Post by Barlei on Sept 10, 2021 13:56:32 GMT -8
Continued From Here: dragonballbd.proboards.com/thread/2634/oh-stars-star-mission-solo
The roar of the engines filled the night air. Chrome mufflers spat black puffs of exhaust as the pair of motorcycles ripped along the undulating desert floor, tossing up a spray of sand and pebbles in their wake.
The moon shone brightly overhead—full and illustrious, providing ample light for their short journey from the Starving Wolves’ camp. Barlei rode in the rear, hair tossed by the crisp wind. He peered through his goggles, first at Pietr riding his own up ahead, then at the leather and fur trench coat strewn over his lap.
The Starving Wolves.
From what Barlei could gather, they were a group of vagabonds who preyed on innocents who couldn’t protect themselves. It hadn’t been his intention to have a run-in with the gang; groups associated with factions tended to take revenge, if only to spare their reputation if one of their members got a thrashing.
He understood that. He’d done the same thing many times when any of his platoon members got their asses handed to them by soldiers belonging to other officers.
But becoming their leader? How the hell was supposed to lead anyone? He could scarcely take care of himself. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to ditch the idea for some reason.
Rye crouched at the top of the stony plateau, a smattering of glittering stars stretched across the vast expanse behind her. In the distance, she could see the dust trail of the pair of motorcycles heading their way.
She scoffed, lowering her binoculars with a shake of her head. “Predictable as always.” She rose to her feet, resting a hand on her hip. “That’s why he’ll never get any stronger.”
A light chuckle on her left caused Rye to turn her head and look at the sharply dressed man. He busied himself, loosening one of his cufflinks.
“Some people can’t let the past go, can they? We’re fine examples of that.”
Tires squealed, tossing up sand.
Barlei cursed, gripping the brake as his own bike skidded to a quick halt. “The hell’s your problem?!”
Pietr pulled off his helmet and pointed to a large natural crevice in the distance. “Remorse’s Canyon is over there. This is as far as I go.” He cast a wary glance in the canyon’s direction. “There’s a reason they call it that, you know. Nothing good can come from that place.”
“You let me worry about that.”
Barlei dismounted his bike. He held the sleeveless trench in his hand for a second before tossing it on the seat of the motorcycle. He was meeting a couple of old friends.
More than that—they were family.
Becoming some desert gang leader was stupid. He had reason and purpose to live this life now. Some of his platoon had survived, rescued from several bunkers beneath Pilaf Land and the southern islands.
They were going to meet up for old time’s sake. Perhaps their lives could start again.
With a final glance at the trench coat draped over the seat of his bike, Barlei turned and flew into the dusty night.
The sharply dressed man removed his other cufflink and neatly rolled his shirt sleeves. “I don’t want to kill Barlei. He’s a fine soldier.”
Rye sat at the edge of the plateau, watching the Saiyan approach from a distance.
“Of course not. He can’t suffer if he’s dead.”
Barlei soared through the skies, drifting down into the gigantic valley as he reached it. It stretched as far as his vision could travel, a good fifteen meters or so in width from craggy wall to craggy wall.
His boots crunched on pebbles and dirt as he landed, lifting his goggles to glance around. Nothing but sagebrush and cactus to greet him. Anticipation bubbled within him. Had he beat them there?
They watched him land and look around. Rye rose to her feet, the handsome Saiyan male joining her at her side. He regarded his old friend from a distance.
“He looks exactly as I remember, Rye. As if he hasn’t aged a day.”
“Don’t get sentimental,” she said. “We agreed, Sesame, this was the only way to get revenge for our fallen allies.”
He grew silent.
“Right…”
“Where the hell are they?”
He glanced around.
A desert snake slid from beneath a flat, smooth stone. It raised its head to stare at him, thin tongue flicking at the air as if to taste his presence before slithering back beneath the rock. A hare skittered across the sandy desert floor. A distant howl filled the air—a wolf, maybe a pack.
“Hmm.” His patience was wearing thin. He didn’t have a capsule phone to call Rye.
She was the one to set their meeting location. So, then, why would they be late? He ignored the voice in the back of his mind, reminding him of Pietr’s warning. Maybe he’d fly around a bit, see if he could spot them?
It was possible he’d gotten the meeting location mixed up. He began drifting back into the air.
“He’s moving.” Sesame’s tone grew serious, smile disappearing. “Think he’s onto us?”
“I doubt it.”
A lit cigarette dangled between Rye’s lips. She regarded her old pupil, not with fondness or affection, but with cold calculation reserved for one’s enemies.
Taking a final long drag, she flicked it away before raising her left hand, fingers spread as she aimed down into the canyon before them.
“There’s no going back, Sesame.”
He sighed, rubbing his neck before joining her at the plateau’s edge, raising his right hand in a similar stance to her own.
“Yeah. I know. I’m worried what’ll happen if he finds out it was us.”
Rye chuckled. “Of course he will. But let’s make sure he’ll be far too hurt to do anything about it.”
A sudden flare up of their combined power shook the plateau. It rocked and swayed, solid tanned stone fracturing and crumbling in a mighty thunderous crash beneath them, leaving them hovering in the air, their auras entwining and flaring all around them.
A single massive orb of energy grew before them.
He couldn’t feel anyone around for miles. Save for the stray animal here or there, there was nothing he picked up on that was out of the ordinary. That wasn’t the problem, wasn’t it?
Rye was strong. And if she’d truly brought Sesame for a reunion, there was no way those two could hide their strength—not with both of them in the same place.
And then he felt it.
A sharp spike in power, sweeping through the air like a great seismic tremor. He spun around, squinting at the bright ball of light forming above his head.
“The hell? It ain’t morning already, is it?”
Perhaps had his heart not been so trusting; perhaps had he not been so blinded to the rage stirring in his companions’ hearts, things could have been different.
He could have lived to see tomorrow.
The explosion could be seen for miles around. A blinding flash of light, a brief moment of dread-filled silence, followed by an almighty explosion that shook the desert skies!
A sharp wind arose from the concussion force of the blast, tossing Rye and Sesame backwards. They raised their arms, shielding themselves from the after effects of their attack. Once silence reigned again, Rye lowered her arms, drifting down through the smoky debris into the valley.
Sesame followed, brushing stray dirt from his vest.
They both landed beside the smoldering, bloodied form on the ground. Most of his clothing was gone, ripped to shreds by the blast, leaving a battered and broken warrior behind.
“Is he dead?” Sesame leaned over, prodding him with the toe of his expensive dress shoe. “Maybe we overdid it.”
“Does it matter?” She webbed her fingers together, flexing them outwards as she stretched. “We came out here for a reason and we accomplished it. May our brothers and sisters rest in peace.”
The two of them drifted back up into the air. If they left now, they could reach West City by morning. From there, a bullet train to the heart of the Central Lands, propelling them into the rest of their new lives.
Sesame didn’t notice when Rye glanced back one final time as they disappeared, soaring into the skies. The single tear that fell from the corner of her eye would roll down her cheek and drop away.
Vanishing forever in the cruel, twisting shadows of a dry, desert night.
WC: 1,406