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Description
Landing Bay 1, Custer City skyport and the fugitive was hiding. Earlier that day he’d escaped from the Issa State Supermax prison. He’d spent the day on the run with prison security, Custer City police and ISS in pursuit. Desperately he needed to get out of Custer City. He was a political prisoner not a murderer or thief. Years ago he’d stood up against what he saw as the greed and corruption of Corporate Worlds authority. He had paid a heavy price. Now he had a bid for freedom. Across from him was a Shuttlestar that he could jump on as a stowaway and get the hell out of Custer City.

But he could hear the tick tock of heels approaching. Two sets of feet. He froze and mouthed a silent prayer. Two female figures appeared. They were wearing the black uniform of the Internal Security Services (ISS). The first was a beefy blonde with some big time muscle bulk. She looked to be in her middle thirties and ex military. Her name badge read Tollerson and her rank badges said Tollerson was a Staff Sergeant. Next to her was another ISS guard. Younger in her late twenties she had basic Sergeant stripes on her arms.

The fugitive gulped and waited as the pair paused in front of his hiding place. His finger was on the trigger of his stolen plasma gun. If they made a move for his hiding place he would kill one of them.

He couldn’t see Tollerson’s eyes thanks to her sunglasses but he could feel them looking directly at him. She knew he was there. From the gold eagle badge on her right breast the fugitive knew Tollerson had served in a military combat unit before joining ISS. From her thick build she’d probably been a Shock Trooper. But that must have been years ago. She still carried the arrogance and cocksure attitude but her figure had the signs she had passed the stage of putting her life on the line for Corporate Worlds. Maybe husband and kids? Her thick waistline suggested she liked her food a little too much and enjoyed her life.

The fugitive watched the hefty Staff Sergeant run a finger between her utility belt and her belly overhang. It was a nervous, subconscious gesture. Like she connected her excess with a post military life that had grown comfortable. The fugitive looked at her ring finger. She wore no wedding ring on duty but there was a white strip on her tanned finger where the ring normally sat. He could see Tollerson’s emotions kicking in. A trained Shock Trooper her instinct was to point her plasma gun into the hiding place and blow him to hell. But she knew it was a 50/50 chance she’d live. Tollerson wasn’t a coward and no way was she going to order the other sergeant to do her dirty work. So it was her. She was thinking about what she had to lose. She wasn't a Shock Trooper any more; she was a civilian cop with a family back home.

Next to her the younger sergeant was stood back. She didn’t want to die that day either. Tollerson said:

“Your guys scanned this landing bay?”

“Yes Chief” nodded the second ISS guard.

“It was clear?”

“Yes Chief.”

“Okay.”

Flashing the briefest of smiles in the fugitives hiding place Tollerson walked on. The second sergeant gratefully followed. The fugitive took a sigh of relief as he heard the steps disappear. Now he had to get on that Shuttlestar before Tollerson returned with a whole squad of ISS guards…

Description
Landing Bay 1, Custer City skyport and the fugitive was hiding. Earlier that day he’d escaped from the Issa State Supermax prison. He’d spent the day on the run with prison security, Custer City police and ISS in pursuit. Desperately he needed to get out of Custer City. He was a political prisoner not a murderer or thief. Years ago he’d stood up against what he saw as the greed and corruption of Corporate Worlds authority. He had paid a heavy price. Now he had a bid for freedom. Across from him was a Shuttlestar that he could jump on as a stowaway and get the hell out of Custer City.

But he could hear the tick tock of heels approaching. Two sets of feet. He froze and mouthed a silent prayer. Two female figures appeared. They were wearing the black uniform of the Internal Security Services (ISS). The first was a beefy blonde with some big time muscle bulk. She looked to be in her middle thirties and ex military. Her name badge read Tollerson and her rank badges said Tollerson was a Staff Sergeant. Next to her was another ISS guard. Younger in her late twenties she had basic Sergeant stripes on her arms.

The fugitive gulped and waited as the pair paused in front of his hiding place. His finger was on the trigger of his stolen plasma gun. If they made a move for his hiding place he would kill one of them.

He couldn’t see Tollerson’s eyes thanks to her sunglasses but he could feel them looking directly at him. She knew he was there. From the gold eagle badge on her right breast the fugitive knew Tollerson had served in a military combat unit before joining ISS. From her thick build she’d probably been a Shock Trooper. But that must have been years ago. She still carried the arrogance and cocksure attitude but her figure had the signs she had passed the stage of putting her life on the line for Corporate Worlds. Maybe husband and kids? Her thick waistline suggested she liked her food a little too much and enjoyed her life.

The fugitive watched the hefty Staff Sergeant run a finger between her utility belt and her belly overhang. It was a nervous, subconscious gesture. Like she connected her excess with a post military life that had grown comfortable. The fugitive looked at her ring finger. She wore no wedding ring on duty but there was a white strip on her tanned finger where the ring normally sat. He could see Tollerson’s emotions kicking in. A trained Shock Trooper her instinct was to point her plasma gun into the hiding place and blow him to hell. But she knew it was a 50/50 chance she’d live. Tollerson wasn’t a coward and no way was she going to order the other sergeant to do her dirty work. So it was her. She was thinking about what she had to lose. She wasn't a Shock Trooper any more; she was a civilian cop with a family back home.

Next to her the younger sergeant was stood back. She didn’t want to die that day either. Tollerson said:

“Your guys scanned this landing bay?”

“Yes Chief” nodded the second ISS guard.

“It was clear?”

“Yes Chief.”

“Okay.”

Flashing the briefest of smiles in the fugitives hiding place Tollerson walked on. The second sergeant gratefully followed. The fugitive took a sigh of relief as he heard the steps disappear. Now he had to get on that Shuttlestar before Tollerson returned with a whole squad of ISS guards…