"This one is glad that you are still in this world, Captain." He winced as her hand touched a tender spot. "Uhhh... Thanks. You seem to be doing okay. What about the others?" "This one will check them now that the Captain is back. Sally is still unconscious but the Lady is coming around." A feminine voice, hoarse with pain, confirmed the Iskars remark. "Effra, next time we take the bus instead." A faint grin showed as she wiped some blood from her face. She moaned as she sat up and then asked, "Why the fancy maneuvers, Captain?" "Couple of reasons. My pop-gun wouldn't have done much to those pursuit craft and I'd rather not shoot off missiles in an urban area. And I hate expending munitions if I don't have to. I apologize for the hard maneuvers but I wanted to keep them from getting a good track on me and sending some serious pursuit after us. It's hard to outrun naval units once they get a track on you. The Athame is fast but she can't outrun a warship and she sure can't outgun one. At least not presently." They were interrupted by a scream. Sally's eyes were open but seeing nothing and expressing great fear. The Iskar moved and laid a hand on her forehead. The scream cut off. "You are safe. He is not here." Suddenly she became alert and looked around quickly. "Sorry. I thought it was happening again." "This one assures you that you are safe." Sally nodded then checked the nav station. "Right where you wanted her to be, Captain," she reported. "Good." He spun his seat around and looked at Lady Silver. "Now that we are less rushed, where, exactly, are we going?" "I don't know exactly." She looked up after wiping the last of the blood from her upper lip. "I'll know more when we change locations. The place I'm seeking has been lost for a while." She shook her head. "Sorry. For now that will have to do. Now, your phrasing of what the Athame cannot do. What exactly can we do to make the weapons and drive more in keeping with the skills you have shown in handling her?" He grinned. "Well, if you don't mind consorting with the criminal class I know a place where we can get a few things if you don't mind financing them." She smiled. "I do not think we will find worse than what I have dealt with at this mysterious place. What do you think we can get there?" "I can get an enhancement for the grav-gens and the compensators." He rubbed some blood from his nose. "Which will save us considerable beatings if I ever have to maneuver like that again. We can also acquire weapon upgrades and additions to let me shoot my way out if I can't run fast enough. Things I could not buy on Kedas." The Lady looked at her companion who was standing quietly by Sally who was following the conversation with wide eyes. "I think, Effra, we chose better than we knew. How long to get there, Captain?" "About a week. We'll head there after I make a couple more jumps to make sure that no heavies are tailing us. I figure another couple of weeks before the work is completed if we reach an agreement and they have what I'm looking for." "And just where is it we are going?" "Epsilon Star." Sally glanced at the Captain. "But...but that's jus...just a myth!" She exclaimed. "That's what they like most people to think. I dropped a cargo pod off to them once. Not the friendliest people but we can do business with them. Never did get a chance to see the station." "Very well, Captain. When we get there, if you don't mind, allow me to do the bargaining. I'm very good at that." He grinned. "It's also your bankroll to play with. I'm just the hired hand." He swiveled his seat back to the station. "Sally, new course for you to set." He rattled off figures which Sally entered into her console. "This won't be a frantic run for our lives so you folks can unstrap and go get yourselves cleaned up.” The Athame swiveled to a new course and accelerated a tiny mote of life in the deeps of space. To be Continued..