FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The darkness and light swirled together. Forming vague shapes, two sudden blazing red circles beamed down as the shadows and lights form a skull shape. From across the room Thomas watched Captain Cortes raise her gun to his grandfather's head, a burst of light and a thunderous clap, the gun fired. Thomas ran toward her, but never seemed to get closer, he felt like he was chasing a ghost. "Cortes!" Thomas screamed out. The devilish woman turned her head and looked right at him, he could feel it, the piercing stare that froze him in his tracks. Cortes smiled and turned her gun on him. Thomas stumbled, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. "Captain Thorne!" He called out in vain, he was alone. Cortes pulled the trigger, the gun went off and he could see the massive bullet spiral toward him, his heart sank.

The Star Lancers

The Curse of Cortes

Episode 5: Hell Hath No Fury

Thomas' eyes shot open and he let out a yell. Dr. Einstat placed a hand on his chest. "Easy now Thomas. You're safe, on the Star Lancer." Thomas' heavy breathing slowed as the tension in his body melted away and rested his head on the pillow. "Wh...what happened?" Einstat nodded while leaning over the med-bed he was laying on. "I got good news and bad news for ya." Thomas made a disconcerting look. "Bad news, you got shot." Thomas' eyes opened wide as he looked down he could see a square patch on his bare chest. "Shot!?" Einstat smiled and nodded. "Not to worry, I still had some nano-machines left over from my trip to the black market. They were expired but I managed to work through it. You'll probably end up with a sexy scar. You're very lucky the bullet passed right through and didn't hit anything important. It was serious for minute, but miraculous."

Thomas slowly rose and Einstat helped him. He rubbed his hand over the square patch then looked at the doctor. "Cortes, what happened with Cortes?" Einstat frowned and turned her back, Thomas watched her sit down. "After we got you back to the Star Lancer, the captain took half the crew and went back in with heavier weapons. By the time they made it back however, Cortes, Rose and Lyra were gone..." The doctor slumped her shoulders. "...the Queen's Revenge jumped away and we were in no shape to give chase." Thomas looked down. "Damn."

Later, Thomas walked the corridors of the Star Lancer and noticed the crew was busy with repairs, some sections seemed worse for ware. The crew seemed more serious then before, professional in their manner. He couldn't help but be impressed with their ability to adapt, jovial in peace, hard in combat. He saw Chef Anya pushing a cart down the corridor, the cart loaded up with prepared meals, passing them out to crew who failed to show up for lunch. "Eat up, you're no good to anyone if you starve yourself." She spoke to one of the crew, rolling it passed with a determined walk, her huge breasts jiggling. "Make way! What's the fastest way to the engine room?" She called out. She then looked back at Thomas. "Mr. Field, good to see you up and about, your meal is waiting for you in the galley." Thomas gave a faint smile and nodded. "Thank you."

Thomas found himself on the bridge and walked up behind Koshka who was sitting in her command chair. She seemed more stern, her one eyed gaze fixated on the view screen, a large satellite of some sort was floating out beyond the Star Lancer. "I'm sorry..." He spoke up. "... none of this would have happened, if it wasn't for me, my family..." Koshka looked at him with an unimpressed expression. "While I am pleased you are up and about young master, if you are going to feel sorry for yourself, return to medical. We have much work to do."

Thomas stiffened, Koshka's manner reminding him of his father suddenly. "You intend to continue with this? After what Cortes did? After you saw what she can do?" Koshka looked forward again. "I have a missing crew member, a missing passenger, whom I'm responsible for and a mission to complete. I don't have time to suck pity dick at the moment." Thomas just looked at her, how was she not fazed by this? How could she continue this fool's errand? She spoke again. "If you wish to cancel the mission, I will accept a quarter of the payment, as agreed upon, and drop you off to the nearest port if you wish." This possibly shook Thomas more then being shot, to be cut loose, never finding his mother and sister, left alone. He had grown to depend on the captain in the short time he hired the Star Lancer for his crusade.

Was this a test? He thought back to what Koshka had been trying to tell him all along, in all their little conversations, her actions. Revenge, leadership, her planning and wit. Thomas resolved to not be shaken off so easily by Captain Cortes, and was not going to be shaken off by Captain Thorne either. There was an old saying among mercs and pirates alike, Koshka told him. "Who dares, wins." He decided to stay with her, he decided to dare. He tightened his fist and place a hand on the arm rest of the command chair. "How are we finding them?"

Koshka looked at him, her one eye looking him up and down. She pointed at the satellite floating before the Star Lancer. "Do you know what that is?" He wasn't going to waste time with a false front and simply shook his head, he was hear to learn now. Koshka continued. "It's a comms relay station, there are tens of thousands across the Jupiter sphere. It's how ships and colonies keep in touch with each other at long range, since signals can't curve around the gas giant you see."

It was only then did Thomas notice there was a couple of people out there, they were presumably Star Lancer crew, working on the satellite. "I'm following you so far, but how does high jacking a comms satellite help us?" Koshka smirked at the question and leaned back in her chair. "I suspected things might not go our way when we caught up with the Queen's Revenge..." Thomas smiled and lowered his head. "Of coarse you did." She continued. "...Though, I didn't expect it to go...that badly. At any rate, I left explicit instructions with Celesti to engage the Queen's Revenge with an ulterior motive in mind." Thomas cocked his head at this, a visible question mark of an expression. Koshka pointed to the gynoid.

"When we engaged in combat..." Celesti explained. "...one of the rounds we tagged the Queen's Revenge with, was a tracking beacon." Thomas suddenly got excited. "Really?! At this range though?" Koshka smiled. "That's why we're here. When the Queen's Revenge ends up wherever they are going, another comms relay station will pick up the beacon and broadcast it. We are waiting for that unique signal now." Thomas looked at the satellite with the Star Lancer crew floating around it. "They won't disable it?" Celesti answered. "We lodged the tracking beacon near their engine cluster, while they are active, the ionic radiation should mask it until they reach their destination, buying time to broadcast." Thomas narrowed his eyes. "assuming they are going home, and not another place."

Koshka continued. "Since the Queen's Revenge is loaded with fresh captives and damaged..." It clicked in Thomas' mind, like chasing a wounded animal to it's den. "They will return to wherever they berth between sorties." Thomas finished. Koshka smiled and pressed her gloved finger against his nose in a childish manner. "Look at you..." She returned her attention forward. "...we'll make a man of you yet, young master." She inhaled. "Cortes and her crew are absorbed by their own legend, that much I have learned from her. They have felt safe in the fear it derives for a century. They will not expect an attack on their home port, and we will have the advantage of surprise in turn." Thomas was surprised by the cunning and drive, though he shouldn't be by now. The Star Lancer was not beaten and out, like a hunter waiting to pounce they sharpened their blades, waiting to strike.

Elsewhere, the Queen's Revenge sailed through warp space to parts unknown. It's large frame plowing through the shifting light spectrum far less elegantly then the smaller Star Lancer. It's black solar sails folded back like a diver plunging into the water.

Aboard, the run down corridors were poorly lit, stained with rust marks; tools and materials scattered about like age old forgotten tasks were left unfinished.

In a locked cell, Rose moaned to herself, she slowly opened her eyes and tried to pick herself up off the floor. She felt her head throb and let out an audible "Ooowww!" She touched her forehead, just then remembering she took a serious head butt from Captain Cortes. "Well, look who decided to join us." Rose looked across the small cell and saw Lyra sitting on the floor across from her, a collar chaining her to the wall. Rose tried to stand but found she too had a collar chaining her to the wall. "What's going on? How long have I been out?"

Lyra sucked her teeth in disappointment. "Well, you missed all the important bits, but to catch you up, we are currently aboard the Queen's Revenge. On our way to becoming slaves for the crew of the damned." Rose seemed to ignore this and pressed on. "Koshka? What happened to her!?" Lyra looked to the cell door. "Last I saw, getting that kid out of there after he got shot." Rose's eyes opened wide. "Thomas was shot!?" Lyra once again looked annoyed. "Would you keep it down. It's bad enough I'm on this ship from hell. To think I'm condemned with you of all people." Rose made a look of anger and shifted to sitting. "Come over here and make me." Lyra narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't last five minutes."

Now that Koshka wasn't around to get between them, they were free to throw their hatred back and forth at each other. "You didn't have the guts to do anything on the Star Lancer..." Rose stung. "...you wouldn't have the guts now. Admit it, you got scared after you were kicked off the Ravager." That little bit was more then enough for Lyra as she lunged at Rose, fingers like claws, the chain goes tot. "I'll kill you!" Rose smirked at the tense fingers trying to grasp her in vain. "Ha! Anger makes people stupid, is this why you really got kick out on your ass?" Lyra leaned against the chain to almost choking as she swung at the air. "Bi-bitch."

Suddenly the cell door opened, drawing the attention of the two girls. Four of the gaunt necrotech pirates came into the cell. They looked down at them with their many glowing red eyes. "Don't try anything stupid and stand." One said as the others moved to unchain them. "Where are you taking us?" Rose stared at the cyborg with defiant eyes. "Cap'm wants you two for herself."

Rose and Lyra were escorted down another corridor that has fallen into disrepair. The whole ship gave the impression of death, as if the ship herself was just as dead as her crew, or at least, they were all supposed to be. Driven on by technology and unseen forces that compelled them to all stay to complete their assigned task. They passed a series of chambers, holding cells, just like the one they were in. Moans and screams came from them, grunts and curses filled the air. At first Rose believe some sort of torturing was going on, but as they passed the chambers they saw the nechrotech pirates having their way with their captives. The guards that once protected the chamber of Mr. Dupont were now slaves to the lustful whims of the pirates.

A big cock filling a mouth, it's thickness sliding between a pair of wet lips. A girl woman cried out in pleasure, arms around the neck of the cyborg fucking her, he held her spread legs as his big cock thrust upward, filling her wet pussy, making her ass jiggle with every thrust. Three of the woman moaned with pleasure, on all fours, their jiggling asses in the air as a row of necrotech pirates thrust their big cocks into their pussies, One after the other, hard and slapping, fast and vigorous, the last a long slide out with a quick thrust. One of the cells held a moaning Ms. Noon. Naked and chained to the ceiling. A cyborg held her hips as he vigorously fucked her, his big cock filling her wet and welcoming pussy. She cried out as her big tits bounced in front of her for anyone that happened to peer into the open cell.

Rose and Lyra were forced onward, down the corridor and around the corner. The double doors opened for them and they were pushed into what seemed like bedroom. More well kept then the rest of the observable ship. Sounds of pleasure could be heard, and the girls looked over at the bed. They could see three women, naked and pressing against each other. The two blondes seemed related, one was younger, with big tits and a long single braided tail over her shoulder, the other moaned with pleasure as she pressed her huge tits against the cyborg in the middle. Cortes moaned softly with her sultry digitized voice as her captives played with her big tits, her body, dark, the ballistic weave making her skin.

"Ah, the fresh slaves are here, come, I grow restless with this pair. Let's see what you have to offer." Cortes said while the two girls with her continued to lick her, running tongue around hard nipple, squeezing the softness of her large tits. Hands gliding over her curves. Lyra gave Cortes a look of contempt and spat on the floor. "Go fuck yourself." Rose stiffened and nodded. "Agreed, and then some." Cortes smiled at them from behind her big tits, the girls sucked and played with. "I see, the breaking part is always more fun anyway."

The cyborgs that escorted them here loomed over their shoulders with their glowing red eyes. Mechanical arms came from behind and grabbed their cloths as they heard chuckling. The girls gasped and struggled but they were still bound. Rose watched helplessly as her top was grabbed by the cleavage hole and pulled open, her tits bouncing free. Lyra twisted to resist but the hand grabbed the bottom cleavage hole and lifted, with a rip her big tits bounced and sank.

Lyra and Rose moaned softly and squirmed as hands prob and feel about, ripping or removing cloths. A wild tongue lapped at Rose's nipples while her tits were squeezed. Lyra gasped as one of her big tits were sucked on. Cortes rolled over onto Elizabeth Field and pressed her hands into her soft huge tits making her cry out. The cyborg woman's one big tits hanging under her. "There is nothing quite like reaping the rewards of hard work..." She looked back at Rose and Lyra, crying out from the groping hands of their captor's. "...wouldn't you say?" More of the cyborg pirates came in at this moment.

The captain's quarters was full of moans of pleasure, tits bouncing, hard nipples bobbing in jiggling circles. Thick mechanical cocks filling pussies as the collection of girls on the bed cried in pleasure. Elizabeth Field moaned out as her huge tits bounced quickly; hard nipples flicking up and down as she held one leg feeling the thick mechanical cock vigorously fuck her. It's thickness filling her wet pussy as juices dripped from the retracting and thrusting shaft. She looked up seeing her daughter, Lilly Field, bounced on the bed crying out with pleasure. Her big tits heaved up and down fast as she held the cyborg fucking her, her legs spread wide, feet bobbing in the air as the big cock filled her pussy fast and hard.

At the top of the bed lay Rose, Lyra and Cortes herself, Moaning with pleasure. A thick mechanical cock pushed and filled Lyra's pussy, her soft ass rippling with every thrust into her moaning her moan with pleasure. Lyra's face was pushed between Corte's thighs, her tongue licking away at the pirate captain's pussy. Cortes hand one leg in the air, her toes curled as her big tits jiggled with the movement of her grinding hips. With her clawed finger tips she grabbed the soft curves of Rose's legs who was sitting on Cortes' skull like face plate. Cortes' tongue burring deep into the moist pussy of Rose's folds while the violet hair lioness moaned with a mouth full, her tits bouncing in front of her as a big cock filled her mouth.

The mechanical and sultry voice of Cortes escaped her lips as she squeezed Rose's ass, the pleasure shooting through the cyborg's curvaceous body. It had been a while since she partook in the pillaging of the slaves. A flood of memories came back to her, from a time before the cyborg body, before the death mask, before the hatred.

Isabella Cortes looked up at the man she loved, the snow leopard's amber eyes reflecting in the room lights. She moved her head up and down as she sucked the big cock in her mouth. Richter Black groaned as he threw his head back. A wolf of a man who lay on the bed, reclined as Isabella went down on him like a hungry predator. Her wet lips slid along his thick shaft as she moaned softly like she was eating some delicious desert. She held the base of the shaft with one hand as she sucked the rest, she could feel it, big and warm in her mouth and it made her hot inside. Her lips slid up along the big cock until it bobbed out of her mouth with a smack, standing erect in her grasp. She smiled and brushed some of her raven black hair away from her amber eyes. "Let's put this to good use, captain." He smiled down at her. "As you will, my love."

Isabella moaned with pleasure, her sultry voice filling the room as she bounced on all fours, quickly her big tits jiggled under her as Richter's big cock drove hard into her wet pussy. Her ass bouncing with loud slaps against her softness. He held her hips as he grunted, pushing hard into her, making Isabella cry out in pleasure. She whipped her black hair and looked back, watching her ass jiggle with every thrust into her as her big tits bounced. She bit her lip and let out an ever increasingly feminine moan that betrayed her deadly nature.

"Faaa! Shit!, Is that...ha!...the best you got?!" She cried out, now on her side, her big tits bouncing in circles from the rapid thrusts. Richter held one of her legs up as he fucked her fast, his big cock filling her as pussy, juices dripped from his hard cock. Between grunts and hard breathing he hissed at her. "Always picking fights with me eh!" He reached forward and grabbed one of her bouncing big tits and squeezed it, making her cry out as she bounced on his cock. Richter yelled and with both of Isabella's legs he pushed her onto her shoulders, he leaned over her, eyes looking into eyes as his big cock thrust downward into her.

Isabella grabbed the sheets of the bed as she cried out in pleasure, her big tits heaving as Richter's hard cock filled her to the brim. Richter grunted and moaned, slapping against Isabella's soft ass making it jiggle. "Si, Si, Si, Ay dios mio, dios mio oohhaaaahh!" She cried out. He leaned down as far as he could go and locked lips with her. The blushing Isabella moaned into his mouth as he fucked her faster before giving a powerful final thrust. Hot cum started oozing from the her pussy and dripping down the soft curves of her ass. They broke the kiss and moaned out together in a display of passion.

Isabella huffed with a big smile on her lips as she draped her naked self across Richter's broad chest. "That was divine my love." She cooed making him smile. "Yes, I know I've hit the spot when you forget to speak English." Isabella raised her head and pressed her lips against his. "Are you going to lay there congratulating yourself, or do you have work to do?" Richter sat up from the tussled bed and walked naked to the bay of windows that stretched across the living quarters. He gazed down with a look of intensity and smiled. "Soon." Isabella joined him, once again pressing her naked body against him from behind. They both looked down at a large star ship being built. It was dark outside the window, flood lights illuminated the construction effort. The ship was the size of a heavy frigate, an armored ram tipped the bow of the ship, two triple rail gun turrets and a missile battery was being installed.

The ship had a sense of gilded royalty, gold lines highlighted the ship in contrast to her dark Prussian blue hull. A pair of gold solar sails folded back ready to be deployed to display their full glory. The star ship was moored between two rock walls, of which these sleeping quarters were built into, apart of a larger facility used by the Black pirates. Struts crossed between the two asteroids keeping them fixed together. Down below one could see the dense clouds of Jupiter, like an ocean of gases, this was how close this secret port was to the gas giant. The utter blackness, but for the artificial lights was do to this port being masked by the shadow of Metis, the closest moon to Jupiter. The base lurks in the shadow of the moon when they were sun side and disappears with everything else when they orbit to the dark side of Jupiter.

"Soon..." Richter Black smiled, pressing his hand against Isabella's. "...our new ship will be finished, and we will be a force to be reckoned with." She hummed in amusement. "And what, pray tell, will you be calling our new force of reckoning?" He smiled and looked up. "I imagine she will be named after you." She walked around him to be at his side. "I think Isabella is a fine name for a ship, but I'm afraid I won't know if you will be talking to me, or the ship." He laughed and looked at her, placing a hand on her face. "She is to be named after my love, and my desire. The Queen's Glory." Isabella blushed then looked down to the star ship. "A finer name." He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her in kissing her neck. "Richter! What about that meeting you were on about?" He shot her a devilish smile. "To hell with it, I didn't become a pirate to keep schedules and dates." He lifted her as she laughed and wrapped her long naked legs around him.

Later, Richter Black stood in front of a mirror, fixing his cloths. He cut a dashing figure, if he might say so himself. Finally groomed blonde hair that waved to one side, piercing blue eyes stared back at him as he inspected his squared jaw and smiled. He wore a pair of tan pants that tucked into tall boots. His body covered in a wrap jacket of Prussian blue with polished buttons to one side. It parted at the chest and broke off into a popped collar. Belts of guns and blades adorned his hips. He watched Isabella drape a long navel coat over his shoulders like a cape, the sleeves of the coat pinned up. She had dressed as well, in her tall knee high boots and leotard of leather. Her trademark red bandanna wrapped around her head. "You look absolutely gentlemanly, my love." The two smiled at each other.

Months had passed and the Queen's Glory was well under way to becoming infamous, her reputation proceeded by the sensor shadow that terrified traders, corporate transports and other pirates alike. Her glorious wings of gold displayed like a peacock of royalty as her triple guns fired, ripping through ships that had little time to prepare for a battle. The Queen's crew launched boarding attacks on smaller vessels, led by their ever respected and loved first officer, Isabella Cortes, who always took the lead, sword and gun in hand and cared for the wounded of her shock troops. Though not all were always pleased with her gallantry. The crew only ever saw her and Captain Black fight over her courage, nothing else, and the fighting only ever lasted a half hour before they lovingly assaulted each other in the bedroom, sometimes in public.

A year had passed and the Queen's Glory and her reputation had grown to such extent that they now only did high profile contracts for the wealthiest of the Jupiter sphere, with a little piracy on the side. It was after all, as the saying goes, hard to teach an old dog new tricks. The Queen's Glory sailed through space, it's gold solar sails folded back, while another, smaller but more lavishly decorated ship docked with her, along side.

"There you are gentlemen..." A bag tossed onto a polished wood table, ending with a small slide. The contents only slightly spilling out. Square mechanical devices. "... all the data tracks on the shipping routs of the Tokugawa corporation's ships." Richter smiled, reclining in a chair. Isabella sat on the chair's arm rest, leaning against him, her large breasts squished unevenly against his shoulder. "Those weren't easy to get a hold of you know." She added, her long naked legs folded showing her soft ass provocatively for the men before them.

The man sitting directly across from them smiled and reached for one of the data tracks. "Oh we know, that's why we hire you. You and your ship are the only ones we know to trust, to get these tasks done." He looked over to one of his compatriots. "It's that right, Mr. Field?" Spencer Field nodded. "Indeed, they have proven to be a valuable asset. Mr. Dupont." The third man with them sat on a couch, he was flanked by two scantly clad women, who seemed obsessed with him, or at least, paid to be. "This is all well and good, but I have a party to get too back in Stardust..." He directed his attention to Isabella with a rye smile. "...when are you going to take me up on my offer, leave that ship of money chasers and come with me. I can take good care of you Ms. Cortes." Isabella looked at him with an unimpressed expression. "And become one of your little harem girls, you pray on indignity sir." Richter leaned forward with a smile. "Mind your manners Mr. Tropp, we have had this conversation before."

Tropp huffed holding his women tighter. "What's the matter Black? Afraid of a little competition." Spencer Field held the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Not this again." Tropp propped a foot on the polished table with a scoff. "Spinless Spencer, got something to say?" Spencer Field folded his arms and looked away. "Not to you." Richter smiled at the internal squabbling of the ultra wealthy. It was now Dupont who chimed in. "Gentlemen please, not in front of our guests. Much work to be done to ensure our growing financial empire. Don't let your personal idiosyncrasies distract you from that." At that Captain Black stood, rising with Isabella and slightly bowed to the seated men. "Well, it's good to know money doesn't make you better people. Until next time, good day to you sirs."

As the two started to leave Mr. Dupont spoke up. "We will be in touch captain, plenty of money to be made by all." Richter raised his hand in a slight wave as he left the room with Isabella giving them a smile. Tropp smiled widely. "One day that woman will be mine!" One of the girls clinging to him frowned. "What about us Mr. Tropp?" He smiled at her. "Don't worry baby, you're my favorite." "I thought you said I was your favorite?" The other girl whined. "Oh but you are!" Spencer scoffed at the lecher. "A woman like that, would be the death of you in due coarse."

Back aboard the polished corridors of the Queen's Glory, crewmen worked their duties, cleaning and running diagnostics as the captain and his first mate walked side by side. "You know you shouldn't tease Tropp, I can't trust him around you." Richter smirked at the raven haired woman grinning at him. "Maybe he's right, you are scared of a little competition." She shot back teasingly. He stopped and pivoted on his heel, a hand on his sword. "Then I should run him through here and now then?" Isabella giggled and placed her hands on her hips. "I love it when you pretend to be jealous."

She leapt at him, wrapping her legs around him, pushing him against the wall as they kissed passionately. The comm panel near them chimed. "Bridge to Cap'm Black, call back boss." Richter reached for the comm panel, struggling as Isabella continued to make out with him. He finally touched the button. "Black here!" He squeezed out between kisses. "The Icarus is requesting to detach sir." Richter tried to respond but only muffles came out as the two slid down the wall to the floor. "Cap'm? Cap'm did you say something?"

Over time the relationship between the Queen's Glory and the Icarus Society got more lucrative. Captain Richter Black was invited to functions to celebrate successful 'business' endeavors in the name of wealth building, and all the while Isabella Cortes was on his arm or fighting by his side. Few pirates had reached such heights, before or after. Despite the prosperous relationship, there was some among the Icarus Society who grew weary of how much Captain Black was learning about them, and how little they knew of him or where he operated from. Meetings turned into dinners, and dinners turned into lavish parties, many thrown by the despicable Edward Tropp, but his money was just as good as anyone else.

Isabella's big tits jiggled, hard nipples caressed as she grabbed at her soft tits, her ass glistened as she moved her hips. A girl under her licked her pussy. Moans of pleasure filled the air as thirty or so girls pleasured themselves on a tabletop lesbian orgy. Tongues licking clits and teasing hard nipples, fingers pushing into pussies. A soft ass jiggled from a firm slap as lips pressed against a moist pussy. Long silken hair flipped as high pitched moans of pleasure escaped luscious lips. Around the large table was seated men and their meals. A dinner and show it would seem, as they enjoyed the food and the long table of tangled soft hot bodies, feet hanging in the air from spread legs and tits bouncing rhythmically from thrusting fingers and gyrating hips.

Richter watched Isabella on the table with a smile, the things this woman would do to give him even the most remote chance of fun, it's why he loved her so. "Are you enjoying the meal?" He heard next to him over the din of lust. It was Spencer Field and he nodded. "Indeed, you throw interesting parties sir." Field looked at him sternly then nodded to the head of the table. Edward Tropp sat there, his eyes fixated on the throng of naked women, moaning and bouncing, he clapped like a giddy and perverted school boy. "Not me, that one." Richter and Spencer were now leaning toward each other to continue this private conversation.

"I suppose if one were to have vices, this one would be the least concerning..." Richter grunted. "...in the grand scheme of things." "Hrm...indeed." Spencer concurred. One of the women leaned from the table top, her big tits dangling for them. "Enjoying the party dear?" Spencer smiled. "Yes my love, you're as beautiful as you are intelligent." The woman smiled, presumably Field's wife. She picked up a baby tomato from Spencer's plate and popped it into her mouth before one of the other wives took her by the hips and pulled her back into the group of moaning girls. Spencer exhaled. "Amazing." Richter nodded in silence. The young socialite leaned in a bit closer. "Be careful of this lot captain. They're always friendly to those they can use, that remain useful to them." Richter leaned back in his chair and contemplated his words, was he being helpful? Or was he threatening him? The secret tone of his words only made him curious.

"Does that mean you as well Mr. Field?" Spencer lifted a cup to his lips. "I try to be a man of honor, I prefer fairness above all else. The dirty pool of my...colleagues... tries even my mettle at times." Richter didn't have much patience for the politicking of the rich. "What are you getting at man? Speak plainly." Spencer glanced at him, over to Tropp then back. "Know that I am privies to conversation that you are not. Be weary of other children that don't like to share their toys." Richter looked around the table at the other men there, talking, laughing, eating, watching the orgy on the table. He stopped feeling like one of the group and started feeling like a guest again, an outsider. "Why are you telling me this?" He was now looking directly at Spencer, who kept his gaze on his moaning wife on the table. "You have helped me a great deal since you came into our employ, and as I said, fairness above all else."

Isabella's wet tongue slid along another as the girls moaned with pleasure into each others mouths. She squeezed one of her hanging big tits as she threw her head back; a pair of fingers quickly sliding in her wet pussy as a warm tongue glided up her soft ass. She soon found herself on her side, moaning with pleasure as she moved her hips. Her wet pussy grinding against another of one of the wives. They moved together, giving each other pleasure as she cupped one of her big tits and licked her hard nipple. The orgy on the table was now loud and wild, all pretense of control was gone as the girls screamed with pleasure. Soft asses jiggled fast, tits bounced as hips moved and fingered did their work with dedication. Sweat dripped down soft curves as ravenous lips made out, soft tits pressed together. Isabella threw her head back and moaned loudly as she pressed her wet pussy against the other, harder, faster, their long naked legs entangled together as their hips worked against each other. Her big tits lifted and fell in a rhythmic bounce for the watchers around the table. She suddenly curled her toes feeling the pleasure jolt through her body as her and her partner cried out in orgasm together, one of many in the hot orgy on the dinner table.

Some time later, key members of the Icarus society met in Stardust City. The colony was celebrating the opening of a brand new block that extended the massive rotating cylinder, opening up more space for another hundred thousand people. At a luxurious hotel in one of the dining halls forty or so people were present to wine and dine and talk about grand annual projects. All went smoothly until the topic of Richter Black came up, and Spencer Field didn't enjoy the way the conversation was going.

"What do you mean Luna?" Spencer questioned the men around him at their little table, among others. A lanky man with glasses sipped from his coffee cup. "Oh come now, as much as we have all enjoyed the exploits of Captain Black, even you have to admit he has gathered far to much information about us." A larger portly man nodded. "Indeed, the key to our success has always been our secret association. Why, if we were found out, our competitors could hunt us down. We were never prepared for a shooting corporate war." It was Edward Tropp who added the final nail to the coffin. "Right, best to do away with him and start from scratch with another."

Spencer's hand fell hard on the table, grabbing the attention of the other tables around theirs. "So you sent him on a suicide mission to Earth's moon? You risk more by drawing the attention of Hyper City or Mega Tokyo to the Jupiter sphere." The bespectacled lanky man gave him a stern look. "Would you control yourself Mr. Field. Besides, Earth is far to busy with that uprising on Mars..." He scoffed. "...Martian Empire indeed." The portly man nodded again. "Shooting wars are so barbaric." Spencer leaned in. "Suppose Black succeeds in your little task?" Tropp smiled at this. "That won't be likely, we have forwarded Black's information to the Hyper City Security Space Force on Luna, and his intentions. As..." He thought for a second. "...concerned citizens of the solar system." Spencer picked up his fork and started angrily stabbing at his food. "Tis better to be alone, then in bad company." He murmured to himself. The man next to him looked over, salad hanging from his lips. "You say something?" Spencer shook his head. "Nothing at all, unfortunately." His eating neighbor looked at him puzzled then went back to his food.

The void between planetary spheres was vast, The Queen's Glory, with her gold solar sails folded back, pierced the rainbow colors of warp space. On coarse for her three week journey to the Earth sphere. On the bridge of the large and armed ship, the crew went about their duties, all over seen by their captain sitting on his throne like command chair. Isabella was in her usual spot, resting on the arm rest, pressing her large breasts against Richter's head. "Dear, why are we heading to Earth of all places?" Richter nuzzled against the soft breast against his cheek. "The heist of the century my love. With the money those rich bastards are offering for this, we will be able to commission a second ship."

Isabella thought for a second. "Commodore Black, sounds fancy." Richter smiled. "doesn't it though?" One of the crew walked up to Black's chair. "The new transponder has been installed cap'm." Isabella tilted her head. "What new transponder?" Richter wrapped an arm around her waist with a squeeze. "All apart of the plan my love. For the duration of this mission, we're apart of the Jovian Merchant Guild, on official business." Isabella smirked. "The old, wolf in sheep's clothing trick?" Richter looked up at her. "Well....hopefully it will be relatively new around Earth."

"...and this business of ours?" Isabella pressed. "Ah!" Richter got a look of excitement. "Apparently, there is a ship building company in Lunaria, the colony underneath the space port. The rich boys want this new experimental stealth tech coating, no radar ping from what I'm told. All we will need is a little good luck." Isabella ran her fingers through his blonde hair. "Oh that reminds me..." She reached for her belt and produced something for him. She let it slip from her fingers and a fancy looking silver watch dangled from a small chain. "...this is for you, call it, a good luck charm."

Richter eyed it and then took it. "When did you get this?" Isabella kissed him on the cheek. "When we were at one of those Icarus parties I did some shopping, found it in a boutique." Richter thumbed the engraved surface of the silver watch then opened it. It started playing a song, he didn't recognize it, but it didn't matter. It was an old and complex mechanical watch, not only did it tell the time, but also the days, weeks and months. He snapped it shut ending the music. "I love it." She pressed her hand against his cheek making him look at her. "As you should." They kissed as the Queen's Glory continued on coarse for Earth.

Luna space port. A complex built on the surface of Earth's moon. It had all of the atmosphere of an airport. Large and roomy, polished floors and marble columns, cafes and restaurants catered to travelers from all over the solar system. Desks manned by both robots and uniformed personnel of the Luna space port service. Multitudes of people bounced around to get to one place or the other due to the low gravity of the moon. What most travelers don't know, or care to pay attention to, was that Luna space port was a side job. The port was built at the mouth of a large rotating cylinder colony build right into the moon itself, Lunaria. A modest population of mostly the staff of the various contracting companies that built star ships at the Luna shipyards.

Richter and Isabella decided to go in alone, as to not draw attention to themselves. They cleared the port, after being disarmed and many questions. Why were they so well armed? Ship and persons? "Would you want to travel the stars, with so many pirates about?" Richter dissuaded their concerns with cheeky logic. They took an elevator down to Lunaria and rented a car. Navigating the strange geography of the colony was easy for them, as Lunaria was the prototype that existed before the much larger Stardust City back home. It was night time, or the equivalent of night time in a space colony, the UV pillar that ran down the center of the colony was a dim blue, emulating the twilight of Earth. Isabella and Richter found themselves on a deserted street, their car parked to one side as they peered into the distance at a small office building. It was a squat building surrounded by a chain link fence, street lights illuminating the area, and the glow of lights from inside the building could be plainly seen.

Isabella clicked her tongue at the luck. "Looks like people are working late." Richter huffed and thought for a second. "An awfully unimpressive place for such a top secret invention, no?" Isabella looked over to him. "Are you sure this is the right place?" "Have the rich boys ever steered us wrong?" Richter grunted only to immediately think of what Spencer told him weeks ago at the party. After a pause of silence between the two pirates, Richter started opening his jacket and reached for a shirt in the back seat of the car. "To hell with it, whatever is in that building; I'm taking it."

The small lobby to the Star Line ship building company was small and unimpressive, compared to the larger corporations that held government contracts. They were a small but proud company that built shuttles and passenger liners, a few at a time, but enough to put food on the table. The receptionist clacked away at an old physical keyboard that was jury rigged to a brand new holo-screen, she squinted her eyes at the scrolling information. Suddenly the front doors opened and two people walked in, a man and a woman. They were an odd couple, their cloths giving all the impression of tourists as if they got off some ship and went right to the space port credit mart for stupid travelers. The man was wearing a flowery shirt with shorts as if he was going to a resort in Hyper City, the woman had a flowing dress with a thick sweater and boots, her raven hair done in a pony tail at the back of her head. She looked as if was heading to Brandenburg for skiing. They both had thick rimmed reading glasses that may have been two big for the faces.

The receptionist contained the embarrassment she felt for them and spoke. "Can...can I help you?" She seemed just as confused about their arrival as they seemed confused about how to dress. The man smiled and seemed handsome despite the dorky cloths. "Hiddy Ho there!..." He was boisterous and overly friendly. "...my name is Bob Jorgenson and this my lovely wife Midge..." Midge shot Bob a look that was a mix of annoyance and confusion, then suddenly gave the receptionist a big smile. Bob continued. "...We're a small, family owned merchant vessel from the Jovian Merchant Guild, and was looking to do a little business with a likewise respectable company here on Luna." The receptionist's brows raised slightly. "Ah, Jovians, that explains that then." Bob smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes It does....it does?" Midge jabbed him with her elbow as the receptionist rose. "I will go get the shift manager, if you don't mind waiting." Bob Jorgenson waved at her as she left. "Okay-dokay."

The two watched the receptionist leave and Isabella slapped Richter's shoulder. "I would never let a guy named Bob stick his dick inside me!" Richter teasingly smiled at her. "Stop thinking about my dick for five minutes Midge and focus on the task at hand." Isabella adjusted the big glasses she really didn't need and folded her arms. "You're going to pay for this Bob." He just smiled at his embarrassed lover with a boyish grin, knowing full well, she meant it.

The couple found themselves walking down a hallway being escorted by a bear of a man, short and portly. He gave off a friendly naive vibe that meshed with their alter egos. "Here at Star Line, we are a family business, and we love doing work with other business' like yourselves. What kind of upgrades were you thinking of getting?" Bob plotted along beside him, his sandals slapping against the floor. "Well, with all the dangers about these days, we were thinking about some defensive upgrades." The manager nodded and hummed in agreement. "A sensible choice. While we don't make much in the way of weapons we do have packages that include ablative armor and guided ordinance deterrence."

Bob put his arm around the portly man and smiled. "Well you see, my wife here, who's name is Midge by the way..." She frowned in annoyance. "...she gets a little squeamish around violence you see..." She now looked angry, one could almost see the vain at the side of her head in silent fury. "...you know how women are..." She ran her thumb across her throat in a silent threat. "...if only there was a way we could avoid fighting all together. We have to think of our family after all." The manger looked at Midge who suddenly changed expressions and gave him a big smile. "well..." The manger looked sad. "...we could help you, but we can't."

The three entered a lab, it was small and filled with all sorts of devices and tools. The center piece of the lab was a series of plates. "What's this then?" Bob walked closer to the plates. The manager sighed. "We have been working on a stealth coating for ships, but getting it approve for market is near impossible." Midge leaned over with a quizzical look. "Why is that? Doesn't it work?" The manger adjusted his belt. "Oh it works, it's the governments of Earth. They don't like the idea of civilian ships being able to evade radar detection. National security or some such." Bob ran a finger down one of the plates while Midge pressed the issue. "I mean, maybe there is something wrong with your data that they don't like. Maybe they think it's dangerous for civilian use?"

The manager started look annoyed and walked over to a table, opening a small computer. "I'm telling you, as an honest business man, the data and the tests are all right here. It works perfectly." Midge leaned over to look at the computer, the data reflecting off of her big glasses. It was all there, the formula, the information, the tests and trails. All that was needed was manufacturing. Midge stood up right and smiled and removed her big glasses. Her amber eyes narrowing to a more devious appearance. "Well then, it would seem everything is right here."

The front doors of Star Line ship building burst open as Richter and Isabella ran out, a portable computer under Richter's arm. The receptionist stood there baffled at the suddenness of the exit when her attention was grabbed by the shift manager hopping down the hallway, his hands bound, pants around his ankles. His tie was stuffed in his mouth as he struggled and spat it out. "Bob! Why?!"

The couple ran down the darkened street to the car. It was Isabella who noticed a motorcycle not far off, bearing the insignia of the Hyper City Security Force. "Mierda! Big brother is watching!" She called out to Richter. He looked behind them and two Security vehicles blocked the road they just came from. "They were waiting for us." Richter quickly got into the driver seat while Isabella crawled into the back. Their car took off, tires screeching as it turned down a narrow ally way to avoid the armored vehicles trying to block them in.

Trash cans and debris rolled over the car as it bounced off a wall and shot out of the alley onto another road. "What are you doing?" Richter looked in his rear view mirror, watching Isabella change cloths. "I can't fight like this, watch the road BOB!" Sirens blared as a motorcycle followed them and Richter's reckless driving. "Hold on!" He shouted as the car made a hard turn, almost lifting onto two wheels, the motorcycle stuck with them like glue on the hard turn. The force threw Isabella to one side. The Security Force biker watched a pair of big tits suddenly squish against the back seat window. He blushed through his helmet only to crash his cycle into the back of a parked car, sending him over the roof with scream. Another motorcycle quickly darted by, it's sirens blaring.

Isabella leaned out of the back window, the tie that held her hair blew away letting free her raven colors. She pushed the big dress she was wearing away from her and it opened like a shoot. Colliding with the biker, the security officer swerved and the bike went down sliding down the street as the little banged up car turned another corner. Isabella buckled her pirate attire down as she poked her head over Richter's shoulder. "You know they are going to be waiting for us at the elevators right?" Richter scoffed. "Of coarse, that's why we're not using the normal elevators."

The armored security force vehicles turned to chase the little beat up car. Down the street was a flat bed truck, unloading some heavy machinery. Richter hit the accelerator as the little car sled up. "No te atrevas a hacerlo idiota!" Isabella screamed as the little car jumped the ramp up the truck and flew through the air to to the other side, Richter laughing all the way. The little car hit the road, it's back bumper flying into the air as the security force vehicles swerved, one crashing into a building while the other rear ended the other.

Elsewhere, at one of the key elevator junctions, a line of Hyper City Security Force officers bared the path, barricades had been erected behind armored vehicles that made a narrow choke point. The lead officer looked at his watch and paced. "Those pirates should have been here by now, this intel was spotty at best." Suddenly his comms device chimed and he tapped the button, holding it into his ear for better clarity. "Hrmh...what do you mean you lost them!?"

A large cargo elevator opened in the space port, revealing the scratched and dinged up car. It started rolling out, honking it's horn as people panicked and yelled; bouncing out of the way. "Make way! Make way!" Richter shouted out the window, slowly driving through the spacious port. He honked the horn as Isabella leaned out the window. "There is no way they're letting us get away with this!" She yelled at him. As people bounced out of the way dodging the car, a line of Security Force officers bared their path. One raised a gun and fired at the wind shield making the crowed panic even more. Richter swerved and the car veered right into a marble pillar, bringing it to a sudden stop. The couple bailed from the car and suddenly found themselves surrounded by the Hyper City Security Force.

Richter looked around still grasping the computer, which he had been protecting the whole time, then meeting eyes with the lead officer. He smiled at him. "This isn't the Lunaria hotel parking lot." The officer narrowed his eyes at him and held up a flexy sheet of aluminum with the image of the couple on it. "Richter Black and Isabella Cortes, you're under arrest for piracy and corporate espionage. Your ship is already being surrounded as we speak. You're not going anywhere." Isabella stepped toward him and started repeatedly jabbing him in the chest with her finger. "Since when does Hyper City have jurisdiction on Luna?!" The officer promptly jabbed her back. "Since we have our Space Force HQ here!"

Richter and Isabella stood side by side, they exchanged glaces and silently questioned each other if they were going to try to fight their way out. They were caught in a bad spot, disarmed and now cut off from their ship. Isabella could only think, and hope, for a miracle.

The Queen's Glory rested in the ship yard with multitudes of other ships. Others visiting and many under construction. Each ship being sheltered by rigging used to attach and operate heavy machinery for building and repairs. The bridge crew, in their waiting, lounge around, waiting nervously for their captain and first officer to return. They left together and alone, much to their protest. "Do you think they got caught?" The helmsmen asked openly to the bridge. The radar operator looked up at the command chair. "So, if they did...who becomes captain?" The weapons officer swiveled in his chair. "Hey hey, none of that talk. Not here, not now." The helmsmen looked up through the front bridge window, seeing a small craft, firing thrusters, slowly approaching the bridge of the Queen's Glory. "Oh shit."

The Hyper City Space Force fighter hailed them. "Pirate ship Queen's Glory, your captain has been detained and this ship is now impounded, surrender peacefully or force will be used." The bridge crew started to panic. "They got the cap'm!" "What do we do? Do we make a break for it?" "How many fighters are out there? They're too close to us!" The Helmsmen saw a fire like glint rising up from beyond the bow of the ship, smoking trail behind it. "What the..." The projectile struck the fighter from below making it explode. "...FUCK!?" He looked at the weapons officer quickly. "What did you do!?" The weapons officer shrugged and shook his head frantically. "I didn't do it!"

The Queen's Glory bridge crew looked out the windows in shock as more projectiles rose from below, striking a ship nearby. They coward as the cascading explosions tore the ship to pieces. "What the hell is going on?!" They saw something dart up, engines a flair, then another, more followed and the bridge rattled from how close they were. One of the things stopped where the fighter used to be and the crew looked at it in awe.

It was a large man shaped machine, angular armor with a thick frame in a low visibility blue-gray color, jet nozzles and thrusters all over it's body. It lowered the bazooka it held, resting on it's shoulder revealing it's soldier helmeted head and it looked back at them with it's single red glowing eye. "What the hell is that thing!" One of the men yelled out in a panic. The red eye shifted left, then right, it's bulky frame turned through the manipulation of it's limbs, revealing the insignia of the Martian Empire on it's pauldron and fired it's boosters. The mecha quickly darted away to join it's compatriots as more explosions could be seen in the distant parts of the ship yard. One of the crew, panic ran to the comms station. "Cap'm, Cap'm come in. Something really bad is happening out here!"

Richter and Isabella shrank at the advancing Security Force officers when suddenly his comms device started to squawk out loud. "Cap'm, cap'm come in. Something really bad is happening out here!" The officer smiled at it. "Looks like your crew just found out that they're screwed." Suddenly a loud siren started to blare in the space port drawing everyone's attention. A woman's voice came over the speakers. "Attention all staff and guests. The Luna ship yards is under attack. Please evacuate to Lunaria for safety." "An attack!?" One of the officers called out over the sound of panic in the air. The speaker repeated. "Attention all staff and guests. Evacuate to Lunaria for safety, all elevators will be made available, including commercial and maintenance lifts."

The throngs of people started to panic and bounce to the nearest elevators as the blast shutters to the windows, looking out to the lunar surface started to close, section by section. It was Isabella who first noticed the distraction of the officers and made the first move. Giving the closest one a swift kick to the nads, the reduced gravity sending him floating up as he yelled in agony. Richter followed suit and jumped, kicking another officer in the face. The two managed to push their way out of the encirclement as the floating officer, clutching his crotch came back down and hit the floor with his beat red face. One of the officers aimed his gun after the fleeing pirates but was stopped. "You might hit civilians! Forget them, it's not worth it. New priority is to get everyone down below!"

Richter and Isabella were in a running bounce against the flow of people trying to flee to safety. "Damn those boys of ours, why did they have to do something so stupid." Isabella called out. "I don't think it was them, at least I hope not." Richter replied, pushing through people. Suddenly he heard Isabella yell out in a panicked tone he had never heard her espouse before. "Richter look!" He looked out the diminishing number of windows, seeing a space fighter, spinning, smoking and burning suddenly hit the surface of the moon. Just then a large man shaped machine landed hard, kicking up a plume of moon dust as it slid backward and to a stop. It aimed upward and fired it's large assault rifle, panels opened and launched two, three, four missiles at some unseen target. Then the blast shuttered closed.

Isabella jumped over some people and looked back. "What beyond Earth was that thing!? Was that one of those Breeders we heard about?" Richter joined her in her jump. "No dear, I believe that was one of those Martian war machines they're so fond of. The next stage in warfare in space."

A woman in a space port uniform stood in front of an airlock, directing people away and to the elevators. She spotted the pirate couple coming right at her. She spread her arms out wide. "Please turn around, shuttles are grounded until it is deemed safe." Isabella roughly knocked her aside, sending to the floor and floated into the airlock. Richter followed and smiled at her. "Sorry about that, it's an emergency." As the airlock closed the woman pouted. "I was just doing my job."

The small shuttle took off from the lunar surface as a squadron of space fighters darted passed, it's little engines burning hot. Isabella worked the controls as Richter sat next to her, looking out the window. He could see strings of gunfire, explosions and burning ships in the distance. "This is insane! Why are the Martians attacking here, now?" Isabella tried to keep her panic to a minimum, but all she could think about was how defenseless they were in the little shuttle. "I imagine the ship yards are building ships to be used against them..." Richter responded. "...this raid is exactly what I would do. Hell, the moon is in an orbit furthest from Mars, they probably never expected this to happen at this time. The Martians must have one devil of a commander."

A space fighter flew up to the shuttle and did a barrel role to the other side, revealing the pilot in the cockpit. "Civilian shuttle, leave the combat zone immediately. It's not safe out here!" Suddenly a Martian war machine descended from above. It's large foot crushing the cockpit. It kicked off sending the fighter into a flat spin; firing a burst from it's assault rifle making the craft explode. The shock of the explosion made the shuttle wobble as it's thrusters fired trying to stabilize it's coarse. "Mierda! Mierda!" Isabella cried out as she struggled with the controls. "Look out!" Richter pointed.

The shuttle flew up and over a large ship that almost ran right into them. It's anti-air batteries were burning hot, firing rounds in every direction. The ship seemed like it was trying to escape. One of the Martian war machines armed with a bazooka, maneuvered around the hostile ship and fired rocket after rocket into it's engine cluster, explosions making them fizzl out. A second war machine flew fast from below. Too close for the anti-air batteries to get a lock on it. After reaching it's desired height, it flipped backwards and aimed it's artillery rifle down at the ship and fired. The shell ripped through the ceiling of the bridge and blew inside. The bridge structure burst with many hot glowing holes, the sudden decompression crushed the bridge like a tin can causing an explosion. The large ship started to sink backward as smoking flames roared in space.

Richter couldn't help but watch with amazement. "You know if we make it out of this, instead of building another ship, we should import some of these devil machines. We would be unstoppable." Isabella kept his eyes forward, flying the shuttle. "Let's focus on the getting out part, shall we?" Richter continued. "Imagine the free empire we could build for ourselves. A place with no corporations to exploit us, no pirates to threaten us. A place where children could be safe, our children." Isabella looked at him with a serious, yet soft look. "....our children?...." Richter smiled. "But let's focus on the getting out part, shall we?" He returned his gaze to the fighting outside.

A space fighter darted through space, thrusters firing making it hard to target, the pilot grimaced at the g-forces of his velocity as his targeting computer zeroed in on it's objective. He ran his finger down a line of buttons and pulled the trigger on his control. The space fighter burst into a cloud of smoke, unleashed a hail of missiles. A dozen of the warheads lanced out and danced in space to the Martian war machine armed with a bazooka and a shield. With a manipulation of it limbs it shifted in space to face the threat. A cascading wave of explosions engulfed the machine as it tried to shoot down the missiles with its head mounted machine guns. When the fire and smoke cleared, the damaged war machine drew an ax from the twisted and useless shield and fired it's thrusters, charging the space fighter head on with it's single glowing eye blaring. The machine buried the ax into the fighter sending it flat spinning through space.

In the distance two space fighter dance around another of the war machines, firing their cannons. The one eyed machine took fire from the nimble thruster strewn fighters as it returned fire with its assault rifle. Sparks flew and bullets pocked the armor of the war machine. It suddenly reached behind it's back and drew two stick grenades, tossing them above it. The grenades came to life with thrusters, following the direction of the war machines targeting computer, and careened into and destroyed one of the fighters in a fireball explosion. The other space fighter fired it's main engines and took off with the Martian war machine in hot pursuit, it's single eye shifting left and right, scanning the stars.

The shuttle made it back to the Queen's Glory and the pirate couple were relieved to learn that there ship was untouched by the chaos. They couldn't get out of the airlock before they were accosted by their panic stricken lovable crew. "Cap'm, by the eye of Jupiter we thought you got captured." Richter saw that many of the crew had armed themselves to a ridiculous degree. "We were going to go to Luna and save you!" They clambered about them with a sense of relief, one of the smaller men even hugging his captain.

"Easy now everyone, you should all know by now, it would take more then that to slow us down!" Richter smiled at his crew's warm welcome. One of his bridge crew put a hand on his shoulder. "Cap'm, it's good to see you, but we need to get the hell from here, before those Martians turn their attention to us!" Richter smiled at him and gave him a reassuring look. "Fear not friends. If they wanted to destroy this ship, they would have already. I wager our Jovian Merchant transponder is what protected us. They're after military targets." Many of the men looked relieved at the idea. "If it's all the same though..." Richter continued. "...I would like to leave the Earth Sphere at best possible speed."

It was a restful three week journey back to the Jupiter sphere as the Queen's Glory plowed through warp space. As soon as they were within range to send a delayed message they did. Informing the Icarus Society that they had completed their mission. Richter felt it wise to keep his thoughts to himself, particularly on how it was odd that the Hyper City forces seemed to know who they were, and were waiting. After delivering the stealth technology to it's new owners; Richter and Isabella resolved to get paid and sever ties with this group, whom they have grown to distrust.

Richter walked onto the bridge, his long coat flapping behind him. "Report!" He called out. The helmsmen looked down at him from his position, Isabella was behind him sitting in Richter's command chair. "We have reached the rendezvous point, there is already a ship here waiting for us." The helmsmen called out. Isabella stood to let her captain take his place and she stepped forward, next to the large wheel clutched by the helmsmen. Richter grabbed his silver pocket watch; the lid flipping open and play it's music. Isabella smiled at it's use. "hrm...they're early." He looked up at the ship in the distance, it could barely be made out.

The radar operator looked up from his station. "Something is wrong, the transponder is not the Icarus." Richer rested his elbow on the arm rest and planted his cheek against a closed fist. "What are the odds we run into a random ship at this time. Maybe it's a representative they sent in their stead." Isabella was leaning on the rail as she narrowed her eyes, focusing on the ship as it became more defined. Her eyes shot open wide as she suddenly became animated with energy. "All hands, action stations!" She threw out her hand barking the command. "Weapons at the ready!" Richter was jolted by the sudden outburst and stood to attention as the lights went low, a siren blared across the Queen's Glory. "What do you see?" He demanded. Richter knew full well that Isabella would not have called action stations on a hunch and trusted her instincts implicitly. Suddenly "Radar contact! Three more vessels, they were hiding in the lead ship's sensor shadow!"

The unknown ship sailed forth, another appeared, slowly drifting to her right, another behind that one and so on. The four ships shifted their line for optimal firing solutions. Gun turrets turning and tracking their target. It was the lead ship that acted first, a series of hatches flipped open in rapid succession revealing warheads. The missiles fired off from the ship in a hail, the warheads spreading out and closing the distance between the group of ships and the Queen's Glory. The pirate ship responded with a hail of anti-air gun battery fire, flairs launching away from the ship. The missiles veered off coarse and exploded around the Queen's Glory, but instead of balls of fire, they burst with dense smoke.

The radar officer called out. "Blinders! Lost contact with last known positions of targets!" Richter threw out his arm. "Hard to Starboard now!" He knew if he lost them, they would have lost him and expected a volley from their big guns, which came right on time.

Large caliber rounds cut through the smoke field, opening holes left by their velocity trails. As the Queen's Glory shifted to the right, she was struck by many rounds that pocked and bounced off of her armor. Small muffled explosions rolled off the large frigate as more rounds punched through her solar sails. Isabella called out. "Full speed into the blinders, maneuver around to their left!" The pair, captain and first mate worked as one, they were a complimentary team. "Hold fire until we're clear!" Richter shouted over the din.

The commander of this ad hoc mercenary fleet leaned forward in his chair, watching the four ships fire blindly into the smoke field. "Prepare to advance through the field. They will be trying to flee, out numbered such as they are." "Sir, look!" One of his men shouted as he turned to look to his left. A deep shadow was forming in the cloud, it looked demonic, large with dragon like wings emerging from the ether. The Queen's Glory suddenly burst from the clouds, her triple guns firing. The rail gun rounds darted through space and punched right into the left most ship, explosions ripping apart the smaller vessel. He shuttered, he did not expect the pirates to stand and fight. "To all ships, turn hard to port, fire at will!"

The bridge of the Queen's glory rocked as panels burst, smoke hanging in the air. "Maintain fire on that vessel, knock it out of the fight!" Richter order. The thunderous sound of the ship's triple guns reverberating throughout the ship. The weapon's officer called back. "Maintaining firing solution on enemy ship, missiles away!"

As the Queen's Glory sailed forward, taking fire from the three still active ships. The triple guns fired, one after the other, the second deck of triple guns followed, again one after the other, laying down a steady volume of hail on the now burning ship, the final shot causing an explosion that split the target in half. Missiles fired in a massive volley from the upper deck battery. The white trails intermingled with a return volley of missiles as the Queen's Glory of the mercenaries battered each other in a circus of ribbon like smoke trails and explosions.

Much to the shock of the mercenaries the Queen's Glory was heading right at them. Such was the difference between mercs and pirates, mercenaries wanted to live to get paid, pirates went all in just to feed themselves and so the aggression of this fight was off balance. In what started as a surprise attack against a victim, turned into a fight to stay alive against a predator for the hired fighters.

The Queen's Glory crossed paths with one of the ships that got too close, their respective turrets turned and fired. As the two ships slugged it out at a broad side, even their anti-air batteries were let loose. A cacophony of destruction between the two erupted. Both ships peppered and ripped to pieces as hull breaches ruptured, crewmen twirling through space to meet a sailor's end.

Isabella picked herself off the floor after being thrown by an explosion, She felt pain throughout her body and couldn't move her left arm. Blood trickled from her bandanna. Richter was on the lower level of the bridge directing the weapons officer and his teams throughout the ship. It was then they were struck again, and hard. Power relays burst in succession down a bank of stations, sending crew to the floor crying out in pain.

Richter saw this coming and grabbed the weapons officer by the collar and threw him to safety. "Get down!" He shouted as the station exploded behind him, sending the captain to the floor hard, his coat ripped and burning. "Cap'm!" Crewmen rushed to his aid and put out the fire. Isabella saw this and her heart sank, she wanted to go down there but needed to focus on the battle, it's what Richter would have ordered her to do. She hit a button. "Doctor to the bridge, the captain as been hurt!" Realizing the weapons station was shot and the gun crews were now uncoordinated she looked to the one station she could use. "Helm! Ship ahead, ramming speed, rip those fuckers apart!"

The mercenary ship tried to turn away, firing her guns at the approaching burning beast of a ship. The Queen's Glory bared down on her, smoke and fire rising from different sections, her once golden solar sails ripped and burned, loosing their luster. The bridge crew of the mercenaries panicked as the armored bow ram of the Queen's Glory struck them hard, it's sharp point punching right into them. The remaining mercenary ship watched in horror as their compatriot ship was carried away, bursting with explosions. They could hear the yells of panic and please for help over the comms.

The captain turned the audio off. He looked around his damaged bridge and made a quick assessment. The Queen's Glory rolled onto her side, burning and battered, and he was in little shape to keep fighting. "Fuck it, helm, get us out of here. This went sideways fast." His first officer looked to him. "What about the mission? How are we going to get paid?" The captain grunted as his ship turned away. "Don't worry, the Queen's Glory is dead in space. They're not going anywhere. We say we killed them, collect the money." "Suppose they come back? Make it out somehow?" The first officer pressed. The captain frowned. "I hear Earth is nice this time of year."

Isabella coughed, lifting debris from a fallen crewmen who looked up at her gratefully. She held her limp arm against her stomach and looked around, seeing a cluster of crewmen where Richter had fallen. She rushed over. "Doctor, how is he!?" She ordered a response, walking up to them on uneasy legs. They looked up at her with sullen and smoky faces, some even brought to tears. Her heart sank as she started to breath heavy. "Someone speak to me!" Laying on the floor of the smashed bridge was Captain Richter Black, surrounded by his loyal crew. The doctor looked at her with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think it was bad at first, but shrapnel from the explosion pierced him in several locations." Isabella's amber eyes widened, the whites lighting up her face as her lip quivered. Her face went through a range of emotions, she started to hyperventilate as the crew stood, bracing themselves for what she was about to do. Her eyes suddenly glazed over and her tall frame started to teeter forward. The last thing Isabella Cortes remembers from that day, was her men rushing to catch her.

Days had passed since the attack, the crew had been hard a work to dislodge the Queen's Glory from the wreckage of the mercenary ship, and patch up what they could with what they had. In the cargo bay of the ship were laid rows of tarps, each one covering the distinct shape of a fallen crew member. The bay was constantly filled with people who were not working to pay their respects and morn. A man cried over a tarp as another rested a hand on his shoulder. "Why wasn't it me, ....Emma." Not far was a collection of crew with drinks, one pouring the contents of their shared bottle onto a tarp. To one end, raised on a table was a lone tarp, draped over this was a tattered long navel coat. Gifts of trinkets and other personal effects were given to the fallen captain.

Isabella was on her knees before the table. She sat in silence, her arm in a sling as she just stared off into space, swimming in her own thoughts. She produced the silver pocket watch and opened it. She felt the pain of sorrow as the music started to play. She had seen that the watch was broken, the glass cracked and the arms had stopped moving, time, days, weeks, months, frozen now. It crossed her mind that it broke when Richter was killed. The watch stopped the very moment she lost him, the very moment of his death, the very moment she lost her heart. Frozen in time.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as her breath stuttered, her eyes changed from sorrow to angry, then a burning fury. She thought of the Icarus Society, how they treated Richter, her love, like he was disposable, a light snuffed out like a discarded candle. "No..." She hissed under her breath. "....no, you will not get away with this...." She breathed her fury deeply. "...from hell's heart, I stab at thee, for hate's sake, I spit my last breath, at thee." She invoked a curse on those that plagued her mind and she slowly stood, closing the watch and turned away form Richter. Eye's burning with a new foreboding passion. "I curse thee, to hell with them all. I swear this."

Suddenly she felt something draped over her shoulders, it was Richter's navel coat and when she turned; thinking for a split second it was him, she found some of the crew, just as battered as her. The one that placed the coat over her shoulder looked up at her respectfully. "What are your orders, cap'm?" Isabella looked over the men and women of the Queen's Glory, who must have felt just as she did. Her face slowly turn stiff, robotic like in it's resolve. "Revenge." She uttered.

The gathered pirate's muttering started to rise as they started to chant "Cor-tes! Cor-tes! Cor-tes!" Isabella looked over her battered and beaten crew. Her amber eyes slowly fading to a pair of bright burning lights as the soft lines of her beautiful face turned to the engraved skull face plate, her reflection looking back at her.

Captain Cortes of the Queen's Revenge studied herself in the mirror, clasping the last buckle. She looked back at her bed seeing the passed out naked forms of the four girls. With a frown she threw her tattered long coat over her shoulders and left her quarters. There was still much work to do.

End Episode 5