You helped me when I needed it most. You may be a killer, but if you ever loose strength, to where you think you can't go on, I will be there for you. If you cannot walk, I will be your legs. This I promise you. -- Anon Guest
They were all poor, weak, and struggling masses yearning to break free. The typical Deregger escapees. The fact that their pilot was a jump-and-dump mass murderer for profit, and the fact that she was on Shan's list shouldn't have effected them.
It was her job to kill the murdering slitch and then drive the passengers to safety. Shan never expected gratitude.
The ragged scrap waiting for her at the public lounge was... beige. The sort of person who would move out of the way for the people who blended in with the wallpaper. Someone trying valiantly to stand out and be noticed, and was almost sweating with the effort.
"I owe you my life," they said. "I owe you the same help you gave me and mine. I am not a killer, I know this. But when you need, I will come."
Shan was awkward with social contact. "I'm a professional murderer. I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself. Thank you all the same. You look after yourself and help who you can when you can, and don't worry about it."
That should have been the end of it. It could have been the end of it. Shan went back to her habitat and waited for her next assignment. As far as she was aware, the refugees were getting on with their lives.
Until a host of Dereggers decided to attack.
The safety protocols were overwhelmed by sheer brute force firepower. Lifepods were ejecting into routes on the lee side of the barrages. And Shan was hustling survivors to safety before she dared try to deal with the enemy.
She never saw the falling beam coming.
She did see what happened next.
The same survivor that vowed to repay Shan appeared with a team of friends and a bundle of improvised levers. They pried Shan out of her trap, and extracted her from her damaged livesuit before hauling her towards yet another lifepod.
She was half-concussed and struggling to maintain consciousness until they were well away to the nearest refuge.
"E'rrybody out?" Shan slurred. "Ev'body 'live?"
"Yes," said the inconspicuous. "We were the last."
Shan squinted to see out the viewports, watching the CRC protection forces take on the Deregger Dreadnoughts.
"...'ass gunna be a heckin' repair," managed Shan. She made herself look the inconspicuous survivor in the eye. "Th'nk you... y' kep' y'r word."
"I could do little else," they answered.
[Photo by Jackson David on Unsplash]
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