Hunt of the Fourth Kind 8
Deviation Actions
Literature Text
The ranger stopped in his tracks. What the fek? What was that noise? The ranger had patrolled this part of the forest for years, he had encountered almost everything from suicidal homeless trying to eke out a living in the forest only to end up as food for the local fauna, a pack of chowzers, cat like wolves that primarily roamed this forest, and the rare quen like the one he had just scared off. In all his years the ranger had never heard anything like the hiss that put him on edge. He immediately went to his com device.
“Hey, Fragg.” He barked into his com. “I think you’d better get over here. Something’s not right.” There was a brief pause then some white noise then a mildly scratchy voice answered back. “Praxis, wha-“, then there was laughter on the other end. Praxis rolled his eyes. Fekking Fragg and his easy going attitude. Always had to make a joke at other people’s expense. Fragg responded, “Sorry, Prax, you just sounded scared like you were surrounded by a 100 quens or something.” Fragg cleared his throat. “I mean sometimes it’s just too easy with you, you spook too easy.” There was more laughter. Praxis couldn’t take Fragg’s teasing any longer.
“Just get your ass over here!” Praxis hissed, “I might die out here and your over eff knows where cracking jokes. Not funny!” Praxis’ face was red. He couldn’t help it if something spooked him. Damn forest was littered with all kinds of wicked predators but at least he wasn’t anywhere near the oceans. Fekking huge predators in those depth. Praxis shuddered. He heard a snap. He raised his rifle into firing position. “Who’s there!? Show yourself! This is the MC Ranger’s corps. I am authorized to fire if provoked.” No response. Maybe he scared off what-ever it was. Another snap. Praxis fired into the clearing of where he thought he heard the noise coming from.
Julian barely had time to dodge the incoming plasma shot. Dumbass. That could’ve taken off his head. He quickly checked his gear to make sure nothing had gotten broken or lost in the evasive maneuver. Everything was intact, good, now to go meet the idiot who almost took his head off. He shouted to make his intentions clear, “Hey! I’m just a civilian. I am armed but I’m not here to start trouble.” Julian waited. A reply came back from a shaken voice “Lower your weapons. I’m coming through. You make the wrong move and I blow your insides all over the forest.”
A threat? Eff, Julian thought I could’ve blown this fool away and no one would’ve been none the wiser. What he muttered though was “Sure, tough guy, as if you could.” Julian had heard the guy’s rank. So he was a ranger big deal. From what he had seen this guy was a lousy ranger.
Praxis was sweating beads when he got his first glimpse of Julian after crossing the clearing. Praxis wasn’t impressed. Before him stood a young man no older than himself. He had his dark hair cut in short military style buzz that showed splotches of missing hair but Praxis couldn’t tell if it was a style or if this guy had had his hair pulled out from the roots. The young man had a light dark complexion and Praxis had to admit he had some handsome features but he wasn’t attracted to this dumb civilian who had stumbled into his patrol. Praxis noticed a faded or brushed up scar in the shape of a hook on the right anterior side of the man’s face. The scar ran down from his eyebrow to about his cheek bone and sharply hooked out towards the ear. It was a nasty looking scar and Praxis swore it looked like it might have been torn in some places and cut in other parts.
Julian noticed the idiot was staring at him and it made him uneasy. “Hey, what the fek are you looking at!? Haven’t you ever seen a civie before?” Julian growled annoyed at the ranger’s gaze. Praxis didn’t appreciate the tone of this indignant civilian who the fek did he think he was-wait was that a Hunter-Killer armband? Did this asshole seriously out rank him in social standing? Julian noticed the ranger’s look of confusion and an astute observation of the ranger’s arm band explained everything to him. The ranger only had a black arm band and from the looks of it the rank was that of a Killer, one of the lowest ranks you could be and still be a full citizen. No wonder he was pissed, a normal civilian shouldn’t normally outrank a military personnel, at least not social standing.
