Jackboot James

She got down to the lobby. As she stepped out of the elevator, she noticed Ridge avoiding her gaze.

"Lieutenant Rayce, Captain Gage has informed me that he will be joining us in a moment."

"Hmph, and he was the one that went to bed early. What took you so long, did the two of you forget that we have a job to do?" Rayce took up a surprisingly firm tone as he scolded her.

"Apologies Sergeant. I only got dressed after he had woken up since I did not want to disturb his rest." Vronica spoke up unbothered by his attitude.

"Yeah, but you're not his mother, and as he said, we aren't on holiday, droid."

"He needed to recuperate just as much as the rest of us." She met his frustration with a calm tone.

"Ugh, and you would know, you know I told him not to push himself as he did, but he never listens. And the rest of you still insist that he stays in charge? Seriously?" Looking back at Thella and Ridge, who could only exchange wide-eyed glances.

"I'm well aware, that's why I did not get off him until he was completely rested. Once he joins us, you can share your sentiments about his leadership, Lieutenant."

"Sure, whatever…wait what!" Rayce tripped over the thoughts that emerged from her words but he didn't get any time to question as Pierce came down the elevator into the lobby.

"Ahh, looks like someone finally decided to join us." Rayce said, with his arms crossed and a clenched jaw.

"Rayce, how was your night?"

"Great, had a few drinks, I think there was a fight towards the end, and I'm certain something blew up…that being said…"

"I'm sorry?"

"Three cars went up in flames, and we haven't even been here for a day". Ridge scolded him to no avail.

"That's not important right now, what is however, is that our guy will be coming to us?"

"…"

"Ask him, the idiot's so proud of himself." Thella added.

"You met the target, didn't you?"

"Nope, but I did find someone close to him. His scent lingered enough on him to know that they had met recently".

"All right, but how does that help us, and what makes you think that Ozrickt will come to us?"

"Whose car do you think I destroyed in my 'drunken' state? Let's just say the owner threatened me to never show my face or I would be sorry." Smiling as Pierce stepped up.

"So we get to him, and we can find the target. Smart, except that now we have to take into account all of the support that they're going to be accompanying them now"

"All of Menrva's underground organizers" Pierce spoke up with a focused look as he tried to make sense of what was going to happen.

"I doubt they'll send out all their muscle for a little rat".

"No, why would they just let you go with a simple threat? It's because they're confident in their ability to find you should you try to escape. Not to mention that we haven't been contacted by the authorities means they will likely want this matter handled personally. And if the police won't act, they must have influence. It'll only be a matter of time before they discover who you are, and by extension who we are."

"Oh...oh...no. The Council is going to chew us out for this one" Ridge panicked while Thella gave Rayce a piece of her mind.

"Everyone. I do not believe the situation is entirely a loss. What Lieutenant Vaun has done was unorthodox, however, we may be able to use this unfortunate turn of events to our favor." Vronica suggested

"Then speak up droid"

"Very well. What the Lieutenant has done was reckless, and even a show that would've gained the involvement of the police, but do you know who it is not strange for?"

The group turned to Vronica, before glancing over to the obtuse Rayce when his remorseless expression made sense to them.

"All right, so that's what we're going for. Monocerian playboy wrecks his way through Menrva on a good time, but then what, we'll just be painting a bigger target on ourselves" Ridge wondered.

"Not ourselves, just those who accompanied him." Pointing at Thella and Ridge.

"You've got the bait, now you want to tease the fish enough to catch the attention of a shark" Thella proposed.

"Exactly!"

"Well, the fish is guaranteed, but what of the shark?" asked Pierce.

"Simple. You're all going to go out again, as often as you need to and when they come for you, you are going to comply without so much as a struggle" she said with a blank expression.

Later that night...

"Captain Gage, the fifth group has moved to block another exit."

"I see, that probably means that he's nearby or they're getting ready to move. Stay put until something happens" The comm link turned off before he came out of his cloaked disguise and leapt off the building.

Finding himself in one of the closed-off alleyways, he swiftly moved into the building before any of the returning guards took notice.

Being unarmed had its advantages but this wasn't one of those times. Carrying the gifts he had once tried to refuse so many years ago had basically left him with one hell of a liability. And now he found himself getting closer to a battery of security, all but ready to deal with anyone suspicious looking.

The pair of Monocerians each sporting a shell that flickered and gleamed from the glow of the club lights stood with a psychic wall between them. It was through this field that entrants would be searched and scanned for anything unbecoming.

But he easily passed through the field after handing them a handful of credits into their furred palms before dusting himself off the glitter that rained on him as he entered.

'...No check in? Communications must be jammed. Looks like I'll have to find them myself.'

Pushing past the crowds on the marble-like dancefloor the people caught in their moments of passion found themselves entranced by the shape of the carved dragon running through most of the room.

A sculpture of immaculately talented work. Sadly, it was also the aim of a very intoxicated Rayce tossing one of the many half-empty bottles streaming the scene. The clash rained several thousand credits worth of alcohol on the frustrated guests and the artwork.

'Playing your part a little too well, Rayce...I thought Ridge would have reined him in by now, speaking of which...' His words were cut short after seeing said person he entrusted throwing Rayce into the artwork, splintering it with a massive thud that managed to kill the lights on the dancefloor.

Looking back, the terrifying sight of Ridge resembling Rayce with an armful of the alluring Mersonian hostesses passing puff after puff of their mesmerizing pheromones into him, fuelling his manic nature while Thella was trying her best to keep away any wayward hands and wondering eyes that sought to have her.

Arriving almost as soon as Thella was taking up a bottle of Saturlite to beat them away, Pierce managed to grab it before leaping over the couch and dragging Ridge away from his thralls.

"Captain, I...this isn't what it looks like, Ridge just had a hard time loosening up and Rayce thought he could help with that...in hindsight that was probably my mistake"

"No need, you all played your part, for now just run. Grab Rayce if you would"

"Are we in the clear, has he shown himself?"

"Not exactly, there's been a change of plans..." He had a bit of trouble dragging him alongside Ridge through the dark but after pushing through an intoxicated crowd, they finally found an exit...only to wind up at the feet of the one person they hadn't expected.

"Captain Gage. Can you hear me, my signal is going through but there doesn't seem to be any response, please respond" Once outside his comm link lit up, notifying him but Pierce could not speak, not when he was there...

"Jackboot James, of all worlds in the Milky Way…" Pierce said as he stood up to the mechanical fiend towering over him.

"You know me but I don't know you" Raising a dull colored mechanical arm and lighting a cigar before lifting him up with his collar.

"That's fine by me. I had no idea that you were working for them. Just what are they planning to have so much criminal scum answering to them?" The cold steel of his grip clenched even tighter.

"....I asked you a question" Blowing a plume of smoke into his face.

"Who...Are...You, smooth skin?"

"Does it matter?"

"...Hmph." Pulling out a pistol from his jacket and firing into one of the bodyguards that stood beside him.

"These...aren't my people, and if I won't hesitate to put a bullet in them, I won't lose a cog on any of you" The barrel was now in front of him.

"I know why you're here, and what you plan on buying from them..."

"And how are you so sure, I could just as easily be here to enjoy the scenery"

"Because I was planning on buying it myself"

"...I have no idea what you're on about but you would do your best to forget you ever so saw me" Throwing Pierce to the wayside, tumbling into Ridge, before walking off with his group.

"Find their ship, find out who they are, where they came from and how they know who I am"

Ridge rushed to help Pierce onto his feet before looking around to find that the assailants had already left.

"Vronica, we need backup, can you hear us...?" Ridge called out after turning on their comms.

"Yes Sergeant, I read you. I'll be there in two minutes"

"Please hurry, the Captain is..."

"Don't. What we need to do is check...check the spaceport" Reeling back, Pierce tried to catch his breath.