I MISSED YOU ALL SO MUCH! Let's just jump right into this!

A'cc mubo ak ucc if ke 0ei jemotu0, no'cc ro kewokxoh uwuad.

Shattered's eyes opened slowly, he had expected pain as he woke but felt nothing. Looking around he realized he was in his room. With a grunt he sat up, rubbing his arms and back with his hands.

"Well looks like I'll live to spend the paycheck." As he stood the blankets fell off of him, revealing his shirtless body. "I don't remember getting changed. But I suppose I did pass out."

He opened the door and made his way to the cockpit. "Rob, give me a status report. How long have I been out?"

"Medical records indicate you have been unconscious for three hours." Rob replied. "Your contact, Jay has requested you to call him, no further messages. All systems are operational."

"Thanks Rob, Shattered out."

The vulpine sat down at the controls of his ship. He punched in his access code and pulled up his contact info for Jay. Just before he sent the call he noticed something in the corner of his eye. He turned to see a sleeping Kursed in the co-pilot's seat.

"So, you haven't left yet." His features softened as he looked at the sleeping vixen, she hardly seemed like a bounty hunter. But, if half of what he knew about her was true - she was a force to be reckoned with.

After a few moments Shattered looked into space before calling Jay. He waited for only a few seconds for his employer to answer. "Shattered here, job's finished. Beast is dead, and Kursed is safe."

Even though Shattered couldn't see his face, he could sense that Jay was quite happy to hear that. "Good job Shattered, your payment will be sent directly. Kursed's half will be sent to her as well."

"Do you have any more work Jay?" Shattered asked. "Or do I get a little vacation after that terribly hard job."

Jay chuckled. "Oh there is always work Shattered. You just gotta know where to find it."

Shattered smiled in response.

"I'll have something for you within a week, for now head over to Sector X, shouldn't be too hard for you to lie low there."

"Ok, but what about Kursed? Am I going to be her chauffeur or something?"

Jay was silent for a moment. "Until I get you your job you two will travel together. Try not to have too much fun." With that Jay cut the link between them, leaving Shattered slightly annoyed.

"Oh I bet she'll just love this." Shattered looked over at Kursed again. "Well at least you aren't sore on the eyes."

General Peppy Hare paced slowly in front of his desk. He had just received word from Fortuna about the attack on Oikonny's old base. He had his suspicions that someone had taken it over, but he didn't have the men to spare for a reconnaissance mission.

All he had to spare was Star Wolf.

Peppy sighed. Something didn't sit well with him about Lylat's savours. Though he played nice in front of the media, he couldn't bring himself to fully trust the team. But, being a professional, Peppy knew it was better to use them as a military force than have them make decisions for themselves.

"General Hare? Your next appointment is here."

Peppy shook the thoughts from his head and put on a practised smile. "Send Mr. O'Donnell in." He waited a few moments before the door to his office opened and the leader of Star Wolf entered. "Wolf, you no doubt know why you're here."

Wolf smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall near Peppy's desk. "Of course General."

"Well then, here are your official orders." Peppy placed a hologram on his desk. "You and your team are to head to Fortuna and assess the damage to Oikonny's old base. Find out who was there and give me a sit-rep as soon as you're done." Wolf pushed himself off the wall and walked to the desk, taking the hologram in his hand. "I know this type of job is well below your pay grade but you are the only team I have available."

"You're right General, it's quite below us. But a paycheck is still a paycheck, and this is easy money." Wolf grinned. "Anything else?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." Peppy slid a second hologram towards Wolf. "As you'll see in that screen grab there is at least one confirmed bounty hunter involved in this attack." Peppy waited a moment for Wolf to study the photo. "We haven't seen bounty hunters this close to Corneria in years. If you find any evidence that helps identify this one I'll make sure you get a bonus."

"We're already there." Wolf said as he turned and walked out of Peppy's office. As soon as the doors closed behind Wolf, Peppy began to pace slowly in front of his desk once more.

"Lylat's heroes." He scoffed. "It's too bad the true heroes are gone."

When Kursed awoke she expected to be bound to her chair. When she made a move and felt no resistance her eyes bolted open. After quickly checking her surroundings she sighed in relief.

"So it wasn't a dream." She stood up and stretched. "I wonder if he woke up yet."

As she turned to face the door it opened, revealing the very vulpine she wanted to see. "Speak of the devil..."

"And he shall appear." Shattered grinned. "You have a nice nap?"

"I could ask you the same question." Kursed smirked at the vulpine. "You seem to be doing fine considering what happened."

"Yeah, it's amazing what that med gel can do." Shattered chuckled as he sat down at the captain's chair. "But my back is still a bit stiff. Should be fine tomorrow."

Kursed rolled her eyes. "You must have me mistaken for someone who cares."

"Oh I never assumed you cared about my well-being, I just assumed you could carry out a conversation." Shattered looked over at the vixen. "Turns out I was right, in a sense."

Kursed growled. "What do you mean by that?"

Shattered shook his head. "In our line of work, the only people we talk to is our employer and our targets. Neither for very long. So forgive me for trying to have a normal conversation."

He turned to face the controls, becoming very interested in the vast nothingness of space. "By the way I got in contact with Jay, he said he'll have a job for me within a week; Until that time we'll be stickin' together."

Kursed said nothing and left the cockpit, leaving Shattered alone.

"Well that went about as well as it could."

Kursed sat down on a crate in what she assumed was the cargo hold. Why would Jay team her up with anyone? She had been quite clear to him that she worked alone. Kursed felt tears building up but quickly brushed them away.

"That's all in the past. Teams never lasted for me." The vixen shook her head and sighed. She tapped a few keys on her wrist comm and waited for Jay to pick up.

"Ah, how is my favourite bounty hunter?"

"What the hell are you doing Jay. Teaming me up with-" The vixen stopped unable to find the right words to properly express her anger.

Jay sighed. "Kursed, honestly I did this to help you. That bounty on your head is dangerously close to being switched to dead or alive. I barely contained the fact you got captured." He paused for a moment. "Shattered is the best asset I've got, save for you. Every job I've sent him on he's completed with zero error."

"How the hell can this help me? I told you, I never wanted to be teamed up with anyone for any reason!" Kursed snapped.

"Let's see." Jay laughed. "Firstly, if that bounty gets too large I won't be able to stop everyone from trying to collect it. Secondly, you no longer have a ship. And finally, I'm the only one in this system willing to risk hiring you." Kursed swore under her breath. "It's only for a week, after that I promise not to team you up again."

"Fine." Kursed spat. "Just don't expect me to be friendly."

"Try not to have too much fun!" Jay cut the link between them. Kursed growled and jumped off the crate. She walked a few steps before running into Shattered.

"You know if you didn't believe me you could have said so." He glared at the vixen before tossing a blanket at her. "I've got an extra cot in the storage room. You can either use that blanket for warmth or privacy." He turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at her.

"Don't worry, blankets don't require you to be friendly."

Guys(and Gals) It's been nearly a year since I've updated anything. But finally! I bunkered down and wrote (while not a lot it's still something!)

I'll only 2 weeks off this summer and no real free time until late October. So this is to show you that I'm not dead! Thanks a lot for your patience!

Peace,

H-T