Space Cruiser Samurai: Walker Vs Jaek Emorson

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say... I'm Walker, Cybernetic Organism from the planet Andoria-6, former Imperial Astronomical Army Lieutenant of Delta squad. Space Bounty Hunter, two years ago, I heard a scream in space. But I suppose from the beginning's best. *** Two years earlier, Theta Derilla 115, 2099 On the Planet Theta Derilla, a busy spaceport planet owned by the United Astronomical Empire. Approaching the Bunker Cantina. A place where bounty hunters can get their contracts, licences. When they return from a job, they hang out. "Walker! Over here!" Over my shoulder, Vesper waves. She looks as good with her large, round, pert breasts and the bobbing braid that reached between her shoulder blades. Her perfectly kept figure. She actually saved me from being court marshalled and got me an honourable discharge after I disobeyed an awful order. It wasn't hard. The leader of our team was an imbecile, and if I hadn't pulled my weight on the team, we would have lost people. The captain is running for congress, I hear. "Vesper. Fancy seeing you here." I say when she catches up to me. "I'm on my way to getting my licence, and figured I'd follow in your footsteps now that my term is up with the military." "Are you sure about this?" I asked, showing concern. "Lieutenant Walker! Are you worried about me?" She says with a coy smile. "I know you can take care of yourself." I'll never admit that I am worried. She could be emotional and naïve about people's intentions. But I still trust that she's capable of finding her way. I held the door for her as we walked into the Cantina. When we get inside, I find a table while she goes to file the paperwork to become a hunter. I ordered a couple of cold ones as she came back with her new licence. Vesper smiles, showing it off, while I clap my hands sarcastically. While I was sitting there, it didn't take long for some guys to ask her to join their crew. It didn't surprise me. She looks the same as she did when I left, which was a decade ago. I really wish I hadn't turned her down when she told me how she felt, but that's ancient history. I counted four before she finally accepted, and the fifth one seemed more interested in her medical background from the military than her looks. He had just lost a medic. It was nice to see a hunter retire. I nodded when she looked at me for my approval. "Jax is a superb hunter, a good leader. You'll be happy working with him." She frowned when I hadn't asked. I think she needs a few hunts under her belt before I take her to those parts of the universe. She walks away with her eyes, watching me as she walks away. I sip the beer as she heads out to meet the crew. I thought of a time before I left her and the rest behind when I sat there with the beer. Our team wasn't the usual team. We were killers sent throughout the known universe. Staging coupes and paving the future for what we have now. Honestly, now that I look back, we didn't really make a difference. It's still crooked politicians looking for ways to keep their dirt from surfacing. It's why I initially went rogue. The irony is that they set us up. We did the same thing. Before I looked at the job board, I left a few credits on the screen. I grabbed the bounty that had been sitting there. No one has taken it yet. "Thirty mill? Don't mind if I do." Riktor Kiondr, murderer, thief, mercenary for hire, usual space trash. I slipped the poster into my pocket and I left the cantina. Vesper waves to me as I walk to my ship. I waved back to her and entered my ship, the SC Samurai. An old ship, it has lots of potential and adapts to new tech easily. That's how I got a Hyper jump. My Faster Than Light drive. I took off, headed for the Zonos Nebula. It's in intergalactic space, so it's not patrolled by the Federation of Extraterrestrials or the United Astronomical Empire. Which makes it lucrative for bounty hunters like me, but dangerous for everyone. It was the last time I saw her. Upon my return to Theta Derilla, I notice that Vesper and her crew aren't there yet. But I figure they must run late. I headed into the Cantina, found a table and ordered a cold beer. Beer is obsolete because I will never get drunk but the taste. The taste does it for me. I look at the screen to see a ship that is familiar to me. "To apprehend the space pirate Jaek Emorson, they have hijacked a bounty hunter ship, and they killed the occupants. This is the video released by Jaek Emorson shortly after the tragedy occurred." If I had a heart, it would have dropped to the floor or stopped. One of those expressions, but I only had a microcore reactor, and hearing the news decreased its efficiency by forty-five percent. "That's too bad... Vesper, shoulda, came to my crew. She could just bend over." Argent, a reptilian, jokes. I stood up, walking towards his table. His human mechanic is trying to whisper something to him. "What's the matter, Walker?" His pointy little teeth show with a smile, "struck a nerve?" He shoves the human aside and stands from his chair. "Cyborgs don't have nerves or feelings. Isn't that right, Cordilla?" As far as I know, there are other planets. But walkers like me are unique to my planet. Cordilla is like looking at a female version of myself. She doesn't have hair though she has adopted a wig. She looked haggard, like she had been pulled apart and reconfigured. This was the work of Argent, no doubt. The only difference between him and a space pirate is his licence to hunt criminals. It would be a benefit to the bounty hunters if I shot him. "Nope, not gonna happen not here." The owner, Mary, we call her. She is an alien native to the planet Bibiru. They look human but live longer and sometimes have pointy ears. Not sure how old Mary is. But she's owned it since I've been here. She stands there between Argent and me. "I was just coming to order another drink," I said. "Walker, I like you. Go sit at your table. I'll bring you another soon." She doesn't buy my story. I didn't believe it when I told her I was going to kill Argent, though. "Mary, c'mon let me and the borg have a little fun." She turns to him. "I'm saving your life so that Borg doesn't put his fist through your skull. Now, I suggest you and your crew leave." "You're going to let the borg stay?" The room falls silent. "Excuse me Argent? You forget where you are. I can allow and remove anyone I want. Now leave." The room is staring at Argent as he walks by and bumps my shoulder. "This isn't over." "It never is..." I returned to my table and waited for a drink. If I could scowl, I would. But I only have eyes, or cameras. Depending on the perspective you have on whether I am alive. That debate has crossed my processors many times. Vesper thought I was a living being. That's why she told me my species has the word organism in its name. Mary brought a bottle, not that it made a difference to me whether it was beer or eighty proof. My core reactor would burn it and I would have a slight increase in my heat. "Sure you want to waste the good stuff on me?" I asked. "You are the most sober person I know, Walker, plus after that news I think you need a stiff drink, so on the house." She says. "Isn't it always on the house?" The bourbon has a whiskey taste to it, a good one. I slam back the first and savour the second drink Mary pours for us. "Ha-ha, you're nice, Walker, but not that nice." Mary pours herself another drink. "You want to talk about Vesper?" "Not unless you have some information on Jaek Emorson." "That worm, I wish! I'd love to pay the one who brings me a picture of him with a bullet in his head." "What was Jax doing in that part of the universe, anyway?" "To my understanding. They picked him up in the MilkyWay. Then they were told to bring him to Lyra Palioxis." "The prison galaxy that was abandoned by the Federation of Extra Terrestrials?" "The same. Jaek must be pretty high for someone to pull a move like that." "Or is the federation working with the pirate clans?" I said and finished my drink. "Do you have the bounty for Jaek Emorson?" "Why? What are you going to do, Walker?" She doesn't normally give me looks of concern, but this one was probably the most concerned I even saw on her yellow oval face. Her black eyes widen and she chokes a little while, swallowing her drink. "I'm going to put a bullet in his head." "You want to do something crazy, don't you?" "What? I'm a bounty hunter. Hunting pirates is what I do." "Yeah, but when you do something crazy, Walker, usually it's bad. It makes us look bad." Mary places a hand on mine. "Name one time I've gone too far." "Well, there was the galactic cruise ship." "That was not my fault." "Right... And the casino on the Moon Titan at Venus." "Okay, I have no excuses for that." "And the bank robbery on planet Retopia." "You've made your point, Mary. But I am going to Lyra Palioxis. A galaxy that is only criminals," I said. "That's worried about." Mary cleared the table. I help, and at the bar, she gives me Jaek's bounty. I had to make one stop along the way to see an old friend. On the way to Lyra Palioxis, I make a stop at a star to dock at a space station known as Salton's Outpost. Salton is loyal to himself and if I press the right buttons, he'll give me names. I know Salton has dirt on everyone. "Salton's outpost. This is SC Samurai asking for permission to dock." "Permission granted, come in Walker, tell me what I can do for you." Salton's voice is annoying, and has a disgusting sound to it. But he's my only shot at getting at figuring this out. I leave the ship through the docking hatch and enter the outpost. Salton is waiting for me in his motorised chair. He lost the use of his legs in a space accident. The station comprises one room, gizmos, and gadgets on the walls. I don't enjoy being there, but Salton has the best access to info and explosives on this side of the universe. "Walker, to what do I owe the pleasure?" "I'm not here for pleasure, just business," I say with disdain. "Well... How may I be of service?" "I'll need some magnetic charges and any info you have on Jaek Emorson." "Jaek Emorson? Why would you be after him?" "He made the mistake of killing a friend of mine." "You don't have friends, Walker." "Who says that?" "Walker, you have another ship docking." Integra's voice came into my head. I look at Salton as he stands behind his desk. I grab my pistol and shoot him in the shoulder, and he falls to the floor. "What the hell, Walker?" Salton shouts in pain through his clenched teeth. "Who did you call Salton?" I demanded. His anger turns into worry. "I-I have no clue what you are talking about." "Don't mess with me, Salton." I put the barrel to his chin. Then the airlock closed. I looked at the camera. I recognize Argent and his crew. "Walker, come out. I know you're there." "Just a minute. Let me freshen up." I looked around. I don't want to get into a shootout here. "Torch the door." Argent's men cut through the door with arc cutters. "That was a dumb move, Salton." I said, "You know they're going to kill you too, right?" "That wasn't part of the deal." "Argent doesn't make deals, he cuts off loose ends." "Walker, get me out of here!" Salton grabs my jacket. "I don't have to do a damn thing." I shoved him off me. "You owe me Walker. Remember Bonoboz?" I looked at him, then around the station. Argent is almost through the door. I dragged Salton to the escape pod and threw him inside, then put in coordinates for earth. "Where are you sending me?" "The Sol System." "What?! Are you malfunctioning? They'll lock me in a hole." "I could always leave you here with Argent." "Nevermind! anywhere but here with that psycho dinosaur." I flip the switch and I send Salton out onto the frontier for Earth. They are halfway cutting out the door, so I just grab what I can. I snagged two frag grenades. "We're through." I heard from across the room. I tossed a frag grenade into the airlock. "f**k!" Argent jumps through the door, hitting the emergency lock with his tail, leaving the rest of his crew to die when the grenade detonates. I leave the station knowing how much I just pissed off Argent. Lyra Palioxis, a galaxy I don't frequent. It's a lawless place filled with criminals. The only place in the universe governed by killers and heathens. But since the trail on Jaek leads me here. I'm in this graveyard of a galaxy. Ships from the Federation and Empire, even some of their own, are floating in the galaxy, making it quite defensible, hard to navigate and easy to make enemies targets. Flips of some switches on the upper display board activate the cloaking refractor on the ship, camouflaging the ship in the background of outer space to cover my approach. "Walker, what do you plan on doing?" Integra asks. I kept packing the bag. Going over my inventory, three mags each for the rifle and pistol. Six magnetic charges and a frag-grenade. The Hemingrave hemlock Modular Battle Rifle. My hands slap a magazine and charge the rifle instinctively. The biometrics recognize me as the owner and cycle from safe to fire back to safe. Before putting my pistol in the holster, I swung the rifle onto my back. I place my plasma sword on my belt. I tossed the strap of the bag over my shoulder and headed to the airlock. "Walker, are you ignoring me?" "No Integra. I am just preoccupied." "Well, what's your plan to get to Jaek Emorson?" "Simple. Cause mayhem until he comes out of his hiding spot, then kill him." "Aren't you taking things a little too far? I mean, how do you plan on getting close enough to kill him?" "You let me worry about that, Integra." "Understood, Walker. Anything I can do once you leave?" "Take the ship to Dryke 42. I'm fairly certain he will go there." "And what will you be doing while I wait for you on dirty Dryke?" "Oh, you know, Integra, what I do best." I pulled the charging handle on my rifle. "Defeating the bad guys." I'm sure after my response, if Integra had eyes she would have rolled them. I grab the bag of mechanisms for mayhem and go to the cargo bay. Being a cyborg can survive in the vacuum of space. Believe me. No one in space expects an intruder from space. "Integra, open the cargo bay." "You got it Walker." The feminine voice of the AI on my ship opens the cargo hatch. Sirens and lights warn me it's opening. I don't want to be sucked out by the pressure change. "Keep a seat warm for me, Integra." I said. I walked to the edge of the loading ramp and jumped into space. I'm not free-falling as much as I'm in open space. Criminals built a shanty space station after taking over a prison. That's my target. That's where I'll find Jaek. I turn my body to face my ship, which has gotten further away. "Integra, activate the shields." I watch as the force field flows over the ship like a blanket of thick liquid. I fired a round from my rifle. The bullet ricochets off the shields and the recoil propels me towards the spaceport. I turned my back to my ship, and I descended towards the spaceport. I reach into the cloak over my shoulders and activate the light diffuser for camouflage to mask my approach to the port. My rifle floated around my torso. My right hand brings my bag of goodies to my front and opens it. Reaching into the bag for a magnetic charge. I looked at the port, getting closer. I grab a bar at a personnel door to enter the port, take a magnetic charge, I place it on the door and set the detonation for five seconds. The countdown starts, and I move away from the blast radius. The charge goes off and it sucks the debris out into space with a group of people getting sucked out. Some are already dead, others are not so lucky. "Bad way to go." I entered the spaceport. Alarms and lights signal a drop in air pressure. I activate the emergency door and that brings the air pressure and the gravity back inside the spaceport. "Walker, my scans show you have hostiles moving towards your location." Integra tells me over the internal radio in my cranium. "I guess we better not keep them waiting." I joked, swinging my rifle in front of me, aiming it down the corridor. "How many are there, Integra?" "I don't know, Walker. A baker's dozen." "Integra, did you just make an inappropriate joke?" "Is that what that is? It felt funny, but not in a good way." "You'll get used to it." The grenade is in the bag, and I have to press the counter button. I hold the grenade a little longer, then toss it down the corridor. I hear it skitter across the floor until it stops, then panic as they try to turn back, but it was already too late, the grenade explodes and tears a hole in the wall, everything's sucked out into space, gravity goes out on the floor and I almost missed my stop. My fingers wrap around the bar, which keeps me from being sucked out into space. I kept the bag, but I lost my rifle and my plasma sword. "That was close." "Scans show a group of baddies headed to an escape pod," Integra says, as I pull myself towards the centre shaft. Instead of heading towards the escape pods to cut off Jaek, I headed down towards the core reactor. "Integra, is there any way I can take the port out of the sky?" "What do you mean, Walker?" "I mean sending this port into reentry with a boom." "Maybe if you put all your explosives in the reactor and detonated them. But that is not a good idea." Integra tells me she's right. I know it's crazy, but I am feeling kind of crazy. "I suppose it's as good as any," I said. "Walker, you will not make it out if you do that." She says with legitimate worry in her voice. "Where is your faith, Integra?" "File Faith.EXE does not exist." Integra tells me. "Hilarious. I'll make it." I said with some sass. "Just don't leave me hanging, Walker. I'm too nice to be sold for parts." Integra gives me sass right back. "It never even went through my processors." The grenade removed the artificial gravity from the upper decks. I navigate the space port towards the centre shaft. Then it's straight down to the reactor. My feet landed on the catwalk two sections above the reactor room. I move towards the door leading down to the reactor, but a plasma launcher blows it open. Through the smoke and rubble, Argent walks through the cavity left by the launcher attached to his blaster rifle. "Walker, did you miss me?" He took aim, charging the plasma launcher for a second blast. "Like a plague." I said, getting to my feet. I launch myself at Argent, pointing his rifle up as he fires, causing more debris to fall over us. We fell to the catwalk above the reactor after I tackled him. Argent is nice enough to break my fall. I rolled to my feet, drawing my pistol. Both of us fire out of ammo. I holster my pistol and launch myself at Argent when he does the same. Argent's fist collides with my head, rattling the loose items inside it. Then another to my torso. He throws me away from him. I slid across the metal grating under me, sparks showering the floor beneath. I rolled back to get to my feet quickly, but a kick to my face put me on my back again. But I roll with the blow and get a little distance between us and catch my footing. "I'm going to crush your head," Argent says. "This is becoming tedious," I said. My fist collides with his. Argent growls at his broken hand. With the right fist, I deliver an uppercut. The gravity goes off, sending us into the air. When it's restored, I time it with my attack to hit Argent with more force. His tail pulls me out of the air, slamming through the catwalk to the reactor floor. The fall replaces my vision with static, then it returns. Argent jumps down, his foot landing on my head. Causing my vision to flicker again. "It's really a shame, Vesper, your friend. I offered her a spot on my crew as my bunkmate. But she refused. So I sent her out with the rest when I rescued Jaek." While Argent was talking. I looked around for something to help me get out of this situation. I spotted the bag with the explosives. "Any last words, Walker?" "Argent." I grunt as my hand reaches the strap of the bag. "You talk too much." I elbow him in the groin, and it gives me enough to escape from under his foot. I grabbed the bag. Get to my feet and swing it. The bag smashes Argent in the head. He turns away from me, uses his tail, but I jump. Over the sweep and with help from the malfunctioning artificial gravity, I landed on his back. The bag went over his head. I attached the magnetic charges to Argent with some straps. I jumped off just in time for Argent to get pulled towards the reactor. "Walker, you can't leave me like this." Argent tried to reason with me. "I don't have to do a damn thing." "Walker! Help me!" They always try to bargain. Or beg. Argent did both, but I ignored him. I had to get out fast. The whole thing was coming down over my head. I see Argent's plasma blaster and snatch it from the floor. "Goodbye, you oversized salamander. See ya never." I said, then used his plasma launcher to put a hole in the wall. Letting it suck me out into space. Shortly after I enter space, I fall into the gravity of Dryke 42's moon, pulling me towards it and the planet. "Well... I guess I should have thought about this before I decided to just freefall." "Are you in trouble, Walker?" Integra's voice came into my head. I keep falling, getting faster, the debris falling around me, then the explosion in the Port run by the pirates pushes me faster. "You know. I might have gone a little too far with this one." I said through the radio in my cranium. "But yes, I might be in a bit of trouble, Integra." My arms and legs spread away from my body, but it's no use for slowing me down. "I need you to come pick me up." As I get closer to the planet, I felt the heat from the explosion. "On the way." "Sooner than later, Integra, I can't survive reentry." It burned the jacket and camouflage device first. Just as I feel my exoplates heat red. Then the ship catches me. I am lucky enough to escape the falling debris. My ship is not so lucky. It's pegged and we hurtle toward the ground. The crash landing on Dryke 42 was alright. I put the chip in my cranial port, so I can bring it with me. "Walker? Walker! I knew you cared!" I immediately regretted letting her integrate with my system. But because she is a logistics AI, she increased the efficiency of the nano-tech that is repairing my body. I grab a new jacket and throw it over my shoulders. Then I left the ship. "So, Integra. Know where I will find Jaek?" "What kind of AI sidekick do you think I am? His escape pod landed safely three hundred metres east from our location." Integra was quite useful. I'll have to get another ship for her to operate soon. "Ready to finish this?" "With pleasure, Walker." Climbing from the rubble of the crashed spaceship, it served me well and deserved this glorious crash after being junked into a heap in some yard. I grab whatever ammo I have left for my pistol. Then, I walked towards the location. I am sure. Jaek thinks I died in the explosion that still has pieces of the port falling into the atmosphere. So I have the element of surprise. "Walker, what are you doing on Dryke 42?" "I'm looking for a quick bounty score to get me back to earth." I continued down the street. My Smart Pistol 10 was the only weapon I had left. I have it concealed in case someone sees me and notices I am not some wandering homeless alien. "Who's the mark?" "Jaek Emorson. A reptilian wanted by the Federation." I kept my head on a swivel as I approached. "You don't normally take bounties from the federation. Is this personal or just business?" Finch typed in some information. "Personal. What do you want, Finch?" "I want to check up on you. I heard about your friend. My condolences." "A hazard of the job. But thank you. Now, what do you want?" I said. "Wow... I call an old friend after a close friend dies. And you think I only want to talk about business?" "Finch... Because it's you, yes." Finch gasps as if she's offended. "Well, since you asked, I have a bounty I want to contract to you." She says and I stop. "So you can rip me off on the credits again? I don't think so." "But, Walker!" "Absolutely not." "Walker, just listen to me." "No comprende." "Walker, please just hear me out." "No! Goodbye Finch." I ended the call and drew my pistol and kicked open the door. Pop! Pop! I killed the first two I hit. Pop! Pop! Pop! The next three shots only kill one. Out of the five sitting at the table, a gorilla, a crustaceous alien and a human are dead. Jaek and one other are still alive. I approach and flip the table, spilling the card game over the dead ones. Another bullet puts an end to the squirming. Jaek crawls for his laser pistol, but I kick it away from him and put another bullet in his head. "That's for Vesper."