The morning air was clear and cool. The sun was rising on the horizon, casting an orange tint to the previously dark blue landscape. The ocean lapped against the shore and slowly receded back and forth. No one took time to see what a beautiful day it was though because Bild had increased the pace. BR
The twelve remaining crew members were like a spot, defiling the earth with their mere presence. They trekked along the beach with Vlah'do and Azure in tow. Bild had promised the crew to be back at their ship, The Dark Nebula, in a few minutes, but these minutes had turned to hours and day had broken. BR
Azure and Vlah'do had, by now realized the futility of the situation and had given up trying to escape; Azure escpecially. Whenever Azure made any false movements, the mantrin with her leash would tug very slightly on the chord, but that was enough to subdue Azure. The chord dug into her neck and Vlah'do thought he could see blood starting to trickle out of the red line forming on her throat. It caused him a great deal of pain to see her being treated so because he thought that this was all his fault. If I weren't for him, Azure would still be with Hoth in the ArchAngel enjoying themselves in safety and comfort.BRBR

A while later, Bild called for a rest break. Everyone started to relax and sit on the ground or stretch out on a rock. Under Bild's explicite orders, both captives were watched by two people at all times.BR
Negyr sat with his friend Schin under a tree. "Bei! I tellsh yer mate!" Schin said. "All dish trekkin' t'aint good fer a man. Wot I'm shaying is dat I'm shtarting to think old Captain Bild'sh losht 'ish way! You shavvy?"BR
"I hear you. I don't think so." Negyr relaxed and layed down in the sand, his right hand still throbbing with pain. "Myabe the old Dark Nebula is just farther than you think. I mean, we did have a long- GAAAAAAAH!" Schin looked up surprised as he heard the scream mixed with a sickening crunch. BR
"Wot? Wot'is it?"BR
"MY HAND!" He jumped up and down shaking his other hand. A coconut had fallen from the tree and landed on his good hand. BR
He shook his cruched hand in Schin's face. It was terribley mangled, with pieces of carapace sticking out of the bloody flesh. BR
Negyr looked up the tree to see a crab busily working at another coconut. "You zlotting Blochnaut! I'll kill you!" He reached for his blaster but screamed in agony again when his lifeless fingers slapped uselessly off the blaster's butt. BR
"Shettle down mate! 'Ere, let me 'ave a look at it." Negyr held out his newly broken hand for Schin to look at at. It was terribley bloddy and definately beyond repair.BR
"Do you think I'll be crippled for life?"BR
"I don't think sho mate." Schin lied. "Looksh like all you need is a bandage and shome resht." He returned to the group to fish in a kit for another good bandage.BR
Vlah'do sniggered. Azure looked at him enquizzatively until he nodded in Negyr's direction. He cut a comical figure with one hand bandaged and the other a bloody pulp, hopping up and down and yelling curses at the crab that had cut the coconut. BRBR

***BRBR

The trees rustled, but the stalker was not conerned with noise now because he had fallen behind his prey. His knee hurt him immensely, but he pressed foreward. They're getting close. I have to stop them before they get to the ship or else all is lost. He went over his mental checklist one more time.BRBR

***BRBR

Vadhis felt really akward. He was put in the cargo hold with his hands chained to a pipeline under Hoth's orders. He wasn't going to escape, nor did he want to escape. He tried to explain that to Hoth but he wouldn't listen to him. Vadhis didn't blame him. In this cargo hold he had had time to think. He knew now exactly what he was going to do. He was going to return to the group and rescue Payerna. He knew that Hoth was going to try to rescue his friends and so he vowed that he would do everything in his power to rescue her. He wanted to tell Hoth this, but he doubted he would listen.BR
Vadhis stared at the cargo doors. There were no windows for him to look out of and so he was left alone with his thoughts until the doors were opened up and Karn stepped through.BR
"Karn," Vadhis said. "I need to ask you a favor."BR
"No need. I already know what you want. Come with me." He unlocked the chains and lead Vadhis out of the room.
Hikori stood outside the room. He was secretly sent by Hoth to guard Vadhis. Hikori knew that Vadhis would not try anything, but obeyed anyway. "Vadhis, am I correct?" He asked.BR
"Yes sir." He said.BR
"There is no need for formalities. Come with us, Hoth wishes to speak with you."BR
They lead him down the hall to the cockpit were Hoth was guiding the ship. Karn approached Hoth in a casual fashion. "Hoth, I'd like a word."BR
Hoth turned to him. "Go ahead, seeing as how we are not finding Azure and Vlah'do."BR
"Hoth, this young mantrin here would like to request something of you."BRBR
Hoth turned to Vadhis wearily. "Yes?"
Vadhis looked at him nervously. "Well, as you know I was on the crew that took you captive. I'm tired of pirating and I want to persue a better life. I understand that you are going to Nami Muro and I would like to come with you if you would allow me. I'd also like to help you in any way possible to liberate your friends."B
Hoth turned this over in his mind. "I think that you don't understand what you are asking. You took me captive and would have sold me and three others into slavery. And now you want to join us?"BR
"Don't you think that someone can change?"BR
"Hmm," Hoth looked at Vadhis. He was very reluctant, but he thought that maybe he deserved another chance. "I think I need to talk to Azure first..." He saw the look on Vadhis' face. "But what the hell? You can come. Just stay out of our way."BRBR

***BRBR

Bild stood in the sand at the head of the mob. "There she is mates. The IDark Nebula!/I Ain't she a sight for sore eyes?" Everyone on the crew was utterly relieved. This little trek through the woods had taken a turn for the worse. Who would have thought that this little excursion would have yielded such fruitful searching and at the same time such misfortune?BR
Bild suddenly realized something. "Cohnudrin." A burly squemeta turned to him. "You're the new first mate."BR
He grinned. "I won't dissapoint you captain."BR
"Your first job is to go inside the ship and get the engines warmed up. I want to take off as soon as possible."BR
"Yes sir captain!" Cohnudrin beamed and scuttled off to the ship.BRBR

***BRBR

The stalker had fallen behind. His knee had given in and he had to rest for a moment. His target had moved far away from him in that time. He now felt energized and persued them once again. He found them sitting in a clearing next to their ship. Their ship! he though. They've reached their ship! I've no choice but to start now. But wait, I need to survey this situation before I do anything. He saw Cohnudrin walking around the base of the ship. What's this? he thought. A straggler? No. A prime target...BRBR

***BRBR

Cohnudrin had found the small hidden panel in the base that had the key pad to lower the ship's plank. He typed in the code and the plank dropped. He didn't realize how far away from the rest of the crew he was. He started up the plank and stopped at the top to enter the access code for the door. BR
He noticed a bush rustling nearby and turned to see what it was. That was the last thing he ever saw.BRBR

***BRBR

The crew sat on the beach eating a make shift lunch. Bild had called a break and they breakfasted. The captives were not fed. They stared at the tantilizing meal set for the rest of the crew as they ate. Bild and Sovwren sat next to each other and converesed quietly.
"What's taking that blockhead so long?" Bild asked between bites.BR
"I think that you made a mistake in appointing him First Mate. He's not much of a leader."BR
"Leader?" Bild laughed. "He's not not supposed to be a leader! I just want to keep the crew's morale up. You see," Bild lowered his voice. "I'm thinking that there might be some talk of deserting."BR
"Desserting? Where will they go?"BR
"That's even worse. If they can't desert, they'll mutiny!"BR
Sovwren looked at Bild with admiration. "That's very thoughtful of you Bild. I never thought you'd plan that far through."BR
Bild smiled. "Yeah, well..."BR
Sovwren stole a piece of meat from under Bild's beak while he was distracted. "I've been pleasantly surprised with you lately dear."BR
"Stick with me Sovwren!" He said cheerily. "I'll treat you right."BR
Sovwren chuckled and ate her prize.BR
"Captain!" BR
Bild turned annoyed to the yelling mantrin. "What is it snot beak? Can't you see I'm eating?"BR
"Cohnudrin is dead!"BR
"WHAT?!?" He lept up from the table and ran with the mantrin to the ship. BR
Cohnudrin layed strewn out on the plank. He had been shot in the head and there was blood everywhere in a pool around the body and splattered against the ship's hull. BRBR

Bild could see that his subordinate was starting to lose control at this sight of terrible carnage. "Come on mate." Bild said softly. "This ain't no sight for a weak stomach. Come on, let's get out of here." He waited until he had left to kick Cohnudrin's hardly recognizable body aside. He watched as it fell from the plank and hit the sand with a thud, half burying itself. "Sand hides all. Pure white sand..." He descended the steel plank and finished burying the body. "At least you'll get a resting spot, which is more than I can say for poor old Wandrin." He suddenly realized that he had been left alone. He finished the job hurriedly and ran back to the rest of the crew.BRBR

***BRBR

You are my sword and my shield. You are my protection and divine help. Help me to overcome my enemies for this just cause and help those in need and bring down those that oppress. He grabbed a small canister that was in his vest pocket and gripped it tightly. I ask for your protection if this is the right thing. Nonetheless, not my will, but thine, be done. His knuckles turned white around the canister and he opened his eyes again. Thus I bid. Thank you. He sighted his targets and started to set his plans in motion.BRBR

***BRBR

"So Thrad, wot've you got today?" A mantrin approached a squatting squemetan.BR
"Back off Gorlin, I earned this!"BR
"I know mate, I know."BR
He ate a small piece of dirty fruit. "Hehe, you know, this is the same coconut that crushed poor old Negyr's left hand."BR
"Now ain't that ironic?" Gorlin stared hungrily at the coconut. "You remember that one time we were on Senti-21 and we ran out of food? And remember how I had saved some and you didn't have any food left? And remember how I gave you half my rations just because you was my mate?"BR
"Bah!" Thrad stared at the coconut in his hand. "You're pretty lucky today. I'll bet you ate yesterday too but I'll give you some anyways. 'Cause your my mate." He handed a piece of coconut to Gorlin. BR
"Gods bless you." They both feasted on their meager repast.BR
All of a sudden a small black canister hit the sand in front of them with a thud and sprayed sand. Thrad leaped up and stared at the canister. It fizzled and a small plume of black smoke escaped from it's tip. "What the-? Gorlin, did you see that?"BR
"Yeah! It looks like someone threw it from the bushes over there." Thrad drew his blaster and slowly started walking in the direction it had come from.BRBR

***BRBR

DAMNIT! Why? Why this misfortune? I knew that it was old and I should have checked the canister before!
Thrad motioned for Gorlin to be silent and follow him. Gorlin drew a long rapier and followed. However, their prey was not fooled. He saw them from his position and could hear their approach with ever step. Thrad didn't see anything. BRBR

The time is come. Now!BRBR

***BRBR

A bush very close moved and Thrad looked in time to see a muzzle flash. Gorlin saw his friend get pierced through the chest by a particle tracer and and fall. He looked in time to see a large figure towering over him. Crack! He was hit on the head with a resounding smack and fell, unconsious. BRBR

The sniper breathed heavily behind his gas mask. That was too close. I'm not comfortable with hand to hand combat. And now for the final task.BR
He slunk through the forest. It's too light. This is my last chance. He mentally reviewed his plans. This time, I must be faster.BRBR

***BRBR

Negyr sat with Schin on a rock, thoroughly annoyed. His luck had never been good, but now! Now he had lost use of BOTH his hands and was probably not even going to get a decent share of the profits. And even if he did he wouldn't be able to enjoy it until his hands were healed, if they ever did. Schin tried his best to comfort him. "Ooch, tisn't so bad! I mean, you've got yer mates, your health and food. What more do yer want?"BR
"Bah!" Negyr sneered. "Maybe usage of at least ONE hand. I can't even carry anything!"BR
"No worries! When we get back to da orbital you and I iss going to da "Lunar Nitestand" for a drink and shome fun! Wot do yer shay?"BR
"Drinks? I cant even pick up a glass with these!" He looked at his broken hands and grunted in dismay.BR
"Wot's dat?" Schin was suddenly alert.BR
"What?"BR
"I heard shomeding." He looked around. "I dont like it mate. Letsh gerrouta 'ere."BR
"You fool! Go where?"BR
"I dunno. Just... away. Let'sh take a shtroll tru da woodsh."BR
"Okay." They left for a short walk. "Mind you though, we need to get back to the ship soon or they'll leave without us."BR
"Yesh Yesh, I know."BR
They departed.BRBR

Bild and Sovwren were talking again in secret council with the rest of the crew milling around behind them.
"Cohnudrin's dead." Bild said faltly.BR
"We must get out of here. Is the engine warmed up?"
"Yes. What are we going to do about the lost crew members?"BR
"People are cheap, they're a Scee a dozen. We can find a million like them anywhere. What we need to do is get out of here."BR
"That you're right dear. That your right. Let's get the crew ready for departure."BR
He turned to th the crew. "All right you bunch of bums! Lets get ready and-" In the middle of his sentence a small grey canister hit the sand at his feet. "What in blue blazes?!" Pffffft! It errupted in a small burst of smoke which eventually eveloped Bild. He coughed wildly. "Agh! Help!"BR
Sovwren thundered into the cloud and grabbed his arm only to be devoured in the smoke and fall with him.
The cloud grew and grew until it had everyone in the crew inside it either coughing or passed out. A mantrin tried to run from the smoke only to be tripped. She hit the sand and rolled in time to see her assailant's rifle come down on her head. BR
Vlah'do and Azure were caught in the cloud as well and had passed out.BR
Where are the other two squemetan? He looked through his goggles, which he had toned down to see body heat, at the scene. He saw six bodies laying in the sand, but none where squemetan. They've escaped! No! I can't let them escape. He saw tracks and quickly followed them. BRBR

Schin was running. "Hey! Schin! What are you doing? Come back!" Negyr ran after him. Schin stopped for breath and Negyr caught up. "What are you doing?"BR
"Didn't you 'ear?"BR
"Hear what?"BR
"The gunshot! The yelling!"BR
"How do you know that isnt just Bild shooting at some animal?"BR
"Itsh not! They've gone and done demshelves in!"BR
"What are you talking about?"BR
"Shomeone's been following ush Negyr! 'E'sh been killing people. Where did Wandrin, Ghassedt and Rohghrun go eh? I'll wager dey've been killed! We 'ave to get away! Dere'sh a city over der. If'n we can get der we'd be shafe!"BR
"I can't believe it. Your mad! Let's just go back and see about that!"BR
"No! You don't shee! De're gone! Deaden! Done in! Dere'sh no one left! Jusht trusht me on dish one!"BR
"Fine, I was getting tired of taking orders from that puffed up mantrin. Let's go to the city."BR
"Aye, let'sh." BRBR

They continued on walking at a casual pace on Negyr's insistance. He could see that Schin was extremely aggitated but didn't pay any heed. They walked through the serene forest seemed to imply that there were no worries and so Negyr continued walking oblivious to the danger around him.BR
After a long time of walking they left the forest and came to a clearing. On the horizon a city loomed in the distance. "You see?" Negyr said. "We're next to the city and so we're safe, don't worry."BR
"I am worrying. I don't dink dat we'd be shafe until we're out of the open. I shay that onsh we get to- AAAAH!"BR
Negyr turned to see Schin fall. He heard a buzz and felt a terrible pain on the back of his head that caused him to fall. He layed behind a small hill with Schin next to him, bleeding to death. This is it. He thought. I should have listened to Schin. Now I'm dead. I'm going to die here with my friend! He stirred. He put his hands on the back of his head and felt wetness. What's this? I'm not dead? He looked at his hands. They had blood on them.
Schin stirred next to him. "'E gotcha mate. But tish only your attenae! I'm not sho lucky..." BR
Negyr turned to see his fallen comrade. A gaping hole was carved through his abdomen. "I'm done for mate. Get to da shity and leave me to die in peash!"BR
"No!" He said. "I'll save you or die together!" He tried to grab Schin's collar but his hand coursed with pain upon coming in contact with him. He gasped. "Derilai!" He cursed. BR
"It'sh okay mate. I undershtand."BR
"No! I'll get you out of here if it's the last thing I do." He reached into Schin's pocket and extracted a piece of rope. He tied the rope around Schin's torso and put it around his shoulders. "I'll drag you all the way to the city if I have to!"BR
"Blessh yer mate..." His voice trailed off and he feel unconsious.BRBR

I must have gotten them. I saw his head snap back and blood fly. They must both be dead or else they would have gotten up and left by now. Thank you. My work is complete. He turned and walked back to the group.BRBR

Vlah'do was roused by a wave or cool water washing over him. He suddenly panicked and started blubbering. His vision was foggy and he couldn't make out the figure in front of him. He blinked many times until his eyes cleared and he saw who his savior was.BR
The akrennian stared back at him. He was old, with a fading skin hue and sharp eyes. His sinewy arms grasped a bucket that he lowered after splashing its contents on Vlah'do. BR
"What the...Who...?"BR
The man smiled at him. "Hold still. Rest, I'll be back to you." He went to Azure and roused her recieving a similiar reaction. BR
He had already untied both of them. He helped Azure up and brought everyone together before adressing them.BR "Name? Clan?" He asked flatly.BR
Azure sneezed water out of her nostrils and rubbed her neck gingerly. "Azure, Yar...Ugh....Guess we're not in Kansas anymore, huh?" She chuckled, noting a confused look from both other Akrennians. "Old Earth movie." She grimaced and felt around her neck, locating bruises and the thin, although very painfull, cut that ran around her neck.BRBR

***BRBR

Hoth surveyed the land carefully. "Well I remember a lotta rocks...And we were on the beach when we were captured..." He murmered. "Should we get out and look for tracks?" He asked, glancing up at the rest of the group. BRBR

***BRBR

The man introduced himself after casting a mutual odd glance at Azure. "I am Habbek of the clan of Vades'Slos." He was tall and muscular, yet slender and sinewy. His eyes were small and green and they stood out on his face which was accented by his long ears, the left of which had a large hole in it. He was brown with grey patches. "Please introduce yourself young man."BR
Vlah'do adressed Habbek. He suddenly became very formal and made a slight bow. "I am Vlah'do of the Kodah clan."BR
"Kodah?" Habbek cocked his head to one side. "Tell me, is your mother a woman by the name of... Chewel?"BR
"Yes."BR
Habbek stood agast, distracted with his thoughts. She was not just an aquaintance. "Gods..." He said in a whispered tone. "The old @#%$ has a son!"BR
Vlah'do was suddenly dumbfounded! "Umm... excuse me?" He stammered.BR
Habbek was brought back to reality. He disregarded Vlah'do's last statement entirely. "Who is your father?"BR
"His name is Preed but he..."BR
"Preed?" He asked, incredulously. "Preed Noname? No way... that is too odd..."BR
"Am I missing something?" Vlah'do asked inquisitively.BR
"Never mind. You two must be very hungery and tired. Please come to my house for lunch."BR
Azure felt her neck and touched the small cuts gingerly. "We'd be delighted." BR
"Where do you live?" Vlah'do asked.BR
"I live by myself in a house outside of Nami Muro. It is only a short walk from here. Thank the gods for that too, else I wouldn't have been able to come to your aid very quickly."BR
"We have much to say to each other." Vlah'do said flatly.BR
"Indeed we do." Habbek glanced at Azure, "Are you badly injured?"BR
"No, I am okay."BR
"Let us get started then. It is not a long distance. Follow me."BR
"Wait," Azure said. "My mate, Hoth, will be looking for me. He's probably back on the IArchAngel/I hovering around."BR
"Why didn't you say so?" He took a small canister from his vest and pulled the pin on it. Immediately a plume of bright orange smoke billowed out. He tossed it aside. "Now if your mate is in an aircraft anywhere nearby he'll be able to see this smoke signal and hopefully come land. We'll wait here then. Come see what I've done with your captors."BRBR

***BRBR

Bild woke groggily to the same sight that Azure and Vlah'do had; Habbek standing over him. He was tied to a tree with his arms behind his back and feet restrained. Habbek smacked him in the face until he came around fully. "You scumy pond parasite! You've gone and slaughtered my loverly crew!"BR
"No!" Habbek replied gruffly. "I haven't slaughtered your crew. Some of them are still alive."BR
"What do you want with me then?"BR
"I come to you with a proposition. You can leave New Earth and serve as an example to those who would do likewise, or you can come with me to the local authorities and they'll deal with you."BR
"You coward!" Bild sunddenly said. Habbek looked surprised. "You're nothing without that big gun of yours! I'll wager you couldn't hold your own in a *real* fight!"BR
Habbek was insulted. He had never expected this, but he was ready. "If that's what you think then I accept your immenant challenge."BR
"To the death!" Bild said bodly.BR
"As you wish." Habbek responded flatly.BRBR

***BRBR

Hikori pointed to a monitor. "Captain, I see something... unusual."BR
"What's that?" Hoth asked.BR
"An orange smoke trail." Hoth came along side Hikori and looked at the monitor. "What do you suggest we do?"BR
"I think it's some sort signal... maybe."BR
Hikori had already set the ship's course and they headed towards the signal.BRBR

***BRBR

Azure had scrambled up a tree and was perched in some of the branches, watching the skies. "No sign of them yet." She yelled down below her, returning her gaze to the clear blue skies of New Earth. BRBR

***BRBR

Habbek untied Bild after handing Vlah'do his large particle beam rifle. He and Vlah'do both knew that he wouldn't be able to handle the weapon, but Bild didn't and that's all that mattered. "If this fisa trut makes ONE false move, blast him. If he kills me then let him leave."BR
Bild smirked. "So what'll it be mate? Knives? Swords? Blaster? Or bare hands?"BR
Habbek shrugged nonchalantly. "Choose your weapon." BR
"Only weapon I'd ever choose is right here." He unsheathed his katana and pointed it at Habbek.BR
"Right, that's it then."BR
Bild stared at him incredulously. "You mean your going to fight me sword bare-handed?"BR
Habbek's eyes narrowed. "I dont need a weapon fool. You are not a fighter, you are just a bully."BR
Bild laughed at this insult. "So be it man! It's your grave!" He charged.BR
With his katana held at chest level and pointed straight at Habbek, he dashed to clear the space between the two of them. Habbek held his ground until the last instant. He jumped to one side and grabbed Bild's arm and jabbed his elbow into Bild's biceps, simultanieously loosening his grip and knocking the sword free. He kicked Bild in the stomach and sent him stumbling backwards in the sand. BR
Bild was caught completely off guard. This old man had just humiliated him and made him lose his sword. He once again charged with his fists clenched. Habbek once again stood his ground. In one fluid motion, he tripped him, bent down, grabbed his knee and arm and flipped him over his head with his shoulders in a digging motion. Bild flew off his feat and landed hard on his back in the sand. BRBR

Habbek stepped on his head, turning his face sideways in the sand and stabbed the katana on the ground in front of his face. "You couldn't hold your own in a duel with an unarmed man. You prey on the weak and helpless, that is what I call a coward. You don't deserve to live." He moved the blade against Bild's neck. "But I'm not going to lower myself to your level." He flipped the katana expertly in the air and wielded the end, knocking Bild out with the hilt of the long sword.BR
Vlah'do had watched the whole scene in admiration. He couldn't believe it. He had thought that Habbek was crazy to accept such a challenge. It was a twist of fate that he had won. Or was it? Either way, Vlah'do knew that he had found favor with the gods. "What are you going to do with him?" He said pointing at Bild.BR
Habbek smiled malevolently. "I have special plans for him. We need to teach his kind a lesson they won't forget. Ideally, he will tell those like him and spread the word."BR
"So your not going to kill him?"BR
"No. Just... punish."BRBR

Azure landed at the base of her tree with a muffled thump. She grunted and straightened from her crouch. "Punish can mean a lot of things..." She murmered. "And after seeing that I know I don't wanna piss you off." She said, raising an eyeridge at Bild's still form.BRBR

***BRBR


The ArchAngel descended on the shore with a scattering of sand. The plank was lowered and Hoth ran down it before the ship was even on the ground. Hoth jumped the remainder of the distance and landed knee deep in the sand. Hikori followed him as he bounded across the sand. "Just wait here. We will be back shortly." Hikori called as he shouldered his pack and headed after Hoth. BR
Karn and Vadhis stood in the doorway watching their trek from the ship. Karn had been able to predict what Vadhis was thinking. After a long moment of silence, Vadhis spoke. "I can't stay here Karn."BR
Karn cocked his head inquizzatively. "Oh?"BR
"I must leave."BR
Karn was not fooled for a second. He knew Vadhis' intentions. He grasped Vadhis' wrist in bad him farewell. "Good luck Vadhis, may you find peace on the journey ahead of you and your new life..." Vadhis left the ship and headed down the beach, leaving Karn to watch departure. BRBR

***BRBR

Bild cursed himself even before he was fully consious. How could I have been so stupid? I let an unarmed man defeat me! Now all is lost! His moan was met with a chorus of others and he opened his eyes. He saw the remnant of his crew, laying along side him. He tried to get up but his feet and hands were restricted. He looked to see his hands tied to a nearby tree and his feet tied to those of the others. "What the blue blazes..." All their feet were tied together in the center of a cirlce and all others were restrained in a likewise manner.BR
"So your up? You great lunkhead! Look what you've got us into!" Sovwren said in a healthfully irate tone. BR
"Is that you Sovwren?"BR
"Yes its me, you fool!"BR
"What happened?"BR
"We were overtaken by someone and bound. He came over earlier and gave us an ear roughing along with that you see down there." She gestured towards his feet.
Bild looked at his feet and his face was suddenly plastered with a terrified expression! "A bomb!" BR
In the middle of the circle of feet was a small grey rectangular box with a timer on the center. The counter read ten minutes and thirty seconds. "We gotta get out of here afore that thing goes off!"BR
"That's what we've been trying to do you meathead!"BR
"Dont just sit there gabbing then! Help me get these ropes undone!" Bild wiggled his feet in an attempt to free himself. "Now, if you'll just move your feet a little to the left there Frahkir... no, not *that* left, the *other* left..."BRBR

***BRBR

Captain...Please...Slow down..." Hikori panted, trying to keep up with Hoth's pace. Hoth looked about to collapse himself but he wasn't letting that stop him.
"Hoth! Wait..." Hikori yelled, not even getting a reaction. Hoth pulled far ahead of him, taking the closest thing to a beeline for the orange plume of smoke.BRBR

***BRBR

Azure leaned against what she had mentally proclaimed 'her' tree, at least for the time being. She could comfortably sit between two of the larger roots and had been darting up and down it every once in a while like some sort of weird blue squirrel for the past hour. Her ears suddenly perked and she looked over her shoulder, cocking her head. BR
"I think someone's coming fellas." She said, blinking. She again hefted herself into her tree, squinting in the sunlight and looking down into the underbrush. BR
"Yep, comin' straight for us!" She yelled down at Vlah'do and Habbek. BRBR

***BRBR

Hoth burst from the underbrush like a ravenous animal, his eyes darting in search of Azure. He was oblivious to the other two Akrennians' presence. "Azure?! Azure!" He looked up the tree and waved his arms frantically. BR
"Hoth! Where in the Gods' names did you go off to?" Azure asked, quickly exiting the tree.BR
Hoth quickly pounced on her, searching for injury as he showed affection by nudging her cheek with the tip of his muzzle. "Az! Are you alright? Gods...." He fretted, flinching at her neck, his ears flattened dramatically.BRBR

"Hoth, calm yourself. I'm fiiiine. Really." Azure rolled her eyes, flicking her ears. "Seems I should be the one worrying, looked at yourself in a mirror lately?" BR
Hoth ignored her comment and nudged her cheek again. Azure sighed, rolled her eyes again, and pushed him away gently. "Vlah'do you've already met. This is Habbek." She waved a hand in the direction of the said Akrennian. "He liberated us from our captors, to put it poetically."BR
Hoth lowered his head respectfully, allowing his ears to come all the way forward. "Hoth, previously of the Nyro clan." He said quickly.BR
"Don't worry, he isn't a drug addict or a pimp. He just likes coffee...Okay so maybe he's a little addicted to his coffee...But he's a good mate!" Azure said helpfully, earning herself a roll of Hoth's eyes. BR
"Az, please, not now." Hoth pleaded, looking exasperated. BRBR

Hikori chose that moment to practically fall at their feet. "Told you...To....Wait...Captain..." He gasped out, sinking to his knees under Azure's tree.BR
"Ahh! This is Hikori, Karu clan. Our pilot. Hikori, this is Vlah'do and this is Habbek." Azure grinned at him without missing a beat, waving a hand at him. She bent and helped the winded near albino to his feet. BR
Habbek greeted Hoth stiffly. "I am Habbek." He said flatly and nodded slightly. "Of Vades'Slos. Greetings."BR
Hoth released Azure and practically fell at his feet. He bowed as low as he could. "I can't thank you enough."BR
Habbek smiled dully. "No problem." I was glad for an excuse... It's not that he was a hateful person, it was that he had built up a hatred for Squemetan; he had to, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to pull the trigger as many times as he did. BRBR

Hoth felt awkward as well, he wasn't used to being grateful, but Habbek wasn't used to recieving gratitude and so it worked out well. Habbek broke the silence. "I would be honored to have you over to my house for lunch."BR
"How could we reject?" Hoth said enthusiastically.BR
"I will tend to your wounds and give you any supplies you may need. Talk with me while we walk, it's not far from here. Tell me, what are you doing in the middle of no where on New Earth?"BR
"We'll explain that in a minute. Let's get back to the ship and get Karn and Vadhis."BRBR

***BRBR

The pitiful circle of mantrin captives had not been able to get free from the oppressive knots and were now starting to panic. Writhing bodies wriggled in the sand in an attempt to free themselves as the timer counted down. It was at five minutes when Vadhis appeared out of the bushes.BR
"Vadhis! Vadhis me old mate! Your free!"BR
Vadhis looked at Bild disdainfully and continued walking. He and took out a knife and started cutting the rope around a mantrin female named Prayurna's arms. BR
"That's it Vadhis! Cut us lose!" Bild said enthusiastically. BR
He helped Prayurna to her feet and headed away. BR
"HEY!" Bild shouted. "Where do you think your going?"
"I'm leaving. WE'RE leaving."BR
"You back-biting, theiving, coniving, back-stabbing, ungrateful caelacanth!"BR
Vadhis didn't pay any attention as he lead Prayurna away. BR
"Misfortune and bad health follow you! Curses on you and your mother!" Bild yelled until his face turned red.
Vadhis was out of hearing.BRBR

***BRBR

The IArchAngel/I stood delicately on it's struts, stretching halfway across the whole beach, which was a fair good distance. Nearly half a mile long. The IArchAngel/I was a huge ship, by any standards. It held three levels, the bottom level was split between a cavernous cargo bay and the engine room. BR
The second level was the main area, a single hallway ran the length of the ship from cockpit to tail. The hyperdrive thrusters took up a good amount of the tail end. Along the main hallway most of the rooms lined up. At the rear was the kitchen, across from that was the rec. room. Beside the rec. room but outside it, were the two staircases to go into either the upper or lower levels. Residing on the kitchen's side of the hallway was also the bathroom and airlock. BR
The whole upper-most level was oval shaped, with one hallway circling the whole thing. The first room you'd come to was the infirmary, then a couple supply rooms and a couple spare guest rooms which had started life as supply rooms as well. BRBR

On the outside the ArchAngel looked like a piece of space trash, it's dulled and aged hull glinted very faintly in the sunlight, but inside it looked nearly like new.BR
"So good to be home." Azure smiled. Hoth nodded vaguely, giving the hull a once over with his eyes. BR
"We still need to fix that -" He started, but Azure quickly cut him off.BR
"Hoth, your turn to give it a rest. Eegads." She rolled her eyes. She turned to look at the rest of their small rag-tag group. "Well, since you're here may as well save a trip and simply eat here, eh?" She grinned. BR