This three ring space station is the hub of rim world trading - or at least it used to be - recently it has begun to fall into some disrepair.  However there is still a bustle of activity and one can always meet the most unique and interesting people about.  Many ships dock on this station so it is the home to a good deal of commerce, supplies, entertainment, good drink can be found throughout.
This message was last updated by the GM at 06:01, Tue 26 Sept 2006.

Ren took Acacia's hand as they headed into the station, nodding to Connor as they left. He looked at her and smiled, "So do we want to eat first, or that bath you suggested?" He said with a smirk.

"Aww...look at you, hun, getting all anxious over a day off the ship."  She smiled, turning slightly pink in the cheeks as she led Ren into the station, her fingers lightly playing with his as they walked.  "Let's see about getting to relax first.  While we usually get to have our time off here, it's a bit too often for my tastes that we're leaving in a rush.  In case that's the case, I'd like to get the best parts first..."


-------->To Torrance Station:  Entertainment Sector
This message was last edited by the player at 18:30, Wed 27 Sept 2006.

Ren smiled, and kissed her, "Yes, let's not rush the best parts." He pulled her closer as they walked, happy to just have a moment to be with her, and not be worrying about what might happen and when they might have run to again.


---> To Torrance Station - Entertainment Sector
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Wed 27 Sept 2006.

Charlie walked out of Destiny, Lei in tow as she walked.  She cast an eye over her shoulder to make sure the girl was following, and then looked back to Connor.  "We'll be havin' one more for th'trip, y'know?  Never hurtin' to bring someone 'long, specially in some'f a place sorta like this."  She smiled, looking around the station.  "Ah mean...Look't it.  It's nothin' but people, doin' themselves some'f their jobs from all over th'Verse.  Isn't that all sort'f sum'thin?"

Connor nodded as Charlie sopoke and waved to Lei. He figured it would probably be best if he let Charlie do most of the talking here, and if he let Lei become used to him...the last thing Connor wanted to do was cause anymore drama among his shipmates...he wasn't sure if they could handle anymore.
"This place definitely had character. It is buzzing with things to do..." Connor grinned. "So...where to, ladies?"

Wei-Li spoke as she was closing the door.  "I don't know, I have some friends... you really do need to be armed when visiting..."

She smiled, but refrained from asking if Geoff wanted help.  She knew that he knew what he was doing.

[From Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Lei felt as though she had stepped off the ship into another world.  There were people everyone.  Tall people.  Short people. Loud people.  Mean people.  Children.  Men with grizzly beards and woman with too much rouge.  Lei smiled - she liked it.  Everything she had seen since leaving the white place had been in stark contrast to it.  The world was full of so many different things.  She kept spinning around, her head turning from side to side, her eyes darting every which way - trying to take it all in.

She looked up when Connor asked where they should be going - she didn't know Connor very well so she kept close to Charlie, but she had decided that he was pretty nice, "Over there." she said in an almost breathless voice, her finger pointing towards where a large man was laughing - his huge belly flopping up and down as he did so.  He was selling sweet cakes, Lei could smell them from here.  Kyoko had sweet cakes every once in a while and Lei loved them, "Come on!" she said grabbing Charlie's hand and starting to run off in that direction.

"There's a few places'n such down th'way, but all sortsa places'r runnin' all their own stuff.  Ah mean, y'can spread out a bit'f you're lookin' for anythin' particular.  Ah'm-..."  Charlie stopped speaking when Lei pointed to the man selling cakes and spoke, looking down at her.  "Aww.  Girl's got all sorts'f a nose, don'cha?"  She was about to say more, but when Lei grabbed her hand, she was quickly drugg off.  She hadn't spent a lot of time around the girl ever since she'd been on board, so she still remembered the quiet girl who was quiet and wouldn't speak.

She only offered Connor a shrug as she was pulled off, letting Lei lead her by the hand to the large man selling cakes.

Connor chuckled as he followed the two ladies right to the man with the cakes. He grinned and gestured to the man that he would be paying for any cakes Lei and Charlie bought.

"Well hello there ladies, what can I get ya?" the man asked, he had a pleasant sort of face.  Large rosey cheeks and eyes the crinkled at the corners.  He laughed as Lei knelt down beside the display case, pushing her nose right up against the glass and looking at all the cakes in turn.  There were so many options - a for a girl who had spent half her life eating only white mushy stuff this was like heaven.

She looked shyly up at the man and then to Charlie.  Lei was getting more brazen but she still wasn't one to speak to strangers.  She pulled on Charlie so she would bend down to hear her and said quietly, "I like the one with the yellow frosting."

Charlie bent down to listen to Lei, smiling and smoothing her hair with a single stroke.  "S'alright t'tell th'man, y'know.  Ah'll do it this time'n for ya, but don'be gettin' n'tha habit'f havin' me do all sorts'f things fer ya."  She looked back at the large man as she stood back up, shooting him a big smile and then back at the case.

"Ah'll just have, ah...one'f th'yellow ones, n'maybe one'f tha white ones.  'Less..."  She looked back at Connor, raising a brow.  "'Les y'want somethin', hun?"

Connor shook his head and pulled out a bag of money.
"Nope, I'm trying to stay off the sweets...but I'll be more than happy to pay..." Connor grinned at the two and then looked to the man. "So...how much will it be?"

Lei nodded her head as Charlie spoke, but she was preoccupied with watching the man reach down behind the glass case to retrieve the two sweetcakes that Charlie had asked for.  He pulled them out and handed one to Charlie and then bent down to hand the other to Lei, "There ya go, lassie." he said and Lei liked the way his eyes crinkled so she took the sweetcake from him somewhat timidly.

"Thank you." she said quietly.

The man looked back up to Connor, "That'll be 3 creds from the fine gentleman." he said.

Lei only half heard this though, taking a bite of her sweetcake her eyes were already roving about the busy space station.  She made a game out of listening for individual conversations and sounds.  Picking them out from all the others.  She could hear the soft 'thwap' of a jumprope hitting the ground in a steady rhythm - like the beat of a heart.  A woman's voice shouting 'Fresh fruit!'.  The drip of a leaky faucet.  The hum of the flourescent lights.  The growl of ...

Lei froze, her fingers going limp - the sweetcake slipping from their grasp and falling to the floor ... that sound did not belong.  It sent a chill up and down her spine.  Her ears strained and she heard the noise again - followed by shouts.  She turned wide eyes full of fear towards Connor and Charlie but couldn't seem to speak.  She didn't recognize the sounds but she was terrified, "Trouble." was all she said.

Connor paid the man the three credits, then watched Lei. He smiled as she seemed to enjoy the cake, and then watched curiously as she dropped, looking horrified. He looked at her.
"What's wrong?"

"Aww, hun."  Charlie bent down, looking at the sweetcake as it lay on the ground...completely unsalvagable  A perfectly good treat that they wouldn't get onboard, and while Connor was generous to buy one, he probably wasn't going to buy a second.  Charlie would, but if she was dropping things...well, that wouldn't do with these great treats, would it?

"S'nothin, Connor."  She smiled, looking up at Lei from her crouched position with her free arm crossed over her knee.  "Y'r not in trouble'r nothin, hun.  Nothin' been done wrong.  Here, ah'll let'cha have part'f mine, kay?  Jus' gotta promise me y'aint gonna be droppin' it down'r nothin.  S'tha point'f it bein' sticky..."

Suddenly the normal bustle and sounds of the space station seemed to disappear altogether - completely drowned out beneath the pierching wail of a siren.  It seemed to shake the very air with its intensity and reverberated in everyone's ears.  It also sent the station into complete and utter chaos.  Screams echoed against the walls, people began running in all directions - those that didn't know what the siren meant were left staring dumbly at the odd and terrifying shift in atmosphere.

The man at the bakery was pulling down thick shutters in his windows - there was a look of true terror in his eyes but he didn't say a word.

The panic was beginning to swell around them as the people around them began to react to the noises.  Her instinct, at one time, would have been to cover her ears and wait for them to end.  That was before she knew about certain sounds.  A station like this only set off a danger siren like this for one of two reasons, however.  One, if the atmosphere had been punched and they were dangerously close to depressurizing, in which everyone would run.  And two...well, the other reason that you would run for your life.  Charlie's heart began to beat, feeling as if it were jumping into her throat as it did, and a sweat almost instantly broke out onto her temples.

"Rung Tse Song Di Ching Dai Wuo Tzo."  Charlie muttered under her breath, dropping her sweetcake and taking Lei's hand, standing up quickly and turning back towards the ship.  She didn't look back at Lei or Connor, speaking over her shoulder over the blaring siren as she began to move towards the ship, picking up speed quickly and dragging Lei if she needs to.  "We gotta get back t'Destiny!  Now!"

Connor looked at Charlie, then at the chaos, then back at Charlie...who was at that point dragging Lei back towards Destiny.
"Ta Ma De!" He sprinted after the two, bumping into a man who'd taken advantage of the confusion and stolen a tray full of goods. Connor swore and  got to his feet, hurrying up. He narrowly avoided woman carrying a screaming child.Mass confusion reigned as everyone seemed to be scrambling all around...making it difficult to keep track of Charlie and Lei in the horde of panicking people. What was all this?! He caught up to Charlie and looked at her. "What in the hell is going on?!"

Lei was still straining to hear the sounds of growls and shouts in the distance when suddenly she couldn't hear anything at all - that is except for the siren started up.  Her hands flew to her ears and her breath got short and shallow - panicky.  Fear gripped her chest as people went running in all directions - the big mans eyes weren't crinkling at the corner anymore she noticed - they were now wide.  Lei immediately began to run and hide, her intention to get behind the counters in the bakery - but felt her arm grabbed by Charlie.  She was suddenly being tugged off in the other direction - out into the mass of screaming people.  She tried to wriggle free but Charlie's grip on her arm was like iron - rigid with fear.  She didn't want to be here though.  She didn't want to be around all these screaming people.

She kept getting hit and once tripped over someone that had already been knocked to the ground.  The person was being trampled.  Lei felt pity for him but kept on running - she had to, it was run or be dragged.  There was too much going on - Lei couldn't compute such blind panic - she didn't understand.  The sound of the growls was getting louder though, it was the only thing she could still hear over the siren and the screams.

"Th'worst thing tha'could b'happenin'!"  Charlie shouted as she moved, trying to orient herself as she moved, spying out the loading dock for Destiny from where they stood.  "Reavers!"

Charlie pulled Lei, even as she felt her slipping.  She wasn't going to let go of her, no matter what...just as she wouldn't lose Connor in the pack at all.  She stopped for a second, grabbing Lei and pulling her into her arms, picking her up and turning to run again.  Lei wasn't a light girl, sure...but Charlie had spent the past ten years of her life working on engines, and not picking flowers as her younger sisters had.  The adrenaline buzzed in her ears, and she could feel her heart beat get louder and louder...but she couldn't stop running.  She couldn't stop, because they wouldn't...

Connor heard the word, Reavers. He'd heard stories, horrific tales of savages who didn't stop, didn't rest...just maimed and destroyed.
"Wong Ba Duhn..." Connor pulled out his six-shooter as he ran, if what he heard was true...well, Connor had better save a few bullets then. He had nearly blanched when he'd heard the tales of the carnage Reaver's left in their wake. Why here? Why now? It didn't matter, all that mattered was getting on Destiny and getting away. And making sure Charlie and Lei got on as well. He spun the chamber of gun and clicked it into place, not stopping for the maneveur, just trying to keep pace with Charlie...trying to get the hell out of dodge...
This message was last edited by the player at 17:24, Sun 01 Oct 2006.

Lei found herself suddenly being scooped up by Charlie - she'd given in by now that there was no way in hell Charlie was going to let go of her and had stopped trying to slip away, now she just clung to the woman for dear life.  Reavers.  Charlie said Reavers. Lei had read about them, in the midst of all this chaos Lei tried to regain her calm - it helped to close her eyes and picture the pages of the books she had read - trying to remember the exact pages she had seen that spoke about Reavers.

....When she remembered she immediately wished that she had forgotten that passage.  Reavers were a myth of the 'verse - most believed they didn't really exsist.  Those who knew better said they were men.  Men driven beyond the point of madness.  They weren't men anymore - they were monsters.  Monsters who did nothing but maim and kill - gruesomely.  Lei recalled with vivid detail the sketch she had seen - Reavers skinned their victims alive - mutilated their own bodies.  Reavers were death.

The bay doors to Destiny were just ahead - still down since Kyoko was aboard to keep an eye on the ship.  All around the docking area people were running onto their ships and beginning to take off.  Screams of agony had begun to pierce the air - the Reavers must be somewhere near by.

"Jus'a bit more, hold on..."  Charlie spoke quietly to Lei as she ran, holding tightly into the girl.  She wasn't able to be calm, and there was a good chance that it was more to herself than anything.  She bumped into people, not taking the time to think of anyone else than her crew.  It's not that she didn't care whether anyone else lived or died...but everyone who would be rolling in this station should have the means to protect themselves from such a threat, even if it were so much as being armed.

Nearly sliding off her feet in the process, Charlie managed to stop before running into the bay of Destiny, looking back and pulling her radio off her hip.  "Cap'n, y'comin!?"

Connor skidded into the docking bay and stopped in front of Charlie, holding the gun facing towards the source of the screams. He looked back quickly before facing forward to make sure he didn't miss anything.
"Can I suggest we get on the gorram ship?!"

Radio: "Are you okay?  Are the others - are they ..."

Charlie set Lei down as her fingers went over the keypad that kept Destiny's bay doors up, trying to press buttons as her vision shook and her heart beat loudly in her ears.  The sounds around her had grown deafening, and it seemed like the entire world was screaming all at once.  "Yeah, Cap'n, got Lei'n Connor'n right here.  Hold on, gotta get th'door."  She spoke quickly, taking a deep breath and flexing her hand a few times, trying to get it to react.  She kept meaning to hit the five, but her nerves kept pushing it the eight or the six.  This is not the time to fail, Charlene.  Her voice rang in her head, cutting through the noise.  Don't you dare get your whole gorram crew killed because you got scared.  For the captain, Charlene.

She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering how she'd opened the doors a million times in the dark, holding her breath as she furiously typed in the seven-digit sequence.  The world didn't move for a second as she hit the last button, everything seeming to slow down.  The green light above the console flicked on with a beep, and there was a hiss as the magnetic lock on the bay door unsealed.  She twisted the lock almost too hard, popping open the door and swinging it hard into the rest of the ship.

"Both'f ya, inside now!"  She shouted at the two, grabbing Lei's arm and pulling her into the Cargo Bay with her, jarring hard against the side of the door but paying no mind.  Just get them to safety...


-------->To Destiny: Cargo Bay
This message was last edited by the player at 05:06, Mon 02 Oct 2006.

Connor nodded and felt relief flood over him...they were home free now. He didn't put the gun away, but then again, Charlie didn't have to tell him twice to get inside. Once he was sure Lei and Charlie were in...he followed as quickly as he could, not asking any questions, only waiting...waiting either for action, or for orders...

(To Destiny Cargo Bay)
This message was last edited by the player at 05:26, Mon 02 Oct 2006.

Lei felt herself being dumped uncermoniously onto the ground as Charlie reached for the key lock.  Charlie was scared - but Charlie was doing what she had to do.   She was being strong.  Lei tried to do the same.  She watched intensley as Charlie repeatedly punched in numbers, obviously getting frustrated with herself.  Lei put a small hand on Charlie's shoulder - Geoff did that to her when she was scared or worried, it made her feel better.  Lei was suddenly struck with the very frightening thought that she didn't know where Geoff was.  He wasn't here right now and very bad things were happening.

She felt herself being thrown forward then into the ship.

[To Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Radio:  "Bear, how d'ya start th'gorram engines?!"

Charlie's voice came over the radio, he sighed a quick sigh of relief, he flipped the switch on the radio, "Green switch, second panel, third console, Jei Jei, but have somebody at the door, Red and I are comin' your way, right now."

Ren pulls Acacia around the corner into the commerce bay, and sees the ship, its so close he can almost taste it. Not wanting to waste any more time, Ren picked, "Sorry Cacia, but we need to be on that ship." With that Ren pulled her close and broke into full stride for the ship.
This message was last updated by the player at 05:58, Mon 02 Oct 2006.

"Wha-!"  Acacia couldn't even finish what she was saying as Ren swooped her up, throwing her over shoulder as they went.  She felt the air push out of her lungs, and for the moment, she couldn't scream anymore.  Her body went semi-limp as she tried to regain her breath, taking in air deeply through her nose.  It wasn't until then that she could smell it...blood.  It was in the air, the copper scent that sat like acid on the back of the tongue.  She closed her eyes tightly, allowing all her faith to go to Ren...and praying that they would make it.


--------->to Cargo Bay
This message was last edited by the player at 06:06, Mon 02 Oct 2006.

Ren felt Acacia's body go kind of limp and he prayed he had not hurt her, but his mind was still more focused on the ship. He hit the radio again, "Jei Jei, get them doors, we're here." Ren said as he reached the cargo bay doors and ran in the ship.

---> To Cargo Bay
This message was last edited by the player at 06:13, Mon 02 Oct 2006.

[From Torrance Station: Business Sector]

Kale staggered forward, his legs felt like rubber, his back stung as did his hands.  The blood was mixing with sweat now in his fists ... but he could see the ship.  Destiny was right there.  Just keep running, keep going Kale, come on - keep going ...  His muscles were aching and he kept running.  If he just got to the ship he was sure Rhaef would have everyone ...

A pang even deeper then that in his side hit him.  Rhaef ... Rhaef wasn't there.  There was no one on the ship right now who knew how to handle this type of situation.  Why did he have to be such a gorram stubborn, ruttin' ... why had he made him leave? All this flashed through Kale's mind as he stumbled up the ramp ... Kale couldn't breathe ... Oh God, I can't breathe ... his mind panicked.  And he looked up ... there was Rhaef ....

[To Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Ren went through the airlock, and felt the heat wave and concussive shock of the first grenade exploding, shielding his eyes for a moment, he tossed the second one toward the bay doors. He sure as hell hoped, Connor had followed him out and had not lost his nerve and was getting ready to start firing, cause he was not sure he'd need a third grenade to get the Reaver's attention.

(From Destiny: Dining Hall)

Connor followed Ren out the door and watched the man throw his first grenade. He felt as though they were moving in slow motion, or maybe they were frozen in place. There was a ringing in his ears. It seemed insane. Two months ago, Connor was busy being a know-it-all techie who was fighting a battle against in enemy that would be long in the beating. Now, he was here, away from comfort or luxury, fighting for his life...and, for the first time, others. Yeah, sure, before, he'd fought for "others", but he'd had no friends, no companions. He was perfectly happy doing what he was doing. Here, here was different. Perhaps he considered it a purpose, or maybe he was fighting for a home. Connor was unsure, what Destiny did have though, and what he wanted so badly, unknowingly, was a sense of belonging. And so far, in the month that he had been aboard, Connor had seen it, yet not felt apart of that belonging. It was funny what a crisis could do for people. It tended to bring out things they hadn't realized. Like the fact that Connor didn't need to earn it so much as simply take part in it.

Like right now.

Right now, instead of standing still, Connor couldn't hesitate, he couldn't stop...it was now that he followed Ren into action...or he wouldn't at all. Connor fired his shotgun as Ren tossed his second, then pulled out his own grenades, readying and tossing the first one down towards the Reavers, readying the second one.

The first grenade tossed through the hatch hadn't actually hit any of the Reavers ... infact it had actually bounced off one of the shop carts and landed too close to Destiny scorching the underbelly on the port side.  The damage was minimal though and the goal was achieved.  The Reavers had all turned their attention away from the bay doors, looking around for what had set off the grenade.

Connor and Ren emerged from the airlock then, there were five Reavers right infront of the bay doors. Others were nearby though in the commerce sector, they could hear their growls and more chillingly the screams of their victims ... those that could still scream.  The carnage was sickening and it was everything Ren and Connor could do to focus on their mission and not look at the mutilated corpses littering the floor.

Ren's first make-shift grenade found its mark, landing in the midst of the Reavers.  A loud booming sound echoing around the station, the heat flowing like waves over them ... the Reavers though - they kept on coming.  Two of them were most definitly on fire but it didn't seem to be slowing them down at all.  Connor's grenade came next but the bottle rolled to the side and only ended up really hitting one of the advancing Reavers - however it did take him down.

The Reavers were moving in fast - but at least they were moving away from the starboard side ... Charlie and Kale should be able to make it away.

[From Destiny: Dining Area]

Kale pushed himself up out of the airlock hatch and onto the top of Destiny, he kept low to the roof, trying not to draw any attention to himself as he reached a hand down to help Charlie up.  From his crouched position he could see Ren and Connor who had moved from the hatch further to the port side.  The plan had worked, the Reavers all seemed to have abandoned the bay doors and were moving in their direction - Kale was terrified for them.  He knew he couldn't give into that though.  "Come on, let's go - no time." he breathed in a low voice to Charlie and began half crawling, half sliding off the edge of the ship, trying to move as quickly as possible.

They take too long and Connor and Ren could be dead.

Charlie squeezed Kale's hand as he helped her out of the ship, her palms already a little clammy with sweat.  She was doing the best to stay calm, following Kale as they lay close to the top of the ship, looking down over the tools she had collected.  She was aware of every piece of equipment on her, in fear that she might lose one and that it would ruin everything.  The last thing they needed was that large of a mistake in the plan, anything that would send them sprawling to improvise.  The best plans were the ones that went according to plan, and while that rarely happened...well, it certainly wasn't like she wasn't going to pray for it.

She slid down the side of the ship alongside Kale, her fingers finding the smallest cracks in which she could stop herself from all but falling straight down to the floor.  She didn't see Ren or Connor, and they didn't have a radio...they would have to assume that they would be okay.  it was just a matter of everything relying on them, which is what she hated...having to have the world on her shoulders had never been her strong suit.

Kale's feet hit the metal flooring of the station with a bang that sounded impossibly loud in his ears.  His eyes darted around, positive that he had drawn the Reavers attention.  It was a stupid fear.  No one could here the sound of him landing over the grenades and screaming and growling - but Kale didn't register that.  He reached up to help Charlie down and looked at her, pointing a little ways away, "That's it righ'?" he asked.  They were still hidden behind the ship, the moment they made for the panel they'd be out in the open, racing time for their lives.

Charlie slid down after Kale, allowing his help down.  She unconsciously flattened herself against the side of the ship, looking around just as he did.  She didn't want to have to hear those screams as they turned the corner, or anything else that would be something bad.

"Yea'...tha's...well, 's either tha'one or th'one next t'it.  Can't be knowin' 'til ah'm gettin' it off'n lookin' on th'inside."  She bit her lip, looking back at Kale, the apology already in her eyes.  "Ah'm...s'just without th'maps'f what all's goin' on here, ah'm not one t'say fer sure."

Kale cocked his head sideways for a moment giving Charlie a slightly worried look but an affirming nod.  She was doing the best she could - some of this plan was just going to have to be left up to fate though.

"Alrigh' then.  Ya ready?  We start movin' we don' stop - ya got that?  An' you don't worry 'bout nothin'.  Not anything ya hear, ya just keep at the job - I'll watch yer back." he looked at her seriously, "I'm not gonna let anythin' happen ta ya." he cast another look across the open space they had to travel across and to the panel.  "Let's go." he said and started running full force.  His body groaned in protest, there were pieces of glass still embedding into his back that cut as he used those muscles and his legs ached but they couldn't slow down.  He made sure Charlie was ahead of him and while he told her not to look back and focus on the task at hand he was looking back every few seconds to determine whether the Reavers had taken notice of them or not.  So far, so good.

Charlene bolted when Kale said to go, running hard and ignoring the burning pain in her leg.  When she had hit the side of the Bridge door, there was a good chance she cut something, or would at least be heavily bruised...but this was not the time to be worrying or complaining about it.  Every complaint that surfaced up was pushed quickly to the back of her mind, as she didn't want to think of the million reasons that she could use as to why she wouldn't want to be here.  None of them mattered...she was here for her crew, and she was here for Destiny, and would do whatever was needed.

She had to slide to a stop to keep herself from running face first into the wall, muttering under her breath the whole time.  She wanted to look back and see where the Captain was, where the Reavers were...where they all were.  However, Kale had said not to...he had promised to keep her safe, and she was going to hold that to him.  She closed her eyes for a quick moment, letting out a deep breath before she looked at her wall, her eyes running over the bolts that held the wall paneling in place.  "17/36' panels, right.  17/36's...c'mon, ah've gotta have tha'."  She spoke to herself as she patted herself over, finding the right drill so that she could start to take the station apart...

Ren watched the grenade explode the leveled the shot gun, they were buying time. He fired off a few rounds, knowing they would not do much good, "Get those grenades out there, Connor." He kept count in his head. They'd give the Captain what they could, but eventually, he and Connor would have to decide to make a move for their own lives too.

Connor nodded to Ren and pulled out the grenades. He was beginning to see why men often turned to the life of guns. The shotgun had seemed an extension of himself. Sure, he wasn't the greatest shot, but that wasn't it, was it? It was sickeningly fascinating, the shell sliding into the chamber and then shooting forth, dispensing lead death as it went. Luckily for Connor, one didn't need to be as accurate with a shotgun. He tossed the first down, and moved, always moving. He looked to Ren.

"I've got four shells left, plus what's in the gun...and I'd say my sidearm if it weren't for the fact that it won't do any good..." He tossed the second grenade, and pulled the shotgun back out, a quick prayer issuing forth from his lips. "How much time do you think we can buy with that?"

The whole world became nothing but Reavers.  Reavers closing in on him and for a moment Ren realized that he had stopped breathing.  He had stopped even moving.  Oh God, oh God I'm not movin' at all.  Come on, come on Ren! he shouted at himself.  This was not the time to freeze up, to panick.  There was too much at stake - there was Acacia.  Beautiful Acacia.  Wonderful Acacia.  And if he failed ... Connor's voice interrupted Ren's thoughts, snapping him back to reality.  He looked down almost though he were surprised to see the rifle in his hand.  "Um ... I got a few more shots 'fore I gotta reload." he said, "One 'o these left." he said in reference to the makeshift grenade.  He'd used his first to toss out the hatch and like a ruttin' fool had hit their own damn ship.  His other though had hit its mark somehow - Ren didn't have time to work that out.

"They uh, they're comin' a bit fast aren' they?" he commented in a weak voice, trying to sound lighthearted but just sounding terrified, "Ya don' think there's any chance we just ask 'em nicely they'll leave us alone." he said a poor attempt at a joke.  There was nothing about this situation that was funny.

Oh God, those are Reavers.  Those are Reavers and they're comin' right at us. Ren was trying to figure out why the hell he'd let the Cap'n send him out on this mission.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Sun 19 Nov 2006.

Connor stood still, for the first time stopping since he had left the ship and aimed the shotgun. He pulled the trigger, hearing the resounding blast...and was on the move again. He looked back at Ren...he'd heard the man's response and it seemed he wasn't the only one who was more than a little unnerved by the fact that they were facing down Reavers.

"Look, throw that damn grenade, save a shot or two, and let's get back on the ship."

Ren was right, the Reavers were closing in on them and they were closing in fast.  In the distance Ren and Connor could see Kale and Charlie make a break across the open space for the side panels.  They had to buy them a little more time ... but time didn't really seem an option anymore.  One of the Reavers began to climb atop the ship to where Ren and Connor were standing, although climb is a loose term.  He practically bouned atop in one jump.  And there were still more on the ground.  Connor's shot actually missed the Reaver he was aiming for - but they were group together enough that it took out the one behind him.  There were too many infront of the bay doors still though and the one that had made it atop the ship was now cutting off their exit back to the hatch they had come through.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:46, Sun 19 Nov 2006.

Connor swore, this had turned from bad to worse in literally the blink of an eye. Connor pumped his shotgun and unloaded on the Reaver that had bounded atop the ship, then pumped the gun again, ejecting the shell...and he pulled the trigger...he was empty. He swore and pulled out the four shells, backpedaling as he hastily began reloading. He dropped a shell. He managed to load the other three and looked up to see where all the Reavers were...as well as Ren.

Ren nodded, his face white as Connor shouted at him to throw the grenade.  One of the Reavers had just jumped a top the ship and for a moment Ren almost tossed the grenade at him before realizing what a terrible mistake that would have been and instead tossed it down into the others that were trying to climb atop. With his last grenade thrown he turned back to his shotgun.  The weapon felt heavy and unfamiliar in his hands.  You can do this, come on, you can do this. he told himself as he took aim at the closest Reaver - he missed, took a deep breath and fired again.

"Thank God." he breathed as the shot connected, "I got him.  Ya see that I -" he had hit the Reaver but it was still coming at them, "So you were sayin' 'bout pullin' back." he said, finding himself pushed up against Connor's back as they were beginning to find themselves surrounded, "I think now would be an good time ta initiate that part of the plan."

The Reaver atop the ship didn't die from Connor's shots, but he did fall off.  There were only three left now converging on them, their mutilated faces leering at the two men. Connor and Ren were forced down the hull of the ship, almost to the ground now and as Connor began to reload one of the Reavers on the ground level grabbed ahold of his foot pulling it out from under him, he hit the hull hard on his back and started being pulled down.

In the distance it became apparent that not all the Reavers were preoccupied with Ren and Connor anymore, they had spotted Kale and Charlie.

They had reached the wall, Kale skidding to a stop just before crashing into Charlie.  He trusted her to get right to work and spun around, his shotgun held up and pointed towards the Reavers.  For a few moments its seemed like they might be left alone.  Back by the ship he could see the explosions of Ren and Connor's fight getting more and more desperate ... then he noticed the Reavers turning, "Ruttin' hell." he muttered under his breath, trying to brace himself - they were coming, "How's it comin' Charlie?" he said to her, cause they were rapidly running out of time.

Charlie didn't even want to turn back to look over her shoulder.  She could hear everything she needed to know in Kale's voice, and it was enough to push her further.  Things have gotten worse.  While there was one strong scenario, if she didn't specify what was causing her horror, she could pretend that there weren't monsters running them down while they were trying to physically break into a part of the station.

"Gotta gimme sum'f time, Cap'n."  She spoke through her gritted teeth, her knuckles white on the drill as it slowly broke through the paneling.  No matter how hard she pulled the trigger or how much weight she pushed on it, they were only going to come out as fast as the motor would allow.  "Maybe, ah...ah, 90 sec's or so, y'know?  Gotta make't work..."

Kale heard Charlie's voice come from behind him and just gritted his teeth as he watched two of the Reavers break off from the other group and start heading their way.  This was a ruttin' stupid plan, Kale.  What were ya thinkin', what the hell were ya thinkin'? his mind berated himself.  How could have possibly thought they could come out here and fight Reavers, it was suicide.

Kale's muscles tensed, they were almost within firing range.  His finger wrapped around the trigger and he held his position.  Just a lil' closer ...

He fired, and waited for the shot to connect - it did, practically blew off the closest Reavers entire arm ... but it hardly slowed it down.  Kale cocked the rifle again and prepared to fire once more.

Charlie kept drilling, pulling off another bolt and moving to the next.  If she were able to bend steel, she could have done this in one bolt.  Maybe if Geoff had been here, he could have done it...there was no telling how strong he was, she'd never been one to see that firsthand.  As it stood, this would have to do.

When Kale fired his gun, she nearly dropped the drill, managing to catch it before it hit the floor and broke into a few more pieces.  It was already partially held together with patch tape and adhesives, and there was no way she'd be able to fix it this fast.  It was already slick with the sweat from her hands, but she wouldn't let it slip...there was no way she was going to bring the whole plan crashing down.

"Jus'a bit more, Cap'n...keep'm offa us jus'a bit more."  She more whispered to herself, unsure if Kale could here.  She wasn't even really sure if she could hear it, the sound of her heart and the drill consuming almost her entire world...

Kale didn't hear Charlie, but he knew she was going as fast as she could and all he could do now was hope that it would be fast enough.  The two Reavers were getting closer, Kale fired off another round at the same one and it fell this time.  Kale smiled ever so slightly, and cocked the rifle again.  He was carefully taking aim when he felt it - the pain.  He let out a groan, the rifle fell limply from his hands and clattered onto the floor.  The whole world seemed to dim for a moment and then come into sharp relief.  He wasn't even sure what had happened, then he felt something warm and starting to pour down his left arm.  He looked down and was surprised to see the thick cylinder of solid steel embedded in his shoulder.

"This ain't good ..." he managed to breath out before his knees gave way and he was slumping to the ground his body unable to hold him up.  The pain washing over him in waves.  His eyes registered the Reavers up ahead - they looked far away but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew they were dreadfully close.  He breathed.  In, out, in, out ... the sounds of growls and screams were echoing around in his skull and the warm liquid was pouring down his arm and chest now.  Come one, Charlie, he thought, come on ...

Connor was about to respond to Ren when the ground underneath his feet decided to go away. He landed hard on his back, and was only barely able to hold onto the shotgun, though his sidearm skittered away to somewhere far below, firing off once from the impact against the ground. Shit.

"Wong Ba Duhn!!!" He could feel pain now, his back ached and his neck was sore from having his head bounce against the hull. He could barely see, not to mention the huge problem of he was now being pulled down to waht was most certianly death. He moaned and pointed the shotgun to the source of what was pulling him, looking upwards and pulling the trigger...praying he connected.

Ren spun around as he heard the bang of Connor hitting the hull of the ship and the litany of curses he let out.  This was not good, not good at all. Connor was trying to get his gun into position to shoot at the Reaver pulling him down but Ren knew that that was going to be a dificult shot at best.  A few seconds later Connor's gun, after missing its target was being pulled from his hands and tossed to the ground carelessly.  Connor was now un-armed. Ren fumbled with his own rifle and aimed it as steadily as he could (which wasn't really steady at all because his hands were shaking so badly) and fired.

The shot hit its mark and Ren reached an arm down to help Connor up, "Things just went from bad ta worse I'm thinkin'." he said, "Kale an' Charlie are gonna have ta fend fer themselves we gotta get out of here." Ren could hear his voice cracking but the prospect of running back into the ship was appealing.  And with Connor not armed there wasn't much they could do now anyway.  He looked at Connor waiting for him to give him the nod of approval so he could tell Kyoko and Acacia to open up them doors so they could make a run for it.  Although the thought of making Acacia open up the doors and have to face the Reavers again ... it couldn't be helped though and he knew that no matter what it took, he'd keep her safe.  After all, they had a weddin' to plan now.  This last thought brought the faintest trace of a smile to his lips.  He lived through this and Acacia would be his wife.

Connor grabbed eagerly onto Ren's hand as the man helped pull him back up. Gorram Reavers. Gorram station. Connor took a deep breath and let it out. Ren had his weapon still...but probably not many shots and he, himself, had nothing. Yeah, it was most certainly time to go. He nodded.

"Have the ladies open the doors, we're going in...we did all that we could for the captain and Charlie...and probably then some."

Ren didn't need to be told twice, he handed his rifle to Connor, figuring he'd probably be able to do more with it anyway.  It was actually a relief to be rid of it.  Ren would be happy if he never had to fire a gun again in his life.  He pulled the radio from his hip and hit the button, "Acacia, baby - we're comin' in.  Open her up - be ready.  An' 'Cacia, I love ya." Ren added hastily.  Not being able to stop the words from tumbling from his mouth.  Being out here, facing death - the only thought running though his mind was how much he loved that woman.  He had barely finished what he was saying when he felt something hard hit him from behind.  One of the Reavers had climbed up the back side of the ship and had knocked him hard in the middle of his back.  Ren went flyng, the radio tumbling uselessly through the air.

His arms reached out, trying to grab a hold of something, anything -but finding nothing.  He fell from his spot on the hull to the floor of the station where one of the Reavers was still alive and kicking.  First he felt pain.  Pain shooting through his entire body, especially his head as it landed unceremoniously against the corner of the fueling kiosk.  He could feel blood trickling down into his eyes.

"Shit!"
Connor felt like he was watching something in slow motion. It was horrible. There was a wave of relief that had begun washing over him, knowing that he and Ren were homefree...they'd managed to survive. Then, Ren had been struck from behind, and that floating feeling instantly hit his lower stomach like lead...he jerked the rifle up and squeezed off a shot at the Reaver, it wasn't even a thought at this point, more over instinct.

The Reaver had hit Ren full force, knocking him to the ground.  To Connor however he swung an arm, his fingers curled up like claws, the nails seeking to dig themselves into his flesh.  They connected with Connors upper right arm, tearing flesh from his bicep before he manage to get off the shot.  At this close distance the Reaver explode right in from of him.  Bloody and bits of flesh coating him, clinging to him.

Connor yelled out in pain, barely holding to the rifle as the thing's gorram claws dug into him. Then the shot went off and Connor was covered in gore. Gritting his teeth, Connor slung the rifle over his shoulder and began to go towards the direction Ren had fallen.

_{"Our father, who art in Heaven..."} The prayer came out quietly as Connor looked for the man. "Ren!" He was resigned to the fact that they weren't going to make it now...no, not now, but he sure wasn't about to let Ren die alone...they'd go down swinging...if he could find him... "Ren?!"

_{"...hallowed be thy name..."}

Ren struggled to regain his bearings, Start simple. he thought as the world around him spun in dizzying circles.  His fingers clamped onto the ground, Alrigh' so ya found the ground - nice goin'... he thought sarcastically to himself, but it was an achievement.  Blood then trickled into his eye and he reached a hand up to wipe it away, the motion causing the world to lurch and spin once more, Just stay still there, Ren 'ol boy, slow down.</i>  With the blood out of his eyes he sat perfectly still and waited for the world to stop spinning.  He could make out swirls of silver and grays, the station, and something of a redish hue in the center of his vision.  A shopping kiosk perhaps? ... but it was moving ... no, not a shopping kiosk, "Tian xiao de!" Ren shouted.  It was a Reaver.  Suddenly everything came flooding back as he tried to scramble backwards.

On the ground a few feet away he saw Connor's rifle.  Connor.  Ren looked up, "Connor!" he screamed trying to move towards the gun but knowing speed was not in his favor right now.

Connor immediately ran towards the direction of Ren's voice...to see a Reaver fast approaching him. There was no way Connor was going to be able to get a shot off in time...and from the looks of it, neither was Ren. So Connor did the one thing he could think of...he jumped, aiming for the Reaver.

Connor was already leaping from the hull as Acacia's scream rang out from the cargo bay, "Ren!  Connor!  Do something!"  Connor's wasn't the only attention she attracted however.  The Reaver, only a few feet away from Ren now turned its head in the direction of Acacia's screams.  There was a moments hesitation and then it went barreling in her direction, mutilated mouth open and drooling.  Every bit the monster straight out of some horrible nightmare.

The Reavers sudden turn around caused Connor to land on nothing but the ground.  He landed hard and was forced to roll to absorb the fall.

Ren, still dazed was pulled out of it immediately by the sound of Acacia's voice.  Acacia.  Oh God, those ... things were going after Acacia.  Everything else suddenly seemed to disappear.  The pain, the fear, the screams.  Nothing mattered anymore.  Nothing mattered except getting to her.  Protecting her.  As the Reaver changed course Ren completely forgot about the rifle lying a few feet away and just got up and ran full force towards the creature - it was almost closing in on Acacia, moving remarkably fast.  Ren had no idea how he had managed to catch up with it but he didn't question anything.  He landed on the Reavers back and the two of them when rolling to the ground.

"Get Acacia out of here!!" he shouted to Connor as he realized just how stupid of a move he had just made. But feeling some sense of relief - knowing how close Acacia had been to death, knowing that he had saved her.  The woman he loved.  The Reavers taloned claw-like hand dug into him then and he let out a scream of pain.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:09, Wed 29 Nov 2006.

Connor moaned and felt the rifle clatter next to him as he rolled. He grabbed it and limped over as fast as he could to where Ren was struggling with the gorram Reaver. He brought the butt of the rifle up and slammed down against the creature's head as hard as he could.

Charlie finally drilled out the last of the screws, the mechanical drill quitting it's horrible whirring as the last bolt dropped to the ground.  When she took her finger off the tool's trigger, the world's noises seemed to snap back into focus around her, like a sudden wave.  She had turned her head to see how Kale was doing, only seeing the sight of one of the reavers on top of Ren and trying to take him apart.  "Cap'n, we've gotta-...Cap'n?  Cap'n!"  Charlie shouted as she didn't see Kale until she moved her foot, nearly tumbling over his slumped form.  She gasped at the sight of the steel lodged in his shoulder, immediately dropping to her knees and putting her hands on his back and shoulder.

"Cap'n!"  Charlie was already crying, looking at Kale, not even able to look back up at the sight before them.  "C'mon, you gotta be gettin' up, kay?  Ah'm not doin' this'n stuff w'out ya, n'ya promised.  Y'can be keepin' me safe'f yer on th'ground, y'know?"  She spoke nervously, trying to raise his head to make a moment of eye contact...hoping it would be enough for him to hang on.

In, out ... in, out ... Kale breathed.  And it was enough right now just to be doing that.  As long as he was breathing he knew he was still alive.  The whirring noise that he had begun to think was just in his head stopped then and he heard Charlie's voice.  Charlie's voice coming from very far away.  But her hand was on his shoulder.  He felt confused for a moment, he was losing a lot of blood, he was feeling light-headed as he turned to her.  Struggling to understand what she was saying.  It didn't matter.

"Charlie ... the - the wire." Kale wheazed between stabs of pain, "Ya gotta, gotta free Destiny." he fell over, his right arm reaching out to catch him.  When he looked back up he suddenly realized just how close the Reaver was, "Charlie ya gotta do it now."

There was a second of protest in her eyes, where she was on the verge of yelling at him or trying to shake his senses back.  It was only for a second, however...this was an order, and she had never been one to go against Kale, especially when it came down to anything important.  She stiffened her lip, squeezing Kale's shoulder for a moment as she spoke.  "Right, Cap'n."

She let go of Kale, standing up and shaking the can of hexadrone, cracking it against the rim of the metalwork and aiming the nozzle into the cluster of wires.  Normally, one would wear gloves and other forms of protection when shooting acids that could eat through flesh in a matter of seconds...but this was more important.  She gritted her teeth, the foam spraying out of the canister and onto the cables, sputtering out in a thick yellow-white mess...

The Reaver was only about ten feet away now from closing in on Kale and Charlie.  It let out a feral growl and if anything began to pick up speed.

[From Torrance Station: Business Sector]

Geoff stepped out into the open area of the commerce sector and took in the horror all around him.  It had been a massacre in here.  But more importantly then the dead were those that were still living.  His eyes fell immediately on Charlie and the Cap'n.  Kale was down, hunched over on the ground with a Reaver harpoon embedded in his shoulder.  Geoff had a quick intake of breath and without even thinking moved towards the two of them, his hands gripping the rifle in his hands and pulling it up to take aim.  There was a Reaver closing on them hard and fast.

"Charlie!  Get down!" he shouted across the empty space as his finger found the trigger.  He waited for her to duck before he opened fire.

The cables were already starting to steam as the acid ate through the rubber coatings, sending a putrid smell out around her.  She covered her mouth with her other hand as she sprayed, trying not to pay attention to it before she started gagging.  Focus on something else.  But not the reavers...or the Cap'n dying...or the fact that we're about to die.  The thought process was cut short, however, when she heard a voice cut through and above her.

While she wasn't as alert or combat-ready as everyone else, there were a few commands that became second nature in a person after working on the ship so long.  "Run" was a good one.  There was also "don't move," or "help," or things like that.  When guns were around, however...that one was "duck."  Without thinking twice, Charlie dropped the canister into the paneling and dropped back down to the ground, taking the spot she had right next to Kale and getting out of Geoff's shot.

The Reaver was a meer three feet away when suddenly its head was just gone.  The horrid bloody mass maintained its forward momentum for another step or two and then fell to the ground right before Charlie and Kale, leaving Geoff standing behind it with Wei-Li close by.

Kale felt like screaming, he felt like a coward, he felt like he must be dying as the Reaver drew closer ... if we wasn't dying now he would be soon.  He didn't hear Geoff's voice, it was just a shout from faraway and Kale had begun to lose the ability to distinguish one distant shout from another.  The Reaver was almost on top of him down, he was lunging at him ... no ... no he was falling.  He was falling to the ground.  Kale watched the Reavers progress as it landed in a bloody heap right beside his hand.  His own blood mingled with the Reavers on the cold steel floor.  Kale looked up then and manage a smile.

"Geoff, you got no ruttin' idea how glad I am ta see ya." he managed to get out before feeling a sharp pain shoot up and down his body again.

Geoff watched the Reaver in front of him fall to the ground revealing Charlie and the Cap'n crouching on the ground.  He glanced at Wei-Li and then back to the Cap'n as he spoke.  A small smile crossed his lips, "I think I might have an inklin'." he said, "Come on, we gotta move."

He knealt down and tried to help Kale up, the motion was painful but he figured the Captain was a lot worse off then he was, "Can ya give me a hand here, Charlie?" he said, positioning the Kale between them.  He spoke as they started to move not looking at Kale.  He was trying to size up the mess that seemed to be happening outside the ship.  Three more Reavers - one of them seemed to be on top of Ren.  He only had two more bullets in his gun and then he was out ... they might not make it, "Diego ... he - he didn't come with us.  He's goin' ta blow the station.  We got less then ten minutes ta get outta here." he looked at Kale then, "He told me ta tell ya, you were right ... whatever that means."

Kale felt arms wrapping around him, gingerly trying to avoid the wound in his shoulder.  He just let them lift him to his feet and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.  He listened to Geoff, but only barely.  Everything seemed unreal, "He's - he's what?" Kale sputtered, but he wasn't sure if Geoff even heard him, the words had come out as almost a whisper.  Then Geoff repeated Diego's message back to him and Kale almost stopped walking.

"There are some things that are even worth dyin' fer." Kale said softly, his eyes on his ship, on his crew - he kept walking.

Ren heard the sound of gunshots and felt a slight pain as a bullet grazed his right ear as he and the Reaver fell to the ground.  He gritted his teeth against the agony of the Reaver's taloned hands digging into him.  What are you doing?  What are you doing?! his mind screamed at him.  Screamed at him for being such a complete idiot.  He heard Acacia's cries though he knew he had done what he had to do.  The Reaver scratched across his face, deep gouges pouring blood into his eyes, through the warm sticky liquid he saw Connor coming up behind the Reaver. His rifle raised and then came down as hard as the man could manage onto the Reaver.  But the Reaver moved at the last second and the gun hit only his shoulder - this had absolutely no effect except to anger it.  It threw an arm out and knocked Connor a good 6ft away.

Pain ripped through Ren's abdomen as the Reaver continued to tear into him - the other two were coming to join the blood bath, he could just make them out.  He was getting dizzy, the world was fading in and out.  Oh God ... Oh God I'm going to die. The thought came with such frightful clarity.  It wasn't a question.  It was a hard fact.  He felt his body being tossed around like a rag dolls, and the pain ... the pain was beginning to go away.  In fact, he felt numb.  He saw the Reaver bend down and literally bite a chunk of skin off from the flesh of his arm - but he didn't feel it anymore.  There was blood everywhere and he knew it was his own, but it didn't seem to matter.

He could see Kale and the others running towards the ship - the ship that had begun to drift away.  The Reavers, all three of them now - they were blocking their way, they'd never make it in time.  He saw Connor, far enough away that he wouldn't get hurt and so Ren's fingers, somehow in all the chaos, closed around the small grenade he had in his pocket.  He'd acquired it long ago from Kale - it'd been a joke.  If Ren could have he would have laughed.  Kale had told him, how "you always wished ya had a grenade when you didn't, so you should always keep one on ya."  He'd been kidding but Ren had done it anyway and now ...

His eyes turned towards the ship, the ramp was already a few inches off the ground.  Acacia was standing in the doorway screaming, tears rolling down her cheeks.  Acacia ... Oh God Acacia. Ren felt tears springing to his eyes and these - these were warm and real, he could feel them, or maybe he only imagined he could.  Like he could feel the soft caress of Acacia's hand gently wiping them away.  Could hear her laugh, her smile that lit up the entire 'verse.  Acacia blowing away a stray piece of her fiery hair that he loved to run his fingers through ... her kiss ... the way their embrace promised forever.  No one ever said forever was just a moment in time, no one ever talked about that.  He had just asked her to marry him ... and now ... oh God how could he do this to her?  The tears were running freely now as his eyes met hers - all he wanted to do was to be able to hold her again one last time.  Just for a moment to feel her body against his ... never again ...

"I'm sorry." he mouthed to her, and blood flew across his vision, blocking her for a moment.  Ren determidely wiped it away somehow, trying to make Acacia the last thing he ever saw, wishing there was someway that she wouldn't have to remember him like this.

"I love you!" he shouted but no sound came out, just gurgling sounds and blood.

"... I love you ..."

"I. Love. You." he tried again and cried in frustration.  Cried because he knew it was over.  Everything that was meant to be, was now nothing but what might have been.   He cried ... and then he stopped.  He couldn't really breathe anymore.  A sudden calmness was washing over him like waves.  They would live.  Acacia, she would live.  His eyes locked with hers as he raised the grenade to his mouth and pulled the pin.

For one sparkling moment that seemed to last forever - Acacia was all he could see.  Her eyes red and streaked with tears.  Her lips telling him that she loved him.  She was his entire world.

Just her and the black of the stars.  In his minds eye he saw her coming towards him.  She wrapped her arms around him, tilting her head back to kiss him on this lips ... “This is my favorite part.” Ren chuckled.  He was fine again.  He was on the bridge of Destiny, his home, with the woman he loved.  He grabbed Acacia by the waist and set her down in his lap.  He leaned down and kissed her again and she leaned back against him.  The two of them alone, looking up at the stars stretching on for eternity.  She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered.

“Ah, let's ride the whole way like this.  Just you and me.  Forever.” a small smile crossed her lips. Ren leaned his head against hers, his lips pressed against the top of her head, his arms holding her like he would never let go.

"Forever and ever, baby, forever and ever ..." Ren whispered against her.

And then his entire world was gone ...

Connor flew backwards. That damned thing was even phased! He didn't so much feel the pain as the amazement that the gorram Reaver didn't feel the pain! Well, until he hit the ground. He was definitely smarting now, hurting in many different places. Connor stayed down a bit longer this time, struggling to get up after that particularly vicious hit that landed him six feet backwards. He reached for the rifle, figuring maybe he could get off a shot. He couldn't quite tell what was going on, the Reaver partially obscured Ren from his view, but Ren was moving...that was good. Connor tried to lift his arm, raise the rifle, to ger a shot off, but couldn't. He moaned in frustration and tried again, barely mananging to left the gun...it was then Connor managed to see just what Ren was doing.

"Ren!" There wasn't any point in screaming "no". The man had been hurt pretty badly, and chances were, they weren't going to live for very long anyways...things had gone to hell. So he was going out on his own terms, huh? Connor stayed down, a stray tear coming to his eye. The explosion wasn't huge in terms of size, but of who it took out...God. Connor felt like shouting, screaming. And Acacia...how would she take it? These thoughts flashed through his mind, but only for a second. Ren had done this so others could live, and Connor would be damned before he wasted that sacrifice. So the first thing he had to do was get to his feet...a difficult task already...

"Geoff!"  Charlie exclaimed as he came out of the havoc, looking just as worse for wear as they did.  She managed a smile through her tears, looking at both him and Wei-Li.  "Ah'm gonna be givin'ya a hug when ah'm sure we're na'gonna die, kay?"  She helped him raise up Kale, taking his side so not to aggravate the wound in his shoulder, trying not to look over her shoulder at Ren.  Connor was there, and the boy would look out for Ren...they'd have to make it back.  No matter what they'd been through, good people...people like Ren...they always would make it back.

The explosion made her pause, the heat rushing over her back and making the hair on her neck stand straight, but it wasn't the first one she'd heard yet...the station was possibly falling apart.  She was more concerned with the hissing that the acid had started to make against the cables behind them.  "We hafta get inta th'ship!"  She shouted over the sound of the explosion, looking at Geoff and Wei-Li, not daring to look away.  "Tha's gonna start floatin' off any second'n i's na'gonna wait for us!"

Kale felt Charlie and Geoff picking up the pace.  He couldn't really understand what they were saying anymore though.  There was a rushing sound in his ears, he knew pretty soon he'd probably pass out from loss of blood.  All he could focus on were his feet.  He watched them as they continued to move - although he was not conciously aware of moving them.  He had no idea if they were getting closer or not.  The ground shook then slightly, but Kale couldn't be sure if it was really shaking or if it were just him.  He just kept moving ... and breathing.  In, out ... in, out ... in, out ...

Geoff did see it ... he saw it all.  He'd been studying the situation infront of the bay doors, trying to figure out how he'd be able to take on three more Reavers and save Ren, and get back on the ship with a mangled leg and the Cap'n in the condition he was in while still protecting Wei-Li, Charlie, and the kid ... the odds hadn't been looking good - and that's when it had happened.  One moment Ren was there, surrounded by the three Reavers - then next there was nothing but fire.  The heat of it could be felt even from where he and the rest were running up.

Geoff's lips pursed together and he shook his head, swallowing hard.  He glanced at Charlie, but she hadn't seen it.  Hadn't seen that Ren had been inside that explosion.  He wouldn't be the one to tell her right now, "Come on, almost there." he said, and it was a struggle to keep his voice level.  Geoff was no stranger to folk dying.  It was the way of things but ... these weren't just folk.  This crew - it was the closest thing to a family Geoff had ever known.  And that's why he kept moving - Ren's sacrifice wasn't going to be in vain, the rest of them were going to make it.

As they drew closer to the ship Geoff noticed that it was already starting to float off, "We gotta move." he said and picked up the pace.  He didn't look at the remains of the explosion as he passed, he couldn't bear to do that.  When they reached the ramp he called over to Connor who was running towards it as well, "Ya gotta help me lift him up." he said, trying to haul Kale inside, he looked at Charlie and Wei-Li, motioning for them to get in.

Connor climbed to his feet, slowly, feeling pain in ever step of the process. He looked over to the scorch mark that whad been the place Ren and the gorram Reavers. It was...Connor looked away, not being able to bear the sight of the spot. He grabbed the rifle, and began limping as fast as he body would allow towards the cargo bay. Damned if Ren's sacrifice went in vain. Damned. He limped, feeling his right knee beginning to buckle. NO. Not now. Yeah, now. He fell to one knee and panted. His world was spinning. Jesus, his world was spinning fast now. Connor vomited onto deck, the pain and gore and just horrificness of the entire situation finally getting to him. He moaned and stood back up, leaning heavily on the rifle now. The fall had hurt, and he was convinced he'd broken something when the Reaver knocked him back. Ren hadn't made it. Connor couldn't help but feel at fault, this had been his big idea. He'd deal later, right now, get to the ship. One foot in front of the other.

_{"Our father...} One foot. _{"...who art in Heaven..."} The other. The Lord's prayer had been his mantra today, the thing that kept him going. Connor prayed it worked for just a little longer, just long enough to get him on that ship. He couldn't hear or see the Reavers nearby, but then, his vision was spinning, and he was aching all over, pain especially intense in his ribs and leg. He leaned on the rifle again and kept working towards the boarding ramp. God, let him make it. Connor wasn't seeing his life flash before his eyes. No matter how cliche that sounded, he'd always heard soldiers say that's what they saw before they'd almost died, it was like a montage in those old movies. Nope, Connor wasn't seeing that in his vision, so he considered it a good sign. He finished the prayer and started it again. Left, right, left, right. One foot, the other. He was so close...or was it just his vision. Nope. He felt the incline of the ramp. Connor limped quicker now, pushing his body past comfort, ignoring the intense pain. Red threatened to overwhelm his vision. So this was what it felt like. So intense. Connor felt like he was moving in slow motion, like it was a bad dream, and no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't get away. Finally, Connor made it into the cargo bay...

(Connor to Destiny Cargp Bay)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:27, Sun 03 Dec 2006.

Wei-Li moved as quickly as she could, but it all seemed to slow down.  Chaos and death were everywhere and she knew there was little she could do, other than protect the boy in her arms and maybe, cover Geoff, Kale and Charlie.

She was breathing through her mouth, her nostrils too filled with the tang of blood in the air.  She paused as Geoff tried to get Kale back onboard with the other's help.  She risked a quickly look back, firing at anything that moved towards them before turning back and running onto the ship.

===> To Destiny Cargo Bay
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:05, Mon 04 Dec 2006.

"Th'res no time, Geoff."  Charlie spoke through gritted teeth, holding up Kale as best she could and ignoring the aches that coursed through her body.  "We've gotta go.  C'mon, get'm up."  She could see the ship start to move...the acid had eaten through faster than she'd thought, and there was no telling how long it would go until it finally seperated from the station and began to depressurize.  They needed to get in and get the hatch shut before that, otherwise they would all be dead soon.

"We're gonna b'makin' it, Cap'n."  She spoke through gritted teeth, pushing as hard as she could with part of Kale supported on her shoulders.  "Y'jus gotta...stick wit'us, we'll be havin' th'good doctor be patchin'n makin'ya all sortsa better, y'know?"

Geoff just grunted slightly in response to Charlie and heaved the Cap'n up before jumping onto the ramp himself and reaching a hand down to pull Charlie up inside as well, the ramp was a good few feet off the floor of the station now.  And Charlie was right, they had no time, the station was going to blow soon.

[To Destiny: Cargo Bay - with Kale]

Charlie helped hoist Kale up into the ship, taking Geoff's hand and being quickly hoisted up afterwards.  She took one last look over the station, the bodies of reavers mangled to the point where they were no longer recnognized.  She could here others coming...but they were on the ship now.  She shook her head, turning back and following Geoff into the ship.  They'd made it back, and everyone was okay...


--------------->to Cargo Bay
This message was last edited by the player at 05:12, Tue 05 Dec 2006.

The small, Dingo class frieghter barrelled away from the station.  The black lettering, set atop a golden crescent reflected the word DESTINY against the empty, blood spattered windows.  The screams of the dead and dying echoing after it, haunting those within.  It wasn't the only ship, at least forty others were drifting away, bumping carelessly into each other.  Empty cockpits revealing the total destruction the Reaver's had brought down upon the station.

Surrounding the escaping ships the Reavers waited - their blood stained hulls gleaming in the black, each one a bright spot on the radar, as they were flying without core containment.  There were too many ships leaving at once though.  They opened fire indiscriminately, capturing what ships they could.  It wasn't a dificult task - the ships were just sitting ducks, decoys as the one tiny ship called Destiny flew by, faster then it should, cutting a sleek and silent line into the black.

There was a moment of silence - and then the station blew apart.  A great ball of light racing outwards from the heart of the station and quickly enveloping the surrounding ships.  Destiny lurched from the force of the explosion but was well out of range.  Only one small girl watch the destruction of Torrance Station from the cockpit window.  It was beautiful in its own way.  Like a flower of fire blooming in the silent vacuum of space and then slowly folding in upon itself.  She watched it until there was nothing but black once more and pieces of metal floating aimlessly.  Then she powered the engine once more and took off into the black.