Sci-Burners - Concept

ma 16 augustus 2010 22:00:29

A few years ago I started working on a concept I had in my head. A story which was inspired by Trigun, Cowboy Bebop and an older animé-series which I fondly remember, Saber Rider and the Star Sherrifs. This turned into Sci-Burners.

I posted the short introduction on the forum of the Dutch Aniway magazine and one of the readers was promptly inspired by it. He asked me if he could draw the main character for me, and since I was all too happy to see my characters come to life, I said yes. Unfortunately, I can't find the digital versions of it anymore, but I still have them since I printed them out and put them into one of my many files. I might scan them in the future.

Now, the story isn't that well written since I didn't fine comb it for typo's and other errors. I still think the story could work, but after eight years, I probably won't restart it again.

Sci Burners

A distant planet, a long forgotten era, both conjoined in a world where outlaws are the law, and guns are the tools to uphold it. It is a world where technology did not stand still, but an ancient way of life did. Massive futuristic cities, where cowboys, sheriffs and proper damsels - some in distress - walk, minding their own business in their dusty little lives. Bandits, native tribes and buffalo’s are still existent, much like they were on our world. It is this world where our story takes place, infested with coyote’s, six shooters and rattlesnakes. Think you are ready? Ready to see what it is like, what would’ve happened if the wild west never ceased to be wild, where tenderfoots are treated like dirt and bounties were aplenty? Then join us, in a story about a young man who became the biggest bounty hunter of all.

Prologue

Somewhere, deep within a dark and cold mine, a lone worker was busy cutting away the stones to what he thinks is a goldvein. His eyes still twinkling by the thought of his future riches, as an explosion suddenly rocked the entire mine, and the entrance seemed to collapse. The mineworker was startled, and lost his footing, making him drop to the ground. ‘Blast! Not now!’ He scuffled to his feet, and hurried back to the entrance.

Upon arrival, he found the entrance closed indeed, and he threw down his mining-hat, the light inside it casting shadows on the wall. ‘Great, just great. Where is that darn kid?!’ He mumbled to himself as he heard a ticking sound come from the other side of the debris. ‘Don’t worry sir, I’ll have you out in no-time with this new fangled powercutter!’ The old mineworker sighed, and said some words he would rather not repeat, especially to the boy.

‘Darn bandits, still trying to take away my life. I wonder where all the bounty hunters went though. You wouldn’t dare to think that, that new group… Eh, what they call themselves again?..’ ‘Sci-Burners!’ sounded through a small opening through the rocks. ‘Yeah, Sci-Burners, managed to kill all of them right?’ The old mineworker looked around the cave. ‘You know, I’ve been thinking. Maybe this life ain’t that good after all. I mean, that little wimpy group of bandits constantly try to kill us, but they screw up because they really don’t have the guts. It’s just that they manage to keep me away from reaching my goal. A goal which I won’t have long to enjoy… Maybe it’s best if we just quit right here, and go back to the city. I hear Tendertown is pretty nice nowadays too. Something for old geezers like me maybe.’

Suddenly, the cutting stopped, and through a small hole an eye could be seen. ‘You talk too much, old man…’

After the debris had been cleared from the entrance, the boy looked at the old man and started to laugh. 'All covered in dust and dirt again, I don't know how you keep doing it.' 'Pah, you keep laughing, just give me that cloth so I can clean myself up a little.' As the mineworker sat down, he took a glimpse at the twilight in the sky. Ah, it's getting dark, time to call it a day, ey Daze?' The boy reacted with a smile hiding his true thoughts. 'I know that smile kid, I know that smile. You want to continue digging right? Look, I think you'd be better off not doing that. The attacks have become more frequent, and I believe it's not safe in the dark anymore. Something's afoot, I just can't put my own wrinkled fingers on it.' Daze looked at the old man and shrugged. 'I can handle myself, I always could. I'm 16 years old now, old enough to wear a gun, old enough to even drive one of those new transportation-devices. I'm a strong man now, don't you worry about me.' Daze sat down next to the mineworker as he looked at the ground. The old man sighed, and continued to look at the skies.

'You know what it is Daze? I'm scared, scared about all those reports lately, stating that these Sci-Burners are plundering and massacring every town they stop by. I just don't understand it anymore, the Coris Cavalerie can not even put a stop to them, and I know that the Coris carry some of the elite gunfighters, I've been one!' Daze's eyes suddenly grew wider as he heard the miner tell about his life as one of the Coris. Stories about cattle rustlers, natives, the famous battle at Fort Olik, which said to be haunted ground these days, and last but not least, the honor and virtue the Coris carried. 'I've raised you as best I could, it was a promise to your parents little more than 16 years ago. I'm sorry I can not tell you anything about them, they made me swear it. But perhaps someday you will find out.' The old man coughed and weezed as he grew more tired every minute. Daze helped him up, carrying him slightly towards his bed.

'Take a good rest, I'll keep digging, something's bound to be there.' Daze left the room, walked out of the wooden shed and headed deep into the mine. He worked there for hours on end when a sudden feeling of discomfort befell him. He didn't think as he ran straight towards the small shack that was burning brightly. 'Grandpa!!! Grandpa!!!' With tears in his eyes Daze dropped to his knees when out of the dark two figures approached. He immediately recognized the old miner, which he had come to see as his only family, but was shocked by the twisted and horrific look of the man, or was it a woman, next to the miner. 'I know you have it, you old bastard, now give me that which belongs to me!' The old man simply replied with a cold 'Never,' which asked for a swift response by 'shifting' in front of Daze. 'Tell me now, or the little runt here is dead!' The miner startled and plead, or rather begged, for the boy's life. 'I'll take you there! Just... Don't hurt him, he has nothing to do with this!'

The being laughed, and with the flick of a wrist Daze was knocked to the head, slowly fading out of conciousness with the frightened look of the miner in his eyes.

 

Chapter 1 

 

'A bright blue sky, so beautiful, yet tainted by small trails of smoke. I wish I could lie here forever, but I have a job to do.' Daze was lying on top of a rock-formation, while close-by a mechanic was fixing his newly acquired vehicle. 'Wow, these things really are something else. I've heard they were very advanced and fast, but it sure is a beauty.' The mechanic kept talking to himself about the car, admiring it from every angle as he tried to fix it. 'Kid, this ain't a sand-resistant version, from what I can gather. It's gonna take a little while longer, I'll 'ave to call in some outside help. Someone who already has experience with these kinda thingies.' The older mechanic looked straight towards the red and blue suns, as he wiped some sweat from his forehead.

'Why are ya 'ere, if you don't mind me askin'? We usually don't get visitors in the outer regions, ya 'ave some business here?' Daze sighed and continued to stare towards the sky.

 

The mechanic stopped with the repairs and looked questioningly at Daze. 'Don't wanna talk about it huh? Suit yourself, but I 'ave to warn ya, this place is full o' dangers. Those infamous Sci-Burners seem to be having a base 'round these parts.' Daze smiled wryly and decided not to say anything, in his head he kept playing the same scene over and over again as he chewed on a straw. He got up, looked into the distance, and took a step forward wanting to get off the rock formation. Suddenly his foot slipped causing him to lose his balance after which he fell off. With a thud he landed upside down in the sand as the mechanic started to burst out in laughter. ' Nice goin' there kiddo! Hahaha! And here I was, thinkin' ya were some hotshot bounty hunter.' Daze got up and laughed at his own clumsiness, while in the back of his head certain thoughts kept haunting him. 'You don't know how close you got to the truth, old man,' he thought to himself.

 

He checked his clothes, wiped away the sand and walked over towards the vehicle. 'So, you got an estimate on when it's done? Maybe you can make it more sand-resistant? This model is so new it's not even funny anymore.' Daze smiled like a little spoiled child and handed over a bundle of money. The mechanic was surprised to see so much money, it was a whole lot more than he had ever seen. Before he accepted it, he took a good long look at the rich boy standing in front of him, wearing a clean suit and an expensive hat. 'Who are ya?' The mechanic asked but immediately regretted the fact he did. 'Sorry, I don't need to ask so many questions.' Daze smiled and gave the man the money. 'Sorry, I can't tell,' he replied and he turned around to walk towards the nearby well.

 

The mechanic sighed and continued to look at the red-haired boy before returning to the broken down vehicle. Daze climbed up on the rockformation again and took a good look at his surroundings before sitting down. His mind wandered off again, but he refused to let the old memories catch up to him again. One vision did get through to him though, the vision of the human-like being holding the old miner down. In his mind he replayed the occurence a few times, memories of a life that ended on that dark night almost 2 years ago. In the meantime, he kept the promise he made to himself, he would find the thing that did this, and kill it. He had sworn it on his own life, and nowadays he had already imprisoned a large group of outlaws, who all had ties to the so called Sci-Burners. They must've heard of him by now, he was sure of it.

 

While sunken into thoughts he slowly opened his right eye as he felt something was approaching, he was right. In the distance Daze saw an unclear figure of a person walking next to a horse. He was too far away to be distinguishable so Daze didn't really pay much attention. As the figure drew in closer he unholstered his weapon and began to stand up. If it was the person following him he would have to stand ready to attack.