Return of the Nihil

Return of the Nihil Prologue

The mountainous planet of Fonn sleeps. The capital city, Fonnea, rests in a valley between the two biggest mountains on the planet, Mount Fonn and Mount Fonnen. As the city rests, two figures walk slowly through the town, towards the Grand Mansion of the Mayor. The first of the two figures is Jonza Re'ver, kidnapper-for-hire with a long history in and out of various jails in the galaxy. The second, trailing close behind, is Dom Hudson, leader of a now-defunct crime organization who knows his way around the galaxy.

As they reach the gate of the Grand Mansion, the first takes off her hood.

"Well," she started. "That was easy." "No shit," the other replied. "Did you really think making it to the Mansion would be difficult?" Jonza paused. "I thought there'd be a stronger police force, with such a person living in the Mansion." Dom rolled his eyes. "No, you idiot, the security would be inside, not outside."

Just then alarms started going off. They had ventured a little too close to the gate. Unbeknownst to them, the Mayor of Fonn, Fir Endim, is a leading figure in the Galactic Senate, and you can't get within 3 meters of the gate without tripping the alarm.

Jonza looked at Dom. "You were saying?" 

They find a hiding spot not too far from the gate, and security droids come out and look around. Jonza pulls out her blaster. "What are you doing?" Dom asks. "Getting us in," Jonza replies matter-of-factly. She shoots at a speeder not too far away, but far enough to create a diversion. The explosion draws away the security droids and Jonza and Dom rush across the street and over to the gate. Dom helps Jonza up then climbs over himself.

"Well," Jonza tried again. "That was easy." Dom rolled his eyes again.

One would think the security inside the gates would be tighter; the Mayor was the leader of the Anti-Pollution Across the Galaxy Act. The vote would, believe it or not, help cut down on pollution throughout the galaxy, an issue more and more common.

 Once inside, they take a second to marvel at the sheer beauty of the Mansion. The foyer had doors leading to vast ball rooms, a great dining hall, even a deep indoor pool. The thing that intrigued the pair more than anything was the elevator. They could take a second to catch their breath leading up to the master bedroom.

After exiting the elevator on the fourth floor, they go down the hall. Jonza had studied the blueprints of the Mansion for hours before landing on Fonn, and knew exactly where the bedroom was. Eight doors down, to the right, and up a flight of stairs. They follow that exact path, and lo and behold, a door marked "Master Bedroom."

"Heh," Dom chuckled. "Wonder what's in there?"

They kick down the door, and blast the guards on either side of the massive canopy bed. Mrs. Endim screams but she's killed before the blood-curdling screech could wake anyone up. Too late. Handmaidens and butlers rush up to the bedroom, and Dom blasts each and everyone one of them. Setting his blaster to stun, Dom blasts the Mayor and he slumps over unconscious. Jonza bags him and the now-trio makes their way back down the stairs, stepping over the bodies.

They retrace their steps, going back the way they came. Reaching the foyer, they look at each other-- another successful job. Eight kidnappings over 3 months, and they've started to get the hang of it. The boss would be proud.

Swing open the giant, ornate doors, walk down the street back to their ship, and fly off-- Only that's how they'd want it to go. 

After opening the doors, a mob of angry townsfolk and guards block their way.

"Shit." Dom and Jonza say at the same time.

The mob starts chasing them and go back into the house, only this time they don't go into the elevator-- they choose a random door. The door to the indoor pool.

They rush in and quickly realize their mistake. Luckily, there's another door on the other side of the big room. "Go for a swim?" Jonza sarcastically asks. They rush around the pool, ignoring the "no running" signs. Jonza knew what was on the other side, and she didn't quite like it. Barreling through the doors, sack on Dom's back, the pair bursts into the massive kitchen which, Jonza also knew, was busy preparing the unfortunate couple's breakfast. Somehow they'd missed Mrs. Endim's scream.

 Jonza and Dom rush through the kitchen, still chased by the mob, dodge through the chefs and out the door, into the courtyard. Evading topiaries, they make their way across the lawn to the gate on the other side of the property. The mob is still chasing them, by the way.

Dom throws the sack with the Mayor over the gate, helps Jonza over like the gentleman he is, then jumps over himself. They were getting experienced jumping over these 8-foot gates. Hopefully, the mob didn't have such experience.

Luckily, this was true. The mob was slowed down for a few seconds, before they decided to throw people over. Also luckily, Jonza and Dom's ship wasn't parked too far away. Dom remembered they would have to start up the ship; a lengthy process for an old ship like his. "Damn," he thought. "We really should've hired a getaway pilot."

Opening the ship remotely, they climb on and shut the hatch. The mob started climbing

up onto the top of the ship.

Dom set the sack with Mayor Fir Endim on the ground, then started takeoff procedures. "Dom," Jonza started. "Look." She pointed out a side window and a member of the mob had gotten a really big blaster. "Shit." Dom said. "Get flying faster!" Jonza yelled. "What do you think I'm trying to do?!" Dom yelled back. Mere minutes later, they were in the air, and that one mob member finally figured out how to use that blaster.

Luckily, they were high enough to avoid any real damage. Any hits would be purely cosmetic, and looking at the ship, that wasn't a terribly bad thing.

They go out through the atmosphere, and prepare for the jump to hyperspace. After jumping, the pair sits back in their seats.

"Another job well done." Jonza says. Dom laughs. "What job were you on?"

Just then, they receive a transmission. A masked figure with a disguised voice stares coldly.

"Dermur!" Jonza starts, adding a nervous laugh. "We were just about to call you!" "Just about to?" The voice retorts. "Also, you may not call me that. I am The Grandon. You will call me Grandon." Jonza swallows hard, realizing she's offended him.

"I'm sorry, um, Grandson. It won't happen again." The figure scoffed. "You're right. It won't."

Jonza and Dom look at each other nervously. The Grandson starts speaking again. "I suppose you're wondering about the nature of my call?" Dom replies, "Would it happen to be about the job?" "Yes," The Grandson says coldly. "The job. You said you would call upon completion. You also said it would be no later than 0200. It's 0330."

"We ran into some complications." Dom says. "Nothing too compromising."

"No matter." The Grandson says. "Drop off the package at these coordinates." Some numbers show up on the screen. "Today. 1500. Do not be late. Or this time, there will be consequences."

Jonza and Dom swallow hard. "Don't worry. We'll be there." Jonza says.

The figure stares back. "Do not be late."