A sharva knelt by a weapons locker. The light in the ship glinted off her. Instead of skin, sharvas had micro scales covering their bodies, which could easily be mistook for human skin at a distance. Her tongue slid over the rows of pointed teeth within her mouth. A habit that had gone unbroken since her childhood. Her short and tidy white hair didn’t obstruct her vision in the least. She reached into the container and shifted items around, in search of something. Her fingertips had more pronounced points than a human’s. Her piercing eyes narrowed.

She released a feral growl which reverberated off the inner hull of the ship. “Who took my weapon?” Scotia demanded. “I set it in the armory chest and now it’s gone! Damir! It was you, wasn’t it? You’re always fingering it when I’m not looking!” She leaned up from the weapons cache and looked over to the couch where the verean lounged. He had the usual red eyes and pointy ears of his race as well as trim black hair.

“I didn’t touch your precious gun,” Damir replied. He watched a live video feed on a screen generated by the data-band on his wrist. Scotia let out a huff and rested her sharp fingers on her hips.

“You misplaced it last time! Why should I believe you now?” she asked pointedly with narrowed blue eyes.

“I already learned my lesson, when you almost bit my finger off, Captain,” he said. His eyes remained on a news report, being broadcasted from the planet Malstyx, which their ship was currently orbiting.

“If I find out you were screwing with it, I might just bite off your entire arm!” Scotia said with a sneer, baring her rows of sharp fangs.

“Sharva are always so hostile,” said Damir.

“And vampires are thieving little liars,” she replied.

Jamie—who’d been quietly sitting against the bulkhead, couldn’t keep himself from laughing. This was all it took to draw their attention to him. Jamie’s eyes widened, realizing he might have incurred their combined wrath. He turned his head away and tapped the data-band on his wrist so that he could bring up a image and make it seem like he was busy with something else.

Their gaze seared into him.

From the corner of his eye, Jamie noticed a sleek and gelatinous purple tentacle sliding out of the ventilation shaft above the pilot consoles. The tentacle deposited an object on top of the console and slid smoothly back into the open grate. Jamie diverted his gaze back to the display in front of his eyes.

“Damir was at the controls earlier, did you check over there?” Jamie asked, while keeping his eyes averted from the two of them.

“I said, I didn’t take it! You’re against me now too?” Damir asked.

Scotia was already walking towards the pilot controls. She reached down and wrapped her fingers around the revolver’s handle. She turned around and faced Damir.

“Well, would you look at this...my revolver,” she said.

Jamie did his best to keep from smirking. Damir leaned up and planted his feet on the floor. “Oh, c’mon I didn’t put it there! What would I need with your gun? I hate your gun! It’s way too heavy and ugly and old!”

Scotia narrowed her eyes at Damir and raised her revolver. “You...hate my gun? The most beautiful gun in the entire universe?” Her voice became the hissing growl which was more native to the sharva race.

Damir’s eyebrows lifted as Scotia’s weapon trained on him.

A bubbly giggle, as if someone was laughing under water, sounded from the ventilation shaft behind Scotia. Her gun lowered as she turned to the vent. “Persephone? What are you doing in the vents again? I told you I don’t want you clogging them up!”

A purple translucent goo pushed out of the vent. Moment’s later, the large mass congealed into a humanoid figure. A multitude of thin tentacles formed the creature’s hair. A pair of eyes with noticeable divots for pupils looked around the room, taking everything in.

“Wait a minute,” Damir said while eyeing Persephone. “It was you, wasn’t it? You framed me! Didn’t you?” He pushed out of his chair.

Persephone’s gel-like eyes widened, a soft ‘meep’ came from her as her body lost its form and pushed back into the vent, disappearing back into the confines of the ship’s structure.

Damir rushed over to the wall and pounded on it, the sound echoed through the air duct. “Get back here! Admit it!” he shouted.

“I think Persephone was more concerned with setting up Damir, than she was with actually stealing it,” said Jamie, while still seated against the far wall. “I guess that’s what you get for always calling her a gooey bitch.”

“She is a gooey bitch!” Damir replied. “She’s not natural. I still don’t trust her, I don’t care if Noree vouches for her. There’s a reason claymores stay within the asteroid fields.” He crossed his arms and sat down at the pilot seat.

Scotia walked over to the couch and sat down. She caressed her revolver and eye’d Damir. “I think you’re jealous of her,” said Scotia.

“Jealous? How could I be jealous of purple goo?” Damir asked.

“She took out those two snipers on the roof that you couldn’t get a bead on,” said Jamie.

“She also secured that entire room, the one you were supposed to deal with,” said Scotia.

“And don’t forget when we were pinned down by the ursari mafia, she saved Scotia while you were unconscious,” said Jamie.

“Why does no one ever take my side?” Damir asked.

“Your brother used to take your side...about ten percent of the time,” said Scotia. “And so did Vin...she looked up to you.”

Damir’s red eyes stared blankly at the corridor which led to the living quarters. “How long has it been since Vin—”

“Nine months,” said Scotia.

Damir ran his hand through his hair.

Jamie’s eyes lowered to the floor.

Scotia’s pointed fingers gripped the hilt of her gun. She silently released her held breath. “Do we have any work this week?”

Damir turned and faced the piloting systems of the ship. He tapped a button to bring up a screen. “We haven’t decided on anything yet,” he said. “What we have available...is…” he tapped the buttons in midair. The imagery before his eyes changed to a series of requests. “Starting from the top. There’s a bounty on a ‘Sergeant Blimmer’ of the Malstyx Guard.”

Scotia’s finger tapped her gun as she pondered. “Any information on that one?”

“Says he’s holed up with the...oh, our friends from the other day. The ursari mafia, he was last seen at their compound.”

“I’d rather not have to go in there with just the three of us, seeing as we can’t always count on Persephone,” said Scotia.

“So, gleaning the list for missions that can be dealt with by three or less...that eliminates a majority of them, if we want to be safe about it,” said Damir.

“How many members does Blood Moon Mafia have anyway?” asked Jamie.

“Somewhere over two hundred guns, plus whatever personnel they utilize,” said Damir. “Scotia and I killed—”

“And Persephone,” Scotia interjected.

Damir sighed. “Scotia, Persephone and I...took out about twenty five on that mission, but we weren’t assaulting the compound, we hit one of their weapons depots. Pulled some nice ammo from it too. We’d been getting pretty low lately.”

“And without Persephone we…” Scotia spoke but trailed off from that train of thought. She shook her head. “Anyway, we’re not hitting Blood Moon Mafia for a while. We had good intel on that depot, got what we needed when their guard was down and no one was killed but I’d rather not press our luck with them. They’re not the average thugs we usually find.”

Damir nodded. “They’re all ex Malstyx Guard or ex ursari militia from their homeworld. Not to mention they’re all ursari.” He shook his head. “You make one false move when they’re pumping adrenaline, and you get a fist smashing in your face.”

“Yeah, I remember how Lurik and Marik were,” said Jamie. “They were actually the first ursari I’d ever met.” He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling.

Scotia slid her revolver into her belt and stood. “I miss them too. Their loyalty to me never wavered...not once. No matter my decision, even if it was a terrible one, they backed up every word.” Scotia looked over to Jamie. “You need to stop kicking yourself over their deaths. They knew they couldn’t make it out, but they made sure you did. There was nothing you could’ve done.”

Jamie looked to Scotia and nodded. Scotia knew it wasn’t Jamie’s fault. It was her own. The ursari brothers—her comrades, took every measure in ensuring Jamie was safe. Sure, Jamie could take care of himself, probably better than most humans could, but he was still human.

“Looks like a company called ‘Sphinx Co’ is hiring guards. They need guns to patrol their compounds,” said Damir. “Seems pretty safe and laid back...oh wait...damn, they’re trying to fill a large quota of gunmen. Meaning there’s gonna be a whole mess of other mercs down there with no clear hierarchy, forget that.”

Scotia turned back to Damir and approached the pilot seat.

“I’d rather not get mixed up with all the other mercs out there, unless you’re feeling inadequate, then you’re allowed to head down there and prove yourself against all the dregs. Perhaps you and Persephone can take the job? Whoever beats up the most Mercs wins.” Scotia said with a wide grin.

Damir hissed, “I’m not partnering with Persephone, she barely says a—”

Beep beep, beep beep

Damir hit the blinking notification on the display. Several images popped up on the screen, along with coordinates for the planet below.

“It’s Goma! We got a hit, we finally got a hit!” yelled Damir.

Scotia’s hand clenched the back of Damir’s chair. “Are you sure?”

Damir nodded and enlarged one of the photos. “It’s him. Facial recognition match. Noree’s friends are good at what they do, apparently.”

Scotia licked her lips and pulled away from the chair. “Jamie! Take the seat. You’re flying us down there. Damir! load up, we’re dropping in.”

Jamie looked to Scotia as she headed towards the weapons chest. “I’m flying? Wait, I’m not coming with you?” He asked as he stood up and headed for the pilot seat. Damir vacated it for him and joined Scotia at the weapons chest.

“You barely knew Goma,” said Scotia. “This is personal for me and Damir. He betrayed us. None of my men have ever betrayed me before. He’s the first and he will be the last.”

Damir pulled a standard pistol from the chest. He made sure the weapon was functional before loading up on magazines. Scotia loaded her belt with ammo for her revolver and gave it another look-over to make sure Persephone hadn’t somehow jammed it up. She was happy to have the extra help that Persephone provided, but she was quite a handful.

Jamie took the pilot’s chair and started to check the systems as he plotted a course down to the planet.

“I should be coming with you. We can auto-nav the ship,” said Jamie.

“No, you’re staying here, that’s final. Keep an eye on Persephone, make sure she doesn’t fall off the ship or...whatever. Keep an eye on things from above. It’ll be faster with just Damir and I.”

“We’re taking him out for what he did,” Damir spoke under his breath.

“Fine, I’ll keep an eye on things but I’m not making any promises with Persephone,” said Jamie.

The ship descended into lower orbit and headed closer towards Malstyx.

Scotia came over to the pilot seat, but leaned over to the wall and banged it several times before yelling into the air-duct. “Persephone! Stay here! Keep an eye on Jamie for me!” She then leaned down to Jamie and gripped the back of his seat. She leaned in and nipped his ear with her sharp teeth.

“Ouch!” he ran a hand over his ear and looked at his fingers which had thin streaks of red. “You always draw blood,” he grumbled.

“I draw blood for good luck,” Scotia said in a feral growl.

Jamie frowned and shook his head. His attention went to the controls for the their transport ship.

Damir gripped a metal rung on the side of the hatchway. His eyes went back and forth between Jamie and Scotia. Scotia took hold of a metal rung on the other side of the hatch. She diverted her attention to Damir and lost her smile. “Time for revenge.”

The ship had entered Malstyx’s atmosphere. The turbulence of their entry started to rock the ship.

“You think he knows we’re coming for him?” asked Damir.

Scotia’s hands gripped the metal rung and the side of her belt as she remained firmly postured despite the increasing turbulence. She looked Damir in the eye. “Doesn’t matter if he does. He could be at the center of that damned mafia compound for all I care. I’d still go in after him for what he did to Vin.”

“And I’d follow.” said Damir.

The land mass in the cockpit’s viewscreen continued to grow. First City, the only city on Malstyx was already in sight. The vessel shot through the atmosphere towards the Metropolis. Jamie’s hands were tight on the controls to keep the ship as straight as possible. The nav system showed him the way towards the sighting, but he still had to be the one to lead the ship in at these speeds and turbulence.

Jamie grit his teeth. He reached over and flipped a switch, which caused a noticeable hum within the ship. “Running silent...sort of,” he said as he started to decelerate the ship. The vessel rumbled and shook.

“Just don’t crash us into a building, else he’ll really know we’re coming,” said Damir.

The drag on the ship lessened as the ship zoomed over the buildings at a speed matching the automated taxis around the city. The transport ship was small enough to be allowed within the city’s airspace without the local authorities getting upset.

Anything much bigger, would need to remain in a higher orbit.

Jamie’s hands worked at the controls, flipping switches for harsher deceleration as the ship hovered over a back alley. Another button-press and a square hatch slid away, opening the ship to the ground below.

The sun was setting in the distance. Not that anyone could see it through the thickly clouded atmosphere, but the light would lessen by the minute.

“Good luck!” Jamie called.

Damir looked to Scotia and then jumped through the opening. He landed a few feet below on the street and headed in the direction of where the sighting of Goma was made.

Scotia followed after him and dropped to the street. She kept a hand on her belt, close to her weapon as she fell in line with Damir. The two of them made their way down the street as they took in their surroundings.

Damir held his arm in front of him; A rectangular display was an inch above it. He looked between the screen and the streets.

“Unless he’s watching for our ship, we should get the jump on him,” said Scotia. The two mercenaries turned down an alley and closed in on the rear entrance of a large complex. Malstyx Heights Condos.

“I don’t think they’re going to let us walk around and kick in doors,” Damir grumbled.

Scotia reached up and straightened the collar on her jacket. Her hands brushed down over her sleek black pants. “Well, I think I’m presentable enough,” Scotia commented as she looked at Damir with a fanged smirk.

Damir took one glance at her and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure all their clientele are mercs, dressed just like us.”

“How did we get the reading on Goma?” Scotia asked.

“Noree says the guys who tracked him for us, use micro drones. Apparently they like to have an extra set of eyes around the city, which others don’t know about.”

“Must be expensive,” Scotia mused.

“Well, since they’re no longer in production, yeah, I’d imagine so,” he said. Damir checked the display on his arm again. “He’s gotta be in there.”

Scotia took the lead and gripped the metal handle to the rear entrance of the condos. It didn’t budge. Beside the door was a datapad.

“Get us in,” Scotia grumbled as she stood aside and watched the back streets.

Damir stepped up to the datapad and began tapping away at the display on his arm. “Well, hopefully they don’t have new software. If we’re lucky, they’re the greedy type,” he said as he continued to tap buttons. “Because the newest software is always expensive.”

The sounds of transports were heard overhead. Voices emanated from nearby streets. Nothing out of the ordinary. Their surroundings were getting darker as night arrived quickly on Malstyx.

“But,” Damir began again. “The newest software, also prevents us from doing…”

The datapad next to the door chimed and a green icon appeared.

“That.”

Scotia reached over and pulled the door open. Damir went in first and the captain followed right behind him.

“Security room,” said Scotia.

“Basement?” Damir asked.

“Basement.”

The two came to a lift. Damir pressed the button and they waited for the lift to come to them.

So far, they hadn’t encountered anyone. The complex was lavish. Scotia wondered what Goma was doing here. Did he actually live here? Her hand gripped the handle of her revolver even tighter. Just the thought of Goma living in a luxurious place like this, was almost enough to have her start shooting walls. Had someone paid him to take out Vin, and set them up?

“Did you tell Jamie about Goma? And what happened?” Damir asked.

“It’s...never come up, till today,” she said. “I honestly expected Goma to flee Mal space. I didn’t think we’d ever see him again. He’s an idiot for sticking around. But I’m glad he’s giving us the opportunity to kill him.”

Damir crossed his arms as he watched the lift door. “He must have his reasons. Goma wasn’t an idiot.”

Scotia’s eyes narrowed and she looked over to Damir. “Maybe we’ll ask him, right before I place a round through his face.”

The lift chimed and opened up. The doors slid to the side and Scotia and Damir stepped in. The datapad was lit up beside the lift doors.

“Basement,” said Scotia.

“Invalid request, authorization required for basement entry. Please make another selection,” came an automated voice.

“Damnit,” Scotia murmured as she looked to Damir.

The vampire was already tapping at his data-band’s display. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said. “I hope they’re not logging invalid requests.”

Scotia growled as Damir ran the appropriate anti-security software on his data-band. A few seconds later, a green icon appeared on the datapad beside the lift’s doors.

“And to the basement we go,” he murmured. He lowered his arm and readied his weapon. He flipped a switch on the side of his pistol, setting it to non-lethal rounds.

Scotia tapped her revolver with an index finger. Her weapon didn’t know what non-lethal meant.

The doors slid away, showing off a stone corridor. Apparently the owners of the building hadn’t cared too much about luxury in the basement. Damir took point and began eyeing the words on the doors. Scotia followed, until Damir came to a stop in front of a sign on the ceiling labelled ‘security.’ Once more, a datapad impeded their path. Damir made short work of the security lock. It made a chime and he winced.

Scotia pushed forward and grabbed the handle of the door. She turned it and pushed it in, as the two were bathed in the light of dozens of displays. Scotia trained her weapon on the room’s sole occupant. Damir came up right beside her, his weapon raised as well.

Scotia’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the back of the man’s head. The security guard continued to sit in the chair, facing all the displays. Scotia lowered her gun, and motioned for Damir to do the same. She stepped forward silently. Her boots didn’t make so much as a squeak on the floor.

She approached around the side of the guard, but with her weapon lowered. She stepped up beside him and got a good look at his face. She promptly rolled her eyes at what she saw.

She looked to Damir and shook her head. She gestured for him to come over, and then pointed at the security guard.

Damir gave her a strange look and walked over just as quietly. He took a peek at the guard’s face and grinned. The man’s jaw was dropped, his mouth agape. He was utterly asleep. Scotia motioned for Damir again and pointed to her wrist, and then pointed to the displays.

Damir nodded in understanding. He stepped away from the snoozing guard and began to infiltrate the complex’s systems. This time, Scotia walked over to him and looked over his shoulder to see what he could find. Once he was inside the complex’s databases, he began a search for footage with Goma’s face. It took several seconds to complete before depicting silent footage of a brown-haired human man, entering a room.

Scotia tapped at the top of the image, where it showed the room number. Damir noticed it as well. They needed to head up to the thirtieth floor, room five.

Scotia patted Damir’s shoulder and headed for the door. He took a last glance to the security guard before following after her.

Once back in the elevator, Damir queued the lift to take them to floor thirty.

“His door’s going to be locked,” said Damir. “Hack or breach?”

Scotia stared at the lift’s doors as they ascended. “With how lax the security is around here, he may have added his own countermeasures to the door.” She slid her tongue across the tips of her fangs. “We don’t have a dampener,” she stated.

“Right, we lost the last one weeks ago,” he said.

“If we blow the lock, there’s a chance we blow out any countermeasures. If we hack it, we might set something off,” she weighed the options.

“Someone will report an explosion,” said Damir.

Scotia smirked. “No, I doubt anyone would care enough to bother.”

“Breach it is,” he said. “Not sure why I bother defending the other method. You love shooting things.”

“You got to hack all the others,” she said. “It’s my turn.”

Several seconds later, Scotia pulled out her firearm as the doors slid open. Room five was already in sight. Scotia headed out first. Her gaze followed down the hallway. She waited a few seconds as she listened for sounds in adjacent rooms and halls, but heard nothing.

She aimed her weapon at the lock and handle. She took a last glance at Damir, before priming her weapon and focusing on the door.

The revolver made a loud crack and the explosive round tore a hole through the door.

Scotia slammed against the door and pushed into the condo.

Potted plants. A hallway. Scotia ran in and trained her weapon into the open bathroom, and then into the living room. “Don’t move!” she yelled.

Damir was right behind her, his pistol raised as he joined Scotia. He looked around swiftly, before his gun was aimed at Scotia’s target. “Goma,” he murmured under his breath.

A brown-haired man sat on a white couch. He wore a pair of black slacks and a red shirt. His arms were spread out along the back of the couch. He regarded the two intruders with a smile. He looked between both of them with brown eyes, before glancing to the hallway. “Just the two of you?” he asked.

Scotia glared, her revolver aimed straight at Goma’s head.

“Something’s wrong,” said Damir. He began to glance around the condo, as if expecting something to happen.

“I know,” said Scotia. “He was expecting us, weren’t you Goma?”

“You don’t really think it was a coincidence that you suddenly found me?” Goma commented. “You’re precisely where I want you to be. Scotia, you may be one of the best mercenaries I’ve ever met, but you’re...a bit too predictable, especially for those of us who know you.”

Scotia tightened her grip on her weapon. “Enough.” She squeezed off another round with a loud crack. The shot pierced Goma’s head and tore a chunk out of the wall.

Goma sat there, the couch littered with debris from the wall, but his form was pristine and untouched. “Idiots,” he said.

“Hologram,” Damir murmured, taking another quick look around. This was definitely a trap but why were they still alive?. A moment later, the hologram of Goma shifted and the man’s appearance changed. Instead of a human male, a new figure appeared. The new appearance was of another sharva. He grinned with a mouth full of fangs.

“Who are you?” Damir asked in confusion as Goma’s visage faded.

“I’m Goma, of course,” he said with a laugh.

Damir looked over to Scotia, hoping to get some sort of explanation, but Scotia stood there with wide eyes as she stared at the other sharva’s face.

“Zane?” She whispered. “Zane, what the hell is going on?”

Damir looked between the two of them. “You know who this is?” he asked.

“Of course she does, Damir,” said Zane. “I made her into what she is today. I taught her everything she knows about being a pirate and a mercenary. Even if she’s mostly done away with the tendencies of the former.”

Damir had since lowered his weapon. “Wait, this...this is your old boss? That pirate lord you worked for?”

“Yeah, I was his right hand for a number of years. Until I started the Bloody Jaw Mercenaries,” said Scotia.

“Indeed,” Zane mused. “And now you and your little band have become an annoyance.”

Scotia wanted to put another round between his eyes, even though he wasn’t really there. But it would probably make her feel better, just to shoot at him.

“We’ve avoided you! I’ve never once engaged your men!” Scotia claimed.

“Tsk tsk tsk,” Zane shook his head. “You see, it’s that short sightedness which has led you here. You may not be engaging me directly, but your activities have constantly hindered the ones I work for.”

Scotia’s face was filled with dismay as her hands lowered further. “But you never worked for anyone! I would’ve known!”

Zane lifted a brow and let out a heavy sigh. “Oh, my dear Scotia. Everyone eventually serves a higher purpose and someone greater than themselves. Do you really think all those weapons raids on the Cearfoss clan, were merely by chance of opportunity?”

Damir looked to Scotia. “What’s he talking about?”

Scotia stared at the holographic eyes of Zane. The pieces were falling into place in her mind. She’d been so blind. How had she not seen it all before, when she was always at Zane’s side?

“We were raiding Cearfoss’s weapon shipments, as a form of sabotage?” asked Scotia. “Someone was paying us to do it? That’s how we always pulled in more credits than the weapons were worth.”

Zane’s head tilted to the side. “Is everything starting to make sense then, my dear?”

“But why masquerade as Goma? Why kill Vin?”

Zane sighed and shook his head. “You were so close...but you still don’t see the grand scheme.”

Damir lifted his arm and began tapping away at his data-band’s display, while Scotia was too distracted with Zane to notice Damir’s actions.

“You started taking the wrong jobs and working for the wrong team, Scotia,” said Zane. “So I had to find out first-hand if it was by chance, or if someone was pulling your strings. After I had my answers, I decided your crew required a little downsizing. But don’t worry my dear. I’ll leave you alive, along with...well, I suppose Damir can live. But that’s my last kindness to you, for all our history.”

Scotia’s eyes were narrowed and her fangs bared. If Zane were here right now, she’d rip his throat out with her own teeth.

“And Damir,” he said. ”I wouldn’t be worried about trying to trace my transmission.”

Damir looked up from the display, as Zane seemed to realize what he was up to.

“What you should be concerned about, is your ship and what remains of your crew. Goodbye Scotia, I’ll miss seeing you. But you’re always welcome back on my ship. Any time.” Zane grinned and the hologram dispersed.

Scotia holstered her weapon and tapped at her data-band and brought up a display. She hit the selections rapidly.

“So, he’s not going to kill us?” asked Damir as he looked to his captain.

“Leading us here was never about us. He wants The Fang,” said Scotia.

Scotia attempted to make a transmission to The Fang, but an error came up, notifying her that the signal was being scrambled.

“I can’t reach Jamie,” she said.

“We’re being jammed in here,” said Damir. “I had the same trouble trying to trace him. We need to get outside.”

Scotia darted for the door, with Damir right behind her. The lift was a short sprint away, but the elevator wasn’t waiting for them. Scotia smacked rapidly at the datapad, as if it would make the lift go faster.

“Damnit,” she murmured as she turned to look down the hall.

“What’s his plan?” asked Damir.

“He’s probably going to hit it from the ground. Jamie will never see it coming. He won’t have time to react.” Scotia slammed her fist into the thin wall beside the lift.

Seconds later, the lift chimed and the doors opened. “Override the lift, get us to the ground, now,” Scotia demanded.

Damir’s long-range capabilities were being nullified, but he could still manage to manipulate the complex’s lift, since he’d already planted the needed software in their system.

The doors didn’t even start to close, before Damir increased power being pumped into the lift. The compartment descended rapidly, faster than if it was free falling on its own. The two of them gripped tight to the hand-rails within the elevator.

Scotia’s fangs were barred. Fear was no longer a concept to her. She had to save Jamie and Persephone. She’d have shot out the window of the thirtieth floor and jumped, if she had any expectation of surviving. This was only slightly more dangerous.

“Brace,” Damir warned as he tapped a single button on the display for his data-band. A loud droning sound emanated from the walls, followed by electrical flickers. The sudden deceleration and braking, caused the two to stumble in place. The lift stabilized at the first floor. The doors still open. Several people were standing there with wide eyes as Scotia and Damir caught their footing and pushed passed them and into the hall.

They ran.

Scotia pulled out her revolver again. No one would stop her.

The rear-entrance to the complex was in sight, just down the hall. The door opened, and a security guard stepped inside. He caught sight of the pair of mercenaries running down towards him. His eyes were wide, his hands twitched, as if he was about to reach for his weapon, but at the last second, he threw his hands up and smacked his back to the wall.

Scotia was half a second from smearing his brain across the shiny walls. Now she didn’t have to waste a round.

Scotia and Damir rushed passed him. Damir was the first to fire, taking out the door’s locking mechanism. His gun barked three rounds and weakened the integrity of the door.

When Scotia reached it, she slammed into it and out into the night.

She scanned her surroundings for enemies, but there was nothing out of the usual. Night had fallen completely. The dull glow of blue lights filled the streets and alleys. She searched the sky and then started to hit icons on her data-band’s display.

“I don’t see him. He should be waiting up there somewhere, right?” said Damir. “Scanning for the ship now,” he added.

Scotia’s hail to The Fang was going unanswered, but it was going out now.

“Maybe Zane’s jamming The Fang’s transmissions?” asked Damir.

“Jamie would’ve been tracking us. He should have at least detected a loss of signal,” said Scotia. “That would’ve been the only warning he’d have.” It was also the only hope Scotia had that Jamie was safe.

A sound blipped on Damir’s data-band. “I’ve got it! He’s still in the sky...um...he’s moving. He’s headed towards us.”

Scotia looked to Damir’s data-band, and saw the direction of The Fang’s approach. She then looked to the sky as her eyes narrowed. There were other blips of light up there. Other transports. Which one was Jamie?

One of the spots of light became brighter, but not because it was getting closer.

A vessel streaked towards them, its engines now ablaze from an explosion. Debris began to fly off as The Fang rushed towards them.

“Jamie!” Scotia cried out as she stared up at the sky.

“He’s been hit,” Damir muttered beneath his breath.

All they could do, was watch as The Fang streaked towards them.

“It’s not slowing down,” said Damir. “I don’t see the escape pods ejecting.”

The vessel flew above their heads and smacked into the corner of the complex they’d just been inside. Debris poured down the sides of the complex from the impact. The transport tore through several rooms and came out the other side. It spun at a downward arc and smashed into a nearby street, out of view of the two mercenaries.

Scotia didn’t speak, she ran.

Her arms pumped. Her hand clenched her revolver. She couldn’t think. She had to get to the wreck.

She turned at the end of the street they were in and raced down the next. The smoke from the impact was reaching into the sky. Scotia was too blinded by rage to attempt calling for emergency dispatch. Damir knew that there was no way Jamie could’ve survived the impact. It would take a short while for emergency vehicles to detect the crash and be dispatched automatically.

Scotia turned down another street and saw the wreckage lodged against the side of another building. She approached the impact sight, but the fire was too intense. She stood there, staring at the burning wreck.

Damir’s footfalls slowed as he came to stand beside her. Their ship was unrecognisable. It had been their home. All their belongings and weapons. Now it, along with Jamie and Persephone, were gone.

Scotia’s lips were parted, she couldn’t do anything other than stare at her burning ship.

Damir looked to Scotia. “Scotia, we need to get out of here,” he said. He took a step closer to her. He was afraid to touch her. Surely she’d never mean to hurt him, but—

“I wish someone had told me,” came a voice from the end of the street. “That I was in danger!”

Scotia’s head jolted to the side as her eyes focused on the less intense scenery of the end of the street. She began walking to the blurry figure. Blurry only because her eyes had started to water.

Damir turned with wide eyes.

“Jamie?” Scotia gasped.

Jamie took in short gulps of air as he stood at the end of the street. He gripped his pistol with both hands to keep them from noticeably trembling. His pants and jacket—which were similar to Scotia’s, were singed in places.

“Are you both ok?” he asked as his gaze focused on Scotia.

Scotia ran to close the distance between her and Jamie before throwing her arms around him.

Jamie embraced Scotia and the two of them kissed.

“How the hell are you alive?” asked Damir.

Scotia pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. “How did you survive?” she asked.

Jamie sighed and looked over his shoulder. He was still wary about his surroundings. He’d just been shot out of the sky after all. “Persephone saved me,” he said. He glanced to Damir as the verean neared. “I was sitting in the pilot seat, minding the scanners. Persephone had come out of the vents and was watching them with me. Well, I had us in a pre-programmed flight in a circle around where I dropped you both off. But I guess it didn’t matter. The engine took a hit. The scanners didn’t pick up anything. All I knew was that the engine was gone. So I tried to stabilize, but it was no use. Then there was another explosion on the ship...I think I might have blacked out.” Jamie reached up and scratched at his head. “The next thing I know, I’m down on the street, and Persephone is standing above me, slapping my cheek.”

Damir and Scotia gave him a strange look.

“She said she wrapped around me to shield me from the flames. Then she broke through the hull and somehow managed to suspend herself between buildings, before dropping to the ground and softening my fall. I...of course, was unconscious, so I missed that bit of excitement. Then I saw the smoke, so I came running.”

“Where’s Persephone?” Scotia asked as she looked around.

“Jamie looked up to the rooftops of the nearby buildings. “Covering us,” he said. “She said I should make sure you’re both safe and she’d keep an eye for new threats.”

Scotia released a sigh, and promptly embraced Jamie again. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her as well.

Damir looked to the wreckage and then to the rooftops. “Well, at least everyone survived, even...Persephone,” he said a bit reluctantly, but didn’t think it appropriate to call her the gooey bitch after she did all that.

Scotia withdrew from Jamie. She looked up and called. “Persephone!”

The wreckage of The Fang drowned out most other sounds around them. People started to pass by the street and look at the wreckage, along with the three mercenaries gathered there. But once their curiosity had been sated, they quickly fled the scene, not wanting to get caught up in whatever had happened.

A purple liquid began to pour down the side of the closest building. It pooled on the ground, and when it had all collected, it took the shame of the humanoid form of Persephone. The claymore walked towards them. “Everyone is safe?” she questioned with her aquatic voice.

Scotia smiled at the claymore. “Everyone’s safe, thank you so much Persephone. I owe you a great debt,” she said.

Persephone looked up at Scotia with a blank expression. It took her several long seconds before her lips formed a small smile. “I’m happy,” she replied.

“Yeah...good job, Persephone,” said Damir.

Persephone’s lips curled more when Damir complimented her actions as well.

“So what now?” asked Jamie. “What happened to you two? Why was I shot out of the sky?”

Scotia took pause as she mulled over their immediate situation. She took one last look at what was left of The Fang. “There’s only one place I think we’ll be welcome right now and even she won’t be too happy about it,” said Scotia. “This way, we need to conceal ourselves as much as we can now.”

Jamie frowned and sighed, as he didn’t receive an answer. But he knew Scotia was right, obviously.

Scotia led the four of them back the alley, taking side-streets as much as possible and avoiding the main ones. It was risky any way she looked at it. At least there was less surveillance on the back streets. Occasionally she took them into clubs and bars, only to find the rear exit and find themselves deposited on another street.

Eventually they arrived within a small shop. The owner looked up as they entered. He was a bald older man of ursari origin. He took one glance at Scotia and groaned. He reached under the counter and pressed a button. A door off to the side of his shop, made an audible click.

“Nobody better be following you this time, Scotia,” the old ursari grumbled.

Damir and Jamie looked around at the seemingly useless trinkets in the shop. Damir had given Persephone his jacket, so that she could at least try to conceal herself a bit. It had been one of Noree’s requests to keep Persephone hidden as best they could, when they were out in public.

“No promises,” said Scotia. “Thanks again,” she told the ursari as she went to the door with her comrades and opened it up. It led down into an underground passage.

“Tunnels?” Damir asked.

“It’s the safest route to where we’re going,” said Scotia. “Zane said he wasn’t worried about us, but...that might’ve been a one time offer. I’m sure we’re all fair game now.”

Jamie was the first one down into the passageway but stopped. “Wait, what’s Zane got to do with this?” Scotia went down and pushed Jamie along to keep him walking. Persephone was next and Damir waved to the old ursari, before closing the door behind them.

Now that they were in the safety of the dimly lit underground, Scotia told Jamie everything she knew about what had just happened. Afterwards, Jamie was speechless until he had sorted everything in his head.

“So,” Jamie began. “We’re down our ship. Our only ship. We only have the weapons and ammo we’re carrying. And now we have Zane’s Pirates after us? All because we’ve been taking jobs?”

Damir had taken point while Scotia and Jamie talked. Persephone was now holding up the rear.

“I think it’s because of all the things Noree’s been having us do,” said Scotia. “And I’m starting to think I know what we might be up against...at least in part.”

Jamie looked to Scotia. “Do fill me in.”

“Everything Noree has us do, has been to aid her in her demon research,” said Scotia. “She pays well, which keeps us working for her. And she’s never double-crossed us. She’s legit in my book.”

“So, why is Zane targeting us now, then?” asked Jamie.

“Scotia’s eyes narrowed. “Because all this time, Zane’s been working for someone. I didn’t see it. I had no idea, in all the time I worked for him. But he must be working for a demon. Maybe he’s possessed. I thought I would’ve known if he was possessed, but I guess I don’t know much of anything about him after all.”

“What was he saying about the Cearfoss clan?” asked Damir. “What do they have to do with everything that’s going on?”

Scotia gestured to the side. “Turn right here,” she said as the group diverted direction. “Well, despite being verean, the Cearfoss clan has a lot of businesses. They’re quite powerful.” She said this mostly for Jamie’s benefit, as Damir was surely acquainted with the background of the Cearfoss clan, since he was a verean himself. “Primarily, they research, manufacture, transport and sell weapons. They’re in the business of war.”

Damir remained focused on the tunnel. He hoped Scotia knew where they were going.

Jamie kept looking to Scotia, trying to understand the entire picture.

“When I was with Zane’s Pirates, we hit a lot of Cearfoss shipments and manufacturing centers. At the time, I thought they were targets of opportunity, but it seems as though Zane’s just been following someone else's directive. Someone who wants to harm the Cearfoss clan.”

“A demon?” asked Damir, as he glanced back to Scotia.

“It’s likely,” she said. “And since Zane thought it best to go ahead and try taking us out, it means things are escalating and he doesn’t want us around anymore.”

The group continued on through the passageways until Scotia directed them to a ladder.

“Everyone up,” she said. “We’re here.”

“Where’s here?” asked Damir as he took hold of the rungs and made his way to the top. He pushed up against the solid stone hatch, but wasn’t able to get leverage on it.

Persephone slid up along the wall and congealed around the hatch. Damir withdrew his hand as the hatch slid smoothly out of the way. The lights from the streets broke down into the tunnel. Damir pulled himself onto the street and accessed the nav on his data-band while Scotia and Jamie climbed up.

“Uh, Scotia?” said Damir. “I know that we’ve done work for her and everything. She pays well and all. But why are we at Noree’s place?”

Scotia lifted out of the hatchway and looked over to the large lab, owned by the dryte scientist. “We’re here, because I’m absolutely certain she won’t sell us out. Not to mention, she’s the reason we’ve been targeted. So, we’re going to see if almost getting ourselves killed by Zane, wins us any favors with her.”

Jamie was the last to leave the tunnel. He glanced around their surroundings before looking to the lab. “If she’s the reason we were targeted, shouldn’t we...not be here?” he asked.

Scotia smirked and gave Jamie’s shoulder a smack. “Not afraid of a little danger, are you? I’d think that surviving a crash would’ve prepared you for anything.”

Jamie managed a half smile as Scotia led them towards the lab.

“I’ve just always wondered,” said Jamie. “What exactly does Noree get out of this?”

Scotia glanced back to him. “What? Is it so suspicious that someone just wants to help others, with no ulterior motives?”

“You do realize which planet we’re on, right?” said Damir with a laugh.

Scotia shrugged. “I trust her and that’s all that matters,” she said. “Not to mention, I’m still your fearless captain, even if we lost our ship.”

Damir kept a hand on his weapon as they headed down the street towards the lab’s entrance. “Speaking of ship, you know we don’t have the credits to buy a new one. What are we going to do? Go out into the wilds and scrounge for salvage? I didn’t think the Bloody Jaws would fall so far.”

Scotia’s eyes narrowed momentarily, but she took a deep breath to clear her mind. “We’ll figure something out. If we’re lucky, Noree will have more work for us.”

Jamie rolled his shoulders. He was still a bit sore from dropping out of a crashing ship—even if Persephone had protected him. “Any work that’d pay what we need, would be pretty dangerous I’d imagine. Wonder if she has a ship lying around we could use?”

“Noree has no ship!” Persephone spoke up, from behind the three mercenaries.

They all glanced back to her.

Persephone kept step with them, a smile on her face.

“Well, there goes that idea,” Jamie sighed. “Guess that means dangerous work.”

Scotia tossed an arm around Jamie’s shoulder. “My poor mate,” she teased. “I’ll keep you safe from the mean demons.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “It’s not the demons I’m worried about. It’s your old boss,” he said as their group came to a stop in front of Noree’s lab.

Hopefully Noree was home.