***BRBR

Karn left the ship and greeted them on the shore. BR"Karn!" said Vlah'do. "Good to see you safe friend!" He calsped wrists with Karn. BR
"You should have known that space pirates weren't enough to stop me." He said with false bravado. BR
"You old bluffer."BR
"Old? I'm only one year older than you!"BR
Hoth interupted them. "Where's the other one?"
BR
"You mean Vadhis?" Karn asked. "He's... left."BR
"Left?" Hoth cocked his head to one side. "What do you mean?"BR
"He left." Karn said nervously.BR
"You LET him leave?" BR
"Well, yes."BR
Hoth stared incredilously at Karn. He knew that this wasn't the time for contentions and so he dropped the subject, giving Karn a glare. BRBR

"I see that you are well supplied and have enough food for yourselves, but nonetheless I would enjoy your company and like it if you would join me for lunch." BR
All of a sudden Azure realized that he wasn't just extending kindness, but asking a favor. She saw how lonely Habbek must have been. "We'd be glad to." She said, keeping it to herself. BR
Habbek's face brightened. "You won't regret it. I've taught myself to cook well in the past few years, though I do say so myself. I will serve some of the local delicasses."BR
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to join the crew of the IArchAngel/I? Because we're in need of a decent cook." Hoth joked, recieving a jab in the ribs from Azure.BRBR

***BRBR

"Vadhis! Stop! What do you think you're doing?" Vadhis had met stiff resistance from Prayurna and had to practically drag her, using his full strength to keep her in line. BR
"I'm saving you, that's what I'm doing!"BR
"Saving me?"BR
"Yes! How long do you think that we could have lasted in the crew?"BR
"I was having a fine time."BR
"It couldn't have lasted. We would have gotten killed or arrested or something."BR
"No way! How long has Bild been doing that? Years! Probably while you were still jumping on your mother's shins!"BR
"Prayurna," Vadhis turned to her. "What are you looking for in life?"BR
She thought for a minute. "I guess what we're all looking for is happiness."BR
"Exactly. You thought that you needed money for this, but how long can you remain happy when you are making other's suffer?"BR
"Vadhis, you are a romantic, a fool and a dreamer."BR
"Maybe that's why you love me so much."BR
She turned to him. Her life was a mess, she had sought hapiness in the wrong place when it was right underneath her nose the entire time. Comfort was needed, she hugged Vadhis tightly and started to cry, realizing that she did love him. They sunk to their knees and continued their embrace. BRBR

***BRBR

"Y'know...Where'd our skiff go?" Azure suddenly asked, looking around with a comically perplexed expression.
Hoth shrugged. "I dunno, but I don't think the pirates took it.."BR
Azure shrugged back at him instead of responding. "Hmm...Well before we go we should tell the rest of the crew that we're okay, probably confused the daylights out of 'em."BR
Hoth nodded. "Didn't have time to explain anything."BR
"Oh Gods...Nemo! I can't believe I forgot - Ye Gods!" Azure smacked herself in the head and sprinted up the ramp. BR
Hoth gave a look that conveyed a silent appology before racing after her.BRBR

"Nemo is their son." Hikori informed Vlah'do and Habbek calmly. "And if I'm not mistaken you're about to meet the rest of the crew, most likely at the exact same time." The corners of his mouth flickered up slightly before returning to their neutral position.BR
Two minutes after he said this a light grey Akrennian's head poked out of the dark hole which was the entrance to the ship. She cocked her head and blinked before cautiously wandering down the ramp and silently greeting Hikori, casting slightly fearfull glances at Vlah'do and Habbek. Hikori reassured her that they were friends and she was more at ease once she heard this. BR
"This is Lirpa, my mate. She cannot speak..." Hikori said in his normal tone, although he frowned slightly.BRBR

During Lirpa's introduction a whole gaggle of other Akrennian's and one human poured from the ship like a living river. Azure and Hoth amongst them. BR

Azure found her way to the front and quickly introduced each of them in turn, skipping over their clans.
"Yavin,"BR
A HUGE black Akrennian at the back of the group ducked his head and smiled, waving. "Hello." He boomed.BR
"Hunroo,"BR
A young Akrennian gave a skeptical glance and a nod before looking back at some sort of gizmo he was playing with.BR
"Jecka," Azure pointed out the Akrennian next to him, they were obviously related by the way Jecka flicked the smaller Akrennian's ear and pointed to the two newcomers with a frown. Hunroo glanced at her and chose to ignore her attempt to get him to socialize...BR
"Pleased to meet you sirs." The albino female said in a familiarly calm tone.BRBR

"Nemo," Azure put her hand on the shoulder of another young Akrennian who was reddish brown in color, fading into black ears.BR
Nemo grinned cheerfully. "Hi!"BR
"Iris," Azure gestured at a rather short green akrennian.BR
Iris cocked her head but smiled, staring blankly past everyone and into the tree line as her ears pricked. "Greetings to ye."BR
"She's blind." Azure informed, explaining the green akrennian's blank stare. BR
"Aye, but not deaf. Treat Lirpa an' I as ye would any other, we've come a bit too far t'be treated specially." Iris chuckled, closing her eyes since it made most nervous to look at them. Lirpa nodded in agreement, smiling.BR
"And this is Rekk!" Azure beamed, pointing out the sole human of the gang. BR
Rekk grinned and waved. "Heya, guies." BRBR

Habbek was touched by this warm greeting. "I wish I could take you ALL to my house for some lunch, but I don't have a very big house." He greeted Nemo who was nearest him. "Tell me young man, do you know what pizza is?"BR
Nemo jumped up. "Yes!"BR
"Do you like it?"BR
Nemo jumped again. "Yes!"BR
"Would you like to have some for lunch at my house?"BR
"YES! YES! YES!"BR
"Is it okay with your mom?"BR
Nemo turned to Azure. "Can I come with you to Mr.Habbek's house for pizza?"BR
"Yes you can." Azure said fondly. BR
Habbek was delighted. "Please then, tell your crew and get what you need so that you can come and dine with me." BR
Azure went into the ship and gave explicit instructions to various members of the crew before preparing herself and heading off the ship into the forest with Hoth, Hikori, Lirpa, Iris, Nemo, Vlah'do, and Karn. BRBR

Habbek led the group through the forest. "So, what are you people doing here?"BR
Azure looked to Vlah'do for the explanation. "Well," He said. "We came here on a diplomatic mission to the Nami Muro Wildlife Organization."BR
Karn spoke up. "You see, a while back, before old Earth was destroyed, we started a dolphin breeding program back on Tahu-Dzo which was very successful. However, when Earth was destroyed, the program stopped and was left alone because of diplomatic problems and lack of communications. Now we want to start again but we need a few more specimens."BR
"Why do you want dolphins?" Habbek asked.BR
"They have many practical uses. They can help in the fishing industry, trained to be life guards, they can even be house hold pets. Keep in mind that Tahu-Dzo is almost entirely water."BR
"Very interesting. So now you need government consent huh?"BR
"That's right."BR
The trip continued with friendly conversation being exchanged between all. The forest eventually faded into a large wide open grass plain. In the distance was a city that hugged the coast. "That," Said Habbek. "Is Nami Muro!"BRBR

They took the subtransit system once inside the city limits. Habbek was right, it wasn't a long walk. The shuttle brought them to a terminal outside his house. It was a small, quaint house with a small green yard with no fences or borders anywhere. It was well kept but cozy. BR
He motioned for them to step inside the house. "Come on in. I will have the food ready shortly." He saw his neighbor next door pushing a small machine around his yard. "Just wait inside for a minute, I'll be right there." BR
Everyone entered the house and sat on the furniture. Nemo looked a little excited. "It's been a while since I've had some good cooking." He said quietly, but not quiet enough for Azure to not hear him. BR
She buffeted him lightly and jokingly on the back of the head. "What are you trying to say?"BR
"Iris doesn't cook as often as I'd like her to."BR
Azure chased him around the house in a playful fashion.BRBR

"Hey! You!" Habbek yelled at his neighbor. He was an odd sight. He had long doubled up knees and a muzzle and a short tail. He was light grey and tall and slim unlike a mantrin, but had mantrin features. He was a mantrennian.
He stopped his machine and looked over at Habbek. "Yes?"BR
"What do you think you're doing?"BR
"Huh?"BR
"You're cutting my side of the grass!" BR
He gave Habbek a cheesy grin. "I just thought that you'd like a little help, I mean at your age..."BR
"My age? Look who talking old one!"BR
"Respect your elders!" He said sarcastically.BR
"Pacal, you great lunk!"BR
"Habbek you old fool! How've you been?"BR
Pacal left his side of the yard and gave Habbek a warm hand shake. "I've had a rough night. But I have some guests over for lunch. Would you like to join us?"BR
"That depends," Pacal said smiling. "What are you having and who cooked it?"BR
Habbek punched him playfully in the arm. "I cooked it. And don't go joking about my cooking, I've been making my own food for a long time."BR
"Yeah, and now look at you!" That remark earned a slightly harder punch. BR
"Bah! Quiet you! Anyway, we are having pizza, ramen noodles, chicken and rice, salad and spaghetti and to drink I made this new kind of juice."BR
"Sounds great!" Pacal said sincerly. He was hardly ever serious, but Habbek had learned how to judge when he was for real and when he was joking. "but I really have some work to do, the yard needs some work and then there's that big report that we have to get started on..."BR
"I'm going to make some of my 'better than love' chocolate cake!"BR
"I'm there!" Pacal said enthusiastically. He put his hand around his good friend's shoulders and walked with him to the house.BRBR

Iris' ears swiveled as she carefully stepped out of the way of Azure, who had by now captured Nemo and now had her unfortunate son in a headlock. Iris listened carefuly to the echoes and picked her way around furniture.BR
"AGH! Mooooom!" Nemo laughed, half gagging and trying to escape her grasp, half enjoying it.BR
Azure grinned evilly and ruffled his head fur, brushing it in the wrong direction.BR
"AKK!" Nemo gasped, since fur going the wrong way is an odd feeling indeed.BRBR

Hikori coughed softly. "Azure, you may want to wait until you've reached the ship once more to continue this...After all you both have a tendancy to break things..."BR
Azure released Nemo, who busilly straightened his fur with a mock glare. BR
"Yeah, guess you're right. When we get back home kiddo you and me are gonna be locked in a deathmatch." Azure grinned in a jokingly threatening manner.BR
Lirpa hid a smile behind a hand, Hoth rubbed the back of his neck and frowned slightly.BR
"Could ya maybe do that outside?" He asked.BR
"They could, but that'd take the fun out of it, am I right in thinking so, lad?" Iris chuckled.BR
"Yes." Nemo grinned.BR
"Oh Gods..." Hoth rubbed his neck again. BRBR

Habbek entered his house with Pacal to a most peculiar sight; Azure with a death grip on Nemo's leg who was despereately trying to flee the friendly fight with his mom. Hikori had tried to calm them down but had given up after a short time and let them continue, occasionally reminding them not to break things. Habbek and Pacal gave them both a strange look before Azure released his leg and straightened herself out while Nemo ran off and his himself behind a couch. BR
"Uh, this is Pacal. A good friend of mine and a co-worked from the lab. He will be dining with us tonight. Try to entertain him while I prepare the meal," He smiled at Nemo and Azure. "Though I'm sure that won't be an issue." He turned and left to the kitchen. BR
Although everyone tried to be polite, and succeeded, Pacal could tell that everyone was staring at him. He smiled meekly and greeted who appeared to be the leader. "Hello, I'm Pacal." BR
Hoth shoke his extended hand. "Hello. I am Hoth and this is my mate Azure and our son Nemo." BR
Nemo smiled and greeted him enthusiastically. "Hi!"BR
Hoth resumed the introductions. "And these are our friends and fellow crew members Hikori and his mate Lirpa. And finally our newly accquianted companions, Karn and Vlah'do."BR
"It's really nice to meet you all." BR
Nemo interupted him. "Excuse me Mr.Pacal? What are you?" He meant no disrespect by asking the question, but in fact was still rather innocent to such things. Pacal knew this and laughed.BR
"I am what you would call a mantrennian. You see, my mother was an akrennian and my father was a mantrin."BR
"Wow!" Said Nemo. "You must have lots of fun!"BR
"What do you mean?" asked Pacal.BR
"Well, you've got matrin legs, so you'd be able to play sports better than an akrennian, but you can do all the other stuff that akrennians are good at! Like..." Nemo sniffed. "smelling good food!" BR
Pacal was thouroughly amused. Actually, this changed his entire perspective. "I guess you're right." He looked around at the happy group and couldn't help but want to talk to them. "Tell me," He said. "How did you guys come to meet old Habbek there?"BR
Azure put her hand on his shoudler. "Sit down and I'll tell you the whole story."BRBR

"Ach," Iris said after sitting in the living room for a while. "I cannot sit here while that delicious smell fills my nostrils. I think I'll go and make myself busy in the kitchen." She got up out of her chair and headed into the kitchen.BR
It was a mess! A pot on the stove slowly bubbled over, its foam sizzling when coming into contact with the burner, a box of pasta slung its neglected contents across the counter, a frying pan with rice sizzled, various containers cluttered the counters and a bag of flour had spilt on the flour, making a white messy pile on the floor that Iris scattered with her upon entering the kitchen.BR
Habbek turned to see her enter. He had not changed or put on an apron and had spilt flour and some oil on his shirt. BR
"Excuse me. Are you lost?" He asked.BR
"Nay, I've come to see if I can help ye."BR
"Umm, thanks but I think i've got it under control." BR
"Nay, that rice's burning a little." She moved next to Habbek and took the rice off of the stove and stirred it with a ladel. Habbek stared in amazement as she moved around in the kitchen with effortless ease. "Thanks." He said, dumbfounded. BR
Iris smiled. "I can tell you are surprised. Like I told ye before, treat me as ye would any other."BR
"Yeah, I know. But..." Habbek was ashamed. "I'm sorry."BR
"You're pasta's boiling over." She said nonchalantly and lifted the pot's lid.BRBR

Iris felt her way cautiously along the counter.
"If ye're goin' t'cook large meals ye should set ev'rything up first. Then start t' cook. Seems yer doin' it the other way 'round." She smiled, picking up on where everything was by touch, hearing, and scent. BR
"Ye 'ave this and this..." She pointed out the two particular dishes out, "Done." She perked her ears and quickly flattened one of them, wrinkling her snout and sneezing to the side. "And that would be burnin' right now..." She grimaced, pointing at a pot, which indeed was begining to shed smoke out it's lid. BR
Habbek hurried around the stove and took the pot off, quickly stirring its contents. Fortunately, the pasta hadn't turned to a gluey mess and stuck to the bottom of the pan. "Bah!" He said. BR
"'Tis not ruined is it?" BR
"No." BR
Iris helped Habbek in what she could, but she could tell that he was one who preferred to work alone. "Say, could you reach me the..." Iris looked in his direction. BR"Never mind. Would you mind taking care of this rice while I get the strainer?"BR
"Not at all. 'Tis what I'm here for."
Their paths crossed and for a moment Habbek stared into her face. "Your eyes." He said, without even thinking. He probably would have thought it a bad thing to say, had he been thinking.BR
Iris closed her eyes, embarrassed. BR
Habbek, sensing her distress, says, "No! I mean, their beautiful!"BR
Iris opened her eyes again. "Oh," she said in mock irratation. "You're just saying that..."BR
"No! I mean it. They're like..." Like a overcast sky on a fall day, the surface of the full moon, like a nebula. Isntead of telling her this, he walked past her to the cupboard and got out the strainer.BRBR

Iris raised an eyeridge and flicked an ear, not sure what to make of him. She decided to let it slide by and instead turned all her attention to the rice.BRBR

***BRBR

Azure finished and was nearly out of breath, not mention she'd been interupted by everyone wanting to tell their own part. "and that's how it happened...Now we're here." She smiled, looking a tad bit sheepish. BRBR

***BRBR

Habbek poured the pasta out of the pot with steam billowing out and rising to the roof. In one long sluuuuurp the pasta moved out of the pot and into the strainer in the sink. Gods! he thought, What was I thinking? I wasn't thinking at all! He was mad at himself for having lost his restaint, even if it was for only a moment, and saying what he did. He mentally kicked himself and decided to leave it alone.BR
"Um, could you do me a favor?"BR
Iris turned. Is that... weariness I see on her face? "Yes?"BR
"Could you take care of that rice while I set the table?"BR
"Of course." She busied herself while Habbek left the room to set the table. BR
Clink! Clank! Habbek hurriedly placed the dishes around the table. "Hmm, looks like we're going to need another table." He hurried upstairs among the amiable conversation in the living room and got another smaller table to put along side the long table in the dining room. BR
Pacal, lost in idle conversation, looked up to see Habbek trying to lug the table down the stairs by himself. "Excuse me." He said politely and bounded up the stairs to his aid.BR
"Trying to cary this massive table down the stairs by yourself? Looks like someone either doesn't know their own strength or their age..." He sniggered.BR
Habbek smiled. "Very funny mr. comedian. Are you going to help me or just jest about my age for a while, O' feeble one?"BR
"Feeble?" Pacal flexed his arms sarcastically. "In my day I could lift more kilos than anyone else my age!"
BR
"All right, all right. Just help me with this thing okay?"BR
The two took the table down the stairs and into the dining room. Habbek wiped his brow and rested his elbow on the large wooden table. "What do you think of my friends?" He asked casually.BR
"They're really nice, but what concerns me is how you met them. Habbek, I thought you were through with all that?" BR
"Pacal, you know as well as I do that it needed to be done."BR
"Yeah, but you haven't used a gun in ages, much less killed anyone!"BR
"It was the only way Pacal."BR
He looked at Habbek sternly, and he knew that Pacal wasn't kidding. "I'm dissapointed, but I'll take your word on this."BR
"Thanks." Habbek headed back to the kitchen to get the utensils and continue setting the tables.
When he got back in the kitchen, he saw the rice and pasta laid out on the counter, ready to be served. Iris casually sipped a ladel of sauce, stared pensively into space and then mix in some more spices. All the food was finished except the sauce and the cake, which was to be a surprise. "Wow!" Iris didn't turn her head to Habbek because she already knew he was in the room. "You... finished everything!"BR
"Aye, I'm sorry about the sauce though."BR
Habbek cocked his head, though this gesture was unseen. "What's wrong with it?"BR
"I think I may have... double dipped."BR
Habbek laughed. "How does it taste?" He scooped a ladel out from the drawer and tested the sauce. "Mmm... A minute ago this was ketchup. And now its... good! It's cuisine!"BR
"Glad to be of help." Iris said. "Shall we set the table now?"BR
"It's set, just need to put the food on, but I'll do that."BR
"Nay, I think I can manage." BR
"If you insist." Together they set the table.BRBR

With everyone gathered around the table Hoth stared at all the good food and sniffed the tantalizing aroumas. "Now that has to be the best meal I've ever seen prepared in 45 minutes!"BR
"Thank you, Iris was a big help." Habbek said. After watching all thier faces staring at the food hungrily, Habbek said. "Let's eat!"BR
Forks clanked on plates and juice splashed into cups. Habbek looked up at all the smiling, content faces. So this is what it feels like, to have a family...BR
Iris felt to the side of her plate and picked up her fork, slowly picking her way around her plate, making sure her utensil stayed in contact with it at all times for fear of stabbing down into the table.BR
Azure gave Nemo a disapprooving look as he began to simply stuff himself. "Nemo...You'll make yourself sick..." She raised a warning eyeridge. Nemo looked up from a peice of pizza he was attempting to shove down his throat whole. He began to chew. Azure nodded at him and went on with her own meal. BRBR

***BRBR

"Hey! I think I've got a foot loose!" Krahkrir the matrin said as he struggled with his bonds. Surely enough, his foot was free. BR
"Good work! Now we can all get loose!" Once a gap was created, there was enough space between them all that they could all pull out their feet. The timer read one minute. BR
"Work mates! Work! We've almost got ourselves free!" Eveyone tugged at their arm ropes to no avail. The counter clicked down. Every second hitting them like drops in chinese water torture. Finally, all realised that there it was useless.BR
"Oh woe is me!" Criend one of the mantrins. "I'm gonna die and I never tasted cantaloupe!"BR
"It's not so bad mate." said another. "Cantaloupe isn't that good. Now honey dew! There's the money melon."BR
"Quiet you fools!" Bild yelled. "Can't you have a little dignity?"BR
All were silent and stared at the small package od explosives and the timer's marquee that insesantley counted down to their immenant dooms!BR
10...9...8...7...6...BR
"Well, it's been a pleasure being your captain mates."BR
5...4...3...2...1...BR
fiiiiizzzzzzzz.....BR
A small plume of smoke escaped the device. Bild looked at the timer in shock. A message scrolled across the screen.BR
Ha! Look's like the joke's on you!BR
Bild let out a cry of mixed anger and joy.BRBR

***BRBR

Pacal sat next to Nemo and was enjoying his company immensely. They talked like old friends, regardless of their age difference. "What are you going to be when you grow up?" Nemo asked, his face covered in pizza sauce.
Pacal laughed. "Well, I think I've already grown up. I am what you call a meteorophysist."BR
Nemo took his face out of his third slice of pizza. "What's that?"BR
"Well, we work on atmoshpereic conditioning. As you probably know, this planet was created a while back, before you were born. At the beginning it needed a lot of work. Our job is to control the release of free oxygens into the atmosphere by a method invented by our friend Habbek. You see, there is a whole lot of hydrogen gas in the atmoshpere. Two hydrogen molecules, which make up a single atom of hydrogen gas, are not complete, and so they bond with the nearest element with the same amount of free shells open on the first orbital, they bond. The result of this is that the highly volatile gas is turned into water. You see? Two hydrogens and one oxygen."BR
Nemo smiled at Pacal. He hadn't understood a word but it all seemed very interesting. "So you're in charge of the rain?"BR
Pacal was thoroughly amused. "I guess you could say that." BRBR

The conversation continued after all the food was gone. In the friendly atmoshphere and idle conversation Habbek almost forgot the most important thing of all. "The cake!" He jumped up and went into the kitchen to get it.
Hoth slouched in his chair and stuck out his tongue. "Man, after all that eating I don't think I could stomach another bite..." Habbek brought in the pan and set it on the table next to Hoth. He stared at it, his mouth salivating despite his bulky stomach. "Well, maybe just one more bite." BR
It looked delicious! There was a layer of crumbled cookie at the bottom. In the middle was a layer of chocoloate mousse which was toped by a coating of whipped cream. It was a desert well worth saving room for. BR
Azure got the first piece and dug in eagerly. "Wow! What is this?"BR
Habbek smiled. "You like it? It's called 'better than love' cake. It's cookie crust with chocolate mousse and whipped cream." Everyone happily dug in. It looked to be the perfect evening. BR
All of a sudden, the lights went out. Habbek stood. "Hey! What the... Hmm..." BR
Nemo made an alarmed squawk and grasped Azure in a death grip. BR
Hoth nearly choked on his cake as he looked up, startled. Lirpa made a sound in her throat, cocking her head while Hikori simply looked up at the light fixture, blinking at it as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness.BR
Iris' ears flicked this way and that as she set down her fork, cocking her head, not being aware that the lights had gone out. BRBR

Hoth rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. "What happened?" BR
Habbek felt around. "I don't know. Hoth, you're nearest the door, can you open it and get some light in?"BR
"All right." Hoth groped the wall until he felt a light switch. He flicked it various times to no avail. He could see the door in the distance and headed towards it. BR
With a resonating boom, a blinding flash enveloped the room and all inside. A large piece of the door hit Hoth in the chest and head and leveled him. He hit the ground with a grunt and the large wooden board on top of him.
Boots hit the ground as men stomped into the room. Before the blinding glare had lessened, there were heavily armoured men at every corner of the room. A gunshot was heard, a voice yelled into the dark. "Police! Everyone down! Hands on your head!" BR
In the darkness, Azure pulled Nemo and Iris to the ground where they both layed flat on their stomachs and covered the backs of their heads. From Azure's point of view everyone was on the ground. Where's Habbek? she thought.BR
He had walked to the front of the room and now stood, like a monolith in the dark, among all the other prone figues, rubbing his eyes and trying to make out the introders. He stared into the dark at a rapidly approaching figure. "What the hell do you think you're-"BR
A sharp current of pain coursed through his knee as the man in front of him kicked him hard which was followed by a grotesque snap. Habbek grunted and sank to his knees where he was subsequently struck with the butt of the man's rifle. He fell to his stomach.BR
In one solid movement, the man replaced his rifle with a pistol, held it against Habbek's head and dug his knee into his back. "Habbek of Vades'Slos, you are under arrest for 7 counts of first degree murder. You have the right to remain silent..." His rights were recited to him as quickly as possible. BR
Hoth was completely disoriented. He lifted the piece of wood from his face and stirred. He got to his knees, only to recieve a sharp kick in the back from someone behind him. "Stay on the ground! Hands on your head!" A voice behind him shouted. He felt a foot pressing down on his lower back and decided to submit. He placed his hands over his head. "This him?"BR
"Yeah."BR
"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent." Before he was done with the sentence, Hoth felt a hand grap the neck of his coat and drag him across the floor and out of the room. BR
The man who had knocked Habbek was not strong enough to pull Habbek by himself. He shoved his pistol into his back. "Get up!" He commanded.BR
"I cant." Habbek growled. "You broke my leg."BR
The man looked down and saw a pool of blood gathering about his right knee. He hesitated for a second before motioning to another policeman and they dragged him across the floor and out of the room, leaving a small streak of burgundy blood across the carpet. BR
Habbek tried to resist, but the two men had him at such a position that he couldn not. Their arms interlocked with his, making him unable to move them at all, his legs dragging at an angle. After a short sprint with Habbek between the two of them, he was tossed, still completely disoriented, into the back of an armored jeep. Without much of a hesistation, the jeep accelerated and took off. BR
Habbek, somewhat tossed, took account of his immediate surroudings. The jeep was tightly packed. Next to him sat Vlah'do and Hoth who was somewhat beaten around the face and head. They really caught me off guard. Damn! That was fast!BRBR

Hoth growled what must have been obsenities, thankfully not in basic. He rubbed his head. "What the **** is this all about?" He mumbled, feeling an insistent throb start up behind his eyes. "Seven counts of what? Murder?" He flicked his ears, which were now drooping to the sides on their own will. He felt a little sleepy but figured now wasn't a good time to nap.BRBR

***BRBR

Azure chanced to look up, realising that not all of them were there in an instant. She'd been consentrating on comforting Nemo and keeping Iris flat on the floor. "Hoth?" She cocked her head and let her eyes flit around the room. "****." She spat, Nemo whimpered and shruddered against her side. She petted his ears lightly and stood up. "****! ****! ****!" She stamped a foot on the floor, growling. Nemo whimpered again.BR
Lirpa was sobbing into Hikori's chest, shivering. Hikori looked a little disturbed despite himself as he rubbed her shoulder. BR
Iris pushed herself to her knees, and, making sure there wasn't anything above her head, stood. She flinched at a sharp ringing in her ears and flattened them. "Doesn't seem too good, lass, did ye hear what they were saying? Aye, this is some trouble indeed." She said, flinching again at the sound of her own voice.BR
"So what d'we do?" Azure asked, growing nervously. Nemo clutched at her leg, mumbling something. BRBR

***BRBR

Vlah'do layed in his corner of the car, his mind racing. What had brought this? Surely the authorities couldn't have known that Habbek had killed the squemetan pirates! Even if they did, what were Hoth and he doing here? It all seemed like a mistake. Where were the authorities when we needed them? BR
Habbek and Hoth talked quietly amongst themselves. "Habbek," Hoth said. "Do you think they know?"BR
"Yes, he told me that I was under arrest for 6 counts of first degree murder. Even though I only killed 5 people. Which reminds me, when I was in the bush, I saw that some of the pirates were gathered around the body of another squemetan that I didn't kill. What heppened?"BR
"I killed him. His name was Wandrin, he was holding me captive. It finally came to me and him in a fist fight. He pulled out a knife and stabbed me." He motioned to the large bandage that was concealed under his shirt on his right bicep. "That was the last thing he ever did though. I got him back. Which reminds me." Hoth pulled the knife from his pocket and handed it to Vlah'do.BR
"You have this?" Vlah'do said, incredulously.BR
"Yeah, they never searched me."BR
Vlah'do looked at Habbek and Hoth in the eyes. "Now dont get any ideas. I think I can get us out of this. You forget, I am a diplomat."BR
"Then you must have diplomatic immunity!" Habbek said excitedly.BR
Vlah'do smiled. "Exactly. I'm sure that I can make them come to some agreement. You know, twist some political arms, pull some judical thumbs."BR
"Vlah'do, you're a life saver!"BR
"No Habbek, *you're* the life saver." BRBR