Blackfire's Odyssey

by Naga's Shadow

Blackfire is banished from Tamaran. But that is just the beginning of the fallen princess's tale. This is the account of her epic, her story.

Blackfire's Odyssey Naga's Shadow 7/10/05

Prisoner

A/N: Whenever you read anything that's self talk its always Blackfire's the narrator is not third person but instead sits on her shoulder so we see what she sees but not always trough her eyes. A/N

It was hot. But that wasn't unusual down in the mines. Blackfire sighed, and buried her shovel in the ground so she could stop and wipe the beads of sweat that had condensed on her brow. Wary of the passing guards she reclaimed her shovel and continued to load the cart. For the umpteenth time she asked herself how she, a Tamaranian princess and heir to the thrown of her people had wound up in such a miserable place as Salmac five. Of course she new the answer already but asked anyway, each time it strengthen her resolve to escape, if only to see to it that her sister paid for her crimes. Yes it was all Starfire's fault; Blackfire took a moment to reflect back on the chain of events that had left her here. It had been close to a year since her younger sister had defeated her on Tamaran and banished her from the planet. Since then she had wandered without a home, until she had become caught up in the events on Myn'noisia and ended up here. The Myn'noisians home for killers without chance of parole and of course political prisoners. The only way out of this forsaken mine was death, and Blackfire wasn't about to die. No not yet I have far to much to do first, she thought as she loaded the last of the ore into the cart.

She looked up, having completed her work for today a few minutes early she would be allowed to rest, if none of the guards noticed. Blackfire took her time off examining and attempting to straighten the tangled mess that had become her hair. Her long silky black hair flowed behind her like a mane, she had not been able to properly care for it since she'd arrived here six months ago, at least she thought they weren't allowed calendars. Her once beautiful and lustrous hair now was frayed and dull, she could wash the days dirt out latter but water alone wouldn't cure her hair's problems. While she was at it Blackfire brushed the red dirt off of her jumpsuit, it was two sizes to large and clung to her in places while almost falling off in others. The ugly orange prisoner uniform covered every part of her but her head and was awkward to walk, let alone work in. The other prisoners around her also wore the same ugly jumpsuits, they grunted as they struggled to finish up the days load. At least that was one thing she could be proud off, her strength easily matched that of the guards and if she was only allowed enough time to recuperate her powers she could easily break out of here. That of course was the kicker, the guards knew all about her abilities and even though she wasn't forced to wear power inhibitors her abilities to project energy, either from her eyes or from her fists, and her flight were effectively squelched. Tamaranians absorb the energy they use for flight and their trademark Starbolts from sunlight. Tamaran's sun was a red giant and didn't provide the most light, but energy was still charged over time. But here in this accursed place, the guards were all Tarisnons and they could see in infrared, so the lights were a dim red producing more heat than anything else. Under these lights she could have regained her enough power in a month or two, with the hefty suits on all the time she had enough power for maybe one half-strength starbolt. Whatever even without my powers I'm stronger than any of the prisoners and most of the guards. She stretched as the final prisoners finished their load. All but one, she didn't know this ones name he was a sickly looking fellow, leaning on his shovel for support. He was breathing heavily, she thought as the light was dim.

"You there move it!" Barked one of the guards, the man made no move to start moving. The guard, now annoyed, walked up to the non-compliant prisoner.

"I'm a nice guard, do you know that." He said, of course any niceness was offset by the fact he had just picked the man up by his throat and was dangling him over the ground.

"In fact I'm so nice I'll give you another chance." He threw the man to the ground.

"Now get up and get to work!" The man tried to stand but only managed to get to his knees.

"So tired."

"God damn it, I gave you a break." The guard grabbed the man's shovel and stuck him with it. The flatted bottom hit the man on his back driving him to the ground. He then began to hit the man again and again between words.

"When." Wham. "I" Whud. "Give." Whud. "You a fucking break." Whud. "You fucking take it and say thank you." Wham. "You worthless piece of shit!" This time he spun the shovel and let it fall, the bladed edge wasn't sharp, but with the amount of force the guard gave it, it hacked into the man's back right above his collarbone. The sickening sound of bones and flesh tearing could be heard throughout the tunnel. The guard kept hacking away at the now dead prisoner spraying blood and bone fragments all over the nearby prisoners. As drops of blood spayed on Blackfire's jumpsuit and face, she stood still watching the gruesome display. Other prisoners turned away and began to heave up their breakfast; she just watched an annoyed expression on her face. The guard finally stopped after he had succeeded in hacking the mans arm off.

"Now let that be a lesson to all of you, when fucking tell you to do something, you fucking do it! Now move." Blackfire fell in beside the rest of the prisoners as they began their walk back to the elevator. Yep life is cheap here better him than me.

Finally Blackfire thought as they entered the shower room, it had been two days since she had showered and was in dire need. Striping out of her jumpsuit and hanging it on a nearby hook she stood beneath the spigot and waited for the guards to turn on the water. The other prisoners also disrobed and moved towards and empty spigot. There were no stalls so everyone could see her body, but she didn't care. Blackfire definitely prided herself on her beauty and even her time here had done nothing to diminish that. She couldn't be called petite, her body was all curves and she filled out more than nicely in all the right places. Some, no most of the male prisoners ogled her but that didn't matter, none approached her. At least none who knew better, after that first one. She smiled at that thought as the water began to flow. He had been a human, no clue how one of theirs got out here, he was impulsive and had no clue just how strong Tammeranins are. Others knew and stayed back, but he tried to rape her in front of everybody. Blackfire chuckled a little to herself as she remembered how he had screamed when she had ripped his sorry excuse for a penis off. Repositioning her body to allow the water to massage her shoulders she began to scrub away the dirt and sweat with her hands, they weren't allowed soap. The others knowing her viciousness didn't bother her here, but that didn't stop them from staring. Of course just because she was beyond most of them didn't mean the other women were safe. There were four other females here: a priestess of Xnasi, no one bothered her. A Fabasi named Lena; she was not bothered because, well she smelled. Lena was the only friend Blackfire had here and it was hard to stay around her. Lena never showered or removed her jumpsuit, and as of yet no one was adventures, or had a strong enough stomach to try anything with her. Of course they could just be afraid of me. The other two, they had no one to stand up for them and would be considered beautiful, not as good as herself, but still. Thankfully they stopped screaming months ago. They showered with their jumpsuits on, not that it mattered, shower time was so short no one would act now, when they would have all night in the common room.

Blackfire moved down to her waist and sighed. That didn't stop everyone though. There were five thugs from Darkside here, each one individually wasn't as strong as herself, and with her combat training she probably could take two even three in a fight. But not all five. So she had done the next best thing to becoming their private sex toy. After breaking the arm of the first one that tried to touch her she figured out who their leader was and forcibly fucked him. She would have called it rape but he was so thankful afterwards that wouldn't work. His name was Burke, he was large and really not that smart outside of any thing criminal. So every week after that she had chosen and fucked one or two of them a week. As long as any of them got some pussy they wouldn't be able to gang up on her. She wasn't horribly proud of her decision but she'd be sure to kill everyone who had witnessed he sham when she escaped. Worse still none of them were even close to well hung and all were lousy fucks.

Blackfire steeped out of the water and began to clean off her suit. She was the first to think of this, but now everyone who striped and showed did so. The key was to not take to long so you would have time. She turned the suit inside out and began to brush off the accumulated mud. Then she noticed him, he was watching her. She had seen him first a few days ago when he had been transferred to their work group. She hadn't paid any attention to him before, just another guy, but now Blackfire turned towards him. His eyes were silver, their gaze met for a moment, and then longer. Most guys looked away either scared or embarrassed when she caught them staring. This guy just locked eyes with her and kept staring with his deep silver eyes; I think there a speck of gold in them as well. After what could have only been a moment, but felt much longer Blackfire lowered her eyes and regarded the rest of him. He was tall at least an inch taller than her six foot frame. His hair was also silvery and his eyelashes seamed to resemble feathers of a bird. His ears were lobe less and came up in rather sharp points. He was thin, not really impressively built. He showed signs of power but not really muscle, like a trained fighter, but not a body builder. What perhaps was most impressive was that he was somehow managing to avoid getting the raging hard on that every other guy who looked at her did. Blackfire returned her eyes to his, noticing the difference in his look. While most of the men regarded her with barley-restrained lust, his eyes showed a cunning that she hadn't seen in almost a year. It was the cold calculating look of a hunter or any noble worth anything. Rather than breaking the gaze she smiled, good after all she hadn't seen anyone here worthy of her talents in quite awhile. He winked and the turn away. Blackfire, noticeably cheery wrung out her jumpsuit as the water stopped and stood in the blast of air that was to dry her. Today might not be such a bad day after all, she mused as she got dressed.

"Lena."

"Huh, oh hi Blackfire." Lena looked up from the table she sat at. Of all the prisoners in this mine, Lena seamed most out of place; she was kind and seamed to really be upset by the chaos and carnage that surrounded them. She was also shy and weak, or so she acted. Blackfire had sensed an inner strength and power within her but she couldn't place her finger on it. They had been friends ever since the two had met. Lena swore she was just a singer in the wrong place at the wrong time, but everything about that women screamed affluence, simply the way she held herself. She tried to hid it but wasn't very good at it. Blackfire knew because she had been trained like that as well, only a conscious effort kept her from falling back into the palace edict and style. Lena's skin was a pale blue, her hair was bright yellow, though like her own hair it had seen better days. Lena had green eyes. At that moment those green eyes were looking up at Blackfire who was standing above their usually table.

"Let's go eat over there today."

"With the new guy?"

"Yeah."

"But, we don't know him."

"I think he may be like us."

"How?" Even though she still asked she stood up and gathered her tray, Lena basically followed Blackfire around like a puppy.

"I think he's like us, higher class than the rest of this scum."

"Blackfire don't, they disserve are respect as much as anyone."

"There you go again, Lena if they were worthy of respect they wouldn't be in here. We're different as they hold us for political reasons."

"When you look only for ways to see others apart you never will truly know anyone."

"Thank you for your advice kind sage." Blackfire mumbled sarcastically.

"Your welcome." Lena replied in the same tone.

Damn she wasn't supposed to hear that.

Blackfire and Lena sat down across and beside the strange silver haired man. He didn't acknowledge their presence.

"Hey."

Silence, he continued to ignore them and eat.

"It's not polite to not speak when spoken to." Blackfire waved her hand in front of his face.

"Neither is sitting down uninvited, and interrupting my meal."

"I'm doing you a favor, most guys here would kill to get this kind of attention. I'm Blackfire, and she is Lena."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Lena chimed in.

He ignored them.

"You know if you don't make friends you'll end up somebody's bitch." Blackfire leaned in close giving him a better view of her breasts; she had her jumpsuit only zipped up enough to prevent her nipples from poking out. "Perhaps mine."

"Blackfire!"

"Sorry Lena couldn't resist, besides I'll share."

"That's awful to even think that."

"What do you want Tamaranian." Blackfire had been about to say more but he had cut her off.

"That's rude, I tell you my name and you won't even introduce yourself."

"You only told me your warrior's name, that's no more than a nickname."

"So you something of Tamaranian culture do you? And your wrong once a child reaches the age to take a warrior's name they use that name for the rest of their lives. Birth names are for weddings, awards, and funerals. Oh and whoever told you about the warrior's name being a nickname is incorrect. Its actually two names put together, fire is a sacred surname only given to those from the bloodline of the priestesses, and black was given to me because of my hair. It's not very common for my people to have black hair. Does the know it all have any other tidbits to share about cultures he knows little about?"

"I'm Jo'hon."

"Happy to met you Jo'hon, I'm…"

"Lena I already introduced yourself."

"Oh yeah, heh heh, sorry." Sometimes I wonder about that girl.

"So you know my name is there anything you wanted?"

"I wanted to know why you were watching me, and I wanted to get to know you, you have the air of someone who's resourceful. I could use people who are resourceful."

"I didn't know there was a law against ogling, every other guy can do it."

"Yeah, but you don't ogle, you probably never will, no you're a hunter. Do you even see pretty faces now or is it only threats and possible targets?"

"You don't know me."

"But I know your kind. Are kind can pick each other out of crowd." He laughed at this.

"Are kind, you think we're even on the same level."

"Yeah, Lena hides it well and won't answer me questions but she's from the same background that we are. Two types of people operate in that background. Nobility, either born or made, and professional warriors." He stopped eating when she finished that last bit and slowly out down his spoon.

"Now the way you handle yourself says you never had any training in edict and picked up what you know from around, and your small frame and lack of scars says your no fighter, that only leaves an assassin."

"I prefer killer for higher. How the hell can you know that?"

"Actually I guessed, but I'm good at perceiving reactions."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want out, you seemed like the kind of person that would make a powerful ally when the time is right."

"And her?"

"You could just ask me, I'm sitting right here."

"I like Lena, she's a good friend even if she's a softy."

"Violence never solved anything."

"Anyway, why do you need me, I can't go toe to toe with a guard, those Darksiders could." Blackfire shuddered slightly.

"Those Darksiders are cowards and backstabbing traitors, they'd sell me out in an instant if given the chance, Burke is the only one with any honor among them and his loyalties lie with his gang." Blackfire didn't mention that se wanted to see every single one of them dead for what she had to do with them.

"I'll give it a thought."

"That's all I ask, for now."

The three finished eating in silence. After they were done Jo'hon quietly left, Lena also said goodnight, even though her bunk was just above Blackfire's.

"Hey Blackfire who's up tonight?" Burke and a few of his men were walking towards her, grinning."

"I'm not in the mood, get lost." She turned around.

"Sweetie that's not in our deal." Whirling around Blackfire marched up to him and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him in close.

"What deal? Burke get this straight, what I do with you is because I feel like it, not because you want some. You weren't here to see what happen to poor Kosko, perhaps I should show you the penalty for trying to get some without my approval." She let every bit of menace drip into her voice. Burke and his men hadn't been here but they had heard the stories.

"No that's fine I'll be going now." He made a hasty retreat, probably to salvage the situation form a PR perspective. He wouldn't bother her aging for a while, she hoped. Eventually the facade would fade and she would end up dead or worse, like the two broken girls. No I will not let that happen to me, she vowed.

Time passed, it was only weeks but it seemed like months, the monotony of the days labor and the horror of the time back in the bunks. Burke and his men were getting more and more aggressive, she was still in control but more and more she just wanted to give in and let them have their way in bed. In order to maintain control she had to do so in bed, but she grew tired of them. Blackfire could scarcely believe what she was thinking, having become sexually active at such a young age, but she was getting bored of sex. None of them were any good at satisfying her needs, each only cared about their pleasure, and now fucking them every day was becoming painful. Yesterday the group had "convinced" her to allow them to gangbang her. Her only saving grace was that the others were so stupid that they missed Burke's coercion. The only good news was that Jo'hon was slowly warming up to her and Lena, he even reveled why he was here.

"So I'm getting paid an ass load to off some guy, and it's the essayist job ever had, point, shoot, dead."

"That's horrible, don't act like you're proud of it."

"Enough Lena, go on Jo'hon."

"Ok, so there's a coup and it fails. Well the guy I killed turns out to be part of the counter coup, and I get pinned all the blame for the entire revolt. Dam politicians, the guys who hired me sentenced me here as part of their justice. They definitely made my list."

"Let me guess, list of people I'm going to kill when I get out."

"Something like that."

Blackfire was abruptly brought back to the present by movement, I her bed. She lashed out only to find her arm grabbed by a powerful hand.

"Stop struggling, I'm here to talk." Jo'hon hissed in her ear.

"You had better be, don't think you can hold me down for long." Still she relented and lowered her arm.

"I think we can't be heard so, I've got a plane to get out of here."

"Let's hear it then."

"You know that vent in the mine elevator?"

"Yep, everyone does."

"If we can subdue the guards we can escape into the mines from there."

"I assume you have a plan."

"I have been collecting parts for a bomb. I only need a detonator of some sort. I think a starbolt would do."

"I may be able to make one at half strength, will that do?"

"Yeah."

"What about the gas?"

"What gas?" Blackfire mad an exasperated sound and pulled him close to her so she could whisper in his ear.

"The guards all wear gas masks to protect them from the gas they can pump in, should an alarm go off. Saw it when I first got here, a fight got a guard involved. They gassed the room drops everyone in a few seconds, I lasted long enough to see how fast the stuff works."

"We take their masks, with a concussion bomb to distract them, that won't be hard. But we'll need a forth."

"I was only aware of two… wait you mean to bring her along?"

"Yes."

"But she's…"

"Weak, a pacifist. I know but I'm bringer her along anyway."

"She'll get in the way."

"She's stronger than she looks. Anyway if Lena stays I stay."

"I could get Burke's help." Blackfire shuddered her body still aced from the pounding they had given her, all the while she pretended she liked it.

"He may be trustworthy." Blackfire said putting stress on may. "But his men are not, the guards will know within hours of you letting him in."

"Then who do you propose?"

"The priestess."

"Another female?"

"Got a problem with that."

"No."

"If she'll agree, she can take care of a guard on her own."

"What's the deal with her anyway."

"Her sect is known for sacrifice and cannibalism. She single handedly took out a squad of guys and ate them. Everything else about her is just the inflation of that story."

"Ok fine, that would make four."

"Yeah, enough to take out the guards. Get back to me when you are ready, I'll see about recruiting, and be quiet in getting out of here, someone might get the wrong idea."

"And congratulate me for an awesome job." He got up and scurried off.

"And bring the Darksider's wrath down upon me." Blackfire mumbled under her breath.

"Absolutely not." Blackfire sat across Lena, the yellow haired women was fiercely opposed to their plan. "Not only will your plan endanger the guards, your going to explode a bomb in tight quarters and use the others as shields. I won't be a party to anything that harms innocents."

"Lena wake up, we're in one of the worst places in the galaxy, there are no innocents here."

"Speak for yourself."

"Your talking about your past, you never did tell me why you're here."

"It's none of you're business, besides you never told me your whole story."

"Hmm, you know if I didn't know better the pacifist has a nasty streak of pride and anger."

"You couldn't know anything about it." She responded bitterly.

"Try me."

"No."

"Well you want to get out of here, I can see it in you're eyes. While you may think you're above using others to get what you want, I can see you're not. You've done it before and that's why you protest, you feel guilty."

Lena remained silent.

"Well you don't have to talk but I will, anything we do to those here will be far to good for them."

"When did you give up on all sentient life, there's a chance for salvation for everyone, even you."

"When did I ever say I believed in the salvation of anyone, and I don't need saving. I'll free myself." Lena sighed; Backfire had missed her deeper meaning entirely. She also wasn't about to stop until Lena submitted, one more sin to atone for.

"Very well, what do I need to do?"

Time pasted, it must have been two days Blackfire recalled, two more days in the mine, another prisoner died. He charged the guards, basically committed suicide. Two more advances by Burke's crew, she knew she couldn't stop rejecting them for long without starting a fight but she needed her strength. Then she got word from Jo'hon that his device was ready. As soon as they got the priestess to join their group they would move. Blackfire now approached the Centansi female. She was large heavyset, attractive by their terms but not by many other species. Her gray leathery skin made a sharp contrast to the orange prisoner jumpsuit. She always ate alone.

"Hello." Blackfire sat down in front of her, other prisoners turned to watch the bold and obviously foolish Tamaranian, but they being out of earshot and were no concern.

"What do you want Blackfire, need help I assume?"

"Yes, but I'm not simply asking without a chance at reward."

"Whatever you have been planning with the sliver eyed one is foolish and headstrong, much like you." Blackfire would normally have taken that insult very seriously but she needed the woman's help.

"How would you like to leave this place?"

"I will when the goddess forgives me, not before."

"How does tomorrow sound?"

"As usual you're not listening."

"No I simply don't care, how do you know so much anyway?"

"I can hear a lot better than you can, and I sleep two bunks above you."

"So then you know what I need you to do?"

"I've said it once already, no."

"Why, do you like it hear?"

"No, but this is my punishment for taking lives."

"This is from a priestess of a sect that performs live sacrifices, then eats them."

"All of our sacrifices are cleansed before their separation with this plane, and they all go willingly."

"Sure, you know it seams to me that if your goddess wanted you to leave she would leave a sign. What's that saying god works in mysterious ways?"

"The goddess would not offer me my freedom in the form of an infidel."

"I'm hurt, just because I don't believe in your goddess doesn't mean she can't work through me."

"You talk like one educated in the ways of a priestess."

"Many of the core beliefs of all people are the same, but I stopped believing in a mother goddess a long time ago."

She stopped and regarded Blackfire for a long time, Blackfire considered just leaving but she could see the woman's small eyes shifting. She was thinking, and hard.

"Perhaps you have been placed before me to teach me a lesson, very well I shall join you on your foolhardy quest. Your plan is reckless, un-thought out, and lacking in details. I shall see that it works."

"Good we go tomorrow as we enter the mines."

"So soon, very well I will meditate upon this at once." Blackfire let out a small sigh of relief, it was almost time. Only one more night then things would be decided, one way or another. Of course one night could be very tough, Burke was blocking her path, his guys stood off to the side.

"Move Burke."

"Nah, I'm the mood tonight, I certainly hope you are."

"I said move!"

"You know what I think, I think that you're a lot weaker than I first thought. I think my guys can take you, what do you think?"

"I think if you try it I'll crush your neck and that will be that."

"You'll have them to deal with, and for revenge they deal with that smelly woman you hang out with."

"Leave Lena out of this."

"Hmm, a nerve huh."

"Burke tomorrow I can promise you another free for all, but not tonight please."

"Are you begging?" Burke was savoring the position of power that he finally had.

"Yes, I'll do anything, tomorrow."

"If you don't we'll hold you down and have our fun with your little friend. You can watch ever bit of it." He smiled and turned away. Blackfire had the urge to grab him and just crush his skull right now, but that would bring the guards and ruin everything. One last night maybe the bomb will kill them all. Yeah that would be just great. Blackfire returned to her bed and tried to get to sleep early, but her dreams were not pleasant. They were of the things that those Darksiders had done to her; all she could feel was their cold and clammy hands touching her.

Blackfire awoke to the dim red light that was everywhere in the mines, a buzzer was waking the inmates. Another day was to begin. They were not given a morning meal, so the prisoners lined up for roll call. It was a formality, they knew no one had disappeared during the night. The group of twenty or so prisoners was formed up into two lines. Blackfire and Jo'hon took the front and Lena and the Centansi priestess, who name Blackfire couldn't pronounce, took the back. As the marched into the elevator the lines split up into four smaller lines of five, this put each to them in the corners closest to the guards. As the slipped in Jo'hon passed a package to Blackfire, as the doors closed she inspected the assassin's makeshift bomb. It was crudely made, using a pillowcase and some of the ores they mined, it had no fuse or detonator. With a loud and disconcerting crank the elevator began to move, this was the time that they had previously chosen and Blackfire tossed the bomb into the air. What happened next seamed to pass in slow motion; at first no one noticed or carried about the strange object. One of the guards started to say something, but Blackfire was concentrating, drawing all her hatred and anger into her left palm. Tamaranians control their manipulation of energy with their emotions, and anger offered the essayist and most plentiful supply. A spark appeared in her hand, it was a dull amethyst, then it grew to the size of a small ball. While it was no more than an inch in diameter it was all she could muster and she let it fly. Less than a second had passed since she had thrown the package but it felt like a eon as she watched the ball of light sail towards the falling bomb, she hoped she had not miscalculated. Then a thought occurred to her, it might not be the best thing to look at the explosion. As she spun around she saw her partners, well Jo'hon, go into action. He was gracefully moving towards the distracted guard. The starbolt did indeed catch the bomb, and she could feel the shockwave that flew out in all directions. As her back was turned she missed most of the direct effect of the concussion bomb, but her ears felt it. A loud noise was all she heard at first then she could hear nothing but a dull roar. She hoped the damage wouldn't be permanent but no time for this now, she had already been moving forward but now she put everything into a punch that connected with the guard's midsection. He gasped and stepped forward, clutching his side, at this point Blackfire promptly broke his neck, grabbing the mask off of the guard and forcing the foul smelling device over her face. Turning she could see little, the bomb created a lot of smoke. Blackfire looked up and jumped, grabbing the access hatch and opening it. With the top open on the now smoke filled and rapidly descending elevator, air began to rush out carrying the smoke with it. Looking around she could see that Jo'hon had dealt with his guard in a similar fashion and was now wearing the mask. Most of the prisoners that had been under the blast point lay on the ground, dead or dieing, with blood pouring out of their ears. A mess on the far wall showed the priestess had done her job. That only left Lena, she was struggling with the final guard, and losing. Blackfire began to move but knew she would be to late, to many bodies blocked her way. That's when Burke moved, punched the guard in the throat with a rather low move that would cause a very slow and painful death. As the guard let go of Lena Burke grabbed the man's mask and put it on himself. In the background she could here alarms blaring and looked up to see a pink gas began to filter in thought the vents. If Lena was exposed to the gas she wouldn't be able to escape with them. Then she could see the priestess toss Lena her own mask. Lena put it on as the gas descended on them. The car came to a stop and the gas began to clear. Lena struggled to her feet, weak from the chocking the guard had given her but unaffected by the gas. The priestess was stepping over the bodies towards her, as was Burke and Jo'hon.

Burke was yelling, Jo'hon was yelling she was yelling, at Burke, but no one could hear over the ringing they were all experiencing. Lena stepped between them and motioned that she couldn't hear, then she motioned towards the escape door. Blackfire nodded and gave Jo'hon a boost. After he got on top of the roof he lowered himself and helped Lena and Burke up into the shaft. The priestess went next and Blackfire brought up the rear. Not waiting for the others Burke jumped onto the service ladder and started climbing as soon as he got up. Blackfire and the others gave chase catching him at an entrance that was closed and locked, surprisingly they opened easily. As they all sat down against the walls pulling of the breath masks Burke walked up to Blackfire.

"That…the…thing…seen!"

"Shout louder my ears are still ringing!"

"That was the stupidest thin I've ever seen anyone do!"

"Are you alive?"

"No thanks to you!"

"Well as I had planed to leave you be thankful and shut up for a minute!" Burke finally set down massaging his ears. After a minute or so the ringing died down the point that see could hear, at the same moment she watched the elevator rush upwards. No one could be up after what happened in there, which meant it was being recalled. She stood.

"Rest time is over. Their calling back the elevator, which means a search party will be down here very soon, lets move."

"Wait why should I listen to you." Burke also stood up.

"Unless you want to say hello to their search party you come with us, and seeing all of the shit I've had to suffer to avoid your domination, I'd gladly toss you over the edge right now. But you saved Lena's life so we'll call it even." No it wasn't even, not in the least, but she'd kill Burke slowly when she no longer felt indebted to him.

Burke was silent but followed.

The tunnel was the size and make of a normal mining tunnel complete with working lights but this one showed signs that it hadn't been traveled in some time. The dust was too high; every other light flickered or was out.

"I wonder why they closed this tunnel off."

"Must have run dry." Jo'hon answered Lena.

After they were about a minute into their walk the five came across a fork in the tunnel. One road was light like the rest of the walls and seamed to slope up. The other tunnel was much darker, in fact it had no lights and none of them could see beyond a few feet. It was also rougher, as if it had been dug with someone bare hands. Unanimously they picked the lit passageway.

"Burke?"

"What?" He growled at Lena while they walked along the tunnel.

"Why did you help me?"

"I didn't, saving you was an unintended consequence."

"You could have waited."

"And let the gas get me? Besides your girlfriend would have killed me."

"I'm glad you like me so much. After fucking me s much you'd think you'd care more." Lena just blushed fiercely.

"Nah, I like being in charge. Not made to look like some slave."

"How long did it take you to realize the power you had?"

"I never had any power. If we ganged up on you, you'd make sure to kill me. What good is power if you're dead?"

"Well thank you anyway." Lena interjected. Blackfire and Burke had forgotten what had sparked the conversation.

"I was nothing." He finally responded. "It's just that someone getting choked riles me up."

"I'm sure you choked your share in your business."

"You don't even know what my business is bitch."

"Your type is all over the galaxy. Hired muscle, there to look intimidating and to 'visit' people not paying their respects."

"And you're that much better, caught in the wrong side of a coup right? Sounds like hired guns to me. The leaders probably were to dangerous to let live, but you, you're just like me."

"You know nothing about me." Blackfire growled. If looks could kill, or if her energy reserves weren't exhausted, well Burke took a step back anyway as he say a small flicker of amethyst in Blackfire's crystal blue eyes.

"Enough children. You can kill each other once we are all free, now stop threatening each other and move." Jo'hon stepped between the two feuding allies.

"I intend to." Both of them muttered beneath their breaths.

They walked in silence for a while then they came to a door. It was a military grade pressure door. Sitting there blocking the tunnel. The group stopped and inspected the peculiarly placed barrier.

"We need to turn back, now." The priestess whose name Blackfire couldn't pronounce suddenly said.

"You think we can open the door."

"You are not listening. Look at the seams, that door was welded shut. Then look at the scoring around the walls."

"Signs of mining, what's all this mean?" Burke asked obviously confused. Jo'hon and Blackfire simply nodded in agreement and turned around. Lena looked confused as well but followed leaving Burke standing at the door.

"Wait what's the big deal you look like you've seen a ghost." He picked up his pace to follow them.

"Think for a minute, these guys would sacrifice any number of prisoners to met their quota. Yet that wall showed signs of mining, hell it looked very ore rich to me. So when the people who care less if we live, seal an area and leave alone a valuable deposit, we run." As the realization slowly dawned on Burke he nodded and ran faster coming to the front of the group.

"The side tunnel then?"

"If we can't make it to the shaft then yes."

"Why wouldn't we make it to the shaft?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this." The priestess simply said.

The five skidded to a halt shortly after they passed the fork in the tunnel. Before them lay a new door. It wasn't as strong as the last door, but there would be no breaking through with the stuff they had. Sparks coming from the edges indicated that the guards were in the process of permanently sealing them in. Blackfire ran up to the glass portal this door had and looked through, other prisoners were busy with torches sealing the door. A guard saw her and waved, before he turned and walked off. Then the lights went out. Lena let out a small scream as the tunnel was plunged into darkness, light still poured though the pane of glass but it only illumined about a meter away from the door.

"Open this damn door." Blackfire pounded on the glass, but it was shatterproof. A starbolt might have taken it, but she knew she didn't have the strength.

"Let me fucking out," she screamed and shrunk to the ground. Jo'hon placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Now's not the time for an emotional breakdown. Let's head back to the fork and see where that leads."

"I'm fine, I just don't like being trapped." She stood and moved to the front of the group.

"Some warrior you are."

"Shut it Burke, last I checked you can't see in the dark either."

"At least it doesn't scare the shit out of me."

"Keep it up and I'll beat the shit out of you."

"Just try it."

"SHUT UP!" Blackfire and Burke both looked for the source of the noise, as they were walking in darkness, using their hands to guide them. What they were really surprised at was who the speaker was.

"Fighting now will get us no where." Lena continued. "Blackfire can you use a starbolt to give us light, it doesn't need to be very strong."

"I'll try, just stand still for a moment." Blackfire began to concentrate on her hands. Come on, I only need this one bit of energy. That's all I ask. A glimmer, no less than a glimmer appeared in her right palm. No one else noticed, it was too small. It's not going to end like this, I will get out of here, I have too much to do. I will not die until I can best Starfire and prove myself. As she focused on her hatred of her sister the glimmer grew and blossomed into a starbolt. The amethyst light bathed the tunnel. It was weaker than the red light they were used to, but it provided vision, even if it was an eerie sort.

All was silent when the reached the fork, the prisoners pressed into welding duty had finished and left. That left the five of them alone in the tunnel.

"Now that both ways are dark I suggest we take the path un-traveled."

"Quiet." Blackfire hissed. "I think I heard something."

"Just your foot steps, come on lets go." She still held her arm out blocking the others from moving. As the group stopped walking and listened nothing could be heard except the sound of their own breathing.

"See…"

"Shhh!" Then they heard it, at first it was a faint noise but it was getting louder. It was a soft clicking, no four sets of clicking a pattern that reminded Blackfire of some sort of four legged creature with claws.

"Move now!" With that Blackfire mad a dash for the smaller tunnel. At the same time something up ahead gave off a loud and defiantly angry howl. Then she heard a more familiar scream. A she entered the tunnel she turned to see if everyone else was in as well, Lena had fallen just at the mouth of the passage. Blackfire pushed past Burke to reach her, just as the priestess helped Lena to her feet and something came around the corner. Lena gasped as she got a first glance at it and Blackfire's intake of air was just as loud. The creature that approached them was something out of a horror movie. It was jet black, walked on all fours and had long claws, no talons for it's front legs. It must be able to stand on two legs otherwise there was no need for such developed fingers. On second thought those are more like knives with joints than fingers that happen to have claws. Its body was low to the ground but about five feet in length, it had a nasty prehensile tail and a large curved head. It had no eyes and a very sharp set of dagger like teeth. Its body was covered in black amour, like the shell of some sort of segmented insect. The creature cocked its head on its side regarding them. Then it sniffed the air, or at least that what it sounded like, she could see no visible nostrils. It must have come out of the tunnel they were backed into and gone to the sealed door while they were at the once entrance to this tunnel. The priestess pushed Lena back and stood between the mouth of their escape route and the beast.

"Go now I don't know how long I can hold it." Blackfire not needed another reason to stay grabbed Lena's hand and pulled her off, or tried she was routed in the same spot behind the priestess.

"You'll die."

"That is unknown. Do you believe in fate diva?" Lena completely surprised by those words said nothing and started to lose ground to Blackfire.

"I do, there is a prophecy among my people of how a fallen my find favor again with the mother goddess. I thank you for allowing me to have that chance."

"No thank you, for everything." Lena called back as she was dragged out of earshot. Blackfire and Lena quickly caught up with Burke and Jo'hon. They had run as soon as Lena screamed and only slowed because they couldn't see.

"You could have waited." Blackfire said as they picked up the pace to match the two women.

"Not a chance. What was that thing, and where's the priestess?"

"It well trust me you're better off not getting a good look at it. And that priestess is the reason we are going to run faster now, even she can't hold it off for long." Jo'hon was silent after that; Burke looked an even paler shade than his species normally looked. The group, now only four, ran as fast as they could trough the narrow and winding tunnel, the only sound that could be heard was their breathing and the echoes of their footfalls.

Up ahead was a large opening, Blackfire couldn't see what was in the cavern they now approached but a clicking sound behind them told her that the priestess was either dead or out of commission and that nightmare beast was following them. As they enterned the cavern the group stopped, looking at the sight before them she swore she heard at least one prayer and perhaps a curse. Blackfire simple dropped her shoulders in defeat and waited for the inevitable. This wasn't how this was supposed to end she thought to herself.

Will I really die here?

In front of her the cavern was about the size of a football field, it had sloping sides, actually looked like it had been artificially terraced. All over the cavern the nightmare creatures lay, some were large and had signs of age, others were small and had strange colorings. They had stumbled upon these creatures's nest. Tunnels extended in all directions leading deeper into the caves these creatures called home. All around low growls could be heard as the group was surrounded by more of the hellish beasts, each one growling and hissing at each other and them.

"The animals look like they're about to tear each other apart."

"Quite Burke, if they can talk among themselves it means they won't take kindly to being insulted."

"Well I'm not going out without a fight, I say we break left on three." She had to admit that was a good plan, no point in just letting them eat her.

"One." Blackfire uttered a silent prayer; she hadn't considered herself religious even though she was a descendant of a mighty line of savants.

"Two." Then she heard it a high pitch scream. It was too high for her to really make out, the nightmares, as she called them, heard it though.

"Wait." Blackfire grabbed Burke's arm to stop him from charging. "Look." She pointed to a section of the nightmares. They were backing up and creating an exit for them. At the same time the ones from the other side were closing in growling.

"They're herding us." Jo'hon commented, then he began to walk in the direction they'd created. Blackfire and Lena followed, Burke hesitated for a moment, but a hiss from a closing creature spurred him on. The group was silent as they walked through the "city" of the nightmare creatures. Smaller ones shied away from their path wile others obviously curios watched them, but none broke the circle of creatures that held them. None of them would approach the group closer than a meter, and none of the escapes was eager to break their confinement either. Soon they left the cavern and entered another tunnel. Two creatures led the group and a gathering host brought up the rear. Blackfire couldn't see how many now followed them, her light only extended so far and these tunnels were very curved. From any indication of the soft clicking these things made when they walked there were at least twenty-five. She couldn't guess whether that was good or bad, surely one or two could have taken care of them.

Presently the odd group reached an elevator shaft, it was an old mining shaft. The years, or was it these things, had not been kind to it. It was cornered and battered but still looked to be working and locked down. The lights were also out here and Blackfire could feel the fatigue mounting at having to continue creating this light. The beasts spread out forming a semicircle around their prey and the elevator door. A large one in the center forced them to the door and then backed off.

"Do you think they want us to open this?"

"I don't care what they want I'm getting out of here." Jo'hon began to work on the controls.

"Can you get it to work?"

"Probably, can you give me some more light?" Blackfire stepped in closer.

"Wait maybe we shouldn't open this door."

"Lena please tell us. Why the hell not!"

"If their just using us to open the door, then we could be helping them reach the upper levels of the mine."

"Well as we have two choices, either stay here until they get annoyed and eat us, or we can open the door and take our chances."

"But if they get to the upper levels they could kill everyone."

"Lena please just once. Stop caring about the Fuckers above us. Did you forget who left us down here in the first place; they all disserve anything they get."

"What about all the innocent people up there whose only crime was to protest and unjust government."

"What about us?"

"What about us, they could kill us."

"You can relax diva, they will not harm you." At that all heads spun around to see the priestess emerge unharmed from the ranks of the nightmare creatures.

"How did you?"

"You have to little faith Blackfire. The Xan'nilos have agreed to my deal, in exchange for your help in breaching the security gates. They will led you to the hanger and spare you in the carnage to come."

"How far?"

"This shaft leads up to the hangers, it is about one hundred meters up. You will unlock every door on the way up and they will break through at once, in the confusion you are advised to find a ship and flee, for after today no more will come to this place."

"How did you talk to them?"

"Communication is one of the many things I am gifted with."

"We can't do this, what of everyone above." Lena still attempted to argue, everyone was ignoring her at this point. Well everyone except the priestess she got very mad at this.

"Everyone above, do you realize that the Xan'nilos used to live on the surface, before they were driven bellow ground. Millions of their brethren exterminated. Will you still side with the murderers and horrible people of all sorts above us."

"No one disserves death."

"My goddess teaches otherwise." At that the lock clicked and the conversation was mute.

"Got it." The door slide open it was loud but this shaft was apparently unused.

The shaft had lights inside that filtered down, gently illuminating the area by the door. Blackfire let her last starbolt die and checked out the wall. The ladder was on the other side. Sighing she pulled her hair back and out of her eyes then with a running start she jumped. The gap was almost two meters in length and she landed at least a meter down. The ladder jarred but stayed firmly set into the wall.

"Next." She said as she climbed up some. Burke followed suit, catching the ladder in more or less the same place. After they both were out of the way Jo'hon jumped. He landed much more gracefully than either Burke or Blackfire.

"Lena can you make it?"

"You need to stop worrying about me." Lena answered coldly, then with more agility than she had previously demonstrated she leaped the whole gap, actually landing higher up than where she jumped. So high in fact that she almost hit Jo'hon. Burke whistled at that feat.

"When did you learn that?"

"I'm very good at things that don't involve death."

"Whatever, are you coming?"

"No Blackfire." The priestess looked up from the shaft entrance. "I will be staying with them." Blackfire started to protest but decided instead to ask another question.

"Very well, before you go what did you mean about a diva?"

"You may ask her that your self princess." Blackfire was silent.

"Good luck then." Jo'hon called down to her as he started up.

"The goddess is with me always, you will need all the luck you can get. I will instruct the Xan'nilos to wait until you are out of the way to enter." She stepped back and Blackfire returned her attention to climbing, how the hell could she know about my lineage. I didn't tell anyone and certainly not her, was she really a physic? The Xan'nilos began to flood into the shaft; they didn't need the ladder and were just spreading out along the walls.

Up they climbed until they reached the first landing; there they stopped while Jo'hon hotwired the doors to open on his command.

"There's a power lead going up, if it follows the ladder I should be able to trigger it from the top."

"Good how long?"

"Two minutes maybe."

"Don't take to long, it looks like they've been planning this for a while, if we don't do our thing they probably got a back up plan."

It was again silent, minus the low hisses and growls of the nightmares. It must be how they communicate. Yeah Xan'nilos was far to complicated a name anyway, nightmares it was. When they reached the top Jo'hon replicated his feat on the lower door. Raising one of his arms out over the shaft he whistled to get everyone's, and everything's attention.

"Ok, I'm opening the doors in five, four." He counted off with his fingers. Around them the buzzing communications between the nightmares went silent. Each one was eying the doors and flexing, readying themselves for the charge. Blackfire made a note to herself not to call them nightmares to their face, as they understood her.

"Three, two, one." With a shower of sparks the doors hissed open.

"Go!" While he and none of the other escapes moved the effect on the Xan'nilos was instantaneous. Those on the back wall leaped through the door surprising the few workers and guards that had turned this area into a storage room. The others on the sidewalls crawled in afterwards, shrieks from bellow indicated that the lower door had opened as well. The few people in the storage room were taken without ever knowing what hit them, the creatures were deadly in combat, their claws slicing through the guards body armor like a hot knife through butter. By the time the flood of nightmares had ended the room was covered in blood splatter.

"Ugh. We're going to have to jump for the access ladder." Blackfire indicated the smaller ladder that only went down a few meters by the door. Then she jumped, without the running start she fell much farther barely grabbing the last rung.

"You all right?"

"Yeah, just wait for me to get inside before you try it, and jump from a higher point." In truth she was not ok, the adrenaline in her system was starting to fade and her arms felt as if she had just hurled a gvraok. Still, she reminded herself, she must push onward if only because falling to her death on some miserable dust ball was not a fitting end for the heir to Tamaran. The others knowing the dangers jumped from higher up and had little problems getting up, Lena jumped from the same point she had and landed just bellow the door. It was like she was showing off. As they pulled Lena into the storage room sounds of fighting could be heard in the distance.

"We had better hurry, we're somewhere near the hangers and they promised to destroy the ships soon."

"Right."

The fighting had been intense along the corridors to the hanger, while these creatures could travel all over the walls and could rend the guards armor easily, the guards weren't helpless either. Bodies of both lay along the corridors, the nightmares armor seamed to deflect bullets pretty easily but had little effect on stopping laser blasts. The stench of spilled blood and carbonized flesh was all over, Blackfire had been in combat before but never had the results been so grizzly. She resisted the urge to expel her breakfast, as she would need the nutrients. Burke and Jo'hon seemed unaffected by the carnage, Lena looked the way she felt but wasn't nearly as good at hiding it. The hanger was much of the same; whatever these creatures were fast was certainly one of them. Taking a liberated laser riffle from a guard she motioned towards the row of sub-orbital shuttles lined up in the corner.

"Those are no good, they don't have a lightdrive." Jo'hon pointed to a shuttle on the other end of the hanger, where smoke, screams and occasional laser fire could still be seen.

"See that one next to the freighters."

"Yeah, modified to hell that one is." Burke nodded and helped himself to a handgun, Jo'hon did the same.

"How can you tell?" Blackfire asked but she still began to hurry towards the embattled ship, least some of the crew make a run with it.

"See the stabilizer fin, its comes off a Myn'noisian assault bomber."

"No not at all."

"Its right there the top fin, wait, you're people don't build ships do they?"

"Not until recently."

"Never mind I'll explain once were away. Lena take a weapon."

"No."

"Look at some point there will be a point when it will be you or them, and I'd much rather have you're lovely, if not rank figure around." If Blackfire didn't know any better she'd have sworn Lena just blushed, she shook the idea out of her head now wasn't the time to worry about such silly things.

"Don't worry just stay behind me." She said and stopped behind some crates across from the shuttle. Its ramp was still down. Bodies, both of the crew she guessed and of the nightmares lay scattered around it. She handed Jo'hon her riffle in exchange for his gun.

"Burke take point, I'll be right behind you. Jo'hon you cover us. Lena spot for him."

"Why him covering us?"

"The day an assassin is not a good shot is the day hgonorod burns in fvowred." (Translates to hell freezing over)

Burke made no other sounds but obviously didn't get the imagery. He sprinted forward, finally in his element, gun ready like he'd done this all the time. Blackfire followed, she was good at moving quickly and quietly but the weapon felt alien in her hands, she had been so used to being able to toss a starbolt at any offending target for so long. Being without her powers and having to rely on a weapon she'd never fired seemed wrong on so many levels. Burke positioned himself on one side of the ramp; Blackfire came from the opposite side. When she had passed in front of the ramp she was sure she had seen movement. Burke stuck his head out and abruptly pulled it back, gunfire could be heard and a bullet roared past his face. The assailant kept firing randomly even after Burke was under cover, novice probably. Jo'hon fired a few shots into the ship, he had a poor angle but the attacker retreated to cover anyway. Blackfire took the time to move forward, she ran up the ramp firing at the figure crouched in the shadows. Their attacker was ducked behind a doorway and had been ready for one assailant, his weapon wasn't even trained anywhere near her. He spun but was far to late, Blackfire's shot caught him in the shoulder. He cried out in pain, dropping the pistol he was holding. Blackfire ran up to him, still covering him. For his part he had slouched against the bulkhead holding his injured arm with his other hand.

"Don't shoot, please."

"Is there anyone else aboard?"

"I, I don't know. I'm just a mechanic."

"Do you have the ships key codes?" Blackfire asked as she kicked the pistol away from him. Burke was aboard now.

"No, I work in the bay."

"Then give me one reason not to kill you."

"Please no, I have a family."

"So did I." Blackfire cocked the hammer on her weapon, a pointless gesture but threatening never the less.

"Wait I know the launch codes."

"You just said you didn't." She growled. Lena and Jo'hon were now aboard.

"Not the codes for this ship, but you need the launch codes to open the bay doors."

"Last I saw the bay doors were already open." She turned to the others. "Ideas?"

"Get rid of him." Burke said unemotionally.

"He's hurt we should take him with us."

"He's dangerous and he will be a burden. Its better if you simply put him out of his misery."

"No, please I'm begging you." Blackfire looked from the faces of her comrades. Lena's eyes were pleading for her to save this one, Burke seamed to enjoy the thought of another death. He licked his lips greedily. Jo'hon had given his opinion and now watched her blankly. The man was a liar through and through, he just wanted to save his but, but she couldn't blame him for that, right? She grabbed him by his uninjured arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Get up." He whimpered but complied. Blackfire walked him to the bottom of the ramp and pushed him off. He stumbled a little but stayed up.

"There are other ships here, you should go."

"You mean your not going to kill me?" Blackfire turned her back and walked back up the ramp.

"No."

"Thank you so much, I…"

"Go now, before one of the nightmares gets to you." She hit the hatch close and the last she saw of that man he was on his knees sobbing thanks to her.

"Stop starting at me, we need to get out of here. Cockpit now."

"We should have taken him with us."

"We can't save everyone Lena."

"We could have save him."

"Who says we I didn't. We could very well not make it and he could get away. Besides I could have followed Burke's advice."

"Thank you for that." Blackfire and Lena, who had hung back now walked into the cockpit. It was small and cramped, really meant for two people with a third standing. Right now there was even less space because Jo'hon was under the control panel, probably hotwiring the thing.

"This is a lot nicer than I thought." Burke was inspecting he inert controls.

"What's so special about it?"

"This isn't a shuttle at all, it just is disguised to look like one. It's a light raider, pirates or slavers probably." The lights across the boards sprung up and a low hum could be heard in the background as the engine started to heat up. Jo'hon swung back up into the pilot's chair, he skipped any startup procedures and revved the engine for take off as soon as possible. An explosion in the background drove in the reason for his haste. The Xan'nilos were most likely destroying this section of the complex so no one else could land.

"Hang on." The raider lifted off from the tarmac and turned towards the exit. As they turned a much closer explosion could be heard, and seen in the far end of the hanger itself. They completed their turn and Jo'hon hit the engines to full rather than taxi out on low speeds. The raider rocketed along the exit tunnel, it was close on all sides and it curved sharply at places. Each time Jo'hon dragged the ship around a bend, at speeds far greater than it was meant to be taken at, the ship groaned and shuddered. When the tunnel finally straightened out and opened up into the surface Blackfire released a long held breath, she hadn't realized she'd even been holding her breath until that point. Salmac five had a thin atmosphere that the raider tore through, Jo'hon only slowed the ship when they reached orbit. Then he began to laugh.

"We did it!" He hugged Burke even though the larger man pushed him off, now standing he embraced Blackfire and Lena as well.

"You didn't think we'd make it?"

"I had my doubts, ever other second." His joy seamed to be contagious because soon everyone else was laughing as well.

"Now what?" Lena asked.

"Now we are free, with a revolution down bellow I doubt anyone will come looking for us and…" The hissing of static from the coms cut off Burke. The whole group turned slowly to the incoming message light flashing on the console. Jo'hon sat down and flipped the system on to speaker mode, so they could hear but not be heard.

"Lunar Fang 'static' come in Lunar Fang. 'Static' Harris are you all right? 'Static' what the hell is going on down there Harris?" As the unknown talker asked again the message became clearer, it was clear why. The broadcaster was coming into view; it had just showed up on their scopes. The computer recognized it as the Jinxed Marauder, a capital class ship. It had just come out of the planet's shadow and was on an intercept course.

"Between our lack of reply and the fact we're heading out of system and not towards them, it wont take them long to figure out were not Harris."

"Can we out run them?"

"No, they're going to get a slingshot like boost coming out from around the planet like that, combined with their superior speed they'll overtake us two minutes before we get clear."

"Well run as fast as we can for now, do we have any weapons?"

"Give me a second." Jo'hon threw the throttle forward, sending the Lunar Fang ahead at full speed.

"Damn it, Lunar Fang what the hell are you doing?" The Jinxed Marauder speed up to match the Fang's getaway.

"To however is on board if you've hurt captain Harris death will be a luxury for you."

Burke whistled as he brought up the weapons.

"Ohh yeah, modified to hell. This is my kind of ship." He brought up the weapon systems.

"We have a forward firing beam cannon, an underside, VC-940 and an Axnin-45b, multi-targetable." Considering the circumstances he was as happy as a kid in a candy shop.

"What type of rounds do we have?" Jo'hon was more controlled be he had the same twinkle in his eyes.

Humph, boys and their toys.

"Looks like hull pierces with stun gas. G-27 of G-28s, doesn't say."

"Hey, please enlighten those who don't speak military parlance."

"Heh, heh sorry. We have a machine gun mounted on the underside and a missile launcher; it only has hull penetrating gas rounds tough."

"Are any of them going to hell us?" Now Burke and Jo'hon's faces fell.

"Only if we turn and fight them, and we're no match for them."

"How long until we can make light speed?"

"I've already got the computer running the calculations and we'll be able to jump as soon as we get clear of the gravity well. Ninety seconds."

"How long till the other ship is on top of us?"

"They'll be in tractor beam range in seventy seconds, but they're in firing range now."

Jo'hon's message was punctuated by a trio of lasers tearing past the space in front of them. They were shots fired over the bow, intended to send a message.

"Lunar Fang, this is your final warning surrender now or…" Jo'hon cut the coms off.

After a second delay the started firing in earnest. Jo'hon flipped the ship on its back and Burke returned fire with the Vulcan cannon. But the cannon may have well been a cap gun against a tank for all the good it was doing. The Jinxed Marauder's shield s were top of the line and deflected the high power shells with ease. The Lunar Fang on the other hand shuddered violently whenever the Marauder landed a hit. They were intent on capturing and weren't using their highest power mass accelerators and turbolassers. The smaller anti-fighter lasers were quickly burring out the Fang's shields. After a particularly nasty barrage sparks began to issue from one of the panels. Jo'hon flipped the ship over again, still jukeing and jiving to break targeting locks.

"We wont take another hit like that without coming apart." He kept dodging his knuckles were white from griping the controls to hard.

"Dodge more their trying to get a tractor beam lock." Burke called out.

Twenty seconds. Blackfire thought to herself. Can he avoid a lock for that long? Blackfire unconsciously gripped the edge of Jo'hon's seat. Her knuckles were also white and sweat was pouring uncontrollably down her face. She was afraid, and it was like no fear she had ever felt. For the first time in her life her fate rested entirely in the hands of someone else and she could do nothing. Blackfire was frozen by fear, she wanted to do something to help, but couldn't think of anything that she could do. She didn't want to distract him by asking. The ship rocked violently again, flames erupted from another console. Lena grabbed a fire extinguisher and went to work on the flames.

"There go our shields." Burke announced matter-of-factly.

Almost there she thought. The fighting seamed to be unearthly silent. Unlike the space shows eh had seen before you couldn't hear anything in the vacuum of space. The only time you could hear the whine of the lasers was when they stuck the ship. Otherwise it was deathly quite. All she could hear was the background sounds of the ship, the sound of her and the others breathing. Then she heard the lock acquired alarm throughout the ship. This is it she thought. Jo'hon whooped and threw forward a set of levers. First she felt the awful pull of the tractor beam holding them still, or trying it hadn't fully got a hold of them when the light drive flare up. The stars elongated into blurred lines and they were gone.