Chapter Two, coming up!

Chapter 2.

While Devan was enjoying his breakfast, it was evening on the planet of Mobius, the sun slowly sinking into a red horizon as nature slowly went through her palette of colors in her painting the sky blue to black. Seb ignored the natural artwork as he looked out over the reconstruction project of Station Square. He was impressed, construction was moving apace. It was about time things got back to normal, finally people could go where they wanted, see whom they wished and do what they desired without fear again. it had been so long, the freedom was almost scary. How long had it been? Four years? No, five, six since his parents passing.

He glanced at the small glittering coin in his hand, on one one side was an etching of his family mark, on the other was a large 'S'. He had been given it when he was two, and despite being so young at the time he had never let it out of his sight, more through luck than attachment. But now it meant more than ever, perhaps he should have it made into a medallion? No, that was just another word for necklace and he didn't want to defile it that way. Better to put it somewhere secure.

His mind flickered back briefly to his time under Dakoda, he kept telling himself it wasn't his fault, that he had been possessed, that darkness had taken him, but who could really believe that? He clutched the coin tightly, it had got him through. That, and Joshua. Only the children had forgotten, playing together and laughing in the streets as if nothing had ever been wrong. But he would never forget, how could you just brush a war under the rug? It would stay with him forever. But at least things were peaceful here and now, and hopefully, they'd stay that way.

He stared at the setting sun, finally sparing a moment to appreciate its beauty.

"Well mum, dad, I'm finally doing what you would've wanted, I'm helping people in need."


* * *

Somewhere on Diamondus...


He ran quickly through the dead of night, ducking, dodging and weaving through trees and shrubbery. This was too easy, she was one of the greatest bounty hunters around. Yet there wasn't much time, she'd have to hurry.

She risked a look back at his former captors. "Huh, mess with the best, and you die like the rest..."

She fired several shots from his blaster, neatly silencing several guards, including the one he'd stolen the gun from. It was a hack job, unbalanced and untuned, a shot missed and set fire to a tree, halting, but sadly not killing the remainder of the guards. Right, that was that dealt with, now all he'd have to do was-

There was a figure in front of her; if it hadn't been for the moon, she'd have run straight into them. Immediately something about the presence was both annoying and worrying; they stood there arrogantly, arms folded, with the air of someone who was expecting a meeting. Se raised her blaster and aimed it at the figure. Nothing lethal for this one, just an amputation. She smiled evilly as she squeezed the trigger.

The shot passed right through the figure's leg, as if he wasn't even there. (-)ed holograms, who the frell was messing with her now?

"The best you say? You seem rather reckless to me, a weakness I'm willing to ignore given the circumstances. I have an offer to make you."

The bounty hunter fired a few more shots, more to buy a few seconds time to think than any other reason. It would be stupid to just agree, but then again, that's how she'd got so far, ask no questions, do the job.

"If you prefer, I can get rid of those dolts following you, though I should think they've seen enough. I need someone for a few... tasks; a more permanent and prolonged position than the short jobs you're used to, but I assure you, it will be well worth your while. It's not as if you have a choice now anyway."

"Oh I don't? And why is-"

The figure didn't need to reply; the forest fire was now bright enough even for her to see. She'd been stupid to fire those shots, now the blaze had spread faster than she' had imagined possible, surrounding them both. It had been a dry summer.

"So a hologram's going to get me out of this huh? Alright, if you can, but in the meantime I'm going to-"

There was a flicker, a sensation of movement and the two figures were gone, as if they'd melted into the flickering firelight. Unobserved the fire burned on, in the morning the death of the guards, and their prisoner would be reported.


* * *

Meanwhile...

Night had fallen some time ago and now the large moon of Mobius hung over the sky, casting its pale reflected light over the landscape and rendering it a vision in milky white, cities being picked out in spots and flashed of yellow or orange as construction continued into the night. Aside from the builders, the only other notable section of the populace still awake was the group that referred to itself as the Gaming Force, keeping a close eye on things and making sure everything was okay. As yet there had been no spectacular news about Devan Shell or indeed, any of the planets they'd been watching, except for a late breaking story on the economy. That meant everything was fine, or, something had gone terribly wrong in a way nobody had expected.

People look for heroes, and with the Gaming Force and the Ultimate Gamer back, they had them. Who needed to worry? Surely a small elite group could solve everyone's problems? Sadly, the universe isn't a movie, real evil lay in poverty, ignorance and bigotry, far harder to defeat than a simple tyrant or ruler, yet, while they remained, there would never be peace for long, lop off a branch and while the trunk lives, another will soon sprout."