Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Polaris was taken. All the planets in the Matar system were destroyed. The pirates slowly advanced toward the core worlds, capturing each system one by one. Each attack usually consisted of a very small fleet of pirate vessels, centered around the Kestrel.

A Rebel scout soon came to Palshife to report that the pirates were now moving toward Alkaid in the Alkaidion system. Rebel High Command reluctantly sent a fleet of 10 Rebel Cruisers and 14 Destroyers to Alkaidion. Many of the officers protested, but it was done nevertheless. They would resist to the death.


A week later, the fleet reached Alkaid and landed. As the crew started out of their ships, a mighty blast shook the landing pad.

They're here! Someone screamed.

The Rebels scrambled back into their ships and took off. The atmosphere was thick with laser blasts and many Manta exploded before they flew out of the exosphere.

Two Rapiers followed them close behind while three Corvettes swooped down on them for above. Then the Kestrel approached.

As soon as it was in sight, all the Rebel ships dispersed frantically, leaving the Kestrel in the middle. They battered it with a profusion of missiles, torpedoes, and javelin rockets, but their attack was quickly repulsed as a Cruiser soon fell in pieces.

Dash Riprock, a Rebel piloting a Manta, sped out of his Cruiser's bay as soon as the order was given. Dodging the floating debris, he quickly went up behind the Kestrel and attacked with all his weapons.

The Kestrel's shield went down a mere 2 units. Dash Riprock groaned and ducked as the beam swept over his Manta narrowly. Then he went under the Kestrel and attacked again.

General Lafayette had been watching the battle from the bridge. lamenting his misfortune for being sent on this defense mission. Now he watched in surprise, his mouth hanging open. One brave Manta had gone right up to the Kestrel. It displayed unusual agility. The Kestrel tried to hit it with its beam, but it was too clumsy for the Manta, which darted all around it. He could not believe his eyes as he looked at the radar- the Kestrel's shields were slowly- very slowly- decreasing. Now it was down to 79 percent. Lafayette shook the mist from his brains and ordered to charge.

Crystal gnashed her teeth and tried to calm herself. She turned her ship toward the Manta, only to have it fly above her as if trying to taunt her. She wondered why her shield boosters were not working. Then she saw the Rebel Cruisers and Destroyers coming toward her again. She smirked and set the foremost one on fire. Suddenly, her ship's alarm rang, and she saw a red splotch move into her radar. She swiveled her ship around to see an unusual spaceship. It was shaped like a diamond. It was red and had curious patterns in a slightly darker shade.

Aliens.

Crystal banged her fist on the control panel in frustration. She had enough to do without interfering aliens joining the fight. She had to finish off that Manta first.

The alien fighter flew right up to her and fired its red fusion beam. Crystal swore and wished a cruiser had come instead. Alien fighters were feared throughout the galaxy for their nearly impenetrable shields. She reluctantly turned her ship toward the fighter, but it dodged and went behind her, slowly eating up at her hull with its beam. It was unusually strong.
Crystal looked at her shield. 60 %. What was she doing? This was the most powerful ship in the universe and she couldn't even kill an Alien fighter? She turned her ship again, and this time the green beam hit its target. Crystal locked on to the Alien with her beam, but the Alien also had its beam on her ship.

Their shields both went down quickly. Suddenly, Crystal became aware of the ship's alarm wailing, and the terrible truth struck her in the face. She had lost. The once powerful Kestrel was no more. The alien fighter started to explode, but she did not care anymore. Trembling with rage, she pressed the button, and a split second before the Kestrel disappeared into flames, the escape pod glided into space.

The escape pod had been tweaked so that it could be controlled and made to hyperjump. Crystal grabbed the controls and moved away from the planet, setting a course for Evildrome on her map.

Inside the Rebel Cruiser, everything was joy and revelry. All the crew were shouting and hugging eachother. Lafayette still could not believe it and sat in the corner trying to collect his thoughts. Suddenly, he saw the escape pod on his radar screen. He hailed it, but he expected that the pod had no capability to respond. To his surprise, it did. As the pilot's face showed up on the screen, everyone fell silent. They
recognized her.

Kelsey Dunn! Lafayette finally forced his voice out.

Crystal stared coldly back at him. Who is this Kelsey Dunn? My name is Crystal.

Crystal? You... you were one of our best pilots! Lafayette croaked.

I remember working for you Rebels before, but not anymore. I am a pirate. Crystal sounded almost like she had been hypnotized. Her voice was unnaturally cold and emotionless. Her eyes were empty and hard.

Kelsey! Don't you remember me? We were best friends! Anne Grant, the pilot whispered.

No. I never cared for any of you. Now hold your tongue! The screen went blank. Crystal had cut the connection. Anne swallowed painfully and excused herself.

Crystal snapped her comm connection off, her eyes flaming. Fools, every one of them!

The Rebel Cruiser tried to hail her again, but Crystal ignored it and hyperjumped.

Several days later, she approached the blue planet of Evildrome. Just the sight of it soothed her usually, but now she was troubled about how to answer to the pirate officers. They would get insanely angry for sure.


To be continued