Chapter 10: 10

'Yes Chase fans we can confirm that the con Andrea Toles is in fact armed. Our cameras did detect her earlier on stealing this fine katana from a New Edo resident, which she is now putting to good use. And as you all know, Cassandra Krieger is a prolific sword fighter so if Toles can keep up with her, we may have a brilliant show on our hands! A Con facing off against a hunter like this is a rare occurrence so you better not miss this!'

'Come on guys! The boss is on again!'

Justin shouted to the rest of the crew who were milling about the recreation room of the Osiris. Michael come running back in with his service trolley now full of drinks and a small ice bucket. Devin and Tony who were playing pool put down their cues, ready to come back to their game later while the twins who had gone playing video games in their quarters returned after they received a Chase notification on the holowatches about Krieger finding another con. Zach however had left hours before to go get ready for his stupid date.

'If you're just joining us now, Captain Cassandra Krieger is now currently facing off against con Andrea Toles in a swordfight. Toles did however manage to catch Krieger first in a serious show of aggression by repeatedly hitting her in the face with what appeared to be a garbage can lid. Toles retreated for a moment when Krieger managed to throw her off but she returned with a stolen katana. To whoever has had their katana stole, we aim to return it to you as soon as possible.'

The frighteningly cheerful voice of Chase host Paul Adams rang through the rec room as he provided commentary on what was going on. The live footage of Krieger standing face to face with Toles filled the whole screen with another feed popping up soon after in the corner with a feed from another drone camera that had flown in to capture the ensuing fight from another angle.

The crew of the Osiris made themselves comfortable on the couch and grabbed their drinks, waiting with baited breath for their boss to unleash whatever she had planned. Of course Krieger could just easily draw one of her guns and shoot Toles, but the con had purposely stolen a sword and was now facing Krieger with it in her hands ready to attack. She was out to kill Krieger and get herself a reduced sentence if she managed to accomplish a hunter kill; she'd get a few years knocked off her time and if she was flashy in how she did it she would probably get some cell luxuries. Toles was thinking some real make-up and an endless supply of chocolates whenever she wanted then. Maybe even her own cell and cable TV if she went all out.

Michael watched his boss closely on screen as she effortlessly drew her sword out of its sheathe attached to her belt, draping a touch down her left hip. The camera drones had settled in position to get the best footage. Krieger held the sword in both hands and carefully raised it, positioning the handle just in front of her; vertically from the side of her right shoulder.

'Does the boss know what she's doing? I mean she's standing like she is.' Michael asked the crew. It earned a few chuckles from them. He only asked because he recognised the stance the Captain was in as he was made to take martial arts classes as a child. He remembered his idiot brother used a sword in his "extracurricular" activities but he really didn't want to think about that right now.

'Dude that sword isn't just for show.' Tony laughed. 'The Captain and Ronson have been doing Kenjutsu for years now, this silly bitch doesn't know what she's let herself in for.'

'She'll win, she always does.' Jess said.

'We have money riding on her, we do it all the time she knows this.' Faye continued, holding up her holowatch showing the holographic projection of a betting website that had just updated with "Krieger Vs. Toles."

The crew continued to watch as Andrea Toles readied herself with the sword she had stolen. She held on with both hands out in front of her and the tip of the sword pointing toward Krieger's head.

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'I should've bashed your fucking head in with a brick.' Toles barked at Krieger. The women began circling each other, a fair distance between them.

'Charming.' Krieger replied. 'Hindsight's a bitch though ain't it?'

'Not when you have a sword.'

'Why didn't you attack me with that first? Seems pretty stupid not to.'

'Not my style.'

'Ah you're more the bludgeoning, pushed my hubby down a marble staircase, dropped a breezeblock on his head kinda girl. Gotcha.'

'I have my ways.'

Krieger smirked. She and Toles continued to circle around, not giving any indication that one was going to attack first. A small gathering of people had started to form a safe distance away and were staying relatively quiet as they watched the women in their stand-off. It was a one off opportunity to see a fight like this in the flesh involving Krieger as she didn't actually use her sword that much. Maybe on special occasions like this where she had a convict brandishing a sword at her and it was being broadcast on television. She had to chuckle to herself though, with the woman brandishing a sword at her. She figured that Toles wasn't all that proficient with weapons after being told that it "wasn't her style" and that she'd much rather come at her with a paving slab or a hot iron.

Toles had reacted slightly to the advancement of the few Chase camera drones and the crowd that had started to gather. Krieger stayed exactly how she was, never taking her eyes off Toles and keeping her arms locked in place still holding her sword upright. The Con was now starting to panic slightly with everybody watching her. She was hoping to just off Krieger as quickly as possible so she could go back in to hiding for a bit but now; with all eyes on her and Krieger standing resolute and alert, she was starting to feel the pressure. She just knew that if she tried to run then Krieger would be on her like shit sticks to a blanket. Toles knew now that she had cornered herself in to a situation she wasn't likely to win.

'Fuck it.' Toles whispered under her breath. Acknowledging she had probably made a terrible mistake with a sigh. She raised the sword and charged at Krieger with all the force and might she had in her. She slowed down to a near stop in front of Krieger and swung the katana straight at her head, but missed by a mile as she had simply stepped out of the way; Toles fell forward slightly to which Krieger landed her boot in the woman's back sending her down to the ground.

'Was that it? You're not trying.' Krieger said as she scuffed her left boot in the dusty ground.

Toles growled as she hastily got herself to her feet. She didn't even dust herself off before flying in to some kind of attack. She came at Krieger again, attempting to slash her with the tip of the sword whilst trying to maintain some kind of distance in order to protect herself. Krieger had already raised her sword and effortlessly parried the attack. Toles had tried pushing her back but Krieger was firmly planted where she stood.

The Con had decided enough was enough as she was getting fed up with what she thought were forceful attacks not landing or even phasing Krieger in the slightest. But that was her own fault for stealing a sword and not a damn gun or something. Heck she had more chance of dropping a bathroom sink on Krieger from a dizzy height and actually hitting her with a sword.

Toles took a deep breath to try and compose herself, noticing that pretty much everyone in the crowd that had gathered were now recording everything either through their ocular cameras or through their holowatches. At least now everybody in the whole galaxy could have footage of her making a complete fool of herself before Krieger finally snuffed her; she was surprised that Krieger had let her live for this long. In fact, Krieger toying with her was probably payback for her repeatedly smashing her in the face with a bin lid.

Toles charged at Krieger for what was probably going to be the last time. She slashed randomly from left to right, upwards and downwards. Krieger just parried every swing as if she was in a sparring match with her and not an actual fight.

'Any last words?' Krieger grunted as her sword clanged away with every hit.

'Yeah I'm just pissed I didn't steal a gun to fucking kill you.' Toles heaved. She was running out of energy now, the sword was pretty heavy and she had been thrashing it around for a while now so it was really taking it out of her.

'No worries. I'll have them write that on your headstone.'

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Krieger had barely moved her body except her arms. She quickly shifted in to a different stance and burst out toward Toles with frighteningly quick speed and accurate cuts. She hit Toles first across the stomach, swiping from right to left making a deep cut that started gushing immediately. The con dropped the sword from the pain and held her arms straight across her abdomen as if she were trying to keep her guts from escaping. Within a second Krieger had already drawn her sword out to the far left and with a little bit more force flung her katana to the right; instantly slicing through Toles' neck with absolutely no resistance.

The Con's body and now separate head dropped to the ground in a gushing, bloody mess; the sword she had in her hand previously that had clattered to the ground beside her was still as clean as when she found it. Krieger crouched down beside her body and casually wiped her katana blade across her back to clean some of the blood off. Her face never faltered as she heard some cheering coming from the crowd behind her along with what sounded like some people throwing up. This was most likely their first beheading or maybe they really did not have the stomach for this at all. Satisfied that her sword was clean enough, she gently slid it back in its sheathe.

'Well done babes.'

Ronson was awake and chatting away in Krieger's head.

'Thanks choomba. Still number one.'

'What was her problem anyway? Sounded like she had summat to prove.'

'Probably.' Krieger spoke aloud. 'Con's actively trying to kill Hunters don't happen so often but from what I can gather, it sounds like when they thrown back in the slammer they'd gain some notoriety as well as some perks.'

'I guess so, they survive a Chase AND kill a hunter? Jesus that's bragging rights and clout on fucking steroids in jail.' Ronson replied.

'How's it going your end bubbeleh?' Krieger asked as she fidgeted around in her pocket for her smokes, producing the packet and lighting one swiftly. She decided to start walking away with haste before the crowd started pestering her for photos and autographs.

'Fine. Nobody in here seems to be up to much, or they're asleep. Erik's seems to be entertained by you though.'

Krieger said nothing in reply to that.

'So, I suggest you go back to that safe house and get some rest. Frank's probably gonna up his game now you got a second kill and as for Freddie... well we don't really know what he's up to. Oh, a clean-up team should be there soon to remove the body.'

'Good, at this rate they'll end up cleaning the whole street. I've never seen so many people barfing before.'

'Ahh witnessing their first kills in the flesh, how precious.'

------

Jess and Faye were sat with coy little smiles on their faces. Toles' death by beheading was going at some pretty decent odds, the other options being disembowelment, death by blood loss or even gunshot. The twins now found themselves about twelve thousand credits richer each. A shopping trip would soon be planned with their extra pocket money, probably during the trades holiday after the Chase had finished.

Everybody on board the ship whistled and cheered at their bosses second kill of the Chase. But after realising what time it was they all decided it was time to go home and agreed to meet up again on board the ship for breakfast, which Michael was cooking at half past eight. They could all then watch the show together.

Jess and Faye had already ordered a ride to their apartment just outside of the main town centre in an area known as Ginza Two which was a trendy area. Justin and Tony lived in Little Denenchofu which was the most suburban area in all of New Edo and was fitting for them as it was a nice area, had decent schools and was safer than anywhere else for their families. Devin and Michael lived in different apartment buildings just opposite from each other. It was in walking distance so while everyone else ordered cabs; they took a walk out in the balmy evening.

'How are you finding it here now?' Devin casually asked Michael as they strode side by side through the streets, still relatively busy with people out drinking and partying.

'Great!' Michael answered enthusiastically. 'I think I've landed on my feet really, I'm grateful.'

'Good, it's been great having you on the crew. It's been even better with our food situation too, the Boss and Ronson aren't exactly great with that side of things.'

'Yeah I figured as much.' Michael chuckled. 'I'm just happy I'm finally getting a chance to do what I want.'

'Well that is one good thing the Boss does, she let's you do what you're good at.' Devin mused. 'She took me in as an engineer with pretty much hardly any working experience on ships like the Osiris.'

'That's pretty cool though. Employers hardly want people who haven't had like, years of actual experience.'

'Yep. She has a bit of a soft spot for people who are a bit out of luck, especially if they've been mistreated in some way.'

Michael knew all about that. He was a grunt in the army and every other job he'd had in his life and spent most of it being shit on in some way or other. Nothing was really expected of him during school either. The only person who ever believed in him was his mother, God rest her.

'This is me anyway. Have a good night Michael, I'm looking forward to your breakfast tomorrow.' Devin held out a fist to him, which Michael bumped with his own.

'Same to you man. See you in the morning.'

Devin walked in to his condo building whilst Michael crossed over the road to his. He turned round and glanced down the street for a moment, smiling slightly before he walked inside his condo. He wasn't in the most morally correct of jobs but at least he had one. One that he could do what he wanted. Sure he cooked in the army but even then he still had to do as he was told and didn't really have free reign, but now he had what he wanted. And people who appreciated his work. He knew his mother would've been proud that he was happy and didn't end up like his brother or father even. Life was good for Michael with his new family.

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