by R. L. Wolf
"Crap, they can fly," said Wes.
“Not really,” said Austin. “I read a book about their wings once.”
Wes sighed. “Of course you did.”
“I spent a lot of time in the library before I was a Merit,” said Austin. “Those wings aren’t real, they’re gliders. They fit over two wing-blades on the Daraians back and are fastened by a harness.”
“Okay, so what’s a wing-blade?
“The Daraians used to have wings, hundreds of thousands of years ago. The wing blades are all that’s left, just like the Cormons used to have tails...”
“That’s only a theory,” interrupted Garth.
“…and the Carinians used to have fins, and the Kesune used to have claws.”
"We don’t have time for a biology lesson,” said Colt. “Quick, over there.” Colt jumped up and ran to the next building.
“There he goes again,” said Wes.
The boys ran across the alley to the building the Ravens had just landed on and pressed themselves inside a doorway.
"If they look down they won't see us and might keep going," said Colt. He waited a minute and then peeked out. The Ravens weren't in sight. "Let's get to the Spaceport before this gets out of control.”
Colt led the team around the building and out onto the main street. They walked in the middle of the street, to better see the rooftops. The residents gave the young Gunslingers a wide berth, many hurrying inside the safety of the buildings. Others watched from behind closed curtains, and some pulled the window shutters closed. Two blocks later the already thin crowds became non-existent.
"Where did everyone go?” asked Wes.
"They sensed trouble and went to hide," said Garth.
"Yeah, and there's the trouble," said Colt, stopping and laying a hand on his revolver. Four Daraian Ravens blocked the street ahead, and more appeared on the roofs. Colt scanned the rooftops and...
CRACK!
…the sound of a gunshot rang out and echoed in the street.
"Who fired?" shouted Colt.
"I'm hit," cried Austin. "It went right through my flex-armor."
"Damn them," shouted Colt, and drew his gun. He opened fire on the Ravens in the street. The Raven on the left staggered back, and then all four scattered. The Ravens on the roof returned fire. Colt was certain he had hit one of the Ravens, but he wasn't sure if the round went through the Ravens flex-armor.
He emptied both his revolvers at the retreating Ravens before running for the cover of the side of the building, his team firing to cover his retreat. A hail of gunfire hit his flex-armor, and he felt the impact. A burning pain passed through his shoulder.
"Pull back, we're outgunned," shouted Colt.
Garth was the last one out of the street and was limping when he jumped behind some crates with the others.
"I think I've been hit," said Garth, pulling his flex-armor back to expose a bullet wound in his leg.
Wes pulled his hat off and looked at a hole through the top. "Dang, this was my favorite hat."
"Austin, are you okay?” asked Toran.
"I can't move my left arm. I think the bullet is still inside."
"Garth, what about you?” asked Colt.
"It went all the way through, but I'm bleeding pretty good, and it burns like fire," said Garth.
Colt pulled his duster back and checked his shoulder, it was sliced along the upper arm. “You’re right, this burns like heck. I’ve been shot before, but this feels different. Whatever they are using isn’t normal bullets.”
"They ambushed us, we need to head back to the Dart ship," said Toran.
Colt stood and ran along the edge of the wall at a crouch, stopping at the corner of the building to check if it was clear.
"Watch out!" shouted Toran, pushing Colt just as a net fell, entangling the amphibian. Colt fired at the Raven looking over the edge of the roof. The Raven retreated out of sight.
Colt and Wes knelt next to Toran and cut the net away while Austin and Garth watched the rooftops.
"I always knew you'd end up in a net, Fish Boy," said Wes.
Colt ordered the team to move out as soon as Toran was freed. They ran several blocks and had just turned a corner when a black streak darted out from the shadows and hit Colt. Colt rolled his hip, and the black-clad figure was thrown off him. The winged Raven flipped in the air and landed gracefully. Colt fired at the Raven, but it moved in an odd gliding motion as if skating on ice, making it nearly impossible to lead the target and get a hit. The Raven jumped up on the wall and ran up the side of the building.
"What the heck?" yelled Colt. "They can run up walls."
Colt turned and saw that Toran was having his own problems with another Raven. Toran and the Raven were exchanging punches and kicks in a lethal dance that didn't allow Colt's team to shoot without hitting Toran. Colt knew Toran was an expert martial artist, but it was obvious so was the Raven.
Toran’s movements mimicked the environment of his home world. It was as if he were moving over and under the waves of the ocean, his motions fluid and smooth. The Raven spun and dived in and out of the combat in that same ice-like gliding motion. Colt thought the Raven’s fighting style looked like a bird in flight. Both styles were equal, and both combatants were equally skilled in their respective styles.
The Raven broke contact and leaped back. Colt thought for a moment the Raven might have given Toran the barest nod of respect, and then turned and ran for the wall, the same as the other, and ran up the side of the building to the rooftop.
"These guys are really good," said Toran. "I wasn't able to get a single hit on him."
"Yeah, but he couldn't get a strike on you either," said Garth.
"Through that door," yelled Colt."
Garth pushed the door open and limped inside with the others following. Workers inside the building saw the armed Gunslingers, and quickly found other places in the building they needed to be.
"I don't want to get trapped in here, I need ideas," said Colt.
"Why did they ambush us?” asked Wes. "We’re supposed to meet the Envoy."
"I think the whole thing is a setup," said Toran. "They lured us here to get rid of a possible threat to the Emperor."
Austin's had turned a sickly pale and leaned heavily against the wall. "Guys, I don’t think I’ll be able to fly the Dart.”
"We need a doctor," said Colt.
The boys made their way through the building to an exit on the other side, opened the door, and peeked out.
"Looks clear," said Garth.
Colt led the team out onto the street and kept an eye on the rooftops. The Ravens were up there somewhere, and it was only a matter of time before they hit again. The team made it halfway down the street when a woman, followed by that accountant fellow, stopped them.
"Excuse me, your lordship," said the woman, blocking Colt's way. "You're the new lord of the city, ain't you, your honor,"
"Yeah, I guess," said Colt, eying the accountant suspiciously, he was up to something.
"I come to make a petition, your majesty," said the woman.
Colt glanced at the rooftops searching for the Ravens. "I'm a little busy right now."
"It's my right to petition, your holiness," the woman insisted.
"I think you have your titles confused," said Colt, "but okay, hurry, I can't just stand here."
"I have a baby at home, and my man left, and I can't pay the rent. I'm getting put out on the street."
Colt's eyes narrowed, and he glared at the accountant. “Do you realize I’m in the middle of a battle?” Colt turned his gaze to the woman. "Can't you just get a job?” asked Colt.
"I gots nobody to watch the baby, your nobleness," said the woman.
Colt looked back to the accountant, “Who are you?” asked Colt.
"Claude, the mining colony accountant, my lord."
"I'm not paying her rent," said Colt. "Isn't there a place she can take the baby while she works."
"We don't
have anything like that, my lord," explained Claude.
"Does the city have any money?” asked Colt.
"Yes, my lord," said Claude. "I’ve transferred all of the previous owner’s holdings and accounts to your name. You are quite wealthy now."
"I already was. Okay fine, make a place for the kids to go," ordered Colt, "but it's not free, but you know... Um... Don't be dumb about it, make it so anyone can use it... And um... Let's see... Um... Wes?"
Wes was shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe we're doing this in the middle of a gunfight, but okay. Fees for public childcare are to be charged according to income beginning the fourth week of employment. All past rents for single mothers with children are forgiven by order of Lord Cyness and beginning this day all single mothers have two months rent exemption. Failure to secure employment will bring all past rents due."
Colt stared at Wes. "Umm... Yeah... What he said," ordered Colt.
"I'll take care of it, my lord," said Claude.
"We have to go, now!" yelled Toran, pointing at the rooftop. The Ravens had found them.
Austin staggered and dropped to his knees.
"Wes, Toran, carry Austin," ordered Colt, looking up at the rooftops. The Ravens were flying back and forth between the buildings. The boys jumped into a sprint and continued down the street.
Colt rounded a corner, looking for somewhere to escape… and ran into two Ravens waiting for them. The Ravens held lethal looking rifles. One of the Ravens started to raise a hand. Colt dived to the side and fired. Both Ravens ran up the side of a building and disappeared over the roof.
"Those were Needle guns," said Garth. "They’re illegal."
Colt was looking for a direction to run when a door opened from the opposite building. Claude was standing in the doorway.
"My lord," said Claude, bowing. "I apologize for disturbing you, but there is another bit of business to attend to, if you would come this way."
"Who the hell are you?" shouted Colt.
"The mining accountant, my lord," answered Claude. "This way, please."
Colt eyes blazed with anger. This accountant was getting annoying, but for no better reason than he didn't know what other direction to go, he followed Claude into the building. The accountant led Colt and his team through a maze of halls, and into a room where a man dressed in a doctor’s smock was waiting. The room was lined with shelves full of cans with a picture of peaches on them.
"Doc Morgan was the only medical person that stayed with us after Lord Sanon burned the clinic down several years ago,” said Claude. “He’s been working out of back rooms since."
The doctor pushed some boxes off a table and motioned for Garth and Toran to put Austin up on the table.
“Will he be okay?” asked Colt.
“Give me the bag on that chair,” replied the doctor, pulling Austin’s duster off, and ripping his shirt sleeve to expose the bullet wound. Colt grabbed the bag and tossed it on the table. The doctor fished around inside the bag and pulled out a piece of leather and a long silver pair of forceps. “Hold him down, this will pinch a bit,” said the Doctor, shoving the piece of leather in Austin’s mouth.
Garth threw himself across Austin just as the doctor shoved the forceps into the bullet hole in Austin’s arm. Austin screamed and convulsed, drumming his boots violently on the table.
“Hold his legs,” ordered the doctor, pushing the forceps in further.
Colt grabbed Austin’s legs and held them down.
"I would like to reopen the clinic," said the Doctor, while he dug into Austin's arm, looking for the bullet.
Colt glared at the accountant. “So open a clinic," said Colt. "I don't care."
"We have no building, no supplies, and the people have very little to pay for services to keep a clinic open," replied Claude, his voice even and calm.
"Oh for the love of the ancestors. Fine, use some of my money and build a damn clinic, but everyone pays for services. I don't care how. Pay with chickens, pigs, or make dinner for the doctor, just deal with it. Now get the bullet out of him.”
“I already have,” said the Doctor, holding a thin piece of metal like a needle between the jaws of the bloody forceps. “This is a Daraian needle bullet. It’s designed to embed into the bone. Your friend was lucky, his armor bent the needle on the way in and it was only sitting next to the bone.”
“Garth was shot, help him,” said Colt.
“You are bleeding, also,” said the Doctor.
“I’ll be fine, how do we get out of here?”
Claude opened the door. "The gentlemen you are engaged in hostilities with are not watching the exit at the end of the hall."
“Toran, I’m going to check out the exit, see to it Garth puts a bandage on, then bring Austin. We’re getting out of this town.”
Colt ran to the end of the hall. He opened the door a crack and peeked outside. There was a scantily clad woman handing money to a man with long greasy hair on the steps outside the door.
"Now get out there and make me some more," the greasy haired man ordered the woman.
Colt pulled the door open and stepped outside, his eyes turning cold and dead. Colt didn't even bother turning around. He knew Claude would be there.
"Is he what I think he is?” asked Colt.
"Yes, my lord," said Claude.
Colt drew his gun and fired. The pimp crumpled onto the ground.
"Do I need to say anything else?” asked Colt.
"I will need a list of prohibited activities," said Claude.
"What he was doing is a form of slavery," said Colt. "I'll tolerate almost everything else."
"Murder?” asked Claude.
"Of course not," said Colt. "Only Gunslingers under the Gunslinger Charter have the authority to carry out a summary execution for gross and indecent crimes."
"I believe I understand," said Claude. "You want the town to adopt Imperial Gunslinger law,"
"It's worked on every other world for hundreds of years," replied Colt.
"Is the Sheriff to be given authority of the Gunslinger Charter?” asked Claude.
"I don't have time for this," said Colt. Claude raised a brow and Colt sighed. "Yes, the Sheriff is to act under the authority of the Gunslinger Charter.”
"I will inform the sheriff,” said Claude.
Garth and Wes appeared at the door, supporting Austin between them. Austin looked a little better, but not by much. Colt left the accountant to do whatever it was he did and led the team through the town. He tried to head away from the center of the town, but only managed to get turned around and ended up on the main street.
“Wes, we need to get away from these buildings the Ravens are using for cover,” said Colt.
Wes checked the map. “I don’t think the map has been updated in a long time. I’m not sure where we are.”
"Guys, I think we are going to head to the desert," decided Colt. "We need to get away from this crazy town."
"Yeah, let's get out in the open where we can fight," agreed Toran.
The boys were about to run across the street, and head for the desert when a man wearing a white apron, and carrying a butcher knife stepped out of the building next to them. The boys drew their guns at the knife-wielding stranger.
"Whoa, whoa, I'm the butcher, this here’s my shop," cried the butcher, throwing his hands up.
"Drop the knife," ordered Garth.
The man looked at the butcher knife in his hand and threw it down. "Oh, sorry about that, I saw you boys standing there and came out to ask you a question."
"We're a little busy right now," said Colt, sighing and holstering his gun. Would this never end?
"It'll just take a second," said the Butcher. "You're the new lord, yes?"
"I suppose," answered Colt.
"I was just wondering how much the protection fee was going to be now."
"Colt," said Toran, nodding his head at two more men running across the street.
"I was just asking them," shout
ed the butcher. Several other shopkeepers were coming out and heading over to the growing crowd around Colt.
Colt closed his eyes and took a deep breath, struggling not to shoot the whole lot of them. "There's no protection fee," said Colt, exasperated.
"Wait," Wes interrupted.
Colt opened his eyes and looked at Wes. "Huh? There is a protection fee?"
Wes shook his head. "No, but, there does need to be taxes to pay for stuff like a fire department, and the sheriff’s wages."
"Oh ancestors take me now," complained Colt. "Okay, fine, you fellows tell that Claude guy I said to buy a fire truck, and then make yourself a town council. Decide what taxes you want to pay for stuff. Does that sound okay?"
The shopkeepers looked at each other confused.
"You'll let us form a town council and vote our taxes?” asked the Butcher.
"Yes, I don't care, build a swimming pool if you want, but can you just let me deal with these Ravens," replied Colt.
"My lord, I own the General Store. If you were fixin’ to head out to the desert…well…I wouldn't if I were you.”
"Why?” asked Colt, putting his fingers on his temples and rubbing at a growing headache.
"This is a small town, my lord," said the shopkeeper. "Everyone knows just about everything going on. Those Ravens chasing you came in a ship over at the Space Port. If you go out to the desert, they just have to get their ship, and shoot you when you're in the open."
"Okay, you guys make your council and do whatever you need to do," said Colt, pushing past the shopkeepers.
"Hey Colt, look at this," called Wes.
Colt stopped and spun around, his hand on his gun. Wes was looking in the window of one of the shops.
"That's a nice hat," said Wes, looking at a hat display. "I could use a new hat."
Colt was about to scream at Wes and then burst out laughing. Wes looked a bit crestfallen.
"Let's go, guys," said Colt.
"Maybe another time, huh?” asked Wes, jogging to catch up.
The boys walked another block, keeping under the overhanging porches of the shops. The street quickly emptied of people as the group of Gunslingers moved through the market district, their boots clicking against the wooden planks of the sidewalk. Colt stopped when two Ravens came around the corner down the street. The Ravens paused for a moment, then came at a run, their wings folded in tight.
