DR: First off, I have thank everyone for your kind words. I know that certain twists in my story may upset and anger people, but that happens anyway. Just look what Troy Dennings did to those Jedi in 'The Swarm War'. Horrible what he did, but he got those printed!

Jaina: Yea, he turned me into a crazy bug hugger who turned on her lover!

Jag: I forgave you, you know...

Jaina: (hugs Jag warmly) I know...

DR: I just wanted to say that I'm going to go to some dark places in this part of the trilogy. Remember the Backdraft is being run by a man who has lost it, and he has hired a load of cut-throats and scum. Now, we find out what happens to Rico...(evil laughter)

Chapter 19: Judgement

Rico stood stoically as the speaker for the jury stood up at the judge's command. "We have your honour."

"And what is your verdict?"

"We find the defendant Rico Belacon, on the charge of possession of stolen goods, guilty." A murmur rose from the rear of the court as the speaker continued.

"On the charge of illegally tapping power and communication lines, guilty." More murmurs rose, mainly from the region which contained the owners of the homes he had had been tapping.

"On the charge of tax evasion, guilty."

Despite every instinct in him screaming at him to sneer at the jury, Rico kept his blank look on. However his eyes twisted so he could look across the court at Pierce, sat just behind the prosecutors bench. The rest of the Blitz team, including Brad and Naomi's new child, were sat around and behind her, with Jamie sat at her side. Rico saw the pair of them grip each other's hands, as now they came to the more serious charges.

"On the charge of possession of illegal narcotics, and the forced use of said narcotics on another, guilty." Rico felt his guts twisting about, while out of the corner of his eye he saw his lawyer sitting with a pained expression on his face. Rico had paid out top Zen for the best lawyer he could get his hands on, but against an air tight case like this, there was nothing he could do, even if he was crooked.

"And on the charge of attempted rape…" Pierce tensed up, her eyes looked on the speaker. "…guilty."

The relief that poured off the Blitz team was so thick one could have caught it in a sieve. Pierce's shoulders slumped as her chin dropped, while Jamie moved his arm around her. Outwardly Rico showed no reaction, but inwards he seethed. How dare these punks turn him in! And how could Pierce allow such a young squirt to hold her like that!

"Rico Belacon, you have been found guilty on all charges." The judge intoned in his monotone voice.

'Yea, tell me something I don't already know old fool!' But Rico knew better that to hurl that at the judge.

"You have showed a total disregard of the lives you have affected, and even now you display no remorse. There is now way of knowing just how many people you have cheated and stolen from. At least you will no longer be in a position to harm anyone else." The judge paused, and looked down his nose at Rico, a stern look in his eyes.

"Such wanton disregard for the wellbeing of others is truly contemptible, and your behaviour is atrocious. You are therefore sentenced to be incarcerated for a period of no less than fifteen years." Rico tried to fight it, but he couldn't stop his jaw from dropping.

'FIFTEEN YEARS! That's INSANE!' But worse was to come.

"In addition, those who you have been living off like a leach will be compensated for the bills you run up on their accounts. All stolen goods in your possession will be returned to their rightful owners, and all legal fees will be paid from your accounts. After that, the people who brought you in will have first pick of what's left." This announcement drew gasps from the courtroom, with the Blitz providing the loudest ones. The judge was basically allowing them to take their pick of Rico's possessions, like they were trophies!

"Case closed, Court Dismissed." And with that the judge hit the gravel before him firmly before the defence lawyer could fully open his mouth to protest. The rap of the solid wooden mallet striking it had an unmistakable note of finality to it.

"Your honour…" Rico's lawyer began, but the judge was already standing up and turning away. The lawyer turned to Rico, shrugging.

"I'm sorry Mr. Belacon, but…"

"You're so dead." Rico's low hiss cut off the lawyer, who paled rapidly. "I paid top mark for you, and then you fail on me!"

"Mr Belacon, it was an air-tight case…"

"Go to hell!" Rico snarled.

"Oh I think that you're the one who's going there." Rico snapped his head round to look at the young, cheerful face of Bit Cloud. Behind him Rico could see the rest of the Blitz gathered round Pierce, with that runt Jamie in her arms.

"I'll get you all for this…" Rico snarled again as he was dragged away by the security members.

"Yea, I've heard that a lot." Bit commented jovially.

x x x x x x

Near the back of the courtroom Altiel continued to remain sitting, watching the interaction between Bit and Rico. As the now furious former pilot was dragged away, Altiel sat in his seat, a slow smirk twisting his face.

'Yes, he'll do nicely. He already has reason to hate the Blitz, and he's still considered one of the best…' In truth Altiel had risked being recognised for a chance to scope out the Hunters new child, and to see how the Blitz acted around each other. It was crucial to his plan against them that he knew how they felt about the others. But he had never expected to not only fulfil his own mission, but also to find another potential recruit for the growing Backdraft.

Chuckling to himself, he stood up and turned to leave, pulling his cloak about him as he did so. Despite having kept his face hidden from the bulk of the Backdraft, Bit knew his face, and enough of a description had gotten out to at the least give a guard pause for thought.

Once outside the courthouse he made better time, and was quickly sat in the rear of the car that he had ridden in. Even as he closed the door the driver was pulling away, and Altiel was able to lower his hood.

"So how did it go? You see the Blitz?" Sat across from him was Altiel's long time right hand man, Albane. Altiel had found him poking around some ruins when he had been doing the same, hunting for the legendary Ultimate X zoid. Since then the two of them had been working together, and Altiel had kept his existence secret from the rest of the Backdraft. Despite working together for so long, finding those blood red eyes watching him was still disconcerting. 'Possibly that's a result of who he looks like.'

"Even better than I hoped for." Altiel grinned broadly. "The whole team is acting like one big family. A soft one at that." A scowl crossed his face for a second as he remembered the way that Pierce had hugged that little brat, and how Sarah had been hanging off Leon's arm. It was disgusting how they behaved now! "Once we have our targets, we'll have them."

"Good." Albane stated, never one to use ten words when two would do. "Anything else?"

"Yes actually. They were in for the trial of a warrior, Rico Belacon. Stolen goods, drugs, tapping power lines, attempted rape… a real sour egg."

"And?" One of Albanes ghostly white eyebrows rose fractionally.

"Looked like the intended victim was none other than Pierce, and now Rico's got a strong hatred of the whole team."

"Ah." Albane leaned back in his seat. "So you want to recruit him?"

"You think it can be done?"

"Getting him sprung won't be a problem. Nor will getting him into our camp if you're right. The problems might come from his pride. This Rico sounds like the type who is full of himself."

"Well, I'm sure we can cater for any reasonable requests." Altiel sat back in his seat. "If he proves to be too much of a nuisance, well…" Albane smiled cruelly as he filled in what Altiel left unsaid.

x x x x x x

Pierce sighed in contentment as she sank down onto the bunk in the Hover Cargo. The team had stopped en-route to a battle to attend the final stages of Rico's trail, and now they were heading off to fight the next morning.

"Happy to see justice done?"

She looked down at Jamie, already laid out on the bunk. Ever since the two of them had become an item, they had started sleeping together when travelling to battles. Back the base they generally stuck to their own rooms, but it was clear that the rest of the team were expecting them to move in together.

"Very much so." She answered him as she unzipped her flight suits jacket. Jamie sat up to help her remove it, his fingers brushing at the nape of her neck as he did so. She sighed again as her arms slid free, before bending over to unsnap her knee length boots. Jamie gazed at her back, not really seeing the black tank top she wore underneath her suit, but rather the way her skin rippled as she tugged each boot off.

As Pierce slid the lower half of her suit off, she happened to look over her shoulder at her young lover. Jamie's eyes were round, his gaze slowly trailing across her back. Pierce could only smile at the affection displayed in his eyes. She watched as he tentatively reached a hand out to gently rub her back. Pierce crane her neck back and gave a small moan from deep in her throat. Although she had tried not to show it, being that close to Rico again had sent tingles of dread up her spine. And when he had looked at her when the Jury began to deliver their verdict, her blood had run cold.

But now Jamie's touch slowly brought her back from that dark place. Twisting in place, she brought her legs up onto the cot and slid them in down besides his own, making sure to rub against him. While the pair of them were not making like rabbits like the other couples did, they did enjoy the slower, more sensual pleasures.

"I love you Jamie…" She whispered as she laid down beside him on her side facing him. Her long teal hair laid puddle about them both, and her left arm lazily slid around his shoulders.

Jamie grinned back, a grin that must have been a leftover from the 'Wild Eagle' personality that he used to have. Now though there was just him, a balanced young man. "I love you too…" He replied with some heat. The feeling of her long bare legs sliding against his own had been most delightful. He gently wrapped his arms round her, one of his hands almost slipping underneath her top. For the moment, they still wore undergarments when together. If there was one thing the pair of them had learned lately it was the value of taking things slowly.

As they lay there, both the verge of sleep, they stared into the others eyes, silently pledging to the other that they would never leave them. Jamie watched as her eyes slowly closed, and through their bodily contact he could feel her breathing slow to the deep, relaxed rate of sleep. Ever so gently he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, allowing the moonlight that filtered through the view port to explore every line of her face. Many a time when they had laid together like this he had found himself doing this, simply watching her face as she slept.

'It's true what they say. When you sleep, your real face emerges.'

He sighed gently as he allowed his thoughts to drift, back across the last couple of weeks. Now that he had experienced it for himself, he could now understand the way his father, Steve, Leon and even Bit and Brad acted around their loved ones. He could comprehend the pain that his father and Steve must have gone through when their wives died. Certainly if Pierce died now he would be heart broken.

Almost without thought, his eyes drifted to the shelf across the cabin. Right in the corner, hidden away from sight, he had slipped away something he had bought just before they had left the great city. Leon had suggested that he pay a visit to this particular store on the fifth level. When Jamie had found the place he had felt himself glowing crimson, since Leon had not told him want the store actually was. But once he had entered he understood completely.

Now it sat, waiting for the right time. Jamie had originally thought that within a couple of weeks of them returning from the city it would have used, but things had not turned out that way. Pierce's distance had worried him, and for a time he had doubted his only feelings.

Now though, he knew that what they felt together was for real. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the pair of them belonged together. Just like Bit and Leena, and the others, did. The only thing left to do was to make it formal…

x x x x x x

Rico glared about him as he was frog marched into the Security Forces Cargo Hammerhead. With his punishment confirmed, he was being transferred to the jail where he would serve his time. He was already dreading it. It was rumoured that men like him were looked down at by the other, harder inmates…

Locked in his transit cage, he barely took any notice of the guards that sat nearby, or the rumble of the large zoid as it took off and head towards its destination. He knew that his life now, the life that he love and deserved, was over.

Blast that bitch Pierce! Her and all the others in the Blitz team! Rico's eyes narrowed in reflex as he recalled the way she had clung to that young upstart Jamie. The little squirt barely reached her shoulder for heavens sake…

He was brought out of his musings by a sudden lurch. Through the bars of his cage he saw one guard who had not belted down fly across the cabin to slam into the wall. Rico barely had time to see this when the Hammerhead lurched again, much more forcefully and in the other direction. The remaining guards were thrown from their seats. Rico remained sitting, simply because he was chained to it. But that did nothing to stop the restraints digging deep into his limbs. He gritted his teeth together against the pain.

"Mayday, Mayday! We're going down!" He heard the pilot's frantic calls for help over the intercom as the Hammerheads engines died. The sudden bout of weightlessness as the craft began to plummet from the skies confirmed the pilot's message. "Control, this is prison transport 30X92, we are going down! We have been attacked by unknown Zabat zoids. No warning. Engines are dead, flight controls unresponsive. I say again, this is prison transport 30X92, we are going down! Mayday!"

Rico tried to brace himself as best he could, but he was hampered by the restraints again. 'Great, we're crashing and I'm tied up here in the back!'

The crash itself was a blur of sound and violent shaking. The scream of tortured metal scraped at Rico's ears, and everything went black as the lights cut out. Every bone in Rico's body was rattled as the heavy zoid transport ploughed across the rocky plain.

Then at last all was quiet. Rico slowly lifted his head, trying to make some sense of the near darkness that had engulfed him. The Hammerhead was lying at an angle of about thirty degrees, the nose pitched down to boot. As he listened to the hiss of escaping gas and the crackle of electrical shorts, he heard another sound. The groaning of stressed metal coincided with a rocking motion, the nose dropping a little before slowly lifting again.

'Shit! We must have ended up on the edge of a cliff!' Rico didn't dare move, since he realised that right now the zoids balance was precarious. Any sudden shifting in weight could cause the whole zoid to tip over the edge.

The screech of stressed metal came again, but this time the exterior hatch was thrown open. The dim light outside was not much better than the darkness inside, but the torch that someone shone through blinded Rico.

"Hurry up! She could go any second!" A voice stated from outside. In response, three figures scrambled into the transport. The groans came again, and the Hammerheads nose dropped further. Rico felt the zoid shift forwards a bit through his seat. Sweating buckets, he watched as all three figures came to stand before his cage.

"Rico Belacon?" A male voice asked cold as ice.

"Yea, who wants to know?"

"Rico, right now you have two choices. One, you come with us and work for our employer, or you stay here and go over the edge with the Hammerhead."

"Oh, what's the catch?" Rico just knew that no-one would rescue his hide unless they wanted something from him.

"No time to explain kid, just choose." As if to emphasize the man's words, the Hammerhead slid a little further towards the edge, the metalwork groaning louder. "Which is it going to be?" The mans voice was razor sharp.

Rico sighed. "Doesn't look like I have much of a choice, does it? All right, get me out of here!"

As if by magic a pair of bolt croppers appeared, cutting through the lock on the cage and then the chains that held him down with ease. With haste all four of them rushed for the exit, as the Hammerhead was beginning to go over. Rico was first out, followed by first one then another of his rescuers. But just as the last one appeared in the hatchway the Hammerhead tipped forwards, rolling over onto its right flank as it fell. Rico watched in horror as he saw the once graceful flying zoid tumble down the chasm, bouncing off each cliff face as it went. The screams of tearing metal resounded in the air as the zoid was torn apart as it fell. When at last it struck the bottom the sounds reached a crescendo, while the mangled ruin of the transport crumpled up like a beer can that had been stamped on.

"Jesus…" Rico found it almost impossible to look away from the mangled ruin of the transport, but the remaining two figures bundled him away. At last he looked forwards, to see a jet black Whale King sitting before him. A set of hatches on the belly were closing, and within Rico saw the glows of several Zabat zoids, snug in their cradles. Even before the three of them had reached the top of the huge transports boarding ramp the Whale King was lifting off. Rico glance over his shoulder to watch the zoids mouth close, the lower jaw hinging upwards and locking into the head.

At last he was led into a cabin near the very top of the transports nose. A large desk sat before him, the wall behind a clear canopy out into the night. A chair sat between the desk and the wall, facing the view out. The man who had spoken to him on the Hammerhead stepped up to the side of the desk and faced Rico. Now that they were in the light, he took the chance to look him over.

What he saw was not appealing. While the man was quite short, only about five foot and wiry, he seemed more like a coiled snake than anything else. The pale red eyes set in alabaster skin and the off-white locks of hair just made him look more inhuman than anything else. Rico shivered before facing the chair.

"What am I doing here? Not that I don't appreciate being sprung from prison…"

"It's actually quite simple." A man spoke from the chair behind the desk, as it slowly turned to face him.

Altiel grinned at the shocked look on Rico's face. "How would you like to work for me, and get your revenge on the Blitz team?"

O'Neill: Damn, this can't be good.

DR: Not at all. I must thank my first beta-reader, Legendry Titian, for giving me the idea for Albane. As you'll soon see, he's a nasty peice of work...

Kaylee: How nasty?

DR: Worse than Reavers. (Kaylee shudders and goes all wide eyed in horror)

Shadow: That bad huh?

DR: Yep. Now, I'm going to look intostarting a forum here, where you can all discuss how much people change and such. Don't hold yoiur breath though. And don't forget to review!