Declan stared into the eyes of the man no more than an arms length across from him, they were soft pale blue almost gray, they were also bloodshot and unfocused. A tangle of greasy black and blonde hair fell over those eyes when a ‘tut tut tut’ noise slipped past his dry and cracked lips.
“Decky. Mate, I bet you’re surprised to see me, eh?” Sero Valrel asked in a voice that was breathy and slurred.
Declan had been surprised when he and his crew dropped out of hyperspace and were almost immediately beset by blaster fire; he had been even more surprised when his engines cut offline and left him floating dead in the vastness of space. He was not surprised however when the doors to the bridge opened and in came three advozse and trailed by three Tholthians.
At the head of the group swaggered Sero Valrel. He was dressed in a stained white satin shirt and a set of tight worn leather pants. Declan had smelled him long before he saw him, he stank of stale cigarettes and sour spice and he swayed so terribly when he walked it looked like he was on a wave hopper.
If all three advozse and two of the tholothians weren’t carrying high power blaster rifles, Declan would’ve killed the man right then and there. He instead settled for a glare with as much malice as he could muster. The chit, Sero Valrel had not even noticed, far too eager was he to gloat.
“Surprised to see you're still alive, Sero. Valturla must be going soft.” Declan responded in a low growl.
“That slug? He knows better than to make a move against me.” Sero responded. “Especially when I earn so well.” a predatory grin crossed his face.
So he was here to rob him, not just kill him. Declan had recently procured a shipment of …well he hadn’t been sure what exactly, he hadn’t bothered to check. It was supposedly ship parts but seeing as the hauler he had taken it from was Hutt owned, it could’ve been anything from spice or weapons or sacks of credits. He had planned on taking a look after they’d gotten back to the place they were calling home this month, but before they had been able to make the final jump his ship had been shot dead.
Given their history however Declan wouldn’t have been surprised if Sero had hunted him down just to see him die. They’d spent the better part of a year together, prowling the hyperlanes and taking advantage of unlucky or ill-defensed freighters and transports. They robbed together, fought together, drank together and did many other things together. Before that even they lived in the same house, serving the same master, fighting in the pits of Nar Shaddaa, barely more than children. It had hurt Sero deeply when Declan had left him.
“All loaded. “ A voice said as two rifle wielding Catuman came onto the bridge leading a young mirialan woman in front of them. Her hands were bound in front of her and she had tears running down her face.
“They killed Ronnie and the rest. Oh gods they killed Ronnie.” She said when her eyes met Declan’s.
“I’m sorry Rara. I’m so sorry.” He knew the words meant nothing. Ronnie and Rara were twins, they were only a year or two over twenty and along with a crew of seven others, three rodians, two duro, a bpasshi and a faust, joined his crew maybe seven months earlier. Now they were dead. All but Rara.
A loud cackle of laughter came from Sero.
“Youre, you’re sorry? You? The bloodthirsty pirate Declan Osbourne?” He lost himself to a fit of laughter again. Yes. Declan had a reputation through the hyperlanes. He was larger than most human men in height and in muscle, his hair went long past his shoulders and he had a wild grown beard on his face, that wasn’t to mention the tattoos that covered almost the entirety of his body from neck to waistline. Runes, and images of deities that maybe no one in the galaxy could recognize anymore outside of his family. Just the sight of him was enough to assume he was a savage and those who had learned his name from the fighting pits knew it to be true.
Declan looked hard at the man he once shared so much with. It wouldn’t take but a moment for Declan to kill him. One or two seconds would be all it took for him to rush the spice addled pirate and rip his throat out with his teeth. Surely then the blasters would be turned on him and he would be dead before he could even taste the blood run over his tongue, but that could be worth it.
“Time to go.” The tholothian in the back said with authority. Declan saw Sero bristle at the command. A sharp bark of laughter came from Declan. It must be a real shame for Sero to be working under another captain.
“That slug still hasn't returned my ship to you?” Declan taunted. He got a hard back hand to the face for his trouble and immediately felt the blood rush down into his beard.
“MY ship.” Sero hissed. “It’s my ship and I’ll have her back in time don’t you worry.”
One of the catuman came over and bound his wrists and ankles to his chair and punched a few buttons on the command console.
“Distress signal.” Sero explained. Fat lot of good a distress signal did him here on this route, a smuggler’s route. It was most like to be picked up by another set of pirates or other brigands who, when they found his ship empty of any worth save for him, would cut his throat or turn him in for one of the bounties on his head…or both.
With a steadiness and grace, Declan did not think possible Sero turned on his heel and in three quick moves was over to Rara with a blade at her throat. A flash of silver struck the air and great bouts of purple blood poured from the young woman’s neck. She raised her bound hands to her wound but the blood just poured from between her fingers. Declan howled with rage and with all his might uselessly struggled against his bindings. He roared curses and snapped his mouth like an animal, the blood from his broken nose flying off and he shook his head trying to reach his enemy.
Sero Valrel stalked back, stooped over the raging Decalan and ran his thumb softly over the bound man’s lip. Declan could feel the calloused digit, he tasted the salt of sweat, the sweet mint of spice and the metallic tinge of Rara’s blood.
Sero leaned in and whispered. “Wouldn’t want you to get hungry.”
And then they were gone. He was alone bound to his seat, with the corpse of his friend only but a few feet away. Distress signal blaring to open space.
Aris Reynard
Karim
Declan Durinson
