Chapter Three
by Sarcastro

"Well it's a long story probably take a lot of time." Frank said with a wry smile.

"Ha ha, real funny. Time is...", replied Gaal.

"Yea yea, I know. Well I booked passage from Center to the UWW on this real funky little ship, called the Stick In the Eye or some such nonsense, when we wandered a little too close to one of the Sploogie planets on the way. We're this close," Frank motioned with his fingers, "to getting blasted back to the stone age by a Dragon Dreadnought."

"AND?", Gaal asked excitedly. "What did ya do?"

"I bailed," Frank replied matter of factly. "High tailed it out there to the planet below, thanks to a little dimensional portal I was able to whip up."

"What about the ship?"

"Beats me, could be space wreckage for all I care."

"But what about the gem?!"

"Well this planet is where the gem came in. So anyway..."
v "WHOA!", Gaal exclaimed as he saw the brunette waltz over from the bar to pull up a chair at their table.

Frank put the gem back in his backpack and scooted over to allow more room for the woman.

"Hello," Corrina said. "I'm looking for a way off of this continent. You two gentleman came highly recommended. I'm more than willing to pay once I get where I'm going," she said with a forced smile.

'God, this is awful," Corrina thought, 'but it might be my only chance and that gem could be my ticket out of here. Another one of Jacko's flunkies was probably on his way here after the Hyperion didn't report back. Just keep playing along until you get your chance.' The thought of escape brought on a true smile to Corrina.

"Gaal my friend, you might want to close your mouth before a fly goes in."

Gaal unconsciously closed his mouth but still stared at the girl.

"You'll have to excuse my comrade here. He's not used to such a beacon of light as yourself in a place such as...this." Frank said as he waved his hand around the bar. "What did you say your name was?"