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[Since people seem to be reading these, I shall continue!]

"The typical Aridanian dreadnought's main armaments consist of fifty-three 'Thor' class high-yield nuclear explosives, roughly one-thousand heat seeking 'Raven' missiles, and either one or two Mass Driver cannons of differing caliber and ammunition reserves, along with a variety of secondary ballistic defense systems, including chain guns and plasma batteries designed to take out small-range fighters launched from enemy carrier ships or a nearby enemy base."- Aridanian Fleet Training Manual, page 534

Chapter 2

Jackson patched a call through to the home planet of Aridan, informing the High Council of the recent attack by Rhodean forces. As he waited for the connection to be established, he ordered the Ensign to gather a damage report, and the casualties to both him and the medical bay. Jackson then heard a sudden beeping noise, signalling the High Council was on the line. Turning around, he quickly began to explain the situation.

"Things have made a turn for the worse, High Priests of the Council." said Jackson. "We were recently boarded by the Rhodean vessel 'Sword of Damocles', but we thwarted their assault. The numbers of their dead are numbered at seventy-nine, sirs. In turn, however, we only suffered light injury."

The High Council gazed at him inquisitively, and the audio transmission finally caught up to them on the Aridanian home-planet thousands of light-years away. Shaking his serpentine head slowly, the Head Chancellor focused his weary eyes on the screen, and responded solemnly.

"We are good friends of the Rhodeans. Your attack was unjustified, and the dismissal of your crew is nigh. Abandon the Frej now, as you are hereby banished from Aridanian soil, and, consequently, Rhodean soil. Refusal to comply will lead to the deaths of you and your crew".

"How can you dismiss us? We were defending our lives! We are all loyal Aridanians and you just send us into exile? You worthless sacks of shit, I swear I'll-"

The link was suddenly cut short. Jackson stared at the blank holo-projector with an indescribable feeling of anger. He felt like a lost cub or a soldier behind enemy lines, and he most certainly was. He felt betrayed, and worst of all, he was trapped on a border-world between two of the strongest empires in the known universe. It felt as if an overbearing weight was being placed on his shoulders, with pressure being added as the seconds ticked by.

They needed to find an out.

Medical Bay of the ADV Frej

Dominik rushed through the open hatch, desperate to escape his pursuers. Thankfully, all of the crew of the Frej had been grouped in that damned cafeteria, the area where many good furs-and friends, had been charred and burned against the murderous bolts of Aridanian plasma. He had no time to mourn the dead; he needed to escape...now. He ran through the vessel, towards the ever increasing humming of the massive rear engines. His goal was clear now, to escape. Salvation awaited him at the rear. The escape pods awaited him.

Armory of the ADV Frej

Ensign McCormick brought the massive weapons-cart through the entrance hatch to the armory, and began to place the arms as they were originally organized in the racks. Rifles, carbines, pistols, and other assorted weapons were inspected, cleaned, and then lined up with careful regard to the established layout. McCormick stepped out of the walled-in armory, and hastily proceeded back to the bridge for his next assignment from Jackson.

"'Bout damned time" muttered Dominik under his breath, and advanced with carbine drawn down the hallway. He slinked into the unlocked armory door, walked to the shelves, and gathered as many grenades that could fit onto his belt. He also swapped out his carbine for a Loki Heavy Pistol, with appropriate munitions. Slinging the carbine over his back and with Loki drawn, he proceeded to sneak forward through the corridor, aware of any footsteps or unusual noises coming from the many rooms on both sides of the corridor. He was one step closer to freedom.

Bridge of the ADV Frej

Jackson reached to his console and pressed-with a long claw-the button responsible for activating the intercom system. Clearing his throat, he began to explain their situation

"The Aridanian High Council has deserted us. They have cast us into exile, and deny that the 'Sword of Damocles' attacked us, and proclaimed us liars. As of right now, we are slowly being hunted by the bastards of both Aridania and Rhodea. But do not think of yourselves as traitors, for we are anything but! This planet below us, New Bornen, is our refuge for the time being. We will wait for any vessels that dare test a strike against our mighty ship, and we shall strike them down. We make our stand here."

Stepping away from the console, he could already hear the sounds of hundreds of hands clapping, the noise of warriors accepting their leader's speech, his orders. He knew now that they would follow him to the edge, and that is exactly what he is planning to do. As the minutes ticked by, servicefurs came and went, inquiring about his plans. Jackson would only reassure them, as he formulated a master strategy to take on two of the strongest empires in the known universe.

Near the Life Support Systems on the ADV Frej

Dominik clutched the pistol, hands shaking ever so slightly. The reverberations from the massive engines that propelled the Frej were becoming more fierce by the second, and he could almost taste his freedom. He knew, or at least he thought he was being chased, but he had not seen another soul for the past hour.

"Damn them, why is this ship so confusing?" Dominik said, releasing the question into the hostile air.

"Who's there!?" came a response from down the hall Dominik was slowly creeping down. Out of fear, he blindly rushed into the closest room he could find, which happened to house one of the numerous oxygen supply units. Thankfully, the lights were dimmed in this room, so he crept behind one of the smaller electrical boxes and awaited for the Aridanian to enter. As he waited, he took note and saw numerous pipes and tanks of oxygen, along with the necessary electronics required to run these systems.

Outside Life Support Room #4 on the ADV Frej

Ensign McCormick stood off to the side of the door leading into LSR #4. Handgun at the ready, he turned on the mounted flashlight.

"Come the hell out! I will shoot you if you do not comply with orders! Get your hands in the damn air and STAND THE FUCK UP!" ordered the ensign. As he thought, there was no response. McCormick knew that there were oxygen tanks in this room, so a stray bullet could easily cause a near-fatal loss of oxygen and potential de-pressurization of any local rooms-along with an explosion that could tear the ship in half. There was no time to call for help, he had to solve this problem.

"This is your LAST warning. I swear to the High Council that if this is a prank, Jackson will have your hide!"

Again. No response. Maybe it was just his nerves, but he felt compelled to investigate this. He saw someone, something go in there.

Readying himself by the door, he switched the flashlight's function to 'strobe' and flung himself through the entrance, handgun at the ready.

Inside Life Support Room #4 on the ADV Frej

Naturally, Dominik did not want to be captured by the damned Aridanian murderers. He was going to be quiet, so this response by lethal force didn't phase him. He ducked behind the electrical box, and waited like a coiled spring, ready to release. He dared peek his head out from cover, and saw a strobing light advancing through the doorway. Ducking back, he readied his weapon and prepared for the coming battle.

McCormick suddenly saw movement, a flash of something. Focusing his weapon on that area, he began to move forward, the daggers of light shooting forth from under the barrel of his weapon. More movement, a brief disruption in the shadow, and then searing light as a stream of plasma rushed towards him from the dark. McCormick flung himself to the unforgiving and cold floor, and crawled behind a low pipe as more plasma was directed at him. He feared for his life more during this moment than during the fiasco in the cafeteria. More plasma thudded against the pipe, the heat being transferred to his face. He knew he was outmatched, and believed this might be the end.

Bridge of the ADV Frej

"Sir, we have reports of weapon discharge in one of the oxygen-supply rooms in the aft of the ship" reported a tigress bearing the rank of Lieutenant.

"Very well. Send a group down there to investigate. Could it be possible that not all of the boarders were killed?" responded Jackson.

"That is possible, sir, but is highly unlikely seeing as-" The klaxons sounded once more. Focusing on one of the many status-indication monitors on the bridge, the ship's internal monitoring systems detected non-Aridanian personnel in the aft, along with plasma-fire.

"Well, there we go. Send a group down to that engine room, and with all due haste. I fear they may be heading for the engines." ordered Jackson.

Life Support Room #4 on the ADV Frej

Shit. That was all that ran through Dominik's mind as the sirens sounded. The noise was deafening, a ghastly wail rising and lowering in pitch ad infinitum. No matter, these bastards will pay. Dominik leaned out of cover, and fired more shots into the pipe the Aridanian was hiding behind, keeping him pinned.

"You do know that you won't survive for more than 5 minutes, you bastard!" screamed the Aridanian. Dominik could sense a tinge of uncertainty, possibly fear in his voice. This was his time to act, to run. Springing out from behind his cover, he ran headlong at the pipe, firing the stolen Loki handgun at the Aridanian's position, bullets pinging off the thick metal pipe and ricocheting wildly.

Death. Pain. Burning. These thoughts flashed through the young ensign's mind as he feared for his life. He was paralyzed from the fear, the darkness only illuminated by the life-stealing flashes of super-heated plasma, and was disheartened. A sense of rational thought flashed through him, and realized he needed to move. Get the hell out of dodge. Crawling on his stomach, he propelled himself forward, away from where his would-be murderer was aiming. He noticed he was now behind one of the larger oxygen tanks, and it reached up to the ceiling. Recollecting his thoughts, he began to formulate a plan.