Here it is, part 2 of "Destiny's Balance."  "Skirting the Balance," 
is divided into three sections, none of which are directly connected 
to the other two.  This means that you can read the sections in 
any order you like.  This is a post TF work, meaning if you haven't 
seen the movie, "Tenchi Forever," you might have a little trouble 
understanding some of the background.
Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  The author 
owns only the writing and the characters he, himself, creates.  
Ssedrey and the Asconian people are the property of Daniel Powell 
and are being used with his knowledge and consent for this fic.




Skirting the Balance B:  Azure Cloud


	Davner wiped the blood from his forehead with a handkerchief 
and checked the cut in a mirror.  It wasn't bad, not deep at all.  
That was good.  He looked out the window at the stars that were 
shooting by him in the realm of hyperspace.  He smiled.
	"Another daring escape by the Azure Cloud and her brave 
captain," he commented.
	Then he noticed the status board, and stopped smiling.
	They had been hit in one of the hyperdrive plasma conduits.  
In plain speech, they had ruptured a fuel line, and while they 
were safe for now, they weren't going to get too far.  He'd worry 
about it later.  Right now, he had to check on his new guest.  He 
got up from the command chair and walked back to the tiny 
transporter pad in the back quarter of the ship.  He saw a few 
hanging wires and some scattered debris in the corridor and frowned.  
Cleanliness was something he strove for, yet he hated cleaning.  
He continued down the corridor.
	He had only managed to get a positive lock on one person.  
Luckily, Cavis and Ssedrey had managed to get the others.  He 
opened the door that separated the transport pad from the rest of 
the ship.  It often reminded him of a shower stall, it was so tiny.  
He saw which of the group he had gotten, and his eyes went wide.  
He smiled.
	"Well, now," he drawled.  "This must be fate."
	Lying unconscious on the transport pad, Princess Ayeka 
moaned in pain and rolled over.
	Davner knelt down next to her and checked her pulse.  He 
knew from experience that sonic disruptors could wreak havoc on 
tissue and organs, so he searched her exposed skin for dark 
blotches, signs of hemmoraging.  He didn't find any.  Still, they 
would have to make sure, and that meant waking her up.
	"Princess Ayeka," he said, gently shaking her shoulder.  
"Princess Ayeka, wake up."
	Ayeka moaned again, and her eyes opened.  "Huh....wha..."  
She saw Davner and screamed.
	Shocked, Davner stumbled backwards, his back striking the 
wall of the transport stall.
	"I should've known!"  Ayeka cried.  She struggled to her 
feet and stood over the space pirate.  "Only people like *you* 
would do such a thing!  Where are the others!?  What have you 
done with them!?"
	Davner laughed.
	Ayeka growled.  "What is so funny?!  I demand you tell me 
where Lord Tenchi and the others are this second!"
	"With any luck, Princess, they're far from here and on the 
run, just like us."
	"What are you talking abou..."  She broke off as she stumbled, 
her hand going to her head.  Davner's eyes narrowed.  He got up 
and took Ayeka by the arm.  
	"You're still feeling the effects of the disruptor.  You 
need to rest."
	Ayeka shook her head.  "Not...not until I know what's going 
on..."
	"It's quite alright, Princess, I assure you.  Those ships 
you saw were from the Assassin's Guild.  They were hired to kill 
you and your sister.  We rescued you."
	Ayeka blinked, her eyes went wide.  "Sasami!" she gasped.  
"Where's Sasami?!  Is she all right?!"
	"She's either with Cavis or Ssedrey, but I think we managed 
to get everyone.  We split up so it'd be harder for them to track 
us."
	Ayeka was having difficulty breathing.  She was still very 
weak.  "Where are we?"
	"On my ship.  Now, come on.  You'll sleep in my cabin."
	Ayeka faced him with contempt in her eyes.  "I will most 
certainly NOT!"
	Davner blinked, then shook his head.  "I meant *alone*, 
Princess."  He grinned.  "Unless you're *looking* for company..."
	The princess growled, then slapped him.
	"Perhaps not," he drawled.
	Her eyelids fluttered again.  Davner had to support her weight 
now.  "Okay, now, off to bed with you."
	She continued to argue with him in a semiconscious state 
while he guided/carried her to his cabin, insisting that she didn't 
need *his* help.  He deposited her on the bed, where she fell 
asleep immediately.
	"Pleasant dreams, Princess," he whispered and left for the 
bridge.

	Davner sat in the command chair of his ship and contemplated 
his next move.  The other two chairs in the command area, the 
pilot's chair and the engineering station were both empty.  Davner 
had never needed a crew.  The dome shaped head of his computer, 
Pard, detached itself from its cubby hole and extended toward him.
	"Gondo nala nuktananiel."
	"Patch it through,"  Davner answered and took a look at the 
damage report.  He shook his head.  The Azure Cloud was in bad 
shape.  Parts of the interior were exposed to space.  His face 
fell.
	Including the area where he had kept the money from their 
most recent heist. 
	He grimaced.  He didn't have much cash on him, and now the 
booty from the bank job on Saspia was gone.  He sure as hell didn't 
have enough on him to repair the Azure Cloud and buy more plasma 
to replace the fuel they had lost.
	"Well damn," he muttered.
	If he could get access to a bank in the Omwatt Cluster, money 
wouldn't be a problem.  He had a rather sizable account there, but 
Omwatt was in the other direction and too far away to do them any 
good.  He'd just have to improvise.
	Or did he?
	He remembered that Cavis had installed a message on their 
computers with instructions of what to do if they got separated.  
He turned to Pard.
	"Access file, Cav829," he ordered.
	Pard nodded his mechanical head, "Ai," he said and began 
processing.
	A message from Cavis appeared on the screen.  It consisted 
of one word.
	Hide.
	Davner grimaced and muttered.  "One day, Cav, you and I are 
going to have a frank conversation concerning the drawbacks of 
brevity."  He took a breath and thought.
	<Okay, back to improvising.>
	"Pard, begin compiling a list of possible destinations that 
we can reach with the amount of fuel we have left and patch it 
through to my terminal."
	"Omlaka na'tien nodala fen-fen-gat bobara'ta."
	Davner nodded.  "Well, wake me when it's ready."  He shrugged 
off his coat and pulled it up over his body, up to his chin.  As 
long as he had an hour for the data to compile, he might as well 
catch a cat nap.  "Dim the lights."  The lights in the command area 
dimmed to about a tenth of the brightness they had been.  Davner 
closed his eyes and went to sleep.

	Ayeka opened her eyes and began to panic.  Then, she 
remembered where she was and calmed down.  Her head hurt, her body 
ached.  She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.  She was 
lying on a bed somewhere...Davner's cabin, that's right.  She 
remembered now.  She opened her eyes again and began to study her 
surroundings.  
	The cabin was small, but well kept.  The bed was soft and 
comfortable.  She pulled the covers over herself as she looked 
around.  There were a few paintings on the walls around her as well 
as a gun rack with two rifles hanging on it.  She looked to her 
right and saw a nightstand with a few articles sitting on it.  
Among those articles was a framed photograph.  She blinked and 
looked at it more closely, trying to get her eyes to focus on it 
without much success.
	The photo was in a polished wood frame.  In it was a smiling 
couple, a man and a raven haired woman.  The woman was holding a 
brown haired child.  She thought the man looked familiar, but 
couldn't be sure.  Perhaps it was Davner's parents.  She didn't 
know.
	She got up out of bed and steadied herself.  She held her 
head up and started for the door.  She found her way to the bridge 
and found Davner sitting in the command chair going over some 
information on a data pad.  He seemed to know she was there without 
turning.
	"How do you feel?"
	"Rough," she told him.  "But awake."  She steadied herself 
on the back of the engineer's chair.  She took a deep breath and 
sat down in the chair.  "Now, maybe you can tell me what's 
happening."
	Davner explained everything to her.  How Cavis got a tip from 
an Assassin that owed him.  How the gang managed to get to Earth 
just in time, and how they were forced to split up to escape.
	Ayeka listened and nodded.  "I see.  It would seem that I owe 
you my thanks, Mr. Davner."
	"Forget it.  We have a bigger problem now."  He turned in his 
chair to face her.  "We're losing fuel.  The best we can do is make 
it...here."  He tapped a few keys on his control board.  A green 
planet appeared on the screen.  "Penwa.  I have a few friends there.  
We can hide you there until we figure something..."
	"We're not *hiding* anywhere!"  Ayeka told him sternly.  
"We have to find Sasami and the others!"
	"Princess Ayeka," Davner began.  "By my calculations, we can 
either run out of fuel on Penwa, or we can run out of fuel in deep 
space."  He grinned.  "Now while I wouldn't mind being stuck with 
you, alone, in deep space for the rest of my life, somehow I get 
the impression *you* would."  Ayeka bit her lip and nodded.  Her 
concern for her sister was evident all over her face.  "Cavis and 
Ssedrey have been on the run a long time, Princess.  Whoever 
Sasami ended up with, she's okay.  I'd put money on it."  He 
turned back to his board.  "We'll be landing on Penwa in about 
eight hours.  When we get there, we'll find a way to get the money 
we need for repairs and fuel."  He paused.  "I'm not sure *how*, 
but we'll figure something out."
	"You're a pirate," Ayeka pointed out with just a hair of 
contempt.  "Don't you have stolen booty lying around."
	Davner shook his head.  "I have about sixty credits in my 
wallet, and the only other cash I had was blown out into space 
during the attack."  He shook his head.  "Damn shame too.  I had 
plans for that money."
	"Hmmm.  What about that Ultra Energy Matter you and your 
gang stole?  I heard about it on the news.  Are you telling me it's 
gone already?"
	"Yup,"
	Ayeka's eyes went wide.  "How did you go through that much 
money so quickly?!"
	He grinned.  "It wasn't easy."
	She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him face to face 
with her.  "YOU GAMBLED AND DRANK AWAY *THAT* MUCH MONEY IN A 
YEAR!!??"
	Davner's grin got wider.  "It's not easy having a good time."
	She screamed in frustration and pushed him back in his chair.  
Davner gave a short hiss as his head hit the back of the headrest.  
It was then that Ayeka noticed the slight trickle of blood 
emanating from the cut on his forehead.
	"Are...are you okay, Mr. Davner?"
	He smiled.  "'Course, darl'n."
	Ayeka took a breath, her voice softened.  "Where's your 
first aid kit?  That should be cleaned."
	"It's not a problem, Princess."
	She gritted her teeth.  "Would you drop the big, bad, pirate 
act for half a second, please?!"
	Davner arched an eyebrow.  "Yes, Ma'am.  There's some 
peroxide in the glove compartment."
	Ayeka searched for a few seconds and found the peroxide and 
a clean cloth she could use.  She dampened the cloth with some 
peroxide and approached Davner.
	"This might sting," she warned.	
	He smiled.  "Do your worst."
	She applied the cloth to the cut, and saw him tense.
	"You're joking!" she laughed.  "Are you telling me a crude, 
uncouth pirate such as yourself is afraid of a little pain?!"
	Davner rallied.  "Depends on the pain."
	"Hmmm."  Ayeka dabbed at the cut and took a good look at it.  
It wasn't bad, wouldn't even require stitches.  "Perhaps you 
should get some rest."  He looked ready to protest, but she cut 
him off.  "I'll stay up here, and if anything happens, I'll get 
you."
	He nodded.  "All right.  If you need anything, just ask 
Pard."  Ayeka nodded, and Davner went back to his cabin.  It had 
been a rather hectic day.  He paused long enough to shrug off his 
dirty gray trench coat, then collapsed on the bed.  He figured 
four hours of sleep was all he needed.

	He walked out of his cabin four hours later and yawned.  
They had about four hours until they reached Penwa.  Ayeka hadn't 
called him, so he figured everything must be all right.  
	As he was approaching the command area, he heard something 
that made him pause in amazement.
	"Noktia nen vien doma denlatana,"  Pard was saying.
	"Sien den...er...somavien..comla tona berdan...um...zodio."
	He blinked and listened from the door.  He smiled. Her Jurain 
accent was immediately apparent, and she lacked the smooth drawl 
that made any Mollidoni recognizable, but it was still the most 
beautiful thing he had heard in years. 
	Pard replied.  "Banado mineta no valusdona zienfien."
	"Um..."  Davner heard Ayeka snapping her fingers as she 
tried to remember something.  "Zien tono rikka ven nestian...
um....Kenda no vien tus da?"
	Davner chose this moment to speak.  "Velos," he said.  She 
turned to him, startled.  "The word you're looking for is, 
'velos.'"
	"Mr. Davner.  How are you feeling?"
	He smiled slightly.  "Much better now, thank you, Princess."  
He took a step toward her.  "I didn't know you spoke Mollidoni."
	She almost smiled...almost.  "My mother taught me.  I 
wanted to see how much of it I could remember."
	"Your mother?"
	"Yes.  Before she was Queen of Jurai, she was a countess on 
Solaria, which is on the border with Mollidoni space.  She had a 
lot of contact with Mollidon."
	"Yes, she did,"  Davner whispered to himself.  Ayeka blinked.  
Davner waved the thought aside.  "I'm sorry, it's just been a long 
time since I've heard a woman speak Mollidoni.  It made me remember 
a few things."
	Ayeka blinked again.  "I see.  Don't you visit your home 
planet, Mr. Davner?"
	His smile slipped, and he shook his head.  "No, Princess, 
I can't go back."
	"But why?  You don't seem to have a problem going anywhere 
else whenever the mood suits you."
	He sat down in the command chair and faced the panels.  "I 
was on the losing side during the Great Coup."
	Ayeka took a breath.  "I see..."  Her mother had told her 
about Mollidon's Great Coup.  Ten years ago, the Mollidoni military 
had risen up in a surprise rebellion, catching the government 
completely off guard.  Anyone who resisted, perished.  The entire 
Mollidoni royal family was rounded up and executed.  Within a 
week, Mollidon was completely within the hands of the military.  
To this day, the leader of Mollidon was the commanding general 
who had initiated the rebellion.  It was the embodiment of every 
Jurain noble's fears.  
	"It was a long time ago," he told her.  "I haven't been back 
since."
	"How did you survive?"
	"I was off planet when it happened.  I tried to go back 
for..." he trailed off, then continued.  "I tried to go back, but 
I couldn't get past the border patrols."
	"You're an exile," she concluded.  He threw her a harsh 
look, and she looked away in embarrassment.  She remembered once 
when she was a little girl ten years ago when a group of strange 
people had come to the palace.  They were dirty, hungry, and 
seemed very scared.  They wore strange clothes and spoke in a 
language Ayeka couldn't understand.  Her father seemed angry that 
they were there, while her mother spoke kindly to them in their 
own language and did her best to make sure they were treated well.  
She had asked her father who they were, and he had replied with a 
single word,
	*Exiles*.
	Later she had found out they were refugees escaping the 
purges on Mollidon.
	His expression softened and he nodded.  "We'll be coming 
up on Penwa soon.  Once we land, we'll have to figure out a way 
to raise some money for repairs."
	"Do you know how?"
	He shook his head.  "Penwa has casinos, but they're mostly 
high stake places.  After landing fees, we won't have enough to 
get in.  We'll have to think of something else."

	They had landed on Penwa easily enough, although they had no 
idea what to do next.  After landing fees and storage deposit, 
Davner was completely out of money.  They sat on the command deck 
and searched through the ship's computer.  Upon landing in Zil 
City, the city database had uploaded a guide package to the Azure 
Cloud, including maps marking shops and tourist spots.
	Davner looked at the screen and shook his head.  "You never 
realize just how much this place sucks until you're here without 
money."  He thought about selling something on the Cloud, but he 
didn't have anything that would fetch them enough money to get 
by even for a day.  Weaponry was outlawed on Penwa, so he couldn't 
even sell one of his guns...legally, and it would take too long 
and was too risky to sell one illegally.  If only they had 
something worth selling.  He leaned back in his chair, and his 
arm accidentally grazed the sleeve of Ayeka's kimono.
	He looked down at it, then reached out and rubbed the 
material between his fingers.  Ayeka looked at him as if he were 
mad.  "What do you think you're doing?!" she asked.
	"What's this made of, Princess Ayeka?"  he asked, ignoring 
her question.
	"Jurain Star Silk."
	Davner grinned and looked up at her.  "Ayeka," he said slyly,  
"Take your clothes off."
	"WHAT?!"
	"You heard me," he told her.  "Take 'em off.  Now."
	Ayeka stepped back and hugged her kimono tightly to herself.  
"Stay back!  I mean it!  I don't know what kind of sick game you're 
playing, Mr. Davner, but if you take *one* step towards me, I'll 
see to it you regret it!"
	Davner grinned.  "I'll tell you all about my sick game, but 
you *are* going to take your clothes off..."

	Ayeka stepped out of the tailor's shop and scratched at the 
neckline of her new, green, Penwan dress.  She turned and saw the 
tailor putting her ornate kimono in the store window.  She sighed 
and turned to Davner, who was counting the money they had received 
for Ayeka's clothes.
	"How's it fit?"  Davner asked her.
	"It itches," she told him acidly.
	"It was either that or one of *my* outfits," he told her 
with a smile.  "And you don't have the legs for it."  She growled 
in mild disgust and started down the street.  Davner fell into 
step next to her.  "Not a bad price for Star Silk," he commented, 
pocketing the money, "Not the best price, mind you, but at least 
we can eat for a couple of days and cover other...minor expenditures 
that will eventually pop up."
	Ayeka didn't answer him.  Her hand went up to her forehead.  
She missed her headband.  It was a part of who she was, a symbol 
of Jurain power and her heritage, but Davner was right, it was a 
dead giveaway of who and what she was.  It was hidden back on the 
ship.
	The streets of Zil city were packed with people, which was 
odd given that the city was a small one, not even close to what 
Jurai's cities were like.  Penwa was a class G planet, which meant 
that it had acquired spaceflight before it was ready.  As a result, 
it was considered somewhat primitive, almost quaint.
	"It's carnival," Davner answered her unspoken question.  
"Penwans have them every other month to give thanks to their gods.  
They're usually a lot of fun."
	Ayeka remembered the carnivals she had been to.  One where 
Ryoko had cheated her and another on Earth that had ended in a 
complete disaster.  "I don't normally like carnivals," she said.
	"Maybe you haven't been to the right ones," he said with a 
grin.
	"Do you take nothing seriously, Mr. Davner?"  she asked, 
turning to him.
	"Seriously?  I try not to, it takes the fun out of living."
	She shook her head.  "No wonder you're a pirate," she 
commented as she started walking again.  "I don't imagine you'd 
fit in to normal society."
	He chuckled.  "You got me there.  There's no place in 
*normal* society for me."
	"Hmm.  You mean a pirate."
	Davner shrugged.  "Pirate, gambler, pilot...That's me.  A 
man of many parts."  He looked down at her and grinned.  "If 
you're nice, I'll show you some of my parts sometime."
	*CRACK!*
	He rubbed his cheek where she had slapped him.  "Or not..."
	She didn't respond to that.  Instead, she asked, "Where are 
these friends of yours, anyway?"
	He gestured down the street they were walking.  "This way.  
I called ahead.  They said they would help us."
	"More pirates?"  she asked.
	He grinned.  "No, no," he said quickly.  "It's...a boarding 
house, you could say."
	Ayeka blinked, unsure of what to make of that statement.

	Viona looked up from her needlepoint as Selna opened the door 
and cried out in her native Belegese, "Davner don, leu'tel!"
	Davner hugged the young blonde, who returned it and added 
an affectionate kiss on the cheek for good measure.  Viona smiled 
and threw her arms around him after he let go of Selna.  "Davner!  
It's been a long time!"
	From behind her, she heard the sound of Madame Glilna coming 
toward them.  "Well, I'll be damned and sent straight to Tokimi's 
hell!" she cried out with a grin.  "Davner!"  She embraced the 
pirate and kissed him.  It was then that the three women noticed 
Ayeka.
	Madame Glilna approached her.  "My, my, my," the older 
brunette  said, putting a finger to her lip in thought.  "Where 
did you find this one, Mr. Davner?  Finally decide to go the extra 
mile and buy your entertainment rather than rent it?"
	Davner cleared his throat.  Ayeka turned red in angry 
embarrassment as she realized what Glilna was implying.  "How 
dare..."  Davner covered her mouth with his hand before she could 
continue.
	"Relax, Aya," he told her, using the alias they had agreed 
upon.  "She don't mean nothing by it."
	Glilna nodded.  "I'm sorry, that was rude.  It's more of a 
private joke."
	Ayeka hmph'd, but let it go.  Davner proceeded with the 
introductions.  "Aya this is Glilna.  She runs this...establishment.  
Glilna, this is Aya, an old friend."
	"It's a pleasure, Aya.  Any friend of Davner's is welcome 
here."
	"Thank you, Ms. Glilna.  It's nice to meet you.  So you run 
this boarding house?"  Ayeka asked.
	"Boarding house?"  Glilna asked with a laugh.  "Never heard 
it called *that* before."  Ayeka blinked.  Glilna took her by the 
shoulders and leaned closer, whispering in her ear 
conspriratorially, "This here is a grade A, one hundred percent, 
board certified whore house."
	Ayeka's eyes went wide.  "WHAT!?"  She turned on Davner.  
"*THESE* ARE YOUR *FRIENDS*!  YOU WANT ME TO TRUST A GROUP OF 
HARLOTS!?  WHAT KIND OF..."  She was stopped as Davner grabbed her 
by the arm and dragged her roughly into the next room.
	"Give us a second, ladies," he called back.  "I have to have 
a conversation with my *friend* here."  
	He took Ayeka into the kitchen and shut the door behind them.  
Ayeka didn't waste any time in laying into him.  "What the hell 
were you thinking, bringing me he..."
	"Shut up!"  Davner ordered harshly.  "Just shut your mouth 
for three seconds!  Do you think anyone on this planet gives a 
rat's ass who or what you are!?  There's not a person on this planet 
who wouldn't sell your head to the Assassin's Guild for twenty 
credits and a new hat, *except* these women, and only because *I* 
ask them to!  Right now, you are a death sentence to anyone near 
you!  I'm not asking you to trust them!  I'm asking *them* to trust 
*me*!"  He paused for a moment before going on.  "And how do you 
repay them?!" he asked bitterly.  "By insulting them and 
embarrassing me!"  Ayeka was too shocked to speak.  "You had better 
check that attitude, Princess, because right now these people," he 
pointed to the door, "those *harlots* and this *pirate* are all 
you've got!  So you had better damn well get used to it!"
	With that last shot, he turned and left the kitchen, leaving 
Ayeka blinking in astonishment.  No one, not even Ryoko, had ever 
spoken to her that way before.  She took a deep breath and realized 
he was right.  Her behavior lately had been atrocious.  She 
swallowed and took an embarrassed breath.
	Davner stepped back into the sitting room and found that 
two more women had joined them.  He gave them each a hug and quick 
peck on the cheek before approaching Madame Glilna.  Glilna took 
his arm and began to walk with him.
	"I apologize for her behavior," he said guiltily.  "It was 
inexcusable."
	"You think we're not used to it?" she asked with a smile.  
"Who's hunting her?"
	"Assassin's Guild," he told her plainly.  "She needs a place 
to hide, someplace they'd never think to look for her."
	"She must be something special,"  Glilna commented.  She 
grinned.  "Woman of money?"
	He nodded.  "Yes, she is that."
	"You are both welcome to stay as long as you need to, 
Davner."
	"I can't pay you anything, Glil, we're broke. Money is our 
biggest problem right now, as a matter of fact."
	Glilna waved the idea aside.  "Don't worry about it," she 
said.  "Call it one for old time's sake."
	
	Glilna had two of the girls set up rooms for them.  Ayeka 
was sitting on the bed in her simple, sparsely furnished room, 
when she heard a knock on her door.
	"Come in,"
	Davner opened the door slowly and stepped inside.  Ayeka 
looked away, wouldn't face him.  Davner took a breath, then began.
	"I'm sorry, Princess," he said softly.  "I shouldn't have 
spoken to you like that."
	"Yes," Ayeka said, "You should have.  I was out of line, 
and I apologize for that."
	"Still, I shouldn't have said those things."
	"Mr. Davner, it's quite all right, I assure you."
	"No,"  Davner told her, "It's not all right."  He sat down 
next to her.  "Your situation is rather unique, Princess.  You're 
on the run, your sister is out there, somewhere.  I should've made 
the effort to be more supportive.  And I understand if you don't 
trust me."  He smiled uncomfortably.   "I'm not sure I would 
trust me either."
	Ayeka took a breath and shook her head.  "No, Mr. Davner.  
I...trust you.  I will accept your apology, Mr. Davner if..."  
Davner looked over at her.  "If you accept mine."
	Davner smiled.  "Well, then, now that we've apologized to 
each other, we should think about what to do next."
	Ayeka nodded.  "Do you have any ideas?"
	"One or two, but I'll have to go out for awhile and make a 
few inquiries."  He gave her a questioning look.  "Will you be okay 
here alone?"
	She smiled and looked up at him.  "Yes, Mr. Davner, I'll be 
fine."  She held his gaze for a moment longer than necessary.  
	Davner cleared his throat and stood up.  "Well, then, I'm 
going out.  I *should* be back later tonight.  If I don't come 
back, all I can tell you is to trust Glilna.  She'll take care 
of you."  
	Ayeka nodded.
	Davner gave her a quick nod, then left the room.

	As Davner stepped out into the darkness, he looked back up 
at Ayeka's window.
	<She's so much like Elsa was,>  he thought.
	<Don't even think it,>  A part of his mind warned him.
	<Of course not,> he thought back, bitterly.  <I wouldn't 
dream of it.>

	Ayeka was lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, deep 
in thought.  She still felt embarrassed about her earlier behavior.  
She mentally counted the times she had insulted Mr. Davner since 
he had rescued her.  She felt another wave of shame when she 
realized that she had lost count.
	<So what?!>  A part of her asked.  <He's a space pirate, 
just as bad as Ryoko!>
	She sighed as she thought about Ryoko....and Tenchi.  She 
wondered if they were okay.  Ryoko wasn't all that bad.  Even 
Ayeka had to admit that.  After all, she had practically handed 
Tenchi to her.  She wouldn't have done that if Ryoko was really 
the monster she had always thought her to be.
	So if Ryoko wasn't a monster, was Davner?
	Why did she care?
	Last year, during their visit, Davner had made overt passes 
at her.  At the time, she had found it insulting, but also kind of 
flattering.  Not that she would have ever, *ever* considered 
responding in kind.  She was still persuing Tenchi at the time.
	She heard the door of the next room open and close and the 
sound of two people laughing.  She blinked.  Her eyes widened as 
the sounds of laughing was replaced by the sounds of gasps and 
moans coming through the walls.  Ayeka turned red and covered her 
ears with her pillow.
	After a few minutes, and a few screams later, she gave up 
and left her bedroom, walking downstairs to the living room.  She 
found Glilna sitting in a rocking chair, holding a glass of Jurain 
brandy.  The older brunette smiled at Ayeka.
	"Ms. Aya, would you care to join me?"
	Given the options she had, Ayeka decided to share some brandy 
with the madame.  She sat down in an easy chair across from Glilna 
and took the glass that was handed to her.
	"I want to apologize for my behavior earlier, Ms. Glilna.  
I was out of line, and I'm sorry."
	Glilna waved it aside.  "Don't be, Ms. Aya.  I've heard much 
worse, and that from paying customers."  Glilna sat back in her 
chair.  "You're a pretty young lady," she commented.  "I see why 
he fancies you."
	Ayeka blinked.  "Huh?"
	Glilna smiled.  "But you're not very observant, are you?  
Hmm."
	"Ms. Glilna, do you know where Mr. Davner went?"
	The madame shook her head.  "No, Ms. Aya, he just asked me 
to look after you until he got back.  Said it would probably be 
around ten this evening."
	Ayeka looked at the clock on the wall.  It was approaching 
half past seven.  She decided to settle down and wait.  
	
	At quarter past one in the morning, she began to panic.
	"Where is he?"  she asked herself as she paced back and 
forth in the sitting room.  "It's practically dawn!"  she cried 
out in an obvious exagerration.
	Glilna was sitting in her chair, doing some needlepoint.  
"Now, now, Aya, calm yourself, dear.  You'll fret yourself sick."
	"It figures," she growled.  "I bet he's out carousing."  Her 
fists clenched.  "How could he?!"
	Glilna smiled.  "Now, Ms. Aya, I'm sure he wouldn't go 
carousing without you,"
	Ayeka turned on her.  "What's *that* supposed to mean?!"
	The madame sat back and returned to her needlepoint.  "Why, 
nothing, nothing at all."
	Selna and Viona were sitting not far from them.  Ayeka 
remembered them as the two women who first greeted them.  Selna, 
she knew, was Belegese, and she wasn't sure what Viona was.  
Selna had short blonde hair that fell straight behind her, falling 
just above her shoulders.  Her green eyes were warm and comforting.  
Viona had dark purple hair, so dark it was almost black.  She was 
constantly smiling.  They had both gone out of their way to make 
Ayeka feel at home, even so much as to sit up with her while she 
waited for Davner.
	Selna looked at Ayeka, then turned to Viona with a grin.  
"Aya jom'bon nu tua, Davner don moushtial, non?"  Viona giggled.
	Ayeka blinked.  "What did she say?"  she asked Viona.
	Viona blushed and didn't answer.
	"Excuse me," Ayeka said dangerously.  "What did she say?"  
Viona fought down a smile and tried to be serious.  
	"She said you act as a jealous wife."
	"WHAT?!"
	Selna giggled.  
	"Whatever gave you that idea!?"  Ayeka asked the blonde 
Belegese.  She felt herself blush.
	Selna giggled even harder and pointed at Ayeka's face.  "Ru!  
Elou no tou flouro svou le dou!"
	Ayeka blinked in puzzlement. 
	Viona leaned forward and studied Ayeka's face.  "Well, what 
do you know, so she is."
	"Now, now, Selna,"  Glilna told her, not pausing in her 
needlepoint.  "It's not nice to make fun of Ms. Aya."
	Selna began to pout.  "Ba nou shoultna twou le fienou!"
	Ayeka growled.  "Speak Jurain, would you?!"
	"She can't speak Jurain very well, Ms. Aya,"  Viona explained.  
"She has trouble pronouncing it.  She can understand it though."
	"Hmmph!  You're all making fun of me!"
	"Oawww,"  Selna cooed sympathetically.  She stood up and 
hugged Ayeka.  "Toulous naundou nou.  Moshou nataou?  Lou dou ena 
dwouna voumdumien nou.  Youlo nasnou vou twau nolou."
	Viona began laughing hysterically.  "Selna!"
	Ayeka blinked and looked over Selna's shoulder at Viona.  
"Um...what did she say?"
	Another female voice answered from the stairs.  "She said if 
you're looking for something to keep you occupied until he gets 
back, you can have her next customer, but she still expects a cut."  
The redhead who answered her, Ashka, was brushing her hair as she 
descended the stairs.
	Ayeka turned red again, but this time out of anger as well 
as embarrassment.  She stood there and shook in rage while Selna 
hugged her.  Then she remembered that they were only playing with 
her, trying to make her feel better, and that they didn't mean any 
harm.
	"Thank you..." she bit out, "No."
	Selna stepped back and shrugged.  "Nous voula."
	Viona addressed Ashka as she joined them.  "How is Mr. 
Carvouhlo?"
	Ashka sighed and sank down onto the couch.  "Same as always.  
It's been kinda slow around here lately.  Damn carnival."  Viona 
nodded her agreement.
	"You girls can go out and enjoy it if you like,"  Glilna 
told them.
	"Nah," Ashka said with a yawn.  "It's late, I just want to 
sleep."
	Ayeka was standing by the window, tapping her foot 
impatiently.  She heard the girls begin talking about something 
else, but she didn't pay any attention.  Where the hell was he?  
	Suddenly, she heard the door crash open.  The girls turned 
and found Davner stumbling inside, his hand pressing a ball of 
blood soaked cloth against a portion of his chest.
	"Davner!"
	The girls jumped up and helped him to a chair.  He was 
breathing hard, and beads of sweat covered his forehead.  His 
shirt was covered in blood.  
	"Hello, darl'ns," he gasped out with a weak smile.  
	Glilna put her needlepoint down and calmly reached for a 
medical kit she kept in the living room cabinet.  "Girls, get 
Mr. Davner's shirt and coat off.  Then gather close.  You might 
have to do this yourselves one day."
	Ayeka and the girls helped Davner out of his trench coat and 
and shirt.  Viona and Selna gasped when they saw the sonic knife 
wound high on the left side of his chest.
	"Mr. Davner!"  Ayeka gasped out.  "What happened?!"
	He gave her a quick smile.  "It would seem that not all of 
my old friends were as glad to see me as these young ladies were."
	"Davner, can I get you anything?"  Viona asked.
	"Whiskey, darl'n, whiskey," he croaked out.
	Glilna approached while Viona went to get him a glass of 
whiskey.  While the madame was setting up the med kit, Viona 
returned and handed him a glass of amber liquid and ice.  Before 
he could drink it, however, Glilna took it from him and poured it 
on the wound.  Davner cried out in pain and jumped.
	"Hold him down, girls,"  Glilna ordered.  "This is going to 
hurt him more than it's going to hurt me."
	The girls held him in his chair while Glilna went to work.  
"Listen close, girls.  First, as Mr. Davner has done, you disinfect 
the wound.  Thank you, Mr. Davner."
	"No problem," Davner gasped.  
	Glilna smiled.  "Then you clean away any excess blood so that 
you can work a little easier."  She wiped the wound with a cloth.  
"Now, then, before we can use a dermal regenerator, the wound has 
to be sutured.  It's just like sewing."
	Davner cried out again as Glilna inserted a needle into his 
flesh and began sewing up the wound.
	"Ms. Glilna, what about anesthetic?"  Ayeka asked, hearing 
Davner cry out again.
	Glilna nodded.  "Now, he can have some whiskey, Viona."  
Viona ran back to the bar.  Glilna continued to work.
	Ayeka kneeled at his right side.  Davner was very pale, his 
breath came in labored gasps.  She bit her lip and reached out, 
taking his right hand in her own.  He cried out again and 
squeezed it.  
	"ACK!!"  Ayeka grit her teeth in pain.  She was sure he'd 
break her hand.
	"Now, we can use the regenerator."
	Viona lifted a glass of whiskey to Davner's lips and let 
him drink.  Davner coughed.  "Thank you, Viona."
	There was a dull hum as Glilna activated the regenerator and 
set about repairing the wound to Davner's shoulder.  When she was 
done, she put the instrument aside.  
	"Now, he needs rest.  Viona, help me get him to his room."
	"Yes, Ma'am."
	"I'll do it,"  Ayeka told her and helped Glilna pick up Davner 
and support him between the two of them.  They helped him up the 
stairs and into his bed.  The pirate's breathing was getting 
better, but he was still pale.  He lost consciousness the second 
he hit the bed.  Glilna wiped her hands with a towel while Ayeka 
stood there at the end of his bed, a worried expression on her 
face.
	Glilna rested a hand on her shoulder.  "He'll be fine," she 
told the princess.  "I can't tell you how many times Davner or Cav 
have stumbled in here, bleeding from something or other and 
expecting little o'l me to fix them up.  It's like I'm their mother 
or something."  She smiled.  "You should get some rest, Aya."
	"Thank you, Ms. Glilna.  I will."

	Davner slept for twelve straight hours.  At the end of which, 
he woke up and found Glilna sitting in a chair near his bed.
	"G'morn'n, Glil," he said.
	"Well, you're awake."
	"Trust me, I wish I weren't."
	"What happened, Davner?"
	He took a breath and sat up.  "Found a few  Assassin's poking 
around the Cloud.  I took offense to it.  Got one of the bastards, 
but there are still two more out there.  Maybe more."
	Glilna took a breath.  "I see."
	Davner started to get up.  Glilna shook her head.  "You 
need to rest."
	"Oh, I'm not that hurt,"  Davner reassured her.
	"You were screaming like a little girl last night!"
	"I was not!"
	Glilna folded her arms over her chest.  "Davner,"
	"Okay, so I have an aversion to pain.  So what?"
	Glilna shook her head and smiled.  "I'll make you a deal.  
You agree to stay in bed for a few more hours, and I'll send one 
of the girls up with breakfast."
	Davner grinned.  "Well now, how can I argue with a deal like 
that?"  he asked.  He gave Glilna a conspririatorial wink.  "I 
thought you said I needed rest?"
	"None of that,"  Glilna stood up and started for the door.  
"Remember, stay in bed."
	"I will that."
	Glilna smiled and left.

	Ayeka and Viona were loading the sonic laundry machine in 
one of the house's back rooms.  Just like when she was staying with 
Tenchi and his family, Ayeka believed she should make a contribution.
	"Remember to check the pockets, Ms. Aya,"  Viona cautioned 
her.  "Sonic launderers don't hurt cloth, but I've seen two hundred 
credits dissolve away like beach sand."
	Ayeka nodded and picked up the next article of clothing.  It 
was Davner's grey trench coat.  Blood marks which were once red, 
were now a sickening brown color.  She started searching through 
the pockets.  She found a collapsable knife, an empty billfold, 
some loose change...
	And a picture.
	She looked at the picture for a moment as she handed the 
coat to Viona.  It was the same as the picture she saw in his cabin.  
At the time, her mind was a little fuzzy, so she couldn't see it 
clearly, but now she could see it fine.  Her eyes went wide as she 
realized something.
	The man in the picture was Davner!
	He was clean shaven and smiling, standing next to a dark 
haired woman and holding a child between them.  He looked almost 
nothing like the man she had met last year.
	She wondered who they were.

	Davner rested on the bed and tried to think of some way, any 
way, out of their predicament.  He had gone out last night trying 
to make contact with a crime boss he knew worked in these parts, a 
man who might be willing to loan him money.  Davner was good for 
it, he knew that.  Unfortunately, he had been arrested two weeks 
ago and no one else in his organization would be willing to help 
him.  Then he had gone to check on his ship only to find it crawling 
with Assassins.  Then, his impromptu ambush had gone sour, leaving 
him wounded and at least two Assassins still alive and looking 
for them.
	It looked bad.
	There was a knock and he answered it with a "Come in."
	The door opened, and Ayeka stepped inside.  She was carrying 
a tray ladened with a plate of Mollidoni toast sticks and syrup 
along with a cup of tea.
	"Ms. Ayeka,"  Davner greeted her.
	Ayeka placed the tray on the nightstand and sat down in the 
chair Glilna had vacated.  "How are you feeling?"
	"Much better, Ms. Ayeka, thank you."
	"What happened last night?"
	Davner took a breath and told her about his night, leaving 
nothing out.  Ayeka listened attentively until he was finished, 
then shook her head.
	"So what do we do now?"
	Davner sighed.  "I really don't know, Ayeka."
	"Why don't we just call my parents?"  she asked.  "They 
could send a ship."
	Davner shook his head.  "It's someone in the Jurain 
government who hired the Guild in the first place.  It's a sure 
thing that they've tapped the communication lines between here 
and Jurai, knowing that you will try to call for help."
	Ayeka looked downcast.  "Are you certain?"
	Davner nodded and smiled.  "It's what I would do."
	The princess smiled and shook her head.
	"Ayeka,"
	She looked at him.
	"Thank you....for helping me last night."
	She smiled.  "You're welcome, Mr. Davner."  She got up and 
looked out the window.  It was approaching mid afternoon.  She 
could see the carnival from there.  "It's strange, Mr. Davner,"
	"Oh?"
	She nodded.  "I used to torment Ryoko.  I would insult her, 
fight with her..."  She broke off and turned back to him.  "And 
here you are, one of her friends....helping me.  Why?"
	Davner grinned.  "I have a weakness for damsels in distress."
	Ayeka's face fell.  "I was being serious."
	"So was I,"  he told her.  "Did Ryoko ever tell you how she 
became a part of our gang?"  Ayeka shook her head.  "Well, then, 
why don't I tell you?"  Ayeka sat down in the chair again.  Davner 
winced as he reached for the tea cup on the nightstand.  Ayeka 
picked it up and handed it to him.
	"Well," he drawled, "It was just after we rescued Achi from 
that bastard 'uncle' of hers.  We were still trying to make her 
feel at home, so we stopped off on a planet called Zuro..."  

	Achi hopped out of the shop and admired her reflection in 
the store window.  Her new clothes were not a Penzatan style, a 
Jurain one, but she didn't care.  They were beautiful.  She spun 
three hundred and sixty degrees and giggled.  
	Cavis, Davner, and Ssedrey stepped out into the Zuro sun 
and took a look at the street.  It was rather empty at this time 
of day, which was good.  They didn't like undue attention.  Cavis 
saw Achi posing in front of the window and grinned.  "We're glad 
you like them,"  he laughed.
	Achi broke off and hugged Cavis.  Cavis laughed again and 
said.  "Now, I say we go across the street to that tavern, get a 
bottle of whiskey, some raw meat, and an ice cream sundae before 
calling it a day."
	"Oooh!  Who gets the icecream!?"  Achi joked.
	"Davner," Cavis said seriously.  "You and I are sharing the 
booze."
	Achi giggled.  Suddenly, their heads turned as they heard 
commotion coming from down the street.  There was a blaster shot.  
Cavis and Davner reached for their guns.  Ssedrey pulled one of 
his vorpolia throwing axes from beneath his cloak.
	Cav turned his head and stumbled back as a young woman *flew* 
into him.  "What the..."
	"Hide me!"  she cried out, begging him.  She had dirty, cyan 
hair.  Her face was smudged with dirt.  She was clutching a dark 
brown orb of some kind.  "Please!  I'm so scared!"
	Cavis looked up and saw a mob of thirty or so Zurons 
approaching them.  Zurons were easy to make out because they all 
had the same color hair, a sea green that stood out anywhere.
	"I'm begging you!"  the girl cried.
	Cavis stepped between the girl and the crowd.  Behind him, 
Davner removed his double barrelled anti-matter gun from beneath 
his jacket.  Ssedrey began fingering his vorpolia.
	The leader of the mob was carrying a club of some kind.  
Only a few had blasters.  "Stand aside, outworlder.  We want 
the girl!"
	The crowd backed this up with angry shouts.
	Cavis threw on his amused smile and addressed the crowd.  
"My, what a large crowd!  What did this girl do?"
	"She stole that egg!"  One of them piped up.
	Cavis half turned and saw that the orb was actually an egg 
of some kind.
	"We don't know how you do things on your planet, outworlder, 
but here thieves lose their hands!"
	"Over an egg?"  Achi asked in amazement.
	Ssedrey hissed.  "Barbaric prey mammals," he muttered.  
Achi moved behind him, putting him between her and the crowd.
	The mob's leader nodded.  "Now give her to us!  You have 
no right to intrude, outworlder!"
	Cavis took a breath and said simply, "No,"
	The leader blinked.  "What?!"
	"I don't *feel* like letting you cut her hands off today."
	The leader laughed and gestured to the people around him.  
"And how will you stop us, outworlder?"  The crowd laughed with 
him.  He stepped forward.  "Now stand aside..."
	In less than a second, Cavis' blaster was in his hand and 
at the leader's head.
	"Betcha you die before she does,"  Cavis told him with a 
grin.
	The leader gulped, but rallied.  "You can't kill all of us,"
	Cavis nodded.  "True," his grin got wider.  "But I can kill 
*you*."  He threw a nod to Davner.  "And I'm willing to bet my 
friend there can take out five of you with both barrells bunched 
up the way you are.  And as for my reptilian pal behind me," he 
grinned.  "Ten, and I'm being conservative on *that* estimate.  
Say another four for me after I put this through your head to make 
it nice and even, and that makes twenty.  So which twenty of you 
would like to die today...over an *egg*?!"
	The leader threw looks to the rest of them.  Ssedrey growled 
low in his throat.  Davner winked at him.  The mob leader swallowed 
nervously and nodded.
	"Okay...perhaps...we were just a tad...hasty....with the 
application of our..um...laws."
	Cavis nodded slowly.  "Fair bet," he agreed.
	The leader raised his hand and spoke to the crowd.  After 
a few minutes and a few angry grumbles, the crowd began to disperse.  
Cavis wouldn't lower his gun until the last of the mob had left.  
When he did, the Zuron was as white as a sheet.  
	Cavis holstered the blaster and turned to the girl, helping 
her up.  "Well, it seems you've had yourself quite the day."
	"Um, yeah, something like that.  Well, thanks."  She started 
walking off, holding the egg in her arms as if it were a child.
	Something about her struck a chord in Cavis. 
	"Hey, wait!"
	The girl turned.  "Yeah?"
	Cavis blinked in shock when he noticed she was floating 
about two feet off the ground.  "Um, we don't even know your name."
	She blinked.  "It's Ryoko."
	Cavis looked at her for a hard second, then, "Well, Ryoko, 
we were just going to get something to eat.  Why don't you come 
with us?"
	Ryoko seemed to consider this.
	"Free lunch, how can you pass that up?"
	Ryoko looked down at her stomach.  She hadn't eaten in 
awhile...
	"Well...." she smiled.  "Okay, why not?"
	Cavis smiled.

	"That was our first encounter with Ryoko,"  Davner told 
Ayeka.  Ayeka blinked.  In all the stories she had heard, Ryoko 
had always tried to play the victim, but Ayeka had never bought 
into it.  To hear someone else tell her Ryoko was a frightened, 
hungry woman being hunted like an animal...
	Once again, she felt shame well up in her.
	"Of course,"  Davner said with a smile, "We didn't know at 
the time that she probably didn't need our help, and she didn't 
let on just how valuable that egg was until it hatched and turned 
into a spaceship.  She just liked playing the damsel in distress."
	Ayeka nodded.  She remembered hearing about how Tenchi and 
Ryoko first met.  "I know that only too well."
	"Okay, your turn."
	Ayeka blinked.  "What do you mean?"
	Davner took another sip of tea.  "Story time.  I told you 
one, now you tell me one."
	"Well..um..that is to say..."
	"Tell me how a Jurain princess of the blood came to live on 
a small, out of the way planet with a wanted space pirate.  It 
surprised the hell out us when we found you there last year."
	Ayeka looked away.  "I'd really rather not talk about why."
	"Hmmm.  I think I see."  He remembered how she and Ryoko 
would fight to be near the Earth boy, Tenchi.  
	Ayeka tensed.  She stood up and went to the window.  She 
decided to change the subject.  "Once this is over, Mr. Davner, 
you'll be in for quite the reward."  She turned and smiled at him.  
"After all, you've saved the princess of Jurai from a group of 
Assassins and protected her.  You'll be able to name your reward."
	Davner smiled.  "Anything?"
	Ayeka smiled.  "I swear it by my family's name.  Anything."
	Davner's smile widened into a grin as he looked at her.  
Ayeka's smile slipped as she realized she had just made a mistake.
	"Er...yes.  Gold, jewels, a moon...."
	"Hmmmm...."  Davner sat back and put his finger to his 
lips in thought.  "What do I want?" he asked himself.  He looked 
at her and grinned again.  Then, he announced his reward.
	"Nibble my ear."
	It took a second for this to register in Ayeka's mind.  
When it did...
	"WHAT?!"
	Davner nodded.  "That's what I want for my reward.  Nibble 
my ear."
	Ayeka turned red in anger.  "How dare you?!"  She turned 
away from him.
	Davner blinked at her.  "What?"
	"I *thought* we were past the point where you felt the need 
to tease me."
	"Who says I'm teasing?"
	She turned back to him in shock.  "WHAT!?  Are you telling 
me that you can have anything you want, and you want *me* to 
nibble your *ear*?!"
	Davner was calm as he took a sip of tea.  "Yes."
	Ayeka growled at him and turned an even deeper shade of red.  
"Gold," she offered.  "A moon,"
	Davner shrugged and grinned at her.  "I don't want any of 
those things."
	Ayeka turned away from him.  "I'm *not* nibbling your ear, 
Mr. Davner,"  she told him firmly.
	"All right," he said.
	Ayeka sighed in relief.  "What would you like instead."
	"Nothing."
	"Nothing?!"
	"Yup," he told her.  "I don't want anything else.  That's 
what I wanted for my reward, but if you feel threatened by..."
	"Threatened?!"
	He shrugged.  "Whatever.  I understand."
	She growled again and turned back to the window.  Imagine 
the nerve of him!  Implying that the First Princess of Jurai would 
even consider doing such a thing!  She blushed suddenly as she 
thought of what he *could've* asked for...
	It wasn't as if he wasn't attractive, far from it.  He was 
rather handsome in a rough, scoundrel kind of way.....
	WHAT WAS SHE THINKING!!??
	She looked back at him.  He was calmly sitting in bed, 
sipping his tea.  He sighed sadly.  "I suppose now we know what 
the word of Jurai is worth..."
	Ayeka gritted her teeth.  She couldn't let that one pass.  
She had sworn on her family's name, now she had to live with it.  
She stormed over to him and knelt next to him.  "If you *ever* 
tell *anyone* about this..." she hissed.  Davner's eyes went wide.
	"Why, Ms. Ayeka...I had no idea..."
	"Just shut up, okay,"  Ayeka took a breath.  Davner grinned 
and closed his eyes, making himself comfortable.  He felt Ayeka's 
breath on his right ear, heard her as she whispered,  "How did I 
get myself into this?"  Davner's grin intensified as she moved 
closer...
	Suddenly there, was a knock on the door.  It opened, 
revealing Selna.
	"Davner don, mou.....Ah!  Bouno newtou ses!"  She said, 
embarrassed.  She quickly shut the door.
	"It's not what you think!"  Ayeka cried.  Davner broke out 
laughing hysterically.  Ayeka was an even deeper shade of red than 
before.  She growled and stormed toward the door, not even giving 
the pirate a second glance.
	"Ayeka, come on!  Wait!  I'm sorry!"  Davner got out between 
laughs.
	She left the room and slammed the door behind her.
	Davner's laughter trailed off.  "I'm sorry, Ayeka,"  he 
whispered.

	Ayeka entered her room and slammed the door shut behind her.  
Three pictures hanging on the wall of her room fell to the floor.  
She was still shaking in anger, embarrassment, and a host of other 
feelings she couldn't even name.
	She couldn't believe she had actually come that close to...  
She growled again and fell back on her bed.  
	What was wrong with her?
	He was a pirate, a criminal, a brigand, a scoundrel, a thief.  
He could be a murderer, for all she knew.  He was a dirty, ragged, 
unkept, villainous, insulting, despicable, charming, warm, 
kind-hearted...
	She stopped.
	She didn't like where this list was going.
	She blinked in surprise.  No....it couldn't be.  There was 
no way.  It was impossible!  There wasn't a chance in Tokimi's Hell!  
There was no way she could be...
	Attracted to him?
	She laughed.  <Yeah, right!  Like a princess of Jurai could 
ever fall for someone like that!>
	<You were going to nibble his ear...>  a part of her mind 
told her with a hint of disgusted amusement.
	She gulped.  <Honor was at stake!!>
	<Really?>  the amused part of her mind asked.  <And if you 
had refused, do you think he would've pressed?  Did he press you?  
No.  And even if he had, so what?  What would he have done?  Tell 
someone?  Even if he could find someone to listen, who would 
believe him?>
	<That wasn't the point!>
	<I'll say it wasn't,>  the voice said with an amused tone.
	Ayeka growled again and decided to just ignore the voice.

	Dinner was a quiet affair that night.  Ayeka had come out 
of her room to find the others, including Davner, already at the 
dinner table.  Her eyes locked with Davner's for a moment, then 
she turned away from him with a "Hmmph!"  She sat at the table, 
opposite of him and ate in silence.  Conversation seemed subdued.  
Ayeka was sure that by now, they had all had a good laugh at her 
expense.  Everytime Selna made a comment to one of the other girls 
in Belegese, she was certain it was something about her, about what 
she had been caught preparing to do.
	When Davner finally spoke, it was not to her, but to Viona.  
	"Viona, would you be a dear and do me a favor?"
	Viona nodded.  "Of course, Davner."
	Davner reached into his pocket and produced a folded piece 
of paper.  He handed it to the woman and said, "I need you to go 
to the subspace messaging office and have this message sent to the 
address there at the top."
	Viona looked at the note and shook her head in confusion.  
"But..this is just a bunch of random numbers."
	Davner grinned.  "Not quite so random to some as they are 
to others."
	"What are you doing?"  Ayeka asked him cooly.
	Davner took a breath.  His smile fell from him.  "We're 
leaving, Aya.  We can't stay with the Guild already here.  They 
know the Cloud's our ship, and they know where she's berthed.  
Even if we did have the money to repair her, we'd never get to it 
now.  We're going to abandon her and hitch a ride with someone 
else."
	Ayeka blinked.  "But...who can we trust?  We couldn't even 
send a message to my parents."
	Davner's smiled returned, not as intensely as before, but 
at least it was there.  "I know some people who will help if I 
ask them."
	Ayeka gritted her teeth.  "And where were these people 
before, hmmm?  Why didn't you call them earlier?"
	Davner's smile was replaced by a look of annoyance.  "Because 
they are being hunted just as maliciously as we are!  It's not 
safe for them to show themselves, that's why I didn't call them 
until now."
	Ayeka said nothing.  She began eating again.  Finally, 
between bites, she asked, "Can you trust them?"
	Davner sighed.  "About as much as I can trust any other 
Mollidoni..."

	"Elsa!"
	"Risa!"
	He ran down the corridor as fast as he could.  The marble 
columns that lined the hallway, at one time so familiar, now seemed 
strange and terrfying.  He checked each room he came to as he had 
a thousand times before, as he did every time he had this dream.  
And, as it had been a thousand times before, he found nothing.  
And he *knew* he would find nothing.
	"Elsa!"  he called out again, hoping, praying that this 
time it would be different, that he would actually find them.
	Even though he knew he wouldn't.
	"Risa!"
	So he was rather surprised when he entered a room and found 
a tall brunette standing at the window, her back to him.  He 
blinked in shock.
	"Elsa?!"
	The woman began to turn, but she changed as she did.  Her 
hair grew longer and was suddenly in two long ponytails.  It went 
from the color of the night's sky, to a deep violet.  When she 
was facing him, it wasn't Elsa who stood there.
	"Ayeka?"  he whispered in shock.
	She smiled at him.  "Davner..."
	
	Davner's eyes shot open.  He heard the thunder outside, the 
raindrops pelting against the window.  He looked out that window 
and saw the night sky stare back at him.  He took a few slow 
breaths. 
	Another dream.  He had had them before, or course, but 
usually, they all ended differently than this one had.  Usually 
he searched fruitlessly, never finding Elsa or Risa even though 
he could hear them calling for him.  But this one had ended 
differently.
	Mollidoni superstitions said that dreams were messages from 
the dead.  He had sworn never to believe this, because if it were 
true, then that meant that Elsa and Risa were deliberately 
tormenting him from the grave.  He knew they would never do that...
	Even if he *did* deserve it.
	But what did it mean?
	First there was Elsa, then Ayeka...
	He shook his head.  No.  That couldn't be it.  
	He was attracted to Ayeka, yes.  He had made no effort to 
deny it.  He teased her and loved getting a rise out of her.
	She was beautiful.
	There was no arguing that.  
	She was passionate.  He smiled.  Beneath the cool exterior, 
he knew, was a fighter.  Someone who could go from kitten to 
tigress in less time than it took a man to blink.
	He admired her.  He *respected* her.
	That frightened him.  
	<She's in the next room,>  a part of his mind told him in 
disgust.  <Go ahead.  Go.  Betray Elsa.  I'm sure she wouldn't 
mind.>
	That thought made him pause.  "Betray."  He had never seen 
it like that before.  Had never thought of it as betrayal.  Even 
when he was with other women, he had never thought of it like that.
	So why, now, did the idea seem like he was betraying a woman 
ten years dead?
	<Maybe it's because you're actually *feeling* something after 
ten years.>
	<I don't *want* to feel something.>
	<Tell that to the dream.>
	He gave up and tried to go back to sleep, but even so, he 
couldn't banish the image of dark pink eyes and violet tresses 
from his mind.

	Two days passed.  Ayeka avoided Davner for the most part, 
and, to her surprise, he didn't press.  She kept her distance and 
he kept his.  This system worked for two days until she was passing 
the sitting room one night and overheard Davner and Ashka talking.
	"Mmmmmmm, Ashka.  That's nice,"  Davner was whispering.
	Ayeka blinked.
	"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it, Dav."
	She heard Davner gasp out and say.  "Careful now, darl'n, 
it's still a little tender from the other night."
	Ashka giggled.  "What's wrong, Dav?  Afraid of a little pain?  
I guarantee you that this will make it all better..."
	Ayeka balked and opened the door.
	<He can't!>
	She saw Davner, fully clothed, sitting in a chair with Ashka 
standing behind him, kneading his shoulders with her fingers.  
	They noticed her standing in the doorway.  She blinked, then 
frowned.
	"Aya,"  Ashka said with a smile.  "Why don't you join us?"
	Ayeka growled and turned, leaving the room.
	"Hmmm,"  Ashka commented.  "I wonder what that was all 
about."
	Davner got up from his chair and followed her into the hall.  
"Aya,"  he called out.  She didn't turn.  "Aya!"  She continued to 
ignore him.  He trotted up to her and took hold of her by the 
elbow.
	"Ayeka!"
	She whirled around and slapped him, her nails cut into him 
leaving three red cuts in his left cheek.  
	He blinked in shock.  She had slapped him before, but 
usually he knew what it was that had prompted it.  Hell, usually 
he was *trying* to provoke her.  He hadn't the faintest idea what 
had brought this on.
	"Ayeka?"
	"It's bad enough I have to be around you, Mr. Davner,"  she 
cried.  "And it's bad enough that my sister is out there somewhere, 
alone and scared and on the run from the Assassin's Guild!"  She 
was close to tears now, Davner could see them pooling up in her 
eyes.  "But must you constantly do things like that?!"
	Davner shook his head.  "Like what?!"
	Ayeka just shook her head and ran up the stairs, leaving 
Davner there, even more confused than usual.

	Ayeka slammed the door behind her and watched as the same 
three pictures fell from the walls and landed on the floor.  She 
stood there shaking for a few moments.
	At least Tenchi had never toyed with her emotions.  She 
didn't know why she cared.  But for a moment, when she thought...  
She didn't finish the thought.
	<WHY DO YOU CARE?!>  Her mind screamed at her.
	<I don't care!  He's free to do whatever he likes!>
	<Then why is this affecting you?>
	<It's not!>
	There was a knock at her door.
	"Go away!"  she yelled.
	"Ayeka?"
	"Leave me alone, Davner!"
	He opened the door and entered slowly, carefully.  She 
whirled on him.  "Didn't you hear me!?"  she cried.  "I said leave 
me alone!"
	"No," he told her quietly.  "Not without an explanation for 
this."  He touched his cheek where she had scratched him.  
	Ayeka saw the marks and gulped.  She hadn't seen *those*.
	"I...I'm sorry, Mr. Davner.  I didn't mean..I..."
	"Ayeka," he began.  "What's wrong?  Tell me."
	She turned from him.  "It's nothing.  Go away."
	"The hell I will," he said, taking her by the shoulders.  
"Something I did made you want to bleed me!  I want to know what!"
	She didn't look at him.  "Let go of me," she whispered.
	Davner growled and released her, turning away from her 
hurriedly.  He laughed.  "You are a piece of work, do you know 
that?"  She looked up at his back.
	"What do you care?" she murmurred softly.  
	"You think I don't!?"  he cried, whirling around to face 
her.  
	"Why should you?!"  she shot back.  They turned away from 
each other.  "You're no better than Ryoko,"  she muttered.  
	He turned and took a step toward her.  "I'll wear that label 
and be damned proud of it," he told her.
	She faced him angrily.  "You unkept, uncouth, primitive..."
	Davner fired back.  "Stuck up, conceited...."  He stopped 
suddenly.  He heard something from downstairs.
	Ayeka, however, continued in her rant.  "Dirty, dispicable, 
villainous...."
	He heard bootsteps coming up the stairs and Glilna's voice 
say, "Well, if you're not the law then who the hell are you?!"  
She said it loudly.
	It was a warning.
	*Damn!*
	Ayeka was still hurling insults at him when he grabbed her.  
She cried out in surprise, surprise that tripled in magnitude when 
he threw her on the bed.
	"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE..."  She cried out as Davner jumped 
on top of her and pulled the blanket over them.  Ayeka began to 
panic.  She tried to get up, but Davner held her to the bed by her 
wrists.  What the hell was he doing!?  Tsunami in heaven, did she 
push him too far this time?!  
	She tried to form a forcefield, but in her fear couldn't 
concentrate enough to make it appear.  She started to scream. 
	Davner began screaming too.
	"STINKING, GOD DAMNED BITCH!  YOU'LL TAKE IT AND LIKE BY 
THE GODS!"
	She struggled against him, kicked, screamed, hurled insults 
at him, insults that she could barely hear herself over his own 
screaming.
	"FUCKING WHORE!  I'LL TEACH YOU A LESSON!"
	<Come on, Ayeka!>  He thought. <Get with the program!>
	He paused in his tirade for half a second when he heard the 
loud squeak of the door opening.  Ayeka was screaming at him to 
stop, to get off of her.  It took all his strength just to hold 
her down.
	<If she starts up with a forcefield, we're both dead.  Come 
on, Ayeka!>
	He started up again.  "TAKE IT, YOU FUCKING SLUT!"
	"GET OFF ME!  PLEASE!"
	He looked up at the mirror on the head board.  He could see 
two men there with drawn weapons standing in the doorway, Glilna 
stood behind them with a fearful expression on her face.  If they 
decided to check them, to pull the blanket off them....
	He thought about reaching for his blaster, but with Ayeka 
struggling under him, there was no way.  He looked in the mirror 
again and saw the men turn away and start down the hall.  Glilna 
followed them.
	He continued yelling for another minute, then stopped.  They 
had bought it.  They had seen what they had expected to see and 
nothing more.  He reached out and covered Ayeka's mouth with his 
hand.
	"Ayeka!  Shhhh!  It's okay!  We're o....OW!"  
	She had bit his hand.  Davner grimaced but remained silent.  
As long as her mouth was full and she wasn't screaming, he could 
hear what was going on down stairs.
	"Ayeka, dammit!  Listen!" he hissed at her.
	Ayeka paused and did as she was told.  She was trembling 
beneath him.  From downstairs they could both hear Glilna speaking.
	"How dare you come into my place and harass my clientele?!"
	"If you *do* see them,"  an unfamiliar voice told her, "You 
can reach us at the Hotel Rizzet.  There is a substantial reward."
	"Fuck your reward!  I don't want to see you two here again, 
or I'll sic the boys on ya!"  Her voice turned sarcastic.  "Now, I 
would invite you to stay for a tumble, but my girls don't share 
their beds with the law or whatever the hell you are!  Now, get 
out!"
	They heard the door open and close.  Davner sighed in relief 
and got up onto his knees, releasing Ayeka's wrists.
	"The Gods in their Heaven, that was clos..."  He broke off 
as Ayeka leapt up from the bed and attacked him.
	"YOU SON OF A BITCH!!"  she screamed at him.  "I'LL KILL 
YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!"  She clawed at his eyes and face, tears 
of fear and terror running down her face.
	"Ayeka!  Ayeka!"  
	He had to grab hold of her wrists again to keep her from 
carrying out her threat.  She struggled, continuing to hurl insults 
at him.
	"I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO TRUST YOU, YOU ARROGANT 
PIECE OF TRASH!!!!"
	Davner almost laughed at the irony.  Probably would have too...
	If he hadn't been losing.
	"Ayeka!  Calm down!  We're safe!"
	She still struggled against him.  Davner lost his balance 
and fell backwards onto the bed.  Ayeka, her wrists still locked 
in his hands, fell with him, landing on top of him.
	As one, they stopped.
	Davner looked up at her, his eyes wide.  She was lying there 
on top of him, staring down at him, her insults were now silent.  
She looked at him, tears still running down her face.  She was 
trembling like a frightened animal.
	For the first time, he noticed just how close they were.  
His hands still encircled her wrists even though she had paused 
in her attempt to kill him.  He could feel her body pressed against 
his, felt her warmth.  Their faces were barely inches apart.
	He swallowed nervously, but said nothing.  A tear rolled off 
her cheek and fell, landing on his lips.  They stared at each other 
for another moment.	
	On impulse, Davner leaned up slowly, carefully, afraid of 
scaring her off like the frightened animal she appeared to be right 
now.  His lips gently brushed against hers.  Ayeka closed her eyes 
as they kissed.
	Slowly, Davner released her wrists, at the same time, afraid 
that she would bolt.  Instead of fleeing, like he feared she would, 
she rested her hands on his chest.  His pulse quickened.  He 
continued to kiss her, afraid once again that she might run if he 
stopped.
	He sat up slowly, then, while they continued to kiss, guided 
her back down to the bed.  Their lips parted momentarily.  He 
looked into those dark pink eyes.
	"Ayeka..."
	Before he could get anything else out, she leaned up and 
kissed him again.

	Glilna carried the tea-laden tray up to Ayeka's room and 
paused before the door.  She pressed her ear against it and smiled.  
She placed the tray on a nearby table, next to the door, and walked 
back down the stairs, humming quietly to herself.

	The rain pelted against the window pane, giving off a 
soothing clatter in the night, punctuated by moments of thunder.  
Ayeka moved closer to him, laying her palm on his bare chest, 
feeling the slow, steady beating of his heart.  She rested her 
head against his shoulder and sighed contentedly.  She looked up 
at him.  His eyes were closed, his chest rose and fell in a steady 
rhythm.
	"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"  she asked 
softly.
	His eyes opened slowly and found her.  "You seemed to need 
some time alone with your thoughts," he told her.
	"Hmm."  She snuggled closer.  His arm wrapped around her.  
	"This was a mistake," she said quietly.
	He blinked at her.  "How so?"  he asked.  There was something 
in his voice.  Something she couldn't believe was there.
	Fear.
	"I'm the princess of Jurai," she told him.
	"So?"
	"So, do you have any idea what would happen if my parents 
found out?"  There was fear in her own voice now.  "I killed you 
the moment I kissed you."
	He hugged her close and kissed her again.  "Don't worry about 
that.  There's no need to be morbid."
	"There *is* a way," she said.  "You can get up and walk out 
that door and forget this ever happened."
	He shook his head.  "That's not what I want."
	She looked up at him.  "Do you mean that?"
	"Yes," he whispered.  "I do."  He saw her expression and 
smiled.  "I see," he said, "You were afraid you were just another 
notch on the belt."  
	She gulped and looked away.  "Am I?"
	"No," he whispered.  "Ayeka, I've slept with other women.  
But in my whole life I've only made love to two...and you're one 
of them."
	She leaned forward and kissed him again, even more 
passionately than before.  He nuzzled her neck.  She smiled.  
	"You need to shave."
	"Huh?"
	She caressed his cheek.  "You're scruff," she told him.  
"It itches."
	He laughed.  "Your wish is my command, darl'n."
	"Don't call me that," she begged.
	He arched an eyebrow.  
	"You call everyone that," she told him.  
	He smiled.  "I hear and obey....Neria."  She looked up at 
him, puzzled.
	"I don't recognize that word."
	"It means a lot of things," he told her.  "But the closest 
Jurain equivalent would be, 'Beloved.'"
	She sighed and rested her head on his chest.  "Neria," she 
repeated.  "I like that."
	They lay together, simply holding one another for a long 
time.  
	"I hope the others are okay,"  Ayeka told him.
	"They are,"  Davner replied.
	"How can you be so sure?"
	Davner smiled.  "Because Cavis jumped before we did, and 
Ssedrey was in his own ship.  When I left, he was doing all right 
for himself.  So either way, they're safe."
	"I hope you're right."
	"I am," he told her, kissing her again.  
	"I have to be."

	Davner came down the stairs to find Viona standing there.  
	"This came today, Davner."  She handed him an envelope.  
He opened it and found a piece of paper with a series of numbers 
on it.
	"Thank you, darl'n,"  he drawled and went to a nearby desk.  
He removed a small, metal rod about the size of a pen from his boot 
and set to work.  He twisted the ends of the rod in opposite 
directions until there was a beep and the outer casing came off.  
Beneath the casing was another rod, this one had numbers and 
Mollidoni symbols running along the length of it.  
	Viona watched as he twisted the rod until a certain series 
of numbers was lined up with a series of letters.  Davner picked 
up a pen and began to write on the paper.  When he was done, he 
had a message written out in Mollidoni.  He read the message and 
nodded.
	"Hmm.  Two days.  It'll have to do."  He replaced the rod 
in its casing, got up, and thanked Viona.
	He found Ayeka standing in the sitting room, speaking with 
Ashka and Selna.  Her back was to him so he quietly snuck up behind 
her and tapped her on the left shoulder.  When she turned to the 
left, Davner snuck around her right and planted a kiss on her neck.  
She turned back to him and turned red.
	"Really, Davner!  They're watching!"  
	It was true.  Ashka and Selna were grinning at the princess' 
discomfiture.
	"Come now, Neria," he said.  "You can't blame a pirate for 
stealing a kiss now, can you?"
	The corners of her mouth quirked up.  "Why steal something 
I'd give you anyway?"
	"Because half the fun is stealing it," he told her with a 
smile.  "And I have good news."  She blinked.  "A ship will be 
here day after tomorrow to pick us up."
	She blinked again.  "Davner, I have to ask.  Who are these 
people?"
	Davner looked up at the other two women.  Ashka and Selna 
got the hint and left.  When they were gone, Davner began.  
"They're a group I used to be involved with.  I'd rather not tell 
you who they are.  The less you know about them, the less valuable 
you are to their enemies."  He grinned.  "Do you trust me?"
	She smiled.  "Of course I do."
	"Good.  So, we'll leave here, and they'll drop us off at 
the rendevous point.  Cavis and Ssedrey are probably already there 
and worried to death about us."
	She leaned up and kissed him.  She broke off and caressed 
his face with her hand.  She giggled.
	"You shaved!"  she accused him.
	He cleared his throat, embarrassed.  "Yes, well, it's rude 
to disappoint a lady."
	She giggled again, a happy sound that made Davner smile 
whenever he heard it.  One thing was for sure, he preferred it 
over her yelling at him.  He took her by the waist and pulled her 
to him.  He tilted her chin up and kissed her.
	When he grabbed her, she felt the reflexive urge to slap 
him, an urge that melted away when he kissed her.  It was so 
different than she imagined it would be, to be with someone so free
with his affection.  It was a heady experience.  She still wasn't 
quite used to it.
	"Day after tomorrow," he whispered.  "Then we'll start 
searching."
	
	Davner hugged Viona and patted her on the back.  She gave 
him a quick peck on the cheek.  This was followed by similar hugs 
and kisses from Selna and Ashka.  Then they began giving their 
goodbyes to Ayeka.  Selna hugged the princess and smiled.  
	"Yoo...vizit...yas?"
	Ayeka nodded and hugged her again.
	"Take care of yourself, Aya,"  Viona told her.
	Ashka embraced the princess and whispered into her ear.  
"And you take care of *him*, now, ya hear?"
	"I will."
	Meanwhile, Davner was saying goodbye to Glilna.  
	"Glilna, I don't know what we would've done without you."
	Glilna smiled sweetly.  "You would've died."  She took his 
hand pressed a wad of Jurai bills into it.
	Davner shook his head.  "Glilna, I can't."
	"Yes, you can,"  she told him.  "You might need it.  Don't 
worry, I've added it to your bill.  It's in there too."
	He laughed.  
	"You're good for it,"  she told him.  She hugged him and 
gave him a kiss on the cheek.  "You take care of yourself."
	"You too."
	Ayeka put on a dark green cloak and pulled the hood over 
her head.  As the girls waved, Davner and Ayeka opened the door 
and stepped into the night.

	They made their way through the crowded street, doing their 
best not to draw attention to themselves.  It was the last night 
of the carnival, and people were living it up.  Two people trying 
to make their way through the crowds were given barely a passing 
thought.
	Ayeka found herself looking over her shoulder, looking for 
malicious faces or drawn weapons.  She didn't see any, and she 
hoped it stayed that way.  
	They finally made it to the space port after almost an hour 
of walking.  Davner led her to the landing pads normally reserved 
for cargo vessels.  It was dark, the only real illumination came 
from the running lights of parked vessels.  She reached out and 
took his hand.  He smiled and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
	They reached a landing bay and found a small ship sitting on 
the pad.  A blonde man poked his head out of the hatch, saw them, 
and smiled.
	Davner grinned.  "Guyorge!"
	Davner trotted up to him and embraced the man.  Ayeka stood 
back and listened to them talk.  They were speaking Mollidoni, and 
while she could understand some of it, they were speaking far too 
fast for her to make sense of most of it.

	Davner laughed and patted his friend on the back.  "Guyorge!  
How've you been!?"
	The man, Guyorge, grinned.  "I'm well.  We got your message."  
He nodded at Ayeka.  "She the one?"
	Davner nodded.  "Aye, she's the one.  The Guild's after her, 
I need you to give us a hop to..."
	Guyorge's gun was in his hand and at Davner's chest before 
he realized what had happened.
	"Guyorge?"
	The Mollidon shook his head and bit his lip.  "The Guild has 
placed a reward on her head.  It's enough to hire an *entire army* 
to retake Mollidon!"  He was begging now.  "I have to take her."
	"The hell you will,"  Davner told him.  He tensed.
	Guyorge's grip on the blaster tightened.  Davner paused.  He 
shook his head.  "Don't do this, Guyorge,"  he whispered.
	Guyorge swallowed nervously.  "I'm sorry, Your Grace," he 
said.  "This hurts."
	His head turned from side to side in shock as Jurain power 
logs appeared around him.  "Wha..."
	Davner shook his head sadly.  "Not as much as this will..."  
	While Guyorge was distracted, Davner slapped the blaster aside   
and shoved Guyorge back into the logs.  Guyorge screamed as several 
thousand volts coursed through him.  In one fluid movement, Davner 
dropped to one knee, drew his blaster, and fired.  The blaster bolt 
struck Guyorge in the head, throwing the Mollidon backward.  As 
quickly as the blaster was drawn, it was back in its holster.   The 
logs disappeared.
	"Are you all right?!"  Ayeka asked him as she rushed up to him.
	Davner looked down at the body of his friend.  "No, Ayeka,"  
he whispered.  "I'm not."  He knelt next to Guyorge's body and began 
searching his pockets.  Ayeka watched him ransack the man.  
	"HA!"  Ayeka saw him hold up a datacard.  "The keycard for 
his ship," he explained.  "You ready?"
	She nodded.
	"Well, then, let's go."  Ayeka started up the boarding ramp.  
Davner waited a moment and looked down at Guyorge.  He shook his 
head in disgust.  "You're no Mollidon," he spat.  He turned and went 
up the boarding ramp into the ship.

	Twenty minutes later, the ship and its two passengers left 
the atmosphere of Penwa.  It slowed in its travel long enough to 
get a hyperspace vector, then vanished into the blackness of space.



Author's Notes:

Well, that's it for this part.  I'd like to thank my prereaders, 
Cav and Meg for giving me badly needed help in the course of this 
series. 

Any and all C&C is welcome.  Please send your comments to:

Thomas "009" Doscher
doscher009@hotmail.com