Special notes: I did something different in this episode. I'm tired of cutting out huge sections of the story to make it fit this ridiculously small character count space. I will post this episode in several parts. Here is the story with everything intact. [The Lone Gunslinger, Chapter 6, An Unlikely Ally, Part I] "That the last crate?" "Yes, Sir," I drop the crate of expended ammunition casings on the scale and the Range Master, an older Gunslinger, weighs it to ensure the expended brass matches with the ammo fired during the night range. I'm tired and cold, and this is only my first night on extra-duty. I'm sure it must be near midnight and I have to be up at three to go with my class to repeat the surveillance range. "Okay, boy," says the Range Master. "Put the crate in the back of the truck, we'll drop off the brass on the way." I carry the crate around to the back of the truck and push it up with the other crates. The Gunslingers that were on the range practicing are long gone, and the range lights are off, it took me over two hours to find all the expended brass. And then I had to rake each firing lane, it seems every time I think I'm in shape they find new muscles to make sore. The heater is on in the truck, and I'm grateful for that and fall asleep immediately. "Wake up, boy," the old Range Master nudges me. We're in front of the path to my cabin, and I look around sleepily. "Huh?" I'm confused. "I thought we had to drop off the crates?" "There were two young Gunslingers on extra-duty at the collection point," says the Range Master. "They took care of it." "There's someone else on extra-duty?" I sit up and look out the back window of the truck at the now empty truck-bed. "You think you're special?" says the Range Master. "There's always at least a half-dozen or so on extra-duty, though you are up thar' we the best getting thirty-days. I remember when your…" the Range Master looks at me and pauses before continuing, "…mentor was on extra-duty every other month until he was twenty or so." "I didn't know you could still get extra-duty after you graduated from the Training Program, but I guess it makes sense." I push the creaky old door open and step out into the deep snow on the side of the road. "You Simons are always trouble-makers, your…" the Range Master pauses again, "…the Simon before the one you know was a real hell-raiser. Simon Trigger dragged me into one misadventure after another. Yep, those were the days." The old Gunslinger is giving me an odd stare, and I know he is trying to tell me something, but I'm too tired and thank him for the ride before closing the door and heading up the path to the cabin. There's a light on in the window and I… 'snap' …spin around and draw my revolver. I heard something in the trees. But, there's snow on the ground, and it's easy to see around me, and I don't see anyone. What would make that noise? I look up at the tall pine trees, but I doubt anyone is hopping from tree to tree. I shake my head and put my revolver back in its holster, I'm tired and hearing things. The snow is cleared off the porch; Simon must have done my chore since I wasn't here. I stop and look back out at the trees and then push the door open and enter the warm cabin. I don't want to talk with Simon and hope he's already asleep. Simon surprises me and pushes past me, his revolver drawn, and looks out at the trees and then up, like I did. "I saw you draw your revolver, what did you hear, boy?" asks Simon. I'm not too tired to realize Simon must have been up watching for me to come home, and I don't know why, but that makes me grin a little. "I heard a twig snap, like someone walking," I whisper and follow Simon out onto the porch. "It startled me, do you think someone is out there?" "Most likely just someone taking a short-cut back to their cabin, but it's good you are cautious," says Simon holstering his gun. "You need to get in bed." Simon motions me back inside and bolts the door behind us. I don't waste any time and collapse on my bunk, and I don't bother taking my boots off either, but my head is swirling with a thousand questions I've had since the incident with Ace and Rattlesnake earlier that morning "I need you to be on your best behavior tomorrow," says Simon heading for his room. "We have a very important guest arriving tonight." "Okay," I mumble, still a little mad at Simon for the stern punishment. I know I deserve it, but that doesn't make it easier to accept. "Night, boy." "Simon?" "Yes?" "Ace said our names are passed from father to son, did you ever have a son?" "Yes." "What happened to him?" "His mother took him away after he was born; I was off world at the time and by the time I got back she had covered her tracks and I couldn't find her. I learned later she died, but I never found the boy, she hid him well." "Why?" "She didn't want him to become a Gunslinger." "Oh, but since he's not here, I'll become Simon?" "Go to sleep." "Simon?" "Yes?" sighs Simon. "Are there any Gunslinger kids in my class?" "Yes, three." "Thunder's one, isn't he?" "Yes." "Who else?" "Misfire." "But he tried to quit." "He was taught to use the flare if necessary, but he was also taught to survive if things went wrong, and things did go badly wrong for him, but he did survive." "Who's the third?" "You have to be up in three hours, go to sleep." I'm too tired to ask more questions anyway and drift off to sleep. I dream I'm on The Long Run being chased by Beastie Cats, but then the Beastie Cats turn into the man and woman on the farm, and I'm running towards the mountains and safety. I see a man standing in the trees and try to run to him, but he turns and walks away. The man and woman catch me and drag me back to the farm. 'beep…beep…beep…' I open my eyes; the Vid-screen alarm is beeping, and I jump out of bed to turn it off. I'm so tired I just want to go back to bed, but I pull my duster on and head for the door. There is a note on the little table next to the door with a small wrapped piece of cloth sitting on the paper. 'Hero, put the teat between your cheek and teeth and suck on it.' The little piece of wrapped cloth smells like coffee, and I pop it in my mouth and head out into the snow. A light snow has covered my tracks from earlier, and I go out to the road to wait for Thunder to come pick me up. The teat must have coffee beans or grounds in it, and it starts to dissolve and tastes terrible, but ten minutes later when Thunder arrives on his horse, I'm feeling a surge of energy. Thunder doesn't look happy to have to come pick me up, but he holds his hand out and pulls me up on his horse. We pass the intersection that goes to the Dining Cabin and instead head straight for the Surveillance Training Range. "Aren't we doing the pre-brief?" I ask. "No, we know what to do, I told everyone to go straight to the Range," replies Thunder. "You want me out on the prairie?" I ask. "I'm not putting anyone out on the prairie, I want everyone in positions around the warehouse, so we are sure to get the cargo count," says Thunder. I think that is a foolish decision, but Thunder is in charge now, and I have to do what he says, so I keep my thoughts to myself. Thunder will probably be better as the Class Leader anyway; he was raised by a Gunslinger and has more experience. "Where you want me?" I shift in the saddle; it's not as comfortable on the back of a horse as in the saddle, I miss my horse. "The Command Building overlooks the warehouses, I'm putting you up there," says Thunder. "Just keep your head down and don't cause any more trouble." Thunder wants me out of the way; I won't be able to see the loading dock from on top of the Command Building, unless the trucks plan on loading at the back of the warehouse. My class doesn't trust me; they are just putting me somewhere I can't mess things up. The others are waiting at the bottom of the switch-back to the Administration Compound, and I jump down from Thunder's horse. Everyone ties their horses in a picket, and we follow Thunder to the back of the Command Building. Thunder gives everyone instructions where to go and then just me and Thunder are left; he points at an access ladder at the back of the building for me to climb. "Just keep down and don't let the drivers see you," orders Thunder. I climb the ladder to the roof and look back down at Thunder, he motions for me to get down. The ledge of the building is a three foot wall that runs around the top of the building, and I sit down with my back against the wall. I'm not part of this exercise; I can't see anything, and I think that is exactly what Thunder wants. I could have stayed in bed, and nobody would have missed me. The first trucks start arriving twenty minutes later, and I listen to my class on the Com-link calling out the cargo count. I'm bored and nobody talks to me so I pull my knees up and wrap my coat tight around me to ward off the cold. At some point, I think I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I could have been asleep for five minutes or an hour, I don't know. I hear someone scampering across the roof and open my eyes thinking maybe the exercise is over and I didn't hear the command to rally for the de-brief, and they had to come get me. My eyes are blurry, and it takes me a moment to focus, someone is crawling across the roof towards me. The person gets close enough, and I realize it's not a Gunslinger or a Trainee, in fact, it's not even human. I don't think it is. The person…thing…Alien stops maybe five feet away. No, this isn't a human, it's humanoid, but definitely not human, the eyes are just a bit too large and the face angular, and it's dressed completely in black leather--and it has wings. My coat is wrapped around me, and I fumble for my gun. "No…No…please don't shoot me; I'm on your side…friend…ally," whispers the alien in a strange airy accent, like someone that speaks Imperial as a second language. I stop trying to get my gun; it's inside my coat and I couldn't possibly get to it before the alien attacks. The alien sits back on it's legs and pulls the leather coat back and shows me an empty knife sheath. "See…see…I left my dagger back there; I'm unarmed," the alien points behind it at the shadows. The alien is the smallest person I've ever seen, and I think it looks like a big bird. "What are you?" I ask. He, I think it's a he, cocks its head to the side in a very bird-like gesture and then crawls over and sits against the wall next to me. I don't bother moving, if it meant harm, I think it could have done that while I was sleeping. "Haven't you ever seen a Darian before?" it asks. "I've seen lots of humans, I know every species of human, fascinating mammals, you’re a Raunian Human." "Umm…no…I've never seen a Darian before, and I'm not Raunian, I was born on Tarous Minor." The Darian scrunches his face up slightly and pulls an electronic tablet from inside his leather coat. I watch him punch some buttons and then he looks back at me. "Nope, I did my research right, both your parents were born on Raunu Major, and so were you, yeppers." The Darian chuckles and shoves the tablet back in his pocket. "You don't even look like a Tarous Human; you're too big to be Taroian." The man on the farm I was raised was shorter than me, I was taller than both the man and woman by the time I was ten. And I'm the same height as Thunder, and he was born here in the Gunslinger Camp, and we're the same age… am I Raunian? "You know who my parents are?" I ask. "Of course, don't you…" the Darian frowns for a moment and then smiles, he has sharp little teeth. "Oh, it's a human joke, very funny, I like you." "What do you want?" I ask. "I want to live, please." The Daraian's expression becomes serious. "I need your help, I tried to talk with you last night but that Gunslinger came outside." "Is someone trying to kill you?" "Yes, I'm under a death sentence, it's complicated, but there isn't much time, will you help me?" The Darian looks desperate, and a little scared. I don't think he's lying to me, but I know I should report this immediately over the Com-link, but something… I see something in him. I stare into his face and realize what I'm seeing. I'm seeing me, I see the utter helplessness and desperation I felt on the farm when there was no one to help me. I think this Darian might be just like me. "Are there more of you here?" I ask. "No, I'm alone, I swear." I was right; he is alone and just like me. I know the look in his face. "I'll help under three conditions." The Darian smiles broadly, which I wish he wouldn't do; those sharp teeth give his smile a gruesome appearance. "Yes…yes…anything," he says. "You tell me everything, you show me the file you were reading about me, and, you show me your file." "It's against the rules, but we're friends, right, yes, I'll do it, but we have to hurry, so I'll tell you the short version." The Darian pushes off from the wall and turns around the sit in front of me and takes a deep breath. "I lost my third partner and was put in the chair and Gar hurt me for an hour, which I expected, it usually takes a week to die. But then Gar just stopped and asked if I wanted another chance, which I didn't expect cause that never happens." I had no idea what this alien was talking about, but stayed silent, not that I had a choice; it looked like he was going to tell the whole story in one breath. "Well, it hurt real bad, and of course I was scre… Oh, never mind, you probably don't want those details, but trust me, you don't ever want sent to the chair. So, anyway, I said yes. So Gar says I have to stop a war from starting. I'd throw myself into a tree grinder to get out of the chair. But anyway, there's a coup happening in the Temple and Gar is barely holding everything together and can't trust anyone except a foolish Zoomie student that lost his third partner and would do anything to get out of the chair, or at least make death come faster." I think my face shows my confusion, nothing he is saying makes sense. I think the Darian sees my confusion and pauses for moment before continuing. "I'm a Trainee, like you, I messed up, and my punishment is death, do you understand that?" the Darian explains. "Yes." I do understand that, I was told what the ultimate punishment is for a Trainee that causes the death of a Lord Gunslinger, shows cowardice, or tries to run away--they take you for a walk in the forest and leave you sitting against a tree with a bullet hole in your head. "Okay, well, someone is making bad drugs, bringing them into the local schools, and blaming the Ravens. They are trying to start a war." "Wait! What! You're a Raven; you're my enemy," I almost shout. "Have I ever done anything to you?" asks the Raven. "I'm not your enemy, but if you are going to turn me in, please… please… I beg you, just shoot me, so I don't have to go back to the chair, they will call you a hero if you shoot me." "They already call me Hero," I say. The Raven cocks it's head to the side an laughs, "I love human humor that's good." I have a bad feeling I might know what this chair is all about, and I won't do that to anyone. "I won't turn you in," I promise. "Who is trying to start a war?" The Raven looks sad. "A group of bad Gunslingers and a group of bad Ravens, they are working together to start a war." "Why did you pick me to help you?" "Same reason Gar picked me," he says. "We are both screw up Trainees that nobody would even let be part of the conspiracy, so we can be trusted." I think the Raven's logic is little off there, but I keep that thought to myself, even if there is a perverse truth to it. "Okay, so what can I do?" I ask. "I've been here for months but can't find where they are making the drugs, but I know how they are getting the drugs out, and if we can just show your people what is happening, then they will believe and help us." "How?" "There is a white delivery van taking the drugs out." "The white van! I saw it stop yesterday behind the warehouse, and I knew something was wrong, but I was busy spying on Rattlesnake." "I know, I'm really sorry about that, it was all my fault." "Huh?" "I knew where your spotter would be, and I knew where you would be, so I gave the driver the binoculars and told him where to look. I knew the spotter would have to hide, and you would come down from the hill, but then you chased the wrong person." "You manipulated the whole thing?" "I'm sorry, don't be mad, I'm a Raven and manipulation is what we do best," admits the Raven. "I really want to be your friend." I stare hard into the Raven's face, but I don't think he understands that his admission makes everything he's told me suspect. This Raven's logic is all backward and upside down. I wonder if all the Raven's are like that, it would explain why the Gunslingers hate them. "Fine, it's done; I'm not mad, now let me see the tablet." "Oh, sure," the Raven pulls the tablet out, pushes some buttons and hands it to me. I read my file, turn white, and put a hand over my mouth. I feel sick, everything is here, my birth place, parents, what happened to me, it's all there. I feel a level of betrayal like nothing I've ever felt before, and relief, and hate. I feel hate for everything that has happened to me. The Raven snatches the tablet from me; his face is white. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I thought you were joking about not knowing; you really didn't know…I'm so sorry." "Not your problem," I say and hold my hand out for the tablet, I'm shaking with anger. "Now your file." This Raven's logic and methods might be upside down, but at this moment I believe him and I think he might be the only person that I've ever met that I can trust. Everyone else has been lying to me. The Raven pushes some more buttons and hands me back the tablet, and I read his file, and despite my efforts to remain angry I can't. I even laugh at one point while reading his file. "Seriously?" I ask. "You did these things?" "I'm a Raven, not human," he pouts. "Don't judge me on human standards." "I think you are more human than you know," I say. "You don't have to insult me," he says. "You did all these things because of a girl," I point out. "We are very much alike." The Raven gives me a toothy lopsided grin and takes the tablet back. "Okay, I know what needs to be done," I say. "But they might not like it, I might end up being taken for a short final walk in the forest for what I'm about to do." "I know, there's a chance I've been setup," the Raven says, "but I'll help you escape if we are being manipulated." I don't care if I am being manipulated at this point. I just want a chance to stick it to the Gunslingers for lying to me since I've been here. I'm still very mad at what I read in my file. I get up and crawl over to the ladder and peak over the side of the wall. The white van is there, but I already knew that, I heard Misfire announce it over the Com-link. "I'll wait until the white van pulls around…" I turn to tell the Raven my plan, but he's gone. I shrug, better I do this on my own anyway, but I'm probably going to get shot. Then a thought comes to me; Misfire can see anything with heat on the ground, how did the Raven keep from being seen on the satellite? Unless I'm of such little importance to my class now that they haven't even bothered to watch me. [to be continued]