I
Today is July 16, 2550C.E. and the Heretic Wars are almost over. Once they are I’ll be out of a job. I sat back on the bar stool I rested upon and downed my shot of Retillian Whisky chasing it with a draught of Trimmin’s finest ale. Another day had ended, and I had just been paid 17.9 million unmarked credits for my services over the past week. It had involved some tidying up of loose ends for a mysterious underlord of the rebellion known as Credence Gray. And the mission was an absolute success, life was seemingly perfect for me, and I had promised myself this was my last job for a while, or so I had thought. I had spent the last ten years fighting for a lost cause. I knew nothing I did would bring back my family, and I had finally come to grips with the idea that killing countless others wouldn’t avenge my family’s death. As far as I was concerned it was time to move on, a time for a new beginning, and with the end coming to the Heretic Wars it was as good a time as any to start fresh. I ordered another round, glancing up to the television screen behind the bar as I waited. News of peace talks between Providence’s leaders and the Rebellion Leaders for a peace treaty meeting was blaring across the screen. It had been like this non-stop for the past few weeks. It was boring me, I thought how unreliably slow order was and saluted sarcastically to the screen as I downed my fifth shot followed by a swig of my beer.
Jai a scruffy blonde fellow with roguish weathered features walked into the bar where I was. He was a good friend of mine and was considered somewhat a daredevil and a ladies man. I had worked with him in a lot of my a$signments. We were sort of a team in a way; we worked together when it called for it.
“Zeek my main man, there you are! I heard you just got paid by Credence today. Nice work, I heard all about your work with the Vedans. Not a bad reward for your troubles.†Jai sat down beside me and ordered another round for the both of us.
“So Zeek, are you interested in a proposition I have? I’ve just received word on the Heretic-Providence treaty plans, and I have an anonymous tip that all will not go as plannned. I have a holographic walkthrough of my latest offer if you’re interested. You should take a look and let me know what you think. I’ll make sure it’s worth your while.†Jai slipped his hand into a hidden pocket in his boot and retrieved a small, flat disk the size of a bottle cap and slid it across the bench to where my hand was resting on my beer bottle. Then he continued in an uninterested tone, “If you don’t accept my proposition, it’s no big deal, but I’m telling you Zeek this mission is worth an absolute fortune. It’s worth six billion unmarked credits. That’s worth more than a kings ransom, just think - on this much money we can retire from the merc life and disappear off the face of The Former USP and they’ll be none the wiser. No questions asked no worries and more importantly a clean slate. Don’t tell me that it’s not what you’ve always wanted!â€Â
I glanced at the disk thinking about how I had decided to give away the mercenary work and start fresh. I was well aware of what this final assignment would be worth to me, but I was sick of playing the diplomatic field and selling my skills for a high bid. ‘Too many hassles, too many risks,’ I thought to myself, but as much as I denied the idea I knew Jai was right, 6 billion unmarked credits was more than enough to disappear and start clean even if we split the bid 50-50, even 3 billion credits was more than enough. But now that the wars were ending what point would there be in accepting, what person could possibly want to spend that much money on an assignment at a time like this. More importantly, what could they possibly want done for that much money? Peace on this continent for the first time in 40 years, isn’t that enough for some people? All there problems solved, no more conflict. A sudden urge came over me and I took one final glance at the disk and then at Jai.
“I’m in!†I blurted out, slamming my hand down on the disk. I slipped the disk into my pocket and sculled the last of my beer with one defiant gulp.
“Excellent Zeek, I knew you would come around. I’ll meet you at the Cyber Vaults in Upper Lingaard at zero-five hundred hours, don’t be late.†Jai left some credits to pay for the round of drinks and disappeared into the dark night.
to be continued in part 2 of Chapter 1
Very good! I'd certainly buy this series when its published!
I'm looking forward to part two
Excellent! i love it! from reading the prologue, i had the idea that the story was set in another time - more rustic and less modern. but the television inclusion blew me away! i had no idea.
i really like that you know your main character so well. The periods of reflectiveness could be boring, but they aren't. you are letting the readers into his head in a really interesting way, i think its because you already gave his personal background and some of his motives in the prologue.
really really great! i am looking forward to reading more of this!
and yes - i'll buy it when it comes out!
MK
Dear MadamKat
I'm glad you like my style of writing, I also like the inner monologues of the main character, however, please let me know if you think I get to carried away with the monologueing. Personally as a reader I like to know the protagonists motivation behind his actions, and I thought I could share that interest by writing my novel this way.
Thanks for your support
elspethsshadow
