Recap
The last time we saw Cutter he was a child, who had been saved as the war had just begun. Now we meet him years later as he is on the ship run by the Star Jumpers who saved him back then.
Here's a link if you want to read it -
@killerwot/a-world-to-depart-epilogue
That day again, or at least as close to that day as he could think of. The 13th day of the 15th month. That was back on his home-world though. Whether he was off by a day didn't matter anymore. He kept track of it because of the docs little exams she runs every six months. One on your birthday and one six months later.
He was always reminded of his old life on this day though. It almost seemed like it was someone else's life who had left their old memories in his head. His parents, his world, his old life, all were gone in an instant. Time had healed those wounds, for the most part. They are just the pictures in his mind's eye now. Faded, worn and so far removed from him now that sometimes he has to question whether or not it was real or a dream.
Cutter had learned to appreciate the fact that sometimes, no matter how bad things are. Everything happens for a reason. If it weren't for Kart and Hackett visiting his parents on that day all those years ago, he would have been killed too. If they hadn't taken him, he would have never seen everything he had. His life would have been confined to the small Colony world he was born. What fun would that have been? He often asked himself though, if he could, would he give it all up to have them with him?
He inspected himself in the mirror. Do I feel older? No. Do I look older? He slicked back his thick blonde hair, looking for the slightest sign of it receding. No, not yet anyway. He remembered his father's hair. His dad had kept it short, but, even though it was short it still looked thick, especially when he let it grow out a little in between shaves. He had some dark rings around his eyes, almost framing the dark brown circles staring back at him. They were his mother's eyes really, a constant reminder of her. The rings weren't caused by ageing though.
He hadn't gained much weight in all this time, slapping his stomach as he looked down. It had the slightest bit of fat encasing some muscle beneath. Nothing the woman would find unappealing.
He smiled at the mirror, not one for joy. He was inspecting his teeth, which despite the drinking and eating junk over the years, still hadn't lost their pristine colour. Then Cutter tongued the space in his teeth. His missing molar. A reminder never to mouth off to a Trisken who's had a few too many.
With that he left his quarters, taking confidant strides through the corridor until he reached the cockpit. The doors slid open and he slinked through quietly.
"Cutter. Twenty Three today. How do you feel?" Hackett asked him without looking around. Cutter walked to his seat and took his place. "I feel how I look. Great." "At least someone does. We'll be docking soon." Hackett said.
Good old Scoosha. A grand planet, even if it was on the outer edges of Free Space. Scoosha's main city where all the trade took place was pretty much the only part of the planet worth visiting. "I'm looking forward to getting some sun. Beats being cooped up on this ship." "Business to deal with first," Hackett replied. "Go down and tell Kart that I need him armed and ready to move as soon as we land."
"You don't need me to help land? Can't someone else tell him?" Cutter responded. "I can manage the ship." Cutter nodded and was off again.
Kart was always around the ship, either fixing something or tinkering with weapons down in the armoury. Which is exactly where Cutter found him. Hunched over his table working on a weapon.
"Kart. I need you armed and ready to leave as soon as we land." Cutter said confidently. "Coming in here and speaking with the captain's voice?" Kart growled back. "They're his orders." "They're his orders? Spoken through your mouth, pup. You think you're the big man now?" Cutter felt uncomfortable. He just looked at Kart as he stood up straight and walked around his workstation towards Cutter. "I bet I could still lay you on your back with the flick of a finger." "I bet you could too Kart, you never did teach me how to fight."
Kart got close enough to him and reached a hand over Cutter's shoulder. Getting him in a neck lock. "Come on Cutter break out of it." Try as he might, pushing against this brute was like trying to push a brick wall. The two went around in circles. All Cutter could feel was sweat trickling down the back of his neck, he knew it wasn't his own. Then the smell of B.O hit him like a ton of bricks. "Bloody hell Kart, when's the last time you had a wash?" Cutter struggled to get the words out, they were distorted and strained his throat to say them.
Kart started to laugh and loosened his grip on Cutter's neck. "How can I teach you anything? You're too scrawny, you have to eat more Cutter. You're nearly at the age where you'll stop growing." Kart said walking back to his workstation. "Yeah, I think that time has passed. Besides, if I was your size you'd be out of a job."
"Don't worry about me Cutter. I've saved Hackett's pelt so many times; he'll always have a place for me aboard his ship." Kart reached out and grabbed something while talking. "Here. I got you this back on Jex. Just needed to give it some finishing touches."
"What is it?" Cutter asked while walking to him. "I know a guy who deals in old Confederation weapons. It's a pistol. I swapped out the power cells though."
It was Black, with streaks of red through it, but, it had no sight. "Confederation? That'll give Baz-Janges plenty more ammunition to use against me." Cutter said while picking it up. It was as light as a feather and the grip was serrated but felt like leather. "Don't concern yourself with anything Baz says. His Chem induced ramblings are nothing to be afraid of."
Cutter took his old pistol out of its holster and left it on Kart's table. As he slotted his new one in its place. "There you can have that one." "I'll melt it down for scrap metal. Probably all it's good for." Kart dismissed it. "You gave me that." "And it's great. I'll hang it on the wall." Kart's tone then shifted to a more jovial one.
"Anyway, get yourself ready. We'll be landing soon. And thanks Kart." Kart gave a nod to Cutter as he turned and left the armoury.
Kart was the kind of person who didn't seem to care about anything. He didn't care about money, or what people said to or about him, he didn't even care about killing. But, one thing he did care about underneath his, rough around the edges attitude, was the captain and he knew that he cared about Cutter. He had said before that he would die if it meant saving Cutter's life. Now that was after a few too many drinks, but, somewhere Cutter knew that it wasn't just the drink talking. Tough old bastard.
He was walking back to the cockpit when he heard it, the voice he had been expecting since he woke up. "Cutter." No, he thought when he heard it. I'd take a run-in with Baz-Janges over this. "Doc. How are you on this fine day?" Cutter asked as he turned around to see her rush towards him with purpose. "You know what day it is Cutter, come on. Time to run some tests."
"Doc, please. I'm busy right now, we're about to land." "You won't be busy when you're dead. You know the drill, we all have to do it." She said while crossing her arms. "I feel fine."
She shook her head lightly. "With all the planets we visit, we have a chance of picking up anything. Some diseases lay dormant for months, even years. But, caught fast enough most of them can be cured. You know this Cutter. It's part of the job." Cutter looked to the ground. Think, think. "It's my birthday. We're minutes away from landing, can I come by tomorrow? I promise, as soon as I wake up I'll be there, laying patiently in the med bay."
She continued to shake her head and looked away. "Tomorrow Cutter. You're the only one I have to fight with to come and see me." "It's nothing personal Doc, you know that. I just get scared. But, fear isn't the reason today. It's just, Scoosha. I want to get out into the sun and enjoy the trip. It is my birthday after all."
"Enjoy it then. But, tomorrow. I don't want to hear any excuses." "You won't, I promise." The Doc let out a grin "Happy birthday." She said while turning and walking away. "Thanks, mum." Cutter gritted his teeth. No. That was awkward. He looked at her but, she never turned around. Maybe she didn't hear me, he thought. Then all he could hear was laughing. Slimy laughs. No out of all the people, please don't tell me. "Thanks, mum? Did I hear that right?" Each word was said slow and some ended with hisses. Baz-Janges.
"No. Must be your ears." Cutter tried to sound confident. "I heard it right. You humans all have a weird connection with one another. Don't you?" Baz asked.
"You're just jealous Baz. It's your own fault the captain demoted you and made me co-pilot. It's not some conspiracy" Cutter said. He knew exactly what Baz-Janges thought. His demotion from Co-pilot was because of his chemical tendencies. Not favoritism. Not that he cared much though. It was always easier to blame someone else for your own shortcomings.
"Soon you'll be the one demoted. Hackett and old Kart won't be saving you." Baz-Janges said as he started to walk away. "Is that a threat?" Cutter asked, but he never turned back around.
Don't let him get inside your head. Cutter thought. It's like Kart said. "His chem induced ramblings are nothing to be afraid of." Cutter could almost hear Kart's voice, as though he was standing over his shoulder.
End of Part 1