Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 53

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Her mother smiled, pulling an official-looking document out of her desk drawer. “You were wrong about me forgetting your birthday. I just waited for you to be old enough.” Niatti examined the document. It was a contract that transferred many of the management duties in the spaceports to her. “It looks very impressive,” she admitted. “You earned it. I heard many compliments about the work you do with ships that dock in the lower platforms—and these people had nothing but complaints before you started working there. I’m sure you’ll do a great job with the more prestigious platforms as well. And with all the other spaceports too. What do you think?” Niatti stared at the contract, not answering. Her mother leaned forward— could she feel Niatti’s dilemma? “Look, you’ve got an almost unlimited budget for anything you want—clothes, residence, transportation—you won’t get even close to such conditions in the army, even if they’ll make you Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff someday.” Her mother smiled. “It’s never too late to start over, Niatti. Let’s start over. I’m sick of fighting with you.” Niatti put the document on her mother’s desk and got up. “No.” Her mother’s face hardened. “I will not be a part of what’s going on in the ports. As long as Seward is here, it doesn’t matter how much management duties you’ll give me—the ports will still be a den of criminals.” “Very well,” her mother’s voice returned to its familiar cold, ruthless tone. “If that’s your choice, and I can’t convince you, go board that Patrol ship. But the moment you do that, it’s a one-way ticket. You’re completely on your own—I have no intention of going after you, or even checking how you are doing. And don’t dare run back to me if you’ll discover that military life isn’t for you—as I’m sure you will.” Niatti turned her back to her mother, and walked to the door. Her mother’s voice chased her. “Think about it in the next two hours, Niatti. Your father tried playing by the rules. How far did it get him?” She left her mother’s office, saying nothing. *** Another shot missed Niatti’s head by a few inches, burning a black mark on the wall behind her. She dove for cover behind the stacked tables and crates of the storage room of the Amber spaceport. “Remind me again,” Samir asked, “why did we stay here after the order to retreat?” “I didn’t ask you to join me, Samir,” she answered. “I wouldn’t leave the Colonel behind, but that’s my problem. You could have joined the others.” “What, and let you get court-martialed alone? No way.” He grinned. “I’m sure the first thing the Colonel will do once we rescue her—” he paused for a second, when another shot was fired, “—will be to file a complaint against the three of us for not following orders. You’ll need company in military prison.” Sergei gave them both a disapproving look. “I hate to stop you two lovebirds while you’re having so much fun, but I’m out of ammo and if you have any left—” He didn’t get to complete the sentence. A shot blew a large hole in the center of his face. His body froze for a second before falling on the floor. Niatti and Samir both stared at him, paralyzed, horrified. The firing stopped, and a threatening silence spread in the room. A familiar voice broke it, just as Niatti began to recover from the shock of what she just saw. “I know you’re there, Niatti, along with some other asshole from the Coalition Patrol. I ISSUE <strong>53</strong> want both of you to come out with your hands raised.” “Screw you, Antoine,” she shouted back. A short laughter came in response. “Fine. Come out with your guns, if you want. You won’t dare shoot me anyway.” Niatti began to rise before she felt Samir’s hand pulling her back. “You’re out of your mind? He’s probably got at least ten mercenaries out there with him!” “I don’t care. I’ve been dreaming for years about shooting this man.” She leapt up, aiming her gun— and froze when she saw Antoine holding Chen with one arm, his own gun to her head with the other. “I’m in a generous mood today,” said Antoine, “So I’ll repeat my offer. Drop your gun and raise your hands.” Niatti stared at Chen, who gave her an angry look. “Lieutenant, I gave you an order—” One of the guards accompanying Antoine hit Chen in her stomach, and she moaned in pain. Antoine was getting impatient. “The gun, Niatti. Now!” Niatti eyes ran from Chen to Antoine. She could do it. She was a pretty good shot... “Dammit, Lieutenant, shoot him already!” Page 26
Niatti stared at Chen’s frustrated expression. Then she slowly let go of the trigger, and dropped her gun. “Sorry, Colonel. Can’t take that chance. I still owe you dinner.” Antoine did not look convinced. “Tell your boyfriend to do the same.” “Samir?” Niatti knew she had no right to expect Samir not to try anything stupid—not when she herself gave such a bad example. But surprisingly, he came out almost immediately after she called him and dropped his gun. He was probably under the wrong impression that Niatti knew what she was doing. Samir ordered two of his guards to cuff them. Then he gave Niatti that satisfied smile she hated so much. “The prodigal daughter returns,” he grinned. “Too bad she brought some unpleasant guests with her.” He threw Chen on the floor and shot her in the back. Her scream echoed off the walls. Niatti and Samir began struggling, to no avail—the firm grip of the guards held them in their place. Antoine’s eyes moved joyfully between their frustrated struggle and Chen’s painful crawling on the floor. He shot again, hitting Chen’s left leg. For a second, she seemed about to surrender to the pain, but then she kept dragging herself stubbornly across the floor. Antoine was about to shoot again, but instead he paused, his look fixated on the tortured body at his feet. Niatti understood what Chen was trying to do a second before Antoine did. The gun dropped by Samir was at her left hand’s reach—a fact she concealed by keeping that hand at the side of her body. With her remaining strength, Chen managed to pick up the gun, aim it at Antoine, and pull the trigger. The trigger’s clicked on empty cartridge. Time froze for a second, as Chen stared helplessly, the gun still aimed at Antoine. Then she finally gave in to the pain, letting her hand drop in an agonized cry. Antoine shot her again three times, aiming at non-vital areas in her body to prolong her suffering. Her body stopped moving a minute later. “Take him to one of the cells,” Antoine told the guard who held Samir. He then turned to Niatti, running his finger along her face. She spat on him, and he laughed. “That’s very good, you need to practice. You’re going to drool on me quite a lot, Lieutenant,” the last word was said in a mocking imitation of Chen’s voice. He turned to the guard that held Niatti. “Take her to the infirmary, and have her injected with something that will calm her down without taking her completely out of action. Then bring her to my room. Pass through the merchandise section on the way, and have them fit her with something nice to wear. We’re going to have some fun tonight.” His smile widened. “We’re going to have fun every night, from now on.” Niatti kept struggling all the way to the infirmary, until she felt the needle in her arm. *** Every time over the next year, Niatti returned from Antoine’s room to her cell with a guard accompanying her. The guard was strong enough to prevent any attempted escape, but also young enough to feel sympathy for her. It began with friendly smiles and nervous looks at her torn clothes and the signs of violence on her body. Then, a week ago, he no longer held her cuffed while going to the cell and allowed her to walk a few feet ahead of him. Niatti thought it was very unfortunate, considering what she was about to do. They reached the cell, and Niatti forced herself to wait while the guard punched the code that opened the door. When he reluc- ISSUE <strong>53</strong> tantly motioned her to get in, she made a single step toward the cell, and then turned around, drew the knife hidden in her dress, and stabbed the guard in his left eye. The guard fell to the floor, screaming. Samir leapt out of the cell. He picked up the guard’s gun, aimed it at him, and shot. “No!” Niatti hit Samir’s hand, causing him to miss. Samir gave her an angry look. “Every cry coming from him informs the other guards that something’s wrong.” “So let’s just get out of here. Just...” she looked at the guard, who was still on the floor, crying. “Just leave him alone.” They had the advantage of surprise when they reached the prison section’s exit—both guards posted there died from Samir’s shots before they managed to draw their own weapons. One of them did manage to push a button on the wall, and sounds of alarm began filling the corridors. Niatti and Samir hid in a small corridor just outside the prison section, and watched a group of guards running in. When the last guard passed, they both began running in the opposite direction. Niatti remembered how, as a child, she ran through similar corridors to avoid her mother. She just Page 27
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Page 3 and 4: Overlords’ Lair: Trek, Terminator
Page 5 and 6: Not that I expected action from bur
Page 7 and 8: live long, my dear.” I opened my
Page 9 and 10: and a Rogue 258 from the solution t
Page 11 and 12: “What of it, Tooner?” Dick shou
Page 13 and 14: ely on yours.” Merrie’s ankles
Page 15 and 16: made up the entirety of the vessel
Page 17 and 18: een invisible. “Approaching Damas
Page 19 and 20: And dining room it was, with chande
Page 21 and 22: artender who also doubled as a guar
Page 23 and 24: Niatti ran into her mother’s offi
Page 25: good as the stuff they serve in you
Page 29 and 30: don’t worry. But before we do, wo
Page 31 and 32: and started banging on the doors, e
Page 33 and 34: “It’s no use,” she whispered,
Page 35 and 36: “Just like you said, Sir, a milit
Page 37 and 38: “Upgrade?” Max asked, his own v
Page 39 and 40: was falling as a warm mist. The mus
Page 41 and 42: cation.” Graves snorted. The Cill
Page 43 and 44: continue. Graves licked his lips an
Page 45 and 46: Name: Martin Steil Age: 17 FEATURED
Page 47 and 48: Jack’s angry expression reverted
Page 49 and 50: approximately six million klicks fr
Page 51 and 52: RGR REVIEWS by Donald Jacob Uitvlug
Page 53 and 54: THIEVES’ HONOR: EPISODE 8 Endgame
Page 55 and 56: the others gave it up as soon as th
Page 57 and 58: had probably voyaged from Earth in
Page 59 and 60: overlook the poor welcome, and conv
Page 61: 22 Happy Birthday, Niatti by Raz Gr

Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 53

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