The only light in the form of a small desk lamp occupied the table in the far corner of the room, casting a dim and warming orange hue through Darius' quarters. Looking down at Sh'Khari he indulged himself in the sensual way that the light cast gentle shadows on the soft, olive-brown skin of her back. She was not asleep, which he could tell from the twitches in the corner of her mouth as he gently stroked her bare skin. Even the usual hum that radiated through the station walls seemed to have quietened in the moment following their passion's expression, and the warmth beneath the tangled sheets draped over them gave them little good reason or even desire to disturb the tranquillity. Darius let his hand wander around a little longer and found his way to the back of her neck beneath the drape of long hair that rested idly to the side and stroked the skin where the roots emerged. Again, the corner of Sh'Khari's mouth twitched into a slight smile, this time accompanied by a slight shuffle of her body as she gently rubbed herself against Darius' chest before coming to a rest again.

The cruel conspiracy to disturb the moment descended upon them as a hushed, yet persistent beeping filled the room originating from the console embedded in the desk near the bed. Darius felt inclined to ignore the crude disturbance before groaning to himself while slowly sliding to the side. Sh'Khari, with a little moan, lifted herself up and did the same, giving Darius complete passage out of the warmth of the bed sheets while preserving her own comfort. Slipping from beneath the covers with a disgruntled expression cast towards the desk, Darius slid into the chair behind the desk. His mail box was flashing on the communications panel to the side of the screen. Opening it he was greeted by several messages from the same person and suddenly recalled he had forgotten about the original message from Shay'la the other day. All of the outstanding messages were from her and Darius, with a sigh, opened the latest one.
"Sorry sweetie." He said over to Sh'Khari. "Won't be a minute."

Skimming over the message, Shay'la states she needs to speak with him urgently and that she was on the station waiting for him to get back to her to arrange a time and date. Darius considered a moment, unable and unwilling to resist glancing back at Sh'Khari while considering his options. He was due to fly in the morning and return to Matar to face his clan Elders. A sudden, yet unregretful wash of realisation hit him that in the last few days with Sh'Khari he had not even given it any thought or considered how he was going to resolve the situation at home. Let alone keeping track of his mail and other duties. It was suddenly uncomfortable for him to be faced with the coming situation again and totally unprepared. Yet it was somehow easy to break down and in a way he now felt fully capable of facing it unprepared. As for Shay'la, he had not even seen her since she left for Matar some time ago. She had gone back to the RSS and Chiron by the time he had returned from leave. Whatever it was she wanted from him, he would have to find out before leaving. Depending on how things go with his clan Elders he might not be spending much more time in space.

He composed a short reply quickly, telling her when he was travelling and from what public port so she could see him before he leaves. That is, if she gets the message in time. Finally, making sure this time he had the terminal sound muted, Darius turned back to the bed and gently slipped beneath the covers besides Sh'Khari for the last few hours of the morning before they needed to get up again. She rolled over to him and slid an arm over his chest again.

With the sharp sounding grind of old metal moving, the latch on the thick wooden door lifted free. With no handle or locking mechanism of any kind on the outside of the door the only way it could be opened was through the inside. The man stood outside in the dim glow of the early morning sunrise coming over the bay to the north. This was without a doubt one of the easiest jobs he would have to do. Or at least skill wise, given that despite the obvious token security forces present they were simply civilians in a non-hostile setting. Their complacency alone required little effort to overcome. His conscience, however, would take much more effort to combat once this was over. Slowly, the door opened inwards and an old face appeared through the opening.
"I'm Khas." He said warily. The man simply nodded in silent response.
"She said I would meet you here." He shrugged one of his shoulders that supported a strap for his backpack. Khas' attention was drawn to the bag and he seemed to almost grimace. The man slowly placed his hand around the hilt of his knife in the holder on his waist behind him. "Are you ready for this?" He pressed firmly. Khas kept looking at the bag for a moment before snapping out of it and nodding. He stepped to the side to let the man in. He turned to Khas as he stepped through the door.
"I made sure the guards in the hall would not cross your path." Said Khas.
"Good. I know where I'm going from here. You had better make sure you get out of the area right now." Khas lowered his eyes and didn't argue as he scurried away.

The man released his grip on his knife and quickly set about his business. Following the ocular projection from his implants showing him an overhead map of the building, he quickly and quietly covered the distance between the service door he entered through and his target destination. One floor down was a small storage room where he would have to plant the device. With the honey comb of ventilation shafts littering the building, and a direct shaft from that room to the Elders meeting chamber, it would be the best place to stash it for an effective result. A small explosive charge would ensure that the dispersal would be fast and within seconds the whole clan hall would be consumed. Thinking about it in that sense, he had to suppress his guilt again and just do the job.

"Hey!" Came a voice from behind him. "How did you get down here?" He turned to see a large Brutor in clan security colours and a firm grasp on some kind of spear like weapon. He was discovered. With a quick adjustment of his implants he enabled a preloaded emergency route on his overhead map and turns to run. The large guard gives chase and shouts again for him to stop, and even if he wasn't too busy cursing the incompetent old man, fate and everything else for this screw up to hear the guard, he would certainly not oblige. His only chance was to try and lose the guard and make it into the town down the hill from the clan hall. He reached a wider hall but could now feel the disturbing proximity of the guard giving chase, who seemed to be getting closer very quickly. He damned the bomb to God as served only to slow him down. Round the next corner something darted past his body in the corner of his vision, which he quickly and chillingly realising was the spear. Instinctively he shifted to the side and away from the spear tip which hooked back on itself like a fish hook. Barely avoiding the sharp point as the spear retreated, he fell against the wall and tumbled forwards losing speed. With enough gain, and still sure footed, the guard reached out and grabbed the backpack of the intruder who quickly struggled to free himself from the powerful grip. He pivoted round to face the guard, launching a well aimed blow at his face, and struggled for control of the backpack. The guard staggered but did not fall, or even relent his grip on the strap. In the middle of the fray, the fish hook end of the spear struck the backpack and the intruder froze with horror as the sound of metal being pierced filled his ears. Followed sharply by the faint sound of escaping air, he knew the canister within had been punctured.
"Ohh god!" he shouted, and froze in horror for a second, long enough for the guard to grab hold of the man.
"Let go!" shouted the crazed man, moving with lightning speed and striking the guard with a quick blow. Staggered slightly, the guard loses his grip on the intruder who had quickly turned to run, abandoning his grasp on the bag. The man ran for his life, with the guard shouting after him as he dropped the backpack and gave chase. As he did he glanced back to see a sudden gush of slightly bluish-green smoke come from the bag and, in that a second, his eyes began to sting.

Ahead of him, the intruder made it as far as the base of the stairs before he staggered forwards clutching his face and screaming hoarsely which quickly gave in to violent coughing and retching. The guard soon followed and both men dropped to the floor a meter apart, incapable of controlling their convulsions.

Up the stairs, through the hallways of the clan hall and outside towards the town, a sickening murky blue mist spreads through the air.

"Can we make this quick?" Said Darius, his arms folded as usual as he spoke to Shay'la. "I have a flight to catch and you are usually nothing but trouble for me." Shay'la mockingly creased her face in false sadness, reminding Darius quickly of her irritating sense of sarcastic humour which caused him to regret even giving her an opening as she spoke.
"Darius," she said while pouting. "You're going to hurt my feelings if you carry on like this." With a sigh, Darius restrained himself from taking her bait and just looked at her sternly. She glanced over his shoulder towards Sh'Khari, stood several paces behind him. "Should we talk in private?"
"Do we need to?" He replied, with just a hint of hostility. Shay'la smirked a little as she got the message and waved to Sh'Khari.
"Hello there sweetie." She said playfully. Sh'Khari matched Darius' hostile glare.
"Shay'la! Enough." Shay'la looked back at Darius who was not amused. "You wanted to speak to me remember. So make with the details or have a good life. Your choice."
"OK then. Seriously now. Long story short is that after I was taken from your corporation's medical facility and back to headquarters I was debriefed then quickly, and quietly, disavowed. That was a couple of weeks ago and since then I've been, well, here and there and a little busy. The only thing is that Chiron spoke out for me to get me disavowed because it was either that or prison."
"So what's the problem here then? After what you pulled you should have expected worse."
"Well, yes but that's not the issue. Soon after I received a message through a contact I still have in the RSS. I don't know who he is and he has only ever contacted me twice before. He told me only two words. 'Watch Khabi.'" Darius frowned at the very mention of the place, and continued to listen to Shay'la until she continued.
"Anyway, I can't even get near the Ammatar Mandate again without some serious work but I do have a friend in the Fleet who works high level intelligence and he said all looked quiet for now so I wondered what he meant. Then a couple of days ago he sent word to me that there had been some kind of blast on the fourth planet." Darius' expression turned to concentration as he began to listen intently. "I did a little more digging too and all I have found out is that the facility was levelled by some kind of nuke and there was a fleet in orbit at the time. Other than that information seems to have been quickly buttoned up. So whatever happened, I guess was meant to happen."
"Why do you think that?" Asked Darius. Sh'Khari behind him was watching the conversation intently, trying to follow it as best as she could. Darius had still not talked much about what happened in Ammatar space but she could tell by his sudden interest that it must be important.
"I have seen enough in my time to know when information is being restricted and a well organised plan was been executed. And this is just too coincidental for it to have happened so soon after our little escapade. I still don't know what this was all about, but there has got to be something bigger going on and my contact in the RSS has not been in touch since." Darius fell silent and digested the information for a moment. As he did an announcement came over the public speakers. He checked the time on his wrist watch as the gentle pings signalled an incoming announcement, guessing it was to do with his flight time due in a few minutes. The announcer read the list of outgoing planetary flights in the next half our as all being on time, stating further that restrictions were in place on connecting transport systems heading south on Matar. Darius, catching that last bit, wondered if that would affect his arrangements to attend the meeting at his clan hall.

"Great." He mumbled, already expecting it would. Shay'la looked at him inquisitively. "I am expected at my clan later today to take care of some important business. It would be just my luck that this makes me late."
"Nothing major I hope?" She asked, in a suspiciously serious manner. Darius, still distrustful of Shay'la, contemplated what to tell her.
"Well, nothing I am sure I can't handle."
"Your little friend there going with you for some... company?" She asked, irritatingly smug as usual.
"Little?" Murmured Sh'Khari with a growl of hostility.
"Knock it off Shay'la, you're not funny." Said Darius in an effort to cut off what could turn into a cat fight here in the public departures section of the station. Shay'la and Sh'Khari continued to look each other in the eye, though Sh'Khari's scowl was not mirrored by Shay'la's cocky smile. And Darius knew she was cocky with reason should fists start to fly.
"What time is your flight Darius?" asked Shay'la finally.
"In about ten minutes." He replied, still feeling the heat building between the two Brutor women. Moments later, Darius frowned to himself as Sh'Khari and Shay'la looked on, guessing he was looking at something in his neural network. His face slowly turned ashen and his expression became shocked.
"Darius?" Said Sh'Khari, stepping towards him. "What is it?"
"I..." he felt his throat tighten and choke his words. "My clan. I just got a message... I have to get down there!" he said with determination as he turned from the departures area and ran back into the station.
"Darius!" Shouted Sh'Khari as she ran after him. Shay'la followed them both in close pursuit through the crowd.

They caught up with him at the elevator leading up towards the corporate offices and hangars.
"Darius, what is it?" insisted Shay'la as she slipped through the already closing doors.
"There was some kind of attack at my clan hall." He said as he frantically jabbed the button for the office floor.
"So what are we doing going back up the station?" asked Sh'Khari.
"The restricted transport on the ground must have something to do with this. The message I got on my neural net from clan security said something about gas. I will have to go down there via a more direct route." Sh'Khari nodded silently. "I sent a message to the hangar crew to prepare a Slasher." He continued as the lift came to a halt. The party dashed through the office area to his corporation's entrance and made his way through the security bypass for members.

Cleared to descend through the atmosphere, Darius's Slasher darted down on a re-entry trajectory and plotted a course to his home island. Shay'la and Sh'Khari gripped their restraints in their chairs, which were little more than folding tubes and wires, on the cramped bridge area while the small frigate bucked and rattled through the dense layers of the upper atmosphere. A monotone voice devoid of human characteristics came over the speakers from Darius' pod.
"I notified the clan I am coming in." He said flatly. "They have to clear a large area on the plains outside of the town so we have to circle the island until I am told I can land."
"Can you hear me Darius?" Enquired Shay'la.
"Yes." He answered.
"Any more information on what happened?"
"No. All I know is there was a gas cloud coming out of the clan hall. But it has to be an attack. We don't keep anything remotely chemical in the hall. The emergency service from the mainland arrived quickly on a skimmer craft and began treating the injured and the gas seems to have cleared quickly. Part of the town caught it on the wind though and many have suffered."
"What happens when we land?"
"The clan security chief will be there with some guards keeping the area clear for the ship. He will also have the head of the emergency services teams there too and I'll get an update on what happened."
"I'm surprised they would let you fly down through planetary airspace." Said Sh'Khari.
"Well dear," answered Shay'la, grating Sh'Khari's nerves at being called 'dear' by her, "the south islands are mainly serviced by the amphibious skimmers and they go no higher than a couple of dozen meters at most. And if the island has been quarantined..."
"It has." Cut in Darius.
"Yes, so there will be minimal traffic except for emergency services."
"And they use skimmers too. Since the island is too small to house any kind of airstrip. Besides, they would have no choice either way. Nothing will keep me away." Even over the monotone communication circuit, they could detect the angry resolve.

Chiron leaned back in her chair, having completed another round of pod pilot contracts for outstanding jobs and seeing to their payment. Her consol glowed at the head of her desk, covering the dark polished finish with a light blue glow radiating in all directions. She enjoyed this quiet moment between spells of work as she sipped a fresh brew of red herbal tea and let her console download the latest information on Republic security. In the back of her mind, she felt a small sadness of what was to come in the next few hours. A long working relationship was to come to an end in a fatal manner. She was not exactly sad about that, or the method which it was to be executed, as she felt a certain relief at this eventuality given the more recent headaches it had caused her. However it had yielded a pleasantly surprising capacity to offer her such opportunities as it had. Pulling the right strings had brought about the salvation of her operations in Derelik. If she was of the more religious congregation she would believe God was smiling on her.

As much as she would like to continue drifting in this moment in tranquillity, she was not afforded the luxury for long and soon found herself reviewing the latest work requisitions assigned to her office from the RSS. Many high priority jobs needed filling, rationalised to herself that helping fight pirates is as much for her people's benefit as it was the Minmatar Republic themselves. And should she need to send pilots after her own kind, she was prepared to sacrifice them for the greater good of her deep cover work here.

The tab on her file system for the report downloader blinked and a low sounding ping resonated from the speakers below the monitor to let her know the data transfer was complete. She scanned the file list, following her usual system of sorting them by priority tag placing the higher priority information at the top. As she expected she saw several more references to the Khabi incident, mostly guess work thanks to diversions and counter-intelligence work set in place by Ammatar Security. Lucky for them they knew most of the information leak points thanks to people like her providing them with details of the Republic information network. They will throw them a bone mixed with a little misinformation no doubt, and life will go on as the uneasy peace between them continued.

A little further down the list the lesser important messages began to line up as she ran her eyes down the subject heading columns.
...Chemical Gas....
Chiron read over the report heading as she skimmed the list and the words barely registered in her head as she continued to move the list up the screen a second longer before realisation hit.
"Can't be." She muttered, glancing her the watch on her wrist before opening the report. It was. Chiron digested the information on the screen rapidly, picking out the key words in seconds and filling in the rest in her own head. She looked at her watch again and cursed loud enough to fill the office. She read further into the report, sparing no details from her rapid scrutiny as she searched for clues that the job was done right. Again she cursed.
'... potential suspect was confirmed dead on scene after an apparent physical struggle. Investigation of the incident site will commence once decontamination has been confirmed. Preliminary reports by the civilian emergency service's decontamination team indicate the potential source of the gas as being intact and salvageable. Official emergency services are liaising with local security personnel and the local clan leader has been informed of the situation...'

Chiron felt her whole day, and indeed her whole life, collapse before her as her brain kicked into overdrive and the situation became clear to her. If her man was dead on the scene it is likely he will be tracked back to her eventually. It was a low priority bulletin right now but if the bomb is intact as the report suggested then they will raise the report to a high priority very quickly and begin a complete investigation. Not to mention that her man was also killed. She bolted to her feet at her desk and nearly shouted her frustration with all the breath in her lungs. Her entire plan was undone in the final stages, and now she had only one option left... defection.

Darius' camera drone keeps perfect track with his small Slasher frigate as he circles the island. Not needing the drone for visual navigation, due to his sensors tuned into the planetary positioning systems, he still kept the drone focused on the clearing and awaited the signal from the head of security. From his vantage in the sky, Darius could clearly see the people on the ground making space for his ship that was nearly as large as the building by the edge of the field. Farming equipment and vehicles needed to be moved and people were being kept clear by the Koude security assisted by several members of the Matar Police. Darius zoomed in to the head of security who was stood with a well dressed official, most likely the site commander, in his full black and light grey uniform adorned with several medal ribbons. The clan security officer pulled a small device out of a pouch on his hip and raised it to his lips.
"OK sir." Came the voice over the comms. Darius could literally see the words coming off his lips even at this distance. "The area is clear. If you come from the south west that's your best shot at a clear approach." Darius did not signal his understanding and simply obliged them by bringing the Slasher to bare on the empty patch of land. The landing gear lowered from the base of the ship, and a moment of déjà vue came over him as a barely audible screeching came from below the ship as the struts protested at being disturbed after being tucked away for so long. For a moment, he remembered landing on Khabi IV several weeks ago. Not wishing to dwell on bad memories in the face of worse ones, Darius concentrated on the task at hand. Slowly he brought the ship to a halt over the space cleared for him and gently lowered the craft to the ground. Onlookers, wearing stunned expressions at the sight of this ship touching down on the soil, were forced to keep well clear of the down force from the landing thrusters that began to rip chunks of earth from beneath them and hurl them in every direction that took the fancy of the laws of chaos. Most people on this island had never seen a ship before, and never even left the island. Others had maybe seen them at a distance in space while watching out of the windows, where it would be hard indeed to gain perspective of size. Even Darius found it easy to take the size this ship for granted until he flies close to something much larger like a Battleship.

Soon after a gentle touch down, Darius, Shay'la and Sh'Khari emerged from the ship hatch on the underside and descended down the ladder attached to the front landing gear strut. The clan security chief, Belgardi Koude, jogged the short distance to the ship with the uniformed official in tow, greeting Darius with a salute when he reached them.
"Belgardi." Said Darius, returning the salute and offering a hand shake.
"Sir." He replied, accepting Darius' hand firmly. "This is Major Ghent." Darius offered his hand to the Major, a short stocky Sebiestor.
"Republic Police Force of Matar." He said curtly as he shook Darius's extended hand. "Good to meet you, though unfortunately under such troubling circumstances."
"Thank you. Belgardi, what is the situation?"
"There are a few people around the town that suffered minor injuries. The hospital is treating them as best as they can and the emergency services are sending more specialised supplies."
"We have determined the chemical compound used in this attack so the medical supplies being brought in on the next skimmer will help a lot." Interjected the Major. Darius nodded in thanks.
"What about the clan hall? The people there?" Asked Darius. Belgardi's face remained serious, though his eyes clearly saddened.
"Many of the residents there were affected. The gas spread through most of the hall and in all, eighteen people have died. Another twenty-four are badly injured and some may not survive."
"I am sorry about this Mr Shakor. I assure you my staff will give those people the best care available on Matar." Said the Major again.
"Can the hospital take this many injured people?" Asked Darius. Sh'Khari and Shay'la stood a couple of paces behind watched the conversation. Sh'Khari felt a small wash of admiration for Darius as his last question reflected one of the great qualities of clan leadership.
"No, they are overwhelmed space wise. We moved many of the injured to the communal hall and split the staff. Fortunately many in the town offered their transports for the task of shuttling supplies and injured people between the Hospital and the communal centre and we have cleared the most direct route between them for now."
"Good work. What about the Elders?"
"Yes, I am sorry to say sir, the Iirwahan elder is dead and the Vestiar elder was badly injured. Also the apprentices for the Koude and Vestiar are dead, and... I am sorry to tell you that Vomar Arodghar is dead as well." Darius felt his throat burn and tighten at the news and lowered his eyes. For a short while he stood silent, to the confusion of the Major who appeared a little impatient at the impromptu mourning.
"Where are they?" Asked Darius finally.
"I didn't risk having them at either the hospital or the communal centre for security reasons. Gambati's son has offered the Koude Hall and the best medical personnel from the clan have been sent there with equipment." Gambati Koude was the Koude family elder and his son was a master of the Koude Ramashi fighting technique, a man known also as an Immashen who are revered masters of the arts and traditions among the clan. "One other thing you should know sir, another man we have not yet identified was found in the clan hall by the emergency teams."
"We believe he might have had something to do with this as he was found along with another man near the suspect device." Said the Major.
"The other was... a member of clan security." Belgardi seemed to despair after his pause, but it would have to wait as Darius wanted to see the Elders.
"On that note gentlemen, if you will excuse me I have to check the status of the incoming medical supplies." Said the Major. He gave each man a nod of courtesy and quickly marched back towards a vehicle nearby.
"Take me to the clan Elders." Said Darius, Remembering afterwards that he was not alone. "Take us." He said, correcting himself.
"Yes sir." Belgardi led the three of them towards another waiting vehicle marked with clan security colours and the Koude family crest.

* * * * *

Entering the town, Darius felt the unease of the alien situation all around. The streets were empty, having being kept clear for emergency and official transportation. More than that there was an unmistakable sense of fear in the air. Eventually the vehicle stopped outside of a large domicile adorned with the crest of the Koude family and a symbol of the home of the Koude martial arts master. The building, also the central hall of the Koude family, was several floors tall. Each of the other five families of the Shakor Clan had similar halls that would embody the spirit and tradition of that family. The Arodghar Hall, for instance, is a vast farming facility capable of storing harvested crops from the adjacent fields as well as areas for tending to the resident livestock. The Vestiar Hall has a large public restaurant area open most of the day, worked by the students at the culinary school that comprised the rest of the hall. The hall of the Koude family is the central training facility for the Koude Ramashi martial arts taught by the Immashen. For centuries before the Amarr, and in the time after their expulsion from Matar, this hall served as house and home to the most senior of the Koude Immashens as well as Ramashi students learning from them. A student would spend upwards of six years living at the hall while adhering to a strict and disciplined regime of training and lifestyle. The clothes they could wear, the food they would eat and the times which they would exercise were all planned and conducted by the senior Immashen. They would perform domestic tasks around the hall as dictated to a standard that would please their master including gardening, cooking and cleaning. Darius had been inside the hall only once, having spent more of his youth interested in the Arodghar trades. Despite this, his respect for the Koude history was as boundless as his gratitude for their service to the clan.

As they dismounted the vehicle the front doors to the home opened and they were greeted by Frandon Koude. Darius had rarely spoken to Frandon in his years, and only exchanged occasional pleasantries at official functions where he has attended.
"Esteemed Darius." He began as he headed their way, his hands outstretched in greeting. Frandon's face, however, was imbued with sadness.
"Immashen Frandon." Spoke Darius in return. He took both of Frandon Koude's hands in his briefly as each man bowed to each other. Belgardi followed suite and bowed deeper, remaining so even when Darius and Frandon rose from their greeting. Frandon turned to Belgardi and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It is good to see you again young one." Belgardi lifted his head and smiled and his old Immashen. "A terrible day at the hands of a cowards attack." Continued Frandon, addressing everyone present, making a show of nodding in the direction of the two women stood to Darius' side.
"Of course, sorry. This is Sh'Khari and this is Shay'la. They were with me when I received word of the attack." Both of them nodded their heads conservatively, still unsure of the customs within the Shakor.
"We should go inside. I fear Elder Koshan may leave us soon." He turned quickly and headed back towards the door, Darius and his party following in his wake.

Though the house and into the large assembly hall of the Koude, used by Immashen Frandon and his instructors to teach the advanced forms of Koude Ramashi martial arts, Darius followed Frandon as he swept past the guards as though he were a wisp of smoke. Inside the room several medical staff paced around preparing injections and drip bags while others monitored trolleys of portable medical equipment near a single bed.
"Elder Koshan," said Frandon gently as he approached the bed. An old man with a breathing mask looked over to his side to see the entourage approach. "Kinja Darius is here." Darius tried not to let it show how much such formal titles unnerved him and carried on walking behind Frandon towards the Vestiar Elder. His skin was blistered horribly from the effects of the gas weapon and he seemed to be struggling to take in air. A doctor from the clan headed towards Darius to give him a report.
"Sir," he began, getting Darius' attention, "I am afraid his condition is serious. He sustained heavy damage to his lung tissue and his blood is absorbing very little oxygen. Also the toxins from the chemical gas have worked their way into his liver, which is failing. We are trying to oxygenate his blood but we are not confident he will survive the long term." Darius paused for a moment looking at the old man who was clearly dazed from the pain killers feeding into him through the various intravenous tubes.
"Where are they?" he said eventually to the doctor.
"The room over there sir." The doctor casually pointed with the tip of his pen towards a small door to a dark room. Fighting the sensation of hesitancy, Darius headed towards the door.

Inside the unlit room Darius could barely make out the shapes ahead, but knew before he even turned on the light what they were. The lights overhead flickered to life and illuminated the room with their glow revealing the four tables, topped with what looked like bodies beneath sheets, lined up along the back left wall. Sh'Khari stood at the door and watched as Darius lifted the sheet draped over the first body. He seemed to shrink physically as he looked down at the scarred face on the table.
"Mathan..." muttered Darius in sadness as he pulled the sheet back over the face of the Iirwahan elder. He moved along the row to the two bodies in the middle, one seemingly smaller than the other. The larger of the two accommodated Rodash Koude, the apprentice of the Koude Elder, Gambati. Covering his face again, Darius moved on to the next body and pulled the sheet back. He stepped away from the table as a harsh pain flooded his body at the sight of Galinos, the Vestiar apprentice. He could still remember the steely expression of pride on the boy's face when he was inducted into the Shakor clan by Darius not too long ago. He had performed the Shakori Tan ritual when Galinos came of age, and was first told by Koshan Vestiar he would select Galinos as his apprentice while Koshan prepared the ceremonial tattoo ink before the ritual. Galinos, despite his youth, felt much passion for the clan as well as immense pride in his position as an apprentice to his family Elder. He would have made a great Elder one day. And he was much too young to have suffered such an end. Even while Darius was hurting, he had to know Koshan was heartbroken. A deeper lasting pain than his physical wounds could possibly inflict.

"Darius..." muttered Sh'Khari from the doorway, concerned at his stillness. He did not answer, or even look her way as his grief induced trance continued. Like a zombie, he lifted the sheet on the final body with shaking hands to see the slightly disfigured face of Vomar Arodghar. Too much to take any more, Darius' face creased further in pain and barely visible tears forced their way past his red swollen eyes.

The makeshift medical room quietened as Darius emerged from the side room. Few people looked his way directly, sparing him the discomfort of gazing eyes having just viewed the dead. Recomposed, he stood at Sh'Khari's side as she inched closer to him and, eventually slid her arm around his back.
"I'm so sorry." She said quietly. He leaned closer, tilting his head to the side and resting it on top of hers. The door at the far end of the room slowly opened and the Elders for the Koude and Helgaard, Gambati and Khas, quickly made their way towards Darius, sparing a nod of respect towards the ailing Koshan still struggling to draw a clear breath.
"Darius," began Gambati, less formal than his son who insisted on sticking to the old titles. "I am very sorry about Vomar. A terrible loss on a sad day, and I know you two were close friends." Darius nodded his thanks, taking Gambati's hand of sympathy.
"Thank you Gambati. I am sorry about Rodash, he was a good man. And please extend my thanks to your son for making his home available for Koshan's recover and for... the dead."
"I will." He replied, diverting his eyes slightly to the floor. "How are we going to survive this?" he continued in a worried tone. "So many of our leaders, our apprentices..."
"The Iirwahan apprentice is very young and inexperienced." Interjected Khas, the dose of negativity irritating Darius slightly. "Vomar never named an apprentice either. If Koshan turns for the worse he too has no successor." Darius closed his eyes as he began to see the problems ahead of them. "You will have to rise to this challenge Darius, if you wish to redeem yourself in the eyes of the families. Specifically your constant absence that has grown since you began working as a capsuleer pilot." Darius met Khas' eyes with a fierce glare, silencing him short of further pontificating.
"This is hardly the time for finger pointing Khas." Stated Darius in a low growl.
"Regardless of the time Darius, I remind you your leadership has already fallen into question in the past. That is a valid concern that faced us before this crisis so.."
"Be silent!" Barked Gambati.
"I beg your par..."
"You heard me, be silent and stop twisting the knife like you always do." Khas looked at Gambati in a mix of shock and indignation. "I remind you Khas that these concerns were not as widely shared as you delude yourself into thinking. Or try to mislead other people into believing."
"How dare you!" shouted Khas, bringing the room around them to a halt.
"I will not have you flinging your nonsense around in my son's home Khas."
"So shall we go somewhere that suits you better and continue this conversation? Or should I say, to continue your outrageous accusations?"
"Enou..." the frail voice barely heard above the squabbling old Brutors was muted by a horse coughing session that caught their attention. "Friends... enough." Koshan was sitting up in his bed, rasping deep enough to send sympathetic pains through Darius' body. "Both of you cease your bickering and either advise Darius on what needs to be done to recover our clan, or be quiet and allow him a moments silence to think for himself."

Both Sh'Khari and Shay'la, stood well back now from the sudden fray, observed the back and forwards between the Elders before they were stopped by reason. Sh'Khari rested her eyes on Darius who seemed almost lost, as though he had taken more blows than he could possibly sustain. He lifted his head slowly as the room gradually got back to work and Koshan seemed to have laid down again to seek comfort from his ailments.
"I want you both to report on the state of your families and their trades later. I want a complete rundown on how intact the clan is before we focus on what has been lost and then, if we can, how best we can repair it. For the Arodghar and Vestiar families, divide them among yourselves and speak to their most senior survivors. And help Farishan however you can in doing the same thing." Darius referring to the Iirwahan apprentice and son of Mathan, the deceased Iirwahan Elder. He paused for a moment before continuing. "We are a way of life. Our clan survives because we have passed it down from one generation to the next. Let us see what the next generation has coming to it. We survived the Amarr and centuries of enslavement on this island because they could not take that fundamental fact of life away from us. We will survive this too."

Darius stalked past Khas, giving him a final glare through the corner of his eyes signalling that the conversation between them was not over. Khas could only look away, hoping to seem interested in something else happening in the room. Outside the building Darius, with Sh'Khari and Shay'la in tow, approached Belgardi Koude who was sitting on the front of the security vehicle that brought them all here. He leapt to his feet when Darius approached and stood firm and tall.
"I want to go to the Clan Hall."
"Yes sir." Replied Belgardi, quickly turning to get into the vehicle and ferry them to the large building high on the hill overlooking the town.

* * * * *

In the short drive through the still quiet streets of Mor Koral, Belgardi informed Darius that his ship was still under guard by his best men, which Darius expressed his appreciation for. While no one of the Shakor would dare to break into his ship or damage it in any way, the island was still under a state of high security and the ever growing likeliness that this was a deliberate attack on the clan reinforced the possibility that other enemies may be among them. At the Clan Hall of the Shakor, the scene was eerily quiet as all life had been evacuated and by now most of the dead would also be removed to the general hospital's morgue in the town. Three other vehicles occupied a piece of the open space near the main doors, one with the symbol of the local hospital on the side, the others with the Matar official police insignia.
"I am told that they have left the scene untouched while their forensics department finish their recordings." Stated Belgardi as he led the way to the front door. "But as we were told earlier the hall is quite safe to enter as whatever gas was used seems to have cleared."

Belgardi took Darius to the scene of the crime, deep into the Clan Hall. The activity of the official Matar Police increased the further they got, none of them stopping the entourage as they navigated their way between clusters of men in pale blue overalls and strategically placed quarantine tape.
"I cleared most of my people out of the way of the forensics teams to let them operate easier." He informed Darius as they approached the final turn. "Here is where we found the body of the man we think planted the device." Belgardi punctuated his sentence with a gesture of his hand inviting Darius to go ahead first. As he rounded the corner Sh'Khari and Shay'la followed. Belgardi turned to them both and held a hand up, not so much as an obstruction as to get their attention.
"Ladies, it might be better if you don't look. It's not a pretty sight." Both stopped and, with narrowed eyes, glared at Belgardi.
"Let me guess," said Shay'la in her trademark mater-of-fact tone, "skin blistered and taken on a deep purple hue, some of it peeled off onto the floor and dried to reveal an almost blackened patch of tissue beneath, the eye sockets filled with a dried lump of yellow puss where the eyeball used to be before they were corroded by the gas, bloody vomit surrounding them all over the floor and..."
"Shay'la!" shouted Darius from his post round the corner. "Enough." He looked at Belgardi and the expression on his face. He was, for want of a better word, disturbed by Shay'la's detailed and accurate sight-unseen explanation of the bodies. Her work as an agent in the RSS showing itself in her knowledge of chemical weapons, but her lack of tact and ignorance at the identity of the body at Darius' feet were not to be commended. Darius looked down at one of the men on the floor, barely recognisable as they were, one wore the uniform of a Koude guard stationed here in the Clan Hall. The name tag was well known to Darius as Belgardi's younger cousin. He turned to Belgardi as Shay'la and Sh'Khari made their way around.
"I am sorry about your cousin." He said, again finding himself frequently expressing his shared grief for others too many times today for his liking. Belgardi nodded, cleared his throat and continued with his rundown of the scene.
"This man here," he said pointing at the near featureless man slightly further away saying that he believed he was the intruder that tried to plant the chemical device. "It appears that my cousin chased him and in the process of a struggle his Mast'oba punctured the canister."
"Mast'oba?" inquired Sh'Khari.
"The weapon of the Koude family and Shakor Clan. Kind of like a fighting spear." Replied Darius. "Where is the device?" he asked Belgardi.
"I'll take you. It's just over here." Darius followed Belgardi around the corner where two of the forensics team were getting ready to package the device used to spread the gas.
"We had to disarm the explosives, but they were not set to blow." Said one of the techs. Belgardi nodded.
"Shay'la." Said Darius, getting her attention. "You know what this is?" He asked. Shay'la took a look at the device and shook her head.
"Well," she elaborated in words, "apart from it being a chemical aerosol bomb, it doesn't look familiar. Most likely custom made."
"Custom made?" asked Belgardi. "Like a homemade device."
"That's what we were thinking too but we need to run metallurgical tests and trace the components used in it by their serial numbers." Shay'la laughed mockingly, clearly irritating the forensic techs.
"I would not bother. And no I don't mean as in 'homemade'. I can tell by looking at it that it was made by a professional, which is why you won't find any traceable components."
"Of course we will." Argued one of the techs in a defensive tone. "There is a small lump of explosives here, not only designed to..."
"Render the gas aerosol under pressure causing a rapid dispersal over a wide area, but also vaporise the key components." Interjected Shay'la. "Except for one thing. It looks very light weight and the explosive casing, most likely the dull metal rim on the bottom, doesn't seem big enough for such damage. And the power source is too far away. Surely those components would not have been destroyed too if the bomb went off correctly. More likely it was designed to be portable for ease of placement and ease of recovery afterwards. That's why they used a non-persistent gas."
"What do you mean by ease of recovery?" asked Belgardi, ignoring the emasculated forensic tech stood with a vacant look on his face.
"Whoever planted this bomb would either take it away again after it has been used to cover their tracks a little, or someone else was going to do it. If they left pieces of it behind it would leave a trail, even if the components were untraceable."

Shay'la, not waiting for further inquiry, wandered away from the group back to the bodies while Darius turned to Belgardi.
"I need to show you something else sir." Said Belgardi, leading Darius further afield from the bomb. Several turns later they arrived at a small service door at the rear of the building, rarely used as an access to these parts of the Clan Hall's lower floor.
"This door can only be opened from inside." Said Belgardi.
"And?"
"And this must be where the intruder gained access to the building. Someone let him in."
"Wait, how can you know that for sure?" Asked Darius, afraid almost of the answer let alone that Belgardi might be right.
"The place the bomb was dropped, most likely after the struggle punctured the canister. Where the bodies were found afterwards. And I know where my cousin was assigned to watch. He was not a patrol, he was on static guard duty today. That is just up the stairs where we passed on our way here. Trace a line back and this has to be where he came in, was sighted by my cousin, chased to where the bomb now rests and from there to where they died."

Darius, faced with the facts, felt his gut wrench.
"You know what room is near here don't you." Darius said.
"The vigil room." The vigil room was the room where past clan leaders like Darius were laid in state overnight when they died, watched over by their chosen successor as Darius did his Uncle, Gol'dar Shakor.
"And above that?" Belgardi thought for a second.
"The Elder's chamber." The Elder's chamber being the room used for meetings between the clan leader and the Elders of the five Shakor Clan families.
"I don't like where this is heading."
"Darius!" Belgardi and Darius turned their heads back where they came from hearing what sounded like Shay'la.

They quickly headed back around to the bodies where Shay'la was kneeling at the side of the dead intruder. She looked up with a serious expression.
"I recognise him." She said blankly. "He was at Ramar's complex." Darius felt his face burn at the mention of Ramar. "But he wasn't one of Ramar's men. Well not exactly anyway. He was an RSS agent like me, part of the infiltration team." Darius tried to comprehend what Shay'la had just told him. He was a member of the Republic Security Services, planting a chemical bomb beneath the meeting chamber in his Clan Hall.
"I..." began Darius. "I don't understand this."
"I know," replied Shay'la, "he might have gone rogue."
Belgardi listened to the conversation, even though he failed to comprehend the specifics.
"Shay'la, would Chiron know anything about this?" Asked Darius.
"She might, but I would have thought she would warn you if she knew this was coming."
Darius stared a little longer at the body, contemplating the possibilities before turning from the scene and heading away down the hall, the others needing to sprint briefly to catch up with him.
"Take us back to my ship Belgardi." Said Darius. "I have to speak to Chiron."
"Darius, that might not be wise." Said Shay'la, now keeping pace two steps behind him. "Look this is what I was trying to tell you earlier. And it's starting to add up a little. The blast at Ramar's facility, and now this at nearly the same time."
"You think I can't see this?" He barked. "I know it is quite likely that Chiron tried to have me killed. And even if this agent went rogue long ago either is reason enough to confront her and get some damned answers. My clan has been attacked by a man you said worked for her. I won't sit by and just speculate. And if she had something to do with it she'll wish for a quick death before I am done with her."

"Sh'Khari," said Darius as the three of them crossed the ship hangar, " go back to the corporate zone and wait there.
"What?!" She exclaimed in protest. "No! No way!"
"Please. I don't want you to be involved in all this."
"No..."
"This mess has dragged me down into a very dark place." He took her by the shoulders. "I might need you to pull me back out when this is all over. Stay here."

Before she could protest, Darius ran through the hangar towards the exit doors that would lead to the public areas of the station.

"Where are we going Darius?" said Shay'la, easily keeping pace with Darius as he ran through the halls of the corporate section. "The exit is back through that left turn there." She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder in punctuation.
"We need to make a stop. Besides that way there are metal detectors. That's the guest entrance."
"What's wrong with metal detectors?" Darius stopped at a door and keyed in a code.
"Because of this." He stepped through the now open door and keyed another code into a pad along with his thumb print which also took a DNA sample. A heavy duty black metal shutter slid up from the central section of the wall beyond and Shay'la received her answer as Darius placed a compact handgun into her open palm. He handed her a couple of bullet clips, already loaded, and then took a weapon for himself.
"Darius, you do realise that corporate facilities in stations are..."
"Yes, not meant to have weapons stored in them like this. Whoever came up with that policy, huh? We have dozens of ships in storage here armed with howitzers large enough to crawl into the barrel. They fire all manners of warheads from depleted uranium to armour piercing titanium and missile launchers armed with five kiloton nukes. And they fret over hand guns."
"Yes but they can hardly be carried into the public areas of the station without being noticed now, can they?"
"Which is why I like these kinds better in situations like this."
"Rules, huh." She remarked as she concealed the gun beneath her jacket. "Crazy."

Quickly ending their ethical debate on weapon storage, the pair left the corporation zone via the private route and boarded the nearest elevator tube leading to the station interior and administration zones. Few people were milling around the wide expanse of the plaza at this time as the doors began to shut. Few enough that Darius caught sight of his prey as Chiron crossed the wide open space heading towards an exit at the opposite side from them. Darius stuck his hand out into the door's path and pulled it open again.
"There she is!" He gave chase with Shay'la in tow. The two of them quickly reached the hallway, a hand on their concealed weapons.
"If I remember, this place leads to lower levels." Said Shay'la as they both quickly inspected the access to the corridor. Satisfied that it was clear they moved through the door and followed the corridor to the left, then right, and towards a flight of stairs at the end. Behind them, the door gently closed after giving passage to one more in their wake.
"I remember now." Said Shay'la. "I have been here before, only once, when we were escorting a... well, never mind that. There is a small disused but active docking bay down here somewhere."
"What for?"
"Use your imagination, but never mind that. She is heading for a ship, and wants to be unnoticed."

"Alert!" came the booming voice from the doorway to the mess hall. "Gear up for rapid internal deployment! MOVE IT!" With lightning movement and the disciplined rigour of a well trained combat unit such as this one, a dozen or so marines bolted from their places of rest and stampeded down the hallway towards their barracks. Already there was the unit leader, strapping on his utility belts and harnesses.
"We are ordered to detain for questioning one Chiron Krugthorr," continued the tall Krusual man, "agent in resident classified as tier three. Her office has been found deserted and destroyed. She is potentially armed and dangerous and may have other confederates on the station assisting her."

Quickly, all members of the team were suited up with their combat gear and protective vests and helmets, armed with compact automatic rifles and dynamic incendiary grenades and were released from their secured barracks into the station area to track down Chiron as if they were a pack of bloodhounds. They were not told why they wanted her. Men like them never are told, and never need to be.

Once she reached the untraveled hallways she began to pick up her pace. Far behind her she could feel them getting closer and knew instinctively, cutting through fear impulses or irrational gut feelings, that they had spotted her. Chiron would be well in advance of the security forces that would be sent after her, even given that her arrangements had taken some time before she began her departure. Staying and facing jail time or even death for high treason was a less than appealing prospect for her, and fortunately she would be welcomed back in the Mandate. Even so she cursed whatever twisted script of fate caused her to have to do this.

Down the flight of stairs she reached a small chamber with crates stacked in neat rows, covered in plastic wrapping and long since forgotten from the abandoned renovations many years ago. The dust was so thick that Chiron knew if she touched it that it would most likely stick to her skin. Without delay she located the hatch door leading to the hangar, code locked but a code that is known to her. She begins to type the code in carefully, knowing that panic could cost her at this stage. One finger slip to frayed nerves and the code would need resetting and doing again. As well as that security would be alerted and, if their teams were already deployed, they would send them right here, though this would happen anyway once the door opened without authorization but at least then she would be through it. More importantly she would get through before her immediate pursuers. The code panel lit green and the old locks released with a hollow crack. She flung the door open, and was greeted by the sight of a gun barrel.
"Get back!" shouted the man, a familiar voice. "I'll make you pay for what you did to me. You betrayed me and tried to kill me you bitch!" Chiron raised her hands slowly and stepped back from the door as the gunman emerged from the darkness of the hangar beyond.

* * * * *

Darius and Shay'la approached the small chamber, which Shay'la had informed Darius contained the access to the hangar. Voices beyond the pallets to the left guided them to their prey, guns drawn as they slow to a quiet walk. Shay'la, taking point, reaches the last pallet and gives Darius the nod. For a moment Darius recalled the jungle on Khabi IV. That did not end well at all and he quickly asked his ancestors to watch over them. Shay'la slid around the pallet with Darius right behind her, guns levelled towards the two people at the open doorway.
"Hold it!" shouted Shay'la. Darius moved fast around her and to her right and trained his gun at Chiron. He looked at the other with her, and at the gun he had pointed at her. He saw the man's face as he turned and smiled.
"... RAMAR!" he shouted, mustering every ounce of hatred he could from his bones and projected it at him. "Damn you. Bastard!" Ramar swung his gun around to meet Darius as Darius shifted his aim, training their sights at each other while Shay'la continued to point her gun at Chiron.
"Wait!" She said, keeping her hands up.
"Don't you shoot her Shay'la." Said Darius, not taking his eyes off Ramar. "I want her alive."
"And I want her dead." Said Ramar in response. Darius lifted his head slightly in surprise before lowering it back down to his gun sight.
"You got to take your gun off me to shoot her, and as soon as you do I won't have a problem blowing your head open Ramar, you scum!"
"And if you shoot me anyway Darius, I could still squeeze off a round at your own head and at this range I am not likely to miss, so where do you want to take this little standoff?" Darius didn't respond. "By the way, nice to see you again old friend."

Chiron felt the tension creeping deep down, contemplating that she could get to the door if Shay'la just flinched for a moment. She needed to go now, with the door opened she knew the assault teams would be heading here fast.
"Why did you do it Chiron?" Said Darius. "Why did you attack my clan." Chiron just stared at Darius in contempt as Ramar started to laugh. "What's so funny?"
"You, Darius. I can't believe you don't see what is going on by now. Chiron, you must have spun a good one on him if he still can't see it. You're good at that aren't you?"
"Enough. Why did you try to kill me Chiron?" Demanded Darius.
"Wrong question Darius." Said Ramar. "You should be asking her how Kordan was killed in the first place."
"You killed him Ramar, you bastard. You set up an ambush for me but Kordan went instead and your assassins got the wrong man." Ramar shook his head slowly.
"Darius," he said calmly. "Who gave you that mission in the first place? Hmm?" Darius opened his mouth, but didn't speak. "You really want to know her story? Well, alright. She is a high level mole working for Ammatar Security. It was her that ran the operation I was involved in to break the back of the terrorist organisation as they tried to set up in the Ammatar Mandate. When you stumbled on the operation, I wanted your blood for causing my exile. So again, it was Chiron that organised the ambush and clone jack meant for you. Hell, Darius, who do you think it was that recruited me into the Ammatar Security Service all those years ago?" Darius listened, feeling the last couple of years fall down around him.
"That is a mistake I have been trying to undo." Said Chiron blankly. "You became a great disappointment and a great danger to us Ramar. If you had reigned in your insanity I would not have had to take such drastic measures."
"Like what?" Asked Shay'la.
"She sent a whole Ammatar Security wing at me with the backing of an Amarr Navy carrier. And you know what Chiron? You failed still. I survived their attack and the facility was blown apart killing most of the landing party. So who is the real disappointment here?" Said Ramar, almost in a deranged scream. Darius listened in amazement, while Shay'la muttered something.
"What was that Shay'la?" he said.
"The blast... The nuke."
"You nuked your whole base just to cover your escape Ramar? You're insane!" Ramar laughed off his anger once more, flipping through his moods like a bad light bulb flickering on and off.
"Wrong again Darius." Ramar tilted his head to the side in Chiron's direction. Darius looked at her as she just stood there plainly and shrugged.
"I guess there are less expensive ways to kill a man." She remarked. "But of course, that is what everyone will think. Of course it is a shame about Major General Memphos, he was a good man and a patriot." Ramar snorted, ignored by Chiron.
"Wait, who?" asked Shay'la.
"The fleet commander who was sent after you Darius." Replied Ramar. "He led the fleet that attacked my base. I guess he landed with the troops to carry out your dirty work Chiron?"
"He was given orders that he was to make sure you would not return alive. It all helps after all. Just like you Darius, we do have history between us so I didn't take pleasure in what I tried to do. But if it gives you solace then your sacrifice was designed to help bring about the downfall of Ramar. I needed him to look like an unstable renegade and you the poor recurring victim of his diabolical plots. One last act of madness on his part, as he attacked your clan in sovereign Republic space if you will. It would make his termination seem all the more justified. Even if his mad obsession with enslaving you was useful once or twice."
"Ohh, here we go." Said Ramar with glee. "This is the good part. You see Darius, this woman uses anyone and anything she can to get her own way."
"The Mandate's way, Ramar." She barked in retort. "And at a time it was your way too remember." Ramar ignored her and continued his monologue.
"You see Darius, the only reason your little girlfriend there came running to you about Kordan being alive and taken to Khabi IV for integration into the livestock for testing was because Chiron ordered me to let her find out about it. She knew about their relationship, she knew she would come looking for you so you can take your revenge together like a happy family which is what poor little Shay'la always wanted, right?"
"Fuck you, you son of a bitch!" Snapped Shay'la.
"And Chiron knew that I would leap at the chance to get my hands on you too, so she used that as well."
"Used it for what?"
"To take down your fleet, of course. What, did you think that all those Ammatar Security fleet ship were waiting for little old you? Hah, you really do flatter yourself too much. No, you were just a bonus. But you were about to launch an attack on a deadspace facility we owned. So we needed to act."
"Bullshit, you could have just raised the defences or something and had a fleet waiting for us there." Protested Darius.
"No you see, because if we did then you would all be asking why we knew you were coming." Said Chiron in a condescending monotone voice, as though she were speaking to a dim witted child. The tone grated at Darius' nerves and he really felt like shooting her now.
"Yes you would be wondering who you told about this, after all, you only spoke about it to each other in your little corporation, didn't you?" Darius realised suddenly, then cursed himself.
"You spoke about it to me Darius." Said Chiron. "You have no idea how helpful your trust has been. Especially since Kordan was ambushed. Handing you that transmission from Ramar really opened you up to me. After I set up the ambush site I contacted Maggot and told him what was happening and that he needed to come rescue you from a clone-jack operation run by Ramar. That if your pod was destroyed your neural patterns would be intercepted like your brother's. So he had no choice in the matter really, because he cares for his men so much. It was not a hard sell."
"You manipulative bitch..." grumbled Darius.
"You don't know the half of it Darius." She replied calmly, with the coldest voice he ever heard.

Everyone's concentration is broken by the sound of footsteps approaching quickly. Chiron felt cold as she imagined any second a squad of assault troops would be coming from behind the pallets.
"Here they come..." she said in readiness.
"Who?" said Shay'la still not taking her eyes off her prey.
"The retrieval team. I'm too la..." She stopped realising they were not heavy or many enough to be a squad of marines from the station garrison. A shape came from behind the pallet running quickly then coming to a sharp halt.
"Darius?!" came the woman's voice. Darius turned his head and, clumsily in his surprise, withdrew his gun from Ramar for long enough.
"Sh'Khari?" He said, quickly realising he lost his aim. He glanced back in time to see Ramar shifting his gun sights towards Sh'Khari with an evil grin. In instinct Darius ran towards Sh'Khari, between her and the gun barrel.
"Sh'Khari get down!" Her face was aghast as she saw the gun levelled at her a split second before Darius blocked the way. He pushed Sh'Khari hard as he leapt at her and bowled her over.

Several gunshots echoed through the chamber, before a brief calm and silence returned to the cavernous bay.

The modest room that occupies the central space for Freelance Unincorporated's private zone served as a common room for all in the corporation. Usually filled with sounds of light chatter and laughing as members spoke with each other about their day over a few drinks, today every mouth was sealed shut and every pair of eyes were fixated on the large screen on the far wall. Huddled around the holoscreen like moths to a flame, no one blinked or spoke as the news reader for the station's own local affairs channel continued the broadcast.
"And station security wishes to assure everyone that there is no cause for alarm due to the gunfight earlier today in the station's lower levels. When asked for comment on the identity of the two bodies brought out of the area, the supervising investigator from station security refused to give details at this time, except to state that there was one male and one female deceased, both Brutors, and that once determined their identities would be disclosed in due time. The nature of the gun fight in which these two lost their lives is still unknown at this time, however it is believed that they were both involved in a contraband smuggling ring using the lower levels to circumvent station security procedures via what seems to be an old forgotten docking bay which shows signs of recent usage."

The news reader continued his closing remarks on the story as everyone continued to watch in silence. Sitting at the back of the room, Maggot and Zoolkhan exchanged uneasy glances, noting the only two people not in the room right now.