Living in the Fray

Chapter 25

 'Just... please don't tell Frank baby, I'll never hear the end of it.'

'I won't tell him. Just, promise me you'll be careful?'

'I promise.'

'Good. Now come here I want to get my fill of you if you'll be away for a while.'

Ronson didn't know what his best friend Krieger and her fancy man Lovely Erik had talked about, but he could sure as hell hear them banging each other senseless, even in his own apartment. Today they would be finally taking the trip out to Ethan Muller's home planet, the planet which his terrorist organisation the Outer World Liberation Front was based on. Anybody who wasn't a member of the OWLF even got in to the planets airspace, never mind set foot on the damn place. But Muller had wanted outside help this time, to accompany him as huscle as he was going off planet for the first time in a long time, for reasons unknown. Of course with him being the head of a large and violent terrorist organisation, a lot of people wanted his head on a platter. So Muller hired Krieger and Ronson as extra protection at a huge cost. Granted, he didn't know that the Galaxy Police had already hired Krieger and Ronson to accept his job offer, in order for them to get close to him. To assassinate him.

Later that afternoon, Krieger, Ronson and the crew of the Osiris were on their way to the other side of the Outer Fray. Technically New Edo was a part of the Outer Fray or just "the Fray," a collection of planets in this one particular galaxy the was predominantly inhabited by humans. The Outer Fray consisted of half a dozen planets deemed "dangerous" by several military and police agencies, galaxy governments and pretty much anyone else who quite enjoyed living. Two of the planets were uninhabitable, one was New Edo which was possibly the biggest shithole of a planet in the Fray, Hainei which was the actual biggest planet but was nearly eighty four percent water. It was a slightly nicer planet than New Edo, but everybody on New Edo never went there if they could avoid it. Hainei did have a satellite moon, but this moon was terraformed and predominantly used to grow crops and rear animals. The last planet and the smallest of them all was known as "Dharma" and this was the OWLF's home planet which they forcibly took over years ago from several conglomerates.

Nobody actually knew what it was like on this planet and Krieger and Ronson had spent some time wondering what they would expect. This was after going through their plans with the rest of the crew several times, should anything go awry.

'I bet you everyone on that planet is vegan.' Ronson said to his friend.

'Oh don't say that. Christ knows how long that psycho will want us with him and I can't go without a fucking cheeseburger dude.'

Ronson laughed at his friend, but thought himself that he also couldn't go for any amount of time without some kind of meat in his diet.

'I bet they all have jobs and chores to do. I dunno tending gardens, harvesting rabbit food, making bombs.' Krieger said half jokingly.

'Yeah well, we'll soon see for ourselves. We're not far off landing.'

'You nervous?' Krieger asked Ronson.

'Not nervous, probably more...'

'Apprehensive?' Krieger said.

'Nah, cautious. We really don't know what we're walking in to so, I think we should tread carefully.' Ronson said in all seriousness to his friend. 'Especially 'cause you are so diplomatic and level headed and shit.' He grinned at Krieger. She just thumped him in the arm.

'Captain, we're approaching Dharma airspace, how would you like to proceed?' Jess' voice sounded out over the ships tannoy system. Krieger and Ronson hurried their way up to the ships bridge.

'Keep an eye out for a dropship in OWLF colours, we might even get a hail from them. Zeke, keep comms channels open but increase security. I don't trust those fuckers as far as I could throw 'em.' Krieger said as she threw herself in to the Captains seat. 'They want us to bridge with the dropship to take us planet side.'

'That's so weird. I mean, why won't they let us land, we could just leave as soon as we've dropped you off?' Faye questioned.

'They don't let anyone except their own land there. Honestly, they way they operate is more cultish than an NPO slash terrorist sect.' Ronson added. 'Hey, do you think Mikey would rustle us up a quick steak before we go?'

'Ooh good shout. C'mon, lets go hunt him down and get our last meal.' Krieger linked arms with Ronson and dragged him in the direction of the ships galley.

'Ugh don't say that, you're making it sound like we're on death row.'