Dragon Heart by Raederle
	Authors Note: This episode takes place after the time period of "On the Road to Find Out," except things played out differently, and the Christa never met the other Luminarian ship. Part I Catalina calmly piloted the Christa with relative ease. Pretty smooth flying so far, since Harlan was off making a nuisance of himself elsewhere. Things had been static lately. No one trying to blow them up. No deadly space viruses. Cat couldn't help but feel that they were overdue for trouble. "Whatcha thinkin?" Suzee asked, leaning on the helm. Suzee didn't realy have any physical ties to their dimension, but when she was on the astral plane and connected to Catalina, she could manifest her body for Cat to see. Which helped Catalina tremendously, because sometimes she doubted her own sanity as much as the others did. "Too quiet, Suzee." She said in a normal tone. No one was around to make fun of her, so she blantantly spoke to the invisible girl. "Better than being attacked, I suppose." Suzee was bored, too. She wished someone at home would pay attention to her, but with two sisters and three brothers, that wasn't prone to happen. "Yeah," Cat said noncommitally. She heard the jump tubes activate and turned to see Radu slide in. He walked silently to his post to the right of her. "Hi!" she exclaimed. Radu arched a brow at her since he couldn't have know how bored she was. "Hi," he replied softly. The Andromendan stared at her. "Anything going on?" "Not really," he shrugged. "Ms. Davenport made us clean the Pit because when she came in this morning she stepped in a pie that Bova left on the floor. It had been there a few days." Cat giggled. "I'm pretty sure I failed that engineering quiz, too. Was she messing with our heads on that matching section?" "You know, I think so. The answers were in order, right?" Cat hated when Ms. Davenport did that. It wasn't fair to make them doubt themselves even more than they already did. Radu sighed in relief. "Yes, I reread that part ten times. I bet I failed it anyway." "He sounds like Bova," Suzee said, rolling her eyes. "Suzee says you sound like Bova." "No," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes, uncertain of how to address the imaginary girl. "I'm not being negative. I'm being realistic." "Don't be down on yourself, Radu," Catalina said encouragingly. "I'm sure you did fine. You studied with me, remember?" Radu half-smiled. He was trying to keep positive. He knew Rosie and Cat were worried about him, since he'd been so self-loathing lately. Something just didn't feel right. And he just plain felt worthless, like everyone would be better off if he simply weren't there. Or never had been. "I bet Harlan said something nasty." Suzee said. She wanted Cat's attention, even if she didn't care whether or not the Andromedan worried himself to death. "You think so?" Catalina turned to her. She saw Radu's body heave in an inaudible sigh out the corner of her eye. "Doesn't he always? Besides, he probably failed, too. You know the cocky twerp didn't study." "Of course not." Cat agreed. Radu tried not to stare. The look she'd gotten in her eyes was similar to that of a telepath in listening mode. Except that he knew Cat wasn't telepathic. Whenever he saw her doing that, it made him wonder whether or not Suzee was really real. Not that he'd say anything. They all thought he was half crazy anyway. How are you, Radu? Alright, I guess, he answered his Spung friend. Elmira had been paying alot of attention to him lately too. How was the ball? Wah. There was amusement in the sending. Maybe you should watch the news. What did you do? I bit Warlord Jeoff's son. Pretenscious bastard. Radu laughed. Catalina looked at him quizzically. "You didn't hear that did you?" she asked. Suzee narrowed her eyes. He'd laughed right after her last comment about Ms. Davenport. "Hear what?" Catalina craned her head a bit. "What were you laughing at?" Don't tell them about me, Elmira warned. You know I won't, Radu returned. What frequency would that be on? Hmm. Neon's I think. "Um, turn on the frequency for planet Neon?" Radu said. Cat looked sceptical, but complied. "And here we are at the Annual Empirical Ball." An annoying voice boomed as the screen scanned a ballroom filled with Spung. "Meaning standard Spung years, that is," another voice announced. "Of course." The first voice sounded jilted. "There is the honorable Emperor himself..." "Grozit." Catalina said, making a face. "He's, like, five." "Just love the monarchy." Suzee remarked. "And Royal Regent Kratch. He's in a good mood," the first voice returned, knowingly. "Due to the untimely demise of his father at the hands of those savages, the Andromedans..." Catalina caught Radu rolling his eyes and giggled. "Kratch is now quite a power in the Empire. Should the Emperor perish, his family now has a strong claim to the throne." - "Well," the second voice said bemusedly. "That, and the lovely Sorola Elmira has been bought for a dance." Both voiced whistled. "Why do I sense something violent coming on?" Suzee asked. Elmira walked resolutely toward Kratch, eyes down. A dress that would have looked like a plastic bag on anyone else envelopped the dignified Spung in a swirl of purple and blue, glitter sparkled over her body, and her hair burned like a waterfall of flame. Kratch stepped forward and took her hand, saying something in Spung. "Oh-hoo-hoo!" the first voice barked. "Nice one." The scene closed in on the look of absolute disgust on Elmira's face. She spoke quietly then nodded to the band to play. The dance began. Kratch twirling her around, occasionally stepping on her feet. Irritated though she was, the woman stayed calm. Kratch dipped her, then leaned in for a kiss. A resounding Spung scream rang out. "What just happened?" the second voice said incredulously. "She- she bit him." the first voice was stunned. Elmira now stood apart from Kratch, blood dripping from her exposed fangs. She grinned at Kratch, who had his injured tounge hanging out. She snarled and began shouting in Spung. "What's she saying?" Catalina looked to Radu. He smiled widely. Suzee was laughing her head off. "She's revoking his Mandate of Divinity," he explained. "Saying that he has overstepped his bounds and now he, or any of his kin, cannot succeed the throne." "Can she do that?" "Her line has a stronger claim to the throne than Jeoff's did." Radu shrugged. "Can she do that?" the first voice said. "I don't know. It's practically heresy to violate the First Sorola. Warlord Shank seems to be enjoying this," the second voice said. "Wait- the Emperor is going to say something." "The claim of the First Sorola is just. Evil will befall the Empire if any of Kratch's kin seceed the throne." "But, Emperor, you cannot rule without me!" Kratch protested awkwardly. "We choose Warlord Shank's son Praxt as our new regent. Perhaps that will repay the indignity that you have place on their house." The child beamed at Elmira. Catalina giggled. "A coup d'etat!" "Pardon?" Goddard asked walking into the room. Cat waved her arms to silence him. He looked up in disbelief. A tall, lanky Spung ascended the royal stairs and knelt by the Emperor. The child took his scepter and hit Praxt with it as hard as he could. "Accolade." Goddard muttered. "That boy's just been knighted." "Please do us the honor of serving us," the little Emperor said with a smirk. "Thank you, Sire." Praxt rose stiffly and bowed to the onlooking congregation of Spung. "Now that's how to deal with a pushy guy," Catalina remarked. Just then the jump tubes activated. Harlan slid in. Catalina and Radu exchanged a bemused look. * * * "They won't know you're gone until you are gone." Praxt promised his older sister. "We'll stage a death so perfect, Shank won't blink twice." "Yes!" the little Emperor concurred, hissing a little. "They won't use the First Sorola for evil while I'm in charge." "I don't see how father will fall for it." Elmira admonished. "I've done this before." "But last time there wasn't a body." Praxt put his arm around her as her eyes widened in alarm and curiosity. * * * Rosie gasped. Bova turned his head sharply to see the Mercurian gaping at a file she'd just opened. "What's that?" he asked, leaving his snack at the table slowly across the lounge. He sat next to her. "The file says that its something called a dragon, but I can't find what planet it comes from." "Look at its teeth." Bova remarked, "I bet alot of furry animals go into that thing." "Bova!" Rosie admonished. She didn't want to think about cute animals being eaten. Bova shrugged. He grabbed the abandoned sandwich and munched on it as they looked the picture over. The vid had captured the irridescent light beaming off of the creature's scales. They were overlapped, creating a sleek armour of pearly light. "You know, Bova," Rosie said bemusedly, "It's actually kinda beautiful, when you get past how fierce it looks." "Yeah," Bova muffled. He'd forgotten to chew for a moment. "Wait." Rosie gave him a funny look. "You're agreeing with me??" Bova swallowed hard. "It happens. What? Can't you believe I can can find something beautiful?" "It's not that, Bova." She leaned over in challenge. "Everyone finds something beautiful. I just didn't think you could admit it." "I can!" Bova said jiltedly, getting in her face. "I can anytime I want. Mercurians aren't the only species capable of shallow lookism!" "Lookism!" Rosie exclaimed. "Appreciation of the aesthetics is what makes humanoid life so special!" Bova rolled his eyes. "Even the stupidest animal likes pretty stuff. Humanoids just think they're all that cause they can talk about how cute or ugly or unfashionable. They're really just all shallow twits." Rosie looked at him hard. "Present company excluded, of course," Bova said, raising his hands in surrender. "Of course," Rosie said stiffly, slowly standing and moving away from him. She was starting to glow. "What?!" A small part of the console next to her was melting. "Putting everything and everyone down out of hand? You can see the simple beauty of something without it meaning that you're shallow! It just means that you notice what's going on around you, not just overanalysing everything with your nose in a Compupad." "Rosie, that's not what I meant!" Bova reached for her but she stormed away, leaving burn marks on the floor. "Yikes!" Catalina said coming into the teamroom. "I thought Rosie was going to mow us down there." "Yeah, Bova, I've never seen her angry before." Harlan said lightly. "What did you say to her?" "Something wrong." Bova shrugged callously, but his shoulders stayed tense. Cat sat in the chair Rosie had previously occupied and put her hand on his shoulder. "What happened?" Catalina said with concern. Bova glowered at her. "Stay out of it, Cat." Harlan warned. "You always botch things up when you get in the middle." "I do not botch things up!" Cat spat. "I'm very helpful, I'll have you know!" "Yeah, right." Harlan tugged his ears then waved his hands and jumped up and down. "Yes! I absolutely agree! I bet Radu thought you were having a seizure back there." "Oh, stop it. There were extenuating circumstances between you and Radu that I didn't know about. I didn't know enough then to tell you the right way to act." "I'd say not. Wait!" Harlan sat down next to them. "Do you know somehting now?" "No!" Catalina protested. Harlan and Bova looked sceptically at her. "No, guys, I can't tell. I haven't even told Suzee." "Come on!" The boys said in unison. "No!" Catalina got up and placed her hands on her hips controposto. "Forget you. I"m not going to betray his trust." Catalina shot a scathing look to Harlan before, taking after Rosie, storming out of the room. Bova sighed and looked at Harlan. "I swear that Andromedan gets me into more trouble!" Harlan complained. "Radu wasn't even here." Bova pointed out. "Yeah, but it was his problem that got me in trouble." "I wish I could rationalize like you Earthers. I just messed up." Commander Goddard walked in with a grim look on his face. "Your turn, Commander." Bova said cheerfully. * * * Rosie sat quietly beside the master protomix. She couldn't quite figure out why she and Bova couldn't communicate. She knew that they were different, but they were speaking the same language, at least technically. "Shallow." she grumbled, knowing the action was so unlike herself. She wanted to go talk to someone, but she was still too angry. The engine room was the only place on the ship designed to take that kind of heat. "Rosie?" "Cat?" Rosie turned to see the troubled Titanian. "What are you doing down here?" "Tinkering with the engine cools me down. Harlan's such a jerk." "Bova's being mean today, too. Has Radu been infected? I think I might need to break out the vaccines." Cat giggled. "No, Radu's acting weird, but I think he's just depressed." "Why is he depressed though? I checked his chemical balance, and it's fine." "Dunno. Grades, Harlan. Lonely, might be the closest guess." "I'll give him a hug later." Rosie smiled. "That'll help." "Maybe." I wish all people were open and honest as Mercurians. Catalina thought. "Girls?" Ms. Davenport called. "Yes, Ms. Davenport!" They answered. "Has the Commander done something stupid, too?" Catalina retorted. Ms. Davenport gave her a quizzical look, but ignored the comment. "Please come with me to the teamroom." she said gently. The girls looked at one another and followed their teacher. * * * Comander Goddard replayed that morning's newscast for the whole crew. He knew their reactions would not be good. "Poison, plain and simple." the Neon newscaster announced. "Last night after the Spung's Annual Royal Ball, the First Sorola Elmira, drank poisoned Ocerian wine and died. Her suicide note will not be released for public viewing due to the extreme grief of her father Warlord Shank." The Commander paused the vidcast. "Warlord Shank was her father?" Catalina said incredulously. "Yeah," Radu said, licking his lips. "You heard her title yesterday afternoon." "Sorola. Meaning?" "Princess. First Sorola, meaning, well, whoever marries her will have the strongest tie to the throne after Shank and her brother." "You're taking this awefully well, Radu." Ms. Davenport said with concern. "You don't need to worry." Radu assured them. "She's alright." The other students looked around anxiously. Goddard knelt down to the level of the students. "Radu," he said gently. "I know that you were close to her, but things happen to people in royal families. It...things are... complicated." Radu turned his scrutinizing eye to them. They all looked so sympathetic, as if he were going to break down any minute. He was almost sorry he didn't have anything to show them. He wondered if he should just explain, or just let it be a surprise. They probably wouldn't believe him anyway. Oh well. "I understand, Commander." he said blinking innocently. Goddard looked confused. Radu sighed. "She was a good person. She'll be alright." Goddard furrowed his brow. He remembered something about Andromedans being a religious people, but the ones he'd fought in the war had never taken death so calmly. Though, so far everything he'd observed about Radu had been outside the norm of Andromedan expectations, so this shouldn't be any different. "You're certain that you're alright?" Radu nodded. Ms. Davenport sighed. "Children, I know that death is a difficult concept. I want you to let one of us know if you are having problems, alright?" The students nodded. "You may return to your activities." She crossed her arms and gave Goddard a worried look. When the kids had left, she spoke again. "They took that surprisingly well." "Well, they hardly knew her." Goddard remarked. "But they've always been more empathetic than that. Particularly Rosie and Radu." "We'll just have to watch for problems." * * * "What's up, Radu?" Cat demanded when they'd reached their posts. Harlan looked over in interest. "Nothing." He answered softly. "Nothing, my quazar. If Elimira were dead, you'd be sobbing your little heart out. Now spill. What's going on? Radu sighed. "She faked her death to get away. They made a clone, but didn't activate it, then filled it with poison." "How'd you know all that?" Harlan asked suspiciously. "He's a telepath. I knew it." Suzee said smugly. "Are you in telepathic contact with her?" Cat asked. "Yes." Radu admitted uncomfortably. Rosie looked at him in shock. "For how long??" "A couple of months." Radu quirmed. He didn't like being grilled like this, and he'd been instructed not to say anything. "And you were planning on telling us... when?" Harlan demanded. "Eyes on the road, Harlan. I'll conduct this investigation." Catalina quipped. Rosie giggled. She was glad the mood had lighted up. "Elmira said it wasn't safe for you to know." Radu explained. "I didn't think you'd believe me anyway." "Should we be expecting a vistitor?" Bova asked. "Probably." "Goddard's gonna have a fit." Bova returned, smirking. Harlan snickered. "He'll have a heart attack." "Harlan, that's mean." Rosie protested. "Okay, I'm sorry." Harlan sighed. "But he's not going to be happy with us for not tell him this." Radu was more than a little relieved that he'd said us. "So what should we do?" Radu asked with a slight begging for approval. "Well..." Catalina grinned widely. "Rosie and I need to get No Man's Land ready for another roommate!" "Great." Suzee muttered. "Oh! That's great!" Rosie couldn't keep still. "We can redecorate!" "And give her a STARDOG makeover!" "And she can join our class!" Rosie paused. "What's se good at Radu?" "She's a good pilot." he said. "She does pretty well at tactics, too, but that might be because she can see the outcome." "Finally, the balance of power is shifting." Catalina smirked. "What?" Harlan turned around to give her an are you crazy look. "Now there are more girls than guys on the ship." "Davenport, Rosie, Elmira, and you equals four girls. There are four guys!" Harlan argued. "Thelma!" Cat pointed out. Rosie giggled. "And me!!" Suzee snapped irritatedly. "And Suzee." Cat added. Harlan rolled his eyes. Bova laid down on his console and pretended to nap. "Red alert, adult on the Command Post." Goddard announced, walking in. Bova jerked his head up. "I think the girls have something to say." Harlan said raising a brow. "Harlan!" Cat admonished. Goddard would never believe this without proof. He'd just think they were taking Elmira's death harder than he'd thought. "Men," Suzee sighed. "Hey, Goddard, guess what? Radu's girlfriend is comming aboard and taking over." "is there something I should be aware of?" the Commander asked, folding his arms. "Is there anything you are aware of?" Suzee retorted. She was bord with this situation. "Suzee, stop it. You know he can't hear you." Catalina turned to her with an angry glare. "Sorry, Cat. Not my fault if they're oblivious." "What did she say?" Goddard ased, then mentally berated himself for feeding the girl's delusion. "Nothing important, Commander." Catalina apologized. Suzee hoffed in protest. Goddard gave them all a scrutinizing glance, but decided to let it be. "We have an incoming message," Rosie announced. Goddard nodded to her. "Screen on." The viewscreen swirled open to reveal the face of a certain dead Sorola. "Elmira?" Goddard took a step back. "Is this what you were trying to tell me?" They all nodded. "I would have simply sent the message through Radu, but I needed for you to believe that I am actually alive." Elmira stated in her graceful monotone. "Where are you?" Radu asked. "I'm in the Quarton System, and I need your help. A dimensional rift has opened and the Geks are spilling into our universe. I can't stop them alone." "Did she say Geks?" Suzee asked, intrigued. "As in those barbaric monsters from my dimension?" "Suzee want to know if the Geks are from Yensid." Catalina repeated. "Suzee is correct. The Geks, being unable to dominate her dimension due to their technological inferiority to the Yensidians, have chosen a more primative dimension. Us, because, not including the area of alternate realities, we are the closest dimension to Yensid." "Are you saying that Suzee is real?" Harlan asked in disbelief. "She is. And she may be able to help. I need Radu on this side to help me, but we do need someone on the other side to close the dimensional rift, cutting off their reinforcements." "Well, it would take a matter/anti-matter explosion to open a rift, to eep it open, hmm..." Suzee put her head to the problem. "She's thinking about it." Catalina translated. Elmira smiled serenely. "Thank you, Catalina, but I can see her." "What?" the crew of the Christa said in unison. "I can see anyone who walks on the astral plane, provided that their sheilds aren't stronger than mine. Radu will be able to do this soon, too." "Good." Suzee said. "It gets boring talking to just one person. No offense, Cat." "What exactly do you have planned?" Goddard inserted himself. "I assume that faking your death was a part of this issue." "By faking my death, Praxt becomes the eldest of my father's line. He now has the strongest tie to the throne. Stronger than Shank's even, because he's the regent. Praxt agreed to take care of my friends while I took on this mission." "Your... friends?" Bova asked. What kind of friends would a Spung princess have? "The Andromedan slaves and the abused women and children of the Empire that I've been trying to protect." she sighed wearily. "I suspect, however, that Praxt will be more successful, as he does not face a glass ceiling." "Back to your plan." Goddard was all business. This sounded as if it required an all out STARDOG attack, but wouldn't be getting it. "If you are willing, I need to get Radu to the planet Namek to help me fight them off." she caught the expression on Radu's young face. "Don't worry; I'll show you what to do." "Two people against an army?" Goddard arched a brow sternly. "Trust me, my people were a force to be reckoned with when we were virtuous." Bova tried to imagine a virtuous Spung, but failed, smiling in wicked glee at the images of hedonistic Spung dancing around a bonfire upon which there were children waiting to be eaten. "So one Spung and one Andromedan can defeat these horrible Gek people?" Bova then imagined Rdu holding his hands up and asking a group of monsters if they could talk it over. "Probably. If the Christa had weapon systems, I'd ask you to help, but you can't. Catalina, Rosie, and you, Bova, might be able to provide some assistance, if you are brave. But the Earthers would be useless." "Hey!" Harlan protested adamently. "I don't faint when I see a fight coming! I welcome it." "Obviously." Elmira said facetiously. Goddard put a hand on Harlan's shoulder to keep the boy from jumping into the screen. "I assume blasters don't work terrible well against the Geks?" "Not the ones from this dimension. Especially jerry-rigged ones. And they are too thick skinned for you to fight outright." ELmira scanned his honest, understanding face. Not all men were beasts like her father, she supposed. "Then we'll keep the ship ready while you go." Goddard made a single nod. "Do you guys want to go through with this?" The cacophony of response gave him the answer he was looking for. "Great." he tilted his head with the word, as though it were dragging him down. "Now I get to break this to Ms. Davenport." Elmira chuckled. Part II "A few hours til our deaths." Bova said casually, moving a globe. The last few days had been tense. Very tense. "I can't believe I don't get to go with you." Harlan pouted, leaning back into the circular couch. "Don't whine, Harlan." Cat snapped. She nervously pulled her spectrum of hair back into a little ponytail. She wasn't certain that she could help much either, but she had to try. Suzee had been working nonstop on a means of closing the dimensional rift. "You get to go on all the away missions; give somebody else a turn!" "I just don't understand." Rosie looked up. She almost hadn't heard Radu's soft comment. "What don't you understand, Radu?" She tilted her head in concern. Radu looked up and licked his lips. "I hate fighting. I hate hurting people. How come you like it so much, Harlan?" Harlan looked at the boy in surprise. "It's aweful when people are hurting. I'd rather die myself than see people hurt." "You realise, Radu," Catalina pointed out softly. "That Elmira expects you to fight the Geks." "That's different." "How's that?" Harlan did not know what to make of this. Radu so seldom shared things like this with them, him particularly. "Th-they... they are a horrible race. They eat infants. They enslave their own and have ritualistic raping ceremonies for good luck. They're perverse and twisted. They'd make us like them if they could." Radu sighed and shook his head. "I don't know if I could ever bring myself to hurt someone, but if I can, the Geks would be it." Rosie came over and hugged Radu. "Do you ever know how to fight?" Harlan challenged. "Of course. The Elders taught me when I was nine." "I hope that will be enough." Catalina said suddenly. "The Geks sound tough." "Yeah," Bova echoed her sentiment. "Ellie has a plan, I think. She hasn't told me what's going to happen though." "Well, it better be good, or we're Spung fodder." Bova muttered. * * * "Put her in a synchronious orbit with the planet." Commander Goddard said. Davenport looked apprehensively at him. She had serious misgivings about letting the children go to fight what would be, in essence, a little war. They weren't ready for this mentally, she felt, even if they were very powerful. "Catalina, Rosie, Bova... Radu." She nodded to each in turn. "I want you to all be very careful. Commander Goddard and I will be waiting here with medical supplies prepared just in case." "Don't go getting killed." Harlan said good-naturedly. He was quite nervous inside, however. He didn't want any of his friends to die. Not even Radu. "You wouldn't be so lucky." Cat replied, grabbing her pack and climbing up to get into the jump tubes. Bova pulled Rosie aside while Catalina and Harlan bickered. "Since we're all probably going to die... I'm sorry." he said softly. "For what?" Bova gave her a sceptical look. "For that fight we had a few days ago. I didn't mean to imply that you were shallow. I meant... oh, it doesn't matter. It wasn't meant for you." Rosie smiled. She gave him a hug. "Thanks, Bova. That means alot." "Alright you guys, that's cozy enough." Harlan laughed. Catalina smacked his arm. "Not now, Harlan." she said tersely. "Everyone ready to go?" Goddard asked surveying their faces. The kids nodded. "Then let's get you settled in the Starlings." * * * About an hour later, Starling 8 and 9 set down on the soft, grassy surface of the planet Namek. Catalina helped pull Bova out of the shuttle as Radu contacted Elmira. Rosie strode over to the Starling 8. "What do you think Elmira has planned?" "Something devious and mean." Bova grinned suddenly. "This might actually be fun!" Catalina rolled her eyes and glanced over at the Starling 9, where Radu was still seated. His eyes were glowing a bit, but not as much as before. "Look!" Rosie exclaimed. "The sky is purple. It's so pretty. Like cotton candy." "Yeah," Bova said, thinking of the scattering of the visible light spectrum through the atmosphere. "It is." "Elmira says that we should rendez-vous with her on the other side of that forest." Radu said, pointing. "Well, that's not far," Catalina said. "Let's go." "What if they see us?" Bova looked around furtively. "Who?" "The Geks. You know, the ones that want to kill us?" Bova arched a brow at her. "Oh, um...hide?" Cat shrugged. Bova groaned. "They won't see us. We're being shielded from their sight." Radu pointed out. He began to tie back his hair. It got to be such a mess outdoors. "By who?" Bova asked. "By whom." Rosie corrected. "Whatever." Bova rolled his eyes. "By...me." Radu answered softly. Bova rolled his eyes again at this revelation and threw his hands up. "Well, um, thanks...Radu." Catalina looked around. "Let's go." * * * "I though that you would never arrive." Elmira said. She walked over and embraced Radu, who returned the sentiment. Her mass of red hair fell like a crimson wave across her face, giving the woman a look of grim determination. She wore a simple bluegrey shirt and black pants. It was a change from how the children were accustomed to seeing her, but somehow even in common clothing Elmira looked regal. "We have much to do." she said resolutely. "How are thinks comming with Suzee?" "She says that they're using a machine to keep the dimensional rift open." Catalina answered. "She can shut it down remotely." "Good. No sense in putting her in any more jeopardy than necessary." Elmira turned to Radu. "How does your energy level feel?" "Fine. No one noticed us on the way over here." Radu motioned to the cavernous surroundings. Elmira nodded, playing with his mane. "Well, we should get down to business. What we need to do is to trick the Geks into making a head-on attack at me and Radu." "You could stick your tongue out at them and yell neener-neener." Bova suggested. Elmira smirked. "Catalina, you're going to have to be on your toes. You'll have to give Suzee the signal at just the right moment. We don't want the Geks to know that we're up to anything." Catalina nodded. "Rosie, Bova, and I harry them from both sides?" "Yes." Elmira agreed. "Oh, well, it's a good day to die." Bova muttered. Elmira cocked her head. "We're going to make the Geks think that there are thousands of you." She began to draw on the floor with a long tapered finger. Bova looked dubious. "Yeah." Radu concurred, smiling softly. "Th- they'll never know what hit them." A wry expression crossed Catalina's face. * * * Bova crouched in the foliage beside the Gek campsite. They almost looked like Earthers, Bova thought. With their broad, sloping foreheads and bulbous noses and scraggy facial hair. He wondered what the females looked like. Then decided that they probably looked the same. He saw Rosie's pink heat signal shoot into the air. "I hope Radu knows what he's doing." Bova grumbled, rising from his hiding place. He yelled as loud as he could. The warrior Geks took stance for battle. Bova faintly heard Cat's sonic scream as he took off running.< * * * "Aieeee!!" Catalina bellowed at the line of marching Geks. They fled and cupped their gnarled hands over their ears. She saw the commotion on the other side of the line as Rosie hotfooted several large soldiers, sending them blundering, weapons drawn, into their own men. Cat let another one loose. "Do you hear them, Cat?" Suzee said jubulantly. "They think you're a banshee." "Kewl." Catalina said, puffing. She was a little afraid she'd lose her voice before the plan was completed. The Geks ran around in chaos, alternately making battle cries and crying out in despair. "That's why they couldn't defeat us." Suzee scoffed. "Idiots. They have no real leader, so when something unexpected happens, they just go nuts." "Isn't that how Andromedans do it?" Suzee shrugged. "I don't know how they do it. No one does. From what I know, Andromedans just go. Just fight. Just adapt. And they do it together." "Quite a collective." Catalina picked up a jog along the panicing line of Geks. "I suppose that's why they sent Radu to us. Their loss." "Indeed." Suzee remarked. Cat sent out another piercing scream, and three or four Geks fell to the ground as their eardrums burst in a bloody pop. "Ew." Suzee grimaced. She was very glad to be in her own dimension where everything was orderly and sterile. "Did you see that, Suzee? That's the signal! Now! NOW!!" * * * Rosie and Bova ran to the rendez-vous point, trying not to be trampled by the grotesque warriors. "Cat!" Rosie cried out. The Titainian came over to them. "We're almost there. Suzee did it. They're all stampeding towards Radu and Elmira, but they won't be able to call on more troops." "What's stopping them from fixing their machine and slaughtering our friends?" Bova asked. Cat shrugged. "They're supposed to. I don't know what Elmira has planned, but she definitely wants the Geks to see the tail end of it." "We're doomed." Bova sighed. "Wow. Bova...Cat..." Rosie said in awe. "Look at that!" An eerie blue light began to rise along the horizon. The three Rigelian-born warriors ran closer to see the unbelievable ongoing battle before them. Radu was attacking the Geks with a lithe, but complicated fighting style. Surprisingly enough, the blue light was eminating from his body. Every limb was alight with blue fire; his eyes burned even brighter in the glory of righteousness. "Ra....Radu?" Bova gaped in shock at the sight he never thought that he would see. The boy's motions were like a graceful dance. There was no longer any inconfident tripping or fumbling. Only action and power. "Where's Elmira?" Rosie asked. Catalina pointed at the sky, here eyes as wide as saucers. "Grozit!!" "A dragon!" Rosie exclaimed. The creature with shining scales and flaming quills was even more beautiful than the one from the Infocore. Bova shook his head. "No, that's Elmira." Elmira's fire accompanied Radu's as she flew above in an elegant aerial attack. The Geks really stood no chance against them, and as the sun turned into a melting coin against the darkening purple sky, all the demons fell and the dragon landed. "This is the kewlest thing I've ever witnessed. Harlan is going to be so jealous." Catalina said pridefully as she approached Radu. He looked drained. And sad. "All those lives." He said softly, then burst into tears. Elmira walked as softly as possible over to him. Rosie hugged him tightly, and Bova sat near. "You did what you had to, Radu. Those monsters would have eagerly destroyed our world." Elmira told him. "I know." He replied mornfully. "How? What causes...? How'd you do that Elmira?!" Bova asked finally. "All Spung can do this." She replied, though it was a little awkward to speak to a dragon on such familiar terms. "If their hearts are pure, and their cause is just." "So, the evil Spung, that only crave power and wealth?" Catalina concluded. "Cannot attain their ulitmate power. It's a shame really. We used to be such an honored race, but we've lost our way." she shook her elogated head. "Perhaps Emperor Dende and my brother can move things in a more productive direction." "Hopefully." Catalina said dryly. Then turned her face to Suzee, who had just appeared. "What is it, Suzee?" "You guys have got to get out of here." She said urgently. "The Geks have fixed their transdimensional machine and are on their way here now! I didn't have the time to recalibrate by remote control!" "I hate to break it to you guys, but the Geks are on their way and Suzee's remote control isn't working!" Catalina told them. "Did she call parts and services?" Bova quipped. "Go, hide." Elmira said. "They'll be here momentarily. You shouldn't be in sight." "But, Ellie-" "You've done enough for one day, Radu. Take a break." Rosie encouraged as she, Bova, and Catalina tried to help him up. "Radu, do you have any energy left?" Elmira asked. Radu looked up weakly and licked his lips. "I- I think so." he flinched as Catalina forced him to lean back on a tree. "Then put a shield up. Block out all sound and psychic energy." Radu nodded and closed his eyes. A semi-sphere of translucent blue light appeared in Radu's hands, swelling and stretching until it created a bubble over the four children. "Radu, stay still." Rosie order firmly. "You're hurt. I'll patch you up while Elmira's doing whatever she's going to do." Radu grimaced as Rosie felt his bruised body for the worse injuries. "You're next, Bova." she warned. Bova groaned, causing Catalina to giggle. Then a spinning portal opened up and a dark mass proceeded to pour out. "There they are." Suzee said grimly. "What do you suppose she's going to do, Suzee?" Cat asked. "Dunno. Look at them all!" "She'll be okay." Radu muttered with certainty. The Geks swarmed around the dragon. Then they stopped abruptly, surveying the carnage that the small army had left behind. Elmira reared back, the remaining sunlight glinted ominously off of her scales, and she jerked forward, fangs exposed in a bloodcurdling roar. But of course, the chlidren couldn't hear this, being inside Radu's security-bubble. The Geks stood hesitantly for a moment, then fled back into their transdimensional portal. "I've got to alert the government." Suzee said suddenly. "They'll make sure the Geks can't try this again when they regain their nerve. I'll be back soon." Catalina nodded and looked out onto their little battlefield. Elmira had reverted to her old form again while she'd been talking to Suzee and was approaching them. She made a knocking motion on the shield. Rosie nudged the sleepy Radu, and he looked up and released the shield. "Well done." Elmira said, smiling. "Shall we return to the ship?" "Definately." Catalina agree, shaking her head. "I think we could all use some rest." * * * "It's amazing we survived the experiance." Bova remarked later on at the Command Post. Rosie was still attending to Elmira and Radu in the Medlab, but as soon as they were out of the Quarton System, they could all take a well deserved rest. "Not really, Commander." Catalina said, overriding Bova. "You should have seen Radu fight! It was... wow." "Yeah," Bova agreed. Goddard shook his head. "I can hardly imagine Radu fighting, though I should know better, I suppose. Any trained Andromedan can be a deadly force." "But I've never seen Radu use a fighting technique of any kind." Harlan prostested. "Why didn't he use that stuff on me when he was sick, or on the Spung when we encountered them?" "Probably didn't want to hurt anyone." Goddard speculated. "Throwing me out the airlock would have definitely hurt me." Harlan pointed out. "Never expect sense out of someone who goes around running into walls." Bova said. Catalina giggled. Just then the jump tubes activated. Elmira, Rosie, and Radu slid in. "How are our patients, Rosie?" Davenport asked gentially. "Tired, but they're reovering really well!" Rosie smiled. Elmira raised a brow at her. Radu yawned and stiffly made his way over to his console. "So, Elmira." Goddard fought a smirk. "Will you finally be joining us?" Elmira shrugged but fought a smirk of her own. "I have nowhere better to go. Dende and Praxt have things well in hand back home, for now. I might as well stick around and finish teaching Radu handle his power." Elmira and Radu exchanged a brief, indiscernable look. I know what you're up to. Radu sent. Good. Not like you can stop me. You are devious, but your purity of intention allows you to access you higher powers... Your point being? she returned playfully. Your heart is amazing. I'd be proud to continue lessons in realtime instead of dreams. Oh, Radu... "Would you be interested in receiving lessons as well? I'm certain you could catch up to the other students quickly." Davenport offered hopefully, not adding that she'd probably surpass them quickly if she to it into her head to study. "Oh, certainly. You never know when an education will come in handy." She turned slowly and began walking to the wall. "Well, I do, but that's hardly the point." She pressed her hand firmly against the wall, and it reacted promptly, pulsating in a welcome. "Look's like the Christa likes you, too." Catalina said warmly. Elmira smiled back. "Hey, Cat. Everything's go." Suzee said, appearing. "Good." "Who's that?" Radu said, mildly alarmed by the appearance of the girl. Catalina looked at him in surprise. "You can see her now?" Radu nodded, looking the strange girl over. Stripes in her hair and an electric blue jumpsuit with buttoned flaps in the front. "This is Suzee, Radu." Catalina said congenially. Suzee shrugged and stuck out her hand though he couldn't touch it. "Nice to meet you, big guy. I saw you fighting the Geks while I was shutting down their little machine. You have some smooth moves. We'll have to get together sometime for a game of Brains verse Brawn." She smirked. Radu narrowed his eyes and looked her over critically. "Um, thanks." he said sceptically. "Cat, you said she was a genious." "Yeah. What's wrong?" Catalina replied, a bit concerned her friends wouldn't get along with Suzee. She could be difficult at times. "You didn't mention that she was beautiful!" Harlan burst out laughing. "Shut-up, Earther. This Drommerboy has good taste." Suzee said smuggly. Elmira smiled widely. She leaned over and kissed Radu on the ear. "Good luck," she whispered almost in audibly. Good luck, yourself, he thought. Then he said: "We'll on behalf of us...Space Cases..." Goddard chuckled. "Welcome to the crew. Both of you." Radu smiled sweetly. His baby blue eyes twinkled, full of life. Everything just felt right.