A Stroke Of Originality

Connor entered the Red Shogun along with Tallah. A well-fashioned bar; a little local but with the prestige of a casino. They were looking for the twins Connor called Rango and Rupadoop. He didn’t see them in their usual V.I.P spot.

“What do you say we go grab a drink until they get word that we have arrived, and come find us?” Connor asked.

“You know the twins despise us? Well, you to be more precise. I’d rather stay alert. I’ll look for the twins, and exits just in case they don’t want us to leave. Try not to cause any trouble before the exchange.” Tallah responded.

“Now I’m the troublemaker?” Connor reacted.

“Let’s just say trouble has a way of finding us. In fact, we are magnets which trouble cannot stay away from in close proximity! Seriously, lets watch our six. You know what they say ‘better safe than sorry’ and I just don’t want any trouble with the twins today. Let’s just give them the package and get our ship back.” Tallah answered staring right into Connor’s blue eyes for some seconds before walking away.

“Well, I guess I’ll just wait at the bar then.” Connor mumbled to himself as he began to make his way to the bar. “I’ll take three shots of your strongest, fine sir” Connor said to the bartender.

“We have the best Urinite in all of Oviaon, it’s pure and strong.” the bartender said to Connor in a sinister voice with a smirk on his face. “Ok” replied Connor as he gazed at the wine collection of the bartender. His eyes stopped abruptly on a single bottle on a shelf looking rather old and compelling. Connor was perplexed at the site and positioning of the aging bottle. He thought to himself “Why the lone bottle on that particular shelf?”. The bartender, who goes by the name Toron, already noticed the curiosity in Connor’s eyes and quickly explained: “That’s an 80-year-old bottle of Glenlivet scotch, the last of its kind.” “Huh! I would love a glass of scotch from that same bottle.” replied Connor. The bartender smiled at him and said “It will cost you, extra sir. And by extra, I mean you have to be willing to pay up front because you are not just about to drink from an 80-year-old bottle of scotch but you are about to drink history itself.”

Connor became even more interested in this bottle of scotch, but to be sure Toron was telling the truth he ordered the bottle brought to him. Toron brought the bottle and handed it over to Connor who quickly and with enthusiasm searched for the production date on the bottle. To his dismay, Toron was telling the truth. In that moment Connor couldn’t care less how much a glass would cost him. The singular thought in his mind was telling Tallah he drank some scotch that was twice the age as some she had been boasting and buzzing in his ears to have drunk in France some years back. Connor thought to himself I need a clear head for what’s to come, hence something strong will do just fine. He handed the bottle back the bartender and said, “It’s too early for scotch, get me something stronger”. The bartender poured a shot of Urinite for Connor and said “Sir you need something strong? Better be strong to handle what I’ve got.”

This made Connor second guess whether or not he should take the drink. “If you’re not man enough to take a shot of Urinite, we here at the Red Shogun can understand.” an Acnoid to the right of Connor said. He couldn’t make out if it was a male or female Acnoid so he didn’t respond to the comment.

“It’s okay Rosie, he’s not man enough.” The bartender said to the woman next to Connor.

Connor thought to himself as he stared at the bartender. If they were to kill me they would never get the package safely, and Rango and Rupadoop would rather shoot or beat me to death.

Yeah, it would definitely be in the most painful way. He laughed out loud which seemed to confuse those around him. Yeah, they hate me that much. “I’ll take that drink if you take one with me.” Connor said smiling at the bartender.

“Gladly.” the bartender smiled back. He poured two drinks and slid a shot across the bar to Connor. It gave off a very acrid smell that Connor quickly sucked up. They bumped glasses right before they began drinking. After Connor downed the drink it was immediately followed by an unpleasant taste. Rosie and the other three sitting at the bar went into a laughing, roaring frenzy.

“What the hell was that? What’s in it?” Connor asked coughing and drinking water trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

“Oh, that’s just the great Urinite, made of freshly squeezed Turgok piss from the planet Tuvon along with blended seaweed from your planet Earth, and lastly Shogun’s secret Juice.” the Bartender said proudly with a wide smile on his face. Connor looked at the bartender with disgust. “Why would you serve something like that? I wouldn’t let my dog drink that you piece of shit.” He said to the bartender with condescension.

The bartender didn’t take kindly to Connor’s insult as he quickly fixed his gaze on him. In that moment, you could see a scornful fire in his eyes. Connor grabbed his glass tightly in his right hand ready to hit the bartender while his left hand crept toward the weapon fastened on his waist. The bartender let out a vicious roar and his veins started to pop out all over his green muscular body. Just as Connor was about to make his move he felt a hand grip his shoulder, and with a sharp turn, he realized it was Tallah standing over his shoulder. “Easy! Easy! Play nice boys, we don’t want any altercations.” she said to them with her hand on the hilt of her sword.

A voice rose up from behind them.

“Yeah, no squabble. You’re here to do business right? Let business prevail.” Connor and Tallah knew the voice instantly. “Well if it isn’t Rango. Where is Rupadoop?” Connor asked still coughing and looking down on Rango’s short stature. “He’s out back waiting for us. Shall we?” Rango said looking up at Connor while gesturing towards the back for them to do their business. “After you” replied Tallah.

Connor and Tallah exchanged a quick glance when they started following Rango to the back. It was strange that the twins weren’t together so they kept their guard up. Rango led them to a wall in the back corner of the bar.

“What? Are we just going to stare at the wall?” Connor remarked. “Just give it a second.” A blue light illuminated from Rango’s collar turning the wall into a reflective substance like a mirror. In the reflection, you could see the trio. Rango; short, rugged, and green. Tallah; medium height, slender and hooded. You could barely make out her elegant blue skin. Connor; tall, rough, pale, and muscular.

“You got some new work done I see.” Connor quipped. “Well since someone mistakenly shot a rocket through my wall something had to be done.” Rango replied with a glare. Mistake? Yeah hardly. Connor thought. “Yeah, about that…” Connor started to say. “Never mind, let’s go.” Rango said angrily as he walked through the wall. Tallah and Connor followed suit. When they walked through, it was nothing like the bar’s dark lighting. It was bright walls, bright lights, long hallways stretching to each and every direction, and windows that showed hangers holding ships on each side of the hallway.

“How’d you manage this?” Connor asked. Rango just kept walking without answering until they came to a dark room with an open door. The lights cut on as soon as Rango stepped inside the room, and an oval table raised from the floor along with four seats. “When we upgrade the ship I have to get one of these installed.” Connor whispered to Tallah, who was preoccupied with analyzing the room.

“Have a seat, I….” Rango started to say before a beep came to his ear. “I think we have a problem sir, you may want to see this.” the earpiece reported. “I’ll be back, make yourself at home.” Rango said and walked out the room.

“Hmm. Something’s off. Tallah get us some escape routes. We may need to get out of here quickly. I’ll keep watch.” Connor said. Tallah tossed him a device before she left the room. “I snuck a tracer into Rango’s jacket. You should be able to track him when he gets closer” she said before she stealthily exited into the hallway.

I know she has one of those damn tracer bugs on me. Connor thought to himself standing in the doorway. While Connor scanned the area the device beeped, indicating Rango was on the move. “Tallah he’s on his way back, hurry.” Connor whispered to his ear communicator. He waited a few seconds. “Tallah!” No response came. “Shit. Kogaan you there? I’m getting nothing from Tallah.” Kogaan’s voice crackled through the earpieace. “I was just about contact you. I have good news and I have bad news which one do you want first?”

“Just tell me something!” Connor blurted now clearly uneasy. “Well bad news is our ship isn’t a ship any more. It’s going through the wrecker now. I don’t think they planned for us to leave at all Connor.” Conner gritted his teeth. “Shit! What’s the good news?” He said. “Tallah is on the move back towards your location. Her audio link seems to be out of commission though. You’ll have to signal her some other way.” “Really? That’s the good news!” replied Connor. He was out of time. “Tallah if you can hear me head towards Kogaan. Get him out of here and I’ll find….” He was cut short by the sound of footsteps coming toward the door.

Connor surveyed a tall muscular frame. I hate Acnoids. He thought to himself. It was one of the twin’s goons. “Connor, the boss would like for you and…. Where’s the lady?” He asked Connor in a malicious tone. “What lady? It’s just me. Can’t a guy get alone time?” Connor said looking confused. The goon wasn’t amused and turned to talk into his ear communicator. “Boss one of them is mis-” Two stun rounds hit his upper torso knocking him into the corner next to the doorway paralyzed. “You were never my type.” Connor joked as he ran out the door towards in the direction of the facility entrance.

When he returned to the wall they had entered through there was nothing. No way out, no mirror-like change, nothing but an impenetrable wall. While trying to figure out his next move two goons came running through the hallway and started firing. He jumped through the nearest hallway window on instinct. He fell for what seemed like minutes. When Connor began to get closer to the floor he bent his knees and tried to relax in order to reduce the impact of the fall. He hit the ground hard and fell to the side trying not to think about the pain.

Any normal human would’ve broken something or better yet died, but the modifications to Connor’s musculature made him different. More durable, stronger and faster. Picking himself up and looking up at the distance he had just fell made the immense cost seem warranted. Searching his surroundings it seemed like he landed right in the center of an empty aircraft hangar. That was when he saw a short gray creature, with something resembling octopus tentacles coming from its head walking out one of the mirror-like walls with the same device around his neck as Rango. Connor took off in a full sprint towards it. It didn’t notice Connor’s movement as it was too busy staring down at its tablet. When it looked up it was too late. Connors hand gripped its frail neck slamming it up against the wall. It tried to make noises, but every time it did Connor squeezed tighter.

“Now I’ll loosen the grip if you don’t scream” Connor tried to say in the nicest voice he could. The creature just nodded. Connor proceeded to loosen his grip bit by bit. “Who’s in that room you just came out of?” “No one, just me, nothing there for you to see.” the creature strained oozing fluids onto Connors hand. “Okay take me in.” Connor ordered. It struggled to speak as it looked frantically around. “I can’t take you in there, the bosses would kill me” Connor pulled his plasma pistol from his hip and put it up to the creature’s head. “You can die here or you can live a little longer. You got till three, I don’t have time to wait long” Connor said as he started counting down. As soon as he said three the creature gave in. “Okay, okay, okay! Please, no need for violence! I’ll take you in!”

“Now see that wasn’t hard.” Connor said as he let go of his neck and slowly dropped him to the ground. The short creature wobbled back to the wall and his device lit up blue turning the wall back into a mirror like substance. Connor walked through first, as soon as he stepped through on the other side it was an even larger hangar, but this time it actually had a ship in it. Looking up at it, Connor was amazed at its design. He’d never seen anything like it before. The phantom-like appearance had Connor in such awe that he didn’t even notice the other short creature who looked exactly like the first one dressed in the same blue and white attire until it spoke.

“I thought you were getting food Finn” the creature said looking up from his tablet and noticing his twin wasn’t alone. Connor immediately grabbed Finn. “Please, he’s my brother Ekan. He’s the only one here you have my word.” Ekan rushed at Connor with his short claws stretched out trying to scratch him, but connor just jumped back. “You better tell him to calm down or I will hurt him I don’t have time for this.”

“Ekan please, calm down before we both get killed” It cried out. “Coward Finn! Fine.” Ekan said as he tried one last attack on Connor, and when he missed he threw spit and hit Connors leg. “What the hell? C’mon!” Connor said and began walking towards Ekan. “Okay, okay, I’m done.” Ekan said as soon as he thought Connor was going to hit him. “Are you sure? I don’t want to have to hit you or shoot you if you spit on me again.”

“There doesn’t have to be any shooting of anyone.” Finn blurted out. “Now whose ship is this? Where did it come from?” Connor looked at them both. Finn and Ekan both looked at each other.

“We don’t know whose ship it was but it doesn’t belong to anyone at the moment. There is no captain registered.” Finn answered. “I’ve overheard that the bosses got a contract from the Galactic authority to hide this for… in their words ‘classified things’.”

Connor smirked “So if I steal this I’m stealing from the twins and the Galactic Authority? Sounds fun. What will it take for you to get this up and running?” Ekan folded his arms not amused by the idea. “Oh you might as well kill us now! We start this thing up, the hangar alarms will go off instantly, along with a lockdown of the building and the bosses will be here within minutes.” This seemed to do the opposite of deterring Connor. “I’ll make you a deal if you can get this up and running when I exit I’ll take you with me and drop you off wherever you want to go.”

“Then what would stop the bosses from finding us and killing us?” Ekan asked, indignant. Finn cut in. “I have to agree with this strange guy on this one Ekan. We are slaves either way.” Ekan turned away and threw his hands up frustrated. When he turned back he looked at Finn and then Connor defeated. “If you can guarantee me and my brother’s safety we will start this beauty up for you. She’s going to need a captain so what’s your name?”

“It’s Connor, Connor Andrews” Connor said stretching out his hand to seal the deal. “Okay ‘Captain’ Andrews… come aboard so I can register you.” Ekan said walking past his hand up the ships rear ramp. “Ekan we’re really doing this?” Fin asked in a shaky voice scrambling to catch up to his brother. Ekan turned to him “You’re right. We can die here or we can die out there. We can go with this guy and maybe live for ourselves. He guaranteed our safety off this rock. If we stay here we’re likely to die for Rango’s payday when they cover this up. Do you have any better ideas?” “I’m scared Ekan” Finn uttered weakly. Ekan turned to Finn and put a hand on his shoulder. “I am too but these are the cards we were dealt, let’s do this together.” Ekan said with a firm shake and started walking again.

A few steps behind the pair, Connor started to feel bad for threatening to kill them. He wasn’t really going to do it unless they put him in a predicament that warranted it. He watched Ekan break off and climb up a ladder. The small creature pulled down a panel and its tentacles started manipulating a bank of circuit locks while his hands typed on a display. Ekan yelled down asking for Connor to stand on the ring in the center of the ship so that it could scan him as the Captain. Once Connor stepped in the ring a blue light emitted from the ships hull, followed by a voice.

“Verifying. Captain Andrews’s verification almost complete. Please speak.” Said the computerized female voice “Um.. Hi. Connor is here.” Replied Connor “Voice configured for commands. Authorized. You will need implants installed to fully integrate when ready Captain Andrews. Until implants are installed my recommendation is an ear communicator dispensing now.”

Ekan came slid down the ladder with the ear communicator in his hand. “There is no going back when I turn on the engines. Alarms will sound, and they will come after us.” Connor took the earpiece and pulled out the ear communicator Tallah gave him. “Alright we better get it up as quick as possible, but before we start can the ship tap into the frequency on my old ear communicator?” One of Ekan’s tentacles pulled the earpiece close to his eye. He looked down to the tablet typing furiously. “Hmm. Easy. Done. Now i need you to authorize me and Finn into the engine room so we can get started. I hope you know what you’re doing ‘Captain‘.” Ekan handed it back, turned, and walked towards the drive bay as Finn hurried to catch up. “Just get us running as fast as you can. Let me know when it’s all ready.” Connor replied going through the steps of authorizing them access to ship systems. Suddenly his ear communicator crackled to life.

“Connor, if you can hear me respond! Where are you?” It was Tallah.

“I’m here. I’m okay for now, you and the kid should make your way to the beacon I’m transmitting as fast as you can. It’s about to get real loud.”

Tallah asked curiously “Do I even want to know what you’re about to do?” “I just found us a way off this rock” boasted Connor. “We are on our way.” Responded Tallah.

“Here we go.” Ekan said through his ear comm. A sudden loud pop followed by a shudder and deep humming came from the ship.

“Ship systems are being restored from long storage preservation mode. One hundred percent capability in an estimated ten-minute time window.” Prompted the female voice.

Immediately klaxons blared along with red strobes blinking throughout the hangar with shrill bursts of noise. Connor tensed up at the alarm, knowing trouble is on its way. Grabbing his plasma pistol, he ran down the rear ramp and took cover behind some boxes overlooking the entrance. He leveled the pistol on the wall as it began to turn chrome, then liquid. Three henchmen emerged. Connor opened fire hitting two of them and sending the third running behind a beam supporting a catwalk. Connor grabbed one of his explosive knives from his ankle and rolled under the ramp to get a line on the survivor. When he peaked around the beam Connor launched the knife in his direction. The goon barely dodged it but as soon as it made contact with the wall a small explosion went off splattering the third henchman and knocking a chunk out of the beam. Five more came in a wave suppressing Connor while advancing on the ship. Not being able to get a shot off, Connor rolled further under the ship hiding behind one of the landing struts.

“Computer lift the ramp.” He leaned out from behind strut, focused down the length of the pistol and exhaled slowly. While his pistol hummed the ramp raised, exposing the surprised henchman. One kill shot for each. he thought, one eye closed. The five shots bored orange-hot holes through the guards as they slumped to the ground.

“What’s the status on getting those engines up and running?!” Connor shouted fanning the now steaming hot plasma pistol. “It’s not easy getting a ship running quickly from full shutdown mode!” Finn replied frantically. “Fine just get it running!” Connor yelled back as more henchman came storming through the door. This time Rango and his large Brother Rupadoop were among them.

Shit!. Connor thought to himself as Rupadoop began running full speed at him. “You’d dare try to steal from us!?” The elder twin’s booming voice reverberated through the hangar.

Connor fired two shots at Rupadoop but his pistol didn’t deliver deadly blows as it was low on energy and overheated. He dropped his pistol and got into a fighting stance with his knife in hand. When Rupadoop closed Connor used his momentum against him. With a quick sidestep and slash to the side of the brute, he ran headlong into the landing strut. It didn’t seem to bother Rupadoop in the least, as he got back up grabbing Connor and slamming him against the hull of the ship.

“I’ll kill you slowly Connor. You deserve that much” Rupadoop snarled through jagged teeth into Connors face as he held him eye level. “Ekan! Finn! Lower the ramp! This little escape attempt is over. I will not kill you unless you make this hard and I have to pry it open.” Rango said banging on the ramp while glaring into one of the rear facing cameras.

“I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, computer don’t open that door unless i give the order!” Connor wheezed and shifted his body on the hull pushing Rupadoop off balance. “Understood” The computer responded. Rango turned disgusted towards the struggling pair. He was not pleased to find that Connor was linked with the ship. “Kill him! Kill him now!” Rango yelled at Rupadoop.

But Rupadoop was now being hit from all angles as Connor pounded him with everything he had. His augmented muscles were in overdrive. A massive right uppercut to Rupadoops chin knocked him off his heels and when Connor grabbed his head to give him a right cross Rango ordered the henchman to fire on him. Connor instinctively dropped the dazed Rupadoop but when he tried to run for cover the twin grabbed his ankle looking up with a big bloody grin.

“Shit!” Connor yelled as he kicked Rupadoop to let go, but his grip was relentless. Plasma fire flew all around Connor. He hit the floor with Rupadoop, as they began rolling around biting, elbowing, and kicking. In the struggle, Connor noticed the plasma fire had stopped. There was more commotion at the entrance. While Rupadoop had Connor in a headlock he looked around and saw Tallah gracefully moving around the floor slicing through the henchman with her sword, and Kogaan hiding behind one of the beams. Then the hangar doors started opening.

“All systems are fully operational, destination set, awaiting go order.” The ship reported. “About damn time guys! Lower the ramp and let’s get out of here!” Connor said delivering two elbows to Rupadoop stunning him again. “Tallah get Kogaan and get to the ship!” Connor reached the edge of the ramp with Rupadoop in tow. “Damnit! Stay down!” Connor yelled as he turned around with a kick to Rupadoop’s stomach. The twin grabbed Connor’s other ankle like a vise. Tallah and Kogaan, ran up the ramp as plasma fire peppered the cargo bay of the ship leaving orange hot spots. Connor grabbed a hand bar on the ramp and shouted into the ear comm. “The hell with it! Close her up and get us out of here!”

The ramp began to close, and the thrusters roared to life as the ship began to taxi out of the hangar with Rudapoop dragging behind the ramp. “Lose your arms or lose the ship! What’s it gonna be!?” Connor shouted. The twin screamed as the hydraulic door closed down towards his wrists before letting go to roll through the hangar.

Connor pulled himself up breathing heavily and staggered towards Tallah.

“Guess now we have an enemy for life?” Tallah asked calm and collected. “Oh come on..” Connor gasped “They love us!” Tallah raised an eyebrow and turned looking at the strange configuration of the cargo bay. “Two double crosses and a ship, which I’m sure I’ve never seen anything like. Yeah, they will be coming for us.” Tallah said walking deeper into the ship. Connor looked back to the ramp wiping the blood from his mouth and shook his head. “They won’t be taking this ship back. Not this one, this one belongs to us.”

 

This is the longest short story I’ve written up until now. Please feel free to critique it. If ya like it there’s more to come to follow 😇😊