Neil gave a look that seemed both offended and distraught, before he called after her. "Hey! I don't have any friends!"

That was the last time he saw her. At least, before whirring lights and a sense of vertigo, followed by a sudden shuddering of the ship that nearly knocked him off his feet. Neil caught himself, looking around for Jocasta to arrive at any second. But she never did. A great rending of steel could be heard, no, [i]felt[/i], by Neil. It was followed by a grinding sound that Neil could only describe as a can opener mixed with an industrial welder. He downed the last bit of beer and tossed the can, setting his butt down on the only chair in the cage, resting his arms on his knees and waiting. 

Minutes passed as lights flickered and ubiquitous bumping and further grinding could be heard. Briefly Neil wondered if Jocasta was ok, but he pushed the thought aside. He didn't owe her anything. Even with everything she did, if he got out of this without being executed he would have to find another home again, far away. Maybe in the cerulean cluster. He had always wanted to go there, actually. Gerumi IV was supposed to have amazing beaches. 

As he thought of it, footsteps echoed from the corridor to the right. Neil couldn't see past the wall, but in a few moments three hulking figures strode into view, their eyes scanning the room until they inevitably fell on Neil. The scoundrel grinned and looked up. 

"Hey there fellas." He said. Now this was a situation he was comfortable in. Living on the edge, with people he knew hated him. Jocasta had been cool, but then he almost felt like she pitied him, after he was caught. It had almost been awkward, though granted she probably didn't enjoy throwing him to the wolves. Maybe at another point they would have their third, first start. 

If she wasn't dead.

For the men in front of him, one was undoubtedly a mutant, his jaw oversized with small tusks jutting up over his top lip, wearing a type of flak armor. One eye was larger than the other, and he had a horn atop his head. The other two were mere humans in varied scraps of armor, though they were scarred and about as large as the mutant. One was slimmer than the other, carrying a Vapodon blaster rifle, one of the new models with the low-yield plasma cartridges. The bigger one placed a rectangular scanning device before Neil, a red light running over Neil's form as the bounty hunter grumbled. 

"[i]Neil Edwards. War Criminal. Treason. A dozen minor infractions. 5.4 million credits. Confirmed[/i]." The device barked.

"That's him," the hunter remarked, redundantly. His eyes met Neil's and he scowled, taking out a laspistol and stepping back, aiming at the locking mechanism. "Now don't do anything stupid, scum. You're coming with us." 

"Well let's be fair." Neil said mockingly. "If I didn't do anything stupid, I wouldn't be here in the first place and you wouldn't have a meal ticket."

Las-shots and cries were head down the narrow build of the Dragonfly. Neil wondered what was happening. At least it seemed like Jocasta was still alive.