The large slums where most of the city's ducks lived was dirty, broken-down and cold. Drake told Flossur that he, Callen and Farris were going out to take a walk, something Flossur promptly forgot once his eyes shut and he was asleep. Pike joined them halfway to the camp.

Farris was first to the slum hall, a large mess hall. "After you." He held the door open.

Drake took a deep breath and then walked in. It was oddly silent; ducks from all walks of life it appeared were there. Some, clearly poor to begin with, others in tattered expensive suits and dresses that looked like they had been dragged, torn and shredded across three continents.

They all glanced up and noted the three young ducks and the Saurian. One, a burly male, stood up on Drake's right. "That has no business here," he snarled, his words guttural.

Some kind of mouth injury, Drake thought. He thanked Dannika silently one more time, for saving him when she did from Sika's cord as it wrapped around his beak.

Farris laid a hand on the enraged duck's shoulder. "He's one of us. He has as much of a right as you or I to be here."

Pike flicked his tail nervously, winding it around Drake's leg, who jerked away. "What is it with Saurians and their failure at keeping tails on a leash?" He hissed.

"You didn't tell me there were fifty ducks to one," Pike hissed back.

"What are you talking about? There's four of us."

"You're one of the fifty kid," Pike growled.

Drake felt a moment of shock, "that's not fair Pike, I'm with you."

Pike lost his angry expression, "I'm sorry."

Drake reached out to the Saurian's face, resting his palm against Pike's cheek. "I am too."

"Why z'ra ye 'ere Farras?" A foreign duck asked. "Ye 'ere sool'd."

"I have a proposition for you all," Farris answered. He half turned to Drake, "We have a proposition…Drake."

Suddenly faced with giving a speech to a room full of ducks, Drake drew a blank. He felt Pike's strong hand on his back, giving him a gentle shove forward. His legs carried him forward, next to Farris who started to back away. Drake grabbed him.

"Don't-don't leave me, please." The white duck cocked his head slightly at Drake's plead, but remained motionless by his side. Drake looked out at the assembled ducks, females, males, children, some elderly.

He began to speak.

"Some of you were caught in your homes and made into slaves, the rest of you were born into it. The invading Saurians came here a hundred years ago because they were under the impression that they could take whatever they wanted…that we wouldn't fight back.

"They've starved us, maimed us, kept the born slaves illiterate and had their way with your wives. I say no more."

Some of the ducks perked up a little.

"I say we send them a message that will stay forever in their minds. That they can not take what whatever they want, that they can not enslave us without a fight."

He saw some of the teenagers grin.

"Puckworld was ours once, it's time to tell the Saurians that this," he pointed to the ground. "This is our land."

The assembled shouted their approval.

Word traveled fast. At first Drake was worried that it would get back to the Saurians but it didn't. The ducks who were quickly learning the news and passing it on, were being discrete, knowing they'd mess up the revolt if the Saurians heard it.

It was a week after the speech in the old camp when Drake finally met up with Dannika.

She saw him coming and shut her book.

"I want to show you something," he whispered, taking her hand and leading her into the shadows.

Once they were in a safe enough spot, he let her go and pulled out the mask. Her eyes twitched as she surveyed the sleek white surface. He waited for a reaction, hoping she wouldn't let him down and betray him.

"You built this?" She reached for it hesitantly.

"You can hold it," he handed it to her. "Yes. Farris and Callen helped." He left Pike out intentionally. The less she knew about his involvement the better.

"What does it do?"

"It penetrates invisibility rays Saurians create and-" He paused.

"What?" She pressed.

He lifted his eyes to hers, pained. "-and it has the one time ability to create a portal to Dimensional Limbo."

For her credit she didn't make a sound.

Finally she spoke. "I knew about the revolt."

He felt a shot of adrenaline in his stomach as he waited for her to shout for a guard or kill him herself. She stayed quiet, her fingers massaging the mask's face.

She gave a slight smile, "Drake Ducaine, I always knew your name would go down in the history books." She held the mask out to him. "I'm with you. What ever battle front you make, I'll be there."

He reached for her face, bringing her closer to him and kissed her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back.

"I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too." He felt the guilt of his lie. He pulled away, bringing confusion to her face.

"What's wrong?"

Fearing everything was going to disappear, he didn't face her. He couldn't.

"Drake?"

"I lied to you."

She was listening.

"Morjana taught me to read a long time ago…"

She scoffed, "and?"

He glanced at her, surprised. "I knew how to read. She bought books from my race and taught me to read."

She shook her head. "You thought I didn't know?"

He blinked, confused. "You did?"

She took his hand in hers. "I taught you the Saurian scripts on purpose. Somewhere down the line, I influenced you to this moment in time. To be the man I know you are. Saurians don't belong on this planet Drake."

"I can't lose you," he replied, desperate.

"You won't."

A rustle nearby prompted the two to separate quickly. "Go," she hissed.

He stumbled away, unsure. He realized he didn't care if he was caught anymore. "We'll be at the Altamount Camp two days from now."

She nodded, "just go."

He disappeared.

….

Next day

Morjana studied her wounds in the mirror, tracing the large bruises on her face with her finger. She couldn't take the abuse anymore. Roemaki made his bed two-hundred years ago when he killed Morjana's first child as she was pregnant. She picked up a blaster Drake had created years ago for her. It was his first weapon he ever made from scratch and it was the best. He wanted her to have it and she kept it hidden for the last thirteen years until this moment.

She calmly dressed herself in a skin tight leggings and shirt followed by a vest that was supposedly bulletproof. Roemaki forgot he had married a former assassin. Morjana paused, oh wait, I never told him that…oops.

She added a few survival goods and then walked out of her room.

….

Flagelen was retiring to his room when he saw a lone lithe shape head out towards Roemaki's study. He paused and realized in the moonlight, it was Morjana. Narrowing his eyes, he un-holstered his own gun and followed her.

…..

Morjana shoved the great doors open to Roemaki's study. The Saurian spun half away around.

"Morjana, I'm busy. Leave," he growled.

She stayed where she was. "I'm done taking your orders."

His red eyes shifted to her, his eyebrows arching. "Oh?" He stood. "Is that so? I don't want to have to teach you again to respect your male superiors."

She remained indifferent. "Sure Roemaki."

He didn't like her disrespectful tone. "You will respect me, you whore."

She raised the gun to his chest, and cocked it, the click echoing around the study.

"You little bitch," he whispered, more stunned than angry. Without warning he launched himself across the room at her, taking her by surprise. He slammed her against the wall, which she quickly rolled to her feet, her tail out to balance herself. The gun had fallen from her hand and slid across the floor.

"Can't even do damage without a weapon," he taunted.

She sprang at him with an animalistic growl, latching onto his head and shoulders, trying to break his neck. His hand wrapped around her hair and flung her off him. She slid across the length of his table and fell off it onto the floor.

He touched his face and stared at his bloody hand.

"What was that?" She asked breathlessly, standing with the gun in her hand.

Roemaki snarled viciously. His own hand went for his gun but froze when he felt a cold metallic object press to the back of his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Flagelen murmured. "Just saying."

Morjana blinked, surprised.

"Come Morjana," Flagelen commanded softly. "Don't look for us Roemaki."

"Father!" Sika appeared and stopped short. "Morjana," he growled. "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer her son. Instead she went to Flagelen's side and began backing out of the study. "Goodbye Roemaki."

"May you both rot in hell when I find you," Roemaki snarled.

Sika chose that time to convey his message. "That Ducaine duck is planning a revolt, Dannika is in on it."

Morjana paused, "you…" But Flagelen pulled her away. They both disappeared.

Sika barely glanced at her. "Of course she had to have been brainwashed. She's not that stupid despite her obvious pets-"

"Where is she?" Roemaki's voice was deadly.

"Father, she's not-"

"Where Is She!" He roared.

"She's gone," Sika murmured.

"When I get my hands on her, I'm going to kill her, her and that bitch."

Sika took a breath, "Morjana, you mean."

"Who else?" Roemaki snarled. "Ready the troops. I want every inch of this city searched until you find Ducaine, Dannika and Morjana…kill Flagelen when you see him."

Sika nodded his head once. "Yes sir."

….

On a high rise above the city, Drake watched impassively as parts of the city sprung up in a blaze, not doubt areas being searched for him. Every day ducks were leaving their camps and coming to him. It was time Drake ended this.