Post by Krissa on Jan 17, 2007 20:59:05 GMT -5
I've started writing story that basically follows the bantering of the two main characters (at the moment), K'tar and Grenad. Let me know what you think. :-)
Seven days. Seven days she had been stuck in the same thingypit as that filthy excuse for a man. She'd gamble he hadn't had a bath in even that long. And it was all because he had gotten his ship blown up when he tried to trade with a bunch of black market dealers for a new detonater.
"When do you think we'll reach the next star system?" she finally ventured to ask, leaning forward to check the on-screen maps.
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. If there was one thing she could be thankful for, it was that he was the pilot, and she was the copilot, not the other way around. If it had been, she would be seeing the red technology patch over his left eye, or where his left eye had been. She wasn't sure as to what had happened to it, and she wasn't keen on asking.
"I don't know. Your ship isn't equitted with the navigation systems I'd need to determine that," he growled in a husky voice.
She grunted and leaned back in her chair, hearing it creak. He'd probably complain about that, too. "Oh the insults. Do you ever do without them?"
"Not when I can lay them down so easily."
Ouch. She winced. She had to admit, he was good. She would have to remember that one for future use. In the meantime... was that a ship approaching?
"We're being hailed."
"Then open a channel. Or can't you do that?" She looked over her shoulder, smirking. He glowered at her but flicked the switch. The screen in front of them switched from diagnostics, maps, and the front starscreen to a sturdy looking man of middle age. He stood firm, head raised in a proud stance of military personnel.
"Grenaden," the man smugly raised his chin higher. "You have some stubble," he motioned to his chin.
"Excuse my appearance," Grenad said flatly. "There isn't a bath on this ship."
"Oh there is," K'tar said innocently. "I just won't let him use it."
"And the captain," he growled. "Is there a reason you're hailing us?"
"Ah, yes. That." The man brought his hands up and rubbed them together in anticipation. "There's the matter of your bounty."
"My what?"
"I'm traveling with a wanted man?" K'tar snapped, her attention shifting to Grenad.
"At least someone wants me. What do you mean my bounty?"
"There's a bounty on your head, and I'm out to fetch it."
"Care to explain why."
"It pays good money, of course."
"I meant why is there a bounty on my head?" Grenad's voice rose to a squeak.
"I didn't ask for details. But your wanted dead or alive."
"You realize you would have been a general if you hadn't paid your way out of the military," K'tar pointed out.
"Let's not go there," Grenad snapped.
"Why? You go everywhere else."
"K'tar!"
"K'tarin."
"I hate to interrupt your amusing bickering, but I have a bounty to collect."
"How much will you pay for him?" K'tar asked.
"Nothing. There's a bonus for each associate we take as well."
"We could put the ship on self-destruct," Grenad suggested.
"You are not blowing up my ship!"
"So long as your heads are discernible, my boss doesn't really care."
"Self-destruct in five minutes."
K'tar's eyes shot to Grenad. Was he crazy?! He blew up his ship, why'd he have to blow up hers, too? "I see your shuttle does have that function," he said simply.
"Grenad!" she lunged for him, landing him heavily against the cold floor before reaching up and entering in the access code to shut off the self-destruct sequence.
"Unable to disable. Self-destruct in three minutes."
"If he doesn't kill you, I will!" she yelled. "Get to the escape pod, now!" She unwrapped herself from the tangle before speeding down the corridors. Grenad charged after her, not intending to get left behind.
Minutes later they sat in the escape pod, watching the debris from what had been K'tar's ship. She glared at him, entering the coordinates for the nearest planet. At least the bounty hunter had lost interest at the moment. "Two ships in a month," she shot Grenad a death glare.
His only response was to tilt his head so that the red eye-patch was fully visible. Shuddering, K'tar increased the speed at which they would arrive to safety.
_
Seven days. Seven days she had been stuck in the same thingypit as that filthy excuse for a man. She'd gamble he hadn't had a bath in even that long. And it was all because he had gotten his ship blown up when he tried to trade with a bunch of black market dealers for a new detonater.
"When do you think we'll reach the next star system?" she finally ventured to ask, leaning forward to check the on-screen maps.
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. If there was one thing she could be thankful for, it was that he was the pilot, and she was the copilot, not the other way around. If it had been, she would be seeing the red technology patch over his left eye, or where his left eye had been. She wasn't sure as to what had happened to it, and she wasn't keen on asking.
"I don't know. Your ship isn't equitted with the navigation systems I'd need to determine that," he growled in a husky voice.
She grunted and leaned back in her chair, hearing it creak. He'd probably complain about that, too. "Oh the insults. Do you ever do without them?"
"Not when I can lay them down so easily."
Ouch. She winced. She had to admit, he was good. She would have to remember that one for future use. In the meantime... was that a ship approaching?
"We're being hailed."
"Then open a channel. Or can't you do that?" She looked over her shoulder, smirking. He glowered at her but flicked the switch. The screen in front of them switched from diagnostics, maps, and the front starscreen to a sturdy looking man of middle age. He stood firm, head raised in a proud stance of military personnel.
"Grenaden," the man smugly raised his chin higher. "You have some stubble," he motioned to his chin.
"Excuse my appearance," Grenad said flatly. "There isn't a bath on this ship."
"Oh there is," K'tar said innocently. "I just won't let him use it."
"And the captain," he growled. "Is there a reason you're hailing us?"
"Ah, yes. That." The man brought his hands up and rubbed them together in anticipation. "There's the matter of your bounty."
"My what?"
"I'm traveling with a wanted man?" K'tar snapped, her attention shifting to Grenad.
"At least someone wants me. What do you mean my bounty?"
"There's a bounty on your head, and I'm out to fetch it."
"Care to explain why."
"It pays good money, of course."
"I meant why is there a bounty on my head?" Grenad's voice rose to a squeak.
"I didn't ask for details. But your wanted dead or alive."
"You realize you would have been a general if you hadn't paid your way out of the military," K'tar pointed out.
"Let's not go there," Grenad snapped.
"Why? You go everywhere else."
"K'tar!"
"K'tarin."
"I hate to interrupt your amusing bickering, but I have a bounty to collect."
"How much will you pay for him?" K'tar asked.
"Nothing. There's a bonus for each associate we take as well."
"We could put the ship on self-destruct," Grenad suggested.
"You are not blowing up my ship!"
"So long as your heads are discernible, my boss doesn't really care."
"Self-destruct in five minutes."
K'tar's eyes shot to Grenad. Was he crazy?! He blew up his ship, why'd he have to blow up hers, too? "I see your shuttle does have that function," he said simply.
"Grenad!" she lunged for him, landing him heavily against the cold floor before reaching up and entering in the access code to shut off the self-destruct sequence.
"Unable to disable. Self-destruct in three minutes."
"If he doesn't kill you, I will!" she yelled. "Get to the escape pod, now!" She unwrapped herself from the tangle before speeding down the corridors. Grenad charged after her, not intending to get left behind.
Minutes later they sat in the escape pod, watching the debris from what had been K'tar's ship. She glared at him, entering the coordinates for the nearest planet. At least the bounty hunter had lost interest at the moment. "Two ships in a month," she shot Grenad a death glare.
His only response was to tilt his head so that the red eye-patch was fully visible. Shuddering, K'tar increased the speed at which they would arrive to safety.
-
