Once, when he was just a young Half-Meadian in the Cravet Sector, Corpus Rex made a credit shining shoes. Now a credit was nothing, not even enough to buy a Jelly Ball from the machine, but it felt amazing to have inside his pocket- something that he had worked for and earned. This was also the time when a man twice his size pulled him into a dark alley and robbed him. Heartbroken, Corpus realized that there was no point in working hard for money if someone can just steal it from you, and he might as well take advantage of that fact. It started small, with watches, wallets, and wallet-watches, and then it moved onto bigger things like hovercrafts and space speeders. But after a while, people started to take notice. They told him that it was wrong and that his life would go nowhere if he traveled down the path of thievery and piracy, but he didn’t listen- and boy, did he prove them wrong. In his hand, he held an item that was worth ten times more than the entire street that he stood on, plus all the people that inhabited it. And did he work to earn his lucky, glowing green ticket? No, no he did not. He stole it.
The man laughed as he stared down at his prize, the entire cantina looking on at him like he was a god about to make a decree. “Ha!” He belted, showing off the ticket to the crowd like a magician does a wand. “You scrapers! Oh, you rag-tag miserable runts! Thought I’d never make it did ya? Thought I’d be napping at your heels for the rest of my life, huh? But look at me now, the richest man in the damn universe!”
The crowd was a mixed bag, some moaned and looked away while others grumbled and put up a fuss with each other. In the corner, Sally Silver looked over and groaned, another lucky bastard had won the lottery and it still wasn’t her. But no one made more of a fuss than Vander Extemorst who quickly made his way over to where Corpus had now jumped on top of the bar. “Hello, hello,” he said, just barely able to keep the spite out of his tone. “I’m here to… congratulate you on your win.”
Corpus looked down at the squishy man, “who the hell are you?”
Vander was shocked. “Excuse me! You don’t know who I am? Hmm, I suppose the excitement must be getting to you. I am Vander Extemorst, you know, the person who runs the lottery that you just won?”
The thug narrowed his eyes, “no, don’t recall ya.”
“I suppose you wouldn’t.” Underneath his breath, he added. “I tend to only do business with the more respected ruffians here.”
“Say, if you are the one that does the lottery then you can cut me my slice right now, ay?” Corpus waved the glowing ticket in the businessman’s face. “Come on, oily! Pay up!”
Vander barely kept the boiling rage in as he straightened his ever-increasingly wrinkled tie. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that here, you’ll have to go to the casino and cash it there. My bot handles things like that.”
“Great, let’s go then!” Corpus clapped his hands and jumped off the bar, Pollum was quick to clean the counter with a rag as soon as he was gone. “Lead the way, Slander!”
Meanwhile, Timothy wasn’t paying attention to anything that was happening, he didn’t even stop to consider the fact that if he wasn’t robbed, he’d be the richest person in this section of the galaxy at the moment. No, his mind was on a far more important issue. Neil and Alex, who were paying close attention to the fallout, didn’t notice when their friend slipped away from the booth.
“It’s Vander, and I’m afraid I have some… unfortunate news.” Extemorst took a note card out of his pocket and started to read it. “We at the Extemorst Casino, and all other Extemorst ventures, would like to formally apologize to you. This year’s credit prize sum was inputted incorrectly by our, ahem, associates. We hope you accept this apology as well as the actual intended sum of 40 thousand credits.”
“Ha!” The exclamation came from Jenny who was watching the events go down with mild interest. “Some apology, promised a man a statue then gave him a figurine.”
“You stay out of this!” Vander’s twisted head flared. “Remember who I am, Jenny, you don’t want to get on my bad side!”
“Really? Why?” Sophia piped up, wondering why everyone seemed to let this guy boss them around.
“Why?” He echoed. “Because I’m Vander Extemorst! Grandson of Claudio Extemorst, the founder of Extemorst Enterprises! Who do you think built this dump, hmm? Who do you think pays the Galactic Patrol to turn a blind eye to all the little operations that go down here? Without me, you’d all be nothing, and this place would be just a heap of junk with a pretty view!”
Sophia scoffed and shook her head, “sounds like all that’s your grandfather’s achievement, not yours.”
Vander’s skin boiled hot red, if he wasn’t dealing with some legal turmoil there was a chance he may have done something to retaliate. Jenny on the other hand chuckled and shot Sophia a smile. A person who wasn’t smiling, however, was Corpus Rex. “What?” He said, his face scowling into a disgusted look. “What do ya mean, mistake?”
The businessman straightened his suit, “look, it’s obvious that the 40 million credits were a mistake, no one would just give that sum away! That’s enough to bankrupt anyone, even me!”
“All I’m hearing is that you’re trying to get one over on me!” The thug shouted, pointing a finger. “Well, I ain’t being screwed, not anymore!”
Timothy found himself at the bar, but it would appear that the bartender was too busy to notice him. “Ah, sir, could I get… oh, what did he want? He wanted something… green? No, purple! Yes, that’s it! Can I please have something that’s purple and shiny?” Pollum didn’t even turn to face the boy; he was too invested in the drama. Instead, almost as if they had minds of their own, his hands reached out and grabbed a couple of bottles from the shelf and placed them in front of Timothy along with a glass. “Oh, I see, I can do it myself I suppose!”
“Sir, I’m afraid I must inform you that the lottery system is automated.” ARI-47-Z spoke up, gaining the instant ire of its owner.
“So?” Vander spat.
“This means that you are unable to adjust the amount given.”
“Oh, well lucky day for you, ay mister?” Said a new voice. Sally had made her way over to the conversation, she eyed Corpus up and down. “Wonder how you’ll spend all that dough?”
Corpus was too busy being mad to understand the implication. “Wait… so if I’m understanding this little tin can of yours, that means you can’t do shit, right?”
Vander stirred in his hatred. “My robot is merely…confused. The sum can be adjusted and has already been done so, I’m afraid.”
“Oy, so if we cash in the chip now, we’d get only 40 thousand?” John-John, who had been mostly too stunned to speak, finally chimed in. “Aww, what the hell?”
“He’s bluffing.” Spoke Sally with a smirk. “I see it in his face as plain as day, take that chip down to the casino now and you’d run him dry.”
Vander’s face somehow managed to invent a new shade of red. “Listen you little shit! If you cash that ticket, you’ll ruin me!”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Oh, boo-hoo!” Shouted John-John triumphantly. “Like we care!”
From her seat, Jenny couldn’t help but laugh. “Heh, I knew this would happen one day.”
“Knew what?” Asked Sally, who was inching ever closer to Corpus.
“I knew that one day I’d see Vander get what’s comin’ to him, just a shame that it had to come from a scraper like Corpus.”
This caught the thug’s ear. “What did ya say?” The man swaggered his way over to the pirate captain in a way only the foolish or confident could pull off. “Say that again!”
Jenny didn’t flinch. “I said, it’s a shame that a scraper like you was the one who gets to take ol’ squishy down a peg.”
Corpus chuckled. “Scraper, no, no, I ain’t a scraper! You’re the scraper here now, Jenny, ‘cuz I’ve got this!” He held the ticket up like a beacon. “I can do whatever I want now, to you, to Vander, to anybody! Nobody calls me a scraper, not anymore!”
“Yeah!” John-John agreed, jumping side to side. “We don’t take shit from anybody no more!”
Corpus turned his head to his jittery friend, and then cruelly let out a huge laugh. “What’s all this ‘we’ about? Who says I’m sharing a drop with you?”
John-John’s happy jumping turned into bewildered standing. “What are you talkin’ about Rex, we’re mates! We stole that ticket off that kid together, remember?”
“But I’m the one with the prize.” He smiled a toothy grin. “Why the hell would I ever share it with you, you’d probably go blow it all on Vlairdust! I mean look at you, all jittering and jumpy, haven’t had a fix of it in a good long while haven’t ya? Don’t think I don’t know about your debts too! Man, you’re so far deep that I doubt if 40 million is enough to drag you out! Well, you aren’t gonna get none of my cred, that’s for sure!”
John-John’s fists tightened.
Timothy wasn’t sure how to make a drink, or which bottles to pour, but he did his best. He spilt a little on the side and quickly mopped it up with his sleeve, he was finding it difficult to make the beverage like it was described. How does one make a drink shiny? He wondered to himself. Oh, there! I think I’ve got it now!
“Listen, Corpus or whatever it is that you’re called, I simply cannot allow you to cash that ticket!” Vander stated hands on his hips.
“Whatcha gonna do? Sick your robot on me?” The thug turned to ARI and gave a shit-eating grin. “Maybe I’ll pay to melt you down, you’d make a nice bracelet! Heh, with a boss like this guy I wonder how many of those deaths of yours are self-inflicted!”
“My death toll is not affected by self-harm.” The robot corrected. “Master, I’m afraid that there is nothing you can do, if you do not allow the lucky Fortune-Seeker to claim his prize, the reputation of Extemorst Enterprises could be placed in question! Reneging on the agreed upon sum may be seen as fraudulent to the Galactic Patrol, as well as all those who traveled here to claim a ticket!”
“Oh, don’t you bring the Galactic Patrol into this! If I don’t have any credits to pay them off with, the business is as good as dead!” Vander screamed, swinging an expanding arm and nearly taking the machine’s head off. “Look, if I double the reward will you let it go?”
“Mister, who taught you how to do business?” Sally chimed. “That’s like offering a drowning man a cup of water instead of a lifejacket.”
Jenny had heard enough of this conversation and stood up, turning to leave. “Where do you think you’re going?” Shouted Corpus.
“Wherever I please.” Replied the pirate.
“You stop right there, you scraper!” Corpus demanded. “You leave when I tell you to!”
“You’re not the boss of me, Rex.”
“Heh, I know, but I can be the boss of them.” The thug turned his sights over to where Gleg, Qleg and Bleg sat in their booth. “Hey mates, what do you say to joinin’ my crew?”
The little green men looked at each other, hesitantly.
“Oh, come on, I can pay you way more than whatever ol’ Jenny can.” Corpus turned back to the captain, face the ugly picture of smugness. “Besides, if you stay with her who knows what will happen? You wouldn’t want to end up like her first crew would ya?”
Within a second Jenny’s hand had flipped over into a gun, however, she didn’t raise it. “What are you doing, Rex?”
“How much?” Asked Gleg, shooting a sideways glance at his boss.
“Proving a point!” Corpus replied. “Do you see now, I can do whatever I want to whoever I want, even you Jenny! You can build that reputation of yours brick by brick, but it all comes crumblin’ down with just a bit of cash, don’t it?”
Jenny raised her arm- soon came the sound of something charging.
Corpus shot a look over at where Mr. Ham still sat silently in his seat. “Come on then, do it! You can say hi to your old crew once Mr. Ham is through with you!”
Sophia watched as Jenny’s arm shook, was that rage or sadness?
The charging stopped, but Jenny didn’t leave, instead, she only eyed Corpus with a thousand-yard stare. The man licked his lips, he was liking this power.
The lights flickered.
“Say, why don’t we mosey on down to the casino, maybe afterwards you can stop by my place?” Sally spoke, shooting her shot.
“Oh, shut up, I know what you're doing!” The thug yelled. “You ain’t getting a dime off of me, sweetheart!”
Sally frowned, “we’ll see about that.”
Sophia watched as Extemorst attempted to calm himself down by taking in several large and deep breaths. ARI was quick to notice. “Master, are you suffering from stress? May I help you by offering meditation options or perhaps a soothing bath?” Vander did not reply, well not with words at least. His hand flew out so fast and struck so hard that the robot lost a few bolts.
“Sorry to interrupt, but could you keep it down please?” WaldAcker somehow appeared in the middle of the conversation as if he had always been there. “Also, that’s no way to treat somebody, especially a robot! If you keep that up and one day, they might try to do that to you!”
“Heh, it can’t hurt its master, ain’t programmed to do that… wait, who the hell are you?”
“Somebody who thinks you all are being very noisy!” The man put his hands over his helmeted ears. “This is the one cantina I’ve ever found that doesn’t play terrible music and you’re ruining the vibes!”
“Well, you won’t have to worry about the noise anymore, I’m going to the casino!” Corpus said as he took in the new stranger. But then, suddenly, he stopped and squinted his eyes. “Wait a minute… I know you, don’t I?”
WaldAcker paused. “What do you mean?”
“Yeah… I’ve seen your face someplace before; I can tell even with that funny helmet on… I know you.”
“No, no you don’t.” WaldAcker’s voice went low and cold, losing any flair that it once had.
The lights flickered.
“Heh, people are still trying to tell me what to do, even now!” Corpus spun around on his heels, taking in the view of everyone staring at him. Deep down something was clicking in him, the sense of overwhelming power was coursing through his veins like a drug, aching for a release. The thug couldn’t help but gloat one more time. He held his green ticket aloft once again like he was waving in a plane for landing. “No one gets to tell me anything now! I’m the one that makes the rules! What I do you say, that’s how money works, ain’t it? The people with the money get to make the decisions, don’t they? They get to choose who eats and who doesn’t, who lives and who dies, and who wins and who loses! Oh, I’ve been letting people like you push me around for far too long, it’s time I change that!”
Timothy’s ears had perked up at the sound of WaldAcker’s voice, and with his drink finally completed he could finally repay his favor. The boy smiled and started to make his way over to him, making sure he didn’t spill the glass.
“You, Jenny McClain, I’m going to rip you down piece by piece.” The power-mad lottery winner exclaimed. “Every job you’ll do, every bounty you try to collect, and every crew you try to build, I’m gonna be there offering twice as much!”
Jenny’s thousand-yard stare went uninterrupted, she found herself moving closer to the man, she didn’t know what she’d do when she reached him.
“And you, squishy businessman in a suit that doesn’t fit, I’m gonna enjoy the look on your face when I ruin your life like the drop of a hat!”
“Corpus, what are ya doin’ man?” John-John declared, coming closer. “What’s happened to you?”
Corpus shoved him away. “I’ve won! That’s what’s happened! They all told me I’d never make it, that I’d be nothin’ for my entire bleeding life! But look at me now, I’m on top of the food-chain!” He turned his attention back to the helmeted man. “And you, don’t think I’m just gonna let you slide either! I see that face of yours, and I know who’d pay a pretty penny to get a closer look at it as well!”
WaldAcker said nothing, his hand slowly reaching into his coat pocket.
Corpus’s head was whirling, and so was his body as he spun around and took in all the longing faces that were inching closer to him. He’d done it, he’d finally proved all those scrapers wrong! Of course, he wasn’t paying enough attention to notice that he was being surrounded, but unfortunately, he was never much of a tactician. “So, now what!” He declared as Sally managed to finally get beside him. “Whatcha going to do now?”
The lights flickered, then went out.
Bang!
The sound of something thudding to the ground.
Something dropping with a clang.
Another thud, followed by the crackle of glass breaking.
A loud declaration of apology.
The lights flickered and switched back on.
Sophia, Alex, and Neil all gasped in horror when they saw it, none of them could believe their eyes. On the ground was a body, quite dead with a small hole sizzling in the place of a chest. This wasn’t the thing that bothered them, they’d seen a brutal killing plenty of times by now, and they couldn’t bring themselves to feel pity for Corpus. No, what alarmed them was that Timothy was sitting beside his corpse- with a smoking gun in his hand.