Felix was an amnesiac human raised in a space pirate guild. He was twenty two years old with the body of a natural athlete. His very stillness set him apart, and his face was filled with the perplexity of one who had been looking for answers to fill a crater in his soul beyond his years. He was saved by Toukou--an alien space pirate--during the invasion of earth by one of the most powerful alien race of the milky way called The Alfheimrians.
Toukou, the captain of the pirate guild of Felix known as The Exotics, was a one-eyed pirate. His skin was red; and he always wore a smart patch, a pirate hat and a futuristic leather overcoat. He sometimes carried a laser pistol and a laser saber on his hip. He was fifty years old. He had never been married, for he had dedicated his life to piracy.
Felix was the only human of The Exotics--and his best friend was Djoro, a human-like being with a dark purple skin, who had met Toukou three years before him. Djoro and Felix became friends since the first time that they saw each other. They both formed an incredible trio with Boo Boo, a small primate, adopted by Felix.
Like other members of The Exotics, Felix did not have a permanent place of residence. He lived in the milky way; and traveled with the guild members from one planetary system to the other, boarding with them vessels full of wealth or looking for artifacts of ancient civilizations. However, his favorite place was The Pirate Haven--an exo-moon transformed into a habitable shelter with a lunar landing platform on the surface, and a huge space ships station leading to an underground city called the Maglev City. The lunar landing gear was on railroads having a main circular track for ships' landings and adjoining curved tracks in all directions for takeoff. The main circular track passed through the space ships station where passengers boarded ships taking them somewhere or departed them for the Maglev City. Along that exo-moon's surface's borders, there were massive towers with automated sentry energy blasts cannons; and across one of its side was a single huge gate, opened for small shuttles.
The Maglev City hovered several kilometers above an overwhelming void. Huge oxygen pumps were on its metal buildings' rooftops to filter the air. Felix loved its streets' lighting and smart streets full of holographic notice boards showing advertising, where hovering taxis moved over the metal ground and alongside the third floor of its buildings. Felix also adored its nightclubs, cheap hotels, casinos, and Mc Emerald fast foods where he could enjoy alien diamond-shaped burgers. Most of all, he adored its permanent nightlife similar to an endless night of Saint Sylvester in Ibiza.
Today, Felix was neither with his pirate guild nor with Boo Boo and Djoro. He found himself seated at a high-stakes table adjacent to a particularly nasty-looking alien, inside a casino of the Maglev City. The casino was full of human-like beings playing all manner of games around smart tables with holographic displays, under the surveillance of dealers wearing white clothes. The carpet of the casino was of high quality; a knife of fifteen centimeters couldn't pierce it. Rich gamblers and poor gamblers who had saved money over several months or years had playmates caress them while they played. Flying delivering drones supplied them cigarettes and drinks. Few security guards cradling electroshock nightsticks patrolled inside the casino to secure it.
Felix's opponent was so hefty that a cat could sleep inside his shoes, and his tight t-shirt could run from Felix's shoulders to his knees once removed. Plume of steams escaped from his brutish nose when he exhaled. The game of choice was The Pirates Duel: a collectible card game that utilized holographic displays to portray the duel of legendary pirates' figurines. Surrounding them were dozens of people--two playmates who had put their hands on the hefty gambler's shoulders, standing around him; a dealer supervising the game; and a few players making side bets around the duel.
A pair of fives face e-cards, which had been already used, were set on the table's surface resembling to a touchscreen. One of the playmates extended an inhalator-like pipe toward the hefty gambler's bestial mouth as he drew his sixth face e-card from the pack. He dragged on it and laid the e-card onto the table. The plume of steams escaping from his mouth turned into green. The table's surface glimmered; and a holographic picture of a pirate figurine immediately appeared on the table as if printed by an invisible 3-D printer. The figurine switched on a laser saber and swung it around.
Felix drew his sixth face e-card from the pack. The e-card in his hand depicted two identical pirates. His figurine won't stand in front of my twin pirates, he thought. With a slick grin, he laid the card onto the table; and suddenly, the holographic display of the twins came to life. They then engaged the hefty gambler's figurine.
Few swipes at the hefty gambler's figurine caused it to flicker and disappear. The table then projected in the air a holographic scoreboard showing a live transfer of funds on Felix's account. "Felix wins!" stated the dealer.
The gamblers, who had staked on Felix, grinned. The jaws of other who had staked on the hefty gambler and his tightened.
Felix gazed at his opponent. I hope this stupid gambler is not gonna ask me another round again. He is probably the kind of gambler who doesn't accept defeat.
"Let's double the stakes, now," said the hefty gambler, with a hoarse voice.
"No problem," said Felix. I was pretty sure he would not let me leave with his money, he thought as the dealer gathered up the e-cards. Losing three thousands space coins is a hard pill to swallow. Anyway, i'm not gonna let him think that i'm intimidated by his build.
The dealer shuffled the e-cards and distributed four to both Felix and his opponent. In their hands, their e-cards depicted the images of legendary pirates. Felix and his opponent glanced at their e-cards and placed them onto the table's surface. The surface glimmered and the legendary pirates' figurines appeared on it, with their weapons. Both Felix and his opponent braced them for the duel like chess players.
"Are you ready?" asked the dealer.
They both nodded to him. Then, He launched the game, and the figurines started battling in one-on-one sword fights. The hefty gambler's figurines got the upper hand on Felix's. He sneered while Felix drew his fifth e-card, which depicted an accessory.
Felix slapped his fifth e-card next to his four ones. It gleamed, and only one of his figurines getting slashed by its opponent got a shield. Oh no, my luck is changing.
The hefty gambler drew two additional e-cards and laid them as well. They gleamed and projected in the air amelioration icons, which strengthened his figurines' stats.
Then, his figurines began to annihilate Felix's. Unless a miracle, thought Felix. The money i won here is lost. He drew his sixth e-card. It depicted a box with a question mark in the center. Wow, a chance card! I may change the outcome of this duel.
The hefty gambler's hands trembled when Felix showed his hand to his surroundings. Felix slammed it onto the table's surface. It gleamed and projected in the air nine undifferentiated holographic cards. They were uniform. Felix randomly pointed to select one. It depicted an armored pirate, which dropped off to the table's surface.
Sweat poured off the hefty gambler's brow. The playmates abruptly moved away from him and approached Felix. They then started caressing him. Indeed, Felix's victory was inevitable, and the playmates needed a new mine of money.
On the table's surface, Felix's armored figurine started slashing the hefty gambler's. As the hot girls kissed Felix's check, his face twisted with anger of a sore loser.
What a face of sore loser! thought Felix. I wouldn't want to be in his place. First, he's going lose the duel, quite apart from the fact that he spent a huge money on the playmates. Second, they didn't even kiss him. I can't blame them because it's difficult to kiss a such abomination, even for money. Finally, he's ruined. His armored figurine wielded two swords at once to slaughter the rest of the hefty gambler's.
"Felix wins once again!" said the dealer when the hefty gambler's last figurine died.
The scoreboard rose up again. The hefty gambler's eyesshifted to an accomplice, giving him a signal tosecretly hurl an e-card near Felixas the scoreboard updated with a live transfer of funds on Felix'saccount. Unnoticed, the accomplice did it.
The hefty gambler then gazed at Felix and asked, with an intimidating hoarse voice, "Whose e-card is beneath your chair?"
Felix looked down at the e-card, and looked back to his opponent as other people around him saw it. "That's not mine. Search the owner!" he said.
There came no warning. No demand of repayment. The hefty player punched the table with his massive arms and spooked everyone around except Felix, who kept his calm. "Furthermore, you've got a nerve to speak to me in that tone of voice!"
I know it would end up this way. Felix clenched his fists, and said, "Keep calm and let's continue playing, or accept your defeat. I don't like problems!"
"Felix, i don't like cheaters!"
"I don't like sore losers!"
The hefty gambler stood grimly. The people standing around and the nearest gamblers moved away. "Well, let's see how you like beaters!" he said, cracking his fingers.
He flung away the smart table, and attracted the attention of two security guards and nearest gamblers. The dealer gave the guards a signal, and they converged on him. He seized the first guard's incoming swing and wrestled the nightstick from his grasp. He then turned the weapon around to deflect an incoming attack from the second guard. Amidst the sparks born from their deadlock, he fired an electric shock that knocked the second guard skyward. He then whipped back around to the seized guard. With a brutal headbutt, he knocked him out across the table.
He increased the nightstick's shock power, and glared at Felix who stood up. The electric current coming off the nightstick caused Felix to grab his chair.
Felix pointed his chair at the hefty gambler as he thrust the nightstick. The chair reacted with the high-powered electric shock delivered by the nightstick and sent it back at his opponent. The abrupt electrical discharge made his whole body vibrate like boiling water and paralyzed him, casting blue brightness at both Felix and he. Standing like a statue, he started making water. The flow of pee coming from his natural pat drenched his pants. He then slowly angled backward like an inanimate doll and hit the carpet with his back, inducing the sound of a grenade's explosion.
An expectant hush filled the casino, and all gamblers gawked at Felix. I've messed up this time, he thought as he look around. I've really made a mess. Just staring at these faces tells me how big is my mess. He looked down at the hefty gambler. I'm dead if this beast stand up. Felix put down his chair, and stepped back of one space.
In mere instants, the hefty gambler stood up with all his might. He observed all the gamblers playing in the casino as they started laughing at him. He stepped ahead, and his pee splashed. The plash made him look around and paw at his drenched pants.
He gazed at Felix with a look of hatred and leaped. Felix ducked as he punched. The strong current of air of his blow swayed aside Felix's yellow hairs. One could believe a violent storm did that, but it was just the blow of a fist as mighty as a blower.
I shouldn't let him hit me with his natural hammer. A hand to hand fight began. Felix was nimble and arrived to punch the face of his opponent, without getting hit by his.
Dealers approached gamblers, handing them alien credit card terminals. The gamblers started making side bets around the hand-to-hand combat with their credit cards.
Plumes of red steam escaped from both the nose and ears of the hefty gambler as he became angry. I'd better move away, thought Felix. I've definitely made him angry.
The hefty gambler counter-attacked and drove back Felix toward a table. Felix jumped on the table as he saw a flying delivery drone approaching. The hefty gambler looked up and tried to sweep off Felix's legs, but Felix jumped high to grab the helicopter-like legs of the drone. He then swung around like an oscillating ball of a classic watch and back somersaulted in the air to kick in the hefty gambler's face. The blow knocked the hefty gambler backward with the sound of a huge ham slammed on a terraced-floor.
Felix landedon his feet and braced himself foranother attack again, but hisopponent laid sprawling on the casino's carpet. I'dbetterget the hell out of here before he wake up again. Felix returned totheirsmart table like a boss whileall gamblers gawked at him. He pulledout his creditcard and put it into his pocket. I've gotsix thousands space coins with only five hundreds space coins. What a greatdeal!
The hefty gambler's eyes blinked. He slowly rolled himself up.
Dozens of security guards converged on him as Felix turned back to him. Wow, this guy is too hefty. Only an army of guards can neutralize him.
Suddenly, he quick-drew his laser hilt, and extended a yellow beam on his saber. The guards converging on him abruptly stopped, and took aim.
Shit, thought Felix. I didn't bring my laser saber. It's impossible to knock him out, much less to fight without a saber.
The hefty gambler swung around his sword. The guards backed away. He charged at Felix, and the carpet of the casino groaned with a rhythmic sound like a drum being hit by hammers. Felix threw a chair at him. He slashed it in two and swung at Felix. Felix feinted aside to dodge the swing, and the heat of a burning torchlight heated his cheek. Determined, the hefty gambler thrust. Felix moved backward, stumbled and fell down.
The hefty gambler then lifted his laser sword, ran straight at Felix and swung, letting out a screech of vengeance.
All of a sudden, a black-clad figure strode over Felix and came up in front of him. It cast a shadow on him. What's this shadow? Is it death? As Felix looked up the length of the figure; he remarked a pair of glamorous shoes, a leather overcoat and a pirate hat. The nose of the shoes were spiral-shaped. What? Toukou bought the latest shoes of Spiralce: the luxurious shoes of the milky way. Felix then saw his brightly red saber blocking the hefty gambler's.
Indeed, Toukou and Djoro had arrived at the beginning of the fight, and they had been observing it. With locked laser blades--Toukou pressed to drive back the hefty gambler, using all his strengths. Felix quickly rolled himself up.
"Clear off!" screamed the hefty player to Toukou. "I want Felix!".
"Believe me, that's a bad idea," said Toukou. "Felix is a bad ass at sword fencing!"
"Don't care!"
"If you insist, no problem," said Toukou. He then pulled away and threw Felix the sword.
Felix caught the sword by the hilt, swung it around, and engaged the hefty gambler. A sword fight opened up. Back and forth, Felix and his opponent exchanged blows and parries with their laser swords.
All eyes of the casino were on them. Various gamblers called out for encouragement: "He's a big pussy!" cried one man.
"Slaughter him, babe!" screamed a random girl.
They kept fighting, and Felix's agility and skills came into play. He rolled away to grab a nightstick as the hefty gambler swung at his head. Then, the groaned of the carpet as the hefty gambler charged caused Felix to stand up. He immediately threw the nightstick at the hefty gambler's testicles. The nightstick delivered an electric shock, the hefty gambler vibrated, his eyes rolled upward, and he fell down.
Groans from the losers as the cards terminals' display transferred funds to the gamblers who had staked on Felix. The gamblers and dealers went back to play.
The guards successively used electric shocks at the knocked out gambler's testicles to verify if he had completely fallen unconscious. Now, no matter how hefty he is; he is neutralized. Next time, i'll think twice before playing with hefty people.
Djoro and Toukou approached Felix. "A space pirate should not travel without his laser sword," said Toukou.
Felix turned to them and switched off his laser sword.
"Nor without his pet," said Djoro.
"I came to play not to fight," said Felix. "But, why did you both come here?"
"We've got a vessel to board," said Toukou. "And i need my best swordsman--"
"And your pet also needs you, Felix."
"Is it mad at me?" asked Felix.
"No, but It has a grudge against other members of our guild!" said Djoro.
Felix put the laser sword hilt on his belt. "I guess there is a lot of money?" he asked Toukou. "Otherwise you wouldn't buy a Spiralce"
"Yes, there's enough money to secure each Exotic for one year," answered Toukou.
"I like that."
The trio observed as the guards lifted the knocked out gambler with all their might to lay him on a hovering slab designed for three people. The hovering slab shackled him, and the guards turned away with him.
"The cameras recorded the fight," said Djoro, who glanced up at a camera.
Felix and Toukou gazed at the camera, too. "This video will get a lot of views, Felix."
"I dislike viral videos."