Terror filled the heart of Captain Allen Brek as he hung upside down with chain links wrapped tightly around his limbs. He felt the blood rush down to his head as dozens of voices called out for it to be spilled. His eyes were wide as he looked to the pit below him where a hunting pack of predatory reptilian beasts eagerly awaited his descent.

The establishment of which was simply known aboard the infamous orbital trade port of Garatha as 'The Slaughterhouse' was owned by the Mrogo Cartel where spacers such as himself would often come to bet on violent blood sports. It seemed very likely though that his own imminent death would become an amusing spectacle before tonight's main event.

"For star's sake I have the money!" wailed the Captain whose words were directed to another fellow human, a bald headed, bronze skinned man of middling years named "No Nose" Nemo, on the count of him having a mechanical, nasal prosthesis.

"That is what you said the last time, Captain" calmly replied the gangster who was dressed in a sleeveless mahogany colored vest worn over a baggy olive green jumpsuit. "And the time before that"

"Oh come on I paid up didn't I!?" shouted the captain as he was lowered down by only a few inches and the creatures below became agitated as some of the things tried to stand up on the hind quarters of their stubby legs while trying to reach out to him with their claws.

"But you forgot the interest" smugly grinned Nemo.

"I have it this time! I swear!" hollered the Captain."I got a client! Passengers! Paying top credits! More than you can think of! Let me go and we can settle the debt!"

"I can think pretty big Captain, besides we checked your ship, no one else was aboard" replied the gangster who raised his right and moved his index finger a bit to signal one of his cronies which immediately led to Allen being lowered further down the pit. "Sorry Captain, but the boss's patience has run out. I would say nice knowing you, but that would be a lie."

Widening his eyes and struggling with his bindings the Captain racked his brain while trying to think up some kind of response, anything to avoid having his entrails eaten before his eyes. He could already smell the foul charnel stink of the things and he knew that if so much as one of the beasts bit him, his veins would be filled with a poison that would make it feel like his blood had been replaced with acid while paralysis would spread across his limbs.

As he was lowered into the enclosure, the crowd then began to cheer in bloodthirsty anticipation; the beasts became more active as they noticed him and that he was so tantalizingly close. It was then that the crowd's cheering was interrupted by surprised gasps and a shout as someone, one of Nemo's alien henchmen fell into the pit. The alien thug of which was a lanky green skinned creature with three eyes protruding from stalks and a mouth that was a snout-like tube, landed face first upon the filthy, bone strewn enclosure which immediately drew the attention of the beasts.

Now more interested in the fresh meat that was actually within their reach, the reptiles loped towards the unfortunate alien who by the time he got to his feet, the first of the creatures had pounced on him. Soon the reptiles had worked themselves into a feeding frenzy as their tooth-filled snouts tore the flesh, meat and bone off the alien gangster who shrieked in pain to which the crowd laughed and cheered which was then silenced by a loud gunshot.

"Who in the hells did that!?" bellowed Nemo who held a heavy slug thrower pistol in his right hand and although the Captain could not get a good look at the crowd, he could imagine their stunned silence.

"That would be I" then came that cultured and slightly mocking voice of Captain Allen Brek's most recent client and after a moment of silence he began to speak once more. "The good Captain has entered a contract with myself and it would be remiss of him if he cannot fulfill his obligation."

"Is that so? And you are the one who can pay the Captain's dues?" questioned Nemo.

"Perhaps, yet why should I?" then replied the Captain's client in an amused tone which internally caused Allen to curse. "Your guests here were promised a spectacle of bloodshed, were they not? Should you not honor this word to them?"

Harsh, mocking laughter then broke out and the Captain privately began to consider that he would soon be a dead man.

"Are you volunteering?" asked the gangster with a tone of hostility.

"Just yours" calmly replied the Captain's client as the chains binding him suddenly jerked and he began to rise up.

"Kill him!" shouted Nemo and soon the air was filled with the sound of gunfire as a mixture of energy bolts and solid slugs were unleashed and the screaming began.

A strange chill went up the spine of the Captain as he smelt burnt ozone while orders were bellowed and loud crack like lightning was heard. A roar of pain then cried out, followed by the smell of charred meat, as a sound that went fwoosh was heard and the Captain ascended back up, away from the pit. Soon he was raised back to where he had previously been where guns were now being fired freely around him with a laser bolt flying a little too close for comfort.

The area around the pit was now free of the previous patrons who had cleared out and those that remained were the hired guns of the Mrogo Cartel, and his client. Moving with an incredible speed, his client was nothing more than a blur, a shimmering mirage that easily evaded the fire of the gunners, it must be some sort of holographic defensive screen he thought.

A crimson bolt of energy was then launched from the client that slammed into the chest of a large four armed alien that burst out from the thing's back and leaving a fist sized hole of scorched meat. The alien collapsed, dead and it fell into the pit where its body was soon set upon by the reptilian beasts.

More bolts of energy and cracks of lightning were hurled as the Captain's client ran close to the edges of the pit. A laser bolt managed to strike the center of the blurred image and the Captain briefly saw the form of his client, who was wreathed in a sphere of crimson light, a defensive shield by his guess before being concealed once more by the mirage.

"He's got a shield!" shouted Nemo. "Get in close!"

Knives and bludgeoning weapons were drawn by some of the gangsters but others just kept on firing their guns with predictable results. One of the gangsters, a spindly spider-like creature attempted to take a stab at the Captain's client with a series of knives clutched in its many clawed talons but before it could get close enough, it was suddenly halted in mid air and a loud cracking was heard as its limbs suddenly twisted in painful angles before being cast into the pit while the Captain's client was once more on the move.

Soon more of the thugs were upon his client with blades and bludgeons and just as quickly they fell, broken and bloodied as his client fought back with weapons the Captain could not see save for flashes of light. Those gangsters who remained lost their nerve and fled, Nemo among them towards the Slaughterhouse's main entrance with the Captain's client not giving them chase.

Eventually, there was an almost near silence which descended upon them; save of course for the feasting of the reptiles that gorged upon the flesh of those that had fallen into their enclosure.

"Captain" then spoke the smooth and calm voice of his client and Allen turned his head towards his left.

Standing next to the control terminal that operated whatever mechanism kept him suspended, his client then pressed something which caused the Captain to be moved towards the edge of the pit. Relief then filled his very being but also caution for although he had been in more shootouts than he would care to admit, carnage like this was normally only achievable by individuals of impressive competency.

The Captain soon came to a halt, face to face with his client who merely bore a smug smile of amusement towards the destruction around them. Like some species that existed across the Known Cosmos, his client possessed features that would be considered almost human in appearance but it was upon closer inspection that the more alien features became apparent.

Dressed in a tight fitting dark yellow bodysuit, his client bore smooth pale flesh of which was the color of alabaster with high cheekbones, angular feature and ears that were shaped like slender blades. A mane of long jet-black hair flowed down from his scalp which reached past his shoulders while crimson, almond shaped eyes coolly regarded him while an amused smile creased upon his lips.

"I believe a word of gratitude is in order, Captain" his client then said.