…hereby order the death of one Ayme Katash. Shoot to kill upon visual confirmation.

It didn't matter how many times Bright had read the entire message on that merc's data pad, her mind continued to circle back to that one line. Thinking about it now, a wedge of fury lodged itself in her chest making it difficult for her to breathe. She looked back at the data pad sitting on her desk a her resolve hardened. She would be damned if she was going to let someone take the life of Ayme 'Havock' Katash.

Pursing her lips, Bright came to the conclusion to involve as few people as possible. If she were to take this news to Jaenna, she'd have two people to protect. Asking Joamer was out of the question, he'd draw too much attention in the circles she'd be finding herself associating with. Bright sat at her desk, a plan beginning to formulate in her mind. She was not known for her tactical knowledge and would be the first to admit that she was not a strategist in any sense of the word, but she excelled at working alone. She had done so for many years before and after meeting her old friend Riqimo.

Making up her mind, Bright pushed her hair out of her eyes and got to work in requesting a leave of absence from her platoon commander. In the reason box she put that she needed to take a personal leave to visit her mother on Bakura. The lie grated on her nerves, but she didn't want to raise Havock's suspicions. The woman had a habit of checking in on her troopers. With that done she contacted the one person in the galaxy she always turned to when it came to tracking down cyberspace marks, Sira Markilas.

Making sure her connection was as secure as she could make it, Bright waited for Sira to answer. “You do know that code was easier than hell to decrypt, right?” The black haired woman asked as she answered.

“Relax, Sira, I assure you it is the most secure channel I could find and modify to your specifications.” Bright's smile was reasuring, but it didn't reach her eye. “I have a...favor to cash in.” She said hesitantly.

Sira's brows rose. “You? Calling to cash in a favor from a Vast Imperial world? Come on Star, you know I don't do runs in that sector.” The woman's green eyes narrowed.

Bright nodded and held up her hand to forestall any other argument the woman might think up. “I'll com to you. But I need you to get started on a trace for me as soon as possible.”

Sira sat back in the chair she was sitting in and folded her arms across her chest. “I'm not going to like this am I?” She asked. Years of knowing Brightstar had made her cautious and wary whenever the red head decided to personally meet with her. Despite their friendship, Sira had found herself in some of the worst situations she'd ever been in due to Bright's 'favors.'

“Probably not, but you do still owe me one for that time on Ansion.” Bright answered. She hated holding holding things over Sira's head like that, but sometimes it was the only way she could get the slicer to co-operate with her. Besides, Sira did owe her life to Bright.

“I just knew you would bring up Ansion. Sira growled, “okay, what do you want me to do?”

Bright transmitted the message she had downloaded. “I need you to trace where this message originated. And Sirry, I need you to do what you do best, keep your mouth shut about it. I don't want this getting out.”

The woman on the screen nodded as she received the transmission.  “Don't you have a slicer there that you can call on. Would be easier and faster for you.”

Bright sighed when she thought of Jaenna. Yes, it would have been much faster to ask her, but then Bright would have to chase the woman across the galaxy to keep her from getting herself killed. Then how would Bright explain that to Havock? No, it was better this way.  “She's on a mission and therefore unavailable.” Bright lied.

“You are are a horrible liar, Star.” Sira said through her easy smile. “No, don't try to explain it, I know you like your secrets. I'll have this trace done for you when you get here.” With that, Sira signed off.

“I swear she has a thing against saying goodbye.” Bright muttered turning away from the blank screen.

**********************

Two weeks later...

Bright couldn't believe that Black Sun was still attempting to kill Ayme. She also couldn't believe that the originator of the  message had been so easy to track down. Sitting in the pilot's seat of her beloved Arwed freighter, Fireblade, Bright watched the frigate floating in the orbit of the little known planet of Rytallos.  She'd even had a hard time finding any information on it. It didn't really matter given that she wasn't here to sight see. She was here to eliminate a threat.

Staring at the frigate, she could feel that cold fury burn in the pit of her stomach again. How dare this Jaysen Capry put a hit out on her friend. In the back of her mind, Bright was aware that if this went horribly wrong, it was unlikely that anybody could or would be able to find her. It was a risk she was willing to take to give Ayme the security she deserved in her life. If only Bright had been paying attention to that gut feeling of hers that said something indeed was going to go terribly wrong.

She didn't even know that she'd been caught till it was too late.

Bright wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting in her cell. Her chronometer had been taken from her along with several of her personal effects. Her ship had been disabled and boarded, then later destroyed. She clenched her fists when she thought about it. A sharp pain flashed up her arm from her fingers. “Frak!” She cursed. Her voice was rougher than normal and it cracked when she raised it more than a whisper. The result of screaming helplessly.

She'd lost count of the days that had passed since her capture. With nothing to tell the time, she had no reference point. It could have bee only a single day or it could have been close to a month. It didn't matter how much time had passed though, the bitter taste of failure still lingered on her tongue and anger still burned in her mind. She cursed herself for getting caught, and continued to kick herself for fighting back when it would be so much easier to kill Capry if she just complied.

Making a face she spat in the corner of her cell. He wanted Havock. Bright wasn't giving her to him. Anybody else from Black Sun she could respect, but this greedy little bastard didn't deserve any of it. Sighing, she leaned her head back against the wall and tried to formulate another plan. She had to take into account that she was injured, sleep deprived and dehydrated. Even if she were at her best escape would be next to impossible.

“Think, Rain.” She muttered to herself more to hear her own voice. It was one of those 'days' where deafening silence was on the menu, making every sound all the louder. Her own voice was like a ion cannon blast at close range to her sensitive ears. She tried to think through the massive migraine throbbing behind her eyes, but it was hard going.

The bright lights of her cell did nothing to help either, and she could feel her body begin to tense with the shakes that had started  a few hours ago. She slept when she could but, these Black Sun assholes knew how to play on the stress positions rather well. She found herself wishing she had signed up for that class about resisting interrogation. She wasn't sure just how much it would have prepared her for this sort of treatment, but maybe it would have given her something.

She wondered if she could will herself to live through this one.  It was obvious that Capry was impressed with her endurance, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could continue to keep from just screaming where Havock was. Every time she thought about that she kicked herself and  continued to say nothing other than that she wouldn't tell him jack squat.

Hearing the sound of the servomotors that controlled her cell's entrance begin to work again, Bright eased into a standing position. She may not have known just how long she'd been here, but she was familiar with the drill. Weighing her chances of getting anywhere in her condition, Bright contemplated trying for another escape attempt.

Making up her mind, she limped over to the wall next to the entrance. She would have to work from the left due her broken biological hand. She had been pleasantly surprised when Capry hadn't ordered her cybernetic left arm sabotaged. Either her didn't think she would be able to get anywhere with it, or he simply didn't know about it. It had been a nice bit of luck for her. At least she could fight with it and still cause a significant amount of damage.

The moment the door whooshed open, Bright swung her left fist in a backhanded swing that was capable of more than just knocking out any normal being.

Bright watched as Havock moved in front of her, keeping her mostly in the shadows in the corridors they traveled. As glad as she was to see the woman, Bright's concern for her overruled any worry she held for herself. It seemed that it was a common occurrence whenever she found herself fighting beside the blonde. The two of them always seemed to playing some sort of cat and mouse kind of game, or dancing some kind of waltz that involved circling around a subject or idea.

Bright was only just realizing just how many times she'd found herself running off to keep her friend safe from the dangers of her past, or from the harsh actions of war. It hadn't taken them long to become friends, Bright had even come to completely trust Havock with everything that made her Brightstar. Havock had become her confidant and one of only three people in the galaxy she would do anything for.

They had made it to the armory quickly and with little to no resistance. This fact worried Bright more than anything else. “Ayme there is something you should know.” She began trying to get her friend's attention.

“Not out here, Rain. Let's just get your things and blow the joint.” Havock was easily granted access into the armory and the two of them entered.  The Army XO kept looking back at Bright as she searched the room for the weapons that were typical and unique to Bright.

“You shouldn't be here.” Bright blurted, frustration lacing her rough voice. She winced slightly as she shifted her weight from her injured leg.

“And what, leave you to Black Sun torturers?” The way that Havock spat the words made it clear that nothing could have possibly kept her from rescuing the violet eyed woman. “I don't think so. Not in a million lifetimes would I let you endure that.”

Bright furrowed her brows in confusion. She wasn't confused about what Havock had said, it was more the way that what she said had made her feel.  “Ayme, it's a trap. I came here to save you not have you save me.”

“You said that before.  What do you mean you came here to save me?” Havock asked turning to look at Bright, her blue eyes still confused.

Bright sighed and leaned gingerly against the armory wall. “The last Jester mission had us facing a bunch of mercs, no intel as to who had hired them, or why. We just knew that they were a threat that needed to be eliminated before they could reach VE space.” Bright cleared away the pressure that had formed in her throat. “We did what we were supposed to do. One of the mercs had a data pad with a message from an unknown source. I grabbed in hoping I could get Jae to take a slice into it and find the original sender.”

She grimaced again, thinking about how close she'd come to giving Jae an excuse to go on a spice induced rampage. “Well I almost gave it to Jae, I'm glad I didn't. Ayme, it was an order and payment deal for your.....the merc was ordered to shoot you on sight.” Bright finished.

The look on Havock's features made Bright wish she could fix the Black Sun so that they could never come after the other woman ever again. “So this is all a trap. You walked right into their trap, it's just a matter of time before they activate it.”

Havock stood there looking at Bright intensely for a moment. She appeared to want to ask a question but decided against it. “Rain, they've always been after me. What makes this time any different  from all the other times that they've attempted to kill me?”

Bright thought about it. What made this time different was that Bright had found the contract. Bright had found the contract and had by proxy led her friend right into their hands. That thought made it hard for Bright to breathe. She'd been the bait. A sudden fear rose within her as she watched Ayme continue to search for her weapons.  What if she gets killed this time? She asked herself silently.

“Got 'em.” Havock said suddenly reappearing with Bright's blades, her sidearm and her utility belt. She looked at Bright's swollen hand and shook her head. “Come here. I'll help you with your belt and we can get off this ship. You need to make another visit to the infirmary I'm afraid.”

When Bright just looked at her in confusion, Havock stepped up to her and tossed one end of Bright's utility belt around the woman's waist. Bright's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. Without realizing it she held her breath. A warmth blossomed in the pit of her stomach and a thought that Bright had never thought before, formed in the back of her mind.

Why do I feel like I've wanted her to do that for a long time? She mused.

What the frak is wrong with me?! Bright screamed silently at herself. She had never been so enthralled before. She'd never had moments where she had felt her heart simply want to beat itself right out of her ribcage. In reality that was a lie. She tried to tell herself those things, and for the most part she had willingly believed them, because it was easy. It was so much easier to just believe the lie in order to avoid having to face the reality.

Now, though, she had to face it. She had to face it or it would eat her up and then she would be no good to anybody, let alone to the person she had endured so much for already. Watching as Havock turned back into the hallway, Bright struggled with her emotions. I can't do this right now. If I do she could end up dead and I won't allow that. Not while I still breathe.

Biting her lip, Bright pushed everything into that little compartment in the back of her mind. The one that she could always go back to later to review and evaluate everything that had happened to her in her life. She could admit that she held a lot in. There was so much that she was holding onto that she at the moment found it difficult to simply let it go for the moment.

Grinding her teeth, Bright forced herself to focus on the situation at hand. “She cannot do this herself.” She growled quietly as she pushed herself away from the wall. Using her left hand she drew her blaster and limped into the hallway to watch the XO's back. A task she had taken to doing from their first meeting.

Her call was a good one. From around the corner more Black Sun mercenaries had begun to fill the hall at Havock's back. Bright bared her teeth and let out a feral snarl. She hated people who would shoot another in the back. She valued honor, and shooting someone in the back was as dishonorable as it got. Her blaster, with its power level at its highest setting, took the lives of mercenaries with every flashing red bolt that lanced out from it's barrel.

“You had a plan for getting in, how about for getting out?” Bright asked over her shoulder, killing two more mercs.

She heard a little laugh over the sound of blaster fire, and smiled in spite of herself. She wondered how it was that neither of them had been shot yet and chanced a worried look behind her. Still standing. Doesn't mean anything. She has incredible tolerance for pain. Looking back at her end of the hallway.

Narrowing her eyes, Bright watched as one of the mercs pulled out a device that looked similar to a grenade. “Smoke bomb." She said loud enough for Havock to hear her, but not loud enough for her voice to carry. Were these guys idiots?

Even injured as she was, Bright was more than capable of turning something like a smoke bomb to her great advantage. She watched as it was slid to her feet and  suddenly burst into a cloud of grayish green smoke. She holstered her blaster and grabbed the blades at her thighs. She moved forward, with less speed than she normally possessed and with much more pain shooting up her leg and back.

If there had been light she would have said her blades flashed, instead they just sliced and pierced. Every man or woman that met with her in that hallway fell. She was sloppy, she could admit that, but if sloppy got the job done then she would take what she could get. She followed the wall to her right as a point of reference and continued on her way to the end of the hall dancing in and out of the smoke to present a spirit of vengeance against those that had harmed her, that wished to take the life of one that she held dear. It was the only thing that seemed to keep her going at this point. She wanted them gone, and gone is what she would make them, in anyway that she could.

At the end of the hall she turned to call for Havock to follow her, but the woman was right there. Somehow the blond had managed to keep up with her while still firing at their enemy. “Just so you know I have no idea where I am going.” Bright said as she sheathed her blades.

She was shaking again and she couldn't figure out where the exhaustion ended and the pain began. Keep going, you got this far, keep going. She thought to herself. Always though she looked behind her to see if Havock was still there. I'm so stupid. How could I not see it was a trap? It's my fault she's here.

I have what I need. Bright thought. What was it she had needed? And why had she done that? Was it just the fever talking? But it's true, all I really needed was to know that she was still okay. That's it and that's all. She thought stubbornly. It must be the fever.

Once more Bright pushed her thoughts and confusing feelings to the back of her mind. For a moment she was almost wishing that Jaenna was hiding in a corner waiting to bash some sense into her. After all, this was Ayme she was thinking about. STOP IT! She ordered herself.

“I swear to Gods, if you get one more scratch I'm going to find every member of the Black Sun and rip their skin from their bodies.” Havock turned and headed towards the door. As she did so she gave Bright instructions as to what to do to prevent more damage than had already been caused.

Bright barely heard her. Instead her mind was focused on the image of a furious Ayme Katash, living up to her promise of ripping skins from bodies. Though she was sure that it would be exraordinarily gruesome, the thought that Havock would do that for her was mind numbing. A deep set gratitude settled into her heart. It was fact that Bright had never met anyone like her former squad leader. It was also a fact that she was unlikely to find anyone like her ever again in all the worlds this galaxy had to offer.

“And Bright?” The platoon sergeant looked up when the other woman paused. “Don't get dead.”

Without warning or by any conscious command, a truly genuine smile pulled at her lips. The smile she received in turn made her wish that she had a holo-camera with her. Focus Rain. You can ogle later. It was funny how the voice in the back of her mind always seemed to sound like one of two people: Her mother and the woman currently saving her ass.

Snapping back to attention, Bright looked at the pills that Havock had given her and made a face. Sighing she simply popped them into her mouth and chewed them up as she followed Havock back into the hall. Secretly she was glad that her friend had not checked her back. Otherwise, she feared that she would have flown out of the room and gotten herself into a mess that her fury couldn't get her out of. She'd made no mention of it to her either. Havock had simply treated the injuries that she had been aware of, the ones that Bright couldn't effectively hide.

She followed Havock in silence, doing her best to breath evenly and keep her weight off of her leg as much as possible. It occurred to her that it would have been easier to do that had she stayed in the room they had just left, but she shot the idea down as quickly as she thought of it. There was no way in all of the Seven Hells that she was letting Havock wander this ship alone.

Jae would kill me dead if I let Havvie get killed saving me. The red head thought to herself convincingly. She refused to admit that she had her own intrests in keeping her friend alive beyond that of the fact that they were friends.

Up ahead Bright could see markings that pointed in the direction of the command center. They were nearly there, and Bright was more than certain that they would have a fight of it once they did reach their destination. She could almost feel Jaysen Capry's neck beneath the fingers and palm of her good hand. She personally wanted to tear his windpipe from his body and watch him choke on his own blood. Truth was she'd probably have to fight for the pleasure of killing him herself.

From the moment her blade left her hand, Bright began kicking herself for letting the slime play on her emotions. It seemed the last two weeks or so had frayed whatever control she'd ever had in her life and at that moment, everything had just snapped.

The resulting explosion had her ears ringing with the words that had dug so deeply, causing her fury towards the man to heighten.

"I see you still have your crippled little friend with you Ayme. I'm amazed you know, based on your psychological profile you are supposed to be severely antisocial and see no sense of worth in attachments of any kind."

What had given him the right to call her Ayme? She supposed her reaction could be considered far less controlled than that of Jaenna's so long ago. She could still feel the other woman's icy glare at having heard Bright use Havock's name. She supposed now she understood, perhaps.

Of course thinking of that day, made Bright recall with unnervingly perfect clarity something that she had believed forgot, along with a number of her memories.

=======Flashback=======

"Rain, have you even been to medical?"

Karash shined a light in the red heads eyes that sent her swatting at him rather than answering the question, which given her state was obviously rhetorical. Jaenna stood behind Karash looking oddly at Havock, and RK stood behind the squad leader looking oddly at Brightstar. The rest of the guests nervously milled about trying to stay out of the way, and muttering about RAIDERS always managing to get themselves injured.

"Ayme, its not as bad as it looks."

"I'll be the judge of that. You women and your need to hit things, really is going to drive me insane...again." Karash muttered to himself as he worked.

Havock seemed to realize she was more getting in the way than helping and moved to stand by Jaenna. Bright frowned only slightly enough for everyone to think it was from pain. The woman looked to be thinking intently about something.

Jaenna cleared her throat. "Ayme?"

Havock distractedly pulled on her lip as she continued to think. "Yea."

"So what everyone can call you Ayme now? Should I draft a memo?"

"Huh?" Havock turned and raised an eyebrow at the currently blue eyed woman next to her. "No...Jae, yanno I don't like it when people who are not close to me call me that."

Jaenna's glare turned icy and her eyes got even more blue. "And exactly how close to Bright are you these days?"

=======End Flashback=======

Bright swallowed hard. We were just friends then. Just friends. She thought as she landed on the floor hard. Her breath left her in a whoosh and her back and ribs exploded in pain.  But you didn't want to be just her friend even then did you? That's why you tried to get close to RK.

Oh shut up you. She told her self without saying a word. But she couldn't help but think that that voice was right.  She recalled being unwilling to face Havock in the state she'd come back in.

The words of the dead man in the now destroyed office echoed in her mind again.

"And you, what is your deal? You walk onto my ship, kill several of my useless men. Thanks for that by the way, I'd been needing to make some staff cuts. And then we break your bones and slash up that pretty back of yours. All for what? Her??" He threw his head back and laughed.

She felt a slight touch against her face, and her violet eyes met worried blue ones. For her? Bright wondered. She felt the answer in her aching body. Would I have come here if it had been anybody else? She asked herself.

"Sorry about that. Rain, we need to move, we need cover and a plan or we are screwed."

Bright nodded, biting her lip as another arc of hot pain lashed against her poor ribs. Bright hated to see such worry in her friend's eyes. She'd seen that look before. Only that time it had been more because she'd made the major believe she had been dead for six months. Suddenly Havock's request of 'don't get dead,' made much more sense.

"There was a locker room of some sort not far from the control room, we can make it, come on." Havock said as she helped Brightstar to her feet then started running with the woman balanced precariously on her arm.

Yes, for her. Bright confirmed to herself.

*******

Bright wasn't exactly sure how it was that the two of them made it to the specified room without running into more problems than they did. Inside the locker room Havock set her gently on a bench and went to lock the door. The last thing they needed was unexpected and unwanted visitors. Bright watched as the other woman rushed about the room looking for things they would need.

She stopped at a locker that appeared to belong to a woman. Inside were fresh clothes and a pair of boots. Havock glanced back at Bright briefly before grabbing them and setting them on the bench beside her. “I don't know why I didn't notice those stains on the back of your shirt. You need a change of clothes and these appear to be clean.”

Bright nodded and made to go to one of the changing stalls in the room. Havock's firm yet gentle grip on her shoulders made her sit back down.

“You aren't going anywhere. I need to clean those cuts to prevent infection, if they aren't infected already. Bright felt a shiver travel up her spine as Havock pushed the back of her shirt up to her shoulders. She hissed as the blond woman growled softly. “Damn it, Rain why didn't you tell me about these.”

The first touch of the damp cold cloth on the tender skin of her back made her arch away from the pressure. “I didn't particularly wish for you to rush out of the room without me to keep you from getting yourself killed.” Bright answered wincing as Havock worked.

Ayme snorted, “Look who's calling the kettle black.” She muttered. After that she remained silent, her deft fingers cleaning the wounds on Bright's back as thoroughly as she was able. Finally she sighed and placed the cloth in the bowl she'd managed to find. “Okay, I think it'll be okay for now. First thing we are doing when we get out of this mess is getting you the proper medical attention that you need.”

Bright nodded as she felt the cloth of her shirt slide back down. “I'm going to change now. You mentioned a plan for getting out of here. It certainly won't be on the ship that I came in on.” She informed her friend with emotion.

Bright was still upset that Capry had ordered her ship destroyed while she watched. She'd restored that ship from the heap of junk that she had bought it in. Her blood, sweat and frustrated tears had gone into making it space worthy again. It had been her project, her confidant and her go to place when she'd been unable to outrun the duties of being a soldier of the VE army.

Havock smiled sadly at her,“That's okay, I brought my own. Go change and I'll try to come up with a plan that'll get us out of here in one piece.” Ayme ordered, helping Bright to stand. “If you need help I'll be right here.”

Bright nodded but knew she wouldn't ask for it. Not with her already racing heart rate and labored breathing. “I'll be fine.”

As soon as she closed the stall's curtain she slumped. “Who am I kidding?” Bright mumbled quietly.

Bright would be stupid if she thought Jae wouldn't find out, wouldn't follow, wouldn't hit the spice before even jumping into her ship and tracing the hit all on her own. She was a dammed Slicer, a dammed good one at that! What made Bright think she could hide this, get away with being the only one to go off and protect her Havock? The idiocy was uncanny, especially for her red-headed friend. But no, it wasn't her being an idiot, was it? Or... or was it Bright wanting to keep the glory of making sure Havock was saved from yet another hit all to herself? All of these possible reasons for Bright hiding it from Jae just boiled into one big ball of frustration, a ball that just pushed Jae further and further through the vent she had found herself in.

Blood splattered her face, burn marks and scorch marks and bullet holes riddled her light armor, the Tuff-One combat suit yet again doing her well on a personal mission. Her short hair hung in streaks, sweat making it appear soaked and oily, her normally sea-foam eyes had taken on a blue-green mix, shinning behind the veil of frustration and feeling of duty that pushed her further through the vent. Due to her speed, she had failed in wiping the blades of her Treppus babies, thus blood still dripped from the edges, trailing behind her as she continued to crawl through the vent on her elbows.

"Idiot... Fracking idiot!" Though it was a shout, it remained an irritated whisper. It barely echoed through the vent, for the woman had grown quite used to being able to control just how loud she was while in places like this. She was a RAIDER after all, constantly finding herself within these blasted things.

Though it didn't matter, nothing at all mattered right now, save for the the very fact that she had been fighting her way through half of a Black Sun frigate to find and kill the man who put the hit out on Havock,and then save Bright if it needed being done. Just knowing that Bright was here all alone made her skin crawl. But knowing that the man who was responsible for the hit on the love of her life made it boil and threaten to melt off of her very bones, revealing only the bear fury that made up the whole of the woman when her mind was in this kind of state. She would have that man at her feet, begging for his life, she would slit her throat and watch as his life spilled from the wound. She would return home, with Bright in tow, the savior of another day for the woman who wore a matching ring.

For a moment, the woman stopped in the vent, her currently blue-green eyes flickering down to the silver band - encrusted with blue and green crystals - that sat around her right ring finger. It wasn't official, the two women weren't married, but by the creator... The feelings the one eyed woman had as she looked down at the ring... Her entire being was a light with a flame that was much different that what boiled the cauldron of fury she usually held over her heart. Just looking at that ring made her heart skip beats, just knowing that Havock wore one just like it made butterflies take flight in her stomach. Never would she feel the same for anyone else, and she knew it.

Finally with a shake of her head, she continued on, dragging herself through the vent by her elbows, the sound of her right arm clanging lightly echoing just barely. Though she wasn't even worried about that, she had no one chasing her, she made sure of that. Her wrath was strong, her anger and sense of duty to both her friend and her lover strong enough to pull her through any fight. Of course that didn't mean she was without injury, but a good fat hand-rolled joint of spice had made her forget the pain of the gun shot she took to her side, it made her forget that three of her left fingers were broken, and made her forget the couple fractured ribs as well. Now, her mind was on a clear shot, pushing her closer and closer to where her datapad had picked up two life forms.

All of her want and desire boiled into her mind, manifesting into the absolute need to kill the man who had put out the hit on the woman she loved. Oh how she hoped it would be he and one of his friends she'd come upon once she closed the distance. It was odd, though, for as the closer she got to the room her datapad had told her held two life forms, she more the voices like women, women she knew. They seemed to be talking about getting out, getting away, leaving.

"Ayme? Rain?" Her voice held confusion, it held worry, it held... something akin to betrayal. Had Bright already killed the man who had set the hit out on Havock? Why was Havock here? She quickened her pace, hoping to have her questions answered but as she stopped at the grate, finally able to see into the room... she regretted being so hurried to look down on what was happening.

Even the spice that was holding her system together couldn't tell her how to react to what she saw. The ring on her finger felt like a hot coal, even against her synthetic skin. She could feel the hot sting of tears forming in her eyes. Her skin crawled, trying to crawl off of her body and scamper back down the vent. But most of all... her heart felt as though it were being torn in two. Jae didn't want to move, and she didn't want to breath and truth be told, she wasn't doing either. Her chest stood still as she refused to take a breath, refused to let any out, she was a statue frozen in what could only be described as flaming ice.

Finally, the two women she had come to trust more than anything broke form not their first but their second kiss and climbed into the beginning of the vent that was on the of the room opposite Jae and... the one-eyed woman didn't make any attempt to move at all. Instead she watched them go, each of them dragging half of her heart behind, pulling it through the dust and grime of the Black Sun frigate.

After what seemed to be many long moments, Jae released her breath and quickly inhaled again, despite the pain it caused her. As she exhaled again it came in the form of a soft sob, a river of tears finally breaking their steady form and cascading down her cheeks. When she knew the other two woman wouldn't hear her, she opened the grate and jumped down into the room, staggered over to the bench Havock had been sitting on not minutes before and collapsed into a crumbled heap of tears. Even despite her anger, she couldn't bare to move.

She hoped someone would find her and end it all.

The vision of the familiar transport burned in the blonds mind. She knew that ship better than the contents of her office. She had lived on the ship for months with Jaenna.

Jaenna.

Sithspit you have a unique talent for fraking your life just when its getting good don't you?

Ayme and Jaenna had a rocky relationship to put it mildly. Sometimes it felt more like clinging to a beacon in a storm. She was bashed around by the wind and rain but refused to let go. As if a part of herself would be gone forever if she released her hands, a precious part she could never recover.

So why were you kissing another woman then?

Havock groaned inside. She didn't regret the impulse that took over her judgment and connected her lips to the red head. That wasn't the part that was the mistake as far as she was concerned. Rain was her best friend, and they were probably going to die. In that moment a peck on the lips did not seem adequate as a good luck charm. The mistake was not really understanding what Brightstar's feelings were on the matter. Now the guilt of possibly doing something that would hurt both the woman she loved and the friend she couldn't live without.

Now Jaenna was here, and Havock knew why. The instant she saw the ship she knew. Ayme had a bad tendency to leave things lying around and in the rush to find Brightstar she must have left something for Jaenna to find. Some part of her felt a small violation for having her stuff looked at when Jaenna knew certain things were off limits. But the larger part of her, at least the part not consumed by a confused guilt, swelled with happiness that Jaenna was near. She wanted to see her to hold her. That was when her eyes closed and she had to lean against the wall for several moments to compose herself.

The trail of bodies led to an open vent very close to the one Brightstar and Havock had only just dropped out of.

She was in the vents?

Havock paused then ran down the halls towards the control room. The trail of death near the hanger must have discouraged many of the would be heroes in the crew from being out in the open. A group of what looked like tech's rounded a corner to come face to face with her. She was hoping they would just run, she'd almost had enough of the blood and gore. Of course they didn't they fumbled for their weapons and she dropped all of them before even one readied a weapon of any kind.

Walking past their bodies she saw the same control room she had been in before, with Brightstar. The explosion left half the room in complete disarray with control panels knocked over and debris flying everywhere in the light of the emergency indicators.

A lone figure stood with her fingers trailing down softly against the main controls. Her face was only lit by the red lights but the pain was evident on her features.

"Jae?"

Havock stood, swallowing a hard lump in her throat and awaited whatever fate she had made.

The controls felt like home; they were comforting, soft, cold to the touch and they listened to every one of her commands. They would never deny her words, for if they did she'd be in their innards, making sure they listened, within seconds. Technology had always been her I-need-to-get-away-and-hide place, they had always been her toys, the things that listened to her no matter what. This moment was no different. The woman's touch was gentle, it was ginger and caring, as her fingers ran across the buttons and nobs and screens that held all of the frigate's workings... They were all right in front of her, ready to take her command, ready to listen to every word.

Not only was she standing before an entire panel of buttons and nobs that felt like home to her, that she knew from the inside out - despite the fact that she wasn't familiar with the frigate itself - but there was a hand rolled drug stick sitting between her lips. The smoke from the lit end drifted up, filling the air with the sweet smell of the spice. With each slow, relaxed inhale she took, she realized more and more that it was the only thing keeping her in her physical body.

She took a long drag, keeping the sweet smoke flowing into her lungs as long as she could. The woman held her breath, drifting her fingers across more controls, pressing buttons and making a few clicks on the keyboard. Beeps accented the sounds of sprinting boots throughout the frigate, they were the periods at the end of the shouts of men looking for the three woman who had infiltrated the ship, they were some of the last sounds that would echo through this control room.

"Jae?" And as the period to the end of that single, painful word that came from behind the one-eyed woman, an alarm began blaring throughout the entire ship, red lights flashing and an automated voice going through the entire system.

Self-destruction in ten minutes. Self-destruction in ten minutes.

The woman heard the blonde's soft gasp and only rolled her shoulders with a nonchalant sight. "At least you remember my name." Jae's voice was low, yet soft, slightly scratchy from her sobbing minutes ago.

"What in all the hells are you doing?!" Havock shouted as she rushed forward, going to grab Jae's arm and pulled her away from the controls.

Though the blonde never got to touch the other woman, for she pulled away quickly, taking another drag of her drug stick as she simply side-stepped to another end of the controls. "I need to set the destruction lock so no one can hit the emergency shut-off." So went about it again, drifting her fingers across the buttons and nobs and keyboards, making sure her work wouldn't be undone.

Havock took another step closer. "Jae... what are you doing?"

"What does it sound like? I'm ending this, so you better get going. Go find Bright, you two seem to be pretty close now anyways."

"Aw hells..." The curse fell from gritted teeth, a sigh following as Havock ran a hand through her hair.

"Don't even try and explain. Just go, leave, get out. I came here to help and you already had it, so I'm helping the only way I can now."

"By putting all of us in danger?!"

"No." She spun around then, her only good eye a deep steel blue, shinning with tears that still formed on the brim of her eyes, her cheeks red, the whites of her eyes bloodshot, blood still splattered across her face. It was the DC-15 pistol, aimed for Havock, that was the brunt of her appearance, though. She held the gun steady, her gaze unwavering. "I'm putting everyone else but you in danger. Now get out before I shoot out your knees and make you."

Self destruct in nine minutes.

“You know your voice is incredibly annoying lady.” Bright said glaring up at the ceiling where those hidden speakers continued to blare out the amount of time till total annihilation. When she looked around her cover to see if any of the mercenaries that had poured into the hanger were leaving, her efforts were rewarded with a series of red bolts of energy that sizzled past her ear.

That was incredibly stupid of you. By this point in time Bright had come to regard the voice in her head as a companion. A very strict, stubborn and tender companion. All the qualities about her mother that she had always enjoyed. Had the woman been there with her daughter, Bright was certain that she would have been smacked several times for her stupidity. Senra Baelore did not raise a fool, but Bright could agree that she was acting like a tremendous fool at that moment.  In fact she had been since finding that data pad.

“I'll tell you what was stupid. Rushing off to save Ayme alone.” She said as she shot around the other side of her cover. She was shooting left handed, and it was awkward but she still managed to kill a few. “And everything that I have done since she showed up. That's what's stupid.”

Bright wondered if this was how Karash felt all the time, talking to the voices in his head. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. Two weeks of torture and believing she was going to die had truly left her normally strong mind in tatters. She felt insane for the first time in her life and the debacle she'd made of it in less than a month had only solidified the feeling.

Self destruct in eight minutes.

“Yes, thank you.” Bright answered almost automatically. She continued to shoot and look back towards the door that lead to the control room.

She had told Havock to go, to go to Jae. A part of her was chomping at the bit for doing that. She wanted Havock for herself, to keep. But she knew, she knew that she could never have that kind of relationship with her. It had always been Havock and Jae, even as long as she'd known them. Through everything it had always been those two. She didn't know what had possessed her to think that she could change that, or even if that had been her goal.

And yet here you are. You still have yet to tell her just how you feel. You still aren't even sure are you? And what of Joamer.? You love that man and you are ready to throw that away simply because you feel as you do for Ayme? Bright let out a breath. Leave it to her mother to get right to the root of the problem. Bright didn't know what she wanted.

"You've really done it this time Rain." She muttered as she crouched behind her cover. "You've gone and made a royal mess of your life. You've betrayed the man you love, and the only other woman in the galaxy you can call a friend. Congratulations.”

Slowly, with each mercenary she blasted with her stolen rifle, Bright began to hate herself more. It gathered in her heart forming an ache that throbbed against her battered ribcage. Without realizing it she began to cry. A mantra of 'It's your fault' began to build in her head drowning out all other sounds.

Self destruct in seven minutes.

Bright sat stiffly in the co-pilots chair, wondering just how much worse this path was going to get. It was times like this that she wished she could turn back time, start all over again and make the right choices. She stared coldly at the woman working the controls, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. Bright wasn't really as stupid as she was acting, and she was well aware that Jaenna didn't have to save her.

That meant little to the red head right at that moment. If someone had asked her whether she though Jae was capable of even stunning Havock, she'd have said not a chance.  Now though she was re-evaluating. She shot the wrong person. Bright seethed. Frak! She should have shot me!

Lets follow that through shall we? Bright looked out the viewport, anger still racing through her veins. It made her more aware than she had been all month. Made her aware that Jae could very well have shot her instead of saving her.

I'm aware of that, Mother. She thought furiously. If it makes her feel better than why not?

She could practically hear the tsk in her mother's voice, as if the woman were standing directly behind her. How she wished she could have the strength that Senra had always represented to her. She wished for the older woman's wisdom, though she doubted it could help her right now. Senra Baelore was a master diplomat, hiding her true emotions and protraying others in order to negotiate bloodless settlements. Bright did not have the natural talent that Senra had, and even now all she had was the ability to hide her emotions with the best of them.

She could feel the pounding in her head getting harsher as the Renegade Ghost exited the hanger bay and blasted into hyperspace. She didn't know where they were going, nor did she really care so long as it was anywhere where Black Sun was not.

Now that all of the fighting and running was done, Bright was suddenly acutely aware of every burning pain and throbbing break. She was sure that her hand was royal fraked up and her ribs were practically screaming at her. The cuts that slashed down her back prevented her from actually sitting all the way back. Yet every hurt, every pulsating throb, or searing break could not match the pain in her heart.

As angry as she was at Jae for even holding a blaster at the woman behind them, Bright couldn't bring herself to fully express it. In her heart and her mind she knew beyond any doubt that Jae would never have pulled the trigger if it had been on anything other than stun. She felt more anger with herself for putting this on the one eyed woman. Bright almost wished that Jaenna would change her mind and shoot her anyway.

Bright looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye. She noted the swollen hand and fingers, the way she almost winced with every breath, and the way she held her side. The things you women do for love is ridiculous. That voice very nearly made Bright jump. If she didn't know any better she'd wonder what the hell Karash was doing on the ship.

What the hell are you doing in my head, you crazy ass nerf hearder? She wondered

Hey this is your head not mine. You tell me what I'm doing in your head. As it is I'm glad I'm just a voice in your head, I would not want to be in the midst of that tension. Theh Karash voice said matter of factly. Not exactly conducive to a healthy working environment.

Bright tried not to laugh and ended up coughing. The sudden sound from her made Jae's steely eye look up at her. Bright could see no concern for her in that eye, but then, she didn't deserve it. She could feel the ice in that stare. She got herself under control again and pulled that mask of emotionlessness over her face. Something she hadn't resorted to in a long while. 

She couldn't bring herself to say anything to the woman. But Bright's concern for Jaenna could be clearly seen in her own eyes. The only emotion besides hatred for herself that she was allowing herself to feel. True it would piss the woman off more, but that wouldln't stop Bright from worrying about her friend.

If I can even call myself a friend. She told herself. It wasn't until Rivvet had begun to see to Jae's injuries that Bright turned back to watching the vortex of space out of the view port with a nod.

Good. She thought.

Bright watched Havock go, but she didn't go after her. She wanted to, in fact she was practically vibrating in her chair. Both of her fists were clenched so tightly that the knuckles were white. She clenched her jaw until the muscles jumped.

"Why don't you go after her? I wouldn't have thought you'd let your girlfriend go off alone." Jae's stoney voice said even as the woman watched the spot where Havock had disappeared.

The tenuous control that Bright had on her already frayed temper snapped and she rounded on the one eyed woman with an intensity she didn't think she could possibly bring herself to reign in. "Firstly, as much as I would like for it to be true, she is not my girlfriend, she is yours. I'm afraid I'll have to wait for my next life time to see if I could ever have with her what you do. I doubt you'd give me the easy way out of this pain by shooting me." Bright's face had lost its stoney expression, and her violet eyes had become hard amethysts that glinted in the light.

"Secondly, I didn't do what I did to steal her from you. In fact, I wasn't expecting HER at all. I was expecting you. I didn't exactly hide that data pad." Bright could feel the flush of anger rising to her face. How long had it been since she lost her temper? Well now, that the little girl I raised. The voice that was Senra in Bright's head seemed to whistle approvingly.

Jaenna stood and reached to draw her blaster. Bright rose with her, her fists clenched sending white hot arcs of pain up her right arm and causing fire to burn in her lungs. "That won't solve your problems, Caldwin." Careful dear, she might just shoot you after all. And you might not wake up from that one. Bright forged ahead, "You know she loves you, and for the life of me I know it too. If you don't figure it out within the next sixty seconds I swear I'm going to knock your ass out and take control of this ship.

"Because we are not going back to Tadath just so you can leave again. You didn't see her the last time you left." That familiar image crept back into Bright's mind. "I'd rather endure your hatred of me than to see her become like she was when you left her the last time."

Yup, here we go, Jaenna pissed. Jaenna pull the trigger. Jaenna kill Brightstar. The end. The red head wondered what the insane irritable medic was still doing in her head, or why she had even thought of him at all. Maybe it was because of all the injuries that were now abound on this vessel that would have him sighing deeply and arguing with the voices in his own head.

Jae won't kill me, she might shoot but she wouldn't kill. She isn't as cold blooded as people think she is. Bright thought as she stood there breathing raggedly. She was ready by all means to punch the woman's lights out and set a different course. Anything that would keep them from Tadath long enough for Jae to see that leaving would destroy Havock.

"Are you done?" Jae asked. Though she still stood as stiffly as she had before, there was something in her good eye that Bright couldn't place.

"Not nearly, but the next move is yours." Bright said with a steally voice.

"Are you done?"

"Not nearly, but the next move is yours."

For a moment, the woman's face remained as stone cold as before. Her gaze locked onto Rain's, her lips drawn tight and her brows furrowed in the obvious anger that was hard not to show. The moment lasted for what would seem like hours to two equally upset women, and the one with the steely eye could tell that it was beginning to aggravate the other. So finally, she broke the moment by taking a step forward, getting so close to Rain that their noses nearly touched. Oh that icy stare, if only looks could kill. If only Jae had the will power to kill one of her... friends. Even with the anger, even with the pain of what she had seen, even with the rage that had boiled up into her throat during Rain's little rant... She would never be able to bring herself to do that. That didn't mean that she didn't want to, though.

"Good." The word was simple and low in volume but one who new Jae well - one like Rain - would be able to hear the snarl forming in the back of her throat. With each more passing millisecond, that snarl rose and rose, finally coming to barely touch the back of Jae's tongue and as she opened her mouth again, it came forth, back by her anger. "Then shut up! AND LET ME FRAKING DEAL WITH IT." With each word that flowed from the mouth of rage her face got closer and closer to Brights, her shoulders lifting and her arms stiffening. She was the epitome of intimidation.

Another moment passed and the woman spoke again, this time the snarl was absent was there was still the rumbling sound of beastly anger that sat behind her voice. "What you did... I don't give a gorram shit what your reasoning was, I don't care what was going through your mind, I don't care how you thought you were going to die." With each pain and anger filled word that slid over her lips, a venomous tang clinging to each syllable, it seemed she got closer and closer. "All I wanted from you was a gorram apology. But can I get that? OF COURSE NOT. Instead I have you ranting and raving at me about shit I ALREADY KNOW."

The woman's words hung in the air, refusing to move, refusing to settle to the ground and no longer echo through the ship. It would a be a terrifying sight and sound to anyone who didn't know what constantly went on between the three women. It would be even more terrifying to anyone who didn't know that deep, deep down, Jae would never be able to hurt either of them.

For only a moment, it appeared as if Rain were going to speak, but right as Jae caught that twitch in the woman's lips she released a loud, feral snarl. "NO! Don't you say another GORRAM WORD, RAIN D'JONOC! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT. I'M NOT GOING TO LISTEN. I'VE HEARD ENOUGH FROM YOU, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH FROM YOU. SHUT UP, SIT DOWN, AND LET ME HANDLE MY OWN GORRAM SHIT." It was hard for the woman to fight down the sudden need to put her hands on Rain's shoulders and make sure she sat down in the co-pilot's chair. Instead, she stood there for another moment and just continued to glare into the other woman's eyes before turning and making her way down the hallway.

As much as she hated Rain at the moment, as much as she wished she had the will power and was strength and horrible mind to put her pistol to the side of her head and pull the trigger... She hated yelling at her, too. What was said had needed to be said, however, in the exact volume it was done. The qualms that were fighting against her had been suppressed as she took a deep breath, slowing her pace down the hallway. She would not regret the way she yelled at Rain, she would not regret what she had said, she would not regret the anger. The one-eyed woman had every right to be angry, to be pissed, to be hurt and wanting to leave entirely.

Something kept her down, though. Something kept her on the plane of reality. Every time she grew angry, every time she had the urge to throw herself from some cliff, or every time she felt as if she was about to lose herself, one face came to mind. The only face that was capable of calming her down in the middle of an anxiety attack. The only face that, if it were never seen again, she wouldn't be able to go on any longer. It was cliche, as cliche as cliche could be and yet she had no problem with admitting it.

These feelings only grew stronger, only continued to boil in the pit of her stomach as she rounded another corner and saw the blonde sobbing against the bulkhead. Freezing in her place, Jae could only watch as the woman cried, she could only watch her release whatever she was feeling onto the ship's floor. But no longer could she stand the pain she felt as she watched it happen.

In a single fluid movement, she was in front of the woman, on her knees, grabbing her by the waist with one hand and lifting her chin up with the other. For a split second her good eye met the glossed and blood-shot, teary blues... and it was a bright, sea-foam green. Within the next moment Jae had leaned forward and brought their lips together and she melted. Her heart fell from her rib cage and right onto the floor, for everyone to see, for everyone to abuse. Yet, the only person who would ever have those rights was the woman she held at that very moment.

Bright only sat when Jaenna had left the cockpit. Her shakey legs were unable to hold her any longer. True one of them was injured, but that wasn't the reason her legs couldn't hold her own weight any longer. Bright prided herself on being afraid of very few people; her mother, her old Jester SL, Angel, and the woman that had just gotten in her face only moments ago. Bright's fear of the woman was difficult to explain due to the fact that most of the time they had actually gotten on pretty well. She wasn't even sure that she knew why she feared Jae, but she was damn good at hiding it.

Standing that close to someone, staring into their eyes, - eye in Jae's case - one was able to see a person's tulmultuous rush of emotions. Jae was no different than anybody else that Bright had ever met. She was a being filled with emotion, she had hurts, fears, and desires; she was capable of both great love and frightening hatred. As much as she had tried to tell herself in the past that Jae was as cold blooded in battle as she was in life, she could never believe it. Now she had evidence to back it up.

You do know that she could very well have placed that blaster to your head and pulled the trigger. I wonder if you would have found a way to survive that one. Strange enough, that voice sounded like her own. Her voice alone, providing the same observational and concisely clear facts that she normally did to everyone else.

And what of Joamer. Perhaps you are forgetting that you should actually love that man, and that he loves you more than life itself. Have you thought about him? Bright's heart constricted in a way that forced a breath from lungs resting behind a battered ribcage.

Of course she had thought of him. Thinking of him right now though very nearly reduced her to uncontrollable sobs. She was too conscious of her own actions and surroundings to lose it just yet. She could feel it building though. Her chest hurt and a lump formed in her throat as she imagined a pair of blue eyes set in a ruggedly handsome face. She wondered if she would ever see them again, or if his eyes would ever look at her with fondness and desire again.

"Think of something else, or you're going to lose it." Bright muttered, her voice cracking.

It was harder than she thought it would be, pushing him out of her thoughts. She did not feel relieved when his image was gon from her mind either. She felt bereft. Slowly her mind began to process the things that Jaenna had said, how she had said it. It was classic Jaenna, and Bright realized she wouldn't change that moment. In fact she was almost glad that it had happened. She began to see the woman in a new light. Or more she was seeing her again for the first time.

"I was stupid. She does deserve an apology from me." She muttered to herself as she turned the chair around and deposited her elbows on the console. She stared at her reflection in the view port. "I should have brought her with me, lets face it, I wasn't thinking that she could handle herself. I wouldln't have gotten myself captured or tortured. We'd have gotten rid of the immediate threat and been home for dinner."

She scowled at the reflection before her. "You worry too much about others, Rain. You should trust them more." She felt defeated. "So that I am sorry. But I can't and won't be sorry for kissing Havock for luck."

It was strange that up to that moment Bright hadn't realized that she had felt so stongly for the woman. She'd always only ever thought of her as a very very close friend. She'd always shoved away any thought that it was something more, because she'd never encountered those kind of feelings for any other woman. 

You did notice that Jae had called you Rain, right? She asked herself.

Bright's only reaction was that of a smirk and a shrug. So Jae had called her Rain. To date it was the only time she'd ever heard Jae use her name. She wasn't angry, she couldn't be. She'd fought with Jae, both against and beside her. They had killed together and protected those that they loved together. Jae had every right to use her given name. Strangely, she didn't feel that dull ache in her chest at the memory of whose name she bore. Jae had earned her trust.

"Too bad I threw hers to the four corners of the galaxy. She may hate me forever now." That thought sent two very distinct shivers up her spine. One was the underlying fear that Jae had always produced in her, the other was grief. Bright felt true and deep sorrow for the friendship that she had sundered.

Tears sprang to her eyes and threatened to spill over. You actually cared for her that much? That was better, her mother's voice was back.

"Care," Bright corrected. "I care for her that much, yes." I care for them both that much. She added silently.

The tears refused to be restrained this time, and they came in hot streaks down her dirty cheeks. A sob tore from her chest, "What have I done? I've destroyed so much!"

Flashes of the people she loved most played like a slide show in her mind, reminding her of her transgression.