It took Nine a few days to return to the Pirate's Tavern. Most of that time was spent laying several false trails. She wasn't sure, but she had the overwhelming feeling of being followed, even though she saw no evidence of any tail.
           Again the innars of the bar were populated mostly with women. She knew Lana and the bartender Amae, but the woman shaprening a knife on a whetstone was unknown to her. She made her way around the women folk and took up a post at the end of the bar. "What's your poison?" Amae asked.
           Poison? Oh its been a while. Got anything lethal?"

             "Absythine," she replied, not knowing the girl's tastes.
           "A mind- altering hallucinogenic? Sure. Maybe you can half it with pineapple juice. It'll bring out the quanine in the fruit.
           Amea quirked a brow, finding her customer's knowledge of poisons more extensive than what she thought the short girl would have know, but set about organizing the implements of distructions, adding the sugar cube drenched in laudanum then lit and quickly dropped into the liquor before pushing the whole ensemble towards Nine. "Four gold."
           It took almost all her coin to match the price, but it was money will spent as the drink almost instantly numbed down the backwash of paranoia, making it much more tolerable to be in the room.  Which was good because the woman with the knife now drew a cat-O'nine tail and was working the leather; an unsettling fimage for the mutant to see.  It also looked unsettling to the girl seated further down the bar.  The bearer of the whip smiled at the blond.  "Ye want to borrow my cat tail, Lana?  Ye might find it useful in yer spar with Sebastian."

            Lana shook her head.  "I never learned to use one.  I don't even want to spar, but he keeps calling me a coward."

            Nine leaned in to catch Amae's ear.  "They spar like this a lot?"

            "Yep.  Too often."

            "They don't fight to the death, do they?"

            "No, just sparring, though sometimes Sebastian gets people to spar without healing and

they end up keeping the scars.

            Hybrid warned her.  The blade began to hum against her spine, making her look up as a

silver haired man clad black on black strode across the room and took the seat two places down from her.  He bore both crossbow and sword and his slicked- back silvered locks seemed to set Lana on edge too.  Nine pinned the blade by pushing her back up against the padded bar, making Hybrid stay still.  She wasn't ready to pick a fight. Besides, this person could very well be a crewmember.  She caught the sickly sweet smell of death and knew then that the gentleman was a vampire.  Again, this didn't upset her.  Renea at the Red Dragon Inn was a vamp, but she was quite agreeable to be around.  In fact no one else save for the Lana girl was upset by his presence, so she just watched.  The man pulled a vial of blood and added it to the ale he purchased from Amae, giving a content smile, showing his sharp eyeteeth.  The girl with the whip, Sedaina, couldn't help but comment.  "Can't get fresh blood?" she smiled, showing her own vampiric set of fangs.

    He gave Lana a malicious grin as he answered the quip.  "I could," he leered, making Lana bleach white.

            Again Nine found herself leaning back to ask Amae, "Got a lot of vamps on the roster?"

            "No. only four or five."

            "Nobody supplies them on ship, do they?  No thralls?  Drones?

Vampiric slaves?"  She wasn't afraid.  She just wanted to know the lay of the land.

            "No.  We keep a small stock of blood on board for emergencies, but they mostly take care

of their own needs.  There aren't that many, and there's only one zombie type person.  The rest of us are mortals like Lana and me."

    "Well don't forget that you've now added a mutant to the roster. We come in pretty handy sometimes."

            "Of course," Amae smiled.

             Nine had put the reply out as a test of the waters.  She wasn't sure how the crew would

take to her, but she saw only slight confusion on their faces, which only meant they had no idea what she was.  Fair enough. They didn't really need to know, yet.  "Can I have something a bit substancial?  Beer?  Bottom dregs if you can?"

            "Sure, and since you're crew, it's on the house."

            As she was being served, the vampire had slowly shifted from his seat, trying to move

 closer to Lana.  The girl was clearly frightened of this particular bloodsucker.  Nine leaned forward, freeing the blade from constraint, and stood up, nonchalantly moving in on the duo, positioning herself so that he would have to move around her to get to his intended victim.

            Amae was going to interveine herself, though her kimono would have made any combat

 a bit restrictive, but saw that their new recruit was already on the move.  What she didn't like was the intenseness both vampire and girl had, as if they were predators stalking each other. "Boy, it seems that everyone is on edge tonight.  Do try to relax."

            "Oh I'm relaxed.  I'm afraid thought that the norm here," she nodded to Lana to make sure

 everyone knew who she was reffering to," is a bit spooked by you, Sir."  She barely reached the vamp's chin but she still held a commanding presence.  "I would ask you to keep your distance

from her."

            "He doesn't look dangerous to me," Amae insisted, her eyes flicking between undead and

 mutant.

            The vampire took a long sip of his second drink, this particular ale not spike with blood. 

"Nasty," he commented.

            "I can be," Nine replied, making sure he knew she took his words as a slight towards her.

            "Okay.. let's all try to get along," Amae interjected, not wanting a brawl to break out.

            "I'm doing just fine."  Nine looked back, seeing the appreciation in Lana's eyes, thankful to

 have a champion, of sorts.  "I'm just making sure the girl feels safe and that our fanged friend here understands."

            Amae pulled up a sealed pint from under the bar, Obviously part of the emergency blood

 stores.  "Would you like some?" she asked, hoping to cut some of the tension in the room.

            "Is it fresh?" he asked, his eyes still locked on Lana.

            "Of course.  I'm told by our crew that it's very good."

            He finally turned, looking at the wooden cup.  "No," he said.  "I like it fresh out of the

 neck."

            Amae gave a short nervous laugh.  "We, you ain't getting it from Lana so just lower your

 standards or deal with the dissappointment."

            Nine had sat down next to Lana, making sure she was positioned to pre-empt any first

strike the vampire might attempt.  "You okay?"

            "Aye," she blushed with embarrassment.  "I'm fine.  Thank you for your protection.  I

sometimes feel vulnerable here, having no powers, or immortality."

            "Tell me about it," Nine agreed.  "I can't do any magic.  I feel like I got left behind in grade

 school.  I'm lucky I can wield a blade and through a punch or I'd probably be dead by now."  She kept one eye on the vamp.  So did Hybrid, even though the sword had no eyes to speak of.

            The black clad antagonist now sighed.  "I did not think it would come to this but.."  He

 reached under his cape, ausing everyone in the room to freeze, waiting for him to draw a weapon, but all he did was draw out a plastic bag with a bloody steak sealed inside.  He poked a hole in one end and squeezed the red pulp into the cup of ale. 

            Nine's eyes widened at the meat, not in fear but in abject hunger as she realized she had

 not eaten a full meal in days.  "If you don't want that, I'll take it," she suggested, seeing the frown on the bloodsucker's face.  He looked to the bag, then to the small girl, then tossed it to her.  She ripped the bag open and bit deeply into the raw flesh, tearing off a sizeable mouthful and chewing it slowly, giving slight moans of bliss.

            “Nine?”

            This from Amae as she, along with the rest of the women in the bar, stared as the mutant drooled over the dead flesh. Nine paused in mid-bite, then realized what they must be thinking. “Oh. Sorry!” She grabbed some napkins and rolled the steak up in them for later consumption. “Sorry. Its just been a while since I’ve had any real food.”

            “No, no,” Lana insisted. “Please. I know your kind has to feed.”

            “My kind?” Nine shook her head. “Oh no, I’m not a ghoul, or a vamp. I’m just.. well.. Odd, I guess.. But I don’t eat people. Honest!” and she held up her hand as if to swear on that fact.

            “You’re not a vampire?” Lana asked, totally confused by this point.

            “No, I’m warm blooded. Here. Feel.” She now held out a wrist for the girl to take her pulse. “Or warmer blooded, I should say. I’m pretty much a mutt. No, maybe not a mutt. You might think I’m some sort of werewolf or changeling, and I’m not.”

            “I see,” the blond girl replied, though it was clear she didn’t.

            Suddenly the vamp slouched over, sleep overtaking him, his head almost bouncing when it hit the counter. “I thought they needed to sleep in a coffin?” Nine commented, finding the lack of snoring, or breathing, a bit uncomfortable.

            “Not all vamps do,” Amae pointed out.

            “I see that.” Now that she didn’t need to be on point, she was free to talk to the poor frightened girl. “By the way, I’m Nine. A-9 by grade. Don’t think we’ve met before.” She held her hand out in friendly greeting.

            Now the males of the troop seemed to advance through the bar doors in force. First was Amae’s brother Jaken. Again black was the theme, even to his hair tied behind his back. Only his green- jade eyes broke with tradition as he made his way to his sister’s presence. Another followed this dark swordsman, pausing only momentarily to speak to his relation as the man scooted from the back rooms, past the bar, and towards the exit. “You okay, Zigg?” he asked the dower kinsman.

            “I ain’t in the mood ta talk, Zagg,” the other grumped back before exiting the bar.

            Nine’s head twitch. Did she hear that right? Zigg? Zagg? It didn’t matter because the vampires head suddenly snapped up from the counter as if jolted with electricity. “I need blood announced.

            Amae was already at his elbow, the mug of liquid in her hands. He took the offering, draining the contents greedily. Lana seemed relieved that both the night creature had taken his nourishment from elsewhere and that more of her shipmates were at the ready should he change his mind. This also allowed Nine to sit back and listen in on the conversations, a laden with factual bits and pieces. The Zag half of the duo had been injured while on a raid to take a merchant ship and just had the brace removed. The girl Lana was an ensign on the pirate ship Dark Dream and helped price most of the tavern’s wares. Jaken, Amae’s brother, had a taste for saki’.

            In fact most of the bar had settled down on idle chit chat until Sebastian entered. Nine could feel Lana tense up once again as the man strode across the way, the black shaggy hair framing his head like a dark halo. He took off the doublet styled black velvet captain’s coat and the billowy white French long sleeve shirt to show off the well muscled and tanned hide, riddled with scars. He folded the clothes neatly and placed them at the end of the bar before turning and facing Lana. “Come now.”

            Lana inhaled then held her chin up. “I don’t like being ordered around, Sebastian.”

            “It wasn’t an order.”

            Nine would have stepped in but Amae gave her a toss of the head, a gesture she took as a “sit back and watch” gesture. Despite her inexperience and size disadvantage, Lana held her own, and damn near took the match. The fighting was gruesome, underhanded, dirty; fairly much the way Nine handled herself whenever pinned in the corner. There had been a few times when a gang of mutant haters had her cornered in the bulkheads where a kinetic shot would have done lots of damage. She took home a few scars, but those that looked down on her didn’t after tangling with her. Still it wasn’t the stabbing, punching, skewering, biting, and other damaging verbs she was concerned about. It was this magical healing session that would occur afterwards.

            Lana had lost. As it was, she was laying on the floor, covered in cuts and bruises, barely breathing, having taken several knife thrusts. As soon as Sebastian stepped back, Nine leapt forward, checking the girl over. The blond waif even had a few broken bones, but would mend if given immediate medical attention. Nine was all ready to administer when Sebastian reached forward to help the beaten girl to her feet. Nine growled. “Haven’t you done enough?” she spat at the man.

            He grumbled as well, though nothing intelligible, and knelt down, scooping the wounded girl into his arms and carrying her away from the center of the room and to one of the tables. “She’ll be fine. And in case you didn’t notice, she did some damage to me as well.” Indeed the man limped as he had taken a groin shot and several slashes across the face and chest. “Damn, I always have to take all the blame for everything.”

            Nine dogged him, but backed away once she felt the magic working its way through them. She couldn’t tell where it was coming from, or who, if anyone, was casting it. Once again her nerves were rubbed raw and she retreated to the bar to get another round of alcohol to numb herself down.

            Yep, she would have to rethink all this sparring stuff...

   She had put off her return long enough. She slipped the reins down and wrapped them around the oak hitching post next to the familiar red war-horse casually grazing unfettered.  Megan sighed, ran her hands through her hair, then stepped inside the Red Dragon Inn.

            Morgaine was seated at the bar, flanked by Drac and Goury as both men stared at a strange tall thin black haired woman tending the bar. "It's me!" the strange woman insisted.  "Can't you tell?"  She then rolled her eyes as she reached around and lightly tapped the blond swordsman upside the head.  "It's me!  Renea!"

            Goury didn't seem convinced.  Morgaine looked behind her as she heard the heavy doors swing open.  "Oh. My.. Goddess!  She lives!"

            The ironic tone wasn't lost on the mutant girl.  "Well they haven't killed me yet.  Miss me?"

  She took her customary seat between Goury and Drac and wrapped the abused maroon tightly around herself to drive off a chill.

            "You know it, girl," Morg smirked.  "Thought I doubt much could wipe you out for long."  Indeed Megan looked much better and before.  Oh she always had that worn out haggard look that was due to the mutant's lifestyle, but she didn't look like a frightened rabbit anymore.  Megan had beaten Tristan, finally.

    However, Megan was shaking her head in argument.  "I thought the same about Emily," she countered.  "That's one of the reasons why I came back.  We gotta stop this nonsense once and for all."  She turned looking the tall tendress behind the counter.  "Got any beer back there?" 

            "Sure," and the girl handed her not only a favorite brand of Megan's, but tapped from the bottom of the keg as the mutant preferred. . This was enough proof for the mutant.  "Body hopping now, Renea?"

            "Less of a trick, more of a punishment."

            Unfortunately Megan wasn't going to get a proper response.  Goury was tugging at her sleeve to get her attention.  "There's a couple of people that have shown up that you need to know about," he whispered loudly. "One of them has actually bonded with Hybrid. "Meg, according to Tim, this woman that has your sword could very well be your mother."

            Already she was shaking her head.  "There is no way my mom is here.  I'd know it.  Every freakin' mutant on the planet would know it."

            Morgaine gave her a wry smile.  "Oh no.  She's here.  I've seen her.  This chick could easily be your younger sister or a twin even.  She even has that wonderful aggressive personality you bear."

            "You Are talking about that Nine person, right?"  Drac had to ask, just to make sure that the conversation at least started on the right page.  "Yes.  There Is a family resemblance. A pretty close one at that."

            "According to Tim,"Goury added.  "She's not exactly your mother. She's supposed to be from a possible alternative world.  In fact I think she calls herself Aurora Nine."

            " `According to Tim'," Megan spat with venom.  Since when did HE become a reliable source?  Come to think of it, where Is that moth-eaten psi?"  She looked about, but didn't see her father.  "No. this has to be one of Tim's tricks.  Nine is a dumb name to start off with.  He's leading you all around in circles."  Despite herself, she didn't sound convinced. "Besides my sword wouldn't abandon me."  In fact she stood up and headed to the restrooms, knowing that Tim has stashed her blade in the service cupboard.

            "It's not there," Goury called out down the hall.  "Nine used it to hack up some Military guy."

            "Besides," Drac added in a louder voice that echoed off the walls. "I'm sure that he'll link right back to you when she shows up with him."

            Renea, or more correctly Renea in her new body, seemed a bit nervous; something that Morgaine noted immediately. "I `ave no powah," the one time vampire whined in her lover's ear. 

            The Soothsayer hadn't given that aspect of Renea's predicament much thought.  What happens to a vampire who becomes ensconced in a living body?  Surely it wasn't easy to cope with.  The spell caster was sympathetic, taking up Renea's hands in hers, kissing the palms affectionately. "Don't worry.  We'll fix it."

            A light seemed to click in Renea's head.  "But.. she's got My powah!"  She turned and slid over the top of the bar in a rush, turning to run up the staircase with a confused Morgaine in tow.  The sorceress watched as Renea tore through her cabinets and drawers, looking for anything to fit the now larger body.  "I've gotta find `im," she babbled, seeing the concern in her partner's dark eyes.  "She wanted me ou' of the way.  Now she's gonna take `im out next!"

            "I'm coming with you," Morgaine insisted, following Renea back down the stairs, picking up her jacket as she walked past the bar; the duo heading out into the streets.

            Megan emerged from the bathroom without her prized weapon, but she still refused to believe that somebody else had managed to sweet talk Hybrid into abandoning his post.  Her lower lip was quivering though, and she just about mauled Zelgadis as he finally made his entrance.  She clamped her hands down on his shoulders.  "Tell them!" she insisted.  "Tell them Hy wouldn't leave me!"

            The golem mage was already at a loss, his mind trying to figure out what she was blabbing about.  "Hybrid?  Your sword? I sincerely doubt it.  He may have a number of unusual spells on him, but he has always demonstrated loyalty."  He felt a bit funny giving the weapon a gender, but that's how it.. he.. felt, even to him.

            "Right!"  Megan was now on top of her game, having gotten one positive response.  "These yahoos are falling for one of Timothy's tricks.  They say that Hybrid is being wielded by someone claiming to be my mother."

            Lina had joined them, having followed Zelgadis inside, then moved to stand alongside Goury.  "Hi!" she smiled up at the blond swrodsman.  "What's a yahoo?"

            "It's a wierdo," Drac explained for Goury.

            "Oh.. okay. What's a wierdo?"

            Megan was still on her rant.  "You cant trust Anything Tim's got his fingers in.  Didn't I teach any of you how conniving that.. that.. creature is?"

            “Seroiously,” Goury insisted. “This is not a hoax. Lina, you’ve seen Nine. Doesn’t she look like Megan?”

            “That woman who almost killed that Military guy? Yeah.. Sort of.” The sorceress looked the petite mutant over. “I guess she does.”

            “Unless someone is impersonating your mother,” Zel offered, rubbing his stony chin in thought. “That would be a new low for your family though.”

            And the lowest of the low finally emerged above as Timothy made his way down the stairs, putting on his freshest face. “About time you showed up,” he grinned.

            “Speak of the Devil,” Zelgadis grumbled.

            “He’s a devil?” Lina asked as this thin, weary, but pleasant man made his way downwards.

            “Oh this should be interesting,” Drac chuckled.

            Megan whipped about, finally having a focus for her frustration and anger. “What the Hell have you been doing?” she bellowed.

            Tim raised his hands upwards, giving an impression of devine supplication, a definite irony. “Just trying to survive.” he mused, pulling off the effect with the seas of a car salesman, but to Megan’s trained eye, she could see his heart wasn’t behind it. That man was hurting. Big time. Both physically and mentally, but he was playing well enough to hone in on Lina, perhaps seeing a new victim to toy with. “I’m not the Devil, Miss. I’m just too well liked.” Megan looked for something to heave at him, wanting to wipe the smugness of his face. She resorted to the weapon at hand, draining the last contents of an abandoned beer stein before hefting the ceramic mug overhanded with the force of a pro baseball pitcher. Despite her best efforts, he dodged the projectile with ease. “See? My loving daughter showers me with gifts.”

            The stream of curses erupting from Megan were barely intelligible. “Where is Dusk?” she finally managed to hiss.

            The dark-clad psi made his way around the room, keeping well clear of his daughter’s reach. “I have no idea. She’s with her nanny.”

            “Then it IS true!” the short mutant spat back with conviction. “She’s possessing the baby! How could you?!”

            “Calm down, Meg.” Drac only mildly attempted the warning as he usually enjoyed the squabbling. It always broke up the hum drum of a stale stuffy room when these two went nose to nose.

            “Yes, Darling,” Zel agreed, more concerned for his girlfriend’s fragile sanity than maintaining any sense of decorum. “We should have some sort of evidence first....”

            “Evidence?!” She turned as if to clout the golem mage, but thought better of it. “He.. He that demonspawn Dusk take control of his own child!”

            “Anyone want a drink?” Lina had taken up point at the bar and was thumbing through the labels.

            The offer pulled Megan’s ire in. “I can use a drink.”

            “Megan,” Zel Chastised. “You know you shouldn’t.”

            “One beer isn’t going to kill me, Zel. That would be way too easy.” She took the offered glass of random ale from Lina and sipped at it, giving Timothy the vilest of glares.

            The young sorceress watched the mutant. “Is he really your father?”

            “Oh yes, that would be him,” she replied in a snarl as she watched her sire slip across the room to take up Randall’s ear. She likewise leaned into her boyfriend’s ear. “You could fry him right now, you know.”

            “I could do it,” Lina offered.

            “You can?”

            “Well, yeah. I’m a dragon. Geez.”

            The pouting mutant pulled back a bit. “So am I,” she replied then pointed at Tim. “So is he.”

            “Megan,” Zelgadis sighed, resting a stony hand lightly on her shoulder. “If you really wanted him dead, I could put him out of his misery, but it would seem a shame after trying so hard to save him.”

            So she’d been out- maneuvered. Her chimeric boyfriend had figured it out, and barely left her an out as she waved her hand in a dismissive manner. “Maybe we don’t need to kill him outright. Torture can be so much fun.”

            And it was into this conversation that Randall was Wedged into, having been more or less coerced into stepping closer to Megan to examine with his scanners. Tim hung back as if waiting for the bomb to explode. His daughter just looked the man over very estudiously. “So. You’re Randall.” She looked past the man, seeing Timothy waving back at her with a huge grin plastered on his face, causing her mood to blacken.

            But it was this overly- friendly action that seemed to draw Lina towards him. “What makes you so dangerous?” she asked him. Most of the group had mentioned at one time or another about how bad this man was. Frankly, she couldn’t see it.

            He snorted a bit. “I’m a psi,” he replied as if that was explanation enough, but expounded, seeing the confusion on her face. “I can read minds and manipulate them.”

            “Psis do not frighten me.”

            “Good, cause there’s no need to fear me.” He gave her that woman-hunting smile as he poured on the charm.

            Randall had likewise looked Megan over. Clean her up and feed her a decent meal, maybe add a couple of inches and she could have easily been Nine’s twin. “I take it you are the Meg that Goury talks about incessantly?”

            “I am. You’ve got my sword?”

            “My friend Nine does.”

            “And you say she’s my mother? How would you know that? Does SHE say she’s my mother?”

            “Well.... No....”

            “A-HAH! Then she’s Not my mother! So how did she get my sword?”

            Tim sighed as he heard Megan getting worked up yet again. “She IS your mom, you nit. Just not the same one. Nine has managed to hop the time line. Just like you. Just like me.” He cushioned his fingers in his hand as he nursed several broken fingers. He had playfully tried to reach around Lina and the girl had grabbed his hand, breaking a finger to chastize his brazen behavior. He attempted the move once again, this time reaching for a bottle of beer, giving his maneuvers some sort of excuse. “You all haven’t figured it out, have you? ALL of us are misplaced in time and space here....”

            “Well it’s good to hear more than one person confirm that theory.” The beloved commander Nicolae Rooslan once again showed his face, this time sans shades, showing off his blue eyes.

            “Hi there, Skipper!” Randall pipped up, relieved to see the man up and about. He’d been gone for almost a week, and went in residence, the man had locked himself in his room, seeing no one, not even Randall.

            Tom took a sip of his beer. “Ah, the captain finally shows his face. Now all we need is that hell brand of a kinetic and the party’s complete.”

            “It’s Commander,” Rooslan corrected as he looked over the small gathering. “It’s a pleasure to see you all are still in good health. Nine? Did you get your hair cut since I saw you last?”

            Megan glared back at the man, hearing scathing sarcasm in his voice, but not knowing why. “Who the hell are you?” she snarled back.

            “Uhm, Skipper? This isn’t Nine, sir.”

            Tim oozed up next to Nicolae’s elbow. “Commander, this is Megan, my daughter.”

            “Ahh...” The tall man slowly walked around Megan as she likewise turned, both casing each other over and pulling the tension in the room tight. “Of course,” the Militant agreed. “She is Nine on this time stream... no... not quite. Perhaps she is one of her decedents?”

            Zel had also moved, slipping up behind Timothy, guessing that the psi already had his schemes in play. “Don’t tell me you’re grooming this militant person to be the new sleazy overlord to take your place?”

            “Oh no!” Tim whispered back. “I’ve gotta stick around for a while. Got a few things to stitch up afore I go.”

            Perhaps the psi forgot that Megan had enhanced sense. More likely he was baiting her. “Go where?” she barked as she took the hook, line, and fishing pole.

            “Oh.. Just.. Well... go.. I haven’t figured out where yet.”

            “Calm down, Meg!” Drac insisted, seeing her getting worked up yet again. It seemed all she had to do was just look at her sire and her dander was up.

            And of course she wouldn’t calm down just because the Vashtalian lizard asked. She wagged an accusing finger at Tim. “You’re up to something. In fact I can almost believe that maybe you Wanted Emily to die so Dusk could take the baby. This is all some sort of elaborate scheme to do... something. I don’t know exactly what, but you can bet your scaled ass I’m gonna find out!”

            Despite the lack of any physical evidence of anyone being scaled, the accusation hurt Tim. Everyone could see the charming smugness melt off his body as he stood stunned, his head dropped. Slowly he lifted his chin and he didn’t look like a happy-go-lucky camper at all. Now he looked the part. Dangerous.

            Suddenly Megan’s body drew up as if somebody was lifting her by the scruff of the neck. Her whole body stiffened as ever muscled pulled taunt. The Rex didn’t need any fancy gestures or foreign words o work his will. “How DARE you accuse me of killing Emily! I held her in my arms as she drifted away, and there was Nothing I could do! She was My Love! My Mate!”

            “Somebody’s gonna get a lobotomy....” Lina droned, having watched the scene unfold through heavy reddish eyes as she had successfully drunk herself under the table.

            Everyone else was staring, awestruck at the power Tim held at that moment. “Put her down!” Goury cried out, trying to tug at the shorter man’s arm to distract him, finding the psi’s body just as tight as Megan’s. The psi finally relented and released Megan, letting her body crumple to the ground.

            That’s when the fire fight broke out.

            Zelgadis was an understanding soul, but he also loved Megan; perhaps a little too much because he now answered Tim’s attack with his own. “Elmekia Lance!” he bellowed, sending a green bolt of energy at the psi. He spat, seeing that Tim was back on his game as the Rex easily ducked the bolt. “Keep away from her!” he hissed, knowing it was the mutant interference that misguided the spell. “I bested your darker half! Don’t think I will hesitate to do the same to you!”

            Tim had ducked and rolled, using the bar to block any further attacks as he loaded up his weaponry. “I have no quarrel with you, Zel,” he called out. “Heck, I even like you. Just get her out of here.”

            He paused then looked up, realizing that Lina was staring down at him. ‘This is my spot,” she insisted.

            “Sorry. I’ll move.” He slammed the last clip into the chamber and rolled out, shooting into the crowd before diving across the room and rolling out the front door.

            Everyone dove for cover, except for Megan. She had regain composure and control of her body while Tim had hidden behind the bar. She had drawn several knives and inched her way to flush him out. What she hadn’t counted on was the gun. Two rounds had caught her, one in the thigh, one high up on the shoulder; but the concussion was strong enough to knock her backwards and send her tumbling into the woodwork. One stray shot clipped Zel, actually chipping off a chunk of his rocky hide while another nicked Drac’s ear. “I’m Not getting in the middle of this one!” he insisted and withdrew hastily from the room.

            Goury and Randall emerged from their respective tables where they had both dove when the fight broke out. Even wounded, Zel rushed over to Megan’s side. For a normal person, the wounds would have been lethal, but the plucky mutant had come back from worse. Zel almost crossed his finders, hoping the healing spell he had in mind would work better than his attack on the psi. He body was bathed in a green soothing light, but she suddenly convulsed and sat straight up, the wounds spitting out both bullets and slamming shut. She was disoriented and dazed, but otherwise alive. “What happened?” she asked before she looked down at the blood- stained frock. “He... he shot me?”

            Lina had been more sensible, having slipped from the tavern just as the first shot rang out. However she was also intoxicated as she wobbled down the street. Timothy was suddenly at her elbow, helping her keep aloft and moving in the evening traffic. “Need a hand there, Little Lady?” he asked, even as he took over navigations. “Seems you’re learning bad habits from my daughter. Why don’t we find someplace cool and quiet until your head clears.”

            “Goodness!” she jumped, startled by him. “Why would I need a clear head?”

            “ ‘Cause somebody will take advantage of you if you can’t be observant enough to see it coming.” The psi seemed a bit firm jawed. Apparently things had not gone quite as planned.”

            The drifted in the crowd for a bit, looking for a park bench or outdoor restaurant with a veranda. She looked up at him. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” she apologized.

            “Sokay. You only hurt the ones you love, or at least sort of like. I hope?” He smiled down at her. “Now, where is that ride of yours?”

            Randall looked over the damages to the bar and its patrons. “And I thought things go rough when Nine got pissed. You guys take the cake.”

            “It isn’t always this bad,” Goury insisted.

            “Yeah. A lot of the time it’s much worse.” Megan also took stock of the damages, breathing a bit easier since her father was out of sight.

            Now Randall cautiously approached the mutant girl as she resheathed the blades. “Can I take a scan to confirm something?” he asked nervously.

            “Scan away, Mr. Spock,” she snorted before spotting the long tear down the length of her dress. “Great. I gotta go shopping again. ZEL!”

            Her paramour had to chuckle. She never missed a beat.

            “Who are you again?” Lina asked, not sure what had happened in the bar, never having seen a psi in full glory before.

            “Who? Me? I’m just the gab guy in this horrible excuse for a soap opera. Everything is my fault, whether it really is or not.”

            “Well,” she belched in a very unladylike way as they wobbled back towards the tavern, looking for her mount. “I’m the up tight girl who everyone thinks is a pain in the ass. I just need to loosen up.”

            “Lina, I think you’re loose enough for now. Let’s just find you horse and get you outta here...”

            “No!” she shouted, yanking herself free. “Red will come for me!”

            Tim let her go, holding his hands up. “Okay! Okay! Call your pony then. I got you back here at least,” and he slipped back into the crowd.

            Randall had finished his comparative scans. “Nearly identical,” he murmured.

            “Great,” Megan scowled. “I’ve got some hyped up evil clone of myself running amuck. This sure ain’t gonna help any.”

            “How do you know she’s evil?” Zelgadis asked, knowing that Megan always took things to the extreme.

            And rightfully so. “Zel, with my luck she’d not only be evil; she’d be super evil.”

            “Nine isn’t evil,” Randall insisted, his eyes still on the data stream. “She may have a major attitude, but she’s not evil.”

            “Unfortunately your stony friend and my scientist are correct.” Nicolae Rooslan stepped into the bar and walked up to join the crowd. “She has her own morality, and may be a bit violent, but she’s not a bad girl.”

            Megan looked the tall dark haired man over, noting that he, like most patrons at this bar; seemed to have a fetish for black leather and trenchcoats. “I suppose you’re her boyfriend?”

            Randall almost laughed out loud, but the Commander’s unwavering stern control cut him short. “And you would suppose wrong. I and her commander. I do not interbreed with mutants.”

            “Besides,” Randall added. “I think Nine would rather kill him than kiss him.”

            Again Megan took in the militant leader’s general presence. “Well, if you are her boss, where is she? You’re cronies keep telling me she’s got my sword. I want it back.”

            Rooslan looked up at the ceiling first, then back down at her with bluish/ green eyes. “Let me ask you something first. Your mother; would she listen to her commanding officer if she wasn’t collard to do so?”

            Megan had read the files on her mother many years “Go, when she held the mantle of Del Marian Matriarch. Truth be known, Megan had wanted to know how her mother had kept everything congealed despite her chaotic nature. If was from the appropriated files smuggled out of Militant hands that she learned her mother Had been leashed; and broken that collar several times. But her mother had also fought alongside Militants when the cause suited her needs. When they both had a common enemy. Megan had done the same years later on a grander scale, paying a dear price doing so. “How the hell would I know?” she asked. “You’re Nine is Not my mother; but If you are looking for some sort of comparison, I think the deciding factor would be the cause. Usually a lost cause.”

            “Well, there’s your answer,” he replied.

            Megan shrugged. “Not my problem, Chief. You are Her boss. She is Your charge, therefore You must return my stolen property! You claim to be her leash and collar. Go collar her!”

            Goury butted into the conversation once again. “But Meg! Hybrid is Bonded to Nine.”

            “Then go Unbound him! I want Hy back! I’ve got wh-knows-what out there stalking me and my kind. I need all the firepower I can muster!”

            “You are a fool!” Rooslan hissed.

            “And You are an ass!” Megan spat back. “Get me my sword or I’ll go pry it off her backside myself! And you may end up short one living kinetic battery in the process!”

            “Oh really? Please! By all means! Go do that!”

            In that instant, Rooslan would have sworn that the girl just might have been able to accomplish such an attack. “Very well!” she inhaled, drawing herself to her full height. To the commander, it seemed taller somehow. “ZEL!” she bellowed, then turned on her heel, wrapped the worn cape around her shoulders and strode out into the street, the grinning chimera on her heels.

            Nine had ventured back into the bar to get a couple of drinks but once inside, the bullying mass of Sebastian just about ambushed her. "You wanna spar?" he asked.
            "Spar?" she spat back. "After what you did to Lana last week?"

            But it seemed that Lana was no worse for wear from the ordeal as she bartered with a customer. Something about a bath, Nine overheard in the wisps of conversations. Lana seemed content with Sebastian in the room. In fact it seemed that Sebastian was more perturbed with Nine than the pirate girl. "Things are find between us," he insisted. "Ye hold her drudges for her longer than she holds her grudges."

            The mutant cocked her head a bit. This guy had her outweighed three times over, and he was quick. She's seem that in his previous spar, and he also fought dirty. "You get beaned enough, you get a bit suspicious. You really wanna go toe to toe with me?"
            "Aye. Now let's get to it."
            "Fair enough," Nine agreed, then reached behind her back to draw the vibrating blade forward from its roost. Instead of fighting with the weapon, she turned and handed it to Lana. "Hold him, will you? And hold him tight. Hybrid'll get a bit worked up if the thinks I'm, hurt." With that, she turned and followed Sebastian to the center of the rooms as he popped and cracked the vertebrae in his neck.  

            The match started off with boxing techniques. Sebastian missed the punch to the nose, but caught her in the stomach. Nine tried to reach in with a rounded foot to the face, only to have it caught and twisted. Several bones broke. That would have ended the match except for the biological fact that Nine's bones were braided; twisted to take the extra strain. Sebastian didn't let her recover, instead using his leg to clip her across the temple and ring the bells in her brain. Now she cheated, grabbing a chair and snapping her wrist, hoping the furniture would allow her room to get away.  

            That's when he shot her.  

            The heavy man pulled out a prepped flintlock then out and out shot her. In the face. 

             Thankfully it was a primitive weapon, and her skull was thick enough to deflect the slow moving projectile. Now she wished she had kept Hybrid by her side. Very well. If he wanted to play rough. She leapt at him, aiming her bulk into his stomach. They both knotted up into one ball of flesh, but it was Sebastian who came up the winner as he managed to wedge his feet against her back and used the centrifugal force to launch her into the wall. She tried to right herself, heaving a bottle of wine at him as he advanced, but he knocked it aside and swung his arm around, clubbing her with the butt end of the pistol and knocking her out.

            It was Randall that brought her around, concern on the scientist's face, but Nine pushed him away roughly. The healing portion of the match had not occurred yet, an event that had the mutant more worried than the match itself. She already felt a tingling in her skin as something tried
working its way into her and she held her breath.

            Nothing happened.

            She softly exhaled. Either her body had totally sent the healing spell haywire or her talents had collapsed. The engineered part of her systems were frantically repairing the damage. It was uncomfortable, but the bones knitted in her ankle while white blood cells rushed to the
bruised sites, turning her face and torso almost purple, then green, then yellow in a matter of minutes. The bullet hole sealed itself, leaving a raised round scar on her skull and a numbness in the general area.

            Now that her body was well underway to recovery, her humiliation at being beaten so badly, by a Norm none-the-less, sank in. She yanked back from Randall's offered hand and sulked to the bar, only taking beer to seethe her frowning face. She recovered Hybrid, the sword having been wedged under the Captain’s spare flintlock stored under the cash register, and placed him back on his perch over her shoulder where he vibrated angrily, reflecting his mistress’s mood. Randall only added to that worry, trying to tell her about Megan and her insistence of reclaiming the sword. "She can have the damn thing!" Nine snarled, trying to reach around to grab the blade. Hybrid knew her intent and slid out of her reach, pushing the mutant's frustration level higher as she spun around, trying to snatch the hilt.

            The werewolf didn't help matters. For most folk, the tall lanky dark locked man with colorful blue eyes didn't look like a werewolf, but Nine had been near a few and easily picked up the lupine scent. The wolf man had picked up on Randall's conversation and had deduced that Nine was some sort of psionic. Currently she didn't look like one. She resembled a temperamental child on the verge of a hissy fit. He personally hadn't seen the fight but had seen the results, and it looked like she gave as well as took as her oversized opponent nursed quite a few breaks and
bruises before the healing spell took effect.

            Though all of the werewolf's questions wore on her, it was Lina's that unknowingly undermined what little confidence Nine had left. The tiny sorceress wanted to know exactly what Nine's talent was. Already in a snit, Nine had turned and pushed forward with her mind, emitting a wave to knock the spell caster off her feet. What materialized was essentially... nothing... not even a puff of air. It seemed that Nine's mental command of energy was no more. Defenseless and distraught, she fled the scene.

            As Nine blustered out into the late afternoon traffic in tears, Megan pulled back into the shadow of the building. Tailing that scientist Randall had been a good move and had given her and advantage, to study this "Nine" person for herself. That and sending Zel to tail Timothy, just in case he really was playing them all for the fool.

            And for the record, Megan now believed that this temperamental kinetic mutant really was an alternate form of her mother. It wasn't the fighting style, or even that underlying rumbling of the chaotic force that shadowed those of the Del Marian realm and more specifically those in Aurora's bloodline. No, it was this final show of confusion and temper that had shown Megan that Nine was blood. But now, what to do?

            She sighed a moment, then caught the presence of the only person who would dare tail her.  "You're getting sloppy," she chastised Timothy, even as he emerged from the underbrush, shaking off dried pine needles clinging to his duster. "Ain't you dead yet?"

            "Not quite," he replied, pulling back the black cover to show her the reason why. He had several small electrical pumps attached to his chest, administering several psionic enhancing concoctions straight into his system. "But once I run out of juice, that'll probably be the end of it all."

            She stared at the contraptions blinking silently, the monitors glowing softly under the dark shirt. "You really Are a son-of-a-bitch, ain'tcha? There was a time you would have killed anyone housing any of those devises."

            "Well time's change, Okay? Especially when you're on the losing end of a preposition." He looked up and rested a small set of binoculars, much like opera glasses, on the bridge of his nose. "So are you gonna go stomping up there and take Hybrid back?"

            He sounded so incredibly smug that Megan had to elbow him in the gut, right below one of the implants, causing him to grimace in a less-than-smug way. "No. You can see how bad off she is. She's gonna need all the help she can get, and if she's one of us, she won't take that help willingly. Besides, I don’t need Hybrid when I’ve got the lot of you watching over me." Megan had watched the fight through the window. The girl was off-balance. With every swipe, kick, and thrust, Megan could see that the landings were misplaced, the punches were less than effective, and the girl was fighting more on spirit than skill. Even when she tried to bring her talent into play, there was no focus, no channel. Megan did wonder if the lack of oomph from Nine's mental attack could be attributed to Megan herself. She held one half of the chaotic power. Has she somehow scrambled Nine's attack?  

             Timothy nodded in agreement, though she hadn’t seen the psi watching. Presumably he had “listened in” on the battle. Perhaps he found her mind just as unsettled as the fighting. He finally lowered the lenses and slipped them back into one of the myriad of pockets. “Well, I guess I’ve got another one to watch over, or just watch out for. She damn near decapitated the last leash.”

            “So it’s true. She’s Militant born and raised?”

            “Not sure. There’s a lot of loopholes, including how the hell she got here, and managed to bring a battleship along with her more or less still intact. It only broke up because it smashed into the planet. They probably came out of the null too close to the planet to account for the sudden gravity.”

            Megan looked up at him as she continued to stare after Nine. “So the Militants know where we are?”

            “Hun, I don’t think the Militants know where They are. I wouldn’t fret it.”

            He started digging around in his pockets again, coming up with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Megan stared at him. It wasn’t often that she could get this close to her father, and she could see the wear and tear on him. Emily had been a big loss, much more so than the Rex would ever let on. Bags under the eyes. The haunted look deep in the sockets. Permanent crows feet starting to take away from his roguish good looks. Perhaps the great psi was indeed on his final legs, but Megan guessed he wouldn’t go just yet. There were still many irons in the fire. “What about Dusk?” she finally asked.

            The black clad psionic took a long drag from the filtered cancer stick. “Got it covered. Besides, if I happen to be wrong, which I rarely am, BS will back me up. So far everything’s kosher.”

            Which in mutant language meant Tim had no idea what could happen to the possessed baby. Megan let that one drop. That particular problem was way too convoluted for her to deal with. He suddenly froze, then gave a slight smile. “Ah.. Lover boy’s here. He’s getting real good at this game.” He pulled out a flat remote control devise and pressed the button, his Cheshire smile last to fade as the psi’s body shimmered then vanished. Megan rolled her eyes. There was no nailing that man’s feet to the floor as long as Brimstone was supplying him with all the cheats. She turned and watched Zelgadis trudge his way up the path towards her.

fenris

         Why Nine returned to the bar two nights later she wasn't sure. Perhaps it was to check up on Lana, to make sure Sebastian, or Crow as some in the bar called him; didn't turn his battle skill back on her. She frowned, seeing none of the familiar female faces like Amae or Lana, but Crow was also missing; a light spot on the mutant's dark day. A pirate girl with startling green eyes was tending the bar. Zig was in deep discussion with an upper officer, judging by the hang of the velvet coat.
Of course the discussion was romance and sex amongst the crew members, and Megan managed to glean unwanted information as she took her post at the end of the bar. Her scavenger compatriots were about extremes. Zig seemed to have more than a passing fancy for some girl named Mel, while the ranked officer, "Boss" according to Zig, was doubting her marriage to Dragon, whoever that was.

            The werewolf must have followed her, or maybe had tailed Randall as the scientist followed the taller man inside. Her old shipmate seemed relieved to see her. "How are you doing?"

            "Better," she sighed.

            "Yeah, I can see that. You know, I never thought I'd ever see you lose like that."

            Count on Randall to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. "I don't wanna talk about it," she grumbled. "Okay," he agreed quickly, hearing all the warning signs. "I understand."

            "No you don't," she insisted as she watched the werewolf make his way around the groups of people.

            The animorph had a different item on his mind as he rooted around the tables to the back of the bar. "There it is!" he finally exclaimed, drawing out his shoulder mounted cannon piece from behind one of the benches.

            Nine was all over him. "You didn't Leave that here, did you? Do you have any idea own much damage that thing can do in the wrong hands?"

            "Hey!" he pulled back, holding his free hand up defensively. "Everyone forgets things sometimes." He quirked a brow at her actions. Why did she care? This place wasn't too technologically advanced. These people wouldn't have known how to load and fire such a weapon.

            Her compatriot was trying to reign her in. "Nine! Calm down!" Randall would have grabbed her shoulders, but he knew better. "You're losing your composure again."

            She bit her lip as she just wanted to slug Randall, but knew with her luck that she'd either kill him with one punch, or totally miss. Neither outcome was acceptable right now, so she held her retribution.
Instead she turned to gaze at the bar. Apparently the officer had been watching her. "It's self serve,
The tender left a while ago.”

            "Thanks!" Jubilant she leaned over the bar and twisted slightly to pour the beer into one of the larger steins. What she didn't realize was that when she bent over, much of the bar got a great view of her backside. Most took note, a few eyes lingered, but nobody pressed the girl. Of that Nine would have been thankful, if she knew. Instead she sat cross legged on the stool, draping the skirt over her lap as she took several long draws from the stein.

            Randall figured this was an opportune time to show her his newest discoveries. "I've got some interesting readings on that Megan chick the other day.”

            "Really." Nine was totally unenthused as she was more interested in the thick brew.

            "Yeah. It seems that aside from some temporal anomalies, she's nearly identical to you."

            "So she's my twin and not my mother?"

            "No.. well.. I'm not sure. She's definitely a relation though."

            “Well whoop-de-do! I don’t want anything to do with them. They’re all insane! Especially that Tim freak.”

            “ ‘My twin and not my mother’s’?” the werewolf repeated as he positioned the cannon once again on his shoulder. “Sounds like a soap opera.”

            “Yes it does, doesn’t it? One very twisted, demented soap opera.” She turned to look the animorph over, then decided to entertain him with the extent of the madness surrounding her current situation. “Yeah, this chick claims that I’m her mother, even though she’s way older than me, and I don’t have any kids. In fact, these yahoos think I need to hang out with them for protection."

            "I think we are from their future," Randall insisted as he waved his scanner as if it held undeniable proof. "But I could be wrong. Temporal mechanics was never my strong suit."

            "Obviously," Nine snorted. "Otherwise we'd be having some downtime of DXB and not on this backwater dive of a planet. It was Your machine that broke. Not me. That's why the ship crashed and I'm stick here, watching all my talents getting sucked dry."

            "Temporal mechanics?" The werewolf perked up. "What do you need to know?"

            "Mainly how to make one work without shredding reality all around me," came Nine's snappy reply.

            Randall cut into the discussion, not want to let out all their secrets. "We had a time slip. But I'm not sure my equipment failed. I think we were sabotaged."

            Nine looked between the lupine and her technician. "Hm.. seems you two need to chat a bit. Excuse me." She made her way towards Zigg and his drinking partner. Not that she wasn't well versed in the theories of temporal fluxes. It was more the look Randall gave her; to keep quiet about their project. Military man to the core, the thought.

            Even now she heard him cover up her identity. The werewolf was filled with questions. "What's your power source? You weren't doing something foolish like experimenting with quantum singularities, were you?"

            "No. uhm.. it was more of a biological source."

            The lupine's eyes went wide. "Biological? To power a light speed system? What sort of living thing could produce enough power to do that?"

            Nine just hid behind one of the supporting mast columns. Randall barely kept it under wraps. "I'm not at liberty to say," he apologized.

            "Well all I can say is that something that powerful could be quite unstable."

            The mutant almost spat the mouthful of beer she had just sipped but somehow managed to keep her tentative composure. As she hid from one view, she caught another's eye. The fancy dressed officer stood at her table and excused herself from Zigg's company then turned and headed to the bar for her own refill. "Dark Eve," she nodded to Nine as she poured herself a flask of bourbon.

            Nine wasn't sure if the commented was intended as a general greeting or a reflection that somehow she knew Nine's evening had been "dark". What she did do was nod in reply, bowing her head in deference to a higher station. "Thank you.. for the beer. I'm still trying to figure stuff out around here. Are you the Captain of the ship? That Zigg guy over there keeps calling you `boss' and all."

            "Nay." She replied, seeing the girl's confusion. " `Dark Eve' is a formal greeting, mainly for vampires like myself who are at their best at night. I be the First Mate, not the Captain. Zigg is the Ship's
Mate." She waved at Zigg whom seemed to beam and waved back at them both enthusiastically. "By the way," she continued. "My name is Belle, though some still call me Kinga."

            "Belle," the mutant noted. "Pretty name. I'm Nine. A-Nine actually, but I don't think that rank is recognized around here. I just sort of signed onto the crew."

            "Aye, I know. I reviewed your application. Welcome aboard." She gestured for Zig to come join them.

            The ship's right hand man was not tall, barely five and a half feet tall, but in comparison he towered over Nine's four-ten frame. He seemed friendly enough so she stuck out her hand for a welcoming handshake. The man just lightly took her fingers, turned her wrist, and kissed the back of her hand as the cowboy styled Stetson brushed against her arm. Nine just about knocked Zigg's teeth in when she jerked her hand back, not expecting the limb to be kissed. Still, she kept her cool. "So.. you're Zig," she noted as she rubbed the back of her hand. "And you have a brother Zagg? Whose bright idea was that?"

            "Oh those are just nicknames," he smiled. "I'm Ethan. Ethan Ricari. I'm Zagg's clone.. sort of.. more or less."

            "Cloned." She had to smile at that. "Ah, I know that song all too well. I just might fit in here after all."

            "Everyone seems to fit in here. It's the only crew I know with both Clerics and Vampires."

            "Well you have just about everything now. I'm quite the mutt."

            When she saw the duo happily chatting, Belle took her leave, passing by Randall and the werewolf. Nine watched her leave and saw that her shipmate was happily babbling away about his work and that the dog-man was just as enthused. She reached around for a refill, feeling a bit more at ease, despite Zigg's eyes on her. He probably wasn't casing her out as a skirt, more like judging her fighting capability, but it still ran goose bumps a long her arms. She couldn't help it but glare
back, but the man had turned and was heading back to his table. She noted he dressed in more modern attire, taking up a vinyl red sleeveless trenchcoat to add to the felt charcoal hat. The words "Can I live?" were hand painted across the back of the coat. "I c'n feel yer eyes," he sighed. "I ain't tryin' ta seduce ya."

            Nine snorted. "Somebody told me not too long “Go that he would feel sorry for any male that tried to do just that. Besides, I think I'm not quite the pirate I thought I would be." Her mood dropped as her mind once again went over the spar. "I sort of got my clock cleaned the other
day."

            "It happens," he shrugged. "One of our pacifists almost ripped our toughest guy's head off a couple of nights ago." He gestured, seeing that Nine didn't immediately sit in the open chair. She looked over her shoulder to check once more on Randall before sinking into the booth. From there she chatted with Zig for a while, grilling him on the manners and gossips about the pirate ship.

            The conversation in the bar was about acting on impulse. Zig had the floor, deep in conversation with a pretty pirate girl. "Thinking about it usually ends up with you doing it," the lady argued.

            “That’s the problem with you guys,” Nine barged in. “No restraint. It’s a miracle that you all ain’t beaten on a daily basis around here.”

            The girl Mel clammed up, not knowing this short stranger. “Perhaps we should talk about this later, “ she suggested to Zigg.

            Nine knew a snub when she heard one and she turned to the bar to bury her sullen mood in drink as she was still upset with her sparring skills. Seeing Randall waving to her as she approached the watering hole didn’t cheer her. “Hi!” he smiled, looking more the goofball than the intelligent educated man she knew. “How you feelin’?”

            “Well enough, I guess.” Seeing no tender, she reached around the bar for the first beer of the night. It was quiet. Even the sword tacked to her back was quiet, only giving a low purring hum to soothe his mistress’s mood.

            Randall seemed a bit nerved himself. “You.. Uhm.. Haven’t seen any of those wild mutants lately, have you? It sort of seems they all have done a disappearing act for the moment. I can’t even locate them on the scanner.”

            If Nine were more open minded, she would have seen how perplexing the problem was since Randall had at least twelve possible Del Marian mutants detected at one time. Now the scanner didn’t even flicker, save for her own signal. “Good,” she snorted as she drained her mug. “I don’t want nuthin’ to do with them. Besides, I can’t get Hybrid off of me. They’ll probably shim me alive to take him.”

            “Oh, I don’t think they’re that Desperate,” Randall lied.

            She had to smirk at that. “Oh really? Are You gonna stop them? El Presidente probably couldn’t hold them back. Then again, I’m quite sure he’d let them have their way. He’d rather see me dead too.” She reached around the bar and served herself round two, settling down on the chair again.

            This brought a frown to Randall’s face. “I think there’s something wrong with the Skipper.”

            That made Nine pause in mid-drink. “Really? What?”

            Beneath the bitterness, Randall could pick out the concern in her voice so he continued. “I’m not sure. He won’t let me get near him with a med scanner.”

            “Well maybe I need to beat it out of him.” This was a hollow threat. She was quite sure she wasn’t near ready to perform such a feat, not after their last entanglement. “Maybe something simple. Tried truth serum in his coffee?”

            “I would have, if he’d let me get close enough. He locks himself in his room at night.”

            “Oh Sweet Jesus on a stick! Locks himself up? Okay, that’s too creepy, even for him. I’ve gotta go thump some sense into him.” She stood and gathered her meager belongings and wrapped the tattered thread bare cape around her shoulders. “Locks himself up,” she muttered to herself. “Can’t run a ship like that.” A toss of her head and Randall took point and headed out into the street.

            Hours later they stumbled into an old abandoned tavern near the outskirts of town. They had been almost instantly beset by a late spring snow storm violent and cold enough to confuse even the mutant. Unable to navigate, they had to force themselves into the first dry spot available. The small hut may have been abandoned, but only recently as warm embers still glowed in the fire pit. As Randall rekindled the flames using a small laser pen, Nine rummaged in the kitchen, finding three bottles of nicely aged whiskey. She'd already picked up a chill and was thankful for finding the fuel. Normally she blamed the dragon part of her genetic makeup whenever she got cold, but it probably had nothing to do with her lack of heat retention. It was probably more due to the thin threadbare cape and equally thin dress she wore underneath. She plunked herself down on one of the worn padded chairs and stretched her toes out to the now roaring fire and handed Randall one of the bottles. "Here," she offered. "You need this more than me."

    He took a swing. "Wow! That sure has a kick to it."

    Nine already had half her first bottle down. "Warm, isn't it? Pretty soon you'll be running buck naked in the snow."

    The blond Ray-ban clad scientist had to laugh. "You first," he snickered.

    The strange looks she gave him was no laughing matter. She stared at him for well over a minute, making him shuffle under her intense scrutiny. "Okay," she murmured, then stood up and untied he worn fabric fragments holding the cape to her shoulders. Hybrid suddenly found himself wrapped up in yards of fabric as she balled up the material, dropped it on the chair, hen sat on it so she could remove her boots. Though Nine was well on her way to maturity, there was nothing seductive or playful about her actions at all, and that made Randall feel. wrong. "Woah! I was just kidding!" he stammered.

    She paused, the second boot hanging up on her heel. "You wussing out on me?"

    "No.. I'm just not an exhibitionist. I'm too modest."

    Sighing sourly, she finished pulling to boot off and tossed it next to its match. "Still makes you a weenie," she complained as her mood plummeted. "You and Rooslan both. No wonder you make us mutants do your dirty work for you." She now tugged at the cape under her butt to cover herself again, ripping the fabric on Hybrid's sharp edge before pulling it free and draping it around her shoulders. "It's always been me first, hasn't it? Leading the charge? Being the guinea pig?" She finished the last of the first bottle, dropping it, only to watch it roll slowly away from her. "I'm just that to you, ain't I? A guinea pig for your project."

    Randall could guess where this train wreck was going, but this time he decided to let it run. Maybe Nine just needed to get it out of her system. "I chose you because you were the only one that could make it work. I figured I could work better with someone I knew than a total stranger."

    "But you don't know me, Randall! You've read my file. I'm a wild talent. Unpredictable. Just because I could shift a freighter into high gear faster than most doesn't mean I have the skill to pilot that. thing you built. You could have picked a better trained kinetic, one that had more control."

    Actually, the reason Randall had selected Nine was not due to her skill, but to her resilience. When he saw the girl for the first time she had just emerged from the "tank", the area where the propulsions battery channeled her talent; she looked half dead. When he learned she had been linked up in the system for over a week, he was downright amazed as most talents wouldn't have lasted three days. They called it a half-life, being suspended in the ship's systems, neither fully awake or asleep. A battery had to come out every few days to return to reality or go mad. That alone made him decide that there had to be a better system. It took six months of revamping, testing, and tweaking with his brainchild, all the while bouncing ideas off of Nine's head. He didn't have full Miliary backing until Nicolae Rooslan took command of the project.

    Nine's mind was in the same vein. "You know our dear commander got demoted to take up this project of yours, right?" She uncorked bottle number two and took a healthy swig. "I think he did it on purpose, to position himself."

    "I thought that was all rumor."

    "Nay. I'd pick up radio transmissions from time to time while going through pre-prep in the pod. In fact, I think we were sitting on a time bomb made specifically to get rid of us. Me mostly. They probably wanted to shove me in the general direction of the bad guy and let us blow up in the aftermath."

    That got Randall to thinking, perhaps too hard as he was getting a bit light-headed himself trying to keep pace with her drinking. "I wonder what his real motive is."

    "I dunno," she confessed, taking another swig to match him. "I never could crack his psi shields like I could my last leash. Oh, and despite the reports, I didn't kill my last leash. He died of a coronary."

    Randall had also questioned the timely demise of Nine's leash Seth, especially since it was just shortly after Rooslan's arrival. The commander had insisted that he take up the suddenly vacant position, even though there were two more qualified candidates. He even insisted on the supplemental enhancers, both chemical and electrical, even though it would permanently change him. Nine had objected fiercely and fought Rooslan for every square footage of her brain. Eventually she lost and reluctantly settled back to work, but the underpinnings of a blowout were clear. When she attacked him with Hybrid, Randall wasn't shocked. It had been building up for quite some time.

    Nine's reputation was always something of an issue. "You know, people were always gossiping on that freighter. Some of them actually feared you."

    "I don't see why," she rumbled back. "They rarely let me out, save for the upgrades. In fact you were the only one that actually talked to me." Again another swallow of whiskey. "Maybe they had a right to fear me. There was always that event with the skimmer."

    Randall knew about the skimmer. With some digging, he had discovered what really happened. The reports said that the Captain of the ship had made Nine overcharge the batteries, then they ejected them into the attacking battleship. The logs from the various computers said something very different. The core had never been ejected. The ship literally phased through the battle cruiser, ripping the attacking ship “Part with some sort of temporal aftershock. That was the other reason why he had chosen Nine as his power source. He knew she had potential untapped, it was just a matter of tapping it.

    Nine was half reminiscing the event. "You know.. when the tether broke, I had that same weird feeling that I had in the skimmer. It was like reality was bending around me." She shook her head and sat the now empty bottle on the floor. "That's a lot of power to be shuffling about for one person." She looked up and caught him gawking at her. "Don't stare at me like that."

    Randall shifted the direction of the discussion. "Those tethers should have held, especially since we hadn't even shifted a gear. We were still in pre-prep launch mode. I think somebody messed with them." Maybe paranoia was contagious, but the scientist was beginning to see a method to Nine's madness. It Did looks suspicious. "We appear to both be the victims of some else's plans. It's even possible that whomever did was out to knock Skipper out of the picture."

    "Yeah, that's possible too. That man sure ain't very likeable, and he did go through the psi training. That carries a stigmata all its own. It's kind of like being half mutant. Man, that had ta irk him something awful. You heard how he said he would never sully himself with a mutant."

    "I remember hearing that." He also remembered Nine's face too. Not quite heartbroken, but just as crushing. "But who would fear any of us so much that they would waste a battleship and the crew that managed it?"

    Finally bottle two was down for the count and Nine seemed only a few steps behind the bottle. She may have been frightening to those passengers on that freighter, but right now she just looked dog- tired, hung over, and very small in the world; perhaps a bit scared. She yawned and wrapped the cloak around herself, apparently settling down for the night. "It's minimal risk. Remember it was an older battleship and a skeleton crew dealing with a brand new untested propulsion unit. Not much invested save for the actual project."

     "True," he had to agree, wrapping his own stylin' black trenchcoat around himself, wondering why he didn't get the lined version. "Still, somebody was trying to kill someone on that ship."

    "Agreed." She yawned again, pulling her feet up, covering the toes with the edge of her dress. "But it's a moot point now. They can't find the ship, or us for that matter. Let's just worry about getting our Fearless Leader back on the fearless program first, then figure out how to get off this rock."

    Soon she was snoring away. Randall rummaged through the rest of the shack, finding a stack of thick woolen blankets. He appropriated one for Nine, whom he covered and tucked cautiously. In this light she actually looked pretty despite the tussled hair and unkempt look. He pulled himself away and took a second covering, then looked for a spot to crash in. The pantry had a ham curing in a sack. The coffer next to had an assortment of non-medieval weaponry, mostly plasma based guns. Strange, he thought as he took up the couch, the only piece of furniture long enough to accommodate his tall frame.

Out to Sea?

     She finally summoned enough courage to find the pirate boat. Actually it was more of a commandment as she'd been informed of the pending meeting on the ship Dark Dream. She had left Randall behind in the small store, figuring he had people to scan and leaders to locate. Besides, she had to find out more about her new shipmates, and gee, a meeting would do just that.

     The vessel was much larger than she thought as she stood on the wharf, shivering in the breeze. The cold had already started to burn into her skin as she still had to find warmer gear. Even her boots offered little protection as they too were beginning to show wear and tear. She watched as Crow walked by, dressed predominately in black save for the Florence cut shirt, armed to the teeth with several guns hanging like gutted fish from his belt. He easily bounded up the flimsy looking gangplank.

     Lana leaned over the railing, sipping on a silver flask filled with rum. "Come on, Nine! Up you go."

     Nine ran light-footed up the gangplank to going Lana, but the girl was already mingling, first to a man with silver eyes she called Zedd, fearing for the man's heath from some earlier incident. Without some sort of moral support, Nine took the center of the ship, her back against the main mast, figuring it to be the safest spot on the boat. Until a tall winged woman jumped down from the side railing and approached her. "'ello," the girl offered. Not sure if she was in the wrong, Nine ducked her head in silent apology and slunk away, taking a spot close to the railing. "Hey!" the girl snorted. "Get back here!" She tried smiling with sad puppy dog eyes to show she wasn't a threat, but Nine was out of her element and again retreated to the other side of the boat, staying clear of what she perceived was the girl's striking range, especially with the feathered spread of wings. The girl didn't give up. "I saw you come up here with Lana, and you look how I feel. Nervous."

     She got That right. "Yeah.. well.. I'm not much for group meetings.. or things.. but somebody said I had to show, so I did."

     "Nine. Shh." This from Crow as Belle had emerged from below deck and was trying to start the meeting. The slight reprimand from the ship's mate was almost a literal slap in the face. Nine jerked back as if struck then tucked in slightly behind the winged girl, purposely blocking his view of her.

     Belle started the meeting off with introductions, mainly the new members of the crew. Nine was first on the list and the mutant just waved back slightly, almost wincing at the introduction. Crow's staring was bad enough, but several other males watched her too closely and it put her way on edge. Other inductees were Fallon Raithen, a lithe silver haired fellow sporting a scimitar; and Vanatina, the winged creature Nine hid behind. Unlike Nine's introverted approach, Tina jumped up and down and whistled loudly for herself, shaking a swirling fist in the air. "Shy?" Nine asked. "You seem out and out aggressive there, chick."

     "Sorry. It's just my nature."

     "I'll say." Nine found herself actually liking the girl, especially since she made a great shield, but there was something else, like an aura, or a warmth. As Crow was singled out for promotion to Ensign, Nine cautiously reached out to touch the girl's wing. Tina flicked her feathers, not knowing that Nine was trying to touch her, and startled the mutant. Nine's knee-jerk reaction was the snap backwards, avoid any potential blow.

     And the same move sent her backwards over the railing. Which would have been okay, if the fall was towards the bay side and water. Instead Nine crashed headfirst into the wooden dock below. At Crow's behest, Lana went rushing down the gangplank to retrieve their fallen comrade. "Ye can't be a pirate if ye fall off the ship during a meeting! Come ON!" She ignored the thick flow of blood bubbling from the left nostril and just grabbed Nine's arm and yanked her back on board then handed the stunned girl a wadded damp cloth to cover the already swelling eye socket. She then grabbed the girl roughly by the shoulders and sat her down on a barrel, AWAY from any railings.

     For somebody that just took a header over thirty feet into the ground, Nine just seemed a bit stunned, and a bit more pliable. Tina rushed over filled with apologies, but Nine just shook her head, blaming herself for being such a klutz. Most of the meeting was general. Had to spar. Had to tend the bar. No more fighting in the tavern proper. Nine did notice that Lana and Crow were back to glaring at each other again. So much for reconciliation. In fact there were quite a few disgruntled glanced about the deck. Something told the mutant that this was not going to be easy sailing, but then again it never was. She snorted, coughed, then spat a large chunk of clotted blood over the railing. Already her face was healing. The nose was green set already and the purple bruising around the eye had given way to fainter greens and yellows. Finally the meeting broke up and Vanatina was back at Nine's elbow. "You okay?" she asked in wide-eyed amazement as she reached out with a sympathetic hand.

     Nine felt a warm tingle at the contact, the first relief from the wicked cold wind she'd had all night. Finally able to feel her fingertips, she rubbed the side of her nose, the healing process causing the break to itch something fierce. "My fault," she insisted. "Got caught off guard by those wings. It's okay, I've survived worse." Now she studied the girl. She looked human enough, with curled brown hair and emerald green eyes, but even with winds, there was something else, a presence, that seemed to shadow Tina. "You're not a sorceress, are you?" Nine asked blatantly.

    "No.. not quite. I'm sort of a. guardian. I channel the energies of the earth to suit my needs."

    "Ah! You're an elemental. No wonder it doesn't hurt." Nine had already stretched her hands out as if toasting them by a fire, except it was Vanatina that served as the flame.

    The girl frowned. "I'm not a lamp," she insisted.

     "Oh.. sorry," and Nine snapped her offending hands away, hiding them under her tattered cape.

     Now it was Tina's turn to case over the short yet resilient one. "So.. what are you? Some sort of cold blooded reptile?"

    "Er.. kind of. I'm a mutt.. a mutant. Got some dragon bits in me. I was sort of .. created.. for much the same thing you do.. sort of.. it gets a bit complicated."

     She watched as most of the crew bailed out to head to the tavern. Vanatina turned to follow suit, then paused, seeing that Nine wasn't following. "You coming?"

     "I.. err.. really? You really want me to hang out with you?" Despite her upbringing in the Military, she'd always been somewhat uncertain of her place in large groups.

    Vanatina stood waiting on the girl. "You can hang out with me," she winked. Us new people have ta stick together."

Tim’s bad day

            The misunderstood psi made his way down the stairs, a laden duffle bag over his shoulder the only addition to his normal black leather on black leather attire. He dropped the luggage next to the seat, seeing that Morgaine was training somebody new behind the counter. “Coffee please,” he smiled, letting some of that snakey charm out. Seeing hesitation on everyone’s part, he pulled out two gold coins and dropped them on the counter, just in case they didn’t believe he could afford it.

            Morgaine retrieved the brew, placing the saucer in front of him. “Haven’t seen you around in a long while,” she mused.

            He Had been around. It was just he didn’t want to be seen, a trick he was very good at. “Been busy, Morg.” He looked around, frowning a bit. “Seen Danielle anywhere?”

            The new girl at the counter quirked a brow. “I dun’ fink ‘ee knows.”

            The spell caster sighed. “She’s not here anymore. She’s living up in Halicarasas now as the reigning Queen.”

            Timothy took this under consideration as he sipped at his cup. “And my child?” When Morgaine quirked a brow, he sighed, surprised at just how much got missed between the inhabitants of the bar. “Danielle was nursemaiding my child. Where is she?”

            “You child is safe. The place is well guarded.” She nodded at Tim, then glanced back at Sydney, keeping an eye on the girl as well. Morgaine was never sure what to expect out of Tim. Megan was easy. Anything would set her off, but with the psi, it was hard to tell when he was upset at anyone.

            For now it seemed the psi was in a calm state. He reached inside the long trenchcoat and pulled out a pouch, dropping it on the counter. “Give this to her.. And if she needs more....” He didn’t have to finish. Morgaine just nodded and took the pouch to the safe in the office.

            Zelgadis’s timing was impeccable. “You’re starting to get sloppy, Tim.”

            The psi was just getting ready to leave when he felt the blade resting on his left shoulder. Apparently the chimera was indeed getting better at tracking mutants. Probably picked it up by hanging around Megan. “It was a long night, Zel.” He gave his head a slight shake as Morgaine came out of the office, moving as if to jump the golem. He didn’t want Megan’s soothsayer, or boyfriend, injured unduly. He did turn around, almost meeting the steely stone man’s gaze eye to eye as the point of the sword rested on his neck. “So what’s your beef this week?”

            The cursed man was still covered in his off-white wrappings, but there was no mistaking the anger his eyes reflected. “It seems there have been many long nights of late. Why is that, I wonder?”

            “I’m just a busy boy, that’s all. You know me. Causing trouble. At least that’s what Megan keeps saying, right?” Tim’s own eyes were already roving the room, looking for anything that would be an advantage against the irate mage. “Surely you’re not miffed about that little gunshot wound, are you? Even Megan’s forgiven me that one.” Slowly he crossed his arms as if being smug, but his fingers quietly slipped into the thin pockets that lines the sleeves. This was going to be a tough pickle to wriggle out of.

            “Then Why did you shoot her?” Zelgadis saw the movement and tightened his grip on the sword. There was no trusting this man at all.

            “Well.. Lets say she sort of wounded me in her own right. She accused Me of killing Emily.” A dark cloud seemed to fill his voice, the subject still too tender for him, but he shrugged it off in a second, slipping into slick-mode. “Besides, did you see the size of those pig-stickers she was sporting. That would have hurt. A lot.” He turned his head slightly, seeing Renea wander in from the street and freeze up, seeing the tense situation in front of her. “S’okay kid. We’re just talking.”

            She paused only for a moment, then sighed as she unbuttoned her jacket. “Good, for I maintain ‘every ‘ope and ounce of trus’ I ‘ave thah noh of you ahn’et plann’ t’ use m’bah as a sparrin’ ring.”

            Tim frowned a bit. Just when he was ready to move, Renea had to go screw up his plans. Slowly he withdrew his fingers from the pockets, wondering how pissed the vampiress was since her accent seemed to get thicker the more agitated she was. Even now the new help caught just a glance from Renea and went scurrying upstairs like a scalded cat.

            Zelgadis seemed to calm down a bit since Tim relaxed his stance. “To be quite honest,” he spoke, barely above a whisper but filled with enough innuendo to be taken seriously. “I don’t care about your feelings. I saved your life once when I could have easily destroyed you along with Tristan. Now I give you fair warning. Don’t hurt her anymore. I don’t care what provocation or Excuse you have. I’ve tolerated this long enough. Next time I will put you down for good.” With that he sheathed the sword and left in a swish of off- white linen.

            Tim watched as the chimera left the store, then turned to face Renea. “You know. I really like that boy.”

            “You know, I’ve been througha loh’ this month. I dun’ need t’ see thah’.”

            “Oh just chalk it up to male youth. The perpetual pissing contest. It’s nothing.” The Rex seemed quite relieved though as he sat his gear back down on the floor and sat back down on the stool. “Besides, it’s my job to keep them on their toes.” He then gestured grandly to the bar. “And we didn’t have to trash it this time. We’ve Got to be getting better, right?”

            Renea rolled her eyes then trudged behind the bar to fetch Timothy a fresh cup of coffee for his heroic efforts. “Danny’s got yer kid. I dun’ know if you were informed yeh’.”

            “They told me. I trust her more with the baby than I do my own kin. Half of them think that we should just eliminate her now and cut off a potential problem in the future.” He looked past her as she brewed a pot. “Got anything stronger back there?”

            She handed him a bottle of vodka. “Y’dun seem too broken up bou’ the fahct you canna see the child.”

            He poured some of the clear liquid in the coffee cup. “Well, it seems the more I meddle in their lives, the worse it gets. Tristan tries to kill us all. Megan absolutely can’t stand me. Maybe if Bree doesn’t even know about me, it would be better. Not like I’m gonna be around that much longer anyhow.”

            Renea kept that annoyed gaze on him. “Danielle IS Queen, but she will noh be able ta keep the chil’ forever.”

            “Then I will take her back when the time comes.”

            Lina made her way into the room, taking up a stool notable three seats away from the psi, but that was not what caught Tim’s eye. It was the two gentlemen that followed the sorceress in. The first had his head bowed, in submission to the second; dressed in black. His dark sunglasses were pushed up on his brow. He sported a long cane that rested on his left shoulder, the tip holding a jade orb in a clawed hand. The words “Hanta” were written in red paint on the back of the black jacket. Tim smiled leeringly at Lina, but waved a finger near the cup in his hand. Renea saw the gesture and sighed, moving down the bar while Timothy slowly circled Lina, ending up between her and the two yakuza seated at the table.

            Lina had also caught the move, but chose to ignore his chivalry. “So, Psion. What brings you to stand there?”

            “Oh, nothing much. Just glad to see you’re still around to.... well ... glare at me, I guess. Miss me?” All the while he watched Renea out of the corner of his eye. Apparently she had not served them fast enough and they were becoming dissatisfied with her service, believing her lack of attentiveness as a sign of disrespect. Once again the psi drew his arms across his chest, slowly working his fingers into the pockets where he kept his smaller weapons.

            Lina was watching as well as she kept up the banter on her end. “Miss you? You are nothing to me.”

            “Is that so, little lizard?”

            “Lizard?!” Tim would have sworn the high screech Lina barked with could have matched Megan’s decibel per decibel. “I will have you know that I am more highly evolved than a mere lizard. I am dragon, and being a dragon does Not mean being a lizard!” She grew even more irate when Tim just smiled at her. “You best be careful what you say, Psion.”

            “Oh, I’m careful.”

            Thankfully Lina was distracted by another fellow, seated behind her, very intrigued that both of them claimed reptilian blood. “I thought that dragons evolved from demon lizards millions of years “Go.”

            “Demon lizard,” Tim snorted. “Seems to fit you to a ‘T’, Lina.”

            But Tim was not watching Lina’s face turn red. Renea had pulled out the best bottle of rice wine she had in stock, wiping the layer of dust off the bottle before serving it to the duo. The brash one was quite cross still. “Aye, for your sake, this had better be good. If me and my buddy ain’t happy, then our boss won’t be happy.”

            Renea paused, the bottle held aloft as she rest a hand on her hip. The Rex could see that the vampire’s dander was up, and trouble was sure to follow. “Well ‘round ‘ere I’m the boss, Love; and the boss says...” She reached behind her and grabbed a glass of water and sat that in front of the thug, taking back her precious bottle of sake. “Attitude gess’ you wata’.”

            The quiet one just nodded to his accomplice, whom moved his hand into his pockets. Timothy saw the faint outline of a pistol, but the man just lunged for the bottle instead, ripping it from Renea’s hands. But the vampiress wasn’t going to give up without a fight. She lunged back across the counter, grabbed the neck of the bottle and tugged hard. “Give thah’ back!”

            Timothy’s first mistake was judging the book by its cover. The man had been very pale, especially by asian standards, so he had assumed that one of them was undead. The silver darts he flung at them did little more than sting the back of the gunman’s hand through the pocket. His throwing arm was rusty as well, as three of the darts hit at an angle and ricocheted into the wall while the fifth missed its intended target totally. He tried to follow through, pulling the shot gun out from under the trenchcoat as he closed the gap between him and the gunman, assuming that the man was wounded by the silver tips, but the Rex got his bells rung with the man slammed his palm into Tim’s unguarded face and almost flipping him onto his neck. At least he answered back, letting both barrel fire into the man’s gut, but once again, somehow, the man twisted and most of the burning buckshot blasted through non-vital organs.

            Renea was livid. “This is MY bah’. Y’ dun’ come ‘round ‘ere and throw y’weigh’ ‘round on m’watch!”

            “Shut up, woman!” the quite man insisted. “I’m watching the fight.”

            And it seemed that the gunman Tseng had the upper hand as he was about to bring his foot down on Tim’s face. “Do I kill him?”

            “No!” Tim insisted and blasted again, having a clear shot into the man lower gut.

            While the man gasped in pain, Renea attacked, this time wrenching the bottle free and threatening to clout her rude patrons, but the quite man Zseth whip about, grabbing the vampiress by the neck and holding the gun to her head. “Don’t Mess with me, Lady!” he snarled, then turned to his clan member. “Kill him,” he commanded, then he turned and grabbed Renea, dragging her across the counter, then picking her up and throwing her into the wall.

            Lina had ignored most of the fight, but now rolled her eyes, seeing the psi sprawled and bleeding on the floor. “Tim, will you please stop bothering that poor soul?”

            He stared back at her with an incredulous look, especially since Tseng had once again braced his foot on the psi’s neck. “Some help here, please?” he asked, his voice cracking all over the scales.

            Lina did try, but the man brought his cane down on Tim’s shoulder, almost separating his arm from the joint with the blunt force. Tim grimaced in pain, then narrowed his gaze. Dammit, he Was a psi, and he reached into Tseng’s brain.

            He had him. By all rights, he had slipped inside the man’s head and grabbed “Hold of all major functions. He had won, but in the next second something slipped from his grip. Definitely not from the man. From somewhere else. Wa somebody monitoring the fight, looking to take the psi out on a permanent basis?

            He wouldn’t have time to ponder it as the can came down once more, this time on his beleaguered skull, knocking him out. When he opened his eyes once more, Lina was standing over him, looking very displeased. Perhaps this wouldn’t be the right time to point out that he could see her underwear from this particular angle. He had a milder smart-aleck line. “See that? You love me enough to heal me.”

            “I have healed people that I’ve wanted to kill,” she snapped back. “Do not think of it as a privilege.”

            Tim heard familiar sounds, mainly the two men that had just beaten him to a pulp. He managed to turn a little, seeing Tseng watching him warily, holding his cane aloft as if to strike if Tim so much as blinked. Zseth was holding out his hand, helping Renea to her feet. He gave Lina a confused look. Had he been out long or had this fight suddenly shifted? “Renea?” he called out, hoping she was indeed alright. He could see blood seeping from a wound on her neck where a glass shard had sliced through the pale skin. She would heal from it, once she fed. He got up slowly and braced himself against the bar, next to Lina. He thought the worst had passed. Until Tseng brought the jade-tipped cane into Tim’s knee, sending him tumbling back into the floor before the duo left.

            Lina once again was standing over him. “Why must you pick fight?” she asked him, even as she brought her hands out to heal the shattered kneecap..

            “I tried to explain it to Renea. It’s just a guy thing.” But he wondered at what price was this ‘guy thing’ really worth?