We had been on Koshi for over an hour and even I had had enough.

Sitting in the pilot's chair I could see the whole docking bay where the Phoenix was parked. I could make out Kade off to one side, making whatever delivery he had promised. I could see the security guards turning a blind eye on the other side of the bay. I could smell the heavy mining fumes even though the door to the cargo bay had been shut. And I could see the WANTED poster flicker into existence on the billboard high above our heads. It was why I hated getting close to the Inner Planets - at least it didn't have my full name on it.

"At least they got a good picture of you."

Smiling, I inclined my head to the co-pilot's chair where Axon was lounging, his feet up on the dash. At least his boots had been sterilized since his adventure around Uzara. I hadn't brought up the CD but he seemed to be in a better mood so I only hoped that meant he got rid of it. And maybe had a good long think, too. "Thanks, Axon."

He shrugged, "You've still never told us why there are posters of you."

Acting like I didn't hear him, I stood up from the seat. Kade was making his way back to the ship, a cocky grin on his lips. "Looks like we're done here. I'm going to go talk to Kade." I didn't look back as I headed out of the cockpit and down the hall. My nerves still weren't calm when I went down the metal spiral stairs into the cargo bay. Kade was just shutting the bay door. "So, Captain - did we get our cut?"

The grin he wore when he looked at me was dazzling. How his teeth were still so white after years of poor diet and space travel was a marvel to me. "You better believe it. Now we can go get some real food."

"Good, but maybe not here. Let's head to Deluvia or something." Anything to get us farther away from the Inner Planets - far from Earth - and off Koshi. I hadn't seen Lenna once since we landed.

Wincing, Kade nodded. "Yeah, good idea..."

Pausing, my hand on the bottom railing of the stairs, I looked at him. His face showed he knew that he had fucked up, bringing us to Koshi when it was a rule that we never return to Koshi.

Sighing, I shook my head. "Maybe you should find Lenna and talk to her. I think she's locked in her cabin."

We were halfway up the stairs when alarms shrieked across the ship. Red light replaced the cool blue lighting all over. I was already moving quicker by the time Kade swore behind me. "What the hell is it now?"

On the bridge, Axon stood by the main control panel looking panicked. And the kid from the dark side of Koshi seldom looked scared.

Kade was by his side in an instant while I ran to my own control panel. An emergency landing call was being broadcasted across all stations. "A transport shuttle. Looks like it's in trouble,"

Kade grunted in response as he started the engines, "Axon, get on the gun - just in case we need to defend ourselves."

My brows pulled tightly together. "Why would we need to defend ourselves?"

"Because," Kade glanced in my direction and winked, "we're going to intercept the shuttle and see what's onboard. Maybe we make this trip count double."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing and it was obvious that neither could Axon. His eyes were wide, staring at the captain's profile, mouth slightly agape. Twisting my seat away from the holo-screen, where an alert for the planet's shield wall was beginning to blink in bold letters, I turned to Kade. "Excuse me? We're doing what?"

"That transport ship is registered with the GPF. This could pay huge on the black market."

"We're not pirates, Kade. We're smugglers. We do what we have to do to survive, nothing more. There's a big difference." At least there currently was and I wasn't about to let that change. "That shuttle is hurtling towards the planet and you're suggesting we go towards it?"

"Yup."

The engines revved underneath me; the Phoenix began to rise off the landing bay; the alert on my screen started to beep incessantly. Axon turned around in the copilot chair as he strapped in, his eyes begging me to talk some sense into our captain. Too bad he never seemed to listen to me. Growling in frustration, I spun around and began to hack into the shield wall. If Kade wanted to turn us into space dust - fine. But it wasn't going to be my fault. The blue film of the shield wall came into view as the ship climbed higher into the atmosphere. Kade didn't even slow down, trusting me to get us through the shield. As soon as the ship passed through, I could see the transport. Half of it was on fire.

"Kade..." This wasn't good. At all.

He didn't answer, go figure. The Phoenix just got closer and closer to the failing ship. My heartbeat started to speed up, anxiety beginning to bubble in my stomach at a threatening speed. The closer we got, the worse it started to look. When the majority of the transport took up the view out the window, I had had enough. Unstrapping from my seat, I rounded on Kade.

"This is ridiculous, Kade! Whatever is on this ship isn't worth it!"

"We'll be fine! Go find Lenna and get ready to board!" The ship lurched to one side, sending me flailing into my station. I heard the magnetic locks snap into place, anchoring the Phoenix to the dying transport. "TJ! Now!"

Pushing myself upright, rubbing the sore spot on my arm, I shook my head. Oh, he was so in for it when we weren't in danger of falling to our deaths. I glanced at Axon before I headed out of the cockpit. I prayed to whatever gods were out there that the kid would make sure Kade didn't accidentally leave us behind.

We were stumbling our way through a deserted hallway, the ship making random movements that would send us scrambling for purchase on the smooth metals walls. I had my wrist holo-screen on, a beeping red light showing our position in the massive ship. I silently thanked my past-self for taking the few extra seconds to download the ship's blueprint. We were close to the ship's main cargo hold. If there was anything worth grabbing, it would be in there.

"Do you think it's a bad sign that we haven't seen any crew or just good luck?"

I looked away from the glowing screen and to Lenna. A smile formed on my lips.

She snorted, nodding her head as we continued down the hallway. "Yeah, that was my thought too. How much you wanna bet the crew bailed?"

I considered the possibilities in my head, my lips pinching as I thought. "Well, Koshi is an important planet in the Inner Rim, there's no way they'd abandon a ship to fall to the surface. Then again - the shield wall would make sure that didn't happen." Shrugging, I turned down a corner. The cargo hold should be right around the next bend. "I guess it's a 50/50 chance. But if they have jumped ship, you better hope there's nothing important in this cargo hold. 'Cuz we won't have a lot of time to get back to the Phoenix before we collide with that shield."

Around the next corner, a metal air-lock door blocked our path. Before I could even try to hack the door's lock system, Lenna went over and punched a hole into the main box. Shrugging, she smiled as the door slid open with a hiss. "What? It's not like they're going to notice."

I was so busy laughing as we entered the cargo hold, I didn't see the people in cages before I walked into one.

A/N

Oooooooooo. Sorry for more questions and still no answers ;)

They'll come around soon...I promise.

xx