Star Trek: Bendross
Bendross Episode 07: Bad Attitudes
(Fall 2072)
By
And
The Bendross Players
Rudy walked along the promenade of the big space station in Earth orbit. The space station was the largest thing made by the mind of man. Rudy was not impressed. There would be something bigger next year.
He was wearing the tan jumpsuit of the Bendross colonists. It was workman like and horrid as far as Rudy was concerned. He earnestly wished that, after having him on board that Arthur Bendross had seen fit to use his talents in upgrading the appearance of offices, installations and crew uniforms. His messages to that effect went un-answered.
Rudy didn't worry about it unduly. He had a vague idea about how tough it was going to be to colonize a new planet. Moreover, style, while emotionally satisfying, was as satisfying as living. So Rudy put away half formed ideas of uniform designs and color schemes.
He was able after a time to begin to re-grow and recolor his hair. Her added some light make up on days off, just to enhance the look.
Orbit City, as the new space station was being called wasn't the most happening place in the world. "Or out of it" Rudy thought.
As a random sampling, at least ten percent of any given group of people should be gay and lesbian. In addition, a certain amount of gays and straights ought to be into the kinds of parties and night scenes that Rudy favored. It was a statistical probably that somewhere on this station there was a room with the right music, the right people, the right recreational drugs and right sorts of leather and toys.
Rudy was taking the time on one of his last few leaves to indulge himself. Lord knows there would be many less such opportunities in his future.
Bendross colonists and workmen were all over the station as well as station people and workers from other large scale orbital construction projects.
Rudy kept his eye out. He advertised his preferences, but there were some who didn't. You could spot the quiet ones, though, sometimes, if you knew what to look for.
Rudy turned a corner and found it a dead end. There were no store or office fronts. Just a few service entrances. Rudy turned around and found himself face to face with five men from the Station construction crew.
"Hey, Faggot." One of them said.
"Oh, hell." Rudy though to himself. He began to move around them, but two of the men moved to cover his escape.
"Of all the people who shouldn't be let off the planet, Faggots are at the top of my list." The leader said. His nametag said Brown.
Rudy sighed. "Are you sure this is going to be worth it? Think this through."
Brown snarled "You make me sick with your perversion! You're one queer who won't be contamination the stars."
Rudy sighed. "I guess it's too late to keep the stars clean, anyway."
Brown stepped into Rudy and swung a big round house punch at Rudy's face. Rudy grabbed the arm and the offered balance and threw Brown down the corridor with a sharp snapping noise from his arm.
"Oh, it thinks it's a tough faggot." One of the other men said.
Brown landed heavily and began to grunt and scream through clenched teeth.
The next man stepped up to Rudy and Rudy knew he was in trouble. This man was well over six feet, broad, muscular and he moved like he'd been trained. With the recent wars too many people had.
The man feinted and started a slow methodical, kata. Rudy scrambled backwards defending. About the time Rudy started thinking he had a chance, one of the large man's fist appeared out of nowhere and struck Rudy in the side of his head.
Rudy found himself back peddling and trying to shake the ringing out of his ears. The big man moved in confidently and hit Rudy again. Rudy's block was too slow and too weak to fend off the attack. Rudy felt his midsection explode and found himself on the deck puking.
Then another blow and Rudy found himself up against the bulkhead holding his midsection. He couldn't tell how many but if felt like broken ribs.
Then, with a large thump, Rudy's attacker grew a surprised look and feel down. Martin Kerenski, the Space Marine from Rudy's colonization squad stood there with a quietly bemused look on his face. "Hang tough. I'll right back."
Rudy could see Stephanie Jon Dou fighting with one of the bashers. Stephanie knew an odd form of Wu Shu, mostly a competition and dance form. So wiping out the basher took longer that it might have but was very artistic.
Hamilton Ashby was holding off the other two, with a wild sort of cowboy style all in brawling. Rudy could see more people coming around the corner. Station security among them.
Thing got a little vague for Rudy for a minute.
-*-
Rudy found himself on a stretcher being hauled to the stations sick bay. He was floating gently, which indicated pain killers. Rudy liked that.
"We're lucky we caught them in time." Hamilton said. To Rudy he sounded mushy. Like he'd been hit in the face.
"Thank you two for your help." Kerenski said, sounding absolutely normal. "Talking them all down at once would have been pretty tough."
"You could have done all those guys at once? Even the big one?" Hamilton mushed.
"Well, if you looked at his fighting style, he was some sort of special forces. May a SEAL or a Ranger." Kerenski said thoughtfully. "I hate to underestimate those guys. That can back fire badly. Where'd you learn to fight, Hamilton?"
"Enh. Air force Basic Training mixed with a lot more bar fights than you'd expect out of a grown man." Hamilton replied.
"It shows." Kerenski said ironically.
"Thank you!" Hamilton said.
"That was very nice form, there, Doctor." Kerenski continued without missing a beat.
"I practiced with a competition group in my younger days." Jon Dou said. "Mind if I borrow that trick with the guy's neck? It's a lot more straight forward."
"Feel free."
"The thing that confuses me," Jon Dou said "Was what those men wanted from Rudy? We're not carrying cash, it's electronic up here."
Hamilton sounded confused. "I don't know. I don't see what they might have gotten from it."
Rudy couldn't tell if he wanted to laugh or to cry.
"Doesn't matter." Kerenski said firmly. "One way or the other they were bullies. I was born to wipe them out."
"Well, Hooray for our side." Hamilton said.
[to be continued.]
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek. I claim original characters and situations in this story for me.