"It's farewell from me"

The Liberator had been hit, the aliens blasting their lasers in such a heavy arsenal that it was damaging the ship to the extent the auto-repair systems would no longer cope with.

Zen Computer, the very living life-force of the Liberator blurted out its last informative status of the ships current condition.

"damage to the auto repair circuits ana navigational system is now complete...the teleport malfunction is now total..."

Roj Blake, the so-called freedom-fighting leader of the rabble from Earth fell to his knees in the corridor, the white hexagonal tube lights flashing as the lights dimmed, the ship was draining of power.

"we..we can't leave...we must see this through...to the end, like we said!"

Blake's words were bitter, but he also winced in pain from the injury sustained to him from the now dead Travis aboard Star One.

Jenna Stannis crouched down to his side and lifted his chin with her fingers, "Blake..come on..we have to go...don't you see we have done all we can"

Vila Restal's somewhat panic-laced voice came over the tannoil, "Avon...the life capsules are still operational, let's get out while we still can...Avon!"

Vila had sounded desperate and the explosions rocked the ship further. Both Blake and Jenna made eye contact, then both looked round to see Kerr Avon and the telepath Cally appear from around the corner.

Avon looked at Blake on his knees, "you can prayer all you like Blake...but with religion being outlawed, you've got no one else so save you but yourself"

Blake shook his head and looked up at him, "I'd rather die here upon the Liberator then just to run and to give it all up", he spat.

Avon looked like he didn't care either way, "You are a fool Blake...do what you feel you have to do...but I'm saving my neck!"

With that, Avon was gone, Cally went to go after him and paused, she turned to Jenna, "are you coming?"

Jenna stared back at her, then turned to Blake, she shook her head, "I'm with Blake..."

Cally managed a smile as the disabled ship took yet another hit, "good luck..to both of you"

"COME ON CALLY!", came Avon's cry over the tannoil. Cally had to smile to herself, the only reason why he was hurrying her along was because she had the brilliant super-computer Orac in her grasp, if she hadn't, she would've have been on her own...

With a parting nod, she went along her way dodging the falling wires and innards the ship was starting to sprew out into the corridors.

Zen rang out again.

"Confirmation has now been accepted...computers recommend immediate evacuation by life capsule..."

Jenna pushed her hair out of her eyes and turned to Blake, she had to be gentle, "we can't stay Blake...you must see that..."

Blake smiled and shook his head coming to his senses, "I'm a stubborn fool...I've always have been...will you help me to stand?"

Jenna nodded and grabbed his arm, she managed to get him upright, with one of Blake's arms held around her neck the other on the damaged wall. Another shockwave hit the ship.

Smoke and heat poured out from the wires hanging over their heads as they struggled up the corridor. Jenna helped Blake into the life capsule cell, the others if seemed had departed only moments before them.

The ship rocked further as Jenna shifted to the pod and opened the slide hatch, Blake, who was looking delirious now, leaned on the side, she grabbed him and maneuvered him to a position where he could just roll in.

She planted a firm kiss on his dry lips, "good luck...I'm sure your cause will win out in the end...", she said sadly.

Blake managed a smile as he saw her face disappear as the hatch slid shut.

And within seconds the capsule was jettisoned from the Liberator.

Blake couldn't see much around him, all he knew that the capsule was taking him further and further away out of the War Zone. He just hoped that they were all too of a small target to bring down.

Blake closed his eyes, his wound was still agony. The pain making him pass out as the medication and pain relief was starting to wear off.

He didn't know for how long he had been out of it for, because when he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the life capsule.

He was somewhere else...

2: CHAPTER TWO

"Life goes on"

Blake was indeed elsewhere, he was lying on a soft leather bunk. The ceiling above was brightly lit and the walls were metallic grey. He sat up, he felt quite dazed and his wound that was still bandaged felt numb.

He looked down to see that his weapon had gone, but thankfull his only link to the Liberator, his teleport bracelet, was still around his wrist.

He tried to have a guess of how many hours had passed since the evacuation of the ship, by his stubble growth more than a few hours.

He rose his wrist to his mouth and spoke, "...this is Blake, Liberator are you receiving me? If you are, I am safe and well. Zen, you are instructed to begin a search and pickup program...you must..."

The door slid aside and Blake closed the channel to the link, he looked up to the female that entered, she was tightly done up in a red and green jumpsuit and brandishing a neon blaster.

"So...you are awake, then?"

Blake could detect an element of strength in her voice. He nodded and managed to utter, "where am I?"

The girl considered him, "You are on board the Saint Elsewhere...we picked you up thinking you were scrap"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you"

He then put his hand to his head feeling a bout of dizziness take hold as he moved to stand.

The girl smiled at last, "we gave you a tranqualiser, a) because we didn't know you were hostile and b) because of your injury"

Blake mustered a thankful smile, "thank you...are you incharge?"

She shook her head as she helped him stand, "no...Teral Kebal is captain...he's waiting to see you"

Blake looked at her, "what is your name?"

She smiled at him, "I am Lexa"

Blake was lead by Lexa down the short metal passage to a store area where he sighted his life capsule from the Liberator. It had been completed stripped.

There was allsorts of other bits of junk around and it was clear that these people were salvagers of somekind.

A small door slid away ahead of them, and it revealed the cramped control area. Three others sat, all male.

The lead of the three came forward cautiously, "So the stranger is awake..."

Blake stepped forward, "you must be captain Kebal...I am Roj Blake...I must thank you for..."

Kebal cut him off, "BLAKE the freedom fighter? Is it really so?"

Blake shook his head, relieved that he appeared to be amongst friends, "yes...I must thank you for rescuing me"

"It's an honour Blake! We have heard much coverage from you and the great Liberator for months...you were in the war?"

Blake sat down because his wound was playing up, "yes...we abandoned ship reluctantly, was you in the war also?"

Kebal looked at the others and back to him shaking his head, "No, no...we weren't even involved, this ship is not even armed. No, we are smugglers...but we have homed into alot of Federation distress calls and transmissions...Star-One was destroyed you know..."

Blake closed his eyes as a memory flashed before him of Jenna, "...I'm sure your cause won in the end"

"...the Federation is in disarray...there is alot of confusion going on"

Blake opened his eyes and met Kebal's, "good"

The smugglers ship the Saint Elsewhere was enroute to the planet Epheron, Blake remained with them. All around this region of space there was nothing but wreckage from the war. It was evident that the scars of the war would be seen for decades to come.

Captain Kebal informed Blake that he had smuggled a wanted a client out from the planet Tassyn for 3000 credits, he was to bring the client to Epheron where he'd be paid.

Over their drink, Blake looked up at him, acting like he had been given a hint, "...do you wish payment from me? Saving my life...I am sure I can arrange it..."

Kebal threw his hands up at him like he had been offended, "no, no...not YOU Blake...the hero of the hour, defeater of the Terran Federation..."

Blake relaxed.

"...but, I cannot keep you...on Epheron, you are to disembark"

Blake sat back and shook his head in total understanding, "yes...I am a risky cargo...", he stood and shook the smugglers hand, "...now I must sleep...goodnight"

Kebal nodded and watched Blake disappear through the doorway.

Jestal, who'd been sat at the controls watched Blake go then turned to Kebal, "do you know what this could mean?"

Kebal finished his drink and looked up to Jestal, he had a scar down the left side of his face, "What?"

"Roj Blake, freedom fighter...the reward for his capture we could expect!", cried Jestal grinning with manic undertones.

Kebal was shocked and stood from his seat, "What? Do you know what you are saying Jestal? Roj Blake is on our side...opposing the Federation"

"Yes...", Jestal said circling the small control centre, "...we have lost alot of revenue to Lumboz...after the war, he is calling his debts in, the reward we could get for his ransome is more than enough we need to pay him off"

Kebal was angry, "No Jestal! We are dumping him on Epheron and there will be no informing of the authorites...anyway, given the war, the Federation is in turmoil...shattered...why should there be a reward?"

Jestal watched his Captain stride off, he turned away and slumped back into the flight controls, "We'll see", he muttered under his breath.

In his cabin, Blake sat on the bunk and had his wrist to his mouth, "If you are receiving me Zen, I am on my way to Epheron...I believe it is in the lorital system ...I am currently safe and well, so I am in no urgent need of immediate teleport...", Blake sensed the presense behind the door with the shadow beneath, he stood, "...Blake out"

Blake went to the door, paused, then quickly pressed the release, it quickly slid aside to reveal Lexa.

"Blake...I must warn you...Jestal means you harm"

Blake pulled her inside his cabin and the door shut, "What do you mean? Turn me in?"

Lexa looked at him and nodded, "Yes...be warned"

Blake looked grateful, "I've got out of tighter situations than this...thanks for warning me"

The Saint Elsewhere cruised towards Epheron, the bloated shadow of the planet was ahead of it.

At the flight controls, Teral Kebal was tuned in to his contact on the planet, "it's me...Lexa is aboard, have our fee ready on our ETA"

"Copy code one"

The battered form of the spacecraft Saint Elsewhere landed upon the arid surface of Epheron.

Inside Kebal walked into the main storage section to see Jestal at the commlink, he was looking sheepish.

"What are you doing?"

Jestal jumped up, "The reward, Kebal, the reward!"

With the butt of his weapon, the Captain hit Jestal rendering him unconscious. Outside on the ships ramp, Blake stood with Lexa. Kebal informed them about Jestal's attempt to call Federation security.

"I don't know whether if he was successful getting through, Blake"

Blake tried to take it in his stride, "I'll just have to have my wits about me Kebal, if Star-One is destroyed like you say, then there is little chance of a transmission getting through to Earth"

Lexa pointed, "Look...it's my father and the others, they will have payment for you Kebal"

Blake turned to her somewhat surprised, "but I thought YOU were one of the crew"

Kebal shook his head, "She was the cargo Blake...not that you would know it, she blends into any situation that warrants it, she's handy to have around"

Lexa's father paid Captain Kebal to transfer his daughter accross Federation space without clearance.

"You are welcome to stay for a while Blake", She said tugging his arm.

Blake smiled at her, "Yes...I will like that very much...but for only a WHILE it must be..."

And he looked up at the red sky wondering how far the Liberator was for teleporting him off this rock.

3: CHAPTER THREE

"Guns and Roses"

Roj Blake stayed with the community on Epheron for about six weeks. There wasn't many of the group, maybe a few dozen so families. All of them choosing to live outside of Federation authority.

The set up was made up of scattered pre-fab domes that colonists used some 600 years ago. The only thing capable of outside communication, was a battered old radio transmitter that nearly looked as old as the domes.

It was now Blake sat at the link. Lexa was beside him watching him closely, "are you sure you know what you are doing? That transmission you made last week, did you really get through to your friends?"

Blake looked at her meeting her gaze with a kind smile, "they are not friends in the real sense, Bangrelle is an old rogue who has no love for the Federation, although he is not the one to go and actively fight them...but for a fee, I'm sure he'd get me off this rock..."

Lexa laughed, "Now that's gratitude for you!"

Blake tried to backtrack, "No, no...I'm am grateful to you and your father about letting me stay...but it was always going to be temporarily..."

Lexa leaned in and gave him a reasuring grin, "I was only joking with you...if I could get off this rock sometime soon, I'd jump at the chance..."

Blake frowned at her, "but you have only just come back..."

"I was visiting my brother on one of the outer worlds...but I became stranded there when the war broke out...father managed to get me passage home...but...oh I don't know...", she looked up to the sky, "...there's just so much out there, I can't bare to even think I might be stuck here for all my life...my brother was always the adventurous one"

Suddenly there was shouts and cries outside the dome. Blake removed the rusty headphones from the ancient link from his ears and jumped to his feet, Lexa slowly followed and both of them exited the dome to see everybody in the village pointing to the foreground, Blake could see it was a TX9 transporter ship that was used by Bangrelle and his associates.

He shook his head in disbelief, "I didn't really belief I'd even get through...but..."

Lexa tugged at his arm excitedly and pulled him towards her father and the others as they all went to the perimeter of the village proper.

Changa, Lexa's father, turned to Blake when he came to stand beside him, "Is it your friends? Nobody visits us here on Epheron..."

Blake then noticed armed snipers on the sandstone cliff edges all around them, Changa met his gaze, "...we cannot afford to trust anyone Blake..."

Before Blake could respond, there was gunfire. Lexa grabbed Blake's arm and cried out, "Look!"

Blake could see a squadron of Federation troops move towards them. A sniper took a potshot at one of them and the injured trooper retaliated by shooting him down with his weapon.

More and more of the snipers were targeted as the villagers panicked and started running for cover.

But it was a massacre.

Blake grabbed Lexa's hand as she turned and watched her father fall to his knees clutching his stomach. Blake half pulled/half dragged Lexa to the rocks out of sight. She clamped her hands over her ears as the Federation troops continued their brutal slaying of the innocents some of them children.

Blake peered around the rock and was about to signal Lexa to move when a shadow darkened over him blotting out the sun and from that point on, he didn't know anymore...

XXX

Blake was dazed, but slowly coming around as he was dragged by two Federation troops towards the ramp of the TX9 transporter ship.

Why hadn't he been killed also? Why massarce all of them and not him?

Inside the transporter, Space Commander Zain viewed the moniter as Roj Blakes details scrolled across the screen.

"You are correct soldier...you were right not to kill him", he turned and faced the trooper from where they were in the small flight deck, "...where is he now?"

"Being held in the back sir...awaiting further orders"

Zain chuckled as he stood off the swival chair and put his hands together, "So...the Federation may be in disarray after the war...but at least Blake will be executed", he looked at the troop, "...you have done well Cole"

Cole stood to attention in respect, "thank you sir...but can I say that if you didn't intercept his signal to Bangrelle and his traitors, we may never of even come here"

Zain was amused, "yes...poor Bangrelle...having half the Federation fleet crash to his bolt hole and then offering us help...yes he has been VERY helpful"

Cole looked up, "Sir...what about the prisoners we took from Bangrelle's bolt hole...why didn't we kill them too?"

Zain sniffed and pointed to the databanks, "take a look for yourself...there are plenty of wanted political exiles who went to Bangrelle for refuge...those who weren't keen to fight back like Blake...I'm sure back on Earth they will ALL meet their destinys. Now I think we'll set a course for Kobol, it's the nearest holding planet in this sector - set course and calculate an E.T.A...once there, hopefully I can contact Earth control..."

XXX

Blake laid back on the hard bunk. He felt weak and giddy, it seemed that one of the troopers had rendered him unconscious when another was about to shoot him straight in the head.

He managed to lift himself up and rubbed the back of his neck, then his eyes were directly to his wrist in doing so. His teleport bracelet, it was gone! He couldn't contact the Liberator even if he wanted too.

The confine around him wasn't standard Federation norm, as he was quickly suspecting, it seemed that the Federation personnel on this ship had commendeered and modified it.

The narrow oval door then slid aside. Space Commander Zain stepped in whilst two of his troopers waited outside in the blank corridor.

"So...Blake...you are awake"

Blake looked up at him from where he sat, hand still rubbing the back of his bruised neck, "yes I am...and who might you be?"

Zain sounded like he was pleased to introduce himself openly, "I am Space Commander Zain - it was my squadron of pursuit ships that led off the alien fleet when they went in to destroy Star-One"

Blake smiled at him, "but you failed, didn't you? Star-One was destroyed...I was told"

Zain shrugged it off quickly, he was certainly not going to loose face to him, "yes it was...but I am sure that Earth Control's woes will be lifted somewhat by your apprehension...with you being at the top of their most wanted list"

Blake's smiled faded as he realised, "are we going back to Earth?"

Zain nodded, hands behind his back, "No...we don't have enough fuel...we are heading to Kobol, the Federations nearest facility complex. There we can refuel and contact high command on Earth"

Blake relaxed back onto the bunk, "you may not be in luck, with Star-One destroyed, all communications this far out have been severely severed"

Zain's stance changed. He stooped and with his hand, cupped Blake's neck forcing him to the wall, his tones became menacing, "I could have you executed on the spot Blake..." he hissed through gritted teeth, "...but I do not want to damage the presidents prize, do I..."

It was Blake's turn to take the menacing tone, "you do not have the guts..."

Zain straightened up and turned to the trooper in the doorway, "give me it"

The trooper obeyed and handed his superior officer the teleport bracelet, he held it up to Blake. Blake swallowed and stared at it, desperately wanting to reach out for it, but Zain simply let it drop from his grasp and he then crushed down onto it hard with is boot. Zain looked thoroughly amused.

He looked up to Blake, "Nobody is coming for YOU Blake...", he turned to the trooper, "...take him through...he can be put in with others we seized at Bangrelles bolthole"

Blake was stunned as he stood up, "Bangrelle? HE is here...? On this ship"

Zain couldn't help smirk gladly taking the upper hand, "no...", he smarmed, "...he is dead, took a bullet to the head like the rest of his followers...no, no, Blake...we have ALL the political exiles he was hiding...all like you going back to Earth to be punished...and...", he leaned in, "...I've let it slip it was YOU who gave away their location...I'm sure when you meet them, you will be far from popular...take him through"

Blake looked back at him, then was manhandled out into the corridor.

4: CHAPTER FOUR

"Space attack"

Roj Blake stood at the oval door. The Federation officer Cole tapped in the auto unlock and the door slid aside, "In you go..."

Blake stepped in and entered. The door slid shut and he was amassed by a group of dejected individuals of all shapes and sizes.

A young woman of about 25 came forward. Her curly hair shaped her bitter expression on her face, "It's YOU! You gave away our position!"

A Black man rushed forward and grabbed Blake by the lapels, he was ready to thump him one.

"No wait! I haven't betrayed you! You have to believe me...it's me...it's Blake!"

The black man was ready to thump him regardless of explanation, when there was another voice fighting through the other murrs and rurrs in the room.

"He's telling you the truth...Blake hasn't betrayed anyone!"

Blake recognised the voice immediately. It was Lexa. He shoved the black man aside and went to her, "Lexa! I feared they might have killed you..."

She shook her head, "they took me prisoner when they thought I was with you..."

The other girl shook her head, "No...they have told us Blake...they told us that YOU betrayed Bangrelle and gave them our location..."

The black man shook his head in agreement, "Cora's right...", he approached Blake with gritted teeth, "...what have they promised you? A lighter sentance for giving them secret locations?"

Blake swallowed and stood proud, "this is what they want...can't you understand it...Zain wants you ALL to think I have betrayed you...but I haven't, I give you my word"

Lexa nodded, "I can vouch for him...he came to my world after being rescued after the war...he hasn't given away any secret location to anyone..."

Cora glanced torwards the black man, "what do you think Rowe? Could he be telling us the truth?"

Rowe was clearly mulling it over in his mind, but he came forward and asked, "where are your friends Blake? Where is this super ship that you and your associates cruise the galaxy in?"

"The Liberator? We were involved in the war...when the aliens started their assault, Liberator took a lot of their first salvo trying to hold them off...the ship was damaged beyond the auto repair circuits capabilties to keep up with...so we all abandoned ship by life capsule"

Rowe raised his eyebrows, "and then...?"

Blake shrugged glancing to Lexa as he answered, "I was picked up by smugglers who were on passage to Epheron..."

Lexa nodded, "see...like I told you...I was there, I was on the smugglers ship, they were giving me paid passage to Epheron"

Cora wasn't so convinced by his story, "and when you arrived, it was then you betrayed Bangrelle"

Blake was really seething with frustration now, "No! I wanted help...I contacted Bangrelle because I knew he had resources that could get me off Epheron, I made a transmission and...", he trailed off and closed his eyes.

Cora folded her arms and shook her head, "that's right...THEY intercepted your transmission..."

Rowe shook his head and sat down on a low metal bench that was attached to the bulkhead wall, "no...it's not all Blake...after the war some of the fleet crashed down on Delta 4...Bangrelle was convinced that because of the war, nobody would be still looking for political exiles...he was wrong"

Others in the group exchanged glances. Cora came forward, "So why did YOU let us believe it was Blake? When Space Commander Zain told us it was him YOU told us to believe him"

Rowe exhaled, "I just wanted everybody to believe that it wasn't Bangrelle's fault that we were captured...he just showed compassion to injured Federation officers and had us all taken prisoner in the process"

Blake came to stand beside Cora and looked at her, "Wasn't it you who stood up to the government about the slaughter of a thousand citizens on Crewkella 9?"

She shook her head, "I issued the report to space command...they were waiting to arrest me the next day...", she was bordering on upset, "...if it wasn't for Bangrelle, I would be dead by now..."

Rowe nodded, "We are ALL exiles...the government on Earth will be rubbing their hands in glee with all our captures"

Blake shrugged, "Ohhhh I don't know...I think I might be at the top of their agendas...", he turned and faced them all, "...but we are not there yet..."

XXX

Space Commander Zain sat back in his leather swival chair, he took his eyes away from the scanners and turned to Cole, "have you done those calculations yet? How long will it be until we can make contact with Kobol?"

Cole tapped the information into his data controls, "calculations completed sir...15 hours...and it will be at least 10 hours before we can make contact"

Zain nodded and sat back into the chair resting his back, "well...I suppose Blake can wait..."

Suddenly the entire ship shook. Zain jumped up onto his feet agasp, "what the hell was that?"

Cole switched on the scanners on the deck infront of him, "Warship sir...it looks like Thraxan"

Zain frowned as he came to his shoulder, "As in Thraxa IV? Aren't they apart of the Federation now?"

Cole nodded, "No...the treaty didn't go through...anyway they make alot out of the Federation being an recreation and relaxation spa...most of it's clientale are high ranking officers"

"then WHY are they firing at us?"

Cole shrugged, " I don't know sir...maybe it's because they don't recognise our class of ship...they feel threatened"

"Then get on that communicator and hail them...NOW!", Zain ordered.

XXX

As the ship took another hit, Blake jumped to his feet, "there it is again...the ship is under attack"

Lexa looked at him, "From who? What if the aliens are seeking revenge..."

Rowe shook his head as everybody gathered around in the holding cell, "the war is over now...surely it can't be"

Suddenly all turned to see a trooper enter through the oval door. The ship swayed as he did and Rowe jumped forward and kicked the weapon out of his grasp. Cora gasped as Rowe grabbed hold of the gun as it slid across the cell floor and held it towards the trooper who was steading himself.

As the trooper lunged forward, Rowe open fired and cut him down. Blake grabbed his arm from behind, "What are you doing?"

Cora moved to the doorway and looked out, "What does it matter what is happening? We are free to take control whilst the attacks keeping them busy...we are more of them!"

Rowe was already stripping the troopers body, "I've got an idea..."

XXX

At the flight deck, Space Commander Zain tried to get through to the Federation outpost on Kobol, "Control on Kobol, come in...we are under attack...weapon systems have been disabled...Kobol...COME IN!"

His reply was nothing but static and crackles across the air-waves.

Suddenly a trooper came stumbling in and feel to his knees and then onto his side, "what the?"

Blake was in the oval doorway, Rowe was behind him and they were both armed and dressed in Federation trooper boilersuits, "We've taken over", Blake simply uttered.

The ship took another blast sending everybody flying to one side. Cole stood up from the swival chair but Rowe swung around and shot him down. Zain picked himself up off the floor and gave Blake a shove against the wall, he then ran out into the corridor.

Blake and Rowe gave chase to see Zain lock himself into an escape pod. Others were watching and looking at eachother...then there was a mass dash.

"There can only be a few pods", cried Rowe.

Lexa called out from where she sat in a pod on the left hand side, "Blake quickly now!"

Another inmate was about to drag her out from the pod when Rowe took aim and downed him. Blake seized his arm, Rowe shook his head.

"Would you rather die here?"

And they both clambered to the pod fighting off others.

It was survival of the fittest to escape the crippled ship.

5: CHAPTER FIVE

"Recreation and relaxation"

After their miraculous escape from the crippled TX9 Transporter, Roj Blake, Lexa and Rowe strolled through the main plaza of Thraxa IV complex.

Blake took in his surroundings. He had never been here before and whilst its residents or its visitors had happy smiles upon their faces, he knew it wasn't because they were dazed by some suppressant drug, it was because they were fully refreshed and renewed and were enjoying the whole Thraxa IV experiance.

Everyone was dressed in toweled robes. There was family groups, couples and single individuals coming and going along the corridor past them, and up and down the escalcators that stretched far up above a spectacular water feature and down below the misty paradise gardens of the lower level.

"My family used to holiday here when I was young", told Rowe as they turned the corner to face reception, "my mother used to remark how she felt 20 years younger after each visit"

Lexa turned, "The Federation haven't got any involvement with this place then?"

Rowe shook his head, "No...Thraxa VI is strictly neutral...but I think the Federation do have shares in the place...where do you think all that fine wine comes from!"

Blake was quiet. His eyes were looking at one thing to the next. Lexa tapped his shoulder, "Blake? Are you alright? You seemed miles away just then"

Blake laughed it off, "Just taking everything in. I'm so glad we removed our Federation suits...I dare say a military presence gets them all gittery"

Rowe came to a railing that over looked the waterfall and turned, "they have warship capabilites. They attacked us remember, I dare say that security control here didn't recognise the ships tag code. The Federation may have shares in the place but I dare say that if given the chance, they'd take complete control"

Lexa pointed towards reception, "shall we register? I'm sure if we lay low here for a while, we'll be alright"

Blake nodded, although he was a tad unsure. Rowe laughed, "Blake we are both exiles, but all that doesn't really matter here, does it?"

Blake tagged along behind them both, "No it doesn't...but I sooner not be an exile here and never set foot off the place...a while it will only be...for ME anyway"

XXX

Space Commander Zain was starting to fume inside. The ultra polite receptionist was seeing to a couple infront of him, so he took charge and shoved them aside.

The rather flummoxed receptionist looked up at him, "can I be of assistance sir?"

Zain slammed his hands onto the white plastic desk between them, "Yes you can...I am Space Commander Zain of the Terran Federation...I insist that you get me somebody incharge out here to see me NOW"

The receptionist stood straight, "Federation personnel are of course welcome on Thraxa IV...but I find you most aggressive, if you don't mind me pointing out, sir"

Zain tutted, "Well I'll apologise if I come across as aggressive...perhaps you could have pointed that out when YOUR warship attacked my transporter in orbit"

The girl dressed in a pure white plastic wraparound turned and pressed a button that was on the silver wall behind her, she turned and smiled, "please take a seat space commander - I have placed a summons to our advisary division here on Thraxa IV"

Zain was about to explode with rage but dared not to when he realised there were now others in reception waiting for assistance, reluctlantly, he crossed over to a plastic white chair and sat down in a huff.

XXX

As the triangular door to the appartment slide aside, Blake entered and started to take in his surroundings. The room was quite large but was sparsely furnished. The oval windows at the far end of the appartment were tinted dark so you couldn't see outside. The centre of the room was down 3 steps and was mounted by a centre piece that consisted of a blocked unit that sat 6 silver and gold decorative orbs of different sizes.

Rowe pushed passed him and went down the steps and immediately jumped onto the cream sofa that was one of two on opposite sides of the room.

"Well...look at this...I cannot believe we managed to get all this for ourselves...I told you, these Thraxan people know how to lookafter their visitors"

Lexa turned as she looked about herself and was blunt, "we ARE expected to pay for all this when we leave you know...", she looked back towards Blake, "...you said you could arrange payment...can you?"

Blake shrugged and smiled at her, "I'll do my upmost best...hopefully I can contact a friend of mine who could arrange it for me..."

Rowe considered him from where he laid on the sofa, "What friend?"

Blake was coy, "leave that to me...I know alot of people who sympathise with my course...and now, with the Federations communications in such disarray...I can contact them without any problems"

Lexa was practical, "and if you can't...contact them that is?"

Blake laughed, "then we play it by ear"

Rowe was over to a wall elcove and opened up a locker, he laughed as he pulled out a crystal style flask of green liquid, "look at this! Fine wine...now we're talking"

Blake turned and sat down next to Lexa on the other sofa, "are you alright?"

"yes...I'm just wondering how long we are going to be holed up here for"

Blake placed a hand over hers, "When I get us out of here, and I WILL, I will get you to your brother...trust me"

Lexa nodded, " thank you Blake"

XXX

Zain looked at the four Thraxan guardians that stood around him in their counsel chamber. The chamber itself was a circular dip and on the floor was a low lying mist swirled about their feet. Ornate steps rose out leading up to a belcony on opposite sides of the room.

The guardian that wore a plain blue toga came forward, "As you are fully aware Space Commander Zain, Earth is too far for even our communications networks to reach - more especially since this Star-One was destroyed"

The other guardians all looked identical to the one speaking, they all had shaven heads, but their togas were different in colour, they each in turn nodded in agreement to what their fellow was saying.

Zain bit his tongue. Why the Federation hadn't crushed these non-entities when they were at their height of power before the war was a complete mystery to him.

He sighed, "what about the transport, I need to get back to federation space"

The guardian in the green toga cupped his hands together and spoke, "The nearest planet where a federation facility is located at Kobol. We will send help for you...until then please be our guest and have a pleasent experiance on Thraxa IV"

Zain looked at all the guardians around him in turn and was thin lipped, but he managed to mutter out, "thank you"

XXX

Blake laid back on the bed. The sheets were green silk against mood lit walls, and weird and wonderful wall ornaments he couldn't make head nor tail of.

He sighed. He could hear the running water next door, it was Lexa taking a shower. He stared at the wall and pictured the Liberator up there in deep space. His bracelet was gone, there was no way he could teleport back there now. He closed his eyes. What was he to do now? What was there to fight for? What was his function now?

To fight. He was too fight back, just because the war was over, it didn't mean the Federation was no more. They would fight back and he was going to be there waiting. Fighting like he did before and like he always believed in.

He had just come to a crossroads in his life, and now it was time to take a different direction. Avon could have the liberator if that's what he wanted, it wasn't going to stop him from what he believed in.

He opened his eyes and rubbed his cheek, he just needed to find away out of here and get Lexa to her brother. Thinking cap on.

XXX

Zain cupped his fist with one hand as he looked about his appartment. All this waiting round was driving him mad. He left by the door and walked across the plaza where there was a group of people chatting outside the steam baths. Zain turned to the railing and looked down towards the bottom level where there was more personnel and visitors moving up the escalator.

He backed away and put a large fonded pot plant between him and the view of a target he spotted. A black man. That political traitor Rowe.

Rowe, dressed in white towelling stepped off the escalator and moved towards him, Zain grabbed him and dragged him to the elcove beyond the row of pot plants that obscured them from plain view

Rowe swallowed as Zain held a gun to his neck from behind, "quiet now...or my finger may slip and pull the trigger..."

6: CHAPTER SIX

"Hostage"

Roj Blake helped himself to a beaker of wine and downed it in one hit from where he sat. Lexa came out from the shower room, "I feel so much better now after that...like everything over the last few days has been washed from me"

Blake smiled at her, "good for you"

Lexa dried her hair and nodded towards the wine flask, "pour me a cup..."

Blake obliged and handed her the beaker as he made for the door, "I'm going to stretch my legs...being cooped up in here is making me climb the walls"

Lexa took a sip from the beaker and glanced around to him, "Don't be long Blake...I'd hate it if you decided to run out on me"

Blake paused and met her gaze at the triangular doorway, "is that what you think of me?"

She shrugged, "I don't know what to think"

Blake was quite clear, "I promised you I would get you to your brother and I will..."

And with that he was gone.

Lexa put down the beaker and was about to go back into the shower room to finish off when there was a chime from the door.

"That was quick", laughed Lexa as she reached for the handset to press unlock. No sooner had she pressed it when the door slide aside and Space commander Zain stood in the frame.

She backed away, "You!"

Zain stepped in and smiled at her, "don't bother to call out for help because I know it will be a waste of time, I saw Blake leave"

Lexa swallowed, "Rowe is in the..."

"Oh I think not...", Zain interrupted as he went over to the media centre and pulled a small cassette from his pocket and held it up, "your traitor friend Rowe is MY prisoner..."

And he pushed in the mini-cassette and picked up the remote control and pressed play. On the small monitor in the media station, a picture of Rowe appeared tied to a chair with binders.

Lexa was agasp, "Rowe!"

Zain turned to her and smiled, "Now...this is what YOU are going to do...

XXX

Blake rode up the escalator and made his way back to the appartment, he tapped in the code and the door slide aside.

Inside he saw Lexa sitting on the cream sofa, she smiled at him, "Blake..."

Blake could sense that all was not right with her stance and manner, she looked on edge. He stepped forward, "Lexa...are you alright"

"I sorry Blake", she whispered.

Blake frowned, "sorry? For what?"

Zain was then standing behind him, gun trained on Blakes back, "She is apologising for me Blake...", Blake turned around, "...we meet again"

Blake looked at Lexa, "don't apologise...I dare say he never gave you a choice"

Zain stood in between them, "Now then Blake...you will come with me...you are MY prisoner and I am already thinking what the reward will be when I hand over YOU to high command back on Earth"

Lexa rushed forward, "Blake he's got Rowe"

Zain looked at her and tilted his head as he put a finger under her chin, "Oh yes...poor Rowe...you see, the thing is...the cassette in that machine is rather older than I let on...it is footage from earlier this morning when I captured him..."

"What have you done to him?"

"Rowe's dead...damned fool tried to escape me...", he looked at Blake, "...so don't try it Blake, or I will cut you down to size as well"

Blake nodded towards Lexa, "I made her help me...she isn't under arrest I trust"

Zain laughed and shrugged off Lexa like a non-entity, "she is NOBODY Blake...it is YOU that is the prize...now come along..."

"So what is the plan? You have a ship here already? That was quick...", enquired Blake.

Zain took his arm and led him forward, "The guardians of this tiresome world have contacted Kobol where the Federations's nearest facility is..."

Blake smiled as he cut him off, "that's if it's still there...Kobol's sector faired quite badly in the war"

Zain sneered at him, "My squadron crushed them Blake...Kobol's facility remains unscathed, I can garantee it"

XXX

Lexa felt powerless. She also felt quite undermined because she had been dismissed as an irritant, and that she meant nothing. Zain thought she could do nothing, and maybe she couldn't by herself, but surely Zain's mistake was murdering Rowe?

She crossed the plaza and made her way down the escalator trying to smile pleasently to others that rode with her going about their business.

She went up to the desk in reception. The receptionist looked up and greeted a welcoming smile at her, "How can I be of assistance?"

Lexa sounded urgent as she came straight to the point, "I need to speak to the guardians"

The receptionist frowned, "Oh...and can I ask the reason why you wish to seek audience with them?"

Lexa cleared her throat, "I want to report a murder...here on Thraxa IV"

XXX

Blake looked aghast as he clocked Rowe's body slumped in the corner of Zain's appartment, Zain poured himself a beaker of wine and looked up, "Don't look too surprized Blake...Rowe was a traitor that escaped trial...that matter has been settled now...but don't worry, your trial is yet to come...", he considered the wine in the beaker and licked his lips, "...you know. Thraxa IV has one thing going for it...it's wine"

Blake laughed at him, "the federation buys it in...didn't you know that?"

Zain glared back at him, "be quiet Blake...or I'll shut you up perminently"

XXX

Lexa stood in the counsel chamber. The guardians stood around her. The smoke wofted at her feet and the colours of the guardian's togas caught her eye.

"...and now he has taken Blake prisoner...surely you cannot condone such ruthless behaviour...I thought Violence was outlawed on Thraxa IV or is that just a myth"

The guardian with the green toga considered her words, "...so it's seems that we were wrong to trust Space Commander Zain..."

The blue guardian nodded, "he represents an organisation that is ruthless and unjust to the core, what did we expect"

Lexa searched their faces, "please...do something before it is too late...he has a weapon, and if Blake doesn't co-operate, then it wouldn't surprize me in the least that Zain would use it"

The red toga guardian moved to a podium and waved a hand across the sensor, "ahhh Roj Blake...enemy of the terran federation. A freedom fighter who travels the reaches of space in the fabled ship, Liberator...a ship even more advanced than our own"

Lexa nodded, "he just fights what he believes in...and if Zain takes him back to Earth, then Blake will be executed...are you going to let that happen?"

The guardians glanced at one another and all turned to her, "Blake will not be harmed on this world...what happens after he leaves is not our concern...but as long as he remains here, Blake will not be harmed"

Lexa felt too exhausted to be relieved, she just hoped that Blake would find away to escape Zain's clutches, before it was too late.

7: CHAPTER SEVEN

"Escapade"

In space, three Federation pursuit ships crawled behind a larger space cruiser that was a thraxan warship.

On the Thraxan ships' command deck, Captain Rextor approached the communcation post and opened up a clear channel.

"This is Rextor reporting from 0.97 alpha 9, to Thraxa space control, I have contacted the Federation complex on Kobol, three of their pursuit class ships are in conveyance with us...ETA in 4 hours"

"Thraxa space control, copy that"

XXX

In the counsel chamber on Thraxa IV, the guardian with the green toga came forward and looked at Lexa, his hands parting "I have been advised that within 4 hours Zain's party will arrive and he will leave along with them"

Lexa shook her head at him, "he'll just take Blake with him, that's what he wants!"

The guardian with the red toga standing opposite shook his head, "No...rest assured, Blake will remain"

XXX

Meanwhile Blake paced up and down the appartment. Zain sat their with his gun poised at him, he grinned as he took another sip of the wine with his free hand, "not much longer to wait Blake, I trust"

The media unit chimed as a call came through, Zain went over to it, "Ahhh this is what we have been waiting for"

Blake paused in his pacing and watched Zain pick up the handset, "Zain here..."

Blake could hear the callers voice quite clearly, "This is the guardians advisory division, we are informing you that your ships will arrive here in approxiately four hours...", Zain smiled but it was soon wiped off, "...but there are conditions of your exit"

"Conditions!"

"Yes...you are ordered by the advisory division to release your prisoner"

Zain was fuming, "Prisoner!", he stared directly at Blake because it was all falling into place, "...that bitch Lexa...I should have killed her too"

"Murder is a serious violation of the Thraxa IV law centre, you are to release your prisoner at once or you will face..."

Zain angrily cut the connection and raised his gun, but Blake was gone, "WHAT!"

XXX

Blake darted down the metal stairwell that served as an emergancy exit. He then pushed through a set of double doors that lead out to the main plaza with the water feature. He looked upward when he heard his name being called.

"BLAKE!"

He could clearly see Zain leaning over the belcony, he was seething in anger. Blake turned to see an elevator open and two robed visitors came out, Blake bolted in and the doors slid shut after him.

Inside the elevator, there was gentle music playing and a calming voice urging Thraxa IV's visitors to enjoy the experience of the newly opened exotic gardens.

"Come on, come on", murmured Blake. The doors finally opened and he darted through into the steamy exotic jungle and rounded the corner.

XXX

Zain waited at the elevator. He was red faced in anger. He clutched his weapon, but on seeing a couple of security personal ride up an escalator, he hoisted it and turned.

"You must come with us", said the first officer.

"Must I"

"Yes...we have orders from the advisory division", answered the second officer.

Zain huffed out in dispair, "Then you better lead the way!"

XXX

Lexa waited at reception. She bit down onto her bottom lip nervously, but was relieved to see Blake come hurrying over to her, she held out her hand and he took it, "quickly Blake...you will be safe in the counsel chamber"

The receptionist let them through and watched the door slide shut after them. She turned to see the two security officers enter, Zain in their grasp.

"I'm afraid you haven't been given clearance to the advisory divsion", the receptionist said curtly.

Zain was flippant, "then tell that to these idiots...THEY brought me here!"

The receptionist nodded, "please wait..."

XXX

Blake could see Zain on the monitor on the podium. Smoke wofted about his ankles as he stepped nearer to the podium and turned to face the guardian in the blue toga.

"I do understand if you have to turn me in, I appreciate the fact this is none of your business and wouldn't want to get involved"

The guardian nodded, "We do not normally like to involve ourselves in other races quarrels, but we can see what it is that you represent Roj Blake...freedom over oppression...the war that has been is a good thing...yes millions did die, but with the withering powers of the totalitarian super-power that is the Federarion cut to size, we think you can do much good...besides, a happy populance is a happier cliente for our establishment here"

Lexa came to stand beside Blake, "You are going to let him go"

"There is a transporter cruiser that is scheduled to leave our space-port within a few hours...I am sure we can arrange a couple of non-officials to board"

Blake was grateful, "Thank you...and our payment?"

The guardian with the green toga looked up, "don't worry about that...that is going to be all covered..."

XXX

Zain had been kept waiting for what seemed like hours. Why the Federation hadn't put an end to this miserable place was beyond him. He glanced up at the receptionist and was quite sarcastic, "any chance I will get to see the guardians this side of death...or has time got no meaning to anyone here"

The receptionist finally cracked a smile, "this way space commander, they are ready for you now..."

He jumped up to his feet and followed her, "about time!"

XXX

Zain moved through the narrow passage that opened up to the counsel chamber. The guardians all stood waiting for him.

"So...where is he? Where is Blake"

The guardian in the red toga looked up from her podium, she seemed to be the only female of their kind, "Blake has left Thraxa IV"

"WHAT!"

"...and if you do too, then there is a matter of payment...for you AND for Blake"

Zain was outraged, "What? You expect ME to foot the bill for HIM!"

"Well yes...AND for the one you murdered"

"HIM as well!"

"Three of your Pursuit ships are here in orbit...you can board one just as soon as you make the payments..."

Zain shook his head, "and Blake just gets away"

"If you capture Blake within your own system is no concern to us...but here you will abide by our rules, now are you agreed to make the payments?"

Zain gritted his teeth, "yess!", he seethed reluctantly.

XXX

Blake peered out to the stars through the round portal behind from where he sat on his backside against the wall of the transporter hold. Lexa sat opposite him, their feet touching.

"Do you know where you go from here Blake?"

Blake looked at her and smiled, "Oh yes...Ketemine Mega...I was going to take the Liberator there after Star-Ones destruction"

She frowned, "Can you trust them?"

"There is a group their led by Xherphi. He is a friend of mine I promised to help out once things were ready. With the Federation being at their most vulnerable, I think that time has come, don't you?"

Lexa nodded.

XXX

Zain looked at ship that was like a distant comet speeding through the stars.

"I'll get you Blake...don't you worry...enjoy your freedom while you've got it...because it won't be for long...bank on it"

8: CHAPTER EIGHT

"Xherphi"

Roj Blake looked up to the green sky from where he crouched down behind a ledge that over looked the wide gully below. Lexa was kneeing beside him.

"Can you see anything Blake? Blake...?"

Blake shook his head, "no...nothing...no movement no nothing, but this is the position I was given"

Lexa swallowed down and reached out and moved his head, so that it faced directly with hers, even though he still didn't maintain eye contact with her.

"Why can't you look at me Blake? Why do you keep pushing me away?"

Blake didn't indirectly look at her, he faced front and said, "you KNOW why...if it was't for me...then your father and your people would all be alive"

Lexa was open mouthed. She turned away, "I don't blame you Blake...it might have happened anyway"

Blake did look at her this time, he gave her a questioning expression, "Really? YOU believe that, do you? It was I who put out that transmission...a transmission Zain picked up on and then they came...it is simple as that, I brought them to you"

Lexa sighed, "Blake, we could argue about it all day, what's done is done...I don't blame you, can you PLEASE take my word for it"

Blake met her gaze and shook his head.

"Thank you", she said, she then looked about them and added, "So...wasn't Ketemine Meta one of the first federation colony worlds? This is the 4th sector isn't it?"

"yes is was...it was mined for Metha-oil as you can see by the old mine shafts and abandoned workings in the valley there...they left here about 40 years ago...nobody comes here now"

"except for us", Lexa laughed.

Blake grinned at her then carefully, he stood up and led the way down cautiously to the valley below.

Apart from the old mine workings and abandoned and boarded up mineshafts, there was nothing to look at but cracked concrete that weeds sprewed out of.

Lexa breezed out a laugh as she said, "I hope you weren't expecting a welcoming party...there's nobody here Blake"

Blake stopped in his tracks at a trap door fixed to the concrete. It appeared to be made of iron and had a digitlock-pad next to it.

Blake glanced at Lexa as she said, "I don't suppose Xherphi gave you the entry code when you made contact"

Blake's attention was around him as he looked up and about, then paused in direction of one of the ancient mining towers.

"there...we are being watched...", he turned to meet Lexa's eyes, "...wouldn't you say?"

Lexa looked towards the flashing camera and looped her arm into Blakes, "Xherphi?"

He met her eyes again and raised his eyebrows, "lets hope so"

Both of them then stood back as the trapdoor began to lift, Blake put his hand into Lexa's and squeezed it reasuringly. A man climbed out clutching a sizable proton blaster.

There was an eerie pause. The man had greying hair and his face was weather beaten. His clothing looked aged somewhat, but consisted of a green boilersuit with matching boots and gloves.

"Blake...?"

Blake nodded.

The man stood back and pointed his proton blaster towards the open hatchway.

Blake and Lexa glanced at one another and then, he took the lead and started to climb down the ladder, Lexa quickly followed and then the stranger, who shut down the iron lid behind him.

XXX

Xherphi shook Blake's hand in the underpass, "Blake! It's been a long time! When you contacted me it was so vague, I nearly wasn't entirely sure it was a true signal"

Blake laughed, "I've been caught out before...i'm sorry it was so vague...but believe me it has been a long trek to get here"

Xherphi was a big man. His size actually reminded Blake of Gan.

"This is my friend Lexa..."

Xherphi gave her a warm welcoming smile, "A friend of yours is a friend of ours...come through...come and see what we've got set up here..."

Lexa looked about her, "is the base apart of the old mine workings...?"

"No...it's actually an ancient atomic war bunker empty and unused for several hundred years...it's completely off the scale"

They followed Xherphi down the underpass and into the operations room. It was a hive of activity with ancient computer banks screwed up onto old crumbling bunker style walls. There was 3 others manning these stations, all turning around to look at the new comers.

Blake looked about him and nodded politely at others as Xherphi said, "did you teleport down from the Liberator? Can we expect more of your friends?"

Blake clutched his belt, "no we didn't...we were dropped off here by smugglers...I am no longer with the Liberator, we had to abandon ship after the war...unfortunately I haven't had much chance to contact it since"

Xherphi sat down in one of the battered swival chairs that lay dotted about the contrete bunker, "It's a pity Blake, the Liberator would have made all the difference..."

Blake stepped forward, "are we talking about the Kaldor group? I thought you said on our last converstion when I was still aboard the Liberator that they were ready to finance our cause...they have resources to weapons...ships...the resourses WE need"

The rebel leader looked up to Blake, "they were counting on the Liberator as support...a comfort blanket if you like...they've heard all the stories about you and your crew and what you have done...without the Liberator, I cannot see Govenor Shanhoade coming in with us"

Blake was nothing but persistant, "but THEY have nothing to fear...", he sat in the battered chair opposite him, "...the Federation have lost 80% of their fleet...it's going to take a heck of alot of time for them to spring back up into action...but don't be too complacant with that, THEY will claw their way back...but in the mean time we have to take advantage of that, you must see that"

Xherphi shook his head, "then they MIGHT listen to you...if you go in my place"

Blake felt all eyes were now suddenly on him, "errr...do you really think I could make a difference...it's you they trust"

"but you are a hero in their eyes...you and the Liberator, yes I know that is no longer an issue..but...I'm surely it's the man that counts"

Blake moved around and looked at everybody in turn, he then glanced at Lexa before looking back to Xherphi, "alright...make the contact and arrange it..."

Xherphi was off the seat, "you want to go now?"

Blake shrugged, "there is no time like the present, is there?"

Xherphi signaled his hand towards the technician sat at the computer that had seen better days, "make the call the Rosebud, same frequency as before and limit the time on contact"

She nodded and made a start, Blake looked up, "Lexa and I would like to freshen up if we may"

Xherphi smiled, "I show you through where you can do that..."

XXX

Freshened up, Blake was walking alongside Xherphi down the underpass with five other members of the rebel leaders team. Lexa trailed behind at first but then went forward and tugged on Blake's arm, he stopped and turned around.

"Blake...are you sure about this?", she worried.

Blake placed his hands onto her shoulders and gave her an air of reasurance, "I have to try Lexa...we have to strike while the irons hot...if there is any chance we can get Shanhoade and his people to back us, then now is the time"

She nodded and kissed him on the cheek and moved off.

XXX

The underpass lead to an underground hanger where sunlight was starting to show it's rays, as the ceiling was starting to slide aside ready for the waiting, but somewhat battered, Beta-Class cruiser to lift off.

Xherphi was standing at the foot of the boarding ramp with a blonde haired male.

"Blake this is Logan...one of my newest and trusted aids"

Blake shook his hand, "well, well...Roj Blake of the fabled Liberator of legend. I've looked forward to the day I'd finally meet you"

Blake nodded forward to the ramp, "shall we get this done"

Logan watched Blake stride up the ramp and turned to Zante next to him, "Why has Xherphi put HIM in charge...we were okay before, we didn't need him"

Zante tapped his arm to move him up the ramp, "Orders is orders...anyway, Blake's a natural leader, you can see it a mile off"

Logan watched him go and muttered, "yes well...we'll see about that...I'll be watching Blake very closely..."

9: CHAPTER NINE

" an audience on Kaldor"

The Beta class cruiser was in flight through space heading to the outer quadrant where Kaldor was situated. The ships pilot Kram checked the navigational co-orderinates and turned to Blake sitting next to him.

"It's going to take awhile...grab some sleep while you can Blake"

Blake brushed a hand over his stubble growth and turned to him, "If that's alright, I will...it's been a hectic few days"

He unclipped the safety straps and forced the flight chair back and stood, "call out if you need me"

Kram laughed, "I'm banking on a safe flight...Logan has set us a clear path"

Blake nodded and went through into the back.

XXX

in the back, Blake removed his top and went to the locker to change into something more comfortable to sleep in. Logan looked up from where he sat clutching a thermas flask.

"That wound...it's looks nasty", Logan observed.

Blake only nodded and pulled on a vest and closed up the metal locker.

"Is it a war wound?"

Blake clicked his tongue and then came to sit opposite him and glared at him sternly, "his name was Travis...and he died when the Federations central control centre Star-One was destroyed...anything else you want to know?"

Logan leaned forward, "you don't like me very much, do you"

Blake shrugged, "I don't know yet Logan, I don't know you well enough to KNOW whether I like you...but Xherphi trusts you and that's good enough for me"

Logan raised his eyebrows, "you're big on trust are you Blake?"

He shook his head, "Of course...if you don't trust people, then they aren't going to trust you, are they"

"I can see Xherphi trusts you...I suppose that should be good enough for me", resigned Logan.

Blake shook his head, "I hope so...the moment I begin to not to trust...is the moment I begin to be a different person"

XXX

The planet Kaldor was at the edge of Federation space. The cruiser hovered over the space port and came to a gentle touchdown, exhaust fumes blasted a final wave as it came to rest onto the roof platform of the main city complex.

As the ramp extented, Blake took the lead and met the welcoming party at the ramps base.

Governor Shanhoade's blue robes moved about his feet as extended his hand, "I hope your journey was a pleasent one"

Blake managed a smile, "It was...", and then he glanced at Logan behind him, "...it's a pity about the company"

Shanhoade led the way across the tarmac and into an elevator, "Please come this way..."

Blake turned to Logan, "you can stay with the ship with Kram... Zante, Jul and Bevan with me please..."

The elevator took the group down 5 levels to the conference room. It was light and airy with huge glass windows that looked over to various office blocks outside. The carpet was plush and spoungy, and the conference table was a huge glass affair, oval in shape that had 8 stainless steel chairs positioned around it.

Governor Shanhoade sat at the helm of the table with 4 of his trusted aids. Blake sat at the polar opposite, "Blake...the stories I have heard...and now you are here...is it true that the Federation is no more?"

Blake was sincere, "not entirely...after Star-Ones destruction it is reported that up to 80% of their fleet was obliterated...meaning their regime and terroritories have retracted, so you have nothing to fear if you join us"

The aids looked towards their governor for guidence as Blake continued, "...our journey here prooves that fact, there are no organised security or transmission checks in place this far out...joining us now is the perfect time...we can really do with your help and your resources"

"And are financial help?", questioned a grey haired woman in a plain grey trousersuit.

Blake nodded, "yes...we all want to be ready for the fight back, don't we...we can ALL benefit from eachother if we do things right and do things now"

Governor Shanhoade nodded, "yes that's what we've always wanted, believe me...and the Federation need this planet for their mining schedule...there is plenty of ore they need here for their weaponary systems...but we've ALWAYS remained neutral"

"Being neutral will not keep you safe...as a force to be reckoned with...then that's a whole different matter..."

XXX

Zante stood outside in the corridor. He pushed through a door and went and stood onto the concrete walkway outside that over looked 3 tall office blocks. The near white sky above was dominated by a huge moon that arched like a rainbow over the horizon.

He turned and looked at his watch, then towards Jul who was stood at the other end of the block walkway.

He the leaned over the edge and looked down to the next level. He caught sight of a set of elevator doors binging open and a Federation trooper stepping out clutching his sidearm.

Zante leaned back out of sight. Panicking, he hurried across the peri-pount, hissing and trying to warn Jul who turned to face him, only to be fired at by an enemy trooper that was aiming from a belcony opposite them, Jul feel to his knees in shock clutching his stomach.

Zante bolted through the doors and went bursting into the conference room.

"Blake, it's a trap!"

Blake jumped up when he heard gunfire from outside. He swung around to face Governor Shanhoade who didn't know where to look, he he finally faced him, "they arrived just before you did Blake..."

"Blake! We have to GO now!"

Blake bolted through the door and Zante was after him.

They went running along the peri-pount and could see five Federation troopers hurrying up the metal spiral stairwell behind them.

Bevan leaned over the belcony above and took pot shots at them, one trooper fell to the ground and another trooper returned fire to no effect.

Blake jumped over a low wall and Jul followed, they both crouched down weapons poised.

"It was a trap Blake! But how could they know?"

Blake shook his head, "I don't know...but we are going to have to keep moving, come on"

Jul followed him across a narrow ledge and then they jumped about 5 foot to the contrete walkway below and made a run for it.

At the end of the walkway, both ducked down to see more troopers gather pace into the opposite direction. Blake notioned towards the open elevator opposite them, Zante nodded and they both made a dart to it and the door slid shut behind them.

Blake put an earpiece to his ear and spoke into the mic, "Kram are you receiving me?"

"Yes Blake...Blake what's going on, I can hear gunfire..."

"Just get the ship ready to get out of here, now!", he hissed.

Zante clutched his gun poising it outward to the doors, "Could all this Shanhoade? WHY Blake, WHY would he betray us!"

"It can't be him..."

Zante looked at Blake seriously, "then there's a spy Blake...somebody must have told them we'd be here..."

10: CHAPTER TEN

"Blast away"

Space Commander Zain came storming into the conference room with three of his troopers, all of them had their weapons trained on each of Governor Shanhoades people present.

"Where is he, where is Blake?"

Shanhoade slowly rose from his chair, his voice was shakey, but he tried to add an air of confidence as he spoke, "he got away - your men were too quick to break their cover!"

Zain was fuming. He turned around to the trooper behind him, "Kill them. Kill them all"

Shanhoade bolted forward, blue robes flowing behind him, "No please! My father! You said you would release him if I co-operated with you!"

Zain looked down and mocked him, "I lied to you...kill him"

The trooper open fired as the governor was about to make a run for it, the plasma bolt hit him in the back and he slumped up against the wall and slid down it closing his eyes.

The others in the room were aghast. They all stood and backed away as the troopers open fired again and picked them off where they screamed in terror. The woman in the greysuit ran to the window as a plasma bolt hit her in the back, she fellback and crashed onto the conference table hitting her head fatally.

Zain looked about the room now littered with bodies, he turned to his captain, "Has the spaceport entrances been covered?"

"Yes sir"

Zain fisted his hand and placed it into his other, "good..."

XXX

As the elevator doors opened, Blake and Zante saw the trooper standing directly outside waiting for them. Zante shot him down and the trooper went flying over the wall down to the concrete walkway below, the doors slid shut.

The lights flickered.

"They've cut the power!", cried Zante, trying to press each level in turn. Blake looked up to elevator's ceiling, there was a maintenance hatch present, he nodded to it.

"Go on...get out now"

Zante was aghast, "What? And leave YOU...Blake you cannot be serious!"

"It's ME they want...go...NOW!"

Zante swallowed down, "I won't forget this Blake...I OWE YOU one", he then jumped onto Blakes shoulders and he raised him to the ceiling where Zante managed to push up the maintenance hatch.

Grabbing hold, he pulled himself through. Blake turned and looked up seeing the other guys legs disappearing through the hatchway.

The lights flickered again, and there was a sound of a blow torch. Zante peered down, "I'll be back for you Blake, I promise"

Blake shook his head and looked to the doors.

XXX

Zante pulled himself up along the cables and up onto the ledge above. The doors were forced open on the upper level so he ducked up into the shadows. When the trooper was satisfied that all was clear he walked away. Zante could almost thank the stupid trooper from leaving the doors open, because when he climbed up to the entrance, the corridor was all clear.

He bolted down it and pushed through the double doors and went up the concrete stairwell to the roof.

XXX

Logan came through into the flight deck of the cruiser, "come on Kram! You said you heard gunfire didn't you...it's a trap!"

Kram angrily looked up at him, "We are NOT leaving here without them!"

Logan punched the wall beside him. Kram then looked up, "look..."

Logan could see that it was Zante at the entrance to the stairwell. There was also Federation troopers coming up from the opposite ductwell.

Logan went into the back and grabbed a gun from the rack, he then hurried to the ramp and called out to Zante, "Come on! Now!, I'll cover you"

Zante came darting across the tarmac to the waiting ship, plasma bolts blew over his head and to the side of him. Logan managed to pick off two.

Zante ran up the ramp passed him, "lets get out of here, now!"

Logan didn't need telling twice, the troopers were closing in. He closed up the ramp.

The Federation troopers could only watch as the ship blasted off the launch pad and hover above them. It then moved foward a few hundred yards and then blasted into the skies above.

XXX

Sat at the flight controls, Kram turned to Logan, "Only Zante? What happened?"

"I don't know...Zante's getting his breath back through there...I think Blake must have got captured...how unfortunate for Xherphi"

"Do you have to be so callous?"

Logan shrugged, "Xherphi needs somebody whose going to get results. Blake is too much of a celebrity. That was only going to get us into trouble. Today's told us that"

Kram homed in on the sensors, "wait...there...three Federation pursuit ships chasing through orbit"

Logan turned, "Then I best do what I'm good at..."

XXX

Blake was held. He stood in between two troopers. Zain came through the doors and folded his arms, "Well, well...looks like your friends have run out on you Blake"

Blake remained confident, "I told them to get away. It wasn't worth us all getting captured was it?"

Zain smiled, "That doesn't really matter...it was the prize that was left behind, not the rabble"

Blake was curious, "How did you know I was going to be here? Don't tell me...there's a spy in the group"

"I never reveal my sources...it wouldn't be fair to the covert...or sleeper cells as we like to call them...since the war our covert department has increased ten fold. There are so many groups out there sparking out rebellion, it's an easy way to route them out and through a fan to the flames"

"I suppose I will be taken back to Earth", Blake muttered.

Zain stepped closer to him, "Not quite...no...I have just received new instructions for as far as you are concerned"

Blake frowned, "What instructions?"

"You'll find out in time Blake...but believe me...within a few short months, nobody will bother with you...because as society is concerned, you will cease to exist..."

XXX

On the Beta-class getaway ship, Logan turned to Kram, "there...I told you we'd out run them, didn't I"

He unstrapped himself and forced the flight chair back, "I'll see if our friend Zante is alright in the back"

Logan came out from the flight deck and looked towards Zante who was sitting there clutching a flask of water, "I've scrambled our clearance codes...if those pursuit ships attempt to chase us...then they will be flying into the wrong direction"

Zante looked up to him, "It seems we owe you. You were suspicious from the start"

Logan sat opposite him, "I only expressed my concerns at the last meeting, that was all...Governor Shanhoade was clearly in this up to his neck...it was HIM that gave away our position...a classic case of a trap if there was one"

Zante nodded.

Logan sat back and sighed looking out to the stars through the portal, "I just want to show Xherphi I'm up to this"

The other man nodded, "There's no need to start apologising, we were all in this together...WE ALL knew the risk"

Logan glared at him like he had been offended, "I'm NOT apologising Zante...I just want to proove myself as an asset that he can count on and not just a hinderance"

Zante broke out a smile, "that's good to hear...someone with a clear passion of hatred for the Federation is all the prooving he needs"

Logan watched him as he took the flask of water and took a few sips, "What do you suppose they will do with Blake?"

"I don't know...Blake won't give them our position, I know that much"

"He will do if he is made to...the Federation have ways and means as well as you know"

Zante stood, "I'm going to lie down for awhile...wake me up when we get back to Ketemine Mega..."

Logan nodded and then looked out to stare at the stars and looking into his own reflection in the window.

XXX

Xherphi was stunned over what had happened. In the operations room he paced about concerned, "this will leave us wide open...", he looked directly up at Zante, "...are you sure you weren't traced back here?"

Zante shook his head, "no...Logan made sure of that...I'm quite impressed he knows alot of the Federations old transmission codes"

Logan cleared his throat from where he leaned back on one of the bunkers battered console stations, "Mostly pre-war ones, but I'm sure they are changing them very quickly"

Xherphi shook his head, "It's a shame about Blake...we really could have done with his help...his experience...his skills..."

"We don't need him Xherphi, he's infamy would have been our downfall", reasoned Logan.

Zante looked across to him from where he stood in the doorway, "You try telling that to his friend Lexa"

XXX

Lexa sat on the bunk. The small room she was in was like a prison dorm. The walls were concrete the furniture looked like it was no younger than 100 years old.

Zante peered around the corner, "are you alright?"

Lexa stood, her hands together, "So that's it then...they are just going to forget about Blake?"

Zante stepped in and took her arms, "Blake saved my life...he let me get away back to the ship, I'd be there like a shot if I knew where he was"

"Back on Earth"

Zante shook his head, "Very probably...look...Blake was going to take you to your brother...we can still do that for you"

Lexa nodded, "I'd like nothing more...but knowing Blake is out there...they'll make him suffer you know, they will"

Zante stood straight, "Look...I'll speak to Xherphi...see if we can tap into any Federation transmissions...we might find out something"

Lexa perked up, "You'd do that?"

"He saved my life...I'd like to repay that debt one day...IF it's possible"

Logan was in the hallway, he had his back against the wall listening and when he heard Zante was about to leave the dorm, he slipped away unseen...

11: CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Subject X"

759.727.5943...code red 18...PR18...24Alpha

subject = X

Dr Jarmiss retreathed the data and projected it through the computer from where he sat at the battered terminal.

Xherphi scratched his head, "this is it? This is ment to be Blake?"

The other man removed his ear phones, "I think it is him...I am waiting for the visual footage to upload...because I am using an old code and an illegal one at that, the data will take time to reach us"

Logan poofhooed it from where he stood nearby, "There is NO reason to believe that it is Blake! The Federation are well aware that his friends will look for him...that code could mean anything"

Jarmiss shook his head as he turned in the swival chair, "No...subject X is significant here..."

"A person?" countered Xherphi.

"No...it's not a person...it's a place"

Xherphi was all ears to this, "Go on..."

"Well..when I was working with the Federations medical assessment unit, appart of my job was to evaluate detainees for their tranfers to penal worlds"

"You think Blake is on a penal world?", asked Logan coming forward.

Jarmiss shrugged, "not just ANY OLD penal world, I think he may have been shipped out to Subject X"

"You say it's a place? Is it like Cygnus Alpha or anyother of the penal institutional worlds"

"Subject X is the end of the line...as far as an inmates existance goes by, anyway...you lose all identity, there you simply become a number...that way the subject cannot be traced...you see, on other penal worlds like Cygnus Alpha if you like, there is still a list on Federation securities datalogs...here there is nothing...it's as if the individual has vanished without trace"

"Like Blake...since his capture on Kaldor, four months ago, it's as if he HAS disappeared without trace", reasoned Xherphi.

Logan wasn't having it, "granted all the leads we've looked into end in nothing, what makes you think this place is going to be any different...I mean...where IS this Subject X anyway? Can you show us on the Star charts it's exact position?"

Xherphi folded his arms over his chest, "lets just wait for this visual footage to load up shall we...we'll decide on what to do next, when we've viewed it"

XXX

Lexa made her bunk and went out into the corridor to see Zante, she caught him up, "Zante...is it true that Xherphi might have a new lead to Blakes whereabouts?"

Zante turned, "Yes...but I cannot tell you too much about it, because I only know a little myself"

"Xherphi's playing his cards close to his chest"

"He has to...him and Jarmiss have had their heads together for the last few days..."

Lexa stepped forward face full of hope, "it must Blake...I just cannot believe every trace of him as been wiped...a man can't just vanish into thin air"

"Blake has...in a way without actually doing so...", told Zante.

Kram and Turner were then coming along the tunnel towards them, "Zante...Xherphi wants to see you..."

Zante was somewhat surprised, "Me...?"

"ONLY you..."

Lexa looked up to him and smiled, "You best go and see what he want then..."

XXX

Xherphi was in one of the bunkers side rooms on his own. Zante cleared his throat as he entered through the iron oval door, "You wanted to see me?"

Xherphi turned and ushered the chair, "please sit...I wanted you to see this"

He reached for the remote control and looked at him, "The visual footage was loaded up a couple of days ago...but only me and two others have seen it"

The monitor crackled to life as the footage was relayed through the ancient video recorder. Blake's face filled most of the monitor, he looked tired and withdrawn and his voice was rather on the shakey side.

"I am 759.727.5943...code red 18...PR18...24Alpha it is what I am known as, and what I am...I am nothing more or nothing less...this is who I am"

Zante glanced at Xherphi, "It's him...so Blake HAS been shipped to Subject X...but the question is...HOW LONG have YOU known about this?"

Xherphi could see that Zante was far to clever to hide the truth from, "I've known since a little after Blake's capture...I have a contact who works for Federation security, somebody I've worked with for years in the old days before the war...he has been most informative believe me"

Zante frowned, "Who? Do we know him?"

"That information is not up for discussion...it's too risky for his identity to be put forward"

Zante was coming to realise, " This contact is on Subject X, isn't he? He's there where Blake is being detained"

Xherphi nodded, but he was far from being committed to his affirmination.

"All you need to know is that it's going to take a long time to get things organised...months more possible...when I get the signal from my contact...then we act"

Zante realised something else, "All this secrecy...it's not only for your contacts benefit is it...there's a spy within the group isn't there"

"That's for me to know"

XXX

In the operations room, Logan stepped in and saw the door closed to Xherphi's side room office, "Whos is there?"

This was to Rosebud. She turned, "Zante...the doors closed so it's plain obvious they don't want to be disturbed"

"It's about Blake...ALL this is about Blake...Xherphi can be so nieve sometimes...there's a spy among us and he's doing nothing about it"

Rosebud glared at him, "well don't go looking at me like that, it's NOT me!"

"I never said it was"

Zante then came out from the bunkers side room, Logan went over to him, "So what's this? Did Xherphi show you the footage?"

"Yes"

"He didn't look too great in it, did he? All this is a waste of time I tell you...going after him is gonna set us down a path of no return"

Zante turned to him, "Well, it's not your decision is it, anyway, Blake is just the man we need to get things organised"

"Have you forgotten Kaldor? Getting himself captured is not the kind of organising we need. Besides. His friends aboard the Liberator haven't come looking for him...they really must miss him"

Zante walked towards the corridor, "I need to do that rewiring in the east wing...airducts are blocked again"

XXX

Lexa was outside. She liked to feel the fresh air on her face. She looked towards the abandoned mine nearby, it was all boarded up and looked quite dilapidated.

She remembered coming here 6 months ago with Blake. All that just seemed such along time ago now.

A hand tapped her shoulder and she swung around, "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you"

It was Zante.

"It's okay...I was just collecting my thoughts"

"Hey...we WILL rescue Blake...it just might take a matter of time"

Lexa nodded, "Well in the mean time, I want to be more than a bystander who always misses out on the action"

Zante frowned, "What do you mean"

Lexa cleared her throat and put her face to the breeze, "I want to be a more useful member of the group...show you all that I'm not just good for making the tea"

"But Blake had a good word to say about you"

"So I'm banking on that to get me some action...I want in when we rescue Blake..."

Zante shook his head, "I'll talk to Xherphi"

Lexa was grateful, "Thank you", she was about to move to the trapdoor when something caught her eye, "What was that?"

Zante frowned, "What was what?"

She pointed, "I thought I saw movement at the mine"

"Just one of the indigenous creatures that roam this planet i'd expect, they aren't dangerous but it's still best to keep our wits about us, we best get below"

12: CHAPTER TWELVE

"Planetfall"

In deep space, the beta class cruiser was moving slowly as it was finally nearing it's course destination.

In the cramped cockpit, the map constellations were flashing up in term on the flight navigational computers monitor. A pinpointed red light was blinking on and off at the very centre of the screen.

"There...at last...we've finally reached it", muttered Kram turning his attention to the monitor.

Logan turned from where he sat next to him at the ships flight controls, "lets hope that Jarmiss' mini-deflector shield is working for us"

Kram agreed, "it better be otherwise this whole operation is panned"

Logan switched his side to auto and unstrapped himself and pushed his seat back, "I'll go into the back to see if everybody is up to speed"

Kram nodded punching in some landing co-ordinates that he was getiing from the computer as they neared the half obscured planet in the distance, "do...depending on that mini-deflector shield, this crate will be grounded in no less than two hours"

XXX

Zante drank some water from the thermos flask and offered it to Lexa who sat beside him in the small passenger section of the craft, "it's still cool", he said smiling.

Lexa took it and swallowed a few drops to wet her mouth. Turner, a bigger older man, turned to the doorway as it slid back, "here we go"

Logan came strutting in and looked at the group of 4, "two hours guys...so I suggest you get yourselves kitted up"

Lexa stood and went to her kit bag to get ready. Zante strode across to Logan,"do we make contact with Budd on the ground? It still could be risky"

Logan raised his eyebrows up at him, "you know as well as I do that Xherphi only wants Blake...he's the only reason why we are all sticking our necks out for"

Zante felt uncomfortable, "Budd is sticking his neck out for us! Xherphi couldn't garantee that he'd still keep his cover, he'll be left wide open..."

Logan grabbed his arm, "but the rewards are obvious...we'll have Blake...just like Xherphi wanted, if it was up to me, I wouldn't care either way", he took a proton hand-blaster from the gun rack and handed it to him, "...just be ready...we have our instructions"

Zante watched Logan move on to help Turner with his kit. Lexa came to his side, "I'm sure Logan knows what he's doing...Xherphi wouldn't have put him in charge otherwise"

Zante seethed to her, keeping his voice low, "then WHY did Xherphi change his mind at the last minute...I was going to lead this mission"

Lexa just placed a hand over his shoulder and then moved to finish off getting ready, leaving Zante to stare at the increasingly bigger planet looming out ahead.

XXX

On the planet know only as X, the dark block of the detention centre laid at the heart of the steaming jungle. The planets' twin moons shone high above casting jagged shadows of the distant mountains onto the jungle canopy.

Inside, the inmates were lined up and ready to go into the mess hall. Federation troopers watched them closely as they all filtered in, and took their food trays from the counter and sat at their designated seats in the hall.

Inmate 759.24Alpha (Blake) looked up from his meal of green mush to Inmate 689.74Beta (Tellguard) who sat opposite him, "I am getting out of here..."

689 looked at him and frowned, "How?"

759 was well aware of the camera moving directly to focus on him, so he kept his mouth tightly shut.

XXX

In the security section, Governor Kellick looked at 759 on the monitor that was one of 6 on the wall.

"759 has been acting strange for several weeks..."

Budd turned from where he manned another desk that was full of dials and controls that kept the facilities camera's going, "how do you mean?"

Kellick considered the image on the monitor, "he's been acting shifty...there's something about him...I sure he is up to something considering who he is"

"Roj Blake...the revolutionist?"

Kellick turned to him, "the traitor..."

Budd stood from his swival chair and went and got himself a coffee from the nearby machine, "he's just acting up...they all do at some point"

Kellick focused his attentions back to the monitor as he sat at his desk, "Even so...I shall be watching 759.24Alpha very closely..."

XXX

Inmate 759 (Blake) laid back on his bunk. He stared up to the ceiling. He couldn't remember the last time he breathed in freshair. 10 maybe 12 months ago.

"My name is Roj Blake...", he whispered to himself. He had to keep reminding himself of that because the damned inmate 759 persona was always at the forefront. You were a number here not a name...not a person. Not anymore.

He didn't know where he was in space. He just knew that he wasn't on Earth. Since arriving here more than a year ago(He couldn't be sure), he had been subjected to hours of confinement and then rituals like being put in a chair with a spotlight shining straight at him and made to repeat his tag name of 759. 24Alpha for more than a hundred times a session.

His thoughts were broken as the oval shaped door slid aside. There was a silhouette in the frame.

759/Blake squinted in the light and shielded his eyes with his hand, "Who is it?"

"It's just me 759...I have to warn you that Kellick is getting suspicious of you...you have to act neutral like you are letting yourself believe you will be spending your dying days in this facility"

759/Blake laid his head back on the hard pillow and brushed a hand through his beard, "just concentrate on not blowing your own cover, did you give them my recommendation at the last contact?"

"Yes"

"...just inform me when you recieve the signal...that is all"

"I will", and the shadowery figure of Budd left the dorm and again 759/Blake was in darkness.

XXX

Logan looked up ahead as the ship neared X, he could see that it was nightime on the side of the planet they needed to be on.

"We're nearly at Planetfall"

Kram nodded at the flight controls, "according to the data I am receiving it appears that this world only as a slight window of daylight every 124 hours"

Logan nodded, "Yeah...it's shrouded in darkness for most of the time making it practically invisible to the human eye"

Kram looked up, "Is everybody ready in the back?"

Logan nodded, "yeah...it's just hard for Zante to swallow that Xherphi decided to put me incharge of this mission and not him, it sticks in his throat"

"Why did Xherphi change his mind at the last minute for?"

Logan shrugged, "because he knows that I AM the better man for getting this done and getting results...he knows I don't particularly like Blake, but he knows that I will put that aside for the greater good of the group"

Kram had to chuckle as he turned his attention back to the controls, "well...enjoy being incharge whilst it lasts because I'm sure that when Blake's back with us, Xherphi will be choosing him everytime...and who can blame him, he was at the helm of the greatest ship there ever was...him and the Liberator are legend"

Now it was Logans turn for something to stick in his throat, "well...that is all passed...I'm incharge now..."

13: CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"JUNGLE OF TERROR"

The still image of Inmate 759/Blake was on the monitor behind Governor Kellick, he swung around in his swival chair to face Inmate 689/ Tellguard sitting in the chair opposite him.

"...are you sure?"

689 nodded, "yes of course I am sure...759 and your man Budd have been having secret talks for several weeks..actually going back since to Budds arrival here"

Kellick watched him closely, Inmate 689 leaned forward and smiled, "...bank on it, something is going on and I can help you...if you like"

Kellick leaned back in the leather chair and chuckled dryily, "I'm assuming there are conditions attached to that offer, is there not?"

689 stood and eyed up the open locker on the nearby wall. There was a flask of green wine and two clear tumblers sat next to it.

"Can I help myself? It's Thraxan is it not? Very classy", he poured wine into both of the tumblers and handed one across to Kellick, "...I think that you and I can do a deal..."

Kellick took a sip of the wine and looked up, "go on...I'm listening"

"I think that Inmate 759 is not going to be with us much longer, and I don't mean he's dropping dead...", 689 began.

The Federation governor leaned forward wanting more, "and..."

689 sat back in the chair clutching his tumbler of wine, "if you want more insight...then that's where our deal kicks in"

Kellick considered the inmates words, "alright...this deal...what do you want? Freedom I suppose..."

689 poured himself more of the wine and looked up, "oh yes...I want off this planet and I want a new Identity...Tellguard no longer exists does he...then I want 3000 credits put into an anonymous bank account and passage out of Federation space"

"You don't want much do you", said Kellick dryily.

689 sighed, "Oh come on governor...I know you've got what it takes...word is you are quite wealthy...", he looked about him before adding, "...you'd have to be for being cooped up for year long stints in this place"

"I suppose I might be able to arrange something for you within reason...and getting you off this world shouldn't be too difficult disguised as a troop, providing you keep your mouth shut"

Kellick stood and paced about the office thinking out aloud, "I knew 759 was up to something...he was behaviouring far too shifty...now thanks to you, my suspicions are confirmed"

689 stood up and raised his hand in optimism, "then we DO have a deal?"

Kellick came forward and shook his hand, "alright 689 you have done good...we have a deal...just as long as you get me ALL what I need to know..."

XXX

The Beta-class cruiser came to a gentle touch down within the jungle clearing, although it was considerably a tight spot.

Inside the passenger section in the rear of the craft, Zante unstrapped his belt and clutched his hand gun tightly, Lexa was sitting next to him feeling the adrenolin rush within her rising.

Logan and Kram came in through from the flight deck and readied themselves, "remember we have 30 hours until the next daylight cycle...daylight is when things on this planet are at their more dangerous", told Logan.

Lexa stood up and frowned, "What things?"

Logan stepped up to her as other group members waited at the exit lock, "things of nightmares they say...why do you think they built a forcifiled complex on a place like this..you'd be mad to escape from the facility with no-where to go...without a weapon you'd be dead no sooner you left the place"

Zante intervined, "come on...lets not start giving ourselves nightmares...lets get this done"

Logan farrowed his browe at him, "I give the orders not you...now...everybody got their weapons set to kill...good..."

The door slid open and the ramp extended outside.

"Good luck... and lets hope that Blake is eternally THANKFUL for all our efforts to free him"

XXX

The imates were having breakfast.

689/Tellguard finished his food that was the usual brown mush full of fibre. He stood up and scraped his chair back and went over to the disposal chute to disguard his waste.

Once the waste was sucked up the chute, he placed the tray onto a pile and turned around. The bearded Inmate 759/Blake was sitting in his usual designated spot, and he couldn't help noticing the eye contact he gave Budd as he walked by.

689 moved into the corridor and stepped through the iron oval door through into another iron door where he finally came to 759's dorm.

He looked from side to side and up to the camera that flashed away on the wall next to him, then he turned the lock and pushed the thick door inward and entered the dorm.

Once over the fresh-hold, he closed the door gently and then started in the task of having a good root around.

Under the bunk, in the locker, in the side unit. There was a rising frustration within him because there was nothing incriminating. He breathed out a sigh and was about to go when he looked to the airflow grill in the top righthand corner...was that a screw missing?

He scraped a chair along and stepped onto it and reached for the grill. It came away quite easily. He reached his hand in and felt about finding something in the space. He grabbed it and took a look of what he had grasped hold of. It was a communitor device, there was a mini built in aerial and a tuner.

He turned it around and saw that the power packs were new.

He closed up the vent and replaced the chair against the wall, then he quickly vacated the dorm as fast and as swiftly as he had entered it.

XXX

Outside within the steaming jungles, Logan led his team through the horrifying undergrowth. The twin moons made it easy to see their way ahead, but the use of powerful torches they each carried were a must.

Lexa nervously looked at the foliage to both sides of her and turned to Zante, "I am sure these plants are watching us!"

Zante clutched his torch in one hand and this weapon in the other, "I know how you feel...I've never seen anything like this before"

Turner looked at both of them and moved on quickly, they quickly followed.

Logan was still out front and unclipped the tracker from his belt and waved it out ahead of him. It made a slight beeping sound that was getting louder. Zante came over to him and asked.

"We ARE going into the right direction, aren't we?"

Logan snapped a harsh whisper at him, "Of COURSE we are! it's only about another hours hike"

Zante looked about him, "and it's ALL jungle?"

Logan rolled his eyes because Zante was becoming very tiresome, "YOU saw the lay out plans, didn't you? You saw the landscape as he came in...and you wonder WHY Xherphi put ME incharge"

"Turner thought he heard something tracking us back there...are you SURE that these nightmare creatures only come out in daylight hours?"

Logan laughed at him, "I SAID the daylight is when they are at their most dangerous...I didn't say they DIDN'T come out at night"

There was a sudden shrill in the distance. Lexa came forward, "What was that?"

"I hate to think"

Lexa shuddered, "No wonder they don't need much security around here...who needs it when you've got all this to worry about"

The shrill became closer.

Logan turned to them, "Come on...lets get a move on"

Suddenly Turner screamed out. Lexa swung around and gasped as she saw him flip over and fall into somekind of pod.

Zante pulled Lexa back and shone his torch straight at it. Turner was getting tangled into vines of somekind that were cutting into his skin and clothes.

"Help me!"

There was then a hissing and vapour was rising from the pod as Turners arms were melted way.

Lexa backed away. Zante stood open mouthed as Turner was litually liquefied in front of his eyes.

The pod was closing in and hissing.

Lexa swallowed down, she was shaking and grabbed Zante's arm, "There's going to be MORE of them, isn't there?"

Zante nodded, but it was Logan who answered out aloud, "OR WORSE", he then nodded up ahead, "come on this way and careful where you step"

Lexa and Zante glanced at the pod one final time and then followed Logan, it seemed Turner had already been forgotten about...

14: CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Twists and turns"

Governor Kellick stared at the communicator device that sat on his desk. He picked it up and turned it around in his hands and then looked up to Inmate 689/Tellguard.

"Well done 689, it is indeed a communication device...an older style one at that...but one that would be good enough to keep 759 in touch with someone..."

"Budd...I wager that he has one too tucked away somewhere...it means they do not have to see eachother to incriminate themselves so obviously"

Kellick shook his head and placed the device in a drawer.

689 wanted to get straight to the point, "now...our deal...I have brought you that as a starter so you can now start to make some arrangements for..."

Kellick waved a hand cutting him off in mid-flow, "No, no...you have NOT finished yet 689, I want names, positions, places where this 'unlikely breakout' when and where this will happen"

"How am I going to do that?"

Kellick leaned forward at the desk, "I want you set up Budd...we cannot go accusing a Federation officer without any evidence...the way you could do that is to convince 759 that YOU want to accompany him in the escape with him"

689 was skeptical, "we are not that close"

"Then use your imagination...get him on side and trust you in his confidence...he told you he wasn't going to be here for much longer...pick it up from there"

689 stood up, "I'll try..."

Kellick stood up also and met his gaze, "No there is no TRY...you DO...otherwise any chance of YOU getting off this planet stops here..."

XXX

The facility finally could been seen through the thicket of the jungle. Zante used a pair of mini-digitalised binoculars to scan the area.

"I cannot see anything or anyone...that place looks impregnable"

Logan looked at him, "It would be...NOBODY is meant to get out of the place...now our instructions are clear...we have to wait for Budds signal...HE is the only one who can get us into the facility"

Zante agreed and went and sat down on a fallen log. The air was hot and stuffy and the twin moons sent down an eerie shine of light reflecting off the facilties black walls.

Lexa came to sit next to him, "I hope Budd keeps to the time...I hate to think of us being stuck out here longer than we need to be"

Zante tried to reassure her, "There's none of those pod things about...it's quite safe"

The shrill roared out in the distance, "We STILL don't know what that thing is yet...", and she met his gaze, "...and i'd hate to find out either..."

XXX

Budd looked into the mirror after he had a shave with the electric shaver. The communicator device was in his locker. He went through into his cabin proper and unlocked the locker and pulled it out. The red light was flashing.

He had to be in position. He closed up the locker and pulled on his boots. Once laced up he went to be ready to make the renderzvous.

XXX

Logan looked up to the constellations in the night skies above. Zante followed his gaze then looked towards Lexa who was still nervous about being in the jungle for this length of time.

He stood up and then glanced towards the communicator device that was sitting next to Logan and pointed, "the signal...it's flashing...our contact is on his way"

Logan snatched it up and then hurried forward to the shadow of the facility. There was a light flashing near to the base, "There...it's him"

Logan lead the way as Zante and Lexa followed him towards the lights source. Budd was standing there on a block of concrete surrounded by iron railings.

"Budd...?", hissed Logan as he neared.

Budd nodded and aimed his flashlight towards a set concrete steps going downwards into the concrete base, "at last...I was sure that something had gone wrong"

Logan chuckled, "No...everything has gone to plan so far"

"Try telling that to Turner...", shot Zante at him.

Budd could almost guess this Turner's outcome, "fell victim to the many horrors of the jungle did he? It was inevitable that somebody might"

Lexa looked at him, "How do we get in?"

Budd pointed to the steps grimly, "Down here...I'm afraid it's the sewer network. Unless you arrive by the offical channel in a supply transporter and land on the main heli-port on the roof...then this is only way"

They followed Budd down the steps that lead in turn to a circular grill that Budd lifted up and pointed to the ladder, "Quickly...down you go"

Lexa was first to come forwards and climb down the ladder, Logan was next followed by Zante and Budd who pulled the grill shut behind him.

XXX

Down in the sewer, it was like a brick tunnel and the water was ankle deep. They all clicked their torches on and followed Budd down the gloomy curved tunnel.

After a fair walk through the water, Budd turned back to them, "Not far now", he whispered.

Logan poised his gun ahead of him and Zante could see that he was about to loom straight at Budd, he grabbed his arm and held him back, "What are you doing?"

Logan gritted his teeth, frustrated that he had been stopped in his tracks, "He could be leading us all into a trap for all we know!", he hissed.

"Budd is on OUR side. I trust him, you should to..."

Budd's voice echoed in the gloom, "Come on keep up!"

Lexa looked at both Logan and Zante in turn, "You heard him...will you two just knock it off so we can get this done...the sooner we are in there, the sooner we can free Blake"

Lexa then hurried down the tunnel, Zante glanced at Logan then hurried on after her, Logan slowly followed.

XXX

Inmate 689/Tellguard came up the corridor and stopped outside 759/Blakes dorn. The door was open slightly so he pushed it open wider.

Blake sat at his desk and looked up to him, "Come in 689 I've been expecting you"

"Really?"

759 smiled and rubbed his beard, "You cannot fool me 689...I KNOW what you are after"

689 cleared his throat, "I don't know what you mean"

"You want out, with me", 759 uttered simply.

689 shut the door and went up to him, both were fully aware of the camera.

"Not here", 689 finally mouthed.

759 nodded, "You know where...we'll talk there..."

689 nodded and left the dorm. 759 watched the door close and stood up, he grabbed the chair and placed it into the corner and stepped onto it to feel around the air vent.

To his horror, the communicator device was gone...

XXX

In the sewer, Budd reached the ladder and put a hand upon the first rudder to begin to climb up, he turned to see Logan, Zante and Lexa as they approached, the water was just above their ankles now.

"You best be switching those torches off, you won't be needing them up here"

Lexa clicked hers off and clipped it to her belt. Logan followed Budd up the ladder, Zante let Lexa go next and he carried on up behind her.

XXX

Inmate 759/Blake stepped through the oval hatchway and made his way across to the shower block. He looked both ways and then made for the door, he turned the lock and pushed the iron door inwards and entered the tiled shower area.

759 looked about him, then a cubicle door opened and Governer Kellick showed himself.

"I thought this must of been a set-up when I discovered the communicator gone"

Kellick laughed, "So...759...it's about time you told me all about this incredible escape you have been planning"

"don't tell me...689...he was the one who informed you, wasn't he"

Kellick nodded, "Yes...you are far TOO trusting 759...infact, inmate 689 has been quite informative about your little chats with Federation officer Budd"

759 was quite curious, "So tell me governor...what is 689 to gain out of all this, surely he wouldn't have bothered to go along with spying for you if there wasn't anything in it for him"

"He wants passage off this world. Freedom. Like you all do"

759 laughed, "But I don't expect it's that simple is it? I bet that 689 is not going anywhere, is he?"

Kellick laughed, "The fool can believe what he likes, the bottom line is...NOBODY escapes this facility...you are ALL to live out your lives here because you no longer exist on the outside world...that goes for you...and that goes for 689"

689 was listened at the doorway.

15: CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Pressure points"

Inmate 689/Tellguard wasn't liking what he was hearing. Governor Kellick had no intention of going through with the deal.

"689 cannot leave here if anyway, once somebody is brought here then there is NO return...none at all"

689 had heard enough, he rounded the corner and entered the shower block, retreathing a gun from a loose tile as he went by.

759/Blake looked at him and Kellick glanced around still holding his gun, "what the..."

689 smiled at him, "Oh the gun? You have to be more careful where you leave your weapons Governor, this one happened to be in your office"

Kellick eyed up the gun and extended his arm, "hand it over 689"

689 shook his head, "No...I've just overheard what you were telling him. You were saying..."

XXX

Budd opened up the store room door and Zante and Lexa bundled inside. Logan stalled back, then back tracking up the corridor, he slipped off.

In the store-room Zante immediately noticed the his absence, "Where's Logan?"

"But he was just behind us!", Lexa cried.

Logan stepped through into Governor Kellicks office. After finding it empty, Logan went around to the console and operated the selection of monitors that were on the back wall. He clicked the view from one camera to the next and stopped on the one that showed Kellick being held at gunpoint by 689.

Logan slapped his hand down onto the alarm.

XXX

In the store-room the klaxon rang out. Budd swung around, "Somebodys triggered the security alarm!"

Lexa grabbed Zante's arm, "It's Logan!", she realised.

At that comment, Budd went flying out the door in a hurry, Zante called out after him, "Budd wait!"

Lexa grabbed him and pulled him back inside and clanged the metal door shut, "Do you think he knew...?"

XXX

The klaxon echoed through the shower block too. Kellick smiled at 759, "times running out on you 759...it's seems your rescue party have run into trouble"

759 closed his eyes in frustration, " I was so near" he uttered.

But to his surprize, Kellick's stance changed, "but I have a confession to make, I knew all about your planned absconding from this facility"

759 frowned, "what?"

"I knew all about the escape plot, and I am not talking about the information 689 fed me either"

759 swallowed and shook his head, "You are bluffing...I was certainly stupid enough to tell 689 what I was doing BUT I have never said anything else to anybody..."

689 lowered his weapon as he as he cottoned on to what the governor was incinuating, "you-you mean to say that one of his friends is an informant?"

Kellick smiled at him and then at 759, "Yes...I'm afraid to say...there is!"

759 closed his eyes and was left feeling completely helpless.

XXX

Still in the store-room, Zante could hear troops run down the corridor outside of the door, he glanced around to Lexa who was sitting on a crate of dried stock food, "maybe this was a mistake...maybe we should think about getting ourselves out of here"

Lexa jumped up open-mouthed, "we can't leave without Blake!"

Zante tried to sound like he wasn't merely just giving up, "but how? Getting ourselves captured and killed is not going to help him, is it?"

Lexa closed her eyes and pleaded, "We've got to do something, we can't just LEAVE...we've got this FAR!"

Zante took his time, but shook his head and went to the door, Lexa stopped him, "Where are you going?"

He turned, "I'm going to look for Blake...you are right, he saved my life once and I'm going to do the same for him...BUT instead of both of us getting captured I'm giving you a chance to get back...STAY HERE and hide...if I'm not back in half an hour then you get the hell out of here"

Lexa smiled, "be careful"

"You too...", and with that, he checked that the coast of clear and then he slipped away with Lexa shutting the door behind him.

XXX

Budd hurried down the corridor and on the way ordered a section of troops to round up the inmates and place them into confinement. He then headed to Kellicks office to shut down the alarm.

Stepping over the freshhold, he could see the monitors on the back wall on and showing various images from around the facility.

The leather chair behind Kellicks desk turned around to reveal Logan sitting there in full Federation uniform.

"Hello Budd..."

XXX

In the shower block Govenor Kellick pointed the gun at 759. The Klaxon ceased.

"Now...", started Kellick, "...it's about time I put the wheels into motion..."

Before 759 could react, the Federation governor swung around and gunned down 689. The inmate slapped up against the white tiles by the force of the shot and he slipped down it leaving a smear of blood in his wake.

759 was aghast. He looked at Kellick in total confusion, "but...why?...wait a minute, YOU are the contact...aren't you...YOU are Xherphi's contact and not budd"

Kellick affirmed, "yes...Xherphi was precise in his instructions...there IS A SPY in your group 759, Budd is an old friend I can trust"

"My name is Blake...Roj Blake..."

Kellick nodded, "It is...it will take time for you to get used it again...759 has been ingrained in your brain through the sessions for a long time"

"Too long", muttered Blake taking 689's gun.

"Quickly now...it's time to get you out of here"

Blake stopped him, "How...how are YOU going to get me out?"

Kellick smiled at him, "I am STILL the governor of this facility...and NOBODY knows my other agenda...if we are quick, everything SHOULD work out for both of us"

XXX

Budd raised his weapon at Logan who sat at Kellick's desk, "I thought I recognised you...that's why you ran out on the others, you KNEW that I'd recognise you!"

Logan laughed, "Of course that's why...but all that doesn't really matter now, does it"

Budd had to bluff it, but he was sure that Logan didn't know that Kellick was the real contact. He kept up the pretence.

"Xherphi was right...he said in his last transmission that he believed there was a spy within the group..."

"Yes Budd...a spy to weed out Federation traitors like YOU!"

Budd laughed and viewed Logan in the target display of his gun, "You are too late...Blake is being freed as we speak"

Logan laughed, "I don't think so Budd...all hopes for his rescue end now..."

XXX

Zante clutched his gun and had his back up against the wall. He peered around a corner to see two armed troopers moving forward with 6 or 7 inmates. Once they had gone he sighted Blake and Kellick come out from an oval door opposite him.

"Blake!"

Blake came forward and looked pleased to see him, "Zante! It's good to see you...infact it's good to hear somebody use my name!"

Kellick was hesitant, "I don't want to hurry you but if you are going to get out of here then you'll have to do it now"

Zante grabbed Blakes arm before they could all go up the corridor, "We can't leave without Lexa!"

Blake turned to him concerned, "Lexa! She's HERE? Why hasn't she been returned to her brother"

"She didn't want to...look Blake she's in the store room"

Kellick was getting edgey, "Come on...we are waisting time!"

Blake took charge, "Kellick...get Zante out of here...I will follow...I need to get Lexa"

"But..."

"Go now!"

Blake watched as Kellick and Zante hurried up the corridor, Blake hurried into the opposite direction. He hid behind a corner as a couple of troopers were doing a search. Once clear he rounded the corner quickly passing Kellicks office, where he failed to see Budd lying motionless on the floor.

XXX

The store-room door opened and Blake peered in, his gun poised, he looked into the gloom at the piles of food supplies and boxes.

"Lexa...?", he hissed.

There was no reply, Blake went in and called out again, "Lexa it's me...it's Blake"

The door shut and somebody came foward and put a gun to the side of Blakes neck.

"Blake...at last...we finally meet again"

It was Logan.

"What have you done with Lexa?"

Logan chuckled, "She's quite safe...but the poor girl didn't know whether to trust me or not...she really is in a confused state"

Blake was defiant, "Well...who can blame her with the likes of you"

Logan pushed the nuzzle further into the skin of Blakes neck, "I had to work with Xherphi's nest of rebels for 18 months! Here is where it ends, this is where it all comes crashing down for him and the traitors that follow him"

Even with a gun held straight in him, Blake was casual, "One problem Logan...Xherphi was always suspicious of you...he trusted ME in his confidence"

Logan wasn't at all surprized, "Yes...I thought as much and he is a fool...I suspect that his bolthole on Ketemine Mega is being raided as we speak!"

Blake thinly smiled. "I don't think so Logan...Xherphi had plans to move the base on YOUR departure...MY advice and he was grateful for it"

"you lie"

Logan was clearly flummoxed that is secret agenda wasn't as secret as he thought it was , he relaxed the grip on the weapon.

"No Logan...I hope you haven't made too many promises to the Federations high command...they don't take failures very lightly", Blake warned.

"But I still have what your friends want...I still have YOU!"

16: CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN..."KISS OF DEATH"

Governor Kellick pointed towards the hatch that went to the facitilies maintenance and utility section and looked at Zante.

"You know where you are from here?"

Zante nodded, "Yes...but you best get back and find Blake...he's not going to know the way and if Logan gets to him first, it'll be blown for all of us"

Kellick nodded, "Just go...and get your ship ready...Blake will be with you soon enough"

XXX

Lexa was cuffed to Kellick's office desk. She could see that Budd was also cuffed and he was slowly coming around and collecting his bearings again.

"We are finished", Lexa muttered.

Budd's head was sore, "No...no, it's not all bad...Kellick would have got Blake out, I'm sure of it"

Lexa was shocked and wide eyed, "What! You mean Governor Kellick is on OUR side!"

Budd managed a smile for her, "Yes...HE is Xherphi's contact, not me...something that Logan hadn't banked on..."

XXX

Zante pulled open the great iron door and looked at the grill. The ladder leading down to the sewer was underneath it. He paused and looked back to the tunnel of piping and clutter.

"Come on Blake", he muttered.

He then heaved up the grill and began to descend down the ladder.

XXX

Lexa managed to uncuff herself much to Budds surprize. Wide eyed, he watched as she came over and uncuffed him as well.

"Where did you learn that!"

Lexa laughed, "I'm a woman of many talents when I desperate"

They heard voices in the corridor. Budd put a finger to his lips to hush her and went to the door and peered out into the corridor.

He could see Logan and Blake approaching, two armed Federation troopers with them. Budd was too late to duck out of sight because Logan made eye contact and raised his gun to cut Budd down.

As Budd went to run, the plasma bolt hit him in the back and he went to the floor. Lexa was then at the door way with her hands to her mouth.

"No Lexa!", cried out Blake.

But as Logan went to take a hit at her too, a bolt came out of no where and hit Logan, sending him crashing into the wall. Eyes wide and in shock, he slipped down the wall and by the time he hit the floor he was dead.

Before the two confused troopers could react, Kellick cut them down too.

Blake turned around to see Kellick holding a gun.

"Thank you"

Lexa rushed up to Blake and they embraced.

Kellick crouched and looked over Logan, "He won't be bothering you again...", he stood and turned to Blake and Lexa, "...Your friend should be making his way back to your ship...you two better get out of here while you still can"

"What about you?", asked Lexa.

Kellick smiled, "I am the Governor here...a FULL report must be made. A report that Inmate 689 was attempting to escape and has murdered three of my officers"

Blake looked at him, "and Inmate 759?"

Kellick laughed, "He stays here Blake...you are free to go and as a nobody...as far as the report is concerned, no inmate has ever left here...now go and give Xherphi my regards, we go well back"

Lexa took Blakes hand and faced him, "We have to go Blake"

Blake stepped forward and shook Kellick's hand and then was about to go when Kellick pointed to the fallen troopers guns, "You'll need them...the jungles outside never sleep..."

Both Blake and Lexa picked one up and then they were away up the corridor leaving Kellick to clear up.

XXX

Blake and Lexa hurried down the sewer tunnel towards the exit ladder that lead up to the nightmare jungles above. The water was still ankle deep around them.

"Blake..."

Blake turned around and saw Lexa leaning on the curved brick tunnel wall. He hurried back to her concerned.

"Lexa? What is it?"

She made eye contact, "I can't go on"

Blake held her sides and then realised there was blood on his right hand, he looked up at her agasp, "You've been hit!"

Lexa sadly smiled at him, "the bolt that got Logan...it got me too"

Blake supported her weight as she leaned forward, "I'll help you...come on, we can STILL make it"

"Blake I can't go on...you must go on without me", cried Lexa.

Blake's face was so close to hers that their lips nearly met, "it's over Blake...it's over for me"

"Lexa...the thought of seeing YOU again someday has kept me in the hope of getting out of here...and I am NOT going to just leave you here"

And with that said, he heaved her up into his arms and made for the ladder.

XXX

Kram hit the controls as the ship lifted off from the nightmare jungle of the Planet X. Zante sat next to him and looked down to the facility in the distance before it disappeared out of sight.

"Are you alright to take the controls on your own for a bit?"

Kram nodded, "Yeah...you better see if they are alright in the back"

Zante unstrapped his belt and pushed the seat back and went through into the rear.

Lexa was lying on the bunk with her head in Blakes lap and he was gently stroking her hair. Zante stopped in his tracks and managed to utter, "Is she...", as Blake looked at him.

Blake nodded, "she's dying yes...but I wasn't just going to leave her to rot in a sewer"

Zante sat on the bunk opposite, "Kram has set a course for Izeptha 7...clever place to come on with...Xherphi certainly knows how to ellude the Federation"

Blake managed a weak smile in response.

Zante followed his eyes as they looked down to Lexa, "we could get her to a hospital centre..."

Blake knew that would be too risky. Most were run by the Federation, and it was almost too late for Lexa anyway...her condition was critical.

"No hospital...", Lexa whispered.

Zante stood up, "I'll leave you two alone for abit..."

Blake watched his friend go but he called out, "Zante...thanks for coming for me"

"I owed you..."

Blake looked down to Lexa, she smiled at him weakly, and managed to lift her hand and brushed his face and beard, "I...I missed you Blake"

Blake swallowed.

"Kiss me Blake...please"

Blake was bashful, but he planted a kiss on her lips. A few longs seconds because as he pulled away she was drawing her last breath...

XXX

The ship moved on through the stars like a comet, it's false I.D letting it transverse through the outer reaches of Federation space with out clearance.

Lexa's body was covered up by a sheet. Blake stood by the portal window and looked out to the constellations.

He was free at last. But to what cost? Lexa's death was a price too high wasn't it? He hadn't known her for long before his capture but he had felt a growing feeling for her...and now all he felt was loss.

But...HE was free. The Federation facility on the Planet X still had Inmate 759, meaning if there was ANY records on those who were sent there, in name, he was STILL there.

He was free to start over...adopt a new identity and fight back again as someone else, a nobody...a rebel who didn't have a celebrity status to bog him down whereever he went.

Xherphi was a good man who had liberated many worlds, he was up for more of that, and it was time to fight back before the Federation gathered pace again.

He was far from a violent man, something ridiculed by the likes of Kerr Avon, but he always stood by his values for freedom and bring peace to the galaxy.

Was Kerr Avon at the helm of the Liberator now? Was he continuing the cause or was he at last using it for his own agendas.

Maybe he will never know...he had certainly heard rumours of the Liberator through the likes of Budd and his contact with Xherphi, but it seemed there was NO active search to find him.

He sighed and went to sit back down on the bunk.

Once they were safely on Izeptha 7, there was a lot to get done, because he was never more determined of crushing the Federation than he was now...

TO BE CONTINUED...