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The young man known as Xerxes joined the US Marines at the age of eighteen, and
two years later had risen to the rank of Colonel after the Indian Battle of
Blackened Trees. But a fellow soldier by the name of Whitescarver did not take
the news of his comrade's promotion lightly... for he was the one who wanted
that rank. He framed Xerxes for the murder of the local sheriff, and after
escaping the wrath of the law, Xerxes became a mercenary... looking for work
wherever he could find it. Even protecting a wagon caravan of farmers...
... from the raiders and bandits the plague the desert wastes.
Xerxes: "Uh oh, it's four of them."
Farmer Fred: "What? Bandits?"
Xerxes: "Put down that drink and help me stack up these crates for cover!"
Jeb the Miner: "You're crazy; they'll just fall off the wagon!"
Xerxes: "So tie them down! Look out!"
Xerxes: "I'm ready for 'em... We can't outrun 'em, Fred! We'll have to fight!"
Xerxes: "Just a little closer..."
*BAM!*
Bandit #2: "Watch out! Here comes the Steve the Rattlesnake... wha?"
*Jeb swipes his pickaxe at Steve's head, missing his head and swiping off his hat*
*CRACK!* Xerxes: "Look out, Fred, I - wha?"
Joaquin: "Eat this, Farmer! HAHAHAHAAA!!!"
*BLAM!*
Kid: "DAAAADDY!!!!"
Kid: "Take this, you meanie!... Wha? Somethin's wrong here..."
Joaquin: "HAHAHA! Get ready to meet your daddy, kid!" 
Xerx *firing at Blacksnake*: "See how you like this!"
*CRACK!*
Xerx: "HURCK! ACK!!!" *choking sounds*
Steve: "Hey, boss! Forget him! Get this stinkin' miner!"
*Blacksnake uncurls his whip from Xerxes, but Xerx grabs onto the edge of the wagon*
Blacksnake: "D%&#!"
Steve: "Get the MINER, boss! The MINER!"
Blacksnake: "Shut up, Rattler!"
*CRACK*
Jeb: "HURCK! ACK!!!" *choking sounds*
Xerx: "Ha! You'll pay for that!"
Steve: "Let go, you..."
Steve: "Forget it, man! There ain't enough loot here to die over!"
*Xerxes pulls out his revolvers*
*BLAM!*
Stars swim before Xerxes's vision, and the paneling of the wagon rises up to meet him. He feels blood running down his side...
Bandits: "HAHAHAHAAA!"
*several minutes later, Xerxes wakes up*
Xerx: "Uuhhh... What... happened? They're dead. Both dead. I've failed them. Where's Jeb?"
Hawk: "CAW!"
Xerx: "The buzzards are already coming..."
Scorp: "That's not a nice way to talk to my hawk."
Xerx: "Who... are..."
Scorp: "Be quiet and lie down."
Scorp: "Woah! Woah, boy!"
Xerx: "Okay, now... *ugh* My wound... Now that we're stopped, who are you?"
Scorp: "What's in a name? People call me the Scorpion, or the Saber-Scorpion. You can call me Scorp. This is my hawk, Hawkeye. I know it's not such a great name,
but it fits 'im."
Xerx *as he mounts the horse that was pulling the wagon*: "But... who's side are you on?"
Scorp: "Side? I'm not on anybody's side. I fought for the Confederacy in the war, but that's over now. Now I just fight for myself."
Xerx: "You were a rebel?"
Scorp: "There's time enough for that later, kid."
Xerx: "Don't call me kid..."
Scorp: "Follow me to my camp, and we'll see about your wounds."
*later, at the bandit hideout*
Gatekeeper: "'sabout time ya'll got here. This woman's been 'bout ta drive me crazy! She wants ta know if ya killed that there Xerxes fella'..."
*the gatekeeper cranks the secret door closed again once the bandits are inside*
Joaquin: "Wow! That was fun, eh, Bob?"
Blacksnake: "Listen up, amigo... I told you once, and I'll tell you again... Do NOT call me Bob. I am the Blacksnake now...
Joe."
Joaquin: "Sorry, boss..."
Jade: "So, did you get him?"
Blacksnake: "Yes. I shot Xerxes myself."
Jade: "But are you sure you KILLED him? And where is his body? I might have been able to get a reward for him too."
Steve: "I doubt it, sister. But if you want 'im, go get 'im."
Jade *mounting up*: "Show me the way..."
Blacksnake: "Go help her look for the wagon, Joaquin... But we'd better get our money when you find the body, Jade."
Jade: "You will. You will..."
*meanwhile, at Fort Legorado...*
Colonel Whitescarver *storming*: "I can't believe this. This is an OUTRAGE!"
Whitescarver: "Pure outrage..."
GK: "Hey there, Sir! Is there something I can help you with, Sir? I'll do anything!"
Whitescarver: "Well, you can start by getting out of the way."
*Whitescarver barges into the General's office*
Whitescarver: "General! Have you heard? Xerxes is headed back into town!"
General Harick: "Yes, I have heard, Colonel. The man wants to clear his name. I can't blame him for that."
Whitescarver: "But General, he is guilty of the crime! You saw the evidence! We should put a bounty on his head to keep him out of town! We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Sheriff Drake..."
Gen. Harick: "I will not sign those bounty papers, Whitescarver. You might as well throw them out. I have great respect for you, but I respect Xerxes as well."
*a muffled bang is heard outside*
Harick *rising and looking out the window*: "What was that?"
*while the General's back is turned, Whitescarver switches his paperwork with the bounty notice for Xerxes*
Harick *sitting back down*: "Hmm... must have been nothing."
Whitescarver: "I'll go check it out out, Sir."
Harick *signing the papers quickly*: "Wait one moment! Take these papers with you, and give them to the messenger."
Whitescarver: "Yes, Sir. Of course."
Harick: "And close the blasted door behind you! And next time, knock before entering!"
GK: "How'd it go, Sir? I hope everything's okay. You seemed upset, and..."
Whitescarver (impatiently): "Oh, get a haircut."
GK: "But, Sir! Isn't this haircut the best?"
Whitscarever: "Yes, I guess so. Sorry, GK. Here, take this paper and give it to the messenger. I've got other stuff to do."
GK: "Yes SIR! Oh, and Ryan just came up to the front gates."
Whitescarver: "The bounty hunter? I'll go talk to him..."
Ryan: "Greetings, Colonel. Is the General busy?"
Whitescarver: "Yes, I'm afraid he's too busy to talk to you right now, but here's something you might be interested in."
Ryan: "Oh? Let me see that..."
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