Writing Prompt Responses | Flash fiction | Sci-Fi

I Made A Deal

A response to the monthly literary smack-down challenge.

This sci-fi short story is a response to a challenge set by Sweet Chaos. And check out the stories set in the same universe: ‘Consequences’ and ‘Merchant’.

Two roskan lizards were playing tug-of-war with rope toys as Quaze-Dray strode into the throne room of Baron Ra’Xoo, Lord of the Three Systems. The bounty hunter stopped a few paces away from the monarch, repulsed by the mass of tentacles that ringed the baron’s face. A human vizier stood by the throne, a datablock at the ready.

“Quaze, your reputation precedes you,” hissed Ra’Xoo, without a greeting, “but this job is different. Your target is frozen in stasis.”

Quaze shrugged slightly; this was uncommon, but not unheard of.

“Has been for twenty years,” added the Baron. “Drogon, barbarian rebel of old, yes? He can be found in the palace of so-called crime boss, Kaleesha Sinn.”

“Double,” grunted Quaze immediately. He spoke in his own tongue, but it was clear that Ra Xoo and his servant understood. They conferred briefly, and then the lord continued.

“The price is to be paid upon delivery.”

Quaze tapped one finger onto his cheek to indicate agreement.

“You must retrieve,” hissed Ra Xoo, “and not tamper. The prize needs to be returned to me by the fifth day of the fifth month.”

Quaze raised his eyes at the last comment, but the Lord of the Three Systems leaned forward. “Do not question me, bounty hunter. Everyone on this side of the galaxy’s rim says you are cursed, but I know you. You’re expensive, but I keep hiring you because you deliver.”

Quaze grunted again. He had worked for Baron Ra Xoo three times in the past. Although there was no fondness between them, he appreciated a dependable client. “Very well, Baron,” he said at last, ignoring one of the roskan lizards that was now sniffing his boots. “I’ll return on the fifth day, and pick up my fee.”

Without waiting for confirmation, Quaze strode from the throne room.

The corridor outside was lined with stoic guards, laser guns on every hip. Quaze glanced behind them; each wall was adorned with frescos showing the many victories of the Ra’Xoo clan. They had spilled a lake of blood, but now resistance to the Baron’s rule was infinitesimally small.

Stepping outside, Quaze breathed deeply of the famous air of Poolik 3. It would be the last fresh air for a while; his destination, the planet Linkan, was a stinking dust-bowl.

Ten minutes later, Quaze-Dray stood just inside his ship, stock still with his hand hovering over the button for the entrance ramp.

The cause of his confusion was one of the Baron’s roskan lizards. They were chaotic pets at the best of times, but this one had somehow followed the bounty hunter, and now stood chittering on the end of the ramp.

“I’ve got nothing for you, creature,” Quaze called. “Shoo! Go, or I’ll raise the ramp and squish you.”

As he spoke, the lizard transformed, and before Quaze’s eyes stood a svelte woman with purple skin, robes, and an elaborate headdress. She winked, and approached. “That’s not very nice, Quaze-Dray. I expected better of you.”

Without further explanation, the stranger strode into his ship.

“Hey, where are you…”

Quaze hit the button to raise the ramp, then hurried after the mysterious woman. “A shapeshifter. Who are you?”

“Allow me to introduce myself,” she replied, now lounging on the bench in front of the ship’s controls. “My name is Belikkula-Te. I’m half Poolikan and half Veptan. My hybrid genes gave me certain abilities.”

Quaze grunted suspiciously.

“So… you’re going through with this mission?” she prompted.

“I made a deal.”

She sniggered. “Yes. Well, my dear taciturn bounty hunter. Then we’d better get going, no?”

Quaze stepped up and folded his arms. “I leave tonight — not before. And alone.”

“Sweetie, that’s what you planned. But things changed. After all, I saved your life.”

“Uhh… how, exactly?”

She glanced towards the aft of the ship. “You’re not the only one chasing Drogon. At this very moment, local rebels are most upset that you’re interfering with their plans to secure the famous barbarian for the Nova Revolution. They’re about to blow up your ship.”

“To blow it up?”

She twitched her nose slightly. “Right. And I’d rather not explode with it. Don’t make me regret helping you!”

Cursing, Quaze ran to the observation hatch on the aft gun. Sure enough, a group of robed rebels with plasma grenade launchers on tripods were setting up around the launchpad.

He looked around at Belikkula-Te, who was still seated at the controls. “Punch it.”

The ship blasted into the sky, then swooped upwards to the vertical. Quaze crossed back over, and shoed Belikkula away from the controls. Moments later, he hit the hyperspace jump, and felt a familiar lurching feeling in his stomach as time briefly reversed before normalising.

He looked round at his uninvited passenger. “Looks like you’re coming with me, then. But if you don’t want to hand Drogon to the locals on your planet, and you’re not working for Baron Ra Xoo, what is your motivation?”

She smiled. “I like adventure,” she said, “and doing favors for rich bounty hunters. If things work out, perhaps you can pass a little of your fee my way?”

He grunted. “We’ll see about that.”

As the ship’s movement settled and it began its cruise along the hyperspace lane, Quaze rose from the controls. “I’m gonna take a rest until we get closer,” he said tersely. “If you keep proving your worth, we can talk about your cut on the way back.”

“Suits me just fine,” Belikkula-Te replied sweetly.

“After all,” she muttered as Quaze disappeared into his quarters, “the Baron would rather not have to pay over the odds to a cursed bounty hunter. That’s why I made a deal.”

How’d I do in the challenge?

Scorecard:

Main prompt:

A bounty hunter is hired to retrieve a stolen Cinco de Mayo artifact from a crime lord, but he soon realizes that he’s not the only one after the artifact! (2 pts; the deadline is the equivalent of Cinco de Mayo).

Constraints:

A super-intelligent, shape-shifting alien is disguised as a household pet (the lizard/Belikkula-Te – 1pt).
A cursed object grants wishes — but each wish comes at a terrible price (the bounty hunter is said to be cursed, and grants 'wishes' for a high fee – 1pt).
Something happens that causes time to move backwards. For how long and is anyone aware this happens?? (When Belikkula-Te activates the hyperdrive – 1 pt).
An outcast hybrid saves something (Belikkula-Te saves Quaze – 1pt).
Someone or something important is infinitesimal (resistance to the baron’s rule – 1pt).
Someone speaks in a foreign/alien language but everyone amazingly understands it (Quaze says 'double' in his own language – 1pt).
This summary box (1 pt).
Image – I used one as the confrontation between Quaze and Belikkula on the ship (1 pt).

Total: 10 pts

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