Battle Beyond The Stars: The Patrollers' Victim

Shut up. The film had its points. True, it was a ripoff of The Magnificent Seven...which itself was a ripoff of The Seven Samurai.

My muse feels sorry for the wedding officiator whom Sador's men kidnapped from Akir and doubtless did...terrible things to her. But she showed that true fighting spirit was not unique to Shad; she fought back and prevented them from striking at Gelt...not that it would've done any good, his ship being far superior. From watching the film I see she was never even given the dignity of a name. Such, alas, is often the fate of supporting characters - probably Tembo and Kalo were lucky to get names.

My muse, sympathetic as ever for women's rights and the plight of the underdog, took a hand. Here it is.

UPDATE: I just read the credits. If I have the right actress, her name is Mol. Oops!

The Bug Raider

In orbit of Akir

Kalo heard the Akira woman's cries of pain and distress as Tembo assaulted her, and enjoyed them. Be his turn soon.

Until an alarm signal hooted. He checked the approach scanner, which until now had shown the expected nothing.

Now... "Three...five...six...seven! Tembo!" Kalo snapped. "Come on up here!"

"I'm busy!" Tembo reproached, enjoying the feel of the Akira woman's breasts and other parts. He'd been right; she'd served as a delicious distraction from their boring patrol duty, keeping an eye on the natives for Sador. They had only the simplest tech, nothing that could make a dent in a Bug Raider, so why bother?

Still, you didn't argue with Sador. Not if you wanted to stay in one piece.

But then his companion insisted, "Forget about her! Something's coming!"

Tembo made his way forward, adjusting his uniform. "What?"

"Something's coming," Kalo repeated. "Seven ships!"

Tembo checked the scanner. Sure enough, there they were. None were familiar. "Seven..." he echoed, worried. His initiative wasn't much to speak of, as was common amongst Sador's rank and file (with an emphasis on 'rank'). So he asked uncertainly, "What do you think we should do?"

"Run away?" Kalo ventured.

"Good idea!" Tembo approved, and they started to do just that. They knew Sador was expecting no opposition, so seven ships were worrying. They might be rewarded for warning him.

Or at least not executed...or worse.

The Star Blade Make 'Em Nervous

But Gelt had already seen them making a break for it. His was, he knew, the fastest ship. So he increased thrust.

The Bug Raider

"Hurry!" Tembo rasped. Their pursuer was gaining.

Rapidly.

Tembo repeated, louder, "Hurry! It's gaining on us!"

"They can't be!" Kalo protested. "We're at full thrust!"

The Star Blade

Indeed they were. But even an unmodified Star Blade would have caught up with them, even at 80% thrust. With Make 'Em Nervous, only 70% was required. The mods hadn't come cheap, and he'd had to kill three rivals to get them. But it was worth it. Now, for the first time in years, she was showing what she could do. This was better, he decided, than his throne room.

Might even be fun.

He knew a little about Akir. It was known for its fresh food.

And, he thought with relish, likely there won't be a single serpent in the meal.

If I never see a serpent again, it'll be too soon. You can only cook them so many times in so many ways before they get boring...and disgusting.

'A meal, and a place to hide'. A fair bargain. Beggars can't be choosers.

Not that I'm a beggar, of course.

The Bug Raider

"It's gaining on us!" Tembo cried.

But Kalo wasn't the only one who'd heard.

Mol, her dress reduced to rags, her elaborate hairdo in ruins, was hurting, more from her humiliation than anything else - which her captors had enjoyed, she knew bitterly. The Varda taught that the act of sex was to be performed only between two people (though Zed had once told raucous tales about an orgy on Deltaine), either for progeny or for love, both pure motives. Indeed, a child was the purest expression of love there could be. She'd been happily blessing such a union when she was taken.

She wasn't against the idea of humans and non-humans in sexual congress; it wasn't unknown. But these beasts...

Though she'd pleaded and then, as the Varda taught, fought when she had to, they'd been too strong for her. The things they'd done to her...

The pain as one had thrust into her, laughing...

Her belly hurt. She felt ill. She'd been a virgin before her violation, and she was bleeding from...there.

One arm wasn't quite right. The one called Tembo had gloated as he twisted it, relishing her scream of pain and fear. Now they were busy flying the craft...to escape seven more. From where she crouched she could just see the scanner.

And one of the ships resembled...Nell.

Her heart leapt in hope. Had Shad succeeded in his desperate mission to find allies?

Zed had once tried to teach tactics to the Akira, but in the young ones spirit seemed extinct - except for Shad. But she remembered that Zed taught that surprise could be a potent weapon in battle. "Sometimes," he'd said, "the best weapon is one your opponent knows nothing about."

But as yet Sador knew nothing of Nell or the other ships - and these perverts were likely speeding to warn him. More, she knew from their talk that they were being chased. She'd studied Galactic History on a whim, and recognised the pursuing ship as a Star Blade. Superior acceleration - and heavily armed. This thing would probably be outmatched.

A new feeling stole over her. She was wounded, hurting and after what they'd done to her, she wanted to die so as to escape her horrible memories. But perhaps...perhaps she could do something to help.

If the Star Blade's pilot had in mind what she was sure he did, then any distraction on her part could only aid him.

True, she would die.

So be it.

Tembo snarled, "Enough! Turn around and face it!"

"That's crazy! You don't know what it is!"

Then Mol struck, interfering with their actions.

"Get her off me!" Kalo cried as she fought.

"No!"

"Get her off!"

Tembo yelled, "Get her out of here! Get her out of here!"

But Mol hung on.

Aboard the Star Blade

The Bug Raider was now in range. It was elementary battle tactics to take out the ship before its pilots could warn Sador. So Gelt energised the weapons.

Despite what he'd told Shad, even a mercenary such as he had principles of a sort; he noted there were three forms aboard. Standard crew complement for a Bug was two. Therefore an Akira was aboard.

He knew of the rapacious appetites of Sador's soldiers. The form scan showed the third form was female.

Gelt could well imagine what they'd done to her.

Thus this would serve three purposes: Prevent Sador from receiving warning; end her suffering...and afford her a measure of revenge.

Even in death, she would win.

The Bug Raider

"We're losing speed!" Kalo cried - not that it mattered, apart from making Gelt's job a little easier.

Much the same was on Mol's mind as she fought. But she would die as part of a purpose: to prevent a warning and so serve her friends and her beloved world. That, by the Varda, was good.

So she fought.

By the Varda, Mol swore, I will stop you! I hope you suffer as I did!

Tembo, enraged now, screamed, "TURN AROUND AND FACE HIM!"

The Star Blade

They were, of course, far too late - and totally outmatched anyway. Their ship flew into Gelt's crosshairs.

Only a few bolts would be required. He opened fire.

The shots hit the Bug directly and efficiently destroyed it.

The Bug Raider

And in the instant they did, Mol was at peace. She had a fraction of a second to see the ship coming apart and the fire reaching for them.

There is no true death, the Varda says. Only a change of form. I embrace my change.

She was almost happy as she died.

The Varda teaches us that each form has its function. Mine was to help ensure Sador was not informed.

I have fulfilled my function. They will never tell him now. Thus I die content.

The Cowboy's Cargo Hauler

"Beautiful," Space Cowboy said softly as the Bug came apart. "I love to see a pro at work."

Nell

"He's had a lot of practice," Shad nodded in satisfaction. "Nell, I think we may have bought ourselves a chance. Let's head for the surface."

"Something you should know, Shad," Nell said softly. "According to the feed I'm getting from Akir, it wasn't just two of Sador's goons aboard." She paused. "Mol was conducting a joining. They took her."

Baffled, Shad asked, "Why?"

Nell resisted the urge to sigh. He was a good kid, a bit of a throwback to the Great Ones (not that that was a bad thing in her opinion), but so naïve. "Shad...most of Sador's soldiers are almost as depraved as he is. A woman. Two men - well, near enough. Do the math."

He did, and gasped. His conclusion was horrifying. "You mean they -?"

"Very likely she wanted to die, Shad," Nell confirmed gently. "If anything, this was a mercy."

"Oh no..." he breathed. "Did...did Gelt know?"

"Probably. Even a standard Star Blade has terrific sensors, and I bet that one is above standard - mercs tend to upgrade their ships. They can afford it, and the Star Blade's design lends itself to easy mods, so they were popular with mercs. Better weapons, sensors, drive systems. So yes, probably he knew. But, Shad...what was the alternative? Leaving them to warn Sador - and do who knows what else to Mol en route, on top of the terrible things they'd probably done to her already? What does the Varda say?"

Shad sighed. "It says 'Pursue justice at all times. Only in dealing fairly with others will they deal fairly with you'."

"And Mol was given justice even in death," Nell said. "Gelt had no choice, Shad. You know that. Just like you and the Jackers. We had to destroy them to protect Cowboy. Poor kid must have suffered. Honestly, she's better dead."

"And she died instantly," Shad noted, "or in a second at most."

"There are worse ways to go. I know, I saw them with Zed."

Shad said nothing further as they descended.

Was it wrong by the Varda to be pleased Mol was dead? Yes, in one sense. But at least her suffering was at an end.

That, he decided, he could live with.

Later Shad confronted Gelt, who nodded. "Yes, I knew. The form scanner picked up three - one female. But what was I supposed to do? There was no way I could rescue her - a Bug Raider is too small to have an airlock; that's why they're equipped with teleport. And rescue her for...what? A lifetime of remembering what they did to her, suffering with the memories? No, Shad. This way Mol got a clean death - much cleaner than she'd have gotten on Sador's ship...assuming they kept her alive that long. Which, frankly, I doubt they would have." A cynical smile. "They wouldn't want Sador to know about their...indiscretion."

"And there will be worse, unless we fight," Zed pronounced. "The dead cannot follow the Varda. Only the living can do that. Thus to live by the Varda, we must live. To live...we must fight."

"We will," Shad swore. "For Mol, for the ones they murdered, and for all of us, we will."

And they did.

THE END

"Our emissary has returned from Umateal. They have replied to our ultimatum."

"And?"

(Yago hands him a small leather pouch)

"What's this?"

"It is our emissary, sir. They have...powdered him!"

(Angered, Sador tosses the emissary at Yago)

"They are...a proud form...!"

"I like your company."

"Thanks." (He prepares a glass) "Well...remember the Alamo!" (drinks)

"You forgot the ice and soda."

"Ahem. No. No, I didn't."

"You're an artist, Dako."

"Thank you, Lord Sador."

"An artist."

(He notices the slight problem - his glove has five digits, but the Nestor had only three digits on his hand)

"But when we conquer Akir and you have some time...you must do something about this."

"Sador! This is Cayman of the Lambda Zone! Turn around, you overaged degenerate, and we'll bump heads!"

- Battle Beyond The Stars