"Blackfire & Gunsmoke Introduction"
Page 4
By Susan-chan

The Escape
          The hybrid captain ran down several different corridors, knowing all the short cuts to take. Still she was glad that Rachel was turning out to be right. She hadn't met a person or plant in her dash for the hanger bay. But first she needed to make a stop at auxiliary command. Only the Captain and First of a ship knew the entry codes for entry into auxiliary command. She spoke them quickly along with the command to not inform the bridge that someone had access to command override. Oh let's just let that be our little secret.
          She was at the computer entering codes and commands even before the doors slid shut behind her. And then tied them together to the one command which she spoke. She imagined she could hear all her lovely programs running. She smiled. For the first time she began to feel like she had a chance.
          With a wry grin she stood back satisfied. Everything was in place. There was nothing more to do than get to her flyer. She stepped out into the hall and saw three male Antresslans coming toward her.
          Great. Just great.
          They stopped in surprise.
          "Lady Rellyn, what are you doing..." started one in the back.
          "You imbecile, it's the Lady's sister, the one she has come for." The leader of the trio informed him.
          Rinnah darted back into the control room. If the doors slid shut in time she knew a passage out of the room that led to a room next to the hangar bay. It would take longer though and slow her up though. It didn't and they ran in behind her, grinning at having her trapped.
          She reached for the power and let if flow out of her. It came quickly, like a geyser in answer to her beckoning, she took a hold of it and focused on the struggle ahead. It flowed from her chest and tried to flow up to her shoulder blades but she rerouted it through to her hands.
          The three plants started forward even as the combined weight of three minds descended upon her. Knowing she couldn't take three minds at once she unleashed the power and let it leap forward to envelop one. He fell; his previously blond hair now entirely black. The other two gaped and then turned furious eyes toward her. She felt the lifting of one mind and was relieved even as the other two rejoined forces to pummel her backwards. She knew she only had seconds and ran at them leaping up into the air to level a flying snap kick at one. It was mainly a diversion, she didn't think it would take him out but was pleasantly surprised when it did. He wasn't expecting a two-prong attack from a human! She turned to the other and poured out her power and felt it spark and arc down her arms to jump at the remaining male plantoid. She threw out power realizing too late that she should have rationed it with a little more care. She would have to be more careful after this.
          Rinnah felt his grip on her mind ease as she watched his blond hair turn black. The power came to a sudden halt and she watched him slowly drop to his knees with only a couple of light streaks left in his hair. It had been close but he would live.
          She turned to the doors and ran through them into the hall. She was too drained to use the speed of her Antressla heritage but at least she was still mobile. Rinnah imagined time speeding by her like a passing wind. She finally made it to the hangar bay doors and poked her head in, searching for any movement. Then a voice spoke behind her.
          "I cannot allow you to continue."
          Ah crap.
          She turned slowly, every muscle tense for a spring but upon seeing the teenage girl in the hall relaxed the tension in her limbs.
          "Who are you child?" She asked, curious.
          "I am Lady Rellyn's assistant. She is my mentor and guardian. You ... You look just like her." The child couldn't help adding.
          "Yes. We are twins." She cocked her head at the girl. "So what are you planning to do?"
          "I was on my way to the bridge and I heard the fighting" With a lift of her chin she informed Rinnah "You will accompany me there."
          Rinnah was amazed at the streak of arrogance that characterized her mother's people. And you will accompany me there. Really? Nah. I don't think so.
          The girl fairly glowed with her own sense of entitlement and informed Rinnah. "Lady Rellyn has trained me herself and I am one of the best. She wants you so I cannot allow you to leave. I promise not to hurt you if you surrender."
          Rinnah gave her a half-smile. Cute as a button she was. She hated to do this and then winced as the first grasp of a powerful mind clamped down on hers. It hurt something fierce and knew she couldn't let the child go any further than that. Ah, but she was getting tired. Gritting her teeth she reached deep once again for what she imagined as a well and drew up raw power. She didn't have time to be delicate. She hurled it at the girl standing so proud and defiant. The girl's eyes widened as she stumbled back a few feet absorbing the shock. Damn! Rinnah had hoped that would knock her out. No such luck.
          She reached again and again and threw surges of energy at the child not giving Rellyn's protege' a chance to regroup. As Rinnah walked toward her the girl's eyes widened. Obviously these people only fought on either the physical or mental level but not both at the same time. With grim satisfaction at her discovery mingled with regret over her next action, Rinnah slugged the girl and watched her eyes roll up in her head as she dropped to the floor in a heap.
          Rinnah put her arm against the wall and panted heavily. That took a lot out of her, she was fast approaching exhaustion. She sincerely hoped she wouldn't run into any more of these distractions as she doubted she would be able to fight her way out of any more entanglements.
          She walked haltingly over to the girl and kneeled down next to her. She felt her pulse, it was good and she breathed a thankful sigh of relief. Then she spotted the lock of black in her white hair. Damn. Rinnah heaved a deeper sigh and said softly, "My war is not with children."
          She leaned over and placed her hand on the girl's black streak, closed her eyes and called forth for more. Just this one... more... time... please... more she pleaded. It was reluctant to come but slowly obeyed, flowing sluggishly down her arm and tingling at her fingertips as it left her body. She watched as the black streak turned back to its original color. There. And the child would never know.
          She stood up, swaying dizzily. She took a few deep breaths and leaned her back against the wall. She wasn't surprised to discover herself covered in sweat. A bead of it trickled down her back. Uhhh. She would love a shower about now. Pushing off from the wall, she took a few steps into the hangar bay. The hybrid felt like a drained battery on wobbly knees but found that her legs felt less rubbery with every step she took. She passed several of the Antressla ships but didn't even bother to look at them. She was beyond caring if there were sentries posted or not. Still, she was supremely grateful there weren't any more challenges to her passing by on her way to her personal flyer, the Peapod. Thank you Rachel!
          Rinnah came up to the door hatch and laid her palm on a tile next to it. Even as it took her DNA she spoke the series of commands and passwords that would open the door for her. She stumbled through the hatch and heard it whoosh shut behind her. Then making her way to a second hatch she opened it and stooped through to the second cabin. She made her way to the front and fell back into her chair with a groan of relief. She gave herself permission to shut her eyes and relax for a moment. So much had happened in such a short among of time she was feeling overwhelmed. Rellyn! She groaned and her heart squeezed painfully. Oh Rellyn, how could you? Better to not ever see her twin in person. It would be the pain that would rend her heart asunder. She didn't think she could survive it.
          She sat in her flyer for a while before turning on the back door hookup through her ship's computer. She was glad she had kept this a secret and hadn't shared this little bit of information with Jammer. "Computer. Confirm and status jump."
          "Captain Blackfire, you are confirmed. Clear and authorized. Awaiting orders."
          "Computer. Zin trap unlock and run Firesplash Grim Three Flamelight."
          "Working, accepted. Waiting further command and password."
          She grinned, so close; she was so close now and spoke the string of commands that started the run.
          "Ah Rachel. it hurts all that much more that I will never see you again. But no more blood of relatives on my hands." She vowed.
          Rinnah pulled the cube and vial from her belt pouch and began attaching wires from her console to them. Then she checked the flyers main cabin. She had designed this flyer herself to her specifications. It was two flyers in one really, if one knew how to operate them. Otherwise it looked like an ordinary single ship. She grinned. Rellyn wasn't the only inventor in the family besides their father. Her eyes stung for a moment and she rubbed them. She had lost so much.
          She sat back and closed her eyes. Even hybrids needed some rest and she could relax until the computer alerted her when it was time. A few things had to be set in place by the computer first. Unlike what the comvids portrayed, a small escaping flyer didn't stand a chance of making a break for freedom unless the deck was stacked in escapee's favor. It wouldn't be long now. Her smile widened. She almost wished she could see the look on her twin's face when she found out.

          The Bridge

          Rellyn Blackstock, renegade human or loyal Antresslan, depending on your point of view, paced back and forth across the small space behind the captain's chair. Her fingers itched to pull out her gun and shoot these miserable animals. Fah, but they smelled! Her nose wrinkled and for the umpteenth time she wondered how her twin had managed to survive the stink of this inferior race. Her hand twitched again. She was here only to retrieve, SAVE, her twin blood from this human hell. She tried to breathe through her mouth to lessen the smell of the stink. It didn't work all that well which irritated her even further. However, when she thought about the machinations and manipulations that had led to this glorious day, she had to smile. It had been slow watching the wheels turn within wheels but the day had finally arrived. This would be the day of Rinnah's salvation. She would be brought back to her people, the ones she belonged to. Rellyn had relentlessly and unceasingly worked for this day. Her triumph would be complete.
          She chuckled out loud, not caring that she drew curious stares her way. Little she cared. It would be too late when the humans learned of their blunder. The corners of her mouth turned down. None of the other captured Blackhairs had survived. Only she, Rellyn had, proving her worth and superiority. But when she had learned of Rinnah's newborn wings, it had only added hope and sped up the day of freedom. Her eyes gleamed as she contemplated the reunion with her lost twin. She didn't have the time to meet with her yet although she had tried the link on and off since she had boarded the ship. She was truly puzzled as to why Rinnah hadn't allowed her access. Oh well. It would be rectified in time.
          Rellyn heard a soft ping and turned. Her team had taken over most of the important stations on the bridge, to the growing resentment and hostility of the human crew. She circled the bridge to the ship's com station where a young Antressla male sat. He looked up at her and informed her in a toneless voice, "The Captain has escaped her quarters." Rellyn did not miss the smiles on the faces of the humans at the news. She whipped away so she wouldn't have to see their grins.
          A blaze of anger flared and rose up, overriding her senses. She had told that fool to put her in the brig! "Lock down the hangar bay. She is making her way there! Have my pilots dispatched to their escorts." The humans glared at her but she didn't care. Her tac officer complied relaying the order to her pilots.

          The Peapod

          The computer pinged an alert letting her know that everything was ready. Rinnah opened her eyes and sat up. Looking over at the screen and she saw from the flashing alerts that her escape had been discovered. Even if Rellyn didn't know her whereabouts she would be trying to cut off the hangar bay as a route of escape.
          She heard it then. The hum of mag locks and energy "bungee cords" being engaged around the Antressla ships and the Black Heart's little flyers. She hated doing that but she couldn't risk that one of her own ships would be used in chasing after her, except for Selwyn's flyer. She smiled, it was even smaller than hers, just a racer really. All the ships, except for hers and Selwyn's, were locked down. If they tried to force manual override a series of secret codes would unlock the hidden hangar deck guns and they would blow the flyers to small little ship fragments. Her commands had been set into motion throughout the ship. The only way to counteract them would be to start ripping out the innards of each station, but there was no one place that her program was housed. Even now it was skipping from one part of the ship to another and all the trap programs had been disabled. A wolfish smile touched her lips and her laser blue eyes gleamed in the dim light of the cabin.

          Bridge

          Rellyn slammed her fist against a main routing terminal. Fury caused her eyes to shrink to mere dots, her fingers curled into claws with her lips pulled back away from her teeth.
          "She's escaping! I don't know how but she is!" Rellyn tried to link with her twin again and met with rebuff. She couldn't tell where she was aboard the ship. She knew she was more powerful than Rinnah and was beginning to be perturbed and curious about how Rinnah was able to keep her locked out. Her twin was showing an ability that she really shouldn't have.
          A voice spoke but not directed at her. "Jammer, the hangar bay doors are opening and the Peapod is disembarking." A cheer went up among the human herd. Jammer nodded, conflicting emotions racing through him, but if he was honest with himself he knew he had never lost her because he had never had her in the first place. Still, he grieved and thought at the receding flyer, "Goodbye Rin."
          To say that Rellyn Blackstock was in a towering rage was an understatement. Her limbs were quivering with barely contained fury and she rasped out a command. "Launch escorts! Get her back, NOW!"
          "Ummm,..." began the human navigator as her own team looked at each other and decided to let him break the news to her. "You can't." He supplied with brimming satisfaction and a glint of triumph in his eye. "Your ships are locked down and there is no manual override for what the Captain has done."
          Rellyn was livid. She turned, spinning away from the prying accusing eyes of the human. They did start backing up when they heard a crackle of lightening start snapping around the captain's twin. Breathing jaggedly she turned her flashing gaze to the her computer expert and hissed out. "Fix it now!".
          "You," she turned to Jammer, the electricity still sparking and arcing around her, "She trusted you. You know the codes. Start on the computer and get control back into our hands."
          Jammer nodded and strode over the central computer station ignoring the outraged looks of the other crewmembers. He knew what was going to happen to the Black Heart and that the war had never truly been over. No other human knew, of that he was sure, but now he had only one thought on his mind. To get Selwyn and him off this ship before it was destroyed by the plants.
          He started working and looked up at Rellyn. "I'll need to go down to auxiliary. She's got a block on the bridge. I won't be able to do anything from up here."
          At a curt nod from Rellyn he straightened and walked out the door. He had a suspicion he would find Selwyn in Rinnah's quarters. He knew in what high regard Rinnah held Selwyn. He may be a chameleon traitor but Selwyn was Rinnah's true friend. If he ever met up with the Blackfire again, he did not want the death of the doctor to be between them.

Shell Game
         As her little ship fell in a gentle arc away from the Black Heart, a sense of deep satisfaction welled up within her. Looking out her starboard transglass window she watched with a twinge of loss as the ship's sides, slowly at first and then with gathering speed, flashed past her. But then it began to sink in and a tickle of delight filled her. It had worked! Rinnah had gotten cleanly away without one member of her crew getting killed! That was an accomplishment! She pumped her arm in the air a few times in a victory gesture while uncharacteristically lifting her voice in a joyful ululating cry.
          And now it begins! In her mind's eye she saw the next set of scheduled events beginning. A feral light shone in her eyes causing them to glow like twin blue stars in the dimly lit cabin. One paranoid captain with years of preparation at her back can bring a battle class starship to a screeching halt like no one else could even dream of.
          Her eyes flashed across her command boards, moving rapidly back and forth, absorbing and soaking up the information displayed there. The Black Heart's engines should be coming on line along with the start-up procedures. A chuckle echoed in the small ship. Once that was set into motion internal and external communications would be hit next and it would be a right mess! Try to hail someone in tactical and it would be rerouted to the recreation bay. That was her favorite FUBAR.
          Long-range sensors and all info scans would be a right mess. Rinnah was practically rubbing her hands together in glee just thinking about all the mayhem to come. And, she would've bet the farm that her crew wouldn't be too helpful in getting repairs done quickly.
          The last thing to go would be the short-range scanners catching sight of a small fleeing ship right before they too were comprised. Then with the new course and destination already set in with all weapons locked in stand-down mode; they would soon be flying blind and defenseless, but at least in Earth controlled territory. They should be just fine and when they came to Naval Administrative Moonbase Beta Prime, Rellyn would have some explaining to do.
          Okay Peapod, give me what you got, we've got a date with a hot sun! Rinnah gave the board with the cube and vial a pat and nimbly crossed through the small hatch leading from the cramped cabin over to the main cabin. She laid in the course and the program to go along with it and sat back to buckle herself in. Things were going to get bumpy. She had already put the cube and vial in the first cabin and she was safely ensconced in the main cabin of her ship.
          The Peapod began picking up speed and curved in an arcing trajectory that would bring them winging close to this system's star.

          Meanwhile...

          On the bridge the findings from the sensors were picking up the flight of the small ship and it's targeted goal. Rellyn sucked in air. She wouldn't! She couldn't! Rinnah would fight like a wounded wolf if cornered but not this.... This suicidal fall to a burning end! Rellyn couldn't believe her eyes but the irrefutable proof before her said that the Peapod's course was dead on for the sun.
          "NO!" Rellyn stumbled closer to the front screen. She looked at it with horror and then felt their twin link open to her for the first time in years. She rushed for it, diving into the connection before Rinnah could change her mind.
          "*Rinnah!*" Not even waiting for a greeting, "What do you think you are doing?" With a sick certainly stealing over her, she could feel what Rinnah was planning to do.
          "*Hello Rels!*" Without thinking Rinnah slipped back into using the old nickname and Rellyn could feel the regret, sorrow and low-level fear underneath through the twin-link. "*I know you had Mom and Dad killed and I am willing to bet you threw in Grandma and Aunt Stella just for giggles.*" Bitterness made her mental voice grow hard.
          Rellyn broke in before she could continue, "Not Mother, I swear I didn't! Never one of us!" Unaware she had spoken out loud even as she sent her thoughts to her sister.
          "*Oh gee, that is SUCH a relief! Well all of them mattered to me Rellyn! I loved them all! And I thought you did too... Well, I just want wanted to hear what you had to say on the subject. And when did you become such a monster, eh?*" In a wondering, puzzled tone she mused, "*I sure didn't see it coming. You had me totally fooled and I thought I was the one who knew you the best. Huh. Guess I was wrong. Not that it matters anymore. Well Rellyn, guess what? You get to inherit the family fortune now. And all without having to go to the trouble of killing me off!*"
          Rellyn blurted, sensing the discussion coming to an end. "Rin... RINNAH! Come back! Please! I would never hurt you, nor will I let anyone else hurt you! I have missed you so much..."
          "*Don't bother Rels, just don't even bother because I don't believe it. But I couldn't help it... I did want to hear your voice one last time. Have a pleasant journey.*" And dropped out of the link with an abruptness that took Rellyn's mental breath away.
          "NO! Don't..." she managed to get out as all eyes were drawn to the main view screen. They saw a speck hurtling towards the sun and a bright exploding flash that followed.
          Rellyn felt a stunning emptiness where Rinnah's presence had been since she had stepped foot on the ship. She staggered back in shock to collapse into a chair. Even in the worst scenarios she had entertained it had never ended like this!
          Rellyn became aware of voices raised in excitement and consternation, and she heard the flurry of hands tapping on the main command boards.
          Finally one of her men turned to inform her, "We have a new course entered in, the engines have engaged and we don't have control over any of it. We have been totally locked out and have also lost long-range and short-range sensors."
          Her science officer added to that, "Before sensors cut out we did get confirmation that a ship exploded into the sun and there were traces of Captain Blackfire's' DNA signature aboard before they both were consumed."
          Rellyn narrowed her eyes and said softly to herself, "Well done sister, well done."

Blackfire & Gunsmoke: Chapter 1
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