King of nothing

Posted on Thu Dec 12th, 2019 @ 10:49am by Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Casperia Prime - A lesson in relaxation
Location: Casperia Prime
Timeline: MD2 - 08h00
688 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

The walk back to the shuttle had been a somber affair for S'hib, sitting atop the mountainside eating breakfast alone wasn't how he envisioned this trip going, Maybe it was for the best he thought sourly, removing the wooden guitar from the side of his bag.

Gently strumming the strings S'hib looked up at the tree canopy, the notes echoing throughout the vast forest as he started to sing.

"I sold my soul to the Devil...
He said You don’t need your heart
In this world full of trouble
Where the madness won’t stop
And they take advantage
And they run for the hills
‘Cause life is harder
When you're swallowing pills
Being lonely..."

S'hib paused for a moment, licking his lips while continuing to play his guitar, clicking his hooves in rhythm with the song as he walked along.

"Took a walk with an angel
Because she said she can’t fly
I screamed out, Can you forgive me?
Before she said goodbye
Well, go into darkness before I try
Is life worth living when you need to get by?
I’m still lonely."

"I was the king but not the king of anything
I'm still lonely
I’m still lonely
I’m still ..."

Stopping abruptly S'hib stared ahead of himself with an intense look only a terrified prey animal could, his ears flicking nervously around his surroundings.

"Lonely..." He mumbled to himself, edging forward before suddenly throwing his guitar to his right, his eyes wide with shock as it fell to the floor entangled In a thick wire net.

"Fire another!" Shouted an irritated giant of a man bursting out of the trees, pointing his green sausage like fingers at S'hib.

But he was already running, discarding his backpack as he did so. "Orions..." S'hib thought to himself as he volted over a downed tree, another wire net hitting the dead bark with a heavy thud.

Running seemed to be the only thing he was good at doing, running away from his problems, and apparently slavers. "I should have stayed on that damn farm." He muttered to himself as he broke from the tree line and took off over the beach, the shuttle tantalizingly close.

But as it was he wasn't fast enough, the weighted net curling around his chest and arms hitting him hard in the back, A few panicked steps later and he hit the wet sand with a panicked cry.

Rolling onto his back S'hib watched the Orion slavers approach, shouting at each other about not being able to find a woman. "Naxea..." S'hib said quietly to himself through gritted teeth, trying desperately to break free from his bonds.

"The hell do you want?" S'hib shouted through sand covered lips, trying to push himself away from the group around him."

"You, ofcourse." Said the Orion that had trapped him, a smug smile across his broad face as he patted the net launcher.

"I reckon you'll sell for quite a lot you will, not seens one of you before." Grumbled another bare chested Orion before leaning down towards S'hib, his large green hand moving towards his chest.

"Don't you dare touch me!" S'hib spat as he kicked a hoof out, hitting the Orion square in the face, the sound was sickening and seemed to echo along the shoreline like a thunderclap.

"You belong to the Orion Syndicate now, just so you know..." Said another to S'hibs side, watching his colleague fall to his knees, clutching his blooded face. "I suggest you start learning some respect..." He added before thrusting a barbed metal stick into the Sequellian's side, the end erupting into life as soon as it struck his flesh, causing S'hib to convulse violently.

Scream, it was all he could do as electricity burned into him, the pain was indescribable, like being back in that hallway and being shot again... though this time it was somehow worse.

The last thing he could think of before passing out was the smell of his hair burning, and the laugh of the Orion stood above him.

OFF:

Lieutenant JG S'hib
Property of the Orion Syndicate.