The Gunslinger Returns

VC : The Gunslinger Returns (1)
Eric — 31 Aug 1999, 11:05 PM

Chapter One : The Little Red Swimsuit

A long time ago in the old west...

The Gunslinger was standing on main street, watching the action. He was a little late for the planned celebration of Sevinita's hard won freedom at Sandrine's Saloon but at that time he didn't much like the thought of celebrating. He was looking at the blasted crater that used to be the courthouse. Sure Sevinita had been released but at what cost? This peaceful town where he had found some peace from his own past had come to harm. He looked down at his twin six shooters, they had served him well over the past few years but what was the cost? To him? To his soul?

As he watched the smoke rise from the remains of the courthouse his thoughts turned to the golden hared Ocampa indian he had met on his first day in town. They had been through so much since he had arrived in town, what only a month ago! It seemed like almost a lifetime. He would have to make a decision there shortly. Already he had been in Voyager City longer then most of his stops on his journey to redemption. But where was his journey taking him?

He heard a familiar smokey voice calling him from the saloon, and he thought he also heard a Borg Indian voice raised in song. The party had started while he had been woolgathering in the street. He turned from the ruined courthouse to forget his problems for a small time, turned to the laughter of his new friends to forget about his own troubled past for awhile.

---Meanwhile---

The Nekrit Expanse

They had just divided up the money. And it was a LOT of money. Wesley Crusher, sometimes known as the Kid, but never to his face (for long) looked at Nick as he bragged to the other Nova Gang members. "Well boys, I told you my plan would work!, we all rich hombres now!" , he laughed as he clapped Jean Hajar on the shoulder. "I'm thinking of heading down, Mexico way for some cheap wine and cheaper women!", he took a swig of some of that cheap wine spilling some of it down his shirt. To Wesley it looked like blood.

"We have to split up!", he said. All conversation stopped. "Think about it!", "you can't just walk away with that kind of money". He had there attention, even Nick's now, "That bank lady saw us, all of us Marshal Sisko will definitely ride from Defiant City with his men, and iwouldn't be surprised if they raise a posse in Voyager City". The others immediately started arguing when Nick started to argue to split up. He knew he would. He also knew most of the others would travel with Nick, leaving just Alyssa Ogawa to travel with him. Just like he planned.

"Well, that happened just like you said it would", purred Ogawa. "That don't call me a criminal mastermind for nothing you know!" sneered Wesley. "Help me pack this money", he said as they heaved the saddlebags on their horses. Nanite Project, Wes's horse grunted under it's new load. "The posse is sure to follow those idiots trail and not our small one". "And if they do?", smiled Ogawa. Wes grinned, she knew him very well it seemed, "I have a old friend we're meeting". "Do we trust him?", she asked. "No, but he has no love for Voyager City that's for sure", he snapped back as he kicked Nanite Project into motion.

VC : The Gunslinger Returns (2)
Eric — 31 Aug 1999, 11:08 PM

Sandrine's Saloon

As the Gunslinger approached the Saloon he saw Kes run out excited and wearing one of his spare (equaly) dusty longcoats. "Eric! I want to show you something", she said, pulling him into the yard behind the Saloon. "You know about Holo Pond beach?", she asked. He just looked confused. "It's a large pond we have on the Circle V's land. It's really closer to being a lake, we just call it the Holo Beach for short". "Tom wants to make it a Holo Resort some day", she smiled happily. "Anyway since summer is almost here, I made this", she said as she let the coat drop.

Now the Gunslinger is from back east you remember. He was used to the near puritan fashions that are popular there. It seems that Voyager City swimsuit fashion is a little different. Instead of the baggy whole body wraps of the east coast, Kes was clad only in skin tight little red bathing suit. Her only concession to modesty (and it was a very, VERY short concession) was a little wrap with a flower pattern on it.

He imagined them together at this Holo Resort, just the two of them. He imagined her just climbing out of the water, he imagined starting to undo that little wrap and her saying...

"Are you ok?".

He blinked. "You seemed far away for a second there". She looked at him her eyes filled with concern. "I'm alright, that suit took me by surprise, is all". "I made one ofr you as well", she said holding out a pair of swimming trunks with pineapples do a mad march across the suit. "Will they be all right?", she asked. "Yeah, I think they will do just fine", and in surprise he realized he was laughing. He decided to make a decision. He leaned in close to Kes, and as her lips parted in surprise...

"You two look cozy", said a familiar voice.

"T-t-tom!", stammered Kes before regaining her usual composure. "You two are needed inside." , "The bank was robbed and Marshall Tuvok is forming a possie", said her sandy haired brother. His eyes challenging both of them.

Kes, still clad only in her swimsuit, looked at the Gunslinger and Tom staring at each other.

"Ummm", "we should be getting inside you know", she tried.

Still the two just stared at each other. A low wind was toying with the Gunslinger's coat causing it to snap in the wind.

She reached out with her mental abilities that Qwai-chang Kim had been teaching her and felt only the harsh quiet of a graveyard!!

The Gunslinger's Return : Chapter Two (1)
Eric — 2 Sep 1999, 10:49 PM

Chapter Two : The Wrath of Neelix Prime

A long time ago in the old west...

The Gungan Indian plodded along under the hot sun. His traditional head bobs made it look like his head was about to go flying off into the hot sun. As he walked along he talked to himself in a high pitched whine. "Meesa got's to find that cattle!", "Meesa stole them fair and square, that Talaxian Indian isa veery rude!". Near the end of his strength the Gungan climbed to the top of a small rise and sniffed the air with his almost prehensile tongue and yelped in surprise. "Meesa smelling my boyohs!", "Bink-Binks isa gonna besa rich!". Bink Binks took off a run and soon enough he found a herd of cattle calmly munching on grass. Binks approached the herd and did a quick count he found that they were all there. And the Defiant City brand showed that they were his cattle (at least the ones he stole anyway, but this thought never entered his mind). However when he was about to take the lead rope he heard a voice behind him.

"Well...you are persistant anyway. I'll give you that", and then the soft click of a hammer being cocked.

"Thesa cattle besa mines and yousa know that!", whined the Gungan. A man walked out from behind the back of the herd and approached. As the man approached Binks took a look, he had never been this close to a Talaxian Indian before. This one was hard looking. He was short as he heard most are, but he was well built and his mohawk had gone a iron gray. His clothing was rough but sturdy and well used. The iron he had at his waist looked like it had seen action as well...a LOT of action. But the thing that put a sickening feeling of dread in the Gungan's stomach was the Talaxian's right eye. It gleamed a glassy wink at him. It was a glass replacement. Painted on the eye was a crosshair.

"I see you like my eye" said the Talaxian (and to Binks's dismay he sounded downright jolly!). "I know what your thinking", he laughed, " Neelix, it's to much!", he put his hands on his chest in mock horror, "But I like to look at it this way, now I have the world in my crosshairs", and his hand shot out and grabbed Binks by the neck.

"Now tell me : Why are you here?", and then he smiled a horrible ragged tooth filled smile, "Are these cattle worth your life?"

The Gunslinger's Return : Chapter Two (2)
Eric — 2 Sep 1999, 10:52 PM

Voyager City

Sevinita wasn't having any fun.

Well, that went without saying since Sevinita usually went around with her stern Borg Indian expression. After all, as you usually told her father "Fun is irrelevant". But today she was thinking maybe she was wrong. Everyone she knew had gathered here at Sandrine's Saloon to wish her well now that the trial had finally ended and once and for all her name was cleared. Of course the trial was irrelevant. She has known all along that she was innocent but these non Borg didn't know that. But while this party was irrelevant, she HAD been having fun. Not that she would ever admit that to anyone.

But then Tom Janeway had burst through the door followed by Ms. Julie calling for a posse to track the Nova gang. But that wasn't the worst of it. No, the worst was the gunshot and the scream that quickly followed.

Outside Sandrine's Saloon

"Is THIS how you repay my families hospitality", Tom Janeway snarled? He was furious, Kes could feel it washing off of him like a furnace. She could sense his guilt that he wasn't around to watch after his kid sister since he was always with that half-klingon Indian B'Elanna. She almost gagged.

"It was her choice", said the Gunslinger in a calm voice betrayed only by his right hand ever so slowly dropping down to his waste and the waiting six guns.

"Is that how you want it?", asked Tom as his own hands did the crawl to his holster. Much to fancy thought the Gunslinger. He'll be dead before he unsnaps the gun. He almost smiled.

"I don't want to kill you Tom...", but he never got a chance to finish.

WHAM! The backyard was filled with the light of the holy Shaol Lin Pistol being fired. Tom screamed like a girl while the Gunslinger dived for cover.

"What the hell kind of gun IS that Kes?", yelped Tom. "It is my Holy Pistol Tom, given to me by a Buddhist munk, but that is not the issue here", she walked over to Tom putting her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure why, but I have picked him of my own free will".

"But...", Tom began.

"Tom do I have to give you a baby lizard again?", shot Kes blue-green eyes flashing.

"Oh God NO!", yelped Tom, "Not again! I had that rash for weeks!". "OK, then lets get inside before we have company outside here. Already Sandrine was coming through the door with a shotgun. Tom reassured the woman while The Gunslinger finished dusting himself off.

"Baby Lizard?", he asked.

"It's a long story", she smiled, putting a arm around him. "But the only way I could get Tom to stop fighting with my last boyfriend was to give the both of them a baby lizard.

"And who was that?", he asked.

"Neelix"

"WHAT??? Deputy Neelix? That little geek?"

"No. This one was much nastier", "I had to teach him some manners before I dumped him."

"One more thing", the Gunslinger asked holding the door open for her, "Where did you hide that weapon?", he asked taking in the little red swimsuit again, he just could not get enough of it. She only smiled in reply.

The Gunslinger's Return : Chapter Two (3)
Eric — 2 Sep 1999, 10:55 PM

The Nekrit Expanse

"So who is this old friend of yours" Ogawa asked Wesley as they traveled to the meeting point

"His name is Neelix Prime". He is the head of the Neelix clan. The are a group of petty criminals that stretch across this whole area. From Voyager City all the way to Federation City. There must be hundreds of them. All Talaxian, all with the bad hair and skin. They are just plain butt-ugly. But THIS Neelix is the original. He the uglist, and the most dangerous. He's a bounty hunter and I met him on a job a few years back. You remember that thing with Marshall Picard a few years back? Yeah? Well he helped out."

"You sound a little scared of him", Ogaway teased him.

"He's a very scary man".

***

"Thesesa cattle be mine fair and square!", whimpered Binks.

"Well then, why don't we duel for them", replied the Talaxian. He laughed at the Gungan's expression. "Come on now, you can geta cool grand for this herd. Surely that's worth the risk. Not to mention you could kill me and get...this", and he pulled out a small plain key.

"What besa that?"

"That my friend is the key to my ranch. Where you will find 20 bars of gold pressed latnim. A Ferengi Indian's fortune that I took from his still bleeding corpse. Business you know", he smiled his awful smile again.

Binks swallowed. A dry nervous sound. "Yousa sayin all that's mine if I be killin ya?" And the Talaxian smiled, and nodded. "I believe the traditional distance is three paces.

Binks Binks counted off the paces with his hand brushing his gun handle.

One.

Two.

Three.

As fast as he could he spun around...

...his hand clawing for the gun...

Come on! That creepy Talaxian wasn't even halfway there yet! Come on!

Finally, his gun was clear. Take your best shot! Hurry!

With his gun barely clearing the holster, Neelix fired from the hip, the bullet smashing it's way through Bink's chest.

Neelix stalked closer to the stunned Gungan. "Come on! FIRE! Shoot me damn you!" , his gun was at full extension. "I'm right here!!! Kill me!!", he roared his fury and shot Binks-Binks full on between the eyes. The bullet seemed to give him the expression of a man having a massive attack of gas as the shell distended his face just before showering Neelix with blood and gore.

The fool, thought Neelix. He hadn't even had a chance to fire.

"So sorry, old son, I really must be leaving. I meeting a young friend outside Voyager City", he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and started to clean himself. "Really, very lucky actually. I have some unfinished business", as he taped his glass eye.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Continued in Chapter Three : The Chase!

Coming soon to a Nebula near you!