After Zura had sent the map to Serani and her team, Gabriel’s squad of Justicars and a trigger-happy Zilgi moved on. They started down the corridor, Gabriel and Madeline in the back, and moved slowly further inside. They didn’t meet any more guards on the way, though with the two teams they had faced, and the ones Serani had fought, this place might be running out. It wasn’t a military base after all.

“Left here,” Zura said and turned at a T-junction, only to jump back as gunfire opened up. She threw herself around the corner swearing. “Turret!”

Nyria glanced at the roof, looking for more hatches, while Rik’Tensel spun and moved past Gabriel and Madeline to the back.

“Crap, those are big rounds,” Zura said and began peeling off her boot carefully. “Ow.” Gabriel walked over and kneeled, “It’s only a graze,” Zura said. Her leg was bleeding with a clear cut on the side. The plate on the front of her boot had deflected the round slightly but it could not stop it. She grabbed a small medkit attached to her belt, “It will shoot through our armor. The chest plate and thicker might be able to take a round or two.”

Gabriel nodded, “Will this shotgun take it out?”

“It should, but be careful, it has a quick lock on,” Zura said. Madeline walked over and helped Zura with her first aid.

Gabriel took a breath and stood. He edged as close to the corner as he dared and quickly stuck his head out. The turret hung from the ceiling like the one before and he saw two more guards beyond it, though no details as he pulled his head back half a second later. Another half a second and more round smacked into the wall.

“One turret, at least two guards beyond,” Gabriel said and took a knee. Then he aimed at where he thought the turret would be and peeked again, lower this time. He barely bothered aiming before he squeezed off a shot and hid again.

More rounds hit the wall, signifying that he hadn’t taken it out. He did another standing peek and shot again. This time he heard a submachine gun fire but the turret was silent. The corridor continued forwards to a closed door.

“Where does that door lead?” Gabriel asked.

“One second,” Zura said as she pulled her boot back on. “Cafeteria.”

“No other ways out of it?”

“The cafeteria? No, only the one.”

“Less chance of an attack from there then,” Gabriel said. He moved back a few steps before sprinting across before anyone could complain. The guards opened fire but didn’t hit him.

“Crazy human,” Nyria said and took the other corner. Gabriel kneeled at his corner and gave a five-second countdown. Nyria nodded and they both spun around the corner. Both guards were focused on Gabriel and as he pulled the trigger he felt something punch into his chest. He saw one guard fall over, the other ducked. Gabriel spun back and looked down.

The armor had absorbed the rounds but the plate had cracked, so he had to be careful from now on. Nyria was still peeking the corner and squeezed off a burst a second later. She moved ahead while Zura got to her feet.

“Clear!” Nyria shouted.

“I would appreciate it if you ran this kind of maneuver past us first,” Zura said as they advanced over to Nyria.

“Would you have let me do it if I had?” Gabriel asked.

“Probably not,” Zura said. “I might have gotten Rik’Tensel or Nyria to do it. But it worked out, so I’ll leave it at that.”

They passed the downed guards, one was still alive and got covered in foam as they moved on. They found the hidden passage and moved down the stairs. Once down they stared down a corridor with five doors on each side and another at the end. Two smaller staircases led down to either side, just like in the floorplan.

“How are we going about this?” Gabriel asked.

“I’ll go with you, and clear the rooms on the left, Rik’Tensel and Nyria, take the other ones,” Zura said. They nodded and stacked up on the other side.

Gabriel kicked open the first door and let Zura move in before him. It was empty and the large window at the other end showed a dark and empty cell. There was a door connected to the next office that had not been on the floorplan. They took that one and quickly cleared that office as well. Then they had to go out into the corridor again to move on. Rik’Tensel and Nyria also cleared theirs and signaled it was empty as well.

The second pair of offices and cells were empty as well. Gabriel and Zura took positions at the last couple of doors. Gabriel, once again, kicked open the door and Zura headed inside. There was no one inside, though it looked used. A shutter was closed over the window down to the cell and all digital equipment was half dismantled.

“Gabriel, take Nyria and head down the stairs, me and Rik’Tensel will clear the last office,” Zura said. Gabriel nodded and headed down, followed by Nyria. The stairs curved back on themselves leading to a corridor adjacent to the cells. The closest cell was lit. Gabriel peaked in and almost felt his heart skip.

Victoria was being held under gunpoint by a male Phigos wearing a lab coat. She was just as naked as he had been and thinner than what he remembered. Before Gabriel could make any rational decision he pulled back and drove his armored fist through the window. It shattered, sending large pieces into the room. The Scientist jumped and took cover behind Victoria.

“Stay back!” He shouted. “I have a gun!”

Gabriel reached up and removed his helmet, “Vicky, it’s me,” he said.

“Gabe?” Victoria said shocked.

“Yes, sorry it took so long,” He continued. He made a show of tossing his gun down. “I have been trying to find you for over a month.”

“I told you to stay back!” the Phigos shouted and waved his gun around.

Gabriel raised both hands, while waving Nyria back, “It might actually be more than a month now that I think about it. Disarm, throw,” He said.

“What?” the Phigos said. Victoria blinked in confusion before her hand shot up, pushing the gun away. She stomped hard on the Phigos foot and shifted her weight. A fraction of a second later, the Phigos was upside down in the air from Victoria’s hip toss. He landed hard and as Victoria twisted his arm to get the gun away, she quickly learned that Phigos don’t have the same range of movement as his shoulder popped out of its socket.

Gabriel was through the window as soon as Victoria moved. He reached her just as the Phigos began screaming in pain. Victoria stood with shaking hands, pointing the gun at the downed scientist. Gabriel gently placed a hand on the weapon and took it. He handed it back to Nyria who had made her way through the glass. Madeline was close behind as well.

Nyria quickly pulled the Phigos away, ignoring his pained shouts. Gabriel turned Victoria's head to look at him.

“You’re late,” She said and wrapped her arms around his chest, leaning on him.

“Yeah, sorry,” Gabriel said, grinning and hugging her back, careful where he placed his hands. He let out a sigh of relief and felt his knees weaken. Victoria began to sob softly and he held her for a few minutes while feeling his own eyes tear up.

“Where have you been?” she asked finally.

“All over,” Gabriel said. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

“Good,” Victoria said. Nyria caught Gabriel’s attention and jerked her head upwards towards the office. Victoria noticed as well and sniffed.

“I brought clothes for you/Did you bring something to wear?” they both said at the same time. Gabriel and Victoria both clucked, “Then turn around for a bit,” she said.

They pulled apart and Gabriel turned around, pulling off his backpack. “Oh,” he said. “This is Madeline by the way, and Nyria over there.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, circumstances notwithstanding,” Madeline said and handed Victoria the bag. Nyria nodded quickly to Victoria and moved out of the room, a hand to her ear.

“You as well I suppose,” Victoria said to Madeline, and Gabriel heard shuffling behind him as the bag opened. “What’s your story?”

“Same as Gabriel’s for quite a while. We shared a cell, much like this one for a bit,” She said.

“I would like to hear more about that,” Victoria said before addressing Gabriel. “I heard them whisper about you. How many of us are there?”

“As far as I know, just two,” Gabriel said. “I have some more bad news but I want to get out of here first.”

“Alright, I’ll wait, did you bring me a gun?” She asked and moved past him.

“Here,” Madeline said and handed her handgun over, “I’m not a good shot.”

“Thanks,” Victoria said and turned back to Gabriel. “So, give me a quick sitrep. I want to get out of here and find a comfortable place to talk and cry some more.”

“I am the temporary owner of a ship,” Gabriel suggested.

“That’ll do,” Victoria said.

Nyria walked over from the now open door to the cell, “There is just the final office left, the rest of the building is secure.”

“That’s certainly a quick sitrep,” Gabriel said. “Alright, let’s go,” Gabriel said. “Vicky, stay behind me with Madeline.”

“Like I can’t handle myself,” She said. Gabriel grinned in response.

“Of course you can, with a bit of good food and some workout you’ll kick my ass again in no time,” He said and poked her ribs, she huffed and kicked his armored leg. “But I have armor on. That I suspect won't fit you, so don’t even suggest it.”

“I would never,” She said and smiled. “I really missed you.”

“I missed you too, It’s been a long month.”

“ About two weeks for me, best I can tell,” she said and nodded to the door. “Enough mushy talk, go.”

“Yes, sis,” Gabriel said and followed Nyria out. “Oh, and Madeline is more or less my sponsor. Or was. Nyria is with… well the organization leading the rescue, and the local government?” Gabriel asked, directed at Nyria.

“The Justicars first, Roniean government second,” Nyria confirmed. “A pleasure to meet you, Ambassador Walker.”

“What? Ambassador?” Victoria questioned.

“Long story,” Gabriel said. “Well, not that long, but we have little time.”

“Sure,” Victoria said.

They moved back into the corridor and up the stairs to the offices. Zura and Rik’Tensel were standing at the last door, Zura keeping off her wounded leg. She smiled at Victoria and Rik’Tensel nodded.

“Nyria, take my place, Gabriel, you get behind Rik’Tensel. Miss Nioni and Miss Walker, please stay back.”

Everyone got into position, Madeline and Victoria stood a few steps down the stairs. Nyria counted down and tried the handle. The door swung open and she and Rik’Tensel burst in. Gabriel was next, followed by Zura.

Inside was a large office with a couch group and table in the middle. Behind them sat a large desk with a Roniean woman behind it. She had her hands clasped on the desk and looked unarmed. Gabriel estimated her age at middle age at most, likely a few years younger.

“I surrender,” she said in a calm but annoyed tone and held up her hands. It was the same voice that they heard before the turrets activated.

“Then you are under arrest, do we need to tell you your rights?” Nyria asked and approached with handcuffs.

“I’d rather skip that part,” she said and held out her hands. “And I would like to cooperate if you can assure that I end up in a Justicar prison.”

“Not that I really care, but why do you want to go to the highest security prison?” Nyra asked half-hearted and cuffed the woman.

“Because the syndicate can’t reach me there,” she said. “I hope.”

Nyra looked over at Rik’Tensel who nodded. “Alright, talk,” Nyria said.

“I want it recorded first.”

“Fine,” Zura said. “For your cooperation, we will make sure your sentence is served in a Justicar prison if your verdict is guilty. Is that good enough?”

“Yes,” She said and cleared her throat. “My name is Graila V’Raila, I am the woman in charge of this location, thrown to the Justicars because someone more important than me messed up,” She began. “I was ordered to handle...” she paused and nodded to Victoria who stood in the doorway. “Her from Turain and keep her here waiting for further orders.”

“Turan Irnik?” Nyria asked.

“Yeah, that one,” Graila said. “And when you arrested him I was ordered to stay here and take care of it,” she said in a spiteful tone. “I worked for years for them and was thrown away in an instant because someone hired an incompetent Igris crew and lost the human they wanted for some reason,” she said and gestured to Gabriel.

“Could it have anything to do with nanomachines?” Gabriel asked.

Graila got a brief look of surprise before nodding. “That it might. I would like to show you something. But first, as I understand you have been in stasis for about 100 Earth years.”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and all Justicars also noticed. “How did you know that? And your record would be in Union years right?”

“... a hundred years?” Victoria muttered. Madeline put a hand on her shoulder.

“Yes. Would one of you please find the hidden button on the back of the frame behind me? Lower left.”

“Do you expect us to press mystery buttons here?” Nyria asked.

“You do make a good point Justicar, I promise that it will only show a picture, for what’s my word is worth,” Graila said.

Zura headed over to the frame and pulled out a scanner, running it over the frame and wall behind it. “Whatever it is, it’s just connected to the frame. No transmitter or receiver. Or explosives,” She finished.

“I’m not suicidal,” Graila said. Zura pressed the button and a holographic picture appeared in the frame. “Meet the founders of the syndicate, 95 Earth years ago,” Graila said.

The frame showed a Roniean woman, a Yavichian man, an Igris man, and finally in the middle, a middle-aged human man. A caucasian with brown hair beginning to grey at his temples.

“That… that makes a lot of sense actually,” Gabriel said slowly. “I guess the arena was his idea?”

“I suppose so,” Graila said. “He was also the person trying to develop the nanomachines you two have. But to my knowledge, it wasn’t completed.”

“Did he have any illnesses?” Gabriel asked. “Or conditions, muscle or bone?”

“No, he was developing it to combat his muscle atrophy from the lower gravity as I understand it,” Graila said and shrugged. “But I never met him, all founders have been dead for over 50 of your years.”

“Why were we kidnapped?” Victoria asked, her voice firm. “Was it just us and why did I end up here and Gabriel… wherever he was.”

“I don’t know why you were taken from Earth, even the founder didn’t know. You two were stored as test subjects, but that much is clear by now. To my best knowledge whoever stored your pods messed up, or died and your information was lost. Maybe an attack on the ship or facility, I don’t know. Very few even knew of your existence in the first place and they don’t exactly spread it around. Then I suspect some black market merchant got a hold of you and decided to sell you like an exotic animal. Only the male at first, who was discovered by a syndicate member that recognizes your race and bought you.” Graila sighed, “But like I said, tried to cover their own ass and hired a pirate crew to ship you.”

“And me?” Victoria asked.

“I think the seller decided to get rid of you later, probably after it was revealed you were intelligent. Turan bought your pod and panicked, handing you over to us.”

“And where is Earth?” Gabriel asked.

“I don’t know,” Graila said. “I know the founder looked for it, but I guess he never found it.”

“What was his name?” Gabriel asked, staring at the human.

“He was only ever called the Founder. You were taken at the same time more or less, you likely have a better idea.”

“Never seen him before in my life,” Gabriel said.

“Same,” Victoria said.

“That is a shame, I would have liked to know who to curse for the blind loyalty of most members,” Graila said.

“And you think differently?” Nyria asked her.

“I was taken in at an older age than most, and yes, I look to my own interests first. Which is why I’m talking to you and not fighting a losing battle.”

“You did send turrets at us,” Zura said.

“Or maybe they were automatic,” Graila said. “I wouldn’t dare fight Justicars or the Roniean government.” By the looks on most faces around the room, no one quite believed either statement.

“Anything else to tell us?” Nyria asked.

“Almost all data has been deleted but I’ll give you access to my terminal so you can look around all you want. I don’t know the location of any other important member, most will have moved now that I’m in custody. And I was never told of any other facilities. But I do have some traces that might be useful.”

“Then one final question, why a Justicar prison?” Nyria asked and pulled her to her feet.

“I wasn’t supposed to survive this attack. And certainly not surrender,” Graila said. “If I end up somewhere else I probably won't live long. And considering you Justicars are under almost constant surveillance, I’d wager that the syndicate doesn’t have any of you as members. Or if they do, it's a secretary or something.”

“Alright, that will do, let’s go,” Zura said. “Let’s get back to the ship and hand the guards over to the government.” She turned to Graila, “Unless you think they might know something you don’t.”

“No, I don’t think so. As they were supposed to die and cover for the higher ups, I doubt they sent their best.”

Graila was led out of the room by Rik’Tensel, with the rest following. Victoria was clearly still processing everything she had heard but followed along, guided by Gabriel. They met up with Serani and while they busied themselves removing the foam from the guards, Gabriel and his group walked out towards the ship that had landed close by.

The following few hours started with a shower for Gabriel, a long talk and a lot of crying for Victoria, and a lengthy explanation for how Gabriel had gotten here.

“So, let me get this straight,” Victoria said, rubbing her temples. “You woke up, same as me but on a ship with Madeline, broke out, fought off pirates, went to a black market, hooked up with an alien, a Zilgi, fought in a gladiatorial arena, sat stuck on a rainy planet for a week and then found me here?”

“Very summarised, yes,” Gabriel said.

“What does hooked up mean exactly in this context?” Madeline asked.

“Um, sleeping together,” Victoria said, “Or getting together as girlfriend and boyfriend.”

Madeline took a moment to consider that, “And I’m guessing girlfriend means something else other than a female friend.”

“Romantic partner,” Gabriel said.

“Oh, then yes, both are correct,” she said. “Though we did sleep together before having sex.”

Victoria chuckled, “Good for you bro.”

Gabriel chuckled as well and shook his head, “Thanks. So... you okay Vicky?”

“Not really,” she said. “Give me a few weeks and I will be. For now, I’m trying to process 100 years frozen in a pod and Earth being lost somewhere.”

“Yeah, I’m still having trouble with the latter, and not giving up on it,” Gabriel said.

“But what now?” Victoria asked them both. “I am apparently an Ambassador, I'm guessing your two doctor friends want to take scans of me. Do I have to give presentations, shake hands and talk about how great Earth is?”

“You can,” Gabriel said. “And probably earn quite a lot of money doing it, but you don’t have to. I am selling my scans and test results to get enough for now.”

“Then, what’s the plan?” Victoria asked again. Gabriel leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Madeline grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Gabriel smiled and made up his mind.

“Now that you are rescued, I don’t think we have any authority to hunt the syndicate. And frankly, I don’t mind handing that task over to the Justicars. We are after all Ambassadors and will remain so until we find Earth. So...” He turned to Madeline and smiled, squeezing her hand back. “How about a long talked about and mentioned vacation to a certain planet with red trees...?”

Madeline smiled wide, “I would love that, Victoria, would you like to see my home? We have vast forests and warm beaches.”

Victoria nodded and smiled back, “While I’m saying this with little to no knowledge of what’s out there. That sounds perfect.”

Gabriel nodded and leaned over to kiss Madeline, “It’s a date...”