[dcs_p]Stepping away from Beckett, Xandar grabbed the gauss rifle from the floor with
both hands. Though heavy, he could carry it relatively easily with both of his arms.
Contemplating on where he should stand for best cover, Xandar stayed in the
hatchway’s opening.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”What are you doing?” Joanna asked. “I told you to get away from him.”
“I’m covering the corner out there. You think I’m gonna take a ricochet when you
nail him or what?” Xandar shook his head. Apparently the earlier bruising by
Beckett had put him in a grumpy mood.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”Nevermind, damn you then.” taking aim she shot the pirate in the calf of his left
leg. Blood oozed from the leg, filling the floor with so much red. Beckett cried out
in pain, grabbing his knee reflexively and putting pressure on the wound. “He
deserves a world of suffering before his death.” Joanna smiled at Beckett’s
spastic movements. Firing again, she shot the same leg in the thigh, just missing
the pirate’s hands.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”What the hell are you doing? Shoot him.” Xandar shook his head, he couldn’t
believe Joanna was this cruel.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Joanna looked to Xandar curiously, finding new hate for the man. “He killed
Michael. I’ll kill him as I see fit.” She pointed the gun up in the air threateningly,
her eyes gleaming at Xandar. “What do you know anyways? He probably hit you
on the head too hard.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Xandar turned completely around, leaving the corridor open as he argued. “I DO
know that apparently since you’ve lost your friend you can’t handle yourself. Give
me the damn guns and I’ll shoot the pirates. You just fly the damn ship.” Xandar
waited. “Well?”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Joanna set the gun’s sights again on Beckett, this time firing above his head to
scare him. “Cover the passage Harlow.” She looked back to him, but he was still
standing up to her. His eyes filling with disappointment, Xandar dropped the
gauss rifle to the floor.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”I’ll do what I see fit, Joanna.” He picked up the TK assault rifle, and casually sat
down beside Joanna in Michael’s chair. “We are both dead anyways.”
Joanna trained the pistol on Xandar’s face. She bluffed him, “Cover that corridor
or I’m on my own.” Making eye contact with him, she held her position with the
pistol. “NOW.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Suddenly a shot fired from just outside the hatchway. Joanna’s arm jerked in a
spastic move, firing the gun just past Xandar’s face. Her bicep pooled blood while
she fought to slow the blood loss. Xandar stepped up from his chair and trained
the TK on Beckett. But Beckett’s training held fast, he had already aimed his
pistol to Xandar’s forehead. It was officially a standoff. Strider moved against the
wall, getting up slowly while maintaining his aim on Xandar.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]After hobbling into the command room, Beckett looked to Joanna. “Sorry about
your friend. If it means anything to you, I didn’t kill Captain Farraday. The stray
shot that missed your head did.” He continued, “I’ve done what I’ve done to
accomplish one thing. We are going to destroy that dropship out there. We
includes myself of course, Joanna I believe is your name,” he pointed to her, “and
Xandar Harlow.” Pacing back and forth across the small room, he seemed very
calm despite the blood still draining from his leg.[/dcs_p]