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Alliance of Conspiracy

(© 2010, "CarLOS Penguin")

(Authoring and Editorial assistance by "Equuleus")

Preface

This is a story that took on a life of its own. It originally began as a POW story of Lieutenant Carl Fornax and needed to somehow intertwine with, but not be dependent on the "Equulust" series I have written.

The reading of Jorgen's story in Equulust-II can give some background to his character later on in this story, but is not mandatory. The story of the Gar Talwar was introduced briefly in the original Equulust story.

It's with deepest gratitude I thank _ SoFurry.com _ user "Equuleus", for his wonderful help in cleaning this story up, storyline advice and corrections and giving advice and proofreading. If you thank me for this, drop him a note too ;-)

Cheers!

CarLOS Penguin

1 - "The Hidden War"

Pain.

That was the first sensation that hit me when I regained conciousness. The searing pain throughout my body in no one particular location.

I can't move.

That was the second sensation. Was I moving and in just too much pain to notice? Or was I paralysed?

"Don't try and move." came the disembodied female voice from the darkness. My eyes were open, but all I saw were shadows.

A cold object pressed on my neck and with a 'pop', I felt a cold rush spread through my veins and the pain started to dissipate. The relief from the pain was almost euphoric.

"Wh...where am I?" I gasped, now able to breathe without concentrated effort.

"You're in my sick bay." replied the female voice. Relief from the pain brought the opposite effect on my eyes - what was only shadows was now a blaring white light and I could distinguish nothing of my surroundings.

My blood went even colder as though it turned to ice as a low and deep male voice in the background uttered a sinister chuckle as it asked, "They awake? Good! Captain will like these little bargaining chips in his chest."

"Damn barbarians!" whispered the female voice as she hovered over me, some instrument whirring and beeping near my head.

"What's going on? Who are you?" I asked, now remembering that I had not actually been taken back aboard my Stellar Alliance Reserve cruiser. No, I saw it burning. It must have been a dream that I was and I awoke to the nightmare.

"The Captain will answer your questions... if he chooses to." she replied quietly in a more hopeless (or was it helpless) voice than before.

Though feeling better, I could still not move. I felt restraints cutting into me as I tried to prop myself up. It was then that I got this incredible sinking feeling in my stomach, I was a prisoner of the 'Hidden War'.

The 'Hidden War' was one that took place not soon after the Canisius-Centaurian war ended. As far as most civilians were concerned, the war was over and Canisian civilians had become a regular sight on Earth and always were in the Sirian system as well as the Capellan. Those last two being as regular trading partners with Canisius as the various Pegasi systems and Centaurus was with Earth.

There has always been smugglers and always would be. If there is more money to be made evading regulations than staying within them, that type of unlawfulness would always exist. But after the war, something turned dangerous...

Thankfully no passenger vessel was ever attacked, or even boarded. But freighters were plundered of their cargo, or disappeared all together. There was never any wreckage either.. just gone. This nearly started a panic amongst the merchants and courier services, until the Pegasiian leaders quashed them with their equivalent of 'Bermuda Triangle' legends and put most of the commercial interests at ease.

But behind the scenes, this was still a very real debate. The Stellar Alliance Reserve (SAR) doubled its presence, as did the Pegasiian Protectorate Guard (PPG)... especially around the Equuleus star systems. We had no information as to who or what was causing these incidents, other than they were increasing.

SAR intelligence thought originally that the Canisians had something to do with it, but the reports almost always came from the Terran-Pegasiian sector border. Likely because that was the richest trade route. The Pegasiians and Terrans had one great thing in common - avarice.

Canisian culture also had something in common with Terran - a bloody past. While not outwardly showing any fear of Terrans diplomatically or tactically, the Canisian delegation never protested too much against the sanctions and their fleet always stayed at least a light year away from Terran borders. SAR operatives on Canisius came up blank.

Canisius itself was divided into castes. There were a dozen or so dominant, sentient canid species on their world in contrast to the single species dominant everywhere else in our corner of the galaxy. Because of that, skirmishes were common amongst themselves until one species, similar to the Terran wolf, came to dominate their world as a ruling and the military caste. While they unified and brought peace to Canisius, they thirsted for territory.

The Canisian birthrate was very high. Contraception was offered by their trading partners, but the ruling caste thought that offensive and prohibited it - a large family was a sign of greatness and honour and to interfere with that was seen as a sign of betrayal to the world and everything it stood for. Needless to say, expansion was necessary.

However, the Canisian system was very rich with everything except animal life, or any real means of supporting it. Very bad for a race of dedicated carnivores. Surrounded only by immature red stars, planets within their own system around Procyon had vegetation proved toxic to domestic and wild animals Canisian ranchers tried to raise there. Their scientists devised ways of adapting them, but it took several generations of farmed animal to adapt tot he new ecology. It could not be sped up.

The Capellans, the Sirians, and even Earth exported billions of tonnes of meat to the Canisians but instead of feeding the hungry it was squandered by the ruling caste. Earth cut exports as sanctions, while the Sirians and Capellans chose more diplomatic routes. Strong protests were voiced via their embassies, along with reduction of the mineral exports demanded by the Canisian military infrastructure, but they would not cut their food supply.

Out of desperation, a fleet of ships were sent to their border with the Centaurian system to 'acquire' livestock, rather than going through painfully slow, even by Terran standards, Centaurian diplomatic channels. The Centaurian government took a very dim view of this.

The war lasted less than a year. It was practically a border skirmish by Terran historical standards. Less than 2,000 lost their lives, mostly Canisians in their unrelenting efforts to defeat Centaurian battle cruisers. The Centaurians knew how to build things right and never lost one cruiser and only a few light fighters.

A Centaurian officer, General Damar, had enough. He took his cruiser straight through Canisian lines to walk into their Hall of Pride (military headquarters) to strangle the Alpha with his bare hands. He didn't have to go that far, as the Alpha was on his way to Centaurus to do the same thing. Ancient and bloody Earth's General Patton would have proud of them both.

With the glow of Procyon not a light year away shining though the windows of the Centaurian cruisers meeting chamber, the two met. The 'negotiations' were futile and the two decided to settle outcome in honour.

General Damar had no political authority from Centaurus other than to "...go end the damn war, it interfered with business as usual...". The Alpha Wolf was just that - supreme leader of Canisius and their system. In less than an hour of hand-to-paw combat, it was decided.

General Damar had been practically shredded apart, but not before his one attached arm strangled the remaining breath out of the Alpha. When the Second Wolf verified the death of his superior, rather than finishing off the General, he saluted him and asked for his orders, as he was now Alpha by Honour. The General's last words before expiring from massive loss of blood, was for the Canisians to cease hostilities and withdraw. The Second Wolf agreed without hesitation, then became the Alpha himself as General Damar died on the floor of his meeting chamber, beside his former enemy.

That peace has been kept to this day between those two worlds.

During the war, millions of 'civilian' Canisians fled to Sirian and Capellan colonies, or to Earth. Some were afraid of a Centaurian occupation, some to look for a new life and most, just plain had it with the wolf domination and rather take their chances elsewhere.

The Sirian and Capellan refugee system found itself overwhelmed. There were plenty of moons suitable for the canids and had lots of game. But the birthrate would soon threaten those ecologies in a few centuries. The Sirians legislated birth control, limiting the Canisian refugees to two children from that point on. The Capellans wouldn't. Those that went to Earth, not being restricted to a moon or to a planet in the Achird Cassiopeia systems, spread out and didn't pair off as quick as those on the Capellan moons. Overpopulation was not a threat there.

2 - "Captured"

I'm Lieutenant Carl Fornax, Second Officer on the SAR border patrol cruiser, Gar Talwar. At least, I used to be.

We were on a routine patrol for smugglers along the Terran-Pegasi border when we encountered a small and bloody fast unidentified ship running with no navigation beacon, lights or anything. We tried contacting them, but all they did was make a run for it. We pursued.

After three days of taxing pursuit of the unknown vessel, they decide to come to a complete stop near an uncharted dust cloud. We manoeuvred our ship over theirs and got a magnetic lock on them before they decided to scamper into that cloud and three of us boarded her. The original intent was to communicate the navigation laws on our sector to them and inspect for prohibited cargo or wanted felons going into or out of the Pegasi sector.

We boarded the ship and most unusual, there was no one to greet us. Usually their was a captain or some officer protesting loudly at being magnetically captured and boarded, when communications had not been established. Not here. I got a bad feeling immediately.

In the search for the bridge, we came across two compartments: one was a comfortable private bunk room and the other was sealed. Our portable scanner detected no life signs (as we knew them) beyond it and very little of anything else. The next room had the doors open and it was the bridge.

Staring at us with huge grins and wearing long coats and various wide brimmed hats, looking almost like 19th century cowboys from Earth history. There were three of them: a Terran, a Pegasiian and a Canisian that just stared silently with piercing, unblinking blue eyes. "Welcome aboard, gents!" said the Terran standing in the middle of the group. The doors to the bridge slid shut behind us. The bad feeling grew..

"Magnetic lock neutralized, Cap'." said the Pegasiian casually as he glanced over his control station, holding tightly onto his chair. I learned why he did this.

*BLAM!*

A horrid sound of explosive decompression came from behind the sealed bridge doors and we were rocked off our feet as the ship shuddered. They counteracted our magnetic lock on their ship while the airlock was still open between their ship and ours. Luckily our procedure dictates our airlock must be closed before the boarding crew proceeds onto the other ship. I also now see why the rest of their ship was empty - this was their plan all along.

The decompression blast sent the two ships drifting apart. Through the view screen on their bridge, it looked like we had drifted about a kilometre in a few seconds. Our ship's engines were powering up to swing around and re-capture this one.

"I'm afraid I will have to take you all into custody and impound your ship!" I said boldly, hand on my still-holstered weapon, bad feeling growing stronger with every passing second.

"I am sorry, Lieutenant." said the Terran standing in the middle, obviously the fellow in charge. Calmly, with a mocking grin he added, "You and your men, will be the lucky ones today."

They all turned and looked at the view screen as three blinding flashes came from just out of view as three Terran Rapier-class fighters sped past and behind them, spinning out of control and missing a third of her fuselage, the Gar Talwar.

The Rapier-class were one man sub-light fighters of Terran design for interplanetary defence within the solar system. Lightly armoured, but fast and manoeuvrable they were darned near impossible to hit and they packed a punch. How the hell did they get out here? And what are they doing attacking a SAR cruiser? This made less sense the more information I gathered.

Turning with a sinister grin on his face, the unidentified captain of the unidentified ship said victoriously, "Gentlemen, you are prisoners of the Consortium. If you would slowly remove your weapons..."

Just then, Ensign Tralook, the most junior officer on this assignment decided it was time for action, not capitulation. He drew his stun pistol with a lightning quickness beyond his experience in years. With a crackling blue flash, the ensign was gone, his pistol and empty uniform falling to the floor.

"Tight beam neutrons!" the captain explained. "Does REAL nasty things to living tissue." He walked over and picked up the ensign's pistol, "Every weapon creates an energy surge as it's about to be discharged..." tucking the pistol in his belt, "The ship senses that as a hostile action and ZAP!". Waving his arm in exclamation, "Oh, it doesn't matter WHO fires the weapon on this ship, they're dead!". Something we installed along the way.

"That little trick can work against you as well!" I said, still taking in what has all just happened..... I'd REALLY like to wake up now from this nightmare, please!

Drawing a sword cleverly hidden underneath his long jacket, twirling it expertly twice and replacing it in one fluid motion, it was almost as if it was a part of his own body, he said with a laugh, "Lieutenant, I do believe we still hold the upper hand."

With a nod, 2nd Lieutenant Jack Bellery and I placed our pistols on the deck as two of the men... no, these pirates, scooped them up and placed them in their belts. SAR officers were well trained in hand to hand combat, but this was neither the place or the time.

"Sorry fellas, we have no brig." the captain said with almost a look of regret on his face as he gave a nod to the sitting Pegasiian and with the press of a button, I heard a whine, felt pain and in a moment of spots before my eyes, unconsciousness took me.

That was, until I woke up here... wherever 'here' was.

"Release them please, Gorsha." The sound of a kind voice around the corner of a doorway was almost hopeful as I felt the restraints release and lifting myself up clumsily, and reclined on my elbows.

In the room with us, wearing a medical gown of some sort was a gorgeous Canisian red-vixen with a head of shining black hair. Despite her beauty, she did have some sort of particle weapon in her hand and though it was pointed upward, her eyes told me that this was something she had done before and sudden moves would be a bad idea.

"Sir!" A call from the bed opposite me. It was Bellery, leaning up as I was. "Where are we?"

"In this lady's sick bay." I said honestly, though I knew the junior officer was hoping to hear something more encouraging.

A Capellan fellow with a big smile on his face and balding head with a graced by long, unkempt grey hair about his ears came in through the doorway. "Ahhh, good to see, good to see. You weren't permanently damaged, hmm?"

His hands clasped in front of him casually, he wore a purple robe with much embroidery like an ancient Terran king, which flowed behind him as he almost appeared to 'float' into the room.

"No, we don't appear to be." I said coldly.

Capellan males reminded me of 'frog people'. They were short with fat bodies like a 'professional beer drinker' humans we had at the pubs back home and had wide mouths with facial muscles that made only the ends curl up or down when they smiled or frowned.

"Well, that is good!" He replied, undeterred by my attitude. "I am Captain Haarlon of the Consortium freighter, Mautt."

Walking in behind him was the largest Canisian wolf I had ever seen. He must have stood a good 2M high and was built like a weightlifter. He wore black pants and was barefoot with claws that would have made a grizzly bear flee in terror. He wore no shirt and his hand-paw claws were filed flat, with a good reason; around his belt were three weapons - a pistol and two large knives. The wear on the grips of each told me he favoured the knives by a long shot.

"This is Kohan. He gets things done for me." Captain Haarlon introduced the huge wolf with a wave of his hand. "He will escort you to quarters where each of you will be confined."

"For how long?" Bellery demanded.

The captain looked at him with annoyance and returned his gaze to me. "Do you let your junior officers speak out of turn like this often, Lieutenant?"

"His question is a valid one, Sir. How long are we to be your prisoners?" I said sounding more angry than I should have.

Pausing for a moment having lost his smile, "Not long, hopefully. You've already been in medical stasis for over a year on my ship!"

Turning toward Bellery, Haarlon gave a quick grin, "You will be released in time, young man."

Turning to me with a more sinister look and raising an eyebrow, "Unless you do not conduct yourself accordingly as a 'guest' of the Consortium and give Kohan a reason to... get things done."

Turning quickly and leaving the room, his 'robe' flying behind him like a cape, Kohan stepped forward and held out his huge paw towards the doorway saying in the same deep voice I had heard earlier, "After you, humans."

Bellery and I slowly got off the beds as Gorsha stepped backwards, lowering the pistol slightly. "Let's not join Tralook today, Lieutenant." I said with a nod to Bellery. He nodded back and went out the doorway as I followed and Kohan behind us.

I felt for Bellery, he was a family man. His wife just gave birth to their first son a few months before he left for this mission. Six months of routine patrol and he would have gone on nearly a year of accumulated leave. Not bad for a 25 year old go-getter. Being in stasis for a year, they already probably had our memorial! Hopefully for his sake, his wife hadn't moved on too far.

Following Kohan's directions out of the sick bay and down the dark corridors, we travelled through a lift to an unspecified deck. Kohan uttered the lift commands in Canisian. It was a language that sounded like someone speaking with their head in a 'bucket of water'. Some SAR officers could converse in it, but neither of us were one of them.

We continued down another dark corridor until Kohan ordered us to stop. "This one is for you, junior officer." Opening a door to what looked like a standard crewman's quarters, Bellery entered. He turned looking for the first time since I had known him, downright scared as the door closed and Kohan entered a code, sealing it.

"You come with me." Kohan bellowed as he led me down another corridor. "You and your junior officer stay put. Captain let you humans off.... someday."

I remained silent. Not only were we trained to not to engage in talk with the enemy, for who knows what they will glean from inflections or body language during a conversation, I was concentrating on remembering where we had been and where we had gone, making a mental map of the ship.

"Stop!" Kohan said as I came to an abrupt halt. "Left room is for you."

I opened it and stepped in. The door slid closed behind me and hearing the lock engage, I immediately began to see what could be used for for a weapon. Escape was futile on a ship, especially one likely travelling in hyperspace. Even if I freed Bellery, there was little hope of successfully taking their bridge. But a weapon, used in the right place at the right time, means control over your destiny and not having it dictated to you by these pirates.

3 - "Destination Unknown"

There was nothing. Everything was welded to the ship, even the ventilation grille and light panel in these quarters were seemingly one piece with the metal composite bulkheads. Blankets, a mattress and a pillow were the only things moveable by hand. No access panels or anything which to try and hack my way into something. No view screen, no comm panel, nothing! These quarters were definitely made to hold 'guests' of this Consortium, or whatever they wanted to call their little pirate league.

Hours later, I awoke on the floor, blankets twisted around me. No chrono in the room, I had no idea how long I was asleep. Must have been some nightmare to get all twisted up like this. I was glad I couldn't remember it. Then I realized it didn't matter, Bellery and I were still in a nightmare.

You never realize how much you appreciate simple pleasures, until they aren't there. At least this room came with a functioning loo and shower/drier unit. It was also the only source of water. I don't know if this water was potable or not, but when you're thirsty, it tasted damn good, even if it was a bit hot.

Twelve hours must have passed. I continued to try and plan an escape if and when we came to a port. I wonder if we will starve to death here first? The door slid open. Gorsha stood in the doorway with a covered tray in one paw and the pistol in the other. She motioned for me to back up.

She slowly placed the tray on the floor just inside the door, never taking her eyes off me. After placing the tray, she stood and cocked her head curiously. "Humans are much taller than I was taught."

I just stared at her.

"Suit yourself." She said, backing out of the doorway, placing her paw near the controls on the other side. "Your friend is fine. Thought you'd like to know."

"Thank you." I said. Oh God, why did I say that? Keep silent you idiot!

Gorsha smiled. She had a pretty smile, even if she was being a jailer as well as a doctor. The door slid shut.

I went over to the tray, forgetting about my hunger for a second. Maybe there was a fork and a knife? Oh how dumb could they be! Or how dumb could I be for being so hopeful. It was the latter.

The tray contained meuskat and nothing else. I found meuskat fairly palatable, even though it was an overgrown rat found throughout most of the Alliance. It (or something like it) even existed on Earth too from archaeological studies, but had been extinct for thousands of years. Another planet it was extinct on was Canisius. Good chance this ship did not resupply in either the Terran or Canis sectors. Some useful information at least.

Another day had passed. Keeping a calm head, one can judge time in confinement for only about a week. After that, even trained officers begin to slip in their estimation of time. Maybe I can get some information from this vixen doctor.

The room was very sound proof. I couldn't hear anyone coming down the corridor. Not that I could have, Canisian pads were very silent, even on metal decks. Though Kohan's claws made a helluva clicking as he walked. But when you're that well built and accomplished with weaponry, stealth didn't seem important.. to him at least.

The door slid open and Gorsha was in the door, but not a willing participant. She had her arm twisted behind her back and holding it was Bellery, who also had her pistol. "Present for ya, Sir!" Bellery said as he pushed her over to me. She just fell at my feet and cradled her arm that had been released from its painful hold.

"What.. how...?" I just said.

"The tray Sir... makes a good solid Frisbee and thunk, Pistol in my hand!" Bellery said looking very pleased with himself.

"OK Superman, let's escape... to where exactly?" I ask, throwing my arms up in the air, expecting a hundred of the ship's crew to be on us any minute.

"Does this thing have an escape pod or shuttle?" Bellery asked Gorsha. She just sat at my feet, staring spitefully at the 2nd Lieutenant.

I knelt down to her and asked her softly, "Look, I heard you call them barbarian's in your sick bay. We can take us with you, where you'll be safe."

She shook her head emphatically, "No, I belong here. I want to stay."

I looked up at Bellery, eyebrow raised, "Any other bright ideas?"

I was knocked on to the floor, being covered by both Bellery and Gorsha, who screamed, but was drowned out by the most terrifying werewolf-like growl.

"Humans die, NOW!" shouted Kohan. He had come from behind Bellery (so much for hearing claw clicks. The giant can be silent if he wanted to be) and grabbed the pistol and threw him across the room, on top of both Gorsha and I.

Grabbing Gorsha out of the pile, Kohan levelled the pistol at us.

"STOP!" A shout from Haarlon came from the corridor.

The wolf's eyes blazed with anger and his lips curled displaying teeth each easily the size of a child's finger. He held Gorsha away from us, but she struggled rather than being comforted by his grip.

"A deal has already been made. They are to be released in an hour." Captain Haarlon said as Kohan lowered the pistol slowly as he released Gorsha in a manner that saw his paw slide slowly across her breasts as he did.

"Kohan, take them to the airlock. They can spend their hour before transfer in there and we won't have to bother with them when we dock with the other ship... just open the damn door."

Kohan motioned for us to move into the corridor ahead of him. As we did, we saw Gorsha clinging to the captain, who added, "And if I ever see you touch my wife like that again, I will kill you myself!". Kohan just gave a deep chuckle.

"Wife?" Bellery asked me in a whisper as Kohan was guiding us to the airlock.

"Yes, Captain's wife." Kohan answered. "Captain's pretty little wife."

"Are you married?" Bellery asked him.

"Not as you define marry, human. But I was, yes."

"I will never understand the female attraction for the 'bad boys'." Bellery quipped. Wrong thing to say.

Kohan let out a growl and knocked me to the floor with a backhand as he grabbed Bellery and lifting him up with one paw, slammed his head into the ceiling of the corridor. "She never knew me as I am now. She knew only love."

"Kohan! I am his superior, take it out on me for not keeping him in line!" I said getting up off the floor and trying in futility to pull his arm off of Bellery.

"You a family man too, human." Kohan said as he lowered Bellery down to the deck. "I saw it in your eyes. Unpaired would only see me and fear. You feared for another."

Other than 'left' or 'right', not another word was uttered until we got to the airlock. Kohan opened the inner door to the chamber and we stepped in to the very cold and small chamber.

"Less than an hour you wait. Or you freeze." Kohan said as he began closing the door.

"Kohan's a Wolf Warrior." I said under my breath. That explained quite a bit about him, but what about this Haarlon?

After a long pondering, "There's a heck of a lot more going on here than we can see." Bellery said, shaking his head and huddling for warmth.

There was only an uninsulated metal composite door between us and space and being an airlock, there was no ventilation and heating coils weren't considered necessary, given people weren't supposed to camp in here.

"Hopefully, we won't have to worry about that much longer." I replied with a shivering smile.

*clank, bang, creak*

Something, hopefully our promised release ship, was on the other side of the bulkhead and was pressurizing. The door and wall let out little creaking noises as the pressure equalized. It was a welcome sound as both Bellery and I had trouble keeping each other awake as hypothermia begun to set in. Neither of us talked to conserve oxygen in the small chamber and we were getting tired of 'rock-paper-scissors'.

The outer door slid open and a most welcome rush of warm, fresh air blasted our near numb faces. We were helped to our feet and into the docked ship by two Pegasiian Protectorate guards.

"Welcome aboard, men!" came the greeting from a familiar Pegasiian politician. "I am Councillor..."

"Orlok!" I finished for him, delighted at the friendly sight. He gave a slight bow with a smile and Bellery and I did our best to return it while shivering. "We thank you for our lives!"

Orlok waved his hand, "It's just another day in the service to our Alliance, Lieutenant." he said casually. "The guards will escort you to medical, then you will be given quarters and a decent meal."

Councillor Orlok was a middle grade member of the Interstellar Relations Council for the Pegasus cluster. His current assignment was maintaining investment relations with the Terran system and often spoke at commerce meetings and information sessions on smuggling for the SAR.

Bellery and I spent an hour in medical as an annoyingly talkative doctor brought out core temperatures up and treated us for a vitamin deficiency from the protein only diet of the last few days. We were given 'humble' quarters by the Councillors definition, but for Bellery and I, were five star accommodations.

"Sir, do you think they paid a ransom for our release?" Bellery asked as we relaxed in our chairs after our meal.

"Politicos do whatever politicos do. I have no idea." I said as I puzzled out in my head what might have happened had someone not agreed to a deal, as Haarlon spoke of. Just what was that deal?

_ *BZZZZZT* _

I answered the door to Councillor Orlok. "I trust you are feeling more refreshed?"

"Yes, Sir!" I said enthusiastically. "We thank you for your hospitality and securing our release."

"You are tired, I am sure. I will not bother you long." Orlok said as I invited him in and he took a seat on the long bench against the bulkhead by the windows.

"May I ask if you were mistreated or interrogated?" Orlok asked, looking over at Bellery.

Looking at me, I nodded to Bellery to answer the Councillors question.

"No Sir. Matter of fact when I attempted to escape, their captain kept the Wolf Warrior from killing us."

"Wolf Warrior, are you sure?" Orlok asked amazed.

"Positive, Sir." I replied. "A Canisian wolf with weapons typical of the warrior class."

Orlok rubbed the chin of his muzzle and twisted his beard in thought. "That does shed a little bit of light onto the pirates, doesn't it?"

"Maybe and maybe not, Sir." Bellery replied. "We boarded an unidentified ship where we were first taken prisoner and a comrade was murdered. There were species from all over this quadrant of space."

I added, "Sir, we need to communicate with the SAR immediately. They need to know we are alive and relay all this information to our superiors."

Nodding and holding his hand up, "Soon Lieutenant, soon. We are in communication blackout until we re enter more 'friendly' space. Come see me in the morning." Orlok replied.

"But, Sir?" Bellery protested. I held my hand to silence him.

"I have taken up too much of your time already." the Councillor said as he stood. "See me after you have rested and had breakfast, Lieutenant. We should be well inside our borders by then." He turned and left.

Leaning over the table in a whisper, as if the walls had ears, "Sir, we could have sent a scrambled message even in pirate space. If this is a diplomatic ship, they have the capabilities..." Bellery said.

It was an excellent point. High security messages sent from a ship in hyperspace were damned hard to pick up unless you knew exactly where the ship was, let alone decode for the SAR intelligence teams, let alone a group of pirates. Maybe they weren't just a rag-tag fleet of bandits? But the SAR knew little about them, what about them did the Councillor know that we didn't?

It was an uneasy sleep that night. I could hear Bellery having nightmares and waking up several times. I was trying to figure this out when sleep overtook me, or did it? I couldn't tell if I had slept or not. "Clear your mind" I thought to myself. The ship had a pleasing engine drone. But I too kept jerking awake as the pleasant drone turned into the one of the Mautt in my dreams.

By morning on the chrono, we both still felt exhausted.

_ *BZZZZZT* _

Bellery and I just finished our breakfast. Shower, freshly sanitized uniform and a hot breakfast never felt so good. Answering the door to one of the Pegasiian Protectorate guards, I had been summoned to the bridge. Bellery couldn't decide of he wanted another shower or take a nap.

"Ah, Lieutenant!" Said the cheerful Pegasiian Protectorate captain as he stood and reached his hand out to shake mine as I entered their bridge. "The Councillor tells me you wish to send a message?"

"Yes, Captain. I need to contact the nearest SAR command post." I said, shaking his hand in return.

"Of course! After your ordeal, I too would want to speak to my superiors right away." Turning to one of his men seated at his station, "Get me the SAR outpost at Midway Station, Sub-Lieutenant. Stealth scrambler code delta-five."

That stealth code was usually reserved for under cover operatives in the SAR. I was surprised the Protectorate had it, but right now was glad, because if any incoming frequency would get the SAR command officer's attention at Midway, that would be it.

But it was also mysterious that this ship could not have used it around the pirates, as it was still an active and yet to be traceable code.

I relayed the story to Commander Gerard of Midway Station and he asked me to report back "...as soon as I can, Charlie!". When he called me 'Charlie', which was a keyword to denote no classified communication was to take place on this channel, it explained to me that perhaps the code had been cracked. But it also raised a question that if it was cracked, why did the Protectorate use it? Too dam many 'ifs'!

"Captain, when will we arrive at Midway?" I asked as the communication was terminated.

"Sorry Lieutenant, I thought maybe the Councillor told you?" He answered seeming surprised. "Our destination by your star chart, is Theta Persi".

"When are we scheduled to arrive?"

"Three days, nine hours."

"Thank you, Captain." I said and I left the bridge.

We hadn't been far from the Pegasiian border after leaving Midway Station, then we were picked up and now heading to Theta Persi? I wonder if Bellery had even been there, because I never had been. It wasn't even in Alliance space.

_ 4 - "Serpen Station" _

"Maybe he's just on business. He is their Interstellar Relations guy." Bellery said as we contemplated our destination.

I rationalized that as the most plausible reason as we decided to stretch our legs. Maybe this ship had a gym? It seemed small, but luxurious. Even if it didn't, a few times around the ship would make us feel a lot better and cure some of this anxiety that's been creeping in on us. Both of us would feel a lot better once we were back home, or at least on a SAR cruiser.

"..risking another interstellar war taking Alliance officers!" a muffled, shouting voice came from a room ahead of us. It sounded like the Councillor and he was talking to someone in english.

"Are you lost?" A voice from behind us made us jump. It was one of the Protectorate guards.

"No, well, maybe. We are looking for a gym." I said, trying to act like we weren't eavesdropping.

"There is a room for exercise in the rec centre of the ship. Follow me." and the guard led the way, back where we came and down through another corridor.

"That was close!" Bellery said as we jogged on a section of moving floor.

I was beginning to pant. Must be getting old. "I think we should keep a low profile from now on. Let's just get back."

Three days later, we were pulling in to one of the largest space docks I had ever seen. The ship didn't just dock, it landed inside the station! "Did you have any idea this was even here?" Bellery asked as we watched from the conference room for best view.

Shaking my head, "I studied most of the systems we were involved with, but this is a new one to me!"

After being contacted by the Centaurians, mankind's knowledge of this corner of the galaxy grew greatly as databases of cultural knowledge were exchanged and relations began with the 'more interesting' systems. Astronomers constantly focused on new systems further away as we colonized or open relations with the closest systems. But this direction of space was sparse and probe telemetry showed no habitable planets around either Iota or Theta Persi. Resources were spent elsewhere and this corner of near-space was practically ignored. It seems had the probes looked for things other than planets, we would have been not so quick to dismiss it.

"Gas, Lieutenant! Trillions of Interstellar Dollars (ISD) worth of gas! That is why I am here!" Councillor Orlok exclaimed with his arms wide and a big smile on his face as we disembarked from the ship. Neither I nor Bellery asked, but he must have read the puzzled looks on our faces as we met in the airlock.

"The reason your probes didn't find planets here is because the planets failed, it would seem." The Councillor continued. "These two stars have huge rings of gasses around them waiting to be mined by the Alliance, as others have been for many years already."

He wasn't kidding. I saw all sorts of beings on this station. Half of the species I had never seen or even read about before. It was amazing!

"I have been in communications with the Caretaker of the station for months. My arrival here is a formality in closing a deal for a generous amount of the gasses." The Councillor's enthusiasm was catchy. "Why don't you two check out the amenities here with my off duty guards while I meet wit the Caretaker, hmm?" He scurried off in the direction of a welcoming party of strange looking creatures.

"Amenities are nice, but I would just as soon catch a transport back home. I want to be with my family" Bellery said, sipping a blue concoction at the bar on a deck with an amazing view of the luminous gas clouds surrounding the star.

A small, reptilian fellow that looked more like a child in a Halloween costume of a dinosaur than an alien approached. "Transport you need, ship I have." he said very politely and added with a hiss and a smile, "For right price."

Bellery looked at me with a confused look and asked the creature, "What are you?".

The alien's head jerked back as he uttered a snakelike hiss. "Your history know you not? My ancestors walked your world. Dominant we would have been except for fiery rocks from sky!"

"You are of the Serpens?" I said, just as curious as my junior officer. "I thought you were mythological?"

The short alien gave a proud smile, "To ourselves we keep. Myth we are, no. Myth makes all fear Serpens."

"We have come a long way since myth ruled our lives. I am called Bellery. Jack Bellery." Bellery extended his hand toward him and he looked at it and cocked his head back and forth a few times with a confused expression.

"It's a type of greeting... like this." I said as I took Bellery's hand and shook it. "I'm Carl Fornax.

The reptilian gave a wide smile of comprehension and took Bellery's and my hand and shook them. "Humans! First ones as friends. Jeekta, named am I!"

Jeekta sat with us and explained that this was actually a station his people built. They were a plentiful and long lived people of about 300 Terran years and populated the local Draconis and Serpens systems and had nearly 50 other planets colonized. This was the closest to our sector they came in search of resources.

It was amazing, as we had a colony not far in the Eta Cassiopeiaesystem, yet we never crossed paths.

When the Pegasiians ran across them but only ten years ago, they traded some information, but the reclusive Serpens and extremely extrovert Pegasiians had little culturally in common. Therefore they had not even diplomatic relations, but passed each other in the skies as 'friendly strangers'. But when word of this mining operation hit the Councillor's desk, it was down to business.

The Serpens agreed to share their wealth for trading rights with the Pegasiians and their partners, but only through them. This way all would benefit and the Serpens privacy would be maintained.

In tradition throughout the Alliance, the entire cultural database was shared by the Pegasiians, but reciprocation would come slowly from the Serpens. In the meantime, the Serpens did learn many languages of planets they were likely to interact with in the future. Councillor Orlok also became fairly conversational, even though he spoke very slowly, in the most common Serpen dialect.

"This is absolutely amazing, Jeekta!" Bellery was like a kid with the revelation of the Serpens having once shared our world. "The more I learn about our galaxy, the more I see how integrated we are. Look at all the species here.." he waved his arm around the room "..every one has a less evolved cousin if not on our planet, one very close."

"Galaxy large place, but small when learned about. Humans see hundred years of space. In a thousand, you will know as we do. All are of one family." Jeekta said, taking a drink of something... repulsive looking and smelling.

During the conversational exchange with Jeekta, he mentioned one of his fellow pilots had a ship stolen a few months back. Jeekta increased the security on board his ship, so his systems only responded to his commands, but he was concerned as he had the same class of vessel.

"Mind if we see your ship, Jeekta?" I asked on a hunch. He was proud of his little ship and agreed to show us both.

"Ship of mine!" Jeekta showed us proudly and displayed a smile.

Bellery and I looked at each other with amazement. It was the same as the ship we chased for three days before being captured aboard it. We checked it over, every centimetre. Yup, same type all right, but the markings were different.

"Jeekta see you have laid eyes on before now?" he asked puzzled by our examination.

"Unfortunately." Bellery said. "And it was no Serpen flying her".

Jeekta let out a hiss as his eyes flashed with anger. "Taken ship, who has?"

"Pirates, we believe." I replied. "They call themselves the 'Consortium'.

"Uniformed humans, are you. Arrest and the ship bring back to Serpens?" Jeekta looked hopeful.

Bellery gave a cough and looked at me. "We tried impounding the ship, Jeekta. Bellery and I ended up being the only survivors." I said.

I gave him the abbreviated version of what happened to us (nothing that won't be all over the media on the Data-net anyway when we got back). When we had finished telling him the story, Jeekta was sitting, leaning against his front landing strut, covering his open mouth with his three clawed fingers and thumb in an expression of shock.

"Serpen yacht ship no weapon have... navigation shield only... why take ship they do?".

"Yacht ship?" I asked.

Giving a jerk of his head and a blink, we learned was the way his species nod their head, "There is no translation for class. Civilian ship for personal transport between many planet colonies."

"The ship we chased taxed our hyperdrive for three days. We barely kept up with it. Maybe they want small and fast for some reason?" Bellery asked with an idea. "The power signature was also very small. We didn't see it until it literally passed right in front of us."

"Way to go, Bellery!" I thought to myself. "Why not tell them our defensive and offensive capabilities too?"

"Serpen ships more advanced than yours are. Not designed for stealth, just efficient are they." Jeekta said matter-of-factly.

"May I ask where the ship was stolen from?" I asked, helping Jeekta up from his sitting position. He looked very uncomfortable at the question.

"Jeekta, we want to help your people. Our pirate problem has made it clear they have no problem with dragging your people into this. Anything you can tell us, will help."

Jeekta nodded again and paused before answering. "I approve not of what people of mine do some of them." he said with his head bowed, as if ashamed. Looking up at us and nodding again, he pointed towards the landing bay exit, "Tell you I can not. Show you I must."

"Great! We'll tell the Councillor that we found our own way home and..." Bellery said with the enthusiasm of a young 2nd Lieutenant ready for an adventure before I cut him off.

"No, Jack. You go back with Orlok and keep your head low. We aren't in Alliance space and this is where my experience will be needed."

"But..." Bellery began to protest.

"That's an order Lieutenant!" I snapped at him as he looked like a Boy Scout who just found out he couldn't join his troop on their first trip to the moon. "Look, if this goes bad, you're going to be the only one who will be able to tell Command about this."

Bellery snapped to attention, saluted, turned and left without another word. I didn't know whether he was upset at not being able to come, or figured that this was the last time he'd see me alive. No matter. My job was to my men and to the truth. This way I at least could take care of the last remaining man under my command.

"When can we leave, Jeekta?"

"Soon as you new clothing get. Where go us, uniform make you dead." Jeekta said as he led the way to some shops on the station.

"Sounds like a fun place!" I said sarcastically.

_ 5 - "Confrontation" _

In new clothing 'appropriate' for the venue, I can't say that I felt all that comfortable. A long cloak-like coat with a hood made me feel like one of my previous captors. But that was nothing compared to the trepidation I felt when boarding Jeekta's ship. It seemed the same one inside as it was outside.

Jeekta sped us away from the station and handled his ship on manual for a while. I can see why these 'Serpen yacht's' were popular... it was like flying an ancient propeller sport plane back home.

"How long before we arrive at this secret place?" I asked.

"Few hours, not far. Next star over." Jeekta said, not looking up from punching in some commands to his board.

"Hours?" I asked surprised.

This was a very small ship and no way had the energy reserves to open a quantum tunnel like the new Procyon-class ships could.

Jeekta hissed with a huge smile and rocked back and forth in his chair. I guess the equivalent of a 'belly laugh'. "Human amuses Jeekta!" He said as he hit some controls, putting the ship on auto.

Looking through the forward viewer, I saw our course correct twice... once on the X-axis then on the Y-axis in sharp manoeuvres. The stars and what I could see of the external hull of the ship itself seemed to shimmer in an iridescence before the screen streaked with colours and turned into a shimmering conduit with only a tiny black dot in the centre.

"All Serpens look like you when first in space. Black dot in middle, other star where is. Tunnel already there. Go through it to other side we do." Jeekta said, again looking proud of his ship.

"So, this is an advanced quantum tunnel then?" I asked.

He tilted his head from side to side. "Not quantum, math you find not yet. Can not explain then. Outside universe we are in tunnel." He answered. I guess the head tilt is how Serpens shake their heads to indicate 'no'.

It was coming together for me now. The pursuit of the unidentified vessel, they weren't trying to escape, they wanted us to follow them!

About four hours later, the shimmering tunnel disappeared as if sliding behind us and the bright glare of Iota Persi came through the forward view and was dimmed by the computer automatically. This one also had an iridescent gas cloud ring around it and we were flying into it.

"This is why you had to show me? The station is in the cloud?" I asked as I stretched my muscles and my bones creaked.

"Yes. Human ship navigation works not in this. Hit rocks and die you would." Jeekta replied as I watched the ship dodge a few decent sized rocks. It was nauseating watching the view screen, though I felt no movement under my feet.

We approached what appeared to be a small asteroid. It would have looked fair ordinary if it didn't have three massive freighters in tight orbit around it. It looked like three silvery electrons circling a grey nucleus from our vantage point.

"The pirates!" I let out unconsciously.

Jeekta's head turned and his serpentine yellow with black slit pupils moved around, as if looking for a reply in my language. "Men of thieves, some. Others wanted are. Some society hate. Which are..... pirate?" He asked.

"All of the above." I said with disdain. "I can't believe how close to our star their base is."

"Base?" Jeekta asked. "Hidden supply station is. Many bad being come, but base is no!" He sounded rather offended by the suggestion.

"Why else a hidden supply station, then?" I asked waving my hand at the screen, now totally filled with the grey asteroid as it appeared we were going to land somewhere on it.

"Before I say I not proud of all what my people do." Jeekta said with a serious glare. "Cloud hide it from sensors. Much currency make in trading. Caretaker give not royalty to our King."

Tax evaders? That's it? "My apologies Jeekta. I didn't mean to imply your people were involved in our piracy problem. Your King, I will tell not." The last words I said with a smile in broken english syllables like his. He jerked his head with a blink, as was his nod.

Jeekta expertly flew the ship a good kilometre inside one of the crater tunnels and landed it in a smaller, but similar bay to the much larger station we just flew in from. They did not use airlocks as we did, but must have some type of force field to fly through and keep the air in at the same time.

Stepping out of the landed yacht and seeing the dark tunnel a few metres in front of me and knowing in there was hard vacuum at near absolute zero, gave me the willies to say the least! One wrong step and I wondered if I would asphyxiate, or freeze to death first? That thought brought back immediately the memory of the Gar Talwar burning and spinning out of control and the reason I was here.

Pulling the hood of the coat over my head, I followed Jeekta down a corridor that was filled with loud and strange music that got louder the further down we went.

"Take this!" Jeekta shouted over the music, if that's what it could be called, as he handed me a silvery box. "If danger you find, hide near ship. Squeeze box and come I will to fly out."

"Will you be OK here, Jeekta? One of your people lost a ship here after all."

Jeekta gave a smile and a hiss, "Caretaker of this station my brother is! Jeekta safe." And he patted my shoulder and pointed a claw to the large set of doors on the right. Then set off on his own journey farther down the corridor.

I entered through the doors to what was probably the public house of Sodom and Gomorrah.

As with the other Serpen station, there was every kind of species I've seen and a few more, all positioned around a central and circular stage. The room was a large circle with must have been a hundred tables in between the outer wall, which contained various manned food and liquor dispensaries and servants running between them and the tables. There was a band on the stage of two creatures creating the odd sounds I heard in the corridor. One was another Serpen and one what looked like a boar, handling instruments completely unfamiliar to me.

What was standing out were the servants. Male and female of several species dressed in a manner to definitely bring attention to their sexuality. There were even some at the tables, rendering a far more 'personal service' to the patrons, in full view of the other patrons, but it also appeared that no one else noticed, or cared, what was going on right beside them.

As I walked in amongst the tables, looking for one where I may be able to overhear a conversation or two, yet stay away from someone's 'personal service', it became clear to me that some of these creatures weren't particular who they received their 'personal service' from... male, female, or one of each. I considered myself tolerant, I even knew many Terran's that would find this the Garden of Eden, but I was too damned disciplined and married to the service to consider settling down at home, let alone partake in such 'exotic diversions'. Though the odd home-grown or even Centaurian prostitute was welcome company on my mandatory leaves of absence they kicked me off the ship to go on every year.

I found a table and sat down. I wondered how long I'd have to wait for service when I was handed an electronic menu with pictures of the food and drinks they served. This made sense, with this many new species and dialects I'm sure, why bother translating everything.

The simpler drinks even showed a molecular pictograph of their main substance. No shortage of colourful drinks with alcohol molecules and in a few minutes, I came across a simple, clear goblet of water. Not wanting yet to sample the local cuisine (I had no currency on me anyway) I tapped the picture of the water and the menu flashed a symbol of a servant. In a few minutes, I was served with the goblet.

Listening in to other conversations was a futile attempt. Besides the music, nothing was in a language that I understood. I looked around for maybe, just maybe, catch a glimpse of Haarlon or Kohan. No luck. Not that it would be of any good, I still didn't have a weapon or anything other than the box Jeekta gave me.

Another server came and topped off my water. This one wasn't a Serpen, but a very much female, short, mouse-looking creature. She was practically humanoid, if it wasn't for the somewhat rodent shaped head with big turquoise-green eyes, little pink nose with thin white whiskers on either side of it and light coloured fur covering her scantily clad figure.

Her head of wavy reddish blonde hair which two pink ears protruding from toward the top, glistened in the coloured lights of the pub as she stood before me with a smile, holding her empty tray under her arm. I think she was expecting payment this time.

The only thing I had on me other than my clothes and boots, was a silver chain that had been in my family for generations. It was made from the very first silver extracted from an extraterrestrial mine and while money-wise was worthless, meant a lot to me as a symbol of just how not long ago it was, were were bound to our home world. With a sigh, I unclasped it and held it up to the waitress.

Her smile grew and she blinked at the sight of it. From behind her, a thin, hairless pink tail swung around and lifted it out of my hand. She examined the necklace and dropped it between her breasts, her very see-through top catching it. Placing the tray down on the table, she straddled my lap and sat down on it, placing her arms over my shoulders and clasping her hands behind my neck.

"Ummm, I was only intending to pay for the water." I said uncomfortably as she slowly began to give me a lap dance.

She leaned over and began to nibble on my neck. "Oh what the hell!" I thought to myself. "If I'm going to spend that necklace, I may as well get a good value for it!" and wrapped my arms around her, stroking her soft back.

"You have to leave, quickly!" She whispered into my ear. "You have been watched since you came in!"

I immediately stopped, pushed her back with my hands on her side and looked at her surprised. "You speak english?"

"Pretend you are enjoying my company." She whispered again and kissed me, holding the sides of my face. "I will lead you out of here, like you purchased my services. Follow smiling and do not talk."

We got up and following her with a smile on my face, which I didn't really have to fake as she had a very nice, ample rear that wiggled sweetly in their see-through veil mini skirt as she led the way out the large doors to the bar.

The doors closed behind us and I stopped her after we went a few metres down the corridor. "Who was watching me? Who are you?"

"It's still not safe!" She said excitedly with fear on her face and I continued to let her lead me until we entered a more personal room. She locked the door behind us and she went to a chest of drawers and pulled out a sheathed dagger. I immediately threw back the cloak like jacket and took a defensive posture.

"I knew it!" She said, as she turned the dagger's handle towards me and handed it to me. "You are Pegasiian Protectorate?"

Taking the dagger and tucking it into my jacket. "Thank you for this." I patted the concealed weapon. "No, I'm not. And you are no lap dancer?"

She looked offended. "Was I that bad?"

"I.. uhh... well... no, you weren't. It's just that..." I said, grasping for words. All the years of training I had in the service went out the window when confronted with an insulted female.

She laughed with a cute squeak of a laugh, displaying two slightly longer front teeth. On Earth, buck teeth were a cue for jokes. On her mouse-like face, they were darn cute! "Made you squirm!" She gave a wink. "I don't care what the species is, we girls get a joy out of that."

I returned something of a scowl as she gave a giggle. "My name is Carl, Carl Fornax, ma'm." and gave a slight bow. "To whom do I owe my thanks to?"

She looked flattered by my bow and formal introduction. "Muranna. No second name, just Muranna."

"Well Muranna, what is our next move?" I asked looking around more at the room. There was the chest of drawers and a very comfortable looking bed and a door open to an unlit room what looked like a head. This room was purpose built for the ladies to 'render services' it appeared.

"Getting out of here. You're in danger." She said looking more serious. "We can stay maybe ten minutes, before it'll look suspicious. I am after all, providing a necklace worth of services to you." With that, she took out my necklace and handed it back to me.

I replaced it around my neck and thanked her. "Who was watching me, do you know?"

"I don't know for sure, but I have heard others call him 'Durge'. I think he's a bounty hunter or something."

"What does he look like?" I asked, curious.

"He's a Canisian. Wolf caste, I think, or maybe coyote caste. I can't tell as he always wears that leather jacket and wide hat over his..."

I grabbed Muranna by the shoulders, probably more firm than I should as she let out a gasp and gave an expression of surprise or pain. "That fits the description of one that caused a lot of my men to be killed. I won't leave this place without him. At least not if I'm sure it's him!" I said the last words in almost a growl.

I released Muranna after my anger subsided and I realized I may be hurting her. "I'm sorry. I.. I've been through a lot in the last little while." Sitting on the bed, I rubbed my head, "Focus Lieutenant, focus!"

Muranna sat beside me, rubbing her shoulders. "I think we have a common goal, then... Lieutenant."

I looked at her, my hands still entangled in my hair as she continued, "I'm tracking slave traders."

"I'm tracking pirates. I think my pirates and your slave traders, may be one in the same." I said as she nodded her head in agreement. This time, her nod was in the normal Terran manner. Man, did I have questions!

A scratching noise was heard outside the door. It sounded as though someone was trying to break the lock code by removing the panel. I went cold and Muranna looked terrified.

I whispered a plan to her. Close the washroom door, I hide under the bed and she answers the door, because it's assumed the person trying to get in, wanted me. She looked unsure, then nodded her head quickly and I dived under the bed as I heard the washroom door close. She then opened the entrance to the room.

"Y... you'll have to purchase my services in the bar and.." She was cut off and let out a loud 'squeak' as I saw her pushed to the floor. Canisian feet walked past the foot end of the bed towards the head as I slid out from under the bed on the opposite side, towards the exit door. Muranna was laying on the floor still, leaning up on an arm and looking terrified. With my hands, I told her to get ready to run and she nodded.

I heard the head door open. I looked around the foot of the bed and the Canisian was the same one I saw on the ship that captured us! He leaned in the head cautiously to look around, as the light still didn't come on.

I crouched, then took a run at his back, knocking him into the head. With lightning speed and a growl, he fumbled himself to his feet, but not before I was able to close the door on him and smash the controls to the door with the butt end of the dagger Muranna gave me.

"RUN, NOW!" I shouted as the Canisian was slamming on the door from the inside and growling. It wouldn't be long before he would tear the door clean off.

We bolted out into the corridor and I closed and locked the room door and smashed those controls too. "The launch bay!" I shouted to Muranna as she nodded, eyes wide and headed in the direction that would again take us past the station pub.

Run as she might, her short legs could not keep up. I turned around and scooped her up over my shoulder and began running towards the bay again. When we arrived, I looked around for a place to hide. There was always barrels or containers or something in a landing bay in the movies and even on Terran space docks. But not here. This bay was clean as a whistle. Just a few ships parked.

"There! There!" Muranna said, still across my shoulders and was slapping me on the back. I turned around and looked, but saw nothing. "No, there!" she shouted, slapping my back again. I looked and still saw nothing. "Put me down, you idiot!" she finally demanded.

Putting her down, she gave me a frustrated look and scampered barefoot across the bay, motioning for me to follow. It was there that I saw a grille on the wall.

It was a tight fit, but we were able to get into the service conduit and replace the grille. The view was limited, but it was enough to see the entrance to the bay and a little bit around us. All was clear so far.

Muranna was panting from the horrifying experience. "What do you think he'll do if he finds us?"

The thought wasn't pleasant. Mine and Bellery's experience with wolfs so far was they were incredibly strong and much faster than humans. Hand to hand combat would be hopeless for me, let alone this little mouse girl. "You have to believe that he won't find us." I said trying to sound encouraging.

Durge appeared in the entrance to the bay. Muranna let out a gasp. I gently covered her mouth. "Shhhhh.." I said quietly to her.

Durge walked around sniffing the air and stopped in the centre of the bay. "I know you're here, Alliance Officer!" he shouted. He walked around some more, then disappeared off to the side where we couldn't see.

A minute later, his legs appeared right in front of the grille and he gave it a swift kick with his heel. Muranna screamed. Durge gave a sinister laugh.

"My people believe in honour, human. Fight me here and the girl can live." he said still standing outside the grille.

Muranna was shaking her head profusely. I whispered, "I have to. He is right that his people believe in honour." Tears streamed down her face as she agreed.

"We're coming out!" I shouted as he backed away from the grille.

I slid out first and Muranna followed. She placed her back against the wall with an expression of resignation. I stood up and once again faced those piercing blue eyes. "OK, we fight. She can go now, right?" I said with a demand.

Durge removed his hat and tossed it aside. "We fight, yes. But I said the girl will live.... and she will... after some use." He gave a low, gravelly laugh and in one swipe of his back paw, I was on the ground.

I reached for the dagger and had it immediately kicked out of my hand. Damn! I didn't even see that... he was fast! The only other thing I could do was squeeze the box Jeekta gave me.

Durge had picked me up by the coat, "I will enjoy playing with you before my kill, human." He threw me a good four metres and I landed hard on the bay floor.

When he came at me again, I swung my arm, successfully tripping him and I swung to my feet, but not before he did. I gave his muzzle a solid right, still with Jeekta's box clenched in my fist. Durge let out a yelp as blood spattered across the bay floor.

My feeling of elation soon dissipated as I noticed the blood was as much mine as his. My knuckles were gashed on his teeth. The tip of one of his canines appeared to have been embedded in one of my knuckles. "Ohhh, that's going to hurt!" I thought to myself. Right now, the adrenalin rush was keeping the pain at bay.

Durge had enough. He pounced with a fierce growl and knocked me to the ground. I brought up my knee to his stomach, which had little effect other than to make him give a grunt. I tried to bring my knee up again, only lower. They may have steel muscles, but I assumed Canisian balls were just as tender as ours. But, it was too late for that.

Durge positioned himself so his hind feet were on my thighs, pinning my legs. He wrapped his paws around behind my neck and clamped his teeth on the front. I felt my skin popping as he clamped down and cut off my breath. My heart pounding and unable to push him off, I reached down as a last resort, between his legs for a little 'neutering'. As luck would have it, he was well protected there by some sort of padding. Gasping for breath, I began to see spots before my eyes.

Durge let out a yelp and released his grip from my throat. His paws released from around my neck and he fell over sideways. I regained my breath and my vision cleared to see Muranna backing away, her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide in shock. As I got up, I saw the dagger sticking out of Durge's back as he lay on the ground, his mouth open wide with a mixed expression of shock and pain on it.

"Thank you for THAT!" I said grateful to Muranna. I tore off a piece of my jacket and wrapped my bleeding hand. The pain was starting to come in full force now.

Jeekta came running as fast as his short legs would take him and saw us, Durge's body and the bloody mess on the bay floor. "You just missed all the fun!" I shouted, bent over still panting from the fight.

Jeekta opened the hatch to his yacht, then went to a communications panel and hissed something in the Serpen language. A few minutes later, a doctor (I assume) showed up, tended my hand and puncture wounds on my neck (which thankfully, *just* missed my jugular) and after confirming Durge's cause of death, called for what I assume was mortician to collect him.

"I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for your brother?" I asked sincerely.

Jeekta gave a hiss and tilted his head in a shake, "Brother suspected Canisian was thief of ship. Now of it is sure. Fight we see on viewer. Come I did when called you."

The doctor came and hissed something to Jeekta, who replied. Looking at me, he translated, "Girl in shock is. Safe here not any more. Exposed is her investigation."

"She can come with me. She's helping me as we have a common goal in fighting these pirates, Jeekta." I said as Jeekta paused, then agreed with a blink and a jerk of his head.

_ 6 - "Diverted" _

The three of us boarded Jeekta's ship. I took Muranna to one of the bunk rooms that were small, but comfortable. She just sat in a chair at a small table with her head down as I wrapped a blanket around her.

"You saved my life." I said in a comforting voice.

"I... I never killed anyone before." she replied not raising her head, despondent.

I consolingly took her hand, "Hopefully, you will never have to again."

She looked at me with tears in her eyes, "So, as an Alliance Lieutenant, you have?"

I paused. Then with a sigh I admitted, "Once."

"How did it happen?" She asked with a tremor in her almost whisper of a voice.

"It was a long time ago. I was an ensign." My face filled with an expression of regret and Muranna returned a squeeze to my hand. "Not all on Earth want to be part of something bigger. A new Centaurian Ambassador arrived right after the war with Canisius. Nothing to do with it, it was just his new assignment. A fellow Terran ran through the crowd and yelled 'Murderers!' and leveled a weapon at the new Ambassador. His guard and the assigned SAR officers surrounded him to receive the shot, as they were too crowded in by the civilians who panicked to fire their weapons. I was a flag bearer off to the side and had a clear shot. I took it."

"I thought Stellar Alliance weapons were set to be defensive and not lethal?" She said now looking at me with empathy.

"They are now. They weren't then. It was that incident that caused the refit of all weapons carried by our men. We didn't have 'stunning' technology. It was authorized to be shared with us by the new Ambassador from Centaurus after that."

"I'm so sorry!" She said, no longer concerned with her own pain.

"But, how is it you know so much about us? I didn't even know your species existed until I came aboard the Serpen station with Councillor Orlok?"

She paused, then turned away. "Remember I said I was tracking slave traders?" I acknowledged with a simple grunt. "The Serpens asked me to. I'm a civilian investigator."

"A private eye?" I said surprised." She looked like she never heard that expression before as she shook her head and looked confused. "A rent-a-cop?" She gave a chuckle. It was good to see a smile on her face again.

"That's one way of saying it. Mostly I work for the media and find stuff they can't when no one will talk to them. But when I stumbled across this 'Consortium' as you call it, that brought me to the big Serpen station around Theta Persi. It was there the Serpen's asked me to investigate for them various thefts. When I met you and found out you were an officer in some service, I knew it was all tied in somehow to something a lot bigger than a theft ring."

"Jeekta to Fornax, please to bridge come!" came across the intercom. I acknowledged him and Muranna clenched the blanket around herself and came as well.

"What's up?" I asked as we arrived on the bridge.

"Another you with us bring?" Jeekta asked as he fiddled with his ships computer.

"Ahhh, no. Just Muranna and me. Why?"

"Computer say 80 kilograms more we weigh than should. Has corrected for navigation. This not I expect? Can't find error in ship..." Jeekta was cut off from a new and familiar to me, voice from the entrance to the bridge.

"That's because there is no error in your computer, my scaly little friend."

Jeekta turned with his eyes wide, startled and hissed. Muranna let out a gasp and I slowly turned around to see holding a particle pistol on us, a SAR issue particle pistol taken from Ensign Tralook, the Terran captain of the ship that originally captured us.

"You're slipping, Lieutenant. When you found Durge, you should have suspected the rest of us were there somewhere too. Thanks to the little dinosaur leaving the hatch open while medics tended you, I slipped on board when I went looking for where Durge got to."

"Now you want revenge on me?" I asked holding my arms out, stepping in front of Muranna, placing myself between him and her.

The pirate captain shook his head. "It just means a bigger cut for us."

He pointed his weapon at Jeekta. "New course, Serpent man. We are going to the Capellan system." He then sat down and crossed his legs and one arm as he held the weapon toward us and gave a grin, confident of his control.

Jeekta got up, then crouched with his clawed hands at the ready and gave a hiss, looking as if were about to spring on this intruder on his yacht. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "This is not the time, my friend. That human is not afraid to kill." He looked at me, anger in his yes, then sat down again at the console.

"Capella system in four days, nine hours will be." He said with resignation.

"Fast little ships, aren't they?" the pirate captain remarked. "That's why we like them."

For twenty four solid hours, the pirate captain kept his position. Neither getting up for water or to use the head. He just watched us and I watched him. Jeekta just stared at the forward view screen and Muranna lay curled at my feet in her blanket, asleep.

"You have to sleep sometime" I said, glaring at him.

"The mind is a wonderful thing. I can outlast you." He replied in his confident tone.

I had no doubt of this. As 48 hours passed, I felt my own concentration drifting. Jeekta slept for ten minutes and woke for two. That went on fur a few hours. I guess that was his species way, at least under these conditions. Unless you saw his face though, you wouldn't have seen it and his back was to the pirate. Muranna silently brought Jeekta and I water and sat beside me otherwise when she didn't sleep.

72 hours had passed. I awoke with a start to see the pirate still having his gaze and weapon trained on us. "Have a good nap, Lieutenant?" he mockingly said with his stupid grin. I didn't give him the satisfaction of a reply.

96 hours later, I was quite hungry and I'm sure the others were too. There was a liquid dispensary on the bridge beside the head, but no food one. I became extremely concerned when Muranna stumbled and spilled her water while on her way back from the dispenser. I went to help her and she was breathing rapidly with glazing eyes.

"You're sick?" I asked.

She shook her head, "My species can't go this long without food."

If her system was internally anything like a rodent back home, they practically needed to eat constantly because of their higher metabolism. Seems being very humanoid allowed her to go for a certain time without sustenance, but not anywhere the month a human could.

"She needs to eat." I said to our captor, who still hadn't moved from when he first sat.

He just shrugged. "Looks like we'll lose her then."

Anger flooded my tired body. I considered taking the risk of making a run at him when Jeekta spoke up. "Beside you in pouch, rations are."

I looked behind and under the console where the chair was, there was a clasped pouch against the panel. "Slowly, Lieutenant" the pirate captain said. Slow it was then.

There was several ration bars of what looked like dark, compressed sawdust and they stank to high heaven. I bit off a piece and it didn't taste much different than the concentrated protein bars that were SAR survival rations.

Muranna bit into it and gagged, spitting it out on the deck. "C'mon hun, you have to." I encouraged her. On the third try, she was able to swallow a piece and keep it down.

105 hours since our ordeal began, we came out of the 'tunnel' as the bright pinpoint of Capella shone in the upper corner of the screen. "Take us to the third moon of the fifth planet." the pirate captain ordered as Jeekta silently entered the coordinates into his console.

Muranna managed to eat half of one bar. Her stomach heaved a few times during the course, but she was able to keep it down. I brought her some water and soon she had more colour to her face and her eyes returned to their normal sparkling turquoise-green and she stood. Shaking a bit, but she was able to stand. I gave her a gentle hug "Welcome back, hun." I said, feeling more concerned than I should have for just doing what I considered part of my job, to render aide. What felt better was when she returned it.

We approached the moon. It was inhabited as faint glows were seen on the dark side as steady points and not of volcanoes or other transient natural phenomenon. "Is this a pirate base?" I whispered to Muranna.

She shook her head and whispered back, "No. It's a Canisian refugee moon."

We landed in a clearing on the dark side of the moon, about ten kilometres from the nearest encampment. "OK, everybody out!" the pirate captain ordered. He motioned first for Jeekta to leave the bridge, then me and last, Muranna. He walked us to the airlock to the hatch and ordered Jeekta to open it. One by one we stepped out onto the long, frost covered grass and he followed us about ten metres away from the ship, as far as the external hatch lights shone. "If I were you Lieutenant, I'd make a fire. It can get very cold at this time of year."

He looked down at Muranna's bare feet and fondled her blanket at her shoulder, "Keep warm, little Missy." I stepped toward him as he aimed the pistol at me with a serious glare. "Don't worry Lieutenant, that was one of that horny dog Durge's fetishes. One that even I didn't approve of." On that note, he backed all the way into the ship and ran down the corridor away from the hatch.

"Away from here we must get!" Jeekta said. "Controls I can work only. Any where he cannot go!"

"He will kidnap you then!" I said. "I can't let that happen!" and I looked around for a stick or something to use as a weapon.

"I have an idea." Muranna said as she shivered and sat on a fallen log, trying to keep her feet off the ground. "Jeekta, how fast can you go into hibernation?"

Jeekta flicked his head and blinked several times rapidly. "Good plan, fail it must not!" He removed his jacket and shirt and layed on the frosty grass and covered himself in it. Within minutes, his eyes rolled and he began to curl into a fetal position.

"What's happening?" I looked dumbfounded at Jeekta, then Muranna.

"They're highly evolved, but still are cold blooded." she replied. "Cold causes them to go into a hibernation state to keep them from dying like you or I would without warmth."

I bent down over Jeekta and he looked like he was sleeping peacefully, but I couldn't feel any pulse and he wasn't breathing. "Hopefully that thief doesn't know that much about them."

Sure enough, within twenty minutes, a very angry looking pirate returned. "Where is that pilot! I need his codes!"

"He's dead!" Muranna said. "They can't handle cold like I can't go without food."

The pirate captain checked for Jeekta's vitals. "Looks like shit luck all around tonight. I'll just have to hack his systems." and he ran back to the ship.

I cradled Muranna under my cloak and had her feet wrapped more in her blanket. Jeekta didn't move. An hour passed and the hatch closed and the ship lifted off. All we had now was the starlight and the light reflected off three other moons in the sky. My eyes were adjusting and it was like a full moonlit night back home.

Beginning to shiver myself, I wrapped Muranna in my cloak and sat her on the log as I began to collect twigs and branches. But try as I might, I could not get anything started.

Shivering violently now, Muranna said, "J..J...Jeekta.... j...j...jacket."

Grabbing Jeekta's jacket, I didn't find anything in his pockets, other than another signal device like he gave me at the asteroid station. I assumed it was the receiver.

"C...c...clasps." Muranna said.

Jeekta's jacket had large, shiny metal clasps. Finally catching her meaning, I grabbed a rock and struck at the clasps on the jacket. No sparks. I tried three different rocks I found by feel on the ground. Third time WAS a charm, as that one gave bright orange sparks with a slightest tap on the jacket clasps.

A roaring fire was going in a while. Fortunately the inside of the branches I found were dry, as the frost melted and hissed with steam as Muranna and I piled them on. We moved Jeekta to the fireside in hopes the heat would bring him out of his hibernation.

Muranna finally stopped shivering and we melted frost on leaves to drink for water. Two hours later and there was still no movement from Jeekta. "Why didn't he just kill us?" Muranna wondered.

"I... really don't have a clue?" I said, having pondered the exact same question in my mind. "Maybe he really only wanted another ship?" I didn't believe that myself though.

Dawn approached. The sky was as beautiful colours as it was on Earth. "The refugee's were indeed blessed with a beautiful new home!" I thought to myself.

Jeekta began to move. His leg quivered and he began to uncurl from his fetal position. His eyes opened wide and he gave a gasp for breath. "Hey there, welcome back!" I said.

He looked at me then screamed as if pain. I went over and helped him sit up so he could breathe easier. He grit his tiny sharp teeth together with a growl and clamped his eyes shut. "Hey... hey! What's wrong Buddy?" I said. I had no xenomedical training in Serpen physiology, so I didn't have a clue what was happening to him.

"Cramps." Muranna said, "We warmed him too fast, his muscles hadn't time to adjust when coming out of hibernation." She came over and began massaging his back, arms and legs quite forcefully.

"You know a lot about Serpens for just being hired by them." I asked amazed at her knowledge of them.

"The Serpens are our neighbours. I'm from system around a star you'd know as Chi Draconis."

"Apparently they were the dinosaurs on my world millions of years ago. He said they would have been dominant if it wasn't for the catastrauphic ice age we had brought about by a meteor hitting my planet." I said as I helped her massage Jeekta's muscles, after watching how she did it.

"Similar happened on our world. Seems we have a history in common, your people and mine." she replied.

"What, you mean having shared a world with them?" I asked with a smile, seeing how true Jeekta's words were that the more we will discover, the more we will find we are all related, regardless of the world we were from.

"Nope!" She said looking up at me. "What we have in common, is you and I used to be their prey."

What a downer of a revelation. It was true. Serpents on Earth eat mice and other rodents like we eat coleslaw now. It was a quick, cheap and tasty treat. Snakes and larger lizards in the tropical areas will eat monkeys. A few million years ago, Muranna and I would be so much dinner for our friend in pain.

Jeekta turned his head and gave a large grin, "Hired are you two!" and gave a large sigh.

"You're not in pain any more?" I asked.

"Not for some time. Not to wish stop you." Jeekta gave his hissing smile as he just pulled one over on us.

I tossed him his jacket and laughed. He got us good. Muranna gave her cute, squeaky laugh and slapped Jeekta on his shoulder and went over to the fire.

The sun came over the horizon and the welcome warmth hit my face. Muranna too smiled at the direction of the sunrise and Jeekta spoke something in his language and prostrated to the ground. "Good day to be alive!" I said.

"Yes." Jeekta replied. "Many skies go dark and planets cold. You seen heat we need. When star rises again, to gods thanks my people give."

"Can't argue that. Thanks to the gods for the sun!" I agreed and toasted the sunrise with the last leaf of melted frost.

"Sorry your people lost another ship. If I could have prevented it..." I said as Jeekta held up his hand.

"Ship is lost not yet. Track it I can, but need fast ship to catch."

"Look!" Muranna shouted and stood, pointing toward the far tree line across the clearing. It looked like a Canisian welcoming party was coming from that encampment I saw when we were landing, 10 kilometres away.

"They probably saw or heard the ship come in during the night." I said.

"Rescued are we?" Jeekta asked as he stood on a log and strained to see what Muranna was on about.

We waved towards the group of five approaching. They casually approached with primitive spears and clothing. "Outcasts?" I thought out loud, remembering their caste system and thinking the Capellan's would have outfitted their refugee claimants better.

They stopped after surrounding us where we stood. A tall, skinny male of the Coyote species approached. "You!" he said, holding his spear towards my chest. "No more of my people will you take, I don't care how well you feed us! We would rather starve than let one more son or daughter be taken!"

I stared at him blankly. Muranna looked confused and shook her head. Jeekta gave me a hopeless look, "Danger find we, again?"

The Coyote looked at Muranna, "Draconis, we have no argument with you." He looked at Jeekta, "I do not know your species." He again looked at me, "But you Terran, you have brought nothing to us but pain and suffering!"

Muranna approached the Canisian, "He isn't who you think he is. He's been tracking the people who have done this to you."

The tall coyote's eyes flit between her and me. "You are not Consortium?"

"No." I answered emphatically. "I'm Lieutenant Carl Fornax of the Stellar Alliance Reserve."

The tall Canisian just stared with grey eyes. They were not hard like the eyes of Durge, but youthful and wise. He tilted his spear slowly upwards again and raised his head, keeping his eyes trained on me. A body language I have learned as examination and yet, mistrust. "Come with us!" He commanded and the five began to walk back to the trees across the clearing and the three of us followed.

_ 7 - "The Moons of Capella" _

After several hours of walking, we approached a camp that was half technology and half prehistoric. As we entered, the village went silent as everyone stopped and stared. There were Canisian males, females, children of at least four species: coyote, two fox species and what looked like a dingo.

These people had seen a hard life. Worn fur from the elbows down, scars, even an eye patch on one of the males. An old grandmother wolf sat in a chair and stared at us, inspecting us as we walked past. She leaned her chin on a cane crafted from a branch with the handle worn polished smooth from use.

The huts were of branches and grasses, with the odd antenna sticking out of the roof that was aimed at the sky. All except one hut that was mostly metallic. That one had an injured fox leaning against its entrance, leg in an ancient splint, using a tall stick as a crutch. That must have been the medical building.

"In here!" the coyote said as he walked into a larger hut with a more elaborate entry way. The other four that were with him, did not follow him in and waited to to each side of the entry way.

Inside was a round table where four Canisians were gathered and speaking in their tongue. The illumination was totally modern, as was the radiant heat source above the centre of the table. The rest appeared to be out of 19th century Kenya back home.

"Father!" our guiding coyote called loudly, catching the attention of a grizzled old coyote at the table. His ears had flopped over and he was missing patches of his fur. He appeared to be blind in one eye and missing several of his teeth. "These are the people that came in the ship during the night!" the younger coyote spoke loudly again. Apparently their leader was also quite deaf.

Shakily the old coyote stood and motioned for me to come closer. He lifted my head by my chin with his shaking paw, but the gaze of his one eye was sharp and clear as he looked me over. Finally after a pause and a final stare, he shook his head and sat down, dismissing me with a wave of his paw.

"Come with me." the younger coyote said to us, this time as a request and not a command.

Leading us out into the village again, he proclaimed, "These are not them!" As soon as he did, the Canisian refugees flocked to us and touched our clothes and examined us closer. A young and small fennec came up to me and cocked his head, speaking something in Canisian. "I'm sorry, I don't understand." I said to him, taking his paw as he shook my hand like another Terran would.

"He wants to know if you are here to rescue us." came a crackly female voice. It was the old grandmother wolf.

"Rescue you? I don't understand. I thought the Capellan's rescued you."

"The did." she said, raising an eyebrow. "They rescued us from the castes and the war. I mean rescue us from this!" she waved her cane around to the huts.

My own history was full of people fleeing war or political turmoil to be welcomed by neighbouring countries, only to suffer a worse fate in the refugee camps. Abject poverty, sickness and overpopulation eventually making the refugees, refugees of their own camps. I understood what she was saying, but how did it get this bad, this quick?

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything." was the only thing I could say.

"Prepare food and shelter for our guests!" the coyote called out to the people. "Grains for the Dracon and Terran. Meat to for him too and..." turning to Jeekta he looked puzzled.

"Meat is fine for Jeekta."

The coyote continued, "Meat for the Jeekta!"

Jeekta covered his face and shook his head.

The Canisians cheered at having friends for guests and some females came and offered Muranna a hot bath and some males came to Jeekta and I and began to tell stories of their survival here. I wouldn't have minded a bath myself, but when in Rome....

"Who do we thank for the hospitality? What is your name?" I asked the coyote who led us here. "My name is Rall, son of Thrinn."

"Thrinn is your Alpha?" I asked, seeing how he was obviously the leader.

Rall stopped and looked sharply at me, then his expression softened as he saw in my face that my question was in ignorance. "The caste and Alpha system do not exist here. My father, Thrinn, leads by popular consensus."

It appears the refugees really did want to start a new life for themselves. Democracy was an alien concept to the Canisians from what we knew of them. As far back as their records go, prior to the caste system, it was always 'survival of the fittest'.

"Then Thrinn leads this moon?"

"My father leads this encampment. Each of the camps have their own leader and method of choosing them" Rall replied.

We were led into an open sided hut with a long table of woven reeds. It appeared to be a community gathering place. Pottery goblets filled with water were laced before us, as was a large pitcher. Bowls of fruit and berries too. It had been several days since either Jeekta or I ate, Serpen rations aside, so we dug in with relish.

Some fruits and berries were tasty, others weren't. Jeekta and I made a good team as it seemed everything I hated, he liked and vice versa.

It wasn't long before Muranna arrived wrapped in a colourful robe, similar to what Hawaiian women on Earth wear. She was surrounded by giggling young Canisian females. Some quite attractive, despite their primitive settings. Seems regardless the situation a female may land, she will find a way to make herself dazzle and shine.

A hot meal was all it took to feel well with uplifted spirits again. We filled our time with the exchange of stories. Amazed the Canisians were to hear of how we landed there, though I avoided certain details, as did Muranna and Jeekta. After the final plate was finished at the table, Rall asked that the others leave us to be in privacy with him.

"What can you tell us about this Consortium?" Muranna asked.

"And what did you mean by taking 'sons and daughters'?" I added.

Rall gathered his thoughts. "Years ago when we arrived, the Capellans provided for us. We wanted for nothing. This was the First Moon. This is where it all began with three million of us. But we prospered and celebrated and our numbers grew quickly. The Capellans saw an ecological disaster in waiting to happen, as it did on Canisius. They began to move some of us to new moons in the system. Our population volunteered freely which families would go and which would stay."

"Seems like a reasonable arrangement though. What went wrong?" I asked.

Rall continued. "It was! But the Capellan liaison said that the resources would now have to be shared among all of us. Now what you see here are those who were willing to forsake all the modern amenities so the two new refugee moons could flourish, as well as share with the other camps around this moon."

"How many of you are there now? "Muranna asked.

Rall pondered for a moment. "About 53 million."

Jeekta was grasping the numbers and spoke, "53 million on moons three, not is much?"

Rall shook his head. "53 million are here, on this moon. I have no idea what the others have."

I was dumbfounded. If the other moons were as populous, that would be three to nearly a hundred and sixty million over a period of 20 years! No wonder the Capellan refugee system was tapped out.

The Capellan system moons were small, typically half to a third the size of Earth's moon. Their incredibly dense cores gave them near Earth gravity and also provided them with their own heat source, giving life supporting temperate conditions, though some received about the same reduced solar light and heat as Mars did in the Terran system.

"The Sirian's legislated birth control past two children. Why have you not done so here?" I asked.

Rall looked at me with a serious look. "We would like that. We simply do not have the medical technology. The Capellan physicians don't have anything that works on Canisians when we asked for their help and we don't have the capability to contact anyone outside this star system. And before you mention natural methods, you underestimate the Canisian sex drive, human."

"How does the Consortium fit into this?" Muranna asked.

"Faced with the ecological disaster they predicted, rather than us hunting or raising our need for protein, they provided us with two thirds. Then many of the freighters stopped. They said due to political reasons, we lost a major food supply. We began to hunt again. But as you can see, there is little game left. We met a trader, a human, who said he can bring us provisions and he would also find new homes for our people. We agreed."

"Didn't it seem just a little bit odd that this 'trader' would shower you with food and supplies AND find new homes for your excess population?" Muranna asked with an expression that maybe these refugee's weren't the brightest of souls.

"Of course it did, Muranna. But it was a choice of some find new homes or all starve, as some of us already have." Rall said, with shame.

"This trader, was anyone with him?" I asked, suspecting our 'Terran trader' and pirate captain may be one in the same.

"Yes, a Capellan and a Pegasiian." Rall answered. "They said they had political authority to assist us. Since then, many of our young adults have been taken and some not willingly. That is why when we saw the ship late last night, we thought the trader was returning. He has come in a ship like that for the last two visits and made several trips to transport our people. Stories travel that he has been taking more and more of our people."

"Why fight back you have not?" Jeekta said with fire in his eyes. "Serpen fight back would we!"

"And the fighting would begin again!" Rall said slamming his paws on the table. "Before the caste system on Canisius, we fought amongst ourselves for resources. If that instinct were to creep back into our culture, once we stopped the traders, we again would fight among ourselves for resources and set ourselves back a thousand years!"

It was the ultimate catch-22. They fight, they win freedom, but would exhaust their own resources. They leave all as it is, they live in fear. But one thing was clear to me - the original food line being cut allowing the Consortium to step in, was the sole fault of the Terran food sanctions. But even with them lifted, the Canisian birthrate would soon overwhelm that supply.

"We think you've been swindled." Muranna said to Rall. "Your people are not being taken to new worlds for new lives like this, they are ending up as servants and slaves to the highest bidder, especially in the Ursan systems."

"How do you know this?" Rall asked in disbelief.

"Jeekta's people, the Serpens have visited there. Said they found a lot of unhappy Canisians. Some even begged them for passage back to their world. When they did, they found themselves on the receiving end of some very unhappy Ursan owners." Muranna explained.

This was the first time I was hearing her slave trader story and I listened with interest. The Ursa sector was off the beaten path where we normally traded and was spread out a lot more than the other systems friendly with us, so hadn't received as much attention by the Terrans. But it also explained why the room I was in when Bellery and I were captives of Haarlon and gang, had no means of voluntary exit.

"My people are being sold into slavery?" Rall shook his head. "I cannot believe this. We are not Terran dogs, we do not domesticate!" Again he slammed his paw on the table and the fur on his neck bristled.

"I wish it wasn't true!" Muranna added. "I was asked by the Serpens to investigate what was going on. The Ursan people wouldn't view a Draconis girl with suspicion.... my species is a kind of an 'evolutionary joke' to them. The Serpens are far more advanced technologically and culturally and are viewed by them as a possible threat. Their travels to the Ursan sector are as restricted as your peoples travels to the Pegasi sector." She gave a sigh, "The Ursan are a powerful, suid-like hedonistic species. Quiet until provoked, then meaner than a Centaurian and demand the finest things like the Pegasiians.... if they want to make a Canisian do their will, they can be.... convincing."

Rall pondered her words and nodded at the plausibility of her story. "Then we have no hope?" he said with resignation.

"When is your next supply shipment due?" I asked Rall.

"A month, why?"

"Because..." I said getting a grin and a plan, "I have to get on that freighter."

After our dinner, Jeekta and I were offered a hot bath as well and shown to a hut that was reserved for visiting leaders of surrounding camps. It was comfortable with a thatched roof and its own fire pit. The night was cold and Jeekta sat close to the fire and tended it while Muranna and I sat outside on the entry path to our hut and looked up at the stars.

"Three weeks." I said.

"Hmm?" Muranna said as she looked over.

"This moon's month, should be three weeks by my measure of time, going by the movements of the stars."

The fifth planet of Capella hung in the sky in a large crescent. The inner moons shone like large stars and was almost dizzying as to how fast one flew across the sky. "That must be an inner moon." I said pointing it out to Muranna.

"You know you have to take me with you." She said, snuggling up closer as the night air got colder.

"It's likely to get more dangerous from here on out, though." I said softly into her ear.

She tilted her head up, her cold little nose touched the side of my cheek. "Then I guess you'll just have to protect me... this time." She gave a smile and our lips touched. In a few moments, the cold night didn't matter to either of us any more.

Muranna and I woke to a pleasant aroma. Jeekta brought us what smelled and appeared to be a steaming bowl of oatmeal. He disappeared last night and I was concerned that he might fall into another hibernation cycle.

For the love of... it WAS oatmeal! "Lady Canisian say saved from Terran world this ration is. Wanted happy make you." Jeekta said with a smile, pleased with my reaction. Muranna had polished off the bowl and dispensing with manners, was licking the inside of it clean.

"Where did you go last night?" I asked, glad to see our small Serpen friend was quite all right.

"Fire pit beside I was in square. Males talk all night, telling stories and singing do. Jeekta not need sleep as much as you. Leave you two to... mate in peace."

"You're so sweet, Jeekta!" Muranna said, putting the cleaned bowl down and wiping her mouth. "But we didn't mate... just a cuddled and kissed." Muranna followed the last words with a giggle. "This Officer here seems very much... a gentleman. He'll probably wait for the SECOND planet we get stranded on, at least."

I gave her a look that said, "You.. are... INCREDIBLE!" as she rolled over laughing. With a wink, "Got you again!" she said, bringing back the memory of how she made me uncomfortable by 'playing hurt' after leaving the pub on the hidden station.

Over the next few days, we formulated our plan. With luck, by the time we left the moon, Bellery would have made it to a SAR base and they would be looking for me. But they would definitely not be looking in Capellan space. Likely the freighter would be going to pick up stolen cargo from the Pegasiian-Terran border to bring it back here. We would somehow have to get a communication out to the SAR or PPG so they would seize that ship.

Rall informed us the only communications equipment they had was an emergency link to the Capellan world and communication with the other camps on the moon. Nothing portable.

"That's where I can come in." Muranna said with a sly grin and waving her raised hand. "A girl can't do investigating without communicating her findings. If it has wires and an antenna, I can make it talk." I was beginning to have a lot of respect for this lovely little mouse girl.

"If engines it has, fly it I can!" Jeekta added his thoughts.

"We may not be able to take the entire ship. Jeekta." I added. "A freighter has lots of crew and..." I was cut off by Rall.

"Less than ten and most with five or even as little as two." He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "If you were smuggling, would you want dozens to know?"

I leaned back with my hand on my forehead. "Bellery and I could have taken the Mautt, if it wasn't for that insane Wolf Warrior!"

"Wolf Warrior?" Rall said jumping to his feet. When I described my tale of being captured, I just mentioned a 'pirate freighter' and not any of their crew.

The villagers within earshot went silent and then came up to the table we were doing the planning, outside Thrinn's hut.

"Yeah, his name was Kohan." I said. Mumbling went through the crowd.

"Out of my way, children!" came a gravelly shout as the old grandmother wolf pushed her way through as the others weren't providing a path quick enough. "Did... you say... Kohan?" She asked with an unreadable expression.

"Yes, yes I did. You know him?"

"Indeed I do.... he's my grandson!" the old wolf said and took a chair at the table. The villagers crowded in.

"Twenty years ago, we were a proud wolf family on Canisius. We lived off the fat our caste offered and wanted for nothing. When the war broke out, he and his father, my son, went to space with the others and his wife, mother and I were left on Canisius. Many of the other castes fled our world to places like this moon. We thought them cowards and traitors! Most of his fleet was destroyed by a Centaurian battle ship and they returned in shame. I lost my son in that battle." She paused and drank deeply from a water goblet that was poured her by one of the younger Canisians. It was still a very bitter memory for her.

"When it appeared that Canisius may eventually become an occupied territory, Kohan could not bear the thought of me, his mother and his wife living under such conditions. He told us to flee on the next refugee transport and he would stay and fight. We left. It was a year before we saw him again and the occupation never did happen."

"He came to us. But he was a proud warrior and when he saw the type of life we were trying to build, he saw us all as traitors and left for another ten years. He only returned when he heard of the lack of food was causing sickness and starvation. I don't know why he returned, but it was only to bad news, as both his mother and wife had died. But what enraged him, was they had given all their possessions and most of their rations taking care of 'lesser' caste orphans whose parents died of disease or lack of protein. He left saying '"Never again will I let this happen!" and I have not seen him since." The grandmother had finished her story.

"Your grandson is alive and well and being a bully on the Consortium freighter, 'Mautt'." I told the old wolf.

Rall broke in, "Mautt? That's the name of the freighter that is coming!"

"Terran..." The old wolf spoke again. "..be of mind that if you face Kohan again, he is a Wolf Warrior."

"I discovered that, Grandmother Wolf. My partner and I were almost killed by him." I said in reply to her warning.

A young wolf leaned over the table and explained what she meant. "She means, human, do not think of her if you face him. Let him die as he lived - a Wolf Warrior, not a refugee."

Over the next couple of weeks, the refugees helped us train for what we planned to do. Rall and some other hunters showed us how to use simple weapons, knives, spear, sling and a 'bochook', which was like a small throwing club. For a people dedicated to no longer fighting, they sure hadn't let their skills become dull. Luckily for their own survival, they used their skills for hunting game and not each other. I found a good deal of it a welcome refresher course, particle weapons made me a little on the 'soft' side. Jeekta and Muranna made a competitive game of it and learned quickly.

"You may also need some of this." Rall said as he brought a container of powder. "It is made of a ground fire rock our hunting parties use to start fires when it rains. It is the closest thing to an explosive we have. Take care to not drop it!"

This must have been the same rock I used to start our fire when first stranded here. It was a coarse powder and when I tapped it with a rock, there was a bright and hot orange flash that seared the ground. I thanked him and knew the first use I'd have for this substance.

Three weeks had passed and we waited. Jeekta, Muranna and I watched the skies almost constantly. At night, Muranna and I traded shifts as Jeekta kept warm by the fire, sleeping off and on.

I lay resting under some furs near the entrance to the hut, away from the cracking fire, hoping to catch the most distant tell tale sonic booms of a re-entering craft. All I heard was the chattering of night creatures, not unlike our frogs and crickets. It was very relaxing and I drifted in and out of sleep.

Muranna came in to warm up by the fire. I woke instantly at the presence of someone walking by. I whispered at her so not to wake Jeekta, "Hey, you're supposed to wake me..."

She scurried over to my side. "Don't worry, there's a dozen Canisians out there watching the sky. They're looking forward to the supplies. Anyway, I'm cold!"

I lifted a fur blanket and she snuggled underneath. She wasn't kidding that she was cold! Her little body was shivering and her tail wrapping around her touched my side and was like a string of ice. I wrapped my arm around her, "Let's listen for the ship from here, then."

She had her head on my chest and just her hair and ears poked out from the blanket. I held my cheek against her ears trying to warm them, they being as cold as the rest of her. A few minutes later, she stopped shivering.

"Do you think the plan will work?" She asked. "We could end up as servants or slaves... or worse?"

"It has to work, my dear. These are good people in this camp and I assume across the moon and the others. I can't let this happen to them, there has to be another option. And I can't let the ships near my home keep on getting attacked." I said resolutely. Though I knew it was a long shot. "It's still not too late for you to back out though."

She stroked my chest with her tiny, soft hand, "I have no idea if you are incredibly brave or crazy or just suicidal..." she placed her little nose against mine, "...but I want to follow you anywhere, Lieutenant." Clasping her mouth over mine, we kissed and giving ourselves to the moment, made passionate love like tonight may be the last night of our lives.

_ 8 - "Plan of Action" _

"This is absolute dereliction of duty and insubordination!" Commander Gerard of Midway Station shouted as he heard 2nd Lieutenant Jack Bellery's tale of Lieutenant Fornax' side mission with Jeekta. "I told him to report here as soon as he could and gave him the codeword that things were not as they appeared. He should have come back with you and Councillor Orlok."

The Commander paced back and forth across his office as Bellery sat in the chair in front of the Commander's desk. "With all due respect, Sir, you told Lieutenant Fornax to report to you as soon as he could. He will. It's not like he could from the Serpen station... those gas clouds made communication with anything pretty much impossible."

"Don't give me that doubletalk, SECOND Lieutenant. You sound like these damn Pegasiian politicians and lawyers, always showing up with more red tape in one briefcase than WE made in the last five centuries!"

Gerard paced some more, then sat behind his desk and slid his hands through his greying hair. More in control of himself, he asked, "Do you have any idea where he is?"

"No Sir, I don't. Jeekta couldn't say where the other station was, but that he had to show him where it was."

"Great!" The Commander said, leaning back in his chair and looking at the ceiling tiles. "So it's hidden in one of those gas clouds, or a dust cloud or really off the beaten path or so paranoid defended that even if we found it, we'd be blasted to bits."

"We could ask the Serpens for their help?" Bellery suggested.

"I thought of that, but this would practically be a 'first contact' situation for us and Orlok doesn't want to upset his trade negotiations with them." The Commander said with a sigh and played with a pad stylus, pondering the best solution was the least likely to happen. "

"Can you trust Councillor Orlok anyway, Sir, after what we overheard?"

"No, I can't. One reason I gave him the codeword to keep the chatter down. I have no proof of anything, but from the time I met him, I didn't trust him. Always seemed like he had a hidden agenda."

"We can't just leave him out there, Sir!" Bellery said with frustration. "He could be in trouble or something..."

The Commander held up his hand, cutting Bellery off. "Of course not. But this is a sensitive situation. A real sensitive situation. Coming between a Pegasiian diplomat and his business could put a dent in interstellar relations." The Commander then summoned his secretary.

"Yes Sir?" said an attractive young Ensign in full uniform, shining black hair tied up with too many hair pins and with old fashioned reading glasses halfway down her nose, came into the office with a data pad in her hand.

"Get that Captain in here from.... what's the fastest ship in dock at the moment?" Gerard asked, scratching his head trying to remember the comings and goings of the busy station that orbited Altair.

She tapped her data pad and responded, "Well, we have the Gar Orionis fuelling and the SAR Yarmouth finishing a tactical computer refit and will be ready to launch in six hours, plus twenty Rapier fighters on deck for station defence. There's the MV Neptune on the civilian dock as well as the..."

"ENSIGN..." The Commander growled after rolling his eyes. Seems his secretary was always giving him information overload to the simplest of questions.

"Oh Sir, yes Sir... the SAR Yarmouth is the fastest of the cruisers here, commanded by Captain Louie Maillet." she replied as if being startled out of reading an engrossing book.

"Could you get him in here, please?"

"Right away, Sir!" she said with a comically quick salute and quick step out of the room.

Bellery stared at the office door for a moment, "Fresh out of the academy, Sir?"

The Commander nodded, "Fifth generation in service. That's how I ended up with her out here."

Five minutes later, Captain Maillet appeared in the Commander's office looking a mess and in stained coveralls with sleeves rolled up, "Captain Maillet, reporting as ordered, Sir!" He said with a unique French accent that was still after all these centuries, indicative of Canada's maritime coast.

"Working hard I see, Captain? Good! How soon can the Yarmouth be ready to fly?" The Commander asked with an amused smile at the Captain's appearance.

"Six hours, Sir!"

"You have four." The Commander gave him a serious look.

The Captain paused for a moment, "She'll fly in four hours! What's my mission, Sir?"

The Commander got up and stood before the Captain with his hands clasped behind his back. "Your mission will be to take command of Midway Station while I take your ship out for a... shakedown of her new systems."

"Sir?" Captain Maillet looked very offended. Captains were proud of their commands and even prouder of their ships and crew, which was like an extended family to them.

Commander Gerard looked back at Bellery, then put one hand on Captain Maillet's shoulder and explained, "Look Louie, I need to cut through some red tape on an unofficial level. Recommend to me six of your most trusted men and the rest will be here on 'shore leave'. "

The Captain raised an eyebrow to the Commander as he finished, "One of our own may be in trouble. The Gar Talwar had more survivors than you officially know of, got it?"

With a nod of comprehension, Captain Maillet saluted, "In four hours, my six best will be waiting for you aboard her for her shakedown, Sir!" After being dismissed, the Captain turned and left.

"OK Bellery.." the Commander said as he sat down and grabbed a data pad, "We have four hours to figure out a plan." He paused, "But first, contact your wife. Tell her... you'll be home in a while."

The four hours passed all too quickly. Bellery and Gerard had a tricky plan at best with some permutations for unknown variables, but all were depending on Lieutenant Fornax had either left some sort of trail or was somehow trying to communicate with the SAR.

Captain Maillet was introducing the Commander and the 2nd Lieutenant to the six most trusted officers he had aboard. They stood in an inspection line-up in the border cruiser's mess room.

"Lieutenant Commander Ferella, my Executive Officer." An obvious career SAR officer, the muscled Centaurian female gave a perfect regulation salute. "I recommend she be your pilot for this trip." The Captain suggested.

"Lieutenant Mohammed Salam, our Engineer." The tall North African gave a salute, then a bow with his palms together in front of him. "If he can't fix it or make it, it can't be fixed or made!" The Captain added.

"1st Lieutenant Morgan Land, Communications and Cryptologist." The curly haired, nerdy looking North American gave a half hearted salute and appeared to be in a world of his own as his eyes wandered. "Don't let him fool you, he sees and hears everything and then some."

"1st Lieutenant Triss B'kor, operations." The chubby little Pegasiian female gave a salute. Pegasiian males always reminded me of tall goats, with their frequent beards and/or Fu Manchu style moustaches and stunted horns, but the females looked like shy, quiet little humanoid ewes. She was no exception. But I had learned they were as good at business, and poker, as the guys and got quite extroverted and chatty after a few drinks.

"Ensign Fumito Hashi, xenomedical Wizard." A youthful, smiling Japanese fellow saluted and gave a sort bow.

"You're a doctor then? " The Commander asked.

"No Sir!" Ensign Hashi replied quickly and with a heavy accent. "I am trained as a trauma technician and nurse."

"He's being modest, Commander. You name the species, he knows their innards and has amazed doctors with his skills."

"And last, but definitely not least, Cadet Jorgen." The Captain proudly introduced the first and only Equuleusian to be in the Reserve. "He's almost as good a pilot as Ferella!"

Commander Gerard took the Captain aside, "A cadet? A civilian Ensign-Equivalent cadet? An Equuleusian? Are you serious?"

Jorgen had joined the service to get his Ensign-Equivalent in three years to be able to be a bridge officer on space vessels. Normally, it would take a decade for a civilian to enter into such a position, impractical for an Equuleusian with only a 27 year typical lifespan, but the SAR had non-combat roles for civilian training purposes. The only difference was the civilians had to pay an extreme amount of money, rather than sign a contract for service.

It was also unusual for an Equuleusian to enter any military service, civilian branch or otherwise, as their planet being dedicated pacifists and under the Pegasiian Protectorate. To this day, Jorgen was the only Equuleusian to have joined.

Captain Maillet nodded, "Yes, Sir! Been training in the Reserve for only eight months, but excelled where others have failed. There's been no task put before him he can't complete and already has his solo certification for a Rapier."

"Were you on a training mission or something before coming here?" The Commander asked, now regretting choosing the Yarmouth over the Orionis.

"Yes, we were, Sir. Didn't your secretary tell you?" Captain Maillet replied, surprised the Commander didn't know. "The rest of the crew I granted shore leave to are all cadets."

Commander Gerard now regretted cutting off his secretary. "Well, I'm out of time and this is on the Q.T. anyway. If the plan fails, the Alliance with the Pegasiians could be on shaky ground, especially by dragging a civilian Equuleusian into a possible combat zone outside of Alliance space."

"Well Sir, if the whereabouts of my cadet is asked about by them, I'll just see what 'red tape' I can throw into the mix myself." The Captain gave a wink.

"You're the best, Louie!" Commander Gerard patted him on the shoulder and ordered everyone to their stations and for Bellery to take the navigation station.

Within ten minutes, they were on their way. Bellery fed the coordinates to Ferella for Theta Persi.

The Yarmouth had been under way for an hour when the Commander called a meeting with the XO and Bellery. "So, what's our mission?" Ferella asked. "Something fun I take it is happening outside Alliance space?"

"You could say that. We need to retrieve one of our own that's a survivor of the Gar Talwar." Gerard replied.

"The Gar Talwar? I thought all the survivors were picked up by the Nightingale over a year ago?"

"There were two more of us." Bellery said to Ferella's surprise. Gerard and Bellery briefed her on everything they knew up until now.

"Carl and I served together when he was a young Ensign and had just made 2nd Lieutenant. I'm in all the way on this kakamame plan of yours. Ferella said, downing a cup of Centaurian cappuccino. "Anything special you need me to do?"

"Yes, keep a 'traders profile' on the station. The Serpens like to keep to themselves and if we walk in and begin interrogating, we will likely be asked to leave and Councillor Orlok will likely be having us all drummed out of the service." Gerard said pointedly.

"I think our young cadet can be of some good use to us here, Sir." Ferella offered.

"I was afraid someone was going to say that." Giving a sigh and with an expression of 'in for a penny, in for a pound', "What do have in mind?"

"Centaurians have had contact with Serpens, so have Pegasiians and now humans. They likely have the data on, but have never met an Equuleusian before. They will know of their pacifist standing and he won't seem a threat to anyone there." Ferella pointed out.

"There's a lot of species there that no one I'm sure have seen, though." Bellery interjected.

"All the more reason for an Equuleusian, Commander."

Commander Gerard got a grin and tapped the table. "I think you're onto something." Getting up from the briefing table, "Get Jorgen in on this.... find something civilian to wear when we're there and we'll go over a standard covert operation procedure."

Bellery got up from the table, but the Commander stopped him until Ferella left. "Not you, Lieutenant. People there have seen you. But I do want you to be the one to lead the Calvary if they need it."

The Yarmouth pulled into the Serpen station and other than a few curious looks my mechanics and technicians in the bay at the foreign ship, they were practically ignored. "We'll stay on board, but at the ready. Give the keyword in your comm and we'll come running." The Commander gave his final words of encouragement.

Jorgen and Ferella disembarked from the ship looking like traders on R&R. Jorgen wore a hooded cloak with the hood down, as it irritated his ears. "I feel like a monk in this thing and it itches!" he complained as the material and his fur had a slight electrostatic disagreement. Ferella wore a loose, layered robe of bright colours that flew open from the waist down quite revealing to black undergarments, typical of a young Centaurian female 'going clubbing'.

Jorgen looked over at her, "Where did you put the camera and communicator in that outfit, Ma'am?"

Ferella just smiled, "I never would show you that on a first date at a space station, Cadet."

Jorgen laughed as they continued on to the station's view lounge.

Jorgen enjoyed their humorous banter they shared. Ferella liked him as he was the only sparring partner on the ship during their latest run that she couldn't knock flat in less than a minute in hand-to-hand training. Actually, he was beginning to give her as many bruises as she gave him. So while it was all 'executive officer to cadet' on duty, the 'ranks were dropped' when they were off duty and out of earshot of the captain or other cadets.

She reminded him of the stories his sister Sami told him about the Centaurian chief engineer on the ship she served. Centaurian's were renowned for their being straight laced and humourless. It seemed a very few were privileged to see them otherwise and he counted himself lucky.

They arrived at the lounge, as per Bellery's directions. Jorgen looked out the windows at the iridescent gas clouds and let out a long, low whistle. "Wish I brought a camera!"

Ferella looked around and saw a table with three creatures that were demanding much of several servers in the lounge and one appeared quite intoxicated. What caught her attention about the loud one, was he was speaking a language she knew - Capellan. "Grab a drink, fly boy. I see a place to start." and she headed to the direction of the table with an emphasized swagger in her hips.

Jorgen went to the bar and looked around casually for several minutes. His ears flitted in various directions, seeing what conversations he could overhear and understand. On his home of Equuleus, he learned Pegasiian as well as his own Equuleusian. English was the last language he learned fluently and during his Boot Camp, he became passingly conversational in Centaurian and to a much lesser degree, in Capellan.

"Your species, I have seen not. Equuleusian say records of Pegasiian?" A humpbacked and long necked Serpen barkeeper said to Jorgen as he strained over to see what might be non-alcoholic and drinkable for him here.

"Yup! I'm an Equuleusian all right." Jorgen replied not making eye contact as he cocked his head sideways trying to read the labels on several colourful and oddly shaped bottles lining the back of the bar, each behind their own little transparent door.

"Maybe safe for you have just this?" the bartender offered a herbal tea concoction.

Jorgen found it quite pleasant. "What currency you need for this?"

"Responsible are we of station, tea free is. Your 'employee' much drink it seems. You fly her out, safely." The bartender said with a smile and pointed his head in the direction where Ferella was sitting at the table with several boar-like males, engaged in some type of drinking game.

"What are those... fellows over there?" Jorgen asked curiously.

"Those are of the Ursan. Resources they have much, trust Serpen not. Come to us only they do for fuel and maintenance of ship." The bartender answered.

"That... doesn't... make... any... sense?" Jorgen said, scratching the back of his ear. "Why come to a people they don't trust and get loaded around them?"

The bartender just shrugged, "Pay good they do. Drinks I pour, questions I ask not. Problems to listen I will."

Jorgen taking his tea, went to an adjacent table to where Ferella was and listened in.

"Bloody hell, Zhar. You are making an ass of yourself and us. We don't need any trouble tonight!" One Ursan was chastising his friend who was in the drinking game with the Lieutenant Commander.

"Well.. " the drunken Ursan began his reply and hiccuped and belched at the same time, "...if it wasn't for your fuxkings runnin' shields so goddamn buggereded up, we could be at the OTHER shtation, shithead. But noooo, YOU had to order Kayto here to divert their power to get just a eenie-weenie bit more speed because Kohan growled some bullshits in the COMM!" and slamming his hand on the table and nodding proud of his point, "ANYWAY! I'm buying this lady ashnother drink... IF she can anshwer the next queshtion right..."

The Ursan Zhar swayed in his chair. How it could hold his bulk anyway was beyond Jorgen. Each of them looked hugely obese, yet had strong, muscled legs and large cloven hoofs like their species just was that way. Their arms however, were quite short and scrawny. He very much doubted they could do one push-up. Looking down, he admired his own well polished, single hooves and decided he was better looking by far.

Zhar looked over at Ferella as he ran his hand over her knee, "A ship travels from here to the planet of greedy little goats at the pokey rate of fifteen times the shpeed of light.... how long doesh it take him?"

Ferella leaned over and said with a smile, "Two years, two months and twelve days."

Kayto fumbled with a data pad for a moment, "Oh how wonderful! The lady is right again! Isn't this amazing, Fost?" The Ursan looked excitedly over at his friend who was earlier chastising the drunken Zhar.

Fost was shaking his large, tusked, boar-like head in his hands. "How is this good, oh book keeper of questionable parentage? It is costing Zhar a fortune!"

Kayto leaned over to Fost and whispered, "Perhaps old chum, if he plied enough liquor to this 'lady of the evening', what he will lose now will be made up later when he conveniently... forgets to square his tab with her as she sleeps it off?". The two huger Ursans looked at each other, smiled and let out a cackle.

Zhar poured Ferella another shot glass of alcohol, spilling most of it all over the table. Though there was but a drop in there, Ferella acted as if she was downing an entire shot. Zhar pounded the table and demanded another bottle.

"Now, it's my turn to ask a question of you" Ferella said to Zhar with a giggle. Jorgen couldn't tell if she was getting herself tipsy, or if she was just that good of an actress.

Zhar placed his nose close to Ferella's face and ran his hand up the inside of her thigh, "You can ask me anything, sweetheart." His eyes were half closed and drifted focus. Just the cue the Lieutenant Commander was looking for.

Leaning over, she ran her hand over Zhar's ample jowl a couple of times and asked, "What would a handsome, pleasure loving fellow such as yourself.." she whispered in his half flopped over ear so the other Ursan's couldn't hear, "...be doing here on the other side of your usual trade route?"

"WELL!" Zhar said loudly, startling everyone else at the table, "That is kinda complicated, but..." motioning with his finger for Ferella to come closer for the answer, she did. Zhar ran his snout slowly up the Lieutenant Commander's neck and around her ear before whispering, "Buying our way out of having to work manual labour from some big, irritable dog soldier."

"Zhar! What are you telling this girl?" Fost demanded. "Look, take her and do what you need to do, but get back here quickly as we need to leave as soon as.... well.... as business is concluded!"

"I do say, your display Zhar is quite over the top, even for you. I'll go prepare the ship." Kayto said as he go up, his belly almost knocking over the table in the process and waddled out of the view lounge.

"Relax Fostie. I'm not saying anything but nothings to this sweet little thing." Zhar said as Ferella had to choke back a laugh. All her life she was called many, many things, but 'sweet little thing' was definitely not one of them. She felt Zhar's hand give her crotch a firm grope as he said, "An' what do I win for anshwering the question right?" and gave her an expression that he was quite ready to be pleased by his 'lady of the evening'.

Ferella had to be an amazing actress Jorgen though to himself as she ran her finger sensually up the Ursan's snout with a very sincere looking smile, "You won the right to finish off that fresh bottle you ordered, then show me what such an incredible creature you can be." and she reached down between the Ursan's legs and gave him a firm grip through his loose fitting pants which immediately brought a smile to Zhar's face.

With a bold laugh, Zhar grabbed the bottle, chugged it down and continued his laugh. He took Ferella across into his arms like a Terran carrying a new bride that weighed practically nothing as he stood up. Jorgen was just about to call out the keyword that would get Bellery and his team running to her aide when he saw the laughing Ursan's face go utterly blank.

"Oh, bother!" Fost said springing up and taking Ferella out of Zhar's arms just as they dropped. Zhar gave a belch as the contents of his stomach ran out of his mouth and over his obese belly as the giant fell slowly backwards like a huge tree that had just been cut to fall.

_ *BOOM!* _

Zhar hit the lounge floor with such force that Jorgen felt the deck plates vibrate. Zhar's chair beneath him was flattened like an aluminium can that had been crushed by a weightlifter clapping his hands on it.

"I do so terribly apologize for this, Madame!" Fost said to Ferella as he put her feet on the deck. "Zhar is not usually this vulgar, especially to a professional lady. He quite likes them, you know?"

"That's... quite all right, I assure you!" Ferella said as she straightened her robe. "Thank you for the catch and I will just be on my way to more profitable grounds then."

Ferella walked casually towards the exit as Fost called after her, "I do hope to make your acquaintance again! You really are quite pretty, you know?"

Ferella turned back to Fost and gave what appeared to be a sincere smile and a wink. Jorgen waited until she had left for two minutes before getting up to leave.

Jorgen caught up with his superior officer in the landing bay, walking towards their ship. "I was ready to call in the troops! Are you all right, Commander?"

"Nothing a good ten showers won't fix, cadet!" She replied with military curtness and ran up the gangplank.

"Kohan is here!" Ferella said in the debriefing as Commander Gerard pondered this and Bellery turned white.

"What do your people know of Ursans, Ferella?" Gerard asked.

"Hedonistic and gluttonous. Their planet has plenty of riches and they are very well off in their sector, but they normally trade with the Leonids and Hydras, the opposite way from this sector." She replied.

"He said they are paying some Canisian, likely Kohan, so they don't have to do manual labour? How do they access their resources? Do you know?" Bellery asked.

"As far as I know, they had an elaborate robotic system of mining, processing and gas extraction... even from their gas giant planets."

"But now the Serpens are mining gasses from this sector." Gerard said as he began seeing a possibility. "On Earth in the early 21st century, commodities crashed along with currencies. The only way the system functioned was to become leaner and meaner in operations."

"But aren't machines the most efficient way of doing such work, especially from a safety point of view?" Ferella added.

"Yes, if safety was the biggest concern. When my people became fat-cat-lazy, machines were great if maintained. But maintaining them cuts into the bottom line. Now with a huge and inexpensive, expendable labour force, machines could be shuttered and profits go back up and the 'gravy train' rolls again!" The Commander tapped his stylus against the table. "I think we are seeing a slave ring here."

Ferella, Bellery and Jorgen all spoke up at once in a jumble, all dismissing the thought of slave trading going on in this day and age, especially between advanced, space faring systems. Commander Gerard held up both of his hands to call for quiet. "I hope I'm wrong. God knows this is a disgusting scenario. But from what you have all told me and from what I know of history of my world and others, the signs are there.

The room went silent.

Bellery finally spoke, "Do we follow Kohan or the Ursans?"

Gerard sighed. "Kohan is a Wolf Warrior. He'll know he's being followed or tracked and he'll die before he'd let us take him, let alone question him." He paused for what seemed an eternity. "We'll follow the Ursans. If I am right, Fornax will have come to the same conclusions we have, that this is all connected."

The intercom buzzed, "Lieutenant Land here Commander, there was a heavily encrypted transmission directed at the station bay here just now."

Gerard snapped the button, "Are you sure it's not regular commercial traffic?"

"No, Sir! It was specifically beamed towards the bay." land replied.

He called on the intercom again, "Lieutenant B'kor, what ships are around the station? Is there any that match Bellery's description of the yacht ship?"

"B'kor here, Sir. There's fifteen ships orbiting the station waiting for landing clearance and they all match the ship described."

Commander Gerard massaged his head. "Here we are with a very identifiable SAR cruiser a sitting duck in this bay with a Wolf Warrior waiting to come in the door."

"Sir?" Jorgen said quietly.

"Yes, Cadet?"

"The Gar Talwar was a Centaurian state of the art cruiser. This is a thirty year old Terran design sidelined for training exercises. We're stripped of heavy weapons and hot-rodded for manoeuvring and speed. Our power signature is totally different and we don't even look the same."

"Will that be enough?" Ferella asked with a hint of concern.

Gerard looked up, hands still on his head and smiled, "Cadet, I'm sorry you didn't sign up long term with us!".

Snapping the intercom again, "Lieutenant Salam, shut down everything we don't need. Give us the energy signature of a civilian vessel."

It was a waiting game. Three ships landed, all Serpen beings of various sub species. The fourth however, went straight to the other side of the bay beside a small cargo ship. The Yarmouth's external cameras showed a large Canisian leaving the Serpen yacht and going aboard the freighter. Twenty minutes later, the yacht took off again. Twenty minutes after that, the freighter left.

"Keep a lock on it, B'kor!" Gerard ordered as it would be another three minutes before the Yarmouth could depart.

_ 9 - "Escape!" _

We were late for the breakfast feast. Some Canisian ladies were laughing and chatting while doing chores at the table. Muranna and I approached and they stopped and looked at us, then smiled.

"We had a late night watching the sky for ships." I said as convincingly as I could.

It was amusing at how they all in unison cocked their heads left, then right at us, then smiled. The eldest of them got up and brought fruit bowl and some water to the table and said with a raised eyebrow, "Yeah, sure you did." The other ladies giggled.

I flopped down on the bench and thanking her for the fruit, began to dig in. Muranna sat down a little more careful and dug her nails into the table as she did. She did good at holding her expression though.

There were some more giggles and one of the ladies slipped over to Muranna and offered her some powdered concoction from a bag she wore around her neck. Whispering something to Muranna, she left.

Muranna looked at me and gave a blushing smile, then added the powder to her water and drank it down.

"What was that all about?" I asked semi-curious. Some female secrets were best just left at that - a secret!

"Medicine." she said shyly. "It helps a newly paired female... adapt to her mate, she said." Muranna gave me a sultry look as she popped some of the grape-like fruit in her mouth.

"I... didn't know you were a... ummm... " I tried to speak quietly and noticed the Canisian females had stopped giggling and talking. I looked over to find all their faces directed in our direction, all with curious smiles and wrapped attention.

"I wasn't." Muranna said not paying any attention to our audience. "But you made me feel like I was all over again."

The giggles started again from our Canisian audience, as well as several 'murring' sounds from some of the vixens that I learned is the Canisian equivalent of an endearing 'awwww'.

Trying to keep my composure as a gentleman with all the attention (and Muranna was not helping), I saw the mischief in her eyes and smile as she rapidly raised and lowered her eyebrows, letting me know that this was now the third time she 'got me'.

"They're here!" a young wolf boy came running towards the table, pointing towards the sky. Though the late morning sun made it difficult to see, there were five streaks like slow moving meteorites moving across the sky in a typical 'sigma pattern'. That told me at least some of the ships were controlled remotely as that pattern while keeping a formation that looked from the ground like a Greek capital letter 'sigma', they had a good 5 kilometres between them.

Rall came jogging up to us, "One of the shuttles will be coming to this camp. Four with supplies will be going to the other camps and returning with their 'requisition' of refugees. We are to assemble this time three strong, young males and two females of bearing age to go with them from our camp." Rall looked furious. When he met us, he made it clear that these 'traders' were getting no more of his people, that they'd rather live without the supplies and take their chances.

The fact they asked for the females of bearing age specifically, told me the Ursans may be wanting to soon have their own breeding population. Maybe the pirates were asking too much for the slaves as of late?

"Rall, I have an idea..." I was cut off before I could finish.

"Give them our people so you can get them killed with your plan?"

Waving my hands for him to calm down, in a few moments he did. "What is it you propose?" he asked and leaned against his spear.

"How would you and some of your hunters like to go for a ride?" I asked as one side of Rall's mouth came up immediately.

"Let me get approval from my father first. Should I die, the camp will need another Governor." and he headed toward Thrinn's hut at a good pace.

Muranna gave a big sigh and the fear was evident in her face. "How long before we put the plan into action?"

"If the shuttle for here waits until hitting the lower atmosphere to make its turn, about forty five minutes." I said and sat beside her, placing my arm around her. "We are going to be just fine."

She looked up at me with her big, turquoise-green eyes and a tear ran down her cheek, "You better come through just fine." Throwing her arms around me and holding on with a strength I didn't expect from a girl her size, she kissed me in a way she hadn't before. It was a type of kiss I had read about in crappy novels on bargain flights when I was forced on my yearly leave from the service. But to experience it with someone and not on a printed page, felt

good. Very, very good.

"We better get out of sight." I said, reluctantly breaking our kiss. Muranna gave a shallow nod and slid her arms from around me and made for the hut.

Jeekta was already in the hut and was sitting with four of the hunters that met us the night we were stranded. "Rall talks still with Thrinn. Hunters here go with us, do volunteer!"

This would work out well. There were two females and two males and Rall would make three - exactly what the Consortium asked for. The ladies appeared to be young enough to fit the requirement and the males were strong, though they looked a bit on the scrawny side.

We could hear the ship land nearby. Peeking through the hut walls by pushing aside some of the reeds, we saw the pilot of the shuttle. Wearing a flight suit and helmet, we couldn't make out the species, let along gauge their combat ability.

The shuttle was quickly surrounded by children, looking to see what it brought. The pilot helped a second crewman wearing a white lab coat carry out one container on a hover-dolly that was opened and children crowded around it, followed by what I guessed to be their mothers.

I was surprised though when the second crewman stepped away from the crowd long enough that I could see her smiling face at all the happy and curious children, it was Gorsha!

The pilot was far too thin to be Haarlon and far too small to be Kohan. Gorsha began checking over the children and their mothers with some medical equipment as the pilot finally removed his helmet. It was a Pegasiian and looked very much like the one that was on the bridge of the stolen Serpen yacht that took us prisoner! I could be wrong, but I was pretty sure I wasn't.

The problem was, there was only one container and it wasn't that large. My plan was for Muranna, Jeekta and I to sneak aboard the ship, each in a different supply container until returning to the freighter in orbit.

"Container is single. Only go one can?" Jeekta said and cocked his head, eyes moving from side to side like they did when he concentrated. "Jeekta small is. Plan have. If huntress one of canine agrees?"

"You'll have to take it." Muranna said. "I'm half your size, I can get in with the crowd as we board."

Though I hated the idea of Muranna 'hiding in plain sight' and was tactically unsound, it appeared to be the only option. Reluctantly, I nodded.

"Where the hell is Rall?" I said quietly and looked around the hut. As I did, I saw what plan Jeekta was concocting... one of the huntresses held the tiny Serpen under her robes at her belly, wrapping her arms underneath him on the outside of her robe. The result was she looked like a VERY pregnant coyote. Well, they wanted child bearing age females... this would leave no doubt in their minds.

Going over to her, "Jeekta, can you breathe under there?" I asked.

Jeekta's smiling face pushed up between the huntresses breasts, sticking his face out from the top of her robe, "Plan is best Jeekta have ever!" The huntress raised her head and laughed. I think he was making a new friend with this plan of his.

Rall finally appeared. He and Thrinn went up to the pilot and after a brief conversation, the pilot said something to Gorsha and went aboard the ship. Gorsha grabbed her medical kit and went over to Thrinn and sat at a table a distance from the shuttle and began to check him out with her instruments. Rall looked inside the open hatch then turned toward the hut and motioned for us to move.

"This is it!" Muranna said, rearranging her own colourful robe so a ribbon of material was free to cover her ears and head somewhat and the hunters left the hut and crowded around her as they walked toward the shuttle. I waited until they arrived and stood in the hatchway and the pilot guided them in. Then I moved.

Running low with Rall keeping them distracted, I made it over to the container and tried to hop in as quietly as I could. Rall moved over to the container and loosely closed the lid. Seconds later I felt it move. "Thank you for your assistance. I always have trouble getting these in the ship myself." We stopped moving for a moment, "I will have to ask you to leave your spear outside." After a pause, we moved again.

Banging and thumping, I felt the hover mechanism lower me onto the deck and magnetic clamps click around the container. I peeked out of the loose interlocking lid and couldn't see much other than shadows around a corner. I appeared to be in some stowage corner and had no visual other than a doorway opening to the rest of the ship.

"These restraints are for your safety, in case we hit turbulence leaving the atmosphere." I heard the Pegasiian pilot say to the grumbling of the Canisians.

"Given how far she is along, I don't think she should be restrained, Ghran." Gorsha's voice said.

"Very well. She is your charge, Gorsha." The pilot replied.

I heard the hatch close and there was five minutes of silence as I heard commands being entered on a console.

"What's the problem?" Gorsha asked.

"This group is a lot heavier than I anticipated. Or your charge is going to give birth to a boulder. I have to re-enter our escape vector." A few more commands were entered by the pilot, "Done! Let's get out of here."

The drone of the engines increased and I felt the muted g-forces as we lifted off. In about ten minutes, it all went silent, other than the idle of the engines and the odd beep from a console. We were in orbit. Using his vector and gravity, the pilot would coast until he came to the Mautt.

"I hate the idea of the other Canisian's coming aboard by remote. There should be a pilot." Gorsha said to Ghran.

"I'm not happy about it either, but Haarlon couldn't risk getting anyone else involved." came the reply. "Kohan was picking up the payment, Durge is dead and who knows where my captain is."

The idle chit chat between them continued for over an hour before I hear Ghran say, "There, the other shuttles are aboard safe and sound. Let's get in ourselves."

With a small thrust, we silently drifted until I heard contact through the hull of the ship. The outer hull gave little creaking noises as the bay around us pressurized.

"OK people, we are going to be on our way to your new home. Quarters have been assigned for you, two to each." Ghran said as I heard the hatch open and my ears popped slightly and a small draft caught my face. There was a slight difference in air pressure with the smaller Capellan moon compared to the ship. Gorsha, would you escort the expecting one to quarters near your sick bay? She might be more comfortable there."

My eyebrows raised at the thought the same pirate on the crew that so mercilessly killed Tralook, showed concern for a 'pregnant' coyote lady.

After the foot and paw steps ceased for a while, the hatch closed. I looked at the light shining on the doorway that was coming in through the windows of the now very dark shuttle. Not seeing any movement, I clumsily climbed out of the container, taking care to not disturb too much the powdered fire rock I carried.

"Muranna? Jeekta?" I whispered as I crept around as carefully as my cramped muscles and joints would let me. There was a time they didn't hurt so much. I heard a door open inside the shuttle and slowly drew the knife that had been given to me by the hunters.

"Carl?" came the whisper of Muranna's voice. I let out a sigh of relief and replaced the knife. As I did, I felt her arms wrap around me.

"Told you we'll be fine!" I said, leaning over and gratefully returning the embrace. Though I knew we had a long, long way to go before success, holding her in my arms made everything seem so very much better. "Where were you hiding?" I asked curiously.

"In the head." She replied. This girl had guts and more horseshoes than an Equuleusian track meet. "Where's Jeekta?"

"Jeekta Is going to be in a lot of trouble if we don't move our butts, little Missy!" I said with urgency as I got up and looked out the shuttle's windows."No guards, good!"

The landing bay was very dim. Great for not being seen by anyone, lousy for finding our way around. I had remembered part of the ship around the sick bay, but knew nothing else of it. I did look up Capellan freighter layouts while on the PPG cruiser, but either this had been seriously modified or the Mautt wasn't a Capellan freighter at all.

We slipped into a corridor unnoticed. And continued along until we found a lift. There were no controls and I remember Kohan vocally controlling it.

Muranna went to feel around the door and it slid open. "Found it!" She said with a smile.

"It's usually the male's privilege to open a door for a lady." I said with a smile back. She stepped in ahead and I followed and the door closed be hind us.

"Do you know where the girl with Jeekta was going?" Muranna asked quietly.

"Gorsha was to take them to quarters near sick bay" I said as the lift beeped and began to move. Muranna let out a startled gasp.

A few moments later, the doors opened to a familiar corridor to me, outside the sick bay. The Pegasiian had his back turned to us as he was trying to assist Gorsha, who was trying to do a medical scan on the 'pregnant' Canisian, who of course kept turning away. "It won't hurt your baby! I have to see how well you are!" Gorsha argued.

Hearing the doors to the lift open, but not turning around, the Pegasiian requested, "Haarlon, could you give us a hand?"

Gorsha looked over to us and gave a huge terrified gasp as her eyes went wide and she dropped her instrument. Ghran swung around and uttered a curse just before my fist connected solidly with his soft, goat-like nose. He screamed and clamped his hands on his nose as blood ran like a river from between his fingers and he fell to the floor, cringing with pain.

The huntress coyote shouted, "Now!" and let Jeekta drop as he landed on his feet. She twisted one of Gorsha's arms behind her back and wrapped her other skilled arm around Gorsha's throat. "Give me a reason, you traitorous, little bitch!" the huntress said in Gorsha's ear with anger in her eyes, flexing her muscle and causing Gorsha to lift her head up as she gasped for air. Any fight Gorsha may have had in her left completely, along with the contents of her bladder, mostly covering the withering Ghran at her feet.

"Who else is on this ship besides Haarlon and yourselves?" I demanded in an authoritative tone.

Gorsha shook her head and gasped out a hoarse, "N...no one."

"Let her go, please! You're hurting her!" Muranna said with an empathetic shout to the huntress.

She just looked at Muranna with annoyance and relaxed her grip until Gorsha fell to the floor on top of Ghran and gasped, rubbing her paw on her throat.

Jeekta came out of the sick bay with the same type of particle weapon that Gorsha had held on Bellery and I earlier. "Look what found I have!" He said with a smile as he shook the ray gun happily in his hand. "Capellan stun pistol is. Kill not, bad headache gives it does, yes!"

I knelt down to the coughing Gorsha and lifted her head with a finger under her chin. I looked into her eyes that were bloodshot from nearly being strangled with tears running out and down her face, soaking her well kept fur. I saw no malice, no anger, no hate. I didn't even see fear any more. I only saw utter humiliation and a completely broken spirit. My heart sank.

"Where's your husband?" I asked in a gentle voice.

"Right behind you, Lieutenant!" Haarlon shouted no longer in the tone he used when Bellery and I had been captured, but a similar growl of anger that I had been accustomed to hearing from Kohan.

Without moving a millimetre of my body, I slowly craned my neck around to see his frog-like face twisted and red with anger and holding a Canisian arm rifle on us. It was a vicious weapon designed to do one thing - painfully destroy Centaurian's during the war. Every one of their destruction was part of the terms of the Canisian-Centaurian peace treaty. Looks like at least one didn't make it into the melting pot.

"Who did this to you, my love?" Haarlon asked Gorsha in a quiet voice quaking with anger.

Gorsha shook her head and sobbed, "No Haarlon, enough suffering! Stop this now, please!" Burying her face in the side of the now unconscious Ghran, she broke down in howling tears.

"She's right Haarlon, enough. It's over." I said calmly. Haarlon just glared at me for a moment, then took turns eyes every one of us individually.

"Enough of this!" Haarlon shouted as he levelled the rifle at Jeekta, who was the only other one holding a weapon.

"I DID IT!" The huntress shouted stepping in front of Jeekta.

"NO!" Muranna shouted and lunged with her hands balled into a fist and caught Haarlon square in the crotch. The rifle went off.

A blinding flash of light came and the heat of fire knocked me off my feet over backwards. I saw nothing as the flash and heat blinded me and the smell of scorched flesh filled my sinuses as the horrifying screams of panic and pain filled my ears. "Muranna!" I shouted and looked around, but I could see nothing but an annoying white, painful light that filled my eyes from the flash.

The long scream slowly faded out. It was a painful and nightmarish scream from one of the females. My heart pounded and I could not bring myself to believe that the sound may very well have come from Muranna. Oh God! Was it the brave huntress?

I heard something drop right beside my ear followed by the most mournful scream so far.... the voice was Haarlon's.

I felt an arm slide under my neck and a face press against my chest and began sobbing. "I thought I lost you." Muranna said and I wrapped my arm around her and thanked in my heart every deity of every world I could think of that she was still alive.

Someone picked up the rifle and worked something on its mechanism. "This will never fire again." I heard the huntress say in an even tone as several pieces dropped on the deck, followed by the sound of the rifle hitting the deck.

"I'll find and release the others." She finally said and the sound of her footpads went down the corridor.

"Muranna watches these. Medical training I have some." Muranna lifted off my chest and I felt her arm slide out from behind my neck. Sniffling, she agreed.

A few moments later I heard instruments whirring and sprays being applied. I pulled myself up and lay back against the wall and felt my face. I could feel blisters and the pain shot through my body. But that left me immediately when I heard another cry followed by a scream, OHHHH GODDDDDD IT HURRRRRTS!" and gasping for breath with pain racked sobs and gasping in between moans of anguish. Gorsha was alive!

Several footsteps came down from the corridor as I heard Muranna say, "Your prisoners, Sir!"

"I do not know how to work this weapon." Rall's voice said. "Seems you have it under control, Muranna."

"Rallah!" I heard Rall shout anxiously.

"I will be all right, brother." The huntresses' voice answered. Rall not only risked his hunting party, but his own sister in this expedition.

"Lieutenant?" Rall said with a large question mark in his voice?

"Present, Sir!" I said with a chuckle that turned into a cough.

"The other refugees on board... are children."

It went quiet. Jeekta stopped his medical scan. Just the pain filled whimpers from Gorsha were heard.

"Haarlon! You pedo-fucking son of a BITCH!" I shouted, trying to get up.

"He's shaking his head." Muranna relayed on to me.

"They are orphans, Lieutenant. For adoption, not anything else." Haarlon replied in a voice so quiet I barely heard him.

"Where... are ... you... taking them!" I demanded, my voice now quaking with anger.

"To Councillor Orlok." he simply replied.

"The others?" I asked in a tone of disbelief, his previous reply still hanging in my ears.

"An Ursan vessel, twelve light years from here."

I felt a cold hand pull at my arm. "Sit you need to. Your face I will see." Jeekta said and I slid my back down the wall in compliance.

The cure felt worse than the injury. Jeekta had to ask Rall to hold my head steady as he sprayed my eyes and face with something akin to acid. "Don't you have anything for the pain?" I said through gritted teeth.

"On Gorsha all are used. Left are none. Apologize I do." Jeekta said sincerely.

"Don't apologize my friend. Sounded like she needed it far more than me."

Within minutes I could see blurry figures. "Will this clear up?" I asked.

Jeekta shrugged, "Know not I. First human I treat you are."

"How reassuring." I muttered.

"How is Gorsha?" I asked looking down and seeing what happened. There was a hole in the deck where Ghran was and Gorsha now lay on her back, her arms up beside her head, blackened and burned. Her face was unrecognisable and anyone easily could have mistaken her for a corpse had it not been for her legs moving.

Rallah had removed the top of her robe and had rolled it underneath Gorsha's head as a pillow. Rallah too had been caught in the fireball as the side of her leg had been scorched bare of fur and was oozing, but she paid no mind to it as she now carefully tended the burned vixen a few minutes earlier she was ready to break the neck of.

Haarlon stood against the opposite wall looking at his burned wife with the look of a man who wished he was dead.

Muranna was leaning on the wall beside me, holding the stun pistol rock steady at Haarlon.

"Is she stable, Jeekta?"

Jeekta just looked at me for a moment, "Medical facility quickly she needs."

The closest facility was Capellan home world. Sirius would have been far, far better, but this would have to do.

"Are any of your party here pilots, Rall?" I asked looking up at the tall, blurry coyote who was watching the situation and Haarlon intently.

"No. Only our elders know how to fly." He answered sadly.

"Jeekta, take a shuttle and get her to Capella, now! Contact their authorities and tell them to shadow this ship, but do not engage until we signal." I said as he nodded in his way and got a stretcher. Two of the hunters helped him load her onto it and they went over to the lift.

I was sure that Jeekta would explain what happened and though Capella was not a member of the Tri Sector Alliance, they usually respected another officer working on a case in their space.

"We have to get this ship moving." I lifted myself up and leaned against the wall. "Rall, please help me to the bridge. As soon as Jeekta leaves, we have to rendezvous with that Ursan ship."

Rall gave orders to the remaining hunter to lock up Haarlon. Muranna stayed with them and didn't take her eyes off of him as she followed him keeping the weapon trained. Rall and his sister guided me into the lift since everything was still blurry and my balance wasn't cooperating with what my mind thought what should be.

"For a people dedicating themselves to non-violence, you were incredibly brave, Rallah" I commended as she re-covered the top half of her body.

"I only did what was right. I never thought one of our own would be involved with slavers. From Wolf Warriors under the old caste system, yes, I expect this. To them, we are the traitors of Canisius."

"My sister speaks the truth, Lieutenant." Rall said. "Gorsha's species even under the caste system was an equal. For her to have done this..." he paused and shook his head, "...I would have left her there, below."

I looked at Rallah curiously, "So, why were you showing concern for Gorsha?" Rall looked at his sister curious of the answer as well.

She looked defiant, even angry at her brother. Then turning to me she answered, "No matter what one has done, do you think anyone deserves that level of suffering?"

No one said another word and Rall reflected on his sisters words.

Arriving at bridge level, I was unfamiliar with the layout. I guided myself along the wall console and looked over the controls. "These controls are Capellan, but I don't know the layout."

"Perhaps this ship was built specifically for this type of work?" Rall suggested.

Building an interstellar ship from scratch was beyond the budget and expertise of most legitimate business organizations. "These are pirates having to attack and steal from my people to partially fund their operation. More like they acquired them and refitted the consoles with something they understood." I offered as the most likely case.

Muranna came on the bridge. "Fatso is stashed in the smallest quarters we could find."

She handed me the pistol and looked at me with a face and eyes that had aged years in the last few hours. "We also found the galley. The children are there with one of the hunters." She shook her head, "They're scared Carl."

"This ship can't land and I'm the only pilot here, Muranna. They'll have to hang on just a while longer." I said trying to explain. Muranna looked as if she understood, but really had quite enough of this adventure herself.

"They need strength and guidance. I'll go down. " Rall offered and without waiting for an answer, left the bridge.

"I know this, but it doesn't respond." Rallah was sitting at a console station, pressing some controls.

"What is it, Rallah?" I asked.

"This is like our emergency communication link to Capella." She said as Muranna went over to look at the controls.

"It's coded to respond only to certain users." Muranna said, running her hand over the panel with some familiarity. "Nothing I can't handle." She said as she crouched underneath and opened an access door.

In a few moments the speakers crackled. ".... ship ....Jeekta...."

"Can you clear that up?" I looked over to see Rallah working the top of the console as Muranna worked from underneath.

"....if hear you can, another ship in orbit is." came the end of the message.

"Can we reply, Rallah?"

"We can't transmit yet. "Muranna replied from underneath. "There was only a single code to enable the receiver. There's multiple firewalls to bypass before we can transmit."

I went over to the ops console and punched up a real time orbital display on the viewer. It displayed only one ship in a equatorial-elliptical orbit, I assumed it was this one. I wasn't familiar enough with Capellan interfaces to enhance the resolution.

"Let's break orbit. Jeekta's obviously on his way." Sliding over to the navigators position, I had to choose a course. The Ursan ship was twelve light years away, but in what direction? There were two Ursan system stars that were close, Theta Ursae Majoris and Iota Ursae Majoris. But they may also have been meeting in open space, too.

"Are we moving yet?" Muranna asked.

"No. I'm really not sure what course to set. Why?" I replied.

"Because we'll have transmit in a few minutes, but only short range and ship to ship. We should really Inform Thrinn that his people are OK." Muranna said as she leaned back on the console kick plate and shook her arms, getting her circulation going again.

"I have an echo response!" Rallah shouted excitedly. "I don't know whose encampment is receiving us, but one of them is."

Rallah made contact and informed the ground station that the hunting party of Thrinn and the children are fine. Most proudly, she said that the ship was under our control. There was the sound of cheers as it was obvious several of the ground camps people had crowded around their communication hut.

Muranna taking a break stood beside me at the navigation console and leaned over. "No idea where their ship may be?"

I shook my head. "There's two or more possibilities. Maybe I should have a talk with Haarlon...." I slammed my fist at the thought and began to rise from the chair.

Muranna placed her hand on my shoulder. "Wouldn't Haarlon have the coordinates already programmed?"

It was worth a shot. I scrolled through the navigation register on the ship to find it had been wiped clean except for three destinations: here, a place called 'P-II Serpensia' and 'Talitha'. Talitha was another name for Iota Ursae Majoris. Twelve light years away must be the Ursan border with Capellan space.

"You are a genius." I said to Muranna as she bumped me with her hip and I gave her hips a hug and a pat on her rear.

With a giggle, Muranna said, "Well, then I guess we all should get back to work." Giving me a kiss on the cheek, went back to working on the long range transmitter.

I set a course for Talitha and programmed the ship to come out of hyperspace after travelling twelve light years into the set course. At the maximum speed this freighter would take into its computer, it would be a journey of a little over eleven days.

A few hours later, Rallah figured out how to get the intercom working and found her brother had successfully calmed the Canisian orphans with tales and stories after they ate and was on his way up.

My face was beginning to really burn again and I wanted some rest. I showed her how to read the course settings and if any of the warning readouts came on, to call me.

Muranna let out a frustrated growl and banged her fist on the deck and crossed her arms in an exaggerated pout.

"You get some rest too." I said. "A fresh perspective in the morning will help."

Muranna got up and came over and put my arm around her and led me off the bridge. I had my equilibrium back again, but I wasn't going to pull my arm away from this sweet little thing.

"Were are we going to sleep?" She asked. "Don't all the quarters lock from the outside?"

"There's a couple of beds in their sick bay. Unless you want to check out Haarlon's quarters."

She shook her head and said the sick bay was fine. Jeekta had used all the pain killers on Gorsha and I sure could use one right about now.

I layed down on the bed. Deja vu hit me having woken up here with Bellery across from me after a year in stasis. But I was in too much pain to care.

Muranna came with something in her hand and a light shone on my face. "What is that?"

"Dermal regenerator I found in a drawer." She said as the pain was subsiding.

"Why the hell didn't Jeekta use that on us?" I said incredulously.

"Maybe because his people don't have skin like we do. There's no reason for him to have learned what one is or does." Muranna answered with a plausible explanation. "You rest. I'll take this up to Rallah, along with an antiseptic irradiator."

A dermal regenerator wasn't meant for deep burns like mine or optical damage, but the slight relief from the pain was like a weight off of me and I quickly fell asleep.

We were over ten days into our course and all went smoothly. My face, eyes and Rallah's leg were healing well and the shuttle hangar was transformed into a makeshift playground for the orphans of various ages. It may have been just me, but they seemed to grow even in the short time they were on board.

I was just about to go on a break when I saw the other vessel appear on the sensors. It was a little closer than I thought and less than half day away and holding position. There was no sign of Capellan patrols or the other ship Jeekta told us about.

Muranna walked about cursing, as the ships long range transmitter's lockout completely baffled her. Every firewall she breached let to three to six more automatically going up. By now her attempts to hack into the long range communications have placed thousands of redundant blocks in the system.

Five days ago I tried to extract the codes from Haarlon. He just sat in his room and stared at the wall. Five days of meals and water remained untouched.

"You've sure used the head a lot today, are you OK?" I asked Muranna as she sat down and rubbed her stomach after her fifth visit this hour.

"I'm just not feeling well today." She said quietly.

"Maybe it's all that food you've been eating lately." Rall said. "You did not eat like that on our moon."

I went over to her and knelt down beside her chair. Taking her hand I kissed it gently, "Why don't you go get some rest."

Muranna nodded, gave me a quick kiss and left, still holding on to her stomach.

"According to this readout, we will be at the other ship in ten hours." Rall said and turning to me, "Then what do we do?"

"Then Rall..." I said taking a big breath, "...we knock on the front door."

_ 10 - "Interception" _

The Yarmouth had been following the Ursan vessel for nearly ten days. It took them into a part of space that had not been explored by humans. It was a good chase too as Lieutenant Salam did some tweaks that were not found in the maintenance manual to keep things smooth.

"Ma'am, we're very close to Capellan space and have cut into it several times in the last few hours. Should we contact Capellan Control that we're in hot pursuit?" Jorgen asked the First Officer.

"Maintain communication silence, Cadet." Came her reply. "The Commander has logged our pursuit as a tactical silent running."

"Ma'am, the ship just... stopped?" Jorgen said looking confused. He was manning the ops station as it was the night shift and B'kor and Land were asleep.

Lieutenant Commander Ferella pushed some keys on the captains console. "Confirmed." She said. "All stop, cadet. Avert our course so we stay out of their scanning range."

A few hours later when Commander Gerard appeared, Ferella briefed him on the situation.

"Sir, there's a second ship coming into range... another freighter and is still in hyperspace." Jorgen said bringing the display to the forward viewer.

"What's its transponder code, Cadet?"

"There is none, Sir." Jorgen said. "Just a navigation beacon, like the Ursan vessel."

Commander Gerard slipped into the captain's chair and rubbed his chin. "What's its course?"

"It appears set to intercept the Ursan cargo ship in... fourteen hours." came the reply from the Equuleusian. "No chit chat out there either, Sir."

"Then we wait." The commander said.

The crew rotated and Bellery, Land and B'kor relieved Ferella and Jorgen.

A few hours later, they had their new position. From their new vantage point, they also caught a new contact on their sensors well behind the approaching freighter that now had dropped to sub light.

"What is that... another ship?" Bellery asked as B'kor tried to enhance the resolution.

"All I read are odd power signatures, Commander." B'kor said her hands working the console.

The Commander looked over at B'kor's console. "I've seen those signatures." he said grimly, "From the logs of the Gar Talwar. They came from ship they boarded."

The computer refit of the Yarmouth earned their keep already. The new system was partially installed so a SAR ship was less likely to be ambushed by craft of low power profiles.

"Sir, if it's a modified Serpen yacht, with their technology..." Bellery said and the Commander completed his sentence for him, "Then they can see us like a candle in a dark room."

"BATTLE STATIONS!" Commander Gerard shouted and the ship-wide alarms went off.

Within two minutes, every man was at their station. Ferella manned the weapons console. The Yarmouth had been stripped of heavy weapons, but a training vessel could still pack a punch as she did target practice in various asteroid belts.... to miners delights.

Jorgen back on shift readily, took the damage control station. His breathing was quite a bit heavier, but he kept his head. The battle stations call was one he heard a few times already since he came aboard, but he knew this time it was no simulation.

"What are they all doing now, B'kor?" The Commander demanded in an 'all business' tone.

"The freighters have come so close, they read as one blip, Sir. The energy readings behind them have increased speed by thirty percent."

"That's an attack run, Lieutenant." Commander Gerard said and slid to the edge of his chair. "Bellery, get us in there now!" He shouted.

"Yes, Sir!" Bellery said with some enthusiasm. The idea of getting a few pot-shots in at the ship that killed his crew mates was something he relished.

The Yarmouth came out of hyperdrive in an emergency stop less than a hundred kilometres behind the Mautt. The following ship that had been travelling sub light for the last few thousand kilometres of its run at the freighter, took an evasive roll and pitched away from its course, missing the Yarmouth by less than a hundred metres.

"That's her, Sir. I'm positive. That's the one we followed on the Gar Talwar." Bellery said as his display readout on the close pass of the ship gave plenty of data.

"Then the hunting today is good!" The Commander said. "Land, open a channel to the other ship."

"Communications are open to you Sir, but I can't tell if they're receiving." Lieutenant Land replied.

"Commander of the other ship. This is Commander William Gerard of the Stellar Alliance Reserve. Hold your position or you will be fired upon." Signalling for Land to close the channel, he sat in his chair and stared at the other ship in the screen.

"Do you think they'll comply, Sir?" Jorgen asked as he looked over his shoulder with a nervous expression.

The Commander gave Jorgen a big, smile and said, "Hell no. They're just figuring out if they can take us or not at the moment." Looking around the bridge he extolled, "Stay sharp everyone!"

It hadn't been that ship directly that shot up the Gar Talwar, but stolen Rapier fighters that came from another ship Jorgen kept telling himself as he swallowed hard and returned his concentration to his station.

"Sir, there's an incoming message from one of the freighters." Land said with a confused expression at what he was hearing on his earpiece.

"Let's hear it then."

"Hello? Can anyone hear me? Commander Gerard, right?" The message came from a female voice through the speakers.

Commander Gerard gave a nod to Land, who hit a button and nodded in return. "Hello young lady, this is Commander Gerard. How can I help you?"

"You're Carl's superior officer aren't you? Carl Fornax?"

"Yes, I am." The Commander replied with interest. "What do you know of Lieutenant Fornax, Miss..."

"Muranna, Sir. Carl is here on this ship. Or was on this ship. He might be on the other ship now."

"Can you explain your situation over there?" The Commander asked as he was waving for quiet as the other crew members were cheering in whispers that their fellow officer was still alive.

"This is one of the pirate ships. We took control of it and went after the purchasers of slaves, who we are docked with right now....."

"SIR!" Bellery shouted excitedly cutting Muranna off. "The Serpen ship is moving."

"Sorry Muranna, I'm going to have to put you on hold for a while. It's about to get busy out here." The commander took his chair and punched something into his console.

"He's going after the freighter! Ferella get a lock and fire on that ship."

Ferella acknowledged and streaks of blue green light shot out of the Yarmouth, completely missing the evading ship.

"That thing's as manoeuvrable as a Rapier!" The Commander shouted as a pulse of orange fireball came from it, hitting the engines of the Mautt.

"That's a Pegasiian pulse cannon they have!" Ferella shouted as B'kor looked at the viewer with surprise.

During the Canisian-Centaurian war, the Pegasi government permitted commercial ship owners travelling to Sirius to arm their vessels with pulse cannons. They were a defensive type of weapon that would 'shake apart' the recipient of the blast if they sat around long enough. They were supposed to be all removed after the war ended, but a few made their way onto the black market.

"He's coming around again." B'kor said as she patched the course to Ferella's station.

"Bellery, put us between that ship and the Mautt." Commander Gerard ordered.

It was a move the captain of the yacht didn't expect. He hesitated in firing long enough for Ferella to get off a few shots. "No damage to their ship Commander. Our training weapons just won't do this."

The yacht fired nearly point blank, catching the Yarmouth head on. The ship jarred violently and the lights went out.

Commander Gerard lifted himself back into his chair when the emergency lights came on. "Is everyone all right?" He shouted.

The crew were shaken, but OK. Ensign Hashi called up to see if anyone needed help. "We seem to be OK up here, Ensign." The Commander replied and hit his intercom again. "Salam, are in one piece down there."

There was a delay and Commander Gerard was about to call Ensign Hashi to take a look in the engine room when Lieutenant Salam responded. "I'm OK Sir, but the ship took some bumps. Hyperdrive is out from the impact back here."

"What do you mean impact back there. We took a punch on the nose, Lieutenant?"

"Yes Sir, but that blast shoved us a good one and our aft impacted on the freighter like a combination billiard shot." Salam replied.

"B'kor, get us an external view on those freighters." The Commander ordered as the rest of his crew worked frantically and brought each console back to life one at a time.

"The rest of the ship is fine otherwise, Sir." Jorgen reported from Damage Control. "Hull integrity is good, but the starboard plasma laser isn't responding to a diagnostic query."

The lights came on again. "Thanks for finding the light switch, Salam!" The Commander responded gratefully. "Any more good news for us, people?"

B'kor looked apologetic as she looked behind her to Commander Gerard, "We only have external visual and infra-red cameras, Sir. The UV through gamma-ray imagers are down and the forward tactical array appears to have been shattered."

"On visual then, Lieutenant." Gerard sighed as he slid back and leaned the temple of his head on his fingers.

The freighters were still docked, though they were rolling away from the Yarmouth as a vapour was escaping and turning to ice crystals from the mangled rear compartment. Of the Mautt.

"What are they leaking?" The Commander asked of his XO.

Ferella tied in the lateral sensor to her tactical console. "From the composition, it looks like atmosphere from the ship, Sir."

"Dammit!" The Commander shouted. "Of all the times to leave my rabbit's foot in my desk at the station. Lieutenant Land, raise Muranna on the Mautt."

Lieutenant Land tried several times to raise them, to no avail. "There's a receiver echo, but no one is answering."

"They have not regained attitude control, they aren't responding to hail and they're leaking atmosphere. What else is going to go wrong today?"

The Commander regretted asking that immediately when he heard Bellery report, "Commander, look! The yacht is matching the freighters' roll and pitch. Looks like they're attempting to dock with them?"

"Are they crazy?" The Commander asked rhetorically. Pulling out his data pad stylus, he tapped the arm of his chair for a few moments. "Ferella, how crazy do you feel today?"

"In for a penny... in for a pound you did say at one time, Sir. What do you have in mind?" She replied.

"Take the Yarmouth in to dock with those freighters, only on the other side... dock with the Ursan cargo ship."

"And meet the enemy in the middle? Sounds like my idea of a coffee break, Sir." Ferella replied as she traded stations with Bellery.

Ferella was able to do the tricky docking manoeuvre with the Ursan ship. It went smooth after locking in on the pitch and rotation of the vessels, which took a couple of attempts to get right, as the cargo ship was no longer rotating at a constant rate, but slowing as the two coupled ships were trying to regain control.

Commander Gerard knew there was going to be at least three of them on board and there were eight of them in total. He ordered everyone except Jorgen to suit up in armoured boarding party suits and take rifles as well as pistols with them, as well as their Baselard dagger, normally only worn for ceremonial use in full dress uniform, remembering the pirate's nasty energy weapon response device Bellery told him about.

The Commander instructed, "Jorgen, get yourself a rifle and a pistol, in case the Yarmouth gets boarded. And if I tell you over the comm to get this ship out of here, you do NOT wait for us. You detach from the cargo ship and make best speed for Capella with distress beacons going!" He knew with their hyperdrive out, the distress beacon was their best chance, as it would be thirty years before the ship could reach Capella if all went wrong.

Jorgen hesitated a moment before replying, "Yes, Sir!"

Commander Gerard put his hand on his shoulder, "If everything goes wrong, you might be the only one left to alert command as to what transpired. I'm sorry son, but today I have to ask you to be a soldier."

Jorgen nodded his head and replied with artificial enthusiasm, "I'll follow your orders, Sir!"

Twenty minutes later, Commander Gerard was ready to lead the boarding party through. Lieutenant Salam had little trouble opening the Ursan airlock. A breeze caught them from their cargo ship as the door opened into a pressurization chamber.

"Now that was totally unexpected!" Ferella said with surprise. "I would not have expected their air to smell so... floral."

On the bridge, it was deafeningly quiet. Jorgen Sat at the helm and navigation station with the rifle at his side. He had it set for a stun, but after being hit with it along with the rest of the cadets during Boot Camp, he hated to see what the thing would do in real action and not just a demolitions range, on full power.

_ 11 - "Boarding Call" _

Taking the Mautt to sub light, I brought the freighter alongside the Ursan cargo ship and held position there about fifty metres off their port side.

"Any communication from their ship?" I asked and both Muranna and Rallah shook their heads.

"Hold on..." I said as he saw the Ursan ship begin their docking sequence and with a mild shudder, the two ships were mated.

"C'mon Rallah, it's show time!" I said as I hopped up from my helm station and Rallah followed me into the lift.

"Good luck!" Muranna whispered toward the lift doors that had already closed. She sat down and waited impatiently for me to return or call over from the other ship. It had been about ten minutes, yet it felt like hours to her.

The console beeped from the position I had been sitting. Muranna went over to see what was going on. A red indicator for proximity was flashing. She pressed the lit green pad with a pictograph of a view screen on it. The front viewer showed a computer generated tactical graphic of a small ship coming right at them and very fast. It was flashing red on the viewer and she took that to be a very bad sign.

She couldn't read the letters the computer threw around the incoming ship and to make matters worse, the console beeped again and a second ship came in toward them from a right angle, that one displayed in a solid yellow. It looked as if there was going to be a three way collision.

Hitting the intercom, "Carl? Carl! We have a problem up here!" There was no response. All she could do was stare at the display.

Rall, Rallah, the remaining hunter I learned was named 'Sheroo' and I stood at the airlock. It was not a good memory being there, as it was the same one Bellery and I almost froze in. The Canisian party went in first with me in behind with the stun pistol in one hand and the inoperative arm rifle in the other.

"That rifle no longer works, Lieutenant?" Rall said looking at it curiously.

"No, it doesn't. But the other crew doesn't know that." I replied with a wink.

The outer hatch slid open. "Welcome! Welcome! Come you wonderful people into your new home!" The tall, obese, boar headed Ursan said with bubbly enthusiasm.

Rall stepped first onto the cargo ship as the greeting Ursan said, "Very tall, uh-huh. Looking good you are for your new job."

Rallah was next. "Oh, you are a cutie! I hope you can give us many more workers, hmm?"

Sheroo stepped through. "Not... quite... what I expected, but you may still be strong enough." Sheroo gave the condescending Ursan a dirty look up and down, then continued on.

I stepped through the airlock with a big smile and guns raised, "Hi, how's it going?"

The Ursan had an expression of shocked surprise, "I paid your people! You double crossing...." and looking now with an expression of annoyance, placed his fists on either side of his waist and shouted, "You sir, are not a gentleman!"

"Oh, the payment was fine." I said, playing along. Then motioning with the pistol for him to move, "Take me to your leader." I had wanted to say that to an alien since I was a small kid.

"If you insist." The Ursan said and turned and waddled down the corridor. "Fost is likely to be very cross with you for this."

The fact that the Ursan was compelled by the weapons told me there was no little pirate 'neutron surprise' on this ship. That was a comfort!

If it was not for the seriousness of the situation, this would be entirely amusing! Here are these huge, ungodly looking 'beasts' who think nothing of buying and using other sentient creatures as slaves and he was talking and gesturing like Terran royalty! This will make some great tales for the next crew I serve with.

The Canisian's followed close behind. Each carried a makeshift weapon they made during our transit to this area. Rall and Rallah settled on some well sharpened kitchen cutlery. Sheroo made a pair of 'dirk' daggers that could have passed as manufactured. He was also the one skilled at throwing knives. It was a comfort to have him on this team.

Muranna looked at the screen as the points of light converged on the indicated position the Mautt was. She screamed and fell to the deck, expecting all hell to break loose. All was quiet.

Gathering herself, she nervously looked over the console to the view screen. Both ships were now showing green and holding steady very close to the freighter. Then she heard the speakers come to life.

"Commander of the other ship. This is Commander William Gerard of the Stellar Alliance Reserve. Hold your position or you will be fired upon."

"Stellar Alliance?" She said to herself. "That's Carl's people!"

Excitedly she ran over to the communications console and keyed the short range transmitter. "Alliance vessel? Can you receive me? Hello? Can anyone hear me? Commander Gerard, right?"

A response came. "Hello young lady, this is Commander Gerard. How can I help you?"

She breathed a silent 'Thank you!' and transmitted again, "You're Carl's superior officer aren't you? Carl Fornax?"

"Yes, I am." The Commander replied with interest. "What do you know of Lieutenant Fornax, Miss..."

"Muranna, Sir. Carl is here on this ship. Or was on this ship. He might be on the other ship now." She said with uncertainty.

"Can you explain your situation over there?" The Commander replied.

"This is one of the pirate ships. We took control of it and went after the purchasers of slaves, who we are docked with right now....."

Her story was cut off as she heard in the background of the Alliance ship "SIR! The Serpen ship is moving."

Her heart sank as she heard the Commander say, "Sorry Muranna, I'm going to have to put you on hold for a while. It's about to get busy out here."

She looked over to the view screen and the images were moving again. One of the ships came around and the screen began to flash the image alternating red and blue as the console beeped in a raucous alert tone. She found out quickly what that sound meant as the ship jerked violently, knocking her out of her seat.

"The children!" She shouted as she ran off the bridge into the lift and headed for the landing bay.

She ran down the corridor as fast as her short legs would take her. She entered the landing bay panting to find all the children huddled together in a corner, whimpering with fear. She padded over to them and they clung around her with tight hugs and she stroked their heads, "It'll be OK. Carl won't let anything happen to you."

It was then that the ship jolted far more violently than before and the lights flickered. They were all thrown to the deck and pushed to one side of the wall with nauseating fluctuations in the gravity before a sound equally as terrible as the screams that horrible night in the corridor outside the sick bay.

_ *BLAM!* _

There was the sound of a huge explosion and tearing metal. A loud rumble was deafening and her ears began to pop as wind swept around them like a spring storm on her home world. She looked in the direction of the rumble and there was a hole clean through the hull about half a metre long and 10cm wide and jet black on the other side.

"COME ON! WE HAVE TO LEAVE!" She shouted to the Canisian children who were paralysed with fear, looking at the hole. Her ears began to pop further and alarms went off and lights around the exit to the corridor began to flash. A mist was forming in the air of the bay.

She grabbed under each arm a child and screamed, "FOLLOW THE LIGHTS! FOLLOW THE LIGHTS!" And ran to the exit.

She put the children down in the corridor and looked back into the bay. The children were following her, except one pair that were still in the corner, holding on to each other. She ran over to them, a young male and female, probably siblings, she grabbed both of them, closed her eyes and ran to the door that she saw was now closing. She screamed with an intensity like she never had before and in such a high pitch, it drowned out the alarms to her own hears. She heard the door slam shut and the sound of the alarms stopped.

"Miss Muranna?" Came a young voice.

She opened her eyes and was lying in the corridor looking up, surrounded by sixteen little Canisian faces looking down at her. "Yes?" she squeaked a quiet response, breathing heavily.

"Are we going to die?" the young Canisian finished his question.

Muranna lifted her top half up and sat on the deck looking through the windows that were on each panel of the ships landing bay access door. She saw the mist get thinner until it vanished completely into a crystal clear view of the interior.

She reached over and hugged the young fox that asked. "Not today honey, not today."

We had reached the bridge of the Ursan vessel. "Fost, did you write a bad currency note when you had me pay for our workers?" Said the Ursan that led us to the bridge.

"No Kayto, I did not. Why?" Replied the one called Fost as he swung around in his captain's chair that more resembled a throne.

He looked at us and I smiled and waved with my fingers with the pistol in hand, the rifle pointed at Kayto.

Fost rolled his eyes, "Oh, bother!"

A third Ursan came out of a room on the bridge and slammed the door shut. The wreak of excrement that filled the bridge told me it was the ship's head. He looked at us and the tiny eyes on his head opened wide, looking like headlights on a landing ship turning on. "Hell-o!" He simply said.

The ship lurched.

"Oh gods, what now!" Kayto held up his hands, shrieked and looked rather frightened as his eyes turned to pinpricks on his head.

"Somebody's shootin' at us!" The Ursan that stunk up the bridge said, leaning over a console.

"The other ship Jeekta told us about?" Rall whispered to me. I nodded that it was the most likely scenario.

"What are they doing? We paid them handsomely!" Fost said looking at his tactical display. He looked up at us, "You're not part of the Consortium, are you?"

"No, I'm not." I said matter of factly. "I'm Lieutenant Carl Fornax of the Stellar Alliance reserve."

Fost and Kayto just stared at me for a few moments. Fost finally spoke, "Stellar... Alliance... who?"

"He's a space cop!" third Ursan said. "Kohan told us about them, remember?"

Fost raised and lowered his head with his mouth open in recollection. "So, are you here to arrest us?" He asked with a smirk.

"That I am!" I boldly said. "Trading in sentient life forms,crimes against the Canisian citizens of Capella and consorting with known pirates for starters."

The Ursans all looked at each other and let out a loud laugh. Fost hopped up from his throne like chair and his belly bounced up and down a few times from the quick movement.

"Well my dear fellow, first of all we are not in Alliance space and you were not in 'hot pursuit' of us from your space. Secondly, we are not trading per-se in sentient species, we are simply paying ... you could say their management for services on our world. And finally, your pirates have commited no act of piracy in either Capellan or Ursan space." Fost sat down again, this time with a smug grin on his face and clasping the palms of his hands together, tapping his fingers on each hand together.

He had a point. I really had no legal grounds to take these beings in. But what does he mean by 'paying their management'? Let's see how quick witted they are instead. "Then why are you being shot at?"

Fost stopped his finger tapping and his smug grin went to an expression of curiosity and he looked over to the third Ursan. "Zhar, why are we being shot at?"

Zhar shrugged, then returned his attention to the console and hit a few buttons. "Kohan, is that you? Why the hell are you shooting at us?"

Kayto pointed to the screen, "I think they are shooting at that other ship?"

I looked up to catch a glimpse of an old Terran built SAR cruiser crossing the screen and opening fire on a Serpen yacht. Only an orange fireball from the yacht caught the SAR ship square on the bow and recoiled it so her aft filled the screen off to the side as the Ursan ship gave a huge lurch. The lights went out and we lost the gravity.

"Get his guns!" Zhar shouted in the dark.

"He might hurt me!" Kayto squeaked in reply.

I felt a furry arm reach around me and pulled me floating back down towards the exit of the bridge.

"I've got him! I've got him!" Fost yelled.

"Get the damn gun!" Zhar shouted.

"OW! My arm!" Kayto yelled.

"Give him to me!" Zhar shouted. "This is how you deal with a space cop!"

The sounds on the bridge became arguing, shouting and screaming pandemonium. I heard giggling in the background from a voice I recognized as Rallah's.

A few minutes later, lights and gravity had returned and we all went crashing to the deck.

The hunters and I got up and rushed onto the bridge. The three Ursans were laying in a pile on the deck. Zhar was out cold on the bottom, Fost was crawling off the top and Kayto in the middle of the pile appeared to be... crying?

"For crying out loud Kayto.... sorry, my bad for using that term. For Pete's sake Kayto, be a good fellow in front of company, would you?" Fost said to his shipmate.

"The screen!" Kayto shouted excitedly. "We're spiralling out of control! We are all going to bloody die and it's all your fault, Fost!" Kayto looked at his captain accusingly and blew his nose on a handkerchief.

"My fault? It was this Terran who led that ruffian here." Fost said as he queried the ships computer. "It's not us that's out of control, it's the Mautt. She's spinning us by venting atmosphere and our ship released its station-keeping dampeners so we didn't tear a hole in our side because we're still docked!"

Venting atmosphere! Muranna and the children are still over there! My body felt like it went as cold as Jeekta's.

"The orphans!" Rallah whispered.

Fost turned around, "You have to get control of your ship... the centrifugal force will tear both of our hulls apart at the hatches!"

Time to make a decision... let Rall's party watch these three and not being combat trained, risk having them taken as hostages or do nothing to regain control and risk losing both ships.

Fortunately, my decision had been made. Rall took the broken rifle, "Go! We haven't much time!"

I handed Rallah the working pistol and made quick for the hatch.

The airlock on the Mautt showed normal pressure inside. Something of a relief. I entered the ship and made for the bridge, yet when I arrived, it was unoccupied and so was the bridge head.

Going to the ops station, there was a very disconcerting report from the computer - the landing bay had completely de-pressurized. That's where Rall had told the Canisian children to stay!

It also reported more bad news: the Serpen yacht had docked on the port hatch. That meant the pirate captain or worse, Kohan was likely on board.

The Capellan stun pistol was the only particle weapon we had found on board and Rallah had it. I had a knife, bochook and the ground fire rock canister, that was it. Muranna and the children were defenceless. I offered her a knife, but after reconsidering her experience on the Serpen asteroid, she declined it. I just prayed that it hadn't cost them their lives.

I set the computer to correct the rotation caused by the impact and venting of atmosphere. This would take some time so as not to shear the connected ships apart and the calculation was made more difficult by the fact the Serpen yacht was added to the other hatch.

Drawing my knife, I held it by the handle with my thumb and little finger pointed upward, concealing it against my forearm and carefully made my way off the bridge.

The corridors were eerily quiet. The impact from the first shot on the Mautt's engines caused them to shut down automatically. I walked quiet, controlling my breathing as well. For all I knew, it was Kohan on board and with his hearing and sense of smell, I needed all the advantage I could get. I continued on my way to the landing bay.

I reached the doors and the control panel on the bulkhead confirmed what the bridge instruments read - vacuum. With a wordless prayer I looked inside. Nothing. Looking around more I saw the hole in the outer hull. Not big enough for anyone to have been blown out and there was no bodies or blood around it, ripped apart on the jagged metal. The children got out safely! But where were they and Muranna?

The sick bay wasn't far, I tried there next. There was nothing. Could they be locked in the quarters?

Making my way to the decks that had the sleeping quarters, all were unlocked... including the one we had Haarlon in! This just made things a little more complicated. Was the ship deserted ? I can't see how they could fit a total of nineteen people on one little Serpen yacht?

Reluctantly, I made my way to the port hatch airlock. On the way was the galley and that is where I heard voices.

I leaned against the wall in the corridor to listen, maybe I could tell who it was that came in that Serpen ship. I heard Haarlon and Muranna arguing...

"You two are crazy! There's no way Commander Gerard will let you get away with this!" Muranna shouted.

"Commander Gerard will have no choice! These scruff puppies will guarantee our safe passage through Capellan space!" Haarlon said in a quiet and even voice. "Once we get to Serpen asteroid, we'll let them go."

"Haarlon!" A coldly familiar voice of the pirate captain shouted. "You careless, fat bastard... why not tell her everything about where we're going, why don't you?"

"What does it matter? You'll probably just kill her here anyway?" Haarlon snapped back. His response brought a round of whimpers from the Canisian children.

"Then take me then! But leave the children here so Commander Gerard can take them." Muranna anxiously suggested.

"That would be a reasonable course, Captain?" Haarlon said with an almost empathetic voice.

"No! Capellan Security wouldn't care much for one Draconis girl, but these Canisian pups... if anything happened to them in their space, politicians in the entire quadrant of the galaxy would be outraged and they won't risk that."

"Dammit Haarlon!" Muranna shouted. "If you gave a damn about Gorsha and her people, you won't go along with this!"

There was a nervous pause and a loud slapping sound, followed by a shriek from Muranna. "You... little... BITCH! What happened to her was YOUR FAULT! You will not speak her name again, you understand?"

My grip on the knife was so tight, the blade was cutting into my arm, yet I could no longer feel any pain. I could feel my rage becoming out of control as I grit my teeth and breathed heavy. That's when I heard one of the children say in a sobbing voice, "Miss Muranna, you're bleeding..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I came around the corner and raised my knife to throw and let it go with a force I never had during all my training in the SAR or on the Capellan moon. Unfortunately my loss of control caused only the butt of the knife to ace Haarlon square in the forehead, splitting it and spattering blood everywhere.

I lunged at him knocking him to the deck, wrapping my hands around his fat, frog-like throat. His semi-concious state from the impact as well as a split forehead, gave the impression that I was strangling the life out of the bastard.

The thought he slapped Muranna and the image in my mind of the burned nearly beyond recognition Gorsha, whom he claimed he loved, made the sounds of his gasps very enjoyable.

As he lay motionless for a few moments, I thought it was over. He couldn't hurt anyone, ever again. I was snapped back into reality by the slow, mocking, clapping of hands behind me, "Bravo, Lieutenant. Bravo! Most entertaining if I do say so myself!"

I turned my head, sweat pouring into my eyes making my vision as blurred as when the fire flash had burned my eyes. The pirate captain stood with a smile and the SAR pistol in his fingers as he clapped his palm. "You would have made a hell of a pirate Fornax, had you joined the right side!"

I snapped my head the other way to see Muranna sitting on the floor with one of the older children holding a towel against her face covering her nose and eye. The rest of them looked frightened beyond belief and huddled behind her. Muranna looked at me with her uncovered eye, tears streaming down her face. She lifted the towel to display her other eye as red, puffy and her nose still bleeding, broken. With a voice almost too quiet to hear, she implored, "Don't... don't let him take the children."

Still laying on top of the motionless Haarlon, I slowly reached into my jacket and grabbed the Bochook. Bringing it up to my chin level, I began to roll off of Haarlon.

"Nice and slow, Lieutenant!" The Captain commanded as he levelled the pistol at me.

Nice and slow I did. Stretching my arm up as I did, making it appear I was going to use it as leverage to get up. I finished my roll and was ready to bring my arm and the bowchook down, straight at the Captain's head when I noticed he anticipated such sort of trickery and aimed his pistol at Muranna and the children.

"Nice try for an encore performance, Lieutenant. I commend you!" he said with a smile that said he seemed really entertained. "But the curtain is going down. I give you a choice: on you or your dear... Muranna is it?" and raised his eyebrows at me as if to ask if he got the name right.

"Leave the children!" I said through a voice that still quivered with anger.

"I am a professional and a businessman, Lieutenant. You have done away with Durge for me and that I see as no small favour. It is why I let you and your friends live on the moon. But I needed Haarlon." He motioned for me to get up. "You will have to do, now."

I got up and followed his directions to the exit as he grabbed a bag filled with supplies from the galley and looped it over his shoulder. Looking sideways and tilting his head towards Muranna while keeping me in his field of vision, "You may want to get some ice on that, little dear."

We walked down the corridor, as he kept well out of my arm reach and weapon trained on my back. "Thank you." I said.

The pirate captain gave a grunt and asked, "For what?"

"Taking me instead of the children." I replied.

"Don't thank me Lieutenant. It was simple economics, nothing more. One knight is worth more than a few pawns."

On board the Ursan ship, Zhar began to stir. He uttered a few grunts and a curse word and sat up. "What the hell happen'?"

Fost waddled over to him and slapped him across the top of his nose, "Brilliant idea! Grab him in the dark! Get his guns! You almost got us killed!"

Zhar rubbed his nose, "Well, where is he now?"

"What does it matter to you!" Rall snapped as he and Rallah stepped forward with the guns aimed at them. Sheroo stood behind and in between them twirling one of his knives on his fingers and just gave the most sinister looking grin.

"The little one... really scares me." Kayto said as he slid in behind Zhar and looked around from Zhar's huge belly.

"NO BODY MOVE!" Came a shout from behind the Canisian hunters. Commander Gerard and his team lined the doorway with rifles at the ready, but not before with a speed even Ferella did not see, Sheroo stood before the Commander holding one of his knives perfectly in the infinitesimally small space between the Commander's helmet and body armour.

"Is Carl Fornax your enemy or friend?" Sheroo asked as if he was asking a casual question at a dinner table.

"I am Commander Gerard, Lieutenant Fornax' superior officer." The Commander replied to the question unflinching at the knife's position and as casually as Sheroo asked it.

Sheroo gave a smile and withdrew the knife, "Well then, join the party, Commander."

"TOO MUCH! TOO.... much.." Kayto screamed, faded out and stiff as a board, fell backwards passing out from anxiety.

Zhar and Fost watched as Kayto's back hit the deck. Zhar rolled his eyes. Fost looked angrily at the crowd and placed his fists on his waist, "You people are all BULLIES!"

"Who is in charge here?" Commander Gerard asked.

"I am." Came the simultaneous reply from Fost and Rall.

"Has anyone seen Lieutenant Fornax?"

"He's gone back to the Mautt to try and stop us from spinning." Rall answered.

"Ferella, keep B'kor, Land and Salam here with you and figure out this... whatever is going on. Bellery, Hashi, come with me." Commander Gerard ordered as he turned back town the corridor with Bellery and Hashi behind him.

The three men carefully boarded the Mautt and made their way to the bridge of the vessel. They discovered the same thing I did; de-pressurized landing bay, engines in safety cut off, computer programmed to auto correct the rotation and will be finishing its cycle in five minutes and the other ship docked on the port hatch.

"Let's stick together on this. That other captain wasn't feeling very hospitable when we met and I doubt he'll want to shake hands." The Commander said and the group proceeded down to the lower decks.

The first three decks revealed nothing, except one had a rather nasty hole in the ceiling with a pile of debris below it. Hashi scanned the debris for human DNA patterns. "Pegasiian, Sir. About two weeks old." He said showing the Commander the results on his hand held scanner.

"Well, if this story doesn't get stranger by the minute..." he replied as he inspected the hole in the ceiling.

The search of the deck above revealed the burned areas and hole in the deck outside the sick bay. Hashi scanned the burn marks, "Pegasiian again Sir. Canisian and... human! All about two weeks old again, Sir."

Bellery and Gerard both crowded around Hashi so close to see his scan result, they almost knocked the smaller man down.

"Superficial!" The Commander said with relief. There's not enough human matter here even for a finger.

Proceeding down the corridor, they stopped. They exchanged hand signals that they heard voices coming from a few metres away. "We should find Rall and the others." a young Canisian voice said.

"Help me to the bridge, I have to call Commander Gerard." Muranna said in a nasal-plugged voice.

There was a sound of a fall.

"Miss Muranna!" The young Canisian said with surprise.

With a hand signal, Commander Gerard told Bellery to have a look. Bellery took out his room viewing x-ray-scope and pressing it against the wall of the corridor, looked through into the next room. He responded with gestures - one adult female, one adult male down, sixteen children, one weapon, a knife, on the deck, no threat.

Commander Gerard stepped into the doorway. Startled and frightened, Muranna gasped as the children gave whimpers and huddled again behind her.

The Commander removed his helmet. "I'm Commander William Gerard. Miss Muranna?"

A smile engulfed Muranna's bloodied and broken face. She went to stand and fell again.

"Hashi!" The Commander shouted as he went over to her as well.

Bellery checked on Haarlon, "He's alive, Sir. Just barely."

Commander Gerard held his hands behind the barely concious Muranna's head as she lay on the deck, as Ensign Hashi scanned her. "She's pretty beat up, Sir. Collapsed sinus, cracked all the way in behind her eye socket and lost a good amount of blood."

Bellery picked up the knife that had blood on its grip. "My guess is wherever Lieutenant Fornax is, he didn't go willingly."

"The human called Carl. He saved us, Sir." The eldest Canisian, a young boy said.

The Commander looked over at him, "How did he do that, son?"

"He went with the other human. He went with him so he'd leave us here."

Ensign Hashi interrupted, "Sir, her breathing is becoming shallow and rapid and her heart rate just jumped. I need to get her to our ship, now."

"Bellery, Hashi, get Muranna to our ship. Children, follow these men and do exactly as they tell you." Gerard replied

"Sir, where are you going?" Bellery asked.

"I'm going to get Fornax."

"But, Sir? No! Regulations are specific..." Bellery objected.

"That's an order, mister!" The Commander snapped and regretted it immediately as he saw the Canisian children flinch at the loud voice.

He went closer to Bellery and talked in a whisper, "Look Jack, I know how you..." He was interrupted.

"Cadet Jorgen to Commander Gerard!" The young Equuleusian called excitedly.

"What is it, Cadet?" The Commander asked impatiently.

"The Serpen ship Sir, it just detached from the Mautt."

Commander Gerard just closed his eyes for a moment. So close yet so far. "Acknowledged, Cadet. We'll be returning shortly. Keep a tracking lock on that ship."

The Commander helped Bellery carry Muranna as Hashi walked along and monitored her. He had some medicines with him, but this was his first contact with a Draconis. He would have to do a xenohistamine panel to see what would and would not work on her and more importantly, see what concoctions were fatal to her species. That he could only do on the ship.

"Ferella, how are you holding out there?" The Commander called over to his people on the Ursan ship.

"Having a tea party, Sir." She replied.

"Come again, Commander?" Gerard asked quizzically, not catching the connotation of her reply.

"Having a tea party, Commander. The Ursans actually brew quite a nice cup!"

Commander Gerard chuckled and shook his head. "Damn, I'm really beginning to envy Captain Maillet!"

Returning through the Ursan vessel, Lieutenant Salam helped Bellery and Hashi take Muranna and the children to the Yarmouth as the Commander checked on the status of his First Officer. She wasn't kidding. They were standing around, everyone except Rallah and Sheroo, with a cup of tea and listening to a story being told by Fost.

"...and then I had to grab your Lieutenant Commander before she was dropped on the floor when Zhar went unconscious while still standing up!" There was a chuckle from the SAR crew, a laugh from Kayto, an embarrassed grumble from Zhar and nothing but straight faces from the Canisians. Though Rall seemed to enjoy the tea.

"Sorry to break up the party, people, but we are on a mission." The Commander said. "Mister Rall, Haarlon is still something alive on the Mautt. I'd appreciate it if you and your team kept an eye on him over there."

Rall nodded his head and was grateful to be spared from more of the tea party stories, as was Rallah and Sheroo. They left immediately.

"But we own them!" Fost protested.

"Sorry gentlemen, until this is fully cleared with the proper Capellan authorities, I'll have to ask you to stay here and docked to the Mautt."

Zhar raised an eyebrow and looked annoyed, "Like Fost here told your friend, we are not in Alliance space and he was not in 'hot pursuit' of us from your space. Secondly, we are not trading per-se in sentient species, we are simply paying for labour services."

Commander Gerard smiled and nodded his head like it was a line he heard many a time. "I agree Mister Zhar, but you see I am in hot pursuit from Alliance space and found your vehicle attached to one wanted in our space. Therefore I hereby impound your ship and place all of you under arrest for suspicious conduct." Technically this was not a prosecutable offence, but a charge laid to hold persons and ships for up to one week until red tape was sorted out, long distance deep space communications completed, and investigations done. If any world traded with one that traded with the Alliance, even if they weren't a member, it was honoured as it was the only way to curb smugglers.

Fost shot up and out of his chair with great indignity, "Damn you sir!" He shouted, knowing full well the Commander had him.... at least for now.

Ferella walked over to Fost and with one shove of her martial arts trained leverage, slammed his bulk back into his chair and said, "Sit down! Unless you're going to pour more tea."

Fost looked up at her in complete shock as B'kor giggled. Ferella looked over at B'kor with a glare and saw where her eyes were looking... Fost had a sizeable erection underneath his pants. "What... other.... surprises... do you have for me, Lieutenant Commander?" Fost asked with a silly grin that was terribly mismatched to his tusked, suid face.

"Think you, Land and B'kor will be OK over here?" Commander Gerard asked Ferella.

"I think we can keep these three under control, Sir." She replied with a smile as the Commander nodded and headed to the Yarmouth.

"Cadet, where are they now?" He asked as he was taking the last piece of his boarding armour off on the bridge and affixed his duty cap.

"Nearly out of range, Sir. On the course that we came in on." Jorgen replied and shook his head, "I've never seen anything move that fast that wasn't using a quantum tunnel!"

The Commander flopped down in his chair and hit the Intercom, "Lieutenant Salam, I need hyperdrive like yesterday, Mister!"

"Ten minutes and you can be in last week, Commander!" Salam replied.

Commander Gerard looked over at Jorgen who just shook his head.

"You have five minutes, Lieutenant, then I make you get out and push!" Gerard said with a half smile and snapped off the intercom.

"Un-dock the vessel, Cadet and prepare to follow them, maximum hyperdrive."

Commander Gerard hit the intercom again, "Hashi, talk to me!"

An extremely upbeat Japanese accented voice replied, "Great news, Sir! They are going to be just fine!"

Commander Gerard cocked his head somewhat, "They, Ensign?"

"Yes, Sir!" Hashi said happily. "The lady is pregnant. First trimester! And there's something else about her I think you should know."

"You've piqued my curiosity, Ensign. I'll be right down." The Commander replied and left the bridge once they were under way.

_ 12 - "A Daring Rescue" _

The pirate captain locked me securely in one of the yacht's bunk rooms. Apparently they had time and reason to add a 'brig' to their stolen ship. It was far more pleasant than being hit with that paralyser... or neutrons.

"Comfortable, Lieutenant?" Came a voice from a comm speaker. The controls to it had been removed and a plate welded over.

"A comfortable room at a five star resort and your voice to keep me company. What else can a prisoner ask for?" I replied sarcastically.

"So, what did your little stay on their moon teach you?" he asked. I realized he was probably fishing for information and I wasn't about to give him any.

"That you're a Grinch and stole all their Christmas presents."

The pirate captain laughed, "Still have your humour I see, Fornax? Well, those starving people should not have given you a reason to pull out your comedy act."

I sat down on the bunk and leaned against the wall. "They are starving all right. Starving of spirit because you took theirs away." I replied evenly.

"Wrong! That moon would have been dead if it wasn't for me!" The captain shouted.

"What on Earth do you mean?" I said in a growl, convinced I was about to be fed a load of manure.

"When Earth cut the food to Canisius in sanctions, it also cut them to the refugees. Did you know that?"

"That's a lie. We cut off supplies to Canisius only!" The rubbish was starting to flow, just as I predicted.

"Nuh-uh, Lieutenant. The wording of the sanctions in part reads 'ceasing the flow of aid to all citizens of Canisius external to the Alliance systems'." He said with emphasis on the last part of his sentence.

"That's what I said, flow was cut to Canisius. What's your damn point?"

"My point Lieutenant, is the part about 'citizens of Canisius external to the Alliance Systems'. Capella is NOT an Alliance system and the refugees there aren't her citizens!"

Could he have a valid point? Could the Terran system sanctions affect the Capellan system? "You're trying to tell me that Capella can't feed an extra hundred or so million people? We're talking about a rich and stable society with plenty of trading partners?"

"And a dedication to politics. Almost as bad as those damned Pegasiians. As bad as our people were until the Centaurians contacted us, Lieutenant. If the Terrans demand not a drop of the exported food will go to a Canisian, the Capellans will hold to that regardless of the consequences in the name of interstellar relations!" The pirate captain replied.

"Is that why you said you needed Haarlon? He being a Capellan was able to smuggle the supplies to them easier than you?" Maybe there was some truth to this fabulous tale. I was familiar with the terms of the sanctions, all SAR officers that had training for boarding party duty were. Could they have been interpreted so literally by the Capellans?

"Partially, Lieutenant. Our little 'steal from the rich and give to the poor' operation does not fund ships, repairs or fuel. We needed currency and we needed it fast!"

"So, that's when you started slave trading?" I asked with disdain.

"No. That's when Haarlon came up with the idea of selling the orphans to Terrans for adoption."

That actually made sense to me! Haarlon said the Canisian children for adoption, nothing more. "But they didn't bring in enough, did they?"

"They did. It was a great arrangement known by all the politicians involved as the Consortium. No orphaned pups would starve and the families on the moons would be fed. "

"So whose idea was it to start selling the adults to the Ursans?" Amazed I was being told so much.

"Like any politician, Haarlon wanted more than enough. Haarlon cut a deal with the Wolf Warrior you met, Kohan. He also didn't want to see any more starve, but he also wanted revenge on the refugees. I don't know if you know the story of his wife?"

I paused for a moment and nodded my head, "I met his grandmother on the moon. I know the story."

"Then you also know the Wolf Warriors saw the refugees as traitors to Canisius. Kohan felt that no one would starve, but no one would also get away free of their 'crimes' either. He sold them as workers."

"So, Kohan was their 'manager' that the Ursan captain spoke of?"

The pirate captain chuckled, "Not too bright, are you? Or you just don't follow interstellar politics. No, Kohan was not, that's why he needed Haarlon for the same reason I did - Minister Haarlon was the public servant responsible for maintaining the Canisians on the Capellan moons."

Haarlon was a politician on Capella? This was making sense now, but seemed still unbelievable. "Why are you telling me all this? If you're going to kill me now, just get to it!" As I said those words, all I could think of was Muranna and how I last saw her. I didn't even know if she was going to be all right.

"I didn't want to. I am a pirate, Lieutenant, but I did this because I believed what I did was right. My people turned their backs on those suffering the most. No matter how far we've come as a species, we're still the vicious barbarians we were in the 20th century. But you have become a liability. After we're through Capellan space, you're... 'gonna walk tha plank' out the airlock."

I had an hour of peace to reflect on his words. I knew from the moment I signed my contract, the day might come I'd have to sacrifice myself. I never paid much thought as to how, when, where or even why, but there were worse ways than as a prisoner and hostage. But, If I could only see sweet little Muranna one more time and know she was okay, I would happily walk out that airlock.

Since I was going to die anyway, why not know the whole story? "Why did your people attack my ship in the first place?"

"I didn't know they were going to destroy your ship. The Wolf Warrior rogues wanted me to bait you into that area. It was the first time I saw they had Rapier fighters on their mother ship. I suggested we just let you die with your men but Haarlon wouldn't have it. He was soft that way. He wanted to trade you for amnesty in case he got caught. That's why he kept you two in stasis. Orlok told him that would risk further exposing the operation and arranged for your 'release'. You and Bellery were supposed to go back to Midway Station and live happily ever after!"

Shaking my head, "So, that was a mistake? I don't buy it. More like they hoped to capture our ship for their own purposes."

"I'm not paid to ask questions, Lieutenant. It also looks like your friend made it to Capella!" He answered. "We have four Capellan Security patrols moving to intercept us. Time to earn your keep!"

Commander Gerard had gone down to medical on the ship to find he was preparing Muranna for surgery on her skull. She was laying on a bed sedated and had an automated deep surgery unit over her head normally reserved for battlefield conditions that have more wounded than doctors available, ready to begin its work.

"What's the surprise you found, Ensign? The lady's going to give birth to bunny rabbits?"

Hashi turned and gave a smile, "More interesting than that, Sir. Look at her DNA and xenobiological A/B panel." Hashi pointed to a bunch of squiggling, colourful displays.

"Very pretty, Ensign. Reminds me of my daughter's three dimensional art. But you'll have to translate their meaning for me." The Commander said after looking at the displays and seriously not understanding their meaning. He understood how to read field medical devices and how to keep a man alive and prioritize the wounded, but that was as far as his medicine went.

"She said she was Draconis, Sir. So I had to do a full xenohistamine panel on her since we have no data on file for them. Well, I found that her biological system matches a far more closer species than the extraterrestrial Draco system."

"Oh?" The Commander was genuinely surprised. "And what species is that, Ensign?"

"Terran, Sir." Hashi responded.

"Terr... what?" The Commander's eyebrows went up into his duty cap. "She looks like a metre tall mouse girl?"

"Yes, Sir!" Hashi replied excitedly. "Her base DNA is as close to Muridae, or mouse family as yours and mine are from the Hominidae family, like chimpanzees." He punched up another screen, which showed Muranna's internal organs. "Her people evolved bipedal and ended up with a system much as our own. Even her chemicals and internal functions are similar.

"So Ensign, you're saying she's a human parallel evolved house mouse?" The Commander said with a delighted smile at being one of the first humans to contact this extraterrestrial relative.

"It's gets even better, Sir!" Hashi continued. "The Muridae family is, or was, exclusive to Earth. The family the meuskat rats belong to and found across our sector are the extraterrestrial version even remotely close to Muridae. Muranna's people are not native to Draconis, Sir, they originally would have come from Earth."

The Commander went over to the table where Muranna lay, the deep surgery unit already began its work. "Well Miss Muranna, you are a surprise. I hope your people and ours can become friends. It would be a reunion!"

He looked back at Ensign Hashi, "You're positive her baby is going to be okay?"

"Yes, Sir." Hashi replied. "Two of them actually. It's still early, but I would estimate her species has a gestation of ninety... maybe a hundred days."

The Commander studied the Ensign as he replied to the question. Not excited like before, more puzzled and scientifically curious. "What's bothering you, son?" he asked concerned. "Is there something up with her babies you aren't telling me?"

Hashi paused for a moment, deciding how to respond, "In my scans of them to confirm their health... I dunno Sir, maybe my scanner isn't calibrated right. She is a new species after all."

The Commander gave a commanding scowl at the Ensign, letting him know that answer was insufficient. Hashi completed his thought, "I think the father, Sir... is a human."

The Commander's eyebrows again went up into his duty cap. "Is that possible?" He asked with surprise and looked over at Muranna.

Hashi nodded his head, "Entirely, Sir. Her reproductive differences are no further apart from our own than a Centaurian's is and humans and Centaurians can interbreed with us with little or no genetic assistance." He looked at the Commander regaining his enthusiasm, "She's decidedly far more similar than dissimilar on the inside to us."

"I think we're in luck, Sir!" Jorgen called down from the bridge.

The Commander went to the intercom, "Report, Cadet!"

"Four Capellan Security patrols dropped out of hyperspace and are converging on the yacht, Sir!" Jorgen reported with a happy list to his voice.

"Good luck for a change! Break silent running and get them on the blower, Cadet. I'll be right up!" And the Commander sprinted to the lift that went to the bridge.

"Captain of the Serpen yacht. This is Major Lang Tohl of Capellan Stellar Security. You are hereby ordered to come to a stop, cut your engines and prepare to be boarded for inspection."

The order from the Capellan Security patrol blocking the path of the yacht came through the communications speaker and annoyed the pirate captain. There was a time he gave orders like that and knew the feeling of power it gave. He preferred to be on the delivering end of such orders, not receiving them.

"Capellan Security, this is the captain of the ship you are impeding. I'm sure you have scanned this ship and found that there are two humans aboard. Am I correct?" He replied, confident his gambit would work - they let him go, the hostage lives... as far as they knew. Fornax being a SAR officer and Capellan's being very political, would not want to risk offending the Tri Sector Alliance and would likely let him proceed.

"Yes, we know there are two of you on that vessel. Our orders remain." Came the expected reply.

"Well then Major, you might want to know that the other fellow is Lieutenant Carl Fornax of the Stellar Alliance Reserve....... and he is my hostage." He leaned back in his chair and listened to a minute of silence.

"What are your terms for the release of the Lieutenant, Captain?" Came another expected reply.

"Simple. You let me continue on my way until I reach your border. I will then release the Lieutenant in a personal recovery life raft." The pirate gave a wry smile and shrugged, "Everyone's happy then!"

A minute of silence again. He kicked his feet up on the console and intertwined his fingers over his stomach. His smile became a victorious grin as he said to himself, "Any minute now, they'll accept and we'll be on our way."

The stolen Serpen yacht didn't have an escape pod and there were no personal recovery life rafts on board. But the Capellans didn't need to know that.

"Referring to article fifty seven, section seventeen, subsection alpha three of the Articles of Interstellar Conduct, any sentient and unwilling extraterrestrial passenger through Capellan or Capellan protected space is permitted to make a request or statement in person or through ship to ship communications to a party of his choice." The Major of the Capellan Security patrol ship responded.

That reply was definitely not expected as the pirate captain brought his feet to the deck, leaned forward closely to the communications console and said with frustration, "What part of hostage did you not understand, Major? You're trying to tell me that Fornax, even as a hostage, is entitled to his ONE PHONE CALL?"

"Article fifty seven, section seventeen, subsection beta four of the Articles of Interstellar Conduct specifically refer to a 'captive' and do not differentiate between a prisoner of the Capellan Stellar Security forces or a hostage of military, commercial or civilian value. There fore it is requested that we pursue arbitration under article two hundred and twenty..."

The pirate captain cut him off and shouted angrily, "Move your ships or he DIES!" Leaning back in his chair and taking a deep breath, he more calmly demanded, "Now Major, I realize that you have a job to do and you are just crossing your 'tees' and dotting your...."

He was distracted by the proximity alarm.

_ *KABANG* _

"What the..." The ship jerked violently with the deafening metallic noise and sent the pirate captain sliding out of his chair on to the deck.

"Are you crazy, Major? Shooting at someone with a hostage?" He shouted, totally confused by his plan and options, now running somewhat limited.

"We have not fired on your vessel, Captain." The Major responded. "We have transferred the authority and responsibility for you, your ship and your hostage through an expedited extradition process."

"What are you talking about?" he replied as another alert went off on his panel, someone was opening the outer hatch to the airlock. "Gerard!" he growled and strapped on his belt that held his sword and knives. The 'anti particle weapon' neutron beam was active on the ship full time in all the corridors and rooms except the engine room where the energy levels could cause a false trigger with explosive consequences.

The captain sealed the door to the bridge and charged the paralyser. It too had been installed all over the ship, including the engine room. With a little luck, his trick he used to escape the Gar Talwar's magnetic capture would work here and he wouldn't have to single handedly face a compliment of SAR boarding party.

"Thank you, Major!" Commander Gerard said gratefully to the leader of the Capellan Security patrols. "Just keep him there long enough to exercise your kind granting of extradition."

Nodding to Jorgen to close the channel, Gerard sat back down in his chair and let out a big sigh, "Thankfully, this damn bureaucracy can work both ways."

"Sir, the Capellan ships have surrounded the yacht. The two between us and them are venting a small amount radioactively charged plasma? Are they damaged, Sir?" Jorgen turned around and looked at the Commander with concern.

"No, Cadet, they are creating a little smoke screen for us to sneak up on the yacht. Bellery, set a course right in behind them, half light speed." The Commander ordered.

"Aye, Sir!" Bellery said as he reset the coordinates.

"I don't recall us asking for that?" Jorgen asked.

"It's a trick, my young Cadet. When you've been in the service long enough, it doesn't matter under whose or what banner, there's time tested strategies that work."

The SAR Yarmouth came up on the cluster of vessels and the yacht stayed put in the middle. "Thirty seconds, Sir." Bellery reported.

"OK, when I say now, I want you to brake hard. Come over the two Capellan Security ships in the rear, then lock on to that yacht."

"But, Sir..." Bellery said with concern, "With the forward tactical sensor array smashed and the radioactive cloud, there's no way for the computer to safely complete a manoeuvre like that?"

Commander Gerard smiled at him. "Nope! There isn't. That's where your eyes and your confidence comes into play."

The Commander slipped in the chair at the ops. "You drive it, I'll park it, Lieutenant!"

Hitting the intercom, "Salam, I'm going to need hard braking. Keep a heads up down there!" Hitting it again, "Hashi, we're going to hit a speed bump soon. Prepare your patient!" Both men acknowledged. Hitting it a third time, he called to the Canisian children that were in the crew lounge, "Hold on tight, kids! Grandpa's going to pull a few stunts, no need to worry!"

Bellery nodded in acknowledgement. Jorgen gave a sigh and felt sweat build up in his fur.

Bellery called out, "Ten seconds, Sir..... Five....Three..."

"NOW!" The Commander shouted as Bellery reversed the engines hard and jerked, as the dampeners strained to compensate. He just cleared over one of the Capellan Security patrols with so little room to spare, the collision alarm went off, yet no impact was recorded.

_ *KABANG* _

Jorgen, Bellery and the Commander held on as the ship shuddered. They all sat straight up and let out a deep, held breath and both of their eyes were rather wide.

"Ummm, magnetic lock secured sir. Three centimetre offset on that hatch though." Bellery reported, breaking the silence.

"So much for the paint job." Commander Gerard said, then hopped up from his seat, "Set the parking brake for us, Cadet. We're going shopping!" Hitting the intercom, "Lieutenant Salam, meet me at the airlock for boarding party duty!"

Just then a message came in from Ferella that Haarlon wasn't as injured as they were led to believe and was trying to make a run for it.... and that Rallah was likely a hostage.

"Shit!" The Commander shouted. "One step up and two steps back this whole trip. I must talk to my travel agent." The Commander acknowledged the message and said they'd be back ASAP and that they were about to get Lieutenant Fornax.

Lieutenant Salam met Commander Gerard, Bellery and Jorgen at the ships airlock. "Jorgen, shut our airlock as soon as we've boarded. Then I want you to check on the children, Ensign Hashi and return to the bridge and monitor things from up there." The Commander ordered.

Jorgen acknowledged and in a few moments after forcing the airlock on the pirate commandeered yacht, Jorgen shut the Yarmouth's airlock and waited a few moments.

The boarding party checked the corridor and made sure it was clear. They tried to close the yacht's airlock to no avail. "They might try and pull another Gal Talwar here, men. Let's get to the bridge! And remember, no particle weapons. Hand to hand and your Baselard's only!" The Commander said through his helmet communicator. Not taking any chances, they were full suited for a 'compromised atmosphere' boarding.

Jorgen was about to turn and head for the crew lounge when he saw an alert on the airlock controls... magnetic clamp integrity was threatened! He quickly keyed his communicator, "Commander! The pirate captain is monkeying with the magnetics! Are you secure over there?"

"Yes Cadet, we'll be okay. We expected such treachery. Our suits will keep us fine for several min..." The Commander replied as a screaming whine came through his communicator.

"Commander? Commander, come in!" Jorgen shouted. There was only silence. The alert on the panel showed two very dangerous things: the magnetic hold the Yarmouth had was losing integrity fast and the airlock on the other side wasn't sealed!

Jorgen remembered the story his sister told him of the survivors they pulled from the Gar Talwar when she was assistant engineer on a space ambulance. He also remembered the horror story Bellery related to them. He wasn't about to allow his Commander or the others to suffer the same fate. "Take a gamble, take a gamble..." he said, his eyes filled with fear and his heart racing. Jorgen opened the airlock and ran on to the other ship.

He found the men a few metres away, lying on the floor in the corridor. He grabbed the first one, which was Salam bringing up the rear to the bridge and hauled him back onto the Yarmouth. Thankfully his extra Equuleusian strength fuelled by adrenaline made the task effortless. He did the same for the next man in line which was Bellery and finally the Commander.

But the pirate captain had succeeded in neutralizing the magnetic lock the Yarmouth as Jorgen was dragging the Commander into the pirate's airlock. Jorgen heard the air rushing through a gap that suddenly appeared between the two ships. Reacting automatically Jorgen heaved with all his might and threw the Commander through the airlocks into the Yarmouth.

Before he could follow, the depressurizaton alarm shrieked and the Yarmouth's hatch slammed shut locking him in the pirate ship, almost taking his fingers off in the process. All that held the ships were the docking clamps and those were being retracted as Jorgen could hear this deafening hissing sound coming from around the edge of the open hatch. In a few seconds the air pressure will force the ships apart and him clean out into space.

In a moment of pure emotion, Jorgen made a fist and slammed it into the wall. Sparks flew and knocked him over backwards. He opened his eyes convinced the next sight he would see is himself racing with a overpowering wind at his back, to the Yarmouth's external hull and become so much 'bug splat' on the side. "Maybe it'll knock me senseless" he thought to himself as he opened his eyes, not relishing experiencing what he was taught in his Boot Camp classes of suffering the instantaneous exposure to vacuum... eardrums bursting painfully, blindness as the eyeballs swelling and deforming in their sockets, breath ripped from the lungs so fast that they often burst blood vessels, skin going cold and tingling as the internal body pressure forced it to stretch painfully, but not as painful as the gasses in the blood being extracted from the decompression, literally boiling in the veins. And that was the NICE part of suffering absolute decompression!

His eyes opened wide, expecting to see the last second of his life and instead, saw a closed hatch with the control panel beside it smashed and spitting sparks.

He looked at his hand and it was cut up, sore, but otherwise functioning. He got up and for a moment, was at a loss, disoriented.

Shaking his head, he keyed his communicator, "Commander?" There was no response.

"Cadet Jorgen, where are you? The Canisian children came into medical looking for someone. They're frightened out of there wits!" came across the general call channel on his communicator.

"Hashi!" Jorgen said with relief. "I'm stuck on the pirate ship and they've cut themselves loose!. The Commander and the others are unconscious near the airlock."

"Well, that explains why you aren't here on the bridge here or answering the intercom. I'll get down to the airlock right away!" Hashi responded.

Of everything that just happened, the only thing that stuck in Jorgen's mind was.... he was alone. Alone and not in a good tactical position. His training was subconsciously telling him, "hide!"

Jorgen knew the way the Commander was going was to the bridge. He went in the opposite direction. He came across what appeared to be a galley or lounge, but that was too open.

The next door just concealed a head, but that's not a very defensible location.

The next two doors, one on his left and one on his right gave him a choice. He tried right only to find the engine room. Defensible, but would equally place him at an unfamiliar disadvantage with the layout.

Trying door across brought a surprise, "Lieutenant Fornax, I presume?"

I looked up and down the Equuleusian cadet.. a civilian cadet to top it off! "My God, have things changed that much back home?" I said rhetorically.

He was just standing there and then gave a salute. What was Commander Gerard thinking? I was glad to see him anyway. "At ease, Cadet!" I said as I sprinted to the now opened 'brig' door.

"Who's with you? Bellery? Jeekta? Where are they?" I asked looking around the corridor.

He shook his head with a helpless look, "Just me, Sir. Cadet Jorgen."

"I'd like to hear the story Cadet, but we don't..." I said just as I was cut off by the annoying voice coming through the room's intercom.

"I see the rescue party survived my paralyser, Lieutenant." the captain said with a hint of annoyance. "I see your door has been opened, the outer hatch was somehow overridden and you no doubt have a room full of SAR officers in happy reunion."

I gestured for Jorgen to not make a sound. "That's right! And with the amount of people here, you better call it quits while you still can."

He laughed so hard, I expected to hear him fall onto the deck. "NEVER... never put all your eggs in one basket!" he growled confidently.

I knew right away what he meant and shoved the Cadet out of the doorway and down onto the deck as I dived down myself. The room lit up with a white haze and that sickening, piercing whine I recognized as they paralyser.

I again gestured for Jorgen to not utter a sound and whispered into his hear, "He thinks we're down for the count. Let's oblige him!"

The pirate captain opened the door to the bridge, sword at the ready for a piercing motion and left arm out to block. The corridor was clear.

He proceeded carefully, measuring each step he took for precision balance had anyone been waiting around a turn in the curved corridor. He met no one. Past the airlock hatch he went and saw the damaged controls spitting sparks. "What.. the... " he muttered in surprise. Smashing panels was not a standard SAR procedure.

He carefully approached the galley and slid into it low swinging the sword in a silent and sweeping motion. There were no legs to cut. He went back out into the silent corridor.

The head indicator showed 'unoccupied'. The next door was the makeshift 'brig' that he expected to see full of unconscious bodies lying on the floor. Instead, he found nothing.

"What the hell?" He shouted angrily. He heard the door behind him open and spun around bringing the sword up for a slashing motion as he did, only to glimpse a microsecond of powerful Equuleusian fist coming at his face. And everything went black.

Disarming him, I slid him into the 'brig' and locked the door. Jorgen and I made our way to the bridge as he briefed me on our immediate situation.

"Serpen yacht to the Yarmouth. Commander, are you there?" I said into the ships communicator and then proceeded to correct for the drift of the ship from the small amount of atmosphere lost through the hatch.

"Bellery here, Sir! Great to hear you Car... I mean Lieutenant! Are you all right? Is the Cadet okay?" Came the very happy reply from the Yarmouth, but weak with a lot of static.

I just chuckled, "It's all right, Jack. I'm really happy to hear you too and see you brought the Calvary. Where's Commander Gerard?"

"Right here, Carl. Got hit by that damn paralyser beam you warned us about. Seems our best suits weren't immune to it. We've got a splitting headache up here, but other than that, we're just fine." The Commander replied.

The next question I asked hopefully, but expected the worst. Last I saw her, she was not in good shape from taking a blow by Haarlon's fist. "Have you seen a Draconis girl? Her name is Muranna, Sir."

"One moment, I'll put you through to Ensign Hashi in medical." The Commander replied. So they did see her and a doctor treated her? Or did the doctor have to preform another duty. He could not bring himself to think of that possibility.

"Hashi here, Lieutenant. The young lady is doing just fine. She came through the surgery and is resting. She'll be coming out of sedation in an hour or so."

I just fell into the command chair and threw my head in my hands, thanking again every deity I could think of. Overwhelmed with relief and good news, I fought to hold in tears of joy. There's a cadet in here, dammit!

Jorgen just stood quietly until I gathered myself. "Let's go home, Cadet."

I began to reposition the ship for docking with the Yarmouth when Jorgen told me the bad news... home would have to wait for just a little longer.

"Lieutenant, Major Tohl of Capellan Security has someone who wants to talk to you. I'll patch him through" The Commander said as the next voice that came on brought a smile to my face.

"Fornax, Lieutenant! Alive you are! To hear news is good. Stories we share around a fire?" The voice was Jeekta's and he sounded very pleased his friend was alive.

"Jeekta! Good to hear you! Thanks for bringing the help. Did you have any problems?" I said happy to hear the scaly little Serpen.

"Problems, no. Other ship in orbit was around moon. Ignored us it did. To Capella we made it in five hours."

"How is Gorsha? Did she make the trip okay?" I crossed my fingers. Over the last two weeks, I had nightmares of seeing her scorched body as she squirmed in pain. I hoped to never see anything like that again!

"Gorsha in Capellan medical centre recovers. Life left her twice before doctors able to give medicines." Lady luck was with us today, I thought at Jeekta's reply.

"Hunters with us now are. Ship back to Jeekta give now?"

"One moment, my friend. We still have a prisoner aboard her." I replied as Commander Gerard now came back on the channel.

"Lieutenant, I just spoke with Major Tohl and he suggests you dock with him. His command ship is the one on your starboard bow. He suggests that since it's a Serpen ship, Jeekta is best to disable the booby traps aboard here so we can safely recover the prisoner."

That made sense. The Serpen ship was simple to manoeuvre into position and the Capellan Security ship made the docking contact. Jorgen and I went to greet them at the airlock.

Jeekta came running on board and gave a big smiling hiss and a hug. Then he turned to the cadet and cocked his head and blinked his yellow eyes rapidly, "New species is, yes?"

"Jorgen is an Equuleusian, Jeekta" I introduced them and Jorgen gave an amused smile at the tiny Serpen and shook his hand. "You won't see many of them this far from their home world. They don't usually do deep space travel well."

The hunters came on board and shook my hand with a big smile and the female also gave me a hug. They turned to Jorgen, who smiled and waved, but the hunters eyes went wide with surprise. "Hi! Cadet Jorgen, at your service!"

The Canisians looked at each other and shrugged, "I am called Bor and this is my mate, Mree." The male hunter introduced. Despite my time with them on the moon and the Mautt, it was the first I heard them speak or heard their names.

Jeekta had already gone to the bridge and was handling the controls. "This ship mine is not. Takes time it will for it to be fixed!" He said with frustration at the reconfiguration that had been done.

"This is the ship that baited my cruiser to her destruction and originally captured Bellery and I." I replied.

"Sorry to interrupt your reunion over there, Lieutenant, but we have some pressing business back where we left the gang!" The Commanders voice came over the comm.

Jeekta undocked the ships and headed over to the Yarmouth. After docking, I expected a party to come and take charge of the pirate captain, but that wasn't to be the case.

Commander Gerard and Bellery were at the airlock. "I'm going to trade Bellery for you and my cadet, Lieutenant. We're really short handed over here and there's someone that needs you in medical." The Commander said.

"Sir, may I suggest Jorgen remain with Bellery. If the Captain gets loose, he could use that equine strength of his." I replied.

"We'll happily stay on board, Commander." Bor suggested as Mree nodded in acknowledgement. "We aren't as strong as an Equuleusian, but we are hunters and have superior speed to either the cadet or humans."

"Sounds good to me!" The Commander nodded and I followed him after calling down to Jorgen, who made it sound like flying through a micro-meteor shower with those hooves running down the corridor.

Her tiny, soft hand. I sat beside the recovery bed and held Muranna's hand against my face. I realized fully just how precious that warm, soft, delicate pink hand was to me. Each finger was tipped with a perfectly manicured nails until recent events saw them chipped at their tips.

Her hand quivered, then squeezed on to mine as I heard a slight moan. The side of her face was still severely bruised, but her nose was straight again. The dark bruise really contrasted her light coat of fur and whiskers and her nose tip stuck out like a little pink light. "Carl?" She let out with a whisper and looked at me with one half closed eye, as the other was still swollen shut.

"I'm here, Hun!" I replied with a smile and still pressing her hand to my cheek. She gave the biggest smile I had ever seen her give. The lips of her little mouth looked like it took up half her face.

"I thought that maybe I'd never see you again." She said, her face filling with emotion as a tear ran down her cheek.

"What? You think I'm going to let a few pirates keep me away from you?" I scrunched up my nose and shook my head dismissively as if this was all just a day's work. That worked. She gave her squeaky little laugh that I always found so adorable.

I placed my hand gently on her belly, on top of the blanket covering her. She placed her other hand on top of mine. "Doc... nurse Hashi tells me you're pregnant? Is that why you weren't well on the Mautt?"

Muranna smiled, closed her eye and nodded. "I don't know how, or why, but it was meant to be." She whispered.

I kissed her hand and got up and leaned over her, stroking he hair and smiled, "Hashi says the father is likely human."

Muranna gave my lip a gentle kiss. Probably all the poor thing could manage at this time. "I can honestly not think of a better father of my children, Officer Fornax." With the smile still on her face, her head gently lay back onto the pillow as the medicated unconsciousness took her.

"She needs to rest now, Sir." Ensign Hashi said from behind me quietly. "And so do you, Sir."

I Kissed Muranna on her forehead and gently raised myself from leaning over her bed. Turning to the young Ensign, I shook my head, "I have to plan Rallah's rescue. No time to rest." And I began to leave the room.

"Sir, I insist!" Hashi said authoritatively.

I turned around with anger, "Ensign, do not forget your place!"

Hashi took a step closer with iron resolve in his face, "Sir, I know my place. I am the only medical officer on board and therefore by default, the Chief Medical Officer!"

This kid was not backing down and I knew exactly where he was going. I also knew he was right and Gerard would back him up 100%. "Fine, Ensign." I said nodding my head, "You win." To his credit, he did not smile or even get a hint of a gloat in his eyes. He was calm, even and professional as he bid me a good night, then turned and took some more readings on Muranna.

_ 13 - "Realizations" _

Rall, Rallah and Sheroo entered the galley where they were told Haarlon was. They saw the pool of blood, my knife and bowchook, a bloodied towel, but no Haarlon. "Find him!" Rall shouted as they split up and searched the ship.

Fifteen minutes had passed and neither Rall or Rallah found anyone. Then Sheroo's voice came on the intercom, "Rall, the bridge doors are locked."

"Sheroo, meet us over on the other ship!" Rall said and called for Rallah to do the same.

A few minutes later, Rall and Sheroo made it on to the Ursan cargo ship when the airlock doors slammed shut and would not open again. They saw why... the Mautt was drifting away. They ran to the bridge as fast as they could.

"Lieutenant Commander Ferella!" Rall shouted as he skidded into the Ursan bridge. "Is Rallah here with you?"

She looked puzzled, "No and why are you back here? Has Haarlon died?"

Shaking his head, "No! He was gone from where the Commander said he would be. We searched the ship and found the bridge doors locked. I told everyone to meet back here. They're pulling away!"

Zhar and Fost ran to a console. "They're drifting away all right, on thrusters. Their engines are still cold." Zhar said as Fost nodded in acknowledgement.

"He still has one of our workers!" Kayto said. "We should follow that... that double-crosser!"

Fost hit the communications console angrily, "Haarlon! Where the hell are you going?" There was no response.

"Can you re-dock with them before they get to far away?" Ferella asked motioning for Land to stand guard as she went over to the console with Zhar and Fost.

"We are a cargo vessel young lady, not a police cruiser. We have no way to forcefully latch on to them." Fost replied. "You should tell your boss about this." and motioned for Kayto to open her a communications channel.

Ferella contacted the Yarmouth, but only got told that help would be there ASAP by the Commander as they were in the middle of recovering Lieutenant Fornax. "It looks like we're on our own with this one." She said.

"Let's show that double crosser what for!" Zhar said and hit some controls on a different console.

"What are you doing?" Ferella demanded and approached Zhar, raising her weapon.

Zhar looked at it, then her. "Don't get your little ears in a knot, sweetie. I'm only gonna put a couple holes in his traitorous ship."

"And damage our worker? I think not, you bloody brute!" Kayto said with a shocked look at Zhar for even suggesting such a course of action.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Kayto, old boy. It could have consequences which will come out of your pay scale." Fost said to Zhar, who looked at him shocked and his mouth dropped.

"No one's shooting anything! This ship is impounded and you are prisoners for now. What is it about that you do not understand?" Ferella shouted, getting frustrated with this group who acted like her, Land and B'kor weren't even there.

Fost stood before Ferella and glared at her dangerously. This was most unnerving, as before she could charm him into submission. That effect seems to have worn off and here was a being easily three times her weight, glaring down at her. "I am no longer amused by your actions, Lieutenant Commander. This is, has been and always be my ship to command."

Ferella had enough of him as well. She took a step closer and adjusting her rifle, made it clear that it was no longer set on stun. She raised it at Fost. Kayto gasped and Zhar uttered quietly, "Now ya did it." Ferella not losing eye contact with Fost swung her rifle towards the weapons console Zhar was standing at. Rall and Sheroo sprung onto the deck just outside the bridge entrance and Zhar shouted a curse and hit the deck as Ferella fired and turned the weapons console into a flaming ball of plasma.

Hot bits of metal flew all over the place, burning Zhar, Kayto and Fost, but not penetrating the Yarmouth's boarding crew's armour. Kayto was screaming in panic and patting his clothes and skin. Zhar also rolled and patted his smouldering clothes, but wasn't in a panic and swore a blue streak. Fost just continued his glare at Ferella and never even blinked, seemingly oblivious to the pieces of molten metal and compounds he was splattered with.

"I said, I give the orders here." Ferella growled at Fost who continued his icy stare.

After a moment, Fost said quietly and calmly, "For now, you do." and slowly sat down in his chair.

Ferella just stared as he slowly turned his captain's chair to the forward position. She had never in her life encountered such bipolar beings as these Ursans and was thinking that when this was over, she would like to not ever encounter them again. The returned her rifle setting before she was tempted.

"We have to get them off the bridge." Rall said, returning to the bridge and dusting himself off. B'kor and Land nodded in agreement.

"Does this ship have a brig?" Ferella asked out loud.

"No, it doesn't." Kayto said, looking like he was trying to be helpful. "But the rooms we use for our workers only unlock from the corridor."

Zhar let out a moan and slapped his forehead with his hand and covered his face, shaking his head. Fost swiveled his chair toward Kayto and gave him the same dangerous glare he had given Ferella. Kayto finally realized what he had done and looked completely embarrassed.

Ferella nodded to B'kor who motioned with her pistol for Kayto to lead the way. Land motioned with his rifle to Zhar and Ferella stepped between the view screen and Fost and motioned for him to follow the others out. Fost did not move.

"Look Captain Fost. We don't have time for this nonsense. We have to recover the Canisian and Haarlon when the other ships get back here. You will likely only be questioned by our commander and turned loose. Ferella said authoritatively.

Rall and Sheroo came and stood on either side of Fost's chair and looked at him seriously with their arms crossed.

Fost looked at Ferella, "Have you ever lost a command, even temporarily?"

After a pause, Ferella shook her head, "No, I haven't."

"Neither have I, Lieutenant Commander." Fost said and punched some controls on the console on the arm of his chair. "And I don't intend to now."

Sheroo and Rall looked at Ferella, then to Fost. "What did you just do?" Rall asked anxiously as Fost just grinned wickedly at Ferella.

Ferella had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knows what she would do in his position and he might have just done it. "Get.. out.. of that chair." She ordered. Fost just glared.

"B'kor, what's your status?" Ferella said into her helmet communicator.

"We just locked up Zhar and Kayto and are returning to assist you." She replied.

"Double time, Lieutenant! We have a problem."

Thirty seconds later B'kor and Land ran into the bridge. "What's up, Ma'am?" They asked simultaneously.

"I need you to disengage this ship's self-destruct." She said in an anxious tone.

Everyone was silent.

"NOW!" Ferella shouted as the two Lieutenants each ran to a console and tried to make sense of the controls.

"I'm sorry, Commander.." B'kor said, "I can't make sense of this."

"Nor can I." Land said with heightened anxiety.

Rall lunged at Fost's throat, grabbing it with his paw. "How do we shut this off?" He demanded. Fost said nothing.

"Land, can you get me an intercom to the rooms you put the other two in?" Ferella asked as Lieutenant Land immediately went to the communications console.

"I think so Ma'am." He hit a few controls, "Communications I can figure out. Try it now."

"Zhar, Kayto, this is Ferella. Can either of you hear me?"

The voices of both came through the speakers that they could.

"I have a question for you... how does one disengage the self destruct on this ship?" Ferella asked matter-of-factly.

There was a moment of silence followed by threats and curses from Zhar aimed at Fost and utter panic coming from Kayto.

Ferella came to the conclusion that neither of them knew how and nodded at Land to close the intercom. The bridge was silent.

Ferella stepped towards Fost and removed her helmet. "Fine, you win. Now shut off the damn self-destruct!"

Fost leaned forward towards her with a malicious look in his eye, "I said, you have ceased to amuse me. Therefore, I will be amused one last time, as captain of this ship, by seeing the expression on your face as we all die."

Ferella was staring eye to eye with the malevolent face when all of a sudden Fost's eyes went wide as his mouth opened with a gurgling noise.

"You will not see that!" Sheroo said as he had stepped over and slit Fost's throat clean open and blood poured like a waterfall out of the wound and onto the deck. With one last gasp, Fost slumped back into his chair, his head flopping to one side, gaze locked in absolute surprise.

Sheroo wiped his dagger with care on Fost's vest as Rall inspected Fost. Then looking at Sheroo, nodded his head at him in a 'well done'.

"Lieutenant Land, Please contact Commander Gerard and inform him of our situation." Ferella said in a low voice.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Land acknowledged. "How much time should I tell him we have?"

Ferella went over to the arm console. She saw it was a countdown of some type, but couldn't read it otherwise. "Haven't got a clue." She said evenly and went to leave the bridge, tapping B'kor on the shoulder and motioning for her to follow.

Ferella opened the door where Zhar was imprisoned as B'kor stood in the corridor with her pistol drawn. He was sitting on a bunk far too small for his bulk, but it made for him a chair. "Did ya get it figured out, Commander?" He asked.

"No, that's why I'm here. How does the unit operate."

Zhar rubbed his multiple chins, "It destabilizes somethin'. I'm the ops guy, not an engineer."

"Is Kayto the engineer?" Ferella asked.

Zhar let out loud, belly splitting laughter. "He couldn't engineer anything but a sandwich! He's the accountant and navigator. He knows his numbers!"

"What does the self-destruct destabilize, the engines?" Ferella said feeling a little more anxious every second, but was determined not to show it.

"No, no, nahhh. Engines are ultimately safe. Destabilize them, they go inert." Zhar replied.

Ferella rubbed her forehead. B'kor asked a question from the corridor, "Zhar, what on this ship will go 'kaboom' if things aren't just right with it?"

Zhar again rubbed his chins, "Main power comes from the engines. If they die, auxiliary power cuts in and their fusion reactors."

Fusion reactors, unlike fission, were safe as well... break the bottle the reaction was in and the fusion just stopped. "What if the auxiliary power goes out?" She asked.

"Ain't never happened!" Zhar replied.

"What if?" Ferella said getting frustrated again.

"Well, the emergency fission reactor would start up, I suppose. There's only hydrogen we carry for fuel and coolant and everything...."

Ferella cut off Zhar, "Where is this reactor?"

Zhar blinked, "In the back of the ship where the shielding is heaviest. It gives off huge amounts of radiation when operating."

"Well, I have a feeling it's operating now, Zhar." Ferella said with a smile like she found the answer she was looking for. "And when the destruct timer hits zero, the cooling gas will be cut off somehow."

Ferella and B'kor left Zhar's 'cell' and headed for the back of the cargo ship. Luckily it wasn't that large of a ship and getting around it was fairly easy.

Using the inspection scanners that were typical of a boarding party's equipment to look for contraband, they just set the device to detect gamma radiation and found the highest concentration near a bulkhead that showed ten centimetres thickness of dense composite materials.

"I can't see a way in through this, or an access panel." Ferella said. B'kor's x-ray scope was useless to see through the bulkhead and instead, calibrated her scanner for electronic control circuitry they used to detect explosive detonators.

"I see something, Commander." B'kor said very down hearted. "The problem is it's accessible only from the outside of the ship."

"This is crazy!" Ferella shouted and slammed the bottom of her fist on the bulkhead.

"Why don't we see if there's anything else Zhar can tell us?" B'kor suggested calmly. This little Pegasiian had a hell of a lot more inner strength than Ferella gave her credit for. That was until now.

Returning back towards where Zhar had been imprisoned, they met Rall and Sheroo. "Lieutenant Fornax has been successfully recovered, Commander!" Rall said pleased with the news.

"One good piece of news, let's hope we all live to celebrate!" Ferella replied.

She entered the room with Zhar and told him of her failure in being able to stop the reactor. "Does this bucket have any escape pods?"

Zhar shook his head, "Nope! Never thought we'd need 'em." Then looking like he'd been hit with a revelation, "The cargo pod!"

"What about the cargo pad, Zhar?" Ferella asked, almost excitedly.

"It can detach from the ship and it has an airtight hatch. It could make us a life raft."

"Can it go into hyperspace?" B'kor asked.

Zhar shook his head, "No, it ain't got any engines. And ummm, it can't even be detached from inside the pod... it has to be released from the bridge."

Ferella thought for a moment. "B'kor, get Land and Kayto and head for the cargo pod. Rall, Sheroo, please do the same. Zhar, come with me to the bridge and show me how to release the cargo pod. I want you to then get to it yourself."

The room was silent for a moment, then everyone began to talk and shout at once. "SILENCE!" Ferella shouted. "I was left in command here and this is my responsibility."

The room went silent again.

"I bet we ain't got much time. I better show ya the controls." Zhar said in a solemn voice.

"Yes, Ma'am." B'kor said an an equal tone and left to the bridge to get Land.

Rall and Sheroo just stared at her with a dignity and respect neither had felt for a non-Canisian before, other than Lieutenant Fornax.

Ferella placed her hand on Rall's shoulder, "I can't order you, but as the leader of your hunting party, I hope I can count on you to help the other two look after Zhar and Kayto."

With a nod, Rall looked at Sheroo and they began to walk down the corridor to the cargo hold hatch and wait for the others.

Sheroo turned around, "Lieutenant Commander?" He shouted after Ferella. Ferella turned around. "It's been an honour to fight at your side."

Ferella smiled, "It has indeed been an honour to fight at yours, Sheroo." Both gave a nod and continued on their respective ways.

B'kor and Land passed Zhar and Ferella in the corridor. They stopped and gave Ferella a salute. "On your way then." Ferella said with a nod and continued toward the bridge.

Zhar and Ferella entered the bridge and Zhar caught sight of Fost's lifeless body in his command chair. "Jeez!" Zhar shouted, startled by the bloody sight. "Did you guys really have to?"

Ferella looked at him with sympathy, "It wasn't under my order."

Zhar nodded, "Died in a worker revolt, huh? I knew it was going to happen. Only a matter of time."

Zhar went over to the ops station and motioned for Ferella to come over beside him. He showed her the controls and the procedure was basic - release the safety, release the clamps and reverse the magnetic lock polarity to repulse the cargo hold away from the ship. "I'll give us a thrust too, to make sure you guys are all clear when this thing blows."

"What do you mean you will? I'm the one..." Ferella began to protest as Zhar caught her off guard with a firm grab on her ass and with a powerful grip, planted a kiss on the wide eyed Centaurian. "You was a lot of fun on that station. Made me feel all special." He said to her with a beaming smile.

"Zhar, don't... you can get out of here." Ferella said in a pleading voice. Not pleading for herself, but knew what Zhar was going to do.

At the station, Zhar had made her feel special too. On Centaurus, she was 'one of the boys' with her military career. In the Reserve, the Terran and Pegasiian males were frightened or repulsed by her and the ones that weren't, she had no use for. When Zhar treated her to those drinks and so effortlessly tossed her up in his arms on the station, for the first time in her life, she felt like a lady.

"Now, are you going to go with your friends?" Zhar asked her with a tender voice.

"I... I can't." She said shaking her head. A tear rolled down her face, "Please, go. Let me do my job. My last job with honour."

Zhar put her down on the deck and shook his head looking very sad, "I will sweetie, but your last job ain't gonna be here." With a carefully calculated 'minimal for the job' backhand, Zhar struck Ferella across the side of her face.

She looked shocked, even hurt as her legs buckled from under her and gasped wordlessly something to Zhar as her eyes rolled backwards and she fell sideways gently, unconscious.

The cargo bay door opened and Zhar came running in with Ferella in his arms. With gasps and angry shouts around him demanding an explanation, he gently placed her on the deck and removing his vest, rolled it up and placed it under her head. "No goodbyes." Zhar simply said and went out the cargo bay hatch and closed it.

Kayto ran to the hatch, "It's locked!" He said as he pressed the controls maniacally. Kayto pounded on the hatch and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Zhar! What the hell are you doing?"

Moments later there came popping sounds from around the outside of the cargo bay. The lights switched to dim emergency lighting and Kayto let out an anxious gasp. With a loud 'ping', the bay lurched and everyone had the uneasy feeling of movement.

Rallah's hands bled from where her claws had been torn out of them in an effort to open the door to the bridge of the Mautt. "Haarlon! This ship is dead. You can't run anywhere." she shouted through the locked door. There was only silence.

Rallah decided to try a different strategy. "Even if you could go somewhere, anywhere, where would it be?" Again, only silence.

She paced for a while and finally said, "Whatever you're doing, it won't bring back Gorsha."

That was the nerve to push.

The door slid open and Haarlon, face still bloodied and forehead gashed from the fight with me, grabbed Rallah by the throat and lifted her up against the wall, "You will NOT speak her name." He growled with a face so full of hate and a strength that Rallah thought him to be possessed by a Wolf Warrior.

Rallah gasped and tried to pull Haarlon's hand off her throat, but her hands were too strained from trying to force the door earlier. Having her back against the wall, she brought up her feet and placed them On Haarlon's chest and with her powerful Canisian legs, sent him flying.

She fell to the floor and gasped. Haarlon was insane with regret, grief or whatever, but it was stimulating his body to give him equal strength to her own. She better keep that in mind she thought.

Haarlon got up and hit a console and sealed the bridge door. She remembered how Muranna was unable to override Haarlon's lockout on long range communications. She would have no hope of getting out of here without Haarlon's wishes.

Rallah also got up and looked at Haarlon. She shrugged and asked, "Like I asked, even if you could go somewhere, anywhere, where would it be?"

Haarlon gave a sideways glare before turning and pacing the bridge. "Does it matter?"

"I think it does." Rallah asked in a calm voice.

"Talitha" Haarlon simply said as he stared out the front viewer, his back to her.

"What's at Talitha?" Rallah asked again in a quiet voice, curiously.

Haarlon just stared out at the stars on the view screen. After a while he gave a sigh, "It's where I met Gorsha."

Rallah slowly moved over to the helm console and leaned over it slightly so she could see the side of Haarlon's face. Instead of the face that was twisted with hatred, this time was one filled with sad memories, nostalgia and regrets. And one also being covered in tears.

"It was not soon after I aligned with Kohan and his people. I was taken there to see how well the operations worked since the Ursan had cut a deal with Canisius to 'deal' with their traitors and prisoners and place them into forced labour." Haarlon wiped his face before continuing. "It was a perfectly legal political alliance between two sovereign worlds and I went under the guise of being an observer for the Capellan delegation." There was a long pause as Haarlon's mouth moved but no words were uttered.

"What did you see while you were there?" Rallah asked.

"I saw.... I saw so much suffering." His face again changed to one of extreme sympathy and he shook his head, "They worked them until they died right before my eyes. They said that they did this because there were far too few of them to keep the operations going efficiently."

"What did you do?" Rallah asked, forgetting her own anger with this slave trader. She began to see him as nothing more than a sad, old man whose mind is full of 'what-ifs'.

"I... I protested. I said this was outrageous and Capella will never stand for this and that the Terran's had the right idea to cut off their food and... and... and by gods, execute their prisoners but not this!" Haarlon replied in an angry shout at the memory and made a fist that quivered with his anger.

He calmed down and breathed a sob as he closed his eyes. "Then I saw her." Sobbing for several minutes, he recomposed himself enough to continue, "She was just a girl. They didn't even dignify her with clothing as she slaved with the other workers."

"That's horrible!" Rallah shouted, remembering the similarity in tales the elders told of how prisoners were treated before the war.

Haarlon nodded his head, "I asked what her crime was.... they told me she was born to a female traitor. That's it, she did nothing but be born there!" He looked at Rallah with eyes wide with memories of sights that no living being should have seen, let alone endure.

He turned back to the view screen and shook his head, "That's not right I told them. Then one of the Ursan guards levelled a weapon at her and said to me, 'let's not have you look at her any more'. I grabbed his weapon to keep him from hurting the poor child and it went off, vaporizing a half dozen other poor souls. The guard was furious! He went on at how much money those costed and how much less work will be done now. Kohan just laughed hysterically. It was Kohan that suggested in the interest of interstellar relations, that perhaps making her a gift to the Capellans, would appease me and make my report more favourable."

"You took her and remained silent." Rallah said, disgusted with Haarlon again and herself for even a moment thinking this being had maybe a decent streak in him.

"I took her and brought her to the first moon we used for Canisian refugees. They raised and educated her. She showed a talent for medicine and wanted to help others. I had no contact with Kohan or the Ursans for a long, long time." Haarlon began to pace the bridge. "Then I received a message saying that the 'extra supplies' would stop to the refugees unless I kept my part of the bargain." Haarlon looked at Rallah and held up his arms, "What was I supposed to do? I save a few hundred adult Canisian refugees per year in order to let hundreds of thousands or even millions starve when the moon's ecology collapses?"

"You could have gone to Fornax' people, or someone for help, advice, something?" Rallah looked at him and fought between understanding and wanting to strangle him.

"Capellan politics doesn't work like that!" He shouted in frustration. "Capellan.. politics... just..."

He trailed off and sat in a chair and bent over, holding his head.

"But I would not let them have her. I went to the moon and told them a story of continuing her teaching. She agreed, as did the camp leader. She had been on board with me ever since." Haarlon let out a laugh, "She even married me in Capellan tradition. She loved and appreciated me as one who put the needs of the many before the welfare of a few!"

_ 14 - "A Time for Everything" _

The ship rocked with a soft, but distinct sway, not unlike a mild earthquake. Rallah lost her footing and fell to the deck. Haarlon was just able to keep himself in his chair. Confused, he went to a console and saw they had been impacted by the shock wave from nearby.

"Whatever that was, it spit out a lot of radiation and..... the Ursan ship is missing?" Shaking his head, he knew if the cargo ship had blown up that close to them, they wouldn't be there talking about it.

Haarlon looked over to Rallah and she layed on the floor, unmoving. He went over to her and saw a cut on the side of her head and blood on the edge of the chair that was nearest her. He lifted her head from behind her neck and her mouth opened and tongue flopped out the side, limp. He checked her eyes and her pupils responded, but slowly. "Concussion!" He said aloud.

He at first considered leaving her there, but seeing the Canisian huntress lie on the deck, it brought back memories of Gorsha and the last words he heard her speak... "Enough suffering!". Haarlon pulled Rallah's tongue as far as he could off to one side so she didn't choke and gently rolled her on her side. He left the bridge.

Rallah stirred as she heard something whizzing about her head. Her huntress instincts kicked in and she sprang to her feet, only to fall again from dizziness, blurred vision and a wave of nausea. "Stay.. away from me you murderer!" She said while down on all fours and unable to contain herself, vomited on the deck and fell over on her side, breathing in shallow breaths.

"Rallah, you have a severe concussion. I have to reduce the internal cranial pressure." Haarlon said as he went over to her and continued his treatment.

Rallah looked at him, eyes glazed, "W... why are you doing this?"

"Because..." Haarlon said in a low voice, "...I see that I became the exact thing I hated the Ursan people for."

Several minutes later, Haarlon shook his head and said with regret, "There's nothing more I can do. You have internal injuries beyond my skill or this device. Rallah lay silent.

Haarlon closed his eyes and with a deep breath, opened them and made a decision. It was a decision he would have likely made wheather or not he got the Mautt moving, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

Moving over to the communications console, he discovered the long range communications were hopeless. He found the short range and ship to ship communications worked fine, but that would not reach Capella. Neither a communications technician nor an engineer, he tried something he only read about on the data net, which was modulating the active tactical sensors with the short range communication unit. It was worth a shot, but if it failed, he'd be out of any communications, short range or otherwise.

"Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is Minister Haarlon aboard the freighter Mautt declaring a medical emergency. Can anyone respond?"

There was silence, other than the background static that was heard on any interstellar communications channel that could not be filtered out. Haarlon was about to try again when he heard coming through the speakers, "Mautt, this Major is Major Lang Tohl of Capellan Stellar Security. What is the nature of your emergency?"

Haarlon gave a sigh of relief. Major Tohl, I have a Canisian female here with concussion and internal haemorrhaging. Need medical assistance immediately!"

"Mautt, we are two hours from you. There is a Stellar Alliance Reserve ship within fifteen minutes of you. They have a nurse familiar with Canisian physiology. Prepare to receive them." Major Tohl responded.

There was no communications with the SAR Yarmouth as she came up to the Mautt's port side hatch and docked. Haarlon reset the station keeping routines to send commands to the thrusters, since when the engines could not be restarted.

Haarlon stayed on the bridge. Likely Fornax, Bellery or that little Serpen guy was with them and they knew the ship by now as well as he did. It wasn't long though before Commander Gerard, Ensign Hashi, Cadet Jorgen and I all piled onto the bridge. Other than Ensign Hashi though, all had weapons drawn. Hashi immediately went over with his kit to Rallah, followed soon after by myself.

"Where in God's name is the cargo ship?" Gerard growled commandingly at Haarlon. "I had good people aboard her and so help me if you blew them out of the sky..." Gerard placed his pistol to Haarlon's neck.

"Commander, Lieutenant Salam here Sir..." The voice came through Gerard's personal communicator, "I think we have something. A pod of some sort several hundred kilometres away has life signs in it. Maybe an escape pod from the Ursan vessel?"

"Good work, Mohammed!" The Commander replied. "Any sign of Jeekta's yacht either?"

"No, Sir. But with all the radioactive interference around here and the tactical array smashed, we just may not be able to to see it."

Commander Gerard just gave a grunt for a reply and demanded of Haarlon, "Well?"

"I did not fire on it, Commander." Haarlon simply replied. "I honestly don't know what happened over there."

"How about what happened here, then?" Gerard growled, but becoming calmer, holstered his pistol.

Haarlon looked up from his seat with the expression of a defeated man, "My stupidity Commander, my stupidity."

"Rall?" Came a faint voice over where Hashi and I were. The Commander motioned for Jorgen to keep an eye on Haarlon, who just stared in amazement at the Cadet. An Equuleusian this far out and in the service? There were obviously some goings on around the Pegasi systems that Orlok neglected to mention.

"How is she doing, Hashi?" The Commander said with great concern.

"I stopped the bleeding, Sir. But she has a fractured skull. I'd like to get her on the Yarmouth as soon as possible." Hashi responded.

Stepping back out into the lift off the bridge, I grabbed the hover stretcher and brought it over as the Commander and Hashi carefully lifted Rallah into it. Hashi and I brought her back to the Yarmouth as the Commander and Jorgen stayed Haarlon.

"After we've given them time to get on board the Yarmouth, let's take thins piece of work back ourselves and toss him in the brig. I think Major Tohl wants a little chat with him" The Commander said to Jorgen, who just nodded.

Within ten minutes, Haarlon was secured in the Yarmouth's brig. He didn't put up any resistance and never spoke. "From the story Lieutenant Fornax told us Sir, I thought he'd be a slight bit more dangerous?" Jorgen asked.

Commander Gerard shook his head, "He's done fighting, Cadet. There's a look people have when they themselves have had enough." The Commander then called on the intercom, "Salam, get this crate moving and pick up those people in the pod!"

The next concern for the crew of the Yarmouth was that when they arrived at the 'pod's' location, they found it wasn't a pod, but a cargo hold that had been jettisoned. It had an airtight hatch, but it was not a docking hatch. There was no way to create an airtight seal from the Yarmouth's docking port to the cargo bay hatch.

"Sir, with the tactical sensor shot, other than life signs I can't tell who or what they are. Could be some smugglers cat that got caught in the bay as they cut it loose around the Capellan patrols for all I can tell." Jorgen said as he read out the computer analyses.

Commander Gerard raised an eyebrow and gave the Cadet a smile, "That's why a good crewman learns to use facts at hand and instinct as well as his instruments, Cadet. Put it on viewer..."

The cargo hold tumbled slowly in space. Commander Gerard studied it as the Yarmouth maintained a mere 100M distance from it. "Lieutenant Salam, what do you think?"

Salam rubbed his slightly bearded chin and walked up to the view screen and pointed out, "See the bottom side, Commander? It is almost perfectly flat. If we latch on to that side, I can cut through our hull, seal it, then cut into the cargo hold and we can rescue everyone."

The Commander's eyebrows went up, "You want to cut a hole through the ship?"

Salam smiled and nodded, "Yes, Sir! We can cut through one of the three brig compartments on the lowest deck. They have airtight doors and I can wear my radiation suit, since it can hold in a vacuum as I cut through the hull. I'll seal it off around the perimeter with the same sealer we use for cracks in the outer hull. We re-pressurize the cell and I cut through the cargo hold."

"Do it!" The Commander ordered without hesitation after hearing the plan. "Cadet, get that renegade cargo bay in a missionary position with our ship!"

The cutting took time. Even with the special cutting torches found aboard a SAR ship to cut open the most heavily shielded smugglers compartments, it took Lieutenant Salam forty five minutes to cut through the triple hull of the Yarmouth. The outer hull also had some of the best heat insulation of that era and drew precious cutting power away from the cutting laser, dispersing its power into making pools of liquid metal, rather than making holes. As he cut through the third hull layer, the air slowly leaked out of the cell. The sealer went on rapidly as it was designed to do and the cell was re-pressurized.

Lieutenant Salam pulled his radiation helmet off and gasped, "One mouse hole made, Sir!"

"Do you need help down there, Mohammed?" The Commander asked with concern. Salam had exerted himself in the suit for forty five minutes and it was rated for only fifty minutes reserve of air with no exertion ('rest and rescue' style).

"I'll be fine, Sir. As soon as the spots clear from before my eyes." Salam chuckled. Commander Gerard debated on weather to call Ensign Hashi, but he knew he would be tending Rallah and didn't wish to disturb him.

"I'm through, Sir!" Salam reported back in less than five minutes.

"What? Was that cargo hold made of tinfoil?" Gerard asked shocked.

"No, Sir. Single hull and not insulated."

Everyone on the bridge just stared at each other. "Carl, Jorgen, get down there and...." he lowered his voice almost solemn, "..be prepared for a recovery and not a rescue." The Commander said and motioned with his hand. He slipped from his command chair to the helm as they left.

Inside the cargo container, it was very dimly lit and quiet. Salam looked around with a hand light and saw no one.. just containers that had been thrown around, likely from the rotation of it when they found it.

Jorgen and I arrived to help. They got a fibre ladder from one of the adjacent storage lockers, along with lighting. They lowered themselves in. The air was stale, but breathable. It was also hideously cold. "Maybe we should'da suited up?" Jorgen said as he shivered, being extra sensitive to the cold.

_ *BANG* _

The three men spun around startled and reached for non-existent pistols on their belts. One of the cargo containers had fallen and the lid broke like glass. Slowly they approached.

Inside they saw a bundle of extravagant clothes. They began moving and a coughing, shivering voice came from them... "Am... I... I... dead?"

Jorgen recognized the voice and reached in and yanked the clothing off of a boar-like face that belonged to the Ursan people. "Kayto?" He asked.

"Th... they a...are a...all DEAD!" He shivered frostbitten, then screamed the last word wide eyed like he saw one too many horror flicks.

"Who is? Our people?" I demanded.

Two other cargo containers began to open and with various linens and fine materials falling off of them, the SAR officers and Canisians Rall and Sheroo stumbled out.

Rall and Sheroo didn't look any worse for wear and went over to help the SAR officers out of the containers. Lieutenant Land was unconscious and B'kor was barely awake. Lieutenant Commander Ferella was able to stand, but needed assistance to walk.

"Commander, Fornax here. Our people are alive, as are Rall and Sheroo and we have one of the Ursans here too. We're going to need a rescue harness to lift them out." I said into my communicator.

"Great news, Carl!" The Commander said pleased. "Fumito will meet you down there"

Rall and Sheroo climbed the ladder and helped Ensign Hashi setup the the tripod and sling for 'pit recovery'. While they were doing that, I went to talk to Ferella, "What happened over there?"

She shivered and took in deep breaths of the warm, fresh air drafting its way down from the open hole between the two ships. "Fost set a self destruct. This was the only container that could be jettisoned from the rest of the ship."

"We're ready, Lieutenant!" Hashi called from above and lowered the harness. Cadet Jorgen and I loaded Lieutenant Land into the harness and had him lifted first, followed by B'kor and Ferella.

"Can you climb?" I asked Kayto.

He showed me his proportionally smaller arms compared to his body, "Does it look like I can, Terran?"

"I don't think the tripod up here can hold him. Lieutenant." Hashi called down through the hole, "He looks a good 400 or more kilos. Plus I don't think the entrance Muhammad cut isn't big enough"

I looked at Kayto, then at Hashi looking down at us from above and say to Kayto, "Fine, you stay." I began walking toward the ladder.

"WAIIIIIT! You can't leave me here!" Kayto said, attempting to run behind me and falling instead from his cold, uncooperative muscles.

I look behind and down at the pathetic creature looking up pleadingly, "These are the fearsome slave masters?" I shake my head.

"Hashi..." I call up, "...get the sling and tripod out of the way, I have an idea."

Hashi removed the recovery sling and tripod and Jorgen and I climbed out. I looked back down into the cargo container and call to Kayto, "Get on the ladder like you're going to climb. Place one foot... err... hoof each a different rung. Hold each side of the ladder as far up as you can and on either side and for Pete's sake, don't let go whatever you do!"

Kayto nodded and reluctantly got on the flimsy looking contraption that creaked when he did. I turned to Rall, Sheroo and Cadet Jorgen, "OK guys, you three are the strongest ones here. Think you can pull the bacon out of the pit?"

"We'll do our best, Lieutenant." Rall said as Sheroo nodded. Jorgen, familiar with Terran slang gave a chuckle and acknowledged.

Jorgen layed down on the deck and reaching into the hole, grabbed the ladder each on a side as Rall and Sheroo stood on either side of him, kneeling and ready to grab one per side on the ladder that Jorgen brought up. Jorgen took two deep breaths an with a grunt like a weightlifter far exceeding his capability, hauled the ladder up just enough that Rall and Sheroo could each grab a side. Jorgen quickly got to his hooves and repeated the haul as Rall and Sheroo acted as a 'latch', holding the ladder in place as the powerful Equuleusian cadet lifted repeatedly.

Muscles quivered of them and each time Jorgen released his grip, there was a gritting sound of clenching Canisian teeth as they squinted their eyes shut and tails stood straight out like a pointer. They all were breathing hard, eyes watered and Jorgen was sweating profusely, soaking his uniform.

Kayto's hands appeared through the hole, then his arms followed by his head with eyes shut tight. "Grab his arms!" I shouted as Jorgen held the ladder and Rall and Sheroo grabbed Kayto's arms. Jorgen grabbed underneath the Ursan's armpits and the three pulled with all their might.

"He's stuck!" Jorgen shouted as Kayto whimpered in pain.

"He's slipping, Lieutenant!" Sheroo shouted as they could feel the huge creature beginning to fall back down.

I grabbed Kayto from behind him and on top of Jorgen's hands. "Out of the way, Lieutenant!" Ferella shouted as she took my place. "Work his blubber out of the hole!" She ordered.

Dropping to my knees, I worked Kayto's belly fat like trying to knead a gel pack through a hole too small. With Jorgen and the Canisians now grunting like competitors at an 'Iron Man' match, Ferella shouted orders and threats as to what she'd do to the first one that let go. We managed to pull the huge creature out an into the Yarmouth.

Kayto lay on his stomach, panting with his mouth open and an expression that held terror and shock at the experience. Hashi examined Jorgen and the Canisian pair who lay exhausted on their backs and gave them an injection to lower their heart rate and oxygenate their blood. "You three were a minute away from a heart attack!" He reprimanded them and examined Kayto.

"How are the others?" I asked as he examined the readings from Kayto.

"Same as this big fella Sir, mild hypothermia, mild radiation poisoning and elevated carbon dioxide in their blood. Nothing we can't handle here." He looked up at me and shook his head, "Had we been just thirty minutes later..." I nodded and agreed we all were lucky that day.

"Ensign Hashi?" Rall said still laying on his back, panting. "Is Rallah on board your ship?"

Hashi looked over at Rall, "Yes, she is. Muranna is with her now."

Rall rolled on his side and with shaky legs, got to his feet. "I must see her."

"Rall..." Hashi called as the tall Canisian staggered toward the exit, "...remember that she is recovering from a nasty fall."

Rall nodded, but was confused by the Ensigns words. Rallah had fallen many times. Perhaps she had broken some bones? "No matter, she will heal." Rall thought to himself and made his way out as Ferella took his arm and guided him to where medical was.

"How are you two feeling?" I asked B'kor and land as they huddled together still shivering, but now fully awake.

"I will never complain that it's too cold when my father takes me on one of his ice fishing trips to Canada." Land said with a chuckle.

B'kor just looked up with an innocent face, "I need a damn drink, Sir!" We all laughed at that and agreed wholeheartedly.

"I'm going to be sore in the morning!" Jorgen said still laying on his back as Sheroo moaned and said, "What do you mean 'in the morning'?"

"Strained and pulled muscles on them both. Likely Rall too. I'd like the Cadet to have limited duty for the next few days." Hashi said.

Jorgen felt a hand rubbing his chest through his sweat soaked uniform. Thinking it was Hashi doing another exam, he didn't pay much mind to it until he saw Hashi walk back towards B'kor, Land and I, off at the side. He turned his head sideways to see Kayto looking 'overly fond' at him and saying, "You ARE a strong one, aren't you?"

"SIR?" Jorgen shouted and looked at me with a somewhat fearful look on his face, "Our, ummm, guest isn't going to share crew quarters, is he?"

I saw our overly emotional Ursan passenger seemed to be enamoured with his rescuer and looked at the Jorgen and said, "No Cadet, he's likely to spend time in one of our brigs." Then with a mischievous smile added, "But you're welcome to spend time alone with him if you want." Jorgen looked as if he had been told the worst piece of news anyone could have said. His eyes were wide and mouth wide open in a cartoon-like frown I had to burst out and laugh.

"If you weren't my boss.... Sir." Jorgen said now smiling, shaking his head and waving a finger at me. He then politely removed Kayto's stroking hand from his chest and with great effort, got to his hooves and made his way out the door.

Jeekta had just finished removing the second to last of the neutron ray units from the yacht. The last one would have been in the makeshift brig with the pirate captain. As for the paralyser, apparently it was a simple software reconfiguration that made the power conduits radiate a stun beam not unlike the Capellan stun pistol he found in the Mautt's sick bay earlier.

This was not his vessel, but one stolen before we met. That meant Kohan still had his and was on the loose with it. "Turn yacht into warship easily, I did not know could be done." Jeekta said disgruntled with the pirate adaptions. "Ship safe to fly now." He said clicking his claws impatiently as the Serpen interfaces reconfigured themselves back into the Serpen language from the Terran style layout in english.

"We're a good hour and a half behind the Capellan Security fleet now. Hopefully we won't have any trouble from our prisoner." Bellery said as Jeekta hissed and smiled as if amused.

"And faster to Mautt return we will than they!" With a few hits on the controls from his clawed fingers, the ship swung around and entered the familiar 'tunnel'.

"Can we raise the Commander, Jeekta?" Bellery asked. Looking at the screen from behind the sitting Serpen and placing a hand on the back of his chair.

"Transmit can we, receive they not?" Jeekta sounded surprised and looked at me confused, "Echo response no?"

Bellery went back to check on the Canisian hunters that came with Jeekta with the Capellan security patrols. He found them each standing on a side of the secured door with the pirate captain. "Bor, Mree?" They looked at him, nodded and smiled. "If either of you want to take a break, I'll watch the door." Bellery had a SAR issue pistol on his belt and patted it, "We eliminated the pirate countermeasures except in this room." As he pointed to the door.

"Get some rest, my dear." Bor suggested to Mree and she took him up on the offer. Bellery stood at her place.

Only thirty minutes had passed when Jeekta called down, "Bellery, to bridge you may want to come!" Bor nodded that he'd be fine alone and Bellery went at a run.

"Jeekta, what is it?" He asked as he saw from the viewer they were out of hyperspace.

"Mautt there is..." Jeekta pointed on the console that had a tactical display on it. "Your ship on this pod here and Ursan ship nowhere is?" Jeekta looked confused. "Radiation everywhere is, not natural..." Jeekta took some more measurements, but just shrugged.

"Can we get a channel to the Yarmouth yet?" Bellery asked. Jeekta silently shook his head. "How close are we to the Yarmouth?"

Jeekta looked at his panel, then cocked his head as he made a mental calculation, "Twelve hundred kilometres of yours." He answered.

"Can you take us in within ten?" Bellery asked as Jeekta nodded in reply.

A few minutes, they came within range and Bellery used his communicator to try and contact the ship.

"You're weak Lieutenant, but we can hear you." Commander Gerard answered. "How's our guest aboard Jeekta's ship?"

"Behaving himself, it seems. Bor and Mree are keeping an eye on the door." Bellery replied thinking to himself that maybe all was a little 'too quiet' back there. "Jeekta disabled all the booby traps for us, Sir. All except in out guest's quarters."

"Good! Lieutenant Salam is just sealing the doors on brig number two and we can cut loose from this anchor in a few minutes and rendezvous with you." The Commander replied.

In a few minutes, they saw the Yarmouth separate with the pod of some sort as the pod vented its atmosphere is a white, icy plume and moved away from the Yarmouth, then began to tumble violently when the plume ceased.

The Yarmouth gave a thrust, then silently coasted towards the yacht. She did a pitch and roll to orient herself in the same direction and continued to coast parallel alongside the yacht. "Sir, is that a metre wide hole in our belly?" Bellery asked as he noticed the sight during the Yarmouth's reorientation.

"Affirmative, Jack! We needed a little fresh air over here." The Commander responded with a chuckle. "Maybe I'll get Lieutenant Salam to put in a star-roof too. What do you think?"

Bellery gave a smile and shook his head, "Fine, Sir. Can we dangle fuzzy dice and a cheesy freshener by the main view screen too?"

Bellery also noticed the reason for the lack of ships communications - where they 'slam parked' into the Serpen ship, the communications array was as smashed as their forward tactical sensors. That old ship had been going through the wringer on this mission.

The Yarmouth docked with the yacht and through the airlock hatch, Commander Gerard was the first one through. "Thank you and the others for the babysitting job." The Commander saluted Bellery and shook Jeekta's, Bor's and Mree's hand. "Now it's time to open the present."

Lieutenant Salam and I joined Commander Gerard in front of the quarters the pirate captain was locked. Bor and Mree also stood at the ready as did Bellery. "OK Lieutenant, open her up." The Commander told me and hitting the side panel, the door slid open.

The Commander's face turned from an expression of cold professionalism to one of pure surprise, "Terry Wallace!" He said barely above a whisper.

"Hello, Bill." The pirate captain responded calmly, bouncing on his toes with his hands behind his back.

I turned my head slightly toward the Commander, "As in Captain Terry Wallace who went MIA along the Terran-Canisian border during the war?"

The pirate captain gave a single nod, "One in the same, Lieutenant."

During the war, the SAR kept a close eye on the border for spies or fighters trying to sneak through to Centaurus through Terran space. Refugee ships were boarded, searched and allowed to pass. But on one mission, Captain Wallace at the objection of his first officer, boarded a cargo ship alone. The ship broke from the SAR vessel and made a run for it into Canisian territory. Fearing a hostage situation, the SAR kept a lid on the occurrence awaited for some ransom demand. Their hopes faded when a month later, a Sirian freighter to Canisius reported debris as a navigation hazard in close proximity to where the 'hostage taking' occurred. There was no positive identification of the ship, but mass and composition matched that of the cargo vessel that absconded with Captain Wallace. Without positive identification, the SAR only listed him as Missing In Action instead of Killed In Action.

The Commander glowered at Wallace, "You switched sides? That makes you a damn traitor!"

"No Sir, it does not!" Wallace snapped back. "I'm sure the good Lieutenant informed you of my reasons, though he was not to live to tell anyone about them" Wallace glared at me as he finished his sentence.

"No matter!" Snapped Commander Gerard, "You are under arrest for theft, piracy, slave trading, desertion, treason and anything else I can think of from here to Midway Station!"

Wallace smiled grimly and said, "I'm not going anywhere with you, today." He brought his hands out from behind his back and in them, was the container of ground fire rock I obtained on the Capellan moon. "You left this in here, Carl. How thoughtful of you." Wallace said, giving me a polite nod.

It had been the biggest blunder of my career to leave it in there. I looked at the Commander who looked at me with puzzlement, "It's like a stick of dynamite, Sir."

I looked around to get an idea of who and what was around me as I saw the others doing as well. When everyone has to scramble or execute a quick, unspoken plan, it's nice to not collide into each other or objects. But one was missing... where was Jeekta?

The Commander holstered his weapon, held out his hand and said, "C'mon Terry, there's a time for everything. Put that down and I'll see you get a fair court martial."

Wallace laughed, "Fair? What is fair about letting the refugees starve because Earth didn't like the damn war?" The smile left his face immediately and he raised the container, "You're right Bill, there is a time for everything. Including I believe the song goes, a time to DIE!"

Wallace prepared to heave the container into the corridor as everyone moved away from the doorway and hit the deck. It was then that the getting all too familiar whine from the paralyser beam filled the room, followed by the sound of a collapsing body and a metallic container slamming down on the deck.

_ *BANG!* _

A blinding orange flash filled the corridor from the room along with a hell of a concussion. Had we not already been on the deck, we certainly would have been flattened by the blast. There was also a flash of searing heat that scorched my still sensitive face from the burns I obtained on the Mautt.

"Commander? Commander!" The voice came through the communicators. It sounded like the cadet.

Everyone was getting up, definitely shaken. The Canisians where holding there ears with expressions of agony. I saw a bright orange light in front of my face, but could still make out everyone through it. That's the second time this trip that happened to me and I hope the bad guys didn't get 'three times lucky'

"We're alive, Cadet!" The Commander responded, "But we have injured. Tell Hashi that he can't go on vacation just yet."

Jeekta came running down the corridor, "Commander! Alive are you all? Hurt anyone is?"

The Commander got up, leaned against the wall and shook his head, "He had some kind of explosive in there with him."

"I can explain, Sir... It was an explosive given to me on the refugee moon. I hid it in there in case the Cadet and I became his prisoners." I replied as I helped up Lieutenant Salam.

"Where did that paralyser beam you warned us about come from?" The Commander asked, blinking his eyes, suffering from the same afterglow in front of them I was.

"Fault mine is, Commander." Jeekta said regretfully. "This Captain, sorcerer he is with escaping. Thought to help, did I".

The Commander patted Jeekta's shoulder, "And help you did, my friend!" Had he been able to throw that into the corridor, he just may have made good another escape!"

Commander Gerard looked in the room and saw the grizzly sight as his eyes cleared up. Wallace had fallen to his knees and dropped the container right in front of him. His blackened corpse was against the far wall with a leg completely severed. His clothes had been torn open by the blast and the intense heat shredded his torso with burnt organs and ribs visible, as was the end of his jawbone and several teeth where the flesh had torn free.

"Cadet, this ship is secured." The Commander called to the Yarmouth. We'll be coming back aboard and he can recover the prisoners body at his convenience."

In the medical unit, Rall knelt beside his sister, holding her paw. She had difficulty facing him but had a mindful of Muranna's encouraging words, though she did not show it. She lay on a bed and had her face turned away from him. "Rallah, there is much you can do in the camp, still." Rall said truthfully.

"Like what? Knit and mend clothing like the elderly?" She said with a disgusted tone.

Several of the Canisian children that were there with Muranna when she arrived, refused to leave when Muranna asked them to come with her to the crew lounge. Hashi agreed they could stay if they stayed in the recovery room where Muranna had been resting after her surgery. Muranna said that Rallah will need privacy and several followed her back to the lounge.

"We will need you, Huntress." a young coyote girl said as she stood at the end of the bed. "We want to go home and want you to come with us, too."

Rallah looked at the girl and smiled. She reminded her of herself at that age. How unsure she was of things, especially when Rall asked their father if he could take her on the hunting party with them. She never looked back. But now her powerful legs were useless.

As good as Ensign Hashi was, he was not an experienced doctor. Her brain damage from the concussion was curable by the automated surgical robot. But a clot had broken free and when Rallah awoke, she discovered that she could not move her legs. The unit was designed to keep battlefield wounded alive, but would completely miss such unanticipated complications in the Canisian physiology.

Muranna was one of the first to know from one of the children and returned to medical. She saw Hashi's face when he discovered the complication. He frantically studied the database and discovered that once such an occurrence had happened, there was slim to no chance of Rallah regaining the use of her legs. She wondered who would be more scarred on the inside, Hashi or Rallah. Muranna told Rallah of stories of her people when such occurrences happen, adapted to lead productive lives.

Rallah looked over at her brother, "I will return home, for the children."

Rall embraced his sister, then stood and maintained the hold on her paw and smiled, "Your strength and bravery will be a lesson for all of us."

It was soon after that that she felt a slight shudder in the ship and in moments, Cadet Jorgen calling down for Hashi to prepare for more wounded. Hashi uttered something in Japanese and asked Muranna to lead the children back to the crew lounge.

_ 15 - "The Journey Home" _

The Capellan Security fleet had made the rendezvous with the Yarmouth. They were a few thousand kilometres within Ursan space and though they declared a 'hot pursuit' on the agreed security call channel, there was no response. Three of the security vessels circled the ships in a trine formation to stand guard from Ursan intervention. There was none, thankfully. Major Tohl told Commander Gerard that when angered, the Ursan police were like a single minded swarm of bees. That jibed with Jeekta's description of them as well.

Major Tohl's flagship docked with the Yarmouth and the Capellan's took possession of Haarlon, charging him with a plethora of offences.

The disappointing realization by the crew of the Yarmouth, especially by Ferella, B'kor and Land, was that the Capellan Security couldn't lay charges against Kayto. The evidence of collaboration with pirates did not happen in Capellan, nor Alliance space. Haarlon being the Minister responsible for the refugees, technically did have authority to act as a 'manager' for their services and since the slavery was not taking place in Capellan space, he was off the hook on that charge too. Since the Mautt rendezvous with the Canisian 'workers' to the Ursan ship also did not take place in Capellan space, he could not be charged with the trafficking of sentient beings. Fost's logic hung in Gerard's mind like a poison.

So Major, since they're bordered with your space, do you want to see that he gets home?" Commander Gerard asked.

"My ships aren't taxi's, Commander. We can take him back to Capella and he can grab a public transport at his own expense." The Major replied as they shared a meal in the Captain's quarters. "But frankly, once this hits the media, Kayto may not live very long on our planet. The refugees have the public's sympathy, even if not their complete understanding."

"Very well, Major. I can also ask our new Serpen friend if he can take him to the big gas mining station. There's several Ursan ships there he can hitch a ride home on." Gerard responded.

Major Tohl however, was kind enough to offer transport back to the refugee moon, all the Canisian children and the hunters.

Later that evening, Gerard approached Jeekta with the offer and while not enthusiastic about the prospect, he would do it as a favour to him because he was my commander.

Jeekta, Bellery and I went to the brig where Kayto was being held to inform him that no charges were to be laid and that Jeekta would take him back to the Serpen station. "Am I to starve to death here, Lieutenant?" Kayto snarled as the door slid open.

"Oh dear, did we forget to feed you?" I replied with sarcasm. "Looks like you're going home. Jeekta's agreed to take you back to that Serpen station and you can get a ride home from there."

I thought Kayto would be relieved, even happy that he was free to go and that soon he'd be home. But he had a little surprise for us instead, "Lieutenant, I formally wish to seek asylum."

"What?" I said, dumbfounded at the request. "Why by Jupiter do you want to do that?" Jeekta and Bellery looked at each other and shrugged.

"Because.." Kayto began, looking nervous, "...if I return without the Canisian workers, it is our law that he who loses them, substitutes for them."

"So, you'll be slaving away as you expected them to?" I asked as Kayto nodded his head. "That's not grounds for asylum, that's just trying to escape justice!"

Kayto sat back down on his bunk and refused to leave the brig. Hitting the intercom, I called to the bridge, "Commander, I think we have a problem..."

"What's up, Lieutenant?" The voice replied through the speaker in a tone of someone that would rather not hear more bad news.

"Kayto wants asylum."

"Kayto wants what? I'll be right down." Commander Gerard said and was down in a hurry.

Kayto explained his reasons for wanting Asylum and the Commander went and studied the Stellar Alliance protocol for such requests. Every commanding officer knew them, but I was betting that Gerard was looking for an airtight reason to say "NO!"

In the meantime, Bellery and I brought Kayto to the crew lounge to get something to eat. Muranna was in an emotional state, saying farewell to the Canisian children and the hunters who became our friends on this eventful journey. I can't say I wasn't moved either. Rall and I grasped each others forearm in their way of a handshake, as did Bor, Mree and Sheroo.

Rallah surprised me as I gave her a hug in her electric wheelchair (hover chairs weren't standard issue aboard ship) and she gave me a rather intense kiss with her brother staring on as if this wasn't unusual. "You too are a hunter." She said, "Live free and die well, brother of the hunters. We will always welcome you and your friends on our moon."

Rallah was in better spirits too. Hashi had learned from the doctor aboard Major Tohl's flagship that Capellan's have been able to adapt biomechanical splints onto wounded Canisians successfully. Good chance Rallah would be able to walk in a few months once she had learned to control them with the undamaged parts of her brain and in time, may be even able to hunt again.

I smiled and promised that I would return. In the few weeks I was with them, I soon no longer felt stranded, but accepted by their camp. Muranna came beside me and placed her arm around me and said, "We will visit Rallah, we promise."

Muranna and I really hadn't had time to discuss much since coming aboard the Yarmouth. But that sounded very natural to me for her to say that. After all, she was carrying my children and I had no intentions of letting her raise them alone. But being a career serviceman, how often would I get to Draconis? We really needed to talk.

Kayto was sitting at a table and given a very wide berth by the Canisians and everyone on board except Ferella, who was sitting with him. It was then that the Commander came in the lounge and tapped me on the shoulder to come over to Kayto's table.

Kayto was not what anyone expected from a fat, tusked boar-like Ursan for manners. He had cutlery arranged in the proper formal manner and insisted on two napkins - one for his lap and the other for the table and to top it all off, a finger bowl. He and Ferella looked up as the Commander and I approached the table.

"Well Kayto, this seems to be your lucky day!" The Commander said heavily with a sigh. "Under the articles of the Stellar Alliance Charter, I have no other option but to grant you your request for asylum."

The huge being jumped up and nearly knocked over the table and did knock over his chair in the process. He threw his arms in the air and with the expression of a kid in a candy store, he shouted, "This is the happiest day of my life!"

I looked at the Commander, shocked. I was further shocked when Ferella smiled pleased and shook his hand, "Congratulations, Kayto!"

Commander Gerard let out a grunt, turned and walked away. I followed after him, "Sir? What... why? He's a slaver!"

The Commander continued until we were in the corridor before replying, "Under the Articles, we can not hand over someone who will face amongst other things, cruel or unusual punishment." He pulled off his duty cap and rubbed the back of his neck, "Unfortunately, under the same Articles, forced labour leading to possible death or severe injury is counted in under cruel or unusual."

"But Sir, what will the Alliance think of a damn slaver being granted asylum?" I asked, though it was hopeless to argue.

"Probably not too much after my report, Lieutenant." Ferella said, coming out into the corridor. Turning to the Commander, she reminded him, "Sir, Zhar was a slaver too and something in him clicked when the chips were down and he sacrificed himself for us. Should we dishonour that by trying to toss Kayto to the wolves? And is Zhar could change, can't Kayto given the opportunity?"

Commander Gerard nodded, accepting her logic. "We just have to be damn sure when this hits the media and data net then, the truth is known."

"Major Tohl is on the line for you, Sir!" Cadet Jorgen called down from the bridge as the Commander hit the intercom in reply to pipe it down to that station.

The Capellan Security force was ready to leave. The Canisians had all boarded and Haarlon was stowed in their brig. Two of the security vessels were going to tow the Mautt (which we found out was a surplus Hydran freighter and entered the previously unknown design into our ships database) back into Capellan space and get her engines going, while the Major's flagship and his wing were to escort us to the station orbiting Capella four. It apparently was an offence under Capellan law to traverse their space without working long range communications and they were going to cobble a new antenna array together for the Yarmouth. But the Commander chuckled and said that because he shared a meal with the Major, it was an unofficial offence for the Major to let us leave their space without returning the meal. "As much of a Capellan custom as a Centaurian one." He explained.

Jeekta was also ready to leave. He had much to tell his people, including his brother about what was going on in their space. He was sure their King would not be pleased. He would request assistance is tracking his ship, seeing first hand just how dangerous the thieves of their ships were.

Muranna also was assembling her report to the Serpens that hired her to infiltrate and gather information. Between what the Serpens were going to pay her and what the story would break on Draconis, she'd be a reasonably well-off lady. Perfect timing for her new family.

"Fornax, Lieutenant. Miss surely I will you!" Jeekta said and gave me a hug. "Now people of mine know hostile you are not toward Serpen, scientists will come and reunite!" Jeekta hugged Muranna and left. I will hope to see him again. It was like a family going their own ways today.

The trip back gave Muranna and I time to talk. She had been through more than any one of her species has in recent memory. Despite the hell she'd been through, she came through it quite well and sure didn't seem in a hurry to run back home.

I sat down beside her as she was entering information into a data pad at a table in the crew lounge, "So, I guess you're going to return home with your report?"

She looked at me with a hurt look, "Do you really want me to go?"

"No, no, absolutely not!" I said, having the idea that she thought I wanted to abandon her and the children she was carrying. "It's just I'm a career guy and I don't know how often I'd get to Draconis. I mean, there aren't any transit routes between there and Midway Station or Earth."

She cocked her head and smiled, "I said that I'd follow you anywhere, Carl and I meant it." She leaned over and carefully gave me a kiss, still bruised up but healing well. Her little nose still touching mine, she added, "Your home is my home... if you'll have us." She placed my hand on her belly.

"Of course I will. I mean nothing would make me happier." I said in a quiet voice. "But would you be happy? It's a strange new world."

"It would be coming home, Carl. When Hashi told me of where my people seem to have come from, I have to know. All Dracon people must know. Who better to find this out than a nosey little investigator?" Muranna gave a giggle. It was so heart warming to hear that again. See her smile and laugh.

"And I will be close, to take care of you, this time." I looked around and nodded my head, "That is, when you're not saving my neck from the wolves." She chuckled as I took her hand and kissed her knuckles like a gentleman. "And what kind of father would I be to our children, hmm?"

Muranna gave a big mouth-open smile and her eyes shone like the stars, "Lieutenant Fornax, on my world that would be considered a proposal." She turned her head and looked at me in that shy, coy manner that melted my heart the first time I saw it.

I never have been afraid of commitment, but the opportunity never arose. I was married to the Reserve. But after this mission, I think it was about time I share some of that life while I was still young enough to do so. "And on my world, this is how that is done." I got down on one knee, "Miss Muranna, will you marry me?"

She looked at me with her mouth open and tears streamed out of her eyes and uttered a wordless "yes". She threw her arms around me and again showed me just how much strength, those delicate looking little arms of her had.

Bellery walked into the lounge and saw the scene and waited, silently. I saw him in the corner of my eye and called for him to come in. Smiling, he asked, "Are congratulations in order, Sir?"

"They sure are, Jack!" I said getting to my feet. Muranna still wiping her tears, gave Bellery a hug as well.

"Sir, we're under way. Given the shape the Yarmouth is in, we're going to take it slow. So it'll take us a week to get to the Capellan station."

"How long when we're there?" I asked.

"Two... maybe three hours for the antenna array and however long the Commander's meal with Major Tohl."

"Carl, do you think we'll have enough time to see how Gorsha is doing?" Muranna asked.

I looked at her with admiration for her compassion. "Let me talk to the Commander. Maybe the technician's will need to look the ship over or something." I gave a wink and headed to the bridge.

"I think a day or so layover is in order. Salam has the hyperdrive rigged like a science project he tells me from the impact with the Mautt." Commander Gerard responded. Then leaning over and speaking quieter, "And last time I had a 'meal' with a Capellan officer, I needed a week to recover from the hangover. Hashi says he can give me something to make that only 24 hours."

We exchanged winks and I went to get some well earned rest. There was only the Commander and Ferella on the bridge. Seemed the rest were doing the same.

We arrived at the Capella-IV station mid-morning ships time. Major Tohl greeted us warmly with a minor ceremony.

"Gentlemen, it with with great gratitude I welcome you to Capella-IV station." He said. "With the help of our Stellar Alliance friends, a major criminal ring affecting all of us has been temporarily impeded!" The Major then escorted us on a tour of the station.

Ferella was assigned to guard Kayto. Though a free person, he was glared at with scowls and the occasional hiss from the technicians heading to the Yarmouth with their equipment. "News travels fast!" Muranna whispered to me.

"Our mission was a secret." I replied, "So naturally, everyone knows about it."

The tour lasted over an hour. The Commander went off with the Major and the others took in the shops. Bellery wanted to bring something special back for his wife. She was thanking Deities that he was alive and then became furious with him and said she was going to kill him herself when he got home. It was something I tucked into the back of my mind as what to expect when I drove my dear Muranna over the brink.

After an uneventful shuttle ride and a short trip to the medical centre on a public transportation system our planners back home could really learn from, we arrived at the door to Gorsha's recovery room. I hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Muranna asked.

"Maybe I shouldn't go in." I replied, thinking of how Bellery and I treated her as an enemy, not knowing at the time her story as Rallah told it to us.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of. You didn't hurt her." Muranna said with that compassion of hers.

"No, but I would have. That's why I do.. feel..." I trailed off as she gave me a hug and took both of my hands and looked at me with that irresistible face.

"But you didn't." She said. I nodded and agreed to go in.

Gorsha was in bandages. Something I had rarely seen in the service, other than in field training. She was resting and lay on her back, her feet sticking out from under the blanket. Her paws were uncovered and had black skin that I thought were still burns, but as I approached, saw that it was healthy skin with only the lightest fuzz of fur returning to them.

A nurse had been reading the display and taking notes on a data pad. She smiled at us and noticed my examining of Gorsha's paw. "The skin grafts took extremely well. She'll look like herself in less than a year!"

"Thank you all so much!" Muranna said to her in a low voice. The nurse just smiled back, then left the room.

It was good to hear that Gorsha will have her looks back. She was a very beautiful vixen. Most of the Canisian females were quite attractive, but it was obvious that Haarlon pampered her well. But what about the internal scars... will those ever heal? I thought of her face just before she was scorched, that helpless, broken spirit. I turned away from her with the memory searing my conscience.

"Who's there?" A muffled question came from the bed.

"It's us Gorsha, Muranna and Lieutenant Fornax." Muranna softly replied as she sat down in the chair beside the bed. I remained standing.

"F.. F.. Fornax?" Gorsha said with a voice raising its pitch in fear.

I leaned over Muranna and whispered, "I shouldn't have come."

Gorsha reached over and swatted her paw towards me, finding my arm after several tries. She gently grabbed be with shaking muscles. Shaking from her injury or the fear, I couldn't tell.

"Where's Haarlon?" Gorsha asked in the fearful voice again.

"He's in custody." I simply replied. Gorsha sobbed and released my arm.

"Is it over?" She asked.

"For now." I said encouragingly. "There's a few we'll eventually catch, but your people will no longer be sent as slaves."

Gorsha turned her covered face towards me, "Th.. thank you."

Muranna reached over and held Gorsha's paw, which in turn clasped her hand. "Gorsha dear, you are free now. You can go home!"

Gorsha shook her head so severely, her nose hit her pillow on each side. I flinched imagining that it was painful for her to do so. "I have no home now." She began sobbing again.

Muranna looked at me, not understanding Gorsha's statement. I leaned over to whisper so only she could hear, "She's a traitor on Canisius for being a refugee. She's a traitor to the refugees for helping sell them out. She'll always be looked at as Haarlon's wife here on Capella."

"That's terrible!" Muranna said indignantly.

"And how are we doing today, Gorsha?" Came a loud voice of the Capellan doctor entering the room in his scrubs. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had visitors?"

"It's all right Doctor Shooke." Gorsha said in her muffled voice. "They... helped me escape."

"So you two are the hero's then? Gorsha told me how your people brought her here instead of leaving her to the Canisian justice system on the moon." The doctor leaned over to me, "If she wouldn't have died from her injuries, she likely would have been outcast to fend for herself. Did you know that?" I shook my head.

The doctor continued with his data pad and said to Gorsha, "Good news! The Sirians have agreed to send a doctor here to replace your eyes. The implants won't have the natural resolution or range of light adaptability of biological ones, but you will easily be able to see as good as say... a Terran." The doctor looked up and gave me a wink and a smile.

"Where will she go from here, Doctor?" Muranna asked.

"Gorsha will be discharged and she can go wherever she wants." He replied with a smile to Muranna's question.

Muranna just stared at the doctor, then nodded quietly.

Doctor Shooke (pronounced show-kay) saw her demeanour and understood. "Miss, I will provide treatment to anyone who comes in this centre without preconceptions or prejudice. I am very proud of that and the staff here for also doing so. But I can't control what the rest of the world thinks."

"Can she go to the Sirian system?" I asked.

Doctor Shooke sighed and shook his head. "Their politics I admit are a light year ahead of us and so is Sirian culture in many ways. But the Canisian refugees are applying for autonomy within their system. If they get it, Gorsha would automatically become part of that autonomous system and have to apply to be a Sirian just as you or I would. And likely the Canisian refugees there would class her a traitor and a criminal and she would be denied Sirian citizenship in a heart beat."

"You see, I have no home." Gorsha muffled and began to sob again.

The doctor went over to her and held her head and paw, "Shhhhh, Gorsha. Like I said to you before, tomorrow is tomorrow. Today, you are here with friends."

Muranna looked at me pleadingly, "Carl, can you do something? Anything?"

I had an idea, but the Commander wasn't going to like it. "Maybe. When Commander Gerard wakes up in the morning, we'll ask him."

"Amnesty?" Commander Gerard said as he was massaging his temples with his eyes closed. I couldn't wait for breakfast (well, I could. Muranna wouldn't let me) and called on him in his quarters he was borrowing from Captain Maillet. "Carl... do you realize that she's as guilty as Haarlon?"

"Yes Sir, I do."

"Then why are you even asking me this?" The Commander looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Because, it's the right thing to do, Sir."

"Muranna's words, Lieutenant. What's yours?" He growled.

"My words, Sir?" I gave a sigh and had trouble standing at ease. "When I looked in Gorsha's eyes, just before we all got blasted by that arm rifle, Haarlon and his deals with the renegade Wolf Warrior, they took her soul, Sir. Haarlon took half her body. Does she have to loose any place to call home, too?"

The Commander reached to a non-existent pocket on his pyjamas looking for his stylus to tap. Not finding one, he tapped his fingers on the desk. "Lieutenant, write on a data pad what Gorsha told you she faces after discharge from the hospital. Get that doctor to witness it if you can. If Gorsha will sign it, I will take it as a request for amnesty."

Commander Gerard permitted Muranna to come back down to the surface with me. Said that Gorsha would likely need the comfort. More likely he didn't want to have her squeaking at him or me all the way home had this not gone well.

We came up to the medical centre to find Gorsha was outside with a nurse. She couldn't see, but her nose was up in the air and her still furless ears were uncovered and twitched at all the sounds. It was a beautiful sunny, spring day and I hoped she was at least enjoying some of it.

We approached and yet had said nothing when her nose twitched in our direction. "Fornax? Muranna? You're back! I didn't expect to hear from you again?"

Muranna immediately took Gorsha's paw and gave a big smile, "Carl has some good news, Gorsha!"

"What could you say that would be good news?" Gorsha said with a sarcasm that was overcome more with curiosity.

"Would you like a home?" I asked. Gorsha was silent.

"Gorsha honey, Carl's commander is willing to give you amnesty." Muranna said kindly.

"A... home?" Gorsha quietly said.

"You would be within the Alliance. You wouldn't have to submit to any Canisian laws or rulings." I said hoping to sound encouraging.

"Aren't the Centaurian's there? Won't they hate me?" Gorsha asked, confused.

"Honey, it was a Centaurian who risked her life to free some of the Canisian slaves. The war is over for them, even if it isn't for the renegade wolf caste out there." Muranna said, rubbing Gorsha's paw tenderly.

"What do I have to do?" Gorsha asked, looking in my direction.

"You have to make a request. I have one written out." I read it out to her. It contained the request and the reasons that we discussed yesterday as to why she would be at risk without a home. She held out her paw and I held the data pad against it to scan her.

"We just need your doctor to witness that this is the truth of the matter at hand." I said and looked around for the doctor.

"Doctor Shooke is in surgery, Lieutenant." The nurse replied. Muranna looked at her with a hopeless expression. "But under Capellan law, the nurse has certain signatory authority when the doctor is not present. Since this is not a new or change in medication or treatment, I believe it's within my right." I handed her the data pad and she signed it.

"What happens now?" Gorsha asked, her head moving around waiting for who would speak first.

"First, you get better here. From the medical centre, you go into a protective custody under the Capellan Security forces and we come pick you up!" I replied happily.

"Jailed?" she asked, sad.

"Just so no one hurts you until Carl's people come, sweetie." Muranna said, comfortingly.

"Where will I go when I'm there, on Earth? I'll need to be shown customs, laws..." Gorsha waved her paws as the reality sank in. It was a huge step. A new world with alien people and customs. "Poor thing is going to be frightened out of her wits!" I thought to myself.

But as I expected, Muranna looked up at me pleadingly. She said nothing, but her big, concerned eyes and wordless, open mouth said it all. I gave a sigh inside, "You can stay with us, if you want."

Muranna bounced up and down, clapping like an excited little girl and embraced me. "When you come, we can face our new world, together!"

"Th... thank you two!" Gorsha said overcome with joy, holding out her paws as we each took one.

Handing the data pad back to Commander Gerard, he verified the paw scan and signatures, then added his own. I informed him of Muranna's plan and Gorsha's acceptance. "Carl, I hope you know what you're doing." The Commander said with a sigh. "All the time I've known you, you've been a loner, married to the service. Now proposing to Muranna, going to be a father and look after an amnesty applicant?"

"It was this mission, Sir. On the Gar Talwar and chasing after the pirates." I said thoughtfully. "It's been filled with more death in peacetime than we saw treating the Centaurian wounded along the border twenty years ago." I gestured with my hands, looking for the words, "Isn't it time to fill my life with... well... life?"

Commander Gerard smiled and nodded in understanding. He himself passed on a promotion to captain, choosing to apply for base commander of Midway Station when the Commodore retired. Having been Gerard's captain for many years when Gerard was a young lieutenant all the way to second officer , the glowing recommendation anchored the position for him.

A month after leaving the Capella-IV station, The SAR Yarmouth pulled into the bay at Midway Station. Bellery's wife, son and Captain Maillet was there to greet them and congratulate them on a successful mission, but Maillet was absolutely shocked to see his ship, at least he was reasonably sure it was his ship, pull into the station.

There were the scorch marks from the pulse cannon hits, dents all over the ship, especially her rear and huge scrapes on one airlock hatch. One of the weapon arrays was torn completely off and there was a neat hole cut in the belly. The forward tactical array was a broken mess and the deep space antenna looked like a brand new patch slapped onto a pair of very old jeans.

The gangplank lowered with a strange jerking motion and clanked loudly on the landing bay deck. It even sat misaligned against the deck when it was lowered. The hatch opened and the Commander was the first one off, followed by a great boar-like creature and Lieutenant Commander Ferella with Jorgen close behind. Bellery was next off and Muranna and I followed him, side by side, her pregnancy beginning to show now. Hashi, Land B'kor and Salam came off several minutes later.

Commander Gerard approached me with a smile and shook my hand, then saluted, "One hell of a tough ship, Louie! Sorry, I didn't have time to take her through the wash for you." Gerard continued on, and motioning for Captain Maillet to join, spoke with that annoying young Ensign secretary of his to assign temporary accommodations for Kayto, Muranna and I.... and to have the guards keep an eye on Kayto when he wanders around.

Bellery had a joyful, if emotional reunion with his wife and son. She had thankfully for Jack, not moved on with her life. She hadn't even used the death benefits paid upon Bellery being officially declared KIA. She knew somehow, he was still out there.

Muranna placed her arm around me and held my hand with the other and watched them. "I'm happy for them, Carl. It was a happy ending for them."

I put my arm around her and patted her hand gently with the other, "I like happy endings." Looking down at Muranna who looked up and smiled, "I even like happy beginnings." Leaning over, we kissed.

_ 16 - "A Change of Command" _

After 72 hours of settling in and Commander Gerard being on the communications with Earth nearly all that time, we were called in for the debriefing. Bellery and I were called in a little early.

Bellery caught me in the corridor on the way to the Commander's office. "Do you know what's up? Maybe a private 'pat on the back'?" He asked hopeful.

I shook my head, "Haven't got a clue." Which was true, but I knew it would be one of two things, really good news or really bad news. Commander Gerard was an inclusive type of commander. There were those who liked hush-hush and always erred on the side of secrecy. Gerard was the opposite; he liked keeping the people under his command informed and it solidified a teamwork spirit, loyalty and trust in him that most ship captains envied.

"Go right in, gentlemen!" The young Ensign said as she fumbled with her glasses. When the Commander earlier told her just to be herself, the only thing she really changed was she didn't wear the cap. Everything else was still full dress about her.

We entered the Commander's office and saw him with his head in his hands, elbows on the desk, fingers in his hair and he looked like he hadn't slept in these three days. Bellery and I looked at each other and took a seat. The Commander hadn't noticed us come in.

"Sir?" I said and the Commander just slowly looked up. "Are you all right?"

"Gentlemen!" He said, instantly forming a smile. "I have good news and bad news."

We sat silent, not asking which he'd like to give us first.

"Lieutenant Fornax, when Bellery told me of your little excursion, I wanted to slap you back down to ensign so bad, I could taste it." He looked glaringly at me as I held my breath. "But, given the results you came up with and what our little trip across the sector gleaned, I dare say well done!"

Bellery gave me a smile and a friendly punch on the shoulder as the Commander continued, "SAR HQ has authorized me to hereby promote you to Lieutenant Commander. Congratulations, Carl." The Commander stood as did I and he shook my hand.

We sat down again and the Commander looked more serious at me, "But you have shaken up a lot of bigwigs. You've shown the unintended consequences of bad wording in the Terran food embargo against Canisius as well as cost the Pegasiians a lot of trade."

"I don't understand the latter part, Sir?" I asked confused.

"Councillor Orlok's conversation you overheard and Haarlon's affidavit into the smuggling of Canisian refugee children into the Stellar Alliance has caused the Serpen's to break off negotiations with the Pegasiians for gas mining and trade. They are some rip roaring mad!"

"So, Councillor Orlok has been taken into custody?" I asked with a hopeful smile.

Commander Gerard gave a grunt and shook his head, "No, he hasn't. He even kept his seat on the Council."

"But, Sir!" Bellery stood and protested. "Granted they were under Haarlon's Ministry, he had no right bringing them through our space!"

Commander Gerard held up his hand, "Calm down Jack. You're right, he did take them through Terran space under the guise of a diplomatic mission. I spoke with President Nambu himself of the Terran Interstellar Council and Orlok pleaded 'diplomatic immunity'." The Commander looked down with an expression of defeat, "We can't touch him."

"But Sir, surely the Pegasiians have laws against such trading?" I asked.

The Commander nodded, "They sure do, Carl. But it seems none of the children entered Pegasiian space. They were all adopted on Earth!"

I was shocked to hear this. I knew there were Canisian adoptions happening, but had no idea the illegitimate trade involved behind it. No one bothered really to check into their origin, because all the reports I heard anyway, they went to loving families and were well cared for.

Bellery let out a sigh, "Surely he isn't totally free with them knowing 'how' the children got to Earth?"

"Bellery, Pegasiian justice is similar to ours... there must be evidence beyond all reasonable doubt. Unfortunately, the only witnesses are dead or in the loony bin." The Commander looked at Bellery and nodded, "The Capellan's have sentenced Haarlon to psychiatric rehabilitation. His affidavit therefore carries no weight in the Pegasiian courts."

An awkward silence gripped the room.

"I've also resigned from the service, effective zero hundred hours, tonight." The Commander said solemnly.

Bellery and I were at a loss for words. This we did not expect.

"Captain Maillet will be commanding Midway Station with an honorary rank of Commodore when he's here. You'll be taking your orders from him when you two return." The Commander said evenly.

"Return, Sir?" I asked.

"Carl, you have a family coming up and have accumulated unbelievable hours shore leave. I'm requesting you take a year leave of absence. It'll let things cool down and you'll need to take care of Muranna and also Gorsha will be arriving in two months. You'll have your hands full." The Commander replied with a smile.

Looking at Bellery, the Commander instructed, "And you too Jack. You had six months coming anyway. You have to rekindle things on your end. When you do return, it will be as a First Lieutenant. Congratulations!" The Commander shook Bellery's hand, but the smiles soon faded.

"Commander, forgive me for prying, but...." Bellery asked.

The Commander smiled, "This is just between us three, got it?" After we agreed, he continued, "The Pegasiians had a snit for me dragging an Equuleusian, a civilian one to boot, into a hostile mission where combat not only was likely, it happened. It was a clear violation of Tri Sector Alliance treaty. They could very well have dissolved their entrance into the Alliance on that alone. Instead, they demanded my court martial. President Nambu had a closed doors meeting with them and they settled for my resignation."

"Sir, you are the finest Commander we have served under! Is there anything we can do?" I asked and in a moment of forgetting myself, slammed my fist on the chair arm rest, "How many would have died had you not done this?"

Commander just calmly reminded me, "Temper Lieutenant, temper..."

"Sorry, Sir." I apologized. "Kohan, the real ringleader is still on the loose with some mother ship, Rapier fighters and there's who knows how many Canisian slaves on Talitha?"

The Commander nodded, "I may be out of the service, but I'm not down. What the Pegasiians don't know is President Nambu offered me a seat on the Interstellar Council and we're going to turn... up... the... heat!" The Commander finished his sentence with a plotting grin.

The Commander still grinning hit his intercom, "Ensign, are the others here yet? Send them in when they are."

A few seconds later, the wonderful crew we served with on the Yarmouth came into the room and took their seats. Cadet Jorgen looked decidedly nervous, this was his first mission debriefing that was 'live' and not a training run.

"Before we get to business, I'd like to thank you all for exemplary performance during our side trip to the car wash." The Commander said to as chuckles filled the room, breaking the ice. Jorgen relaxed a bit. "Lieutenant Fornax and 2nd Lieutenant Bellery have been granted promotions and a well earned leave." The room filled with applause.

"There's more good news!" The Commander continued, "Lieutenant Commander Ferella, the Centaurian Command has issued you a promotion to full Commander. The orders arrived while we were gone." There was applause again. The Commander grinned and added, "Had they known about this mission, you might have got your own ship, or a deck mop, depending on their mood." Ferella just raised an eyebrow as the others chuckled.

"And Cadet Jorgen.... Unfortunately being an Ensign-Equivalent civilian entry into the service, I can't give you a promotion. But your assistance in recovering Lieutenant Fornax was invaluable and at nearly the cost of your own life, twice. I have therefore sent in a request that upon graduation from the academy, you are to be awarded the Stellar Cross for fearless bravery in the face of your own fate, far above and beyond your rank and call to duty. Congratulations, Cadet." The Commander shook the wide-eyed-with-shock Equuleusian cadet's hand and saluted him as the room erupted in cheers and applause.

The debriefing took all day. We broke only for lunch and dinner. The Commander had not told the others of his resignation until the very end. It was extremely sad and even Ferella bowed her head and requested a moment's leave to 'reorganize her hair' in the Commander's office head. Given her hair was practically buzzed, she may as well have just put a sign on her back.

When she returned, the Commander saved an amusing little piece of information to cheer everyone up. "Our asylum seeker, Kayto will not be heading to Earth. We've found a place for him... Station 61 Cygni as a barkeeper, where he can put those hoity-toity manners of his to public good." The Commander's idea worked as chuckles filled the room. Before efficient space travel not soon after first contact by the Centaurians, 61 Cygni was a 'gas station' for various exploration ships from Earth. Handed to commercial interests, it was turned into an orbiting nightclub and resort, lit by the glow of the orange dwarf binaries.

"On a more serious note, it is with both pride and regret that the SAR Yarmouth has been decommissioned." Low moans were heard in the Commanders office. Cadet Jorgen looked especially sad, as it was his first (and only to date) ship he served on. "She will however, grace the lawn of the Yarmouth Terrestrial Spaceport in Nova Scotia and be a museum dedicated to 30 years or SAR service." Again, the room filled with applause.

It was nearly 2300 hours when the debriefing was over. Everyone got up and did their best not to moan, but the creaking joints said that despite their fitness training, they had sat far too long.

"Sir, if I may make a request?" I asked as everyone got up. "Since this is your station for one more hour, could you do Muranna and I the honour? If she's okay with it, that is..." I turned to the others and smiled, "I'd really like my 'family' to be there for it."

Commander Gerard understood the request and gave an expression that nothing more could have made him happier to end his career in the service, with such a privileged duty.

It was 2350 hours as the mission crew of the SAR Yarmouth gathered in the view lounge, along with Bellery's wife and son.

We all had our dress uniforms on and Muranna chose to wear the simple but colourful robe given to her by the Canisian refugee ladies. She said it had more meaning than anything else for her on that station, other than myself.

I stood before the Commander with Bellery at my side. Muranna came up through the even rows of crew facing inward at attention with Commander Ferella walking with her. As she took her place beside me, Bellery and Ferella faced each other, saluted and took one step back. The rest faced forward in a unison turn.

I looked at Muranna as she gave me that shy, coy smile from her beautiful face, her hair filled with flowers. I realized for all we had been through, even my proposal to her, there's one very important thing I had never told her... "I love you." I said sincerely.

Her big turquoise eyes filled with tears and she jumped up with a spring like a cat, wrapping her arms around my neck and gave me a kiss like not since the first time we made love. "I love you, too!" she said in a squeaky voice overcome with emotion.

"Ahem, I haven't started, Lieutenant Commander." Commander Gerard leaned forward and said with a smile.

Holding hands and giving each other our oaths of union, we again kissed and the Commander proudly proclaimed us married.

The room erupted in cheers as Muranna hugged all there and I shook hands and saluted. Muranna also had a kiss for Commander Gerard. "Thank you so much for everything, Commander." She giggled, "I even have a last name now! How cool is that?"

"You're welcome Miss... ummm... Missus Muranna." The Commander gratefully hugged her for the appreciation. "How are marriages done on your world?"

Muranna looked thoughtfully, "We fall in love, move in with each other and..." She nodded with a big smile, "...and yeah, that's about it."

The chrono on the wall sounded 0000 hours. The room full of celebration went silent as everyone turned to the Commander... former Commander and looked with sorrow.

The Commander just looked around at everyone and smiled, "Now people, this is Carl's and Muranna's day." He removed his dress uniform jacket and draped it over a chair. Removing his rank insignia and placing it in his shirt pocket and placing his cap on the bar in front of his jacket, he rolled up his sleeves and went behind the bar and pulled up a couple of bottles. "My name folks is Bill and whadd'yall have to drink?" He said cheerfully. Everyone applauded their former Commander for must have been five minutes straight until he took a bow. Then ordered drinks.

_ 17 - "Shore Leave" _

I sit here and write this on a keyboard. Muranna thinks it is 'so retro cool' and Gorsha just shakes her head. I for one find it relaxing. I'm on the balcony with the Pacific ocean breeze in my face on a September day. No talking out loud dictating this into a boring steno, just me and this old keyboard from the antique store Gorsha and Muranna go to on Fridays. I think they called them 'laptops' or something. Maybe for a laptop the size of Kayto's, but I prefer the table.

It's been nine months into my year of shore leave. Before I met Muranna, such a thing would have been unthinkable for me. But now, it feels like I just got home.

Speaking of home, the place feels small and we got a two bedroom flat in the outskirts of New Seattle when we returned. I never really needed a place before. I always stayed at the nearest base when I got thrown off the ship for a few weeks. At least I feel still close to work here, the Whidbey Island SAR base was an hour transit ride and when Gorsha and Muranna have their 'girl's day', I go see the men, women and assorted creatures always coming into the Alliance through neighbouring worlds at the base and shake-up a few of the recruits.

I didn't know until I got back that Whidbey was Cadet Jorgen's home base. He told me a story of how his sister and brother-in-law had adopted a Canisian boy and a girl. They loved them very much and even had a young Canisian student doubling as a nanny for them. It was heart warming that at least for the children smuggled into our space, there was a happy ending for them.

Jack has been by to visit with his wife and son. Things are working out well for them. They recently moved to Honolulu when Jack was offered an ROTC training position at Pearl Harbour. He wanted to get back up in space right away, but the councillors at his home West Point , decided he'd best do some ground time with them. His wife talked him into accepting it. Personally, I think it's a good thing. A fireball officer like him heading off with a taste of revenge on his lip was by my guess, exactly what made Captain Terry Wallace end up the man he did.

When the kids were born three and a half months ago, to my surprise, Bill Gerard called to see how they, Muranna and I were doing. He was flattered into silence when he learned we named the boy William Carl Fornax.

Yup! Muranna had two children, a boy and a girl. The girl looks just like her, all sweet and big greenish-turquoise eyes, red hair and surprisingly fuzzy. We called her Ayanna, after Muranna's grandmother. The boy got the short straw I think and looks like me. More humanoid and square jawed, black patch of hair on his head, less fuzz and is a biter! Muranna thinks he'll follow in daddy's footsteps. I say a penal colony. I'm just amazed at how she tolerates breastfeeding him! Only a mother....

The first time Gorsha picked him up, he latched onto her paw like a piranha. Gorsha ran around the apartment with shrieking yelps as Muranna pretty much panicked and ran after them. I couldn't help but double over laughing. Boy, did I catch hell from both of them for that! I still chuckle though.

Bill was also proud to say he and President Nambu fixed the wording of the sanctions and the Canisian refugees under Capellan rule no longer had food supply problems and their moons no longer faced exhausted animal resources...

_ *Bzzzzzzt!* _

The door buzzer rang and in a few moments, Muranna called for me to get that. She was lying on the couch, dictating a column for the local media with one hand (soon after her arrival and display of her investigative talents, she had no shortage of media offers), holding Ayanna and breast feeding her with the other and having a tickle fight with little Bill using her tail. You could always tell when he got rough, as Muranna let out a loud 'squeak', followed by a reprimand on the rule that tails were not for biting! He sat cross armed in a pout then, just as his mother did when frustrated trying to hack the Mautt's communications.

_ *Bzzzzzzt!* _

"Coming, coming!" I called toward the door, being knocked out of my nostalgia. Gorsha wasn't due home from the university for another few hours, where she was upgrading her skills and she had her own entry code anyway.

I opened the door and was surprised to find Commodore Maillet. "Mind if I come in, Carl?" I greeted him and motioned for him to enter.

"Hi Commodore!" Muranna said happily. "I hope you're still not mad at us for banging up your ship?" She said with a wink.

Commodore Maillet chuckled, "No, no, that's all right, Mrs. Fornax. Matter of fact, I came from her dedication as a museum ceremony in Yarmouth. Thought I'd stop by on my way back up and see how your husband was surviving his leave."

"Actually, time has flown by, Sir." I replied. "But you don't look like you're here on a social call?"

"Very observant of you. But I have to correct you in that I'm just Captain off the station... and will be for a bit. When you come back in three months, do you think Gorsha and Muranna are ready to handle things here?"

"By the time I'm back on duty, we'll have more visitors here. Muranna's family has hired a Serpen trader to take them to Earth for a visit and see where their original home was. So Gorsha's going to look forward to help entertain such a kind and cheerful people." I paused for a bit and offered a chair at the dining table. "What do you mean you'll be Captain for a bit? They give you the boot already?"

Captain Maillet grinned and shook his head, "Nope! But I was sick of the desk job. Remember how Jeekta was going to tell his authorities our tale and your wife was involved in exposing the questionable activity?"

I nodded. "Yes, my lovely lady did prove invaluable to everyone." I winked at Muranna who just gave a modest expression.

"Well Carl, The Serpens have decided it's in everyone's interest to come out of reclusion and open discussions for a security alliance with us."

"That's great!" I said with a big smile and straightening in my chair. "The Tri Sector Alliance might be growing then?"

Captain Maillet shook his head, "Not so grand. They have specifically excluded the Pegasiians from these talks. They want kind of like an information sharing and extradition treaty as I understand it. It would be between them, the Capellans, Centaurians and us." He looked over at Muranna, "And since the Draco systems are part of the Serpen Royal Commonwealth, you're people are included at the table too!"

Muranna was elated and putting down her work and having finished feeding Ayanna, was cradling her to sleep, came over to the table. We admired the little darling and spoke in low voices.

"Since the Serpens would have protection guarantees, they would feel comfortable with their subjects visiting the Terran sector. That would mean once the deal is done, one of the first civilian trade contacts would be the line up of scientists and archaeologist exchanges." Captain Maillet said with poorly contained enthusiasm.

"Sounds like the deal has already been done, Captain?" Muranna said.

"Pretty much everything but the required ceremony and signatures. We have Congressman Bill Gerard to thank for the expediency on this one! He was able to unite then all in a common cause."

I looked a little sceptical, "With this huge of an achievement, why have we heard nothing until now?"

Captain Maillet winked, "Bill was smart enough to do all the meetings on that main Serpen station. The place is ripe with business, but who would expect such politics to be happening in say, the 'town pub'? Other than business 'stock ticker' reporters, there's no media there. Genius!"

I had to admit that maybe Commander Gerard did the right thing. The old fellow was sharp as a tack still and now when the deal is done and this gets out mainstream, the Pegasiian businessmen will take such a hit from it, they will call for Orlok's head themselves.

I must have had a very readable devious grin on my face, as Captain Maillet chuckled, "Do you know what the Pegasiian stock ticker will do when this hits the data net that the Serpens specifically excluded them? It will wrap a nice little noose around Orlok's neck!"

The Captain continued, "But to answer why I'll be a captain for a bit, the Serpens have specifically asked for us to attend. As a security detail for President Nambu and his escort. I will command the Gar Orionis while her captain takes the station. Ferella already is the new first officer aboard her after the crew rotation and I actually came here if you would like to take the position of second officer."

I felt very privileged to serve with some of the mission crew again and accepted without hesitation. Muranna gave me a congratulatory smile and shoulder pat, doing her best not to wake Ayanna.

"Don't be to quick to rush into this, Carl." The Captain said, "I unfortunately have to take the desk again after the mission at Midway and the Gar Orionis' captain has been recalled to Centaurus for duties there."

I gave him a look of someone about to be knowingly hooked, "What are you trying to say, Sir?"

"When the Gar Orionis' captain is recalled, Commander Ferella has been offered the Orionis as her ship. As you know, the minimum rank for command to the Centaurians is Commander, so...." The Captain must be hanging on for drama effect and it was working! "She has insisted on a one Lieutenant Commander Carl Fornax to be her XO. But I dunno Carl, her subordinates tell me she's a total bitch on the job." Captain Maillet grinned.

Ferella could be a bitch to her subordinates and I knew that. She would wear someone down to find out where she stood with you and what position she could trust you with. The only person I ever heard about getting totally along with her was that Equuleusian cadet, Jorgen. He must have liked fiery women or something.

My bag is packed and tearful goodbyes have been said. Muranna is just putting the children down for a nap and Gorsha is sitting across from me, looking very sad. Where was I...

Has an entire year gone by already? Now I know how Jack felt to be away from his family and I haven't even left my apartment yet.

My transport to Whidbey to shuttle up to the space dock will be here in twenty minutes. I have not a lot of time left and I think the power cell on this keyboard thing is getting low. The more the clock ticks, the more I realize that I love you my dearest children and your mother too.

My job is a dangerous one and as you can see from the story I've just written, sometimes not all of us turn out good and not all of us come back.

Lt. Cmdr. Carl Fornax, September 20 __th_ , 2220_