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PREVIOUSLY: After escaping from the Galactic Marine prison transport, Val Verdant now finds himself in a dingy strip club hoping to win enough money to keep running...
Val stands next to the poker table with the odd assortment of gamblers. One of the local's throws down his cards and gathers his remaining chips. "You can have my seat, it's not my night." He gets up and walks away from the table.
Val settles in. The man with the silver hair and the mean looking scar, grins as he reshuffles, "Maybe you'll have better luck. The name's Rue." He nods toward the large green, crocodile like creature on his right, "This is Garr," Then he nods to well dressed man on his left, "And Mr. Tim."
Val struggles not to rattle off his full name and rank, "--Er, name's Val."
Rue deals and the game is on. They play several hands before Mr. Tim looses all of his chips and leaves the table shaking his head. Rue and Garr are both much better players than Val would have guessed, but Val is a little better. The longer they play the more they drink.
Long after most of the farmers have gone home, Rue finally throws in his cards. "You're a hell of a card player friend, but you don't look like a professional."
Val pulls a large pile of chips toward him. By this time his plans for a low profile are a bit fuzzy. "Nah, I'm a pilot--or, well, was." He sags sadly.
"What happened?" Garr asks.
"Was cour' marsh'lled... Had ta've been 'cause of th' bastard with red eyes, and th' th'...claw!" Val scowls!
Rue and Garr exchange a sharp look, "The claw, was it red too?" Rue asks urgently.
"Yeah, was creepy. And his eyes glowed!" A shiver runs down Val's back as he remembers.
Rue and Garr are suddenly very interested. They lean close to Val in a such a menacing way, he can feel himself start to sober up.
"When?" Garr demands.
"Last week." Val shakes his head, it seems like a lifetime ago.
"Where?" Rue asks urgently.
Val swallows hard, not sure exactly how much he should share with these two. "Ah... a Galactic Marine space station."
"Can you guide us there?" Rue asks.
Val shakes his head--no way! He looks are around to make sure no one is listening before he answers, "I-I just escaped a life sentence in prison, if they catch me, they'll kill me!"
"The man you saw, he is called Red Klaw, he brutally murdered my entire family and nearly every friend I have ever had. Every moment he remains alive, innocent people are at risk!" Rue's voice drips with such hatred that it is almost palpable.
"We will stop him, you can help!" Garr says furiously.
Val continues to shake his head, "I don't know, the space station's location was classified, I don't know if I can even find it. Besides, who knows if this Red Klaw guy will still be there."
"We've been searching for any sign of Red Klaw for well over a year now, his organization stretches from one end of the universe to the other. He has police and government officials on his payroll in every system, but no one will talk about him. You are the first person we've met who has seen him and lived." As Rue speaks Val's eyes grow wide with fear, he looks back and forth between Rue and Garr.
Rue slaps a small strip of gold onto the table, "It's yours if you help us."
Val's mouth falls open, "Is that...?"
Rue nods, "Yes. It's enough to find yourself a quiet corner of the galaxy, far away from the Galactic Marine Corp." He slides the gold toward Val.
Val picks up the gold and turns it over a couple of times. It feels like the real thing, "You guys have a ship?"
Rue smiles, "Ready when you are."
Val's still not as convinced, "You think you can march into a Galactic Marine base and waltz out without getting captured or killed?"
"Yes." Rue states simply.
Garr stands up, he is enormous, he towers over the table, "I assure you, NO one will touch you." He slaps his thick tail on the floor for emphasis.
As Val stares up at the green monster, he can see that Garr is serious. He looks down at the gold in his hand, going back to the space station sounds suicidal, but these guys seem confident in their abilities. If they can get off the space station, this gold is plenty to buy him a little ship of his own...
Finally Val answers, "Okay I'm in."
Rue slaps him on the arm, "Excellent!"
Val slips the gold bar into his pocket. He follows Rue and Garr out of the saloon thinking he must be crazy! Still that strip of gold is worth an awful lot.
Their ship sits in a landing bay by the fueling stations. It's a small transport, barely big enough for two to live for a short time. It's easily fifty years old, and it looks like it’s been through hell and back.
When Val sees it, he starts to laugh, "You're not serious?"
Garr looks away sheepishly. Rue looks a little hurt, "Don’t you worry, she flies just fine!” He opens the hatch and marches onto the ship. Val shrugs and follows the others aboard.
As Rue, Garr, and Val set off to find the covert military base, Red Klaw arrives on Earth. He casually passes through the gates of the most prominent and wealthy neighborhood in New York. At the very top of one of the massive towers that form the modern city, Red Klaw drives directly to the Mayor's mansion.
He is greeted by his own men, all dressed in expensive suits and shiny combat boots. When the Mayor arrives, Red Klaw meets the entourage in the garage. Mayor Jean Degaul and his beautiful wife Akeen get out along with a team of bodyguards. Akeen runs straight into Red Klaw's arms and kisses him passionately.
Degaul, who looks more like a slick salesman than a concerned politician, doesn't bat an eye. With Kee still on his arm, Red Klaw turns to Degaul, "Well?"
Degaul smiles, "It went exactly as planned. Nobody saw a thing."
"Where are they?" Red Klaw asks coldly.
Degaul smiles, he walks over to a nearby cabinet. He reaches behind it and flips a hidden latch. The entire cabinet slides back to reveal a room filled with hundreds and hundreds of shipping crates. Red Klaw and Kee follow Degaul into the room where Degaul throws open one of the crates.
It's crammed full of large, perfectly square cut, blue diamonds. They are stunning. Red Klaw picks one up delicately in his metal fingers and holds it up to the light. It throws the light around the way only a real diamond can.
"It's all arranged, one shipment every Thursday. You will be on Mars to 'volunteer' at the orphanage." Red Klaw smiles wickedly as Degaul groans...
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