Chapter Text
‘Sometimes one’s life needs to plummet deep, deep down into the darkness before climbing back towards the light can begin.’
Two years had passed since his life had changed. Drastically so. And it had not been in a good direction either.
And here he was, sitting in a dingy bar trying to drown his self-pity sorry ass feelings with the hardest liquor on the menu in this place in the middle of nowhere galaxy.
This, drinking oneself into stupor seemed to have been the logical choice for the day at least. So why did it not make him feel any better then? His life as it was now, what was left of it, was packed away beside him in the large size tote of a bag. The few possessions of the former self. The person now forgotten and perhaps even buried on some level. And yet he continued hauling the leftovers with him wherever he went.
It was like a penalty. The perfect burden, a reminder of the past and the life he had lost. Something he could never forget no matter how hard he tried. And the alcohol? Well, that was not helping either. But it was giving him a buzz just the same. The numbing state of his mind, making all those memories which he could not forget tolerable and somewhat fuzzy at least.
He poured another glass from the bottle in front of him. The rather large size one at that the barkeep having reluctantly left for him. As apparently their policy was one serving per patron at the time. But he knew better. It being an excuse only. Because truth being told the drinks would get watered down soon enough the drunker the patrons got as the evening progressed. After all, they all made their profit where they could get, right?
But not this time! As by his demand and a few extra credits laid on the table, he had gotten his way. Because he just wanted to drink it all away. All the memories for just one moment at least. Thus his drinks would not be watered down if he was to accomplish that very specific state. No he made sure of that and the conversation regarding the whole bottle debacle had ended with extra shiny coins exchanging ownership.
And so this night finally would prove to be more successful at the very effort. That of numbing himself, his mind, his body than he had been in a longest while. With no small thanks to the few well placed credits. Perhaps his last ones, but he did not care. The liquor doing its trick. The world around him getting dimmer and blurrier with all the disturbing and boring sounds, the noises everyone was making slowly but surely getting all jumbled up. Fading into the background. None of it mattering now. As soon enough he would neither feel nor remember anything.
And perhaps if he was lucky enough, someone would put him out of his misery. When he was lying there, passed out and unable to fend for himself. If, he was lucky enough.
Nothing of a thing had happened to him before though. Most of the patrons in the many bars, taverns, drinking holes pretty much on the same path as he was. None of them caring about the others around, simply having the same goal. To forget everything.
But he could always hope, couldn’t he? At least, it would be painless, dying in ones sleep right?
Taking one more sip from the jug, the last one from the current pour. With shaky hands he guided the vessel to his lips. The last droplets of the burning liquid running down his throat as he drank. After that last drop, he felt the familiar small trembles of his body beginning. Realising even in his current state, this was it. Him having finally reached his goal. His body already giving in even if his mind was still working. At least on some level. But soon enough it too would yield to the situation.
The noises, the light, all of it, seemed so far away now. All the surroundings disappearing, almost gone. The light getting dimmer and dimmer and then… the world around him… going completely, dark. He had finally fallen into the deepest of darkest pits.
*
Dez Dixx was on a mission.
Once again. The mission had landed them on this remote planet in the farthest corner of the known galaxy. Way out there beyond the Outer Rim.
Dez had taken it because the cause they was currently supporting needed the credits. Urgently so. And so, running this small errant would deliver just those desperately needed credits. “The errant" as their contact always put it, never calling the job what it really was. Smuggling. Dez never really thought of it that way either. A job was a job and them being simply the delivery person. Carrying the cargo from destination point a to b. No questions asked.
But this mission, as delicate as it was according to the contact would be great for the cause as well as upon delivery Dez would be paid handsomely. That had been the agreement between the contact and the buyer. The contact always using Dez for such delicate operations as Dez managed to fly under the radar with their trusted ship. The one constant in Dez’s life having been flying the transport for years now. With a spotless record, almost never failing to do the job, Almost never.
There had been a few occasions Dez would rather forget. But then again there were bound to be SNAFUs happening in this line of work giving the number of instances Dez had flown over the years. There wasn’t a place in the galaxy Dez had not visited. Well, there might as well be. But the way Dez liked to tell the story they were a well travelled person with all kinds of skills and knowledge at their disposal. And that was the truth. Dez’s truth. They all had their own version of it. The truth, a seemingly flexible subject matter.
Dez, having lived a long and somewhat solitary life had seen and witnessed things most people did not even dare to fantasise about. Being on their own almost all their life, having taught themselves to be self-sufficient. Relying only on their own wit and skills.
While being out there in space Dez had to be everything and everyone. A pilot, a mechanic, a warrior, a negotiator… all of that in one person. And, due to Dez’s profession to be able to act like a friend, a foe, a skilled lier, a smooth seller and most of all neutral to what ever political change, every ruling party at any given moment.
Dez having never committed any real crimes though. Not any to be accountable for at least nor to be put on record. But Dez had walked the very thin line on several occasions. Crossed it? Yes, a few times out of necessity. At least, that was the excuse they made. And for their own survival, killed people too. Those who had had it coming at least.
Dez never drew first. A personal rule. But they always defended themselves when threatened. But also those not able to fend for themselves. That is how Dez had gotten involved with the few causes they were gathering the credits for now. By running these, errants. Minus their own expenses of course. Everyone had to make a living after all as nothing in the galaxy was free. And for that Dez made no excuses. Keeping the bare minimum of the fees for themself.
This was Dez’s way of giving back to the galaxy. Karma, as it was called. Something someone once had taught back in the day. After all, paybacks were always a very bad bitch. And so, keeping in mind the fact of giving as good as getting. A good guideline to follow.
*
The mood in the tavern had started to simmer down significantly as it was quite late in the evening already when Dez walked into the establishment.
Dez had landed the ship at the nearby star-port and locked it down for the night having reserved lodging from an inn adjacent to the tavern. Alas not feeling tired, the always eluding sleep not calling which was the norm for Dez. Always had been. Sleeping less than most beings. And so deciding in having a drink before getting to their room. Checking out the place in the process. With the flight over having been a rather long and boring one, the meeting with the buyer wouldn’t be until the next rotation’s late noon and so having plenty of time on their hands. This being a preverbal backwater town, there really was nothing to do amusement wise either. So having a drink in a bar was a good enough of a past time as any.
As Dez approached the bar area they made a note of someone there having huddled on top of the bar. Most likely having passed out after drinking too much. It was a bad habit. Drinking oneself to oblivion. Something Dez never did. Well, not anymore anyway. Having learnt the lesson the hard way in their youth. Seeing someone passed out from dinking wasn’t anything new and nothing to concern about either. But what Dez saw happening next was something they could not tolerate.
Beside the sleeping patron, the view becoming clearer in the dim lit bar, was a large bag of sorts. There were three people there right beside the sleeping drunk trying to dig something out of it. Thieves in action! Dez condoning their actions immediately and even if it wasn’t Dez’s job to intervene. After all, Dez wasn’t the marshal of this town or anything else for that matter. But defending those indisposed was what Dez did. And so being already halfway at the crime scene before even realising what they were doing.
“What’s going on here.” Dez asked politely.
The thugs did not even turned to look where the comment had come from, one of them simply snarling back. “None of your business.” As the trio continued digging in the bag ignoring Dez.
Dez had a blaster drawn stepping close enough yet remaining at a distance to be able to defend themselves if and when needed. Without further thought or doubt Dez pulled the trigger. The bullet flying out of it and hitting the floor only inches away from the thieving trio. Making the lot jump up and glance around trying to figure out where the errant shot had come from. As clearly, they were cocky enough to think nobody would care for what they were doing.
Their eyes soon locked on Dez’s seeing the blaster in their hand. Dez had a furious glare on their face. Their tall statue and flaming red somewhat disheveled hair standing up in all the right places. Dez pretty much the picture perfect image of the devil incarnate. Seeing Dez made the thieves jump back, but still making no effort in leaving the clearly drunken patron's belongings alone.
Dez squeezed the trigger once again, firing another warning shot. The fire of the blaster flying over their heads barely missing them. The thieves looked at Dez but stood their stance. Looking defiant as hell or at least trying to elicit such an image.
“If I have to fire one more time, the shot will hit their target make no mistake about that.” Dez made a clear ultimatum never loosing their stance nor temper in a steady, low and calm tone.
Dez made the effort of pointing the blaster at one of the thugs heads. Just for measure. To make the point of being quite serious in their threat.
Still, the three thieves made no effort of moving.
Dez decided it was time to show the thugs they meant business even if it most likely meant either killing or at least injuring one or all of them. It was pretty obvious Dez could easily shoot all of them and no one in the bar would be the wiser. None of them would ask any questions or raise any complaints about it. As this type of riffraff was as usual of these kinds of planets as the common cold was. As it was, Dez wasn’t too keen on shooting anyone as there was always the messy cleanup part to do. Even if Dez would’t be the one to do it. Besides, Karma would most likely come back and bite Dez in the shebs even if these weren’t good people at all.
And so it was time to give these overzealous thieves one more and final chance to retreat Dez stepped just a little closer to them. The blaster aimed, squeezing the trigger just enough but not all the way and then starting a count down.
“On the count to three, one of your heads will get blown off first. Then the rest will follow suit.” Dez stated flatly while starting the count down. Finger steady on the trigger and visible to the thugs from the distance even in the dim light they were all standing in. “One, two,” Dez did not even get to three when all of them bolted away in one swell swoop like rats vanishing from an approaching fire. Leaving the bag and its content intact.
“Finally!” Dez exclaimed more to herself really.
The rest of the patrons were quickly back doing what ever they had been doing even if some of them had turned to look at the commotion happening moments before. Dez she stepped towards the unconscious man hunched over the bar to make sure he was alright. Living and breathing still.
*
Dez was hovering over the man who was snoring lightly. He was at first glance alright albeit passed out from too much drinking. The best tell tale sings the empty bottle in front of him as was the glass with the last drop from it having been drained.
Dez glanced at the large tote beside him the zipper of it still open and noticing there was something rather shiny inside of it. Detectable even in the darkness of the room. Dez bent down to have a quick look and noticed the gleaming metal shapes inside reminiscent of some sort of an armour or similar. Deciding not to dig into the private affairs of the passed out patron further, Dez simply pulled the zipper fast and decide to leave the matter at that.
Dez was about to move away from the drunken man when hearing a small whimper escaping the man’s lips. It almost sounded like a soft cry. The familiarity of it making Dez twitch. The look and sound of the man bringing back a few of Dez’s own bad memories back. Waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweat, crying long since dried tears. Not really knowing whether dreaming or not it all having been too real to fathom in the moment. No, Dez certainly did not want to dwell in those times any time soon having made a big effort in dragging themselves away from it all. The process taking the longest time to accomplish. But Dez had managed to do it.
Glancing at the man there again. His face unshaven, his hair frizzled standing every which way. The face contorted, like in agony and pain. It was becoming quite clear to Dez or at least a gut feeling them this was no ordinary town drunk. What ever had happened to him must have been quite recent and overwhelming judging from the fact that he still had belongings and his current clothing looked well kept and intact.
Dez had no idea what made them think of what happened next. Even if she sometimes Dez liked to play the good samaritan. Picking up strangers. But drunken ones in bars was not part of that M.O. As usually they were far more attractive and not drunken to a stupor. But somehow Dez did not have the heart to leave this, stranger of a person to his own devices. Even if Dez did not owe him anything after all, especially not after saving his belongings.
Dez took one more look at the man deciding then and there that it was better for him to sleep his drunkenness off somewhere safe. Not that Dez suspected anyone daring to approach him this evening, not after the show and tell Dez had just pulled.
And so, grabbing the passed out man Dez pulled him up from the chair and onto his feet. Being slightly taller, Dez managed to steady his stance easily with one arm and in one swell swoop picking up the rather large and heavy bag with the other. Dez then half carried the cargo out of the bar and up towards the rented room. Maybe not the best or wisest of choices ever made. But Dez’s gut was telling them they were doing the right thing. And that was the only thing which kept Dez moving forward. Because the still unconscious body and the heavy load of the tote were quite the effort to pull. Even if having managed to haul much heavier cargo in her past. Even if it might seemed like just yesterday, it had been far more years since Dez had done that. Feeling the heavy load on their shoulders, Dez cursed out loud and reminded themselves of getting too old for this type of shit! Definitely too old!
“Karking Karma!”
But with determination and shear spite Dez managed to drag the man and his possessions up to the rented room. placing him on the bed. The very one Dez was supposed to sleep in. Clearly this, stranger, needed it more and Dez decided to sleep on the somewhat uncomfortable looking sofa instead. And so, after making sure the man was alright and tucked in and not going to choke or anything just in case he decided to vomit. Dez made her their to the bathroom.
The evening ablutions completed Dez practically bounced on top of the sofa. Feeling the fatigue in their bones. After a moment of listening to the man on the bad snoring softly Dez determined not to let those pesky nightmares catch up already having too much on the plate anyway, tomorrow about to complete the mission, Dez contemplated their options. The best thing not to dwell on this any further. Rather to part ways with the stranger and leave this planet as soon as the transaction was done.
And so, with those final thoughts in their head, Dez too fell into a light slumber. Dreams eluding Dez for the duration of the night just as if having been ordered to do stay away. With thanks to all those deities watching over Dez and for the night ahead, watching over the stranger under Dez’s care.