sticks-and-stones123: this is your shining moment, Colleen!

Iara: you're welcome!

Prin69: nope, this chapterand all the other from now on are typed by me. Sadness. Who said Jade has Apollo? I never said that.

Vee017: you're right: Beka does deserve him, but not until the sequel to 'EotP'! at the end of this fic, it'll become a tragedy, and that's all I'll tell you... mwa-ha-ha!

Eris: I try, ok, I try. I no tell what the tragedy will be, though... :P

L.C. Brotherton: thanx tons!

A/N: my skool is seriously messed up. We had a late start today, so I got there at 10:00am. Then, about 45 minutes later, the power goes out, and we get sent out of skool at 12:00! So that's why y'all got a chapter today! But I'm gonna end up missing the 'X-Files' on SciFi tonight. Sadness. Oh well, I'll suffer. :P

Chapter 27

Winter was on her way to the Hanger to see how she could improve the Squadron's hastily done repairs. She felt rather out of place being the only Inari out of the nine pilots that made up the newly formed Exile Squadron.

"Hi, Xena," she greeted the Nietzschean female. All Winter received in response was a curt nod as Xena rudely brushed past her. Winter shook her head, muttering, "Nietzscheans" under her breath.

Xena walked quickly down the hall, not sparing a backward glance for the slighted Inari. She was heading for the Communications Room, and woe to anyone who stood in her way. Her calf-high leather boots clicked against the floor as she shoved the door open.

"Move!" she barked at Giani, who was fiddling with a viewscreen.

The Perseid quickly scurried out, obviously afraid of the Nietzschean female.

Xena waited until the sound of Giani's footsteps could no longer be heard, then shut the door. She reached up, running her fingers along the top of the metal walls until she found a slight indentation. Human eyes would not have been able to pick it out, but Xena's enhanced Nietzschean eyesight was able to pick out a slight dip in the metal. Xena pushed the middle of it, and a small square of metal plating fell away from the wall. She deftly caught it. In the space revealed by the falling plating, she could see a rat's nest of wires. With quick, practiced movements, Xena pulled a small, black tool equipped with a miniature viewscreen from her belt. Her fingers selected a green wire, and she clipped the tool onto the wire. Xena smiled as the image of the Comm Room came on the tiny screen.

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In its heyday as a smuggler base, Kadon base had had at least three people watching the security monitors in the Sec Room at all times. The now empty Security Room was covered with viewscreens projecting images of all the rooms. Achilles was sparring against Jade, Giani was scurrying down a corridor, Winter was singing slightly off-key as she worked on a slipfighter, Cynthia was lounging in her room reading a flexi, and Nuria was in the swimming pool racing against Corrin whilst Tuna watched from the side. If anyone had been watching, they would have seen the image of Xena in the Comm Room wink out, replaced by a black screen with a blinking red ERROR message.

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Back in the Comm Room, Xena nearly laughed in triumph. She had doubted the override would work, but it had, and with no further delay she switched on the comm. She flipped the frequency over to the right setting. "This is Greek calling Roman," she said in a low tone.

"Roman here," replied a voice that had no gender whatsoever. Xena knew he or she was using a vocal scrambler to distort his or her voice. "What's the word?" No image appeared on the viewscreen, just blackness.

Xena hesitated. The pilots of Exile Squadron had accepted her without question, not treating her with the air of suspicion she usually received, but her mission was clear. "The word is good."

"Good," Roman said. "My noble self-sacrifice," he or she snorted. "Did not raise suspicions as feared?"

"No, it didn't," Xena replied. "They all consider you dead, giving your life up for the rest of us."

"The fleet will be here in two days, at 0300 hours," Roman said abruptly.

"I'll be ready. Greek out," Xena cut the transmission and walked back over to the exposed wiring. She unclipped her override and replaced it on her belt, bolting the plating back into place.

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In the Sec Room, the viewscreen for the Communications Room flickered back on, showing Xena using a cloth to wipe away her fingerprints on the walls. There was no hint of remorse on her face as she left.

A/N:Ok, I dropped two hints in this chapter as to whom Roman is: a smart person hint and a dumb person hint. The dumb person hint is that it's a member of Exile Squadron presumed dead. I'm wondering if anyone will pick up on the smart-person hint: I guarantee, once you get it, you'll feel very smart! This is the list of Exile Squad pilots in case you want to hazard a guess: (Supposedly dead, and I'll list the chapter)

Jade Rhade out of Majoram by Rhade (Majoram Pride, Terazed)- 'Jade' (F)

Corrin Larkan, human (Savion)- 'Hotshot' (M)

Xena Teraskasi out of Karina by Hector (Ursa Pride)- 'Callisto' (F)

Achilles Kadon out of Maria by Apollo (Sabra-Jaguar Pride)- 'Ace' (M)

Nuria Fatima out of Sierra by Tallis (Rarklash)- 'Fire's Prophet' (F)

Clear Running Water 'Tuna', Than (Mobius)- 'Tuna' (M)

Cynthia Valerie, human (Earth)- 'Oenone' (F)

Giani Senzar, Perseid (Sinti)- 'Smarty' (M)

Winter Sharn, Inari- 'Storm' (F)

/Kaysea Alantra, human (Earth)- 'Viper' (F)/ (chap16)

/Shauna Du'lakar out of Liona by Ulassim (Drago-Katsov Pride, Earth)- 'Venus' (F)/ (chap16)

/Infinity Trigan, human (Unknown)- 'Moses' (M)/ (chap16)

/Emmy Baut, human (Pierpont Drift)- 'Blondie' (F)/ (chap23)

ok, start guessing! (answer will be revealed in chap29) does anyone know the home world of the Ursa Pride? I know it's mentioned somewhere in that book by Keith DiCandio 'Destruction of Illusions', could someone find out for me please?