Oozoz City is a massive dirty steampunk crime filled city. A place where one couldn’t find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Many steampunk blimps fill the sky lines as well as hovering monorail-like steam engines.
Inside a dingy saloon are many rough looking tough guys drinking and gossiping. Ragtime is playing on a floating gramophone with a small bit of steam pulsating under it. Plastered on the walls are wanted posters of Donny Don, a wealthy middle aged man, for dead or alive. Among the gossiping men is Tiny, an oversized grungy bounty hunter with a golden mechanical arm. With him is Biggs, a short ugly man. They’re speaking to Joe, a fat bounty hunter.
Biggs: Apparently he swindled some money out of Queen Bethel and now she wants his head.
Joe: How does one accomplish that feat?
Biggs: Word is the royal treasurer had ties with him before he came into office.
Tiny: I heard Donny was her main squeeze until he dropped her for new merchandise.
Joe: Yuck! Who the hell would wanna knock boots with that land whale?
Tiny: Think about it; who wouldn’t want to be in bed with the ruler of Massadah?
Joe: Man you couldn’t pay me—
Biggs: No matter how you dice it Donny Don is basically a free man, I mean he owns the whole city.
Only a kook would take on that bounty.
The swinging doors to the saloon bust wide open and a tall figure stands at the doorway. Smoke is a slim tough looking man that wears a long black trench coat with many pockets, a black fedora, and black boots. He has green hair and eyes but wears thin goggles that keep them from view. Hanging from his mouth is a big thick mechanical cigar. Ethnically he looks like a blend of South American and African-American but has the features of a Tahlyan, like Rivna. Everyone in the room watches Smoke as he walks to the bar and sits on a stool.
Man’s Voice: Is that the Green Devil?
A portly bartender cleaning a glass speaks to Smoke.
Bartender: You must be new in town. What will it be tough guy?
Smoke: Lemonade.
Smoke speaks with a very smooth and deep masculine voice. The men watching him chuckle. Tiny and Biggs approach him.
Tiny: You got some nerve coming to an establishment for humans. Why don’t you be a good little monster and come with us to the police station?
Smoke takes a sip and sets it down while ignoring them. Biggs chuckles.
Biggs: I don’t think he heard you, Tiny.
Tiny spits into Smoke's drink. He leans in closer.
Tiny: You hear me now tough guy?
Bartender: Look Tiny I don’t want any trouble here today. I still haven’t paid off all the damage from your last rodeo—
Tiny signals him to shut up by raising his hand while remaining fixated on Smoke.
Smoke removes his cigar and blows steam into Tiny's face. He then materializes a small wanted picture of Donny Don and holds it up to Tiny.
Smoke: You know where I can find this man?
Tiny looks surprised by the picture.
Inside a busy night club where sexy showgirls are performing is Donny Don laughing and having a good time with dolled up damsels half his age. A mafia member in a suit speaks to his ear. Donny responds by subtly running his hand across his neck.
At the saloon everyone is laughing at Smoke while he keeps a straight face and casually puffs out steam.
Tiny: You crack me up Tahlyan! Hey boys, this one’s taking home a big reward tonight!
The saloon laughs louder.
Across the street from the saloon is Tommy, a pale red haired and eyed man who’s dressed similarly to Smoke. Tommy looks paranoid as he carefully approaches the bar. A steam powered hovering car pulls up to the saloon. Tommy panics and runs back across the street and peeks from an alley unnoticed. Four mafia men with steampunk Tommy Guns exit the car and unload into the building.
The laughing crowd is bombarded, especially Tiny who takes one to the head mid laugh. The steam around Smoke turns into green tree vines as they wrap around and protect his flank.
The firing ceases. Only Smoke and the bartender, who’s ducked low and panting, are unscathed. The storefront is completely gone, giving the mafia a clear view of the carnage. They look surprised to see Smoke standing and aiming a shotgun with one hand. He blows out steam from his mouth and fires into it. Sharp wooden spears exit the steam from the single shot and impale each mafia member in the head. Tommy witnesses the whole thing in terror. He notices Smoke looking at him and splits in a clumsy panic.
Donny is in a fancy apartment that gives view to the giant city below. He’s dressed in a bathrobe. Several mafia members are present.
Donny: What the hell do you mean they’re dead?!
Mafia Member: I’m sorry boss—
Another mafia member quickly approaches them with a phone in hand.
Mafia Member: They just spotted him boss! He’s uptown!
Donny: For your sakes you better not lose anyone else this time. You know what, this time bring him to me alive. You got that? I want him alive and sitting in this chair within the hour!
Tommy boards a taxi and sighs in relief.
Tommy: Just take me out of the city.
The driver turns to him aiming a gun. Tommy freezes.
In the distance, a small amount of steam is blown out from an alley as the car takes off.
Back at Donny’s apartment Tommy is sitting in a chair gagged and tied down with a rope being punched by the mafia men. Donny signals and sits down in front of him with a pistol in hand. The men stop.
Donny: You never bite the hand that feeds you Tommy. Because of you I’ve been set ten steps back from taking over Massadah.
Donny rises and aims. The door is knocked down and steam enters the room. Everyone but Donny and Tommy are strangled to death by vines. Smoke enters. Donny aims at him. Smoke blows steam at him and vines grow out his pistol, jamming it. Donny backs away towards a large window. Smoke aims his shotgun.
Donny: Hey hey hey hey hey, let’s not be too hasty here, I’m the richest man in town. Whatever you want is yours.
Smoke: Whatever I want huh?
Donny: Whatever you want! Anything!
Smoke fires, launching Donny out the window and onto a car in the street. He views his handy work and materializes a phone.
Smoke: I’ve iced him.
He looks at Tommy who’s terrified. He blows steam at him, the ropes unravel. Tommy looks at his hands, perplexed and relieved he’s freed.
Estelle, a pretty damsel dressed in sleazy attire, exits a police station with a sigh of relief.
In an abandoned alley Estelle hands Smoke the majority of a stack of flat diamond shaped currency.
Smoke: Thank you baby.
Estelle presses her body against his in a seductive manner and slowly removes his goggles, revealing his large pupil-less Tahlyan eyes.
Estelle: Why don’t you break off a little bit of this shekyl and unwind tonight?
Smoke: I don’t mix business with pleasure honey.
Estelle: Neither do I.
Smoke: Humans just ain’t my thing baby.
Estelle: Tahlyans usually ain’t my thing either. But for you I’ll give you a special discount. I might even let you steal me for the night.
Smoke smiles as he casually takes back his goggles and puts them on. He walks down the alley.
Smoke: I’ll call you for the next one sugar.
While walking he blows steam out of his mouth from his cigar and it covers his body from view. The steam clears, he’s gone. Estelle reveals a disappointed smile.
Selma’s Saloon is a nice quaint little bar in a quiet part of town. Inside the nearly empty saloon is the bartender Selma, a woman who looks as beautiful as she does tough. She’s pale with red eyes and hair and has one mechanical eye. Tommy is sitting at the bar counter sipping scotch with a depressed look. Ragtime is playing. Smoke enters and sits next to Tommy without him noticing.
Selma: What will it be handsome?
Smoke: Lemonade.
Selma: Coming right up.
Tommy slowly looks up.
Tommy: It’s you! You’re that guy! Listen pal you really saved my neck back there! Hey bartender, his drink is on me. If you ever need anything, I mean anything at all, just ask big guy.
Smoke materializes a dead or alive wanted picture of Loc.
Smoke: You know where I can find this man?
Tommy looks surprised as he appears to recognize the person in the photo.
Chapter End