Scene 10: Street Rats

Aaron and Tulia turn on to a street with a placid market place that looks something akin to a large family picnic.  Open air grills, schools of children running at full speed, couples sitting and eating together and a generous exchange of goods changing hands as if they were gifts.  About a dozen humanoid rat pups stream by them.  They squeak their little giggles.

AARON: Come on.

I think this way is faster.

TULIA: So you want to get

pickpocketed?  Is that it?

AARON: They're just kids.

They'll only steal you blind

as bad as the ones 

back on Janriel.

TULIA: I'm not in a hurry

to go through a place

like that again.

AARON: What's with you?

TULIA: The last time you

went shopping I lost

over half my crew.

AARON: It's the shortest route.

You got us lost looking for

the Grim Grip.  You used that

shuttle too much back on Janriel. 

Not as many places it can go here.

Would you rather run all the

way back to the clinic?

TULIA: Do I look like a 

video game character?

AARON: I wouldn't know.

Momentarily the two of them double back for a couple of garbage cans overturned in an alley with a clatter.  They look and witness one teen girl being closed in on by two adult vermin Raytheons standing tall over her with glittering red eyes and clawed fingers.  Aaron and Tulia rush down the alley, but still have to reach the opposite end on the far side.

VALORY: Leave me alone you-

you novice bipeds.

RAYTHEON: You picked my passcard

little girl.  That wasn't very 

good of you to do that.

VALORY: You got it back.

How many pickpockets return

something after they're

finished with it?

RAYTHEON: You should have

stayed out of our operations.

You cost me a whole shipment.

VALORY: That's a lie.

I took one crate of the filler

you were using to hide

from the security scan.

RAYTHEON: The wrong crate, 

little girl.  Now someone has

to pay for the lost shipment.

VALORY: I didn't lose 

you the shipment.

RAYTHEON: What do you

expect me to believe?  That one

of my worker bots hid

it from me?

Two warning shots ring out near the Raytheon's head.

AARON: That's close enough!

RAYTHEON: We have no 

business with you.

TULIA: Look, we've been
very busy today.  So let us
just take our little
friend and go.

RAYTHEON: You should know
better than to interfere
in Mr. Vincent's affairs.

AARON: Who's Vincent.

TULIA: You don't know?
How do you get paid?

AARON: I guess I'm the only
honest bounty hunter in all
of the Janriel star system.

VALORY: Everyone knows
who Mr. Vincent is.  Only...
to see him you have to either
be working for him or in
trouble with him.

RAYTHEON: Honest bounty hunters
don't like to get their hands dirty.
Run along now honest bounty hunter.
The little girl knows what kind
of trouble she is in.

AARON: To be honest, I don't
like Raytheons very much.
Especially when they're picking
on helpless little-

VALORY: Helpless?

RAYTHEON: You should know
when to catch a break.

AARON: Good advice.  Now run
home to your pups.  I'll make sure
this one finds her way.

The endless ruby eyes stare into Aaron's for some time.  And then he hisses to his friend and they both proceed to climb the walls and head out to the market that Aaron and Tulia came from.  Tulia keeps a bead on them while Aaron turns to Valory.

AARON: What's your name?

VALORY: I don't talk to strangers.

TULIA: But you do steal 

from Raytheons.

VALORY: Momma never said nothing

about dealing with Raytheons.

I don't think she knew about 'em.

AARON: Well let's go discuss

it with her right now.

She backs away from his reach.

TULIA: He won't hurt you.  Trust me.

He's really not the type.  He's not

even good at pretending to be

an intimidating bounty hunter.

AARON: Did no one else see me

fight Drusus Gaul this morning?

VALORY: You fought Drusus Gaul? 

How are you still alive?

AARON: I won.

VALORY: Oh.

TULIA: And everyone's day

just went downhill from there.

So are you going to take us to

where you live or not?

VALORY: Well... (she stomps her foot)

Darn.  I guess... you can

come out now Esben.  

A discarded rug unravels and a shaggy carpet with two legs rises from where he was lying.  He bears his teeth and awaits what they will do next.

VALORY: Easy big guy.  You saw it.

They wanted to help.  

His face goes placid and eyes become soft with gentle moisture in them.

VALORY: Can't say where he's from.

But it's real cold for him up

here on the station.  You got a way

to get him to Janriel?

TULIA: How many more strays

are you going to take in?

AARON: Me?  It's your ship.

I'm just tagging along.

TULIA: Yeah.  Like you were

going to just leave them here.

AARON: We'll take you as 

far as my friend's clinic.

After that we don't know

what will happen.

VALORY: Doc Spencen?  He won't

be happy to see me.  He warned

me about doing stuff like this.

AARON: Then I guess Spencen is

the closest that you're going to 

get to a scolding.  Come along 

if you're coming.

Valory steps back as they start to leave and takes Esben by the hand.  Her fingers disappear into his long fur and they both walk quietly in step behind Aaron and Tulia.








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