[Moosh da Outlaw]

Super-interns. I guess that sums it up.



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Somebody was talking loudly. Dan’s horns twitched as though he were flicking off an irritable fly. What was everybody doing up so early? He looked up from the pillow his face was embedded in and looked around, surprised. There was hardly anybody around. Had Dan actually gotten to sleep in? He looked around groggily, seeing who was still lingering around. He could see only a few sligs and interns, and those he did see weren’t in their armor. Sligs wore plain metal pants, interns wore their speedos and headphones.

‘Durc probably isn’t working.’ Dan thought, feeling blissful. If Durc didn’t work, his guards didn’t either.

Dan shuffled from where he lay on his bunk, reached past the metal banister, and rummaged around in his dresser directly behind his head. He grabbed his speedo and pulled it on quickly, satisfied. It felt good to be out of his armor and back into his fashionable swimwear. Plus, the scar on his hip from his operation had healed up nicely, and wasn’t even noticeable. Dan put on his baseball cap and his headphones, just for the look, and glanced around the room. Red was already gone. This was expected though. Red wasn’t one to sleep in.

Dan left the guard barracks humming happily to himself. He was in a good mood.

He walked along with no clear sense of direction. It was his first day off in weeks, and yet he had nothing planned. There wasn’t much to do on the airship but work. He supposed that if he wanted to he could get into his guard gear and boss some people around, but there was no point in doing that. So instead, just for a start, Dan decided to find Red. He was probably still upset from what happened to Ian. He could use cheering up.

Dan stepped aside as a stretcher sped by, barely paying attention. With Nedd gone, he hadn’t a worry in the world. He was just being paranoid the night before. After what Nedd did, there was no way he’d still be alive. Dan felt his stomach ache. He remembered how Nedd used to be... but those times were over now. Nedd was gone. Dan could get on with his life.

Dan spotted Red farther ahead, around the area where the Vykker Suites were. He walked over and tapped him smartly on the shoulder. Red didn’t even turn.

...what are they doing in there....? Red whispered to himself, leaning closer. He was looking around the corner at something.

Red? Dan asked, waving a hand in front of his face. You still there?

Red’s head snapped around, his trance broken. Dan felt cold on the inside. Red looked thin and shaken, like a drenched cat. The five cuts over his face were thickly stitched, one of which ran over the top of his head and ended where one of his horns should have been. He looked like both a train wreck and a bouncer rolled into one.

Huh? Red raised his eyebrows.

You okay man? Dan asked slowly. He tried to sound casual, but he could tell his voice was becoming frantic. Is something wrong?

No. Red said eventually, continuing what he was doing; spying. On a metal door.

Behind his stitches, Dan bit his tongue. Are you sure? He sounded concerned. Your acting a little loopy.

Red didn’t answer. At first Dan thought he hadn’t even listened. Then, before Dan could get another comment in, Red whispered What do you think about that door?

Dan paused. Its, I don’t know, a door. Its metal.

People have been going in and out of that room all morning. Now what could they possibly be doing in a room guarded by a metal door? Red leaned closer towards the room. I watched them for a while, and now I think that that’s not even the only door. I think there’s a second door inside. Now why would they need a room with two doors to preform surgery? And have you noticed those two just standing there?

Red pointed at two huge sligs standing on either side of the door. In the hallway traffic, Dan hadn’t even noticed them, but he quickly recognized them.

Those two? Dan echoed. That’s just Vhern’s bodyguards. They do odd jobs for him, mostly guarding stuff. Which is, you know, our job, but still.

Who’s Vhern? Red asked, arching an eyebrow.

Dan blinked in surprise. Of course Red didn’t know who he was; he hadn’t been on the third floor when Vhern introduced himself. He’s the ship’s supervisor. He’s kind of a control freak, so he keeps bodyguards at his sides to keep himself safe and ‘keep the peace.’ Dan paused, wondering if it was worth mentioning. He usually just uses them to threaten people.

Now why would two huge slig bodyguards be standing outside two sets of six-inch-thick metal doors in the late morning while surgeons and tables of medical equipment came in and out?

I don’t—

The vykkers are hiding something. Red said, squinting.

Did you get any sleep at all last night?

I don’t know what they’re doing... his hands closed into fists so roughly that his knuckles cracked, ... but Dan, it isn’t good.

Dan tried to act calm. Red was his friend. He was under a lot of stress. But still, he was acting sick in the head, and although his hunches were usually right, Dan didn’t trust him.

I think you should lie down for a bit, Dan said, choosing his words carefully. I know you’re upset, and I think that it would be best if you just— where are you going?

Red had approached the door and was now attempting to talk with Vhern’s guards. Startled, Dan hurried over and grabbed Red’s shoulder, but Red was already speaking.

So, He said, clapping his hands together, been working for Vhern for a while now, right?

What are you doing? Dan hissed close to his ear.

The slig he had spoken too turned his large head and looked down at him without making a sound. His arms were crossed, and he was leaning against the wall behind him. Dan could see a set of keys glinting on his belt behind his back. Vhern must have trusted them well to have let them handle the keys to the room.

You know, Red said, blinking up at him with only half-sane eyes, I really don’t think you’re as bad as everybody says.

The slig blinked behind his mask’s glass eyeholes. Dan groaned.

I think deep down inside you just want to be loved.

The slig didn’t move a muscle. Without hesitating even the slightest nanosecond Red gave him a big hug.

Dan recoiled in alarm. Red had truly lost it! The slig barked in surprise and kicked Red in the stomach, flinging him back down the hallway. Dan took off after him quickly. Red crashed against a wall and got slowly to his feet, hands behind his back. The two bodyguard sligs just stared at one another in dumb confusion.

Get up. Dan said, aggressively jerking Red to his feet. Red! A maniac! Dan thought he’d never see the day when that happened.
Red followed behind without a single sound as Dan towed him angrily along. Okay, look. I don’t know what the f@%$ that was all about, but I’m gonna try to forget it, so right now lets focus on finding somebody who can help you...

Red held something up triumphantly. Dan stopped walking and blinked deeply, staring. Scissored between Red’s fingers was a brass ring loaded with keys.

You... nicked his keys?

Red nodded, twirling the keys. I can be sneaky when I have to be.

So you’re not insane?

I’m afraid not.

Dan sighed a deep breath of relief, releasing his grip on Red’s arm. That was... Dan crossed his arms, uncalled for...

Now, Red said, slipping the rings into his speedo’s pocket, we can find out what’s really going on behind that door.

Dan sighed. Please tell me you’re not serious.

I’m serious. Sorry. Red blinked. This hellhole is full of secrets. I plan on solving at least one before this ship kills me.

<~{.epidemic.}~>

Nedd shuffled awake, eyes still closed. His whole body hurt. Slowly he opened his gluey eye, and stiffened in alarm.

He couldn’t see!

He was blind!

Nedd panicked instantly, pushing up from where he lie. His head and arms felt heavy. Slowly, he reached up with his hand and felt his face. It was covered by a metal box. He sighed slowly. He wasn’t blind, after all. But, despite that, his left eye socket felt tight and hard; even though there was no eye behind it, he usually had it slightly open. This time, however, he found he couldn’t open it at all. Lying down slowly, Nedd reached down as best he could with his shackles and felt his leg, which was throbbing with pain. There was a tight cast around it. Who had taken the time to fix him up? More importantly, where was he?

‘When I get out of here I swear I’m gonna...’

Nedd’s thought was cut short by the sound of a door shrieking open. Nedd remained as still as stone. The rapid sound of vykker feet filled his ears. Pretending to still be asleep, Nedd kept close to the ground, his eye shifting behind his metal muzzle.

“Hurry up. We have to do this while he’s still out cold!”

They had to do what?

Nedd heard the sound of clinking; like metal chains being shaken. A faint metallic groan followed closely behind. The sound of vykker feet, now mixed with that of an intern’s, came closer and closer. They quickly became more hesitant.

“Careful.”

‘Oh, yeah, you’d better be careful.’

The sound of feet directly next to his head came next. Nedd struggled to remain calm. His instincts were telling him to attack whoever was near, but his mind was against it. He just needed to know what they wanted. Then he would know what to do to stop them.

You sure he’s asleep? An intern’s voice.

“Positive. Now hurry up!” A vykker hissed.

A long pause followed. Nedd held his breath and tried to listen, but he heard nothing. After what felt like forever Nedd felt a slight pressure against the back of his exposed neck, followed by the sharp prick of a needle.

Nedd reared up, lashed out with his arms, and wrapped his shackles around the intern’s neck. The intern screamed, but was cut short as the metal chain constricted around his throat.

“DIE, YOU BASTARD!” Nedd snarled through his teeth. The intern thrashed wildly under his suffocating grasp. Nedd felt multiple needles pierce all over his body, and suddenly his energy was gone.

‘No!’

He fell to the floor with a loud thump, the intern still struggling beneath him. His grip slackened. Nedd’s eye fell shut yet again, and for the second time sleep overthrew him like a blanket, silent and unavoidable.

<~{.epidemic.}~>

“Nice shot!” Vhern said, heartily patting the shoulder of the intern standing next to him. The intern was shaking violently, his eyes wide. The tranquilizer gun fell from his hands.
Nedd shuffled suddenly, and victim crawled out from underneath him, sobbing in terror. He tried to stand, tripped, and fell to his knees, his body jerking spasmodically. Vhern frowned angrily.

“Oh, come on, you’re fine.” Vhern growled impatiently. “Did you at least get the blood sample?”

The intern crawled pathetically over to Nedd and plucked the blood-filled needle from his neck. Vhern grinned. After the intern had left Nedd’s cage, Vhern handed the blood sample to Brux. His mouth was still gaping open.

“What are you, a fish?” Vhern demanded, adjusting his glasses. Brux closed his mouth abruptly.

“Nedd tried to kill that intern!” he squeaked.

“Who cares? Just do the blood test already so we can move on. Unlike you, I actually have a life.”

Without further complaint Brux hurried off towards the other side of the room and plugged in the vial of blood, his arms crunched close to his sides for comfort. Vhern didn’t get why he was so sensitive. This ship was crawling with interns; who cared what happened to just one? With a dramatic sigh Vhern strolled over to Brux and leaned in to observe what he was doing. “Now what?”

Even though Vhern hadn’t said anything of real meaning, Brux still flinched. “This squishes the blood around and separates it into just pieces of flesh, and plasma particles.”

“Ooh.”

Brux closed his hands into fists to control his trembling claws. He didn’t exactly like Vhern leaning so close over his shoulder. “We’ll see how much cylonite is in his blood this way.”

Vhern scrawled down something on his clipboard. “Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.” He left the room without so much as a goodbye.

Brux kept close to the blood-separating-device (he’d never learned to pronounce its name, but what he did know was that it had a p in it) and closed his eyes. In the back of the room he could hear the interns talking worriedly to each other. He looked back at them slowly. They formed a social group; they actually seemed worried at what went on with their fellow colleges. The truth was that it had to do with how they were treated; they were practically slaves. The only comfort they got in their lives was from each other. But Brux still didn’t understand. Why weren’t vykkers like that? Didn’t vykkers need friends, too?