Chiana hovers in Mokans stealth prowler near the trades ship waiting for the approaching Peacekeeper Prowler Squad. She sees the squad flying in formation on her sensor display and increases speed to fall in behind them as they pass. She follows the squad as they take a crisp turn around the Command Carrier and slip into the Prowler Landing Bay.

Geyo watches the Prowler Squad on Mokans display. "Thats it." Geyo says as the squad disappears into the Command Carrier. "Shes in. Its all up to her now, if the data is for real or not."

*******************************

Captain Shelan seeks a doctor in the Sebacean quarter. He struggles to fly his prowler without crashing into one of buildings as he approaches the Commerce district. He lands and climbs out of his prowler. He stumbles into the doctors building and tumbles onto his gurney.

The doctor scans him. "You should have come to me sooner!" The doctor remarks. "You could have easily died from this wound. Its pierced your perapheral nerve." He takes a tissue sample from Phillip and places it in a vial. "It will take several arns to process this for you. Are you sure you dont want to go to the base for immediate treatment?"

"No doctor. Do what you can." Phillip rests. In this weakened condition, he knows it will be several solar days before he can help Chiana.

*********************************

Jothee veered his prowler through the junk yard in space, comming to a large station that looked nearly as trashed as the ships that were docked in the salavage. He landed inside a dark bay, narrowing his eyes as a noise clipped behind him.

"Now what."

He turned, sighing heavily as Ambers gold eyes stared back at him as she came up out of her hiding.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to follow me?" He asked as he poped the hatch. "If these people capture us and throw you into slavery I'm not comming after you! Zhaan and Stark can kill me if they like, you should have stayed on Moya you little rat!"

"I'm not a rat!" She pursed her thin lips at him as she scrambled after him out of the prowler, her skin glistening pale blue and gold splotches where her short metalic silver hair and royal blue and black cloaths didn't cover. "I'm almost nine cycles!"

"A baby rat!" He sneered at her as he hopped down to the deck.

Amber scrambled down after him, gazing the place over as she stepped ahead. Jothee shook his head as he watched her.

"You follow me around but you won't listen. Didn't I say this was a dangerous place?"

"No you said you wouldn't come after me if they sold me into slavery," Amber stated as she stopped for him and looked up at him as she grabbed a handfull of his shirt. "I felt I should come."

"You're perceptive for someone so short," He smiled gently. "But not very conciderate, they're going to worry sick about you and then strangle me for it."

"You may not live long enough for them to kill you," a Zenetan stated as he gazed down at them from a walk way, motioning Jothee to keep going with his pulse pistol.

Jothee stepped ahead, taking Ambers hand as they came into a central room. Across from him the Hynerian began to laugh, gliding his levitational throne to him.

"Jothee," Rygel spoak with amusement as he raised his brows and smiled to Amber. "What is this?"

"A kid, what else?" Jothee snorted at him. "Do I know you?"

"No," Rygel looked apon him more solemnly as he sucked in his breath, raising his head. "But I have heard and seen of you enough times to recognize the son of Kha D'argo. I was once his crew mate aboard Moya. I am Dominar Rygel the 16th, ruler of the flax!"

"That's a small job for a Hynerian emporer isn't it?"

"Eh," Rygel shrugged as he gazed down. "It keeps me well, until I can use it to restore my throne."

"Even if that means letting Scorpy have it long enough to capture Crichton," Jothee asked as he gazed at him beneath his brows.

"I've done nothing of the sort," Rygel gruffed indignantly. "Crichton disapeared cycles ago."

"Chiana found him."

Rygel turned from him, gliding his throne to a small table stuffed with enough foods to hold a banquette. "I don't see how any of this has to do with me. I have been at war, my losses have been great. Reduced to this! I must plan my revenge much more carefully this time."

"Really," Jothee smiled as he crossed his arms. "Chiana leads in the resistance. She married Crichton and owns two Scarren estates on the planet Moya is still hiding around."

"Hmmmm," Rygel rose his head dignantly as he raised a morsel to inspect it. "I am not suprised."

"Right," Jothee nodded, snorting as he shook his head at Rygel. "That was before Crichton was captured in the flax and is back in Scorpiuses hands. Chiana is trying to gather enough intel to rescue him. She's been cut off from her resistance contacts."

"I see," Rygels brows lowered into a solemn expression as he looked to him. "And did she send you to try to destroy me for it?"

"No, I've been chasing after the one with the flax ever since," Jothee narrowed his eyes on him. "I heard about you. It's a really long way to get here, but not so far you couldn't have used the flax. Are there two of them?"

"Yes," Rygel sighed deeply as he motioned to Jothee and Amber to eat with him. "And from the sound of things you may be in more trouble than you think. However, I would be willing to invest an interest in all these afairs and non-sense if you can help me become the only one, who has the flax."

"I'm listening," Jothee stated as he sat and began to eat as if he hadn't for days.

*********************************

Captain Phillip Shelan stands and tests himself, his strength. It has been three solar days since he last spoke to Chiana, begging her not to go after Crichton. She is still under his spell. Its been two solar days since he has been under treatment for his peraferal nerve. He swore as soon as he could walk, he would help her. He knows she followed Scorpius.

Phillip slips into his prowler and flies to the base. The activity seems to be low. He watches as a troop carrier lands and the soldiers disembark. Servicers run out of the base and refuel it. Phillip hovers his craft, waiting. When the servicers are finished he pulls his prowler into the landing bay of the troop carrier. He quickly gets out of his prowler, runs to command and charges up the power conduits. He hits the launch sequencer and goes at top speed, leaving the planets gravity.

He knows the Scorpius Command Carriers destination. It wont be hard to find. Mallan's codes would be correct alright. Chiana should have rescued Crichton by now. But if she had? He would have heard from one of his contacts by now.

Crichtons escape would put all forces on alert until he was found. He looks to see if the troop carrier is being followed. Without his direction things have become slack. Not even one prowler ventures out to challenge him.

Phillip puts the troop carrier on automatic and goes to check his supplies. Hes in luck! The last occupants have left behind a full compliment of armaments. He picks up a pulse pistol and straps it on. He goes to the galley, grabs a bag of food cubes and eats one.

He barely has the energy to eat. So tired. He takes a decanter of frellup nectar from the refrigeration unit and sips it as he wanders wearily to quarters. He pulls off his uniform and slides between the captains sheets. The more rest he has the better he can fight. He has to find her and save her from herself.

**********************************

"She's not back," Mokan stated as she brushed past Geyo to her control helm and began to work her fingers over its controls. "Where's the frelling pull?"

"Pull?" Setig asked.

"She should have another avenue to pull her out!" Mokan glared into Geyo. "Where is it?"

Geyo blinked as he stepped away from her. "Uh... Chiana left suddenly ... and we don't have the reconisance we did for a pull from a full carrier."

"Damn!" Mokan slapped her hand into the helm, her tendons flying around her as a small alarm began to buzz. She growled, whirling from the helm and turning to a hatch to the floor. "Geyo someone has a bug on my ship!"

"What?"

She pulled the hatch and began to toss them small hand held devices, her eyes flashing with fear as she returned to the helm. "A small squad of prowlers are locking in on our location - Frelling PeaceKeepers! I knew I shouldn't have had any of them crawling on my ship!"

"Then we abandon the ship," Setig snareld.

"No!" Mokan gazed up at him wide eyed. "This is my home, this ship is all we have. I would die with it first! Use the device to find the bug, Geyo! I need you to locate a safe zone, quickly!"

"Mokan," Geyo shook his head. "There isn't one, not for ships. If we go to the Scarrens in aid of us we comprimise the location of that base. It's the only thing left..."

"Without this ship, Geyo," she eyed him darkly. "There is nothing left of Chiana's position. We may as well throw up signs in flashing lights that the resistance is hiding inside the PeaceKeepers and Scarrens thanks to Chiana! Come help yourself to a frelling bite!"

She rocked as the ship took a hit, cursing in her language as she veered out and headed for space. Several ships came above her blocking, forcing her to flee in the direction they wanted her to go.

"I'm located!" Mokan called into her comms as Geyo scrambled off of the floor and quickly began to use the device to try to locate the bug Mallan had planted on the Stealth Fighter.

"Mokan," Melak's voice returned tensly. "Your closest saftey zone is almost ten arns away out of this sector..."

"This is D'argo," her comms carried his voice. "I'm comming to assist."

****************************

"Now, now, now!" Stark cried out as he hit the table with the balls of his fists, his eye gazing up wildly as he watched D'argoes prowler leaving from the portal screen. "Pilot starburst now!"

"I am initializing starburst now," Pilot spoke patiently through the clamshell as his head tilted. "Are you very sure you know where Amber and Jothee are located?"

"I'm positive!" Stark gasped as he clenched his fists to the sides of his head and then threw his hands out at Pilot. "I'm more than positive, I'm reaking in positive! I'm beyond sure by infantesable measures!"

"Shhhh," Zhaan came to Starks side, smiling gently as she hummed into his ear and traced her fingertips over the top of his head. "We'll be there very soon Stark. Fear not, I sense no serious danger. I welcome where we are going. Something tells me it is important. Else, Amber would not leave us so easily, would she?"

"You're right, of course," he sighed heavily as he wraped his hands to his chest. "But what I feel is something terribly wrong..."

*********************************

"Give up the ship Mokan!" Setig insisted, snareling as they took another shot and went careening through the peaks of mountains.

"Get off my ship!" Mokan snareld back, her growl deep in her throaght as she seemed to rattle. "Go back to your frelling Scarren life!"

"My frelling Scarren life is in the resistance if you haven't noticed! I have spoken much with this Malek. My people have thier interest and investment in this. Abandon the ship so we can go to the base that is meant for your protection!"

"You Scarrens are just crawling scared because you learned about the contagen in your own ranks from inferior aliens!" Mokan shouted, gasping near tears as another hit sent her ship down its port side hard.

"But you will share the anti-body Mokan. This was said. Frell your ships stealth ability!"

"Right!" Mokan curled her lip as she fired, a prowler exploding in her screen, its debri crashing into her fighter. "There's more in this ship than just the stealth Scarren. You don't understand, there isn't enough anti-body for everyone! And all this dren for wormholes will only make our efforts that much more miniscule to stop it! Get off my ship or do something!"

"Mokan!" D'argo came over comms. "There are far too many prowlers out here! Head for the saftey zone immediatley! I will help you break ozone to flee the sector!"

Mokan shook her head, forcing her breath as she cut around a mountains side into a small troop of prowlers and opened fire. She cried out mournfully and began to sing as she broke away from the three remaining prowlers that joined with the forces that chased her deeper and lower into the canyons.

Take this flight of mine

Open wings

I glide across the winds

I am the dragon

You are the mountain

I walk through rivers

To find you

*********************************

Captain Phillip Shelan wakes with the taste of stale frellup nectar in his mouth. He picks up a dentic and squishes it in while he steps into the fresher. Suddenly there is proximity alert.

Phillip grabs a towel, spits out the dentic and runs to command. He throws the towel on the command chair and sits. He hits the display. There seems to be some kind of skirmish off the port. He is in site of the command carrier. "Good!" he says. "This skirmish is just the distraction I need."

"Mokan!" he Comms, realizing there may be a delay so far from the planet.

"Cant talk now battle." Comes a nervous voice.

Phillip is surprised. The response is immediate. "Geyo? Where is Chiana?" he says hurriedly, realizing that Mokan may be in this skirmish.

"Chiana gone. On mission. No pull!" Geyo closes Comms.

"No pull?" Shelan doesnt understand the term. But he understands that Chiana is on that carrier without support!

Phillip runs to quarters and quickly throws on his uniform. He pulls on his officers jacket with some pride he keeps his mind on his mission. To rescue Chiana from what ever circumstance. He says a quick prayer that he finds her quickly, that she is safe!

He blasts his stealth prowler out of the troop carrier and straight into the Prowler landing bay.

**********************************

A lone prowler blasts it way past the landing prowler squads returning to the Command Carrier. It travels some distance away from the Command Carrier, out of sight of it then seems to lose power and just drift.

"Chiana!" Phillip changes frequencies. "Chiana!" He is in fear for her. Her shield is not up; otherwise he could fire a blast that may wake her. "Chiana please wake up!" he thinks a moment and maneuvers his prowler closer to hers. Moving as slowly as his controls permit, he bumps her prowler toward the landing bay of the troop carrier. Gradually her ship gains momentum. He lets it move on its own as they near the troop carrier.

He comes up below Chianas prowler and bumps it up just a little bit to hit the sweet spot between the open bay doors. It begins to glide into the landing bay. As it touches down the fuselage scrapes along the deck slowing it down. Still, it clips a few packing containers and slams into the far side of the bay. Phillip lands and waits for the bay to repressurize. He quickly climbs down the side of his prowler and runs to Mokans stealth prowler. He pops open the canopy and pulls Chiana out.

Phillip carries Chiana to his quarters and tenderly places her on his bed. He looks at her. How lucky they were that Mokan ran that distraction. He leans over and nuzzles her cheek. His lip smarts from the hit he took from Crichtons left. Still, he kisses her, sighing.

Phillip gets the Med kit and opens several packets of healant. He sits by Chiana. Her injuries look serious, her loss of blood. He works the healant into her wounds. He begins to cry at the savagery enacted upon her. He rubs a portion of her healant on his own face, mixed with his tears and her blood. He looks at his ribs. Some bruising, but he will recover. He stands to leave her side, looking at her through his tears. He wipes his face then goes to command.

Phillip opens Comms. "Mokan! Mokan can you hear me!" He waits. "Mokan!" He begins to get anxious. "Geyo!" He wonders. "Where the Frell? Why dont they answer?" he powers up the drive conduits and fires the drive to return to Rashari. He knows the place enough to get her help. He sets the troop carrier on autopilot and leaves command to be with Chiana.

He sits beside her and holds his hand out to Lord Crichtons God. He prays the lonely hours for her recovery until his own exhaustion overtakes him. His perapheral nerve is not completely healed. He lay down next to her holding her hand.

******************************

"I found it!" Geyo cried out as he stumbled into the helm again with the bug in his hand.

"For Amona's sake destroy it!" Mokan shouted as her ship took another blast. Setig snareld, screaming over one of the two smaller helms at either side of her as it burst into electrical flames. "Ja'Bak afra ku'baug!" Mokan cursed violently as she balled her fist and whacked Setig in his shoulder.

"I disarmed it-" Geyo swallowed, stopping in his sentence as Setig raised his hand to Mokan as if he were going to use his breath on her.

"I will not take a strike like that from a woman!"

"Then watch what you're frelling doing! This isn't some grunt tanker!"

"You call this makeshift patchwork tech?" Setig curled his lip as he brought his damaged hand closer to his chest.

"Shut up and shoot!" Mokan ordered wide eyed as her ship went nose down into a canyon, she cut to the side, veering up into the regiment of prowlers that waited and began to fire on her. She strove for altitude, narrowing her eyes as Setig began to laugh. A regiment of Scarren ships were closing in on her, moving straight past her and into the prowlers.

She sighed heavily as she leveled out and flew for breaking altitude. If she could keep the prowlers off her tail they wouldn't find her again without visual. The stealth ability of her kind was the only advantage they had in such a universe.

"Frell!" She grimanced as she began her diagnostics for damages, slowing her speed as they came around the planets moon.

"Mokan, I commend your honorable nature," Setig narrowed his eyes on her. "I would not give up my own ship so easily either. But when it comes to battle, you are a true bitch!"

"Thank you," Mokan bowed her head to him, gazing up at him from beneath her brows. "But I'm not done. Damages are extensive and Chiana must be re-taken at any cost."

"D'argo is docking," Geyo reported mildy as he gazed over the damaged second helm. "Who was this other one that was trying to comm us?"

"Can you identify the frequency?" She asked as she turned her attention to the burned surface of the helm. "The voice was familiar but I can't think of it now."

"I will have to restore comms first..."

"Hezmana!" Mokan sighed heavily as she took Setigs hand and inspected it carefully. "You'll live, but it's a nasty wound. I'll take us to the Scarren base."

*******************************

"I never expected to see you agian," Rygel stated through the portal screen as Zhaan and Stark stepped towards it.

"Rygel," Zhaan smiled. "I am delighted to see you."

"Rygel, my daughter." Stark spoke softly as he gazed wide eyed on the Hynerian. "Where is my daughter?"

"I had insisted I watch her for Jothee while he carried out a delicate mission," Rygel stated. "But she jumped ship and followed him. If you will come with me, there is not much time. I must meet our rondevue or this chance will never come to me again. I'll explain it to you on our way."

**************************************************

Jothee drifted through the graveyard of ships, cursing to himself as a second prowler followed him as small ships franticly patroled the yard, filling his comms with thier shouts. The other prowler drifted past him towards a large, battle torn vessel. He followed, docking after them into a hexegon shaped bay. He poped his hatch and leaped out, sighing deeply as he caught a glimpse of Amber racing out into the ship.

"Amber wait!" He shouted as he chased after her, stopping short as he came into what looked like the inside of some large hive of honeycombs. Amber ran down rows of capsules, stopping short to one. "Stop!"

He ran after her as she raised her hand to the capsule and it came swinging open. A pale form fell out of the swirl of steam, crumbeling onto the floor. Jothee knelt to the small form of a young woman, placing his fingertips on her neck.

"She's cold," he muttered quietly as he took off his robe and wrapped it around her. "Why did you do it?"

"I'm sorry," Amber began to cry as she reached into the capsule and cradled a large tube shaped case. "She wanted out so badly ... I'm sorry Jothee."

"It's alright," he smiled gently, gruffing as he brought the woman over his shoulder and stood with her. "Well, we needed to steal a ship. I guess it will be this one. Let's try to find the helm in this thing and see if it still runs at all."

********************************

Mokan curled her lip, brooding darkly as she helped Geyo repair her helm.

"This is just great," she grumbled under her breath as she traded tools with Geyo and then handed him a box shape of inlets. "My helm is speaking in Scarren!"

"How can you tell?"

"I can tell," she spoke more sofly as she bit her lip. "It's loosing almost as much of the Jaboan language as I am. I'd have to return to restore the codes we use completely. I should have asked Krestan to leave me some of his data codes."

"Well," Geyo blinked as he tilted his head. "How bad is that?"

"Big and bad," she eyed him. "Nobody bothers with us so, our codes are uncommon, far more unlikely to be interpreted by another tech than this frelling Scarren babbel! I'm going to loose that frequency that commed us at this rate!"

"Setig is in the station looking for it now."

"Fine," she grimanced as she sat back and sighed heavily at the mess her helm was in. She narrowed her eyes, turning her head up slowly to D'argo as he came to them. He sighed as he squatted down with a tray of food in his hands.

"This is all you have?"

"Look in the engineers bay," She curled her lip at him as she leaned back into what she was doing. "While you're there you can re-align the metran system data transfers on the side where I keep the roast Dijinaks."

"This tray is for you," D'argo sighed patiently as he set it down in front of his feet without straying his eyes from her. "As soon as we locate this frequency I'm going to prepare for battle against the command carrier with the Scarren forces allied to you. I will endeavor to see your ship is running by then."

She said nothing, her eyes wild as she turned to watch him leave.

**********************************

"I've never seen anything like this," Jothee said as he hefted a flat, black board over the ships helm that spread around him in a semi-circle. He glanced back to Amber as she knelt to the unconsious woman, patting her dark ruby red hair. "This isn't Sebacean."

"Crichton is human."

Jothee snorted as he turned back to the black board and brought its keys to light under his fingertips. "This looks more like something insectal almost. Let's hope she's still running."

"It's in a junk yard," Amber creased her brows at him lightly.

"If its got any jouice left this gadget will kick it in," Jothee smiled slightly as he pressed several keys. He blinked as lights flashed around the helm, its tech humming to life in speratic sounds as he stepped back. "One more jump ought to do it."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"Look, you're the kid," He eyed her as he stepped to the helm again and swung his arm, rounding his shoulder. "And I'm the grown up. I think I can deal with this thank you very much."

He touched the keys again. The ship burst into life around him, lights exploding as a spray of sparks flew out of one side of the helm.

"You over surged," Amber commented without looking to him.

"Where's the frelling propulsion?" He snareld to himself as he ran his hands over the board again, gasping as the ship took a lunge forward, drifting before it jumped into a lurching lunge again.

"Would you drive!" Amber gasped as she tried to hold on to the young woman to keep her from rollng.

"Give it a microt!" He exasperated as several ships came flying into the wide screen that came to life in front of him and began to fire. The ship lunged again, crashing into a large cluster of junked ships before he seemed to smooth out and glided into space at a top prowler speed. Ships came from everywhere in the yard after him.

************************************

Chiana's dark dreams disturb her wounded sleep. She feels near to Crichton. His touch, his warmth. The next microt she feels Scorpius' hot breath on her. She feels a sharp pain in her stomach. It punches her awake with fear. As she opens her eyes, she feels such great loss for John. "What did I do?" She feels in her mind. "I've lost him forever!" She sobs. "He was never mine." She feels movement next to her. Her anger violently jumps to the surface. She swings her fist in defense against her attacker. She hits him in his face, his chest.

"Aaaaaai! She screams.

Captain Shelan wakes with the strikes. He puts his up arm in defense. Opening her eyes Chiana sees the Peacekeeper's uniform. She reaches for her dagger. It's gone! She kicks sending Phillip tumbling off the bed.

"Stay away from me you frelling Peacekeeper bastard!" She trembles as she tries to steady herself to her knees. She falls over again on the bed.

Phillip's eye is bleeding again. His bruised ribs ache. He gasps and recovers. He cautiously stands. "I will. I will. Just calm Chiana." He says nervously. "I'll stay away from you Chiana. I'll just get you something to eat. Do you need your juice? I can offer you frellup nectar. I have food cubes."

"Get out!" She screams.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Phillip walks backward through the doorway. "I'll go." He closes the door.

As Phillip leaves Chiana suddenly feels the door slamming closed on any comfort. The loneliness hits her like the blast of a prowler engine. She feels abandoned. She hits the bed with violence at her attackers. She screams with grief and hate at those who have taken her child. She sobs into her hands, drenching her face. She screams from her loneliness. "John!" Reaching out her hand to the air as though he will come for her.

*********************************

Phillip stands outside his quarters, leaning against the door. He can hear Chiana crying, screaming. He hears her call out Crichtons name. He begins to cry. For the first time he sees her devastation, being separated from Crichton. He remembers the days and nights he cried for Leah.

For the first time in his life Captain Shelan feels ashamed of what hes done. Chiana was happy with Crichton. He swallows and walks slowly down to Med bay. He looks at his reflection in a cabinet. Chianas hit has reopened his eye. He picks up a packet and opens it. He rubs some into the wound. It smarts. He applies some to his bruised ribs. They remind him of Crichtons words, his tears at Chiana severing their marriage. He swallows.

Phillip walks to the galley and gets frellup nectar and food cubes. He takes them to Chiana in his quarters, tapping on the hatch. "Chiana. Ive brought you something to eat." He can hear her sobbing beyond the hatchway. He hesitates, then opens it. Entering quietly, he leaves the food on the side table.

Chiana presses her face into the pillows. "John!" She cries.

Shelan reaches out to touch her hair. As he does Chiana sits up sharply and hits him in the face. "How dare you touch me?"

Phillip backs away from her.

"You did this to me! Get out!" she screams.

Phillip can only watch in pain at her reaction. Only one can comfort her and he is gone forever from her life. He feels powerless to help. "Im sorry Chiana." Is all he can say.

"Bastard!" She screams and picks up the frellup nectar, hurling it at him. The container misses and crashes against the bulkhead. "Get out! I never want to see you again!"

Phillip backs away. "Im sorry." He says and leaves, closing the door.

*********************************

"Yotza!" Rygel cried out as the large ship came into view on his screen. It was swarmed by smaller ships, barreling towards him at an alarming speed.

"It's them!" Stark spoke with alarm as he came closer. "They'll never make it!"

"Watch," Rygel stated, sucking in his breath through his slits for nostrils as he motioned to the Zenetan at the helm.

On the view screen a webbing sparked to life in blue streaks just behind the larger ship, disapearing as most of the small fleet seemed to pause in space. Zenetan ships met with the remaining ones after the larger ship, explosions surrounding it as it continued to charge through space without slowing.

****************************

"Jothee I'm scared!" Amber cried as she clutched on to the unconsious woman, trying to hold her as the ship rocked, continuing to take on enemy fire as the power died, leaving them in virtual darkness before slowly powering to life again more dimmly.

"I lost the propulsion," Jothee shook his head worridley as he ran his fingers over his black board swiftly, glancing up as they shot past Rygels PeaceKeeper command carrier. "I can't slow down. You should take my prowler to Rygel."

"No!" Amber cried. "You just want me to go so you can try to keep this ship!"

"Amber go," Jothee glared out at the screen. "NOW!"

"No!" She ran to him, grasping the helm beside him as she closed her eyes and began to mutter quietly to herself. The ship began to slow down. She seemed to almost glow as it came into a near halt in space, a battle continuing to swarm around it until the remainder of the small fleet retreated.

"Hey!" Jothee grasped her shoulder, looking into her eyes with alarm as she looked up haggardly. "How did you do that?"

"I - I," She shook her head. "I don't know. I just wanted you to stop."

"Jothee!" Rygels voice cried out in laughter through the comm at his shoulder. He rolled his eyes, sighing as he rested his hands on the beaten helm.

"Yeah Ryge," he snorted with a half smile. "I got it."

"Haha!" Rygel exclaimed with sheer joy over the comm. "I frelling knew it! I'm on my way. Zhaan and Stark want to have a little talk with you."

"Amber is fine," Jothee grimanced at the sing song cheerfulness in Rygel's voice. "But we have a little matter to discuss first."

"What!" Rygel chocked over the comm, his voice swiftly becoming low and serious. "Listen to me Jothee if you do not have that other flax I'll-"

"I have the frelling flax you slug!" Jothee shouted.

"Let me guess," Rygel's voice softened. "You want it for yourself. Very well, a joint ownership but you get nothing of mine! You'll just have more to deal with taking the rest of Kirtha's control from him than I will."

"I don't want it."

"No!" Rygel gasped. "You must be farbot not to take an opportunity like this!"

"No frelling thanks!" He sneered as he eyed Amber. "But I will trade you for this ship I'm in ... all the parts I could ever want to fix it."

"You HAVE gone insane." Rygel sighed. "Very well."

"You take her with you," Jothee nudged his head to Amber. "Go back to Moya before your parents ring my neck alright? I'm going to stay and hash some things out with Ryge."

Amber nodded as she stepped back from the helm.

******************************

Amber stepped onto Moya with Zhaan and Stark, watching her father worridley as he carried the youth she had found to an empty quarters.

"She'll be fine," her mother smiled as she touched her shoulder. "She's been a very long time in stasis, I expect it will take some time for her to awaken fully. Are you sure she said her name was Jasmin?"

"Are you mad?" Amber asked as she nodded.

Zhaan smiled, a humm of breath escaping her nostrils with amusement as she knelt to her daughter and wiped her finger down her nose.

"No," she spoke gently. "I see only that it is time for you to take the first level of the Seek. "We aren't angry with you or Jothee. It's just that we knew he was leaving on something very dangerous and then you were gone without a trace. We were afraid, you should have spoken to us my dear, sweet Zoto Amber. Were you afraid we would not understand?"

Amber shook her head. "What if I was afraid to take the Delvian Seek?"

"No, no," Stark gaped at her as he stepped back into the cooridor. "Amber, you must. Please choose to do so. You don't realize what it's like for me - for us ... we don't know of any other way to offer you the training you need - we aren't even sure what kind of skills you will come to have as our daughter ... I could insist."

Amber gazed up to the dark look on her fathers face, his eye wild, daring as she gazed over his demeanor without expression.

"I want to be a Pa'u," she spoke in tears as she buried herself into her mothers arms. "I know I'm not the same!"

"Amber," Stark drew to his knees, a tormented, saddened look crossing his face as he touched her head. "I didn't mean..."

Zhaan shook her head, meeting his eye as her brows creased with deep worry.

********************************************************

Mokan stepped into her ship, wiping her face with a sharply serious glare in her eyes as she brushed passed the Scarren soldiers leaving her docking bay and made for her helm. She nodded slightly to Geyo as he stepped back from her helm board.

"I don't expect you to come with us," she stated quietly as she began to run a diagnostics, the tech of her ship running smoothly if in a majority of Scarren codes. "I know you were buisy with helping Melak rebuild that underground base you found. You are quiet the master for technology, thank you."

"It's an act of war, Mokan," Geyo muttered quietly. "To attack that command carrier. What if Chiana or Crichton get killed during the attack?"

"I have been in many raids Geyo," she glanced at him. "This time it is for honor. It is D'argoes move and as a Jaboan I am obligated to come into the service of a Luxan general as a warrior. The best interest of the resistance is to hide better and as far as anyone else knows I am the last lead position in this sector. Our raid will give you and Melak ample opportunity to blend in again or detatch but by all means wipe out the remaining intel that has damaged us so badly underground wise."

"You make it sound like you're not returning."

"I may not," she stated tonelessly as she stared at her helm without expression.

******************************************

Chiana stopped in the docking bay, turning at her shoulder as she raised the pulse pistol, aiming it into Shelan's chest as he stopped cold in his tracks from comming after her.

"Get the frell away from me," she glared into him, growling darkly through her pursed lips.

"Chiana..."

She fired, missing his head by denches, forcing him to duck away. He looked to her, a tortured, drowned look in his eyes. She gasped as she shut her own and turned away from him.

"I can't look at you!" She cried. "You make me frelling sick!"

She got into Mokans prowler as swiftly as she could from the pain she was in, sobbing to herself as she piloted out and shot through space. She punched the comms, trembeling violently as she tried to hold herself together enough to speak.

"Mokan ... Mokan, you there?"

Amber stepped onto Moya with Zhaan and Stark, watching her father worridley as he carried the youth she had found to an empty quarters.

"She'll be fine," her mother smiled as she touched her shoulder. "She's been a very long time in stasis, I expect it will take some time for her to awaken fully. Are you sure she said her name was Jasmin?"

"Are you mad?" Amber asked as she nodded.

Zhaan smiled, a humm of breath escaping her nostrils with amusement as she knelt to her daughter and wiped her finger down her nose.

"No," she spoke gently. "I see only that it is time for you to take the first level of the Seek. "We aren't angry with you or Jothee. It's just that we knew he was leaving on something very dangerous and then you were gone without a trace. We were afraid, you should have spoken to us my dear, sweet Zoto Amber. Were you afraid we would not understand?"

Amber shook her head. "What if I was afraid to take the Delvian Seek?"

"No, no," Stark gaped at her as he stepped back into the cooridor. "Amber, you must. Please choose to do so. You don't realize what it's like for me - for us ... we don't know of any other way to offer you the training you need - we aren't even sure what kind of skills you will come to have as our daughter ... I could insist."

Amber gazed up to the dark look on her fathers face, his eye wild, daring as she gazed over his demeanor without expression.

"I want to be a Pa'u," she spoke in tears as she buried herself into her mothers arms. "I know I'm not the same!"

"Amber," Stark drew to his knees, a tormented, saddened look crossing his face as he touched her head. "I didn't mean..."

Zhaan shook her head, meeting his eye as her brows creased with deep worry.

******************************

Mokan stepped into her ship, wiping her face with a sharply serious glare in her eyes as she brushed passed the Scarren soldiers leaving her docking bay and made for her helm. She nodded slightly to Geyo as he stepped back from her helm board.

"I don't expect you to come with us," she stated quietly as she began to run a diagnostics, the tech of her ship running smoothly if in a majority of Scarren codes. "I know you were buisy with helping Melak rebuild that underground base you found. You are quiet the master for technology, thank you."

"It's an act of war, Mokan," Geyo muttered quietly. "To attack that command carrier. What if Chiana or Crichton get killed during the attack?"

"I have been in many raids Geyo," she glanced at him. "This time it is for honor. It is D'argoes move and as a Jaboan I am obligated to come into the service of a Luxan general as a warrior. The best interest of the resistance is to hide better and as far as anyone else knows I am the last lead position in this sector. Our raid will give you and Melak ample opportunity to blend in again or detatch but by all means wipe out the remaining intel that has damaged us so badly underground wise."

"You make it sound like you're not returning."

"I may not," she stated tonelessly as she stared at her helm without expression.

********************************

Chiana stopped in the docking bay, turning at her shoulder as she raised the pulse pistol, aiming it into Shelan's chest as he stopped cold in his tracks from comming after her.

"Get the frell away from me," she glared into him, growling darkly through her pursed lips.

"Chiana..."

She fired, missing his head by denches, forcing him to duck away. He looked to her, a tortured, drowned look in his eyes. She gasped as she shut her own and turned away from him.

"I can't look at you!" She cried. "You make me frelling sick!"

She got into Mokans prowler as swiftly as she could from the pain she was in, sobbing to herself as she piloted out and shot through space. She punched the comms, trembeling violently as she tried to hold herself together enough to speak.

"Mokan ... Mokan, you there?"

"Ni'anjekabo ensha Amona!" Mokans voice whined mournfully into the comm.

"Come alone." Chiana sighed as she wiped her face.

"I will call off the attack. D'argo would like to speak to you."

"No!" Chiana shouted. "Come alone! I want to go to Zhaan - alone."

"Zhaan..."

"Mokan," Chiana buried her face into her hand as she began to cry openly and deeply. "Take me to Zhaan," she barely whispered.