"I think this is it," Farren commented. "I wouldn't swear to it. Are you sure this is going to work?"

"It might," John scratched his temple as he moved over to a bulkhead and opened up a panel on the floor. "If anything we can get the manual starburst going if the links we tried work out."

Chey turned up a second panel beside him, trying to ignore Chiana as she crouched beside her with a leather roll of tools. She flipped them out, tools scattering.

"Watch what you're doing," Chey glowered as she picked up one of the tools.

Chiana took her by her shoulders, cooing into her ear. She then yanked her back, forcing her to fall on her back. She sneered down at Chey as she let out a sharp laugh. Chey pursed her lips tightly as she sat back up on her knees. She snatched Chiana by a wad of her wild hair and yanked her head down to the floors level. Chiana screeched as her hand flew up and wrapped around Chey's throat.

"You two stop it!" John shouted as he grabbed both of them and jerked them apart. "We're supposed to be working here!"

"Tralk," Chiana snarled as she walked on her knees back up to Chey.

Chey curled her lip at her. "Fekik!" She spat out.

"HRA!" Chiana shouted as she slapped Chey across her face.

Chey jerked her head back sharply, crying out as she slapped Chiana back.

Chiana reached back to deck her with her fist when John grabbed her by the wrist.

"I said stop it!" He protested. "And that's what I expect you to do! I'm the king kahuna around here damnit and when the king kahuna says jump then you bitches run to the kitchen and make him some pie!"

Chiana twisted her head up as she stared into Chey's eyes. Chey narrowed her own as they both turned at the same time and punched John in the face simotaniously. He rocked back, planting his hands on his face.

"You people get to work!" Farren shouted.

Chiana leaped up, smiling as she approached Farren. She curved her head as she gazed on his chest, sliding her index finger down it. "But we've been working for arns," she smiled as she turned her gaze up to his eyes. "Why don't we take a break for a little while?"

Farren returned the smile as he pushed her up against the wall and leaned into her, resting his hand over her head. He touched her lips as she searched his eyes.

"So who's Raus anyway?" She half shrugged, smiling gently as she ran her hand along his buttox. "Is he ever gonna get off the tow ship?"

"Never mind him," Farren stated as he ran his thumb along her chin. "He's nobody."

"Hey, yo!" John shouted as he stuck his head up over the bulkhead. "Sunshine! Get your butt over here!"

"Well," she half turned reluctantly.

"You wait!" Farren shouted back as he grabbed Chiana by her upper arm and pulled her back towards the wall again. "I'm not done with her!"

John stood, walking towards them calmly.

Chey sighed heavily as she turned to rewiring things inside the open panels.

John grabbed Farren's shoulder when the Ilanic bolted back. Chiana shouted harshly as she kicked him again, sending him to the floor on his back.

"Yes you are," she muttered.

"Are you quite finished?" John asked.

Chiana gaped at him wild eyed as she tilted her head in a sway, drawing her arms back. "You killed him!"

Farren groaned as he came to his hands and knees. John kicked him in the face, sending him rolling to his back. "No, see. He's not dead."

John sniffed as he straightened himself. Chiana flinched, half crouching as she searched his eyes. He narrowed them on her with a slight smile. "Obviously nothing is going to get done at this pace. I'll start on the manual starburst link. You and Chey return to the neuro cluster and establish the connections to the transistor when it has been rewired."

Chiana blinked as she turned to leaning over Farren, tilting her head from side to side as she looked into his face.

"The rewiring is done," Chey announced quietly as she stood. She walked over to where Chiana crouched, wiping her lips with the back of her hand as she stared harshly on the fallen Ilanic. A Drd whirred around Chiana's feet as she swayed, staring down at Farren and the pool of blood around his head with her arms bowed back. Two more Drd's entered the maintenance bay, heading towards Farren.

Chey grabbed Chiana by her arm as she gaped wide eyed at Farren. She pulled, yanking Chiana back into attention as she started to rush down the corridors.

"Hey let me go!" Chiana protested as she jerked her arm free and pushed Chey against the wall. She stepped up to her, searching Chey's eyes as she pressed her by her upper arms against the wall.

"Did you see it?" She asked Chey as she awed at her as if dazed. She tocked her head as if flinching, her shoulder rising up towards her ear. "He - he's dead."

"That's why I want to get away from him as far as possible," Chey spoke quietly as she freed her arm enough to touch Chiana's neck. Chiana turned her head, letting her breath out deeply from her parted lips as Chey drew her hand up to her cheek. "We have to get out of here, or they'll - think we killed him."

"That's right," Chiana breathed as she glanced around herself wild eyed. "N-n-neuro cluster ... Harvey wants us to go back to the neuro cluster to finish off this link."

Chey slipped away from the wall, pulling Chiana with her as she began down the corridor again. "Then let's go."

*****************************************
 
John found himself staring up at a network of wires, his hand poised with a cauterizer as he held on to what looked like a bunch of neon strings.

"Ummm ..." he stepped back, finding himself on his knees in front of the side of the wall he had stuck himself in. He couldn't remember what he had been working on. He was in the starburst chamber of the neuro cluster.

"Chiana," he pressed on his comms but no answer came, only static. He got up and began to make his way down corridors.

He stepped into the cargo bays, making his way into the docking when he saw someone loading small crates into a pod. The man looked to be Zenetan.

"Hey," John waved as he approached him. The Zenetan glanced up at him as he placed his hand on his pulse rifle.

"Name's John," he reached out to shake his hand. The Zenetan glared at him as he returned to grabbing the small cases and loading them inside. John closed his hand as he pulled it back. "You must be Raus? Haven't seen you yet, what are these?"

The Zenetan stood up from grabbing a second one and narrowed his eyes on him. "Farren is dead. That means everyone's share in the bounty has gone up. I'm collecting mine while I still can."

The Zenetan raised his pulse rifle again as someone came rushing to the doors of the bay. Chiana slid through, gaping as her eyes widened on Raus. "Crichton!"

Raus fired, John shoved the rifle, the shot missing Chiana by denches as others came rushing through.

"What the frell do you think you're doing!" John shouted at Raus as Serk and Jhrauk grabbed Chiana from trying to flee and pinned her against the crates.

"Raus!" Jhrauk shouted as he raised his pulse pistol. "You just hold on there a microt!"'

"Take it up with Almeda!" Raus shouted back as he grabbed his last box and moved into the pod.

"Let Chiana go!" John demanded as he hurried over to Jhrauk.

"Farren is dead," he snarled as pulled Chiana back and pushed her into John. "His throat cut by his own knife. Where were you two?"

"Fixing the starburst," John stated as Chiana wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his side. "What we're getting the free ride to a fresh sector for, in case you forgot."

"We've never had trouble like this," Serk spoke up. "Not since until you two come on board."

"Right," John narrowed his eyes on him. "Blame it on the Banik, is that it? We're not the ones leaving Raishen with a pod full of whatever the hell it is you guys think is so valuable."

"He could have," Serk commented as he turned his attention to the pod as it powered up and lifted. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"Just watch your step around here," Jhrauk warned as he began to back away, turning his pistol on John. He motioned him to move ahead with it. "Go on, back to your cell. I think you two've done enough for one shift."

*******************************

John paced the cell, playing with his ear as his jaw worked tensely.

"Would you stop pacing?" Chiana asked as she turned her back to the cell door and rested against it.

Chey watched both of them beneath her sharp brows from where she sat in the corner of the cell, lacing her fingers into her hair at her forehead as she rested the arm on her bent knee.

"We're right back to square one," John spoke tensely. "In a frelling cell! I was in the neuro cluster ... where were you?"

"Suspect me?" Chiana whirled her head around to him, wincing her eyes at him.

"I don't remember ..."

"That's right, you don't!" Chiana cut in as she stepped towards him, her elbows bent back as she tocked her head. "You don't remember because you were - cause Harvey was in the drivers seat."

"No, no," John waved his finger in her face. "That - is NOT true! His throat was cut Chiana, just like Salis."

Chiana cackled her laugh. "That doesn't mean I killed either one of them."

"What happened Chiana!" John bellowed as he swung out at her.

Chiana shouted as she flinched away, her arm flying up, knocking his away from her. She twisted her head as she glared at him from within her bangs. "Did ya think I tied up myself, huh? You remember that? He gets out Crichton!"

John stared at her, frozen in place for a moment. "Harvey ... you think - you're thinking I killed him ... Harvey did. Did you see ..."

John brought his hands to his face and then pulled them away as he turned to the cell bars. He laid his forehead on one of the broad, flat bars as he closed his eyes.

Chiana eased up behind him, resting against him as she slid her hands around his hips. She pulled the pulse pistol out between his stomach and pants. She smiled roughly as she slid its barrel end up his side and then pressed it against the back of his head.

"Get on your knees," she cooed softly as she brushed her hips against him.

John snorted as he turned around to her. "That isn't loaded."

"Yes it is," she half nodded with a sharp tilt of her head, pressing it into his chest.

"Uh-uh," he shook his head as he licked his upper lip. "Check the cartridge."

"Welllll," she rolled her head, tilting her chin up to him as she blinked. "I say it is!"

"NOT!"

"IS!" Chiana shouted as she punched his chest with the pistol wild eyed. "I - I changed it ... yeah. I put Farren's in it, a full cartridge."

"Didn't."

"Did!"

"Chiana!" John shouted as he planted his hands on her hips. "That isn't loaded!"

"Yes it - IS!" She smashed the gun into his face. John toppled to the ground like a sack, out cold as his broken nose began to bleed again.

Chiana swayed at her hips as she crouched over him. Chey's eyes widened on John as she lowered her arm. Chiana turned to her slowly with a hiss-like sigh, aiming the pistol on her with her arm outstretched. "You believe me don't you?"

She trailed the tip of her tongue over her upper lip as she eased up to Chey. She rested the barrel of the gun into Chey's temple as she swayed in front of her face, drawing her breath out deeply as she positioned her feet on either side of her. "Go on," she whispered, hanging her head over Chey's as she rubbed the barrel against her temple.

Chey shifted to sitting on her calves, drawing the tip of her nose along Chiana's stomach as she began to pull her pants down. Chiana raised up, gazing up distantly to the ceiling as the pistol slipped up the side of Chey's head through her hair. She moaned deeply as Chey's lips and tongue began searching her. She felt hands come up her sides, leaning back slightly as John's lips came to her neck.

"What's all this?" He asked as he pressed his hardness against her. "Having fun without me ..."

Chiana turned her face to him, running her cheek along his chest as she drew the pulse pistol up between her breasts. He took it from her casually, drawing to his knees with her in front of Chey. He narrowed his eyes on Chey with a small smile and then ran the tip of his nose up along the side of Chiana's face, licking her.

"Is it wise to kill the crew?" Chey asked without moving.

"I should think not," he said with a sharp intake of his breath. "That was admitably - unfortunate."

"You want to get rid of them," Chey commented as she came over Chiana, gazing into his eyes as he laid back with Chiana on top of him. "You could do the same thing you did to take over my Guides vessel."

John smiled to her darkly before resting his head back, taking Chiana by her hips as he pushed her down on him, his hardness coming into her. Chiana groaned as she reached back and grasped the sides of his head. She pulled at his hair as she turned her head aside, gasping as Chey began to massage her with her hand, drawing her breast into her mouth.

**************************************
 
"Come out," John muttered under his breath as he stepped into the darkness of the starbursting shaft. "Harvey! Right here, right now!"

Harvey gave out a bored sigh as he sat up from leaning against the wall just to John's right. John turned, raising his pulse pistol to his face. Harvey turned his head, narrowing his eyes on John with a disappointed glare. "That isn't loaded John."

"Maybe," John sniffed, flaring his nostrils. "Maybe not."

"You can't shoot me," Harvey snarled slightly with a low growl as he straddled a bulkhead. "She shouldn't have told you."

"You stay the hell away from her," John nearly whispered as his eyes reddened. "You get it? You stay the hell away from both of them or I'll make ..."

"My life miserable?" Harvey inquired. "I assure you, you already have. Don't fret it John! Go with the flow! I promise you we are enjoying it, immensely."

Harvey raised his first two fingers to his lips, breathing in through his nostrils as if savoring the smell. John screamed as he lunged at him. Harvey was gone as he slammed his fists into the bulkhead. Spittle threw from his mouth as he lurched his body around and attacked the wall, beating and kicking on it as he screamed.

"Frell you Harvey! Frell you!"

"No John," Harvey said quietly from behind him, bringing his face up to John's shoulder. "Frell you."

"What are you doing to her?" John asked, clenching his fists against the wall until he could feel his fingernails digging into his palms.

"Plotting," Harvey nearly whispered. "Planning - to get us out of here! Find Moya, find you."

"By murdering this crew?"

Harvey sighed again as he came around, resting against the wall again as he looked at him. "Really Crichton ... perhaps, as a second choice. For now there is a much easier solution at hand."

"What's that?" John bit his lip as he narrowed his eyes on him. "You didn't kill Farren?"

Harvey took in his breath as if to speak and paused as he glanced to the floor. "Initiate starburst ..." he smiled as he patted John on the shoulder. "It will come to critical mass."

"That'll destroy the entire ship," John winced his eyes. "What am I missing here?"

"The point where you correct the critical mass," Harvey smiled again with a deep, amused growl. "After the crew has abandoned ship."

"What does the Pilot think about that?"

*********************************

John came up below Pilot as Chiana laughed where she sat on top of his console. The Pilot was speaking more up beat than usual as he told Chiana and Chey some venture or another of the pirates. Chiana was scrambling around him, her back against the wall to his side as she peered out into the den chamber as if looking for someone to sneak up on them.

"I did retaliate with crew aboard this ship once," he went on as Chey sat down on top of the console in front of him, staring down at the tasks he was performing with her hands on the sides of her head, her elbows on the knees of her crossed legs. "But that time had consequences that cost me an arm. Their captain chopped it off."

"D'Argo did that once," Chiana offered. "Well, before I was ever on Moya. But, I was on another Leviathan for the kreshure, criminally insane. I mean, I wasn't the cargo ..."

"Are you sure?"

Chiana chuckled again. "Those guys were eating the ship. They lopped off all the pilot's arms but - but one of them."

"Eating him?" Pilot asked, appalled as Chey's eyes widened on Chiana.

"It's a real shame about Farren," John commented as he rested his hand on Pilot and looked up at him through an open space. "Isn't it."

"If you're really asking me," Pilot looked down to him as he moved his elbow aside to see him. "I could care less."

"Sounds like you want out of the pirate business," John said as he moved around him to another spot. "What do you think about that?"

"Are you recommending something?"

"No not really," John shook his head as he scratched the back of it. "Just suppose you could get these guys off the boat and head for new waters? Like taking me, Pip and Chey back into the uncharteds, by ourselves. We're not pirates."

"It would be farther than Raishen and I have gone," Pilot blinked slowly as he looked to Chiana and then Chey, raising two of his pinchers. He blinked again as he turned his attention back to his helm. "It would be of no consequence to me if you somehow got rid of our current crew. If anything the severe damages Raishen continues to suffer from failed convoy raids will be at their end."

John smiled to Chiana, his eyes shining as he patted Pilot. "That's - good, Pilot. Real good."

**************************************
 
"And this is for hetch ..." Chey muttered to herself at Pilot's side as she ran her hand over the panels and crystals without touching them.

"Don't you know anything about Leviathan's?"

"No," she sighed lightly as she scratched her head. "Only what I've been learning to get this thing started."

She caught a glance of something in one of his small view screens and turned to it. She rested her hand over it as she looked down into the limited view. It looked like someone's leg against a corridor floor as the Drd displaying the view trailed down it to a boot. She raised an eyebrow.

"Someone looks down ..."

"That's nothing," Pilot spoke swiftly as he touched a panel and the screen cut off. "They must have tripped over the Drd or something. Let's go over the power overload shutdown sequence again. If I loose consciousness - I don't want Raishen to die."

******************************

"isthereshhhshesaysshhhssireasonyhhh shouldmakeadecisionshhhthisistheresissis ..."

Chiana tilted her head as she tried to listen to the static more intently. She was in a corridor where it cornered off to a three way, resting her back between two of the runners against the wall.

She heard footsteps and gasped softly to herself as she crouched down. She dared to peer around the corner, her eyes wildly intent as she saw John standing over Jhrauk. Jhrauk lay with his head twisted in an awkward position, his blood was pooled around his head from his mouth and nose.

She bolted. John dashed after her, throwing her against the wall when he caught up with her. He snatched her hands when she tried to swing out at him, shoving her back again.

"Nhya!" She shouted as she tried to knee him and struggle away. John back handed her hard, sending her to her hands and knees at his feet. She spat, trembling violently as she gaped at her own blood mixed with the spittle on the corridor floor.

"Stay where you are!" Nisdra shouted as she came running up to Jhrauk's body, raising her pistol on John and Chiana. "She did this, you caught her?"

"No, Chiana was with me," he stated coolly as he grabbed Chiana by her arm and forced her up, holding her to him as Almeda joined Nisdra. "I was trying to calm her down, she saw the body and - freaked out."

"Broken neck," Nisdra growled as she curled her lip at John and then turned her sharp red eyes to Almeda. "Someone is picking us off. We should have those two locked in their cell for good!"

"Then how would we get starburst?" Almeda asked her. "It's a long way on tow."

"Your bounty share just went up," Nisdra snarled at him as she sniffed the air. "Almeda."

"So did yours," he pointed out to her. "John, Chiana, return to your work. I'll have Pilot keep a Drd on them from now on."

"You're going to excuse this?" Nisdra balked at him, eyeing him over with disgust.

"They don't have any share in the bounty," Almeda narrowed his eyes on her. "And ... I lost track of Raus about an arn ago since he boarded."

"So we kill all three of them!" Nisdra shouted angrily as she stood, turning her pulse pistol on John again. "I'm not going to wait around for someone I do not know to sneak up on me like a tenuren's tralk!"

"You're not listening," Almeda stated as he pushed her pistol down. He nudged his head for John to leave. He did so swiftly, charging Chiana down the corridor with a vice grip on her arm.

"Chiana dear," he spoke in a more gentlemanly tone as he rushed his way into the neuro networkings. "What were you doing down that hallway?"

"This is just getting worse," she muttered, her voice trembling as he shoved her into a dark chamber. Chiana fell and rolled over to her back, staring up at him wide eyed as she sat up on her elbows. "Harvey."

"Yes," he narrowed his eyes on her as he stepped closer. "Our little plans are being ruined Chiana. Now, why is that do you suppose?"

"Mmmnnnnnn!" She shook her head, scooting back as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I-it-it's not me. It's n-n-n-not me."

"Haven't I told you about trying to say anything to John, about us?" He asked as he took a step for each time she scooted away until her back slid up against a bulkhead. "That he wouldn't understand? He didn't as you well may know."

"He - he got Pilot," Chiana tried to smile, ending up with a half hazard scowl instead. "Pilot - to - to ..."

"You're ruining the plans," He nearly growled as he kicked her feet apart. "This crew is dropping like flies."

"John!" Serk's shout muffled through the walls. "Chiana! Come out here right frelling now!"

"We're in here!" Chiana shouted as she scrambled away, getting the bulkhead between her and Harvey/John.

John swallowed, adjusting his head as he stepped away from her. "We'll discuss more of this at a more convenient time."

**********************************

John and Chiana sat on the floor of the command center against one of the consoles with four Drd's watching them. The rest of the crew was arguing at the map table.

John blinked slowly several times as he lowered his head. "What ..."

"They want to execute us," Chiana stated without gazing up from her distant stare at her hands on her knees in front of her. "Jhrauk is dead. Raus is in a containment cell."

"Frell," John muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "We better get that starburst going right now ... Where's Chey?"

"Almeda," Chiana narrowed her eyes on her hands as she slowly switched her thumbs up and down. "He's the only one defending us now, long enough to get the starburst working for him ... Chey's still with Pilot. I think."

"Can we do it?" He brushed his hand along his lips as he cut his eyes to her. "In a quarter arn?"

Chiana nodded as fresh tears made their way down her face. "I can do the manual, comm you to juice the power cell plates if Pilot and Chey are still holding up their end."

"Chiana," John sighed. "Your comm doesn't work."

"Yes it does," she nodded, moaning quietly to herself as she rested her hand over her comm. "Yes it does."

Almeda approached them as Serk and Derain came to either side of him, holding pulse rifles on John and Chiana.

"Wait," John raised his hands. "We can get you starburst - in just another quarter arn ..."

"Good," Almeda nodded sharply as he motioned for him and Chiana to stand. "We've decided once you are done that you'll take one of our ships and leave."

"Fine," John nodded back as he stood. He turned to Chiana when she didn't stand, pulling her up as he smiled weakly to Almeda. "We'll be outa your hair before you know it."

***************************************
 
"I'm ready in here!" Chiana called out from inside the starburst chamber as she held her hand over the manual override. Derain eyed her from the doorway, his pulse rifle on her as he hit his comms.

He nodded to her slightly. "Hit it. Crichton is ready."

She pushed the panel down, gazing around herself as the soft blue room began to glow more sharply. She jumped up and ran to the door, slipping past it as it began to close. She tilted her head as she gazed up into Derain's eyes, her arms outstretched as she smiled wryly.

"Starburst is initiating!" Pilot called through the comms excitedly. "There are too many power leakage's!"

"Compensate it Pilot," Almeda ordered.

"I can't!" Pilot cried out in genuine panic. "Raishen is going to break apart!"

"Power down!"

"Raishen can't stop the initiation sequence!" Pilot's voice rose through Derain's comms again. "Starburst will reach critical mass in ninety microts! The hull has been breached on tier seven!"

Derain turned and dashed down the corridor.

Chiana smiled broadly, drawing the tip of her tongue across her upper teeth as she swayed at her hips. "Later!"

She began to run, making her way through the neuro cluster to John. He stood at a power grid just outside of the starbursting shaft, humming the superman theme to himself as he flipped his hands around at the wildly flashing lights and small explosions on the grid like a maestro.

"Dat da da da! Dat da da da! Dat da da, dum da da da daaaaaaa!"

"Pilot?" Chiana gazed around herself worriedly. "Pilot?"

"The crew is abandoning ship," Pilot reported through John's comms. "Prepare for starburst. Well done, John Crichton. Quite - clever."

"Just starburst and we'll see," John snorted, beaming in his smile as he shook his head. "If we survive that, this is just way too drad man!"

The ship felt like it was thundering through an earthquake, throwing John and Chiana to the ground. She grasped her ears as a sound like ripping metal screamed through the hull. John took her up in his arms, holding her tightly to him as he curled around her.

Within moments there was only a dead silence. John pushed debris off of them, straddling Chiana, sitting on top of her as he wiped her face. "Chi? Hey Pip ..."

He rested his hands on the ground on either side of her, tilting his face over hers as he watched her eyes. He kissed her lips softly, drawing up on an elbow as he brushed the long bangs from her forehead. "Anybody still in there?"

She opened her eyes.

He smiled as he sat up again. "How 'bout you Pilot, you and Raishen still alive?"

"Yes," he returned. "We're - in much better condition than I would have expected."

"We'll get Raishen all fixed up Pilot," John assured him as he began to walk with Chiana into the main corridors.

Chiana moved ahead of him, rushing towards the command center. He heard her cry out as she turned a corner. He drew his pulse pistol as he eased out enough to view the hall. Raus glared at John as he held Chiana with a knife to her throat.

"I can't frelling believe you pulled it off," he laughed. "I had a strange feeling something like this might happen. I've got it all now, the bounty, the ship. Only thing left in my way is you two."

John stared at him, holding his pistol on him steadily. He winced his eyes as he chewed on his lip. "I just bet I can make that shot right through your eyeball."

"She still dies," Raus challenged. "Besides, I know that pistol isn't loaded."

A shot rang out. Raus gasped, choking as Chiana grabbed his wrist and tried to push his hand away from her throat. John rushed them, yanking Raus's arm away. He held on to the arm, glaring down at Raus on the floor. The Zenetan continued to gag as the knife in his hand dropped to the ground. John let go of him, backing up as a Drd whirred up to the Zenetan and fired another small pulse blast into his side. Raus' body jarred as he became silent.

"My apologies," Pilot came through comms again. "I didn't detect anyone else on board."

"Figures," John shrugged as he looked to Chiana the same time she cut her eyes to him. "He's the one who killed Farren and Jhrauk right? The villain always hangs around to jump you in the ending."

"Actually ..." Pilot's voice faltered. He was silent for a long moment. "I - commissioned a few Drd's ... to kill - at a time that was convenient to them. I - I wanted the crew to fight amongst themselves in their greed as a means to get rid of them."

"Oh - that, that's," John shook his head as he pointed down the corridor. "That is twisted."

"You - will still require us to take you into the uncharteds? There is more than enough of their bounty on board to make repairs ..."

"I thought it was me," John grabbed the sides of his head. "I thought it was Chiana ... hell Chiana thought it was Harvey! Chey ... I don't know who she must've thought ..."

He turned, throwing his arms out to grab Chiana in his relief but Chiana had disappeared. "Uh, yeah Pilot," his smile faded into a smaller one as he tocked his head, planting his hands on his hips. "Uncharteds it is."

Chiana roamed down the corridor, her head swaying as she tried to listen.

"resishhhhakkeassshhhfraekidashhhhisreshhh mairaukharaieeeehhhsshhhshshhh ..."

"Yo Pip," John came through the comm. "You alright?"

"Yeah, fine." She nodded as she crept up on the command center, peering inside it before she entered.

"Your comm is really spritzed Chi, I think we better find you a new one before we check around - make sure no one else is on board ... and make sure Chey still is."

"istheraaaeeeeshhhshesameraikksshhhssireaiieeeeshh ..."

"No, fine." She sniffed with a slight tock of head as she dared into the command center. "I can hear you just fine."

****************************

Chey stepped into the docking bay, staring solemnly at the emptiness. There was nothing ship-wise left. Not even a transport pod.

"Pilot," she hit her comms as she wandered towards the cargo bays to check their supplies.

"Yes Chaelsmond?"

"No matter what happens," she muttered as she squatted down to an abandoned pulse rifle. "Get us to Moya ..."

She let her bangs fall into her eyes as she picked the rifle up.

"I can assist you in getting away from them ..."

"You can try," she stated. "But I'm thinking ... Chiana's right, I don't have anywhere to go. I can't return to Nebari Prime."

She tilted her head slightly as she ran her fingertips up and down the rifle. "I can wait until we find this Moya."

"Are you so sure?" Pilot asked.

She pulled the cartridge out and pocketed it. She stood, searching the floor for more discarded weapons to disarm as she walked. "I'm sure."