Authors note : Chapter 25! It's kind of a milestone for me, and I was hoping to garner some reviews of my story so far. So please if you like it tell me. If you hate it tell me why. I'd just like to know how I'm doing so far. This chapter didn't go like I thought it was supposed to, and actually turned out better than I had hoped. I hope you enjoy!

They had settled on a planet that the books previous owner had at least written about a pages worth of information on, to which Bale could never understand if the amount of information was a good thing. The few words Tremaine could recognize were promising, illiciting such tidbits as 'food', and 'metal'. They couldn't tell what anything truly meant which was frustrating, but at least they knew that the gate ended up somewhere. Once decided, they finished off their can of bean like vegetables that the Travelers had provided them, and reclined to their own thoughts. Tremaine had given him the bed, and had cleaned as good a spot on the floor as he could before laying down. After a while the silence made Bale twitchy, so he decided that now was as good a time as any to ask Tremaine about something Carin had said.

"Why did she call you a runner?" he asked staring up at the gray painted ceiling, noting the stains in one corner. Tremaine lay there, eyes still closed and answered.

"I'll start by saying that we'll never talk about this again. It's dangerous to mention runners on this planet, and if the locals get wind that I'm a runner I'll be killed quicker than you can blink. Agreed?" Bale recognized the dire tone, and acceded to the cautionary demand. "A runner is someone that certain Wraith leaders use for sport. We're hunted by them for pleasure." Tremaine sat up, and shuffled himself against the door to lean on it. "When I was captured, I was the only one of my entire crew left. The others were all used as food, but I was kept alive, only occasionally fed on a little, and then given the life back." Bales brow scrunched up in confusion, unsure how that could be done. "That's another story kid. Needless to say I was set aside for the hive leaders sport."

"What did they do?"

"So to be a runner, the Wraith need a way to find you. One day the guards showed up, beat me up a bit, and dragged me to some kind of lab. They strapped me to a table, cut open a spot on my back, and placed a small device inside me. I couldn't tell you what it looks like since I passed out during the surgery. The hive leader told me about it when they dropped me off on some random world. Now this device transmits a signal all the time, allowing the Wraith to track me anywhere in the galaxy. So when I end up in a spot they can get to quick enough, they show up, hunt me down, and and try to get me."

"But you've never been caught?" asked Bale curious as to what happens afterwards.

"Luckily no. If they had caught me they would most certainly have killed me. Now I've killed many of this particular Wraiths soldiers, and commanders, but that's only because I can be tricky. I use their arrogance and smug superiority against them. Really it's just a matter of time before my luck runs out." The look on Tremaines face was one of tired acceptance, and Bale wondered if he would become the same way after wandering the galaxy looking for home. A thought did occur to Bale.

"Why not just remove the device from your body? There must be a doctor out there somewhere who can get it out." Tremaine sighed heavily, beyond frustration and more weary of that line of thinking.

"You wouldn't believe how many people refuse to try for starters. Once they know what it is, I get chased by them, run off the planet and back through the gate like I'm some sort of plague carrier." He snorted realizing the black humour of it all. "Maybe they're right. Still some can't understand it enough to even make the attempt, more afraid they'll kill me in the process. You heard Carin when she told me her own ships doctor wouldn't touch it. That's what I'm up against having this thing in my body." Bale considered the conversation, imagining the trouble that Tremaine had experienced throughout his life. He decided to make mention of one of his own potential goals yet again.

"Maybe someone in Atlantis can help us." Tremaine shook his head staring off into nothingness.

"Atlantis is nothing but a dream. You might as well see the galaxy rid itself of the Wraith before you make it to that place." He laid back down again, putting his arms behind his head, and closing his eyes. "Take it from me kid. Atlantis is an impossible goal."

The next day they left Sheridans on their way to a transport station, pushing through the crowds milling about the streets like cattle. Bale was beginning to notice the pervasive stench about the town, and seeing the air moving above several grates in the road, realized that the amount of people in this place created an abnormal amount of waste and refuse. The planet was over populated, which meant the sewers were filled to brimming. The thought made him nauseous once more.

After an hours walk through the throngs of people, they arrived at a platform between two tunnels. The air on the platform moved somewhat constantly, spurred on by the breeze coming out of one tunnel, and into the one at the opposite end.

"What are we waiting for?"

"Train." was all Tremaine said, looking around with mild apprehension. He fidgeted with his shotgun for a moment, then realizing what he was doing, slung it over his shoulder. "When it gets here, the doors will open for about a minute. When they do, just go with the crowd, and don't stop whatever you do." Bale was having a hard time anticipating what Tremaine was referring to, but kept the mans words at the forefront of his mind. "Also if for some reason we get separated, just get off the train at Lockley township. I'm not sure how far out we are from it, but most of the trains on this planet end up there." After about twenty more minutes of standing amongst the hub-bub, the train came. He first felt the increase of air being pushed from out of the tunnel to his right, ruffling his hair. The crowd began to get tighter and tighter, as people pressed up against him. Bale couldn't see over the heads of those around him, and someone stepped in between Tremaine and himself. He heard Tremaine say to him loudly "Remember what I said!" The train then erupted from the tunnel and the crowd surged slightly. A gasp and a cry came from out of sight, as more than a couple people fell in front of the train, which didn't seem to slow it in the slightest. A second later, as the train stopped everyone was moving, crushing in as the doors along the tube like body opened. A feeling of claustrophobia began to set in as the crowd shoved, jostled, and poured its way through the smallish doors, bringing Bale along for the ride like a strong current on a river. He barely made it inside as the man behind him nearly got trapped in the door when it suddenly shut. The lighting inside was subdued at best, made even worse by the crush of bodies. Between a fat woman and a shorter man, he could almost spy Tremaine standing shoulder to shoulder with someone. Truthfully he couldn't tell as the entire tube was nothing but torso's and shoulders from where he stood, a barrier made out of live humans.

"Next stop : Trunbell." said a mechanical sounding voice over a speaker somewhere out of sight. The crowd tilted in unison suddenly as the train began moving, its speed ramping up quickly. Trying to avoid the stink of bodies, Bale tried to pull his shirt up over his nose. There was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned his head unable to do anything more, and looked at short man barely taller than himself. His black mustache twitched as he talked.

"You shouldn't do that young'n. You'll a pass out if'n you not ca'ful." said the man. His accent was odd and made it hard to understand, but after a couple of seconds Bale realized what he was saying, and let his shirt drop. "Pay'n attention to the speaker. Oth'wise you miss your stop." The man gave a thin lipped smile, and tipped his head.

"Thank you." said Bale, wishing that Tremaine was on hand close by. A minute later the train slowed and stopped, the doors opening opposite to where Bale got in. Thinking he was going to get relief and a bit of room, he got shoved in further by new passengers getting on. Frantically he scanned for Tremaine, who was only a few steps away when the crowd filled in every available space in the tube. The doors shut once more.

"Next stop : Hettystown." The process repeated at each stop, and in between the crowd flowing in and out, Bale made his way closer to Tremaine. At about the seventh stop, he was finally in reach, and close enough to talk.

"This is insane!" said Bale, nearly pressed up against the back of a very large and hairy man.

"Only another fifteen or so stops I think kid." replied Tremaine trying not to look at the incredibly ugly woman in front of him. Further down the tube there was suddenly a lot of shouting, as two man got into an argument. A fight broke out quickly and began to spread. Bale couldn't believe what he was witnessing, as there wasn't enough space to throw a punch between the bodies. "Cover your nose kid!" shouted Tremaine. He was about to ask why when he noticed a few other passengers pulling shirts up and closing their eyes. He quickly did the same, when her heard a hissing sound and smelled something that reminded him of burning. There were screams down where the fighting was, and a lot of coughing and hacking as passengers fought to get air. "Stay calm." said Tremaine through his own shirt, visibly sweating. A minute later the train came to its stop at the next station. The doors opened and there was a huge rush of air while people began to move. The combatants shuffled off under their own power, and a few were carried or dragged off making way for the next batch of human livestock. Tremaine was standing right next to him now.

"I don't know if I can take much more of this!" said Bale feeling totally beside himself. As the crowd finished pushing in, he felt like they were sent to steal all the air from his lungs. Tremaine just gripped his shoulder.

"You'll be alright. Just relax and don't move from this spot." he said.

"Next stop : Hoits." The train moved on. Stop, exchange passengers, go, and on and on. After another twelve stops, Bale felt like his head was going to pop.

"It's the lack of air getting to you. We've been on this train for what? A couple of hours? It's hard to tell." Tremaine reached up and rubbed his own temples, also succumbing to the effect of low oxygen. Bale swayed in place a little, trying not to breath too much, but just enough to keep him awake. It was another four stops before he heard it.

"Next stop : Lockley."

"Please say we're getting off there." said Bale.

"Yeah. That's our stop." was all Tremaine said. As the train pulled away once more, Bale felt like he was rejoicing a little inside at the thought of getting out of the tube. "Now when we get there, and the doors open, just head for back wall straight out from the door and wait until the crowd disperses. Alright?"

A few minutes later, the train stopped, and the river flowed once more, its currents carrying him out. Fighting his way through the crush and fatigue, and feeling like he was wading through mud, he made it to the wall like Tremaine told him. They had gotten separated once more, but once the platform began to clear he could see the man not more than ten paces away.

"Come on kid." said Tremaine beckoning for him to follow down a set of stairs. "There's fresher air away from here."