There was a lot more to them than just muscle of course. Zerothian technology was leaps and bounds ahead of ours. In fact, if it wasn’t for them, travel between Stardust and the Milky Way wouldn’t be possible. Yes, we had teleportation readily available centuries ago, but its range was rather limited. Zerothian were the ones to upgrade a few of our transporters to allow travel between the two systems. Of course, they didn’t tell us how they did it, they just stationed a small crew on Earth to maintain and operate the technology. They probably wouldn’t have done that either if it wasn’t for one thing. Sugar. Yes, who would’ve thought a planet several times bigger than Earth, with species a lot more advanced than humans could never cultivate or invent something to produce sugar? The Zerothians were, therefore, happy to agree to a cultural exchange, a tourism agreement and even some rudimentary (to their understanding) technology in exchange for copious amounts of sugar and the various sweet recipes to go along with it.
As I thought about this, I suddenly heard a cry of despair, deep within the town’s center. Eagerly, I pushed my faithful horse forward, getting closer. I rushed past strange, lopsided infrastructures and five-legged animals, pulling large carts filled to the brim with Blood Diamonds. When I finally reached the town’s center, there was a clear commotion around the bank. People gathered, whispering amongst themselves, wondering what had occurred.
A Zerothian man sat down on the edge of a water fountain, away from all the chaos. Behind him, the planet’s naturally purple colored water poured out of a Desert Dingo’s mouth. The sprinkling water splattered against his tight-fitting clothes, but he didn’t seem to care. He had his head in his hands and he seemed to be crying, his pointed ears tilted downwards in his dismay.
“What’s going on here?” I asked, tilting my cowboy hat in his direction. I pulled on Bianca’s reins, forcing her to come to a halt in front of the distressed individual. He craned his neck, looking past Bianca’s muscular chest to see me. His golden-speckled eyes were filled with tears of frustration.
“I’ve lost everything!” He wailed, getting up in a fit of excitement. “I’m this here town’s bank manager and I’ve lost everything!” He exclaimed, running his fingers through his wildly-matted hair. There were dangling bits of jewelry that hung from his slender neck that captured my attention for a moment. It was quite common for Zerothians to wear dazzling pendants, amulets, or necklaces.
“What happened?” I questioned him, narrowing my eyes at the bank.
“He stole almost everything! All he left were some fragments. Took the large Blazing Diamond that had been found this morning! It was the most valuable piece that had ever been found in the mine. My own son found it and this guy just stole it all!” The man was in hysterics, pacing back and forth. “What am I supposed to do? I’ll surely be fired for this! I cannot go back to Zeroth empty-handed. I promised my family I’d make a name for myself out here…”
I listened to his story with interest. Throughout the years, my love for travel and adventure had put me into a rather peculiar occupation. I was something of a bounty hunter, searching far and wide for the vilest criminals in the known universe. This month, however, things had been slow. It seemed like peace had for once, settled over space. “Do you know who did it?” I eagerly asked. I didn’t want to ride around aimlessly anymore. I was starting to get rather bored and if I didn’t find something to do soon, I would surely lose my mind.
The Zerothian looked at me with wide eyes. “Of course I know who it was. Everyone knows Zigzag Zander. He’s notorious! He has no heart. He has made a name for himself across the Ayris colonies! And yet, no one will do a thing about him!”
I ground my teeth. So this was the work of Zander. He had been on my hit list before, but the cunning devil had slipped through my fingers time and time again.
Suddenly, the mayor walked up to us, his large, two-story hat on his head. It wobbled with a slight gust of wind but stayed pinned between his large, blue ears. “You must be Aliza Westerly. I’ve heard about you.” He said. “And I have a request to make.”
I tilted my head in his direction, letting my cowboy hat cast a shadow over my green eyes, now dazzling with excitement. I had a pretty good idea what he would ask of me.
“Capture that vagrant and make him pay for his crimes.” I grinned wildly, nodding. It was time to finally corner the outlaw and show him I wasn’t someone to mess with. Zigzag Zander was about to regret ever crossing my path.
Chapter 2
Luckily, I already knew Zander. I knew how he tended to operate and what I should look out for as I did my research. The people in the small mining town didn’t have much to tell me. Most of them were drunk out of their minds or too tired to speak in coherent sentences. I tried going to saloons and the women of the town, but they didn’t seem to know much about the criminal either. It seemed like I was getting nowhere.
Then, I hit my stroke of luck. As I sat down at the local saloon, I picked up on a conversation next to me. Two bionic chimps were whispering to each other, talking about a high-speed train that would be full of expensive consumer goods. Apparently, it would be carrying everything from transporters to flying vehicles. There would even be rare novelty items such as muskets or cosmetic Nano-implants. I grinned, knowing this was exactly what I was looking for.
I heightened my hearing, edging a little closer to the chimps as they drank merrily, picturing what it would be like to ride a unicycle. I bit my lip. I had to find out where this train was going so I could plan my ambush.
“I sure wish I lived in Garuda. Everyone there is stinking rich, showing off their Blood Diamonds, wearing them like trophies. It makes me sick. You know I haven’t found one bloody diamond since I got here!” One of the chimps slammed down his glass.
“I’m sure you’ll find something soon.” The other one tried to comfort him, saying something else, but I was no longer listening. I had my target in sight: Garuda.
I briskly walked out of the saloon. Bianca was tied to one of the support beams, patiently waiting for my return. She flared her nostrils as she saw me, patting the silver dust under her feet in greeting. I smiled at her, gently patting her back. “I hope you’re ready for a long ride. I finally figured out where Zander is going to strike next.” Putting my foot in the stirrup, I hoisted myself up, settling myself in the saddle. She turned around, her long black tail flicking back and forth in nervous excitement.
I dug my heel into her side and she shot off like the wind. I leaned forward, letting her go full throttle. I nearly lost my beloved hat, but I managed to hold onto it even as we traversed the rocky terrain. Soon enough, we were approaching Garuda. I could see the towering buildings of the wealthy city. I spotted the slick track the train would rumble over and looked for any kinks in its armor.
Finally, I found what I was looking for. A few miles away, there was a remote valley the train had to go through, clinching it between two mountains. It would make it the perfect place for an ambush and I had no doubt that Zander would plan his attack from this very spot. I rode up to the valley, finding myself a hiding place, determined to stake it out.
Sure enough, Zander appeared with plenty of force behind him. Strangely, they all rode horses, just like I did. It was odd to see a non-human on a horse. I furrowed my brow at him, wondering where he had gotten them. Maybe he had been inspired to get some help since the last time we met.
Quickly, I grabbed my revolver from around my belt, taking aim at him. He was in my direct line of fire. All I had to do was pull the trigger and take him out. But where was the fun in that? I grinned and saw him pointing at the track, a beautiful bracelet hanging from his wrist. There was a blue orb attached to it, which I aimed for.
My hands were steady and my breathing level as I finally took the shot. My bullet whizzed through the air at a breakneck speed, making contact with the orb and shattering it to pieces. This spooked the group, their horses rearing in fear. Zander shouted something to his men and they dispersed.
&nbs
p; With an air of confidence, he started to ride toward me. I didn’t hesitate to shoot again, this time blowing a hole in the canteen on the side of his hip. He didn’t even flinch. I was impressed. As he started to get closer, I noticed him for the first time. Even though I had seen him before, it was never in great detail. Now, however, I could see his lovely blue skin, decorated with well-placed hues of green. His pointy ears twitched slightly, listening for any movement. His muscular, human-like body. His piercing gray eyes. It was all so breathtaking.
I found my heart speeding up, admiring him further. Unlike most Zerothians, who didn’t tend to their hair, his was tamed into two thin braids that hung over his broad shoulders. Around his neck was a complicated necklace with a white gem as a centerpiece, glowing fiercely, as if his proud heart was on display.
“Why don’t you come out of hiding, Ms. Westerly?” He suddenly called out, flashing me a dazzling smile. His teeth were pointed, but his face was still sincere and gentle as if he were an old-time friend.
“Oh, I’m not hiding!” I called back, riding into the clearing, rushing right toward him, my gun pointed straight at him. He moved away before my bullet could make contact. I cursed myself for missing. Seconds later, I heard the ear-tingling sound of a bullet flying past my head. “Close, but no cigar!” I laughed giddily. This was more like it.
We kept shooting at each other. It seemed we were rather well-matched, making it almost impossible for either of us to hit our mark. Suddenly, just as I was about to reload, he came dashing into me, grabbing my gun and tossing it away. Seconds later, he grabbed hold of me, effortlessly picking me up and setting me down on his lap.
I was about to struggle when he pinned my body to his. He held me tight and I froze. My heart skipped a beat and I couldn’t think straight. I looked up at him with wide eyes. “You’re beautiful.” He whispered, his hot breath caressing the side of my face. I shuddered, a tingling sensation running down my spine. He chuckled at my reaction before tossing me back on my saddle and riding away, leaving me disgruntled and confused for a brief moment.
Suddenly, I realized what had happened. My cheeks turned red and my hands clenched into fists. “Why that rotten…!” I screamed out into the valley, hearing my frustration echo back at me. I couldn’t believe I had let him escape!
Chapter 3
A couple of weeks later, there was still no sign of Zander. His band of hirelings had managed to intercept the train and rob it of most of its valuables. I couldn’t quite face my shame at letting him escape, but at the same time, I couldn’t get him out of my head. His captivating gray eyes kept looking at me in my dreams, telling me I was beautiful. My heart hammered just thinking about it.
Bile formed in my mouth. I was disgusted with myself. How could I let some lowlife Zerothian fool me like that? I vowed to never let it happen again. I had to catch this guy and make him pay for the humiliation he had caused me. Which meant I had to find him again. Zigzag Zander, although infamous was very elusive. No one ever seemed to know where he was, so instead of trying to find him, I opted to intercept his next gig.
Finally, I came across a clue in the form of a poster, hung outside a salon. Dingo Dancing was printed at the top of the page. I looked at the vivid picture where three-headed dogs were wrangled into a large corral by a strong-looking Zerothian. I tilted my head, reading the information printed at the bottom. Join us for our second annual Dingo Dancing event! There will be thousands of Dingoes for purchase and trade. Come one, come all. I grinned. No doubt Zander would see the opportunity presented by such a fair. If he was able to capture the Dingoes for himself and sell them on the black market, he would be a very wealthy man.
I snatched the poster and folded it into my saddle bag. “This time, we’re going to get him,” I told Bianca, determinedly. There was no way I was going to let him fool me again!
***
I quickly got into contact with the event organizer to set up a trap. He was more than willing to cooperate with me when I told him it was for the safety of his Dingoes. When I mentioned Zigzag Zander was the one I was after, he looked plain terrified and told me to do whatever it took to catch the crook. Of course, I tried to reassure him, saying he had nothing to worry about.
The trap was simple and foolproof. We dug up a portion of the track the Dingoes would travel over and covered it up with a chameleon cloak. It was an advanced piece of technology from the Willow planet. They specialized in unique pieces of cloth that could do a wide variety of things from turning into any piece of clothing, to transforming into a piece of scenery. They were the weavers of the galaxy and I was about to put their hard work to good use.
I draped the tarp over the hole, watching as it transformed to look just like the desert terrain that surrounded us. No one could realize it was a trap, but once they walked over it, they would fall into the pit and Zander would be mine.
I grinned, thinking there was no way it could fail. All I had to do now, was wait. It was nightfall by the time I heard the sound of hooves. Once again Zander was not alone. His group of men followed him in a tight formation. I jumped into action, knowing I would have to lure them over. I signaled the buyer who freed his Dingoes, guiding them away from the tarp, knowing it was very important that none of them fall in and expose the trap.
“We meet again!” I called out over the stampeding creatures.
Zander smiled at me warmly, as if he were expecting my company. He signaled to his men to go on without him. I ground my teeth, cursing myself for not thinking of them. How was I supposed to stop them and Zander at the same time?
I quickly grabbed my gun and shot after them, aiming for their horses’ chests, hoping they would get bucked off. I was just about to pull the trigger when Zander urged his horse forward, gracefully jumping over the Dingoes and avoiding the trap. There was no time for me to react. In a flash, he zigzagged around me, causing Bianca to lose her focus. She grew frightened by the colt who brushed against her and reared up.
I found myself falling off, bracing myself for a killer impact. To my surprise, I never did feel the hard ground. Instead, I felt a pair of strong, muscular arms wrap around me, catching me. I froze, looking up in horror.
“Gotcha,” Zander smirked at me.
Chapter 4
I was in a bitter mood. No, worse than that. I had never been so angry in my whole life. Here I was, with my hands tied to Zander’s saddle, riding into the Ayris wilderness. How had I allowed myself to be captured so easily? I ground my teeth around the piece of cloth, tied tightly around my mouth to keep me quiet. I wanted to scream out at him, but all I could do was feel my body sway to and fro with his as we rode on into the darkness.
Behind us, a pack of Dingoes followed, kept in line by Zander’s men. He hadn’t said anything since my capture and I hated that. I wanted him to gloat or something. Anything to give me another reason to hate him. I kept my eyes forward, watching the landscape change as we approached a mountain range. Occasionally, I would look at Bianca who rode next to us, tied to Zander’s horse. I had to figure out some way to get us out of this mess.
Finally, we stopped. He left me on his horse as he helped his crew set up camp for the night. I started to rub my wrists together, reaching into the lapel of my jacket with my mouth, trying to remove the small blade I kept there in case of emergencies. I finally got it between my lips, thankful that the gag was loose enough for me to do so. I leaned down and started filing away at the coarse rope that kept my hands bound.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Zander asked, standing by his horse and watching me. I jumped, startled by his sudden presence. I dropped the small blade and looked at him with pure hatred. “What, you think I don’t know that trick?” He removed the hair tie on his braid and it turned out to be a malleable file.
I glared at him. Was he mocking me? I mumbled for him to let me go through my gag. He chuckled again, finally getting me off the horse. His hands rested on my hips, squeezing them slightly as he held me close. I h
ad always been a tall girl, but Zander was much taller. I had to crane my neck to look up at him.
With gentle, nimble fingers he untied the gag and let it slide down to my neck. I rounded my jaw, trying to loosen it up. “Let me go!” I screamed at him almost instantly.
“Now why would I do that? We both know that you would simply turn me in and I can’t have that.” He picked me up over his shoulder and carried me toward the fire.
“Let go of me this instant!” I demanded, pounding against his bare back with my still bound hands.
“If you say so.” He shrugged, dropping me on the ground. I groaned, landing on my shoulder.
“That’s not what I meant,” I grumbled, sitting up and feeling my headache.
“Well, next time choose your words more carefully.” I narrowed my eyes in his direction. My hat had fallen off in my fall and he quickly snatched it up, putting it on. “What’s the point of this thing?”
“It’s none of your goddamn business!” I spat, trying to get back on my feet.
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