1. The Capture of the Scientist

Algar VII. A fugitive is trying to evade Owen and Max.

"Max! He went the other way, down the alley!" Captain Owen Talus yelled as he skidded to a halt in front of a fruit stand on the crowded street corner. The captain had a strong presence and a solidity of character that made him seem a lot kinder than he actually was. He was young, just past his twenty-seventh birthday. His hair was dark auburn and just the length that it was constantly in his eyes.  He was wearing very light flight gear, almost like a jumpsuit with a vest to top it off. A copper pendant bounced on his chest as he ran.

Quickly, Owen reversed direction and ran up the long alley he had overshot the first time. Sweat plastered his hair to his head and dripped into his sharp green eyes. His legs were numb and his heart pounded the inside of his ribs like a jackhammer. This happened every time a fugitive hid on a desert planet- why couldn't they pick somewhere more suitable for cross-town cat and mouse?

Owen caught a flash of tan rounding the far edge of the alley. They had been chasing their mark for over half an hour and somehow he was still a half a block ahead of them. Just as he was starting to wheeze from inhaling copious amounts of dust, Owen heard a soft thud and the metallic click of a gun cocking from around the corner.

"Captain, I've got him back here!" Max shouted through heavy breaths. Owen jogged around the corner to find Max's gun trained at the man's head. He was on the ground, rubbing his neck and shaking.

"You clothesline him?" Owen asked with a smirk.

"Works every time," Max said as he reached down to drag the man to his feet. He flinched and eyed Max suspiciously. Even in friendlier circumstances, that was often peoples' first reaction to Max. Everything about him was dark. His ebony hair fell in curtains that framed his stoic jaw and veiled his eyes. Both his pants and his worn leather vest were black as well. Not a shred of emotion could be read on his face. It was one of the reasons Owen kept him around. He was a brick wall, solid and supportive, but not something you'd want to run into. 

Owen, who still had his own gun in his hand, decided that two weapons might be overkill in this particular situation, knelt and jammed the silver pistol into his boot. He pulled a length of rope from his flight jacket and crossed behind the man as he continued to shake.

"Ardeth Trier," he mused as he tied the man's hands tightly behind his back, "You are one unlucky scientist."

Ardeth was a geneticist, actually, though he didn't look it. He was built more like a soldier, lean and muscular, with tan skin and a weather-beaten face. His eyes were the color of honey, and they betrayed the calm sadness that never left him. His brown hair fell to his shoulders, strips of colored cloth braided into some of the strands.  Normally, he was clean-shaven but the life of a fugitive had made him lax, leaving a sharp layer of stubble across his jawline. His clothes were made of expensive fabrics, but they were dirty and ripped in multiple places.

"Come on," Max mumbled gruffly as he grabbed Ardeth's arm and began to walk him down the alley. "And if you scream or run, I'll shoot you. The Prime Consul didn't specify dead or alive."

Behind Max and Ardeth, Owen pulled a small gray device from a clip on his belt. "Tabitha," he said as he pressed a round button near the top of the device, "We've got him. Meet us at the rendezvous in ten. I want to get the hell off this planet."

"Sure thing, Captain. Be right there," a soft female voice crackled back at him. Tabitha, their pilot, was particularly good at fitting Leto into tiny spaces, so they made a habit out of  putting rendezvous points in crowded spots. Landing among buildings and trees provided good cover on planets where bounty hunting was still illegal. As for Algar VII and their current desert situation, they could legally land wherever they wanted. Tabby just liked adrenaline.

Amid confused stares from the crowds around them, Owen and Max headed for the largest plaza in the town with Ardeth in tow. He had been on the run for weeks and now that he'd finally been caught, he'd all but given up. His normally bright eyes were dull and worn and he looked as if he'd lived a thousand lives. He was covered in sand from his ripped boots to his long hair. He walked silently between his captors, hearing nothing but the sound of his own defeat.

A sudden vibration shook the sky as Leto appeared overhead. Tabitha had dropped the ship down over the road and guided her in a soft trajectory toward the plaza. The patrons of the small market scattered in all directions, leaving the path to the ship surprisingly clear. Owen chuckled under his breath. This happened every time.

The ship itself was small, old and all-together unimpressive. It was Owen's pride and joy. It was one of the few tangible gifts he had ever received from his father. Leto, despite her shortcomings, was one of two things in the galaxy Owen truly loved. And the only one that loved him back.

The large docking door on the side of the ship lowered slowly, creaking as the ten year old hinges decided whether or not today would be the day they broke. No, not today, it seemed. The door thumped to the ground and a lanky blond figure came strutting toward them. His hair was spiked and his skin was pale and clean. He flashed a grin that was all teeth, sparkling like pretentious snow. 

"Ah, what do we have here, boys? Caught ourselves a science man, it seems," he said without a waver in his grin. He glanced down at the sheet of paper clutched in his hand and added to Ardeth, "You've pissed off some very important men, Mr.....Trier, is it? Tell me, how does a science man such as yourself warrant a full-scale manhunt?"

"Shut up, Leo. Just take him to the brig so we can get going," Max snapped as he pushed Ardeth at him. Leo led Ardeth into the ship, an expression akin to amusement obvious on his chiseled face. 

Reviews

[Robert Ulysses Wright]

Much better. I got into the story right away and it flowed smoothly from there. I'm curious about Ardeth the geneticist. Did he create some illegal creatures to warrant his arrest? Is he wanted by some authorities for his knowledge of genetics that he refuses to employ? I will have to read further for the clues.

[Robert Ulysses Wright]

Your story got my attention right away. However, there are several grammatical errors that kept me from fully enjoying your work. Please revise some areas where you use double words and ignore proper punctuation. I look forward to your revised story.