SEC - Chronicle 12

Skull Empire Chronicles

The Bounty Hunter

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“Enter.”

Praetor Nagash sat behind his desk with hands clasped together as the doors of his office slid open as Lieutenant Salia walked in. The office was illuminated by the setting sun and the surrounding plinth torches in the room .

“The latest report about the performance of prototype S.H.E.S. from Chief Scientist Gaite.” said Salia as she handed over the PAD to him.

“Good.” responded Nagash as he grasped the tablet device and looked at the reports. He mulled them over as he scrolled between each report and checked on how it had performed during each test. Smiling and satisfied, he past the PAD back over to Salia, “Have these sent over to General Fefnir for review.”

“Yes my Lord.” replied Salia as she saluted before turning and walked towards the door.

After Salia had left, Nagash raised a hand to suppress a yawn from leaving his mouth. He made himself comfortable as he ordered, “Computer lower the lighting down to minimum.”

The room was enveloped in near darkness. The faintest outline of objects in the room almost hard to identify with the minimal lighting given from the plinth torches. Nothing stirred in the room as the calm breathing of Nagash's was only heard.

Hours later, a long silver haired man entered through the main door of Nagash’s office. The figure stood silently as he scanned the room for any suspicious activity. Once the stranger was satisfied he quickly and silently moved about the room. His six foot ten inch slim build made it easy for him to slip in and out without raising notice as he quietly made his way across the room. He was dressed in the uniform of a Skull Empire soldier, but oddly wore a visor over his blue eyes and red circular gem. The figure scanned the room with his visor as he moved through the darkened environment.

Pleased that the coast was clear of any kind of defences in view and hidden, the figure made his way across the room. Taking quiet yet brisk confident steps, despite the constraints of the uniform, he made his way towards his slumbering target: Nagash. The figure stood a couple of metres away from the Dark Lord's head as he reached for the bolt pistol and took hold of it. He slowly brought it out of it's holster and raised the gun up to Nagash's head. He began to squeeze the trigger and...

“Halt!” came numerous hoarse monotone sounding voices from various points around the room.

The assassin turned, seeing deathly light green glows coming from the eyes and chest of the creatures which hid in the shadows. Creatures which had not been there moments before which were aiming their wrist mounted gauss flayers at him.

“Computer, raise the lighting.” came Nagash's voice as the man turned to see a smirk on the Imperial Leader's awake face through the darkness.

As the lights of the room lightened up as the man turned once more to see the metallic skeletal features of the Cycrons. The bounty hunter lifted the visor from his eyes as he turned to face the smirking Nagash as he stood in front of his chair and said, “I've been expecting you, bounty hunter.”

The Reploid raised an eyebrow and asked, “How did you know?”

“With the number of attempts on my life, one starts to keep track.” answered Nagash as he straightened himself out and crossed his arms, “And tends to be expectant on future attempts.”

“I'm surprised that someone of your stature would be paranoid.” said the bounty hunter as he threw down his bolt pistol.

“I'm not.” Nagash replied as he sat back down, “I can easily predict the movements of those who want me dead.”

“I know you're going to try and kill me now, but even with your drones in here I'll put up a fight.” warned the Reploid as he reached behind his back.

“Quite on the contrary.” responded Nagash as he placed his elbows on the desk, hands clasped and little fingers crossed as he said while looking over his hands, “I have a counterproposal for you.”

The bounty hunter stopped reaching, mere millimetres for what he was grabbing for before saying, “Go on.”

“Whoever sent you, I want you to take them out.” ordered Nagash whom stated, “And as for payment, I'll pay you triple the price he's paying you and then for anyone else I desired removed.”

The bounty hunter eased up having heard what the Dark Lord said before asking, “What if I refuse?”

“There's nothing stopping me from ordering these Cycrons to atomize you.” answered Nagash, “So you either leave here under my employ or through the ventilation shafts as atoms.”

The stranger closed his eyes for a brief second as a smirk became a smile as he replied, “Then I go in the direction of the highest bidder.”

“Good, now we can get down to business.” said Nagash as he smiled. The bounty hunter looked around as the Cycrons lowered their gauss flayers and teleported out of the room leaving just the two alone. “No doubt it's one of the many governors who still holds a grudge after I weakened their ruling powers and strengthened my own.”

The bounty hunter nodded, “It is.”

“I thought as much.” responded Nagash. After a short thought did he ask, “So tell me, what is your name?”

“I have no name.” stated the stranger before saying, “But if you must call me something, then call me Dynamo.”

“I see.” said Nagash as he mused aloud, “An orphan at birth, taken in, raised to be a bounty hunter and now serve the highest bidder... like most bounty hunters are.”

Dynamo raised an eyebrow as he said, “You seem to know much about my profession.”

“Indeed I do.” replied the Dark Lord as he explained, “I happen to know a certain bounty hunter really well...for the same blood runs through our veins.”

Hearing Nagash's words, Dynamo began to work out what he had meant and now noticed some facial resemblance to someone familiar to him. Before he could inquire further, he noticed the new arrival that had just teleported, “Who is this?”

“This is Gaite.” explained Nagash as he moved a hand over to Gaite's position, “Chief scientist of the Skull Empire and head of the science division.”

“Why is he here?” asked the bounty hunter as the scientist walked over to him. He looked at Gaite as he passed him a PAD which Dynamo looked at, “What is this?”

“The Stealth Hostile Environment Suit. Otherwise known as S.H.E.S” answered Gaite as he walked to stand beside Nagash, “While it may fit the body like a glove, it provides enough armour to withstand the strongest of weaponry for a limited time while the shield is down.”

Dynamo viewed the plans as Gaite spoke, all the while listening to what the scientist was saying, “Shield?”

“The shield is able to take the brunt of the punishment.” responded Gaite, “If the shield is down and when the user is not in combat, it recharges back to full strength within a short amount of time.”

The bounty hunter nodded as he continuing viewing the plans about the shield before he asking, “And this stealth part?”

“The stealth cloaking device allows the user, who ever it may be, the ability to blend in perfectly with their surroundings.” said Gaite as he carried onto explain, “As long as they are not detected, they should be able to reach their target and eliminate them using either the wrist mounted plasma disruptors or any of the four twin bladed beamsabres which can also be thrown and recalled.”

Gaite had caught Dynamo's intrigue. The bounty hunter smiled to himself, it was as if this suit had been designed solely for him, as if they knew he was coming. A thought came into his head, “How many are there?”

“Only the prototype.” responded Gaite, “The stealth cloaking device and shield are not easy to mass produce without faults, producing the prototype versions were done very delicately by hand to ensure their maximum efficiency.”

Dynamo's eyebrows raised at this, “So I'm just a test pilot for this little project of yours?”

“No.” said Gaite who glanced over at Nagash.

“I was.” answered the Dark Lord, “The suit and armour are made to fit whomever wears it, no matter their differences in height or mass.”

Gaite continued on, “The weapons themselves were tested separately from the suit and also as a part of the suit in order to test how efficiently they would work.”

“I will admit, you two really do think of everything.” said Dynamo who whistled as he finished reading through the plans, he looked back over at Nagash and asked, “How do you know I won't stab you in the back at the first opportunity?”

“I pay well.” stated Nagash simply, “More then enough for you to want exclusively work for me.”

The bounty hunter stared at Nagash for a short while before smirking as he said, “Good enough for me. When do I get the suit?”

“It's part of your payment.” said Gaite bluntly.

“To avoid the long trip out of the complex, I suggest you use this teleporter.” said Nagash who held up the device and threw it over to Dynamo who catches it with his free hand, “Coordinates are pre-programmed, once out will you be able to reprogram it to your next destination.”

Dynamo nodded at Nagash, “Understood.”

“When you kill your soon to be former employer, make it so that the others get the message that I am no longer tolerating their stances to me.” explained Nagash who decreed, “Either they submit to accepting my rule or they forfeit their lives.”

“It will be done my lord. I'll contact you when the job is done and to organise payment.” said Dynamo as he turned and raised as hand as if he was to wave at the two, “Adiós!”

Dynamo activated the teleporter, beamed out of the office, taking the PAD with him and leaving the pair in the room alone. Gaite moved around the desk and walked towards where the bounty hunter had previously stood. Once there, the chief scientist turned around and asked, “Can you trust him?”

“As much as I trust Zethus.” answered Nagash as he leaned back on his chair, “But unlike Zethus, he likes his money and as long as I pay him well, he won't kill me.”

“And when the time comes to kill him?” enquired the scientist.

Nagash chuckled as he said, “It will indeed be done by my hand.”

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End.