A/N: I don't think I thanked all my lovely reviewers lately. Or have I? Hm, well a big THANKYOU, anyway!

It's been a crazy week for me lately. We're dissecting cats in anatomy. CATS! Sorry for you animal lovers out there. Frankly, I just can't get control of the whole gagging-reflex thing. Gross!

Alright, well I know you guys are getting nervous and wondering why your dear author is whining about her personal life (I can see you—don't think I can't!), so I'll start the chapter now.

Disclaimer: Don't own. Anything.

The hallway was dim, lit by the occasional lantern hanging on the wall. Kori shivered, clutching the shift tight around her, knuckles white on the bone handle of the knife.

The captain's quarters were tucked into port side of the ship, with its own small hall branching off the main one. Just as she neared the turn, rough hands grabbed Kori; a body pushed her firmly into the wall. She struggled, seconds from shoving her blade into her attacker's side, when she caught sight of furious blue eyes and messy black hair.

"Dammit, Richard I almost stabbed you!" Kori hissed. The body behind her froze, and even as her arms ached from being pulled back, she was able to fully appreciate the intimacy of their position.

A moment passed before she was abruptly let go. Sagging against the wall, Kori turned towards Richard, spying Vic, Raven, and Gar just behind him. Hands grasped her shoulders, and Kori glanced up at Richard's face, startled by the fear and panic in it.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked quickly, careful fingers skimming down her arms, eyes searching for injury. Goose bumps followed the trail of his touch; Kori had trouble focusing.

"Whaa—?"

"You're covered in blood." He seemed to choke on the last word. His hand rose to her cheek, thumb rubbing at the crimson splattered on her face. Kori's senses returned to her, though it was a struggle. Kori shook her head and pushed his hand away.

"No, I'm not hurt. Trigon, he, uh…" Kori trailed off. Richard's face darkened, assuming the worst.

"I'll kill him," Richard snarled and Kori flinched.

"You won't have to," she murmured. He looked at her in confusion, and Kori's throat closed up. She pushed the knife handle into his hand, turning her face away.

Sensing her distress, Vic drew Richard back a step, putting an arm around Kori's shoulder. Her eyes met Raven's. The girl was solemn, but she nodded in understanding. Raven was always quick to pick up on things.

Speaking of picking up on things…

Kori looked to Gar. He was gaping, eyes widened, as he stared obviously at her unbound chest.

Richard noticed this and smacked the boy upside the head. Gar clutched his head, then cleared his throat.

"Um. Ryan?" Kori grinned tiredly.

"It's Kori. Sorry," she added as an afterthought. Gar rubbed the back of his neck.

"I totally knew that!" Raven raised her hand and hit him as well. Gar yelped and shrugged helplessly.

"That's great?" he ventured, unsure of what to say.

Vic shook his head and Kori laughed. Richard looked exasperated.

"Alright, well, hate to be a downer here, but we're currently on an enemy ship." Richard, apparently over his bloodlust, stared them down, fearless leader face firmly in place.

Gar, finding he very much liked being the center of attention, snapped a salute. Before he could utter a single joke, however, the creak of the hatch opening sounded in the hall.

Everyone froze as voices filtered down from the deck.

"No fair that the cap'n is t'only bloke wif a girl!" came one drunken slur.

"Well, he do be da cap'n," replied another fellow, "an' I'll not mess wif 'im, if I were you. Jes' get more ale, an' we'll drink ter da wenches at port, eh?"

Kori gestured silently for the others to follow her as unsteady footsteps came closer. She led them back to the captain's quarters, knowing it would buy them necessary time to plan. Once everyone had filed in, she locked the door behind them. Taking a deep breath, Kori turned, knowing what she would find.

Trigon lay on the bed, dead as she had left him, the white linens beneath him now a browning scarlet hue. With much trepidation, she inspected each of her companions' reactions.

Vic, who had already guessed the outcome, simply grimaced at the sight. Raven, who just seemed to know everything in general—seriously, it was one constant that Kori was beginning to rely on—cast her eyes gravely away. Wise for her age or not, she had never been exposed to such gore, and couldn't help but feel faint.

Gar, well, he looked a bit a bit green.

And finally, Richard. For reasons Kori wasn't ready to name, his opinion of her mattered most of all. His jaw was set; hand tight on the knife. Kori nearly flinched when he turned to look at her, but fear gave way to curiosity when she saw his face. In his gaze was not revulsion, but a grim sort of pride. If she let herself reflect on the event, she would realize that she had handled the situation rather well—keeping a cool head and doing what had to be done. But that was a thought for another time.

Clearing her throat, she mustered a weak grin.

"Orders, Lieutenant?"

The plan was crude, insane, and Raven politely informed the group that they were ten kinds of idiot for even suggesting it. Naturally, Gar and Vic were all for it.

The overall goal was to escape the pirate ship alive, while somehow making it impossible for the pirates to pursue them, and maybe grabbing some vengeance against Slade on their way out. They were nothing if not ambitious.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Richard asked, looking at the varying expressions of his comrades. Kori, who secretly agreed with Raven but couldn't really come up with anything better, shrugged. Gar punched a fist in the air, then held it out in the middle of the group.

Everyone stared at it for a moment before Vic laid his huge hand on top. Raven followed suit, still muttering darkly. Kori's hand covered hers, and all four turned to look expectantly at Richard. He sighed.

"Oh, alright." He laid a hand over Kori's and both decidedly ignored the warmth running through them at the contact. Gar grinned.

"Way to go, Dick!"

"Don't call me that."

Richard and Kori crept silently up to the hatch, easing it open only enough to peer out. The pirates were finally settling down from their revelry; most were either passed out or muttering to themselves quietly, swigging the last of the spirits. When the two slipped onto the deck, they were fairly unnoticed, but for one man who watched them idly with glazed eyes. Keeping largely to the shadows, they went to the ship's only dinghy, and prepared it for launch.

Kori was just about to send it swinging over the water when she heard a faint click and a mocking chuckle. Richard stiffened, facing what Kori was not.

Turning slowly, she found herself staring into the mouth of a pistol. Crossing her eyes to see it better, Kori followed down the barrel, up the arm holding it, and finally halted at the sneering face of Slade.

"Wondered when you would show up," she muttered. "Things were far too pleasant." Richard stayed silent behind her.

"How fascinating," Slade said in a way that indicated her words were anything but. "Richard, my boy, have you nothing to say to me? I'm hurt." Again, Richard did not rise to the bait, but Kori noticed his grip tighten on the dinghy's side. She returned her focus to Slade.

"Oh, he won't be saying much," she commented flippantly. "He's not very polite when he's angry, and nothing set his blood boiling more than a traitor." She smiled sweetly and Slade's eyebrows rose in confusion.

"What are you—"

"NOW!" Richard yelled. Both Kori and Richard hit the deck as Gar came swinging by on a line, his club hitting Slade soundly over the head. The pistol fired, shot skimming the railing and disappearing into the water.

Kori hooked her legs around Slade's and he toppled, weapon skidding out of reach. Vic and Raven burst from the hatch, the former wielding a huge broad sword, as well as his arm-cannon, the latter double fisting small, wicked-looking blades.

The shout had roused a few of the drunken pirates, who scrambled for their weapons, unsure how to deal with the ragtag assault. The grizzled old sailor and small noble girl fought off the attack, Raven dealing with the new idea of fighting with the same cool appearance she always maintained.

Kori didn't have time to marvel at the girl's unbreakable composure as Slade's hands fought for her neck. Before he got a good hold, fortunately, he was ripped away by Richard. Both men regained their balance and circled each other warily, searching for an opening. Reaching behind him, Slade picked up a pirate's forgotten sword and brought it down in a slice towards Richard's head, only to be blocked by another stolen blade. Richard smirked, and the two began to thrust and parry in a whirl Kori could scarcely follow.

Nor did she have time to. Grabbing a sword for herself (and wondering at the way they seemed to litter the deck), she ran over to help Gar fend off the trio of pirates that ganged up on him.

One was quickly dispatched with a slice from behind, and Kori blocked a second pirate's swing to her legs. His attention diverted, Gar clubbed him from behind and the attacker slumped to the deck. The third came at them hollering, sword high above his head. Gar somersaulted forward, tripping the pirate and Kori thrust her blade into him, trying not to dwell on the feel of flesh parting on her sword.

Pausing, Kori looked around. The pirates, the conscious ones anyway, were disbanded and unorganized and, most importantly, losing. But she could also tell her people were tiring fast.

With a shrill whistle, she signaled Vic and Raven to start launching the dinghy, pushing Gar after them. She then went to collect Richard and set off 'It'. Taking the match out of her pocket—conveniently swiped from the captain's quarters—she struck it and placed it at the small trail of gun powder. It sparked, and flew off into the darkness. A groaning explosion rocked the ship and Kori nodded, satisfied. They hadn't found many explosives, but Vic and Raven had placed them low enough in the ship to be sure to put a hole in the bottom. The ship would sink.

Now, to get out of there. She looked around once more. The only movement on deck was coming from Slade and Richard, still locked in furious combat.

She hefted an empty wine bottle, aimed, and chucked it at Slade. It didn't do much, but it successfully broke the two apart.

"Richard, let's go!" Kori's eyes met Richard's, and there was a heart-stopping moment where she thought he would refuse. The moment passed, and Richard turned and dove off the side into the ocean below.

Kori followed, reached the side, and leapt…

…

BANG

…

Kori heard the shot. She was mid air, the peak of her leap, and time seemed to stop. She saw Richard's horrified expression below her, knew that if she turned, she would see Slade's smug face, pistol smoking.

Then time started again and then ocean rushed up to meet her, colors mixing and blending. It took a moment for Kori to realize she was underwater, a moment to acknowledge Richard's arms around her, a moment to register the shockwave of the ship exploding behind them, forcing them deeper into the water.

A moment for her to discover that she was losing blood and consciousness.

She was out before she could even welcome the darkness.

A/N: O. M. F. G.

…yeah

That was quite the action-y chapter if I do say so myself! And really, I didn't even anticipate that ending there. This thing is ALIVE. I'm waiting for my lap top to start saying 'Feed me, Seymour,' and demanding blood. shudders Yeah, actually that movie freaked me out a lot. But, back to topic, I think I did pretty good with the fight scenes and kept everyone reasonably in character. Any opinions out there? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Jeez, I'm quoting movies everywhere today! But serious—comments and criticisms, mucho appreciated. Thank you and pardon the horrible Spanish. Toodles!