 
The

# Plasma Shadow

by Brian Rushton

© 2001-2014

Smashwords Edition
**Smashwords Edition, License Notes**

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Contents

Prologue

<REUNION>

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter Ф

Chapter ∩

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

<DEVASTATION>

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 1Ф

Chapter 1∩

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

<LEGACY>

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 2Ф

Chapter 2∩

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Interlogue

Afterword

### Prologue

Starlight filtered down through the branches, faintly illuminating the dirt path that meandered through the night forest. A faint breeze rustled the leaves, but besides the intermittent calls of nearby wildlife no other sound could be heard. A young man walked the path, his hands in his coat pockets, his eyes to the ground. The furrowed brow painted a solemn expression on his face; the peacefulness of his surroundings had apparently failed to penetrate the somber mood that had struck him. Shivering slightly at the touch of the wind, he walked on.

He had been walking for nearly an hour now, and still the same thoughts kept circulating through his troubled mind. The same questions, the same feelings. The same dilemma. Something was missing. Something important.

The path slopped upward slightly, and the man followed it around a slight curve to its end. The forest opened abruptly to a grassy field, roughly at the center of which stood a small hill. The night was brighter now that the trees were behind him, but still he kept his eyes to the ground. He tried to clear his mind, to put his concerns to rest for just a moment, but the matter refused to be dispelled, and he was forced to continue with it as his companion.

He reached the hill and climbed. The wind had died down, and the silence left him feeling exposed, almost unprotected. But he needed the silence, he knew. He needed to be here, alone, so that he could face his challenge without outward influences. He could not afford to delay it any longer.

Finally he reached the top and stopped. He took a deep breath, this time managing to clear his mind to some degree. Then he looked up.

Reaching across light years and eons, the radiant energy of the stellar host beamed down upon him, welcoming him with its glow. He looked at one star individually, noting its color and brightness, then turned to another. He could imagine how the star might look up-close, the turbulent plasma of its outer layers churning and erupting, exploding with the thermonuclear energy blasting its way outward from its core. There was so much power in a star – in just that one – that it defied all comprehension.

Then he looked again at the sky as a whole, and the beauty of the scene almost brought a tear to his eye. It was all so glorious, so mysterious, and so distant. _If only I could be there,_ he thought. _If only I could go back._

It had been fully two years since Nedward Simmons had lived among the stars, and they had seemed to grow more distant with each day.

He closed his eyes and thought back on that time. His family had been overjoyed to have him home, and he had longed so desperately to return to them, but Ned had known that the events between his departure and return had changed him forever, and it had not been easy to readjust. It had been a simple enough matter to hide his starfighter, and despite the tremendously conspicuous circumstances under which he had left, the relative chaos that had gripped the rest of the world had managed to dispel any attention that might otherwise have been attracted to Ned and his family. But that chaos had subsided, and by the time Ned had arrived home it had almost seemed as if nothing had changed.

Ned had decided to continue his plans for seeking a career in engineering, and shortly after returning home he had left for college. He had readapted well to scholastic life and had genuinely enjoyed his classes, and yet even then something had seemed incomplete. Part of it, Ned knew, was the knowledge that whatever Ned learned regarding engineering or science or history or anything else was vastly insignificant compared to the knowledge held by the distant Anacron Empire; quite frequently Ned had felt obsolete in the seemingly petty intellectual accomplishments he had made. But the real source of anxiety, the real reason why he had felt incomplete, was the Plasma.

He had not used it since he had gotten back. Not even once. Ned couldn't count the times when he had wanted to use it – to cut the lawn, to incinerate the trash, or just to stay warm in the cold. But the price just seemed too high. Aside from the obvious apprehensions his family would have about it, any use of the power would undoubtedly attract the attention of the government. And once they found out, there would be no keeping it safe, and certainly no chance at living a normal life. After all, keeping the power out of the political and military affairs of Earth had been one of Ned's reasons for leaving in the first place. And so, while Ned had succeeded in blending in with the workings of his homeworld, he had also succeeded in suppressing what had been the driving force during the most influential part of his life. Little wonder, then, that he felt so empty.

It had always been difficult to suppress the urge to use the Plasma, but never so difficult as during the last few months. It was almost as if the Plasma itself had been calling out to him, accusing him of betraying the power that had preserved his life and brought peace to an empire. Couldn't a power like that benefit Earth as well? Wasn't there something more productive Ned could do than study? How much good might it do the world to have the technology that was contained in that one starfighter? Indeed, it seemed a crime to let such a valuable treasure lie hidden. The Plasma Master had saved the lives of strangers; what was he doing for his friends?

Ned did not have an easy answer, but he had felt so certain that now was not the time to unleash the power and knowledge of an alien civilization on the world. The ancient Anacronians had left Earth rather than divulge their knowledge. Smardwurst Varlon had refused to leave behind anything that might lead to a technological revolution. The world was in a state of disunity and corruption, and Ned had come to the conclusion that such a world was not ready for what he had.

But how could he be sure?

Ned sighed and opened his eyes. Looking again at the starry sky he smiled wryly. He was avoiding the real question, he knew. In the end, he really was confident in his decision to keep outside technology from the world. The real question was not so much what he should _do_ with what he had, but what he should _be._ Deep down, Ned felt that his role as keeper of the Anacron Shield Crystal and its awesome power was more fundamental to his identity than the course he was now pursuing, and it was quickly becoming clear that he was going to have to choose between the two. Bury his talents and adapt to a world where he no longer fit, or unleash unprecedented knowledge and power on a world that was not ready for it so he could feel useful and complete. Those were the two options. Either that, or . . .

His neck was beginning to cramp from looking upward, so he decided to sit down for a moment to massage his sore muscles. He could feel it – the Plasma – even now. It was coursing through the space around him, hidden away in an ethereal state but yearning to break free, to act. Ned remembered how it had felt to first gain control of the Plasma and make it his own. It had seemed so harmless, so benign.

There was a third option, of course. There was a way to make use of his power without threatening the delicate balance of order on Earth, to whatever extent order now prevailed. But that option might have an even higher price than the other two. It might require the greatest sacrifice of all. And Ned was not sure he was ready to make that sacrifice.

What should I do?

In his mind, Ned pictured the faces of his family members and close friends. He loved them deeply. He had fought for them, even risked his life for them, although they would never really understand that. It would be so hard to leave them. Then he pictured other faces. Smardwurst. Marnax. X. Jenara. Koral. Mirana. This time the tears would not be restrained. They had sacrificed for him, as well, he knew. They had placed their hope and trust in him and helped him to become what he was.

Ned stood up and brushed himself off. He had hoped to come to a conclusion here, tonight, but he felt no closer to a decision than he had before. It was all so complicated. With so many ideas vying for his approval it was hard to say what he really thought. But he knew what he felt. He felt emptiness and confusion. He felt lost.

Ned clenched his teeth and grunted out loud at his frustration. Abandoning for the moment the process of reasoning he had been putting himself through, he thrust his hand skyward, his fingers spread, his muscles tight. He felt the Plasmic energy charging in his body, struggling to break free. Deliberately he let it surge out along his arm, writhing and humming in tendrils of blue light. When it reached his hand it rushed around his fingers for an instant and then exploded upward in a column of azure energy.

Still Ned let the power come, enveloping him in its mighty aura, penetrating him from head to foot. He brought down his hand and clenched his fists at his sides, drawing the Plasma into him. It came from the ground beneath and from the air above, and Ned could feel himself growing stronger. It had been a very long time since he had experienced this, and he remembered now why he had missed it so much. The Plasma made him more than he could ever hope to become alone. It made him strong.

When he let the light fade and started down the hill toward his apartment, Ned had no more of an idea what the future would bring than when he had arrived. But he did have a much clearer perception of who he was, and for now, that would have to be enough.

## <REUNION>
### Chapter 1

"How much longer?"

"We should be in scanning range within a few minutes, Sir."

Smardwurst drummed his large, green fingers on the arm of his command chair. There was probably something better he could be doing than just sitting there, waiting, but he had no clue what it could possibly be. He and his crew had been flying through space for nearly a week now with no contact with any other vessel or planet, and everything Smardwurst could think of that might be useful for this mission had been done several times already. Now there was simply nothing left to do but wait. Smardwurst considered himself a patient man, but after a week of this he was growing restless. At least it wouldn't be long now.

He sighed. Responding to distress signals was always a stressful business – it was great if you made it on time, but there was always the chance that you would simply witness someone's tragedy. But this one was particularly troubling. For one thing, it was coming from deep space, well beyond where any Anacronian ship could be expected to travel – hence the difficulty with communications. And then there was the message itself, if it could really be called a distress signal at all. An Anacronian outpost had picked up a recorded transmission that stated "Engines down, need assistance." Nothing more. Upon analyzing the message, the outpost had found that it was in fact a recording of the voice of a pilot whose starfighter had been damaged in the Alien war years earlier. That pilot had been promptly rescued, however, and was safe at home on the planet Anacron. It was beyond anyone why someone would send an old, recorded message like that into space, but Smardwurst had been available and Emperor Marnax had sent him to investigate. Or, more to the point, Marnax had wanted someone to investigate, and General Harvey had been willing to send Smardwurst. _Green Scorpion_ was equipped with medical supplies and some repair equipment, but no one had really expected that such a vague, obscure message would indicate an actual emergency. On the other hand, the context and source of the message had Smardwurst's nerves on edge. The recent civil war was finally over, and it was unpleasant to be reminded that even before that war had started, a mysterious invader had nearly defeated Anacron. Smardwurst could not help but wonder if this message were somehow related.

At last one of the control stations beeped and the officer sitting there turned around. "Sir, we're in range. We're still not picking up any transmissions, but we're scanning the area now... There are two vessels, neither with a warp signature. We should be there soon."

_Green Scorpion_ dropped back into phase space, and the pricom crew inhaled sharply as the vessels came on screen. Both ships looked to have once been powerful vessels; they had large warp drives and many of what looked like weapons ports. Now, though, they were both reduced to little more than scrap. Holes had been blasted into their hulls in several places, and one of the ships was leaking some kind of gas into space. It was no wonder they had issued a distress signal. But it was not the state of the ships that concerned the crew at the moment. It was their configuration. There was no mistaking them.

"Aliens," muttered Güzhmäk Undúvlahuth, the first officer from under a heavy, frown-shaped mustache. Of course, in an interstellar empire, _everyone_ was an alien to someone, but since everyone was used to that, the term "alien" had largely fallen out of use. But no one had ever made contact with the enemy from that war, so most people just referred to them as Aliens.

"It's a trap," someone said.

Smardwurst shook his head. He could understand his crew's concern, since it was well known that Alien ships were rigged to self-destruct to avoid capture. But somehow, this did not feel like a trap. "What would be the point?" he said out loud. "Why go to this much trouble to destroy one ship? Why give up the element of surprise for that?"

"One life sign on the starboard vessel," came the report. The other ship had suffered a containment leak in one of its weapons energy containment units, and all decks had been flooded with a toxic gas. If there had been people alive on that ship when it had dropped out of warp, the gas had finished them off days ago.

"Well," Smardwurst said, "get a rescue crew over there and see what we can do for the survivor."

"Sir, are you serious?" Güzhmäk's gruff expression betrayed a hint of panic.

"They sent a distress signal, and we responded. We can't very well leave now, can we?"

"But we need to report this! There could be an attack underway right now!"

"We need to know what we are looking at before we report it," Smardwurst observed. "I am perfectly willing to lead the rescue team."

"No, I'll go. Just keep the ship far away in case... something goes wrong."

"Agreed."

Smardwurst had been sincere in offering to board the Alien vessel, but of course his first officer's professional pride would not let him remain behind while his captain risked his life on a crazy boarding party. Commander Undúvlahuth quickly gathered a few crewmembers and took a shuttlecraft over to the wrecked vessel. All of the docking ports had been destroyed or damaged beyond possibility of use, so the rescuers were forced to enter the ship by floating in space suits through one of the holes in the hull and setting up a temporary airlock. Once inside the ship they activated cameras that sent the image of what they saw to _Green Scorpion's_ pricom viewscreen. Two engineers started toward the computer core in an attempt to find out where the ship had been, while the others moved toward the life signs. Neither camera feed showed a very pleasant view. The lights had failed, and a few computer consoles still scattered sparks from overloaded power conduits. Guided by the survivor's life signs, the rescue crew worked its way deeper into the wreckage. It was an eerie sight, but at least the vessel had not self-destructed. That had to be a good sign.

At last the rescue crew paused by a door. "The readings are coming from just beyond here," a medic reported. The door's opening mechanism had failed, but a technician managed to pry it open without explosives. The team entered the dark room and looked around.

A lone figure lay unmoving in one corner of the room. It was a bit shorter than the average human and rather thin for its height, with two legs and four slender arms. Smardwurst could name a few species it might be, but the figure was wearing a life support suit that covered its entire body, so no other details could be deciphered. Two medics moved over to it and lifted it onto a stretcher. "Life signs are faint but holding; I think we should get him back to the ship before we take off that suit." The rest of the team agreed, and together they began to move back toward the airlock they had set up.

Smardwurst felt his pulse quicken. It was odd enough to have his crew crawling around in the first Alien starship ever to be found intact, but now they were bringing one of the Aliens themselves aboard. No one had ever seen or heard from one of these creatures, and even their distress signal had been merely an echo of Anacronian speech. As ominous as this whole situation looked, Smardwurst could not help but be a little intrigued, as well. At last the rescue crew was back at the airlock, where the other two engineers met them with what appeared to be a data module they had salvaged from somewhere. Together with the still-unconscious Alien, the team climbed back aboard their shuttle and began the return trip to _Green Scorpion_.

A soon as they were aboard, Smardwurst headed for the sickbay. He arrived just ahead of the rescue team, who placed the Alien survivor on a bed. The medics cut away the armor, revealing a hard, dark-green exoskeleton. Its clawed limbs and mantis-like head reminded Smardwurst vaguely of some other insectile races he had encountered, but this creature's body seemed surprisingly muscular. Its huge, red eyes glowed faintly, and below them a set of mandibles protruded from its mouth. It wore a uniform made of a black, shiny material, and some kind of computer was attached to the front of its shirt, near the top. The Alien made a faint hissing sound as a constant flow of air entered through the mouth and left through the gill slits in its neck.

"He's stable," the chief medic announced. "That's about all I can tell you until we complete these scans. I'm not even sure what some of these organs are for."

Smardwurst nodded. "Can you wake him?"

"I think the question is whether we _should_." The medic made no attempt to hide the anxiety in his voice. "It might be wise to wait until we reach Anacron, or at least until he wakes up on his own."

"I don't think he's any threat to us here. Besides, you can always sedate him again. I think we should find out as much about him as we can right now. I'm anxious to know..."

Smardwurst stopped as he felt a clawed hand lightly brush across his arm. He looked down to see the Alien looking at him, its red eyes glowing more brightly now.

"Thank you." The rough voice came from the box attached to the Alien's uniform.

Smardwurst placed his hand reassuringly on one of the Alien's shoulders and smiled. You are safe now. But I am afraid you were the only one left. Your ship was destroyed."

"Yes. Only a few of us survived. The others did not want us to leave. But we..." The Alien's voice trailed off, and his eyes dimmed slightly as his body relaxed.

"He needs to rest," one medic said, drawing an irritated look from a crewmember or two.

Smardwurst nodded again, silently watching the creature. This was obviously a momentous moment, and he wanted to know the implications as much as anyone else. But there was no sense in turning a first contact into the interrogation of an injured patient. When the creature made no further attempt to communicate, Smardwurst turned away. "Let him rest. Call me if anything changes, or if he needs anything."

"Yes, sir." The chief medic continued his work, looking no less anxious than his captain felt.

"What do you think Harvey will do?" Güzhmäk asked him when they were alone in Smardwurst's office. Smardwurst was at his desk, looking over the results of the scans of the Alien vessels, while Güzhmäk sipped something from a mug and regarded Smardwurst with a furrowed brow.

Smardwurst gave a small shrug. "He will probably organize border patrols and mobilize all reserve units. _Green Scorpion_ will probably be placed on active duty."

"What about the Alien? I guess they'll want to interrogate him, find out what they can about the previous war."

"I suppose so. He may not know much about it, though. We do not really have enough information to know what to do at this point."

"This has to mean that war is close, though."

"It may."

"You don't think so?"

"I... hope not. In any case, we have some time before we are back in communications range. Hopefully we can find out more before then."

Güzhmäk took a sip from his mug. "I just hope we-"

He was interrupted by the lights and siren as someone sounded red alert. Both men sprang to their feet, and Güzhmäk grabbed his blaster.

"Get to the pricom," Smardwurst ordered. "I'll go to the sickbay." His first officer was clearly not happy with that plan, but Smardwurst hurried down the corridor before there was a chance to object. A couple of armed crewmembers flanked him as he passed an intersecting corridor, and a moment later all three arrived at the sickbay doors. "What happened?" Smardwurst demanded.

"It attacked Flenjin!" someone shouted.

"The creature knocked us away and then fled down the corridor," said a medic. Medical equipment lay scattered and broken all over the floor, and Ensign Flenjin was sprawled in a corner, cradling his arm. A couple of medics were just now regaining their feet. Smardwurst also noticed a blaster lying among the medical rubble.

"Is everyone all right?"

The chief medic looked around. "We got knocked around a bit, but nothing life-threatening as far as I can see. Yet."

"Which way did he go?"

"Down the corridor, that way."

Smardwurst touched a com panel on the wall. "This is Captain Varlon. Hold your positions, everyone. Do not fire unless attacked. I am on my way."

He stepped back into the corridor and moved in the direction the medic had indicated. Several crewmembers saluted him shortly, weapons drawn. Before they had traveled far, they reached a corridor where something had ripped through the lighting fixtures, leaving it in darkness. An additional crewmember stood at the entrance to the darkened section, pointing his weapon down the corridor and glancing around furtively. "I think he went into the storage locker, sir. I was following him when I got your message."

"Is he armed?"

"Not that I know of. But by the looks of the lights, he doesn't need to be."

"Has he attacked anyone since leaving sickbay?"

"I haven't heard anything."

Smardwurst frowned. Something about this whole situation seemed wrong. One hand strayed to the blaster he wore at his hip, but then he changed his mind and left it there. "Stay here," he ordered. Be ready to come if I call, or if any shooting starts."

"Sir..."

"That is an order." Smardwurst strode authoritatively down the corridor and left his worried men behind.

The main lighting was out, but the dim emergency lights along the ground gave him enough visibility to make his way forward. At first the lights behind him revealed scratches and cuts in the walls; evidently his new guest had impressive climbing skills, not to mention the ability to deal a lot of damage with those insectile claws, given the state of the lighting. Smardwurst's com link clicked before he had gone far, and Güzhmäk's voice greeted him solemnly. "He's in the room just ahead. Any particular reason why you're approaching him alone?"

"I do not want to scare him off. I need to find out what happened, and I suspect he will be less likely to talk if he sees several armed men chasing him down."

"Or he might just attack you."

"I think I can take care of myself. Stand by." Smardwurst touched a keypad near the storage room door. The space beyond was as dark as the hallway.

"Hello?"

Silence. Smardwurst stepped into the doorway, looking around cautiously. A faint, red glow near the ceiling told him he was being watched from behind a row of shelving. No weapons fire – again, a good sign. "I am Captain Smardwurst Varlon. Of the starship _Green Scorpion_. We spoke earlier."

"You blame me for the war."

"I know nothing about you. That is why I am here – to talk, to find out what happened. My medics said you attacked one of my crew."

The Alien made a hissing sound. "Interesting."

"Is it true?"

There was silence.

"Please, I need to know the truth."

"I came here to escape. I am not a threat to you."

"What happened in the sickbay?"

The hissing sound came again. "He entered the room yelling, pointing a weapon. I did not stay to hear what he said. I disarmed him and fled."

Smardwurst gritted his teeth. "So one of my men attacked you."

"He did not get the chance."

Disgusted, Smardwurst clicked on the com link again. Güzhmäk, get a security detail to the sickbay and detain everyone who was there when our guest escaped. It seems we were the ones who instigated the attack."

"Are you..."

"Do it." Smardwurst turned back to the red eyes watching him. "I apologize for the actions of my crew. Are you all right?"

"I have recovered."

Smardwurst nodded. "What is your name?"

The response did not come from the translator box; it was really more a series of clicks and scrapes than recognizable sounds. Smardwurst tried to repeat them. "Kjrvlnk?"

"That is an acceptable approximation."

"And your species? We have never known what to call you."

"We are the Vortak."

Smardwurst found it odd that the species name would have a translation when the personal name did not, but he let that pass. "Well, Kjrvlnk, I am glad you have recovered. Are you hungry?"

"I am more interested in your plans."

"Right now I am simply hoping you can explain to us what has happened. Some on my ship fear that your appearance means that we are about to come under attack."

"That... is not entirely incorrect."

"Maybe you should back up and tell me the whole story.

Security guards and other crewmembers backed away at the sight of their captain striding down the hallway, his insectile companion close behind. Smardwurst did not stop to wonder whether they were more concerned with the expressionless face of the Vortak or his own sharp-toothed scowl, although he knew that few of his crew had ever seen him as angry as he was now. He ignored the men in the hallway and barged into the sickbay, stopping just far enough inside to let his companion enter the room as well. A quick look around informed him that Ensign Flenjin was lying in a bed with his arm wrapped in gauze.

The chief medic started speaking as soon as the door opened, out of habit. "Looks like an electrical burn. Somehow it shocked him when it struck out with its..." his voice trailed off.

Smardwurst walked stiffly to the bed, keeping his face in check. It would not do to lose control of himself now, but this matter had to be dealt with. Grabbing Flenjin by the front of his uniform, Smardwurst lifted him clear of the bed and pinned him against the wall, his feet dangling in the air as his face went pale. Everyone else in the room just stared, open-mouthed. "What were you thinking?" Smardwurst shouted.

"I..." Flenjin just stared in fear for a moment, but then he caught sight of the Alien, and indignation pushed the fear away. "That _thing_. That _creature_. Don't you know what they did? My brother, dozens of my friends... Millions of people dead because of their..."

"Shut up." Smardwurst's bulging eyes narrowed, and the confidence drained from Flenjin's face once again. "We have just opened communication with a foreign society and _you_ decide to start it out with murder? We have _one chance_ to find out what is going on beyond our borders, and you decide to begin by killing the only person who knows? You think a blaster in your hand gives you the right to judge one man for the deeds of a billion?"

"It..."

Smardwurst could not bear to listen to the man speak, so instead he turned and dropped him to the floor, where he collapsed in a heap and did not attempt to stand. Smardwurst turned to his companion. "Kjrvlnk, if you had wanted to kill this man, would he still be alive?"

Kjrvlnk surveyed the room silently for a moment before answering. "It is... not likely."

Smardwurst turned back to his cowering crewmember. "So the man you tried to murder has spared your life. I believe you own him an apology."

That was apparently too much for Flenjin, because he rose to his feet, indignant again. " _Man_? You think this is a man? Can't you see it's..."

Smardwurst's huge fingers closed around the Anacron insignia on the front of Flenjin's uniform and tore it clear of the fabric. "You are stripped of rank and confined to quarters. Guards, please escort him there now."

"But my arm!"

Smardwurst took a single step forward, and Flenjin hurried into the corridor, where two men seized him by the arms and led him away.

Smardwurst sighed. "I apologize to everyone for the circumstances under which we have met. I trust we can continue our discussions in a more civilized manner." He opened a com link to the pricom. "Güzhmäk, how are we with our investigation of the wreckage?"

"I believe we have everything we're going to get, unless we plan to try to patch one of these ships up to take with us."

Smardwurst looked to Kjrvlnk.

"That would not seem a wise use of time," he stated simply.

"Take us home at maximum speed," Smardwurst said into the com link. "General Harvey will want to hear what Kjrvlnk has told me."

Gerran Marnax was awakened by an ominous beeping sound. It was not just an urgent beep, like when the Council needed to meet quickly over some sudden development on an allied world, or even the irritating beep that signaled a diplomatic crisis requiring the Emperor's personal attention to smooth things over. This particular beep meant that General Harvey had military information that was important enough to awaken the Emperor in the middle of the night. Marnax forced the sleep from his eyes and rolled out of bed. Rinel did not move, but he wondered if she were awake too. Either way, this call was not going to make her happy. He was sure of it.

He walked into the office adjoining his bedroom and activated the com link. "Marvis." Marnax offered as much of a smile as he could, but General Harvey's face was wrinkled with concern.

" _Green Scorpion_ recovered a survivor from a pair of wrecked starships. Captain Varlon is on his way back now with a full report, but he said that there was some sort of 'incident' that he did not want to discuss over the communications relay, even on a secure channel. It will take him a few more days before he can be here in person. I was hoping I could take _Galactron_ and meet him along the way."

"That would definitely speed things up. Smardwurst didn't say anything more than that?"

"No, but I fear whatever it is will imply a dangerous situation."

Marnax thought for a moment, drumming his fingers against the inevitable consequences of what he felt he had to do. "I'm coming too," he said finally.

"Are you sure? I can have a report to you in a few days, and surely the rest of the Empire will need you until then. Not to mention..."

"Rinel will be furious," Marnax finished for him. "It can't be helped though. If your fears are justified, the implications won't just affect the military. I will need to make decisions quickly. I need to be there."

"Understood. We will leave as soon as you are aboard _Galactron_. Sorry to have woken you."

"Thank you. I'll be there as fast as I can."

Thanks to _Galactron's_ superior warp drive, _Green Scorpion_ was on warp range sensors less than two days later. Marnax sat in his black-polished office, gazing at his plant collection as he waited. Marnax and Harvey had been correct, of course: Rinel was furious when he had told her he was leaving immediately. When the war had ended and the Marnax family had finally been reunited, all of them had looked forward to spending time together, in peace. Of course, the job of Emperor was time-consuming and Marnax was still gone quite a bit, but Rinel had dealt with that – after all, having him leave occasionally was better than having him off to war while she was holed up inside an enemy fortress. But this was different, and Rinel knew it, even if she didn't have the details. This time, Gerran might very well be off to battle again. And he had left with barely six minutes' goodbye. Marnax clenched his fist on his desk. _This had better be worth it_ , he thought.

Smardwurst had been so concerned about keeping his information confidential that Marnax had agreed to meet aboard _Green Scorpion_ instead of having the survivor brought aboard _Galactron_ , where additional crew members would see him. When the two ships finally met up with each other, Marnax joined General Harvey and a small security detail and took a shuttle over to _Green Scorpion_. The few people they encountered there saluted them, but otherwise they remained impassive. Smardwurst was waiting for them alone in a conference room.

"I'm not sure we can stand the wait much longer," Marnax said as he sat down. "What's going on?"

"I can show you some video footage, but essentially the situation is this: We discovered two wrecked vessels that matched the ones we fought in the Alien war. There was one survivor, of an insectile race that calls themselves the Vortak. Kjrvlnk is his name, as far as I can pronounce. He tells me that his people have decided that the time has come to go to war again. Kjrvlnk was part of a small group that sought to escape the other Vortak in order to avoid the war, but they were hunted down. Evidently the refugees managed to escape the battle, but residual damage caused their warp drives and life support to fail before they could reach safety."

Marnax felt his heart rate increase as Smardwurst spoke. He had sensed that the news would be bad, but hearing it in such concrete terms was still unsettling.

"So it is war again," Harvey said solemnly. "With Venom destroyed."

Marnax nodded. The construction of Venom had narrowly saved the Anacron empire from defeat before, but that project had been almost entirely the work of Plasma Masters, whose power had since been lost. "We'll need to prepare for battle immediately," he said.

Harvey tapped the table. "I understand your desire to keep this matter secret to avoid spreading panic, Captain, but I'm really not sure how much good secrecy will do. Does the... survivor know anything about how many of them there are, or when they plan to strike?"

"He did not seem to, no. Communicating with him is a bit difficult – he carries an electronic translator, and I am not always sure we are conveying the ideas we mean to. In any case, I have not pressed him very hard, given his medical condition. That is the other thing I need to mention: on the way, one of my officers tried to kill Kjrvlnk, for revenge."

Harvey scowled. "Not a very wise course, although I can hardly blame him for wanting to."

"I am concerned about how people will react to Kjrvlnk if we make too many details public. Obviously my crew knows about him, but if many more people see him as a target for vengeance, we may miss out on whatever help he may be able to offer."

"Well, let's see what help he can offer, and then we'll decide the best place for him. Where is he?"

"In the waiting area. I can bring him in now if you would like."

Harvey turned to the Emperor for approval, but Marnax was lost in thought. "Just a few years. It hasn't been easy to reunify Anacron and StarBlazer, but overall we've done pretty well I think. I had started to think the peace we've built would last. At least long enough for this generation to enjoy it."

"It has given us a chance to build up our strength," Harvey observed. He was probably trying to be helpful, but Marnax could not help but think that maybe his old friend was feeling a certain eagerness to get back to the kind of work where he felt useful.

"I know," Marnax said. "And I guess I shouldn't be surprised. There's often a calm before a storm, and things have been very calm for a very long time." He looked up at Smardwurst. "Let's see what our new Vortak friend has to say." He ignored the scowl that crossed Harvey's face at his choice of words.

Smardwurst tapped a control panel, and a set of doors to one side slid open. Marnax stood as the creature entered the room. He smiled and tried to maintain eye contact, but it was difficult to know if Kjrvlnk was even looking at him with those expressionless, glowing eyes. That was the difficulty with insectile beings; the lack of recognizable facial expressions made it impossible to tell whether Kjrvlnk was glaring at him hatefully, smiling hopefully, or staring in fear. "Thank you for meeting with us," Marnax greeted. "I'm truly sorry about the rest of your group."

"Thank you for your help," Kjrvlnk said through his translator box. If nothing else, he sounded polite.

"I'm glad you were able to make it back to us safely. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I can think of nothing. Your people have been very... helpful."

Marnax was silent for a moment. He was about to ask Kjrvlnk for a great deal of information, but he wanted to avoid sounding like an interrogator, so he gave his guest the opportunity to speak first. When Kjrvlnk said nothing, Marnax began.

"Smardwurst tells me that you left your people because you did not want to go to war. Let me assure you that I share your feelings in that. I have lived through two major wars in quick succession, and I would like nothing more than to see the galaxy continue in peace. What can I do to make peace with the Vortak?"

"I do not believe that possible. The Vortak have everything they need. War has been decided upon, and it will result. The decision is made."

"I don't understand. Are you saying that your people go to war just for the sake of fighting?"

"Not exactly. The Vortak are a very unified people. We require little direction to work in groups. Usually we are content to live simple lives in our various labors. Raising families. Strengthening our people. We are not like you; there are not usually individuals assigned to be leaders. But occasionally ideas enter our society that many agree upon. A problem arises and ideas for a solution spread. Sometimes that solution is war."

Marnax was having difficulty understanding. Perhaps something was being lost in the translation, as Smardwurst had suggested. "So, your people sense a problem in their society, and they have decided that the way to solve it is to go to war. Is that what you're saying?"

"In a way."

Smardwurst turned to Kjrvlnk. "Could you tell us what prompted your people to go to war with us before?"

Kjrvlnk was silent for a moment. "I do not know. The decision was made. I was young, so I did not fight in that war. Those who were called left and fought. When it was over, those who remained returned. Then life resumed."

"And something like that has happened again?" Smardwurst prompted.

"Yes. The same, like before."

Marnax wanted to press for more details about Vortak society, but something told him that Kjrvlnk was telling him as much as he could at the moment. "So, you chose not to comply with the decision of your people."

"I chose not to comply. I and those in my community. We lived on an isolated planet, far from the others. The decision of the others reached us later. The decision did not... suit us. We chose to leave. We did not wish to fight."

Kjrvlnk's speech was becoming choppy, and Marnax guessed that he was feeling uncomfortable with this topic of conversation. It was leading nowhere anyway; Marnax decided to drop the matter for now. Instead, he looked over at Harvey, who was clearly waiting patiently but eagerly for a chance at military information.

Harvey leaned forward, drawing the Vortak's gaze. "Would you mind telling us a bit about what we can expect from the Vortak fleet when they attack? Any particular tactics we should be ready for?"

"Tactics?"

"Yes, you know, plans for how to go about attacking planets or groups of starships."

"I... think I understand. I do not know their plans."

"There were no trainings or debriefings when you were told about the plan to go to war?"

"Trainings?"

"You know, to prepare. To practice what to do in an actual battle."

"Practice... no, the Vortak do not practice war in advance. It would be a waste of time."

"Then how do you know what to do in a battle?"

"It is decided. Based on battle conditions."

The three Anacronian officers looked around in mutual confusion. Smardwurst shook his head. "Kjrvlnk, could you tell us a bit about how the Vortak communicate? I suspect there is something important that we are missing."

"We... communicate. We speak as you do, and our words are carried."

"Carried how? What is it exactly that your translator box does?"

"The box translates your air vibrations into words."

"But it doesn't make noise when we talk. How do you hear what it translates?"

"We do not hear. The words are carried."

Smardwurst leaned toward the General. "It seems to be linked directly to his nervous system."

"Harvey raised an eyebrow." Where did you get it? If you have never spoken to us before, why would such a device even exist?"

"These devices have been passed down," Kjrvlnk said. "This is not the first time we have spoken to your kind. The Masters came before. And we have listened."

Harvey looked at his companions, his face mirroring the surprise and confusion that Marnax was feeling. "What 'Masters' are these? Who did you listen to?"

"The Masters came before. Many years before. They commanded us. But they were destroyed. It was decided. We did not need them."

"And the recent war? Did that have anything to do with the Masters?"

"The Masters are gone. But we heard you. You were like them. Reaching out. Conquering. You were... a threat."

"So you were afraid we would try to conquer you, so you decided to destroy us without any communication whatsoever?"

"Again, I was young. I was not part of the decision. I know only that the Vortak feared you, and it was decided. After the defeat, the fear only grew."

"Great," Harvey muttered, as if to himself. "The 'Masters.' It sounds like Thendrak's exploits may have awakened the very enemy he claimed to have saved us from."

"Yes," Marnax said, "and now his actions are bringing the war back even after he's gone. Kjrvlnk, there must be some way we can speak with the Vortak and come to a peaceful agreement. We do not want to conquer them or expand into their space. Do they all have those translator boxes like you?"

"There are many boxes. But they will not help you. We use them to listen. You cannot speak as the Vortak do."

"But you have translators..."

"The translators convert your speech. But your thoughts we cannot see. Speech can be changed. Falsified. It cannot be trusted."

"Your thoughts? So the Vortak communicate with telepathy?"

"Our thoughts are carried."

"Maybe you could talk to them. If they can hear your thoughts, then they could see that you are not lying about us."

"They will not listen to me. I am an enemy like you. It has been decided."

Marnax sighed, thinking. They had learned something of Vortak history here, but it was not at all clear that any of this information would prove useful. "Kjrvlnk, I understand that communication is a problem and that your people have decided to go to war against us. And maybe that can't be avoided now. But I can't afford to just sit back and see what happens. I need your help, your perspective. And I have to tell you, I'm worried. The last time the Vortak attacked us, the only reason we won was that we had Plasma Masters fighting for us. Those people are gone now. If you were in my place, what would you do to prepare?"

Kjrvlnk's eyes dimmed slightly. "I would run."

### Chapter 2

Sunrise crept over the Palandoran mountain tops and bathed the valley below in its warm glow. Birds were already flitting through the trees, working on breakfast, while squirrels, rabbits, and a few stranger creatures searched the ground for food. The quiet trickle of stream water mixed with the rustling of the morning breeze through the forest. Farther below, the river meandered past the waking inhabitants of Tibrus City before plunging several miles over the falls, but up here, the only interruption to the sound of forest life came from the footsteps of the solitary jogger working her way along a narrow path in the woods.

Anyone looking would have wondered whether she was even seeing the world she was rushing past; her eyes remained focused on the path, and her lips remained pulled tight, as if she disapproved of the whole scene. But even so, she slowed to a stop as she reached an outcropping of rock looking down over a steep cliff. She unclipped a small bottle from her waist and took a quick drink, then walked to the edge and looked down, her hands planted on her hips.

Tibrus City lay directly below, nestled between the cliff face she was standing on and the one rising up against the other side of the valley. Rows of cottages and shops lined the streets, although they seemed nearly outnumbered and outspaced by the city's gardens and parks. The few industrial areas and landing pads seemed like a mere afterthought in the construction of the city. It was probably as quiet and peaceful a place as one could expect to find in the galaxy. Everything those people cared about was nicely wrapped up in this little valley, and yet the vastness of the surrounding mountains seemed to emphasize just how small and insignificant the city really was.

_Fitting,_ Kayleen thought. _Everything this planet thinks is important is really nothing._ She let out a long breath and shook her head, mulling over familiar thoughts. Coming here had become something of a ritual for her; it was somehow therapeutic to start her day by literally looking down on the people who had ruined her life.

Strictly speaking, that was probably unfair. These people were too weak to have had much of an effect on her directly. And while this was certainly not the life she would have chosen for herself, things could have ended up a lot worse. Two years ago, Dark Viper and everyone in the StarBlazer alliance had wanted her dead, and she had just barely made it to the safety of Palandora before her enemies had caught up with her. And even then, her prospects had been a little shaky. While food and shelter were plentiful here, Kayleen and her small group of followers would have gone mad if things had actually come down to working the land. Fortunately, the Palandoran penchant for the simple life had left Kayleen plenty of opportunity to build a _real_ life. While the Palandoran settlers had been content to colonize just enough of the planet to allow them to fulfill their basic needs and live in personal comfort, Kayleen had seized the opportunity to exploit the world's vast natural resources, not to mention its significant strategic location inside the nearly inaccessible Uraxis Nebula. Businesses from all over the galaxy had rushed to invest in her plans in exchange for access to farms and mines outside Anacron's control and for the right to conduct business in her secluded pocket of space.

So, some would undoubtedly argue that Kayleen owed the people who had allowed her to stay here a measure of gratitude rather than loathing. But it was about more than what they personally had done. It was about what they represented. They were friends and allies of that cursed _boy_. And his little hero's quest had cost Kayleen far more than she had gained here. He had cost her the Plasma.

Kayleen clenched a fist in anger as she thought about it. Before Nedward Simmons had appeared, Kayleen had split her time between attacking entire starships and keeping worlds of halfhearted allegiance in line. Both tasks had suited her perfectly. It was all about the power, the ability to bend entire communities to her will through fear. And when they refused to obey... well, that was even better. That was when she got to really _express_ herself. The most destructive force in the galaxy. Unstoppable power. And Markan had been there to handle the tedious administrative tasks like deploying forces and punishing people who were too valuable to simply dispose of. Not to mention the rewards from Dark Viper; although Kayleen had never fully understood his power, his presence had always augmented her own abilities. And there had certainly been no need for a morning jog back then; Viper's power had granted her perpetual health and preserved her youthful look. She had felt immortal. In control. This little business operation was just a sad excuse for a life by comparison.

She looked down once more, letting herself feel the anger before she pushed it away so it would not consume her for the rest of the day. Someday, she would give those people what they deserved. But for now, they were a useful tool. So she turned and continued her jog, forcing herself to think about the day's schedule.

The rest of the time passed quickly. The fresh air and constant activity helped to clear her mind, and the trees and flowers were, after all, a pleasant sight. Once or twice a distant roar echoed through the mountains, causing her to shiver a little, but by the time her run was winding to a close, Kayleen was almost smiling. She was nearly out of the forest and already preparing for her first appointment when a voice from behind stopped her.

"Heading to work so early?"

She turned, startled and more than a little angry at the security guards that were supposed to be around here somewhere, ensuring her privacy. "What in the-"

"Kayleen, it's me." A tall, well-dressed figure stepped out from behind a tree right in front of her. Kayleen was about to draw the blaster she kept in her boot when she recognized his face.

"Wait, Nakmar?"

The man smiled, his thin mustache accentuating the expression. "It's been awhile. Did you miss me?"

"Nakmar Dren." Kayleen laughed and ran one hand through her hair, but the gesture was just a calculated distraction to give the appearance of vulnerability. She had known Nakmar years ago, when he and his brother Markan had attended the university with her. But she had not even heard from Nakmar since before Markan had been appointed to the Imperial Council, and she was instinctively wary of his sudden appearance now. "What are you doing here?"

Nakmar looked off to the side as if choosing his words from some invisible menu. "I have a business proposition for you. A job offer of sorts."

"I _have_ a job," Kayleen pointed out. "I also have an assistant who sets up meetings."

"And a security escort, I know. But those kinds of people are such a hassle to deal with. Besides, I think you will want to keep this private, at least for now. Can we step into the trees for a moment?"

"People will be looking for me soon."

"No, they really won't. I promise not to take too long."

He held his arms out with palms raised, as if to prove that he was not a threat, but it was obvious that he could easily be concealing a weapon. Still, Kayleen supposed that if Nakmar really had diverted or dispatched her escort, he probably could have attacked her already. For a moment, she considered following him. But Kayleen had always been more cautious than curious, and she supposed her sense of pride outweighed them both.

"Make an appointment." She turned stiffly and continued back along the path.

"Dinner!" And just like that the man had gone from intimidating to pathetic. Kayleen didn't even turn to acknowledge him, but he kept talking. "On my ship, tonight. I'll even call your assistant. I really think you'll want to hear what I have to say."

Half an hour later she was showered and dressed for work. She took a lift to her office underground; despite the culture of reserving higher floors for more powerful executives, Kayleen still preferred to spend most of her time in the more secure areas of the building. When the lift stopped, she took a moment to straighten her posture and wipe her face of any emotion. She may have lost her former power, but that was no reason why the people around her should feel any less terrified of her.

"Good morning, Miss Rax." The young man at the reception desk greeted her stiffly, avoiding her eyes. Jengin is ready for the report on..."

"Fire whoever was on security detail for this morning's jog. And investigate their financial records; we may be able to imprison them on bribery charges."

"Very well."

Of course, that was assuming the men were still alive, but Kayleen could hardly be bothered with details like that. She strode into her office without hearing the rest of her receptionist's report. Her plans for the day were already pushing this morning's distraction out of her mind.

Kayleen had all but forgotten about her visitor by the time she decided she was done for the day, but she found to her surprise that her calendar showed a dinner appointment aboard a luxury yacht docked nearby. She sneered and got up to head back to her apartment, but then she stopped for a moment. She had to admit that she was a little curious about why Nakmar Dren had gone to so much trouble to meet with her. And he really wasn't a threat at this point; if anything went wrong on his ship, the complex's weapons would have no trouble bringing down a yacht. Kayleen supposed that maybe the reason she was hesitating was that Nakmar's return brought back memories of Markan. She had not exactly been close with her former partner, but Markan had worked with her during the most exciting and satisfying part of her life, and his death had marked the end of all of that. She was not sure she wanted to revisit the matter. But then again, neither Markan nor Nakmar had really been very interested in emotionally deep conversations, so it was probably safe to assume that Nakmar really was here on business. And she _was_ hungry. In the end, Kayleen decided to see him.

The sun was already below the horizon when Kayleen stepped out of the transport shuttle and approached Dren's yacht. It was a smallish vessel, but it was obviously expensive; even in the twilight the gold-colored hull glistened with a polished luster. It was a weak vessel by Kayleen's standards – no room for any real weapons or shield generators, although the engine section looked big enough. She made one last look around to satisfy herself that her security forces could board the ship or shoot it down if necessary, and then she walked over to the ramp that led to the open entrance. Dren was already waiting for her, leaning casually against one side of the doorway.

"Glad you could make it." His smile seemed genuine, and Kayleen smiled back.

"You've got my attention."

"Ah, yes. Well, that can wait. Let's eat first."

Nakmar held out an elbow to Kayleen as she reached the top of the ramp, but she just rolled her eyes and shook her head. As if she needed help walking down the corridor. She absently noted that a few of her security guards had started up the ramp behind her but then put the matter aside. Worrying about safety now would only make her appear weak. Instead, Kayleen admired the wood paneling on the walls and velvety carpet on the floor; it was almost possible to forget that she was aboard a starship instead of inside some luxurious estate. Dren led her to a candle-lit dining room adorned with various paintings and motioned her to a chair.

"I see you've done well for yourself," he commented as she started to look at the menu.

"Yes, well, it wasn't too difficult, really. These Palandorans have no sense of ambition; they're just content to farm their land and live in 'peace.'" She chuckled. "I'm not even sure I know what that means, other than the fact that they let me monetize their planet right under their noses. And the best part is, they _rely_ on me now, because my business provides most of the tax money they use to guard the corridor and run the spaceport."

They gave a waiter their orders, and Nakmar gave her another friendly smile. "I'm glad things worked out. And I'm glad you're finding time for a morning run. It's quite a nice little planet."

Kayleen rolled her eyes again. "Yes, well, it's not really about the view. It's about reminding myself where I am. And who is responsible for putting me here."

"Ah. Perspective. That's important too."

"So, what about you?"

Dren shrugged his shoulders apathetically. "Well, you know, looking for opportunities, of which the wars provided more than a few. I got involved in a trading franchise on Oprimax Five and then went forward with that. It was a pretty low-profile operation, with the kind of people you work with out there, so I didn't have much contact with, you know, the civilized world. There was money in it, but nothing as exciting as what Markan and you were up to."

"Yes, well, that was... special." She could not help but sound a bit wistful.

Nakmar nodded knowingly. "Special enough to get Markan killed. From what I hear, you were lucky to make it here."

"I had to think quickly. But I wouldn't call myself lucky. Business administration was Markan's thing, not mine."

Nakmar smiled sarcastically. "But you get to work with the Trennons."

Kayleen laughed, almost choking on a bite of food. "Yes, it's _such_ an honor. But seriously, I'm glad they were the ones in charge. It doesn't take a Plasma attack to manipulate Narkus Trennon. Once word of his little outpost got out, he was frantic about getting funding for additional defense systems and enough galactic recognition to be able to do business. His little daughter was practically screaming at him when we met, but by the time Narkus retired and she took over, it was all finished."

"So how is she taking it?"

"She hates me, but she needs the tax revenue, and now she has to campaign for the support of all the newcomers, not just the original colonists. So I don't really know or care how she's taking it, but she's not a threat." Kayleen projected her feelings for Jenara onto a piece of meat and stabbed at it mercilessly. They ate in silence for a moment. Nakmar eyed her once or twice but said nothing. Kayleen wanted to know what he had called her here for, but she knew better than to look too anxious, so she decided to continue the conversation. "You know what the worst part is, though?"

"What?"

"The dragons. Those things are big enough to eat a horse as a snack, and one of them tried to kill me once."

"Don't you worry about getting fried when you go out?"

"I have my guards keep watch; they're not that hard to track. But you know what really bothers me about them?" Nakmar shook his head, and Kayleen banged a finger down on the table. Those _things_ can use Plasma, and I can't. They don't have Crystals, and they don't even _do_ anything with it. It's such a waste!"

"Ever think about harnessing it?"

"Koral Ralok spent years trying to get his power back. Right here, among them. Lot of good it did him." Suddenly Kayleen was aware of just how much of herself she was sharing. Nakmar was an old friend, but hardly one who merited this kind of trust. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

Nakmar sat back in his seat, looking surprised. "Well, the thing is, I have a new employer, and your name has come up in our plans." He leaned forward then, and there was an urgent, almost frightening look in his eyes. "Kayleen, Dark Viper is alive."

Kayleen felt like her blood had frozen. All at once, the relaxed atmosphere was gone, and she felt like she was sitting in a prison cell. All this time, hiding from her past, even wishing to have it back – she had been foolish not to see that Viper would eventually send someone to punish her for her failure. Forcing herself to breathe slowly, she reached down toward the blaster concealed in her boot.

If Nakmar noticed her signs of apprehension, he ignored them. "He feels much like you do. The loss of the Crystal. Defeated by weaker enemies. He wants _revenge_ , Kayleen." She gritted her teeth as her hand closed around the blaster and silently drew it out. If she were angry about the loss of her Crystal, she could only imagine what Dark Viper would be feeling. It would start with rage, but the revenge Nakmar had mentioned would be well planned. It would not be easy to get off this ship alive.

"So," Nakmar was saying. "What do you think?" He raised an eyebrow and smiled all of a sudden; Kayleen was not sure exactly why, but there was no time for hesitation now. She drew the blaster and pointed it at Nakmar. "I think we're leaving," she said. "Stand up. One word to your crew and you're dead."

To her surprise, Nakmar just sat there for a moment, staring in obvious confusion. "You mean you want to..." And then he chuckled. "Oh, no, not _that_ kind of revenge, Kayleen. Weren't you listening before? I came here with a _job_ offer. Viper wants you _back_."

Kayleen's mouth dropped open, the blaster still pointed at Nakmar. Was this true? Was it even possible? "You mean to say that Dark Viper, whose Blast Crystal I allowed to be destroyed by the boy I was supposed to kill, does _not_ want to punish me for the loss of his empire?"

Nakmar shook his head as a smile slowly spread across his face. "Kayleen, why would he want to punish you for that? Even _he_ was not able to kill the Shield Master. That boy is _invincible_. What were you supposed to do?"

"Are we talking about the same Dark Viper here? That does not sound like the kind of logic I would expect from him."

"Think about it. You are the only person left who has any experience with the Plasma. Why would he not see you as an asset?"

"How is my experience an asset? The Crystal is gone. The Plasma is-"

She could not finish her sentence. Her attention was totally absorbed by the pulsing red flame burning above Nakmar's upturned palm. Kayleen rose to her feet and leaned across the table, the blaster forgotten under her palm as she braced herself in an unconscious attempt to move nearer to the flame. "What... is that?"

Nakmar let the fire vanish and gave her a very satisfied smile. "He still has the Plasma, Kayleen. He gave it to me. He wants to give it back to you."

Disbelief turned to ecstatic wonder as Nakmar's words registered. Viper seriously wanted to give her back the Plasma? It seemed impossible; the Crystals had all been destroyed. Yet Nakmar had the power, just like Kayleen had once had. It must be true.

"How?" she managed.

Nakmar shook his head. "He said you'd have a lot of questions, but I'm not allowed to give you any details. Just the offer. And we have to leave now, before you say anything to anyone."

"I'm happy to leave – but wait, you're not going to use it?"

"He has plans. This isn't the time."

"But you could wipe out the entire planet! Or at least give me a shot at Jenara Trennon..."

"Believe me, I'm as eager as you. Or almost, anyway. He insisted I keep it secret for now."

Kayleen nodded, only half listening. She could not help but start planning her future right away. "There's... a thing or two I have to pick up before we go. You know, personal effects."

"Viper thought you might say that, too. It's fine, but just don't say anything. And don't be too long."

Kayleen smiled as she rose to her feet. "Don't worry. I can't get off this planet soon enough."

Nakmar rose as well and came around the table. "Welcome aboard," he said, extending his hand. But Kayleen was too ecstatic for such a formal gesture. She threw her arms around Nakmar's neck, holding him close. Then she turned and sprinted out of the room, off the ship and back toward her apartment. This was all impossibly wonderful. The Plasma would be hers again, and Markan's brother would be her partner. It would be just like it had been before Nedward Simmons. The galaxy would never know what had struck it.

### Chapter 3

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the garden foliage as the long stream of guests arrived, delivered by horse-drawn carriages, as was the current style among people who were so rich that they could pay people to deal with the hassle of owning animals – at least in this sector. Exotic fabrics and elaborate hairdos rustled and swished as the occupants disembarked and stepped onto the stone path that led toward the mansion, their voices mingling in idle gossip, interspersed with the occasional complaint or insult. Everyone who mattered was coming to this party, but not all of them were happy about it. Least happy of all was the woman in the orangeish outfit and simple black ponytail, who entered not from a carriage but from the walkway that led along the garden wall. Somehow, the perimeter sentries had missed her, and she mingled with the crowds of approaching guests without attracting attention.

Mirana Kelar inwardly bemoaned her fate as she walked the winding path, alert to the conversations around her and to the movement of the guards concealed behind the nearby foliage, but at the same time she wished that she could just tune it all out and be rid of this particular mission. Infiltrating a party meant blending in, which would require a certain amount of social interaction. But if she could delay that for a few minutes by remaining inconspicuous, that would certainly be ideal.

There was really no need for the secretive approach; although she hadn't technically been invited to the event, it had been a small matter to forge the necessary documentation to satisfy the guards and entrance scans. To be honest, Mirana would have preferred to just sneak in and meet with the event's host after everyone had gone. Experience had shown the sudden appearance of the Shadow Master could provide a lot of motivation to provide any information asked for. But this was a delicate matter; Ruggles Girx was a very paranoid man – although, to be fair, there _were_ a lot of dangerous people who would like to see him dead. Confronting Girx in private would just cause him to panic, which would result in his security forces converging on Mirana and allowing the man to escape. And if he decided to disappear, Mirana might not get another chance to talk to him. So she had resigned herself to the necessity of speaking to him in the open, surrounded by guests in front of whom Girx would feel compelled to maintain an air of civility and calm. And that meant attending this cursed party.

Of course, it was already clear from the conversations she was hearing that the party was just a thin façade for a hundred different business deals. The other guests were being vague as they discussed the various deals and threats they were planning to make later, but it was obvious that few if any of them were expecting to actually enjoy the event. Which was just fine, because that at least meant that Mirana was not alone in her loathing of this whole situation. Her irritation started with her wardrobe, which comprised a silky, pale-orange fabric that swished audibly as she moved. It was hideous, but anything more practical would have called into question her motive for being here, so again, she had no choice. But her self-pity was short-lived; despite the frivolous atmosphere and aristocratic pretense everyone was making, Mirana knew that she was in as much danger here as she would be infiltrating a starship. At least a dozen weapons would be trained on just this group of guests. So she buried her feelings about the event itself and forced her thoughts toward her objective. The mission was no simple task, but it was hardly the most difficult one she had set for herself recently.

Soon the path found its way up to the mansion's main entrance. The large, wooden doors were left open, letting light from inside the building pour out into the night. Guards were scanning guests individually now, making sure they were on the proper list and were not carrying weapons. Mirana had considered bringing along a concealed blaster or maybe even just a knife, but in the end she had decided that doing so would just create a distraction for her. The guards completed their scans and waved Mirana through. She climbed the steps and walked through the door, finding herself in a large entrance hall that opened out into several halls and staircases. Everything around her looked antique – crystal chandeliers, wooden bannisters and tables, velvety furniture. The artwork on the walls showed painterly brushstrokes, sacrificing a measure of realism for an emphasis on a "natural" look. Mirana thought it odd that a planet that had been colonized eons after technology had made space travel possible would go to such an effort to pretend that technology did not exist. In any case, Mirana knew that the décor, like everything else around her, was a lie: Behind the wood and fabric, this mansion was a fortress. Unseen cameras were watching everything, and there were probably even more hidden weapons trained on the guests here than there had been outside.

Mirana followed a group into a larger hall, trying to stay close enough to other people to avoid standing out, but far enough away to avoid having someone try to actually include her in a conversation. She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at some of the outfits. Ostentatious silks and feathers in flagrant colors or hideously random patterns graced some of the dresses and suits, but those were just the more subtle ones. One woman was wearing a gown that appeared to be forged of chain mail, and another seemed to be woven and braided out of her own, impossibly long hair. Then music started on a stage somewhere ahead, and people started to dance.

Mirana ducked around a group of women gossiping, then moved behind another group when she spotted a couple of men several meters away. There was nothing to suggest danger, but she had no desire to start chatting herself. Ruggles Girx was nowhere to be seen; he was probably deeper into the mansion, entertaining more important guests than the ones in this room. She was almost to the far door when a man in a suit covered in black-and-white diagonal stripes stepped in front of her.

"Good eeeeevening, my lady," he gushed, removing his very tall hat and bowing slowly. He made such a show that other people nearby turned to look, and Mirana knew that running off would draw unwanted attention.

"Hello," she responded simply, knowing what was coming next.

"May I have this daaance?" the man asked, already stepping forward to take her hand. Something about his eyes made her sick; he was a good ten years older than she was. She had to think fast.

"I am _so_ sorry," she replied, bowing a little herself but in the same motion evading his hand. "But I have already promised this dance." She did a very quick scan of the people nearby and grabbed the one who looked most sincerely happy about the party – a younger fellow who was gesturing wildly as he told a story to a group of other young people. He let himself be dragged to the center of the room by his arm, tossing a quick apology over his shoulder to the group he had been talking to. "Nice to see you again," Mirana said amicably as they started to move in time with the music.

"Hi," the man managed, looking a little confused but not the slightest bit nervous. "I, uh..."

"Mirana." She held his gaze with a smile, and he lost a bit of his look of shock.

"Tolgo," he replied. "I'm here with the Stag Cleat group, but, you know, it's really about the food."

Mirana nodded. Tolgo was technically leading, but she gave a subtle twist away from the people they had left, in the general direction of a different doorway. "Was that part of a business deal?" She wanted to keep him talking so she could keep her eye on the room and focus on where she was headed next."

"Not really; Arfaxad handles most of that. I was just... so anyway, what brings you here?"

"I need some information about an archaeological site," she replied vaguely. I heard someone here might know about it." And then, to avoid the obvious next question, she added, "Too bad I had to spend an hour getting ready just to get here!"

"Yes, I suppose women do have it rough, having to deal with those dresses. Although..."

He glanced down at her outfit, and she knew what he meant. Although the orange fabric hung down from her waist, it was obvious from the slits in the sides that she was wearing pants of the same material underneath. "It's not really a dress," she admitted.

"Making a fashion statement?"

"More like a personal rule. I never wear anything that would prevent me from running, climbing, or kicking someone in the face."

He was shocked, then laughed a little, then lost his train of thought, probably trying to figure out whether she was serious. Mirana just smiled back, willing the seconds to pass more quickly. She was well-trained in many areas, but ballroom conversations were not something she practiced regularly.

Fortunately, Tolgo did not have the same problem. He started talking again, this time about some animals his brother was raising to show off in some competition. Mirana said just enough to keep him talking. Finally, the song ended. Mirana thanked Tolgo for the dance, then darted off toward the other exit, eager to get there before too many of the other men started looking for their next dance partner. She almost didn't make it; another man was trying to catch her eye just short of the door, but she grabbed a tiny muffin off of a table and stuffed the whole thing into her mouth. Just as the man started talking, she nodded her head and pretended to say something. The garbled sound that made it past the pastry stopped her would-be partner just long enough for her to move past and into another crowd of people. Then she was through the doorway and out of the room.

This hall was more dimly lit than the last. A man and a woman were having a heated conversation halfway down, but they stopped and looked at Mirana as she approached. She walked past them, not making eye contact. If people were making secretive business arrangements here, then maybe she was headed in the right direction.

The hallway led into another ballroom with a quintet of some kind providing music, and Mirana stopped to survey the room. A broad staircase arced upward from the center of the room, and the landing above stretched around the sides, partygoers lounging along the railing and looking down at the people mingling below. Mirana spotted Ruggles Girx almost immediately; his flamboyant red-and-orange suit practically cried out for attention as he talked with a pair of men on the upper level. _No good_ , Mirana thought. She could probably make it up there and get a word in when his current conversation ended, but the upper level was too well-secluded and there were several exits up there. She needed to talk to him where everyone would see them and no one would care, where he wouldn't be able to leave without upsetting his guests. She looked at the people on the ground floor and recognized a few of them: local business leaders, politicians, and crime bosses. She had not been able to acquire a guest list, but she had memorized the faces of as many influential people in the sector as she could.

Her first thought was to find someplace to disappear so she could freely spy on the room's conversations. That might give her an idea of what she could say to someone in the right position to lure Girx downstairs. The only problem with that was that she had to assume that there were cameras and guards watching everything, and if she suddenly vanished – even in a seemingly empty hallway or closet – there was a good chance she would set off alarms. That meant that she was going to have to work the room the old-fashioned way. She started walking around, looking at the room's furnishings, listening for what people were talking about. But people moved away from her or hushed their voices as she approached; it was starting to seem like everything going on here was secret, even though everyone was standing in the open. In any case, walking around alone like she was doing was starting to draw stares. She knew she looked out of place, precautions notwithstanding. She had to do something before she drew attention from upstairs.

Fortunately, Mirana had not been so naïve as to think that she could infiltrate a business meeting without spending some cash. Again she scanned the room, this time looking for someone who looked worried. She found her almost immediately. The woman was one of four people standing near an abstract painting, nodding and frowning at each other. The man next to her looked angry, while the other man – Zox, the others were calling him – exuded smug patience; obviously some deal was going his way. The woman next to Zox interjected the occasional comment with a sympathetic look, while the woman Mirana had spotted looked frantic each time she spoke. Her gown seemed to be made of twisted thorns, with roses dotting it at random intervals. Mirana walked up to the group, ignoring the irritated looks they gave her.

"I am so sorry to intrude," she said, touching the woman's arm as if they were friends. "But could I borrow you for just a moment? There's an urgent matter we need to discuss." Her companion, the angry man, started to object, but Mirana pulled the woman aside, holding her attention with her eyes. "Quinella, right?" She had just made up the name to get the woman talking.

"Yisel, actually. I think you..."

"Of course," Mirana said, still ignoring the others and turning Yisel away from them. "Listen, there's something you need to hear. It's important." Mirana's diversion was urgent enough that Yisel let herself be led another step away from her companion, who apparently felt that he could manage well enough without her, because he seemed to have resumed his previous conversation. "That deal isn't working out to well, is it?" Mirana whispered. The twitch of Yisel's mouth was enough of an answer. "Well you're not going to fix it with diplomacy. You need some leverage."

"Who are you?" Yisel asked, finally. Mirana knew what came next: No matter how Mirana introduced herself or what she proposed, Yisel would be wondering why a stranger would come up and offer help. Yisel would want to know what was in this for Mirana. Mirana reached into one sleeve and slipped out a wad of cash.

"You need some bargaining power. And I need to get Zox away from your friend for a moment." She held the money up a little. "Two thousand for a quick bit of help."

Yisel eyed the bills suspiciously. "What do you want me to do?"

"See that couple over there?" Mirana asked, subtly tilting her head toward some more businessmen across the room. Yisel nodded. "Go back to your conversation for a few minutes. Then go tell those men that Girx wants in on their deal."

Yisel raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Why?"

Mirana ignored the question. She wasn't sure what she was going to do if this didn't work, but she couldn't start sounding defensive now. "Take it or leave it."

Yisel thought for a moment, then took the money, looking over her shoulder nervously. "Can't hurt," she said. "At least, it can't hurt _me_."

Slowly, Mirana started wandering away from the group, She needed to keep an eye on Girx and time her approach just right. She was counting on a complicated set of events and circumstances to draw Girx's attention. Right now Yisel would be talking to a Talgorian merchant, informing him that Baron Dorquis was planning to sell a shipment of irithium crystals to Horgt Enterprises for a certain amount. The merchant, who was one of the men Mirana had researched previously, would want that shipment for himself, and would head over to talk to Dorquis – in fact, from the look Mirana saw on his face across the room, he was on the way to do that right now. In order to undersell Horgt, the merchant would have to offer the baron a shipment of Vituperate ion cannons, which he had been stockpiling for months in order to drive up the market price. And, if Mirana had done her research properly, Ruggles Girx needed the ion cannons even more than Horgt Enterprises did. With any luck at all, someone in that convoluted set of business deals would get word to Girx about what was going on, and the party's host would come down to capitalize on the opportunity. And hopefully no one would think to trace that bit of information back four levels of indirection to Mirana. Her heart raced as she paced the room, trying not to let her nervousness show. There were a lot of uncontrollable variables in play here, with no way to really track whether the plan was working out. After a few minutes, though, Mirana could tell that Girx was wrapping up his conversation. She started slowly to the staircase.

Girx was moving slowly through the crowd on the upper level, stopping to greet individual guests, but moving steadily toward the top of the stairs. Mirana pretended to study a chandelier as she started up. Girx smiled as various guests said hello. He greeted them politely, but kept moving. Mirana slowed a bit to time things right and edged away from the center, then started moving again. Girx was halfway across the landing in the center of the staircase when Mirana took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"It's so nice to meet you!" she said, pulling him to face her before he really noticed that she was there.

"I'm sorry, but I need to meet with..."

"Just a quick question, Mirana said, leaning in close, Girx's hand still clasped in hers. "Where did Trelan Thendrak find the Matrix Crystal?"

Girx stopped trying to move away, but his eyes narrowed. "My dear lady," he said quietly. "Whatever would make you think I would have information like that?"

"There's a six-month period of missing files in the Imperial Council's records that show fake data about Thendrak's travels just before he started training the other Holders. Information about you has also been erased for that period. But I met some people on Nirga that saw you with them on multiple occasions. I think you were transporting them."

"That doesn't mean I know where he got the Crystals."

"No, but here's the thing: _I_ think you know. And if you don't tell me, or if you lie, the results would be... bad for business."

He chuckled mirthlessly. "Is that a _threat_?"

"No," Mirana replied calmly. " _I_ am a threat." And with that, she glanced downward toward their clasped hands. Girx followed her gaze and went instantly pale. The skin on his arm had disappeared, and the muscle was fading as well. It wasn't bleeding; Mirana knew that he wasn't even feeling pain. But the man was clearly terrified. "Don't try to alert anyone if you want to leave here safely," Mirana warned, her voice almost a whisper. "I'll fix it when we're done. Just answer my question."

Girx looked back into her eyes, straining as if to figure out who it was he was talking to. "Please," was all he could manage. "Not here. He'll kill me."

Mirana nodded understandingly, forcing a smile for the benefit of anyone watching. She was tempted to let him take her outside so her escape would be simpler when this was finished, but she could not allow Girx any time to reconsider. "Just tell me the location, and I'm gone," she said.

"It's not that simple," insisted with a hint of panic. He looked back down and saw nothing left of his forearm but bone and blood vessels.

"Enlighten me."

"He... he saw it in a dream." Mirana remained impassive, but her heart was racing. Someone would eventually notice what she was doing with Girx's arm, but she could not really rush him, either. "Stars," Girx continued. "He told me about it – he described their movement and their location precisely. I pinpointed the location that would be able to observe the constellations he was describing, but there was no planet there. Not even a nearby star system. Nothing."

"But Thendrak went anyway."

Girx nodded. "He had me take him. I guess he figured I could cover our tracks better than he could. We went to the spot and there was nothing, but then he closed his eyes and started giving me instructions. We were moving around in empty space, and then all of a sudden everything lit up, and then we were in orbit around a planet. I have no idea where we were at that point; scanners showed nothing except the planet and a nearby star. Space was empty beyond that."

"Is that where he got the other Crystals?"

"Thendrak never said what he did down there. And we never went back – at least I never took him. It was years before he gave the Crystals to the others."

"He never told you how he got his power in the first place?" Girx shook his head emphatically. "Where did he take you?" She let the Shadow Plasma inside Girx's arm flare a bit, sending heat into normal space. The pain caused him to wince as he started to speak; hopefully that would ensure he didn't have time to fabricate a lie.

"About ten light years hubward of Deltarion. I don't know if the spot was orbiting the galactic core or a particular star or what – even if I..."

He kept talking, but Mirana had decided that this was all the information she was going to get out of him. She wasn't happy about it, but she needed to start her exit before Girx realized what she was doing.

There was quick humming sound, and Mirana's feet raised a few centimeters off the floor as her clothing pressed in close to her body, splitting the lower fringe of the tunic and pinning it to her pant legs. At the same instant, Girx belted out the command, "Kill her!"

Immediately laser fire erupted from two snipers and three or four wall-mounted lasers. The blasts deflected off of the air just short of Mirana's skin. Her eyes went cold as she abandoned any pretense of cordiality. Grabbing Girx around the collar, she lifted him off the ground with more strength than she should have had. When she spoke, her voice came out as a menacing hiss. "You have made a very poor choice," she said, taking a bit of pleasure at the look of terror in his eyes. He was hyperventilating; she had been right to make him talk before showing him just what she could do. But there was no time to celebrate now; more laser fire erupted against her invisible suit, and additional security officers were closing on her.

"Enough!" The Shadow Master's voice silenced everyone in the room. Many guests backed away into various hallways; evidently the party was coming to an end. That was fine with Mirana, but she did not want Girx sealing the entrance; it would be just too much of a hassle to have to fight her way out of this place alone. She sent the Shadow Plasma through Girx, once again making everything fade to invisibility except his bones. "Tell them to stop," she ordered as he watched his skeleton appear.

"Stop!" he cried. "Cease fire!" The snipers stopped shooting, no doubt already dismayed that their attacks had failed to kill their apparently-unprotected target.

"Take us outside." Mirana was still holding Girx in the air with his feet dangling helplessly, but he managed a frantic nod. She dropped him to the floor and let his body reappear. In the same motion, Mirana herself vanished completely. "Move."

Girx stumbled down the stairs, looking around but not daring to speak. Whenever he slowed, Mirana jabbed him in the back with her metal glove, and he hurried forward again. No one stopped them; the guests backed away in apprehension, and the security guards apparently sensed that Girx was in danger. Presumably, they overestimated the actual danger; Mirana had no intention of actually harming the man. But she would certainly make him uncomfortable if he resisted. Fortunately, Girx was anxious enough to get the Shadow Master away from him that he was willing to at least postpone his plans for her death.

They slowed as they reached the front doors. They were closed, and about ten guards stood ready across the front of the room, their weapons trained on the space around their employer. The guards could not see Mirana, but they correctly guessed that she must be somewhere close. Mirana elbowed Girx in the back. Although the doors themselves were made of wood, Mirana knew that a concealed bulkhead and maybe a force field were reinforcing them from within and behind. "Tell them to open it."

"Let us out," he said obediently. But his voice was more resigned than authoritative. Evidently the men were waiting for some further sign or code word, because they remained still.

"You have violated the terms of entry," one of the guards said, looking around the room. "Show yourself and allow Mr. Girx to leave the room. If anything happens to him, we _will_ kill you."

Some of the men were carrying rocket launchers. They clearly wouldn't fire with their master so close, but Mirana would have a tough time getting out of this if she lost her prisoner. Maybe she could talk them down, but now that her cover was blown, she had a reputation to uphold. Who would back down from the Shadow Master if she could be stopped at the door by some simple security guards? The men were starting to move forward, and Mirana sighed; her time was up. Why, why did people always have to make things so complicated?

She knocked Girx to the floor with a quick blow to his shoulder, then darted toward one of the men holding a rocket launcher. Her fist collided with his face before he even knew he was in danger, and the weapon dropped to the floor. Mirana dashed back over to Girx's position and fired Shadow beams from her hands, throwing two more men to the ground. The black energy gave away her position, but she wanted them to know that she was still close to their leader; if they started firing rockets, things would end badly. More laser fire deflected off of her armor, but the damage meter was still in a tolerable range. She dashed toward another man, picked him up with the suit's augmented strength, and threw him into another guard; both collapsed in a struggling heap.

Girx had managed to gain his feet now, and Mirana rushed back toward him. She let a cloud of darkness form around her to give shape to the man's fear. She parted the Shadow field in two slits along her glowing red visor, giving the impression of eyes in her dark, ethereal form. She grabbed Girx by the throat and lifted him until his toes just barely touched the ground. "I have had enough," came her mechanical hiss. "I have given you the chance to part peacefully, but if you do not open this door immediately, I will find my own way out, and I will not bother with doors and windows. I will _destroy_ this fortress of yours. _If_ you survive, everything you own will be lost." The guards had ceased their attack, but just to drive her point home, she extended her free hand and sent out another Shadow bolt, knocking an additional man to the ground. Finally, the sound of moving metal behind her told Mirana that whatever seals had protected the front doors were being removed. She looked back to see them swing open. "Move," she ordered again, and Girx resumed his obedient march.

As soon as they were outside, Mirana opened a com link. "Ablithra," she said, "Come and get me."

"Yes, Miss Kelar. Tractor beam?" came the very professional reply.

"Yes. And fly low; I don't want to give them a lot of time to react. If anyone tries to stop me, destroy them."

"Understood. On my way down."

As she had learned shortly after stealing _Nemesis_ from the Sigma Omicron shipyard, its Shadow field could remain active for a time without Mirana aboard, as long as the field was maintained continuously. But while no one saw the ship coming, the sound of its graviton thrusters as it descended over the garden was enough to shake the trees. Ruggles Girx shivered as he looked up apprehensively, probably feeling more humble than he ever had in his life. "Keep walking."

"Just let me go," Girx pleaded. The desperation in his voice was moving Mirana to genuine pity by this point, and she knew that life wasn't going to get much easier on him once she left, now that he had been so roughly dealt with in front of everyone. But then, he had been the one to attack first. In any case, Girx's problems were well out of Mirana's hands now. A sudden rushing wind sent dirt and leaves launching into the sky as a tractor beam locked onto Mirana and lifted her upward, leaving the mansion grounds and their terrified leader behind. No weapons fire traced her ascent. Mirana was not surprised; no ground forces wanted to be shot at from a starship at close range, even one as small as _Nemesis_. In moments, Girx's mansion and his cursed party were left behind and forgotten.

As soon as she was in the landing bay and _Nemesis_ was headed back into space, Mirana hurried to the pricom, visible again and with her helmet off. The crew saluted her, but she ignored the gesture; she could see the need for them to maintain the discipline they had learned as part of their training, but Mirana still had trouble thinking of herself as part of a crew. She definitely didn't want to be called "captain."

"Heading?" Ablithra asked curtly. Her entire appearance radiated efficiency – the hair pulled into a tight bun, the tight-lipped expression. Even her clothing looked like she had gone to some extraordinary effort to make all the edges sharp and the surfaces stiff. Mirana had not figured out whether Ablithra's stiffness was simply a matter of professional pride or of apprehension. It would certainly be understandable if it turned out to be the latter, of course. Leaving the military had been a risky career move for a formerly-Anacronian lieutenant, now that Marvis Harvey was in charge of the whole fleet. If things didn't work out here, there might not be a spot waiting for her if she tried to return. And similarly, there was probably a certain amount of prestige to working aboard _Nemesis;_ it was possible that Ablithra was anxious about other people trying to replace her. Actually, Mirana was quite satisfied with her selection of a crew, but that didn't necessarily mean that it would be a good idea to tell them that.

Ablithra was still waiting patiently; Mirana didn't have a quick answer to her question. She fidgeted with her fingers, calculating. "He said the spot was near Deltarion, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly where. Even if we go there now and find something, we might end up giving ourselves away. We might get in so deep we can't go back for reinforcements without losing everything."

"Shields and weapons are at full capacity," Ablithra observed.

"Yes, but I think there might be might be one other thing we should pick up first. Head toward Orviria." The navigation officer started typing at the console.

"Orviria is not really on the way to Deltarion." There was no hint of a question or criticism in Ablithra's voice; she was merely offering information. Mirana smiled.

"I have some calculations to make before I can give you a proper heading to our target. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

"Aye."

Mirana cringed a little inside as she left the pricom – what kind of a word was "aye?" There was no helping it, though. Mirana had forbidden the crew from calling her "Captain" or "Ma'am", and repeating the phrase "Miss Kelar" every time she gave an order would be even more tedious than "aye." In the end though, Mirana had to smile. This was the first time she had worked with a team that never complained when she gave them obscure directions without any hint of an explanation. Maybe this "captain" thing would work out after all.

### Chapter 4

Kayleen rolled over in protest as her morning alarm went off, but then she remembered where she was and smiled. Off of Palandora. On her way to regain her power. The prospect was so exciting that she sprang out of bed even though she didn't have anything in particular to do at the moment. It was the second day of a journey Nakmar had told her would take about a week, although he had refused to tell her where they were going. He had also insisted that Kayleen remain on the habitation decks of the ship, apart from the crew and any control stations; only the serving staff would be interacting with them until they reached their next stop, wherever that was. Kayleen did not mind the passenger status though; the amenities on Nakmar's ship were more than sufficient to keep her comfortable for a week.

On the first morning, she had started out with an exercise routine as a matter of habit, but on a whim she decided to skip it today. After all, her health would be guaranteed soon enough. Instead she ate some ridiculously sweet pastries from her room's food locker while she contemplated her plans for the day. By all accounts there was no need for planning; Nakmar had repeatedly encouraged her to relax, since there would be plenty of work to do soon enough. But as much as Kayleen appreciated some vacation time, it seemed like a waste to just sit there for days at a time. And frankly, she could not understand how Nakmar could walk around like everything was normal when he could command the Plasma, the loss of which Kayleen had mourned every day for years. That power was special, almost sacred. It demanded to be used.

But there was more than one kind of power, Kayleen knew, and she was determined to use anything at her disposal to get what she wanted. And right now, what she wanted was information; the two of them had spent a lot of time reminiscing about their university days and the people they had known then, but Nakmar had avoided any reference to his more recent past. Kayleen was wise enough not to push the matter, but she was not going to just give up on learning more. So she picked a stylish outfit from her wardrobe, curled her hair, and – for the first time in longer than she could remember – put on makeup. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was almost disappointed in how non-intimidating she looked, but she nodded to herself in satisfaction. This would work for today.

Kayleen made her way to a lounge area, where she found Nakmar sprawled on a couch, watching a broadcast of some kind on a portable screen. He looked up and smiled at her when she entered, and she flashed a smile back. "Good morning!" She put all the bubbliness she could muster into her voice. "Analyzing battle plans already?"

"No," Nakmar said with a chuckle, putting down his tablet. "I was watching Zlerg Ralsh. That guy is hilarious. And I was waiting for you."

Kayleen walked around the couch and perched sideways next to Nakmar, her knee just inches from his leg and her chin resting on her hand. "I had fun yesterday. I'm rusty at racquetball, but I'll beat you next time. And that food – I can't remember when I've had such a good meal."

"I'm glad you liked it."

"Have you been living like this the whole time? I mean, I'm fairly wealthy, but I've never found time for much of a vacation."

Nakmar shrugged. "More or less, I guess. I've been busy too, but showing off your opulence is part of maintaining the proper image in my line of work."

"And what is that, exactly? Now, I mean."

He chuckled again. "I honestly don't know how to answer that. Viper has asked me for reports on random subjects, and I've smuggled a few supplies, but mostly I've been waiting for him to be ready for... whatever. So, what do you want to do today? We could do that rematch now, if you want."

"No, I'm already showered. I haven't watched Zlerg Ralsh in a while, though. Let's see what he has to say." She patted his leg as she said it, then sat back into the couch as Nakmar put the show up on the room's main screen. Then she waited, only half concentrating on Ralsh's comedy routine. She knew that if she pressed Nakmar for more information now he would throw up his guard and avoid her, but she had planted the seed. Now it was time to be agreeable and make him comfortable before she tried again.

Over the course of the morning, she made it a point to tap him a couple more times, once on the elbow and once on the shoulder. She laughed when he made jokes, and she was always the first one to lapse into silence in a conversation. She was quick to note that Nakmar was spending pretty much all his time with her; he seemed to take no interest in running his ship, or any other outside activity for that matter. Whether that was by choice or by assignment, she was not sure yet. But in either case, Kayleen was enjoying herself. She spent some time studying political reports and a few recent news items, but mostly she found reasons to chat with Nakmar about anything other than his assignment. They had dinner together again, and this time Kayleen managed to get him to tell him of some of his business ventures. The stories were not pleasant; it had taken a lot of ruthless dealings to get him where he was now, but it was nothing Kayleen had not seen herself. The important thing was that he was opening up to her. After dessert, Kayleen announced that she was tired and was ready to turn in for the night, and to her satisfaction she noted that Nakmar looked disappointed. He got up and walked with her down the corridor.

"It won't be much longer," he said almost apologetically. "And after we arrive, I think I can promise that life will get a lot more exciting."

"I'm just glad I don't have to make the trip alone," she said with a smile. "It's nice to have someone to pass the time with. She tossed her hair and held his gaze.

"I'm glad, too, he said. It's... a nice change."

She was silent for a moment, and she could feel the wheels in his head spinning. Very consciously, she moved toward him just a little and then said "Good night" just as he started to lean toward her. Then she reached back to key the door open and stepped backward into her room. He was still watching her when the door closed between them. Kayleen smiled. It had been a long time since she had needed tactics like this to manipulate someone. But it was working perfectly.

On the morning of the third day, Kayleen beat Nakmar soundly at racquetball, then let him win once to recover his pride. When they were done, she made a remark about how exhausting it was and how thirsty she felt, and when Nakmar agreed, she splashed him with some water from her bottle. He was clearly annoyed, but he smiled and forced a laugh. The fact that she could irritate him without getting him angry was a very good sign. He was almost ready. It was a good thing, too; being cooped up on this ship with no work to do was really starting to bore Kayleen, but they watched a couple of movies, and the day passed quickly enough. When the last movie ended and the screen went dark, they once again found themselves next to each other on the couch, this time with the room lit only by candles. Kayleen rested her elbow right next to Nakmar as she turned to him.

"You know what I don't get?"

Nakmar smiled. Kayleen had the distinct impression that anything she said would come across as fascinating. She was playing her hand now, and she knew she might not get a second chance. She chose her words carefully. "I don't get why Viper didn't come for me sooner. I mean, wouldn't I have been just as useful then as I am now?"

"Well he wasn't ready that much sooner. He only contacted me a few months ago."

"Still, I hope you don't mind if I'm a little jealous. You know, with you carrying around something I've lost."

"Well, it won't be long-"

"I know, I know. But we're still talking a couple of days, right? Can't you just show me a little of what you can do?"

"Probably nothing compared to what you did, I imagine."

"Oh, come on." She gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Now you're just dodging me."

"Yes, I'm afraid I am. Viper made it clear how important it is for me to keep my power secret."

"Well can you at least tell me about it then? What does it do? How does it feel when you use it?"

"It feels amazing," he admitted. It's like reaching beyond space itself, touching a legacy left by an entire empire. And it's so... well, _powerful_."

Kayleen smiled and leaned back, eyes closed as she remembered the feeling. "And the fear in people's eyes. They can tell you're something more than they are."

"Well I don't know about that yet, but consuming something in fire generated by nothing but _me_ – it's wonderful."

"So it's the same as the Blast Plasma, then? The power to destroy things?"

Nakmar pulled his lips tight as if debating whether to continue, but Kayleen gave him an innocent, fascinated look. "It's not quite the same. You have to understand, the Plasma Crystals were a key into a huge reservoir of power. Without them, Viper could only rely on the connection that had become a part of him. It took him a long time to recover its use, but in the process he learned about the nature of the Plasma. He tried to explain it to me a little, but it was kind of over my head. But from what I understand, the Blast Plasma turned out to be too complicated for Viper to replicate, so he tried something simpler. He tried to access the part of the Plasma Matrix that was tied to heat. See, the Plasma is organized into a matrix that corresponds to everything in real space. You know, an order. A set of patterns. All particles move around to some degree, and we call that motion 'heat.' The Plasma is tied to that pattern of movement just like it's tied to everything else. By isolating that part of the Plasma Matrix, Viper was able to isolate the Plasmic power associated with heat. He calls it Flame Plasma."

"Uh... _huh._ "

Nakmar was getting excited as he spoke. "Flame Plasma is the essence of heat. In some ways it has an advantage over Blast Plasma, precisely because it's more basic. I can create hot Plasma, like you saw on Palandora. But it's not just that. To whatever extent something's hot, it falls under my power. Heat can't hurt me. And that means that most weapons can't hurt me. They actually make me stronger. I don't need a Crystal to access a reservoir of stored-up power because the universe is _full_ of the energy that gives me power!"

Kayleen had not understood all of the details of what she had just heard, but it was clear that the power she was being offered would give her at least as much of an opportunity as what she had enjoyed before. She was silent for a moment, letting it all sink in. "That's amazing," she said finally. She had abandoned all efforts at manipulation by this point, and the longing look she gave Nakmar was sincere. "I can't wait."

"You're going to love it," Nakmar said with an encouraging smile.

"No, really. I _can't wait_. You've got to show me. I've already seen a little, so another demonstration can't hurt."

He shook his head, withdrawing into himself a little. "Viper was insistent. He wants to be the one to explain things. I haven't been with him for long, but it's been long enough to know the consequences of defying him."

"Listen. Nakmar. I might have been out of it for a while, but I do know Dark Viper. He _values_ the use of power. Think about it – we're talking about a man who changed his name to remind people what he can do. You need to let him see you finding ways to use your abilities."

"He has been training me," Nakmar said, a little defensively.

"That's not what I'm talking about. The Plasma isn't a tool you pull out of your belt, or even a weapon you draw when an enemy appears. It's a part of you. You have to _make_ it a part of you by the way you use it. For example..." Kayleen looked around the room. "There. Those candles. How did you light those?"

"How? The servants-"

"No. _No._ Someone who can conjure fire does _not_ have servants light candles." She started to get up, looking around for something to extinguish the flames with.

"Kayleen, stop!" Nakmar sounded angry for the first time, and Kayleen sat back down, feeling a little unsettled by the unexpected outburst. "You need to listen. What am I supposed to tell the servants if I end up melting the whole candlestick? Or the table? I know you're excited and curious, but there is more going on here than I can tell you, and you're just going to have to wait for Viper to explain things. That was the deal from the beginning."

She took a deep breath and looked away, disappointed but realizing that it was useless to press things. At least she had gotten some information out of him, though. Really, it was hard to be upset on the brink of such a major opportunity. "Okay," she said. "I'm sorry. And thank you for explaining things a little. You can't imagine how long it's been since anyone has told me anything I found really interesting."

Nakmar smiled again; apparently her apology had dismissed his fear of torture, or whatever he was convinced Viper would do to him if he used the power again. "It's been nice for me too," he said. "Having you around, I mean. I think we're going to have a lot of fun."

"Really?" Her voice was almost a whisper, and she flashed a playful smile.

"Fun _working_ ," he clarified, but he moved toward her as he said it.

"I don't know," she said, holding his gaze. "I'm not sure how good we are at communic-"

His lips were on hers before she could finish.

The rest of the day passed quickly, now that they were on kissing terms. Kayleen made a game out of Nakmar's interest in her. She made excuses to leave when he tried to make plans and showed up unexpectedly when he got involved with something else. But mostly, she just enjoyed this exciting change in the dynamic of the trip; Nakmar's overt affection mixed with the lavish food and total lack of responsibility made the whole journey start to feel like a real vacation. When she went to bed that night, she dreamt of being enveloped in yellow fire while her enemies scrambled away from her in terror.

In the morning, she popped out of bed before her alarm sounded, already eager to face the day. She quickly got ready and met Nakmar for breakfast, but she could immediately tell that something had changed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, sliding her hand across his shoulder as she sat down next to him.

"Nothing, but I need to head out to the pricom for a while. We're getting close, and we're going to have a crew change. You know, so not too many people know where we're headed."

"Okay. And I assume that includes me, even though I'm obviously going to find out where it is before I come back from there."

"Just a little longer, I promise."

They ate breakfast, but Nakmar remained distant, and Kayleen started feeling concerned about what could be bothering him now that they were apparently entering Viper's own territory. Was Nakmar afraid of Viper for some reason? She supposed she could not blame him; she had been trembling in fear herself just a few days ago. The thought kept pestering her as the day wore on, and she had to admit that her own reunion with the former Emperor might turn out to be a bit awkward too. After all, even though he apparently wanted her as a servant, she couldn't just assume that he would completely overlook her earlier defeat. But if he demanded repayment for his loss, Kayleen was happy to rectify that failure. Crushing Viper's enemies would be a pleasure. And soon, Nakmar would see that too.

Lunchtime found Kayleen reading alone on a ridiculously soft armchair; Nakmar had disappeared about an hour ago, although there had been no reason to ask where. But Kayleen was getting hungry, so she reached over to call him for lunch. When he failed to respond, she started pacing the deck, poking into the various rooms where she figured he might have gotten distracted. Of course it was more likely that he had stepped out into the operations section of the ship. That would by no means be out of the ordinary, but for some reason Kayleen did not feel like eating alone today.

She was just going to call him again when the entire ship shuddered as if it had struck something. The tremor was followed by a few more, and then everything was still again. Kayleen stood motionless for a moment, looking around in growing concern. A ship's inertial dampers should prevent its passengers from feeling the effects of its motion, and if they were under attack, the shields should have absorbed any weapons impact, at least for a while. Nakmar would have told her if they were in danger, wouldn't he?

When a minute passed with no further tremors, Kayleen calmed down, but now her curiosity was burning again. She was done being cooped up here like some tourist. It was time to find out what was going on. Bracing herself for Nakmar's inevitable reaction, Kayleen turned around and made her way deliberately toward the lift pod that Nakmar had used to leave the habitation decks. She reached the lift pod and pounded the com button. "Nakmar! I'm coming down! Send up the lift!"

She waited in silence for a moment, feeling silly. In all likelihood, only a crewmember would have heard her, and that was assuming anyone was even at the post. From here, Kayleen did not even have access to shipwide communications. So, determined as she was to find out what was going on, there was still nothing she could do but stand there and wait.

Fortunately, the lift signaled someone approaching after just a few minutes. The doors slid open, and Nakmar looked at her a little apologetically. He did however, seem a little less stressed than he had that morning. "I'm sorry that took so long. It's this new crew. They're... not the easiest group to be around. We're strapped into a warp booster harness, so we should be able to make the rest of the trip quickly."

Nakmar obstinately refused to tell Kayleen anything about their situation or his recent past, and Kayleen finally gave up trying to push him. Instead, she made sure to take advantage of all the ship's amenities. It really was relaxing, but she supposed that no matter how enjoyable a vacation was, coming home was always a little exciting too. And she really did feel that finally, after years of mourning and days of waiting, she was on her way home.

When they finally docked and Nakmar announced that she was free to leave the ship, Kayleen jumped breathlessly to her feet, dropping a datapad and a donut to the floor without another thought. Her expression hardened as she reconstructed the expression she always showed the outside world, but even the steely look on her face could not completely hide her excitement. Nakmar hurried after her to the lift pod, and they started down toward the entrance hatch.

"You'll have to get used to the crew," Nakmar warned. "And don't be surprised... Viper has... changed a little since you last met him."

"Changed? How?"

"Nothing important. You'll see." He was smiling, but even now Kayleen found his secrecy infuriating.

When the pod opened at the bottom, Kayleen stepped out, then turned as she realized Nakmar was not following her.

"This is where we part for now," he explained. "Viper wants to handle the rest himself."

Kayleen walked back to Nakmar, feeling strangely sad to be leaving him so abruptly. "Thank you for the trip," she said. "I look forward to our next one. On the pricom."

"With the Plasma," Nakmar promised with a smile.

Kayleen kissed him hard, then stepped back to take a final look. She nodded once, then turned and hurried down the corridor.

### Chapter 5

Before he knew what had happened, the month had passed Ned by and final exams were just around the corner. He was well-enough prepared that he felt confident he could do well on them, but he still had a lot of studying to do before he could rest. The good news was that he had been accepted into the Aerospace Engineering department, so his goal of a degree seemed much closer now than it had earlier. Stepping out of the building after his last class of the day, Ned noticed that the weather was getting warmer. It had rained for the past few weeks, but the skies were starting to clear now. It was a beautiful day.

Ned was hungry, and he still had an hour and a half before he needed to start work, so he decided to stop by his apartment. It was a nice walk; trees lined the street, and the lawn on either side was freshly cut. He walked the few blocks to where he lived, climbed the steps to the door, and took an elevator up.

His apartment was, of course, a mess. It was not that Ned did not like being orderly; he actually preferred things to be neat. But there just hadn't been time. He walked into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich, then sat down at the table and inhaled the food. It was no surprise that the apartment looked so bad. It had been hard enough finding time to eat.

"Word," called Jeff, his roommate, as he pushed open the front door and dropped his gym bag on the ground. Ned said hello as Jeff collapsed on the couch. "I talked to that blonde chick at the gym today," Jeff said. "I was like 'hi,' and she was like 'hi', and I was like 'I'm Jeff', and she was like 'congratulations!'" Ned laughed, but Jeff scowled. "And then I was all, like, what? So I said 'Yeah,' and I asked her her name, and she said 'Have we met?' and I was like 'I'm Jeff', and she just totally walked off! I didn't even get a chance to ask her out!"

Ned gave him a sympathetic smile. "She was probably a jerk," he offered.

"Yeah maybe, but she was like a model or something!"

"A model of what?" Jeff had received a text message, so he didn't respond. Ned wasn't sure why it was so imperative to talk to someone just because she looked like she made her living standing in front of a camera. But then again, that was the nature of college – if you didn't worry about the minute details of your life, no matter how insignificant, then you were stuck spending all your time worrying about your classes and your future, and no one wanted that. Besides, Ned's current situation was not that much more profound than Jeff's was.

"So what about that girl from your history class?"

Ned smiled again. "Yeah, a bunch of us are going out to that new Italian place tonight. You can come if you want."

"Nah, I'm working late."

Ned had managed to get a shift that didn't include Friday nights, which on the surface was convenient, but it also meant that he had a weekly decision to make that challenged the very fiber of his character: Did he use the time to study, or did he seize the opportunity to relax and socialize? Lately the studying had won out most of the time, but a group of students he had been studying with had decided that it was time to investigate a new restaurant in the area. It was kind of a date thing, and Ned wasn't seeing anyone, but he had spent enough time outside of class talking to a girl from his Renaissance history class named Laina that he had managed to ask her to come along without too much awkwardness. So for the first time in months, he had a date, and he was kind of looking forward to it.

"You know what I'm going to do next time I see that girl?" Jeff asked thoughtfully.

"What?"

"I'm going to tell her she has nice hair."

"Good idea," Ned said politely.

"There is absolutely no justification for putting vegetables on pizza", Frank declared emphatically. "Vegetables are healthy. And if you want to eat healthy food, you don't eat pizza. Therefore, if you are eating pizza you should not be eating vegetables."

"Vegetables aren't the problem," Tracy argued. "They lend texture. The problem is this so-called 'Hawaiian' junk. Fruit should never be cooked."

"I still say we should have gotten the _cesos_ ," Guillermo insisted. He refused to translate the word, though, and no one trusted the look of the whitish, chunky topping pictured on the menu.

Ned had to smile. A week ago this same group had been cramming for tests, and a few days from now they would all be doing it again – but for now, the mutual (if unspoken) plan to ignore the world was working out perfectly, as evidenced by this conversation. Ned took another bite of his pizza – a politically safe pepperoni – and glanced sideways at Laina, who had been relatively silent and was now studying a decoration on the wall opposite them. Ned suspected that she was accustomed to a slightly deeper level of conversation, even on a Friday night. He quickly scanning his memory for a potential conversation to bring up again. "Have you heard from your brother?" he asked her.

She turned and smiled. "He got the job," she said. "They're not paying him much until he gets more experience, but he's happy to be in the door."

"That's got to be a relief," Ned commented, his thoughts involuntarily drifting to his own future and how nice it would be to have a real job instead of just a potential degree. _None of that_ , he corrected himself. Time for another topic.

"I read this article yesterday," Ned said, and Laina smiled, clearly content to let the others argue about whether the school's lacrosse team had a chance in its upcoming game. He found her attention flattering, and even though he was being careful to avoid anything that could be construed as a relationship – he had learned that lesson the hard way – Laina was unignorably pretty, and it was a little distracting. "He was convinced that global warming was being caused by daylight savings. He said the extra hour of daylight is obviously heating up the Earth."

Laina laughed, then brought her hand to her forehead, wincing as if in pain. "That is wrong on so many levels!"

"I know! I so wish I could go explain things to that guy!"

"It's kind of like my grandma – my mom says she was always warning the kids of dragonflies, saying they would sew your lips shut if they got too close."

"Wow. How would that idea even get started?"

"Well duh – they look like needles!"

They both laughed as they recalled other terrible ideas they had heard of. It was somehow cathartic to know that someone else in the world had less of a grasp on it than they did, even if it was frustrating to not be able to go and set things straight.

"That garlic chicken stuff is not pizza." It was Jill, a computer science major and evidently not a sports fan. "Pizza by definition consists of crust and cheese with tomato sauce in the middle, and optional toppings."

"What would you call it?"

"It doesn't matter; just not pizza."

"It's a red-deficient spiced meat pastry," Ned offered, reaching out to grab a slice of an Eddie's Supreme. There were peppers on it, but no one objected. "You know," he commented to Laina, "I'm going to feel pretty old if I ever feel full after fewer than four slices of pizza." She chuckled, although Ned did notice that she had a salad on her plate. Kind of odd for a college student, but probably not a bad idea. Jill started talking to Laina about some new music group, and conversations fragmented as everyone took advantage of the restaurant's buffet. When he wasn't actively talking, Ned sat back and thought about how great it was to be here, surrounded by friends who were more or less happy, facing only what his mom had often referred to as "first-world problems." There really was nothing to complain about when you had an interesting date and unlimited pizza. Eventually the conversations lulled as the drive to gorge themselves wore off.

"Hey, Phantom Slime Goons" is playing this week," Maneesh mentioned, drawing excited comments from around the table, and people started getting ready to leave.

Ned caught Laina's eye as he was filling out the check, and it was obvious she wasn't any more interested in the movie than he was. "There's that new ice cream place by the print shop," he said. "That cookie dough stuff isn't going to eat itself."

"Sounds good," Laina said, looking a little relieved, and after some parting comments and polite refusals to join the group for the Slime Goon escapade, Ned and Laina were successfully out the door.

The bus system was good enough that almost no one on campus bothered owning a car. It cost less, it bypassed the hassle of dealing with traffic, and a bit of extra walking was hardly a bad thing. The sun was already setting due to the late start to dinner, and the bus stop was several blocks away, but the air was still warm, and once they got off the bus it would be just a short walk to the ice cream place.

"That's a beautiful sky," Laina remarked as they walked. Ned followed her gaze and admired the pinkish hues along the horizon, accompanied by the crescent moon that was starting to glow as the sun's diminishing light gave room for the night sky. "Venus," Laina said, looking at the bright dot not far from the retreating sun. "Do you think people will ever go there?"

Ned was surprised by the question, but then Laina _was_ pretty into science. "I don't know," Ned admitted. "It would be pretty expensive and really dangerous, but it would also be really cool if they did it." He did not voice his other thought: that he himself had been tempted to explore the Solar system once, on his way back from Anacron space. He had wanted to fly past the rings of Saturn or land on Mars, just for a moment. But even then, he had felt like his experiences away from Earth had made him an outsider; he had decided that those "firsts" belonged to real explorers, people who would someday leave Earth on human ingenuity rather than random, alien-assisted circumstance.

A cool breeze blew as the street passed between two tall buildings, and Laina took Ned's arm, stepping close as if to keep warm. The motion drew Ned's gaze, and she met his look with a smile. "It really is a nice night," he said, only partially in response to her earlier comment about the sky. "Do you have any plans for after finals?"

Laina smiled, looking up as if to draw ideas out of the stars. "My cousin's coming up for the week, so I'm going to show her around. Not that there's that much to see around here." Ned helped her come up with some tourist-y ideas, but mostly he just enjoyed the sound of her voice and her hand on his arm and the fresh air.

There was no reason to notice the two men walking down the sidewalk toward them until they were right on top of them. Then the men stopped abruptly, causing Ned's breath to catch in his throat in sudden panic. One of the men pulled out a knife. "Give me your wallet," he growled with a menacing glare at Ned. The other one grinned at Laina, and she looked at Ned in sudden fear. She let go of him and took a step back.

"Okay," Ned said, slowly reaching for his wallet. Everyone knew you weren't supposed to resist armed robbers. Especially with other people around. And surely the meager amount of cash in his wallet was not worth revealing the Plasma over, was it? His hand closed around his wallet, but the motion felt sluggish. Was he really doing this? Was the most powerful person on Earth really willing to let himself be robbed just so he could stay hidden?

His thoughts must have slowed him down, because abruptly the man with the knife took a step forward. "I said give me your wallet!" he shouted. At the same instant, his companion reached forward and grabbed Laina by the hair, yanking her close to the knife that suddenly appeared in his other hand. He muttered some derogatory comment about her skin color, but the only thing Ned noticed was the look in her eyes. She was in terror. All of a sudden a sick feeling formed in the pit of Ned's stomach, and then everything inside him caught fire.

His arms stretched out, and bolts of blue light erupted from his hands in a thundering rush of power. They caught both men in the chest and slammed them several feet backwards until they landed hard on the pavement; Laina stumbled to the ground as her attacker's hand was wrenched out of her hair. Then Ned was surprised by the sound of gunfire. Several bullets deflected harmlessly off his body, and he turned to see an additional man who had emerged from a nearby alley, plus a fourth on a nearby rooftop. Ned looked toward Laina, who was stumbling backward toward a building wall, shock evident on her face. He extended a faint blue shield around her, then gathered the power around himself. He smiled as he attacked. An almost-casual bolt of energy knocked out the shooter on the rooftop, and the fourth man turned back to the alley. But Ned was not through with him. He sent the Plasma through the ground to erupt into a wall of fire, blocking the man's retreat. The man stopped short of the eerie flames and turned around, only to find Ned right in his face. Ned's hand clamped around the man's throat, blue fire burning along it and just deep enough into his skin to hold him still. He started to shake a little, but Ned wanted him conscious. Ned's voice came out more harshly than he had ever heard it. "If I ever hear of you trying something like this again, I _will_ find you. I will _not_ be so kind next time. Do you understand?" The man made a feeble attempt to nod his head as he strained against the involuntary contractions in his throat. Then Ned let the power flare a bit, and the man dropped to the ground, unconscious. The street was still.

Blue light still surged along his arms for a moment as he took a moment to catch his breath. It had felt wonderful. Finally, after all this time, his power had meant something! Then he turned to find Laina. She was unharmed of course, but she was staring at Ned with almost as much terror as she had shown before he had rescued her. He forced the power down with some reluctance as he glanced around, almost hoping to find another attacker. When he was sure there was none, he walked over to her. "It's okay," he said, reaching out to put a hand on her arm. She backed up a little, and Ned stopped. He had seen that look before.

"Are they..." she began, looking down at one of the fallen men.

"They're still alive," Ned reassured her. Somehow, he knew it was true – he could feel the Plasmic ether pulsing with their life. He had never used the Plasma to stun anyone, but somehow it had been intuitive to send just the right amount of energy into their nerves to knock them out. It was a little disturbing, now that Ned thought about it.

"Let's go," he said, and Laina let him take her arm and lead her in the direction of the bus stop. She didn't say anything, and Ned was afraid of what would happen if he said the wrong thing, so he was silent too. "Are you okay?" he asked after a few minutes. Laina simply nodded.

At last they reached the stop. A bus was already visible a few blocks away, but it was headed downtown, not back toward campus. Ned looked around, wondering what Laina was thinking, wondering what he should say. "I actually have some shopping I need to do," she said a bit awkwardly.

Ned took the hint. He couldn't take much more of this mutual silence anyway. "It's okay," he said simply. When the bus pulled up, Laina managed a smile and patted Ned's arm, but she didn't maintain eye contact for more than an instant. A sense of helplessness welled up inside Ned as he watched her board the bus.

When the bus was finally out of sight, Ned let out a long breath. Now that there was no one else to worry about, the weight of the situation started to really settle. His "cover" was pretty much blown. Laina would talk to people, maybe even the police. If paramedics found those guys, they would wonder what had happened. Eventually, someone would put the pieces together. And of course, this wasn't the first time Ned had been associated with odd events. Between Smardwurst's conversations with world leaders and his family's relocation, they had managed to avoid attention about the Yendarians' attack, but the world was still wondering when alien contact would happen again. Once the government found out Ned was connected to the alien encounter, his life would never be the same. And in any case, it was a safe bet that his friendship with Laina was over.

The campus bus was not far behind. Ned boarded it silently, and for some reason he found himself avoiding eye contact with the driver as he swiped his pass. There were only a few people on the bus, all of them absorbed in reading or texting. Ned took his seat and began trying to piece together what had happened. He had already decided that he was going to return to his Anacronian friends eventually. But this had definitely not been his exit strategy. He was so close to being done with school, and he had never wanted to alienate his friends, let alone frighten them. And his family – what would happen to them if Ned drew global attention to himself and then vanished? There might be no hiding this time. That raised the question of covering up what had happened. Maybe if he talked to Laina the next day, he could explain things just enough that she would be willing to keep quiet about the more unusual details. After all, who would believe her? But that took him back to the beginning – it would not be hard to prove her story once law enforcement got involved. Any show of force would probably result in a blue aura protecting Ned, and then everyone would know of his power.

The bus stopped near the apartment complex, and Ned got out, no closer to an answer, still looking around, half expecting federal agents to appear and begin questioning him. He didn't even notice the other passenger stepping off the bus behind him. He began walking the short distance to his building, but now that he was here, he was not sure he wanted to go in. His roommates might still be out, but not necessarily. And the last thing he wanted was another person to have to avoid.

"So, what are you going to do?"

The voice behind him caused him to jump, but when he saw who it was he had to laugh. "Mirana?"

She smiled, sort of. "It's been a while."

It had indeed. For a moment, the shock of seeing her pushed his earlier apprehensions away. To anyone else looking, Mirana would not have stood out at all. The buttoned shirt and jeans weren't exactly in character for her, but they would have fit right in with a group of students. The steel gray eyes and long, black hair were unmistakable, though. And she was in wry smile mode rather than cold stare mode, which was probably a good sign.

"You're here," Ned said, still in shock. "It's so great to see you!"

She took a moment to reply. "Quite an impressive display back there," she said finally, tilting her head in the general direction of the attack.

"You saw that?"

"I'm a very well informed person."

Ned's brow furrowed. "Wait. You mean you were _there_? You weren't _behind_ that attack, were you?"

She shrugged, almost guiltily. "I wouldn't go so far as to say I was _behind_ it."

"And just how far would you go?"

"I may have given some drug dealers the impression a wealthy guy might be walking a date down that street this evening."

Ned was incredulous. The stress of the attack came rushing back, and now it had a more immediate focus. "You set me up? You put Laina in danger on purpose? Why?"

"Already with the questions," Mirana mused. She didn't seem bothered by Ned's accusation; if anything, her smile seemed to be growing a bit. She looked around. "Do you really want to have this conversation here? Is there somewhere else we could go?"

Ned gritted his teeth. As much as he hated waiting for explanations, Mirana was right. The conversation they were about to have might be just as suspicious as the lightning bolts he had cast earlier. He took a breath to calm himself.

"My roommates might be home," he explained.

"Couldn't you – you know, 'whisk' us somewhere? Your parents' house, maybe?"

He frowned. "'I'm not sure I can make it that far... Let's walk over here." He started walking toward the side of the building, where they would be so exposed to the street and the windows. As they walked, Ned stretched out with the Plasma, probing his ability to begin a vortex that would take them away from here. He had never been very experienced with Vortex Plasma, and he was not surprised to find that his hold over it diminished quickly with distance. "I'd have to charge up to get very far," he explained, suddenly a bit pleased that finally he had someone he could talk about the Plasma with, even if he were more than a little frustrated with her at the moment.

"What about the roof?"

Ned looked up. The building did have a flat roof, and the edge was visible, which for some reason seemed like it might be helpful. There certainly wouldn't be anyone up there. "I'll try it," he said. He stepped close to Mirana and put his arm around her waist in an effort to minimize the amount of volume he needed to transport. The contact made his irritation fade a bit more. Then he focused all his attention into the ethereal Plasma he was sending up to the rooftop, forming a tunnel. When he felt that the path was complete, he opened the Vortex and pulled the two of them through in a flash of blue light.

Ned came out of the Vortex smiling. It was like it had been with the thieves – using the Plasma left Ned with an exhilarating feeling, a sense that this was what he was meant to be.

Mirana stepped away, scanning the area. There were some vents and antennae up here, but no sign that anyone could see or hear them. Then she turned to Ned and spoke. "I've been looking for Dark Viper," she said abruptly. Ned was a bit taken aback by the change in topic; the matter of the recent attack was still unresolved, and Ned wondered if Mirana were trying to capitalize on his temporarily improved mood. If so, it was working. Ned could not help but be silent and listen.

"I've been searching since you left – for Viper, and also for the origin of the Plasma. I figured that if I could find the place where he found the Crystals, it might tell us something about his power, or about our own. My father never told me exactly how he came upon the Shadow Plasma either, so I hoped to learn something by tracing his past.

"It was a long time before I had any luck; Viper didn't seem to have kept any records of the Plasma other than what he had already made publically available. I thought about interrogating Kayleen Rax, but I don't think Viper trusted her enough to tell her much. She certainly seemed as bewildered by it as anyone else, and if she knew anything, Koral would have known it too.

"Then recently, I started noticing a pattern of forged data in Trelan Thendrak's records, from when he was barely an adult. Places he was supposed to have been that didn't make sense. I cross-checked the gaps with other associates he might have had and found a correlation with the records of Ruggles Girx, a businessman in the Skarg sector with a history of illegal activity. He and Thendrak had known each other in school, at least for a while. So recently I paid him a visit. According to Girx, Thendrak had already gained his power, but a series of dreams had told him to go to a certain spot in empty space. He had Girx take him there, and Thendrak managed to find a Plasma vortex that lead to an isolated planet. Thendrak went down alone, came back, and never went back as far as Girx could tell. I'm guessing that's where he found the Plasma Crystals."

Ned was intrigued. "Do you think you can find it?"

"No," she said flatly. "That's why I'm here. I'm hoping _you_ can find it."

"How?"

Mirana smirked. "Surely you don't expect me to answer that. You're the Plasma Master. It's your job to figure it out."

There was maybe a hint of blame in her voice, and Ned again felt a twinge of guilt for being here, making Mirana do all of this alone. "So let's say I find it," he prompted. "Then what?"

"I'm hoping it will tell us something about his power. Maybe a hint of where he's hiding out now, so we can track him down before he has a chance to threaten the Empire. At the very least, it might give us some idea of what to do when he shows himself again."

"So there's been no sign of him at all since I left?"

"No. But please tell me you're not foolish enough to think that he was killed when Venom was destroyed."

"No, I don't suppose I am. It would be nice to have some proof though..."

"... which is precisely what I've been looking for. Listen, Ned. Sooner or later, we're going to run into him again. Maybe he's hiding from us now, because we came so close to killing him before. But he won't stay away forever. He could attack tomorrow, or he might plan to wait twenty years so our guard will be down and he'll have time to acquire power. But if we don't do something now, we definitely won't be ready. He'll wait until he's _sure_ we're not ready. But whenever the conflict comes, I think it would be best if you are there, ready and trained."

Ned crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. Mirana's account certainly put his previous Earthly concerns in perspective. But still, a few things didn't quite add up. "So you needed my help, but first you wanted to force me to use my power here, in front of other people? Why?"

Mirana's mouth twitched to the side and her eyes scanned the sky, apparently searching for precise wording. It was odd – Mirana looked almost defensive. "Ned, how much have you used your power since you left Anacron?"

"I've never really used it. It's protected me a few times from minor injuries, and I used it a little a few months ago, but not to accomplish anything. I couldn't see a way to do it without throwing the whole planet into chaos, not to mention my family. I planned to come back some day, but I just wasn't ready yet."

"'Not ready,'" Mirana repeated. "That's what I was worried about. You have been burying the very skills I need you to use. You've been hiding who you are. I needed to see what you would do in a dangerous situation when you didn't have any backup. Not just whether you could use the Plasma, but whether you _would_ use it. And I needed to see how well you could control it."

"Well of course I wouldn't let an innocent person be hurt!"

Mirana gave him a challenging look. "Innocent people are hurt every day. I don't see you running around to save them."

"This is alien technology! It doesn't belong on this planet!"

"I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just explaining why I needed to see you use the power before I asked you to."

"But you put Laina at risk! What if she had been shot?"

"Your friend was never in danger. If you hadn't protected her, I would have."

"I still don't get why you needed the target to be real people. You could have just asked to see me practice."

"Practice blasting rocks, you mean. It's a different thing when you're striking down a person, don't you think?"

Ned frowned. It was true that it had felt different. He had been filled with a sense of justice as he had knocked those men off their feet. It had felt amazing. "You think I lost control?" he asked quietly, remembering her earlier comment.

"Well, you didn't kill them," she offered. "That's a good sign, I guess. Not that I would have mourned their loss if you had." She was quiet for a moment, then continued. "There was one other reason. I knew that when I showed up, you would be reluctant to pick up everything and leave. I guess I hoped that if I reminded you what you were capable of, you might be more willing to let go of your life here."

And there it was again – his anxiety from before. Was he really ready to let go? "When would you need me to leave?"

She looked exasperated, and immediately Ned felt guilty for asking. "Oh, I don't know," she said sarcastically, "I thought maybe whenever you get a break in your dating schedule..."

"Mirana, I want to help you. I do. But I can't help but think about what leaving right now would mean. My friends would be freaked out if I just disappear. Even if I make up some kind of excuse, it will be suspicious if I just vanish. And if the government suspects any more alien activity, my parents will never hear the end of it. It was hard enough covering up for what happened last time. And then there's my school – if I leave now, I'll lose credit for everything I've done this quarter, and I'll probably never graduate. I hate to start something and leave it undone."

Mirana just stared at him for a moment. "Are you really going to make me say it?"

Ned shook his head. "I know, there's unfinished work with Viper too. But does it really have to be now?"

"Ned, what did you expect to happen? Did you think I would show up and give you five years' notice? Was I supposed to give you a task that could be completed over a convenient vacation? I'm not even sure what you had hoped to accomplish in starting school again here, but you have to understand that there's a big difference between quitting something because you don't want to deal with it and quitting something because you've found something more important. I'm not saying you shouldn't gain education. But you have to think about what's most important. And frankly I'm a little surprised that you haven't decided already."

"I guess maybe I have. It's just that, you know, the implications are all hitting me at once. It's hard to just leave my family, not knowing if I'll even be back."

"You can deal with 'hard,' Ned. I've seen you do it. But I need this decision to be yours. And I need you to be sure. Which is why I have to offer you one other option."

"What's that?"

"I could take the Shield Crystal from you."

"You mean..." Ned had to stop to think. Now that Mirana mentioned it, the idea seemed totally obvious. It was the Plasma that prevented Ned from releasing control over the Crystal, and Mirana's power could cut through his. Surely she could sever its hold on him. It would be liberating, in a way – he could stay here on Earth if he wanted, and Mirana could find someone else to use the Crystal. But the idea was also horrifying. The duty that had come upon Ned as a result of his power had been a burden at times, but it had also shaped who he was. And the power itself was a part of him. Maybe the most important part. He had grown beyond the gifts the Crystal had directly given him, and he liked to think that he had made a better Plasma Master out of himself than the average person would have become in his place.

"Maybe someone else would be a more effective partner for you, but I don't want to give up the Plasma. It's who I am. If there's any way I can make a productive use of it, I want to do it."

"Good. I would have lost all respect for you if you had given it up."

Ned sighed, feeling the weight of the situation fall back onto him. "Well, since I can't use the Crystal here, there's really no sense in staying any longer. Maybe it was a waste to try to build a life here, but I guess I had to know for myself what it would be like. I almost feel guilty for ever coming home."

"No, I agree. You couldn't have made this decision with a clear head if you had tried to do it while you were away from Earth. You always would have been looking back, wondering what would have happened. Now you know."

Ned looked at Mirana appreciatively. "Well there are a couple of things I do have to do before I go."

"Your family?"

"Yes, and I have to tell Laina. She deserves to know what happened back there, and that it isn't going to happen again."

"You really want to tell her the truth?"

"I think I have to."

"Then it's a good thing I put a tracking beacon on her. Call a taxi."

Ned made the call, and they stood together on the street while they waited. "Hey Mirana, how did you pay the bus fare? And those clothes?"

"I didn't steal the money, if that's what you're worried about. I brought some gold to trade. Pre-warp civilizations tend to put an inordinate value on dense metals."

Ned smiled. "You know you're throwing off the world economy by adding gold to the market."

She smiled a little too. "Great, now I won't be able to sleep tonight."

Laina wasn't exactly happy to see Ned when he stepped out of the taxi cab, but she didn't run away, either. Mirana watched from the car as Ned tried to summarize how he had obtained his power and why he had kept it hidden. Laina jumped as Ned conjured some blue sparks in one hand, evidently part of his explanation, but her expression gradually shifted from showing barely-masked fear to a sense of resignation. She wasn't happy with the night's events, but Ned seemed to be convincing her that they really were over. When they said goodbye, Mirana couldn't tell whether Laina was sad that she would never see Ned again. But it was clear she knew that she wouldn't.

Ned got back into the car looking a little relieved himself. "Well, she took that well. She hadn't called the police or anything yet. I guess she's just been wandering around this whole time, worrying what the world was coming to. It's a good thing I told her. Whether she'll still believe it when she wakes up in the morning is another matter, I guess."

"What about your other friends? Are you going to give them an explanation?"

"Not in person. I'll send them an e-mail or something. I can only take so many goodbyes." It was a bit humbling to admit that he wasn't all that close with anyone. Then again, it probably made sense that someone planning on leaving wouldn't put down a lot of roots.

"Back home, then?"

"Yeah. More taxi action?"

Mirana leaned forward and gave the driver a destination. He smirked disapprovingly, but he drove. Ned watched the city lights pass him by for the last time. Even as sure as he was that he needed to leave, it made him a little sad.

They took the freeway out of the city, then exited onto a highway that plunged into the woods. Only a few cars passed them on that road, and then the trees gave way to an empty field. Mirana told the driver to stop, and they got out. Once she had paid him and he had driven off, the only light came from the stars. Ned looked at her curiously. "Just how did you get here, anyway?"

"Come on." Mirana jumped the fence and started walking into the field, Ned a few steps behind. As she walked, Mirana activated her battle armor. Ned jumped a little; the last time she had appeared to him that way, she had tried to kill him. "I'm summoning my fighter," she explained. Ned tried to ignore the harsh, raspy distortion of her voice. "Shouldn't take long."

Ned activated his own battle suit, just in case Mirana was planning to leave the atmosphere. Wearing the armor made him think of the last time he had worn it, the day he had returned to Earth. All of a sudden that seemed like a very short time ago. He looked up at the sky, and the heads-up display in his helmet pinpointed Mirana's fighter as it descended from directly above them well before he could hear it. Only the dim running lights set the jet-black metal apart from the night sky. It slowed just before landing, its engines just a loud hum. It looked like most of the fighter craft he had seen, mostly-aerodynamic but with a bulkier form and sharper lines than an Earth aircraft. There were some angry-looking openings pointing forward, which Ned assumed were weapons that no one wanted to be on the business end of. The command seat lowered to the ground from underneath the cockpit, and Mirana sat down. "There's a cargo area behind me," she said. Can you make it up there, or do I have to open the storage compartment?"

Ned probed the Plasmic ether inside the fighter and discovered an open space directly behind where the seat would be once she retracted it. He opened a vortex and teleported himself inside. It was totally dark in the compartment, and very cramped. He fiddled with his suit's communicator and opened a channel to Mirana. "You don't believe in passenger seats?"

There was a slight vibration as Mirana's command chair locked into place, and then the fighter lifted off the ground, inertial dampers kicking in to keep Mirana and Ned from being thrown around by the sudden acceleration that were sure to follow.

" _Nightsong_ was built for battle," Mirana explained, her voice sounding normal again through her suit's internal com link. " _Custom_ built. Cargo was at the bottom of my priority list."

"A minute ago I was the Plasma Master," Ned remarked. "Now I'm demoted to 'cargo.'"

"It won't be long."

"How are you going to land? My parents don't live near a field."

"I was thinking you could just teleport us to the ground," Mirana said. "We're invisible now, but I'll drop the Shadow field when we get close to your house. You can teleport us to the ground, and I'll send _Nightsong_ back to _Nemesis_ until we're ready to leave again."

As promised, it was a short ride. When Mirana said she was ready, Ned again probed the space around him and felt the location of the ground. He teleported both of them down and found himself in his parents' backyard. Mirana signaled her fighter again, and there was the faint rush of engines as it disappeared upward; if anyone spotted it, it would soon vanish again as it docked with _Nemesis._

Ned looked around nervously. His family had moved to a different city after the Yendarian attack on his old town, so people might be less likely to jump to conclusions at the appearance of a strange light in a neighbor's backyard than they might have near the old place, but Ned still wanted to avoid drawing attention if possible. Mirana seemed less concerned; she powered down her armor and began walking around to the front of the house. Far above, Ned caught the sound of _Nemesis's_ graviton drive as the ship put some distance between itself and the neighborhood. He disengaged his own armor and ran after Mirana. "Do you want me to wait outside?" she asked when they had reached the door.

"No, I think maybe it would help to have you there. They might be more inclined to listen if it's not just me." Mirana nodded.

Ned took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

"Ned!" His mother looked happy to see him, but at the same time a little worried, understandably. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"Ned?" His father's voice called from the living room, and his mother ushered him in, Mirana trailing silently behind.

"This is Mirana," Ned explained. "My mom and dad." Mirana shook their hands. His parents were waiting for an explanation, and Ned thought he saw his mom glance at Mirana's left ring finger. "I ran into her at school," he said, trying to ease into the topic, but then gave up. "She's... from Anacron." The names didn't really mean anything to his parents, although of course he had told them the story of his previous adventure. But they knew that look on their son's face, and they were beginning to get the picture.

"I thought that was behind you," Mr. Simmons declared.

"Dark Viper..." the name sounded silly in this context, so he started again. "The man that started the previous war is still out there. He may be looking for me right now. You know, for revenge. I can't let him find me here. Mirana has some information that might help us to track him down, and I need to go with her."

His mother covered most of her face with her hands, and her breathing quickened.

"The school year's not even done," his father managed, but he, too, was having trouble taking this all in. Ned was not sure his parents had ever really accepted what had happened to Ned, even after everything they had seen.

Abruptly, Ned's mother threw her arms around him and sobbed. "Ned, I can't risk losing you again!" Now Ned was getting emotional too. Fighting back tears, he hugged her back. "I know," he said. Then he pulled away a little so he could look her in the eye. "But mom, I'm stronger now. And Mirana... " He looked at her, but she remained silent. "Mirana's power is even stronger than mine, in some ways at least. Dark Viper's power can't protect him from her. And nothing can hurt me! And this time, we'll have the entire Anacronian fleet on our side! This really is a safer mission than what I was doing before."

His father frowned. "Please don't tell me you're being so rash as to leave tonight, with nothing more than a quick visit to say goodbye."

"Can... we sit down?"

They moved into the living room, but Ned caught some angry looks from his parents toward Mirana. Maybe bringing her here had not been such a great idea after all.

"Listen," his father said to her when they were seated. "I don't know where you come from, but around here you can't just appear from nowhere and whisk people off to help solve your problems. Ned has a life here. He can't just leave."

"I'm not forcing Ned into anything," Mirana said flatly. "I just came to deliver a message and find out what he wants to do about it. This is entirely up to him." Everyone's eyes turned back to Ned, who was a little disappointed at the lack of help. But Mirana's response was to be expected, he supposed.

"I have to go," he said softly. "And it might as well be now. I just disappeared mysteriously from school; if I stick around here, I'll just draw attention. And it would just be stalling. Every moment we spend together now is going to be about this conversation; we're not going to be able to enjoy time together until I'm back, no matter how long I wait. And if I wait too long..."

"You've done your part already! They're not even under attack right now, and you have to leave everything?"

"It's... not just that. I... I've been thinking about this off and on. Not specifically, but things haven't felt right since I got back. I've been hiding myself. I've been holding back what I can do because no one around me was ready to deal with it, but I _want_ my power to mean something. I can't just stay here and pretend I don't have it. I... I want to leave."

His parents just stared at him. Even Ned was a little surprised at the admission. Always before there had been some pressing demand that had left him without excuse. But now, Ned was admitting that he was voluntarily leaving his home. His family. But it was true. "Even if Mirana didn't have a lead, I think I'd want to leave. It's the only way for me to make something out of the power I've built."

"You don't have to..."

"Mom, I didn't come here to argue. And I know explaining things won't help. But I needed you to know why I'm leaving. And I want you to not worry."

"Not worry? You are going away to some alien war zone and you expect me to not worry?"

Ned just let his parents talk. They regaled him with reasons why he didn't have to leave, with explanations for his feelings of obligation, with reassurance that he meant something without his power, that he could be happy here. Nothing they said added anything to the thoughts that had run through his own head a thousand times, but he just let them talk, because in the end he felt that the only consolation they would ever get from his departure was knowing that they had left nothing unsaid, that they had done everything they could to make him stay. They asked him a few questions, and he tried to answer honestly, but mostly they just talked. An hour had passed before they ran out of arguments.

"I understand everything you're saying," Ned said after a moment of silence. "But I'm still going to leave. I know you don't like it. I know it's dangerous. But it's important. I can do things no one else can. I can help people. And I can help protect you. I decided this a long time ago. I know the timing is unexpected, but the more I think about it, the more certain I am that I have to go." This time, his parents had no objections left.

For the first time, Mirana interjected. "For what it's worth, I'll do whatever I can to keep him safe. We'll protect each other."

Ned's mother nodded. "Thank you. If you don't mind, could we have some time alone with Ned?"

"Of course. Take as much time as you need." She glanced quickly at Ned, and he thought he caught the unspoken message: _Just don't take_ too _long._ Mirana left the house, and Ned assumed she returned to _Nemesis_.

Ned's mom came over and hugged him, and the conversation started again. But this time, it wasn't an argument. They just talked, about life since they had gotten back, about Jared, about memories from before the Shield Crystal had taken their normal lives away. Ned was glad that his parents had accepted his decision, and he understood why they still avoided the subject of the Plasma and what he could do with it, let alone what he had done with it. But it made him a little sad, too. His parents, who cared more about him than anyone, had no desire to understand the part of him that he valued the most. He kept wanting to conjure up a ball of Plasma, or teleport something, so they could see just what he could do. But he knew that would only terrify them and remind them of just how alien their son was becoming. So instead they just talked. Eventually, they all went off to bed. It had been a long evening, and Ned had no trouble falling asleep. But before he did, he found himself wondering whether his parents would be able to sleep that night. Somehow, he doubted it.

### Chapter 6

Kayleen was completely unprepared for the view outside Nakmar's ship. It had set down inside a huge, rocky cavern. It was dark, lit only by the ship's running lights and iridescent spots on the rocky walls that rose all around her. The floor was fairly flat, but the walls were bumpy and irregular, and plants grew at odd intervals all over it, although how they survived underground was unclear. The air was a little chilly and totally still; as Kayleen walked away from the exit ramp, she could hear nothing but the sound of her own boots against the rocky ground.

Once she was far enough from the ship that it no longer blocked her view, she scanned the upper reaches of the chamber. There was a ceiling right above her, but it extended backwards for a long distance, curving upward before bending out sight maybe a mile away. Kayleen shook her head in confusion. Landing a ship underground? What could possibly be the reason for that?

The only other noticeable feature in the cavern was a cave, directly across from the ship's exit ramp, and she made her way toward it. She had seen no crewmembers on her way out of the ship, and nothing moved in the cavern now. By the time she reached the entrance to the cave, she was starting to wonder if Viper was expecting her to find the way in on her own. Then, suddenly, something moved up ahead.

"Hello?"

Her voice echoed off into the tunnel. It was even darker in here, away from the ship's lights, but there was a sort of skittering sound ahead, like many feet shuffling in the cavern.

"Who's there?" she demanded. She had to remind herself that she was in friendly territory to keep from drawing the blaster from her boot. When no one responded, Kayleen moved forward again. Behind her, she heard the ship's landing ramp being retracted. The tunnel wound ahead at a slight downward grade. As she moved, Kayleen's eyes became accustomed to the diminished light, and the luminescent spots in the rock were enough to show that the tangled plant matter was becoming more and more prevalent. Finally the tunnel bent, and Kayleen came face to face with two green, insectile creatures, who regarded her blankly with glowing red eyes.

"Kayleen Rax," one of them greeted, its mandibles twitching as some kind of device on its uniform translated.

Kayleen was taken aback by the sudden appearance of these odd aliens, but she straightened and nodded. "I am here to see Dark Viper."

"He awaits you. We will take you to his chamber." And without a further word, her guides skittered down the tunnel, using all six limbs to climb along the walls, leaving the path ahead clear for her. It got warmer as they descended, and some kind of moss appeared among the vines. The plant matter increased in frequency and density until the entire surface of the tunnel was covered in vegetation, floor to ceiling, broken only by the pale light pods. Sometimes the vines hung down in front of her, and Kayleen had to part them like a curtain. She found their surface damp, although where the water came from she could only guess.

The passage split off a few times, and the creatures paused to make sure she took the correct path, but other than that they made no attempt to communicate with her as she made her way through the subterranean jungle. Kayleen felt grateful when the floor started to flatten out and the carpet-like moss began to dominate over the vines. They walked only a short distance like this before stopping. One of the Vortak turned to her and spoke.

"The Viper waits for you ahead. Follow this tunnel." With that, the two creatures turned and started back down the corridor the way they had come.

Kayleen took a few deep breaths to slow her heartbeat and then began to walk again. The passage curved a bit to her left, again cutting off her view of the way she had come. A faint, green glow became visible ahead, and Kayleen guessed that she was nearly there. After a few moments she came up against a wall of hanging vines that completely cut off the tunnel. The green light shone brightly from whatever lay beyond them. She stopped again. This eerie journey had dispelled some of her giddiness, but standing so close to the source of new power made her feel excited again. Of course, with the power came an association with Dark Viper, which was not to be taken lightly. And whatever assignments he gave her would involve serious risks. But that was hardly relevant; anything was possible for a Plasma Master. She looked around, fully absorbing the moment – essentially her last as a normal person. After a deep breath to steady herself, she parted the vines and entered the room beyond.

Dark Viper's "throne" room was certainly different from the one he had used on Venom. It was similarly dark and spacious, but here the strange plant life replaced cold metal. A large mass of vines hung down from the center of the ceiling and spread outward over some kind of metal lattice, forming an open dome over Viper's seated form. The green light was emanating from a bulb set into the vine just above the top of the dome, but the shadows of the vines below it hid Viper in darkness. He made no movement as Kayleen entered the room, but she could see the green glow of his eyes watching her. "Changed," Nakmar had said. It was starting to look like he had understated the situation.

"Kayleen." She recognized the voice, although it sounded harsher, raspier – almost inhuman. She took a few steps forward, then stopped as Viper's dark form rose and moved toward her. Kayleen tried not to let her face show her reaction as she saw just what Nakmar had meant when he had said that Viper had changed. Although his facial features were basically recognizable, his body had become reptilian in form. His skin was covered in smooth scales, and where his hair had been was merely a bony crest running back from his forehead. His clothing was the same he had worn before, but his hand no longer glowed green. Just his eyes. "Welcome home," he said.

"It's good to be here. Thank you for bringing me."

"I imagine you have come with questions."

"A few, yes."

"I need you, Kayleen. I need you to help me destroy them."

She smiled. That was the Dark Viper she remembered. "I'd like nothing better."

"Come closer."

She walked up to him and looked into his eyes.

"How long has it been since you used the Plasma, Kayleen?"

"A couple of years."

"You want it back."

"More than anything."

"A change is coming, Kayleen. A revolution. Four thousand years ago the Anacron Plasma force was put to rest by warring factions that could not take advantage of its power enough to destroy each other. They sealed it away, and it has slept ever since. What we did before with the Plasma Crystals – that was just a game. It was nothing; I see that now. The Plasma does not need Crystals to control it. It needs people who understand. I understood much then, but the timing was wrong. There was too much opposition for us to learn everything we needed to know. But since that time I have learned everything. The Plasma will determine the destiny of the universe. And I am going to determine the destiny of the Plasma."

"How? What are you going to do?"

"The power is everywhere, Kayleen. It is a reflection of existence itself. Every object, every event has a reflection in the Plasmic ether. It links itself to our plane of existence through the minds of those who understand it, and through the devices they create.

"Like the weapons you built for Anacronian ships."

"Yes. That is what the Crystals did for us before. The loss of the Matrix Crystal was a great blow to me, as I'm sure you understand. But I could not let that fool have the power, or give it to someone else. I destroyed it, and I fled as the universe came apart all around me. The very power I had commanded was unraveling, and I could not escape the explosion. I was... consumed.

"But somehow, I survived. I came awake on this planet, disoriented but surrounded by power. You see, I had used it so much and made it so much a part of me that even without the Crystal's power I could sense the Plasma. I was weaker, but once I regained my strength I found that I had been brought here for a purpose. The Crystals had presented me with a test, and I had passed it."

"A test? From people who died centuries ago?"

"Yes. They knew they could not be there to choose their successor, but they imbued the Plasmic ether with patterns to look for. An algorithm to search for a successor. You understand how the Crystals bonded with us as we used the Plasma. That was to let the power flow freely through us, but it was also to let the Crystals watch us and monitor how we used that power."

"They were watching us? You mean we were being spied on all that time?"

"Not exactly. After all, there was no one left to watch. But our actions fulfilled certain requirements that lead toward unlocking further information about the power."

"But why wouldn't we be _told_ about those requirements?"

"Some tests only work when the subjects are unaware they are being tested." It made sense, but then Viper gave Kayleen a smile that was oddly mischievous, as if he were reveling in some secret guilt. "However, it is very likely that we were intended to know a least a little more than we did. You see. I was not the one who originally found the Matrix Crystal."

Kayleen's jaw dropped. Viper had never been very open about how he had found the Crystals, but he had clearly stated that he had found them among some ancient ruins. The thought that he had been lying unsettled Kayleen, but she was not about to accuse him to his face.

"I did not exactly lie to you. At least, not very much. I was part of the group that found it. We were looking to expand our world's territory, and we came across a ruined civilization – there was nothing left but some runes and a glowing green Crystal in one of the buildings. We were planning to take the Crystal back and study it, but one day our leader told us that the Crystal had bonded to him and given him power. He claimed to have had visions about an ancient empire that wanted him to restore it. He used the power, but for all the information he had been given he seemed to be quite lacking in real _vision_. He could form things, repair things. But I knew there was more to the Crystal than that. I tried to convince him to use it for military purposes, but he refused, saying that he needed to learn more before he used it openly. We were not at peace at the time, and we saw many of our people killed while this fool sat idly by, keeping the power to himself. Finally I decided the Crystal needed a more worthy Holder. It certainly needed a new one after I killed its old one."

Kayleen shook her head in bewilderment. "Wait, what do you mean you wanted to expand your world's territory? Before the Alien war, Anacron was at peace for a long time."

Viper smiled again. "You mean you still haven't figured it out? I am not an Anacronian." He held his arms out as if to offer his appearance as evidence.

"Wait, you mean... this is your normal form? I assumed you had altered your appearance after leaving Venom."

"Whatever power transported me here restored my original appearance. When I first seized the Matrix Crystal and learned what it could really do, I decided that my own world was too wrapped up in its own problems to offer me much chance of taking a real advantage. I needed to operate from Anacron. A change of appearance seemed prudent, in the interest of gaining people's trust. After all, how many non-humans did you see appointed to the Imperial government?"

"Wow," Kayleen said. "So how long ago was this? Your personal records go back your whole life."

"You need to understand, my command of the power came slowly. These visions that the Crystal's original Holder had did not come to me for a long time, and even when they did, they were unclear. It was as if I had stepped in on someone else's training after missing all of the basic principles. I knew it would take a long time to master the Crystal's power, so I came to Anacron as a very young man. Fabricating records was not hard for someone who could fabricate an entire body."

"So, Trelan Thendrak – that was all a concoction to let you use your power on a larger scale?"

"And to avoid the inconveniences of my home planet."

"What planet is that? Who were you before?"

"I come from Klaustridion. I will not blame you for not recognizing it; it was all but destroyed in the Alien war. As for who I am, you know better than to ask me a question like that. I am the Master of the Plasma force, and that is all that has ever mattered. But if it helps satisfy your curiosity, I have actually been quite open to you about my identity. My original name cannot be pronounced by your vocal chords, but 'Dark Viper' is an adequate translation."

"Amazing. So this... is the real you."

"I am who I have always been. At least, who I have been since I claimed the power. But it was the Vortak who really changed things."

"The Vortak?"

"The enemy from the Alien war. You met two of them on the way in."

"What? Those are the Aliens?"

"Yes. My initial exploits disturbed one of their outposts, and they decided the Anacron Empire was an unacceptable threat. I'm afraid my own experimentation with the power nearly saw us all destroyed. Fortunately, by then the four of us knew enough of the power to use it against our enemies and drive them off."

"And now they're following you?"

"The Vortak are a simple race. It is not hard to control them with the right motivation."

Kayleen looked around, wondering if it were safe to express her thoughts. "Don't they... resent you for before?"

Viper merely smiled. "It's not an issue. You will come to understand that as you work with them."

"Work with them? How?"

"I will give you a ship and assign you a crew. I'm confident you will find them to be quite effective servants. You see, the Vortak have a long history with the Plasma."

"You mean they can use it too?"

"Not directly. But I believe they were created by the ancient Plasma Masters as vessels of their power. They can be imbued with Plasmic energy, and it affects their abilities."

"Okay, now I have to ask. What _are_ these abilities? Nakmar refused to tell me anything about his power."

"Oh, I think Nakmar did an adequate job of explaining it."

Kayleen looked down, feeling a little guilty. She supposed she should have expected that Viper would have monitored their conversations. Hopefully she had not gotten Nakmar into too much trouble by pressing him for information.

"Understand," Viper went on, "I was alone when I arrived here. Alone and confused. But there were records. A history of how the Plasma was developed, and explanations of how it was used. I studied alone for a long time, searching for a way to access the power I had lost. Blast Plasma was too complex for me to recreate; essentially the ancient Masters had created a huge reserve of power that the Crystal could access. Without a reserve, I had to use the Plasma in the ether as a source. Tapping raw heat seemed like a logical choice." Then he gave her an eager smile. "And now we come to the purpose of your visit. Our enemies are powerful, Kayleen. One cannot be harmed, and the other was so strong that she cut through even my power before. I will need agents who are equally powerful. Agents who are willing to do whatever it takes to destroy everyone who stands in our way."

Kayleen nodded solemnly. "I am ready."

"I know you are. That is why I am going to entrust you with my greatest discovery yet. But first, I need you to give me your armor's activator pin."

Kayleen was taken aback. When she had lost her power, her suit had been severely damaged, and she had deactivated it. Without the Plasma, she had been unable to reengage it, but she had brought the activator pin with her, expecting to be able to use the armor again as Viper's servant. "Why?" she asked. "I'll need it."

"You will be able to protect yourself in other ways. That is the last remaining suit of armor, and I have another use for it. Consider it the price for the restoration of your power."

Hesitantly, Kayleen reached down into her boot and pulled out the pin. The yellow and black armor had been her identity as the Blast Master; it was all most people ever saw of her. And it had protected her against attacks that would have killed a regular person. But it had also been a gift, and Kayleen had to believe that Viper's next gift would compensate for its loss. She handed it over.

Viper tucked it into his belt and then nodded. "Give me your hands."

Kayleen extended her hands, trembling with excitement. She hardly noticed the claws or scales as Viper's hands closed around hers. For a moment she stood there, looking into the glow of his eyes. Green light flared where their hands touched and began moving up her arms and across her body. She had to close her eyes against the light once it reached her eyes, but still she could see it; it seemed to be spreading through every cell in her body. Her breathing quickened in anticipation. Then abruptly the light flared even brighter in a flash that turned pale blue, almost white. Kayleen felt a surge of intense cold rush through her, and in the next instant she felt nothing at all. The light was gone, and there was only silence. She opened her eyes, still feeling numb.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. At first she thought the room had gone dark, but after a moment she realized that she could indeed see. But it was different. It was as if she were seeing things with someone else's eyes. "What happened?" she said aloud, but the sound, too, seemed clear but distant. As if she had read it off a screen rather than heard it with her ears. Then she looked down.

She stepped back in shock. Her arms were transparent, as if her body were made of crystal, pale and blue like the light had been. Her clothing was frosted and opaque but also composed of crystal. She felt her arms, then her face. Her sense of touch also seemed foreign. "What did you do?" she asked, maybe shrieked; she could not tell.

"I have infused into you the matrix of the Ice Plasma," Viper declared, almost reverently. You have become more than just a Master of the Plasma. You have become its incarnation."

"But I can't feel anything!"

"Your senses are not lost, Kayleen. They are enhanced. You are experiencing the world with a new perspective. A Plasmic perspective."

Kayleen did not know what Viper was saying, but she felt horrified by it. "You didn't do this to Nakmar!"

Nakmar does not understand the Plasma the way you and I do, Kayleen. He is not ready. And do not worry, this is merely the first step. All that you think you have lost will be returned to you when you have proven yourself."

"Viper! Change me back this instant!"

"Do not be a fool. You have not even seen your powers yet. Your Plasmic essence will show you an elegance in the galaxy you did not know existed." He put his hand on her shoulder. "And besides, you have a debt to pay me."

"What?"

"We have not yet discussed the matter of your failure with Nedward Simmons. It is because of him that things have turned out the way they have, and it was you and Markan who failed to destroy him. Markan has paid with his life, but his brother will finish what he started. But I have decided to give you a second chance. Once you have helped me reach my goals, I will show you such incredible power that anything you ever desire will be yours."

Now Kayleen understood. Viper had not forgiven her after all. This was his revenge. Rather than die, as Markan had, Kayleen would be Dark Viper's servant for as long as she lived.

"What would you have had me do?" Viper asked, clearly displeased with her reaction. "Give you a lesser power like Nakmar has so that you could wage petty war with small men like Gerran Marnax? With the Ice Plasma you have the potential to defeat Plasma Masters. You have always wanted power, and that is what you have. That is what you _are._ "

Viper was becoming agitated, and Kayleen decided that it would be unwise to anger him. She would just have to deal with this situation and come up with a real solution later. "Fine. You win. I'll defeat Ned and Mirana for you. They ruined my life too; it will be a pleasure."

Viper nodded, looking satisfied, at least to Kayleen's numb vision.

"So what exactly is the Ice Plasma? I can freeze things?"

"Stop thinking of it as what you can do. That will come naturally when you understand what your nature is. You do not just lower temperatures. You are the essence of coldness itself. You can command the Plasma to freeze things, yes, just as Nakmar can heat things up. And as he is strengthened by increased temperature, you derive power from a lack of molecular motion."

"Wait. You mean that heat hurts me the way it helps Nakmar? So people can just shoot me with regular weapons? How is that power?"

"It would take a great deal of heat do damage you noticeably. And think of this. People design their defenses to withstand heat. Heat is practically a prerequisite for conventional weapons, because heat is unbounded but cold only goes to absolute zero, and because heat is easier to produce."

I'm not sure I understand.

"We all need practice to understand the Plasma, Kayleen. That is why I have invited some instructors. Defend yourself."

Even as he spoke, Kayleen had sensed the presence of several life forms entering the room from previously-unseen holes in the ceiling and walls. Vortak. Before Kayleen could react to Viper's warning, the Vortak opened fire with various laser weapons.

Kayleen instinctively dodged to one side, but several shots struck her. She felt a power drain as the laser blasts struck her skin, but the surface of her body was not really skin anymore, and she felt no pain. Instinctively, she extended an arm toward one of the attackers. Excitement exploded inside her as the power rose to her command, lashing out through the air in a pale glow. When it struck, the Plasma crystalized around her target, freezing it in a solid block.

She moved to take cover by the side of the vines draping Viper's throne, but she was still taking laser fire. She brought up her hand again, raising an icy wall in front of her that stopped several shots. She found that she could feel the presence of the Vortak even though they were hidden behind the ice, and she reached out through the ether, tracking their position. When she had seized the Plasma that corresponded to their positions, she flared it to life, freezing two of them at once, followed by a third a few seconds later. The laser fire died down a bit, and Kayleen moved around the central column, eager to finish off the next two.

Abruptly one of them was moving toward her, scampering across the ceiling so fast she lost the lock she tried to establish. Kayleen fired another blast if icy light, but again the Vortak was too fast, dropping from its perch before the attack hit. It fired some kind of missile in mid-air, and two more Vortak approaching from behind Kayleen distracted her long enough that the projectile hit. She was thrown back, and although she still felt no pain, the power drain stunned her for a moment.

But then that moment was past, and Kayleen let her anger give new strength to her attack. Ignoring the laser fire, she struck with her full force at the Vortak with the launcher, crushing it in the pressure of expanding crystal. Then she turned to find one Vortak right in front of her, swinging a clawed limb at her head. She raised her hand to block the blow, but the force drove the claws deep into her arm, again leaving her momentarily stunned. But her attacker was so close that it took no effort at all to dispatch it with a quick Plasma blast to its chest, and the Vortak behind it lasted just a moment longer. Then Kayleen turned her attention to her arm. Seeing the huge indentation where flesh and bone should have been disturbed her, but she found that the icy substance obeyed her instinctive command, reforming as if nothing had happened. When she was satisfied that she was not injured, she looked around again. The room was silent.

"Well done," Viper announced, stepping out of the shadows where he had been waiting. "I knew you would have no trouble commanding the power."

Kayleen nodded. She was still alarmed by the change Viper had wrought in her, but she had to admit that that battle had been exhilarating. "Next time I won't get hit so much," she declared. Then she looked around the room. The Vortak still lay among icy shards. "It's not as... sanitary as fire."

"A minor annoyance," Viper said. He held out his hands with palms upturned, and green fire erupted around all of the Vortak at once. When it cleared, there was nothing left. "You have done well."

Kayleen nodded. "Now where's Nakmar? We might as well get started with the real work."

"Nakmar is gone," Viper said matter-of-factly. "He has another mission that could not be delayed."

"Well you said something about a ship. I'm sure I can catch up to him if I leave soon."

Dark Viper regarded her silently, and his voice was calm and very serious when he spoke again. "You seem to have misunderstood. Your work will be separate from Nakmar's. He is to hold off Gerran's fleet and draw Ned and Mirana toward me. Your job is to engage them in battle and destroy them."

"But Markan and I always worked together! We were more effective that way!"

"Your powers were different. The Plasma is polarized now. The Heat matrix is centered around Nakmar, and the Ice matrix is centered around you. I'm sure you can see how it would be ineffective to work alongside your polar opposite. Besides, it would be a waste of resources to send you together when I have multiple enemies to deal with."

"So you're going to send me off alone."

"Not alone, Kayleen. Remember, you will have the Vortak at your command."

Kayleen's heart sank again as realization hit her. This was part of her punishment. That trip, the luxuries, Nakmar's company – that had all been calculated to raise her expectations so it would be clear just how much Viper was taking away from her now. Kayleen did not dare voice her thoughts, but the look on Viper's face suggested that he may have guessed her attitude. He folded his arms across his chest and regarded her disapprovingly.

"Focus your anger, Kayleen. If you choose to be angry with me, you will end up fighting against the very source of your power. I can accomplish my task without you, but you are nothing without me. Focus your anger on Mirana, and on Nedward if he should dare to return. It is they who stand in the way of your goals. Deal with them, and I will give you anything you ask."

Perhaps Viper was right. Perhaps the power of the Plasma force was worth the sacrifice she was making. Perhaps she could fulfill her goals best this way. At the very least this would give her the chance to pay back Nedward Simmons for what he had cost her. Yes, that boy had cost her a great deal, and he would pay dearly for it all.

### Chapter 7

When Ned awoke, he wondered if this would be his last morning on Earth. It was a slightly morbid thought, he realized, but he was having a hard time picturing himself re-integrating into Earth society a second time. But there was plenty of time to figure that out. Mirana was probably going crazy with impatience, and he didn't know how much more farewell time he or his parents could take. But it had been late last night, and it had felt wrong to just leave. He got up and went downstairs. His parents were already eating breakfast.

"I called Jared this morning," Ned's father said. "I told him you'd be calling." Jared was away at school, and by the time they had finished talking the previous night, it had been too late to call. So Ned called up Jared and explained things to him. Jared was surprised, but he didn't have nearly as much to say. Ned realized that he could go and visit his brother before leaving, but somehow it didn't seem like that would make anything easier on either of them. So they left it with the phone call.

"I have to go," Ned announced when he was done.

"Can I pack you something?" his mother asked.

"No, I'm ready. Thank you, for everything. I'm going to miss you."

There was an awkward round of parting sentiments and last-minute hugs, and then they were all standing by the front door. But Ned couldn't just walk out the door and vanish. Somehow, he wanted his parents to see what he was really headed for. He reached through the Plasmic ether into his battle suit's activator pin and engaged the armor. His parents' eyes went wide as the blue metal materialized around him in a wash of light. The helmet came on too, but he disengaged it so he could look his parents in the eye. "I love you," he said finally. Then he brought the Plasma to bear, gathering in his hand and spreading across him until he was surrounded by the surging blue light. He smiled at his parents, then teleported himself away.

"It's about time," Mirana announced with obvious irritation. Ned was actually standing in his backyard again; there hadn't been any other place in range that he could safely teleport to.

"Should I find a better spot?" he asked.

"No, we're right above you."

Ned looked up and saw a black spot in the sky, were _Nemesis's_ shuttle bay was poking through the Shadow field. Another quick teleport, and Ned was inside it. The doors closed as the ship lifted higher into the sky.

"At least it wasn't a total waste of time," Mirana said through the com link. "I found your ship. Pretty effective, putting it down in a glacier. What did you do, trigger an avalanche and then hike back to civilization?"

"Pretty much." Smardwurst Varlon had suggested "parking" his starfighter under an ice floe or in an underwater cave to avoid satellite detection, but the idea of walking home from the North Pole or across the ocean floor had been a little unnerving. So Ned had taken a slightly riskier course and landed his fighter under an outcropping of rock and then made sure to cover it with a healthy measure of snow. He had still had to travel several miles to the nearest town, alternating walking and teleporting. But the fighter had kept responding to his occasional homing signal, so apparently it had gone unnoticed.

"We're coming up on it now. Opening the bay doors."

The shuttle door opened, and Ned found himself looking down on a field of snow and rock. His suit pinpointed the spot where his fighter was waiting for him. He teleported the distance to the ground, then took a look around. There really was a lot of snow in his way.

"Think the fighter can punch its way out on autopilot?"

"Wow, you really are out of practice. I'm going to leave you to this one on your own. See you in orbit." Mirana cut the transmission.

Ned took a deep breath. She was right, of course – there were probably a dozen ways for him to free his ship from the accumulation of ice. He closed his eyes and began drawing in power. It came to him in waves, building in strength and demanding release. Finally he opened his eyes and surveyed the scene again. He send tendrils of Plasma through the ether, positioning them to come into normal space around his fighter angling outward into the mountain air. When he released the power, ice exploded toward him in a shower of blue fire and white powder. More ice collapsed, but again Ned blasted it away. Eventually he decided that enough of it was cleared away, and he signaled his fighter to launch. The was a loud crunching sound as the engines pushed it clear of the ice and into the air. Ned's Plasmic powers were already feeling exhausted after all that teleportation and ice removal, so he signaled the fighter to land and lower the command chair. He climbed in, raised the chair back into the cockpit, and angled the fighter toward the morning sky. He held the controls almost lovingly, excited to find that the lessons he had been given in what seemed like another life were coming back to him. Thoughts of leaving his friends and family tugged at his attention a bit, but he was flying now, and such concerns were just going to have to wait. He accelerated quickly, not glancing back, and soon the blue morning sky faded to the starlit black of space. He was taking no precautions to avoid being detected from Earth satellites, but then again he was about to disappear, so he figured it did not really matter.

Ned flipped his fighter over and took in the blue and green expanse of the Earth visible "above" him. It really was a breathtaking sight. He thought about all the people down there, struggling against billions of challenges but unaware of the threats that might come against them from outside. Ned promised himself that he would keep it that way.

"Are you ready for this?" Mirana's voice came over his com link.

"Yeah," he said deliberately. "I think I am."

"You know, you really are one of us now. An Anacronian."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, like the original people who left Earth. Your knowledge of the galaxy has caused you to lose your place in your world's history. You're leaving to use that power somewhere else."

Ned supposed it was true, but the idea of "losing his place" on Earth didn't exactly sound appealing. "Are you trying to encourage me?"

"I'm just making sure you don't have second thoughts. I want to make sure you want this. Oh, and one other thing. Don't let me hear you telling anyone you're coming to 'help me' do anything. If you're coming, it has to be your initiative, your mission."

"I understand. But, where _are_ you?"

A signal showed up on his fighter's scanner readout, and Ned headed toward the spot. The familiar landing bay of Nemesis appeared floating in space, surrounded by nothing, and Ned guided his fighter down onto its deck. The bay doors closed behind him, shutting out the image of his homeworld. Maybe Mirana had been right; as Ned climbed out of the cockpit and walked toward the airlock, the harsh metal surroundings and impossibly complex instrument panels of the landing bay drove home her point. He was starting to feel like an alien already.

"Meet me in the pricom," Mirana's voice instructed as the airlock pressurized. He deactivated his armor and walked the short distance to the ship's primary command center – the _only_ command center in the case of _Nemesis_. The first time Ned had met Mirana aboard this ship, she had nearly kicked him in the face to demonstrate the need to stay on his guard. It had seemed a bit out of place on an ally's vessel, but he found himself checking around corners before he turned them. Nothing happened along his way, and soon he was in front of the pricom doors. The instant he stepped through, a young man he did not recognize shot him in the chest with a laser pistol.

His first instinct was to retaliate with a Plasma bolt, but Mirana held up her hand to stop him. She was smiling. "Bortis has been pleading with me to let him try that," she explained.

"Just to make sure it really worked," Bortis said, clearly amused.

Ned was surprised to find three other unfamiliar people in the room as well. "You hired a crew?"

"Piloting _Nemesis_ by myself was fine for a few missions, but I didn't want to leave it abandoned when I was away, and eventually the maintenance work piles up. I figured it made sense to leave the details to the experts. This is Ablithra Erdjflonger, the first officer" Ablithra stepped forward and shook Ned's hand respectfully. "Bortis Mart and Jenzo Plith are in charge of ship operations, and Kalru Elgis is the engineer."

Bortis was still watching Ned with fascination. He was a few years older than Ned, but he had a youthful look that was accentuated by his dark red hair, which looked like it had just survived a hurricane. Jenzo was a little older and seemed to view the meeting as merely a brief interruption in his daily routine. He nodded to Ned as he was introduced, but otherwise he stood at attention with his eyes on Ablithra, as if awaiting orders. Kalru, a woman with a sharp nose and a very long braid, remained seated at a control station and looked up only briefly. Ned was a little thrown off by the group. He was used to being surrounded by ship officers who ignored him, but the unexpected presence of just a few people on such a small ship made him feel a little self-conscious, as if he should be interacting with them somehow but wasn't sure in what way.

He wanted to ask Mirana what was coming up next, but she had already warned him about insinuating that she was in charge of planning everything. He chose his words carefully. "So, should we go after that lead, or do we need to check in with Marnax first?" Ned thought he saw Jenzo shake his head a little.

"Marnax doesn't need to know what we're doing until we have something concrete," Mirana said. "So far, we've managed to keep our investigations pretty hidden."

"Makes sense. I guess I'm ready then."

"Actually, there are a few things I'd like to try out before we head back to Anacronian space. Are we behind the sun?"

"Yes," Jenzo said. "We're clear of the planet's line of sight."

"Bring us around and drop the Shadow field. Ned, come with me."

Ned noted that, while he was supposed to take responsibility for the mission, Mirana had no problem giving him orders. He followed her without a word, though.

"I suspect that we both have questions for each other about the Plasma that we should probably sort out before we go and try to use it together." Mirana led the way down the short corridor and opened the door to the engine room.

"Sounds good." Ned had to admit that there were more than a few things that he wanted to know about Mirana and her rather disturbingly-powerful abilities.

They stepped inside, and Ned glanced around. The room was fairly large, but it was impossible to see very much of it because of the network of metal tubes that intersected it, forming pillars and arches and lining the walls and ceiling. Ned knew that as many major systems as possible connected to this room so the crew could inspect and regulate them without having to traverse the maze of crawlspaces that would provide access to specific components when necessary. He looked at the glowing strips and dots of light and the sealed panels that covered the tubes' surfaces and wondered how long it had taken the crew to learn what all of them were for. Off to one side was a viewscreen that showed what Ned assumed was Earth's sun.

Mirana walked into the room and stopped at a console set into a bulbous structure about shoulder height. Ned followed her. "This station controls the ship's warp field emitters," Mirana explained. "Do you notice anything about it?"

"Not really," Ned admitted. He was looking at the console readout, trying to get an idea of what the various controls might do. "It says the warp field is off at the moment."

"Don't look at the screen, look at the device. Look _inside_."

Ned looked at her in confusion, then closed his eyes. He reached out with the Plasma to probe the structure behind the screen. "Oh my goodness."

"You see it?"

There was definitely something interesting inside the metal casing. It reacted to his Plasma somehow, reflecting it maybe. It was like how he could sense the location of the Shield Crystal and his suit's activator pin. "Is that the Shadow drive?"

"Yes and no. Remember, Dark Viper didn't know anything about Shadow Plasma when he designed this ship."

"Yeah, I had wondered about that. How did you know _Nemesis_ could disappear?"

"A lot of what Dark Viper did with his power involved the use of auxiliary devices," she said. "You know, like the weapons on _Devastator_. They were things that exhibited unusual properties even when he wasn't close, but no one was ever able to replicate them. I figured that either he was able to imbue things with his power, or else he was finding these devices somewhere and using them in his ships."

"Wow. So there might be more ships like _Nemesis_?"

"It seems that whatever it was he was doing with these devices, his resources were limited, or at least his understanding was. Otherwise I imagine he would have built this ship sooner."

"Makes sense. So you found out he was installing one here?"

"I found out he was building a top-secret warship with something new attached to the warp field emitters. I actually boarded _Nemesis_ once before stealing it, but the device hadn't been installed yet. I couldn't really just wait there, because I also had to know what was going on with Marnax. But when I learned that its construction was almost done, I hoped that it would be something I might be able to hijack with my own power."

By referring to her actions before Venom, Mirana was skirting a very sensitive topic. Mirana had been fighting both sides of the war at the time, and people had died as a result. But Ned had realized long ago that he was going to have to set that matter aside if he were to make any progress with Mirana. And besides, it was probably true that she had saved more lives than she had cost. He forced his thoughts back to the device Dark Viper had sent to be built into _Nemesis's_ engine room. "So what did he plan to do with it?"

"I _think_ – that is, I assumed based on the correspondence I intercepted – that this device was designed to channel and amplify the abilities of a Plasma Master."

"Wait, so... if Kayleen Rax had gotten to this ship before you..."

"The warp field would have become an unstoppable weapon. And if Markan Dren were using it, I imagine its warp capacity would have been augmented even beyond what is has now."

"That's incredible. So why didn't they just wait until it was done and use it? Couldn't they have killed me with something like this?"

"Maybe. Or maybe Viper didn't want them to get the chance. Maybe he didn't trust them with that much power, and he was going to use it himself."

"But he wasn't there when it was launched."

"Maybe he was on his way. Remember, I stole it before the launch date. Or maybe..." She eyed Ned meaningfully.

"Maybe he was afraid I would take it from him."

"Imagine," Mirana said. "A starship with a force field powered by the Shield Crystal."

"Invincible..." Ned's voice was almost a whisper. "Do you think it could work?"

She smiled. "Try it."

Ned stepped around the console and placed his hands on the metal bulge of the device. He sent the Plasma into it, willing it to react to him. "How do I know if it's working?"

"You need the warp field up first," Mirana explained. She pressed a button to open a com link to the pricom. "Activate a static warp shell," she instructed.

Ned gasped in surprise as the device flared to life. He could feel a rush of power from his hands, flowing into the device and off to the sides, where the warp engines were generating a hyperspace distortion field around the ship. The field was not changing the ship's warp phase at the moment, but Ned could feel it flowing outward and enveloping the hull in a tight bubble.

"Ready to try it out?"

Ned almost didn't hear her – the rush of power was a little distracting. "What do you have in mind?"

"Ablithra? Please launch a torpedo and have it strike the ship's hull. Leave the shields down."

"Firing."

The forward viewscreen showed the glowing projectile launch, then turn sharply and head back for the ship. Ned felt a tremor as Plasmic energy absorbed the force of the explosion.

"Effect?" Mirana asked.

"No damage."

Ned turned to Mirana. "I take it you told them you were planning to do this?"

Mirana smiled. "Nope. They'll catch on pretty quick though. Ready for a real challenge?"

"Sure."

"Ablithra, we'd like to see just how strong the Plasma shield is."

"Standard prominence run?"

"Sounds good. Take us in."

Ned noted Mirana's choice of vocabulary – "Plasma shield" definitely sounded better than "Shield field," which was what they'd have to call the modified Shadow field if they just replaced the descriptor. "What's a prominence run?" he asked.

"It's how ship designers show off when they feel like they've built a really strong shield system. The heat around a star will drain shields pretty fast, but if you have a really good shield, you can fly in and under a prominence arc and make it out again before your shields fail."

"What happens if the shield doesn't hold?"

"Well, I'm sure we can get the regular shields up before the hull melts. Watch the viewscreen; this will look pretty interesting."

The screen showed the bright glow of the sun grow larger as _Nemesis_ approached, and filters on the screen dimmed the light enough that Ned could see the jets of Solar plasma ejecting into the corona. Almost immediately he felt the warp field flare up as the Shield Plasma began protecting the ship from the scorching heat of the intense radiation and stellar wind. The sun quickly filled the left half of the screen until its curvature looked perfectly flat – it was like a huge sea of fire leading out to a vertical, black skyline on the right. A large, fiery arc appeared on the horizon.

"It's working," Ned said in amazement. "I can feel it, but it's not really drawing the power from me. It's more like it's channeling it from the sun itself, _through_ me."

"Miss Kelar, we have a problem with visibility." Ned saw what Ablithra meant: The viewscreen was becoming obstructed by a wall of blue fire. "I'm filtering out the blue coloring, but it's getting thicker as we get closer."

Mirana tapped her chin in thought. "Extra shielding isn't so great if you can't see. Can you dim down the flames a little?"

Ned focused the Plasma shield on the sun-facing side of the ship, leaving a much thinner covering over the forward section. The view cleared. "Better," Ablithra said. Mirana looked pleased.

The prominence grew larger as they approached, and the power flow strengthened. Ned clenched his teeth. The shield was not exactly draining him, but he could feel it flow around him. He felt like he was being buffeted by tornado winds while anchored to a cliff. The sensation grew more intense as they approached.

Mirana saw the look. "Everything okay?"

Ned nodded. "Take us through – wait!"

"Raise shields!"

The Plasma shuddered around Ned, and he felt gaps form in the shield. Waves of regular Solar plasma slammed into first the ship, then the shields as they came up, just as _Nemesis_ began its pass under the prominence. Ned focused his energy into the warp field device and brought the Shield Plasma back together, shutting out the sun's corona as Ablithra angled the ship sharply upward and accelerated away. Ned let the power fade and let out a heavy breath.

"Are we clear?" Mirana asked. Her voice was urgent but not afraid.

"Yes," came the report. "We got slammed around a little, but the hull held. The shields took a beating for a second too, but then it stopped."

"Good. Set a course for the vortex and then wait." Mirana cut the transmission and then smiled at Ned. "I think that went pretty well!"

Mirana's excitement made him smile. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that would be helpful in a battle..." Again a question formed, and again he realized it would be a bad idea to ask it. But this time his curiosity won out. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

She rolled her eyes a little. "Less than an hour in and you're already being judgmental. No, it's okay, I was expecting it. Shields alone wouldn't have been enough. Even this one test didn't completely protect the ship. If I had revealed myself to Marnax, he never would have let you come with me or given me the armada's support. So I had to choose between invisibility and stronger shields. I chose the power I knew I could use. And once Venom was destroyed, you were on your way out, so there was no need to further complicate things by explaining."

"Makes sense, I guess." He was not completely convinced, but he understood her reasoning enough to admit that some good had probably come from her choice.

"We're going to have to set some ground rules, Ned."

"Like what?"

"First, you have to agree to trust me. I know you don't agree with all the choices I made, but you convinced Marnax to pardon me, so if we're going to work together, you're going to have to make the choice to let all of that go. We just don't have time to go over it every time something I do calls into question a past decision."

"Fair enough," Ned said. "Second, from this point out, we share everything we know about the Plasma. And about the missions we decide on. We can't help each other if we don't understand each other's abilities."

"Agreed. Actually I was hoping we could sort of compare notes on the way, and maybe test our powers. We might have to land somewhere in order to really do that – I don't want to accidentally blow up our ship. But I'm guessing you don't want to do that on our end of space."

"It would probably be better to get out of here before we start anything that Earthlings might eventually notice," he agreed.

"Okay. Before I reengage the Shadow drive, I figured it would be interesting to see whether this 'Plasmic transducer' thing can combine powers. Want to power up the shield again?"

Ned sent the blue light into the device, and again he felt it spread out around the ship.

"Here goes," Mirana said, and placed her hands on the metal shell. Immediately Ned's connection to the warp field vanished, sliced away by the first touch of Mirana's power.

"That's kind of eerie," he said as he stepped away, disappointed but not surprised. "I'm sure glad you're on my side."

Mirana contacted the pricom again. "We're in Shadow drive. Take us to the vortex."

### Chapter 8

_Green Scorpion's_ remaining trip back to occupied space was not long, but Smardwurst had enough on his mind that every hour seemed tedious. It was bad enough that their season of peace had been so short-lived; Smardwurst had lived through two wars now, and it seemed naïve to think that the period of military conflict would just end forever. But something about the Vortak made the situation extra-disturbing. Anacron's inability to communicate with them was probably at the core of the matter, he supposed. If they could just sit down and talk, it seemed logical to suppose that some sort of treaty could be arranged. But then, that was assuming the Vortak could be reasoned with at all. Kjrvlnk certainly seemed like a rational being, but at the same time his description of his people was vague at best. And even Kjrvlnk was quite the enigma. And yet, despite the lone Vortak's hesitance or inability to communicate, Smardwurst could not keep himself away for long. Something about the insectile alien just felt important, somehow. And so, a few minutes after breakfast, Smardwurst again found himself sounding at his guest's door.

"Come," came the response.

Smardwurst stepped past the security guard and into the dark quarters Kjrvlnk had been given and seemed content to remain in. "How are you?"

"I am well."

Smardwurst waited, hoping against reason for an elaboration. Of course, none came. "Good, he said at last. "We have gone over the telemetry we recovered from your ship. We believe we have identified where you come from. Would you take a look at the chart and see if you can confirm our calculations?" He handed a data pad to Kjrvlnk, who glanced briefly at it.

"It is difficult to identify our space by your terms, but I believe this is right."

"We have sent deep space probes there, but none have reported anything that our scientists considered a high enough priority to investigate. How far does your space reach?"

"Many planets."

"Any that you could identify for us on this chart?"

"It is difficult. I am familiar mainly with my own."

"Could you... explain to me what you did on your planet? It might help me to understand..." he trailed off, growing a little frustrated. He had tried many times to get Kjrvlnk to describe his daily life in even the most general terms, but each time his questions had met with polite but uselessly brief responses.

"I harvested food, built structures. We worked together."

"I wonder if it would be useful to show you some of what Anacronians do, so you could compare."

"Why?" It was the first question Kjrvlnk had asked him, and Smardwurst was taken aback.

"I want to understand you." Smardwurst realized that even he was not entirely sure why he felt this compulsion to connect with his visitor. "I believe that much of the galaxy's problems come from different groups being unwilling or unable to communicate. Like when the other Vortak refused to listen to your views. I want to avoid that happening here, if I can."

"I am an outcast," Kjrvlnk said, and once again Smardwurst found himself wishing desperately that he could read some inflection in the words. "It does not matter what I did before."

"What you did is a part of who you are, no matter how far away your past may seem." And there it was, the reason for Smardwurst's odd drive. This Vortak reminded him of himself.

"That is true," Kjrvlnk said, drawing Smardwurst's attention back to the conversation that had somehow finally moved past simple statements of fact. "But that past has already determined the future. What we say now cannot change it."

"And what future is that?"

"For you, war. Defeat, most likely, if you cannot repeat your defenses from before. For me..."

Smardwurst waited, suspecting that Kjrvlnk's pause was more about whether he wanted to convey his thoughts verbally than about whether he could. But there was nothing more.

"Since you have asked," Kjrvlnk said finally, "there is one thing you can do for me. I would like to rest. Until there is further word from the Vortak, I wish to avoid discussing them."

" _Them,"_ Smardwurst noted. _Not "Us." Already he has lost his identity._ As he left the room, Smardwurst wondered how much of his own identity he had preserved from his younger years. He wondered whether Kjrvlnk would be encouraged if he knew the answer.

Güzhmäk looked up as Smardwurst strode onto the pricom, still lost in thought. "How did it go?" he asked.

Smardwurst sighed. "He vaguely confirmed that we are looking in the right place but could not provide further information. He... seems sensitive about the topic; he said he wishes not to discuss the Vortak until we have further news of them.

"He _wishes_ not to? We saved his life, you'd think he could spare the energy to give us _something._ "

Smardwurst shrugged. "He is a farmer. He probably does not know anything we would consider useful."

Güzhmäk simply grunted. "We'll be back before too long. General Harvey has already issued deployment orders. We are to join the main defense force alongside _Galactron_ , in case Kjrvlnk can offer information. I wonder how long the General will leave him here.

"He probably figures he's secure enough, and keeping him off of _Galactron_ limits the damage he could do if he somehow escaped. Assuming, of course, that he would want to cause trouble, which I seriously doubt."

"It would be nice if we could pinpoint a central base of some kind," Güzhmäk said wishfully. "A quick strike at the right target could put a stop to this before it gets started."

"That is assuming the Vortak even have a central command base. I am not very certain about that, either." Güzhmäk had a point though – having something to counterattack would almost certainly feel more productive than sitting around, waiting for an invasion. Then again, having a target was a long way from having a solution. Much less a victory.

"Be sure to stop at the closest space station, Smardwurst said to the crew in general. "We need to be at full capacity when they arrive."

Smardwurst lay awake for a while that night, preoccupied by another matter. To him, an obvious precaution at this point would be to send someone to Earth to seek out Nedward Simmons. Mirana would probably be the best one to do that, given her ability to remain invisible, but then again she herself would probably be difficult to locate. Perhaps Marnax had already initiated contact, but Smardwurst wondered how much of a relationship those two had anymore. General Harvey would certainly appreciate the tactical advantage of having Plasma Masters on his side, but then again it was not entirely clear how willing he would be to work with Mirana Kelar. After all, her betrayal had resulted in the forced evacuation and bacterial bombing of his homeworld, Ergana Prime. The General had made no attempt to hide his contempt for Mirana, even though he was powerless to do anything to actually punish her – the pardon Marnax had given her as payment for Ned's help had put her beyond the General's reach. But, reluctant as he might be to seek out Mirana's help, surely the General could see no harm in recruiting Ned. Smardwurst made it a point to talk to him – or to Marnax, if possible – about the idea as soon as he could. Smardwurst might feel a little guilty pulling his friend away from a peaceful life on Earth, but, as before, it was beginning to look like the Anacronian fleet was about to face a dangerous imbalance of power, and Smardwurst suspected that his invincible friend would be willing to lend his services again.

But, as urgently as he wanted to address the matter of brining Ned back, he found his thoughts drifting elsewhere as he drifted toward sleep. The memories stirred up by Kjrvlnk's fragments of a story were surprisingly disturbing; although it had been many years now, Smardwurst had to admit that he was reluctant to think too hard about the circumstances that had forced him to leave Zalorus. Perhaps he could not really blame the Vortak for his silence; the burden of an outcast was not an easy one to bear.

### Chapter 9

Mirana said she had some administrative issues to attend to, so she dropped Ned off in the room he had used on his last mission with her and set him up with computer credentials, then left him alone. Once she had gone, Ned collapsed on his bed, letting the reality of his situation sink in. He was leaving Earth again. By choice, not by desperation. As before, there was no clear path forward, although he certainly felt more prepared and informed than he had before. But while he knew he had a lot to learn, he found his thoughts returning to Earth. There were so many things he was giving up. Foods he would not be able to eat. People he may never see again. But then, any kind of travel was like that, and few could claim the privilege or exploring the galaxy as he was doing. Still, there seemed to be no harm in remembering what he was leaving behind; he figured it would give him some perspective later on when he was immersed in the harsh reality of... whatever he was facing. And it would be better to feel homesick now rather than later, when he could not afford distraction. So he let his mind wander, wondering if he had forgotten to do something, wishing he had made things easier on his family, hoping he had not completely wasted the last two years.

Eventually he ran out of topics to ponder from back home, and he sat up. There was a computer console in his room, and he poked around at it, browsing news articles on the new state of the Anacron Empire. Most of them made little sense to him, but he figured that anything he could learn about the society he was visiting would be useful. He looked up a few technical topics as well, wondering if his college classes would make some of the engineering principles more intelligible. It helped a little, but not much.

Ned was surprised when Mirana called at his door after just an hour or so.

"Settled in?"

"Yes, just getting adjusted to the whole 'alien society' thing."

"Good. I had a change of plans. We're almost to the Vortex, and I think it would be better to get our practice in before we're in range of anyone's scans. We're far enough from your planet that if any of them ever get this far, they will have already done their fair share of exploring. Sound reasonable?"

"Yeah, that should be fine. But, what do you mean, 'almost there?' Last time it took all day, and the vortex should have receded since then."

Mirana feigned shock. "Last time? I'm almost offended! This is not your ordinary ship!"

"Right," Ned said, smiling. "I forgot your special project has state-of-the-art everything."

"It had better," she said, suddenly looking distant. "After what it..." But she shook her head and switched the topic back. "We're on our way to a planet now. But no sense wasting time until we get there. Let's swap notes."

"That sounds great! Anything you want to know?" Ned knew he was going to afflict his new partner once he started asking questions, so he figured it would be polite to take his turn answering first.

"Maybe you'd better just go over what happened before – anything that happened before we met or that you haven't already told me."

"Sounds good." Ned started with his discovery of the Shield Crystal and told her everything he could remember about building up his power. It was like unloading a burden, being able to talk about the Plasma with someone who could understand him, at least a little. A few times he stopped to ask if Mirana had shared his observations about what the power felt like or how it worked, but each time she simply shrugged or made a noncommittal sound and urged him to continue. He wondered whether she was actually getting anything useful from his discourse, but there was hardly any sense in questioning her now.

"That's interesting," Mirana declared when he had finished, but she did not elaborate. Instead, she took a deep breath and looked up, gathering her own thoughts. "I told you before how I gained my power – my father taught me. There was no Crystal or sudden moment when I gained the power, at least not that I remember. He just showed me that if I reached inside, I could feel the ability to hide things. It started with small toys, then bigger things like bushes and animals, and eventually I was able to wrap the Shadow Plasma around myself."

"Do you have to control the shape consciously?" Ned could not help interrupting.

"Not really. Or at least, I've had enough practice that it doesn't take much effort. Like you said, I can sort of feel things as the Plasma moves past them. But it definitely gets harder with larger objects, or things farther away. Usually I just hide myself.

"Anyway, the only thing there is to tell about before I met you is that my father once told me that Trelan Thendrak was very powerful, but his power couldn't affect ours. 'The Shadow cuts through the light' is how he put it."

"Sounds a little ominous."

"Like I told you before, 'Shadow' doesn't have to be a metaphor for evil. It's just a description of our power, because we can follow someone without being noticed."

"And your father could do it too?"

"Yes. He never told me how he learned, and I didn't really wonder. It's like how kids don't generally think to ask their parents where they got the money to buy their home or how they learned to do their job. It was just a part of him, like it was a part of me. And he never got the chance to explain it."

"I'm sorry it happened that way. And not just because of the information lost."

"It's okay, I moved past it a long time ago. Anyway, I didn't really know that there was anything else I could do with my power beyond what my father had taught me. I used it as I snuck around and gathered information, and I used it to protect myself when I was attacked. But it was just a way to hide."

"So using it as a weapon..."

"Yeah, I came up with that specially for you. Once I saw how you had developed your powers beyond what the Crystal gave you, I thought I'd give it a try. It was actually pretty difficult; the farther the Plasma gets from me, the harder it is to control. I used the Shadow beams against you in a closed space, but I'm not sure how good I'd be out in the open."

"I wonder if the cancelling-out property has a range too."

"Yeah, that's something I want to test."

"What about the armor?"

"That's the other thing I wanted to tell you. There's no activator pin like you have. It's just _there_ , like the Shadow Plasma itself. And my father didn't teach me about it. He showed it to me once, but I got scared when he put it on, and he didn't do it again. He said it was a protection that 'grown-ups' could call on. But he never taught me how to do it." She looked down, as if remembering something distasteful. "I was a teenager when I finally thought to try it. I just reached inside myself and willed the suit to materialize, and it did. I don't know if it really was an age thing, but I kind of suspected that maybe only one person could wear the armor, and I became its owner after my father died. Anyway, there's not much to tell about it – it's strong and has simple weapons built in, like yours. Mine has these pad things in the feet that let me move around quietly."

"I can see why it scared you as a child. It looks pretty menacing."

Mirana shrugged. "It's a weapon. Makes sense that it would look dangerous."

"Just one other question – how much of what you just told me do you think Dark Viper knows?"

"I don't think he knew anything. He seemed genuinely surprised when I told him about my power. And if he knew it could cancel his power, you'd think he would have focused his attention on having me killed."

"He must have been shocked to learn that there were Plasma Masters other than himself, considering that no one else seems to have known where the Plasma came from."

"I guess so. But he was also a fairly obsessive person, so maybe he was just distracted. And he was very confident. I purposefully didn't give him a reason to fear me, because I wanted his attention... elsewhere."

"Okay, so – yeah, this is another question after my previous, 'last' question. Why did your father tell you that you owed Trelan Thendrak your loyalty?"

Mirana sighed. "I'm afraid I never found that out either. I think it may have had something to do with my mother, since that's another thing he never really explained. I was just a baby when she died – there was some kind of attack on a ship we were on. I've tried track down a connection between that and Thendrak, but I haven't been able to find one."

The com link beeped, and Ablithra Erjflonger's voice cut in. "We're almost to the planet."

"Great," Mirana replied. We'll head to the landing bay." She clenched her fist with a smile, and black fire erupted around it. When she looked up, Ned thought he saw almost as much as much eagerness as he himself felt. "Ready to see what we can do with this?"

The planet's surface was not exactly spectacular. It was cold and rocky, and the atmosphere was unbreathable, so they had to keep their battle suits' helmets on. Gravity was a little low, which made Ned's stomach lurch a little at first. But the sky was clear, and the prospect of practicing the use of the Plasma more than compensated for the lack of scenery.

"All right," Ned said as they walked away from the shuttlecraft they had used. "The first thing I'm wondering is, just how good is the Shadow Plasma at cutting through everything else. Like, is there a way I can defend against it?"

"Good question," Mirana said. "If you can block it, then you know Dark Viper will have figured out a way. Charge up a wall or something and let's see if you can stop me from breaking through it."

Ned gathered the power in both hands, which he held shoulder-width apart. He drew a surge of Plasma out of the ether, charging around his hands and forming a bridge between them. He took his time gathering strength, focusing everything he could into the small sheet of blue light. "Okay," he said. Try to cut it."

Black fire glowing around her hand, Mirana effortlessly sliced through Ned's barrier. The blue light reformed behind the Shadow Plasma, but Ned could not even sense anything to push against. The hole in his power was just _there_.

"Hm," Ned said, frowning. "Let's try again, farther away. He walked some distance off, then turned and reformed a barrier. This time, he formed it off to one side so he wouldn't accidentally get hit by a bolt of Shadow Plasma. "Try shooting this," he said through his helmet's com link.

Across the rocky plain, Mirana extended a metal glove and fired a beam of dark energy through his barrier. Again, it passed effortlessly. "All right," he said. "Just how far can you go?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "How far is your range?"

"I guess I've never really tested it," he said. "Hold on." Ned picked a point some distance away and sent out the Vortex Plasma. When he arrived, Mirana was far enough off that it would have been hard for them to hear each other without the suits. "Try just making a Shadow field, as big as you can."

Mirana faded to black, and then the blackness expanded outward in an expanding sphere. Its growth slowed as the radius increased, but Mirana managed to push it large enough to encompass an area the size of a small house. When she was done, the blackness faded, revealing the scenery behind it – and what appeared to be a hemispherical crater in the ground.

Ned had been gathering power as Mirana worked, and now he extended his hand and sent blue lightning into the invisible Shadow field. It vanished quickly, but as Ned maintained the beam, he noticed that he could feel a gradual decline in its strength where it faded.

"It actually feels like I'm pushing against something this time. Can you feel it?"

"A little, yeah."

"Let's see how far I can go."

Ned reached out to the Plasmic energy around him and drew it into the beam coming from his hand with all the strength he had. Slowly, he advanced on the Shadow field, figuring that the beam should be stronger at a closer range. As he focused his power, he could see the blue light extending a few feet past the boundary of the crater before it faded into nothingness. "It's working," he said, although the strain of focusing the power eclipsed any excitement at this point.

"I'm going to pull it back a little," Mirana said. "Let's see how small the field has to be before I can maintain the border."

Mirana slowly retracted the field, and each time she did, Ned's beam penetrated a smaller distance. By the time the radius was just a few times Mirana's height, Ned could not make a noticeable dent in it.

"Looks like that's about it," Ned said, exhausted, and he let the beam die. The Shadow field faded to black, and then Mirana's black armor appeared as the darkness cleared.

"That could be useful to know," Mirana said. "So the Shadow power isn't impenetrable after all; it just has a huge advantage at close range."

"Like electromagnetism against gravity," Ned added.

"I guess so. Anything else we need to find out? This is probably our last chance to 'train' without being under attack or at least observation."

"I don't know," Ned said, thinking. "I guess I could take some time to absorb some of the planet's power so I'll be 'charged up' when I need it. Do you draw the power in like that?"

"I don't think so," Mirana said. "I don't really sense the power around me, except for what I send out."

"So the Shadow Plasma all comes from inside you?"

"Maybe, or else I just don't sense the process that draws it in."

"I guess that's handy, if it means you're always at full strength."

"Not necessarily. If I'm at a fixed strength, then someone else could conceivably charge enough power to get past my defense even at close range."

"Hm. They would have to be a lot stronger than I am, I think. I sure wish there were some kind of documentation about how the Plasma works. It's like we're trying to learn about computers by staring at circuit boards."

Mirana might have chuckled; it was hard to tell from behind the suit. "Charge up as much as you can," she said. I'm going to see if I can build up the strength of my Shadow beam; it might be the only weapon I have against Viper."

The planet's short day wore itself through as they experimented with their respective abilities, and before Ned realized it, the sky had grown dark. When he stopped for a rest, he looked up at the emerging stars. "Mirana, come look at this!"

Mirana appeared after a few seconds and followed his gaze upward. "Congratulations, Ned. You have discovered a bunch of white dots on a black field."

"Oh, come on. This is such a clear sky! Don't you think it's amazing how many stars you can see? I wonder if one of them is Earth's Sun." Ned looked to Mirana for a response, but she was just watching him through that red visor, arms folded. "You're smiling, aren't you?"

She shook her head. "I'm smirking."

"No, I'm very familiar with your voice when your smirk. That is a smile."

She shook her head with a chuckle. "I guess it's just interesting to see someone who can look at the universe through fresh eyes like that. Not everyone can, you know."

"Well, I guess I haven't been around as much as you have."

"I used to think that was it – that you were just inexperienced. But I think you've seen enough to become jaded. And yet somehow you can stop training for battle to admire the beauty of the sky. I think.... I think that's a good thing. Try not to lose it."

He chuckled too. "I'll try not to. I admit it's easy to forget about what we're heading off too. It's such a nice night. I feel like we should go get some pizza and discuss the latest action movie."

"Well, a meal is definitely in order; I think we've delayed long enough."

"There is one other thing I need to mention," Mirana said to him as they boarded the shuttle. "About the crew. I tried to hire Randar and the others I took with me to Sigma Omicron, but it turns out they blamed me for the death of the others on the team. They said I could have taken _Nemesis_ on my own without risking others' lives. Of course, blowing my cover at that point would have prevented me from brining you to Viper, but I couldn't exactly make that point." She lifted the shuttle off the ground out of reflex, but her eyes were distant. "The thing is, just about everyone in the Empire sees me as a traitor. The StarBlazer folks blame me for Ergana Prime and a dozen other things. The Anacron people say I betrayed Thendrak, and of course everyone says I dragged out the war by not picking a side. All true, arguably. But the point is, it was hard to find a crew I could trust. Ablithra was a young officer on an Anacronian ship and was far enough removed from the battles I affected to not have a ton of emotional baggage. And since General Harvey seems to favor StarBlazer officers for promotions, working for me seemed like a good opportunity for her. I did similar research on the others. Even so, it's not easy for me to trust people, especially people who work for hire. Too much like me, I guess. They didn't know about your part in this when I hired them on, and I think it would be best if you didn't get too close to them. You know, chatting at meals, that sort of thing."

"You want me to just stay in my room the whole time?"

"They'll usually stay in theirs when they're off duty. But yeah, given the size of _Nemesis_ , it might be better if you avoided wandering the ship when I'm not with you. And don't feel uncomfortable by the lack of conversation; they have a casual rapport, but they're a military team. Let's just let them do what they're here to do so we can focus on our job."

"Okay, sounds reasonable."

The shuttle was clear of the atmosphere, and soon the stars faded again as _Nemesis_ closed around them. Mirana ordered the pricom crew to continue on their way, and then Mirana and Ned had lunch with half the crew. Mirana ate quickly, and Ned followed her lead. "We should be to the vortex soon," she announced when they were done. "Let's head to the pricom."

"You look nervous," Ned commented as they walked. "Are you expecting something on the other side?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess not being able to scan ahead is a little unsettling. But also, once we're through there, we're back in it, you know?"

"Yeah," Ned replied quietly. "I know."

When they reached the pricom, Ned watched as everyone went silently about their work. He wanted to learn everything he could, but at the same time it seemed unwise to go peering over people's shoulders. In any case, he did not have long to wait; just a few minutes passed before the ship dropped out of hyperspace to pass through the vortex. The now-familiar swirling, purple light engulfed the ship as they left behind the relatively empty region of space around Earth. Then the light was behind them, replaced by another vast starfield. Almost immediately, Jenzo started tapping at his console. "Mirana, the armada is being assembled. General Harvey has issued orders for all ships to go on tactical alert. It seems they're expecting an invasion."

Mirana frowned. "An invasion?"

"From the Aliens. They're calling them the 'Vortak'. Apparently they uncovered a couple of ruined ships that they figure are ahead of an invasion force."

This news did not immediately implicate Dark Viper, but Ned's pulse quickened. "Another war, just as we're about to track Viper down? This can't be a coincidence."

Mirana's brow was furrowed as she pondered something, apparently not really listening. "We can't afford to join them now."

Jenzo scrolled through the report. "General Harvey has actually ordered _Nemesis_ to..."

"Harvey knows he can't order me to do anything," Mirana said flatly.

"Sure," Ned cut in, "but we can't abandon them either. This ship could make a huge difference in a battle."

"Exactly," Mirana said, turning to him. "Once we start fighting, we won't be able to leave because all of Harvey's tactics will revolve around us. If we're going to learn anything about Viper's power or his plans, we have to do it now, before he draws the whole Anacronian fleet into battle."

It made sense, but Ned didn't like it. "How long do you think they have?" The question was not really aimed at anyone particular, but Bortis answered anyway.

"There's no way to tell. Harvey doesn't even give a time frame."

Mirana turned to Ned, her expression softening a bit. "We have to be in agreement on this. I can't trace Viper's steps without you. But I can't imagine we'll get another shot at following up on this lead if we don't take it now."

Ned just shook his head. Somehow it felt that Mirana was oversimplifying the problem. "Shouldn't we at least let Marnax know we're here?"

"So he can do what? Knowing you're with me would just make them more eager to get us into the battle."

"Yes, to protect them from..."

Mirana's exasperated breath cut him off. "Look, Ned. I care about them too. But Gerran and Harvey understand our power even less than we do. We _owe_ it to them to go into this thing with as much understanding as we can get. And think of this: Even if Ruggles Girx manages to keep his mouth shut about what he told me, Viper is going to hear that I crashed his event, and he's going to figure out what kind of questions I would be asking. He'll destroy anything that there may still be for us to find."

"If he hasn't already," Ned reminded her. "And if he's even alive."

"Fair enough. But don't you think we're safer assuming that he is, and that there's _something_ for us to learn about him, _somewhere_? If you can think of a more likely spot to do research, then please let me know."

Ned realized that he was just stalling. Everything Mirana was saying was right, of course. He just hated the idea of abandoning the people he had come here to help, especially when he was so unsure of what he planned to accomplish. But he was out of arguments; it had to be better to show up late with new information than to show up too early and then get stuck fighting a defensive war against an enemy they didn't understand. Slowly, he nodded. "Okay. Let's do it. But let's hurry."

As _Nemesis_ thundered toward the obscure coordinates Mirana had given, Ned returned to his room to study up on piloting tactics and a bit of recent history. But on more than one occasion he found himself reading the same paragraph over and over before realizing that his thoughts had drifted. He told himself that he had made the right decision. He reminded himself that Mirana's argument had been thorough. And he had to admit that Mirana had been a good sport to ask his opinion before acting, even if she did need his help. _It'll be fine,_ he told himself. _This will be worth it._ But somewhere deep inside himself, a part of Ned still doubted that was true.

### Chapter Ф

When the deep space sensor grid picked up the Vortak invasion force approaching Anacronian space, no one was really surprised. Harvey had already deployed starships in the general area he expected to come under attack, so it would be a simple matter to order them to whichever world the Vortak started at, or to fall back toward Anacron if they tried a more direct attack. Everyone in the Imperial Armada was already training in battle simulations full-time, and there was certainly no shortage of war experience to go around. It was expected. It had been planned for. But none of that made it any easier to accept. When the report came that the invasion force was headed for the planet Zhentyris, the years of peace the Empire had enjoyed seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye.

"Here we go again," Gerran Marnax muttered to himself. He stood at a forward viewport aboard Galactron, looking out on the starship formations in orbit with him around the planet. They were an impressive sight, even after the losses they had suffered in the recent civil war. Marnax had made sure that warships had been produced at a greatly accelerated rate since the war so that anyone who might have been considering an attempt to take advantage of the Empire's weakened state would think twice. In all, the Armada numbered nearly ten thousand ships. Not all of them would be at the battle, of course, since many were needed to protect the individual planets in case of a surprise attack. But still, the Vortak were going to be sadly surprised if they thought they could conquer this Empire. They had lost once, and they would lose again.

There was, of course, no reason why Marnax should have to personally lead this battle. In fact he had been told several times in the last few days that it was foolish for him to do so. Imperial Councilmembers, including and especially the Emperor, owed a duty to their subjects to keep themselves safe. General Harvey was more than capable of leading the Armada. And that was to say nothing of the family he was once again leaving behind. But for some reason Marnax could not let himself sit at home for this. He knew that he had been elected to his office primarily because of his successes as a war hero, and he felt that it was his obligation to serve his empire by dedicating all of his talents to its cause, including in times of war. Besides, _Galactron_ was still his ship, and he was not in a hurry to turn it over to anyone else, not even Marvis Harvey.

Rinel, of course, had objected more than anyone else, and Gerran knew that he was going to end up feeling that he had betrayed someone, no matter what he did. After all, he could not really argue with his wife's logic. But as strongly as she had objected, Rinel had accepted Gerran's decision – although he was unsure of whether this was because she agreed with it or because she believed he would just leave anyway and wanted to avoid a conflict. In any case, it was no easy thing for him to leave his family behind again. It was a major sacrifice they were all making, and Marnax was going to make sure it was not made in vain.

The sound of the door behind him cut off his train of thought. "The last of the ships have arrived," Harvey's voice announced.

"How long until the attack?"

"About an hour."

"And... no sign of _Nemesis_."

"No, sir," Harvey managed to keep his contempt for Mirana out of his voice. It was obvious how important it was that Mirana bring the Empire's strongest ship to this battle, but Marnax had long since given up on trying to predict Mirana's behavior, and Harvey had never really counted on her in the first place.

"Thank you. I'll be there shortly."

The com link closed, and the Emperor looked out at his loyal followers again. He wished there were something he could say to them to encourage them, to assure them that the sacrifice they were about to make was worth the cost. He remembered a speech given years ago in a similar situation, given by his predecessor. Trelan Thendrak had rallied his forces and promised victory. Darkness upon all who opposed the Anacron Empire. And in the end, Thendrak had delivered on his promise. Marnax wondered how many victories it would take before his people came out the other side without the threat of further war looming over them.

The answer to that question would have to come another day. Marnax was out of time.

Ambelshack Devorion was not a huge fan of waiting for inevitable battles, but he was not wasting a second of the time left him. Ever since Smardwurst had discovered the dreaded Vortak, Ambelshack had spent all of his free time analyzing data from the Alien War. Despite the skill of the Anacronian pilots, that war had been a practice in losing slowly rather than fighting toward victory. The Vortak had attacked in overwhelming numbers, but almost as daunting had been the unpredictable fighting strategies they had used. Ambelshack and the rest of the members of the Starhawk squadron had become quite adept in noting patterns to most of their enemies' battle tactics, but the Vortak had remained an enigma from the time they had first appeared to the moment they had fled. Their ships were unusually maneuverable, their targeting was painfully accurate, and their ability to coordinate their efforts in small squadrons and across their entire fleet had defied understanding. By studying their movements and strategies Ambelshack had already learned a great deal about piloting, but he knew he would need to learn a great deal more if he were to have the same advantage over the Vortak that he enjoyed over the other fighters he had encountered during his career. He had trained his squadron well, but there was no sense wasting even a few minutes of preparation time with a battle like this looming closer. He flipped through the controls on his flight console and started reviewing his attack formations again.

While Smardwurst's crew went over final preparations for battle, Smardwurst indulged in a bit of speculation about the larger picture here. Certainly this battle posed a threat and demanded priority attention, but he could not help but fear that his leaders had made a mistake in delaying an attempt to contact Nedward Simmons. Of course, that would take time. And General Harvey was skeptical as always, preferring to put his trust in maximizing his military presence rather than unexplained individual powers. After all, Harvey had argued, what could Ned really do in a space battle? Protecting a starfighter or even a small group of them would not turn the tide of a battle against the Vortak, so it would be unwise to pull a warship out of battle to guard Ned here. And General Marnax had pointed out that _Nemesis_ should really be the ship to make the journey to Earth, once it had been decided that the time was right, given its superior speed and Shadow drive. But again, Smardwurst could not really agree with the delay. As much as he liked the idea of his Earthling friend staying out of danger, he found himself wishing desperately that Nedward were here now.

Then the hour was gone, and speculations and planning gave way to reflex and decision. The Vortak fleet emerged into phase space in a series of bright flashes that began at a single point in space and then spread outward around the planet Zhentyris to meet again on the far side. They had planned their exit vectors so as to form a sphere with their ships, hemming the Anacronian forces within. It was only a matter of seconds before laser cannons and missile launchers erupted forth and lit up both fleets in a glowing wave of destruction. Just as before, there was no attempt at communication by the Vortak beyond the obvious intent of their weapons fire. It had been several years, but it took only a few moments for the memories to return. It was as if the Alien War had never ended.

Instinct and experience allowed Ambelshack Devorion to dodge just meters away from the laser fire streaming from a dozen attackers while still hitting his target with his own weapons. He had known many pilots who had become frustrated with simulations of this scenario, arguing that after destroying several enemies, the constant barrage of weapons fire should ease up, making the battle easier. But Ambelshack had no such expectation; he knew full well that each time he pierced the shields of an enemy fighter or ruptured the warp drive of a larger one, another enemy ship would move in to take its place in an attempt to bring down the most feared starfighter in the Anacronian armada. His only satisfaction at this point was the knowledge that whatever ship did move in was now focused on him instead of a more vulnerable target.

As he destroyed the Vortak fighter that had dared to chase him for the last few minutes, he pulled out of the web of laser fire and exploding missiles a bit to assess his squadron's position. A quick glance at the readout showed that the squadron was in good condition, with low shields on a few ships but all of them still actively fighting. The armada in general was holding together too, as much as could be expected. Starhawk was doing its job.

Then another Vortak managed to hit his shields with a quick burst of weapons fire, and Ambelshack dove back into the midst of his enemies. As he locked missiles onto several fighters at once, while drawing the fire of a slightly larger vessel away from a damaged Anacronian cruiser that was trying to turn its stronger side toward the fight, Ambelshack found himself feeling a bit surprised about his circumstances. _Why_ was the armada holding together? The Vortak had known what to expect here, and yet it almost seemed that Anacron was faring better than it had in the previous war. Ambelshack would not go so far as to say they were winning, but they were certainly not retreating either. Had they really improved that much since the Vortak's previous defeat? Or had the Vortak attacked before they had fully recovered from their losses at Venom? As he blasted holes in the ship he had been targeting, he wanted to shout at it: _Why are you here?_ The explosion that resulted gave him no answer.

Marnax had a somewhat different perspective of the battle. With the complete responsibility for his fleet and his people bearing down on him there was no room in his mind for criticism of his enemy. Anacron was holding, but the enemy it faced demanded grim respect. There were so many Vortak ships that fighting them was somewhat like swatting at raindrops. It was a simple matter to destroy a few here and there, but there was no way to take them all into account individually, so long-term planning was extremely difficult. Then, too, the Vortak's tactics were markedly different from conventional battle strategies. There was no clear hierarchy of warship classes. Some Vortak vessels were a little larger than others, and some much larger; some were a little faster, some had a little more firepower. But overall, the Vortak warships were all built after the same basic pattern of dark green, longish hulls with a flattened shape and weapons platforms protruding from the sides. So determining which ships were the most important targets was a maddeningly difficult task.

Frustrated by just how alien the Vortak seemed, Marnax continued to lead his Armada in its efforts to hammer away at their enemies while minimizing damage to themselves. The Vortak were actually losing many more ships than Anacron was, but Marnax supposed that it was a calculated tactic: the Vortak could afford to lose ships, just as long as they were able to replace them faster than Anacronian vessels were destroyed. It was still unclear who was coming out on top of the attrition rate, but for the moment Marnax was content to let General Harvey worry about the big picture. _Galactron_ had been under heavy fire since the battle had started, and Marnax was busy making sure it kept a sufficient escort while still drawing enough attention to prevent weaker ships in the area from becoming surrounded.

As time passed, though, Marnax started seeing what Captain Devorion had noticed – the Vortak, while causing major damage, were not really living up to the reputation of dread that they had earned in the previous war. After a few hours of fighting in the Alien war, most Anacronian forces had found themselves in a measured retreat, strategizing not how to defend worlds but about which ones they should abandon first to avoid major losses later. This time, Marnax found himself daring to hope that they might actually drive their enemies off without losing the planet. What had changed?

The difference in the Vortak's tactics became shockingly clear just minutes later when one of their ships began approaching _Galactron_ on what Marnax could only assume was an attempt at collision. Ramming an enemy vessel was a desperate move, but beyond that it had repeatedly been proven to be wasteful unless the enemy was caught completely off guard.

"Take them out!" Marnax shouted. Instructions of any further detail would have been superfluous. As a matter of reflex, his crew reversed _Galactron's_ tractor beams on the approaching vessel while the upper weapons tower directed multiple laser cannons on a single spot on the approaching ship's hull. _Galactron_ began backing away, its engines more than a match for those of the Vortak vessel, and a starfighter escort began a concentrated attack on the approaching ship's hull. _Galactron_ actually increased the distance between itself and the enemy ship before the latter's shields failed and the escort ships finished it off. The only real loss was that _Galactron_ was now in a slightly different part of the battlefield, but Marnax was not seeing any tactical disadvantage to that. "I wonder how many of them would have to try ramming us before it worked," he said to no one in particular. Everyone was busy at their battle stations, and no one responded, but Marnax could not help wondering again what was behind his enemies' attack. What was it that was making them so desperate as to attack now, when they were apparently weaker than they had been before?

The thought was cut short as an Anacronian ship visible on the forward viewscreen broke apart in a fiery wreck. The Vortak were strong enough to be a threat. That was all Marnax needed to know for now.

As satisfying as it was for Ambelshack to divert firepower from Anacronian warships, he felt much more urgency when one of the fighter pilots in his fleet was under focused attack. His years of combat had left him with the sense of being in control out here, even under heavy fire, but he had not forgotten the initial terror of knowing that the thin canopy and shield bubble around one's fighter was the only protection against the emptiness of space and the instant death that would come from contact with enemy weapons. So when the fighter escort to the warship _Steel Hydra_ found itself surrounded and outnumbered by Vortak fighters, Ambelshack joined the battle with grim determination. He began picking off the Vortak methodically, but he found that he had to keep switching targets because no matter how much damage he caused, the Vortak seemed determined to finish off the weaker fighters before dealing with him. He would destroy five or six of them, and then one of the Anacronian fighters would go down. He was about to call in reinforcements when all of the Vortak fighters in the group abruptly turned and fled the battle, heading at maximum speed toward the outer rim of the battle. He wanted to pursue them, but something seemed wrong; there was no way they had simply been scared off. A quick scan of the area caused his concern to deepen. He contacted _Iron Talon._ "Nredj, do you see that mass of ships over there?"

"Yep. Marnax sees it too. A new vessel is approaching at high warp – they seem to be guarding its exit vector."

"This can't be good. Make sure everyone finishes up their current targets quickly. I'm heading over there to check this out."

"Be careful."

Marnax frowned. Reinforcements joining a battle was not terribly uncommon, but a single ship? It was hardly a reason to change tactics, although the sudden grouping of Vortak were clearly causing certain areas of their forces to become vulnerable as other ships pulled away. But Marnax kept a nervous eye on the warp range scanner.

Then the approaching vesssel dropped into phase space, right in the middle of the tight group of Vortak ships. The pricom crew brought its image up on the viewscreen while they scanned it. The ship stood apart from the other Vortak vessels with its dark red hull and haphazard-looking construction; its forward and lateral weapons platforms seemed to be constructed by several metal plates stacked with little regard to how they fit together. But the strangest feature was the dark red material that spread over the ship's surface in a branching, vein-like pattern.

"Sir!" a pricom officer shouted suddenly. "Scans complete. It appears to be Vortak, but it also registers a standard name: ' _Dread Phoenix_.'"

The new ship did not give anyone much time to worry about why it was there. _Galactron_ had barely finished its scans when _Dread Phoenix_ sped out ahead of its escort, directly into the path of the Anacronian ships that had moved to intercept it. Formidable lasers and missiles fired at its many targets, but so far there did not seem to be a significant difference between this ship and other Vortak vessels of similar size.

Ambelshack Devorion wove through the fighters and battleships that were engaging _Dread Phoenix_ and quickly closed to attack range. The fact that the other Vortak ships seemed to be leaving their companion alone made him nervous, and nothing tended to calm Ambelshack's nerves like raking a target with supercharged laser fire – a task which he now began in earnest. His heads-up display confirmed that his weapons were causing a measurable drain on the target's shields, but as he passed in close for a missile barrage he noticed something strange: each time a weapon struck _Dread Phoenix's_ shields, a thin, jagged bolt of red energy continued from the impact point to the ship's hull, as if the ship were being struck by lightning. It was almost as if the shot were piercing the shields, but Ambelshack was willing to bet that his observation had a more dangerous meaning. He just was not sure how to find out what that could be. Weapons fire from _Dread Phoenix_ forced him to pull away, but as he caught a final glance up-close, he thought that maybe those strange, red veins were glowing slightly.

As _Dread Phoenix_ continued its solitary stand against several Anacronian ships, Marnax's attention was forced back to the battle near _Galactron_. After all, things had not been exactly comfortable before the new ship's arrival. Several nearby ships were weakening quickly, and Marnax found himself hurrying from one conflict to the next in an attempt to shield weaker ships from enemy fire, even for just a few minutes. His gunners destroyed many Vortak vessels, but still there were so many of them that an end to the battle seemed to be a long way off.

"Captain Devorion was right," Harvey said suddenly, drawing Marnax's attention away from the immediate firefight.

Marnax peered at the viewscreen, remembering the fighter captain's earlier report. "They're definitely glowing brighter, whatever they are. What's its status otherwise?"

"It's shields are less than half power now. It's almost like... it doesn't mind the damage."

"'Dread _Phoenix'_... I don't like this. Tell those ships to call off the attack – there's no point wasting ships on a target that hasn't even posed a real threat yet. I'm afraid we're falling into some trap."

"I'll redirect them," Harvey said, and turned to his console.

The moment the attack force started to pull away, an eerie, red light flared near the top of the forward weapons platform on _Dread Phoenix_ , and a beam of energy lashed out at the nearest vessel, destroying it in a matter of seconds. The beam continued onto another ship, which lasted only slightly longer before its shield bubble melted, leaving it exposed to the explosive power of the beam. Still, the red light continued, quickly locking onto a third target. This one, the _Neptaris_ , still had its shields almost at maximum, but the energy beam followed it as it turned and headed away. A sick feeling settled in Marnax's stomach, and he pulled up a closer image on his personal console. The battle immediately around _Galactron_ was forgotten at the moment; it was becoming clear that this ship was closely tied to the purpose behind this entire invasion. The beam lasted for several seconds, burning steadily into the _Neptaris's_ shields.

"Urgent message from Captain Wirvet," a pricom officer shouted. But looking at his screen, Marnax already knew what the report was going to say. "The _Neptaris_ is taking hull damage even though the shields are still up." Marnax could see what Wirvet meant. The shields were blocking most of the red light, but some of it continued through. Wirvet was angling his ship away, attempting to keep the beam off of his warp drive, but as Marnax watched, first one and then two more weapons ports exploded, blown apart by the energy beam the shields should have blocked.

Then at last the energy beam died, and the _Neptaris_ sped away with what was left of its shielding. The other ships in the area were following suit, rushing to avoid the unexpectedly lethal threat. Marnax noted that the red glow on the vein-like pattern had died down again.

"That was not a Vortak weapon," Harvey said, eyeing Marnax meaningfully.

Marnax nodded in agreement. "It was a Plasma attack. Dark Viper is behind this. Somehow, he survived."

"We can't fight it for long if it can pierce our shields!"

"How are the shields on _Dread Phoenix_?"

"Weak. Do you want to finish them off?"

"Yes. Right now. Use _Galactron_."

Harvey called up a large escort, and now the attack on _Dread Phoenix_ recommenced, with greater urgency now. Again, though, as its shields drained, red lightning flared from the point of damage to the glowing material, causing it to glow a little brighter with each attack.

"It's below thirty percent," someone reported.

A group of Vortak struck from behind, perhaps hoping to draw Anacronian ships off of _Dread Phoenix_ , or maybe simply taking advantage of the fact that most weapons were currently occupied. "Set up a warp shell," Marnax ordered. "Don't let this thing escape."

The Emperor felt torn – on one hand, it seemed imperative to cut this ship down now, before it could cause havoc in a second battle. But on the other hand, massing his ships together like this presented a large attack profile to the Vortak, while limiting the degree his own ships could fire outward without risking damage to other Anacronian ships. Abandoning overall strategy to focus on a single ship was taking its toll.

"Ten percent," the tactical officer reported, and then he turned back to his console in shock. "Sixteen percent. Twenty. It's recharging!"

It was true. Again the glowing veins were dimming, but as they did the shield strength on _Dread Phoenix_ steadily climbed. All of a sudden this focused attack did not seem very fruitful. Then the ship turned and set course directly for _Galactron_.

"All ships cease fire on _Dread Phoenix_ ," Harvey ordered. "And keep us away from that thing!" _Galactron_ turned and began moving away at maximum speed.

"We're in trouble either way," Marnax observed with obvious concern. "Not attacking it isn't going to remove the threat."

Harvey, frowning. "I would call _Nemesis_ in, if I thought it would help."

Marnax frowned too. Harvey was right, of course – for all they knew, the annihilator cannons might be enough to breach _Dread Phoenix's_ shields once they were sufficiently weakened. And the Shadow field might be able to block a Plasma-based weapon. But Mirana was not here, and placing blame now would do no good. Marnax only hoped that nothing had happened to her; if Viper had already found Mirana, then this war might already be over.

"We have to have to retreat," Marnax decided. "We need time to study that weapon and come up with a defense. And to track down _Nemesis_."

"Getting out may not be easy," Harvey observed. He certainly had a point: going to warp while under attack was almost certain to get a ship destroyed as weapons fire destabilized the developing warp field. An invading fleet would often ignore retreating ships in favor of focusing its efforts on the planet itself, once its shields were breached or its other defenses were abandoned. But the Vortak had avoided flying in range of Zhentyris's limited weapon systems, and it seemed likely that their real targets were the Anacronian ships themselves. There was no obvious way to get them to leave the fleeing ships alone long enough for them to jump to hyperspace.

"We might be able to get warp cover if we pull in close to the planet," Harvey offered. Its weapons might keep them off.

"We'd have to do it all together, though. Otherwise, the more ships that escape, the easier it will be for them to focus their attacks on the remaining ones."

"Yes. Plus, something tells me that _Dread Phoenix_ will follow us no matter where we try to run. And it can probably generate a static warp shell big enough to prevent one nearby ship from leaving."

Marnax gritted his teeth. Of _course_ Viper's new servant would try to take out Marnax. "If that's what it takes to distract it, that might be our only option. He could not believe he was considering such a fatalistic tactic, but there were not a lot of choices. He could keep firing on _Dread Phoenix_ and charge its weapon again, or he could hold his fire and let it run around unchecked. Or he could do whatever it took to get his people out of here so they could have a chance at finding a weakness. "Prepare to abandon ship. Hopefully our shuttles can make it to another vessel."

"Sir, _Green Scorpion_ is hailing us."

Marnax nodded, and Smardwurst Varlon's face appeared on the viewscreen. Even with his alien features, Smardwurst's sense of alarm was clearly evident.

"General, Emperor. We may have found something. A way to retreat. If... that becomes necessary."

"It's necessary," Harvey barked. "What is it?"

"I have explained the situation to Kjrvlnk. He said that he was able to escape from his Vortak pursuers by jamming their graviton drives with a radial warp signature. It triggered a surge in their primary engines that drained the graviton thrusters, paralyzing their ships long enough for Kjrvlnk's group to escape weapons range and go to warp. It will probably only work once, and they may already have modified their systems after Kjrvlnk left."

Harvey frowned. "How are we supposed to know what frequencies to use for the radial warp signature? I doubt that the same one Kjrvlnk used will work for us."

"I actually believe it will, sir. I have studied the logs of Kjrvlnk's ship, and they used their own warp drive as a basis for their attack on the other vessels."

"And you don't think they'll have compensated for that by now?"

"They do not know we have him. They may not even know how he escaped. And if their conversations with each other are anything like the way Kjrvlnk talks to me, it may simply have never come up. I believe it is worth trying."

"How long will it give us?" Marnax asked.

"Perhaps half a minute. They will redirect power as soon as they realize what has happened."

"It will take us a few minutes to call in the fighters and position our ships so they can make use of the seconds we give them. We're still going to lose several ships doing this."

"But it is safer than staying."

"Yes," Harvey said, scowling. "I'm afraid it is."

Marnax briefly glanced at a battle readout, noticing that the Vortak were attempting to surround _Galactron_ , probably in an attempt to give _Dread Phoenix_ a chance to approach.

"All right," Marnax said resolutely. "Let's do it."

Even preparing for the escape was risky. Fighters had to be called in, since even the ones with warp drives would not be able to outrun the larger vessels at warp, but without fighter protection the Anacronian ships were extremely vulnerable. Ships closed in together, hoping to draw the Vortak in as well so that there would be enough empty spaces in the battlefield that were outside anyone's effective weapons range while still being reachable within less than a minute's time. Harvey watched the process, willing himself to stay focused on delivering the message so that everyone could deliver the radial warp signature at the same time. But even as he carried out the mechanical task, he felt anger boiling inside him. The anger only grew as the seconds passed; as he had predicted, several ships fell victim to the Vortak's attacks, even as they prepared to retreat.

When everything was ready, Harvey gave the signal. Every ship in the fleet transferred all the power they could into their active scanning arrays, broadcasting a signal designed to interfere with the warp cores of the Vortak vessels. He wondered briefly what would happen if the Vortak were ready for this, but then he saw the graviton ports on the nearest ships go dark; the warp drives had drawn power from the phase-space propulsion.

"Go!" he shouted.

Each ship accelerated along its chosen escape vector, channeling all available power to their own graviton systems. The seconds ticked past as Harvey watched his armada distance itself from the weapons of the drifting Vortak, knowing that at any second they would compensate for the interference and begin pursuit. He almost did not want to check on _Dread Phoenix_ out of fear that it might have managed to block the warp signature, but a glance at the battle readout showed that no ships were near it. The plan was working.

And then their time was up. Vortak ships began moving together, as if their whole invasion force had discovered and repaired the problem in a coordinated effort. This was as far as they were going to get, and the individual captains knew it. One by one they flashed into hyperspace. Most of them made it, although the Vortak managed to cut off the retreat of a few ships, cutting apart their warp fields and causing huge explosions in their warp cores. Harvey closed his eyes for a moment. For some reason, the final deaths in a battle had always seemed the most tragic to him. They had been so close.

_Galactron_ waited until the rest of the armada was away, then jumped to warp as well. Its advanced warp phase allowed it to quickly pass most of the fleeing ships, and a quick scan behind showed that the Vortak were not pursuing, apparently content to stay and attempt to make what they could of the planet they had conquered. Harvey knew that they would not stay there long, but for the moment, his fleet was safe.

He let out a heavy sigh, but the anger from before did not dissipate. If anything, not having to focus on the immediate needs of the battle allowed his emotions to boil to the surface. They were not complicated. Mirana Kelar, the woman who had betrayed his plans to Dark Viper years ago had again sabotaged his efforts to defend his people by withholding the ship she had acquired at the cost of four StarBlazer lives on Sigma Omicron. Harvey had to assume that Marnax would succeed in making contact with her and convincing her to join the defense against the Vortak, but the damage was done. Mirana had cost them yet another battle, another world, and countless lives, and this time Harvey felt determined to make her answer for it.

### Chapter ∩

As predicted, there was absolutely nothing nearby when _Nemesis_ dropped out of warp the morning after leaving the vortex. Ruggles Girx had not given them much information, and this was as close as they were going to come to matching the location he had described. Mirana had reasoned that if Trelan Thendrak had given the location simply based on constellations in the sky, the coordinates could not have been very specific anyway, so it was reasonable to hope that they might be able to repeat Thendrak's actions from here. Still, now that they were no longer moving and had nothing else to do, Ned was a little worried about their chances.

"Here we are," Mirana said, breaking the silence.

Ned bit his lip, pondering. "We have to assume that Thendrak used the Plasma to guide him to wherever it was he went. Let's drop the Shadow field and see if I can sense something."

Mirana's eyes shifted focus as she reached out to remove her power from the ship's Plasmic transducer, and Ned reached out with his own power to probe the ether around him. "There's definitely nothing odd here. I'm not sure how far out I can reliably sense things, but..." He pushed outward with his senses, focusing past the ship's hull to the emptiness beyond. It did feel truly empty; as he had experienced before, the Plasma had only a very tenuous presence in open space. "I think the ship is distracting me," he said finally. "There's so much more going on here than outside."

"You want to spacewalk?"

"I don't know, floating around might just disorient me. Maybe if I fly out there in my fighter."

Mirana shrugged "Can't hurt."

Ned hurried down the corridor to the launch bay and climbed aboard his fighter. He lifted it off the deck and out into space, already feeling a little disoriented at the lack of any frame of reference. He put some distance between himself and _Nemesis_ , then locked his position with respect to the larger ship. Again he closed his eyes and reached out, and this time he could sense the ether a little more clearly. He sat there for some time, searching. "The Plasma is definitely moving," he said finally over the com link. "Like a faint breeze, I guess. Are we... stopped?"

Ablithra Erjflonger's voice came back, "We're drifting in phase space. Do you need to lock velocity to something?"

Ned had not really decided what he was looking for, so instead of answering he poked around at his fighter's controls. He had learned on his first journey with Smardwurst that most starcraft could match velocity with any of several targets, such as planet, a main ship, or an enemy fighter. The positional readouts would then give speeds and distances relative to that target. Ned did a cartographic scan of the region of space and picked a nearby star to lock position with. The eddies in the Plasmic either shuddered a bit as his ship started drifting in a different direction, but soon he regained a sense of the general movement.

"It's coming from over there," he said, pointing. "Just a second." It took some fumbling with the controls, but he managed to chart a course in the general direction of where the Plasma seemed to be flowing from. He forwarded the data to _Nemesis_. "I think we should take readings like this from a few locations some distance apart and see if we can triangulate an origin."

"Good idea," Mirana replied back. "No sense re-docking each time; you head where you need to, and we'll follow when you're ready."

"Okay." The idea of warping off into space was a little unnerving, but he had done it before. Of course, at the time he had been heading home, not into emptiness, and he had known there were no other ships in the area that he might encounter. Still, _Nemesis_ could catch up to him quickly if anything went wrong, so he plotted a course several degrees to the right and above the direction he had plotted previously. He went to warp one and stayed there for a minute or so, still a little unsettled by the fact that the starfield hardly shifted even though he was traveling faster than anyone on Earth ever had. Finally he dropped out of warp again and closed his eyes. There was definitely movement, and he tried to point his fighter in the direction it was coming from. Again he plotted a course, and while the two lines did not quite intersect in three dimensions, they definitely suggested a general direction to search. The lines did not approach each other for several light years, though, and he did not really want to spend hours cruising around in his fighter when the fastest ship in the Empire was just seconds away. He opened long-range channel to _Nemesis_. "I think it's working," he said. "But we need to jump farther ahead than I can get to quickly. Do you mind picking me up?"

_Nemesis_ was there in seconds, and over the next several minutes Mirana took Ned to five more locations, each time gaining a new heading that helped to surround what seemed to be the source of the Plasma flow. "I think we're almost there," he called to Mirana as he headed out of the landing bay for yet another reading. "What do we do when we reach the center? The sensors would pick something up if there were anything there, wouldn't they?"

"Girx said he didn't see anything even when he was right on top of it. But it can't be a coincidence that you're sensing Plasma flowing from somewhere. Let's just get there."

It took a few more jumps, but soon the ethereal flow was so strong that Ned could sense it from inside _Nemesis_ , so he returned to the pricom for the last few readings.

"There," he said, pointing. "We should be able to reach it on graviton drive."

"I'm reengaging the Shadow drive," Mirana said.

Ablithra flicked her controls, and _Nemesis_ started forward. Ned adjusted the heading a few times, then abruptly told her to stop. "It's just a few meters away... there." Already focusing his power outside the ship, Ned brought the Plasma into normal space in a glowing ball out in front of the ship. It showed up as a clear beacon on the viewscreen. "Fly to that point." _Nemesis_ reached the spot quickly and kept moving, and then all of a sudden the starfield was replaced by a white light so intense that the pricom crew had to dim the viewscreen. They looked around nervously, but Mirana just stared straight ahead. Ned thought he knew how she felt; there were probably answers up ahead, but there could just as possibly be a fleet of enemy ships, or some other kind of trap. But the light faded before Ned could ponder that for long, and empty space returned.

"Weird," Ned said as he probed the ether around him. Several inquisitive eyes turned to him. "The Plasma is flowing back toward the vortex, but it's not coming from a particular spot anymore. It's just... more intense, I guess. It's like it's a high-pressure fluid in this part of space, and the vortex is a release valve."

"Where are we?" Mirana asked, but Bortis was already scanning.

"We're... really far away. I guess that was another vortex. There's a star system up ahead, but it's pretty isolated – nothing else within a few days' travel, even for us. There's... one planet orbing the star." He brought up a map on a side viewscreen, showing their position as well beyond explored Anacronian space.

"Let's check it out, then."

Another quick jump through hyperspace brought them in view of the planet Bortis had mentioned.

"The planet is tiny," Jenzo reported. "It must have a really dense interior though, because the surface gravity is about standard. There's one continent, mostly forested. I'm not reading any technology at all, but there is some kind of electromagnetic disturbance near the mountains there."

He brought the location up on the screen, and Mirana stepped forward, as if to get a better look. "Just trees and rocks and a river or two. You're not detecting anything generating it?"

"No. The center of the disturbance is about here." A red dot appeared on the map view, indicating an area where the trees ran up against a cliff face. A circle appeared around the dot, indicating the reach of the energy field. "There's a good landing spot a short distance away, outside the disturbance."

Ned frowned. "What kind of a 'disturbance' are we talking about? Some kind of a security device?"

"Or a beacon," Kalru offered. "It makes it pretty clear where to go. Either that or a decoy, I guess."

"The field could interfere with electronic equipment," Jenzo said. "We could probably find a way to shield against it."

"No," Mirana said. "I say we play along. Ned?"

"That should be fine. I'll go in first, and if the Plasma doesn't have to protect me, you can follow."

"Great," Mirana said, looking a little excited. "Let's get packed. Looks like the hike should take about an hour, but no sense going in unprepared." She left the pricom, motioning Ned to follow. "You know about packing for outdoor trips, right? Dress in layers, carry essentials like food, knife..."

"I didn't exactly pack when I came."

"There's standard equipment in your room." Mirana disappeared behind her own door, and Ned hurried onward to pack whatever he could find. He rummaged around the closet and found shorts, boots, and a jacket that looked and felt like leather but was much lighter. A nearby locker contained a small backpack preloaded with several supplies, although many of them were electronic, and it seemed those would be useless. Ned had to assume that Mirana was planning to go in without their battle armor, which seemed fine, although Ned would have felt a little more comfortable knowing whether it could at least materialize inside of the electromagnetic disturbance field they were heading for. He was pretty sure Mirana would be done packing before him, though, so he gathered his things quickly and hurried to the launch bay.

Mirana was standing near _Nightsong_ , carrying a pack similar to Ned's and wearing a belt with several large pockets attached. She was talking with Jenzo and gesturing at various parts of the ship, apparently doing some kind of a preflight check. In the well-lit bay, Ned now noticed that the fighter's hull appeared almost soft; whatever material covered it muted the light rather than reflecting it like Ned's own fighter did. He looked over at the blue fighter resting not far away and smirked. He had a feeling he knew how the following conversation would go.

"Don't you think it would be better to take my fighter? You know, it having two seats and all."

"What are you going to do if we're attacked? Fight off attackers while focusing your shield? Move over so I can take the controls?"

"I've we're optimizing for the chance of attack, we really should be going down there with both fighters, plus armor. How long would it take _Nemesis_ to catch up with us if something goes wrong?"

Mirana frowned. "Fine," she said, to Ned's surprise. He was expecting a snarky addition along the lines of "Just don't crash," but Mirana walked over to his fighter without another word. Actually, she looked a little distracted. Ned followed after her, reaching down to his waist to signal the fighter to lower both seats to the shuttle bay deck. For what felt like the hundredth time today, Ned lifted his fighter off the deck and flew through the opening doors and into space.

Flying down through the atmosphere was a little unnerving. The inertial dampers on his fighter spared him the extra force he would normally feel from his seat at such a high acceleration, but the sight of the distant ocean and mountains zooming toward him was a little dizzying. He tried to focus on his instruments, guiding the fighter toward the spot Bortis had sent him, making sure not to get too close before slowing down. Soon the forest was close enough to make out individual trees, and Ned slowed, looking for the landing spot. "Now let's just see if I can descend without smashing any trees," he mused.

"Want to know a trick?"

He looked back in surprise, then realized he had better keep his eyes forward. "Sure," he said. For some reason the offer for advice from Mirana seemed out of the ordinary.

"Flip upside-down. Then you can keep the trees above you and see your landing spot."

Ned smiled. It was a weird idea, one that would never work on Earth. But the fighter's graviton thrusters would work just as well inverted, so he nudged the attitude control to the side in a slow roll. The ship's artificial gravity kept him from feeling upside down, which made it all that much more odd when the trees rotated around and started passing above him. He dropped altitude, effectively rising toward the branches, and skimmed their tops until he could make out the clearing ahead. When he could see the flat, grassy area directly above him, he flipped the fighter back over and landed it.

"Not bad," Mirana said. Smiling, Ned lowered the cockpit and stepped out into the warm, midmorning air. The familiar sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling made their way out to them from the trees, and there was no visible sign of the energy field they had detected from _Nemesis_.

Mirana was looking at a handheld scanner. "The barrier is right up there." She pointed to a sort of natural path leading into a thin stand of trees. She started walking, and Ned followed. Mirana stopped a short distance into the trees. "It's here," she announced. Still there was no sound or sight to mark the barrier, although there was definitely _something_.

"I think this barrier is generated by the Plasma somehow. I can feel it up ahead."

"Not surprising, all things considered."

"Do you think that scanner will blow up or something if you carry it in? There's more electronic stuff in my pack..."

Mirana smiled and handed Ned the device, then motioned forward with a mock bow. Ned smiled too as he jogged forward, half expecting the scanner to explode in his hand. Instead, it simply went dead as he passed on of the trees. He could sense the presence of the energy field around him by the way it disturbed the ether, but he sensed no other effects. He stopped and offered the scanner back to Mirana, who caught up with Ned without any disastrous effects either. She took the scanner and tucked it into a side pocket on her backpack. "Who knows? Maybe it will start working again later." She started forward again, and Ned kept pace. He was just about to ask her if she knew where she was going – realizing at the same time that he probably should have thought of this sooner – when she pulled out a map and compass from another pouch and started looking at them.

Again, Ned was surprised. "You have a paper map? And a compass that works on an alien planet?"

"It's not exactly paper; it's markable fabric. And we calibrated the compass based on the planet's magnetic field. This isn't the first time I've needed to get around without detectable equipment, believe it or not."

The trees closed around them quickly as they climbed gradually into the foothills, but while there was no actual path to follow, the trees and rocks always seemed to leave a spot open in the direction they wanted to go. Ned found the whole experience very pleasant, not only because of the good weather and relaxing scenery but because of how much it reminded him of exploring the woods near his home when he was younger. But what surprised him was how happy Mirana seemed. As they walked, it was like Ned could see the cynicism and rough façade fall away with each step. He wanted to say something, but at the same time he knew that, while Mirana's trips through the woods had also started in her youth, those memories would undoubtedly be linked to the less pleasant ones that had followed. Eventually, though, Ned found that the silence between them was becoming a major frustration, so he decided to try starting a conversation.

"You seem pretty experienced at this," he noted when she stopped for a moment to compare the map to the mountain tops visible above the tree line.

"Yeah, I guess so." She was still smiling, which was a good sign. "I don't get away from the whole starship-and-city scene very often. It's nice to be somewhere where there's nothing to hide from."

"I know what you mean. The problems we face kind of fall into perspective when you're surrounded by something that's just _there_ , and has been for hundreds of years, and will still be there long after we leave."

She looked down and shook her head, as if trying to hide from her own smile. "Come on," she said. "It's not much farther."

Even though she had shut down his attempt at a conversation, Ned could not help but feel like he had scored some friendship points. He had talked to Mirana about something that had not made her angry or frustrated or concerned. It was something, anyway. He realized that it was a little silly for him to even care, but, he told himself that Mirana was an interesting person, and so it made sense to go to some effort to get to know her. As they walked, Ned found himself looking over at her just to see the expression on her face; even the bounce of her ponytail seemed inordinately interesting. He knew she would not approve of that sentiment, but since "not much farther" turned out to still be in progress several minutes later, Ned decided to try again.

"So, what do you do when you're not off investigating something or fighting a battle?"

She looked at him as if his question made no sense. "That's been pretty much my life for the last several years."

"But you must have a few minutes here and there in-between 'missions.' Do you read? Listen to music?"

"I read up on economic trends and illegal activities."

"I'm starting to think it might be best if I just left you here for a few weeks while I go on alone."

"Ha. Not if you want to..."

_Stay alive_ , Ned finished for her. Oops. They were back to the war that would be starting soon, if it hadn't already.

"I train," she said, surprising Ned out of his bout of regret. "You know, for combat. It's relaxing, focusing my energy into something that makes me stronger and lets me be ready for whatever's coming up."

"Makes sense. I guess I should do that too, although I doubt I'd be able to get good quickly enough to matter. Not if my piloting skills are any indication."

"You have different skills," Mirana said, again surprising him with her openness. "You see into a world no one else seems to understand, and you find ways to make that matter. You find the strength to face challenges most people would run away from."

"Well, thank you. That... actually means a lot coming from someone who could seriously take out anyone in the galaxy."

"Yes, well, some would argue that a skill that's misused is worse than no skill at all."

"You haven't misused your skills. You've just been trying to do the work of an army and a government all by yourself. You can't expect everything to turn out perfectly."

Mirana seemed satisfied with his answer, but she made no further comment. Soon Ned could hear the splashing of water ahead. Ned had noticed blue lines crisscrossing Mirana's map, but so far they had crossed only small streams. The sound made him thirsty, and took a drink from his canteen. The sound became louder as they walked, and through the trees Ned could see the mountain wall rising out of the forest nearby.

"Right over here," Mirana announced, then pushed ahead through a break in some dense bushes. Ned followed her and saw the source of the water.

The trees continued only a short distance before the ground dropped sharply into a shallow pool, which was fed by a waterfall tumbling down over a short cliff, the first in several more steps leading farther up into the rock behind it. The rock of the cliff face completely encircled the pool except for the spot where they stood and where the pool emptied into a stream that disappeared into the woods. The pool was small enough that they could have walked around it easily, but the water reached right to the cliff face.

"The exact center of the energy field is just ahead," Mirana said, studying the map with a furrowed brow. "It could be up higher, or it could be inside the mountain. We could go back into the trees and search the rock for a cave..."

"The waterfall," Ned said.

"What about it?"

"I bet it's a door."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, first of all, everyone who's ever played a video game knows that there's always something behind a waterfall." He paused for the obligatory glare. "And second, the Plasma doesn't feel quite as... 'dense' over there."

Mirana rubbed her chin. "The water seems to fall right up against the rock, but I guess it's worth a shot. You have swimwear, right?"

"Swim?" Ned walked up to the water's edge and looked into the pool. Mirana was right – it was too deep to wade across, and the water wasn't any more shallow around the perimeter. "I'm actually not the best swimmer, but..."

By the time he turned around, Mirana was already down to a light shirt and shorts, both made out of a dark gray, shiny-looking fabric. It was still very modest, especially for swimwear, but it was also flattering enough to make Ned forget to finish his sentence or even to close his mouth. If Mirana noticed, she gave no sign. "Hurry," she said, and carried her pack and outer clothes over to the bushes to conceal them, then pulled the belt out of the pile and reattached it. Ned quickly shed his jacket, boots, and outer shirt and pants, leaving him in similar shorts and t-shirt. Transferring the Shield Crystal and armor pin from the pants pocket to the shorts was habit for him, and he made the switch quickly, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that even after mastering its power, Ned was still unable to put the Crystal down. The shirt and shorts were a different material from what Mirana was wearing and did not really feel like they were designed for swimming, so Ned thought about ditching the shirt as well. But he decided it was better to err on the side of too much clothing instead of too little. He put his things together in a rough pile and walked back to the pool. Mirana was already waist deep. She motioned for him to follow, then dove in.

Ned waded as far as he could, carefully watching the pool's bottom in an attempt to stick to the highest ground possible. He had taken a few swimming lessons, but he had not had many chances to practice, and he knew he was going to look silly as soon as his feet were off the ground. The obvious solution in any other place would have been to engage his armor and simply walk across the bottom, and for all he knew it would work; the armor could withstand repeated laser and missile fire, so it might just shrug off the interference from this strange energy field. But that seemed a little extreme, and he was sure he would not like the response he got from Mirana if he tried it, so finally he just plunged in and flailed across the pool as fast as he could. It actually did not take him long to reach the other side, and when he finally made it to shallow water near the side of the waterfall, he found Mirana lounging patiently against the rock. He managed not to stare too much.

"It looks like you were right," she said as he wiped water from his face. "There's an opening back there." And with that, she disappeared into the wall of water.

Ned took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and waded through as well. On the other side he found himself at the start of a long tunnel of tan-colored stone. Light filtered in from behind the falls and at odd intervals ahead, presumably through other openings above. Mirana was shaking out her ponytail; already her clothing seemed dry except for a few drops that beaded on the slick fabric. Ned's clothing had not absorbed too much either, but he tried to wring it out a little anyway.

"We made it," he said, a little excited now that the ordeal was behind him.

Mirana started forward without a word. The passageway bent a little, and once the sound of the waterfall faded, the only noise was the sound of their wet feet against the cold rock. "Just think," Mirana said as the passageway wore on. "He was _here_." The thought sent a chill through Ned. He looked around furtively, half expecting to be attacked.

The rock soon changed from natural-looking cave to carefully crafted tunnel, with a flat floor and vertical sides. "It's like on Palandora," Ned said to himself, remembering Koral's old home. And then the tunnel ended, opening abruptly to the left into a circular room with a high, arched ceiling. Again light filtered down from who-knew-where, with a lit area in the center of the room highlighting a pedestal. The pedestal was formed out of the same stone as the floor and walls, with intricate carvings on its base, but the top was bare. Three smaller pedestals sat against the walls, evenly spaced from each other and from the entrance. Each of these three had a claw-like protrusion on the top, like talons curving upward, with a small slot just below them. Above each of these pedestals the walls were carved with some kind of lettering. This time Mirana waited, watching Ned. He took a deep breath and walked inside.

There was not much more to see, really. Whatever this room was for, it seemed to have served its purpose. "It's so... empty," Mirana said, entering now. She looked disappointed.

"I'm guessing that these claws held the Crystals," Ned speculated. "And maybe the activator pins fit into these slots. But if Thendrak already had the Matrix Crystal when he came here, what was the central pedestal for?

"A keyhole? Look at the floor and walls around the others – I'm thinking maybe they were rotated out from behind the wall." Ned could see what she meant – there was a faint seam in the floor that curved around each of the pedestals, which continued up the walls and over them.

"Okay," Ned said. "So Thendrak comes into the rooms, sees this pedestal, and interacts with it somehow. Three sections of the wall spin around and deliver additional Plasma Crystals, which he takes and later distributes to Rax, Dren, and Ralok." He paused, not really wanting to voice this next thought. "So what should we learn from this?"

Mirana was obviously already thinking the same thing; she made no attempt to hide the scowl that was slowly spread across her face. "We can copy the writing on the walls, although there might have been further writing on the other side." She pulled out her map and flipped it over, then produced some kind of pen and started transcribing the message over one of the Crystals' pedestals. She did not seem terribly optimistic about the task.

Ned was starting to feel useless. "Do you have something else to write on? I can help..."

Mirana passed Ned the pen and fabric with a muttered comment about the cursed energy field that prevented them from just taking a three-dimensional image of the room. As Ned started writing, Mirana began pacing the room, lost in thought, but clearly unsatisfied with everything she was coming up with. There was not much writing, and Ned finished after just a couple of minutes. "Do you want to check this?"

Mirana shook her head. "We made a mistake," she said instead. Ned started folding up the map and transcription. "Viper would have destroyed this place if he were worried we might come here and learn something. I can't believe I thought we'd find something useful. I just couldn't see the obvious because I had spent so much time on it trying to find _something_. This isn't even where Viper gained his power! I was so stupid!" With that, Mirana slammed her fists onto the central pedestal. Her anger erupted around them in the form of black fire, which scattered over the stone as her fists struck it. Ned jumped back in surprise, but when Mirana looked up, he could tell she had come up with something.

"Step out of the room," she said. Her voice was quiet, eager. Ned handed her the writing instrument, stuffing the map into a pocket in his shorts as he stepped into the hallway just outside the room. He thought he had an idea of what Mirana was planning. "Be careful," was all he could say.

Mirana nodded, then placed her hands on the pedestal, looked down at them, and then vanished. Soon the pedestal itself began to fade, shrinking from top to bottom. Nothing but the same tan stone revealed itself as it disappeared, but Mirana continued expanding the Shadow field. Soon the floor began to vanish in a growing spherical dent. Ned took a step back – he did not think he wanted to know what would happen if the Shadow field touched him. But Mirana stopped the field's growth as it approached the walls. "Let's see what's behind these things," came her voice form out of nowhere, and then the invisibility field extended into one of the wall pedestals and the wall behind it. There was indeed an empty chamber behind it, although there was no visible apparatus that would have caused the stone to turn. The other two pedestals revealed the same thing. "There _must_ be something left over," Mirana insisted. "And something has to be generating that disruption field." Ned knew she was right, but he had been unable to detect a source for it, and he certainly did not sense anything special nearby now.

"Let's see what's down below," Mirana said, and the Shadow field began revealing deeper layers into the floor.

"The rock looks like one solid mass," Ned observed. "That's not what you'd expect in a mountain, is it?"

"I wouldn't think so," Mirana agreed. "Incidentally, it's a little odd standing this far above solid rock. I keep thinking I'm going to fall."

Ned smiled, and then he saw something in the ground. "Mirana, wait!"

There was a glimpse of metal, and then the flash of an explosion. The walls began to shake violently. "Drop the field!" Ned shouted, and instantly Mirana was standing behind the pedestal again, a frightened look evident on her face. Ned sprinted toward her, reaching ahead with the Plasma to wrap a shield around her as the tremors grew. She ran toward him as well, and they reached each other just as the entire room crumbled to dust as the explosion ripped through the mountain in a deafening roar. Shield Plasma erupted all around Ned, and he felt himself spinning out of control as rock and fire hammered into him from all directions, tossing him around like toy. He and Mirana clung desperately to each other; it was all Ned could do to push the Shield Plasma far enough out to keep Mirana inside its protective range as the pair was flung around inside the mass of crumbling stone.

It seemed like an eternity before the explosion ended, although it could not have lasted more than a few seconds. Ned and Mirana finally came to rest, but the Shield Plasma was still straining against the tons of loose rock that now lay on top of them. Ned was not sure how much room there was to move, but he was afraid to try anyway, since any movement might cause the rocks above to settle even more. But as claustrophobic as it felt, the immediate concern was air. Ned knew that his armor could provide him plenty of air, but he was afraid to activate it, since it might push Mirana out of his protective field. Already he was finding it hard to breathe; speaking was certainly out of the question. He could feel Mirana's arms struggling weakly, still locked around his chest. She was no doubt in no better condition than he was.

The only good news was that, now that he was settled in one place, Ned was able to focus on the Plasma outside his shield. There was nothing but rock in all directions, but he began forcing the energy under his control outward and upward, searching for the drop in ethereal density that should mark the surface of the mountain they were in. He had no idea which direction he was facing, so he had to try in every horizontal direction, and soon he was seeing stars. If he blacked out, he knew that the Shield Plasma would collapse inward and focus on protecting only him, and he could not let that happen. If it took too much longer, he would have to risk activating the armor.

Finally he broke free, and he focused all of his attention into the task of creating a tunnel from his position to the open air. When he felt the vortex was fully formed, he was about to push just Mirana through, but entwined as they were, it seemed simpler to risk transporting both of them at once. With one final exertion, he used the last of his strength to transport them through vortex and out of the mountain.

Ned and Mirana tumbled out of the light and into the air gasping, rolling on the grass as they searched for a solid footing. Mirana was on her feet in an instant, her armor forming on her as she went into an instinctive battle pose. Ned gained his feet and activated his suit as well, then scanned the area, half expecting to see a hoard of something rushing toward him. But there was nothing but the peaceful afternoon they had left behind at the waterfall.

Mirana sounded more angry than worried or relieved. The generator for the electrical inhibitor field must have been destroyed in the blast, because Mirana immediately contacted the ship. "Ablithra! Is anything out there?"

"We saw the disruption field vanish and detected a tremor, but nothing else. Should we pick you up?"

"Stand by."

Mirana looked at Ned, the Shadow Master's menacing visor forcing him to address the tactical situation rather than indulge the sense of relief that was his first instinct. "I don't sense anything, but then I didn't before, either. What happened?"

"A trap, I guess. Maybe Thendrak wanted to make sure no one retraced his steps."

"Does that make sense, though? I mean, if that was really a trap for us, it wasn't a very good one."

"It seemed pretty effective to me!"

"I mean, why make us go to all that trouble to set it off? Why not detonate it based on motion? And why bury it so deep? Any closer and we wouldn't have had enough time before the place collapsed."

"What do you think it was?"

"I don't know, but... it's almost like it was reacting to the Shadow Plasma itself. Either that or the light that filtered down. But why put a light sensor on something buried in solid rock?"

"You think I broke some sort of circuit? A sensor to prevent Shadow Plasma from affecting the device?"

"Yeah, maybe."

"Interesting. If that's the case, that would suggest that whoever created the Crystals had a thing against Shadow Masters, even back then."

"Well, that's something, then."

Mirana grunted her dissatisfaction, and Ned had to agree; their investigation had not really paid off. "I guess I'll call my fighter, unless you think there's more we can do here."

"No, let's get out of here. We've wasted too much time already."

The fighter reached them quickly, and Mirana had Ned tractor up their hiking gear so they wouldn't leave behind any unnecessary clues as to what had happened. She did not have to voice the obvious concern – whatever had happened, there was a decent chance that it had alerted someone that they were there.

Mirana was silent for the short flight back to _Nemesis_ , where she hurried to the pricom with her armor still on except for the helmet. Ned followed her lead and stood silently as the ship passed back through the Vortex into Anacronian space. Then they were back to high warp, and it was only seconds before Bortis's console beeped, indicating he had a status update from the fleet. When he turned to face Mirana, his face was pale.

"It's too late," he said. "The Vortak have attacked them at Zhentyris. The whole armada is there right now."

" _Venom!_ " Mirana cursed, slamming her fist down on empty air this time. "Get us there, now! Any idea how they're doing?"

"No," Bortis replied, shaking his head incredulously. "But there's an urgent call for us."

"We're at least a day away," Ablithra reported. "The most we can hope for is to be there for the next battle."

Ned felt sick. Of _course_ there was an urgent call. _Nemesis_ had provided a critical advantage in the last two battles StarBlazer had fought, and now it had two Plasma Masters aboard. "We were wrong," he heard himself say. "We abandoned them." He looked over at Mirana, knowing that underneath that veil of anger she was feeling the same thing.

Mirana held his gaze for just an instant, then turned to Ablithra. "We might not be able to help, but we will be darn sure we're ready for the Vortak when we do face them. Let me know the instant we have more information." With that, she stormed out of the pricom, leaving Ned alone with the crew and a growing sense of guilt.

_It had seemed like the right reason,_ Ned rationalized. _We were supposed to find out some important secret. It was supposed to make us stronger. This was supposed to_ help _._

But all the self-justification he could muster failed to dispel what he was feeling. As he stood there, watching the phase-altered starfield fly past far too slowly, Ned found himself thinking about Smardwurst Varlon and the other Anacronian officers he had known. They were probably thinking about him right now. If they were even alive.

_Please,_ he called out in his mind. _Still be alive._

### Chapter 10

Once _Galactron_ had reached the space station Len Tarak, and repairs were underway, Gerran Marnax retired into his room to rest awhile. It was lonely here, with his family so far away, but at least it was possible to relax without the disturbances of battle reports and repairs updates. He and Marvis Harvey had been over the results of the battle several times now, and then they had studied a dozen possible scenarios for the battle they knew would come soon. Gerran was exhausted. He collapsed into a large, padded chair and tried to clear his mind. He had just dozed off when a sharp buzzing sound brought him suddenly awake. He sprang to his feet, his hand impulsively reaching for his blaster.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," a familiar voice said.

Marnax let out a sigh of relief as he caught sight of Mirana, arms crossed in front of her as she regarded him with a wry smile. "Mirana! I am _so_ glad to see you."

"Not as glad as you would have been yesterday, I think. I am so sorry I wasn't here."

"You're here now. How did you get in here, anyway? Is my security that bad?"

"I walked in behind you just now. I was going to let you sleep, but I figured you'll rest better if you know we we're here. Sorry about keeping you guessing for so long, but I figured you might want our arrival to be secret for the moment."

"That's probably wise. We need to talk, though. Harvey wants to use _Nemesis_ in the next battle, obviously, but I'm wondering if you should first go and see if you can..."

"Find the Shield Master?" She smiled.

"You have him?"

"What _ever_ did you think I was doing? I got a tip from Ruggles Girx about where Trelan Thendrak picked up some of the Plasma Crystals, and I figured I should bring an expert along when I checked it out."

Marnax was not exactly sure what she was saying, but the part about having Nedward Simmons was clearly good news. "Where is he?"

"Aboard _Nemesis_. Close. Do you want to go there, or should I bring him here?"

Marnax sighed. "I really was looking forward to a nap. I guess you'd better get him, though. I'll call Harvey. Actually... let's meet aboard _Green Scorpion_. There's someone else I think you and Nedward should meet."

Ned was relieved when Mirana returned to _Nemesis_ after just an hour or so. The anxiety from the trip had died down a bit once they had located the fleet deployment and discovered that the ships Ned was familiar with were more or less intact, but Mirana had insisted that they wait a little longer before appearing openly, in case Marnax wanted to use their powers in some kind of surprise attack. _Nemesis_ seemed to getting smaller by the hour, and when Mirana sounded at his door, he was out in the corridor in seconds.

"We're taking _Nightsong_ to _Green Scorpion_ ," she informed him as they walked the short distance to the launch bay.

"You're not taking another space jump?"

She smiled. Mirana's historical strategy for getting aboard _Galactron_ undetected had been to simply jump through empty space and into a shuttlebay as another ship entered. The very thought made Ned cringe; even though _Nemesis_ had managed to get pretty close to _Galactron_ , there just seemed to be too much that could go wrong. Cramming himself into _Nightsong's_ storage compartment felt luxurious by comparison.

"Good," he heard Mirana's raspified voice call from the cockpit. "Looks like they're already docking. It took me a while to get an opening off the ship, but at least now we won't have to wait."

Once they were set down in _Green Scorpion's_ launch bay, Ned felt Mirana release the Shadow field around her fighter. Evidently this ship's crew had enough clearance to know they had arrived. He teleported himself to the floor and waited while Mirana joined him. When he deactivated his helmet, she did the same.

"I've never attended a meeting as the Shadow Master before," she said. "Think I should leave the armor on?"

"Definitely. This armor is one of the coolest things about the job."

Mirana returned his smile. "You're doing it again. Enjoying yourself during a war." She led the way to the prearranged conference room before Ned could think of a witty reply.

She was right, though. The idea of being reunited with the people he had missed for years and having everyone able to share the information they had individually gathered was about as much as Ned could hope for under the circumstances. In spite of his regret about not arriving sooner, he was definitely happy to be here now.

The conference door opened, and Mirana motioned him through with a look that might have been a warning. He walked through and smiled.

"Nedward!"

Ned walked right over to Smardwurst, who rose from his chair to envelop Ned in his huge arms. "It's so good to see you," Ned said, choking back a bout of sudden emotion. Gerran Marnax and Ambelshack Devorion shook his hand before he had time to feel too awkward, though, and Marvis Harvey nodded politely from the other side of the table. Mirana almost escaped notice as she stood by the closed door. Finally Marnax called her over, and everyone took their seats around the large table.

"Let's get down to it," Marnax began. "We are expecting another attack soon; you know about as much as we do about the last one. What can you tell us to bring us up to speed?"

Mirana briefly summarized her trip to pick up Ned and investigate Girx's lead, but Ned noticed that she gave only vague details about the timeline. "So we didn't really find much, other than the fact that someone might have been worried about Shadow Plasma being used at the site of Plasmic artifacts."

"What about _Dread Phoenix_? Do you think _Nemesis_ could be used against it? Maybe its Shadow field could block its Plasma beam..."

"That's a possibility," Mirana said, thinking. "I was originally thinking that Ned could enhance its shields instead."

Harvey had been eying Mirana with distain as she spoke, but at this comment he jerked upright. "What? You can transfer Ned's power to the ship?"

"It turns out the Plasmic transducer aboard _Nemesis_ can amplify any Plasma-based power. It won't make the ship invincible, but it should strengthen its shields. But it's one or the other. I'm thinking extra shielding might be a more useful power, considering that you'll probably want its weapons to be firing pretty much constantly, from the sound of things."

"The real goal has to be offensive," Harvey pointed out, looking a little annoyed that Mirana was once again dictating tactics to a man who had made a career out of winning battles. "It doesn't matter how much damage your ship can take if _Dread Phoenix_ can just target weaker ships."

Mirana nodded patiently. "That's why Ned and I are going to board the ship."

Ned was a little surprised at the matter-of-fact declaration. He and Mirana had not really discussed strategy, but Ned figured that was because they needed more information from Marnax. Yet here Mirana was, practically ordering Ned into battle before Marnax had even told them anything new.

Marnax raised an eyebrow. "You have a plan?"

Mirana glanced at Ned and shrugged. "Not a plan, exactly. But we have to find out who or what is powering that ship, and either destroy it or seize it for ourselves. Either way, we need to get there."

"How? We haven't been able to get past its shields, remember?"

Ned coughed, realizing that he now had to reveal that he himself had been holding information back. "I guess I didn't mention this before, but I have some control over the Vortex Plasma. If we get close enough, I should be able to teleport us aboard."

Ambelshack Devorion nearly jumped out of his seat. "Excellent! I can land you on the shield bubble itself if I have to."

"Wait," Harvey said. "You mean you can push things through a ship's shields? Why not just fire a missile into its engines? Markan Dren certainly pulled that enough times."

"It's a good idea," Ned said. "I've wondered about that too, and it's probably worth a try. But my range isn't great, and if I don't take them out with the first shot, another Plasma Master might be able to block me."

Mirana was nodding. "Dren had trouble in space because of the lack of Plasma to draw from. And directing one distant, moving target into another one was a challenge even for him. I don't think we can rely on Ned being able to destroy the ship remotely."

"I could carry a bomb on board, though," Ned offered.

Harvey was nodding. "If you could go in close to the warp core or that beam emitter, you might be able to take it out before whoever's controlling it has a chance to interfere. But, why bring Mirana? If the ship explodes, you'll survive, presumably, but what about her?"

"Actually I kind of agree," Ned said almost apologetically to Mirana. "If Dark Viper really is behind this, killing you has got to be a top priority. What's to keep him from just self-destructing that ship the moment he knows you're aboard?"

"You're putting a lot of faith in him," she replied with a scowl. "Since he would obviously not join the battle in person, I have to assume that whoever _is_ on that ship isn't going to be self-sacrificing enough to blow it up just to take me out. And besides, you should be able to protect me, right?"

"From a _warp core explosion_?"

"Fine," Harvey cut in. "If you're okay going, I'm not going to argue the matter. Getting back off the ship can be your problem. So Captain Devorion gets you onto that ship to plant a bomb or at least disable its weapon and regenerative powers. Can we agree that _Nemesis_ should be launching an external assault at the same time? If we can get the shields to a weakened state before they regenerate, the annihilator cannons might be able to finish them off quickly. And if _Nemesis_ can block that energy beam, that's half the problem solved right there."

Ned was drumming his fingers. "I say we try blocking the beam once while we're still aboard. If it works, we leave the Shadow field up. It should last through the battle without you, shouldn't it?"

"As far as I know."

"If it doesn't work," Ned continued, "we switch to the Plasma shield and board _Dread Phoenix_. I can only assume you can take out whatever is there, and I should be able to protect us. If something goes wrong, I'll teleport you out if I can, and we can have _Nemesis_ or some other ship waiting to come and get us.

No one objected, and Ned felt a surge of excitement at being the one to propose a useful idea.

"It makes sense," Ambelshack said after a moment.

Marnax was scratching his beard. "The only thing that bothers me is that Dark Viper must undoubtedly know what you two are capable of, and I don't think that he would attack us now unless he were confident that he could defend himself."

"Dark Viper does not yet know that Nedward has returned," Smardwurst reminded him.

"Well," Mirana said, "whether or not he's ready, we have to attack as soon as possible. I suggest we proceed as Ned suggests. The sooner we hit, the less damage Viper will be able to do."

Ned almost added his immediate thought: _And even if we fail, at least we'll know more than we do now._ He realized, though, that he was probably the only person in the room who would classify academic knowledge as even a partial victory.

Marnax looked around the room and met with nods of approval. "Let's set it up then. In the meantime, the rest of us need to make plans for the rest of the fleet. We have to be ready in case this mission doesn't put a stop to _Dread Phoenix's_ weapon, not to mention the thousands of other Vortak ships that are after us."

"We are still studying the beam," Harvey said. "But as usual, there isn't a lot our scans can tell us about Plasma weapons; most of what's going on is beyond our observation."

Marnax sighed, then looked back at Mirana and Ned. "As you can see, it appears that once again our fate lies in your hands. The Plasma force is the rising power in the galaxy, and it will be up to you to see to it that favors us. If you can do that, I have complete confidence in the Imperial Armada." He did not need to say that failure on their part would almost definitely spread throughout the entire empire.

Smardwurst smiled then, surprising everyone. "We can do this. This is a battle that has been fought before, countless times. Nedward, you have successfully defeated every enemy that has challenged you, and I am confident that you will continue to do so."

Ned smiled, feeling empowered by his old friend's faith in him. "Thanks," he said, and looked over at Mirana. She was not frowning, which was good enough for Ned. He was still trying to think of an appropriate response when he realized that Marnax was already closing the meeting.

"... so I'll leave you to fill them in on the details," Marnax was saying to Smardwurst. Then everyone was standing up, and Ambelshack was telling him how excited he was to be working with a Plasma Master, so Ned could not really hear what Harvey and Mirana had started arguing about. It was a little overwhelming, but then Smardwurst's huge, green hand appeared on his shoulder, and Ned turned around with a smile.

"There is one other thing I need to... brief you and Mirana on, but it looks like she is busy at the moment. Do you have a minute to talk?"

"Yes, definitely! How are you?"

"Well enough," Smardwurst said with a broad, sharp-toothed smile. "Come, we can talk in my quarters." They walked down the corridor to Smardwurst's room, where Ned let himself be ushered inside. He cringed a little at the heavy scuttling he heard in the adjacent room, but for the moment Guz did not appear, so Ned relaxed.

Smardwurst insisted that Ned recount to him everything that had happened since they had parted two years previously, and in summarizing his activities over the course of those years he realized that he had indeed done a great deal, even if not all of it seemed relevant to the task he was now undertaking. Smardwurst listened with interest, and this helped to ease the sense of futility which Ned had painted over his life on Earth.

Ned then listened as Smardwurst told of his assignments as an ambassador to the various parts of the newly-reunified empire. His days of shipping cargo for a living seemed distant now that the Emperor had found such abundant use of his skills and experience. Like many of the earlier members of StarBlazer, Smardwurst and his crew were used to functioning on their own, which, coupled with their loyalty to Gerran Marnax, made them an invaluable tool for the Emperor. Smardwurst's time in that capacity had been full and rewarding. Ned noted that Smardwurst did not mention any visits to his homeworld or family members. He almost asked about it but decided that if any of that turned out to be awkward, this would not be the time to bring it up. After Smardwurst finished speaking, the two of them sat there silently for a moment, staring at each other.

"Well," Ned commented, "here we are again."

"You have grown, Nedward."

"I don't feel any older."

"You have matured. I was impressed with your decisiveness today. When I first met you, you were hesitant about your powers. Now you are confident and anxious to use them."

"Yeah, I guess so. I know a lot more about how the Plasma works now, and I've waited so long to do something productive with it."

Smardwurst nodded. "Nedward, I have been wondering. How exactly do you feel about this mission on which you are about to embark?"

Ned thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. I almost think I should be afraid, but I'm not. Maybe it's because I don't know enough about the situation, but everything I've seen says that this should work quickly. I'm a little nervous I guess, but basically I'm just anxious to have this all over with."

"I think that all of us share your desires to have this matter ended quickly. We have had our share of war, and the prospect that another war is already upon us is greatly unsettling."

Ned nodded, still thinking. After a moment, he said, "I think I know why it seems like this has to end soon."

"Why?"

"Well, Dark Viper has a ship that can't be harmed and an army that seems limitless. We have one Plasma Master who can't be harmed, and another that can cancel out the powers of any other Plasma Master. Both sides have become so powerful that there can't really be much of a defense against their powers; one side is just going to have to destroy the other."

"In other words," Smardwurst summarized, "if we do not win soon we will be completely destroyed."

Ned chuckled sarcastically. "Yeah, I guess that's it."

"Well," Smardwurst said, rising, "I believe we should find out what happened to our Shadow Master."

They found Mirana waiting near the launch bay, where Marnax, Harvey, and Devorion had departed some time ago. She was staring off into space, and she tossed her hair a little as they approached as if shaking free whatever train of thought she had been dealing with.

"What's up?" Ned asked.

"Harvey. He 'insists' that I let an official military crew pilot _Nemesis_ while we're away. He says their 'superior experience' would be 'essential' to 'maximizing the ship's potential.' As if he'd even have access to that potential if it weren't for me. I'm keeping Ablithra and the crew." No one present wanted to argue, so the matter dropped.

Smardwurst motioned down another corridor. "If you would both follow me, I think it would be useful for you to speak with Kjrvlnk before you go."

Ned and Mirana exchanged glances. If she had known Kjrvlnk was aboard _Green Scorpion_ , she had said nothing to Ned. Immediately he felt anxious. Reuniting with friends was one thing, but dropping in on a member of a hostile race was a little unnerving, even if Kjrvlnk did technically share a common enemy with them. Still, that was no reason not to meet with him.

The three paused outside a door where two security officers were stationed.

"Afraid he'll escape?" Mirana asked.

Smardwurst lowered his voice. "I am afraid they are mainly guarding the other direction. Not everyone has shown a particularly enlightened reaction to Kjrvlnk's presence."

All of a sudden Ned felt a little ashamed for his apprehension, but he forced the feeling aside as the door slid open. It was dark inside, but Smardwurst walked in without hesitation. Once again, Mirana waited for Ned, and he wondered why. Probably just caution, he decided.

The door closed behind, and the darkness swallowed them. Except for the red eyes that appeared in the corner. That nervous feeling was rising again.

"Kjrvlnk," Smardwurst called. "I have brought some visitors I thought you should meet. This is Mirana Kelar, and Nedward Simmons."

"I see."

Ned could just barely make out the insectile form crouched across the room from him. Ned would not say he was particularly frightened of bugs, but he was not a huge fan of interacting with them either. So even though he knew that Kjrvlnk was a sentient being, on a purely visceral level Ned was a little creeped out. "Hi," was all he could manage for the moment.

"I understand you were driven from your home," Mirana stated bluntly.

"I escaped."

"So the Vortak army – do you consider them to be an enemy?"

"They are a threat. To all of us."

"I agree. We're looking for a way to defeat them – in particular the ship _Dread Phoenix_ , which seems to use a Plasma weapon. Do you know anything about it?"

"I know of no unique ship. We fight together."

"Kjrvlnk," Smardwurst called, "you said before that you wanted to avoid the topic of the Vortak until we had heard from them. They have not communicated, but they have attacked."

"I have no new information about them."

"Before, you spoke of the 'Masters.' You said they had tried to control you, but you destroyed them."

"They were not needed."

"But we believe that a Plasma Master is behind this attack. We witnessed his power from one of the Vortak ships at that battle. Is it possible that the Vortak are obeying one of the Masters now?"

"It does not seem likely. That power – it was used against us before."

Mirana walked a little closer. "The man who wielded that power was Trelan Thendrak. He became a threat to his own people as well, and he was defeated. But we believe he may have found his way into Vortak space and somehow convinced your people to attack us. If that's true, and if we can defeat him, then this war could end and you may be able to rejoin them."

"You... do not... understand! The Vortak will fight until you are destroyed. It has been _decided!_ "

Mirana threw up her hands and turned back to the door. "I guess I've said everything I need to, then."

"Wait," Ned said. "Kjrvlnk. I... I'm Ned." It was redundant to re-introduce himself, but it seemed polite. "I come from a long way from here, and I'm not really part of Anacron... or anything, I guess. But I like to understand things. Even if I can't do anything about them, it helps to understand. So even if there is nothing we can do, even if we're all going to be destroyed in a matter of days, would you at least help me understand _why_? Why would the Vortak agree to help Trelan Thendrak wage a war?"

Kjrvlnk was silent for several seconds, but Ned did not turn away. He did not know whether Kjrvlnk was holding something back or whether he simply did not care, but somehow Ned could not bear the thought of letting this refugee cower in this room without even thinking about what could be done to stop this war – not when part of the solution might be standing right in front of him.

"The Masters. They were destroyed. But it was not easy. They were... convincing. They could communicate like we do. And they were powerful. They demanded obedience. It is said that the Vortak had help. Protection. But now we are alone. If the Masters were not destroyed – if a Master leads them now – then the Vortak will serve him. They will fight. It has been de-"

"But Trelan Thendrak – the Plasma Master we believe is behind all this – I think he's hiding. He's using the Vortak to come at _me_ , because he knows I can defeat him. I _am_ going to defeat him. Whatever he has done to persuade your people to go to war, that can be undone. Because he is going to lose. _That_ has been decided." Ned brought the fire into his fist, almost involuntarily. " _I_ have decided that. I _will_ defeat him. But I would appreciate any help you could give."

"You..." Silence.

"What?"

"You... fool."

Ned looked around, taken aback, but in the darkness he could not even see his friends' expressions, much less gather anything from their reactions. "What?" he repeated, utterly confused now.

"You. A Master. You... _dare_ to use your power against me."

"No! I just..."

"You come here to convince me just as he did with them. I will _not_ join this war."

Ned's eyes had adjusted a little, and he could see that Kjrvlnk had gone into an offensive crouch, low to the ground with two limbs spread wide, jagged edges turned forward. Ned backed up.

"I am not using my power against you! I just wanted to show you that I _have_ it to use for you! I am _not_ asking you to fight! But don't you want me to put a stop to this?"

"I do not know how he did this. But I cannot help you. I wish to be... alone."

Mirana immediately turned and opened the door. "Sorry to have disturbed you."

Honestly, Ned did not want to leave. He wanted to stay and explain himself. To apologize for coming across wrong, to clarify that he had meant nothing offensive. But Smardwurst was obviously waiting for him, and he had to admit that Kjrvlnk did not seem to be in a conversational mood. Reluctantly, Ned left the room without another word.

"Well," Smardwurst said when the door had closed behind them. "That was certainly more emotion than he has ever shown before."

"Yeah," Mirana said, still looking shocked. "I think you really connected back there."

Ned was about to say something defensive, but he did not see condemnation in her eyes. "What did I do?"

Smardwurst put a reassuring hand on Ned's shoulder, and only now did Ned realize that he was still trembling. "You discovered something, Nedward. You proved that Kjrvlnk knows something he is not revealing. And I believe you proved that the motive behind this invasion goes much deeper than the Vortak's sense of security from Anacron."

"Which leads us right back where we started," Ned said. "The only connection we have to Dark Viper now is _Dread Phoenix_. We have to find out what's giving that ship power, or blow it up trying."

"Nice," Mirana said.

"Thanks."

### Chapter 11

Gerran knew it would not be long before he received another report of a Vortak invasion, so it was hardly a surprise when the report came in. He had half-expected two or three separate attacks, perhaps as an effort to drive his forces apart, but apparently the Vortak were sticking to their previous strategy of a concentrated battle on a world Marnax could not afford do just abandon – in this case, the mining planet Malistor. Fortunately, Anacron had retreated in the right direction, and it looked like they were going to be able to assemble there before the Vortak would be able to begin the assault. Not that it would be the end of the world if some ships came in late; Malistor was well-defended and could probably hold out for a few hours if reinforcements were slow. But Harvey had decided that if they were going to guarantee a shot at _Dread Phoenix_ , they had to have enough ships there to present an undeniable target. Marnax did not exactly like having his armada thought of in that way, but he understood Harvey's meaning. Pitiful as it might seem up-front, the fact remained that Anacron was theoretically on the offense this time. It was just a matter of making sure _Dread Phoenix_ stepped in the trap in exactly the right way.

As before, the hours between the alert and the battle melted away with dreadful speed, and once again Emperor Marnax found himself fighting for his life. His ships, fighters, and the planetary defense systems presented what should have been more firepower than any force could ever need, but somehow it was still not enough to keep the Vortak swarm from descending on them. _Dread Phoenix_ did not immediately appear, so for the moment everyone was focusing on the kind of battle they were familiar with: dangerous and costly, but manageable overall. In fact, if anything Marnax felt like his forces were doing better here than they had early on at Zhentyris. "Where _is_ it?" he asked out loud as _Galactron's_ gunners destroyed two Vortak warships simultaneously.

As important as it was to get the mission underway, though, Ned could tell that Mirana was content to let _Dread Phoenix_ stall. Standing still at the back of the pricom, Mirana was letting Ablithra handle _Nemesis_ , and although Ned supposed this had to be their first battle aboard this ship, the crew seemed to be doing just fine. Even the starfighter-class vessels were having a hard time keeping up with _Nemesis_ , and when they did force battle they were generally rewarded with swift destruction at the hand of the ship's lasers or missiles. And every once in a while, an eerie green particle beam would lance out from one side of the ship or the other, usually puncturing a weakened shield in a single hit and relieving the Anacronian fleet of another target. If Ablithra's job was to make up for lost time at Zhentyris, she was off to a good start. Of course, the fact that her enemies could not see her gave a certain advantage.

"There it is," Jenzo reported earnestly, and _Dread Phoenix_ appeared on one of the viewscreens. "Major Harvey is ordering all ships to open fire."

"Get there," Mirana ordered. "We want to be the first ship to take that beam once it's charged."

"Shall we give them a little help charging it?" Bortis asked.

"Lasers only," Mirana said. "Keep the cannons charged until you can knock out the shields with a single pass."

"Here we go," Ablithra said as she brought _Nemesis_ in for a close pass. Even with standard lasers, Ablithra made the enemy's shields glow as they flew past, striking the target what seemed like ten or twenty times for each shot that they took. Ned glanced at a shield readout and saw that _Nemesis's_ shields were actually under two-thirds full, but Ablithra did not seem to be in a defensive mood. She took out another Vortak ship as she completed the pass, but the rear lasers were still tracking _Dread Phoenix_. "Another direct run?"

Mirana nodded grimly. "Do it."

As they flew past again, Ned could see the red veins on the ship glowing with absorbed power, but he could feel nothing; the Shadow field blocked his sense of everything outside the ship.

"Can we contact it?" Ned asked suddenly. "I wonder if someone would answer us."

"I have nothing to say," Mirana said simply. Ned thought he understood what she meant, but still he felt it would be nice to know _something_ about whoever was running that ship.

Between the Shadow field and the ship's enhanced shielding, Ablithra seemed quite confident to continue striking _Dread Phoenix_ from what felt like point-blank range, and soon the odd red material was glowing as brightly as the lasers streaming from the ship.

"I'm dropping the Shadow field," Mirana announced. "Put us right in front of them. _Dare_ them to fire."

It felt like every ship in the Vortak fleet was firing at _Nemesis_ , but Ablithra brought the ship up right in front of the forward weapons array. As he looked at what he assumed was the barrel of Dark Viper's newest weapon, Ned could feel the Plasma burning out there. Memories of Venom rushed back to him, and he had to consciously steady himself.

And then the beam fired, and the forward viewscreen image disappeared in a wash of red.

"Field on," Mirana announced, and Ned felt the Shadow field block out his sense of the energy beam."

"Our shields are still dropping!" If Bortis was not frightened, he was clearly at least shocked. "We're below sixty percent!"

Mirana squinted in disappointment. "It must not be just Plasma."

"My turn," Ned declared. The moment he felt the Shadow field go, he reached out to the Plasmic transducer and sent the Shield Plasma surging around the ship. The red light on the front viewscreen turned instantly blue.

"Shields are... draining more slowly," Bortis said, looking visibly relieved. And then the beam died.

"Shields it is," Mirana said, and her armor materialized around her. "Keep it together." With that, she dashed out the pricom door with Ned just a few steps behind.

Ambelshack Devorion was in the middle of rescuing a group of surrounded cruisers, but he pulled out of the fight the instant he saw that _Nemesis_ had appeared on scanners. There was no way anyone would have suggested he wait the battle out inside the ship's launch bay until Ned and Mirana were ready for him, but he wanted to be there the instant they decided to leave. As it was he had to keep his distance a bit while the _Nemesis_ crew conducted their battlefield experiment, but then he got the signal from Mirana that they were ready. Its shields taking a constant stream of fire from at least ten enemy vessels, _Nemesis_ sped away from _Dread Phoenix_ and actually dropped its shields for a moment while it "scooped" Ambelshack's fighter up in its launch bay long enough for Ned and Mirana to teleport aboard from somewhere Ambelshack could not see. When Mirana had confirmed that they were in a spare missile compartment aboard his fighter, he sped back out into space. The moment they crossed the static warp shell that marked the border of the Plasma shield, he saw the exterior of his fighter disappear.

"Whoa," he said to himself. It was a bit unnerving to not see the wings and nose of the fighter he had relied on through years of piloting, but he forced his attention to the task at hand. That task, though, was also a little unnerving. As he came about and angled toward _Dread Phoenix_ , he had to consciously will his fingers not to touch the firing controls so he could keep his location secret. As he sped in closer, he noted that this was the first time in longer than he could remember when he had approached an enemy ship without weapons firing. _Soon enough_ , he told himself.

When he was almost on top of the ship, he signaled Mirana, who dropped the Shadow field while Ambelshack did a very hurried flyover from bow to stern, sticking to its underside to stay out of range of the beam emitter on the main weapons platform. When he had passed the ship, he saw the exterior of his fighter vanish again.

"I can definitely sense something," Ned called. Both in front and in back. I'm not sure what it means, but it's probably worth trying to put a mine in the warp core."

"Sounds good," Ambelshack acknowledged. He moved to a position a predetermined distance from the drive section and pointed the nose of his fighter at where the warp core should be. "All set," he called.

"Be ready," Mirana called back, sounding tense.

There was no need for the reminder; the danger in this plan was evident enough. Ambelshack saw the exterior of his ship reappear; Ned could not teleport anything from within the Shadow field. Almost immediately, shots began slamming into Ambelshack's fighter, and _Dread Phoenix_ began to pitch, trying to open a line of fire for more of its weapons. His fighter's maneuverability was a match for the larger ship's turning speed, though, and he managed to hold his relative position in spite of the damage he was taking from the incoming weapons fire.

"It's not working," Ned said in obvious frustration after a few seconds. "There's something interfering with the Plasma over there. I can't use it."

Ambelshack saw the exterior of his fighter vanish as Mirana reengaged the Shadow field, and he pulled away. His shields had taken a lot of damage in those few seconds, but the operation was still far from over. "What next?"

"Let's try boarding the ship close to the front, but in a less-critical section. The Plasma wasn't as strong in the middle."

Ambelshack let out a deep breath. They had decided previously that if they could not take out the warp core quickly, it would be better for Ned and Mirana to make their way to the beam emitter and find out what was there, since that was where they would most likely find the source of the ship's Plasmic abilities. But that was also the most dangerous place for Ambelshack to 'park' his fighter. If Ned could have teleported the whole fighter through the shield, it might have been possible to find cover in the irregularly-stacked plates that composed the hull, but flying inside a ship's shield bubble was a quick way to become smashed if the crew decided to pull the shields inward.

Instead, he maneuvered around the laser shots flying to and from other vessels until he was underneath the ship near the very front, out of range of the weapons platform but still offering a relatively short distance to someone traveling through ship's interior. "Ready," he announced, and the Shadow field dropped again. _Dread Phoenix_ immediately trained its weapons on him again, and this time it was harder to hold position because the ship only had to roll on its primary axis in order to bring the weapons platform toward him – a much quicker operation than the pitch or yaw it had to attempt when he had been behind the ship. His shields dropped steadily as the seconds ticked past, and all he could do to defend himself was to try to take out the missiles that were mixed in with the laser shots. His fighter's many-angled weapons were able to take out many of them before they struck him, but some were fired from so close that it was impossible to escape the blast radius. Finally the homing signal Ned was transmitting stopped, indicating that he was no longer aboard Ambelshack's fighter. He sped away at full power, making sure that his rear cannons took a piece out of _Dread Phoenix's_ shields as a matter of principle.

When Ned and Mirana exited the Plasma vortex, everything was silent. They were in a corridor several decks above the bottom of the ship, but beyond that there was little to provide orientation. There was almost no light, and no doors were visible in the small section of corridor that was visible before it disappeared around the curvature of the ship to either side. The most striking thing about the ship's interior was the insanely high temperature; Ned's Shield Plasma immediately erupted in a protective aura, but his suit's readout reported the heat with a clear warning. Ned's first concern was for Mirana, who had vanished the instant the teleportation had completed.

"Are you okay in this heat?"

"I'm fine," she said. "The Shadow Plasma actually helps, since radiant energy is redirected around me. Let me know if you want me to hide you too."

"Alright; I'm okay for now. Let's see if I can sense anything first." He reached out into the ether to get a sense of his surroundings and to store energy for whatever lay ahead.

"Wow."

"What?"

"There's definitely something up there, several decks above. But the Plasma is active all around us, too. Sort of like on Venom."

"So whoever's up there knows we're here."

"I think so, yes."

"Let's get moving. If we can find a lift shaft, we can take out the gravity and use it to get to the upper decks. Unless you want to teleport again."

"I'm not sure it's safe to jump around in here, where someone else might interfere with the Plasma before we're safely through. We can do it if necessary, but there's a risk each time."

"On foot then. This way." A dot appeared on a heads-up map indicating the direction Mirana wanted to head.

Ned's heart was pounding as he headed off down the corridor, holding his laser carbine a little tighter than was probably necessary. He had been in similar situations before, but it had been a few years – plus, as Mirana had frequently pointed out, he was not really trained. But the adrenaline of being in the middle of an actual mission mixed with the euphoria of using the Plasma for an actual purpose, and he soon lost himself in the task at hand.

As if to further solidify his focus, the tremors of unmasked footsteps soon began to reverberate through the floor.

"Get ready," he heard Mirana call, and he slowed a bit, carbine held ready.

Mirana must have gotten farther ahead than Ned had realized, because the instant the first few Vortak appeared around an intersection in the corridor, laser shots from behind them threw them to the ground in front of him. Ned caught just a glimpse of them in the darkness as he ran past and turned the corner. They were colored a dark red, and to Ned's surprise he saw that they wore no armor. Somehow, their exoskeletons were resistant to the heat.

Mirana was firing again, her position exposed by the lasers appearing from empty air and by the enemy shots that occasionally struck her invisible armor. This time there were enough of the Vortak that Ned had time to fire his own weapon before the group was down. A sick feeling threatened to well up in his stomach as he callously dispatched several Vortak, but again the intensity of the situation forced him to focus. These creatures were probably all around him, just seconds away and probably feeling no hesitation at all about attacking him.

"Go," Mirana prompted, and again Ned hurried ahead.

He had only taken a few steps, though, when he stopped. "Wait. There's something there." The corridor intersected another ahead, and off to the left he could feel something. He approached cautiously and peered around the corner, realizing as he did that Mirana had most likely already checked the corner. But what he saw forced the thought aside.

"What is that?"

Ned was not sure. A hard, faceted band of glowing red crystal reached diagonally across the corridor, nearly blocking the passage like a huge tree root through a dirt tunnel.

"It seems to go right through the metal of the ship," Ned commented out loud. "The Plasma feels dense inside it; I bet this is what blocked me from opening a vortex inside the warp core."

"If the light is any indication, I'd say that Plasma beam is nearly charged. We should hurry."

Before Ned could continue on, though, laser fire struck him from behind and caused him to stumble forward. Acting on instinct, he let go of the laser carbine with his left hand and reached back, sending a blast of blue fire into a Vortak while Mirana took out a few more. There had been nothing back there a second ago. But there was no time to lament having been snuck up on; he turned and ran, hearing more Vortak approaching from up ahead.

They appeared from two cross-corridors at once, and this time he and Mirana were both caught by repeated shots as they stood their ground. Again, Ned was surprised as he was hit several times from behind. Looking back, he realized with alarm what had happened: the Vortak they had dispensed with before had risen from the ground and were attacking again. He fired missiles this time, averting his eyes as the explosions consumed everything within a few meters.

"The lasers didn't stop them!"

"I know. Run."

As they dashed down the corridor, they passed two more bands of the red crystalline substance. Again it seemed to be reaching through the ship without regard for its layout, branching out along the walls, ceiling and floor. Just as they were passing the third, Ned felt the Plasma rush through the substance, flowing toward the rear of the ship; as it did, the glow dimmed steadily. "I think they just reinforced the shields," he said, firing a missile at a pair of Vortak that suddenly opened fire from an intersecting passageway.

They turned a corner and followed the corridor to a T-junction, where Mirana stopped before a door; according to the map display, they had reached the lift shaft. Mirana appeared as a black silhouette, evidently not wanting to waste energy on hiding when any enemies could just track her weapons fire, and blasted a hole where the door had been. Before she could go about whatever preparations she had been planning inside the shaft, though, dozens of Vortak appeared from both sides of the corridor and from doors partway down each. Ned and Mirana were instantly surrounded.

Ned began firing immediately, but there were so many Vortak rushing forward, heedless of the attacks streaming into their midst, that some of them made it through. Ned went down, covered by two or three Vortak who began hacking at the Shield Plasma even though bits of their exoskeletons broke with the impact. Ned dropped a pair of grenades, which detonated around him and again cleared the area. He could feel the power drain on himself too, though, so he took a moment to draw whatever power he could into himself as he looked around. Mirana was invisible again, as evidenced by the fact that several Vortak took turns flying through the air or crumpling to the ground; without projectiles marking her position, they had no idea how to guard themselves. Ned had lost hold of his carbine, so he used the Plasma to fire back at the Vortak where were shooting at him now. As the blue light struck them, Ned thought he could sense Plasma within them, but with the constant flaring of the Shield Plasma against the laser shots and the heat, it was difficult to focus on a single spot.

"Is the source still up there?" Mirana called out to him. Ned ducked his head inside the gaping hole in the lift shaft and focused power upward. "Yes, it's there. The lift shaft looks like it goes high enough, if we can make it up."

"Try firing downward. It might take a while to disable the gravity."

"I've got a better idea. Come here. And you'll need to drop the Shadow field."

"Why?"

"You really want me to explain it?"

More Vortak were pouring into the corridor, and now shots started firing from up above as Vortak crawled into the empty lift shaft. Mirana appeared next to him without a word; Ned supposed that she was getting a taste of how the rest of the world felt on missions with her.

"Hold onto me," he said. "We're going to jump." She must have trusted him, because she locked one metal-clad arm around his armor from behind, even while laying down cover fire with the other one. The Vortak were massing in all three corridors and looked ready to rush them again. Before they could get the chance, Ned leaned back and sent himself and Mirana plunging down toward the floor several decks below. As he fell, heedless of the shots glancing off the Shield Plasma around him, Ned focused all of his energy upward, as far into the shaft as he could.

"Ned..."

Just before they hit the ground, there was a quick flash of light, and all of a sudden they were rising instead; Ned's vortex had not only pushed them higher into the shaft but reversed their direction, so the momentum they had gained on the way down was now propelling them toward the top. Ned frantically refocused, and when they peaked in their climb, he teleported them again, this time into a corridor that was empty except for several veins of red crystal. When they were clear, Ned bent over to catch his breath.

Mirana let go of him and looked around. "That was... insane."

"We're not all the way up," Ned said. "But everything was happening so fast I didn't want to risk another spontaneous jump."

"Good idea." Mirana sounded almost grateful.

"I think... someone's coming. The power I sense above is moving."

"Can you get us to the right deck? I'd rather not have to climb, or fall again."

"Actually, I think whoever it is is coming _down_."

The ground shook a little.

"We should move," Mirana said, fading to black again but remaining visible. "The corridor isn't the best place to make a stand."

"Wait," Ned said. "This red stuff is obviously on 'their' side. Maybe we should distance ourselves from it if we can."

"Can you sense an empty spot?"

Ned focused for a moment. "It's a little less concentrated back toward the hull. But not much, as far as I can tell."

Mirana paused, and Ned took the time to absorb some of the Plasma around him, reluctant as it was to come.

Then Mirana was moving again. "There's an open space back this way a bit. Let's try to get there."

The Vortak did not appear as they hurried down the corridor, but Ned could feel the source of the power approaching quickly as well, possibly on the same deck now. As Mirana approached a door a short distance ahead of Ned, it slid open automatically. Mirana paused for Ned to catch up, and then they both walked through.

Mirana had been right – the room was huge. It was a least five decks tall, with person-sized alcoves at regular intervals all over the walls, horizontal metal bars lining the spaces in-between, and doors leading out at several points, with ramps leading down to the floor. They were at the top of one of these ramps now, and they started down. Ahead, three wide columns rose from the center of the room in a triangle formation, covered in the same bars, and platforms led out from them to the walls. Veins of red light spread out from the walls here and there, but overall the room was as dark as the rest of the ship.

Mirana vanished, and Ned reached the floor and moved toward one the pillars, still taking in the room. "What in the..."

"It's a nest," Mirana said.

Ned supposed it was possible; he could certainly imagine a hundred or so Vortak crawling up the walls and into those alcoves to sleep, although the thought made him shiver. In any case, the room was abandoned for the moment.

There was not much time to study the surroundings, though. Ned could still feel something approaching quickly, and his fists glowed in anticipation. Then the presence reached the door. It stopped for a moment, and then the door flew apart as red light exploded into the room and continued down the ramp so fast Ned was not sure what he was seeing. When it cleared slightly, he could see the form of a man crouched near the bottom of the ramp, clad in some kind of red and black armor. The air immediately around him was so hot that it distorted Ned's view of him in a short-range heat wave, but the helmet curved over the man's head in a clear bubble, so Ned could see the twisted expression behind it. If the man was intimidated by Ned and Mirana's presence, the feeling was hidden behind a look of utter loathing.

In the second it took Ned to register all this, the man rose to his full height and extended his hand with his fingers clawed, as if grasping something. Red fire swirled outward toward Ned in a long tunnel of light. Ned was ready for the attack, and the blue energy that erupted around him deflected the fire. Ned was not really surprised to find that the Plasma he was deflecting felt alien to him; unlike the energy Kayleen Rax had directed at him, this Plasma refused his attempts to absorb or control it.

Again Ned's reaction cost him some initiative, but after a moment he dashed to the side and away from the attack, scattering blue light all around him to hide his exact position. The decoy gave him a second before the fire tracked over to hit him again, and in that time Ned charged up an attack of his own. Extending his hand with his fingers splayed, Ned sent blue light forward, pushing against the wall of swirling flames. He was able to hold the attack back a bit, but the two colors swirled and stabilized only a few meters in front of him.

Then a line of dark energy pierced the red light that surrounded the new Plasma Master as Mirana sent a Shadow beam directly into him. _This is it_ , Ned thought in anticipation. _She's got him._

The fire lashing out at Ned weakened a bit and Ned's blue light gained some ground, but Mirana's Shadow beam deflected as red energy gathered at the impact point. Maintaining the cyclone of fire he was hurling toward Ned with one hand, the man extended his other hand in the general direction Mirana had struck from and sent out a wide swath of fire. The light vanished where it struck Mirana, but Ned could see the shape of her body being thrown back to the ground.

Perhaps his hope that she would be able to cut through this man's power as easily as she could through Ned's had been naïve, but at the moment Ned felt nothing but rage, just as he had when he had seen Laina attacked. He sidestepped the red flames as his opponent's attention was turned, then simultaneously sent Blast Plasma along several twisting lines of light though the air and floor. The man looked back in time to block some of them, but the rest converged on his position and burned into the same shielding he had used against Mirana. Missiles from Mirana's suit followed instantly, and this time the concussive blast knocked him to the ground. The flames from the explosion, though, seemed to freeze in the air at their widest point and then swirl around the man, mixing with the red light that surrounded him as he slowly but confidently regained his feet.

Fixing his gaze on Ned, the man spread his arms and shouted defiantly, "Is this all you have brought against me?"

Ned was already panting from the sudden exertion of the attack, so he decided that talking for a moment might give him a useful chance to recharge and maybe learn something.

"You have attacked the invincible Shield Master," Ned shouted back, his voice gaining a certain authority as his helmet distorted it. "Dark Viper fell at our hands, and your attack on Anacron is at its end. Identify yourself."

The man simply laughed. "Dark Viper _fell_? You _defeated_ him, did you? You fools _should_ have killed him when he lay wounded before you, but even in victory you were too shortsighted to see the real meaning of the Plasma. You and your Crystal. A _crutch_. A _toy_. I am going to teach you the real power available to those strong enough to seize it. I am Nakmar Dren, the Flame Master... And I am about to kill you."

There was no time for Ned to react to the familiar last name; as Nakmar finished speaking, he spread his arms and sent a wave of fire outward in an expanding sphere. Ned braced himself to punch through it, but again the fire revealed Mirana's location, and this time Nakmar turned his full attention on her. Both hands reached forward, directing a steady explosion of red light that flared all around the ball of black energy that appeared where a moment ago she had been invisible. Mirana's voice sounded worried in his ear. "We have... a problem..."

Ned did not need to be reminded; he was already dashing toward Dren, power building again. He fired missiles, which Dren managed to detonate before they struck him without relenting on his attack on Mirana, but then Ned was almost on top of him, and Dren had to face him. As one red-gloved hand came around trailing flames, Ned fired a missile into the floor near Dren's feet, and shards of metal from the blast mixed with the pressure wave to throw the Flame Master to the ground. This time Ned was ready with a follow up attack, hammering Dren's position with Plasma. Again he tried to absorb some of the red light that was now all around him, but even with Dren distracted, the Flame Plasma resisted him.

Then Dren was on his feet again, focusing the red fire around him to deflect the next wave of attacks that Ned and Mirana sent. Ned was anticipating that Dren might cast the fire off in another dual attack, but the next burst of Plasma came not from Dren, but from the crystal veins in the metal cavern. Red lightning lanced from each glowing surface to Dren's position, and the light around him intensified.

Ned tried another missile, but this time the red light detonated on the warhead the instant it left the reach of the Shield Plasma, and Ned was the one thrown back. Dren then turned and sent out a wave of fire that again pinpointed the Shadow Plasma, but now it was everywhere, revealed in several pockets near where Mirana had last been standing. She had apparently scattered the black energy as a decoy, and it seemed to have worked. The black silhouette of the Shadow Master cut though the aura of red fire immediately around Dren, and Ned saw Mirana's black silhouette strike Dren's helmet in a downward blow from her armored fist. Dren stumbled back but was quick to lash out with a quick flame attack. Again, though, he was caught off guard as Mirana, who had somehow crouched low ahead of the flames, delivered a sweeping kick to the back of the knees. As he fell, Mirana grabbed his shoulder and again slammed her fist into his helmet.

Ned ran closer to help, but he could hardly tell what was happening at this point. The two were locked together, with the red and black fire struggling against each other. _This should not be happening_ , he thought futilely. Especially at close range, the Shadow Plasma should cut through any other Plasma.

Then with a roar, Nakmar Dren rose to his feet, and Mirana's dark form was tossed aside in an eruption of fire. Dren's helmet was shattered, and his face was bleeding in a few places from what looked like glass cuts. But other than that, the Shadow Plasma seemed to have left him unaffected. Not to mention the heat of the room. This was not good. Ned rushed him, but a focused beam struck Ned in the face and threw him off his feet, and by the time we was up again, Dren again had Mirana pinned down, the barrier of black energy just barely fending off the red fire.

"Ned... the suit can't take much more of this heat. It's right on me."

Ned choked in sudden panic. He had always looked up to Mirana as his superior, and yet now she had not even the strength to fight. In his mind's eye Ned could see what threatened to happen next – the black light overcome and Mirana vaporized right in front of him, killed by an enemy that Ned had not even managed to weaken. _So my time really was wasted,_ Ned thought, guilt burning through him. _This is my fault._ But thinking like that was not helping; there had to be a way out of this.

In desperation, Ned fired blue Plasma as fast as he could, but Dren blocked all of his shots. Just like Markan had. Impossible to touch. Except that Ned had defeated Markan Dren, in a sense. Actually, it had been the Vortex Crystal itself that had defeated him. When it had been destroyed.

And now there was only one Plasma Crystal left.

"Dren! Stop!"

The flames did not stop, but the Flame Master did turn to look at him. "I know what you want," Ned persisted.

"What is that?"

"Ned... hurry..."

Ned held up his hand, and blue light flashed briefly in his palm as he displayed a glowing stone. "The Shield Crystal!"

Dren's eyes widened. "What?"

"You are obviously more powerful than Dark Viper himself was when we fought him. You should not be working for him. With the power of the Shield Crystal, _you_ would be the master. But you have to let Mirana go."

Dren actually stopped his attack on Mirana, although a faint red glow remained around her, marking her position. "Stay," he said, pointing a condescending finger, then turned back to Ned. "You can't give up a Plasma Crystal. They bond to their Holders."

"Koral did it. And I know more about the Plasma than he did."

"What are you _doing_?" Mirana insisted. "What's your plan?"

Dren reached up as if to scratch his chin, although of course his fingers were stopped by what was left of the helmet. "Maybe the Shadow Master could take it from you..."

"No," Ned insisted. "She goes free, then I give it to you."

Dren shook his head. "I'm going to kill you anyway." It was a solid argument, but the fact that Dren was even talking to him suggested that he was hoping that Ned would give him a reason to believe in the possibility of taking the crystal.

Ned knew he had to keep talking. "If you were so sure you could do that, you would be focusing your attack on me. I am _invincible_. I have defeated three Plasma Masters before you. And I was outnumbered one of those times. And even if you did manage to kill me, what is to say that the Crystal would survive? None of the others have. Let Mirana go, and I will give it to you. It will be over, just like that."

Holding the Crystal in front of him, Ned started walking forward. In fact, he was having trouble believing in the possibility himself. For Koral, there had been time to prepare. To decide. To plan. This was spontaneous, and if Ned went through with it, it would mean certain death for him. If only Mirana would just run now, while Dren was distracted. But somehow he knew she would not do that.

Dren nodded as Ned approached. "You do have a point," he said, then smiled. "Of the two of you, you are the more tempting target." And with that, red fire exploded all around Ned, and Dren ran up to him, locking onto his shoulders. "Let's just see if that Crystal survives your death, shall we?"

Ned closed his eyes as the fire burned all around him. Even through the shield and armor, the Flame Plasma somehow felt hot to him. His plan had failed; even if Mirana pulled Dren off him now, Ned was out of ideas. There was nothing left keeping either of them alive except the blue stone he still held in his hand. The stone that had bonded itself to him and defined his identity during the years since then. It was a part of him. The most important part. No, there was no way that Ned could have given it up; he could never figure out how to release a Plasma Crystal.

But he knew how to destroy one. He had done it twice before. He poured all of his power into that precious stone, forcing the energy to build until the blue facets glowed from the pressure. Demanding that the Crystal do whatever it took to protect him, Ned blasted it apart from the inside.

Ned could not describe what he experienced when the Shield Crystal exploded. Time and space and life itself seemed to be ripped apart, and Ned lay motionless in the center of it all. Blue light coursed out of him, and he felt weak. He felt a weakness greater in magnitude than any strength he had ever experienced. For a moment everything was weakness and blue haze, and then he heard a voice. A yell. A scream.

"Ned! NED! What happened?"

Mirana's voice brought Ned to his senses. The blue light was still everywhere, touching everything. Protecting everything. Everywhere. As it had happened when he had defeated Rax and then Dren, the seemingly infinite power of the Crystal had been released into the room, all at once. It was leaving, abandoning him, but he could still feel it. And suddenly, Ned knew exactly what to do. For what had to be the last time, Ned reached into the light and drew it toward him. All of it. As he turned on Nakmar Dren, Ned's irises glowed blue with fire, and Dren backed away.

Extending his hand, Ned fired the Plasma in a solid beam, and Dren was slammed all the way to the back of the room in the deafening roar of the blue light. The Shield Plasma protected him from damage, but still Dren lay there, stunned and out of range for a moment. Mirana was on her feet now, and Ned hurried toward her, already opening a vortex. His mind was reeling with all things he wanted to do with this last surge of power: find the beam emitter. Send Dren out into space. Breach the ship's warp core. And maybe he could have accomplished any one of those goals in the seconds he had left before the power dissipated. But he could only choose one thing, and there was no question in his mind what it had to be. He had to save Mirana. He grabbed onto her and threw the vortex outward, past the hull and into space. Nakmar Dren's next flame attack was already rushing toward him when he closed the vortex and vanished from the room.

## <DEVASTATION>
### Chapter 12

Mirana gritted her teeth as zero gravity sent her insides lurching around, although she knew the discomfort was the least of her problems. She instinctively threw a Shadow field around her and Ned, hoping that _Dread Phoenix_ had not yet locked onto their position; she was fairly certain that even their battle armor would not stand up long against weapons fire from a starship. She heard Ned grunt through the com link as she severed his connection to whatever bit of Plasma was still available around them in space and wondered if he was even conscious, but there was no time to check. She spotted Dren's ship some distance away; already it was firing its lasers in their general direction, probably hoping to get lucky and finish them off. Mirana knew she had to call _Nemesis_ quickly.

Her suit's tracking system highlighted the ship's location, and Mirana pivoted to face it. It was just a distant spec among the ships and weapons dotting the battle area, but its distance was not a concern. The trick was to alert Ablithra of her position without letting the Vortak know too. Mirana thickened the Shadow field and opened a tunnel from her suit's transponder, aiming as best she could at _Nemesis's_ position, then sent the prearranged homing signal. She left it on for only an instant, knowing that the signal would expand as it left the filter of the Shadow field, and the longer she left it on, the longer someone else would have to realize what it was. She used her suit's maneuvering thrusters to change position slightly, then sent another burst. Finally she got a response, which registered as a simple beep from her suit's controls.

"Just hold on," she whispered to Ned. "They're coming for us."

Mirana clenched her jaw in helpless frustration as she saw the storm of laser fire that followed _Nemesis_ as it swooped toward her. Vortak ships were closing from all directions, some speeding by Mirana so close that she worried one would crash into her. But Ablithra knew better than to make a path straight toward Mirana, and the tide of battle angled away. _Dread Phoenix_ moved laterally to block the path of _Nemesis_ , still firing in random directions, no doubt hoping that _Nemesis_ would give away her location. It was a bad position she had put Ablithra in, Mirana knew. There was no blue aura around the ship, which meant that the Plasma shield had worn off, and there would be no way to disappear until Mirana was on board. And no Imperial ships seemed to be following _Nemesis_ ; evidently Harvey was taking the diversion of Vortak resources as an opportunity for his fleet to gain ground elsewhere. As _Nemesis_ worked its way closer, Mirana tried to prepare herself for the maneuver she and Ablithra had planned. The lasers were coming nearer, though. It was going to be very close.

Then abruptly _Nemesis_ changed course and headed nearly straight for her. Its landing bay was already open, and surely the Vortak would have noticed that. Mirana used her suit's readout to measure the distance, and when the ship was just a few hundred meters away, Mirana dropped the Shadow field. At about the same instant, _Nemesis_ halted its forward momentum and pivoted, lasers and missiles spewing from more surfaces than Mirana could count. Then for a brief moment, its shields dropped, and it lurched right at Mirana. Even as her suit blared an alarm of multiple missile lock, Mirana felt gravity reengage as she passed through the inertial dampers on _Nemesis_. The artificial gravity worked to compensate for the abrupt acceleration Mirana experienced as the ship scooped her and Ned up at high velocity. The dampers managed to keep her from being smashed against the far wall of the landing bay, but even so, the quick jump in speed knocked the wind out of Mirana and banged her head on the inside of her helmet. But the suit boosted her oxygen level, and Mirana rolled to her feet the instant she hit the deck, ignoring the pain of impact. She knew the content of Ablithra's status update before she heard it.

"Our shields are practically gone! We need the Shadow drive, now!"

_The Plasma shield would be better_ , Mirana thought sarcastically, but she sprinted toward the engine room without a word, already reaching out with the Shadow Plasma. The black fire was materializing before her even before she was through the door, and then it connected; the Plasmic transducer actuated to her power, and the ship's warp field absorbed the light striking it. Resting against a graviton relay coil, Mirana scanned the room for a status readout. She let out a long breath at the news it gave her: they had less than six percent shield power left, and most of the missile launchers were totally depleted, but the damage had stopped. For the moment, they were safe.

"We're clear of the battle zone," Ablithra started to explain over the intercom. "But-"

"I see it," Mirana said weakly. Just get us out of here. Go to warp. We're done here."

Ned lay on the landing bay deck, gasping as if for air, trembling as if he had just crawled out of a polar lake. Of course, air was not the problem, and his armor was fully capable of regulating his temperature, but the loss of the Plasmic energy that had protected him for years now was physically palpable. He had hardly even noticed the rough transition from open space to the lights and metal that surrounded him now. There was only the loss of the power.

"Ned! Can you hear me?"

It took a moment for Ned to even acknowledge the voice or the footsteps that accompanied him, but finally he saw Mirana's concerned face looking down at him, and he forced himself into a sitting position.

"Are you okay? Can you stand up?"

Ned deactivated his armor and pulled himself to a sitting position, willing himself to focus on his surroundings. "Mirana. How long have I been here?"

"Just a few minutes. _Nemesis_ picked us up, and we're clear of the battlefield."

_The battle._ "Is it still going on?"

"I'm afraid so. But _Nemesis_ took so much damage that we had to pull out."

"But _Dread Phoenix_..."

Mirana looked around as if worried about being overheard. "Come with me." She led him out of the landing bay and into his quarters. Ned's head was still a little fuzzy, but moving cleared it up a bit. And as his memory cleared up, he realized that his own sense of loss was not the only problem at hand. As he sat down across from Mirana, he could see his own worry mirrored in her face.

She took the other chair and regarded Ned solemnly. "You destroyed it, didn't you?" It was more of an accusation than an inquiry.

"I had to. Nothing we were doing was strong enough to-"

"What were you thinking? My power was useless against him, but you were at least protected. The Shield Crystal was the only weapon we had left!"

Ned shook his head, trying to piece together his thoughts from the battle. It had been a rash decision, and maybe Mirana had a point. But something told him that he would do it again if he had to. "I couldn't let you die," he said softly.

Mirana looked away in exasperation, and Ned waited in silence. Her expression was a little softer when she looked back. "So... it's gone then? Your power?"

Ned held up his hand. He could still feel the Plasmic energy around him, and he brought it forth in a sparkling glow around his hand, feeling an unexpected rush of relief. "The Shield Plasma is gone. I can feel it, like something has been ripped out of me. But it looks like the other abilities I gained on my own are still there." He looked around for a small item to teleport, but Mirana cut him off.

"That's great, but it's not really relevant anymore, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ned, I brought you here because you were invincible. You don't have a lot of training, but that power made you an adversary to Dark Viper. If that's gone..."

"I can still fight."

"... then your work here is done, Ned. It's time to go home."

Ned could certainly see Mirana's point, and the thought of going back certainly had a degree of appeal. But Ned knew he could not leave. "Look," he said. "I know I'm weaker now. Fine, a _lot_ weaker. But I still have power that nobody else has. If I leave, I'll be abandoning everyone. I could never go back to my old life; I'd be safe, but I'd never be able to live with myself knowing I destroyed the Shield Crystal and then ran away."

Mirana went silent again, and Ned could not tell whether she was actually considering what he had said or simply debating how much of her thinking to share.

"We have to find out more about Nakmar's power," Ned ventured finally. "There has to be some weakness we can discover."

"We're definitely short on information," Mirana said carefully. "And I intend to find some. I had run out of leads before I came for you, but Nakmar's involvement might open a few doors; there must be some reason why Viper chose him."

"And maybe we can track down that glowing material he used on his ship," Ned continued eagerly. "It seemed to channel Plasmic energy; if we can find some..."

"Ned." The scolding look in Mirana's eyes stopped him.

" _What?_ "

"I am going to look for more information about how to fight Dren and Viper. But I can't bring you with me. There isn't going to be a ' _we_ ' this time."

"It seems to me that you need all the help you can get!"

"That's just it, Ned. You can't help me with this. You were helpful before because we were going into an all-out assault, and Dren knew we were coming, sooner or later. But this is a job for the Shadow Master; it requires stealth. Even if you still had the Crystal, you couldn't help me infiltrate a fortress or hack into a database."

Ned took a deep breath. Mirana's logic was piling up against him. "So what do you expect me to do?"

Mirana's expression softened further, and she leaned forward and put her hand on his knee. "I know you saved my life back there. And I can understand your desire to stay here. But you have to be careful. Now that the Crystal is gone, you are an easy target. You may be the most vulnerable person in the galaxy, because Dark Viper isn't going to stop hunting you just because he doesn't see you as a threat. If you're not going home, then you need to find somewhere safe."

It was a hard fact to accept. While he still sensed the Plasma around him, Ned could not help but feel abandoned, alone. But as unpleasant as the feeling was, it was not new. He had felt hopeless before, even with the Crystal. And he had not forgotten who had helped him through that feeling then.

"Smardwurst," Ned said aloud. "I'll go back to _Green Scorpion_ and see what I can do to help the fleet. Maybe I can learn something from Kjrvlnk, or even use my power to divert enemy missiles or something. There has to be something I can do."

"Not exactly the safest place I can think of," Mirana said. "But it could be worse."

"So... what's the next step?"

"We're going to dock at a the space station Delta Epsilon to recharge and rearm. And then, I think, you are going to return with _Nemesis_ to the Armada while I head out in _Nightsong_."

"Won't you need the ship's speed?"

"Yes, but I can't justify taking _Nemesis_ away from the war. There are other ways for me to get in-between planets, but Gerran is going to need this ship."

"How long until we reach the station?"

"I want to get as far into Anacronian space as I can before I leave, but I don't want to travel more than a day before sending the ship back. The Armada's in trouble as it is."

Ned was still pondering the situation when Mirana stood up to leave. "I need to talk to Ablithra and work out details. I'll let you know when we have a plan."

"Mirana."

She turned at the doorway.

"Thank you for bringing me here. And for getting me back aboard _Nemesis_."

She nodded without a word and then left.

Ned had no trouble keeping himself busy while Mirana was gone. He needed to know just how much of his power he had lost. He found that he could still teleport things with some difficulty, and he could manipulate raw Plasma into various shapes. Testing out Blast Plasma did not seem wise, which left the matter of the Shield Plasma. He did not relish the thought about injuring himself just out of curiosity, but he decided he had to know. So he got a knife and slowly moved it toward the skin of his thumb.

Almost out of reflex, he brought the light to bear and pushed the blade away, but he knew that was not really helpful; the ability to move a small object was something he had learned on his own, even when he was not in danger. What he really needed to know was whether the Plasma could protect him automatically. He tried again, sweat beading on his face as the blade came nearer to his skin. When it finally cut into his thumb, he winced in pain and cradled his hand. It wasn't really that much pain, but the fact that he was feeling pain at all seemed foreign, almost unjust. He felt childish for reacting so strongly, but tears came to his eyes in spite of his efforts to remain in control. It was gone. The protection was gone. A simple kitchen knife could pierce his skin, to say nothing of what a laser or a missile or an exploding starship would do. He could almost see Dark Viper laughing at how weak he had become.

And it wasn't just him. Ned remembered the look on Mirana's face as she had confirmed Ned's destruction of the Shield Crystal. It had saved her life, but she apparently believed that it had been a mistake. A sacrifice of a strong weapon to save a weak one.

Only, the Shadow Plasma should have been the stronger power. How had Dren managed to pierce it? Ned's mind eagerly caught hold of the excuse to think of something other than the loss of his power, but that road did not lead very far. They had not really gained much information in their encounter with the Flame Master, certainly not enough to piece together a weakness. And of course that brought Ned back to the matter at hand: they needed more information, and Mirana was determined to get it without Ned's help. What use he could be to Marnax's fleet was not at all clear, and Ned had to admit that the thought of going into battle now was terrifying. There really was no reason to expect that he would come out of this alive. But that had been the reality all along, and it was one that everyone else in Anacron had been facing openly from the beginning. Ned could not bring himself to leave them now, no matter how dangerous the situation was for him personally. It was a sobering thought, but somehow making that decision gave Ned a sense of peace. He supposed that giving up his invincibility had earned him a bit of the respect he had been feeling for everyone else. Once again, he clenched his hand into a fist and brought the Plasma to life around it. There was more he could do with this power, he decided. Dark Viper still had reason to fear him.

But that still left the matter of Mirana. Ned was a little surprised at how concerned he was about the prospect of her intention to leave without him. She had been a large part of the reason why he had been so willing to leave everything and come back – she was the one who could understand his power, the one who was supposed to help him learn more about it. And even though they had parted on somewhat shaky terms, Mirana really had felt like a friend to him since she had arrived on Earth. They had explored together, protected each other from danger, and shared things about each other that neither could really express to anyone else. It was hard to face the idea of saying goodbye to such an important friend just at the point where he was going to need friends the most.

Ned shook his head. He was probably overdramatizing things, he decided. After all, there would be other friends, other allies. And knowing Mirana, she would probably have what she needed and be back with the Armada fairly soon. And for now, Ned had an opportunity to learn how to be useful to her. It was something to shoot for, at least – something to take his mind off of the desperation of the present situation. He supposed it would have to do for now.

A few hours later, Mirana contacted Ned and told him to meet her at the door to the launch bay. He had half expected her to give him an abrupt goodbye over the com link or in front of the crew, but perhaps she was worried about Ned getting sentimental in front of them. He had to admit, he had no intention of letting her get out without some kind of a conversation.

"We're almost to Delta Epsilon," Mirana informed Ned as he approached the bay doors around a bend in the corridor. " _Nemesis_ can refuel, and I'll slip out. I've instructed the crew not to mention me while they're here, and it's important that you don't either. In fact, it would be ideal if you stay out of sight until you leave."

"Sounds easy enough. Do you know where you're headed?"

"The nearest inhabited planet is Holdaris Prime; I should be able to access Imperial records from there."

"And you're sure you don't need help – even as a decoy or something." Mirana didn't even have to finish her scowl. "I know, I just had to ask."

"I've also made it clear to Ablithra that no one besides the crew and you is allowed on this ship until I get back. Harvey won't like it, and Marnax might even try to get you to change her mind, but it's important that the ship remain under the command of my crew. I just don't trust it with anyone else."

"I understand."

Mirana turned and opened the door, and Ned realized that she probably considered the conversation over. Somehow, Ned was not ready to say goodbye. He stepped close to her and looked her intently in the eye as she turned back again with one eyebrow raised as if in warning.

"Mirana, listen. Just in case we don't see each other again soon, I just want you to know that I'm going to miss you. We've been through a lot, and I've really appreciated having someone who I can, you know, relate to."

"We've done well enough," Mirana agreed. "Just be careful about what you get into."

"I promise I'll be careful. But I..."

"Ned, can I give you some advice?"

"Okay."

"Whatever it was you were about to say, forget about it. Look around. You're aboard a battleship. You have a dictator who wants you dead. And everyone around you is fighting a war, outnumbered and spread very thin. This is not a time for deep emotions. You can't let yourself be distracted. _I_ can't let myself be distracted. I have a job to do, and if you're not going home, then I guess you do too. You need to focus on that."

Ned's next words caught in his throat, and he had to fight to keep his emotions in check. He needed to say something, but everything that came to mind felt wrong. Instead, he just looked at Mirana, memorizing the color of her eyes, the angle of her mouth. He suspected that saying goodbye would be a lot easier if she were not so, well, beautiful. To tell the truth, what Ned really wanted was to throw his arms around her and feel that dark hair against his face. But he regained his composure, stood up straight, and said simply, "Be safe."

She nodded once, and then her black armor materialized around her, hiding her face behind its menacing red visor. Ned backed away as Mirana turned again and walked into the landing bay. When the doors had closed behind her, Ned turned and hurried back to his room, knowing that following her now would only cause trouble. He was glad no one was there to see him fighting back tears as he walked.

_What's wrong with me?_ Ned wondered. He did not have an answer, but he decided that he was going to have to survive whatever was ahead of him so he could see Mirana again. Because as goodbyes went, _that_ had not been satisfying at all.

### Chapter 13

There were a thousand reasons for Kayleen Rax to feel bitter, but at the top of her list were these cursed insects. Ever since leaving whatever planet Nakmar Dren had taken her to, Kayleen had been in their company almost constantly. Aside from the fact that they had too many limbs, they seemed incapable of speech beyond the most straightforward messages – either that or they regarded Kayleen with the same level of contempt that she felt for them and simply saw no reason to speak normally. In any case, what really bothered her were their eyes. Without seeing an actual _face_ , Kayleen had no way of knowing whether her new subjects were feeling loyalty, determination, or fear, or whether they were just waiting around for the chance to throw her out an airlock. Not that that would necessarily be a problem, given her current state. But she was quickly starting to believe that being alone would be far better than being surrounded by all these thoroughly alien creatures.

Her current state, of course, was another problem. In spite of the power Dark Viper had given her, Kayleen was having trouble enjoying anything. All her senses seemed dulled and devoid of actual sensation. She had tried eating once, even though Viper had assured her it was unnecessary – "The Plasma itself will give you everything you need." Whatever that meant. But the food had just been another substance in contact with her crystalline surface. She could only imagine what had happened to it once she had swallowed it.

When she let herself see past the sick joke her old master had played on her, Kayleen was able to see certain advantages. The Plasma, after all, was hers to command, and her control over it was actually more acute than before. She could feel it around her, and she could manipulate it in much subtler ways than the Blast Crystal had allowed. And as much as she resented having her body transformed like this, there was a certain beauty to her new look. After Viper had introduced her to her new starship and crew and sent her on her way, Kayleen had immediately retired to her quarters, eager for a moment of solitude after such a traumatic experience. The room was equipped with the usual facilities like a bed and restroom, vestigial though they were, and Kayleen had spent some time looking at herself in the mirror. Although she would have preferred her original form, she could only imagine that her current appearance would be troubling to her enemies when she finally caught up with them, and that gave her some satisfaction.

In fact, Kayleen had learned that her appearance was largely up to her. In the same way that her arm had reformed after the Vortak had cut into it, she was able to manipulate the crystal that made up her body to some degree, changing her hairstyle or clothing appearance, for instance. That had been good for an hour or so of distraction; since Viper had taken her battle armor, it seemed prudent to pick an effective appearance for her new persona. Her first instinct was to emulate the armor, and the icy version had looked impressive. But somehow that option felt weak, perhaps because it was another futile attempt to regain a past she had lost. And besides, there was no need for a bulkier form – she was no more vulnerable in normal "clothing" than she was with fake armor. And so Kayleen had settled on a more casual look, modeling the opaque part of her surface after the jogging attire she had worn when Nakmar had found her. To her, the message it sent was "I'm as strong at my most vulnerable as you are fully armored." Of course that claim would have to be tested in battle, but at this point a battle would feel like a vacation.

Eventually Kayleen had run out of excuses to be alone, and she had made her way to the pricom of her ship, and that was where she had spent most of her time during the couple of days' travel back toward Anacronian space. The ship itself was certainly an impressive asset, and even in her worst mood Kayleen had to admire it. _White Mercury_ had the appearance of a large conglomeration of ice crystals, seemingly thrown together randomly or grown in some chaotic environment. The icy look was purely aesthetic, as far as Kayleen could tell, but Dark Viper had left her with plenty of practical resources as well. The shields and weapons were formidable, as one would expect of a Plasma Master's flagship. There were some new, Plasma-enhanced particle beams, and a few structural features that Kayleen had only taken a moment to glance at but which looked promising in battle. Viper had also told Kayleen of a Plasma-enhanced warp booster, which could create a vortex to a remote location and push the ship through instantly. It would expend all of its stored energy in a single use and would take weeks to fully recharge, but Kayleen looked forward to being able to jump directly into her mission when the time came.

But the timing, of course, was not exactly to Kayleen's liking. Viper had instructed her to stay behind the battle lines until Nakmar had had a chance to draw Ned and Mirana out, assuming of course that the Anacronian fleet survived the initial battles. She had been given no way to contact him, but once the war had started she had started receiving tactical reports. If the Vortak had a reaction to what they were hearing, they certainly gave no indication.

Now, finally, Kayleen had received a report that was interesting. Apparently Ned and Mirana had made it onto Nakmar's ship. From the sound of things, Nakmar had nearly killed them both, but they had escaped and abandoned Marnax to another crushing defeat. The report had a recorded message tacked on, and although Kayleen's first instinct was to watch it privately, she supposed she would just have to come back and articulate her orders to her crew, and it seemed easier to just play it here. She gritted her icy teeth as Viper's scaly face appeared on the forward viewscreen.

"Our plans are progressing, Kayleen. Our enemies have taken the bait, and although they survived, Nakmar's attack has had a rather unexpected consequence: I believe Nedward Simmons has _destroyed_ the Shield Crystal. A foolish, desperate act, and a truly lamentable loss. But it is also an advantage, for without that power he will be easy to kill, when the time comes. For now, though, your mission is the Shadow Master. And make no mistake: although she was not able to stand against Nakmar in battle, she is a threat as long as she lives.

"Fortunately, her motives are clear enough. She will be looking for information on how to defeat us. She will probably start with Nakmar and perhaps the Vortak themselves. Find her, or let her find you. _Do not_ return to me until she is destroyed."

Kayleen rolled her eyes as the message ended. "Oh, and we're just supposed to fly into Anacronian space and bump into her? _She's_ the invisible one!" Before, she would never have dared complain about Viper publically, but something told her that the Vortak were not going to blab. And besides, it was no secret how Kayleen felt about this.

But it would be okay. Viper was right about one thing – Mirana would only have a few options open to her if she wanted to learn anything quickly, and she could only keep _Nemesis_ hidden for so long before the battle demanded it back. If nothing else, Kayleen knew how to get a Plasma Master's attention. It had been a long time since she had been on an active hunt, and the challenge made her smile. "Pull up everything we have on _Nemesis_ ," she ordered the horrible creatures huddled around the dark pricom. "And tap into all long range sensor relays. Our prey is waiting for us."

### Chapter 14

Ned only managed to stay in his quarters for a few hours before he had to get out and walk around. He did not really know the crew, and he knew Mirana had discouraged any socialization with them, but there was no way he was spending however long it took the ship to be repaired just sitting around, pretending to prepare for something when he had no idea what was in his future. He could not really practice the use of his power in such tight quarters and with nothing at hand to destroy. And he had already read everything he could think of to catch up on the local culture, or whatever he was to call the difference between space life and the one he had left. He needed to get back to Smardwurst, and until he did he suspected that he would feel useless no matter what he did. But at least he could avoid feeling useless alone, with nothing to distract himself from the feeling.

After a quick peek out his door to make sure no one unexpected was there, Ned left his room and started pacing the ship. The main layout comprised a single deck with a hallway that ran in a rough circle, with the pricom, engine room, kitchen, and quarters opening off of it. As he passed the passage leading to the landing bay, he saw that a bulkhead sealed off the passage to the landing bay. He supposed that the station's crew would be able to access the missile launchers and shield generators from outside the ship, so there should be no risk of being seen by any of them. Eventually he decided to visit the pricom, although he had to consciously ignore the mental image of Mirana's scowl that accompanied the thought.

The pricom doors slid open, and Ned entered to find only Ablithra and Bortis there; evidently Jenzo and Kalru were out seeing to the repairs. Ablithra turned in the command chair and raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but then she turned back to her console without a word. Bortis smiled and swiveled in his chair.

"Ned! Come to monitor our progress?"

Ned forced a laugh; the last thing he wanted was for anyone to think that he would presume any kind of authority. "I'm still trying to absorb as much information as I can," he explained. "I figured I can probably learn something just by watching for a while, if you don't mind. I won't touch anything."

Bortis looked to Ablithra for a response, and when she gave none, Bortis waved Ned over. "Tell me what you see."

Most of the readout was unintelligible to Ned, but he correctly pointed out the power levels of the shield generators and the warp drive, and he identified the status of the weapons; about a third of the missile payload had been restored already.

"How much is this costing?" Ned asked.

"It's not cheap," Ablithra said without looking up. "We used up more resources in that battle than we have the entire time we'd been aboard before that, I think."

Ned did not have to ask whether the military was compensating them. It seemed a little unfair, but then Ned had to admit that every surviving ship would probably be telling the same story the next time it made it to a station for repairs. It had to be costly, even for a fleet backed by an interstellar empire. And once again, Ned found himself painfully aware of how much others had given for him.

"Thanks for rescuing us," he managed awkwardly. "I know it can't have been easy."

"It's our job." Again, Ablithra spoke without looking up.

Ned looked over at her, and his curiosity flared again. "What made you sign on?" His question was not really aimed at either of them in particular, and when no one answered, Ned wondered if his question had been in appropriate.

"This is where it's _at_ ," Bortis said finally with a slightly bemused expression.

"Where what's at?"

Bortis eyed him meaningfully. "The Plasma. You and Mirana. The Plasma Masters have made more of a difference in the last ten years than the rest of the Empire combined. Being on this ship means shaping the future."

Ned smiled too. "I guess that's true. I hope I haven't disappointed you too much. You know, with the frantic retreat and all."

"It's not over yet," Bortis said simply, turning back to his console.

And then another memory rushed back – the young pilots of Dragon Force telling Ned how much they had admired and appreciated him, right before they had flown off into a battle that almost surely would have seen them killed if not for Ned's use of the Shield Crystal. The thought of Bortis basing his career choice on Ned's power was particularly unsettling given the drastic loss of power he had just suffered. He wondered whether Bortis even knew about that and decided he almost certainly did not. Ned thought about how Bortis had shot Ned in greeting and brought his hand up reflexively as if to ward off a future laser blast.

"Experience," Ablithra said, causing Ned to turn in surprise. She still had not looked up from her console. "Most of the old Anacronian and StarBlazer crews have been reintegrated, but there's still a lot of resentment on some ships. A small ship like this offers experience that would have taken years in the fleet. And..." Finally Ablithra turned and looked at Ned. "I trust Miss Kelar. She knows what she's doing. I hope you realize how important she is to the outcome of this war."

"Believe me," Ned assured her, "I know."

Bortis tapped at his console a bit and then asked, "So, what are your plans?" Ablithra turned back to whatever she had been doing, and Ned supposed his answer had been satisfactory.

"I'll transfer to _Green Scorpion_ once we meet up – or to _Galactron_ , if _Green Scorpion_ isn't there. Half the trouble is knowing how best to use the Plasma. Smardwurst or Marnax will probably have an idea."

The com system beeped, and Ned saw that a transmission was coming in from the station's payment office. "I need to take this," Ablithra said, and Ned took the hint. He thanked her and Bortis quickly and hurried off of the pricom.

Alone again with his thoughts, Ned resumed pacing the ship. He knew that the minimalistic design was revolutionary, but he had a hard time understanding why all ships were not built this way. It was an impression born of naïveté, he knew; even on Earth it took a lot of people to run an aircraft carrier or a battleship. It stood to reason that a starship would be even more complex. But if that were the case, how had Viper constructed this one ship that seemed to be superior in every way? The hull, the cannons, the Plasmic transducer – somehow Dark Viper had been able to use his power to permanently affect other objects. Ned supposed that the Crystals and battle armor had been constructed in the same way, but Ned had to wonder how Viper had known how to do it. Had the Matrix Crystal simply given him the proper understanding? Or had there been other sources of power that Ned did not know about? It was an infuriating question, and Ned felt an inexplicable urge to destroy something.

Instead, he went back to his room and perused the ship's database again. He learned nothing that felt important, but then again he supposed that any knowledge he gained would give him at least a potential advantage over where he'd be if he did not have it. The day passed slowly, and aside from a quick hello to Kalru when he went to the kitchen to grab some dinner, the evening arrived without contact from the crew. Before he headed to bed for the night, Ned thought he felt the ship shudder and decided that they must be underway. He half expected a request to charge up the Plasma Shield, but none came. Of course, Mirana probably would have told them not to ask for it. But what would he do if they did ask?

Ned had still not decided the next morning when Kalru Elgis contacted him shortly after breakfast and invited him to the engine room. _Nemesis_ had left Delta Epsilon the previous evening, but beyond that Ned had been given no further updates on the ship's status. He could only imagine that they were well away from anything, though, and that they were safe. He was a little nervous, though, as he walked into the engine room. Kalru was busy, apparently the graviton field around the port engine, but she turned as Ned entered.

"Miss Kelar said you might want to test out the Plasmic transducer again. She said the recent battle might have complicated things."

Ned relaxed a little, seeing that Mirana had at least given him implicit permission to discuss the change, although he was still not sure how to discuss his power with the crew. Biting his lip, he walked over to the transducer.

"How much did she tell you about the battle?"

Kalru shrugged. "The usual."

Ned was not surprised. He turned his attention to the device, probing its interaction with the ether around him. He could sense its location, a quiet presence inside the metal casing. He held up a hand tentatively and reached out through the ether. He touched the device, wrapped his power around it, and brought the blue energy into normal space.

Nothing. Or as close to nothing as would make no difference. He could sense the presence of the ship's warp field as his power flowed around it, but he could tell that whatever shielding he was creating was pitifully weak. He tried changing the way he formed his power, but he knew it was hopeless. It seemed that the device was designed to augment only focused, specially-given powers. Without being able to tap into the Shield Crystal's power matrix, Ned had no way to give the device a pattern to draw from. He looked over at Kalru and saw that she was frowning.

"So no more shielding, I take it."

Ned sighed. "Maybe I'll figure out something eventually."

"Should we be worried?"

Ned wanted very much to explain the whole situation to her; keeping secrets was almost as frustrating as needing answers to them. But he knew he had to respect Mirana's authority here, not to mention minimizing the risk of leaking information to the rest of the galaxy.

"If it helps, I think it's safe to say that I won't be infiltrating any more warships in the near future."

"Good to know," Kalru said flatly, and walked back to whatever she had been doing. She did not have to remind Ned that General Harvey would not hesitate to send _Nemesis_ up against _Dread Phoenix_ with or without its Plasmic enhancements.

_I do believe she doesn't like me_ , Ned thought to himself as he left the room. The thought bothered him more than he felt it should.

Ned was pleasantly surprised when Ablithra's voice came over the com link just a few hours later, announcing that they would meet up with _Galactron_ soon. He excitedly packed up the few belongings he had and took him to the landing bay, where he stowed his things in his fighter. He would have been content to climb into the cockpit and wait out the remaining time there, but they were not that close, and he was fairly certain it would look odd for him to isolate himself like that. Instead he chose the opposite course, and walked back to the pricom. Again his reception met with only minimal acknowledgement, but no one asked him to leave.

"How are they?" he blurted out.

"The fleet is divided," Ablithra said without turning. The Vortak attacked three planets simultaneously after taking Zhentyris. They lost one to _Dread Phoenix_ , but held the other two. We're meeting _Galactron_ on the way to Urgatha, where the Vortak are expected to strike next.

Ned's brow furrowed as he pieced together what was likely to happen next. They would arrive, and Ned would have yet another meeting aboard _Galactron_ where he would tell everyone that he was at a loss and then wait for ideas to appear. He would feel nervous but determined and decide to go ahead in spite of the ambiguity of the situation and then go find Smardwurst in hopes of encouragement. He shook his head in frustration. It all seemed like such a waste. Maybe there were no alternatives, but Ned suspected he could speed things up at least a little.

"Can we contact them?"

Ablithra looked back at him in mild surprise. "You have a new message?"

"I think I have as much as I will when we meet up, and I don't see any reason to put things off."

Ablithra considered the request, then shrugged. "I'm not sure how General Harvey will feel about discussing the situation over an open channel, but there's probably no harm in trying."

Bortis poked at his console, and then the Anacron emblem appeared on the forward viewscreen along with a message saying "Stand by." Ned supposed it would be unreasonable to expect an immediate response, but as the seconds ticked by, he felt himself growing nervous. Maybe waiting would have been wiser; after all, what was the rush?

Then Marnax's face replaced the logo. He was sitting in his office, apparently alone. Marnax surveyed the scene, looking less than satisfied. "I'm glad you made it back," he said simply. "Is Mirana not with you?"

Ned took a deep breath, forcing himself to go forward with his earlier plan. "She's okay, Emperor. But the battle on _Dread Phoenix_ did not go well. Nakmar Dren has joined with Dark Viper and become the Flame Master. His ship was like an oven, and he seemed to draw power from heat. There was this red crystalline material running through his ship, and it seemed that it extended his power into _Dread Phoenix_."

Marnax stroked his beard, thinking. "Flame Plasma. That would explain his ability to draw energy from our weapons."

"Yes. We tried to work our way toward the source of his Plasma beam, but the Vortak we met regenerated just like the ship. In the end, Dren himself came after us. I was able to protect myself, but I couldn't absorb his power. It was like he commanded the Plasma throughout the ship. Like Dark Viper on Venom."

"And Mirana couldn't penetrate it?"

"No. Dren focused his attack on her, and..." Ned swallowed. Ablithra and her crew were remaining impassive, but Ned knew that what he was saying had to be shocking, especially given the little information they would be used to. And Ned was fairly certain that Mirana would not be the only one who would condemn his choice to share such details with them. But there was no turning back now. "Dren was going to kill her, Emperor. The only way I could think of to gather enough power to stop him was to destroy the Shield Crystal."

"You _what?_ "

"I absorbed the power the explosion released and knocked Dren back. I used everything I had to teleport Mirana and myself clear of the ship, and _Nemesis_ picked us up."

Marnax was aghast. "Your power is _gone?_ "

Ned almost pointed out that until very recently he had had no proof that Ned or Mirana were even alive, so really this news was a gain, not a loss. But he reminded himself that he was speaking to the Emperor and held his tongue.

"Where is Mirana?"

"She's searching for information on Nakmar Dren. She said that Viper's choice to use him might lead to something we can use."

"I see. And... what are your plans now?"

"I want to help however I can. I'm not invincible anymore, but I can still use the Plasma."

Marnax shook his head. "The loss of the Shield Crystal is a severe blow, Ned."

"I know. But I have an idea. _Dread Phoenix_ blocked my attempt to teleport a missile inside it, but I believe I could be successful with other ships. If Captain Devorion or another pilot is willing to get me close enough, I think that might be worth a try."

Marnax nodded, but his eyes seemed to be staring right through the camera.

Ablithra took the opportunity to interject. "Emperor, Miss Kelar has ordered us to assist in the upcoming battles. We have no Shadow drive, but we are recharged and rearmed."

"Thank you. I can assure you we will put you to good use. We'll see you soon."

Marnax ended the link and saw General Harvey's face replace the image of _Nemesis's_ pricom. Harvey was livid. "I cannot believe this," he growled. "The Shield Crystal destroyed, to save that... and she's not even here to continue the fight? What are we to do against two enemy Plasma Masters?"

"It's not quite what I had hoped for," Marnax agreed. "What about _Dread Phoenix_?"

Harvey seemed to relax a little. "We may be able to do something there. If it's heat that gives it its power, then we should be able to develop a weapon that triggers an endothermic reaction on the shields. In theory, if we slam into them with something cold, the ship might not be able to charge its weapon and shields."

Marnax nodded. "Get on that right away. Do you want to keep _Nemesis_ here with us, or send it to Leridis?"

"I think I'll keep it here for now. If Viper thinks that Ned or Mirana is with us, he might be more likely to send _Dread Phoenix_ here instead of to a weaker target. And if he attacks elsewhere, _Nemesis_ might still be able to get there fast enough to engage it."

"Very well. I will contact Captain Devorion and see about-"

Marnax's words were cut off by the battle alert siren. The Vortak were already on their way.

### Chapter 15

Ned climbed out of his fighter and smiled as Smardwurst greeted him from the deck of _Green Scorpion's_ landing bay. There had been no reason to stay aboard _Nemesis_ , so Ned had transferred immediately on arrival at Urgatha, where the next attack was expected. Smardwurst patted Ned on the shoulder as they walked to his assigned room. "Not the circumstances I had hoped for, but I am glad to see you back."

Ned nodded, happy to be back in familiar company but nervous about the upcoming battle. "Let's just hope I can be of use this time," he said a bit apologetically. "And that I don't drag you into too much trouble."

Smardwurst chuckled. "I may not be a Starhawk pilot, but I do know my way around a cockpit." Ned had learned that Starhawk was with another section of the fleet at the moment, but Smardwurst had convinced Captain Devorion and Major Harvey to let him be Ned's escort for the upcoming torpedo runs. Ned was a little nervous about putting his friend in that much direct danger, but he could hardly ask for someone more "expendable" to go instead, so he had resigned himself to the plan.

They reached Ned's room, and Smardwurst motioned him inside, where Ned deposited his pack of belongings. "I need to check up on a few things," Smardwurst said from the doorway. "I will call you when I am ready, and we can practice some maneuvers aboard _Mandible_."

When the door slid closed, Ned was surprised to find that his mind did not pester him with questions or doubts. The battle alert lights were flashing even here, and for the first time Ned felt like he was part of the ship's preparations for battle. He was taking a greater risk than he ever had, he supposed, but it was not greater than the risk everyone else on the ship made every time they went into battle. Filled with a determination to make a difference in spite of the loss of the Shield Crystal, Ned clenched his fist and began gathering Plasma.

An hour later, Ned found himself sitting behind Smardwurst aboard _Mandible_ as it sped out of the launch bay and into space. Smardwurst's fighter looked nothing like an aircraft – it was little more than a short, red tube with a rounded cockpit in front and engine pods bulging from the sides and top. But the important thing was that it had a rear seat, so Ned did not have to cram himself into a cargo hold this time.

"I guess the main thing is to decide how far ahead you want to fire," Ned said.

Smardwurst sped away from _Green Scorpion_ and then swiveled quickly, slowing down so that they locked position with the ship. "This is about as close as we can hope to get to a target without having our shields completely fried. Can you open a Vortex from here?"

Ned concentrated. It was not easy, but he had gathered a lot of power around him before coming, and as he had with Ambelshack Devorion, Ned was able to create a trail of Plasma connecting _Mandible's_ starboard missile launcher to a spot inside _Green Scorpion_. "I've got it," Ned said finally. We can't really test it out, because opening the vortex would suck air out of the ship.

"I understand. I will fly around for a while; see if you can maintain the position of the vortex."

Ned's hold of the Plasma trail faltered as the fighter accelerated away from its original position, but Ned reconstructed the vortex energy, and after a bit of practice he was able to hold it in roughly the same position with respect to the fighter. He found himself closing his eyes to do it, vaguely sensing the fighter's position and concentrating everything on the Plasma itself.

"It seems to be working," Ned said without opening his eyes. "Want to try some laser shots while we fly around?"

"Good idea," Smardwurst called back. "You can open the vortex now."

Ned felt a bit of a power drain once the vortex opened, but the opening was small, and he was able to hold it. He kept his eyes closed, but he could feel the vortex pulse with energy as Smardwurst fired laser shots through it, presumably into empty space.

"The exit location seems to be fluctuating a bit. Are we at the end of your range?"

Ned opened his eyes and saw what Smardwurst meant: as the fighter swerved around, laser shots sprayed out of nowhere some distance ahead, but the source was bobbing all over the place. Ned kept his eyes open this time and focused on the exit point, willing it to stay in the center of his vision.

"Ah, that is much more consistent," Smardwurst said.

Almost immediately, the vortex faltered, and the lasers began firing from the cannon attached to the starboard engine bulge.

"Sorry," Ned breathed. "That wore me out."

"It was enough, I think. In battle, we will only need the vortex open for a few seconds at a time. But you should recharge your energy quickly. The Vortak will be here soon."

Ned could feel his heart pounding in his chest as the fleet coordinator counted down the seconds over the com link. Ned knew he was ready as he could ever be for this mission, but a thousand thoughts fought to distract him from his task. Hundreds or thousands of the people in the ships he could see out there were about to die. The emptiness of space lay less than half a meter from where he sat. His Crystal was gone. He was making his friend a target of an entire squadron. Ned shook his head to clear his thoughts. _I am a Plasma Master_ , he told himself. _I own this power. I discovered it._ He visualized the Plasmic ether forming at his command.

The counter reached zero. Myriad pinpricks of light flashed all across his field of view, and space erupted with laser fire. They were under attack.

Ned did not know whether or not he should look at this point. He had been in battle simulators many times, but nothing prepared him for the overwhelming sensation of watching Smardwurst make his way through the deadly web of weapons fire and enemy vessels. Enemy shields glowed with Smardwurst's expertly-aimed attacks, and sometimes he could pick out a fellow member of the _Green Scorpion_ squadron as Smardwurst rescued it from pursuit. Other times _Mandible's_ shields lit up repeatedly, and it seemed that Smardwurst could not possibly break loose from the Vortak swarm. _Smardwurst can handle it_ , Ned told himself. _Focus on your job._

And all too soon, it was time. Ned could see the bulk of a large Vortak battleship looming in front of him. "Ten seconds," Smardwurst called. The friendly tone was gone; the Zalorian was issuing orders. The change was a little chilling, but Ned focused everything he had into creating a vortex at exactly the same spot as he had in training. Smardwurst brought them closer and began to slow. They were struck repeatedly by laser fire, and still he approached. "Now."

Ned brought the vortex to life and felt two pulses of power as Smardwurst fired. From within the battleship's shield bubble, explosions blew out large sections of the hull. Smardwurst pitched his fighter forward but then quickly brought it up again, nearing the opposite side of the ship. "And again... Now." Another pair of explosions detonated inside the Vortak vessel. Ned could tell its shields had come down completely as the shots that been peppering them now continued straight through to strike the hull directly.

Despite the grim implications, Ned felt a rush of euphoria. He had done it. He had helped destroy a battleship with just four missiles. "Be ready," Smardwurst called, snapping Ned's attention back. Ned knew that _Mandible's_ shields could not be in good condition after that attack run, but already Smardwurst was targeting the next vessel. Ned took a quick look at that battle readout and saw that the ship he had attacked had just been destroyed by nearby starfighters. But the readout also told Ned that they were approaching another warship, so he snapped his attention back to the task of creating another vortex.

A second warship fell to the same attack, then a third. By that time, though, Ned could see that _Mandible's_ shields were at critical levels, and Smardwurst headed back to _Green Scorpion_. It was only then that Ned realized that he had forgotten to even wonder about an obvious concern. "Where is _Dread Phoenix_?" he asked.

Smardwurst did not respond immediately, since his fighter had just been surrounded by several smaller Vortak ships. "Güzhmäk! Divert all resources to immediate cover fire." The battle readout showed _Green Scorpion_ approaching, but it would have to make it past a few Vortak vessels to get here. Ned supposed it was too much to expect another ship to come to Smardwurst's rescue when its own fighters were facing the same odds.

But over the next minute or so, Ned started wondering whether the odds might not be as evenly distributed as he had assumed. It seemed like two full squadrons had suddenly come after Smardwurst and additional, larger ships were closing as well. Ned heard Smardwurst call _Galactron_ and request further backup. _They've figured us out_ , Ned realized in horror. _They're all after me_.

"I'm opening the vortex," Ned heard himself say. "Let's take these guys out."

Smardwurst said nothing, but Ned sensed that he understood. He opened the vortex and watched as Smardwurst pushed the exit point clear through an enemy fighter, blowing it apart in spite of its shields. A second fighter had been flying right at them, but now it pulled away, apparently sensing what Smardwurst was planning. Meanwhile, six others converged on _Mandible's_ stern.

_Forget that_ , Ned thought. "Let them come close. I'll handle the aiming." Smardwurst slowed with respect to his pursuers, and Ned reformed the vortex behind him. As it had been with the thugs he had attacked back on Earth, Ned could sense the life force of the pilots as they approached, and he connected his vortex to the first one's position. "Fire." He lost the sense of the pilot's position and targeted the next. "Fire." The ethereal Plasma associated with the ship scattered randomly. "Fire." Ned's sense of rising euphoria returned as a third ship exploded. Smardwurst took out two more on his own, but additional fighters had moved to surround them. "Get close to those two if you can," Ned told him. He felt the presence of a pair of fighters approaching, both spraying _Mandible_ with laser fire. Ned move the entrance point of his vortex out to catch an incoming missile, which appeared next to one of the fighters and destroyed it. Ned then teleported an incoming stream of lasers over to the second fighter, which exploded as well. Then _Mandible_ shook violently as one of the larger ships connected with one of its lasers. An instant later a missile made it past Smardwurst's defenses, and for a moment everything vanished in the light of the explosion.

"We can't take much more of this," Smardwurst said solemnly. _Green Scorpion_ was close now, but it was surrounded. And more missiles were streaming in. Ned reached out to them but found that, as it had happened in their training session, he was exhausted. "There's just no Plasma around to absorb," he realized out loud. "Try flying through the debris."

"What?"

"There, ahead." Ned pointed, then realized Smardwurst could not see his hand. He created a blue energy sphere some distance ahead and below them where he could sense a rapidly dispersing collection of Plasma among the debris of a destroyed starfighter. Smardwurst moved toward it, and Ned gathered the power as the passed by. He used everything he had to teleport away incoming weapons fire.

"That is helping," Smardwurst said as one of his companions destroyed another Vortak fighter. Smardwurst headed straight for the explosion. Again, Ned was able to absorb enough power to teleport away some of the weapons fire that was coming at them from every direction.

Then thick, led laser beams were all around them, and Ned looked down at the console to see that _Galactron_ had joined them. Several additional fighters appeared, and Ned sighed with relief as the attacks on _Mandible_ died down.

"Harvey is signaling us to dock on _Galactron_ ," Smardwurst informed him as he came about. "They have a fresh fighter waiting for you, if you can continue."

The thought of leaving the battle early sounded appealing, but somehow Ned wanted to continue if he could. The Vortex Plasma was not really a strong area for him, but it was working, and it practically demanded that he keep using it. "It sounds like it's worth a shot, if I can recharge enough."

_Mandible_ ducked behind one of the lateral shielding platforms on _Galactron_ and set down in a launch bay. Suddenly Plasma was all around Ned, and the moment he had climbed out of the cockpit he started gathering it toward him in visible waves of light. Smardwurst and the deck crew kept their distance, looking uncomfortable, but the rush of power was all that mattered at the moment. When Ned felt he had gathered as much as he could for now, he looked around and spotted a group of fighters that were still docked a short distance away, evidently kept in reserve. "I'm ready, Ned announced. Which fighter?"

Smardwurst looked skeptical. "Are you sure it is a good idea to go out again? It felt like the whole fleet was after us. A few more minutes and the larger ships might have pinned us in."

Ned understood Smardwurst's concern, but surely even a short run would be better than nothing. "I have to try," he said, a little annoyed that his suit's voice modulation took some of the inflection away.

"This way," called a nearby pilot already dressed in a flight suit. Ned hurried after him to the nearest fighter and climbed in behind him. "I'm Nerald Jalek. There's not a lot of space behind the flight seat, but if you take off your armor I think you can fit."

The change in procedure threw Ned off a bit, and he hesitantly looked back at Smardwurst. The Zalorian was pacing. It was impossible to tell through the opaque helmet, but Ned got the impression that he was talking to someone.

Jalek had the cockpit open. "Ready?"

Ned hesitated. "Just a second." Feeling awkward, he ran back across the landing bay to Smardwurst. "Is everything okay?"

Smardwurst pulled off the helmet. "Güzhmäk just contacted me. It seems that Kjrvlnk has made quite a display of his feeling that we need to leave this battlefield immediately."

"He thinks we should surrender?"

"No, not the fleet. You specifically. He says that the Vortak have been ordered to destroy my fighter at any cost."

Jalek looked a little thrown off too. "It might take them a while to identify this new fighter..."

Ned shook his head. When I spoke with Kjrvlnk, I was practically begging him for information. I have to assume he knows what he's talking about now that he's talking."

"What if he just doesn't want you to go out again because he's afraid you'll destroy more Vortak ships?" Jalek was fidgeting nervously, obviously a little uncomfortable with becoming the target of a whole fleet of Vortak.

"You think he is working with them?" Smardwurst clearly regarded that as nonsense. "Considering those ships are currently trying to finish the job they started with him, that seems unlikely."

Ned wanted to get back out there and into the battle. He was surprised at how strong this desire was, but it seemed logical enough; he had a power that could protect the people out there. "What do you think, Smardwurst?"

"I think it would be worth listening to Kjrvlnk before taking further action."

Ned bit his lip. There was certainly merit to that course as well. Certainly it would be safer. "Is _Dread Phoenix_ out there?" he asked again.

"No," Jalek said. Reports say it's leading an attack on Chigranus right now.

"Can they charge your shields enough to get us back to _Green Scorpion_?"

"It will take some time."

Jalek looked dissatisfied. "If you go there, _Green Scorpion_ will take a lot of the attack that's currently directed at _Galactron_. Can't this Kjrvlnk guy talk to you over the com link?"

Smardwurst shook his head. "It is hard enough to communicate with him in person."

Ned was not going to get any further information here, and he knew it. He would just have to make a decision. "Let's get out there," he said. "Even if it's just for a few minutes, having me out there as a target will make things a little safer for the other pilots. I have to try."

Now that he was committed, he hurried across the deck, powered off his armor, and climbed into the storage area behind the flight seat. He felt even more vulnerable here, without his armor and accompanied by someone he did not even know. But he forced his thoughts and concerns outward as Jalek's fighter left the landing bay and made its way clear of _Galactron's_ shields.

Ned's comment about "just a few minutes" proved to have been quite applicable. Ned was astounded at how many directions Jalek's fighter was attacked from at once, even though it stayed fairly close to _Galactron_. Ned did his best to protect it, but that was about all he could manage; each time he tried to actually target an enemy vessel, the incoming damage spiked dramatically. It was less than ten minutes before Jalek had to bring Ned back.

But _Galactron_ had plenty of reserve fighters, and Ned lost count of the number of times he swallowed his fear and let that inner drive to use the Plasma lead him back out into the battle. Each time he was able to recharge a little less, and each time he felt like he was doing a little less good. But he was doing _some_ good. And he was using his power, which in a way was enough of a justification by itself.

He was in the middle of a run – calling it an "attack run" would have been a blatant hyperbole – when abruptly the smaller Vortak ships all turned and headed back toward their host vessels.

Jalek sounded just as surprised as Ned felt. "They're... leaving. It looks like we won."

Ned felt a mix of excitement and relief. "Should we pursue them?"

"We can. I guess we might get a final shot at one of the cruisers."

Almost immediately, _Green Scorpion_ appeared on the readout. Smardwurst had headed back to his ship once Ned had transferred to _Galactron_ , but Ned could not help but be touched that his friend's first thought would be to join him as soon as he could.

"Nedward," Smardwurst's voice called over the com link. "Is everything okay?"

"We're fine," Ned assured him. "We're going to make a final run at them."

" _Green Scorpion_ will back you up."

"This could still be a trap," Jalek reminded them.

"In war it is always a trap," Smardwurst replied. "We are up for it if you are."

Ned and Jalek targeted a smallish warship at the edge of the rapidly converging Vortak attack force, but it jumped to warp before they could get anywhere near Ned's range. The other ships were vanishing too, flashing into hyperspace as soon as they could get clear of the Anacronian ships' weapons. A few of them exploded, finished off before they could escape, and then the weapons fire stopped. Ned leaned back as best he could in his cramped position and sighed.

"That's it," Jalek said, sounding just as relieved and worn out.

"Can you drop me off on _Green Scorpion_? There's something I need to find out."

### Chapter 16

As desperate as the overall situation was, Mirana felt a sense of confident determination as she walked down the exit ramp of the freighter she had been stowing away on. Her padded metal boots allowed her to move quickly while carefully avoiding contact with the other passengers as they disembarked. Having to travel hidden on a public freighter was certainly a step down for her, now that she was used to having her own starship, but this seemed to be the only practical way to travel now that _Nemesis_ had returned to the fleet.

Mirana would have preferred to at least have _Nightsong_ along, but of course she would have to leave it somewhere, and it would be too hard to keep it hidden once she was away from it. So she had resorted to sneaking aboard Delta Epsilon while the repair crew worked, and then stowing away on a freighter heading for Holdaris Prime. Spending a trip hunched in a corner in her battle armor was not very luxurious, but it was hardly a foreign experience for her, either. And now she was here, so it was time to get to work.

Sneaking onto a transit shuttle was no harder than the freighter had been. She supposed that what she was doing was technically illegal, but it was not really hurting anyone either, and this was certainly no time for her to start worrying about technicalities like that. She would just have to see to it that her efforts were worthwhile enough to pay the galaxy back for the liberties she was in the habit of taking with it.

The shuttle took an indirect route, picking up and dropping off passengers at ten or so locations before finally arriving at the records archive. Mirana dropped silently to the ground as the shuttle slowed to a stop. There were a few people passing in and out of the building's front entry, and Mirana mingled with them, scanning the layout and security coverage as she entered. The cameras, of course, were no concern, but she had to be careful of any pressure sensors or checkpoints that would not allow the bulk of her armor to pass through along with someone else. Things at this point were lax enough that she was able to follow a series of people past the main checkpoint and into a lift pod that led further down into the complex. She exited the pod along with a distracted-looking man, following him down a nondescript hallway.

Finally she decided she was close enough to a suitable terminal and stopped, letting the man she had been tailing continue down the corridor and out of sight. She took a deep breath, looking around again to make sure that no one was nearby, then approached a nearby door. Its lock was controlled by an access panel built into the wall next to it, which Mirana regarded impassively. This next part, she had to admit, was cheating – perhaps even more so than using the Shadow Field. Whoever had created this armor had built in a very sophisticated system for interfacing with computerized systems, and Mirana had practiced enough in lower-priority systems to be fairly confident of what cracking this one would take. A flick of the suit's internal controls opened a panel on her wrist, and a flexible wire protruded, with claw-like pads at its tip. Mirana took hold of the wire and fastened it to a button panel while she brought up some falsified credentials on her suit's helmet readout. When she found the ones she needed, she activated the hacking system, which simulated the necessary password and biometrics to the access panel, and the door slid open. In a more secure complex, this would have triggered additional checks, like photo recognition from a more remote camera. But systems like that were an added expense, and apparently whoever had built this one had not felt it necessary. Mirana stepped through the door, thinking sardonically that at least no one was going to die as a result of this particular oversight. No one good, at least.

The door led to a group of offices. Some of them were occupied, but everyone seemed busy at something. When Mirana was satisfied that no attention was directed her way, she opened another door and stepped into a room with a broad console and a wraparound screen setup. Again she provided her falsified credentials, and the console lit up, waiting patiently for her query.

Mirana deactivated both her armor and the Shadow field, deciding that either one would look more suspicious than her regular appearance if anyone were to happen upon her at this point. In spite of the infiltration she had just accomplished, it was only now that Mirana's heart started to pound. This was it, she realized. If she could not find something useful here, then she would have abandoned her crew for nothing and would have to admit that she was completely out of ideas on how to fight Dark Viper.

_Nakmar Dren_. A scowl crossed her face as she scanned the man's life history. Of course she would keep a copy of what she was looking at now, but uploading the whole database would trigger alarms and an immediate lockout, so she had to be selective of where she looked in the time available. Dren had definitely been up to no good for several years. In fact, imperial investigators had evidently tracked him down a few times, but they had allowed him to continue operating so they could use him as a way to get to his superiors. Nothing he had been involved in raised any obvious concerns, right up to the point where he had silently disappeared several months ago.

"Curse." Mirana bit her lip, thinking. What else had she learned since picking Ned up? _Vortak._ Nothing. _Alien War_. Plenty of information, but nothing obviously useful. _Plasma Weapons_. Mirana had already been over this record, and nothing new stood out to her now. It seemed that everything Viper had gained had come from somewhere beyond Mirana's reach. She had hit a dead end after all.

Wait. _Ruggles Girx._ Mirana had already read this entry as well, but not since talking to the man, and something in the back of her mind suggested that there might be a connection. And there it was: Girx had worked with a crime syndicate led by Smurgal Horlock. Mirana turned back to the entry on Nakmar Dren and smiled. _Dren worked as part of Horlock Enterprises for several years before leaving due to a conflict of financial priorities._ Despair turned to a spark of hope; there was a connection after all.

She searched again. _Smurgal Horlock_. Evidently he had been very successful in a business involving deep space travel. He had shipped supplies and trafficked in ancient relics for a time. Eventually his black market trading had been uncovered, and he had been arrested.

The record included a list of his business associates, and Mirana scanned the list. A smile crossed her lips almost immediately. _Trelan Thendrak._ Viper had booked several trips to outlying worlds and commissioned various shipments. All of it had been before Horlock's criminal activity had been uncovered, well before Thendrak had joined the Imperial Council. Mirana drilled into the business records. Nothing looked immediately promising, but she could go over the full details later. She flipped back to Horlock's main biography record and continued reading. It was fairly standard – people he had scammed, other criminals he had angered. He had avoided the death penalty by providing vital information in several other criminal cases and ended up in a maximum security prison cell on Anacron. Then suddenly Mirana froze, her hand involuntarily covering her mouth in shock. _Horlock died in prison the following year due to an industrial explosion in the Crelandis district._ Mirana was very familiar with that explosion. It was the one that had killed her father.

Mirana stepped back as her mind struggled to process this. The explosion had been ruled an accident, and everyone directly involved had been incinerated anyway. But what if it had not been an accident after all? What if Thendrak had used the explosion as a way to execute Horlock? It would be the perfect cover-up; no one would think twice about the death of one prisoner when thousands of innocent people had died at the same time. But if the explosion were intentional, then her own father's death was a horrible coincidence. Only at this point, Mirana was wary of ruling anything a coincidence. After all, her father had clearly had some kind of connection with Trelan Thendrak, or he would not have sworn her to defend the man. Mirana had been thoroughly unable to find any connection between the two, but maybe these other names could open a new door.

_Smurgal Horlock / Meldin Kelar_. She was hardly even surprised to see that the Crelandis explosion was not the only connection. Her father was listed as a crewmember on several ships owned by Horlock Enterprises. Smurgal Horlock himself did not appear to have been on any of those trips, but it was conceivable that her father might have learned something about him, or about one of his clients. Like Trelan Thendrak. Mirana started uploading everything she could think of related to Horlock's business. She already had copies of the records for her father and Dark Viper, and hopefully she would be able to put something together.

She glanced around, suddenly unsure of how long she might have before someone walked in on her. But there was no window on the door, and it was probably soundproof, so she figured she might as well keep working as long as she could. She turned back to the console and continued reading. For some reason, she found it hard to concentrate. Maybe she had already found everything there was to find, but there was no sense in leaving prematurely. She double-checked her father's known associates with anyone connected with Dren or Viper, and she searched Horlock's voyages for any hint of an important destination. She was still looking when something in the back of her mind caused her to jump back, suddenly alert. Reflexively she engaged her armor and immediately saw the reason for her alarm: the helmet's readout showed a rapidly growing concentration of anoxelene in the air. One good breath of the gas could have been fatal, and Mirana wondered how she had sensed the danger, but there was no time to ponder that. Even through the soundproof door, Mirana could hear something banging up against it. She vanished and moved into a corner, out of the immediate range of the blast she expected to come at any moment. Silently she cursed herself for letting her guard down. Somehow, Dark Viper had found her.

Kayleen Rax gripped her command console eagerly as _White Mercury_ slipped out of its hyperspace boost. The warp enhancement device was completely spent, but it had done its job: The Holdaris system lay just ahead. Ideally, they would have come out close enough to launch a direct attack before Holdaris Prime got its shields up, but as it was they had to make a short jump at regular warp in order to reach the planet itself. The crew made this leap through hyperspace quickly, but Kayleen could already see that the planet was massing its defenses. She was going to have to do this the hard way. But really, she suspected she was going to enjoy it more like this.

There was no need to issue orders; the Vortak immediately moved the ship into range of an orbiting space station. Several ships of various types had not been fast enough to leave the system or move within the planetary shield bubble, and _White Mercury_ opened fire immediately, draining the shields of a few smaller ones in seconds with its specialized particle beams. A few military guard ships were already moving to intercept, and a nearby orbital weapons platform was on course as well. Kayleen felt a rush of adrenaline as the situation's danger level increased, but she forged ahead with a grim sense of purpose. She had known the danger, but she only needed a short time. Several of _White Mercury's_ tractor beams locked onto the ships she had just incapacitated while its weapons hammered away at other ships. First two, then four cruisers were held powerless in the beams, their engines blown away by the Vortak weapons. _White Mercury_ was taking damage as well, and soon the defenders were upon her, attacking from more directions than she could count quickly. "Now," Kayleen ordered, and several sections of her ship split off, each powered by its own graviton drive and spraying their own weapons fire into the surrounding vessels. Kayleen wished she could see the reactions of the defending commanders as they realized that they now faced not one but five invading warships. At the same time, the main section of _White Mercury_ launched a squadron of single-occupant ships to engage the starfighters streaming out at her from the Holdarian vessels. The Vortak were still outnumbered, but still Kayleen managed a smile.

The reason, she supposed, would soon become clear to her enemies. In the brief time she had had to herself before reinforcements arrived, she had already crippled several transport vessels. With their engines and minimal weapons destroyed, they were helpless against the tractor beams emanating from the main core of _White Mercury_. Drawing the broken ships in, Kayleen used their bulk as a shield against the other Holdarian vessels. And sure enough, by the time more than a couple of defenders were within range, attacks from the station and orbital platform were already winding down. Kayleen let the attack modules finish off one of the defending battleships before calling them in to rejoin the core, hidden within the protective shell of wrecked vessels. Kayleen stood tall in range of the com camera and opened a link to the planet. Her victims were ready.

"This is President Etvolt," the nervous-looking man on the viewscreen announced. "You are completely surrounded! I order you to leave this system immediately, or you will be destroyed!"

Kayleen ignored the threat completely. "Good morning, President," she greeted in a solemn voice. "Allow me to explain the situation to you. I am Kayleen Rax, Master of the Ice Plasma and enforcer of the Order of Dark Viper. My agents have located a criminal hiding on your planet. They have engaged her already, and I am here to retrieve her. You will give me passage to the surface so I can deal with her, and then you will let us go. At that time, the people I am now holding captive will be released." Kayleen took a step forward and lowered her eyebrows threateningly. "If you resist, I will kill them and deal with this criminal on my own. But first, President, I swear that I will personally kill _you_. I strongly suggest that you comply with my terms."

The man was visibly shaken. He muted his end of the link as he turned to converse with his associates. Kayleen waited patiently. She knew his type – Etvolt would weigh various options and seek assurance that he had the proper support, as well as a record of his attempts to minimize the loss of life, but in the end he would do the safe thing. As long as he could tell himself that he was saving others' lives in addition to his own, there was no way he was going to risk going up against a Plasma Master, outnumbered though she may be.

"Very well," Etvolt agreed finally. "We will allow one of your small fighters to descend to the surface. You will return to your ship within the hour and leave this system. I advise you to hurry, because Emperor Marnax will have additional-"

"It won't take long," Kayleen assured him. "But there's one change of terms: I'll be taking one of _your_ shuttles down. It will be filled with your own people. Just in case you were thinking of firing at me along the way."

Mirana was already invisible when an explosion turned the door to shrapnel, but the white, insectile creatures that burst through raked the room with laser fire, pinpointing her immediately. Her own weapon dropped the first group within seconds, and a missile fired through the door took out several others that had been waiting outside. There was just the one entrance to the room, and although that might have made her position defensible, Mirana felt an urgent need to get out of there. Letting her armor absorb laser fire from the next wave of Vortak, she barreled past them and into the hall beyond. A quick salvo of lasers and Shadow beams dispatched the remaining Vortak. Unlike the red version she had encountered on _Dread Phoenix_ , these remained motionless on the ground. Mirana started back the way she had come. The anoxelene content was high outside the console room as well, and a quick glance around made it clear that no one had survived the Vortak's invasion. Mirana's stomach turned a little, but she molded the revulsion into an added determination to get out of here and punish everyone responsible.

Mirana was a little surprised to make it out of the office area without further resistance; apparently the whole group of Vortak had joined in that initial assault. Of course, it was still a bit unbelievable that any Vortak at all could have found her there. Mirana supposed that they must have been waiting on this planet before her arrival, and that something she had done while infiltrating the building had tipped them off. She cringed at the thought of these things hiding out on other Anacronian planets as well, but the more immediate problem was the threat of reinforcements. It was possible that this group had hoped to take Mirana out with the gas alone, but it seemed more likely that there was some sort of larger trap being sprung here.

The moment Mirana stepped out of the office area and into the outer hallway, an explosion rocked the building. Mirana's thoughts jumped back to the trap she had sprung in those ruins she had explored with Ned, half expecting the ceiling to come down on her this time as well. But the building held, and Mirana hurried toward the lift pod that had brought her. She was halfway there when several Vortak emerged simultaneously from around several corners and from access panels in the ceiling, all opening fire the moment they appeared. Mirana planted her back and returned fire. She had no idea how they had pinpointed her position so quickly, but once she had cleared the area of attackers, she looked around and found her answer. The floor was covered in tiny, clear beads. She had not noticed them in her urgency to get out, but now she could see that even her padded boots had left footprints on the floor. She dropped the Shadow field, figuring it wiser to conserve energy if they could track her anyway.

Seeing that the way forward was clear, Mirana started forward again, but to her surprise she stumbled and nearly fell. As she lurched forward to catch her balance, she saw what had happened: the beads on the floor had begun to grow up around her feet, fastening them to the floor. It was happening again now, and Mirana started moving, shattering the crystalline growth before it had a chance to take hold. Her visor told her that the temperature was dropping rapidly, and she took that as a bad sign. She was almost to the lift pod door when it completely iced over, encased in a thick layer of crystal. The icy barrier spread onto the wall, and Mirana backed away, looking around in alarm for a likely escape route. Before she had found one, the ice that had reached the ceiling shattered, leaving a gaping hole above the corridor. Mirana stepped back again, gathering power in her fist, as a woman she almost recognized dropped easily down from above and regarded her grimly.

"Kayleen Rax?" Mirana spoke the name almost unconsciously, shocked as much by the woman's appearance as by her presence here in the first place. Kayleen's entire body was transparent, and oddly she seemed to be dressed in common jogging pants and a t-shirt. But the ice spreading across the floor from where she stood made it clear that Rax was a threat, even if the nature of that threat was still unclear.

Rax acknowledged her name with a wicked grin, but Mirana did not wait for an explanation. She dashed forward, reaching out with her hand to cast a Shadow beam directly into that crystalline face. But Rax was obviously anticipating an attack; she brought up a hand, and in the same motion a column of ice sprung from the ground, blocking the black energy as it shattered a few feet from where Rax stood. Mirana was already firing laser shots, but still Rax stayed put, raising her hand as if to block the attack. The lasers struck, but aside from some icy particles that scattered from the impact points, Rax seemed unaffected. Mirana was still moving forward, but now Rax extended her hand and sent a beam of frosty energy directly into Mirana, knocking her to the ground several meters back.

Instantly the ice on the ground began to take hold, and Mirana had to struggle to regain her feet. As she did, Rax rushed forward, firing another beam of energy. Mirana blocked it with the Shadow Plasma and directed some of her power downward, breaking apart the encroaching ice. As Rax reached her, Mirana wrapped herself in black fire, hoping to cancel at least some of the freezing Plasma being directed at her. She rose to her feet and swung a punch at Rax. The newly-remade Plasma Master flinched at the blow but countered with one of her own, leaving a bit of ice behind on Mirana's armor as she blocked. They exchanged a few more punches, with Mirana connecting consistently and Rax not seeming to mind her inability to block. It was time for desperate strategy. She fired a missile point-blank. The explosion damaged her armor a bit, but it melted away the icy covering, and she managed to spring away, following up with a quick barrage of missiles. The explosions filled the hallway, and Rax disappeared in the orange light.

When the flames cleared, Mirana almost thought that she had finished the battle: Where Rax had been standing, there was only a thick cloud of mist and swirling white energy. But it quickly solidified into humanoid form, and in a second Rax was glaring maliciously. Ice quickly spread across the floor once again, and Mirana decided to end that particular irritation. She rushed Rax one more time, blocking the shards of icy Plasma that came flying at her. When they were close, Mirana delivered a powerful uppercut to Rax's midsection, lifting her clear of the ground. While she was still rising into the air, Mirana leapt up and knocked her opponent back with a spinning kick. Rax had scarcely struck the ground when Mirana's missile detonated against her. Mirana fired again as soon as she landed, but a wall of ice quickly formed to block this projectile and the next. Mirana sighed, exasperated. Her suit was warning her of structural integrity dangers due to the ultra-freezing temperature, and she could already see Rax reforming. Of course, after her experience with Dren, it was hardly a surprise that Mirana's current powers were not enough to take out another elemental Plasma Master. Preparing to meet another attack, Mirana mentally scanned through her options. There was one idea she could try, something she had thought up some time ago. It would be very risky. But it just might teach her something, as well. Wrapping herself in a Shadow field, Mirana turned and ran.

_Great_ , Kayleen thought. She figured that Mirana would eventually run out of missiles, and by then it should be simple enough to overpower her. But now she was running, and Kayleen was going to have to chase her down. She could already sense a bubble of warmer temperature somewhere ahead and started in that direction. She seemed to be a bit faster than she had been in her regular, human form, but she had to stop a few times to block a missile attack, and somehow Mirana was maintaining distance. For now.

Then a series of explosions lit up the hallway ahead, and Kayleen lost track of Mirana. The missiles had blown several holes in the floor, walls, and ceiling, all of which could have provided a means for escape. Kayleen slowed, gritting her teeth. She quickly sent a curving wall of Plasma outward, wrapping the nearby area in a sphere of Ice Plasma. It was just a weak barrier, but Kayleen would be able to sense when something penetrated it. When she completed the sphere, Kayleen waited for several seconds. If Mirana was inside it, Kayleen could just contract it until it detected her, but suddenly she wondered whether she had somehow made it too small and missed Mirana after all. But then there it was – an empty pocket that poked through the cold haze she had cast. Mirana was there, one floor up and a short distance ahead. Quickly Kayleen focused her power there, and the emptiness became clearer. Mirana was definitely there, and she was coming closer.

It was a good thing, Kayleen supposed, but she had to wonder why the fleeing Shadow Master would suddenly change her mind. Some kind of a trap, she supposed, but there was no sense in hesitating now. Kayleen walked over until she was directly underneath the opening in the ceiling, then caused an icy platform to rise up under her feet, lifting Kayleen onto the floor above. The lighting had been shot out here, but Kayleen could sense the location of her surroundings well enough without it. Mirana was nearing her position now, but Kayleen started forward anyway, filling the corridor with mist in case her opponent was still invisible.

She was not. Kayleen caught sight of black metal as a missile fired at her from around a corner. Already planning her defense, Kayleen blocked the shot easily. Rather than waiting for the next missile, she blasted a hole in the wall that led to that corner and shattered the metal. She dodged the next missile by simply stepping into the next room, then blew her way into the room after that. She was now quite close to the Shadow Master, with only a few walls between her and her target. She sent her power out through the ether, then let the freezing Plasma explode outside in the hall, where she sensed Mirana's figure stumble. Apparently Mirana was unable to sense the source of the attack, because the Shadow Master's presence began to retreat back down the hall. Kayleen blew away the remaining walls and stepped into the corridor.

Mirana immediately fired two more missiles, which Kayleen again blocked. Black fire obscured the armor again, and Kayleen readied herself for another charge. More missile fire came at her as her opponent approached, and Kayleen felt the heat drain her a bit, but she was ready when the dark fist swung her way. This time Kayleen caught hold of the metal and sealed herself to it with an icy covering. Mirana's other glove quickly angled toward Kayleen, no doubt preparing another point-blank missile blast, but the Ice Plasma was already intensely focused all around her, and Kayleen sealed off the launchers with a solid barrier; if Mirana fired now, the missiles would probably explode inside the launchers, and her hand would probably not like that. Just to remind Mirana how useless her hand-to-hand combat skills were here, Kayleen rammed the black helmet with her own head, causing the Shadow Master to stumble backward. The black fire had died down as Mirana no doubt had to focus everything she had on blocking out the ice that was now everywhere. Kayleen intensified the pale energy streaming out of her hands, creating a shell of ice around her struggling opponent. Black light flared a few times within the crystal barrier, but each time it did less to dislodge the shell. Finally, the Shadow Plasma died down entirely, as Kayleen strengthened the block of Ice Plasma she had created.

When Kayleen was satisfied that Mirana was captured, she took a moment to admire her work. The Shadow Master's armor was still standing up to the cold, but its joints and weapons were completely immobilized. A smile crossed Kayleen's face as she imagined Mirana's mood, paralyzed in there, probably wondering which would run out first – the suit's shell integrity or its life support system. Of course, Kayleen could probably find a way to crush the armor right now, but she wanted to get off this planet before someone attempted a rescue, or before someone more determined than Etvolt seized control of the situation with her ship.

The ice block took up most of the corridor's cross-section, and Kayleen looked around for a moment, wondering about the best way to get her trophy back to the waiting shuttle. The Vortak might be able to move it for her, but Kayleen already knew what Viper would say about resorting to help. Then she had it. She sent the ice out along the floor again, this time creating a perfectly smooth surface. She then removed a bit of the Ice Plasma that encased Mirana's immobile figure, letting a small air cushion form between the ice block and the floor. When she was satisfied, Kayleen moved behind the ice block and gave it a casual shove. To her satisfaction, it slid easily down the corridor. Congratulating herself on her ingenuity, Kayleen contacted the survivors of her Vortak escort and instructed them to await her return.

"You broke your end of the deal!" President Etvolt looked just as overwhelmed as he did indignant.

"I did no such thing," Kayleen replied calmly. "I said I would leave those ships alone, and I have. And the attack on your building happened _before_ our deal. I'm not responsible for your own lack of security. Just be glad it was just the one building I had to deal with."

Despite her air of confidence, Kayleen knew that she was not really safe yet. Her threat to kill Etvolt was probably within her power to carry out, as long as she was near the city, but once she gained any real altitude, the planetary defense lasers could probably take her out in a single shot. Of course, there was still the matter of the hostages she had. But it was still a little hard to accept that her enemies would hold their fire when Kayleen in their position would be quick to see the tactical advantage of sacrificing a few hostages to take out a Plasma Master. Her assessment of Etvolt had gotten her safely in, though, so she supposed it made sense to continue with it. "Just be patient for a few more minutes," she said in an insultingly reassuring voice, "and I will be gone, and you can get back to your day."

He clearly wanted her dead. Everyone on and around this planet wanted her dead. But they were powerless. As she passed through the shields, Kayleen smiled in spite of the obvious danger. Her power was back. She could command the Plasma. She could make entire worlds cower in fear. One starship against a planet. The Ice Master against the woman who had previously brought Dark Viper to his knees. With almost no practice in recent memory, Kayleen Rax had faced impossible odds and won.

As the shuttle approached _White Mercury_ , Kayleen ran a final scan of the area. The nearby warships were still locked in a stalemate, no doubt waiting to see what Kayleen would do now. The straightforward thing would be to dock the shuttle with her own ship so she and her crew could transfer to it. But that seemed too slow, and it might suggest an opportunity for attack. Instead, Kayleen activated the shuttle's com link and addressed the former crew, whom she now held prisoner. "Everyone to the escape pods. Launch when I tell you and hope your friends keep their promise." She waited, giving the Vortak time to corral everyone into the emergency pods. The Vortak signaled that they were ready just as the shuttle was nearing _White Mercury_ and its shell of helpless warships.

"Open the landing bay," she instructed the Vortak. Ahead she saw an opening appear in the crystalline structure of her ship and headed straight for it. "Everyone, eject now."

There was no need to repeat the order; the Holdarian crew was clearly eager to be as far away from her as possible. As the captive ships reached out with their own tractor beams to recover the escape pods, Kayleen docked the shuttle inside her own landing bay. "Time to go," she ordered.

Outside, _White Mercury_ pushed some of its captive ships away, just enough to allow a clear shot into deep space. Etvolt was going to lose his job, Kayleen thought as she monitored her ship's departure. Harvey would be furious at the whole defense force. And Nedward Simmons... he would be alone. As her crystalline warship blasted away from Holdaris at high warp, Kayleen's thoughts turned to that boy who had caused her so much trouble. And now, finally, he was truly vulnerable. Yes, the last obstacle to Kayleen's ultimate success would fall very, very soon.

### Chapter 17

Smardwurst did not even have words when Ned met him outside the launch bay; he just wrapped his huge arms around Ned and held him close. Ned returned the hug as far as he could manage, feeling relieved to finally be back where no one was shooting at him for the moment. He felt immeasurably lucky to have made it back, but he tried not to think about what might just as likely have happened to him.

"He is ready for you," Smardwurst said finally, then led the way to Kjrvlnk's room.

The door slid open, and they stepped into the same dark space they had seen before. Again, Ned could make out the red glow of the Vortak's eyes, but not much else.

"You survived." The flat voice from the translator box made Ned immediately uncomfortable.

"Yes. I heard that you had been... concerned."

"The Vortak were commanded to destroy you. It seemed unlikely that you could survive."

"It was close," Ned admitted. "But I had to do what I could to help."

Kjrvlnk regarded him silently in response.

"How did you know what the other Vortak were going to do?" Smardwurst asked.

"A command was given."

"A telepathic command?"

"The Master commanded it. He accompanied the order with a threat. He wants you dead."

Ned gulped; that message was no surprise, but it was a little extra chilling coming from such an alien creature. "But you don't," Ned prompted. "You wanted to save me."

Silence.

"What changed? When I was last here, you seemed... something I did offended you. I'm sorry for that. But, what changed?"

Kjrvlnk was quiet again, but this time Ned just waited. "You are not like the other Masters," he said finally.

Ned nodded, hoping that was a good thing. "In what way?"

"You did not seek for control. I am told you risked yourself to protect your friends. You have allowed me solitude."

"It's like I told you before. I just want to put a stop to this war."

"I am of no use here. I will not find peace aboard this ship. I may not be of use elsewhere. But I will help you."

Ned looked at Smardwurst, who returned his surprised look. "Thank you," Ned managed, not really sure how to respond to this unexpected change.

"You cannot prevail against the Vortak ships. There are too many."

"What do you think I should focus on?"

"The Master. The Vortak will fight while they are commanded. You must defeat him."

Ned nodded. "I'm trying to work out a way to do that. We don't know where he is, and... I'm afraid he is a lot more powerful than I am."

"Continue looking. When you find a path, I will be here."

Ned was so lost in thought as he left the room that he hardly noticed the worried-looking lieutenant waiting outside. The man stopped Smardwurst, though, and whispered something that sounded urgent as he handed his captain a data pad. When Ned turned to look, Smardwurst looked worried too.

"Ned." Smardwurst was still scanning the data pad, but Ned could tell the news was not good. Finally Smardwurst looked up. "While we were fighting the Vortak, it seems that Kayleen Rax attacked the planet Holdaris Prime, using the title of Ice Master. Apparently she went there to apprehend a prisoner."

Ned's face went pale. "Mirana!"

"We do not know exactly what happened there, but Rax left abruptly after wreaking havoc in a records archive. General Harvey has sent some ships to intercept her, but without knowing her next destination they may not be able to do much good."

"And no one has heard from Mirana?"

"I do not know. Even if not, that does not necessarily mean there is a problem."

"We have to track her down. Destroying her is a priority. It's like Kjrvlnk said – fighting the Vortak is just stalling. We need to take out the Plasma Masters, or this will never end." Ned's heart was racing. On one hand, he felt an irrational need to get revenge on Kayleen Rax, but at the same time he hoped that somehow Mirana had not been involved. The news that he was now up against not two but three Plasma Masters made him feel weaker than ever, yet there seemed to be no course open to him but to hunt down Rax.

"I should have killed her," he heard himself say. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he could not help but feel responsible for whatever Rax had done. Ned had held her life in his hands once, after he had destroyed the Blast Crystal. He could have killed her then, but he had planned instead to deliver her to Gerran Marnax. But before he had gotten the chance, the Shadow Master had attacked him, and Rax had escaped. Ned shook his head. "Why did she stop me? Why did she let Rax escape?" He did not want to blame Mirana for her own fate, especially when he still knew nothing about what had happened, but the thought of losing Mirana was quickly overpowering his reasoning.

Smardwurst walked over to him. "Nedward, I know this is troubling news. I hope that Mirana is safe. But we have to deal with the situation at hand before we can look for her. Emperor Marnax and General Harvey want to discuss our options for dealing with this new Ice Master. Are you ready to meet with them?"

"Yes. If nothing else, this makes the next steps clear enough. But, one thing first." Ned turned back toward Kjrvlnk's door. Don't you think he should join us?"

"I see no problem, although General Harvey might see things differently."

Ned shook his head. "I'm going to end up telling him everything I know anyway – I have to if I want to get anything useful out of him. Might as well save ourselves the trouble of repeating things."

They went back for Kjrvlnk, who silently accompanied them to the pricom. At a nod from Smardwurst, his crew opened a channel to _Galactron_ , and the Emperor and General appeared on the main viewscreen.

"We received the report," Smardwurst informed them. "Nedward is prepared to engage Kayleen Rax if we can determine a plan, and Kjrvlnk is determined to help as well."

Ned decided to speak up before anyone could object. "He's our only source of information about our enemy, and I'll be needing any help I can get."

Harvey shifted in his chair and leaned forward. "I'll be frank with you, Nedward. We can't spare much of an escort to go off chasing Rax. The damage she did at Holdaris Prime was minimal, even catching them off-guard. I'm much more worried about _Dread Phoenix_ right now."

"We expect the endothermic particle beams to be ready for the next battle," Marnax explained. "We lost another world today, but if we can hold our ground against the Vortak, this new weapon may tip the scales against Nakmar Dren."

"I understand," Ned said tactfully. "I imagine she would want to face me alone anyway, like before. I shouldn't need much more than transportation, along with some kind of assurance that the whole Vortak fleet won't show up the minute I'm there. If Ablithra would be willing-"

" _Nemesis_ is needed here," Harvey said with a tone of finality. Ned kept his thoughts to himself – the ability to get in and out quickly would be extremely important if he were going in without much support, and he was fairly sure Mirana would have wanted _Nemesis_ to back Ned up in this. But that would be obvious to Harvey as well, so voicing those thoughts now would be of no use.

"I would like to volunteer _Green Scorpion_ ," Smardwurst said.

Marnax tilted his head as if considering their chances. "How do you propose to engage her?"

"I think she'll respond if I try to contact her," Ned said. "I think her motives are clear enough, and given the conditions I don't think she'd see a reason to hide from me. And if she really wants to fight me, then that might give us some leverage to arrange the terms."

Marnax still looked hesitant. "And you're convinced it's a good idea to just walk into a conflict with her alone, without the Shield Crystal?"

Ned took a deep breath. He was rushing forward because there was no other option he could see, but there was no denying that he was nervous. "It's dangerous," he admitted. "But does anyone else have any ideas? We need to keep Rax occupied, or she'll just draw away more of the fleet. I don't have any new information on Nakmar Dren, and Rax may be the only way to find out about Mirana. I don't see any other way."

"It sounds like a reasonable plan to me," Harvey said. "Of course it all assumes that you can arrange terms with her that don't put Anacron at risk." He looked at Marnax, who nodded his approval. "Captain Varlon, you're authorized to disengage from the fleet and pursue Kayleen Rax however you see fit. Keep us apprised."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

The transmission ended, and Ned turned to Kjrvlnk. "What do you think?"

The Vortak regarded him blankly. "It is not much. But I believe you are correct. There is no logical alternative."

Smardwurst got priority clearance for repairs at the closest space station. After some deliberation about whether to wait to until the ship was ready to contact the Ice Master, he and Nedward agreed that it would be better to attempt contact immediately. It might take some time to get a response, and they did not want to end up waiting around later on. Besides, although Ned was not exactly eager to walk into whatever trap Rax might set for him, he hated the idea of delaying any chance he might have to help Mirana. Or to avenge her, if it came to that.

After walking with Kjrvlnk back to his dark residence, Ned returned to his own room and began the process of requesting a long-range transmission into Vortak space. It took some time to access the relay stations, but Smardwurst had provided him with the necessary clearance, and eventually the message was broadcast. Knowing that it would take some time to find its intended recipient, Ned lay down and quickly fell asleep.

He was awakened several hours later by a chime indicating that his message had received a response, and that a com link was available. Ned got out of bed, nervous, and immediately called Smardwurst.

"Take whatever time you need to get ready," his friend told him over the com link. "You do not want to appear frantic or desperate. She will still be there in half an hour."

"Right."

Ned took a quick shower and ate a quick snack. By the time Smardwurst and Kjrvlnk showed up at his door, Ned was feeling much calmer. His companions sat out of range of the link camera, but having them nearby lent him a measure of confidence as well. When he was ready, Ned sat down at the terminal and accepted the link.

"What a pleasant surprise," Rax said with a sardonic smile, her voice almost a whisper. "I must say I hadn't expected we'd meet again so soon."

Ned twitched involuntarily at the appearance of his old enemy. He had been over the Holdarians' reports and was ready for the blue skin, but the chiseled expression and impassionate eyes brought back memories. He forced himself to put aside the fact that this woman had killed Koral Ralok and countless other people. This was about Mirana. "Where is she," he demanded firmly.

Rax simply shook her head. "You should not have come back, Ned. You thought you could just rush in and defeat Dark Viper with all your fascinating abilities, but you've underestimated him this time. The Shadow Master has already fallen victim to my power. You will share her fate if you persist in this pointless quest."

"Tell me where she is," Ned repeated.

"So you can do what? Go after her? Is that what you want? What if I told you I was keeping her here? Would you come after me like you did before, prepared to negotiate, expecting an attack? Well I won't make any pretense of compromise with you this time, boy; we know each other too well. If you want to come here and test your power against mine, go right ahead. I'll crystallize you too, and you'll both make excellent trophies for the new leader of the galaxy."

Ned gulped at the mention of Mirana's fate. But he knew better than to take that bait. "I think you're the one that's desperate here, Rax. You failed your master, and he has sent you out for revenge. But you are going to have a hard time fulfilling your mission if you keep running and hiding. If you want me, you are going to have to come and find me."

Rax just rolled her eyes. "What, so your mighty armada can surround me? Nakmar has given them quite enough to occupy their attention, I think. Your friends are hardly a threat to me. But they are a hassle, which is why I am going to let you be the one to make the journey."

"Well, that sounds like an acceptable plan," Ned replied, sounding as casual as he could manage. "I can find plenty to do here while you sit alone, waiting."

"No, I don't think that's what you'll do. Because I'm not sure _she_ can wait that long."

Rax stepped aside, giving the camera a view into the metallic room where she was standing. Some distance behind her was a large block of crystal in which Mirana's figure was clearly suspended, as if caught in the act of running forward. Ned gulped, willing his heartbeat to slow down.

"I think she's alive," Rax said ambivalently, "but I'm not sure for how long. Which do you think will fail first, boy? Her life support or her armor's structure? Hypothermia, frostbite, or thirst. None are very good options, I'm afraid. And that's ignoring the claustrophobia."

"What do you want?" Ned knew he was coming unraveled, but Smardwurst did not look worried yet, so he told himself that things were still okay.

Rax shrugged. "I really _would_ like to see you. But in all fairness, I must warn you against coming here. I'm sure the Imperial Armada is more than tied up in other matters, so you'll probably find yourself coming alone. And you won't have any luck staging an attack on me; the landscape is hardly that of Palandora. The planet Izralith is an island of ice and stone, a collection of interstellar debris orbiting the cold remains of a white dwarf star. There is practically no atmosphere and very little light. In other words, the planet is a fortress of ice. But I know you'll come anyway, even though the circumstance favors me so drastically. You have to, because you can't bear to let your friend die alone. I'll see you soon, then. I'll be waiting."

Ned was still trying to decide what to say next when abruptly the transmission ended. He looked around in shock. "What was _that_?" He felt sure he had already failed, somehow.

"She gave us a location," Smardwurst observed, already moving to the computer console. "It is actually within Anacronian space, although not really near anything. We may be able to go there without the rest of the Vortak ships coming after us."

"She knows you would not go otherwise," Kjrvlnk said, causing Ned to jump – he had almost forgotten the Vortak was there.

"Yes," Smardwurst agreed. "She picked a setting that would favor her but leave us enough of a chance to consider the possibility."

Ned gritted his teeth. "So it's our ship against hers. How well do you think _Green Scorpion_ can stand up against that thing?"

"She has us outgunned," Smardwurst admitted. "But your vortex power may even that out; she did not use any Plasma weapons at Holdaris Prime.

"I don't suppose there's any chance of getting Marnax to send us with another ship. If we took _Nemesis_ , or even _Galactron_... Mirana's practically his daughter, after all."

"Kayleen may run if she feels her ship is overpowered. We still do not know how she reached Holdaris undetected, so we may have a hard time chasing her if she leaves."

"You may not have to destroy the vessel," Kjrvlnk offered. "If she wants to fight you on the planet, then your ship only needs to keep hers away while you confront her."

"That may not be particularly easy," Ned pointed out.

Smardwurst patted Ned's shoulder. "We will be all right. We knew the risk when we accepted this mission. The only question is whether _you_ are ready."

"I'll have to be," Ned said. "It's the only chance Mirana has."

### Chapter 18

Ned spent as much time as he could training and studying, but it turned out that Izralith was a couple of days' travel, and there was no way Ned could keep himself focused on preparation without stopping. So at the end of the first day, after reviewing the specs of the ice climbing equipment he would be using, Ned knocked on Smardwurst's door. It opened almost immediately, and Smardwurst invited him to sit down.

"What is on your mind?"

"You know," Ned began, "I realized that I don't know very much about you. Your history, I mean. I almost looked up information on Zalorus a couple of times, but it seemed silly to search for information on something when you know someone who can tell you in person. So, how exactly did you come to be a part of Marnax's army?"

Smardwurst sat back and took a deep breath, his huge eyes rolling up toward the ceiling. "It seems like a very long time ago. To be honest, I do not think that far back very often."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Suddenly Ned was feeling guilty for prying.

"No, it may be useful for you to know. My planet has a policy of remaining independent and neutral. They did not even fight in the Alien war. Most Zalorians prefer to stay within our own star system, but I wanted to explore the galaxy, so I started a shipping business. That is how I met Gerran. I served aboard his ship for a while until I was able to save up enough to purchase my own. And aside from a considerable amount of criticism from my old community, things were going well.

"When the Aliens attacked, I helped the Empire; all Zalorians are required to go through military training as part of their education, so I had some useful skills to contribute. And when Gerran left over his disagreement with Trelan Thendrak, I chose to follow him."

A dark look passed over Smardwurst's face. "Dark Viper could not have that. He knew that if Zalorus joined the rebellion, we would be a formidable force against him. Of course, there was no reason to think that the rest of the planet would follow my lead. But I stood out because of my solitude, and Viper was not taking chances. He destroyed the village where I had grown up."

"What?" Ned was aghast. "How did he justify that to everyone else?"

"Oh, it was a small matter to fabricate a threat. You know, that I was part of a resistance movement which had to be destroyed. For the good of Zalorus, you see. Our leaders could not stand up to a man who could breach an entire planet's defenses and who would wipe out an entire city for his own ambition. They surrendered, and the time of war was not kind to my people. Occupation, taxes."

"That's terrible!"

"Yes. And I am afraid that they tend to blame me for starting it. Not without reason, I suppose."

This story was just getting worse. Ned stood up and started pacing. "I can't believe that! They would blame you for something done by the man you fought against?"

"Blame is easier to give out than you might think, Nedward. But I did not mean to worry you. I have found my place here. With Gerran, and with you. It seems my calling is to be a facilitator of sorts. For the heroes."

Ned turned back to Smardwurst, eyes wide. "Marnax and me? Heroes? We've been successful because of the people around us. I would be nothing without you. _You_ are the hero here, Smardwurst. Heroism isn't about the use of power. It's about _sacrifice_. I have taken risks, but you have given up everything – including the support of the very people you set out to protect!"

Smardwurst smiled. "I have done what I thought was right, and that is enough for me. But I am glad that you feel I have been of use."

It was such an understatement that Ned had to laugh. "Yeah, you have been of use. You brought me here in the first place and helped me fit in. One of these days I hope I can repay you for it."

"We are all in this together. Once we defeat Dark Viper, I imagine all accounts will be considered settled."

Ned sighed. "That is the tricky part, isn't it? I'm still not even sure how we're going to defeat Kayleen Rax."

"We will do our best," Smardwurst said confidently. "Up to now, that has always been good enough."

The journey was over much sooner than Ned would have liked. He joined Smardwurst on the pricom as they dropped out of warp some distance from Izralith so they could scan the area before committing.

" _White Mercury_ is in orbit around the planet," came the report. "No other ships in the area, and no significant technology on the surface."

"They are waiting," Smardwurst mused to himself.

By now, everyone was familiar with the risks of the situation. If they landed, _White Mercury_ could blast them from space. But _Green Scorpion_ was outgunned, and there was no obvious way to keep Rax's ship away from the planet. They had decided that their best bet was to try Ned's powers on it, in spite of how ineffective that had been on _Dread Phoenix_.

"Let's do it," Ned said after a moment of silence.

"You are sure you do not want to accompany me aboard _Mandible_?"

"I'm sure." In spite of his lack of skills as a fighter pilot, Ned had decided that he needed the independence of using his own fighter, in case the Ice Master tried something that required a quick reaction. Ned was not sure he would be able to articulate his thoughts to another pilot.

"Very well," Smardwurst said. "All pilots, prepare to launch. Güzhmäk, stand by to bring us into attack range."

Feeling a grim sense of determination, Ned followed Smardwurst and Kjrvlnk to the launch bay. The latter two boarded _Mandible_ as he climbed into his own fighter. _This is for Mirana_ , Ned reminded himself, and his apprehension gave way a little.

"We are ready," he heard Smardwurst call to the pricom. "Take us in."

After a brief pause, the bay doors opened, and the metallic walls fell away as Ned launched his fighter into space. Vortak ships were already firing on _Green Scorpion_ , and Ned took a few hits before he could even pinpoint the location of _White Mercury_. Smardwurst's squadron quickly occupied the attention of the attacking fighters, though, and soon Ned was on course, followed closely by Smardwurst.

Principles from Ned's limited flight training flashed through is mind, and he was pleased to see that his fighter's maneuverability allowed him to dodge most of the incoming laser fire at first. The automatic anti-missile lasers took out a few incoming projectiles as well as he approached. Soon _White Mercury_ was looming closer, its crystalline surface filling most of his view.

Then suddenly the ship broke apart, with four smaller sections moving outward. One of them headed for _Green Scorpion_ , but the others seemed to be moving to surround Ned's fighter. The squadron of smaller Vortak ships also seemed focused on him, and Ned could tell that his escort was already busy keeping them away. Again, lessons from X and Smardwurst ran though his mind. He knew it was generally better to take out smaller targets first, in order to reduce the number of incoming attacks early. But Ned suspected that he might only get one shot at this, and he wanted to make it count. He continued on course for the main body of _White Mercury_.

It was impossible to dodge all of the ship's lasers now, but Ned continued, heedless of them, trusting his shields to hold up long enough to give him at least this one pass. A few times the way was blocked by a Vortak fighter that put itself directly in his path, but each time Ned responded with shots from his forward particle beams. Their powerful attack, coupled with the support from Smardwurst's squadron, quickly cleared Ned's path. Soon he was so close to the crystalline bulk of Rax's ship that his shields seemed to glow constantly as he was struck with laser fire.

Finally he was within range. _White Mercury_ loomed so close that Ned felt like he was about to collide with it, but he forced himself to focus. The canopy display identified the location of the ship's engines, weapons, and shield generators. Still willing himself to ignore the damage to his own fighter, Ned opened a vortex to the starboard shield generators. He fired several missiles as he made a single pass, then pulled to the side, accelerating away from the deadly weapons that were still tracking him mercilessly. There had been no wall of Plasmic energy blocking his vortex, but he did not dare look back to find out what had happened. As he moved away from the larger ship's weapons, the smaller fighters began to close in again, and evading them took all of his attention.

After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, Commander Undúvlahuth's voice came over the com link. "It worked! Their starboard shields are down. The smaller ships are moving to rejoin, probably hoping to patch the hole."

Ned took a quick look at his fighter's shields. They were more than halfway depleted, although he inwardly thanked Koral for leaving him a fighter that was powerful enough to survive such a run at all, given his lack of experience. But less than half was much better than gone, and Ned decided it was not time to quit yet. He located one of the ship fragments and moved toward it. Smardwurst's voice came over the com link immediately.

"Nedward, it may be wise to return now. I could-"

"I've got this," Ned assured him, cutting him off. Again he targeted the shield generators and opened a vortex. He continued forward as he launched his missiles and was rewarded with the sight of multiple explosions from within the crystalline surface, blowing shards off of the hull. The ship's shields were down, and Ned hammered its weapons array with his particle beams for a few seconds before pulling away. He had taken more damage during this attack, of course, and this time he decided to follow Smardwurst's advice. He headed toward _Green Scorpion_ as fast as he could.

Again, Güzhmäk's voice called out an update. "They're moving off! All fighters are returning to _White Mercury_."

Then the com system beeped as a second message came through, this time from the planet.

"You've gotten a little distracted, boy." Ned smirked at the sound of Rax's voice. "I thought you wanted to rescue your friend. I'm _down here_."

"You sound worried," Ned replied sharply. "You must not be very pleased with your ship's crew."

"Enough of this. I'm ordering _White Mercury_ to withdraw from the planet; it will keep its distance as long as _Green Scorpion_ does. Come down here if you dare to face me. But stop making me wait."

The transmission ended, and Ned looked down at his sensor readout in time to see _White Mercury_ go to warp. He supposed it was a good sign, but it also felt suspiciously convenient. "What do you think, Smardwurst?"

"It is difficult to tell what Rax is planning. If you go down to the planet, _Green Scorpion_ will have lost its most effective weapon in space. On the other hand, the shield failures you caused might even things out; it is possible that she is genuinely worried about losing her ship."

Ned thought for a moment, but his options seemed limited. "I have to assume that her priority is to attack me directly. If that's true, then she has to keep things balanced in order to get me to keep approaching. _Green Scorpion_ should be safe until I meet up with her."

"The risk was always part of the mission," Smardwurst reminded him. "If you are ready to meet her, you have our support."

Ned nodded to himself. "All right. I'm ready."

### Chapter 19

Ned brought his fighter to a landing next to the place where Smardwurst had landed _Mandible_. He climbed out into the freezing, toxic air and looked around him at the surreal Izralithian landscape. It was technically daytime, though the planet's star was just one point of light against the dark sky, distinguishable from the other stars only by its brightness, which Ned supposed was something like that of a full moon.

There was a certain beauty to the twilit valley that spread out before them. Its icy floor glistened with what looked like snow. Mountains of purplish, crystalline rock rose up far to either side, and arms of the same rock reached down into the valley in several places, thrust up through the snow as if in defiance of the ubiquitous covering. The air was thin and clear, and as Ned walked it seemed to transmit silence rather than sound.

"What is this?" Ned asked as he took a few steps, feeling the ground crunch beneath his boots.

"Crilitanion crystal," Smardwurst informed him as he scanned the area. "I doubt it could have fallen as precipitation, but it could have been blasted out of an impact crater, or even gathered from some kind of interplanetary debris."

Ned walked over to where his companions were waiting. He was surprised at the gravity, which was slightly higher than standard; Izralith was small, but evidently its interior was made of something very dense. Finally he reached Smardwurst and Kjrvlnk, both clad in thick exosuits designed to stand up to uninhabitable situations such as this. All three men carried laser carbines, although Ned noted that Smardwurst had an additional weapon strapped to his back – some kind of launcher with an enormous barrel.

"I hear nothing," came Kjrvlnk's translator through the com link in Ned's helmet.

"The transmission came from over there," Smardwurst said, pointing toward one of the valley walls. It was still some distance away, and several ridges of rock blocked their path. "I felt it would be wise to give ourselves some distance between the landing site and our destination; I think we can assume there is some kind of trap involved in the message you received."

"Right. Do you think we should have the fighters take off move to a new spot? They could come back for us when we need them, couldn't they?"

"I will launch _Mandible_ on autopilot; maybe its cameras will pick up something. You may want to leave your fighter here, though, since being airborne might open it up to attack." Smardwurst signaled his fighter, and Ned watched its reddish form lift into the dark sky.

"We should go," Kjrvlnk said. He began moving across the valley floor, and Ned and Smardwurst followed close behind.

"I don't like this," Ned said to no one in particular as they walked.

"One usually finds little to like when hunting one's enemies," Smardwurst observed.

"I know, I know. But don't you think we're being watched? Maybe we should have the fighters launch a few missiles at the transmission site, just in case."

"We still do not know exactly where Rax is."

"There is something," Kjrvlnk said calmly, and he began moving faster, quickly outdistancing the other two. After a glance at each other, Ned and Smardwurst began hurrying as well.

The distance was not great, but the ground under the snow proved to be uneven, and it required great concentration not to stumble into hidden holes or over lumps of rock which had been buried by the white powder. Although at first Ned had supposed that the crunchy substance shared the cohesive properties of frozen water, as he walked he realized that it was all completely dry, and it was almost more like ash than snow. Except, of course, that it was cold.

Ned continually glanced at the status readout of his armor to make sure it was holding up under the low temperature. Insulating against the cold of space was one thing, but here the freezing air and ground threatened to draw away the very structural integrity of their suits by thermal conduction. His armor was fine so far, but once again Ned felt a bit guilty for dragging others into such a dangerous situation. But on the other hand, Smardwurst's bulky form and Kjrvlnk's steady gate lent Ned a certain level of confidence. Selfish or not, he knew he was safer with them nearby.

Twice they passed over rocky outcroppings that rose above the level of the snow, and Ned finally realized why they had not been covered; since it did not stick, the snow had gradually drifted downward until it had formed a more-or-less level plain. That was also what made it so hard to know the shape of the land under their feet. The land began to rise as they reached the borders of the valley's upward curve, and slowly the snow began to vanish, appearing only in isolated pools where the rocks surrounded it and kept it from falling – or from blowing away, if wind ever blew here. Now Ned got a better view of what the rocks were really like. They were a deep purple in color. They were not opaque, either. They glimmered faintly as the starlight reflected off of unseen facets beneath the surface, almost as if the planet were made of one enormous gemstone. Though the rocks were hard-edged, the angles were not sharp, and without the snow, climbing became somewhat easier.

Abruptly Kjrvlnk stopped. "The voices came from here," he said. Ned wished that he could at least see the Vortak's eyes, or something that might indicate confidence or apprehension. Ned himself was feeling less than comfortable. He could not help but notice that by moving up the valley slope they had exchanged wide, relatively-open terrain for a more closed space, where the dozens of large rock formations around them might lend themselves to hiding places for their enemies.

"I see them." It was not Kjrvlnk who spoke, but Smardwurst. He was looking down at a display screen on his suit's forearm. " _Mandible's camera has_ detected movement over there, and there." He indicated two directions ahead and to the left and right of them. "They are moving closer."

"I hear nothing," Kjrvlnk said. "Wait. They-"

Before he could finish, laser fire streaked over a nearby hilltop. It was not aimed at them, but upward, toward the stars.

"They are targeting _Mandible_ ," Smardwurst said as he tapped his wrist, ordering the fighter to move out of range. "Now is our chance," he said when he looked up. "While they are distracted."

All three started up the hill. Kjrvlnk moved low to the ground now, using all five limbs that did not carry a weapon. He moved on ahead of them and veered off to their right as they neared the top of a protrusion of rock. Ned followed, with Smardwurst bringing up the rear.

Kjrvlnk reached the top of an outcropping and fired his laser immediately. Return fire followed as Ned and Smardwurst reached the top of their rock and ran head-first into three Vortak, each carrying a large blaster cannon. Instinctively Ned threw up a Plasma shield in front of himself and Smardwurst, and the Vortak's fire exploded harmlessly against it. Smardwurst's weapon flared in quick succession and the attackers dropped to the ground. As Smardwurst glanced right to see what Kjrvlnk was doing, Ned noted the pale blue coloring of the other Vortak. They wore no helmets; apparently Rax had adapted them to the cold and unbreathable air, just as Dren had adapted his Vortak to the conditions on _Dread Phoenix_. Kjrvlnk was running toward them. "They felt your power, Nedward. More are coming. I do not believe they have identified me yet; I keep my voice from them."

A quick stirring brought Ned around. The fallen Vortak behind were glowing faintly, and a mist rose about them from the snow. One of them began to stand. Smardwurst shot them all again, and then he and his companions took off as fast as they safely could up the jagged slope. Ned did not look back, but he doubted that the Vortak would stay down for long. "I don't understand," he said when Kjrvlnk, who had been leading them, came to a stop behind a boulder. "Dren's Vortak absorbed our laser energy, but these guys should be drained by it even more than normal. It's hot. They don't even have armor."

"The planet is cold," said Smardwurst. "Perhaps the cold can heal their wounds."

Up ahead, Kjrvlnk stood motionless. "There are many now. I can lead them away, but you cannot keep up. You must make your way farther up this slope. They come from there. All of them. She must be there. Do not use your power. They can sense it. Do not let them see you."

Before Ned fully realized what Kjrvlnk was suggesting, the Vortak's armored form disappeared to their left. He stopped a moment to fire his laser, then continued moving away from them. He had been right about one thing at least; even in his armor his limbs grasped the rock and moved him so quickly and fluidly over the uneven terrain that there was no way Ned or Smardwurst could have kept pace with him.

Smardwurst was looking up the slope in the direction Kjrvlnk had indicated. "I think we can make it up there if we keep to the right of those boulders," he said. "The Vortak all seem to be to the left of us."

"Will he be okay?" Ned asked.

"There is nothing we can do," Smardwurst said. "But we had better move before we are spotted."

Together they continued their climb. They made slow progress, but although in the thin air the sounds of battle had never been loud, it seemed that they were receding into the distance. Soon Ned could not hear them at all. Smardwurst glanced skyward occasionally as they climbed.

"Maybe you should call _Mandible_ again," Ned suggested at one point. "Kjrvlnk might need it."

"I tried," Smardwurst replied. "Our communications are jammed. Rax may have launched an interference probe. I cannot raise _Green Scorpion_ either."

This was disturbing news, although it was not wholly unexpected. "Do you think this is a trap too? Drawing Kjrvlnk off like that?"

"Probably. Or perhaps they do think we are with him. Kjrvlnk would know better than we."

In any case there had been no further sign of the Vortak when they reached a hollowed-out area, which offered protection on three sides, forming a sort of cave. Here they stopped to rest. Behind them the valley stretched out, and they had a clear view of the slope they had climbed. Nothing moved on it or in the valley below. Ned thought he could see his fighter's sleek form resting on the valley floor, and it surprised him how far away it seemed. Perhaps the clear air had tricked his eyes into underestimating distances.

"We seem to have lost our pursuers for the moment," Smardwurst said. "Where do we go now?"

Ned glanced into the cave. It was not deep, but the back of it seemed to have been formed by a rockslide; perhaps there were other openings nearby that lead farther in. "I wonder if here are any other caves around here," Ned said. "That's probably where the Vortak came from, and probably why we couldn't see them from the air before."

Smardwurst glanced at his suit's readout again. "The map image we took before we landed shows several dark spots on the slope. They could be caves. Some of them might continue farther back than this one. We could search, if you believe that is where we need to go."

Ned closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't like leaving Kjrvlnk like this."

"We did not leave him," Smardwurst reminded him. "In any case, we must make use of the situation. We are nearly to the top of the valley, and Kjrvlnk felt sure the Vortak had come from somewhere around here. We should continue looking."

Ned sighed and looked out, again surveying the landscape. "There will be no tracks to follow. We'll just have to hope we stumble across something."

Together they left the cave and began to move laterally across the valley wall. It was harder moving this way, since they were forced to climb in and out of clefts like the one up which they had ascended. They continued moving to the left, in the general direction of the shots they had heard earlier, hoping to come across something that might indicate an entrance. At least, Ned told himself, they were moving toward Kjrvlnk now. Perhaps they might catch a glance of him.

They had been moving sideways for several minutes when a huge fireball engulfed a portion of the rock wall near the bottom of the slope. They all carried grenades, but the explosion seemed too big to be one of those; it looked more a starfighter's missile had detonated. Or a mine.

"I gave Kjrvlnk the access codes to _Mandible_ ," Smardwurst said. "He must have moved clear of the interference and ordered the ship to fire on them. I wonder if they will heal from that."

"I hope he..." Ned's words were cut off as he briefly saw something move down below them. _They're sending more out_ , he realized. There was no need to say more. Without even a glance at each other, Ned and Smardwurst began to descend the slope to the place where the Vortak had appeared.

They had come up too far, but as it turned out it was probably a good thing. Another group of Vortak left what could now be seen as a wide fissure in the rock face before Ned and Smardwurst reached it, and they probably would have been seen had they approached it from below. As it was, they managed to stay hidden. They waited until the Vortak had disappeared around a rock formation before continuing. When they finally reached the cave, they stopped outside, listening.

"There are almost certainly more of them in there," Smardwurst said.

"If we have to fight, I'll have to use the Plasma, and they'll all come after us."

"Can you beat them?"

Ned was silent for a moment. "I'll have to." This was the first time he had faced direct combat since losing his Crystal, and his heart was racing. He took that as a sign that he needed to act now, before he had time to reconsider. "I'll go in alone, so I won't have to worry about shielding you. If everything's okay, I'll call." Smardwurst did not voice any assent, but Ned did not want to take the time to argue. He armed the missile launchers on his arms and peered around the corner.

There were no Vortak in sight, but what he saw took his breath away. The jewel-like appearance of the rocks that Ned had noticed outside was magnified a thousand times here; it was as if someone had come in and shattered the walls and ceiling of the cave, exposing glistening crystals on every square inch. Only the floor was clear of the sharp, dazzling facets. Instead, it appeared polished and almost perfectly flat, except where columns of crystal connected it to the ceiling. These columns blocked the view of the back of the cavern, but it obviously went back quite a way.

There was no movement, so Ned started to walk. Something was different about this place, although it took Ned a moment to realize what it was. There was no time to ponder it; he had not gone fifty paces into the cave when laser fire erupted from both sides of the foremost columns, from bottom to top. Knowing his shielding and his suit could take at least this initial onslaught, Ned simply raised his fists and launched a storm of missiles into the columns. They melted in the heat, their boiling masses oozing their way to the floor. The laser fire stopped immediately. Apparently the missiles had been too much for the Vortak that had been hiding on the back sides of the pillars.

Suddenly Ned felt cold.

That was it, he realized. It was just as it had been in Dark Viper's fortress. There it had been a presence, a refusal of the Plasma to fully obey him. Here it was like that, as if Kayleen Rax had extended herself outward to fill the whole cave, only now it was not just _there_ ; Kayleen's presence lent a chill to the Plasmic ether around her.

Abruptly Ned felt his friend's hand on his shoulder, and he had to wonder for how long he had been standing there. He realized that his eyes had been closed, and when he opened them he saw that his body was sheathed in blue light; the attack had drained him, and he was instinctively drawing power from the ether around him. That was why he had noticed the coldness then. The Plasma was reluctant to obey him, and recharging himself was taking more effort than usual.

"More will come," Smardwurst said softly. "If you cannot fight them, now is the time to decide. We know where she is hiding, I think. We could attack this place from space..."

"No," Ned said. His voice was shaky, but his resolve was firm. "I have to face her here. I have to find out what happened to Mirana." He started walking, drawing in more power as he went. The chilling sensation it gave him inside was not physical, but it was very disturbing. Still, he had to face it. He had come unprepared, perhaps, but he had come. He would not leave until his task here was finished. "Go back, Smardwurst," he said without turning. "There's nothing you can do here to protect me."

Smardwurst placed his back against the cave wall near the entrance and waited until the sound of Ned's footsteps had faded. He understood what his friend was feeling – the need to push back fear with a strict focus on duty. The desire to leave Smardwurst out of harm's way was noble enough, but the Zalorian had experienced enough to know that heading off alone was foolish. Especially when facing someone who had already defeated the Shadow Master. Of course Smardwurst was worried about Kjrvlnk as well, and it might be useful to check on the status of the starfighters, but the priority here was clear. When he decided that he had given Ned enough of a head start, Smardwurst gritted his teeth and started after him.

Ned saw no further sign of the Vortak. Apparently those who had attacked Ned in the cave had been completely destroyed by his missiles or buried under the collapsing pillars, and no one else challenged his passage. Thus alone, Ned was content to gaze in wonder at the elaborate patterns of crystal that wound their way back into the mountain. There was light here, although he could not explain it. Whether from a source beyond the walls or as reflections of a glow farther in, the crystals flickered softly in a scene which despite the perilous circumstance struck Ned as beautiful.

Occasionally the passage branched to one side or forked in two, but Ned lost no time in choosing his path. He could feel his enemy's presence as the source of the Plasmic chill that permeated the icy cavern. She was ahead, and she was waiting.

_I haven't defeated her in making it this far,_ he reminded himself _. This is her element. She_ wants _me to find her_. The one victory he had made, though, was that, as far as he knew, both of his companions were still alive. He doubted that Rax had planned _that._

Ned was grateful for the length of the passage. He walked slowly, taking the time to gather his strength in anticipation of his meeting with the Ice Master. He tried to think of a strategy that might help when he found her, but whatever ideas came to his mind were instantly overridden by reasons why they probably would not work _. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens,_ he thought in resignation. It was, however, some consolation to him that he felt strong again when the source of the light began to draw near.

The passage, which had been angling downward as it wound its way forward, now leveled off and straightened out. A pale glow came from directly ahead, although no shapes could be made out there. He continued forward, forcing himself to control his breathing. Then the passage neared its end: a wall of translucent material was stretched across the passage from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. Stepping up to it, Ned realized that it was not solid, but rather formed of an intricate web of some clear, hard material, as if it were a single large, twisted snowflake interwoven with itself. Light shone through from the space beyond, but it was too refracted to show any details. His suit's sensors told him that the material was no colder than the surrounding rock, so he slowly brought his gloved hand up and touched it.

Silently, and with a misty haze, the web evaporated. It started where his hand had made contact, then quickly moved outward. The cavern beyond was formed of the same crystalline material as the passage behind him, only it was far larger. The light that filled it came from pale orbs set into the facets of the wall and ceiling. In the center of the chamber, still several dozen yards away, stood a woman dressed in an elegant white and pale blue gown. She stood perfectly still, looking directly at Ned. Her face and arms seemed to be carved from ice, and if Ned had not spoken to her already he would have had a difficult time convincing himself that this was the same woman he had battled on Palandora. When she made no movement, Ned began to walk toward her.

He stopped when she was within easy firing range. He held her gaze for a moment, wondering at the fact that she wore no armor. Perhaps, as with the Vortak, the cold was all she needed.

"You made it," she said plainly. Her face remained expressionless, and here in what fit her as a native environment she seemed almost queenly in her demeanor.

Ned was not in the mood for diplomacy, but he was not in a hurry to start a battle either. Even if he won, it would do him little good if he could not find out about Mirana. "You've changed," Ned said.

Rax smiled. "Indeed I have. As have you. I'm impressed by how quickly you got here."

"No you're not," Ned countered. "You planned it this way. Why? Why did you lure me here and attack my friends and then let me just walk in?"

She turned around to face the far wall, tossing her hair around in the process. "It's nothing personal," she said, sounding oddly wistful. "It's just that it's very important that you die here."

Ned reminded himself that Dren had made a similar threat and failed. He took another step forward, Plasma charging in his fist. "Show me where Mirana is."

Rax looked over her shoulder at him, a bitter expression on her face. "That's just it. She's not here."

"What?"

Rax turned back around and walked toward Ned, her hand on her forehead as if admitting something embarrassing. "I tracked her down and attacked her, and she ran off. I followed her, and she attacked again. And I encased her in a crystal shell, just like you saw. But here's the thing: when Viper ordered me to finish her off, I breached the armor – but there was nothing inside."

Ned shook his head, trying to piece together what Rax was saying, not to mention whether he should believe any of it. Whether or not it made sense, Ned wanted to believe it, because the alternative was probably that Mirana was already dead.

"The armor was empty," Rax repeated. "Don't ask me how she did it. Maybe she teleported out, or maybe she was never in there to begin with."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Rax's expression grew angry. "I don't need leverage anymore, don't you see? Viper ordered me to kill Mirana, and I failed. That's three times I've let his enemies escape. My only chance at redemption is to kill you. And the last thing I need is for you to feel like you're on some kind of rescue mission, getting all charged up in the justice of your cause. So now you know that there's no revenge to be had; your friends are safe. They'll be even safer with you gone, instead of dragging them into hopeless situations like this. _That's_ why I'm telling you. I want you to see that the only thing you have to fight for is your own life, the same as me. Your only 'cause' now is self-interest. And believe me, I am far more selfish than you."

Ned was still having trouble wrapping his head around whatever psychological issues were behind Rax's discourse, but it was clear enough that he was not going to gain any useful information from her. He brought up his carbine and fired. But white light was already flashing out from Rax's upturned hand, deflecting the laser shots and surrounding him with a spray of crystal like he had seen covering the room's entrance. The web was instantly all around him, binding his limbs and blocking his sight. He sent Plasmic fire flaring outward from his body, burning away part of the icy web, and with the enhanced strength of his suit's legs he managed to spring himself away from that position before another blast of Ice Plasma could hit him.

He had lost hold of the carbine, but as he landed he launched two missiles at Rax, who had moved back and was charging up another shot. Neither missile reached its target. The air before them hardened suddenly, and both struck the icy wall, exploding closer to Ned than to Rax. Ned was on his feet though, and his outstretched hand fired a beam of sizzling power. Rax blocked it with a steady beam of white energy, but the action distracted her from the Plasma vortex opening before her. The instant it was open a missile blasted through it, and this time Rax was thrown back. Ned heard her grunt as if in pain, but whatever damage he had done did not prevent her from throwing up another wall of ice. Rax's power severed Ned's hold on the ether around her position, so he was unable to open another vortex.

Ned had just launched another missile, hoping to break through Rax's shell, when the floor around him spread upward in the same icy web, enveloping his feet. As he looked down to see what had happened, Rax attacked again. Now the web seemed to be coming from the air itself, and the quickly-solidifying crystal began to obscure his view. Ned gathered his strength for one charged blast. He knew the effort would weaken him, but he could not hold back now. Facing the direction opposite Rax, he detonated Plasmic energy all around him, catapulting him clear of the web with a shower of icy fragments. As soon as he was clear, he launched several missiles in quick succession, noting with some dismay that he was running low. Rax blocked several of them, but the effort it took and heat from the explosions must have weakened her temporarily, because Ned was able to open another Vortex and target her. His final missile passed through it and exploded against Rax, and again she was thrown back, disappearing in a white haze.

Ned drew his blaster and fired a series of shots into the haze, frantically trying to recharge his power at the same time. For a moment there was no response to his attack, as Rax remained walled away behind her icy barrier. But then she strode forward, facial features pulled tight as she emerged from the Plasmic ice and confronted Ned directly.

"Enough!" she shouted as she flung her arms wide. Her hair and gown whipped about her as if she were standing on a mountaintop in a fierce wind, and lances of pale light flashed from her hands in all directions. Ned's blaster crystallized and disintegrated in his hands, and had to focus all his power on shielding himself against the attack that seemed to come from the air itself. Rax's hands now clenched tightly and dropped to her sides, and her eyes shone with cold fury. With the awful sound of ice rending against itself the floor split open, starting at her feet and then spreading outward to fill the room. Seeing too late what was happening, Ned tried to propel himself toward the doorway, but a massive chunk of crystalline rock from the ceiling came crashing onto him, dislodged by the tremor. His suit's structural integrity alarm sounded in his ear.

The floor on which they had been standing had appeared solid and sturdy, but in the instant it took Ned to fall through it he realized that it was no more than a meter thick, and now it opened on a vast chasm below. As he recovered from the shock of the blow there was just enough time to see that he was falling downward toward what appeared at first to be another flat space of ground, but as chunks of the floor above struck it Ned realized that it was in fact an underground lake made of some thick substance that had managed to stay fluid at this temperature. The liquid jarred him as he struck it, and then it was all around him, and again his suit's alarm sounded. Rax was nowhere to be seen.

### Chapter 1Ф

The evening air was warm and stale as Maz Kort walked out of the swinging double doors, leaving the grunting voices and the mediocre music behind. He sniffed it in, looked up at the sky, and smiled. It seemed to him that he had never felt so invigorated in his life. In other words, he was so drunk that he had no idea where or even who he was. He stumbled over to where several lift sleds were parked, selected one, and keyed in the access code on its door panel. It did not open. Of course, Maz realized. He hadn't used _that_ code in years. Besides, this was not his sled.

_The subway,_ he thought. _Right. I came by subway._ He began walking down the sidewalk, and the few people that passed him gave him impolite looks, probably based on his smell. The establishment he had just left was known for the less-than-ideal reputation of its various patrons, and accordingly it was situated well apart from the better-traveled parts of the city. As the sun sank lower in the sky, fewer people appeared on the sidewalk, and the ones that did venture out at this hour had furtive looks, as if each one expected a robbery at any moment. "Not a praaabl'm," Maz belched to himself. "Got ma blaster right 'ere." He patted it affectionately, swaggered a bit, and then felt himself yanked off the sidewalk by the hair and slammed face-first into a brick wall in a very dark alley that he should have been watching out for. His gun was quickly loosed from its holster and pressed firmly against his back. "You will take me to Aranak Veldor, now," whispered an unfamiliar voice.

"I musta had more'n I thought, 'cuz..." He let the sentence go unfinished, prompted by the increased pressure of the gun in his back. "Okay, okay," he said.

"Look straight ahead," ordered the voice. "Say nothing to anyone except that you need to see Aranak immediately. You do not want to play games with me."

Genuine fear, or the closest thing to it that could ooze its way into his befuddled mind, took over for a moment, and he began walking obediently. The stranger behind him steered him away from the subway; apparently he knew something about the man he was trying to reach. Maz turned the next corner and walked briskly down the street. The buildings here were very close together, and almost no sunlight made it down as far as the street. It was dusk, and the street lamps began to come on, but many of them on this street were broken. As he walked, Maz began to piece together a plan for getting himself out of this mess. The stranger was still holding the blaster to his back; surely this would come across as suspicious to anyone Maz were to talk to.

People began to appear again on the sidewalks, but these were a different sort of people. They were all mean-faced, shifty-eyed, and well-armed. They did not walk in groups, but there were tens of them stalking, slinking, and sometimes running in and out of buildings. This was a sector of the city that no one liked to be in, even those who lived here. Except for people high up, of course. That was why Aranak Veldor was here. No one stopped to look at Maz, but that came as no surprise. No one would challenge his assailant here in the open, even if it were obvious what was going on. People minded their own business in these parts. But when he reached the Den, that's when they'd start asking questions. Maz knew it. They'd have this punk on the floor in seconds, and then Maz would show him a thing or two about what can happen in dark alleys.

They reached the Den. It was a large, low building overlooked by towers at each of the four corners. There were many windows, but few of them were lit. Most of what went on in the Den was underground, of course. Maz walked through the front doors and up to the front desk. The room resembled a hotel lobby, and the attendant at the desk, though he carried a seven-foot shock prod staff, wore a tuxedo, and looked very proper. He looked up as the two entered, nodded once to Maz, and then turned back to whatever he had been reading.

"Ahem," Maz coughed, hoping to draw attention to himself. "I must speak with Aranak Veldor, _immediately_." He over-enunciated each word in an effort to make it as obvious as possible that he was being forced to say them. As an added emphasis, he rolled his eyes backward and raised his eyebrows, indicating the stranger behind him. The blaster's barrel rubbed against a vertebra and made him wince. The attendant, however, merely gave a shrug of annoyance.

"I know who you are. Just go on in."

Maz almost said more, but the stranger started walking, so he was compelled to do the same. Why hadn't the attendant asked about the man behind him?

He had no better luck with any of the other security checkpoints. Each time he stated his errand he was allowed to proceed without question, and he did not dare say anything to ask for help; when they were alone the stranger reiterated the consequences he would face if here were to deviate from his instructions. At last they reached Veldor's office, several levels below the street. This time the secretary took a retina scan of Maz, but again she ignored the stranger. Go on in, she said.

The door opened on a small, closed hallway. The door behind them shut, and Maz waited anxiously for Veldor to open the one ahead so he could at least find out what was going on.

At last the door opened, and Maz stepped through. Aranak Veldor's unhappy face glared at him from across his desk.

"This had better be important, you slug-faced decapod!" he yelled, rising to his feet. "Don't you know I'm..."

There was a loud _thwack_ , and Maz's eyes rolled back in his head as he collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Veldor blinked once and then sat back down. "Oh," he said in a resigned voice. "It's you."

Mirana had never made a visit as the Shadow Master before without her armor, but either it was still holding up against the Ice Master's power or it had not yet recovered from whatever Rax had done to it in an attempt to kill Mirana, because Mirana had been unable to reactivate it. There was actually no guarantee that the armor would find its way back to her now that she had left it so far away, but it had found her in the first place, so it seemed fair to expect it to do so again once it recharged. Besides, controlling the armor remotely had been the only way to get clear of that building without Rax following her. And the chance of getting access to whatever the helmet recorded while it was on _White Mercury_ made the risk seem worthwhile. But it was a little disappointing to have to use her regular voice with Veldor.

"We need to talk," she said when she was right up against his desk. He seemed surprised to hear a woman's voice speaking out of the hazy darkness, but whatever prejudices he may have had did not seem to ease his sense of intimidation.

"I told you everything. I swear."

Mirana was inclined to believe that part; the last time she had been here, she had put Veldor in sufficient fear of his life that she was confident he had spilled everything he knew about Trelan Thendrak's excursions to outlying worlds. If Thendrak had found anything on any of them, he had erased all trace. But that was not why Mirana was here.

"Tell me about Meldin Kelar."

"Who?"

"He worked on some of Smurgal Horlock's ships. There was one voyage where his flight data was completely erased."

Veldor's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean he went somewhere and didn't want a record of it. But he didn't have the skills to erase records like that."

"How... did you come by this information?"

Mirana almost told him; she was fairly pleased with herself for correlating her father's lack of recorded activity with a similar vacancy on one of Horlock's starships after following up on the connections she had noticed on Holdaris Prime. But this man was not worth the breath it would take to rehearse it.

"Where did he go?"

"I'll have to look it up..." Veldor reached for his computer console, but Mirana slammed her hand down over his, causing him to wince in pain.

"If it were in there, I would have found it already. You erased those records. And you can't afford to not remember who you've done that kind of favor for. Where did he go?"

Veldor gulped. "If I could have a few days to think about it..."

Mirana extended her arm and sent a tendril of black energy out to encircle Veldor's neck. "Think quickly."

Veldor closed his eyes, his whole body tense against the coil of black. "Meldin Kelar... Young man, dark hair, about my height? Graviton engineer, I think?"

Mirana let the energy fade from around Veldor's neck, but she did not grace his words with a response, either. Hearing her father described in such a cursory way made her ache for him unexpectedly, remembering the details Veldor could not have recounted – the way her father's eyes seemed to sparkle when he smiled, the way he would get excited as soon as they left the city on each camping trip. She forced the memories down, waiting for Veldor to calm down and finish backpedalling.

"Yes, there was a man who wanted to lease a fast shuttle for a week or so, with no records kept. Paid for everything up front. I remember because he wasn't the sort to come around here. Kept looking around, like he was searching for an exit."

"Tell me."

"I didn't mean to pry, mind you, but I had to make sure it wasn't anywhere that might get me in trouble. The trip was to the Uraxis Nebula. Must have been an astronomer or something. Is this... some kind of family thing?"

Mirana's breath caught in her throat. Palandora. _That_ was not a planet she would have guessed her father would ever have visited, seeing as how the Plasma Masters had only found a way into the nebula years after Meldin Kelar had died. And they had not even found anything interesting. To make matters worse, Mirana had actually been on Palandora shortly after the war had ended, just to check up on Kayleen Rax and see whether she was involved in anything that might lead to Dark Viper. Had she really been that close without realizing it?

She looked back at Veldor, who was now himself looking around as if searching for an exit. "If you know anything else," Mirana goaded, "now would be an excellent time to tell me."

"There's nothing else!"

"Because if I find that you are lying, or that you have left out anything important..."

"I swear!"

"... I will come back here. You would not be the first man I have punished for lack of cooperation. And you will not speak of this to anyone."

Veldor nodded, eying the prostrate form of Maz Kort near the door. Mirana doubted that Maz would be a problem, given the low likelihood of his remembering any of this.

"Shall I exit through the door this time?"

Veldor nodded and hurriedly keyed his door open. On her last visit, Mirana had blown his door open with a missile to make her exit. She missed her armor again as she walked out of the office, leaving the bewildered crime boss behind. But after more than a decade of wondering, she finally had a lead on where her father had gained his power, or at least what he had done with it. For the first time since she had gone back for Nedward Simmons, Mirana felt like her efforts had started to pay off.

### Chapter 1∩

Smardwurst peered into the dim tunnel as his suit highlighted the tiny scratches left by Ned's boots on the crystalline floor. Each time the tunnel split, it took several seconds to figure out which branch to take, and Smardwurst found himself wondering if he had waited too long before following. There was no sound from the tunnel ahead. It felt strange, pushing himself forward toward a conflict where he knew he would be outmatched once he arrived. But he also suspected that he would be needed, so he continued forward as fast as he could.

Then a sharp blast echoed back up the corridor, a clear signal that Ned had reached his destination. Smardwurst clipped his carbine to his back, then unclipped the heavy rocket launcher he had been carrying there and continued forward. The echo was followed by others, which grew in volume and brought with them tremors that shook the floor so much that Smardwurst nearly lost his feet twice. Debris from dislodged crystals cluttered the passage, and the light ahead intensified. Then the corridor shook again, and this time Smardwurst stumbled to the ground. The rumbling continued, and sharp flashes of light coiled their way through the crystal walls of the tunnel. Despite the shaking, Smardwurst forced himself back to his feet and continued onward, staying close to the wall so he could brace himself when necessary. The rumbling culminated in a loud cracking sound and then went still. Just a few seconds later, the tunnel ended in a sheer drop-off.

Smardwurst crept furtively to the edge and looked around. The cavern opened into a wide vertical chamber, lit with glowing patches of light and filled with a thick liquid some distance below. Light shone from within the fluid, and Smardwurst quickly picked out two distinct sources. One was bright blue, and the other, far brighter but paler in color, was moving toward the first. Quickly Smardwurst aimed his rocket launcher toward the brighter light and fired. The projectile splashed into the liquid below before exploding, scattering its payload of flammable gel into the lake. The gel burst into flame instantly, and the lake lit up with red light as the combustion gasses caused the fluid to boil. Smardwurst could no longer make out Ned's position, but he fired again, scattering more fire into the boiling liquid. The gel was self-oxygenated and was designed to burn for a long time, but already the first round was starting to fade as the cold liquid won out against the fire. Smardwurst had just pressed the trigger a third time when a sudden burst of light caught his eye, speeding toward him from a corner of the lake. Just in time he dropped the rocket launcher and sprang for the cover of the wall; white crystal exploded all over the passage opening where he had been standing just an instant before. When the blast cleared, Smardwurst saw that the rocket launcher was pinned to the floor, partially encased in the icy substance. He quickly unclipped his carbine. In his mind he could picture himself cutting through the ice with a few laser blasts and then recovering the launcher, but he quickly saw the danger in attempting that. Instead, he moved back into the tunnel a bit and waited. Those few rockets had probably been all he would be able to contribute here, but he was not quite ready to run yet.

Ned gasped like a drowning man taking in air when the heat of Smardwurst's first rocket exploded into the lake. A pressure wave drove him back, but all Ned really noticed was that the ether was suddenly free of Rax's icy hold, and Ned drew all the power he could into himself. His suit's alarm sounded again as two more rockets hit, but by this point Ned was able to fortify his Plasma shield enough to keep himself stable for the moment. Again he began to propel himself toward the rocky wall, which was closer now thanks to the explosions' shockwaves.

Then he sensed Rax's power focusing again, and he looked upward just in time to see the rush of white light speeding toward what he assumed was the opening of the cavern. Finally his mind cleared enough to piece together what must have happened; Smardwurst had followed him down and distracted Rax. But that distraction could not last long, Ned knew. The fire was fading, and there was no fourth rocket burst. He had to act immediately, or he would find himself in the exact same situation as before. He drew as much Plasma as he could out of the flames and vapor and the reached up to create a vortex. It was a risk; he had no idea what would happen if Rax somehow severed his hold of the Vortex Plasma before he was through. But he was out of time. He pushed the opening upward until he could sense the opening of the cavern and then teleported himself clear.

Ned fell to the ground in the dark cavern, feeling spent but relieved at the same time.

"Nedward!"

Ned turned, bracing himself against the wall as he regained his footing. "Smardwurst! You have to get out of here. She'll be right behind me."

"This way. I had to drop the rocket launcher."

Ned followed his gaze back toward the opening and spotted the heavy weapon stuck to the floor. "Just a second," With Rax a little farther off, Ned was able to gather some power around himself, and in a moment he had teleported the launcher clear of the crystal webbing and into his own hands. "It's a good thing you brought this," he said as he started back up the passageway.

"I'm not sure how much good it will do us," Smardwurst said, hurrying alongside him. "I am glad it drove her off, but this entire planet seems to be on her side."

"If we could just get her outside, the fighters could join the attack. Or-"

" _Running again?_ " Rax's voice sounded over his com link, but it also seemed to echo throughout the cavern. "I hope you don't think I'm just going to let you walk back outside."

Ned tried to quicken his pace, but he knew the entrance was a long way off, and there were any number of connecting passages that Rax could use to cut him off, assuming that she knew a shorter path out.

"Captain Varlon!" This time the message came from Commander Undúvlahuth aboard _Green Scorpion_. " _White Mercury_ has returned. We are under attack."

"Kjrvlnk?"

"He is still on the planet, aboard _Mandible_. He said communications had been cut off, but they seem to be open again."

_She wants us to know_ , Ned thought. The passage intersected another a short distance ahead, and Ned thought he felt the icy hold on the Plasmic ether intensify. "Wait," he said, stopping Smardwurst. "She's not going to let us confront her out there. It's like you said. The entire planet..."

"You have a plan?" Smardwurst was making no attempt to hide the urgency from his voice.

Ned pressed the rocket launcher into his friend's hands. "When she appears, fill the passage with fire. Then get out as fast as you can."

"I only have three left. The fire will not last long."

Ned started back up the tunnel. "I was the Shield Master. I should be able to handle this." He pulled at the Plasma around him with all his strength, knowing that he was almost out of time. This was going to be close.

The intersecting passage lit up with white light as Rax appeared, the web of ice already flying outward from her outstretched palm. As Ned reached out with his power to meet her attack, Smardwurst launched a rocket. It struck the icy barrier and exploded in-between them, stressing Ned's armor with its heat, but still he focused his power forward. The flames freed some of the ether nearby, and Ned managed to force a vortex through the wall that was spreading toward them. The second rocket exploded closer to Rax, spraying her with the burning gel. She called out in anger, but almost immediately the gel had been flung back, and the Ice Master was charging power again. Smardwurst was quick with a third rocket, but Rax was already moving, so the final shot exploded behind her. The whole tunnel was glowing red, but Ned could sense the Ice Plasma seeping toward Rax from all directions, recharging her even as she was under attack. It was just like Smardwurst had said: the planet was helping her.

It was time to put a stop to that.

With every ounce of strength he could draw from the surrounding heat, Ned reached his power out through the ether and wrapped it around Rax. He was not sure whether she sensed what he was doing, but it was not easy to interfere with the tendrils of ethereal Plasma she was sending out, especially the ones at her feet. But there was fire everywhere, and Ned suspected that Rax had never bothered to interact with raw Plasma the way he had been forced to do in order to learn new abilities. He pressed in on her as she tried to drive her attack forward at him, and finally he felt it complete everywhere except directly between them, where Rax was focusing her attack. Ned jumped to the side, letting the Ice Plasma continue toward him unrestrained for just an instant. Some of it struck him, but the attack momentarily carried Rax's focus away from the space directly in front of her, and Ned seized the opportunity to complete his spherical hold on the ether. With all his strength, he brought the Plasma into normal space in the form of a shield. He smiled with grim satisfaction as he saw Rax's eyes widen in shock.

"What is this?" she called out, thrashing her arms to the side. Ned let the Plasma give ground a bit, but he kept the blue light constant all around her as she moved, cutting her off from the source of her power.

"Still feeling impressed?" Ned's voice came as a shout. Now that Rax was cut off from the energy around her, it was becoming easier for him to draw power from the surrounding rock. He sent a wave of heat into his Plasma shield, using the blue energy as a weapon as well as a barrier. "It's no wonder Mirana got away from you! You can't even defeat me, and I don't even have a Crystal! I'm just a _boy_!" He sent another wave of blue heat, and Rax flinched backward. She was still fighting the barrier, but her attack seemed to be weakening.

"Stop!" She called, and abruptly she dropped to one knee, holding her hands up protectively. The look of panic on her face almost made Ned let up his attack, but he knew well enough what would happen if he let her go now.

"Call off your ship," Ned ordered in a low voice.

"Promise you won't kill me! Take me back you your ship!"

Smardwurst seemed to be saying something to Kjrvlnk, but Ned did not dare turn his focus away from Rax. Instead, he took a few steps forward, exulting in the rush of power flowing through him.

"Please, Nedward!" Rax looked truly afraid now, and her voice was practically a scream. "Don't kill me here! I can help you! I have information about Dark Viper!"

"I... do... not... _trust_... you." He could feel her resistance weakening, and his heart quickened as he thought about how quickly he had turned this battle around. "You deserve to be _destroyed_."

A look of defiance crossed Rax's face. "If I die here, your friends will die too. Even without full shields, my ship is strong enough to wipe out everything on the surface, to say nothing of your friend's crew. If you do somehow survive the attack, you will live with their deaths on your head."

"You need to finish this," Smardwurst said, startling him.

The sight of Smardwurst next to him interrupted the euphoria he was feeling, giving him the chance to stop and think. All these people had come here with him to defeat Rax. But Ned had never meant to trade their lives for hers. He stopped attacking, instead using his power to simply maintain his barrier. "Call off your ship," he repeated. "If you do, and if you leave this planet without resistance, I will deliver you to _Green Scorpion_ , and we can talk about the next step."

"That also assumes we can contain her," Smardwurst warned over the com link.

But Rax was already ordering the Vortak to withdraw, and Ned did not want to change her mind by discussing technicalities. A moment later, Güzhmäk confirmed the cease fire. Rax looked at Ned intently as if to challenge his willingness to go through with the deal. Ignoring the insult inherent in her doubt, Ned extended his Plasmic barrier up the corridor, toward the entrance. When Rax began to walk, he moved the barrier's trailing edge behind her, keeping her trapped in a small bubble of Shield Plasma. It required constant effort, but the energy in the rock around him gave him a steady source of power, and as he walked after his new prisoner, Ned felt that his trap was holding. He had won, in a matter of speaking. With help. While Smardwurst contacted Kjrvlnk and coordinated the Ice Master's transport to his ship, Ned watched Rax's furtive movements as she walked and permitted himself a moment of satisfaction.

_My world is falling apart_ , Kayleen thought in dismay. She had been so close. She _should_ have won here; even the pyrogel had merely delayed the advance of her power. But somehow Nedward had used the fire attack to cut Kayleen off from the Plasma Matrix around her, leaving her with only the coldness associated with her own body. Or rather, this transparent _thing_ that was passing for a body at the moment. It was shocking that her victory could be taken from her so suddenly, yet at the same time it could be said to fit in with the way her life had been going lately. Nakmar was gone. Mirana Kelar had slipped away even in the very act of attacking, and now Ned had been rescued by this insignificant frog thing that did not even have Plasmic powers.

If Viper had not shown such obvious and deep-rooted hatred for Ned and Mirana, Kayleen might have thought that the whole thing was part of his plan. But as it was, she had no trouble figuring out what his plans would involve now. If she surrendered or were captured, she would be a huge liability in addition to a failure four times over. It would not matter that she had come close to winning each time. It would not matter that her failure here was due entirely to a weakness to heat that Viper himself had given her. He would want her dead. It would be just like it was before, only this time there would be no fleeing to Palandora. If she did not find some leverage soon, she would quickly find herself facing execution orders from both sides of the war. Her time was running out.

The cavern was growing lighter as the entrance grew nearer, and Kayleen slowed. Once she was out there, she would be vulnerable to weapons fire from space, not to mention the fighters that had been harassing her Vortak escort. She had to assume that all of her insectile companions were dead. That in itself was frustrating, because it seemed likely that even a brief attack might disrupt Nedward's hold on her long enough for her to break free and escape. She momentarily thought about lunging to one side, maybe knocking that frog to the ground. She could kill him quickly at close range, and then the battle would once again favor her Ice Plasma. But it was too easy to picture the quick end she would certainly face if her attempt failed, and the risk felt too great. Instead, she let herself be marched outside, where the distant sun had now set and left nothing but the starfield to illuminate them.

_Green Scorpion_ hovered a short distance above, and a shuttlecraft had landed several meters down the rock face, where the slope eased up and offered a flat surface. Kayleen thought bitterly that she knew how Mirana _would_ have felt if she had really been captured, paraded into a shuttle like a caged animal. She had almost hoped that Captain Varlon might try to use a tractor beam to get her into space, since that might have required Ned to release his hold on her before she was too far off the ground. But this way was hardly a shock; it was how Kayleen herself would do it – how she _had_ done it. She shook her head in shame.

Then Smardwurst was calling out to Ned, and Kayleen turned to see her captor look skyward. She followed his gaze and saw the cause of the commotion: _White Mercury_ had reappeared. She could already make out its major features against its running lights. She was still trying to decide whether this might be good news when the laser fire started. Columns of red energy burned down into the snow, atomizing the Crilitanion crystal and filling the area with haze. The ground shook as the shuttle took a direct hit and exploded, and Ned must have been forced back, because all of a sudden Kayleen was free.

"Destroy her, _now_!" Smardwurst was yelling to his crew from somewhere close behind her, and she hurried off to the side. There was a rush of power as the planet's cold augmented her Ice Plasma, but the laser fire from _White Mercury_ was throwing it into so much chaos that she was not sure how well she would be able to protect herself. No doubt the Vortak's primary target was Nedward, but Kayleen had no illusions of her own status here. If the Vortak managed to kill Ned, they would turn on her next.

Evidently _Green Scorpion_ was blocking or intercepting _White Mercury's_ missiles, because the area had not been vaporized yet, but there was no telling how long that would last. Kayleen turned and used her power to cling to the icy rock face, feeling ahead with her power in an attempt to locate the cave she had just left. But she had gone only a short distance when Ned appeared through the haze, blue fire surrounding his armored body. She turned to face him even as Plasmic fire erupted from his hand.

"There's no time for this," she shouted as she deflected his attack. More ship-based lasers struck the ground, and again everything beyond a few meters disappeared in the rain of shattered stone. "I didn't call them here! They know I've lost, and they're here to kill us both!" Ned's fire was surrounding her, augmented by the Plasma freed from the cold by the laser strikes. But she pushed back, determined not to release her hold on the cold below her. "We have to disable that ship or none of us will make it out!"

Nedward did not respond, but Kayleen noticed that he was backing away, and she knew what that meant: he was giving _Green Scorpion_ room to fire. The Zalorian ship was much closer to their location than _White Mercury_ , and if its captain had somehow gotten clear, then it would be a simple matter to hit the area with missile or two. Nedward could probably teleport away at the last second. Kayleen was out of time.

Heedless of the blue fire burning away her strength, Kayleen rushed the former Shield Master and wrapped Ice Plasma around him as best she could. Nedward's fire was pushing her back, but she managed to solidify a few bands of frigid energy around his general position and then tighten them so that the battling pair were locked together by the ice. When she felt certain he was not going anywhere, Kayleen reached her power skyward with as much force as she could gather. Her opponent's focus was now turned toward their immediate location, so Kayleen was able to direct the Plasmic energy farther away, sending it up in a white column of light. She did not even have to look to find her target; the warm bulk of _Green Scorpion_ left an obvious void just a short distance above them. When she felt her power strike its shields, she forced her face up close to her enemy's tinted visor. "Do you feel it, boy? Take us there!"

Ned's thoughts had scattered when _White Mercury's_ attack had crushed his plans, freeing the Ice Master and once again threatening his friends. He knew the shuttle had been destroyed and felt an immediate sense of loss for its crew, but Smardwurst's voice was still calling over the com link, shouting to his pricom officers to shield their location and to be ready to fire on Kayleen Rax. Ned had momentarily lost sight of his former prisoner as the laser fire cut up the cliff face, but the rush of power had quickly given her location away. Ned knew that she was not going to be caught off-guard again. But he could not risk letting her escape now. He was going to have to hold her at least long enough for someone to get a lock on her with a real weapon.

The battle had quickly resumed when Ned had found Rax, and he knew better than to waste time reasoning with her. He figured she must be thinking along the same lines as he was, so it was hardly a surprise when she rushed him, obviously hoping to prevent his friends from launching any missiles. But he had been surprised to find that her power was not really pressing against him; in fact, even as he attacked her she seemed to be merely holding on. He was so focused on burning into her icy defenses that he almost failed to notice her face up against his helmet. Did he "feel" _what?_ Take them _where?_

"I'm going to release it," she was saying urgently, shaking his shoulders even as he attacked her. "Use it to get us up there, now!"

Against what felt like his better judgment, Ned relented a little and reached out with his power to find out what she was talking about. Finally he noticed the stream of Ice Plasma that extended so far upward that it vanished into the night sky. But there were lights up there too, and Ned recognized the bulk of _Green Scorpion_ high above him. Then Rax closed her eyes, and everything made sense. Ned felt her hold on the pillar of Plasmic energy release, and all of a sudden he was presented with a conduit of raw power all the way up to the ship. Maybe it was a trap, but surely it could not be worse than the current situation. " _Green Scorpion_. Get ready to pull us in." Then Ned took hold of the power Rax had released and used it to teleport both of them skyward.

Ned had only vaguely been able to sense the ship's location, so there was no hope of actually getting them on board. They came out of the vortex close to the hull, but immediately they began to fall. Ned was about to attempt a second teleportation when Rax's hand closed around his wrist. He turned in mid-air to see that she had anchored herself to the ship by a stream of Ice Plasma. Looking into her eyes, Ned saw that she understood what would happen if she attacked him now. "This is Ned," he called to the pricom. "We're just outside. Can you open the nearest airlock?"

"Nedward? Is that _her_?"

"Yes, we're both coming in. It's okay, just have guards ready."

Ned kept a burst of Plasma ready to discharge as Rax bent her strand of Ice Plasma around, but it turned out to be unnecessary; an instant later the pair were standing in the airlock, and Rax let her tether evaporate. Before the door closed, Ned could see that at least one of _White Mercury's_ modules had reached _Green Scorpion_ and opened fire, accompanied by several fighters. He was clear of the planet but still far from safe.

"We need to finish off that ship," Rax said as the small room repressurized. "If you can get us close like you did with your missile attack-"

"You stay here." The inner door opened, and Ned stepped through, then turned in the doorway.

"I can still help you. There's nothing tying me to Dark Viper now."

"Don't move," Ned repeated, pointing a warning finger. He had not exactly meant to treat her like some rebellious pet, but he was still not sure how likely it was that he could keep her contained now that he was away from the planet's reserve of Plasmic energy, so he wanted to seem as intimidating as he could. He turned to the guards who were already waiting on either side of the airlock door. "If she tries to leave, or if she summons her power at all, blow her out into space and have the pricom open fire."

"Nedward! You _need_ my power!"

He turned back to Rax and deactivated his helmet so she could see the earnestness of his decision. "I know I do. And I believe that you want to help. But I also believe you would kill me in an instant if you thought the situation might favor you, regardless of how you might feel now. It's your nature. So remember this: I am probably the only person on this ship who sees any reason to let you live to see the rest of the day, so _don't try anything_." He turned and left before she had a chance to respond.

Piloting Mandible through the Vortak squadron, Smardwurst was having trouble keeping track of everything that was going on. He was glad to hear that Nedward had made it back to _Green Scorpion_ , although he could not see any wisdom in the decision to bring Kayleen Rax along. There was no time to argue the matter, though, since _White Mercury_ and its escort were already surrounding his ship. Trying to warp away would be useless; even if they managed to break away long enough to avoid having the warp field destabilized by enemy fire, Rax's ship would have no trouble matching his maximum warp phase, and without the ability to maneuver or use starfighters, the battle would become a simple matter of shield attrition. And even though _White Mercury_ still had some gaping holes in its shield coverage, the side that was covered would definitely outlast _Green Scorpion_ in a direct shootout. It seemed that the only hope was to get Nedward back into someone's cockpit and take another run at the warship.

"Is Nedward ready for another run?"

"Maybe," Güzhmäk replied. "But all our fighters are severely weakened, and I think Nedward's is still on the surface."

Several fighters were moving in on Smardwurst. "Coordinate with him. Have him recover the fighter. But first, give me some cover fire."

"I could ask the same of you, Captain. Hold on."

Smardwurst sped toward an enemy fighter, tearing into it with a steady stream of laser fire as he deftly evaded the return attack. It exploded, giving him a second to survey the situation. The module that Ned had crippled was either destroyed or holding back, and the main core was keeping its distance. But the other three sections were surrounding his ship, and he had already lost at least three of his fighter pilots, not to mention the crew on the shuttle. Kjrvlnk, who had somehow dispatched the entire guard of Vortak on the surface, was seated silently behind him, apparently out of ideas. And of course there were more enemy fighters closing in. Something told Smardwurst he was going to have to just hold on and hope Nedward came up with something.

As hesitant as he had been to leave Rax alone, Ned had decided that he needed to be on the pricom in order to fully understand the situation. Telling himself that he could get to her before she reached anything critical, he had hurried to the pricom, where he had quickly learned just how bad things were. The only real good news was that his fighter had been far enough away to have avoided the Vortak's initial attack on the planet, and now that the fighting was moving back toward space, the little ship seemed safe. But there was no quick way to board it, and its shields were still dangerously low.

Commander Undúvlahuth was giving a running commentary on the dire circumstances. "Our squadron is far more skilled, but we are seriously outgunned here. What do you have planned?"

Ned closed his eyes to think. They needed a Plasma attack to disable the shields or engines on several ships. He did not have enough power to teleport through that much space to a moving target, and none of the fighters seemed strong enough to carry him, especially since any ship he was on would become the primary target of everything out there the moment they knew where he was. There was only one way this line of reasoning could go: Ned needed more power.

He opened his eyes finally, a dark look on his face. "This has to be the worst idea ever," he muttered. But it was his only one.

"Rax?"

She must have had some kind of communication device on her, because she responded to the same channel as before. "I knew you'd-"

"How well can they anticipate your plans?"

"They don't anticipate anything. They just-"

"We need to lure them closer to the ground. Can you convince them I'm on the surface?"

Rax was silent for a moment, and several members of the pricom crew eyed Ned suspiciously. "I suppose I could play dumb," she said finally. "Pretend I don't know they're no longer following me. I could say I've got you pinned down in a cave, but I need torpedoes launched at specific points to make sure I trapped you. They might come down to the cliff face to fire point-blank. But they're not going to stop attacking _Green Scorpion_."

Ned turned to Güzhmäk. "We need to get as close to the ground as we can. They have to follow us down."

The commander's eyes and mustache exuded severe doubt. "What good will that do?"

"We have to lure them down!" Ned repeated, and ran back out the door toward the airlock. _If he agrees,_ he thought to himself, _I'm going to have to remember exiting the room as a method of persuasion._

Kayleen was not quite sure what Nedward was planning, but the sad fact was that she had never been so happy to hear someone's voice as when he had called her. When he had left, Kayleen had been faced with what were looking like an increasingly bad set of options. She could sit here and be destroyed along with the enemies she was sent here to kill, or she could turn on them and suffer exactly the same fate – either at the hands of their weapons or those of the Vortak that were supposed to be her own subjects. Or, if _Green Scorpion_ somehow made it back to the Imperial Armada, she could spend the rest of her possibly lengthy life locked up in some fire-rimmed cell, interrogated for information about a man that she realized she still knew almost nothing about. Breaking free and running away might become a possibility at some point, but how was she supposed to blend into someone's society with a new identity when her skin was transparent? And that was to say nothing of evading the Plasma Masters that would end up hunting her.

They were troubling prospects on all counts, so Kayleen lit up with an unexpected hope when Ned asked her for help. It made sense, of course. She had told him already – he needed her power to get out of this. She was not sure what Ned was planning on the surface, but it meant one thing at least: he was trusting Kayleen enough to return her to a source of power. She supposed she could not blame him for not trusting her earlier, since she _did_ start thinking of ways to kill him the moment he had ended the com link. But she had already been over this – Ned was her only chance of getting away from this planet alive. At least for the moment. Besides, she had a feeling that she was going to enjoy this plan of his, whatever it turned out to be.

Ned had to seriously question his sanity as he teleported Rax and himself down from _Green Scorpion_ to the surface. It was a short jump; Smardwurst's ship was just barely skimming the dark crystal surface, ostensibly searching for Ned. The three operational companion modules to _White Mercury_ were close behind, although Ned had heard Güzhmäk say that one of them was badly damaged. Ned tried to find cover under an outcropping of rock while Kayleen called out orders to the ships that had apparently already decided to kill her. They could only hope that the promise of tracking down Ned's position was enough of a lure to draw them close.

It seemed to be working, at least at first. One of the ships broke off pursuit of _Green Scorpion_ and started what looked like a search pattern over the general area near Ned's location.

"That's the weaker one," Güzhmäk called through his helmet. I'm going to try to bring the others; you might as well start with the strongest."

Ned looked over at Rax. "Ready?"

Her eyes were closed, but she nodded eagerly. Ice Plasma was already billowing around them as her power charged, but as before it was not directed as a weapon; it was just _there_. Soon _Green Scorpion_ passed by again, close overhead. A Vortak ship came close behind, but farther up. We need them lower, Ned thought. He looked around and spotted a cave in the cliff, then sent his power up there. When he had some charged, he fired a bolt of blue energy directly at the Vortak. The shot missed; there was no way he could maintain enough control at that distance. But it got their attention. Soon the ship was moving lower, turning toward the spot the shot had come from.

"Now!" Ned called. As they had planned, Rax directed her energy upward, seeking out the warmest spot on the ship. When her icy beam connected, she released her power, and Ned seized control of the raw Plasma left behind. While Rax's hold had not been nearly strong enough to actually damage the ship, it was more than enough for Ned to use to open a small vortex. He fired a few missiles from his newly-refilled wrist launchers, and soon the ship above exploded, shaking the valley as it bathed the landscape in the light of its demise.

"Fools!" Rax called to the Vortak. "He's _right here_! I can't hold him off much longer!" Then she added to Ned, "Better move us."

She released her hold on another stream of Plasma, this one leading higher up the canyon wall. Ned teleported them to the new location, just before another Vortak ship appeared and torpedoed the spot they had been standing just a moment earlier.

"Did they sense the source of the ice?" Ned asked apprehensively.

"That, or they traced my transmission. Try baiting them again."

Ned stretched his power out again, firing a few shots from the spot that had taken the torpedo hits. The Shield Master would have been able to withstand the attack, so hopefully they would move in for a closer look.

It worked. The Vortak moved lower as the debris cleared, and soon Rax was firing another stream at the ship. It started to rise again, but Ned was quick with his vortex, opening a path to the ship's interior. He fired a few more missiles, and while the explosion did not completely consume the ship this time, the crystalline vessel did shake visibly in the air. Kayleen was just starting to extend another beam of Ice Plasma when _Green Scorpion_ returned. It fired a steady stream of lasers into the weakened ship, and Ned must have destroyed its shields because the ship immediately plummeted to the ground, causing rock to rain down onto Ned and Rax from the tremor it created as it struck. He followed Kayleen's next beam across the valley just as the cavern they had been standing in collapsed.

Ned was surprised to hear Kjrvlnk's voice over the com link. "Nedward. They are being ordered to terminate you at any cost. The main ship is to remain behind and report to Dark Viper if the others fail."

"So there is just one ship left," Smardwurst observed. "I wonder if they will fall for the same trap."

The third ship did not approach; Ned could see it high above, firing the occasional shot as its fighters pestered _Green Scorpion_.

_It's not going to work again_ , Ned thought. _Especially if that main ship goes back and tells the fleet what happened here._ He turned to Rax, being careful not to broadcast any signal that might give away his position.

"I think we're going to have to give them something more concrete before they'll risk coming closer. Can you charge the whole valley? I have an idea."

"I thought you might," Rax said, smiling. She stretched out her hands, and a mist started rising from the valley floor.

Ned was still worried about the Vortak tracking his transmission, but he was going to need help. "Güzhmäk, can you land the ship? Or at least get it close? I want them to see me walking toward you. Maybe that will be enough of a reason for them to come down."

"It will be impossible to dodge if we do that," Undúvlahuth growled.

"I think I can protect you if you stay within the mist."

"That does _not_ sound encouraging."

"The main ship is moving closer," Smardwurst interrupted, sounding worried. "If this battle goes back into space, I'm not sure how much longer we can last."

"Fine. I'm coming."

Ned looked into Rax's eyes, trying to gauge her commitment. She seemed genuinely invested, and Ned could not see any reason she would try to switch sides now. "Keep the power flowing," he said. He briefly thought to follow that up with a threat but decided against it. Instead, he teleported himself a short distance into the valley, where _Green Scorpion_ was already lowering toward the ground, returning fire to the ship above that it could no longer dodge. Its shields were glowing, and Ned did not need to be told that they were already weak. "Lower," he prompted, then teleported forward again as the Vortak's fire began coming in his direction. Soon he was standing right underneath Smardwurst's ship, with Ice Plasma billowing past him to curl around the shield bubble. As he had requested, Kayleen was releasing a constant stream of energy to him from around the whole area. He reached out and took hold, then directed it upward.

Ned's light wrapped around _Green Scorpion's_ shields, focusing in a thick layer at its top. Ned supposed that this was how Trelan Thendrak had worked in the old days, feeding raw power to the other Plasma Masters. Even without the Shield Crystal, Ned found that the constant source of power allowed him to absorb a large amount of the weapons fire raining down on the ship above him. The Vortak _had_ to be getting worried.

"You fools," he heard Rax taunt. "He's right below the ship! Get down there!"

Then suddenly something changed. Ned felt the drain on his Plasma shield drop off abruptly, and a second later he saw what was happening. The Vortak had ignored Ned and _Green Scorpion_ and were firing at Rax. They had either traced her call or noticed the ice that had preceded the explosion of the other two modules. But either way, Ned's plan was in danger.

"The main ship is right there," he heard Smardwurst call, just as the rain of weapons fire resumed, stronger this time.

"Get out of here," Ned called. The power feed Rax had been giving him was dying down quickly now that her power was focusing on blocking the incoming attacks; evidently the Vortak did not have her exact location, or he supposed he would have felt her power fizzle out completely by now. He used everything he had to teleport to Rax's position, realizing in the process just how vulnerable he was making himself. But Rax looked relieved to see him. "two quick beams," he said.

Rax seemed to understand. She extended her power a short distance away, and Ned teleported them there, gathering a bit of extra power to himself. Now that the Vortak's fire was some distance away, Rax was free to charge another burst. Again Ned was painfully aware of what would happen to him if that burst came his direction, and he tried to brace himself. But apparently Rax's fear of the Vortak outweighed her thirst for conquest, because soon she was unleashing the Ice Plasma toward the remaining module. It was farther away than the other two, and Ned was aiming blindly as he tried to place the vortex somewhere inside the moving ship. But he kept firing, repositioning his vortex as best he could, and finally there was a flash from the ship above. Smardwurst's crew must have seen it, because _Green Scorpion_ immediately joined the attack, and a moment later there was a huge explosion as something breached the Vortak's shields and finished the ship off. Ned waited, half expecting the main ship to start bombing the entire planet. His helmet display pinpointed the ship's location, but before he could say anything there was a flash of light, and it was gone.

" _White Mercury_ has jumped to hyperspace," Güzhmäk Undúvlahuth confirmed.

"That will have been the warp booster," Kayleen said. "It has been charging for a couple of days; they won't be able to make it back any time soon even if they want to."

Ned was not sure what she had meant, but he felt too weak to care. He dropped to one knee, exhausted. Beside him, Rax was bent over, somehow looking paler than usual but with her face practically cracking with a huge smile. She laughed a little and brought her hand up to her face as if in disbelief. "We did it! We destroyed three starships from the ground! It was just like with Markan, Nedward! That was amazing!"

The mention of Markan Dren did not lighten Ned's mood. He stepped back, unsure of where this left their little truce.

Rax was pacing excitedly. "They'll be ready for that next time, but we can come up with new ideas. And next time, we'll be ready for them."

Ned could hear Smardwurst preparing his crew to take Rax aboard again, and Ned felt that they could not arrive soon enough. "Rax," he said sternly. You need to power down and wait for transport. You held up your end of the deal, and now I'm going to go through with mine. But you have to cooperate."

She looked at him in obvious disappointment. "I understand," she said as her expression hardened. "Your friends are anxious to get me off this planet. But you and I are going to have to talk again before we reach Marnax."

Ned was grateful to see _Green Scorpion_ pulling up close overhead, relieving him of the necessity of responding. He backed away so the ship's tractor beam could get a clear lock, and he was glad his visor was hiding his expression. Because he found that look Rax was giving him troubling. He was not sure what she could possibly be planning, but he had a feeling he was not going to like it.

### Chapter 20

_Green Scorpion_ was far too damaged to risk the long trip back to the main fleet, so Smardwurst had his crew set course for a repair station deeper in Anacronian territory. Ned was hesitant to let Rax out of his sight even for a moment, but Smardwurst assured him that his crew could handle her until Ned could reach them if the need arose, and that if she had wanted to attack them, she would have done it long before now. Smardwurst said he needed to send a report to General Harvey but insisted that Ned get some food and rest. Reluctant as he was to let down his guard with his enemy onboard, Ned had to admit that he was feeling quite spent and could use a bit of rest. To avoid feeling completely useless, he persuaded Kjrvlnk to sit down with him for a quick meal.

"Thank you for your help," Ned said as he started on a sandwich.

Kjrvlnk brought a bowl of red chunks of something squishy up to his face, where his mandibles maneuvered the food into his mouth. "I am glad you were successful."

"Do you mind if I ask you how you did it? Keeping all those Ice Vortak away from us, I mean."

"I defeated many of them. The others chased me until I could signal the fighter, and I had it attack from the sky."

"But how did you avoid all of them long enough to do that?"

"I suppose they were inferior."

Ned had to smile at the matter-of-fact declaration of skill, but it still seemed odd. "But you weren't a soldier, right? I thought you weren't involved in the military."

"Others in my group were. I did what they would have done."

"How did you know _how_ to do what they would have done? Are you saying you share their memories?"

"Not their memories. But we discussed battle, near the end. When it was clear we would not all survive. It... is difficult to explain. I am not sure that I should."

"Anything you can tell me might help us end the war and bring peace to both sides."

Kjrvlnk seemed to have said all he was prepared to, because he continued eating in silence. Ned decided to change the subject, or at least tweak it.

"You seemed to be able to hear their orders again, near the end."

The buggy red eyes turned up. "The Master commanded it, like before."

"So Viper can broadcast messages to the Vortak, even this far away. He must have checked up on them and found out that Rax was trying to buy her safety instead of attacking."

"She is a target too."

Ned nodded. "She says she wants to join with us. She thinks we need her power."

Kjrvlnk was quiet for a moment. "Power is useful. But she is dangerous."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking. Hopefully someone can get some information out of her, but I don't want anything more to do with her."

"She is a threat as long as she is alive. A Master is never far from her power."

It sounded like an idiom, as if the Vortak were in the habit of saying that. Ned felt a chill and reached out through the ether just to make sure everything was all right. Rax was where she was supposed to be, and her power felt weak and isolated. But somehow that was little comfort.

Kayleen Rax was in a very dark place. In the metaphorical sense only, of course – the walls of the escape hatch where she was pacing in frustration were lined with glowing tubes, probably spare conduits of some sort pulled from the engine supply room. But they were very hot, and they bathed the airlock in a glow that would have made real human eyes squint. As it was, the conduits were of little consequence to her, because once again she could see only a few paths ahead, and none of them looked good.

That battle, in contrast, had been wonderful. Everyone had wanted her dead _except_ the man she had come to Izralith to kill, and somehow the two of them had defied the entire Vortak force, in spite of whatever threats Dark Viper had made to get them to attack two Plasma Masters. Of course that crew of his had helped too, but that was hardly the point. Kayleen had used her power alongside someone else for the first time since Markan had died. They had combined their abilities and accomplished something that Kayleen frankly would never have thought possible. It was no wonder Nedward kept winning; he seemed to interact with the Plasma at a deeper level than Kayleen, although how that was possible without a Crystal or training like Viper had received was beyond her. What she did know was that she could go on fighting like that forever, regardless of who the enemy was.

Unfortunately, Nedward seemed determined not only to keep her locked up but to ignore her completely. She tried to bide her time and think of ways to negotiate for better terms, but she could not help feeling that her time was running out, that she was going to be alone like this forever. It was not that solitude bothered her necessarily; she had felt alone ever since Markan had died. But imprisonment at Harvey's hands would not be a comfortable escape from the war. She would be interrogated, and when they realized how little she could tell them, it was hard to imagine them letting her live, regardless of what Nedward might promise. She had seen it in the eyes of the crew aboard this ship; everyone setting up the heating coils or ordering her around with weapons pointed was asking the same question: why was she even alive?

Eventually she tired of pacing and sat down with her back against a corner, drawing her knees up against her chest. There had to be some kind of a reason why she was stuck here, why her plans had continually fallen apart. She could not bear the thought of Dark Viper smiling in satisfaction as she suffered at the hands of her enemies, and she cringed at the thought of what would happen if she were to somehow end up back in front of Viper himself.

Of course, Kayleen had no trouble seeing a purpose; being here _should_ have provided her with a chance to change sides and get back at the man who had manipulated, mocked, and betrayed her. Nedward could help her do it, and it would benefit him too. But if he continued to refuse that, was there anything worthwhile Kayleen could do then? Could she really get revenge from inside some prison cell? She rested her chin on her knees and thought hard, but the only thoughts that came were even darker than the ones before. She supposed Viper would be pleased if he could see her now. It surprised Kayleen to realize that she wanted to hurt him perhaps even more than she wanted to be free of this place. He could not be allowed to defeat her. There had to be something she could do.

Ned supposed that he had been up long enough for sleep to be an option, but this whole mission still felt too incomplete to let him really relax, so he decided to visit the pricom when he had finished his meal. Kjrvlnk went with him, and Ned found himself wondering whether the Vortak ever really slept at all.

They were allowed access, and when they stepped inside Ned almost thought they were under attack again. Viewscreens all around the room showed a battle taking place, but after a brief moment he realized that it was just a recording. The screens were labeled with the various ships whose perspectives they showed, and Ned picked out the image of _Galactron_ in a few of them. Vortak ships swarmed everywhere, and the all-too-familiar pattern of laser fire and missile explosions swept across everything.

"There it is," someone said, and Ned saw _Dread Phoenix_ appear on the forward screen. A green bar superimposed above it showed its shield strength as measured by the Anacronian ships. The bloodshot-looking vessel opened fire on several vessels at once, and some of them scattered, in pursuit of smaller targets, but some of the Anacronian ships held their ground. When there were several of them positioned around _Dread Phoenix_ , they all opened fire together with a weapon that sent a pale blue light twisting into its shields. The light steamed as it struck, and the shield gauge drained a bit. There was no flash of red from the strange material on the hull of Dren's ship, and Ned smiled. "It worked."

Smardwurst, who had been distracted by the recording, turned to Ned at the sound of his voice. "Yes," he said. "General Harvey equipped several ships with a new 'endothermic particle beam' just before the Vortak struck again. They still did not manage to breach the shields on _Dread Phoenix_ ; it left the battle before they drained too much. And it still managed to do a fair amount of damage with its Plasma weapon – at one point it seems Dren ordered his own ships to fire on him in order to charge it.

Güzhmäk Undúvlahuth was still watching the video recording. "The fact that it doesn't try to fly by the sun in order to recharge confirms the suspicion that the weapon can't hold a charge at warp. If we could just box it in long enough and keep firing, we might just have it."

"Assuming they have enough ammunition for the endothermic beam," Smardwurst reminded him. "The report says that they used up nearly the entire supply on that battle."

"They'll make more."

Ned was thinking about his recent battle. "They'll be ready for those tactics again, won't they?"

Smardwurst thought for a moment and then nodded. "They were all converging on you before, and I think you can expect that again. It will be very hard to get you close enough to open a vortex through their shields again."

"And they'll extend the shields as soon as they know you're approaching," Güzhmäk added. "They'll want to exploit any range limits you have."

"So I guess we're back in the same spot as before Rax attacked," Ned said in disappointment. "Did we even accomplish anything?"

"Well we won," Smardwurst pointed out. "It is better than if we had done nothing. And hopefully Rax will give us some useful information."

Güzhmäk grunted. "In exchange for what, I wonder."

Suddenly Ned felt something, a brief touch of Plasmic energy. He reached out to focus on it, but the feeling was gone. He frowned. "I need to check on Rax." He hurried down the corridor to the airlock, half expecting a battle to erupt at any moment. He knew the crew was ready to eject their prisoner into space, but the way Rax had latched onto the hull to pull them in, Ned was not sure how effective that would be. He reached the door to find the guards at their posts, gripping their rifles in determined silence. He decided to ask anyway. "Is everything okay?"

One of the guards smirked. " _It_ is in there."

"Can I go in for a moment?"

"We can't open the door without orders."

"No problem."

Ned was not detecting any significant power concentration inside, so after engaging his armor he decided to risk a quick teleport. He appeared in the small room and found Rax huddled in the corner, holding her knees like a frightened child, and she almost appeared to be shivering. Seeing her like that defused some of Ned's apprehension.

"You got my message," she said quietly without looking up.

"If felt something. What's going on?"

"I told you we had to talk."

"There's a lot going on right now. There are people better suited to... debrief you."

She just shook her head.

Ned was starting to feel awkward. "So... how are you?"

She looked at him then, and although her expression was bitter, the emotion was not directed at him. "That's an odd question to ask someone who was destroyed weeks ago."

Ned was silent, waiting for an explanation of the odd response.

"Take off your helmet," Rax said. Ned stood motionless. Dark Viper had convinced him to do that once, and he had almost died. "Do it. We both know I'm no threat to you."

Rax had passed up several chances to attack Ned, and she was certainly no more powerful now than she had been earlier. And something about her demeanor told him that he should listen to her. He disengaged his helmet and found to his surprise that the room was not as warm as he had expected.

Rax stared into his eyes for a long time before she spoke again. "You have no idea what Dark Viper has done to me, Nedward. I thought he was going to give me another Crystal, to give me power again. Nakmar Dren came to me on Palandora and told me that Viper was alive and that he wanted to give me a second chance." She chuckled sarcastically. "Nakmar was a fool, and so was I. Dark Viper never forgives anyone. He wanted to see if I could be useful again, but mostly he wanted to punish me for my failure." Rax rose to her feet. "You see this?" she asked, spreading her arms and looking down at herself. "This is all that's left of me. A hollow shell that vaguely resembles who I once was. I can't feel. I can't even see, not really. I just sense the way things resonate with the Plasma around me. There's nothing left of me, Nedward. Nothing. I thought I could get it back if I defeated you and Mirana, but now even that wouldn't help. It's over."

"It's... interesting," Ned thought out loud. "I really do feel sorry for you. But at the same time, all these hopes and dreams you've lost would have involved killing me and everyone I care about. You have to admit that you kind of deserve this."

She glared at him then, and some of her helplessness faded. "We are at war. A group of weak rebels resisted those of us who could wield real power. We could have made the Empire strong, you know. It was worth fighting for."

"Worth killing innocent people for?"

"People always die in war. Yes, I killed a lot of them. And yes, I enjoyed using the Plasma. It made me something great. You should understand that. But we lost, and I am ready to switch sides. Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

"It's not about what side you're on. It's about what you have _done_. Even if you're not a threat to us, how can you expect everyone to look past all the horrific crimes you've committed? Not just before, but recently."

"How is it that different from Mirana Kelar? She was a traitor; at least I made my loyalty clear. And somehow you managed to forgive her."

Anger started to boil up inside Ned. He did not have a quick answer, but for Rax to compare herself to Mirana felt downright obscene. "You are nothing like Mirana. He kept his voice low to keep from shouting. "She was fighting for a cause, not to satisfy some sick appetite for power."

"I will fight for your cause, Nedward." There was pleading in Rax's eyes again.

Ned shook his head, trying to calm down. "Your contribution will be information. Tell us how to defeat Dark Viper."

Kayleen turned away, covering her face with her hands with an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I'll tell you what I know. Dark Viper is hiding somewhere – he didn't let me know the location. _White Mercury_ has a Plasma-charged warp booster that will send it long distances, but it takes a long time to charge after each use. The Vortak are revolting creatures that can be imbued with Plasmic energy, but don't ask me how. Viper is manipulating them somehow."

"How did you find Mirana?"

"Viper still has informants here and there. I knew _Nemesis_ docked at Delta Epsilon. I had sent out a bunch of Ice Vortak to all the nearby planets – you know, low body temperature, easy to hide. The ones on Holdaris Prime detected a security breach and called me."

"So there are Vortak all over the Empire?"

"A few, here and there. I hardly think they're a threat, especially now."

"Why is that?"

Rax turned back to him, giving him a knowing look, although Ned could not decipher it. Let's hold that one to the end. Any other questions?"

Ned thought for a moment. "Tell me about how you gained your power the first time."

Rax rolled her eyes. "Viper gave us Crystals and trained us to use them. My story is no different from Koral's."

_Right, the man you murdered._ Ned managed not to speak the words, not wanting to stop this unexpected stream of information. "What about his plan to combine the Crystals? What was that about?"

"Again, I didn't know any more than Koral. I was hesitant to give up the Blast Crystal, but Trelan promised that he would be able to share the power freely once he had combined the abilities."

"And he didn't say anything about how he planned to do that?"

"He never explained anything. He just showed us what we could do and gave us orders."

"What about the starships, like _Devastator_ and _Nemesis_?"

"He did a lot of work alone. He travelled a lot at first, and sometimes he brought us along, so maybe he found some equipment that helped him build things. But however he made those weapons, he did it alone."

"One last thing then: Are there any more Plasma Masters?"

"No. Not that I know of, anyway. Although he did take my armor pin without explaining why..."

Ned let out a deep breath. He was out of questions, and he felt rather unsatisfied with what he had gotten.

Rax seemed to sense his line of thinking. "It's not much, is it?"

"I guess not."

"And do you think Harvey's people will think of anything more useful to ask me?"

"Maybe, I guess."

She raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

"Probably not, though."

"Well there you have it, then. You've reached the same conclusion as I have. There is _nothing else_ for me to do. Here, or anywhere else. All this power, and absolutely no way I can use it."

"Well that's kind of what it means to be imprisoned. These things happen when you're a war criminal. A terrorist. Everything you have done has been motivated by selfishness – you said so yourself. I'm grateful for the help you've given us, and I hope it eases your conscience a bit. But you are going back to Marnax to stand trial and answer for your crimes. Helping us save your life does not make up for what you have done for Dark Viper. It does not bring back _Koral_."

Rax took a step forward, and her expression hardened. "Maybe not. But I'll tell you something. I am not going to die alone in some prison. I am _not_ going to let Dark Viper think he has defeated me."

Ned braced himself for an attack, but Rax just kept talking.

"I've been thinking. I suppose I can't blame you for not trusting me; I guess maybe it's true that I'd kill you if I thought it would pay off. After all, in a sense, you are the one who has ruined things for me; you're the one who destroyed my power. But you didn't do anything I wouldn't have done. It was Viper who set this all up. He sent Markan and me out after an invincible Plasma Master while he stayed behind, safe in his fortress. He sent me here alone, without a partner or any real protection or even an understanding of what the plan is. This" – she held out her hands to indicate everything around her – "is his fault. That's why I'm not trying to fight you, Nedward. If you die and then your friends kill me, then it will just be Mirana against Nakmar and Viper, and I don't think she could win. I can't let that happen. Which is why I'm going to release the Ice Plasma to you."

Ned frowned. Gaining power sounded promising, but something about the way Rax spoke suggested that what she was offering was not a simple gift. "What do you mean? Since when can a Plasma Master just hand their power over to someone else?"

Rax looked down, and suddenly she looked so sad that Ned felt worried. "I didn't say I'm going to give it to you," she said slowly. "I said I'm going to _release_ it. I'm going to let go of the Ice Matrix and separate myself from it."

"I thought you said the Ice Plasma was who you are. How will you survive without it?"

"You haven't been listening."

And suddenly Ned understood what Rax was saying. She had decided that her life was worthless, and she was planning to give it up in hopes that Ned could make some use of the power she left behind. The thought made him sick, and he backed away in disgust. "No! That is just wrong!"

"It's not a discussion." A thousand emotions seemed to be fighting for expression on Rax's face. She looked afraid, but her anger and hatred for Dark Viper were evident too. "You have to destroy him. Make him pay. And make sure he knows that part of it came from me." White vapor started to fill the room, and in spite of the heat coils, Ned felt cold.

"Feeling helpless does not give you the right to give up on life! I am not going to help you give up!"

"Don't waste my power, boy. _You need me._ "

"Kayleen, stop!"

But Rax was beyond reasoning. The haze kept growing, and Ned felt the Plasmic energy around him charging up. It was fading near the edges, though, and Ned instinctively reached out to trap it in. As soon as he did, the haze intensified, and soon it was so thick that he could hardly see Rax at all. He stepped forward and took her by the shoulders, but instead of stopping at a solid form, his hands sort of just slowed down as they reached into a thicker mass of the swirling Ice Plasma. " _Don't waste it._ " Her voice seemed distant, as if it were coming from everywhere at once.

Not knowing what else to do, Ned seized control of the Plasma around him. It still had that icy, foreign sense to it, and it did not really feel like a part of him. But it obeyed him as he drew it in. He closed his eyes and tried to visualize what was happening. He could compress it like he normally did when charging his power, and since it still felt alien, he just tucked it away inside, blocking it in with his own power so it could not escape. It was a very strange sensation, and he all but forgot the reason it was happening until the flow of power stopped and Ned realized that he had captured it all.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was alone.

### Chapter 21

Smardwurst shook his head when Ned had finished explaining, leaning back in his entry room chair as if the story had exhausted him. "So she gave up her life because getting back at Viper and avoiding imprisonment were more important than anything else."

"That's what it sounds like. I feel bad saying it, but frankly I think it's pathetic."

"'Convenient' is the word I was thinking of. Having her with us turned out to be useful back there, but I was never really sure why you wanted to keep her alive. She was an enemy, and we were in the middle of a battle."

"I know. And I'm not sure I can give you a reason, either. Certainly I was ready to... you know, finish her off. I guess something changed when you talked to me. I felt distracted, and I realized that I had become sort of consumed in the attack. It made me question my motive, and I knew that if I killed her there, while she was defenseless-"

" _Apparently_ defenseless."

"Fine. But I was worried about what that would do to me. And I guess it did seem like having her along might give us some leverage."

"Well, it is over now, and I am glad things worked out. And believe me, I understand your desire to avoid taking a life for selfish reasons. But I hope you will not hesitate to defend yourself when the situation arises again. Your enemies will not stop to question their own motives."

"I know. I'll remember that."

"So, what about this power she left you?"

Ned smirked. "It's a weird feeling. I can feel the Ice Plasma's presence locked away somewhere inside my own power, but it's a little like carrying around a parasite."

"You do not think she is still there, do you?"

"No, I definitely felt her... fade. Ugh. I kind of wish she were here so I could yell at her for making me go through that. Sorry, that sounds awful again."

"I understand. Can you use the power?"

"It's worth a shot. Do you have anything you don't mind having destroyed?"

Smardwurst disappeared into his kitchen and came back with a glass of water, which he set down on a low table. "We have plenty of these. But be careful with the table."

"Alien power doesn't really lend itself to being careful, but I'll try." Ned reached into himself and drew out some of the power he had collected. It left his hand in a faint white mist and collected around the glass. Immediately an icy covering formed over it, and a second later the water and glass exploded in a spray of icy shards. Smardwurst was already shielding his face, but some of the glass shards cut into Ned's exposed skin. The pain was minor, but it was an almost insulting reminder of the protective power he had lost.

He frowned as he removed the shards, thinking about what he had just experienced. "Let me try something else." He stood up and held his hands in front of himself, palms inward. Again he brought the power, and this time an icy ball formed between his hands. Then he wrapped the ball in a sphere of Shield Plasma and tried to absorb the ice he had just created. It was as inaccessible as when Rax had used it. Ned was able to shatter the ice ball and then reabsorb the energy he had spent, but it was just regular, ethereal Plasma at that point.

"Okay," he said, thinking out loud. "I can use it, but it's like I'm spending someone else's money or something – it doesn't mix with my own power. And I could feel a power drain when I did it, like I used up part of the reserve Rax gave me. I'm pretty sure there's only a limited amount of it I can use, and then it will be gone."

"Then you need to decide on the most effective use of it. The most obvious application would probably be against Nakmar Dren."

Ned nodded and sat back down. "If it can cancel out his power, even for a moment, it would definitely give me an advantage. His suit was weak enough for Mirana to punch right through it, so I should be able to beat him if he's cut off from his power. But he'll be expecting that, won't he?"

"Perhaps. Dark Viper may not yet know that Rax is gone, and he almost certainly will not know that some of her power was left behind."

"It still leaves the matter of getting onto his ship. And finding him. Mirana did a lot of the fighting before, and like you said, every Vortak in the fleet will be gunning for me as soon as we meet up."

"Is there any chance that the Ice Plasma could interact with _Nemesis_? Rax never had a crystal, it seems, so maybe the lack of one will not present be a problem."

Ned shrugged. "It might create a temporary shield against the Flame Plasma beam, but then again it might take everything I have to generate it, and I'd rather use it as a weapon if I can."

Smardwurst nodded. "It seems you may have to board the ship again. We will just have to make sure you get close with a ship that has strong enough shielding."

" _Very_ strong shielding. Not only will they be expecting us, but we won't be able to hide like last time. I wish I could think of a way to get Dren off of that ship."

"He would have to be very unwise to leave, assuming that the ship's weapon and defensive power is linked to his presence. It would be like you removing your armor during a battle."

Ned bit his lip, reflecting on the fact that he had in fact done that a few times in hopes of stalling and gaining information. But that fact was probably not evidence of a means of luring Dren away. He thought about it a bit more. "We're assuming that his only goal is to lead the Vortak battle," he said finally. "That might not be true now. Rax was supposed to kill Mirana, and then me. It would stand to reason that Viper might send Dren after us. If I were to go somewhere that his ship couldn't follow, he might have to leave. And if I could convince him that Mirana was with me, or there instead of me, that might give him even more motive."

Smardwurst was nodding. "It would have to be somewhere that would let him still feel in control, like Izralith was for Rax. Somewhere warm."

"Right. If you were the Flame Master, and you had to face an enemy outside of _Dread Phoenix_ , what would you do?"

"Go to Hek."

" _What?_ " Ned was fairly certain he had not heard what it had sounded like.

"I would go to Hek, the warmest inhabited planet in the Empire. The surface is covered with active lava flows."

"Oh," Ned laughed, dismissing Smardwurst's inquisitive look with a wave. "Mistranslation of Earth slang. So, what would be a plausible-sounding reason for _me_ to go to Hek?"

"It would seem like a foolish move, or an obvious trap."

"Or maybe both. If it looks like a genuinely foolish trap, he might just go for it."

"Yes. Suppose we leak information stating that Kayleen Rax is being held prisoner on Hek in order to keep her power at bay. We would have to say that you were there too, or Viper might not care enough to send Dren."

"Right. For all we know, that's exactly what would have happened if she were still alive."

Suddenly Smardwurst frowned. "There is one problem, possibly an urgent one. If we stop at a space station or another planet to refuel, that will open the possibility that we have transferred Rax to another vessel. If Viper's forces are watching us, the only way to guarantee that he will believe you and Rax are on Hek is if _Green Scorpion_ heads there directly."

"Can you recharge there?"

"Yes, assuming we are not intercepted and that the planet is not attacked before we get there."

"That sounds pretty risky. Especially since the Ice Plasma alone won't be enough to beat Dren on that planet – we'd have to set up some additional means of lowering the temperature, or I'll have the same weakness Rax did when she was surrounded by fire."

Smardwurst stood up. "I need to talk to General Harvey. And I need to stop this ship now, before we start limiting our options. Do you want to come?"

Ned took a long breath. "No, I think I'm finally ready to get some sleep."

Smardwurst gave him a smile that was almost parental before leaving the room. Ned hurried to his own room, eager to close his eyes and delay the need for more fate-deciding decisions for a few hours. But as stressful as the situation felt, he had to admit that it was a good feeling to be making plans for a change instead of just trying to decipher them.

### Chapter 22

Ned was awakened by a sound that was both annoying and out of place, so he tried to roll over and ignore it. It was a few seconds before he consciously recognized the sound: it was the battle alarm. Ned sprang out of bed and contacted the pricom. "What is going on?"

"We have _Dread Phoenix_ on warp range sensors. It's approaching way too fast – as quickly as _White Mercury_ left."

"On my way." Ned engaged his armor and ran to the pricom. Apparently Smardwurst had just arrived, because he was still in his bedclothes, and his feet were bare.

Ned's eyes were wide. "They must have one of those Plasma-charged warp boosters Rax was talking about."

"We're still too far out to make it to any protected planets. No ships are in range either."

Smardwurst turned to Ned. "Any ideas?"

Ned thought frantically. "Can we make it to any planet? That might help me charge my power."

"There is a habitable planet in the Kirelis system," the navigational officer reported. Güzhmäk nodded approval for the course change.

"We cannot take on that ship in our current state," Smardwurst said solemnly.

Güzhmäk was less reserved. "We would not stand a chance _fully powered_! One shot from that thing's main weapon and we're gone!"

"So you don't attack," Ned said. "They can't charge it themselves unless they fire on their own shields. You get me onto that ship and then hide on the other side of the planet until help can come."

"It has a lot of fighters too..."

"We can deal with the fighters," Smardwurst said confidently, although Ned was not sure how sincere the sentiment was. "Can you survive aboard the ship?"

"Rax's power should cancel his. Once I reach him, it should be over quickly. And even if it doesn't completely drain his power, he doesn't know how I beat Rax. I might be able to seal him off from his power the way I did with her."

"That is hardly an assurance of success."

"It's the best we have. And it should give _Green Scorpion_ some time to get away."

"We are not going anywhere."

Güzhmäk did not seem quite so certain. "If Nedward's plan requires him to defeat Dren, then he won't have much trouble getting off the ship afterward. It may be wise to take cover behind the planet. We may be able to outmaneuver them in phase space."

"We're not going to make it there, sir."

Even Ned could see that from the warp readout. They had maybe a couple of minutes before _Dread Phoenix_ caught up.

Ned turned to Smardwurst, trying to ignore the beating in his chest. "My ship's shields are recharged, right?"

"They should be. _Mostly._ "

"It will get me there."

"You cannot pilot it in. That ship has a _lot_ of weapons, and they will _all_ be targeting you."

"They'll be firing through the vortex right in front of me. Your squadron can protect me from the Vortak fighters. I can make it in."

"And you plan to eject from the cockpit?"

Ned took a deep breath. If he did this, this would obviously be his fighter's final voyage. "I can get close and teleport out. I'll go for a spot without that weird webbing and aim for a big, open space."

"I do not like it."

Another warning sounded. "Sir, are we going to stay at warp? They're practically here!"

"No," Smardwurst said. Drop us to phase space and prepare to make a run straight for the ship. We will get Nedward as close as we can and then pull back."

The ship was already dropping out of warp, and Güzhmäk was sending orders to the squadron, which Ned knew was not at full capacity, especially if Smardwurst had ordered shield repairs to Ned's fighter as a priority. He gave Smardwurst a determined look. "If we get separated, I'll head for the Kirelis system. See you soon." He put up his helmet and sprinted toward the launch bay, drawing in all the power he could hold. _So much for planning,_ he thought. He was almost glad that Mirana was not here this time, because this upcoming flight was looking pretty hopeless.

Whatever had happened while he raced to his fighter must have happened quickly, because the battle was already underway when Ned cleared the landing bay. He headed straight for the red and black silhouette of _Dread Phoenix_ and tried to dodge, but laser blasts larger than his ship started slamming into him almost immediately. He opened a vortex in front of his ship, just wide enough to cover him and just long enough to open out behind him, and the head-on fire died down, but even at a relatively close range it was draining to maintain a vortex that big. A few shots hit him from the sides, but he did not have far to travel; Dren was accelerating straight for him.

This was the tricky part. He was going to have to let go of the protective vortex in order to teleport through the shields, but Dren had apparently learned a lesson from Ned's previous tactics and had spread the shields out wider. They were less concentrated this way, but it also made it seem practically impossible for Ned to stop his fighter and project a Plasma stream all the way into the ship. He ran through his options while the seconds ticked away, and then the ship was right in front of him. Ned dodged to one side and tried to angle toward the large room he had met Dren in last time, figuring that the open space would provide a forgiving landing spot. But _Dread Phoenix_ began to roll in response to his movement. The thought crossed Ned's mind that Dren might be trying to prevent him from approaching the Plasma weapon, which so far had not been able to fire since no one was attacking the ship.

_Fine_ , Ned thought. If Dren was focusing his attention up there, that meant Ned had a second to act. Letting the protective vortex fade, Ned turned the other way, moving toward the bottom of the ship now, picking a spot that seemed relatively free of the red crystal. When he was right up against the shields, he pushed through the ether as far as he could and teleported himself clear of the cockpit. He came out in open space but inside the shield bubble. For the moment, all of the ship's weapons were still firing past him, presumably at his fighter, but Ned's immediate attention was on the huge mass of metal rushing past him. With nothing to draw power from, Ned let himself drift for just a moment while he focused a second vortex into what felt like an open area and then teleported himself inside.

An instant later he slammed against a wall, scraping a huge gash out of it as he slid across it with his momentum from outside. The angle of the wall made it feel like he was moving downhill, and even in the disorienting tumble he was momentarily grateful for the gradual stop. When he finally did roll to the ground, his armor was already warning him of damage, and he had not even been fired on yet.

Fighting against the heat-charged Plasma, he started drawing energy toward him as he took in his surroundings. The map readout on his visor told him that he was a few decks higher than he had been when he boarded the ship with Mirana. The outer hull was very close, and he started moving in the opposite direction just in case Dren decided to try blowing a hole in his own ship to flush Ned back into space. There were no tremors from weapons fire to the hull, but soon Ned heard footsteps.

"Dren!" he called through his com link, broadcasting to every frequency available. "Are you really afraid to meet me face to face! I've had enough of your little servants!"

The Vortak were upon him then, firing as they came around a turn in the corridor. Ned sent missiles into them, and the silence that followed the explosion gave him a few more seconds to gather power. He moved a little farther before several more Vortak burst into the corridor. They were everywhere, and Ned knew he was going to use up his missiles pretty quickly if he tried to move past them that way. He put everything he had into his Plasma shield and rushed a group of them, then stopped just as two of them rushed him, claws raised. Ned reached inside himself and drew out a bit of the Ice Plasma and sent it out in a beam of steaming energy, slamming into first one Vortak, then the other. They stumbled back as the white light hit them, and an instant later they vanished in a flash of red light, leaving behind nothing but ash.

Ned's shield faltered a bit, he was so surprised at the result. He returned fire to the group attacking from behind him, then ran forward a bit, spraying Ice Plasma at a few more Vortak as he got near. It was just a small bit, and Ned could feel the heat pressing in from all directions, but again the Vortak he struck burst into flames and vanished. This time Ned thought he could sense the Plasma sort of withdraw from them as the Ice Plasma struck, and he suspected he understood what was happening: the Ice was cancelling whatever Plasmic power allowed them to thrive in the heat, essentially reverting them to regular Vortak. Without the Flame Plasma, they had no protection against the ship's high temperature. The raw Plasmic energy expanding within them could not be healthy either.

Of course, Nakmar Dren would have seen what had just happened and would reach the same conclusion. As he moved down the corridor, dispatching Vortak as he went, Ned wondered whether he were giving away his advantage by using the Ice Plasma that way. _Oh well_ , he thought. _Too late to worry about that now._ He was trying to think how to use the situation to his advantage when he came up against a large vein of the red crystal, which stretched diagonally across the passage before branching out into the wall. More Vortak appeared, but Ned stopped and fired a few missiles, clearing the passage for a moment.

"Are you seeing this?" he yelled into his com link. "Your friends aren't having much luck! Are you really that afraid to face me yourself?"

There was no response; maybe Dren really was worried. In hindsight, Ned would have preferred to have his enemy face him in overconfidence rather than hiding like this, while Ned's power and ammunition wore thin. But as long as Dren felt he was on the defensive end of things, maybe there was a certain advantage to that as well. "You're scared, aren't you?" He looked up, hoping a camera somewhere would capture a dramatic view of him. "You're thinking about what's going to happen to you in this heat once I drain your power."

There was no response. It had not come out quite as menacingly as Ned had hoped, but a taunt was a taunt, he supposed. He bit his lip. If he was going to run, he had better know where he was going. Just to make sure, he fired a few laser shots into the red crystal. He could sense a definite movement in the Plasmic ether, upward through the vein, presumably toward the source of the weapon's power. Probably toward Nakmar Dren. He fired missiles at a few more Vortak, wishing this plan of his was a little clearer in his mind. There was _something_ up there worth attacking. He wanted to believe that the Ice Plasma would work here, just like Rax had been able to use her power even when surrounded by fire on Izralith. To test this out, Ned reached out and touched the red crystal. He half expected it to attack him, but the hard surface did not respond, so he sent a bit of Ice Plasma into it. Immediately the red light died around his hand, and bits of the crystal crumbled away. _Now_ that _is encouraging_ , he thought. He cleared the area of Vortak again and teleported as many decks upward as he could reach.

The new location looked pretty much the same, although there were more crystal veins visible. There were no Vortak here, and Ned wondered if maybe they were congregating around strategic points, like maybe the weapon's power source, where he was headed. The thought was not encouraging, but he took advantage of the chance to gather more energy. He moved forward slowly, roughly working toward a spot underneath where he guessed the weapon's power source would be, but the silence made him nervous for some reason. He started imagining what kind of traps might be waiting for him here and decided that he had gathered as much power as he was going to get with the Flame Plasma's hold all around him. He pushed upward through the ether again and teleported himself through another vortex.

This time he was just a short distance below the power source, and the room quickly filled with Vortak. Ned had to use a lot of his Ice power to keep back the hoard of creatures, who were now scaling the walls and ceiling to get a good shot at him. he was worried about using up too much energy on his Plasma Shield, so he dropped it from time to time, letting his armor take some of the damage. He hoped Dren could not sense how low his power was running. Ned had to keep his enemy feeling defensive.

"Still relying on your bugs," he called out, still just hoping that Dren was listening. "You coward. I can see why Viper sent Rax first. At least she wasn't afraid to use her own power. At least she put up a fight!"

Something he had said must have had an effect, because the power source up above started to move. Ned fired off some missiles to conserve Ice Plasma, and the Vortak started to scatter. It had worked; Ned could feel Dren right above him. He moved back as a section of the ceiling started to melt. Finally he got a response over the com link.

"You _dare_ speak of her that way. Kayleen Rax was ten times the Plasma Master you are. You are the one who ran from _me_ , cowering with that pitiful girl. And now you pollute my fortress with your insolent presence." The ceiling fell away in a shower of molten metal, and Dren dropped into the corridor in front of Ned. "This is for Kayleen."

Ned caught the cyclone of fire that erupted from Dren's hand in a wall if Ice. He could feel the Ice Plasma straining, surrounded by so much heat, but he was able to call out enough to cancel Dren's attack. It was time to find out just what this twisted gift from Rax could do. Ned pushed the power outward, and the fire began to evaporate into white steam. Ned used more of his reserve, and quickly the entire beam of red light vaporized; Dren was now just keeping it at bay with an intense heat shield around himself. Sensing just how much Plasma had been released by the canceling of the two powers, Ned drew this neutral energy into himself and sent it out as a powerful bolt of blue lightning, slamming Dren to the ground.

Ned's heart quickened with excitement as he realized just how strong a position he was in. He rushed forward, charging another ice blast. "I'm glad you appreciate her power," he heard himself call tauntingly as he raised his fist to strike as Dren regained his feet. But then, to Ned's surprise, Dren turned and ran, scattering red fire in random patterns behind him as cover. Suddenly the Vortak were back, attacking Ned from all directions. Ned ran after Dren, but he stopped after just a few steps. Something felt wrong. " _Why_ had Dren run? Was he really so afraid for his life? He certainly had reason to worry, but in spite of all his taunting, Ned did not think of the man as the kind to run away from a fight. What if he had been trying to draw Ned down that corridor? Toward a trap, or...

Away from the weapon's generator.

Of course. After all, as much as Ned wanted to hunt Dren down – every ounce of power throbbing inside him practically demanded it – the real threat to the Empire and his friends was not Dren at all; it was this ship. And the ship's powers came from somewhere up above. Aware that his power was already running low, Ned teleported again. This new corridor was empty for the moment, and Ned took the moment to feel out the location of the power source above him. He found it quickly – a faint point of energy compared to Dren's presence, which was now moving back toward him.

The voice over the com link was frantic: "You call me a coward, and then you run away like a child? Come back and face me, you puny little rat!" Dren's rage only confirmed Ned's suspicion. As worried as Dren was about facing the Ice Plasma, he was more worried still about that weapon. Ned teleported a final time, spending just about everything he had left except for the Ice.

This time he knew he had made it. He was standing in a small room, whose walls, floor, and ceiling were composed almost entirely of the red crystal, which rose from the center of the floor into a pedestal, atop which sat a large, multifaceted ball. There was only a single door leading out. Immediately Ned walked over to the pedestal and placed his hands on the sides of the ball. He sent his regular power into it first, hoping to learn something of what he was seeing. Immediately he felt the crystal respond, sending his power out along its many branches. He could sense the ship's Plasma weapon right behind him, like a huge, empty vessel waiting to be filled. He could sense the rest of the ship as well, although much more vaguely. It was like the crystal veins had become an extension of his hands.

Ned frowned as he sensed the life force of several Vortak approaching the door. He felt like he could accomplish something amazing if he were just left alone for a few minutes with this device, but there was no time to experiment. He brought his power to life, hoping that the crystal would make known some new ability. He almost dared to think that he could bring the weapon to bear against the Vortak out in space, but either because the crystal was not charged or because it was attuned to Dren's power, it offered him nothing. It was just there.

Ned reconsidered his position one last time as the Vortak started firing at the door, which apparently they could not open from the outside. A very large part of Ned wanted to fight his way past them and then find a way to use the rest of the Ice Plasma he was carrying on Nakmar. But he knew he had already given up that opportunity, and he could not risk letting this ship continue its attacks on the Anacronian fleet; even with their endothermic particle beams, _Dread Phoenix_ was just too much of a threat. So Ned put his doubts aside and drew out the Ice Plasma, sending it into the crystal. Ned was surprised when it turned a pale shade of blue, accepting this new power in a way he had not experienced with his first attempt. He could feel it moving out into the veins. It could not fill all of them; the Ice Plasma quickly drained from Ned's store and became saturated in the crystal web almost immediately. But it remained in his control, rooted where his hands touched the ball, and Ned knew what he had to do in the seconds remaining.

Aside from this room, the highest concentrations of the crystal were in the ship's most critical sections: the weapons, shield generators, and propulsion. Ned remembered the barrier he had sensed when trying to teleport a missile into the warp core. Already he could tell that that was too far away to extend his power, even with the assistance of this new device. But there was another concentration, right in the middle of the ship. That had to be a power core, and maybe the pricom. Ned sent the Ice Plasma into this mass of crystal, draining from everywhere else so he could make it stretch far enough. He felt the power settle in his target area just as the door flew apart, and Ned knew his time was up. He flared the Ice Plasma with one final command. From the ball at his hands to the twisted roots he was reaching out to, the crystal under his control shattered into a violent spray of tiny fragments.

Ned was thrown back as the pedestal and everything around it exploded, and the room itself splintered in several places. The Vortak that had just burst in were knocked around by the fragmenting crystal, and Ned fired missiles into the group as he crawled to his feet. He knew there would be more out there soon, but for the moment there was silence. The momentary rest offered him no relief, however; Ned became painfully aware of just how weak he had become in his head-on attack of this ship. _I have to find a way off this thing_.

Something about seeing Nedward's fighter explode had intensified Smardwurst's sense of guilt for sending his friend Ned off alone. Normally that feeling would have lingered, but in this case it was quickly overshadowed by the challenge his entire crew was facing to keep its distance from _Dread Phoenix_ and to hold off the Vortak fighters that were swarming his ship, trying to finish what the Ice Vortak had started on Izralith, or at least to prevent _Green Scorpion_ from getting a clean shot at a warp jump. The Vortak were certainly doing their job so far; Smardwurst had lost another couple of fighters, and _Mandible_ had taken so much damage that he had been forced to dock it and do what he could from the captain's chair. Of course, Güzhmäk would argue that this was where Smardwurst belonged in the first place, but protocol offered no consolation when his crew was fighting for their lives alone in deep space. And while the immediate decisions of battle did not leave a lot of room to think about Ned, somewhere in the back of his mind Smardwurst doubted that his friend was still alive. It was looking like the rest of the crew would be joining him soon.

Suddenly the battle readout of _Dread Phoenix_ snatched Smardwurst's attention. It showed a fluctuation across the ship's power grid, and its shields shuddered a bit before auxiliary power brought them back up. A faint, red haze escaped from the ship's Plasma weapon.

"Something happened on _Dread Phoenix_ ," an officer reported. "Its central weapons platforms are offline."

"That's no help to us," Güzhmäk growled. "Even if the whole thing blows up, these fighters are going to finish us off. We have to get out of here."

"They're not giving us an opening," the helm officer said frantically. "They'll blow our engines apart the moment we engage a warp field."

Smardwurst looked out at the array of viewscreens, hoping for inspiration. Instead, he saw another of his squadron's fighters explode, pinned down by a pair of Vortak ships. He clenched is fist in anger. "Call them in," he ordered. "They've done all they can out there. We are leaving." The fighters actually had warp capability, but they were slower than the ship, and the odds of a starfighter surviving a hyperspace jump in the middle of battle were even lower than a starship had.

Everyone on the pricom was clearly nervous, and Smardwurst shared the feeling, but there was a small chance that they might survive at warp long enough to reach Kirelis, and there was no chance out here. And as for Nedward... well, at least he was still alive and had apparently done some damage. His chances were probably better there than they would be on this ship anyway.

Smardwurst's thoughts were cut short as Kjrvlnk, who he had all but forgotten was on the pricom, abruptly ran out the door without a word. But whatever he was doing would have to wait; Smardwurst had just a minute or so to come up with some kind of an idea to get out of here without being ripped apart. He was far from confident in his plan when Güzhmäk turned to him with an earnest look. "Fighters are aboard, Captain."

"Good. Prepare to discharge all of our weapons at once. Detonate missiles between us and them; that might throw off their targeting."

"Ready."

"On my mark."

"Captain, there's-"

"Now."

The weapons fired, and then everything on the viewscreen faded as _Green Scorpion's_ warp field moved them into hyperspace. Less than a heartbeat later there were bright flashes from multiple directions as enemy lasers struck. The warp field buckled, intersecting the ship itself, and explosions tore through the hull in several places. A violent tremor shook the pricom as six or seven alarms went off simultaneously. It was as if the ship were shouting "I told you so" at Smardwurst for ignoring the laws of physics.

"Captain! We're venting drive plasma from the starboard engine, and we've lost a field coil on the port one."

Güzhmäk muttered something ominous as more reports rushed in.

"All weapons are offline."

"Gravity is down in the port section."

"Shields are gone!"

But that was all just noise to Smardwurst; they had survived the jump, and there was just one question that mattered now. "Can we stay at warp?"

"We're down to warp three; anything more and we'll blow the engines apart. Even at this speed I don't think they'll last more than a few minutes."

_Still not helpful._ "Can we make it to the planet?"

Everyone turned and looked at each other.

Smardwurst sighed. There was no sense in asking them to spend their time calculating odds. They would just have to wait and see.

There were not many options for Ned to consider. In spite of the damage to the walls, there was still just the one way out of this room, since he had no energy left to teleport. So unless Ned planned to defend this position forever, he had to move forward. But then what? He could probably find an airlock and jump into space, but even if he somehow managed to avoid getting shot, there was no guarantee that anyone was still out there to pick him up. There were probably escape hatches somewhere nearby, although on one of Viper's ships, even that was not necessarily a safe assumption. That left shuttles, or other fighters. It was possible that some were still docked in a launch bay somewhere, but even if Ned could reach one, how would he start it? He tried contacting _Green Scorpion_ , but it was no surprise when the link failed, blocked by interference mechanisms on the ship. Finally Ned decided that whatever he was going to do, he needed to get away from here before he became pinned in. He stood up, trying to ignore his suit's warning system and the weakness he felt in the middle of all this heat, and started forward.

He had to make his way across shattered crystal and twisted metal, but eventually Ned reached a section of corridor that was mostly intact. He stopped at an intersection, trying to sense what might be approaching. Dren did not appear to be close, and Ned hoped that the Flame Master was still afraid of the Ice Plasma, unaware that Ned had used it all up. There was a faint movement somewhere to the right and below, which might have been the Vortak. Ned sensed nothing to the left, but when he looked at that direction he noticed something. The corridor ended some distance away in a solid metal wall. Ned started toward it, beginning to piece together what it might mean. The red crystal had reached all the way through the ship, even through the outer hull. If he had destroyed enough of it, that might have caused a breach or two nearby, and it would make sense that the ship would have emergency bulkheads to seal off corridors that were exposed to space. Ned was still not sure what advantage that might offer, but it seemed foolish not to at least investigate a potential exit point, especially one that would probably not be guarded.

Ned's scanner indicated that the bulkhead was fairly thick, but he planted some grenades and stepped back, pressing himself against the wall and activating his boots' suction functionality in preparation for the strong wind he was expecting. It turned out to be a wise precaution; as soon as the grenades detonated, the air in the corridor rushed through the gap he had just blown, and the adhesion pads on his feet were the only thing that kept him from being blown along with it. The wind only lasted a moment, though, before another bulkhead quickly slammed down a bit farther up the corridor he had come from. When the remaining air had vented and he was sure everything was still again, Ned continued down the corridor.

As soon as he climbed through the hole in the bulkhead, Ned started seeing evidence of the damage he had caused. Broken crystal started crunching underfoot, and holes in the walls and ceiling bore evidence of where the veins had penetrated the metal just a short time before. Ned was starting to wonder if the hull breach might just be caused by those relatively small holes when he came around a turn and the floor ended abruptly, exposing the deck below. He ran to the edge and saw that he had reached the outer hull; a gaping hole marked the spot where a crystal vein had once reached out, presumably to gather heat energy as the shields were struck. Ned's mind reeled a bit at the perspective shift; he was used to looking at walls practically in front of his face, not a sparkling starfield billions of miles away.

There was still no sign of pursuit, and Ned realized that they might not even know where he was. After all, he had not used his power since destroying the Plasma weapon, and in spite of their ability to cling to walls, all of the nearby Vortak seemed to have been blown out into space. Either that, or they had died in their attack on Ned. Either way, Ned was eager to make use of whatever advantage he might have at the moment, so he jumped down to the lower deck and made his way to the hole in the ship.

The artificial gravity gave out as he stepped away from the corridor and into the broken metal shell, and Ned moved slowly, letting his boots grip the metal. Looking out, he saw that he was near the back of the ship's forward weapons tower. None of the weapons he could see were firing, and he decided to believe that this meant that his friends were safe.

Ned almost tried calling them, but he knew that doing so would pinpoint his location to any Vortak scanning for a signal. Instead, he peered down at the ship to see if there was anything interesting to learn. He could pick out other weapon platforms and what he assumed to be shield generators, along with the obvious warp drive section near the rear. The crystal was intact over most of the ship, but as he peered out through the opening he was standing in, Ned saw several other holes in the hull nearby. One of them was right in the middle of a missile launcher assembly. _That_ looked interesting.

Still expecting an attack at any moment, Ned stepped out with one foot, bracing himself with one hand as he bent his knee to let his boot attach to the outer hull, a full ninety-degree angle (or whatever that figured out to be in Anacronian numbers) to where he had been standing. He had been in space before, but standing on the outside of an enemy vessel got Ned's heart pounding quickly. Afraid he might freeze up and change his mind, he began making his way across the hull toward the opening he had spotted. He hoped desperately that no one would think to look for him out here, or that the crew was too busy with repairs to look at all. He found that keeping his eyes down, toward the hull, helped him ignore the ridiculously dangerous position he was in, and finally he had reached the hole. He carefully attached one boot and then the other to the inner surface, and then he was back in the ship's artificial gravity field.

Ned let out a deep breath and looked around. There were a lot of obscure computer readouts showing a language Ned could not decipher, but the assembly to his left was recognizable enough. The hand grips and trigger buttons were built for thinner, sharper limbs, but Ned knew a missile targeting system when he saw it. He quickly took hold of the two handles and gave them a gentle pull. The view on the screen in front of him swiveled, and Ned smiled. It seemed almost funny how the most dangerous devices in the galaxy were also the easiest to use. Now it was just a matter of picking a target.

This was only going to work for a short time, Ned knew. And because of the height of the tower he was in, Ned was not even sure that the missiles would be firing below the shield bubble; if not, he might not be able to do much damage even at this close range. But he was sure as Venom going to try. The warp drive was a clear target, but Ned preferred not to blow himself up along with the ship, so he targeted a shield generator midway across the ship instead. He squeezed the trigger, and the whole launch assembly gave a satisfying shudder as a projectile sped out of an aperture directly below him and slammed into the bulge in the hull ahead of him. Evidently the shields extended too far to protect the generator from the ship's own weapons, because the missile erupted into a silent but blinding flash, scattering metal in all directions. Ned fired several more times, and soon a larger explosion tore a huge hole where the generator had been. Pale light flashed in the space around _Dread Phoenix_ as the shields around that generator failed completely.

Maybe it was just the adrenaline pumping through him, but Ned could not help but laugh. It was a short-lived feeling, though, because all of a sudden Ned became aware of several points of energy moving toward his position. It occurred to him that his was not the only missile launcher on this ship, and the Vortak now knew exactly where he was. He had to get out of there, but he still had nowhere to run, so instead he moved the targeting reticle up to the rear of the ship. He had to believe that it was possible to damage the drive section without causing a warp core breach, especially when firing from in front of the engines. It was worth a shot. Ned fired again. Again the hull erupted with explosions, but with each shot Ned was relieved to find that neither the damage he had caused nor any incoming weapons fire had managed to vaporize him.

Suddenly everything in the room went dark, and Ned realized that the Vortak had cut power to his launcher. It was an effective way to stop his attack, but he wondered if maybe he had done more damage than he had realized by shattering the crystal veins in the ship's core. Surely they would have taken him out by now if they could fire from any of the weapons arrays down there. In any case, the Vortak moving through the corridors were very near his position now, so Ned ran back to the opening in the hull, pondering the option of just jumping into space and hoping no one would notice him. But he stopped abruptly as something huge moved downward to block his view of the ship and the starfield beyond.

Ned's breath caught in his throat, but after the initial shock he realized that he was looking at the jet-like form of an Anacronian fighter. The storage compartment on its underside was open, and Ned did not need instructions; he jumped clear of the missile launcher assembly, grasping desperately for the small, empty space behind the fighter's cockpit as he flew through the short gap of empty space. The compartment door began closing as soon as Ned was in, but he turned in time to see the image of _Dread Phoenix_ distort and vanish. Ned realized with a mix of surprise and relief that whoever was piloting this fighter had jumped to hyperspace, leaving Dren's ship and the threat of its weapons behind.

Of course, at warp it would be impossible to dodge any incoming fire, so if _Dread Phoenix_ managed to pursue them, it would probably take about ten seconds for the warship to destroy a single fighter.

"Nedward. You survived."

Somehow, the Vortak in the cockpit ahead of him managed to convey as much surprise as Ned felt. "Just barely," he replied. "Is everyone else okay?"

"No," Kjrvlnk replied simply. "They decided to try a hyperspace jump to Kirelis while under attack. We are headed there to join them, if they make it. It seems that _Dread Phoenix_ is too damaged to follow us now, but there are two shuttles that have just begun pursuit. This fighter is in no condition to battle them."

"Can we contact Smardwurst?"

"I just tried. There is no response."

Ned lay back in the cramped darkness and sighed, feeling weak and helpless. He was not sure what worried him more – what pursued him from behind or what he might find ahead. He suspected that neither would be very pleasant.

### Chapter 23

Smardwurst knew he could not let his crew think their captain was in a panic, but frankly he was not sure how much better their situation was now than it had been with the Vortak fighters. He had had to evacuate large parts of the ship due to the damage the warp field distortion had caused, and the engines were still threatening to go at any moment. If he waited too long, they might take the whole ship with them, but if he dropped out of warp before reaching the planet, there would again be no place to run or hide, and he would have caused all this damage for nothing. Of course, that was assuming that the Vortak were in pursuit; the warp range sensors were out, but it seemed like a good assumption that they were. If _Dread Phoenix_ still had warp capability, it would have caught up to them by now, so there was some chance that their pursuers would be small. But even a few fighters would be a threat at this point.

"We're almost there, Captain."

"Cut power to the core as soon as we're back in phase space. But be ready to abandon the ship."

A timer on the screen clicked down to zero, and the engineers cut power to the warp core. _Green Scorpion_ dropped into phase space within sight of Kirelis Two, but the abrupt change to the power flow overloaded the field regulators, and the drive coils blew out the back of the ship, sending it into a fiery spin. Smardwurst gripped his armrests as his crew tried to regain control of what was left of the ship, trying to just be thankful that they had contained the explosion and avoided a core breach.

"That damaged the graviton thrusters too, Captain. I'm not sure how long they'll last."

"Scan the planet," he ordered. "Find us a landing site." It was probably unnecessary to give that order, since the crew had undoubtedly been thinking of little else than how to set the ship down somewhere relatively defensible. The ship's thrusters stabilized its approach, and the planet filled the forward view screen.

"Sir, a fighter just dropped out of warp. It's one of ours."

"Kjrvlnk," Smardwurst said in surprise, mixed with a glimmer of hope. Their Vortak companion had practically thrown one of their pilots to the ground in his rush to grab a fighter and launch just before _Green Scorpion_ had jumped to hyperspace, but there had not been a lot of time to wonder why or to speculate on his chances against the fighter squadron he had just left.

"His shields are down, and it's missing half a wing, but there are two life signs aboard."

Kjrvlnk's face appeared on the viewscreen as a com link opened. "Captain Varlon. I have Nedward. There are two Vortak shuttles right behind us. It took them a while to launch, but they are coming in at warp ten." Faster than any of the shuttles or fighters on _Green Scorpion_.

Then Ned's voice joined in, although it was just audio. "Smardwurst!" He sounded relived but very weak. "Are you all right?"

Smardwurst did not know how to answer. He felt relieved to hear from his companions, but he reminded himself that being here together simply ensured that they were all in immediate danger. "Hold your position," he told them. We are still analyzing the situation." He turned to Güzhmäk, who was studying several system reports at once. "We should launch the fighters, since they can still warp away if they have to. Should we land the ship or just eject the escape pods?"

"We're not in a proper orbit," Güzhmäk explained. "If we don't land now, we may crash later when the engines fail. And the Vortak will have no trouble picking off escape pods if they want to."

"Land us then."

"And we were only able to launch two fighters. The rest are too damaged or pinned behind rubble in the launch bay."

_Green Scorpion_ accelerated toward the daylight side of the planet, and Smardwurst turned back to Kjrvlnk. "I wonder if the fighters should hide on the night side."

It was too late. A pair of Vortak ships dropped out of warp and opened fire on _Green Scorpion_ and Kjrvlnk, who was still racing to catch up to the larger ship. The Vortak ships were just shuttles and did not have the maneuverability or firepower of fighters, and Kjrvlnk managed to dodge them for a while as he rushed to catch up to _Green Scorpion_ , which was already plunging into the atmosphere. But before the two other Anacronian fighters could join the battle, Kjrvlnk was hit by a missile. At nearly the same instant, one of _Green Scorpion's_ graviton thrusters exploded, turning an already shaky descent into what was sure to be a crash. Smardwurst lost all sense of the battle behind him as a mountain range rushed up to meet his ship. "There!" he shouted, pointing toward a cliff wall in a lightly forested valley. He figured the ship might be able to defend itself if it only had to protect one direction. Assuming the shields and weapons survived the landing.

"Brace yourselves," Güzhmäk yelled haphazardly into the shipwide com link. The artificial gravity faltered a bit as the ship pitched violently, orienting itself coming out the dive as it approached the spot Smardwurst had indicated. The effort blew out another graviton thruster, and the ship dropped the last several meters to the ground in freefall. Everyone held on as it rocked to the side on its curved ventral hull, finally coming to rest against the mountainside with the low grinding sound of metal on rock.

"We're down," Güzhmäk announced when everything was quiet.

Smardwurst was already scanning the sky, looking for signs of the battle up there. It was not at all what he had hoped to see.

Ned slammed against the door of the cargo hold as something horrible happened to the fighter. All he could do was brace himself; he did not dare risk distracting Kjrvlnk with questions now. It was clear enough that they were under attack, but he was going to trust Kjrvlnk to handle the details.

"We are hit badly," Kjrvlnk announced as the fighter began to shake again. "I will attempt to land us near _Green Scorpion_."

Ned nodded, trying to piece together an image of what was going on out there.

"The Vortak shuttle is following us, but they are damaged as well. They are having trouble in the atmosphere, I think."

"What about the other one?" Ned felt a little guilty for letting his curiosity override the plan to let Kjrvlnk concentrate, but being stuck in this box while a battle was going on was overwhelming.

"It is hanging back; your friends' fighters seem to be keeping it at bay. Or maybe they just do not want to risk losing their only way out of here." It made sense, Ned supposed. There had to be someone left to tell Nakmar Dren that they had shot down the former Shield Master.

Something hit the fighter again, this time accompanied by rending sound and a rush of air. Before Ned could even think to ask what had happened, one side of the compartment he was in was ripped open, and Ned found himself falling through the open sky. As he spun around, he saw that the fighter he had been in was missing a good third of its volume. Farther up, the flat, red shape of the Vortak shuttle was still spraying laser fire in a random pattern as it spiraled downward, trailing smoke. Ned knew he should be doing something to stop his fall, but he found himself paralyzed by a moment of sheer panic.

Then he saw the canopy blow away from the wrecked fighter's cockpit, and Kjrvlnk's wiry form came rushing toward him. Ned had the presence of mind to at least extend his limbs, slowing his fall so that Kjrvlnk could catch up. Once he reached terminal velocity, his stomach stopped lurching quite so much, and finally Kjrvlnk came slamming into him. Four of his limbs held Ned close while another one deployed the parachute that Ned had merely been hoping he would be carrying. Ned felt himself yanked upward as their fall slowed abruptly, and Ned decided to hazard a look around. They were in a valley, already below the surrounding peaks. A bulk of metal that must have been _Green Scorpion_ was visible several miles up; they were headed toward it, but there was no way they were going to make it before they landed. As they neared the ground, a loud crashing sound echoed from somewhere behind them.

"That was the Vortak shuttle," Kjrvlnk said. "They will be looking for us. We must hurry."

Ned had almost started to enjoy the descent; at least he did not have to worry about making any mistakes when all he could do was to hold on. But soon they drifted to a stop in a small clearing, hitting the ground with a jarring thud, and Ned's anxiety started building again. He was, after all, still being hunted by a group of insects, plus an enemy ship somewhere up there.

"This way," Kjrvlnk said, pointing into the trees. He skittered off at a surprising speed, and Ned ran after him.

"Can we call Smardwurst?" Ned asked. He was not sure why, but he felt like talking to his friend might be helpful, somehow.

"We should not risk transmissions until the Vortak spot us. Smardwurst will have seen us; he will be looking for us."

The trees up here were thin and sparse, and Ned caught frequent glances of the valley beyond and the sky above. The only evidence that anything was wrong here were the hard-edged footprints he and Kjrvlnk left in the dirt.

Soon Ned's helmet readout showed several figures moving. There were at least ten behind him, spreading out to either side as they approached. Two more approached from in front. That had to be Smardwurst. Ned tried to quicken his pace, although he was already pushing himself as hard as he could manage. He tried to ignore the fact that the dots behind were closer than the ones ahead.

"Do you see them?" Kjrvlnk called back without stopping.

Ned nodded; he was too out of breath to respond verbally.

"Move toward them. I am going to double back and draw some of the attack away from you."

Ned was not entirely happy with the idea of Kjrvlnk heading off alone, but he seemed to know what he was doing, and Ned was in no state to argue or come up with an alternative, so he just kept running forward as Kjrvlnk turned right and vanished from sight. The trees were even more spread out now, and Ned found himself climbing over and around boulders as much as traveling over flat ground. Something told him that the Vortak were having less trouble with the rocky climb than he was.

Laser fire some distance behind him diverted his attention for a moment, and he stopped for a moment to catch his breath. The lasers were traveling in both directions, but many of the dots on his visor kept approaching. Ned had just barely started moving again when laser shots exploded against the rock just a few meters away from him. He dodged behind a rock and continued moving. He was feeling even more panicked now; he could stop and return fire, but he only had a few missiles left, and he knew he would be useless with a hand blaster at this range. He had tried to gather Plasma energy as he ran, but he still felt too weak to want to expend power firing at a distance. So for now, he just ran.

He had been right about the Vortak approaching faster. Ned was moving up a rocky slope when lasers came at him again. This time the shots came from just behind the trees at the base of the slope, and several struck his armor before he could even think about dodging. Ned turned and fired missiles toward the sources of the shots, which were coming from three or four spots at once. The laser fire died down a bit, but out of the corner of his visor he spotted red figures moving up the rocks off to the sides. The laser attacks had just been a distraction, he realized. They were moving to surround him right now. Ned did not want to be caught on this slope when he was attacked again, so he resumed his desperate climb.

By the time he reached the top, Ned was out of breath again, and he stopped with his back against a tree. The dots on his visor coming down from _Green Scorpion_ were still a ways off, and the Vortak were all around him now, gathering just out of sight. Ned readied himself to make his stand.

They came out from all directions at once, their red bodies clashing violently with the mountain landscape. Ned emptied his missile launcher in a quick sweep, then turned and returned fire with his blaster, protecting his armor with as much of a Plasma shield as he could manage. He knocked a few Vortak to the ground, but as he turned to focus on other attackers, the first group rose up and resumed their attack.

_Curse_ , Ned thought. _Even here the heat doesn't threaten them._ But Ned was far from giving up. He reached out with the Plasma to target the blaster the nearest Vortak was carrying and fired a bolt of lightning at it. The weapon exploded, and Ned felt a rush of determination. _That_ was something they could not regenerate. He holstered his blaster and extended both hands, destroying the weapons of several more Vortak before the first one reached him. Two sharp-edged limbs swung down, splintering into Ned's armor and knocking him to the ground. More Vortak jumped toward him, but Ned pushed them all back with a surge of blue energy as he rolled to his feet. He took out the blasters of two more Vortak, but now there were five or six all around him, ready to strike. Ned grabbed his blaster again, hoping to conserve what little bit of energy he had left. He fired, knocking one of the creatures to the ground, knowing even in the act how futile it was. Ned was wondering how much damage he could do with his fists when something skittered out from behind a tree and plunged into the midst of the battle. The nearest Vortak went down in a flurry of green limbs, and recognition dawned on Ned with a glimmer of hope. "Guz!"

Ned disarmed the remaining Vortak holding blasters and prepared to meet the next charge, but Smardwurst's huge pet moved so quickly that for the moment he drew their attackers' full attention. Guz's huge claws clamped onto the red creatures so quickly that they had no chance to escape, and one stab from his huge tail left them motionless on the ground. The Vortak managed to attack some of Guz's legs, but he seemed to ignore the damage. Ned was so impressed by the creature's unexpected loyalty that for a moment he stood and fought, knocking the Vortak back with his blaster. But a beep from the com link quickly reminded him of the larger picture.

"Nedward! Can you get away?"

"Smardwurst!" Ned looked around and realized Guz was holding the remaining Vortak at bay, although more were approaching from below. "Yes. On my way." Ned began running again. He felt a bit guilty leaving Guz, but there were actual people in danger here, not least of all himself.

Scrambling along a rocky slope, Ned managed to put some distance between himself and the Vortak that Guz had rescued him from. There were a lot of them coming up behind them – presumably the ones that Kjrvlnk had drawn off. He told himself that must mean that they had let Kjrvlnk go when they learned where Ned was. By the time he reached Smardwurst, Ned was out of breath again, and he collapsed against a boulder.

Smardwurst did not look much better. He ran up to Ned and took hold of his shoulders, peering into the visor while the crewmember accompanying him took position behind the rock and peered over it through the scope of his carbine. Ned deactivated his helmet so he could look Smardwurst in the eye. "They're right behind me," he said, still feeling overwhelmed with panic. "Kjrvlnk drew some of them off for a while, and Guz..."

"You need to get back to the ship," Smardwurst said urgently. "We will hold them off."

Ned almost left, but something kept him rooted to the spot. "There are a lot of them," he managed weakly.

"I see them," the other man said. "There are-"

He never finished. A laser blast from off to the left caught him in the chest, and he fell to the ground without another word. Smardwurst immediately fired toward the source of the shot, and Ned reengaged his helmet. He was dismayed to see just how close the Vortak had come. They were surrounded already.

"Move!" Smardwurst shoved Ned ahead of him. They both scrambled farther into the rocks, but it was clear from the readout that they would not get far. Ned was struck by a few stray laser shots as they moved into a cluster of rocks that was as good a cover as they were going to get.

"The fighters are tied up with other shuttle," Smardwurst said. "We are on our own."

"How far is it back to the ship?"

"Too far. I should have brought more people."

"No. We can do this." But the words felt as much like a lie as anything Ned had ever said.

Then the Vortak were on them, and Ned and Smardwurst both gave all their attention to the firefight. Ned stepped out from the boulder and knocked a few of the Vortak down, but the ones with weapons were staying too far away for Ned to target accurately, even with a Plasma beam. Several others were making their way closer, apparently intent on continuing the battle hand to hand. Ned's power was very weak, but when he spotted three Vortak together he could not help but use what he had. He let them get a little closer and then teleported a grenade right up next to them. The explosion took out all three, but the effort left Ned feeling completely drained.

Behind him, Smardwurst grunted, and Ned turned to see him throw his carbine away from him. The weapon was sparking furiously, apparently hit by enemy fire. "Get ready," Smardwurst said. "They are coming."

An instant later, four of the red creatures leapt at the pair from different directions at once. Smardwurst was at least twice the size of any of them, and he managed to drop the first one with a blow to the head, but he just barely managed to block a swing from another one's claw. This Vortak managed to connect with another limb, and Smardwurst flinched as something sparked between his skin and the Vortak's arm. Ned ran forward, slamming into the creature with his metal-clad shoulder and knocking it free of Smardwurst, who turned to floor another Vortak with a swing of his huge fist. The fourth Vortak was already charging at Ned, but suddenly Smardwurst's mouth opened wider than Ned would have thought possible, and his tongue lashed out, slamming into the Vortak's face while it was still several meters away. Before Ned could even register what had happened, Smardwurst reeled the creature in and clamped his jaws over it as he caught its body with his arms. He gave a sharp twist and then dropped the lifeless form to the ground. Smardwurst spat distastefully, then turned to Ned. "Run," he said sternly. "Whatever happens, you need to make it back to the ship."

Ned nodded, but the whole world seemed to be spinning. His heart was pounding, and his thoughts and emotions were too jumbled to allow a clear decision.

" _Go!_ "

This time Ned turned and began making his way higher up the slope, but each step he took seemed to take something away from him. Memories from the past few days flooded back, and Ned could not help but think of how many people had died so that he could take these steps. Starfighter pilots. The transport shuttle crew. Probably Kjrvlnk. Even Kayleen Rax, he supposed, although that was not the same. But Smardwurst – somehow Ned could not let that go. He was giving everything to protect Nedward. His ship, his pet, the safety of his crew, and now his life. There was no way Smardwurst could survive the attack they both knew was coming. He would fight long and hard, and Ned would probably make it back to the protection of _Green Scorpion_ , and surely help would arrive before two shuttles' worth of Vortak could breach the ship, even in its wrecked state. But more people were going to die before that help arrived. Still, what choice did he have? And then, with a suddenness that shocked Ned so much he stopped in his tracks, the desperation and panic gave way to a moment of clarity.

You can fix this.

The voice in his head was his own, but he could imagine any number of people saying those words. Koral. Mirana. Maybe even his father. Ned took a deep breath. The plan forming in his mind was not exactly appealing, even compared with his previous ones. But somehow it felt right.

You can fix this.

"Nedward, run!"

Ned turned and found that he had not really moved very far from Smardwurst's position, and now he sprinted back to the boulder where his friend was leaning against a rock, trying unsuccessfully to hide the pain he felt from his wound. Smardwurst gave him a look of shocked disapproval as Ned came to a stop.

"I have a plan," Ned said as convincingly as he could manage. Smardwurst looked skeptical, but Ned closed his eyes and drew as much power into himself as he could. There was not much; he had been exerting himself for too long to be able to gather much strength now. But he only needed a little.

"They are coming!" Smardwurst whispered urgently, trying to peer through Ned's visor. The gesture made Ned smile, and his plan solidified a bit further. He set down his blaster, then deactivated his armor and pulled the armor's activator pin from his pocket.

"Smardwurst," he said calmly. "You are the best friend a guy could hope for. You've made me what I am. But I've-"

"No!" Smardwurst's yell was a little terrifying, and Ned stepped back a bit as those huge arms fastened around his shoulders as if to shake Ned to his senses. But Ned was ready. He pressed the activator pin to Smardwurst's chest and sent a stream of Plasma into it. Blue light surged all around the Zalorian, holding him in place as the metal reformed around him. At the same instant, Ned grabbed his blaster, turned, and teleported himself as far as he could down the slope. He came out of the vortex totally spent, but he managed to draw his weapon and take down one of the Vortak before the others realized he had moved. Then a flash of light burned into his shoulder, and everything disappeared in a rush of pain.

Smardwurst recovered quickly from the sudden jolt, but Ned had already vanished. Ignoring the stream of data the helmet was throwing in front of his face, he hurried to the edge of the boulder and looked around it just in time to see a laser blast fire clear through Ned's shoulder. Smardwurst shouted in rage and started down the slope, but even before Ned hit the ground he was struck again, this time through the chest. The shots did not stop, and Smardwurst slowed, involuntarily raising his gloved hand to the level of his mouth in shock. Those wounds were... not survivable.

The laser fire then turned back to Smardwurst, and the suit he was wearing warned him that its structural integrity was failing. He reluctantly backed up into the cover of the rocks, but he could not bring himself to leave. He kept peering around the corner as a few Vortak rushed toward Ned's fallen form and lifted his body. They must have wanted to keep him recognizable for Dark Viper; Ned's head was intact, but his torso was riddled with laser shots, any of which would have been fatal. The helmet's vitality readout only confirmed the obvious: Nedward Simmons was dead.

## <LEGACY>
### Chapter 24

Gray skies spread from the mountain tops to the city skyline, and a heavy rain drenched everything in sight. But Mirana had experienced enough time hidden in transport shuttles for one week, so she slogged through the downpour with no protection but a raincoat. The water splashing on her face was cold, but it was also somehow cathartic, as if it were washing away the stress of the past few days and the uncertainty of the future. Of course, it would have to wash away a lot more than that before Mirana could really relax, but for the moment it was enough.

A few people passed her on the street, but they all had their heads ducked into their hoods like she did, trying to avoid getting splashed by the passing hovercrafts. Mostly, though, the streets were empty, and Mirana was alone with the sound of water running off of the metal buildings. Once, this city had been home to her, but the Anacronian Capitol had changed a lot in recent years. Even aside from her home being vaporized, the entire planet had been evacuated during the Alien War, and everyone living here now had been forced to quickly abandon their new homes on Venom, minutes before their new Plasma-generated city had been blown apart. One more thing they could all blame Mirana for, she thought with a wry smile. Not that they had room to complain. Anacron was prospering nicely under the new government.

As if to offer evidence of the government's prosperity, the Imperial Palace came into view, reaching above the other buildings like a metallic mountain. Mirana looked up at it as she approached, ignoring the extra water on her face as her hood fell back a little. She had a long history with that place. She could still remember the night she had let Koral Ralok leave the planet, taking the Shield Crystal beyond Trelan Thendrak's grasp. She had regretted that moment for years, and yet in hindsight it had been one of her better choices, even if she had made it mostly in ignorance. She shook her head and pulled the hood closer. In a way she wished she could just put all that behind her, and yet here she was, trying to dig even deeper into her strange history. She wondered if she would ever move past it.

Eventually the street ended at a transport center. The hovercrafts entered a tunnel that lead down to a checkpoint and the tunnels that served the palace and its surrounding buildings, while the sidewalk rose up toward an entrance to the building some distance above street level. Mirana followed the path until it led through the doors, then stopped inside to let herself dry off for a moment. She almost decided to continue as she was, using her own credentials; after all, what would be the harm even if someone did spot her here, surrounded by Imperial security? But she had snuck onto this planet and she was definitely going to leave unnoticed, so she could not really justify the risk of being exposed in-between. So she took a deep breath and started looking around the terminal for a secluded place to vanish.

Riding on the outside of shuttles and sneaking around silently really was harder without her armor, but Mirana managed to tail people all the way to the main palace tower and through a service entrance; getting into a maintenance passage was a simple matter after that. Mirana had been sneaking around this building practically since she had been a child, just as a way of practicing her abilities, and while being here again did not exactly feel nostalgic, it was certainly less stressful than most other places she had infiltrated. Finally she made her way up to the residential floors, where camera coverage was practically nonexistent. She dropped down from a ceiling passage and into a quiet hallway and made her way to a nearby door, where she knocked, as if that whole trip had been a perfectly normal commute. She almost forgot to drop the Shadow field.

"Mirana?" She smiled as the door slid open and a young teenage boy regarded her in surprise. A much younger girl peeked shyly from around a corner at the back of the large entrance room.

"Can I come in?"

Ren Marnax chuckled, still looking stunned. "Yeah, come on in. Mom's away at some meeting, and I think Jenez is downstairs practicing moogball or something. I was just doing homework."

Mirana followed Ren in and sat down across from him at a console table that was showing several documents at once. Lizia's young face returned Mirana's smile, but then she ran off into another room, ribbons bouncing in her hair. Mirana had left the Marnax home before Lizia had been born, so it was hardly a surprise that the little girl was being shy.

"It's been a while," Ren said.

"Yeah. I've been busy. You know, spying on people, knocking bad guys around. What have you been up to?"

"Not much. I have Mr. Deltrix for history, and he wants us to memorize like everything that ever happened on Chigraltis Prime, as if anybody cares. And then he grades us really hard on stuff that doesn't even matter, like punctuation. He's such a belchmonger."

Mirana chuckled. "Yes, history can be tough to get through. There's some interesting stuff there if you dig deep enough, though. I'm having a bit of trouble with it myself, actually... So how's Rinel?"

"She's good."

Mirana waited for several seconds before realizing that that was all the information she was going to get without further prodding. "She was working on some kind of planetary reclamation project, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, trying to fix up the other planets that were evacuated during the war. The _other_ war, I guess."

Ren's eyes dropped as he said this last sentence, and Mirana realized that as much as Ren was trying to live a normal life, having his father away had to be making things hard.

"I saw Gerran just a few days ago," Mirana said, trying to sound casual. "He was doing well. _Galactron_ is a great ship."

"I know."

_So much for casual conversation_ , she thought. "I had a long walk. Do you mind if I get something to eat?"

Ren smiled. "No, I'm afraid the kitchen is off-limits to military personnel."

Mirana smirked at him. "Well you're going to have to stop me then!" And with that, she vanished and ran to the kitchen. Ren didn't follow, but when Mirana turned she saw that he was biting his lip to hold back a smile. Ren and Jenez had grown up with Mirana around most of the time until she had moved out, and neither of them had really gotten used to their almost-sister being a mercenary; the Shadow Plasma was completely beyond them. But Mirana always got a sense of satisfaction from using it around them, maybe because this was the only casual use for her power that she had found.

Jenez came down just as Mirana was finishing up the sandwich she had made. Mirana was shocked at how old she looked; she was a couple of years younger than Ren but much taller than she had been the last time Mirana had seen her.

Jenez smiled and ran forward. "Tickle laser!" she shouted, poking Mirana in the side.

"Not fair!" Mirana protested. "I don't think I can lift you anymore." The usual response would be to pick Jenez up and "fly" her around like a starfighter.

"Taking a vacation?"

"I wish. I'm here to annoy your mom with some galactic-order stress."

"Sounds good." Jenez looked around. "Where is _he_ at?"

"Who?"

"You know, the mysterious Plasma Master."

Mirana chuckled at the assumption that she would have brought Ned here. "I have no idea. Safe I hope. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if it's true. You know, what they're saying."

"What? Who is saying _what_ about me?"

"Everyone. You know, on the social network. Your fans."

"My _fans_?" This news was going downhill fast.

"Yeah. They say you and Nedward Simmons are dating! Flying around in secret so Dark Viper can't break you up. They say there are Plasma sparks when you kiss. So is it true?"

Mirana took Jenez by the shoulders and fixed her with a serious look. "Listen very carefully. There is not a micron of truth to anything you read or hear on that network, about me or probably anything else. I am not dating Ned Simmons. There are no sparks. And I do not want any fans!"

Jenez giggled and looked away. "Whatever."

Mirana shook her head in disgust. "Tell me about something else."

"Stuff's pretty normal here."

"Are _you_ dating anyone?"

"No."

"Good."

"I have to beat the guys away with a broom, though."

"Let me know if you need help."

Jenez smiled wistfully. "Dad scares them enough, I think. You should have seen him when Elrig asked me to go to Hradix beach with him over the break..."

"I saw Gerran a couple of days ago," Mirana heard herself saying for the second time. "He's doing well."

Jenez nodded. "We never hear anything about what's going on."

"That's because we're going to take care of it before there's anything to tell. No sense getting distracted from your moogball tournament."

Poke. "Tickle laser!"

"All right you little-"

But Jenez had already run off. Mirana ran after her with a smile, happy for the chance to ignore whatever it was they had been talking about.

Rinel came home a short time later carrying bags of warm food; in spite of her many years in Imperial housing, she had never liked the idea of servants walking through her home, so she always insisted on picking up the meals her family did not make themselves from the kitchen. Lizia accosted her the moment she was in the door, and she had to set down the bags quickly to avoid being knocked off balance by the arms wrapped around her legs. She laughed and spun her daughter around a few times. Mirana let Ren and Jenez greet their mother too before poking around a corner herself.

"Mirana!"

"It's funny," Mirana said with a smile. "Everyone I meet is always so surprised to see me!"

"Why ever could that be?"

Rinel hugged the older children and then embraced Mirana just as warmly, and for a moment Mirana felt like she were ten years old again, coming home after a normal day at school.

Mirana knew better than to bring up the war before dinner, so she helped set the table and then ate mostly in silence, content to watch what she realized was the only normal family activity she had witnessed in years. It was nice to think that her work was making this possible for someone, even if Mirana were unlikely to ever experience it for herself.

When it was done, Rinel carried Lizia into a living area with ridiculously comfortable chairs and collapsed into one of them. Mirana sat down across from her and found that she had to resist the urge to just lean back and fall asleep instead of addressing the real reason she was here.

"Just taking a break?" Rinel obviously knew the answer to that.

"Yeah, I wish." Mirana spent some time filling Rinel in on classified information that she was probably not supposed to have but clearly did not mind being told, about the battle and Mirana's investigations into the enemy Plasma Masters. She was vague about the actual battle details, not wanting to worry Rinel or Lizia, although the little girl was far too young to understand or care about any of it.

"I'm glad he's well," Rinel said when Mirana had finished. "I suppose he knows what he's doing."

"I'm sure he does. _I'm_ the one who's a little lost. That's why I kind of need your help."

"What do you need?"

"This next part needs to stay very quiet."

Rinel nodded in understanding. "Lizia, could you go tell Ren I asked him to get you some dessert?" She did not have to say any more than that; her daughter was out of the room in seconds.

"I need to get to Palandora," Mirana said once they were alone. "There are high speed shuttles going there once in a while, but I was hoping to bring _Nightsong_ along. I launched it from Delta Epsilon to a shipping company that's storing it on Anacron, in a very large crate, without any record of association with me. I was hoping you could ship it to Palandora for me, and then I could sneak onto the ship that would carry it."

"You don't think it would look suspicious for me to make a shipment to Palandora?"

"Not if Kayleen Rax had ordered some hydrolithium filters for her main production facility."

"Did she?"

Mirana tilted her head innocently. "Sort of."

"You know, this hacking habit you have is going to get you into trouble someday."

"It almost got me killed a couple of days ago, but what can I say? Bad habits are-"

"All right," Rinel said. "I'm still confused though. If you can hack Rax's corporate data, why not make it look like someone else sent the shipment?"

"The problem isn't who sends it; it's who _authorizes_ it. If the shipping company looks too closely and finds my fighter, my cover is blown. But if the Emperor's wife signs off on a shipment, that means the scanning has already been done, and the shipping crew will pass it over without a second thought. And that kind of authorization is something I can't fabricate."

Rinel took a deep breath, obviously displeased. "I want to help, but I'm sure you can see why I'm concerned. If someone figures out what happened – even after the fact – they might come back here looking for more information. I know security is good around here, but if you can get in, then it's possible that someone else could too."

Mirana had considered the same possibility, and now she was feeling rotten for having brought the idea up at all. "I did think of that," she said. "I've fabricated the information trail back past you, to make it look like the request is coming to you from a random office in your reclamation program. I'm hoping that anyone who looks will just think you were part of the bureaucracy I fooled. But... I understand if you feel it's too big a risk."

"But, you feel this is important."

"I had to leave _Nemesis_ behind so it could help in the war. Sooner or later, I expect to be attacked, and I'd like to have the strongest thing possible at hand, which means _Nightsong_. And even though I'm not even certain I'll find anything on Palandora, it's my only lead – it's kind of my last hope of finding out something about the Plasma that Viper doesn't know, or at least to find out what he _does_ know and even things out."

Rinel was looking off at a simulated window. "I hate this whole thing. I hated the idea of Gerran in the middle of war, I hate the idea of you risking yourself, and I hate the fact that the kids can't live a normal life without attention from a hundred planets every time they step outside." She sounded bitter, but her eyes were soft when she looked back at Mirana. "But I understand why you do what you do. It's a worthy cause. And I know you'll do everything you can to keep us safe. So tell me what you need me to do."

"I love you." The words were out almost before Mirana realized she was saying them, and all of a sudden she felt awkward, like she had impersonated someone else. But it made Rinel smile, and all of a sudden Mirana was that ten-year-old girl again. "The next time you see me, this will all be over, and everything will be back to normal."

Rinel nodded. "I think I can hold out until then."

### Chapter 25

A gust of wind blew through the forest clearing as X removed the last batch of waffles from his portable griddle, stacking them next to the biscuits and fruit he had arranged on the small, wooden table. He looked over everything to make sure it was ready and decided that it must be, given the difficulty he was having in not eating right away. He looked around to distract himself. The sky was blue and the air was clear, but that was the case so often that it was easy to forget to enjoy it – after all, the climate was one of the reasons Koral's group had started a colony here in the first place. Not that one could call it a "colony" anymore. Pretty much everything had changed in the last few years, since Nedward Simmons had come here looking for Koral. But, X supposed, that whole matter was also a large part of the reason why the colonists had ended up here in the first place, so he could not really complain.

X looked up as he heard footsteps approaching along the path, and a moment later Jenara appeared. If he ignored the crown and the meters of excess pastel silk billowing around her, X could still see the girl he had grown up with, her unique mixture of innocence and confidence evident behind her sparkling eyes. Jenara had changed a lot as well, of course, but in spite of her duties as Queen she had insisted that X meet her for breakfast at least once a week, so at least they were still in contact. Of course, once a week was a lot less frequent than what he would have expected a couple of years ago, but that was old news. At least he had been able to get her to agree to meet outdoors; the palace had become downright stuffy with all the business and politics lurking around every corner. Arranging security for the palace was one thing, but that was no reason why he should have to actually _go_ there.

"Good morning," Jenara said with her usual friendly smile. "How are you?"

"Pretty good," X said. "No incidents, training stats are up, and traffic seems pretty normal."

Jenara rolled her eyes. "I know _that_." She reached up to give him a quick hug and pat on the back. "I mean, how are _you_ doing? Any news from Valkron?"

X shrugged. "He's bored. I think we've flown over the whole continent by now, and I don't even have any new questions to ask him. But everything's going okay. How is it with you?"

"I'm doing well," Jenara said pleasantly as she sat down, her dress rustling as she eyed the food. "This looks delicious."

X sat down across from her. "What can I say? I'm that good."

"Do you know who wants to meet with me this afternoon? An ambassador from Jeltarix. He wants to work on a _treaty_. As if we could think of something to fight about if we tried."

X shrugged. "They're the closest thing we have to neighbors, I guess. They probably just want to check a box on a form somewhere so they can officially say they're at peace with everyone in the neighborhood."

"I guess so." Jenara tilted her head as she said it, and X lost track of the conversation as her golden, meticulously-curled hair moved across her shoulder.

"You look good," he heard himself say, then felt like he needed to back that up with something. "That should keep the ambassador a bit of guard; you could probably get him to agree to some goofy terms if you want." He punctuated his comment with a mischievous smile in an attempt to hide the sincerity of his compliment.

"Thank you," Jenara said, fixing him with a knowing look. She had seen through his attempted cover-up, of course, but it did not matter. They both knew how each other felt, and there was no sense dwelling on the matter.

X swallowed his sense of awkwardness and changed the subject. "So, any news on the war?"

Jenara's expression turned serious. "Nothing new. Marnax is holding ground, and everyone's on alert. They're not releasing a lot of details."

X nodded. He had taken Palandora's limited resources into battle last time, but now that there was an entire planet to defend, everyone had agreed that defending the nebular corridor was the only priority this time around. And even if they had decided to send a ship or two, X would have stayed.

Jenara took a bite of her waffle, but she was obviously preoccupied. "I just wish we could have done something about Kayleen Rax. To think of her being a Plasma Master again..."

"I know, but once she had immunity she never broke the law, as far as anyone could tell. There was nothing you could do."

"Where do you think she is?"

"I know where I _hope_ she is." X realized that he had stopped eating. It had been hard enough living on the same planet with the woman who had killed Koral Ralok, but to think that she might be involved in some new plot made his stomach turn. "What do you think will happen with her company?"

Jenara shrugged, looking disgusted. "They'll figure something out, and if it collapses then someone else will fill in the gap. We don't _need_ her – we never did."

"I guess in a sense, the fact that we are still here, living in peace is proof that she failed. I know she wouldn't have left us like this if she had a choice."

Jenara nodded and then washed the whole matter down with a glass of bright red fruit juice. "Wow," she said. "What is this?"

"It's from some kind of berry I found near Neridis Lake. They're so squishy you can't really eat them with your hands, but it makes good juice."

She set the glass down with a thoughtful look on her face. "We landed on a weird planet. X. Ever wonder why we're here?"

"Every single day. That's why I keep looking."

They ate in silence for a while, and X tried to focus on the sounds of animals in the trees around him even though Jenara's presence seemed to demand his attention. It had become a weekly challenge for him to notice her without letting himself feel anything. He was still working on it. Then there was a rustling in the trees as someone hurried toward them, presumably one of the guards who would have the place surrounded for Jenara's safety. The guard burst through the trees at a run, carrying a large metal case. Jenara rose to greet him, and the man bowed low before speaking.

"Your majesty, there's a problem at the corridor. There's a transport ship that refuses to turn around. The captain seems worried about something, but he will only talk to you. I apologize for interrupting your meal."

Jenara frowned. We've been broadcasting the closure for days now, right?"

"Yes, your highness. We would have waited to tell you, but General Orvinder is worried that there might be some additional threat behind this."

"Very well, let's see what the situation is."

The guard held the case out horizontally, and legs unfolded down to the ground, holding the case in place. A panel lifted on the top and unfolded into a pair of wide screens. One showed Orvinder, who was in command of the planetary defense force, and the other showed a business logo.

"Put him through," Jenara instructed before the general could speak, and the other monitor changed to show a ship's pricom. The captain was pacing and seemed close to hyperventilating.

"Queen Trennon! You _have_ to let us in. I can't take one more day of this..."

"Slow down, Captain. What's the problem?"

"We... need to reach Palandora. We have some passengers that need to disembark immediately."

"We have sealed off the nebula for security purposes. Only residents are allowed in."

"But... but..."

"Oh, forget it," said an exasperated voice. Looking over Jenara's shoulder, X was not sure who it belonged to until a dark-haired woman suddenly appeared on the pricom next to the captain. Her folded arms and cross expression made it clear that the woman was quite disappointed with the conversation she had just witnessed. "You'd think I had asked you to _eat_ the nebula, not just get inside it. Queen Trennon, I'm Mirana Kelar. I _was_ on a secret mission to investigate something that might have happened on your planet. Less secret now."

The captain pointed emphatically at Mirana while backing away from her. "She threatened me! You have to get her off this ship!"

Jenara raised an eyebrow and exchanged a surprised look with X. This was certainly an interesting start to the day, although it was still unclear what any of this meant.

"Miss Kelar? Would you mind explaining a little further why your ship's captain feels like he's under attack?"

Mirana looked at the man and shook her head, then turned back to the camera with a serious expression that reminded X of a parent trying to explain to another adult what her child had done. "I didn't threaten him. I found out that we were turning back..."

"She _spied!_ "

"... and I explained very clearly to Captain Quirnik that if he turned around and someone found out that I had been on his ship, some very bad people would end up giving him a lot of attention."

"She threatened to break my arm!"

Mirana's turned to him and raised her voice. "That was only after you insisted I discuss the matter over dinner and reached for my hand, you little worm!"

Jenara's eyes were wide with amazement at this point. X suspected that part of her wanted to watch this scene play out on its own, but at the same time it was obviously time for some royal intervention.

"It's all right, Captain, we'll work this out. Mirana, I don't doubt that your concern for safety is valid, but you have to understand why we sealed the corridor. If we let in every ship that claims distress, it would be very easy to Viper to sneak his forces in here aboard one of them. And we certainly can't be making exceptions based on threats to a Captain."

X thought he saw a look of anger flash across Mirana's face, but it was gone in an instant. "I understand the need for security," she said patiently. "And I assure you, it was never my intention to threaten Quirnik. And I am not threatening you. But I am also not leaving; this is too important. If this ship turns back, I will launch my fighter and wait for the corridor to become available. Meanwhile, the moment the Ice Master learns that I am here, she will come after me. And if by some chance she defeats me, she will not just head back home. She will want to know _why_ I came here when the battle is on the other side of the Empire."

Jenara's brow had furrowed as Mirana spoke. "I have to ask," she said carefully. "If this visit is so important, why did you come aboard a commercial transport instead of your own ship? Doesn't it turn invisible?"

"I'm not taking hostages, if that's what you're asking. I left _Nemesis_ with Marnax so he'll have something that can deal with the Vortak invasion. Surely you're aware that we are at war."

That last outburst had been a mistake, and X could see that Jenara was about to tell Quirnik to turn around. But he had to talk to Jenara first. "Could I have a moment?" He felt awkward interrupting, but Jenara silenced the com link and stepped out of view of the camera.

"What is it, X?"

"It's just that..."

"Say it."

"If Nedward Simmons were here, he would ask you to let her in."

Jenara frowned. "If Ned were here, he could _deal_ with her. You heard the story – this woman betrayed Marnax. She has her own agenda that she isn't sharing. Just because Ned forgave her and she wasn't charged with anything, that doesn't mean we can trust her here."

"That's true," X said carefully. "But she's right about what will happen if we send her back. Quirnik will blab no matter what anyone says, not to mention his pricom crew. It would be safer to let them into the corridor at least."

"And trap them there?"

"We could search people individually as they transfer to one of our ships, and then let them land."

"I still don't like it."

X nodded. He decided not to say the other thing that was on his mind: whatever Mirana was searching for, there was a decent chance it would explain something about the ruins X and Koral had investigated without success.

Jenara stepped back in front of the camera. "I'm going open the corridor and let you come to the first checkpoint, where you will meet one of our ships. Your crew will be searched as they transfer over, and then we will ferry you down to the planet."

Quirnik looked only slightly relieved. "What about _her_? She's been sneaking into restricted areas without permission! I want her _arrested!_ "

"That's a matter for the Anacronian courts, Captain. My concern is the safety of this planet. Stand by for instructions."

### Chapter 26

While the rest of the passengers and crew assembled in the launch bay, Mirana headed to the cargo hold. _Nightsong's_ crate had been one of the last items loaded, so it was close to the doors. When she arrived at the airlock, Mirana was happy to find that the bay doors beyond were already open, awaiting review by the Palandoran inspection crew, who were now sifting through the cargo wearing space suits. Mirana doubted that they were looking forward to searching all this gear, especially since the search was bound to be completely fruitless, but at least they would have one fewer thing to search; Mirana had no intention of waiting for them before retrieving her fighter. She pulled on a flight suit and fitted a helmet in place, then pulled out a remote control unit. At a touch of a button, the packing crate blew open and the matte black form of _Nightsong_ rose into the air, scattering damping foam in all directions. Mirana opened the airlock and sprinted toward her fighter.

"Hey, stop that ship!"

Mirana did not bother checking who it was. She reached the remains of the crate and jumped, catching hold of the flight seat hanging from below the cockpit and climbing in. It had lifted her into position and sealed long before anyone on the deck knew what to do. She maneuvered out into space. Everything was dark here; Quirnik's ship had proceeded far enough into the nebula that the dust and gas blocked out the stars beyond. It was a bit eerie being surrounded by this vast cloud without being able to see anything but the nearby vessels, but Mirana was just happy to be off that cursed ship.

The com link beeped, as she had known it eventually would.

"Miss Kelar. You are to dock on the _Seastar_ for immediate inspection."

"I'll be making the trip on my own. Her highness can run the inspection in person once we reach the planet. After all, you know very well what you'd find if you searched me: I'm very armed and very dangerous. But the Queen knows I'm not a threat, which is why she's letting me land. Just let me know when it's safe to proceed."

Of course there was the risk that they would call Trennon again, but Mirana suspected that the Queen wasn't going to exile her own ship just to keep Mirana out, and that meant that eventually they'd have to unblock the corridor. And since ships had to stay at low warp through here, _Nightsong_ would have no trouble keeping up. Especially if she made herself invisible, if it came to that.

As it turned out, Mirana did not have to do anything but wait while the crew scanned their new guests. The Palandorans even had the courtesy to contact Mirana and inform her that she was cleared to proceed along with them. Mirana knew that the corridor leading to Palandora was maintained by a series of field generators that kept the matter and graviton interference at bay so that ships could proceed through hyperspace and find a clear exit point. One of the recent projects of the Palandoran industries had been to locate those generators and modify them so that the corridor could be sealed off quickly. The passage was blocked with nebular matter at the moment, but as Mirana followed close behind the _Seastar_ , her sensors picked up a passage opening ahead. The Palandoran ship flashed into hyperspace, and Mirana followed.

The corridor ended after a few minutes, and Mirana dropped out of warp to scan the area. She had to do it visually, because her instruments were going crazy, due to the odd gravimetric interference coming from everywhere at once. Behind her and stretching off to either side was a wall of nebular matter lit by tendrils of reddish light; as she pivoted her fighter she caught site of additional generators that were already sealing off the inner end of the corridor. It was certainly quite the fortress that Trennon and her people had found for themselves, although how in the world a star could exist in this isolated pod without its mass ejections messing up an inhabitable planet was a mystery to Mirana. Or more to the point, it was evidence that technology beyond Anacron's experience was at play here. There _had_ to be something left for her to find.

The _Seastar_ had already gone on without her, so Mirana located Palandora and made a short warp jump to catch up. Once she was close to the planet, the interference died down a bit, no doubt thanks again to Kayleen Rax and her economic contributions. Mirana picked out Tibrus city and headed down. She had a nice view as she descended; Palandora had several settlements now, but they were fairly spread out, so the ground rushing up toward her was full of green forests and clear lakes and rivers. It reminded her of her last trip to a secluded planet, where Ned had rescued her from a trap that her power had triggered. She would have to be more careful this time.

Her com link beeped. "This way, Mirana."

Mirana had been expecting landing instructions, but she was unprepared for the source. Her scanner showed something moving toward her from the nearby mountain, but when she looked she had to double-check that her eyes were not playing tricks. A huge, green creature was flying over the valley, with a wingspan that dwarfed _Nightsong_. She remembered Ned having talked about dragons on this planet, but she never expected to be flying along with one. She supposed that the man on its back must be X, who she remembered from the earlier transmission. She felt like she should make some sort of sarcastic comment about a starfighter following a dinosaur, but instead she simply followed X in silence to a landing area near a large, ornately-decorated palace in the middle of the city.

When she was down, she hesitated to get out; that huge creature was standing on all fours next to her fighter, looking into the cockpit with its monstrous eyes. Mirana would have felt a lot more comfortable with her Shadow armor, but since it had apparently not regenerated, she lowered the seat and stepped out to greet X, trying to ignore the movement of the huge creature behind him.

"Welcome to Palandora," X greeted politely. "You made quite an entrance up there."

"I hope I didn't make too much trouble. I have a thing about being searched, though. Maybe it comes from being literally transparent so much of the time."

X chuckled. "I'll be honest with you: Jenara is not thrilled. She's worried about drawing Dark Viper's attention here again. But Nedward considered you a friend, and I think that's worth giving you a chance to see if you can help things here."

"Thank you. And I'll keep a low profile. Believe me, I have no desire to meet Kayleen Rax again soon." Mirana looked around. "Is there somewhere we can talk?"

"We can go into the palace. I'm afraid a crew is going to have to scan your fighter, and Jenara wants to debrief you."

"Of course." This all seemed like a waste of time to Mirana; there was nothing they could do with any of the information she could give them. She was the one who should be asking questions. But she had pushed her luck just getting here, so it was time to play nice for a while so she could ask for more favors later.

X led her to a conference room, where Jenara Trennon introduced herself politely and then sat quietly while various military personnel asked for updates on the Vortak invasion and Dark Viper. Mirana began by reminding everyone that even General Marnax did not know she was here or what had happened since she had left him, and that things needed to stay quiet until she left or they would attract a lot of attention. In her view, even having her fighter land in the middle of the city was a mistake. Everyone present seemed to share her concern for secrecy, though, so she filled them in on the details of her investigation and battle. They seemed a lot more interested in the battle, although it seemed to Mirana that Trennon avoided eye contact during that portion of the discussion.

When it was over, though, the Queen regarded her with a smile. "Thank you for filling us in," she said. Koral never really told us how he had learned about this planet, other than to say that Trelan Thendrak had asked him to check it out for him once. He had not found what he was looking for on that visit, and as far as I know Koral did not learn much since then either, but it does seem that once again our efforts to find a secluded spot have thrown us into the middle of a conflict. I think X is the one who is most likely to be able to help you out. X, will you aid our guest in her investigation?"

"No problem," X said. "I'll take her up to the caves and show her what we know." Then he turned to Mirana and added, "It's not much."

If the meeting had been a waste of time, at least it was short. It only took a few minutes for Mirana to head back out to her fighter and fly it up to the cave where X was making his home. She almost made the trip invisibly, but she figured that the Palandoran authorities might still be nervous about having her around, and being able to track her might calm them down a bit. X flew atop that dragon again, and Mirana was careful to let them land first so that she could put _Nightsong_ down a bit farther away this time.

"This is it," X announced as she stepped out of the lowered flight seat and walked toward the cave. "Don't worry about Valkron. Or any of the dragons, really. They're not hostile."

"I thought one of them tried to fry Ned when he first got here."

X smirked and gave a guilty nod. "Yeah, Delgora was a bit abrupt. But Ned was in her home. You're a guest."

"Good to know." The huge creature still made her nervous, but she was certainly not going to risk offending one of them by saying so, especially not at this proximity.

X led her into the cave, and after a couple of short turns the rocky passage merged into a regular-looking hallway.

"No door?" Mirana asked as X led the way into an entry room branching off in several directions and motioned for her to sit down.

"There's a door. I just have it set to open when I get close to the cave. There isn't really much risk of theft up here though. You know, with the local residents."

"I guess there wouldn't be."

"This is actually a good starting point, because this cave was here when we arrived – unfurnished of course. There are caves like this all over the place – obviously artificial, with metal interiors on some of them. But they're all empty, except for the dragons that live in them."

"And Valkron doesn't stay in here with you?"

"No," X laughed. This was actually Koral's home; he preferred to stay away from the city as much as possible."

"What did he _do_ all that time?"

"Well he started a garden, which I've tried to keep up. He wanted to be as independent as possible, and since we kept using Anacronian currency, he was able to get by on savings without having a real 'job.' He spent a lot of time watching the dragons, then communicating with them once he realized they were capable of it. And once Mrandor let him ride on his back, he started making long trips, watching what the dragons did and where they went. He seemed sure that there was something to learn about the origin of the Plasma here." X sighed. "I think he wanted to find a way to get it back."

Mirana nodded, realizing that the subject of Koral was a delicate one. "He helped bring down Dark Viper," she said. "I'd say whatever he did paid off."

"Koral left pretty much everything he had to me, and I've tried to continue his work. Mrandor doesn't come around much anymore, but Valkron has trusted me pretty much from the start."

"So, what exactly does that mean – he lets you ride him and the others don't?"

"The dragons are all pretty mysterious, and in general they avoid people. But once they decide someone is worth their attention, they're happy to spend pretty much all their time together if you want."

"And what exactly do _you_ do?"

"Fair question," X said, smiling. "I'm not sure I've managed to convince Jenara that _anything_ I do with them is worthwhile. Dragons are fascinating to just watch, but mostly I try to figure out what's going on inside those heads of theirs. Valkron talks to me, and some of the others do too sometimes, but their thoughts don't always translate clearly. And they definitely have their own ideas of what's interesting."

"So, they use telepathy?"

"Yes. They project thoughts and feelings, and the more in line with your own experience they are, the easier it is to understand. You can't project your thoughts back to them, but they apparently learn spoken language quickly."

"Interesting. And what _do_ they find interesting?"

"Valkron loves to fly around and show me land forms and other creatures. Sometimes he'll go on and on about some creature he hunted down and ate recently. And he's more than happy to point out caves, although he never tells me anything about them. Sometimes he'll tell me that someone on the planet is doing something he disapproves of, like expanding a farm in the wrong direction or talking too much about their personal life. And he's _fascinated_ with beetles."

"So, he can talk about abstract ideas, but he won't answer you directly?"

"Not about the planet's history, no."

Mirana drummed her fingers on the chair, turning over in her mind what she had heard.

"I can show you a map if you want."

X brought up a map of the planet on a large viewscreen and showed her the locations of caves they had found. They were mostly in the mountains and mostly still unused, but they were all over the main continent. If there was a pattern, though, Mirana could not see it.

"So there's pretty much no way to tell if my father's ship landed here, or where he might have gone once he did."

"Sorry. All I know is that Trelan Thendrak sent Koral here early on. The nebula had been scanned from a distance, but I guess no one had come close enough to find the corridor's generators before, because Koral didn't find anything inside. Thendrak didn't even act surprised when he got the report."

"Well someone left that corridor there, so they must have expected someone to show up someday." She thought for a moment and then added, "Of course if my father came here, it would have been years before Koral did. So it's possible that he took whatever was once here and left. And if he was wearing the Shadow armor, there wouldn't be a trace anyway."

"I guess not."

It was not a very encouraging start.

"Well, when we were searching for where Viper had found the last three Crystals, Ned was able to sense its location. Maybe if I just fly around for a while, I might get some kind of a sense of where to go."

"Sounds good."

Mirana rose and followed X back out into the sunlight, where Valkron's head strained toward the sky on his long neck as if watching or listening to something far away. Mirana started toward her ship but then stopped, thinking. "X, is there any chance he might, you know, talk to me?"

X shrugged. "I'll ask him. Valkron?" X looked up, and the dragon's huge head turned down toward him. Mirana could have sworn the dragon looked annoyed, although she could not say why. "I don't think he's interested. He didn't say it, but he didn't really say anything else either."

"If I ask a question, could you speak for him? You know, translate?"

"If he'll talk, sure. What do you want to ask?"

Mirana looked up at Valkron and gulped. Trying to ignore how dangerous and arguably silly her situation was, she called up in a loud voice, "Can I talk to you for a minute? I have some questions about this planet."

"He wants to know why you're... bothering him."

Mirana kept her eyes on Valkron. "I think my father may have come here looking for something once. X tells me there used to be people here who used the Plasma. Did they leave anything behind?"

"He says, 'They are gone.'"

"Don't speak in the third person", she said to X. "Just translate." She looked back up, feeling a little excited that at least she was getting some answers, even if they were coming from a monster. "Who were they?"

X was silent for a moment, and Mirana looked over at him to get an idea of whether he was listening or waiting. "He's avoiding you," X said finally. "He says there's a bright red beetle up on that cliff with little bumps on its antennae."

Mirana took a step closer to Valkron and looked up again. "Koral Ralok was here once before he established this colony." That got the dragon's attention; Valkron stepped back a bit so he could lower his face down until it was right in front of Mirana.

X started translating again. "What do you know of Koral?"

"I'm a friend of Nedward Simmons. I'm trying to help him defeat the woman who killed Koral and the man she serves. They are waging a war that threatens this planet. I'm hoping to find something to help me defeat them."

"Koral sought this too."

"He never gave up," Mirana pointed out. "I assume he would have if you had told him there was nothing to find. That makes me think there _is_ something."

Valkron raised his head again, apparently looking for that beetle.

"It's like I said," X apologized. "He's just not interested in history."

_Or he doesn't trust us with it,_ Mirana thought, although she supposed it didn't make much difference which version was true. "Well," she said in resignation, "I guess that's that. We might as well get up there and take a look, though."

X began speaking to the creature as Mirana walked back over to _Nightsong_ and climbed aboard. She brought the fighter up slowly, watching as the locations X had searched showed up on her map screen. "Let's start with those caves to the north," she called over the com link.

"All right. Follow me." Valkron's green form sped off, faster than Mirana had anticipated, but it was easy enough to follow. She did not envy X, strapped into a relatively small harness on the dragon's back and exposed to the wind.

They were passing over inhabited land, and Mirana chuckled as she realized that around here, a black starfighter might actually draw more attention than a dragon in the sky. "I want to minimize the attention I draw," Mirana called to X. "I'm going to engage a Shadow field."

"Okay. I'll tell Valkron."

Mirana brought forth the Shadow Plasma and pushed it outward to envelop her ship, straining just a little to get it far enough out and into the right shape.

Suddenly Valkron gave a loud roar, then wheeled on her and sent green fire out in a wide arc. The fire vanished quickly where it struck the Shadow field, giving away her position as a hole in the blast. But before Mirana could even think to bring up the shields or dodge, Valkron slammed into her, locking his claws around _Nightsong's_ wings.

"What's going on?" Mirana yelled to X as she fought for control of her ship, which was now rocking violently as the dragon's huge body twisted around.

"I have no idea! Valkron, _stop!_ "

The dragon's claws were invisible where they gripped the wings, but it did not seem to disturb him, because he kept rocking back and forth and blasting Mirana with green fire, which in spite of the Shadow field was dealing some damage. She knew she could fire her weapons or extend the Shadow Plasma, but something told her that an attack would not really fix the situation. And she did not dare drop the Shadow field for fear of what might happen if that fire struck the ship without protection.

Mirana was still struggling to maintain altitude when Valkron's mouth clamped down on the canopy, entirely blocking her view with his huge teeth and mouth tissue. Then green fire exploded everywhere, and a canopy warning sounded.

"I'm raising shields," Mirana warned X. "Get him off." She threw the ship into maximum acceleration and then brought up the shields. The extending energy field pushed Valkron's claws away, and Mirana twisted abruptly, pulling the fighter clear of her huge attacker. As Valkron fell behind, Mirana did a systems check, half expecting to be missing a wing, but _Nightsong_ had held together.

"Are you okay?" X sounded genuinely concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. I bet this is the only starfighter in the galaxy with dragon claw marks on it though."

"I have no idea what he was thinking. He practically _yelled_ 'The Enemy' just before he struck, and then he seemed to be completely ignoring me; I thought he was going to throw me off."

"I don't suppose he still wants to show me around; maybe I'll make the trip on my own while you try to figure out what happened. Is there a safe place I can dock my ship when I'm done?"

"You can use our fighter hangar. I'll set it up while you're gone. Good luck searching."

"Thanks."

Mirana took a moment to catch her breath and then continued on toward the caves. She rolled her fighter like she had taught Ned to do, so that she could see the ground she was scanning above her. It was a beautiful, practically untouched stretch of mountain, but there was nothing to suggest that anything important might be hidden nearby. She reached the caves and found that they were empty, so she continued onward. Since there was nothing else to do, she spent the whole day exploring the planet from the air, even landing a couple of times to explore the caves in person. They were definitely artificial, and sometimes the caves were marked with little alcoves that might have held machinery of some kind, but they all ended in barren wall with no indication of any open space behind them. A few times she caught sight of other dragons as she flew and thought about letting them see her, just to find out if Valkron's response was unique. But there was something unexpectedly terrifying about being attacked by such a huge, living thing, and even with her shields up she was not eager to repeat the experience.

She turned back to Tibrus City when the sun approached the horizon. X had pointed her at the hangar where his own starfighter was docked. The landing bay was yet another cave set into a mountain face, this one much larger than any she had yet seen. The bay crew motioned her into an empty alcove at the back of the bay. There were a few other starfighters docked in similar alcoves nearby, but most were empty. Mirana climbed out and was greeted by a deck agent, who was already taking down notes on her fighter. She talked to him briefly to make sure that she would be able to launch again or call the ship remotely whenever she needed to. Having to leave _Nightsong_ so far away from the city was an unfortunate development, but it seemed better than risking an attack on the fighter by some dragon who wanted another shot at her; after all, the fact that they could not see her in the cockpit would hardly convince them that she was not there, or that the ship was not somehow part of whatever threat Valkron had perceived in her.

She pondered the matter on the shuttle back to Tibrus City, where she was scheduled to meet up with X again. She did not bother becoming invisible, partly because her cover on this planet was already blown, but also in part because she wanted to see how people reacted to her. Most ignored her completely, but there were a few who either stared or made it a point to avoid looking at her. No one spoke to her, though, so she could only guess at what those who did recognize her were thinking.

X had sent Mirana updated information on her living arrangements; rather than risk another confrontation with Valkron near X's cave, she would be staying in a nearby hotel, which turned out to be relatively close to the palace but hidden behind an arm of the mountain. X had arranged to meet Mirana for dinner at the restaurant on the top floor of the hotel, which suited Mirana just fine since it would save her the risk of going outdoors again. The shuttle docked at a landing just outside the restaurant's transparent exterior, and Mirana walked inside, where she stopped to admire the view. The sun had already dipped behind the mountains, but its light still painted the sky in an exotic variety of pinks and oranges, and a moon was just coming up on the opposite horizon. A waiter soon appeared and directed her to X's table.

"Any luck?"

Mirana shook her head with a weary smile as she took her seat across from him. She picked up the menu and looked it over.

"The food's pretty good," X said. "I eat here once in a while, when Jenara insists on 'dining' instead of home cooked food. I can't stand eating at the palace."

"Do you see her a lot?"

"Fairly regularly. We grew up together, but the whole 'Queen' thing takes up a lot of time."

"I imagine so."

Another waiter appeared, and Mirana ordered a dish that claimed to be dangerously spicy. When the waiter was gone, Mirana fixed X with a serious look. "Now, please tell me you have figured out why a monster tried to kill me this morning."

X took a deep breath and bit his lip. "All I can tell is that the Shadow Plasma made him angry. He must have seen you disappear, and instantly he labeled you as an Enemy. I explained that you're on our side, and that you're helping Ned, but none of that mattered."

"So it's the Shadow Plasma that triggered it. I figured as much. Would you be surprised to learn that this isn't the first time my power has triggered an attack?"

"Not much surprises me at this point."

"Of course, this pretty much proves that the dragons know something about what went on here before Koral arrived. But I guess it probably also means they don't know anything about my father – either that, or they attacked him too but he was able to escape."

X nodded, looking a bit lost in thought. "So," he said finally, "how about you? Did you find anything?"

Mirana shook her head. "Same as you. Everything is empty. Of course I've only covered a small part of the planet, but if you have already been over it, then it does seem like kind of a desperate search."

The food arrived, and there was silence for a while as they started eating. Mirana had not eaten in a long time, and the meal was delicious. Finally X broke the silence.

"So, I have to ask. How is he?"

"Who?"

"Ned. He's kind of a local hero here, and if I don't go back with something to tell, people will get mad."

Mirana smiled awkwardly – she did not really know how to answer that. "Well he's been uprooted from his home planet and lost the power that brought him here in the first place. I wouldn't say he's doing particularly well. But if he's smart, he'll stay away from any battles, and he'll be fine." Mirana had actually not thought of Ned much in the past few days, but she suddenly wished that he were there. "I wonder what he'd do now," she said, half to herself.

X smiled. "I don't know, but I'm not sure it would help things. Jenara is nervous about you as it is."

"I thought they were friends... or something."

"They were 'something' at one point, when Jenara was fascinated with the Plasma and the galaxy beyond the nebula. But I think she got kind of disillusioned when she realized how abstract and, you know, _alien_ , the Plasma is. I think that's part of why she's apprehensive about having you here. Even apart from who might try to follow you, there's no telling what might happen with a Plasma Master around."

"Fair enough. And what about you? What do you think of all this?"

"Honestly? Valkron's reaction has me worried. I mean, I have no reason to distrust you, but Valkron is a fairly level-headed guy. Maybe he's not telling me everything, but if he saw your power as a threat, then there must be a reason – maybe even one you're not aware of."

"Well there's certainly _something_ going on that I'm not aware of," Mirana conceded.

The sun had gone down completely now, leaving the moon alone amid the featureless black field, and Mirana looked up at the sky when she had finished her meal. Something about the view made her tilt her head in contemplation.

X followed her gaze. "This restaurant's ceiling is nice during the day, but it's kind of pointless at night. I think the plain black sky was the hardest thing to get used to here."

"The moon does look a little weird without starts."

X gave her a very strange look. "Mirana, Palandora doesn't have a moon."

Mirana looked at him with a raised eyebrow, wondering if X were joking, but then she looked up again and had to catch her breath. The sky was completely black.

A slow smile spread across Mirana's face. "Goodness, X, you're right."

X looked at her with obvious confusion, but Mirana decided she had said enough for now. Instead of explaining, she stood up and pushed in her chair. "I've got the bill; thanks for all your help. I need to go check something."

And with that, she left him at the table, frozen in place with a look of surprise and concern.

### Chapter 27

Mirana hurried to the lift that would take her to her room, filled with excitement. It was no wonder Palandora's moon had looked strange; it had been invisible the whole time. Once X had pointed it out, Mirana had realized what had happened. There had been a ball moving across the sky, but she hadn't seen it with her eyes. She had _felt_ it. She vaguely remembered being able to sense the Shadow field her father had generated, and she was willing to bet that that explained what she had just seen: some fast-moving satellite that had been hidden from everyone the whole time. Everyone, except perhaps for her father.

She spent just enough time in the room to make it look occupied, setting the "Do not disturb" light, messing up the blankets, running the shower. None of this was probably necessary, but she needed something to do while she solidified her plan. The fastest thing would be to call _Nightsong_ remotely and board it outside the hotel lobby, but some dragon might try to eat it before it reached her if she did that. In the end, Mirana decided to play civilian for just a little longer and take the shuttle back to the landing bay. It was a short trip but, it felt like forever.

Finally she was back at the landing bay, where she quickly pulled on a flight suit and climbed into her fighter. The moment she had clearance to leave, she blasted out of the bay and headed into the sky. She engaged the Shadow field almost immediately, taking a bit of satisfaction in the confusion it must have caused the bay crew. But that thought was brushed aside by the bigger issue. She had found something. Someone _had_ left her a clue, and she had finally picked up on it.

Mirana could no longer see her destination, but there was little doubt as to where it would be. She quickly brought _Nightsong_ out of Palandora's atmosphere and moved west, and soon the moon's round form rose over the horizon. It was still not really visible, but it seemed to light up her mind somehow when she turned her attention toward it. As she approached, she chided herself for not recognizing that the phase of the pseudo-moon was all wrong: it was impossible to see a full moon above you near sunset, since the sun would only be shining on half of what you could see in that position. But again, that was hardly important now.

Whatever the invisible object was, it was orbiting quickly, and it took a few minutes for Mirana to catch up. She slowed as she came near, unsure of whether she should try to land on it or fly right through. She decided to gently brush the energy field that blocked whatever was beneath and found that _Nightsong_ met no resistance. After a quick breath to steady herself, Mirana nudged the flight stick and flew through the barrier.

A short distance below the Shadow field lay a rocky sphere, really no bigger than a small space station, marked at odd intervals with circular openings that seemed to be spewing Shadow Plasma up into the field above her. There were a few other markings in its shell, but nothing that was obviously a door, so she began to fly over its surface, looking. Finally she found a landing site with a low structure nearby, on the side directly facing Palandora. She landed her fighter and got out, then stopped for a moment before the door. She looked up at the planet she had come from and thought of how strange it was that after all the searching that had gone on there, the real secret had been here, just out of sight for all these years. She wondered how her father had found it, and whether he had stood where she stood now. With any luck, she was about to find out.

The structure in front of her was very small, with a door on the side facing her and not much else. She stepped through the door into a small chamber, which she imagined to be a lift pod. There were no lights in the chamber, though, and when the door closed behind her it left her in total darkness. It was a little disconcerting, and Mirana activated a light on her helmet, but there was nothing to see besides the bare metal walls. The pod started descending, accelerating constantly until Mirana felt almost weightless. As she waited for it to stop, she wondered suddenly if someone might be watching her. She had hoped to find some kind of archaeological evidence on Palandora, or maybe a database that she could study, but it had never occurred to her that there might be someone else alive in the galaxy who could tell her where the Shadow Plasma had come from or how she could use it against Viper. But wasn't that a possibility now?

The lift pod started slowing, and Mirana braced herself. Eventually it reached its destination, and the doors slid open. A thick, black cloud immediately drifted into the pod from the space beyond, rendering her helmet light useless. Having no other options, Mirana ventured out of the pod, testing the ground warily with her foot before trusting it with her weight. The air here was still, and the sound of her footsteps was muffled by the dark mist, but she somehow felt that she was in a very large chamber. Her helmet display showed nothing nearby, but she was not sure how well it would even work here.

"Hello?" Like her footsteps, her voice simply vanished into the fog.

Mirana took a deep breath, thinking. She had found this place by sensing the Shadow Plasma, and clearly whoever had left it did not want any visitors navigating by sight. She reached up and turned off the helmet light. Slowly, lines began to appear in the distance: more Shadow fields. Like the moon's exterior, she could not really see them with her eyes, but her awareness of them seemed to be overlaid across her vision, so that as she turned her head she could see the corners of the room in the distance, as well as the outline of various other features. The lift pod had descended right into the middle of the chamber, and the floor extended outward from there for maybe a hundred meters. Before it reached the wall, though, the floor dropped away, forming a plateau. There were additional holes in the floor as well, dotting its surface at irregular intervals. Ahead and a slightly to the left, a narrow bridge led from the plateau to an opening in the wall, where the path continued out of sight.

"Yes, it's really me," Mirana said to the air. She moved forward quickly, easily avoiding the pits that would have posed a danger to someone just stumbling around. She stopped when she reached the bridge, checking for anything that might have changed, but the room was still empty as far as she could tell, and the bridge ahead seemed solid. After testing it for stability, she started out onto it, careful to keep her balance as now there was just a short distance separating her from the expanse below.

About halfway across the bridge, her helmet display went dark completely. Mirana's heart quickened, and she stopped to look around, but again there was nothing nearby. She tried clicking on the helmet light again, but it too had gone dead. The situation felt a bit familiar, and Mirana backtracked a few steps to be sure. As she had suspected, her suit's power came back on, and it went out again when she resumed her way forward. Just like they had seen on that other planet, there was some kind of field here that blocked electronics. Only now she had only this flight suit, not proper battle armor. Still, in theory she was in friendly territory, so she continued across the bridge.

When the bridge ended at the far wall, the path continued a short distance through a curving tunnel and then opened out onto another narrow walkway. This one wound irregularly at a steady incline, outlined only by her perception of the Shadow Plasma running along its edges. Now Mirana made her way more carefully. As it neared the high ceiling of the chamber, the path began to move in a tight spiral until finally it passed through the a hole in the ceiling. As Mirana left the lower chamber behind, she found herself in yet another small room. There was the outline of a door on one side, and Mirana walked up to it. She touched its surface and found it to be flat but rough, like cut stone.

"Hello?" she called again, not really expecting an answer. There were no controls evident, so Mirana did the only thing she could think of: placing her hands against the door, she sent out a wave of Shadow Plasma. Immediately she heard the sound of grinding stone, but it did not come from the door; instead, it seemed that the hole she had just climbed through had sealed off. Then there was the rush of wind, and Mirana suspected that the fog had cleared, although in the darkness there was no way to verify this. Finally, the door in front of her slid upward, revealing another chamber beyond, lit with a dim glow. Even this limited light seemed bright to her now, and she could see the room clearly as she stepped inside.

Mirana was standing in a domed cavern, smaller than the first one and with the walls and ceiling made of jagged stone. The only feature was a low platform at the center, atop which sat a sparkly orb about twice the size of a person's head and held a little above waist level by a short pillar. The orb glowed with an inner light of various colors, and as she approached it Mirana saw that the points of light were dancing around like snowflakes. She reached out to touch it, but something deflected her glove, like a gust of air emanating from the crystal.

Mirana smirked. "Unauthorized contact prohibited. I get it." Of course with her equipment dead there was no way to verify that the air around her was even breathable, but she pulled off her helmet anyway, followed by the rest of the flight suit. Her heart quickened as she turned back to the crystal, its glow casting odd light patterns over her clothing. After a deep breath to steady herself, Mirana reached out with both hands and placed them on the sides of the crystal.

Light flared outward from the sparkling orb, and the walls of the room seemed to recede. Wind might have been whipping at her face, or perhaps it was just the sheer power that emanated from the strange object between her hands. Then images began to appear – planets, cities, and people. Wars raged, eons passed before her eyes as she stared in wonder. A voice in her mind spoke, soft and welcoming.

Mirana Kelar. Heir of the Shadow. You have come to us at last.

### Chapter 28

Mirana stood perfectly still, although she was hardly conscious of herself at all beyond what she was seeing and hearing.

"Who are you?"

_We are the Shadow_ , came the reply, and several figures appeared before her, clothed in silky black fabric with bright red trim. She was reminded of her own armor. _We are the ones who resisted. We are your heritage._

"I came looking for information about my father. About the Shadow Plasma. Is this where he gained it?"

He was here. He received the Power and was charged to destroy the Enemy. But we see from your memories that he failed in this task. Events were... not entirely as we had predicted.

"He what? Wait, are you reading my mind?"

You misunderstand; we read nothing; we have long since departed this life. This crystal contains our memories and exists to teach you what you need to know in order to accomplish what we could not.

"And what is that?"

_Behold the Enemy._ The images around her shifted, and Mirana saw a planet that she could not identify. It was densely populated, and starship traffic was heavy in and out. There was technology she did not recognize as well; and many people used the Plasma. They used it to move around, to prepare food, to build things, to heal injuries. Sometimes it glowed with colored light; other times things just happened, the world responding to the commands of the people.

_The Power,_ the voice in her mind said. _They discovered it, harnessed it. They claimed to have created it. They used it for everything: for transportation, for recreation, and for dominion. They ruled all of the space that the Anacron Empire now claims. All that its allies claim. All that its enemies claim. The Power made them masters of the galaxy._

Mirana watched as various groups began competing for power, wielding it for economic and political advantage, to prevent crimes and to commit them.

Not everyone commanded the power in equal degrees. Some could hardly perceive it at all, while others could accomplish great works almost without effort. The Power exists independently; wielding it requires a connection between the mind, the body, and the universe itself. An equal balance provides the most straightforward manifestation of the Power, sometimes in ways that might go unnoticed or unexplained by one not acquainted with it. But the Power can manifest itself when these elements are out of balance, as well.

The scenes before Mirana changed again. Those with the greatest command of the Power joined together, forming their own agreements and rules apart from the empire they sought to control. _The mind and body must be in harmony to use the power; after all, without some connection, the body itself will die. But some chose to focus their efforts on just the mental link to the universe, neglecting the physical dimension of their power almost entirely. They called themselves the Enlightened, claiming to have increased their power by a higher mental path than those below them walked._ Mirana saw as they helped each other seize power from weaker people, killing people and wiping out cities when their authority was challenged. The weapons they used were beyond anything even Dark Viper had constructed; in some cases, beams of light pierced hyperspace to envelop distant planets in flames. _This is what they did with their power._

Mirana was aghast at the scene of destruction before her. These people would destroy a planet full of innocent people just to damage the bank account of a rival. Billions of people lived in virtual slavery to leaders who could have provided for every imaginable need on their own. The whole galaxy seemed to be on fire with the abuse of power.

But there were some who resisted. Rejecting the rulers' insistence on a purely mental link to the Power, they pursued a more grounded approach, using the Power already in them and letting it flow directly through the body rather than seizing it from the ether and bending it to their will. The rulers called us Darklings, calling our approach carnal and degenerate. But it soon became clear that their loathing stemmed from fear. For the physical dimension of the power gave us certain advantages.

Mirana watched as small groups of these "Darklings" infiltrated their masters' bases of operations, much like Mirana herself had done with Anacron and StarBlazer. At first these rebels were not invisible, but they managed to block out the Plasmic energy that powered most of their enemies' security systems. And in close combat, they enjoyed an obvious advantage. Sometimes without any visible display of Plasma at all, the Darklings were able to cancel their opponents' attacks. Weapons seemed to appear from nowhere as the Enlightened were assassinated one by one. _Those who claimed to live in the light began to fall to their own shadow._ Watching the beginnings of her own power, Mirana could not help but feel a bit of vicarious pride for what these ancient rebels had been fighting for.

_Of course, they eventually learned what we were doing, and they adapted their weapons to counter us. While we were superior in direct combat, there was no way to counter their planet-reaching weapons, and they would kill a billion of their own people to silence one of us. And because of the difficulty of developing physically-oriented power, there were never very many of us. But we pressed our attack, infiltrating their forces, coordinating our might for the most damage possible._ The scene before Mirana turned to all-out war; the scale of destruction on both sides was staggering.

Soon it became clear that there was no end to the conflict. We knew they would eventually hunt us down. But we also knew that the weapons we would leave behind would wipe them out. The question was no longer how we would survive. It was about what would happen once we were gone. However, we soon learned that the Enemy was contemplating the same question.

Mirana seemed to be watching a limited-quality security tape now; the images were hazy and the sounds were muffled, as if the Shadow Masters did not have much first-hand knowledge of what they were showing her. The Enemy began to assemble in secret, where they would take turns connecting themselves to a huge device that seemed to draw out Plasmic energy from each person, leaving him or her lying lifelessly on a table. Each body was then locked into a capsule attached to the machine, making way for the next person.

_They began pooling their energy,_ the voice explained. _Billions of them transferred all the power they had seized from the universe around them to this device, while a few Masters determined how to make it available to a few individuals, or to one. In the end they created four keys, the Plasma Crystals whose destruction you have since witnessed. The Crystals were sealed away where we could not find them, destined to lie dormant while our civilization crumbled to oblivion. But even as we fought our final hopeless battles, we discovered what the Enemy had planned for their keys._

Now Mirana was looking a street-level view of a vast city overlaid with imagery that reminded her of a circuit board, with Plasmic energy flashing between nodes corresponding to people and objects, mirroring their movements and then flashing skyward toward some unseen destination. _The Plasma Matrix resonates with the movement of objects in physical space. The Enemy created an automated entity, an ethereal algorithm, to monitor these movements after we were all destroyed. It was to look for conditions that would favor their return. When it determined that the time was right, it would select someone worthy and give that person information on how to find the Matrix Crystal. Of course we tried to override this algorithm or predict how it might choose a successor, but this time their methods proved impossible to infiltrate._

But all was not lost; we managed to seal away our power as well. And while we could not stop the Enemy's algorithm from choosing a successor, we did find a way to watch for the awakening of the keys. That is what this station was built for. When the Enemy's power again disturbed the Plasmic ether, a telepathic message was sent to someone near the new Matrix Master. Someone close by, with reason to hate him. Reason to kill him.

"My father?"

Yes. The Holder of the Matrix Crystal attacked a ship that your father's family was on. His parents and brothers were killed. Our device sent the coordinates of Palandora's warp corridor to your father in a dream, with promise of revenge. He came. We gave him the power of invisibility, the most potent ability we had acquired. Giving him this gift almost completely drained this moon's reserve, but it was necessary to equip him to carry out his mission. But something went wrong. The Matrix Crystal changed hands, and the Shadow Master lost his motivation to destroy it.

Mirana's eyes had started to tear up at the mention of her grandparents' death. It was a subject her father had never really spoken of, and hearing about it now made it a little easier to understand why her father had been unable to speak of his wife's death later on. Mirana wanted to ask about that, but she decided that she should stick to the topic. And as she tried to focus on what she had just been told, suddenly something struck her as odd.

"Wait – the Matrix Crystal changed hands? You mean Trelan Thendrak was not the man who awakened the Plasma?"

Correct. This database does not contain information regarding how it changed hands, and if the previous Shadow Master did not tell you, then the information is lost. But we had known that there was a chance your father would fail. Because the power is tied so closely to the physical body, the key to the Shadow Plasma can be shared with those genetically close to the holder. You have inherited this power, and although you did not carry out your father's mission, you have witnessed the destruction of the Crystals.

"But Dark Viper still has power. And I can't cancel it out anymore."

_It seems he has expanded his command of the Power_ _beyond what the Enlightened had intended_ _for him. A more balanced hold on the Power can enable elemental affinities, which are not as easily severed by the Shadow. But elemental powers have their weaknesses as well. All is not lost, Shadow Master. Your father's mission was not the only one we had prepared for._

Now Mirana was looking at mountains and valleys that looked vaguely familiar.

The enemy used this planet for genetic experimentation, and they kept it concealed to hide their secrets. When we found it, we nearly launched an attack, but instead we chose to remain hidden so that we could tap its power source, taking advantage of the same concealment the Enemy had provided for itself. Your father was instructed to return here when he had completed his mission, so that he could receive the remainder of our legacy and build up the Shadow again. We did not dare risk giving him everything at once; we felt we needed to keep the remainder safe until the Enemy was destroyed. But now the Enemy's power has grown too great, and we cannot risk further delay. You must take up our legacy. When you leave this place and the moon is again in position, it will mark the entrance to a path on the planet below. You must seek out this path quickly.

Mirana was getting excited now; it seemed that there was something worthwhile on this planet after all.

The path ahead will not be easy. The Enemy could not locate us, but it knew we were somewhere nearby. They left guardians to seal away our power. They will try to stop you. The people you have allied yourself with may intervene as well, but as with this moon there will be a field to block their petty technology. And you will not fight alone.

"Fight? You mean the dragons are going to come after me again?" All of a sudden this conversation was starting to worry Mirana.

The Enemy had ways of detecting a Shadow field, once they knew where to look. And the people nearby will help them, will they not?

"They might, but I don't see why they-"

Do not worry. This moon is equipped with weapons that can help neutralize that threat.

"No, wait! Those people are friendly!"

They have allied themselves with the Enemy.

"How would you even know that? You said you couldn't see my thoughts!" Mirana's worry was quickly turning to panic.

You have confirmed the danger with your words.

Mirana gritted her teeth, inwardly cursing herself for having said anything out loud, although of course there had been no way to know that it could cause trouble.

"Do _not_ attack them!"

They cannot be allowed to intervene. You must hurry once you leave this place.

Mirana had heard enough. She tried to let go of the crystal, but something held her hands to its faceted surface.

"Let me go!"

_Soon. But once you leave, you will be unable to return here.; this moon's power is almost spent, and its purpose is nearly fulfilled. So you must finish your task here first. And you must pledge yourself to this cause_.

"Of course I'm going to do whatever I can to defeat Dark Viper! Just let me go!"

You must understand how desperate the situation is, Shadow Master. You have no heir, so if you perish, the Enemy will triumph. You must not let anyone else stand in your way. The Enemy's power must be destroyed completely.

"I understand." Mirana forced herself to calm down and cooperate. Whatever was going on outside this room, she would be of no use until she could get out there and face it. But rushing away from this chance at information would not help anyone, either. Since the crystal was silent for a moment, Mirana searched her mind for questions she could ask. "What about the battle armor my father passed on? I had to leave it behind to escape the... Enemy. Can you recharge it?"

The armor is linked to a charging unit within the ether, which regenerates any damage taken while it is not in use. If the armor's integrity becomes too weak, it will vanish automatically; it should be restored in a matter of days. But even within the ether its matrix cannot cross interstellar distances quickly. You will have to proceed without it. Do not worry; your own power will not fail you.

"Fine," Mirana said in resignation. "Just tell me what I have to do to get out of here."

_You must fully commit yourself to the cause,_ the voice repeated vaguely. _You must open your mind and let our memories transfer. Only once you have a clear picture of the horrors we have suffered can we be assured that you will pursue your mission with the proper urgency. And only once you understand what we did with our power will you see the potential of yours._

This mental link had become a burden; this "algorithm" the Shadow Masters had left behind was already threatening her friends. Mirana was not sure she wanted to know what else they had planned for her. But there really didn't seem to be an option. And besides, hadn't she come here for information in the first place? Steeling herself against what she was about to be shown, she gripped the crystal more firmly.

"I'm ready. Show me."

### Chapter 29

When the waiter informed X that Mirana had paid the bill and was not coming back, X finished up and headed home. He was definitely looking forward to sleep. This entire day had been full of stress – Mirana had brought the promise of answers, but her investigation had not only added to his list of questions but aggravated his friends as well. And it was not even over; the moment he walked into his furnished cave, he saw the com system blinking with a request for a secure communication to the Palace.

"Great," he said aloud, resting his face in his hands for a moment while he willed himself to accept the reality of the call. Reluctantly, he walked over and opened a channel, then sat down and waited while someone told Jenara he was there. It was no more than a minute before she responded, looking unexpectedly worried and obviously upset.

"X. Please tell me you're with Mirana."

"No, sorry. We were having dinner, but she seemed to get an idea about something and ran off. I think she's at the hotel."

Jenara shook her head. "She launched her fighter and vanished. No one knows where she is."

"I guess that might be a good thing."

"I doubt it," Jenara said with a smirk. "The reason I called you is that the crew finished scanning Quirnik's ship. It looks like our Shadow Master was followed!"

"What? By whom?"

"Aliens! _Vortak!_ There were some weird scratches on the crate Mirana used to conceal her starfighter, so I ordered a broader scan for life signs. They found it hiding in the storage area – this white insect thing."

X jumped to his feet, suddenly alert, as if he expected more of the creatures to jump out from his bedroom and kitchen. "It must have stowed away somehow," he said, thinking out loud. "If we missed it in the scan, Mirana probably did too, and she might not have even been the one to package the fighter."

Jenara looked exasperated. "X, will you stop making excuses for her and _listen_? We let her in to prevent news of her trip from leaking, but that thing was probably broadcasting its position the whole time!"

She was right. X just stood there for a moment, feeling helpless. "I'm sorry, I should be doing something now but I can't think what. The corridor is sealed, right?"

"Yes. I'm planning to send a message to Marnax, although there's no guarantee that it will reach him in time, or that he'll do anything if it does. I was hoping you could bring Mirana in for questioning, but if she's gone, then you should just get some sleep. But if you do see her, don't let her out of your sight. And whatever you do, don't trust her!"

X dreamt uneasily that night, but whatever his dreams involved vanished instantly as he awoke to the sound of another urgent com signal. He leapt from his bed to check it, expecting to find Jenara telling him about a Vortak invasion, but instead he found that the call came from Mirana. She was sitting in her fighter's cockpit, but her helmet was off, and her expression made it immediately clear that something was wrong.

"Mirana! What's going on? Jenara said-"

"Listen, X. You were right – there is a danger that I didn't anticipate. You need to evacuate Tibrus City and get your ships to the other side of the planet. I found where my father got his power – it's an invisible moon in orbit. The ancient Shadow Masters left me a message. There's something on the planet I need to get, but they consider the dragons an enemy, and they sensed that you might help them, so they threatened to attack you." Mirana said all of this very fast, and X was having trouble taking it all in.

"Wait, slow down. Where is all this coming from? You're saying we're under attack from within the nebula?"

"Or you may be soon. I tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen."

" _Who_ wouldn't listen? Why would the dragons be considered an enemy?" An icon appeared in the corner of his screen indicating that the transmission was being traced, but he ignored it for the moment.

"It seems that we're stuck in the middle of an ancient war. Me, Ned, Viper, maybe even the dragons. The empire that wiped itself out centuries ago left weapons for future generations to use to finish off whatever was left of their enemies then."

"But why attack us now?"

"I told you – I need to get something from the planet. You need to keep the dragons away from me, and get everyone else clear too."

"Hold on, Mirana. Jenara is looking for you. They found a white Vortak aboard the ship you came on; apparently it stowed away with your fighter."

Mirana's brow furrowed, and she was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was even more urgent. "That is bad news. Obviously you need to keep the corridor sealed. But that just means I need to move that much more quickly. I called you first because I figured Jenara wouldn't listen to me, although I imagine she's tracing the line at this point."

"I understand, but adding threats from within the nebula isn't going to help things. I think you need to come in and discuss things, so we can come up with a safe solution. This ancient war has to wait until we can sort out the current situation."

"You're missing the point. I couldn't care less about what happened to that empire, but I need their power to fight Viper now. I've already run from two Plasma Masters, and if I face them again without gaining some advantage, I won't stand a chance. I can't wait any longer, and I can't let anything stop me. I'm sorry about the station, but I can't control it. You need to evacuate now."

X was on his feet now, feeling incredulous about how this conversation was going. "Mirana! You cannot let this planet come under attack! You need to-"

But the transmission was already cut. Instead, General Orvinder appeared on his screen. "We are already on alert," he said sternly. "But we are not just going to run and hide while Kelar raids our planet."

"I know." X could hardly believe what was happening. He felt like he should apologize for something, but his mind was too fuzzy to know what it should be.

"I realize you're not on active duty, but we could use you in your fighter seat."

X rubbed his brow, thinking. "Let me go in with Valkron," he said finally. "The dragons might be able to help. Or tell us something. Or... _something_."

Orvinder nodded, already looking off to the side, no doubt planning his next step. "Just hurry."

Mirana had not expected the information upload from the crystal to take so long; it was almost morning in Tibrus City when it finished. But although she had not slept in more than a day, she felt strangely invigorated, as if the station's power transfer had affected her physically as well as mentally. The memories themselves were more than she could focus on at once, but the general idea was clear: the Enemy was dangerous, and she needed to recover the rest of the Shadow Plasma's abilities that had been left for her as soon as possible.

Hearing from X that she had been tracked to Palandora made the situation that much worse, and she knew that there was no way to escape the blame for whatever was about to happen. But she had managed to warn the planet, and that was going to have to be enough. The station was nearly over the spot where her memories hinted her destination would be, in a valley several kilometers from Tibrus City. _Not nearly far enough_ , she observed; Koral could not have chosen a worse spot for his settlement, although maybe he had picked it precisely because he had sensed something important close by. In any case, the orbital weapons platforms and starships were positioned strategically over Palandora's major settlements, and that meant that they were in prime position to threaten her approach.

At the moment, of course, she was invisible, hovering inside the station's Shadow field. But as her orbit brought her nearer to the valley she had been watching, Mirana could sense a power build up all around her. Finally they were so close that the scanners showed the pre-dawn light etching out the shape of the mountain range, and the station responded. A quick stream of black energy lanced downward to Palandora's surface. It remained steady for a few seconds, and _Nightsong's_ scanners showed its impact point as a cliff face at the edge of the valley. Then there was a green flash, and the black energy ribbon vanished. Somehow Mirana knew that the light meant that the station's action had been noticed. She had given X all the time she could; she wrapped _Nightsong_ in her own Shadow field, then threw it into maximum acceleration and raced toward the planet.

The battle started long before she reached her destination. The station was still invisible, but the weapons platforms had obviously traced the trajectory of the black energy beam, because they immediately opened fire. The few warships in the system were moving into position as well, including Rax's old ship, _Black Fang,_ and all of them became immediate targets to the station's weapons. Mirana inwardly cursed the Palandorans' stubbornness as she dodged the incoming fire directed at the station behind her. They were just making trouble for themselves, but there was nothing she could do. One of the weapons platforms exploded just as she was passing its orbit. She would just have to hope that the starships would see that as a reason to keep their distance.

Now she was entering the atmosphere, and two more problems caught her attention. The first was the rough circle of dots the scanner showed converging on the spot she was heading for: apparently the planet's entire dragon population was determined to stop her approach. The second problem was the electronics barrier she had been told about. It was clearly there to keep others from using technology to reach the artifact she was after – whatever it turned out to be – but it also meant that she was going to have to abandon _Nightsong_ well ahead of her goal and continue on foot.

Mirana was still far above her target when her view was blocked out by a sudden flash of green light, which seemed to erupt from all around her. Again she seemed to remember its significance rather than deduce it: the Enemy had activated a security device that filled the area with a diffuse Plasma field. When Shadow Plasma annihilated part of the field, green energy pinpointed the hole it left. _So much for invisibility_ , she thought. The green light died away when she dropped the Shadow field, but of course its effect remained. _Nightsong_ was now a clear target.

The first group of dragons had congregated below her, spreading out to cut off her approach. Mirana almost called X again, but something told her that would be a waste of time. She was nearly to the energy barrier, and she was forced to slow down and look for a landing site. Her ship's superior speed was useless now; the dragons were already moving in to attack.

Clenching her fist around the flight stick in anger, Mirana selected a good spot to make her landing, but in the same moment she saw that it was no use heading there directly; the dragons would be on top of her in seconds. She was going to have to draw them off. She banked sharply to the left, and four or five dragons changed course to compensate. She was quickly being surrounded.

The closest dragon was almost straight ahead, its purple hide glistening in the pre-dawn light, and Mirana was surprised at how quickly it was approaching. While it was still a long ways off, it opened its mouth and started spraying fireballs at her. She dodged them, but the maneuvers allowed two more dragons to approach from either side, spraying fire as well. And while she knew she could easily avoid them by heading back into space, that would do nothing to help clear her landing site. She was going to have to stand and fight.

Red and blue fire struck her from both sides as the ring of dragons closed, and Mirana knew her time was up. Forcing down a rising sense of guilt, Mirana turned her ship on one of the monsters and fired her lasers. The red energy slammed into the dragon, jerking it backward and sending it plummeting into a spiral, although Mirana noted with some surprise that the lasers had not pierced its body. Mirana quickly turned and fired on the next dragon. It shrieked as the laser fire exploded against it, but the other dragons continued their attack. _Nightsong_ was taking hits from at least three directions at once now, multi-colored fire glowing against the shields. Some of that fire was coming from the dragons she had already hit, but those did seem to be keeping a bit more of a distance, and eventually the attacks died down as Mirana forced others back as well. More importantly, though, the other approaching dragons were now converging on her current location rather than the spot she had picked to land.

Mirana threw _Nightsong_ into a quick turn and sped back over the trees to a small clearing, where she brought her fighter to an abrupt stop just a few meters above the ground and lowered the flight seat. The moment she was on the ground, Mirana triggered _Nightsong's_ pre-programmed autopilot, sending it quickly up through the atmosphere. In theory, if it made it back to space, it could warp away and remain hidden near the graviton field until she needed it again. Or if nothing else, there was the chance that it would at least draw fire from her.

Now there was nothing to do but run, although travelling over the ground was a little frightening with winged monsters somewhere overhead. Mirana tried out her Shadow field again for just a moment, but the green light was all over her the moment she did, and she quickly let it fade. But then she was surprised by another memory that was not hers, and she tried something else. Focusing the Shadow Plasma inside her, Mirana found that she could boost her endurance as she ran; her speed was not superhuman, but she was able to maintain a sprint for much longer than would have normally been possible.

She continued for several minutes, stopping only once to ditch the flight suit, since it was impeding her movements and the helmet limited her vision. At first, the trip felt oddly invigorating, the rhythmic sound of her boots on the forest floor mixing with the rush of wind as she sped past trees and over roots and stones, the morning light casting long shadows through the branches. But roars from above became louder as she went, and the trees became increasingly sparse the closer she got to the cliff face. It seemed foolish to think that she could reach her destination before the winged hunters above caught up with her.

Valkron clearly had no intention of evacuating. The moment X had explained the situation, the green dragon had insisted that they investigate immediately; X was harnessed in and lifting into the sky before he had even finished filling in the details.

"What is happening?" X demanded as Valkron climbed above the mountain tops. "You have to tell me what you know!"

The Darklings are here. They must be stopped.

"The who? Valkron, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Valkron was silent for the moment, but there was enough going on in the sky to hold X's attention. Laser shots and missiles streaked through the air, both toward the planet and away from it. Some missiles even came burning down through the atmosphere, and X could hear a low, reverberating clang as each struck Tibrus City's shields. Why the city could be considered a threat was beyond X, but then this whole attack seemed insane.

Then far ahead there was a bright flash in the sky, and X saw what looked like a meteor streaking toward the ground, trailing green light. A moment later the light faded, and a black starfighter emerged. Valkron's anger was palpable in X's mind, but he offered no further explanation. Even so, it was becoming clear to X what was going on, even if the reasons remained a mystery; he could see dragons approaching from several directions. Many were much closer to Mirana than Valkron was.

"She doesn't want to hurt you," X said, even though he had already explained this. "She's on our side. Can't you convince them to hold back?"

The Darklings left their pollution on this planet. We were left to guard it. The Masters are already in danger. We cannot fail them.

It was still a cryptic response, but it was more than Valkron had said to X about Palandora's past than he had in all the time they had been together, so X decided to accept Valkron's determination at face value.

"But can you stop a starfighter? It's faster, and it has shields. And _missiles_."

It cannot protect her forever.

Again X was unsure what Valkron meant, but the activity far ahead of him drew his attention. _Nightsong_ was slowing, and several dragons were moving to intercept it. X held his breath as Mirana moved closer to a group of them. Was she really going to fight them? And then several dragons attacked, each tracking _Nightsong_ with concentrated bursts of energy or long trails of flame. It was only a moment before Mirana returned fire.

"NO!" X called out futilely. He could not believe what he was watching. _Nightsong's_ lasers swatted away several dragons as if they were merely a nuisance, then turned and disappeared down into the trees. X was relieved to see that the dragons had somehow survived the attack, and inwardly he found himself wishing that Valkron could approach more quickly. Then _Nightsong_ appeared from the forest again, heading straight into the sky. Was she leaving?

_Now you see,_ Valkron said. _She has left her vehicle. She will be stopped._

X's heart sank again. "She's not the enemy," he said, although he was not sure whether it was to convince Valkron or himself. "You attacked first, and she didn't kill anyone." But Valkron was silent now, intent on covering the distance that separated him from the dragons up ahead. The sun came over the mountain tops as they flew, and X gained a better view of the dragons' search. Then one of them started blowing fire into the trees, and X guessed that Mirana had been spotted at last.

Mirana changed direction quickly to avoid the orange fireball that came hurtling out of the sky, not slowing her pace even though her entire body was starting to ache. She dodged the blast, but the heat and debris that rushed toward her from the side stoked the sense of panic that was already building inside her. She was an expert at hiding, and she was used to combat. But running in plain sight from enormous monsters like this was beyond anything she had ever expected to face.

More fireballs came out of the sky, and Mirana realized that the dragon was ahead of her and closing. She was close to the cliff face now, but not nearly close enough. She was going to need to buy herself some time. As she had done in her fight with Nakmar Dren, she brought the Shadow Plasma up in a wide field around her to provide a screen. The green light returned, but Mirana kept the black energy above the level of her head, spreading it out in all directions like a low cloud. She could still see in front of her, but hopefully anything attacking from the sky would have to guess where in the sheet of energy she was. It seemed to be working; while orange fireballs burst through her barrier of dark haze and green light, none of them struck her.

Moving like this drained her though, and she had to proceed at a slower pace. So Mirana was hardly even surprised when the orange dragon that had been firing at her landed a short distance ahead, shaking the ground as it crashed through the tree branches. Mirana hid behind a tree and gathered her power, waiting for the fire attack that she knew could not be far behind.

The dragon did not disappoint her. It inhaled deeply, then spewed a stream of orange fire in a slow arc, splintering trees and kindling their branches as it went. The trunk of Mirana's tree protected her from the direct blast, and a shield of Shadow Plasma absorbed some of the orange light that surrounded her briefly. She was actually a little surprised at how small the residual fires were; perhaps the dragon's breath was more Blast Plasma than flame. But in any case, it was clear that she could not survive many attacks like that. As terrifying a prospect as it was to face such a huge creature, hiding was not going to gain her anything. Mirana focused the Shadow Plasma within her, steeling herself for a final dash to the cliff face. Then she ducked out from behind what was left of the tree and ran.

She spotted the dragon immediately, moving toward her on all four legs, scanning the area with its huge head. It saw her too and turned, but Mirana was ready. She sent a stream of Shadow Plasma directly into the dragon's face, obstructing its sight long enough for Mirana to gain some distance; she was now closer to the cliff than the dragon was. She could hear it lumbering after her, crashing against tree trunks as it moved, and she turned to fire again. This time she was too late, though – a stream of orange fire came at her. She put everything she had into a Shadow field, which she wrapped around her as she dove behind another tree. The heat was painful this time, but again her power blocked most of the attack. When it ended, Mirana turned and fired another shot into the dragon's face. It flinched, twitching its head back as the black energy struck its eyes and mouth. _The term is "Shadow_ Master" _for a reason_ , Mirana thought with a flash of satisfaction, but then she was running again. She was there – she was clear of the trees, and the cliff was right in front of her, so close that she could see the narrow split in its face that the station had marked for her. Wherever it led, it was far too small to allow a dragon to pursue her through it. She was almost there.

And she would have made it if not for the red dragon that dove down from above, slamming into the ground in front of the cliff opening so hard that Mirana nearly lost her footing. It was huge, towering over the tree tops as it reared up on its hind legs. She could see that it was already charging a blast of fire, and this time there was no cover. Mirana came to a stop, searching helplessly for an idea of what to do, but even as she charged her power she knew there was no defense against this creature. She was still standing there helplessly when it opened its mouth to incinerate her.

Suddenly a shadow passed overhead, and something huge slammed into the dragon, knocking it down and causing its shot to go wide. It happened so quickly that Mirana still did not know how to respond. This new creature was a dragon as well, but its appearance was markedly different from the others. It was jet black and much smaller, less than a quarter the size of the creature it had just rescued Mirana from. Its build was more skeletal than muscular, with abnormally long claws and a mouth that opened almost vertical, exposing rows of teeth so long and sharp that they looked like they would actually get in the way of eating, almost as long as the spikes that lined its back. The eyes were different too, just glowing red slits rather than the almost-human eyes of Valkron. What Mirana noticed most, though, was the frenzied way this black dragon moved. It seemed to strike with all of its sharp surfaces at once, clawing and biting at its larger enemy, immediately drawing blood through skin that lasers and Shadow beams had only been able to irritate.

A blue dragon had now flown within range from behind without Mirana even noticing, but apparently she was no longer the primary threat; the unexpected beam of blue energy struck the black dragon instead, throwing it clear of the red one, which was still blocking the path forward but was now hardly moving. The black dragon recovered quickly though, springing to its feet and firing a blast of dark fire at the orange dragon, which was now close behind. Mirana fired a Shadow beam at the blue one that was now descending toward her, but she had scarcely gotten it off when she heard a voice in her head. _Run,_ it said simply.

Mirana had no problem complying with that. With two dragons actively attacking her and countless more roaring in the all-too-proximate distance, approaching the wounded red dragon was clearly the safest course. She scrambled toward it even as the black dragon leapt past her to attack the orange one, blocking more fire attacks with its body and firing on the blue dragon almost in the same act. Mirana reached the fallen dragon and had to scramble over its twitching tail. She was just over it when she turned instinctively to see green fire streaking toward her. She ducked behind the red tail, which somewhat ironically shielded her from the dragon fire, but the delay cost her. The originator of the green fire was already settling to the ground. It was not blocking the entrance to the cave, but it had a clear shot at it, and the black dragon was tied up with three others now. Cowering behind the coils of red dragon hide that were her only defense at the moment, Mirana suddenly recognized the monster crawling toward her. Although the murderous gaze was perhaps no different than what she had seen from the other creatures that had tried to kill her today, this dragon was distinct in that it had a thin leather harness wrapped around its middle. And standing on the creature's back, eyes wide with shock, was X.

"Stop this!" X cried frantically, both to Mirana and to Valkron. That horrible black creature was pinned down for the moment, slashing at the dragons that held it to the ground with their larger bulk, somehow enduring their repeated fire attacks. Other dragons were on their way, but it seemed they would be too late. Mirana was seconds from the entrance in the cliff face, but if she moved from her cover, those seconds would give Valkron plenty of time to incinerate her at this range. And he was creeping closer.

Then, to his surprise, Mirana stood up and raised her hands. "Wait!" she said. "This is crazy! I'm done running!" There was something a little odd about the look in Mirana's eyes, but as she spoke she stepped out from the cover of the red dragon's tail and started moving toward X. Valkron was holding his fire though, although X could not tell whether that was because he was willing to talk or simply because having her closer would make it easier to fry her. But X relaxed a little. If Mirana would just come with him, maybe they could resolve this whole crazy battle right now.

He was about to say so when Mirana abruptly dashed forward, a band of green-clad darkness streaking out of her hand. Valkron's fire must have missed, because a second later X was tumbling out the harness that Mirana's shot had just severed, and an instant later he was on the ground with a slightly twisted ankle and a black hand laced with green light across his throat.

_Get clear_ , Valkron ordered, stepping back just slightly.

"What's keeping you?" Mirana was taunting Valkron, and X's mind was reeling with the impossibility of the whole thing. But with her hand clamped onto him with black energy surging out of it, the state of danger was hard to deny. She jerked him back a few steps, still facing Valkron. "What's wrong? Isn't my death worth more than his life?"

Valkron took a step forward, but Mirana tightened her grip so much that X had to gasp for air. The roar of the other dragons was getting closer, and Mirana jerked him back to the stone wall of the cliff. "Do not try to follow me." Her voice was low and menacing, and X found himself beckoning for Valkron to back away.

_Get clear_ , his mysterious friend ordered again. _She must not escape_.

X was dragged back several more steps, and then abruptly he was free, doubling over as he panted for air. A sense of untamed rage flooded his mind as Valkron stepped forward, and X turned to see that Mirana had ducked into the crack in the cave, which was just a few steps away from him now.

_Move!_ Valkron was clearly positioning himself to send a blast of fire into the opening, and X almost moved away to give him a clear shot. But something held him back; this all felt wrong. Even given the danger Mirana had plunged Palandora into, X could not help but acknowledge that Mirana had been defending herself almost since she had arrived here, and she had tried to prevent all of this. The black dragon had freed itself now, and it was eying the crevice that Mirana had disappeared into intently. X had only a second to decide: he could run for cover, and Valkron could undoubtedly carry him to safety. But if he did that, he might never know what Mirana was up to, or why this insane battle had gotten started in the first place. If she really wanted him dead, surely she would have killed him already. Looking into Valkron's eyes, he simply shook his head, hoping his friend would understand. The black dragon was already moving toward X when he turned and disappeared into the cliff.

### Chapter 2Ф

The split in the rock was tall, but it became narrower the higher up it went, and the fissure was uneven so that X could only occasionally make out daylight above. He continued into the dim passage quickly, eager to get out of range of any stray fire that might come through the opening, from either side. Mirana was nowhere to be found. After continuing around a curve or two so that he could see only a short distance ahead or behind, X stopped to catch his breath. He suddenly thought that calling Jenara might be a good idea, and it was only then that he realized that his com unit had gone dead. He checked the blaster that he always carried when he went out and found that it was dead as well. He put both away and started forward, slower this time, wondering what could be so important about this path that would cause so much trouble back at the entrance.

X jumped with a loud shout as a voice spoke right in his ear.

"I thought I made it clear that you can go."

His yell had drowned out most of that sentence, but he settled down as Mirana appeared in front of him, eyeing him sternly.

"I came to... What are you... Wait. I thought there was some kind of block to your invisibility thing."

"It's the mountains," Mirana said matter-of-factly. "The Shadow Masters infused them with a bit of their power so that when the Enlightened set up their scanning field, the whole range glowed green. They knew something was up, but there was no way to pinpoint it. So they had to modify their energy field to exclude this rock."

"I see," X said, still feeling nervous. He was still wrestling with the dichotomy of his having helped her and her having threatened to kill him.

Mirana seemed to sense his apprehension. "I wasn't going to do it, you know. I just knew that Valkron wouldn't risk hitting you with his attack."

"I think Jeldor might be dead," X managed, not quite ready to put the battle behind him. "You know, the dragon you so conveniently hid behind. And there are people fighting for their lives up there, too."

"They are _attacking_ what they _think_ is a threat," Mirana corrected. "I have no control over that station. Or Garodus."

"Who, that black dragon? You know its name?"

"I _remember_ his name. Only it's with someone else's memory. He was left here, just in case someone tried to stop the future Shadow Master from reaching the Final Legacy."

X sighed. "All right, I give up. I'll just be quiet while you explain things from the start. But you're going to have to take me with you; I've been exploring this planet for too long to turn back now."

Mirana seemed to consider his proposal for a moment, then shrugged. "You can come, as long as you can keep up. But I'm still in a hurry."

Mirana recounted her trip to the station and her escape from the dragons as they worked their way along the path, which seemed to be sloping downward slightly. X kept expecting it to end in some climactic setting, but it simply wound onward as they walked. It had opened up a little, and to his surprise the sky was still visible overhead when Mirana finished. "Why is this little canyon still open? You'd think we would have seen it from the sky."

Mirana smiled. "You're forgetting where we are." X gave her a confused look, and she continued. "We're not in a canyon; we're in a cave. The ceiling is wrapped in a Shadow field that shows the sky above. It's maybe not the most efficient way to provide light, but their power storage was pretty good, especially when the whole planet could serve as a reservoir."

X shook his head in amazement. "I'm not sure I'm going to get used to you doing that. How many people's memories do you have?"

She smiled, evidently amused by X's bewilderment. "It's not exactly like I have their memories; I can't pick out specific details, and there's nothing personal. There's a mass of knowledge in there, but it's too fuzzy to pick out until something becomes immediately relevant."

"But you said they gave it to you to motivate you to come here."

"I guess so. I was already planning to come. But those so-called Enlightened people were definitely on the evil side."

"I'm having trouble believing that," X said quietly.

"What, because of the dragons? It's not like they were the actual rulers. They seem to have been left as guardians, with a very simple mission to accomplish: keep me out. It wasn't a bad plan, really – creatures like that could live as long as they needed to, and since their power is tied to their bodies, the technology-blocking energy field wouldn't impede them."

"I just can't believe that Valkron would just go all violent like that based on some ancient war."

"Don't be too hard on him. He did let me go to save you, after all."

X was silent for a while, willing his thoughts to change the subject. The next thing on his mind was hardly more comforting, though. "Jenara is going to go nuts when she hears about all this."

Mirana looked like she was stifling a laugh. "So what's the deal with you two, really? You don't work together, but you're always talking about her. And don't tell me it's just because you 'grew up together.'"

"Yeah, well, that's complicated. I told you about her and Ned. The thing is, I was used to Jenara being all independent and everything, but seeing her dating – or whatever – I realized that I was feeling a little jealous. So once we got back to Palandora, I sort of tried to get past the brother-sister thing we had had going on. I guess I had always had a crush on her, and I guess she was ready to open up – you know, after going through a war and everything. I felt like we had a lot in common, and things seemed to be going well. But then her father retired, and Jenara was elected Queen. Everything sort of changed after that. There was so much to do that she never really had time. You know, to spend together."

Mirana actually stopped walking and gave X an incredulous look. "Are you telling me you couldn't handle dating a woman with a job?"

"Of course not! It was just the opposite – Jenara was the one who said she didn't have enough time. It really bothered me, and I kind of withdrew, but she didn't want to stop being friends, so we meet for breakfast once a week."

Now Mirana's expression changed to one of pity. "Oh dear. I don't have a lot of dating experience, but that sounds like the worst of both worlds."

X smiled, feeling strangely relieved to be talking about this, even given the odd circumstance. "Yeah, it is. It's not enough to really feel like we're friends, but seeing her regularly makes it hard to let go."

"Do you want to let go?"

"I have no idea. I'm afraid I'm permanently infatuated with her, regardless of what happens. She's really pretty amazing, you know."

Mirana started walking again, looking thoughtful. "That certainly sounds complicated. Kind of makes me glad I haven't had to deal with that sort of thing. Although..." She stopped again. "Did you know the galactic social network is spreading gossip about me?"

"Really?"

"Yes. Apparently I have 'fans.' And from what I hear, they all expect me to marry Ned."

X had to smile at that. "Well I wouldn't pay much attention to what people say on the network. You can see where they get that, though. You do sort of have some unique things in common."

"What, because we have similar weapons? Because we've been in a couple of the same battles?"

"And because of what you've done together, I guess. I'm not saying I agree with them."

Mirana resumed walking, but the idea clearly still bothered her. "You can't build a relationship based on continual challenges. That sort of thing is what _stresses_ a relationship. You can only get close to someone if you have time to relax together. You have to spend time on your own initiative."

"I guess maybe that's true, although time spent does count for something." X realized that Mirana was glaring at him again, so he added, "I guess I'm talking about Jenara and myself more than you. We have a _ton_ of history together on our own initiative, but there's just no time now."

Mirana gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, exuding pity again. "You'll be fine. But take my advice. If she does 'go nuts' when you see her again, rethink where you want things to go with her. 'Stewing' is never a flattering state to be in."

"Wise counsel from the Shadow Master," X said with a smile. "I'll try to remember that."

The path was even wider now, and X was finding it increasingly amazing that the sky above could be an illusion. The invisible ceiling must have been high above, since the sounds and the feel of the breeze gave no hint that they were in a cave. There were even mosses and vines clinging to the stone, and water splashed down the rocks in a few places, eventually collecting into a stream that trickled along the path on the right-hand side. When the path was wide enough, Mirana started jogging, and X kept pace.

"I don't suppose you know how long we're supposed to be traveling..." X said after a minute of this.

"Nope. I guess we- Wait a minute." Mirana stopped short and looked back. X looked around, but there was nothing but the babble of the stream and the rush of a little waterfall they had just passed. Mirana walked up to it, then turned back with a smile. "I almost missed it."

"Missed what?"

"The path. It goes this way."

X looked at the waterfall, then back down the canyon they had been following. "You lost me again."

"Haven't you heard? There's _always_ something hidden behind a waterfall." And with that, Mirana ducked her head and jumped, clearing the stream and splashing into the falling water, somehow passing right through the canyon wall behind it.

"Mirana?"

"Come on," her voice called out of the rock. "It's just like the ceiling."

X followed her through the falls and into a small cave, where he brushed as much of the water from his hair and clothes as he could. They continued forward around a sharp bend to the left and soon emerged from the tunnel. They were now standing in a roughly cylindrical chamber surrounded by sheer cliffs that seemed to reach up to the sky visible above, but presumably they actually ended in another ceiling somewhere. The ground was grassy but otherwise featureless. There were no paths leading out.

"A dead end?" X speculated.

Mirana kept looking forward as she spoke. "No, but this might be where you turn back. The floor's not safe." She walked forward a few steps and then knelt down and reached her hand out to the grass. It passed right through.

X frowned. He was not sure how long his curiosity would last if things got dangerous. While he thought, Mirana backed up a bit and then took a running jump. X held his breath, but Mirana landed casually some distance out. She jumped again and found another patch of solid ground.

"I'm not even surprised anymore," X said. "I don't suppose you can just tell me where to go?"

"I'd rather not risk it," she called back, walking a careful line that wound around and took her near the right-hand wall of the room. She changed direction a few more times, crossing the room on the far side, then started making her way toward the center from the left wall.

X had no idea what she hoped to accomplish by prancing around an empty room, and he tried looking for something interesting in the walls or the vines up above – assuming those were even real. When he found nothing of interest, he got down on his hands and knees and crawled over to where Mirana had shown him the drop-off. It was an eerie feeling when his hand went through the grass; he felt nothing, but it looked like his arm was buried in the ground. Mirana was still working her way around the room, so X did the only thing he could think of to pass the time: he leaned out and stuck his head through the floor.

The experience was decidedly disappointing; it was completely black down there. X had hoped to get a glimpse of where this hidden pit led, but evidently the illusion was completely blocking light from above, unlike the Shadow field on the ceiling. He kept his head there anyway, listening, but the only thing he could detect was the possibility of a slightly warm breeze coming up from below.

When he pulled his head back up, Mirana was watching him from the center of the room.

"Anything interesting?" she called, obviously not expecting an affirmative answer.

X climbed to his feet, feeling a bit dejected. "Just darkness. What about you?"

"There's an opening in the floor. I'm not sure how soon I'll be back, or even if I'll come this way. You really should go back."

X sighed. "Do you think that Garodus fellow is gone? I'd hate to get fried by Shadow fire the moment I step outside."

Mirana shrugged, a guilty look on her face. "I'm exploring just like you. If you want, you can wait in the canyon; I promise I'll come find you if I make it out before you do. You know, assuming there isn't some dire need elsewhere. I really am sorry."

"It's okay," X called out, knowing she had more important things to worry about than his logistical issues.

"Just one more thing then," Mirana said, looking serious. "If you happen to see Ned before you meet up with me again, please tell him I'm okay."

"I will. Good luck."

Then she jumped, vanishing through the grass and leaving X alone.

X waited for just a moment before making his way back through the cave and past the waterfall. He paused there for a moment, debating whether to hurry back to make contact with Jenara or to continue onward. But he still had not really learned anything here, so he decided to continue along the path they would have taken if Mirana had not noticed the hidden passage. The canyon continued to widen as he went, but after several minutes X reached the end of the path; a rockslide had blocked all progress forward. There must have been something on the other side, since the stream pooled just slightly at the edge of the rocks. The water had to be going _somewhere_. X walked up to the nearest boulders, even climbing a few to test his weight. But the blockage was high, and since there was no way of even knowing how much of what he was seeing was real, he decided it would be foolish to continue onward without Mirana. Besides, this section of the path was probably just a decoy anyway, in case someone accidentally found the canyon before the Shadow Master had returned. Dejectedly, X started making his way back.

Before long X was coming up on the entrance again, and he slowed, listening for some clue as to what he might find outside. Everything was silent; whatever the battle's outcome had been, it seemed to have ended. X tried calling out, hoping for a response from Valkron, but still there was nothing. He was still not convinced that there wasn't a monster out there waiting to attack him, but he slowly approached the entrance and peeked out.

The entire area was empty. The ground was torn up and several trees were shattered or scorched, but even Jeldor's huge body was gone – either he had managed to lumber off, or the other dragons must have removed it somehow. X kept his eye on the cliff above as he walked out into the valley, but still nothing moved. As relieved as he was not to be attacked, it was a little unsettling to see no sign of Valkron. X felt keenly aware of how alone he was. There was nothing he could do until he was in communication range, though, so he turned left along the cliff face and started walking.

X knew that he had left the electrical inhibitor field when his com unit beeped. He quickly pulled it out and found that Jenara had been trying to call him for a long time. He called her back and got a response immediately. If she was relieved to see him alive, that sentiment was buried by an obvious sense of panic.

"X, you've got to get back right away," Jenara said in a quick breath. "It's Nakmar Dren. Two Vortak ships showed up on our scanners moving at triple-digit warp. I have no idea how. She's brought them here, X!"

This was certainly bad news, but X tried to respond calmly. "It's okay, Jenara. The corridor is still blocked, right?"

"Yes, but X, we thought we were safe here, and look what happened!"

"What _has_ happened? Is the battle over?"

"We had to pull the ships back – even _Black Fang_. All of the weapons platforms are gone. We couldn't even get a shield reading on that moon thing, so I have no idea how much we damaged it. It did back off finally, but we're in no condition for another battle!"

"Okay. Just keep everyone away. Jenara, did you see what happened to the dragons?"

"That _what_? X, haven't you been listening? _The planet is under attack!_ "

X knew the irritation building inside him was not really fair, but he was having trouble holding it back. "Mirana is the only one who can deal with Dren," he said pointedly. "I followed her to figure out what was going on. If she wants to face him, we might be able to get Dren to ignore everyone else."

"We _might_? And what if she hides? Do you know where she is?"

"Roughly." X cringed at the look he knew was coming.

"Great, that's great. X, you need to get back here. Because if Dren wants to start by using up a bunch of torpedoes laying waste to that whole area, I'll just be glad he's spending them there and not here."

X gulped, thinking of Mirana alone in that cave, unaware of just how close her enemy was. But there was no sense in looking for her now, and Jenara was right about one thing at least – he had to help the Palandorans be ready for an actual invasion. He signaled a shuttle and started looking for a clearing that would make him easy to spot. But as he waited, X could not help but think that he had already lost any chance he might have had to make a difference.

As much as Jenara Trennon would have preferred to have her friend present to help her reason the situation out, matters deteriorated so quickly that in the end she had to face it alone. Just minutes after she had finished her call with X, a transmission came in from the starship _Dread Phoenix_ , one of two warships that had somehow made it to Uraxis before anyone had found time to plan a response. Jenara asked General Orvinder to take the call, but even that small stalling tactic proved fruitless; Nakmar Dren wanted to talk to the Queen.

Jenara gulped as the man's face appeared on her screen. He had a murderous, almost tortured gaze, and the flames that filled the room he was in made him look that much more intimidating.

"Queen Trennon," he greeted in a dispassionate voice. "This communication is a courtesy. I thought you should know who was about to destroy your planet."

"We are prepared to defend ourselves," Jenara replied, keeping her chin high in defiance. "This nebula is our fortress."

"Yes," Dren said with a hint of condescension. "A mighty fortress that Kayleen Rax helped you fortify. I hope it doesn't surprise you that she gave me the access codes for the corridor blockade. I will be coming through shortly."

Jenara's heart sank. Of course there was still a chance Dren was lying, but really he had no reason to do that. Why would he even come if he had no plan for getting in? She tried to mask a nervous gulp, knowing that any sign of weakness might rob her people of precious time to escape whatever Dren was planning.

"I assume you know why I'm here."

Jenara's brow lowered as she was forced to discuss yet another menace to the peace of her planet. "I imagine you are chasing Mirana Kelar."

"You are harboring a dangerous woman. I am here to bring her to justice. And... to deliver a message."

"I'm not harboring her," Jenara said, trying not to sound defensive. "She came here without permission. We let her in in hopes of avoiding further confrontation, but she initiated an attack on this planet. She has no asylum here."

Dren looked genuinely surprised at this news. "Fascinating. I suppose I could be persuaded to spare your planet if you were to spare me the trouble of hunting her down."

"She's hiding," Jenara said, almost as angry at Mirana for running away as she was at Dren for threatening Palandora.

"Pity. But no matter. We are already removing the corridor's seals."

Jenara looked at another readout and saw that he was right. He would be coming through within seconds. Her options were narrowing. There was probably nothing she could do now that would turn out right, but there was one idea that might buy her some time. It was perhaps not the most noble idea Jenara had ever had, but it seemed like the only hope.

"Finding her may be difficult," Jenara said, mustering all of her powers of diplomacy. "She is invisible, after all. What's to stop her from sneaking out while you search?"

"I am losing interest in this conversation." Dren started to look away.

"We have a rough location for Miss Kelar. I would be willing to consider offering you information on her position and situation in exchange for an assurance that you will leave the Palandoran people alone. If you would agree to leave one ship behind-"

"Ah, I see we are ready to proceed." Whatever was going on behind Dren's eyes was beyond Jenara's ability to read, and that fact worried her. She was losing ground too quickly.

"Here are my terms," Dren said, suddenly turning back to Jenara. "I will enter your star system in a matter of minutes. You will tell me what you know about the Shadow Master. I will confront her and kill her. And then, in exchange for your cooperation, I will kill _only one_ Palandoran citizen, who you will offer to me freely." And to Jenara's horror, Dren pointed straight at the viewscreen. At her. "Kayleen told me before she died that she would have liked see you dead. I will honor that request. If you do not cooperate, I will lay waste to your city until you are dead, and _then_ I will hunt down Mirana Kelar on my own."

At this point, Jenara was utterly speechless. The mention of Kayleen Rax being dead was certainly news, but to have her own life set forth as a military target was so unthinkable that for a moment Jenara could focus on nothing else. Orvinder was signaling her that he was ready to take over the transmission, but Jenara was not ready to give up yet. Steeling herself, she took a step toward the screen. "My life is not mine to give; it belongs to my people. If you want to defy us and come after me when you are done with Mirana, we will be ready. But... if you will agree to hold off your attack on us until you have found her – _and if you will let any of my people who wish to leave to do so_ _freely_ – then I will tell you where Kelar is. And I will remain right here."

Dren regarded her in silence for a moment, and then the hint of a smile spread slowly across his lips. "I do hate letting unfinished business drag on, and your information would speed things up. We have a deal, your majesty."

### Chapter 2∩

Darkness enveloped Mirana as she dropped through the unseen opening, but lines of Shadow Plasma traced out a grid on the floor, so she was able to anticipate the impact, and she landed nimbly. The platform she landed on was small, surrounded on three sides by a wall, with the space in front of her open to another drop-off. She jumped again, then repeated the process down two more landings – evidently she needed to work her way below whatever danger had awaited in the unseen pit that she had been avoiding in the room above.

When she finally reached a real floor, the path ahead was straight and short. A door sealed behind her when she started down it, and after a short tunnel she was not surprised to find a large crystal set on a pedestal, essentially identical to the one she had encountered on the hidden moon. She stopped, taking a quick glance around to check for anything else that might be important, but as before the room was made of featureless stone, although there were some patches that glowed dimly above her– evidently some kind of bioluminescent fungus. As much as Mirana hated to rush into a situation she did not fully understand, she had gone to a lot of trouble to get here, and delaying would serve no purpose. She walked up to the crystal and took hold of it.

Long has this power waited for you, Shadow Master. The fact that you are here without having destroyed the Enemy means that our hopes are in jeopardy. Are you determined to complete your mission at any cost?

"I am."

Then receive your final lesson. The Plasmic energy that flows through your body can augment your body, as you know. And as you also know, your command of it is very strong when the power is focused near you. Through extensive study, we have learned to convert raw power into solid matter. Within a limited range, you can call this matter into being in the form you choose. Doing so will drain your power quickly, but it can give you a powerful advantage when the Shadow Plasma itself cannot help you.

Mirana watched as images of ancient Shadow Masters passed before her. Overwhelmed by their 'Enlightened' enemies, they had called forth armor and weapons out of nowhere to turn the tide of battle. Other times they would wrap themselves in the material of their surroundings to hide in an area where a Shadow field might have been detected.

"It looks useful," Mirana observed. "So this crystal is just going to make me able to do this?"

The crystal will connect you to the power reserve we left and to the materialization matrix that will let you access it. It took much of this planet's energy to hold this reserve. See that you use our power to its full potential.

"I'm ready."

Know that there is much more that the power can do. But we could not transfer these other abilities here. Once you have destroyed the Enemy, memories will awaken, and you may begin a quest to recover the age that was lost. But none of this will serve you as long as they live. They must all be destroyed.

A deep, purple glow flared out from the crystal, and Mirana felt its power rush from her hands, up her arms, and through her whole body. It lasted for a few seconds, building as it went, and the light from the crystal intensified. Finally it culminated in a bright flash and a final rush of power, and then the light was gone. Even the crystal had gone dark, leaving the cavern lit only by the pale glow from above her. Already, though, Mirana felt different, more aware of the Plasmic energy near her. And there was a fragment of a memory too, about this room. The way back had been sealed; she was going to have to find another way, and that meant going up.

Mirana walked to the wall and touched it, giving her eyes time to adjust to the darkness. The surface was very rough, but it did not provide much in the way of handholds, and if she remembered correctly it angled inward as it went up, so that climbing would involve hanging upside-down. Scaling it would be clearly impossible without equipment. Which she supposed was the point. Focusing her power around her hand, she brought the Plasma to bear in a Shadow field, then willed it to solidify around the rock she was touching.

To her exhilaration, the dark energy responded, molding into a rock-like texture around her hand that reached into every little crevice she was touching. Mirana raised her foot off the ground and pressed her boot to the rock, and again she was able to attach it by creating a thin covering over her foot. Using the new foothold, she pushed up and attached her free hand and foot. She tested her weight against the seals she had created and found that she was quite securely anchored. Feeling a rush of excitement at this new power, Mirana moved upward, releasing the covering on one limb at a time. She moved up past the lowest of the glowing fungus, and soon she could see an opening in the ceiling. Even as the rock curved toward the opening, leaving Mirana hanging almost completely upside-down, she was able to maintain a solid grip, letting the hardened Plasma find enough tiny crevices to support her weight.

She was almost to the hole when the whole cavern shook, dislodging one of her feet and taking her breath away with the unexpected noise. After catching her breath and repositioning her foot, Mirana started across the ceiling again, but a second tremor shook the room. This time she just stayed put, waiting out whatever was going on as low rumbles continued to shake the room. What it would take to do that to the inside of a mountain was not something she liked to imagine, but it was clear that she needed to get out quickly. When several seconds passed without further tremors, Mirana continued across the ceiling and up into a narrow vertical passage, which led to a regular-looking tunnel, dimly lit by more of the pale fungal growths.

Finally back on her feet, Mirana hurried down the passage, hoping it would lead her to an exit soon. As far as she could tell, she was actually moving away from the room with the hidden pit that she had entered from, but since she did not know where the original canyon-cave had gone, it was not unreasonable to think that it might meet up with the path she was now taking. To her surprise, though, the path ended in a dead end. She frowned, looking around for a hint of another way, but there was none.

Mirana turned back to the end of the path; the floor was flat right up to the rock wall that sealed the way forward. She pressed close to it and tried to sense what was on the other side. It was not easy; she was not really used to sensing things through the ether other than her own power. But something told her that the barrier was relatively thin. To test the theory, she created a hard covering over her hand and knocked on the stone, then on the wall to one side. The sounds were definitely different. Satisfied that she was meant to break through the barrier, Mirana increased the mass of the covering on her hand, hoping to turn it into an effective club. When it was so heavy she was having trouble holding it up, Mirana took a wide swing and slammed it into the stone barrier. The rock gave way with a satisfying crunch, revealing an open space through the hole. After a few more swings, Mirana had a doorway wide enough to pass through. She carefully peered through into the cavern beyond.

This room was dark like the others she had passed through recently, but it was much wider. She was about halfway up a cliff face that dropped straight down into a subterranean lake. The pale glow was here too, but only from below the water's surface. On the opposite wall, near the very bottom of the lake, Mirana could sense a Shadow field marker. That had to be the way out. But the lake was deep, and it was bound to be freezing, if the waterfall she had stepped through earlier was any indication. Feeling a little irritated at all the trouble she was being put through just to get out of this place, she started experimenting with her power again.

Her goal was to create some kind of wetsuit. It was easy enough to cover herself, but the material had to allow movement, too, and for some reason a rubbery substance was turning out to be harder to materialize than the solid covering had been. The image of fish scales flashed through her mind, and Mirana modified her covering, constructing it out of individual plates joined by just a thin layer of flexible material. Flippers for her feet were no problem at all. When she was done, she felt a little odd, standing there covered in her makeshift scales, looking like some kind of aquatic myth. To put a finishing touch, Mirana decided to construct a transparent face plate, along with an air sack on her back attached with a hose. When she was satisfied that she could move, she jumped clear of the ledge and plummeted toward the water.

She hit with a huge splash, but once she had oriented herself she found that swimming was fairly easy. Gradually adding Plasmic mass to the covering on her hands, she let her suit's weight drag her down as she propelled herself forward through the dark water with the flippers. She held her breath as long as she could, realizing that the uncompressed air she had brought along would only be good for a few breaths. Finally she was at the marker at the bottom, which looked to her normal sight like a continuation of the stone wall. When she moved through it, the welcome sight of daylight met her eyes from the rippling surface on the far side of the water above. Mirana quickly shed the extra weight she had added and surfaced.

This end of the lake was a little bigger than what she had seen inside the cave, but this time it led to an actual shoreline. Mirana immediately recognized the sky as showing through a false ceiling, and from the cliff walls ringing the lake and continuing up the shore it seemed that she had come out in the same canyon-cave she had started in. She made her way to the shore and let her scaly wetsuit vanish back into the ether, leaving her dry and smiling at her ingenuity. But her sense of self-satisfaction was immediately replaced with caution as a faint scraping sound hit her ears. It seemed to be coming from up the valley, and something told her that X was not the one making it.

Mirana wrapped herself in a familiar Shadow field and hurried up the path, which narrowed quickly as she went. She had scarcely left the lake behind when she came upon a rock slide that blocked that path. It was crawling with at least ten red Vortak. Some were even moving along the walls. Mirana clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. She had not expected a battle quite so soon, but she was certainly not going to let these creatures stop her now.

Moving quickly toward the rock slide, Mirana formulated her plan. The fastest way over the rocks would be to use the enhanced grip technique she had discovered earlier, but something told her that doing that would involve becoming visible. On the other hand, these creatures would not be able to use any long-range weapons on her, so as long as she could manage to become visible only when confronted with one or two, she should be able to continue forward.

As she reached the base of the stone rubble, Mirana angled toward a spot that was relatively clear of Vortak. She climbed as far as she could and then dropped her Shadow field so she could fuse her hands and feet to the rock and scale a large boulder. The creatures immediately spotted her, and two rushed toward her immediately. Mirana stopped mid-climb just long enough to fire a Shadow bolt into the nearest, knocking it aside. She reached a solid landing in time to dispatch the second Vortak with another Shadow bolt, and then she was invisible again, scrambling in a different direction.

The creatures had a fairly good idea of her location now, though, especially as she could not help dislodging small stones here and there, and by the time she reached the next steep climb, it was clear that she was not going to make it without dealing with the creatures first. Instead, she re-created the suit from before, only with thicker scales and spikes on her hands and forearms. She rushed toward the first Vortak, meeting its clawed limb with her armored hand and driving her other fist into its face. She followed that up with a kick, augmented with the Shadow power charging within her, and the creature fell away. Mirana turned just in time to meet the rush of two more Vortak. She had to move quickly to avoid exposing herself to both at once, and the limbs of the closest one moved so fast that it took all of Mirana's training to keep blocking. Finally her opponent put too much force into a swing, and Mirana was able to use its momentum to turn it away and grab it from behind. Before it could turn and counterattack, she anchored herself to the ground and threw the creature she had just grabbed into the second, stunning them both just long enough for her to blast them with twin beams of dark energy from her hands. By the time Mirana realized the third Vortak had already launched itself from above, the only thing she could think to do was to crouch down and create long spikes on her back. The spines broke as the Vortak fell on them, and Mirana rose quickly to toss the creature away. She began to climb again, already having trouble keeping track of all the creatures moving toward her.

When she reached the top of this second mass of rock, Mirana was able to vanish again and dash down a slight slope that led to yet another sharp incline. As she ran, Mirana had to question the wisdom of whoever had caused this rock slide. Presumably it was to discourage further exploration, but were it not for this obstacle, getting past these creatures would have been so much simpler.

Again Mirana started her next attack with bolts of black fire, but she was not sure how long she would be able to keep up that attack; the Vortak she hit at any kind of distance did not stay down for long. Her armor let her dispatch another of the creatures that got in too close, but now the others were gathering a short way off, preparing to rush her together. Mirana looked down at her hand, thinking. She had never really been a fan of blade weapons, but at this point she really needed something to throw. As the Vortak started to advance, Mirana crafted a three-pointed blade with barbed tips and hurled it at one of the Vortak. It stuck, causing obvious injury. Mirana followed up with two more, and then she was surrounded again. She created knives this time, and the Shadow Plasma obeyed her command to make the tips extremely sharp; each thrust put a Vortak on the ground. When there were so many on her that they threatened to overwhelm her with their sheer mass, Mirana sent out a wave of dark energy, knocking them all back.

Then she was climbing again, risking less time to secure each grip so that she could move faster. One creature was rushing at her from the ridge she was working toward, and each time she fired a Shadow beam it managed to duck behind something. Mirana panicked when the creature started coming down right on top of her, but suddenly a new thought occurred to her; when the Vortak was almost within reach, Mirana coated the rock above her with a completely flat sheet of hardened Plasmic energy. The Vortak lost its grip and fell, its parting swiping attack denting Mirana's makeshift armor as it passed. Mirana finished the climb and vanished again.

Now the path was all downhill, and Mirana took it at a near run, reappearing only for brief moments to cling to the rock and slow her descent until finally she was back on the ground. Most of the Vortak were behind her now, and each time she encountered a new one she was able to get right up next to it without being noticed. Her first instinct was to run past these, but she knew that the creatures behind her were already in pursuit, and each creature that she could remove from battle would increase her chance of survival. She ended up killing most of the remaining creatures as she ran past.

Mirana slowed as the passage narrowed and she approached the entrance. For some distance near the start, the canyon really did open on the sky, and the idea of giving Nakmar Dren a clear shot at her in an enclosed space was not very appealing. The thought of being trapped between him and the Vortak he had sent in after her was worrisome as well. All of a sudden Mirana was feeling terribly unprepared, in spite of her newfound abilities. How had those Vortak gotten in here, anyway? Why hadn't the moon base taken them out – not to mention Garodus? How had they made it through the corridor? Briefly Mirana considered trying to collapse the passage behind her, but it was very tall, and even if she could create some sort of wall across the ground, those insect creatures would just pass through higher up. In any case, they could not be far behind her now. She was going to have to find out what was going on outside.

When she could see the entrance to the split in the cliff, Mirana sent a stream of invisible energy out into the air in order to see just how far she had before the Enemy's marker would take effect. The green light appeared close to the opening, and Mirana walked as far as she could without stepping into its range.

Suddenly a familiar voice called out from the clearing beyond. "You have kept me waiting, Shadow Master. You may show yourself; I'll keep my distance for now. I have a message to deliver before I kill you, and I don't want to send you running for cover just yet."

Still well back into the canyon, Mirana let her Shadow field drop; it would be useless now. Part of her wanted to race out there and finish this, but she forced herself to take stock of her situation. She realized that she actually felt fairly strong, in spite of her continued use of her new abilities; evidently the infusion of power the crystal had given her had not quite worn off yet. And while Mirana could think of several dangers that Dren might have in store out there, there was certainly nothing to be gained here. "I'm ready," she said to herself, then strode out of the canyon.

### Chapter 30

Nakmar Dren looked just as he had aboard his ship, clad in space armor, although the forest setting seemed a bit out of place for him. He stood just at the edge of the trees – not really out of attack range, but far enough off to give Mirana a chance to react if he did strike. Since Dren had forced this meeting on his own initiative, Mirana decided to speak first.

"Congratulations on finding me," she said. "Not many people manage that."

Dren ignored her comment. "I've ordered the Vortak to keep their distance," he informed her instead. "Both here and in space. Trennon and I have a bit of a treaty. The moon fortress has been neutralized as well – my ships were more than a match for it. And Trennon tells me that even the dragons are staying away. This is about you and me."

"Just the two of us? I was actually expecting Rax."

The mention of the Ice Master made Dren visibly angry. Normally Mirana would have expected less passion from someone on an assassin's mission, but she supposed that it was the nature of the Plasma to generate emotion along with the use of the power.

"I see you are behind in your information," Dren said with a sneer. "Kayleen Rax is dead. Yes, Nedward Simmons managed to succeed where you failed. He came after me with her power, but in the end he ran from me again. He disabled my ship long enough to run, but I hunted him down."

Dren took a few steps forward, and when he spoke again his voice was filled with defiance and anger. "He is dead, Shadow Master! My Vortak chased him down and slew that pitiful excuse for a Plasma Master!"

Mirana knew she had gone pale; her hands were shaking. She was expecting danger to herself, but Ned was supposed to have been staying out of sight. Why would he have gone after Rax without the Shield Crystal?

"I would have brought you his body," Dren was saying, "but Viper wanted the trophy sent to him immediately. But I have seen him myself. I wanted you to know this before you fell. Your friend is dead, and when you are gone there will be no hope for the others. The Viper has won."

Despair welled up inside Mirana, threatening to consume her, but she had plenty of experience with burying emotion. She focused instead on her anger, letting her hatred for this man occupy every thought. This was why she was here. Somehow, that new Shadow power was going to _have_ to see her through this, because there was simply no other ending she would tolerate.

"And that is my message," Dren said in conclusion. "You can run if you want, but I will not leave this planet until you are dead. If you have any honor at all, you can face me with whatever strength you have left after losing your armor, your invisibility, and your friend." As he spoke, fire spread out from Dren's feet, scorching the grass as it expanded in a circle. There must have been some explosives hidden near him, because suddenly the forest to either side erupted, enveloping Dren in billowing flame. He raised his arms, welcoming the heat, drawing the fire around him in a shimmering aura. Then he looked Mirana in the eye and began striding toward her, his expression as hardened as hers had ever been. "And now you will burn."

Whatever dramatic flair Dren had hoped to accomplish in his challenge was lost on Mirana; she was angry beyond listening. Not even waiting for Dren to stop talking, she dashed toward him, closing the distance in a dark blur. When a cyclone of red fire erupted from Dren's hand, Mirana wrapped herself in Shadow Plasma and changed direction to dodge it, sending off another stream of dark energy as a decoy. Dren had to split his next attack across the two streaks of green-laced darkness, and even though his aim was accurate with both, Mirana was ready. She caught the blast against a wall of dark matter that she had just formed across her wrist as a shield. She kept its material porous and found that it helped to block out the heat, allowing her to advance in spite of the inferno that was exploding all around her now.

When the attack died down momentarily, Mirana looked ahead to see that Dren was actually backing into the trees; apparently he was not as eager to face Mirana head on as he had intimated earlier. She took the opportunity to fire Shadow bolts at him, and he raised his arm to ward a few of them off before lashing out with another line of fire that erupted across the ground until it caught Mirana from all directions. Again she blocked the heat with material Plasma, forming it in porous plates over her existing armor. And while this extra layer burned away from Dren's fire, the lack of a focused beam gave Mirana the chance to dash toward him again, closing the distance quickly.

She was almost to him when his hand came out again. This time the rush of power lifted Mirana off the ground, flinging her away like a leaf in the wind. She hit the ground with a grunt and put up another shield to block yet another stream of flame. Dren was advancing on her steadily, and in spite of her shielding, the fire was everywhere. Memories of the battle on _Dread Phoenix_ flooded back, and Mirana felt a moment of panic. But this was not Dren's ship; there had to be something she could do to reduce his advantage. Frantically Mirana looked around, but the red fire was everywhere, and Dren was getting close. Sidestepping another fireball, Mirana fired a few more Shadow bolts at him, distracting him for a moment as he blocked them. Immediately Mirana was on the move, this time heading away from him, into the trees.

"Running again?" Dren's rage echoed through the woods as he taunted her. "You really want to fight me surrounded by _wood_?" Red light blasted into the treetops and along the ground as Dren chased after her, and soon the whole forest around her was on fire. The flames spread through the treetops at an incredible rate, replacing the sunlight with a harsh red glow, and the floor was ablaze with bushes and falling branches. Several whole trees came crashing down, their trunks shattered by Dren's attack. Mirana found a large tree and took cover for a moment. She was surrounded by an inferno.

But there was something else Dren had created, perhaps unintentionally: smoke. A dark haze soon encompassed everything, the red glare of the fire casting shadows of the tree trunks in all directions. The ubiquitous fire did not exactly favor Mirana, but at least now she had some cover for her approach. Dren's position was easy enough to pinpoint, since he was sending bursts of Flame Plasma in all directions. Mirana carefully made her way toward him, darting through the smoke in-between fallen trees and burning stumps whenever she saw an opening. Finally she was close enough to see him stalking through the trees. He looked furious, and she wondered if he thought that she had slipped away. It was not an unreasonable supposition, but Mirana was through running. When he had passed and his back was turned, Mirana dashed toward him, power charging in her fist.

Something must have given her away, because at the last second Dren turned and caught her full in the chest with a blast of fire. The red light was all over her, burning into the joints of her armor. Mirana tried to form a barrier to the flames, but she could not keep it there for very long before Dren's fire incinerated the matter she had conjured. And this, she realized, was exactly as it had been before: Dren positioned just out of reach, pinning her down with a steady stream of fire. And this time there was no one to interrupt the attack – even if X or Garodus did manage to break whatever truce was keeping them away, Dren's allies would outnumber them at this point. Her armor was starting to sizzle in spite of her shielding.

But perhaps things were not quite like before after all; Mirana _had_ gained something since then. She diverted power from her shielding to send out a smooth sheet of blackness over the ground. Just like the Vortak she had used this on before, Dren lost his footing on the frictionless surface and went down. His attack let up for just a second as he caught his fall, and that gave Mirana the time she needed to spring forward and leap onto him, bringing her fist down hard on his visor. Dren immediately fired at her, trying to dislodge her with a concentrated blast, but she had already fastened one hand to the metal on his shoulder. A second blow with the other hand shattered the visor, and Dren started coughing as the smoke reached his lungs.

Rather than reeling away, though, Dren reached out and grabbed hold of Mirana's helmet. Suddenly the red fire was everywhere, and Mirana's helmet started to steam. It would not last much longer, she knew. But she still had hold of Dren. She knew from experience that striking him in the face would be useless; surrounded by such heat, he would have more than enough power to protect himself at point-blank range. But now a new idea occurred to Mirana. She reached out and took hold of his face, sending out a hard covering that wrapped around his head, sealing off his nose and mouth.

Immediately Dren focused all of his strength on that covering, and it took constant effort for Mirana to keep replenishing the material as Dren burned away at it. For a second it looked like this might be enough, that she might actually be able to hold on long enough for Dren to pass out. But the Flame Master was still surrounded by his element, and Mirana realized that it was only a matter of time before he charged up enough power to dislodge her. And he was not going to let her get this close again. She was going to have to do something else, while all of Dren's power was still focused on her hand.

The seals on Mirana's glove and helmet were cracking, and she knew she had only a moment to act, but still she could not help voicing her thoughts. "You shouldn't have killed Ned", she hissed in his face. "Because unlike him, I have a hard time letting go of a grudge."

As she spoke, Mirana had fashioned a long spike attached to her free arm, and now she rammed it through the middle of Dren's armor, driving it up into his chest. Immediately he stopped struggling and fell back, and Mirana let the blade break off. She released her hand from the seal over Dren's mouth and stumbled backward, losing her footing almost immediately as a wave of exhaustion came over her.

Mirana could hardly believe that it was over so abruptly. Dren was dead. She half expected another explosion, like the ones the Plasma Crystals had let out when they were destroyed, but none came. Perhaps the Flame Plasma was just dissipating back into the fire that still burned in the nearby trees. Mirana quickly realized, though, that whatever the explanation, she could not stay here. Her armor was a wreck, warped and rough where it had nearly burned through, and there was no telling what the Vortak would do once they realized that their commander was dead. Not to mention retribution from the dragons for having killed a Plasma Master. Mirana forced herself to stand, still feeing incredibly weak from the extended use of her power. With a final look back at Dren's body, she stumbled off into the smoke.

### Chapter 31

Mirana walked for a long time, putting one foot in front of the other through sheer will. Much of the fire had actually burned past where she was now, leaving a landscape of blasted ash. Smoke still billowed into the sky, and there was no way to even guess at whether any ships had come down to investigate, or which side they were on. Mirana's first instinct was to vanish, but she knew that she was nowhere near the edge of the marker field the Enemy had left around the area, and she did not want to draw any attention with a flash of green. So she simply stumbled along in spite of the ache that seemed to penetrate her whole soul.

Unfortunately, with the immediate threat of Dren gone, there was only one thing she could think about: Nedward Simmons. She had failed him. She had dragged him from his home and thrown him into battle. She had used him as a shield and a means of escape and given him nothing in return. She had abandoned him. She had known he would not stay hidden, even though she had made it obvious that to do otherwise was hopeless.

But it _hadn't_ been hopeless. Somehow, Ned had tracked down and defeated Kayleen Rax, the very woman that Mirana had been forced to run from. How had he done that? And why had a group of mere Vortak been able to kill him afterward? The injustice made her angry, but without any enemies on hand to focus that anger on, the only target available was herself.

She did not know how long she had been walking when she realized why that sense of self-loathing was wearing on her so heavily: it was covering up something even worse. Because the more Mirana condemned herself for what had happened to Ned, the more she was forced to realize just how much she missed him. She kept going over her memories of the time they had spent together. The way he had reached out to her as someone he could talk about his power with. The way he had listened even as she confessed her unforgiveable crimes. The way he had lit up with excitement as they had discovered the technicalities of their power. The fact that he had given up his own source of power to rescue her.

Ned had not just been another ally like Randar or Ablithra. Ned had understood her. He had shown an interest in her abilities and her past, but he had also seemed genuinely interested in her as a person in a way no one else had since her father died, besides her adopted Marnax family. He had been a friend. Her only friend, to be frank.

And then there was that look Ned had given her the last time they had parted. He had been trying to tell her something important, and she had stopped him. She had made an excuse about needing to avoid distraction, but the fact was that Mirana had been frightened of what Ned might tell her. He had been notorious for waxing emotional when things got intense, and there was no telling what he might say in parting, especially after what they had just been through together. Mirana had not been ready to find out, so she had stopped him before he could say what was on his mind. And now she would never know what it was.

Mirana had no idea how long she had been walking when her thoughts finally stopped churning enough to let her think about her surroundings. It was not a pleasant situation. She was hungry. She was exhausted. And her face was covered with tears for the first time since she had been forced to come to terms with the twisted identity crisis that had been her life before Viper had been defeated. Before Nedward. She shook her head, forcing away the thoughts that threatened to well up again. Surely she would be in communication range soon, and she could not appear weak when she finally made contact.

It occurred to her that even when her com link started beeping again, she was going to have trouble reaching it. Her scorched armor was sealed all around her, and dematerializing it would probably take just as much effort as calling it forth had been. In fact, just weighing her options suddenly seemed unreasonably burdensome. She had spent all of her Plasmic energy defending herself against the Flame Plasma, and she had spent all of her emotional energy dealing with the news of Ned's death. And hadn't the Shadow Masters said that physical strength was tied to those things? Without really meaning to, Mirana stopped in her tracks. She was right next to a charred tree stump with a hole burned into its side that would make a perfect place to lie down and get some sleep. Her armor would probably blend in with the ash, and once night fell it would be virtually impossible for anyone to find her, even if the smoke cleared out of the sky. Once she was asleep she wouldn't have to worry about hunger, and surely she would be more prepared to deal with things after a decent sleep.

She took a step toward the stump but then stopped, frowning, as the image of Ned once again appeared in her mind. He would not sleep now, she told herself. There were people still threatened by a dangerous enemy – annoying people perhaps, but innocent ones. Ned would find a way to help them. Reaching out like she and Ned had done before, Mirana tried to draw power into herself. It was difficult – Mirana never had sensed the raw energy around her in quite the way Ned had, and Mirana's weakened physical state was inhibiting her control over it anyway. But the power _was_ there, and after a few minutes Mirana decided that she had the strength to keep walking after all.

Ever since the shuttle from _Dread Phoenix_ had gone down to the planet, X had been gripping the controls of his starfighter, tense with anticipation of the battle that could start at any moment. General Orvinder had kept him patched into official communications, more as a favor to Jenara than as a reflection of X's actual role here. The information he had been hearing was surprising, if not comforting. That other ship, _White Mercury_ , must have finished off the shields on that invisible moon, because the two had stopped trading weapons fire. He had actually been rooting for the moon this time; the fact that one of Dren's ships had survived a battle that the Palandorans had run from was not encouraging, although X chose to believe that the Palandorans had done most of the damage before they had pulled out, and _White Mercury_ has merely finished off the last little bit. Either way, though, that ship and _Dread Phoenix_ seemed to be a pretty good match for the Palandoran defense force.

X had gotten really nervous when the satellite images had shown Mirana walking out to meet Dren. He and his Vortak escort had had plenty of time to carry in whatever was in those large containers, and Mirana was clearly walking into a trap. And of course, the last time Plasma Masters had fought on this planet, his mentor had died as a result. This time might turn out even worse if things did not go well. When that forest fire had started, though, X and everyone else had completely lost track of what was going on down there, so now there was nothing to do but wait.

At least the Vortak were holding up their end of the deal so far; they were waiting at a safe distance, hovering over the spot where the battle was taking place. And while X kept expecting to see a group of dragons flying in to finish off the Shadow Master that had escaped them before, Valkron and the others were still staying out of sight. He was going to have to have a long talk with them after this.

Finally, after maybe an hour, the shuttle from _Dread Phoenix_ rose from the surface. This was it, X realized with an ill feeling. Mirana had not contacted him, and Dren clearly considered his mission finished. Now he would come after Jenara to satisfy his sick sense of vengeance. Which meant that the battle would be starting up again very soon.

_Dread Phoenix_ started moving the moment the shuttle was on board. X braced himself, but suddenly Orvinder's voice came over the com link. "Hold your fire," he said. " _Dread Phoenix_ is moving toward the corridor. If they want to leave, we're not going to stop them."

X followed the red warship's movement and saw that Orvinder was right – Dren's ship was definitely on its way out. For a moment X dared to hope that it was over, but then he realized that _White Mercury_ was not moving, and neither were any of the smaller Vortak fighters. He frowned, wondering why there had been no further contact. Just sitting there in silence was becoming unbearable.

Finally _Dread Phoenix_ reached the corridor entrance and disappeared into hyperspace. The silence lasted for maybe another minute, and then Orvinder's voice came over the link again: "They have left the nebula. All ships target _White Mercury_ and prepare to engage on my mark."

Now the white, crystalline ship was on the move, accelerating toward the little fleet positioned over Tibrus City. Orvinder sounded the attack, and X headed off to meet the warship and starfighter escort. But although _White Mercury_ was moving toward them, X noticed that it was not really aiming for the city; it was headed for the burning forest where Mirana and Dren had been fighting. The Palandoran ships moved to intercept it, and X followed the other fighters down as well.

Then X's squadron clashed with the swarm of Vortak escort ships, trading laser fire with them in an attempt to draw them away from the larger Palandoran vessels, which were moving sluggishly through the atmosphere in their attempt to stay between the Vortak and Tibrus City. Ahead, X could see _White Mercury_ firing continuously into the cloud of smoke below them. It seemed redundant to attack such an obviously devastated landscape, but X knew that there must be something still down there. Could Mirana have won after all?

His answer came just seconds later as his com link beeped.

"X? Are you up there?"

"Yes," X called back as he shot down an incoming missile. "Where are you?"

"Down here. I need you to land, right now."

"I'm in the middle of a firefight! I can't land!"

"Just open your cargo bay or something. I can't hide forever. And bring a few friends if you can."

"Fine," X said in an exasperated breath. There was no sense asking questions now, and he could hardly leave Mirana down there at this point. He tracked her signal, then signaled a few other fighter pilots and headed down toward the ash-covered plain. He soon saw why Mirana had suggested the backup; some Vortak fighters were now moving to intercept, perhaps tracking the same signal. But Mirana was closer to the city than the Vortak had apparently assumed, and X reached her first. She looked awful, wearing some kind of armor that looked like it had lost a fight with an angry blacksmith. X brought his fighter down low, then dropped his shields and opened the storage hatch. When his console indicated that something was inside, he shielded himself and headed back up, his heart pounding from the risky stop he had just made.

"They're all after me," he called to Mirana.

"I know," she called back weakly. "Head for space. It will lead them away."

X did not need to be told twice to run. He was, however, surprised at the lines of green light that appeared at his wingtips. "Are you _marking_ me? Is there some kind of a plan going on here?"

"Tell me when the light vanishes. I need to know when we're clear."

X felt like every Vortak ship was after him; although he was able to outdistance the larger ship, the smaller ones were all over him, draining his shields steadily with their constant barrage of lasers.

"It's gone," he called back to Mirana when he noticed that the green light had faded.

"I think I can wrap your fighter in a Shadow field for a minute or so. That should be enough to let you get clear of the battle."

X frowned. "Get _clear_? We're under attack! I can't just leave everyone behind!"

There was a moment of silence, and X almost forgot about his passenger as his shields glowed with a pair of missile hits. He was a little startled when Mirana spoke again.

"Fine. I'll give you as much as time as I can. Do whatever you have to."

And with that, X saw the hull of his fighter vanish. It was odd to see only the interior of the cockpit, but once his mind accepted what was happening he banked sharply and headed back toward the battle. Several Palandoran fighters had been helping keep the Vortak off of X, and now they were taking the full force of the attack. X picked out one fighter that was being pursued by two red Vortak ships and headed toward the group. He managed to get right behind one of the Vortak, and when he started firing missiles it had no time to react. By the time the second Vortak had figured out where X was, the first fighter had exploded. X held his fire and dodged, then finished off the other ship in a similar fashion.

He was lining up a third sneak attack when abruptly the exterior of his fighter reappeared. The Vortak he had been targeting dipped sharply, but X was already on its tail and managed to stay in pursuit, firing constantly. Its shields failed before any others could come to its aid. By now, though, the rest of the group had targeted X again, and he began to wonder if dropping Mirana off before returning to the battle might have been a good idea.

Then a bright flash off to one side caught his eye, and X turned to see that the Palandoran defense had breached the shields of _White Mercury_ and were blowing several large holes in its hull. The crystalline ship lasted only a few more seconds before some critical system exploded inside it, ripping it apart and tossing fragments in all directions. Now free to help out the starfighters, the larger ships now joined the attack on the smaller Vortak vessels, which for some reason made no attempt to surrender in spite of having no mother ship and presumably no commander. X found their stubbornness infuriating; this whole attack was becoming increasingly pointless.

"X, are you okay?" It was Orvinder.

"Yes, General. Mirana's here with me and-"

"Head to _Black Fang_ and dock immediately. The others can handle the rest."

X still felt guilty leaving the other pilots, but his shields were low, and he supposed that receiving a direct order was justification enough to pull out.

X went to bed early, but he was awakened after just a few hours by someone calling at his cave door. At first he panicked, remembering the previous morning's call, but a quick look at the security camera calmed him down. It was Mirana.

"Good to see you up," he said as he opened the doorway and invited her in. Mirana gave him a weak smile and followed him into his entry room, where they sat down. "So are you all right?"

"I woke up feeling pretty rested, actually. I guess I just used too much power too fast, and I just shut down for a while. Thanks for getting me out of there, by the way."

X shrugged. "It's what we do."

"Yes, well, I promised I'd come find you when I was done, and I figured you deserved to hear the rest of the story."

X had to laugh. "Can I assume by your choice of timing that you're not planning to stay long?"

Mirana regarded him solemnly. "Things are far from over. I really don't want to be the one to tell you this, but..."

She looked away, and suddenly X felt very worried.

Mirana shut her eyes with a pained look. "Nakmar Dren told me that Ned Simmons is dead."

X gasped and clutched the arm of his chair. "No. That's not... he was _invincible_!"

Mirana gave him an understanding look. "I know. Believe me, I've been trying to convince myself it isn't true since the battle ended, but Dren seemed sincere. He was gloating and angry at the same time, and he seemed desperate for revenge. If Ned killed Rax and were still alive, then wouldn't Dren be going after him instead?"

X nodded, still in shock from this news. When he had gone to bed, it had been in the context of a recent victory. Now all of that seemed to have vanished.

Mirana leaned toward him, looking determined in spite of the glistening in her eyes. "I'm telling you this now so you won't find out like I did. But now is not the time to mourn. We have to finish what he started."

"Right." It was hard to think of anything else after what he had just been told, but X forced his thoughts back to the current situation. "So, what do we do now?"

"I need to get back to Gerran right away so we can share information. I'm... kind of the only one left who can face Viper now, although I guess that was true anyway, but... you understand. I need to get out of here immediately."

X nodded again, thinking. "I doubt Jenara will be willing to send _Black Fang_ out of the nebula, but I can try to get you back aboard the ship you came on. I have to warn you, though, I might not have as much influence as I used to."

Mirana gave him a weak smile. "Jenara didn't approve of you helping me?"

X bit his lip and shook his head.

"Maybe we'd better swap stories now."

They filled each other in on the details of the battles they had just fought. Mirana downplayed the details of her fight with Dren, but X could tell it had been fairly epic, and that it had taken no small amount of skill and creativity for Mirana to defeat the Flame Master. X's story felt mundane in comparison, but Mirana seemed interested in his account of the Palandoran defense's involvement. And since Mirana had predicted Jenara's reaction to the whole encounter, X decided to tell Mirana of their conversation.

"Interesting," she said when he had finished. "I don't suppose you pointed out to her the fact that things would have gone a lot more smoothly if she had taken my advice and kept her distance. The Shadow fortress would have helped fight Dren."

X bit his lip again, now feeling a bit defensive on Jenara's behalf. "I don't think it would be very tactful to mention that. She was doing what she thought was best to keep the planet safe."

"I know, I'm sorry. I promise to be nice to her if we meet again. Consider it a down payment on the favor I owe you for getting me away from that ship. And by the way, don't think things are totally over between you. Unless she's a very bitter person, my guess is that she's already thinking of how to patch things up. Playing hard to get can be very effective."

X had to laugh. "Playing? How is that you know so much about relationships?"

"Please. I may be a dangerous recluse now, but I went to school just like everybody else. I saw enough examples of relationship drama to cover pretty much any situation, I think."

"Well, that's good to know."

Mirana smiled weakly, looking relieved to be discussing lighter matters. Her face quickly regained its serious tone, though. "There are a couple of things we need to discuss before I go. First of all, the Vortak – I get that they wanted to try to finish me off, and I get that they had to send word back to Viper. But they must have known that one ship against your whole force wasn't going to last long. Why the hopeless battle?"

"I don't know. The Vortak are a complete mystery to me."

"All I can think is that the ones that left needed to be able to say that they did all they could to kill me before returning – you know, like making a sacrifice of the others. They can't possibly think that the Palandorans were an important enough target to lose a ship on – no offense. And even though I was really weak, they could not have known that."

"I does seem pretty desperate, I guess, although they did do a lot of damage in the process."

"And it's not just the Vortak on the ship. When I woke up I... 'asked around,' let's say... about the Vortak that followed me. Do you know where it is?"

X shook his head.

"It's dead. The thing attacked the team that was holding it when they tried to feed it, and it ended up getting shot. It's like they're all more afraid of being captured or defeated than they are of dying."

"If they're working for Viper, it's not hard to imagine that they'd be terrified of him."

"Yes, but I want to know exactly what he's doing that terrifies them."

X shrugged. "Sorry I couldn't be more help."

"You've been a _lot_ of help. Like I said, I'm the one that owes you. One last thing though. That ship you were fighting, with the crystal-looking hull – that was Rax's ship."

"I guess so. _White Mercury_."

Mirana was smiling again. "Dren left me a parting gift by bringing that ship here. The Shadow data crystal thing told me that my armor would recharge but would take a long time to reach me. See, it was stuck to the Plasmic ether associated with its last location in normal space. Which was on Rax's ship."

"So you're saying-"

Mirana stood up, and a suit of shiny black metal appeared around her with a low hum. The helmet was deactivated, so X could see the triumphant look on Mirana's face. "I'm saying that I'm back to full power. I've spent enough time mourning for now. Right now it's time for revenge."

X just stared, glad that Mirana was on his side.

### Interlogue

I will.

It was an empty, scattered thought, a feeling without anything to latch on to. It was just there, and for the moment nothing else was.

I will.

Once there had been a specific intent, maybe even a plan, but that was all gone now. Now there was only that will, the determination to act. It was everywhere; it was everything. For Nedward Simmons, nothing else in the universe existed.

No, there was something else. Something near him, something important. Or someone...

I will... fix this.

Ned's eyes snapped open – or maybe they had been open already. Nothing seemed to change, but all of a sudden Ned became aware of himself. He looked around for an explanation for what he was experiencing, but there was nothing.

He squinted. There _was_ something else. It was light. Everywhere. No source, nothing to be illuminated, just blinding, white light. Everywhere.

What is going on?

To be concluded...

### Afterword

I kind of wrote this story twice. I wrote the prologue kind of spontaneously, not really knowing where it was going to lead. The story that followed was fun to write, but as I tried to finish it up I got hit with a ten-year case of writer's block. Finally I realized that a big source of my problem was with how I had set things up at the start, so I went back and gave it an overhaul. I had meant to have just one sequel, but by the time I had rewritten the material from the original draft I realized that the second story was longer than the first, and there was still a ways to go before I could resolve things. So the rest will have to go into a third book.

As it stands, though, I'm happy with how things turned out. This is still an amateur work, but the issues in the sequel feel a bit deeper to me, and in particular I'm happy to have been able to show Mirana as an active participant in the story rather than just a supporting character, stuck in the shadows so to speak.

Hopefully, readers will also get the sense that this is less of a Star Wars / Star Trek genre thing. To be honest, I think the best science fiction of the last several years comes not from movies or TV but from Nintendo's Metroid series. If anything I ever write evokes a kindred sentiment, I'll be more than pleased.

I owe my brother Kevin big time for reviewing early drafts again, along with my cousin Shelly, who surprised me by becoming the second person I know in person to actually read _The Plasma Master_. My son David found some typos, and my sister-in-law Christina did the nifty cover art.

I guess the only thing left to say is that I'm absolutely sure that the next book will be the final one. I don't have another fifteen years free to do this again!
