After the dance, Sylvie hid behind the bar to avoid the lustful stares of these drunken pirates. She sat against the wall, hugging her knees while her head rested on them. She did not know how much more she could take of this. At least she appreciated the fact she was not a maid, then matters would be worse.

    "'Ello?" a young female voice spoke.

    Sylvie looked up to see a girl, same species as Shekira, kneeling in front of her and staring with forest green eyes. Her head tails had pale speckles on them, contrasting her golden orange skin. She wore similar attire and her waist had a scar of claw marks.

    "Hello?" Sylvie replied, unsure of what to say.

    "Are you the human everyone is talking about?" she asked kindly.

    "Yes."

    Her gorgeous smile made Sylvie smile.

    "I'm KiKi, I have one of the safer jobs and work at the bar."

    "I'm Sylvie."

    "I thought they said your name was Silver?"

    "I lied."

    "I see. You are welcome to hide out here as much as you want."

    "Thanks a million."

    "Anything for a friend of Shekira," she stood and began filling drinks.

    "You know her?"

    "Yes, she and I are good friends," she winked at Sylvie.

    Wait, she's also planning the escape?

    "Anyway, I want to know more about you. What planet are you from?"

    "Earth."

    "Ooh, you're an earthling? I've always wanted to visit that planet. What's it like?"

    Sylvie spent the rest of the day explaining the home planet Earth and telling her how beautiful it was. In the evening, they stayed up late in the slave's dorm, talking about interesting planets and the best ways to avoid the bounty hunters and smugglers.

    "You know, Earth sort of reminds me of planet Puldora."

    "Puldora?"

    "It is a planet with land and water, kind of like how you described Earth."

    "I'd like to see it sometime in my lifetime," Sylvie sighed.

    "Don't worry, you will. I live on the red moon Rood, a place where my species mainly lives. Kind of like humans on Earth."

    "I understand."

    "I'd like you to visit my home some time as well."

    Sylvie smiled, "I'll gladly come."

    Shekira entered the room, carrying a basket which appeared to be heavy. "Good, you girls are up, it's time."

    "What? Now?" KiKi asked, her eyes widening with fear.

    "Yes, now."

    "Now? What?" Sylvie's puzzled face looked from one to the other.

    "Let's escape this scum-bucket," Shekira set down the basket and tossed aside the blanket covering it. She dug underneath the clothes and pulled out a small handle and two blasters. She tossed the handle to KiKi and a gun at Sylvie.

    "Follow me."

    "Why now?" KiKi asked.

    "Evo is gone from this station, along with some of his best men, so we are guaranteed an escape tonight," Shekira replied. "And you do not want to know what I got myself into to get this information."

    Sylvie and KiKi exchanged a glance and followed Shekira down the dark hallways. It was surprising how the absence of one man can cause a bar to become quieter. Sylvie was glad their shoes were basically cloth, which allowed them to creep down halls, as silent as ninjas. Shekira held up her hand as they came to a corner and told them to, "Wait here."

    She jumped from behind the wall and the sound of a grunting was heard, then all went silent. Shekira appeared and gestured for them to come. A knocked out guard lay slouched against the wall. This girl is good, Sylvie thought as Shekira took out another guard. KiKi brought up the rear and never had to fight, though she kept her handle drawn.

    There's no alarms or anything, something's not right. Sylvie glanced around the room and saw dead security cameras. Shekira, again, held her hand up, but this time they had come to an exit. She blasted the controls, which sent an uncomfortably loud echo down the hall, and the door slid open. Sylvie gasped in surprise, seeing Evo and several bounty hunters, including Leory Gunnger, standing there.

    "Now girls, who said you can leave?" Evo taunted.

    "You must very well think of whom you are messing with," Shekira warned.

    "Three young women who are trying to escape, naughty, naughty. I'd hate to ruin your good looks, but you will be punished."

    With this statement, all the pirates drew their guns and pointed them at them. As the girls dropped their weapons and raised their hands in surrender, a blaster fire came from the thick vegetation behind the pirates. The girls could not tell where it was coming from, because one second it would fire from the left, and the next from the right. Several men fell with smoking holes in their backs and Shekira and KiKi took this distraction as a chance to attack. Sylvie ducked behind the doorframe for cover and began shooting from where she hid.

    KiKi's weapon extended into a double-sided energy sword, that looked like a lightsaber from a movie Sylvie had watched back on Earth. Shekira and KiKi had gone from friendly to deadly in a split second, and the pirates were easily taken down. Sylvie scanned the grounds for Leory, who had disappeared from the fight. Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind by him and the barrel of a gun was placed against her head.

    Shekira and KiKi froze and Sylvie did not dare struggle. What surprised her was that the blaster fire also ceased.

    "Smart girl," Leory whispered into her ear. Sylvie nearly gagged at the smell of alcohol on his breath. KiKi and Shekira had again dropped their weapons in fuming surrender. Evo had disappeared, and all the rest of the pirates lay either wounded or dead on the jungle ground. Leory began backing up, taking the captive girl with him, threatening to shoot if anyone followed. Sylvie had given up all hope and did not fight back.

    A sudden shot was fired and Sylvie felt Leory's arms go limp. She shrieked as he dropped dead at her feet. Another man with a black helmet walked up to her. Without any thought, Sylvie kicked him in the boy's weak spot and ducked behind KiKi and Shekira, who had their weapons drawn and ready for combat.

    "Ow! Hey it's me!" a muffled voice moaned, crumpling to his knees and breathing hard.

    "Who is you?" Shekira asked in a professional tone of voice.

     The man pulled off the helmet to reveal none other than Ajax, with a face creased in pain, "Why-why did you do that?"

    "Ajax?!" Shekira and Sylvie cried in unison.

    Then both the girls looked at each other then asked at the same time, "You know him?"

    "You go first," Shekira told Sylvie.

    "Adelar was the one who bought me from the slave market, and that's how I met him," Sylvie explained.

    "I have known Ajax since he was thirteen," Shekira smiled, walking up to Ajax and helping him stand.

    "Yeah, good to see you too Shekira, who's this?" Ajax's head turned to KiKi, who stood there, clearly confused,

    "That is KiKi, a childhood friend I have not introduced you to."

    "KiKi?!" Jinx's voice came from behind them.

    "I guess I'm just completely invisible to him," Shekira said loudly in Jinx's direction.

    "Sorry sister."

    "Wait, you two are siblings?"

    "We are, and it is very disappointing when your own brother completely ignores you."

    Sylvie giggled. Even for aliens, they seem to have a sense of humor.