Here we go again! As always, all the characters except ones I made up belong to Rare. I'm not making money, don't sue, etc. Enjoy!






The Gemini team was nearing the target. The gargantuan Spawnship loomed before them, and they were ready to begin their assault. But it was different. This time they were going to succeed- one way or another.

The four remaining Jet force members were at their respective places on the bridge. Juno sat in his chair in the center. Castor stood near Juno with his gun to the "evil bitch's" head. Jeff stood to the side of Juno's chair. Vela sat at her computer, carefully watching the monitor. Nova had taken Lupus' place at the IWD. Cassandra and the crew of Jet Force Libra were down in the sick bay, recovering from their injuries. All present and accounted for.

Juno stopped the ship just outside the Spawnship's sensor range, and stood up. He turned to address his crew.

"This is it. We're going to end this once and for all. Castor, are you going to stay behind to watch her?"

"I suppose I will. Someone has to."

"Good. Now." He turned to the rest of them- only three others besides himself, and only two of those members of Jet Force. Not good odds. "This mission is what they would call suicide at HQ. I don't expect to return from it. I won't order you to throw away your lives, especially not Nova, since I have no power over him."

"I'll go wherever you tell me, Juno," Nova replied. Juno smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Nova. Now. Jeff. You don't have Jet Force training, and you don't have any weapons. Are you sure of this?"

"I have more weapons than you think, Juno. I'm going."

"Alright. Vela?"

"Do you have to ask, Juno? There's no way I'd let you have all the fun."

"I'm not sure how fun this will be." Juno turned towards Castor.

"It's been nice knowing you, Castor. Maybe I'll survive, who knows?"

Castor was overcome with emotion, part anger that he wasn't going, part sadness that the rest were. He was unable to speak. Instead, he snapped his right hand up into a salute. He tried to stop the tears welling up in his eyes as Juno saluted him back. Technically, Juno and Castor were the same rank, but Castor, and possibly any member of the special forces, would defer to Juno.

Nova stepped up beside Juno and faced Castor grimly. Vela and Jeff also took their places. With a final nod to Castor, Juno and his group departed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Castor watched as the three small vessels left the ship. He failed to notice that the "evil bitch" was moving around. He did notice, however, when she wrapped her hands around his neck.

Castor struggled to get free, swinging her back and forth. He stopped trying to pry her hands free and swung down sharply. She flew over his head and hit the floor, which was much harder than grass. She crawled forward, and jumped up next to the control console.

"Don't move!" she warned Castor, who was pointing his gun at her. "Don't move or I'll bring this into Spawnship sensor range!"

"Move this ship and I'll blow your head off," he replied.

"My death is meaningless, as long as Lord Mizar lives."

It was a standoff. Neither of the two dared to move. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, someone moved. And it wasn't Castor.

She slammed the controls, and the ship jerked forward. Castor fired a shot into her head, killing her almost instantly, but it was too late. Sirens went off as the Spawnship acquired the target. Castor looked out the window, letting his gun drop to his side. It was too late to do anything, now.

"Sorry, Juno," he whispered. "Guess I won't see you again after all. It's been nice knowing you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside, the other four watched with horror as Gemini lurched forward, and were mortified when the Spawnship fired. The first shot crippled the ship, and the second shot destroyed it. Gemini became a ball of fire as it exploded.

"No," Juno said. "No. No! NO!"

But it was too bad, because in space, no one could hear him.






Dun dun DUN! Ooo, scary. What will happen to our heros next? Saty tuned for the next exciting edition of...

Counterstrike!