The drifter's story is a cliche' one, but I guess everything's cliche' till it happens to you.
Reyland ran. He was silently berating himself for smoking so much as his chest started burning. Fighting through it he forced his long legs to carry him faster. Kicking up dust on the underdeveloped streets of the fringe colony. The belt around his waist bouncing up and down causing his Widowmakers to smack against his body. He didn't know why he chose to use antiques in this day in age. Maybe it was the smell of gunpowder or the finality of the sound of the hammer falling into place. They did there job and that's all Reyland really cared about since they were about to be put to work once again. Turning a corner he saw the building he was headed for. You couldn't really miss it. The space port was the most modern looking building the shoddily built town had. As he approached he jumped taking the stairs two at a time. The sliding door opened automatically as he reached the top and he drew his guns from there holster and slammed back the hammer on both before entering. The lobby was quiet. Reyland slowly made his way to the middle of the room when he heard a door to his left open. Pivoting on his left, he turned and aimed the barrels of his guns at the man who had stepped out. "Whoa, whoa marshal!" The man held up his hands as his only defense and Reyland realized it was only the star ports director and lowered his guns. "What seems to be the problem?" "The Sheperd brothers come through here?" Reyland holstered his weapons. "The Sheperd brothers" Thought they were in jail waitin' for the firing squad?" The director looked confused and Reyland couldn't guess where the boys could have gotten to since this was only way off the small moon. "They were," saying it as he ran other possibilities through his mind. The director walked over and placed his hand on Reylands shoulder. "Don't worry boy. They couldn't have gotten far." As if in answer to his words a shot sounded from some distance off followed shortly after by another. Reyland's heart sank when he figured out exactly where they had gone. Without saying another word Reyland turned and ran with everything he had. Out the sliding doors, down the stairs in one jump and hit the street running faster then he ever had in whole life. Stretching his legs to there full extent with his lungs burning and his heart nearly exploding in his chest. The people of the town started coming out of there houses, stirred by the gunshots. Reyland ran past all of them. He reached his destination and noticed that the door to his home had been kicked clear off its hinges and he unholstered his weapons again. He stepped up onto the porch and walked inside. The living room was a mess. A struggle had obviously taken place. He saw something behind one of the tables and approached slowly. "Dani..." The body of his wife lay on the ground. Some of her clothes has been ripped off and the body next to it was probably the reason why. Reylands deputy laid face down in pool of his own blood, shot straight though the neck. Dani held the weapon that had killed him. The deputies own weapon. Reyland figure he had probably let the Shepard boys out for promises of money. "Shame about the deputy there." The voice came from behind him and Reyland quickly turned guns pointed outward at the two men standing at the bottom of the stairs. Held in front of them with a gun to her head was Reylands daughter, Maggie. "No, no, no marshal." "You're a couple of low life scum you know that! Why' Why would you do this?" Reyland was shaking but his hands were steady as he pointed both weapons at either man. "Blood for blood, marshal. You killed one of ours and we couldn't let that go." There had been three brothers. The youngest had died in the fight to apprehend them by one of Reyland's bullets. "Now marshal I'm going to have to ask you to relieve yourself of your weapons. Kick them over here." "Will you let her go?" Reyland didn't know what to do. The emotions inside him messed with his instinct as the tears started to pour down his face. "We got what we came for. The girl is collateral so you don't do nothin' stupid." Reyland hesitated a moment and then slowly crouched to the ground setting both of the guns down on the ground as he did. He stood back up and slid them over to the man with his foot. "Good, good." Both men grinned. It made Reyland cringe. "Go to daddy, sweety." The little girl was pushed in his direction and Reyland held out his arms for her to come to him. She started running toward him. Reyland heard the bang and caught her as the momentum pushed her into his his body and he wrapped his arms around her already limp body. He froze. No feeling left. He looked up at the men. Reyland didn't even hear the second shot, just felt the searing pain as it went through the left side of his chest. A kill shot.
Thing's like this happen on the fringe of the galaxy every day. Bandits and space pirates run wild. They kill innocents and they kill lawmen. Making a living off thievery and death. But these poor Sheperd boys forgot one thing. When you kill some one you better make sure he's dead. (To be Continued)
Reyland ran. He was silently berating himself for smoking so much as his chest started burning. Fighting through it he forced his long legs to carry him faster. Kicking up dust on the underdeveloped streets of the fringe colony. The belt around his waist bouncing up and down causing his Widowmakers to smack against his body. He didn't know why he chose to use antiques in this day in age. Maybe it was the smell of gunpowder or the finality of the sound of the hammer falling into place. They did there job and that's all Reyland really cared about since they were about to be put to work once again. Turning a corner he saw the building he was headed for. You couldn't really miss it. The space port was the most modern looking building the shoddily built town had. As he approached he jumped taking the stairs two at a time. The sliding door opened automatically as he reached the top and he drew his guns from there holster and slammed back the hammer on both before entering. The lobby was quiet. Reyland slowly made his way to the middle of the room when he heard a door to his left open. Pivoting on his left, he turned and aimed the barrels of his guns at the man who had stepped out. "Whoa, whoa marshal!" The man held up his hands as his only defense and Reyland realized it was only the star ports director and lowered his guns. "What seems to be the problem?" "The Sheperd brothers come through here?" Reyland holstered his weapons. "The Sheperd brothers" Thought they were in jail waitin' for the firing squad?" The director looked confused and Reyland couldn't guess where the boys could have gotten to since this was only way off the small moon. "They were," saying it as he ran other possibilities through his mind. The director walked over and placed his hand on Reylands shoulder. "Don't worry boy. They couldn't have gotten far." As if in answer to his words a shot sounded from some distance off followed shortly after by another. Reyland's heart sank when he figured out exactly where they had gone. Without saying another word Reyland turned and ran with everything he had. Out the sliding doors, down the stairs in one jump and hit the street running faster then he ever had in whole life. Stretching his legs to there full extent with his lungs burning and his heart nearly exploding in his chest. The people of the town started coming out of there houses, stirred by the gunshots. Reyland ran past all of them. He reached his destination and noticed that the door to his home had been kicked clear off its hinges and he unholstered his weapons again. He stepped up onto the porch and walked inside. The living room was a mess. A struggle had obviously taken place. He saw something behind one of the tables and approached slowly. "Dani..." The body of his wife lay on the ground. Some of her clothes has been ripped off and the body next to it was probably the reason why. Reylands deputy laid face down in pool of his own blood, shot straight though the neck. Dani held the weapon that had killed him. The deputies own weapon. Reyland figure he had probably let the Shepard boys out for promises of money. "Shame about the deputy there." The voice came from behind him and Reyland quickly turned guns pointed outward at the two men standing at the bottom of the stairs. Held in front of them with a gun to her head was Reylands daughter, Maggie. "No, no, no marshal." "You're a couple of low life scum you know that! Why' Why would you do this?" Reyland was shaking but his hands were steady as he pointed both weapons at either man. "Blood for blood, marshal. You killed one of ours and we couldn't let that go." There had been three brothers. The youngest had died in the fight to apprehend them by one of Reyland's bullets. "Now marshal I'm going to have to ask you to relieve yourself of your weapons. Kick them over here." "Will you let her go?" Reyland didn't know what to do. The emotions inside him messed with his instinct as the tears started to pour down his face. "We got what we came for. The girl is collateral so you don't do nothin' stupid." Reyland hesitated a moment and then slowly crouched to the ground setting both of the guns down on the ground as he did. He stood back up and slid them over to the man with his foot. "Good, good." Both men grinned. It made Reyland cringe. "Go to daddy, sweety." The little girl was pushed in his direction and Reyland held out his arms for her to come to him. She started running toward him. Reyland heard the bang and caught her as the momentum pushed her into his his body and he wrapped his arms around her already limp body. He froze. No feeling left. He looked up at the men. Reyland didn't even hear the second shot, just felt the searing pain as it went through the left side of his chest. A kill shot.
Thing's like this happen on the fringe of the galaxy every day. Bandits and space pirates run wild. They kill innocents and they kill lawmen. Making a living off thievery and death. But these poor Sheperd boys forgot one thing. When you kill some one you better make sure he's dead. (To be Continued)