Beyond the Law: A Star Citizen Tale

Chapter 6: No Way Out

     Our time had passed, everyone slowly making their way to the exit, hidden in plain sight due to the shadows. First it was Piper and Harry, then Marigold, Leo, Thatcher, and then me. Once we were a ways into the ventilation shaft. Harry reached down and grabbed a bag with a gun in it, a Warhawk pistol worn by the guards in the prison.
     "Alright lads, from here on out, you follow us, keep up or you will be left in the gutter to rot." Harry said before moving deeper into the shaft and reaching a big tunnel leading up and down. Massive fan blades spun below, at a speed able to tear you to shreds. Everyone looked down at it, then to Harry who was beginning to shimmy along a short ledge around to a hole in the wall across the way, one wrong step and you were a goner. They took it slow, making sure they had their feet planted before shimmying once more toward the hole in the wall. Everyone made it over, all sighing in relief as Piper was the last to make it. As she made the final step, her foot slipped, starting to fall back as Harry and Thatcher both jumped in, grabbing her legs before it was too late. Piper screamed in terror before going silent after hitting her head on the wall. Everyone soon came in, helping pull her up. Piper was unconscious, laying there
"She might have a concussion.. she had to have hit her head hard down there." Thatcher said
"I'm not leaving Piper to these fucks, no way!" He tried slapping her awake, not hard, but enough to grab your attention
"Guys they could have heard that scream.. we need to get going." Leo said in a bit of fear before Harry turned to him.
"I'm not leaving her behind you numb skull!" He then shook her more and more, her eyes slowly opening. Harry sighing happily before hugging her tightly.
"Piper get up we need to get moving, you can rest once we reach the ship" Piper groaned as he pulls her up, everyone now moving through the cave system behind Harry. Marigold would keep an eye on Piper, helping her climb up as the crew reached a section of climbing. It was a steep fall the higher they got, the floor below starting to look like a bottomless pit.
"How much longer we got Harry?" Anthony would ask.
"We are reaching the halfway point as we speak"
"Better be, Piper isn't looking too good." Marigold would chime in, helping Piper around. They couldn't stop again even if they wanted too, the time until arrival was closing in, and their disappearance would be noticed sooner or later. It was then they reached the top, finding themselves at one last jump before continuing on. Marigold would sit Piper down softly and walk forward to look over the edge, looking back to Harry and giving him a look.
"Piper won't be able to make this jump, and I sure as hell know none of us can make the jump carrying her." Harry was silent, looking down at his feet before looking back up as Marigold with a smile on his face.
      "Cause this is where I draw the line mate." He then grabbed Thatcher, keeping an arm around his head and pointing a gun to his head as the crew would look in shock, Leo trying to stop him, but stopping himself once he saw the gun.
     "Back the fuck up or he dies!" Piper would lay their unconscious as the crew was struggling to find a way around this.
     "What the hell Harry! What are you doing!?" Harry was full of anger, pushing the barrel against Thatcher's head as he kept a finger on the trigger.
"Davis Thatcher, Really that's the best name you coulda changed it to! Fucking aye Calico, you are just as stupid as I once remembered you to be!" Everyone looked on surprised, Anthony now realizing their part in Thatcher's past life.
"You left us to rot in this god forsaken prison while you got off Scott free! Making a new life for yourself! While we rot!"
"You all got caught on your own! I told you the way to go and you were too stubborn to listen! Both of you!" Harry would look over at the Black Nebula crew, a grin growing before he laughed.
"They don't know do they? That the untrustworthy Bounty Hunter was leading them all this time? Hahaha! You are so predictable!" Thatcher looked over everyone, a look of guilt in his eyes. It was the same Anthony had seen when they had talked earlier. He thought to himself for a moment, realizing the lunatic was mostly focused on Thatcher, looking over at the crew every now and then. Anthony started to sneak around, using the shadows to his advantage even though the yellow was quite noticeable.
     "How long were you gonna take before telling them the truth huh? Gonna betray them like you did us aye?!" Harry yelled out.
     "I'm a changed man now! That was the past!" Harry would start to press down on the trigger as Anthony rushed in from behind, tackling the two down. Harry fired the gun, sending a bullet into the rock wall, as Thatcher tumbled toward the crew. Everyone was now pitching in as Anthony fought to keep Harry from aiming the gun at anyone else, firing multiple times in the air next to Anthony's face. His ears rang, Marigold running in to help, but was met with a tackle by Piper, sending the two rolling toward the edge and rolling over. Leo ran to their aid, finding Marigold had a hold on the edge while Piper held onto Marigold's leg.
     "Give up! This isn't your fight to win!" Harry said before Thatcher came up and smashing a rock against the glass on Harry's helmet, sending the man onto his back, a shard of glass in his eye as he was seemingly choking on the air he was breathing. A sign that the air systems were no longer reaching the point where we stood.
     "Thatcher! The gun!" Leo yelled out, Thatcher was quick to kick the pistol to him. Below Piper was trying to climb up Marigolds' leg, causing her fingers to slip. Leo aimed the gun down and fired multiple shots. Most of them landing in her head as she fell below into the shadowy pit. Leo pulled up Marigold and the crew would all catch their breath.
     "That was way too close.. holy shit" Anthony said as his ears began to stop ringing. Marigold would nod before Leo stood up shortly after. His eyebrow was raised and he did not seem happy to be looking at his captain.
     "When we get out of here.. you are gonna explain everything. You got that?" Leo would say, Thatcher nodding in response. They all started back to escaping shortly after. Continuing on through the tunnels until they reached a door, pressing a button and opening it. The outer world of Hurston could be seen, as well as a Ursa ground vehicle placed perfectly for them.
     "Load up everyone, the ship will be coming at any minute now!" Thatcher yelled to the crew, filing inside and moving up the front to find Anthony already in the driver seat, smiling softly and getting in the passenger seat.  Anthony took off, hearing turret fire soon after. Above them was an Anvil Carrack ship flying down and overhead.
     "Well I'll be damned! Haven't seen this beauty in years!" Thatcher said with a big smile on his face. The carrack would open its ramp, flying ahead of us and almost at ground level. A voice would pick up on comms.
     "Better make it fast! Got a hill coming up ahead!" The voice exclaimed into comms. Anthony stepped on the gas, speeding ahead as turrets fired at the ship, soon riding up the ramp and into the ship. The voice spoke again.
     "Better hold onto something!" The ramp would raise as the ship pulled up hard, making the whole ship shake as it raised into the air. There was a moment of relief, being inside the Carrack. Anthony would look over at Thatcher, there was a look of anger on his face, even though he was safe.
     "Got something you wanna say captain?" Anthony asked. Thatcher was looking at the magazine before looking over to Anthony.
     "If Harry and Piper turned on me.. I have a feeling our welcome won't be so well received here.. be prepared for one more fight. Anthony nodded and followed Thatcher out the back, Leo and Marigold following behind and walking out to see what was members of Thatcher's old crew, their smiles turning to frowns seeing Harry and Piper wasn't there, only Thatcher with his pistol ready.
     "Expected Harry and Piper.. not the whole Nebula crew." The Merc would say.
     "They died on the way here.. and I have a feeling that means your plan didn't go as you wished." Thatcher said with a blank face, bringing up the pistol mid sentence and gunning down the three that stood before the crew, blood splattering on to the white porcelain walls of the Carrack's interior. No one would stop Thatcher as he dropped the pistol and made his way over, grabbing a knife from one of the three corpses and hiding by a door entry, one more running into the room and met with a knife to the gut. Thatcher tore out the blade, ripping open the crew member's stomach as he fell to the floor. Thatcher stood there, breathing hard as he looks over at the crew. All looking at him in shock by what they just witnessed. Thatcher was changing... a part of him we hadn't seen before was coming out of the shadows..