Codename KA
Author's notes
The following story is voluntarily rated M for language, violence, death, and the maiming of main character, but it's not that bad.
Also this story is my original idea and therefore is my intellectual property and not directly based on anything or anyone's work,
"Codename KA" is a working title and is subject to change when I can think of a true title, If you have any ideas for a good title please send me a message about it, if I choose your title you will get credit for it.
I personally want to thank the following people for whatever,
My sis "Darksupernatural" for editing and ideas on how to improve the story's flow. My mom for just being there. My enemies for giving me an ulcer, I based Na'bit on one in particular. My friends and family (how few there are) for their support. If I forgot anyone else throw a rock at me the next time you see me. The story is set on the other side of the galaxy I never went into detail about that. One final note this is the first of many stories I've started but the first I've completed I just don't have the patience to type or write. One more note I used familiar (to me) units of measure to make it easier on everyone.
Character descriptions
Since I could not make the story work right with the descriptions internal I'll put them here.
Tayrauns: (Arton and Sargat) are typically five to six feet tall, cross between humans and birds, in fact they look almost like humans except they have feathers, beaks, talon feet and wings.
Klarnigs: picture a three-foot tall frog standing on its hind legs and you've got a Klarnig.
Narlien: since the Narlien in the story is just a kid it's four feet tall, covered from head to toe in red fur and has blue eyes on the sides of it's head.
Na'bit: I never decided on what kind of creature to make Na'bit I guess the reader can just supplement the lack of a description of this guy for the biggest idiot or jerk they know. See there we go this story is now interactive and I know for a fact everyone knows some person that is like Na'bit.
Nayla: I was able to seed a small description of this character into the story and make it work but I'll describe her here for good measure also. Nayla is human but not an earth human in this story I have humans populating several planets, though none are aware of the other populations, only 'Maylou' humans have made it to space (beyond putting millions of dollars and tons of space junk in orbit) but they haven't made it to earth.
Nayla has sky blue hair, fire orange eyes and tan colored skin; she is about five and a half feet tall.
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Ka-boom!
An explosion rocked the small fighter as it bobbed and weaved it's way through the asteroid field, trying to escape the much larger dreadnaught that had been chasing it halfway across the galaxy for years.
"Give it up Arton you can't escape me!" said the bounty hunter onboard the dreadnaught.
"Get a life Na'bit you've been chasing me for twelve years and have yet to catch me"
Boom, another explosion.
"Whoa, hey dumb-ass, the posters say 'Wanted Alive' watch it with the laser blasts!" I said, "Unless you don't want the $10 mill bounty that's on my head. Cause if that's the case there is no reason for you to chase me now is there."
"Shut your beak and give up Arton." Said Na'bit with a sneer. "Besides, the new posters say 'Preferred Alive.' I'd get the bounty either way, and the bounty, for your information has been doubled"
"Wow $20 mill. For that price I'm tempted to turn myself in" I said.
"Joke all you want Arton, your mine!" Said Na'bit.
"Na'bit you're not half the pilot your ego would like you to think you are," I said with a laugh. "Besides, blind man, if you would check your ship's sensors you would see a very large ship on the other side of this field,"
"Yeah, what of it?" said Na'bit
"Well that would be my other ship, a Stellar Class Carrier, and if I'm not mistaken, which I never am, it could very well turn your pathetic dreadnaught into a steaming pile of space junk."
"Shit, get us out of here now!" Na'bit said in shock. "Don't get too comfortable Arton; I'll be back!" With a bright flash Na'bit's ship jumped to light-speed.
"Arton, it's Sargat, sensors registered some laser fire, are you ok?" "Yeah bro I'm fine. My ship's a little crispy around the edges, but I'm fine." I said with a grin "Na'bit made the trip a little fun."
"Jeeze you would think that after 15 years the Glatans would drop the charges. I mean you vaporized an asteroid with some bacteria on it, it's not like you killed someone. Freakin' schizoid tree huggers!" Sargat commented.
"No they just doubled the bounty, Na'bit's more determined than ever. Lucky me!" I replied. "Oh well you have to admit it's fun messing with him, huh Sargat?"
"Arton, if you weren't my brother I'd say you're crazy and I'd turn your feathered ass in for the bounty myself!"
"Ha, ha, ha, Sargat, hilarious." I replied sarcastically "How 'bout you just be a good boy and open the fighter bay."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you in a few minutes, bro." he replied.
Minutes later I landed my fighter in the hanger, and joined my little brother. "So Arton, did you manage to find anything of value in that zero-g rock pile?" Sargat asked.
" Yeah, actually I did find about a ton of platinum before Na'bit showed his ugly face." I said simply. "Are we near a trading post or merchant ship, where we can use it to buy some supplies?"
"Let's see, according to the star chart there's a depot in the next system" Sargat replied.
"Ok, set a course, let me know when we get there. I'll be in my quarters until then." I said.
"No problem, Arton."
Chapter 2
Arrival at depot
"Depot RJ 27, this is Sargat Paturis on board the Tayraun carrier Lactor. Requesting permission to dock." Sargat said over the Comm. channels.
"Permission granted Lactor, you are cleared to dock at port five. RJ 27 control out."
Beep "Arton, we've made it to the Depot; we've been cleared to dock."
"Thanks Sargat, I'm on my way to the airlock. Do you think you can dock this thing without scuffing the paint?"
"Funny, like you're a perfect pilot that's never scratched a ship before." Sargat countered through the internal comm system. "If I remember the stories right you crashed a scout ship when you were five years old."
"Hey! Watch it feather brain! That was not my fault, the thrusters were faulty." I said with a groan.
"The only thing faulty was you thinking you could fly that scout ship." Sargat replied.
"Alright, that's enough!" I said slightly annoyed "Meet me at the airlock with a couple of blasters, I have a feeling there could be some bounty hunters here."
"Oh yeah, what makes you think that?" Sargat asked.
"Because I just passed a view point and Na'bit's Dreadnaught is docked about four ports over." I said giving an eye roll. "Besides, I can smell him already!"
Later at the airlock
"Ok Sargat, what do we need for the ship?"
"Well Arton, we definitely need food and water. It also wouldn't hurt to get some medical supplies too, knowing how you always manage to get your butt shot up."
"Alright sounds good," I said, "How about you cash in the platinum and order our supplies and I'll look around and see if I can find any equipment or weapons we could use."
"Okay Bro, just watch your back." Sargat replied.
"You know I always do." I replied with my usual 'could care less' tone.
"I mean that Arton. Na'bit may not be the smartest mono-brow in the galaxy, but he is still dangerously determined."
With that Sargat started towards the supply dealers while I proceeded towards the equipment dealers. The first dealer I approached was a Klarnig, that specialized in small electrical and weapons systems.
"Is this a power inverter?" I ask picking up a small red cube about two inches wide with four prongs sticking out.
"Yah" The Klarnig said in his shallow gravelly croak.
"What's it rated for?" I asked.
"1400 volts" The Klarnig croaked simply.
"Is it new?" I asked.
"Yah." He responded.
"How much?" I asked.
"Five dollars" He said drawing a deep breath.
"Okay I'll take it." I said handing him a five piece. Suddenly the Klarnig changed colors from his normal pale blue-green to a deep fearful purple.
"What's wrong with you?" I ask as the Klarnig backed away slowly.
Clickzuimm "I told you I wouldn't be too far away, Arton." Na'bit said menacingly holding a blaster to my head.
"Na'bit, so that was you I smelled. Here I thought the station's sewage processor was offline." I said. "But seriously, I don't want to fight you here; there are too many innocents."
"Forget the 'innocents'; if you go quietly there won't be any problems" Na'bit countered.
"Na'bit you know for a fact I'm not going to make the chase easy for you." I said as I secretly tapped the communicator I was wearing on my belt so Sargat would know I needed some backup.
Meanwhile elsewhere
Beep… beep
"Uh oh, that would be Arton."Sargat said with a groan. "I can see it now; Na'bit probably has a blaster stuck to his head." With that Sargat flapped his wings and flew towards the sounds of a struggle coming from the other side of the station.
Crash "Ooof," I groaned as I hit a display of pulse rifles, my left wing broken by the impact.
"Are you ready to give up yet?" Na'bit asked, standing over me.
"NA'BIT, LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE!" Sargat screamed as he, half-flew half-tackled Na'bit from behind, sending him flying into a wall causing a monitor showing a floor plan of the station to explode in a shower of sparks.
"Argh!" Na'bit blurted as he fell away from the wall, large chunks of glass from the former monitor imbedded in his shoulder. "You'll pay for that Sargat." Na'bit spat, raising his blaster.
Steeow. Sargat ducked the bright yellow beam as it lanced through the air and burned a neat round hole in a support beam.
"Station security to promenade area, laser fire reported," a neutral mechanical voice said over the station's P.A. system.
Steeow. Steeow. Steeow. Na'bit fired again and again trying to vaporize my brother as he continued to dodge the deadly beams.
"Watch it kid." I yelled as I pushed a Narlien child out of the crossfire as a beam lanced his way. In the process another beam reduced my left arm, below the elbow, to a smoking stump.
"AAAH!" I screamed as a pain more intense then I could have ever imagined overcame me. My vision tinted red with pain I stumbled toward the kid to make sure he was okay.
"Open fire!" said a feminine voice I only slightly recognized, and then everything went black.
POV change
I'm Sargat I'm going to take over the story for a while since Arton decided to take a nap.
Flitt, Flitt, Flitt. The station's security personnel fired their slightly older but still just as effective projectile weapons at Na'bit.
"Sargat, you tell Arton I will get him later!" Na'bit yelled as he ran toward were his ship was docked.
"Do the universe a favor Na'bit, go explore the inside of a black hole! Jerk!" I yelled back "Arton, you okay?" I ask moving toward where he had fallen.
"Sargat?" a feminine voice asked. I spun around toward the voice.
"Nayla?! What are you doing here?" I ask her as I kneeled over
Arton, checking his pulse.
"I'm chief of security here." She replied proudly. "What was that all about anyway; and why was that idiot wrecking my station?" She ask, just a little peeved.
"That's just Na'bit, he's been a thorn in our sides for quite some time now, ever since Arton managed to get a bounty put on his head anyway." I said slightly disgusted.
"How did he manage…?"
Thud,a muffled explosion rocked the station knocking me, Nayla and everyone else to the deck.
"Nayla to command, report."
"Command here, that trigger happy lunatic damaged the power core we have a breach in progress!"
Thud
"Everyone, we have an emergency situation. As chief of station security, I must ask everyone to calmly move to their ships or the nearest escape pod." Nayla yelled in a calm but commanding voice.
Thud…BOOM!
A 15 ft long by 12 ft high section of wall was blown loose without warning; crushing seven displays and a Klarnig I later learned that Arton had done business with less than 30 minutes earlier.
"Move! Move! Move! Let's go people!" Nayla yelled as the promenade filled with a thick but harmless vapor. "Sargat, where's your ship? We've got to go!"
"Port five!" I replied, "Nayla get the kid. I'll handle Arton." I said jutting my head towards the Narlien child Arton had lost his arm to save. "Ugh, Jeeze Bro you need to cut down on the Leetso berries, you're heavy." I grunted as I pulled Arton to his feet and started dragging him towards the port where we had docked our ship.
Boom…clanga large beam fell from the ceiling crashing to the floor where I was standing just a moment before.
"Come on Sargat!" Nayla screamed urgently, poking her head out of the airlock.
"Lactor, emergency breakaway now!" I said to the ship's computer after I had made it inside. In certain situations Tayraun ships are programmed to move away from dangerous conditions, a sort of autopilot so to speak. Bang, though they aren't exactly tactful at it, probably why it's known as 'dead-mans escape.'
POV Change
Back to Arton…. Three hours later.
"Ugh" I groaned as I stirred from my pain-induced coma.
"Hey, sleeping beauty." Sargat said with a grin as he stared at me from across the room.
"Feather brain." I replied not feeling too talkative at the moment.
"Hey Arton." Nayla said, entering the room.
"Nayla. So it was you I heard before my lights went out." I said looking at her; still shocked after all these years by her beauty. Nayla is a human but not an earth human. Humans are not just limited to earth; they actually exist on about five planets in the galaxy. They basically all look about the same, two arms two legs and two eyes, except for skin, hair, and eye color which makes humans rare in the galaxy. Few species have so many colors for small details like that. Nayla has sky blue hair, fire orange eyes, and light tan colored skin. She is a native of the planet Maylou.
"Sargat what happened to the Narlien kid?" I asked.
"He's over there." Sargat replied pointing to the other cot in the medical bay.
"Hey kid, you okay?" I asked, addressing the Narlien.
"Yeah, but you're not." He said in a small voice, pointing to my arm.
"What? This?" I said moving my arm "It's nothing as long as you're okay. My arm will grow back in a week or two."
"What's your name kid?" Sargat ask.
"Nim'ack" The Narlien replied.
Before anyone could say anything else a monitor on the wall came to life.
"This is the Galactic News Network, please standby for a special report."
"Disaster at RJ27. We have received scattered reports that a bounty hunter named Na'bit has destroyed the Freetraders Depot RJ27. According to eyewitnesses, Na'bit attacked a Tayraun named Arton Paturis from behind as he was buying a piece of equipment from a Klarnig trader. The unprovoked attack by Na'bit against Arton prompted a retaliatory tackle from another Tayraun; presumably one related to Arton. After which Na'bit; whom already had his blaster drawn, opened fire wildly; not only injuring Arton but several others; killing at least two people in the process before station security chased him off.
The damage, though, had already been done; the stations power core had been hit during the laser fire resulting in an unstoppable core meltdown that destroyed the station. The official death toll is currently at a total of 150; either killed by Na'bit's poor aim or the stations ultimate destruction when the power core breached. Also one person is reported missing, a Narlien child." The news reporter read.
"This just in, we now have video evidence of the battle; a survivor of the station's destruction had recorded the entire battle. Please be advised this footage is very graphic."
The monitor flickered as the video started showing me standing, talking to the Klarnig while unbeknown to me Na'bit was sneaking up on me with his blaster drawn. Then our short verbal exchange, ending with me reverse head-butting Na'bit in the face resulting in him throwing me into the weapons display that broke my wing. Then it showed the ensuing chaos up until the point that the person recording the video jumped into an escape pod. The video then showed a scene of Na'bit's ship jumping to light speed. Then dozens of escape pods and ships launching, and ending with the station exploding. Destroying three ships and several escape pods that were caught in the shock wave.
The monitor cut back to the news reporter, who looked like he'd been hit by one of the ships.
"We have since received word from the Bounty Hunter Guild, informing us that Na'bit has been expelled from the guild, and has had a 'Search and Secure Order' put out for his capture. On another note from the same source; the bounty on Arton Paturis has been lifted and Arton has been issued a full pardon by the Glatans." The news reporter finished.
"Well that's a load off." I said dryly. "Sargat send a message to the news ship tell them that the kid is safe."
"On it." Sargat said "Lactor hailing News Ship Five, please respond."
"This is NS-5, we're broadcasting. Clear this channel now!"
"We have news about RJ27, the missing Narlien child is safe, aboard our ship." Sargat said quickly with just a hint of anger in his voice.
"Alright I'll pass the word, NS-5 out."
Beep, Beep."Incoming hail, Arton." Sargat said needlessly.
"I'll answer it." I said "Lactor here, Arton speaking."
"This is the Bounty Hunter frigate, Camoe, on a peaceful mission." A bounty hunter agent responded. "Our commander would like to speak to you Arton." He finished.
"Ok, put you commander on." I replied with a twinge of annoyance.
"Greetings Arton, I'm Lay'mar Clowip, commander of the Camoe. I bear a message of goodwill and an invitation to join the guild to help us capture Na'bit." Lay'mar concluded.
"Ok, what's in it for me?" I replied.
"How's a $50 million reward sound." He fired back.
Clunk"I'm okay." Sargat had fallen off the stool he was sitting on.
"Sargat do you need a seat belt over there or can you manage without one." I said grinning, as I looked at him sideways.
"Ha, ha." He replied dripping sarcasm as he picked himself up off the deck.
"Alright" I said turning back to the display "we're in, I owe Na'bit some payback." I finished, moving the stump of my left arm.
End game Six months later"Na'bit, you can't run forever!" I yelled. As we ran through the canyon, on the desert planet where Na'bit's ship had crashed, after I destroyed its engines. "Sargat" I said calling the small fighter hovering just overhead.
"Go ahead Arton" Sargat replied.
"Scout ahead, see if there is a way we can box him in." I said as I jumped a rock.
"No need. The canyon is a dead end; He's hiding in a hole." Sargat said with a laugh.
"Fitting place for a rat like him." I said laughing
"20 feet ahead Arton." Sargat said.
"Hello Na'bit." I said looking in the hole. "Comfortable in there?"
"Please Arton have mercy." Na'bit peeped.
"Mercy!" I blurted "Hey Sargat he wants me to show him mercy."
"Hahahaha, That's funny." Sargat laughed through my communicator.
"Na'bit ask yourself; in the twelve years you chased me did you ever show me mercy? Did you show any mercy when you shot off my arm?" I said in anger, looking at my newly regenerated left arm. "By the way do you know just how much a regenerating arm itches?" I asked. "Feel like finding out?"
"Here's your mercy!" I growled pointing my blaster at Na'bit's head. Steeow. Na'bit slumped, stunned.
"Alright, Sargat, land your fighter so we can package his butt for delivery to prison station 34." I said.
"Do I get to pick the pretty bow?" Sargat quipped over the comm.