Twin suns blazed in the sky over a jungle type of planet. A military style compound was burning to the ground while several black and white Licenses lay on the ground, broken. On top of a mountain an individual in a black and red Dekasuit battled a bald, gray Alienizer wearing what look like silver knights armor, the shoulder plates curled up in points. He wasn’t wearing a helmet so he could see his opponent. Solid green eyes flashed at the Deka. He pulled his weapon, the Alienizer believed the intelligence report called it a D-Colt. The Deka fired twice and six shots came at him. He pulled his broadsword in front of him and deflected each bullet back at the Deka with the glowing blade.

“Argh!” the Deka cried as the shots struck him. He rolled down the mountain trying to use his D-Knife and D-Rod to slow or stop his decent. He crashed on the ground and slowly got to his knees. He looked up and saw the smoking, charred remains of one of his teammates. “Damn you!!”, he cried at the top of his lungs. The knight slowly made his way down the mountain holding his sword at the ready. The Deka grabbed his partner’s charred D-Shot and started firing away. Each shot was causally flung away infuriating the Deka even more.

“Begin phase 2,” he spoke into his wrist communicator. Behind the Deka a woman with blue skin wearing as similar style armor appeared from the bush. She opened her right palm and a whip like coil shot out and wrapped itself around his neck. He dropped his weapon and tried to remove the coil from his neck. Then another blue skin male wearing a helmet and twice as wide as the others lumbered out of hiding. Two racks on his back flipped up and a laser barrage exploded around the Deka.

“Ha-ha-ha” the big one laughed, “that never stops being fun.” The woman released the coil and the Deka fell to the ground. The Dekasuit disappeared and a tiger-seijin in a black uniform with a red star on his right shoulder laid there on the ground writhing in pain. “He lasted longer than the others Zyra.”

“Of course he did Matox,” the woman said crossing her arms. “The leader is usually the toughest of the bunch.”

“Or the luckiest”, the knight said as he reached them. With his boot he flipped the tiger to his back. He reached down and tore the black badge from his uniform and placed it in his pouch.

“Which are you Waven?” she asked, a dangerous undertone in her voice.

“Try and find out witch.” He stabbed the sword into the tiger’s chest between the ribs.

“Ragh!,” the tiger cried as blood sputtered out of his mouth. Waven grinned with cruel glee as he used the sword to force the tiger to his feet. He felt the weight on the blade, then pushed it in a little further.

“You failed your team,” Waven taunted him. “Do you think they are cursing your existence in the after life?” Zyra took the OpsLicense from his back and tossed it in the air. One quick crack of her whip coil broke it. “As of now you are defenseless against us.”

“Can I smash him like I did the pink one?”, Matox begged. “It was fun hearing her bone break over her screams.”

“No,” Waven said with an evil grin. “This one is mine.” He used the sword to lead the tiger to a better view of the burning training facility. “Do you think anybody survived? It is possible one or two may have escape out little visit, so your honor may still be intact. Tell me Deka, did you expect to win this little encounter? Did you think you were invincible? Did you think nobody would be around to tell the others about the black badges? Did you think there wouldn’t be any action taken against you?”

The tiger spat blood in his face. “If it’s not me who will send you to the pits then somebody else will.”

“Well I guess we’ll find out,” he twisted the blade slightly, just enough for the pain to race through his body. “We have been ordered to hunt down and eliminate all of the black badge units SPD has.” Matox started snickering in anticipation at what was coming up. “Say hello to your fallen team mates in the pits below,” Waven snarled. He pulled the sword out, spun and aimed the edge of the blade at the tiger’s neck. His head flew from his shoulder as his body fell to the ground.

“You should have savored the kill for a few moments longer,” Zyra told not looking impressed.

“Patience wench,” he said, “These Dekas, no matter the color of their badge, have an annoying habit of coming back from almost any situation. It’s best not to let them have too big of an opening. Besides an artist always knows the right time to end it.” She snorted and turned away from them. Waven pulled out a galactic communicator. A small image of a chameleon-sejin wearing a cloak appeared above the device. “There was a training center on Nagaus 7, just like you said Agent Chatrox.”

“I’m surprised the fools didn’t move it,” Chatrox told him. “Was there much resistance?”

“Some, the commander here was particularly ferocious. But we left him alive as bait.” He sneered, “And a DekaOps unit took the bait.”

“And the status of this unit?”, Chatrox asked. Waven crossed a finger across his throat. “Good, who was it?”

“Their leader was a tiger-sejin.”

“Ah, him,” he grinned. “I was hoping he would answer the call.”

“The bosses said you wanted a rather unusual payment for this information.” Waven remained cautious, every Agent he dealt with usually had a very high price tag for information.

“Nothing too outlandish,” the Agent informed him, “I get to chose which Ops unit you go after next.”

“The universe is a rather large place to hunt down one particular unit.” Zyra snorted and Matox looked disappointed. “We would have to allocate a great deal of resources to pinpoint one particular unit.”

Chatrox grinned, “Than fear not, I know exactly where they are. Are you familiar with the planet Earth?”

“That Deka infested mud ball?!”, Zyra exclaimed.

“More to smash”, Matox said.

“Why would a planet that heavily protected need a Ops unit?”, Waven wondered.

“Even I couldn’t figure out how the SPD command thinks.” He started looking very serious, “Are you going to accept?”

“Of course,” Waven sneered.

=======

Special Police DekaOps- Covert Killers

=======

There was movement in the basement of a rundown apartment building. A piece of a Batsuroid fell to the ground as a black and yellow figure kept moving. He saw his partner, wearing a black and blue Dekasuit, come around the corner. Both of them shrugged, no sign of the target. Something coughed, the sound came from a hole in the far end of the room. The two Dekas cautiously approached the hole and aimed both of their D-Shooters into the hole. A small green alien with huge black eyes was cringing as far back as he could go. “This can’t be the guy who’s wanted in three sectors for massive drug running and murder?” Boomer said.

“Don’t judge this book by his cover buddy,” D.E. said. He knelt down and lowered his D-Shooter slightly. Holding out his other hand he said, “Come on little guy, we gotta check you out.” The green alien stopped shivering and open it’s mouth revealing a set of fangs. He charged out of the hole, “Son of a…!”. The alien knocked D.E. on his back and stood on him. He shot a goop out of his mouth twice and covered both D.E. and Boomer than ran off.

“We got to stop that thing!”, Boomer cried trying to wipe the slime off his visor. A boot came out of nowhere and knocked it to the ground. That same boot kept it on the ground as it tried to get away and they realized it was Ace.

“Cap, D.E. and Boomer found him!”, Ace called out. She looked them over, “What happened to you two?”

“Don’t ask,” D.E. answered shaking some of the slime off his arm. Dan and Rev ran up a moment latter. Rev twisted his head slightly as he studied his two comrades.

The green alien hissed and spit more of that green slime out of his mouth that they easily dodged. Dan pulled out his OpLicense and switched it to Judge, “Target orders.” Ace removed her foot as the red X and blue circle flashed before the alien. After a minute the blue circle shined before it. “Apprehend target,” Dan ordered. Ace nodded and slapped the D-Whoppers on it’s wrist.

“Gag the little bastard while you’re at it,” Boomer told them trying to get the slime off him.

“You two better find something to hose off with,” Ace told them. “Cause you are not getting that slime in or on my jet, you got me?”

“That is a very wise decision Trish,” Rev informed her. “The less the slime is spread the better.”

“Why?”, D.E. asked, sounding a bit nervous. “This stuff ain’t a acid or something is it?”

“No,” Rev said, “but…”, he trailed off.

“You know I hate being kept in the dark Rev,” Dan said. “Is that stuff dangerous or not?”

“Well the slime is used to mark his territory or property.”

Ace started laughing, “So this squirt just made these two his bitches?”

‘That is not funny,” Boomer whined.

“I’m not the one covered in slime.”

“Calm down people,” Dan told them. “I saw a hydrant outside of the building. Use that to clean that gunk off you. Rev, give then a hand.”

“As you wish Captain,” he replied.

“The faster the better,” Boomer said.

“No arguments here buddy,” D.E. agreed. And they walked out.

“I believe we got a nice cell aboard the Shepard for this guy,” Ace hauled him up and pushed him ahead. “I even see you point your mouth in my direction you’re losing teeth,” she warned the alien.

“I’ll let them know to expect company,” Dan said switching his License to phone as he followed. “Stevens to OpsBase.”

“This is OpsBase,” Michelle said over the line, “what is your mission status?”

“The target is in custody and we’re heading back home,” Dan said.

Michelle sounded surprised, “That was fast. Were you guys in a rush or something?”

“Resistance was lighter than expected.” He looked down at the slime trail D.E. and Boomer were leaving, “Outside of this one slightly unexpected turn of events the mission was pretty routine.”

“Sounds like you got some free time tonight then,” Michelle said. There was a tone in her voice that he recognized.

“Michelle we talked about this, no conversations about personal matters on company time.”

“Just making an idle comment,” she said innocently. “We’ll have the holding cells reading when you return. We’ll talk when you get back, OpsBase out.”

“Sounds like somebody planning a hot date tonight,” Ace said with a hint of humor in her voice.

“And I get the feeling I better make it a good one too,” Dan said with a chuckle

***

By the time they landed at OpsBase, Michelle had already talked the Major into giving her and Dan the rest of the night off. Of course they had to process the suspect first. Dan and Rev interrogated him over who he was selling to while she arranged for a transfer to a SPD penitentiary. With that done, and making sure D.E and Boomer weren’t his actual property, Ace and the others had the rest of it covered, freeing up the rest of the night.

Seeing how there was no time to arrange dinner at one of the fancier restaurants in town they agreed to go someplace a little more casual. Dan was wearing his usual red shirt, jeans and bomber jacket. Michelle wore a white blouse with a loose black skirt that went to her knees. Holding hands as they walked down the sidewalk, Michelle saw the place they were heading for. She gave Dan a skeptical look as she said, “You weren’t planning on taking this Latina to a Mexican restaurant, were you Dan?”

“No, of course not,” he said. “Excuse me for a quick moment will you?” He turned around and pulled out a cell phone. Dialing a quick number he held the phone to his ear. “Yeah this is Dan Stevens, I like to cancel that eight o’clock reservation.” He pulled away as Michelle tried to take the phone from him.

When she finally did get a hold of the phone she shot him a look, “This isn’t even on.”

He tried to charm her with a smile, “Just having a little fun.”

She shoved the phone into his chest then said, “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Come on, the place is a little further down the block.” The place was an outdoor café, with red and white umbrella covering each table. Dan held out a chair which Michelle thanked him for and sat in. Their waitress came up a few moments later handing them a menu. Michelle knew what she wanted right away, Dan took a few minutes to figure out what he wanted. They talked while they waited. Her hand found his, Dan lightly griped hers in return. This is what both of them needed.

After dinner Dan took her by the hand again and just walked around the area. There were times he still couldn’t believe he was breaking his number one rule: do not mix your private and professional lives. Then he looked at Michelle, watch her smile and get that twinkle she had in her eyes and remembered exactly why he broke it to begin with. And he’s never been happier.

Michelle was just happy he finally opened up and let her in. The Major warned her about his rule, and she had every intention to leave him be. Then she stated talking to him after he arrived and got settled in. She didn’t think attracted was the right word to use, but she found she enjoyed his company. It surprised her even more when it looked like he felt the same. Gripping his hand a little tighter, she was so glad he let her in. “Looks like it’s going to be a beautiful night,” she said while looking at the sky.

“I didn’t notice,” Dan said while looking at her.

She gave him a sly smile, “If I didn’t know better I’d say you were trying to flatter me.”

He stopped walking, “And why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you are not the type,” she informed him. “You come right out say it.”

“Hmm, something like,” he took her other hand, “you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen?”

“Yeah,” she smiled, “something like that.” Dan let go of her hands and put his around his her waist and drew her in. “What about your rules?”, she teased.

“I keep forgetting about my rules when I’m around you,” he told her softly. “Is it wrong that I don’t want this night to end?”

“Yeah I don’t want to go back to that madhouse either,” she joked.

Dan pulled away, “Michelle.”

She pulled him back in, “Sorry.” They looked at each other for what seemed like forever. If she had to be honest with herself, she hadn’t felt this way since she met her late husband. “Is this getting a little more serious?”

“I think so,” he said. God, his stomach had never felt like this. “Do you want it to get a little more serious?”

“I’m not going to complain.” He leaned in to kiss her.

“You fucking bastard!”, somebody yelled out. Dan and Michelle looked around until the saw a woman with slightly wavy blond hair wearing a white button up shirt and black jeans storm out of a building.

She was followed by a brown haired guy wearing blue jeans and a denim jacket with a sweatshirt hood run after her. “Rachel it’s not what he thinks it was,” he tried to explain to her. “Would you stop and listen to me for a second.”

“Fuck you Jack,” she said without turn around. He looked behind him and shot an angry look at somebody before chasing after her. After them came an annoyed looking brown haired woman being followed by a guy with long blond hair.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” she said not hiding her anger.

“She had to know Melissa,” he said. “It’s better that she finds out now.”

“Finds out what Lance? That woman you saw Jack with was my cousin who I asked him to pick up from the airport? Or that she’s gay?” Lance rambled something as Melissa walked off, “God, I did everything to get those two together and you go and ruin it.”

Michelle held Dan a little tighter, “We’re not going to turn out like that are we?”

“Not if I can help it.” Dan’s License went off. Letting the annoyance show on his face he answered it, “This is Stevens, go.”

Michelle felt the same and muttered, “This better be good.”

“Cap,” The Major said. “I’m sorry to interrupt your date but we got some bad news. Both of you better come in.”

“What kind of bad news?”

“I think it’s better if I told you in person.”

“Right, Stevens out,” he closed the License and sighed. “That didn’t sound good.”

“No it didn’t,” she admitted.

***

When they got back to Base they found that the others were in the command room and they could feel the somber mood in the room. Oh this was definitely not good. The Major stood by the railing tapping his cane on the floor, there was no way to sugarcoat this, “Nagaus 7 was attacked.”

Dan was stunned, “How… who did …?”

“Apparently it was the Alienizers, or at least that what one of the few survivor said.” He nodded to Ace who activated the main screen. An image of Commander Scorp with a heavily bandage Commander Mynx lying in a hospital bed appeared. “Scorp said Mynx wanted to warn the rest of us personally.” The image played a moment later.

“…three of them, wearing armor. Took us by surprise. I lost a good chunk of my men during the initial attack.”  Mynx started coughing and a nurse whispered something to Scorp.

“Rest now,” the tin voice of his translator said. “Well talk about this later.”

“Cut the image,” the Major ordered. He gave Dan and Michelle a moment to digest what they just saw. Dan in particular looked a bit rattled. “The only reason Mynx was left alive was to lure in an Ops unit. The plan worked, One lead by a tiger-seijin…”

“Tony?”, Dan came back to life. The Major looked down at the floor. “What happened to his unit?”

“There were no survivors from his unit.” Dan fist flew back and hit the wall behind him surprising everybody. “I’m sorry Dan, I know he was your friend.”

“Who did this?”, he demanded.

“We don’t know yet. The only reason we got this much was because that unit got Mynx in an escape capsule when they arrived. All the remaining DekaOps units are being put in high alert. High Command thinks this was a direct strike at our branch of SPD and are sending everything they have about the incident. There no doubt that whoever these guys are they will strike again. Nobody knows where though. I want us ready to go at moment notice, is that understood?”

“Rodger,” they said. Dan remained quiet and left the command room for his quarters to change.

“How did they find out about us?”, Boomer asked. “We do everything to make sure people are kept in the dark about us.”

“We ain’t perfect Boomer,” D.E. said. “Nobody can get everything. Something was bound to slip out here and there.”

“And how many of those we and the other units captured talked,” Ace added. “Word is going to get around the grapevine.”

D.E crossed his arms, “I’d bet this kind of news spread like wildfire.”

“No doubt,” Rev said. “I feared it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. Major Pierce, are the other Deka units on this planet aware of this?”

“Word been sent to the commanders, it’ll be up to them to decide how they want to handle it if these guy appear. Although a couple have called me and said we have permission to come in and wipe the floor with them if they show up in there area.”

Michelle looked at the door to the field team quarters while they were talking. After a few moments she went after Dan and found him leaning against the wall. She walked up to him and put her arms around his waist. “Dan I’m so sorry.”

“He was the first person to actually accept during Ops training,” he said. “He was the first one to call me friend.” He stood straighter and a she let him go as he went all business, “I want to see that report as soon as it comes in.”

“I’ll make you a copy as soon as I get,” she told him.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. Despite his best efforts what he was feeling was starting to show through.

“Are you going to be alright?”

“I’ll let you know.”

“Come on,” she tugged on his arm, “I’ll buy you a coffee while we wait for it to come in.”

***

The final report came in after a few hours. Like she promised Dan had a copy of it within minutes. He took the elevator to the old building above OpsBase before reading the report. He leafed through the report several times before he found the section he was looking for, the death report. He scanned the names until he found Tony’s and the cause of death. He dropped the report a second later. What kind of sick bastards…?

He walked out into building’s plaza and onto the grass. Looking at the night sky he pulled out the can of beer he had in his pocket. Lowering his head just enough to bring the can to his lips he drank half of it’s content. Then looking at the sky again and poured the rest of it on the ground, “I’ll get the bastard who did this to you Tony.”

“You’re letting it get personal again,” Michelle said. Dan couldn’t look at her. She walked up to him with his copy in her hands. “You know that’s sure way to get yourself killed. Or the others.”

“My main priority is to make sure they come back alive,” he said.

“You better be included in that ‘they’. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Not if I can help it,” he repeated. “I plan on being around for a long time.” She walked up to him and he hugged her, not wanting to let her go. Tearing up he told her, “Tony didn’t deserve to go like that.”

“I know,” she told him. “Did he have any family?

“His wife just had a litter of cubs when he was chosen for the training.” He remembered how proud Tony was when he got there, claiming each one had the hunter’s spirit. “I need to see if I can send a message to her.”

“I’ll get you set up,” Michelle said. “Come on back inside, it’s starting to get cold out here.” She had dragged him to get him started. When they got back inside he took the report back from her. “I think you read that enough of that.”

“I had to know how he died first,” he said flatly. “Now I need to know what we might be up against. The fewer blanks I have to work with the better the chance we have in getting back in one piece.”

“The Major had a couple of pots of coffee brewing when I came looking for you. I think he had the same idea.”

“We better give him a hand. Helen is going to wonder where he is before long.”

***

The next few days were uneventful but everybody was on edge. Communication with the remaining Ops units was pretty regular if sporadic. None of them wanted to accidentally let whoever it was home in on their signal. One ambush was enough for everybody. Then the DekaSpaceBace sent word of an incoming vessel that wasn’t answering any of there hails. Then they announced it shot right by the check points. This was it, Dan felt it in his gut.

“Where is the ship headed?”, The Major demanded.

“I’m pinning down the trajectory,” Michelle informed him.

“You maybe want to hurry that up.”

“It’ll be done, when it gets done,” she said with a small hint of annoyance. After a few very long moments she exclaimed, “Indiana, they’re heading for Indiana.”

“Get them in the air now.” Michelle made the call as Dan headed for the launch bay ready room. They were already in there getting dressed. They boarded the Machine Shepard and took their positions. The ceiling above them opened up and the black and white jet rose into the air fading away as the cloak was activated.

They were unusually quiet, even Boomer wasn’t trying to lighten the mood. Dan looked at each of them then stood up to get their attention. “I know what you guys are thinking. Could this be them? I’ll be honest with, I think it might be. We all know what happened to the last Ops team they encountered. I knew their team leader so I know they were good. But we have one thing they didn’t, we know how these people operate now.” Slowly they nodded in agreement. “So we don’t give them a chance to do this to anybody else. We strike hard, we strike fast and we take these bastards down. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir,” they answered. Hopefully they felt as confident as they sounded. Hell he was wishing he felt as confident as he sounded. But fear was a good thing, the moment you stopped feeling fear was the moment you were dead. They approached the landing site and found the ship sitting there waiting for them in the middle of a field.

Ace landed the Shepard landed close by. They ran down the ramp and powered up the Dekametal. Three figures in armor, the bald gray one apparently in the lead, stood watching them. The female and big one stood at the ready. Dan stopped a few yard from them and the other followed suit. As one they unlatched the D-shots from their packs and leveled them at the trio. “Fire!”, he ordered and they complied. The leader quickly drew his sword and blocked the shots. As the slugs impacted the ground Dan stared at the sword. He griped his D-Shot a little tighter.

“Is that the best you have?”, their leader smirked. “Matox, Zyra begin phase 1,”

“As you wish Waven,” Zyra stated.

“Oh boy, fun time,” Matox clapped as the rack on his back flipped up.

“Scatter!”, Dan yelled. They jumped as Matox fired his lasers. Ace rolled to a knee and brought up her D-Shot. A whip coil wrapped itself around the gun and ripped it out of her hands. D.E. jumped over her with his D-Rod glowing blue and slashed through the coil.

“Damn you,” Zyra cursed clutching her right arm. Ace and D.E said nothing as they drew their D-Shooters and started firing. During the barrage she pressed something on her wrist and disappeared in a flash of light.

“Nobody said they could do that,” Ace said as she turned around. Another whip coil wrapped itself around D.E. ankle and picked him up in the air. Before Ace could react Zyra slammed D.E. into her. Then she did it again then a third time. Both of them were dazed.

The whip coil retracted itself into her left palm. She stepped on Ace’s hand as she reached for a D-Shooter on the ground, “I don’t know how you black badges got the reputation for being so tough.”

Boomer dodged the blows Matox was throwing in his direction. Rev jumped up and tried to plant his feet into his chest. He expected the Alienizer to fall backwards but he bounced off. “Rev!”, Boomer tried the block the hammer like fist aimed at Rev’s head. He took it on the back and went to his knees, it gave Rev enough time to aim his weapon at the huge alien face and fire.

“Ow!”, was all Matox said as he stepped backwards holding his cheek.

“You got to be kidding me,” Boomer muttered in disbelief. He aimed his D-Shot at him and started firing away point plank. All he did was make the huge alien angry. Matox grabbed the D-shot from him and bent it in half. He dropped it to the ground and fumed at the black and yellow clad human, “Fuck.”

“Robert look out!”, Rev tackled him the ground as Matox fist made a small creator in the ground he was standing on. “I believe he was holding back on us.”

“Please don’t tell me things like that,” Boomer told him as they got to their feet and started running. Matox flipped the rack back up and fired. Rev and Boomer went flying and landed hard. The blue alien walked over, picked them up by the back of the head. He barked out a short laugh before throwing them into the side of the ship.

Waven found himself being slightly impressed with this human. Much like the tiger he fought with a controlled rage. And his team wasn’t even dead yet. Dan looked back at the other when he could. His first instinct was to run over and lend them a hand. But he knew how dangerous this one could be. Every time he tried to pull the sword back out of the scabbard Dan aimed a kick or punch at it to force it back in. Then he faked him out when Waven reached the handle then took a quick step back. Dan stumbled foreword as his fist found nothing but air. His head and body snapped around from the backhand that followed.

“Not bad human”, Waven said as he drew the sword. “I wasn’t expecting a species as underdeveloped as you to actually put up a fight. As an artist I always appreciate a challenge, something to push my skill to the limit. I almost got that here today.” While he was talking Dan pulled out his hold out D-Shooter from his back and fired all four shots at Waven. The slugs bounced off his armor but the impact forced him back. Dan jumped to his feet and charged as he brought his D-Rod out. Waven sword glowed as he blocked the swing. Smiling he squeezed the handle the energy pulsed outward sending Dan flying back.

He got back to his feet and put the D-Rod up ready for another attack, “I’m still breathing.”

“And who said I wanted you to stop,” Waven grinned evilly. That distracted Dan enough that Waven pointed the sword at him and the energy around the blade shot out at him. Dan felt the air leave his body as it connected and saw stars as he landed on the ground. “Zyar, Matox,” he called out, “Phase 2.”

“Finally,” Zyra said while unleashing on last kick to D.E.’s head before turning her attention to Dan. Matox did the same, dusting his hands off. Dan unsteadily rose to his feet, totally unaware of what was happening. Zyra extended both whip coils, wrapping them around his wrists and held them out making sure he was wide open. Matox raised the rack as Waven pointed his sword at him. They unleashed another barrage, Dan screams of pain were drowned out by the noise. When Waven finally lowered his sword the assault stopped.

Ace, Boomer, D.E. and Rev were just conscious enough to see what was happening. They felt helpless as Zrya let go and Dan’s Dekasuit disappeared. His eyes rolled into his head as he fell to his knees, then going face first into the ground. He wasn’t moving. “Cap,” Ace said weakly, her body refusing to get up and help him. Rev and Boomer were having the same problem.

Waven walked over and kicked Dan over to his back, “He’s still breathing, good.”

“Pity,” Zrya pouted.

“Leave him alone!” Boomer got to a sitting position and just fired away with his D-Shooter. Rev was able to do the same a moment later.

“Matox, if you would,” Waven said wearily. He started for them but Zyra used her coil to knock them away.

“Hey they were mine,” the big one whined.

“It was faster,” Zyra told him.

“No matter,” Waven said as he reached down and grabbed Dan by the shirt. His cap fell off his head as he was hauled up. “This decoy has served it’s purpose. Leave it as a reminder at how easily they were fooled. Return to the ship.” The all pressed something on their wrist and they disappeared with Dan in a flash of light. Ace reached out to where they were before she blacked out.

***

After an hour of not hearing anything the Shepard finally requested clearance to land. Something didn’t sound right to Michelle, Ace sounded different. She got out of her chair and ran for the hanger. The doors to bay open right when the Shepard’s landing ramp was lowering. She knew something was wrong when D.E was the first to leave the jet, Dan was always the first one out. She ran past him and into the jet fearing the worst. Some of her fears were lifted when she saw the med bay was empty. Blowing past Rev and Boomer she entered the cockpit, Ace was standing beside the controls looking downtrodden. But she was the only one there and she was holding his cap in her hands. Michelle looked behind her, she couldn’t have missed him, “Where’s Dan?”

“I…,” she started, “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“They took him,” Ace looked like she couldn’t believe she just said that.

Michelle grabbed her by the front of her uniform, “They took him? And you just stood there and let them!?”

Rev came back and tried to calm her down, “We did everything we could Michelle. They teleported away before we could stop them.” She let go and walked out of the cockpit without a word. “Michelle,” Rev began.

“Let her go Rev,” Ace told him.

“But she needs somebody right now.”

“Too bad the person she wants isn’t here.” Ace teared up and mentally kicked herself for her choice of words.