Nefarious Good, Page 3
Shawn O'Toole
treachery.
Mr. Good and Mr. Candor rode in a carriage drawn by a lithe beast indigenous to their homeworld. The guardsmen escorted them astride bipedal steeds. Nefarious stared out the carriage window and sighed. Insidious Candor asked him, “What troubles you, Mr. Good?”
“Our carriages are so sluggish. Well, they seem so slow after my fun drive in a human vehicle. Mr. Candor, have you ever ridden in a human automobile?”
“Yes. I have even flown aboard an airplane. Human technology is crude in most ways but so amazing in others.”
“Indeed.”
Nefarious was brought onto a compound guarded by many humans uniformed in gray and wearing body armor. These guardsmen were armed with assault carbines or tactical shotguns. Some of them were wearing grenades, which seemed rather excessive. Sharpshooters were perched in guard towers or on rooftops. Machinegun emplacements were about. As the carriage passed an opened hangar, Nefarious glimpsed a helicopter gunship. He commented to Insidious Candor, “The Greater Humanity Empire has a military presence on this world. Why is Mr. Fink’s private security force so heavily armed?”
“You may ask him when you meet him.”
“Perhaps I shall.”
The Delvers were a squat, robust race with broad shoulders, long, powerful arms and short, thick, steady legs. Their hairless hide was fine scales of orange-beige. Their eyes were black dot pupils within brown irises within black. Though Delvers were short and bulky, even when encumbered with heavy armor and weapons they were swift and tireless. Theirs was an amazingly hearty race. Even unarmored they were hard to kill. When fully armored, they were reputedly nigh indestructible.
The carriage came to a halt. Nefarious was being escorted to a warehouse when greeted by a Delver mercenary and a squad of armed humans. The Delver was fully armored in a suit of heavy plate. He wore grenades and an ax and was wielding a large, high-powered shotgun. “Halt!” his gruff voice barked. He gazed up at the Mystic who wore three swords, enquiring, “Nefarious Good?”
“Yes.”
“Relinquish your weapons.”
“Honorable guardsmen, I am an invited guest. If my host insists on being discourteous, then I shall depart in peace.”
“Your swords: now!”
Insidious Candor intervened, “Honorable guardsman, Mr. Good was invited under the condition that he be armed unconditionally.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
The Delver touched the side of his helm. He hailed, “This is Spark Prime. Nefarious Good is armed. He is unwilling to relinquish his weapons. Mr. Candor is vouching for him. Do I kill Mr. Good?” The Delver nodded before uttering, “Understood.” He then told Nefarious and his escort, “Follow me.”
Nefarious was brought into a warehouse and left alone before the guns of uniformed humans and yet another Delver mercenary. All of the guardsmen were within thirty paces of Nefarious Good, so as to be within the threat proximity of his talismans. Unfortunately for the gunmen, they were close to the blades of the swordsman. The Mystic warrior grinned.
Mr. Good and Mr. Candor rode in a carriage drawn by a lithe beast indigenous to their homeworld. The guardsmen escorted them astride bipedal steeds. Nefarious stared out the carriage window and sighed. Insidious Candor asked him, “What troubles you, Mr. Good?”
“Our carriages are so sluggish. Well, they seem so slow after my fun drive in a human vehicle. Mr. Candor, have you ever ridden in a human automobile?”
“Yes. I have even flown aboard an airplane. Human technology is crude in most ways but so amazing in others.”
“Indeed.”
Nefarious was brought onto a compound guarded by many humans uniformed in gray and wearing body armor. These guardsmen were armed with assault carbines or tactical shotguns. Some of them were wearing grenades, which seemed rather excessive. Sharpshooters were perched in guard towers or on rooftops. Machinegun emplacements were about. As the carriage passed an opened hangar, Nefarious glimpsed a helicopter gunship. He commented to Insidious Candor, “The Greater Humanity Empire has a military presence on this world. Why is Mr. Fink’s private security force so heavily armed?”
“You may ask him when you meet him.”
“Perhaps I shall.”
The Delvers were a squat, robust race with broad shoulders, long, powerful arms and short, thick, steady legs. Their hairless hide was fine scales of orange-beige. Their eyes were black dot pupils within brown irises within black. Though Delvers were short and bulky, even when encumbered with heavy armor and weapons they were swift and tireless. Theirs was an amazingly hearty race. Even unarmored they were hard to kill. When fully armored, they were reputedly nigh indestructible.
The carriage came to a halt. Nefarious was being escorted to a warehouse when greeted by a Delver mercenary and a squad of armed humans. The Delver was fully armored in a suit of heavy plate. He wore grenades and an ax and was wielding a large, high-powered shotgun. “Halt!” his gruff voice barked. He gazed up at the Mystic who wore three swords, enquiring, “Nefarious Good?”
“Yes.”
“Relinquish your weapons.”
“Honorable guardsmen, I am an invited guest. If my host insists on being discourteous, then I shall depart in peace.”
“Your swords: now!”
Insidious Candor intervened, “Honorable guardsman, Mr. Good was invited under the condition that he be armed unconditionally.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
The Delver touched the side of his helm. He hailed, “This is Spark Prime. Nefarious Good is armed. He is unwilling to relinquish his weapons. Mr. Candor is vouching for him. Do I kill Mr. Good?” The Delver nodded before uttering, “Understood.” He then told Nefarious and his escort, “Follow me.”
Nefarious was brought into a warehouse and left alone before the guns of uniformed humans and yet another Delver mercenary. All of the guardsmen were within thirty paces of Nefarious Good, so as to be within the threat proximity of his talismans. Unfortunately for the gunmen, they were close to the blades of the swordsman. The Mystic warrior grinned.
