Clone Saga: Tanks for Nothing

"Sharks."

"Sharks?" said the receptionist, tapping away at the console in front of her. "We have no records of a Sharks company, and we don't have any deliveries scheduled."

"Just tell boss man Lees I have his daughter."

Soon a group of six guards approached Tank in the lobby. They were all holding Champion Ruby guns. Tank knew that the small laser guns were quite deadly. "Where is she?" asked one of the guards, eyeing Tank warily.

Tank pulled open the lid of the crate and Amelia slowly stood up. "Miss Lees, are you alright?" The girl looked around and nodded. She looked miserable. The guard came and helped her out of the crate. They started walking her toward the turbolifts.

"Come on Bounty Hunter." said a guard. Tank moved toward the lifts as well. A bunch of guards were around him, watching him cautiously.

They travelled up to the one hundred and sixty fourth floor at the top of the tower. Edmund Lees was in his spacious, sterile and opulent office. He was a stern looking middle aged Asian man with both black and grey hair and was wearing an expensive dark suit.

He came up and hugged Amelia when he saw her, she didn't return the hug. "Amelia dear, I was so worried about you."

"Worried enough to send unscrupulous killers after me?"

"I was very adamant that you were to remain unharmed. You are okay aren't you? I just couldn't stand you being out there alone, it's just too dangerous."

"Cut the bullshit father. You don't care about me. You just care about the business deal you made with that sadistic Asshole."

"You wound me Amelia. Of coarse I care about you. I'm so relieved to have you back." He looked over at Tank. "...He didn't hurt you did he?"

Amelia hesitated. "...No, he saved me. ...I just want to go."

"Yes, of coarse dear. I'll have my men take you home. We'll talk later." He motioned to the guards and they started taking her out of the room.

"Hey, Sweetheart!" called out Tank. Amelia turned and glared at him. Tank pulled her diamond necklace out of his jacket pocket. "...I think you dropped this." Slowly Amelia approached him and grabbed her necklace, then she quickly turned and walked away from him, and left the office with several guards following her.

"What's your name Bounty Hunter?" asked Lees.

"Tank."

"Tank who?"

"Tank."

"Uh, okay Mr Tank..."

"Just Tank, are you fuckin' hard of hearing or something?"

"You can't talk to Mr Lees that way." said one of the guards.

Tank looked down at him. "You gunna try and tell me how to talk? That's not gunna turn out well for you."

"You have my gratitude for saving my daughter Tank." said Lees.

"Your gratitude don't mean shit to me unless it's expressed in dollars."

"Of coarse, the bounty." He walked over to the wall and removed a bold, abstract painting. He started unlocking the small safe that was behind it. He pulled out a small black velvet bag and tossed it to Tank.

The big Pirate caught it and started going through it. He looked up and growled. "Are you trying to fuckin' rip me off here?"

"It's all there, the full bounty that was offered."

"Fuckin' cheap bastard!"

"I'm warning you." said the guard, raising his Champion Ruby at Tank.

Tank looked into his eyes and clenched his large fists, "Are you now?"

"I think our business here is done." said Lees. Tank looked around at each of the armed guards, and at Lees, and the safe on the wall. He growled again and then turned around and started walking off. "Escort him out of the building." Lees ordered his guards.

*****

A couple of days later, Sadie was sitting at the bar in 'The Pond', a hang-out for Steel Shark Pirates in Keyser City. There was a HV holo-table in the corner which was currently displaying the news.

A male voice came from the speakers, "...Stocks in ValcoCorp have continued to fall after the bizarre death of its' CEO, Edmund Lees. The chairman was killed in New Darwinia two days ago after he was crushed by a falling hover-car. Poitas police suspect foul play, but so far have very few leads."

"...Lees' heir, his only daughter Amelia, was devastated by the sudden death. She has reportedly broken off her engagement to the CEO of Lexcorp, Cyril Stathfield."

"...In other news, the Galactic Federation is clamping down on rogue transport operators in Unprotected Space, after several incidents which have put crew and passengers at great risk. They are denying rumours that the latest attempted hijacking of a Quazar flight had something to do with illegal Alien Technology..."

A large, hulking figure approached Sadie at the bar. "Let me buy you another drink Captain."

The young woman looked up at him, "Tank. Where have you been?"

"Off planet."

"Oh, Did you have a job?"

"Bounty."

"And you didn't get your crew in on it?"

"The Jaws was out of action. Barely made any profit from it anyway. Just did it for a bit of fun."

"I know what your idea of fun is, somewhere there's a pile of dead bodies and someone's had the shit fucked out of them." Tank smiled. The bartender put a glass and a bottle of Rum in front of Tank and poured Sadie another Soda.

"So how have you been Captain?" asked Tank.

"Shit. I'm bein' forced to stay clean. Every day is shit."

"Hang in there Cap, I don't wanna get stuck taking orders from some Cunt again."

"You've always been a good supporter of mine Tank. I appreciate it. I got you a little something to say thanks." Sadie reached down to the bag at her feet and pulled out a small, silver box. She held it out to Tank.

"What's that?" asked Tank, looking at it.

"It's a present."

"I don't think anyone's ever given me a present before. I usually just take stuff."

"Well take this then."

Tank grabbed the box, it was quite heavy for its size. He opened it up and smiled at Sadie. "A grenade."

Sadie smiled back. "I knew you'd like it. The Jaws III is ready to go again. We're launching at nineteen hundred hours. Skylar's given us an important mission on New Heidi. Something to do with Amos Chong, and Alien Tech."

"Sounds like fun." said Tank.