about me!"

  Humourless laughter escaped Dre's lips as he turned in his seat to face T. He brought one hand up to cover his good eye, while the red glare of the robotic one stared into T's soul. "The eye sees all, T."

  T stumbled a step back and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was dead.

  2

  Floating light orbs drifted about the room giving off soft red light. Golden tapestries covered the walls, and ornate but uncomfortable-looking chairs were dotted here and there. A giggle emanated from a large four-poster bed with fluffy covers. Shapes moved under the sheets, and another giggle escaped.

  "I really must be going. My crew are--ouch, no biting! They are probably wondering where I got to. I must really be going." A black foot slipped out from under the covers but it was pulled back in.

  "Okay, okay, five more minutes. I must say, I do love this planet, Princess."

  "Princess is what my servants and the commoners call me. My name is Torfhidenar."

  "Errr, I'll stick to Princess."

  "And what is your name, dark stranger?" the princess asked.

  "Ph--"

  Banging on the door brought a halt to the conversation. Both parties in the bed fell silent and the banging stopped.

  "Princess! Princess! Open the door this instant--we believe that you are in grave danger," said a voice through the door.

  "Oh no, one of the servants must have seen you sneak in and told my father's guards. This is the third time that this has happened this week," the princess said with a sigh.

  "How many times?"

  "Only three."

  Phoenix popped his head out from under the covers and gave the woman next to him a disappointed look. "And here I was thinking that I was the first to grace these sheets. Princess, I am deeply offended and my honour has been tainted."

  "No, no. You mustn't think of it like that. No one has made me feel like you have. There have been others, but--"

  "No!" Phoenix said, leaping from the bed and putting on his clothes as fast as he could. "I gave myself to you. I gave a part of me that shall never be shared again. Do you know what that means... Do you?"

  The banging on the bedroom door grew louder by the second. "Get the battering ram," shouted a voice on the other side.

  Phoenix dressed in record time. It wasn't his quickest escape, however, but he hadn't fled through a bedroom window in what felt like forever; he was rusty.

  Gun, check.

  Trousers, check.

  Information on disc, check.

  Phoenix walked towards the princess and held her face in his hands. "It has been a pleasure. While it was short, know that it was the highlight of my trip to your beautiful planet," Phoenix said, kissing her on the lips.

  The door to the bedroom shook as something heavy slammed against it.

  I guess that's my cue.

  Phoenix walked to a large bay window, picking up a half empty bottle of alcohol along the way. He brought it to his lips and took a swig before flinging the window open.

  Another crash against the door shook the frame.

  "Will I see you again?" the princess asked.

  Phoenix looked back to stare at her beautiful light green body, spread out across the bed, and gave her a smile. "When you look like you do, how can I not? But, until then, Princess, I'll be seeing you around."

  "You still haven't told me your name."

  "It's Phoeni--"

  The room to the door flew off its hinges and landed inches from Phoenix's feet. A group of guards stood clustered around the doorway, clamouring to get in. Phoenix drained the bottle he was holding before throwing it the guards' way. It hit the first one rushing towards him, knocking him out.

  Phoenix gave the princess a bow before jumping out the window.

  The wind rustled his clothes as he dropped towards the cobblestones below. Activating the anti-gravity stabilisers in his boots slowed his descent. He looked up and saw faces looking down at him from the princess's bedroom. He drew his pistols from his sides and fired their way.

  The faces drew back and disappeared from view.

  "Phoenix!" said a voice in his ear.

  "Hi, Saoirse, what's up?"

  "What do you mean, what's up! Do I need to remind you that you are on a mission of the utmost importance? We have been trying to contact you for the past hour. The last thing we heard was that you had a lead on the information we needed, and that you would get back to us in half and hour. Me and Plowstow are suited up, and we are on our way to come and get you."

  He had turned off his holocom when he had entered the princess's bedroom. He honestly didn't think it had been that long. "Err, well, like I said, I had a lead. A very productive lead, may I add, that allowed me to get all the information we need. Honestly, Saoirse, you need to trust me--"

  "You were with the princess, weren't you?"

  "No, no, no. That couldn't be further from the truth."

  Phoenix landed on the cobbles, bending his knees to absorb the shock of the fall. The high walls of the castle cast long shadows and did their best to block out the three moons that orbited the planet.

  A fountain depicting water flowing from the king's hands down to his kneeling servants and subjects stood fifteen feet tall.

  "There he is! The off-world fucker who tried to take our princess's virginity!" said a voice, making its way towards Phoenix.

  Silence on Phoenix's holocom made him pull a face.

  "You didn't...happen to--"

  "Hear about the princess?" Saoirse asked innocently.

  "Look, in my defence, her virginity was taken long ago."

  There was no response on the other end, and Phoenix watched the oncoming guards running his way.

  "Look, Saoirse, as a captain, I have to make these hard decisions. If I don't put myself in these sorts of dangerous positions, and take this burden, who will? You? Plowstow? I really think you undervalue the
good work I do."

  "Get. Your. Ass. Back. To. The. Ship!"

  As more guards started to head in Phoenix's direction, he bent down, picking up dirt that he rubbed between his hands. Clicking his neck right to left, he allowed a smile to grace his lips.

  "That may be easier said than done," he said.

  3

  Guards poured from hidden doors, out of windows, and down hallways. They were all armed and they only had one target in sight.

  Phoenix pressed a button on his wrist and flexible black metal expanded from the device. It covered him like black oil on a still lake. It left nothing visible. It protected him from head to toe.

  Another one of L's and Freyan's new inventions. They had taken the normal black suit armour and improved upon it tenfold. Phoenix brought up the HUD and checked for the fastest escape route.

  There weren't any.

  He could go through the walls or over them. As a guard rushed him from a side alley, he ducked and flipped the man into the path of his oncoming colleagues. Another tried to throw a punch, and Phoenix didn't bother to move; flesh connected with metal. The guard screamed in pain, clutching his hand to his chest.

  "Metal, dickhead," Phoenix said, tapping his head.

  Phoenix kicked the guard in the chest as more came forward. With a bound and a leap, he stuck to the nearest wall and began to climb up. Gunshots rang out in the air, and bullets pinged against the wall near his head. Phoenix redoubled his efforts, scaling the wall with ease. Reaching the top, he looked over his shoulder to see an incoming missile making its way towards him.