Chapter 25:

So, this one is pretty long. I am working on this story in batches. I often don't like to just upload a chapter as soon as I have written it. Not least because I like to proof ready several times, but also because I will sometimes rewrite a section to match something that has come to mind in a later chapter, so this is why there is sometimes a gap between uploads. I have four or five chapters written so far but I am only going to upload this one and the next one for now. The others will run alongside my BMFM story, so I will also be working on the other half of the story for that as well to ensure that they match and merge really well. Or at least as well as I can!

Thank you to Jerseygirl94 for your great review. I'm so glad you like it and I will try and update as often as possible. I am very pleased with this story though and don't want to rush. It took me two years to post anything! XD

"What is this?" Duke asked as he studied the metal arm on the side in the infirmary.

"Your friend Buzz Blitzman designed it for you." Alex told the ex-thief. "I'm currently studying his notes on how it's going to work and it's my job to figure out the medical side of it. Buzz believes we can get it almost as good as your real arm was."

"So, the egg head kid made me a new arm?" Duke asked placing his remaining hand on the cool surface of the mechanical arm. It was slightly bigger than his normal arm would have been. The surface was a silver colour and it was certainly shaped like his old arm.

"That's right." Alex nodded, "He said his bosses weren't too keen on it but since he used his own funds and resources to make it, they turned a blind eye for now. If it works for you though I'll bet they'll try to patent it so that they can sell them to the highest bidder to be developed for human amputees. You'll get the protype though." Duke nodded at Alex.

"You any ideas on how to connect this thing up to me yet?" Duke wasn't interested in how it was made. He just wanted to know when he might have a working arm back. When he could start his sword training again and be of some use to the team.

"Not as yet." Alex said with an apologetic tone. "Buzz thinks he can make cybernetic nerves that can bind with your own remaining nerves, which can then be hooked up to the arm itself. He says he's working on the prototype for the nerves at the moment. I'm assisting him as much as I can with regards to anything medical. I know it's not ideal and there's no guarantee that this will work like a real arm would. But it should work much better than any prosthetic arm made within the medical sector currently. I've read all the notes, it's potentially a game changing piece of kit. It could improve the lives of thousands of people on this planet who have lost limbs, possibly even those who were born without them." Alex gave Duke the most encouraging smile he could muster, given the circumstances.

"But it's not ready to attach to me yet then?" Duke asked with a sigh.

"Not yet, no." Alex replied, "I'm sorry Duke. I know it's not the best news. But I wanted to let you know that you have people working to at least try and fix what that monster did to you."

"Thanks." Duke gave the human doctor a smile that didn't quite reach his remaining eye. "I need some air. Think I'll go up to the roof for a while." Alex watched him go with a sigh.

The roof was where Jessica found the eldest duck, later that evening. She sat beside him and stared up at the setting sun for several minutes before saying anything to him.

"Just because you've lost an arm doesn't make you useless," Jessica looked to him, "You do know that, right?" Duke looked at her for a moment then looked away with a snort.

"I'm the sword guy!" He laughed, "But I don't have a sword arm. So how does that not make me useless."

"You still have your left arm." Jessica suggested, aware that her suggestion was lame.

"Easier said than done, sweetheart." Duke rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the setting sun.

"You have to know that you're more than the 'sword guy'" She used air quotes to emphasise her point, "I mean, Wildwing has always spoken so highly of your advice. You're like a confidante to him and Nosedive. Not to mention Tanya. You act like a father to most of your team and you're so good with Molly. She adores you."

"Yeah well, three of those people you mentioned," He looked at her with a bitter look, "they aren't about right now." Duke shook his head, "And I was a real big help when they were all taken. Wouldn't you agree?" He added with an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm screwing this up big time, aren't I?" Jessica laughed but there was no mirth in her tone, "You're not the only one who thinks they're useless." She brought her knees up to her chin.

"You kidding?" Duke raised an eyebrow, "Wing told me what you did when the pair of you were taken. If that's useless then I'm a monkey's uncle! At least you could do something. I let Molly and the others get taken without doing anything to stop it."

"For one, I was on the verge of a panic attack the entire time I was in that facility," She pointed out, "In fact I had such a bad one, when they were beating Wildwing, that I passed out!" She clenched her fists, "You, on the other hand, were recovering from a life-threatening injury!" Jessica exclaimed in an exasperated manner. "If that happened now, now that you're a little more recovered, are you telling me you wouldn't have been able to have at least picked up a gun and taken out a few drones? And you were definitely doing something when they took Tanya!"

"Maybe." Duke shrugged. The pair sat in silence for several minutes again, just watching the sky turn dark.

"Duke?"

"What is it Jess?" He asked giving her a sideways glance.

"Did you have a family?" Jessica asked him outright, "Other than the brotherhood, I mean?" Duke stared at her in shock, not expecting the completely off topic question, "You're so good with Molly. And the way you treat some of the others, you seem like you'd make a wonderful father. I just wondered if you ever had kids of your own."

"Once." Duke replied with a sigh. "I don't much like talking about it."

"Why not?"

"They were murdered." Duke shrugged. At Jessica's horrified look that turned to sympathy, he continued, "It was my fault too. I'd crossed a rival of the brotherhood. He'd found out about them and I didn't get to them in time. My wife and baby son were already dead by the time I got there. My two daughters were screaming my name the moment they saw me. I fought their attackers like I was possessed. So, did the brotherhood members who came with me. But there were too many. Not only did I lose this eye," He indicated to his mechanical eye, "But I was overpowered. That monster then killed my daughters one by one in front of me. I could only watch. The screaming was the worst part. There was a point where I wasn't sure when their screaming stopped and mine started." He jumped out of his memory when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Jessica moved her hand, so she could rub the older duck's back, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"It was a long time ago now." Duke shrugged, "I'll never forget them, but I can't stay in the past." He looked at the human woman at his side, "Don't tell the others. They don't need ta know about my past. Not like that. It took them long enough to get over my bein' a criminal, without them learning that my… transgressions lead to the slaughter of my own family."

"If that's what you really want." Jessica gave him a sympathetic look. She got up and brushed herself off before moving to leave the roof.

"Jess?" Duke called and waited until she turned to look at him, "Thanks kid."

"You're welcome Duke." She smiled then went to leave, turning she added, "And don't call me kid." She winked before walking through the door.

"Well what do you think?" Angel asked as Nosedive looked at himself in a mirror. The last stop they had made was at the final GA outpost before reaching the more dangerous territories of Plutarkian territories. Angel had been very secretive about what she was stopping for and had merely asked Nosedive to arrange and pay for the fuel they needed, and for Molly and Mookie to go and get more groceries and supplies for the ship. Angel had then disappeared for a couple of hours. When she had finally reappeared, she wouldn't say where she had been or what she had been up to.

It was two days later when Angel had called them all to the lounge room where she had produced all new battle gear for Nosedive. It consisted of form fitting black pants and a matching short-sleeved shirt that, she informed him, were made with a fabric that was tougher than it looked. She also produced some long, armoured boots that went up to his knees together with some gauntlets that protected the back of his fists and reaches right up to his elbows. Both items were designed with concussion devices in them to increase the effect of his attacks when fighting hand to hand. "The boots work like your old ones too, they can create both those ice skate things and the roller blades too. Plus, you have a com unit, and some other goodies, built into them." Angel added sounding a little nervous, "I know it's pretty different to your old gear, but if we're going to be breaking into the facility on Vlark, then your old gear isn't really stealthy enough."

"I think it suits you." Mookie said with a knowing grin on her face that nosedive didn't notice, "Especially with your hair getting longer." Dive's hand went to his hair and he looked back at Mookie, then back to his reflection in the mirror. He had been meaning to ask one of the others to trim it for him, but he kept forgetting or bring side tracked. But he had to confess, he liked it longer.

"When did you even get this? Where did you even get this?" Nosedive asked activating the gauntlets by punching his left palm with his right fist where a button sat. The gauntlets sprung to life and were engulfed by energy that looked like blue electricity flashing across the equipment.

"A friend of mine put it all together." Angel shrugged. Dive looked at her. "At my request," She added sounding embarrassed this time.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?" Angel made a face that showed her confusion.

"Why'd you go to the effort of getting this for me?" Dive asked curiously.

"Well," Angel scratched her cheek that was a little pink in embarrassment, "You're getting better with every training session and that gear is less restrictive than the gear you usually use. I mean that upper body armour of yours is pretty bulky. And those gauntlets and boots will make sure you have a fighting chance against any stronger opponents." She then looked away and said a little more harshly, "And why shouldn't I get you something? I hear it's what friends do!" She looked back again showing that her face was redder than Nosedive had ever seen it, "That's right isn't it?" She directed at Mookie. Molly giggled at Angel, thinking the older girl was being silly whilst Mookie's grin grew, and the older woman gave the younger a nod. The purple haired human turned to watch to see how Nosedive would react.

"Yeah," He laughed, "It's what friends do." He pulled her into a hug and Mookie was interested to see Angel return the hug, "Thanks Angel. It looks awesome."

"You're welcome." Angel replied and stood back looking every bit the awkward teen.

"So, we gonna go get what we need from this station, or what." Nosedive winked. Angel nodded, and both the purpled haired pirate and the blonde hero left the ship leaving Mookie and Molly behind as was often the case.

"Mookie?" Molly looked up at her human friend.

"Yeah pip squeak?" Mookie smiled down at the child.

"Angel really likes Nosedive, doesn't she?"

"I think so, yeah." Mookie replied.

"Do you think Nosedive likes Angel a lot too?" Molly cocked her head to the side as she was often inclined to do when she was thinking about something.

"I don't know yet." Mookie ran a hand through her growing hair that now had dark roots at the base and fuzz where it was normally shaved bald. "But, I guess we'll find out eventually."

Nosedive stayed close to Angel. The station they were on was not neutral and he knew it was incredibly dangerous for her to be there. There was a bounty offered by the Plutarkian high council of 2 million gills if anyone brought her in. From what he understood, this was enough for anyone in the sector to live the good life for a very long time. He felt eyes on them as they moved through the station. He still wasn't sure why they were stopping at the run-down space station, but after a couple of months of travelling with the purple haired pirate, he had learned to trust the girl's judgement. Angel confidently walked into a bar and up to the counter.

"Miss Angel." The bar tender, who was a tall, muscular yellow skinned man, with red hair and eyes, nodded to her. He acknowledged Nosedive with a nod as well but didn't say anything to him, "I heard rumours you'd found yourself a lover." He smirked at the girl's scowl and the young duck's obvious embarrassment.

"You heard wrong." Angel shook her head, "I'm helping him find his missing friend."

"That so?" He studied Nosedive carefully, "You could do better anyway." The man shrugged. Nosedive wasn't sure whether to laugh of be offended. He settled for a snort of sorts. "What can I do for you beautiful?"

"What can you tell me about Vlark and the main research facility there?" Angel asked him. Nosedive noticed a group of mice and another Amayan girl enter the bar and head to the other side of the establishment before taking seats. The group began discussing something between themselves. The Amayan girl seemed slightly older than Angel and had the more common white hair with the usual markings on her face. She was accompanied by three mice. One was a female mouse, all in black with snow white fur and hair that cascaded down her back in curls. He could see some kind of tattoo beneath her shirt on her back. The other two were male. One with the same snow-white fur as the female mouse, only his hair was trimmed very short so that it looked like he didn't have additional hair on his head. Half his face was covered by a shiny metal mask and while he wore navy blue jeans, he also wore a set of bandoleers crossing over his shoulders and chest. Fingerless gloves and black boots finished his look. The last male had cream coloured fur. A tuft of dark brown hair with a yellow streak served as his hair and he wore what looked like some kind of old army fatigues. This male was younger than the white male and sat quite close to the young Amayan. Said Amayan caught Nosedive staring and he looked away.

"For a Plutarkian slave station, the security is top notch." The bar tender replied, "Not sure even you could pull off an infiltration of that place without tripping some sort of alarm going in. Never mind getting out of the place."

"I don't suppose you have any schematics or intel I could study." Angel asked sweetly with her best smile. The bar tender put down a glass he was cleaning and leant across the counter.

"You don't get nothing in this universe for free missy," He said with a raised brow, "How much is it worth?" Nosedive found himself not really caring for where the bar tender's eyes were staring for some reason so settled for turning to lean against the bar and watch the other patrons. He would leave Angel to her negotiating. The group he had seen earlier were still in the same place, but this time a haggard looking mouse had approached them and began hassling them. The female with white fur the same shade as his brother's feathers, he noted, waved the mouse off, but she was ignored. The haggard mouse began shouting something, although Nosedive couldn't hear what it was over the din of the other patrons. Whatever it was seemed to upset the males of the group, one of which got up and faced off against the haggard mouse. It was the white male and Nosedive wondered if the pair were related. "Brother and sister maybe?" He thought to himself. The haggard mouse reached behind him and pulled out a gun. Nosedive watched as some of the surrounding patrons dispersed to allow the two fighting mice room to sort out their quarrel. A handful stayed where they were, presumably because they wanted to get the best view of the outcome. Nosedive made double sure his own gun was ready to draw if he needed it and continued to watch.

"I'll give you 700 gills Rax." Nosedive heard Angel snap.

"And here I thought you'd want some experience." Nosedive gave the yellow alien a scathing, sideways look at the comment, which didn't go unnoticed by the alien.

"You're a sleeze, you know that?" Angel more stated than asked. "Well do you accept."

"Tell you what." Rax responded, leaning closer to her, "One kiss and I'll give it to you for free." He smirked and licked his lips. Something in Nosedive snapped. He turned his attention away from the escalating fight in front of him to the yellow alien behind him. He grabbed Rax by his shirt collar and shoved the barrel of his gun into the alien's throat.

"How about you just give her what she wants, and I won't blow your brains out." Nosedive snarled, surprising even himself at the animosity in his tone. Angel raised a brow beside him but didn't comment. Instead she turned her attention back to Rax, her sweet smile back on her face.

"Make it 500 gills Rax." She smirked, "Final offer. Any more suggestive behaviour and my offers keep going down. Plus, I might just let Nosedive here, carry out his threat." Rax looked from Angel to the still furious Nosedive and sighed.

"Fine." He said raising his hands in defeat, "Set me lose and I will get the info transferred to your ship."

"Pleasure doing business with you." Angel smiled.

"I want my gills!" Rax snapped. Angel pulled out her palm pad and typed in a few commands.

"All done." Angel told him. Rax tapped his fingers on the side before checking his computer. Once satisfied he had been paid, he sent the commands to send all the information Angel required to her ship.

"And your information has been transmitted." He told her. "Now are you going to actually buy something here or…" Angel stepped to one side just before the haggard mouse from before landed hard on the bar. Nosedive turned in the direction the mouse had flown from to see a full bar fight taking place involving pretty much all of the group, save for the Amayan. The white haired Amayan seemed to spot Angel and carefully made her way over to her.

"What are you doing here?" She said with a smirk.

"Getting info on my next job." Angel shrugged, "What about you? What is the Silver Sabre doing in this sector? Last I heard you had just managed to blow up an entire planet!"

"That was self-defence!" The white-haired girl replied defensively. "And it wasn't as if the planet was occupied!" She turned to Nosedive, "You going to introduce me to your cute friend or what?" Nosedive raised his brows at the newcomer as his cheeks flushed a little at the comment.

"This is Nosedive." Angel responded, "Nosedive, this is Kimaya. Although the Plutarkians know her as the Silver Sabre. Kind of like how I'm known as a pirate round here. Everyone who knows her personally though, calls her Kim or Kimmy. Of course, I hear her mom calls her kimmy cup!" Angel sniggered.

"Hi, your friends need help or anything?" Nosedive asked looking over Kim's shoulder at the brawling mice.

"Nah, they need to let off some steam." Kim shrugged then scowled at Angel, "And for the last time, never bring up my mother's stupid nickname for me!" Angel just laughed. "So, what's the job?" Kim continued as if they were old friends.

"Rescuing a friend of his," Angel indicated to Dive with her right thumb, "then taking everyone home to Earth." Angel informed her. "We're headed to Vlark."

"Vlark?!" Kim asked as if to be sure. "We're looking for missing friends as well, and we managed to get intel that one of them is being held there!"

"Another mouse?" Nosedive asked still watching the brawl with a wary eye.

"Human, actually." Kim replied. This got his attention.

"Human?" Dive frowned.

"It's a long story." Kim said with a shrug, "But this woman and two of our friends were taken from Earth then spread between Plutark and their slaver moons. We've been trying to get to this sector ever since. I'm meeting my mother and her crew on what's left of Azmaria to regroup before we figure out exactly how we're going to pull this off." Angel was staring at the white mouse with a mask over half his face.

"That's Vincent Van Wham, right? Maisey's brother?" Angel asked.

"Uh, yeah." Kim replied.

"The Plutarkians mentioned freedom fighters who had been taken." Angel leant back against the bar with a thoughtful look on her face, "I'm guessing that the pair taken were Throttle and Modo. Or maybe one of those two and Stoker?"

"It was Throttle and Modo." Kim replied. "They killed Throttle's girlfriend when they took him. Stoker is back on Mars trying to sort out the latest mess their government has made."

"Harsh." Nosedive frowned, "If your friend is being held in the same place as Tanya then we can get your friend out whilst you go for the others." Nosedive suggested.

"I'm not sure Vinnie would be too pleased about that." Kim looked over her shoulder at the white mouse who currently had a Catatonian in a head lock. "The guy's got it bad for Charlie and I doubt he'll trust anyone else when rescuing her." Dive was only mildly surprised at her admittance, after all, if his brother could fall for a human, a Martian mouse wouldn't be much different. "If you really want to help though, we can figure out the details when we rendezvous with my mother on Azmaria." She looked back at them, "So the two of you in or what?"

"What's there to lose?" Dive looked at Angel.

"I guess extra help couldn't hurt." Angel shrugged, "Just don't get in my way Sabre." Angel added with a smirk.

"Me?" Kim rolled her eyes, "Speak for yourself pirate!" She shook her head before putting her fingers to her lips and whistling loudly. "Are you guys done! We have business to take care of and a bit more help to get it done!" She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at Angel and Nosedive. Angel still leant against the bar but crossed her arms as if challenging the mice approaching them, all having forgotten their recent brawl.

"Been a while, pirate." Mai smiled, "You after something the Plutarkians have too, huh?"

"Someone." Angel corrected. "And yes."

"Why don't we take this back to the Orion before our new friends decide to get physical again?" Rimfire asked looking over his shoulder at some of the men they had been fighting, who were picking themselves up and looking ready for round two.

"Suits me!" Vinnie growled punching a fist into his palm menacingly, whilst looking at some of the groaning fighters that were getting to their feet.

"Longer we play here," Maisey interjected, "The longer Charlie has to wait for you to rescue her." She pointed out. Vinnie looked at his sister and sighed.

"You're right." He stalked off towards the exit to the bar and the small group followed.

"I'm fine mom." Jessica tried to assure her mother, but Elizabeth Fury was having none of it.

"Have you heard from Molly today?" Lizzie asked her daughter her British accent being more obvious through her worry and anger, despite the years she had spent in America.

"Not yet but they don't usually call until a bit later in the day." Jessica shrugged.

"How was your last check up with Alex?" He mother continued, "Is the baby developing properly? Are you both staying healthy. Are you eating properly? Are…?"

"Mom!" Jessica snapped at the screen in front of her, "I told you, I'm fine!"

"Well, so long as you're sure." Lizzie didn't sound convinced, "We can still come down to Anaheim to give you a hand if you need us to. We can get someone to watch the farm and…"

"Seriously mom." Jessica groaned, "I love you both, but you guys being here would only stress me out more. Not to mention give the ducks more people to watch out for!" Jessica took a steadying breath, "Please just stay in Chicago for now."

"Well, if we can't go there, the least that fiancé of yours can do is bring you here to visit." Lizzie grumbled, "They have their own private jet and they haven't once come up for dinner! And now they've gone and got my granddaughter kidnapped!"

"Mother!" Jessica stood up instinctively at the last comment, "None of this was their fault!"

"Jess?" Wildwing asked as he entered their shared room. His face showed worry at Jessica's raised voice.

"Wildwing." Lizzie greeted her soon to be son in law rather coldly.

"Uh, hi Mrs Fury." Wildwing replied nervously. It was rare he joined in when Jessica or Molly had spoken to the Fury Seniors and if he was honest the couple were more than a little intimidating.

"Mom! Now really isn't the time to be coming up for a visit!" Jessica rubbed her temples.

"Well perhaps that's where you're wrong." Lizzie leant back in her chair and folded her arms, "Charlene is missing."

"What?!" Jessica paled.

"Jessica's best friend?" Wildwing asked as his hands held his fiancé's shoulders.

"The very same." Lizzie told them.

"When?!" Jessica demanded. "How?!"

"About 6 weeks ago." Lizzie admitted, "Perhaps a week or so after that first duck was kidnapped. Before our Molly was taken."

"And you're only telling me this now?!" Jessica asked angrily.

"Well your father felt that you had enough to worry about." Lizzie replied, from her body posture, the older woman clearly hadn't been in agreement with her husband.

"She's my best friend!" Jessica snapped.

"We were waiting for the right time to bring it up." Elias Fury said from somewhere off screen.

"Dad." Jessica growled at the screen looking for her father. The patriarch of the Fury family walked into view.

"Jessica." He smiled to his daughter, then turned his smile to Wildwing. "Son." He tipped his hat to Wildwing who stared at the old man in shock.

"I'm not sure he deserves either of us calling him our son until Molly is home!" Lizzie protested.

"That's enough Lizzie!" Elias scolded his wife, "From what I hear, he did everything he could to keep our little girl alive and his brother is doing the same for our granddaughter! Our girl is marrying the boy for Pete's sake! Stop being such a pig-headed old bat and be nice to the boy!" Wildwing managed to cover a laugh with a cough but he could see Jessica clearly smirking beside him. Elias looked at his daughter again, "Listen, there's been rumours of some folks, similar to the ducks, right here in Shy Town. Aliens to be precise. Way I hear it though, they were furry rather than feathered. I don't know much more since I only heard the rumours. Seems Charlene got in deep with these heroes and now she's disappeared, and no one knows where she's gone."

"This nasty businessman is trying to buy up the garage and the land surrounding it!" Lizzie said indignantly, her previous grievance with Wildwing momentarily forgotten. "You ask me that horrible man has something to do with all this!"

"I've been to the garage and taken a look." Elias told his daughter, "There was some damage to the frontage. I've boarded it up for now and I've booked some workmen in to repair the damage. I've also picked up a few of her bills."

"But we can't do that forever." Lizzie said sadly, "Eventually we won't be able to keep doing it…"

"And if Charlene doesn't reappear, then that man will get his hands on the garage." Elias finished.

"Charlie put her heart and soul into the garage." Jessica clenched her fists. "She wouldn't leave it in that state. And she certainly wouldn't leave for any long period of time without telling one of us and certainly not without getting in another mechanic to keep the business running."

"Maybe we should visit Chicago." Wildwing turned to Jessica. "I can go check it out and see if I can find anything that could point to her whereabouts. If the rumours about aliens are true, then maybe whoever they were fighting are the ones helping Draganus."

"That's kind of clutching at straws Wing." Jessica pointed out.

"I know," Wildwing, "But it will let you to visit your folks and I can feel like I'm doing something about this mess."

"If you say so." Jessica cupped his cheek and stroked it with her thumb.

"It's settled then!" Lizzie clapped her hands together. "I'll set up the guest house for you all!" Lizzie got up and left without even saying goodbye, muttering the whole time about what food she'd need to buy in and anything else she might need to do in readiness for their arrival.

"I'll have Demon all ready for you when you get here." Elias told her with a wink, before pressing the button to sign off.

"Demon?" Wildwing asked her.

"My horse." Jessica told him with a shrug.

"Well," Wildwing stretch his arms above his head, "Guess I'd better tell Canard the good news."