Return to Gaoa


It was many years ago, in what today is known as Texas,
when the ground opened up.
The other side of that portal was a
place known as Gaoa, almost identical to Earth.
A small group of settlers crossed over into the new world,
founding a settlement. Over the years, when portals would appear,
short trips were made back to Earth,
but Gaoans took care to ensure their
settlement would be unknown.   
***
The Marshall took his normal seat by the
large open window at the front of the cantina.
He could watch the thoroughfare start to wake up
while he enjoyed his beans and eggs. 
Across the way, Old Man Hennen
started set up his Ammo table.
The Marshall offered a nod, Hennen giving a wave.
It was the gunsmith's ingenious idea
to use residual vector portal particulates
to fashion a type of shotgun shell
that can open a portal when fired.
It was this special ammunition that allowed
the formations of the Star Marshalls,
deputies who could be off-world to
protect Gaoan supply lines.
Hell, some had even gone as far as The Annex. 

***
The air suddenly became thick with static,
and with a cracking noise, a new
vector portal thundered open!
"Citizen, you are in violation of Vector Law,
we Adjudicators are here to apprehend you"
A metallic voice threatened as
two armored soldiers slide out of the portal.
"Surrender your weapons and ammo immediately." 

Even though Hennen's arms were thick
as tree trunks due to decades of heavy labor,
ducked to the floor with his hands up. 

Marshall folded his napkin, slipped on his mask,
and affixed his hat onto his head.
He stepped out into the thoroughfare cooly,
then drew both his pistol and shotgun.
The one thing Marshall didn't like was bullies. 

"Now fellahs, you don't have authority here.
Let's hear your gripe...
and you can put down those weapons."
The Marshall spoke confidentially, despite the odds being against him. 
The duo didn't relent, they instead
turned their weapons to the Marshall. 
"This citizen has been manufacturing
black market items that allow Vector disturbances."
The leader spoke, his gauntlet humming with energy. 
The Marshall got a tickle behind his left ear,
the same tickle that always told him
when it was time to act.
He pulled two triggers simultaneously,
beating both men to the draw. 
The shotgun went flying out of the
thug's hand the exact second the
shotgun shell it the ground below them,
instantly opening a vector portal.
Taken by surprise, the pair was
helpless to prevent slipping out of Gaoa's reality. 
***
The Marshall stood to make sure the portal
was indeed gone, then spun his pistol.
He was pleased with himself. 
"So there was a new enforcement body, huh?
Who the hell do these guys think they are?"
The Marshall thought to himself. 

He knew they would be back, and in bigger numbers.
Time to call the other Star Marshalls. 

TO BE CONTINUED...