Trouble on the Galactic Frontier

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Akira110
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Re: Balance in Ruin

#16 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 15

Hideo looked outside as people came from the Space Pirate base, "Linda, you stay here." Linda spoke up, "As if I have a choice." Hideo walked over towards them to welcome them back, when suddenly, he saw a reporter run towards Balthoron, "Hi, Donna Burke with channel thirty news, may I speak to you?" Balthoron turned his head, "No." Donna frowned, "Well aren't you rude?" Balthoron sighed, "Listen, ma'am, I have no patience for reporters, you want to talk to someone, talk to my XO. He's the black skinned elf." Donna huffed, "You're racist too." Caladwen took off his helmet, "Ma'am, my skin is quite literally the color black. He's not referring to me as being dark skinned." Donna walked over to him and put her microphone up to his face, "May we speak with you?" Caladwen looked at the cameraman and then at Balthoron who shrugged and sighed, "Fine, but only long enough to tell you who to actually thank."

Donna nodded, "Thank you, people said that there were explosions. What did you see?" Caladwen pointed at the base, "You want to see all the Space Pirates in there, go ahead and look, you want to thank people for keeping this colony safe, thank the human military." Donna nodded, "And where do I find this human military leader." Hideo spoke up, "I'm right here." Donna looked at him, "Ah! Come on, Geoff." She walked over to Hideo who sighed slightly and prepared himself mentally, "What can I help you with, as you know civilians are not supposed to be on a site where a military operation had just taken place." Donna nodded, "I know, but when we got reports of explosions and weapons fire being heard around here, do you have an explanation?"

Hideo sighed, "Caladwen, our ally within the Verbanan forces and the Executive Officer of the Raptors, a Verbanan Mercenary Force and a well respected one at that, has told you exactly why. Space Pirates were there, as you know, the penalty for space piracy is death. We would've left them alone until they acted, but if you want to find out why we acted first, you can go in there and see that they had Tod-Wesser in there, a highly illegal substance." Donna blinked, "Tod-Wesser was made illegal because it kills people within twenty-four hours, right?" Hideo nodded, "Yes, there's no medicinal benefits to it. However an antidote was made in case it was accidentally ingested. According to intelligence reports, they were going to unleash the Tod-Wesser on the populace by injecting it into the water supply and then ransoming off the cure."

Donna sighed, "May I see this intelligence?" Hideo handed her a datapad, "Sure thing, I know how you reporters like to spin things, so here's the actual reports written by the Verbanans and us." Donna nodded, "Mind if I take a look in the base?" Hideo shook his head, "Go ahead, I'll go with you if you have more questions." Donna nodded, "Sure thing." Donna looked at the Camera, "The Major is going to let us go see the carnage in the base, it might get a bit graphic in here so parents, be advised." Hideo walked into the space pirate base first and Donna looked around, "There are bodies everywhere, both military and space pirate." Hideo nodded, "That's combat, people die in combat, unfortunately they held the advantage here, so we lost a lot of good men."

Donna nodded, "So where is this Tod-Wesser located." Hideo motioned towards a busted cargo bay door, "It should be right in there. We're going to take a lab sample and see just how pure the substance is, as for the rest of it, we're going to destroy it, we'll send the results directly to your studio." Donna nodded, "Now, tell me, you went in here without knowing if it was Tod-Wesser or not?" Hideo looked at her, "I trust my intelligence officer with my life, after all, she got the job by hacking into a military computer, which as you might know is an astoundingly difficult feat. Her other choice was to go to prison for the rest of her life. Anyhow, would you like to see anything else down here or are we good to go?"

Donna looked around, "Where's their leader?" Hideo shrugged, "I have no idea where their leader is. Though if I had to guess from what I heard from the comms system being on, he'd be down that hallway over there." Donna nodded slightly and walked into the hallway with her cameraman and Hideo following her, they walked for a while and Donna spoke into the Camera, "I have no idea what we're going to find down here, but I'm curious. Remember, the imagery will still be graphic." Soon they came across a corpse that had been dismembered and there was a pool of blood where the corpse was laying, Donna gasped slightly, "What the hell is that!? Who could've done such a thing to this man!?

Hideo smirked, "That's the telltale sign of the Red Reaper, now if you don't mind, I have to go and check on my wounded girlfriend." Donna turned around, "Wait, who is the Red Reaper!?" Hideo smiled as he turned away from her and started to walk away, "You let him slip past you, he's a Verbanan. Way I figured it, they're long gone. But Caladwen was right, humanity saved the day here, not the Verbanans." Hideo heard Donna sigh as he kept walking, he didn't care much for the press, he just wanted to act as a diversion for Balthoron and the others to get away. Hideo chuckled to himself as he walked towards the entrance of the base and put a finger on his earpiece, "You guys get Linda, I'll meet you back at the base. I'm going to take a roundabout way there to throw this reporter off of us."
Been around this forum for over 8 years now. Everyone I've known has left, now it's my time to do the same.

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Akira110
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Re: Balance in Ruin

#17 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 16

Balthoron walked along the streets of the colony, a week had passed and now he was the only person left from Verbana on it. He began to wonder if he would meet his wife's reincarnation, having been looking for the past several months. He looked at the image he had received of her and sighed, "It'd be a lot easier if I had their scent." Mary looked at him and walked over to him, "You looking for someone." Balthoron leaned against a railing, "No one you can help me find in all honesty, how's the base coming along?" Mary smiled, "It's completed, and what do you mean that I can't help you find who you're looking for, I'm the best hacker that humanity has to offer." Balthoron folded his arms and looked at her, his violet eyes squinting at her, "You do know that people don't like losing their privacy don't you?"

Mary shrugged, "The woman on your image?" Balthoron looked at the image again, "Yeah?" Mary pointed over to a woman who was talking to Svetlana, "She's over there." Balthoron turned to see where Mary was pointing, "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." Balthoron walked over towards the ice cream shop in question, and the woman looked at him. Svetlana also did so and waved, "Hi Balthoron! It's nice to see that you're still around!" Balthoron sat down at a different table, "I'm looking for someone in particular. Think you can help me find her?" Svetlana nodded and the two women got up and walked over to him, "Yeah, we can help you." Balthoron showed them the image and the other woman gasped, "I'm who you're looking for, and you're the Red Reaper!"

Balthoron shook his head, "Relax, ma'am. For once, I'm hired to do a job that doesn't involve me ending the life of someone." Balthoron sighed slightly, "I'm not one for being a conversationalist, but how are things going?" The woman looked at him, "Well, you could start by introducing yourself, I'm Julia." Balthoron nodded slightly, "Balthoron Miyamae." Julia nodded, "Things haven't been going so great, it's hard to find a job on this colony, but my husband and I are managing." Balthoron couldn't help but to smile slightly, and Julia looked at him oddly, "Why are you smiling?" Balthoron sighed, "Honestly, it's because that reminds me so much of my cousins when I was growing up. They were always happy, but found finding work difficult, but made ends meet."

Julia nodded, "Ah, so, why have you been looking for me?" Balthoron reached into his coat and pulled out a credit chip, "I was hired to deliver you this." Julia looked at him, "What, but... how much money is this?" Balthoron looked at her and without hesitation spoke, "Two hundred thousand." Julia gasped, "I can't accept this!" Balthoron looked at the stars, "Well, I guess that settles that, you're keeping the money, Julia. I don't leave a job half finished. The person that hired me told me that he wanted to see you happy and felt horrible that you were living in such an impoverished state." Julia nodded, "That must have been Tom, he used to have a crush on me, and well, now he's rich and that's so sweet of him."

Balthoron nodded, "Yeah, imagine my surprise when I got a call from him asking me to deliver that to you. Anyhow, I have to go now, you take care and remember, never give up, even when things seem bleak." Julia nodded, "I will." Balthoron stood up and placed something else on the table, "Here, this is my frequency. Any time space pirates show up again, don't be afraid to call me, I'll mobilize the Raptors and we'll be there in a heartbeat." Julia nodded, "Thank you, but, why are you being so kind to me in particular." Balthoron looked at her, "I've given many people my frequency, but told them to only use it for Space Pirate related emergencies." Julia nodded, "Alright, thank you, Balthoron."

Balthoron nodded and walked away from the area, where he noticed Victor was standing there, "You lied to her." Balthoron nodded, "Of course, I'm forbidden from telling her the truth." Victor arched a brow, "So the Reaper really does play by the rules." Balthoron smirked, "I always play by the rules, Victor, just sometimes you don't like the way I play. Besides, remember a few years ago?" Victor nodded, "Of course, how could I forget the fact that you raided our ship and slaughtered my entire family." Balthoron nodded, "Of course, that's what you believed, because that's what the media told you. The truth is, I was the last one on that vessel, when I found you, I couldn't believe that a kid was trying to kill me." Victor blinked, "I was seventeen, and YOU were the last one on our vessel?"

Balthoron nodded, "Yep, and I was the last one off. Tell me, what do you remember about the bodies?" Victor sighed, "They were neatly killed, most of them were a shot to the head or chest, few of them had multiple wounds." Balthoron nodded, "Think about that and remember, why I'm called the Red Reaper." Victor blinked, "Then why did you lie to me a week ago!" Balthoron sighed, "Sometimes it is easier to go with the lie that has already been built in the minds of people than it is to reveal to them the truth. Some people will accept the truth, while others will vehemently deny it, it's just how life works." Victor stopped for a moment, stunned, "This isn't like you, Reaper." Balthoron looked at the base door, "Victor, people are more complex than you think, as is this world. Very few things are truly black and white. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to chat with your commanding officer and head back to Verbana."
Been around this forum for over 8 years now. Everyone I've known has left, now it's my time to do the same.

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Akira110
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Re: Balance in Ruin

#18 Post by Akira110 »

Epilogue

Hideo looked up from his work to see Balthoron walk into the room, "Hey, thanks for helping us with the space pirates, Colonel." Balthoron shrugged, "It's nothing, really. The Dates and I have a positive relationship, something comes up in the future, don't be hesitant to ask." Hideo nodded and Balthoron smiled slightly, "By the way, you should ask Linda to marry you." Hideo blinked, "What!?" Balthoron folded his arms and leaned in slightly, "I saw the way that you look at her, you want to spend the rest of your life with her." Hideo sighed, "It's true, but I don't have a ring. Think you can give me grandpa's ring?" Balthoron sighed, "Hideo... Hideo... Hideo, when are you going to realize that the act of buying engagement rings for the two of you isn't for the band of metal with the chunk of rock embedded into it."

Hideo blinked, "It's not?" Balthoron leaned back, "I was married once, kiddo. My wife and I bonded when we went to go get our engagement rings. She loved the fact that I was spending time with her and was making a decision with her. Trust me, Linda will love that sort of thing, because it shows her that you care enough for her to do this." Hideo nodded, "That's good to hear, got any more advice?" Balthoron shrugged, "Not really, except don't bring me on as your best man." Hideo laughed, "Don't worry, Tariq has that covered." Balthoron smiled, "Good, believe me, it's a lot more trouble than it's worth, your grandfather learned that lesson a long time ago. But I digress... Hideo, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors."

Hideo nodded, "So where are you going?" Balthoron looked up at the ceiling, "Second star on the right, straight on til morning." Hideo arched a brow, "There aren't any habitable worlds within several parsecs in that direction." Balthoron laughed at this, "Hideo, how about this... I'm going to the undiscovered country." Hideo blinked, "There are no countries out here in space." Balthoron sighed and placed his hand on his face, "I swear, one of these days I'm going to ship you some human literature." Hideo sighed, "You're not being clear." Balthoron looked at Hideo, "I'm letting go, I lived for four hundred and fifty years, holding onto my pain and my agony. I'm done with it, it'll be hard for me to move on, but I need to do it."

Hideo nodded slightly, "I understand that, but why were you using quotes." Balthoron shook his head, "The undiscovered country is the future. One of your authors wrote that into a book around the time my father was born." Hideo nodded, "Am I going to see you again anytime soon?" Balthoron shrugged, "If I'm in the neighborhood." Hideo extended his hand, "It was great meeting you for the first time." Balthoron took the hand and shook it, "Not exactly the first time. Though you didn't exactly know it was me and I didn't know it was you at the time." Hideo nodded, "So you were that armored figure, three years ago." Balthoron nodded, "Yeah, someone as renowned as I am, I need to hide from time to time. Anyhow, take care, Hideo and don't forget to ask Linda to marry you."

Hideo nodded and watched as Balthoron let go of his hand and walked out of his office, Linda walked into the office and Hideo looked up at her, "So you heard every word that was said?" Linda nodded, "Yeah, Hideo." Hideo nodded, "Linda, I love you and I apologize if my work gets in the way of being with you, so... you want to take the week off and spend it together?" Linda nodded slightly, "That would be nice, Hideo." Hideo smiled, "That's good to hear. So where would you like to go first?" Linda shook her head, "Not until this happens right now." Hideo chuckled slightly, knowing exactly what Linda wanted. He walked over to her and got down on one knee, taking her hand into his and looking into her violet eyes, "Linda Murray, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Linda smiled, "Of course, Hideo. Though we don't have to get rings if you don't want to." Hideo shrugged and pushed the button for the intercom system for the base, "Attention all personnel, one week's leave will be granted to everyone on base." Hideo let go of the button and looked at Linda with a smile, "I want to get the rings, my love." Linda nodded slightly, "So I guess we're going to go there first." Hideo nodded, "Of course, as for what comes next... well we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there, don't you think?" Linda hugged Hideo, and Hideo hugged back, the two of them looking into each others eyes, and sharing a passionate kiss. After breaking off the kiss, Hideo smiled, "Shall we be off, my love?" Linda nodded and the two of them broke the hug and headed out of the base.
Been around this forum for over 8 years now. Everyone I've known has left, now it's my time to do the same.

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