The Ranger - Edit

When I read story offerings, I justify format them; set to Times New Roman 12 pitch, line spacing to 12pt before & 0pt after the line. All this to help my tired old eyes to read them better.

As I go through them I “edit or proof read” them to fix typing, grammatical & spelling errors that often occur because the author can get so caught up in the writing that they can miss words that the mind has put there, also wrong letters can be added by accident. I have done this.

All that being said; if you find a story with these problems don’t bitch about them, do something. But also read the story for what it is – the content. This why I do my proofing, not only for myself, but also for some writers who have asked for another set of eyes to pick up things. They can then adjust the story for themselves.

The Rev.

This is my take on this story for Vanessa's consideration.

The Ranger

A story in the Galactic Chronicles Universe 

by Vanessa Ravencroft

Copyright© 2018 by Vanessa Ravencroft

The unkempt, shaggy looking Jooltar pushed the colony manager inside the common room of the Simaldi settlement.

The manager was a skinny Thauran who almost fell as he was shoved before the pirate leader, a muscular Oghr.

“That is the leader of these weaklings. “ The Jooltar snarled.

The greenish Oghr, rubbed one of his tusks that split his lower lip and almost reached is small yellow eyes.

“Well, well, well a Thauran. If one of you blue skinned bastards is in charge then there must be something valuable around here. I mean other than the slaves we going to gather and the usual loot we going to take.”

“There isn’t anything really valuable here, other than a small gold mine. We came to this planet to raise Tutu Cactus.”

“Not that there is a huge profit in gold, it is still a metal and my holds are empty, but Tutu Flowers can be sold for a decent profit. So I advise anyone who can crawl to bring as much as you have.”

“It isn’t flowering season, but we have a few bales from the last harvest. I suggest you take that and leave as fast as you can, our Ranger is scheduled to arrive today.”

The Oghr laughed,

“Why do you think we are here? We heard that this sector is protected by one measly Ranger. I have eighty ruffians armed to the teeth as you found out this morning and my Shlinter ship is more than a match for a single Ranger. We will wait for him and take his ship or whatever is left once we are done with him.”

The Thauran grinned despite the serious situation.

“Our community store across the road does sell toilet paper and underwear. I suggest you stock up on both before Ranger Banni shows up.”

“Thauran jokes are as bad as they say they are, make no sense. Well enough of the pleasantries, get busy and gather your people so we can get started. We have no qualms killing those we will leave behind, so you better make us very happy.”

A thundering tremor shook the entire building.

“Local quake? Do they happen often?”

“Oh yes and on the dot, every month on First day of One Week.”

The Jooltar had looked out the door and then turned and said.

“Nothing out there, but I have to say it gets awful fast dark around here. I swear it looked like noon just a moment ago.”

The Colony Manager said. “No worries it will get very bright very soon.”

“Get your blue ass out there, and don’t even try to hide. We got Suian Sniffer Hunters they find everyone.”

The Colony Manager kept laughing as he left. “Oh this will be on Channel six for weeks.”

“Morx go with him and shoot a few colonists that will end his laughing.”

“Sure thing, Logor.”

The Oghr was just about to take a drink of a bottle with some tasty Union liquor. As there was another tremendous shake and the sound of tearing metal.

He went out the door and jumped aside the very last second as a huge piece of twisted metal smacked into the ground with a heavy thud.

It took him a full second to realize that this twisted ball of metal, wadded up like paper was a considerable part of the Shlinter.

Then brutal white light came on with such intensity that it could almost feel the trillions of photons that hit him like a physical push.

Nothing in his life prepared him for the voice that boomed within the light.

“This is Ranger Banni, Union Ranger Service. You are all under arrest for piracy, murder and slave trade.”

It was not a voice, it was a natural disaster of apocalyptic proportions was as if the most severe thunderstorm shook the very ground and each word rolled over him like a hurricane of sound.

Logor pushed his visor down and drew his weapon, he looked around. There was nothing, other than a massive blocky building, he had not seen before, he sprinted to it, to take cover in its shadow.

He just hit the rock hard wall when he noticed that a second building suddenly rushed towards him.

Only now he looked up, these weren’t buildings but fingers of a hand and the hand belonged to...

As Logar’s mind processed what he was actually seeing, he fainted with fear.

As the pirate came too, the first thing he saw was his ship, or what was left of it, most of it was a flattened piece of metal molded after an enormous foot print.

He had to force himself to look up, and there it was. A thing the size of a mountain wearing a ranger Uniform. The mind blowing monstrosity moved, it was alive and it wasn’t a machine

An immense hand held his first mate, the Jooltar, between two fingers, looking like a mosquito in comparison.

The Colony Manager and a few other colonists stood nearby. Logar noticed he was stripped of all his weapons but he was not tied up or restrained in any other way...

He got up.

The Thauran manager grinned at him.

“Ah the fainting pirate is up again. Well judging by the state of your pants and the stench you emit, I’d say you get my joke now.”

Logor shivered uncontrollably and squeezed the words between his lips. “Wh ... What is that?”

“Ranger Banni of course. Told you he was coming, but I bet you agree that we really don’t need more Rangers in this region. Two of them would be of killing, any last words or wishes?”

“Aren’t I am getting a trial?”

“Are you a Union Citizen?”

“No.”

“Well there it is, your Rangers have the power of a Union Judge anyway. But don’t worry we won’t hang you.”

Logar watched as the Jooltar was squashed into a bloody smear.

“You can’t do that!”

“Right you are, my fingers aren’t big enough but he can.”

“Please have mercy, I... !”

“You didn’t have any when you killed Ms Miller this morning.”

The huge fingers grabbed Logar...