Diadem S1E5: "High Horse"

Van’s own snoring startled him awake. It was a shame; he had been having a wonderful dream. The gentle pulse of the gravity generator a couple meters away probably wasn’t healthy to sleep next to, but he didn’t care. It was one of the few things left that could get him to sleep at his age. It would have lulled him back into sleep had the lights not kicked into their day cycle, causing the old man to groan and pull the covers over his eyes. He glanced lazily at a makeshift time keeper he had made out of spare parts, then groaned again. Every bone and every joint hurt. He was used to the pain now, but it was always just enough to make him irritated. He popped a couple pills and lay motionless on the hard engineering floor until the pain subsided. The doctor’s prescription worked like a charm, but had the odd side effect of putting him in a snarky mood. Most days, he could manage, but today he was not so fortunate. As he glanced at one of the consoles and brought up the video feed of the outside of the ship, his bushy white eyebrows sagged and hardened, settling into the grumpy old man’s characteristic scowl. They were going to go on a stupidly dangerous disposal run through the Serpent's Corridor, a winding tunnel through the horse head nebula full of a number of natural phenomena that could easily cripple the ship. 

Gas-Guard’s production of hydrazine as a fuel for maneuvering thrusters had been discontinued almost a decade ago. In the 5 years that had followed, the company had set up stations for remote disposal, destruction, or repurposing of the volatile gas. However, due to budget cuts, they were forced to automate all the disposal stations, some of which, such as the one at the end of the Serpent’s Corridor, were abandoned. 

The trip to get there had become too costly for the company to justify the effort. Jumping through the Nebula was not possible due to the gas’s interference, so the Serpent’s Corridor was the only way to the old Gas-guard extinguishment station. Here, hydrazine and other hazardous or obsolete gasses had once been transported for repurposing into other materials or gasses via the very sketchy process of transmutation. ESGG-257, also known as Serpent’s End, was an old station, but the AI program used to automate it was rumored to still be active. 

The crew of the Diadem, minus Baphin, stared at the swirling entrance of the Serpent’s Corridor with mild anxiety and apprehension as Van came up and joined them on the bridge, noticing Ivy Lideck watching him. “Ya don’t seem as nervous as ya should be. Ya been here before, eh?” Ivy examined her tattoos on her hand before nonchalantly leaning on the wall. “So what if I have? Just more proof I have the experience to get you there safely.”

Van shook his head as he walked over to Bridget. “Our guide seems quite over confident if ya ask me, captain.” Pyo’s voice made Van want to audibly sigh. “Wouldn’t you be too, if you knew how to get through there old man?” “Wouldn’t ya like ta know cave boy.”

Bridget sighed as she held her head. “Knock it off. Pyo, go watch our hydrazine. Van I need you to get to the engine room and start the Gelcoat. We don’t want the hull turning radioactive. Speaking of radioactive, Anaheim would you-”

“Go get the radiation suits ready? Yeah sure, whatever.” shrugged the spunky teenager before turning and leaving the bridge along with Pyo. 

Van grumbled a bit before following them. He noticed Pyo glance at Ivy with a flicker of suspicion as the doors to the bridge closed. “Not a fan of our new guide, Mars boy?” Pyo didn’t look at him. “Yes. There’s something very off about her.”

Back on the bridge, Bridget turned her attention to the young man at the sensor console. “Can you read the radiation levels in there from out here, Chris?”

He nodded before fiddling with the controls nervously, “D-do we really have to g-go in there? C-can’t we just. . . . go around?”

“No can do.” chimed in Ivy. “There’s a strong solar wind on the far side. Not even Gelcoat will protect you from that. It would be worse than trying to fly straight through without the tunnel at all.”

Before Chris could interject, Baphin chimed in. “She’s right, captain. We couldn’t just fly through unless . . .” Baphin stopped as Bridget and Ivy gave her a look.

Ivy’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Unless what?”

Baphin's eyes darted from Bridget to Ivy before she lied. “Unless we put on an extra thick layer of Gelcoat.”

Ivy knew Baphin was lying, what were these people hiding? Some piece of technology? She chose to say nothing as she turned her attention to the corridor ahead. Wafts of ionized gas beckoned around the entrance of the corridor like auroras. 

The familiar squeak of the sliding door of the engine room soothed Van’s ears as he entered his safe space. The fake sound of the hydrogen engine that wasn’t really there welcoming him back. It was odd to have to pretend that there wasn’t a massive star drive where the boring and standard hydrogen engine was being projected. The actual hydrogen engine was elsewhere, disguised as a backup, but this ship had always been designed with much greater power in mind. Power meant for combat.

He thought about the events that had led to these untenable circumstances. Van knew they were low on money, but to take on this mission seemed drastic to him. He scratched his chin as he thought about their wily guide. Ivy definitely seemed like a wildcat, the rebellious type of girl he would have chased after in his youth, and who probably would have stolen his money. He hated to agree with Pyo, but he was right to suspect her. 

The old man flicked some levers and buttons, beginning the ship’s automatic systems for applying the Gelcoat to the outer hull. Soon the viscous, sticky substance made of neutron absorbent material covered the ship like a second skin. Van wished he could see some of the more advanced systems on the ship meant to mitigate the radiation issue. He had heard rumors of Lumio warships like the Diadem once was, having upwards of three kinds of shields, as well as boasting other methods of advanced technology that the other civilizations in the multiverse had only dreamed of.

Ivy watched as dispensers emerged from the hull and began automatically spreading the Gelcoat. She wasn’t worried about the radiation. The crystillium hull of the ship was capable of protecting them from most of the hazards of the nebula, and the shield could protect them from others. She was more concerned about the ship reaching the station before any of them suspected anything. 

Baphin’s words earlier made her suspicious. Was there something about this ship that the crew were hiding? They couldn’t possibly have hoped to keep any advanced Lumio technology on the ship. That was illegal and would have been deactivated. No, whatever it was, it couldn’t possibly ruin her employer’s plans. Soon, the Diadem would have new owners, she would have a payout large enough to get a cure for her disease, and the crew would get the cold shoulder of space.

Ivy glanced out the window at the stars as she fantasized about what she would do after this last job, only to be startled when Anaheim returned. She was wearing a green and yellow radiation suit and had more with her. Ivy couldn’t look her in the eye as she handed another suit to her, she hadn’t counted on someone so young being on the ship. Perhaps she would take Anaheim as a hostage and spare her from the whims of her employer. 

Bridget got her radiation suit on first before waiting for the others to don their last line of protection. “Look alive people, we’ll be fine. Just in and out and we’ll have enough money to stay out here away from our problems at home.”

Baphin’s chair encased her in a protective radiation blocking capsule as she plugged into the ship console with her mind. “I’m ready when you are Captain.”

Ivy finished donning her radiation suit as she looked from the girl in the wheelchair to Bridget, confused. “Ready for what?”

Bridget nodded to Baphin who turned and accessed the console controls. After a few seconds there were several faint unlocking sounds, before the entire bridge began to recede downward into the hull of the ship. Ivy stared in shock as the bridge descended, the viewscreen becoming their only window to the outside as heavy blast shields closed over the top of the bridge.The lights came on and the crew and controls were thrust into cool blue lighting.

“Miss Lideck can you upload the map into the navigation console where Baphin is?” Bridget’s voice pulled Ivy out of her awe, but the sly woman shook her head and grinned at the captain. “I can’t do that.”

Bridget tried to hide her annoyance. “Why not?”

Ivy opened up her radiation suit and pulled an old, worn out piece of cloth before zipping up again. She grinned as she held it up. “Because it’s not digital.”

The captain tapped her fingers on her armrest impatiently. “Whatever, just give it to Baphin please.”

 Ivy swaggered over to the console where Baphin was plugged in, carelessly tossing the cloth map in front of her. Baphin shot her a glare before deploying a robotic arm from her chair to grab it. “You call this a map?” 

Ivy shrugged, “Worked just fine for our Earth sailor ancestors. You want me to fly instead?”

“I really don’t like your tone.”

“What tone?” Cooed Ivy, innocently.

“Knock it off you two. Baphin, let’s get underway. The sooner we finish this run the better.” sighed Bridget before glaring at Ivy. “You better not be a fraud.”

“Oh please, I couldn’t just walk around with a digital copy of the route. Someone would steal it and then I wouldn’t get a cut of the payout you’ll get from disposing of that hydrazine. Besides, even if I was defrauding you, what are you gonna do huh? Space me? Look, just follow the map and we’ll be fine.”

Bridget’s brow furrowed at their guest’s disrespect, but before she responded, Pyo’s voice came through the intercom. “Hey Captain, do you think you could send Baphin down here? I need her help.”

“Can it wait? She needs to get us through the corridor.”

Baphin disconnected from the navigation console. “It’s fine, I uploaded a mental image of the so-called map to the navigational computer. I can go help Pyo real quick and you can call me back up if something’s wrong.”

Bridget ran her fingers through her hair. “I don’t like it, but fine. Just please get back up here as soon as you can.”

Ivy narrowed her eyes as she watched Baphin leave. 

Van was just about to double check the condition of one of the components of the ship’s spliced in drive system, when he noticed a light flashing on the wall intercom. “What’s up?”

Baphin’s voice responded. “Me and Pyo are in the storage room down the hall, can you come meet us?”

The old man groaned. “Why does that cave dweller gotta be there?”

“Leave your racism in the engine room please and get in here, it’s important.”

The old man made a face at the intercom before shaking his head and ambling off to the storage room, grumbling the whole way. He was still making comments under his breath as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “What did ya drag me outta my happy place fer this time?”

Baphin motioned for him to lower his voice as all of them moved closer together. “Me and Pyo are convinced Ivy is a pirate spy. I intercepted a communication on an unknown frequency last night, and at the same time, Pyo spotted her talking to someone on some sort of communicator.”

Van rolled his eyes. “Ya both are slow. Ya just know figurin this out? I knew she was suspicious from the get go.”

Pyo glared, “Oh yeah? Then why didn’t you say something?”

Baphin waved them down. “Knock it off you two, we need a plan.”

“Sure, if ya think our troglodyte friend here can follow it.”

Pyo could barely contain his frustration. “Why are you so racist towards me, old man? Do you have something against martians?”

Van stood his ground. “Nah, just arrogant whipper snappers like you.”

“Are we going to come up with a plan, or are you two going to give me a front row seat to you acting like a couple of toddlers?”

An hour and a half later, Ivy stared anxiously at the swirling auroras caressing the ship as it passed through the Corridor visible through the viewscreen. The lighting felt like a submarine, but the open space of the bridge negated any feeling of claustrophobia. Through the viewscreen, the Gelcoat was visibly glowing from absorbing the massive amounts of radiation bombarding the hull. The occasional meteorite would get vaporized in the shield, resulting in the ship being surrounded by a bubble of intermittent twinkling.

Ivy was startled at the sound of the bridge door opening, as Baphin returned. She was too tense, anxious for her payday and to be rid of her pain. She discreetly turned towards the wall and took one of her booster pills, an almost habitual reflex at this point. She knew she was probably getting addicted, but she felt she had no choice. 

By now, Baphin had made her way back to her station and plugged into the ship with her chair. “Well, I’m glad to see that your little piece of cloth hasn’t crashed us into an asteroid or rogue planet yet. How old is it anyway?”

Ivy examined her nails, only to find them hidden in the gloves of her radiation suit. “Oh, about a few months.”

All eyes turned towards her, Bridget spoke first. “You do realize the corridor can dramatically shift in that amount of time…right?”

“Duh.” replied Ivy sarcastically. “Relax, we’ll be fine. I wouldn’t lead you into danger. I can’t get paid if you’re dead.”

Before anyone could respond, Bridget noticed something on the view screen. “Baphin, stop the ship!”

Immediately the reverse thrusters engaged as the Diadem crawled to a stop only meters away from a massive asteroid, as it passed straight through the corridor in front of them. It was large enough to be considered more a wandering moon than an asteroid as it plowed through the glowing ionized gas, disappearing as quickly as it had come into the nebula.

“Go slow, Baphin. Ones that big usually have a lot of smaller ones along with them.” ordered Bridget as she focused on keeping her and her crew safe.

As if on cue, they began to hear a sound like rain on a tin roof as thousands of smaller meteorites intermittently got through the outer bubble shield, impacting the secondary shield hugging the hull of the Diadem. Ivy’s eyes glided over the others. Chris had his eyes closed in fear, his body tense and his breathing shallow. Anaheim was fidgeting, trying to keep her anxiety under control. Her mother, Bridget, sat in the captain’s chair with feigned calm, but Ivy could see her knuckles turning white as her hands clenched the armrests. 

Ivy also felt a similar apprehension at the possibilities that their safety precautions might not withstand this meteor shower. The sound was deafening, causing everyone to attempt to recover their hearing once the deluge of rocks had passed. The bridge had become eerily silent, as even Ivy couldn’t muster a snarky comment. They all knew that there were far more dangerous things in this tunnel besides meteor storms.

Van grunted in effort as he pulled himself out from under a control panel. He looked up to see Pyo standing over him. “What the duunlvo are you doing in my engine room?”

“Language old man, Baphin wants me to pull the trigger on this.”

Van couldn’t help but burst into a chuckle before trying to get up. He swat away Pyo’s offer of a helping hand before clambering to his feet; his joints popping and crackling in protest. “If ya think I’m gonna trust a dust ball boy like ya are with starting this up, I have a bridge to sell ya.” He wagged a remote in his frustrated crewmember’s face. “I’m gonna hang onto this and I will be the one to decide when the time is right.”

Pyo crossed his arms. “Can you act your age? Hand me the remote old man.” He reached for it, but Van wouldn’t have it, pulling it out of reach. “Whatcha gonna do pirate hunter? Take all the credit? Nah. You’ve had yer spotlight before, now I get to be the hero.”

“What has gotten into you? Why are you so racist against martians? What did my people ever do to you?” 

Van gave him a double take. “What? Ya think I don’t like ya ‘cause yer from Mars?” After a pause, Van got up close to Pyo, his prejudice written in the wrinkles of his face. “I don’t like ya ‘cause ya used to pull one over on poor cargo crews just trying to stay alive. Privateers like ya used to charge practically half the value of the cargo just to scare off a couple of pirates. Yer greedy and yer always puttin people in debt to ya.” He jabbed a crooked finger in his crewmate’s face. “But I know yer game and ya won’t swindle my crew, my family.”

With that, he exited the engine room, tucking the remote into his pocket as he entered the lavatory to relieve himself. Pyo watched him leave with mouthing exasperation. Van did not care. He had always felt like Pyo was trouble. Giving him any benefit of the doubt would have given the former privateer the chance to fool him too. But he was too smart for that. He was better than Pyo.

“This is the Diadem, designation HLW45397-D calling Serpent’s End, designation ESGG-257. We request communication connection confirmation.” Bridget leaned back in her chair as she waited for a response. Ivy watched her, hiding any expression that would have revealed what she knew; there was no AI program still active on the station, and no one was going to answer.

The captain turned her attention to Chris. “How long until we arrive?”

Before he could respond, they rounded the last corner in the tunnel, bringing the station into sight on the view screen. Bridget narrowed her eyes. “Awfully quiet.”

The unmistakable feeling of something being dreadfully off about the situation began to waft over the bridge crew as they stared at the empty, and unresponsive station. 

“C-c-c-c-c-cap-p-ptain!”

“What’s wrong Chris, you look very pale.”

“There are p-p-pirate ships emerging from the station!”

Bridget felt her body get pins and needles as a sense of betrayal and anger passed over her. She turned her gaze towards where Ivy was, only to find that she had slipped away. “Dang it! Battle stations!” Just then all the lights went dark. The bridge was plunged into darkness as even the viewscreen went dark. By the time the backup power came on, the two pirate corvettes had already docked and begun boarding. The third pirate ship positioned itself behind them, cutting off their escape back through the Serpent’s Corridor. The bridge of the Diadem was in momentary chaos as Bridget and Baphin attempted to get Anaheim and Chris calmed down. Ivy smirked as she watched from the shadows before slipping away. She was eager to meet her employer. 

Once she reached the airlock, she could see the tall frame of her boss silhouetted through the door. Opening it, she almost ran into him with a gleeful smile. “Oh, hey Buster! I hope you like what I’ve brought you this time!” 

He brushed her off, casually pushing her aside as he and his two fellow pirates brandished their weapons. “Yes yes, Planty, good job.” His accent was thickly Australian, and he carried himself with an almost comical charisma. “Let’s get crackin boys.” By now three more pirates had joined them from their entry through the airlock on the opposite side. Giving them all a mischievous wink, the Aussie pirate led his men towards the bridge. “First we take the captain, then she’ll get the rest of her crew under control. Be on the look out for the privateer.”

Ivy tilted her head. “How do you know he’s a privateer, Buster?”

The pirate gave her a good slap across the face before sticking his finger in her face. “Don’t call me that!” He then calmed down and grinned. “I’m Captain Aussie Rozy!”

Ivy rolled her eyes as she stood up and brushed herself off. “How do you know he’s a privateer Captain Aussie Rozy?”

He motioned for them to walk and talk as his pirate goons cleared each room they passed, aiming their plasma rifles with their red laser scopes. “There’s only one Martian I know, who’s name is Pyo and has the tattoo you described. He was a piece of work last time we met, so I imagine he won’t go down without a fight. But together we can take him! Isn’t that right boys?” His three cronies cheered in support and maniacal laughter before going back to clearing each of the rooms. Just then all of them stopped in their tracks as they heard the toilet flush. This was followed by the sound of an old man stubbing his toe and muttering curses, before Van exited the lavatory right in front of the Pirate and his boarding party. He stared for a moment, as Captain Rozy grinned back. “Cikey, it’s our first prisoner.” He looked Van up and down as Van did the same. “Fall in and don’t try anything, old man. Haha!”

Van narrowed his eyes as he stayed still. Rozy’s expression changed as a shadow played over his eyes. “Come on old geezer. You’re in no position to play the hero.” His pirate goons charged their rifles threateningly.

Van looked from one pirate to the other and swallowed hard, before falling in. He was no match for them. For a moment, he wished Pyo was there, but as he caught a glimpse of the Martian in the shadows, his resentment returned. How dare Pyo save him and make him look weak. He thought about the remote in his pocket. He hoped they wouldn’t search him.

Chris was almost startled out of his skin as the crew on the bridge heard the door slide open. Bridget stood up and turned to face the door. “We’re unarmed, please don’t. . . Pyo?”

He saluted as he came through the door. “Hello, Captain. I don’t have much time. Baphin, are you ready for phase 2 of the plan?”

Baphin nodded. “We better hurry.”

“Wait, what plan?” Bridget looked from Pyo to Baphin perplexed.

Pyo smiled. “We’re going to take care of those pirates and get the ship to safety.”

The captain narrowed her eyes. “You better not be planning to do it the way I think you are.”

“Oh please, it’s our best option.” retorted Baphin. “Besides, the TFU can’t see into this nebula. No one will notice.”

Bridget shook her head. “The pirates will notice!”

Pyo chuckled. “No one trusts pirates, not even other pirates. No one will believe them.”

Anaheim excitedly pumped her fist. “YES! Finally! I wanna come too!”

Bridget held back her eager and impulsive daughter. “No way. You’re staying with me. I don’t want to lose you.” 

The teenager gave a sigh and crossed her arms in protest as Baphin and Pyo headed for another door. “Pyo will come back to help you. When he distracts the pirates, that’s your cue.”

“Our c-cue for w-w-what?” stuttered Chris as he held himself to alleviate his mounting anxiety.

Baphin shrugged. “I don’t know, survive.”

As soon as they exited, Captain Rozy, Ivy, and his three goons arrived with Van in tow. The pirate closest to him shoved him over towards Bridget as Buster adjusted his collar. “A fine ship you have here, captain. Do you mind if I take her off your hands? Of course you don’t cause your only alternative,” He snapped his fingers and his goons aimed their rifles at her, Anaheim and Chris. “is death, hehe.” 

Baphin hovered her way silently through the corridors with Pyo. Along the way, they passed two pirates, unconscious and tied up. Baphin looked at Pyo, who merely smiled before opening the hatch to the maintenance area. “Are you sure you don’t want me to join you?”

Baphin shook her head. “I can handle this part. You better go get ready to help the others.”

The muscular mars born man nodded and shoved the two unconscious pirates into one of the ship closets before heading back towards the bridge. Baphin watched him go, before heading into the maintenance area and latching the hatch behind her. There was one last thing she needed to do before she could continue with the plan. Something only Anaheim and Chris knew about.

Captain Rozy sat in Bridget’s chair, his three pirate goons behind him with their weapons trained on Bridget, Anaheim, Chris and Van. “Where’s the privateer? Surely this is not your entire crew.”

Van narrowed his eyes. “I’ve dealt with cads worse than ya.” Bridget and Anaheim exclaimed in fear as the pirate shot out of the chair and backhanded the old man, sending him collapsing to the floor. “Not what I asked and not who I was talking to.” He hissed as he pulled a knife and held it to Bridget’s throat, before his demeanor went back to feigned amusement. “Hehe, no you’re the kind to give your life for your crew. I can see it in your eyes.” He pulled the knife away and grabbed one of the rifles from his minions. “I think we can find the gap in your armor with a bit of experimentation.” He aimed the rifle at Chris, causing the poor college boy to shake as his anxiety shot through the roof. “Stop this now.” glared Bridget, but soon her expression and tone of voice changed as the pirate turned the rifle towards her only daughter. “NO PLEASE! STOP!”

Rozy grinned and handed the rifle back to his goon. “Oh don’t worry. I won’t harm a hair on her head.” He plucked a hair from the teenager’s head, causing her to yelp in pain. “Yep, I’ll keep this hair very safe. As for your daughter though, she’s coming with us.”

Bridget’s eyes widened in fear. “NO!”

Rozy looked around at his cronies with a grin. “The mother doth protest too much. Heh.” He pulled his pistol and aimed it at Bridget’s head as his voice dropped in tone. “Tell me where the privateer is, and maybe I’ll reconsider.”

Bridget stepped forwards, but Ivy pulled a small pistol on her. “Stay back.”

The captain held her resolve, but soon broke as Rozy grabbed Anaheim and began leading her away. “NO Please! She’s only a child!”

Anaheim struggled in vain as the pirate dragged her away. “Let me go!”

Rozy kept his gaze fixed on Bridget as he tapped his fingers impatiently, before crossing his arms. “You better tell me something soon or you can say goodbye to your precious little. . . “ he paused as he passed his eyes over his three cronies. “Where’s Anderson, and Heinkle?” The other pirates looked around perplexedly. “They were with us when we boarded.” 

“I know that! Where are they now?!” Growled Captain Rozy as he pushed passed them and motioned for them to follow. “It’s a trap, we need to leave. Bring the brat. She’ll be our ticket off this ship.”

“No! Come back with my daughter!” “BANG!” “Argh!” 

Rozy turned around to see Ivy shaking; her pistol still pointed at a now whincing Bridget as she held her leg in pain. “Planty! Come on! Time to go!”

“MOM!” Anaheim cried out as pain and fear brought tears to her eyes.

Lost in shock, Ivy didn’t move until the pirate captain came and yanked her away. She had never shot anyone before. She didn’t like it.

Once the pirates were gone, Van's eyes met Pyo’s in the shadows as Chris started tending to Bridget’s plasma wound. He glared, but he tapped his pocket. As Pyo disappeared into the shadows again, the old man went to assist Chris, resentful that the Martian hadn’t helped them and prevented the captain from getting shot. Bridget was breathing heavily, but the plasma had cauterized her blood, preventing any further bleeding. “We have to save Anaheim!”

Van held the captain as she tried to get up. “Hush hush, capt’n. She’ll be okay.”

“We have to keep them from escaping, lock the exits!”

“Baphin’s already on it, I’m sure. Just rest.”

With a heave, she broke free and stood up, favoring her leg. The flesh on the outer edge of her thigh was charred. “I’m fine. It’s just a flesh wound. We can head them off, come on!”

Van knew there was no arguing as he and Chris helped stabilize her before giving chase on the pirates.

The hallways went dark as the pirates made their way to the airlock. Rozy stopped and motioned for Ivy and his three men to do the same. He looked around before his eyes went wide. “Where’s Edison?! Dang it! He’s picking us off like flies and we had no idea!”

Anaheim was still crying, as a wash of anger filled her. “You’re really going to get it now you piece of-”

Just then, Ivy’s hair was blown by a swoosh as Pyo tackled another pirate into the darkness with silent efficiency. The other two pirate cronies raised their rifles and fired into the darkness, only for the returning lights to reveal an empty hallway. Fear coursed through Rozy’s veins as he turned and started running. “Come on! We need to leave, NOW!” 

The lights flickered as another one of his henchmen disappeared. The last one screamed and began firing his rifle randomly until he too was taken out in a blur of motion. Rozy and Ivy now ran alone with Anaheim held and the point of Rozy’s pistol. “Keep going! They won’t take us as long as we have the girl!” No answer. 

Anaheim continued to try to struggle as she was practically carried along. “I’m going to enjoy watching him take you down! Let me go!”

The pirate turned at the sound of Ivy's gun hitting the floor to see Pyo holding her by her neck, a combat knife up against her throat. “You heard her, let her go, or this one is dead.”

Rozy stared for a moment before bursting into laughter. “You think I care about that wildcat? Take her. But if you keep me from leaving, I’ll kill this one. Besides, I don’t think you have the guts to do anything like that to a helpless little girl like her.”

Ivy glared at Rozy’s words, resenting having accepted him as her employer. Pyo glared at the pirate captain as well. “Let her go now.”

By now Bridget, Chris and Van had caught up. Bridget’s face was white with fear at seeing her daughter at gun point. All of them slowly followed Rozy as he slowly backed up towards the airlock, dragging the kicking and screaming Anaheim along. 

Suddenly everyone stopped and stared at something beyond Rozy with surprise and shock. “What are you all looking at? Ah I see, one last desperate trick huh? Well I’m not falling for. . .” 

It was at this point that a mechanical hand grasped Captain Rozy’s shoulder. The pirate’s eyes widened as he attempted to pull the trigger on his pistol and kill Anaheim, only for his arm to be pulled away at the last second. The bolt of plasma harmlessly impacted into the wall as Anaheim slammed down her shoe onto his foot. As the pirate cried out in pain, he turned to see a tall android butler grab him by the collar and lift him off his feet. Dudley stared into Rozy’s eyes with cold mechanical indifference as he slammed the pirate into the wall with ease. Rozy scrambled to his feet and fled towards the air lock to get to his ship. “Just you wait! I’ll get the rest of my fleet and you’ll rue the day you took on Captain Buster Roswell!” 

Pyo went to the intercom as Rozy entered the airlock and exited the Diadem. “Baphin, now would be a good time.”

Baphin’s voice replied. “Go for it! Press the remote.”

Pyo looked at Van and motioned frustratedly. “What are you staring for, old man, do it!”

“Quit yer shoutin.” glared Van as he fished the remote from his pocket and fumbled with the buttons.

“Here, I’ll do it.” snapped Pyo as he snatched it from Van’s hand, much to his chagrin, before immediately pressing the button and igniting the neutron star inside the dormant star drive. It rumbled to life and poured energy into the advanced weapon systems of the Diadem.

Van wound up his fist, only for Bridget’s hand to hold back his arm, calming him down. He wanted to be the one to save the day. How dare that martian boy take away his opportunity to prove his worth to the crew.

Ivy slowly backed away, hoping none of them would notice her, only to stop as she nearly fell backwards into Baphin’s lap. The ship around her seemed to be rumbling as she could almost feel energy building up in the very walls. Baphin picked up Ivy's pistol from the floor with an arm from her chair before using it to prod her towards the others. “What do we do with this one?”

Ivy looked away as Pyo narrowed his eyes at her for a moment. “Up to the captain.”

“I say we space her!” retorted Van.

Bridget shook her head. “That would be a waste. We’ll drop her off at the nearest outpost.”

The crew looked at each other, then back at Bridget. Anaheim scratched her head. “I suppose we could leave her at Serpent’s End. There’s gotta be some left over supplies there, not to mention some old industrial ships.”

Ivy’s eyes widened. “No please! Captain Rozy would kill me!”

By now the ship’s lights seemed brighter and all its systems hummed with a deep power. The firing of some sort of weaponry could be heard as the ship seemed to shudder slightly. “What was that?” Inquired Ivy as she worried what it might be. Her suspicions were confirmed as they heard the faint shower of debris from Rozy’s ship a few moments later.

Baphin pressed the pistol harder against her back. “You won’t have to worry about Rozy anymore.”

“And if I know pirates, they’ll flee now that they’re captain’s gone.” chimed in Pyo as he motioned for Baphin to let Ivy go. “There’s the other pirate ship docked on the other side. Take it and never tell anyone about what we have.”

Anaheim crossed her arms and indicated Dudley. “Yeah, or I’ll send my friend Dudley after you.” The android looked at the teenager confusedly before she elbowed his armored waist. He turned his glowing eyes on Ivy and pretended to crack his knuckles. “You won’t like the tea I serve if I catch you.”

Ivy looked from one crew member to the other, before scurrying away towards the other pirate ship. Van watched her leave and uncrossed his arms before turning his attention to Anaheim. “I don’t know where ya got the android butler, or how ya paid fer it, but I’m glad he was here.”

Bridget eyed the android apprehensively. “Sweety, please tell me you didn’t buy him with our money.”

Anaheim shook her head. “Nope! I found him.”

Bridget sighed. “We’re going to have a talk about this, but first we need to get out of this nebula. Baphin can you get us out of here without us being detected by the TFU?”

Baphin nodded and headed off towards the bridge with Bridget, Chris, and Anaheim following her. Dudley looked from Van and Pyo, to the others and back before following Anaheim. As soon as they were gone, Van grabbed Pyo’s collar and pulled him down to eye level. “Listen here ya swindler! I was gonna save the day, but ya took that from me. I hate yer guts ya got that bud?”

Pyo gently removed Van’s hand from his lapel. “Look Van, I don’t like you either, but your insistence on being better than me is starting to get in the way of me doing my job to help keep this crew safe. So get off your high horse, and actually be the dependable friend Bridget needs.”

Van glowered at him as he let him go and shuffled off towards the engine room, mumbling in rage. He was dependable! Bridget trusted him more than that lying no good privateer.

As he returned to the familiar hum of the gravity generators, he looked over at the star drive, now illuminated brightly by the ignited neutron star caged inside. The ship gave a lurch before the star began to dim, its power dissipating as the advanced technology was again deactivated. As the boring hydrogen engine came back on, the intercom glitched. Van tilted his head as he heard the two voices of Bridget and Pyo. Curiosity wouldn’t let him keep to himself, and soon the old man was listening in.

“What are you not telling me?”

Bridget sighed. “My ex. That snake, Rend. He’s been charging my credit. Pyo I’m over 20,000 points in debt as of yesterday and it keeps going up.”

“What? Why didn’t you say something? Good grief. Now we have no choice but to go back to Earth, do we?” 

“That’s why I gambled on this. I wish it had proved to be legitimate. A score like this would have covered the entire debt.”

“I’m sure old Buster Roswell wouldn’t be opposed to us looting his base.”

“It’s too late, I already gave orders for Baphin to get us out of there. We can’t go back.”

“I guess Earth it is then.”

“Yeah. . . Earth it is.”

Van slumped as he heard the news. Part of him was upset at having to go back to Earth, but a deeper part of him was sad that Bridget had confided in Pyo instead of him. Perhaps there was some truth in what Pyo had said. Maybe he was on a high horse.