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Stuck in this horrid embrace, Davage knew he only had moments to act. Lighting up, he Sighted the Black Hat fully in his gaze. As before, the Black Hat stopped what she was doing and stared at his eyes, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. He could feel the power of the Shadow tech falter a bit.

The Black Hat gasped.

With a whistling crack, he slammed his CARG down on her wrist with a non-cutting blow, shattering it and her forearm as well. She screamed in agony and released him.

Whirling around, Davage, with full Strength, laid a double back-fist to the side of her face and temple. What might people say, he wondered, hitting this tiny woman with a full strength blow that he wouldn't feel good using on a much bigger, tougher person, like Kilos?

Still, he had to be sure; he needed this Black Hat out of the picture.

She fell in a heap and did not stir. Saddling his CARG, Captain Davage stood triumphant over her—not in recent memory had a Black Hat been defeated in battle by any other than a Sister.

Looking down, he Sighted: heart rate and blood pressure greatly reduced, breathing shallow—she was unconscious, no faking. Her right arm was a disaster, he noted with a bit of shame. More alarmingly, he saw her head was in bad shape. Her skull was cracked, her temple was bleeding internally, and her jaw was broken. She would need medical attention and soon.

"I am so very sorry, ma'am," he said, gently picking her up. "I hope you will forgive me later."

He took a moment to survey the situation. Most of the dark forces in the immediate area were still focused on the Silver Temple in the distance. They clamored up its sides and pounded on it with huge black fists. Many of the Black Hats were concentrating on controlling their creations—concentrating on the attack.

He looked back to the shattered buildings beyond that the Black Hat had destroyed, soot, smoke of crushed stone. He saw no survivors in the wreckage. Such was life in a Xaphan city, standing tall one moment, wreckage the next.

So, here he was, ignored for the moment, in Metatron. What should his next course of action be? He knew the
Seeker
, with its spine broken, needed to dry dock for repairs. It could not re-enter the atmosphere without breaking in two. They could send a landing force in ripcars, but that will be dangerous, and the Black Hats will pick them off en mass. What they should do is patch up and Stellar Mach to a nearby outpost—Fretlocke would do nicely. There, they could call in a fleet and return battle ready—Arrow Shot, Marines, Sisters, the whole works.

He guessed such an activity will take two, possibly three days.

He scanned the bleak amber sky …

He looked down at the tiny Black Hat, the lady he had almost killed in battle. He wondered if she had that long.

Far away, Shadow tech blasts rocked off of the Silver Temple.

* * * * *

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't knock every damn tooth out of your mouth right now!" Sygillis yelled.

She was standing in Davage's office. Kilos sat behind his desk, a load of report viewers in front of her awaiting signature. The Com panel was lighting up. Kilos was busy tapping buttons.

"Lieutenant, Engineering," a voice came, "We are 97 percent positive containment."

"I want 100 percent within the hour," Kilos barked.

"Aye, ma'am!"

Kilos looked up from her work at Sygillis, annoyed. "So you want to fight, do you? Back to the gym for another go? If I wasn't so busy, I'd take you up on it. I feel like hitting something right now."

"How could you?
How could you leave him?
" Syg shrieked.

"I had my orders. They were clear."

The Com again. "Lieutenant, Navigation. We are listing hard a-port and venting."

"Containment will be restored within the hour. I want a counter flood to compensate, mark fifteen of 4:00 AM, understood?"

"Aye, Lieutenant! We are moving .25 percent Stellar Mach away from the Mirendra theatre and stable only in the positive."

"Maintain bearing and slow once Engineering has effected re-spar."

Sygillis, losing patience, slammed her fist down hard on the desk—it shuddered. The Com jumped.

Kilos stood up. "I disobeyed him once. I swore I'd never do it again. He ordered his ship made safe, his crew. I carried his orders out; otherwise we'd be sunk."

"When will we be returning to Metatron to rescue him?"

The Com again. "Lieutenant, Boatswain's Mate. Ma'am—we are losing life support on Deck 10, section seven. Too many breaches!"

"Evacuate the area and seal."

"Aye!"

Kilos turned back to Syg. "We're not. We'll be taking Stellar Mach to a convenient outpost once we're resparred. I recon Outpost 77 at Fretlocke is the best choice. There we'll call in a—"

Sygillis seethed with frustration. "So, you're a gutless coward are you, Ki?" Syg said curtly.

That was it—she had had it. Kilos threw down the report she was holding.

"
DON'T YOU—DON'T YOU … FOR ONE MOMENT! HE IS MY CAPTAIN, MY MENTOR … MY DEAREST FRIEND … AND FOR A HELL OF A LOT LONGER THAN YOU'VE BEEN AROUND! HE'S SAVED MY LIFE MORE TIMES THAN I CAN RECALL!"

Kilos took off her Marine coat.
"IF YOU'D LIKE TO FIGHT, SYG, WHY BOTHER WITH THE GYM … RIGHT HERE SUITS ME FINE!"

Sygillis threw her blue shawl aside and kicked off her sandals. She lifted her fists and assumed a fighting stance.

They began to circle.

The door chimed and came open. Ennez walked in.

"Lieutenant Kilos," he said, "I've got a problem needing tending, immediately," the popcorn-haired Hospitaler said.

"Not now, Ennez," Kilos snarled.

"Yes, now," he said. He stepped aside, and with a gentle motion, pulled Helmsman Saari into the office.

Saari was a wreck, crying in wracking spasms, her face red and puffy, her blue hair a tangle.

Kilos looked at Saari. She remembered her struggling at the helm right before Dav got sucked out. "What is this?" she asked Ennez.

"Lieutenant, you need to talk to her," he said.

"I'm busy …" she said looking at Syg, wanting to sock her one.

Ennez stared at her hard. He wasn't going anywhere; she could see that. She sighed.

"Crewman!" Kilos said "You are at attention. Snap to!"

Slowly, Saari came to attention, tears streaming down her face onto her Fleet crewman's uniform, a simple white shirt, black, stripeless pants, and black boots.

"That's a bit better," Kilos said. "Now, what's this all about?"

Saari, lips trembling, spoke. "My fault … my fault … My fault he's gone. I couldn't … I couldn't turn the wheel … I didn't understand …"

Kilos looked at Saari, and her hard, angry heart softened a bit. Davage had given her an order, and she couldn't carry it out. Now the ship was smashed, now he was gone, and the guilt was consuming her.

What would Dav do … what would he say? Here was Helmsman Saari, a green kid from a Science Ministry family, a basketcase because she couldn't fly the ship like Dav could, and since Ennez was here, she was probably suicidal.

What would Dav say? Frankly, she had no idea.

Kilos thought a moment.

"Crewman, how long have you been a helmsman?"

"T-two years, Lieutenant," she sobbed.

"And if I am correct, you are of the House Fallz? The Lady Branna is your mother, yes? Lady Branna of the Science Ministry?"

"Yes …"

"Indeed, I can see her face in you. A fine Science Ministry line. Why are you a Fleet helmsman and not an understudy in the Ministry, if I may ask?"

"Be … because my mother told me of the Battle of Mirendra 3. She told me stories of Captain Davage and how he flew. I wanted to do that … I wanted to fly like he does. I wanted to turn the wheel."

"Crewman, Captain Davage has been turning that wheel for over a hundred years. He can do things with it that none, besides himself, could ever hope to perform."

"I … I … I failed him … I failed the ship."

"I seem to recall that you successfully followed all of my subsequent commands."

Saari sniffled and listened.

"I seem to recall that you flew the ship out of the atmosphere with a broken back and with enemy ships all about. That's no small task. If there is blame to be handed out, then blame Captain Davage. He always tries for the clean escape, the impossible maneuver that nobody other than he could perform, and he should have ordered you something more manageable and accepted the glancing blow."

Saari seemed to cheer a bit.

"And I will be depending on you when we return to Ergos."

"Return?"

"Of course. We need to save Captain Davage, don't we? You don't want to leave him there in Metatron, do you?"

"He's not dead?" she said, hope glittering into her voice.

"Of course he's not dead; don't be silly. What's a long fall to a Blue Lord who can Waft? He's probably creating so much chaos down there right now that they'll be glad to be rid of him once we effect his rescue. And just imagine his pride as he looks up into the sky and sees the
Seeker
soaring into view, to his aid … with you at its helm. He's going to want to know who that fine pilot was, and I will be happy to tell him."

Saari wiped her face. "I … I will be ready, ma'am. You can count on me."

Kilos smiled. "Your mother will be most proud. Now, go freshen up, agreed?"

"Aye, Lieutenant!"

Ennez nodded and followed her out.

Kilos sighed and sat down on the edge of her desk. She wiped a tear from her face.

Sygillis approached and sat next to her, her bare feet dangling where Ki's firmly touched the ground.

They sat in silence for a while.

"I'm … I'm sorry, Ki," Syg said quietly after a moment. "I didn't mean to be so angry … to add to your troubles."

"You needn't apologize, Syg. You simply want him back as much as I do. It's frustrating, it's maddening, knowing he's down there, all alone, struggling for survival."

Her Com began chattering again. Kilos looked back at it. "I can't do this … He makes it look so damn easy."

"You did an excellent job with the Helmsman just now. And like you pointed out to her, he's been at this for a good long while."

"I suppose so. Thank you. Look, why don't you head to your quarters and get some rest. I'll call if anything comes up."

Syg choked up and began crying into her hands. "I can't go to my quarters—because he won't be there."

Kilos put her arm around Syg, and they sat in silence for another moment.

"So, what are we going to do?" Syg asked. "How are we going to get him back?"

"I don't know. Everything I previously told you is true … our back is broken, we need support. We can't save him in our current condition. We might need rescuing ourselves if we lose anymore systems."

"What's broken, what needs fixing? Tell me."

"We've got broken containment everywhere, we're listing a-starboard, we've rocketed out of the system, out of control for the most part, and our main spar is snapped clean in two. We can't make sail and navigate without tearing ourselves apart."

"Well, I do not rightly know what you just said, but maybe I can help."

"How so? Are you wanting to became a boatswain now?"

"No, no—I don't know what that is, but show me what needs fixing and I will repair it."

Kilos looked at Syg. "And how are you going to—"

Sygillis lifted her left hand and made a halo of Silver tech.

"Come on," she said jumping off the desk, "let's fix this ship and let's save Dav!"

* * * * *

Davage had taken the fallen Black Hat and hidden in a dark alcove between two dismal buildings. There, in momentary safety, he removed her black sash. Her face was small and serene. She almost appeared to be asleep, her little mole standing out in the dim light. He noted the Shadowmark around her right eye was a very different shape than Syg's, softer and more gentle. He found a tuberous piece of Ergos nearby and splinted her arm with it.

He carefully removed the horrible Dora shoes and threw them aside. Her feet were certainly swollen, but they were in no way as bad as Syg's feet were. He tore some strips of cloth from her robe and wrapped her feet as best he could.

When he finished, he noticed she had regained consciousness. She looked at him not with the evil, murderous gaze that Syg had, but with small, fearful eyes.

She looked terrified. A Black Hat scared?

"Please, ma'am," he said as he worked. "Rest easy."

"My head, my arm …" she said, lisping slightly, her jaw broken.

Davage took her by her good hand. "Don't try to move. Your arm is broken, and I've hurt your jaw. I am sorry. I will get you medical attention as soon as I am able to do so, I promise. I will not abandon you."

"You … faced me in battle. You defeated me. You bathed me in a strange light. Why am I still alive?" Her little mole stood out on her face.

Davage, ever ready to draw his CARG should it be needed, stroked her sweaty brown hair. "This might seem a bit odd to you, ma'am, but I am trying to help you."

"Help me?"

"Yes. I am sorry I had to do what I did to you. Perhaps someday you will see fit to forgive me. I look forward to that day."

He wiped the sweat from her brow. "What is your name?"

"B-Bethrael of Moane."

He was quite shocked at how compliant and forthcoming she was. Maybe, as Syg had previously mentioned, she had been a pretty hard case.

"Well met, Bethrael of Moane. I am Captain Davage, of the League Main Fleet Vessel
Seeker
. I am pleased to have made your acquaintance …"

Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she fell into unconsciousness once again. She shivered. Davage picked her up and tried to warm her.

In the distance he could see the Silver Temple, still under attack from the black hordes. As before, he saw a small hole open in the side of the temple at its heights. Again, silver sparks flew out and then the hole closed.

Davage and the fallen Black Hat were no longer alone in the alcove.

Ergos said, <
I am impressed. That was a spectacular display, Captain, as you promised.>