Blaster & Blade 2: Worlds Collide

Chapter 6

Mal’dar

    Mal’dar looked at all of the contestants and held up the stack of papers from the tech contestants. “This is dirt on all of you,” he proclaimed, “Some of you have done things that disqualify you so,” he put a list of names on the side of Abam, “If you’re on the list get lost”.

    He walked away and up Abam’s ramp. He settled down in a chair at a small table. Khura stood on another chair and ogled at him. Mal’dar smiled at her from under his helmet. He hefted up and put her in his lap. He ran his fingers through her scarlet hair his hand brushing up against one of her tiny horns. “You’re so much like your mother,” he whispered.

    Loud footsteps banged up the ramp and Mal’dar looked at the transdosian who was storming towards him. “You get rid of me becaussse of what ssssome techssss sssay?”

    “Yes,” said Mal’dar holding up Khura with one hand and with his other grabbing his blaster.

    The transodian snarled, “What did they sssay?”
   
    “They found that you like killing and have changed sides after being offered more money. I want people I can trust, I don’t trust you”.

    The transdoian bared his teeth, “Fine I don’t want the job anyway!” and he stormed away.

    Mal’dar looked at Khura who still was looking around in wonder when he heard someone clear their throat. Mal’dar’s pistol was out in a moment and aimed at the spot where he heard the sound come from, but no one was there. Then Mal’dar looked lower and saw a squib looking at him, “I told you to get out of here,” said Mal’dar.
 
   “Nanan no,” stammered the squib, “you, you, you told my br, br, br, brother to leave”.

    Mal’dar narrowed his eyes the squib, “Yes, for treating you poorly. If he would treat his brother poorly then he would treat his job poorly”.

    “Papapaplease lelelet him back,” said Sly.

    “No, he’s a bully,” stated Mal’dar turning his attention back to Khura.

    “Ththththen I mumusmust leave,” said Sly.
 
   Mal’dar turned back to Sly, “You’re the front runner in mechanics, by a fair margin. You’d leave for him?”
 
   “Yyeyeyes,” said Sly.   
 
   Mal’dar sighed, “I won’t bring him back, and if you leave I won’t let you back”.

    Sly nodded.

    Mal’dar shook his head, “Stay for the next assignment, then if you still want to leave I’ll send you with some credits”.

    Sly nodded and walked out.

    Mal’dar looked at Khura, “I have to go to work now”.

    Khura reached out and grasped his helmet. Mal’dar smiled, “Ok I’ll stick around a little longer”.
   

 
   A few hours later Mal’dar set down Khura who was breathing softly as she slept, in her crib. Then he went outside and looked at the contestants, including Sly. Mal’dar looked at the mechanics group which had seven contestants remaining. He pointed to three of them including the Whiphid, “You three aren’t as good leave”.

    They stared at him stunned before leaving, some practically running away while others dragged their feet.

    Mal’dar pointed to two fighters in the muscle group, “You two won by pure luck last fight, get lost”.

    Both muttered under their breath and left.

    Mal’dar looked at the blaster group and pointed to three of them, “You can’t be good with just a rifle,” he pointed to four more, “You can’t be good just a pistol”. Those contestants left and Mal’dar looked at those remaining. “It’s about to get a lot harder if you can’t take it leave now”.

    No one moved and Mal’dar nodded, “Good,” he began to go group by group. He stood in front of the muscle group, eleven remained of them remained. “All of you will fight me, the five best will stay for the final challenge”. He stood in front of the shooters, twenty-six of them remained. “This time moving targets, and I’ll have some droids shoot back. You don’t get any cover either”. The shooters protested and Mal’dar ignored them walking over to the four remaining mechanics. “This time instead of fixing something, you’re building something. Each of you will have fifty credits and a box of scraps. Make something useful”. He stood in front of the slicers, “Once the shooters are done they’ll be put in charge of guarding a computer. Hack it and tell me the message on it”. The shooters muttered some excitedly to each other and the slicers exchanged panicked looks. Mal’dar stood in front of the pilots, “Flying Abam, under my supervision”. Mal’dar stood in front of the medics, only a medical droid and a human remained. “You two are onto the final test, I’ll be back soon”. Mal’dar turned around and walked towards Abam.
  
  “Where are you going?” shouted someone.

    “To get the final challenge,” said Mal’dar.

    Mal’dar banged on Sarna’s door. After a few seconds, she threw it open and looked at Mal’dar with a raised eyebrow, “You giving me my ship back?”

    “I need you to supervise some people that I’ll be working with,” said Mal’dar.

    Sarna grabbed her helmet and put it on, “Why am I supervising them?”

    “Because I need sleep,” said Mal’dar.

    Sarna burst out laughing, “I’m sure you do”.

    “They will babysit until I wake up. None of them have shady past but I want someone I trust there,” said Mal’dar.

    “Of course,” said Sarna, “Though I want my ship back”.

    “You don’t do anything with it,” said Mal’dar.

    “And it’s mine, you can have it once I’m dead. Until then you have money, buy your own,” she said.

    Mal’dar muttered under his breath as they walked towards Abam.