Best Laid Plans.

It had been about Seven hours since Liez showed up unannounced, the time filled with plots & plans of escape. Liez had come up with an idea, the result of hours of agonizing over details and hurdles. But a plan had resolved itself, dangerous as it was, to be the best hope. Though in Auger’s experiences, salvation rarely involved something like mines.

Now allow me to do my own exposition here, friends.

I’m no fan of daring escapes and acts of stunning bravery, so this idea wasn’t high on my list of things to do before I die.

(Which coincidently seemed much closer with the onset of said plan.)

So I’d better explain what exactly our idea was.

Liez had coasted in from the Jumpgate with a short-range ‘bubble’ light-fighter class transport, which gave us maybe a two-day range on places to hide from our pursuers. Now here’s the kicker, the Hekshano system is a dump. Seriously, there’s nowhere to hide effectively that a determined search party wouldn’t find.

So we chose somewhere nice and close, Hekshano itself. Since its atmosphere is loaded with mines, we figured the Old Man wouldn’t land forces because he’d need to request deactivation for the mines. And he didn’t want to attract attention any more then we did.

But we knew that wouldn’t stop him sending a few people undercover ‘just in case’.

So here’s what we came up with, we’d take the Bubble and fly through the minefield, but we wouldn’t come out alive.

What I mean is, we’d bail out just below the mines and let them destroy the plane, meaning that anyone who happened to be watching would see the ship destroyed and our ‘chutes wouldn’t even show up.

Then all we’d have to do was hole up somewhere nice and remote and wait for the Old Man to conclude the obvious, that we’d messed up our approach and died in the explosion.

Why don’t things ever go the way their supposed to?

Anyway, back to the story;

“Y’know…I would have been quite happy for you to let me sleep in, AND THEN you could give me ground-breaking news and insane plans.” Auger complained, shifting a few stale bread crumbs around the grainy wooden table idly.

“Yeah, I’m sure you would. But the truth of it is that we ain’t got much time. I thought it out, it makes sense.” Liez tried to reassure, still enjoying his seat on ‘Newspaper Mountain’.

“Look, I’m not saying it doesn’t make sense on paper…But…” Auger stalled, mind focusing on fiery death.

“But…?” Liez Prompted.

“But it’s freakin’ suicide!!” Auger outburst.

“Seriously, you gotta have changed ‘cos the Liez I know wouldn’t try to get me kil-” Auger stopped awkwardly; it seemed the past was more easily forgotten then he’d thought.

“…I’m not saying it’s safe, just that it’s the best option we got goin’ for us.” Liez said stoically.

“Fine, looks like we have to focus on this plan then. But I swear, if I die because of it, I’m gonna come back to haunt you.” Auger said, trying to lighten the mood my waving his hands in the air although dragging ghostly chains.

‘Newspaper Mountain’ Subsided as the Chuian it was supporting made what must have passed for a deep belly laugh, spilling old papers across the remainder of the single-room apartment.

“And if we both die, we can piss each other off for all eternity and never have to worry about the Old Man.” Said Liez, stifling a squeaky laugh and taking up his new seat on the other chair across the table.

“Ha! I could imagine his face, both of us coming back to haunt him. He’d shit himself!” Auger said, bursting out laughing at the thought of the stern old tyrant ‘losing his composure’.

“So, where do we start?” Auger said after he’d calmed down.

The Chuian looked around the room, seemingly taking in the details.

“We have to leave this place first; people ‘round here seem to know you, seeing as Humans ain’t too populous. That’s how I found you, Stick out like a sore thumb, doncha?” Liez teased, not one to pass up an opportunity to poke fun.

“Yeah, thanks… Just as well I have to leave really, Rent’s due tomorrow.” Auger said, walking across to the bed and lifting up the mattress to reveal a small white envelope with scratchy notations.

“My entire vast fortune…465 Uni…Two ‘special blend’ cigarettes…and 52 Local currency.” Auger said, admiring the envelope in his hands.

“Joy…now if you scrimp and save as hard as you can, ya might just be able to afford that call-girl you always hoped and dreamed about.” Liez said, deciding to take the low-brow ridicule regard to Auger’s life-savings.

“Say what you will, its better then slumming it in the gutter.” Auger said, emphasizing it by shaking the envelope’s contained assets.

“You ain’t far off…” The Chuian said, referring to the room.

Auger made a dismissive expression, gathered a few essentials into an old duffel bag, throwing it over his shoulder before following Leiz out into the morning air and what his father would have called “The thrill of the chase”.