Writing Prompt Responses | Flash fiction | Sci-Fi
Consequences
A response to JC Lovero’s ‘May the 4th’ prompt.
Drogan, the muscular warrior who had just been freed from stasis, groaned again. Slumped on the floor, he rubbed at his face, looking around vacantly.
Looking down at the man, Captain Kyrona looked across at her long-time companion, the reformed smuggler Zarael. “Why did you want to free this guy, exactly?” she asked.
Zarael folded his arms. “This barbarian is fearless and inventive. At least, that’s what they said of him before he was frozen… twenty years ago.”
Drogon made a strangled noise. “It’s been twenty…?”
“Relax, Drogon, your intellect will return soon too,” drawled Zarael, moving forward to pull the bounty hunter to his feet. “You’ll adjust. We’ll even fill you in on what you missed. We’re nice like that.”
“Hmm,” said Captain Kyrona, taking the bounty hunter’s other arm. “Indeed, he certainly has a lot to catch up on. We can talk more in the ship.”
“Ship? Where are you taking me?” growled Drogon in reply. But he allowed himself to be helped forwards, with the pair of travellers holding him beneath the arms.
“Shh!” said Captain Kyrona gently, as they moved out into the corridor. The master starpilot looked one way and the other, alert for danger.
“You’ve been decorating the walls of the pirate lord Kaleesha Sinn,” said Zarael. “She didn’t take too kindly to some of your exploits. We’re offering you a free trip off the planet Linkan…”
“Quiet,” hissed Captain Kyrona. “I can hear guards…”
The starpilot didn’t continue her sentence, instead drawing her phaser as four sentries, all in helmets and armor and holding guns, rushed around the corridor ahead, cutting the escapees off.
Zarael pulled his phaser too, and spun on his heel, shooting two further guards in quick succession as they came up behind.
Leaving her partner to cover the barbarian, Captain Kyrona leaped forward, rolled, and stood up in between the guards. She kicked one of them in the head, dodged as one shot — hitting his own comrade — and then tripped a third. Two phaser blasts finished the job.
With the fight over, Zarael looked down at the recently rescued man who was now slumped on the floor. “Drogon?” he said. He then stooped to check for breathing. After a few moments, he looked up at the captain. “He’s dead.”
Captain Kyrona let out a deep sigh, then gestured towards the nearby exit. “Another day, another warrior,” murmured the starpilot thoughtfully, clipping her phaser back to her belt. “Now let’s get out of here before any more of Kaleesha Sinn’s goons try to stop us.
The pair hurried out of the side gate to the palace and towards their ship. It was partially hidden among the jagged rocks that ringed the crime boss’s base. In the evening light, The red stone surroundings had a harsh beauty, but now that they were outside, the dust immediately began to hurt Zarael’s eyes once again.
“I had my reservations,” said Captain Kyrona as they ran.
“How so?”
“Well, let’s just say I heard a lot of bad things about that Drogan character.”
“All the same, I promised. The Nova Revolution needs him.”
“Hmm. He’s no use to them now.”
With a grunt, Zarael punched the button to open the entry ramp to their ship, and then turned to face his companion. “I’m afraid I’m gonna have to let you travel back alone, Kyrona.”
The starpilot looked at her companion. “Alone? What are you talking about? Where are you going?”
“You don’t really need me to help fly the ship.” It wasn’t a question.
“I mean, I can manage,” she spluttered, “but…”
“Then go. Leave now, before Kaleesha Sinn realizes what we’ve done. The Revolution has enough enemies already.”
“But I can’t… we…”
“I’ve failed for the last time, Captain. I’m done. This mess just shows that I’m a liability to the cause. I’ve made up my mind. I deserve to stay on this shit-hole.”
Head hanging down, Zarael began to walk away into the dusty red rocks of the desert planet.
Knowing that her partner was not one to change his mind, Captain Kyrona could only watch.
Help save May Fourth and Cinco de Mayo! Search the stories for clues and find the stolen ingredients!
Prompts (2): Write about a character who goes into stasis for decades… or centuries. Write about a character who imposes their own exile.
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