The Bounty

Episode 11: Hunted pt 4

Vaughn sat himself on the top of his ships ramp, waiting for the new arrival of his paid to come along sidekick for finding shoyo. It was the late afternoon on the planet Extrava V. It's been a bit since he was last here on this planet.. last time Vaughn was here, he had a bounty on The Mob. When times were simple for money and hunting, before he found himself on the run in order to protect a girl from being killed and who knows what else.. as usual the planet was windy and cold. Snow flying in the sky to the left and right. "This ship reads you've been here before.. why is that?" Bot asked as he flown over with curiousity. The armored hunter looked to the small angled drone. "Bounty hunting.. it's complicated.." Vaughn said as he looked around the area. Bot looked away from Vaughn and looked off in the distance. "I've never really thought of traveling with you and shoyo.. I always believed I'd be stuck as a medical bot... but ever since I managed to travel with you two, I've gotten to see something's not even a base model me would believe.." bot said then flying into the ship abit to avoid the snow and cold. Vaughn chuckled and looked back to the bot. "Well- I'll tell you one thing.. it doesn't get easier from here when we get shoyo.." Vaughn said as he stood up, seeing a ship land beside his. It was a weird and oddly shaped ship.. something too odd to even think of designing. It was a Freighter class modified medical ship like Vaughn's.. it's color different and less worn and damaged. "That must be the recruit.." Vaughn said as he began stepping down the ramp. He watched as the ship across lower its ramp to reveal a blue cloaked figure, its stance familiar.. The figure began making its way down, Vaughn realizing his recruit was a female just from the walk and the figure of her.. the hood overlapped her face making it hard to see who it is. Bot flown down beside Vaughn, looking at the cloaked figure. "Come on in.. we'll get you briefed and we'll be off." Vaughn said as he moved out of the way of the woman, herself then walking up the ramp of Vaughn's ship. Vaughn and bot followed.

As they were in the ship, and the ship in the air. Vaughn stood infront of a rectangular table with a small holo projector in the middle. It had projected a ship owned by the pirates. "Alright, from what we know.. Reaper has been moving from different faction ships to fuel up. From what I'm guessing is that- he is traveling far to where ever he got his bounty puck from." Vaughn explained, pointing out different places on the holo. "What about the plan to get shoyo?" The woman asked as she taken off her hood to reveal the brown haired, and now one eyed woman.. Jupiter. Vaughn looked up and even tensed up from looking at her. Bot looked to Vaughn and back to Jupiter. "Surprise." Jupiter said as she raised her hands a bit. The armored hunter stayed silent, just glaring at her. "Look.. I'm sorry for everything I caused.. I've changed alright?" Jupiter says as she walked around the table making her way to Vaughn. Bot moved away and to the other side of the table. "I don't think it takes that short of time to change.." Vaughn says as he stood straight. Jupiter looking at the gold visor of Vaughn's helmet. "Being stuck in toxin for awhile and going away to think does make it shorter.." Jupiter says as she placed a hand on Vaughn's chest plate. "Where did the Vaughn I once knew go?-" Jupiter asked as he looked down to her hand slowly. Bot looked at the two confused as hell. His eye shrunken from disbelief at basically everything he's seeing. "Gone.." Vaughn said as he looked down to her, straightening himself and keeping his focus. Then moving away and to the cockpit. Bot flown over slowly next to Jupiter who had a look of defeat on her face. "What- happened between you two?" Bot asked as he then flown infront of Jupiter. "It was long ago.. before the massacre.. a story which you would need to hear both sides of to understand.." Jupiter said looking to bot. The little ai/drone flown from Jupiter to the cockpit where Vaughn had sat. Bot then flown over the control panel. "Soo-" bot said trying to start a conversation and stop any tension. "Don't. Even. Try." Vaughn said aggressively, his glare to the small drone. Bot nodded with his eye "got it-".

Later on they would make it to the ship was was in the middle of a run. It was an immediate shoot out between the two ships. Vaughn's ship taking a few hits before doing a barrel roll to the right and firing a missile at the frigate the sat. The bottom of the frigate stationed was a fighter like ship, a rare model for the most. On its left wing saying Reaper.

On the inside of Vaughn's ship, the armored Hunter looked to bot and pointed to the ship that was stationed. "Found him!" Bot said in excitement. Vaughn leaned forward, then examining the pirate ship. It was off, he would've expected reaper to run off.. but there was no sign of the ship ever starting.. Jupiter then entered the cockpit looking out the front. "Huh- that was easier then I thought." She said as she sat down in a co-pilot chair. "Something's off.." Vaughn said as he then noticed the ship resisting to pull away. Vaughn jerked the controls to the right, then the left... nothing, the ship wasn't even responsive at this point. "We're being beamed in!" Bot yelled as the ship began rumbling towards the frigate. "That shot must've made us vulnerable." Vaughn said as he adjusted some of the controls on the control panel of the ship. "Reaper must've gotten himself caught aswell.." Jupiter realized. Vaughn looked to Jupiter then to bot. "Prepare to board.." the armored hunter said as he gotten up and walked out of the cockpit.

As the ship was pulled into the frigates hangar, outside stood many pirates who stood in a firing line ready to take out whoever exited the ship.. all around the ship were other small fighters and troopers, though the fighters not in use and the other troopers going on about they're business. The door to Vaughn's ship opened and there stood the blue armored hunter, his visor shining from the lights above, and his stance strong and menacing to the ones below. "I'm sorry to announce.." Vaughn began as he stood still. His voice echoing through the hangar. "That your all out of time." Vaughn said as he made a fist with his hand, causing small missiles to fly through out the air, piercing each individual who stood infront of him, from whistle to silence. Each of the men fell down, guns slamming making a clank! Vaughn started down the ramp, taking out his blaster. "Come on." The armored titan said as he looked back. Along came Jupiter, herself in her blue cape. "Bot, stay back with the ship." Vaughn ordered as he looked up to the entrance to the ship. Bot just hovered there, then nodding. "I'll make sure no one gets inside this ship." Bot said then flying off into the ship and disappearing. Jupiter and Vaughn looked at each other, then to the entrance to a hallway. "Off to find Shoyo." Jupiter said giving vaughn a faint smile. Vaughn would shake his head, walking off.

The two would wander off down the halls, they'd take out pirates and different reconnaissance drones. Each hall being either easily cleared, or more difficult to take out. Each wave of troops and bots, tired them out. Eventually they had made it to a room full of cells. The prison area. The two wandered down the hall of cells, each one empty. Jupiter stood behind, talking into a small metal cylinder. Vaughn paused, feeling off about the situation. "Well darling, looks like you'll have to sit with em.." Jupiter said as she pointed her gun to Vaughn's back. "Knew it was too good to be true.." Vaughn said as he slowly turned around. Seeing that Jupiter was in slow tears. "We- we had to take the chance.." Jupiter said as she held her blaster to Vaughn. The armored Hunter backed away, himself putting his blaster into his holster. "I'm sorry.." Jupiter said keeping her aim, pushing back the armored hunter in front of a cell. "Just as I thought a rescue could get any worse." A familiar voice said from behind. Vaughn looked back and seen the reaper. His white and black armor with his black visor on his helmet. Next to reaper was an injured shoyo. Vaughn quickly looked to Jupiter who was teared up opening the cell, then pushing him in. "It didn't have to be this way, not for us.." she said before closing the cell. Vaughn tilted his head. "the hell she talking about?" Reaper asked. Vaughn slowly turned around, looking to reaper.

Reaper gave a glare, then taking a look to shoyo. "They did that to her.." reaper said as he crouched down checking on the teen. Vaughn stood for a moment, his rage filling. "What happened?" Vaughn said trying to hold it all down. Reaper shrugged. "Don't know.."

to be continued..