Outlaws (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 2)

Chapter 25

He saw the heaps of junk and refuse pile up around him, and he began to know how being obsolete felt. His sword was discarded in front of him, the blade deactivated, now just a long piece of sharpened metal, it's purpose stolen from it. He didn't say anything just because there wasn't anyone around him, but because he didn't know what to say. What the man in black had said had changed the way he saw everything. The man he had chased for so long didn't even have the answers to the question he had needed to know for so long. There wasn't even a point to killing him, as he had found out. He had not only failed the Director, but had also failed himself. He was lost, drifting, like a piece of debris tossed into space. Weightless. He heard rumblings in the ground, and saw the automated junk drones move around him, picking up the rusted pieces of metal and tossing them to be melted into salvage.He could also make out small shapes moving over the piles of scrap, occasionally stopping and looking around. Not animals, human scavengers, but the resemblance was uncanny. He had been sitting here for a long time, long enough to seem like he was one of the pieces of junk, something that had broken down or been discarded because of it's uselessness. That was what he was, he supposed. Then, he did something he had never done before. He tried to remember. He tried to look back at his earliest memory, anything that might give him a clue to find the answer to the question that he asked the man in black. But, he couldn't find anything. All of a sudden, a familiar pain pierced through his head, making him cry out and collapse to the ground. Fear and dread filled his heart as he recognized this feeling. The Hurting was back.

Gottlieb stood at attention at the main deck, with all of the other officers, guards, and technicians standing along with him. Moments ago, they had received word that the High Monarch's ship had just landed in the Independence Zero's hangar, and the Monarch was on the way up to the main deck to assess the ship and Gottlieb. Needless to say Gottlieb was nervous. He had never come face to face with the High Monarch before, and he didn't know if he would be able to keep up his famous stoic facade. He stood stock still for what seemed like an eternity, and then, the door to the main deck opened. Gottlieb finally got a good look at the High Monarch, and his eyes widened. A tall and lanky woman wearing a formal suit and cloak walked through, flanked on either side by two Neo Shock Troopers, each wielding Assault Railgun rifles. Her eyes were stormy and grey, and seemed to be watching every person in the room at the same time. Her lips were blood red, and had black eyeliner wings spreading from her eyes. She walked directly up to Gottlieb at a brisk pace, her bright white heels clicking on the smooth floors of the bridge. She got within a few feet of Gottlieb and stared at him, and already he could feel himself beginning to break under the gaze of this intimidating woman. She then spoke in a clear and precise voice, almost like a computer was calculating every word she said. "Director Julian Gottlieb, I presume?" Gottlieb paused, then nodded and saluted. "All hail the Federation!" She paused and looked at him, then motioned her head over to his office door. "I am High Monarch Morticia. You will accompany me to your office immediately." Without waiting for him to answer, she swivelled on her feet and walked to his office. Gottlieb immediately followed her, and swallowed silently. This was going to be much more difficult then he had thought.

Andress had never felt more happy in her entire life. She was surrounded by friends and the ones she loved, and she was back in her favourite ship in the universe. As soon as the shuttle had docked beneath the Renegade, the three of them had moved out into a large group hug from Koil and the twins. After jettisoning the shuttle into space, having no need for it, Nolun and Andress introduced Trace to everyone. It took a bit of socializing, but the crew managed to warm up to her. Soon, Bunker came down and hugged Andress tight, Andress hugging back as hard as she could. Even Dante came and grabbed Nolun tight on the shoulder, then Nolun hugged him, even though he didn't return the sentiment. After everyone had managed to get reacquainted, the crew asked what had happened to the now three of them. Nolun and Andress recounted the ordeal of the prison, with Trace bursting in randomly to add certain details that she felt the two of them had left out. Nolun told of the escape, and Andress added the final confrontation with Caligula. After they finished, the crew remained silent, then Bunker nodded. "You stayed strong Andress. That's all that matters." Andress smiled slightly, then asked the crew how they had managed to find them. It was then Bunker and Koil's turn to tell the story of Scrap. When they came to the part about Mister Zero, Nolun sat up in his seat. "Wait, he's alive? I thought Dante slagged him back on the Avalon Zeta!" The three of them looked at Dante, who stared back and spoke. "He felt we had...unfinished business. I took care of it. For good this time, that I'm not sure of." When Bunker told the part about Thadeus's death, Andress looked down sadly. Thadeus had given Andress her arm. He had been like a father to her...and now he was gone. Nolun looked over at her and saw her distress, and put a hand on her back. Then, Nolun sighed and looked at the crew. "What about the Dorado Pieces? Are they safe?" Andress looked up. In everything that had happened, she had forgotten about them. Bunker nodded. "We placed them in a special safe which managed to survive the blast." Nolun sighed in relief. Now, the crew was in their separate places, flying to a place to refuel. Andress was sitting in her room, which had been commandeered by the Broker, who was now being watched over by Dewey. She sighed and thought of all that had happened in the past week. Then, she thought of Nolun, how he had risked everything to come find her and get her out...why? Suddenly, her head began to hurt, like a large spike being shoved through her brain. She collapsed to the floor, and with the pain, came a memory. It was back on the Independence Zero, when Gottlieb still had her. She remembered being restrained, and something poking into the back of her neck. Then, something small and metal being placed inside...She heard Gottlieb's voice in her head. "Don't worry. I'll make the Hurting stop...as long as you do exactly as I say."