1.77 - Starlight Park


We were joking about going to an amusement park together, at least I thought we were. But cutting through a small amusement park called Starlight Park is the quickest way back to our hotel. As Edan steps into my hands for me to boost him over the fence I can’t help but think about all the times we snuck out as teenagers and how we never had to do this. Eden perches himself on the stone wall and reaches down to offer me a hand. We land on the grass in synchronized soft thuds but stop in our tracks as a star shaped mascot stares at us from behind the costume head.

“Hey, what’s up,” Edan asks.

“Nice to meet you,” I add.

The mascot places a comically large hand covered in a white glove over its face but doesn’t say anything. We take it as a sign to just walk away. After walking around a small building, we make it to the main path of the amusement park. An artificial star swirling with pink, blue and purple lights sits in the center of the park with the words “Starlight Park,” in bright white letters across it. Souvenir stands and games are plentiful. A few rides stand out, one that takes people high in the air and drops them, a zero gravity experience, and a massive rollercoaster stand out. It’s a small park, and the rides are old, but it’s probably incredible for people who live on the station. It reminds me of the carnivals we used to go to as kids, but slightly larger.

“Well, I haven’t eaten all day and the drugs are wearing off,” Edan starts to walk before I’ve taken it all in.

“We should probably start heading to the hotel, it’s the smart play,” I follow.

“Can’t be running for your life on an empty stomach.”

We settle on some kind of orange burgers with purple fries. I hate amusement park food, it’s like sports food; designed to be weird. The food is always as bland as it is eccentric. I have to imagine the chefs ask themselves how to make something interesting, instead of making something good. I glance out the window as Edan finishes his food and spot another mascot. A different colored star, this one sporting a huge smile as well. It just stares at us through the window but Edan doesn’t seem to notice at all. I turn to point it out to Edan and as we look back the mascot is gone.

Outside I begin heading straight towards the hotel, but Edan keeps stopping me. Sometimes just to look at a street performer, other times to play a game. I understand that he’s no stranger to bounty hunters, and he trusts Tawa’s ability to get the bounty taken down. Still, being hunted isn’t something I enjoy, it typically ends poorly for me. I feel much more comfortable being the hunter. Edan throws balls at a stack of bottles hoping to win a prize that he could easily buy as I constantly watch the area looking for Ajani. After his third try, I can’t take it anymore.

“Hey,” I place a hand on his shoulder. “I know we said we’d do the amusement park thing, but I don’t think this is the best time.”

“Relax,” Edan places a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s just go on the roller coaster then we can get out of here. Just calm down, nobody likes a Serious Sherri at an amusement park.”

“Just the roller coaster, that’s it?”

“That’s all, scouts honor.”

“You weren’t a scout, but let’s go.”

We’re here in the middle of the day, but I expected a longer line. We’re able to get to the front in no time, but we let others go in front of us because Edan insists on riding in the front car. When we’re finally seated and strapped in, I spot Ajani, his huge frame standing above everyone else. I begin to struggle with trying to release myself from the ride.

“Wow, you’re scared,” Edan laughs.

“No you idiot, Ajani is standing in line. He’s staring right at us.”

“Oh shit,” Edan gets serious for the first time today, and begins to struggle with his own harness.

Ajani doesn’t even smile as he inches closer to us with each person added to the ride. When he reaches us, he simply smiles before heading to his own seat on the ride. He’s going to kill us on the roller coaster. I’ve never had much, if any, dealings with bounty hunters before this little excursion with Edan; but I have to say they are some sick and twisted individuals. Shootings in museums, chases through asteroid belts and now roller coaster murders. I take a glance as Ajani is strapped into the last car on the ride before I’m told to look forward as the cars begin to move.

Others shout for joy as the ride goes through the first loop and I’m only trying to catch a peak at Ajani. When I finally glance back, Ajani has somehow swapped places. He’s moved up a car, trading places with a man who now shares our look of panic. Edan and I share a glance, as he spots the same thing. We can’t break free of harnesses but he’s trading places. The ride goes upside down and there’s a panicked shout, not a fun roller coaster shout. When we’re back in the right direction, I glance again, and Ajani is another two cars closer. I just stare ahead and accept my fate. When he grabs me from behind, I’ll aim for his eyes. If he goes for Edan, I’ll punch him in the side of him in the ear and try disturb his equilibrium. When he doesn’t grab me, I glance again as we come to the end of the ride. There behind us is Ajani with a big smile on his face.

The ride stops and we take off the moment our harnesses are free. The few moments we’ll have while Ajani’s is being removed will be valuable. Rushing through the exit we spot a photo stand with pictures of the ride, Edan instantly runs off the path causing me to turn and follow.

“What are you doing,” I shout as Ajani makes his way calmly into the tunnel.

“I need the photo for the collection. We probably won’t have this chance again.”

 “Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“Just take a picture of it, we don’t have time to wait in line.”

“But I like the high quality version, you’ll appreciate it one day.”

Our photo comes on the screen and it’s the two of staring in horror and Ajani with a slight smirk on his face behind us towards the ride’s end. The same smirk he’s making his way towards us with. Edan is finally satisfied with his purchase as Ajani reaches us.

“I guess we’re going to have to fight because you wanted a pretty picture,” I glare at Edan.

“Nah, we’re good,” Edan laughs.

As Ajani nears us Edan reaches towards a mascot and snatches a tray of food. He tosses the food onto Ajani before shoving the mascot as well. I’m stunned because that’s not something I’d expect, and the mascot seems to have fallen onto of Ajani taking him down for a moment. He shouts what seems more like a roar than words.

“Run,” Edan shouts at me and I don’t hesitate to follow.

We take off at full speed, with me slightly trailing behind Edan. I take a quick glance back to see Ajani and the mascot still tangled in a mess of food. The park is starting to get fuller as the day goes on, more mascots, more street performers and more park goers. The whole thing could be dangerous, but the hotel shouldn’t be much further. A familiar shout as Ajani begins to catch up running at full speed. He barrels through two mascots as he gains ground on us.

“In here,” Edan pulls me to the left

He takes out another mascot as I barely read the sign saying describing this as The Knossos Labyrinth of Horror. Usually, I hate mazes but as we head down a ramp, I’m relieved, hoping this will allow us to put some space between us and Ajani. Those hopes are dashed when we enter the labyrinth and there are glow in the dark arrows pointing which direction to go. Edan rips them off the walls as we go deeper inside, probably hoping Ajani will get lost. The whole thing is more haunted house than maze, but when one of us is a hardened combat veteran and the other is an intergalactic spice pirate it’s pretty hard to scare us. It doesn’t help that all of the decorations are star themed as well. Monsters jumping from behind hidden doors painted with stars are hardly equivalent to the horrors I’ve witnessed.

“You scared yet,” Edan asks.

“Not in the slightest.”

If there is a God, they’ve got a funny sense of humor and a great sense of timing. Immediately after answering the question, we hear shouts and pounding as if walls were being broken. As the lights come on, my suspicions are confirmed. I can’t see Ajani but the dust in the air confirms my suspicion. He is absolutely breaking through walls and anyone in his way.

“We should probably run,” I turn to Edan, but he’s already running.

I take off after him and quickly pass him, following the arrows towards the exit of the maze. Park workers who were here to scare us moments ago, poke out of their hiding spaces confused as to what’s going on. I want to tell them to run, but I also can’t really explain why their place of employment is being destroyed. I ram through the exit door as Edan slams into my back. The two of us go tumbling forward into the park. Edan laughs as a push him off me; this is still fun to him. I dust myself off and look around. We’re right outside the hotel. The problem is there’s probably thirty mascots standing before us, some of which are holding bats, chairs and spatulas. I take a step forward and each of them steps forward in the most intimidating way mascots can.

The exit door behind us lets out a thud as it’s kicked off the hinges. Behind us Ajani stands covered in dust, what appears to be remnants of mascot costumes and possibly a little blood. I’m sure the blood isn’t his.

“We can work this all out,” Edan speaks loudly enough for everyone to hear him.

“Kill them all,” one of the mascots shouts.

The mascots rush forward and Edan takes a fighting stance. I shove him out of the way as Ajani takes a big swing with his staff. I lose all breath and fall to my knees as the staff lands in my gut. From the corner of my eye, I spot Edan squaring off with Ajani. I’ve never been beaten by someone in a mascot costume before but there’s a first time for everything. It’s both painful and comforting. They are throwing hard punches and kicks, but the costumes are soft. It reminds me of combat training, taking blows while wearing pads and helmets. I ignore their attacks and focus on regaining my breath until I’m ready. I just keep my head covered, until I see an opportunity.

I wrap my arms around a mascot’s leg and start to pull myself up using them as a brace. Back on my feet I instantly wrap my arms around his waist and lift running forward. We fall over several other mascots; but I roll through to my feet and quickly follow with a strong punch to a mascot. I doubt the punch was strong enough to knock them out but it’s enough to make their head piece a hinderance. Standing on my own feet I’m perfectly capable of blocking, parrying and landing attacks on uncoordinated mascots. Edan backs into me leading me to wonder where Ajani is. The shout behind me lets me know he’s turned his ire to the mascots and is quickly going through their ranks.  

The mascots begin to swarm him, one after another each grabbing at a piece of his body until they’re all attacking. Ajani is lost in the sea of mascots with a hand reaching through the mass of costumes every so often. For a brief moment there’s silence as the ball of mascots completely absorbs Ajani, his hand sinking until it’s out of sight. In an instant, bodies are thrown about as Ajani stands tall having tossed aside his attackers.

“We can beat him,” Edan sounds confident.

“Not the way he was manhandling us. Professional fighters have weight classes for a reason. Sometimes you can overcome the odds, but not all the time.”

Ajani begins to stretch and make his way towards us slowly as if he were some kind of horror movie monster. We don’t move, but take up position ready to make our final stand against the monster, choosing to face our death instead of run. I’m not sure if his steps are heavier or the blood pumping through my head is pounding in my ears. Just a few arm lengths from us Ajani pauses and presses one of his massive fingers to his ear and nods.

“Bounty is canceled,” he calmly speaks the best words possible.

“I don’t suppose you want to get a beer,” Edan smiles at Ajani.

Glancing at the damage done to the park and the broken bodies of mascots I doubt we would be welcome here. Ajani obviously feels the same as he turns to leave us, he states, “Perhaps a different time in a place we have not destroyed.”

“He’s a nice guy,” Edan waves goodbye. “Most bounty hunters would have just tried to shoot us on sight.”

I crouch down slowly before taking a seat on the ground, “you must do this more than I thought.”

“You get used to it.” 

1.76 - Nowhere to Run


 

Ship repairs have taken almost three weeks. During that time Edan and I remained on the station; he had to stay with his ship and I didn’t have anywhere to go. The station is named Ario Hr Trews, and I still haven’t learned to pronounce it. While Tortuga was more akin to an entire country; Ario would be more like a city. A small city, but a city. There’s still public transportation to get you from side to side, bars and apartment complexes. While Tortuga’s population crossed 20 million, Ario hovers around five hundred thousand. It’s a coporate station, mostly. A lot of the jobs around here revolve around receiving and shipping out products for various companies that pooled resources to build the station. That leaves the bars open for us most of the day. Edan is still drinking and drugging, but to a lesser degree.

Edan has been rambling about how I need to get married and have some kids to carry on the family lineage because he’s a hardened criminal. I’m just scrolling through messages. Renan is planning to leave his mom’s place and take a shot at returning to the ZGBA, Zero Gravity Basketball Association. Taffy has got some new prosthetics and they’re working great for him. Beatrix is going to take an attempt at starting a fashion zine.  

“You know I’ve never liked real bananas,” Edan slurs his speech. “The texture is all stringy, and the taste is bland. But, I think these banana martinis are the answer to all my problems.”

“Edan Gray,” A giant alien with a second set of arms extending from his torso approaches our table. His eyes look angry, a smile is locked on his face as his jaw extends forward. He doesn’t carry a gun but a long metallic staff. “Surrender now, or be taken dead.” He has to be at least eight feet tall and is as muscular as any human or Smilodonian that I’ve ever seen.

“Would you like a drink,” I ask.

“Quiet scum,” The giant shouts at me.

“What crime,” Edan slurs.

“Theft, receiving stolen property, burglary, fencing illegal goods,” The giant bounty hunter starts to list crimes as Edan finishes his drink.

“So the normal stuff,” Edan cuts him off. “How about you just go away and we call it even.”

A quick scan with my wrist comp and I learn that a Sudalit is standing before me. A strong war like race that was locked in a feud with The Draconians for centuries. Draconians destroyed their food sources and polluted the water, severely crippling their society, yet they remained unconquered despite losing all but the three planets in their home system. They’ve been recovering in population for the last two centuries but have been locked in a civil war and unable to once again expand to an empire that rivals the Draconians.

“Hey, you should shave that pony tail,” I pick up the tail end of their conversation as Edan turns to jokes. “Also, that armor is outdated. You look like a volunteer soldier not a bounty hunter. Business must be rough.”

The Sudalit shouts, “Enough,” drawing the attention of the bar. For some reason that causes me to laugh. I haven’t had nearly as much to drink as Edan but the warm sensation and sweaty palms I’m feeling aren’t signs of fear. I’m only a little drunk. The Sudalit cracks the knuckles on their smaller hands causing my jaw to drop. I was hoping those arms were vestigial.

“Efrem,” Edan says. “Shoot him up, bang, bang, pew, pew,” Edan laughs at his own joke.

“Look at him. He’s eight feet tall and built like a tank. You’re the martial artist. Why don’t some kind of death grip on him,” I ask.

“Because he’s got four arms and he look he throw those hard punches. What’s your excuse.”

“I don’t have a gun with me.”

“I hear you,” The Sudlit shouts.

“Chill, we’re having a strategy meeting,” Edan waves him off and leans into me. “I got a plan.”

“What’s the plan?”

“I can’t tell you, just follow my lead.”

Edan lifts the table ramming it into the Sudalit, I instantly join and we’re able to overpower him, knocking him to the ground. I don’t even let the words leave Edan’s mouth before I take off running behind him. Tawa calls, but I ignore it as we cut through several alleyways. After a few blocks we hide behind a dumpster and wait to be sure we’re not being tracked.

“Feels like when we stole Evan’s condoms and used them as water balloons. He chased us for hours,” Edan laughs.

“We could not get them to pop,” I catch my breath. It’s always harder running with liquor in your system or maybe I just feel alive.

Another call from Tawa, his sixth. I finally answer. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“There’s a bounty on Edan’s head from Yana. A sudalit hunter named Ajani has taken the bounty. He’s never failed a job based on his record,” Tawa shouts. “You need to get out of there.”

“Can you cancel the bounty,” Edan asks.

“Yeah but it’ll take time. She didn’t exactly put it out over clear channels,” Tawa sounds worried.

“Just keep us updated Tawa. We’re resilient. We’ll get to the ship and get out of here,” I assure him.  

“You don’t understand, this is a kill or capture bounty,” Tawa’s voice goes up.

“Hey, I said I’d come see you before I left. I can’t die before that so relax. Just work on getting that bounty cleared okay.”

Tawa doesn’t respond immediately, “I’ll get it taken care of as soon as possible.”

“Thanks,” I end the call. “Edan make sure the ship is ready for us ASAP. I’m going to plot us a route to the garage.”

“We need to hit the hotel to grab our things too,” Edan adds before making his own call.

“Good thing the sun is going down.”

1.75 - A Little Longer


We made it through the asteroid belt and headed straight towards another space station. We’re still in the area where Revrell and Draconian territory overlap, but this area is obviously more Revrell. The ship had some serious damage but we did manage to evade the bounty hunters. Others have gone off to explore, but I chose to stick with Edan and the ship. I’m hoping it brings less trouble to me than any time I tried to explore Tortuga. It took a few days for us to finally get a mechanic, but I’m grateful for the moment of peace to think and recover. After seeing Tortuga, I doubt any space station will ever excite me as much. My wrist comp notifies me that there’s been a transaction done on my bank account. I’m hoping there’s not any fraudulent charges being made.

I’m left speechless when I view my account, there’s got to be some kind of error. There’s enough to buy the farm and have a little left over. Edan said the payment for the warehouse job would be coming soon but I didn’t expect this much. This has to be some kind of mistake. This needs to be split with everyone.

“Hey, is this right,” I ask Edan as he sits on the bench next to me. I hold out my wrist comp for him to view the transfer.

“Yeah, that’s your cut,” he smiles.

“Are you rich,” the question leaves my mouth without passing through my brain.

“No,” Edan burst into laughter. “Most jobs don’t pay that well but you wanted to take everything they had. Some of it was pretty valuable. You’ve turned me into a real space pirate. Nobody says it when you start but the best crews get a big pay day and lay low for a while living a modest life. You take time to hone your skills, maybe learn a trade. Everyone doesn’t do the run and gun every week thing,” Edan stares up above us.

There’s no artificial sky here; it’s an older station that leaves no misunderstandings about what it is. You could be born, live your entire life on Tortuga, die there and be completely happy. This station is a place to repair ships and sleep between destinations. Sure, there are stores and people live here; but they all long to escape. Each time I talk to someone, it’s as if they just know you’re a traveler. They ask about planets we’ve been to; what we do for a living and stories of the adventures they assume we all have. They all want more out of life, and it’s contagious. I have no doubt that Edan would happily allow me to work with him until the end of time and I would enjoy it for a while. But in the end, I would grow to hate it. Like all of these people I would want more. This is Edan’s dream not mine. I wanted to go from planet to planet helping people, maybe having a few glorious battle moments and this is not it. Working for Creed and wondering if every mission would be my last wasn’t it either.  

“You should move to Nyame,” Edan says bluntly.

“Can’t live without your big brother,” I joke.

“No, I can absolutely live without you. That doesn’t mean I have to or even want to. You can keep working on that farm and I’ll stay in the city. We’ll make sure to see each other when I’m home,” Edan pauses, looking from the cieling to me. “I know we didn’t get along right after Evan’s death, but you’re still my big brother. As much as you ran away from the family, you were pushed away. We all pushed each other away. You were just strong enough to leave first. I felt like it broke the family. Dad was never great, but he started drinking more than ever. Mom just pretended nothing bad was going on and you got out of there as fast as you could. As much as I claimed to hate you I took off right after. Do you know why,” I simultaneously love and hate how open Edan is with emotions.

“No, I couldn’t tell you,” I look above us again as I answer.

“Get out of here as soon as you can, don’t let it drag you down like Evan,” the words leave Edan’s mouth now, but they’re my own. They were mine once, a long time ago.”

“Sorry about that, I was a jerk,” I start to apologize but Edan cuts me off.

“We were all jerks, but you didn’t lie. I guess part of me was glad you didn’t think I was ruined, that someone believed I still had a chance. That’s when I forgave you, because in that moment I looked up to you more than I ever had. I even stalked you online and went to your academy graduation. I just couldn’t bring myself to speak to you because I had become a whole criminal already. I didn’t want to embarass or upset you.”

I punch Edan in the arm, “you idiot. Criminal or not, I’m still proud of you. You had the guts to do what I never could and that was follow a dream and see it all the way through without getting distracted or thrown off course. All that time we missed together; I wish I could have it back.”

Edan laughs, “gross. Don’t go all after school special on me.”

“Don’t laugh at me. You know I’m right. Besides, you’re the one trying to get me to move to the place you called a cesspool for crime.”

“Well, you’re a criminal now. You’ll have a mugshot in no time,” he jokes but stops laughing when he sees I’m not laughing with him. “You’re going back aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m going back.”

“I knew you were going back to the military,” Edan’s tone shifts, not disappointment, but a unique sadness. “I knew this wouldn’t last forever; I just didn’t know it’d end so soon.”

“Yeah, you told me when we first started this little adventure that I would end up back there.”  

“Are you going to work with that Creed guy again? He sounds like the type to hold grudges.”

“Probably for a while, but I’m hoping for a different division. Something that lets me have my own crew and ship. Something where I can choose my own missions and have real time off,” I take a deep breath. “I envy you and your crew. You’ve all been welcoming to me, even Nastas in his own weird way. But it’s your ship and your crew that you’ve built. As great as you’ve all been, I want my own.”  

“I get it, you don’t have to explain. I get it,” he nods.

“Good because you’re really open with emotions, and I’m not. That was hard for me to say. I’ve been rehearsing in my head for days,“ I exxagerate a sigh of relief causing Edan to chuckle.

“Let’s make the best of what we have left then. We never got to go to an amusement park,” Edan jokes.

“We should because I’ll probably be going to prison when we get back to Nyame.”

“Still want to do it?”

“I need to make things right.”

“Well, don’t be afraid to take a plea deal. Only plea to things you actually did, take any other charges to trial. A jury trial, not a bench trial. Keep to yourself and use the time to learn something new.”

“I forgot you’ve been to prison.”

“No, I’ve been to jail. Big difference. Jail is short term. I can go home from jail. Prison, that’s a little more permanent. Be strong, do your time, don’t let your time do you. Your body is in prison but not your mind, and all that,” the two of us stare at each other for a moment with serious faces before bursting out in laughter. I’m going to a military jail, probably soon, and that’s a good reason to laugh with my little brother.