Galaxy (GIVEN UP)

Chapter 35

"We lost 'em?" Ax asked as Virgil sat down heavily by the doorway. Virgil nodded.

"As far as I can tell, yeah." He said. He sighed and brushed his fringe out of his eyes. "Sweet Genar..." Virgil muttered.

"What did they want with you, Virge?" Roman asked.

Virgil sighed again and leaned his head back against the doorframe. "I ran into... an old friend." He said hesitantly. "They're tryin' to build the molecular disengagement thin' on a galactic scale but they killed their head engineer." Virgil blew a breath out. "They need a replacement."

"An' they came ta ya?" Ax asked. Virgil nodded. "Why?"

"I've known this... friend for a long time." Virgil explained. "We... I guess ya could say we studied engineerin' together? I was there when he got the plan for the molecular disengagement. Guess he must've thought o' me."

Ax laughed quietly. "How thoughtful." Xe said sarcastically. "Anyway, what's this... molecular disengagement thin'?"

"Erases all particles in whatever it hits." Virgil explained. "Immediately."

"We saw it happen." Roman chipped in. "A Resistance ship was tailing us and then it got hit and just..." he shook his head. "It just disappeared."

"It's supposedly the most painful way to die in the galaxy." Virgil said. "I can't exactly imagine it'll be nice, either way. Every atom in yar body fold in on itself an' everythin' gets smaller and smaller until it shrinks to the size of an electron an' then, supposedly, it explodes."

"How'd's'that work?" Ax asked.

"Well, space can't take so much shoved into a space'that small so it destroys it." Virgil said. He tapped the floor nervously. "It all happens within three to five seconds. An' they wanted me to... build it bigger. They woulda killed me otherwise."

"You didn't do anything, though, right?" Roman asked.

"Course I didn't, Princey!" Virgil snapped. "I woulda died before I helped Incus with his plan! It's awful, it's barbaric, it's..." Virgil sighed in exasperation and ran a hand through his hair again. "I gotta stop it."

"We're going to stop it, Virge." Roman assured. "Or, at least, stop them. Ax agreed to help. Ax, show him what you got."

Ax grinned at the back of Roman's head and swiped a hologram up through xir jacket. "Pat Picani." Xe said proudly. "Owes me a favour far a while back, best bounty hunter in th' galaxy. 'Part from Boba Fett, course."

"A bounty hunter?" Virgil asked nervously.

"You never said they were a bounty hunter." Roman said, equally nervous.

"How else d'ya suppose they're gonna help?" Ax asked. "They can get ya ta someone who knows 'bout this stuff. They know everyone." Xe looked between the two. "S'that a problem?"

"Kinda, yeah." Virgil said. "Doubt they'll take nicely to bein' asked for help by a thief."

"I'm probably on their list too." Roman said.

"Ya?" Virgil asked disbelievingly. "Ya never done nothin'."

"Yeah, exactly." Roman said. "I'm not on the nicest terms with the Resistance. They don't take kindly to deserters."

"Ya left?" Virgil repeated incredulously.

"I couldn't do anything else!" Roman protested. "Turns out I can't stand killing people. Who'd've thought? That and the fact I stole the Kaboom Raa 15, I'm not exactly in the Resistance's good books. They've probably sent me out with a good few credits on my head."

"They're all I can offer." Ax said. "They can be reasoned wi' but I don't know no one else."

"Thoughts?" Roman asked. Virgil shrugged.

"We need all the help we can get." He said quietly. "What're their co-ordinates?"

"Last time I checked, they were on Tatooine." Ax said. "They coulda moved but I'll send them a comm, see where they are."

Virgil nodded as Ax stood up. Xe patted Roman on the shoulder.

"Don't forget th' favour ya owe me, pretty boy." Xe murmured, smirking. Xe left the room.

"So... ya left?" Virgil asked again. Roman nodded slowly.

"I lost someone who was as good as my brother on my first mission, okay?" Roman asked. "It wasn't as fun anymore. And then I kept crashing ships and..." He shuddered slightly and shook his head. "I just couldn't stay, okay?"

"Hey, I ain't judgin'!" Virgil said. "Just wonderin' if this is the best thin', then."

"We don't have many other options." Roman said. "Besides, if Ax trusts them, how bad can they be?"

The plot's finally slotting back into place. Wonderful!
Bye,
Blaize