The Star Pirate's Folly

Chapter 23: Volunteer

"Whistler, you got any more drones?"

Sweat-soaked inside his nullsuit, Two-Gut Gruce couldn't keep the desperation from his voice. He'd split up his squads along the hilltop, scattered them to avoid losing too many in a concentrated attack but kept them close enough to keep formation. The muscles in his legs tremored from exertion—without the suit's assistance he would have collapsed already.

"Down to three," said Whistler.

"We'll need some cover," Gruce said. "Or more targets at least. Keep moving, you grubs know the drill."

A chorus of "yups" from the other men. Gruce opened the private channel to Starhawk.

"Ready, boss," he said.

"Got ten of my birds headed your way, Two-Gut," said Starhawk over the common channel. "Give 'em thirty seconds. They'll be more use than Red Shade was, I'm sure. I've seen kittens put up a better fight."

Gruce's eye twitched at the insult. He couldn't hear his men's laughter, but he could feel it in the silence that followed. All he could muster was, "Sorry, boss."

"If you don't think you can do this, don't waste my time. Their guns are forming up again and I'm an easy target up here. Die quickly or get the job done so we can leave."

Furious, Gruce shouted orders to his men. "Alright you mangy apes, snap to and keep steady! I've got center, Whistler's left flank, Pluck you've got the right! Ten seconds and we charge!"

#

"What do you mean he said no?" demanded Hargrove.

Sergeant Mallory glared. "What do you think 'no' means?"

"I've been held here for hours! You can't just—"

"We are trying to protect you," said the Sergeant. "Along with the rest of the entire population of this city. You're not nearly as important as you think you are. There are hundreds of others missing and we don't have the resources to put your needs above everyone else's."

"I'm not asking you to do anything but let me go."

Mallory shook his head. "Everyone else in the city is trying to get down here and you're trying to get back up. You understand it's about to be a war zone out there?"

"Yes, and I won't leave someone I'm responsible for to fend for herself in the middle of it!"

"You got on that bus, Mr. Levene. You chose to put yourself in our protection."

"I made a mistake."

"The decision's been made," Sergeant Mallory said as he turned to leave. "There's nothing I can do."

"Then you're useless!" Hargrove shouted.

His shoulders dropped when the door slid shut. He didn't know what else to do. If they wouldn't let him out he couldn't help Buttercup. There had to be some way for him to do something—anything. He was trapped with no obvious means of escape.

When his phone rang Hargrove knew it had to be another solicitation. He checked the display and almost threw it against the wall when he saw the same number that had just called him minutes before. Well, he'd give them a piece of his mind—at least yelling at someone would give him something to do.

"Who is this?" he demanded.

"Oh, I'm so thrilled to speak with you again, sir. I have an incredible opportunity for you today."

The man's voice gushed excitement. Hargrove cut him off as he was about to launch into what sounded like a well-rehearsed pitch.

"Your name."