Escape! (alternate ending)


Starbuck's breathing was ragged and his pulse pounded in his
ears, momentarily
blocking out all sounds.  Desperately, he tried to calm his
breathing as he
strained franticly to hear any sounds of pursuit.  Beyond
his own thudding
heart, there was no sound.

Cautiously, he peered out around the corner.  The corridor
appeared to be empty.
He ducked back into his hiding spot and searched his mind
for an escape route.
Glancing back out into the corridor he snuck out of his
temporary sanctuary and
scurried toward the end of the corridor, where it
intersected with another
passage.

Just two more levels and he'd be safe. Then he heard the
sound of running feet
approaching.  Breaking into a run he dashed forward, and
hurtled himself around
the corner.

NO!  They were there, waiting for him!  He'd been duped.
Franticly, he
backpedaled, hoping to make it to another hatchway before
they could catch him.

As he turned, he saw the one of the others ready to block
his escape.  With a
growl of rage, he surged forward into the blocking body
sending them both
crashing to the ground.  The other was temporarily stunned
from the fall and
Starbuck hastily scramble up off the body, stumbling as he
tried to stand and
run at the same time.  Without warning something tackled him
from behind sending
him back down to the deck.  His breath was knock from him as
he hit the hard
floor.  Momentarily stunned he didn't fight back as he was
hauled to his feet.
But, when strong hands grasped his arms and shoulders he
began to fight back.
He struggled with his captors all the way down the corridor
until they reach the
door at the end.  The one he'd fled from.

"Put him in the chair!" Came the cold harsh voice from the
one he'd thought he'd
escaped.

"No!" he protested, "Let me go!" Frantically he tried to
throw off the hands
that held him firmly in the chair.

He watched in horror as the other approached, his sharpened
instruments in his
hand, ready to rend and cut.  He quickly closed his eyes as
the instruments came
closer, he could hear the cutting noses they made as they
began at his forehead.
Snip, snip. He gritted his teeth, swearing loudly that he'd
have his revenge
upon them all.

"Oh, come on Starbuck!  You're acting worse than Boxey!
It's only a hair cut."