The Phazarri Conundrum

By Ryan Viergutz

Two broke bounty hunters, one levelheaded and the other crazy, investigate an infected planet. They soon learn it holds mutant bugs, slimy worms and mushroom swamps, and wonder whether they've dived in over their heads.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ryan Viergutz
• Release date: Aug 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476201832

Ryan Viergutz

I'm a freelancer, writer, roleplayer and gamer. I don't want to live in the same place any longer than a year for a very long time and I am always yearning for adventure. The first two overlap often enough that they're almost the same thing, though they aren't by anyone's measure. Regardless of the state I'm in, I am always roleplaying and I allow myself to indulge in gaming, usually of a video game variety, sometimes. At any given time I will have a scifi or fantasy book in my hands or in my travel bag.

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The Phazarri Conundrum

Ryan Viergutz

Copyright 2012 Ryan Viergutz

Published by Ryan Viergutz at Smashwords

Acknowledgements

This short story is essentially Metroid channeled through my own voice. I'm not even trying to be subtle about how much I want to play the Metroid Prime trilogy!

Can't you get a better ship?

Can't afford one. This ship isn't mine, anyway. I borrowed it. Scorch Derechi rolled his eyes and leaned back as well as he could. One of his hands guided the spaceship's controls and the other curled around his head. Like his associate, he didn't bother with a seat belt. If something attacked and chased the ship, a belt probably wouldn't matter.

How poor are you? Talon Basshari asked. He leaned forward and watched the millions of stars through the cockpit window. His long fingers dangled in front of him and he wrung them again and again.

Why do you care, Talon? Scorch asked. He nodded at his associate's hands. Hell, why do you bother hunting? You're a groundpounder, Talon. Space freaks you out.

No, and neither does the Hive, Talon said. He looked around the little spacecraft. His dark, wide eyes looked like outer space. It's this damn ship.

Don't worry about it, Scorch said. "We're in, we're out. It's