

# The TSAR Trilogy

BOOK III

### Strangers

'Dangerous' Walker

Copyright Grahame Walker 2014

Published at Smashwords

### Contents

Books by the Author

A SHADOWY MEETING

ADVENTURES IN SPACE

TAKING COMMAND

DISAGREEMENTS AND PRIORITIES

NEW IDENTITIES

BACK TO THE START

HIGH STAKES

DRAWING STRAWS

RING OF FIRE

IN THE CULT OF THE KING

THE SHRINE OF CAVELHADRE

BOOK DEAL

SPLITTING UP

FIRE ESCAPE

THE TRUTH

THE RETURN OF CHASE DARKSTAAR

SEARCH AND RESCUE: JULIANNA

SEARCH AND RESCUE: JIMMY JAZZ

SEARCH AND RESCUE: MILK

THE LAST DAYS OF THE LAIKAN WAR

STRANGERS

THE BATTLE FOR TOOKEN

THE INVASION OF EARTH

??????

DAY OF THE DARKSTAAR

FALLEN HEROES

EPILOGUE

Welcome to the Walkerverse (connect to the author)

About the Author

### OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

### Adventures in Space

### The TSAR Trilogy

  1. The Trimedian

  2. Tears of War

  3. Strangers

Pray for Rain

### The Book of Five Worlds

  1. The Foreshadow of Balance

  2. Five Tasks

  3. The Road between Gods and Monsters

Southern Hunter

The Library of the Universes (and other Tales of the King Imminent)

The Haunting of Berkeley Square (novella)

In the Valley of Elah

### Find extracts from all these books at the end of this novel.
Types of Life Forms (that means Aliens) you will meet: (extract)

Oncolutians

How best to describe them? Sitting upon short legs is a big slab of body; wide, but seemingly slightly too thin to contain anything. Rather than continuing up to shoulders upon which are arms, the Oncolutians had decided to scrap any kind of conventional shoulders and instead the arms continued nearly straight upwards to an elbow and then came back down again so that the hands were level with the beings hips. In all each arm must have been close to 6 feet long and were mightily flexible.

Enthusians

Are ridiculously tall, far too tall than is surely good for them, and very thin. The type of thin that mothers want to try to fatten up.

Generally wear long dark robes with a hood and have faces that appear to be very old, or at least look like they have enough wisdom to have to be very old.

Enthusians have no real corporeal form, but that made flying space ships a bugger and so their race have chosen this wise demeanour from a human book.

Warning: All of them look like this, with little variation, even the women. It was very confounding and more than a little disturbing.

Carutes

Their bodies are about twice the size of a basketball and have a number of tentacles underneath. Some shorter and like an octopus' arms, some longer and thinner like a jellyfishes tentacles. On either side of its head/body were two sets of eyes, one set slightly forward the others set slightly back, all four about the size and shape of a tennis ball.

Being maritime creatures they travel around in floating 'bowls' of water.

Warning: Please do not tap on the glass. It annoys them.

Greys

Oh, come on, you know what I mean: grey skin, upside down teardrop head, big black eyes, predilection to anal probes. Except they don't. You put one thing in the wrong place once and you're tarred for life.

They manage to speak out loud without moving his mouth. I'd say lips, but you've all seen the drawings; they have very small mouths, not much there to call lips.

Suffice to say kissing never really took off in their culture.

Merrick

Merrick would remind you Earthens of elephants, though they had tiny ears and their trunk-like nose only hung to their breast and was wider than an elephants, starting as it did at their cheeks. The Victorians called these Merricks as no one could pronounce their actual name.

Petruthsians

The Petruthsian are a race of large, less slimy slug like creatures who can rise up on their stubby tails to use a number of tentacles. They were vicious traders with a sharp eye to turning a space pound out of anything.

Cantorvials

Cantorvials could be described as a cross between a Human and a tiger. They stood upright a lot like a Human, but their body and face was a lot like a tigers, except completely bare of fur. Their bodies were rippling with muscles and whiter than an Englishman who's spent all his time indoors. Let's just say Albinos felt rosy next to a Cantorvial.

Reutorgians

Reutorgians have a body that is long and thin and might make you think of the common pencil; it even ends at a pointy tail. They have spindly arms and legs and a head shaped like a soda can and are taller than most other races.

Tarancorts

Tarancorts might remind an Earthen of a giraffe. They had a very similar head and a long neck that bent in an S shape so that their heads sat forward of, and level with, their shoulders. However, their skin was made up of large, tough plates that met each other at grooves. They were an odd race in that they were split almost 50/50. Some were mean and vicious, while others were very peaceful. Great architects and painters too.

Byfrok

Byfrok could be described as somewhere between ants and Humans. They had two legs like a Human, but then their body was shaped to accommodate another two sets of arms that ended in pincers that could be used as feet. So 'arms' wasn't an entirely accurate description. The body came to a point between the two pairs of 'arms' so that the thorax was an hour glass shape and could swivel like a second pair of hips. The head was neither ant nor Human, it was an ovoid, like a stretched out egg, with a small mouth on one end, much larger nostrils flat to the head and eyes on the side that stuck out so it could look forwards.

Jobru

Jobru sat on three long tentacles a lot like an octopus'. Their bodies were reminiscent of a chubby baby's with long arms that ended in three-pincered hands. Their head was oddly small for their bodies with small eyes, but a distending jaw and large nostrils. They were originally water based creatures, but were equally happy out of it.

Zorblids

Zorblids had a head shaped very much like a hammerhead shark, but with bigger eyes and less bitey-bitey teeth. Their bodies were humanoid and they had a small bony protrusion on their hips, shaped like a hook and they could hook their skin onto it and pull it out with their hands to form wings with which they could fly, though only from a high object. To help this their hands and feet were like a monkey's, which they used to quickly ascend trees from which to take off.

From: A Brief Guide to the Universe for Earthens

A SHADOWY MEETING

"The time approaches, we should consolidate our power," one said to the others.

"Indeed, time to rid the Universe of organised crime," said another and a third barked a laugh.

"Ironic and impossible," said a third.

"You know what I mean," the second said. "It's time to place hits on their leaders and cripple them. Evangeline, No Fingers and the rest."

"I feel that things are getting out of hand."

"We knew that there would be variables and we planned for that," another said.

"Yes," the third agreed. "These things are contained and the overall plan is working."

"Chase Darkstaar is too much of a variable, too much of a risk. He has a Battle Fleet."

"Do you really think Darkstaar is going to go to war? His mission is finished, he'll skulk away with his money."

"I don't think so," the first said. "Reports are that the Battle Fleet has not dispersed."

"Perhaps you are right then, we cannot risk such a fly in the ointment."

"Go through the channels, put a hit out on Chase Darkstaar as well. The Universe will be glad to be rid of him."

ADVENTURES IN SPACE

Chase sat alone in the cockpit of The Wild Rover, currently drifting in deep space. He was not only alone in the cockpit, but in the whole ship.

The WAR had torn TSAR apart as wars did. It destroyed not only bodies, but lives and relationships; sometimes during the conflict, sometimes afterwards; and so it had torn them apart.

Noble, he thought. Noble reasons had done this to them. They each had a stake in the WAR and they had ultimately committed themselves to that. And now he had one more job to do before he went to find them, hoped to rejoin them. Altogether again. They had done what they had to do and so had he.

***

He'd gone back to Strotium and picked up the aliens that had believed Dr. Angela Frost to be their Salvation. Only then had the coincidence of her name struck him, like it was meant to be. And he supposed that she really _was_ their saviour; because of her, and Chase's promise to her, these alien were being saved.

"Where is Our Salvation?" Entain had asked him.

"Busy, busy," he replied. "But here I am as her envoy to take you away."

"This is good. Yes. We will summon the rest of us," Entain told him.

"Cool. While that's happening I need to see that cave again. The one with the prophecy."

"Covex will take you, you will have only fifteen minutes before we are ready. Not so many of us left," he shook his head.

"All I need," Chase told him.

He had brought a strong lantern with him that lit the cave and began scanning what Jimmy had said were schematics for the Lost Technology into his computer. He wondered what had happened to the person who had written this. He assumed that it was one of the scientists and that when the project had been shut down, or when scientists started having fatal accidents, one of them feared that the schematics would be lost. Either to all or only to be known by a few high level politicians.

Was he planning on coming back here, perhaps building a new ship for himself or had he left it in the hope someone else would find it? Chase would never know and he supposed that it didn't matter anymore. He finished scanning the images and followed Covex across the snow back to the ship.

It had been a tight fit in the ship, there were aliens literally everywhere other than his own private room and he had taken them to Dwituf Minor, a planet that was only free from ice and snow in a band around the equator, but that was inhabited and indeed more inhabitable. They would not only find a place there for their small number, but a place in the Universe.

And then he was back into space just long enough to upload his scans to Cherry and plot coordinates to Rontin.

***

Evangeline's lair, as Chase had always thought of it, was quiet and even the Enthusian that Chase called Toby was not there to meet him. He wandered through the hanger where a number of battle damaged fighters sat and through to Evangeline's private quarters.

He found her sitting alone on her throne.

"I've been waiting," she said.

She looked stunning in a black silk dress with dark red vines creeping up it.

"I've been busy," he replied.

"Of course, saving the Universe. Why bother with me?"

"It's nearly over and then I'm gone, disappearing."

"Of course you are," she spat. "That's what you do, use people and leave."

"It's not like that."

"Yes it is. You're not here for me, you're here for you."

"I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."

She barked a laugh.

"You make me sick, sick of myself. How I could have loved you only to see you become this?"

"This? This is better than what I was," Chase countered.

"So it's off for the quiet life, is it? Just discard us because you don't like it anymore. Well, you're not the only one to leave. The tide has changed and there is nothing left for me."

"Where will you go?"

She laughed again.

"Thinking of inviting me away with you? I don't think so. You have your book and I have mine. I'm not going to rot away in a corner of the Universe like you are. There are other places to rule, places untouched by this malignancy.

"Oh and it could have been you and I, rulers together, but not now, not this Darkstaar."

"Other places?"

"What? You will try to find me? No. You will never find me. No one will, my rule will not be taken from me so easily."

"I don't understand..."

"No. You never did, never will. The pain you have caused me, I cannot bare to even be in the same universe as you," she began to weep.

"Evangeline."

"Get out," she screamed at him. "Get out of my sight."

And so he left.

Just one more port of call before he could join the others. One last visit to the Great Council to make sure all would be right with the future.

TAKING COMMAND

"So what we be doing?" Jimmy asked.

"Start taking out the command," Chase said. "We need to find the Laikan Vice-Commandant."

"And how do we do that?" Milk asked.

"Dunno. Scan?"

"Nice one," Milk returned.

"Can Cherry find him?" Julianna asked.

"I could use communications if we could board a Laikan ship," Trillo offered.

"They have a WAR PLAN, it's like the Ankarian, command will keep being passed along," Julianna said.

"I see what you did there," Milk noted.

"Thank you."

"OK, so we fly into battle, we strike at Laikan motherships and their allies, cutting off heads all the while scanning for the Vice-Commandant," Chase said.

"It's not much of a plan," Trillo said.

"Get wit' the programme, Trillo," Jimmy chided.

Chase radioed the Battle Fleet and then opened a star-gate and leapt into the Sitpornal Galaxy where the Merrick forces were engaged in an attack on the Core Planet of Garney.

"Where are the UTN forces?" Julianna asked.

"Other than the ones floating about?" Chase asked.

"Looks like they lost," Milk said.

"And what? Just left?" Julianna asked angrily.

"Appear so," Jimmy concluded.

"Well, the Merricks haven't won just yet," Chase smiled as the TSAR Battle Fleet appeared through the star-gate.

"In hard and fast, people," Chase said over the radio, "stop those troop transports and take out the Motherships."

The fast Shen Mi fighters swept in, followed by the Durden Raiders as the destroyer was launched from the Durden Mothership. Space pirates swarmed the larger ships and Chase was amazed that so many had stuck about.

The Merrick force was unprepared for the attack and desperately launched fighters as the Shen Mi swept in.

"This is Salvation leading a bomber run on the nearest Mothership, form up," Dave Heskin said over the radio.

They watched the bombers speed past as they accelerated through the Merrick force and towards the troop transports.

Milk and Julianna unloaded the Merrill guns and took aim at the ships as fighters desperately tried to catch up and protect the transports.

"Coming up behind," Milk warned.

"Stay on the transports, I'll take out the fighters," Julianna replied from behind her screen.

The Wild Rover sped between the transports, Milk hitting as many as he could before The Rover burned into the atmosphere and then into blue skies to see more transports.

"Lots of troops landing for a galaxy already won," Jimmy noted.

"Yeah, what's so special about this planet?" Chase asked aloud.

"Two reasons," Cherry said. "Before the First Laikan War this was a Merrick planet and it was a primary source for Offilium."

"Offilium? That's the medicine that Merricks need, right?"

"Yes. They can develop sinus problems when in space too long. After the war the UTN took the planet as a way of controlling the Merricks, but also in spite; the planet contains a lot of the Merrick's cultural heritage. The UTN still refuses to return it to them."

"Well, dat be a problem. Shouldn't dey have access to medicines dey need?"

"Stop shooting," Chase commanded and Julianna and Milk raised their battle screens.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"The Merricks are going to take this planet, this galaxy, from those who live here, but at the same time they are trying to reclaim what was theirs originally. Plus it contains Offilium," Chase explained.

"Merricks need that as medicine," Milk said.

"Yeah."

"So what do we do?" Julianna asked.

"This is a moral problem, but it is not yours," Trillo advised.

"So war's not so black and white, who'd have thought?" Chase said. "Battle Fleet cease attacking, hold a position ready to fire."

"What's going on?" Terd Ferguson, leader of the Durden Raiders asked.

"We're going to have a chinwag with the Merricks. Open a channel, Cherry."

"Please."

"Now."

"Fine. Channel open."

"This is Commodore Chase Darkstaar of the TSAR Battle Fleet. As you can see we are holding off our attack."

" _You wish to surrender?"_

"Good one, but no. We can't let you attack and kill innocents, but we are aware of what this planet holds for you."

" _So you are in a moral quandary?"_

"Yeah, who'd have thought? Who am I speaking to?"

" _Commodore Haxis."_

"Well then, Commodore, here's the deal. We're going to let you land and take your Racial Archive or whatever it is and wherever it is you get your medicine from and we're going to tell those in control of the planet to let you."

" _I think we will just take the planet."_

"Yeah, you could do that, but then we'd have to stop you. And look at it this way. They take the planet from you, you take the planet from them, and when you lose the WAR they take it back off of you."

" _Seems to me that we are winning this war."_

"Well then, if that happens you can do what you like on the planet, but I don't see a reason for innocents to keep suffering."

"Contact the Planetary Government then, I doubt they will agree with you."

"I'll put you on hold. Patch me through, Cherry."

"I'm not a switchboard operator."

"Cherry."

"OK, you're through," she harrumphed.

"This is Commodore Darkstaar, we'll up here holding off the Merrick attack for you."

" _This is President Thatch, you have our thanks."_

"Not so fast, President. The Merricks just want their heritage stuff and their medicine. I'm allowing them to take them."

" _You're what? No, Sir that is not happening."_

"It is, Mr. President or they will take the whole planet. Innocents don't have to suffer over this."

" _If I say no?"_

"Then we will leave you to the Merricks."

" _Fine. You have me hostage, but if they come and fight, it will be on your head."_

"No, it won't. That was what they were going to do anyway. We're saving your backside here, man."

" _Oh, how noble."_

"I've a good mind to just let the Merricks do what they want," Chase said to the cockpit.

He got back in touch with Commodore Haxis and told him the deal and that if they heard anything from the planet they would be back. Once done the Battle Fleet began pulling out.

"You think they'll both abide by it?" Julianna asked.

"Who knows?"

"It was the best thing you could have done," Trillo said.

"Still feels odd to agree with Trillo here, but I do," Milk said. "No offence, y'know?"

"It's fine," Trillo replied.

***

In the galaxy of Gonunal, UTN forces seemed to be winning against Cantorvial forces and with the arrival of the Battle Fleet the tide turned further.

The Wild Rover shot towards a Mothership and laid fire into it as fighters screamed around them.

Bomber forces used the gap in fighters to swing in and drop bombs on the Mothership as Missile ships attacked a bombarder. A destroyer hit a UTN Mothership and crippled it; The Wild Rover pulled away and attacked the fighters that went in to try and finish it off.

"Get us close to that destroyer," Milk said extracting the FOBG.

The Wild Rover swept up and away, Julianna shooting more fighters as they left, leaving UTN fighters to tackle the rest.

It entered the hail of anti-fighter fire from the destroyer and Chase jinked left and right as Julianna fired on the ship.

"To the superheavycannon," Milk commanded and Chase pulled up to where the gun barrel met the hull.

Milk laid down fire where the two met and a Shen Mi Missile ship swooped in and also fired on it before pulling away again. The Wild Rover then pulled a tight circle as Milk laid more fire upon it. He managed to hit a hole the Missile ship had made and saw a tongue of flame bloom before dying.

"I think I got it," he said.

"Then get us out of here, I can't get all these anti-fighters," Julianna said.

The Wild Rover pulled away and straight into a dog fight where they blasted any ship that came into view while still heading back to the Mothership.

Once again it laid fire down on the ships trying to cripple or destroy it, but the Cantorvials were now pulling away to the star-gate and the smaller ships were surrounding the larger ships to protect them.

"It's no good," Chase said.

He was weaving The Wild Rover through the firestorm, but he couldn't hold his luck for much longer and pulled away from the retreating Cantorvials.

"Thanks for the assist," someone said over the radio. "Thought you were bad guys when you showed up."

"We're an odd bunch," Chase replied. "But we're off now."

" _Well, OK, thanks again."_

"We can't keep doing this, it's getting us nowhere," Ferguson said over the radio.

"No, I agree," Chase replied.

"Then it might help that I have a fix on the Laikan Command Ship," Cherry said. "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"The Cantorvial Mothership sent a message to another ship before it began retreating. I've tracked it and am assuming they were letting their boss know they'd failed."

"It's the best shot we have at the moment," Chase shrugged.

"OK, Terd, sending you new coordinates, hit the star-gate."

The Wild Rover leapt through it's star-gate and into the Ness galaxy where Cherry believed the Laikan Command Ship was located, and found space filled with A.R.S.E and UTN ships as well as his own TSAR Battle Fleet coming through the star-gate.

"This is my last ask of you," Chase said over the radio. "We need to board the Command Ship before it leaves for deep space. I suggest that any pirates left in the fleet board with us to get your bounty. After this you are free to leave or to continue the fight, as you wish. Now get us to that ship."

The Wild Rover blasted forward, being overtaken by the fast Shen Mi fighters, and entered the fray.

Julianna and Milk once again took to the Merrill guns, blasting at fighters and bombers as they flew through them, but were forced to pull up and away as they were heavily outnumbered.

"Dey gonna lose dis galaxy if we don't destroy more ships," Jimmy pointed out.

It was true, the UTN were outnumbered here and the Battle Fleet didn't even the odds.

The Durden destroyer, armed with its superheavycannon had caught up and started firing upon a Mothership while Missile ships flew in to capitalise on the damage. A number of Space Pirates formed up around The Wild Rover knowing it was their best chance of getting onto the Command Ship and looting it.

The Wild Rover concentrated on the heavier ships such as the bombers, but also took a run against a Cantorvial destroyer, raining fire at its boosters before dodging anti-fighters along the top of the ship. Pirate fighters blasted at the defending fighters before The Wild Rover swung around and laid fire point-blank into the bridge. They pulled away just after seeing internal explosions.

"Focus on the Command Ship," Chase said over the radio, "leave the Navy to do what they're trained for. In fact keep hitting and harrying it even when we're aboard."

"What're you thinking?" Milk asked.

"Nothing yet," Chase replied.

The Battle Fleet moved as one, the Shen Mi fighters speeding past the destroyers that were protecting the huge Command Ship as Durden and Shen Mi bombers deployed hit and run tactics on said destroyers. The Durden's own destroyer took shots at the protecting ships and between them to hit the Command Ship.

The Wild Rover needed to get into the hanger quickly, the only reason that the Command Ship hadn't already moved was because of the lack of time between the killing of the Commandant and attacking. As soon as the Command Ship realised that it was now in sole command it would escape to safety. Now with a full attack, the Ship might leave anyway.

So The Wild Rover swung in close, firing at the anti-fighter guns close to the hanger as Milk took control of the FOBG and fired at the ships still in the hanger.

Space Pirates, who had bet on a bigger haul if they stuck around were now desperate to make this whole thing worthwhile and took the opportunity to fly into the cavernous hanger as The Wild Rover pulled back to cover them.

"What are they doing, worthless fools," Trillo growled.

"No, it's good for us," Chase said dodging a missile and turning to destroy the offending ship. "The Laikans will have to deal with them first, clear our run."

They sped past again and shot into the hanger before Chase pulled a tight turn and entered. Ships were destroyed and anyone who had been in there had fled to safety. They landed and got out. There was never going to be an element of surprise so they were wearing armour and armed to the teeth. The only hope was that the pirates were causing a fuss and they could get through the ship before the pirates were stopped. The other outcome was that the pirates took over the vessel, but Chase was under no illusion what the outcome would be.

"Might as well take de translift," Jimmy said.

"No," Chase said. "Not yet, we don't want to get ahead of the pirates."

"As long as there are no stairs," Julianna said.

"Or a lift with muzak," Trillo agreed.

"Come on, let's get this done," Chase said and they ran through the hanger and into a corridor. "Let me know if we move, OK?"

"OK, mon," Jimmy said and pulled out his computer.

They could hear a firefight ahead of them and ran up to find pirates and Laikans shooting at each other. TSAR ran up and laid down more fire, taking down the Laikans as the pirates ran on without so much as a word of thanks. Pirates, huh?

As they ran on they passed open doors to see dead Laikans and destruction, the pirates were attacking indiscriminately, blasting into rooms as they passed. Our heroes continued to follow the line of the translift as it ran the length of the ship, but passed other corridors branching off and could hear more gunfights. They had to duck into one of these corridors as a unit of soldiers came their way and Chase and Milk, Chase kneeling, leant around the corner and fired on them. They ducked back in as fire was returned, but the Laikans were caught by surprise with no real cover and they fell quickly.

"Come on," Chase said.

"Wait," Jimmy grabbed his arm. "We've moved, we be in deep space."

"Good. Send our coordinates to the Battle Fleet and tell them to dock. We're taking this ship."

"What?" Julianna asked surprised.

"We're going to commandeer this vessel."

"That's insane," Milk said. "What do we need it for anyway?"

"Dunno," Chase shrugged. "Can't hurt to have a massive ship as a base though can it?"

"It could hurt, could hurt a lot," Milk replied.

They ran on, there was an explosion somewhere.

"They're gonna ruin my ship," Chase frowned.

"At least the alarm has stopped," Trillo sighed happily.

"There wasn't an alarm ringing," Julianna said.

"Puny Human ears."

" _And we're here,"_ Terd said over the radio.

"Groovy, spread out and mop up, we're going to take the ship over."

" _The whole ship?"_

"No, Terd, just the nice bits," Chase sarcasticised. "Get some men into the translifts and spread throughout. We're going to the bridge to chat with the Vice-Commandant."

" _We'll see you there."_

"Let's grab a translift while they're free, I'm not walking to the bridge," Julianna said walking over to a door and pressing the button.

"Won't they shoot us before we even get out?" Milk asked.

"Yup. But we're not going to get out at the bridge. Jimmy's been doing a scan for emergency exits or maintenance ducts."

They stood there waiting for the lift to arrive and then filed in. The doors swooshed shut and a butchering of 'The Girl from Ipanema' began playing.

"So what exactly are we doing when we get there?" Trillo asked.

"The Vice-Commandant has nowhere to go, we'll just have a chat," Chase said.

"You think he's going to just chat with us?" Trillo incredulised.

"You'll get used to it, but helps to have a pistol close to hand at all times," Milk said helpfully.

"It makes all those years not being able to catch him seem even more pathetic," Trillo sighed.

"Hey now, there's nothing to say I didn't have brilliant plans back then," Chase chided.

The translift slowed to a stop and they got out.

"So?" Chase asked.

"OK, so dere be a maintenance shaft..."

"But..." Milk interrupted.

"Well, you not be fitting in it, Milkman."

"Thank goodness for that," Milk sighed.

"So give us, how long, Jim?"

"'Bout five minutes if we hustle."

"So, five or so minutes before you get back in the translift, radio Terd to come slightly after that."

They walked over to where an access panel was high in the wall and Milk lifted Jimmy up who picked the lock and climbed in; Milk then did the same to Chase.

"I love it when you hold me in your arms," Chase grinned down at him.

"It'd be a shame if I dropped you on your head."

"I doubt it would make much difference at this point," Julianna suggested.

"I'm feeling the love," Chase said from the shaft before pulling the hatch closed.

***

The hanger was colossal, big enough for the Durden Raider's mothership to fit in along with most of the rest of the Battle Fleet and now Durden Raiders and Shen Mi agents were filling the hanger, Terd and the Shen Mi Captain Hain were giving orders through the radio, splitting their men to take over the ship.

It was madness, Terd thought, not that they were trying to take over the Laikan Command Ship, but that _they_ were taking over the Ship. How had he come from being a prisoner to part of a WAR? How had Chase Darkstaar gone from being a hitman to this? And why was it him, why was he doing this rather than the UTN? Hitting Laika or at least this ship would have helped to cripple the attacking forces, but the Navy hadn't tried. As far as he knew. He sighed to himself as Milk came over the radio.

***

Jimmy was tucked into the shaft, just wider than his shoulders, with Chase crawling along behind him.

"Adventures in space, they said, we'll get together, have some laughs," Chase said.

"What?"

"Nothing, keep crawling."

"Not much else to do," Jimmy replied.

"How much further?"

"Not far, should take us directly over de bridge."

"Kind of an oversight, don't you think?"

"I don't t'ink de designers considered five people would try and take over de ship."

"You see, that's the genius of this plan," Chase grinned.

"I'd hardly be calling dis genius, mon."

"Whatever. You guys are just killjoys."

"You better be hoping I don't have a spasm in my leg, your face be awfully close."

"Killjoy."

***

Terd Ferguson had reached the translift along with Bones Castille, Not John Roberts (who looked like John Roberts, but wasn't) and Big Nick the dwarf, and was receiving reports from throughout the ship. Though there were plenty of soldiers aboard, the Space Pirates seemed to have done a decent job of tackling them. And really, no one ever thought the Command Ship would be boarded, most of the defences were on the outside of the ship. The soldiers were more there to protect the Vice-Commandant if he chose to leave the ship.

And so the reports coming in were mostly of success against various computer operators, medics and engineers. And the cleaning crew, who Ferguson felt sorry for. A massive ship loaded with a race that had a penchant for moulting. He looked at his watch, it was about time to call the translift.

***

"Huzzah! We're here," Chase exclaimed falling from the roof and landing next to Jimmy.

They swept the room with their pistols and the room, devoid of all but a couple of soldiers, raised their hands. Paws.

The Vice-Commandant got up slowly from his chair and turned to face them. He looked up at the open hatch in the roof.

"An oversight," he mused. "And really who puts an access hatch in the roof?"

"Good point," Chase agreed. "We could have really hurt ourselves."

"Yes. Shame you didn't, isn't it?"

"For you," Jimmy said.

"So what now?" the Vice-Commandant asked.

"Now we take you out of the picture, crippling your WAR PLANS," Chase said and the Vice-Commandant laughed.

"You think it's that easy?"

"It was easy enough to get here," Chase shrugged.

"Yes," the Vice-Commandant mused. "you're little troupe isn't as little as we thought."

The doors opened and Milk, Julianna and Trillo entered the bridge.

"Just wandering into the bridge from the translift?" the Vice-Commandant said.

"More comfortable than a maintenance shaft," Milk shrugged.

"I dunno, it was cosy," Chase replied.

"The fact is I didn't want you to reach here, we underestimated the size of your force, but when it was obvious you would reach here? Well then I wanted to meet you. Wanted to see your face in defeat," the Vice-Commandant smiled a wolfish smile.

The Translift doors opened again and Terd and his crew entered.

"It doesn't look like we're defeated," Milk said. "Least from where I'm standing."

"Ahh, but that's where you're wrong. You have come here on a wild goose chase, keeping you away from the WAR and for what? Killing me will stop nothing."

"You're not a very good Vice-Commandant then, are you?" Chase asked.

"If you are here then I suppose I am Commandant now, but it matters not. Our forces no longer need commanding, they know what to do and are acting on their own authority."

"You're bluffing, the Laikans need leadership in order to win. What will they do if they do win?" Julianna stated and then asked.

"Oh, they will have leadership when they need it, just not from me."

"Who else is leading?" Chase threatened.

"I've said enough, you may execute me now. I am satisfied."

"We're the good guys we don't execute people," Chase told him. "Terd get your men to escort the Commandant to the brigs. Round everyone up and prepare a transport."

"Terd?" the Commandant asked.

"With an 'e'," Julianna said.

"What are we doing?" Terd asked.

"Setting them free," Chase grinned.

DISAGREEMENTS AND PRIORITIES

The whole of TSAR sat around a table in the large conference room along with Terd and Captain Hain who was now actually Commander Hain of the Shen Mi.

"Nice ship," Terd said.

"Needs work," Chase replied. "What of the Space Pirates?"

"We flushed them out, sent them off," Hain said. "They weren't best pleased that we took some of their booty back."

"They'll have to deal with it."

"What about the Commandant?" Julianna asked.

"We put all the Laikans onto transports, like you said, gave them enough supplies to reach the nearest galaxy," Terd told them.

"If dey get dat far."

"Quite."

"So what happens now?" Trillo asked. "We take the fight to them?"

"Where do you stand, Commander Hain?" Chase asked.

"We've been told to stay with you until the WAR is over. In fact we have reinforcements on their way."

"What's Evangeline playing at?" Milk asked.

"Whatever her angle we'll deal with it later, for now having the Shen Mi is a good thing," Chase said.

"So to WAR?" Terd asked.

"Not yet. No, there is something else here we need to talk about," Chase said.

"I've been thinking about it and I don't buy it," Julianna said.

"Back up, buy what?" Terd asked.

"OK, so from the very beginning this WAR hasn't made sense, where the Laikans are attacking, what their aim is."

"To gain territory," Hain said.

"But they're not staying and consolidating," Milk said.

"No, they go in and then leave to attack somewhere else," Chase told them. "And then both the Commandant and Vice-Commandant told us that they weren't in charge. So the question is, who is?"

"What are you saying?" Terd asked.

"From everything we've seen and heard I think someone or someones are coming from beyond the Universe, from beyond Earth, that this whole WAR has been a diversion."

"That's a little out there," Terd said. "Why Earth?"

"It's always been the focus of the Laikan's WAR PLANS, but they've never attacked it."

"I agree with Terd," Milk said. "I mean who has that technology? And why would they go through all this?"

"Sorry, Chase, but I agree wit' Milk. If it was a diversion den dey would have appeared as soon as de Laikans attacked. Dere be no reason to wait dis long."

"OK. Fine. You're wrong, but fine. Who could it be? Who could be controlling the Laikans?"

"The UTN," Hain said. "They control everything."

"Good, but hold that thought. Makes less sense that the UTN would spur the Laikans to attack themselves."

"Agreed," Julianna agreed. "It has to be someone that can profit from all this."

"The Mining Companies," Trillo said. "They are run by Laikans. More war means more fuel."

"That makes more sense," Terd said. "I would have said the Shen Mi if they weren't helping us."

"I don't think even Evangeline could pull this off," Chase said.

"I wouldn't be so sure, but I can't think of how it would help us," Hain replied.

"Hang on, we're ignoring the obvious, it _is_ the Laikans," Trillo said.

"That goes against what we've been told," Chase reminded him.

"No, they just said they weren't in command, doesn't mean it isn't another Laikan, someone hiding. Look, yes the plan makes no sense, but I don't know any Laikan who didn't think they were doing this to advance Laikan control," Trillo said.

"But that just tells us that they're as much in the dark about it as we are," Julianna said.

"Sir," a Shen Mi agent said having entered.

"Yes?" Hain asked.

"Oh, sorry, Sir, I meant the Commodore."

"What's up?" Chase asked.

"Intel gathered from the ship's computers is saying that A.R.S.E forces will soon be forming to attack The Ring, Sir."

"Thank you, you may go," Chase said. "Sorry about that, Hain."

"No, Sir, it is I who forget myself."

"Mssh," Chase replied, he really hadn't got the hang of this yet.

"That settles it then," Milk said standing. "We have to protect Tooken."

"Sit down, Milk," Chase said.

"No, Chase. It doesn't matter who's running this WAR, I've got a daughter and her mother, I've got, well, you know..."

"Angela?" Julianna beamed.

"OK, yes. And they're all at UTN HQ. We have to protect them."

"I'm wit' de Milkman, Chase, my wife be dere."

"I appreciate that, but that's not going to stop this WAR, there are others coming."

"No," Milk said forcefully. "You just think that, this is more important."

"We could bring dem here. We have a ship now."

"And what, Jim? Hide in deep space until it's all over and then just pop up again?"

"I don't see why not," Milk argued angrily.

"We need this ship if we're going to fight," Ferguson said.

"And we don't have enough people to man it, not without sacrificing our attack," Hain said.

"What're you saying?" Milk asked still not sitting.

"That this isn't the safest place for your loved ones; the UTN HQ is still the safest place in the Universe," Hain said apologetically.

"OK then, we only move people if Tooken looks like falling," Chase said. "We now christen this ship, 'The Last Resort'."

"No," Milk shook his head. "I'm still going."

"Milk, listen to me, this WAR won't end unless we find out who's behind it," Chase said.

"I'm sorry, Chase, I've been through thick and thin with you, but I lost a lot because of it and now I've found it again I'm not going to lose it. Again."

"Milk," Chase said gently.

"I'm sorry," he walked to the door.

"Me too," Jimmy said and stood.

"Come on, Jim," Chase pleaded.

"No, mon, I don't care about de mystery more dan I care 'bout protecting Tooken and my wife. I'm sorry, mon."

"OK, OK, come and sit back down, let's do this properly. You want to go, I want to stay, let's work this out."

***

Later Chase sat in the Vice-Commandant's office as people dashed around making repairs and working out what they could do with a limited crew. The crew had grown with more Shen Mi arriving and again he wondered what Evangeline's angle could be. Perhaps he should go and see her and find out, perhaps he should push her on what she knew of the WAR and who was running it.

He sighed and ran a hand down his face, he couldn't believe they were splitting up, but Jimmy and Milk were adamant about going to protect the galaxy of Hadess and the planet of Tooken where the UTN HQ was located and he couldn't blame them. They had family there in a WAR that was coming to a close and it would be the worst of the fighting. Everything would fall or rise on these final battles.

Except he didn't think so. If it really was a diversion like he thought then it wouldn't matter who won or lost as long as the battle played out and everyone was battered and broken enough to be conquered.

The galaxy of Hadess, where the UTN headquarters was located, had been chosen because the solar system that contained Tooken was encircled by five other solar systems that formed a protective ring around it. It was seen that to attack Hadess a force would first have to defeat these other systems, leaving it alone and vulnerable. This of course was no mean feat and leaving just one meant that an attacking force could find themselves surrounded. Attacking The Ring, as the five solar systems were known, was the first step in the last battle.

But.

But, he still didn't buy it, he still believed that someone else was coming, that there was more to this, it just fitted so perfectly even though no one else seemed to think it.

Still. People from beyond the known Universe? He struggled to believe it himself, and he struggled even more so to believe anyone had managed to build up that kind of strength within the Universe and keep it quiet. He sighed to himself and rubbed his face. He was tired, physically and spiritually. It had been a simple plot, just a bit of fun really, but it had grown into something so much bigger, so much more serious and he wasn't sure he was the one to face it.

"You OK?" Julianna asked from the doorway.

"I can't believe we're splitting up."

"We don't have to, that's your choice."

"But it's not right. I understand how they're feeling, but it's clouding their vision."

"You're really sure, aren't you?" she asked coming to sit in front of the desk.

"I know it, Juli, there's something more here."

"I'm sorry, Chase, but what the others are saying makes more sense. Yes, OK, there's someone else in charge, but not this."

"Look," he looked her in the eyes, "just do one thing for me, alright?"

"Anything."

"Find Forster, tell him that Earth might be in trouble. Tell him I'm mad if you want to, but tell him to be ready."

"OK. Yes, I'll do that, but what will you do?"

"I'm going to find out if I'm right or wrong, and I tell you, I hope your right and I'm wrong," he smiled at her an aged smile.

"I'll come with you," she said suddenly.

"No, Milk and Jimmy will do whatever they have to to protect their loved ones. If I'm right and someone else appears and attacks they won't fight until they know their families are safe. It makes sense that they'll attack now. Whoever it is wants the Universe, Juli, the Laikans have decimated it and with the UTN forces all gathered in The Ring, they'll be able to stroll in and take over before anyone can stop them."

She nodded.

"It's just so left field, Chase. I still think the obvious answer is the best and we can't ignore the attack on The Ring. Either way that's the real battle at the moment."

"I agree, and that's why I need you to go there. If I'm right then you'll be ready to go to Earth and fight."

She sighed.

"Yes. OK. OK, then."

***

They stood in the hanger next to The Wild Rover.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Chase said.

"It's gonna be weird wit'out you," Jimmy said.

"The Wild Rover's a battle turner," Milk said.

"Sorry, Milkman, but I need her and anyway, you have a whole Battle Fleet."

"I know, I just don't want you to go, or maybe I just think I should come with you."

"No, you're right, you have people to protect and whatever happens we can't let the HQ fall. With that in mind, Julianna I'm putting you in charge of the Battle Fleet."

"Me? No, I can't," she protested.

"Yes, you can, you're a leader."

"He be right, Juli," Jimmy nodded.

"Hain and Ferguson already know and with that Trillo and I should be off to see the mining companies."

"Good luck," Julianna said and hugged him.

"We'll see you soon, buddy," Milk said as Chase shook hands with him and then Jimmy.

With that done he walked up the ramp and into his ship where Trillo was waiting.

"You had a message," Trillo said as Chase sat down. "A woman said you had to go see her now. Didn't know her, but she seemed to know me."

"Evangeline."

"The leader of the Shen Mi? You have some strange friends, Darkstaar."

Chase looked at him and then around the cockpit before raising an eyebrow at him.

"What? Right, me and you working together. The Universe _is_ a strange place."

"Sure is, you got the hang of the computers?" Chase asked as he pulled out of the hanger.

"Your computer gave me the basics, wouldn't tell me more."

"I have a name, you know," Cherry said testily.

"It's Cherry," Chase whispered.

"Oh. Er... sorry, Cherry. Never met a talking computer before."

"I am fully sentient, thank you very much," she continued with the testy vibe.

"You're get used to her, now let's go see Evangeline."

The Wild Rover jumped through its own star-gate and appeared close to the planet of Rontin and headed through the atmosphere.

"Reminds me of Laika," Trillo said looking at the thick canopy that covered the ground as far as the eye could see.

"Are you sorry? For the things that have happened to your people?"

Trillo sat in silence for a few moments.

"Yes and no, we brought this on ourselves and I want to know why. I want to know who did this and for what reason. And I want them punished because, yes, I feel sorry for my brothers and sisters who have been sent to kill and be killed."

"I'm sorry for the part I've had in it," Chase said softly.

"No, you're trying to stop this and in doing so normal Laikans can go back to being, well, normal again."

"Well then, let's start finding out."

They descended through the trees and landed outside the entrance to the Shen Mi base and walked through to the empty hanger where they were met once again by the Enthusian and two Albertine guards.

"Tobes," Chase greeted smiling.

"I am not even going to bother," the Enthusian said turning.

They followed him through to Evangeline's room. Trillo couldn't believe it, it was full of treasures, tastefully lit and decorated; and there amongst it all sat a woman on a throne.

She was beautiful, Trillo thought, not just in looks but she exuded passion, strength and danger. This was the type of woman that Trillo had been looking for all his life, a Queen who leads her armies. A woman who could make you or break you with just a look.

"You rang?" Chase asked.

"People are stupid," she said.

"They have a tendency," Chase agreed.

"I wouldn't have known, not in the current situation, you know, but they had to go too far."

"As usual, I'm not following you."

"They have put a hit out on you, my love and I wouldn't have known it if they hadn't put one out on me too."

"What? A hit?"

"Yes, Universe wide. Every hitman will be looking for you," she smiled.

"Makes life harder," Chase mused.

"Or more fun," Trillo suggested and Chase grinned.

"That's the spirit, Trillo, I like you more and more. I like him more and more, you know?" he asked Evangeline.

"I don't care," she replied simply.

"No, maybe not. So, two questions. One why and two who?"

"Generally? Maybe, but specifically I don't know. As to why, well it raises questions."

"Such as?" Trillo asked.

"Well, why Darkstaar? He is a thorn in the side, but me? Seems they are trying to incapacitate the Shen Mi. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a hit out on all crime bosses and who would want that?"

"I'm sure you know," Chase said.

"No. Suspicions is what I have, but A.R.S.E forces are about to attack The Ring from what I hear, someone thinks the WAR is nearly over and they want organised crime, as it is, to not exist in the post-war Universe," she explained.

"Don't try to act like you don't know," Chase said sternly.

"I have no reason to give you anything," she replied sharply. "But there is more to this WAR than meets the eye, yes? Someone is pulling the strings for reasons that have nothing to do with Laikan power."

"The mining companies?" Chase asked.

"Perhaps, yes. I would find Quillam Got-Ham, the owner of the Deep Core Mining Company. I would think he would know more than the others."

"What else?"

"Don't push me, darling," she barked a laugh. "That is not a term I can ever truly call you is it?"

"This is not the time, Evangeline."

"No, it never is, never will be. But let me tell you a story."

***

Back when my Father was young and my Grandfather ran the business my Father found a man, I don't know how or why, but a man he was fond of. My Father was trying to muscle in on the planet of Pojir and found this man, the leader of a crew of Skyway engineers.

" _He said the man was hungry and angry, angry at his lot in life and willing to work for my Father. This was a stroke of luck for my Father as he had a large readymade crew to commit various crimes for him throughout the city, even the planet._

They enjoyed the extra money and the way they were treated by people who knew what they did; and of course they began to think of themselves as more than they were. They thought that they were Shen Mi, that they would rise through the ranks, but they were merely a tool for my Father. He was too young, too inexperienced to keep control over them as they grew tired of having to keep working as engineers and wanted more work from Father.

And then some Skyway engines failed and the crew didn't get there quick enough, didn't care, and by the time they did arrive other engines were failing under the strain and a large portion collapsed killing thousands.

They were all arrested and thrown in prison where many went mad with guilt, but some went the other way, became emotionless. My Father knew that this man would become emotionless, pure evil and knew that if he broke him out he would have to be the one to try and control him; so he left him in prison.

And then the First Laikan War broke out and somehow the fifty crew members who had gone evil rather than mad broke out and stole the Lost Technology. My Father tracked them, of course, they tried to find him, to wreak revenge, but when they could not get to him they left the Universe beyond Earth. At least that was the information my Father had. He presumed they died travelling through deep space though he kept a watch for them until the day he died."

***

"So, what are you saying?" Chase asked.

"My Father lived in fear of people coming from beyond Earth. It was what spurred his search for the Cave of Ancients along with knowledge of the Ten Kingdoms and other such."

"Wait. Are you suggesting that these guys who broke out of prison are behind the WAR?"

"A little too farfetched?" she asked.

"A little," Trillo agreed.

"And yet there were rumours that there were strangers in the Universe."

"Rumours?" Chase arched his eyebrows.

"Even we could not validate them."

"Seriously?"

"If it was true, and I'm not talking one isolated incident, but a number through the years, no one knew what they came for or who they met with."

"And you really think that these strangers came from beyond Earth?"

"My Father did, yes. He lived his last years in fear of them."

"It's a little hard to swallow, even for me," Chase said. "But we should warn the Great Council."

"No, whether this is true or not you will need to talk to Got-Ham, know the true extent of the WAR PLANS if you are to win.

"Find a man named Holsten, he'll be waiting at the Welpine Intergalactical," Evangeline said.

"And what of these hitmen?" Trillo asked.

"I will be safe here, but you will have to watch your backs," she smiled a devilish smile. "Now be gone."

***

The United TSAR Battle Fleet had gathered again (minus a number of Space Pirates who were scavenging the hulks as they were promised) in the galaxy of Hadess and the core group of TSAR, that now included Julianna, Milk, Jimmy Jazz, Terd Ferguson, Commander Hain and the Heskin brothers, were back at UTN Headquarters.

"If at all possible, avoid the Great Council," Julianna told them as they flew in.

"Why?" Dave Heskin asked.

"Yeah, fill us in," his brother added.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling they won't like the idea of Chase flying around out there."

"You don't trust the Great Council?" Dave asked.

"Everything we've learned casts a shadow over them," she replied.

"Hain said it back on the ship, the UTN control everything," Milk said.

"So?"

"So how do you have a WAR with the people who control you and everything you do?" Milk asked with a dawning understanding. "What if it is the UTN? Or the Great Council who are behind this?"

"How in shabbus would that work?" Terd asked.

"Dunno. But maybe they can profit from it somehow?"

"Hang on, are you suggesting the Great Council might have started this WAR for their own gain?" Rob asked incredulously.

"Who knows?" Julianna sighed. "The point is that someone is pulling the strings and we don't know who. So just avoid the Great Council and keep your ears open."

Milk landed the ship in the HQ hanger and Julianna took a deep breath. She was in charge now and she didn't know if she could do it. Surely the Council would want to see Chase and she would have to go instead, would have to bluff. She thought back to her life working in the bar where she had to entertain clients, pretend that she found them funny and/or interesting, that would be how she would have to play it. And find Forster, and convince him to keep what she told him to himself.

The fact that Chase wanted Forster briefed secretly told her that he didn't trust the Council, that perhaps he believed that if Earth was attacked, the UTN would not be there to help them. What did that mean? What were the implications of Chase's words, what did he think was happening here?

Hain was right though, the Great Council controlled the whole Universe and if the people behind the WAR were in this Universe as she, Milk and Jimmy believed, then it made sense that at least someone in the Council was in on it. She sighed mentally. It wasn't getting any easier and for once she wished Chase were here.

"Let's do this," she said.

***

"Does it not bother you that any one of these people might be a hitman?" Trillo asked as they wandered through the crowds of the city of Welpine.

"Trillo, my man, you forget I spent years watching every shadow for you."

"True," he said somewhat despondently.

"Don't be like that," Chase grinned, "we had fun."

"I lost an eye."

"Yeah, right. Sorry about that."

"Forget it, partly my fault," he said touching his eye patch. "You're right about the cold weather though."

Welpine City, on the planet of Grash, was more like a sprawling slum. There were market stalls and tatty looking shop fronts and most of the buildings were one story. All of them needed a lick of paint and many were boarded up. You could buy and sell pretty much anything in Welpine, making it a nest of Durden Raiders and other such nefarious people groups.

Though they had seen the remnants of a space battle as they arrived, it was closer to the planet of Yolsc and Grash had been untouched leaving the city packed.

"Probably one of the few places Raiders can still trade," Chase said.

"I've never seen it so busy," Trillo agreed.

***

The assassin Bahaya sat in a coffee shop with no front wall so that he could be comfortable while still being lost in the crowds. He played with his coffee cup, swirling the remains around. He couldn't believe his luck; he had only just sent out the word that he was looking for Darkstaar and one of his contacts had gotten back to him, his contact here, in this city.

Darkstaar had come to him.

He knew that it was a Universe-wide hit and to earn the money he would be racing against many other assassins (the reward was substantial) and he had considered it too risky. Not only would he face the normal risks of a hit, but also the risk of another assassin killing him to get to Darkstaar first. Now that wasn't the case and he would go, kill and collect. He finished his coffee and melted into the crowd.

NEW IDENTITIES

Julianna, or at least Chase, had been summoned to the Great Council. She stood outside the door and took a deep breath. Just like customers, she told herself before entering.

The room was dimly lit to the point of being useless as Julianna made her way to the seated figures in the middle. They turned to look at her.

"And who are you?" an Albertine asked.

"Here on behalf of Commodore Darkstaar," she said.

"And where is he?" A Carute asked.

"Busy. Got a Battle Fleet to lead."

"Well we would rather talk to him," an Oncolutian told her.

"So be it, I'll go and he'll be along as soon as he can. But you know Darkstaar, not a fan of being told to do anything."

"I think it is fine," a Human said. "If he trusts you enough to send you then that is good enough for us."

"Darkstaar, all of you, should be congratulated. You have done enough for us, my dear," an Enthusian said. "The Trimedian gun will soon be completed and the Laikans and their allies will be forced to surrender."

"What are you saying?" Julianna asked.

"That you can disband your fleet and go somewhere safe until all this is over," the Carute told her. "You're not soldiers."

"Our intel says that the A.R.S.E. forces are readying to attack The Ring, that's why we came back."

The Albertine laughed.

"If that were true, don't you think we'd know about it? And we have no such information."

"They could know, we've underestimated Darkstaar so far," the Human said.

"No," said the Oncolutian, "George is right, we would know."

"Have you not taken the time to see that we now own the Laikan Command Ship?" she asked.

"The what?" the Albertine asked caught off guard.

"Obviously not," she smiled. "And our intel says the Laikans are getting ready to attack The Ring so I don't think Darkstaar will want to be going anywhere."

"Such news and Darkstaar doesn't come himself?" the Carute asked suspiciously.

"He's busy preparing, he wanted someone to come and fill you in, but I'm sure he will come soon enough to explain."

"Tell him to hurry," the Grey said.

"Till then we will stay here," Julianna said, turned and walked out of the room.

She let out a long breath, they didn't seem too friendly nor did they seem overly alarmed about the intel she had and they apparently didn't. She was becoming more suspicious of them and decided that not only did she urgently need to find Forster, but also with more secrecy.

***

"This is out of hand," one said.

"Calm down, it is not."

"Our sources say that Darkstaar is on Grash. He's snooping around," the first warned.

"Let him snoop, this is good for us. While he is out in the Universe he cannot survive the hit. And that means this woman that saw the Great Council is acting alone."

"Maybe this can work to our benefit, using Darkstaar's Battle Fleet we can crush the Laikans and have enough of a Navy to force negotiations," a third suggested.

"Are you willing to risk that?"

"They are still willing to believe everything can be ended peacefully."

"But we know they want everything, there will be no negotiation only survival," the first said.

"If we appear too strong they will crush us, we must get rid of the Battle Fleet even if it means getting rid of the woman."

"It is risky, too risky here in the Headquarters," the first complained.

"It is all risky and has been from the start, but the reward will be worth it all," the second said.

"So be it," agreed the third.

***

The Walpine Intergalactical was in a small, richer part of the city. In any economy some rise to the top and become rich, or richer, and it was the same here. And it was the same as anywhere that the rich wished to live separately from those who made them their money, wished to live better. And so away from the shacks and run down houses; bars and shops, there were mansions and country clubs and green lawns and in the midst of it all, the Intergalactical.

Though it kept up to the same high standards as the other hotels in the chain, this one was almost entirely populated with criminals. High level criminals who had come to do business or meet with the gang bosses that lived in the mansions. Each of the mansions had more than enough room to accommodate guests, but you don't go inviting criminals to stay in your house. Not unless you have a very sturdy lock on your bedroom door. And you've bomb proofed the room. No, you let them stay at the Intergalactical.

So it was towards this area that Chase and Trillo walked having given up on getting a taxi when a man stopped them. He was a Reutorgian; his body was long and thin like a pencil, even ending at a pointy tail, with spindly arms and legs and a head shaped like a soda can.

"Well, well, Chase Darkstaar, they said you was dead, but I didn't believe that. And I don't believe seeing you here wit' Trillo, no I don't."

"What do you want, Downtown?" Trillo gruffed.

"Downtown Lotts," Chase said remembering. "What's up? Still scamming?"

"Me? No. I'm going up in the world, me. I'm respectable," he looked around. "Well, least as respectable as it gets in Walpine."

He broke a grin that seemed to break his head in two.

"Like I said, what do you want?" Trillo asked.

"Well, I heard you was here, Darkstaar, so I did, and I remembered that you helped me out once, helped me a great deal so I wanted to repay the favour."

"How so?" Chase asked.

"There's a hit out on you, but you know that, right?"

"Of course."

"OK, so Bahaya is here, in this very city and he's coming for you."

Chase shrugged.

"Never heard of him."

"No, course not, you been away for, what, four years?"

"Give or take."

"He's new, got a lot of cred, done some good kills, he has. Dangerous, Chase, real dangerous."

"Well, adds to the fun of it," Chase said.

"I gotta goes, can't be seen talking to you, but I'll tell you this for free, a Durden Raider named Frantis has been talking about you. Hangs out in the Carkatin Pub."

And with those words Downtown Lotts backed back into the crowd and disappeared. Well, he didn't disappear, he was too tall for that, Chase and Trillo watched him walk all the way across the street and down another one before they carried on their way.

"Adds to the fun?" Trillo asked.

"Don't you think?"

"I would if you didn't have a mission that needs completing and friends that are facing WAR in The Ring."

"You really care, don't you?" Chase asked seriously.

"You've given me a life I never had chasing you."

"Well, don't worry about hitmen. If they are old then I can recognise them and, well, they're old. If they're new then they don't have the experience, either way it's a win-win," Chase said with a smile.

"The Universe is so simple in your mind," Trillo sighed.

Chase does that to people, make them sigh.

"The Universe is simple, Trillo, you learn that being a hitman. It's all about money."

***

Milk stood in the doorway to the labs and watched as Dr. Angela Frost flitted between looking into a microscope and mixing something in a bowl. All around her were glass tubes with liquids bubbling in them and large vats and other strange equipment. He wondered if he should go, leave her to it when she looked up and saw him.

"Milk," she broke into a wide smile.

"Hey, there."

She ran over to him and gave him a hug.

"Oh, I probably should have washed my hands first, I hope that doesn't eat your clothes away."

He smiled.

"It was worth it if it does."

"I'm so glad to see you safe again," she paused in thought. "But I didn't think to see you again so soon, is everything alright?"

"I don't know," he looked around the lab. "Look, this is between us, but Julianna spoke to me and she's on edge. We think the A.R.S.E. forces are going to attack The Ring."

"What?"

"It's OK, you're still safer here than anywhere else in the Universe and that's why I'm, we're here, to make sure you are."

"My knight in shining armour?"

Milk looked uncomfortably down at his feet, but she smiled.

"My knight is embarrassed?"

"I just don't know how you... yes, I'm here to protect you. And my daughter. Not that I'm a knight or anything..."

She threw her arms around him, which is no small feat, I mean she literally had to throw them.

"We haven't known each other long enough for me to say I love you, Milk, but I think I do."

"It think I do too because I don't know what's happening, I don't know where Chase is, or what he's doing, but I know I needed to come here and make sure you're safe."

"Where is Chase, he's not here?" she asked pulling away from him.

"No. He's looking into things."

"I have a job here, a job to stop this WAR, you should be doing your job too, Milk."

"It's Avirup."

"What is?"

"My name, it means pundit."

"Well then, Avirup, your place is with me, but not now. Do you think he can survive out there without you?"

"Chase? He could survive in a Duntern trap."

"Without you? Now?" she asked softly and he looked at his feet.

"My job is to protect you and Helena."

"Can he?"

"No. No, he can't."

"Then go to him. Stop this WAR and come back to us."

***

"They're trying to kill me, Trillo," Chase said as they walked tree lined streets.

"I thought you'd be used to that."

"Yeah, but that was you. There was a reason, I was a bastard. We were gentlemen.

"But now, now they're trying to get rid of me for doing good."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look at him," Trillo looked around. "No, don't actually look. But there he is, thinking he's keeping to the shadows, I could kill him before he knew I even knew."

"The assassin?"

"No, Marjorie," Chase sarcasticized.

"I don't get the reference."

"Not many do. The point is they send amateurs. No, the point is that I've been half Chase, half Jason for all this time, but now they push me, now they want me gone. And that means I need to go full Chase Darkstaar."

"I still don't understand."

"Read the books, Trillo. It's time to do this."

As they had left the crowds of the city and moved into the rich neighbourhoods it was a lot harder for the assassin to keep track of them and not be seen and Chase noted that he had fallen back, no doubt waiting for them to return to the crowds. There was no one on the streets, every now and then an expensive car with tinted windows passed them and Chase was aware just how much they stuck out; how many eyes were on them from the houses? Bodyguards tense to see if they would come to the gates, or foolishly try to scale a wall.

And then they were at the driveway into the grounds of the Intergalactical. Unlike it's brethren in Ictopia this was not a skyscraper but a sprawl of chalets in leafy gardens surrounding a main hub.

"Where now?"

"Evangeline said it was chalet 265," Chase told him.

Trillo went to a large map on a board and perused it.

"Here. This way."

They walked along the path, past people playing tennis on a court, others walking toward the hub that no doubt contained a restaurant and leisure activities. It all seemed so pleasant and normal and Chase had to remind himself that all the people here were criminals or the family of criminals. Big criminals, dangerous men and women.

"Here," Trillo said and stopped.

They stood looking around waiting for two men to pass them before walking to the door and knocking. It was opened a crack to reveal an eye and then the eye disappeared and the door opened.

"Quickly," a voice said and they entered the dark room, closing the door behind them.

"Holsten," Chase said.

"Yes, yes," the Human said agitated. "You want to get to Got-Ham."

"We do, we were told you could help."

"Not much, not much and I wouldn't be at all if I hadn't been contacted by someone high up in the Shen Mi."

"Well, what can you give us?"

"It looks nice here, doesn't it? All these chalets and gardens, no guards, no fences."

"Get to the point," Trillo growled.

"Have you tried getting into one?"

"One what? A Chalet?"

"Yes, yes. Looks easy, but it's not. Same for the owners of mining companies. You'd think you could book an appointment, but you can't. Think you could approach them in a restaurant, but you can't. They're rich, richer than all the crooks here put together. Live in their own world, they do."

"And that's why we're here," Chase reminded.

"Yes, yes, I can give you identities; here, here," he walked over to a table and opened a briefcase. "Here is all the information and identifications, but it's not ready to use yet. I haven't had time to complete the information online."

"How long?"

"Day or two, but it's only the tip, yes? They can check you out, but they will want to know who you are from others. Knowing people, important people, is more important than computer checks."

"I think we can handle that," Chase said.

"OK, OK, but even harder is finding them. Other world, I said. Other universe. Think of a hotel, you stay there all the time, think you know it all then one day find a door that leads into another secret floor, hm? They live in this Universe, but not the one that you or I ever see, do you understand?"

"I think so," Chase said.

"Not really," Trillo admitted.

"Think. You both lived within the criminal Underworld, yes? It was different from the normal world of office jobs and shopping. Even though you walked the same streets as others, you were in a different world."

"So how do we find it?" Trillo asked.

"Evangeline will show us the way, she must be part of such a world," Chase said.

"No, no, you have to find it yourself, you can't be brought into that world; that only shows you don't belong in it," Holsten said agitatedly.

"So what?"

"Nestim. She was part of it, at the edges, but then she lost all her money and was shunned. Bitter, she is, been looking to revenge herself, but when you're out, you're out, hard to find the world again."

"Where is she?" Trillo asked.

"Last I knew, she was running a bar in Gastazias, near the space port. Rough trade."

"OK. Well, thank you, Holsten, this is great."

"Not doing it for you, don't have a choice," he shrugged.

***

"Harder than I thought," Trillo said as they left the hotel grounds.

"Always is. Now we go and find this Frantis."

"At the Carkatin? No, too dangerous with this assassin around."

"No one's talking about me, Trillo, most think I'm dead, I want to know what he's saying."

There was an expanse of grass between the rich part of the city and the rest and it seemed everyone knew to stay off of it. They walked the path through and Chase amazed at the wall of people at the grass' edge, the wall of people they now entered and waded through.

"There he is," Chase noted.

"What shall we do with him?"

"I'm not sure. It's a waste of time trying to get him, we'll continue on our way until he makes a move."

So they walked through the dingy streets, Chase keeping one eye on the assassin, Bahaya. He was shadowing them which meant that this was luck. He hadn't spent days planning this hit, Chase assumed from what Downtown had said that Bahaya just happened to be in the city. That meant he was trying to formulate a plan on the fly and the best thing to do was put a spanner in the works before that happened.

Chase stopped to look at a stall of clearly fake jewellery.

"The Carkatin is just around the corner, I think it's time to lose this dude," Chase said to Trillo without looking at him. "I think he'll freak out if we split up."

"But he's not after me."

"No, but he'll be worried about where you are."

"Only if he knows we're onto him."

"Either way, I think he'll feel he has to act. Go to the pub and find this Frantis."

Chase picked up rings and a necklace as he laid out the plan to Trillo before shaking his hand (paw) and acting as if they were parting ways. He then walked over to a stall that was selling books and picked up Coblidge's 'Famous Gangsters and Hitmen of the Universe, updated edition' and flicked through.

"Really is the definitive guide," the Albertine bookseller said.

"It is," Chase agreed. "The death bed interview with Holny Underdown is fascinating."

"Strange isn't it? These are bad men and women, but the Universe is fascinated with them. Glorifies them almost."

"Books like this don't help, here's the piece on Jokin' Zaw; doesn't make him out to be half as vicious as he is in person."

"Well, 'course Coblidge didn't meet a lot of them in person, mainly collected the stories about them. Doesn't pay to be a hitman and be in a book too."

Chase laughed.

"No, I guess not."

He flicked through the book until he came across Bahaya, scanned his eyes over the page before closing it and pulling out some money for the seller.

"Well, that's twice as much as I'm selling it for," the Albertine protested.

"Mssh," Chase replied and walked off.

He walked into the Carkatin pub to find it both heaving and run down. The clientele wouldn't even be called clientele; that was far too nice a word for it. It was the kind of place that didn't repair after a fight, because, you know? Why bother? Like tidying up after a toddler.

Chase pushed his way to the bar and bought a pint of Faro's Gold beer and then fought his way over to a table next to the wall where a Reutorgian was passed out. He grabbed it by it's spindly arms and dumped it on the floor. Didn't even wake up. He took a seat with the wall at his back and looked around. He couldn't see Trillo, but he knew he was there and he could see a large group of men who were obviously Durden Raiders.

He opened his book, a dangerous thing to do in a pub like that and began to read. He had only gotten through half of his pint, which was surprisingly good, before Bahaya sat before him.

"Just been reading up on you," Chase said friendlily, though he wasn't sure that was a word.

"And I've read all about you," Bahaya replied.

"Stop, you're embarrassing me. Says here you allegedly killed Mayor Throp."

"I did," Bahaya said proudly. "Heard you topped off Fankston Crannige."

"Yeah."

"I'm impressed, from what I hear he was nigh impossible to get to."

"He was."

"How'd you do it?" Bahaya asked intrigued. Just intrigued.

"Natural flair and ability," Chase shrugged. "Something you don't seem to have; you like the direct approach, like to see them die."

"Got to have some fun in the job."

"So now, finding me by luck, you've just gone for what you do, come straight in for the kill."

"You've an impressive bounty on your head."

"Not worth losing your life over."

Bahaya smirked.

"You're old, you've been out of the game too long, I'm not worried about you. You've got your hands where I can see them, but I've got a gun pointing at your crotch."

"Well, Big Chase doesn't see much action these days anyway," Chase took a sip of his beer. "But don't you think this is a bit public to murder someone?"

Bahaya laughed.

"You think any of these scoundrels will care?"

"Well you see here's the thing. One, I could still pull my gun and kill you before you pulled the trigger and two, wouldn't you be suspicious of a hitman with his hands on the table?"

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly Trillo and another man were standing behind Bahaya with guns to his head.

"You should know that if a hitman hasn't got his gun ready, then it means he has others who do," Chase smiled and got up. "You disappoint me, but I was expecting that."

"Drop the gun," Trillo growled and they heard a clank from under the table.

"What shall we do with him?" the man asked.

"Whatever it is that Durden Raiders do," Chase said.

"It ain't pretty," the man warned.

"Neither is he. According to my book here," Chase picked it up and flicked through, "he is responsible for the murder of the Durden captain Klance Rebjjones."

"Really? Well, well, we might have to find out if that's true. Take him away boys."

Four Durden Raiders came over and hauled the assassin Bahaya away as Chase, Trillo and the man sat.

"No good being a hitman and in a book," Chase mused. "You must be Frantis. Heard that you've been talking about me."

"I heard you've got Terd Ferguson and his crew working for you."

"Shabbusy little trading outposts like this are few and far between in a war; bet you're struggling to find places to trade, left to scavenge planets that have been ravaged by the WAR. Terd wants the WAR to end so his men can go back to what they do best."

"I heard he'd changed, maybe prison had turned him, well, nice."

Chase laughed.

"That's your problem? You think I've made Terd Ferguson nice?"

"He was a great Raider, one of the best. They sing songs about his exploits," Frantis growled.

"Really? Songs? About Terd? Wonders never cease. But it doesn't matter about his state of mind, the fact is I don't like people talking about me in run down little pubs and Terd wants the WAR to end."

"He's right on that. A great Durden," Frantis shook his head. "Always thinking. You're right Darkstaar, we're struggling, we all are."

"I'm doing my best to bring this WAR to an end, you could help. I've got a Battle Fleet, why don't you join it?"

"And fight for the UTN?"

"Fight for your freedom to raid or whatever."

Frantis got up and looked down at Chase.

"I'll talk to my men and think on it."

And he pushed his way back through the crowds.

"I'll tell them you're coming," Chase called.

BACK TO THE START

Julianna was sure she was being watched. She was used to it, working in a bar where men ogled her constantly and she unconsciously touched her breast. That all seemed like such a long time ago and she realised that she hadn't really thought about it. She'd escaped and had kinda thought that everything was good for everyone, but the others were still there, still working in that place. Had it been attacked in the WAR? Were the girls safe, or as safe as they could be in Columbino? Perhaps the WAR had stopped trade, but then that would mean the girls had no source of income.

She changed her course in the corridors and walked to find the awesomely named Space Control: Prime.

"You can't be in here, young lady," Admiral Bowser said watching her enter.

Though she took a shine to him for calling her young she knew she had to be all business; the glass-ceiling-shattering-type-of-all-business.

"Has the planet of Tacker in the Jincti galaxy been attacked?" she demanded striding across the floor.

"Now look here," Bowser tried, but something about her made him feel like a little boy. "I can't just tell you such things."

"I'm Julianna Andreanna and I work for Commodore Darkstaar, a quick check will tell you that's the truth."

He should have checked, it wouldn't have taken long, but he believed her, was scared not to. Was scared that by checking he would receive her ire.

"Has the planet of Tacker been attacked?" Bowser asked loudly.

There was a minute of cowled silence.

"No, Sir," one operator said. "The galaxy has not been targeted."

"Thank you," Bowser squeaked. "Thank you," he said again in a deep voice.

"Thank you, Admiral," Julianna smiled at him and he had quite different feelings towards her.

"It's, it's a pleasure, Miss."

"You won my heart with 'young'," she smiled and he blushed.

And then she was back out into the corridors. All thoughts of being watched gone as she went to find Milk and then the hangar.

She found him in the labs with Dr. Frost which was exactly where she thought he'd be. He was sitting looking down at his hands with Frost next to him, an arm stretched around his shoulders. Or most of them. Very little actually. He's big you see, have I made that clear? What do you mean stop banging on about it? Fine.

"I'm sorry," Julianna said from the door and they both looked up. Milk's eyes were red.

"Avirup just told me about Hendricks," Angela said.

"Avirup?"

"That's my name."

"OK. Yes. Really? I, I can't think about it, he was one of us, like family. We don't even have time to mourn him," she trailed off as tears leaked from her eyes.

"I feel the same," Milk told her. "He was a great man and a good friend."

Julianna merely nodded and then wiped away her tears.

"And now I've got to go, got to save some other friends," she told them.

"But Chase put you in charge," Milk protested.

"It doesn't matter, I need to go back to Columbino City on Tacker; I need to get the rest of the girls out of that bar."

"Then I'm coming with you," Milk said standing. "And I won't hear of anything else."

Julianna smiled and wiped her eyes.

"OK, then let's find Jimmy and go. We need to get back before the attack on The Ring."

***

"You not be going wit'out me," Jimmy protested.

"We will," Julianna replied. "Stay and spend time with your wife, Jimmy. And if the Battle Fleet needs to go to war before we get back, then you're the best out of the three of us to lead it."

"Chase put you in charge and I still t'ink he's right."

"Maybe. Maybe to lead overall, but not to actually lead in a fight. I'm no pilot; that was always going to be you, Jim."

"She's right," Milk agreed and Jimmy sagged a little.

"OK. Just get back before dat be happening."

"I was hoping to say, 'that's an order, mister'," she grinned.

"Just be safe. Dat's an order," he grinned back.

***

"I am informed that the woman has taken a ship and left for the planet Tacker."

"This works to our plans, she will not return to the headquarters. Follow her."

***

Milk and Julianna took a shuttle to the Command Ship and then took a troop transport from there to the star-gate and appeared again in the galaxy of Jincti.

"Seems strange coming back," she noted.

"Strange anyone would return to Columbino," Milk shrugged.

"It's not the nicest place in the Universe, but it was home to me for most of my life. And, hey, you and Chase seemed to keep coming back."

"I think that was for you," Milk said and she blushed a little. "Where were you before?"

"I can't really remember, but I can't remember my family either, I guess I was taken from them."

"Durden Raiders? Like on Melis?"

"Could be," she shrugged.

"You know those women, on Melis, looked a lot like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, just features, body type, hair colour. You just look a bit like them."

"I didn't notice," she shook her head and Milk shrugged.

"So what's the plan?"

"We just go, get everyone together and offer them a way out. They can stay on the Command Ship until this WAR is over and then we can drop them off anywhere they want to be."

"Command Ship might not be safe for much longer."

"Better than the bar," Julianna said.

She didn't feel it in the Space Port, but she felt it walking through the street to find a taxi.

"Someone's watching us, Milk," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"I know the eyes of men on me and someone's watching me."

"Who?" he asked looking around.

"Really, Milk? In all your time with Chase you haven't learnt to _not_ look around?"

"Sorry," he apologised looking straight forward. "But who?"

"I don't know."

"Why?"

"A hit?" she asked tentatively.

"Come on, who?"

"I don't know, but I bet people want the Battle Fleet gone."

"That would mean the Laikans have spies in the UTN HQ," Milk incredulised.

"I bet they do, you don't go to WAR without spies."

"We should go," Milk said sternly

"And leave these girls to that life?"

"No," he sighed a famous Milk sigh. "I'll be on my guard."

"Good, because I've got no experience at spotting hitmen."

"Easy to spot, they work on natural flair and ability and have crap plans," he tutted and she grinned.

I can't believe that no one has tutted so far in this trilogy. I mean, they've had loads to tut about. But then I regret Milk tutting because the only people who tut are on a par to Gertwin Huntwhistles and there's no greater insult than that. Which begs the question why they haven't been mentioned before. Have I mentioned that I'm making this up as I go? But, seriously, Gertwin Huntwhistles? Screw those guys.

They walked on keeping a look out for free taxis and hitmen, but seeing neither as they crossed the city blocks of bustling people until they neared the bar.

"There is someone," Milk said. "A Byfrok that I keep seeing."

"OK, so what do we do?"

"Well there's good news and bad news. The good news is that no one knew we were coming here until we did, so if it is a hit, then there hasn't been time to plan. The bad news is that whoever is behind this had access to see us leave and track us here. That's high up."

"Well that will have to wait till later."

"But think, Julianna, the hit was already made in the HQ, there's not just spies there, but a hitman."

"Who's now here with us."

"If it's the same one, just saying, be careful when we get back."

"That still leaves what we're going to do now," Julianna pushed.

"Right," Milk checked he could still see the Byfrok. "There was this one hit Chase had, he tried everything, but this guy was unreachable so, because Jimmy couldn't, he got me to help.

"Then we tried everything and eventually we just followed the guy around. Everywhere he went we did, and after months we followed him into a small restaurant, realised that he was trapped and pulled our guns. BAM, BAM, BAM, and walked out."

"One, that's horrible, two, what's the point?"

"If this is a hit and it's on the fly then the best thing for him to do is follow us and wait for the best opportunity to hit us. And knowing where we're going, I'm going to say that's either in the bar or when we leave."

"So we're safe until then?"

"Valkswagon, no, we need to stay with the crowds so he doesn't get a shot. I doubt he'll try and get in close, not with me here."

They walked into the market area and Milk knew the Byfrok would have to get closer to keep them in sight, but that also meant that he might try an up-close. It was risky, he couldn't be sure someone of Milk's size would go down with one shot or stab, but it didn't mean he wouldn't try it. Byfrok were great assassins due to their extra pair of arms. They could use them to either hold extra weapons or as an extra pair of legs to move to and from the target with speed.

They reached the alleyway which held the darkened neon and they picked up their pace to avoid being caught out of the crowds and made it into the doorway unharmed.

"Now what?" Milk asked.

"I'm going to go and find the girls," Julianna replied making her way through the tables and sticky floor to the door in the back corner that led to the staircase.

This is where it had all started for her, these adventures in space. Bumping into Chase and Milk on these very steps. So much had changed since then; she'd always had to be tough, working in a bar all her life, but being out in space had made her tougher, made her have to cope, have to take everything in her stride. Like in the bar, she had no chance to be a woman, no chance to enjoy her feminine side, nor use it to help those around her and she wondered when all this was over whether she could. Wear pretty dresses and go to nice restaurants, maybe have a baby. Do all those things that women do and enjoy every day; but not this day, she was still the Amchantae, still the warrior woman and for now it was her mission to save these girls from this pit.

She walked up the stairs.

Milk walked over to and behind the bar for better cover if it came to that; he didn't need to check for a backdoor, he knew the place had one. Hell, he knew this place inside and out, they had spent a lot of time here. It should come as no surprise to anyone that someone in Chase's profession spent a lot of time in a city like Columbina. He looked around the dark bar that would in a few hours be full of men and girls, unless Julianna got her way. What was the hitman doing now? Looking for a back entrance, no doubt, and Milk considered trying to ambush him, but if he missed him, he might miss him coming in the front entrance. No it was better to stay here and be ready.

***

Julianna had gone through the upstairs and gathered all the girls who were still in their rooms. There were ten in total and she ushered them downstairs.

"Where's everyone else?" she asked to shrugs and bored looks.

"Gone shopping or for lunch," Lustria said.

"Look, I'm here to take you away."

"Where?" Freda asked.

"We've got a big ship, big enough for you to stay on until this WAR is over."

"No war here," another said.

"No, but I'm giving you the chance to get out of this life. We can put you on any planet you want after the WAR, you can start again."

"It's alright here, just because you left doesn't mean we have to," Justine said.

Julianna let out a frustrated breath. How could they not want to leave?

"I'm not forcing you to," she said.

"What will we do on another planet?" someone asked.

"You've got money saved, you can start a new life."

"Doing what? This is all we know."

Julianna couldn't believe it, why would they think of these things? Were they scared? Scared of the unknown? Yes, that was fair enough, but surely anything was better than this.

"I'll come," Lustria said.

"Good, I'm glad," Julianna gave a relieved smile.

"But we have to wait for the other girls, give them the chance. They should be back soon to get ready."

***

The Byfrok hitman, Danje, had indeed walked around the building. He didn't expect to find an open back door, but he knew in places like this the girls liked to take their breaks outside, get some fresh air, and that meant leaving a door propped open. He found exactly what he expected down a thin back alley, a closed door with no handle (a crash bar on the inside, he assumed), a stack of plastic chairs, a crate that acted as a table and, strangely, a coil of rope that had actually seen the hitman coming and hedged its bets that it would be needed.

He hated this, he'd been given no warning, no time to plan; he had to go straight to the Space Port to make sure he didn't miss them. It only left him with three options, go in now and surprise them, wait outside for them to come out or go in, through either door, when the place filled.

He decided to wait because he had a bad feeling about who the big Indian was. He knew all about Chase Darkstaar, all hitmen did, and it was his death that had left a gap for people like him to work their way up.

Any new hitman studied the greats, read Coblidge's book and as you got known you might get your hands on the Assassins and Hitman's Almanac which was put together from fact rather than reports, stories or assumptions. And of course you talked to other hitmen, found out how they did hits first hand and if you were really lucky they'd know a Darkstaar hit, know for a fact how it was done.

But all in all that meant that the only Indian of that size was Darkstaar's handler and that meant trouble. That man would know a thing or two and he had to bet that he had been spotted and that would mean the Indian, Milk, would be waiting inside for him. It was a few hours before men would start turning up (how he wished that he had time to scope the place out, see what it was like full of patrons) and when it filled up, he'd go in if they didn't come out first.

What if they left by the back door? He got out his phone and called a few friends. He just didn't like this at all.

***

Julianna was frustrated, she'd thought that the girls would jump at the chance, but some didn't want to, some wanted to talk about it, some with girls who hadn't returned yet and of course, they had to wait to give every girl the option. Julianna couldn't leave with the knowledge that a girl she hadn't asked was desperate to escape. She was also worried about Justine, she really didn't want to leave and seemed to be trying to put off other girls.

Now, finally, she had asked them all and a good number had agreed to come, but opening time was upon them and the chance to leave before then had disappeared. She was aware that a group of the working girls just up and leaving would not be liked by those who managed the bar and she had wanted to be long gone before they found out. Maybe they could leave in dribs and drabs while the bar was busy, no one would notice the girls slowly getting less until it was too late.

That would have to be it now, she thought. In fact, some of them thought they should work and then go, they didn't seem to be thinking it through, or at least not taking it as seriously as they should. They were naïve, they didn't know how the Universe ran and that wasn't their fault. Like Julianna until recently, this was all the life they knew.

She went to find those that were coming with them to tell them the new plan, go out on break and then head to the Space Port, her and Milk would be meet them there.

***

Milk got more nervous the longer the hitman didn't make a move. Did he know that he had been spotted and was worried about being ambushed by a waiting Milk? Perhaps he just thought that the unknown, empty bar was too dangerous either way. That was sensible enough. So he would either be waiting outside or had gone back to the Space port, perhaps by now having found out which one was their ship.

He wished this thing had been done and dusted in no more than an hour, the hitman hadn't had time to prepare, but every minute they waited was time for him to plan, to make arrangements. He sighed one of his, surely by now, famous sighs.

It was here that everything had really started, coming here had kicked off the events that had led them to the Laikan HQ and then back again; picking up new friends along the way; having strange and crazy adventures in space and ultimately losing two close friends. It made him sad to think about Chubbs though he hadn't known him well, sadder still to think about the Doc. A true friend to him. He still didn't really know how to think about it, how to cope with it or how to mourn. He wondered if he would be able to when this was all over, when he didn't have at least half a mind on the WAR at all times.

But he couldn't think of that now, now the girls were in the bar, the doors were open and men, and some women, of all different races were filling up the tables. The lights were low and the bar was packed and it was difficult to spot the Byfrok hitman. There were three Merricks in there at the moment and he hadn't got a good look at the hitman to recognise him even in bright lights. This was worse than he thought.

After about another hour of actually having to work a number of girls had approached Julianna having decided they wanted to leave this life after all. She was happy about it and looked around to find Milk.

He was still trying to watch the five Byfrok that were in the bar and so didn't notice the Human approach until there was a gun in his back.

"We're going upstairs for a little chat, try anything and I shoot you; the woman dies too."

Oh, well, this was great, Milk thought as he walked to and up the stairs. When he got into the room and was forced to sit, another Human man was just finishing tying Julianna's hands behind her back with a rope that happened to be lying half way up the stairs.

Now they were both seated, hands tied behind their backs and another two men entered the room. One was obviously in charge and dressed in an expensive looking suit.

"So," he said. "Why would you try and ruin me?"

"It's a hobby?" Milk asked and the man gave a pencil-thin smile.

"You should try Fanged Gorefish fishing, a much less dangerous hobby than trying to take my girls away."

"It's disgusting what you do, I'm giving them a better life," Julianna said.

"Did I ever treat you bad, Julianna? Did I ever beat you or withhold your money?" he asked, but she refused to look at him, let alone answer. "You know I had men scour the city for you when you left, you were my top earner."

"I'm a Human being, not a Walapian to be raced."

"And yet you were always so racy," that pencil-thin smile again. "But now you are going to have to suffer, the both of you. Shoot them."

And then the door burst open.

The three men turned to face the Byfrok in the doorway, all guns drawn.

"They're mine," he growled.

"And who are you?" the man asked.

"Doesn't matter who I am, doesn't matter who you are, but I'm here to kill these two."

The man looked from the Byfrok, a gun in three of his hands, a knife in the other, to Milk and Julianna.

"A hit? There's a hit on you? Well, well, this is even better. And you get to enjoy life for a few more hours until we've worked out how to claim the reward."

"They're mine," the Byfrok said as a Merrick walked into the room, gun drawn.

"Well, we're apparently at an impasse," the man smiled.

"No. You're leaving," the Merrick said.

"Only over your dead bodies," the man said.

Julianna watched them, watched their faces and their hands; she watched for ticks, for tensing, as she used the Cortian Knot Trick™ to free her hands. She couldn't be too early nor too late and so she flicked her eyes to each man, watching; watching until she saw _that_ tick, _that_ tense, _that_ subtle move.

And there it was, in the Merrick, it was a small yet definite flick of it's long nose and she pulled her hands free, pushing Milk's chair over while kicking her own back as the room erupted in laser fire.

As the laser smoke cleared she slowly got up to find all six of them lying dead on the floor. She tried to pull Milk up, found it impossible and undid his wrists so he could get up instead.

"Seems some of Chase's luck has rubbed off on us," he said massaging his wrists.

"What? That was natural flair and ability," she winked.

He shook his head sadly.

"Let's just get the girls and get out of here."

HIGH STAKES

Chase and Trillo landed at the Space Port of Gastazias on the planet Pharout. From what they saw and heard from people talking and the news, the planet had been attacked by Merrick forces, but on the other side. Strangely reports were saying that the Merrick forces had not tried to take the planet having defeated the UTN. Other reports however said that this was because the UTN had won and 'all hail the UTN', you should join the Navy and fight etc. Reports, as always in WAR, were sketchy while propaganda was rife.

Still the Space Port was bustling and from what they could see of the city, it seemed to be business as usual. Lot of trade through this planet too, the nearby planet of Ursia was a major tourist planet containing the Sea of Xxxxxk (pronounced Zark), the Mountain of Kratos and the Tower of Cherchin amongst many other wonders. The rich came for the Pool of Graybe and the major shopping centres that had grown up around the tourists.

This meant that the city of Gastazias was a busy trading centre. They didn't want markets and warehouses on Ursia and so traders came here, to nearby Pharout, to buy and sell and then the powers-that-be from Ursia came to stock their own shops. It also meant that they didn't have to worry quite where the goods had been procured from. Such business meant that there was the only terrestrial Durden Raider base here, though its location was a closely guarded secret.

They didn't have to walk far to find Nestim's bar, it was close to the port and seemed to be a popular bar for the pilots and traders who didn't go far from the port or were waiting to leave. It was the kind of place you could pick up crew for missions that were dangerous or not entirely legit, but that paid well. It was a fairly big building and in the warm sun there were a lot of people sitting outside at tables or standing around talking in groups.

They pushed through this mix of races and genders and into the bar itself. It was full of tables and people standing around, on some of the walls were screens showing the cricket or the prices of various goods. They walked past a table of Arabs who were watching the price of oil as it fluctuated. The WAR was making it difficult to get the oil to those races that enjoyed it as a drink and that pushed the prices up, but the fact that they couldn't actually supply the oil made prices drop again. The Arabs were flipping between happiness and misery trying to find the best time to send the oil on to Ursia.

They made their way to the bar and ordered a Carute whiskey each.

"Looking for Nestim," Chase told the bartender.

"So?"

"So can you point her out?"

"You think she just hangs out in the bar?"

"Why not? Such pleasant company," Chase smiled.

"See this spilled beer?" the bartender asked. "I'll wipe that smile off your face as easy as wiping it up."

"And I'll clean the floor with you before that happens," Trillo threatened and the bartender shrank a little.

"She's in the back room, mostly," he quivered.

"You've been more than helpful," Chase smiled at him, but the bartender kept his eyes on Trillo.

"Floor looks in need of a clean, remember that," Trillo growled.

The bartender walked to the end of the bar where there was a door. He leant over and spoke to a big Oncolutian who stood in front of it, nodding over to Chase and Trillo.

They walked over and the guard opened the door to them and they entered a smaller room filled with gaming tables.

"Kuutio," Trillo said.

"There's a table of Quantek over there, and Lukbat over there, looks like Krubb too."

"But mostly Kuutio," Trillo said.

"You don't sound like you like it," Chase replied.

"Just could never get my head around it, always got beat and didn't know why," Trillo bemoaned.

"It's all about bluffing, Trillo, all about the bluff."

Kuutio was a version of Lukbat in the same way that Texas Hold 'Em is a variation of poker. In fact the two games are very similar, but where poker uses cards, Lukbat and its variations use coloured cubes.

Kuutio was like Texas Hold 'Em in that each player got three cubes and five other cubes are laid on the table one at a time, with betting going on inbetween. In the same way that poker has different hands with which to win, so does Lukbat and Kuutio. The difference is that in Kuutio a player can choose to change a cube in the hand or choose to change the colour of a cube on the table. This means that other players can either see the colour you exchange for or guess at what you have in your hand by what colour you change a cube to. So it's all about bluffing.

"That looks like the owner of the place," Chase said and Trillo followed him to another smaller bar with a woman behind it.

"Don't recognise you two, how'd you get in?" she asked gruffly.

"A nice smile gets you a long way in this Universe," Chase said.

"In this bar it usually gets wiped off face," she retorted.

"It's not a happy place, is it?"

"Don't like smiles," Trillo agreed.

"Shame as mine could really brighten the place," Chase said as an Albertine and Oncolutian bouncer appeared behind them.

"Brighten somewhere else," the woman said.

"Nestim, we're here to talk business."

"What kind of business?"

"Not the kind to talk about in front of the help."

She thought about it for a second.

"OK, let's take a table," she said and walked around the bar.

They sat down and Nestim ordered a drink for each of them.

"What do you want?"

"Access."

"To what?"

"The secret world of the rich."

She snorted a laugh.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. Way I hear it you got turfed and you're looking for revenge on it."

"You hear a lot."

"I get around."

"You do. Especially for a dead man."

"You know who I am then?"

"I'd heard you were dead, but then a space trucker came in a while back saying he had seen you in a fuelling diner."

"Bet he didn't give the full story."

"I didn't think so, but he told a couple of people who no doubt told a couple of people and so on."

"Then you know I'm a serious person."

"I'll help you if you help me," she said and smiled.

Now that her rough demeanour had been shed, Chase saw that she was a good looking woman, a woman who was deliberately slumming it, deliberately rough to fit in in a bar like this. He could imagine her as a wealthy businesswoman hobnobbing with the super-rich.

"Tell me," he said.

***

" _There's a bar, a nice bar for rich people, but then there's a door, a door guarded by bouncers a bit like this very room. That second bar is where the truly rich go to spend time with their own kind._

" _It doesn't matter who you are though, nor how rich, you have to prove that you are worthy of that bar and to do that you have to make a scene in the first bar. There are eyes on you and people running checks on you and the best way to catch their eye is with a little Kuutio, show them you can throw a bit of money around._

" _Well I played and I won and I proved myself, but it was Kalatik, he was my downfall. I thought at the time that he hated me, but I look back now and I think that maybe he loved me. You see we were friends, but that was all it was to me. I never caught any advances and then I was seeing someone, someone high up, just thinking of my own progress up the ladder. Back then I never thought of love. Valkswagon, you never think of love at the right time do you?_

" _Anyway, we used to play Kuutio in the bar, but the people in there were rich enough that it never mattered and I realise now that it was all in his plans, to convince me to sometimes play outside, play against those who were desperate to win. Those who wanted to get in. It was much more fun, the games were riskier and by then I was hooked on it; I loved the gamble. I loved the idea that in one hand you could become poor as they became rich._

" _So, of course, he got me playing and wasting my money on it, I think he was letting me win and then when I was hooked he really started playing. I started losing, but I couldn't stop and one day we were playing outside and I lost big to him. He walked back in triumphantly, but they wouldn't let me back in the bar because I didn't have enough money._

" _I'll tell you this, it was all a big plan to make me lose my money and I think he had a way to cheat, a way to change the colour of the cubes in his hand."_

***

"That's quite a story," Chase said.

"There's more. I work this bar as cover, I own a number of high class joints, but I know that if that was known Kalatik would try and stop me, try and bring me down. So I hang here and hide my assets. I think he knows though, I'm trying to buy a new place, somewhere that will see my wealth go through the roof, but someone is bidding against me. I know it's him, I've had my spies look into it. So all I need from you is to lower his finances, make sure he's too poor to keep blocking my bid on the hotel."

Chase sat and looked at her, not really seeing her, just processing the information.

"Kuutio," he said finally.

"You think you can beat him?"

"From what you've told me it's the way to do it. I mean, I could try and break into his bank account, but in my current situation I don't have the time nor people to do it."

"How will you get a game with him?"

"I won't," Chase grinned at her. "You will."

***

It was strange. Jimmy had almost completely wiped the WAR from his mind. He was spending time with his new wife and it was everything he had hoped it would be; everything between him leaving with Chase and now was gone. He supposed that very little in the Universe went the way you hoped it would, but what was meant to be always ended up happening anyway. And he was glad for the way it had turned out; he had his bride, but he also had new friends with which to share his happiness.

Except they weren't all here. Julianna and Milk were back safe and sound, but Chase was still out there and the Doc? He tried not to think about it, he couldn't mourn yet, not here not now. But Chase? Chase he could worry about, he was out there alone, well with Trillo and though he worried it was all an elaborate trap, it seemed that Trillo would do anything for Chase. And anyway, he didn't have anyone to hand him over to now the Commandant was dead. Maybe just revenge for all that Chase had put him through? It was possible, it didn't gel in Jimmy's mind, but it was possible and it just made Jimmy worry more for Chase's safety.

"Are you OK?" Matilda asked walking in.

"What?" Jimmy asked coming out of his thoughts.

"You looked deep in thought, worried maybe," his new bride said sitting next to him.

"It just be Chase," he said.

"You're thinking you shouldn't have left him."

"I don't know. I came here to protect you and I will, dat's more important."

"But you still don't like him out there on his own."

He sighed.

"No. We been t'rough a lot recently, I don't know he can pull it off wit'out us."

"Then you should go and find him," she said tenderly.

"No. I need to keep you safe."

"I am safe."

"Who be knowing for how long?"

"You really think they'll attack here, they'll be able to?"

"I don't know, doesn't seem likely, but I won't make dat mistake."

"Couldn't we all go and stay on his ship, stay out of harm's way?" she asked.

"No. He be like a dog wit' a bone. He t'inks somt'ing be up and he won't let dat go."

"Has he ever been wrong before?"

"No," he shook his head slowly. "No, he hasn't."

***

They had flown to the city of Swend's Bridge on the planet of Lewin. The planet, due to its atmosphere was famous for its huge beasts and insects that roamed the savannahs and jungles found throughout the countries of the world. This meant that it was popular for big game hunters and the world had thrived on rich, thrill seeking tourists. Most of the locals however lived in fear of their lives and no one went swimming.

Nestim was almost unrecognisable as the rough bar owner they had met. Now she was svelte in a dark red dress, her clean hair falling over her shoulders and she moved with an unmistakable authority.

"Quite the ship," she commented as they rode in the back of a limousine.

"That she is," Chase agreed fiddling with his bow tie. It had been a long time since he'd had to dress up.

"I could do with a man like you, a man with a ship like that."

"You're not the first, Lady," he replied tugging at his collar.

He looked over at Trillo who only had to dress to look like a bodyguard, which was his normal attire basically.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked.

"You look like an artic Thomboim," Trillo smiled.

"It's called style, Trillo, you wouldn't understand."

"Enough banter, we're nearly there. Are you sure you can do this?" Nestim asked. Again.

"Sure is a strong word in the Universe these days. But my man says that this is it."

***

Chase had flown off on a quick jaunt to find Dustan, an old Petruthsian. He had spent many years as a dealer at the mega-casino, Horace's, in the city of Wrance, spending many years as head dealer on the Lukbat and Kuutio tables. Before that he had worked in the desert casinos of Peskini, which is where Chase had first met him, helped him out of a jam.

"Don't even think about it," Dustan said in his office.

"I'm just trying to cheat a cheater," Chase replied.

"Serious crime, cheating at Lukbat or any of its variations."

"I'm not going to a casino."

"And if it gets back to me? I still work freelance, you know. Watching tapes, catching cheats."

"It won't. There's a war on, you know?"

"Not for the rich there isn't."

"Either way, I'm not going to a casino, just a small bar. I need to know how this guy's cheating. If he is."

"Well," Dustan scratched his chin with a tentacle, "yes, you can change the colour of the cubes in your hand using the same tech they use on the table, but it would be too big, too noticeable. You'd never get it in a casino undetected."

"Could the tech be shrunk?"

"I've not seen it," Dustan shrugged. "I can't see that the tech could be shrunk that much, the quantum processor is too complicated."

"How else can you cheat then?"

"Cube counting; clever probability mathematics; working as a team to see others cubes, spectrum modifiers that make the cubes look a different colour than they actually are, but casinos now regularly sweep the tables with a light that shows that up," he thought. "You could, I suppose, use the tech built into the table to change the cubes on your hand."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, the table has the tech inbuilt to change the colour of the cubes, right? So if you could somehow divert that to, say, underneath the table where you sat, then you could do it.

"It's never happened in a casino as you'd have to have access to the table to modify it. Casinos are nearly as powerful as mining companies, an employee would be signing their death warrant, messing with a table."

"But this guy's at a private table," Chase said.

"And you want to stop this guy cheating?"

"I have to, do a favour for someone in order to get something I need. Something to stop this WAR," Chase said.

"Give me an hour," Dustan told him.

***

"And what if he is cheating in a different way?"

"Then we'll have to spot it and act accordingly. Look, Nestim, a lot of this plan hangs on our ability to play a good game of Kuutio, cheating or not."

"He even know we're coming?" Trillo asked.

"I've put it out there that I'm trying again, he'll hear about it and will be there to stop me," Nestim said confidently.

The car pulled up and they got out. The street was lined with expensive looking two-storey buildings. Some were shops, but the majority that Chase could see were upmarket bars and restaurants and one large theatre advertising a modern take of "Reine's Loss".

The bar-cum-restaurant they walked into was fancy in and of itself, lots of columns and a quartet playing quietly. There was a comedian scheduled in one hour, Gentleman Kurt, who Chase had never found very funny, but he made jokes that the upper classes found hilarious. Chase wondered what this secret bar must be like if it could outdo this bar in its lavishness.

"Impressed?" she asked quietly.

"Fancy," Chase replied.

"Remember it's not about the décor, but the exclusivity. The rich would pay millions to stand in a garden shed if they thought no one else could get in."

In the back he could see some busy Kuutio tables, but Nestim led them to the bar to order drinks.

"Remember, you are being watched, it's all about how you hold yourself," she whispered.

Trillo played his part as bodyguard, making it quite clear to the doormen that he wasn't leaving Chase and Nestim's side. He'd been politely asked to stick to the shadows, never letting them out of his sight of course, but, you know, people _are_ trying to eat.

As they reached the bar he went over and stood with other bodyguards in the shadows of one wall, close enough to the Kuutio tables that he could watch.

"Two Chokdee cocktails," Chase ordered.

"And two shots of Hoyt's Regal," Nestim added.

"You see him?"

"Don't be silly, he won't be here for another hour. Oh, he's here now, but he won't be so eager to come out. Drink your Hoyt's."

Chase reflected what he knew about this man, Kalatik. He heard everything he could from Nestim and then, while she was changing in a room he had looked him up on the computer.

Not a nice man, Chase was glad to find out. He'd have to do this whatever, but he was glad that if he was ripping someone off, it was someone who deserved it.

Kalatik was a shady dealer, it was hard to find anything concrete on him other than as a legitimate businessman, but reading between the lines and from his own memory of things, he could link this man into a number of shady deals. There were suggestions that he was a 'shifter' (that is someone employed to shift goods for another) with a speciality in people. One of those that engineered the deals with Durden Raiders to pick up women for bars and private clubs. Even for individuals. There was also evidence that he was a 'supplier' or more accurately a party supplier, getting illegal things for the rich. It came as no surprise that he would enjoy the tables and less so that he would know how to cheat.

And so Chase drank and chatted with Nestim, played the rich playboy role and chatted to other women, talked politics with men and generally put himself out there before he and Nestim took to the Kuutio table.

They played a few games against a jovial Reutorgian, a hard to read Enthusian (aren't they all?) and two slightly drunk elderly Human women wearing Frothium furs and Longgot pearl necklaces. No one seemed too interested in the game and Chase found all but the Enthusian easy to read, but made sure he didn't win too much. No, they were more interested in the gossip; the ladies were very interested in Chase and even more when he wound stories of the parts of the WAR he had seen.

"Oh, it's absolutely ghastly," Phyllis said.

"Oh, yes," agreed Doris. "Those Laikans are just beastly."

"Don't let my bodyguard hear you say that," Chase smiled pointing to Trillo.

"How can you keep him in your pay? Don't you afear?" Phyllis asked.

"He's been with me a long time," reassured Chase.

"Enough chatter, time to place bets," Nestim broke in.

She was playing to win even against those dotty women.

"I quite agree," the Enthusian spoke and laid his money down.

"Come come," said the Reutorgian, Hiunk. "It's all a bit of fun and it's not often we see new faces. Long time since I travelled the Universe."

"Not the time to start," Chase said and Hiunk laughed.

"No, quite. No."

"Place your money, Hiunk," the Enthusian said gruffly.

"Oh, so be it, Frexiti, don't be in such a hurry to lose your fortune," he said and winked at Chase.

They played on and though he was trying to play it casually, trying to win just enough to lure Kalatik out, he played to make sure Hiunk won that round. He was not a huge fan of Frexiti. Nestim looked at him angrily, she was obviously not one for losing.

And so they played, people joined and left the tables and Chase made a big show of himself, sometimes leaving the table to go and talk to interesting looking people, but always coming back to play more hands. He could only hope that Holsten had faked his background by now because surely they were looking him up. The cameras that roved the room were not exactly subtle.

"It seems to be my night," Nestim smiled at him as another person left the table.

"Looks like you're doing well for yourself."

"I'll be doing better soon. Here he comes."

Chase watched the well-dressed Human striding to the table, obviously having come from the guarded door to the secret bar. Well, here it was, he was going to have to beat this man; even if he could stop him cheating, he would then have to beat him in a fair game.

"You two have been causing quite a stir," he said sitting at an empty chair.

He had ruthless eyes, a sharp nose and jaw and overall gave off the impression of being a dangerous man. Well, dangerous in business. Chase reckoned he could beat him in a fight with both hands tied behind his back. That was the thing about businessmen, they thought they were hard, dangerous and the like, but they were used to the good life, used to others working for them. In the mean streets they were as good as dead.

"I've got money to lose, though I just seem to be winning others'," Chase beamed.

"You think you can win mine?"

"Not all of it by the way you dress."

"And you, Nestim? Here for another chance?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps I'm just introducing a friend to the finer ways of the Universe."

"He won't get to see much of it through you," Kalatik sneered.

"Are you two going to flirt all night or are we going to play?" Chase asked.

"Here here," agreed an Albertine.

"Let's play then," Kalatik agreed.

The first rounds went evenly enough, evenly enough to annoy Kalatik and please Nestim. Chase didn't think he was cheating just yet, he guessed that he would only start doing so if he felt he was losing too badly.

Nestim and Kalatik didn't talk, but Chase carried on banal conversations with the other players, talking about nothing and making jokes. Gamely throwing his money around as if he had enough not to care, which actually was quite true. But soon he had next to no one to talk to as the stakes got higher, the game more serious. And then it came, the cheat. Chase knew it, he read it in the way Kalatik played the hand. He didn't play like he had a winning hand and yet when it all came out he did. That was not necessarily unusual, luck played Kuutio too, but Chase was a hitman, used to reading people and he could read it on Kalatik's face and shoulders, a slight hitch in the blood flowing through his jugular vein.

"Well, well," Chase exclaimed. "I thought I was on to a winner there, but looks like you trumped me."

"Apparently so," Kalatik gave a sly grin.

So he was cheating, Chase and Nestim had made enough money that he needed to win it off them. That was fine by Chase. Kalatik would raise the stakes, cheat to win and then when the stakes were high enough Chase would start using the device Dustan had given him to stop the power being rerouted to Kalatik's cube. It would, in theory, short circuit the system stopping Kalatik from using the table to change his own cubes. In theory.

The games played on and Chase's watching of Kalatik's tells meant that he managed to win a couple of games even when he was cheating. But now it came to the high stakes; Kalatik was winning and he was out to take all of Nestim's money. Chase did a quick calculation as to how much more they needed to take him for to reach Nestim's required total.

"Well if I'm going to lose, and it looks that way, let's make it a story to tell back at the office," Chase said cheerily and pulled extra cash out of his coat pocket.

Kalatik looked from him to Nestim, the only two players left and the corner of his mouth tugged up slightly at the corner.

"And you?" he asked her.

"Well, why not, not as if I'll be getting through that door at this rate," she shrugged.

Now that the money was shown it was a case of leading Kalatik to believe he knew what hand Chase was playing and cheat to beat it. Then he would cut off Kalatik's power and show his true hand. If he could beat him. Oh well, it was only money, he thought to himself.

They began playing and let the cubes be laid. He had a pretty good hand, a hand he knew he could improve and he gave Nestim the sign they'd agreed upon that she should fold.

Another few rounds and there was all the money on the table when Nestim got angry, looking from her hand to the table and then spat out that she folded and that it was a shabbus game anyway, a waste of her time and money. She got up from the table and joined the ring of people that had gathered to watch such a high stakes game.

Chase switched a cube on the table from yellow to green, though he really wanted red and he could see that little tell-tale sign that Kalatik was changing his cubes under the table. Did he have him? It was the last rounds and Chase had to assume at the colours Kalatik held, assuming that Kalatik was assuming the colours he had. Kalatik changed one of the cubes on the table and Chase thought he was correct.

He placed three fingers to the underside of the table and felt a short vibration which told him that it should, should have worked. And then he changed a cube on the table to red. It was a wondrous moment seeing Kalatik's face as he tried to change his cubes to this new development. Chase could see him tapping at the table and looking down, his body squirming as he tried again. The blood ran out of his face.

"Your go," Chase said smiling.

"Yes," was all he replied as he desperately tried to calculate what was going on.

In Chase's mind Kalatik had been so assured of his ability to cheat that he hadn't been playing the real game, just working out Chase's hand. And now that had changed and he couldn't cheat to rectify his hand, he was lost. He changed a cube on the table in the hope of defeating Chase's hand, but Chase had made sure he was the last to go, changed the cube to what he wanted and called.

"I've, I've, I've got a Free," Kalatik stumbled, now white as a sheet.

"Oh, then you've beaten me," Chase said dejectedly and hope rose in Kalatik's face. "Oh, no, wait, I've got a Full Run."

Chase proudly showed his cubes to the wild applause of the audience and to the slumping of Kalatik. He scraped all the money to himself and a staff member helpfully put it into a bag and told him he could collect it in larger denominations. Chase sent Trillo along with the staff member as he forced Kalatik to shake his hand.

"What an exciting game; though I'm sorry for your loss," he grinned good naturedly.

"I have plenty more," Kalatik whined.

"I'm sure you do, sure you do. Just not quite enough."

With that Chase got up and went to the bar through a crowd of congratulations. There he met Nestim and they ordered a drink each.

"Don't waste time here, go to the doors, I'm sure they will let you in now."

"OK, but this was fun," he grinned getting up.

"And Darkstaar? Thanks."

"As I said. It was fun."

DRAWING STRAWS

She was, she knew, still being watched as she walked the corridors of the HQ. The question was then, whether it was the Council or whoever had sent that hitman against her. Or more troublingly that they were one in the same. But why? Why would the Council want her dead? She was getting confused, yes the Laikans would want the Battle Fleet gone, but she was combining that with her secret talk with President Forster. Chase had made it clear that it should be secret which meant he didn't trust the Council and she was getting it all jumbled and thinking that the Council was putting a hit on her to stop her talking to Forster.

Even that explanation was confusing, but that's more my fault than hers.

So she still had the two problems. That she still felt she was being watched, meaning there could still be an assassin in the HQ; and that she needed to get Forster alone and speak with him and in doing so challenge the Council. Would anyone care that she went to see Forster alone? Perhaps in a time of WAR and she had noticed the wedding band on his finger so she couldn't pretend it was as a fling, that would be just as ruinous for him.

She walked to the canteen, she had spent so long trying to work out a plan that she hadn't eaten and it seemed that Fate was once again down with helping. Sitting there eating alone was Andrew Forster so she quickly grabbed something from the serving area and sat down opposite him.

"Hi."

"Oh, hello there. It's Julianna, right?"

"Yes. You're eating alone."

"Well, not anymore, but yes, I was busy and missed lunch with the rest of the Council."

"That's good," she said.

"It is?"

"Listen to me, I know this is going to sound odd, but you might have a problem."

His face fell a little bit and she could tell that he was already struggling and that maybe he had been waiting for something bad to happen.

"I've already got problems," he frowned.

"Yes, I can imagine, but listen. We've built up evidence that the Laikans aren't behind this WAR."

"The Great Council haven't said anything like that. At least not to me," he sighed the second sentence.

"No, we don't know if they know or not. But here's the thing, most of us think it is someone else in the Universe," she looked around, "maybe even the Council, but Chase thinks the evidence points to someone outside the Universe, someone coming from beyond Earth's Solar System."

"From what I've learned Earth's Solar System is on the very edge of the reachable Universe. If that's true then it's a little far-fetched, don't you think?"

"I do," she nodded.

"So why are you telling me this and not the Council?"

"As someone said, the UTN controls everything, Chase doesn't trust them and though we don't agree with him, we still follow him. Look, he wanted me to tell you, wanted you to know that Earth could be a very real target."

"What is he suggesting?" Forster asked leaning forward.

"That you get back to Earth and be prepared. Chase doesn't think anyone will be coming to Earth's rescue. If he's right. What we do know is that the Laikans will attack The Ring soon."

Forster sat back, this was all a little too much. He had not long ago been granted a seat on the Great Council and now he was being told not to trust them. Being told that they might sit back and let Earth fall after having brought Earth into the UTN. It didn't make sense.

"Do you trust the Council?" Julianna asked quietly.

He thought about it.

"I don't know. I'm not sure they trust me, I'm not sure they've been telling me everything," he thought again. "Sir Jeffery, I trust Sir Jeffery."

She nodded.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, nor who to tell of this. As I've said I think the real warmongers are in this Universe, people who could make a profit out of the WAR; isn't that what most wars are about?"

"Yes. To my shame it is."

"But Chase believes Earth is in trouble and wants to save it and I don't want to be the person to hurt him, or your world, because I didn't believe him."

"Why?"

"I think he really grew to love it over the five years he was there."

"No, sorry, I mean why would the Council bring Earth into the UTN if only to let us burn?"

"It doesn't make sense, does it? If I'm right, then they didn't, but if Chase is right, the Council can't be trusted."

"But either way you think someone else is behind the WAR."

"Both the Laikan Commandant and the Vice-Commandant said so," she told him.

"And where are they now?"

"They won't be rejoining the war effort."

"So it's true. And like you said the UTN controls everything. It's hard to believe they wouldn't know."

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"That either they don't know and that gives credence to Chase's theory or, at the very least, they are keeping it hidden from me. Either way, I can't risk trusting them to keep Earth safe."

She nodded. She had done what Chase had asked, though she was unsure that the events she was now kick-starting were a good thing. For Forster to leave now might damage his, and Earth's, relationship with the UTN. They could be doing more harm than good.

"Thank you. And thank Chase," he said standing. "I have a lot to think about."

He walked off leaving her to a meal that she had no stomach for.

***

At around the same time Milk and Jimmy were sitting together in a lounge area. Working at the HQ wasn't really a job you could go home from so the staff had made homes there, made the HQ not only a place to run the Universe from, but a small city in and of itself. And so, despite the WAR, the lounge was filled with people who had finished their shifts and were unwinding.

Milk and Jimmy sat at a small table with a drink each and pondered Julianna's problem. They weren't working from anything concrete, if anything at all. All of which made it difficult to plan, but if there was even the hint of an assassin they had to neutralise the threat.

"Maybe Chase be right," Jimmy said. "Maybe dis be bigger dan we're t'inking."

"You really think it could be the Council? Setting up a hit on Julianna?"

"I don't want to, but what you say be true," Jimmy sighed. "Someone, someone here, was tracking you. Dat means dey at least have contacts here."

"So we need to weed them out," Milk said. "I guess we start at Space Control."

"Someone dere must have seen you leave and told de assassin," Jimmy agreed.

"Shouldn't we be keeping an eye on Julianna?" Milk asked.

"Yeah, mon. You do dat, I'll go to Space Control."

***

Milk found Julianna leaving the canteen and fell into step with her.

"What's going on Milk?"

"Nothing. Nope. You spoken to Forster?"

"Yes. Just then. He's thinking about it."

"So, that's good. Just in case Chase is right."

"Are you OK?"

"Yup."

"You're worried about this assassin," she said.

"Kinda."

" _Do_ you think Chase is right?"

"I think we made the right decision, but yes. Maybe."

"Should we have gone with him?" she asked.

"No. I don't know. I have to be here to protect my family, but I do wonder if I could do that better out there with Chase. Bringing an end to it all."

"If he's right."

"Whatever the truth, Julianna, this is just getting bigger. Someone tracked us to Tacker so someone has an ally in Space Control."

"Yes," she nodded. "We should go there."

"Jimmy already is, but I don't know how we find out who it was without doing background checks."

"We could do with Cherry."

"We could. I keep wishing he hadn't gone off, or that we'd gone and got it over with quicker. I hate to admit it, but I feel a bit lost without Chase."

She laughed.

"Shabbus, same here. So what do we do about this hitman?"

"Get you to the Command Ship, have you on friendly ground."

"No," she shook her head. "Not yet, not until Forster makes up his mind. Chase is right, this is big, bigger than the Laikans and it all comes back to Earth somehow. The Laikan WAR PLANS, remember? They had a focus on Earth."

"OK, so let's go see Forster."

"No. Give him time to come to his own conclusions."

As they had walked Milk had looked at each and every person who walked past, looking for some sign, some tell of a hitman and now they walked into a busy lounge and he tensed.

"Find a seat with your back to the wall," he told her.

***

Admiral Bowser was irritated that, apparently, anyone thought they could enter Space Control.

"Who are you?" he barked.

"Maintenance?"

"No you're not, I am," a maintenance man said.

"Er, IT?"

"We don't have any problems," Bowser said.

"Have you tried turning it off and back on again?" Jimmy asked.

"We don't have any problems," Bowser repeated.

"Maybe we need to talk 'bout dat den," Jimmy shrugged.

"Who are you? Someone call security."

"No need, I be security."

"I thought you were IT."

"I was just testing you. Checking that you would see t'rough my little ruse."

"I don't recognise you," Bowser said slowly.

"I be new. Let's talk security. What wit' de WAR and all."

"OK," Bowser said slowly.

"In de office."

They walked over to a small, glass-walled office and entered.

"What is going on here," he asked once the door was closed. "I need to be working."

"General, I'm wit' Darkstaar."

"What's all this about? Why do you keep lying?"

"Two of my friends, a woman..."

"Yes, yes, I met her. Wanted to know if Jincti had been attacked."

"Right and they went there and there was a hitman waiting for them. General, we t'ink that someone in your control room tipped off an assassin."

"Utter rubbish."

"Why?"

"You are saying that one of the men or women under my command is a traitor?"

"No. I dunno. It depends on who dey be working for."

"This is treason," Bowser declared before lowering his voice again. "Are you suggesting that someone here wants your friend dead?"

"We don't know. Maybe. Maybe dey just don't like Chase being a Commodore."

"I don't have time to listen to this."

"Please, General, no one knew where dey were going, only someone in Space Control could have tracked 'em."

"Very well," Bowser said sitting down at his computer. "I am happy to help Darkstaar out, but I still think it is something else."

He tapped away on his computer, scrolling through pages of data.

"Well, I'll be. It's here, they've tried to hide it, but they don't have the skill that I do," he got up and opened the door. "Where's Koldron?"

"He left, Sir, just after you shouted 'treason' from your office. Went to the toilet. I said I could cover him, stomach problems I think."

"Right," Jimmy said and moved to the door.

"I'm sorry," Bowser said.

"It be cool, General, it be cool," he said and left.

***

Milk was not a happy man, it seemed to be an all too common occurrence. After all this was done he decided to put some distance between himself and Darkstaar. He was a magnet to all things that could and would make a man unhappy. What was it about him that attracted danger and general difficulty? He didn't really want to cut ties with Chase, they'd been through too much together, but he wanted a quiet life and the quiet life avoided Chase like teenagers avoid homework. The only time the quiet life cleaned it's room was when Chase was around.

But for now it wasn't really Chase that was making him unhappy, more the fact that Julianna was on her way to see Forster and Jimmy had told him of what had happened with Bowser. That meant the hit was probably forced to take place as soon as possible, before Koldron could talk. They had to work fast, getting people from the Command Ship before Julianna walked the corridors. She could have taken the lift, but that was unsafe unless someone was with her. They couldn't be because then the hit wouldn't go down and she would still be in danger. They didn't have the time to protect her and search computers to try and find out who the hitman was so they had to catch him or her in the act. And that meant making Julianna the bait.

"What has to be done has to be done," she had said.

"Well, no. We could just go to the Command Ship," Milk countered.

"That big ship that we haven't explored fully? That an assassin might be able to board?"

"That one. Yeah."

"I have to talk to Forster. I don't know, but Chase is pretty insistent that he's right. I mean, he'd be here otherwise."

Milk had sighed a big Milk sigh and shrugged his shoulders. The sooner they did this the sooner they could get out of the HQ; the attack on The Ring couldn't be far off.

And so he was standing along the route that had been decided; he'd wanted to follow her, but he was just too obvious and was a known associate.

" _I've got her in view,"_ Bones Castille said over the radio. _"Lots of people around though, what's going on?"_

He was right there were a lot more people in the corridors, moving with purpose.

"Focus on the job in hand," Milk said.

***

Bones pushed himself off of the wall and walked nonchalantly after Julianna. It was a good gig, she had a nice bum, but he tried not to focus on that and let his eyes scan. Lots of people came to the headquarters for lots of reasons, including tours. He'd been on one when he was a kid with his parents, back when he was innocent and thought that the UTN was the be all and end all. They ran the whole Universe and they were good and kind and it was a great place to live and he wanted to join them when he was older, maybe even the Space Navy. But that was when he was naïve; before, well, not the time to dig up those memories. He scanned the crowd for anyone who seemed out of place, someone fishy. Someone like him.

But there was no one and he saw Not John ahead and peeled off into a random room that turned out to be a lingerie shop. Which was awkward.

Not John took up the job of following Julianna and also noted the way her bum moved in her tight trousers. Not that a woman like her would go for a man like him, even before he was a Raider. He was not, and never would be, John Roberts and he lived under that shadow. The real John Roberts was smart and kind, handsome and good at sport. Not John detested sport, had a rough manner and a mean countenance that stopped people thinking he was handsome like the man they all thought he looked like. It wasn't his fault, he was born like that and the fact everyone assumed he was mean was probably the reason he had become a Durden. But he wasn't, he liked animals and nature and secretly, very secretly on a Durden ship, watched romantic comedies.

A group of pilots ran past him in the other direction and he lost sight of Julianna for a moment before catching her again. He looked around quickly to see if anyone had moved closer to her, but they hadn't, everyone was busy. Preoccupied.

There _was_ a man, just a glimpse before he disappeared back around a corner as another squad of pilots came running down the corridor, causing a commotion as people tried to get out of the way. He couldn't be sure, but his gut wasn't sitting well and he moved a little closer to Julianna. There was Jimmy, he gave a little nod and turned down another corridor to move ahead of Julianna's position.

Jimmy excused himself from the conversation he was having with a random Albertine he had stopped. He had found out that the A.R.S.E forces had indeed moved into The Ring and everyone was scrambling. Hence the commotion. That meant this had to happen fast so that they could get out there. It wasn't much further and Jimmy actually worried the hitman wouldn't strike and that this would loom over them, constantly worried for Julianna's safety. Hell, all their safety; if they wanted Julianna gone then it had to be something to do with the Battle Fleet. Most likely the Laikans wanting it disbanded before they attacked The Ring, and that meant taking out Jimmy and Milk too. It also meant that they knew Chase wasn't with them. He pondered this as he followed and then there was a sudden surge of people in the corridor as the alarms blared for all staff to assemble and civilians to leave by the nearest exits and go home. In the sudden sea change Jimmy lost sight of Julianna and began desperately pushing through the tide of people.

"I lost her," he said urgently into the radio. "Come back along de route, say again, I lost her."

" _Valkswagon,"_ Milk cursed.

Terd Ferguson was the next person after Jimmy and he started pushing through the crowds back towards him. It would mean the hitman would be on to them, but he couldn't risk the hitman already being onto Julianna. Geez, he was fast becoming a hero.

He bumped into Jimmy which made Jimmy very upset.

"Shabbus, mon, you didn't see her?"

"No."

"You be sure?"

"Yes, Jim. Come on."

"Right, we need to go back, look into rooms, down corridors. Go, I'll radio de udders."

Milk was racing through the crowds, oblivious to the wailing siren and announcements to go to stations or abandon the HQ. He pushed past people, pushed open doors all the time telling the others where he was, where he had been. The others followed suit, trying to narrow down where she could be.

Big Nick could see her, he recognised the legs, the nice bum which was about head height to him. There was another pair of legs with hers and it was obvious to him that she was being pulled along. The legs changed direction and Big Nick recognised Not John's legs, so the hitman was onto them, or at least had spotted Not John. He wondered why Julianna wasn't fighting or screaming, she didn't seem the damsel-in-distress kind, but maybe she was biding her time. Maybe no one would notice a screaming panicked woman amongst the others rushing through the corridors. He spotted Milk's legs and noted that the hitman had spotted him too and rushed down another corridor. Big Nick pushed through people's legs, trying not to get flattened until he saw the legs go into a room. He radioed the others as to where he was and what was happening and then he was at the closed door.

He pushed it open slowly, noting that the lock had been broken, to find that he was in a large room of large machinery. It was the emergency generator room, used if the HQ had to become self-sufficient; clever of the hitman, this room would be rarely used as an actual attack on the HQ, or the planet, had never happened. It would be a long time before anyone found a body in here.

Big Nick hurried around the machinery, only dimly lit, to where he could hear a voice and then there was the sounds of a scuffle, Julianna fighting back, but he heard a blow and the groan of a woman. He threw caution to the wind, who kept it for now, and sprinted towards the noise, gun drawn. He nearly ran into the hitman and pulled up short behind him; he could see Julianna kneeling, one hand on the floor, head down and blood running from her hair.

"Don't move," Big Nick commanded in his loudest, meanest voice.

The hitman spun around and shot, but he was expecting a taller person and the shot went well over Nick's head. Nick himself pulled the trigger and shot the hitman in his baby-makers and he crumpled to the floor.

"Who sent you?" Big Nick demanded but the hitman merely looked up grinning before his mouth foamed with a poison and he went limp. Dead.

"Are you alright?" Milk demanded skidding to a halt. "Julianna."

He knelt over her and tried to lift her head.

"I'm OK, I'm OK, just a blow to the head," she said.

"Can you stand?" he asked as Terd and Jimmy arrived.

"Yes, I think so. Help me up."

He carefully lifted her up.

"You need a doctor," Terd said.

"I need to see Forster," she replied.

"No," Milk replied. "I'll go, you get to the ship."

"No," Julianna said and tried to twist free but nearly fell over. "OK."

"And what do we do with the body?" Terd asked.

"Be a long time before anyone finds it here," Big Nick said.

"Still we'll get a bag or something, take it to an incinerator," Terd said. "Tell Bones and Not John."

Jimmy took Julianna and she pulled a hand down her face.

"Just a little dizzy, I'll be OK. Thanks to you," she smiled at Big Nick.

He shrugged.

"He drew the short straw," he said and everyone groaned.

RING OF FIRE

The screens dedicated to The Ring in Space Control: Prime all showed the same thing: a lot of enemy ships. They had come through the star-gate suddenly and had started to fan out around the five solar systems.

Admiral Bowser felt sick inside, how had this happened? How had they let it? How come no one was aware of this sudden attack on The Ring? Except Darkstaar's crew. So what were the other Generals and Admirals doing? He was old and had this post to fill his time before retirement, but he could not stand there and watch this terrible bunglement. And though his insides felt like jelly, he steeled himself before making a command.

"Send out everything we have, Gotral Wave formations. Bring in everyone else, alert the ground forces and Universe-wide SGFs. This is it, they'll breach The Ring."

"Sir, can we do that?"

"I don't care if we can or can't, someone has endangered Tooken and I am not going to stand by and see the HQ fall. Sound the alarms."

All through the Headquarters the alarms began to sound and pilots and soldiers began running to their stations. Alerts were sounded telling civilians to return home; all non-essential staff were to go home and some essential staff such as Mabel who ran the gift shop. The canteen staff were sorry to find they were classed as essential, but still considered leaving food and instructions on how the microwave worked before they fled.

Andrew Forster heard the alarms as he knelt by his bed, head in his hands and tried to decide. So this was it, the galaxy of Hadess was under attack and perhaps this was the bugle call to attack Earth. But was it? There was nothing but the thoughts of an ex-hitman to say. But then hadn't they, Earth, been brought into all of this because of the likelihood of attack and now the seemingly impossible was happening. Had the Great Council known of this and not told him? If they, or anyone, had known would they have let the attack get this far? He should go to the Great Council and find out what was happening, but he didn't know what to say. This wasn't his WAR. But he was privy to the radio, he was in the loop and could hear what was happening.

***

It turned out, partly due to following Chase around the Universe, that Dave and Rob were two of the most experienced pilots in the Navy and they found themselves on a Mothership headed for the solar system of Zargeu to lead the squadrons in attack.

"What's the situation?" Dave asked.

"Not good," said General Baanin. "They are already deploying ground forces despite a vigorous attack from our forces."

"Why weren't we ready?" Rob asked.

"I don't know. I had no intel on an imminent attack and their forces are too numerous for us; defence forces are stretched."

"What about other forces?"

"The A.R.S.E. forces are all congregated on The Ring, we'll be bringing everyone back, but there are repairs to be made, wounds to be healed," Baanin explained.

"Gotral Wave formation?" Dave asked.

"Yes, Admiral Bowser ordered it and I don't think any of the brass, including me, would disagree with him. He taught most of us and made the Navy what it is today."

"That's good, Gotral Wave gives us some play room," Dave said.

"What are you thinking?" Baanin asked.

"Worry about your ground troops, General, we'll cover the skies."

"We need Chase," Rob said.

"We don't have him," Dave replied sharply.

"So what are you thinking, brother?"

"That we all become a little Darkstaar," Dave smiled.

"Natural flair and ability?"

"Oh shabbus, yeah."

***

The ships were being prepped as they approached the WAR ZONE and all the pilots were congregated.

"The System's Defence Force is employing a Gotral Wave formation, it's a strong formation for this type of attack, but I don't know it's been used since the last Laikan War. Still it is solid, but they are stretched. That means we plug the gaps," Dave Heskin said.

"But, it also allows us a certain amount of freedom," Rob said. "We might be giving the orders out there, but you see an opportunity, you take it. We need to be adaptable out there, we need to take the risks and get the job done."

"One day, when they ask, you will say 'I was there'; I didn't do what they thought, I didn't follow a pattern or gambit; I flew not from the brain, but from the heart. And if you don't get to tell the story to your grandchildren, then you'll tell it to the adoring crowds in Fiddler's Green. To your ships."

There was a cheer and then the men and women of the Zargeu Battle Wing ran to their ships.

"Do you think we'll survive this?" Rob asked.

Dave looked at his younger brother.

"Honestly? I don't know."

"How would Chase answer?"

Dave smiled.

"He'd smile and tell you it was a walk in the park."

"You think we can be like Chase?"

"I don't know," Dave replied and tears blurred his vision.

"It's been a pleasure flying with you, Dave," Rob said.

"And the same with you, brother."

"Drinks with TSAR in this Universe or Fiddlers Green."

They hugged briefly, but tightly and then jogged to their ship to face WAR and death.

***

The ships blasted into life and space and were surrounded by laser fire and spaceships.

"Here we go, here we go," Rob said over the radio. "We have a Mothership at coordinate's g26p463w12 that poses an immediate threat and a destroyer at g14p7w18."

" _Fighter Force 3 on the destroyer."_

" _Followed by Missile 2."_

"Then Bomber 1 come on our tail for a hanger run. Watch and learn people," Dave said.

The Salvation sped towards the Mothership blasting at fighters as it neared the hanger.

"A little closer, a little... in range," Rob said as he aimed the bomb laser guidance into the hanger. "OK, pull out."

Dave pulled the ship in a wide U as Rob released the bombs. The bombs flew into the hanger before exploding along with the bombs the rest of the squadron had laid on the hull. The Mothership exploded in and out, but the explosions were not enough to cripple the ship entirely and they did get the bomber force somewhat noticed.

Dave zipped through space dodging and firing at A.R.S.E. fighters, they lost two bombers and couldn't shake the fighters.

"We can't keep up like this," Rob said. "There are just too many of them."

"It's like nothing we've seen so far," Dave agreed as he flew above a Cantorvial destroyer and Rob released some bombs.

"Gonna be hard to even make a dent in them up here," Rob said.

"You think ground forces?"

"They're gonna get through anyway," Rob said.

"OK, we'll see when we get there."

All through the solar system fighters jinked and twisted, bombers and Missile ships targeted the larger ships while the larger ships targeted each other and the planets. Bombarders sent huge lasers blasts down and the Planet Defence Guns replied in kind.

"The planet defence forces are still holding," Dave said into the radio. "Let's focus on those Bombarders."

" _This is Fighter Force 1 ready to deliver you in."_

"Missile Force 2 come with us, we'll hit the one in g43p06w23."

" _Missile 2 confirms."_

"OK, we're going to go for the gun, fighters get us in there and give us protection, Missile 2 come in after us."

" _Confirmed."_

" _Starting our run."_

The fighter force flew past the Salvation and its, now depleted, force of three bombers. The bombarders were heavily defended by fighters and the fighter force was struggling to clear a path in.

"Fighter Force 2, Force 1 needs help."

" _Confirmed."_

Dave and Rob watched as the Fighter Force came in from another angle and blasted at enemy fighters, losing one ship nearly straightaway. The bombers joined the fray using their FOBGs to blast at fighters and further at the anti-fighter guns on the bombarders hull. Two fighters swept along the bottom of the hull towards the great gun and the Salvation and another bomber fell in behind, dodging the laser fire and blasting at the guns. One of the fighters exploded as they reached the gun and the other one peeled away. Rob spread the BLG wide over the plate that joined the gun to the ship and released his bombs. The other bomber released its bombs on the actual barrel.

They also peeled away as the bombs went off, mangling the gun though not separating it. The Missile ships flew in to find rents and tears that they could shoot a missile into and there were internal explosions as they flew away.

"Great job," Rob said over the radio.

" _It won't be enough, enemy forces are punching through."_

"Target troop transports," Dave commanded. "Where's the Space Control?"

"The planet Zasst. Same place the System Command is," Rob replied.

"Then that's where they will target first. Inform Space Control."

" _OK, they have a hole, transports being released."_

"I see it," Dave said. "Don't let them get through."

"Gotral Wave formation won't help now, too rigid," Rob said.

"You through to Space Control?"

"Yeah, they're boosting defences on Zaast."

"Tell them to put you through to whoever's in charge of the defence forces and get them to change formation. Why haven't they by now?"

Though Rob informed Space Control an Admiral argued that the Gotral Wave formation was the strongest.

"Not with a hole in it," Rob argued back.

" _We can patch the hole."_

"It's too late for that and if you don't change formation now you'll be too late."

There was silence on the line and Dave and Rob watched in horror as one of the UTN Motherships exploded leaving nothing but space dust.

They neared the transports and began shooting, but the fighter envoy came back at them and Fighter Force 1 jetted past to engage.

" _We've lost Mothership Argode,"_ the Admiral said.

" _So we noticed," Rob replied._

"What do you suggest?"

"Orcat?" Rob asked.

"No, Pilat's Defence," Dave replied.

"But that's..."

"I know, but we're getting killed out here."

"Pilat's Defence," Rob said into the radio.

" _But that's a retreat,"_ the Admiral complained.

"You're going to lose your fleet up here and you've left it too long to form another formation."

" _You want the planet at war?"_

"If these ships get destroyed you won't have enough troops to fight a war."

" _This is a hard decision."_

"Make it fast, we can't stop all these transports."

" _Valkswagon, OK."_

They watched as the UTN Navy began changing formation, closing ranks and pulling back, all the while fighting off the enemy, launching sorties where the attackers looked vulnerable. This was Pilat's Defence, designed to retreat into a stronger position whilst weakening the attacking force.

The Salvation's Battle Wing continued to target transport ships, but nearly all of the A.R.S.E force's firepower was directed to their defence and they were getting torn apart.

"Battle Wing retreat," Dave ordered. "Formation 283 heading to the planet surface. We need to ready the System Command. They've never seen war before."

The remaining ships pulled into formation and flew past the UTN Navy and towards the planet Zaast.

IN THE CULT OF THE KING

Chase had been let into the private bar and couldn't believe its opulence. He'd seen opulence before, he'd spent time with gangsters and rich businessmen, mostly to assassinate them, but he still took the time to appreciate the decor. He'd been invited to parties or found himself at them randomly, but none had been as sumptuous as this. It was, he thought, a complete waste of money and precious jewels, but he guessed they needed something to show that they were wealthier than even the wealthy. He wondered if those in the Great Council spent their time in places like this, or were these people even richer and more powerful than they?

He had once again employed natural flair and ability to mix with the people in the bar and had been given the room numbers of two different women. He'd spent a long time in a conversation with three men discussing a rare and expensive book called 'The King Imminent in Fraturi Tradition' and discovered that the Fraturi were a long dead race in the Universe. Chase considered mentioning the Chonbium race, wondering if they were concurrent, but decided to keep his knowledge to himself. Still, he was able to talk about the Ruins of Rarbar and enough other things to be kept in the conversation and welcomed as one of them.

There was talk of the WAR, but it didn't seem to bother them. They were too rich to feel that it would affect them. Whoever won, they would still be in the same positions. The fact was that, whoever was on the Great Council, these were the real people who ran the Universe. It galled Chase after all he had seen that these people did not care about all the innocent lives being ruined and ravaged. People would be homeless, lose loved ones, while these people would carry on as if nothing had happened. He wanted to shout, to scream, to punch someone or something, but he had to hold his cool.

Natural flair and ability.

And so by the time he had left he had been told of another bar, been invited along by the daughter of a hotel chain owner.

"This place is OK," she had said. "I only came here because Bea wanted to."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes, she wanted to see Vatrim, but didn't want to come alone."

"Isn't it dangerous? Travelling around while there's a war on?"

"Well, I don't go where there's fighting and with the star-gates you just pop in and back out, don't you?"

"It doesn't bother you?"

"No. Why should it? They're not going to attack us are they? It's just Laikans and UTN."

Chase was amazed by her attitude to it all and her naiveté that she wouldn't get hurt, but he simply shrugged.

"Of course not, we're just innocents," he replied.

"Exactly, they don't hurt innocents. Now shouldn't you be getting me another drink?"

***

So now he and Trillo were back in The Wild Rover.

"Sounds awful to me," Trillo said.

"Pretty much."

"And you have to dress in that silly suit."

"Hey, I looked class, you just don't understand real style," though he was glad to be back in jeans and his worn red leather jacket.

"Yeah. That's it," Trillo ironicalised. "So I'm assuming we're not waiting for this girl to call."

"Nope."

"Then how do we get in?"

"It's a small community, she told me they'd know who I was now."

"OK, so when we get there, what's our in?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if this mining guy is there do we just walk up and say hi? Can we even do that?"

"Good point, we need an in."

"That's what I said."

"You're a smart man, I've always said that," Chase mused.

"Have you?"

"No. First time. So what's our in?"

"Something that will get you noticed more than the others, something that makes you special."

"Dr. Hendricks' studies," Cherry said.

"What?"

"Dr. Hendricks scanned the Cave of Ancients data into my computers, I've been translating it ever since. Couldn't have done it without him though," she sniffed sadly.

"So what's in it?"

"Well, you were talking about the Fraturi, there's talk of them."

"OK. So?"

"You mentioned a book on Fraturi Tradition, I might have enough knowledge to make you look like you have a lead on it."

"That's something a mining magnate would want to get his hands on," Chase agreed. "Exclusivity. Good work, Sweetness."

"It was nothing," she beamed.

***

They sat in the loosely titled conference room looking at computer screens and printouts as Cherry talked them through what she and the Doctor had worked out about the Chonbium and from that the Fraturi.

"It's interesting even to me," Trillo said, "but I don't see how this is going to impress anyone. Why would they want a book about an ancient culture?"

"They said it was rare, one of a kind."

"That can't be unique in the whole Universe."

"I don't think it's the Fraturi," Cherry said. "I think it's the mention of the King Imminent in their myths and legends."

"Why?" Chase asked.

"I don't know, but I've researched and there could be a cult dedicated to this King still in the Universe."

"Well we'll go and talk to them then," Chase grinned. "Sorted."

"There's a reason those rich types who mentioned the book don't know of the cult, or haven't talked to them," Cherry said. "There are stories linked to them, bad stories. They're evil, Chase."

"Facing down evil is all in a day's work for this dynamic duo," Chase declared.

"I'm starting to understand how Milk feels," Trillo sighed.

"To the cockpit! Punch in the co-ordinates, Cherry. It's adventure time."

"You love this too much," Trillo said.

***

Andrew Forster, one time President of the United States had had a hard time. Where did his loyalties lie? To Earth of course, but was he betraying that loyalty if he turned his back on the UTN? They had done so much for Earth, but then they had pulled them in to help fight a WAR. Were they thinking of Earth or their own best interests?

And could he trust them? They seemed to be keeping things from him, he'd worked in the dirty world of politics long enough to be able to read that, but then he had kept things from those he did not yet know or trust while he was in office. Could he trust Chase and his compatriots? He knew so little about them other than that they were all from less than savoury backgrounds and the Council were less than sure of them. Worried by them even. But they had been willing to go into Laikan territory and cause a diversion. And they knew of the attack on The Ring when no one else seemed to.

The Council told him that Darkstaar was doing what he was doing because he had been paid a lot of money to do it, but he didn't think that included the diversion; that had been his idea, after all. TSAR, as they called themselves, seemed more honest, more genuine than the politicians he had met in space, but he knew so little. He hadn't been further into the Universe than the Headquarters, hadn't met enough people, seen enough things, to be able to judge anyone. What if he was judging by Earthly standards that did not apply out here in space?

For once he wished he could talk to the Prime Minister. He would know what to do, being an honest man himself.

***

Chase couldn't tell if the Laikan forces in the galaxy were being pushed back by the UTN forces or were retreating. It looked a lot like the latter, but either way he wasn't going to let them get to the star-gate without some extra casualties.

"So. No Milk or Julianna. Can you fire the guns?"

"Me? I don't know, can't Cherry?"

Chase laughed.

"Shut up," she harrumphed.

"Do I trust you to fly?"

"I know how to fly, Darkstaar," Trillo growled. "I've chased you in inferior ships and nearly caught you."

"That's true," Chase admitted. "The comforts of luxury dull skills."

"So take the guns. What do you want?"

"Just to take out as many ships as possible."

"Watch and learn, Darkstaar," Trillo grinned and then it fell from his face. "Actually just focus on shooting."

Chase got up and sat in an attack chair, he felt weird not just giving over control, but also being in a position where he wouldn't be able to supervise. The chair locked into place and the screen hove down into view. Suddenly all those thoughts were cast aside as he had the first attack view of a space battle since that time in the flying cube. Way back in the first book, remember? Geez, he's come a long way since then, hasn't he? Haven't we all?

There were fighters everywhere, flocking back to their Motherships as they retreated and The Wild Rover blasted through them as he rolled and twirled the Merrill guns around the ship. Multiple fighters exploded around them and there was sudden confusion. Fighters changed direction to take on this newly appeared threat, but were too surprised to survive Chase's attacks.

"Let's take a run at that nearest hanger," Chase said.

The Wild Rover jinked left and right through the fighters and towards a Mothership, but they didn't get the chance to shoot as someone in the nearby Destroyer panicked and decided to shoot The Wild Rover with their superheavycannon. They of course missed the small ship and blasted a great hole in the side of their own Mothership. By now UTN fighters had caught up and they buzzed around the hole shooting inside and causing crippling explosions.

Once again The Wild Rover was hurtling through fighters, blasting at them, but the Space Navy had now reengaged (using the Tollos Gambit) (obviously) and the Laikans were very close to the star-gate.

"Let's leave them to their own shenanigans," Chase said.

"And carry on with our own," Trillo replied.

"We don't do shenanigans, Trillo," Chase chided as he fired at fighters. "We do daring-do; natural flair and ability; adventures in space!"

"Sounds like shenanigans to me."

"Milk would agree and he's a Universal byword for miserable."

"I can see why."

"Funny. Just take us to the planet."

They left the swarm of ships, half of which were already disappearing through the star-gate, and headed through space to the planet of Cartay. It was not a nice planet, not a lot of flat space; lots of mountains and volcanoes that kept the weather and the oceans stormy. Good mining though and skyscrapered cities had grown up in the small tracts of flat land that could be found. Whatever race you came from you evolved into a hardier version of it if you lived on Cartay for a long time. The people were proud of where they lived and proud that others that came suffered because they were weak. Not that many people did come, the odd mining exec, adventure tourists looking to scale the hazardous peaks or spelunk the caves. Unless you're Oncolutian, then you call it 'cave diving' because to spelunk in their language means to, well, we won't go into it, but it involves aubergines.

As they entered the atmosphere, Chase now back piloting, they could see smoke rising up from a city, though not as much as might have been thought.

"Seems the UTN might have won this battle," Trillo said.

"You wouldn't want to destroy the infrastructure here, you want them to keep on mining. Whoever wins."

"True. It all comes back to the mines, doesn't it?"

"Yup," Chase nodded. "Fuel is power."

"And that fuel lies mainly in Laikan hands, it doesn't make sense that they would fight a WAR when they could just use mining as leverage."

"No, it doesn't. Though I doubt it's Laikans pulling all the strings."

"Even still, they could just strike until their demands were met."

"Nothing in this WAR makes sense, Trillo, that's why we're here."

The ship was buffeted by strong winds and lashed by rain as they descended to the space port.

"Why are we here?" Trillo asked.

"Do _you_ know where this cult is?"

"No."

"Well then."

"You think you can just ask someone and they'll know where a secret, dangerous cult is located?"

"Err... No, of course not. That wasn't my plan at all."

"How did you manage to evade me all these years?"

"Natural..."

"Don't say it."

"Come on, let's go and have a poke around."

Donning a warm coat and hat Chase and Trillo walked out of the space port and into the busy streets. It seemed that there had been some fighting here, but it had been brief and the damage was minimal. Chase knew of other past attacks on the planet, people who wanted to take over the mining mainly. You see Cartay was unique in the fact that the mining was owned by the people, not a corporation and many mining companies wanted to change that. They never could though, no one could beat the native population, who as noted, were a lot hardier than even SGF commandoes. The people knew the mountains and the invaders didn't so it was no surprise that a Laikan attack here would have failed.

They walked into a bar and ordered a Pargkat beer each before looking around.

"They won't be open to strangers," Trillo warned.

"But I have such an open, inviting face."

"It'll invite a fist if you're not careful."

"That's why I've got you here, Trillo. My trusty bodyguard."

"I'll try not to let my concentration slip."

"There's a good man."

He turned to the barman.

"So, good fellow, we're looking for a cult."

"Are you now?"

"Yes. Any idea where we might be able to find it?"

"If it existed it wouldn't be something you'd ask after," the barman said.

"Too late for that."

"You should leave."

"I hear these cult types are pretty evil, would've thought the tough men of Cartay would have sorted it out by now."

"Even the toughest of miners are no match for them. They're crazy."

"So you do know."

The barman narrowed his eyes and then frowned at his slip.

"You're bringing trouble on the whole bar with your talk."

"What's going on here, Dave?" a big, rough looking Human asked.

"Nothing going, Fred."

"Who are these?" an equally rough looking Albertine asked. "What do they want?"

"Just enquiring after this cult. We know it's somewhere round here."

"The only thing you need to find is the door," the man, Fred, threatened.

"We found that when we came in," Chase said pleasantly.

"You'll be finding it face first in a minute," an Oncolutian said.

A Reutorgian and another Human had joined in encircling them.

"Come now guys, this doesn't have to get violent, does it?" Chase asked.

"They have ears everywhere and we don't need more trouble than we already got," the Reutorgian said.

"Oh, you got that as soon as he walked in the door," Trillo said nodding to Chase.

"That's just not helpful, Trillo. Not helpful."

And then the Human took a swing.

***

Sometime before Chase and Trillo were in fisticuffs at the bar, the Tarancort hitman, Gevaar, was changing his course and heading for Cartay after a tipoff from the space port. He wondered whether any other hitmen would have got a similar tipoff, but wasn't worried about it. He was the greatest hitman in the Universe now and he would claim the prize. He just wished that Darkstaar would sit still long enough for him to plan and make ready, but then a truly great hitman could assassinate a target on the fly. And that is what he had over the others.

He landed at the space port and met with his contact who informed him of Darkstaar's location. A bar would be easy enough, a stiletto knife would do the trick, though a pistol would be needed for unforeseen circumstances. Such as the Laikan he was travelling with.

***

Chase stood over the bodies of the men at the bar.

"Now, you said you didn't want trouble and then you started some; that just doesn't make any sense."

A couple of them groaned.

"So. That cult."

"OK, OK," said the Albertine. "You're right, it's up in the mountains outside of the city. Take Aeni Skyway out and then onto the Kee Mountain Road. After that nobody knows."

"Why are you so scared of these people?" Trillo asked.

"They come and kidnap people, they're crazy and you can't fight crazy."

"Plus there are stories, old tales that frighten people from even trying," Fred said from the floor.

"Well, you've been most kind, sorry about the bruises and that," Chase smiled down at them. "We'll be off."

They walked back out into the wet street.

"Back to the ship?"

"No. I doubt she'll be able to land in those mountains."

"There should be a rental place around here then," Trillo said.

"Down," Chase shouted pulling Trillo's arm as a laser blast screamed over them.

"What was that?" Trillo barked from behind a car.

"Hitman."

Trillo looked up through the windows and saw the man crouched behind a bench. Chase popped up and fired a couple of shots at the hitman.

"I feel bad, but we should probably steal this car," Chase said.

"Get in," Trillo said breaking the lock.

Chase started the engine and hit the gas, skidding back towards the space port as the hitman fired at the car.

"What are you doing?" shouted Trillo.

"New plan, better plan. Plus I really don't want to ruin this car."

He skidded to a halt outside a rental shop and using the car as cover ran to two off-road motorbikes.

"Keys," he shouted as laser fire hit the car.

The man chucked the keys from a booth where he hid and Chase dropped some money on the floor before both he and Trillo burnt out of the small lot and into town.

They didn't get far before Chase saw the hitman on a bike behind them. They whizzed through the traffic as the skyscrapers created a wind tunnel that buffeted them and twice nearly blew Chase off his bike. It also meant that the hitman's shots were wildly off and people were scattering for cover. One shot hit a large mining lorry carrying some kind of explosive substance. Chase presumed this from the way it exploded. Looking at the street signs he pulled a left and then wound up the on-ramp to the floating Aeni Skyway that ran the length of the city and was the only skyway in the city.

Once on it they sped up and weaved through the slow moving traffic. There were a lot of large mining trucks carrying ore and supplies and they afforded protection from the hitman's shots. Trillo tried to shoot back if the hitman got closer, but his shots were wild too. And then Chase could hear the wail of sirens behind them. Everything, it seemed, got overly complicated.

A laser blast zinged past his head and he swerved around a couple of cars and in front of a large container lorry as Trillo passed him and got in front of a car. He looked over his shoulder and risked a quick shot at the hitman who swerved behind a truck. All around them the skyscrapers loomed and then he spotted an InterG police LAAP. What were they doing here? Was it coincidence? He hoped so, he couldn't be getting embroiled with the InterG. Trillo had seen it and was trying to put vehicles between himself and the LAAP; Chase did the same and was nearly shot by the hitman. You'd think that with the police and the InterG he would give up, there must be one hell of a bounty on his head. Kinda made him feel proud, he still had it.

The LAAP was joined by two police launches, the same vehicle he and Milk had stolen from the Intergalactical in Ictopia. They hovered above the skyway hailing them to pull off the skyway. Obviously they ignored them and the hitman thought it would be a great idea to shoot at one of them. Chase would have slapped his forehead if it wasn't for the whole riding a bike thing and now there were more police cars entering the on-ramp they were passing.

"Valkswagon," Chase cursed and shot at the lead cars tire which burst sending the car skidding and blocking the cars behind it.

The LAAP was pulling ahead of them, perhaps getting ready for a shot, why the hell were the InterG involved? Surely they wouldn't try a shot on a busy skyway. Even they weren't that crazy, but on the mountain road? And here, now was the turn off and he and Trillo both left it to the last possible moment to slide over into the off ramp, letting the closer police cars zoom past. They wound their way down, the hitman still chasing them, the LAAP still hovering above them and once again they were in the city, though it was quickly thinning as the foreboding, brown mountains rose up in front of them. The hitman took another road and disappeared. The LAAP didn't seem interested and the police were too far behind to note it. Well at least that was one problem sorted. For now.

They left the city and sped past a hotel bus full of adventure tourists who waved and took photos as that is what tourists do in any situation.

They entered the mountains on the Kee Mountain Road and unfortunately it was in a wide enough valley for the LAAP to follow them in. The road wound up and through the mountains and although there was some traffic, it all seemed to turn off at the same intersection (no doubt to a mine) and they were left alone. So they had three problems, the police, a LAAP and Chase had not had the chance to talk to Cherry about the location of the cult. She had been busy scanning and he hoped that his current position would help her narrow down the search. The first could wait, the latter couldn't and the second one decided enough was enough and landed in front of them, blocking the road. It was just in time, the road thinned further down, if they could have made it there, they would have been safe.

But they hadn't.

They skidded to a halt as four InterG police officers exited. Chase and Trillo holstered their guns and let their bikes idle as police cars came to a halt behind them.

"You're under arrest," one man said.

"No we're not," Chase called back.

"Darkstaar," an Enthusian breathed.

"Hi," Chase called chirpily.

"Well, this will definitely bring promotion," a woman said.

"Yeah. Not so fast on that one there, guys. We're working for the UTN Great Council now," Chase said.

They burst out laughing.

Chase and Trillo were forced to stand and wait for them to finish.

"We could shoot them," Trillo suggested.

"Tempting as it is, I've got enough trouble with the InterG."

Finally the laughter died off and the officers tried to straighten their faces.

"You expect us to believe that?"

"You could ask."

"Oh, yes, we'll just give the Great Council a call," the last officer, a Grey, sarcastisised.

"Not that high up the ranks are we?" Chase goaded.

"We will be when we take you in," the woman promised.

"Your ship is blocking our path," Trillo pointed out.

"This isn't your path anymore," the Enthusian said.

"Where can we keep them locked up, will the local station be secure enough?" the man asked.

"I think bringing in Darkstaar will negate our mission," the Grey said.

"Could even put us back in the good books," the man said.

Chase narrowed his eyes.

"You're here looking for the cult, aren't you?"

"None of your business, hitman," the Enthusian warned.

"They messed up, Trillo, they got landed with finding a cult on a forsaken planet where the people don't talk to strangers let alone the InterG. What did you guys do to get such an assignment?"

"Doesn't matter when we take you in," the man said.

"It's been five years, man, you think I'm still that much of a catch? Plus the Great Council will have to intervene when you're stopping me doing my job."

They didn't laugh that time. He seemed serious about the whole Great Council thing and the last thing they needed was to mess up again.

"We're here to find this cult too, maybe we can help."

"Why are you looking for the cult?"

"Information, who they are, what they follow. Why are you?"

"It's an assignment," the Grey said. "People get kidnapped, others are scared. We've been here a month and got nothing out of anybody."

"Well it's a good job you followed us as we are on the right course. I just need to talk to my computer."

"You've been here a day and you know where it is? I don't believe you, this is a ruse," the woman said.

"Natural flair and ability," Trillo told them with a shrug.

Chase talked to Cherry who had been doing a scan of the local area and had indeed narrowed it down by following Chase's position. She'd scanned all news stories on the cult and even had a quick fly around to do some thermal imaging. All in all she had a pretty good idea where the cult was hiding.

"Can you fly in there?" he asked.

" _No, I could drop ropes I suppose, but not without the cultists knowing."_

"We'll go in on foot then, but we'll need you for extraction," he said quietly.

" _I can't promise anything,"_ she replied.

"Funny. Everyone's a comedian these days."

The InterG let a policeman fly the LAAP away and commandeered a car after Chase had said flying in would alert the cultists and then they were on their merry way following the route Cherry had downloaded onto Chase's computer.

It was another hour until they had to ditch the vehicles and go by foot through a thin crevasse and then into a wider valley, always going up as the weather worsened.

"Seriously, you guys must have really messed up," Chase grinned back at them.

"We should just shoot him," the man said.

"Amen," agreed Trillo.

"I mean I've been to some rough places in my time," Chase continued, "but this place is just one big shabbus-hole. Though don't tell anyone I said that, they're pretty tough in these parts."

"Does he ever shut up?" the woman asked.

"Talks in his sleep," Trillo said.

"I met the officers who let Covai the Mad escape, even they didn't get sent _here_."

"And where have you been these last five years?" the Grey asked.

"Me? That's top secret, I'm afraid. I haven't been here though," he grinned.

"OK, I agree, let's shoot him," the Enthusian said.

"You seem pretty comfortable with yourself considering all the bad things you've done," the woman said and Chase stopped.

He looked at her seriously, glared at her.

"You want me to live in the past? I'm trying to redeem myself here and I can't do that looking backwards, OK? Fine, you're not the only ones who messed up, I messed up my whole life and now I'm trying to change that."

"OK, OK, I'm sorry," she took a step backwards.

"I'll tell you something from back in those dark days though. You remember those officers? A week later they recaptured Covai the Mad and I threw in Leltist the thief too."

"You did that? You captured Covai and Leltist?"

"Shabbus happens, people shouldn't be punished for it," he looked at the floor. "Kinda my fault in the first place."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing," he said louder. "Onwards and upwards."

They walked on, well, I say walked, but there was a lot of climbing and scrabbling. There must be an easier way to-and-from the road, the cultists couldn't do this all the time, but Chase's computer had led them this way. It was perhaps Cherry's joke on him, she still hadn't gotten over the whole leaving-her-for-five-years thing.

Finally they came to a gap between two peaks, the wind howling around them, the rain thundering down and below them was a plateau that contained a number of buildings.

"Ta da," Chase said.

"Come out the way," the man, Mike, said.

He lay flat and looked through a pair of binoculars.

"Lot of people. Buildings seem to be made of local stone. A couple of vehicles, yes there seems to be a road in."

"Why'd you take us this way?" the woman, Kate, asked crossly.

"You can't just walk into a cultist's camp," Chase shrugged. Damn you, Cherry.

"They've got a police launch too," Mike said.

"How did they get that?" the Enthusian, Appline, asked.

"Surely it couldn't work in this wind," Trillo said.

"Must be modified, that suggests tech. Know-how," Chase said. "Let me have a look."

Mike passed him the binoculars and he swept the camp.

"Heavily armed too, no wonder no one wanted to come up here."

"What's that building?" the Grey, Axiotal, asked.

"Not sure," Chase replied. "Looks like it could be a prison though. Bars and the like."

"They said people were kidnapped," Kate said.

"It is not possible for us six to take on the whole camp," Appline said. "We must go back for reinforcements."

"No can do, officer, we need that information."

"It's not going to happen, Darkstaar, Appline's right," Mike said.

"Well you guys go back and you and your reinforcements can clean up after us."

"You're still coming with us," Axiotal said. "We're not letting you go until we have confirmation from the Great Council."

Chase sighed.

"You guys might be a bunch of Fritham Candythatches, but me and mine have gone up against more with less," Chase said.

"You agree with this?" Kate asked Trillo.

"It appears to be the norm with Darkstaar, but that makes it an adventure, am I right?"

"There's the Trillo we know and love," Chase beamed. "The fact is we're on the clock, we're on a mission to stop this WAR and we can't wait for reinforcements."

"Could be our slogan," Trillo noted and Chase grinned.

"TSAR – We don't wait for reinforcements, I like it."

"Could we get back to the matter in hand?" Axiotal asked.

"Right. So we need information, you need to arrest some people and if there are people in that prison we need to free them," Chase said.

"And that takes people, a coordinated attack," Kate said.

"Hang on, hang on," Mike said looking through the binoculars again. "They're taking people out."

Chase grabbed the binoculars and looked down.

"They're leading them to that stage in the centre of the camp."

"What are they going to do?" Kate asked.

"From what we've heard, nothing nice," Trillo said.

"Agreed, you still want to wait for reinforcements?" Chase asked.

"What's your plan?" Axiotal asked and Trillo sniggered.

"We need to spread out, seem like there are more of us than there are. This weather will help. We need to get to that prison, that launch and that anti-aircraft gun."

"And free those prisoners on the stage," Kate added.

"Four things for six people," Chase nodded. "See? Easy."

"This is your definition of easy?" Appline asked.

"Walk in the park. A dangerous park at midnight, but still a walk in the park," Chase grinned.

"I'll take that anti-aircraft gun," Trillo said.

"No, I'll take that," Chase said. "I reckon we can have our reinforcements as soon as it's down. In fact..."

Chase told them what he was thinking and Mike got on the radio before they all started clambering down the mountain.

He was glad he had Trillo with him, which really was a turn up for the books, but he wished he had the rest of TSAR. After all they had seen and done, this would have been a stroll in the park. That aforementioned dangerous park at midnight, but still...

Not for the first time he wondered if he had done the right thing in going out alone, should he have acknowledged their fears and supported them? But then they could have fought on and on and even if they had won they wouldn't. Not if there were others coming from somewhere else. Strangers that he did not know, could not second guess, could not defeat. But he wanted his friends with him, wanted Julianna's fire and logic, Milk's willingness and Jimmy's mind. He wished once more that the Doc was still with them, he remembered his ire at seeing those prisoner of war camps, his sense of justice. Did he have that? Or was he just breezing through because he had to? The Doc did what he did not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Hendricks had wanted to see the Universe as a better place and Chase could honour that memory not just by helping these people, or stopping the WAR, but by wanting that. Living for that ideal.

Appline, as an Enthusian, was not really cut out for the action role and so had stayed behind to radio cultist's movements. Chase was going for the anti-aircraft gun; Trillo would take out the launch; Mike and Kate were going to the prison and Axiotal would save the prisoners who were now being tied to metal Xs on the stage.

The good thing about being a small group was that no one was expecting them, no one was manning the anti-aircraft gun and Chase was able to get close to it in the gloom of the edge of the camp. He hunkered down there as cultists came out of various buildings and started to congregate around the stage. This could work for them as it meant the cultists were not only distracted, but mostly in one place. Axiotal, however, was in the shadows ready to shoot anyone who tried to harm the prisoners and that looked like it was going to happen soon. One shot and their cover would be blown. They had to act fast.

He dodged out to the gun and huddled next to it. Right. How do you disable an anti-aircraft gun? He looked at it, it was much bigger up close, but there had to be wires and shabbus, perhaps somewhere near the ammunition. He climbed up the gun looking for something that could be opened, all the while trying to keep as small and unnoticed as possible. He ducked down into the foot well as three people walked past, it was late afternoon and there were a lot more shadows which helped as he clambered back up and continued his search. Here. He used a small screwdriver (which he'd randomly decided to bring with him from the ship. Useful!) to open the screws because even technologically superior cultures still use current Earth technology. Underneath was a whole heap of wires which he pulled out in hope to a lot of sparks and buzzing. Then he looked at the gathering and used his radio.

***

Trillo had a longer distance from the mountain foot to the launch, but it could have been worse. He reckoned the launch would have to take off from the centre of the plateau, but had been moved to the side for the gathering which was beginning to grow. He snuck forward using the launch to cover him from view. It was an easy task of breaking the lock and then breaking the ignition, which he did in the deepening gloom and then snuck back to the edge of the plateau. From there he began moving along the mountain wall to get a better position on the cultist gathering. Chase needed information, though he wasn't sure captured cultists would talk; the police needed arrests or at least an end to the cult. That meant his job was to make sure at least one cultist survived.

***

Mike and Kate hid behind the primitive prison, more of a holding pen, as Appline warned them of passing cultists. When he told them all was clear they sneaked around to look at the door. There were no guards, if someone escaped there would be plenty of people to see and stop them. The front was simply cage bars and the people inside huddled together for warmth. The lock was a simple but strong one and Mike thought he could pick it easily, but not now, they wouldn't have anywhere to go, they would be captured or killed.

One of the people finally noticed them and crawled over.

"Shh," Kate warned.

"Help us," the woman croaked.

"That's why we're here," Mike said. "But not yet."

"Please," she whined.

"We're police, we have back up on the way. They will take you away from here. I promise. For now be quiet, stay away from the bars and wait."

They sunk back into the shadows behind the prison, they would have to make sure the prisoners didn't get caught in the shooting.

***

Axiotal hid in the shadows with his rifle. He was a crack shot and if anyone made a move to the prisoners now tied to the Xs he would shoot them. But as soon as he did he would give away his position and needed the others to be ready to cover him. It was a fine line. He would have to judge just how much those poor people would have to endure until it was too much and he shot. For now though they were merely tied there, terrified, as the crowds gathered.

The rain had died off as it got dark enough that large torches were being lit and there seemed to be chanting coming from some of the gathering. He watched in the flickering firelight as a man walked onto the stage with what looked like a book and the chanting increased in volume. He once again looked through his scope, moving between the prisoners on the stage, making sure he had a clear shot at anyone who might move to them. The man was speaking and the crowd quietened, but he couldn't hear what he was saying over the wind and light rain. And then it all happened at once.

The man said something and the crowd whooped and began chanting even louder as three other people got onto the stage and moved towards the prisoners; he looked through the scope and could see knives in their hands, this was all about to go south and he took up the rifle and aimed on the furthest knife wielder. He'd waited there long enough for the others to have done their jobs and get into position, or at least he hoped they had as he squeezed the trigger.

One of the knife wielders fell dead and suddenly laser fire erupted into the crowd from three directions and people began to scramble away. Some had got to or had guns and were firing back into the darkness when the whole thing was lit up by bright lights in the sky and suddenly police were descending on ropes. Some were shot before they got down, but most hit the plateau and opened fire.

Mike and Kate ran back to the prison door and Kate laid down suppressing fire as Mike picked the lock, the people inside shouting and screaming in terror. The cultists had the police partly surrounded, but Chase, Axiotal and Trillo had them surrounded and they couldn't keep it up. The anti-aircraft gun whirred into life and then spluttered and belched up a thick cloud of smoke at the same time someone shot the person in the firing seat. I don't know about you, but I'm assuming it was Chase worrying that the wires he pulled out were inconsequential. A lot like that last sentence to the plot.

It was all over in five minutes and the police walked around handcuffing those that survived as the ship hovered above lighting the scene.

THE SHRINE OF CAVELHADRE

"We've concentrated troops here," General Faize said pointing to a map.

"That's good," Dave replied, "but they will most likely concentrate on other strategic positions before attacking here."

"PDGs, military bases and cultural or natural landmarks, the kind of thing that people would want to fight to protect. Weaken you before attacking here," Rob explained.

"We've never been attacked before," the General said dismally.

"But you've spent your life training for it."

"Yes, The Ring has the best trained troops in the Universe, but perhaps also the least used to combat."

"That's why we're here, we've seen plenty of this WAR and we have friends who can help," Dave told him.

"What news of the other solar systems?"

"Various degrees of holding them off, we won't be the first to be invaded and two of the systems are yet to be attacked."

"Ready your men, General, speak to the planet, it is time to stand, time to defend." Dave said. "What of TSAR?" he asked Rob.

"I haven't been able to get through to any of them," Rob shook his head.

"We could use that Battle Fleet."

"So could the other systems and it would have been better while we were still in space."

Dave frowned.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing?"

"Yes." Rob nodded. "It's risky, but every option is. I think you're right though, if we'd stayed up in space they would have destroyed us and then invaded anyway."

"We may still end up with the same result."

"No. You said we needed to be a little bit Darkstaar and that's not how he would think."

"But we're not Darkstaar," Dave said slumping a little.

"No, we're not. But what has he always believed?"

"That he's funny?"

"OK, yeah, but something else."

"That he's always right?"

"Yeah. And he's always believed we could do this, he's always acted as if what we did would end the WAR. That's why he's always so nonchalant, because he knows we can do it."

Dave nodded and sucked in a big breath.

"You're right, he may be an idiot, but we have to have that same faith. We can do this, we have to or the Universe falls."

"Then let's get to it."

It was quite a sight to see a large chunk of Zargeu's Navy hovered in high atmosphere still firing into space at the A.R.S.E. attackers. Beyond them they could see the troop transports burning through the atmosphere as Space Control's radars tracked them and their landing co-ordinates.

"Good men and women will die this day," General Faize lamented watching the enemy ships entering his atmosphere like meteors.

"To save others and their futures," Rob said.

"I still think it would be better..." the General started.

"No," Dave cut him off. "We do better with free roaming units, if we all defend then that is all we are until we are broken. We need attacks, General."

"Reports coming in, Sir, Merrick forces attacking the capital city; Cantorvial forces attacking the Shrine Complex of Cavelhadre. More ships landing, releasing LAAPs," a communications officer told Faize.

"Looks like you should get to it then," he said to Dave and Rob. "Good luck."

"Hold the fort, General and we'll be seeing you again."

Dave took a LAAP and Rob took an armed troop transporter loaded with pilots from their Battle Wing. Once again they could only hope that the extra numbers would be able to turn the tide of the battle, but when a whole planet is being attacked it was only a matter of time before the enemy got the upper hand.

They flew over the capital city and could already see plumes of smoke rising and LAAPs skittering between skyscrapers. It had been decided to save the Shrine first as it was an ancient emblem of the world and of cultural importance to the whole solar system. For it to be destroyed would be a blow to the people's morale, but saving it would give them the strength to fight.

The Shrine of Cavelhadre was indeed a complex. It had a high wall surrounding a number of one story stone buildings that surrounded a central courtyard which finally contained the massive shrine. It was a pyramid cut vertically in half so that one wall was vertical rather than sloping. In front of this wall was a cuboid room with a slightly smaller room on top and finally another half pyramid so that the very top of the shrine was a complete pyramid. From Dave's angle it looked like it was six stories tall, maybe taller still than that. The outer walls were surrounded by dug in soldiers who, in turn were surrounded by Cantorvials. More UTN soldiers stood atop the walls and inside.

LAAPs were battling each other in the sky and the UTN forces had anti-aircraft guns firing at any that got too close, but Dave could see that the Cantorvials were setting up long range bombarders. Their purpose clear, to destroy this sacred landmark.

"Bombarders," he said.

" _I see them,"_ Rob replied. _"Keep 'em busy so I can land."_

Dave accelerated and buzzed one of the guns that was being secured into the ground. He took down some of the Cantorvials, but had to pull up as a LAAP swooped in at him. He jinked left and then up in a loop and destroyed the LAAP before buzzing over the site again, drawing fire as Rob brought the transporter down.

The ten men and women, plus Rob, that were inside leapt out and opened fire on the Cantorvials as another transporter landed at a second gun. There was not much cover for either the Cantorvial engineers or the UTN squads and the laser fire was intense and short with the help of Dave's LAAP. But now more LAAPs were incoming as well as troops coming back to retake the guns.

"Blow them," Rob ordered and someone ran forward and planted charges as the now reduced squad gave covering fire.

"Planted!"

"Then back to the ship," commanded Rob as the Cantorvials were closing in, outnumbering them.

They got to the ship without losing another person and took off as Dave tried to battle LAAPs and give ground support. Once in the air they used the transport ship's guns to help, but it was not as fast or manoeuvrable as the LAAPs. Once in, someone hit a button and the charges detonated, exploding the guns.

"Let's get out of here," Dave commanded and they flew back to the Shrine.

They landed in the courtyard and were met by a large number from their Battle Wing whilst others had flown to help defend the Planet Defence Guns.

"We'll need to get to the guns as soon as possible," Rob said.

"Agreed, we need all our number to overwhelm. I didn't think they'd send such a large number to the Shrine."

From inside the complex they could see that the buildings and walls were decayed and crumbling though holding up exceedingly well considering it's age. There was a squad of SGFs inside the complex along with soldiers on the outer walls and troops in hastily dug trenches outside.

"Not a lot on our side though," Rob frowned.

There was an explosion that shook the walls as a well place shot from a LAAP exploded an anti-aircraft gun.

"Who's in charge of the SGF?" Dave called out.

"I am. Major Grou," a woman said.

"Wing Commander David Heskin."

"I was told you were coming."

"What's the plan?"

"My troops are inside because we think that's where the battle will end."

"You don't hold hope on holding them off?" Rob asked.

"I want to, but I have to be realistic," she said.

"We'll bolster your troops," Dave said.

The troops on the walls and outside started firing, the Cantorvials were in range then. If Grou was right then the Cantorvials would steamroll over them and it was a case of just how many Cantorvials could be dealt with before they got here.

Dave, Rob and their pilots ran to the walls and up stone staircases to open fire on the Cantorvials. There wasn't much cover for the enemy but they had much larger numbers and for all that fell more kept coming. Dave ordered his troops off of the wall as those in the trenches started retreating into the complex.

Within the complex there were some buildings scattered around the main shrine and soldiers took cover in or around them and aimed up on the doors that were in each of the four outer walls. Rob jumped into the LAAP and took off, coming up from behind the Cantorvials and firing into them before becoming the target of enemy LAAPs and concentrating on taking them down. He was fast and a better pilot than the enemy and he not only managed to duck and dive out of the way, but also fool the enemy into shooting at each other by flying between them.

The Cantorvials entered the complex and the Special Ground Force opened fire, but the Cantorvials were spreading out.

"They want to destroy the building, don't let them," Dave shouted.

He was pushed back into one of the smaller buildings and found that it had a staircase leading down. He popped out and fired at the nearest enemy before hiding from the replying fire. An SGF darted into the room and they nearly shot each other.

"Where do those stairs go to?" he asked.

"No idea," Dave replied.

"Find out, might be useful."

Dave nodded and took a torch the soldier offered him and then walked down into the dark.

***

Rob had taken out all of the LAAPs leaving him in control of the skies and he swooped over the Cantorvials, laying down fire. Once again they had bombarders, these ones were the smaller close range versions, but would still put a hole in the Shrine so he focussed on spotting them and taking them down. He spotted one in amongst a crowd of soldiers trying to get in through the door and aimed down on it. Unfortunately as he shot someone else managed to shoot him and he had to make an emergency ditch within the shrine complex. He aimed for one of the four doors into the complex and came to a skidding, fiery halt in front of it, blocking the Cantorvials from entering. He dived out and, shooting at any enemy he saw, dived behind cover.

***

Dave was walking through corridors with strange carvings. He stopped to look at some, but they used writing and hieroglyphics that he could not understand. He wondered just how old this shrine was. He'd heard of it of course, most people had, one of the prehistoric buildings in the Universe. This solar system was dotted with ruins of the same period, but this was amazing in its completion and attracted many millions of tourists every year. He'd never been here, no one was allowed into the buildings anymore due to the risk that they would degrade it with their touches and general thoroughfares. Even the amount of people allowed into the courtyard each day was restricted. Surely Archaeologists had been in here, had walked this underground corridor and seen its sights, but he knew nothing of it. He was a military man and walking this corridor he, for the first time, wondered at what things he had missed because of that.

He made it down the stairs and along a corridor that branched off at an angle to the stairs. It didn't take him long before he was in a large room that his torch showed held a number of books. He took a look at a few and decided they were newer than the shrine as they were not written in the same language or hieroglyphs as were carved on the walls, but he did not take the time to read those that were in English as his torch had also lighted stairs going up.

***

Rob was at the main shrine building but couldn't find a way in nor much in the way of cover as UTN soldiers and Cantorvials were packed close and fighting hand to hand. He shot one as it ran up to him, but then another struck him from behind and he fell, spun onto his back and fired up. Then he was back on his feet and fighting yet another Cantorvial. He ducked and swung a fist, but missed before leaping to the side, dodging a blow and kicking out at the Cantorvial's knee which crunched under his foot and the Cantorvial went down. He managed to shoot another before it stabbed a UTN soldier and then was attacked by another, kicking and snarling at him.

***

Dave found himself at the top of the shrine and found that there was a window in both East and West wall, sloping slightly up and Dave thought it might be to catch the rising and setting Sun for some reason. That was less important however than the fact that Dave could lean out and get a good view of a lot of the complex. He could see now that the UTN and Cantorvial soldiers were engaged in hand to hand combat and clicked his rifle to single shot and put it to his eye. From here he started sniping anyone he could get a safe shot on and the extra shooting confused the enemy and bolstered the UTN; they started to try and get away from the Cantorvials so that their unknown sniper could get a clear shot and the Cantorvials in turn were desperately trying to find cover or get near a UTN soldier. So started a fairly ridiculous game of chase around the complex.

As the number of Cantorvials decreased so did the gaps between them and once again the UTN engaged in a shooting battle and before long the last Cantorvials fell. Dave ran back down the stairs, stopping in the room. New books, someone was storing them here. That meant there was someone to ask about the Shrine. After the WAR. He shook his head, everything was after the WAR, and then ran back up the other stairs and joined the others.

"That was you then?" Rob asked.

"It was," Dave grinned.

"Always running from a fight," Rob shook his head sadly.

"Funny. We need to join up with the rest of our Wing and hope the PDGs haven't fallen."

"I'll gather the troops."

***

Once again they were flying over the capital city and Dave, in a LAAP, swooped down to shoot at the Merrick forces that were assaulting the city and engaging LAAPs in battle. While he did so Rob flew his transport on at a higher altitude as other transports landed in the city, freed from protecting the Shrine. Other UTN LAAPs also swooped down on the city and there was greater hope of turning the tide of battle as Dave pulled up and re-joined Rob heading for the PDGs.

The Planet Defence Guns in The Ring were even more heavily guarded than others as they were an important defence for not only the planets, but also the Solar System and thusly Hadess. There were two rings of large walls with towers and the Laikan forces that were attacking had been blasting the complex with long range bombarders and LAAPs.

Rob could see a lot of crashed LAAPs but couldn't make out who the wrecks belonged to. The walls were holding up with only minor damage, but the Laikans were still firing on them as troops now rushed forwards to try and scale the walls. Dave rushed forward in his LAAP, shooting at bombarders and then troops as he rushed overhead to join the other defending LAAPs. He was then engaged by enemy LAAPs and pulled up.

The mighty PDG fired into space as Laikans reached the walls and started firing grappling hooks up as soldiers fired down on them. Again it was a case of being overwhelmed by enemy numbers and they were swarming at the doors, no doubt to set explosives.

"We're not going to help anyone here," Rob said over the radio.

" _What are you thinking?"_

"I've got a transport full of pilots."

" _Get back ASAP,"_ Dave said.

"Hold on 'til then."

Once again Dave was the most skilled pilot in the air and quite enjoyed himself dog fighting with the LAAPs while also taking opportunities to fire down at the attacking Laikans and their bombarders. The defensive LAAPs took heart at his heroic flying and fought back with renewed vigour. It wasn't helping too much as there were too many ground troops and more LAAPs incoming.

Just as he was despairing the radio crackled.

" _Give me air support, I'm on a run."_

The Salvation came in fast and low over the Laikan troops and Dave pulled up to see bombs dropping on the ground troops and exploding.

"Nice one, brother," he shouted.

The rest of the pilots were in LAAPs and were taking on the enemy and shooting at those scaling the walls. The tide was going to turn thanks to The Salvation and Dave realised just how lucky they were for that tune up. The old engineer had given them a space ship, a heavy bomber, that could fight in atmosphere. That was a wild card, a battle turner that the A.R.S.E. forces could never have foreseen.

Dave swooped and shot at bombarders as The Salvation ran over the thick formations of Laikans, dropping bombs capable of breaching hulls on them. They were, unsurprisingly, quickly decimated.

"Find somewhere to land, I don't like someone else flying my baby."

" _Roger that. What are you thinking?"_ Rob asked.

"Back into space, push these A.R.S.E. holes out of the System."

The massive PDG boomed as if in agreement.

The planet was safe.

BOOK DEAL

"What's happening?" Milk asked.

"Where is Julianna?" Forster asked.

"Someone tried to kill her," Milk shrugged.

"What?"

"It's cool, she's OK."

"An assassin here?" Forster asked shocked.

"It's not your concern, Earth is."

"Yes," he nodded slowly. "I've made arrangements to go if need be, but for now I cannot leave. We have a very real WAR happening here and only a supposed attack on Earth."

"You're not leaving them in the dark though, are you?"

"No," he shook his head insulted by the idea. "I have contacted the British Prime Minister and told him to ready our troops."

Milk nodded.

"The Council wants them out here fighting, but I've told them they're not ready yet," Forster added.

"It's fair," Milk replied.

"What will you do now?" Forster asked.

"The attack on The Ring has begun, we're going to join the fight."

It was Forster's turn to nod.

"That's good, you know we might still win this."

"We have to."

***

The Prime Minister paced the room as Ateksos and Defosimo sat eating HobNobs and drinking tea.

"Well, it's better to know than not know," Ateksos said.

"Quite," Defosimo agreed.

"Is it?" the PM asked.

"Time to prepare is always a good thing."

"Yes, yes, you're quite right," the PM sighed and sat down. "But war and decisive action was always the President's forte."

"Come now," Ateksos chided. "You have done wonderfully bringing the Earthen leaders together."

"Do you think?"

"Why yes, of course," Defosimo smiled. Or the nearest approximation without having lips.

"I suppose I have," the PM brightened. "Well what now? We should bring the military leaders together, I suppose."

"Yes. A good meeting always sorts things out," Ateksos said brightly.

What was happening out there in space? the PM wondered. The WAR hadn't touched them yet and he was glad for that, though it meant that they were receiving refugees with little space to house them. He'd had to set up a whole new committee for that one, but was glad to see how his fellow Humans had pulled together to help. Forming a committee always helped, people liked committees.

But what was happening out there, were they winning or losing? No one seemed to know and now the President was saying that they had to ready for an attack. An unlikely attack, but one nonetheless. Well, it was as Ateksos had pointed out, that Earth had been brought into the UTN for this very reason, to protect it from an attack. He couldn't see why though, what was on Earth worth invading for?

Then again, he now had to ask that about all the wars that had been fought on Earth before now. Looking back, were they worth it? Yes, evil men had to be defeated, but then there had been plenty of evil dictators that had led long lives of terror and died peacefully. No; war had always been about getting more for yourself rather than everyone sharing in peace. And, ultimately it turned out that while those militarily strong countries had seen themselves as better, the other races of the Universe saw them as weak and foolish for the same reason.

In the glaring light of the rest of the Universe, Earth's war and poverty looked as stupid and backwards as it was. As Defosimo had asked him, why would you want more when there was enough?

He looked over at his two alien advisors and was thankful for them, thankful to have his eyes opened to the truths of life, the Universe and, well, everything. He got up and grabbed a HobNob before leaving to gather the military. There was a spring in his step, albeit one of those small ones you find in a click pen.

***

Chase had questioned one of the Cultists and had grabbed the book that the leader had been holding on the stage. The Wild Rover had then swooped in and he and Trillo had grabbed a rope each and disappeared before the InterG could arrest them.

Because of that he hadn't had as much time as he would have liked, but he couldn't waste time sitting in a cell while the InterG tried to get in contact with the Great Council. Still he'd managed to nick the book and that might help him even more. If he had one book it fortified the belief that he could be close to finding this other book.

He'd left Trillo to fly while he read through the book. It was as interesting as it was disturbing. Some of the stories related were gruesome, but he was more disturbed by this idea of an Outerfield and other universes. There was enough happening in this universe without worrying about others, or about gods and monsters, but if these stories were true did that cheapen what they did? Here they were fighting over the Universe, but did that become insignificant in the face of many universes and greater evils? Just like Earth had sat squabbling, unaware of the Universe around them, were they too squabbling over space instead of working together in finding new universes? He sighed, he couldn't think about this now. He had to cross reference what the book said with what he knew of the Fraturi and Chonbium people from Dr. Hendricks' research. He had to weave a coherent story, had to be an expert on the verge of discovery. He had to attract attention. Well, that was one thing he was good at. Attention had at least half an eye on him at all times.

***

They were in a galaxy at the far edge of the known Universe, it was one of the last galaxies to be found and joined by a star-gate and was, therefore, colonised with purpose. The purpose on the planet of Frilbo was luxury. You see, being far away from other galaxies gave the impression of being isolated and away, even though the star-gates made distances obsolete. Didn't matter though, the truth never matters when compared to what people believe. It doesn't matter how many rounds you buy, people will always think of you as stingy because of that one time you refused to pay for something, everyone knows _that_ story. And so Frilbo was a luxury escape and another planet, Ijo, was where all the criminals went to hide from the InterG. Even though that made them even easier to catch.

It also meant that it was one galaxy that had been entirely untouched in the WAR and was carrying on as normal, if with somewhat more people deciding to sit out the WAR there. The point that I'm labouring to make is that the bar that Chase and Trillo were allowed into was chockfull of screamingly rich people.

"Stinks of money," Trillo said.

"Yeah, they're not subtle."

"No, it literally stinks of money, my nose is better than yours."

Chase considered that for a moment.

"You mean you can smell the money they're carrying?"

"Yeah, must be a lot."

"Maybe we should rob the place."

Trillo laughed.

"They wouldn't know what hit them, living in a bubble."

"Well you better take a seat somewhere, I've got to go and schmooze."

Chase walked to the bar and ordered a Chokdee cocktail.

"Hi there," he said to the older lady next to him.

"Hello to you," she replied sipping from her Handok Frosty Cocktail.

"Nice place."

"It's a little dreary," she complained.

"Gold and diamonds not your thing?" he smiled.

"They get old fast."

"It's a tough life," he consoled.

"You don't know the half of it," she moaned.

"Well that's why I look for different things, things of real value," Chase confided.

"Oh yes? Such as?"

"Rare books."

She harrumphed.

"Then you should be talking to my husband. He's over there," she pointed him out.

"Well, I might just do that," Chase said and got up with his drink.

He walked over to a small group of men. A Human, a Petruthsian, two Albertines, a Reutorgian, a Byfrock and a Carute hovering in his HoverSphere.

"Gentlemen," Chase proclaimed.

"This is a private conversation," the Carute said rudely.

"I was hoping someone might be interested in rare books," Chase replied.

"What kind of rare books?" the Human asked.

"Ones about the King Imminent, I've got one and a bead on another."

They all stared at him with narrowed eyes.

"Only a fool would bring up that name in company," one of the Albertines said.

"Come now, I am not here to talk on foolish superstitions, but about money," Chase laughed.

"Books, however rare, are of no use to me," the Carute said. "We will finish this conversation later."

With that he floated off.

"What book do you have a bead on?" the Reutorgian asked.

"The King Imminent..."

"Stop saying that name!"

"In Fraturi Tradition," Chase finished.

The Human laughed.

"I don't think so, others have looked for it and failed."

"It most likely doesn't exist," the other Albertine agreed.

Chase shrugged his shoulders.

"If you don't want to see what I've got, that's fine."

"Now wait a minute, old chap, no one's saying that," the Human said quickly.

"Maybe we could go somewhere more private and have a chat?" the Petruthsian suggested.

"Fine," Chase said and nodded to Trillo who started over.

They all sat around a Lukbat table in a private room, except Trillo who stood menacingly next to Chase. He told them all he knew of the Fraturi and a little of the Chonbium, though he was wary of saying too much on them for some reason. They were greatly impressed by what he knew and asked a number of questions, but he would not share too much. It was, as Cherry had thought, that they wanted to know more about this King Imminent rather than the book itself.

"Such knowledge is impressive," said one of the Albertines.

"There are those that would like to know such things," the other said.

"But knowledge does not mean you have leads to the book," the Reutorgian said.

"There's this," Chase said and pulled out the Cultist's book.

"Oh my, oh yes," the Petruthsian said. "That is something else entirely, is it not? It tells stories? Of the past? Other universes and the Outerfield?"

"You seem to know a lot," Chase said.

"I know what customers are looking for. Not me, I have no interest, but I know someone who has. Oh yes, I do. Hmm, I must go and make a call."

With Chase's contact number in a tentacle he slithered out of the room.

One of the Albertines leaned across to the book, but Trillo growled and he pulled his hand back.

"I just want to authenticate it," he said.

"Fine. You can't get to the door with it before my bodyguard here disembowels you," Chase said with a smile.

The Albertine pulled the book over and flicked through it while the others strained to see. Eventually he nodded his head, passed the book back and whispered something to the other Albertine who nodded.

"And this is for sale?" one of them asked.

"At the right price," Chase said.

"We need to talk about this," he said and got up.

The Reutorgian and Byfrok also got up and left without a word and Chase put the book away.

"You're a fool," the Human said.

"So I've heard, but why this time?"

"This is not about books, but knowledge. Knowledge that brings power, people will kill for that type."

"I think we can handle it," Chase replied.

"Right," Trillo said.

"You know so much and yet you don't really understand what you know, nor the people who look for such knowledge." the man peered at him. "Why are you doing this? Really."

"I want to meet Got-Ham."

The man laughed.

"Oh, this will get his attention alright, but also the attention of others. All of them will be willing to squeeze that information out of you before taking that book off your cold dead hands."

"He's a cheery one, isn't he?" Chase asked.

"Barrel of laughs," Trillo agreed.

"This is serious," the man hissed.

"I know; you're right," Chase said. "And thank you for the warning, but this has to go ahead."

"Well, be on your guard. As for me, I want nothing to do with the words in this or the other book. Do you really know where it might be?"

"I said I did."

The man stood.

"Fine," he said and left.

Chase let out a long breath.

"What have we got ourselves into this time?"

***

Chase and Trillo headed back to the hotel they were staying at to wait. He wondered how long it would be before someone contacted him, they seemed pretty interested and considering they were after knowledge more than expensive books, he was glad he had researched. He had proven that he knew what they wanted to know and might have access to more knowledge, though as he had been warned, these people, like the cultists, were after dark knowledge. A knowledge they were willing to kill for. Getting killed wasn't part of the plan, if he was going to meet Got-Ham he would need back up.

He thought all this as he travelled up in the lift and then he and Trillo went to their separate rooms. Chase opened the door and walked into the small room only to be confronted by a Jobru holding a gun.

"Well, well, Darkstaar, I have been looking forward to this moment for so many years, oh, no longer the greatest hitman in the Universe," the hitman said.

And Chase shot him.

He walked over to the body.

"Anderlai? The best hitmen don't waste time talking before shooting. I mean what did you think was going to happen? We would have a chat and then you'd kill me? Geez, man, now look what's happened," he said as the light faded in Anderlai's eyes.

He called Trillo to help with the body.

***

It was the next morning that he had a call from the man he had met last night to say that Chase's news had gotten to the ears of Got-ham, but the Albertines had spoken to others who were interested. Once again he warned him that this was dangerous before hanging up.

"So what's the plan?" Trillo asked.

"We wait. I don't know about these others, but Got-Ham won't want to meet anywhere but on his own terms. According to the research I've done on him, he doesn't go out much anymore. He's just too rich, too powerful and that means he's made enemies."

"So you think he'll summon us to his offices?"

"I would think so, but that makes it all the more dangerous for us if he decides to play dirty."

"But wouldn't that just jeopardise his chances of finding this other book?"

"No. The cult was the missing link, with that information and the money to get an interview with one of the surviving cultists, plus what they get out of me, they're be just as close with me dead or alive."

"And these other interested parties?"

"I think they'll move if they know Got-Ham is interested, they'll want to get to us first."

"So what do we do for now?"

"We wait. Order up some room service," Chase said as he pulled out Coblidge's 'Famous Gangsters and Hitmen of the Universe, updated edition' and began flicking through.

They had just finished eating when the call came that Got-Ham wanted to meet at his offices the next afternoon at one, and that he should be honoured that Got-Ham had cleared his whole afternoon for Chase. Chase was told that it would have been today, but Got-Ham wanted Chase prepared, wanted everything he knew that could lead to the book he desired and that he was willing to pay the asking price, whatever it might be. The voice on the other end of the line made it explicit that Got-Ham wouldn't be messed around with and made it implicit that Chase would be a dead man if he did.

"It's funny," Trillo mused, "the more money people have, the less willing they are to pay for things."

"The more money people have, the more they love it."

"He won't pay for it."

"Neither will we," Chase said and pulled his computer from his luggage.

SPLITTING UP

The TSAR Battle Fleet had entered the Garulus Solar System to find the UTN getting very much beaten. Frantis had joined the Fleet bringing his Durden Mothership with him and still they all managed to fit into the Command Ship which now had a very big, red 'TSAR' painted on either side.

Julianna sat in the command chair and looked out through the large bridge window.

"No use trying to sneak up," she said.

"Speed is of the essence," Terd agreed.

"And you trust this new Durden? Frantis?"

Terd shrugged.

"Can you ever trust a Durden Raider?"

"I trust you," she smiled.

"He wants this WAR over as much as anyone. A Laikan run Universe or one that falls into civil war will not necessarily be good for raiding."

"And what of you? What will you do when this is all over?"

"I honestly don't know; I think my raiding days are behind me, you guys have somehow made a good man of me."

"Chase can have that effect on you," Julianna smiled.

"You guys all think it's just about Chase, that everything happens because of him, but you're wrong. It's all of you and you can do the same things with or without him."

"Well, we'll have to now, won't we?" she asked sadly.

"He'll be back soon," Terd reassured.

"Coming into range," the navigator said.

"You've got a Mothership to take out," Julianna said and Terd nodded before leaving the room. "Bring us to a full stop here."

It was obvious even from the Mothership that the system's defence fleet had already been breached and Jimmy in a Missile ship could see as he got closer that the force might not have had time to even form into a Gotral Wave formation. He led his Missile force into a swarm of enemy fighters in the hope of getting a good shot at one of the bigger ships, a Bombarder hopefully.

A Shen Mi fighter force jetted past them, engaging the enemy in dogfights and Jimmy used his own less powerful laser to help. The fighter force managed to make a hole in the defences and Jimmy radioed a bomber force to get through and hit the Bombarder. The two forces swept through the gap in the fighting, the ships having to fend off new fighters that came their way. Jimmy sped forward and fired two missiles at the Bombarder's hull, destroying a lot of anti-fighter guns and picking off some more with his laser before pulling back and letting the bombers start their runs.

Two were blown apart by the anti-fighters and of the other three bombers, only two managed to put holes in the hull. The hull holes. The whole hull hole... Sorry.

"Go for de holes," Jimmy commanded and the Missile ships whipped in and let off missiles with three of them managing to score direct hits.

There were internal explosions and Jimmy could only hope that it couldn't fire as they were again being hounded by fighters. It didn't matter though, the space battle had already been lost; the fight would come on the planets, especially the system's core planet.

"Follow me, let's see how dose transport ships react to our missiles."

The Missile force and one fighter force chased through the dogfights to the A.R.S.E. transports. They could see from here just what a bad situation the UTN force was in. Many of the larger ships were floating hulks, the only thing keeping the defence fleet going was the appearance of the TSAR Battle Fleet and he wondered how the other systems were faring without their support.

The fighter force tried to clear the area of enemies as the Missile ships surged towards the transports, but they were being heavily guarded and they lost two fighters and a Missile ship before Jimmy even had a chance to fire.

"Fire if you can and pull back. Pull back," he ordered. "Julianna?"

" _Here."_

"De fight up here be lost, we need to reinforce de ground troops."

" _What of the other systems?"_

"Give me some troops, do what you can up here and den move to anudder system. It'll take only one to fall and dey can start de attack on Hadess."

" _Fine. I don't like it, but... just fine. Good luck."_

"You too, Juli."

***

Julianna hit the armrest. She didn't like them splitting up, she didn't like losing the strength of the Battle Fleet, but Jimmy was right, they needed to bolster each of the systems. Even if they stayed together as a fleet and went from system to system, if A.R.S.E. forces reached one core planet they could all still crumble.

But who did they think they were? Who did she think she was? Acting like they and only they could save the Universe; that the solar systems and Hadess itself would fall unless they were there to protect it. That was Chase's thinking, the hero rushing in to save the day, but she wasn't him.

Was she?

Was Terd right? That she, all of them, were equally running around trying to save the day? She thought of the Jesperrians living in the tunnels under the city of New Tannock; they had helped them, her, Milk and the Doc while Chase and Jimmy were in prison. And anyway, in all things they had worked as a team, had been in it together. Could she really be at peace if she stayed here not knowing how the other systems were faring? Could she be happy unless she got involved? No. Probably not. The Heroine rushing in to save the day.

She sighed to herself and gave the order to cripple the larger ships if possible, especially the bombarders and then retreat back to the Command Ship.

***

Which came though the star-gate into the Roxcal Solar System to find the defence fleet in better shape and the Gotral Wave formation holding.

"They've modified it slightly," Ferguson said.

"If they are holding perhaps we can get some people to the surface," Milk said.

"Why?" Julianna asked.

"These troops haven't seen any fighting, perhaps ever. We need to make sure their ground forces are ready, that the PDGs are well protected. There seems to be an assumption that things will work, barricades will hold and we know that's not true."

"He's right, we can help the Navy up here, make sure the ground troops are OK and then move on, this system could hold," Terd said.

"Yes, OK, Milk form up a squad. Get to the Core Planet and talk to the people in charge, they can pass the word to the other planets," Julianna told him and he nodded and left.

"Splitting up again," she shook her head.

"He won't be long and we'll still be here keeping them too busy to send troops."

Milk took a transport ship aboard a Durden Mothership that launched from the Command Ship with the rest of the Fleet. The Mothership pulled a hard left as it approached, heading suddenly to the end of the A.R.S.E formation before letting loose a number of fighter forces and the transports which rocketed forward and around the forces with a minimal of engagement. The Mothership then turned to face the fray and released more ships.

Milk and his two squads of troops landed in the Space Control complex having radioed ahead and went straight in to meet those in charge.

"How are set up here?" Milk asked.

"Who even are you?" the General in charge asked.

"We went through that on the radio."

"Yes, you have a Battle Fleet that is in the system, I got that. But as far as I hear our Defence Fleet doesn't need help and it certainly doesn't qualify you to come down here."

Milk sighed a large Milk sigh and decided to roll his eyes as well.

"So how many battles have you fought in so far, General?"

"I don't see how that has anything to do with it, I am still the General in charge here."

"In fact, how many battles did you fight to get to be General?" Milk asked.

"That has nothing..." the General fumed.

"What?" Milk interrupted angrily. Angerrupted? Anyone? "Did you just get here for being the longest server?"

"So what if I did?" the General replied equally angrily.

"Then you don't know what it's like in battle and I do. I've fought in battles all across the Universe and lived my life in dangerous situations. Now show me your defence strategies."

"I, I," the General stumbled.

"Show. Me."

"Fine. Here, here," the General laid out a map.

"No. It's good, General, I apologise, but no. You need to cover the PDGs more and this complex will be a major target, you'll need boosted LAAP protection."

"OK," he said slowly and Milk continued to explain.

Up in space the Defence Fleet had wisely started to change from the Gotral Wave to the Distral Pull-Apart Formation. This gave them a much better chance of repelling the attackers now that the battle had become more about dog fighting. The TSAR Fleet were dogging the enemy from behind and causing them to rethink their own formation and try to scramble into another. This, however, left them wide open to attack and the UTN and TSAR forces targeted the bombarders and Motherships.

Now the UTN Defence Fleet started to overwhelm and outnumber the A.R.S.E. forces and Julianna wanted to wipe them out when a communications officer informed them of an S.O.S. from the next Solar System, Jupidoxer.

"What's the problem?" she asked.

"They're being beaten in space and the commanding General of the ground forces is dead."

"What happened?" she asked alarmed.

"I'm not sure, but he may have had a heart attack," the comms. officer said.

"So what's this got to do with us?"

"No one's willing to take over, no one's ever been in a war before. They're sitting ducks, ma'am."

"Valkswagon. OK, bring in the Fleet, I think the UTN can cope here."

***

They appeared through the star-gate to see the UTN Defence Fleet in trouble, but not yet breached.

"It won't be long now though," she said.

"I'll go down there," Ferguson said.

"No. I think you might be the glue holding the Raiders together. I'll go. Just give the UTN a chance here, same as before."

"Will do," Terd smiled. "And Julianna?"

"Yes?" she asked getting up from her chair and straightening her clothes.

"Be careful, OK?"

"Of course."

"Chase'll kill me if I let you get in danger."

"I can look after myself, thank you."

"It's not you I'm worried about."

She gave a little smile.

"Take the chair, Terd. Least you didn't have to kill anyone to get this command."

"Like I said, I'm a new man," he grinned.

"Make sure you live long enough to enjoy it."

And with that she walked out of the bridge.

Terd turned his attention to the battle and started giving orders for what the Fleet was to do and how as they came into range.

The Battle Fleet headed for one side of the battle where the ships were the thickest and other ships were forced to change tack to head off these new ships. This of course gave Julianna and her squads the opportunity to slip through a quieter part of space and down to the core planet. As soon as she was through she radioed to Terd who then commanded the Dragoove Offensive and the A.R.S.E forces were taken by surprise by the sudden change and the TSAR ships attacked mercilessly.

He was good at this, he thought and then told himself not to be so smug, not yet anyway. But this was something different, commanding ships in a game of life and death, trying to outguess the enemy rather than ordering Raiders to just attack or steal. Perhaps there was a chance for him when all this was over. Perhaps his good deeds in this WAR would exonerate him and open up new possibilities in life.

Still that was for later, now he had a battle to oversee and it was going well, but not well enough; the Defence Force was weakened and gaps were now appearing. He could see that transport ships were being launched and commanded that they be destroyed and the hole patched. He got through to the Defence Fleet Admiral who was doing his best having been in one of the earliest battles of the Second Laikan War. He told the Admiral to patch the hole and he watched a destroyer move up to block the transporters.

Fighter forces swept in and took out transports before their protective fighters could launch, but it meant they lost a number of TSAR and UTN fighters to anti-fighter guns. He gave the order to not get too close, he had to stop those transports and buy Julianna some time, but he couldn't lose all his ships doing it.

And then alarms sounded.

"What is it?" Terd demanded.

"More ships coming through the star-gate behind us, Sir."

"Us or them?"

"Them I'm afraid."

"Shabbus, where did they come from? Another system or are these reinforcements?"

"I don't know, Sir."

"It was rhetorical," Terd snapped.

And it had all been going so well.

"Julianna?"

" _I'm here."_

"We've got more A.R.S.E. forces amassing behind us."

" _From another system? Has one fallen?"_

"I'm waiting to hear, they might have kept forces back exactly for this. You need to come back."

" _Negative. We're not ready down here and if they have more ships they_ will _land."_

"We're sandwiched here."

" _Get out. The Battle Fleet is better used as it has been. To sneak up and bolster numbers."_

"I can't leave you."

" _I'll be OK. Pull back, regroup, replan and then strike again where you're needed most."_

"Valkwagon," Terd cursed loudly.

He pulled a hand down his face and then gave the command. The new A.R.S.E. forces were coming in swiftly and he knew there was going to be a fight getting through, or preferably around them. Better to get the ships back in the Command Ship and use its firepower to hold off attacks. Though he didn't know how many shots from superheavycannons the hull could take.

The Command Ship turned around as the rest of the Fleet retreated back towards it. Thankfully the forces already there let them go, confident that their newly arrived forces would take them on. The new forces were surprised that the Battle Fleet seemed to be trying to get around them and decided to only send some ships to harry the obviously escaping ships. Their focus was on the planet and smashing the UTN forces. Surely the others would chase them?

So it was, thanks to bad communication, that the TSAR Battle Fleet did not get completely blown away, though they did not escape unscathed. They flew through a maelstrom of fighters and lasers; destroyers firing their superheavycannons at the hull. One Mothership got badly damaged, but managed to limp into the hanger. And then just as soon as it had started it was over and they were blasting towards the star-gate as both the A.R.S.E. commanding Admirals realised that they had expected the other to chase them.

FIRE ESCAPE

After a couple of hours of planning and prepping, the fire alarms started blaring.

"Valkswagon," Chase cursed. "Quick gather everything up."

"You think it's a ruse?" Trillo asked.

"Seriously? You don't?"

"If they see us outside with all the stuff they'll try to grab us."

"So be ready for that. No. Wait. If this is just a drill then there's no need for us to go anywhere. They won't send people in for us."

So they gathered up all the stuff that they would be taking to Got-Ham and sat down and had a cool glass of water. There were frantic knocks on the door and they could hearing shouting out in the corridor.

"Could still be a drill," Chase said furtively.

Three books in and that's the first time anyone's been furtive? That's a crime, it's not only an awesome word, _furtive_ , go on, let it roll off the tongue; but it's also an emotion people should have had in these stories. I bet they _have_ been furtive, I just haven't noticed.

"Could be," Trillo said uneasily.

"Be cool."

"Hard in a fire."

"Ha! Out of the frying pan," Chase grinned.

"Not funny. I have fur," Trillo bemoaned.

"Ooh, yeah. Not cool."

"We should go, they would have told us it's a drill by now."

"You really think they'd set the building on fire?" Chase asked.

"You do have that affect on people," Trillo shrugged.

"Effect."

"What?"

"Affect is the verb, effect is the noun."

"The hotel is on fire and you're giving me a grammar lesson?"

"The whole Universe is on fire, Trillo. Grammar's still important."

"Can we just get out of here?"

"Yup."

They opened the door to find people still running down the corridor. They followed them to the stairs and started down, but it was apparent four floors down that the fire was not only real, but started on the lower floors and moving up quickly.

Oh and there were people in gas masks and guns coming up before it.

"Yes they set fire to the hotel and yes they're coming for our stuff," Chase shouted. "Back up!"

One of the masked assailants spotted them and fired, but he missed and Chase fired back down, taking him out.

"Oh, and they know where we are."

"Enough with the commentary, up, up," Trillo shouted.

They got out of the stair well to find that the fire had taken surprisingly well and was already up to this floor, happily burning anything that was combustible; and to a hard working fire, everything is combustible.

They ran down through the flames licking the walls as the gas masked villains came into the corridor and started shooting. They barrelled into a room and Trillo fired from the door.

"Now what?" he called.

"Window," Chase shouted back as the bed combusted.

They got out onto a fire escape and saw that people were using it to its full purpose, running down from the floors above.

"We can't get up that way," Chase shouted over the clanging of feet.

"Why the shabbus do we want to go up? Down is good."

"But they want us to go down, surely that was the plan, smoke us out and grab us from the crowd."

"Then why the hell are they in the hotel?"

"Something went wrong?"

"Something is definitely wrong," Trillo shook his head.

"Back in," Chase commanded and they got into the room as the herd of people trampled past.

Chase ran to the door and looked out and then ducked back in before ducking out again and shooting the gas masks that were nearly to their door.

"Come on," Chase commanded and nipped out the door with Trillo following.

They rounded a bend clear of fire, smoke and the gas masked men. They ran up and found a staircase which they used to go up.

"What are we going to do when we reach the top?" Trillo asked.

"We go down the fire escape."

"What?" Trillo decried. "Why aren't we just doing that now?"

"Double bluff, lead them in and up and then go down before they notice."

"Valkswagon, but your plans are bad."

"Fire escape is the obvious way out for us, exactly where they'll be waiting to grab us. Got to lure them in."

"I still don't get why they haven't stuck to the plan."

"I'm sure we'll find out," Chase shrugged.

They got up two more floors before an elevator rushed up, dinged and then exploded, setting the corridor above them on fire. Behind them a gas mask took a shot at them, narrowly missing and Trillo shot him dead.

"Along the corridor, perhaps now is the time for the fire escape."

"About time."

They ran along the corridor, but had to duck into open doors to return fire at the gas masks as flames crept out of the elevator shaft and set the carpet on fire. The flames spread quicker than a dropped lighter in a Nazi castle and Chase and Trillo were forced back as the gas masks came unrelentingly through the smoke.

"Which way to the fire escapes?" Chase asked.

"I'm not sure now. Valkswagon, Chase; fur and fire don't mix."

They kept backing up, one covered from a doorway as the other moved back to another. In this way they leap-frogged down the corridor to a corner at which point they ran to find a staircase. Unfortunately not only was there a lot of smoke up there, but also a couple of gas masks coming down.

"Where the hell is the fire escape?" Chase shouted.

"Try this room," Trillo shouted back and kicked in the door. They ran to the window to find no fire escape.

"Valkswagon."

They ran back out and fired at the approaching gas masks and then two bodies fell down the stairs. They looked up to see two women in maroon and white jumpsuits on the stairs.

"Who are they?" Trillo asked.

"Our enemy's enemy? Come on."

They cautiously ran up the stairs, which is not an easy feat and the two women didn't shoot them, which was nice.

"You have the book?" one asked urgently.

"What?"

"The book?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Go up the stairs."

Gas masks appeared at the bottom of the stairs, but were shot by someone out of view.

They ran up the stairs into the fiery next floor and could see gas masks entering through the fire escape.

"Good job we didn't..."

"Yeah, yeah," Trillo stopped him.

They saw that there were more people in the maroon and white jumpsuits firing from doorways and Chase popped off a few shots to help them. In fact, all through the flames and smoke they could see the two factions shooting and fighting hand-to-hand, it was like a riot in Hades.

"Come on, up, up," the woman commanded them.

"So leather jumpsuits? Nice."

"Shut up."

They ran up another flight and it seemed that as the fire rose so did the combatants behind them.

"Who are these people?" Trillo asked.

"No idea. Who are you?" Chase asked.

"That doesn't matter at this time," the woman replied as they reached a floor that was, so far, beyond the fire, but they could hear gun fighting on the floor above. The two women dragged them into a room. No mean feat, dragging a Laikan around.

Once the door was closed the women stood between Chase, Trillo and the door.

"Give us the book," the woman said.

"I can't do that."

"You don't have a choice," the other threatened.

"You're right, I don't. I don't have the choice to give it to you," Chase replied calmly.

"You don't understand."

"No. You don't understand, there's a WAR and I need this book to help stop it. I don't need it for long."

The woman placed a hand to the side of his face and his cheek felt warm, then cold and then tingled before she took her hand away.

"You trust him?" the other woman asked.

"I do. Listen to me, when you have finished with this book call this number," she handed him a card. "You won't get through to anyone, but we will have a lock on you and someone will appear to take the book. If at any moment the book is in danger of falling into the wrong hands do the same. Do you understand me?"

"It's pretty important, this book?"

"Vitally."

"What do you mean 'appear'," Trillo asked.

"We use what are akin to the star-gates."

"You have access to Lost Technology?" Chase asked.

"If you will," she shrugged.

"I thought I was the only one."

"You have Lost Technology?" it was her time to be surprised, but interested.

Suprinterested, if you will. Which you probably won't by now. You'll see me in the street and throw a shoe or something.

Where were we? Right, yes...

"Yeah, my ship."

"This gets more interesting," the other woman said.

"And surprising."

"Suprinteresting?" Chase tried.

"No," the two women said together.

"Can we go now?" Trillo asked. "Fire and fur, people, fire and fur."

"There are launches on the roof, we can get you to one."

"Then let's roll," Chase said.

They exited the room to find the fire and the fighting had spread to this floor. Chase and the woman whose name we don't know ran to a door on the other side of the hallway.

"What's your name?"

"Is it important?"

"Kinda."

"It's Kittantha."

Cool, it's Kittantha, everyone.

Kittantha and Chase both blasted at the gas masks as Trillo and the other woman did the same from the other door. This allowed the other jumpsuits to push forward and secure the stairs and the four of them rushed forward.

Chase shot two gas masks as they came down the stairs and then they bundled up. Here the jumpsuits were being pushed back and the four of them laid down fire along the corridor before sprinting up the next flight of stairs.

"Julianna would hate this," Chase noted.

They were brought to a halt by a number of gas masks.

"Back down," Kittantha shouted and they turned as she and Chase shot as many gas masks as they could.

"Get to the fire escape," the other, still nameless, woman commanded and Trillo started to run. "It's the other way."

Trillo turned around.

Smoke was billowing up the staircase and it was getting hot enough to peel the wallpaper and yet here were more gas masks coming at them from the smoke.

"Don't stop," Chase cried as he ran and blasted.

The others did the same, carving a path through the gas masks, Chase hit one with a pistol as he ran past and Trillo head butted another. They turned a corner and were nearly shot by a small group of jumpsuits.

"Don't shoot," Kittantha shouted as she rounded the corner and they all pulled up short.

"The book?" one asked.

"We need to get to the roof, the others need to clear out."

"But the book?"

"We will have it," Kittantha pressed. "Get us to the roof."

They all started down the corridor, but had to duck into doorways to shoot at gas masks.

"More coming behind us," Trillo warned.

Chase turned and joined Trillo in shooting at them.

"Come on," Kittantha urged and a jumpsuit tried to run forward, but was cut down.

Kittantha shot the gas mask and then pushed Chase forward. They blasted the last few as the others held off the gas masks behind them.

Along with Trillo and two other jumpsuits they reached a large window with the fire escape and Kittantha looked out, shooting at someone.

"Come on."

They got out onto the fire escape and took deep breaths of clean air. Then they ran upwards as other jumpsuits climbed out and started shooting both through the window and down the escape. They had to stop at each floor before running past the windows and twice Chase used his twin pistols to shoot at gas masks trying to get out. And then they were on the roof.

They could hear the wail of fire engines and could see Fire Control launches hovering about spewing water into windows.

"There, get that launch," Kittantha said.

"What about you?" Chase asked.

"I will be fine."

"There's enough space in the launch."

More jumpsuits gathered on the roof as the flames licked higher. Kittantha looked at the three launches.

"OK," she said and directed her fellow jumpsuits to the launches.

They ran to them, they were the touring shuttle type, as luxurious as you'd expect from such a hotel, and could fit six people in each. Gas masks were coming up the fire escape and they backed towards the launches, firing at them. Chase and Trillo jumped into one along with Kittantha and three other jumpsuits as another made a hand motion for them to go.

Chase took the launch up and then accelerated up and forward; Kittantha watched the firefight on the roof as her comrades got into the other launches, though one was shot and she saw smoke billow from the engine; she sighed sadly, but trusted that her friends would escape. They were highly trained and wouldn't be trapped by these gas-masked assassins.

"Where can we take you?" Chase asked.

"Just to wherever you are going."

"Space port," Chase replied.

"Fine," she replied wearily.

"Thanks, by the way."

She shook her head and let a little smile play on her lips.

"We weren't saving you, but the book."

"Then I'm glad I had it," Chase smiled back.

"You shouldn't be. All that just happened, the loss of livelihood and life, is because of that book."

"What's so important about it?" Trillo asked.

"You have enough to worry about without such knowledge."

***

They landed at the space port and all but Kittantha left them without a word.

"I would see your ship," she said.

"Yeah, cool."

They walked to The Wild Rover and Kittantha eyed it appreciatively.

"An old Vulcan class," she said.

"You know of them?"

"I know a number of things, Darkstaar."

"I don't remember introducing myself."

"As I said, I know a number of things," she smiled at him.

"And yet, we're still in the dark."

"Such as who are you? And who were those gas masked people?" Trillo asked.

"For now just know that we are two groups trying to get the same thing."

"This book."

"And others like it. The less you know the safer you are."

"Attractive and threatening, it's a great combination, hey, Trillo?"

"Don't try to flatter me," Kittantha warned.

"I wasn't trying," Chase smiled.

"Just remember what I said about the book. Nice ship, use it wisely," she said and walked off without another word.

"So. Any idea what any of that was about?"

"I thought I'd seen everything in my travels," Trillo replied.

"Yup. Universe is one big, weird place, right?"

"Especially travelling with you."

"Ahh, you've never had so much fun," Chase hit him on the arm.

"Let's just get off this planet before any of those gas masks find us."

THE TRUTH

"Probes report that they will be here soon, how do we fare?"

"All is going to plan, even with the TSAR Battle Fleet. Everyone is concentrated on The Ring, there will be no one to protect Earth."

"Will they breach The Ring? We do not want Hadess attacked. At least not yet."

"No, the ground war begins, it will be long and before it ends they will be here and everything will change."

"Good, good."

***

Julianna watched the radars helplessly as the enemy transports came through the atmosphere. They had managed to secure the Space Control and System Command and she'd spoken to the planet's SGF commanders and set up a strategy. If the generals were unused to war and therefore nigh on useless, those that commanded SGF units were not so much. They regularly fought terrorists, Durden Raiders and took part in espionage and so had a better idea of what to expect and what to do. They were, however, hamstrung by the generals in charge.

She wasn't going to do any good here, though, just sitting and waiting for enemy troops to arrive. She knew that they would go for other targets first, wear the ground forces down before attacking the fortified command centres. If there was going to be an organised defence then she needed to be out there.

"I need a LAAP."

"Why?"

"I need to get out there before those transports arrive."

"You can't leave us," a lieutenant-general argued.

"I'll be back before forces reach here, hopefully we can stop them before that even happens."

"But..."

"You'll be fine," she snapped. "You have good defences here, now get me that LAAP."

***

The Deep Core Mining Central Complex was a large, tall skyscraper in the city of Phanos on the planet of Trinx. The DCMCC was not the only important building in the city, nor on the planet and this meant it had an elite defence force much like Ovian with its Eye-Net. And that also meant that no one had bothered trying to attack the galaxy.

"I'm not sure I like this," Chase said.

"The great Darkstaar is worried?" Trillo asked suprinterestedly.

"As a hitman I did this kind of thing a lot, but I planned for months in advance, I knew every square inch of the place I was going into, I knew everything I could about the person I was after. Even in this WAR I took chances, but I had a team around me that I trusted. Now it's just you and me going into the unknown. In short, yeah, I'm worried."

"I'm strangely ambivalent," Trillo said. "But maybe that's because I was always chasing you, always one step behind."

"Oh come on, you weren't always one step behind. Remember that time on Kardesh?"

"Thought I had you that time, can't believe that Kardeshian Giant Worm decided to surface and give birth at that exact place and time."

"No, that was pretty disgusting," Chase agreed.

"Nearly had you at the KrakerFest too."

"Yeah, really spoiled a good party, Trillo. And I missed 'Don Wiskerando'. They were my favourite band. What happened to them?"

"Split up. They decided they were too old to rock."

"You're never too old to rock. Are you?"

"I wouldn't know, I prefer jazz."

Chase looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"What?"

"Well, just didn't take you for a jazz person."

They came slowly to land in the outdoor hanger area. There were a lot of expensive ships and launches there, but nothing as big as The Wild Rover and they garnered the attention of pilots waiting for their employers.

"I don't have a pilot," Chase said.

"So?"

"Well everyone else seems to."

"I don't think we need to keep up the pretence of being rich anymore."

"No, I guess not. Just be ready, shenanigans are imminent."

"I thought we didn't do shenanigans?"

Chase laughed.

"Right. We don't, but I can't vouch for others."

They walked down the ramp to find the air balmy with a cool breeze coming off the ocean that the city was built next to. It was the Carmin Ocean, Chase knew, containing the Ruins of Woontin, a popular dive site. It was also one of the believed crash sites of the spaceship Theotarkin, carrying the Treasure of the Ancient King, but no one had ever found the actual wreck site.

They walked across the parking lot to the glass doors leading into the building. They were stopped by a guard and a weapons scanner who was very thorough, but neither Chase nor Trillo were carrying. A fact that made Chase even more nervous, he'd lived his life relying on his trusty twin pistols.

"Well hello, hello," a friendly female Carute welcomed; buzzing up to them from behind the reception desk.

It was a huge desk with five people of varying races behind it, mostly on the phone. Above them on the wall was a huge panoramic photo of the sun rising over the ocean.

"Nice picture," Chase commented.

"What? Oh yes, it's a beautiful planet to live and work on."

"You get into the ocean much?"

"Well I live there, of course; makes sense doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"Anyway, you must be Mr. Darkstaar," she chirped merrily.

"That's me, here to see Mr. Quillam Got-Ham."

"Just Mr. Got-Ham, please," she chided.

"Whatever you say."

They walked over to a bank of lifts and waited in silence until one pinged open.

"So you live in the ocean," Chase said once inside.

"I thought we covered that."

"Right, but what about the Theotarkin? Ever searched for it?"

"I'm too busy for such things," she said brusquely.

"But to find that would mean never having to work again," Chase pushed.

"Do you think I would get to keep it? On this planet?" she said and then laughed nervously. "Excuse me."

But Chase got her meaning, people like Got-Ham would take it away from her. He supposed that everything on this planet, maybe solar system, (maybe galaxy) came under the hand and eye of Got-Ham and his cronies. For the first time Chase realised just how powerful these mining companies were; sure he had always known they were, but it was only when seeing how they affected the normal people around them that he truly understood it. Perhaps even more than the Great Council, these few men and women controlled the lives of just about everyone in the Universe. And it reinforced the idea that those in the Great Council would not let that be, would have a hand in it.

"Do you even believe it's real?" Trillo asked.

"Dunno. It's hard to believe that an ancient race could fly amongst the stars, but then..." he stopped himself from mentioning the Cave of Ancients and the Chonbium.

The lift slowed to a halt and then pinged open and the Carute floated out into a large room filled with sofas and low tables. One wall was glass, affording an amazing view of the ocean.

"Wow," Chase said.

"Yes, 'wow' indeed," the Carute said cheerily. "Quite the view."

"I prefer the forests," Trillo said.

Chase took a look around the room, surreptitiously taking in the cameras and the doors at either end. To his right were a set of ornate double doors and at the other end a plain door painted to blend in. No doubt security, though there was surely guards nearer to Got-Ham's office.

"Please take a seat, I will inform Mr. Got-Ham of your prompt arrival."

She hovered up to the double doors and one opened automatically for her. Chase sat down and stretched.

"Nice place."

"A little too comfortable for my liking."

"You've been in space too long, Trillo. When all is said and done you need to enjoy the comforts of life."

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps? What else would you do?"

"I don't know, I've thought about it a little bit. Maybe start a farm out in the Slithe Galaxy, good farming planets all over there."

"Yeah, hid out there once for a few months. Met a nice girl, farmer's daughter. Then I had to leave in a hurry," he frowned, but Trillo laughed.

"I can't see you settling down after all this, trouble flows through your veins."

"I dunno, I think it's just that I put myself in the way of it. Maybe if I went to some quiet planet in the Far Reaches or maybe back to Earth I could be happy. Shabbus, I spent five quiet years on Earth."

"You did, and then all this happened," Trillo pointed out and Chase sighed.

"True."

They sat there waiting for nearly an hour. No surprise, important people like to show you they're important by keeping you waiting. Important people are immature. The Carute had come back out and gone back down in the lift and over time four other people came into the waiting room and took seats. Three of them read the business section of a newstablet answering the age old question, 'does anyone actually read the business supplement?'.

Finally an Enthusian came out and called Chase's name and the two of them walked through the door into another anteroom. This one was smaller and plusher and there were three doors leading off, one in each wall. One was more ornate than the others and Chase guessed this was Got-Ham's as it would give a view of the ocean.

"Please wait here," the Enthusian asked.

"I thought we were already doing that out there?"

"Yes, quite," was all the Enthusian said before going through one of the less elaborate doors.

"Charming bunch, aren't they?" Chase asked.

"I've heard of playing a waiting game, but this is ridiculous," Trillo huffed.

"Making us wait makes them feel important, money can't buy self-esteem, Trillo."

Almost as soon as he had said it the ornate doors opened and a young Human woman ushered them in. Chase smiled to himself, he thought the room would be bugged.

"Well, well, Chase Darkstaar," the big Laikan dressed in a three piece suit said from behind an even bigger desk. "I tried to hire you a few years ago, was told you were dead."

Chase shrugged.

"Sabbatical."

"And now you're back and peddling rare books?"

"Less dangerous than being a hitman, though only just."

Got-Ham laughed.

"I am Quillam Got-Ham."

"I guessed by the large desk and ocean view. You know who I am, this is Trillo, my right hand, paw, man."

Got-Ham smiled.

"Good to see another Laikan, hard to go out in public with this WAR. It only takes a few to shame the whole, you agree."

"Whole-heartedly. It's why we're here."

"You confuse me, why don't you take a seat? Thank you, Susan you can go."

The woman left by a side door as Chase sat, but Trillo stayed standing just behind and to the side of Chase.

"So I was lead to believe that you had a book that would interest me along with information that could lead to another I have been seeking."

"Come now, Got-Ham, you aren't seeking rare books, but information."

Got-Ham shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Information is power, Darkstaar, a hitman should know that."

"Agreed, and it's information that I seek."

"No, no, you will be giving me the book, you will be telling me all you know and then you will be leaving," he replied brusquely.

"It doesn't work like that, Got-Ham. I get paid."

"Your payment will be keeping your life."

Chase laughed.

"People like you don't scare me, Got-Ham, money doesn't buy loyalty."

It was Got-Ham's turn to laugh.

"Perhaps I don't scare you, but there are others that might."

The side door opened and a woman clad in black leather trousers and a matching jacket walked through.

"Evangeline," Chase breathed.

"Hello, dear," she smiled at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Same as all of us, except maybe your pet dog," she gestured to Trillo. "No offence, Quillam."

"None taken. You see Darkstaar, even I know who to respect."

"You have the book?" she asked Chase.

"I do, but it's not what you're looking for, just suggestions."

"But you know where the 'The King Imminent in Fraturi Tradition' is?" she asked.

"I have a bead on it, but I'm not giving you what I know."

"We shall see," Got-Ham smiled. "Know much of the Fraturi, Darkstaar?"

"Ancient race that lived in this Universe."

"Congratulations, you know about as much as the rest of us. They say the sunken Ruins of Woontin belong to them, but the ocean has done too much damage to study them properly."

"As much as I enjoy history, the deal's still the deal, I want information and in turn you get yours."

"I can torture out what I need to know."

"I don't react well to torture, Got-Ham."

"Who does? But it matters not, I have had a better solution dropped in my lap."

The door opened and four InterG officers spread around Chase and Trillo.

"I've made a deal with them to spare your life, but lock you in solitary. Once you talk I will arrange for your release. Donating to the various InterG funds has many benefits," Got-Ham smiled.

"You're under arrest for assassinations too numerous to mention now and for evading police custody on the planet Cartay," an Enthusian officer said.

"I'm unarmed, no need for the guns, officers."

"You're a dangerous man to be around," the Human female said.

"Dangerous to our careers," a Grey said.

"Come on, Axiotal, where's your sense of adventure?" Chase asked grinning.

"What!?" Got-Ham decried.

"Move that hand and I'll kill you myself," Evangeline said.

"You? You too?" Got-Ham asked surprised and then composed himself.

"So here we all are again," Chase smiled at each of them.

"Did he say Evangeline?" Mike asked Chase as he handed over his twin pistols. "As in the Shen-Mi?"

Evangeline glared at him and he shrunk, eyes to the ground until she stopped.

Got-Ham clapped slowly.

"Very well done, Darkstaar, your reach exceeds anything that I could have known."

"I make friends easily," Chase smiled happily. "It's my breezy nature."

"Oh, but no," Got-Ham said. "A Laikan assassin, the InterG _and_ the head of the Shen Mi? I don't know another person who could have such a bevy of friends. I am suitably impressed."

"I'd tell you it's a red letter day, but I have absolutely no idea what that means. Anyone?"

They all looked at him blankly.

"So, anyway, tables turned and all that. You now tell me what I want to know."

"And what is that exactly?"

"Who's behind this WAR?"

"What?" Got-Ham burst into laughter. "That's it? You wanted to exchange the secrets of the Universes for something so trifling?"

"Apparently."

"My dear boy, I don't need to tell you, I can introduce you. May I?" he held a finger over a button.

"Do it."

"Chase no," Evangeline warned.

Got-Ham pressed the button and after a second the side door opened and they all looked that way. It was a mistake as the double doors opened silently and the first Chase knew of it was the sound of the InterG dropping their weapons.

Chase turned to see and what he saw was a tall man, Human he thought, but his face was an off colour and horribly deformed; he wore a metal eye patch that seemed to have fused into his flesh and had only patches of wiry hair. His clothes were equally hodgepodge, they looked like leather with patches of other materials and metal plates sown in. A grotesque version of a Durden's scavenged and patched up outfit. The real difference was that Chase couldn't tell where the clothes ended and the skin began, as if it was all one. He also carried two large guns and towered over the InterG officers.

"Drop your weapons," he rasped deeply.

Got-Ham pressed another button and security guards came in through the side door.

"I'd do as he says," Got-Ham grinned.

"But, valkswagon, I just got them back," Chase replied.

"I don't think he'll care," Got-Ham whispered. He was enjoying this, no one got one over on Quillam Got-Ham. No one.

Chase dropped his guns and Evangeline followed suit.

"Hello, stranger," he smiled at the hideous man.

"Chase Darkstaar."

"My reputation precedes me, how nice."

"You are nothing, but I have heard that you know more than you should of our plans."

"I pieced it together mainly. Your being here confirms it though."

"You will not leave to tell anyone of my existence," the man grinned showing a mouth like an old graveyard.

"Don't kill him yet, he still knows things I wish to know," Got-Ham interrupted.

"Yes," the Stranger agreed. "I too would like to hear of these things."

"What exactly do you know?" Evangeline asked.

"Stuff," Chase shrugged.

"But we don't kill InterG officers," Got-Ham said.

"They have seen me," the man replied.

"And have no idea who you are. Plus they are here to help a wanted criminal, they wouldn't want that mentioned, video tapes sent to their superiors etc."

"Then no one knows they are here and we kill them."

"No. Someone may know they are here, or find out and then we will have InterG crawling all over us. I don't stay at the top by taking risks."

"Very well, but if this causes us problems it will be on your head," the man threatened.

Got-Ham looked at him for a moment and Chase could see that he was truly scared.

"Very well. Get out of here," he instructed the InterG officers.

They looked at each other and then at Chase who nodded.

"We're sorry," Mike said.

"It's cool, man. Just adventures in space."

The four officers picked up their weapons and left as a security guard picked up the remaining weapons from the floor and Got-Ham dismissed them.

"So before I die, seriously what does this Ghanatrian Colarswitch know that's so important?" Evangeline asked.

"You know of the spaceship Theotarkin, of course, but have you ever thought of it's implications? You have to read some very old, very specific books to find mentions of it. They say it was searching for the Shores of Dawn, have you heard of them?"

Chase shook his head, but he remembered a conversation a long time ago.

"It holds the key to life, the ultimate knowledge, so they say. Ultimate knowledge means ultimate power," Got-Ham clenched his fists.

"Sounds dull," Chase replied.

"Perhaps to a worthless soul as yours, but think again, Darkstaar.

"Ancient, they say. An ancient spaceship, can you believe that? But it's not from this Universe, or from the known Universe. Evangeline's father told me all about it, he was quite the scholar, but you knew that, didn't you?"

"It's been a long time since we last conversed," Chase said.

"Dead now," Got-Ham frowned. "I'm sorry again, Evangeline."

"I've mourned."

"We all did, he was a great man. A man you listened to."

"Yeah, yeah, but what's this got to do with anything?" Chase asked.

"There is more to the Universe than we think, Darkstaar, K'rackto here has seen beyond what we know."

"Still..."

"Valkswagon, Darkstaar," Got-Ham exploded. "There is a new rule coming, new power, new knowledge and all you think of is trying to save this puny part that we know. True adventure is finding out what we don't yet know."

"You cannot stop us, Darkstaar, no one can," K'rackto said.

"I like your confidence," Chase told him.

"Now what shall we do with them?" Got-Ham asked.

"You are still of this Universe, you still have emotions, perhaps a sense of decency," K'rackto said. "I will torture the information out of him."

"Ahh, I've already notified Quillam here that I don't respond well to torture," Chase renotified.

"Perhaps I can make a deal here with Evangeline, the Shen Mi under our control will serve our cause," Got-Ham said. "And she is a mightily beautiful woman."

"Don't touch her, Got-Ham," Chase warned.

"How chivalrous of you," he grinned a wicked grin.

"Oh, no, I mean lay a hand on her and she'll destroy you."

"Gee, thanks," Evangeline said.

"Am I wrong?" he looked at her and she smiled.

"I'll come get you when I'm finished here."

Got-Ham pressed a button and the security guards reentered. Chase grinned at him as K'rackto pushed him towards the door.

"Just a precaution," Got-Ham said thinly.

***

"I didn't sign up for this," Mike said.

"That's why we're leaving," Appline pointed out as they reached the foyer.

"No. This. This running away."

"We're out of our depth here," Kate told him.

"We were out of our depth on Cartay, out of our depth in that cultist camp, but because of Chase we got promoted," Axiotal said.

They all stood there in a loose circle and looked at either each other or the floor.

"There were a few doors off of that side room we waited in," Appline said. "If he's tortured it will be there."

"If we go back they'll know, they'll come for us," Kate said.

"They're just security guards," Mike said.

"Highly trained," Axiotal pointed out.

"But we're InterG," Mike said.

"Valkswagon," Appline said. "Yes, we are."

"Dedicated to justice," Axiotal said.

"Wait!" Kate said loudly. "I didn't get Got-Ham's signature. We must have it to be legal."

"You stupid Human, this has been a waste of our time from the start," Appline said equally as loud.

"Then let's just get back there and get out of here, we don't need to waste their time any more than we have."

The four of them walked back to the lifts.

"Excuse me, sorry," a Jobru receptionist called to them.

"Don't worry, ma'am, just need a signature," Mike called.

"But you can't just go up there," she tried.

"InterG business," Kate said sternly and they entered the lift.

"Can we even get to him without going through Got-Ham's office?" Kate asked once they were in the lift.

"Yes, I observed someone coming in and out. Thinking of the layout I think I know where to go."

The lift pinged and the doors slowly opened, a few floors short of Got-Ham's office.

"Turn back," one of the many security guards told them.

"Nah," Mike said and blasted him.

The others opened fire until the lift was full of laser smoke. They stepped out to find all the guards dead.

"I don't think the lift is viable," Axiotal said.

"Then move," Appline urged and they took to a run.

More security stood in their way and they shot them down before getting bogged down at a corner.

"Now what?" Kate asked.

"I shall lose my form," Appline said and suddenly his clothes fell to the ground as he disappeared. "Please bring my clothes."

They dared not shoot down the corridor and watched as the guards dropped one by one.

They ran up and Appline reappeared and they looked away as Kate held out his clothes to him.

"Why not just do that all the time?" Mike asked.

"It is not right."

"What?"

"Using my true form."

"Oh, come on..."

"Leave it, Mike," Kate chided.

"Thank you, Kate."

"Should we not be taking advantage of this situation?" Axiotal asked.

"Right, come on," Mike said and they ran on to the stairs.

"We better be quick, they will lock the place down once they know we are hostile," Kate said.

"Then run faster," Mike said.

They reached another floor before security was on their tails and they had to get off onto another floor and run down a corridor, blasting back at the approaching guards. More came out of the lift behind them and Kate and Axiotal shot back at them as Mike and Appline shot at those coming up the stairs.

"Lift or stairs?" Mike shouted.

"Lift is safer at this moment," Axiotal shouted back.

"Agreed," Mike replied as more came down the stairs and they started moving towards the lift.

They stood in the lift and listened to the muzak.

"Got-Ham's office will be locked down," Axiotal said.

"No alarms yet," Mike said. "Anyway we don't need to get to Got-Ham."

The lift pinged and they readied themselves and their guns. The doors opened and they had a split second to see the guards waiting for them and opened fire as one.

They stepped over the bodies and into the room where people cowered under their copies of the business segment.

"Huh, didn't think anyone read that segment," Mike commented.

"This way," Appline said and led them to a door that was almost invisible against the wall.

"It's not locked down," Axiotal noted.

"Do you think someone like Got-Ham worries about people like us?" Mike asked.

"We made it, didn't we?" Kate asked.

"Come. This way," Appline instructed.

They walked into a small suite of doors and tried each one before coming upon Chase.

He was in a small room with all the furniture pushed to the edges. In the middle was a chair and tied to it was...

Not Chase.

"Took your time," Chase said.

"You knew we'd come back?" Axiotal asked.

"You're good people, good people do good things."

"Doesn't look like you need us," Mike said.

"How'd you do this?" Kate asked in wonderment.

"Well, you see self-preservation is a strong emotion, but wanting to save yourself to help others is stronger. Am I right?" he poked K'rackto who said something through his gag.

"I still don't get it," Mike admitted

"Geez, Mike, greed and self-serving makes you weak, but when you think of others first that gives you strength you couldn't know. True strength is in sacrifice for others."

"Are you finished?" Kate asked.

"Don't ruin my soliloquy," Chase complained.

"We need to save your friend," Axiotal said.

"It was a good soliloquy," Chase frowned. "But first I need to get information from this one."

He pulled the handkerchief from K'rackto's mouth and he smiled up at his captor before biting down.

"No," Chase shouted as K'rackto's head exploded. "Valkswagon."

"That's disgusting," Kate shrilled.

"It's on my jacket," Mike complained.

"False tooth," Appline said.

"Containing an explosive," Axiotal added.

"Yeah, I got that," Chase said testily. "Sorry."

"It's OK," Axiotal said.

"We need to save your friend," Kate said and Chase laughed.

"Save Got-Ham you mean."

They walked through the door and through another into Got-Ham's office.

"And that's why it never went into lockdown," Mike said still trying to brush bits of K'rackto off his jacket.

Got-Ham was behind his desk, apparently undressed and tied up.

"You took your time, I was getting bored," Evangeline said.

"You people are unbelievable," Axiotal said.

"K'rackto's dead, took himself out,"  
Chase said.

"So Got-Ham is the only one with all your answers," Evangeline said.

"Looks like it."

"And what's in it for me now, Darkstaar?"

"Your payment will be your life," Chase smiled wryly at him.

"Touché," Got-Ham replied. "You know I actually have no trouble telling you, it doesn't mean anything anymore. You are too late."

"Then fill me in. I'm a nice man, I might still fulfil our deal and give you the book."

"How magnanimous of you."

"Get on with it," Evangeline warned him.

"Very well. You must know of the fifty. The Skyway engineers."

"We know."

"So they escaped, didn't they? With the Lost Technology and went beyond the known Universe. But they ended up somewhere and they settled, but it was not good for them.

"Don't try to make me explain it for I don't understand the jumps through vast tracts of space. The point is that by the time they had gotten there they had mated and grown and continued to do so, but the technology was failing them. They needed more, they needed somewhere new to live, somewhere safer. They've mutated, you understand, bad atmospheres and all that."

"So they're coming to conquer this part of the Universe."

"Yes and no. What they need more than anything is new technology, enough to travel to and fro between their part of the Universe and ours. Something like the Trimedian," Got-Ham grinned.

"Sons of bitches, they didn't want the Trimedian to defeat the Laikans but to trade with these others."

"Strangers we call them, so as not paint them in a bad light before meeting them."

"You have met them," Evangeline pointed out.

"Yes, but not everyone has. Only a few know of their true intentions, the rest that know believe it could be a friendly contact."

"Hang on, what the hell are you all talking about?" Mike asked.

"Good question," Chase said. "So, these Strangers are coming from beyond Earth and the Great Council has decided to trade with them, give them the Trimedian?"

"Some of the Great Council, yes. There's a gun being built on Earth as well as Tooken. Most think it's for protection, but it's really to store some Trimedian for them, it will help them start shipping people to Earth."

"To Earth? You mean all of this, yes, all of this was to give the Strangers a base here, a star-gate. Everything else, inviting Earth into the UTN and the WAR was just a diversion from that."

Got-Ham shrugged.

"But what's it got to do with Got-Ham here?" Evangeline asked.

"Mining," Chase said. "They need people to mine more of the Trimedian ingredients. You made a deal with them."

"They made a deal with us; that was why K'rackto was here. Those original fifty were evil, they lost any morals they had in that prison and their spawn have never known love nor compassion. They will take the whole Universe, Darkstaar, this is the only way to survive enslavement or death."

"That's sick even for me," Evangeline said.

"Oh yes? You think your little organisation will survive? Nothing will unless they let it," Got-Ham said.

"So those in the Great Council with an interest in the mines helped set this all up," Chase said, "just so that they could survive."

Got-Ham laughed.

"And make a profit, dear boy. They may be evil, but they know they need people to help them and they know as their forebears did that everything revolves around Space pounds."

"Thousands dead," Kate said. "Just so that a few of you can make some money?"

"Adapt to survive," Got-Ham shrugged.

"You, you little," she breathed and raised her gun to him.

"Kate, no," Appline commanded. "This is not the way."

"Stow it, Kate," Chase said. "There's still some things I need to know."

Got-Ham bucked as the laser bolt hit him square in the chest and then he slumped forwards.

"No," shouted Chase.

"Go ask the Council," Axiotal said lowering his smoking gun.

"You idiot," Chase shouted. "How does that help?"

"That maggot doesn't exist anymore. That helps," Axiotal said.

"He's right, anyway," Mike said. "I can't believe it, but the Great Council are the ones with your information."

"Like how they have controlled both our troops and the A.R.S.E. forces," Appline said.

Chase let out a long breath.

"They are fighting in The Ring as we speak. Surely UTN ships from all over the Universe would be congregating there."

"Unless the Great Council have held them back, they can't risk the UTN winning before these Strangers arrive," Evangeline said.

"But they can't risk The Ring falling either. And people say my plans are stupid."

"What are the InterG doing?" Evangeline asked.

"We've been told to help those galaxies we are already in. Help the wounded and the displaced," Appline said.

"Good," Chase nodded. "Keep doing that, we need to pull all forces to The Ring, we need to defeat the Laikans and their cohorts before these Strangers arrive; we need to protect Earth."

THE RETURN OF CHASE DARKSTAAR

The corner of the hospital had collapsed from a Bombarder shot and Jimmy and the squad of SGFs he had inherited were desperately trying to evacuate the rest of the building before it collapsed. He knew it was a diversion, he knew that they should be at the Planet Defence Guns, but they couldn't let these people die. A roof collapsed behind him as he ran through the corridors carrying four children on assorted limbs.

The Laikans were smart, targeting places that people would defend and so draw them away from bolstering the troops at real military targets. He'd heard that the Holbrook Memorial had already been destroyed and many had died trying to defend it.

What was the message here? That living in peace made you susceptible? That we should all live in preparation for war so that we can fight when the time came? Why should the time come? Why couldn't we all be satisfied with what we had? Or better, share what we had so that no one went without, no one felt the need for more. But then, of course, no one would be ready for that one person who decides to take more. Are we to say that war and a readiness for it is the natural disposition for men and women of all races? That peace is an invention of society?

He got out of the hospital and handed the children to InterG officers as the west wing collapsed in and something caught fire.

"We can't do much more," an officer said.

"Valkswagon, we do what we can till dere's not'ing else to do," Jimmy scathed.

"There is nothing else to do here, Sir," one of his troops said. "I'm sorry."

"Shabbus," Jimmy sighed.

"PDGs are being attacked, Sir," the comms. officer said.

"Get to de LAAPs. Shabbus."

He took one last look at the hospital, so many innocents dead or left for dead, but if anyone went in there they would be dead too. The whole building was visibly trembling with the pressure of standing up.

***

"Darkstaar, I didn't see you enter the star-gate," Admiral Bowser said.

"I make my own way in the Universe, Admiral. Why haven't ships been called back to The Ring?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ships from other galaxies, local defence forces, why haven't they followed the A.R.S.E. forces to The Ring."

"I have no idea, Darkstaar, many would need to repair, we took a spanking out there."

"And have they had time?"

"Look, Darkstaar, I'm old and I've been put here to waste away until my retirement, I'm not told what's happening."

"You were one hell of an Admiral, when did you get stationed here?"

"About a year ago, maybe a little more."

"Right, just about when K'rackto showed up."

"What are you talking about?"

"Check the computers for the reasons behind the orders."

"I can't, not from here."

"Shabbus," Chase walked over to a computer and plugged his portable computer into it so that Cherry could get inside the systems. "Here."

They both read.

"So the Great Council has decreed that The Ring will hold and that other forces should help the attacked galaxies until such time as they may be needed," Bowser shrugged.

"No, Admiral, the Council is rotten," and he told Bowser everything he knew.

"And I should believe you?"

"I was hoping; here listen to this," Chase tapped a few buttons on his computer and the recording he had made of Got-Ham confessing everything played through the speakers.

"I'll be damned," Bowser breathed.

"We all will be if we don't get all ships to The Ring now, instead of when the Council want them."

"I still can't do anything."

"The men still listen to you, you still have respect throughout the Universe, join TSAR, take command of my Battle Fleet."

"Well, I don't know, isn't that treason?"

"There won't be anyone to try you when I am done," Chase promised.

"Now, Darkstaar, what are you saying?"

"You have fifteen minutes to consider it, get word out to the ships, I've got to see the Great Council."

"I won't let you kill them."

"I won't. I was a murderer once, but not today. Bring your men with you and meet me at the hanger."

***

"Darkstaar, what are you doing here?" Mark the Oncolution asked.

"Redeeming my many sins," Chase replied.

"What are you talking about?" Fong-Gan the Carute asked annoyédly. That's an adjective now.

"But how about yours?" he asked walking out of the shadows. "How great are they and on whose shoulders do they sit? You, Sir Jeffery?"

"I really don't understand you, old bean."

"You, George?"

"The Ring is under attack and you worry us with your meanderings?" George the Albertine asked crossly.

"I do. You're right, The Ring is under attack, just the way you want it. I just want to know why? What did you hope to achieve?"

"I've heard enough," Hikcet the Grey said.

"No doubt," Chase said, "but so have I. Do you really think that these Strangers will let you live? Will let you rule your own destinies?"

"How does he know of the Strangers?" Sir Jeffery asked.

"Thinking back, I really can't believe we chose you," Hikcet said.

"He was a loser, remember?" George said.

"You should be congratulated, I suppose," Mark said. "You've come a long way."

"So tell me. Tell me what for?"

"Dear boy, the Strangers, that's what we call them, they are coming and they will destroy all that is in their path. We had to find a way to survive," Hopkirk said.

"What?" incredulised Fong-gan. "We named them the Strangers for we knew not whether they were good or bad. We did not want to create a bias in people's minds."

"Don't be such a fool, of course we knew," George said.

"But why?" Chase asked again.

"They are evil, pure evil, of that we were assured. This man, if you can call him that, came to the mining companies," Hikcet explained. "It was told we could not fight, could not win, we could give them what they wanted or they could take it."

"We had to survive, Darkstaar," Hopkirk said. "By playing along we had the chance to keep the UTN alive, we could wait and grow and once again rule the Universe."

"You are fools," Chase spat. "You have given up thousands to their deaths just so that you could continue earning from your mining operations. You are keeping ships away to sacrifice Earth. You don't care about anyone other than yourselves."

"How dare you preach to us," Mark exploded. "We did what we could in a tough situation."

"Oh, please, you don't find it hard to line your pockets. Well you won't win."

"We won't let you interfere, Darkstaar," Hikcet threatened.

"And what will you do? I've got people waiting for me, people who know about you. If I don't get back to them then everyone will know what you've done."

"You'll tell people anyway."

"I don't have time for politics, nor for you. I have worlds to save," Chase seethed. "For now we're at a stalemate."

Sir Jeffery got up and walked over to Chase.

"Where are you going, Jeffery?" Hopkirk asked.

"I won't let you sacrifice Earth. I cannot report you, my fellow, Councillors, but I cannot let Earth fall either."

"No," George said.

"Let him go, he can't save Earth now and will die trying."

"I'll see you lot later," Chase warned.

"There will not be a later for you, Darkstaar, the Strangers will wipe you from the Universe, something that should have been done a long time ago."

Chase grinned.

"I'm not afraid to shoot Strangers," and they walked out the door.

"I can't believe this," Fong-gan said.

"Settle down," Mark told him.

"No. If no one else will stand against you, if no one else will tell the truth, then I will," he hovered towards the door.

There was a _whup_ and Fong-gan's HoverSphere shattered sending him to the floor where he writhed. George put his pistol back.

"It was a necessary shame," Hopkirk agreed.

"Get it disposed of," Hikcet said.

***

"That was quick," Terd said once they were back on the TSAR Command Ship. "All sorted?"

"Yeah, Sir Jeffery and Forster are returning to Earth, we made sure they made it safely to the star-gate; this is Admiral Bowser he is taking your command, Terd."

"Good, I don't like the pressure."

"All ships are being pulled back to The Ring, they listen to Bowser."

"Won't he be countermanded?"

"Perhaps," Bowser said. "But they will listen to me and counter-orders to _not_ protect The Ring will now sound suspicious."

"Where's the rest of TSAR?" Chase asked.

"All over The Ring, we got separated."

"Then it's time for more search and rescue," Chase grinned.

"It is painted on the side of the ship," Terd said.

"I saw that, I like it. Shows flair. Admiral, you have command. Terd, get to your Mothership and lead the forces."

"As you say."

"Well then," Chase said and they all looked at Admiral Bowser.

"What?"

"Well, you're in charge now," Chase prompted.

"Oh, right, yes."

He sat down in the command chair.

"This is Admiral Bowser, Commodore of the TSAR Battle Fleet, all pilots stand by, all personnel to battle stations. I say again, battle stations."

"Let's do this," Chase said.

***

A transport carrying Sir Jeffery, Andrew Forster, and Angela Frost along with a group of scientists and technicians flew from the star-gate to Earth.

"So they have a Trimedian gun on Earth?" she asked.

" _Right,"_ Chase said, _"but it won't be operational. The gun is just a cover to hold Trimedian fuel on Earth."_

"And you want us to get it running."

" _Right. Shabbus, Milk's gonna kill me for sending you to Earth."_

"It has to be done, we can't let the Universe fall to these Strangers," she replied forcefully.

"I can't believe this is happening," Sir Jeffery said.

"Will we have enough ships to fight off an invasion?" Forster asked.

" _I highly doubt it, be ready for an invasion force, but we will clear The Ring and bring the full might of the UTN Navy to help you. They won't take Earth, Forster, I won't let them."_

"I believe you, Darkstaar. I trust you."

" _Good luck down there, we'll join you as soon as we can. Ha, I can't believe I haven't said this before, but it's time to kick some A.R.S.E."_

SEARCH AND RESCUE: JULIANNA

The TSAR Battle Fleet arrived back in Jupidoxer and began to deploy its ships as The Wild Rover blasted ahead and into the A.R.S.E. ships.

Trillo dodged the ship through the surprised enemy force and Chase used the FOBG to blast at a Bombarder while also flinging the Merrill guns around, blasting at the newly deployed fighters.

"Could teach Milk a thing or two," Chase said to himself.

"System Command has yet to be attacked, I'm aiming for there?" Trillo asked.

"Yup. Are they in danger of being attacked soon?"

"Enemy forces are closing in."

"Then let's buzz them first. Cherry, dear? Show him how the Lechance works."

"You only talk to me when you need something," she complained.

"Kinda why you're here, love."

"Well, I never!"

"Just do it."

"He's rude," Trillo said.

"He is. And vain," Cherry agreed.

"And egotistical."

"Yes, treats everyone else as less than him."

"You see what he did to my eye?"

"He did that?"

"We were enemies," Chase protested.

"I don't know why we put up with him," Cherry said. "Now let me show you the Lechance."

Chase just grinned to himself while juggling the three guns.

The Wild Rover entered the atmosphere and Trillo adjusted the Lechance and got a feeling for the more sluggish controls before dive-bombing to the surface, pulling up with a gleeful whoop and blasting across the approaching forces as Chase blasted away with the Merrill guns.

"They've got tanks," Trillo said.

"So I see."

Trillo pulled the ship up in a U turn as Chase brought the FOBG back out and aimed at the tanks as they flew back through the laser fire.

"Watch those missiles," Chase warned.

"Concentrate on your job, I've got this."

"You're doing great," Cherry beamed.

Trillo jinked and swooshed over the enemy, dodging missiles while Chase strafed the ground troops and, just to show off, shot the missiles out of the sky at the same time.

"Take us into land, we need to get Julianna."

"On it."

The Wild Rover swooped over the compound and Trillo brought her into land.

***

They looked at the map.

"So where was she last?" Chase asked.

"There. We think," the Captain said.

"You think?" Trillo asked.

"She went to stop the transports landing, this was her rendezvous point, but we haven't heard anything from her."

"And the transports have obviously landed," Chase said.

"They'll be here any minute, those troops," the Captain said, terror in his voice.

"And you have plans, right?"

"Yes, Ms. Andreanna outlined our best line of defence and we will follow that," the Captain said.

"Ms. Andreanna? You mean Julianna?"

"Er, well, yes, Sir."

"That's her last name? I didn't know that. Did you know that?"

"Of course," Trillo said. "I did background checks on all your KA's. You didn't?"

"Well, no. I never asked."

"You never asked?"

"No."

"You're unbelievable," Trillo shook his head.

"I am, aren't I?"

"I didn't mean in a good way."

"Oh."

"So these plans?" the Captain asked.

"Yes, right, let's have a look."

They looked over the plans and Chase spent the time nodding to himself, Julianna had done a good job, had thought about how, when and where they would attack and how to break it off before it started.

"OK, once they come into range you start mortar fire and launch the LAAPs, good, but enemy LAAPs will be your biggest problem," he thought about it. "We'll go back out and try to draw out and destroy them."

"And Julianna?" Trillo asked.

"I guess we go to her last known position and ask around," Chase shrugged. "You guys here need to get on the radio, I'll patch you through to my ship. Find Ms. Andreanna. Anything you hear, however small, you feed back to us, OK?"

"OK," the Captain said nervously.

"You'll be fine, man, just follow the plan. Come on, Trillo."

***

Julianna was at the edge of a clearing, covered in blood and mud and despairing. They were bogged down, just like the A.R.S.E. forces had planned. The PDGs were holding and that was one good thing, but the fight to defend them had taken a lot out of her and the ground forces. It didn't even matter, there were too many ships up there. They couldn't destroy them all and most of the defence force had been called back down to the surface to fend off the invasion.

They'd had to move out of the city to where the A.R.S.E. forces were setting up a command centre. They couldn't let them get such a hold, to have a command centre here would be to have a base of operations from which to lead an attack on Hadess; a safe place to gather troops and ships. A foothold in The Ring from which they could spread and, once they were burrowed in, they would be hard to move.

So far the WAR had been mobile, A.R.S.E. forces moving from one galaxy to another and the UTN had to keep shifting forces to fight them off, but if they got a base in UTN territory this WAR could go on for years. Win or lose, it wouldn't matter, the Laikans would have got what they wanted just by being here, they would forever be a threat to the UTN Councils.

From where she was, tired and embattled, it seemed like Chase was wrong, that the Laikans had wanted Hadess and control over the UTN all along. That they had been wearing the UTN forces down so that they wouldn't be able to defend what the Laikans wanted all along, Tooken and the UTN Headquarters.

So here she lay in a muddy ditch filled with wet leaves along with her squad. A lieutenant made his way over and laid down next to her.

"What news?"

"We have men all around the base, but they are heavily defended even while they build," the lieutenant told her.

"What about LAAP support?"

"We're trying to reach them, but the radio is in and out.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Don't know, some kind of interference."

"OK, keep trying. We need a diversion though, something to keep those guns off attacking troops."

"What are you thinking?"

"Do we know how many troops they have?" Julianna asked.

"No, but they definitely outnumber us."

"OK, get the troops to pull back a way and then get the troops on the other side of the compound to do a harrying manoeuvre, in and out, grenades and shots. Get the enemy focussed over there, but don't let them engage."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get closer and have a look."

The word was passed and the UTN troops moved back into the cover of the surrounding trees. Some of the troops moved in and took pot-shots and threw a couple of grenades before moving back deeper. The A.R.S.E. forces moved to take them out and Julianna used the confusion to get out of her ditch and run to a bush. This clearing had been made by bombing and there were still scrubs and the odd tree standing. There was already a low wall being built and, waiting until a Merrick looked away, she ran up and ducked behind the wall. She moved so that she was next to the Merrick and then stood up and pulled him over the wall where she quickly dispatched him.

She looked over the wall and made a hand signal back to stop the attack. The combined Laikan, Cantorvial and Merrick troops stood ready to defend on the other side, but as nothing else came and it wasn't a serious attack they slowly went back to their jobs. Building up this compound was more important than chasing down a small group of UTN fighters. They were working quickly with pre-fabricated materials and Julianna could see that it wouldn't take them long to have a fortified compound. Again she thought that this must have been their plan all along, they had brought this prefabricated compound with them, after all. They had always planned to stay in The Ring as opposed to the other galaxies which they had bombed and left.

She did her best to count the troops before moving along the wall and looking from another angle. They had LAAPs, a few tanks, but they had room to house more which would no doubt move in once it was completed. Yes, they were outnumbered, but the LAAPs wouldn't be of too much use if her troops got in close enough and with a surprise attack they might be able to even the odds without losing any soldiers.

She moved back using what cover she could before sprinting and sliding back into the ditch.

"What do you think?" the lieutenant asked.

"I think it can be done if we can get to the wall quick enough."

"What do you suggest?"

"We need to wait a while, let them stop worrying about that last little attack."

"But they could fortify in that time."

"It's a risk we'll have to take. We can't have them scanning the area, they'll pick us off."

So they lay in their trenches and hid in the trees, biding their time as they watched the work progress, the walls got a little higher and then catastrophe. A transport ship came in and landed.

"Shabbus," Julianna swore.

"That's a lot more troops," the Lieutenant said looking through the binoculars.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"I'm a lieutenant," he frowned.

"Whatever."

"Now what?"

"Now shut up so I can think."

Valkswagon, this was the last thing they needed. Without serious air support they couldn't make it to the walls unless they went now, went while the new troops were disembarking.

"We have to go now," she said.

"It's dangerous."

"War is dangerous, Lieutenant."

"I'll pass the word."

"Sneak up, no firing until everyone is at the wall."

"Troops are ready."

"OK. Go."

As one they started their slow sneak up through the very sparse vegetation and bomb craters. It would only take one of them to be spotted and they would all die, this was worse than one of Chase's plans. Oh, how she wished he was here now and how she hated herself for thinking it.

They got just halfway before she heard shouts from the walls and someone shot at them.

"Valkswagon, go, go," she commanded.

The SGF forces opened fire, but they were in the open and as soon as the wall was reinforced they would be dead. She watched a LAAP launch and took a shot at it. This was it, they had failed, they would all die.

When the LAAP blew up in mid-air.

" _TSAR!"_ a voice shouted through the radio.

"I don't believe it," Julianna breathed and tears of relief popped into her eyes as The Wild Rover screamed overhead.

" _Julianna?"_

"I'm here, clear the damned walls."

" _On it."_

The Wild Rover pulled a U turn and the Merrill guns swept the walls as it came to hover over the complex.

"Go. Go now," she commanded and the SGFs got up and ran forward shooting.

She made it to the wall and climbed up to shoot down on those inside. There was panic and other LAAPs were trying to launch, but getting shot down by the Merrill guns.

"Breach, breach," she shouted.

A wall exploded with a bomb and Special Ground Force troops poured into the compound. The fighting was fierce, but short as no one could breach The Wild Rover's armour and it rained down fire.

It landed and Chase and Trillo ran out guns blazing to help mop up the last few troops.

"They won't let this place fall," Juliana said breathlessly.

"Good to see you too," Chase smiled.

"Shut up," she said and hugged him.

"I'm bringing in transports, we need to defend the System Command."

"What did you think of my plans?"

"Good. Really good," he smiled and she smiled a tired smile back. "Not too sure about those executing them though."

Two transport ships came into view and landed in the compound and she ordered the troops aboard.

"I need a gunner," Chase said.

"Well, I'm your girl," she smiled.

"That you are," he smiled back.

The Wild Rover pulled up and Chase used the FOBG to flatten the buildings and turn the compound into dust. Julianna came out of a quick shower and Chase took the helm from Trillo as they flew back to the System Control compound.

"What's happened? Didn't they follow my plan?" Julianna asked aghast.

The compound was being overrun, there were LAAPs fighting in the sky though a number of them had already crashed. The walls had been breached, but heavy fighting was keeping the A.R.S.E. forces out for now.

"The whole world is being attacked, when they found this harder than they thought they would have pulled troops from other targets," Chase said.

"You want me to fly?" Trillo asked.

"No. Patch into Command, tell them we're coming in and then get ready for a drop."

"A drop?"

"You're the meanest fighter on this rock, Trillo, I want you down there."

"Time to get my paws dirty? I'm on it."

"Get on that radio and then suit up."

The Wild Rover swooped over the ranks and Julianna laid down fire.

"Cherry, spot mortars for Julianna."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Just do it, babe."

They swooped and pulled up under fire, a LAAP tried to take them on and Julianna swatted it out of the sky.

"You ready, Trillo?"

" _Suited, booted and at the hatch."_

"Good luck, bud, opening now."

The Wild Rover came to hover low over the compound and then Trillo jumped, crashing to the floor on one knee. He got up suited in armour with two heavy machine guns. He walked towards the breach and UTN soldiers fell back out of his way as he opened up with his twin guns.

"You want WAR? Try this," he shouted.

Laser blasts bounced off of his armour and though it wouldn't take too much, he ignored them and blasted away. The UTN troops rallied around him and concentrated fire, but it was no good, another part of the wall fell and Cantorvials poured in.

"Find cover, hold them back, protect the command," Trillo ordered.

He himself turned and fired at the new threat while retreating to the main command building. The Wild Rover flew overhead of him firing at the rear guard and blew up a mortar just after it launched and levelled a building. UTN SGFs were now in hand-to-hand combat as they tried to form a protective ring around the Command Centre.

And then the transports arrived. The Wild Rover gave them protection as they came in to land and more UTN troops joined the fray. The troops were too mixed for Chase and Julianna to do much and so after two more sweeps of the rear guard, The Wild Rover came in to land next to the Command Centre.

Chase and Julianna ran out and fired at any enemy they could see before darting into the Command Centre.

"How are we doing?" Chase asked.

"The perimeter is breached," said the Captain.

"Yes, we got that," Julianna said.

"Oh, Ms. Andreanna, we tried to follow your plan, we really did."

"It's OK, you did great."

"There were just too many of them."

"It's OK."

Chase looked at the screens.

"We've got a protective ring formed, that's good. What I want, Captain is for another to form, get Trillo to sort it, and then the original one to fall back to my ship. Relay the order."

"What are we doing?" Julianna asked on the run to the ship.

"Getting behind them."

They reached the ship.

"How're you doing, Trillo?"

" _Forming a ring now, but we're getting blasted."_

"Then blast back, do I have to tell you everything?"

" _Funny. Why don't you come out here and say that?"_

"And leave the safety of the Command Centre? Only a mad man would be out there."

" _I will kill you after all, Darkstaar."_

"That's the spirit."

Two squads of SGFs reached the ship and they ushered them in, took off and flew high before coming back down to land behind the attacking forces.

"Spearhead, straight in and through, Major."

"My pleasure," an Oncolution said.

The Special Ground Forces charged into the backs of the attacking force causing confusion and bloodshed as Trillo and his ring pushed forward. It was all over in another ten minutes of fierce fighting.

***

"Are we safe?" asked the Captain.

"For now," Chase said before going to the radio. "How we doing up there, Admiral?"

" _Giving them a damn good spanking. They're retrieving troop transports, I think they are about to bug out."_

"Good, track them as they go, we'll be up in a jiffy."

"You see?" Julianna asked. "The whole force is leaving the system, you're going to be alright."

"Thanks to you," the captain smiled.

"Nah, they'll make you a general for this," Chase said.

"I'm not sure I could take that."

***

"So you're back," Julianna said as they flew through the atmosphere.

"I am, great isn't it?"

"And?"

"And I was right."

"Of course you were."

"I know, right?" Chase beamed.

"Stop being difficult," Trillo told him.

"I'm not difficult."

"Yes you are," Cherry said.

"Oh, you would side with him, wouldn't you?"

"Apparently I've missed a lot," Julianna sighed.

"It's been fun," Chase agreed.

"He has an odd definition of fun," Trillo said.

"Hasn't he just?" Julianna replied.

"So," Chase said trying to change the topic. "There are people coming from beyond Earth, Juli, bad people."

"Evil people," Trillo added.

"So what's all this been about?"

"A diversion. They're keeping us busy so that Earth is undefended."

"And it's working," Julianna said.

"Yup, that's why we need to grab Milk and Jimmy and get the Navy to Earth. Nothing will matter if these Strangers get a foothold in the Universe," Chase said seriously.

***

In space the battle had obviously been hard fought and the UTN defence force was pulling back to the planet to repair and rest. The TSAR Battle Fleet was regrouping as what was left of the A.R.S.E. force retreated to the star-gate. It meant that they could go to another system, but it is better to let a wounded animal escape than put it in a corner. He was thankful to have Bowser running the show.

They flew to the Command Ship.

SEARCH AND RESCUE: JIMMY JAZZ

The Prime Minister, the Queen, Defosimo and Ateksos all sat in silence after Forster had finished.

"So it will be war then?" the PM asked nervously.

"Well of course it will be," the Queen scolded. "Haven't you been listening?"

"Yes, I have. I'm sorry, your Majesty."

"And you are sure about the Great Council?" Defosimo asked.

"I'm afraid so," Sir Jeffery said from a corner.

"You should have a HobNob," Ateksos offered.

"I don't think even that would help me now," he said sadly.

"Now, it's not your fault, Sir Jeffery," the Queen said tenderly.

"I'm gathering all the heads of the military," Forster said.

"Yes, good," Defosimo said. "But can you defend the Earth?"

"We need Darkstaar and his Fleet."

"Can we rely on him?" Ateksos asked.

"Yes," Sir Jeffery said. "Yes, we can."

"But until then?" the Queen asked.

"We have only hours before the first ships arrive and I think we have to be prepared for a swift invasion force," Forster said. "Ma'am, you are seen as the head of this world, you will be a prime target."

The Queen cracked her jaw.

"Let them come."

Later the PM, Forster and the two Greys sat in 10 Downing Street with light refreshments. It was just about all they could stomach as they thought on what was coming.

"So what is the next move?" the PM asked.

"We talk to the military and then the Queen will have to broadcast a message. You too I would think," Forster said.

"Yes," Defosimo agreed. "We will need everyone to fight."

"But they will target London, believing the Queen to be the figurehead," Ateksos said. "Killing her will be a blow to moral, or so they think."

"Where else?" the PM asked.

"United Nations building in New York, I guess," Forster said. "If they have that kind of information on us."

"Let us assume they do," Defosimo said.

"And other landmarks," Ateksos said. "Target places that people would wish to save, lure troops away from military targets and weaken them before attacking. Lower morale."

"What's obvious from the air?" Forster asked.

"Pyramids of Giza, Great Wall of China, Stonehenge," the PM said.

"So we need to set up anti-aircraft guns at these places, maybe take some of the ships out as they come in to attack," Forster said.

"I'll get on that," the PM said and left.

"We need to set up a base of operations here," Forster said. "It's just a road, indistinguishable from the air, but well-guarded on the ground. We need to be in touch with TSAR," Forster said.

"Yes, I will make that happen," Ateksos said.

"How long do we have?" Defosimo asked.

"Hours yet, but I fear they will disappear before us."

***

The TSAR Command Ship entered the Garulus Solar System to find space being comfortably occupied by A.R.S.E forces. The only sign of the UTN Navy were the floating husks of ships.

"Not a great sight," Chase said from the bridge.

"It's going to be tough getting you to the surface of Balgan," Bowser said.

"That only makes it more important," Julianna said. "Just one system has to fall, Admiral."

"I know that," he replied crossly. "I'm sorry, dear, but perhaps we should wait for reinforcements."

"Admiral, we're TSAR," Chase said seriously. "'TSAR – We don't wait for reinforcements', that's our slogan; what do you think, Juli?"

"It's certainly true," she shrugged.

"I thought it was good," Chase moped. "You did, didn't you, Trillo?"

"Meh."

"Oh, great, you didn't say that earlier."

"Can we focus?" Bowser asked.

"Blah, blah, tough-slash-can't-be-done, blah blah," Chase said.

"Valkswagon, but you're a child," Bowser exasperated.

"Ignore him, Admiral, it's his way of getting through the impossible."

"Well, you've certainly done a lot so far," Bowser admitted.

"And we're not finished yet, Admiral. The clock is ticking and we need all the help we can get."

"And yet we still haven't decided how we're getting past that lot," Trillo said.

"Considering your ship, I would say Hurlot's Gambit," the Admiral said.

"Has that actually ever been used? Outside of legend?" Trillo asked.

"Not that I know, but in theory it is sound," Bowser admitted.

"Ahh, but with my ship I think we can modify it somewhat. 'The Darkstaar Gambit' I'll call it. If it works. If it doesn't, we won't mention it again, agreed?"

"I simply don't understand you," Bowser sighed.

"Best to just nod and smile, Admiral," Julianna patted his shoulder. "Nod and smile."

"Let me explain," Chase said and then did.

"Enemy forces are forming up, Sir, we are nearly in range."

"Very well," Bowser said. "Battle stations everyone, here's the plan..."

***

"You called?" Dave Heskin asked as they arrived through the star-gate.

" _Took your time. Busy?"_ Chase asked.

"Just cleaning up Zargeu," Rob said.

" _How is it there?"_ Julianna asked.

"All clear in the big blue, unless they choose to try again," Dave said.

" _Well, this is what you're doing now,"_ Chase said and explained.

"It's crazy, but we'd expect nothing less from you, Darkstaar," Rob said.

"Yup, good to have you in the fight at last," Dave said.

" _Fight hasn't even started yet, boys,"_ Chase said.

"What does that mean?" Rob asked.

" _Later,"_ Julianna said.

"OK, coming in to refuel and rearm and then getting into position."

***

"So you think this will work?" Julianna asked as The Wild Rover launched.

"Why not?"

"Shabbus, Chase we've been fighting hard while you've been away."

"We haven't just been sitting around playing Kuutio, you know?" he replied angrily.

"Well, some of the time," Trillo said.

"Part of the mission, Trillo, part of the mission."

"You left us," Julianna accused.

"No," Chase countered angrily, "I was right. You left me, Julianna, you left me."

"We had reasons."

"You did and I respected that so don't get all high and mighty with me now."

"I'm sorry. It's just been so stressful since you went, trying to hold everyone together. The group splitting up."

"I know, Juli," Chase said softly. "I've needed you guys with me, it just makes all of this easier somehow."

"It does, doesn't it?"

"And that's why we need to get Jimmy and Milk, we need to be together at the end."

"Come on then," Trillo said. "Bowser says the Fleet is in position."

The Wild Rover launched into space as the Battle Fleet was forming up, weighted to one side of the battle line so that the A.R.S.E forces manoeuvred to meet the threat.

"You ready to do this?" Chase asked.

" _We're moving now,"_ Rob said. _"But we won't survive this if you don't get into position."_

"Don't worry about us."

" _I'm not, I'm worried about us."_

"Ha, you could do this even without us."

" _Maybe,"_ Dave said, _"but only because you've shown us we could."_

"No," Chase said. "I came to this as just an ordinary bloke, an ordinary bloke put into an extraordinary situation and I've done my best, but it was you guys, all you guys, who brought the talent."

"This is not the time," Julianna said.

"Screw it then," Chase said and moved the Lechance.

A portal opened and they shot through it appearing behind enemy lines.

"TSAR!" Chase shouted as they accelerated.

Julianna spun the Merrill guns around the ship, blasting at the nearest ships. They were mostly the bigger ships so she brought out the FOBG and blasted at the hulls of Motherships and bombarders before they shot past them and into the fray.

At the same time Dave and Rob brought a spearhead of fighter and bomber forces at the thinner part of the enemy line and punched a hole through it. On the other side Missile ships were firing and fighters were engaging in dogfights.

The enemy line tried to reform to take on the attack, but the bombers were already through and attacking the bigger ships behind while The Wild Rover wheeled back around and laid fire into them as well.

" _Keep them busy,"_ Rob said.

"On it," Chase replied and pulled back behind the enemy line and made them have to further split their forces.

They had the choice between the bulk of the force and this one powerful ship that was decimating them. And Julianna was making sure that decimation was the order of the day, blasting at fighters and at the bigger ships.

"I want that Mothership," she said from behind her attack screen.

"Your wish, my command," Chase acknowledged.

Dave and Rob, along with Fighter Force 1 and 2, had punched a hole in the weaker side of the enemy forces, necessitating them to reform which had given them even more room for the bomber force to fling bombs at the hulls of the bigger ships. It wasn't the most effective assault, but what it did was break up the formation and with The Wild Rover hammering mercilessly from behind, the A.R.S.E. forces were struggling to know where to focus, despite their greater numbers. Still the fighter forces were kept busy trying to quell the enemy fighters and protect the destroyers that came into range.

A Mothership blew from Julianna's frenzied attack with the FOBG and a Missile force swarmed in to make short work of it. Terd's Durden Mothership did some mighty fine manoeuvres deep in the battle zone, acting as a rearming base for the Missile ships and bombers.

"Shabbus, but that man can fly," Chase said.

"Gives you a run for your money," Trillo agreed.

"Sure does."

"So don't let those Missile ships punch a hole in him."

"Oh, yeah. Good call."

The Wild Rover swung left and powered over the top of the Durden Mothership as Julianna blasted at the incoming Missile ships.

" _Cronar Formation,"_ Bowser said over the radio.

"Ooh, good call," Chase commented.

" _Darkstaar, harass the enemy as we reposition."_

"We're on it, Sir," Chase beamed.

It was good to have someone else calling the shots. Someone who knew what they were doing.

"Trillo, find out the situation on the planet," Julianna said.

"Hey, that's my job," Chase complained.

"Well then say it."

"Trillo..."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it."

Chase zipped The Wild Rover over and under the enemy formation as it again started to change to meet the new TSAR formation. Not only was it on the back foot, having only recently been dominating the system, but its efforts to match the TSAR ships were hampered by The Wild Rover punching holes in the formation and taking out the protection of the fighters. The TSAR destroyers were able to utilise this confusion to get closer and use their superheavycannons on the bombarders and Motherships.

"So what news?" Chase asked.

"Not good," Trillo said. "A.R.S.E have got the core planet of Vali tied up. They haven't attacked the System Command yet, but they are bombarding the city of Hassnet, tying up troops."

"So that's where we go, lend a hand. What of Jimmy?"

"System Control said he went to Hassnet at the beginning of the attack."

"It's a big city," Cherry said. "Massive, I'll have a hard time tracking him down."

"Do your best."

They swooped through the atmosphere and Chase could see that Cherry was not exaggerating, the city was a massive sprawl of skyscrapers and suburbs stretching away from the centre. Smoke told them that there were numerous fires throughout the city, one area especially was blanketed in it. One of the skyscrapers was pouring smoke, but as it was the only one, Chase assumed that it was struck by a random rocket rather than the centre being under attack yet.

He mentioned this to Trillo who agreed.

"Keeping the centre under threat and focussing on residential areas will keep troops tied up here."

"So why aren't they attacking the System Command?"

"It's not vital if there is no one to command," Trillo answered.

"True. Let's get in closer."

He took The Wild Rover down and they could see swarms of LAAPs flying around and could see troop movements in the streets.

"Focus on the LAAPs," Chase said.

"Already in my site, just need them in range," she replied.

The Wild Rover dropped altitude and the LAAPs scattered from it before wheeling around to open fire. Julianna blasted two before they could even turn.

" _Who's this?"_

"The Wild Rover, part of the TSAR Battle Fleet," Trillo said.

" _TSAR?"_

"He hasn't heard of us? You haven't heard of us?" Chase asked most put out.

"The point is we're UTN," Trillo said ignoring Chase.

" _That's all I needed to hear. I'm Droth, Squadron Leader of this LAAP force."_

"How can we help?" Trillo asked as Chase and Julianna fought with enemy LAAPs.

" _What you're doing is pretty great."_

"We're here to look for a friend, Jimmy Jazz."

" _No idea, but the fiercest fighting is in the Trantek Quarter, fighting for control of the Havering River."_

"Why?" Chase asked.

" _Hydroelectric power, water, sewage, the port bringing in food."_

"They put all that in the same place?" Trillo asked astonished. "In The Ring?"

" _No one ever expected war."_

Throughout this conversation both The Wild Rover and the LAAP force had been fighting enemy LAAP and The Wild Rover had also skimmed the city trying to break enemy positions. And they seemed to be gaining an upper hand.

Trillo could see, through the scanners, UTN troops gaining ground and it seemed that they could retake this area. But he could also see burnt out buildings and the bodies of both soldiers and civilians strewn through the streets. Was this what his people were? Were they so desperate for power that they would do this? No, they were explorers, archaeologists, diggers. Was that such a bad thing? Digging? Discovering that which has been lost to the sand and earth?

"This is not who we are, Darkstaar," he said.

"What?"

"My people. What you see, what has been done in this WAR."

"I know you're not, Trillo, we know you're not."

"The Doc showed us the other side," Julianna agreed.

"As do you, Trillo, you're doing something good here."

"Will my people be destroyed, Darkstaar?"

"Not if I can help it, but we need to defeat them, push them back before the Strangers arrive."

"Then maybe I can talk to them," Trillo nodded.

"If only war could be settled through talk and a hope for peace rather than greed and revenge," Chase said.

"But for now the best we have are these Merrill guns," Julianna said, "and we should be using them to find Jimmy."

"You're not wrong," Chase said and pulled The Wild Rover up.

"Shabbus," Trillo sighed.

***

The Trantek Quarter was mainly made up of three story buildings. Offices, warehouses and factories. The Havering River was wide and fast flowing and cut off the Quarter from the rest of the city, linked by numerous bridges. That's not to say the Quarter was small, nooo, it was a huge area that was actually an island in the middle of the river, an area of much harder rock that forced the river to run around it. And it was this that was keeping them safe so far.

Some A.R.S.E. forces had crossed the river and were in the Quarter, but the UTN forces had barricaded the bridges and were using anti-aircraft guns to keep many from landing. Jimmy Jazz and his men were in a diner eating what they had found, it had been a long time since they had had a proper meal. As he ate he listened to the bombardment from across the river. Either side of the island, the city was taken by A.R.S.E. forces and they were shooting down any UTNN LAAPs that tried to relieve the ground forces whilst still trying to get across themselves.

"Cantorvials moving on Straxis Street," his lieutenant said.

"OK. We better get dere," Jimmy said wearily.

For the Quarter to fall would be the end of the city and the start of the planet's occupation. With that they would have a base to attack Hadess. That couldn't happen, but he didn't know how long they could keep fighting.

"Who do we have in de area?"

"One SGF force and two more nearby, moving in, Sir."

"OK, tell dem to head off and flank, but don't risk demselves. We'll be de surprise attack."

"Will we get there in time?" the lieutenant asked

"We have to."

"The men are tired."

"Everyone is. Failure still not be an option."

"Form up men! We move."

"It be Garras, no?"

"Yes, Sir."

"You be doing a good job."

"Thank you, Sir."

"What would you do?"

"I wouldn't be here, Sir," Garras smiled and Jimmy laughed.

"No, me too."

"But I think what you're doing is right, Sir, we're outgunned, we can't just face the threat head on."

Jimmy nodded.

"Let's move out den."

They made their way across the city, though this was an important area, it was easily and well defended and so the Laikans hadn't been throwing a lot of troops at it yet. Instead they were wearing them out in other parts of the city and so they only came across one squad on their way to Straxis Street and decided it better not to engage.

So far they had managed to hold a lot of the invading force at bay, but a squad on Straxis Street suggested that the Laikans had finally broken through the defences.

He wondered how the WAR had gotten so little for him. He had started jetting around the whole Universe and now here he was trying to secure a single bridge, but then wasn't that what the WAR was to most people? The normal people of this city who were now cowering in their houses, not knowing if it would be hit and collapse, or those who have formed militias to fight. And yet he shouldn't be surprised to be here, you couldn't be part of a war and not witness the horrors of it. Only those in the Great Council (and probably the Minor Council) could talk of the WAR without knowing of it. Politicians rarely suffered from wars.

He wondered if Chase was seeing any of this or if he was still flitting through space, trying to end the WAR without being a part of it. Well he could do with him here now, or more accurately his ship. But that wasn't fair, he could do with Chase being here with him; not just Chase, but Julianna and Milk too. And, of course, Dr. Hendricks, but that was someone that this WAR had taken from them. He and Chubbs, how many people had this WAR left in mourning?

"How are we looking?" Jimmy asked Garras as they stopped close to Straxis Street.

"Our troops are engaging the enemy, hit and run."

"Good. Let's ramp it up, keep dem distracted as we hit home."

Straxis Street ended at the river and the Wayman Memorial Bridge. Though they couldn't yet see it, they could see smoke starting to billow over the buildings and had to assume that the bridge had been breached. Suddenly enemy LAAPs screamed overhead and there was no answer from the anti-aircraft guns. So they had fallen also. Jimmy sighed to himself, it had been a losing battle from the start, and he could only hope that Chase was succeeding in bringing this WAR to an end.

He and his squad moved forward as the other SGFs acted to lure the A.R.S.E. forces away. They came to the corner and saw that they were engaged in a fire fight and trying to enter buildings and flank; there was also radio chatter that more troops were now crossing the bridge. Jimmy's squad got ready to open fire on what looked to be a Merrick Squad when the LAAPs came back and blew up a building that contained one of the SGF units.

"Valkswagon," Jimmy cursed; they would all be lost.

And then a LAAP exploded and another was hit and crashed into the river.

" _King of the skies, baby,"_ a voice whooped from the radio.

"Chase?" Jimmy breathed and then The Wild Rover shot into view, the Merrill guns blazing at the LAAPs.

Behind it a LAAP squadron came flying past and began shooting at the bridge.

" _Anyone need a hand?"_

"Chase Darkstaar just in time as always."

" _Jimmy? Cherry you are rubbish... Oh yeah, interference, of course... But he's below us! Seriously, Cherry... Hey, Jim, we've been looking for you. Not too hard obviously... Cherry."_

"Just shut up and cover de bridge."

" _Like Marmite on toast, I'm all over it."_

As The Wild Rover flew overhead shooting at LAAPs, Jimmy quickly moved his squad forward to take down the Merrick force before they got the upper hand on the other SGF units. A missile flew at the Vulcan class ship, but it dodged and the Merrill guns focussed on its firing position and opened fire.

Jimmy and his squad reached the destroyed building and started digging through rubble to find any survivors and give them first aid. They only found three.

" _This is the UTNN Brixton of the Claxtus Defence Force. Our galaxy is safe and we're here to reinforce the TSAR Battle Fleet."_

"Ha ha, yeah," Chase shouted.

" _This is Admiral Bowser, welcome to the fight."_

" _Can't let The Ring fall, Sir, we've been champing at the bit out there."_

" _This is not the orders of the Great Council,"_ Bowser warned.

" _I'm a soldier not a politician, Admiral, we come under your command."_

"Admiral? We need ground troops here in Hassnet and others to mop up in Jupidoxer," Chase said.

" _What of the other systems?"_

"We don't know the situations there yet, but we know that we need relief here."

" _OK, we're winning up here so we can launch troops now."_

"That's it, we can turn this WAR," Chase beamed.

"Droth? Jimmy? Expect UTN reinforcements. Droth keep the air clear, Jimmy, the ground. Spread the word," Trillo said.

" _Will do. Walmsley Square would be de best place to land, we'll move dere now,"_ Jimmy replied.

He and his squad moved down the road and met up with the other two, he filled them in and they worked out the fastest way to the Square. It was decided that one squad should split off just in case the other's got bogged down. They could then either come to help or get to the Square.

"You better go shake up any surface to airs around de square, Chase."

" _Good call, see you there, mate."_

Jimmy took the moment to watch The Wild Rover fly overhead and out of sight. It was, to him at least, a symbol of hope. They had flown through the Universe in her, gathering ingredients to stop the WAR and now she appeared just before reinforcements arrived, as if she was a herald of good things, of victory. A harbinger of hope; for him the hope that he would make it to the square and board her once more, that he would have survived this city.

But he had to get to the square first and he was under no illusion that it would be easy.

They got snagged only a few blocks away as two units of Cantorvials were trying to break into a warehouse. The two squadrons got into cover and opened fire and Jimmy's squad, which was one street over sped up to outflank the Cantorvials and fired at them from behind. The Cantorvials managed to break into the warehouse and disappeared inside. The three squads met up and one was sent on to the square as the other two went into the warehouse.

They were fired on almost immediately and sprang for cover behind crates and returned fire. Jimmy, Garras and two others moved left to the far wall and used the crates to ease forward, taking shots at visible enemies where they could without giving away their position. They came to a corridor formed by the crates that ran the width of the warehouse and they could see the majority of the Cantorvials in shooting positions there, holding back the SGFs. Jimmy took an opportunity to cross it without being seen and moved further up as Garras and the two others got into firing positions. One of the others also crossed the corridor and took up a position there.

Jimmy continued quietly along, he nearly bumped into a Cantorvial, but took him down quietly before moving on and taking down another two Cantorvials before getting into a good vantage point on top of a couple of crates, but behind another so that he could look down on the Cantorvials. The signal to fire was when he opened up on the Cantorvial position and Garras and his two men did the same. The squadron moved up and Jimmy radioed the other to move on to the square.

***

The Wild Rover was nearing Walmsley Square having had to dodge and destroy a number of missile emplacements with the help of Droth's LAAP force and Cherry was now picking up the troop transporters in the high atmosphere.

"Keep high," Chase said. "If they're tracking the transports they'll be rushing to set up surface to air missile units around and near the square."

Droth acknowledged and the LAAP force ascended.

"And we're not?" Trillo asked.

"Nope, going lower, got to flush them out."

The Wild Rover swooped down and along a wide street and a missile fired from a window, though Chase dodged and it hit another building. Julianna fired at where Cherry calculated the firer would be.

They shot around a corner and could see a lot of troops moving and Julianna switched to the snipers and fired into them before Chase pulled the ship back up above the buildings. They could see a missile flying up to the LAAPs as they scattered and they flew towards it, Julianna blasting it apart while Cherry calculated its arc and then they dropped back down and Julianna spotted and destroyed the launcher.

Now along with the LAAPs they were flying across the large square and missiles were flying up at them. The Wild Rover sped over at low altitude, drawing fire as the LAAPs then rushed in to destroy the launcher units. The transports were now visible in the sky and Chase could see that they were dropping all across the city.

By the time Jimmy and his squad got to the square the other units were firing on enemy positions and moving up slowly as the LAAPs were destroying A.R.S.E. positions.

"Give dem a way out and let dem use it if dey want to," Jimmy said and the comms. officer relayed the message.

He could see The Wild Rover jetting about, shooting here and there beyond the square, but no missiles were fired up at it. Beyond the ship he could see the LAAPs forming protection around the incoming transports.

They moved into the square as the A.R.S.E. forces were exiting at the other end. The tide was changing and would change even more with the extra troops that were even now landing. The Wild Rover harried the leaving troops, making sure they didn't think of returning before it too landed.

Jimmy ran over to it as the ramp descended and Chase, Julianna and Trillo walked down.

"Nice square," Chase said looking around. "How's it going, Jim?"

"A lot better dan it was a few hours ago, mon," Jimmy said and smiled.

"It's my presence," Chase shrugged.

"It be your firepower," Jimmy said and then they hugged.

"Good to see you, stranger," Julianna smiled and then they too hugged.

"Trillo," Jimmy acknowledged and they shook hands.

"So you ready to take the co-pilot seat or do you prefer it down in the squalor?" Chase asked

"I t'ink I served my time down here," Jimmy replied.

"Let's go find Milk then."

***

Back up in the air they could see definite troop movements.

"Where are they going, Cherry?" Chase asked.

"A quick scan suggests troop transports."

"They be bugging out?" Jimmy asked.

"Apparently."

"Find out how we're doing in space," Chase said and Jimmy did so.

" _Been up and down, but we are once again winning,"_ Bowser reported.

"Reckon you're going to have transports coming up, Admiral. Might be better to let dem go."

" _And let them attack somewhere else?"_

"Dey'll fight hard to save deir troops, but decision be yours."

"Give the same command to ground forces, we don't want them to decide staying is less risky than going," Chase said.

SEARCH AND RESCUE: MILK

Everything was, the PM thought, going to plan. Well, things weren't not going to plan; they had gathered the military heads and explained the situation and they had taken it surprisingly well and got busy splitting the command between ground, air and space. It was also agreed that the President would be calling the overall shots, though he had made it clear that he wasn't a military man and that military decisions would be made by them and that made them happy. It was a truth that they didn't really know what was coming and they all seemed to agree that Forster did. Privately, it wasn't so much the case.

"No," he shook his head, "this isn't something I've come across, it's not something anyone has come across."

"Yes, Strangers," Ateksos said.

"You know of them?" Forster asked surprised.

"We were told a little, just in case," Defosimo replied. "They named them Strangers because we didn't know if they were hostile or not and strangers is unbiased."

"But they did know," the PM protested.

"Yes, we know that now."

"I'm sorry," the PM apologised.

"Not as sorry as we," Ateksos said.

"Yes. And to make it up we would like to go to this Trimedian gun and help get it working," Defosimo said.

"You know how to help?" Forster asked.

"Yes, we have some knowledge of the engineering."

"Fine, Dr. Frost could use all the help she can get. As for me I need to fly back to the States and see my family."

"It might be better you stay there," the PM said. "Can't be having you and Her Majesty in the same city."

Forster thought about it.

"Perhaps you are right. They may not even know of my involvement."

"Then let us say our goodbyes," Defosimo said.

"Good luck to you all," Forster said.

"We trust in your leadership," Ateksos said and Forster nodded.

He shook hands with the PM and, not knowing what to say, left.

"It will seem strange not having you around," the PM said.

"It will be strange for us too," Ateksos said.

"Yes. But we also believe in you, Prime Minister. When these Strangers come, we believe that you will be able to lead the people."

The PM smiled at the two of them, tears welling in his eyes; he was so grateful for their council over this time. He didn't think he would have done so well without them.

"You will go down in your history books," Ateksos said.

"In the Universe's history books," Defosimo added.

"If we survive."

"Yes, if we survive."

"Thanks you two," the PM sighed.

"I guess you'll be in the history books whether we survive or not," Ateksos said.

"Yes, yes, OK," The PM replied. "Anyway, you two will be in the same entry as I am."

"Oh, we have just been advisors."

"Advisors that I couldn't have done without. It has been your wisdom that has helped change this planet, not mine."

"It has been our great pleasure, Prime Minister."

"Mine too," he replied and they all shook hands fondly.

"I'll keep some HobNobs for you both," he smiled as they reached the door.

They both turned and smiled as much as they could without lips.

"We look forward to them," and then they walked through the door and the PM felt ever so alone.

***

The TSAR Command Ship entered the Roxcal Solar System to find that the ships from the other systems had congregated here and were hammering the defence force, though it was still holding.

"What formation is that?" Chase asked surprised.

"It seems to be a mix, Haiker's Block and is that Folmer's Gambit?" Bowser replied.

"I think so," Trillo said.

"Sir, we have more ships entering the star-gate," a comms soldier said.

"Enemy?" Bowser asked alarmed.

"Ours, Sir. The Veter Defence Force; and the Hallan Defence Force has just arrived too."

"No longer outnumbered, Admiral," Chase said.

"We keep the other Ring Defence Forces where they are for now then."

"That's your call, Admiral."

"Our job is to find our friend," Julianna said.

"You won't go to the surface without a little fight first though?" Bowser asked.

"Of course not," Chase smiled.

"Can you give us an update on de situation on de surface of Kallan?" Jimmy asked.

"I'll get someone to send it to your computer, we're coming into range and I have troops to command."

The Wild Rover launched ahead of the main fleet to distract the A.R.S.E. forces from both the reforming Defence Force and the newly arrived Battle Fleet. That was another plus of The Wild Rover, it was so different from any other ship that it always attracted attention. Perhaps not so good for those inside the ship, but then they had better defences and better guns than everyone else too.

"So here we be going again," Jimmy said.

"Ain't it great?" Chase beamed as The Wild Rover flew into the swarm of fighters, Julianna and Trillo blasting away at them.

"So who we be aiming at dis time?"

"Um, at this point I think we just keep them busy. What news of the surface?"

"Interesting, probably not in de good way."

The Wild Rover pulled a wide U-turn and flew past a destroyer that Trillo pumped with laser from the FOBG.

"Sooo?" Chase asked.

"Only a few transporters managed to sneak past de Defence Force, but 'cause of dat dey have set up a command post on a plateau in de mountains."

"Hard to get to," Chase said.

"Reports be unsure how dey are getting troops to de surface, but all say dat dey be heavily armed wit' anti-aircraft weaponry."

"Ooh, ground assault."

"Across mountains."

"Fun."

"You crazy."

"So they say, Jimmy. So they say."

The Wild Rover plummeted back through the swarm of fighters as the TSAR fighters, bombers and Missile ships joined the fray. It zipped and dodged lasers as Julianna and Trillo swept the guns all around the hull.

"And Milk is there?"

"As far as reports be," Jimmy shrugged.

"I'd asked Cherry to do a scan, but you know..."

"Hey," Cherry chided angrily.

"He was below us."

"There was interference."

"Of course."

"Surface to air missiles can cause interference, mon."

"See? Thank you, Jimmy."

"Well we'll need a scan of that base. We need to know the ordinance, can we go in?"

"I don't see why I should," Cherry harrumphed.

"It's your body, babe," Chase replied.

"Well, I'm sure I can get a scan done when we get closer," she said.

The A.R.S.E forces were desperately manoeuvring to get out from being in-between the two UTN forces and were just managing as the rest of the TSAR force closed in. It was a battle between three excellent Admirals with forces that were now evenly matched and anything could happen, but The Wild Rover couldn't stay to help.

"What of Matilda?" Julianna asked.

"Still safe at the HQ."

"Good."

"Yeah," Chase said awkwardly.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What, mon?"

"I sent Angela to Earth."

"What? De Earth dat's gonna be attacked?"

"Yeah. She's got to get that Trimedian gun working."

"Oh, Milk gonna kill you, brudder."

"Yeah... Fun..."

The Wild Rover took another run at the A.R.S.E. forces, attacking through the centre as the A.R.S.E. force concentrated on the two UTN forces at either side.

"Come on, we be having a clear run at de planet," Jimmy said. "If you still want to be finding Milk, dat is."

"Funny."

"You be dead, mon," Jimmy grinned at his computer. "Dead mon flying."

"Where's that eject button?" Chase asked.

"I disabled it after last time," Cherry noted.

***

The planet of Kallan was a planet of many tectonic plates and thusly fault lines that led to mountain ranges and also earthquakes. It's the kind of place you'd think people wouldn't live, but they did anyway and used technology to flip the metaphorical bird (not the Antwersian Parathrush) at Mother Nature and live there anyway.

As they flew over the mountains, plateaus and green meadows intercut with sparkling rivers, they saw many expensive ski resorts, hotels and spas.

"I've always wanted to come here," Julianna said looking out of the window.

"Great water," Chase said.

"And de skiing be as good as dey make out."

"Here. This is where I want to come when this WAR is over," Julianna said.

"I'm sure we can arrange that," Chase replied. "I'm sure they'll be grateful for the whole saving their Solar System thing."

"Do you think they will be?" Trillo asked. "Do you think we'll be heroes or swept under the carpet? The whole thing's going to be quite an embarrassment for the UTN Councils."

"I don't want to be a hero, I just want to come here and enjoy life for once," Julianna said.

"I just want to go back to being a mechanic," Jimmy agreed.

"What about you Trillo?" Chase asked.

"I don't know. I don't have much anymore. I don't even know if I'll be able to go back to my own people."

"The UTN will accept a man of your talents."

"And do I want to work for them? They started all this, remember."

"Some of them did, Trillo, some," Chase reminded.

"And you, Chase?" Julianna asked.

"I dunno, I wouldn't mind disappearing, but can I? Will people come looking for me? I've still got a price on my head."

They flew on, each lost in their own thoughts. For Chase it was a case of not thinking about it, not yet. He couldn't tell what the future might hold, he couldn't tell how he would feel when all this was over, if it ended. Perhaps the Universe would no longer be under UTN control and peace would not be an option. No, he wouldn't think on it just yet, he would focus on making sure that these Strangers and their allies did not succeed.

He descended further as they came to the System Command and Jimmy spoke to them over the radio. It was an impressive sight, built at the base of a mountain range so that it actually extended into the mountains. Out of The Ring, it was Roxcal that took defence the most seriously and now that the Systems were being attacked, it showed.

They landed at the Command and were shown briskly in to the System Commander.

"What's up?" Chase asked.

"Not very much here, I can't say the same for the other systems," the Commander said sternly.

"They're getting better, but I hear you have a tick you can't budge."

"Yes, a very good analogy. If we cannot remove it, it could poison the whole system."

"How did they get in? The Defence Force seemed intact and in control," Julianna asked.

"We don't know," the Commander shook his head. "Of course it's always possible for craft to get around a defence force, but there are strategies in place to stop that, and we should have picked it up on the radar."

"The radar man then," Chase said.

"Excuse me?"

"Maybe the radar man let them through," Trillo said, but the Commander merely looked at him in disgust.

"Maybe the radar man let them through," Chase said.

"I will have him removed and questioned."

"So can we get de co-ordinates to dis base?" Jimmy asked holding up his computer.

"Of course," he waved a hand at another man and Jimmy went with him.

"So what's the situation there?" Julianna asked.

"Come and look at a map."

They stood around a table with a 3D hologram of the mountains. The Commander shifted the image around until they were looking at a plateau in what was basically a circle of high mountains.

"By air there are only a few ways in, most ships, LAAPs and the like, can't get over the mountains, too high. These entries are of course highly guarded and they have smaller versions of the PDGs protecting the higher altitude just in case."

"So you've sent ground troops in," Chase said.

"They are navigating passes as we speak, but they will and are meeting with heavy resistance," the Commander nodded.

"And Milk?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes, he came to help, we promoted him to lead. He had seen more fighting than our troops. We've only ever had to do drills, if I'm honest," the Commander frowned.

"It's OK, Commander, peace is not a bad thing," Julianna said.

"It is when it leaves us weak in war," the Commander retorted.

"We're winning out there, Commander," Chase said. "We can shut this base down and drive them out of The Ring for good."

"I hope you're right."

"We got the co-ordinates?" Chase asked.

"Yup, and a map," Jimmy said.

"Then let's get Milk."

***

Once again they were flying over the spectacular scenery and once again Julianna was looking out of the window, watching it pass.

"Following one of the passes is going to take us too long," Chase said.

"Yeah, mon and us four won't add much to de fight."

"So we try and take the ship in?"

"We give it a try," Jimmy shrugged.

"Will the armour hold against such weaponry?" Trillo asked.

"No," Chase shook his head, "not a direct hit."

"We won't be able to land without being hit, too much turbulence I would think," Trillo mused.

"What do you think, Julianna?" Chase asked.

"I think it's beautiful," she sighed.

"Right. Helpful."

"We need Cherry to get a scan, find a quicker way in," Jimmy said.

"OK. So that's the plan for now."

The mountains in question were visible from a long way off and got taller as they got closer, which is obvious and an utter waste of a sentence. The point is, if there was one, that Chase took The Wild Rover up higher and higher until the tops of the mountains were skimming just below. There weren't many peaks before they were over the plateau and suddenly the warning alarm sounded.

"Cherry, stop making that stupid noise," Chase said crossly.

"Sorry. I get bored. There's a missile coming."

"I guessed that."

"Two more."

"On radar," Jimmy said.

Chase jinked left and right avoiding them and they didn't appear to be heat seeking. Which was nice.

And then they were back over mountain peaks.

"They were pretty swift with those missiles," Chase commented.

"Especially de speed we be going."

"So we need to destroy those launchers," Trillo said.

"Yup. What did you get, Cherry?"

"A cave, I think. Take the right turns and it takes you all the way through. Not easy to spot," she said.

"Good job, I assume it's quicker than the passes."

"According to my calculations."

"See? That's why we bring you along," Chase grinned.

"And for weather information," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there's going to be a snow storm soon."

"That could help us," Trillo said.

"Not one this big," Cherry replied.

"Then we better be quick," Julianna said.

"Hey, welcome back."

"Just land."

"A quick run back over with guns?" Chase asked.

"On it," Julianna said getting into attack mode.

"Just be careful," Trillo warned.

"Me? I'm always careful."

"Apparently you don't know the meaning of the word 'always'," Trillo replied as his attack screen lowered.

"Or 'careful'," Jimmy noted.

"I'll look it up while you guys look up 'funny'," Chase replied.

"Snow storm," Julianna replied.

The Wild Rover came back over the mountains and then angled down towards the plateau.

"Missiles," Cherry said.

"I got dem."

Chase pulled level and dodged the missiles as Julianna shot them and Trillo raked the compound with the FOBG.

"Missiles," Cherry said again and Chase pulled The Wild Rover up, narrowly dodging one of the missiles.

Another slammed into the mountainside just behind the ship as it flew up to the peaks and then was gone from view.

"I managed another scan and have positions of what I believe to be SGF units," Cherry said.

"Good girl. Can we radio them?"

"Risky," Jimmy replied. "At dis distance it might get intercepted."

"OK, we try when we're closer."

The ship landed and all but Julianna got out; Cherry would fly in when called and she would man the guns. Or woman the guns.

The three men only found the entrance to the cave because Cherry had located it on a map on Jimmy's computer and that made them hopeful of a straight run through without meeting resistance.

They entered the cave and switched on their powerful flashlights and began walking. The tunnel wasn't very high, nor very wide and they walked single file behind Jimmy who had his computer to follow. It wasn't long before he had to use it as the tunnel branched in two and they went right. A single wrong turn would cost them time and maybe lives. They walked on and the tunnel widened; walking together now Chase and Trillo told of their adventures in more detail and what they meant.

"I can't believe dey sold us out fo' money," Jimmy said sadly.

"They couldn't risk losing the WAR and being poor, that was worse than enslavement," Chase said.

"What really gets me," Trillo said, "is that they tried to play both sides, fight, but have a deal in case they lost. No commitment."

"I would have thought you'd be more angry that they used your people for their own purposes."

Trillo shrugged.

"It would have happened eventually. The older generations were angry at their defeat, their humiliation, and they passed that on to new generations. Few Laikans alive now remember the first Laikan War and though we are prosperous, my people still hold that old resentment and anger. The elders poisoned the mind of each new generation," he shook his head sadly.

"And while everyt'ing was peaceful, everyone ignored your situation," Jimmy said.

"We are not innocents," Trillo said.

"Are any of us?" Chase asked as the tunnel opened into a much larger cave.

The stalactites and stalagmites were not only huge, but sparkled in their torchlight. They shone their lights around, but could not see the other side nor the ceiling.

"Impressive," Chase understated.

"What are dey made of?"

"No idea. Trillo?"

He went to one of the stalagmites and ran a paw over it.

"Not sure. It could be Cropid, you know, Knaxler's Mineral."

"Dat was a hoax."

"No," Trillo countered. "That was the story after Knaxler and his specimen went missing; a story to keep others from looking for it."

"What are you saying?" Chase asked.

"Cropid was valued at well, it would be priceless today and the few people who knew of its existence didn't want others going looking for it."

"But if people found and traded it, I would have heard something over the years," Chase said.

"Yes, I don't think anyone ever did. Exclusivity, remember? I'm going to chip off a fragment for Cherry to analyse."

As he did so, Chase and Jimmy looked at the computer and worked out which way they needed to go and set off as Trillo finished. They wound between the stalagmites to a tunnel on the other side. The new tunnel was wide and smooth and had a number of other tunnels coming off at right angles to it.

"I don't like the look of these tunnels, they look, well, used," Chase said shining his torch down one.

"Sort of like the honeycomb of an ant's nest," Trillo said.

"No need to be specific."

"Big if dey be ants," Jimmy said.

"Again, no need to get specific," Chase said.

"Keep you pistols handy," Trillo said.

It wasn't much later that they could hear noises coming from the tunnels, the echoes made it indistinct, like a chittering or indeed, chattering. For a while the noise grew louder, closer and they walked quickly and tensely and then the noise began to fade and the tunnels disappeared.

"Like a hive," Trillo said.

"No need to dwell on it," Chase said.

They came to a tunnel crossing theirs and Jimmy led them left and then right not much further on. This one sloped up and Chase hoped they were coming out. Then they came to another cavern, this one even bigger than the last, the ceiling was obscured from view even from the ledge they stood on.

"Are they clouds?" Chase asked in wonderment.

"Yup," Jimmy said.

"Is that possible?"

"Look down dere, a river."

He was right there was a largish river running through the cave below them and plant life grew up along it.

"How's that one possible?"

"Turn off the torches," Trillo said.

"After those tunnels?"

"Just do it, Darkstaar."

They did and realised that there was a faint light in the cavern.

"The sun's getting in somewhere, probably higher than anyone can climb."

"So what now?" Chase asked

"Be stairs here, cut in de rock," Jimmy shone his torch on them.

"They certainly look like stairs, is that possible naturally?"

"Of course," Trillo said. "That bridge less so."

They looked down to where he pointed and could see a bridge crossing the river.

"So people do know of this place," Chase said.

"These stairs are much worn, I would say they were carved a very long time ago," Trillo said.

"Well let's go and hope dis bridge still be viable."

They walked down the long, steep stairway until they reached the bottom and realised the vegetation was a lot taller and thicker than it had seemed from above.

"You think anything lives down here?" Chase asked.

"I think we should assume so," Trillo replied.

"I would t'ink anyt'ing here would be just as scared of us," Jimmy said, but still pulled his pistol.

They pushed through the vegetation and Chase felt like they were being watched and there was the odd rustle of leaves, but they didn't see anything and he was glad. If they were attacked they would have to kill and that seemed wrong. To be the first people here for maybe centuries and then go and kill the local fauna.

They reached the bridge to find that it was made of stout wood and metal ropes holding it all together. They weren't sure what to make of it, but they didn't have time to inspect it and so they walked across as quickly as possible, finding that the wooden planks had not rotted.

"Amazing," was all Jimmy said on the matter.

They pushed through the vegetation on the other side and Chase caught a glimpse of a snake like creature in the branches, but it didn't bother them and they reached the other end of the cavern and a tunnel entrance that Jimmy judged to be the one they needed.

Trillo sighed with relief.

"What?" Chase asked.

Trillo sniffed the air.

"Let's just go," he said.

The tunnel was steep and smooth and it didn't take them much longer to see light at the end of the tunnel. Reaching the end, they poked their heads out to see that they were in a large crag in the mountainside so that there was a wall of rock in front of them. They walked out and along the rock to the end and peeped around. They were above the plateau and Chase guessed the cave entrance would be completely invisible to those below. He looked around and could make out two of the passes, he wondered where the UTN troops were, had they made it through or been stopped dead?

"Get on the radio Jim, if they intercept we can get back into the tunnel. Trillo, try and spot the missile launchers."

"Milk? You out dere, mon?"

" _Jimmy? Is that you?"_

"Yeah, mon, where you be?"

" _What're you doing here?"_

"Helping out."

" _What about the other systems?"_

"Dey'll be fine, mon, where you be at?"

" _We're just coming into position. We heard a ship go over while we were fighting, that was you?"_

"Milkmon, listen. Dere be missile launchers in de compound, we need to destroy dem so De Wild Rover can get in."

" _Wild Rover? Chase is with you?"_

"Yeah, mon and Julianna and Trillo."

" _What are you thinking?"_ he asked and Jimmy outlined the plan that Chase had outlined to him.

" _It's not a great plan."_

"Chase came up with it."

" _Ahh..."_

"You people are a laugh riot; just get on with it," Chase said.

Amazingly, they had only lost one SGF unit in the passes, but it meant that the A.R.S.E. troops in the half built compound were alert to their presence. The plan was simple, they would fire from concealed positions as a distraction as other troops snuck in and destroyed the missile launchers, or at least enough for it to be safe for Cherry to fly in and finish the job.

The SGF units scrambled around the rocks on the mountain sides, separating themselves out to fire, whilst Chase, Trillo, Jimmy along with Milk's unit moved down to enter the compound. Whether they were planning to or not, there were no walls built yet, the mountains did that job anyway, so it meant that they had easy access to the compound as long as they weren't spotted descending the slopes.

Jimmy stopped behind some rocks, a place he could shoot from, but also track any missiles launched at the SGFs on the mountain sides. They could only hope that either missiles wouldn't be used due to landslides or that Jimmy could warn them in time to move.

"OK, we're a go," Chase said quietly into the radio.

Laser fire opened up from one of the mountain sides and alarms sounded as A.R.S.E. troops moved into positions and fired back. This gave away their positions to an SGF unit on another slope who opened fire on the enemy's flank. Trillo and Chase sprinted to a building and then edged round it towards a launcher they had spotted close by.

They shot the troops manning it and Trillo went in and smashed it as Chase gave covering fire. They moved onto the next one as Jimmy warned of a missile attack. They watched it fly up into the air and noted the launchers position while hoping the SGF troops could move quickly enough. The plan was to fire and move, getting closer down the mountain side before joining the attack, but missiles would cause avalanches and that would be just as deadly.

Something in the compound exploded and Chase hoped it was Milk's unit destroying a missile launcher as they ducked behind some building materials and sprayed their machine guns at the launcher and its crew. One of them must have hit something, maybe the missile as the whole thing was engulfed in a fireball.

They heard Jimmy over the radio and saw another missile launch, but it exploded in mid-air. They moved forward as another missile launched, noting the positions as they moved forward. They hid as a squad of soldiers ran past and then continued to creep past the one-storey buildings.

They came across a squad of soldiers firing up at the mountain side and were forced to shoot them down, killing them before they could even turn. Chase looked at Trillo and he could see the same feelings on his face, sick at shooting men in the back. But they had to move on, getting to the next launcher as it was being prepped to shoot. There were soldiers guarding it now and Trillo and Chase took either side of a building and caught them in a crossfire, but not before the missile launched. It smashed into the mountain side sending rocks crashing down into the compound and destroying two buildings.

"How're you doing?" Chase asked.

" _Four down,"_ Milk replied.

" _Units moving into the compound,"_ Jimmy said.

"Time for air support then."

They were still heavily outnumbered as the SGF troops stormed the compound and engaged in fire fights and hand-to-hand combat. Already in the compound Milk's unit plus Trillo and Chase tried to attack from behind, with Jimmy also entering the compound. They weren't making much headway and troops were falling when The Wild Rover came into view overhead. She descended rapidly with the Sniper guns firing. A missile launched and she dodged as Chase and Trillo ran to find the launcher, but Julianna destroyed it before they could get there.

" _Pull back,"_ Milk commanded.

There was chaos in the compound as they tried to shoot at the soldiers and the massive ship above them. The only way ships could get in were through the guarded passes and so they had never expected such a well-armed attack from above and without the missile launchers they were helpless.

The SGF soldiers started pushing forward again, herding the A.R.S.E. forces towards the middle where The Wild Rover hovered. Julianna blasted another building to bits just to make a point and the soldiers were forced to surrender or die.

"Now what do we do with them?" Milk asked.

"Good to see you too," Chase said.

"I came here to do a job and it isn't finished yet," Milk said sternly.

"Use the transports to take them to System Command, or wherever their prison is," Chase said and Milk nodded.

"I'll pass on the word."

"Speaking of jobs to do, what exactly was your plan here? You were highly outnumbered."

"Suicide mission, we knew that."

"What?" Jimmy asked surprised.

"We had to clear the passes and the missile launchers for others," Milk explained.

"Valkswagon, Milk, what are you stupid?" Chase shouted.

"Hadess needs to be defended," Milk shot back.

"What, by getting yourself killed? You have loved ones waiting for you," Chase seethed.

"And they wouldn't have a life to lead if The Ring had fallen."

"You see? You see?" Chase stormed. "This is why I can't leave you alone. I was right, Milk, I was right, there are Strangers coming from beyond Earth. You nearly sacrificed yourself for exactly nothing."

"Chase," Julianna said.

"No."

"Chase, calm down, he's alright."

"Thanks to me," Chase shouted and stormed off to his ship.

"He's just scared for you, Milk," Julianna said. "I don't know what he'd do if he lost you."

"I had to do what I had to do," Milk said quietly.

"What we got to do now is protect Earth," Jimmy said. "Maybe we should never have left him."

"Maybe," Julianna said quietly.

"Maybe we all need to apologise."

THE LAST DAYS OF THE SECOND LAIKAN WAR

Back up in space it was obvious that the UTNN was winning the battle and that the A.R.S.E. fleet was trying to manoeuvre towards the star-gate.

" _What news?"_ Admiral Bowser asked.

"The planet is clear."

" _We've had transports coming back, they're trying to retreat."_

"Let them, we have bigger fights. Track them."

" _I don't agree and I'm in charge, remember?"_

"You're wasting ships that we are going to need, Admiral. Let them go."

" _I don't trust them, Darkstaar."_

"Well of course not, they're the enemy."

" _No. I mean that they were fighting up to a few minutes ago, then they suddenly changed and tried to disengage."_

"Because de tide turned on de planet," Jimmy said.

" _I don't think so, that made little difference to this fight, they need to wipe out our forces whatever happens."_

"Shabbus, they're coming. The Strangers are coming and somehow they know. They know their job is done and they're retreating," Chase said. "Shabbus, shabbus."

"What do you mean?" Milk asked.

"Admiral we need to get the fleet to Earth."

" _The enemy is retreating, I've done what you have said, but they are tracked to Tegariff Major, this is our chance to smash them once and for all. Finish the WAR."_

"No, Admiral, you have to listen to me."

" _No, I do not, I'm sorry, Darkstaar, but we must do what we have to do. The Fleet is already informed."_

"Valkswagon," Chase shouted as the line cut.

"You can't blame him for wanting to finish this WAR," Milk said.

"And maybe he's right, I mean if we don't finish the Laikan threat they can come back and attack The Ring," Julianna said.

"The Ring doesn't matter," Chase said. "We can elect a new Council, build a new HQ, but if Earth falls we'll never be out of WAR."

"Julianna be right, we can't fight on two fronts," Jimmy said.

"Right," Chase said slowly. "So why are they pulling back? Why aren't they keeping us busy here?"

"They're losing," Trillo said.

"They are. They are and they can't afford the losses knowing, oh shabbus, knowing that the Strangers are going to attack the HQ, deal or no deal," Chase realised.

"Then we can't let the Laikans join them," Julianna said.

"No. Alright, no we can't," Chase agreed.

"Matilda be at the HQ, mon," Jimmy said quietly.

"Yeah."

"And my daughter and Angela," Milk said.

"Yes and no," Chase said painfully.

"Explain," he said darkly.

"I sent Dr. Frost to Earth to work on the gun."

"You did what?" Milk exploded. "You sent her to Earth knowing it was about to be attacked."

"She's the only one who can get the gun up and running," Chase pleaded.

"Explain it all. Better," Milk demanded.

"The Strangers are coming, some of the Great Council made a deal with them. They would continue to run the mining, get paid for making Trimedian and the Strangers would use it to move between their worlds and Earth. They're not looking beyond their bank accounts, Milk, the Strangers are evil and they will use the Trimedian fuel to take over the whole Universe, take what they want."

"How can we protect Earth from them, you said they're using Lost Technology, the same stuff that makes this ship better than any other in the Universe," Milk said.

"They built a gun on Hadess and one on Earth. The one on Hadess is supposed to stop the Strangers breaking the deal, but the one on Earth is a guise, it holds the Trimedian for the Strangers to use. Angela can turn it into a real weapon."

"She's the best hope we have?" Milk asked slowly.

"Yes."

"Then let's go cripple the Laikans and get to Earth. Now."

Chase opened a star-gate and accelerated through it.

***

Sir Jeffery sat in a chair in his room, looking out of the window. He couldn't decide if it seemed a long time ago or just yesterday that he had been landing here in London to welcome the Earth into the Universal Trading Network. He had been so nervous and yet, ultimately, so proud to have Earth finally be a part of the Universe and to have been a part of that. The summation of what his ancestors had planned on so many decades ago. Now he just felt dirty and guilty that he had had a hand in this horrible ruse. That, in a way, he had handed Earth their death warrant when he landed in St. James' Park.

Still, he had spent the day with the military and a number of politicians telling them everything he knew, explaining not only about the Strangers and what weaponry they might have, but also about attack and defence formations. He would have more meetings this evening and then be back with the military tomorrow. He hoped he could right his wrongs; he hoped he could help Earth to protect itself, but he just didn't know. Could they fight against the Lost Technology? It had the power to have built the star-gates, engineering they had only just matched with the Trimedian and it turned out that the gun here was not operational. Would it be in time, could it be? He was cut off from any information as to when the Strangers might appear, but he knew that it was not much longer.

He sighed as he watched the rain begin to fall, pattering against his window. This was the planet, the country that his ancestors had come from and now it might fall. No, dammit, that was not the attitude. He had to fight, they all did; he had to lead them along with Her Majesty and the PM, it wasn't right for him to have such thoughts. He sat more upright in his chair and took a manly bite of his HobNob and a slurp of tea.

***

More defence forces had joined the TSAR Battle Fleet and so those from The Ring were sent back at Chase's insistence. That still left a sizable A.R.S.E force to contend with and back in Tegariff Major they were fighting for their lives.

When the Wild Rover arrived the two sides were lined up opposite each other. The A.R.S.E forces with Laika behind them, TSAR with the star-gate.

"Really?" exasperated Chase. "Now we're having a stand-off?"

"Well, what do you want to do?" Julianna asked.

"I dunno, go in and blast something? We've got bigger problems here, people."

"There are real people there, Chase, my people," Trillo said and Chase sighed.

"You're right. Attacking is not what we do, you think we could broker a peace?"

"I suppose I could try," Trillo said.

"I thought you didn't want to waste time," Julianna said.

"I don't, but do you want to fire the first shot?"

"They did that a long time ago," Milk said.

"And they were duped just as much as we were," Chase replied.

"I'll open a channel," Jimmy said.

" _My people,_ " Trillo said in the Laikan language, " _this has gone on for long enough. You are pushed back to defeat and for what?_ "

" _Who is this? A Traitor? We are not defeated, you traitorous fool, you are on the wrong side._ "

" _You are being played by those who wish to use you for their own pocket._ "

" _So a Traitor would say._ "

" _There are others, Strangers, coming; they have used you as a diversion to their own WAR. They will have the same pity on you as on anyone else._ "

" _We have been promised glory, Traitor. I know not of Strangers, but I know we were promised that if we followed we would be glorious. Not you, Traitor._ "

Trillo sighed.

"What are they saying?" Chase asked.

" _It's a ruse, you fool, you are merely a diversion, they have no interest in you._ "

" _Even now as we sit here, you are the ones diverted and glory will come to Laika._ "

Trillo sighed again.

" _Anyone else out there with any sense?_ " he asked, but there was silence.

"What are they saying?" Chase asked again.

"Just shoot them already, it may be the only way to save them," Trillo said sadly.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he sighed.

"I'm sorry, Trillo," Julianna said.

"So am I," he shook his head. "Battle stations."

"Wait for my signal," Chase said into the radio and then accelerated.

The A.R.S.E. fleet moved to meet them, mainly just releasing fighters, but The Wild Rover pummelled through them and jetted out the other side before turning back and punching another whole in the line. Milk and Julianna furiously blasting at everything and anything.

"All forces, go go go, cripple them," Chase shouted.

The TSAR fleet accelerated forward releasing fighter, bomber and Missile forces.

" _Let's get this done with,"_ Terd said.

"Be ready to head back, Terd, Earth is our target," Chase replied.

" _Smash and run; Durden specialty."_

The Durden Motherships race forward and deployed their forces while the Destroyer shot with its SHC at the bigger ships. The A.R.S.E. ships also blasted forwards and the smaller ships engaged in dogfights while the bigger ships manoeuvred in and out of range, shooting where they could.

As ever, no one really knew what to do with The Wild Rover as it was too big for the fighters and too small for the bigger ships. A bomber tried to target it, but Julianna blasted it before it got close enough to use its Bomb Laser Guidance; a Missile ship fired on it, but Milk shot the missile and then the ship. Chase punched a hole through the force and targeted a Mothership.

"Cut off their head," he said to himself.

They raced along the top of the ship blasting at the anti-fighter guns before Chase pulled a wide U-turn and Milk used the FOBG to blast at the bridge windows and then they both laid fire into the hull before concentrating on the rear thrusters.

***

Andrew Forster stood in Space Control: Earth in New York. It had been rapidly moved there to separate it from the Queen in London and the room looked very similar to the NASA control room; big screens on the walls and banks of computers with people at them doing stuff that people like us don't understand. It involves Maths and equations and stuff.

At the very beginning radars had been set up that pierced the galaxy towards the rest of the Universe, but when they came to move them to look the other way they found it harder than they expected. Forster was sad to think that they had been engineered so that Earth couldn't look at what was coming, but they had underestimated how quickly Earthens could adapt. Within a couple of hours they had the radars pointing out into deep space.

And now there was something on the screen.

"Are you seeing this?" Forster asked.

" _I wish I wasn't,"_ the PM replied from London.

"Makes it all too real. Are we ready?"

" _As we can be. Who's ready for a space battle?"_

"I believe in our pilots," Forster said.

" _As do I, but training and dogfighting against experienced pilots is another thing entirely."_

"We will have the advantage on Earth."

" _We have troops deployed where we think they will attack and others ready to be moved."_

"I see that, you've done well."

" _It was more Sir Jeffery than me."_

"He will lead things from there, I will feed into him from now on."

" _It's somewhat of a relief,"_ the Prime Minister admitted.

"You will be with the Queen?"

" _I'm going over there after this call."_

"Good. Protect her. Good luck."

" _And to you."_

And with that the line cut out. Forster looked at the troop positioning, at this point it was focussed on capital cities, anywhere with buildings or monuments that would suggest it as an important city from the air. The heaviest deployment was in and around London as that was the one city they knew the Strangers would think important.

"How long before they arrive?" Forster asked.

"Hard to tell, Sir, we're not yet sure how fast they are travelling."

"But you can work it out?"

"Working on it now, Sir."

"Good."

***

They weren't crippling the A.R.S.E. fleet as much as Chase had hoped, in fact they were losing a lot of ships themselves despite being backed up by another Galaxy Defence Force. The enemy were backed to a wall and fighting to survive, that made them more dangerous and Chase wished they'd never come. And then more arrived through the star-gate.

"Where did they come from?" Chase asked angrily.

"Cantorvial or Merrick galaxy?" Jimmy asked. "We never went to either, dey could have had dem dere or been repairing."

"Were we expected to do everything?" Chase asked.

"Dey didn't want us to do anyt'ing, mon. Just get de Trimedian."

The Wild Rover dodged another missile and blew up a fighter.

" _First wave of Strangers is approaching,"_ Sir Jeffery said.

"Valkswagon," Chase cursed.

" _What do you want us to do?"_ Terd asked.

"Shabbus, who are they going to protect, Earth or Tooken? We need to smash this fleet."

" _Not possible,"_ Terd said. _"Better to pull back to The Ring."_

"Retreat, Admiral?"

" _I think so, form up on The Ring."_

The TSAR Battle Fleet formed into a strategic retreat formation as The Wild Rover, the Salvation and a fighter force flew in a spearhead to destroy what they could and keep the heat off of the Battle Fleet.

They focussed on the Motherships, trying to take out the command and repair bays. The Wild Rover flew over one as the fighter force destroyed enemy fighters and the Salvation followed behind it dropping bombs. They turned and headed for the thrusters and as the Rover's FOBG blasted at the metal the Salvation dropped bombs to destroy, or at least weaken it further. They had success with the first one, blowing the engines, but the second attempt failed and the protective fighters became thicker, forcing them to retreat towards the star-gate.

They swooped back in at a destroyer and managed to destroy its superheavycannon before the fighters swarmed at them. The rest of the Fleet was pulling back through the star-gate and that left The Wild Rover and its spearhead as the only target so they accelerated through the fighters back to the star-gate and vanished.

***

"Sir. I don't understand it, but the Strangers are much closer than we thought."

"What do you mean?" Forster asked.

"Well they seem to be, I don't know, they seem to be jumping through space," the radar officer said.

"Are you getting this, Sir Jeffery?"

" _Yes, using the Lost Technology. Begs the question why they didn't just appear closer to Earth."_

"Any thoughts?"

" _That it's old? Perhaps they can only jump short distances; but it means they could jump past Earth straight to Hadess."_

"I'll send a warning."

" _Get in touch with Darkstaar first, Forster."_

***

"Did you get that, Admiral?" Chase asked.

" _I did."_

"They're coming in fast, we must go to Earth."

" _And what of Tooken? We can't leave it undefended."_

"I'll take the original Battle Fleet and a couple of Defence Forces, pull in any others you can."

"We couldn't stop the Laikans landing," Milk warned.

"Right. Admiral, we need troops on the ground more than in space, we must protect the HQ from falling."

" _Agreed."_

"If we can tangle them up here, we could have a better chance of saving Earth," Chase said to the cockpit.

"We have loved ones there," Milk said.

"Right. We go there and take them to somewhere far away, I know some planets that are untouched."

" _We have more defence forces coming in,"_ Bowser said. _"They're not hearing from anyone but us and are unwilling to let Tooken fall."_

"Dave? Rob? I need you to get to Tooken, we must defend the Trimedian gun there and hold the Strangers up as much as possible. If it's life or death though, retreat."

" _On that. See you for drinks on Earth... Or Fiddler's Green."_

"They don't let people like you into Fiddler's Green," Chase said.

" _Then you have no hope."_

They watched from the cockpit as the Salvation headed for the star-gate.

The rest of the fleet followed to the star-gate and appeared in Hadess and flew towards Tooken. The Wild Rover shot past them to get Mathilda and Helena, Milk's daughter. They also picked up Julianna's bar girls to drop off.

From there they flew to Frilbo out on the edge of the Universe and put Mathilda, Helena and Milk's ex-wife and her husband up in a nice hotel.

"I can't do this," Helena cried.

"You must."

"But you might die."

"And so I'm making sure you live on, see that all of this is not for nothing. I've made many mistakes in my life, Helena, but you were not one of them. I only wish I'd been there for you earlier."

"So don't leave me now."

"I have to, Chase needs me and the Universe needs that ship of his. I left them and that was wrong too. I keep leaving the people who need me," he sighed a big Milk sigh. "This is the last time I do that, I will be back for you."

"You better," she smiled through her tears and he wrapped her in his arms.

***

"Don't say it," Matilda said.

"I'm sorry."

She smiled and touched his nose.

"I told you not to say it. This is what you have to do."

"I should be at your side."

"You were at Chase's side long before you met me. I guess the only reason we did meet was because he left, but he never left your thoughts."

"My thoughts are only of you," Jimmy smiled.

"Not yet. You have this one last adventure with him. I know it's your last because he let us get married," she smiled up at him. "He knows it too."

They stood at the bottom of the ramp to The Wild Rover.

"Chase?" Matilda asked.

"Yeah."

"They have family waiting for them here."

"I know," he said quietly.

"Jimmy used to talk about you."

"So you weren't surprised by my good looks?"

"Or your terrible sense of humour. He said that whatever you did, you did it right. So I know you're bring them back to us."

Chase looked her in the eyes and then nodded.

"I will. We'll all take a holiday together somewhere nice."

Matilda smiled, but shook her head.

"We won't meet again, will we?"

"Nope," he replied quietly.

"One last adventure in space?"

"Gotta go out with a bang," he smiled sadly. "Right, you lot, let's go and save Earth. No looking back."

They walked up the ramp and it slid up behind them.

"We ready for this?" Chase asked from his chair.

"You mean sure and certain death?" Milk asked.

"Milk," Julianna scorned.

"What? We've been facing it ever since I sat this idiot down in the 'Horse's Arse' pub and told him the truth. Shabbus, we've all been a part of this since long before, since the first times we met this lunatic and this is the end. There will be no more adventures in space and I for one am not afraid. I'm not afraid. I'm with you, Chase."

"I been in it a long time, I'm in it now," Jimmy agreed.

"Yes," was all Julianna could say.

"I've always been here for you, I always will be," Cherry said in a choked voice.

"Till the end," Trillo said.

Chase took a deep breath.

"Then give me a star-gate and let's ride."

STRANGERS

The Wild Rover appeared on the other side of Earth to see space filled with the grotesque, distorted spaceships of the Strangers. Large Motherships, ships that looked like bombarders and destroyers, but had obviously been built outside of the Universe, perhaps from memory. Fighters, bombers and Missile ships, though none of them looked like their UTN counterparts, filled space and battled against the forces of Earth.

"It be unbelievable," Jimmy breathed.

"Still the same old, same old. Guns to the ready," Chase said.

The Wild Rover blasted forwards into the maelstrom.

***

" _What's happening down there?"_

"Darkstaar?" Forster asked.

" _The one and only."_

"It's not good, they came in so fast, and there are already troops on Earth."

" _Holding them off?"_

"Not really. Got a concentration on London, they want the Queen."

" _Ha, well that's not happening. Not on our watch."_

"I'm getting reports from the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza. It's like we thought, targeting obvious, important structures and their closest cities."

" _Is Sir Jeffery plugged into this?"_

" _I'm here."_

" _You have military training?"_

" _Yes, a long time ago."_

" _Get to the Trimedian gun and lead the defence there."_

"I don't like that," Forster said. "Sir Jeffery is too important to put in the firing line."

" _The army is fighting on Earth, it's used to that, but they need an advisor who knows space battle and tactics, he won't be on the front line."_

" _That's good to hear,"_ Sir Jeffery said.

Andrew Forster stood staring at the screens, watching dog fights in space, transport ships burning through the atmosphere and ground battles beginning all over the planet.

***

The TSAR Battle Fleet had appeared and was already deployed into action.

"What's the situation up here, Terd?"

"Not great. I'll put you through to Hain."

"The smaller ships are destroyable much like anything else we've fought, but those bigger ships? They have some kind of forceshield around them, our weapons can't puncture it."

Chase and Jimmy looked out into the fight and watched as a missile exploded close to a destroyer, the brief flames licking up and around.

"Must be de Lost Tech, and dat means we should be able to pierce dem," Jimmy said.

"Which begs the question as to why we don't have a forceshield. Cherry?"

"Let me do a quick check. OK, it is possible, I'd need to make some software changes, you'd have to do some material changes, but it's not worth it."

"It certainly looks worth it."

"It would use a lot of power from the Lechance, we would lose speed, manoeuvrability and weapons. You might be able to use one Merrill gun, but it would be slow."

"Worth a look though," Chase mused.

"De question den, is how dey be doing it?"

"They're bigger ships?" Chase replied.

"No," Cherry corrected. "The Lechance would grow in ratio. They shouldn't be doing what they're doing with a forceshield."

"Let's do a run then, cockpit to thrusters, and give us the best scan you can, Cherry."

"Be careful."

"Hey, we got guns," Milk said.

"No. If they know we can pierce their shields we're be target numero uno. We don't want that until we've been to Earth."

"We're going to Earth?" Julianna asked.

"The Trimedian gun will also pierce those shields, we need to give the ground troops a chance to fortify and make sure that gun is ready to fire."

The Wild Rover dove into the fight and dodged and dived through, heading for a Mothership.

"I feel useless without the guns," Julianna said to Milk.

"I know. It just feels wrong to be in a battle without a crosshair."

They flew over the top of the Mothership.

"We be in de field," Jimmy said.

"Then we can shoot the anti-fighters," Julianna said.

"I guess," Chase replied.

"Please?"

"Just the Merrill guns and just in one place, nothing to show our strength," Chase relented.

"Yay."

The screens lowered and Milk and Julianna had a Merrill gun each, keeping them fairly fixed into position so no one saw what they could really do. Chase was glad of it, he wasn't sure he could have dodged every shot from the bristling anti-fighters.

"I have it," Cherry said and Chase pulled up and away.

"To Earth then," Chase said.

"Wait," Trillo said.

"Not a good place to wait," Chase replied.

"Well, no, go. Obviously. But look at the ships far out. They seem to be coming in in a line, as if they're coming from a star-gate."

"Dey have de same tech as us," Jimmy reminded.

"So why not just appear right outside Earth's atmosphere?" Chase queried.

"What you get, Cherry?" Jimmy asked.

"They have Lechance material in there, but not enough for that forceshield. I can answer your question though. The material is degraded, I don't think they can open star-gates and jump very far, I think they are flying in."

"And the forceshield?"

"It seems to be coming from somewhere else, as if two Lechances are joined, one feeding into the other."

"OK, we come back to this conversation; hitting atmosphere."

The Wild Rover came into Earth's lower atmosphere to see transports dropping through the sky, they could already see plumes of black smoke choking the air.

Chase took the ship lower and aimed for England. They could see the lines of Strangers spreading through the country and hurriedly built defences and tanks rolling to meet them.

"OK, gunners, give 'em hell."

"With pleasure," Milk grinned as the screens lowered again.

They flew over the Strangers and fired into their ranks. Another flyover attracted a missile, but Chase dodged it and Milk blew it out of the sky.

"We got incoming LAAPs," Jimmy warned.

"Better us than the Earthen troops."

"Look at dem, dey look like they been built out of scrap."

Jimmy was right the LAAPs were obviously supposed to be like their UTN counterparts, but they looked like they were built from different metals bolted to each other, different colours and sizes with odd protrusions and what looked like organic matter.

Julianna blasted one out of the sky and there was a jet of yellow liquid as well as the expected explosion.

"What was that?" she almost shrieked.

"Let's not think about it yet," Chase said trying not to be horrified.

They flew, arced and dodged as Julianna shot at ground troops and Milk targeted the LAAPs. When they were done and had made a hole in the approaching Strangers they flew on to London.

As they approached they saw many transports falling through the sky and targeted them, drawing fire from the LAAPs that were protecting them. They could see Strangers moving into the city and fire and smoke throughout. As they dodged a surface to air missile they saw something explode in the city. Piccadilly Circus was on fire as they flew over it, the famous billboard screens blown out and smoking while Strangers and troops fought amidst the destruction.

"Can't get targets," Milk said annoyed.

They flew down Piccadilly and over Green Park to see major Earthen fortifications being attacked by Strangers. They pulled up and around before targeting the attacking Strangers.

"Mortars," Jimmy warned.

"See them," Julianna said firing.

"Target those mortars, Cherry," Chase commanded.

She scanned as he flew, highlighting them on Milk and Julianna's screens. They fired at them and at any missile launchers they saw. Jimmy could see that extra Earth troops were arriving at the fortifications and that other fortifications were being assembled behind.

"Will dey hold?"

"Dunno," Chase admitted.

They flew over the other parks there, Hyde and St. James' to see similar sights and once again aimed at mortars, the greatest threat to the fortifications.

"That should buy them some time, but they won't win unless we stop the Strangers arriving," Chase said.

"Den let's be getting to de Trimedian gun."

They took a longer route across Europe gunning at any Strangers they saw, trying to slow them down and give the Earthen troops more time to get into defensive positions. They did what they could as they flew up to Norway where the Trimedian gun was built within a mountainous fjord.

As they came closer they could see that the Strangers were trying to get over the mountains to the gun, but were being held off fairly successfully. They shot at LAAPs that were firing on the compound and the huge barrel that aimed up at a seventy degree angle. Guns were firing up from the compound and there were Earthen LAAPs in the skies, but not as many as there should have been.

"They wanted the Strangers to get the gun, they only protected it enough for show," Chase said through gritted teeth.

"They put it in a hard place to get to though," Trillo said.

"Yeah, probably so that the Strangers could defend it easily. The only reason there is any defence is because we sent it in."

"Den let's get down dere."

"On it."

The Wild Rover shot more LAAPs giving the Earthen force air superiority for a while and then landed. They were immediately ushered into see Sir Jeffery.

"So far, we are holding them off, but it won't last," he said.

"If it wasn't for you they'd have the gun already," Chase said.

"How close are we to firing?" Julianna asked.

"Not close enough," Angela Frost said entering.

"Angela," Milk said.

"Hey," she smiled.

"So?" Chase asked.

"Firstly the Trimedian was processed, but not to be able to be fired, it was still in its fuel state."

"Which is what the Strangers wanted," Trillo noted.

"We're nearly there with that," Dr. Frost said. "But you see there's only one gun. PDGs are set around a planet to negate the planet's spin, right? Well the Trimedian gun can get around this by firing at satellites. Think of them as mirrors, made of Trimedian tech; that's why the gun was built here, it cuts down on the time the gun can't shoot in one direction."

"That's a good thing," Milk said. "I'm expecting a 'but'."

"But they were delayed far longer than they should have been. There was nothing wrong with them, but they were only launched in the last month and we're trying to get them online."

"Shabbus," Chase swore.

"How long?" Jimmy asked.

"Can't tell, a few hours, a few days?" she held up her hands in hopelessness.

"Can you hold off for that long?" Chase asked.

"Not with more Strangers coming in," Sir Jeffery said. "Some good news from Forster though. The Trimedian gun on Tooken is working and the Strangers are having to divert more ships there."

"Good, good, then we just need to cut off the source," Chase said.

"What are you thinking?" Milk asked.

"Cherry said that the shields were coming from another place, I reckon it'll be a ship just beyond range of our ships."

"But we have de range," Jimmy nodded his head.

"Yup, we use the Lechance to jump into deep space, attack the incoming ships and hopefully find a way of taking down the shields, we might not be able to wait for the Trimedian gun."

"It's risky, going into deep space alone," Julianna said.

"And we don't even know that we're correct, we might find nothing out there," Trillo agreed.

"It's a chance we'll have to take and take quickly. If we're wrong we get back here and protect the gun," Chase told them.

"Then I better get to work," Dr. Frost said before quickly walking over to Milk and giving him a hug. "Come back to me."

"This is the last time I ever leave you," he said holding back a tear.

"TSAR!" Chase shouted punching the air.

"You have to stop shouting that," Julianna said.

"Spoilsport."

And so they once again took off, speeding over land and sea, shooting at Strangers and their LAAPs, tracking mortars and missile launchers and destroying them as they passed and then they had done as much as they could and were heading up through the atmosphere and back into space.

It was not a happy sight, more Strangers had arrived and space was thick with battle.

"Transports," Jimmy said.

"Nail them," Chase commanded.

"They've got forceshields," Julianna said.

"Time to show our hand," Chase said. "Wipe them out, wipe them all out."

The Wild Rover sped through space, past one transport and then another blowing them up as they passed, destroying fighters that came to their aid. Chase flew like a man possessed and Milk and Julianna matched him in their shooting. Merrill guns and FOBG flinging themselves all around the ship as it blasted towards a destroyer and opened fire. The lasers, powered by the Lechance went straight through the shields and exploded against the hull. They made passes, focussing on one point until there was a great, but brief explosion leaving a rent in the hull. A Missile force flew in and unleashed their ammunition into it destroying the great, mutant ship.

"I t'ink they be part organic," Jimmy said. "Cherry?"

"Scans suggest it," she agreed, "but I don't recognise it."

With the success against the destroyer the UTN and TSAR forces pushed forward and gained the upper-hand as The Wild Rover destroyed more fighters and focussed on a Mothership, aiming at the bridge. A bomber force took the chance to fly within the forceshield and lay bombs on the hull around the bridge, but not without losing four ships.

"We can't be doing dis forever, Chase."

"No, time to go deeper."

"Erm, I've never done this before," Cherry said.

"We've gone into deep space loads," Chase replied.

"But there have been markers, galaxies, stars to navigate from, even if roughly. I've got nothing out there."

"Extrapolate from where de Strangers be entering," Jimmy suggested.

"I can, but it's not much, the Maths for jumping into deep space is complicated at the best of times."

"What are you saying, Cherry?" Chase asked.

"That I can't be sure we'll get where we want to go first time."

"OK. We still all willing to do this?"

"We don't have much choice," Julianna said.

"I'm in," Milk said.

"You know I am," Trillo agreed.

"Well then," Chase opened a star-gate.

"Don't say it," Julianna warned.

"Just one more time," Chase pleaded.

"Oh very well, last time," she sighed and he grinned.

"TSAR!" he shouted and accelerated through the star-gate.

THE BATTLE FOR TOOKEN

"They dare to attack us?" Mark the Oncolution shouted.

"The mutant scum," George the Albertine spat, thumping his chair arm.

"I fear we have been fools, greedy fools," Hopkirk the Enthusian said sadly.

"Well they won't succeed," Hikcet said. "Send out everything we have, arm the Trimedian gun."

***

The Trimedian gun would be a success, bypassing the forceshields and blowing up the big ships, but it was too late, the Strangers had already invaded. In fact the only reason the Trimedian gun could be fired was because the Heskin boys had set up a defence.

The Strangers had used the Lost Technology to bypass The Ring and transports had landed on Tooken. Intense fighting had erupted around the HQ compound and the Trimedian gun.

The UTN troops were outnumbered but well-fortified, but they couldn't bring any troops in as the A.R.S.E. forces were once again attacking The Ring.

"How much longer?" Rob asked.

"Not long," Dave replied shooting from his position.

The Trimedian gun was built on what was basically a globe cut in half that floated in Tooken's atmosphere, known as the Trimedian Attack Platform or TAP. It had to be big to fit the large compound the gun needed, but also to carry the engines that could move the gun around the planet and give thrust against the kick of the huge barrel. This unfortunately meant that there was plenty of space around the compound for the Strangers to land and attack.

"Not long might be too long," Rob replied.

Missiles from Stranger launchers hit the thick walls of the compound.

"Agreed," Dave said. "Let's take the Salvation out."

"She'll be slow in atmosphere, even with the mods."

"Just a quick run and back," Dave smiled

"You've been hanging out with Chase for too long," his brother shook his head.

They both fired at the approaching Strangers and then ran for their ship.

The Salvation lifted off and blasted forward over the Strangers. Rob shone the BLG forward and let the bombs go as Dave pulled up and round back to the compound.

As they landed they got word that the Trimedian gun was charging.

"Fire at The Ring," Dave commanded. "Beat off those pesky Laikans, we need The Ring's forces."

" _That is not our orders, Sir."_

"You want to trust politicians or soldiers at this moment?"

" _Targeting A.R.S.E. forces, Sir."_

The whole ground shook and the gun barrel vibrated before it shot a massive bolt of green energy into the atmosphere.

Dave and Rob had reached their positions at the wall and fired through the firing windows.

" _Reports are of success, the Trimedian sliced through a destroyer and a Mothership, fighters were incinerated."_

"Just make sure our guys aren't in the way," Rob warned.

" _Of course, Sir."_

"Those bombs hit the mark," Dave said.

"How's the HQ?" Rob asked into the radio.

" _Under heavy attack, but holding. This place was built to stand, nothing's going to take us down. More troops inbound though."_

"They're good here for now," Rob said.

"Yeah, maybe we should go lend a hand with those incoming ships."

They raced back to the Salvation and took another run over the Strangers before pulling up out of reach.

"We could use more bombs," Rob said.

"Mothership, first stop," Dave said and pulled up and into space.

There was a major battle going on in space as the UTN forces tried to hold off the troop transports. They couldn't due to the forceshields.

"Trimedian gun? Time to save your planet," Dave said.

" _We have you sir, all ships we are aiming at g34p456w90. Clear the area."_

Ships suddenly started to move away and the Strangers followed.

" _And... firing."_

There were a few minutes of nothing and then the green bolt almost blinded them as it went past and hit a Stranger Mothership. The forceshield crackled as the bolt passed through and the ship exploded, squirting a viscous liquid before the two halves of the ship floated away from each other.

"What the hell was that?" Rob asked.

"Don't know, don't want to know. Let's rearm."

"Trimedian gun, one shot to The Ring, one here," Rob commanded.

" _Roger, we might be able to do both at once."_

"I like that, do it if you can."

" _Clear g34p98w124."_

The bolt of green burst through space slicing straight through a destroyer before disappearing into space.

" _A hit. One Stranger destroyer and one Merrick bombarder."_

Dave laughed.

" _We have reports of some A.R.S.E. forces retreating."_

"Make sure they do."

They docked at a UTN Mothership just long enough to rearm and then blasted back into space.

"We have to stop those transporters," Rob said. "Only the Trimedian can punch through those forceshields."

"Which must be coming from somewhere."

"We don't have time to find out."

"But we could corral them," Dave mused.

"Into the line of fire," Rob agreed and radioed all ships.

They flew in, harrying the transporters. They weren't worried that the ships might get through their shields, but they were buffeted by the attacks and forced to move around. Rob co-ordinated the attacks, calling out numbers and co-ordinates until the transports were in a rough line and then he gave the order to fire. The great green blast flew through space and destroyed most of the transports, knocking out the forceshields of the ones it didn't hit, leaving them open to Missile ships.

The celebration was short lived as they received a distress call from the Trimedian Attack Platform.

" _We have ships attacking the TAP, I think they're going for the thrusters."_

"Smarter than we thought," Dave mused.

"We're incoming, give us a LAAP force," Rob told them.

They blasted through the atmosphere to find the mutant looking LAAPs of the Strangers flying around the TAP.

"They won't destroy them easily with LAAPs," Rob said.

"They will with enough time."

"They won't get enough time," Rob grinned.

" _You called?"_

"Who's this?"

" _Force Captain Rogers."_

Outside the cockpit they saw a LAAP force pull around them.

"You see those LAAPs? They're trying to destroy the TAP thrusters, we're not going to let them."

" _You're a liability in that thing,"_ Rogers said.

"Ahh, this isn't your average bomber, we've had upgrades," Dave said.

" _If you say so."_

"Let me show you."

The Salvation accelerated ahead before pulling a loop-the-loop and re-joining the LAAP force.

" _Good enough,"_ Rogers said.

"Just lead your force, Rogers."

They blasted forwards and attacked the LAAPs, the Salvation using its FOBG.

" _I'm impressed,"_ Rogers said as the Salvation took out another LAAP.

"So am I, to be honest. Never done this before," Dave admitted.

" _I'm glad you didn't tell me that earlier."_

"We've got more LAAPs and transports coming in," Rob said.

"Let's see if we can do something about the transports."

The Salvation peeled off and flew around the TAP.

"No forceshields," Dave said. "Too far from the Motherships? Don't work in atmosphere?"

"Dunno, just let me at them," Rob grinned.

They raced forwards, the FOBG firing at the LAAPs that were dodging around.

"How many transports you reckon you can hit in one sweep?" Rob asked.

Dave looked around.

"Five."

"Ready to switch on the BLG then."

"Go," Dave said and flew forward.

He pulled his ship in an arc so that the BLG hit the falling transporters and at the end of the arc Rob released the bombs.

"Six, I'm impressed," Rob laughed as they watched the transports explode. "Still more coming down though."

"The more they have here, the less they have on Earth."

"We can't beat them off forever."

"That's Chase's worry," Dave said, "and I reckon if anyone can do it, it's him and that rag tag crew of his."

"Hey, aren't we part of TSAR?"

"Handsome, talented crew."

"Better. Let's see what Captain Rogers and his force are up to."

They shot at more LAAPs who were flying around the TAP to the bottom and the thrusters. The Trimedian gun fired and the thrusters shot flame to compensate, incinerating three Stranger ships.

"Something to be aware of," Rob noted.

"Yeah, no shabbus."

The dogfight continued, but the UTN LAAPs got the upper hand and the Salvation peeled away again to shoot at incoming transports and LAAPs. They seemed, for now, to be thinning as the Trimedian gun continued to roar and they got word that the A.R.S.E forces had completely retreated.

"It's weird," Rob said. "That kinda means the Second Laikan War is over."

"Yeah, we should be celebrating," Dave agreed.

Rogers' LAAP force joined them to take out Stranger transports as they got word of even more entering the System.

" _They'll outnumber us eventually, wear us down and out,"_ Rogers said.

And then they got word that two Ring defence forces were heading to Hadess to join the fight.

"Maybe not then," Dave grinned.

THE INVASION OF EARTH

Andrew Forster stood in Space Control: Earth watching Strangers fighting troops in New York as more transports landed. The Earthen LAAPs and fighter jets were doing their best to destroy them, but there were too many and it was painfully obvious the Strangers were heading to his location.

There was despair in his heart when hope came across the radio.

" _This is Admiral Bowser of the combined TSAR and UTN Battle Fleet."_

"What news, Admiral?"

" _Tooken's Trimedian gun is working, A.R.S.E. forces have pulled out of The Ring and back to Tegariff Major. We have chased them there and they are asking us to accept their surrender."_

Forster sagged in relief as cheers went up around the room.

"Accept it, Admiral and then leave a force to make sure they don't leave the galaxy. Split the rest of your fleet, a third to Hadess and two thirds to Earth. We're in danger of falling here."

" _I hear you. On our way."_

Forster couldn't believe it, the Second Laikan War was officially over, but they were still in danger of losing Earth forever. How did a backwards little planet, not even part of the Universal Trading Network, become the one planet that may fall completely? He had no doubt that, whatever they did in the rest of the Universe, Earth would be eradicated and populated by these Strangers.

He tried to raise Darkstaar, but couldn't connect. Dammit, he needed him and his ship now more than ever. Needed him to come swooping into the rescue. He didn't know how long it would take Bowser to get here and reinforce the troops. It couldn't be too long.

Along with the screens on the wall, he had his own personal screen that was currently focussed on the bottom half of the Statue of Liberty, the top half was currently somewhere underwater. He swiped the screen and it took him to a live feed of the Eiffel Tower that was standing at a forty-five degree angle having lost two legs. He sighed and hovered his hand over the screen. Though he was American and as such the Statue of Liberty was a landmark that held the special place in his heart, he could admit that others were more important. More important because they had stood for so much longer. He thought of Big Ben, though only a few years older than Lady Liberty, it encompassed in his mind all the great buildings of that ancient city, London. More-so though he thought of the pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall, the ancient cities of South America. They had lasted so long, survived so many wars only now to be destroyed by uncaring aliens. He could not bring himself to swipe the screen and see if they still stood.

Instead he looked down from the mezzanine at the men and women working at the computer terminals. There were generals in here now and others on the phones as the comms. officers positioned and repositioned troops. It was a huge undertaking, like nothing Forster had ever seen, trying to co-ordinate the different armies, or at least keep them up to date, along with the space fleet. They couldn't let this fall into separate battles with no overarching plan, the Strangers had a single WAR PLAN and they needed one too, or they would be lost.

Though the LAAPs were good, they had to continue to use conventional fighter planes due to numbers and they seemed to be a bafflement to the Strangers as they flew and acted differently to the LAAPs. Other than that though conventional warfare was out of the window as the Strangers could drop troop transports where they pleased. You couldn't set up much of a defence until you knew where they were landing lest they appeared behind you. So now that the invasion was in full swing they were desperately moving troops around, losing this city to protect the next.

He swiped his screen to see his own building, Space Control had been built in the U.N.H.Q on FDR Drive which had been blocked, along with First Avenue and East 42nd. There were gun boats on the East River and anti-aircraft guns and missile launchers on Roosevelt Island. Beyond the defences he could see the approaching Strangers and beyond them the billowing smoke of a hundred fires. The reports were that they were deformed, mutated versions of the races he had met in space and that had come to populate the Earth. They had managed to get a few Stranger corpses to the New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell further along FDR Drive as well as out to Area 51 (the US Government were still wording their deepest apologies to the Grey race for that one, how were they supposed to know?) and preliminary reports were that the organs and physiology were similar to known races. It was being reported that the bodies were mutated and deformed and augmented with metals and seemingly other organic matter.

Similar.

That was the important word in Forster's opinion. They were similar, but not the same. For one, these Strangers were bigger and stronger than most men and hand-to-hand combat was being avoided wherever possible. They were overrunning defences and barricades as they had been dropping their own twisted versions of tanks as well as the LAAPs. It would not be long, Forster knew, before they were at his door.

***

The Prime Minister was looking out of a window in Buckingham Palace. The Defences were holding, but he could see that the fighting was intensifying. He saw and felt the explosive shots of tanks from both sides and watched the RAF planes and LAAPs valiantly holding the enemy back from the palace, but they would not be able to hold out much longer. They needed to move the Queen out to Windsor, but they couldn't do that at the moment without being noticed. Much greater defences were being built there now and once they were ready they would have to move, like it or not.

The Queen was making regular TV broadcasts to the World urging them to fight and defend, telling the people of Earth how bravely their military was fighting both on Earth and in Space and from what he heard she had become the face of resistance. The people needed something or someone to rally around and it had become her; she was important and should be hiding, but she was not and people were following her example. There were groups of Special Forces, mainly SAS that were charged with keeping the TV stations open so that her messages could be seen, and from what the PM heard they were fighting hard to do so against the Strangers determination to shut the Queen down.

***

"Well one good thing is they made this place defensible," Sir Jeffery said.

"Yes, just wasn't meant for us to defend," Dr. Frost said from her monitor.

"Well, no," Sir Jeffery frowned. "But that doesn't matter now does it?"

"I guess not, I just can't get over the betrayal," she shook her head.

"No," he replied quietly, "nor I."

She looked up at him, compassion in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It must hurt so much more for you."

"I spent a lot of time with them, but what is worse is that I thought I was doing good when I was actually helping to secure the Universe's defeat."

"Well the tables have turned again thanks to TSAR and your work will be used to protect the Universe."

"Yes," he brightened, "I suppose it will. Are we much closer to firing?"

"We're closer, but the satellite link is still dodgy and the weaponisation of the Trimedian takes longer than I thought it would."

Sir Jeffery looked at his own monitor to see fierce fighting in the passes leading into the fjord. A Stranger LAAP managed to get through and fired on the compound before being destroyed by a fighter plane. He felt the building shudder with the impact of the missile. That would happen more often, Sir Jeffery thought, the Strangers would slowly get closer and the question was whether they could fire this gun before that happened.

He walked out of the room to check the defence troops.

***

Andrew Forster was once again watching his screen. The Strangers weren't destroying landmarks as he had thought, perhaps the Statue of Liberty was an accident. No, they were threatening them, keeping troops locked up defending them. No one was willing to let them fall even though they needed the troops in other places.

It was, in that respect, a good thing that Lady Liberty was gone as it was the only landmark that New York had that was obviously a landmark. Most of what New Yorkers cherished as landmarks were modern looking buildings, not something the Strangers would guess were cherished. In London buildings such as St. Paul's, the Palace of Westminster and so many others would be obvious targets and would, even now, be tying up troops.

So New York had more troops free to fight and fighting they were. The streets were full of Strangers, soldiers and citizens fighting each other. Another advantage that New York had over London was that many people owned guns here and so were able to form militias. There had been a lot of arguments over the Second Amendment, especially with the sad and horrific school shootings, but at this moment he was glad that they had kept it. The main focus of attack on the U.S. was New York because of where he was standing, then there was focus on the biggest cities and this meant that many people were coming into the cities to help defend them.

In fact it was the job of some of the people here to contact these militias and instruct them as how to fight alongside the army. It wasn't working too well, but every Stranger dead was a blessing at the moment.

He looked at a screen showing Times Square. All the digital billboards were either on fire or pluming black smoke, as were a number of cars, and through the smoke he could see laser bolts and the flashes of heavy machine guns. It was impossible to see who was winning the battle, but in the skies above he could see more transport ships falling through the air.

On another screen they were showing the current message that the Queen was sending out; mentioning acts of heroic defence that were coming in to Space Control and urging men and women to fight to protect their lands.

***

The Queen had just finished her television piece and walked over to him.

"And the truth?" she asked.

"We can't keep this up," the PM admitted.

"How long?"

"Until the Strangers are in control? Hard to tell, but if they keep sending troops at this rate it won't be more than another twenty-four hours I suppose."

"And here?"

"Not much longer, defences are being breached I'm afraid, Ma'am."

"We are prepared?"

"You have the best of the best defending the Palace."

"And you also," she said nodding to the gun in his hand.

"I will do my best, your Majesty," he frowned.

"You better," she smiled at him.

He walked up to the top floor and looked out of one of the windows. He could see Strangers making their way towards the Palace, but they still had another set of defences to contend with before the troops in the palace would be called upon. They had also managed to get four tanks into the grounds and they were ready to fire as soon as the last defences fell. He walked through the floor to see armed soldiers at nearly every window, waiting for the Strangers to come into range.

He hoped they would never have to fire a shot, he hoped that Darkstaar and those that were fighting with him would manage to stop the Strangers coming. And soon.

***

There were three primary targets for the Strangers, Buckingham Palace (or wherever the Queen went); Space Control in New York and the Trimedian gun. Unfortunately for Sir Jeffery the other two were in cities and could be supplied with fresh troops for defence, but the gun was on a small bit of land between the water and the steep cliffs of the fjord. They couldn't get new troops in easily, couldn't fit them and so the Strangers were a lot closer to breaching the compound than they were to the other two.

The Strangers had attacked Cairo in their first wave, no doubt due to its size and the presence of the Pyramids. Then they had retreated from the city, obviously deciding it wasn't as important a target as they had first thought. This freed up some LAAPs that were sent to protect the Trimedian gun, and they needed it as the sky above was now a swarm of dogfighting and anti-aircraft fire. The Strangers had made it through the passes and were now attacking the defences at the bottom of each pass. That would hold them off for a while, but not forever.

In fact it was only another hour before the first defence broke and the compound's defence force opened fire on the approaching wave of Strangers.

The corridors were full of running soldiers as they moved to meet the Strangers and Sir Jeffery shouted orders into the radio as he ran to find Dr. Frost.

"They're here," she said looking through a microscope.

"Yes."

"Just another few hours, Sir Jeffery," she said looking up at him. "We're nearly there."

He nodded and left again.

The Compound had the gun in the centre and then the twelve story wall that ran around it was actually a building filled with rooms and then around that was another thick wall which could house troops and had closable firing windows on the outside. This gave two layers of protection for the gun, and laser systems meant that people could not parachute in between the walls and the gun. Enclosed corridors ran from the gun to the building and then to the walls on all four sides and it was down one of these that Sir Jeffery was now running.

" _Second pass breached, Sir."_

"Ready the defences."

He got to the outer wall just as the Strangers were reaching it and he took a machine gun and fired from one of the windows. Some of the Strangers were moving around the walls while there was a concentration at the main doors. They were sturdy enough, Sir Jeffery had checked them himself, but nothing could hold forever. He fired down at the Strangers, but it seemed that when one fell there was another to take its place. Now they were shooting grappling hooks up to scale the walls and the UTN soldiers were blasting at them before they could climb. The wall shook as a missile slammed into it.

"Damage?" he asked into the radio.

" _Wall is holding, it'll take more than one to make a hole."_

Sir Jeffery fired out of the window, aiming at the Strangers at the doors. He assumed they were trying to plant explosives and it would only take two or three goes to blow the door.

There was a terrible screeching noise and Sir Jeffery looked up just in time to see a LAAP falling from the sky and smashing into the corner wall, the whole wall shook with the impact.

"Report."

" _Breached and on fire."_

Shabbus, he thought as he watched Strangers running to and through the burning wreckage to fire their grappling hooks. He fired at them, but the smoke obscured his shot. He ran out into the corridors as soldiers ran past him to meet the Strangers.

"Sir, you should get to the main building we may have to seal the corridors," a captain said.

"I'll go if and when I have to."

"We can't risk losing you, Sir."

He could hear gunfire in the building.

"I won't have soldiers sealed out to their doom," he instructed.

"Call a retreat?"

"Yes, and then seal the doors."

"Yes, Sir."

There was another explosion, this one he assumed from the doors. They would breach there soon too.

***

There had been some good news when the Strangers had pulled out of Cairo and the city was safe, but it quickly turned to bad news as those troops were redirected to New York. Now the defences on FDR Drive were breached and the fighting drew ever closer. Anti-aircraft guns on the roofs were blasting at enemy LAAPs and UN LAAPs and fighter jets were dog fighting with them. It wouldn't be long before one managed to slip through and hit the building. Space Control would fall within the next couple of hours if they couldn't beat them in space.

***

Strangers were at Buckingham Palace and though they were being held off the PM didn't know if they could for much longer. They had no choice, they had to try and move the Queen and were preparing when the radioed crackled that a small number of Strangers had somehow gotten inside. Soldiers came running into the room to protect the Queen but were gunned down at the door and suddenly a Stranger stood there. He was a hulking brute with mish-mash armour, mottled grey skin (though it's left arm was orange) and a deformed face, half of which looked like it had been replaced with a crab. It sneered at the Queen and raised its gun when its face disappeared in a spray of blood and bone.

The Queen looked back at the PM still holding his gun at the door. She smiled.

"I knew you would do your best."

There was the sound of more firing in the corridor and then Defosimo and Ateksos appeared in the doorway holding ludicrously oversized guns.

"You are safe," Ateksos stated.

"You're back," the PM said with hope.

"We could do no more there," Ateksos said.

"Yes, and they didn't have HobNobs," Defosimo added.

"How ready are we to move?" Ateksos asked.

"Not ready enough," the PM replied.

"What do we do then?" Defosimo asked.

"Protect the Palace," Ateksos said.

"Us?" the PM asked aghast.

"Of course."

He looked to the window, then to the door and finally at them. His alien friends, both looking tiny and ridiculous with their large laser guns much bigger than themselves. He couldn't help smiling at the sight.

"It is funny," Ateksos said.

"Yes," Defosimo agreed. "We always considered dying to save our race, but here we are ready to die for an Earthen Queen."

"World's changed, huh?"

"Universe has changed," Defosimo nodded.

"Can't it all go back to normal?" the PM asked.

"War scars," Ateksos said sadly.

More soldiers came into the room and then went back out of the door to guard it. The PM slowly lowered his gun, he could hear gunfire inside the Palace. How much longer could they survive?

"We need to move," Defosimo said.

"Ma'am?"

"I know you three will protect me."

They raised their guns, took deep breaths and walked to the door.

??????

"Erm."

"Yeah."

"Words fail me."

"Where the hell have we been?"

"Beats me."

"Complicated Maths."

"Were we even in the Universe?"

"And what were those things?"

"I honestly don't have the words to describe what we've just seen."

"I don't think I want to."

"Well we have to go again."

"I'd rather not."

"We can't stay here."

"Will we get it right this time?"

"I think so."

DAY OF THE DARKSTAAR

The Wild Rover appeared through its star-gate and they could see the convoy of Stranger ships that were heading towards Earth.

"There's a lot of them," Chase said unnecessarily.

"Look at the ones at the front, they're jumping through star-gates."

"Just as dey get into range of Earth."

"It's that big square one," Cherry said.

"Thanks, Cherry and thanks for getting us here in one piece," Chase said.

"It was touch and go," she admitted.

"I don't need to hear that," Trillo said.

"They'll destroy us before we can destroy a ship like that," Milk said.

"It'll be heavily armoured if it's generating their forceshields," Julianna agreed.

"Then we do it from the inside," Chase said.

"They'll blow us out of space before we got close enough to dock."

"I reckon Cherry's developed quite the skill with the star-gate, we'll pop one just outside the hanger and jump in."

"It's dangerous," Cherry warned.

"Isn't it always?" Milk asked.

"Come on, babe, you can do it," Chase said.

"Well, I suppose I can, can't I?"

"Save these co-ordinates first and as soon as we're close enough send them to the Trimedian gun," Chase said.

"Yeah, it will have de range."

"Yup."

"OK, ready," Cherry said.

"Then let's finish this."

The Lechance moved forward and created a star-gate and Chase could see another one open up next to the big boxship and then he jumped through it.

He hit the brakes as they suddenly found themselves in a hanger.

"It worked," Cherry said with surprise.

The hanger was large and filled with fighters, no doubt used to defend the ship, but there was no one in there as they landed.

"I have a scan of the ship," Cherry said.

"You can do dat?" Jimmy was surprised.

"Same technology as I am."

"Fair enough."

"I've sent it to your computer and marked the best place to plant the bomb."

"You de best."

"I am, aren't I?" she beamed. "By the way, this also appears to be a command ship, so expect a lot of troops."

"Great," Chase said.

"See? Always dangerous," Milk sighed.

"Come on," Julianna said getting up. "We don't have much time."

They walked out of the hanger and into a corridor, the whole place looked like it had been knocked together out of scrap. Unlike the spaceships Chase was accustomed to this one was not comfortable, this one was like spaceships in movies he had seen on Earth. It was dark and there were exposed pipes along the ceilings and some of the walls, with steam or water leaking out of them. There were wires everywhere and he wondered what would happen if he just started cutting some. A light flickered from the ceiling.

"Homey," he commented.

"What's that?" Julianna asked in disgust.

They all looked at the wall where she was pointing and there was a pulsing lump halfway up. Trillo poked it with the barrel of his machinegun.

"Organic," he said.

"Dey scavenged all dis from wherever dey ended up; metals and organics and somehow dey combined dem," Jimmy said with a touch of awe.

"That's messed up," Milk said.

"Let's just do this and get out of here," Chase said and walked on.

Ahead of them appeared four Strangers walking away from them and they snuck up and shot them.

"We keep doing this," Trillo said sadly.

"It's not the way to kill someone," Chase agreed.

"They're not giving us much choice," Milk said.

He looked down at the bodies, it seemed that they had patched themselves up as well as their ships. The bodies seemed to have metal and other materials incorporated into their flesh. One of the bodies had patches of fur as if it had sewn in some animal skin. Looked like rabbit fur.

"So these are the Strangers."

"Why are they so mutated?" Julianna asked.

"No idea. Maybe the planet they landed on?" Chase said.

"Or too much travel in deep space," Jimmy said. "You remember de t'ings we saw."

"I'm trying not to," Milk replied.

"You know what the stupid thing is?" Chase asked. "OK, so we've learnt that the Great Council wasn't as good as we thought, but the UTN was still pretty peaceful. Surely if these Strangers had just asked they would have been welcomed. The Great Council turned out to be a greedy bunch, wouldn't they have welcomed new people to trade with?"

"But they don't want trade, they want it all," Julianna said. "We're facing pure evil here."

She was right. That was what these Strangers were. Evil. The progeny of men and women who, in the face of their crimes, lost all compassion, all empathy. Those fifty engineers were not greedy for power like the Council, they did not have the emotions to be. To survive madness, their brains had wiped any emotion, any goodness from them. Now what they faced were creatures that had never known goodness, kindness nor love.

"In all the Universe there are two sides, but nothing good is ever born from greed," Trillo said.

"Very poetic," Chase smiled.

"I write a little."

"Really?" Chase asked surprised.

"Try saying it with less shock," Trillo growled.

"I'd love to read some," Julianna said.

"Yeah, me too," Milk said.

"Back on the ship, guys," Chase said. "Which way?"

They were at the end of the corridor and it split into three.

"De central be quickest, but it leads to de command centre, Cherry suggests de right."

They ran down, knowing that eventually the dead Strangers would be found. They needn't have worried as they ran into a large rec-room full of Stranger pilots relaxing.

"Ooh, Kuutio," Chase said.

"Gambling's an addiction," Trillo replied.

There was a brief pause as the Strangers looked at TSAR and TSAR looked back before Julianna shot one and the others scrambled for their guns. It was a massacre, the Strangers never stood a chance and as the smoke cleared Chase stood in the middle of the room.

"This is what we've become?" he asked. "Are we any different?"

"It's not us, it's the WAR," Julianna said.

"Is it?"

"Come on, mon."

"Now I see why they chose me five years ago."

"That's not it," Milk said.

"It is though, isn't it? The ruthless hitman willing to kill strangers for money. No emotion, no love nor kindness."

"That's not who you are anymore," Julianna said.

"It is from where I'm standing," he said angrily.

"Look at us, Darkstaar," Trillo said. "None of us were doing good things until you brought us together to save the Universe."

"He be right," Jimmy said. "We all have dark pasts, but we get dis done and we be having bright futures."

"Shabbus, OK, then let's get this done."

Chase was tired of it, tired of the killing; tired of the WAR; tired of how the Universe ran. That power made you greedy and ultimately those in charge worked for their own best efforts and those around them, more than for the people. War was always inevitable because greed was wanting what others had rather than sharing. And what did that mean? That people like those around him got dragged in. Had to fight and kill for the personal gain of a handful of powerful people. Lives ruined, worlds destroyed just to add another zero onto someone's bank account.

***

They didn't have to fire their weapons again as they took a route that avoided large rooms that might hold Strangers. They'd hidden the bodies from the rec-room as best as they could and hoped that no one would go there. It wasn't, as ever, a great plan and they were tense waiting for the alarm to go off.

They did come across other Strangers, but at each junction they were able to wait until they had moved on or sneak past them. They entered a long room that contained big machinery that whirred and coughed. Steam and smoke escaped here and there and loose wires sparked and hissed. Some of the piping looked more like intestine.

They snuck right, to the wall, and continued on. Chase held up a hand and they stopped until he lowered it and they jumped from one big machine to the next while a Stranger had his (or her) back turned. They were forced to turn left through the corridors of machines as there were Stranger engineers talking ahead of them and then left again because of a Stranger hitting one of the machines with a wrench and swearing loudly.

Finally they made it through and into another corridor where they had to enter a room, Milk and Trillo silently taking down the two Strangers inside. Through the room they came to another corridor, waited for a squad of Strangers to go past and then rushed over to the stairwell.

"Stairs. Great," Julianna said.

"Just one floor," Jimmy said as they headed down.

The blessing they had was that the ship was large and, not being a combatant, would have soldiers holed up until there was a direct attack on the ship. If they could keep from being found they might not need the, according to Cherry, large defence force inside the ship. It seemed that most of the Strangers they saw were engineers fighting to keep the technology running. Closer to the engines the ship seemed deserted.

"Seems deserted," Chase said one sentence later.

"From what we know of de Lechance, I'd say it runs itself. Only come down here when dere be a fault."

"This could be easier than we hoped," Julianna said.

"Oh, I doubt that," Milk replied. "It'll all end in tears, just you wait."

"A little faith, Milk," Chase chided.

They hid in a doorway as two Stranger engineers walked past and then took a left at a T-junction and then followed around right until they came to the engine room. Well, not quite. The Lost Technology, the same material as the Lechance was in a room beyond and other than machinery and a metal walkway running high up around the room there was nothing else in there. This room was where everything connected, the Lost Technology ran the machinery in this room that then ran everything else including the shields.

The room was large with banks of old looking computers lining the walls, whirring and clicking. A couple of them hummed and throbbed like heartbeats. At the far end was a window that looked into the huge ball of Lost Technology with a newer, more complicated computer bank in front of it.

"Dat's it."

"It's incredible," Julianna said.

"So that thing is powering the forceshields?" Trillo asked.

"Yeah, don't know how, but yeah," Jimmy said.

"Well, let's plant this bomb, where does Cherry suggest?"

"Up here."

They walked forward to the computer bank, scanning the room, the various large alcoves and the walkway that ran along the walls about halfway up. Trillo jogged up a flight of stairs to look, but it was empty save a few doors.

"According to Cherry if we plant de bomb here it will cause a chain reaction into de Lost Technology and back out. It'll destroy de whole ship."

"And we can detonate it from a safe distance, right?" Milk asked.

"'Course, mon."

"Just checking, we're not famous for thinking things through," Milk shrugged.

"So where do we plant this bomb?" Trillo asked looking at the computer.

"Er," Jimmy also looked at it. "Just here."

"Really?" Chase asked.

"Just sitting there like that?"

"According to Cherry."

"You'd think it'd have to be in there or something."

"It's a bomb, it explodes," Julianna said.

Chase and Jimmy shrugged at each other and Jimmy put the bomb down. Chase looked around and grabbed a bit of cloth that he laid over it, shrugging again.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

They ran through the room scanning the walkways, but saw no one. In fact they didn't see anyone until they were back up the stairs and nearly ran into a squad of soldiers. They shot them, but not before one had shouted into it's radio.

"Come on," Chase shouted and they ran.

Alarms began to blare along with occasional commands in a blend of English and another unknown language.

They had to take a right where they wanted to go left due to soldiers and once again they found themselves in a running battle.

"T'rough here," Jimmy shouted and they darted through a door.

Again they were lucky that the defence force would be concentrated on protecting the command centre and the engines until they realise dit was not a full scale invasion. On such a big ship that gave them plenty of room to run. For now.

The room they entered, therefore, was empty and held a series of interconnected tubes running floor to ceiling and a couple of gauges, again some of them made from organic material that pulsed as if digesting. They ran through a door at the other end. Down more corridors, some metal, some with organic walls, most a mixture of both. So far managing to avoid too many Strangers until they came to a round room that appeared to hold a car-sized beating heart.

"What?" Milk asked.

"Should we shoot it?" Trillo asked.

"It could be running the ship," Chase said.

"It's not running the shields, leave it alone," Julianna said.

"Fair enough."

They ran past it and through another corridor. They came to another room with those tubes and what could have been a couple of tentacles. There were two Strangers in there looking at a monitor. They pulled up short and the Strangers looked at them.

"It's OK, we won't shoot."

"Scum," one rasped and went and pulled a gun. Chase shot him and Milk shot the other two.

"Not a nice bunch are they?" he asked before they ran on.

They got into a fire fight in some kind of laboratory/workshop, crawling around benches and firing. Julianna dived behind one, came up and shot a Stranger in the forehead; Trillo rolled under a table and popped another two; Milk fired at a bench, exploding test tubes over a hiding Stranger who writhed up before being shot by Chase.

Then they were moving on.

"What happens in here?" Julianna asked.

"You saw de brains in de tank?" Jimmy asked

"Missed those, thankfully."

"They can blend organics and non-organics," Trillo said.

"But why?" Chase asked. "It's kind of a shame that we know so little about them and are going to blow them up anyway."

"They started it," Milk reminded.

They ran down another corridor and turned left before Jimmy stopped them.

"Wait."

They pulled up short.

"What?" Chase asked.

Jimmy was looking at his computer.

"Dey disarmed de bomb," he said.

"What?"

"De bomb's offline."

"How'd they find it?" Chase asked.

"It was just sitting there," Milk said.

"It had a cloth over it," Chase protested.

"But they didn't know we went to the engine room. Wouldn't they think we'd hit the command?"

"Does it matter?" Julianna asked. "We'll never make it back."

"We have to," Trillo said.

"It's suicide" she told them.

"She's right," Chase said. "They're onto us, who knows how many stand between here and there."

"And they'd just disarm another bomb," Milk said.

"But we do have another one?"

"Yeah," Jimmy said pulling one from his bag.

"Give it to me."

"Chase, no," Julianna pleaded.

"We have to try, at least get it close before detonating it," he said. "And when I say 'we' I mean 'I'"

"I'm coming with you," Julianna said.

"Same," Milk said resolutely.

"We all be in to de end."

"No," Chase said forcefully. "I started this a long time ago and then I dragged you all in. I'm the one to finish this."

"This is not the time to be a martyr," Julianna scolded.

"Exactly. You all have something to go back to. Milk you have your daughter and Angela; Jimmy you have a wife now."

"I only have you," Julianna said.

"Exactly, and if we both die then the light goes out forever. If I don't get back to the ship you have to live for the both of us. Settle down, raise a family and once in a while have an adventure for me."

"Oh, Chase no," she wept.

"I'm not going to let you die, Juli."

"I'm coming with you," Trillo said.

"The Laikans need a new ambassador after all this."

Trillo shook his head.

"I've been chasing you for so long, if you die I don't have anything to live for. I told you, I'm in this to the end."

"Trillo..."

"Shut up, Darkstaar."

"Chase," Milk said.

"It's cool, Milkman, I'm not planning on dying today. I'll be back," he smiled.

"I've always been there for you."

"You have, but you promised you'd never leave them again. You're gonna uphold that promise."

"We could just leave," Julianna said desperately.

"There won't be a planet that their reign of terror and corruption won't reach, you know that. This has to end. Now go."

"No," she wept.

He hugged her.

"I'll see you again," he whispered in her ear.

"You better."

"Now get to the ship. Now. Go," he commanded.

They hesitated for a second and then ran down the corridor.

"You ready to die?" Chase asked Trillo.

"I won't let you die this day, Darkstaar."

"There's no way out, man, we have to protect the bomb."

"What?" Trillo smiled his wolfish smile. "You afraid to shoot Strangers?"

They ran back along the corridor.

Now there were Strangers everywhere as they blasted their way through corridors and rooms. Trillo was like a beast, Chase like a man possessed, blazing away with his twin pistols as Trillo roared and tore at Strangers with his claws.

***

The rest of them blasted down corridors and rooms as Jimmy guided them to the hanger. They didn't come up against much resistance and Julianna worried that was because they were all guarding the engine room. They didn't care for escapees.

They reached the hanger where they found Strangers around the ship, Cherry using her laser cannons to try and hold them off. They began blasting and the Strangers fled from the crossfire to hide.

***

Chase and Trillo ran down another corridor firing behind them until they suddenly erupted into the large engine room.

To find it filled with Strangers.

"Looks like they got wise to our plan," Chase commented.

"You think?"

"We could just detonate the bomb now."

"And maybe die for nothing?" Trillo shook his head "No, Cherry said chain reaction, I'll get you through and then you get out."

"Not leaving without you, Trillo."

"I've spent a long time trying to take your life, Darkstaar. Now I'm going to save it."

Chase holstered one of his pistols and pulled the sword that Janxom the Ankarianator had given him.

"TSAR?" he asked.

"Why not?"

"TSAR!" they shouted together as they charged forward.

They blasted and Chase slashed with his sword as Trillo slashed with his claws and tore with his teeth. Blood and guts spewed like geysers. They were like a whirlwind of pain amongst the Strangers who closed in on them.

Trillo was fighting furiously to make a corridor through to the computer as Chase fought from behind, but he was being pushed towards a wall as he kept the Strangers at bay with his gun and sword. He could see that the Strangers were focussing on Trillo, swamping him as he tore them apart until they were just a writhing scrum covering the Laikan.

"Trillo," Chase shouted desperately.

And then he saw it, as if time slowed he saw a paw push its way through the bodies and open. Chase saw the grenade as the paw closed back over it and was pulled back into the mass of bodies. Chase dived for cover in an alcove as the grenade exploded, sending flesh and armour flying through the room.

***

Julianna, Milk and Jimmy made it to The Wild Rover and got into the cockpit.

"We're not leaving," she said.

"Of course we're not," Milk replied.

" _You guys in?"_

"Yes, but we won't leave without you."

" _Doesn't look like I'm going to make it back after all."_

"Come on, Chase," Milk said angrily.

" _Sorry, Milkman, too many of them. I can hold them off a while,"_ they heard a laser shot, _"but they'll just get to the bomb again. Get out of here."_

"You promised," Julianna sobbed.

" _I'm sorry, but you have to go, there's no point in us all dying."_

"You can't leave me again," Cherry wailed.

" _I'm sorry, Cherry, I love you."_

"I love you too," she sobbed.

"So do I," Julianna said quietly.

" _And that's why I won't let you die, Juli, now, please,"_ more gunshots, _"go."_

Julianna sat there staring out of the cockpit as more Strangers fired on the ship. They were setting up a heavy machinegun. She took a deep breath.

"You can't," Cherry pleaded.

Another deep breath and a tear and then Julianna took off.

"We clear, mon. See you in the Green."

" _Drinks are on me!"_

***

Chase stood by the computer console. The whole room had been wiped out by the grenade, but now Strangers were coming in cautiously through doors on ground level and the walkway. Chase shot at one or two.

"If I drop this, the bomb goes off. Shoot me and we all die. Best you can do is try and escape in time," he shouted and then shot one.

They kept coming to the doors, they knew he couldn't shoot them all.

"It's funny," he said. "From the very beginning I knew this was how it would end, from the very first line of the very first page of this adventure, I knew," he shot another two Strangers and they backed off. "I knew my ending had been written."

He'd written many pages, but at least the last few chapters of his life were filled with doing good.

"I don't mind though, it's been quite the adventure in space, but you don't get to win, not today. Today I get to win."

Pages. Books. Books hold knowledge; knowledge is power.

He smiled and felt for his computer.

"Today I get to be the good guy, 'cause you know what, guys? Maybe. Sometimes. We get to write our own endings."

***

The Wild Rover was smashed by the force of the explosion and suddenly there was nothing behind them.

"He did it," Julianna breathed.

"That bastard," Milk sobbed. "Drinks are free in Fiddler's Green."

***

Admiral Bowser had joined the fight for Earth and saw it happen, he immediately radioed it in.

The PM was protecting the Queen with Ateksos and Defosimo, blasting at the Strangers that were now swarming through Buckingham Palace when they heard it; Andrew Forster was watching Strangers trying to break into the building as he heard it. Dr. Angela Frost and Sir Jeffery were in the firing room when they heard it. Dave, Rob and Terd Ferguson were fighting in the space above Earth when it came through.

" _The shields are down, I repeat the shields are down."_

"We are ready and firing, I repeat, we are ready, we have co-ordinates and we are firing," Dr. Frost said into the radio.

Up in space a bolt of green energy flashed through space and incinerated a Mothership before a second bolt flew off into deep space.

" _Trimedian gun is firing and shields are down. I say again shields are down,"_ Bowser said. " _Give them hell."_

***

The battle wasn't brief and it was bloody as the TSAR and UTN forces rallied both in space and on Earth. There were many tales of heroics and daring deeds that day, but this isn't the place for them.

The Wild Rover joined the fight and nothing could stand against it as the Trimedian gun, using the co-ordinates from Cherry, fired into the Strangers still in deep space.

The Battle for Earth was over. In time different historians and biographers would give it different names, there was much argument whether it counted as a war, but it was Coblidge in his expanded expanded edition of 'Famous Gangsters and Hitmen of the Universe' that gave it the simplest, most accurate name. He called it, 'Day of the Darkstaar'.

FALLEN HEROES

Julianna, Milk and Jimmy had joined the battle for Earth both in space and in the atmosphere and when it was over they had landed.

It was over and it was time to go their separate ways, time to settle down into new lives; that was the gift that Chase had given them. But they had things to do first, they had to bury Dr. Hendricks and they got caught by Sir Jeffery and Andrew Forster, the only remaining members of the Great Council, who insisted on awards ceremonies, feting them as heroes. They argued against it, but were forced through a whirlwind of memorials, funerals and ceremonies for Chase, Trillo, Dr. Hendricks and the many other men and women who had given their lives.

Julianna couldn't really remember any of it, it was just a blur as she now walked up the hill. It had been months since she had seen them last, they had decided to go their separate ways, get their lives started before coming together to pay their final respects.

So here they all were, Julianna; Milk and Angela Frost; Jimmy and Matilda; Terd, Bones, Big Nick and Not John along with Dave and Rob Heskin. All climbing the hill where the grave of Dr. Hendricks and the memorial stones of Trillo and Chase Darkstaar stood. They were here to pay their final respects before finally going away; going apart, going to new things; lives of safety not adventures. This was their last moment together, all of them, dead and alive. The last mission of TSAR.

As they reached the top of the hill they saw the three stones in a line and a becloaked figure kneeling at one of them.

"Who are you," Julianna demanded.

The figure ignored her, but ran its finger along Dr. Hendrick's stone.

"You shouldn't be here," she said again.

"We're just asking you to leave," Milk said more rationally. "Let us pay our respects."

The figure stood and moved to the memorial of Trillo and held it in a hand. The hood and cloak the figure wore seemed to shake.

"Please," Julianna begged. "Leave us to our grief."

The figure moved to the memorial of Darkstaar and drummed it's fingers on it.

"This isn't a tourist spot, what do you want?" Terd asked sternly.

"Just paying my respects," the figure said.

"Well come back another time," Milk said angrily.

The figure rubbed his hand along the top of the memorial.

"Nice memorial. It's got flair, but shows a lack of faith."

They stood in silence for a minute

"You bastard," Milk seethed. "Anything to get out buying a drink."

"Drinks are free in the Green, you know that," Chase Darkstaar said lowering his hood.

"Chase," Julianna gasped and ran to him.

They hugged.

"You're not dead," she said.

"I noticed."

Terd Ferguson laughed.

"You know there's a saying amongst Durden Raiders, from back in the day. It says 'never try and kill Chase Darkstaar, because you can't'. Seems to be true after all."

"How's it going, Terd?"

"You, you," Julianna seethed and hit him on the chest.

He grabbed her wrists.

"Stop."

"I mourned you, we mourned you," she shouted.

"I'm sorry, it was better to be dead, I have a lot of enemies. Plus I had some things I had to do. Promise kept, Angela."

"Thank you, Chase," she said.

"The Great Council, other than Sir Jeffery and Forster went missing despite the Strangers not getting to them," Bones Castille noted.

"Weird," Chase said.

"How?" Milk asked.

"It doesn't matter, what matters is we're all here together."

He moved so that he stood with an arm around Julianna. She was too emotionally tired to stop him. He was here, that was all that mattered.

"Not everyone," Jimmy said nodding to the stones.

"No," Chase said looking back at them. "It's funny that in a war against Laikans it would be two of them that sacrificed their lives to save ours. To save the Universe."

"And Cherry. Sometime after we unloaded she disappeared. She be pretty distraught," Jimmy said.

"Ahh."

"She be wit' you, don't she?"

"Yeah," Chase said.

"You impossible, mon," Jimmy shook his head.

"Yes. Yes, you are," Milk said. "Before I go and live a quiet life away from you and your adventures in space, I've got to know. We barely made it, there was no time for you to get to an escape pod. So how? How are you standing here?"

"Me?"

"You."

Chase grinned.

"Don't say it," Milk warned.

He winked at his old friend.

"Natural flair and ability, good buddy, natural flair and ability."
EPILOGUE

BOOM! The end. That's it. They won, did we ever believe otherwise? But I thought Chase was a goner for a while. Should have known better, shouldn't I?

So is this the last we'll see of our intrepid heroes? Probably. They deserve a good rest, they deserve to live quiet, happy lives.

Does that mean an end to Adventures in Space? No way. We'll be back with a new cast and new

Of course, Chase still has that bounty on his head...

If you enjoyed this book, perhaps you would consider helping a brother out and rating or reviewing it? It really could change my life...

Still, while you're here, why not check out the following extracts by the same author:

The ADVENTURES IN SPACE series

### Pray for Rain

Part 1

The Casinos of Haffir

CHAPTER 1

"This has to be your worst idea yet," Rainsford Tsyrker shouted into her comms.

" _Worse than Tornin?"_ Stephen Regrette asked.

"It's OK for you, you're not out here."

The 'out here' she referred to was crawling along the roof of the high speed train between the cities of Rachain and Faloo. It hovered over a rail that was held high above the ground by boosters and she could only be thankful that the entrance hatch was on the roof and not between the train and the rail. She was on the roof of the cargo carriage and though she was close to the loading hatch the wind was making it hard to get anywhere.

She unlocked one of her grip magnets and pushed it forward before locking it again. Then she did the same with the other hand. How had she gotten this job? Grant was in the train somewhere comfortably while Regrette was in high altitude ready to swoop in once the package was secured.

It was her own fault, back on Lancow II, the last job they'd done, she'd poked fun at them for nearly failing because they weren't fit enough to cope. They hadn't said that, but she knew that was why it was her stuck on the roof. Though to be fair, she smiled to herself, either of them would have been sucked under the train by now.

"I'm at the hatch," she said.

" _Nicely done,"_ Ben Grant replied.

"How're the cocktails?"

" _A little sweet for my liking, but I'm surviving."_

"Poor you."

" _I know, but taking one for the team."_

He sounded smug, she knew he was baiting her and she wouldn't let him.

"How's it look in there?"

" _Hard to get too close, but the guards seem bored, but alert."_

"OK, well attaching the breaker now. Gulch?"

" _I've got the signal,"_ Gulch said from the ship. _"Breaking the alarm now."_

The breaker made a helpful _ping_ and a little light went from red to green.

" _Now for the lock,"_ Gulch said as the light went back to red.

The hatch was big, used for cranes to lower large cargo in and she was going to have to use the slipstream from the train's velocity to fling it open. That would alert the guards and then they had a very small window of opportunity to grab and escape.

" _Ahh,"_ said Regrette.

"Ahh, what?" Tsyrker said angrily as she was trying to manoeuvre into position.

" _Readings on the long range scan. Moving in fast."_

" _Company?"_ Grant asked

" _Looks like Durden Raiders."_

" _Shabbus. Come to steal what we're stealing,"_ Grant swore.

"We're not stealing it," Rainsford reminded him.

" _Retrieving didn't have the same ring to it."_

" _Either way, you need to move,"_ Regrette urged.

"Gulch?"

" _There, lock is open."_

Rainsford had left one of her grip magnets down by her leg and held onto the other as she pulled a crowbar from her suit and pried open the hatch. She let go of the grip and skidded back before grabbing the other, just far enough away not to get smashed by the hatch as the wind got under and yanked it open. She then threw herself forward, grabbing the closer grip and swung herself inside.

***

As she was doing this Ben Grant was sauntering up to the guards at the door to the cargo carriage. They were bored enough not to notice him until he got nice and close.

"Stop there."

"About that," he said when there was a loud crash from the roof of the cargo carriage.

The two guards pulled guns and as they did so Grant fired an electrode at each. Hitting them in the neck it sent through enough electricity to knock them out.

He ran up and attached a breaker.

"Gulch?"

" _Easy this one,"_ Gulch replied and then the breaker beeped and the light went green.

Grant pulled open the door to find Rainsford already in.

"Where?" she shouted over the din of the wind.

He looked around.

"There."

He turned around as she went for the case.

"Trouble coming," he shouted.

Guards were coming down the train. Heavily armed guards.

"Get us out of here," Rainsford shouted.

" _Here we come."_

Above them their ship, The Wraith, dropped through the sky and thrust forward until it was keeping track of the train. A rope with harnesses fell through the open hatch and they both strapped in.

"Up," Grant commanded as the guards closed in.

The rope retracted and they were pulled through the hatch. As they did so Tsyrker dropped a smoke grenade through.

"Definitely Raiders," Grant said and she looked behind her.

There was one larger ship with three fighters and they were closing fast.

"How'd they know?" she asked.

"Let's worry about that later, shall we? Can you hurry this up a bit?"

" _The winch winches as the winch winches,"_ Gulch philosophised.

"Nice," Grant replied.

"Worse than Tornin," Rainsford said to herself.

She swung around and managed to pull her machinegun off of her back as the Raider ships got ever closer.

"You'll make us a target," Grant shouted over the wind.

"You don't think we already are?" she shouted back.

"What? Little old innocent us?"

Rainsford humphed and tried to get aim on one of the fighters. She opened fire just before their ship did and the Durden Raiders split up to avoid the laser fire.

Grant looked down to see guards in the now smoke free cargo carriage aiming up at them. He pulled Tsyrker's pistol and fired down at them. He tried his best not to actually hit them as they swung wildly on the rope.

One of the fighters was coming around behind them and Grant twisted his body so that they swung around on the rope and Rainsford blasted at it. Not that her laser fire would dent the ship's hull, but they couldn't just dangle there. It would look unprofessional and a little lazy.

The ship peeled off as it got blasted by Regrette from The Wraith, but that left the larger ship to try and swoop in.

"4 o'clock," Grant shouted and watched as Regrette re-aimed.

They were finally reaching the ship as the Durden ship tried again to get close enough to snatch them off of the rope. Or at least the case they had taken from the train. A door was opening in the Durden ship as Regrette focussed his firepower on the two fighters. Rainsford could see a man with a long range rifle in the doorway and she sprayed at him with her laser. The man ducked inside and then reappeared, but it was too late, they were finally being taken up into The Wraith.

"We're in, let's go," Grant shouted as they stripped off the harnesses.

The hatch slid shut below them and they ran to the bridge.

"Take the guns," Regrette ordered as they entered.

He was vacating the gunner's chair and taking the helm. Rainsford took the gunner's chair and pulled down the screen. From here she could control all the guns, front, roof and hull, using a joystick on each of the chair arms. There was a second gunner's chair to make the whole thing a lot easier, but she could cope on her own using a three-way split screen.

The ship pulled up and away and she spun the hull guns to blast at the larger Durden ship as it wheeled around to give chase.

"Be ready for more in space," Grant warned.

"Long range scanners aren't picking anything up," Gulch said from the navigator's seat.

Gulch was a Petruthsian, a race of large slug-like creatures who could raise up on their stubby tails to use a number of tentacles.

"Probably keeping back for exactly that reason. Didn't want to tip their hand," Grant said leaning over to look at the scanner.

"Well, game's up now, they'll be moving in."

"Not just them," Regrette said. "InterG ships inbound."

"Great," Grant sighed. "Don't shoot them."

"What am I, a criminal?" Tsyrker shot back.

"They seem to think so," Grant shrugged and walked out of the bridge.

The Wraith shot through the atmosphere and into space. The Durden Raider ships followed with the InterGalactic Police ships behind them. Neither were giving up the chase.

"What's so damned important about this thing?" Regrette said angrily.

"One of the Stones of Tampala," Gulch said. "Very rare, very expensive. Stolen from our client. Very interesting, the Stones, go way back in the mythology of the Kadinar people. You see..."

"Mssh, time and place, Gulch," Regrette said tersely as he jinked the ship left to dodge laser fire. "Coordinates plotted?."

"Right, yes, well, another time perhaps. Plotting now."

"Look forward to it," Regrette ironicalised as he dodged more laser fire from the Durdens. "Can't you do something about them?"

"Surprisingly, they're being evasive," Rainsford sarcasticised.

The arrival of the InterG was to her advantage though. The larger Durden ship had held back as the faster fighters dived in and out trying to cripple The Wraith. With the InterG ships coming up behind them, the Durden ship was forced closer and the fighters were forced to hang back and protect it from front and rear. She got a good shot at the Durden ship as it dodged fire from the InterG.

"Here we are. Durden cruiser on the long range, closing in," Gulch said.

"They won't get involved, just rescue their ships from this mess," Regrette said.

"Agreed," agreed Gulch.

"We still here?" Grant asked from the door.

"Just about to leave," Regrette said spinning left to avoid laser fire. "Coordinates?"

"In," Gulch told him.

"Then let's get out of here," he said and hit the lightspeed boosters.

***

They slowed down in the black void of deep space. Except it wasn't completely void. There was a ship there. Much larger than The Wraith which came and docked in it's hanger.

"Not using the secret hanger?" Grant asked.

"I'm not sticking around," Regrette replied.

"Busy busy."

"I actually think I need a holiday; I only get shot at when I work with you."

"Hey, now, that's because you hide in the shadows normally," Grant said.

"Use, not hide. We've been through this," Regrette chided. "Sort of the point about assassinations, y'know?"

"What about you, Rain?" Grant asked.

"I also don't get shot at. Unless I'm with you," she added as they walked down the ramp.

"What about my money?" Regrette asked.

"I've made contact, you'll have it in a few days."

"Good," Regrette nodded to himself and then turned and walked back up the ramp and into his ship.

It took off as they reached the end of the hanger bay.

"Doesn't it bother you?" Rainsford asked.

"What?"

"What he does."

"You thinking calling it Naval Special Forces is better?"

"Yes," she replied angrily. "I work to protect the UTN and it's people."

"Different packaging, same product," Grant shrugged.

"Oh, get off your high horse, Ben."

She strode off.

"You're mouth moves faster than your brain, Ben," Gulch said.

"Yeah," Grant sighed and ran a hand through his short mop of curls. "Valkswagon."

"I'll get us moving, go and apologise before making contact. I do think we should return the package before it kills us," Gulch said and slithered off.

The Book of Five Worlds

Book I

The Foreshadow of Balance

CHAPTER I

It was a horrible day, not because it was cold, but because Brandon had taken his money again. He still had his secret money so that was OK, but Brandon hadn't left it there. He had been teased through English for answering too many questions and then they had ruined his science experiment and he had been sent out by the teacher. By the time he came home he was miserable and went straight out into the garden. His Dad had some big talk coming up and was still busy in his study and that suited Dylan just fine. The evening was cold; his Dad had taught him that heat goes up from the ground and gets trapped by clouds keeping it warm when the Sun goes down. But there were no clouds this evening and it was still light outside though not for much longer.

He was playing with his plastic knights plus an evil wizard and a big stuffed toy dragon. He had gone through the portal in the shed and the red dragon was a lot bigger than him and his fellow knight and there was no way they were going to beat it unless they could convince the evil wizard to help.

He looked again at the shed; he hated school and studying and those stupid bullies. They thought he was stupid, but he wasn't, he was smart and they didn't like him for that. He wished he really could go through a portal; he wished he could find the magic on Earth and use it to go away. Take him and his Dad somewhere, bring his Mum back.

But she couldn't come back, not even with magic. He didn't really understand it, but his Dad said she had gone to a better place. If he could learn magic, maybe he could take him and his Dad to that better place to be with Mum.

And then the shed door exploded out and a great big grey pig ran out into the garden squealing, steam coming out of its nose, its snout, in great clouds and then it stopped suddenly. It looked left and then right and then straight at Dylan. He wanted to scream, but nothing would come out and then a huge man ran out of the shed.

He wore thick fur instead of a coat and Dylan could only think that he looked dirty. The man stopped just like the pig and looked around. He looked at Dylan and moved towards him and then stopped and looked at the pig which was looking between them. They both looked surprised.

And then Dylan screamed for his Dad.

The pig turned in a circle looking for somewhere to run, and the man moved again toward Dylan, who could now see he had long thick hair and a beard to match with some kind of dirty green trousers on and a metal shirt under the big fur coat thing. And on his back a big two bladed battle axe.

"Dad! Help!"

And then Dylan's Dad ran into the garden with a cricket bat in his hand and stopped as suddenly as the pig and the man had.

"Who are you?" Dad demanded.

"How do we go?" the man asked back in a deep voice.

"Get out of my garden now."

"Your garden?"

"Get out now or I'll use this," he held up the bat, but the man unslung the axe.

"And then I would have to use this. But I don't want to," at the sight of the axe the pig finally made up its mind and ran back to the shed and disappeared inside.

"Now I've lost my dinner," the man said and seemed sad.

"Sorry," said Dylan.

"It wasn't your fault, I should have grabbed it. But where am I?"

"I'm going to call the police now," Dylan's Dad said.

"The what?"

"What's wrong?" Dylan asked the man.

"Dylan, come here," his Dad said. "This man has been drinking."

Dylan understood this. When you drink something called booze you got funny in the head and did stupid things. Sometimes Dad drank booze and got sad about Mum and cried. He didn't like that.

"I haven't had a drop all day," the big man argued. "I wish I had some now for this is greatly vexing."

"Dad has some booze."

"Dylan, stop talking and come here," and Dylan walked past the man, as far away as he could, and Dad relaxed a little when he was next to him. "OK, put the axe away, man."

"Once you put down your... what is this strange weapon you carry?"

"It's a cricket bat, it's for a game," Dylan told him because the man didn't seem dangerous, just confused.

And then the man threw back his head and laughed.

"You threaten me with a bat from a game?" and he laughed again and Dad lowered the bat.

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

"From the shed," Dylan answered.

"The shed?" the man asked. "No, I come from the forest town of Capel in Collyshire."

"Right," Dylan's Dad said.

"And where am I now? Is this Shed?"

"No, that's the shed," Dylan said and pointed. The man looked at it and then slowly looked back at them.

"What world am I on?" he asked slowly.

"That's enough," Dad started.

"What world am I on?" the man asked more angrily.

"Earth," Dylan said and the man seemed to go white through the dirt and suntan.

"No."

"Yes."

"The Fifth World."

"What did you say?" Dad asked.

"The Fifth World."

"You better come inside."

"What's going on Dad?"

"What's your name?" he asked the man, but he didn't answer, just looked around. "What's your name?"

"What? Lucas."

"You better come inside, Lucas, we need that booze."

{+}

They sat in the study, it wasn't very big and it was stuffed with books, a desk and two comfy chairs. It seemed even smaller with Lucas in there. He stood and just looked around while Dad poured him a glass of something which he took in his big hands. Everything seemed small compared to Lucas, Dylan thought.

"Sit down, Lucas, let me find something," Dad said and started looking through his books. Lucas took off his axe and squeezed into a chair and Dylan stood next to him.

"Why do you need such a big axe?"

He looked down at Dylan. "I don't if I think about it, I just like it."

"Do you kill people?"

"Sometimes, if needs must."

"Right, here it is," Dylan's Dad said holding a big old book.

"What is this?"

"It's a collection; most people thought the writer was an idiot. He put together all the ancient references to the Five Worlds. Look," he flipped open a few pages and showed them to Lucas while Dylan craned to see.

"This can't be true," Lucas shook his head.

"But it is, isn't it? You come from a different world."

"No, this is some magic cast upon me," Lucas shouted and stood up. Dylan staggered backwards and trod on the remote control switching the TV on to the news.

"AARRRGGGHH!" Lucas cried staring at the box. "What by thunder is that?"

"It's a television," Dylan said.

"How do the people get inside?" he was scared.

"They're not inside, silly, they are somewhere else, we can just see them."

"Like a Seer's Orb?"

"No," Dad said, "it runs on electricity, look," he bent down and picked up the remote and showed Lucas how the channels changed.

"Quickly, man, what is your name?"

"Connor James and this is my son Dylan."

"Connor James, explain quickly what this electrickery is."

"Well, you burn coal to make it and then it powers just about everything we use."

Lucas stood and thought about it.

"Coal comes from the ground?"

"Yes, it's animals that died millions of years ago."

"I must go," Lucas said.

"No, stay," said Dylan.

"I will be back, but this is all too much for me. I am not a clever man."

They followed him through the house as he looked at everything, touching things here and there until they were back at the shed. And then he stopped.

"I don't know what to do. Who can I talk to?"

"I don't understand," Connor James said.

"This is too big for my understanding, yet I understand that this is important. Who will use this information for good? The wrong people would use the portal to change the Balance. What if the Chinerthian Queen finds out? But maybe we can use this to defeat her, but, but I don't know."

"Who is the Chinerthian Queen?" Dylan asked.

"I will be back, I don't know how long, but no longer than a week," Lucas said. "Farewell Connor and Dylan of The Shed," he said and then strode through the shed door and disappeared.

Dylan moved towards it, but his Dad grabbed him.

"No. We don't know what is on the other side, or whether we could get back again."

{+}

The next day at school went past as if in a dream. The bullies tried to take his lunch money, but he didn't even notice them.

"Where's my money, pussy?"

"What?" Dylan asked not really even hearing as he continued to walk around the playground.

"My money. What are you deaf?"

"Hmm, no," kept on walking.

"Hey, come back here!" they ran around in front of him, but he changed direction and kept walking and thinking about Lucas and the shed and, what was it called? The portal.

"He's talking to you," someone shouted, but they gave up chasing him as he wandered. He thought he heard someone say something about being 'crazy'.

That evening he stood in the cold back garden staring at the open shed. The doorway was pitch black even though there was enough light coming from the house to see inside. He tried to remember all the things that he should be able to see, the lawn mower, their bikes, a hose, some gardening tools. But he could see nothing. He wondered what was on the other side really. A forest he thought. Lucas had said he came from a forest town and he'd been chasing a big pig. Would the forest be bright and green or dark and scary? Was it winter there too? Lucas had been wearing big furs so he thought it must be. But what he had been thinking about all day in school was what his Dad had said about five worlds. Not just one, but five.

And now he heard his Dad come out of the house, felt him come and stand next to him and they both stood and stared at the shed.

"Can you believe it?" his Dad asked.

"Can you?" he asked and looked up at his Dad. He wasn't sure he could, but if his Dad could...

"Come inside and let me show you a few things."

They walked inside to the study and his Dad sat down at his desk and lifted Dylan onto his lap. Then he opened the big book he had shown Lucas.

"OK, so throughout all the old mythologies; you know what they are?"

"Like a story?"

"Yes, exactly. Throughout them all there are hints and thoughts and stories about the Five Worlds. From Old Norse to ancient Chinese. They were never very big because even back then people thought it was silly, right?"

"OK."

"But this guy, Dr. Fozz..."

"That's a funny name."

"Yeah, it is; anyway, he studied it for years, all the clues, travelled the world and wrote this book. You see a lot of stories and myths never got written down, but they got passed on verbally."

"Verbally?"

"Verbally means speaking. So what Dr. Fozz found was that there are five worlds all connected by portals."

"Like in our shed."

"Exactly, but as people on Earth became more interested in science, medicine and money, they stopped believing in myths and magic and the portal to Earth closed."

"Why?"

"Because something can't exist if no one believes in it. If someone was walking in the forest and they thought they saw a unicorn in the forest, just somewhere in the trees, they wouldn't believe they saw a unicorn, they would believe they saw a horse and the light or the trees made it look like it had a horn. You see?"

"I think so. But why would there be a portal in our shed?"

"I don't know. But we have to be careful; we can't go through the portal, OK?"

"OK."

"Really."

"OK, OK."

"And we have to be careful; we don't know what might come out. Remember the pig?"

"Yeah, that was scary."

"Right."

"Do you think Lucas will come back?"

"I don't know. I think so, but I didn't really understand what he was talking about before he left, I need to read more now, OK?"

"Yeah."

His Dad put him down and turned him so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"Don't go near the portal. We wait for Lucas, OK?"

"Yes, Dad," he turned to leave. "Can I at least go out and look at it?"

His Dad smiled.

"If I said no, you would sneak out anyway," he got up and found a metal poker from the fireplace that had never been used. "If you do, keep this with you in case another animal comes out. And then shout for me," he smiled and Dylan smiled back.

## Southern Hunter

PROLOGUE

It has been said that only ten percent of the Bush remains in Australia since Westerners arrived, but it still covers vast tracts of land. Enough that each year, even in this day and age, people get lost and some die. There is still Bushland that isn't crisscrossed with roads or tracks; areas that no one goes in where undiscovered flora and fauna are living and dying in the circle of life. And it is on such a part of thick Bushland in the South West of that great country that two men find themselves.

"Was this worth the boats?" the man asked sitting in a small area where the undergrowth was sparse enough to set up a little camp.

"It's just for now," his companion answered. "We're illegal, we can't expect a job in a nice office in Perth, can we?"

"No, but this? This, what do they call it?" he raised his arms to the trees.

"Bush."

"I mean we're in the middle of nowhere, no roads, no people. And you hear stuff about Australia, all the dangerous creatures."

"Snakes and spiders are more scared of us than we are of them," the other man said.

"Not when we're asleep. The Sun will set soon and then what? Kangaroos, crocodiles."

His companion laughed.

"One, kangaroos are not dangerous and two there are no crocodiles this far South."

"I still don't like having to sleep out here."

"Well it's just a few more nights. We've marked the trees and surveyed the land, tomorrow we'll start hiking to that track and get picked up. We'll be paid more money for this than we've ever been back home."

They both sat there around the small fire as the Sun sank to the tops of the trees.

"Do you miss it?"

"What?"

"Home."

"We haven't been here long enough to."

"I do," the man shrugged. "This country doesn't smell right, and it's all so, I don't know, neat and tidy?"

The other laughed again.

"It's the food, Australians eat pies and chips and drink beer. They don't cook like us, they don't live like us; you'll get used to it."

"I guess," he said and looked out into the darkening Bush.

He didn't really know what would happen. They had paid a lot of money to get here on a boat and he was glad they were one of the lucky ones, lucky not to die, lucky to land without being caught. He'd rather die than go to a detention centre.

Then they'd been moved around, from here to there, all the while disorientated by their new surroundings and finally he and his friend had been taken to a mining company.

They'd done odd jobs for awhile, they were told they would work on a mine, but couldn't fly there, so they had to wait for a chance to be driven. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of a mine you had to fly to, it would have to be in the middle of nowhere, out in what the Australians called the Outback. It would not be comfortable living, but he had to think of the money, and his family back home who would receive most of it.

But instead they'd been taken south to a small town in the hills. It was surrounded by trees, Bush as they called it, and the company wanted them to look at a certain area, mark trees for cutting down so that a road could be cleared. Survey the area where they could to work out the best place for crews to come in and clear land. They were digging a new mine here or something.

He hated it; every minute of it out in this strange Bush with its strange animals and snakes and spiders. Australia was famous for all the ways it could kill you: the animals, the reptiles, the plants, the sharks, or you could just get lost in Bush like this, it went on for ever, the same in every direction.

Was it worth it? Life was hard back home, hard to have enough, but there was television. Television that told you of all the things you could have, _should_ have. The West taught the rest of the World one thing, that you should own more things. More things meant more happiness and where once people had been content with their traditions, now they were unhappy and poor.

Yes, he was the same; that was why he was here. He wanted a good life for his family, he wanted good schooling for his children, but that was never going to happen tending bar to tourists back home. He had to do this for them, he had to remember that. There was a reason for this and maybe, maybe he could get legal, somehow bring his family here; have a good job.

But for now he was stuck in this _Bush_.

"It's not so bad," his friend said.

"What isn't?"

"This. No distractions, no noise, no complaining wife or begging children, just peace and quiet. And we get paid for it," he relaxed out on his swag.

"I miss them," the man said morosely.

"What is it they say here about glasses being half empty?"

"I don't know what you're talking about; do you really not miss them?"

His friend sat up angrily.

"Why do you think I'm here? For my family, to give them a better life. Of course I miss them, but I know that because I do this they _will_ have a better life."

"I'm sorry," the man said.

The Bush stirred behind him and he looked back sharply.

"Relax."

"What was that?"

"Who knows? We're in a forest."

"What's out there?"

"Nothing that can hurt you."

"That's not true."

"Not this again. Snakes and spiders aren't going to come here and once you're in your, what are they called?"

"Swag."

"Right. It covers you completely, nothing can get to you."

Noise came from the darkening Bush again.

"And that?"

"Wind? A kangaroo? Who knows, but it won't bother us, it's not like they have tigers here."

"No, you're right, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just worried."

"There's nothing out here."

"Not that. I mean this job is nearly over, what if they drop us?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we're illegal. We don't have any rights here."

"I don't know, I try not to think of it."

The Sun sank below the tree tops and the spaces between the trees went from bright and beautiful to dark and ominous. Those creatures that lived by the light began to scurry home as those night hunters awoke and readied themselves. Kookaburras flew and called to each other in their distinctive monkey-like laugh. One began to wind up as others joined it until the trees around the men were full of the laughter of the birds, as if mocking the men their fate.

"I'll never get used to that sound," the man said.

"I can't believe they are birds and not monkeys," the other agreed as the birds fell silent as one.

There was a crash in the Bush and the man looked that way.

"Just a tree falling."

"You've an answer for everything."

"Did you never camp back home? Forests make noises."

"I preferred the comforts of the city," the man complained.

The Bush was silent as if waiting to see what might happen next. The man turned back and began to get into his swag, a sleeping bag with a semicircular tent pole at the head so that the person could be completely enclosed. And that was what he wanted now, to be enclosed, shut off from the world and whatever might be out there in the dark.

The Bush rustled and twigs snapped. Something else cracked, a branch maybe and he was sitting up again peering around in the last of the light.

"It's big," he said and saw that his friend was also sitting up.

"Yeah. There are some big kangaroos, maybe we should make a noise to scare it off?"

"Yeah, OK," he replied, though the last thing he wanted to do was make noise out here. It was irrational, he knew, but that wasn't going to take the fear away.

His friend whooped and he cringed before shouting out himself.

They listened. There was not a noise, not the sound of something coming nor something running away.

And then the whole Bush around their little clearing shook and thrashed and he couldn't believe his eyes as a giant head, mouth open, hundreds of razor sharp teeth, burst out of the dark trees and grabbed his friend. His head disappeared into the gaping mouth and it bit into his chest. Two clawed hands appeared and grabbed his friend, tearing him in two. Blood sprayed and poured as the beast flicked its head up to swallow his friend's torso.

He shrieked, struggling up out of his swag, hands up and forward to protect him, as if that would help.

No one knows we're here, no one will ever know or care. We're illegal, was his last thought as he staggered backwards and the giant beast leapt forward and sunk its giant claws into his chest.

The Haunting of Berkeley Square

PROLOGUE - 1840

It is a cold night in London, the fog hugs the streets and wise people stay inside enjoying warm fires and families.

Others find themselves enjoying ale and friendship in any one of the city's many pubs. It is in one of these, in the Holborn area, that Sir Robert Warboys and his two friends sit drinking.

"And do you believe it?" Jeffery Anderson asks him.

"Of course, I don't," Sir Robert replies taking a large swallow of beer. "Merely native myth."

"I know of a story closer to home," Michael Roberts tells them leaning in. "That of Berkeley Square."

"The Thing?" Anderson asks and Roberts nods.

"They say that a man, a Mr. Dupres, lived there and his younger brother had gone mad, perhaps from war, violently mad," Roberts takes a sip.

"Get on with it, man," Warboys tells him.

"Well, he took over charge of his brother and had to lock him in the utmost room. They could not but let him out so they fed him through a hole in the door. Poor chap died in there, some say from lack of eating, others say he tore himself apart over many years. Fingers off, then toes," Roberts shudders at the thought.

"It is entirely plausible," Warboys offers, "but what is the point of this yarn?"

"They say," Anderson joins, "that it has been haunted ever since, perhaps even before. Neighbours tell of strange noises as if things are being dragged along corridors or down stairs, of doors banging and the signal bells ringing though no one lives there."

"Oh, what unadulterated poppycock," snorts Warboys. "You two are young and foolish, hiding behind your mother's skirts rather than adventuring."

"Fine, you go and stay in that upper room, the haunted room, see how brave you are," Anderson challenges angrily.

"My dear boy, I am merely twenty years of age and I need not tell you the things I have seen and done. You think I believe in ghosts? I don't, but I believe in money."

"One hundred guineas," Roberts says for his pride is equally hurt.

"Then I wholeheartedly accept your preposterous harebrained challenge!" Warboys raises his flagon of ale into the air with a grin full of gusto.

They pay for their beers and stumble out into the street. The cold air hits them and Anderson realises quite how drunk he has become and wonders briefly whether this was a good idea after all.

They reach Berkeley Square as the lamps are being lit and find the house. It is tall and adjoined to those each side. The square is quite lovely and upmarket except for this house, this house has seen a much better day and is in good need of a clean and paint. Anderson shudders, not for the cold, but for the truth. Why else would no one want to buy and live in such a luxuriant square in the heart of London?

After knocking a man opens the door. He is a tall, thin man with greyish skin, but black, black hair.

"Are you the owner of this property?" Sir Robert asks. He has sobered up somewhat, but is still drunk enough to be belligerent. Even sober he is quite belligerent, but it has got him so far so young that he sees nothing to change.

"No, sir, I am but the landlord of the residence."

"And no one lives here?"

"No, sir."

"Very well then, I would like to sleep in your upper room for the night."

"That is not a good idea, sir."

"Why? Because it is haunted?" Warboys laughs.

"Because it is not a good idea," the man merely replies.

"Come, let us go, this was a foolish idea," Anderson tries.

"Hush," replies Sir Robert. "Look, my good man, there is no such thing as ghosts and this is your chance to prove it. Maybe sell it on.

"Plus I will give you a nights rent and some pounds to do the place up, it is in a dreadful state."

"Very well, sir, it is you not I that will be sleeping there," the landlord says and steps aside.

They walk into the front room which is cosy enough and the landlord wanders off.

"Very well," Roberts says. "If we are doing this then we will do it right. You will ring the service bell once if you see anything and we will come and see it as well. You will ring it twice if you need help."

"This is nonsense; do not come on the first bell as you might scare the spirit off. But I will ring it if I see something, which I will not because I will be fast asleep."

"Take this with you," the Landlord says re-entering.

"What is this? A pistol? I need not a pistol for sleep, my good man."

"There will be no staying up there tonight nor any night if you take it not."

"Very well," sighs Sir Robert and takes the pistol. "Good night, gentlemen."

With that he and the landlord take to the stairs while Jeffery Anderson and Michael Roberts take chairs.

The landlord joins them and they talk about the area, about how London is growing and the price of properties. Until forty-five minutes past the stroke of twelve when they hear the tinkling of a service bell in the kitchen.

"He sees something," Anderson jumps from his chair.

"Or he is jesting with us," Roberts replies sleepily.

"Come let us look," Anderson says and so the three walk out to the bottom of the stairs.

As they get there the service bell rings twice and then starts ringing continuously. The three men run up the stairs, (the bell falls silent) to the landing and up to the next floor. As they reach the third and top floor a gunshot rings out from the front room and they speed up, slamming the door wide open.

Sitting wedged into the corner of the room sits Sir Robert Warboys, gun in one hand, the bell pull, ripped from the ceiling, in the other. His lips are pulled back in a rictus of terror and eyes popped out so that they dangle upon his cheeks.

His friends run to him and the landlord looks across the room to see what he had fired at. There is merely a bullet lodged in the wall.

Sir Robert Warboys is quite dead.

Dead from terror.

WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSES

WHAT IS THE LIBRARY?

The Library was built at the centre of the Multiverse and contains histories, biographies, treaties and stories from all the Universes. Particularly those involving the likes of the Righteous, the King Imminent and those that play their parts in this wider story such as the Ten Kingdoms and the Five Worlds.

Read the book sand you will find clues and truths of this greater story within them. But beware that you don't' gain too much knowledge as knowledge is power and power gets you noticed by dark and terrible beings.

THE BOOKS

Each book is written to be read as a single story (or series), but there are overlaps so that the more books you read the more information you build of other stories.

Not only that, but they gradually build a bigger picture, a meta-narrative, a greater tale of good vs evil.

Find them at Smashwords and other online retailers

FACEBOOK

Join the fun at:

www.facebook.com/dangerous.w

or get news, updates and message the author at:

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Walkerverse/220839738099078

THE VIDEOS

"Extracts with Dangerous" is a series of (comedic) videos where the author reads extracts from his books as well as poems, songs and how to tie a bowtie.

Have a watch here:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5_wfTGLScjma4IxmF9nB0A

TWITTER

Everything above ends up on the feed so go here to keep informed:

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