Prolog: Mission To Cait

[Dkaar Zatain]

|| City Square
|| City of Dartha

Buck was listening as the plan was laid out and nodded.  "Sounds good.  We can have Ret put a shield around M'Rall, can't we?"  They needed to be certain to assure her safety.  Not only was she important to Cait, but she was a friend, and he didn't want her in too much jeopardy.  And as confident as he was in their MACO and security, it was overly risky to try something like this without a safety net.

He paused for a moment as a report came in from Ret, then frowned and looked over at Dkaar.  "Sir, Ret is reporting that three of our personnel's comm badges have gone out...Dr. Na'ambu, and Avril and Kim..."

Dkaar’s face showed nothing, but inside the fire began to smolder. “We need to find them. And we need to find them quickly.” He said almost through gritted teeth as Ressi continued.

"That would defeat the purpose of 'live bait'," Ressi replied to the XO. "The whole point of this exercise is to draw out those responsible so they can be turned..." The white furred Caitian paused for a moment, "into free floating atoms," she finished in a sweet tone. "If we make M'Rall unassailable by placing a shield around her then they will not attack if they have any kind of brain. I believe I can handle her security just fine, and we can hide some people in the crowd too, I think."

Dkaar looked at Ressi a long moment. “For the moment, this is secondary to my missing people.

"It sounds like a good plan tto me, I want to find out who is behind all this. If this is the only way then so be it. The only thing is that I don't want my family involved" M'Rall replied.

“Captain” General Tel’Pah interrupted. “I need to see you for a few moments, privately.”   

Zatain nodded and looked tho the Caitians. “Continue, please. I’ll catch up with you on this plan after I am finished with the General here.”

M'Rall moved away from the others and put her hands on the rail that curved around the dias leading to the Council hall, she frowned and snarled softly. her right hand closed with some force and bent the rail nearly snapping it off it's mounts.

"Two of my friends ae missing, right now I would sooner tear the place down and go looking for them. I've had Antoros's hospitality myself it's not pretty. It's even worse if you don't come up to his interpretation of humanity" M'Rall commnted.

She looked to Ressi and nodded and spoke softly in Caitian to her.

"You don't need to impress anyone here, be yourself, I know after fame and such it's hard. I'm not all that famous, just because I'm from a region where we didn't leave behind royal stuff and that. It's alot harder than most know. Hell my mother is a shipyard worker hardly holoview's homecoming queen as it where"

M'Rall pulled Ressi gently out of sight and quickly kissed her deeply on the lips on impulse. Perhaps it would shock Ressi out of her hard bitch image she seemed to have got herself into.

(tags)

[Wolfgaar]

|| Aboard The White Orchid
|| Far From The Retribution      

Dressed in a white tunic and black slacks, Kull walked out on the catwalk that surrounded the gaming floor, suites along the interior offering games of chance, females, males, all manner of entertainment where the curtains could be drawn for privacy. There were also some offices, as this operation required substantial management, as all affairs of this type needed, and Kull Wolfgaar had the best in the business on board. He stood at the rail and looked down on the crowd at the tables for long moment, considering them.

The events on the planet hung with him, unusual for that to happen. A kill was a kill. There had been many, perhaps too many, or not enough. The pistol shots, too many for a single person, his memory of the reports said two, perhaps more. That alone was unusual, but, cartridge weapons were still in abundant supply, he was well aware of that, and on the planet Neural   that would not be out of place. He shook the train of thought from his head and walked away from his vantage point for the staircase leading down to the gaming floor.

The tables were crowded, and that was good. The mood was light, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Some were winning, some were not, but then that was gaming, one took their chances. The idea of the ship had been a cover from the very start. But not a cover for Wolfgaar, it had been a cover for a syndicate on Atlantis, below Deep Space Seven. He smiled to himself, those had been the days, but now it was gone, just so many fragments and space dust scattered throughout the heavens. 

To Be Continued . . . .

[Ressi]

|| City Square
|| City of Dartha

M'Rall moved away from the others and put her hands on the rail that curved around the dias leading to the Council hall, she frowned and snarled softly. her right hand closed with some force and bent the rail nearly snapping it off it's mounts.

"Two of my friends are missing, right now I would sooner tear the place down and go looking for them. I've had Antoros's hospitality myself it's not pretty. It's even worse if you don't come up to his interpretation of humanity" M'Rall commented.

She looked to Ressi and nodded and spoke softly in Caitian to her.

"You don't need to impress anyone here, be yourself, I know after fame and such it's hard. I'm not all that famous, just because I'm from a region where we didn't leave behind royal stuff and that. It's alot harder than most know. Hell my mother is a shipyard worker hardly holoview's homecoming queen as it where"

M'Rall pulled Ressi gently out of sight and quickly kissed her deeply on the lips on impulse. Perhaps it would shock Ressi out of her hard bitch image she seemed to have got herself into.

"Well, if you insist who am I to say no," the white furred Caitian woman replied with an impish smirk, reaching out to snare the front of M'Rall's uniform before pulling her close and returning the kiss that M'Rall had given her with interest. "Now then we have some work to do I think," Ressi continued, her baby blue eyes locking onto M'Rall's. "First, I think you need to announce some kind of unity event with a speech and whatnot... don't you have stooges to handle such things," Ressi continued in a playful tone.

(tag M'Rall)

"I wish I had a few stooges," Ressi said wistfully, allowing her gaze to travel up and down M'Rall's frame for a moment. "You know, I think we're both just about the same size... and that will work nicely. Shall we return to the Ret to get ready for your big debut," Ressi asked playfully, arching an eyebrow. "I have more than enough choices for clothing and accessories... comes with the territory. Besides, we both need to look fabulous for certain members of your apparently murderous public," she laughed.

(tag M'Rall)

[John Stryker]

|| Senate Chambers
|| City of Dartha

“Captain” General Tel’Pah interrupted. “I need to see you for a few moments, privately.”   

Zatain nodded and looked tho the Caitians. “Continue, please. I’ll catch up with you on this plan after I am finished with the General here.”   

As they stepped away Tel’Pah said in low ones. “Stryker has some thoughts on who we could be dealing with here. Old and new names, but I’m afraid that in my experience with him, he has an uncanny habit of being correct.”

“Knowing the enemy is always good.” Zatain replied. “How long have you known Mister Stryker. Seems to be proficient at what he does.”

“I taught him at the Academy when he transferred into Intelligence, commanded him in the feild more than once. He knows what he’s about.” Tel’Pah explained as they reached the door, which he opened and allowed the Captain to enter first. Stryker was on his feet.

“As you were Mister Stryker, this will be very informal.” Dkaar stated. “What have you got?”

“The more I think about this, and based the intel I got before we arrived here, I’d say we are dealing with Antoros and . . . old friends Muren and Meddon. Which means, whatever is going on may not reflect Antoros’ true methods or mannerisms. And if I’m correct about these three, then I believe that we are dealing with the same organization we’ve been dealing with since the stop-over on Sabros Four. There is a definite connection, or I don’t know anything.”

“Why here?” Zatain asked.

“The sixty-four credit question. Who knows, other than whoever is running this show.” Stryker replied. “Perhaps it is a diversion, perhaps it is an attempt to grasp a Federation world. There have been attempts to overthrow the Federation before.”

“Yes, there have been, but this, this is simply odd.” Zatain said.

“Add to this mess here, an attack on the planet Neural that has gone basically unreported.”  Stryker added. “And what I see is something organized that is not supposed to look connected at all, but is. Very connected.”

To be continued . . . .

[M'Rall]

|| City Square
|| City of Dartha

M'Rall moved away from the others and put her hands on the rail that curved around the dias leading to the Council hall, she frowned and snarled softly. her right hand closed with some force and bent the rail nearly snapping it off it's mounts.

"Two of my friends are missing, right now I would sooner tear the place down and go looking for them. I've had Antoros's hospitality myself it's not pretty. It's even worse if you don't come up to his interpretation of humanity" M'Rall commented.

She looked to Ressi and nodded and spoke softly in Caitian to her.

"You don't need to impress anyone here, be yourself, I know after fame and such it's hard. I'm not all that famous, just because I'm from a region where we didn't leave behind royal stuff and that. It's alot harder than most know. Hell my mother is a shipyard worker hardly holoview's homecoming queen as it where"

M'Rall pulled Ressi gently out of sight and quickly kissed her deeply on the lips on impulse. Perhaps it would shock Ressi out of her hard bitch image she seemed to have got herself into.

"Well, if you insist who am I to say no," the white furred Caitian woman replied with an impish smirk, reaching out to snare the front of M'Rall's uniform before pulling her close and returning the kiss that M'Rall had given her with interest. "Now then we have some work to do I think," Ressi continued, her baby blue eyes locking onto M'Rall's. "First, I think you need to announce some kind of unity event with a speech and whatnot... don't you have stooges to handle such things," Ressi continued in a playful tone.

"Stooges, no I don't have any of them I have friends no stooges though. Chamberlin S'ven maybe a ble to help us, if we can keep the old fool from getting himself shot or something" replied M'Rall

"I wish I had a few stooges," Ressi said wistfully, allowing her gaze to travel up and down M'Rall's frame for a moment. "You know, I think we're both just about the same size... and that will work nicely. Shall we return to the Ret to get ready for your big debut," Ressi asked playfully, arching an eyebrow. "I have more than enough choices for clothing and accessories... comes with the territory. Besides, we both need to look fabulous for certain members of your apparently murderous public," she laughed.

"Hmmm so far I find innocent bystanders get hurt, that's not to happen, I've seen enough bloodshed to last me a life time. Return to the Ret, maybe but pass this through the Colonel first. It's not that I don't like the idea, but we have crew missing and I know our adversaries of old and they are not someone you want to willingly play with" M'Rall replied softly.

M'Rall snarled softly so far what she had seen of the maco's had been good but she wondered if Ressi had jumped off the deep end as the Earth saying went. She remebered something else she could nopt remember where from though.

""Tickle us, do we not laugh? Prick us, do we not bleed? Wrong us, shall we not revenge....The person who seeks revenge should first dig two graves, one for his enemy and one for himself."

M'Rall swallowed she remembered times before, things that had happened including Humans First. She sat down on the last step leading to the senate chambers. She wondered if this was turning into a personal quest one that would see the end of Antoros and Humans First. Feresa had been harmed by both time and time again she knew.

"Ahab...." M'Rall said softly.

(Ressi)

"And he piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon he would have shot his heart upon it. Captain Ahab...Moby Dick..a book from Earth. Ahab spent years hunting the white whale that crippled him; but in the end, it destroyed him and his ship. I guess he didn't know where to draw the line" M'Rall replied.

Tags:

Ressi
Dkaar

[retwriter1]

Planet Neural
City of Xanm’den

“That he was spirited off world is but a rumor, but Otaan, Otaan he knows the truth.”

“Eaan. I thank you.” Lleel replied in a soft voice. “This is the first I have heard of Kaal Eraar in many years. Other than he was dead.”

“Lleel, when this is finished here, we will go. I will help you get to Caasa Prime and we will find your answers.” Le’Shan stated with a smile. If only things could be that simple for her. If only.

“Then it’s settled. When this is finished we will go.” She responded firmly.

There was a rap on the cellar door, a very code-like rap.

All heads turned. “It is K’leda.” One of the women said as the door lifted. And several armed men came down the stairs.

“As I feared, the weather has worsened and the invaders are increasingly cautious.” K’leda said as they shook of the water from the rains. “They aren’t so as quick to respond to every little noise. Who killed the two at the end of the street? Any idea?”

“These two. They saved this child, Magra, her mother is dead, so we have another orphan to care for.”  Urich answered.

“Good! The more of them that die the better.” Another said.

“I was getting these something warm to eat and drink, will you join them then?” Urich asked.

“Yes yes. Please, drink would be good.” K’leda responded. “I can’t say you picked a good time to join the frey, but neither did the Hirogen.”

“No time is good, but this, with the weather, seems to bode well for us as opposed to them.” Lleel observed. “Their heavy machines aren’t designed for soggy ground.”

“It is the caldara season, we will see rain for the next two or three phases. Poor planning I’m afraid, and it is costing them dearly. I am J’soeph. Welcome.” One of the men said.

“Lleel Raak. And my friend L’Shan Qaad.” Lleel introduced.


To be continued . . . .   

[Kim]

|| Planet Ferasa (Cait)
|| City of Dartha
||Under the City

Avril looked around. “I doubt this is the final destination, remember, they said there was one of them that needed to be treated. I don’t see anyone but us and them.” She said still standing. “Hey! Can we get some water here?”

Kim winced as Avril's voice echoed through the room, hoping that her friend didn't anger their captors.  Not that she wasn't willing to put up a fight, but it would have to be when the time was right, and provoking the men didn't seem to be a wise idea.  Of course, when she thought on it, she was thirsty, that was certain, but that was the least of their worries.

"I don't think they can hear us through these walls," Safiya observed, but then she shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest.  "I hope they'll just let us go if I cooperate."  Not that she believed it for a moment, but they had to trust in something.

"They let us see them, though," Kim murmured, jumping slightly as the door opened and two of the Caitains stepped in.

"You," one indicated Safiya, "come."  Then he held out a canteen to Avril.  "You will get food later."  With that, he grasped the doctor by the arm and yanked her from the room, closing the door behind them.

TAG
AVRIL

[Honor Heminway]

|USS Retribution
|Hanger Bay

“Hey, no one likes the waiting. I’d rather be out there taking them on if that’s what they have in mind.” Kelm replied. "Safiy’s down there, thought she’d get away from the work. Guess it found her. But we’re supposed to meet up when I get off duty and have a nice quiet dinner for a change. Maybe take in the local night life, unless what happened shuts down shore leave.”

"Likely," Honor mumbled, grinning.  "When do we ever get a decent shore leave?  Last time I remember was Sobros before it all went bad!"  She glanced over as the flight controller shouted for Kelm.

"Hey!  Rethn, you hang around with the ACMO, don't you?" the ensign called.  "Word just came that she and those waitresses from Boomers were kidnapped!"

TAG
KELM

[retwriter1]

 
|| Planet Ferasa (Cait)
|| City of Dartha
||Town Square

Alyn was heading back toward the buildings with Loc Maw and the other MACO's when the explosion hit.  She heard it only an instant before she was lifted off her feet and tossed into the air.  The surge of energy burst through her head, wiping away the thought that it was going to hurt when she landed.  An instant later, she slammed into something soft, although her head smacked the pavement, so that it took a few moments for her struggle to her hands and knees to look around and take stock.

Bobby raised back up. “Gods! This is no attack on us! The street is littered with dead and wounded!” He shouted down to the others. “Need medical attention quickly out there. Alyn and Captain Maw are down.”

Mang looked up. "We got ‘em!” She shouted back. “Jayce, Gina with me!” And she ran for the open portal at the front of the building, The other two on their heels. When she stepped into the sunlight she was stunned by the carnage in the square. This was no attack, not at all, something had gone horribly wrong.

“Oh Gods!” Gina said as she left the building and stopped on the porch surveying the scene. “Alyn? You alright girl? Captain Maw, Sir?”

Jayce was stunned at the sight, his arms dropping to his side as a sign of helplessness, but in an instant the phaser rifle was at the ready as he scanned for trouble.

"Perfect..."  Alyn nodded again, then took a deep breath.  "We need to help...start organizing, get triage areas set up."  Ignoring any pains she had, and the cut that was oozing blood down her forehead, Alyn looked around again then looked back at Jayce.  "We should get Doctor Masterson, then start sorting the victims by severity..."  They would have to work with the locals, of course, but they would need all the resources they could get.  "We should find out about using our Sickbay for some of the more severely injured...take some of the pressure off local resources..."

“Roger that Alyn, we’re on it!” Mang said, then; They’ll want a triage set up and fast! G-Rod, right flank, sort the most serious first. Jayce, left flank I’ll take dead ahead, let’s get to it people!”

"Ah, that's my Mang! Give them orders Sarge!" Jayce said moving to his assigned area.

Mang glared over her shoulder. "Put a sock in it MACO!" Then she smiled hurrying to help.

Cam was working on the injured on the inside when he was told what was happening outside.  He looked at one of the Caitain healers and smiled.  "If you guys can handle what is going on in here, I can go out and take care of the injured on the outside."

The doc nodded. knowing that the outside was probably going to be worse than in here.

Cam got up, grabbing a medkit that they had been provided when they started working on the injured inside and went to find Dkaar or Buck.  "Sir, I'm going outside to help the MACO's with the injured out there."

“Alyn? Where do you want these that can move on their own?” G-Rod called out holding a woman up that was cut up pretty bad, but able to walk.”

“Yo! Need med support here! Got a limb missing! Jayce called out as he used his belt as a tourniquet. He looked up to see the faint shimmer of blue light that would evolve into a med team. He looked to the porch as Zatain stepped out and shouted to them

Zatain nodded, then turned and headed for the portal and the street. “People,” he shouted, “Sickbay is standing by for the most serious. Doctor Cameron, make the decisions, and get them up there. A med team is beaming down to assist.”

With that they materialized as the CO went back inside, a second group beamed down greeted by one doctor and the MACO’s rendering first aid. “Sir, Lieutenant McCafferty reporting.”

TAG
CAM
ALYN

[John Stryker]

|| Senate Chambers
|| City of Dartha

“Perhaps it is a diversion, perhaps it is an attempt to grasp a Federation world. There have been attempts to overthrow the Federation before.”

“Yes, there have been, but this, this is simply odd.” Zatain said.

“Add to this mess here, an attack on the planet Neural that has gone basically unreported.”  Stryker added. “And what I see is something organized that is not supposed to look connected at all, but is. Very connected.”   

“You ever think it was an accident? That just maybe that explosion was to happen some place else?” Stryker asked, his mind thinking of Kim, Avril and the Doctor. “Sir, those that were taken, I believe there was a reason, and that was the doc. She might be needed o fix up one of them.”

“Yes that’s possible, very possible.” Tel’Pah agreed.

“I think if kidnaping was the sole intent, they would want more that females. No offense gentlemen, but we all know how troublesome women can be. And I would think they would have went for senior officers, if kidnaping was the intent. I tend to side with -“

“Excuse the intrusion gentlemen, but if you’re discussing the abducted parties, too many things about all this make little or no sense. I overheard you remarks Mister Stryker, wasn’t it? The women were taken for an exact purpose. Caitians are seldom if ever random.” S’Rataur interrupted, closing the door behind him. “Afraid I am of little use when it comes to panicked Senators, or the seriously wounded.. Now why? That, for the moment, is anybodies guess. But there is a good reason.”

“Well we need to get them back.” Stryker said flatly

To be continued . . . .

[retwriter1]

Retribution Bridge

=^=Shuttles will be arriving and departing at seventeen, eighteen and nineteen hundred hours. Retribution out.=^=

“Let them evaluate that for a while. Now Helm!” The sudden response to the correction had just enough of a jerk to sell the idea, or so Jera hoped, as there were bound to be some upset crewmen. Now, get the forensic team down there as the Captain ordered.” =^=Sickbay, stand by to receive serious wounded.=^=Either way, he made a decision. =^=Weapons, load all photon torpedoes arrays and stand by to manually fire on my command.=^=

=^=Weapons aye, Sir.=^=

=C= Commander, the seriously injured are arriving in sick bay. Computer out.=C=

Jera looked up, “Thank you computer. Weapons, communication, keep feeding data to the torpedo crews, we will initially launch manually, bring weapons on line and deploy. The momet the make a move, I want the fighter cover launched and the first volley. Helm, when we fire begin evasive maneuvers, bring up the shields to give weapons time. Clear?”

“Aye Sir!” Came the crew’s reply.

“Good, we’ll want to return the ship to the Colonel the way we received it.” Jera replied, hands behind his back as he paced the bridge looking at the view screen.

To be continued . . . .

[retwriter1]

||Planet Ferasa (Cait)
||Beyond the City of Dartha
||Hideout ~ Nine Point One Hours Later

=^=S’leen here, we have captured a doctor and two others of use as hostages. Or whatever your pleasure is. “N’Traan is severly wounded we will take them to the city of Kalla where he waits aid, that, and it will be away from your refuge.=^=

=^=And how exactly did you manage to take exactly what you needed? And why the other two?=^= Antros asked. Muren and Tion listened intently to the conversation.

=^=It was accidental. They were following the crowd from the square to the Regional Guard barracks when we spotted them.=^= S’leen responded. =^=There was a man, but R’gaar clubbed him and our escape was without incident. The women would be easier to deal with.=^=

Antros smiled. At least this one was thinking. And hostages might just come in handy. =^=Proceed and contact me when you have reached your destination.=^=

=^=Yes sir. Consider it done.=^= With that the connection was broken. Antros turned to his accomplices. “Perhaps a stroke of luck.”

“Perhaps. But knowing the crew of the Retribution, perhaps not.” Tion stated. “If they can track their compatriots, we had best have an ambush in place, or they will kill everyone there to retrieve their friends. Believe me, I know them well.”

“So you say, but I believe that we have little to fear. Though I would like to turn that incident in the market place against Starfleet somehow.”

Muren smiled. “As would we.” T’Zran and V’dralln simply listened and watched, surprised Antros accepted the disagreement of these two off-worlders. But then, Antros was an off-worlder.

“Wait.” Meddon said. “What they have is a Vicarian Razorback by the tail! The crew of that ship is relentless!”

“But they have three of their people and that gives us the edge.” Muren argued, Antros merely listening.

“Fool! We’ve had the edge, the advantage, the superior numbers at ever encounter and they have beaten us every time!” Meddon nearly screamed. “If we don’t want them in our laps we had best make use of the captives, for whatever reason they were taken, and get them back safely.”

“What? Admit defeat?” Antros asked.

“No, there is no need to fight them and their wrath over three women.” Meddon responded. “Remember, on Sabros Four? They brought that starship to tree top level to rescue their people,” he paused and looked to both of the men, “you want the Retribution on this roof top?”

“Tree top level? Hmm, who ever was in command is a man after my own heart.” Antros said with a smile. “I can see your point and no three women are worth this risk, at least not right now.”

To be continued . . . .

[retwriter1]

|| Planet Ferasa (Cait)
|| City of Dartha
||Under the City

"I hope they'll just let us go if I cooperate."  Not that she believed it for a moment, but they had to trust in something.

“Yah, that could happen.” Avril stated somewhat sarcastically. She would like to believe that, but down deep it was a stretch to think they would do that willingly.

"They let us see them, though," Kim murmured, jumping slightly as the door opened and two of the Caitains stepped in.

"You," one indicated Safiya, "come."  Then he held out a canteen to Avril.  "You will get food later."  With that, he grasped the doctor by the arm and yanked her from the room, closing the door behind them.

Avril walked over and took the canteen. “Thanks.” She said to the back of the caitians head. She watched the door close and then turned back toward Kim, extending the canteen as she walked. “Well, water and food to come. Progress. Now, yes, they let us see them, but do you honestly think we could give an accurate description of them to anybody? One that would make sense? Here, drink up.”

TAG
KIM

[Kelm Rethn]

|USS Retribution
|Hanger Bay

“Maybe take in the local night life, unless what happened shuts down shore leave.”

"Likely," Honor mumbled, grinning.  "When do we ever get a decent shore leave?  Last time I remember was Sobros before it all went bad!"  She glanced over as the flight controller shouted for Kelm.

"Hey!  Rethn, you hang around with the ACMO, don't you?" the ensign called.  "Word just came that she and those waitresses from Boomers were kidnapped!"

Kelm’s head shot around. “What?” He turned toward the flight controller. “Don’t be jerkin’ me around!” Cold fear ran through him. A kidnapping was never a simple thing, never something that one could deal with easily, like a injury. No, having someone kidnapped meant the possibility of never seeing them again, and Kelm was not about to accept that. “I need to get down there!”

TAG
BARBARA
HONOR

[Wolfgaar]

|| Aboard The White Orchid
|| Far From The Retribution      

The tables were crowded, and that was good. The mood was light, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Some were winning, some were not, but then that was gaming, one took their chances. The idea of the ship had been a cover from the very start. But not a cover for Wolfgaar, it had been a cover for a syndicate on Atlantis, below Deep Space Seven. He smiled to himself, those had been the days, but now it was gone, just so many fragments and space dust scattered throughout the heavens.
   
It was that thought that brought a vision to mind, The face of the most beautiful woman he had ever known, aside from his sister Meka and his Mother. For just a moment he thought of her and smiled. True, he was free of her now, now that he knew she was dead, but, for the first time since Nerioum II Lleel had crossed his mind and he was sure it was not the last.

He made his way to the floor and admired the opulence of the place, no matter how many times he saw it. He often wished for some of the help he’d had on Caasa Prime, but, those days were long gone. The men and women he had on board now were hand selected from hundreds of applicants. There were one hundred thirty-six of them. All capable with table games or weapons depending on the game. Several, twenty four, were pilots. An army, a privet army, loyal to the last man.

Women of all races and species, dressed in their finest. Gentlemen of all types, elegant in their attire as well. Some in uniforms, most not, and most were not military, but there were those from several governments. The rule was clear, no politics. No rivalries. No arms. Or, Be’tor would settle the differences. The rule seemed to work well.

He moved between the tables and his guests with practiced ease, a warm smile, an occasional nod. If there was royalty on the floor it was in the form of Captain Kull Wolfgaar. Pausing at a roulette table he watch the wheel spin and the ball drop in, the sound of pistol shots echoing in his mind.

To Be Continued . . . .