A Run for her Money(Athena Crew & James Thomas)

[lil]

(This is set the month when the Athena crew gets back. If this needs editing, let me know

The words ripped through the air crashing against the walls of the large Captains Cabin, echoing flushing her mind with anger. The hologram flashed red, as the words; "BOUNTY RETRACTED" stung her eyes. Lilianna stopped short, her fists clenched tightly.

Her hands drawn taunt against her knuckles white as snow, as she tried to hold herself back. "Still...ALIVE?.....What do you mean still alive?" Pushing aside the chair she stood behind Lilianna lunged toward the small man with meaty hands, eyes filled with rage, and her nostrils flared. As she spoke her tone wretched with fury.

"I don't know if you realize the concept of an exchange.. .." She sighed evenly. "I give you sum of money, and then you take care of what I ask..." Bringing her hand up to eye level she peered at her delicately trimmed nails. Colored blood red. "Failure to do so...well.. that's not an even exchange..Now is it?" "It becomes null, and void. It's also means this is where the trouble starts...." The young man gulped, as he turned the brim of his hat in his hands nervously. "Misses.. I swear I sent my best men.. They are cold hearted... tough as them come.. There must be an explanation"

Lilianna's stern gaze turned upon her guards who loomed to sides of her. "I think a little talk with my men should clear up any misunderstandings on finding and fixing the problem of Mr. Thomas" Turning her back Lilianna slowly strode back to her seat, waving faintly off towards the burly men dressed in black. Within an instant both rushed toward him, locking their arms under his shoulders and carring him off and out of the room, kicking and yelling. "Please!...Please! Missus! I'll do bett'uh next time!"Pulling the chair out, she eased herself into its' comfortable embrace. Closing her eyes; She imagined what she would do when she finally had the chance to see him again.

Face to Face. Fury surged through her, sudden and swirling fierce and red. She lets it take her, carry her with it, and the blow she strikes has the full force of her anger behind it. Spliting his lip anew; the blood running down over his chin, dripping onto his perfectly pressed white shirt; stained with the pain of his betrayal. Her laughter roars his ears. Even if the thought crossed his mind, Nothing would appease her. Nothing would change what he had done. Not now. Only his pain.

"I'll be the one doing the breaking this time..."


Grabbing him by his chin forcing his face towards her, Forcing him to look her in the eye and see the pain he had caused her all those years ago. Digging her nails as best she could into his skin. Lilianna snarled, and the sound tore at her throat and deep in her chest, tight with fury and with everything else."He will pay for this, and he'll find the price too high.." Her thoughts scattered around her. Sinking her fingers into his chin, tightening her grip and jerking her hand back until his neck is arched, his throat bared to her rage.

She could tear it out with her teeth, finally become the monster everyone so desperately wants her to be. Would sink her hand into his flesh and rip his heart out if she could;. Her lips curved in a sadistic smile.

Sighing into herself, Liliana sent for more Hunters to continue the search. "One.. day.. I swear you'll pay.."

[Paige Demore]

They were finally on their way back to Beumonde and in a damn hurry. Priya was sitting next to the infirmary bed that Jeff rested in, sighing she got up and paced. They'd need a doctor, a nurse..something when they got back to Beumonde. She had no medical knowledge this extensive to know exactly what kind of shape Jeff was in. He'd taken a sword through the shoulder...for her. The blade was meant for her but he'd stepped in the way. For once she had no idea how to react to the situation. Not that she needed to at the moment. Priya had her own injuries that would need tending, but minor in comparison.

There was a cortex system in the infirmary, new fancy ships seemed to have them everywhere. Priya put in the information for the Athena and waited for it to connect. Hopefully Liliana was on-board. She could have a medic of some sort waiting for them when they landed. Her co-captain needed to know other things as well about their situation. Priya hadn't taken time to clean up and she was still pale as a ghost. She had wrapped a bandage around her leg, that was about it. There were still some cuts on her face, arms and probably some she couldn't see from looking in a mirror.

She was a mess. What a way to greet Miss Liliana D'Obrec. Priya grinned a bit at how she may react at first glance. She hadn't been in contact since they had left her behind on Beumonde. It was a good thing Lil hadn't come really.

[Jeff Weston]

The bleeding had all but stopped mostly because he was running low on it yet the IV gave him the blood volume that he needed to stay barely alive till they landed. Darkness and muffled sounds were Jeff's world as for the moment. Dull pain was his companion. Nagging thoughts of the battle with the reavers played over and ove in his mind. A mind that would not let it go until it had solved the problem of fighting the reavers.

A wheezing sigh rattled from his chest as another life giving breath he took in. If he ever woke up he would try to get the problem solved with a clear mind not one that kept starting over with every painful breath. Yet with each breath the landscape changed more and more. It wasn't until the latest breath did nothing fully change. The land scape was that of Hera more importantly it was Serenity Valley.

He had just recently joined the brown coats when they enountered a small band of aliance troopers the first volley of fire laid low the majority of the aliance group. The rest of the deminishing band holded up in a dead ended ravene. This though is where the battle went way far south and reminded him of the recent reaver encounter. As the brown coat band forced their way into the dead end a single aliance trooper stood upon the battle field bloddy from head to toe. A repeater in one hand and a wicked looking knife in the other.

An inhuman sound came from it's throat and it charged the brown coats which out number him ten to one. Jeff watched in shock as he saw the simularities of this trooper and those of a reaver. Though this one was more brutal and visious and deadly than any reaver or solider he had ever encountered. Ordering a retreat Jeff made for a brown coat foot hold.

Of those that went with him only five survived of the twenty that entered that hell hole of a dead end. For a week they tried to take that dead end with out luck only when a heavy ordinance was dropped in in the deepest section did the battle end. Most all of the involved just knew that that beast was dead but when they were pulling back to take a wester section did Jeff look back and in the failing light did he see that wicked figure of a being standing well above the ridge of the ruined dead end.

Coming around a bit more into conscienceness, Jeff muttered for water. His voice was dry and crackling.

[mordekaibenlevi]

On board the Athena, Bridge.

Mordekai was at a loss for words. Captain D'Obrec had agreed to give him passage aboard the Athena for as long as he liked, and his payment had been in some credits, and in offering to cook for the crew as often as they liked. Miss Liliana had given him a tour of the ship, which had ended in the Bridge. Then she had disappeared, and he was left to his own devices. His few items of luggage were stored in one of the passenger cabins, and he had already inspected the galley in detail. Kai was about to turn around and head back to the galley to fix some food when a screen began flashing on the bridge. A Wave.

He looked around, but there was no one on the bridge to answer it but himself. With a weary sigh, he moved over to the screen and answered it.

The person on the other side would see an older man, in his early forties, slightly graying black hair, chin scruff, and a preacher's collar.

"Um... hello?" he said as he answered the wave. This is rather awkward...

[Paige Demore]

Finally there was an answer to her wave, but it wasn't Liliana. Priya's face changed with an angry look, crossing her arms across her chest. "Who the hell are you and what're you doing on my ship?" Her words were low and her eyes narrowed. There was some older man on the other side of her screen that she didn't know.

Before the man could answer her first inquiry she continued, "where's Liliana." What in the 'verse had that woman been up to since she had been gone? It'd only been a couple days!

Priya's eyes narrowed even further as she looked at the man...no way in hell! A preacher? Really? Surely this must be a joke and the captain was finding no humor in it.