by

Yanick Champoux (38%)

Lee Watts (18%)

Josip Nað (17%)

Michel Lacombe (16%)

Dorian (4%)

goldkngt55 (3%)

Andrew Avila (2%)

Marten (1%)

Oliver (1%)

Part 44

Yanick Champoux (9/5/2002)

Sergei's words and entrance were met by slightly less enthusiasm than he had hoped for.

"Throw me your gun," laconically commanded Skull to the woman.

"No need for that," she answered, "It's not like I can't shoot him myself."

As the bullet made his knee explode like some over-ripe tomato suffering from high blood pressure, Sergei Visarionovich Godunov realized that, indeed, it wasn't something she couldn't do; and that exactly like his reasoning, his short-term future was diving in the double negative.

You missed him, Dem!

Well, considering that our sight is quite blurry, our hands have the shake and we are dizzy like an Amalthean on his first visit to a brothel, you must admit it's not that bad a shoot. I mean, I still managed to take some meat off the green cockroach.

Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm more familiar with our body, I think I can deal better with the abuse you heaped on us. Give me back the controls.

You think you have the nerve to kill someone?

Who is talking of killing someone? It's a Decados! In the old days I would have paid good money to stone any of those bastards to death with dead gophers. Do you how many of those creeps tried to grope me while we were conducting deals?

Sorry to have doubted you. In this case, please sit at commands and enjoy a good game of Whack-a-Molester.

Sergei was unaware of the bodymates' internal pow-wow. What he was aware of, however, was that his right kneecap had left him without so much as a 'Poka, sucker!'. And that not only shooting him wasn't something the woman couldn't do, but the crazy broad wasn't on the verge of not doing it again.

"Wait!" he cried before the woman could press the trigger. "I'm on your side!"

"Nope, you're in front of me," snarled back the woman, "No-one ever told you verbal evasive maneuvers don't work?"

"But I just shot a Marauder!"

"It isn't exactly the first time a Decados kills his own men, y'know..."

"They aren't--"

"Don't even try this with me, Sergio. I know a dolboyeb when I see one. And I saw a whole lot of them on this ship..."

"But they tried to kill me! Can't you give me the benefice of doubt?"

"Sorry, Pandora once said that the only good Decados are eviscerated Decados. And that even then 'good' was to be taken liberally."

"This Pandora obviously don't know nothing about the Decados!"

"This Pandora, Sergio, is a Decados."

"Oh."

Skull, who had listened to the exchange without a word, was about to leap toward the woman and wrestles the weapon from her. But just as he was to make his move, the said weapon was suddenly pointing in his direction.

"Don't try anything funny, grandpa. I'm not yet too sure about you either."

Skull shrugged. In the semi-darkness of the dining room, the shimmering of his force shield being activated was barely perceptible.

"Why are you loosing time by talking to him?" He asked, reluctant to hurt the woman unless it turned out to be really necessary. "Just kill him."

The woman smirked.

"I like to have a good chat with people before killing them. But you wouldn't understand; it's a girl thing."

The discussion was interrupted by Toast's long, whinny moan.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeegg plaaaaaaaaant ..."

"Aaah..." It was Sergei. From his position he had a good view of the windows. His face had turned an ashen shade of grey that couldn't entirely be explained by lost of blood. "I think you want to turn around and take a look at what is outside..."

"Real clever, Sergio. I'm sure no-one ever tried that trick before."

As a matter of fact, Mad, I think he's sincere, this time.

How can you tell?

He's wetting his pants. Decados, when telling the truth, often do that.

Demuel had a point. Maddie risked a quick glance at the window behind her, and saw It.

Staring at the Blackness outside, her voice croaked through a throat suddenly very dry: "What in the name of every unappealing man having contracted venereal diseases while being in a drunken stupor..."

Well, I would think that it's--

I know, Dem, I know. It was a rethorical question.

Oh.