Coming sometime soon . . .

The Longest Walk

     “The infamous Devin Faro takes his last stroll.” Sneered the guard to my left. I looked over and up at him. He was that large. I was manacled, both hands and feet. There was enough loose chain between my feet to take short steps. Short steps towards the airlock. The airlock and the vacuum beyond. That’s where I was going. Out the airlock.

     I couldn’t move my hands more than a few centimeters. I wasn’t a martial artist or enhanced in any way. They were just thorough. I did have a hell of a reputation though. I supposed. Not that everything you’ve heard about me is true. I’m hardly the super-villain they’ve made me out to be. Not at all as godlike and impervious to the Federation Authorities as the press publishes.

     I think my present circumstances add testament to that. I was walking towards the airlock and the vacuum beyond. What did I have to lose? My next step, led with my right foot, went to the length of the chain. Then I turned and sprang head first under the chin of the smartass. Teeth shattered. Not mine.

     Electric billy-clubs descended on me from all sides. I fell to the deck immediately. When I came to I was in the airlock and the smartass with the bleeding mouth- he had bitten off the end of his tongue and it was gushing blood- was looking in at me through dia-glass window. He was smiling. I had the small satisfaction of knowing he would always remember me. Small satisfaction.

     I wasn’t dying quite yet but my life began to flash through my mind.

     It all began on the back-waters out-of-the-way frontier world Arconia. My home-world. Great place- to avoid- if you have any common sense at all. I was born there and had little options as I saw it . . .