Crimson sat slouched in her captain's chair on the bridge of her ship, the Viking. Her worn combat boot clad feet resting upon the weapon's console in front of her. Up on the view screen was the picture of a shockingly handsome raider name Omega. He was their next bounty and she was just getting the background on him. Karma, her second in command, walked onto the bridge, her foot steps echoing loudly.
"Any idea where we're going to find this guy?" she asked her captain and long time friend.
"I set him a message he can't ignore, he is going to meet us at Jupiter lunar station."
"Why do I get the feeling you know more about this guy then you're letting on?" He's a friend from my old days." Karma was the only one on board who knew the full story of her past.
"So what did you tell him?"
"Omega has a weakness for pyrotechniques."
"We're selling him fireworks?!"
"No, grenades."
"How are we going to manage that?"
"You'll see."

On Jupiter lunar station, crimson and karma sat at a small metal table on the promenade. A tall man of medium build in a brown leather trench coat swaggered up to them. Crimson stood to greet him.
"Crimson I presume." He said evenly. They shook hands and crimson cuffed him. He reached for his gun but before he could reach it he felt the cold tip of a gun press against his skull. Karma stood behind him, a grim smile playing on her lips.
"What the hell is going on?!" crimson grabbed his gun from it's holster and examined it.
"This is nice."
"Fire works are legal."
"That's entirely not the reason we are taking you in. It seems you pissed off quite a number of people last time you were on mars, including the mars police." she pushed him forward with his gun, placing a hand on his shoulder. She bent close, leaning her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "If you run, you're taking me with you, we're cuffed together."
"How did you know I was going to run?" he asked in surprise.
"I know you're type."
"And here I was thinking I'd broken the mold."
"You're not that special." She continued to lead him to the docking bay. All the while having both guns trained on him.

Crimson led Omega into the tiny brig of her ship.
"My clan will come to get me." He informed her bluntly while leaning on the bars of his cell.
"As you probably noticed already, this is or was a raider ship. I am fully capable of handling anything you're raider buddies try. So just sit tight, Marcus, the ride might get a little bumpy." She turned to leave and he reached out, grabbing her arm roughly pulling her close to him.
"How do you know that name?" he growled, "Only a raider would know that name."
"I have connections." She stated simply and began to pull away when he reached up and snatched the sunglass right off her face. An eerie silence fell over the cramped room as they stared into each others eyes.
"Lexus?" his nonchalant composure vanished, "I thought you were dead! I saw you die!"
"That was staged. You were supposed to thing I was dead. I wanted out and that was the only way I could leave safely."
"But why?"
"Because I was tired of it. Sure it was fun at first but I just got sick of everyday, killing people, stealing things and blowing stuff up. I couldn't stand myself after a while."
"So you left me, without a second though. You never said good bye or anything."
"I wasn't leaving you. I was leaving the raiders. If everyone knew I was alive, I'd probably be dead right about now." While they talked Marcus worked on getting the lock open.
"Don't think I didn't want to! I was going to but there was no time. I had to get out of there before anyone noticed."
"You could have contacted me later on."
"It was too risky, besides I figured you probably has already replaced me."
"No one can ever replace you."
"I know when you're lying and I can hear you picking away at that lock." Just then the lock click open and the door swung out.
"How do you do that? I'm surprised you could hear anything over the noise of the engines."
"I know what the engines are supposed to sound like. And I've heard you pick similar locks thousands of times."
"I've missed you, you know."
"I'm sure you did as you slept around with all those other women."
"Come on, baby, I was just filling a hole." He slowly brought his arms around her in a gentle caress, pressing his lips to hers with such force of a man who hasn't seen his lover in a long time. She melted into him, running her hands through his lush, thick, black hair. He pushed her against the wall, leaning into her all the more. They broke apart as the ship was jilted but weapon's fire.
"The bridge." She stated simple as they ran down the narrow corridors.

Karma was at the helm trying to avoid the two ships firing at them.
"'Tavious, can you identify the two ships?"
"They appear to be raider ships." She sat down in the captain's chair with Marcus standing behind her.
"Charge weapons but don't target them yet. Let's see what they want. Karma, watch his hands." She indicated the figure behind her to her second in command.
"We're being hailed." The a.i., montavious, broke the tense silence that had fallen over the bridge.
"Put them on screen." Everyone turned to the large view screen, where a bulky man soon appeared.
"Give us Omega and we'll let you go more or less unharmed." He told them flatly.
"And why should I do that? That doesn't seem very fair to me. I'm getting a smooth 100k for this guy."
"Well its either that or we take you ship and kill you crew. Your choice."
"Hmm. I guess I'll go for neither. It'll take more then two of you to get me."
"You talk like a raider. Have we met before?"
"No." she said flatly, ending the transmit ion abruptly. "That was too close." She turned to face her crew. "Target their weapon's and engines and fire at will."
"You do know he recognized you, right?" Marcus piped up as everyone else set to work.
"I figured, he wouldn't have said anything if he didn't"
"You'd be better off just letting me go. I could make sure he doesn't tell anyone."
"Nice try. I'm not letting you go. I didn't go into this profession just so I could let people go. Now I'm taking you to the brig." She grabbed him by the arm and shoved him roughly off the bridge. No sooner had they gotten out of sight of the others did Marcus press his lips to hers. She slammed him against the wall, breaking them apart.
"Don't you dare think that I'll let you go just because we were once lovers!" he smiled crookedly at her.
"I see you haven't lost your touch."
"Well I was good."
"Don't you miss it though? The adventure? The risk? The rush? Everyday a new place."
"Bounty hunting is just as fun, except its legal. I don't have to be looking over my shoulder all of the time."
"But you still do. Once a raider, always a raider."
"People can change."
Just admit it! You liked being a raider. More then like it! You were completely enthralled by it."
"Shows how much you know. I never really enjoyed it. Sure the spoils were enjoyable but the means of getting them were not to my taste. What does it matter anyways? I can't go back now anyways, I'd be shot on spot."
"You had more respect then that."
"Maybe around you but only because it was you. I was just your clinger-on. Another reason for my leaving." She stepped back, "You were the only reason I got anywhere. I would have just been a pilot for some small ship."
"Was our whole relationship and act too?"
"No! I already told you that I wasn't leaving you so much as leaving the raiders."
"Well how am I supposed to know that for sure when I couldn't even tell when you were unhappy?"
"If you love me so much then why don't you leave the raiders?"
"And what? Become a lowly bounty hunter?" she brought her hand sharply across his face, a loud 'smack' resounding through the corridor.
"Fine, whatever. Let's just get you in your cell. And while we're at it, give me you coat." He grumbled as he pulled his long coat off slowly. "This is why change is good. I still remember all your dirty little secrets." She whispered cynically in his ear, shoving him into a cell and locking the door securely behind him.
"You aren't the same person I know all those years ago."
"Ten years is a long time, Marcus, people change."
"Crimson, we need you on the bridge. Two more ships are approaching." Karma's smooth voice echoed through the small brig.
"I'm on my way."

Crimson arrived on the bridge slightly out of breath a few moments later. She was met by a grim faced Karma.
"Someone wants to talk to you." She informed Crimson flatly.
"Put them through." She sighed, sitting down heavily in the captain's chair. A dark figure appeared on the screen.
"Ah, Lexus. Long time no see."
"Cut to the chase, Hector"
"What? You're not happy to see your favorite cousin?"
"Not under these circumstances."
"Anyways, I'm here for Marcus. If you give him up willingly we might leave you be."
"He will want me to come with him, assuming I let him go."
"That can be arranged. But if you don't let him go we will kill you and everyone on board."
"I'll have an answer for you in an hour." She ended the transmit ion there. Getting up, she made her way off the bridge. "I'll be in my quarters." Karma grabbed her arm.
"You aren't seriously considering letting him go?"
"I don't know." She answered simply, walking her way out of Karma's grasp.

Wandering through the empty corridors, Crimson's mind was filled with conflicting thoughts. She had missed Marcus over the years. He was the reason she stayed with the raiders for that long. She wasn't sure if he even still loved her like he says. She wasn't sure how she felt anymore. Time has worn her feelings about the raiders down. At this point it didn't seem so bad to go back. Marcus was right she had changed. She had gotten an edge since she left. It would definitely make her a better raider. Images of Karma and her other crewmates flashed before her eyes. What about all the work she had done to get her where she is now? They were beginning to form a good reputation in many circles. All that would go down the drain. She enjoyed being able to do things with a free conscience and she wasn't about to compromise that. Having come to a decision she pressed down on the com. System.
"'Tavious? Set in a course for Mars would you please?"

Crimson Tears

By: Lizifer© Holloway