Author's Notes: We're almost to the finish!  Please let me know what you think of the story and of where you think I'm going with this.  Constructive criticism is always appreciated; so please let me know what you would like to see!!!!  I must apologize for the long wait, I've been extremely busy.  Enjoy!

Chapter 15

Dylan quickly ran out of the Academy into a large open field, lightfights going on everywhere, and dead soldiers on every side of him. Dylan shook his head, although he had seen much death in his time, it was not something that he enjoyed.  He was relieved, however, to see that none of his crew was among the dead.

Jessea ran up from behind him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"We've done all we can do.  The soldiers here knew what they were getting themselves into, all we have left is to bring down the Academy," Jessea said, trying to justify the destruction to Dylan. A blaster bolt sizzled past Dylan's left arm, searing his clothes.

Dylan nodded.  "We'd better find cover," he said to Jessea. "Where's Rommie?"  He asked, looking around.  "I don't see her, she must still be in there.  She may just be an android, but she's a lot more than that."

"I'm sure Rommie is around somewhere, I'm sure she's fine," she answered, reassuringly.  "Hey, look over there." Jessea said, pointing.

A small group of rebel soldiers were walking towards Jessea and Dylan, Trance and Beka in the front leading them.  Beka waved to them and started a brisk walk to meet them.

"It looks like we made it," Beka said casually, once they met up with Jessea and Dylan.

"Yes, but with great losses," Trance added, looking back at the small group of soldiers that had followed them over.  "This is all we have left that are still able to fight, however, the majority of the Academy soldiers have either been taken captive or have been incapacitated."

"Well, I guess all that's left is to blow this thing to kingdom come then," Beka said with a smile, turning to the Academy.

"It would appear that way wouldn't it?" Jessea said, pulling out a small detonator out of her bag.  "I would suggest that we get far away from here, this thing's going to go out with a bang."

****

"Now my dear," Rycar said, as they lead them to a small docking station adjacent to the Academy, "you're going to help me get to the Andromeda so that I may take rightful control over it."

Rommie walked on silently, trying to think of a way to get herself out of this mess.

"You seem rather quiet my dear.  I can't help but wonder what you're thinking about inside that little mechanical head of yours."

"You're not going to take over the Andromeda," she said defiantly, "and I'm not going to let you."

"That's where you're wrong," Rycar said, turning her around so that she was facing him.  "You don't understand with whom you're dealing with," he said, waving his hand, throwing her against a wall.  "You see, you can't hurt me.  You can't even get close enough to hurt me."

Rommie picked herself off of the ground and stood up.  A large dent in the wall had formed where her body had come in contact with it.

That she hadn't expected, she thought to herself.  He's right though, I can't get close enough to him to do anything…unless I can catch him off guard-

Her thoughts were interrupted as a huge blast that came from the direction of the Academy echoed through the docking bay.

****

"How much more time do we have until they set off the bombs?" Harper asked as the two ran quickly through the Academy corridors, attempted to bypass the guards and soldiers still roaming about.

"I don't know," Kael answered, heaving.  "I don't have an internal clock in me.  All I know is that we don't have much time."  He paused for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

Harper came up behind him, shooting an Academy guard that had just turned down the hall.  "Come on," he said, trying to get Kael moving again.  "I personally don't want to be Harper fricassee when we're done with this."

Kael just nodded in agreement.  "Okay then," he said, starting to move again.  "We came from that direction when we came down here, so if we went that way-" a large explosion cut him off.

The walls of the Academy began to shake and crumble around them; the agonizing screams of Academy soldiers could be heard in the hallway just ahead.

"Holy…" Harper trailed off.

A wall of fire and debris was quickly coming up to meet them before the lights of the academy turned off and everything went black.