The last few minutes had passed in something of a blur. Tarrant telling Avon about Blake's betrayal, then his meeting with his former colleague, which had led directly to him shooting Blake dead. Then everything went mad.

The base had suddenly been swarming with Federation troops, who had swiftly shot down Avon's colleagues. He never, ever referred to them as his friends, because he didn't think of them like that. Finally, after what seemed like hours but was only a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by ten of the black clad troopers, all with their guns pointed at him.

Avon raised his gun and smiled...

He heard the laser bolt from a gun behind him, bracing for the impact into his back. But instead it whistled past his ear, catching one of the troopers full on the helmet.

Two others swiftly followed, finding black clad targets. Avon, who had been shocked into immobility for a couple of seconds, quickly brought his own gun to bear, bringing down three more before he dived for cover.

He found himself crouched beside a trooper, but when the figure didn't point a gun at him, he realised this was his mysterious saviour.

Together they laid down a withering barrage of laser fire, pinning down the three remaining enemy troops. Until one got ambitious and poked his head a little too far out of cover. Avon quickly dispatched him. One of his fellows tried to change cover and the trooper beside Avon shot him down.

The final one decided to turn and run but two laser bolts, one from Avon, one not, caught him squarely between the shoulder blades.

Avon got cautiously to his feet, his gun still ready at his side in case of trouble.

A noise beside him caused his to whirl around. But it was only his mysterious partner in crime.

The trooper reached up and removed her helmet. Underneath was a mass of short blonde hair, framing a heart shaped face with startling brown eyes which were looking deep into Avon's own.

Avon's gun didn't waver for a second. The woman raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I don't drop my guard for anybody," Avon said, replying to her unasked question. "You may have saved my life, but as a wise man once said, no act of charity goes unpunished. So you have some explaining to do."

***

A few corridors away, the sound of shooting was echoing away. Three people were walking down the corridor towards the now silent killing ground.

"Seems they started without me," said the woman, a cruel smile playing at her lips. The two guards escorting her said nothing.

***

Avon was waiting for an explanation from his saviour when a very familiar voice sounded from behind him.

"Well, this is a fine welcome. My greatest enemy holding my little sister at gunpoint."

Avon looked over his shoulder. "Servalan," he hissed. Then he turned back to his rescuer, raising an eyebrow. "Little sister?"

"We've hardly had time for swapping life histories," she said with a shrug.

They both turned to face Servalan, who was flanked by two troopers, both holding guns trained on Avon and the Little Sister.

"Drop your weapons, if you please," Servalan purred. "Unless you want to join your friends that is." She gestured around at the bodies littering the floor.

"I don't have friends," Avon growled, though he dropped his weapon. "And I don't think they were introduced to your family." He glared at the woman on his right.

"Hey, I'm on your side, remember," she protested.

"That has yet to be established," Avon shot back.

"Ah, yes, my dear Ranyshlan," Servelan said with a smile. "How are you?"

"Like you care!" spat the blonde woman. "And it's Ranysh, not Ranyshlan!"

Servalan smiled her predatory smile. "Yes, you decided to drop the family name, didn't you? At the same time you decided to rebel against tradition and not join the Federation Service."

"I never wanted to be a jack booted thug!" she exclaimed. Then she looked down at what she was wearing. "Uniform of the day not included."

Servalan sighed theatrically. "Always the rebel, that's my little sister. Such a shame, as I'm sure you would have done the family proud. You might have even eclipsed me."

"Nobody could eclipse you for evil," sneered Ranysh. "You were always in a league of your own there. How many others would condemn their own sister to a penal colony?"

"It's always nice to be appreciated," Servalan replied smoothly. "Just as a matter of interest, how did you escape Ursa Beta?"

"I did what you would have done. Seduced the Governor and persuaded him to steal a shuttle for us to escape together in."

"And what became of the Governor?"

"With the shuttle, scattered in millions of pieces over the surface of a moon in the Restlon system."

Avon cleared his throat. "Look, I hate to break up the family reunion, but what is going to happen to us?"

Servalan smiled widely. "What do you expect? Torture, pain, death. And I'll be there every step of the way."

Avon, who had seen something Servalan hadn't, smiled. "I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you."

Before Servalan could ask what he meant, the guard to her right collapsed in a heap at her feet. In the instant of confusion, Avon leapt forward, grabbed his fallen gun and shot the other guard.

Unprotected, Servalan turned slowly to see what had happened to the first guard. Behind her, battered and bruised but grinning widely, was Tarrant.

With a swiftness that was hard for the eye to follow, she kneed Tarrant in the groin. Before he hit the floor she was running down the corridor.

Avon fired after her, but the bolt sizzled the ceiling over her head. She rounded a corner and was out of the line of sight.

Stepping forward grimly, Avon began to follow her when he felt a firm hand on his arm.

"Let her go," Ranysh advised. "She's not worth the time or the ammunition."

"Family loyalty?" Avon asked.

The young woman's face changed, an expression of hatred passing over it. "She has never shown any loyalty to me, so why should I show any to her? Next time I see her, I'll kill her myself."

Avon smiled slightly. "You might find there's a queue ahead of you."

"I don't suppose anybody would like to give me a hand?" Tarrant asked, trying to stand again.

Ranysh stepped forward and helped him. She looked across at Avon. "Why don't you help the others?"

"They're alive?" Avon asked, surprise etched on his face.

The young woman nodded. "Stun charges. Mine was the only gun that had live ammunition."

Avon went over to where Vila had fallen. The thief had a pulse and as Avon checked him over he groaned and his eyelids flickered open.

"What hit me?"

"A stun charge, apparently," Avon replied. "Now get moving, or the next thing to hit you will be me."

"Charming," Vila muttered, struggling to his feet.

Ranysh was helping Soolin to her feet, while Tarrant had moved over to Dayna's side. After a few moments he looked up, his eyes glistening.

"She's dead!"

Avon gaped at him, then turned his attention to Ranysh. "I thought you said everybody else had stun charges?" he accused.

"They did," Ranysh replied. "If I remember rightly, she was already down when the squad arrived."

Vila nodded. "That's right. The girl with Blake shot her."

Avon strode over to the girl in question. Vila had knocked her cold after she had shot Dayna. Now she was beginning to stir.

The girl looked up into the stern face of Avon. His gun was pointing straight at her.

"You killed Dayna," he said coldly, shooting her where she lay.

Ranysh stepped up beside him. "I know she was Federation, but was that necessary?"

Avon turned his cold gaze onto his new ally. "She killed Dayna," he said simply.

***

Minutes later the five of them were running through the complex, heading for the flyer bay where the transport they had stolen earlier was parked. As they rounded a particular corner, Avon skidded to a halt.

"Why are you stopping?" Ranysh called over her shoulder. "We need to get out of here!"

"First we need our passport to freedom," Avon replied, prising a panel away from the wall. Soolin helped while Vila stood watch.

From behind the panel Avon dragged a large clear box full of flashing lights and electronic components. Once it was safely in his grasp, the five of them started running again.

"What's that?" Ranysh asked.

"Orac," Tarrant replied. "Avon thinks more of it then he does of any of us."

"That's because Orac is smarter than all of you put together," Avon shot back.

"You'll rescue Orac, but you wouldn't bring Dayna with us," Tarrant accused.

"Dayna is dead," Avon replied coldly. "Bringing a corpse along would only have slowed us down. Anyway, I did offer to let you carry her."

"That was a ridiculous suggestion," Vila said as they reached the landing bay. "We're almost having to carry Tarrant as it is."

"I've had a bad day," the pilot told the thief.

Avon had put Orac down and was working on the door to the landing bay. He cursed when it wouldn't open.

"Here, let me try," Ranysh said, pushing past them. She reached under the Federation troopers uniform she still wore and pulled out a slim plastic card. She slipped it into a slot beside the door, which beeped once then slid open.

"Very convenient," Avon commented, looking to her for an explanation.

She shrugged. "All Blake's followers have passes for the building."

"You're one of Blake's people?" Tarrant inquired.

Ranysh nodded. "I thought you knew."

"Did you know, Avon?" Tarrant demanded.

"No, but as the lady said, we've hardly had time to swap life histories." He glared at the young woman. "How do we know you won't betray us, like he did?"

"Blake? Blake would never betray anybody, least of all you, Avon. He told me so many tales about you."

"But Blake was a bounty hunter," Tarrant protested. "He was selling us all out!"

Ranysh shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "Blake used the bounty hunter disguise to test new recruits. He would never have sold anybody out."

Avon had gone white. He had shot Blake, thinking his former colleague had gone rogue. He had believed Tarrant, who in turn had believed Blake's test. It seemed that Blake had been too clever for his own good.

It was Vila, practical as ever when his life was a stake, that brought them back to the dangers of the present.

"Look, we can discuss all this later. Right now, I would feel safer with a large distance between us and this planet."

"Me too," Soolin admitted.

"Then let's go," Avon said, picking up Orac and leading them to the stolen flyer.

***

"Why aren't the bay doors opening?" Vila wanted to know.

"Good question. Orac," Avon snapped, "have you transmitted the clearance codes?"

"I have," the computer replied petulantly. "But it appears that there is nobody present to receive them."

"Can you get into the computer system, operate the controls by remote?"

"Of course I can!"

"Then do it!"

A few seconds later, the doors in the roof of the bay slid aside. Avon powered up the flyer with a grim smile.

Within a minute they were rising above the complex and away from the place where they had lost two friends.

"So where are we going?" Soolin wanted to know.

"We should return to the place your ship crashed," Ranysh suggested.

"Why would we do that?" Tarrant asked, shuddering slightly at the memory of the crash landing.

"Because I heard Deva sending a salvage crew out to your crash site," she replied patiently.

"Deva?" Avon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Blake's second in command."

Avon nodded. "Orac, put us on a random course back to Scorpio."

"Oh, very well," Orac replied, giving the impression of a sigh.

"How long will it take us to reach the site?" Avon asked.

"Twenty two minutes," the computer told him.

Avon turned to Ranysh. "Time for your life history, I think," he said with a grim smile.

She sighed. "Where would you like me to start?"

"What about with how you came to my rescue and we'll work backwards from there."

"Very well. I was out on patrol with Drent when we noticed one of the patrol ships landing..."

"Are those the same patrol ships that shot us down?" Tarrant interrupted.

Ranysh nodded. "Gun runners and space pirates mostly. Or so we always thought. But as we watched this ship, a squad of Federation guards stepped down from it."

"Federation? What were they doing?" Vila wanted to know.

The young woman shrugged. "Stretching their legs, talking among themselves. Looked like they had been cooped up in their ship for some time."

"Then what?" Avon asked.

"Well, Drent followed some of them into the trees, while I got closer to the ship." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Only he was caught. One of them saw him and caught up with him. Got him with a knife."

"A knife?" Soolin echoed. "I know most of them can't shoot straight, but I didn't think it was that bad."

"None of them were armed," Ranysh said. "They left their guns on the ship."

"So can we get back to the point?" Avon asked.

"I will if nobody else interrupts me!" Ranysh snapped. Then she sighed. "Sorry, I lost a good friend. Remembering it is painful."

"Tell me about it!" muttered Tarrant.

"The guard was still gloating over Drent's body. I was able to surprise him and exact some measure of retribution." This memory seemed to cause her some satisfaction. "I hid his body, after I had stripped off the uniform. Then I put that on and went aboard the ship."

"That must have taken some nerve," Vila commented.

Ranysh shot him a dark look. He held up his hands in surrender.

"I found my way to the armoury and got myself a gun. Then I noticed the stun charges and decided to swap them for the live rounds in the other guns. I knew that they were probably after Blake and the rest of our group. I couldn't let them walk into the complex with live ammunition."

"Which is where I suppose they headed for next?" Avon inquired.

Ranysh nodded. "The rest you know. They went in shooting, you and I managed to get the best of them." She smiled. "I thought we made rather a good team."

Avon gave her an appraising look. "I've seen worse."

Vila pointed forward. "There's Scorpio now."

They flew over their crashed ship once in the flyer. It was enough to confirm what Tarrant had told them. Scorpio would never leave Gauda Prime.

The flyer settled between the downed ship and a chunky cargo ship. Ranysh told them that this was the craft containing the salvage crew.

As the five of them stepped down from the flyer they were faced by three men with guns. Upon recognising Ranysh, one of the men quickly holstered his weapon and approached her.

"It's you," he said with obvious relief. "We've been trying to get through to the complex, but there is no reply."

"You won't get a reply, Arlo," Ranysh said. "The Federation control the complex."

"What about Blake?" Arlo asked, shocked.

"Blake is dead," Avon told him grimly.

"And who are you?"

"This is Avon," Ranysh replied. "He was a friend of Blake."

Avon scowled. "I told you before. I don't have any friends."

"Can't understand why," Vila commented.

"This is your ship?" Arlo inquired.

"It was," Tarrant told him. "It's a shame I couldn't bring it down in one piece."

"You crash landed this?" Arlo seemed stunned.

"Good job he's thick skinned," Vila quipped.

"How's the salvage going?" Ranysh asked her colleague.

"Well, we've managed to remove the drive system. Looks like it might be the work of Doctor Plaxton."

"You knew Doctor Plaxton?" Avon was suddenly interested.

"I studied under her for five years," Arlo confirmed.

"Could you fit the drive into that?" He indicated the cargo ship.

"I think so. Why?"

Avon didn't answer him, instead addressing his comment to Ranysh. "We'll need the Stardrive if we're to get away from this planet in one piece."

Understanding, she nodded and turned to Arlo. "Get that drive fitted as quickly as possible. Is there anything else you could salvage?"

"Not much," he admitted. "There is a strange system on the bridge that we can't figure out."

Ranysh turned to Avon, raising an eyebrow. "Teleport?"

Avon smiled slightly. "Blake did tell you some stories, didn't he?"

"Get that system out as well, as soon as you can," Ranysh instructed Arlo.

"I'll get the teams on it right away," he confirmed and disappeared into the hull of Scorpio.

Moments later a man appeared in the hatchway of the other ship. He dashed down the ramp towards them.

"Is one of you called Avon?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?" Avon growled.

The man shrugged. "There's a broad band communication flooding every frequency, addressed to someone called Avon."

"It's alright, Derlo," Ranysh said, placing a hand on the man's arm. "We'll come aboard and see for ourselves."

The five of them followed Derlo up the ramp and into the ship. They passed through the corridors until they found themselves on the spacious bridge.

"This doesn't look like the original bridge for this type of cargo carrier," Tarrant said to Ranysh as he looked around himself.

"It isn't. When we acquired the ship, we adapted it for our own uses. It was too cramped for the equipment and crew we required."

Derlo was fiddling with a panel. In front of them, a large screen flickered into life.

"This is the message I told you about," he said, transferring the data.

On the screen an image of Servalan appeared. "Avon, I know you're out there somewhere, probably with access to communications equipment if I know my little sister. I'm giving you one last chance to give yourself up. I'll accept just you and Orac, the others can go free without any retribution. I repeat, all I require is Avon and Orac. Tarrant, Soolin, Vila and Ranyshlan are free to leave Gauda Prime by whatever means they like. They will not be hunted down. Those are my terms. I'll give you until sundown. Then all terms are null and void."

Derlo cut the message. "It just repeats on a continuous loop," he told them.

"Thank you, Derlo," Ranysh said. "Can you go and help with the removal of the teleport system from Scorpio?"

The man nodded and left the bridge.

Soolin raised an eyebrow at Avon. "Sevalan really has a thing about you," she drawled.

"She always did," Avon replied, a half smile curling his lip upwards.

"She's expecting us to give you and Orac up," Tarrant deduced. "That message wasn't aimed at Avon at all. She knows your ego would never allow self sacrifice."

Avon stood before Tarrant. "Well, are you thinking of accepting her kind offer?"

For a moment Tarrant was silent, as if considering the options. "Of course not," he finally said. "Orac is too valuable to give up. And we would miss your happy smiling face."

"If you don't mind, I won't take that as a compliment," Avon sneered in reply.

"But she did promise we would be free to leave," Vila reminded them all.

"So you're tempted to turn me in?" Avon inquired of his oldest colleague.

Vila shrugged. "I didn't say that. I just repeated what she had said."

"And when was Servalan's word worth anything other than an instant death sentence?" Tarrant wanted to know.

A look of confusion clouded Soolin's face. "And what did she mean about a little sister?"

"I was wondering when one of you would notice that," Avon said with a smile. He turned to Ranysh. "Would you care to explain, for those who were unconscious at the time?"

Ranysh sighed and told once more of her relationship with Servalan. Soolin frowned, Vila looked worried and Tarrant didn't change his expression.

"Can we trust her?" Soolin demanded, taking no account of the fact that Ranysh was standing right next to her as she spoke.

"I think so," Avon replied. He smiled at Ranysh. "She has just saved our lives, after all."

"Yes, but for what?" Vila asked. "Could this be some elaborate trap of Servalan's? Maybe just killing us outright wasn't enough for her. She always did have a sadistic streak."

"You're right about my sister's maliciousness, but you have nothing to fear from me. I was a victim of her cruelty long before she had ever heard of any of you. I have more reason to hate her than anybody alive does. I want to see her destroyed. I will not rest until her empire lies in pieces at her feet, before I kill her."

"Well, I'm convinced," Vila decided.

"I'll reserve judgement for now, if that's alright with you," Soolin said coldly.

Tarrant smiled slightly. "Much as it pains me to admit it, I'm with Vila on this one." He extended his hand to Ranysh. "Any enemy of Servalan is a friend of mine."

She accepted his hand gratefully and smiled at Vila. "Thank you for your support." She turned to Soolin. "And I'll prove myself to you, have no fear."

"I fear nothing and nobody," Soolin said, stalking from the room.

"She'll come round," Vila announced, but only after he was sure Soolin was out of earshot.

***

There was a small crew lounge aboard the cargo ship. Tarrant was currently having his injuries treated by a young female medic who was another of Blake's followers. Avon sat in an easy chair nearby.

"Are you still sulking?" Avon inquired.

"Why would I be sulking?" Tarrant demanded.

"Because I wouldn't let you bring Dayna's body with us."

"You couldn't have stopped me, if I was really determined," Tarrant shot back.

"I know the two of you were close."

Tarrant winced, but more at the work of the medic than at Avon's comment. "You have no idea about how I feel, so don't even try."

"Oh, I wasn't trying to sympathise," Avon said, getting to his feet. "I was just trying to tell you that I shall miss her too. She saved my life, on more than one occasion."

"You'll just miss someone who watched your back," Tarrant called after him as Avon left the lounge. "I will miss someone I called my friend."

***

Ranysh found Avon in the corridor outside the crew lounge. "We've got trouble. There are five Federation interceptors about to enter orbit."

Avon scowled and brought up the bracelet at his wrist. "Vila, Soolin, where are you?"

Vila's voice came back first. "I've discovered the galley section," he said, sounding slightly slurred. "They have a small wine cellar as well, which is nice."

"Get yourself up to the bridge, Vila." Avon cut the connection and the communicator beeped. "Go ahead, Soolin."

"One of the crew directed me to a cabin. What's the problem?"

"Federation interceptors, just entering orbit. Get yourself to the bridge, now!"

He turned on his heel and walked into the crew lounge. The medic was packing up her instruments.

"Is he fit enough to fly a ship?" Avon asked her.

"He should get some rest, he's taken quite a beating."

"Can he fly?" Avon growled.

"If its really necessary, yes," she sighed.

"Good. Tarrant, we have a Federation problem."

"I heard," Tarrant replied, holding up his own bracelet. "Need a pilot?"

Avon smiled slightly. "Know where I can find one?"

Tarrant swung his legs off the couch. "I am ready when you are."

"Then follow me," Avon replied.

***

Soolin joined Avon, Tarrant and Ranysh on the bridge. Shortly afterwards, Vila appeared, swaying slightly.

"Any news on those interceptors?" Ranysh demanded.

"Currently entering orbit on the other side of the planet," came the reply from Tarrant at the navigation panel.

"Is the Stardrive installed?" Avon wanted to know.

Ranysh pressed a communicator switch on the console before her. "Arlo, how are you getting on with installing the drive system?"

"Almost done," he replied. Give me another ten minutes and we'll be ready for a test flight."

Avon reached past Ranysh. "You've got two minutes. And don't be expecting a test flight. We'll probably be too busy running for our lives!"

Arlo started to protest, but Ranysh cut him off. "He's right, Arlo. Do you best." She cut the connection.

"What about the teleport system?" Avon asked Ranysh.

Without answering him, she activated the communicator again and spoke to the engineer in charge of removing it from Scorpio. After a short conversation she turned to Avon.

"We have the elements of the teleport system aboard," she told him.

"Then let's get this ship airborne," he suggested.

"But we only have ten crew aboard and they're all in engineering," Ranysh protested. "Even Medic Ansh had to attend to an emergency outside."

"How many do we need to get mobile?" Avon demanded. "If we don't lift off now, we may never get off this planet alive!"

For a moment it seemed she was going to argue with him. But she relented and began the launch sequence instead.

"The regular pilot isn't aboard," she said, turning to Avon.

He snapped his fingers. "Tarrant!"

"Who died and appointed you God?" Tarrant asked, making his way to the pilot seat.

"Nobody," Avon replied with a smile. "I've always held that position." He moved over to the status panel himself, taking in the readings quickly.

Vila and Soolin had also found seats on the bridge. Ranysh took the position next to Avon.

"Pre-flight checks complete, status green," Tarrant reported.

"Copy that," Avon replied. "Vila?"

"Long range sensors show that the Federation ships are still out of range," he said.

"Take her up, Tarrant. Use the regular drive to achieve orbit. By then we should have Stardrive capability."

"Taking her up," Tarrant acknowledged, pulling back on the flight stick.

On the main screen, the forest around them dropped away as the ship rose into the air. The sky rotated as Tarrant turned them into an orbital path.

"Thrusters at maximum," Tarrant reported from his position. "Orbit in two minutes."

Avon glanced across at Ranysh. Nodding, she punched the button that would link her to Arlo.

"What's the status of the Stardrive?" she asked.

"We need another five minutes," he replied.

"Tell him he has one," Avon growled.

She just glowered at him. "Do your best," she told Arlo, cutting the connection.

"Do you want to be scattered in pieces over the surface?" Avon asked her.

"No more than you do," she shot back. "But I know that pushing Arlo too hard could have the same result. One mistake and we'll be blown out of the sky just as easily."

"Orbit achieved," Tarrant called from the pilot seat.

"Federation ships are rounding the curve of the planet!" Vila shouted.

"Evasive manoeuvres!" Avon ordered. "Have they seen us yet?"

"They're changing to an intercept course," Soolin told him. "I would say they've seen us."

"Incoming transmission," Vila called. "Shall I put it on the screen?"

"Do it!" Avon snapped.

Once again, Servalan's face filled the screen. But this time, rather than being a recorded image, it was a live transmission.

"I know that's you, Avon. This is your final chance. There is still almost an hour until sunset. Present yourself and Orac to me, and the others go free."

Avon stood, walked over to Vila's position and flicked a switch. The communication cut off.

He stared around the bridge. "Any of you about to change your minds?" he challenged.

None of them spoke. Avon grinned.

"Then let's get the hell out of here! Vila, how close are those ships?"

"Almost in firing range," Vila replied, sounding nervous.

"Tarrant, seeing as we don't have Stardrive yet, put us between those ships and that moon," Avon commanded, indicating the natural satellite on the screen.

"Changing course," Tarrant confirmed.

"Plasma bolt launched and running," Soolin reported.

"Evasive!" Avon ordered.

Tarrant banked the ship and the bolt skimmed past them.

"Another on its way!" Vila yelled.

This time Tarrant wasn't quick enough. The bolt grazed the rear edge of the ship as he turned it away. The entire bridge shook around them.

"We need that drive!" Avon said to Ranysh.

"Arlo?" she called into the communicator. Static was her only reply. "Arlo, come in!"

Avon looked grimly across to Soolin. "Damage report!"

She worked her panel for a few seconds. When she looked up, her expression matched his.

"The engineering bay has a rupture in the hull. The entire bay is open to the vacuum of space."

Ranysh looked shocked for a moment, but to her credit it was only a moment. She left her console, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Avon asked.

"Somebody has to get that drive connected," she snapped back at him. "I'm the most qualified engineer left alive, so I'm going to suit up and finish the job."

Avon nodded. "I'll come with you," he said. He turned to Tarrant. "Try to keep us ahead of them until I signal you."

"Yes, boss!" Tarrant replied with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

***

They found a spacesuit locker outside the main airlock. Quickly they both suited up, checking each other's seals. Then they continued towards the engineering section.

When they reached the main door, Ranysh contacted the bridge. "Soolin, please seal bulkhead 23."

"Sealing now," the woman responded. Ranysh and Avon watched as a large metal shutter came down across the corridor.

"I guess there's no turning back now," Avon said through the suit radio.

"You can stay out here, where it's relatively safe," Ranysh offered.

"Engineering might not be my chosen profession, but I never back out on a course of action. Let's do it."

Nodding once, she pressed the control to open the door of main engineering.

The remaining air in the corridor behind them rushed through, tugging briefly at their suits before it was quickly exhausted. Ranysh and Avon stepped through.

There was a ragged gash in the side wall, showing a good view of the stars beyond. Of the ten members of the crew who had been working in this room there was no sign, for which Ranysh was thankful.

They crossed quickly to the Stardrive, set up in the centre of the chamber. It was almost completely connected, just two wires left to finish the job.

"Can you do it?" Avon wanted to know.

Ranysh nodded. "Arlo did all the hard work. All I have to do is link it into the main power supply."

A new voice crackled over their radios. "Whatever you're doing down there, can you speed it up?" Tarrant inquired. "Those pursuit ships are almost in range."

"We're working as fast as we can," Avon snapped back as Ranysh got to work. "You'll just have to dazzle them with your piloting skills until we're ready."

"I'll do that," Tarrant replied with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"Nearly there," Ranysh told Avon as she connected one of the wires. "Just this one and we're done here."

"Good. The natives are getting restless."

Two minutes later she gave him the thumbs up signal. He pulled her to her feet and they swiftly crossed to the exit.

As the door slid shut behind them, Avon hit the broadcast switch on his suit radio. "Stardrive up and running. Go Tarrant!"

"About time too," the pilot shot back.

Moments later Avon and Ranysh felt the deck lurch slightly under their feet as Tarrant engaged the drive system, hopefully putting a great deal of distance between them and Gauda Prime.

***

"Well?" Avon asked as he and Ranysh walked back onto the bridge, still wearing their suits but without the helmets.

"We're fine, now we're fifty spacials beyond those Federation ships," Tarrant replied, grinning.

"He'll claim it's all down to his superior piloting skills," Vila stated.

"As opposed to your superior panicking skills," Soolin said with a wicked smile.

"Now, now, children. We're safely away from that planet. That's all that matters," Avon declared.

"We lost a lot of good people," Ranysh said, frowning.

"How many are left aboard?" Soolin asked, concerned for once.

"Just us," the other woman said quietly.

"So where do we go from here?" Vila asked, deliberately changing the subject.

"Where can we go?" Tarrant replied. "We destroyed Xenon base when we left. We are effectively homeless."

"I never did like that place," Vila said.

"Yes, you told us," Soolin reminded him.

"We'll have to live on the ship for now," Avon told them. "After all, we did it on the Liberator."

"Does this ship have a name?" Vila asked Ranysh.

She shook her head. "We never named our ships. Blake considered it bad luck after losing the Liberator."

"Blake is dead," Tarrant said tactlessly.

"Thanks, we were in danger of forgetting that," Vila responded, shooting Avon a meaningful look.

"I thought we were discussing names," Soolin said, taking her turn at changing the subject.

"All ships should have names," Vila commented.

"Then what do you suggest?" Avon asked the thief.

Vila looked surprised at being asked. "Me? I'd not given it much thought." He lapsed into silence for a moment. "Well, given what we've been through and the odds against us surviving at all, how about Phoenix?"

Soolin shrugged. "Works for me."

Tarrant nodded. "Not bad, Vila."

Even Ranysh smiled. "Gets my vote."

Everybody looked at Avon. His stern expression turned into a slow smile. "Very well. Phoenix it is. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I could do with a rest." With that he walked off the bridge of the Phoenix, heading for the crew quarters.