I shot the Sheriff but...

Posted on Sat Sep 26th, 2020 @ 1:42am by Lieutenant Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell

Mission: Welcome Aboard!
Location: Enroute to Starbase 234
Timeline: Almost to the Starbase

Bonnie picked up on the last thing he said and looked in his direction with a puzzled look on her face. She couldn’t tell what was happening at first. Not until the first gut-punch struck Cody did it dawn on her that she had said or done something wrong. “Oh frazzknots!” She moved to the console where the crewman was who had also started to panic. “Get him out of there!”

“I… I can’t, not while they are all there.” He pointed at the Orion thugs. He was searching his console for a stun option used only when crowds got rowdy, but his inexperience clouded his judgment.

Cody took another punch to the gut. “No… worries guys, no rush… ugh… or anything.”

“Phaser!” Bonnie yelled. The guard grabbed one off his belt and handed it to her for some reason, bad move. If he only knew how bad a shot she was. She fumbled for the stun button, then took aim. “Lower the forcefield.” she proclaimed with false confidence.

A moment later the field dropped. She took aim at the two thugs standing behind their lead. “Back away slowly and no one gets to take a nap.” They eyed her and chuckled. She was about as intimidating as a feisty little dog. She didn’t appreciate the sentiment, took aim and fired dropping one of the thugs to the ground, stunned.

The remaining thug raised his hands and backed away. All that remained was the final Orion, his hand still gripping Cody tight. She took aim, “Let him go.”

He didn’t flinch. “Why?” he asked simply.

Puzzled she asked, “Why what?”

Cody also looked puzzled.

“Why should I let him go? What is this man to you? You said yourself, he used you, he hurt you. Now let me hurt him back for similar reasons.” He squeezed. His deep tone and true words left little loophole for Bonnie to reason with.

“Sh..oo..t. him…” Cody squeezed out. His body had been lifted a foot from the floor.

Bonnie started to tear up. She looked to the security crewman who stupidly enough had not called for a security team yet. He simply shrugged his shoulders and she turned back towards the Thug. “He doesn’t deserve to die.” She pleaded.

“We disagree.” The other Orions were up in arms, chanting and growling along with him.

“I A...g… ree” Cody weaseled out.

“Last warning.” Bonnie squeaked out. “Release him, or else.” She wished she was better at negotiations.

“No. I don’t think I will.” With Cody in his grip, he turned towards Bonnie using Cody as a human shield. He started forward, passing through the forcefield-less entry of the cell. “I think this worm is our ticket off this boat.”

Cody began turning blue in the face, or was that a shade of purple. Bonnie’s hand shook as she aimed. It was simple math she thought to herself. The thug is big, Cody is small, I’ll just aim for an exposed piece and… she pressed the thumb trigger. The shot hit the frame behind the Orion. He didn’t flinch, as though he knew she was a bad shot.

The crewman tapped his badge, which startled Bonnie. She turned and fired. The thud resounded the room as the crewman fell face first into the deck. “Eee, sorry.” Bonnie squealed, truly sorry for her mistake. The Orions erupted in laughter. When Bonnie turned again, there stood the lead Thug, she reacted and fired again.

He dropped Cody who in turn fell to his knees gasping for air. As the large Thug fell over though, the others became enraged. “Fore feeld.” Cody gasped out.

Snapping to, Bonnie reacted, “Right. Right.” She moved to the console and quickly raised the field, still in partial shock as to what had just happened. She then moved around the console and showing concern for Cody she apologized, “I’m sorry, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

He put up a hand to stop her for she was still holding the phaser haphazardly, his other hand resting on his neck, feeling it for stiffness and bruising. “I’m okay.” He allowed her to help him up. As they stood he calmly reached out and took the phaser from her hand, and she allowed him to do it in her state of grief. “Let’s just have this so no one else gets hurt, okay?”

She nodded. Her tears falling to her lip. “I never meant for anyone to get hurt, I just, I just…” she stammered.

He tried to calm her, “It’s okay. Shhhh, everything will be okay. Sleep now.” She looked at him with her tear filled eyes as he pulled the trigger, stunning her. Man that he was, he caught her as she fell and rested her body over the crewmans.

“Sorry Dollface, but I can’t stay here and I know you weren’t going to let me just walk away. Maybe we’ll see each other again, but for now... “ He leaned in and kissed her forehead. Then stood and ran out the door.

TBC