The Path We Choose Ch17: Choosing.

Sully dashed up the road, heading for the hut Geren had pointed to. Geren and the others were just exiting when he reached them. "Nothing!" Geren growled. "We can't find any work." "We've got a problem." Sully said. "What's wrong?" Myra asked. "Not here. Back at the ship." Sully said. "Well. We don't need to stay here so I guess Moron can transmat us up." Geren said, pressing the signal booster on his belt. In a few seconds, they transmated up to the ship. "Alright Sully, what's going on?" Geren asked. Sully gathered them around him on the bridge. Quickly, he related the story of what had happened to him. "And you have no idea who was talking?" Moron asked. "No. The voice was clearly coming from a speaker, and it was disguised." Sully replied. "Well this is interesting. How did he know we would be there? And who does he want us to kill?" Geren asked. Sully threw the hologram on the console, activating the holographic face. "Him." he said. Geren's eyes bugged out. Myra's mouth dropped open, and Soren and Moron actually stumbled. "Him? I thought he was MIA!" Myra exclaimed. "He was!" Moron said. "This mystery man wants us to kill him?" Geren asked. "That's what he said." Sully said. "But... But we can't? Can we?" Moron asked. "I don't know. I mean, even if we could find him, we would make a massive enemy of the Reef, and possibly the City. How much was the man offering if we do this job?" Geren asked Sully. "He said... He said five billion glimmer." Sully said. This time, Geren stumbled, Myra and Moron began choking, and Soren slid to the floor. "Five billion?!" Moron choked out. "How do we know he has that kind or money? Or that he will pay us?" Myra asked. "He said proof would come, in time." Sully said. Geren began rubbing his temples. "Give me sometime to think about this. I'll be in my quarters." he said. The crew dispersed to different areas of the ship, carrying out different jobs, all of them waiting for Geren's decision. Soren and Myra ended up in cockpit together. "Do you think Moron and Sully will have a problem if Geren says yes?" Myra asked Soren. "Maybe. But they didn't seem to have a problem before." He replied. "Do you think we should do it?" She asked. "Yes." the reply was simple. For an hour, there wasn't another word between them. Then Geren's voice came over the PA. "Attention, everyone. I have reached a decision. We will take the offer. If anyone has a problem with this, we can drop you off wherever you want. Those who intend to stay, meet me in the cargo bay." Geren sat back in his bed, holding his head in his hands. When he lifted his head, for just a moment, he saw blood in his hands. [i]"No! There is no blood. It's just your imagination! Whatever misgivings you may have, you can't put them over the welfare of the crew."[/i] Geren got up and walked to the cargo bay. The door slid open. There, standing in front of him, stood the entire crew. Moron and Sully stood off to the right checking their weapons. Myra leaned against a crate, spinning her hand cannon around her finger. Soren was like a statue, standing off to the side. They all looked up when Geren entered. Geren smiled and said, "Well everyone, let go kill a prince."