Project Sirius

Bounty #116

Christ how I hated the rain. Especially in the city, especially in the city on one of the hottest days of the year while chasing down a Crouger. It was already 102 degrees and humid and I had the unmitigated galls to wear a worn out black leather jacket made 1000 f*****g years ago from an animal that's been on the endangered species list going on three centuries now. But what can I say? I adored the style and since they outlawed the use of animals as clothing, this was the closet I'd ever get to that authentic rough-neck feel that we simply lacked here in the 22nd century. The 8 foot tall, 312 pound bat with a 12 foot wingspan, hooves like a cow and fur like a black goat that covered every inch his matted body, had me completely soaked and practically weighed down by my own clothing. It didn't help my joggers were caked in mud from first running him down through the woods and so added to the difficulty of just barley keeping up with it. However the bounty was a must, a Crouger on earth was extremely rare as they're considered dangerous and volatile. They're on the galactic boards most wanted 8 out 10 times and they're usually capture on sight. It's because of this they prefer to stay on the outer edge of the Pharmony galaxy where they can terrorize other secluded beings. This particular hogged face winged devil would be bounty #116 and was worth 150,000 exco credits and I could not let him get away.

I've now been chasing him going on 30 minutes through the towering neon city of Jaspa. It's well known on earth for it's surrounding colors of brilliant florescent lighting and brightly toned signs in almost every language, extra and human alike. Though radiant colors of blue, purple and red domes and skylines blinded you. There was also the added effects of faux waterfalls, mountains and flowing streams, for those that required a little peace and serenity in their urban landscapes. But if you peeked just below the freeways of aero-automobiles with the glittering city and its smoke screen appearance,. You'd find the real Jaspa and it's lowly inhabitants. That's where I'm found along with most of the bounties I collect.

A small and extremely impoverished area within the Kern district that's mainly known for it's crooked officers, and turf wars. There's Prosis or "Prostitutes" of all shapes, sizes and species on almost every corner many are there for anything, but showing you a good time. There's usually a social club or liquor pub nearby selling you only their finest water down-tap and spirits alike, and last but certainly not least a possible stabbing or robbing to wrap it all in. It's a place not known for it's welcome home spirit. But if you're ever lucky enough to live above it all then you get to see the city burst with vibrant colors and a variety of extras that come far and wide just to entertain and make a quick exco, ranging from the most basic that look human but in a different skin tones, to the extraordinary with 4 arms, legs even heads. Many of which are vendors promising to sell you only their best authentic off world "goods". Honestly it's all the same crap just refurbished, rebranded and resold under a new name.

So far the Crouger has managed to throw everything he could get his hands on at me to slow me down and I've managed to dodge most of what I needed to. First there was a Hassah cart, a type of slimy fish found on the planet Goreiyah of the Klepto galaxy. It's an expensive delicacy in these parts and generally only sold on Homet, as they pay an arm and a leg to have it imported to them. Homet is Earths sister planet where the rich and lavish ran off to live, meanwhile leaving the rest of us with very little resources to ration and divvy up . If there's any Hassah on these streets it's only for a few possible reasons, but more than likely the fish was rejected elsewhere. This could be because of high toxicity levels, the smell or the colors are off. Normally a dark blue shading means it's healthy and tender the brighter ones could mean they're old, sick or dying. They're then sold to the market for basically pennies and everyone buys them up. Unfortunately most individuals aren't fully aware how to cook it and are so desperate just to taste whatever the wealthy are putting in their mouths, they'll buy it no questions asked. With many ending up in the hospital being treated for Verri. A parasite that the Hassah carry not dangerous to them, and is usually removed before prepared for meals. If not it'll grow in your stomach and burst out like, well like a parasite. To be honest I've never understood the fascination over it. Had it once before my 3rd deployment. Taste like you dipped an eel in sugary mucus and served it with brown dipping sauce. Absolutely Revolting!

Then he tried his luck with a small child. I'd say they were no more than 8 months old, and weighed under 10 pounds likely due to malnourishment. Which if you're from Lower Jaspa you know three things we're famous for. The streets being littered in trash, dangerously low hanging electric cables and the homeless. Ambassadors stopped giving a s**t about earth when their donors left for Homet, but as always they make the same asinine promise about returning Earth to it's former glory, of course though they'd say just about whatever it takes to get the votes. It picked up the small child who was sitting on the ground beside it's mother begging for scraps and threw him straight at me like an old pigskin. The kid now flying 12 feet through the air, had very little chance of surviving the fall if no one intervened. I stopped briefly to put my offensive skills to the test. I ran several paces head, holding my arms out and caught him head first. Nearly missing him by 3 feet and definitely fell on my ass in doing so. Once I returned him to the crying care taker, I was thanked in abundance by repeated hits to the head from his screaming mother and other on lookers.

And his most recent weapon of choice, Rodik manure. A type of fecal matter that comes from the ass of a giant hairless rat that individuals use for a variety of reasons. Including cleaning, cooking and making pottery out of. These oversized rodents are also used for farming, guard-pets and regular house pets. Another fad I never understood, why people would want to give their child these things to look after? If not properly maintained and regularly immunized they have been known to go berserk and kill whole families. There's been times cities have had to dispatch their entire district officers to take out just one of these things for going rampant, and the clean up is the worse part for the families and rodent alike.

The Crouger stopped several inches from the large mound of wet crap that stood a few feet off the ground and used his hooves to kick it in my direction. It flew several right pass me as I quickly dodged to the left, just nearly missing it. Unfortunately the Greyworm behind me was not so lucky. It ended shot against the cracked wall like fly to a sticky, moist and extremely smelly substance.

He was now only about 20 feet out of eyesight yet still barely visible, if it wasn't for the giant hoof prints in the ground I'm certain I'd have lost him by now. Due to their size and how heavy gravity makes them they always leave a mark where they walk even on solid concrete. Yet somehow this didn't stop the overgrown beast from expanding his enormous wings, attempting to take off.

"Move!" I screamed out-loud pointing my pistol towards him hoping for a good shot, but my attempts went in vain, drowned out by the sounds of local vendors and civilians running in fear and falling over one another.

The Crouger attempted to take a hostage with him, but couldn't hold on tight enough and ended up dropping the bystander back to the ground. As he propelled himself forward through mid air, for an instant I thought for sure he would be lost to me. Until he caught himself in an electric cable trying to do so, he groaned and roared in aggravation from his own stupidity. Had he simply came down an inch or two to untangle himself he would have been free and gone.

"Jesus you guys are dumb." I closed one eye and pointed my pistol back at him to take fire.

Then like lightening from out of a nowhere a surge of energy surrounds and attacks him entirely. Causing the giant beast to crash abruptly to the ground leaving a c***k under the pavement as he did.

“What the f**k?”

Humans and other Extras alike began to swarm the injured Crouger as if he was a side show attraction pointing, whispering and poking at it motionless bodies.

"Get away!" With my pistol drawn it looked more like a threat than a warning I had just shouted, but I promise it was to their benefit to do so.

Crougers weren't the brightest but they knew how to catch prey. Often feigning hurt or hobbling, they will drop their massive bodies to the ground and lay still till an unsuspecting passerbyer comes just close enough to do something stupid. Like try and remove a crypto-wallet they leave openly around their hips as bait and if you fell for it, they'd quickly have you in it's grasp using their incredible strength to break some part of your body. Nothing that would kill, but definitely immobilize you. Taking your crippled meat sack back to their hidey hole and turning you into their latest project. It's been said they find humans to difficult to consume so often more than anything they used our bones as weapons. Turning spines, ribs and skulls into homemade swords, knives even armors.

The onlookers moved away from him as I moved in. Keeping my sights closely on his immobile body. As a precaution, I crept towards the unconscious devil slowly, walking one foot in front of the other, until I was by his side. Once over him I could smell the musk perspiring from its heavy hide, there was fresh blood along its cracked ivory tusk and a familiar smell I couldn't figure that was coming off its breath. He was indeed very much alive but severely burned in several places along its chest and neck. As I leaned in just a little more closely it was then I could see a steady blinking yellow light stuck on the left side of its head. It was a e-vac bullet. Normally something like this would merely stun or slow it down, but add water from the rain and the tangled cable wires and you get one hell of shock.

"I didn't do this." I muddled out-loud .

No, but we did.