"Rekk? What happened?" Karn asked after getting a few minutes of static.BR
"I crashed it! DAMNIT! I'm so stupid!"BR
"You crashed? Is it bad?"BR
"Probably not but I sure don't know how to get it started again. I don't think I should have tried to fly it in the first place."BR
"Tell me where you are and we'll come to you." Vadhis devoured the remnants of the salt and vinegar chips. BR"Glutton..." he whispered in his general direction.BR
"What was that?"BR
"Nothing. So what do you suggest we do?"BR
"I'd like to meet you, so why dont you come on over to my place." Reek said with an air of casual humour.BR
"Umm, sure. Where are you?"BR
Rekk looked at his surroundings for the first time. "Well, there are a lot of trees on one side and on the other there is a lot of sand... Oh no..."BR
"What? What's the matter?"BR
Rekk whispered into the comm. "Someone's coming..." He returned to the ship in search of a weapon. BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth didn't believe his eyes. The IArchAngel/I was lying on the beach like a beached whale. He approached cautiously. Rekk saw the figure on the beach drawing near and nervously fingered the blaster he had found in Hoth's cabin. He forced himeself to stand in the doorway and fire as best as he could at the approaching form.
Hoth saw the tracing blaster fire fired from the door as it tore the night. Fortunately for Hoth, Rekk was bad a bad aim and his first shots missed. Hoth yelped in surprised and dived and rolled to one side on imstinct. He got up and ran through the sand as the laser shots hit the ground behind him as he ran. "ITS ME! ITS HOTH!" He shouted. "DONT SHOOT!"BR
Rekk stopped. "D'oh!"BR
"Gods..." Hoth muttered, rubbing his side where he'd rolled over a patch of rocks. "They've got the others over in that direction somewhere." Hoth gestured behind him vaguely. BRBR
"AKRENNIAN!" The night silence was broken by Wandrin upon seeing Hoth outside the ship. "You have insulted me, challenged me and tried to kill me. You and I will settle this now! Hand to hand! Do you accept, or are you a coward?" Even though Wandrin was a scoundrel of a pirate, he retained a certain quiet dignity. BR
Rekk leveled his blaster menacingly but Hoth put his hand on the gun and he lowered it again. "Squemetan, you tried to sell me into slavery. That's reason enough to kill you. I guess I was just too kind to have let you live. Now I'll finish the job! I accept!"BR
Both advanced and circled each other. Squemetan fists are part of their exoskeleton as well as their skulls, ribs and hips. Getting hit by a squemetan fist is like getting hit with a brick and hitting a squemetan in the wrong place is like hitting a brick wall. Nonetheless, Hoth advanced viciously with a growl twisted on his face. BRBR
Wandrin stepped forward and threw a punch aimed at Hoth's face. He ducked it and landed a hard upper cut to Wandrin's vulnerable midsection which forced the air from his lungs. Wandrin forced himself to move and took advantage their position by grabbing Hoth's arm and throwing him over his shoulder. Hoth landed in the sand in front of him. Wandrin was about to stomp in him, but Hoth rolled out of the way. He stood and faced his charging foe.BR
Wandrin was going as fast as he could despite the sand that grasped his ankles and slowed him down. Hoth stood his ground. Wandrin prepared to lunge when Hoth went down and swept his feet from under him. Wandrin went down hard, hitting the sand with his face first. Hoth saw that victory was at hand, he fell on top of Wandrin and preceeded to start to choke the life out of him.
Wandrin say that the situation was dire. This time he would not stop until he was dead. He reached for something and fumbled with Hoth's grasp with the other hand. Hoth felt a biting pain suddenly tearing through his right arm. He released his grasp and grunted. Wandrin turned and kicked him off of him. Both got up and stared at each other. BR
"A knife." Hoth looked at his right arm and pulled out Vlah'do's knife from his right bicep. "That was a dirty trick!" BR
Wandrin didnt respond. He had failed to kill him the first time he had cheated. He was angry with himself. He just wanted to throw himself on this inpertinent akrennian and beat him to death. However this particular one was a real fighter. He would not be intimidated or tricked. Nor would he just die. What am I thinking? he asked himself. I am the superior race! This is person is nothing! I am better trained and stronger than this person. He cannot harm me! I am indestructable. His vision temporarilly turned red. All he saw was this man in front of him that represented everything he had ever hated. This man was under him, he was inferior, he was weak, he was akrennian! Without a second thought, he threw himself on Hoth. BRBR
Hoth didnt expect this and so had left himself open. Wandrin took him down and was on top of him, pressing him into the sand. His long, hard bony fingers wrapped around Hoth's throat and choked the breath from him.
Rekk observed the struggle from outside the IArchAngel/I. Now that he saw Hoth starting to lose he ran to help him. He stopped halway. He saw Wandrin go limp and issue a gurgling cry. Hoth freed himself from underneath him and in the process turned Wandrin over. Rekk could see the knife stabbed to the hilt in a tiny hole in the carapace on the neck and the throat, protruding like a grotesque handel. BR
Hoth stood up. His arm bled profusely, but he couldnt stop staring at the limp form of Wandrin. His legs were folded underneath him and his fingers were still clenched. His face had a subtle expression of surprise and his head was lolled back displaying the knife in his throat. Blood oozed out slowly between the cracks in the carapace and the knife's hilt. Rekk was startled and slightly disgusted. Hoth looked on with indifference. He went into the IArchAngel/I to get a bandage for his arm. BRBR
***BRBR
Vlah'do sat on the ground next to Azure with his hands tied and being watched by half the motley crew. Bild had gotten frustrated and was pacing around waiting for the small task force he had sent out to return. "Stripe me, where can they have gotten to."BR
Sovwren eyed the captives with indifference. "I say this is all a waist of time. I mean, you're worried about Wandrin? You think he can't handle a little akrennian on a leash?"BR
"It's not that, it's that hes-" He saw the three that he had sent out return and trailed off, jumping up from his seat and hurrying over to them. "Where is he?" BR
A squemetan was pushed to the front by the other two. "Well captain. We, err, didn't find him exactly."BR
"WHAT?!?" Bild exploded.BR
The squemetan cowered. "But we-we did find some tracks sir! We came back to get you because-cause we were going to tell you so that you could de-decide. Sir!"BR
Bild pondered this for a moment. He then took his katana and smacked him with the flat of his blade, producing a loud clang and a small cut in the flesh. "I only used the back of me blade because you did the right thing. I guess its true that if you want to get anything done right you have to do it yourself. I'll take these two and go get 'im. But you'll stay here and as punishment, you have to stay here and sharpen milady's sword for 'er." He looked over at Sovwren fondly. "I noticed it was getting a piece dull..."BR
"Thank you Bild. That's very considerate." She stepped closer to him and gave him a big hug. Bild melted.BR
"Sovwren, you old flatter you..." As she stepped away she took his katana. "Hoi! What in blue blazes!"BR
"I'm going to need this frog sticker of yours for a while." BR
"But dearest... that... is... MY-"BR
"Oh honestly Bild, I'm going to give it right back. Besides, your just going to go fetch your old messmate." She moved close to him once again. "You know how I feel about not having a weapon."BR
Bild melted as she stroked his beak. "Oh all right. I... guess its okay. But don't get any ideas!" He started off. The other two followed and bumped into him as he stopped and turned around. "Watch where your going dunderheads!"BRBR
The mantrin he had bumped into eyed him curoisly. "Captain? I was just thinking. I think I'd like Ghassedt to come with us on this little trip." BR
A short squemetan holding a huge gun looked up and smiled. He stroked the pulse laser in his lap. "Aye Captain." He said flatly. He had gotten that gun from a soldier in the akrennian army. It was his personal prize and well worth the risk he had taken to get it and measures he had used to keep it. He had a reputation for being a deadly acurate shot even though the gun he packed was very heavy and cumbersome.BR
Bild waved to Sovwren and left into the night following the tracks he had been showed. There was one pair of foot prints that were spread far apart. That meant that its owner had been running. And there was a skid mark next to them, as though something were being dragged beside it. They followed these tracks down the beach.BRBR
***BRBR
The person in the bush had returned. He had spared no time preparing but had gotten everything he had needed, infared goggles, smoke canisters, even an extra heat sink for his customized particle assault rifle. He watched the four men leave the group and head down the beach. He laboriously followed, cursing his knee for not following the commands he gave it. Hehe, divide and conquer my friends, you're just making it that much easier for me... He thought as he followed the four from a distance.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure saw this motion and stirred. She looked into the night and saw it again. A bush rustled, a twig snapped, a foot touched the ground just a little too hard. She nudged Vlah'do who had started to nod off. BR
"Adgha tha ponras?" BR
Vlah'do became alert and looked at her enquizatively. BROh gods,she thought, he doesn't speak my tongue!BR
"Fraonm yeop fira ghats?" Have I seen what?BR
Azure hid her gladness and whispered to him. "Hirsa hest por ghout junious plyantron!" There is someone in the bushes! BR
"Ditranios? Doundre?" Really? Where?BR
Azure nodded with her head. "Ahyiou!"BR
Vlah'do looked but didnt see anything. The one she talked about had left. He didn't doubt her though. He continued to converse with her in their language so as not to be understood by their captives. "Are you sure?"BR
"Positive." She said flatly.BR
"What do you think we should do?"BRBR
A mantrin nearby stirred from his rest. "Cut it out you two! Quiet down or I'll silence you with my bare hands!"
Both waited for him to tip his head back again and nod off.BR
"Every thing possible to help him. I think he's going to help us!"BRBR
***BRBR
Karn called on the slimy communicator once again to no avail. "Hoth, come in Hoth. Are you there?" No reply.BR "What could have happened?"BR
Vadhis munched his last mouthful of salt and vinegar chips. "Well, a number of things. They could have been caught by-"BR
"Quiet you. No one likes a comedian." BR
Vadhis distainfully finished his mouthful. Oddly enough he was starting to feel a bond to this igonian. He no longer bore resemblance to the tree skipper he had caught but never could bring himself to eat. An akward silence ensued that was broken by Karn.BR
"How old are you?" He held the knife loosely in his hand as though he hadn't use for it.BR
"Well, let's see. I think that... I am twenty-seven Solbrecht years old."BR
"How much is that in standard?"BR
"I dont know."BR
Another silence followed. Vadhis felt compelled to break it this time. "And you?"BR
"What?"BR
"How old are you?"BR
He felt odd having his captive make conversation with him. "I am eighteen Tahu-Dzo years, twenty-two Standard which is twenty-five Solbrecht."BR
"That's cool." Vadhis said dully. He wanted to keep talking but had run out of things to talk about until he spotted the band around his hand. "That's nice. What is it?"BR
"Well, its like the one on your ear there, but this one's special."BR
"How so?"BR
"Well, it's my wedding band."BR
"Wedding band? You're married?" BR
"Yeah."BR
"But you're only twenty-five!"BR
Karn smiled. "We believe in marrying young."BR
"You... don't have any... kids, do you?"BR
He smiled again, but this time it was not an amused smile, but a happy smile. "Yes. I have one. He is new born."BR
"Well, what are you doing away from him here?"BR
"It was a diplomatic mission."BR
"A diplomat? Oh Gods... if we ever got caught..."BR
"You'd be in for some serious punishment, I'm sure." BR
"And I'll bet you don't even have anything of value."BR
"Nope," he smiled his sarcastic smile again. "just our lives and freedom which you were trying to take away."BR
"Yeah? Well I'm through with pirating anyway. I got sick of it."BR
"So I kind of saved you after you tried to sell me as a slave."BR
"I hadn't thought of it like that, but yeah. I guess that's what it's like." BR
"Bah, get off. And I'll bet you don't have any friends in that motley group and you were going to leave soon anyway. Am I right?"BR
Vadhis was suddenly serious. "No, I had a friend. She was a real sad case. She was foresaken from her clan and was going to commit suicide. That's when I met her. She was a real sad person until she joined this crew. After that she sort of got happy. But I knew it couldn't last because no one can remain glad when they are making others suffer."BR
"So you fell in love with her?"BR
Vadhis was silent.BR
"Did you?" Karn asked.BR
"I... I guess so. I never really thought about it before. She was never really interested in love..." He trailed off.BR
The silence returned and hovered over them like a storm. Karn broke it by standing up and talking to him. "Well, I think that you'd better come with us to Nami Muro. But first, we have to have Hoth and..." Karn thought for a second. He realised that he didn't know the other guy's name. He knew that he was a human male adolescent or older, but he didn't know who he was. "That other guy find us. So, let's build a fire."BR
Vadhis helped him carry small pieces of wood and arrange them in a circular patter. He noticed that Karn had returned the knife to its place.BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth wrapped gause around the puncture wound in his right bicep and cut the cloth with his teeth. Rekk walked into the room. "Hoth, I need to know how-" He stared at Hoth's midsection. "Good God! What happened to your stomach?" BR
Hoth raised an eye ridge and looked down at his shirt. It was torn in two places to reveal two long lascerations across his muscular stomach. His mouth went agape. He hadn't even noticed them before. Closer inspection of the corpse of the squemetan revealed what had happened. Wandrin was a rugged fighter and had honed every fighting capability he had to the best of his extent. He had apparently taken advantage of his two clawed feet and gotten smaller boots than would have fitted him and cut two holes in the toe to reveal his two claws protruding wickedly from the leather tip. They were slightly stained with his blood. When he had stabbed Hoth and he had released his grip, Wandtin had turned around and kicked him off and in the process, cut him. The wound was very shallow but long. "Gods... will my luck ever return?"BRBR
Rekk helped him place the bandages across his torso as Hoth cringed. "Careful, that hurts!"BR
"If that were me, I would be screaming in pain buddy! Don't give me that, I know you can take a little more. Whatever doesn't kill ya will only make you stronger right?" Rekk laughed.BR
Hoth was not in the mood for humour. BRBR
***BRBR
The shadowy figure cursed his knee once again. It had caused him to knock against trees and hit the ground louder than he had intended, making it very hard for him to be stealthy. He knew the terrain well and soon came to the spot he had intended. He set up his tripod and waited in the tall grass. The rifle rested and he swung it a few times to see if it would move easily. It did.
He spotted his targets as they rounded the hill. The tracks led them to the ArchAngel. He noticed that his primary threat had lit a cigarette. The small light bobbed up and down as Ghassedt walked, his laser pulse rifle held laxly in his hands. Ha! he thought. Not only do you make yourself a better target but you are screwing up your night vision. You aren't going anywhere buddy. Just wait until I can get a clear shot.BRBR
Bild saw it first, The IArchAngel/I in the sand, but when he rounded the sand a little more, he tore into a bolting run. "Wandrin! No! Me ol' messmate! Not you!"BRBR
Hoth had already sensed the peril and had left the ship with Rekk and fallen back to a dune far away from the IArchAngel/I. He saw the four round the hill and come to the corpse. The lead mantrin was a tough, well-built male who would not be taken down with one shot. Hoth assessed the situation. Who is most threatening? The mantrin? No, I see someone with a gun back there. He needs to die first. Hoth took careful aim and waited for Ghassedt to stop walking. Hoth smiled to himself. Ghassedt had stopped and remained standing as the other three knelt next to the body of their fallen comrade. Right now they're probably thinking 'Who killed Wandrin? Isn't this that little akrennian's knife in his throat?' I'm going to enjoy this. Hoth carefully aimed his blaster at Ghassedt's head but never got to fire.BRBR
***BRBR
Ghassedt screamed in pain, a terrible sound, and the gun flew from his hands as he fell to the ground. For the third time that night, the shooter cursed himself. He had missed him mark and instead of hitting Ghassedt in the head, he had put a hole clean through the Squemetans upper torso near the sternum and a little to the left. He had his rifle set on full energy burst and now had to remove the heat sync and let it cool before he could fire again. He took the steaming cartrage from the chamber and extracted another. BRBR
***BRBR
The other three had scattered upon seeing Ghassedt hit the sand. They hid behind whatever they could. The other matrin from the group had stayed with Bild and now hid behind a tree. The other squemetan had fled to a rock for cover.BR
It was a pitiful sight; Ghassedt layed strewn on the sand with the rifle on the ground in front of him. He was still alive, and in great pain. "Oh Ballican! Oh Ballican!" He yelled. "It hurts so much! It hurts so @#%$ much! Help me! Help me!" No one moved to his aid. "I'm gonna die! I'm going to die! Help me!"BR
The mantrin with Bild made a movement but Bild stopped him. "No Fakhrir. It's the oldest trick in the book; shoot someone to wound and pick off anyone that comes to help. There's nothing we can do for poor Ghassedt but avenge his death."BR
Rohgrhun, the other squemetan with Bild, saw her mate in his death rows and heard his agonizing cries. He continued for a long time. "Rohghun! Rohghrun! Help me! Please help me! I'm dying! Oh Ballican, it hurts!"BR
She could stand it no longer. She rushed to his side. Bild cried out. "Rohgrhun! No! Dont!" She didn't listen.BR
This time, the target was not missed. A tracer split the night, illuminating the scene. She fell without a sound, never to get up. Ghassedt saw this from the corner of his eye. "Ballican take me now. All is lost!" He stopped crying. Two Squemetan bodies were strewn in the sand next to each other. Ghassedt bled profusely, but Roghrhun hadn't, she was killed by a shot straigh through the torso and heart. Ghassedt was lying on his side with blood pouring from the hole just below his neck in the hard bone. Both lay next to each other for the rest of eternity.BR
Fakhrir had completely freaked! He lost it and almost tried to bolt, but Bild caught him by the shirt and smacked him in the face. "Damnit man! Listen to me!"BR
Fakhrir shook with terror and unused adrenaline. "They are both dead! The only thing we can do is head back to the rest of thee crew and fight back. What we need is daylight and guns. Both will be ours if you follow me and wait! Now come on!" He ran into the forest, across the hill and back the way he had come with Fakhrir close behind.BRBR
***BRBR
Through the scope he could see the two retreating figures clearly. Obviously they had no idea where he was or they would have taken another route. He decided not to shoot at either but to let them return from where they had come. That's right, run back to the group. I'll find you, you can't escape me. He was completely prepared, which was the most dangerous thing about him.BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth poked his head out from behind the sand dune, cautiously scanning for threat before scrambling over the dune, motioning for Rekk to follow. He pressed his wrist comm, which he had grabbed before leaving the ArchAngel, and waited for the ramp to come down. Hikori appeared at the top of the ramp, looking a bit confused.
"Captain? Might I ask what is going on?" BR
"No time to explain, just get us airborn." Hoth replied. Hikori shrugged and obliged, walking in the direction of the cockpit. BRBR
***BRBR
Azure perked her ears and listened carefully, hoping that if their unknown savior fired it would cause enough confusion for Vlah'do and herself to slip off. And maybe she would be able to get her things back as well. She snorted softly at the thought. Fat chance, Azure. BRBR
***BRBR
Karn had lit a cozy fire and sat next to Vadhis on a piece of drift wood. He had been trying to contact Hoth unseccusfully for a while and had given up, but now he felt impressed to try again. He wiped the comm for the umpteenth time and pressed the button. "Hoth are you there?"BR
"Yes, I'm here." came the reply.BR
"Hoth! We built a fire down the beach. Can you come and get us?"BR
"A fire? Are you crazy? You want to get found?"BR
"Yes, by you!"BR
"Listen, we have the IArchAngel/I off the ground again and we're coming to find you. Put out the fire and don't move from where you are."BR
"Got it."BRBR
***BRBR
A series of faint clicks resounded through the night as a zipper opened. He had planned this carefully as he returned for equipment. He extracted the gas mask from his backpack and put it on, adjusting it until it fit snuggly around his muzzle. He adjusted his goggles and checked everything on his gun before rotating the heat syncs once again. He headed off once again thanking fate that his luck could not get any worse. He had plans. He couldn't afford anymore mistakes.BRBR
***BRBR
Bild returned panting to the group with Fahkrir in his wake. "Sovwren!" He shouted upon approaching. BR
"What?" BR
"They got them!"BR
"Who? Who got what?"BR
"Wandrin! And Ghassedt! They're dead!"BR
"Who killed them?"BR
"I dont know! And then Rohgrhun tried to help him and they got her too!"BR
"WHO!"BR
"I DONT KNOW!" BR
Sovwren was surprised but retained her collectiveness enough to size up the situation. "Okay, we need to get out of here. It must be some police or army or something." She grabbed her sword from the cowering squemetan who was sharpening it. "But first, light some torches."BR
Three crew members passed out magnesium flares. Each of the remaining crew members held one. Upon recieving a flare, one of the mantrin crew members protested. "But don't you think that we could see better without the flare. I mean, they mess up our night vision and make us easier to see."BR
"Shut your beak fool! Everyone knows its easier to see with the light. Besides, its the captain's orders. Maybe we can find the blochnauht that's been killing our mates!"BR
"Yeah, but I dont like it."BRBR
***BRBR
The stalker surveyed the crew through his night vision goggles. He saw the mantrins conversing and the small red sticks passed out. Now what could those be? he though. He saw the Mantrin who had been arguing shrug and pull the tip of the flare off. Gods! He quickly threw off his goggles and they landed with a thump in the sand. He rubbed his eyes vigorously. Night vision goggles work by taking all the light visible and increasing it exponencially so that it is more easily visible. When the flare was lit, it appeared so bright to the onlooker that it was like staring into the noonday sun. He crouched with his head in his hands. Curses, he thought, now I'll have to try them with my bare eyes. He restored the goggles to their place and headed after them.BRBR
***BRBR
Bild had regained his courage and took command of the situation. "All right!" He yelled above the din. "We are going to back to the ship! Follow me and we'll be there in no time." He lead the crew through the forest and into the night.BRBR
***BRBR
He saw them leaving and headed after them. I can't keep up. I'm going to have to distract them. He cursed his luck again. This was not planned and he didn't have much time. He needed to stop them now if he was going to rescue their two prisoners. He made a mental check of all his supplies. Mask, flash and smoke canisters, extra sync, This was going to be sudden but if he played his cards right he could pull off what he had in mind. BR
He started after and noticed that the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. Well finally a little luck. He smiled. The Gods must approve of what I am about to do... BRBR
***BRBR
The IArchAngel/I sat down on the sand, Hikori having traced the comm using the ship's computers. Hoth grumbled impatiently as the ramp squawked it's way down. "Karn, c'mon! We've gotta move!" He yelled over the working gears. the ramp set down with a muffled thud.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure lay back her ears and struggled with her captors, dragging her feet and stopping in her tracks. Only to have the leash around her neck jerked, along with herself. Finnally her captor tired of this and grabbed the leash near her throat, tipping her head back and making her stand on her toes. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.BR
"OBEY." The Squemetan snapped, loosening his grip so she was able to stand normaly. BR
"Sela." Azure made no hesitation and bit his hand, growling as her teeth sunk through the hard exoskeleton. The Squemetan howled and tried to shake her off, only suceeding in making Azure clamp harder. She released him when he dragged her to a tree and was about to hit her head against a palm tree. He howled again as his hand scraped across the bark.BR
Azure spat in the sand at his feet, glaring. "Don't touch me, sela." BRBR
Things were starting to look up once again. With the silent sniper's rifle silent they were free to walk in casual comfort at a leasurely pace. The sun was coming up and they were headed back to their ship with their slaves. Bild was back to his old self and furious at having lost two able bodied captives. Sovwren kept him in check while the whole crew walked through the jungle with their two captives.BR
Negyr looked at his broken hand. It was incredibley painful; the carapace had been broken and splintered out one two ends. The flesh inside had been punctured in a sort of compound fracture and it bled terribley. He couldn't even move his fingers very much without an immense pain. His friend bandaged his wound. Negyr looked back at Azure. "What d'you think the captain'll do to 'er Schin?"BR
The other squemetan laughed. "'E'sh going to flog 'er! That's what 'e'll do! If'n 'e doen't kill 'er in da proshessh! An' 'e told ushn'sh not to 'botch 'is profitsh'. Bah! No, 'e won't kill 'er! 'E'll just shmack 'er around a bit." BR
"Well after she did this to me I think it's the least she deserves! Look at that!" He held up his broken hand. "Clean through! It's gone clean through the bone! How did she manage? I'f I wasn't sure that the Captain's going to give her the beating of her life, I would go over there right now and break both her hands! By Ballican I would!"BR
"I 'ear you mate." He sniggered to himself before continuing in his curious dialect. "Don't you worry tho', Ol' Captain Bild'sh gonna give 'er a good roughing-up! You'll shee. Ah, 'ere he come'sh now."
Bild stormed across the beach, his retrieved katana in his hands. He saw Azure on her leash, taking a catnap. Although he was a bully, Bild was not weak. He had been born naturally strong. Without much effort he lifted Azure bodily from the ground by the leash. "You dirty Blochnaut! Look what you've done! I'm going to have to teach you come humility I can see!" BR
Azure gagged, her feet dangling off the ground. She had been caught completely off guard because it had been roughly thirty minutes since Negyr had showed the captain his injury after a failed attempt to punish Azure himself. Even though she was without breath, she snarled and bore her teeth, radiating fighting spirit. Bild disregarded her entirely. "Schin, go fetch me a spike and hammer."BRBR
"Yesh Shir." He returned with a large metal spike and a malet. All this time, Bild kept Azure suspended off her feet by the collar. BR
"Negyr, put that spike into this tree right here."
Negyr obeyed and started hammering into the tree, wincing in pain as he bent his fingers, producing a shockwave of pain. He just hoped that he didn't miss his mark and hit his hand.BR
With Azure pinned against the tree by Bild's massive arms, her head was just centimeters away from his. "You're lucky this spike isn't going through your throat akrennian!" BR
"That'll do Negyr. I'll do the punishing round here!" He hung her up by the collar on the spike protruding from the tree. "Now, you'll stay there until you've learned some respect! Schin! Tie her hands!"BR
"'E'e, yesh captain." Bild had to help him because the squirming Akrennian fought tooth and nail. Eventually her hands were tied together in front of her. It was a pathetic sight. Azure dangled from the tree being chocked by the leash with her hands tied in front of her. She did not yell because she knew that she must preserve her breath. She knew that they would dare not kill her but they might come pretty close. BRBR
The three watched her in gruesome amusement until Bild did something unexpected. "Negyr, go get some kindling."BR
"Captain?"BR
He stared back at him authoritively. "We need to start a fire soon. Go get some kindling!"BR
"But captain," He whimpered. "My hand..."BR
"I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR ZLOTTING HAND! GO GET SOME KINDLING!"BR
"Yee-ees Captain!" He left quickly.BR
"And you, Schin."BR
"Yesh? Captain?"BR
"Get lost."BR
"Yesh Captain." Schin started to walk back to the rest of the group in dawn's first rays of light. Once he was out of ear-shot, he turned around to see Bild staring at Azure. "Dat'n'sh an odd'n if I do shay sho meshelf..."BRBR
Bild circled the pathetic form on the tree. "So me beauty, you've been causing a spot of trouble then haven't you?" Azure did not reply. "You wound one of my crew with your bare teeth! You've got a fighting fire that I haven't seen in a long time! I have a proposition to make to ye." He slid the tip of his katana between the collar and Azure's neck and with a flick of the wrist, cut the collar. Azure fell in the sand, coughing. "Hows about you join my crew?" Azure coughed. "I know, the squemetan wouldn't like it, but if they layed a finger on you, I'd learn them a harsh lesson they wouldn't soon forget. They've been getting a little big on themselves lately and-"BR
"Never!"BR
"Wot?"BR
"I'd never join your gang of parasite-ridden, meat-headed bullies! I'd rather be sold into slavery! I'd rather die!"BR
Bild was amazed. He had just offered this Akrennian women her freedom and a comfortable privateering life, and she had rejected it just as easily as if she had turned down an extra piece of pie. "Fool! Don't you realise what you have been offered?" Her raised his katana. "I guess you need some more teaching!" The flat of the blade came down hard on her back and she cringed as the blade made a small laceration along her back.
He raised the sword again. All of a sudden, he was pushed forward from behind and his sword was pulled from his hands. "Hey! I'll kill you-" He turned to see Sovwren glaring at him with the katana in her hands and her sword strapped to her back.BR
"You idiot! What do you think your doing?"BR
"Sovwren, me little dove. I was just teaching this little 'un of ours some manners."BR
"I know her kind. You're wasting your strength. You could beat her to a bloody pulp before you hindered her spirit." She approached Azure and knelt next to her. She patted her head almost maturnally. "Isn't that right? Your a real fighter aren't you?"BR
Azure stared back defiantly. "Don't waste your breath! Your mate already tried to get me to join your crew! I won't!"BR
"Oh, I don't expect you to join." She stood and backed away. "I know that you'll provide some real entertainment around here."BR
"That's what I am huh?" BR
Sovwren turned to look at the speaker.BR
"Your entertainment? Your little dancing fool? Well, all I'll be doing is escaping. But I won't stop there. No, I vow that I will beat your sgraggly hide a few times before this day's done!"BR
"Like I said. A real fighter." BR
"Heed my words woman!"BR
"I disregard your words. I don't even feel intimidated because you are not a threat." She returned to the rest of the crew.BRBR
Bild was rather bewildered. "Err, just behave yourself now miss. I don't want to do anything drastic to yer." He placed a chord about her neck while keeping his blade trained on her. "Now, this cord ain't as nice as that little collar. If you run, it will cut you. If I don't like what you're doing, I'll pull the chord. Understood?"BR
Azure tested the cord by pulling on it a little. Bild was right. "Yeah..." She mumbled under her breath. BR
"Good, now back with the rest. You can rejoin your matey there."BRBR
***BRBR
The sun was starting to come up and so night vision goggles were not necessary. He could easily follow the magnesium flares and the tracks left in the sand. He no longer worried about losing them even though his knee throbbed with pain and ached with each step, he forced himself onward. He remembered the troubled looks on the captives faces. This is one mission that I cannot abort.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure was returned to sitting by Vlah'do. The mantrin who had been nonchalantly guarding them glared at Azure. "Why can't you behave yourself like him?" BR
"Yes, like you..." Azure said menacingly.BR
"Azure, Heain glusds!" Azure, he's back!BR
"Where?"BR
"To the left. He's been following us for the past few minutes! What do you think we should do?"BR
"We need to help him! But how?"BR
"I don't know. People have been saying that he killed three crew members already. I don't think its-"BR
"HOI!" The mantrin kicked Vlah'do in the side. "How many times do I have to tell you! SHUDDAP with that gobbing!"BR
Vlah'do cringed and twitched. He was not one to lose his temper readily but he was on the verge of doing so now. BR
Azure whispered to him. "If that's true then I don't think he'll need our help."BR
The mantrin lashed out at Azure. "ZLOT SHUT THE-"BR
Vlah'do threw himself at him. With his hands tied behind his back he still put up a good fight. He kicked and bit and threw himself against the matrin captor. Two other crew members ran to his aid and pulled Vlah'do off of him. Vlah'do was delt many blows and returned to his place with the strapp tightened. The mantrin was replaced by another who took his post readily. BR
Vlah'do looked at Azure and noticied how beaten up she was. There were bruises around her throat and a long lasceration on her back that bled subtely. Gods, this is terrible. We have to get out of here.BRBR
***BRBR
Karn greeted Hoth as he got out of the ship. "Hey Hoth, nice to see you a-"BR
Hoth pulled out his blaster and aimed it just to the left of Karn's head. Karn instinctively ducked. "Gah! What are you going?"BR
"Get back!" He yelled at Vadhis.BR
"Hoth, it's okay." BR
"What?"BR
"Let me explain. Vadhis has left the crew! He wants to join us!" BR
"Wait! You can't just leave! I don't trust this!"BR
"Hoth, listen! He wants to join us and go to Nami Muro. Come on!" BR
Hoth growled and bared his teeth. "I still don't trust him." He hissed.
Hikori shook his head from the top of the ramp. "Captain, please, let us just go. We'll take the mantrin with us. If you do not want him roaming the ship we can lock him in a supply closet. But please, let us just go." He said, always in the same calm, even tone.
Hoth snarled but holstered his blaster. "Yeah, you're right Hikori. Let's just go get 'em. If that....THING has lain a FINGER on Az I'll..." He cut off his threat with a glare aimed at the dust, snorted, turned and walked back up the ramp into the ArchAngel. BRBR
***BRBR
"I crashed it! DAMNIT! I'm so stupid!"BR
"You crashed? Is it bad?"BR
"Probably not but I sure don't know how to get it started again. I don't think I should have tried to fly it in the first place."BR
"Tell me where you are and we'll come to you." Vadhis devoured the remnants of the salt and vinegar chips. BR"Glutton..." he whispered in his general direction.BR
"What was that?"BR
"Nothing. So what do you suggest we do?"BR
"I'd like to meet you, so why dont you come on over to my place." Reek said with an air of casual humour.BR
"Umm, sure. Where are you?"BR
Rekk looked at his surroundings for the first time. "Well, there are a lot of trees on one side and on the other there is a lot of sand... Oh no..."BR
"What? What's the matter?"BR
Rekk whispered into the comm. "Someone's coming..." He returned to the ship in search of a weapon. BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth didn't believe his eyes. The IArchAngel/I was lying on the beach like a beached whale. He approached cautiously. Rekk saw the figure on the beach drawing near and nervously fingered the blaster he had found in Hoth's cabin. He forced himeself to stand in the doorway and fire as best as he could at the approaching form.
Hoth saw the tracing blaster fire fired from the door as it tore the night. Fortunately for Hoth, Rekk was bad a bad aim and his first shots missed. Hoth yelped in surprised and dived and rolled to one side on imstinct. He got up and ran through the sand as the laser shots hit the ground behind him as he ran. "ITS ME! ITS HOTH!" He shouted. "DONT SHOOT!"BR
Rekk stopped. "D'oh!"BR
"Gods..." Hoth muttered, rubbing his side where he'd rolled over a patch of rocks. "They've got the others over in that direction somewhere." Hoth gestured behind him vaguely. BRBR
"AKRENNIAN!" The night silence was broken by Wandrin upon seeing Hoth outside the ship. "You have insulted me, challenged me and tried to kill me. You and I will settle this now! Hand to hand! Do you accept, or are you a coward?" Even though Wandrin was a scoundrel of a pirate, he retained a certain quiet dignity. BR
Rekk leveled his blaster menacingly but Hoth put his hand on the gun and he lowered it again. "Squemetan, you tried to sell me into slavery. That's reason enough to kill you. I guess I was just too kind to have let you live. Now I'll finish the job! I accept!"BR
Both advanced and circled each other. Squemetan fists are part of their exoskeleton as well as their skulls, ribs and hips. Getting hit by a squemetan fist is like getting hit with a brick and hitting a squemetan in the wrong place is like hitting a brick wall. Nonetheless, Hoth advanced viciously with a growl twisted on his face. BRBR
Wandrin stepped forward and threw a punch aimed at Hoth's face. He ducked it and landed a hard upper cut to Wandrin's vulnerable midsection which forced the air from his lungs. Wandrin forced himself to move and took advantage their position by grabbing Hoth's arm and throwing him over his shoulder. Hoth landed in the sand in front of him. Wandrin was about to stomp in him, but Hoth rolled out of the way. He stood and faced his charging foe.BR
Wandrin was going as fast as he could despite the sand that grasped his ankles and slowed him down. Hoth stood his ground. Wandrin prepared to lunge when Hoth went down and swept his feet from under him. Wandrin went down hard, hitting the sand with his face first. Hoth saw that victory was at hand, he fell on top of Wandrin and preceeded to start to choke the life out of him.
Wandrin say that the situation was dire. This time he would not stop until he was dead. He reached for something and fumbled with Hoth's grasp with the other hand. Hoth felt a biting pain suddenly tearing through his right arm. He released his grasp and grunted. Wandrin turned and kicked him off of him. Both got up and stared at each other. BR
"A knife." Hoth looked at his right arm and pulled out Vlah'do's knife from his right bicep. "That was a dirty trick!" BR
Wandrin didnt respond. He had failed to kill him the first time he had cheated. He was angry with himself. He just wanted to throw himself on this inpertinent akrennian and beat him to death. However this particular one was a real fighter. He would not be intimidated or tricked. Nor would he just die. What am I thinking? he asked himself. I am the superior race! This is person is nothing! I am better trained and stronger than this person. He cannot harm me! I am indestructable. His vision temporarilly turned red. All he saw was this man in front of him that represented everything he had ever hated. This man was under him, he was inferior, he was weak, he was akrennian! Without a second thought, he threw himself on Hoth. BRBR
Hoth didnt expect this and so had left himself open. Wandrin took him down and was on top of him, pressing him into the sand. His long, hard bony fingers wrapped around Hoth's throat and choked the breath from him.
Rekk observed the struggle from outside the IArchAngel/I. Now that he saw Hoth starting to lose he ran to help him. He stopped halway. He saw Wandrin go limp and issue a gurgling cry. Hoth freed himself from underneath him and in the process turned Wandrin over. Rekk could see the knife stabbed to the hilt in a tiny hole in the carapace on the neck and the throat, protruding like a grotesque handel. BR
Hoth stood up. His arm bled profusely, but he couldnt stop staring at the limp form of Wandrin. His legs were folded underneath him and his fingers were still clenched. His face had a subtle expression of surprise and his head was lolled back displaying the knife in his throat. Blood oozed out slowly between the cracks in the carapace and the knife's hilt. Rekk was startled and slightly disgusted. Hoth looked on with indifference. He went into the IArchAngel/I to get a bandage for his arm. BRBR
***BRBR
Vlah'do sat on the ground next to Azure with his hands tied and being watched by half the motley crew. Bild had gotten frustrated and was pacing around waiting for the small task force he had sent out to return. "Stripe me, where can they have gotten to."BR
Sovwren eyed the captives with indifference. "I say this is all a waist of time. I mean, you're worried about Wandrin? You think he can't handle a little akrennian on a leash?"BR
"It's not that, it's that hes-" He saw the three that he had sent out return and trailed off, jumping up from his seat and hurrying over to them. "Where is he?" BR
A squemetan was pushed to the front by the other two. "Well captain. We, err, didn't find him exactly."BR
"WHAT?!?" Bild exploded.BR
The squemetan cowered. "But we-we did find some tracks sir! We came back to get you because-cause we were going to tell you so that you could de-decide. Sir!"BR
Bild pondered this for a moment. He then took his katana and smacked him with the flat of his blade, producing a loud clang and a small cut in the flesh. "I only used the back of me blade because you did the right thing. I guess its true that if you want to get anything done right you have to do it yourself. I'll take these two and go get 'im. But you'll stay here and as punishment, you have to stay here and sharpen milady's sword for 'er." He looked over at Sovwren fondly. "I noticed it was getting a piece dull..."BR
"Thank you Bild. That's very considerate." She stepped closer to him and gave him a big hug. Bild melted.BR
"Sovwren, you old flatter you..." As she stepped away she took his katana. "Hoi! What in blue blazes!"BR
"I'm going to need this frog sticker of yours for a while." BR
"But dearest... that... is... MY-"BR
"Oh honestly Bild, I'm going to give it right back. Besides, your just going to go fetch your old messmate." She moved close to him once again. "You know how I feel about not having a weapon."BR
Bild melted as she stroked his beak. "Oh all right. I... guess its okay. But don't get any ideas!" He started off. The other two followed and bumped into him as he stopped and turned around. "Watch where your going dunderheads!"BRBR
The mantrin he had bumped into eyed him curoisly. "Captain? I was just thinking. I think I'd like Ghassedt to come with us on this little trip." BR
A short squemetan holding a huge gun looked up and smiled. He stroked the pulse laser in his lap. "Aye Captain." He said flatly. He had gotten that gun from a soldier in the akrennian army. It was his personal prize and well worth the risk he had taken to get it and measures he had used to keep it. He had a reputation for being a deadly acurate shot even though the gun he packed was very heavy and cumbersome.BR
Bild waved to Sovwren and left into the night following the tracks he had been showed. There was one pair of foot prints that were spread far apart. That meant that its owner had been running. And there was a skid mark next to them, as though something were being dragged beside it. They followed these tracks down the beach.BRBR
***BRBR
The person in the bush had returned. He had spared no time preparing but had gotten everything he had needed, infared goggles, smoke canisters, even an extra heat sink for his customized particle assault rifle. He watched the four men leave the group and head down the beach. He laboriously followed, cursing his knee for not following the commands he gave it. Hehe, divide and conquer my friends, you're just making it that much easier for me... He thought as he followed the four from a distance.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure saw this motion and stirred. She looked into the night and saw it again. A bush rustled, a twig snapped, a foot touched the ground just a little too hard. She nudged Vlah'do who had started to nod off. BR
"Adgha tha ponras?" BR
Vlah'do became alert and looked at her enquizatively. BROh gods,she thought, he doesn't speak my tongue!BR
"Fraonm yeop fira ghats?" Have I seen what?BR
Azure hid her gladness and whispered to him. "Hirsa hest por ghout junious plyantron!" There is someone in the bushes! BR
"Ditranios? Doundre?" Really? Where?BR
Azure nodded with her head. "Ahyiou!"BR
Vlah'do looked but didnt see anything. The one she talked about had left. He didn't doubt her though. He continued to converse with her in their language so as not to be understood by their captives. "Are you sure?"BR
"Positive." She said flatly.BR
"What do you think we should do?"BRBR
A mantrin nearby stirred from his rest. "Cut it out you two! Quiet down or I'll silence you with my bare hands!"
Both waited for him to tip his head back again and nod off.BR
"Every thing possible to help him. I think he's going to help us!"BRBR
***BRBR
Karn called on the slimy communicator once again to no avail. "Hoth, come in Hoth. Are you there?" No reply.BR "What could have happened?"BR
Vadhis munched his last mouthful of salt and vinegar chips. "Well, a number of things. They could have been caught by-"BR
"Quiet you. No one likes a comedian." BR
Vadhis distainfully finished his mouthful. Oddly enough he was starting to feel a bond to this igonian. He no longer bore resemblance to the tree skipper he had caught but never could bring himself to eat. An akward silence ensued that was broken by Karn.BR
"How old are you?" He held the knife loosely in his hand as though he hadn't use for it.BR
"Well, let's see. I think that... I am twenty-seven Solbrecht years old."BR
"How much is that in standard?"BR
"I dont know."BR
Another silence followed. Vadhis felt compelled to break it this time. "And you?"BR
"What?"BR
"How old are you?"BR
He felt odd having his captive make conversation with him. "I am eighteen Tahu-Dzo years, twenty-two Standard which is twenty-five Solbrecht."BR
"That's cool." Vadhis said dully. He wanted to keep talking but had run out of things to talk about until he spotted the band around his hand. "That's nice. What is it?"BR
"Well, its like the one on your ear there, but this one's special."BR
"How so?"BR
"Well, it's my wedding band."BR
"Wedding band? You're married?" BR
"Yeah."BR
"But you're only twenty-five!"BR
Karn smiled. "We believe in marrying young."BR
"You... don't have any... kids, do you?"BR
He smiled again, but this time it was not an amused smile, but a happy smile. "Yes. I have one. He is new born."BR
"Well, what are you doing away from him here?"BR
"It was a diplomatic mission."BR
"A diplomat? Oh Gods... if we ever got caught..."BR
"You'd be in for some serious punishment, I'm sure." BR
"And I'll bet you don't even have anything of value."BR
"Nope," he smiled his sarcastic smile again. "just our lives and freedom which you were trying to take away."BR
"Yeah? Well I'm through with pirating anyway. I got sick of it."BR
"So I kind of saved you after you tried to sell me as a slave."BR
"I hadn't thought of it like that, but yeah. I guess that's what it's like." BR
"Bah, get off. And I'll bet you don't have any friends in that motley group and you were going to leave soon anyway. Am I right?"BR
Vadhis was suddenly serious. "No, I had a friend. She was a real sad case. She was foresaken from her clan and was going to commit suicide. That's when I met her. She was a real sad person until she joined this crew. After that she sort of got happy. But I knew it couldn't last because no one can remain glad when they are making others suffer."BR
"So you fell in love with her?"BR
Vadhis was silent.BR
"Did you?" Karn asked.BR
"I... I guess so. I never really thought about it before. She was never really interested in love..." He trailed off.BR
The silence returned and hovered over them like a storm. Karn broke it by standing up and talking to him. "Well, I think that you'd better come with us to Nami Muro. But first, we have to have Hoth and..." Karn thought for a second. He realised that he didn't know the other guy's name. He knew that he was a human male adolescent or older, but he didn't know who he was. "That other guy find us. So, let's build a fire."BR
Vadhis helped him carry small pieces of wood and arrange them in a circular patter. He noticed that Karn had returned the knife to its place.BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth wrapped gause around the puncture wound in his right bicep and cut the cloth with his teeth. Rekk walked into the room. "Hoth, I need to know how-" He stared at Hoth's midsection. "Good God! What happened to your stomach?" BR
Hoth raised an eye ridge and looked down at his shirt. It was torn in two places to reveal two long lascerations across his muscular stomach. His mouth went agape. He hadn't even noticed them before. Closer inspection of the corpse of the squemetan revealed what had happened. Wandrin was a rugged fighter and had honed every fighting capability he had to the best of his extent. He had apparently taken advantage of his two clawed feet and gotten smaller boots than would have fitted him and cut two holes in the toe to reveal his two claws protruding wickedly from the leather tip. They were slightly stained with his blood. When he had stabbed Hoth and he had released his grip, Wandtin had turned around and kicked him off and in the process, cut him. The wound was very shallow but long. "Gods... will my luck ever return?"BRBR
Rekk helped him place the bandages across his torso as Hoth cringed. "Careful, that hurts!"BR
"If that were me, I would be screaming in pain buddy! Don't give me that, I know you can take a little more. Whatever doesn't kill ya will only make you stronger right?" Rekk laughed.BR
Hoth was not in the mood for humour. BRBR
***BRBR
The shadowy figure cursed his knee once again. It had caused him to knock against trees and hit the ground louder than he had intended, making it very hard for him to be stealthy. He knew the terrain well and soon came to the spot he had intended. He set up his tripod and waited in the tall grass. The rifle rested and he swung it a few times to see if it would move easily. It did.
He spotted his targets as they rounded the hill. The tracks led them to the ArchAngel. He noticed that his primary threat had lit a cigarette. The small light bobbed up and down as Ghassedt walked, his laser pulse rifle held laxly in his hands. Ha! he thought. Not only do you make yourself a better target but you are screwing up your night vision. You aren't going anywhere buddy. Just wait until I can get a clear shot.BRBR
Bild saw it first, The IArchAngel/I in the sand, but when he rounded the sand a little more, he tore into a bolting run. "Wandrin! No! Me ol' messmate! Not you!"BRBR
Hoth had already sensed the peril and had left the ship with Rekk and fallen back to a dune far away from the IArchAngel/I. He saw the four round the hill and come to the corpse. The lead mantrin was a tough, well-built male who would not be taken down with one shot. Hoth assessed the situation. Who is most threatening? The mantrin? No, I see someone with a gun back there. He needs to die first. Hoth took careful aim and waited for Ghassedt to stop walking. Hoth smiled to himself. Ghassedt had stopped and remained standing as the other three knelt next to the body of their fallen comrade. Right now they're probably thinking 'Who killed Wandrin? Isn't this that little akrennian's knife in his throat?' I'm going to enjoy this. Hoth carefully aimed his blaster at Ghassedt's head but never got to fire.BRBR
***BRBR
Ghassedt screamed in pain, a terrible sound, and the gun flew from his hands as he fell to the ground. For the third time that night, the shooter cursed himself. He had missed him mark and instead of hitting Ghassedt in the head, he had put a hole clean through the Squemetans upper torso near the sternum and a little to the left. He had his rifle set on full energy burst and now had to remove the heat sync and let it cool before he could fire again. He took the steaming cartrage from the chamber and extracted another. BRBR
***BRBR
The other three had scattered upon seeing Ghassedt hit the sand. They hid behind whatever they could. The other matrin from the group had stayed with Bild and now hid behind a tree. The other squemetan had fled to a rock for cover.BR
It was a pitiful sight; Ghassedt layed strewn on the sand with the rifle on the ground in front of him. He was still alive, and in great pain. "Oh Ballican! Oh Ballican!" He yelled. "It hurts so much! It hurts so @#%$ much! Help me! Help me!" No one moved to his aid. "I'm gonna die! I'm going to die! Help me!"BR
The mantrin with Bild made a movement but Bild stopped him. "No Fakhrir. It's the oldest trick in the book; shoot someone to wound and pick off anyone that comes to help. There's nothing we can do for poor Ghassedt but avenge his death."BR
Rohgrhun, the other squemetan with Bild, saw her mate in his death rows and heard his agonizing cries. He continued for a long time. "Rohghun! Rohghrun! Help me! Please help me! I'm dying! Oh Ballican, it hurts!"BR
She could stand it no longer. She rushed to his side. Bild cried out. "Rohgrhun! No! Dont!" She didn't listen.BR
This time, the target was not missed. A tracer split the night, illuminating the scene. She fell without a sound, never to get up. Ghassedt saw this from the corner of his eye. "Ballican take me now. All is lost!" He stopped crying. Two Squemetan bodies were strewn in the sand next to each other. Ghassedt bled profusely, but Roghrhun hadn't, she was killed by a shot straigh through the torso and heart. Ghassedt was lying on his side with blood pouring from the hole just below his neck in the hard bone. Both lay next to each other for the rest of eternity.BR
Fakhrir had completely freaked! He lost it and almost tried to bolt, but Bild caught him by the shirt and smacked him in the face. "Damnit man! Listen to me!"BR
Fakhrir shook with terror and unused adrenaline. "They are both dead! The only thing we can do is head back to the rest of thee crew and fight back. What we need is daylight and guns. Both will be ours if you follow me and wait! Now come on!" He ran into the forest, across the hill and back the way he had come with Fakhrir close behind.BRBR
***BRBR
Through the scope he could see the two retreating figures clearly. Obviously they had no idea where he was or they would have taken another route. He decided not to shoot at either but to let them return from where they had come. That's right, run back to the group. I'll find you, you can't escape me. He was completely prepared, which was the most dangerous thing about him.BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth poked his head out from behind the sand dune, cautiously scanning for threat before scrambling over the dune, motioning for Rekk to follow. He pressed his wrist comm, which he had grabbed before leaving the ArchAngel, and waited for the ramp to come down. Hikori appeared at the top of the ramp, looking a bit confused.
"Captain? Might I ask what is going on?" BR
"No time to explain, just get us airborn." Hoth replied. Hikori shrugged and obliged, walking in the direction of the cockpit. BRBR
***BRBR
Azure perked her ears and listened carefully, hoping that if their unknown savior fired it would cause enough confusion for Vlah'do and herself to slip off. And maybe she would be able to get her things back as well. She snorted softly at the thought. Fat chance, Azure. BRBR
***BRBR
Karn had lit a cozy fire and sat next to Vadhis on a piece of drift wood. He had been trying to contact Hoth unseccusfully for a while and had given up, but now he felt impressed to try again. He wiped the comm for the umpteenth time and pressed the button. "Hoth are you there?"BR
"Yes, I'm here." came the reply.BR
"Hoth! We built a fire down the beach. Can you come and get us?"BR
"A fire? Are you crazy? You want to get found?"BR
"Yes, by you!"BR
"Listen, we have the IArchAngel/I off the ground again and we're coming to find you. Put out the fire and don't move from where you are."BR
"Got it."BRBR
***BRBR
A series of faint clicks resounded through the night as a zipper opened. He had planned this carefully as he returned for equipment. He extracted the gas mask from his backpack and put it on, adjusting it until it fit snuggly around his muzzle. He adjusted his goggles and checked everything on his gun before rotating the heat syncs once again. He headed off once again thanking fate that his luck could not get any worse. He had plans. He couldn't afford anymore mistakes.BRBR
***BRBR
Bild returned panting to the group with Fahkrir in his wake. "Sovwren!" He shouted upon approaching. BR
"What?" BR
"They got them!"BR
"Who? Who got what?"BR
"Wandrin! And Ghassedt! They're dead!"BR
"Who killed them?"BR
"I dont know! And then Rohgrhun tried to help him and they got her too!"BR
"WHO!"BR
"I DONT KNOW!" BR
Sovwren was surprised but retained her collectiveness enough to size up the situation. "Okay, we need to get out of here. It must be some police or army or something." She grabbed her sword from the cowering squemetan who was sharpening it. "But first, light some torches."BR
Three crew members passed out magnesium flares. Each of the remaining crew members held one. Upon recieving a flare, one of the mantrin crew members protested. "But don't you think that we could see better without the flare. I mean, they mess up our night vision and make us easier to see."BR
"Shut your beak fool! Everyone knows its easier to see with the light. Besides, its the captain's orders. Maybe we can find the blochnauht that's been killing our mates!"BR
"Yeah, but I dont like it."BRBR
***BRBR
The stalker surveyed the crew through his night vision goggles. He saw the mantrins conversing and the small red sticks passed out. Now what could those be? he though. He saw the Mantrin who had been arguing shrug and pull the tip of the flare off. Gods! He quickly threw off his goggles and they landed with a thump in the sand. He rubbed his eyes vigorously. Night vision goggles work by taking all the light visible and increasing it exponencially so that it is more easily visible. When the flare was lit, it appeared so bright to the onlooker that it was like staring into the noonday sun. He crouched with his head in his hands. Curses, he thought, now I'll have to try them with my bare eyes. He restored the goggles to their place and headed after them.BRBR
***BRBR
Bild had regained his courage and took command of the situation. "All right!" He yelled above the din. "We are going to back to the ship! Follow me and we'll be there in no time." He lead the crew through the forest and into the night.BRBR
***BRBR
He saw them leaving and headed after them. I can't keep up. I'm going to have to distract them. He cursed his luck again. This was not planned and he didn't have much time. He needed to stop them now if he was going to rescue their two prisoners. He made a mental check of all his supplies. Mask, flash and smoke canisters, extra sync, This was going to be sudden but if he played his cards right he could pull off what he had in mind. BR
He started after and noticed that the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. Well finally a little luck. He smiled. The Gods must approve of what I am about to do... BRBR
***BRBR
The IArchAngel/I sat down on the sand, Hikori having traced the comm using the ship's computers. Hoth grumbled impatiently as the ramp squawked it's way down. "Karn, c'mon! We've gotta move!" He yelled over the working gears. the ramp set down with a muffled thud.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure lay back her ears and struggled with her captors, dragging her feet and stopping in her tracks. Only to have the leash around her neck jerked, along with herself. Finnally her captor tired of this and grabbed the leash near her throat, tipping her head back and making her stand on her toes. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.BR
"OBEY." The Squemetan snapped, loosening his grip so she was able to stand normaly. BR
"Sela." Azure made no hesitation and bit his hand, growling as her teeth sunk through the hard exoskeleton. The Squemetan howled and tried to shake her off, only suceeding in making Azure clamp harder. She released him when he dragged her to a tree and was about to hit her head against a palm tree. He howled again as his hand scraped across the bark.BR
Azure spat in the sand at his feet, glaring. "Don't touch me, sela." BRBR
Things were starting to look up once again. With the silent sniper's rifle silent they were free to walk in casual comfort at a leasurely pace. The sun was coming up and they were headed back to their ship with their slaves. Bild was back to his old self and furious at having lost two able bodied captives. Sovwren kept him in check while the whole crew walked through the jungle with their two captives.BR
Negyr looked at his broken hand. It was incredibley painful; the carapace had been broken and splintered out one two ends. The flesh inside had been punctured in a sort of compound fracture and it bled terribley. He couldn't even move his fingers very much without an immense pain. His friend bandaged his wound. Negyr looked back at Azure. "What d'you think the captain'll do to 'er Schin?"BR
The other squemetan laughed. "'E'sh going to flog 'er! That's what 'e'll do! If'n 'e doen't kill 'er in da proshessh! An' 'e told ushn'sh not to 'botch 'is profitsh'. Bah! No, 'e won't kill 'er! 'E'll just shmack 'er around a bit." BR
"Well after she did this to me I think it's the least she deserves! Look at that!" He held up his broken hand. "Clean through! It's gone clean through the bone! How did she manage? I'f I wasn't sure that the Captain's going to give her the beating of her life, I would go over there right now and break both her hands! By Ballican I would!"BR
"I 'ear you mate." He sniggered to himself before continuing in his curious dialect. "Don't you worry tho', Ol' Captain Bild'sh gonna give 'er a good roughing-up! You'll shee. Ah, 'ere he come'sh now."
Bild stormed across the beach, his retrieved katana in his hands. He saw Azure on her leash, taking a catnap. Although he was a bully, Bild was not weak. He had been born naturally strong. Without much effort he lifted Azure bodily from the ground by the leash. "You dirty Blochnaut! Look what you've done! I'm going to have to teach you come humility I can see!" BR
Azure gagged, her feet dangling off the ground. She had been caught completely off guard because it had been roughly thirty minutes since Negyr had showed the captain his injury after a failed attempt to punish Azure himself. Even though she was without breath, she snarled and bore her teeth, radiating fighting spirit. Bild disregarded her entirely. "Schin, go fetch me a spike and hammer."BRBR
"Yesh Shir." He returned with a large metal spike and a malet. All this time, Bild kept Azure suspended off her feet by the collar. BR
"Negyr, put that spike into this tree right here."
Negyr obeyed and started hammering into the tree, wincing in pain as he bent his fingers, producing a shockwave of pain. He just hoped that he didn't miss his mark and hit his hand.BR
With Azure pinned against the tree by Bild's massive arms, her head was just centimeters away from his. "You're lucky this spike isn't going through your throat akrennian!" BR
"That'll do Negyr. I'll do the punishing round here!" He hung her up by the collar on the spike protruding from the tree. "Now, you'll stay there until you've learned some respect! Schin! Tie her hands!"BR
"'E'e, yesh captain." Bild had to help him because the squirming Akrennian fought tooth and nail. Eventually her hands were tied together in front of her. It was a pathetic sight. Azure dangled from the tree being chocked by the leash with her hands tied in front of her. She did not yell because she knew that she must preserve her breath. She knew that they would dare not kill her but they might come pretty close. BRBR
The three watched her in gruesome amusement until Bild did something unexpected. "Negyr, go get some kindling."BR
"Captain?"BR
He stared back at him authoritively. "We need to start a fire soon. Go get some kindling!"BR
"But captain," He whimpered. "My hand..."BR
"I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR ZLOTTING HAND! GO GET SOME KINDLING!"BR
"Yee-ees Captain!" He left quickly.BR
"And you, Schin."BR
"Yesh? Captain?"BR
"Get lost."BR
"Yesh Captain." Schin started to walk back to the rest of the group in dawn's first rays of light. Once he was out of ear-shot, he turned around to see Bild staring at Azure. "Dat'n'sh an odd'n if I do shay sho meshelf..."BRBR
Bild circled the pathetic form on the tree. "So me beauty, you've been causing a spot of trouble then haven't you?" Azure did not reply. "You wound one of my crew with your bare teeth! You've got a fighting fire that I haven't seen in a long time! I have a proposition to make to ye." He slid the tip of his katana between the collar and Azure's neck and with a flick of the wrist, cut the collar. Azure fell in the sand, coughing. "Hows about you join my crew?" Azure coughed. "I know, the squemetan wouldn't like it, but if they layed a finger on you, I'd learn them a harsh lesson they wouldn't soon forget. They've been getting a little big on themselves lately and-"BR
"Never!"BR
"Wot?"BR
"I'd never join your gang of parasite-ridden, meat-headed bullies! I'd rather be sold into slavery! I'd rather die!"BR
Bild was amazed. He had just offered this Akrennian women her freedom and a comfortable privateering life, and she had rejected it just as easily as if she had turned down an extra piece of pie. "Fool! Don't you realise what you have been offered?" Her raised his katana. "I guess you need some more teaching!" The flat of the blade came down hard on her back and she cringed as the blade made a small laceration along her back.
He raised the sword again. All of a sudden, he was pushed forward from behind and his sword was pulled from his hands. "Hey! I'll kill you-" He turned to see Sovwren glaring at him with the katana in her hands and her sword strapped to her back.BR
"You idiot! What do you think your doing?"BR
"Sovwren, me little dove. I was just teaching this little 'un of ours some manners."BR
"I know her kind. You're wasting your strength. You could beat her to a bloody pulp before you hindered her spirit." She approached Azure and knelt next to her. She patted her head almost maturnally. "Isn't that right? Your a real fighter aren't you?"BR
Azure stared back defiantly. "Don't waste your breath! Your mate already tried to get me to join your crew! I won't!"BR
"Oh, I don't expect you to join." She stood and backed away. "I know that you'll provide some real entertainment around here."BR
"That's what I am huh?" BR
Sovwren turned to look at the speaker.BR
"Your entertainment? Your little dancing fool? Well, all I'll be doing is escaping. But I won't stop there. No, I vow that I will beat your sgraggly hide a few times before this day's done!"BR
"Like I said. A real fighter." BR
"Heed my words woman!"BR
"I disregard your words. I don't even feel intimidated because you are not a threat." She returned to the rest of the crew.BRBR
Bild was rather bewildered. "Err, just behave yourself now miss. I don't want to do anything drastic to yer." He placed a chord about her neck while keeping his blade trained on her. "Now, this cord ain't as nice as that little collar. If you run, it will cut you. If I don't like what you're doing, I'll pull the chord. Understood?"BR
Azure tested the cord by pulling on it a little. Bild was right. "Yeah..." She mumbled under her breath. BR
"Good, now back with the rest. You can rejoin your matey there."BRBR
***BRBR
The sun was starting to come up and so night vision goggles were not necessary. He could easily follow the magnesium flares and the tracks left in the sand. He no longer worried about losing them even though his knee throbbed with pain and ached with each step, he forced himself onward. He remembered the troubled looks on the captives faces. This is one mission that I cannot abort.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure was returned to sitting by Vlah'do. The mantrin who had been nonchalantly guarding them glared at Azure. "Why can't you behave yourself like him?" BR
"Yes, like you..." Azure said menacingly.BR
"Azure, Heain glusds!" Azure, he's back!BR
"Where?"BR
"To the left. He's been following us for the past few minutes! What do you think we should do?"BR
"We need to help him! But how?"BR
"I don't know. People have been saying that he killed three crew members already. I don't think its-"BR
"HOI!" The mantrin kicked Vlah'do in the side. "How many times do I have to tell you! SHUDDAP with that gobbing!"BR
Vlah'do cringed and twitched. He was not one to lose his temper readily but he was on the verge of doing so now. BR
Azure whispered to him. "If that's true then I don't think he'll need our help."BR
The mantrin lashed out at Azure. "ZLOT SHUT THE-"BR
Vlah'do threw himself at him. With his hands tied behind his back he still put up a good fight. He kicked and bit and threw himself against the matrin captor. Two other crew members ran to his aid and pulled Vlah'do off of him. Vlah'do was delt many blows and returned to his place with the strapp tightened. The mantrin was replaced by another who took his post readily. BR
Vlah'do looked at Azure and noticied how beaten up she was. There were bruises around her throat and a long lasceration on her back that bled subtely. Gods, this is terrible. We have to get out of here.BRBR
***BRBR
Karn greeted Hoth as he got out of the ship. "Hey Hoth, nice to see you a-"BR
Hoth pulled out his blaster and aimed it just to the left of Karn's head. Karn instinctively ducked. "Gah! What are you going?"BR
"Get back!" He yelled at Vadhis.BR
"Hoth, it's okay." BR
"What?"BR
"Let me explain. Vadhis has left the crew! He wants to join us!" BR
"Wait! You can't just leave! I don't trust this!"BR
"Hoth, listen! He wants to join us and go to Nami Muro. Come on!" BR
Hoth growled and bared his teeth. "I still don't trust him." He hissed.
Hikori shook his head from the top of the ramp. "Captain, please, let us just go. We'll take the mantrin with us. If you do not want him roaming the ship we can lock him in a supply closet. But please, let us just go." He said, always in the same calm, even tone.
Hoth snarled but holstered his blaster. "Yeah, you're right Hikori. Let's just go get 'em. If that....THING has lain a FINGER on Az I'll..." He cut off his threat with a glare aimed at the dust, snorted, turned and walked back up the ramp into the ArchAngel. BRBR
***BRBR
