

## SPACE KAT

### By

### John Cosper

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 by John Cosper

All rights reserved.

johncosper.com

Cover illustration by Erik Hodson.

Model: Megan Mooney.

Special thanks to the cast and crew from the Space Kat trailers: George Robert Bailey, Denny Grinar, Leah Leonhardt, and Megan Mooney.

To the intrepid indie film actors of Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, and beyond who helped me bring worlds like this to life so many times in the past several years. To the casts of the Fluffy films, Clive the Zombie films, Lunch Hour films, and the Space Kat trailers... this book is for you!

### CHAPTER ONE

There is no time in space. There are hours, there are days, there are even weeks, months and years, but space denies a being any sense of time by denying it day and night. Such things did exist on the inhabited worlds - at least those that conformed somewhat to an Earth-like pattern of solar orbit and revolution, but in the inky void, where Com Station One did its work, time was completely and utterly irrelevant.

Sera Alston looked at the time on her console. Half an hour more and she'd be relieved. She could feel a twinge of hunger in her belly already, as her stomach sensed that her next meal was soon to be had. After that she'd work out, shower, and hit the bed, waking just in time to do it again approximately eight Earth hours from now.

It wouldn't be enough. It never was. She yawned, eyes shut, longing to remain that way. As fate would have it, the console she had stared at blankly for twelve hours while it did nothing chose that moment to light up like a star cruiser on red alert.

"Con, we have a distress call!" she shouted. The ears of her commanding officer pricked up, and the fifty year-old officer with the long limbs and nervous voice cruised in her direction.

"One of ours?" asked Colonel Daniel Bright, wishing this had happened an hour later so that it would be the next watch commander's problem.

"Confirmed," said Sera, now wide awake. "It's the _SS Andromeda_ ."

"Logan's ship?" Bright shook his head. He had argued long and hard with the top brass to keep Maris Logan from being given her own ship. For one thing, he resented her for doing what he never could - entering the ship's captain training program at the tender age of twenty. For another, Maris had a reputation as a rule breaker, a dangerous and potentially lethal habit in open space.

Especially in the sector Logan and the _Andromeda_ were tasked to patrol.

"Video transmission now downloaded," said Sera.

"On screen," said Col. Bright.

A human woman with shocking red hair and a beautiful but stern visage appeared on screen dressed in a captain's uniform that was only half-way buttoned. Behind her red lights flashed on and off on the bridge while the crew scrambled to get control of their ship.

"This is Captain Maris Logan of the _SS Andromeda_. Our ship hit an inter-stellar jump trap while passing the Killdark sector, and we are now drifting into their territory."

Bright could hear the curses and gasps from the rest of his staff. No species anywhere inspired more fear than the giant, insect-like Killdarks. They were fiercely territorial, and travel through their charted space was strictly forbidden unless approved by an Admiral or above.

"Life support functions are stable," Logan continued, "but the hyperdrive and manual power systems are completely shut down. We are not yet in imminent danger of attack, but we need assistance. Please send help immediately."

The screen flickered and the distress call began to repeat itself.

"Colonel," said a blue-skinned being with a long snout and tiny black dots for eyes two consoles away. Bright was terrible with names and couldn't remember if he was Cuzu or Dopock. "The _Atlantia_ is two light years away, and the _Columbia_ is three light years out on leave. Should I hail them and send them to rescue?"

"That won't be necessary," said Bright. "Send the captain's message to CentCom for further evaluation. Then erase the signal."

"What?" the blue-skin squeaked.

"They're in Killdark territory," said Bright. "There's nothing we can do for them that won't start a war."

"But they'll die," said Sera.

Bright nodded. "Better a handful than another billion. Do it."

Sera didn't like it. Blue-skin - whose name was in fact Cuzu - did not like it either. Had he not already been in hot water with his commanding officer he would have relayed the message to the fleet. Instead, he did his duty, along with Sera. The signal was erased, but not from the minds of those who knew what it said.

Maris Logan scanned the stars, her eyes searching the distant lights for any movement. On a bridge full of frantic, scrambling sailors, she stood calm and cool, taking in the scene, praying that death was not already stalking them.

It would have been easy to put the blame for this on navigation. It was their responsibility to be on the lookout for the jump traps employed by the bugs to capture and trap ships on their turf. The bugs loved a fight, and they were itching for a chance to start another war. Maris would be damned if that new war happened because of her ship!

Lt. Trent Criswell stepped off the lift onto the bridge and made a direct line for his captain. She was ten years younger than he, but he had long accepted her as a strong and competent leader, the kind of captain he'd fight and die for.

"Captain," he said, "We've managed to boost the signal on our distress call."

"Any response?" she asked.

"Not yet," said Criswell. "But we did receive the tag back from at least two outposts. We know they've heard us."

Maris resisted the urge to shake her head. She knew what the silence meant; no one was coming. No one would dare. The risk of war was too great and too frightening. CentCom would just as soon sacrifice one ship as get into another bloody conflict.

"Continue beaming transmission," she said. "Get someone from communications to translate the call and beam out in alternate languages."

"They're not coming, are they?" said Trent in a softer tone.

Maris shook her head. "We have no control over that. Tell engineering to continue their repair work. Soon as we get control back, we can go home."

Trent gave a short nod and started to take his leave. Maris turned to him.

"I want you to do something, Lieutenant."

"Anything," he replied.

"Send the distress call on a special frequency. Mars 1G-21W, encryption code AV-13."

Trent pulled the data pad from his belt and punched the code into his database. "You have someone special in mind?"

The corner of Maris's mouth turned up in a slight smile. "Mother."

### CHAPTER TWO

"You're not marrying her!" And that's FINAL!"

Tobias Skull was tired of screaming. He was also tired of not being heard. Staring into the eyes of his rail thin twenty-one year old son, he was suddenly glad the boy's mother was not alive. What would she think, seeing her son, all grown up, sniveling and crying over a woman?

Not just a woman; a _green_ woman!

"You know what?" said Billy, scrambling for any sort of defense. "You're a hypocrite. I know your father didn't approve of your relationship with Mom!"

"That was different," said Tobias, scratching at his scruffy, black and white beard. "Your grandfathers were arch-rivals who spent decades competing for the spice business out of the Ordell system. Then one day, my dad killed her dad, and we were free to marry!"

The cabin door opened. A towering human with a head full of grey-black dreadlocks dressed head to toe in cobbled together body armor leaned inside the room.

"Captain, we're on approach to New Chicago," said the hairy giant in a booming bass tone. "Gram wants to talk to you."

"Thank you, Strom," said Tobias. "Tell Brash to keep Gram on the line. I'll be there directly. Then see that the cargo is secure. "

Strom nodded. He gave a look to Billy and then back to Tobias. "Captain, I don't mean to butt in, but if I may add my two cents."

"You may not," said Tobias. "Young Billy here just needs to meet a few more women. The right girl's out there."

"I found the right girl," said Billy defiantly.

Strom knew better than to say any more and shut the door behind him. Tobias turned his full attention back to Billy.

"New Chicago is eighty percent human," said Tobias. "We're going to be there for a day or so. Have a look around. Check out the local beauty. You see something you like, we'll grab it for you."

Billy rolled his eyes. "I'm looking for love, Dad. Not a prisoner."

"As you grow older, you'll find there's not much difference between love and prison," said Tobias. "Now put on something nice and get ready. We'll be on the ground shortly."

Tobias left the cabin, shaking his head. If only the scumbags and desperadoes he did business with could see him now. It wouldn't do his reputation in the space ways any favors to see him unable to wrangle his own son.

Tobias was not an imposing presence anyway. With his salt and pepper hair, matching beard, and his preference for tropical island shirts, he looked more like a retired teacher returning from vacation on a paradise island. A heavy duty belt straining against his girth with two holsters packing heavy duty side arms were the only clue that this was not some aging retiree, but a seasoned pirate who'd survived more than a few brushes with death. Tobias was just past six foot tall with a bulk of 280 pounds, and he was deceptively quick and agile for his size - a fact that had cost many a man his life when he underestimated the captain's skill.

Tobias headed up to the bridge of the his heavily modified Cardiff-Mahoney C-class freighter. From the outside, she looked no different than when Tobias "liberated" it from the hands of the Castoldi crime syndicate ten years prior, but the pirate had added an extra layer of armor under the skin. The ship also boasted six (illegal) A5000 high intensity laser cannons and an Alpha Six Warp 3 Rocket engine (also illegal) capable of outrunning just about anything the military might send in pursuit. And in keeping with his love of ancient legends, the ship also bore an unusual moniker: _Edward Teach's Revenge._

The upgrades had cost Tobias a good chunk of change, and Tobias was still paying off some of the debts he had incurred. Today, however, the biggest of those debts - make that two of the biggest - would finally be settled.

Now if only he could get that green girl off Billy's mind.

The captain hopped up the steps to the bridge, where his pilot and first mate were at their posts. Crunch wasn't the most social member of the crew, but there was no finer pilot anywhere in the galaxy. The young man with the mussed hair was often seen whispering to the ship like a lover, and while no one understood Crunch's bond with the ship, no one doubted his skills when it came to a chase.

Where Crunch looked like he had worn and slept in the same fatigues for weeks, Brash was the most sharply dressed of Tobias's crew. Long drummed out of the military for his penchant for bending the rules, he still preferred a sharp, neatly pressed black tunic and pants to the "pirate casual" favored by Tobias and his crew.

"Captain," said Brash, instinctively standing to attention. "Gram is waiting to speak to you."

"Let's not keep her waiting," said Tobias. "Put her on."

He looked at the video screen, where a sharp, angry looking woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes glared at him. She was dressed in the dark blue of the New Chicago militia, and the insignia on her collar designated her as a Lt. Colonel.

"Hello, Gram," said Tobias.

"You got my money, scumbag?" the woman scowled.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," said Tobias. "It's in the cargo bay, waiting to be converted into cold, hard cash. By the time I leave your fine establishment—"

"So you don't have the money," she snorted.

"Gram, give me three hours, that's all. I need a private landing, some place close to the main drag but inconspicuous."

"That doesn't come cheap," said Gram. "And you already owe me big!"

"It will be paid in full," he said.

"It better be, or I'll drop the hammer on you. You and that ship of yours will drift away in pieces!"

"All I owe you and more." Tobias grinned at the camera, causing the older woman to roll her eyes.

"Turner Spaceport, Docking bay 94. And you don't leave until I have my money!"

Tobias nodded. "Thank you, Gram."

The screen went dark.

"Well that was pleasant," said Tobias.

"You call that pleasant?" asked Brash.

"For Gram, very," said Tobias. "Marriage really mellowed her out." The captain turned to Brash."Did you let our client know we're arriving?"

"He is sending a ship to collect their prize," said Brash. "They'll be landing in two hours."

"They better bring cash," Tobias wished aloud.

Tobias and Brash watched over Crunch's shoulder as they made their approach to docking bay 94. The _Revenge_ made a soft touch down before Tobias picked up the intercom and spoke.

"Heads up, boys, we're in New Chicago. Our pay day is about two hours out, so I'm going to take Billy on a little hunting expedition. Stom, Chin, Ding, be locked and loaded in five. You're going with us."

### CHAPTER THREE

Billy Skull hated his life. All he wanted was to spend some time away, wooing and making life plans with the gorgeous Betel girl he had met on their most recent caper. Dija Tams was everything he ever wanted in a girl - fearless, funny, curvy, and a sexy shade of green. It had always been Billy's favorite color, and on a young female Betel, green was particularly gorgeous.

But for the moment, his happy dreams of Dija appeared to be nothing more than a dream. Flanked by the towering presence of Strom on his right and the short but deadly Asian twins Chin and Ding on the left, Billy felt exactly like a prisoner on his way to his sentence - a lifetime of marriage to whatever tart his father chose to nab on this dreary red rock.

She would be human; of that Billy had no doubt. They were at an ideal spot to grab a human. Like many starports in the western spiral arm of the galaxy, Turner was restricted to humans and humanoid beings only. By and large it was mostly human, as most non-human lifeforms would rather hold their bladders a few more light years than stop in such a bad neighborhood as the Earth system, but a few non-humans were usually in the mix due to fearlessness, brazenness, or in rare cases, suicidal tendencies.

"That'll do," said Tobias. Billy felt his father's arm grip his upper arm and drag him off to the left. Billy looked at the facade of the approaching building and could see nothing to distinguish it from any of the three story tall buildings covered in neon lights that lined the main drag outside the starport. Most of the signage was written in Chinese, a language Billy had never bothered to study very hard, but as far as he could tell, most of the establishments along the strip were dedicated to either drinking, sex, or drinking and sex.

Tobias's choice was a bit tamer than the norm, as the female wait staff were at least partially clothed. A raucous soundtrack of prerecorded music and a cloud of smoke hit Billy in the face as they entered the drab and musty establishment. The interior of the building was far less flashy than the exterior, with cracked concrete walls surrounding the dingy, blood-stained brown tiles that lined the floor.

Tobias and his crew made their way to a large table across from the bar. The captain gave his son a slap on the back.

"This is the kind of place where your grandparents met!" Tobias shouted at Billy.

"How can anyone hold a conversation in here!" Billy shouted back.

"They didn't!" Tobias screamed. "Your grandpa put a laserblade to her throat and took her by force after she brought him and his buddies drinks! It was love!"

Billy rolled his eyes. So that's how it was going to be, a traditional smash-and-grab wedding. Billy wanted nothing more than to run for the door and lose himself in the mob outside, but even if he could get past Strom, who had seated himself in position to block any escape run, the twins would have him pinned down before he reached the door.

A long haired brunette beauty with pale, pink irises approached the table. "What will it be!" she shouted.

"You have Old Glory on tap!" asked Tobias.

"Regular or Dark!" she answered.

"Dark!" shouted Tobias. "Three of them! And two whole milks!" Tobias never understood the twins' refusal to drink anything other than that nasty cattle byproduct, but he catered to their needs regardless. Hired muscle was hard to come by, and the boys were deadlier than any twelve man gang they were likely to face in a town like this.

As the waitress headed for the bar, Strom nudged Billy. "She's not bad, huh!"

Tobias smacked his hand on the table. "She's not pure either! There's Venus in those pink eyes! Blue, brown, and green, or she's not good enough!"

"I like green!" shouted Billy, drawing an irate look from his father.

Chin nudged his brother. The two Asians locked eyes on a petite human female who had just walked into the establishment. She was barely five foot, if that, with light blonde hair just past her shoulder blades. She was dressed in a pair of gun metal gray cargos that looked ages old. Her black flight jacket covered a red leather tank top well fitted to not only show off her womanly form, but protect it from laser blasts. She looked a tad older than Billy, but as Tobias drew a bead on her taking a seat at the main bar, a smile crept across his face.

"Strom!" he shouted, seeing the big man was already staring. "Make your way to the counter! See what color eyes she has and let us know! One finger blue, two fingers brown, three green, four none of the above!"

Strom, who did not like being a part of Tobias's father-son struggle, did his duty, moving casually to an empty spot three stools down from the target. He ordered himself a round before casually casting a glance down at the target. She was gorgeous, as perfect a human female as Strom had ever seen. She glanced his way briefly, and Strom swung his arm behind his back to relay the news to Tobias.

One finger. She was human.

"Billy, it's time to meet your bride!" shouted Tobias.

"Don't do this, Dad!" said Billy. "Ditch me, desert me, disown me, but don't do this! It's not right!"

"It's for your own good!" shouted Tobias. "You'll thank me for this one day!"

As their waitress set down their drinks, Tobias gave a thumbs up to Strom. The big man gulped down his beverage and made his move, sliding in between a pale blue skinned humanoid and the petite woman in the black flight jacket.

"Need a lift!" he shouted.

"What kind of ship you got!" she said back.

"Cardiff C-class!" he shouted. "Small crew, but room for one more!"

The woman looked up at him. "What's your fee!"

"That's kind of the catch!" said Strom. "Cap's got a son needs a bride! He figures you'll do fine!"

"Beat it!" said the woman, turning away.

Strom glanced back at the table. Tobias turned and nodded to the twins, who stood and made their way to the bar.

The woman behind the bar caught sight of the twins as they made their way to the smaller blonde. She looked across to the woman. "We don't want any trouble tonight, Kat!"

"Neither do I!" said the blonde. "Sooner the Wolfman here gets the idea, the less trouble we'll have!"

Strom was undeterred. "The decision has been made! You are coming with us! I'd rather not take you out of here with any marks!"

"I'm not the one who's going to get marked!" The blue eyes turned up at Strom, and the big man felt a twinge of apprehension. She meant it. She really believed she could hurt him, and that worried him.

Strom saw the twins make their approach. There was no turning back now; the twins answered to Tobias, and they would ignore any warnings from Strom. He just had to hope she was bluffing.

"Last chance!" said Strom. "Come quietly or we will carry you out!"

He never saw the glass coming. Quick as a blink, it traveled from the bar to the side of his head, shattering glass and marking his skin, sending him flying to the floor. Had he not had his eyes shut from the pain surging across his cheek, he would have been impressed at how the woman flipped herself onto the bar into a handstand and then launched herself feet first into the two Asians, sending each one into a table full of easily provoked drinkers.

By the time Strom got to his feet, the entire bar had erupted into a war zone. Booze, glasses, and bodies were flying across the room as Strom struggled to get his bearings. He caught a bottle to the face and then spun into the arms of Tobias, who held him up in his mighty bear claws.

"Did you get her!" Tobias screamed.

"No!"

Ding sent a pair of nasty gunslingers crashing over the bar with a powerful roundhouse kick and motioned for the door. "Captain!"

"Not without the girl!" Tobias shouted.

"Let her go!" screamed Billy.

Tobias was in no mood to argue, so it was somewhat fortuitous that the young woman at the bar happened to lock him in choke hold at that very moment.

"So Billy is looking to take a bride! How time flies, Tobias!" she said.

Tobias's eyes widened. He knew that voice, and he knew he had made a big mistake. "Kat!"

"Must be my lucky day! I need a ship, and you stroll into my favorite bar! You already owe me one! Now, it's time to collect!"

Strom pulled out his blaster and aimed it at the woman's head. She quickly snatched it - and bent the barrel. Strom wanted to swear in surprise, but before he could say anything, an airborne barstool caught him in the head and nearly flipped him over the bar.

"You!" Kat snapped at Billy. "Grab the hairy beast and let's make for the door!"

Billy slipped his small frame under Strom's arm and followed the woman and his father to the door. Ding saw the procession and hurled the man in his grip through the front window, making an opening for him and his brother to follow suit.

Kat kept a tight grip on Tobias's collar as they raced down the street. Billy and the crew limped after them. Kat led them into a small alleyway and tossed Tobias against the wall, letting the others catch their breath - and draw their guns.

"Easy boys," she said. "I'm unarmed, and I'm not going to kill anyone."

"You're not collecting any bounties either, Kat," said Tobias.

The woman laughed. "I spotted a dozen men worth way more than you on my way to the bar. If all I wanted was money, I would not be wasting time on you."

Strom and the twins looked to Tobias. He nodded. The guns went back into their holsters.

Billy took his first real look at the woman, who was breathtakingly beautiful. "So, you and my Dad are old friends?"

"Since long before you were born," she said.

Billy couldn't believe it. "How old are you?"

"Older than she looks," said Tobias. "A wise man will leave it at that."

"Tobias Skull," said Kat, helping him to his feet. "Please tell me you're still driving that piece of junk you stole off the Castoldis."

"What if I am?" said Tobias.

She grinned. "We're going for a little ride."

### CHAPTER FOUR

"Get out of my seat!"

Crunch didn't have time to react. Kat's hand caught his shoulder and lifted him out of his chair, tearing his clothes in the process. He flopped into Brash's arms as the woman slipped into the pilot's seat.

"Kat???" Brash's voice squeaked like a thirteen year old reaching puberty. "Kat Labar? What in the blazes!"

Tobias gave a look to Brash as he bullied his way to the flight deck. "Now see here, Kat, you wanna take a ride, we can negotiate something. But I have a little business to transact before we go any place."

"The controls on these ships were so poorly designed," Kat muttered to herself, ignoring Tobias completely. She pressed a button and felt the engines rumble beneath her. A grin streaked across her face. "Just like you, Toby, to customize it."

"How did she figure that out?" said Crunch.

"What's going on, Cap?" said Brash. "Our money won't be here for another hour."

Kat flipped a series of switches over head. "Tell them to be back in a few days, and no, you won't be charging them any interest." She gave Brash an innocent smile.

"Kat, I'm begging you," said Tobias. "I have debts."

"You always have debts," said Kat.

"Kat, I will shoot you—"

Tobias and his men all flopped on their backs, feet in the air, as the ship violently began its rise into the air.

"Not wise to shoot a pilot during lift off," Kat said. "By the time you wrestle my carcass out of the chair, the whole ship will be six feet underground, if it hasn't erupted into a fireball yet."

Tobias clawed his way into the first mate's chair as Kat aimed the nose of the _Revenge_ toward outer space. Kat felt the headrest pull back as Crunch dug his fingers into the cushion, fighting the G-forces to stay on his feet.

"We'll never make it past the outer markers!" Brash howled, clinging to the floor as the ship rumbled into the sky. "When Gram finds out—"

"That's what I've been trying to tell her!" shouted Tobias.

"Tell who?" said Kat.

The video screen lit up, and Gram's angry face appeared on screen.

"What do you think you're doing, Tobias?" she screamed.

"Gram, it's not me!" Tobias pleaded.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!" the old woman snapped. "I should have blown you out of the sky on sight. Now, I'll rectify that error."

Gram's eyes drifted down to the control panel in front of her and activated the military comm channel. "All wings, on alert! A Cardiff-Mahoney C-class just blasted out of Turner, carrying 20 tons of stolen spices. Orders are to kill on sight. Repeat, kill on sight! Twenty-five thousand in casino credits to the one who takes the bird down."

"I'll get you for this, Gram!" screamed Tobias.

"Next time, you'll pay," she said. "Oh wait, too late. There won't be a next time. See you in Hell!"

The screen went dark. The sky went dark. The _Revenge_ shot into the not-so-empty void above Mars, where three flights of G-23 Interceptors were already converging, eager to stake their claim on a small fortune in casino credits.

Brash swore under his breath as he rose to his feet. "We're done for. You've killed us all, Kat."

Kat didn't even look nervous. "You've got some serious artillery on board, right?"

Tobias couldn't help it. Much as he wanted to pay off his debt and get out of Mars without any trouble, he was a sucker for a good fight - and he DID have the artillery to put one up.

"Brash, tell Strom and the twins to fire up the main batteries," said Tobias. "Soon as weapons are go, open fire."

"Belay that order," said Kat. "Tell them to charge the batteries and wait for my cue."

Tobias glared at Kat. "So you're the captain now?"

"Not a lot of time to argue," said Kat.

Tobias nodded to Brash. "You heard the lady. Give the order."

Kat peered out into space. The Interceptors were closing in from three directions, fanning out as they approached. They would have the _Revenge_ surrounded in a matter of minutes. She flexed her fingers on the controls, waiting for just the right moment.

"Batteries charged and ready," Strom's voice relayed over the intercom. "Awaiting your order... Captain."

"Steady, boys," she said, cool and calm. The net was closing around them.

"Captain!" Brash growled as the Interceptors moved in. "The Interceptors are in range."

The video screen lit up once more. "Last chance, Tobias," Gram hissed.

Kat swung the camera on the dash over to herself. "No, Gram, this is your last chance. Send those boys home now."

"Kat Labar?" Gram barked in surprise. She scowled. "This doesn't concern you!"

"This is my ship now, Gram," said Kat. "And that makes it my concern."

"Goodbye then," said Gram. The screen went dark again.

"Pilot," said Kat. "What's your name?"

"Crunch," he replied.

"Ever done an Aries Red 22 in this bird?"

Tobias saw his pilot's eyes light up and his skin turn pale at the same time. "No. No, I haven't."

"But she will do it," said Kat. "Right?"

He turned and flipped down the auxiliary jump seat directly behind Kat.

"Brash," said Crunch, "You better buckle up."

Kat grinned. "I'll take that's a yes?"

Crunch took two deep breaths, preparing himself. "Oh yeah. She'll do it."

Kat flipped on the intercom. "Okay boys, strap in, hold the triggers down, and hold on to your lunch."

Just as the Interceptors unleashed their first volley, Kat sent the _Revenge_ into a dive. The ship jerked starboard, then to port, then nose up and back down. The ship spun violently in the void, sending a stream of laser bolts haphazardly through space, blasting their attackers out of the sky.

The Interceptors reacted predictably, by scrambling wildly for cover. It was a fatal mistake. There were so many ships, packed in so closely, their guns firing, that as they turned to leave, they began to smash into one another, blowing each other away.

Within a matter of minutes, the battle was over. The _Revenge_ stabilized in a cloud of metal debris and body parts, drifting slowly toward their fiery doom in the Martian atmosphere.

The crew on the flight deck heard a scream of delight over the intercom. "Was that an Aries Red 22?" Ding shouted.

Brash, looking pale and ready to vomit, responded. "That's what I'm being told." And then he puked.

The view screen clicked on. Kat clicked it off. Tobias looked at her, eyes wide with fear. "Do you realize what you've done?"

Kat shrugged. "Time this trip is over, I'll do far worse."

"I don't know what I did to you to deserve this," he growled.

"Not a thing," said Kat. "Well, you did try to hook me up with your son, who's clearly already in love, but I'll agree, that's not equal to making you Mars Public Enemy Number Two. No, Tobias, this has nothing to do with us."

Kat activated the controls for a hyperspace jump, setting a course that would bring them out a third of the way towards their goal.

"What is this about?" said Tobias, coughing at bit as the smell of Brash's puke wafted into his nose.

"My daughter's in trouble," said Kat. "We're going on a little rescue."

### CHAPTER FIVE

"I received the distress call an hour before I arrived at the bar," said Kat. "I have to go to her, and I needed a ship."

"And I just happened to be the lucky one," said Tobias, leaning against the counter. They had been going at it for nearly half an hour in the mess hall, Kat not pleading, but explaining how it was going to be. This was happening; there was nothing Tobias could do to stop her. But he was as stubborn as she, and he would not let her have her way without a fight - even if it was all for show.

"Believe me, I was not looking for you," said Kat. "Truth be told, I was hoping Kell Tainer was going to be around."

"Kell?" Tobias rolled his eyes. "You wanted to crash through bug space with Kell?"

"Why not?" said Kat. "He packs a mean set of artillery."

Tobias shook his head. "Kell's got big guns. He doesn't have the speed of the _Revenge_."

"True," said Kat. "But I was willing to accept the trade off, considering we'll be blasting our way through bug space."

"If we even get there," said Tobias. "If word's leaked out that we skipped the planet, we'll not only have Martian authorities after us, but Gary."

"Gary?"

"Scary Gary," said Tobias, letting the words sink in.

Kat smiled. "You're upset because you missed a meeting with someone named Scary Gary?"

"I'm glad you find this amusing," said Tobias. "Scary Gary's one of the biggest exporters in this part of the galaxy."

"Crime lord, you mean," said Kat.

"You know what I mean," said Tobias. "I owe him a significant amount of money, and he's not going to be pleased about missing our rendezvous."

"I thought you were collecting a pay day back there."

"I was," said Tobias. "The crate down in our cargo bay is worth enough to pay off Gary twice. I was going to get a decent chunk of change, paying off his debt and Gram as well."

"I'm very sorry," said Kat. "If it makes you feel better, Gram's never cared for me either."

"All the more reason for her to hunt us down," said Tobias.

Kat nodded in agreement. Gram didn't like anybody, and two people she hated aboard one vessel would be her kind of target.

"So what's this cargo you're carrying?" she asked.

"Beats me," said Tobias. "We picked it up in the Orion 3 system from one of Gary's people with instructions not to open it."

"So it's something illegal."

"Of course it's illegal," said Tobias. "It's probably extremely illegal, or he'd trust his own people with it. He hired me because he knew I owed him and was desperate. And the fact he's paying me on top of that means it's something really dangerous."

A wicked grin crossed Kat's face. Tobias shook his head. "Not a chance, Kat."

"Come on, Tobias. Just a peek."

"This may be your ship for the moment, but it's mine the second we rescue your kid," said Tobias. "And you don't touch anything in that cargo bay."

Tobias left. The battle was over, long after the victory had been decided. Kat grinned to herself and followed him out the door, prancing up toward the bridge. Crunch heard her coming and gave her a smile.

"Areis Red 22," he said. "Where did you learn a maneuver like that?"

She smiled back. "I've seen a little action in my day."

"Fly many T-10's?" he asked.

Kat shook her head. "Anyone can do that move in a T-10. I pulled my first Aries in a Magnum Eliminator."

Crunch let out a low whistle. "Gutsy move. You're lucky you didn't spin apart."

Kat shrugged. "It was kill or be killed." Kat thought back to that day, her first voyage on the wrong side of the law following her dismissal from the service. Most of the crew was dead or dying, leaving her and her captain to make one of two suicidal options: make a run for it and be blown out of the sky, or attempt a death roll offensive maneuver no ship the size of an Eliminator should ever attempt.

It was one of the reasons she had loved Calico Jack. He never took the easy way out. They might still be flying together today - if he hadn't gotten himself killed in another man's bed with another man's wife.

"So we're heading for bug space," said Brash in a decidedly negative tone as he stepped up behind Kat. Kat caught his disdainful look out of the corner of his eye and chose not to look his way.

"Just a quick extraction," she said. "Shouldn't take very long."

"A fight with the bugs never lasts long," said Brash.

"True," said Kat. "It's almost unfair. I should take them on with half my brain tied behind my back."

Brash shook his head, not impressed. He had witnessed the horror and destruction of the bugs first hand during his brief stint in the military. Avoiding the same fate as the poor devils whose bodies he had to pick out of orbit was the one reason he was happy to leave the service. And now... this reckless _woman_ was leading him right into the hive.

A warning light and siren went off on the main control board. Crunch swore under his breath, his hands flipping a series of controls as the ship began to shake.

"What's happening?" Brash screamed.

"Warp intercept!" shouted Crunch.

"What's that mean?" Brash shouted.

"It means, someone's pulling us out of hyperspace," said Crunch.

"Can you override it?" asked Kat.

"It's going to tear the ship apart if I try," said Crunch. "They've got a lock on us!"

Tobias smashed into Kat as he stumbled up on the bridge, his son in tow. "What in the blazes is going on?"

"Someone wants a word with us," said Kat.

Tobias looked at the control screen. "That didn't take long. Who caught us?"

"If it's Gram, we're in trouble," said Brash.

"If it's Gary, we're in even bigger trouble," said Tobias.

"Could be worse," said Billy.

The star lines outside the ship vanished, and a trio of retro-fitted gunships greeted them, hanging in orbit beside a large, yellow planet. The video screen lit up, and a smallish man with round-framed glasses and a crew cut greeted them.

"Unidentified craft, you have violated the sovereign territory of his imminence, the Commodore. Our boarding craft will be docking with your airlock in ten minutes at which time you will surrender, or die."

### CHAPTER SIX

"You want a gun?" Tobias shouted over his shoulder as he grabbed the stair rails and slid to the lower level of the ship.

Kat danced lightly down the steps behind him. "I've got my side arm if I need it."

"Well," said Tobias, turning down the starboard lower level hall. "If you want something bigger, you're welcome to it."

Kat rounded the corner behind him as she entered the armory, a tiny room that was once probably someone's quarters, now stacked to the ceiling with guns and explosives. It was a frightening sight given that everything was arranged haphazardly. A direct hit from a another ship or even a bump in the right spot from an asteroid would be enough to make one thing bounce off another, causing the whole room - and ship - to explode.

Strom, Chin, and Ding were busy loading themselves down with gun after gun. Strom even had a bandolier of grenades slung over his shoulder. Kat shook her head. "You know, the more you try to carry, the more it will hinder your ability to maneuver in a fight."

Chin and Ding looked at each other, considering this wisdom only for a moment before they resumed their arming.

Tobias grabbed a sniper rifle and an enormous gun Kat recognized as a BZ-47 Atomizer.

"You haven't been raided very often, have you, Tobias?" said Kat.

"We've got plenty experience with this," he lied. "Don't worry about a thing."

"You do realize that if you go blasting a BZ-47 Atomizer around your airlock, you're liable to destroy the controls, or worse, blow a hole in the side of your ship that would kill us all."

Tobias's crew stopped, looking to their captain for an answer. Tobias shuffled his feet. "What makes you think I'll miss?"

"Gentlemen," she said, "You're about to have a boarding party enter your ship at your most vulnerable point. You want to defend yourselves, but not at the expense of jeopardizing your only hope of escape."

Kat grabbed the bandolier strap of grenades and yanked it off Strom's shoulder, handing him a smaller blaster.

"Mezo 57," she said. "Powerful enough to kill, fast enough to kill a lot, but not so powerful you cripple the door mechanism and kill everyone on board in the cold vacuum of space."

The twins nodded to one another, ditching their heavy weapons for two Mezos a piece. Tobias scowled. He was not used to being overruled on his own ship, but even he agreed the bounty hunter's logic was sound. He traded his big guns for smaller, and followed after his crew, bumping into his son on the way out.

"Upstairs, Billy," said Tobias.

"I'm not a child anymore, Dad!" Billy shouted. He grabbed a pair or blaster pistols and hurried after his father. "Wait up!"

Tobias cursed under his breath. "Stubborn kid, just like your mother. Stick beside me, and—"

Billy ignored his father and raced ahead toward the battle line.

The interspace airlock was on the port side of the cargo bay. By entering through the airlock, the invaders would quickly be able to get a read on how much cargo their quarry had in the hold, but that same cargo made for some nice cover for Tobias and his men. The twins took up position closest to the door, with Strom behind them on the left. Billy took the high ground on the catwalk overhead while Tobias, the brave captain, was behind his hired muscle with Kat directly across from him, crouched behind a large, black crate.

"You got much in here of value?" she asked.

"You're leaning on it," said Tobias, nodding to the black crate. "Scary Gary was going to pay me a fortune for it before you—"

The airlock door snapped, then hissed as it began to open. The door swung inward, and a mob of about twenty lightly armed men raced on board. The twins opened fire, cutting down six before they could take a second step into the hold. Three more made that second step, and of the four that followed, only one even reached the first line of defense before Billy cut him in half with his blaster.

"Captain!" an erudite voice barked from beyond the door. "We are coming in, guns down. We do not wish further loss of life."

"My men will not lower their weapons!" Tobias shouted. "But you're welcome to send your captain in to parlay."

Tobias and his men stood, guns drawn, while Kat remained low and kept cover. A pair of men in old uniforms - Centauri naval dress blues, at least a century old but kept in decent repair - entered first, hands up and empty. They stood to either side as two more men entered. The first was of average height, a roguish looking fellow who looked completely out of place in his dress blues with untamed black hair and a light dusting of black facial hair. Behind him strode a taller man with wispy gray hair down to his shoulders. He carried himself high with his large, hooked nose leading the way.

"Impressive work, captain," said the tall officer as he surveyed the carnage. "I commend you and your men on their marksmanship."

Tobias shot a look at Kat. "Your compliments are well received, sir," said Tobias.

"What are you using for small arms?"

"Mezo 57's," said the captain.

The tall man nodded. "Strong enough to kill, but not powerful enough to damage your own ship. That's true wisdom. A lesser man would have blasted us with an Atomizer and killed himself and his crew."

It was Kat's turn to shoot the know-it-all look. Tobias didn't see it, but he could sense it was there nevertheless.

"Shame about these boys," said the gray haired man. "I was hoping at least one would prove his mettle."

"Who were they?" asked Tobias.

"Prisoners," said the elder man. "Sailors from previous conquests. We offer all our captives a chance to earn a spot on our crew. Sometimes we get lucky. Sometimes... well, at least we're not losing our best and brightest, right?"

He kneeled beside one of the dead men. "Sorry, Dennik. You talked a good game. I really thought you would do me proud."

Tobias shrugged awkwardly. "It was him or us," he said.

"Truer words were never spoken," said the tall man. "You did what was necessary. You mind if we dispose of the refuse?"

Tobias cast a sideways glance at Kat. She was smiling, curiously, but she nodded. "Go ahead," said Tobias. "And please, let's not be strangers. I'm Captain Tobias Skull."

Without a word from their commander, four more men stepped through the airlock and began the process of removing the dead bodies. The older man seemed to tilt his head even higher as he introduced himself.

"Commodore Jetblack, at your service, though you may simply call me Commodore," said the man. "You were stopped because you attempted to transverse our space without my prior express permission. As ruler of the sovereign planet Jay-Joens, it is my right to search and seize any property I deem of value in your hold."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," said Tobias. "This cargo does not belong to you or me. I'm just a courier."

"I'm sorry," said the Commodore. "I don't believe I heard you right."

"He said we can't search the hold, Commodore," said the younger man. Tobias saw Kat perk up at the sound of the young man's voice, as if she had suddenly encountered a ghost.

"My dear Captain," the Commodore said in a lower timbre, "You do not want to make me angry."

Kat snorted and spoke aloud. "Go ahead, make him angry. He won't do anything."

"Excuse me?" the Commodore barked. "Who said that?"

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Billy shouted.

"He has no authority to kill us," said Kat. "He's not in charge."

"I am the Commodore!"

Kat stood and faced the tall man. "No you're not." She nodded to the younger officer. "He is."

All eyes turned to the man, who now looked as if he'd seen a ghost as well. "Kat?"

She smiled, the kind of warm smile that Tobias never in a million years would have thought possible from such a battle-hardened space traveler.

"Hello, Rider," she said. "Been a long time since Stardust."

Rider nearly blushed, his hard facade replaced by a boyish shyness. "It has, I... Wow, is it really you?"

"It's me," she said. "And how are you doing, Kurlin?"

"Charmed to see you again too, Miss Labar." The old man's voice was filled with disdain and completely devoid of sincerity.

"Still taking orders from the runaway prince, huh?" said Kat.

"It's Commodore now," said Rider.

"Yes, I caught that," said Kat. "Commodore Jetblack. Must be a fascinating story."

"Excuse me," said Tobias, feeling very much out of the loop. "Do you two know each other?"

"Tragically," said Kurlin. "It's a painfully long story."

"Too long," said Kat. "More time than my captain friend has to spare."

Kat stepped clear of her cover, putting on the charm for Rider. "Captain Skull has a delivery to make, and I've already made him late. What do you say you let him and his crew go while you and I catch up?"

Rider smiled. "Sorry, Kat, I can't do that. We have a reputation to uphold here at Jay-Joens, and until we've examined the hold, we can't let the captain go."

"Oh no?" said Tobias, lifting his weapon. Kat snatched it from his hand and pulverized it with a powerful, stunning punch.

Rider laughed. "Wow! You haven't lost your touch."

"Let them go, Commodore," she purred.

Rider shook his head. "You will stay as our guests, not as prisoners. We'll have a big feast tonight. Kurlin will see to the arrangements?"

Kurlin nodded, scowling. It was clear he did not share Rider's fondness for Kat.

"We'll do a quick search tonight and have you on your way tomorrow, Captain. Gather your crew and any bags, and we'll see you all to the guest wing."

Kat winked and nodded to Tobias. The captain was angry, but he knew he had to comply. He just hoped Kat had a plan in case her old flame decided to go back on his word. "Grab your things, boys, and tell the rest of the gang to grab theirs."

Billy, Strom, and the twins left the cargo hold, each one keeping an eye on their captors for a double cross as they left. Soon as they were clear, Kat plead her case once more.

"Rider, Commodore, these guys are in some trouble," said Kat. "Trouble I caused. If there's anything you can do to move this along."

"I promise, you'll be clear to leave by morning," said Rider. "There's not a lot here. Won't take long at all."

"Then we will do as you ask," said Kat. She gave a little toss of the hair as she turned, locking her arm in the captain's, and strode out of the cargo hold. Rider grinned like an idiot as Kurlin stepped up to his side.

"You're a fool," said Kurlin. "You remember last time."

"I remember." Rider was practically swooning.

"You should have let her go. She'll ruin everything."

"We will let her go," said Rider. "I doubt there's anything of value here. We'll do a cursory search, and then, we'll let them go."

Kurlin nodded. For the life of him, he had no idea why he persisted in remaining true and loyal to the young rogue. True, he had established a semi-legitimate, highly profitable venture on this forsaken rock. But Kurlin's memory of Stardust was not as clouded as his young charge's. Kat was trouble, the kind of trouble that could destroy all they had worked so hard to build.

Kurlin was loyal to Rider. He was also very happy on Jay-Joens, and he wouldn't let anyone - especially that girl - ruin it!

### CHAPTER SEVEN

The lights were out, and not a sound could be heard across the bridge. Maris Logan knelt in front of her command chair, her eyes trained on the viewscreen, as the squadron of bug ships appeared in the distance.

It was definitely a scout team, and if it weren't for the hard work of Maris's engineers, they would already have been spotted. As it was, the ship was dangerously close to the gravitational well that would suck them straight down onto the moon of Loris, one of the hundreds of uninhabitable worlds in bug space, so they were far from out of danger.

"That's the way," she whispered. "Keep going. Take the bait."

The bait was in the form of garbage the _Andromeda_ jettisoned shortly before moving to their current location. Ships like the _Andromeda_ typically dropped their garbage before making a hyperspace jump, leaving a tell tale trail in their wake. A clever navigator could deduce the trajectory of a ship from its garbage trail, and Maris was hopeful the bug commanders aboard the scouts would follow the false trail.

"They're buying it," said Criswell as the rear thrusters of the bug ships began to glow blue. In rapid succession, all six made a hyper jump in the direction indicated by the trash pile.

Maris could hear the collective sigh of relief, a sound no doubt being echoed all across the ship. They had survived their first brush with danger, but they were still drifting deeper into bug space. If help did not come soon, it would likely be too late.

Tobias wasn't fooled any more than Kat. They were not guests in the Commodore's place by choice, and that made them prisoners. True, they were not in chains and there were no hard locks on their doors, but the increased security on their floor was by no means provided for their protection.

Still, it was easy to lose sight of their prisoner status given the surroundings were far from the kind of prison he and the men in his crew who had been incarcerated had experienced. Each member of the crew had their own spacious room with an over-sized bed, sitting area, mini-fridge (stocked with fresh fruit and top shelf liquor), and bathroom complete with two sinks, a large tub, and a shower.

Best as Tobias could tell, this facility had once been a resort or a casino. Everything from the carpet to the crystal light fixtures was name brand, top of the line from the finest artisans in space, and immaculately well-kept. There had to be an army of housekeepers somewhere in this place, and Tobias was certain they were not still here by choice.

The facility also boasted a fully-staffed spa, and while Tobias did not wish to be lulled into a state of false security, it had been too long since he had had a manicure or pedicure. He was stretched out in a comfy chair wearing a soft, white robe having his right hand nails done when Brash and Billy walked in on him.

"Captain?" said Brash.

"If this is business related, we can talk later," said Tobias.

"I'm sorry, Captain, I'm concerned," said Brash.

"About what?"

"I don't believe we are truly guests here."

"Of course we are not," said Tobias.

"Then don't you think we ought to be making plans for our escape?'

Tobias sighed. "Brash, I appreciate your concern. However, we are one of the most wanted crews in the galaxy right now. We will most likely be gone by morning, and until we are released, I see no reason not to take advantage of our host and his hospitality."

"Nor do the twins," said Billy. "They both ordered full body massages."

"Good for them," said Tobias. "Now run along both of you."

"You're not concerned they will find something worth holding us longer?" said Tobias. "Maybe a certain piece of cargo?"

Tobias shook his head. "They'll never get inside that crate."

"How do you know?" asked Brash.

"Because Strom and I already tried. You think I'm a fool, not to at least get a peek at what Gary finds so valuable?"

"But if the Commodore—"

"The Commodore is my concern, not yours,"said Tobias. "Now get out of here. Take a bath, enjoy the spa. I hear dinner's going to be quite a treat."

"Do you trust this Commodore?" asked Billy. "Do you even know him?"

"No, and no," said Tobias. "But we have an ace in the hole. We have Kat."

"Do you trust her?" asked Billy.

"Absolutely not," said Tobias. "But right now. she's on our side, and that makes her our insurance policy. One way or another, we will be gone by morning. Kat will see to that."

If Tobias had visions of Kat carefully planning their escape, he would have been sorely disappointed. When you live the life of a bounty hunter, cheating death on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, you have no qualms about taking advantage of luxury when you find it. Just like Tobias, Kat took full advantage of Rider's hospitality the minute she reached her room. A long dip in the hot tub was followed by a glass of wine from Rider's personal collection and a much needed nap on what had to be the softest bed she had ever known.

Kat smiled to herself. She wasn't certain what kind of rooms the guys were in, but she knew she was in the best. Rider had never forgotten her and had obviously more than forgiven the past. She had often daydreamed, wondering what would have happened if she had met him under different circumstances. Now, inexplicably, she was getting a taste, and it was more than she even imagined.

Despite her youthful appearance, Kat was quite a bit older than Rider. He was brash, immature, and more than a little impulsive. He was also handsome and charming, especially so because of his new found vocation as a self-made "pirate."

She took more than a little pleasure in enjoying the first class treatment, but she never forgot what had brought her to this rock in the first place. Every minute Rider delayed them put _Andromeda_ in deeper jeopardy. They couldn't wait until morning. They had to leave tonight, the sooner the better. And if Rider gave chase, well, the extra firepower they packed would be useful when they reached their destination.

She'd give Rider a chance to make the right choice. It wouldn't be easy; after all, she was the reason he didn't want to let them go. But if push came to shove, Kat knew she would have no trouble giving her old flame a shove. Not that she didn't...

Well, the less she dwelt on her thoughts about Rider, the better. At least until her daughter was safe.

Kat's half-asleep state vanished with a knock at the door. Adjusting the white robe around her, she made her way to the door and opened it.

He was dressed in the solid white uniform of the spa workers, with a cap and a half-mask to cover his mouth and nose, but his eyes gave him away.

"Compliments of the Commodore," said Rider. "I am here to give you a massage."

Kat gave him a wry smile as she pulled down the mask. "Not very becoming of a prince to behave this way, sir."

"Granted," said Rider. "But I am no prince. I am the Commodore."

"I am still a lady," said Kat, playing coy and turning the heat on high. "You have my gratitude, but I'm afraid I must decline."

"Come on, Kat," said Rider.

"I'm sorry," said Kat. "But so long as we are being held against our will, I will have to insist on being treated like my crew."

"I see," said Rider. "So if I gave massages to the crew, I could come back."

"I will see you at dinner," she replied.

He smiled, defeated but not at all discouraged. "Until tonight, my dear."

He tried for a kiss, but Kat swung the door shut, cutting him off. The Commodore glanced down the hall. He caught the heads of his elite guard as they all quickly turned away, pretending not to have noticed their commander's rebuff. But he knew they saw, and he didn't care. He had all night to win the woman who had haunted his dreams the last few years. Now that he had her in his grasp, he would not let her get away!

"Set it in the middle of the floor, please."

Kurlin stood tall over the security detail as they entered his quarters with their prize. It was black, a foot short of being a perfect four foot cube, with no trace of a latch or lock.

Malzar, a New Earth naval officer turned loyal member of the Commodore's crew, approached Kurlin. "There doesn't appear to be any way inside. We thought it might be solid at first."

"If I may," said a young man in the security detail. "This looks like a Karvassian Puzzle Box. Several of the major crime syndicates use these to transport highly valuable commodities."

Kurlin raised an eyebrow. "How did you come by this knowledge?"

"My former captain used to make runs for the Bilguss Family and Scary Gary. They used these crates all the time for smuggling high value cargo."

Kurlin nodded. "The royal family of Altair 5 uses a similar crating method for high security shipments. What is your name?"

"Cutlass, sir," said the young man.

"Malzar, you and the rest of your men may resume your search. I'd like young Cutlass to stay behind."

Cutlass was confused, and a bit nervous. "Sir?"

"I'm curious," said Kurlin. "Have you ever seen one of these boxes opened?"

### CHAPTER EIGHT

Brash often felt out of place aboard the _Revenge_. It wasn't easy being the only guy with a sense of style on a ship full of marauders, but when he arrived in the main corridor leading to the dining hall wearing the fancy red coat and black trousers left for him in his room, he felt right at home. Despite the dubious nature of their planetary economy, the residents of Jay-Joens enjoyed dressing nice, from designer shoes to custom-tailored suits to one of a kind ball gowns. They also enjoyed fine china, vases, art work, and tapestries, as evidenced by the many beautiful things Brash saw on his way to the dining hall. He really felt at home here strolling across the Aqualian marble floors, and the thought of giving up the skies for a quiet residence on this jewel among the stars felt quite appealing.

The snickers of his crew mates, dressed "casual" in their usual, worn out fatigues, gave him yet another reason to consider a change of address.

"Look," said Crunch, "Brash is going to be part of the entertainment!"

"You know," said Brash, "When one is in the company of true civilization, it never hurts to dress the part."

"You're an uncivilized scumbag like the rest of us," said Billy.

The laughter subsided only a little as Tobias joined the group, dressed in the finest Jay-Joensian fashions himself. His coat was bright green, his pants bright orange, and his belly strained against the wide black belt that held the ensemble together. After a moment or two to take in the sight, the crew burst out in even bigger laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up," said Tobias. "I said it before, take advantage of it while we got it. We could all be dead by morning."

"You could die tonight in those pants," said Billy. "Horrifying, isn't it?"

"Says the man who wishes to marry a green woman," said Tobias.

Billy scowled at the mention of his forbidden love and dropped the matter.

The door to the dining hall stretched three stories high, towering over the corridor. The red doors were framed in gold, and an ornate pattern in the upper third of the two doors formed what looked like the face of a Reptultian sea dragon. The doors swung outward, pushed apart by two men in blue tails each, and the dinner guests began to file in. A small man in a blue coat with tails wiggled his way through the throng of ladies and gentlemen until he reached Tobias.

"Captain, your table is ready. If you and your men will follow me?"

The dining hall was a perfect half sphere, with a bluish ceiling that faded to darker and darker shades as it reached the top. Stars seemed to hang in the air above the tables that were staggered two thirds of the way around the room's circumference. A large dance floor made with a reddish-brown wood took up the middle of the space, and opposite the massive doors was the head table, elegantly dressed in a white tablecloth, with seating for five. The Commodore sat in the middle seat, a monstrosity of a chair surrounded by gargoyles and devils that seemed to have been carved from one massive stone. He had leather boots to his knees, black pants, a white blouse buttoned half way up, and a black jacket - the very model of a pirate from days long lost to myth and legend.

"Right here, Captain," said the man in the blue coat as he pulled a chair out from a table close, but not too close, to the head table. Tobias glanced at the pirate on his throne and then to his servant.

"If I am the guest of honor, I should be at the head table."

"You are an honored guest," said the servant. "But there is only one guest of honor this evening."

Tobias glanced around the table, seeing each of his sailors take a seat - poor protocol, of course, but he couldn't expect anything less from the rogues. Every seat save his was soon filled, yet there was one member of their group not yet present.

Tobias rolled his eyes. The guest of honor, or course.

A murmur of curiosity rippled through the room as the guest of honor made her entrance. Flanked by two men in blue military uniforms and ridiculously tall hats covered in exotic blue plumage, Kat strolled into the room in a strapless silver gown that stretched almost to the floor with a slit coming back up past the knee. Her arms were decked with silver hoop bracelets, and silver glitter lit up her eyes.

Tobias glanced away from the vision of beauty to get a peek at the man responsible for her attire. Rider was dumbstruck, his cool, rogue exterior gone in favor of the same look Billy usually wore when pining for his green girlfriend. Tobias grinned. Yes, he was putty in her hands. So long as that wretched right hand man of his didn't get in the way, Kat would be punching their ticket off planet within hours.

Rider stood and pulled out the chair to his right as Kat slipped behind the table. She took her seat, and Rider took the lower seat beside her, away from his throne.

"That seat may belong to someone," she purred.

"They all belong to me," said Rider. "The view's better from here."

"You're very flattering."

"I'm a bit at a loss," he said. "There are no words to capture what I see at the moment."

"Silly boy," she said, "This is exactly what got you in trouble on Betelgeuse."

"We're not on Betelgeuse," he said. "And you're not trying to assassinate a crime lord from the Soltizzick sector."

"True," she said. "But the timing is awkward."

"Always is," he said.

A platoon of red-frocked waiters flooded the room, serving drinks and delivering appetizers to each table. Tobias and Brash were flush with embarrassment as the rest of their crew dove into the plate of Silverian crabs at the center of their table.

"Manners, fellas," said Tobias, watching bits of crab dribble from Strom's lips. "At least chew with mouths closed!"

Tobias glanced back at the head table, where Kat was yanking crab from its shell to feed Rider in a manner no less civilized than his crew. The deadliest woman in the galaxy looked quite demure, feeding her prey and then dabbing his lips with a napkin. Tobias turned to grab some crab for himself, feeling hopeful. The way things looked, Kat would have them back in the sky shortly after dessert.

"You haven't considered it?" said Rider in between bites. "What would have happened had we not met under different circumstances?"

"Sweetie, you know what I do," said Kat. "The only way a girl like me meets a guy like you is in extreme circumstances. Count yourself lucky the bomb didn't have your name on it instead of Kulag's."

"We're the same now," he said. "Both working just outside the law."

"And the last thing you do in our line of work is trust someone else in the same line."

Rider smiled, chewing another bite of crab. "I trust you completely."

"Is that why you're searching the hold of my ship?"

"Kurlin is searching the ship," said Rider. "And it's really not yours."

"It is mine, until I am done with it," she said. "And if Kurlin works for you, why don't you stop him?"

"He's overly cautious and paranoid. He has to be. He was my body guard from childhood. Believe me, I give the orders around here."

"Then call him off," said Kat. "There's nothing in our hold of value to you. And I have some place to be."

"Perhaps I could take you instead of them?" said Rider. "Or at least ride with."

"That depends," said Kat. "Do you have any warships?"

Rider cleared his throat. "Well, we've got the interceptors. They're big, but they're a bit awkward in a fight. And to tell the truth, most of the guns are just for show."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Too bad," she said, concealing most of her disappointment.

"Will you promise to come back if I let you go?" he asked.

"That's my decision, isn't it? You wouldn't want me compelled to return, right?"

Rider smiled. He wasn't winning, and he didn't like it. Any other woman in the galaxy, he'd have her locked away, but that was pointless. He wanted to be wanted. And besides, he knew how dangerous this Kat was when cornered.

Before he could respond, Kurlin appeared at the entryway to the dining hall with a squadron of shock troops dressed for combat. Rider stood up as Kurlin made his way out onto the dance floor.

"Forgive the intrusion, Commodore," Kurlin sneered. "We have a serious situation that requires your attention."

"Does it require barging into the dining hall with weapons drawn?" said Rider. "This is against protocol, you know!"

"So is poor posture and being hand-fed by your guests, sir," said Kurlin.

Rider sat up, bristling at the remark but not about to talk back. "Can it wait until we've dined?"

"I'm afraid not, my lord," said Kurlin. "Your honored guests for the evening have put us all in jeopardy."

The shock troops brought their guns to bear on Tobias and his men. Brash instinctively shot his hands up in surrender. Tobias saw the twins twitch, ready to pounce. He raised a hand to them to hold, knowing it would be suicide.

Kat jumped to her feet. "Let them go!" she demanded.

Kurlin's eyes burned with hate for the woman. "Bring her. And bring the captain. The rest, take to central holding until we decide what to do with them. Commodore?"

Rider nodded reluctantly. "I'm sure we can clear this up quickly. Let's go, Kurlin."

Five of the shock troops broke from the main group, one taking position beside Tobias, and four surrounding Kat. The wily bounty hunter took a second or two before she had a plan of action from escaping her situation, but she stashed it away, willing to let the situation play itself out.

Once the group was well past the doors of the dining hall, Rider turned on his second. "What's the meaning of this, Kurlin?"

"You are far too trusting of this woman," said Kurlin. "When I show you what we discovered in their hold, you will thank me for this."

Tobias felt a lump in his stomach. He knew without asking it had to be Gary's cargo. How Kurlin was able to crack the crate, he didn't know, and as curious as he had been to see what was inside, he was terrified of dying in those itchy, uncomfortable orange pants.

Kurlin led them up to Rider's quarters, a spacious apartment overlooking the sprawling cityscape. Other than a replica of an antique sea ship's wheel in the room, the place looked less pirate and more runaway bachelor prince - and a messy one at that. Clothes were strewn about the floor around the antique dresser, the bed was unmade, and the art on the wall consisted mainly of advertisements for old 4-D movies.

Standing out from the slovenly decor was the gleaming black crate. Cutlass stood beside the crate, basking in his new-found status as one of Kurlin's most trusted allies. Now Rider's stomach turned. He could feel betrayal in the air, and he reminded himself to relax and play the moment very, very cool.

"Captain Skull, dear Miss Kat," said Kurlin. "Do you recognize this crate?"

"I do," said Tobias. "I can't speak to its contents, but I can tell you it is the property of Scary Gary. You would have done well to leave it be on my ship."

Kurlin smiled. "In that case, I can forgive your ignorance. It is probably best for a man such as yourself not to know what your clients choose to ship back and forth amongst themselves. However, in this case, I would suggest whatever they paid you, it isn't worth your life."

Cutlass tapped the surface of the crate. It hissed, and a sliver appeared around the top of the crate three inches down each side. Slowly, the three inch lid rose and slid to the side. As soon as it was half open, a hand reached out, then an arm, then a head. A very recognizable head.

"How dare you stick me back in there!" the young man screamed. "Do you know who I am?"

Tobias looked shocked. Kat was stunned. Only Rider seemed oblivious to the identity of the young captive. "I'm the Commodore of Jay-Joens. Identify yourself."

The young man stared incredulously at Rider as Kurlin spoke. "Commodore, may I present Prince Marlin, Crown Prince of sovereign planet of Oolitia."

### CHAPTER NINE

Tobias may not have been the brightest space dog to ever captain a ship, but he was sharp enough to know a trap when he saw one. As the most sought after man in the galaxy crawled out of the mystery crate, he knew without a doubt that Scary Gary had never intended for him pay his debt.

"Who are you people?" the prince demanded. "Where the devil am I? Do you know who I am?"

Tobias turned to Kat. "I owe you an apology, my dear."

"For what?"

"I told you you had put a price on my head by commandeering my ship. It seems I was wrong. You actually saved our lives."

Kat looked at the prince. "Yes, it seems I did."

"I'm certain she did not prolong your lives much longer," said Kurlin. "Commodore, I strongly urge you to imprison these two and hand them over to the proper authorities. I will take the liberty of contacting Oolitia to notify them of the prince's rescue and the capture of his kidnappers."

"Now wait just a minute," said Tobias. "I know this is hard to believe, but I and my crew had nothing to do with his abduction."

"On the contrary," said Kurlin. "Having met your crew, I find it utterly inconceivable you could have abducted the Crown Prince of a garbage dump, much less a well-armed empire like Oolitia. But the evidence is clear."

"Excuse me," said Rider. "Will someone please back up and tell me what's going on?"

The Prince, still stretching out the kinks in his neck, stepped up to Rider. "You. I suppose you're in charge here?"

"I am," said Rider. "And who might you be?"

"As your underling said, I am Prince Marlin of Oolitia. My ship was intercepted on a diplomatic mission to the Wiljer system. I can't speak as to whether these two over here had anything to do with it, as I was drugged by masked men and forced into that tiny prison, but I can assure you, the sovereign nation of Oolitia is doing everything in its power to find me!"

"Indeed they are," said Tobias. "It's been all over the news the last two weeks. Never dreamed the 'get out of debt' cargo I picked up outside Wiljer would have been the most wanted kidnap victim in the galaxy, but here we are."

"Yes, here we are," said Kurlin. "Cutlass, see that these two are properly incarcerated, and ask the head of housekeeping to clear Kat's room so we can properly accommodate royalty."

"As you command," said Cutlass.

"Stop," said Kat. "The command is not yours to give, Kurlin. You are not the Commodore."

"True," said Kurlin. "But the young Commodore and I have learned a funny thing or two about piracy since we left our royal trappings behind. Pirates don't actually rule with an iron fist, but by the consent of the governed."

"You mean like a democracy?" asked Kat.

"Exactly," said Kurlin. "And while the young lad's feelings for you may run strong, I doubt very much if he would trade his position of power to save your neck from the gallows you deserve."

Kat looked at Rider, whose face flushed red.

"He's right about the democracy thing," said Rider. "I can't go against the crew."

"The crew," she said, "Or him?"

"I speak for the crew," said Kurlin.

"You speak on your own," said Kat. "You always have. You manipulate him and use him like a little puppet to do your bidding!"

"How dare you speak of the Commodore in such a way!" shouted Kurlin.

Kat turned to Rider. "Honestly, when are you going to put this guy out to pasture and live your own life?"

"What do you want me to do, Kat?" shouted Rider, exasperated.

"Nothing!" she shouted back. "I'll do it myself!"

Kat crossed her arms, redirecting two of the heavy guns pointed at her head at each other. She felt the heat on the barrels as the guards reflexively fired, killing each other. Loosening her grip on the gun in her left hand, she pulled the one in her right closer and aimed at the third guard, blasting a hole right through his chest cavity - just before her right shoulder exploded in a cloud of blood and flesh.

Rider couldn't believe it. Tobias blinked twice and laughed. As the three guards hit the floor and the cloud of blood fell on top of them, they saw what was left of Kat's shoulder - a bionic shoulder joint and arm.

"You oaf, I told you to aim for the head!" Kurlin screamed at the living guard. The poor foot soldier didn't even get a chance to re-aim as the bionic bounty hunter spun the gun still gripped tight in her right hand and blew his head off first.

"She's a robot!" Marlin shouted in fear. "She's a cyborg!"

"She's bionic, your highness," said Tobias, correcting him. "Fully human, except for a few replacement parts."

"That explains so much," said Rider, voicing his private thoughts aloud.

"I don't suppose you want your nanny dead, do you?" Kat asked Rider. Without waiting for his answer, she shot the chain holding the antique chandelier to the ceiling, bringing a quarter ton of glass and metal down on Kurlin's head.

"You didn't give me a chance to answer!" Rider screamed.

Kat yanked a black leather jacket off the wall and slipped it on. "He'll be okay. Tobias, grab the prince and let's go!"

"Nobody is grabbing the prince," said the prince. "I demand a ship, and I demand to be taken home."

"We will get you home, your highness," said Tobias. "Right now, you're the best chance me and my boys have of saving our necks."

Tobias shot a look at Kat. She knew her mission was about to be forcibly delayed again, but she also knew the prince could be the ally she needed to get to the Andromeda.

"Of course. We'll get you home. But you have to trust us."

The prince nodded. "I may regret this, but I trust you more than I do the guy you squashed with the lights."

"Good enough," said Kat. She grabbed Rider by the arm. "Let's go, loverboy."

"What's your plan, Kat?" asked Rider as Tobias opened the door to his quarters.

"You are going to call your med center to have a quick seal flesh pack delivered to my ship. Then you are going to help us get our crew and get our ship released so we can get out of here."

"You're leaving me," he said as they all raced down the hall.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry," she said. "You know I couldn't stay this time."

"Or any other time."

"There was only one other, babe."

"Don't babe me," he said as they boarded the elevator. Rider hit the number for the floor where Tobias's crew was being held and then activated the intercom. "Med One, this is the Commodore. I need a quick seal flesh pack delivered to the ship in Docking Bay 13. And step on it."

Kat grinned. "Thank you."

"Kurlin's right," said Rider. "I shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be listening to you. When he comes to—"

"Rider, honey, it's time you stop letting other people tell you how to live your life."

"Says the woman who won't listen to me either," said Rider.

Guards with guns at the ready were waiting on the other side as the door opened on the detention level. Rider, determined to show himself as a man in charge, stepped forward.

"The prisoners are free to go."

"All of them?" said the not so bright watch commander.

"No, not all," said Rider. "The ship's crew Kurlin had arrested at dinner."

"I'm sorry, Commodore, but no one can authorize their release except Kurlin."

Rider felt Kat slide the heavy laser gun into his hand. He aimed it at the captain and fired, blowing the top half of his body off the bottom.

"This is the Commodore. Release the prisoners."

Terrified at this awesome display of power, the guards raced quickly down the hall to free the crew. Kat grinned, leaning her head against Rider's shoulder.

"You didn't have to kill him," said Kat.

"You gave me the gun!"

"To point it, not to shoot it!"

"You didn't say that!"

"Don't you know anything about ordering underlings?"

"Of course not! Kurlin always does the ordering!"

"Then maybe it's time you do!"

"If you two don't give it a rest, I will kill you both," said Tobias.

Kat and Rider held their tongues as the crew of the _Revenge_ stepped out of their cells.

"Get down here, all of you!" their captain shouted.

Strom led the way as the former captives crammed into the already jammed elevator. The doors shut, and Rider hit the button to take them to the hangar level.

"Are you coming back?" asked Rider, unable to see his beloved anymore through the mob.

"Me?" Kat asked.

"No, the scary looking twins here. Yes, you!"

"I can't make any promises. You know my line of work."

"If you live, will you promise to come back?"

"Do we have to do this here?"

"I may not have another chance!"

"You drive me so crazy."

"You can't resist me any more than I can you!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Enough!" Marlin and Tobias shouted together.

"Attention all personnel," Kurlin's voice boomed over the speaker. "This is Kurlin. The Commodore has gone rogue and released the prisoners. If you see the Commodore, or any member of the ship's crew we intercepted today, orders are shoot to kill."

"That double crossing, no good..." Rider activated the intercom. "Now hear this, I am the Commodore, not you. The prisoners are free to go, and Kurlin is to be taken into custody."

"This is treason, and the crew will not stand for it," shouted Kurlin im reply. "You have your orders, men!"

"No, men, I give the orders!" replied Rider.

"Shoot to kill!" Kurlin ordered.

"You wanna kill someone, Kurlin? Kill yourself!" yelled Rider.

"Can we please stop??" shouted Tobias.

"I'm starting to miss the lover's quarrel," said Marlin.

The elevator opened. Rider led the crew down two long halls toward the hangar, where two squads of very conflicted, very confused guards were waiting for someone to tell them who to shoot.

"Commodore?" said a young, puzzled man with a gun.

"That's right," said Rider. "These men and this woman are free to go. Get them aboard their ship and get them out of here."

"Sir, I think it might be best if we wait a moment until Kurlin arrives."

"Excuse me," said Brash, stepping forward and pointing at Rider. "This man is the Commodore. Your Commodore! I believe he gave you orders."

Tobias, Kat, and Rider exchanged puzzled glances as the guards thought the situation through.

"Kurlin's our direct commander," said another young trooper with a gun. "I don't know if we can believe you."

"As the Commodore's new vice-commander, I am now your new direct commander. Kurlin is to be arrested, and these people are to leave. Captain, take your ship and GO!"

"You heard the man," said Kat. "Let's move!"

Rider followed along as the crew of the _Revenge_ boarded their ship. At the foot of the entry ramp sat the medical supplies Kat had requested. She picked it up, tossed it aboard, grabbed Rider by his shirt, and kissed him hard - the kind of kiss that left little doubt as to how she felt about him..

Rider's knees nearly gave out, but he kept his footing. "You can't tell me you won't come back if you can."

Kat gave him a grin, refusing to tip her cards at this moment though she desperately wanted to.

"Kill them!" boomed the familiar voice of Kurlin as he stormed into the hangar flocked by a dozen guards. "The Commodore has betrayed us and deserves to die!"

"Kill Kurlin!" Brash shouted back. Kat spotted him still standing with Rider's guard at the bottom of the ramp.

"Brash, get in here!" she shouted.

"Kill the Commodore!" Kurlin barked. "Kill the girl. And kill—"

Kurlin went silent as his lungs and chest cavity were blown ten feet behind him. Brash lowered his smoking weapon as the Commodore's former right hand man fell dead.

Brash turned to Kat and Rider. "The ship is yours, ma'am," he said. "Commodore, it's time to let them go. I'll see that the mess is cleaned up."

Rider gave a longing glance to Kat before descending the ramp. "You heard the vice-commander. Get this mess cleaned up."

Brash gave a wave to Kat as she climbed the ramp and hit the button to close up the ship. She picked up her med pack and walked somberly past most of Tobias's men on her way to her quarters.

"Let's get this bucket moving," Kat said, letting the door shut behind her.

Strom turned to his commander. "So, there is a heart beneath that cold exterior."

"Who knew?" said Tobias as he headed for the bridge.

Behind closed doors, Kat broke open the med pack, preparing to fix her wounded shoulder. As soon as she felt the ship start to move, she sat down, peering out the tiny window to the outside. She never got a glimpse of the hangar as the ship rose into the sky, but she could feel Rider's eyes following her as they vanished from sight.

She couldn't tell Rider how little hope she had of ever seeing him again. The odds of getting where she was going were too high, and the odds of getting out ridiculous. But this was her daughter, and that love came over and above any would be romantic entanglements.

The ship jumped back into hyperspace. Kat applied the flesh pack to her exposed exo-frame, beginning the slow process of regeneration she had suffered too many times before.

### CHAPTER TEN

In the normal tranquility of hyperspace, Kat found it impossible to sleep. Once the pack began to do its work on Kat's shoulder and the pain started to subside, she suddenly realized how incredibly hungry she was. She nearly forgot about the lavish dinner Rider prepared to woo her - the dinner that never happened thanks to Kurlin breaking into the crate and discovering the prince. She gingerly slipped on a work shirt she found in a locker inside her cabin and headed down to the mess hall.

Kat knew not to expect gourmet food stuffs on board, not with this crew, but she was too famished to be picky. She flipped on the lights as she entered the kitchen and went straight into the cabinets.

"I always heard those things make you hungry."

Kat turned, angry with herself for being so distracted she did notice the sleeping man in the room. "Sorry about that, your highness."

Marlin grinned. "It's okay, go right ahead. I'm sure you must be hungry."

"Starving," she said, grabbing some bread and some sort of protein spread that promised it almost tasted like it had some chocolate in it. She took a knife from the drawer and turned to the prince. "I can take this to my room."

"No, no, have a seat," he said. "It's been a while since I had any company, you know."

"I guess it has," she said. "You hungry?"

"No, no," he said, looking a bit queasy. "I sampled some of the ship's offerings a while ago."

"Suit yourself," said Kat as she started to prep her sandwich.

"So is this really how a pirate lives?" asked Marlin.

Kat laughed. "These are hardly pirates. Smugglers, guns for hire, but not pirates."

"You're not one of them?"

She shook her head. "I'm a freelancer myself. Bounty hunter, mercenary."

"Assassin?" Marlin asked.

Kat smiled. "Anything for a buck."

"So how'd you end up here?"

"Long story," said Kat.

"Does it have anything to do with..." he trailed off. She followed the track of his eyes to her shoulder.

"In a round about way, yes."

"How did it happen?"

Kat finished prepping her sandwich and prepared to take a bite. "I was there."

"There?"

Kat chewed her first mouthful before speaking again. "On Rylland. When we found the Killdarks."

Prince Marlin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That was decades ago!"

Kat chewed her next bite and continued. "And I don't look a day over 25. I know. I'm far older than anyone would believe. One of the benefits of a technically advanced endoskeleton."

"Wow," said Marlin. "I know a lot of people who would appreciate that information."

Kat shook her head. "Not a good idea. Word gets out what you are inside, well..." She took another bite and chewed her thoughts. "People look at you different."

"How did it happen?" he said. "If you don't mind my asking."

"I never mind the asking," she said. "But I don't usually tell."

"Please?"

She swallowed another bite. "I was eight. My father and I settled on Rylland like most people, looking for a fresh start. We had already discovered the hives. Matter of fact, we were less than quarter kilometer from one where we settled. I'd sit up on a hill and watch them sometimes. One day, one actually came up to the fence line where we were."

"That must have been terrifying."

Kat shook her head. "Dad was with me. He told me it was as scared of us as we were of him. He looked us over, then went on his way." Kat popped the last bite of her sandwich in her mouth. "They weren't scared of us at all. They envied us in every way. And they were far more intelligent than we realized."

Kat started prepping a new sandwich. "They played the dumb animal role well. People took shots at them for kicks, picking them off when they got close. No one ever suspected the bugs were studying our tech, reverse engineering everything they could get their hands on. I was eight when my father and I arrived on their home world. When I was fifteen, they struck.

"I can still see their ships bursting from the hive. Hundreds of them. They came right at our farm. I lost both arms, a leg, had burns on ninety percent of my body. I was a mess. My dad had all his limbs, but they cooked him, inside and out. He had enough life left in him to carry me to the first triage he could find. He dropped me at the foot of a nurse, and he died."

"You were lucky to be alive," said Marlin.

Kat nodded, putting the lid on sandwich two. "When I was well enough, I was shipped far from the battle zone. To Old Earth. I spent four years in foster care with an old woman and a former marine who helped her with hard cases like me. I didn't want a second father, but he became just that. He inspired me. I wanted to be a marine like him, and I wanted very much to go back and kill some bugs. Only problem is, the military doesn't like my kind."

"Women?"

Kat shook her head. "Bionics."

"Seriously?" said Marlin. "With all the advantages you have?"

"They have their reasons," she said. "And I had my reasons when I forged a new identity and enlisted anyway. I lied and cheated my way through a host of physical exams, but I was on a mission."

"And how did that go?"

"Fine," said Kat. "Until I was wounded."

Marlin shook his head. "They kicked you out?"

"They did," she said. "Even after I saved a fleet of ships and over 100,000 troops. My actions and heroism spared me from a court martial and prison term, but I was out the door within days of the big battle."

"So here you are."

"Well, here I am in this line of work and not in uniform," said Kat. "As for what I'm doing on this ship, that's something I wanted to discuss with you."

"I'm all ears," said Marlin.

"I have a daughter trapped behind enemy lines. She's stranded, along with thousands of others. Every second we're out here, they're closer to being discovered and killed."

"By the bugs?"

Kat nodded. "I chose this ship because it's fast and nimble. It can get me in where I need to go to save her, and her crew. It's a suicide run at best, but if we had a navy backing us..."

Marlin sat back. "Oolitia has a navy for sure. Finest in our corner of the galaxy. But we're so far out from bug space, we've chosen to stay out of the war."

"The war will come to you," said Kat. "One way or another. I know I have nothing to offer you in return, but if there's any way you could help, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Marlin scratched his head. "It would be tricky. But if you get me home safe and sound, there might be something I can do."

"That's all I can ask," said Kat.

"Can I ask one thing more?" said Marlin.

Kat nodded.

"You and the Commodore. That's got to be an amazing story."

Kat blushed a bit. "It is."

And that was all she said.

Tobias broke the awkward silence a minute later as he sauntered into the mess hall. "Well, your highness, looks like we're a day out from Oolitia. You sure you don't want us to call ahead?"

"Not at all," said the prince. "After the ordeal I went through the last few weeks, I'd rather not take a chance on us getting caught before we get there. When we reach orbit, I'll contact my head of security."

Kat looked at Tobias. "Really? You were going to call ahead and let everyone know where the most wanted man in the galaxy is?"

Tobias shrugged. "There's a reward for his safe return. And I have debts to pay."

"Better be a big reward," said Kat. "Sounds like Gary's done trying to collect on you."

"Money speaks loud in the underworlds," said Tobias. "And money can put a lot of parsecs between me and Gary."

"You will all be rewarded, I promise you," said Marlin. "I can't begin to say how grateful I am."

"And I can't apologize enough for prolonging your captivity," said Tobias.

The prince shook his head. "You had no way of knowing."

"Do you have any idea what Gary wanted with you?" asked Kat.

"I never heard of the man," said the prince.

"He's not a man, he's a thing of some kind," said Tobias. "Alien of unknown origin and ill temperament. I'd bet anything he was using you to start a war."

"He was?" asked the prince.

"Gary's had his eye on New Chicago for a long time," said Tobias. "He used me and my ship to get you to New Chicago. Had we turned you over to Gary, he would have handed you and us over to Gram, a woman on his payroll in the New Chicago security force. Gram would have killed us all and used your body to frame the Emperor for the kidnapping."

"Allowing Gram to take over," said Kat.

"And giving Gary control of New Chicago, and all the trade routes coming and going through that sector," said Tobias.

"Wow," said the prince. "Seems like a lot of trouble to start a war."

"Gary doesn't do anything small," said Tobias. "I'm sure Gram had explicit instructions on how to kill us and film the executions for his personal enjoyment. We pretty much owe our lives to Kat here."

Tobias started to drop a grateful hand on Kat's healing shoulder, but her good arm shot out and caught his wrist with her hand before he could touch.

"Sorry, Kat, I forgot," he said. "How's the shoulder?"

"It's healing," she said. "Thanks to Rider."

"That boyfriend of yours is a real piece of work," said Tobias.

"He's not my boyfriend," said Kat.

"No?" Tobias grinned. "Something tells me there's a long story behind you two."

"There is," said the prince. "Good luck getting it out of her."

Kat looked up at Tobias. "Sorry about Brash."

"What for?" said Tobias. "I have a feeling he's gonna be a lot happier where he is. This was never the life for him. He's a rich kid who wanted to play space hero. And he wasn't much good at it."

"He was a part of your crew," said Kat. "I'm sure he'll be missed."

"Maybe a little," said Tobias. "It was time Billy assumed more responsibility around here anyway. If nothing else it'll help distract him from his forbidden love."

"How could you, Father!"

No one heard Billy make his entrance into the mess hall, but there he was, standing inside the doorway, data pad in hand, glaring at his father. "How could you do that to her?"

"Do what?" said Tobias, confused as anyone in the room.

"Dija's in danger!" shouted Billy. "Her ship crashed, and she sent out a distress signal!"

"Dija?" Kat could see the wheels turning in Tobias's head. "I, uh, I don't recall any distress calls."

"Don't lie to me, Dad!" said Billy. "I know Brash received her message, and I know he told you about it!"

"Billy, this is not the time," said Tobias, smiling awkwardly at the prince.

"The time was a week ago, when YOU first received her distress call!" Billy's face boiled red with rage. "She's stranded on an uncivilized world, if she's even still alive!"

Now Tobias's face turned color. He had nearly forgotten the message Brash brought to his attention a week earlier. They were light years from the source of the call, and Tobias had just agreed to make the New Chicago run for Scary Gary. If Brash were still aboard, Billy would never have known about the call. It never occurred to him that his son might be in Brash's seat and discover the deception.

"We're going after her," Billy stated.

"We are not," said Tobias. "We have a VIP on board, a reward to collect, and let's not forget Kat's little rescue mission."

"Captain, all due respect," said the prince. "If we can help someone in need, we should."

Tobias turned to yell at the prince but caught himself before unleashing his fury. "Your highness, this is a matter between a father and a son."

"Sounds more like a matter of life and death," said Marlin. "If it were me, I would not want blood on my hands, no matter what the color."

Tobias turned to Kat, who was seething with frustration. She had a child of her own to rescue, and she was was tired of all the delays. But as much as she wanted to back Tobias, she knew the prince was right.

"If we can help her," she said. "We have to go."

"What about your daughter?" said Tobias.

"We all make sacrifices for our children," said Kat. "Time to make one for yours."

Tobias looked back and forth between Kat and Billy. He grunted in defeat. "Okay, Billy. Where is she?"

### CHAPTER ELEVEN

Two planets out from the sun of New Chicago, a sleek luxury liner dropped out of hyperspace from the galactic west. The ship, a Sullus Twin-B Dreamliner from the Sullus Shipyards, was a state of the art wonder mixed with old world comfort and luxury. Shag carpets, leather seats, and even a hot tub \- not an easy engineering feat for a ship designed to cover interstellar distances. It was a jewel afforded by the super-rich of the super-rich, and lucky for Scary Gary, the sales force at the Sullus Shipyard couldn't care less how you became super-rich.

With three exotic alien beauties soaking in the bubbles around him, Scary Gary swished a glass of Martian Chardonnay in a glass with his long green fingers before lifting it to his small mouth. Gary had one of those alien heads that seemed to defy gravity - a tiny neck, with a small jaw, mouth, and nose topped by an over-sized cranium rippled with bumps and ridges like a brain worn on the outside. He was grotesque, even by his own race's standards, but as the alien girls sharing the warm water with him would tell you, money - more specifically an obscene amount of money - is sexy.

The intercom chimed, and a pleasant female voice came through the speaker. "You have an incoming call from New Chicago."

"The new Empress?" said Gary. "Put her through."

Over the hot tub, a flat screen dropped from the ceiling. Gram's face appeared on screen with her old command center in the background. Gary cocked an eyebrow in surprise.

"Your majesty," said Scary Gary. "Surprised to see you in your old digs. And here I thought you'd jump at the chance to steal Big Willie's throne room."

"My apologies, sir," said Gram, a twinge of fear in her voice. "There was a problem."

Gary set his drink on the ledge and motioned the girls to back away a bit, going into work mode. "What happened?"

Gram swallowed hard and went on. "Tobias arrived on time, as you said he would. But before we could grab him, he left the planet."

"So you tipped your hand and he fled," said Gary. "Foolish woman!"

"No, sir, not at all!" said Gram. "It was the Kat. It seems she commandeered his ship and forced him to leave early."

Gary scowled. He had tangled with Kat on a number of occasions - some on the same side, some on the opposite. She was a wild card for sure, but she had over-stepped her bounds this time. "Do we know where they went?"

"I have my people working on that now," said Gram.

"Do we know if he still has the package?"

"I would assume so," said Gram.

"Does he know what's in it?" asked Gary.

"That I do not know," said Gram.

"I want him dead," said Gary. "And I want the crate before he can open it."

"What about the emperor, sir?" asked Gram. "My promotion?"

"Find that crate, Gram," said Gary. "I want every ship you can spare searching the galaxy."

"Forgive me," said Gram, "but we have an obligation to New Chicago."

"I am New Chicago!" said Scary Gary. "Or I would be, if you had done your job!"

"Yes, sir."

"Every ship you have," he repeated.

"Every ship," she repeated.

"Send me daily status reports."

"Of course," she said.

"Find him, and then we will re-evaluate your place in my organization."

"As you wish," said Gram, signing off.

Gary picked up his drink and swirled it around, disappointed by this turn of events. Gram had to die. No question. This was too big a failure for Gary to allow her to live. Once the crate was in hand and Tobias and his crew were dead, he would find someone else to be his chosen puppet and make his move on New Chicago.

Gary pressed the intercom. "Get in touch with Gram's people. Find out the last known trajectory of the _Revenge_ out of New Chicago and take it."

"Affirmative," came the reply.

Gary let go of the button. He took another drink, mentally shut off work mode and smiled. "Okay, girls, party's back on!"

"You're kidding me, right?" Tobias stood on the bridge behind his pilot, with Billy, Kat, Strom, and the prince huddled together beside him.

"No joke, captain," said Strom. "Officially, the world is named Cromwell, after the captain of the ship that first scouted it a hundred years back. But after two unsuccessful attempts to colonize the world, it became more commonly known by its nickname."

"Deadworld," said Tobias.

"Deadworld," said Strom, his booming, often scary voice sounding almost professor-like as he continued to share his knowledge. "Cromwell and his crew did a cursory scan of the planet and discovered it was more than habitable for humans and similar life forms. They returned to take an aerial survey for the purposes of selling real estate and returned to the populated worlds to reap their fortune. Had Cromwell taken the time to set foot on his discovery, he would have known what a deadly place it is. It's also likely he would never have lived to tell the tales of what he saw."

"Sounds like a paradise," said Tobias. "Why are we here again?"

Kat gave Tobias a dirty look. The captain sighed. "What are we talking about here? Dragons, bugs, indigenous peoples, killer plants?"

"The only thing known of the planet's wildlife is that there are white apes."

"What kind of white apes?" asked the prince.

"Mean and nasty," said Strom. "A bit larger than humans. Can't tell you much more than that."

"Sounds like a myth to me," said Crunch. "No planet is so wild and deadly that we don't know anything about the creatures that could kill us."

"I'm only telling you what I know," said Strom. "What I've read."

"I'm impressed," said the prince. "You're surprisingly well-read for hired muscle."

Strom shrugged. "Just because a man can crush another person's skull with his bare hands doesn't mean he can't be a book worm."

"Okay," said Billy. "So how do we get her?"

"We don't," said Kat. "The smaller group we take, the better chance we have getting out alive. Tobias, you have something that can get a few of us on the ground without landing?"

"We should," said Tobias.

"I'll take Strom and the twins to the surface," said Kat. "We'll drop as close to Dija's last known location as possible. The rest of you will stay airborne, out of danger but no more than three minutes away."

"No way," said Billy. "I'm going with you."

Kat turned to Billy. "I know you want to play hero, but the more people we take with us, the more likely someone gets hurt."

"Then keep Strom back," said Billy. "Or Ding or Chin. I'm going."

"Billy, listen to her," said Tobias.

"No, Dad!" said Billy. "This is not negotiable. I love her!"

Kat scowled but gave in. "We're going to need some big guns."

"You are in luck!" said Tobias with a grin. "It just so happens I have a couple of BZ-47 Atomizers in the armory."

An hour later Crunch brought the ship down into the atmosphere of Deadworld, sinking just below the clouds. Tobias and the prince watched from the flight deck as the forbidding terrain of Deadworld came into view.

"This looks like fun," said Crunch. "Nothing but tree tops."

"How high up are we?"

"Five thousand feet," said Crunch. "Best as I can tell, some of these trees are half that height."

The intercom buzzed, and Kat spoke. "How far are we from the drop point?"

"We're trying to sort that out," shouted Tobias. "The tree tops are a couple thousand feet high. Not sure we can find a safe place for you all to make your move."

"If we're near the crash sight, there should be some telltale sign," said Kat.

The prince pointed out the port side. "Over there!" he said.

Tobias saw it, a break in the trees angled downward and into the void. As Crunch steered to port, they could make out the tail section of Dija's ship sticking straight up in the woods.

"Stand by, Kat, we're almost there," said Tobias.

"There's something on the tail," said Crunch. "Do you see that?"

Tobias swore under his breath. "Are those spiders?"

"That's not any kind of spider I've ever seen," said the prince.

Crunch magnified the view of the tail. There were a dozen bug-like creatures with long, spindly legs crawling all over the titanium hull, ripping its skin off - and eating it.

"Billy," said Tobias. "One last time, I'm gonna ask you to sit this out."

"Open the door," was the only reply Billy would give.

Strom tugged at his rope as the main hangar door began to open. Kat and the crew were all tied off to a support beam five feet in from the door, each one carrying a BZ-47 Atomizer.

"How's the shoulder?" Strom asked Kat.

"Almost there," said Kat.

"Hope you have some more of that medical pack handy," said Strom. "We may all need it when we get back."

The door locked in place as Crunch brought the ship to a hover a hundred feet from the forest floor. Kat tiptoed up to the edge and looked down. She saw nothing moving in the twisted pile of logs and metal below, but she knew that would change as soon as they hit the ground.

"Let's hope not," she said, and jumped over the edge.

Billy raced after her, followed by Strom. With a war whoop Chin dove over the edge after them. His brother Ding was the last to leap. As he cleared the ramp and looked down, he saw a long, twisting vine shoot out of the forest and upward, opening a flower-like bud to swallow him before he could even reach the ground.

"DING!!!!!!" his brother screamed, unhooking his harness as he raced for the giant plant. Kat grabbed the barrel of his blaster and aimed it at the ground, causing Chin to blow away a large section of wing from the ship wreck.

"He's gone," said Kat. "Don't do anything foolish."

With a terrible thunder, the bud of the flower exploded, and the vine crashed to the ground, spilling a slimy, dirty Ding out onto the wreckage. Ding wriggled free from the dead vine and climbed to his feet.

"Bad plant," he said.

Kat lifted her radio. "Get clear, Tobias, we'll call you when we have the girl." The _Revenge_ lifted higher into the atmosphere and Kat turned toward the woods. "Okay, Billy. Time to be a hero."

With a loud crash, a half dozen trees nearly came down on top of Strom, propelled by the grayish foot of an enormous creature with three other giant legs, a long neck, and a giant head full of teeth.

Kat charged her BZ-47 Atomizer and took aim at the creature's enormous toes. "Deadworld, huh?"

Strom charged his and aimed at a giant toe five feet away. "This is gonna be fun," he growled as he pulled the trigger.

### CHAPTER TWELVE

The attack was sudden and violent. The entire ship shook as the bug artillery pummeled the weakening shields of the _Andromeda._ Maris frantically scrambled down the shaking, twisting hallway, trying to tug her coat over her pajamas as she raced for her command post.

Up on the bridge, Trent Criswell had the con and barked orders to the frightened sailors, struggling to prevent a disaster. Had they been able to spot their attackers before the bombardment, they could have maneuvered into a better fighting position. The bugs caught them by surprise, taking out their weapons first, and the ship was now drifting dangerously close to the gravity well over the planet Lorgo.

The lift door opened, and Maris raced onto the bridge. "What happened? Where did they come from?"

"They dropped out of hyperspace and hit us on the blind side," Criswell shouted. "Weapons are failing, but shields are holding steady."

A new siren began to wail on the bridge, one no captain ever wanted to hear. "Criswell!"

"I know, I know!" shouted Criswell. "Fire all starboard boosters, get us higher, higher!"

A young woman at the controls shouted back. "Boosters are offline! We're going down; there's nothing we can do!"

Maris took her chair. "Yes there is. Set a course for the surface. Sound the emergency crash signal."

"Are you crazy?" shouted a young ensign on the bridge.

"Lieutenant, have that sailor removed from my bridge, and tell him to take cover!"

Criswell gave the ensign a nod. The ensign raced for the lift. If they lived, he'd pay for his insolence, but he hardly expected to live through what was about to happen.

"The rest of you buckle up," said Maris. "This is going to hurt."

Kat and company were running out of ammo fast. They'd been on the ground barely half a standard hour and downed over fifty deadly beasts, sustaining mostly superficial wounds themselves. Kat had to admit, as incompetent as Tobias seemed to be, he was an excellent judge of talent when it came to picking warriors. But all that skill would soon be for nought if they didn't get off the planet fast.

"I'm calling your dad!" Kat screamed to Billy as she sliced through the neck of a six-legged dog-like lizard, spilling blue-green blood all over her for the eighth time that day. "We're getting out of here!"

"No, we're not leaving without Dija!" Billy screamed.

"Get serious!" Strom shouted, blasting away at another of the giant grey behemoths as it entered the crash site. "We've moved barely fifty yards since we landed. If we don't get out of here soon, we will die!"

Ding shouted in alarm as a winged demon swooped down and caught his brother Chin by the back of the neck. Kat spotted the creature and blasted him with her side arm, punching a burning hole through its webby wing. Chin crashed into a tree as the creature lost its grip, and Billy and Kat raced to his side.

It was bad. Chin was losing blood fast from the claw marks on his neck. Kat ripped a strip of fabric off Chin's shirt and quickly secured it around his neck.

"Billy, I'm sorry, but there's no way your girl survived this place," said Kat. "There's no way we will survive if we don't get out of here now."

Billy nodded. He pulled the radio from his hip and tentatively brought it to his mouth, but before he could speak, he dropped the radio to dodge a ball of flame aimed at his head. Kat and Billy spun around to see the six-foot, eight horned furry creature rear back and launch another volley of fire at them. Kat grabbed Chin and Billy and pulled them out of harm's way as Strom turned and blew the creature to bits with his BZ-47 Atomizer.

"That's it," said Strom, tossing the weapon aside. "I'm out."

Ding's weapon was out as well, and the wily fighter pulled two retractable swords from his pack, prepared to fight to the death. No less than a dozen different creatures were bearing down on them now, including a pack of about twenty white apes with three rows of razor sharp teeth in their extended mouths surrounding them on all sides.

It was then they heard a strange noise rustling through the trees. It was a low, humming sound that seemed to come from the throats of a thousand men. The hum had a soothing effect on the beasts, slowing their movements three-fold. Their bloodlust cooled, and many of the creatures turned from their prey to calmly disappear into the woods. A grey behemoth, standing beside the blasted remains of three of its kind, lay down like a domesticated dog and set its head peacefully in the grass.

"What's going on?" said Kat. "What am I missing?"

"Up there," said Strom. He pointed up in the tree above them, where a small, blue humanoid with a large, bald cranium stood, his mouth wide open. He wore a simple yellow tunic that draped over one shoulder and wrapped around his torso, and he held a thick walking staff in his hand.

"They're everywhere," said Billy. Kat turned about and saw more of the blue creatures. Some were in the tree tops, others were on the forest floor. All wore the same simple clothing and stood with their mouths open, their drones taming the wild creatures that surely would have devoured them if not for their intervention.

One of the blue men stepped toward them, taking measured strides across the battlefield walking directly toward Kat. His mouth was closed in a tacit, peaceful smile.

"You fight with spirit," said the creature to Kat.

"We didn't come here to die," said Kat.

"No one ever does, but few succeed in that goal," said the creature. "I am Bloo. My people welcome you. We will lead you to sanctuary."

Strom looked around the clearing. "If you boys have a safe place we can fix up our man, we'd appreciate it."

"Then come," said Bloo.

"We have others," said Kat. "On a ship."

Bloo looked up into the sky. "We will help you reach them. First, let us help your man."

Four more of the blue men appeared and took Chin into their arms. Bloo turned toward the woods, with the four creatures carrying Chin in tow. Ding walked beside his brother while Strom, Kat, and Billy followed.

"What do you make of this?" Kat whispered to Strom.

"Religious colony," said Strom. "Some sort of monastery, I would guess."

Kat nodded. "Strange place to find a bunch of peace loving monks."

"True," said Strom. "But the environment here offers them a great deal of solitude, especially since they are able to tame the wild beasts."

"Wonder if they know where Dija is," said Billy.

"It's possible," said Kat. "But after what we just went through, I wouldn't get my hopes up."

The chorus of hums followed the caravan through the woods, and the travelers found themselves walking past a host of deadly looking beasts, all soothed by the chanting of the monks. It was an eerie feeling, made all the more unnerving by the putrid smell of blood, carnage, and death that seemed to surround every animal on the planet.

A few miles into their walk, Bloo brought the group to a halt. He stood on a fallen log at what appeared to be the opening to a large, sunny pasture in the middle of the dark wood.

"You are about to pass through a spirit field," he announced. "The chants of my people have given us a protective sanctuary here on this world. You cannot see it now, but you will. You should feel no ill effects, but it does give some people the willies the first time they see it."

Bloo hopped down, stepped into the clearing - and vanished.

Kat and Strom exchanged a confused look. The procession continued, and the monks carrying Chin were next to vanish into the clearing. Ding was quick to follow, leaving a half dozen blue monks to motion for the rest to follow.

"Here goes nothing," said Kat.

A few steps more, and the clearing that seemed completely empty was filled with round huts, evenly spaced around the perimeter of the clearing, with a giant fire pit in the center. The pasture was filled with little blue monks moving in and out of the huts carrying baskets of food and clothing and jars filled with some sort of wine. The huts were made of stone, perfectly round, and every one seemed to be about the same diameter and height with a conical thatched roof of tan on top. It was quiet, tranquil, a far cry from the dangerous world that seemed to have vanished in the trees beyond them.

"Where did they go?" said Billy.

"They are still there," said Bloo, who joined the trio at the perimeter of his village. "But we cannot see them any more, and they cannot see us."

"So if we try to leave without your help, we could be walking into the jaws of death," said Strom.

Bloo smiled. "I assure you, we will not let you see such a fate. Come, we will give you a place to change and recover."

"What about Chin?" asked Kat.

"Your wounded man is with our healer now, as is his brother," said Bloo. "If there is anything you require while you are with us, please ask."

"If you don't mind," said Billy, "We came here looking for someone. A girl."

Bloo raised an eyebrow to this. "Did you?"

Billy's heart skipped a beat. "Do you know where she is? She's green, a little shorter than me, more beautiful than a the glow of the morning sun."

"She's not that hot," said Strom.

Bloo seemed charmed by the boy's passion. "She is safe," said Bloo. "Though she is not here."

"Where is she?"

"Patience," said Bloo. "Rest and prepare yourselves for dinner. All will come clear in time."

Bloo walked away without another word, allowing three more monks to step forward and usher them to a nearby hut. Billy couldn't hide the smile on his face, and Kat gave him a pat on the arm.

"She's safe," he said.

Kat nodded. "Feel better?"

"We should let the captain know where we are," said Strom. "Know we are safe."

Kat nodded. "We'll play the role of good guests. We're going to need their help getting out of here. Then when the time comes, we'll take our leave of this place."

Kat's thoughts turned to the _Andromeda_ , wondering where the ship and her captain were. It was entirely possible that the ship had found its way out of bug space by now and back to safety. But Kat knew all too well, you were never really safe anywhere in the universe.

Not even in a monastery.

### CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Kat, where the devil are you???"

"It's a little hard to explain," said Kat, staring up at the sky as she spoke to Tobias over the radio. She stood just outside the spirit shield that blocked their radio communications, elegantly dressed in a borrowed yellow toga with three chanting monks giving her protection from the dangerous creatures in the woods. "We seem to have stumbled onto a monastic colony."

"You mean monks?" said Tobias.

"Yes," she said. "Little blue guys. They call themselves the Order of Etannis."

"How nice," said the disinterested smuggler.

"They have some sort of power over the local inhabitants. Believe me, we're safe as we can be. Billy's fine, we're all fine."

"What about the girl?" Tobias asked, cringing to know the answer.

"They tell us they have her," she said. "We haven't seen her yet, but she is on her way here."

"Good," said Tobias. "Soon as you've got her, let your new friends know it's time to leave."

"I will," said Kat. "We're having dinner at the moment, and I'm hoping Dija will be here shortly."

"Do me a favor," said Tobias. "If the food is good, grab some doggy bags, okay?"

Kat laughed. "I'll see what I can do."

"And let us know when we can get out of here."

"Will do, captain." Kat ended the signal and returned to the village and the dinner feast.

Aboard the _Revenge_ , Tobias put the radio back on its cradle as the prince made his way up to the flight deck.

"Are they okay?" asked Prince Marlin.

"They're alive, well, and enjoying a feast," said Tobias with a twinge of jealousy.

"A feast?" said the prince.

"They made some friends. Some sort of cult called the Order of Etannis."

The prince's face turned white as a sheet.

"What's the matter?" asked Tobias.

"Get them back on the radio," said the prince. "We have to get them out of there. NOW!!!"

If there was danger in the air, it was hard even for a veteran trouble maker like Kat to sense. She felt a oneness with the men around her, who had pampered and embraced Kat and the crew since their arrival. All of their clothes had been carefully washed and dried while they bathed, though Kat found she almost preferred the local fashion. All of their wounds from the day's skirmish were healed, plus some they never knew they had. The monks and their healing powers had put everyone in the prime of health, and the feast set before them left everyone feeling well nourished and satisfied - except Billy, who still only had one thing on his mind.

"Where is Dija?" he asked Bloo for what might have been the hundredth time.

"She is coming," said Bloo. "Please, have some more to eat. Be well."

"I'm sorry," said Billy. "I don't mean to be rude."

"Your compassion for her is powerful," said Bloo. "It's makes you formidable."

"Makes him a mush cake," muttered Strom, drawing a rare laugh from the twins.

"A warrior with something to fight for, fights twice as valiantly," said Bloo. "Kat, I know you fight for something."

Kat nodded. "My daughter's in danger. I hijacked this band of misfits to help me save her, but I seem to keep getting side tracked. Not that it hasn't been a pleasant stay here since the carnage stopped."

"You look radiant in our attire," said Bloo. "Almost as if you were one of us."

"Thanks," she said. "But I think I'd feel a bit out of place here."

"You are more like us than you know," said Bloo.

"So where are you from?" asked Strom. "You're obviously not natives to this world."

"We are not, Strom," said Bloo. "We come from a peaceful race in the Millus system, a planet with the name of Helg. Our ancestors were scholars, thinkers, some of the wisest beings who ever lived. We lived for several thousand millennia in total peace, searching the stars for meaning and purpose but finding none. Then one was born who changed everything. We call him Etannis."

"Etannis!" The other blue men sung in an eerie harmony.

"Etannis was a scholar unlike any our world had ever seen. While those who came before Etannis sought to find enlightenment through inner meditation, Etannis taught us to look outside ourselves to something beyond us."

"God?" asked Billy.

"No, not God," said Bloo. "What our people lacked for so long was power. Power to control our destinies, our world, and even other worlds. Etannis taught us that if we wanted power, we had to find it, to seize it. He founded the Order of Etannis in secret, and he taught his devotees to take power where it could be found - in the spirits of others."

Strom and Kat exchanged a concerned look. "How exactly do you seize that power?" Strom asked.

"By devouring," said Bloo with a voice that was completely calm and at peace. "We kill, we devour, we grow in power."

"That was my guess," said Strom.

"We had creatures on our world that were powerful," said Bloo. "Beasts of burden, and some terrifying creatures in the deep. The more we consumed, the greater our power became. Soon, we were ready to emerge from hiding and take our place as rulers of Helg. Sadly, the rest of our kind were not ready for us. They rejected us out of hand, and told us to turn against Etannis or be expelled from our world."

"You were banished?" asked Kat.

"Of course not," said Bloo. "We devoured their souls, every last living one, until there was nothing left but Etannis."

"Etannis!" came the chorus again.

"In time, we had all the power Helg had to offer. We were doomed to die out, consuming one another until no one would be left. Then visitors arrived from another world, giving us hope of a new start.

"After learning the secrets of their starship, a technology we had never seen but quickly grasped, we devoured the entire crew. We boarded the ship, and we set out searching for a new home."

Billy cast a glance around the table. The smiles of the tranquil blue men took on an ominous look with every new twist in Bloo's story.

"We visited a number of worlds over the last few centuries," said Bloo. "Devouring and then moving on. We hit a few space stations and satellites as well. We took the time to learn all we could about the worlds we never knew existed, of course, but the Order of Etannis has an endless hunger, and in the end, we continued to consume power where we found it.

"After taking a freighter in a nearby sector, we were advised by a clever captain to visit Deadworld. The captain, of course, hoped that by sending us here, we would meet a quick death as every other visitor to this world has. We saw it differently. We saw it as a true test of our power, and an opportunity to grow it to new heights. We have never been more powerful than we are now, as you have seen by our control of the native population."

"Your power is considerable," said Kat.

"We had never feasted on beings so powerful," said Bloo. "And we had never witnessed creatures more powerful. That is, until today."

The monks around the table, save for Bloo, stood in unison, moving slowly back from the table. Strom started to stand in response, but Kat laid a hand on his forearm.

"Bloo, we don't need to do this," said Kat. "As one warrior to another—"

"I am no warrior," said Bloo. "I am one who hungers for power. I see great power in you. That is why we took you in, dressed your wounds, and provided such a protein rich meal. Only by devouring another at the height of their power can we ascend to greater heights."

"Or seal your own deaths," said Kat. "We've done a fair share of killing ourselves, you know."

"But you do not know the teachings of Etannis," said Bloo. "You know nothing of how to absorb the power. That is why we will devour you."

Two blue men emerged from one of the huts, dragging a bound and gagged green humanoid female who struggled against her captors. She was dressed in a yellow toga like Kat's, and her appearance brought Billy to his feet.

"Dija!!"

The monks let go of Dija's chains, stepping back towards the spirit shield, and the girl ran to her lover. He tore the gag from her mouth, kissing and embracing her.

"You shouldn't have come here," she said. "They're monsters!"

"I know, I know," said Billy. "We will get you out of here."

"You hear that, Kat?" said Bloo. "The boy has something to fight for. Now he will fight all the more valiantly. The power we will take from him will be vast."

"Yeah," said Strom. "He would have made a great meal for you."

With a flick of the wrist, Strom sent a fork flying down the table, piercing Bloo's eye. The great guru of Etannis fell on his back, grasping his eye and howling in pain.

"I got nothing to fight for but me, buddy," said Strom, rising up to glare at his prey.

Kat and the twins stood ready to fight, but as soon as they were on their feet, the entire community of monks vanished beyond the spirit shield. Bloo began to laugh, coughing up an orange, sticky blood as he did.

"There's no way to contact your ship inside the shield," said Bloo. "The only way out is a blind step into the woods. The devotees of Etannis will devour you. You will all—"

The mad ravings ended as Strom stepped down on the fork, driving it through the eye socket and into the enormous, deluded brain of the mad monk.

Kat surveyed the empty village and the empty wood that appeared beyond, beckoning them to their deaths. "Okay, boys," she said. "How do we get out of this one?"

### CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Brash had never met Scary Gary face to face, either in person or via video link, but the overly cautious new administrator of Jay-Joens knew it was better to take no chances. With a phony mustache on his face and a cap on his head, Brash stepped through the tunnel and into the airlock of Scary Gary's cruiser, resisting the urge to cover his nose as he did.

It wasn't that the cruiser or Gary himself smelled bad. Far from it. Gary was a clean freak, and had the most exotic and expensive cologne collection in the known universe. But the carnage of thirty more men who failed to earn their place in the service of the Commodore was already beginning to smell.

Brash looked across the sea of bodies to see Gary standing in his swim trunks holding a blaster cannon on him.

"Are you the man in charge?" said Gary.

"I am his representative," said Brash. The Commodore was waiting in the wings back on the interceptor ship. It was his way, to send his number two aboard and then make an entrance, but in truth, Rider was terrified. He never considered the possibility that his Warp Interceptor might accidentally drop a dangerous criminal like Scary Gary in his lap, and if he lived through this, he would certainly be re-evaluating his future game plan as a pirate.

"That's a nice toy you have," said Gary. "My pilot tells me there was no structural or systems damage when you yanked us out of hyperspace."

"The ships we intercept are no good to anyone if we damage them," said Brash. "And we definitely would not wish harm to you or yours."

"Darn right," said Gary. "So how do we go about giving me compensation for the delay in my travels?"

"I will have our people clean and repair your airlock," said Brash. "We can have you ready to depart in less than an hour."

"That's a start," said Gary. "You can gift wrap one of those intercept devices for me as well."

"That may take some work," said Brash. "We only have the one, and it's not something we can easily extract and pack up for you."

Gary cocked his weapon.

"However, the Commodore would be happy to order one new and have it shipped to you, at his expense," said Brash.

"That works," said Gary. "Get my ship cleaned and tell my pilot when we're good to go."

"Yes, sir," said Brash.

"One more thing."

Brash swallowed hard. "Yes?"

"I'm looking for someone. Captain by the name of Tobias Skull. Took off with something that belongs to me and headed this direction. You didn't happen to intercept him, did you?"

"As a matter of fact, we did," said Brash. "He left with the cargo intact after a bit of a gun fight. Rather messy. Last known trajectory was the Buldoon system." It was a lie, one that Brash hoped wasn't true. No one on Jay-Joens had any clue as to Tobias's destination, but Brash suspected he'd more likely be headed toward Oolitia, the opposite direction of Buldoon.

"Thank you," said Gary. He lowered his gun and left the airlock. Gary knew darn well it was a lie. In fact he was pretty certain from Brash's nervous answer that Tobias knew what was in the crate and planned to return it home. Gary and his crew would make haste for Oolitia. Afterwards, he'd return home to wait for his new toy. Once that was in hand, he'd come back and show his gratitude for the Commodore's generosity and level the place simply for being a nuisance.

On board the interceptor, Brash exhaled deeply as he approached the Commodore.

"Did he buy it?" asked Rider.

"Pretty sure he didn't," said Brash. "But we've bought some time to plan our next steps thanks to your promising him a Warp Interceptor."

"I only have the one," said Rider.

"Right," said Brash. "And if i were you, I'd be packing it all up and finding a new base of operations pronto."

Rider nodded. Brash was a sharp guy, and a lot less of a pain than his predecessor. He could only imagine how badly things would have gone for him had Kurlin been the man to negotiate with Gary. Rider quietly passed the evacuation order as they made their way to the shuttle bay.

"Where are we gonna go?" Rider wondered aloud.

"If you want my thoughts," said Brash.

"Please," said Rider.

"I'd set up on one of the side routes near one of the big casinos," said Brash. "Orion, Stardust, or even Galactica."

Rider grinned. "You know, I told Kurlin the same thing, and he ignored me."

"Kurlin is not in charge any more," said Brash. "And you really should listen to your own inner voice more."

"You think so?" said Rider.

"It's the perfect spot for an operation like ours," said Brash. "Orion and Galactica especially popular with the high rollers. Guaranteed money aboard, especially if it's inbound."

"Tell the intercept crew to pack up," said Rider. "I'll pull up some star maps and start planning."

"Dija?"

The green girl was sitting now, her sobs and emotions a little more under control. It was quiet inside the spirit shield and had been for a while. No sign of the homicidal blue monks waiting just beyond its boundaries to kill them, which they assumed was a good thing.

"I'm sorry," said the girl. "I'm so sorry I brought you all here."

Kat could see why Billy was so enamored with her. She was tall and thin, with curves in all the places human males preferred. Her crystal blue eyes were still wet with tears, and whatever makeup she had worn before the crash was long gone, but she was still undeniably beautiful.

"No time for apologies," said Kat. "We're here, and we're all getting out of here together."

Dija shook her head. "They're monsters. I saw them butcher my crew. They don't even need weapons. They ripped the flesh from their bones and ate their organs. Some while they were still alive!"

"Why did they let you live?" asked Kat.

Dija shook her head. "They found the transmission I sent to Billy. They knew someone would come for me."

Strom and Ding emerged from one of the huts, carrying about a third of their cache of weapons. "They left everything," said Strom. "Most of the guns are empty, but we brought what we could."

Five hand blasters, two long distance repeaters, and one BZ-47 were distributed among the six of them.

Kat took hold of the BZ-47 herself. "Okay, Dija," said Kat, "Do you know if they can see us from outside the shield?"

Dija shrugged.

"I'd assume it is so," said Strom. Even if they don't, they have the advantage. They're surrounding us, and as soon as we set a toe outside, they'll lop it off."

"Actually, they'll probably bite it off," said Dija.

"If we go in a group, they can't take us all," Billy suggested.

Strom shook his head. "Bad idea. No matter what formation we use, first man through is dead."

"What choice do we have?" said Billy valiantly.

"Show of hands, is there anyone among us willing to die for the rest if they can avoid it?" asked Kat.

Billy started to put his hand up, but Kat swatted it down.

"No martyrs," said Kat. "Not on my watch."

Strom looked upward at the trees stretching overhead around them. "How high does the shield stretch, I wonder?"

"Too high for us to reach from inside," said Kat. Her eyes drifted downward. "Is it a half dome or just a dome?"

"You think we could tunnel out?" asked Strom.

"No," said Kat. "But I am thinking it has to have a power source. How are they keeping this shield in place, and how can we shut it off?"

"They keep the animals away by chanting," said Dija.

Kat nodded. "Check the huts. Look for hidden doors, secret rooms. Anything that might be hiding a power source."

Kat, Strom, and the twins fanned out to search the huts. It only took two stops for Strom to hit pay dirt.

"In here!"

Kat and the twins ran to the door. Inside sat four monks, stark naked, in a circle. Their eyes were closed, and a faint humming could be heard coming from all their mouths. The monks paid no attention to the captives, their minds fused and focused on preserving the shield that protected their village.

"You've got to be kidding," said Kat. "It's this easy?"

"You realize when the shield comes down, it's going to be a free for all," said Strom.

"I certainly hope so," she said. "Ding, Chin, you've got our rear. I'll punch a hole in their perimeter soon as I've got a sight on them."

Kat whistled to Billy and Dija, who raced over to the hut. Kat handed the radio to Billy.

"Soon as the shield's down, tell your Dad to haul it down here," she said.

"How are we gonna do that?" asked Billy.

Strom answered by firing four shots into the hut.

Before the fourth laser bolt hit its mark, the shield was down, and Kat unloaded a volley of BZ-47 fury on an a frightened, unsuspecting group of monks who appeared just twenty feet away.

The pasture lit up with laser fire as Kat, Dija and the boys began to pick off their would-be attackers. The monks were so startled by the sudden disappearance of their protective shield, they immediately stopped the chants that kept the wildlife of Deadworld at bay. In a matter of minutes, the forest was alive with carnage and terror as the native population tore into the blue monks.

Deprived of their spiritual master, the monks raced around in a blind panic, becoming easy prey and a delicious snack for the deadly creatures in the forest. The few who kept their focus enough to bear down on the warriors whose power they craved were picked off quickly. The man vs. monk conflict was over in minutes, and a man and monk vs. creature battle raged out of control.

"We've got a signal!"

Marlin and Tobias leaned over Crunch, looking at the light now flashing on the tracking screen. After learning about the gruesome legacy of the Order of Etannis, Tobias refused to stay in orbit, insisting Crunch fly a figure eight in the skies of Deadworld until they could get a location on his son.

" _Revenge_ , this is the away team!" Bill shouted over a din of ungodly sound. "Track our signal and get us out of here!"

"Drop the ropes," said Tobias. "Find them, hurry!"

Down on the jungle floor, Kat and her crew took refuge in a hut, where they were quickly joined by a pack of frightened and suddenly contrite monks who cowered in the corner.

Billy struggled to get through to his father, screaming into the radio, unable to hear over the sound of laser blasts, animal roars, and death cries. "Dad, get down here, NOW!!!"

Two thunderous blasts from the the illegal guns on the _Revenge_ announced its entry into the battlefield. The ship came to hover over the pasture, six ropes dangling from the open hangar.

"Run!!!!" screamed Kat.

She didn't have to repeat it. They were airborne and clinging to the ropes for dear life within seconds.

Tobias activated the winch and drew the ropes up to the ship as Crunch lifted them out of the reach of the largest beasts below. Strom, Ding, Billy, Dija, Chin, and then Kat made it to the deck, each one gasping for air. Dija and Billy latched onto one another in tearful relief.

"Everyone okay?" asked Tobias, ignoring his son's act of willful disobedience.

"Let's get to Oolitia," said Kat.

Tobias reached for the lever to shut the hangar, but stopped when he saw three blue hands reach over the lip of the ramp. Kat and Strom turned their guns on the monks as the three stowaways struggled to crawl into the ship.

"Please," said one. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to live."

Kat lowered her weapon. "We got another room, Tobias?"

"We're rapidly running out," he said.

"Lock them up," she said. "They may come in handy down the road."

"Yes, yes," said a the second monk. "We will serve the warrior lady."

Kat helped the third monk to the deck and motioned for Tobias to shut the ramp.

"Where are we going, oh Great and Deadly One?" said the third blue monk.

"You boys ever eat any bugs?"

The monks began to smile. No, they had not devoured bugs, but they had heard of them and were very eager to see how such a powerful being tasted.

### CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Lt. Trent Criswell was visibly nervous as he took the captain's chair. He had done something similar to this in senior officer's training, a course he had taken at his captain's insistence, and while he was grateful for her endorsement, this was not the way he wanted to take command of a ship.

There was barely enough light on the bridge to illuminate his face. Half the consoles on the bridge were dead, along with a third of the bridge crew. Criswell focused on the camera before him and gave the nod to a young ensign pulled off her regular duty in the med bay to fill in for the critically wounded communications officer.

"Anyone who can read us," he began. "My name is Lt. Trent Criswell of the _SS Andromeda_. We are under attack. Our ship has been disabled in Killdark space, and the Killdark armada responded to our situation with extreme prejudice.

"We are presently sitting on the surface of Lorgo, planet of the Jillack system in the Killdark eastern sector. Please send help immediately. Our crew has been decimated, and Captain Logan is critically wounded."

Criswell nodded to young ensign Richards. "Send it on all frequencies, all channels we have available."

The young woman turned to her console and banged furiously on the keys, knowing her life depended on it.

"They're not coming."

The voice was soft and weak, pain eking through every syllable. Lt. Trent Criswell turned to see his captain, still bleeding from her stomach wound, trying to sit up on the makeshift bed. The flashing red lights on the bridge masked just how much blood she had lost, and Chief Medic Bishop Hawk tried in vain to make their captain rest and save her strength.

Criswell walked over to his captain, dodging a dangling cable spitting sparks into the open air. To say the situation was dire was an understatement. At least two of their engines were completely offline, and with the damage to system ops, there was no way to check the status of engines three and four.

Lt. Criswell grasped Maris Logan's bandaged right hand. "Captain, they won't abandon us to die," he said. "They wouldn't dare."

Maris shook her head. "They won't start a war, and that's exactly what saving us would do."

"We can't just give up," he said. "There are too many lives at stake."

"Agreed," she said. "Continue broadcasting as long as we have signal. Fight to the last man."

"You fight too," he said. "We need you."

Ensign Richards spun in her chair. "Captain, SysOps reports that the core system intelligence is completely disabled. All systems are on manual."

"What about defense?" asked Trent.

"Weapons systems are offline but not incapacitated. Lt. Prang and his crew are manually bringing guns online."

"Tell them to hurry," said Trent. "With the captain's permission."

"You have the con," said Maris, as she shut her eyes to rest.

"Sounds like they're in bad shape."

Kat was sitting on the bridge next to the empty pilot's chair watching the latest transmission from _Andromeda_. The _Revenge_ was on auto-pilot, its course set for Oolitia. Kat wiped a few tears from her face, upset she had let her guard down. The prince of Oolitia posed her no threat, but she didn't like that she had let him sneak up on her so easily.

"We've lost a lot of time," said Kat. "The Killdarks are toying with them. When they go for the kill..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Marlin sat down beside her. "I contacted Oolitia's naval command an hour ago. We'll have an escort waiting for us when we arrive, and once the formalities of my return are settled, I'll arrange for two carrier groups with six squadrons of my finest fighter pilots to escort you in and out of bug space."

Kat smiled. "I can never repay you enough for this."

"You're returning me to my home," said Marlin. "I'm the one who needs to repay you."

"I appreciate that," she said.

"There may be some complications when we first arrive," said Marlin. "I wasn't on good terms with my sister at the time I left, so you could say my kidnapping was rather ill-timed."

"So she had you kidnapped," said Kat.

Marlin laughed. "No, no, it wasn't her. I can assure you. We've just got some personal issues to work through. Nothing that should delay you and your mission."

"I sure hope not," said Kat.

"You eat anything since Deadworld?" he asked.

"Not a thing," she said. She was still dressed in the yellow toga, an item she found made a wonderfully comfortable night gown. Her thoughts turned to Rider unexpectedly as she wondered what he would think of her wearing such a simple, elegant frock.

"Let's get some food," said Marlin as he stood. "Might be my last chance to eat like a low life for a while."

"And that's a bad thing?" she said.

They were half way to the galley when they heard the sound of yet another father/son argument brewing. Stepping into the tiny galley they found the three monks - all three of whom were inexplicably named Bob - sitting around a table gorging themselves on various snacks completely oblivious to Tobias and Billy's argument.

"Nothing's changed, Billy! I'm happy we were able to help her, and I know her family will be too. But she's still a Betel! They're not human, and they're not to be trusted!"

"Because they're green?" said Billy. "Because they're different?"

"Because they're crooked," said Tobias. "Never met a Betel that wasn't."

This was only partially true. While Tobias had never met a Betel he could trust, his grandfather had employed one on the old spice routes. Jodo Jolis was not only loyal and trustworthy, when Tobias's grandfather ran afoul of the Neo Centauri Cartel, Jolis sacrificed himself and took the fall for the elder Skull's misdeeds. Officially, Jodo Jolis was a scoundrel and a con man who got what he deserved when he flew too close to a black hole. Unofficially, he was a hero to the Skull clan and smugglers everywhere. Tobias had never told the story to his son, and he certainly wasn't going to volunteer it now.

"Enjoy your time with her," said Tobias. "It will be your last. Soon as we get to Oolitia, we're sending her on the first shuttle home!"

"We are not!" shouted Billy. "She stays with us!"

"We're going into a war zone after Oolitia," said Tobias. "Or have you forgotten what set us on this journey in the first place?"

"She knows where we're going," said Billy. "And she's okay with it so long as we're together."

"She's going home!"

"Then I'm going with her!"

"Really?" said Tobias. "You'd abandon your father? Your crew? Your ship?"

"It's your crew, Dad!" said Billy. "It's not my ship!"

"It will be one day!"

"I don't want it, you... you Dragnarg!!!"

Tobias turned beet red as he turned to the prince. "My apologies for my son's language, your highness."

Marlin laughed. "No offense taken. It's interesting to listen to your verbal jousting. Reminds me of when my sister tried to marry a commoner and my father would have none of it. The fights they had were legendary."

"How did it end?" asked Billy.

Marlin opened a few cabinets to search for food. "My father had the boy beheaded. That pretty much settled the argument."

Tobias chuckled. Billy stuck a finger in his father's face. "This isn't over."

"I know," said Tobias. His defiant son dropped his hand and stomped out of the galley.

"Kids," said Tobias.

"Kids," said the Bobs in unison, followed by a collective giggle.

"So glad you brought them aboard," said Tobias.

"They might be good in a fight some day," said Kat. "They may save your life."

"Stranger things keep happening," said Tobias. "You ready to be home, your highness?"

Marlin slid a bowl of heat and eat stew into the insta-cooker. "I was just telling Kat how much I would miss the on-the-go cuisine up here. Some of it's actually less distasteful than I expected."

"It's all the salt," said Kat. "Not good for you, but it does make things tolerable."

"Salt, huh?" said the prince. "I don't believe we have that on Oolitia."

"It's not exactly good for you," said Kat.

"But it's so good," said Tobias.

"Saaaaaalt," said the Bobs.

"That is going to get annoying," muttered Kat.

"General Thorn is waiting for us to make our exit from hyperspace at the outer markers," said Prince Marlin. "I told him we'd have a first class escort to the palace, where all of you will receive your reward."

"And then?" said Kat.

"And then, on my orders, we'll send you off with six squadrons of fighters for your rescue operation."

Tobias looked at Kat. "How are they?"

"Under siege," said Kat. "Losing hope by the minute."

"I hope we won't be too late," he said. In truth he was far more worried about dying himself. The bugs were fierce fighters who lived for blood and destruction. The last thing he wanted was to punch through bug battle lines only to find their efforts to get there were too little too late.

Still, he had promised Kat, and honor still counted for something.

"It's no one's fault if we're late," Kat said. "We've had two detours on this trip already."

"I will do everything in my power to see that the third goes as smoothly as possible," said Marlin.

Tobias and Kat thanked the prince, though both had been around the stars long enough to know a promise like that was an impossible promise to keep.

### CHAPTER SIXTEEN

General Thorn stood on the flight deck of the _Lady Death_. The largest ship in the Oolitian fleet was a fighter carrier with more than 1000 wings in her three flight decks. Her mere appearance on the battlefield had caused many an insignificant foe to tuck tail and run without firing a shot.

Not that Thorn ever let them go; given the opportunity, he preferred to destroy rather than accept a surrender. Thorn had destroyed a good many intergalactic navies on behalf of the prince and princess's father, expanding his domain and keeping the borders of his isolated kingdom secure.

Today would not be one of those days. His orders were to give escort to the prince on his arrival in what he understood was a pretty wretched looking smuggler craft. He could not imagine the indignity and squalor his prince had suffered over the preceding weeks, but he looked forward to serving the prince as he had the king and seeing the rightful heir of Oolitia return.

Thorn didn't prefer the prince over the princess for any personal reason. In fact the princess had done a wonderful job filling in during her brother's absence. He could see her becoming a strong monarch in her own right - when she married another prince in another kingdom in another part of the galaxy. Naturally, she would usurp her husband's power and become the de facto ruler of what would be a new province for Oolitia to govern, but that was the way the Oolitians did business. Befriend, circumvent, absorb, repeat as necessary, destroy as necessary.

The general stood straight and tall in his pristine white uniform with gold trim. The entire bridge looked less like a battleship than a luxury liner, with all the crew, consoles, and fixtures decked in the same white with gold trim. The Oolitians loved a clean and polished look, even in war time. Their cleaning expenses were triple that of a normal navy, but Oolitia could afford the luxury as they had never been sucked into such trivial government expenses such as medical care for the poor.

With a flicker of light, the _Revenge_ dropped out of hyperspace in the target zone. Thorn smiled. "Com, activate link with inbound craft."

The woman at the communications center flicked a few switches. Thorn heard the tone sound over the intercom and spoke.

"This is General Thorn of Her Majesty Oolitia's naval fleet," said Thorn. "Identify yourself on screen."

The viewscreen lit up. Prince Marlin sat on the flight deck of the Revenge with Tobias and Kat behind him.

"General, I have returned," said the prince.

"It is good to see your face," said Thorn. "A bit dirtier than usual, but you look to be in good shape."

"Fit to rule, General," said the prince. "Please arrange our escort to landing pad A at the palace."

"Already done," said the general. "I will tail you in my shuttle to personally oversee your arrival."

"Very good," said the prince. "See you on deck."

The viewscreen went blank.

"Launch wings one and two, and tell my shuttle to prepare for departure," said Thorn, sending a flight controller into action on the starboard side of the bridge. "Com, get me the princess on screen."

"Palace control reports the princess is engaged receiving visitors in the southern garden," said the communications officer.

"Keep trying," said the General as he headed for the exit. "Let her know the prince is on his way."

Oolitia was a planet of legend, a globe covered completely in water dotted by golden cities that stood high above the waves and stretched to the sky. It was once said that the planet used to be more habitable, with a division between the land and waters, and that a period of global warming that may or may not have been caused by the Oolitians melting the polar ice caps, forcing the people to prop up their cities as the old civilization disappeared beneath the waves. Such nonsense was no longer spoken, as the great grandfather of Marlin, Ubric the Third, had those people lined up and shot.

Aboard the _Revenge_ , Tobias's crew gathered on the tiny flight deck to get a glimpse of the golden cities. Each stood out of the water on giant stone pillars, a half dozen to a dozen depending on the size of the city. The pillars supported circular platforms several miles wide that gave rise to golden towers and peaks hundreds and thousands of feet in height. The golden structures were accented with clear, crystal windows, some ten and twenty feet in height. Hundreds of shiny, flashy air cars darted between the cities and in and out of their peaks like worker bees in a gilded hive.

"Welcome to my home," said the prince.

"Brash would have loved this place," said Strom.

"You ain't kidding," said Crunch. "I think he got off at the wrong stop."

The Revenge followed its escort around one city, and an even larger one loomed on the horizon. This one was three times the size of the typical city, with tall, white marble towers topped with golden spires around its perimeter. Four launchpads extended out from the city at the north, south, east, and west, cut from the same marble and overlaid with gold on their tops. Crunch saw the lead fighters make a beeline for the eastern platform, and he did the same.

"Everybody comb your hair and wash your hands," said Tobias. "We gotta look presentable again."

The landing pad was large enough to fit two fighters in addition to the _Revenge_ and General Thorn's shuttle. After instructing the monks to keep quiet and lay low, Kat gave Tobias the okay, and they lowered the ramp onto the deck.

Prince Marlin took the lead, with Tobias and Kat following close behind. Strom and Crunch came down the ramp next, followed by the young lovers and the twins. General Thorn saluted his superior, and the prince offered his hand.

"Pleased to see you alive, your highness," said General Thorn.

"A pleasure to see you as well," said the prince. "My thanks for the warm welcome."

The door leading into the tower opened, and an honor guard of twelve men took up positions along the bridge between the tower and pad. Each man was dressed in white body armor with a white cape. They wore shiny white helmets with gold-tinted visors that covered their faces and carried fearsome looking white laser blasters, each with a jagged, golden bayonet at the business end of the barrel.

Flanked by two towering bodyguards in their golden armor, the princess strode down the bridge toward her brother. What little attire she had on covered her body in gold elegance. She was tan, beautiful, and graceful with thin, see through fabric draped between the golden adornments on her chest, waist, arms, and legs. A crown of gold encircled her head, and her brown eyes were set off with glittering gold makeup.

"Welcome home," she said, not a hint of sibling conflict in her congenial greeting. "It is good to see you."

Marlin embraced his sister warmly. "Thank you, Hydra. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Nor I you," she said.

"May I present Captain Tobias Skull, of the _Edward Teach's Revenge_."

The princess offered her hand to the captain. "Welcome, captain. On behalf of my people, I extend our deepest gratitude."

"Our pleasure to serve," said Tobias.

"And this is Kat," said Marlin.

The princess turned to Kat. "We are grateful to both of you."

Kat smiled politely. "A pleasure to meet you, your highness."

The princess turned to the bridge. Marlin took position next to her, with the general and Tobias's rag tag crew behind. Kat and Tobias were still within earshot of the royal siblings as they walked to the tower.

"You return on a good day," said Princess Hydra. "We have guests."

"Do we?" said the prince.

"An old friend," she said. "One we are both well acquainted with."

The procession moved into the tower and down a ramp spiraling downward. "You should have brought them along," said Marlin. "I'm eager to see who it is."

"He's most eager to see you," Hydra said.

It didn't sound good to Kat, and her worst fears were confirmed a few moments later. The party stepped off the ramp and walked a short hall to the throne room.

The throne room of Oolitia was one of the most remarkable sights in all the galaxy: a near perfect cube one hundred feet square with marble floor and ceiling separated by eight massive marble columns. The walls behind the throne and on the left and right were half marble and half crystal, floor to ceiling, with walls and windows alternating every ten feet, giving a spectacular view of the city and ocean outside. Hand-stitched tapestries of twelve centuries of Oolitian royalty were draped on the marble walls and columns about the room.

The throne itself was crystal with golden trim and a gilded lion's head that looked down on the occupant's subjects from overhead. It was a breath-taking sight that would have made every one of the _Revenge's_ crew gasp in awe - if they weren't already gasping at the ten thugs with guns and the green-headed alien sitting sideways on the royal throne.

"Tobias!" shouted Scary Gary, dressed in a maroon silk shirt and tight black slacks that did nothing to make him look anything other than slimy and vile. "So good to see you, old man!"

The princess turned with an evil grin. "I'm very sorry, Captain," she said. "You were never supposed to open that crate, much less survive the delivery. I hope you enjoyed your brief stay of execution."

The guards took positions around Tobias and his men, pulling Kat and Dija out of the circle and leaving the smugglers in an all too familiar position. General Thorn drew his personal side arm and grabbed the prince by the arm, the barrel of his gun poking Marlin in the ribs.

"Here we go again," muttered Strom.

"Unhand me, General," said the prince.

"I'm sorry, your highness," said Thorn.

"Gary, what's going on here?" asked Kat. "These men are with me. They are my crew. You have no right to do this."

Gary hopped off the throne and trotted toward them. "I'm very sorry, Kat. Tobias owes me a great deal in debt, and I intend to collect. I am aware of the circumstances under which you boarded his ship, and I won't stand in the way of your objective, but you'll have to find a new ship and crew."

"No!" shouted Dija. "Please, I beg you!"

Kat put her hand on Dija's arm to quiet her. Gary grinned at the green-skinned beauty.

"Young lady, you are an innocent in this, and I intend to spare you." Gary actually intended to bring her along on his next voyage as an unwilling lover, but he would get to that later. "Your friends owe me a great deal of money, so I would advise you to accept things as they are and bid them farewell."

"I'd rather die with them!" she shouted defiantly.

"Touching, but no," said Gary.

The princess turned to Marlin. "Please understand, this is nothing personal. Just business."

"So it's true, you were the one behind my abduction," said Marlin.

"It wasn't my idea," she said. "Someone sent Gary's men after me. My personal bodyguards got the drop on them, but rather than dispatch them, I saw an opportunity for us to settle our differences. I paid them to grab you instead."

"My own sister," said Marlin. "Traitor to the throne!"

"I am the throne the same as you," said Hydra. "But the throne isn't big enough for the both of us."

"No," said Marlin. "It never was."

"So to save your life, you sold your soul to Scary Gary," sneered Tobias.

"See, Tobias, that's the difference between us," said Gary. "Always be nice to people. You never know when you're going to need a friend to be there for you."

"Good advice," said Marlin. "Then again, one should never turn your back on an old enemy."

The prince grabbed the side arm from General Thorn's hand and put a laser bolt between the eyes of his own sister. Thorn drew a second blaster and took down the two bodyguards before they could react, and with three gun blasts, the prince assumed full control of his father's throne.

Marlin leaned over his dead sister's body. "I did that too fast. I missed my opportunity to tell you. I'm the guy who hired Scary Gary to abduct you. You may have duped his thugs into grabbing me instead, but believe me, the friendship bond Gary and I share was never in jeopardy."

Marlin handed the gun back to General Thorn. "Lock these men in holding until our friend's friends arrive to take possession of them."

Thorn nodded to the guards, and the crew of the _Revenge_ was once more headed into custody.

"Your highness," said Kat. "You have what you want from us. Let my men go."

"It's out of my hands," said Marlin, turning to Kat. "I will have Thorn make the _Lady Death_ and the _Hellfire_ ready to move first thing tomorrow. I will honor my promise to help you reach your daughter. You may even take the _Revenge_ , for what it's worth. But her crew belongs to Gary."

Kat's eyes burned with hate for the deceitful prince. "What about Dija?"

"It would be my privilege to escort her home," Gary lied.

"If it's all the same, I think we'd like to stay together tonight," said Kat.

Gary nodded in agreement.

"I'm very sorry you stumbled into all this," said Prince Marlin to Kat. "This whole situation was in motion long before you stepped aboard the _Revenge_. I owe you my life, and my throne. I will repay you accordingly."

"At least you have some honor," said Kat.

"I'll have you escorted to the guest lodgings," said the prince.

"No," said Kat. "Escort us back to the ship. I'd rather not stay in this place tonight."

Marlin looked at Gary, who nodded his agreement. "Very well. We will send you back to your ship. I don't have to warn you, my men are the finest fighters in the galaxy. I don't expect treachery, and I don't wish to treat you as a threat."

Kat said nothing. She held Dija's hand silently as the girl continued to sob. She was tired of stumbling into other people's messes, and she was furious that Marlin had lied to her.

Despite the circumstances, she was as determined as ever to complete her mission. She would leave this place. She would rescue her daughter. And she _would_ have the armed forces of Oolitia to back her up.

As the guards led Kat and Dija back to their ship, Kat extended her hand out each time they passed a communications terminal. It only took two tries to make the connection she needed between the terminal and the microprocessor in the bionic works of her lower spine. By the time they reached the _Revenge_ , Kat had a complete schematic of the palace and the exact locations of security forces mapped out. All she needed was a plan.

### CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Scary Gary and Prince Marlin were half toasted, having consumed two bottles of Janxian Orange Wine, when the call came in from Gram. Reclining on the wine-stained plush couch in Marlin's private apartment (the one he brought friends to, not the one for the ladies), Marlin and Gary saw the wrinkled visage of Gram appear on the 3-D holo in the center of the room.

"Gram!" said Gary. "About time you got here. You know I had my hands on your fugitives before you?"

"Do you have them all?" she said with a scowl.

"Tobias Skull, son Billy, and the nameless rabble of hired muscle."

"And the woman?" she said. "The Kat?"

"I'm letting her go," said Gary.

"You what?"

"She's got a daughter stranded behind enemy lines in bug space," said Gary with a hiccup. "Our buddy Marlin's gonna send her off with some of his big guns to save them in the morning."

"I want the Kat," said Gram. "She's the one who put the wrench in the works to begin with!"

"Hey!" said Gary. "This is my grudge, not yours. Kat goes free, and everyone else gets the noose. Consider yourself lucky I don't blast you for losing them in the first place!"

"Yes, Gary," she said. "We will be in orbit in three hours."

"Call when you get here," said Gary.

The holo died. Gary looked at Marlin.

"I'm gonna shoot her in the face," he said. "I'm not telling her that, but I am definitely shooting her in the face."

"Really?" said Marlin.

"Oh yeah," Gary said. "I decided to kill her days ago. I was thinking about ejecting her out the airlock of her ship. That's a lot of fun because they get all bloated and then just kinda go poof. But no, I'm gonna shoot her in the face. I'll definitely enjoy it more."

"Who you gonna get to run New Chicago?"

"Ehh, who cares about New Chicago?" he said. "I have Oolitia. I have the Oolitian navy at my disposal. I'll bomb the place back to the stone age if I want. That's if your boys don't get wasted by the bugs."

Marlin leaned forward. "I'm not giving Kat my ships. Tomorrow, we'll send them up with her, we'll let her shoot off into bug space, and then, my boys are coming home."

Gary's smile faded. Then he burst into laughter.

"I like you, Marlin," said Scary Gary. "You're evil."

"And drunk," said Marlin, downing his glass. "We better sober up before your people get here. Gotta look... oh what's the word?"

"Scary!"

"Yes," said Marlin. "Scary."

Gary patted the prince on the knee and left the apartment, headed for his own suite. It took a lot more than a few bottles of Janxian wine to get him intoxicated, and soon as he stepped out of the room, the drunk act was gone.

Gary really liked the prince. He liked him enough he had decided not to kill him - not just yet. The hard-nosed General had to go, and Gary had a thousand ways to make such a death look accidental. But the prince would make a nice puppet for the time being. His time would come. His plan to betray Kat showed he was too treacherous to trust in the long term. But Gary resolved to enjoy the prince's company for the time being.

Kat sat in silence in the pilot's seat on the flight deck, her eyes shut but her body and mind wide awake. Dija was asleep in the galley, wrapped up in a blanket, and the three blue monks sat in a semi-circle on the flight deck, staring at their new guru.

"What do you think she is meditating on?" said one Bob.

"Death and carnage," said another.

"She doesn't seem fixated on death like we are," said the third. "She kills out of necessity, but not with a bloodlust. Like she wouldn't kill if she didn't have to."

They pondered this at the moment.

"Perhaps we can teach her as she teaches us," said Bob number one, drawing nods of approval from his brethren.

Kat was far from meditating. She was running simulations over and over, using the map of the palace as a guide to help her make her plan. She knew she could not leave Tobias. He had done too much, and she owed him one. She also knew that the prince had no intention of sending his ships with her in the morning.

She needed those ships, and she was determined to get them. She had a good idea how to get them from point A to B, but there was one hitch in the plan.

A light flashed on the console as an incoming message hit the ship's receiver. Kat turned on the viewscreen and was surprised to see Brash appear on screen.

"Greetings, Captain," he said. "A mutual friend of ours has asked me to relay a message to our other mutual friend. An unfortunate circumstance has created the need for a change in venue. I am sending you a coordinate signal that your friend there can use, should she choose to contact our friend here. I feel like I'm back in boarding school saying all this, but you know our friend here."

The data code uploaded itself into the ship's computer. Kat understood the message, and it gave her an idea.

She spun in her chair.

"Okay, boys," she said. "Who's hungry?"

Klaus was still new to the job but loving every minute of it. In the three weeks since he had been promoted to Scary Gary's personal security staff, he had criss-crossed the galaxy in a luxury cruiser, met more gorgeous females than he had in his previous twenty-two years of existence, and even been able to kill a few guys.

It was Klaus's penchant for killing that helped him climb the organizational ladder so quickly. Like many who worked for Scary Gary, he began by running drugs back on his home planet, in this case Altair 7. Klaus was barely able to make ends meet and had two brushes with the law before his seventeenth birthdate.

The turning point came a week shy of the young man's birthday, when he and two other pushers were cornered by a JJ Hit Squad. Fed up with the rampant drug problems on his planet, the premier of Altair 7 created the Hit Squads to act as judge, jury, and executioner on the streets. Meeting up with a JJ Hit Squad meant certain death, but the day Klaus faced them down, something snapped. A few well placed kicks, a stolen blaster, and five kill shots later, Klaus was a murderer and a made man.

The local kingpin promoted Klaus to the next rung on the ladder, giving him a retainer and nice bonus for every cop and JJ man he killed. Klaus took to killing like an artist would take to oils or clay, and he studied the art of taking lives relentlessly. He even came across some of the teachings of Etannis, though he never sought them out for fear he might not survive the encounter.

As Klaus ascended the ranks of hit men and killers in Scary Gary's employ, he had often wondered how he might fare against one of the devotees of Etannis. With every kill, Klaus became more and more confident he could take at least one and maybe more.

Oolitia was a minimal threat, thanks to the budding relationship between Scary Gary and the prince, so Klaus and the other four guards were trading shifts as the lone man watching the ship. Klaus was a tad sleepy and a bit more than a tad hung over, so he never even saw his dream fight coming. The blue monk was upon him before Klaus could react, tearing at his flesh and devouring whole chunks at a time. Only when the monk rolled him over to go for his fleshy gut did Klaus realize that he had lost his one and only chance to take down a follower of Etannis.

In seconds, Klaus was gone, and after the incantation that Bob believed gave him the deceased hit man's power, he stepped back to the entry ramp and signaled to the two women below.

"All clear!" he said with a satisfied belch.

Kat and Dija boarded the luxury yacht. Dija let out a low whistle as she took in the over the top decor.

"This is how the galaxy's deadliest mob boss lives?"

"Be careful where you sit and what you touch," said Kat. "There's no telling what sort of diseases are... ah, here we go."

Near the back of the cruiser, the door to Gary's private quarters opened. Three lithe and sexy females of various human-like species on the other side began screaming when they saw Klaus's body. Kat silenced them with the business end of a blaster aimed at the center of their group.

"You're Gary's girls?"

They nodded in unison.

"You wanna stay alive?"

"Do we have to stay with Gary?" asked one of the girls timidly.

"Not at all," said Kat.

"Then yes, we want to stay alive," replied the girl who was now smiling.

"Get back in there," said Kat. "And stay quiet."

The girls exchanged looks, nodded, and backed into the room.

Kat raced to the cockpit. She uploaded a saved frequency from her wrist into the console. Ten seconds later, she was face to face with another familiar face from Jay-Joens.

"What do you want?" sneered Cutlass, who had obviously fallen on tough times after Kurlin's demise. .

"I need to talk to the Brash," said Kat.

"Do you?" he said. "He's a bit busy at the moment."

"You remember this face, right?" said Kat, said, circling her face with her hand.

"I do."

"Then you know the Commodore would do anything to have one more glimpse of this face," said Kat. "I pity the man who stands in the way of that wish."

"Can he call you back?" said Cutlass, playing hardball. "He may not be available just now."

Kat smiled a devilish grin. "I'm going to kill a lot of people today, Cutlass. Don't give me a reason to add you to the list."

### CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Tozz Diggler and Shod Nalfin entered the locker room ready to check out for the day. The thirty year veteran and first year rookie were an unlikely duo. Diggler was in the midst of his third divorce. He had more than a hundred confirmed kills in his career serving his majesty's forces and had seen enough bloodshed for three lifetimes. Nalfin was four months out of training and about to get married. The grizzled veteran took a liking to the rookie when they were paired together during Nalfin's first field experience, and Nalfin was thrilled when Diggler requested Nalfin to be his new partner upon graduation.

"How are the plans going?" Diggler asked his partner as they opened their lockers.

"I think we're set," said Nalfin. "We had to replace the band last minute, but we went with the one I wanted in the first place so far as I'm concerned, we're good to go."

Diggler smiled, thinking back to his three weddings. The first was an overly-elaborate affair with a band and a two week honeymoon. The second took place in a Casino next to a theater with a three-headed ventriloquist. In retrospect, the second was a far nicer affair.

"How about that bachelor party?"

Nalfin grinned, hanging up his helmet and cape. "It's gonna be a night to never tell her about. Wish you could go with us."

"Nah," said Diggler as he sat down to remove his boots. "You don't want an old guy tagging along."

"You're my best man," said Nalfin. "You have to go!'

"No, no, that's a young man's game." In truth, Diggler had no intentions of missing the guy's night. He'd already pitched in for some of the night's festivities and libations.

Sadly, neither Diggler nor Nalfin would live to see the bachelor party. Overhead, as they zipped out of their armor, two monks from the Order of Etannis watched them through a ventilation shaft too small for a human, but not too small for their kind. One of the two held a tiny radio. Both Bobs watched the radio intently, waiting for the tiny red light on top to light up.

As Diggler began to dress in his regular clothes, the light finally turned red. The Bobs hit two corners of the ceiling vent, popping it free and sending it crashing down on young Nalfin's head. The Bobs had already decided who would devour whom, and the old man and his rookie pal were dead in seconds.

After performing their incantations to absorb the guards' power, Bob and Bob gathered Diggler's armor together. Nalfin's was covered in blood and brains, but they found enough for their mission in the remaining closed lockers.

They were back in the vent within four minutes. Bob picked up the radio and clicked the send button twice. Back on Scary Gary's cruiser, Kat set the second part of her plan in motion.

"Greetings, your highness." Said Brash, selling his role for all he was worth. His face was disguised with a beard and his eyes covered with the kind of gaudy shades common to Scary Gary's entourage. Brash hoped it was enough to fool the young monarch, and to his relief, when he appeared on the video screen in the prince's bachelor pad, the prince was still drunk enough to buy it.

"Greetings to you," said the prince. "Who are you, and how did you get through?"

"I am Scary Gary's personal assistant," said Brash. "His entertainment manager, if you will. Scary Gary is very grateful for your hospitality and asked me to offer you a sample of his personal collection.

"Personal collection of what?

"Women, of course."

The prince sat up. "No kidding?"

"I have a lovely blonde human, and a green-skinned beauty on board the cruiser," said Brash. "The hot tub has been fired up, and the only thing missing is you."

"Huh," said the prince.

"Scary Gary would be most offended if you did not wish to accept this offer."

"Believe me," said the prince. "I'm more than happy to accept the invitation."

"Good," said Brash. "Come aboard as soon as you can. The girls will be waiting for you."

Kat disconnected the relay signal and restored the direct connection with Brash. "Well," she said, "I think he bought it."

"I hope this plan of yours works," said Brash.

"I do too," she said. "I owe your former captain a great deal."

"He's not gonna be happy about his ship."

"I'll see he's taken care of," she said. "I know someone who can get him a good deal if he doesn't like the new one."

"Right," said Brash, removing pieces of his disguise. "Any message you want me to relay on my end?"

"For now, no," she said. "But I will be in touch."

"I won't say a word then," he said. "Just in case. Stay alive."

"You too," she said. "Both of you."

Ligo Spector and Huzz Husha weren't nearly as close as Tozz Diggler and Shod Nalfin. Their back stories were hardly worth noting, and after five years on the same shift, they still didn't even know one another's spouses names or number of kids. One thing they did share in common with their late comrades: they were just as easily disposed of when the Bobs came crashing through the overhead vents into the detention block.

The Bobs yanked the throats out of Spector, Husha, and four more men on the cell block without a single shot being fired, right in front of Tobias and his men. The grim and gruesome sight made even Chin and Ding turn away in disgust.

When the death throes and gasps and gurgles ceased, Tobias looked up to see one of the Bobs opening their cell door. Bob handed a radio to Tobias. He took the radio and clicked the talk button.

"Hello?"

"Greetings, Captain," said Kat. "You didn't think we would leave without you, right?"

He did. "Of course not. Never doubted you."

"Here's the plan," said Kat. "The Bobs have clean uniforms for all of you. Put them on, take the guns off the guards, and get to the ship on landing pad C as fast as you can."

Tobias was confused. "My ship's on A, not C."

"You're upgrading," said Kat. "Now do as I say."

Bob snatched the radio back. He and the other Bob waved to the smugglers, climbed the bars, and crawled back into the vent.

"What does she mean, Dad?" said Billy.

"Heck if I know," said Tobias. "But what choice do we have?"

Tobias and the crew began to suit up.

Gram watched as a pair of Oolitian fighters led her ship down to landing pad B. In orbit she had the full force of the New Chicago Navy awaiting her orders, but she was still nervous. Scary Gary was not one to tolerate failure, and he preferred to dole out "discipline" in person.

Still, she knew he had prisoners that had to be removed. He had asked her to take on the task, and she had come, thinking there was a better than fifty percent chance she'd survive her failure back home.

Times like this she truly regretted ever signing on with the gangster, but what choice did she have? She and her former captain were given a choice. Which ever one killed the other would be Gary's servant. She was faster on the trigger and had lived a good decade since killing her superior.

"One minute, Gram," said her navigator.

"Roger, steady on course."

Gram checked her side arm. It had been a long time since she had shot someone herself, but if Gary did turn on her, she would not go down without a fight.

Tobias was angry at first. It was easy for Kat to tell him to get to platform C, but Tobias didn't have the first clue how they would find it. His anger subsided as soon as Strom put his helmet on.

"Well look at that," said Strom.

"What's that, Strom?"

"Heads up display," said Strom. "Looks like we have an entire map of the palace."

Tobias put his own helmet on. The inside of the helmet illuminated, and he was able to see a full menu of options on the inside of the visor. "How about that?"

A few minutes of fiddling, and they had directions to pad C and were moving. No one batted an eye as the small squad of six guards moved through the halls and up the ramps. That is, until they passed the floor where Marlin had his private apartments.

"You! Guards!"

Instinctively, the six men turned their guns on the prince, who threw his hands up.

"Whoa! Whoa!" the prince shouted. He was naked above the waist, wearing a pair of swim trunks and not pulling them off in the slightest.

Tobias lowered his weapon, and the others followed suit. The prince lowered his hands.

"I need an escort to Scary Gary's ship," he said. "Platform C."

Tobias felt a queasy sensation in his stomach. "Platform C, sir?"

"Yes, sir," said Billy, staying in character. "Form a perimeter around the prince, move!"

Tobias smiled. He joined the others and took a rear position behind the prince as they continued their procession. He sensed Kat was behind this, and whether she orchestrated this encounter or not, he felt confident the plan was going well.

Kat heard the two monks scramble back aboard the cruiser just as the prince stepped out of the tower, surrounded by six guards. Dija saw the guards as well and gasped.

"Looks like he brought some company."

"Could be," said Kat. "Or it might be things are working out better than we hoped. Go get the girls out of the back. Tell them to welcome the prince."

Dija raced back to Gary's quarters and opened the door. She motioned the three girls forward.

"The prince is coming," she said. "When he gets here—"

Too late. Two guards stepped onto the ship and saw Dija talking with the girls. The prince followed them on.

"Well, well," said the prince, smiling drunkenly at Dija. "It seems you do have a price for Scary Gary. I'm going to enjoy this."

The lead guard turned and decked the prince. The prince fell like a wet noodle.

The guard ripped his helmet off. Dija squealed and ran to him, kissing Billy passionately.

Strom took his helmet off and shouted down the ramp. "All clear."

Four more guards raced up the ramp and removed their helmets, revealing Chin, Ding, Crunch, and Tobias.

"Where is she?"

Kat stuck her head out of the cockpit. "Gentlemen, we are prepped for take off. Grab a seat because this is about to get a little dangerous."

### CHAPTER NINETEEN

Gram chose her two most trusted officers to walk with her down the ramp. Chief Lieutenant Trish Persaw had been with Gram for nearly a decade but was still one of her youngest sailors at 25. She was fiercely loyal, as was the Andorrian Grek Poodonnit, who took Gram's other flank as they stepped out in the Oolitian air.

Scary Gary came alone, walking the long bridge to platform B. "Gram."

"Gary."

"You bring the fleet?" he asked.

"My ships are five klicks out," she said. "Though it sounds like you have everyone in hand."

"I do now." Gary sized up Gram's escort, Grek and Trish. "The first one of you who kills the other gets to be Gram's successor and the new ruler of New Chicago."

Grek cocked his head to the side. "Excuse me, what?"

He would never learn the answer. Trish drew her blaster and fired three laser bolts into his head, dropping Grek to the marble deck.

"Nicely done," said Gary. "And congratulations to you."

"How dramatic," said Gram. "If you want to replace me, why not have them kill me?"

"Because that's my job." He lifted his own weapon and shot Gram in the face.

The old woman fell to the deck as a familiar roar caught Gary's ear. It was his own ship, rising off nearby deck and making fiery tracks into space.

"Kat!" he cursed.

He looked at Trish. "Get on board your ship. Get after them, quickly!"

"You're going to be the death of me," said Tobias as Strom and Crunch maneuvered the prince in position at the co-pilot's seat.

"Gary will blast us out of the sky!" Tobias shouted.

"He will not blast us," said Kat. "Not when he finds out who's with us."

Kat smacked the prince a few times across the face as the communications console lit up. "Come on, your highness, wake up!"

Marlin groaned, but remained checked out. Kat reached over and turned on the video link anyway.

It was General Thorn, and by the look in his eyes, he was none too pleased to see his prince in such condition.

"What have you done to him?"

"He's fine," said Kat. "But if you want him, you're going to have to come get him yourself this time."

Kat killed the signal.

"You're suicidal," said Tobias.

"The prince promised me the support of his navy," said Kat. "I'm just making sure he lives up to his promise."

"I want them dead!" Gary screamed. "I want them blasted out of the sky!"

Thorn resisted the urge to punch the alien, keeping his hands gripped on the railing of the bridge as his shuttle lifted off pad A.

"The prince of Oolitia is aboard that ship," said Thorn. "Your ship, I might add!"

"I have dozens of ships!" said Gary.

"We have only one prince!"

"General," said the communications officer. "I have the New Chicago Fleet Commander online."

"On screen," said General Thorn.

Trish Persaw appeared on the viewscreen.

"This is General Thorn of His Majesty's navy of Oolitia," said Thorn.

"Captain Persaw, New Chicago security. What can I do for you, General?"

"Captain, I realize you take orders from Scary Gary and not the head of New Chicago," said the general. "As such, I am assuming temporary command of your fleet."

"For what purpose?" said Trish.

"This is now a rescue operation," said the General. "The fugitives who stole your master's ship have kidnapped the prince."

"Again?" The young captain couldn't help hiding her amusement.

Gary nodded, poking his large cranium into view. "Yes, captain, again. Go ahead had let the General take the lead here. We don't want to lose our new friend."

"Understood," said Captain Persaw. "We will track the fugitives and hold for you to assume command."

"Thank you." The general killed the signal and turned to the criminal.

"You're coming?"

"I wouldn't miss it," said Scary Gary.

Neither trusted the other, but they headed for space with a common enemy and a common purpose.

"Colonel Bright, this is Commander Speck Krill of the Second Fleet, starship _Intrepid_."

"Good to hear from you, Commander," said Col. Daniel Bright, looking at the red, lobster-like creature in the naval uniform on screen."

"We received a distress signal from one of your ships, the _Andromeda_. They are currently stranded on the planet Lorgo in the Jillack system. We are offering our assistance in any rescue mission."

"I appreciate the offer," said Bright, "However, no rescue operation is authorized at the present time. Continue on your pre-assigned course."

"No rescue is under way?" The Commander was indignant. "I find it hard to believe you would leave one of your own to die without attempting to save them."

"We regret any loss of life to our fleet and to the families of those who serve," said Bright. "But better a few to die than billions in another war."

"War with the Killdarks is inevitable," said the Commander. "If this is not the catalyst, something else will be."

"Your concern is noted and will be conveyed to the Council. Proceed on your pre-assigned course or your actions will be reported to your superiors."

The angry alien captain closed the connection without a word.

Sera Alston turned to Colonel Bright, disapproval in her eyes. Daniel looked away.

"It's out of our hands," said the colonel. "Their families will receive due compensation when the crisis is over."

"You mean when they're dead."

"If you're unable to do your job without question, you can relieve yourself any time," said Bright.

Sera removed the ear piece from her head and set it on the console. "I've been the recipient of seven distress calls from the _Andromeda._ I've heard each one no less than twenty times. You see a sacrifice necessary to avoid further loss of life. I see my friends being abandoned. I can't stay here and watch them die."

Daniel seethed as he watched Sera walk out of the control room. He would have her written up, demoted, punished for speaking out of turn.

It was not his policy that would lead to the death of everyone aboard _Andromeda_ , but he agreed with it wholeheartedly. There was no way to help those poor souls and their fool of a captain without causing war. Some would die, but they would die as heroes. They would soon be forgotten, life would go on, and Col. Bright would continue maintaining the peace from his command chair while Sera Alston found a new life washing dishes or mopping up restrooms.

### CHAPTER TWENTY

Sera Alston wasn't the only person angry with Colonel Bright's hardline decision. Kat discovered that Gary had a direct tap to the fleet command center, and she listened to every word Bright and the Hulian ship captain said to one another. Kat remembered Bright as a by the book type, and his unwillingness to help her daughter filled her with rage.

She shut her eyes, refusing to let Bright distract her. There was nothing between her and her daughter now, save the savage Killdarks who had already caused her so much pain and suffering. All she needed was for Gary and General Thorn to cooperate with her plan.

"You okay?" asked Tobias.

"Fine," said Kat. She sat in the co-pilot's chair next to Crunch, who was getting adjusted to the new ship. Compared with his previous ride, Gary's luxury cruiser was a dream. Even the dual Hullbuster cannons concealed in a hatch beneath the ship's nose were touch screen operated from the cockpit, the rear cabin, or even the hot tub.

"How are we doing back there?" she asked Tobias.

"We're armed to the teeth," said the captain. "Gary's got an arsenal like I've never seen."

"Hopefully, we won't need it," said Kat.

"Almost be a shame if we didn't. There's some stuff back there that makes the BZ-47 look like a pea shooter."

"The ship's got some decent guns on the outside, too," said Crunch. "Not enough to take on the Killdarks solo, but we can do some damage. When we make our approach to the _Andromeda_ , I'll fire up the hot tub and—"

"I'll say it once more," said Kat. "We're not firing up the hot tub, we're not firing from the hot tub, and the ladies in the back are not for you."

"When this is all over, we'll let the ladies decide," said Crunch.

"If we live long enough," said Tobias.

An incoming transmission notification lit up on the dash. Kat grinned eagerly. "Go get the prince," she said to Tobias. "His people want a word."

As the _Intrepid_ made its next jump through hyperspace, a battle group of Killdark dreadnaughts began maneuvering in preparations for a final assault on the stranded ship. The Killdarks lived for war, craved it. When they discovered that the _Andromeda_ fell into one of thousands of traps intended to lure enemy ships into their territory, they disabled the ship and let it lie, hoping a rescue operation would come, pierce the sanctity of their territory, and give them the war they wanted. When no rescue came, their patience wore thin, and word finally came down from high command - destroy ship, no survivors.

A Killdark ground assault carrier dropped out of hyperspace just beyond the perimeter held by more than forty Killdark ships. On board were three crack assault teams, deadly bug warriors with a thirst for blood. Bombardment would have been quicker and all but assured the Killdarks would avoid loss of life.

But the bugs could not care less about casualties. They lived for conflict, for the up close kill. The ground team would fight the _Andromeda_ crew to the last man. Only then would the dreadnaughts finish off the ship and resume their wait. Sooner or later, another opportunity to start a war would present itself, and they would be ready.

The New Chicago ships split up with half each joining the Oolitian battle groups. Over a hundred ships were now united, cruising toward the outer boundaries of the Oolitian star system, homing in on the signal from Gary's ship.

"She hasn't run," said the general. "Why hasn't she run?"

"She wants to negotiate," said Gary. "Why else would she have snatched the prince?"

"How much do you know about this woman?" asked the general.

"All rumor and hearsay until recently," said Gary. "She ran with Calico Jack before he bought it. She assassinated Gren Diner by blasting him and half of one of his casinos to Hell. She tracked and captured the Martian Seven and Benno Lissolo. Rumor has it she's half machine, too, thanks to an encounter with the Killdarks in her past that left her critically wounded."

"Your kind of people," said General Thorn.

"I wish I had people that good," said Scary Gary.

"Sir," the communications officer said, "We have an answer from _Anne Bonny_."

"From who?"

"I'm being told that's the new name of the ship we are after."

"They renamed my ship?" Gary howled.

"On screen," said the general.

The deck of the _Anne Bonny_ appeared on screen with Kat, Tobias, Billy, and the prince all visible. The prince was unbound, an angry look in his eyes, sitting in the co-pilot's seat.

"General Thorn, we have something you want," said Kat.

"You possess two things that do not belong to you," said the general.

"The question you now have to answer is, how bad do you want them back?"

"Do you wish to bargain for mercy?" said the general. "You should have considered that before you abducted the prince."

"If you want to punish us, shoot us. You know where we are."

"You know why I won't do that," said the general.

"I also know that given the opportunity, the person standing next to you would."

The general cast a sideways glance at Scary Gary. "We fully intend on returning that ship to its rightful owner, and reclaiming our prince."

"And as for the rest of us? You gonna take us into custody, give us all a fair trial by jury?"

"Is that your demand?" said the general.

"I have only one demand," she said. "Catch me if you can."

The line went dead.

"We really doing this?"

Kat looked at Crunch. "Ready when you are."

Crunch looked down at the controls. The heading was already set for Largo, thanks to the captain of the _Intrepid_. He literally had to press one button and they would be off.

"Just one question, Kat," said Crunch. "Who is Anne Bonny?"

"She was Calico Jack's girl," said Tobias.

"I thought you were Calico Jack's girl," said Tobias.

"Wrong Calico Jack," added Kat.

Crunch didn't know what it meant. He decided he'd look it up if he - after he - survived what had to be the most insane trip of his life.

"Punch it," said Kat.

Crunch pressed a button.

_Anne Bonny_ vanished from radar.

"She's gonna run," said Thorn with sadistic glee. "Let's go get her. Navigation?"

"Plotting their last course now."

"Notify all craft to patch in to our navigational system. Soon as we have coordinates, we're all making the jump."

Thorn directed Scary Gary to a temporary seat installed on the bridge for his use. The two men strapped themselves in as they waited the longest minute of their lives for the navigator to do his job.

"Coordinates locked," said the navigator. "Got their trajectory and the destination."

"Hit it!"

On board every Oolitian and New Chicago ship, the coordinates plotted by _Anne Bonny_ dropped straight into the navigational systems. All but one navigator across both battle groups paid no attention to the coordinates as they appeared on screen and set their ships in motion. The one that did - Jorg Culas \- was aboard the New Chicago ship _Phantom II._ He knew immediately where the _Anne Bonny_ was leading them and jammed his finger on the override button just as the rest of the ships vanished into hyperspace.

"Culas, what's going on?" shouted Captain Snarl Henriss.

"Can't do it, sir," said Culas.

"Can't do what?" said the captain. "Where are they going?"

"Bug space."

Total silence fell on the bridge. All eyes turned to Captain Henriss. At the moment, only Jorg Culas was guilty of countermanding a direct order, but if Henriss over-ruled him...

"Set a new heading, Culas."

"Where to?"

"I don't care," said Henriss. "Far from here, far from New Chicago. Just get us out of here."

They would never see home again or their families, but they would also never suffer the terrifying reality of the war with the bugs.

### CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

"We've got company."

Criswell walked over to Ensign Richards to take a look at the radar, one of the few systems they had recovered during their time on Largo. Sure enough one ship could be seen descending on them with Killdark markings.

"Here they come," said Criswell. "Do we have top side batteries back?"

"Negative," said Richards.

"Everyone on board who can hold a gun needs to get a gun in their hands now," said Criswell. "If we're going to die, we're going to make them bleed."

Richards began to relay the message. The ship went on full alert, and every man, woman, and alien being on board prepared themselves for what was about to happen.

Criswell knelt beside his captain, who was growing weaker by the minute. "You ready for this?" he asked.

"More than you know," she said. She clutched a side arm in one hand and a grenade in the other.

"You won't be able to throw that," he said. "You don't have your strength."

"Who said anything about throwing?" He could see by the look in her eyes what she meant. She was going to take as many as she could when her time came.

"Lieutenant, I'm getting another signal," said Richards. "Inbound vessel, looks to be... nothing military, but headed this way. They're hailing us."

"On screen!" he said.

"Screen is down," said Richards. "I'm opening audio only channel."

A tone bleeped over the speakers. "This is Lt. Criswell of the _Andromeda._ "

"Criswell, this is the _Anne Bonny_." It was a woman's voice, one Criswell could not place. "We are inbound to your location. What is your status?"

"Dire," said Criswell. "We've got company on the way to the surface now."

"Killdark landing party?"

"I hope you're bringing some fire power," said Criswell.

"Tell your captain Mom is on the way."

Criswell looked down at Captain Maris Logan, who smiled ear to ear.

"She's finally here," said Maris weakly.

"She'll never make it through," said Criswell.

"You let her worry about that," said Maris, who seemed to have new life in her eyes. "Secure all entrances. Get everyone on board armed. Be ready to move."

Criswell couldn't understand her new found confidence, but he couldn't help feeling optimistic. "Richards, you heard the captain. All stations prepare for departure."

"Five minutes out," said Crunch over the ship's com. Guns are hot and ready to deploy soon as we make our drop."

"Let's hope we have more coming in behind us," Tobias muttered over his shoulder.

"We do," said Kat, checking over the A-100 Heavy Repeater she chose from Scary Gary's private arsenal. The A-100 was a weapon usually reserved for close-in air support craft, not hand-held use, but Gary had friends in high and low places, as proven by this special modified vanity piece she now held in her bionic grip. "You okay, Tesla?"

In the co-pilot's seat sat a young human woman in a slinky green dress. After learning what was going on, Tesla, one of Gary's captives, volunteered her services. She was well qualified for such, having served a mandatory two year tour in the New Earth navy a year before being picked up by the alien crime lord. It wasn't the hot tub, but for Crunch, having a sexy woman manning a blaster gun next to him in the cockpit proved to be the next best thing.

"Good to go," said Tesla. "Any chance we get to turn these guns on Gary?"

"Gary will be on the bridge of one of the carriers," Kat guessed. "Another day perhaps."

"Something to live for," she said. She'd do anything to scrub the memories seven months with Gary had burned into her brain. Killing him would not erase the past, but it would definitely feel good.

Tobias grunted. "Been a long, interesting ride, Kat. Hope it was worth it."

"It's my daughter," said Kat. "Is there anything you wouldn't do for your kid?"

Tobias didn't answer aloud. He couldn't say no, much as he wished he could. He had vowed never to be the parent to hold back his child, but he was just like his old man.

The hardest part was, he didn't want to change. He had his convictions, and he could never, ever see clear to breaking away from them. Could he? Certainly not now in this moment, but if his son returned alive... if he, this ship, and the girl survived...

Kat left Tobias to his thoughts and walked back into the main cabin. "Good news, there's a Killdark ground assault headed the same place we are. Anyone in the mood to do some killing?"

Strom and the Bobs were the only ones who heard her. Billy was lost in a deep kiss with Dija, who had tears in her eyes as she held on to her well-armed lover. Beyond him, Kat saw both Chin and Ding locked arms and lips to the other two girls they had rescued.

"That's interesting," she said.

"People who have been, or are engaged in, life or death situations sometimes find a release in sensual encounters," said Strom in an almost clinical tone. "If you want, the two of us could—"

"Strom, you missed your calling," said Kat. "Should have been a scholar."

Strom took the rejection in stride and checked his own A-100 one more time. "Not me, Kat. I hated teaching."

Kat turned her eyes to the Bobs. "I won't mince words with you boys. Killdarks are deadly. They work with a hive mind, joining together to form the ultimate killing force. As deadly as they are in space, they are even worse face to face."

"Power," they sighed dreamily. "Unlimited power."

Kat walked back into the rear cabin, where Prince Marlin sat at the edge of Gary's bed, his hands bound. "You ready to roll?" she asked.

"You can't take me down there unarmed," said the prince. "Untie me. Give me a gun!"

"So you can shoot me in the back and get everyone else killed?" Kat shook her head. "This will all be over in an hour, and you'll be where you belong soon enough."

Kat pulled the prince to his feet and led him through the make-out session in the cabin.

"Ladies, let go of your gentlemen, please. We will return them soon enough."

Chin and Ding pushed their girls away gently, and the girls walked back into Gary's cabin. Dija was slower to let go of Billy but relented and joined them.

"I'm bringing one back from _Andromeda_ ," said Strom. "Just so you know."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Spoken like a true romantic."

"One minute," shouted Crunch. The countdown ticked all the way down to twenty seconds and promptly vanished from the screen on the console as an emergency transmission broke through. Tobias reached down and opened the link.

It was General Thorn.

"Captain, the second you drop out of space, take a look around," said Thorn. "Enjoy the view. We will arrive half a minute later, and your freedom will end."

"General," said Tobias, "If I were you, I wouldn't pause to stop and look around when you come out of hyperspace. Put your ships on full alert and prepare to scramble your fighters. You're going to war."

The Killdarks didn't see it coming. Soon as the _Anne Bonny_ dropped out of hyperspace, her guns deployed and began to fire, incinerating the first ship Tesla had eyes on. A dozen more Killdark ships broke rank and assumed an attack formation that would have spelled doom for the tiny luxury cruiser \- had two large battle groups not dropped out of space right on top of the first ship. Immediately, the focus for the Killdarks shifted from the tiny ship to the larger prey. Their moment of war had come, and they intended to make the most of it.

On board the _Lady Death_ , jaws dropped. Gary and the general knew immediately Kat had led them into a trap. Had it not been for the two body lengths distance between them, Thorn would have murdered Gary with his bare hands right on the spot.

"General, enemy ships inbound, weapons free!" shouted the radar operator.

"Go to hyperspace," yelled Thorn. "All ships retreat!"

"Sensors are indicating the enemy has us in a jump bubble!" radar responded. "We're trapped."

Thorn shot a look of bloody death at Gary. The jump bubble meant the only way out of this was to fight. Thorn would lose thousands today. He made a mental note to make sure Gary would be among them.

"Weapons free, all ships," said Thorn. "Shields at maximum power. All wings deploy, now, now!"

"Captain, you might want to see this."

Richards hit a switch, and the front screen lit up with a chart of the skies over Lorgo. The drop ship was closing fast on their location, only minutes out, but the dreadnaughts were now moving off into space where two large groups of ships were now fanning out for battle.

"They came," said Lt. Criswell. "The fleet finally came."

"No," said Richards. "Tracking indicates the ships came from the Oolitian system."

"Oolitia?" Maris Logan pushed herself up to a sitting position and began to follow the dots on screen. There were thousands of ships in space now as the new ships deployed fighters to combat the fighters streaming out of the Killdark ships. She saw fighter groups bundling into offensive formations while the larger ships took defensive positions around even bigger ships.

And then she saw what she was looking for.

"Point B2, Criswell. Do you see them?"

Criswell looked. In the midst of the action one ship seemed to be making a direct line for the moon.

"Prepare the topside airlock," said Maris. "She's going to need immediate access to the bridge when she gets here."

"Richards," Criswell shouted. "Do we have control of the ship's emergency release doors?"

"One moment!" Richards sent an inquiry through her terminal and received a quick answer from the ship's dying mainframe. "We do for now."

"Let's hope it lasts," said the lieutenant.

### CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Crunch could see two ships as the cruiser blazed through the lower atmosphere. The larger was their destination, the _Andromeda_. The smaller was the last hurdle Kat would have to clear on her mission.

"Well the Bobs will be happy," said Kat.

"I can hit them from here," said Tesla.

"No," said Kat. "If they have a deflector shield, the blasts could ricochet right into the _Andromeda_.

"Soon as we're out, shut the door and head for the rendezvous point," said Kat. "Don't look back, don't stop for anything. Get clear of the jump bubble and go."

"With any luck, the Oolitians will take out the bubble before we get there," Crunch said.

"Better see to your troops," said Tobias.

The captain followed Kat into the cabin.

"If anyone wants to turn back, now's the time to say so," she announced.

No one moved. Tobias grinned. "Billy, we've got just a minute. Join me up front."

The captain and his son walked back into the cabin. Billy, loaded down with body armor and weapons, looked at his father, hoping he was not about to hear some sappy "goodbye just in case speech."

"I don't have any speeches prepared, Billy. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For what, Dad?"

"The list is too long. But for now, I am sorry to do this."

Tobias poked his son in the arm with a tiny needle - one of Scary Gary's tranquilizers used for less cooperative dates. Billy sank into the seat behind Crunch, guided by his father's hands. Tobias removed the weapons from his son and slung them over his shoulders.

"Captain?" said Crunch.

"The ship is yours," said Tobias. "Until you reach safety. Then it's his until I get back."

"Aye, cap," said Crunch. "Come back alive."

Strom smiled at his captain as Tobias joined the assault force. "Good to fight with you one more time, sir."

With his forces engaged fully and battle plans in motion, Thorn finally had a moment to spare for the one he deemed responsible for this whole mess. Unfortunately, by the time Thorn was ready, Scary Gary was gone, racing along the corridors of the _Lady Death_ searching for an escape.

Gary, who knew his way around a fast ship's cockpit, made his way to fighter bay three, where the last of Thorn's fighter wings was only now getting out the door. Each hangar was arranged like a semi-circle, with three arcs of fighters all aimed at a central launch point where the protective shield quickly opened and closed with each launch. The initial wave of fighters were already gone, so Gary raced to the second row toward a prepped and ready fighter and knocked the ground control agent out of his way to crawl up the ladder.

"Hey, stop that guy!" shouted the agent one ship over.

Gary answered his call for help with a blast from his personal side-arm, an A-50D specially modified to Gary's specifications by the gunsmiths of Ola Brid. Gary enjoyed watching the poor ship technician die so much, he decided to shoot the pilot whose ship he was stealing, blasting a hole in the helpless man's chest. He then opened up the gun's automatic setting, partly to show off, but primarily to exact as much blood as he could on the fighter deck. Gary sprayed everything and everyone from his left to his right, killing pilots, ground workers, security officers, and tragically, igniting a fuel line that set off a chain reaction in the hangar.

One by one down the line, the fighters began to explode, set ablaze by the fire shooting down the fuel lines that connected them all. Fireball after fireball erupted, moving closer and closer to the culprit who set the whole cycle in motion.

"Crap!" he screamed.

Gary leapt forward from the ship and ran to the center of the hangar, just escaping the explosion. The explosions wiped out the second arc of fighters completely, left to right, and then incinerated the third row in the same fashion before finally knocking out the hangar's mini-shield projector.

Gary stood to survey the damage proudly.

"I am a bad man," he said.

They would be his final words as an opportunistic bug ship impaled him from behind before sinking headlong into the fire, causing a horrific explosion that devastated the port side of the ship.

"Fire in flight deck 3!" cried a panicked crewman on the bridge.

"How bad?" Thorn barked.

"Entire flight wing is destroyed," said the crewman. "No fighters were deployed."

Another crewman spoke up. "General, engineering says the fire knocked out one of our hyperspace engines and port side shield."

Thorn felt a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Say that again?"

"Port side shields are gone, general."

General Thorn looked out and saw another of his mid-size battleships burst into flames. "Move half our starboard defensive craft to port, now!"

It was all he could do. If the bugs sense blood in the waters, there was nothing even a ship the size of the _Lady Death_ could do. Thorn would have taken some comfort knowing that Gary was dead, but the satisfaction of seeing his charred alien skeleton would have been very, very minor at this point. Right now, he just wanted to save his ship.

" _Andromeda_ , this is the _Anne Bonny_. Preparing to drop our rescue team on your nose."

"Confirm, _Andromeda_ ," came the reply. "We have you on scanner. Emergency hatch will open as soon as you have feet on the deck."

"You get all that back there?" hollered Crunch.

"We got it!" shouted Kat. "Tell them to open the hatch in ten."

Criswell and the crew watched the cruiser as it approached their upper hull. Tracking the distance between the ships carefully, Criswell finally gave the order.

"Open hatch!"

Richards sent the command, receiving a red warning on her screen in response.

"Hatch controls offline!"

"What? We had them just a minute ago!"

"I'm doing everything I can, sir!"

Maris grabbed Criswell's pant leg. "They have to get in. She's our only chance."

Criswell looked to his left and the ladder leading to the outer hull section above the bridge. He tucked his sidearm in his belt and began to climb.

The hatch was still shut when Crunch did his pass over the deck. Kat, Strom, Tobias, the prince, the twins, and the three Bobs landed on their feet, and the _Anne Bonny_ turned skyward.

"How do we get in?" the prince shouted.

"The hatch is sealed!" Strom pointed to the hatch where they had expected to make their entrance to the ship.

Kat looked around for any other point of entry. Her eyes turned to port just as the first wave of bugs crawled on top of the ship.

"Nine o'clock!!!!" she screamed.

Ding never had a chance. Two Killdarks leapt across the deck and tore him in half with their razor sharp appendages before Strom could chop them to pieces with his BZ-47. The remaining humans opened fire on their attackers while the monks stood still, almost starstruck, staring at the bugs.

"Power!"

"This would be a good time to do what you do, Bob!" Kat shouted over the din of blaster fire.

Criswell pulled the inner hatch door downward, and another ladder slid to his feet. There were fifteen steps to the outer hatch, and when he arrived, he immediately tugged on the release wheel for the hatch. It didn't give. Gripping firmly on the inner spokes of the wheel, Criswell gave it all he had, but the wheel would not move.

He looked around, cursing himself for not bringing a light. He tried to be patient as his eyes adjusted to the dimness, but he could already hear blaster fire above. If he didn't get the hatch open soon, it would be too late.

There. Behind him on he ladder was a small metal control door. He yanked it off its hinges and found four unlabeled switches. Hoping one of these might be the manual release, he began flipping each one in turn and trying the wheel.

The second wave came not just with claws, but blasters, as the rescue team discovered when blaster fire tore Chin to shreds. The Bobs continued to gawk at the Killdarks while the humans banded together, waiting for a miracle. Kat shielded the bound prince behind her as he bellowed at the monks.

"What are you waiting for?" Prince Marlin screamed. "Go! Kill! Devour!"

One Bob's head exploded as a laser round pierced its blue cranium. The death of their brother awakened the bloodlust in the other two, and the monks raced across the hull to the deadly giant insects, cracking and gutting their first kills of the day.

Kat heard Tobias scream. She turned to see him lifting an arm that once had a hand on the end. Strom fired his A-100 at point blank range into the bug that had crept up on them from behind, snapping his captain's hand off with its claw. As Kat helped the captain tuck his damaged arm into his side to staunch the bleeding, the hatch finally opened. Criswell poked his head out half way.

"Quickly!" he shouted.

Kat pushed Tobias and the prince ahead of her, each man taking the ladder one at a time. Strom urged Kat to go next as he laid down cover fire.

"Come on, Strom!" said Kat.

"The monks!" he shouted.

"Leave them," she said. "Don't deny them their kill."

Strom nodded. It was never right to leave a man behind, but these were not men. The monks used to live on the most deadly planet known to man. It wasn't a fair fight. The bugs didn't have a chance.

Criswell helped Tobias down to the bridge, calling for a pair of medics to administer treatment. Strom followed with the prince, finding the young ruler a seat and training a side arm on him.

Kat slid down the ladder after them. The whole bridge heard Maris's cry of relief.

"About time, Kat," said Maris.

"Captain Logan," said Kat. "Your predecessor spoke highly of you when you were under his command. You honor his memory well the way you survived this long."

"I appreciate that," said Maris.

Criswell listened in, confused. "You called her Kat."

"That's her name," said Maris.

"I thought she was your mother," said Criswell.

"She's not my mother," said Maris. "She's _Andromeda's_ mother."

Criswell watched Kat as she slit open her forearm with a lightblade. She peeled back the skin from her metallic limb, unhooked a wire from her forearm, and plugged the end into the navigation console.

"Hello, baby," she said. "Mommy's here."

### CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

It was the kind of story legends are made of, though due to the classified nature of the event, few were privileged to hear the tale. Maris Logan learned the tale from Captain Benjamin Roy, her predecessor, who was just an engineer in training aboard _Andromeda_ when his predecessor, Bradley Tyler, bore witness to one of the most stunning rescues in space travel history.

Kat was only twenty when she boarded the _Andromeda_. An expert in small arms and artillery, she was assigned to the weapons crew. She quickly earned the respect of her peers, young and old, with her mastery of weapons systems and her marksmanship, and her superiors saw a bright future for her on a military assignment.

Had she remained in the service, _Andromeda_ would not have been her permanent assignment. _Andromeda_ was created for exploration purposes, and her weapons were merely precautionary provisions due to the existence of hostile races like the Killdarks. Kat's skill would have seen her transferred to a military craft, but that future was not to be.

Kat and Roy joined the ship on its maiden voyage. Both junior sailors impressed Captain Tyler with their skills and initiative, and Tyler wasted little time recommending Kat for her desired re-assignment on a military vessel.

Everything was going well, just as it had for Kat and her father when she was just a girl on a new planet. Then the Killdarks returned to shatter her dreams once more.

While responding to a distress call from a close by merchant fleet, the _Andromeda_ came under attack by a Killdark raiding party. Killdarks were still new to space travel and warfare at the time, and unlike the coordinated, swarming attacks they would later be feared for, their earlier tactics involved mostly suicide runs by their pilots.

_Andromeda_ took serious damage from a surprise attack, and the ship began to drift dangerously fast toward the sun of Aurora 9. With most of his bridge crew dead, Tyler was left alone on the bridge to try and restore his ship.

Kat and her crew were unavailable to defend the ship during the initial attack, having been off-shift when the enemy struck. Knocked out of bed by one of the first explosions, Kat scrambled out of her room in a T-shirt and pajama pants headed for her station, only to find out that the guns had all been destroyed.

Tyler addressed his crew in a grave tone over the ship's com. The bridge was dead, and the navigational crew dying. He alone was left, and he had been unsuccessful in re-connecting the ship's nerve center to save her. _Andromeda_ was going down, and anyone able was ordered to race for a lifeboat.

Kat ignored the order and raced for the bridge. Fighting against traffic, she arrived a half hour later to find the captain holding a dying crewwoman in his arms.

"What are you doing up here?" the captain said. "I gave the order, get off the ship."

"I can save her," said Kat.

"She's too far gone," said Tyler. "Save yourself,"

"I mean the ship," said Kat.

Kat looked around for something sharp - a simple task in the badly damaged bridge. Tyler watched in horror as she cut and peeled her forearm and was astonished at what he saw. Kat plugged into the ship's mainframe and connected herself to the brain.

"Hello?" she said through her wired connection. " _Andromeda_ , please respond."

"Hello," came the reply. "Systems are failing. Crash imminent. Order to evacuate has been issued."

"Listen to me," said Kat. "I can help you."

Tyler watched as Kat conversed silently with the computer. Saying not a word aloud, Kat talked the central mainframe through a series of checks and patches - bringing all systems back online. It was midway through this process that the adoption formally took place."

"Life support fully restored. Navigation still down. Weapons failed. Checking communications. Please tell me what to call you."

Kat started to give her name, but she changed her mind. "Call me Mother."

Mother. It was a title she never would have had otherwise. The assault that left her without her original limbs also robbed her of the most precious gift - her ability to create new life. Kat would never give birth. She would never hold a child of her own or raise them to adulthood. Now, the one thing she wanted more than revenge on the Killdarks was hers - she was a mother.

"Mother," the ship confirmed. "Then I am your daughter."

Tyler heard none of this, but he saw the moment when Kat wiped tears from her eyes. He could never forget it.

An hour later, all systems were back. Tyler and Kat spent several days recovering the crew that had escaped, and once a new bridge staff was in place, _Andromeda_ headed for home.

_Andromeda_ was a miracle, and soon everyone on board knew how the miracle took place. Kat's name would become legend - or so they thought. All that changed when the ship returned to home base and Kat's court martial began.

Kat was in huge trouble. It was illegal to enlist if you were a bionic. It was illegal to lie on your application and to cheat on the exams, including the medical exam. Despite her heroic actions, the fleet chose to make a public example of her. The crew was placed under gag order and sworn to secrecy. Only by the hard lobbying of Captain Tyler was she spared a jail sentence. _Andromeda_ sailed again, and Kat left the only life she ever wanted.

They took away her career, but one thing they could never take was the bond between mother and daughter. In future years only Tyler, Roy, and Logan were privileged to know about their ship's mother, one captain having passed the tale to the next, but even the youngest and newest sailors quickly learned _Andromeda_ was not a normal ship. She was smarter, faster with decisions, and sometimes felt almost human, from the soft woman's voice utilized by the mainframe - borrowed from Mother - to little reminders about birthdays and personal anniversaries that seemed to come from no where.

_Andromeda_ was different, special, and it all began with the woman who gave her life.

Kat found her work much more difficult the second time around. _Andromeda's_ systems were old and in need of upgrades even before she last set sail, and the damage done by the more efficient Killdarks was considerable. But the bond between mother and child forged years before was still strong, even though the child wasn't human. Kat talked the computer through its repair cycle, and the computer responded like a small child picking herself up from an injury. In less than ten minutes, full power was restored to the bridge.

"I don't believe it," said Criswell.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on here?" said the prince.

"Sorry, I almost forgot you were here," said Tobias, who was just now starting to feel the effects of his pain killers. "Who's in charge?"

"Lt. Criswell, at your service, on behalf of Capt. Logan," said Criswell, acknowledging his wounded captain.

"Captain Tobias Skull," said Tobias. "The tall, scary looking fellow is Strom, and the angry guy all tied up is Prince Marlin of Oolitia, a known associate of Scary Gary."

Criswell wasn't sure how to respond. "A pleasure, you're highness."

"Don't 'highness' him, he's scum," said Tobias. "Please have the prince taken to your brig to be handed over to Fleet Command back home. I believe he might be of use to organized crime investigators."

"Of course," said Criswell.

Maris shrugged at him, unsure what else to do. Two armed guards took possession of the prince and led him off the bridge.

"This isn't over," said the prince. "I'll get free and I will find you, all of you! Gary's gonna be—" The doors shut and cut off his threats.

"Engineering reports full system recovery," said Richards. "Hyperdrive systems are back online as well. Captain, she did it."

Kat remained hooked to the computer, ignoring the dialogue.

"Begin systems check for launch," said Criswell. "Let's get out of here."

"Captain, the ground assault ship is already moving," said the pilot, looking out the viewscreen.

"Weapons are still waiting to come online," Richards added. "Wait. Captain, they are hailing us."

The viewscreen lit up. Everyone got their first look at the bridge of a Killdark ship with its rugged, dark accommodations and crude control systems, but instead of angry bug-like warriors, two little blue monks sat at the controls.

"Bob!" shouted Tobias. "You made it!"

"Power," said the one on the right.

"Indeed," said Tobias. "I'm guessing you're not coming with us?"

"Too much power," said the second Bob. "We will stay, and we will reach nirvana."

"Very good," said Tobias. "Good travels to you."

"And to you, Captain," said the first Bob.

"Wait!!"

Kat's eyes were open, focused intently on the screen. "Before you boys go, we need a favor."

"Anything," said Bob.

Kat disconnected as the ship began to rumble from the sound of her engines. "See if that ship of yours can tell us which ship up there is controlling the jump bubble."

### CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

_Lady Death_ was still alive, her fighters and battleships valiantly covering her weak side and defending her to the bitter end. Much as he did not want to lose his flagship - and his life - the lives spent in her defense were already too great, even for his taste.

The _Hellfire_ had not faired much better. A clever maneuver early in the fight enabled the Killdarks to shut down all of her fighter hangars, stranding hundreds of ships and pilots aboard. _Hellfire_ was hardly more than a giant target without her fighter wings, and the heavy damage to her outer hull proved it.

"Jump bubble is still active, general," said the new pilot at the controls. A lucky shot at the bridge had killed the ship's veteran pilot and co-pilot. forcing the reserve flight crew into service. Commander Tuck Wurris was as able as any to skipper the ship, but like most members of the crew, he could sense the end was near.

As Wurris kept an eye on the jump bubble, his co-pilot began tracking a new signal, closing fast.

"New ship on approach," said Lar Nackin. "Scans show it is not a bug vessel."

"Where's it coming from?"

"Bug territory," said Nackin. "Looks like she came from Lorgo."

The general scowled, looking over Nackin's shoulder. "No. It can't be her."

A Killdark dreadnaught glowed red and exploded outside the bridge, and another soon followed. Whoever the newcomer was, they appeared to be a friend - and they had caught the Killdarks by surprise.

"Yeah!!" Wurris shouted as another dreadnaught bit the dust. The bugs were scrambling to address the new threat from the rear, but the third front in this battle had clearly thrown them into chaos.

"All weapons, concentrate fire on every ship that turns its back on us," said Thorn. Send word to the _Hellfire,_ circle the ships and lets blow them out of the sky.

As the gunners switched their targets, another large vessel erupted into flames just outside the main battle zone. It was the moment Wurris had been waiting for.

"General, the new ship got the bubble!" he shouted. "We are clear for hyperspace!"

Just then the videoscreen lit up, and Lt. Criswell appeared before the general.

"This is Lt. Criswell, acting captain of the _Andromeda_. Looks like you fellas have your hands full."

Thorn grinned. "Criswell, this is General Thorn of Oolitia. We appreciate the support."

"As do we," said Criswell. "We've been trapped in bug space on a disabled vessel for some time. We're very thankful for the bail out."

"Sorry to hear about that," said Thorn. "Wish I could say we came to help, but we entered this sector following a fugitive ship to recover our Crown Prince. His kidnappers set up a nice little trap for us."

"Is that so?" said Criswell, following his script. "Anything we can do to assist?"

"Not unless you know where we can find the luxury cruiser that led us into this nightmare."

"Sorry, general," said the lieutenant. "You're the only ships we've seen in weeks, other than the bugs. You put up a valiant fight, and I for one will make mention of your valor on my reports. If you ever have interest in a fleet assignment greater than what you have on Oolitia, I know people who would love to speak with you."

It was a vanity ploy, and it worked. Thorn was proud of his legacy, and proud to be from Oolitia. But he knew there was greater glory to be had, and if the prince really did vanish, it would be difficult to keep his position and his life with the political squabbles that were about to hit Oolitia.

"Lieutenant, I may take you up on that offer."

"Please do," said Criswell. "Now let's get out of here."

The transmission ended.

"You heard the man," said Thorn. "All craft pull out and make for home."

"Aye, captain," said Wurris.

"Tell Persaw she and her ships are welcome back at our place or free to head back to theirs."

As Thorn's crew relayed the messages and prepared for the jump to hyperspace, the _Andromeda_ vanished from sight and from the scanners. The _Hellfire_ battle group vanished next, followed by Persaw and the few remaining defenders from New Chicago.

Thorn gave one last look at the wreckage outside where so many men and women had died. There would be a great many questions when he returned about lives lost and especially the prince. The more the general pondered such questions, the less he wanted to stay and face them.

Thorn was a simple man who eschewed luxury for the Spartan life of a ship's captain. There was nothing back at his Oolitian apartment he would need to retrieve. When they landed, he'd vanish into the crowd, grab a ship, and vanish.

Hopefully, he thought, the smuggler's ship that brought the prince home was still at the palace. It was fast, durable, just perfect for the old naval warrior looking for a new opportunity.

As his ship zoomed into hyperspace, he headed toward his cabin to pack the very few things he wanted to bring along.

_Andromeda's_ crew couldn't help but get that old, familiar feeling. Their hyperspace jump came to an abrupt, premature stop in an uncharted system, close by a large yellow planet. Quick as she was, her navigation systems could not pinpoint their location.

Her mom, on the other hand, knew exactly where they were. Butterflies welled up in her stomach as she finished the bandage on her split arm and watched Logan's crew struggle to keep calm.

"The bugs," someone muttered. "They stopped us again."

"No, it's not bugs," said Strom. "It's friends. Kind of."

Brash appeared on the viewscreen.

"Greetings, _Andromeda_." "

"Greetings," said Lt. Criswell. "This is Lt. Criswell of the _Andromeda_."

"A pleasure, Lieutenant," said Brash. "As the official representative of the Commodore, I want to welcome you to the kingdom of Canboyle."

"Thank you, Brash," said Kat, stepping closer to Criswell. "Did _Anne Bonny_ arrive yet?"

"Already here," said Brash. "Matter of fact, as soon as they arrived, two of their number began making hasty preparations for a wedding. You may want to inform Captain Skull."

Tobias sighed heavily. "Leave 'em be, Brash. Long as they're happy."

"Thank you, Brash," said Kat. "And thank the Commodore. I'm sure he's wondered what you've been up to all this time."

"You can thank him yourself when you see him," said Brash. "He's on a shuttle headed your way. You'll be happy to know the usual welcoming committee will not be aboard."

"Good to know," said Kat, not yet sure she was ready for this. "And Brash, just in case, remember to shut down the interceptor. I'd hate for you to pull any Oolitians who might be tailing us out of hyperspace."

"Right, yes," said Brash, who clearly hadn't thought that far ahead.

"So they're pirates," said Criswell disapprovingly.

"Lieutenant, this is where we get off," said Kat. "Tobias, Strom, and myself. Soon as we disembark, you will be free to return to base."

Criswell shrugged. "I guess this is goodbye then."

"For now," said Kat. "I can't thank you enough for all your hard work taking care of my girl."

"Me?" said Criswell. "Thank you. You saved us all."

"Not much a parent won't do for a child in need," said Kat. "Needless to say, if you're ever in need again, give me a holler."

"You will always be welcome," Captain Logan said.

"Thank you, captain," said Kat. "Now get down to sick bay and get those wounds patched. Oh, and if you happen to see Colonel Bright?"

"I will relay your message, of course," said the captain.

Bandaged, bruised, but alive, Kat, Strom, and Tobias left the bridge to polite applause. Within a matter of minutes, a ship's family would mourn the loss of two and celebrate the union of two more.

And for the third time, Kat would be face to face with Rider.

Kat made a very quick stop to adjust her hair in a restroom before racing after the others.

### EPILOGUE

"It is with much pride that we welcome back the crew of the _Andromeda_. Light years from home, staring certain death in the face, her crew displayed a courage and a heroism rarely seen. We remember those who gave their lives for their comrades, and we honor those who stand with us today."

The irony of the moment was not lost on anyone receiving commendation that day, nor anyone else in uniform. With the admiral of the fleet away, attempting to quell the sudden upheaval in the Oolitian sector, the task of welcoming and honoring the _Andromeda_ fell to the man who prolonged their agony, Colonel Daniel Bright.

Bright seemed as nervous as anyone as he gave his remarks, and his nerves only grew more frayed when the Medals of Valor were brought on stage. One by one, the survivors of _Andromeda_ crossed the stage, shook hands with the man they hated, and received their medals.

Second to last was Lt. Criswell, who received not just a medal, but a promotion to ship's captain. Bright hastily pinned the medal to Criswell's chest and applied the two new bars to his shoulder.

"I understand you'll be in command next time you ship out," said Bright.

"Yes, sir," said Criswell.

"Good luck, and congratulations," said Bright with a salute.

Criswell saluted him back slowly. "Wouldn't have happened without you, sir."

Bright could feel the hate in Criswell's words, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the newly minted captain left the stage without incident.

Bright was so relieved to survive Criswell, he never saw Captain Logan coming. Throwing caution and her career to the wind, the fully healed and rejuvenated ship's captain approached the Colonel and slugged him right in the mouth, dropping him on his butt to the hard stage below.

Vice Admiral Thorn was among the billions watching the scene unfold live. He wasn't in the crowd, but in a hot tub at the exclusive Casino Centauri, enjoying some long delayed but much needed rest and relaxation. Thorn couldn't help smiling when he saw Colonel Bright hit the stage. The colonel had it coming, but such an act of insubordination would not go unpunished. Captain Logan would lose her commission, and a few well-placed allies in the fleet would see to it Thorn slid right into her spot.

Thorn took a long pull of the Andorrian lager in the longneck glass bottle. He'd gambled away a good chunk of the savings he'd set aside during his service to Oolitia, and he was ready to get back to naval life. One more night at the roulette tables wouldn't hurt, and he was all but certain his cover remained secure. Vice Admiral Thorn would emerge in a few days, ready to help restore some honor to the galactic fleet. Tonight, he would enjoy the anonymity of his alter ego, real estate mogul Art Bjierko from Xavia Five.

The gleaming white ship with its sleek lines and style fit right in at the Casino Centauri, but the rag tag band of five that staggered down the ramp did not. Tobias Skull led Crunch, Strom, the two Bobs, and their new hired gun Kurn Skyway from the landing bay to the back entrance, where two green-skinned security guards awaited them with hand-held body scanners and blaster rifles.

"What's this?" said Strom.

"Dija's father is a cautious man," said Tobias through gritted teeth. "It's okay, fellas. Let them do their job."

Tobias swallowed his pride, thinking of his son, and submitted to the weapons search of both his person and the packages they all carried.

"Baby gifts," he said. 'We've got a crib, some clothes, diapers, and a doll."

It wasn't actually a doll. It was an icon carved from wood by the two Bobs intended to give Tobias's grandchild good fortune and a lust for blood. But Tobias didn't see the point of trying to explain that to armed guards with blasters.

"All clean," said one of the guards. "This way, gentlemen."

The guards led Tobias and his crew up the back stairs. Tobias gripped the hand rails with the bionic hand his son's in-laws had so generously given him. To date he had not met the in-laws in person, but that was about to change.

Tobias expected to see his son and daughter-in-law upon entering the royal suite, but instead found himself face to face with a tall, green-skinned humanoid with black dreadlocks running down past his waist. He had a hulking frame covered by a custom-tailored black suit, and when he saw Tobias enter, he put on a cheery smile.

"Captain Skull," said Dija's father. "I'm Jodo Ferniss. It is a pleasure."

"Likewise," said Tobias.

"I understand you weren't thrilled about my daughter marrying your son at first."

Tobias was taken aback by the bluntness of his statement. It was true, but not a truth he wanted to admit. He hesitated, searching for the right response. Jodo spared him from having to lie by speaking first.

"The truth us, Captain, we're not so different, you and I. Before I married my wife, the Crown Princess, I used to run spice from the Ordell system with your grandfather."

Tobias cocked an eyebrow. He stared into the face of the man a moment before the memory came to him.

"Jodo Jolis??" said Tobias. "I thought you were dead."

"That was the whole idea," said Jodo Jolis.

Tobias grinned and shook the hand of his grandfather's old ship mate. "Jodo Jolis, after all these decades. I guess my son has good taste after all," said Tobias.

"If the daughter of a spice smuggler is good taste," said Jodo with a laugh, "I hate to think what you consider bad taste!"

Two wings away from the Skull baby shower, Kat's bionic eyes kept watch over the proceedings. She wasn't sure what caused the spontaneous hug fest between Tobias and the man whose daughter Tobias refused to accept, but she couldn't help smiling. She was a good girl, and in spite of his genetics, Billy was a great young man. She knew what her child meant to her, and she had high hopes Tobias would not let anything come between him and his.

"More wine?"

Kat turned her head from the happy family scene to see Rider, looking dashing and handsome as ever in a clean white shirt and black suit. The prince turned pirate stepped out on the bridal suite balcony overlooking the most incredible view available at the casino. The century old pleasure palace wasn't the fanciest or wealthiest house of gambling in the galaxy, but surrounded by over a hundred gorgeous, cascading waterfalls, it was easily the most beautiful.

Rider offered the second wine glass to the gorgeous woman in the red, backless dress leaning over the balcony. A full body scan of his companion would reveal that a metallic skeleton and the most advanced bionics in the galaxy, tools that made her as deadly as she was beautiful. But here, under the full moon of Grundar with only the sound of a waterfall, she was all woman.

Kat spun around to face Rider, giving him a full view of the red, sequined gown she had chosen for the evening. Her hair was up, her ears sparkled with simple diamond earrings, and a circle of diamonds wrapped loosely around her neck.

Kat took the glass and held it out, waiting for his toast.

"To a new beginning," said Rider.

"May it lead to many happy endings." They sipped their drinks, eyes locked on one another intently.

"Quite a view, isn't it?" said Rider.

"It's amazing," she said. "I've never seen anything like it."

"My parents brought us here when we were just kids," said Rider. "I always said when I found the woman I would marry, I would bring her here to propose. Not that I plan on that today."

"Good," said Kat. "Because I'd say no."

"You'll say yes," said Rider. "It's only a matter of time."

Kat smiled. She liked his aggressiveness. He would need it if he really, truly wanted to be the one for her - when she was finally ready.

"You're confident, aren't you?"

"Very confident," he said. "I spent a lot of years waiting for you to come back, planning for it."

"Missed out on a lot of women in those years," she said.

"It's only missing out if there's something better out there," he said.

"How do you know there's not?" she said.

"I just know."

Kat smiled again. "We need to end the cat and mouse flirting if we're going to catch the show."

"I wouldn't miss it if we ended the chase for good," he said.

"I would," she said with a wink, not ready to surrender just yet.

Rider was undeterred. "I'll hit the restroom and we'll go."

He left her alone on the balcony. Kat turned and gazed out on the waterfalls. How nice it would be to live like this, to be cared for, to let someone else worry over her for a change. But Kat was not ready. Not yet. There was always one last score to be had, and right now, that score was in her sights.

Her eyes looked down, a hundred stories below. Using the auto-zoom feature in her retinas, she spotted the man the maitre'd had identified for her as Art Bjierko sitting pool side with three women half his age.

Kat smiled. The request for her services had come through a front company long used by Scary Gary to launder money, and it came as no surprise that Art Bjierko was, in fact, Vice Admiral Thorn of Oolitia. She bore no ill will or hard feelings for the military man. He did his duty like any good soldier. But a job was a job, and except when it came to the bugs, Kat was never one to take sides permanently. Someone wanted him dead. That someone wanted the best to make it happen. The fee had too many zeroes in it to say no. And if the rumors coming out of the fleet were true, Thorn was next in line to take the helm of the _Andromeda_.

She almost offered to give back her fee when she heard that part of the story.

He was alone, save for the young women. No bodyguards, no security in sight. She could do it right here and now. She set her glass on the ledge and reached up the slip of her dress, feeling the cool handle of her blaster strapped to her thigh. She already had target lock; all she had to do was point and shoot, and the advanced targeting system embedded at the base of her skull would do the rest. Vice Admiral Thorn was literally five seconds away from a death he would never see coming.

Kat took a deep breath.

She let go of the blaster.

Yes, she was here to kill Thorn, but this time was different. Work wasn't her only reason for being at Casino Centauri. She picked up her glass and walked back into the suite.

Thorn was going to die, but not tonight. As much as he didn't deserve a break, Kat did, and for once in her life, she was going to take one, if only for a night.

### ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Cosper is an award-winning screenwriter and science fiction writer. He is also the founder of the drama ministry Righteous Insanity. His credits include the Clive the Zombie films, the _Fluffy_ trilogy, and the award-winning shorts _Bots_ and _Tolerance_. Other fiction works include _Space Monster_ , _Cave_ _World_ , _Martian_ _Queen_ , and _Tales_ _from_ _the_ _Dad_ _Side_. He lives in Southern Indiana with his wife and two kids.

Find John on the web at johncosper.com
