Prestige

The black clouds covered the red the sky, and embers floated as black dust skimmed the dry, cracked ground. The flames rose from a small space ship with broken glass and a few corpses laid on the ground. Nova, a woman with a black, feathered hat and brown hair, laid face down coughing in the dirt as blood dripped from the cut on her forehead. A gust of wind came and blew her hat into a leafless shrub.

Dagon, a gray, muscular alien, grabbed Nova by her shirt with his metal glove and lifted her up with one arm. As he held her up, he threw a punch into her stomach and spit flew from her mouth. He then threw her against a rock.

Bale, a gray alien dressed in armor, laughed as he grabbed his laser gun.

Dagon said, “How bout you give me the code.”

Nova said, “Go fly into the sun.”

After Dagon had heard these words, he smirked and snapped his fingers. Near them were three people who had their faces in the dirt with their hands on their heads.

Bale aimed his laser gun at the three people.

Dagon said, “Is this worth more to you than your friends lives?”

Nova’s eyes enlarged as sweat flowed down her face, and she gripped the loose dirt.

Dagon said, “What a shame. Bale, kill them.”

Bale’s laser gun powered up and a green light shined on the three people.

“Wait,” said Nova.

Dagon raised his hand, and Bale held his fire.

Nova said, “It’s 39, 10, 6, and 12.”

Dagon typed the numbers on a device on his wrist and it unwounded like a complex puzzle. Map coordinates of the planet showed with a mark and after the treasure was revealed, he said, “Shoot them.”

Bale laughed, and he fired his laser into the three people’s heads.

Nova yelled and stood holding her ribs, but Dagon kneed her in the stomach, and she dropped to the ground, gasping for air.

Bale walked toward Nova and pointed his laser gun at her. It powered up, but Dagon slapped the gun from his hand.

Dagon said, “Not her. Her crimes have made her extremely valuable in the galaxy.”

Bale cuffed Nova and dragged her into Dagon’s spaceship by her legs.