Space Case: Alone in the Dark
We are at our most vulnerable when there is nobody around
Kitty Massage and Snuggle Party!
Han, Shitpancake, and Jayne all snuggled up. It looks like they fell asleep giving Shitpancake a massage.
…Time for this week’s story…
Space Case: Alone in the Dark
Valhalla seemed like a good name for a ship, when Marco named it. A home for dead warriors, just like him. Alive in body, his faith in the world was all but gone. In the end, he just wanted to help people, but society made it so hard. Still, looking out at the stars through the command room window, he was at peace. All the world’s problems vanished. All that remained was the beautiful expanse that was here before us, and will be here long after. When you’ve seen the dirt and grime of the world up close, it's important to pull back and remind yourself that the big picture is really beautiful.
Of course, he couldn’t enjoy the view without Bucky, his Jack Russell terrier, pawing his hand, begging for food. He was so adorable, Marco couldn’t help but give him some head scratches and a piece of chicken.
“Marco,” the ship’s intercom chimed with the voice of his mechanic. “You’ve got a call. Says he’s an army buddy.”
“Thanks, Raffy. I’ll grab it up here.” Marco found a console and pulled up the video call. Even blindfolded, he would recognize the bald muscle man the second he appeared on the screen. “Booker, how’s it going?”
“Gettin’ by, like everyone else. I heard you’re a merc or somethin’ now?” Booker was wearing a black undershirt, making a sandwich in his kitchen. He glanced curiously at Marco, but kept making his sandwich.
“Or somethin’. Private eye, bounty hunter, private security, I don’t really want to put myself in a box, That limits your options. How’s Earth these days?”
“I’m like a tour guide in Dante’s Inferno.” Booker chuckled.
“Sounds like all the reasons I left. It’s much more peaceful out here.”
“Sounds nice. Maybe I’ll travel when I retire. In the meantime, I’ve got somethin’ for ya’. Got a tip on a nice bounty here in my neck of the woods. Took it to my captain, but our station doesn’t have the resources to handle it. I wouldn’t mind a little bit off the top, but I can give you all the information you need to make it easy.”
“I love easy. How much?”
“Fifty percent.”
“Fifty?” Marco couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “For fifty you’re coming along and helping me carry the body if he doesn’t come quiet. Ten.”
“Twenty. Ten for the lead, ten for the info.”
“Okay, twenty works for me.”
Booker was always a breath of fresh air, although law enforcement wasn’t where Marco had expected him to end up, or Earth for that matter. Then again, for Earth to recover, it needed more people like Marco. A good heart touches a lot of lives for the better. People too often focus on the lasting power of pain, but pay no mind to the lasting power of good.
Marco was on Earth before night fell on Los Angeles. With intermingled architecture spanning centuries, the city was a beehive of flying vehicles. Even the lanes for personal ships like Marco’s were crowded. Although, the food alone was worth the trip. Booker took Marco out to some of the best sushi he’d ever had. It’s easy to forget you’re there to work when you’re having a good time with an old friend. So, they opted to leave business until the next day.
The job looked easy. The bounty, Carlos, lived alone. Sure, he would be armed and had a rap sheet with a beautifully nuanced pallet of violence, but there was no small army to cut through. Booker provided him with all the information on cameras as well as layouts for the building and surrounding area. He also gave him some pointers as a local. It was an easy twenty thousand. Sixteen thousand, after accounting for Booker’s cut.
With everything Booker gave him, Marco didn’t need much reconnaissance. He made his move the evening after scouting the area. Entering quietly through the bedroom window, Marco crept through the house. Carlos was sitting on his couch watching the fights with the volume cranked way up. The dark room was awash in the glow of the screen, beer cans scattered all over the place.
With Carlos completely engrossed in the fight, Marco snuck up behind him and aimed his pistol. Between rounds, it transitioned to ads. The volume dimmed and Marco took that moment to make his presence known.
“Don’t move.” Marco clicked back the hammer of his pistol. Body frozen, Carlos slowly turned his head to see who was behind him. “Your bounty is dead or alive. I’d rather not —”
Carlos dashed to his side and pulled a pistol from his waistband. Marco’s reflexes took over and before he knew it, Carlos was lying motionless on the floor with a hole in his chest, blood pooling beneath him.
“At least you’re not a very big guy,” Marco said.
It’s important to confirm that someone is dead, lest they get up and shoot you in the back. No pulse, no more Carlos. Hopefully, this guy had some decent-sized trash bags or he was going to make a mess of the ship. While Marco searched the kitchen for a trash bag, he was distracted by a repetitive thumping that persisted through the ads. It took a moment for him to realize it was coming from inside the apartment.
Marco followed the thumping to a closet door in the bedroom. The thumping continued until he opened the door and a young blonde woman with pink streaks fell out of it. Hands and feet tied behind her, Marco had to help her up.
“Hey, you’re okay. You’re safe. I’ll give you a ride to the police station so they can get you home.” Marco pulled off her gag.
“No!” the young woman snapped. “Not the police! Please, I need help.”
A sigh was all that Marco could muster in that moment. Somehow, life had managed to give Marco everything he did and didn’t want all at once.