A/N: Sorry for the long update, things 'round here have been crazy! It's been doctor visits and new medications and all kinds of un-pleasantness. Please forgive me, and I'll try to post the next chapter much sooner. Also, I recently posted a story called 'My Friend the Enemy' at It's my first original piece, and I'd appreciate it if ya'll would tell me what you think. So ya'll read and enjoy, and don't forget to review too!

Thanks Sirees for the help, I appreciate it:)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rhade or anybody from Andromeda. However, I do (I forgot this part) have all claim to Lynx, and any other new people I bring in to torment Rhade. Thank you.

Rhade, grimaced, moving his small red stone forward. Four days after coming on the ship – the Adonos – and Rhade's life had fallen into a routine of sorts. Wake, eat, wander, read, and then evenings spent bantering with Lynx or playing Go. Another grimace. She had him trapped, utterly trapped - again. It seemed that every time they played, she employed the same strategy, and no matter what he did, what moves he made, or what he changed about his game, she always won. Her approach was simple: hunt you down until you don't have any options left but the ones she gave you. A frightening testament to the way she lived.

He scowled as her hand shot forward, her blue stone sliding through his last line of defense. Low in his throat a curse began to rise, but a glance up caught her gaze and she gave him a look that screamed 'Don't you dare'. He bit back the word. They had established pretty early on her feelings towards cursing, and he had established just as fast that she was serious. His jaw was still sore with the proof.

A few minutes passed filled only with the hum of the engine and the sound of polished stone sliding on smooth wood. One more blue stone was shifted, and the game was over. Rhade sighed as he stood, she had won again. She also rose, and together they gathered up the stones and placed them in their case with the board.

They headed down the corridor, and instead of parting ways, Rhade decided to walk with Lynx to her room. He wasn't quite ready to lie on his bed and stare at the ceiling until boredom lulled him to sleep. As he turned with her towards the right, she looked up in bland surprise. She chose to state the obvious, "Well, this is a surprise."

"I just felt like being a gentleman."

"And by gentleman you mean …?"

"Walking the lovely lady to her quarters, of course. What could be more gentlemanly than that?"

"I can make you a list, if you like. No? Well, here we are, good night, Rhade." They had reached their destination - a sliding medal door in the wall – and she now lounged protectively over it, waiting for him to leave. He leaned in next to her. "I can't go yet"

"Really?"

"It wouldn't be proper for me to go without knowing you were safe in your own room. As a gentleman I couldn't think of leaving you here unprotected." His voice was butter, honey, and playful righteous indignation.

"Rhade, I could take it the first time around, but I am positive I am going to gag."

He just smiled. They stood there for several moments, eyes locked, wills warring when suddenly Lynx threw back her head and laughed. It lasted only a moment, but it sent Rhade straight into shock. It was… warm. Not the cold, harsh laughter he had heard so often before, nor was her face distant and unfeeling. For that single instant she was a, a person and Rhade didn't think he could ever look at her the same again.

Taking no notice of his expression, Lynx spoke "Well Rhade, you certainly are smarter than I had first assumed. Turning my own toys against me, indeed. Alright, you win."

Toys, not tools, was Rhade's musing as she slid the door open and went inside. She stepped back from the door, allowing him to peak his head around the jam. He glanced about the room, it was very much like his own, the same shades of blue and gray, even the same layout. There were, of course, differences: a small painting over the head-rest, a brush on the vanity, a pair of supple boots at the foot of the bed – nothing drastic. He shifted his weight, coming to hang between the door posts. "Nice" he said, glancing up at her. The human visage was gone; all that was left was the now familiar amused glint in her eye. She stood, waiting.

Rhade glanced once again at the small space, and called upon a powerful line from the Tarazad Academy. "You know, these quarters are kind of small. If you ever get to feeling cramped, there's always room in my bunk." He leered and waited.

She blinked.

"Damn. That line usually works."

"Really?" she asked incredulous. "Well," she continued, sounding insulted "good thing this isn't a romance."

"Huh?" he looked up, his confusion evident.

"Never-mind. If you have had your look about, would it please the gentleman to leave me to my beauty rest?"

"Hmm? Oh, of course" he shrugged. Pushing himself off of the door he called "Good-night" Just then, the proximity warning went of.

They both froze, eyes moving to gaze at the flashing red lights above them. In an instant they rushed as one to the bridge. Lynx was not idle in their dash along the corridors. "Sara, please get me a full scan on the intruding energy signature and run a cross-match with archives."

"Scan in progress. Cross-matching. Files ready for review on bridge." The tinny, hollow voice of Sara, the ships AI, still sent shivers down Rhade's spine. Sara wasn't like Andromeda, who was in herself the very ship. Sara was an independent system, grafted into the Adonis several years after its production. In Rhade's mind this primitive, emotionless being was a parasite on the ship. Despite all of Lynx's reassurance, it gave him the creeps.

The two companions quickly achieved their goal, Lynx running straight to a console. She touched the screen, moving quickly through the information before her. Her still face grew grave. Speaking, she turned to Rhade, "It seems I will be unable to deliver you to your nuptials on time, Mister Rhade. I ask that you would please forgive me any future inconvenience. "She returned to the console, and then paused coming round to face him. She looked him up and down with a hard, questing eye, and then nodded.

"Rhade, you consider yourself to be a decent fighter?" He nodded, wondering where this was going. She seemed pleased. "Good. Sara, please open a video link with Mister Finn." She caught Rhade's questioning gaze. "No, not his real name Rhade."

"Link established." Sara's voice echoed across the now still bridge, Lynx taking a seat in front of the video console and Rhade moving out its line of sight. As Lynx was saying "Thank you, Sara" a dark, stocky man in lavish dress came into view on the other end.

"Well, Lynx I hope you have a good explanation for this disturbance. You know you weren't supposed to contact me unless there was an emergency. You still have my future son-in-law in you care, I hope?" his robust voice was full of threat. Rhade watched as Lynx's face became hard, harder even than the day they met. Her cold voice filled the air, leaving Rhade to wonder what sort of fool would try and pander with Lynx.

"I understand the rules of the contract, Mister Finn. After all, I wrote them. Now, there is little time for formalities. I fear that due to certain unfortunate events, we will be late in arriving."

"How late?"

"At the earliest, we may be expected in seven days. At the latest, three weeks."

"Hmmm. Phoebe will be disappointed."

"I'm sure some suitably shiny bauble will assuage her grief" was Lynx's acrid reply. Yup, she definitely did not like this Phoebe girl. Ignoring the blustering father she continued, "Until we arrive sir, my best wishes. Out." With a press of a button the screen was black.

Lynx rose, fingers working swiftly over consoles. "Sara, what's the approach time?"

"Six minutes and Thirty two-seconds"

Her face was set as she rattled off commands "Sara, place into terminate lock all files marked or pertaining to DNBlue, Ajax, and Process Nine. Mark for immediate destruction all files marked Circe, Nanuet, Sara, and Adonis 1 through 17. Oh," She said with a glance and a smile at Rhade, "and destroy the Rhade file, too. Intruder ETA?"

"One minute and Nineteen seconds" came the reedy, feminine voice.

"Sara, back –up and self-destruct, commission Eighty-three, Ninety ten, blue duck down."

"Back-up complete. Self-destruct initiated. Farewell." And then eerie silence.

"Blue duck down?" Rhade asked in disbelief.

"You be an enemy and try to remember that"

"True" Rhade said, shrugging. "But what about…" he did not finish his sentence as a loud 'thud' filled the small ship, followed by a mighty shudder. Rhade looked at Lynx in apprehension. She gave him a nod of support and said "I am sorry to bring this upon you. It will be difficult, but remember who you are." She breathed deeply, and a change seemed to come over her. There was a bang at the door, followed by others. "Gather yourself," she said softly, "it begins."

When the door sung open a few moments later, Lynx gave him a glance and murmured, "And by-the-way Rhade, don't panic." He wondered what the warning was for, and then moved his eyes to the doorway which revealed several, hard, evil seeming men. Lynx greeted them with a languid smile. One particularly vile looking, and in Rhade's mind, smelling also, man came forward, pushing his way past the others. "Garlyn, how nice of you to drop by" Lynx's voice was friendly, like her smile, but it was obvious she despised this man.

Garlyn, as was his name, ignored her true sentiments and responded by making a leg. This was made comical by his dress, like an old day pirate and weapons enough to make him a walking arsenal. "Good morning to you Lynx! Or, should I say" he said motioning to his men, "good night?"

"Neither. It's mid-afternoon."

And then the world went black.