Guns, Sex and Space Fighters
Disclaimer: I own nothing. But that doesn't mean I can't mess with Artemis and Butler.
Summary: AU It's the year 3846. Earth is a wasted dump and humans now live in space colonies scattered around the universe. Butler is a warrior turned Bounty Hunter. Artemis is a murderer with a price on his head. OOC and Slash. Among other things R&R
Warning: It's SLASH. OOC, cross-dressing, cursing. Fuck off if you don't like it.
Authoress' Greeting: I thought I might tell you all how I came UP with this idea. I saw the ad on the TV for the new Battle Star Galactic (sp) show. And that Spaceman song by Babylon Zoo. Manly the song. That little... spaceman thing at the beginning and through out the song. Lol. I love that song.
I also said this in the last chapter: "Blowing a kiss to Butler as the guard watched helplessly as he disappeared once more." Sorry, I didn't mean for it to be 'guard'. Force of habit. Lol.
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Chapter 7: The CCM
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Jail, Butler had found out. Wasn't the nicest of places. It was cold, dark and very depressing. Oh sure he'd known jail wasn't a palace. But he hadn't known it was this awful. No wonder his targets wanted stay away from here.
But as this was only a holding cell. Butler really couldn't say what actual jail was like. But he guessed it was the same. Only bigger and with more people.
Staying there was awkward and as enjoyable as throwing yourself into pool full of flesh eating beetles. The small cell housed seven other people. Even though Butler guessed it could only accommodate two. There where no walls. Only bright purple energy beams that worked as bars. Separating each cell from eachother and the narrow corridor used by the guards. The awkward thing was that half the prisoners of the jail knew who Butler was. Because he was the one who put them there.
And unfortunately for Domovoi Butler, a lot of those people where in his cell with him. And even more unfortunate was that they saw no reason to keep their distance. Or their hands and whatever make shift weapon clutched in said hands, to themselves.
It was with great pleasure and relief, after five hours of bonding with his cell mates, when a towering guard lumbered over and told Butler that he was free to go. Opened the cell and literally threw him out onto the street, and into a crowd of tourists that where taking pictures of the police station.
After beating them off, the Bounty Hunter headed for the 200 story high mall in the center of the city - the Central City Mall. Creative name. Butler guessed it took the people owning it about... three seconds to think that up.
To get there, he had to take three buses, four trains and walk about a mile. It would have taken quicker. But Butler didn't have any money. Thanks to Artemis. That little swine.
As Butler was standing on the last train ride of his little trip, wedged between an obscenely obese women, who obviously thought the violent pick mini skirt looked good on her and a tall, thin business man. He thought back to the large black bag the convict was lugging around with him. Last he saw Artemis, the boy didn't have any baggage, unless you counted that belt of his, baggage.
What was in the bag? A bomb? Nah. The Bounty Hunter shook his head. As if Artemis was stupid enough to carry around a bomb in a bag, on the Intergalactic Transport no less. Actually now that he thought about it, it couldn't be anything even remotely threatening. Bags where checked a number of thirteen times on the buses of IT (Intergalactic Transport). Nothing went a miss. Mostly. So guns, knives, poison, explosives, swords, money, fruit, animals... other people stuffed into suitcases had been found on occasion, but nothing life threatening couldn't be in that bag. So what was. It looked heavy. Artemis' thin little arms where straining with it's weight. Had seen the way they shook.
Perhaps he just has a lot of clothes. The Hunter reasoned, then mentally slapped himself for even thinking something so pathetically idiotic. A lot of clothes.
Butler was, quite violently, jogged out of his thoughts as the train stopped. Suddenly, as if it had just smashed into a wall. Throwing the unfortunate passengers that where standing, into eachother in the corridors.
"Central City Mall Station. All passengers please..." Butler was carried out with the flood of people. Pulling away from them and standing a little way off to get his barrings once inside the building.
There where people everywhere. Going in and out of shops. Talking in the middle of the walkways. Eating at the many food courts. Mothers and children. School kids traveling around in packs. Wealthy people who just wanted pass time by spending money. More business men. Security guards. Pick pockets. You name them, they where here. And so was Artemis. Hopefully. Though Butler had been right about the genius coming to Corasont. Maybe he'd be right again and find him at the mall.
"Or maybe I'm wrong and he's on the other side of the planet." he grumbled.
Although now was not the time to doubt his judgment. He'd just have to search. All 200 floors. 8000 stores and 300 food courts. The 400 toilets. Though he could cancel out the womens. Or at least he hoped. Artemis was dressed as a girl last he saw him. And he was pretty sure he could walk right into a girls loo and not get beaten into a coma.
Butler was starting to wish he'd never taken this assignment.
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A blond girl was walking through the 17th floor of the CCM. As it was want to be called. Saying Central City Mall all the time could be tiering. The girls long, loose fitting white dress swishing around her slim frame. A large black bag slung over one narrow shoulder.
Her blue eyes where large and seemingly innocent. Shadowed by thick black lashes. She did not go unnoticed by the people around her. After all. The 17th floor was known to attract less than pleasant shoppers. Choosing to sell things that might have been illegal. The mall did claim to sell anything and everything. And they had the shops to back it up.
And the pretty face and slender body was a welcome, if not odd, change in the hallways of the 17th floor.
"Hey there little lady. That bag looks pretty heavy. Mind if I take it for you?" asked a hulking alien. Leering down openly at the girl.
She shook her head. Blond curls bouncing fetchingly.
"No thank you. I can manage."
The man didn't seem to hear her, or if he did, he'd ignored her reply completely. He started forward. Trying to snatch the bag away from her. The girl held fast. Blue eyes steely.
"You want the bag?" she said.
The stranger growled and looked at her.
"I'd like more than the bag cutie. So just let it go and we can have some fun."
There was a strange light to the girls eyes as he said that. She let the bag go, allowing the man to tumble to the ground.
"Fun?" she said, her voice had dropped a couple of tones. It was deeper, like a boys. Her eyes flashed. "I'd like some fun. But not the kind you're thinking of."
In a split second a blade shot out of the toe of her boot and she pulled her leg back, swinging it with all the grace of a ballet dancer. Into the mans forehead. Pulling the blade out, the stranger dropped to the floor like a stone. The 'girl' smiled. Picked up her bag and carried on. The surrounding shoppers ignored the scuffle and they walked over the body as if it weren't even there. There where used to things like that happening.
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Ok... so Artemis wasn't on levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9. That left... Butler checked his little map of the CCM. 191 floors to go.
"Wonderful..." he said glumly. Sipping a coke he'd bought from one of the many food outlets.
Butler had long ago realized how stupid this plan was. Sure Artemis could be at the CCM. But that didn't mean it was going to be easy to find him. The genius could be anywhere. And if Butler arrived on a floor Artemis was also on. The boy could spot him and go to another floor. It would just keep going and going... until Butler grew tired of looking for him and gave up. Letting Artemis take over the universe or whatever it is he was planning to do. The Bounty Hunter decided to skip a few floors. It was a pretty slim chance Artemis was going up, one floor at a time. Butler had to think of what would bring the boy here. The reason was probably something shiny and explosive. And shiny and explosive things where on level... 17. He'd go there.
His resolve set and with a new lead on life, Butler headed for the lift.
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Pressed up against the glass viewing window of the elevator, Butler was allowed a quick view of the passing floors. Each view lasted half a second. The lifts really moved fast. And the only reason people weren't glued to the floor was that the lift chambers had some sort of... gravity thing. Butler didn't bother himself with details. He had thought using the glass lifts would give him a chance to get a good look around. But like many of his ideas. It worked out well in theory and never in actual practice.
But Butler wasn't shocked. He didn't normally catch his targets with brilliant schemes and clever traps. Shoot first and ask for identities later. That was his motto. And it worked well. If he had anything to say about it.
The lift stopped and all it's passengers where sent stumbling into eachother. Falling out of the opening doors like sand slipping through open fingers. (1) Butler dusted off his clothes. And climbed over the other shoppers, who scuttled back inside when realizing where they had stopped.
Floor 17.
I should point out that each floor had it's own theme. To suit their separate specialty. Floor 17 sold all things dangerous and illegal (In some parts of the universe). The corridor was dark. The lights where of the dim, blue variety. And the carpet and ceiling were black. It didn't scream "come and shop here!" like the other floors. It practically told shoppers to rack off.
This seemed like the kind of place Artemis would come. It was so obvious Butler didn't know why he hadn't thought of it earlier. He started foreword and over to a shop selling guns. He was thankful for his black clothing and portable armory strapped to his person. Otherwise, he might've looked out of place. The fact that he was 7ft tall and as intimidating as a giant scorpion helped as well.
"Excuse me." he asked the man behind the counter. "You haven't seen a blonde girl in a white dress come in here have you?"
The shop clerk stared at him beedily. One eyebrow raised.
"No."
"Well... how about a slim boy with black hair and blue eyes." Butler tried again.
"No."
Butler pulled the hollo-scroll out and showed the man Artemis' picture. He got the same reply and left the store with a new gun. He didn't need one... but it never hurt to have more than 20.
Shop after shop and Butler got the same response. It seemed Artemis hadn't been here after all. He was wrong. Again. The Bounty Hunter was slouched at the counter of a large store that sold imported poisons. The girl serving him had rushed out the back to take a phone call. Which left Domovoi stranded, by himself.
The bell at the door jingled and Butler turned around to see Artemis, in all his blond, frock covered glory, standing in the open doorway. If he was surprised to see Butler there, he didn't show it. He strolled in. The black bag still hanging from one shoulder, and stood at a shelf near the hunter.
"No hard feelings about getting you arrested." said the convict conversationally. Picking up a vial of something green and fluorescent. He turned his head to smile coyly at Butler. Who snarled at him in return.
"Non at all." he growled out. "How about drugging me, having me raped by an old whore, steeling my money and taking my ship?"
Artemis put the vial back down and picked up another.
"You where careless. I couldn't turn down an opportunity at a free ship." he said simply.
"You drugged me."
"And you where going to use an innocent young boy for sex." Artemis shot back. "Shame on you."
"Innocent... yeah." Butler turned fully, so his back was leaning against the counter. He looked at Artemis for a moment as the boy looked at the different poisons. "Why are you looking at poisons?" he asked finally.
Artemis turned around, white dress twisting around his slime body.
"I like collecting them. What do you think?" he asked in slight amusement, toying with a fat bottle of acid. Butler flushed lightly in embarrassment. Realizing what a stupid question it had been. When the bounty hunter remained silent, Artemis cocked his head to one side. "So... aren't you going to arrest me? I'm just standing here after all."
"With a bottle of acid in your hands." replied Butler in a toneless voice.
Artemis looked at the bottle and laughed lightly. Butler found that he liked the sound. Artemis put the bottle down.
"How about now?"
"What's in the bag." asked Domovoi, changing the subject. The boy was just toying with him after all. He knew Butler couldn't arrest him. Not while he was fully on guard.
Artemis glanced at the bag.
"Nothing you should concern yourself about." he said. "You're awfully nosy."
Butler shrugged. The girl came back. Apologizing for the wait. Butler turned to her, not all the way. Still keeping Artemis in his sights. He thanked her, but said he didn't need her help anymore. He'd found who he was looking for.
"Alright sir." she said. Butler pushed himself off the counter and turned back around. Artemis was gone. Damn it! He'd been right here, under his nose and now he'd lost him. Just wonderful!
Sighing he dragged himself out of the shop. Then stopped when he saw the teenage convict waiting for him outside. Artemis smiled at his expression.
"This game of cat and mouse can be put on hold for the time being." he said. "I'm bored and you're... interesting to talk to."
"What makes you think I won't just kill you?"
A smile.
"Because you have orders not to. The Council need some information I have and I wouldn't be of much use to them dead." Artemis said easily. He was stating classified information as if he'd read it in the morning paper.
"How did you-"
The convict cut him off.
"How did I know? It's quite obvious. The Council have been trying to get me for a while. So many of your kind have come after me for the same reason. I just gathered."
Butler nodded slowly.
"Alright then. But why are you just talking to me like this? I could arrest you and you'd be thrown in jail. Why not run while you had the chance?"
Artemis pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning on and walked over to Butler. Pressing his small body against the hunter's larger bulk.
"Because... I said I was bored. And I want to have some fun. You're cute and I'm pretty, think of the things we could do..." he softly, seductively.
Butler scoffed, but did nothing to remove the welcome warmth.
"Last time this happened you drugged me and stole everything but my clothes."
Artemis shrugged. He reached up and yanked Butler's face down to his level. Tilting his head, Artemis brought his lips up to the others. Barely touching.
"A mistake. But if you'd like to try again. I'd be more than willing."
Domovoi didn't move. Artemis' slim black eyebrows rose and he pulled away. Pouting like a child.
"Well alright then. Your loss." he said, and turned around. Obviously fully intending to disappear again.
Butler came back to his senses quickly and snatched hold of one slim wrist. Pulling Artemis back to him and crushing his mouth against the younger mans.
Like he was going to turn down an opportunity like this.
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(1) I tried to be poetic there. See how bad I am? Which is why my fics don't have a lot of raw, well written emotion. Only when I'm super depressed.
End note: I don't have a plot, yet. But this story didn't have much OF one to begin with. And they kiss and you all are probably thinking it's too fast. But really it isn't. They aren't going to confess their love for one another yet.
And Artemis is going to go back to his normal clothes and hair style soon. I was just playing around with the idea of him being blond.
Review and tell me nice things.
They don't have that button so you can mouth off.