Chapter 36

"Hold this," Nemay ordered Telemachus, handing him his gun. Nemay placed a hand against the door that was the only entrance to the pilots' prison. "I can't feel the cold, it must be isolated."

"Thank you for your analysis, thermologist Flachar," Xena said sarcastically.

"What?"

Xena sighed. "I made it up. It means someone who studies temperature."

"Wouldn't it mean somebody who studies heat?" Nemay noted, smirking at Xena.

"It's besides the point!" Xena exclaimed. "Do you have anything to breach it, or do I have to blow it up and bring the whole ship's crew after us?"

Nemay grinned. "Nemay Flachar, out of Ursa by Flachar, has almost anything imaginable in that there gun, baby."

Xena rolled her eyes. "You can tell me all about it later. Just blast the damn door!"

Nemay took his gun back from Telemachus and slid open a small compartment. He took out a small glass capsule and placed it gently between his teeth. He then pulled out the cartridge already in the gun, replacing it with another from his cross-brace. Nemay pushed a button on the bottom of the gun and a small knife extended. He pushed it into the metal as easily as a hatchet through soft wood and carved a tiny hole, placing the glass capsule in it.

"Give," he ordered Xena, holding the capsule with one hand and extending the other behind him.

Xena sighed and took out her bubble gum, putting it in Nemay's hand.

Nemay used it to secure the capsule to the door. "Very strong acid," he explained. "When I fire and explosive dart at it, it will scatter the acid over the entire door, melting it and releasing the pilots."

"If you can hear me, stand back from the door," Xena ordered as Nemay focused his laser sight on the capsule.

Nemay pulled the trigger. There was a quiet puff of air, and a small dart pierced the capsule. The acid splattered over the door, hissing madly as it ate at it.

-

Jade looked up suddenly. "What's that noise?"

"Sounds like-" Giani started.

"Acid," Cynthia finished. "Either the Dragons have decided to kill us in a very unpleasant way-"

"Or we're about to be rescued," Winter added.

"Stand back, then," Achilles ordered, but no one moved.

The small room began to be filled with a noxious green smoke. Jade covered her nose with her sleeve, coughing until her eyes watered. Suddenly, she was on the floor with no memory of falling. Before she blacked out, she felt herself being lifted and carried out of the room.

-

"What did you do?" Jade heard a male's voice ask.

"The cold must have had an affect on the acid," she heard another voice protest. "Turning it poisonous."

"If you killed her…"

"She's not dead. Look, she's coming to."

Jade moaned and opened her eyes. Two faces swam into hazy view, and then split into four. "Ooh, double vision," she groaned, closing her eyes again.

"Jade, are you all right? Speak to me!"

Jade opened her eyes, seeing two men's faces hovering over her. "Telemachus?" she squinted.

Telemachus gathered her into his arms. "I thought I had lost you again," he whispered.

"What about the others?" she asked.

Telemachus hesitated, and Jade had a sinking feeling in her stomach. "The Perseid, the Than, and the two humans didn't make it," he said softly.

Jade blinked furiously, trying not to cry.

"Rhade get up here," a female snapped from the cockpit. "Boa and I need the coordinates to the Andromeda."

"I'll be right back," Telemachus whispered, and headed to the cockpit.

A wave of dizziness swept over Jade, and her knees collapsed from under her.

"Are you all right?" someone squatted next to her, lifting her left eyelid and peering into it.

Jade pushed the hand away. "Who are you?"

The Nietzschean male sat back on his heels, pushing a mop of brown hair out of his eyes. "I am Nemay Flachar, out of Venus by Mario, of Ursa Pride."

Ooh, cute guy, Jade thought. "Where am I?"

"My ship, the Shadowdancer."

Jade could see a black haze growing over her vision. "Oh, hell," she groaned.

"Get some rest," Nemay said softly. He gently lifted her up and carried her to a bed. The last thing Jade saw was Nemay's face. "Get better angel. Your brother would never let me hear the end of it."

Megz-you owes me for this BIG TIME! I ran outta Pom juice and lost all the feeling in my fingers for you! Hope you're happy! LOVE YA, SAM!

Preview: Jade wonders about her future in Majoram Pride.