Copyright© 2000-2003

There was a gay countess of Bray,
And you may think it odd when I say,
That in spite of high station,
Rank and education,
She always spelled cunt with a 'k'.

My name is Todd, Todd Shepard, and this is the story how I became a pirate. Not just any pirate, mind you, but a full fledged member of the infamous Red Dogs.

It happened many years ago, a different lifetime as it now feels.

My family and I were refugees from a ethnic war between, what started out as, two separate factions upon the planet I was born on, Ulie V. The civil war soon turned nasty as centuries old hatred erupted and the war turn upon the civilians. Now each side began to do ethnic cleansing, meaning they killed or expelled all that were not of the proper ethnic mixture. We, evidently, were of the wrong mix and my family and I found ourselves on a refugee ship, if it could be called that, heading away from the core worlds.

We never escaped untouched either, no family did. My sister had lost a leg to a indiscriminate land mine while my father had been held and tortured leaving him horribly disfigured and scarred. We never had the credits or anything to barter for cryogenic replacements, the war had cost us nearly everything.

To say my attitude changed towards those values and morals that my parents had attempted to instill in me is obvious. How could they not? I was a normal nine year old when the war started out as simple skirmishes between fractions. I was ten when it moved to the cities and saw my first grav-tank quickly blast a building to rubble, the people within all dead. Eleven when great masses of people began to move, refugees attempting to find safety by living with others like themselves. The two ethnic communities separated their people in an attempt to stop the bloodshed, instead it only made it easier to put boundaries on what was soon becoming an all out war. Twelve when I held my sister down as a dentist cut off the strips of skin and stitched her blow stump together. Thirteen when my father was missing for nearly four months and when he did return, he was barely recognizable nor could he no longer care for himself. Fourteen when men came for me, to recruit me as a soldier, but my mother and sister gave the last of our wealth and possessions to them. They said they would be back, the bribe only gained me another year. Fifteen when we were herded into interment camps while ships were found to rid the world of our filth, as we were called.

The Imperium never sat back and let this happen, they sent observers and then a peace keeping force that did little but frustrate our already desperate situation. It was not uncommon to have a firefight across a field between the two sides when they would suddenly stop as a squad of Imperium Soldiers marched through, only to continue when they were out of range.

I lost a childhood because of the war on my home world. It matters not which side did what to us, both were attributed with horrible atrocities that were becoming commonplace as the years advanced. My contempt was for the people of my planet, for the Imperium and even my own parents for not leaving the planet when they had a chance.

In all though, I was lucky to survive. Many did not.

Upon that stinking, old, slow cargo ship that became our refuge, my parents felt the same way. That they were lucky to survive, happy to finally be away from the shit hole I had been born upon. They didn't seem to even wonder what misadventures lay ahead.

I awoke with the lights still out, a single lamp over the exit fizzled and hummed, but I knew something was different. Then I knew, the ship had stopped, there was no longer the constant hum and vibration from the ships ancient engines.

No one else had awoke and it was all calm. I put my head back down upon my sweaty jacket and rubbed my sisters head upon my stomach. There was over a hundred of us in this small space, so tight that we had to overlap when sleeping. There was no other accommodations but the cold metal floor and a makeshift curtained area with a bucket for our toilet.

I hated it. There no longer was cycles just long endless hours, months probably, that we travelled in that old ship. I did not share my parents joy from leaving the war behind. I for one, could not help but think that we were simple cows for the strong to take advantage of. For most of my remembrance, that was exactly how I had learned to think.

I felt it before I heard it, the deck jerked slightly and I heard the clang of metal upon metal. Once before I had heard that, when our shuttle had grappled with this ship and we boarded. Another ship must have boarded us I knew.

For an unknown reason I shivered in fear.

All the lights suddenly came on, blinding me temporarily. The sounds of those around me filled with astonishment but no fear.

Most of us stood up, waiting for an announcement as we could not exit from the chamber through the hatch. It was locked, we were simple cattle. Worthless refugees.

The announcement never came, instead the hatch opened and I could hear the fear in the voices and feel the fear the crowd from those closest to the exit felt. Something was terribly wrong I knew.

My mother put an arm about my sisters and my shoulders, "I'm sure its nothing." My father's one good eye starred at my mother and spoke volumes, he also didn't think it would be okay.

A metallic voice boomed out from the hatchway, "Men to port, women and children to starboard." Since we had been counted and sorted this way several times since boarding all the people in that chamber moved animately while the fear level rose in all of us.

My father held my arm by the elbow, not wanting us to be separated. After the crowd of refugees parted and we were pressed so close together it was tough to breath, that I was able to see all the way to the hatchway.

No wonder at the peoples reaction to the hatchway opening, it was a humbling sight. There in the opening stood seven men, four in the armour of combat Marines. Armour that even the armies of my planet could not afford. Yet it wasn't Imperium troops there stood there, as they wore no uniform or insignia. The armour completely enclosed them from all types of elements, including space and under water, and was incredibly arrayed with weapons and communications gear. I had read about Imperium troops weapons and armour years ago, its what a child does in a war zone - learn about weapons.

When the refugees finished separating then did the four marines enter, two to each side, facing us threateningly. A large mirrored faceplate covered the Marines eyes but I felt his gaze cross me and I felt a shiver of true fear.

The other three men, each differently clothed and all but one arrayed with an assortment of weapons. The one unencumbered man I knew to be one of the ships mates, a ferret like man whom had enjoyed prolonging food distribution and cleaning of our makeshift latrines.

I studied the one that seemed the leader, simply deduced by his stature and manner. He was of large size with a straight noble bearing that was clothed in well tailored and expensive garb. The ferret fawned over him while the other man was looking over both the starboard and port sides of the cabin.

Years ago, before regular trading between our world ceased, I had purchased comic stories for my comm tablet. One of my favourite series was about a swash buckling pirate and his adventures through the galaxy. It was filled with excitement and adventure, as the men stole from the rich and gave to the poor while the Imperium attempted, unsuccessfully, to capture them. I knew the comics to be fantasy I realized that these meant before me were most probably pirates. They certainly had not been on the ship when we blasted out of system.

Barely looking at us, the leader nodded to the third man and the process began. It was simple. The man stood near the door as each refugee came to him. The ferret would then guide the person in the direction if the man nodded affirmatively nor negatively. Those negative nods were put in groups and then a marine would guide them away from our chamber, returning several minutes later for another group.

I watched for several minutes, being well in the back and a long while from the head of the line, felt my guts turn. The pirates were taking away the old and infirm while the young and healthy stayed. After all these years of staying alive, I knew my family was now going to be separated. Tears came to my eyes as I watched my sister hobble to the head of the line and the nod came for her go towards the hatchway. My mom was next and she was ushered back to the crowd of completed refugees. My sister looked stunned while my mother was crying horribly.

It was my turn and dad went to join my sister while I turned and found mom back in the chamber. Mother and I were to live, my sister and father to die. I was not so innocent to delude myself of the obvious.

I can not phantom why we went to the slaughter like cattle as we did. We were a hundred they only seven. Of course we would have lost but we would have kept our humanity. Instead I stood crying with mom, the sobs of others about us loud, as the marines and men were finished and stood at the hatchway.

I then learned what had happened to my sister and father, "Those of you still here will live, those that are not were flushed into space." It was spoken calmly, as if it was common place to open a hatchway into space for helpless humans. Perhaps for these men it was common, I was startled to think. "You are now slaves of the Red Dogs and used accordingly. If you wish to live, do as your told."

The hatch closed and the lights went out.

Again time seemed an eternity. Mostly our waiting was the same as it had been before the Red Dog pirates, whom I had never heard of, had appeared. Other than our meals were more regular and substantial. Our latrine was cleaned regularly. And of course we had more room in the chamber as two thirds of the people had been flushed into the vacuum of space.

The one big difference was that our women were sometimes taken from us. The younger comely ones initially. They nearly always came back eventually, and the whispers of rape quickly reached my virgin ears. Mother trembled fiercely each time an unarmoured man appeared in the hatchway and cried silently to herself each time she was left unmolested. She was happy to be untouched but knew it could not be forever.

What could I do? I could not tell her not to worry, it was absorb to think she would be saved from the rape of pirates. Yet I would put an arm about her shoulders and hold her till she slept.

I was yet fifteen and found myself the eldest male in the ships chamber. When we had boarded the ship very few males of age and unscarred joined us. Most had been taken for the wars. And now the pirates had flushed the others, older and infirm. A handful of younger boys still ran amongst us but I was shocked when a pirate had even taken one of these for his pleasure. Even boys, I quickly found out, were not exempt from rape.

I wondered at the rest of the ships refugees, as there was a couple dozen chambers such as ours. Were so many people killed outright in each? It amazed me, though it should not after living in a war zone for much of my young life, that such brutality existed.

They came for mother and she simply nodded her acceptance and left with the man. Five other women held me from following, as tears clouded my eyes. She returned two cycles later. She never said a word and simply lay down next to me and just starred off into space. Nothing I said or did alleviated her soul.

I could not even phantom what they did with her.

In a short while they came again and then again. So often that she was by far the most popular, even of the younger fresh teen girls. I heard it whispered that mother was popular due to her experience and willingness to do as she was told. All I know is that I no longer cried when she was taken.

I stood in line as the men went through our ranks slowly, inspecting us. When mothers turn came I heard the man say, "Hello Sara?"

She answered, "Hello Sir."

He checked her teeth, joints and listened to her heart before giving her a pill to swallow. Vitamins I was told, I never saw anything that suggested it was anything but what they told us. Then again, why should they lie - were we but cattle to them.

My turn was next, and he repeated what he had done with mother. "Your name buck?"

"Todd." My voice trembled with fear.

"Your Sara's brat yes?" He had a strange accent but we could speak in Universal well enough.

"Yes sir."

"You like being the only man in your hold?" He grinned at me as if we shared a joke but in truth I had no idea what he was alluding too.

My awkwardness was obvious and mother spoke up, "He does not know of such things Master."

The man chuckled and eyed me again, "Then I may have judged your brat wrong then, I'll tell Ho'ie about him." I just stood there as the man continued down the line to the next person while I heard my mothers sob.

I was startled when I was the next to be taken, "To Ho'ie", I was told. I followed the two men from the chamber while a Marine followed behind. I barely noticed anything of the ship as I was in a haze, a blinding fog that dwelled upon uncertainty and fear.

The soft melodic voice startled me, "Leave I said. The child is not a danger I assure you." I looked up into the smiling face of Ho'ie, the man who was to rape me. The door closed behind me and I was alone in the Spartan but comfortable quarters of an officer of the Red Dog clan.

"Not many boys your age left on the ship, I lucked out. Your name child?"

I was hardly a child, "Todd."

"Todd." He rolled it upon his tongue as if it was the most pleasant of sounds. Ho'ie was by far the strangest man I have ever seen. "A nice name but while your with me you shall only be called Slut." His hand held my chin still as he asked, "Okay Slut?"

"Yes sir."

"Good boy." He bent forwards to kiss me and I turned my head in disgust, pulling away from his grasp. He was well painted, with lipstick and powder upon his face, he looked like a mannequin.

"Tst tst, bad child." He hardly seemed put off, but instead chuckled and backed up. "Take your clothes off Slut."

I simply stood still, fear had frozen me. Yet my disgust also startled me into awareness and I saw that though clothed Ho'ie's penis was sticking out of his jump suit. It was hard and red and I could not take my eyes from it.

"You like this huh?" He grasped himself. "I think you will learn to hate it by the time I am finished with you my young pup."

I never said a word.

"Take them off I said." Again I stood immobile.

Ho'ie pulled a small blaster from his hip belt and aimed it right at my face. "Do you want to die Slut?" He was smiling out the one side of his face - obviously enjoying this encounter.

"No sir."

"Good boy, now strip naked." He screamed now and I jumped in fear.

I began to pull my old tattered clothing from my body, my limbs trembling horribly.

"Yummy. You are a very pretty Slut. I can hardly wait for you little pup."

When I was naked, my tattered clothing upon the cold deck, Ho'ie starred right at my crotch as he reached into a pocket and pulled out a small pill. He held it beneath his nose and squished it before inhaling deeply. Then he again reached into his pocket and threw me another pill, "Crack it beneath your nose pup."

I did and was startled when my cock jumped up hard and my body held a new energy and vigour.

Ho'ie set down the blaster upon the table behind him and motioned with his hands towards his penis. "Come here Slut, I have something to introduce to you."

I came forwards as if I was in a dream and stood a foot before him.

"On your knees pup!" Ho'ie was panting now and stroking himself.

I didn't move. His free hand came down in an arc and a fist hit me firmly in the stomach, I dropped suddenly upon my knees gasping.

He chuckled and ordered, "Open wide pup!" A hard man's penis was aimed right at my face when I looked up and what happened next was all a cloud, as if it happened to someone else.

It would change the direction of my life.

I reached forwards, not to Ho'ie but to the table behind. My hand grasped the small blaster and I pulled it back towards me. I moved the muzzle upwards until it hit the balls of my rapist and I pulled the trigger - nothing. It was on safety. I was inexperienced as is obvious.

Ho'ie howled in rage and surprise and his one free hand, though the other was closer he evidently decided its duty was more important than to stop me from shooting him, came down to grasp my dishevelled and messy greasy hair. He began to lift me even as I fumbled with the safety.

I found it.

Again my finger tightened on the trigger and this time the thin blaster twisted in my hand as a blast shot from the muzzle.

A few spats of blood from beneath Ho'ie's balls and then nothing, he just stood starring down at me in surprise his hands holding my head firmly. Then a river of blood began to flow from the hole behind his balls, in approximately the region of his anus.

Again I pulled the trigger, and again. Ho'ie let go of my hair and fell back, banging on the table and then sliding to the floor as my finger pulled the trigger again and again. I was kneeling before the opened eye and mouth body of the man who was to rape me squeezing the trigger of the blaster till it ran out of energy and no longer shot bolts.

It as over and I stood upon wobbly legs, covered in the man's blood and trembling in barely contained rush of adrenaline. I had done it, I had stood up to the pirate and even killed him with his own blaster.

It was at that moment that I no longer was a child, no longer cattle or a refugee. I was no longer even a slave. I was now a man - or at least had taken the first step in becoming one.

I lay naked in the tiny lightless cell wondering when my next meal was to come. It had been cycles since I shot and killed Ho'ie. I had been found minutes later, still covered in blood and a empty blaster in my hand. The marine had ordered me to drop the weapon else he would kill me, I doubted him not and did as ordered.

Instead of rage or anger towards me I found that the pirates were amazed that a lone naked boy had killed one of their own. I felt embarrassment even from them and of course surprise. They even treated me with more respect I found, my food rations easily doubled. Though now when I was lead to my cell two Marines had covered me within their fields of fire.

A man I may be but I was still scared and humbled by what I had done. I had taken a life. And what was so scary about it was how I felt nothing, the pig deserved what I gave him. It was also scary at how easy it was to kill a man, I had done it and I never even handled a real weapon before.

When again they came for me a few cycles later, I was given a jumper and boots before being lead by four Marines and an officer towards a part of the ship that I had never seen before. It was where the officers and crew spent their time and I went right to the head of the Red Dog detachment on this ship, Commander Yuma.

The Commander was squat, round of face and yellow of skin but with blazing dark eyes and muscles that flexed with each movement. He motioned for me to be seated across from him at a small round table. Two Marines were left in the room with us both muzzles aimed right at my back. "Ho'ie's bane it seems?"

How could I answer, "Yes sir."

He smiled for the first time but it wasn't a pleasant look, but one that would put fear in any man. "The officer who brought you here told you who I am?"

"Yes sir." He was the acting commander of this seized vessel, the old master long dead from a blaster bolt.

"Good. It was tough for me to believe a young man such as yourself could kill a bastard like Ho'ie." He pushed a mug of steaming liquid towards me, coffee. A substance that had not been seen on our planet since the year the war's began. I took it only to be accommodating as I was too scared to drink anything. "Yet I talked with the Marine that found you and even he would not have believed it if he had not seen it with his own eyes. You, young man, have the heart of a warrior."

The commander was smiling now, "Thank you sir."

"How would you like to be a member of the Red Dog's?" He grinned at me with pride, in his unit I would guess. "If you decline you return to your chamber. But I won't be able help if any of Ho'ie's friends avenge him."

Obviously it was an easy choice, my voice shook, "I would like to join sir."

"Good!" He seemed pleased. "As a recruit mind you. And no one gets treated worse than a recruit, though I dare say you already earned enough respect that you will be able to sleep at night."

I turned my head at the marines and saw that their heavy blasters were no longer pointed at me but shouldered. The commander saw my look, "Marine or Navy - its a choice you don't have to make immediately, as a recruit."

"Take the new clansmen to a room and have the steward see to his needs." He spoke to a marine behind me. "You have a cycle to get settled young Todd Shepard and then you begin your training."

My duty list was long and each cycle longer. I was the lowest of the Red Dog contingent on this ship and even the junior members heaped menial work upon me. Cycless clouded into each other as I became busier than I ever had before.

I never complained and did everything asked of me.

When I wasn't working, I was left alone and found the solitude in my soft bunk a rather pleasant change from my recent predicament. I tried to see my mother, but was firmly told that pirates didn't socialize with slaves.

After the officers and senior non-commissioned officers finished a meal and I was able to sit and wolf down a bowl of grewl and a mug of coffee, another young pirate sat across from me. Tito, I believe his name was. He was picking his teeth and studying me carefully.

"Was it a fluke that you killed Ho'ie?"

I swallowed loudly and shrugged, not sure what he meant. It wasn't planned certainly.

"Some of Ho'ie's buddies think he was popping too many eXceed's", the well advertised sexual arousal poppers that Ho'ie had given me. Again a shrug - I had no idea how I overcome Ho'ie, whom I had learned was one of their most aggressive officer's on this ship. "They don't agree with Yuma for letting you join us."

My meal was finished and I stared hard at my co-pirate, as hard as a 15 year old could look I mean.

"Just thought to warn you, you might get called out."

I knew what that meant, every child that watched the holos about the adventurous pirates knew it meant a duel.

My blood drained from my face but I somehow kept from trembling, "Thanks for letting me now Tito."

I learned by overhearing those about me that a wager was taking place for my fall in a dual. In fact it wasn't so much if I should loose but how badly and how quickly. It was only cycless after my warning that Jammer stood firmly before me before a hatchway and looked rather threatening.

I knew what was coming.

"Cherry!" As a new recruit, I wasn't worth learning my name - a recruits lifespan, on average, is rather short. I was carrying several new optical scanners for the ship's medic but felt my arms tremble violently. Jammer was a huge Marine, even without his armour, full of muscles and low on brains. The typical jar-head that populate popular fiction.

"Your mine Cherry, I'm calling you out. Fourth cycle in the aft quartermasters office." He spit towards me then spun about and stalked away.

I stood trembling knowing my time was short for this life.

Commander Yuma intervened, though had no right to interrupt I would learn later, but did and forced a match that was fairer. At least in perception, no one believed I could win - regardless of the match.

Half of the ships company crowed within the quartermasters office, leaving a small opening with the circle of bodies. They snickered and laughed when I appeared, alone and afraid at the door. A narrow path was made for me to the ring and I strode forward, walking to my death as I thought.

Jammer already stood within the ring talking with a couple of his, and Ho'ie's, friends. Commander Yuma had picked the weapons, one that I've never heard of before but knew of the origins. Cosmic ball. A very popular sport within the Imperium, one that had been adopted to the Red Dog's taste for blood it seems.

My opponent didn't care for the Commanders choice it seems and was growling and spitting like an animal. It didn't make a difference to me, it still seemed like I was about to die regardless of the instrument used.

Tito came forward to put the belt about my waist, then attached the two gloves to my hands. Then he put a glove of his own on a hand and then lifted out a small child's-fist sized ball and put it into one of my gloves. "This isn't what you think, this is a lot deadlier than what you watched on Galactic Imperium Sports channel. For one these balls will eat the flesh of anyone who wears that belt." It was like an echo when I listed to him, though I did feel thankful that someone had stepped forwards to help me.

The ball was silver and was solid metal, heavy. It was also attracted to the metal of the glove in some way. I could open my hand and the ball would stay within the mitt. I had to throw the ball with a great force to get it to leave my hand.

"It will return to you after it goes ten paces or ten fragments of time." I nodded as if I understood.

Tito slipped back into the crowd. Which was getting rapidly louder, anxious for my blood.

It started suddenly for me when Jammer threw the ball and it grazed my outer thigh and the searing pain caused me to scream out and I fell to the ground.

It was my first taste of Red Dog's Cosmic Ball. I had better learn it fast else I was finished.

I watched amazed as that shiny small heavy ball returned to Jammer's glove and he stood smiling in triumph at me.

I stood back up, feeling warm blood roll down past my knee, and tried to throw the ball. Nothing, it was still attached.

Jammer swung his arm yet again and this time I actually felt it take a wide chunk out of my side. I never fell but did scream out from the piercing pain. The ball again returned to my opponent.

The crowd was pulsating in the room, screaming for my blood. Jammer nodded to some faces nearby and then again lifted his arm. I ducked this time and the ball went over my head and into the crowd harmlessly, they never wore the belt.

I waited till it returned and when it did, stood straight and swung with all my might, the ball flew in an arch towards my opponent in a feeble attempt. Jammer easily stepped out of its path and again raised his arm.

Just when I thought he would swing and tear another hunk of my meat from my body I heard Jammer scream out as a wounded animal and I looked up. My ball, having reached its time limit flew back to me in a straight path from the deck, right through Jammer's inner thigh and to my glove. A wide path of blood, yellow fat and red muscle - Jammer's thigh meat lay between us.

It was the first time since I was told of the impending dual that I felt something other than fear.

I threw the ball yet again, before Jammer could recover from his butchery. Unlike him, I wasn't playing up to the crowd and rushed for another hit like the last.

It wasn't like the last, but it was just as feeble a throw. It hit Jammer right in his abdomen and put a small hole directly through his thick frame. He and all the crowd looked at the hole in their champions body.

I was now acting out of some primal instinct and no longer felt anything but determination and strength. I moved to the side and waited for the ball to return, it shot back to my glove taking much of Jammer's left biceps with it.

Half standing Jammer swung his right arm and the ball again flew through the air. It was a feeble throw, compared to his earlier throws. Yet it hurt when it hit - not tearing a chunk of my body but hitting me right in the left glove and stuck, breaking some bones in my hand I was sure. I felt, rather than saw, the crowds amazement. Catching that ball was like the game my father used to play with me, baseball he used to call it.

I lifted to again send the ball to tear more of Jammer apart but Commander Yuma came between us and smiled gently at me. "Its over everyone." Many heads nodded affirmatively even as Jammer's ball finally returned back him from my glove to his.

I had won.

Respect was a hard thing to come by in the Red Dog clan, but I had done it twice in as many stones. No longer was I called out, even Jammer came to congratulate me after he could leave the infirmary. His wounds took hours longer than my own to heal, while the Medic chuckled the whole time I may add.