Compete, with Kovu? I don't think so. . . but it's nice to know that I have some fans!



(I assume you've met Ducky before in stories, Kove)



Chapter Eleven-No name yet, but I'm thinking!



The rain swept across the land like a grey curtain, pouring down unceacingly. But as it enveloped the Assassin, the deluge was the least of Blacksheep, Grath, Wild Angel and the others' worries. Aboard the Assassin, consternation reigned. (I love that saying!) "Grath, you're sure that Shinyso and Ducky went with her?" Emerald was asking for the 7th time, and also for the 7th time Grath said "yes." Claw was as relaxed as he could ever be, although he still wasn't quite certain that they were safe in the rain. Characteristically, he was keeping his observations to himself, and as yet he hadn't told anyone about the note in the control room. He knew where the trio had gone. He stood in the shadows, casually leaning up against the wall, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, watching the by-now annoyed Grath answering Emerald's questions. He had decided when he had found the note that he wasn't going to say anything unless asked, and waiting was something he did best. . .



Kovu stopped dead. "Ducky?! What're you doing here?" Ducky seemed equally surprised. "I could ask you the same thing, Kove. Copper decided to do some 'under-rain' (rather than 'under-cover');tracking with Shinyso and I. I suppose that you were the one she saw in the brush?" Kovu shrugged. "I dunno. Is she the grey rabbit?" "Yes." "Then it probably was me. No, don't," he hissed as she turned to call her friends. "That guy, Kroys, he's sitting just behind that tree, he doesn't know I'm here." An angry, musical voice interjected. "Kroys? Here?" The tall grey rabbit came into veiw as she stepped out from the shadows. Kovu blinked. "Yeah, why?" The rabbit ignored him. "He escaped once, he won't do it again," she growled, and gripped her sword tightly. Then she seemed to suddenly notice Kovu. "Who're you?" Her eyes flicked to his sword hilt and blaster. "M'name's Kovu," he offered, omitting the surname. She looked mildly surprised and impressed. "Kovu? Ducky's mentioned you once or twice, I think. I'm Coppertop." "Fearless fighter, angry avenger and merciless mercenary," a dry voice interjected. A black rabbit trotted out of the trees, and Ducky grinned. "Don't you mean 'merciless marauder,' Shinyso?" The black rabbit returned the grin and shook his head. "Nah, mercenary, marauder, who cares." Coppertop wasn't listening. Her dark eyes had a spark in them as she gazed at the tree that hid Kroys, and she calculated what the best angle of attack would be. Kovu watched her. "What's her grudge against Kroys?" he asked Ducky. She shrugged. "Not sure. I think he killed her family, and he mounted an attack on her. That's where she met Claw. She won't stand an insult, y'know, and I think that his enslaving of rabbits and earlier escape really got her mad." Kovu nodded and glanced back at the mercenary. "Guess I'd better watch my step, then," he replied, and Ducky nodded. Copper suddenly stood and drew her sword. Kovu was surprised by the mirrored blade; usually swords had steel blades, not silver mirror. It wasn't stained with blood like some he'd seen, and she held it with the ease that comes with proficiency, the same ease with which he held his blade. She had a defiant look in her eyes as she spoke. "Come on. He's not getting away this time."



Alpha was close to the point of collapse when she finally spotted lights in the distance. The glimpse of civilization gave her new resolve and strength, and she managed to make it to the Refueling Station.

It wasn't deserted. The next shuttle, coming back from Medivo, was fueling up when she reached it, and the pilot was horrified by the state she was in.

Alpha was practically unrecognizable. Although she had been red to begin with, her blood had turned her fur a dark, almost burgandy. Her leg was worse than she had thought; she could see the gleam of white bone- and splinters of it. She had over a dozen lacerations on her body from shards of flying glass, and her paw was pierced through with a sliver of steel. She had a concussion, which explained her headache, and a gash just below her right ear that travelled on across her forehead. She was seeing double and had mild hypothermia, yet despite all of this she had walked over ten miles -on a shattered leg- to reach the Station. So it was understandable that after she had told them roughly where the Medivo-bound shuttle had crashed, she swayed as though in a high wind- and promptly fallen onto the floor, unconscious.



Poor Alpha. Don't worry, she'll make it, no serious problems except for the loss of blood. I really shouldn't tell you this, but the searchers had no trouble finding the wreck. Y'know why? Because Alpha left a trail of blood the entire way.



I forget. Did I crash the Deep Spacer yet?