Broken World

Arc

August 17, 2859. After days of flying in warp speed. I finally reached the Olympia colony and about landed, but was stopped by the New Brotherhoods defenses.
"Incoming shuttle, transfer landing permit or we will shoot." Someone asked after contacting me.
"This is Daniel Norway, sending permit now," I replied transferring the credits needed to land safely. Credits were the current electronic currency used to pay for almost everything.
"Clear. Welcome back Norway." He said clearing me to land.
Once I landed, the first thing I did was clear any wanted records I had due to the NHR.
"Need off the hook?" A local crime broker asked.
"You know it. Here." I said transferring him some more credits.
"Okay." He said as he began to clear out my criminal and wanted records. He was finished in quick timing. "You're clean for now." He said.
"Thanks," I replied leaving, now I had to find someway to get back the credits I spend on the job I did before I got arrested. I decided to visit the Nowhere. It was a bar and safe haven for wanted criminals, mercenaries, and even some presumed dead crimelords. It was also the best spot to find a quick job for thousands of credits. I went to the bars overseer; Nerium. She built the place and knew a few people that need someone crazy like me.
"Hey, Neri!" I yelled to get her attention.
That got the whole bar's attention and angered her mercenary guards as they raised their ion pistols at me.
"Let him up!" Nerium yelled to her guards.
They lowered their guns and took me up to her. Once I reached her, I instantly noticed she wasn't happy to see me.
"So how's it going running a safe haven?" I asked sarcastically.
"Sigh, what do you want Daniel?" She asked me unamused.
"Just came to find a quick paycheck," I replied.
"Let me guess, NHR rain on your parade." She pointed out.
"How do you know that?" I said confused.
"I always check the NHR's wanted list. Help keep the mercenaries coming, and you seem to once been there most wanted criminal." She explained. "In fact, I hear they blame you for the destruction of Ghira Station."
"That was the Scattereds fault!" I yelled angered as her guards raised their guns again.
"I wouldn't do that." She said entertained by my outburst.
"Tsch. Just point me to a job, I need to make up for that bust anyway." I said frustrated.
"Gladly." She replied smirking. "That mercenary over there is recruiting some guns to help him take out some freelancer that double-crossed him recently. They'll pay millions to the guy who kills him first."
"Thanks. I guess." I said leaving as I went over to the mercenary to join up on his job.
"You here for the job?" He asked.
"Yep," I replied.
"Follow me." He said pointing to another room. We both entered the room and saw dozens of armed mercenaries and freelancers, all of them bulked out in armor, trigger happy, and ready to kill whoever they were going after.
"Okay listen up." He said getting everyone's attention to explain the details of the job to everyone, including me. "We're going after a freelancer who calls himself, Arc. He's stolen a valuable treasure from me and my boss. Whoever kills him gets paid, if you die or don't kill him, I ain't paying. Also, none of you are getting a cut of the treasures worth. Your a hired gun for killing this jerk. Now let's move."
We then followed him for hours to Arcs hideout. The minute everyone got out of the cities transit center, shots instantly began to come from the miles away and take several mercenaries out, the rest of us instantly took cover.
"You never say he was expecting us!" A merc yelled.
"I didn't know he was!" The leader explained. "Just push through!"
We then began to push towards the hideout. Several mercs and freelancers were killed in the charge, but most of us eventually reached the bridge to the hideout.
"Okay, here's the plan. One group takes the bridge, get inside, and distract him. The rest will find a way around him." The leader ordered. "Go!"
Almost instantly, me and several freelancers then ran across the bridge as shots rained down towards us. I was the only one who made it inside and snuck around before I reached a mercenary in full body armor, it was Arc. I attempted to stab him, but he tackled me and had me at gunpoint.
"Who are you?" Arc asked.
"No one of your concern," I said kicking Arc and knocking his helmet off but when I looked at him again aft. He was actually a She.
"You idiot!" Arc yelled as she recovered from my attack. "Did Hades put you up to this?!"
"Yeah so," I said assuming she meant the one who was leading the job.
"Ugh. That no good credit hoarder! Listen here, the merc who hired you wants to an old artifact worth a lot, and he wants to kill me and sell it to some cheap collector." She explained. "So help me and I'll pay you more than that cheapskate could."
"No problem," I replied. "I may be a mercenary, but betrayals and cheapskates, not a fan of."
"Same. Now let's see." Arc said trying to find the mercenaries. "Where's Hades?!"
I then remembered his plan and noticed the blast doors behind me were being cut open. "Behind us!" I yelled.
"Crap!" She yelled loading her beam rifle. "Guess we're fighting head-on."
Hades and his hired mercs eventually blasted through the door and began to open fire, Arc fired back and stopped most of the invading mercs. "You won't survive this Arc!" Hades yelled focusing his fire on her.
"Will see who lives past this you cheap smuggler!" She taunted focusing her fire on Hades, while I noticed another set of blast doors were being cut through. I intercepted them and activated the doors ray shields. Hades noticed I was helping her and began to shoot at me as I took cover.
"I'll make sure your body burns traitor!" He yelled to me shifting his focus and firing at me.
Arc eventually saw her chance to strike and shot Hades down, killing him instantaneously and forcing the remaining hired thugs to turn tail and run.
"Thanks," I said getting out of cover.
"No problem. But I feel my presence is no longer fully welcomed." Arc said seeing the damage.
"Just come with me, I won't mind," I said. "By the way. Exactly how much is that artifact?"
She smirked.
"Just a small enough fortune to last someone a few months." She said showing me the artifact. "And I guess I do need to hide."
"Welcome aboard," I said welcoming Arc to my group. I now had some company to help me. We then set off for my ship to rest and hide until things calmed down.