Chapter 1: Ranger at the Gate-3
510 Words
The docking bay door shattered behind him.
He chanced a glance over his shoulder before turning the corner. The horse and rider burst through the remains of the door and skidded on the metal floor. Sparks flew from the creature’s hooves as it regained traction and barrelled down the corridor after him. It wouldn’t be fast enough. The man fired shots, but they’d missed. He flung himself up the chain in the lift shaft. He scaled the wall faster than ever, and the ascent that usually took around three minutes took him less than one. It didn’t matter; he knew the creature chasing him couldn’t climb the chain and that the man wouldn’t be able to match his pace no matter how many artificial enhancements his body had.
Jane had to know about this as quickly as possible. The fact that a Ranger was on the space station was bad enough without whatever that thing was that he’d brought with him. Libs had the feeling that for whatever reason they were here, it was going to throw the entire station into disarray. Jane had been expecting some ridiculous rich man that she could bully, then throw aside once she was done. But a Ranger? A Ranger was trouble.
Libs slowed his pace only once he hit the edge of the Core, and even then, he didn’t keep up his usually sedate and lazy swagger he used for appearance’s sake. He hastened directly towards the compound, not even stopping by the Saloon to spread the news.
A moment later, Stella appeared at his side, matching his pace. She knew him well enough that any sign of agitation in him set off alarms in her head.
“What’s the rush?” she asked as the compound came into sight.
“It’s a Ranger.”
Stella’s eyes immediately snapped to his face and stuck there like darts. “Are you sure?”
“Of course, I am. He’s got the bloody badge to show for it. He’s got some sort of creature with him, a government invention. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. This means trouble, Stella.”
“Do you think Jane can handle it?”
“I certainly hope so, because I don’t know what I’ll do if she can’t.”
“What do you mean? Surely a change in power dynamics around here wouldn’t change anything too drastically, would it? I know you hate her.”
“It’s a Legacy agent. For me, everything would change, and not for the better. You know what Legacy does to those like me.”
“They don’t have to find out about you.”
“Too late.”
They reached the compound, and Liberty was in too much of a rush to go to the side door as usual. He headed straight to the main gate, Stella at his heels.
“I have to report,” Libs said over his shoulder, his long coat flapping behind him. “You should warn the others at the Saloon. Spread the word.”
Stella gave a salute with her wrist and peeled off, marching in the other direction.
He stopped at the gate. “This is Liberty. I need to see Jane immediately. This is an emergency.”
Something in his eyes must have given them an idea of just how much of an emergency this was, because they let him pass without question.
Even Liberty couldn’t have guessed to what extent his news would lead him.
- Writer
