SAME ATTITUDE ( A SCIENCE FICTION STORY)
Okay, all you science fiction writers. This just hit me an hour ago, and I had to get it down.
“Men are scum,” Larena said, staring at the monitor. “Then again, women are bitches, so I guess things even out.”
Braxx laughed.
“I love how you see both sides of an argument.”
She turned to face him. He held her gaze for a moment, then turned away.
She chuckled.
“You’re a different kind of scum than most men, though. You don’t try to deny what you are — especially not to yourself. You don’t give a shit about anything or anyone. It’s always been about you.”
Braxx shook his head.
“No. Not always. Once upon a time, I did care.”
“Let me guess — she broke your heart.”
He stared at her.
“No. I had to kill her.”
End scene
“Please don’t tell me you’re going to do anything stupid,” she said.
Braxx shook his head.
“I’m not. We’ve got the weapons onboard and we’re going to get the hell out of orbit. The natives will have to fend for themselves.”
“Ten thousand unarmed peacers against an army of craftsmen. It’ll be a bloodbath.”
He nodded.
“Yeah. It will. Arming the peacers won’t make a difference. The only thing that would accomplish is we’d lose out on the shipment of queller guns. This way, at least we can make a profit off the next guy.”
Larena smiled.
It chilled him.
“Like I once said — you’re a different kind of scum, Braxx. That’s why we work so well.”
End scene
The old peacer coughed once, blood spotting the floor he lay on. With a tremendous effort of will, he turned himself over.
Those eyes stared at Braxx.
“Kill me,” he said, his voice surprisingly strong.
“No. That’s not who I am.”
“You’re leaving my people to be slaughtered. It doesn’t matter whether you bring the death or allow others to do so — it is who you are.”
“I don’t kill in cold blood.”
“Kill me. I do not wish to see the horrors you have unleashed upon my world.”
End scene
“Larena, you’re in command. I’m staying behind.”
She stared at him.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m staying. These people — they need for me to stay, they need for me to fight.”
“Braxx, listen to me — you’re infected or something. You’re not making any sense. This isn’t your fight, remember? Come on — you’re scum.”
“Something happened to me when I killed the old man. I don’t know. Call it some kind of fucked-up ‘awakening.’ Whatever it is, I know if I walk away from this, I’ll wind up hating myself even more than I usually do.”
“You’re sure about this?” she asked.
“Yeah. Leave tonight and don’t tell the crew until you’re underway. I’m afraid one or two of them might think about doing something stupid.”
She snorted.
“I’d say you’re doing enough stupid for everyone, Braxx.”
End scene
Jel’Al stared at the monitor. The craftsmen were everywhere. With the last of the ammunition used up, the peacers had no choice but to await their doom.
The young man stared at Braxx, then said,
“It is said that when we die, those of our family who have died before us await our arrival and prepare a big celebration. There is much rejoicing when family meets with family.”
“Yeah, that’s great. I don’t have family, though, so I guess I’m shit out of luck, huh?”
Jel’Al shook his head.
“No, Braxx. When you die, you will be with all the families here, for you are a part of us all now.”
End scene
Ken-Drellus looked lost.
“What is happening? Who is fighting the craftsmen? Where did they come from?”
Braxx stared in the sky.
One hundred fully armed quindrones — moving through the craftsmen as if the invaders were stationery. Gamma charges were going off and the craftships were obviously outmaneuvered and outgunned.
“Son of a bitch,” Braxx muttered, “the bitch came back.”
End scene
Larena looked him up and down.
“You look like shit,” she said.
“Yeah? I was going for the ‘dashing rogue’ look.”
“Miserable fail, Braxx.”
“Mind telling me what the hell you’re doing here?”
She shrugged, kicking a piece of craftsman aside with her boot.
“I got to thinking that if I left you to die, I’d have to spend a whole lot of time finding someone to replace you — someone who was good at screwing people over while making them believe you’d just given them the keys to Heaven.”
He nodded.
“Yeah. Makes sense.”
Her dark eyes narrowed.
“You prick.”
“What?”
“You know, don’t you?”
He frowned.
“Know what?”
“Don’t play innocent, Braxx. That was the one act you could never master.”
“Fine. I know, okay? When did you know, though?”
Larena thought about it.
“After we left orbit. It was something Edwind said, right after I told him you were staying behind. He said, ‘It’ll be really weird not seeing Braxx by your side.’”
“I’m lost,” Braxx told her.
“We were always at each other’s side and somehow, we always had each other’s backs. You never played games with me and you never tried to do anything stupid like protect me or nurture me or any of the other crap guys pull. You just kept letting me be me. You’re the first man who was ever my equal. I didn’t want to lose that.”
Braxx slowly smiled.
“So…does this mean that — “
She unholstered her weapon.
“Probably best you stop talking right now.”
He nodded.
“Roger that.”
End scene