Some Pirates Just Don't Like Each Other

“By the Lords of Space, look who it is! It’s Captain Groggy!”

Grognard looked up from his rum. He was in a foul mood to begin with and being called ‘Groggy’ wasn’t helping. When he saw who it was, his mood only darkened more.

“Oh, I thought I smelled sewage,” Grognard said.

Captain Arachnos’ smug smile turned into a snarl. Arachnos got his start in space pirating by mutinying on a garbage transport. He had a million spider tattoos and named every ship in his fleet after spiders, but he still couldn’t shake his garbage past.”

“Maybe you’re smelling your own ship,” Arachnos said. “I saw what the prison did to your ship. There is a crater where your missile array used to be. Did you shoot yourself again?”

Arachnos’ crew laughed at his joke. It wasn’t a good joke but it was his crew so they were laughing.

Grognard stood up. His own crew came over to his table. The other patrons slowly left the bar. The bartender’s hands went under the bar and were obviously reaching for a rifle. Tensions were rising. The smart thing to do would be to offer Arachnos a drink and let this all slide.

“Arachnos, it is time someone finally took out the garbage around here,” Grognard said.

“Ha, with what ship, Groggy?” Archnos said.

“I still have two ships in my fleet,” Grognard said. “We only need one to take you out but we’ll bring the second just to make sure none of the vermin fleeing your ship lives.”

Grognard’s crew laughed. It was a lousy joke but it didn’t matter. Nothing was funnier than your Captain putting down another Captain.

Arachnos narrowed his eyes at Grognard. “It is time you learned respect, Groggy. In two days, I’ll be at the Aeon Nebula. Meet us there and I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

Grognard nodded. “Make sure you give your ship a wash first. I hate capturing dirty ships.”

Arachnos sneered and walked away. His crew left with him.