Savra - Childcatcher

[Amazee Dayzee]

I am hoping that he helps it a lot more than he implies because I didn't know if he was serious there. With the way that he acts I definitely tend to worry about how far he can go...

[Welsh Halfwit]

34


“No,” Harvest told Rawton as the Lappinean got into the back, “that’s Bennie. As in Benwick Carrastak? I believe the uncle is important,” he mentioned.

There was something about the name that stirred a memory in Rawton’s mind and he looked curiously at the boy, who was thinking about wetting himself again as he looked at the slightly exposed blade the Lappinean was carrying. “Possibly,” Rawton said. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo, I haven’t killed a kid in years. And then it was in self defence.” He put his mind to it as Harvest drove his hire car back towards the town. “They hold them in cells, don’t they,” he asked. “You swapped out Barnabus for this thing? Where are you going now?”


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


I note Rawton doesn’t mention the deposit costing dents on the front bumper as he gets in but he might not have noticed the fact that one of Kayle’s grunts was on us as soon as we get into the car and it takes hitting him at thirty miles an hour to put him down. It then took reversing over him to put him out and destroy his comm along with the rest of his hand bones. He’s in the boot, by the way. He’s occasionally to be heard bouncing around as I hit the occasional pothole accidentally on purpose. I don’t even really know why I stopped to pick up the lunatic who’s sworn my death if I’m being honest. But things aren’t over yet, I know this. I also have to be careful what I say here. “Dropping Bennie off with a safe option,” I tell him. “Then planning our next move.” He demands to know how we got Barnabus in. I tell him. He giggles and asks if I reckon we can get him in the same way. I say it’s likely to have a lot of people in the way now as it’s pretty obvious someone’s been there. He asks if I think he cares. Bennie’s shaking his head in the rear view. I have to agree. I ask if the Kerbal has a tech good with repairing computer systems and hacking old systems.


We reach the safe location, where a certain contact of mine used to live before someone unalived them in a secret bar and I unload the boy into the shower whilst Rawton stands against the door. He demands to know how I know this address so I tell him that it’s always wise to know more about a contact than they think you do. The contact had inherited this apartment from his mother and used it on occasions. Now he was dead, he wasn’t going to be using it and I had a key. Rawton frowns and asks why I had a key. I comment it was due to bugging him a year ago, after a contact I shared with Savra had figured out I knew the guy. It seems to satisfy him.


“There a comm here,” Rawton asked, looking around. “Need to speak with the ship.”

“Don’t need to ask them why there’s so many police around, I take it,” Harvest asked.

Rawton just smiled.


Gallen looked at the Tortoiseshell-furred Lappinean on the screen as the figure gave him a broken smile. <“With the Detective, Gallen,”> he said with limited contempt and he pulled Moon in front of the screen, indicating the introduction was his entire report as he stalked off to see if there was anything edible in the fridge.

“Where’s the Captain, Moon,” Gallen asked, his teeth clacking metallically, trying to avoid hearing Merran’s sigh from behind him.

<“Safe in place at the mansion, I imagine,”> Harvest replied. <“We’re going back in as soon as a few things are done. Need you to send down a technician who can repair a computer system and, possibly, some power systems. We found a control centre that’s hidden from the main house but it doesn’t work. We also have someone for you to look after. We had to substitute Barnabus for a Benwick Carrastak.” Harvest leaned in. “I think you know his uncle?”

Gallen looked slightly stricken by the name. He did, indeed, know the name. Even before the U.S.C. had given them the lead, they’d known of children going missing. Many no-one would miss but some linked to high level clan targets, including theirs. Carrastak was one of theirs. “I want his identity confirmed, Moon,” he snapped. “I’ll send Cherry down with Techrat.”

<“Understood”>, Harvest replied, wondering who Cherry was.

Gallen closed the link and sensed Merran wanted to say something. “What is it, Merran,” he asked.

“If it’s communications that needs fixing,” she said, a little hesitantly, “I, uh, shouldn’t I be, um, down there?”

“You and Harvest in a close room together,” Gallen said, a grin playing across his eye and teeth,” how WOULD you get any work done? Nah, you’re best up here. I need senior staff as we’re a little under-experienced up here.”

“Could you do with a science Officer, then,” Heather asked, from the back of the bridge as Kelly told her this was a bad idea.

“Giving ‘guests’ access to bridge systems…”

“Science systems,” Heather put in as Gallen continued on that it wasn’t a good idea. “I’d be using the scanners to make sure no-one sneaks up on us. I mean, you ARE expecting the Rapta Clan to drop by on their own base at some point in the very near future, aren’t you?”

“She has a point,” Kelly admitted. “As soon as one turns up, the plan’s borked. You need to have as much advance notice as possible so you need someone concentrating on that system.You can either reduce your efficiency in the science department by bringing someone up here or… You can use a bored guest?”

Gallen gritted his teeth.


“Remember you have a bomb in your neck,” Techrat helpfully reminded Cherry as they stood on the dais to be beamed down. “Captain can activate it over galnet if he wants.”

She gave him the barest of smile. “So there’s no escape,” she asked, already knowing the answer. “Wasn’t planning to run. I’ve interests on the ship, just like you.” Her electronic eye ran over his frame. “Have you gotten bigger?”

“Yup,” he chuckled. “Wanna see?”

She considered. “Maybe later. For now we have work to do.”


Pallik beamed them to the apartment.

[Amazee Dayzee]

This is getting more interesting by the chapter that you upload Welshy and I can't wait for me! Really awesome work as per usual!

[Welsh Halfwit]

35


Cherry headed over towards the boy almost as soon as she arrived, introducing herself as a medical Officer, as though the stolen bag’s emblem, recognised across several star systems, didn’t do the trick. She crouched beside him and introduced herself before gently taking the still smelly and now drenched boy back into the bathroom for a check over. TechRat turned to the others. “What are they gaining from this,” he asked.

“Kids are worth a packet,” Rawton remarked, from where he was lying on the sofa, after having made it look like he was sleeping. He opened his oil-like eye and looked, upside down, at the crossbreed. “Kids last longer, they’re stronger. Break their minds and you can control them, mould them into what you want to be. A son, a daughter, a slave, a lover, a soldier…”

“I get it,” Techrat said, holding up his hands. “Since when did YOU get so sane?”

Rawton flipped himself up into a crouched position on the couch and looked askew at Techrat. “I’ve always been sane,” he said in a singsong voice. “It’s the universe that’s gone crazy.” He broke into the grin that could scare stone. “I think everything makes sense if you know it’s mad. Don’t you?”

“What we’re going to be doing,” Harvest said, waiting until he was sure Rawton wasn’t meaning to continue, “is gain access to a computer system in the hidden section that no longer works. It would help if we – as in, you – can get it up and running.”

“And I’m just going to make sure you get there, sweetie,” Rawton simpered, blinking up at TechRat as if he was trying to seduce him. He laughed and headed down to the car. “The time’s the charm,” he called. Harvest let Cherry know they were headed out.


Savra watched the guards move around the room. They were antsy, he reckoned. On edge. He couldn’t say he blamed them. He was a little on-edge too. Where was Rawton? There was no chance the locals would have been able to handle him. Not without casualties he’d not heard about anyway. So where was he? He should be here somewhere. The guards kept looking at them, Savra, Kurmak and Janus. He glanced to the feline. “So tell me that we shouldn’t be doing anything,” he asked, keeping his tone low as Janus pretended to be somewhere else in his head.

Kurmak glanced at the guards, who all seemed to be concentrating on their jobs. He tried to formulate the right words. “I just… sometimes I think we have enough enemies and yet… and yet we go looking for more. It seems…”

“Reckless,” Savra grumbled. “Perhaps it does. But, sometimes, people will be doing things we don’t like. We never have to agree with allies and we never have to disagree with enemies.” He side eyed the Feline. “It’s not a mathematically simple universe. Of course there IS one simple truth. Betray me and I kill you.”

“Understood.”


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


Watching Rawton work when he’s looking to get information isn’t pleasant so neither Techrat or I are looking as he deals with the work in an isolated barn. We can still her the cries as Rawton works on the boot buddy from the car. I’m almost feeling sorry for him but he has been trying to kill me so there’s that. I take the chance to look sideways at Techrat. I’m assuming that’s not his real name. If it is, that’s good prediction by his parents. If we get the chance,” I ask, “are you going to pick up some new clothes?” I’m still wearing my slightly stained trenchcoat but it’s now been bedecked with air fresheners and odour neutralisers so I can imagine it doesn’t still stink of urine. The crossbreed looks over to me, down to his feet, which his eyes seem to imply were closer to his groin yesterday, as evidenced by the fact his foot protection level are glinting in the gap between trouser and boot. He grimaces and says the donor was still growing. I ask if he stole the trousers and he looks at me as though I’m mad before telling methe genetic donor. I nod, guessing what he ws talking about. I ask to confirm and he says he’s surprised I know about that. I remind him that it’s classed s top secret. Therefore everyone suspects. He chuckles.

“I never had your confidence,” he states. “Your courage to do stupid things and run with the consequences…”

“Couldn’t ask a girl out, eh<” I ask.

“Correct. Now I have a mate and a baby on the way.”

“You’re going to raise a baby on that ship,” I ask. He doesn’t have an answer.

Possibly because that’s the time when Rawton returns, wiping his hands. “He told me all I wanted to know,” the Lappinean said happily. “Suffered so sweetly, too. You can call the ambulance now.” He stops. “They are the ones take meat to the abattoir, right?” He gives that manic giggle again. Then he does something really terrifying. He gets in the car. Behind the steering wheel. I don’t think telling him he’s not insured for it is going to work. We’re going to die. Or, alternately, we’re going to get there nd then Kayle’s forces are going to kill us. It’s one of those days, isn’t it?


Kayle stepped into the room with Savra and the others. The canine walked towards the trio, sat on the three piece suite that probably cost more than everything Savra had in his quarters. Kayle looked at the empty table. “Has no-one offered you refreshments,” he asked innocently.

“Doesn’t look like it, does it,” Savra replied grumpily.

“I’ll have to talk to them about that. What would you like?” Savra and Kurmak took nothing. Janus took a glass of water. “Nothing more than that,” Kayle asked, a little upset that he wasn’t going to get a chance to show off his favourite bottles of liquor.

“I’m the driver,” Janus replied. “Staying sober’s kind of my thing.”

Kayle had to assume that was true. It mattered little.


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


We’re parked close to the entrance this time. We’re not escaping so there’s no point hiding the car. And there was no telling Rawton not to, either. He’d run over a couple of critters on the way up here, aiming for one of them as he drove, wild-eyed, along the roads. He just asked me to announce when we were close. He just braked hard in the middle of the road, making me glad I was wearing a seatbelt and almost whiplashing me in the stop. He looks at me and tells me to lead on. At least to the entrance. That’s where he takes the lead, knife ready. He smiles at us and plunges into the dark.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I think I figured out how Rawton managed to last this long despite being mentally unstable on the BEST day. It looks like he acts like he is SO insane that people don't want to go near him or challenge him about anything.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Here. we. go...

36


Kayle sat opposite Savra, crossing his legs so as to seem comfortable. The group had chatted for five minutes about various things, raids and challenges. The talk of people who operated in the same circles but couldn’t really stand or trust each other. Savra had been allowed to know a little about the operations on Gartin and he’d let Kayle know unimportant details about minor operations on Micanna. Nothing serious. Nothing exciting either. Savra could tell Kayle was avoiding talking about important things. He wished his opponent would drop the sword here. Eventually, it began to happen.

“You know,” Kayle ventured, putting his glass down on the table, “all this really began with a little Private Eye sniffing around things. Once I knew who he ws, of course, I worked to deal with the other person in the area who works for the person who hires him out. Of course we also dealt with the others in her office. We even crucified the office chief.”

“Sound unpleasant but effective,” Savra remarked casually, staying sat as he noted the guards positions without moving his head.

“It was,” Kayle admitted. He chuckled. “The junior turned out to be a cop on an undercover stint. That was unfortunate, I suppose, but he had to die as he saw us kill the others. The boss turned out to be more interesting.”

“How so,”

“Turns out he was working for your clan.”

Savra hmphed. “Wondered why we couldn’t contact him,” he admitted. “You’ve covered it up, of course?”

“No. The Police did that themselves. That’s one way I know they had an undercover in there. But first this Private Eye turns up, looking for information. Then, just when I need help, I can’t contact my clan and you show up. How stupid do you think I am?”

Savra’s face turned to a snarl. “Very,” he admitted, drawing his firearm and slapping a chargepack from a hidden compartment into it. Before the first of the guards could drag his weapon clear, Savra had turned and shot him through the chest. Kurmak and Janus moved for cover, as unarmed as they were and Savra twisted to shoot the second as the third drew a bead and fired, scorching across Savra’s arm and making him drop the weapon. Instead the Captain charged him as Kurmak worked on the power supply to jam the door systems before Kayle could leave. Savra brought his knee up into the groin of the guard as he engaged in hand to hand. The guard tried to punch him back before his attention was diverted elsewhere by pain. Savra took the Alsan’s muzzle in his hand and thrust it back into the mantelpiece with a resounding crack. A door to the rear opened and another pair of guards came through as Kurmak managed to seal the doors. Janus tackled the first one and began wrestling as Kayle managed to slip through the main door before the barriers came down. As Janus wrestled, the other raised his weapon…

… and gasped in pain as Savra’s electrowhip wrapped around his neck. He dropped the weapon as he tried to grapple with the tight enclosure around his neck. From a distance, he heard Savra speak. “I don’t want you alive,” he said, before ramping up the charge, frying his victims systems from the inside until his brain fried and the body gave way. Janus punched his one as Savra released the throat blackened corpse from the whip’s entanglement and stood over the final guard. Janus moved and he placed a boot on his chest. “You I might need,” he stated, indicating the hidden entrance as people began hammering on the other door. “What’s through there?”


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


Rawton’s a little upset. He only got to slaughter two people in the passageway, gutting a Raitchian and letting a Labran think he had a chance in hand to hand before doing a move I’ve seen before. where he shimmies, twists to the side, pulls his knife and sticks it straight through the soft underside of the muzzle and through to the brain. Unlike when he tried it in his fight with my old mentor, this bites home and fills the canines eyes with blood from the inside as he lowered the corpse to the ground and pulled the blade back out with a sucking sound that makes Techrat hurl. They’ve been fiddling so I need Techrat to get us past the entry coder. I advise him of what the code was and he uses his little machine to reset the lock code as Rawton waits on anyone who drops in on us. He takes two minutes and Rawton doesn’t get to kill anyone. He offers to stay back in case some other guards might happen to drop by but I convince him with the promise that he can kill some of the guards inside. The calm version of the Lappinean from earlier has gone. The berserker wants blood. So we go through, with me wondering if this crouching lunatic can get through the grilles.


I manage to get us back to the monitor room and Techie gets to work, patching systems and worming his way into the operating system as, apparently, a certain Billionaire Bunnys’ top secret password was ‘Bunnicula123!’, the seventh most popular password for Lappineans. Who knew?


The system clunks to life under the coaxing of a guy who probably trained on this stuff every day as new and he manages to get some of the cameras working. Things fizz into focus and he starts work on the monitors to get more of those working. There are cameras for all the ‘servants rooms’ and some of the ones upstairs, it seems. Rawton’s gripping his knife tighter as he looks at the grainy images of the trapped children in the cells. He’s grumbling to himself and I really want to unleash him of someone else. A Shrewvian girl, clearly trying to hold herself together. A Feline boy with a recently docked tail. How do I know it was done recently? It’s in the room with him. Barnabus. He’s been hit hard, it seems. Rawton tenses hard when he sees him. Techrat manages to engage the monitor he’s working on and asks what we see. It appears to be a passage upstairs. It’s watching over a door and Kayle’s people are trying hard to get in. I have to imagine I know what’s going on there and so does Rawton.

“How do I get up there,” he hisses in my ear.

“I have no idea,” I confess, adding ‘but I know how you can help them’ so he doesn’t cut my neck. “If Savra’s exposed before the shields are down, Kayle’s going to wipe the field as much as he can. We need to get the kids out,” I say. “Now.”


Rawton licked his lips.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I definitely can see how this is going to bet a lot more bloodier right now. At least we know Harvest isn't squeamish but by the end of this I think he will want get and stay as FAR away from Savra and his crew as possible.

[Welsh Halfwit]

37


Techrat was flailing somewhat now, fixing up the monitors and realising that one of the feeds showed the cave tunnel outside the door where they’d left a couple of dead bodies to mark their passage. They were bringing up a heavy energy cutting beam that could probably breach the door in five minutes flat. Twenty at tops. Then there was the fact he was alone, Moon and Rawton headed along to the grille they’d used earlier to get Rawton in to protect the children if anything started there, as it obviously had upstairs, where Kayles forces were trying to break down a door and kill the Captain. All it needed, he figured, was a clan ship to arrive early and the plan would be borked from here to Pandera. Back to work, he told himself, after unlocking more information on the house. “No, I don’t have TIME to install ten years of updates,” he cried as the main computer system database cranked up and realised it hadn’t been updated in a decade. Schematics, he realised. And controls. The system was antiquated, yes, but it could still override some of the secure systems from here. He blew filth off the keyboard.


“How does that door open from this side,” Kurmak asked their captive, a slightly bemused younger Malinan Canine who was halfway between telling the truth and gaining time so his comrades might rescue him.

He looked at the other he’d come in with and decided, sod it, he didn’t like the people here that much. “Door frame. The whirl motif at halfway up. Press it.” He looked at the unpowered whip around his neck and hoped he’d remembered correctly. “It only leads into a small guard station, though,” he added, hoping the truth would earn him a few points. “We’re, uh, supposed to be a surprise?”

“Well, Janus acknowledged, pushing the whirl motif before anyone could stop him, “you were that. I’d have put better fighters in, though.”

Savra growled at him. “And I’D have put in people who don’t press secret buttons before making sure they’re not traps!” He pushed the Malinan through, with Kurmak and Janus following, Kurmak picking up the one dead guards gun and disconnecting the gene sensor as he went.


The door closed on a small, white, office that seemed to have no other exit, despite Janus looking. “How do we get out of here,” he asked the Canine.

“Through…” the Canine coughed but Savra didn’t lighten the tension around his neck. “Through the door. We found… passages like this throughout the main floor. This one just leads here.”

As he said it, part of the ceiling drew back, dislodging dust and dust-bunnies onto them. Kurmak turned his weapon upwards as Savra copied him, ready to fire one handed until a ladder creaked it’s way down, rusting up when still a good nine feet from the floor. “You were saying,” Savra spat, believing the captive’s eyes that he didn’t know that was up there. “You two,” he commanded, hearing someone in the other room, “get that down!”

“How..?” Janus asked, before getting an idea. “Kurmak, You’re the athletic type, right?”

“I’m Feline.”

“Doesn’t always hold. Look at that Orange and black butterball Humans worship.”

“Get on with it,” Savra snapped.

“Stand on my shoulders,” Janus remarked. He knelt down and, knowing what he was planning, Kurmak perched with a foot either side of Janus’ head. Holding on to the scientist’s ankles, Janus shakily stood up before Kurmak went to his full height and his tail smacked Janus in the face. Kurmak arched up to his maximum height and grasped the last rung. He tugged at it and it moved down slightly. It protested but it moved. He kept pulling, hoping not to tear the thing in half.

“That’ll do,” Savra said when it was roughly at his height. He pulled a four legged chair over to the position below it. “You two, up.” He glanced at the captive. “You follow them,” he stated, “or I leave you down here. Dead.”

The Malian chose the sensible option, following Janus and being followed by Savra, who was a little confused the people outside hadn’t gotten in yet. He noted the severe rust on one particular rung and broke it off with his foot, leaving part of the ladder on the floor as he wondered who was helping them.


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


We have little time to lose. We’ve only been gone a few hours but we have to hope Barnabus got something of the word out as it all appears to be hitting the fan. We get to the first of the cells and I look through, The Shrewvian girl’s in there, sitting on her bunk and not crying. I reckon she wants to but can’t. She’s scared, though. I can tell that straight off. I begin work on the grille and Rawton tells me we don’t have time for that stuff as there’s killing in the offing. I think he’s right as I can hear cries from elsewhere and he didn’t use the word ‘stuff’, either. He braces against the conduit wall, tells me to get to Barnabus, and uses his lappinean legs to kick the grille straight out and across the cell before he vanishes into the outside.


Rawton glanced around quickly. “I won’t harm you,” he said, a little unconvincingly, considering he was standing there with a manic grin and a knife in his hand.

“Are…” She swallowed, trying to keep her inner fluids in, “are you one of Barnabus’s friends?”

He looked at her askew. “You know Barnabus?”

She nodded weakly. “I’m… I’m a friend. They, um, hit him, you know? They hit all of us…”

The door opened and a guard began to come in. “What was that..?” He stopped, not so much struck by the fact an adult Lappinean was standing in the room but more due to the fact he’d been struck by the adult Lappinean’s knife, straight in the chest. And Rawton hadn’t even turned to look at him.

“Positioning is SO important,” Rawton remarked, pulling his blade out and dropping the corpse to the floor to bleed over the stonework. He picked the guard’s weapon up. “Now,” he asked casually, “which one hurt Barnabus?”


“This could be trouble,” Heather stated from the science station.

Kelly looked over her shoulder. “You could say that,” she agreed. “Commander,” she stated, calling Gallen, “we have a cruiser coming in on a vector that’ll bring it directly to the Kayle estate...”

[Amazee Dayzee]

Rawton should try to practice to look a bit more normal so he doesn't end up scaring more well-adjusted people though I think he knows that. At least we know he has a papa bear instinct to him to go medieval on anyone that hurts children.

[Welsh Halfwit]

38


Kurmak was already fed up of this passageway, that had led off to the left when he’d reached the top of the ladder and he was moderately thankful when they came to an exit into a small, bare room. The four of them, including their ‘guest’, could barely fit in here and the lights barely illuminated the space. Janus looked up, in hopes of seeing another ladder, but there was just ceiling up there , not that far from his head. “Where’s the way out,” he asked.

“Don’t ask me,” the guard stated. “Not like we knew it was here.”

“You do realise,” Savra explained gruffly, “that our reasons for keeping you alive are decreasing rapidly?”

“Well, if it’s anything like the other passages, there’ll be notches or hidden latches. Let me see…” The Alsan started feeling the wall, accidentally elbowing Janus in the face as he went. “Apologies,” he mentioned.

“You meant that,” Janus complained, holding his nose.

“As if,” he replied, reaching up and tapping a tiny screw that was sticking out. He pushed it in and a section of the wall opened. Janus pulled him back as Kurmak went first, anxious to be out of the tight space.


The wall opened into a study sized room with one occupant, who started to rise from their seat, pulling at a weapon. Savra’s whip lashed out, power on, smacking the Vixen clean across the face with a crank that almost deafened the people in the room. She fell backwards, onto the floor, the red line blazing across her face, scarring the beauty for the rest of her life. Savra checked on her whilst the others headed for the door and, finding she was going to survive, stamped on her throat so she didn’t. He couldn’t have her calling in their location. He had to get to the shield control and every second might count.


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


It’s not something I’ve ever thought would happen to me, being halfway through the grille into a Feline girl’s prison cell when a jailer breaks in, likely wanting to kill her as things were going mad up top. He’s a bit surprised to see a Mican in a large hat that’s stained with dust and gawd only knows what else half out of a grill in the far corner of the cell and I take that time to fire a bolt from a captured gun that hits him in the chest and sends him falling backwards. So, there’s no stun on this thing, I reason. I say hi and the girl pulls me out of the grill so she can get in. Can’t say I blame her. I hope TechRat’s able to stop her from running into the group that’s coming up behind us. I rush forward and grab the guard’s weapon, firing at another guard I can see. It distracts him as he opens the door to a cell. It doesn’t hit as I’m not aiming but he turns towards me, shock and panic on his face as I fire again, striking his shoulder and ripping a chunk of it off. He’s forgotten the prisoner. Problem is, so have a good half dozen other guards, who are now quite interested in who’s shooting at them. They start shooting back. Whatever happens, needs to happen soon.


Gallen moved the Kerbal in, keeping her transponder off to avoid identification but knowing there was nothing could be done to stop a visual confirmation. The ship would spin up her shields as soon as they saw the Kerbal on the screen. He kept the ship out of the direct line of flight of the incoming cruiser and had Hastur powering up the weapons as fast as she could. “On it,” the Dober replied, tapping buttons and moving knobs to ensure they were targetted correctly.


Down in the launcher bay, Pantha grumbled that the automatic launcher was out of order again as she and a couple of her subordinates, chained up a torpedo and manually winched it across from storage to the primary launcher. Pantha used her strength to hold it aloft as the others opened the door to the launch tube and she laid it in, panting. “Two minutes,” she huffed. “Let’s halve that! She pulled the chains over to where the next torpedo was lying. They repeated the procedure and sealed the tube. Pantha took a few breaths and contacted her mate, notifying him that there were two loaded and they HAD to prioritise replacement parts for the automatic system. She heard Gallen agree before clearing her people out of the launcher bay. It wasn’t safe for people to be in here when things started crashing round. Two torpedoes, that was it. She closed the bulkhead. “Get to maintenance section three,” she ordered, deciding to take charge at the secondary engineering bay. It was closer than main engineering and, with the exception of the engine, she could interface with every system from there. “Shandy,” she called, seeing the girl scurry across the corridor ahead. “Where you going?”

“Uh,” the girl replied, doing a finger point with both hands towards the medical bay. “Cherry asked me to take some boy she just brought up from the colony and, um, do something with him?”

“Probably keeping him safe,” Pantha mused, deciding to do a short diversion to grab a kid and take them BOTH with her. Someone had to look after the girl. It was her motherly duty.


She was angry beyond belief when she saw the state of the child in her son’s shirt. It ws beyond her scope how people could treat children like this. The sort of abuse that had broken bones that had reset themselves over weeks. Broken teeth were nothing for a Raitchian but this one was having his front teeth regrowing from near nubs and his eyes were shaky and withdrawn as he grasped Cherry on seeing Pantha. “She’s OK,” the medic had said as he looked up at her with fear in his eyes. “She’s Barnabus’s mom. She’ll look after the two of you.”

“I’m going to the secondary Engineering centre,” she announced as Shandy offered a hand for the bony figure to take. “There’s a rec room next door.” She thought, for half a second, about not breaking one of the pivotal engineering rules but opted to declare it optional for now. “You can get food from there and bring it in with you.”

Cherry advised Shandy on what she figured Bennie needed.


Techrat could hear them getting nearer and he cursed as he realised he couldn’t manually close the door between him and the oncomers from here and operate the system at the same time. Of all the times for the door to jam and… what? He looked at the girl and she looked at him. Then she looked at the door. “Go through there,” he told the wiry feline with the sharp ears that twitched at every sound, “and they’ll kill you in ten seconds! Can you close it?” She hesitated. “QUICK,” he yelled. She started an, to his relief, pushed the door shut. “That won’t stop them long,” Techrat groused. “But this will…” He looked at the girl, who would have had her claws out if she had any left. “Some rescue, huh,” he replied. “Be thankful the guy who set all this up was paranoid enough to be prepared for being followed” He heard banging on the door a few seconds after he’d engaged the lock. He hit a button. “Fluorine gas,” he said sadly. Into the passages out there.” He sighed and sat in the chair. “I just killed them all, out there,” he said, hoping it had only been out there.

“Good,” the flint eyed girl spat.

[Amazee Dayzee]

After what they ended up doing to her, I am not surprised that she is glad that everybody outside is dead. They truly are disgusting unrepentant monsters and I am happy to know they have been sent down to their eternal torment.

[Welsh Halfwit]

39


Two looked at One in the gloom of their room as their fingers continued to work on the keyboards and their implants continued to interface with the computer systems. The room shook as weapons fire struck the ship. “What is happening,” she asked whilst calculating the exact position of something, based on the transmitted readings.

“We are under attack,” One replied “A cruiser from the opposition has dropped by at the worst moment. This should have been anticipated.”

“It does seem logical,” Two agreed, “this scenario often occurs in fiction.”

“Fiction is irrelevant,” One counselled, “although fiction can often warn of future facts. And the facts are annoying.”

“Why is that?”

“We now know how to drop the shields around the target and transport people to achieve the objective.”

“But,” three put in, “we cannot do that whilst under attack.”

“Exactly,” One said. “We can send the signal but,” he continued, unmoved by the shaking of the hull, “we cannot send troops without dropping our shielding and allowing that ship free reign.”

“Should we look to disable that ship?”

“We’ve received no orders. But it might be advantageous to work towards that effort before Commander Gallen asks us to.” One sent the signal to drop the manor houses shield network. He understood it would mean the people down on the ground would need to locate and destroy the generator before Kayle could have the programme overridden but One didn’t care. It was simply what he’d been told to do.


As the ship had appeared, Gallen had fired the first torpedo but, without knowing the co-ordinates the ship would be re-entering normal space at, they’d had to aim for several seconds so the ship had managed to get the shields up before the projectile hit home so the explosive effect happened on the invisible barrier. It still put out enough energy to shake the ship at this distance and Hastur had the shields up and the weapons calibrated to fire through them, which she proceeded to do a second after Gallen told her to fire. He suspected the Dober had been about to fire anyhow and the treated screen put the visual beam of energy up so they could see if it hit anything. It also showed the enemies fire coming at them, of course, and the blue bolts cracked into the energy shielding. “Attack Pattern theta 14,” Gallen told the Feline at the helm.

She accepted the order and began to shift the ship to port, then dove to starboard and down, bringing the Kerbal to what might be considered the underside of the vessel. “Hold on,” she added, applying the lower port side thrusters to maximum to twist the ship around on it’s axis before stabilising with the upper starboard thrusters so Hastur could fire at the underside of the ship, even as they took incoming fire.


Rawton took a second to look at the Shrewvian girl as the screaming and shooting continued outside, some screams being cut short as she stammered out an answer. “Help them,” she added desperately as he nodded.

He kicked the gun over to her as someone outside called his name with the sharp urgency only the Mican he knew could manage. “Stay,” he commanded, “protect yourself. I’ll be back!”

He rushed out into the passage and bore down on the closest guard that had the Mouse pinned down.


Barnabus had inflicted the first punch on his would be killer as the door had opened, stunning them enough that he was able to strike the weapon from their hand with the second blow but he didn’t yet have enough strength or power to have landed a crippling blow and the Alsan struck back with a swipe that Barnabus barely dodged, feeling the sting of fingers to the side of his head as he tried to get in under the reach and went for a kidney. He fought to hold his own but he knew help wasn’t coming yet so… Did someone just yell for Rawton? It sounded like Mr Moon. Had he brought the stained cavalry to the rescue?


Rawton swung himself around on the neck of one of the guards that had started into another room. He could tell where Moon was. There was energy fire coming out of a room that half a dozen intruders were trying to get into. Why hadn’t the rodent backed out into the conduits, he wondered as he raked the Canine’s throat with his filthy, blood stained, claws. The answer came as his target dropped and two of the guards turned their attention to him, firing bolts that cut through his leg and abdomen as impetus carried him forward. Whilst they were dealing with Moon they couldn’t be killing the children. It might be something to be said for not killing him. But this wasn’t the time for not killing, he decided, He was hurt and he was in a good mood. He landed amongst the melee.


Harvest took a chance as the guards stopped for half a second as Rawton arrived in the fray and fired clear at one of the assailants, striking him straight between the eyes before his gun died.


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


OK, so my weapons are down, except for a small knife which will have to do. There’s an old maxim that states, if the only guns around are in the hands of your enemies, you’re one fight away from having a gun. This coat is ruined. It’s served the purpose, though. The reason so many of us wear trench coats is partly armour. Not only is the chest section actually armoured in my case but the effect of the thing is to make you look bigger, especially when running and the damage to myself is mostly superficial and it’s the coat that has holes in it. And the hat. I follow my shot in and I maybe have a second before they realise I’m coming. I ram into the Corgan and knock him down, putting the boot between his legs to keep him there whilst I try to deal with the Celican. I swipe with my blade. I think it annoys him, the cut across his jacket. Oh, this’ll be fun.


Savra and the others found the way up as Savra’s comm beeped and a full blueprint of the mansion showed on his display. “The shield’s are down,” he confirmed, “but no-one’s coming down. Something’s going on up there…” He looked up. “We need to take the generator out permanently.”

[Amazee Dayzee]

Better hope that his skills at fighting are satisfactory enough that he will be able to pull out a win while engaging in this battle. I know Harvest probably does have some experience but this is a whole other level he has to be on it looks like.

[Welsh Halfwit]

40


With something approaching a roar of anger, something thin and yellow furred threw itself into the fray, as though fighting for it’s life. It was followed by another thing, and a third that pulled at the Celican assaulting Harvest, making it miss with a palm strike and look back unexpectedly, letting Harvest up. The Celican swatted the boy away as Harvest realised the children were in the fight and had no chance if he didn’t do something now. The chest was armoured so he put the small blade straight into the Celican’s nose, splitting it in two, lengthwise, and making the physical specimen cry out in pain. One of the children bit the back of his neck and pulled a clump of flesh free, making the giant roar in pain again and try to knock the boy off the back of his head. The other was helping Rawton, who giggled as the child gave him an opening to tear at the throat of one of his opponents and slipped the girl his knife to finish the job. She hesitated so Rawton did it for her, taking his knife back and hurling it into the face of the last corridor guard, coming to help his comrades.

As Barnabus, who’d finally managed to hit his guards’ head against the wall enough times to knock him out, came out of the room, Rawton put his ear to the guards’ chest to hear his heart stop beating. He threw the weapon he’d just taken to Mr Moon who, after picking it up from where it fell after bouncing off his arm, shot the Celican as the children, a Male Tigron and a Mican, got out of the way.


The violence done, Harvest checked on the other cells. Of the fifteen ‘rooms’ here, five had new, permanent, residents, their eyes never seeing again as the splash of colour on the walls stated their fates. The others cowered in the corners as though expecting their future’s end. Behind him the tigron was crying.


From the Files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


I can’t blame him. The smells in these rooms are indescribable. I don’t know how long he’s been there and, frankly, I don’t want to know. We had no way of getting here sooner, the mad Rabbit and me but the fact that rescue of some sort is here has unleashed to floods. I put my hands on his shoulders and he practically jumps back, baring claws he hasn’t got and teeth that have begun to repair themselves badly. I wonder why there aren’t more guards coming at us as I tell him it’s all right, lying to him as if we have a chance in here. We’re going down fighting, it seems, all of us. Barnabus is patching Rawton’s wounds as best he can with the stuff the guards have and I glance around for some way out of here. A gasp from the Mican girl gets my attention and my gun snaps onto the bleeding and hurt guard that staggers out of a cell I haven’t looked in yet. He’s bleeding heavily from the back of his head but he’s got a weapon in hand and he drops it as I shoot him to save him from the hands of the Rabbit.

Bandaged, Rawton hops past me to retrieve his knife. “I know you think you were doing me a favour,” he states as he retrieves his weapon from it’s temporary holster, “but NEVER killsteal from me again!”

“Noted,” I note. “Have you noted something about the Children,” I ask.

He looks at them and I can see it dawning on him. “No Canid,” he remarks. “You noted most of the guards ARE Canid? Can you hear banging on a door?”

Now he came to mention it, I COULD hear noises that sounded like banging. But… Wouldn’t they have keys?


Techrat chuckled as the girl watched him use old power systems and codes to lock doors and open trapdoors. He didn’t have control of much in the house as he imagined that computer system had probably been upgraded over the last decade but he’d found a few things. Like the doors to the servants areas and the secret ceiling access so he was helping whre he could. “You gonna just stand and stare,” he asked the Feline, “or do you want to help out here? I can’t monitor everything at once.”

“They t...took me on Felara,” the girl stammered, “brought me h…”

Techrat cut her off. “I’ll her your tale later, sweetie. Right now we don’t have the time. Coming over?”

She swallowed and, unsteadily, stepped over to his side. “What’s your name,” she asked shakily.

“Dorvan,” he said, glancing at a screen. “But no-one calls me that. It’s Techrat,” he finished. “You?”

“Sophia,” she says, before giving the thinnest of grins, “but it’s Stonecat! Now, what am I doing?”

“Keep an eye on those readings there,” he said, indicating the power levels on either side of the passageway Moon and Rawton were in. Warn me if they drop.” He started trying to fix one of the other monitors that led to somewhere in the house. “It’s the power for the door locks,” he added. “There’s another team in the main house, see,” he added, “I need to see if I can find them to help them. Can you handle that, Stonecat?”

She gave him a mock salute and winced as her fingers hit her head.


Savra’s group found themselves trapped in a corridor, a pair of guards in doorways keeping them pinned down as they attempted to move forward. The Captain knew that others would be coming from the rear in minutes – if that – and they needed to get past quickly. He picked up a small object from the room he was in, noted it was an old style book, and threw it down the passage, a bolt of energy just missing his arm as he did so. The Captain charged the scene, Janus close behind him. The first guard reacted just too late, a fist striking his jaw before he could bring the weapon to bear. The second guard wasn’t quite sure of who to shoot and dithered for a second before an unexpected shot from Kurmak’s weapon startled him enough to allow Janus to dive on him and wrestle the weapon from his hand. Savra looked back and was annoyed. Kurmak’s gun. The prisoners’ hand. He punched the guard until he wasn’t moving any more, then cracked the creature’s spine in annoyance. Janus won his fight for the gun and shot the Corgan as the Captain strode back down the passage.

“They’re shooting at me, you aren’t,” the captive said simply. “Plus Kayle’ll kill me for helping you so I’m…”

Savra pushed past him and picked Kurmak up by the throat, holding him against the wall. “Never,” he intoned, “let a captive take your weapon.” He leaned in close to the face of the feline as he fought for breath. “CERTAINLY never GIVE it to him!” He let the struggling feline down and took the weapon off the captive. “If I get desperate,” he remarked, “I might give you this back.” He paused as his comm beeped. “Gallen,” he asked.

<“No, Captain, it’s Techrat,”> the voice replied. <“Third door on your left, behind the bookcase. Secret passage to the tower.”>

“How,” Savra asked, before coming up with a better question. “WHERE..?”

<“Moon and Barnabus found an old control centre,”> the engineer advised. <“He dropped Barnabus off, picked up Rawton and some kid then got me down here to see if I could get things online. Why aren’t you moving whilst I talk, sir?”>

“What’s the situation?” Savra asked, shoulder charging the third door. It wasn’t locked properly so he crashed through onto an unoccupied bed. He grumbled and pulled the wardrobe aside with some help from the guard.

<“They started killing the kids,”> Techrat advised. <“Rawton and Moon saved most of them but they’re trapped in that area. I’m controlling the lock and stopping about ten armed guards from getting at them. They can’t come back this way as I had to release Fluorine gas into the cave system leading to this centre I’m doubting this centre’s airtight around the door so I’m going to have to take Stonecat and join them shortly. Good luck, Captain,”> he finished.

Savra knew why he’d cut the line. Now Kayle would know exactly where he was, having been able to trace the comm signal. He wouldn’t blame the hybrid for… Wait, who was ‘Stonecat?


Heather yelped as her console sparked and Kelly made sure she was OK before the first daughter shooed her away and said she was all right. “Their shields are down to, uh, twenty percent,” she called, hoping she was reading the thing right. The scans were showing the enemy ship’s energy field as red on the starboard lower section, which she relayed. Gallen confirmed it and ordered Hastur to target that area as the opponent fired back, lashing the Kerbal with energy, shaking the ship. Heather thought she was detecting a power surge and Kelly moved quickly, pulling her away from her console and taking the discharge to her back as the breakers failed for several seconds and the console blew. The flow faded and Kelly staggered forward dropping to her knees as the first aider went for the medical pack to treat the wounds across the frame. “Heather,” Gallen stated, pointing to another station. “Let the aider do their job. Take that station.”

“But…”

“NOW!”

She complied.

[Amazee Dayzee]

After this I think Heather if she was not already humbled will be following what she had to put up with from Savra and his crew. Definitely makes me think that she was not used to being told what to do before this.

[Welsh Halfwit]

41


Vera Virrik, inside her encounter suit, treated the next of the walking wounded that had been brought into her medical centre and tried not to be offended by the fact they seemed more afraid of her than of their own wounds. It was widely believed, she reckoned, that she had some sort of incurrable contagion that no-one wanted to get so no-one wanted to take her suit off in case of catching it. Adding that to her own disinterest in matters of a sexual nature and it was a sort of perfect cover. She still wasn’t used to the one way facial covering but the looks of fear on the faces on occasions made up for that. The gloves she wore were extra thin to allow maximum mobility whilst sensors recorded pulse rates and one or two other things she didn’t feel like telling but this Canid was going to survive the broken arm as she applied pressure to hold the bones together whilst the knitter stitched together the bone itself. She’d given him some mild painkillers so he didn’t scream at her quite so much as the device worked. When it stopped its work, she had the wound sealed and, as the patient painfully flexed his arm and checked it was working, she told him to sod off and get back to station. She might have given him a more effective painkiller but they were in battle, as judged by the fact that the ship was rocking and the fact her stasis machine, that would have held him immobile, was offline. She stepped out into the waiting room, selected a Mican female from the science department, who had a wound on her head that was almost the size of a peach right now and pulled her in for work.


Pantha had Bennie and Shandy working with her, helping her co-ordinate the repair teams around the ship. The Feline had been a little surprised by the girl offering suggestions on who might be best deployed where but she supposed that Shandy had been doing the old tactic of learning about the punters by listening to them talking to others when she’d been serving them. Mostly she’d turned down the advice as unwanted but there had been one or two she’d had to consider as the girl might have a point. She mostly had Bennie monitoring systems and warning where pressure was building as it was a job anyone could do. The boy was wearing a disposable overall from the medical bay without the hood and she wondered if any of Barnabus’s old clothes might fit him. From before he’d bulked up, perhaps. She still had some of them in storage, as required by the Captain as you never knew when spare clothes might come in useful. He looked petrified, as though this was his first time in a firefight. She put her hands on either side of his head and made him focus on her so she knew he heard that the best thing to do, right now, was to focus on what he was doing. The ship would get through this. He asked about safety zones. She patted his shoulder and told him there was no time to get to it. He nodded simply and said he’d try to be brave. Shandy joined in the encouragement and Pantha was hit by sudden fear as Bennie mentioned that she smelled like the boy who’d taken his place.


Barnabus finished patching up the holes in Rawton so he could continue to threaten and kill things. The Lappinean asked him which one had hurt him and he pointed to one of the ones Barnabus had killed in the melee, commenting he’d been the first. Rawton stomped back over to the corpse, who’s fur glistened on the cheek where a Shrewvian girl with nasal implants had just spat and broke the corpses ribs with a flurry of hard kicks, telling him he wished he was still alive so he could kill him in a worse way. Sonna backed away, hiding behind Barnabus, as Harvest and one of the others moved forward to examine the door. Harvest stopped him from touching it and pointed to his fur, which was standing on end. He explained it meant there was a strong electrical field holding the door shut, agreeing with his young friend that it was a forcefield of sorts, yes. And he reckoned he knew who was keeping the bad guys out. So long as the power stayed on. He helped the child move to the other end of the passage, where people could be heard trying to get in.


Techrat could smell the gas now and it wasn’t just in his mind. Despite the situation upstairs it was time to leave so he had the somewhat reluctant Stonecat show him the way she’d come. He looked at the grille and reasoned that, even though he might, once, have been able to fit through, there wasn’t much chance now. He wondered if a cutting beam would be able to cut through but he didn’t think he had one strong enough to cut the stone. He rejected the cheeky assertion that his butt was too big and said he’d just need to blow it somehow. He thought, then asked Stonecat to see if she could pass him one of the dead guys weapons. She complied and Techrat removed the power pack from the weapon and set it to explode. He gestured that she should get back into the passageway after sticking it to the wall above the grill with tape as he didn’t actually know how big a bang it was going to make. He scooted backwards, out of the conduit and the charge exploded. He opened an eye, releasing the tension as it hadn’t gone up with the power he’d feared. He closed it again as a wave of dust rushed towards him. He coughed and crawled down as fast as he could.


Rawton demanded the truth of the cat who’d suddenly appeared and protected her as the device went off. He cursed Techrat as an idiot who could have brought the entire roof down before he entered the cell to see what the damage was. The area around the grill had blown outwards but several chunks had filled the passageway. Rawton could just see a hand trying to find it’s way through so he got to work, clearing out a path for the idiot.


Savra felt the floor shake slightly. Someone, somewhere nearby, had used a grenade of some sort, he assumed. It had to be the other team that was involved. But he had no time for that right now. He had to stop that force field generator coming back online. Kayle was close by, he knew that. He stopped as Kurmak came across a room with a digital coder on it. Only an eyeprint would suffice to unlock it. The prisoner stated that his eye wouldn’t do it, although Savra had him try anyway, Holding his head in place whilst the machine scanned. Nothing. He challenged Kurmak to break the lock and put the prisoners head hard against the wall to make him pass out. He indicated where Janus should hide and took up a similar but opposite position himself.


Kayle appeared with three of his guards, sending them on to grab Kurmak. Using both guns he was holding, Savra shot two of them whilst Janus dealt with the other and the prisoner woke up.


Now, Savra thought, comes the hard part as they both pointed their weapons at Kayle...

[Amazee Dayzee]

I don't think Kayle will be able to talk himself out of this one and this might be it. After what he had been doing though it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

[Welsh Halfwit]

42


Kayle moved almost before Savra got to him, Janus’s badly aimed shot distracting him from firing at the larger, older, Celican whose shoulder knocked the gun from his grip whilst passing. The Celican lurched to a halt and Kayle grabbed him from behind, trying to throw him down the stairs or, worse, hold him as a target for his people, who couldn’t be far behind. He was strong, Savra reasoned, but not quite as resolute as himself. Or as tall. Savra used that to his advantage, lifting Kayle’s feet an inch off the floor as he stood to his full height. He thrust himself back into the wall, making Kayle tense under the impact and pushing his teeth into Savra’s head. The Captain put his head forward, ripping the teeth through his skin, before slamming the head back into the Canine’s muzzle. He gasped and the holding pressure on Savra dropped enough for him to lever the Canine off. The Captain glanced over to Janus, who’d obviously worked out that he wasn’t to get involved in this, pointing his weapon and firing at the first noticed guard to appear, keeping their heads down as Savra turned on Kayle, driving a punch into his kidneys as Kayle slashed his claws across Savra’s throat. The contact was minimal as the Captain had halfway expected it. They cut through the flesh, drawing ripped trails behind them but hit nothing serious before being withdrawn on reflex under the Captain’s fist. Savra kicked the dropped weapon towards Kurmak and the scientist took the hint to stop his work in trying to open the locked door as Savra took hold of Kayle by the shoulders and propelled him towards the others, following close behind so the upcoming guards couldn’t draw a bead on him. Kayle turned to take Savra’s boot in his groin. With the hoodlum wearing a cup, it didn’t have the effect Savra had intended but it still staggered Kayle back further towards the door.


Kayle worked out what he was trying to do and shifted aside as Savra grabbed for him, leaving himself open to a claw strike from Kurmak. As the feline slashed his leg muscles, he looked in contempt at the Canid guard behind them. “Your family will suffer for this,” he hissed, sounding almost cat-like in his tone.

“If you can find them,” the guard replied, punching his former boss in the face, breaking a tooth off with it’s power.

“NO-ONE hits him but me,” Savra challenged, grasping Kayle by the back of his head and hitting the door with his face, holding it tight against the eye reader. It scanned the retina and the primary lock opened, “Kurmak,” he growled. “Get up there with the prisoner. See if you can destroy the generator!” Kayle twisted himself loose from the Captain’s grasp and punched to his ribs. Savra winced as Kurmak and his ‘colleague’ pushed through, leaving Janus to hold the passage. Savra slashed upwards to try and gain the upper hand. Kayle jerked back as Janus disobeyed Savra’s instruction and rugby tackled the hoodlum, propelling them through the door. Savra winced as a guard took a shot at him and bloodied his shoulder quite markedly as he followed his subordinate through the door, letting it lock behind him.


Rawton and Harvest pulled at the rubble to get to the trapped individual behind or underneath it. His hand flinched back as Rawton strained to lift the load as the children reached in to haul him free, the girl called Stonecat pulling harder than the others, until he was out and blinking up at them. Harvest looked at Rawton, standing in the hole with the rubble on his back. He watched the Lappinean quiver under the weight, his wounds lessening his strength.


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


There are somethings that you have to do that makes you consider the benefits and downfalls of not doing it. Here’s a Lappinean who’s threatened to kill me, is moderately insane and there’s no way I can do this thing without him. So I’m dead if I don’t and he might kill me if I do. So I do. Without waiting, I reach out, grab his arm and, even as he glares at me, I pull him with all my strength, throwing him out of the hole and falling backwards myself as the debris falls, sending a cloud of stone dust into the room and wshing over me. I’ll have to check for infections later. I’m not having Savra’s medics do it. Heck, Salara’s got the best Doctors on the colony in her speed dial so why not use them? Rawton’s standing over me as the dust clears. “Suppose you think I owe you one,” he asks. I respond that it was the right thing to do. He looks at me askew. “And you call ME insane?” He sighs. “Just as well I might not be able to kill all these guards myself.” He offers a hand to help me get up. My everything aches so I take it. Techrat’s coughing and saying there’s no way he’s ever doing that again. There’s a power line sparking so he’s done some damage to the power systems. I just hope it’s not the door locks he’s damaged. Barnabus joins me in checking.


“Had a good day,” Harvest asked glibly as they sped towards the entrance to the recreation yard to check there first.

“Had worse,” he replied, not thinking about his still hurting face. “Met some interesting people,” he huffed. “Met some evil ones too. Now I’m protecting one from the other.”

“Sounds,” Harvest coughed, dislodging the dust from his throat, “like a promising day.” He got to the lock and checked it. “It’s losing power,” he told the boy. “We’ve got about ten minutes until it fails at this rate.” He looked Barnabus in the eye and lied to him. “We’ll be fine.”

Barnabus smirked. “Mr Moon, I live with professional liars. Don’t give up the day job.” They headed for the other end, bypassing Sonna, who was checking the guards for weapons.


“I think their shields are down,” Heather called, wishing Kelly was here to confirm as this console didn’t seem to be the same as the one she’d had to vacate. She hoped the Doctor would be able to keep her friend alive, operating on her in the nearby refreshment area as pulling her to the medical bay was right out at the moment. “Lower left quadrant. Uh, port.”

“Let’s find out. Hastur, target that area.” Gallen held on as the ship rocked and the enemy tried to turn away, protecting that area.

“Aye, Commander,” the Dober replied, adjusting her targetting for where she recalled the main power relays lay in that area.


The cannons fired, power thrusting across space to impact the hull in that area. Concussive energy and force tore into the hull, ripping free a block of the ship. Fifteen percent at least. Internal explosions ruptured the hull from inside, the flash of yellow as the oxygen ignited into fire and was extinguished by the vacuum of space rippled along the ship before the debris spiralled away from the main ship, spilling fragments and occupants into the freezing space.

“Continue firing,” Gallen ordered.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I really liked all of the action scenes that this chapter has! Keep it up as you write them so well!

[Welsh Halfwit]

43


Heather looked on, shock written across her face as what had once been a ship broke apart in front of her eyes, ending the lives of dozens of people as she watched. She wasn’t able to take her eyes off it. She was barely able to think. “I told you where to shoot,” she said hoarsely.

“Good job you did,” Gallen replied, before turning towards her sharply. “They WERE trying to kill us, Summerbee. If you want to serve in the military you need to be ready to kill your enemy as you won’t often be able to take prisoners. You’re going to get enough blood on you that you’re swimming in it. Your job is to make sure it’s not your blood or that of those who share your ship.” Lecture done, he looked to Merran. “Are the mansions shields still up?”

“One reports them down,” Merran reported as Heather, stung by the shift to the other Mican, checked on her own systems.

“Yes, they are,” Heather snapped. “But we’re not in teleport range.”

“Fine.” He told the helm officer to get them within range as fast as possible. “Merran? Send out the request for assault team alpha and check with Pallik as to if the teleport’s operable.”

“On it, Gallen,” she replied, turning to her console.


Cherry’s artificial eye analysed the figure in front of her, shredded back exposed to the air in the unsterile surroundings. She’d injected broad spectrum antibiotics alongside the anaesthetic to keep Kelly out as she worked. The eye was locking on to foreign objects in the frame and she was carefully removing the shards. She guessed the surge protectors had failed and shards had penetrated the thin armour the Mican had been wearing. She was lucky, Cherry thought, that she’d not been wearing normal clothes as she extracted the thirtieth jagged piece of metal from the flesh, bringing another trickle of blood to the surface, staining the fur. She dropped it into a collection tray that normally served as a replication machine’s food bowl which she’d got from the machine before starting, the burrito on the table opposite so she could have it later. She’d never have been able to work so swiftly in such circumstances with natural eyesight. There ws something to be said for it. There were three fragments left now, she noted. It was the one in the neck she was worried about. It had cut through the collar and was anxiously close to an artery. Cherry knew she had to go after that one now. So she did. She wished she was in the medical bay but, if wishes were horses, every Mican would be built like an Equinna. So she worked on.



Pantha closed the inspection hatch after finishing her work in there and turned to her two little helpers. “We seem to be through the fight,” she told Bennie, before smiling slightly. “You can tell by the fact the ship’s not shaking any more.” She gave a light shrug. “Now we look to see if we can make any of the less urgent repairs before the bridge tells us to do something silly. Like move. How are you holding up?”

“Fine,” he replied, his hands shaking slightly. “Hungry.”

Pantha looked amazed. Incredulous even. “A youth like you? Hungry? Why didn’t you say so?”

He rubbed his snout with his arm to hide a very slight smile. “We was busy.”

“We were indeed. Shandy, get us summat from the replication machine would you? Fruits and soft vegetables.” She looked at Bennie’s face and gave a short laugh. “They’re easy digesters and you need to work back up to burgers and things like that. I promise you, anything too heavy would come back out the other end. Painfully. And I know about Raitchian digestive systems.” She gently poked his thin stomach. “Despite the ‘garbage disposal’ system. You had the ‘gag’ implant put in?”

He pushed her finger away. “Last Sanctamas,” he stated. “A gift from my Uncle. He’s important in this clan.”

“Good to know he’s looking after you.” She turned away as Shandy returned with replicated fruits. “One thing though, Bennie,” she admitted as he bit into the flesh of his first ‘victim’. “Don’t mention your uncle’s rank. You never know who’s listening.” She heard his noise of puzzlement, even without him saying a word. “High ups have enemies, Sweetie,” she remarked.

“And enemies love having things to exploit,” Shandy finished. Bennie looked around, suddenly aware there were other people in here. People who, like Pantha and Shandy really, he didn’t know. He wished Sonna was here.


Sonna strained as she and Larrin pucked up a moderate size chunk of the rubble from the cell and carried it out to where Mr Moon pointed them towards the door to the interior. The detective himself carried a slab the other way as the group prepared for every second they could buy with every chunk of debris put against one door or the other. Sonna almost dropped her chunk but Barnabus put his hand under it to steady it and told her she was doing brilliantly. “I’m not as strong as you,” she told him.

“Not physically,” he admitted, “but mentally? I think you’re the strongest girl I know. Any my mother’s a panther!”

“Show… off,” Larrin, a thinset feline holding the other side protested as they put the lump in place, passing by Techrat and the girl who was now calling herself Stonecat.

“Never met my mother,” Sonna admitted. “Me pa named me. Then these gits killed him and stole me.” She sighed. “What will I do when I get out of here?”

“Fight,” Rawton said, making her jump by appearing behind her. “You’ll fight.” He twisted his head. “Plenty’ll try ta kill you but you’ll make allies an’ people who’ll fight for ya.” They could hear the efforts of the people on the other side of the door in the seconds after he finished talking. Rawton checked the gauge. “Fifteen percent. Better get more rocks. Allegra, Allegra!”

“I don’t think that’s the right word,” Barnabus said, helping the two move quickly to the pile.

“Don’t much care,” Rawton remarked, leaping ahead of them.


“They’ll be through in five minutes,” Techrat warned, putting a new chunk of debris next to the door to the exercise yard.

“I want a gun,” Stonecat said straight.

[Amazee Dayzee]

There really is something horrific about a young child wanting a gun and being willing to use it because of everything that they went through which no child should go through. Just goes to show you how much of a complete and total monster some out there are.

[Welsh Halfwit]

44


Savra fell backwards as Kayle hooked his foot behind the captain’s leg and pulled. With the Captain on the floor, Kayle tried to get to the door to open it, only to be held back by Janus, the helmsfox’s claws slipping into the neck before Kayle threw his elbow back into the youth’s ribs, staggering him back before the Alsan guard shoulder charged Kayle so his attempt to reach the doorlock failed and he turned angrily on his new assailant. “YOU attack ME, Calbie? How betrayal stings.”

“You betrayed the clan when you started this trade, Suluban,” Calbie replied, throwing a punch that Kayle dodged. “And so many of us fell with you.”

“You’ll never know the truth of that,” Kayle replied, bringing a blade up from close range to Calbie’s ribs.

He looked down. A strong hand was holding his wrist, allowing the Alsan to step back. Savra’s free hand backhanded Kayle across the face, cutting his hand on the teeth it broke. Savra elbowed him in the throat and booted him in the cup before throwing him away from the door. “Protect Kurmak,” he ordered the newest member of his crew as he made to keep fighting Kayle.

“Why,” Janus wheezed as Kurmak helped him up off the floor, “isn’t the Captain just killing him?”

Kurmak glanced up and evaluated everything that had passed in the last ten minutes. “Some of this stuff needs biometrics, possibly?” Kurmak winced at what he’d just seen. “Or he just likes punishing him.” With the Vulpine up, the scientist got to work on trying to access the systems as the system fought off the implanted virus, working as fast as he could to exploit the situation. |He could hear those hammering on the door below.


Gallen listened anxiously as Merran reported on the assembly of soldiers in the teleport bay. Fifteen of them to be beamed down in teams of five. Five to the front of the manor, where the trio sent down earlier were almost out of luck, trying to hold back and interfere with the ‘gardeners’ attempts to access the house and ten to the internal courtyard they’d picked up, where there seemed to be massed forces trying to get through a door. From the short briefing Moon and Rawton had given earlier, the beefy Celican was assuming that was something to do with them. He couldn’t send troops in to help the Captain as they had no clue where he was in the building and it was stupid to try to beam into a building unless you had a teleport pad to lock onto as there were too many tight corners and walls that people could arrive in.

“Uh, Commander,” Merran said, attracting his attention. “We have a transmission coming in. Uh… From Recklin Tomal.”

“A Rapta Clan commander,” Gallen replied drily. “Route it to me in the captain’s office.” He stood up and headed over to the Captain’s office. “Oh, send our logs, including the details of the boy we have, to our Clan command.”

“Of course.”


He sat behind the monitor and tapped the key to signal Merran to put the signal through. The visage of a Wolven face appeared on the screen. <“Where’s our ship, &*&* scum,”> he asked, a slight burst of interference blotting out some of his words.

“It’s had a slight ‘accident’ on it’s way to pick up children for trafficking, Tomal,” Gallen replied evenly. “Ran into something that blew it to matchsticks, you might say.”

<“You destroyed our ship,”> the Wolven snarled, showing his teeth. <“You have declared war on the...”>

“Shut up.” Gallen challenged, without raising his voice. “We have the children, Tomal. We know what you were doing here. We know of the lines your clan has crossed. OUR clan has declared war on yours?” He dry chuckled. “With the evidence we’ve just sent to command for dissemination to others, I imagine a LOT of clans will be at war with you soon. I wonder how a Wolven like you is going to cope, knowing you just became the hunted?” Gallen turned the link off and breathed heavily. He’d had to phrase things there. The declaration that he’d sent the message and that it would be sent to all was to misdirect as best as possible. It was likely that Clan command would use it for blackmail more than confrontation but that was up to them and the signal to them might be detected, depending on how close Tomal really was. It might actually stop them planning a new attack. Or it might make them launch a new attack to lessen the evidence. “Ah, well.” he told himself, “let’s see where this goes.”


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


I’d say we’re ready but I don’t think we can be. We’ve armed as many of the kids as we thought could handle weapons, even if a couple of the smallest ones look like the recoil of these recoilless blasters and weapons could knock them over and bring down the ceil… Might that work? No. Not enough charge on the weapons to get through that much, I think. Certainly not the time, either. And it would probably destroy the power lines holding the locks in place anyhow. And that’s if it didn’t bring the ceiling down on us as well. Barnabus and Techrat, with their new friends, have pulled a couple of the metal frame beds out and set them up on their sides, thin mattresses doubled up to act as barricades they could take cover behind. They’ll never stop direct fire from energy weapons but, hey, there’s no reason to tell them that, as Barnabus reminded me.

TechRat points out there’s likely only a minute left. He’s annoyed with himself. There was, he said, probably something he could have done from the command centre. I tell him he could easily die from the gas. I don’t tell him that it’s not my imagination that I can smell that in the cell he cratered.


Kayle put his hand under Savra’s muzzle and thrust his other hand straight into the Celican’s nose, putting stars in his eyes and blood into his mouth before Savra gripped the wrist and brought his elbow down onto the outstretched limb, wrenching the arm from the socket and making the target cry out in pain. “You in there yet, Kurmak,” Savra growled to the feline as Kayle tried to spin kick him. Savra grunted as he let the limb impact his side before he grabbed it and used it to propel Kayle into the window to shatter the glass. Up here, covered by energy shields, the glass wasn’t armoured and spiderwebbed under the impact.

“I am, sir,” the feline replied.

“Good,” Savra replied. He slammed Kayle against the glass again. And again. He crashed him until the glass fell from the frame and Savra held him out over the drop by his throat, Kayle’s feet straining to keep a hold on the frame. Troopers in the courtyard below looked up as Savra simply let Kayle fall the three storeys to the ground.

[Amazee Dayzee]

From looking at pictures of three story buildings on Google, it looks like they aren't that high up. Kayle might end up surviving but being in a ton of agonizing pain which couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[Welsh Halfwit]

45


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I


The ‘door knocking’ has gone quiet now. I don’t know why but I’m kind of glad. If we were in a show, I think the shields would currently be at roughly one percent strength and I consider the other reason, which has me helping the kids run as far away from the door as fast as we cn. We get back to Rawton, who’s looking quite pale now, his wounds still dripping despite Barnabus’ attentions. I have some salve for stuff like this but I don’t mention it as it’s in the car, not my pocket. Techrat’s got nothing on him either. We’re ready and waiting for the attack coming from the other side. Techrat gets a call and, starts rerouteing power, telling Rawton and myself that it was fine and dandy and I wonder if he’s telling true. Pirates cn be loyal but they can be bought. Sonna and larrin are nervous. They have friends who they’ll never see again. There’s therapy in the future for these poor little sods. And I wonder who’ll pay.


The enemy was gathered around the fllen body of their leader as the shattered figure bled ot on the ground, still alive but underserving of any effort on their part now, it seemed. One of the guards actually kicked him before being blasted backwards as a precision stot from Hastur, in orbit, blasted everyone off their feet, dug three feet into the surface and blasted out the door to the cell block. Up on the ship, Hastur wondered what ten percent power would have done. Almost before the echoes had faded, the full assault team had entered the scene, razing the ground of all opposition. “Opposition neutralised,” the squad leader stated to Techrat, “bring the kids to the courtyard and we’ll get you lot out of here.

Techrat relayed it to the team and noted StoneCat’s face. “What,” he asked.

“Have they stopped the turret,” she asked.

“Get that team in here, Techrat,” Barnabus added quickly as Techrat sent out the message.


The squad headed for the doorway fast, as a combat turret in the top right corner whirred into life and started firing on the assault team, atomising three of them by the time they made it, their screams short but sharp, making Sonna wince as her sharp ears heard them. “You could have warned us,” Techrat admonished Stonecat and Sonna.

“It’s not usually used,” Sonna protested. “They keep it camouflaged.”

“I didn’t even see it,” Barnabus added.

“Get them into a cell,” Rawton spat. “Clear the hall!”

“You still good to kill,” Harvest asked, sensing the answer.

“Them first,” Rawton remarked. “Wait your turn.” The faintest of smiles through his wounds.


Savra looked out from the window and ducked back and down as the turret started to target him. “Turn that muffins and cookies turret off,” he commanded.

“I have no control over it,” Kurmak replied, trying several options without success. “It’s on a different system.”

“Yes,” Calbie stated. “He kept things on different servers. So one person ca’t sabotage everything. May I,” he asked, looking to take over from Kurmak. The feline looked to Savra, who nodded tightly and Kurmak stepped aside to let the Alsan in to do something. “The power system has to be interconnected,” he remarked. “Davin would have known exactly how… You fried his brain, by the way,” he added to Savra. “But we sometimes got bored and he taught me a few things so, maybe, I can…”

“Hand it back over to me so I can send a power surge to the turret,” Kurmak finished, shoving his captive back out of the way. “Couldn’t you have explained that without shoving me?”

“Could I have told you how to access the system,” Calbie retorted.

“Could you stop arguing whilst people are trying to kill us,” Janus put in. The door fractured and blew in downstairs.


From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


We’ve got the kids into one of the cells and set Techrat to keep them safe as the troops sent down take up point. One of them’s got a painkiller for Rawton and he takes one of those and a pep pill that probably shouldn’t be combined but no-one’s going to tell him. It’s got him up on his feet, despite the blood loss and he’s ready for them, one second after they blow the door and trip on the rubble. I’ve taken the second weapon from one of the troops after Barnabus says I can have it. I’ve pushed him behind me – or tried to anyhow. He’s physically built. He accepts the instruction to get behind me as I’m still a better shot. They blaze fire back at us and it finishes off the shoulder of my coat, taking some of my shoulder with it. That’s a decided owie as I almost drop the gun. I fire off on impulse and the shot goes straight through Rawton’s ear and into the chest of the third person through the door. Oh, he’s going to kill me for that, I thought, adrenaline fighting the pain. I’m trained at weak hand shooting – but I’ve not done it for some time – so I switch to my uninjured hand and adjust my position so I don’t shoot anyone through the head. Rawton approves. ‘Nice shot’ is all he says before giving up cover for a straight up assault on the three that survived the first fusillade from our guns. He lands on the first one before they’ve managed to get up off the floor and hits sharply enough that their throat cracks on the piece of rubble underneath it before he elbows the second out of the way and punches his knife straight to the… oh, my… he goes for the ...Ahem… ‘middle ground’ as they’ve got chest armour on and does such dmage their that the guard will never be the same if he hasn’t just died of shock. He tosses his blade to the other hand now and lashes it across the Corgan’s throat as they looked like surrendering. ‘No surrender,’ he says, ‘no retreat.’ Great. He’s remembered the ear. He bends it over to look at it and I fire. Straight past him, into the chest of a newcomer to the scene. It doesn’t kill the armour clad hoodlum for that reason but the reaction from Rawton does. He spins his knife in his hand, looks like he’s going to throw it at me, spins on his heel and launches it straight into the Raitchian guard’s head as he steadies himself for another shot. The gun fires, straight into the ceiling The backup troop leader gets Rawton back, with a little help and sends two to reconnoitre the route as the path to the original beam out location is compromised.


I’m going to be glad when this day is over, I think as I pass out.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Looks like Harvest is having a bad time of it and only just was able to hang on. Hopefully when he gets back up he will feel less pain because they gave him some medication as I don't think his wounds will heal that quickly.

[Welsh Halfwit]

This part was, originally, the final bit. But I decided a couple of parts more would be better.

46

From the files of Harvest Moon, P.I.


Things go a lot faster when you’re unconscious. It’s kind of the way things go that they’re always faster when you have no concept of time and just pain. It’s possible I’m still out of it and that’s why I saw a spacesuit walk out of the medical bay when I wake up and feel my head’s about fifteen pounds heavier than when I woke up this morning. Or was it yesterday? From what Doctor Cherry tells me, after she comes in a short while later, Rawton agreed to save me when Barnabus demanded he do it and he was too weak from blood loss to fight him. I have to check what happened to the kids after. Cherry tells me I’m being moved out of the bay to my room to recuperate as my shoulder’s not too badly damaged and it’s been patched up by someone in a spacesuit, if I’m any judge.

She tells me my coat’s been incinerated as an offence to health. I’m not really surprised.


Merran was in Harvest’s room when he was brought down. She stood from his bed as he was brought in by Cherry and helped her put him onto the bed, despite his protests that he could do it himself. “What,” she asked, “with those muscles?”

He lay back on the lumpy bed and tried to recall iif it had been like this earlier. “I’m a hard bitten… detective,” he told them, his brain still slightly swimmy.

“I’ll look after him,” Merran told Cherry, who decided that it would be a good time to leave. As she didn’t really care. “And I’ve not bitten you once,” she joked as she headed for the replication device.

“Still… engaged, Merran,” Harvest replied, pulling himself up to a sitting position on the bed. “And I’m loyal.”

Merran sighed. “I get that. Honest.” She took a couple of drinks from the machine and brought them over to him. “What’s it like,” she asked, “living on one planet all the time? Making friends and enemies and working a simple life?”

Harvest chuckled drily. “My life’s not been normal since I ended up in the Hunter Killer lot, Dohnna,” he told her, using her first name. “I’ve faced dangers ever since then. It’s a miracle I have any personal life at all. But I get the feeling it’s in your friends. I have Dakrin. I have Salara…” He saw her tense. “Yeah, my fiancee’s grounded. As grounded as a multimillionaire heir can be. Darrick Kelso’s a neighbour – although he’s more of an acquaintance. Gang enforcer. And I have a spymaster as a landlady. So it’s not exactly totally normal, y’know?”

“More normal than here. You sleep with a dagger under your pillow around here. I’m tired of it, Harvest. I think it’s a time to leave? But…” She raised her hands and slapped them down on her legs whilst Harvest took a draw of his drink. She chuckled. “I was worried about you down there,” she admitted. “I didn’t even know what the feeling was for a while, the joy of being concerned. You gave me that back and… I don’t want to lose it again.”

Harvest sighed. “I might know someone who can use someone with your talents in communications… and communication engineering,” he added quickly, thinking back to her telling him she had engineering skills no-one here appreciated. He felt his shoulder throb. “What happened with the kids,” he asked.

“Hmm?” Merran seemed distracted. She brought her mind back to the subject. “Oh, the Captain’s taking those from our clan back with us. And the Shrew girl as she’s Bennie’s girlfriend and hasn’t a family.” She gave a slight smile. “And Stonecat. She insisted on staying. Think TechRat’s made a friend. Captain’s arranging for Heather and Kelly to take control at the Mansion house now all the hostiles are dead. Police will be notified soon after so they can go see what a secret Mican strike force did. Handy having a President’s daughter on hand, eh?” That strange smile appeared again. Half coy. Half embarrassed.

“And you saw her face when she wanted to leave,” Harvest replied, putting a loose hand on hers and wincing.

“Are you OK?”

“It’ll be a while before I can move that shoulder without pain,” Harvest told her, before remembering something. “You’d better come with me,” he said. “Dakrin’s at college and the brick’s parked up at the shuttle port. I can’t drive it like this!”

“The Brick, you say,” Merran said with a grin. “We have five hours before we have to head out.”

“You need to pack?”

“I’ll be ready,” she said, before leaning over and kissing him. “I know,” she said, “I won’t go further but why not have fun anyway,” she asked, leaning in to kiss him again. Harvest, finding her more alluring that a Celican vixen nymphomaniac he’d once bodyguarded, didn’t resist her on this occasion.


“You’re leaving,” Savra asked Merran as she stood before him in his office. He was bandaged from the fight but still sharp eyed as he looked at her. It hadn’t been a question but a declaration.

She looked ceilingward and shuffled her feet. “I think it’s about time, sir,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to leave you in the lurch but Barnabus is up to the task. He’s fully capable.”

“He’s still not you, Dohnna,” Savra stated.

“Sooner or later, every master has to step aside for the apprentice to rise, sir.” Merran replied. “Mr Moon says he can help me get set up… It’s not like that, he has a Fiancée. But you know he has a connection or two.”

Savra snorted a laugh. “Oh, I know. You need to hope it’s the Fiancée he sets you up with. The landlady’s not someone I’d mess with!” He breathed out. “Alright,, I’ll have the trinity sort out some sort of background and set up your account. It’ll take a short while and your larger stuff will need shipping to you once set up. Is there anything else you’ll need?”

“Well, there is one thing,” she replied. “I can’t drive and neither can Mr Moon so I need to borrow someone?”


Which is how Janus came to drive the legend known as the brick.

[Amazee Dayzee]

So I am just gonna take a stab at this and say that "The Brick" is a massive armor vehicle that has a ton of defense on it and will have all attacks bounce off of it? What I am picturing is a much sturdier and larger version of Elon Musk's hideous Cybertruck.

[Welsh Halfwit]

A heavily armoured vehicle, yup. 0-60 in a minute and capable of taking a missile strike.

Still one part after this.

47


Barnabus put on a small smile as he heard Shandy and Bennie talking in his quarters and shushed Sonna, standing behind him after having showered and found something that mostly fitted her from the stores. He trusted Shandy here, especially as his mother was in the kitchenette section and winking at him as he entered behind the younger pair. He gestured and Sonna hid in the bathroom next to the door and he stepped across to the sofa and put his hands on the back, alerting them to his presence. Shandy dropped the controller she was holding and rushed around to hug her boyfriend. She kissed him with passion and he returned it before she pulled back and sniffed. “What are you wearing,” she asked, indicating the threadbare, tight, fabric he was wearing. “And is it dead?”

Barnabus chuckled drily, still feeling his face ache under the laughter. “His shirt,” he said, nodding to Bennie. “Want it back?”

Bennie, after scoring a goal, put the controller down, pausing the game. He levered himself off the seat and stepped around uncertainly. “I don’t think so,” he said hopefully, wearing one of Barnabus’s old shirts. “I’m happy to, um, see you.” He offered a hand and Barnabus shook it gently, trying not to break the boy’s arm. “How… um, how many were…” He looked afraid to ask.

“A few died,” Barnabus admitted sadly. “But not all,” he said, raising his voice slightly as a cue.

Sonna stepped out in a tee-shirt that said ‘Yariddian Starr concert tour’ and listed colonies and dates under a picture of a skull on a hoverbike. The effect was slightly offset by the baggy trousers being held up by a rope belt. She ran a shaking hand throgh her Shrewvian headfur and said heya to Bennie. They gathered strength and hugged each other, kissing freely for the first time. “Always said we’d get out somehow, Bennie,” she told him.

Barnabus put his arm around Shandy. “That’s Sonna, by the way,” he told Shandy as Pantha came to fuss over his face. “Doctor Cherry checked us over,” he told her. “It’s fine, mom.”

Pantha straightened up and tried not to look too fierce as she looked at the Shrewvian. “And you, little lady?”

Sonna looked Bennie in the eyes and the boy nodded quietly, as though to encourage her to talk. “Her name’s Pantha,” he said, Cinna rolls on his breath.

“Reassuring,” she muttered back, making Barnabus chuckle. She uncoupled from Bennie and dusted down clean knees, pulling her trousers down slightly. Her ears twitched and she pulled them back up quickly. “I, uh…” She cast her mind back over the list of things Cherry had said. “Malnutritide, Dehydrated, uh, fraktured rib, fraktured wrist and, um, general bruises.”

“And broken teeth,” Pantha remarked.

“They’ll grow back.” She forced a smile. “With, uh, the help of Cinna rolls?”

Pantha rolled her eyes, almost having guessed she’d ask for them. They were the in thing with kids at the moment, hence why they’d been programmed into the replication machine. She stepped over to the machine and ordered one with a protein drink for her new visitor.

Bennie thought of something. He stepped close and put his hand into hers. “You’re coming with me, aren’t you?”

Sonna squeezed his hand as best she could. “I hope so.”

“I’ll tell my Uncle,” he replied, kissing her cheek.


Techrat showed Stonecat her bedroom and the feline pounced on the bed and hugged the duvet. “I get this,” she squeaked.

“You do,” he replied. “These are my quarters and this is the spare room. You’ll be in here and I’ll be in my bedroom with Marla.”

She blinked at him. “Who’s Marla?”

“My mate,” he told her, sitting on the edge of the bed as the girl looked a little disappointed. “Carrying my child too,” he told her. “No,” he remarked before she protested, “you won’t be in the way, Stonecat.” He pushed her knee with a hand. “I need an apprentice,” he pointed out, “and I think you’re just the sort. Smart and swift,” he added, tickling her muzzle top with a finger. “Family,” he asked.

“Family,” she said with some forced enthusiasm.


Techrat answered the door as it booped and Savra strode in. “Where is she,” he asked decisively. The girl slip to her feet as the Captain entered. “I’m Savra,” he stated, “the Captain of this vessel.” He looked at the girl who was decidedly not trembling. “You’re Stonecat, I take it?”

“Yessir,” she reported.

He looked her over. “You’ll do,” he commented. “Have the Doctor put the implant in when they can. You have a speciality?”

Stonecat looked a little worried and glanced between him and Techrat. “I, er…”

“She takes instructions well and learns quickly,” Techrat put in, earning a glance from the Captain.

“She’d better. Has Cherry looked her over?”

“Yes. We’ll be helping her back to strength.”

Savra glowered at her for a moment, then turned to Techrat. “I’ll arrange for the metal claws,” he stated, before leaving the room for his appointment with Merran. He had a feeling he knew where this was going with the communications expert. He knew she hadn’t been happy for a time but it had come to a head with Moon on the ship. She’d seen what she was missing and wanted it. Was he ready to let her go? He supposed he had to, if she was ready to leave. Gallen stepped into line after seeing Heather and Kelly off. It seemed slightly unusual, letting a valuable ‘prisoner’ like that go but they had to sell the rescue and she was the best way to do that. He didn’t know if it was more the rescue of the children he’d been after today or the possibility of finding evidence of his brother. The trio would look though everything and he’d send a message to that human IOC agent to tell her why half a dozen clans had declared war on the Rapta clan in the last half hour. But, offhand, despite the repairs and injuries, he figured this could be a victory for the ‘good’ guys.

[Amazee Dayzee]

After everything that has occurred with all of them during the whole ordeal and what they had to do in order to save the kids, saying that they are the "good guys" is a spot on description of them. I don't think Savra or his crew ever expected in their lifetime to save children who were horrifically tortured.

[Welsh Halfwit]

And the finale. With a tiny cameo from Hav, a former security Officer on the Loper...

48

Heather looked around at the damaged control centre around her in the formerly pristine manor house and wondered what to do next. Local forces were heading their way, she knew, and the kids that had remained were up in the rooms with the main doors locked. A couple of the troops Savra – or, rather, Gallen – had sent down were acting as guards right now, with the idea being these had no warrants against them so they should pass as people working with Heather on this secret assignment and, if needed, pressure could be brought to bear at high level. It was taking time to sort things out and she watched as Kelly wheeled herself in to the room. “Can I get that for you,” the first daughter asked.

Kelly waved her off. “No need, Heather,” she said, manoeuvring through the doorway, “I’m not going to be in here too long so I don’t want favours. And stop with the ‘why couldn’t they have got you to the medical bay’ stuff – before you start again. The ship was in battle and it would have taken two or three to move me that far. They couldn’t spare them from duty.”

Heather looked forlorn. “Yes, the battle…”

Kelly pointed. “And stop recriminating over THAT, too! They were out to kill us, Heather! You did NOTHING less than help save your ship and all those in the fight down here! Now, if you want to do something, get a galnet connection to your father and inform him you’re OK. You have the time.” She winced. “Use that terminal.” She indicated a computer on the table and Heather, reasoning she had to be right, took up the seat and activated the device.


One, ensconced in their operation room, gave the faintest of smiles as the terminal linked to galnet and Heather entered the codes to the super secure presidential server on Mica. The system was, legitimately, so tight there was no way to force your way into the system. You had to be let in, as Heather was doing for them now. Nowhere in the galaxy was likely to have more information on Fawren industries outside of the company themselves. The worm program could follow the call in now, without bringing attention to itself, access the data on Fawren, and send it to a remote address that he could pick it up from later. He was one step closer to destroying the creatures responsible for doing what they’d done to the trio. If he were still able to feel contentment, he would have sighed. As it was, the slight smile sufficed.


“Yes, dad, I’m safe but…”

<“The pirates held their word,”> the older Mican said from light years away, boosters reducing the delay across the network. <“I’ll have people to your location in an hour. I don’t want you on that tour any more. I want you...”>

“I don’t want to be in the military any more,” Heather told him straight, before her nerves had her backing out. “I had to help the ship in a fight and I gave them the information to destroy a hostile ship. I know I had no choice but I don’t want to be in that position again, father. Plus someone’s going to need to look after the children we have here.”

<“What species?”>

“Various. And it doesn’t matter. They’ve been hurt for weeks, going on moonths,” she stated. “They’ve been beaten, whipped, had their claws torn out…”

<“It’s not...”>

“It darn well IS our problem,” Heather snapped. “And I don’t care if it’s not ‘politically convenient’ either! I am here. THEY are here. I am helping them. Their only strength left is their togetherness so they are staying together. No orphanages! No homes, father. And it WILL play well with the press if you back the play! Of course,” she added, “it’ll play badly if you don’t, won’t it? The president who abandoned Children to their fate?”

<“They’d never know,”> President Summerbee replied, thinking how this was the first time she’d stood up to him. He was proud of her. He just needed to hear one more thing…

“They will when I tell them,” Heather shot back. “And I have the recording of this communication.”

Sumerbee cheered inwardly. There it was. His get out if it ever backfired but he hadn’t really seen any way it could but he’d decided to give his loved daughter her moment. No need to let on, was there? <“I suppose there’s little choice? I’ll get things sorted this end. You’ll need help. They’ll be safe.”> They talked for twenty minutes, until the first of the USC troops arrived from Calera City.

Heather signed off and saw the Commanding Officer, a crossbreed. A Wolf/Mican one. She was a little surprised. It was the first of those she’d seen. “Lieutenant Commander Hav,” he said, offering a salute. She responded.


Savra was also on a call. He’d had it routed through several satellites and relays to make it impossible to track so there was some interference on the face of IOC Officer Gerry as he spoke. “Just to tell you that we followed up on that information you gave me.” He stated, keeping his face as impassive as he could. “We have a dozen freed children and,” he added with a sigh “a half dozen dead ones for you. And the Rapta clan is being challenged by half a dozen clans.”

<“I heard the first rumours of that a half hour ago,”> Gerry told him. <“Reports reaching us of a small scale war involving the Mican president’s daughter? News reached the IOC as soon as that patrol ship reported back who they’d spoken to. It ws easy to monitor things from there, looking for violence. Which you provided, of course.”>

“And you kept your hands clean, of course,” Savra remarked sourly. “We’re sending the databases we stole from Kayle to you. You should be able to find transit records there. Who bought the children. Then your people can take it from there as they all seem to be outside my clan’s area of control. I’m not an errand boy.”

<“No, you aren’t. I don’t imagine you’ve done anything you’ll lose sleep over, Captain. So sleep well.”> The Human disconnected the call after receipt of the files.


Savra decided he could sleep well on this occasion. They had done well. Perhaps he might even dream of his brother?


Barnabus called him to the bridge. They had a Rapta clan ship on long range. “Log the position,” he ordered, “Signal control and see if there’s back up in the area. Janus, plot an attack vector and stand ready to engage…”


END.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Looks like even after one mission is done the adventure still continues as something else comes up. I am hoping that the Rapta ship that they see isn't hostile but knowing the reputation of everybody in the story I sort of doubt they aren't.