The smoke seemed to grow thicker, with every second Artok stood in the gloom of the corridor, he peered into the dark, looking for the first sign of the approaching creature, his arm twitched nervously with anticipation and his breathing grew heavier, and louder. Something moved, Artok stepped forward and opened fire, his rifle poured shot, upon shot, into the dark, smokey corridor, illuminating tiny parts of it as the blasts hit nothing but air, Artok twitched nervously as he stepped forwards anxiously, as he did, the creature burst through the glass behind him, and landed exactly where he had been standing a few moments ago, Artok swung round and tried to take aim, the creature was too quick and swiped it’s intact arm making contact with Artok’s rifle, sending it flying out his hand and down the corridor behind him. Artok took a step back and looked his foe dead in the eyes, he knew this creature, it had several blast marks across it’s chest, and was missing both it’s claw like arms, it’s other arm wasn’t in too better shape, but it was still a lethal weapon, the creature limped forwards, it’s jaws opened wide and gave out a terrifying trill of excitement. Artok clenched his fists and moved into a combat pose, he was ready. With out warning the creature leapt forward, Artok leapt to one side, out the way of the creature, as it hit the floor, where Artok had been standing, Artok threw his first punch, a strong right hook, which made contact with the creatures face, a blow so powerful, it sent the creature slumping into the wall, Artok stepped forwards towards the creature. The creature pushed it’s self off the wall and threw a punch of it’s own, Artok ducked and the blow sailed harmlessly over his head, Artok gritted his teeth, and on his way up from his duck, threw a powerful left punch into the creatures abdomen, it yelled out in pain. It moved to strike Artok as it’s arm was coming back from it’s initial strike, Artok raised his arm and blocked it, and using his free arm delivered a heavy uppercut to the creature, sending it slumping back against the wall again, Artok moved in for the kill, he launched blow after blow to the creature. Artok pulled his right fist back, and was about to deliver a killer punch, when the creature, in desperation, more than any thing, flailed out with it’s leg, striking Artok in the left knee, he yelled in pain, as he dropped to one leg, the creature, visibly injured from the barrage of blows Artok had just delivered flailed out with it’s right arm and slapped Artok firmly across the face, sending him sliding down the corridor. A large gash had opened on Artok’s face and a slimy looking green blood oozed from it. He crawled down the corridor, away from the creature, and slumped against the glass wall. The creature stammered to it’s feet, staggering from one side of the corridor to another, as it tried to approach Artok, who appeared to be a spent force as he struggled to even stay conscious, far less get to his feet. As the creature approached, it seemed to get it’s bearings back more and more, it trilled loudly as it approached, a seemingly unconscious, Artok. But Artok was faking it, as the creature committed it’s self to the killer attack, Artok opened his eyes and pulled his rifle, which he had crawled over to, from behind his back, “Remember this!” He sneered viciously as he pointed the barrel at the, now airborne, creatures face. He quickly pulled the trigger, several shots blasted from the rifle, blowing the creatures head off, and sending a sickening white goo, all over Artok. The remains of the creature were thrown backwards with the force of the shots and slumped against the wall, before slowly sliding down, leaving a trail of the white goo.

Artok clambered back to his feet and shook of the effects of the blow the creature had delivered,
“Artok?” Franks voice boomed in Artok’s ear, “Are you there?”
Artok smiled happily as he took a quick look at the twitching, decapitated, body of the creature, “Yeah, I’m here!” He said coolly, as he ran towards the blast door,
“Is it...?”
“Dead! Yeah!” He replied proudly “I’m on my way! Where are you?”
“I’m just reaching the hanger!” Frank said, as he approached the open door to the main hanger,
“Good, get the ship ready!” Artok said as he started to work on the controls to the door, “In a small hidden compartment under the tactical console you’ll find a small thin key pad!”
“Where about on the console?”
“Just under the main console!” Artok sighed as he struggled to reopen the door,
“Yeah okay! Then what?”
“Then….” Artok paused, he looked back into the corridor nervously, he trained his rifle into the open space,
“Artok?” Frank yelled,
“Shhh!” Artok snapped as he listened attentively to the silence,
Frank stopped at the entrance to the hanger and looked down the corridor, “What is it?” He whispered,
“I, think….” Artok paused, “Enter the four digit code….” Artok paused again, “8….3….” A long, arduous pause insured,
“Artok?” Frank said questioningly,
“CRAP!” Artok yelled suddenly, the sound of weapon blasts rang in Franks ear, “831….” The last digit was obscured by the trill of the last creature,
“I didn’t get the last….” Frank started to say, when the chilling sound of Artok groaning in pain rang in Franks ear,
“Get…..” Artok spluttered, “Get out….Of….Here!” He spluttered, before the transmitter went dead,
“Artok!” Frank yelled loudly as he made a lunge back into the corridor, before he could move in, common sense took over, “No!” He croaked in anger, “Get out!” He added, before taking a step back onto the hanger and pushing the ‘Close‘ button on the door controls.

Frank took a deep breath, before turning to face the cargo entrance to the group’s ship, The main hanger had appeared to keep all it’s power, and the door was wide open, only the magnetic force field held the atmosphere in the bay, Terouln stood watch at the base of the ship, and when he saw Frank approaching stepped of the ramp and moved towards him,
“What’s our condition?” Frank yelled as he approached him,
“Frank!” Terouln said in relief, “We weren’t sure if you’d….”
“I’m fine!” Frank panted as he stopped in front of Terouln,
“What about…”
Frank shook his head solemnly, “He took out one of the creatures, but the other one got him, listen we need….”
“Frank!” Susan yelled ecstatically, as she ran down the ramp and launched her self at him, grabbing hold of him in a tight hug,
“Nice to see you too!” Frank said happily as he returned the hug, “How are we doing?” He asked, more seriously, as Susan let him go,
“We’re Okay!” Susan said, “You’ll never guess what!” She added excitedly,
Frank looked at her blankly and shrugged his shoulders, “I won the Million credit jackpot?” He smirked sarcastically,
“No!” Susan said smirking, “Malktik’s still alive!”
“Really?” Frank replied in amazement,
“Yeah, he’s badly injured, but he’s okay!”
“Are we ready to launch?” Frank asked nervously,
“No! The ships held down by a set of magnetic locks!” Susan said as she pointed at some clamps that went over the ships landing legs, “There’s a control panel up there!” She added, pointing at a control booth, which sat one floor above the main hanger floor, “Good you’ve still got that ear piece!” She said pointing at Frank’s ear piece, “Go up and Golgi will give you further instructions!”
“I’ll come with you!” Terouln said determinedly,
“Okay!” Frank said agreeably as he looked at Terouln, who turned and started to move towards an opening in the bay below the control booth, “Susan!” He said suddenly,
“Yes?” Susan asked curiously,
“Go to the bridge, look for a small key pad, it’ll be in a small compartment under the main tactical bay.” Frank paused as he thought about the code, “You’ll have to enter a four digit code….”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“That’s the problem! I’ve only three numbers, 831! You’ll have to just try every number.”
“Okay! What’ll it do?”
“Kill the last creature!” Frank said smugly, before running after Terouln towards the control booth.

Frank ran up the stairs leading to the control booth, “Golgi?”
“Frank, can you hear me okay?” The crackled voice of Golgi sounded in his ear,
“Yeah!” He replied, as he ran into the control booth. It was a fairly unremarkable long, narrow room, just about what you would expect from the main launch control room, a large glass window over looked the hanger, and computer terminals lined the wall directly in front of it, as well as all along the walls to Franks right, Terouln, who had ran on ahead of Frank, was standing at the glass window, overlooking the hanger, “Where do you want me?” Frank asked,
“Go to the terminal marked, launch control.”
Frank moved over to the first terminal, and started looking for the ‘Launch control’ Terminal, “No….No…Got you!” Frank said as he threw himself into the seat directly in front of the small computer terminal, “What now?” He asked, as the terminal flashed aimlessly at him,
“First, push the terminal activation button!”
Frank hummed, as he scanned the screen, “I can’t see one!”
“Top right!” Golgi yelled angrily,
“Oh right!” Frank sighed, before pushing the button, the terminal screen went black, before launching into a new screen, several options appeared on the screen, “Which button?”
“Push the ‘Launch control’ button….”
“Done!” He said as he pushed the button,
“Now select the ‘Launch pads’ option….”
“Done!”
“Right, a plan of the hanger, should have appeared…”
“Yup.”
“Look for our ship….” Frank scanned the, large image that was on the screen in front of him, “Got it!” He said, pushing the symbol, that represented the ship, the screen faded out, before being replaced by an image of the ship, some technical specifications and a general status report,
“Look at the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a button to release the clamps….”
“Yup!” Frank said,
“What was that?” Terouln attentively said as he moved over beside Frank,
“What I didn’t hear anything!”
“Quiet!” Terouln said nervously, as he raised his rifle towards the closed door and approached slowly,
“What’s going on?” The anxious voice of Golgi yelled in Frank’s ear,
“Just a second!” Frank replied quietly, as he stood up, and undid the safety catch on his pistol holsters,
Terouln approached the door cautiously, his teeth gritted, his hands shook nervously as he reached out to push the ‘Open’ button on the door control panel. The door hissed and flew open quickly, Terouln poked his rifle out into the hall, “Nothing!” He sighed with relief, before turning back to Frank with a relieved smile on his face,
Frank relaxed, his shoulders dropped, as he le
t the deep breath he had taken a moment ago out, “Terouln!” He yelled, as he tensed up again, “Look Out!” He added loudly, as he went to draw his pistols, Terouln glanced back into the corridor, the last creature, sprang into the room behind him and raised it’s claw’s to strike him, Terouln’s eyes bulged with fear as he threw him self forward to avoid the flailing claw’s, it worked, he slumped to the ground next to the glass window’s, still in one piece, Frank pulled his pistols out quickly, and took aim, he opened fire, the creature moved too quickly, and sprung forward towards him, Terouln leapt to his feet and started firing his rifle, each shot missing the target and striking the computer terminals that ran along the opposite wall, sparks flew from them as they blew up, in one bound, the creature changed direction, it was more interested in Terouln, Frank remained firing, but the creature landed next to Terouln and swiped with it’s right arm, slapping him in the face and sending him, back flying through the toughened safety glass that separated the control room from the hanger, Frank’s face turned white, as the creature turned to him, before it could react, Frank walloped the button to release the clamps on the control panel, the large clamps, that were holding the ship in place flipped open. The creature lunged forward and as it was about to launch a blow on Frank, he rolled under it’s flailing arms and sprung to his feet behind it, raising his pistols opened fire, striking the creature several times in the back, the creature swung round hitting Frank in the face with the out side of it’s right hand. Frank groaned with pain as he was launched through the window hole and into the hanger.

Frank landed on the ground, shoulder first, with a bone crunching thud, he moaned in agony as his momentum rolled him along the hanger floor and towards the ship, “Ohhhhh!” Frank groaned, “That’s going to hurt in the morning!” He added as he cradled his shoulder, he looked up, the creature leapt from the control room, and landed only a dozen or so feet from him, he’d lost all but one of his pistols in the fall, his other pistol had slip towards to the ship, but one was enough for Frank, he raised it and started firing, as he crawled backwards away from the creature,
“Frank!” The voice of Susan yelled from behind him, as the creature reeled from several of his shot’s that made contact,
“Susan! Did you find it….”
“I’ve got it!” She shouted as she held the small key pad up,
“Well for goodness sake use it!”
“Oh right!” Susan stammered nervously,
Frank continued to fire, but the creature leapt out the way of each shot and pounced towards him.
“….8311!” Susan yelled as she hit the key pad frantically,
The creature continued, it leapt on top of Frank and swiped his pistol from his hand, sending it flying away, Frank looked up, the creature raised it’s left arm and prepared to strike him, Frank reacted quickly and grabbed hold of it’s, cold, arms,
“….2!” Susan yelled as she entered another code,
The creature opened its large gapping mouth and yelled viciously at Frank, as it raised its claws to deliver a killer blow,
“….3!”
Frank took a deep breath as he stared the creature in its red, glowing eyes,
“….4!”
The creature stopped, its head shook violently, as its eyes rolled back in its head. Its arms became limp and its two large claws fell down, impaling them self’s in a small clump of Frank’s hair on either side of his head “Woh!” Frank exclaimed as the weight of the creature slumped down on top of his body.

Susan ran towards the body of Frank and the creature quickly, “Frank!” She yelled tearfully, “Are you okay!” She added as she shoved the creatures’ corpse off Frank,
“I don’t know, am I all here!” Frank said, grinning widely,
“Do you want my medical opinion?” Susan said as he worked his hair loose from the creatures’ claws,
“Ouch!” Frank exclaimed as she pulled out a little hair,
“Wimp!” She joked as she pulled him to his feet, “I think you’ve broken a couple of ribs, I don't like the look of that shoulder but other than that…!”
Frank moved towards the control booth and picked up one of his pistols,
“CRAP!” Susan yelled loudly,
Frank spun round, raising his pistol in anticipation, “What!” He yelled anxiously,
“I should have said some thing cool!”
“What??” Frank exclaimed,
“You know!” Susan said as she picked up franks other pistol, “When I pressed the button and killed the creature, I should have said some kind of smart line!”
Frank smiled as he slotted his pistol back in his holster, “I’ll tell you what…” He said as he approached Susan, “You think of what you should have said…. Let me know, and I’ll tell people you said it!”
Susan smiled, “You’d do that for me?” She asked, jokingly, as she handed Frank his pistol back,
“You just saved my life, right now, if it was possible, I’d have your children!” Frank grinned widely,
Before Susan could answer a faint groan, sounded from behind a large storage box, close to the broken fragments of the glass Terouln had been thrown through, Frank and Susan ran quickly over and peered behind the box, Terouln lay, bloody and brushed, but still alive, reeling in agony on the ground,
“Terouln!” Susan said, as she moved round the box and quickly inspected him, “He’s okay!” She said looking up at Frank, “Give me a hand!”
Frank leaned over and pulled Terouln up and started to help him back to the ship,
“Frank, where the hell are you!” The angry voice of Anna yelled in his ear,
“On our way, get the ship ready to launch!” Frank groaned, as he struggled to drag Terouln to the ship,
“It’s ready!” Anna shouted angrily,
“How long….”
“Less than five minutes!”
Frank and Susan dragged Terouln up the ramp,
“Frank! Get to the bridge!” Susan said as she thumped the large ramp close button,
“What about…”
“I’ll manage!” Susan said reassuringly,
“I’m not too bad!” Terouln groaned agreeably,
Frank smiled as he passed Terouln over to Susan, before turning and leaping onto the ladder leading to engineering.

Frank ran onto the bridge, Anna was standing over Golgi’s shoulder, who was busy working away at the navigation terminal, “Hey guys!” He groaned painfully as he slumped into the pilots’ seat,
“Frank, you should have flight control, get us the hell out of here!” Anna snapped,
“With pleasure!” He said before firing up the engines. The ship took off, he pushed the button to retract the feet, and lined the ship up with the exit, and with one push of the control panel, the ship leapt into open space, “I hate to ask! But how are we going to out run the shock wave?” Frank asked nervously,
“It’s simple!” Golgi said, as he worked away at the navigation computer, “That ship is the main router for the dampening field in this sector, when it blows up, it’ll take the redundant back up system ten minutes to reinitiate the field!”
Frank shook his head questioningly, “I don’t see how that’ll help us, there’s no way we’re going to have time to set coordinates before we get blown up!”
“Nope!” Anna said as she sat down in her seat,
“What do you mean no?”
“We’ve hot wired the navigation system, as soon as the field goes down, we’re going to jump to slip for an eight second burst, before dropping out, setting coordinates out of these fields, and getting as far away as possible!”
“Will it work?” Frank asked morbidly,
“Yes!” Golgi said confidently, “But…”
“NO!” Frank yelled, “No more buts, I’m happy being ignorant this time!”
Anna smiled, “When I tell you to jump….”
“I understand!” Frank said understandingly, “How long?”
“Ten seconds….” Golgi replied nervously, “Five….Four….Three…Charging the slip engines!” the engines left their bays and started to glow, ever brighter as the charged, “It’s gone!” Golgi yelled.
The pirate ship started to implode, first there were a series of smaller explosions, before a huge blast blew the ship into trillions of tiny fragments, a huge shockwave, threw it’s self from the blast in all directions,
“How long before the blast gets here?” Anna asked, as the first, weaker shockwaves passed by the ship, bouncing the crew around in their seats, “Seven…Six…Five…The slip drives ready!” Golgi yelled,
“FRANK!”
Frank looked at his consol, the ‘Slip’ button lit up, he took a deep breath, and thumped the button as firmly as he could. The ship’s engines roared in to life, screaming loudly, as the ship burst into the slip corridor, out the path of the shockwave, and out of danger.

For now…