The present...
"I'm telling you, he cheated us," said Chiana stubbornly. Berret shook his head negatively.
"He did not. You're just angry because I wouldn't let you steal the charge coil," he replied.
"He shaurged us for twenty credits on the price. I could have snurched it for free."
"And gotten us thrown into what passes for the local prison in the deal. It was better to pay for it... even if it was over priced, and keep a low profile. Aeryn gave strict orders about not drawing attention and about not getting arrested," said the Shrike.
Chiana huffed, "You're such a wet cargo cover."
"But we are not in jail," countered Berret, "We have three arns before meeting the others back at the Transport Pod. What would you like to do... that's legal?"
Chiana smiled up at the cloaked man, "Eat... then shop."
"How surprising," deadpanned the ex-assassin.
The pair found a small establishment where they ordered a snack and something to drink. Berret habitually scanned the other customers as Chiana chatted happily about what items she wanted to try and shop for. Strangely the Shrike didn't notice the being until the Nebari girl pointed it out.
"That fellow over there has a cloak just like yours," she said idly.
Berret looked in the direction she indicated. There indeed was a hooded figure in a dark cloak that was trimmed with a dark red boarder at the edges. Something about it seemed vaguely familiar though the Shrike couldn't place his finger on it at the moment. Berret could not make out the figure's features as the hood hid them as well as his cloak's hood hid his own face. The being might have been looking in their direction but it was hard to tell. There appeared to be nothing threatening as the figure seemed content to remain on the other side of the room. Berret forgot the cloaked being as Chiana, anxious to be on their way, urged him to finish his drink.
The pair left the eatery and headed into the market area. They ventured from booth to booth and dealer to dealer, the Nebari shopping and the Shrike carrying the packages. Berret thought he glimpsed a hooded silhouette in the crowd at times but when he turned to look it was gone from view. Chiana found a sign for a Nebari boot maker and followed it to the mouth of an alley off the market grounds.
"Remind you of anyplace?" asked the gray woman.
"Yes," said Berret, making a point of kicking a food wrapper out of his way. "My quarters after you're done snacking in them."
Chiana produced a look of mock insult, "Are you insinuating that I have the eating habits of Rygel?"
Berret chuckled, "I wouldn't go that far. Shall we say your eating habits are somewhat exuberant?"
Chiana was about make a retort to her friend when a dark shadow appeared in their path.
Berret immediately recognized the cloaked figure from the food shop.
Chiana and Berret looked bewildered at the silent shape for a few microts until the Nebari finally asked,
"Ummm, can we help you?"
The hooded head of the figure tilted to one side as if regarding the couple, then a rough voiced hissed from under the cloak, "I have been waiting for you."
"That's nice," said Chiana in response, "Why didn't you say something to us back at that slop shop?"
"Not you, girl - him," it said taking a step forward and raising a green-scaled hand from under the cloak, the black claw at the end of one extended finger pointed straight at Berret.
The hair on the back of Berret's neck began to stand straight up as the feeling of dread and danger grew inside him. The being under the cloak was close to his height and becoming more familiar by the microt.
"I have waited for you, Shrike 457," the creature said as it lowered the cloak's hood. The reptilian features that were revealed brought vivid flashback into Berret's mind. A Luxan General fighting for his life against a triad of Shrike assassins, and this creature killing three of the General's Luxan bodyguards for pure sport. Here was the Master Shrike that oversaw the last assassination mission of a Luxan he was part of for the Syndicate.
Berret scrambled to push Chiana behind him as the Master Shrike took another step forward and casually raked her claws down Berret's chest. The shiny black tips cutting gouges into his armor's breastplate. With a start he remembered that her natural claws were sheathed in a Bat'Rellite alloy.
"So you do remember Val'Cirrus, little Shrike," said the being in a hissing mock.
"Who the frell is that?" demanded the Nebari woman as she caught her balance from Berret's push.
"Run!" shouted Berret to Chiana as he dropped his own cloak to the ground to free his movement. The twin sets of blades snapped into the open from his gauntlets, "What do you want," growled Berret trying to draw the other Shrike's attention away from Chiana.
"Arckatius wants his property back and you eradicated. Scorpius wants the soft-skin called Crichton," hissed Val'Cirrus. "For myself, I want to see you squirm, soft-skin. You are my prey."
"Berret, stop frelling around. Just shoot the scaly bitch!" shouted Chiana. The Master Shrike dropped her cloak, revealing pulse resistant armor much like Berret's. "Oh frell!" added the Nebari as she realized that a pulse weapon wouldn't stop the assassin in time. Only Berret's blades would be able to cut through the armor to inflict any damage on the female Shrike.
"Go! Before she kills you too," urged Berret while not taking his eyes of the other assassin.
Val'Cirrus issued a taunting laugh. "Maybe I'll kill her first, make you watch her die... little Shrike."
Berret didn't bother to respond to the taunt, instead he charged forward and lunged with his blades. Val'Cirrus easily duck and dodged his efforts without raising a hand to defend herself. As Berret made a wide slash at her head, the assassin dropped to the ground and back-kicked him in the stomach. Berret felt the powerful blow even through the overlapping plates of armor covering his abdomen, the assault having driven the air from his lungs and knocking him backwards off his feet.
Chiana was at his side in a flash and ripped the pulse pistol from his holster. Pointing the weapon at Val'Cirrus, she screamed, "You leave him alone, or by Goddess help me I'll blow your frelling head off!"
The Master Shrike stamped one foot and a set of wicked blades snapped out of her boots. The shiny metal gleamed along the edges of her boot's soles and from around the armor plates covering her calves. With a malevolent grin she rushed forward in a blur toward the young girl as Berret forced himself to inhale air into his lungs.
"No!" he yelled as the assassin closed on the Nebari. He swept his arm in a wide arc and knocked Chiana's feet out from under her. The girl dropped to the ground just as Val'Cirrus' crescent kick would have removed her head at the neck. The blades caught the pulse pistol as it fell from Chiana's hand, chopping it almost in two.
Berret surged from the ground and began raining blows at the Master Shrike. Val'Cirrus retreated a few steps and then began to return punches and kicks as fast as she was receiving them. To Chiana, the two combatants traded strikes so fast that everything was a blur of movement and sparks as metal rang off metal when the blades or armor collided. Berret looked like he might be able to hold his own when Val'Cirrus leaped into the air with a spinning back-kick. The tip of one blade at the heel of her boot came down and cleaved through the armor covering Berret's upper left arm. Blood sprayed as the force of the kick drove the male Shrike to the ground once more.
Berret rolled away and tried to regain his feet but was only able to rise to one knee. Holding his wounded and bleeding arm it was obvious that he was exhausted. Val'Cirrus had landed on her feet and was now regarding Berret with a look of contempt.
"I had thought you would be more of a challenge. You disappoint me greatly," she said
"So you've won. It's easy to win when your armor has Qualta inlays," said Berret around trying to draw in breathes. He knew several of his blows struck her armor dead on but merely sparked and bounced off instead of cutting through. The slight discolored designs along the plates could only be a Qualta alloy.
"It is not my fault you plan poorly for possible conflicts," said Val'Cirrus with a sly grin.
Berret looked over his shoulder at Chiana and then turned back to the Master Shrike.
"Let her go," he said, "this is a Syndicate matter between you and I. She's just a Nebari thief and unimportant. She doesn't know anything."
Val'Cirrus cackled, "My orders are to eradicate all in your company."
She made a show of looking Chiana over and her long tongue flicked out to lick her lips.
"Maybe after you are gone I will take her with me. I have heard Nebari flesh can be rather tasty."
Berret slowly climbed to his feet at the statement, the wounded arm hanging almost useless at his side. The microbes would not repair this damage in time to help him against Val'Cirrus. Never the less, he would die on his feet defending Chiana as long as he was able. He'd always knew death could come swiftly in the Territories; quickly looking down at the Nebari girl he silently mouth his good-byes to her and then raised the blades up on his remaining good arm into a defensive position The Master Shrike chuckled in opened amusement at Berret.
"Your spirit is willing, but your body is long past able," she sneered.
"I'm telling you, he cheated us," said Chiana stubbornly. Berret shook his head negatively.
"He did not. You're just angry because I wouldn't let you steal the charge coil," he replied.
"He shaurged us for twenty credits on the price. I could have snurched it for free."
"And gotten us thrown into what passes for the local prison in the deal. It was better to pay for it... even if it was over priced, and keep a low profile. Aeryn gave strict orders about not drawing attention and about not getting arrested," said the Shrike.
Chiana huffed, "You're such a wet cargo cover."
"But we are not in jail," countered Berret, "We have three arns before meeting the others back at the Transport Pod. What would you like to do... that's legal?"
Chiana smiled up at the cloaked man, "Eat... then shop."
"How surprising," deadpanned the ex-assassin.
The pair found a small establishment where they ordered a snack and something to drink. Berret habitually scanned the other customers as Chiana chatted happily about what items she wanted to try and shop for. Strangely the Shrike didn't notice the being until the Nebari girl pointed it out.
"That fellow over there has a cloak just like yours," she said idly.
Berret looked in the direction she indicated. There indeed was a hooded figure in a dark cloak that was trimmed with a dark red boarder at the edges. Something about it seemed vaguely familiar though the Shrike couldn't place his finger on it at the moment. Berret could not make out the figure's features as the hood hid them as well as his cloak's hood hid his own face. The being might have been looking in their direction but it was hard to tell. There appeared to be nothing threatening as the figure seemed content to remain on the other side of the room. Berret forgot the cloaked being as Chiana, anxious to be on their way, urged him to finish his drink.
The pair left the eatery and headed into the market area. They ventured from booth to booth and dealer to dealer, the Nebari shopping and the Shrike carrying the packages. Berret thought he glimpsed a hooded silhouette in the crowd at times but when he turned to look it was gone from view. Chiana found a sign for a Nebari boot maker and followed it to the mouth of an alley off the market grounds.
"Remind you of anyplace?" asked the gray woman.
"Yes," said Berret, making a point of kicking a food wrapper out of his way. "My quarters after you're done snacking in them."
Chiana produced a look of mock insult, "Are you insinuating that I have the eating habits of Rygel?"
Berret chuckled, "I wouldn't go that far. Shall we say your eating habits are somewhat exuberant?"
Chiana was about make a retort to her friend when a dark shadow appeared in their path.
Berret immediately recognized the cloaked figure from the food shop.
Chiana and Berret looked bewildered at the silent shape for a few microts until the Nebari finally asked,
"Ummm, can we help you?"
The hooded head of the figure tilted to one side as if regarding the couple, then a rough voiced hissed from under the cloak, "I have been waiting for you."
"That's nice," said Chiana in response, "Why didn't you say something to us back at that slop shop?"
"Not you, girl - him," it said taking a step forward and raising a green-scaled hand from under the cloak, the black claw at the end of one extended finger pointed straight at Berret.
The hair on the back of Berret's neck began to stand straight up as the feeling of dread and danger grew inside him. The being under the cloak was close to his height and becoming more familiar by the microt.
"I have waited for you, Shrike 457," the creature said as it lowered the cloak's hood. The reptilian features that were revealed brought vivid flashback into Berret's mind. A Luxan General fighting for his life against a triad of Shrike assassins, and this creature killing three of the General's Luxan bodyguards for pure sport. Here was the Master Shrike that oversaw the last assassination mission of a Luxan he was part of for the Syndicate.
Berret scrambled to push Chiana behind him as the Master Shrike took another step forward and casually raked her claws down Berret's chest. The shiny black tips cutting gouges into his armor's breastplate. With a start he remembered that her natural claws were sheathed in a Bat'Rellite alloy.
"So you do remember Val'Cirrus, little Shrike," said the being in a hissing mock.
"Who the frell is that?" demanded the Nebari woman as she caught her balance from Berret's push.
"Run!" shouted Berret to Chiana as he dropped his own cloak to the ground to free his movement. The twin sets of blades snapped into the open from his gauntlets, "What do you want," growled Berret trying to draw the other Shrike's attention away from Chiana.
"Arckatius wants his property back and you eradicated. Scorpius wants the soft-skin called Crichton," hissed Val'Cirrus. "For myself, I want to see you squirm, soft-skin. You are my prey."
"Berret, stop frelling around. Just shoot the scaly bitch!" shouted Chiana. The Master Shrike dropped her cloak, revealing pulse resistant armor much like Berret's. "Oh frell!" added the Nebari as she realized that a pulse weapon wouldn't stop the assassin in time. Only Berret's blades would be able to cut through the armor to inflict any damage on the female Shrike.
"Go! Before she kills you too," urged Berret while not taking his eyes of the other assassin.
Val'Cirrus issued a taunting laugh. "Maybe I'll kill her first, make you watch her die... little Shrike."
Berret didn't bother to respond to the taunt, instead he charged forward and lunged with his blades. Val'Cirrus easily duck and dodged his efforts without raising a hand to defend herself. As Berret made a wide slash at her head, the assassin dropped to the ground and back-kicked him in the stomach. Berret felt the powerful blow even through the overlapping plates of armor covering his abdomen, the assault having driven the air from his lungs and knocking him backwards off his feet.
Chiana was at his side in a flash and ripped the pulse pistol from his holster. Pointing the weapon at Val'Cirrus, she screamed, "You leave him alone, or by Goddess help me I'll blow your frelling head off!"
The Master Shrike stamped one foot and a set of wicked blades snapped out of her boots. The shiny metal gleamed along the edges of her boot's soles and from around the armor plates covering her calves. With a malevolent grin she rushed forward in a blur toward the young girl as Berret forced himself to inhale air into his lungs.
"No!" he yelled as the assassin closed on the Nebari. He swept his arm in a wide arc and knocked Chiana's feet out from under her. The girl dropped to the ground just as Val'Cirrus' crescent kick would have removed her head at the neck. The blades caught the pulse pistol as it fell from Chiana's hand, chopping it almost in two.
Berret surged from the ground and began raining blows at the Master Shrike. Val'Cirrus retreated a few steps and then began to return punches and kicks as fast as she was receiving them. To Chiana, the two combatants traded strikes so fast that everything was a blur of movement and sparks as metal rang off metal when the blades or armor collided. Berret looked like he might be able to hold his own when Val'Cirrus leaped into the air with a spinning back-kick. The tip of one blade at the heel of her boot came down and cleaved through the armor covering Berret's upper left arm. Blood sprayed as the force of the kick drove the male Shrike to the ground once more.
Berret rolled away and tried to regain his feet but was only able to rise to one knee. Holding his wounded and bleeding arm it was obvious that he was exhausted. Val'Cirrus had landed on her feet and was now regarding Berret with a look of contempt.
"I had thought you would be more of a challenge. You disappoint me greatly," she said
"So you've won. It's easy to win when your armor has Qualta inlays," said Berret around trying to draw in breathes. He knew several of his blows struck her armor dead on but merely sparked and bounced off instead of cutting through. The slight discolored designs along the plates could only be a Qualta alloy.
"It is not my fault you plan poorly for possible conflicts," said Val'Cirrus with a sly grin.
Berret looked over his shoulder at Chiana and then turned back to the Master Shrike.
"Let her go," he said, "this is a Syndicate matter between you and I. She's just a Nebari thief and unimportant. She doesn't know anything."
Val'Cirrus cackled, "My orders are to eradicate all in your company."
She made a show of looking Chiana over and her long tongue flicked out to lick her lips.
"Maybe after you are gone I will take her with me. I have heard Nebari flesh can be rather tasty."
Berret slowly climbed to his feet at the statement, the wounded arm hanging almost useless at his side. The microbes would not repair this damage in time to help him against Val'Cirrus. Never the less, he would die on his feet defending Chiana as long as he was able. He'd always knew death could come swiftly in the Territories; quickly looking down at the Nebari girl he silently mouth his good-byes to her and then raised the blades up on his remaining good arm into a defensive position The Master Shrike chuckled in opened amusement at Berret.
"Your spirit is willing, but your body is long past able," she sneered.