*mumbles* That Kaz. . . Where's my duct tape. . .



Don't die on me! I'll write, I'll write!



Chapter Eleven-continued



As far as Kroys could tell, whatever that had been stalking him was gone. He could have been sure if he'd probed the area with magic, but he still was too low. He sat, his back against the tree, staring at the fire and trying to figure out when he could get back to his Deep Spacer. (Yeah, I know I blew it up, but HE doesn't know that). So occupied was he in his thoughts that he didn't look up until it was almost too late.

The soft scrape of a drawing sword alerted him to the danger he was in. He looked up, and a figure materialized out of the gloom. It was the grey mercenary, Coppertop, who had successfully blocked his mind probe during the fight. She had her sword out and at the ready, and two more stood just behind her, half-hidden in the shadows. One he recognized as the "traitor" Claw, the one that had fought him the last time. The other, a dangerous-looking brown-furred rabbit who had a blaster at his belt and a sword in his hand, was unknown to Kroys, but he had a feeling he was about to find out.

"Getting bolder, Carrotus scum?" he spat, and the brown rabbit's eyes narrowed angrily. Copper seemed to ignore the insult. "You have forgotten that Claw and I are not from Carrotus, evil one," she reminded him. "For that alone I should let Kovu kill you alone." Kovu? Who was that? Probably the other rabbit. "You have grown braver, enemy. Last I saw you, you had an entire army at your beck and call. If they left you, I congratulate them for their common sense. If not, they will shortly be without a leader, for I have conquered over half of the known galaxies, and a mere mercenary is nothing to me!" Copper's eyes flashed with suppressed anger. "I think not," she said softly, and Claw moved forward slightly, as if anticipating a battle ahead.

Kroys felt a presence ahead. It was very powerful, and he thought that he'd felt it before. An image flitted through his mind: a short grey rabbit with dark leggings, white long-sleeved shirt and black tunic. . . a name surfaced. Ducky?

He drew off of that presence, boosting his power level considerably. Three-quarters power. . . he dared not draw off more, in case she realized what was happening. But he was strong enough to teleport, now. Subtlely he cast a mild calming spell over the trio. "I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid I have pressing engagements elsewhere. Like, say, on the Deep Spacer." He got no further. For what Claw said then stunned him as thoroughly as if he'd been hit on the head with a crowbar. "The Deep Spacer is gone." Admirably, he managed not to let his half-horror half-shock show. "Gone? How do you mean?" Copper answered for him. "He means that we've pressed the self-destruct on your ship." Kroys was shaken. He'd had no idea-! "Then I shall have to have a new base. Say, the Conquerer. It is, you know, the most powerful up to date." Nervously, he watched their reactions. Copper and Claw were glaring at him, Claw flexing his razor-like claws. ()Kovu seemed ready to simply run him through. He hoped the calming spell would work. . .

Abruptly he dramatically swept his hand at the fire, causing it to flare up in a sheet of blue and green flame. When it died down, he was gone.



Alpha awoke in a white room, the sun shining on her face. "Oooh! I feel like my head's in a vice!" ( ) "It is, m'dear. Relax now, I've got to give you this pain-killer."

Later, Alpha learned that she'd taken 143 stitches all together, and that she wasn't expected to pay the hospital bill, which was a relief. There being no suitable hospital in Medivo, she had been transferred to Carrotus. She also learned that the planet had been warned about Kroys, and they were (happily) getting rid of the officials that had been planted there by Kroys. "You'll be going home in about two days," she was told. Then she drifted off into peaceful sleep.



Have you expired yet?