Wraith Queen Ingas Hive!

[Draygon]

Deimos had taken a single dart down to the planet's surface, along with the fabricated research. The Hive remained just out of scanning distance, in orbit around one of the planet's moons.

"He's late," said Kal'shath, looking at one of the main screens. She had insisted on being on the bridge.

"Phobos should be here shortly," said Todd.

As if on cue, another hive dropped out of hyperspace and a cruiser decended towards the planet.

"We must wait for them to take Deimos," said Todd to the second-in-command, "and for the enemy hive to re-enter hyperspace before we can risk breaking orbit and following the sub-space tracking signal."

They waited, the tension in the air almost stiffling. Eventually, the cruiser returned to the hiveship and Phobos's hive opened a hyperspace window and left.

"Now," said Kal'shath grimly, "we follow."

[Dr. Daedalus]

*On the enemy hive the Chief Scientist is pacing in his cell. He will make Phobos pay for this. Just then the door opens and two of Phobos' soldiers drop an obviously hurt Deimos onto the floor. The Chief Scientist rushes to his side and asks him if he is all right. Deimos says no and rolls over onto his side in pain. He then informs the Chief Scientist of the plan to rescue both of them. The Chief Scientist chuckles and says that he has a plan that will help the hive in their efforts. But he wants to know if Deimos is up to it before they do anything. Deimos replies in the affirmative and the Chief Scientist then helps him up and takes him to the wall. The Chief Scientist explains that he was able to manually divert chemicals that the hull regenerator uses to tear down walls to this wall. Just then the wall is eaten away and the captured Wraith are able to pass undetected into the next hallway.*

[Mariellelita]

Meanwhile, Amina is on the bridge and sends an order to get a hold on the signal from Phobo's ship as it leaves.

"Ma'am, we have the signal. We will be ready to follow them as soon as the Queen and the others return." a tech tells her.

Amina tells Kal'shath that they are ready to track Phobos when she returns.

[Draygon]

Meanwhile, Amina is on the bridge and sends an order to get a hold on the signal from Phobo's ship as it leaves.

"Ma'am, we have the signal. We will be ready to follow them as soon as the Queen and the others return." a tech tells her.

Amina tells Kal'shath that they are ready to track Phobos when she returns.

"Then let us follow them," said Kal'shath, "but be sure to keep out of their scanner range. We don't want to alert Phobos to our presence. He may well kill Deimos and the Cheif Scientist before we have a chance to rescuse them."

"We will do what needs to be done," assured Todd.

Kal'shath nodded and left the bridge. She headed back to her chambers to see to her son. To her surprise, when she opened the door, she saw Astra standing in the middle of her quaters.

"Did you wish to see me about something?" Kal'shath asked her.

[Draco-Stellaris]

On the bridge of Phobos's hive an alarm begins to sound. Phobos asks irritated "What is going on?"

A technician reads the message on the computer terminal "The prisoners have escaped. We don't know yet how they have managed it but it seems they have destabilised the walls of their cell."

Phobos snarls "Alert every single Wraith on this ship! I want those two back in a cell instantly!"

Phobos rushes out of the room, trying to locate Deimos with his mind. Soon the ship swarms with drones patrolling the corridors, opening every door and looking into every niche.

[Draygon]

Astra seems to be plucking up the courage to speak, probably about Deimos being allowed to go on this suicide mission, when Todd speakes clearly in Kal'shath's mind.

"Phobos's hive has dropped out of hyperspace. We should be upon them momentarily"

"I will meet with you on the bridge," Kal'shath replies. "Who is leading the strike team?"

Todd chuckled over their telepathic link. "I though you knew already. Astra volenteered to head the rescue mission. I will see you on the bridge then."

Kal'shath turned back to Astra as Todd disconnected the link.

"Go," she told Astra, "with my belssing. We will be approching Phobos's hive any moment now."

Astra left the Queen's chambers, clearly relieved by Kal'sahth's acceptance of her desision.

[Draco-Stellaris]

Astra heads for the dart bay with a determined stride. She is still upset about Deimos going voluntarily on this mission and Kal'shath allowing it, but she can see it's no use. They didn't have an alternative.

Please prepare yourself for battle, Amina. You're the best dart pilot and I need you to guard my back, Astra sends a telepathic message to Amina.

A message from the Second reaches Astra Be careful, Phobos's ship seems to be in a state of high alert. Our sensors pick up much activity throughout the whole ship. Astra replies Maybe they won't be expecting an attack when they deal with problems of their own.

Then a thought strikes her Those problems are sure related to Deimos and the Chief Scientist. I hope they are causing trouble, she grins.

She reaches out with her mind. The link between her and Deimos had become much stronger reccently and she has no problems locating him.
She boards her cruiser and orders the darts to swarm out and cause a distraction.

[Mariellelita]

Amina follows Astra in her dart and the whole team of pilots leaves the hive and goes towards Phobos's ship. Amina believes that something must be upsetting Phobos a lot since it took a while for the enemy darts to leave their hive.

"We are almost there Astra." Amina tells Astra telepathically. "How many darts do you want to follow us inside and how many drones should they drop off?"

[Draco-Stellaris]

Astra tells Amina the required numbers and then prepares to enter Phobos's ship herself. The defenses are minimal. Apparently Phobos's drones are spread widely over the ship and Astra's rescue party can enter the hive without much of a fight.

She runs off in the direction where she has located Deimos, taking out several patrols of drones on the way.

When she turns a corner she finds herself face to face with Phobos.

Phobos snarls at her "You will never get away with this." He draws a dagger and attacks her. Astra sends out a telepathic distress call I need help! Quick!

[Dr. Daedalus]

*Just then Deimos tackles Phobos and starts fighting hand to hand with him. The Chief Scientist quickly dispatches Phobos's two guard drones and is about to assist Deimos when Astra stops him. She says that Deimos needs to do this himself. Deimos and Phobos continue fighting until Deimos stabs him in the chest but before Deimos can finish him more drones appear and start firing. The Chief Scientist then lays down fire to cover our retreat to the dart bay...*

[Draco-Stellaris]

"This way!", Astra shouts, leading the Chief Scientist and Deimos to her cruiser. They get on board and take off. They are followed by a couple of enemy darts.

Trying to avoid the darts they head for their own ship but the darts are much faster and threaten to overwhelm their cruiser.

Just then Amina's squadron appears and engages the enemy darts. The cruiser lands safely in Kal'shath's ship and Amina and her squadron retreat.

When all are back safe on the flight deck Todd orders to open fire and destroy Phobos's ship once and for all.

There is no chance for that though because Phobos's ship opens a hyperspace window and disappears.

[Draygon]

Todd snarled and thumped the consol in front of him. Once again, Phobos had escaped the death he so richly deserved!

"That is a problem for another time," Kal'shath told him. "Now, we must see to our wounded and make repaires."

Todd nodded in agreement. Kal'shath spoke sense. The entire hive needed to be fully repaired, not just the on-the-go repaires they had been forced to make. He turned to his second-in-command.

"Take us to one of our rest sites. At least there, we should hopefully be safe from any further trouble."

Kal'shath left the bridge to see her returned crew, shaking her head. No matter where they went, Kal'shath was sure that trouble would follow them.

[Draco-Stellaris]

"You are hurt", Astra says worriedly to Deimos. "Come with me, you need to feed."

Deimos gets up shakily and walks with Astra to the supply chamber. Astra keeps a close eye on him in case he should stumble.

"I think Phobos will leave us in peace for a while now. His ship is damaged worse than ours", Deimos tells her.

"I really hope that", Astra sighs. "We deserve a bit of peace right now." She eyes him carefully "You're not still thinking about leaving the hive, are you?"

"One day I will have to confront Phobos again and I'd rather not have to do that on this ship", he looks at her. "But for now I will stay."

Astra smiles. "Then let us enjoy this time of peace however short it may be."
She is convinced it won't take long for the next trouble to show up.

[Dr. Daedalus]

*The Chief Scientist thanks all the members of the hive for the terrific job they did rescuing him. He then starts preparing for the extensive repairs that will soon be made to the hive.*

[Mariellelita]

Amina goes to her quarters to meditate. All of the recent enemies has taken a toll on her and she needs to release her stress. She is glad the Chief Scientist and Deimos are back. The hive wouldn't be the same without them.