Outcast

Prolouge

"Yes sir!" I replied to the captain's orders through my earpiece, preparing to hop into my small pod to go check that the licences were up to date on one of the bigger spaceships floating in the galaxy. "Wait one second, Smith," one of my commanding officers said with a sneer, presenting a piece of paper. "We just caught wind that Geoffrey is pushing up daisies. Croaked. Did you catch wind of this?" I gritted my teeth, narrowing my eyes. "As a matter of fact, I did, sir. Why is this relevant?" Geoffrey had been my rival in everything since we were 3. 13 years later and it was still the same, until one day he's found shot dead right in his sleeping quarters on this very ship. Of course I knew, we boarded together.  The captain had meant to keep it a silent affair, but if Officer Xavier caught wind, evidently our silence was screwed. "Because I am under the impression that you are a very likely suspect, Smith. Keep giving me that attitude and you'll get a longer jail sentence then you're already in for." I bristled. "How am I already due for a jail sentence? You can't prove anything, and I can swear it wasn't me, sir." He shook his head, the sly grin giving me the greatest urge to slap it off his scruffy face. "Lying to your commanding officer. And on a swear too! This is simply most uncalled for, Smith." I gritted my teeth, hoping my unnaturally sharp canines would intimidate him. They didn't. I suddenly realized I was not really helping my case. "Might I ask, sir, why I'm instantly being charged without a trial?" He raised his chin in the hopes of making me feel inferior. I only felt more obliged to slap him upside the head any second. "Because it was your pistol that shot him, of course. Same bullet, pistol lying on the ground, there's no reason why I cannot insist you ate jailed, Smith. Do remember I was the one who taught you persuasive speech so long ago," he sneered, clasping his bony hands together. "You're going to FRAME ME? What the h-" he held up his hands, grinning. "The more agreessive you act, the more right I have to jail you, Smith." I growled, punching his jaw so hard that the entire ship most likely heard the spine-tingling SNAP! I backed away, horror in both of our eyes. He grabbed his broken jaw, screaming in agony, as the captain walked in. The captain, who I'd loved for so long, who'd taken me in and treated me like a son, gave me a look of disapproval and shame. He knew. He thought I'd killed him. That look I'd never forget. For as I found my pistol in the drawer of the desk behind me, it was his last.