Ack, my fingers are all dirty because I was cleaning all day. . . what IS that letter on my keyboard? Anyhow, I'll continue. I didn't have much time yesterday.



Chapter Sixteen -The Jungles of Firen



It was a wet and miserable day on Firen. The rain came down in a fine drizzle, and although the sun still shone brightly (it was rarely cloudy on Firen) and the rainforests were illuminated in a diamond glow, it was, by Firenzev standards, a very rainy day.

The grey Firenzev Braedar switched his black-tipped tail in annoyance as he watched the rain fall. By noon he had to be out there, hunting and exploring with his sister Orilina, and searching the mountain trails once more in case they had missed any sign of his brother.

Zanzibar. The very name sent a spike of guilt through his thoughts, and Rroyvan wearily paced the small shelter. His parents had refused to believe that Zanzibar had probably been "lost" out in the galaxies; they were convinced that he was somewhere on Firen. But he was nowhere to be found.

When Rroyvan had returned from Tubelectric, where he had met with his brother, with news of Vorsyelvo's death and his brother's vow to get vengeance, the family had been properly worried. Yet his mother and father had implied that it was something that would pass. Rroyvan knew better. Zanzibar would not return until he had his revenge, and had paid blood for blood.



"In the next room." Claw nodded. Copper practically exploded.

"You-you-you- dimwit! You absolute dork! What is wrong with you? Why didn't you tell me? I -"

"Ought to shut up and listen," Claw interrupted. "He could hear us." Copper gave him a look of utter disbelief.

"Then we really should leave and finish up getting those slaves, shouldn't we? And we really should hurry." Copper sighed and moved forward to exit the junction of halls. Claw snagged her shirt with one of his namesakes, and she gave him a look filled with pure annoyance and irritation.

"Let me go, you over-grown stalactite," she growled in exasperation, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. His eyes narrowed, and a flash of temper wound its way through the caution and compliance that he'd donned since meeting her.

"Shut up. We have to get out of here, and we have to do it soon. So LET'S GET LOST, shall we?" Her eyes snapped, but she nodded finally. As she turned to go, a soft pop filled the air, and a slightly dazed Grath appeared. A warp swirled behind him.

"Copper, Claw? Why is everything whirling?" Copper sniffed and brushed her stubborn hair back.

"You just warped, Grath. What's up?"

"We've got to go."



Kroys clenched his fists, trying to remind himself that losing his temper would only be trouble. His first coherent thought was of totally obliterating the place, and his next was to simply resist the summons to go. He dismissed both ideas as quickly as they came, and was shocked to realize why. He was curious. Curiousity was not something that he'd ever had, but he desired to know just what the place was. . . He returned swiftly to his command room. There was still a fleet of Star Destroyers to be commanded. . .