Warm to the Touch 

The pistol remained warm long after its owner’s body cooled. Well… previous owner. 

Haddie Cartina was the weapon’s master now. And what a fine weapon it was. 

Deathscream. 

That was the plasma pistol’s name. When the previous leader of the Bone Snakes possessed it, Haddie thought the name a bit… much. Ridiculous even. 

But now that Deathscream was hers? Well, she wouldn’t change a thing. 

Haddie rested her fingers on the plasma pistol’s coils. Still warm. Always warm. Reassuringly warm. Burn your fingers warm, but she didn’t care.

“Sorry Haddie… I mean boss. Don’t mean to bother you.” 

Haddie spun around. 

It was Magda. She was one of the new gals. Hardly older than a juve. 

“What is it?” Haddie said. 

“It’s the recyclers. They’re here for Mironissa… body.”

“And?”

“It’s just… um.” Magda looked at her boots, as if they’d become suddenly fascinating. “Me and the other girls thought you was going to want to say something. She was the leader of the Bone Snakes a long while until them Goliaths snuck up on her and… well you know vaporized her.”

“If only I could have arrived to help sooner.” Haddie said, all her willpower focused on not smiling. 

Magda nodded her head in affirmation. Tears welled in the girl’s eyes.

Did she suspect? Perhaps. Goliaths rarely use plasma weapons. And Haddie was suspiciously quick to the scene. But what was a runt like Magda gonna do? Cry Haddie to death? 

Make no mistake: The Bone Snakes had been weak under Mironissa. The time for a change in leadership was long overdue. 

Haddie shoved Deathscream into the holster at her hip, feeling it’s warmth on her side, then placed a hand on Magda’s shoulder. Magda looked into her new gang leader’s eyes, searching. But for what? That paternal hand Mironissa had been so fond of?

“Magda?”

“Y… yes?” 

“Even Mironissa didn’t cry this much… in the end.”

 Leaving Magda and her incredulous slack jaw gapping, Haddie walked out her quarters. She had a eulogy to give, as was her duty. 

She patted Deathscream one more time.

“Leadership… not such a heavy burden after all.”