All In The Game

Serenity tensed up as he stumbled over his words, expecting a whole myriad of shouting, screaming, yelling and various other forms of being royally ass whooped. The penny had finally dropped, or rather, she had dropped it for him. His face shot between so many emotions that she found it hard to keep up and then suddenly, his arms were around her and holding her tight. For a good few moments, Serenity found herself floating between absolute fear and absolute relief. At last, he knew about it and she didn't have to lie anymore, but at the same time, she was terrified now that he would try and impose things on her. Slowly though, she realized that she was nodding into his shoulder.

"Yes." She admitted quietly, "I'm with child." Now she just had to explain to him how she'd been lying through her teeth for the last week nearly. "I tried to tell you before... but...." She backed up again and leaned back on the desk. She then shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I went yeller on ya."

Krell did not know what to say. His mind was spinning around and around with the news. Then her not eating, the smell of the food not being to her liking, everything, all the little things that he had noticed. Everything that told him something was wrong with her. He reached over and caressed her face. "So why did you not tell me?" he asked her, then shook his head. He remembered their talk earlier. "You were worried about me sending you back, keeping you out of the fight."

He shook his head. "I made you a promise and I will keep it. I made that promise because you are the woman I have wanted for so long. To be able to stand at my side no matter what. Whether it be fighting the imperials or relaxing on some world and enjoying the moment." he leaned in and kissed her lips gently. "Though I will insist on precautions my love. I don't want to lose you.......and now our child, now that I found you."

It was going to be strange. Then another thought hit him and he sat down a bit hard in his chair. "Oh my. What kind of father will I be? I have no idea of how to be one, what to do." He looked up at Serenity. "Will I make a good father?"

Serenity turned her cheek into his hand and tried to smile again. "Yes, I was worried you'd send me home again." She admitted, "And you said it yourself, we're not ready for a child. So I just said nothing." Then he carried on and she was grateful that he wouldn't break his promise. No matter what they were doing, fighting the Imperials, or relaxing on some world or port somewhere. She smiled at that, but no sooner had she done that, he insisted on extra precautions. He didn't want to lose them. She didn't want to be lost either, but instead of arguing the matter, she simply nodded. After all, what he wouldn't know and all that.....

Then, he seemed to flake out completely. He sat down with a thud in his chair and actually asked her if he would make a good father. "You're asking the wrong person, Krell." She told him. "How would I know what kind of father you'll be? I don't even have a clue what kind of mother I'm gonna be. To be honest, I'm downright fucking terrified of it!" She sighed deeply and ran her hand over her mouth.

"I shouldn't have said anything." She said suddenly. "There's too much at stake and this is gonna be a huge distraction for us both."......

Krell lifted his hands up to take hers in his. "We will have to learn together then I think. " He smiled warmly. "A distraction, perhaps, but all the more reason to succeed in our mission. "I want our son or daughter to grow up in a free society, not the empire." He brought both her hands to his lips and kissed them.

He took a deep breath and stood up leaning in and kissing her lips. "Well our child will have one hell of a pair for parents, that is for sure. And Two warships as a play ground." he chuckled. "And look at the many 'uncles' the little one will have." He was thinking of both crews. He could see Slyder, Mac, Kai and even Rat hanging around and teaching the kid all sorts of things. Oh he was not worried about after, it would be the time before she gave birth. But again he was not going to send her back or anything like that. "Guess we will be spending alot more time on one ship or the other." he grinned.

Well, to say he was taking this all in his stride, Krell definitely seemed more than happy about the situation. Serenity still wasn't entirely happy about it, but at least he hadn't freaked out. Just one thing though, "Krell." She said quietly, "There's only us, the Doc aboard the Phoenix and Kai that know about this. I want to keep it that way for a while. Please? We found a mole on the Phoenix's crew already, so the less they all know for now, the better. I don't want to give Montrose or the Emperor any more reason than they have already." She gave him a doe-eyed smile and then moved away from him.

"Well." She sighed lightly, "I suppose you have plenty to be doing, and so do I. Perhaps we can scrounge half an hour or so before we jump for the Core? I'm sure you'll want to go over my file and get up to speed. I'll have the doc unlock it for you."....

She asked to keep it between her, Kai, the Doc and him. He smiled and said, "If that is what you want. He was wanting to be shouting it out so all could hear. Then she mentioned something else. "Mole?" Krell asked when she mentioned it. "What are you talking about." he was all buisseness now. He knew that there had been a leak somewhere. He thought it was something perhaps one of the crew had said somewhere that had tipped off the Imperials about the professor. But someone actually penetrating the Haven!. Then to get aboard one of the ships. "Who was it and where is he?" he asked her. Why had she not told him about this before?"

If there were one there could be more. He was wanting to talk to this spy and see how much he actually knew, what his plans had been. He looked at Serentity awaiting an answer.

Serenity remained stone faced as Krell went off on the tangent about the spy. She waited until he'd finished, then turned about and leaned against the wall. "Ship's cook." She said, "Craven. He sabotaged the weapons manifold on the bridge while Rat was distracted elsewhere. Luckily, I had one of my 'intuitions' again and found it before anything bad could happen." She moved off the wall and back to Krell.

"Unless you can cross into the afterlife, Craven won't be able to hear you." She explained, "I had him executed for sabotage and attempted mutiny. Kai and Slyder went on a little fishing trip for me and Craven walked right onto the hook. He tried to make a run for it on the way to Harcone, but Slyder caught him. His body is still in the airlock as an example of what happens to traitors on my bird." She then folded her arms. "So far, he's been the only one we've found. We've kept it on the Phoenix in case there were any aboard here and thus far, I haven't really had the chance to tell you. Kai has been in touch with your security detail, so I would imagine they will let you know at some point when they have proof.".....

Krell calmed himself. The spy was dead and what he knew went with him into death. It was a good thing that he did not have access to communications or he could have sent out everything he knew to the Empire. He walked up to Serenity and took her into his arms again. "Sorry, Just worried about all those people back at Haven and both our crews." he said softly. He put his fore head against hers and sighed. "You did the right thing. Hopefully if there is another aboard he will be to frightened to try anything."

He knew the crew aboard the Raven. They had been with him for along time now, except for a few replacements after she had taken alot of damage and some of the crew died and were out of commission. Those he would examine all the information they had on them and have them watched discreatly.

Serenity furrowed her brow somewhat as Krell put his forehead against hers. With a sigh, he told her she'd done right and Serenity couldn't help but let a small snort of laughter escape. "If there's another, he or she will find themselves joining Craven." She told her lover firmly. "When it comes to traitors like that, I have no mercy or compassion. They die, it's that simple." With a slight shift, Serenity stepped back and stretched her neck a little. The lack of sleep and food was starting to show. "When you've dealt with whatever, let me know so we can both be clear about what'll happen when we touch the void. Any distraction then will cost us dearly. It'll probably cost us anyway, but the fewer we can lose there, the better." She then smiled and kissed him lightly on the chin.....

They didn't have long before the next jump and he had to make sure there were no other spies or sabatours aboard either ship. He gave Serenity a light kiss on her lips. "See you when we come out of hyperspace." He then turned and left, returning to the Raven and had his security chief and Jenkins going over the files of the new crewmen.

Nothing unusual was found and there were those of the normal crew that knew the individuals and vouched for them. But he still had them watched. The time came when the two ships made the jump. He had his crew on alert and at battle stations, ready for anything when they did arrive. All systems were checked and rechecked. Especially just before they came out of hyperspace. "All hands prepare for coming out of hyperspace." he announced over the intercom. When they came out there was no ships waiting but there was something else out there that their sensors were picking up.

"Magnify." he called out and the image the senors picked up enlarged. There was a fully functional ship yard out in the middle of no where and what was in that ship yard made Krell's eyes widen and and lean forward in his chair. His navigator's voice was heard on the dead quiet bridge. "Oh my god." There on the screens was the mostly completed Star Destroyer. A huge ship with the capability of destroying any ship, even the Raven and Phoenix with no problem. They had all been destroyed in the war and was way to expensive to build and man. But it seemed someone had the capability to do so.

"Serenity?" he punched the ship to ship comm. "You seeing this?" The Star Destroyer when finished would be a definate force in the Empire. The swarm of fighters, and smaller ships it could hold was beyond belief. "We can not allow it to be finished." he said. But how to destroy it. They did not have that much fire power and if its armament was active they would not be able to even get close to it.

During the jump, Serenity had made sure that all the crew knew and understood what they were facing on the other side. She explained all she knew as best she could without giving too much away as to exactly how she knew. Jenny was the only one apart from her Dogs that knew the real truth behind it. The Phoenix remained at the Raven's port side for the duration. They would take the lead when they came out of hyperspace. Several messages were sent back and forth between the ships, giving as much detail as possible on the coming situation so that everyone would know what they were doing.

Coming out of hyperspace at the Raven's side, the Phoenix slowly came about to take the lead. That was until Serenity saw exactly what Krell had seen. Like a huge boil on the ass of space, the Imperial dock seemed to glare at them. "You've gotta be shitting me!" Serenity boomed as she stared at the massive dock and the just as massive ship being built.
"That's a damned Destroyer!" Slyder yelped, "What the fuck......?!"
Serenity quickly thumped the comm link to the Raven. "Someone please tell me this is a nightmare?" She pleaded, "Coz otherwise, I'd say we're pretty fucked and we ain't even hit the void yet!"
"We have to destroy it." Kai demanded, "That ship cannot be completed. Just think of the sheer damage that thing will do in the outer rims."
"Don't you think I know that?!" Serenity snapped back. She turned her head to Slyder, "Please tell me there's something aboard this fancy bird that can hurt that thing."
Slyder lifted his shoulders and shook his head, "If there was, I'd be firing it up as we speak." He replied, "We could throw everything at it and barely make a dent."
Serenity pursed her lips and then suddenly exited her chair to pace the bridge. Every ship had a weakness, whether it be mechanical or natural. They just had to figure it out. Then she thought of something. Turning quickly to Kai, she sucked her teeth, "Can you do a full scan of that thing from here and tell me if they've used the old plans?"
Kai nodded and did the scan. "Looks like it." He replied.
Serenity nodded, something telling her that she knew the weakness. A look at Jenny confirmed it and the two smiled knowingly at each other. Serenity took her chair again and tapped the comm back to the Raven. "Krell, I have an idea."....

Krell didn't like it at all. A damned Star Destroyer. It would wreak havoc anywhere and could do a number on the Republic itself as well. Neither the Empire nor the Republic had such large ships any more. The rebellion had done a number to both sides. But Some one though seemed to have the resources and the clout to build one. The location of the ship yard, in the middle of nowhere told him that it was built in secret, which meant it would not be the Emperor that was building it. Only one man came to mind, Admiral Montrose.

It began to fit together. The stockpiling of supplies and storm troopers, and probably not just the one system either. The bastard was planning a take over of the Empire.

Jenkins looked over at Krell from his station. "Captain we have nothing that is going to dent that think. Those Turbo Blasters on her would take us out before we got close to it." The Raven's and Phoenix's turbo blasters were a lot smaller then the ones on the Star Destroyer. Krell tried to think of what to do. They couldn't let that thing get loose. He then thought of what Serenity told him of the creature that inhabited the area.

When she called and said she had an idea, he grinned, "I think I have one also. Where the hell is that creature you told me about?"

"About 5 million kilometers to your port." Serenity replied, "But that's not my idea." She knew instinctively what he was about to say. Lead it into the void. Whatever living crew and workers were there would be consumed fair enough, but the ship would not. Sure, it would become somewhat worthless, but if one had a mind for magnetic theory, that Star Destroyer could be just as potent if salvaged.

Realizing she had fallen into thought, Serenity coughed into her hand and smiled at the screen. "Kai has done a full scan of the destroyer and the dock. He's told me that they've used the original design blue prints. If history is correct, they had one flaw. Almost impossible to get at and impossible to detect unless you could get close enough." She asked curiously, then grinned and offered a flirtatious lift of her eyebrow. "Have you ever seen a pod race on Tattoine?"

He had heard about the pod races on Tattoine. It was a part of the Empire. He had never been there nor seen one but the race seemed to be of great intrest to some. He had no idea of what Serenity had in mind, but the way she lifted her eyebrow he knew that it was something dangerous and probably suicidal. She had metioned that it looked as if they had used the old plans for the Star Destroyer. If that was true there might be a weak spot.

He didn't want the Empire or Montrose using the ship, but it was a beauty and if Serenity's uncle had it the Empire would not have anything they could send up against it. It was to bad the creature she had talked about was to far away. But they could not let the monster of a ship out of the Void or many would die. "Haven't seen one only heard about them. What do you have in mind."

"Well." Serenity said as she leaned back as though to relax a little. She began to explain the general skill requirements for pod racing. Acute sight and hearing, precise reflexes and excellent hand/eye/foot coordination. One had to remain as close to the ground as possible without crashing and speed was the ultimate goal. Once she had explained that, she moved on to the Destroyer, giving him some rather detailed aspects of the ship. It was almost as though she had been aboard one before.

"There's a single vent on the top port side of the vessel that allows the reactor to cool and regenerate. Running up to that vent is a small ginnel, an alleyway if you like, designed to draw the heat and exhaust out and away from the bridge. The ginnel is about 10ft wide and the vent is, I'd say, 6ft in total. It's heavily guarded obviously and until you can get into the ginnel, you're within firing range of every blaster the ship carries. Once inside, you've got smaller blasters and probably fighters to deal with. The average shuttle pod is 8ft wide including the wings, so there's pretty much no room for error. What I have in mind is something close to the pod races. We take a shuttle into that ginnel at high speed and drop a plasma charge down the vent. It's a precise drop that requires a lot more than just a good aim."

Serenity looked to Krell cautiously, wondering what he was thinking about the idea. "Both ships have four shuttles and two fighters, right? One fighter can be used to clear the path for a few of shuttles to get into the ginnel. After that, the first one who drops on target, wins. Simple really, when you think about it. You think you got pilots good enough to handle that?" Serenity already had her pilots in mind. Herself, Kai, Slyder and Jenny.

(Doing a Luke Skywalker move eh?)

He also leaned back in his chair as she explained the pod racing and what it had to do with the Star Destroyer. Suicide was not the word for it. It was insane. Fly in with shuttles and a couple fighters, run a gambit of laser batteries and anti fighter batteries, down a narrow trench and drop a couple of plasma charges into a small vent. Not to mention taking on the fighters that the Star Destroyer probably already had there.

He leaned forward raising a brow, "You are insane, you know that don't you?" Then over his shoulder he yelled at Jenkins, "Get Albet, Juan, and Van to the shuttle bay. Tell them we are going on another suicide mission again." Then the turned back to Serenity. "Send the Phoenix in with the Raven to draw out the fighters. Both ships can handle them I think and pull them away while we come in from another direction."

It still would not be an easy run. "See you out there." he grinned and cut the communication link. He rose and headed down to the shuttle bay and donned a flight suit and got into one of the fighters. Van got into the other fighter and Juan and Albet took the two shuttles. "Ok boys we will be Alpha flight, I am Alpha one, Van Alpha two, Albet you are Alpha three and Juan you are Alpha four. We will fly support for Serenity's team." he had a feeling that with her newly emerging abilities she would be able to hit the mark a lot better then any of his guys. "We will take out as many of the surface lasers as we can ahead of them."

With that he powered his ship up and shot out into space, followed by the others. He began making a round about way to the Star Destroyer as the Raven slowly moved forward.

((lol, why not? this is star wars afterall ~grins~))

Serenity grinned at the screen, then nodded, "Absolutely." She told him, then moved out of her chair. "Jenny, Kai, Slyder." She said, "You're with me." She then looked at Mac. He looked back at her with something incredibly close to fury. "Don't look at me like that, Pops." She said, "You know I'll be careful."
"You and careful don't have that good a relationship." Mac said sternly, "And I don't agree with the young Miss going with you. It's suicide and you know it!"
Serenity sighed and moved over to the old engineer. "I promise you, I'll take good care of her." She offered, "We'll be back before you know it."
Mac lifted a bushed eyebrow at his captain. "Sure."
"Besides." The woman continued, "I've got good reason not to get us all killed this time." She smiled warmly.
"That reason being?"
"I'll tell all when I get back."

Serenity then left the bridge to Mac and made her way with her chosen crew down to the shuttle bay. A few minutes later, two shuttles and two fighters left the Phoenix to join Krell's team.
"Ok pups, game faces on please." She said over the comm to her team, "Jenny, stick close to me. I need your cover. Slyder, keep Kai safe." She got agreements from each and then maneuvered around as the Phoenix moved into position to draw the initial fire and fighters.

Almost the very second they came into range of the Destroyer, a seeming armada of fighters came at them. Serenity heard some swearing over the comm as Slyder moved in to cover her and Kai. She spotted Krell's team move in behind them and smiled. "Let's dance." She said and powered up the secondary engines. Kai was right behind her and both shot through space towards the massive ship. Jenny and Slyder were hot on their asses and immediately started laying down cover fire for them. Serenity could see Krell's team copying their move and nodded in agreement.

On her heel, Kai opened a general comm to both teams. "Ok Dogs!" He called, "We only got one shot each at this, so make it count! I don't fancy dying today." Serenity could only laugh in response. He was becoming more like her every day, or was that her becoming more like him? With Jenny shadowing her, Serenity swooped down towards the ginnel, barrel rolling her way around blaster fire as Jenny fought to take them out. Kai was directly behind Jenny and Slyder covered Kai with the same maneuvers. So far, everything was going to plan......

Krell lead the way with Van on his right wing. The two shuttles followed behind one to the left of Krell and the other to the right of Van. As Serenity and Jenny dove down to the Ginnel Krell and his team laid down a heavy concentration of fire at the laser batteries as they flew over them. Krell was thankful that the Shield Generators were not operational. From what he saw they were still being put together.

Had they been operational they would never have been able to get through to even hit the target. When those two huge generators went into effect the entire hull of the ship was covered with an energy field that assorbed blaster, laser fire or missles. They were moving fast and it seemed that those operating the turrets were not to expeienced with them. Their small fighter lasers punched through the turrets ripping them open to the vacume of space. Debrie exploded outward and short lived flames blew out as the lasers exploded.

Beams of light flashed all around them then suddenly stopped. "Shit!" Krell called over the comm. "Alright Alpha Flight, keep an eye out for fighters. Make it quick, we are about to have company."

Some of the Enemy fighters had been recalled when Serenity and Krell's groups attacked. A dozen fighters came screaming in at them. "Break off and engage. Krell told his flight. Now the real dog fights were going to begin. Krell put his fighter into ha steep climb and came back down and behind the fighters and oppened up on them from behind. Van climbed and did a roll and came straight down at them, his blasters blazing. Juan and Albet peeled left and right trying to break the enemy into two groups.

Krell took out his first enemy fighter and then went after another. The Enemy fighters broke formation and began to scatter around. It was going to be a real fight to keep them busy long enough for Serenity to do her job.

Blaster fire surrounded Serenity and Kai as they moved through the narrow ginnel towards the plasma vent. On her left, she could see Jenny covering her while Slyder took the right flank to cover Kai. Krell and his team were being an almost perfect distraction for the fighters and Serenity smiled. "Just a bit longer Pups!" She called over the comm as she dodged an outcrop in the ginnel. She rolled the shuttle over and then levelled out again. But she only just missed the walls, perhaps another inch or two. "Too close." She breathed.

The blaster fire became more intense the closer they got to the vent and Slyder and Jenny were forced to break formation to draw it away somewhat. Then she saw it. "Kai!" She called over the comm, "I have visual on the vent."
"Roger that, Boss." Kai replied, "I have it now too. Ready when you are."
"Roger that." Serenity said back as she flicked down her secondary screen. It gave back more accurate telemetry and she was able to guage the distance more. "Arming charges." She warned as the distance closed to a few hundred feet. Then fifty feet, thirty, fifteen, ten. "Charges away!"

The shuttles had just a few seconds to get out of the blast range and they were indeed treated to a wonderful sight. A bright flash of blue light preceeded a massive explosion that lasted a good few seconds, travelling across the hull of the destroyer and then out into space. Several fighters were caught in the blast, either destroying them or sending them spinning into oblivion never to return. However, as beautiful and deadly as the explosion was, Serenity had missed her target.
"God damned, fucking bastard......!"
Kai was forced to pull the node away from his ear for fear of being deafened by Serenity's cursing. Still, he didn't say anything about it. They only had two charges to do this, unless Krell's team had them also. He pulled the shuttle around and made his way back. "Cover me!" He yelled down the comm, "I'm going in for a try."

The other three ships pulled in around Kai as he dipped back down into the ginnel for his own shot. And so the gauntlet began again. After a minute or so, "I have visual." He said, "Arming charges."
Serenity stayed just above Kai to protect him against any overhead fire while the other two kept his back. "Think slow." She told him quietly, "Imagine the target in your head and make for that."
"You got it Boss." He replied as he flicked down the locater. "Dropping charges in five, four, three, two......." Kai released the charge and then made to pull away. Just then, a fighter broke through Krell's distraction and fired.

The shot grazed past Slyder's right wing, taking out several inches of the plating and then went straight into Kai's engines. "I'm hit, I'm hit!" He cried down the comm. Explosions rocked the small shuttle, skittering it down the ginnel and towards the end wall. Slyder was rolled out into space by the grazing impact and Jenny was forced to pull out as the explosion from Kai almost took her out. Serenity was literally launched up and out right into the blasters.
"Kai!" She screamed as she watched the shuttle careen down the ginnel. Then everything seemed to slow down. The shuttle began to bounce between the walls, then turn over and Serenity just caught a glimpse of Kai through the main screen before he disappeared. "No! Kai!" Serenity watched Kai's ship slam into the wall. In the cockpit, Serenity could hear her breath, slow and deep. She could hear her heart thudding in her chest, threatening to break out almost. She could see every spark from Kai's ship as it exploded against the destroyer's hull. Every shard of glass and metal that was thrown from the wreckage and Kai smiling at her as he died. Then, just like that, everything sped up again and Serenity was rocked once more by another explosion. Kai had succeeded!

The shuttles had only seconds to get away as the plasma vent suddenly exploded from within. The entire length of the ginnel was suddenly engulfed in flames as the expected domino effect took over. Line after line exploded, jarring the massive ship in every direction. Serenity watched in her rear view as the destroyer seemed to turn over. Every angle was covered in bright yellow and orange flames and then it seemed to break apart. Serenity, Slyder and Jenny quickly made their way to Krell and his team..........

Krell and his team kept the fighter cover busy. He monitored the radio transmissions. Smaller ships could concentrate their fire power more then the larger ones. The Turbo lasers on the Star Destroyer were made for larger ships. Once the shields were up it was damned hard to bring them down. Unless you had a ship about the same size pounding away at the shields with your own turbo lasers, small fighters would hit the shield and explode.

Again Krell was thankful that the imperials that were building the Star Destroyer were so arrogant and self assured that they had left the shield generators for the last. Kai, Jenny, and Slyder were doing a good job of taking out the gun emplacements. Serenity made her run and the charge she fired missed its target but caused a nice explosion that took out a number of fighters. Kai had a charge on his ship and if he didn 't make it Krell and his team would have to go after it. He watched as Serenity and the others took up positions that allowed Kai to make his run. Only a few fighters were left around the Star Destroyer.

The ones that had gone after the Phoenix and Raven had been taken care of. They were begining to move in hoping to give a hand if necessary. Kai made his run and one of the imperial fighters broke through. Krell cursed and went after it but it was to late. Kai's ship was hit, but not before he had let loose his plasma bomb. He watched in horror as Kai's ship went down and exploded as it hit the hull of the Star Destroyer. He lined up his sights on the enemy fighter and blew it to bits. Kai's plasma bomb hit and was right on target. The Star Destroyer was begining to explode from with in. All over the ship explosions ripped through the hull of the ship. The explosions sent huge chunks of metal into the structure of the ship yard, causing it to break apart and explode as well as the atmopheric pressure changed, collapsing the fragil structure.

Serenity and the rest of her team met up with his and they made their way back to the ships. He told his people to return to the Raven and he followed Serenity into the shuttle bay of the Phoenix. He exited his fighter as rapidly as he could. He moved quickly over to Serenity's. He knew exactly what she was probably feeling. He had it more then once. The last time was back at the station where they had met, when a number of those he had been with for so long had been taken off in body bags.

Serenity docked her shuttle rather more than unceremoniously. In fact, had she kicked it into the bay, it would have been more graceful. As it stood, the battered shuttle slammed into the hold and then dropped into the locking arms with a loud, nasty crunch. Jenny and Slyder landed far more gently. After a few seconds of fighting with the door lock, Serenity resorted to kicking it open. The poor hinge cracked and then split open, leaving the shuttle door hanging on the lower left and Serenity finally exitted. Slyder was quick out of his own shuttle and went racing over to Serenity, but when he saw her, he backed off again. He knew that look.

Coming down the ramp, Serenity unzipped the flight suit down to her waist and struggledx her arms free of it. Her side arm went skittering across the floor, her having lobbed it at nothing in particular. Then her helmet went flying, bouncing off the side of Slyder's shuttle and skittering away somewhere. After that, just as Krell reached her, she dropped to her knees and screamed. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed openly for her lost friend.

Standing back by his shuttle, Slyder let his head drop down and a few tears of his own escaped. He shuddered in grief and then leaned against the shuttle's hull, dipping down with his head in his hands. It was a hellish sight for the rest of the crew and when Mac and Rat finally made it down there, it was clear the Diamond Dogs were truly stricken this time. Slyder was joined by Marianne and he simply collapsed in his new wife's arms, unable to stand anymore. Mac stood ramrod straight with his hand on Rat's shoulder. Both men were tearful, but it was Serenity that suffered the most. She sat on her knees in the middle of the docking bay and screamed her grief over and over again, calling his name until her throat was raw. Such was the bond of friendship and trust they shared. Serenity had lost her closest companion.

At the bay doors, Rahma stood with his head lowered. He could feel her pain and grief. Though he had not known Kai for very long, he had taken an instant liking to the man, not just for the friendship he had shared with Serenity, but for the companionship and trust she had been able to give him. He knew she had loved that man deeply. Despite their victory, they would not celebrate today.

Through her tears, Serenity slowly began to focus on someone standing in front of her. Her lips trembled as she stared up at Krell and then shook her head. "It's my fault!" She cried, "It's all my fault!"
"Everyone out!" Came a sudden shout. It seemed the entire crew had arrived to see the display and Mac was having none of it. "Back to your stations!" He demanded, then looked at Krell tearfully, but firmly. "Get her cleaned up and settled. She's of no use to anyone like this. For the time being, everything else can wait." He nodded to the other man, then slowly led Rat away. Slyder followed soon after, still clinging to Marianne and dragging Jenny along with them. A few minutes after that, the entire bay was cleared, leaving Krell and Serenity alone......

Krell watched her kick open the door of the shuttle and throw her blaster across the hanger. Then she fell to her knees crying. He knew what the loss of some one close felt like. Kai had been with her for a long time and had looked upon him as more then a friend. When Mac ordered every one out he looked at him and nodded. He could see how the loss of Kai was effecting the others of the Diamond Dogs.

Rat and Slyder and even Mac were taking it very hard, but Mac could see that the crew of the Phoenix coming and it would not do to have them see their captain like this. Soon the bay was cleared and Krell knelt down and took her into his arms. "It is not your fault. If any one is to blame it is the one that built that damn thing. I think we both know who that someone probably is." he brushed some stray hair from her face, and wiped some tears from her cheeks. "He will pay for this and pay dearly." Krell promised. He then just held her tightly for a while longer and then stood and lifted her to her feet.

He felt it would be useless to tell her he knew what she was going through. It would do no good. He helped her walk, and took her from the shuttle bay and in an around about way to lessen contact with the crew, to her quarters. Once there he shut the door and again took her into his arms and just held her.

Krell tried his best to consol Serenity and she was thankful that he was there for her. She leaned heavily on him as he held her, doing all he could to comfort her and she nodded quietly into his shoulder. "I'll see him dead myself." She scorned, "Him and the Empire." After that, she was silent. For a long time, they seemed to stay put, but they couldn't stay there forever and soon enough, Serenity felt him pulling her up to stand. At first, she was shaky on her feet, but she soon steadied again and leaned into him as he led her away from the shuttle bay.

They took the long route back to her quarters, bypassing much of the crew. It would do no good to anyone to see her like this. They needed her strong and confident, not a gibbering wreck that could only cling to her lover. Eventually, they made it and Serenity simply stood in his arms for a moment and let him hold her. "Kai was my best friend." She murmered quietly, "What will I do without him?" Fresh tears sprung forth and Serenity made no effort to stop them.....

"I know." Krell whispered as he held her. "It is hard to do, believe me when I say I know it is. But, one must go on. One will never forget, can never forget. Remember the good times, and those times that made a difference." He could only do that for those that had died. They had many good times together and those memories would keep them alive in his mind, and if one remembered someone they were always there. "They will always live in your mind and heart."

It was the only advice he could give her. One of those that had escaped with him. An old man that became a mentor of sorts for him told him the same thing when he lay dieing of old age. He had been in prison for most of his life for challenging the Empire ways. He died a free man and in peace, knowing that the spark of freedom had not been extinguished. "You need to rest now." he knew she would not want to. "I know you don't want to but, it will be for the best. I think Mac will be able to handle things for a while, till we are ready to make the jump."

Serenity needed to rest. This was true, she was exhausted and feeling quite ill now. Without an argument, she nodded. "Good idea." She said and moved towards the bed. She didn't stop to take her flight suit off, nor her boots. Instead, she simply fell face first into the bed and stayed there. Mac would handle things for a while, she trusted him plenty with that and she knew she was useless to anyone right now. "Would you stay awhile?" She asked suddenly, her voice muffled by the blankets, "Just for a little while? I don't want to be alone right now."

A few doors down, Slyder wasn't faring much better. He laid curled up on the bed cuddled up to Marianne. Across the room, Claire laid asleep in her crib and he stared at her. "He was my best friend." He said to his wife quietly, "My brother almost. I wish he had been my brother. I'm gonna miss him so much."
"I know." Marianne cooed, "He hasn't really gone, you know. You just can't see him anymore."
Slyder nodded and gave a small smile, cuddling up tight to her. Then he kissed her. "Serenity will make sure he hasn't died for nothing." He said, "He won't be forgotten."
"I would expect nothing less." Marianne told him, "You lot may not be blood, but you've shed enough between you to make you more than family. And I'll tell you now, I'm proud to be part of it."
Slyder smiled again and stared across at her. He wondered how he ever let her go before. This woman was nothing short of a Goddess in his eyes. "You'll always be part of it." He replied, "And Ren will never say otherwise."
Marianne nodded, "I know." She said, "She's a good woman and a skilled Captain. She knows who her family are. She'll be ok, I promise, and so will you. You lot are too stubborn to do anything less."
Slyder took a firm hold of his wife and kissed her. "When all this is done." He said, "I want Claire to have a brother, someone she can rely on."
Marianne grinned down at him and cuddled him up in her arms, "You've got yourself a deal." She replied.
Slyder settled down then and closed his eyes. He didn't have long before he would be needed back at his post, but for now, he just wanted to stay in her arms and sleep. And he expected that Krell would do the same for Serenity. She needed it......