Try again
Leroy walked round behind the warehouse holding the bag that contained his less than legal takings for the week. He mused to himself how even in these supposed advanced worlds the people were just as easy to manipulate as any primitive civilisation.
He and his “partner” Leroy had come to this world after the jail break out, once done laying low for a month or two just to make sure they attracted no unwanted attention they had set about creating a small protection racket on a few neighborhoods of stores. It was easy enough; they would take turns smashing the stores between them, then the next day offering the owners the option to avoid such tragic events again if they were to pay them a small fee to keep the villains away and the stores protected.
Most would refuse and the Leroy’s had fun coming back again and again trashing the stores until the owners relented. For both the experiments this was easily the best part of the job, little beat the enjoyment of breaking into and destroying the stores contents. Some of the store, normally the better off, would pay the fee after the first attack. A bit of a positive and negative really to their minds.
The fee was relatively small; only about 50 credits a week, so the bigger and better off stores paid it without much hesitation after the Leroy’s thinly veiled threats. The smaller poorer stores had a harder time finding the money but had little choice in the end. To the Leroy’s of course all were fair game; big, small, rich or poor. The only thing that mattered was that they paid. Although it was not the money itself they lusted for, more the power and control that came with it.
The low fee they charged was offset by the fact they were ever expanding the number of stores they “protected”. From the initial street of 5 stores, they were now covering about 50 including 2 complete malls. This earned them a healthy amount per week, but the lower fee also meant fewer of the stores would risk going to the authorities, and the Leroy’s always made sure that any who tried suffered for their mistaken belief the police might be able to help them. Of course making sure the rest of their clients saw what happened and how such actions would be treated.
This week had been easy, everyone had paid on time (something of a shame as this meant no destruction of property) and another 3 stores had been added to the ever growing list of clients. For their part the Leroy’s money was starting to add up quite nicely. They spent little, preferring to just steal whatever it was they wanted. The warehouse they were staying in, that the Leroy was slowly coming to the back door of, was “borrowed” from its owner meaning the pair had no real overheads to pay.
Still both had talked about moving up in the world, getting a fancy place in the city proper. But they did have to be careful still, while there was little doubt they could handle whatever this colony planet could throw at them they were extremely high targets for the federation. While both might enjoy a good fight both knew bringing that kind of heat down on their heads would ruin a god deal they had going. Spending more time on the prison asteroid held little appeal after all, and they had all agreed to avoid that place at all costs.
As Leroy reached the all metal door at the back of the building his nose twitched, there was the faintest smell of something familiar. He couldn’t place it however and shrugged it off almost instantly, this alien world had a habit of smelling strange or eerily familiar; often both at the same time. He laid the blame for it on the number of species that lived here, the co-habitation causing a lot of intermixing in things from food to clothing; making thing familiar but different at the same time.
He felt a sharp pinch on his right shoulder, it causing him to growl and drop the sack of cash to the dusty floor. He reached back with his left arm over the shoulder and with a tug he pulled a small dart from his furry flesh.
He stared at it for a moment almost confused by its presents in his paw. Just as he realised what was happening he felt the floor under him jolt, half way through turning round he found his head pushed into the metal door he stood in front of with a great deal of force; yelling in pain and surprise he tried to force himself off the door and backward at his attacker. He was instead treated with having his head smashed into the door again the metal creaking and deforming from the hit.
Now angry and perhaps a little afraid of this turn of events the Leroy struggled harder, his lower pair of arms extending out and whipping at the unseen foe who still held him firmly against the door. But no sooner than the paws of his lower arms had made contact with the attacker than they were they restrained, the feeling of the handcuffs unmistakable as they snapped tight over his paws locking them together behind his back.
Things were happening to fast for him, he felt dizzy and lightheaded; every move he made was slow and weak, easily countered by the person holding him against the door. Now very much worried and fearful he was going to be in a very unpleasant position soon he forced his body to struggle harder, willing himself to find a way out of this. The dart had clearly been some sort of tranquiliser and given how well it was working probably one custom made to experiments. The federation had found him, and they wanted him back in prison.
With a cry he forced his attacker back, he pushed off the door with his arms and span round on the spot aiming to fight this federation dog face to face, sadly he wasn’t going to be given that chance; with a blinding flash he was hit round the head, the force of the blow drove him right back into the door, his lower cuffed arms squashed painfully between him and the metal.
He tried to push himself off the door again before even opening his eyes but another blow was landed in his midsection taking the air from his lungs, he groaned painfully but stayed on his feet still hoping to fight back. He was rewarded for his dedication with two more blows to either side of his head. Now he did fall as the doors hinges gave way behind him the door collapsing into the home/hideout.
Dust kicked up from the breaking door frame and the unkempt floor, the loud bang echoing in the empty building. Leroy writhed on his side; still blinded to his attacker, his world spinning and full of pain.
From the dust stepped the attacker, dressed in the black and red uniform he had learnt such disgust for, he still couldn’t make out the face... he didn’t care, he spat a curse at the federation dog “me’ga nala... “Was as far as he got before a foot contacted the side of his head and the world went dark.
Coming to Leroy already knew where he was, both sets of arms were cuffed painfully tight behind his back, the only un-muffled sound was that of his breathing. Groaning he sat himself upright in the containment tube and looked about, he was in a bare room, a solid metal box by some terms, lit from above with harsh white lights recessed into the ceiling. Given the low constant hum he was likely travelling on a large star ship, still in Hyperdrive if he was right.
His head was throbbing too, the fight, or more accurately the beating if he was honest, claiming a small toll; though he was certain the dart had some effects on it to. He sat solemnly in the tube, knowing what was going on made little difference on the situation, he would be going back to prison and likely wouldn’t be getting out again until someone worked an escape, probably decades; if not longer away. Being an illegal genetic experiment had some big downsides.
The door in front of him hissed and opened, allowing the Leroy a brief look out into the long hallway of the ship before the two beings stepped into the cell and the door shut behind them. It was pretty clear right away who they were, the earth human Lilo and 626 or Stitch, he growled lowly at them both.
Since the break out by the Leroy’s over 2 years ago word had been that the federation put together a team whose sole purpose was recapturing them. Lilo and Stitch were probably the best know members of this group, although there were a great many more people involved including other experiments. Still this pair had a reputation, and given they were the main reason for the Leroy’s ending up in jail the first time most Leroy’s had a bit of a grudge toward them.
Stitch stepped up to the capsule and matter of fact-ly read out the charges the Leroy was facing in their native tongue. There would of course be no trial, to be honest the Leroy was lucky he was still alive, under the terms of the federation he was himself illegal and so not really regarded as a true life form, being a clone of an illegal life form only compacted and confused the matter further. Still the federation could not technically put him to death, but nor could it free him, thus the Leroy’s were doomed to a life time of jail and legal limbo.
“Leroy? Leroy echo seven, do you understand what I have told you?” stitch repeated raising his voice bringing the Leroy out of his daze. He nodded not really sure what had been said, but he did grab that he had a new name “Echo seven” this was something unexpected, before all the Leroy’s had just been called well... Leroy. He wondered why the change, and if it meant something.
With that Stitch turned to Lilo who Leroy noted just been standing quietly the whole time looking at him, Lilo looked to stitch nodded and the pair exited the room via the door they entered. As the doors closed Leroy slowly slumped on to his back dejected, just picking up as the last bit of light entered from the door that Lilo was still watching him over her shoulder.
The ship had dropped out of hyperspace as expected at the prison, Leroy was tazed, beaten and forced into his small cell on the “experiment” block though since the last time it had been reworked, the forces that be learning from the previous mistakes. The cells were now singular making them much smaller and spaced so communication between them was impossible without yelling loud enough for the entire prison to hear. They were released only one at a time for exercise and the lights were on around the clock.
Leroy did count at least 30 other Leroy’s on his way in but telling the true number of captured was near impossible thanks to the tight control and prison layout. The guards kept them on an extremely short leash, literally. Often Leroy was forced to exercise with a collar that chained him to a floating guard drone.
He missed his freedom, there was little getting around the fact he was pretty down.
Depression was just part of life on the prison asteroid.
A week or two went by, it was hard to tell really, and it was his time for the daily exercise again. Despite the fact he never fought the guards or even resisted they still took little chances. Remotely locking him in a collar and chain designed to withstand his enhanced strength, before lowering the force field at the front of the cell and leading him toward the exercise block.
He trudged alongside the guards, looking more toward the floor than that around him, but as they exited the “experiment” block he noted they weren’t heading toward the exercise block after all, now interested and confused by this change in procedure the Leroy E7 took more notice of that around him. He was lead down a couple of different corridors, the guards swinging him this way and that as he tried to take note of it all. With a sudden jar they stopped at a small heavy looking door.
One of the blue dressed guards forced the door open with no small amount of effort, as soon as it was wide enough Leroy E7 found himself pushed inside and the door shut behind him. He stood confused for a few minutes, alone and in the dark of this room, until the lights above him blinked on blinding his sensitive eyes for a few moments as they readjusted. He heard some muffled talking on the other side of the door he had been pushed in. A scan of the room showed no other way in or out; in fact the only things in the room besides him were the lights on the ceiling.
The door behind him cracked open and a tazer pole was poked toward him through the gap, making him back up into the room to escape its highly charged tip, his chains clinking as he did. The door was opened wider once the guard with the pole was satisfied and in stepped a human the door quickly banging closed behind her.
Looking up Leroy E7 recognised her as Lilo, a slight scowl grew on his face but he said and did nothing more. Lilo looked him up and down a few times she was taller than him now unlike the first time they had met in the football stadium, her expression was neutral as far as he could tell. She walked around him a little but Leroy kept his eyes trained on her as she did. Eventually she stood back in front of him, then lowered herself onto her knees, this put them at almost equal height letting them see eye to eye.
Leroy E7 noted how easy it would be right now to strike out at her, only his upper paws were cuffed, he could still manage plenty with just his foot paws. Still he made no action other than looking toward Lilo and breathing, his curiosity was fully engaged by this strange meeting, and right now he was more interesting in what was going on than direct revenge.
Lilo tilted her head a touch and gave a little smile if just for a instant, reaching over Leroy’s shoulder she released his paws from the cuffs, the shackles fell to the floor with a heavy clang. Looking even more confused Leroy brought his paws round to his front as Lilo backed up again giving him some room. He flexed his paws stretching his arms at the same time, a certain amount of happiness present at being allowed a full range of movement.
Lilo let him have a moment then in near perfect experiment tongue asked him, “How do you feel Leroy?”
Leroy looked at her for a moment then down at his paws as he rubbed them a little “I thought my name was Echo seven?” There was more spite in his voice than he intended
Lilo sighed “I wouldn’t say that was your name...” she paused looking down between them a moment “I don’t like it either, but we had to do something”
Leroy huffed, hardly satisfied with her reasoning. “What do you want with me?” He asked gruffly, his thoughts coming back to the current situation.
Lilo looked him back directly in the eyes still sitting on her hunches “I want to know how you feel” she spoke with conviction. Leroy was again reminded how exposed she was ... no guards, no shields, not even any cuffs now, didn’t she know he could tear her apart before that door even opened, why play this game for such a stupid question?
“How do you think I feel, trapped in this place?” he gestured to the walls around him while still holding eye contact with the girl
Lilo frowned “lonely, afraid, sad, bored” she motioned to him “trapped of course” acknowledging his own wording “maybe just ... lost” she let the last word trail off, just watching for Leroy’s reaction
Leroy looked at Lilo he was trying to come up with a response, one didn’t seem to be coming however, and he looked at the ground still thinking when Lilo spoke up again.
“Why haven’t you attacked me Leroy?” He looked at her almost stunned but she continued “we both know the guards won’t make it in here in time if you did, and without your cuffs you might even be able to escape them when they do manage to open the door”
Again he had no real reply to Lilos questions, why hadn’t he attacked her? It might not get him free but it might make him feel better about being stuck on this rock. Petty revenge perhaps; but still valid as far as a Leroy was concerned and he was still a Leroy last he checked.
Lilo reached behind him and picked up the set of cuffs, she held them out in front of herself at Leroy “I’m sorry you have to put them back on, put you can have them on in front at least” Leroy looked at her slightly sad expression and held his paws up. Lilo locked the restraints in place neither of them saying a word, not that Leroy could say anything; his mind seemed to have stalled out and was now running on autopilot.
Standing back up Lilo gave Leroy a gentle pat on the head “thank you, I’ll see you soon” with that the door was opened and Leroy dragged out the room and back down the corridor the way he’d come. He looked back over his shoulder just before a turn to see Lilo bent over hugging 626 it did little to clear his mind as the guard pushed him round the corner toward his cell.
A few more weeks went by, Leroy E7 barely noticed them, he had his daily exercise his meals but his mind was clearly in another place. Lilo’s questions had stuck to him like honey in his fur. His mind replayed the conversation over and over, still he had no answers. Why didn’t he attack?
Again he was led out for exercise only today the guards once more diverted down the narrow corridors of the prison heading back to that small box room, Leroy E7 followed without word. Again he was pushed into the room in the dark again Lilo arrived and the lights came on.
He stood against the far wall from the door as she entered, he didn’t meet her gaze, Lilo looked him over as she had before, she asked if he wanted his cuffs removed again in his native tongue. He hesitated a moment then turned around facing thw wall allowing her to release the restraints. Lilo removed them this time preventing them from falling and setting them to one side, Leroy stretched a little but was fooling neither himself nor Lilo.
Lilo broke the silence that seemed suddenly deafening in the little room “how do you feel Leroy?” Leroy didn’t reply, for a few seconds he just shifted his weight from paw to paw, but Lilo opted to let the question hang a little longer. Looking up from the floor Leroy E7 looked directly into Lilos eyes
“I... I’m lost”
