Ankoran military central command
Incident log 46852
Star date 85.734.2187

18:23 galactic standard time
Three unknown crafts, matching the description of missing vessels reported lost to pirate activity exited hyperspace within the restricted region reserved for the classified testing of experimental temporal cruiser mark 2, code named "Slipstream". All attempts to hail the crafts were rebuffed.

18:24
The Slipstream opens fire on the lead enemy ship with its main cannon, scoring a direct hit against its shield and dealing significant structural damage to its aft side. Enemy ships returned fire with a missile barrage and low grade energy weapons. Anti-missile laser countermeasures exceeded expectations.

18:25
Sensors show the Slipstream engaged its temporary time distortion field (TTDF), momentarily leaving the time stream and repositioning broadside to the second vessel, unleashing a full salvo of its kinetic energy weapons array. Debris and recovered corpses indicate a direct hit and complete depressurization of the main crew compartment and munitions hold.

18:26
The munitions spaced during the destruction of the second ship drifted close enough to the slipstream to trigger its anti-boarding countermeasures, leading to a cascading explosion across its starboard side. Crew transmissions report mild exterior damage and disruption to the alignment of the TTDF generator.

18:27
The remaining unharmed enemy ship fired a barrage of electrograpples against the Slipstream's damaged starboard side. Anti-boarding measures seem to have been rendered inoperable during the explosion and were unable to repel the grapples. External weapons systems and shields were disabled by the discharge of a high voltage capacitor array, leaving the Slipstream with limited offensive capabilities except for its main forward cannon. Boarding pods were launched along the grapple lines.

18:28
The Slipstream successfully activated its TTDF to escape the boarding party. The ship reappeared in its initial position prior to the previous jump, and was able to quickly align its main cannon to blast the poorly shielded rear of the remaining pirate vessel, completely destroying the ship. Unfortunately, the flagship pirate vessel had continued drifting forward after its initial damage and was able to position alongside the Slipstream. Sensors indicate several flashes of light within the bridge.


18:29
The Slipstream ceased providing status reports, and no further crew communications were received. The pirate flagship docked with the Slipstream and it is believed that all pirate crew disembarked.

18:30
An escape pod was fired from the Slipstream. After being recovered, it was found to contain the bodies of all but one crew member, an ensign first class Greyford. Immediately following the escape pod, another object was ejected, which was discovered to be an unrecognizable pile of limbs, organs, and skin. Whatever Greyford did to earn such a special treatment, may god have mercy on his soul.

18:31
The Slipstream engaged jamming protocols and disappeared from our sensors. It almost certainly hyper jumped away to pirate controlled space, but its current whereabouts remain a mystery.

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Zagrut LOVED the outer rim.

Fuck the snobs back in the core, so self righteous with their laws and regulations for everything. What, you didn't get a permit for fecal waste disposable before you took a crap? Some uniformed sissy boys show up to say you owe a fine. Or better yet, they just take the creds right out of your account and put you in the red. Its not like anyone was even walking on that sidewalk!

Vanejin VI was better, but you were really just trading the rules of the government for the crime bosses. At least they didn't pretend they were something they weren't. Punch the wrong guy in a bar? His boss comes by the next day and has you gutted. Grab the wrong slut off the street? Better hope she wasn't someone's girlfriend. There were rules, but the common sense kind Zagrut could understand, and understanding was never Zagrut's strong suit. Punching and sluts were more his style.

Out here on the rim, there was only one rule: Do whatever you want until someone stops you. Here on the fly speck moon called Percion IV, that meant he and the Ravagers could do whatever the FUCK they wanted.

The red and green scaled Saurian was 6 feet 5 inches of pure masculinity. Rippling muscles covered his body beneath his scales, with battle scars standing as reminders of hundreds of fights won and lost. He sat naked on a small wooden chair that was barely supporting his weight, with his hand on the back of a mousey looking human girl's head as he forced her down onto his impressive rod. He'd had good blowjobs and bad ones, and this was definitely on the lower end of the scale. The girl was doing way too much thrashing around, and hardly used her tongue at all while he fucked her throat. At least she had stopped gagging each time he pushed her down. Eventually, her efforts managed to satisfy him, and a hot stream of cum shot down her throat, his hand ensuring her lips reached all the way down to his base.

When he was done she came up gasping for breath and choking, before he backhanded her sharply. "The fuck was that? I've gotten better blowjobs from a vacuum cleaner. Look, it took you so long half the boy's glasses are empty. Hurry up and do your damn job before I get pissed and burn this shit hole to the ground!"

Zagrut and two of his men were on leave from the freshly rebranded "Ravager Prime" and had traveled to the small settlement a few miles from their landing site. Their captain, Fendrel, said they needed to lie low for a while, so they were stuck with whatever "hospitality" the locals could manage. The crew had already taken at least half a dozen of the town's women back to the ship for entertainment, only leaving the pretty little barmaid so they had someone to serve drinks and so they didn't need to go all the way back to the ship for fun.

He grabbed a half full tankard of booze off the table and drained its contents in a single swig, before throwing it to shatter against the wall above the owner's head. The balding man ducked as glass showered down, and kept his eyes lowered as he came out from around the bar. "Is something the matter Sir? Can I get you or your men anything?" Maybe there was a hint of anger in his voice, and perhaps his fists were clenched a bit too hard in his apron, but Zagrut didn't seem to notice.

"From now on, tell that slut of yours to lose the dress. I like looking at her tits while I drink, and I want easy access when I wanna fuck her."

The bar owner glanced back as his daughter, and was just beginning to stammer out a protest, when another customer walked through the door.

In the outer rim there was little law to be enforced but the might of anyone who wished to stop you. The common folk, the weaker individuals, often lived in isolation in their tiny settlements, hoping to pass their days unnoticed by the galaxy. But most were not so lucky. Such settlements were ideal for gangs, pirates, and slavers to hide in due to those same reasons. And better yet, they all came with free entertainment in the form of the inhabiting women and free labor in the form of the weaker men there. Strength in numbers or sheer natural might trumped over any opposition that came from the scared and defenseless townspeople, and they would continue to suffer until their occupants got tired and left.

The outer rim was not a place one would like to be in if you weren't born there unless you were a criminal. But there were good opportunities that arose there from time to time, as well as offering in some cases the best routes to take when traveling to other sectors. Any planet, moon or asteroid with a semblance of civilization was good enough to land in; most were exactly the same, anyway.

So Miria knew pretty much what to expect when she landed in Percion IV. A mixture of sand, crime, and suspicious looks. But the town surprised her, instead; with silence, gloomed and defeated faces, and whispers in the dark. The sight of the radiant beauty was a welcome sight for sore eyes, a much needed change from the dreaded criminals that had landed nearby and used the town for their own needs. People were scared and hesitant at first, but a few opportunistic conversations here and there led the Holian towards a small group that gathered to explain what they were going through to her.

It had been scarcely a week since they arrived, in a damaged but magnificent ship. Drunken with their amazing spoils and the taste of victory, the Saurians were quick to abduct a number of the girls in the town and torment the poor residents. They were honest with her; they had almost nothing to pay her with, but getting rid of the gang and recovering anything of worth was a possibility. So in the end, they pleaded her to help them.

Miria had arrived only for fuel and supplies, and there wouldn't be much to give her with the gang there. But she knew very well that despite it was not her obligation, she would have to try and help them in whatever way she could.

From afar, the ship looked like a pristine specimen of technology, marred with the aftermath of a losing battle. But any further details to what it could do or what the pirates held inside no one could say, since none of the girls had returned from their abduction. Yet they told her the name of their captain, that his men mentioned oh so often, and that his second in command, Zagrut, had just arrived with only two other men. Their numbers seemed high, so using the opportunity of only three being present in town was necessary. She needed more information about them, and the right man was in the right place and the right time.

The door opened with a hiss before the barkeep could say anything else. The hourglass silhouette of a voluptuous, tall woman walked through the door, ochre eyes scanning the battered interior and settling down quickly on the trio of Saurians sitting around a table. But what everyone else saw was this woman clad in a skintight black suit, head covered by a sleek helmet. The suit had a short cape on one side, and on the other arm several devices shone with a fiery orange. It would be obvious to them she was new in town; they'd never have missed someone like her when they searched the town for women and booze when they arrived.

Yet, she really seemed to be in another league compared to the other women. Especially when her arm easily unsheathed and lifted the great sword strapped to her back, a flaming red and orange weapon that seemed as dangerous as the fire it was supposed to represent. "Zagrut, is it?" her voice called out, ignoring the poor human girl and the barkeep staring dumbfounded at her arrival. "I came here to have a chat."

Perfect, JUST perfect. Jarvok had been stuck waiting in this shithole town for the better part of a week waiting to get one of the Ravager's officers alone, and barely an hour after he grabbed Zagrut in the bathroom, got a sample, and stuffed his body above the ceiling tiles some poacher was already here on his heels? If the Saurian hadn't been so widely known as a drunk and womanizer he could have just headed right back to the ship and gotten this stupid assignment over with, but it would have looked suspicious if he hadn't stayed out at least long enough to have a few drinks and screw the barmaid. He thought back to a week prior, when he'd first gotten this job, wondering if there was any way he could have avoided this disaster.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Colimi family manor was nothing if not opulent. Exquisite vibrant frescos decorated the whitewashed walls, while gold and platinum gilt adorned the ceiling and moldings to accent each masterpiece. The furniture was perhaps the greatest display of wealth and prestige, though only an Infernus would know it. Both the large thronelike leather chair Don Mecano Colimi sat in and the pure white ivory desk in front of him were in fact self sculptures, Faceless One artists who had grown their bodies to form their art, and remained in that position for years on end out of dedication to their craft. The Don's appearance today was that of a massive leonine figure, who's distinguished golden mane gave a regal and distinguished air, but Jarvok could hear his tail lashing across the ground behind the desk. His father had been wronged, and when Don Mecano was wronged blood was spilled.

"The loss of the ship I was willing to accept. This plan was a gamble, and I understood the risks. But to space one of MY blood? To murder MY family? These so called Ravagers have no words for the furious retribution they have earned. Jarvok, my son, I charge you to avenge your cousin. See to it that the name Fendrel of the Ravagers is spoken with dread in every corner of the galaxy, for fear that it will draw the eyes of his tormented spirit. If he wants the ship? Fine. Recover the time device and let the Slipstream become their tomb. Before they die, make sure each crew member knows that our agents have already begun taking every one of their family members. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. By the time you arrive at your destination, not a single drop of Ravager blood will live in this galaxy without a collar around its neck. Now go. You will find the means of our vengeance outside."

Jarvok had wanted to argue, to say that Benesoli had always been a piece of shit and the family was better off without him, but one did not argue with the head of the Colimi crime family when he pronounced a death sentence. One bowed, said "It will be done Don." and got down to the job of killing. Outside, he found a droid proffering a small round package about the size of a melon.

THIS DEVICE IS A NUCLEAR AMPLIFIER. IF INSERTED INTO THE FUSION ENGINE OF A SHIP, IT WILL INCREASE THE REACTIVITY WITHIN ITS CORE, RELEASING HIGH LEVELS OF GAMMA AND BETA RADIATION THROUGHOUT THE SHIP. THIS ONE HAS BEEN CALIBRATED TO PRODUCE SUB-LETHAL DOSES WHICH WILL SUBJECT ANY LIVING THING WITHIN THE SHIP TO DEBILITATING RADIATION POISONING. THE ACTIVATION CODES HAVE BEEN SENT TO YOUR DATAPAD, OR A TIMER MAY BE SET MANUALLY LIKE SO. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RE-ENTER THE SHIP. EXPECTED TIME TO DECAY TO SURVIVABLE LEVELS IS 5093.6 YEARS.

Jarvok whistled in appreciation of his father's ruthlessness. It was one thing to blow up a ship or kill its crew. Radiation poisoning was a slow agonizing death, as the body's mutated cells ate the victim's body from the inside out. He took the device gingerly and headed for the space port. There was too much chance the advanced sensors on the Slipstream would notice a Colimi ship on a speck of a planet like Percion IV, so he'd need to insert via drop-pod from a stealth equipped transport and find his way onto the ship on foot.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He looked over the woman standing in the doorway and cursed his luck again. That skin tight body suit might be sexy as hell and do all kinds of pleasant things to her breasts and hips, but it was also clearly military grade tech. That sword didn't look like it was just for show either. Judging from the fire motif and the burning energy that he could see pulsing up and down her suit, he had a feeling she wasn't big on ice tech. The two flunkies Zagrut had with him would be less than useless in a fight. There was no way he'd be able to take out whatever special forces soldier the Ankorans would send on a mission like this alone without revealing that he wasn't Zagrut, but he couldn't exactly show up back at the ship in one piece after this Amazonian warrior sliced them to ribbons. The worst possible outcome with be if the grunts managed to escape with the knowledge that there was an Infernus in the town and warn the rest of the crew. He thought fast, running through all of his options, and didn't like the conclusions he came to. No matter how he looked at it, his plan to impersonate Zagrut had died the moment she walked through the door. Still, he could use this if he played his cards right. The pirates wouldn't just sit back if they knew Ankoran special forces were hunting them. They'd send out scouts who'd either spot her or reveal their location when they went dark. He could use one of them to slip in after dealt with her, but that would mean the pirates would need to report in. A plan hinging on the survival of the cannon fodder wasn't much of a plan, but it was what he had.

Jarvok spoke in a deep mocking tone, rasping in the traditional Saurian accent somewhere between a toad getting stepped on and a crocodile with a toothache. "Well aren't I the lucky one? A sexy piece of ass like you coming all the way out here to chat with the likes of me? I must be famous!" He turned back to the gang members and tilted his head in the direction of the ship. "You two, buzz off. The lady and I are gonna have a dance. Let the captain know I'll be coming back with a fun new toy to play with once I'm through with her."

The two pirates started to object, but a withering glare from Jarvok sent them running for the back door as fast as they could move. He turned to look at the humans, who both bolted the moment they realized they're attempt to blend into the furniture wasn't going to work. He stared down his opponent for a few seconds, then stood and began slowly walking to an old beat up jute box in the corner of the bar. He slammed his fist against the side, causing the machine to give out a wheeze of protest before starting up a tune.

He faced the black clad warrior and cracked his neck, first left, then right, before speaking. He'd dropped the Saurian voice and changed to a New York accent that would have been right at home in a gangster film. "Lady, I dunno who you are, but you just made a big mistake."

"It's a small town, don't let it get to your head," she replied with a the slightest of chuckles at his bravado and jests. Even by simply looking at her helmet, one could tell how she followed the two other grunts leaving as quickly as they could through the backdoor, and the humans followed soon enough. That was good for the latter, and she figured it was more or less fine the other two pirates left; they wouldn't know the real information she needed considering how stupid and useless they seemed, bumping into each other through the door.

Her gaze moved back to Zagrut who stood up and showed a huge amount of confidence as he simply strode to a jukebox and after a short moment, an energetic tune filled the bar. His battle-hardened body, covered not only in scales but chiseled muscles and scars, moved with those muscles tensing as he finally turned around, cracking the neck that held that large and long Saurian head a couple of times before an entirely new voice came out of him. Whatever caused this amount of overconfidence and strange change in tone was a complete mystery for the Holian, that had something else first and foremost in her mind.

"Did you seriously go there to let music play?"

She shook her head slowly and with a couple of flicks in her wrist and arm, the greatsword spun twice, blazing tip cutting the floor and leaving molten marks. "Listen, now that we're alone and you won't embarrass yourself in front of your friends, if you tell me what Fendrel has inside the ship and how to deal with the rest of your gang, I'll let you leave with both of your legs intact, how about that?" The former Warkir knew what to expect already. For her, pirates like him simply wouldn't go down without a fight, especially being the right-hand man of Fendrel. Still, she figured she might give the offer; just at the same time she started walking towards him, sword at the ready.

The Saurian only returned a smirk when she commented on the music. In reality, Jarvok was putting the time spent to good use. Within his body he was breaking down every cell in his muscles and bones, canibalizing useless mass like kidneys and intestines, then rebuilding his body from the ground up. He doubled, then redoubled the density of his muscles, turning the already powerful Saurian build into a juggernaut of strength and speed few opponents would stand a chance against. He was careful not to touch the cells of his skin or scales, which would have become transparent and given the game away, but a sharp eyed observer might notice a subtle ripple beneath his scales, or the way his slitted reptilian eyes subtly morphed to provide better peripheral vision.

The Saurian's stance changed as the music started, shifting from a the lumbering stomp of a brute to a bouncing boxer's spring, each step coming down perfectly balanced between the balls of his feet, ready to spring forward or dart to the side at a moment's notice. He took a moment to appreciate how her hips swayed as she advanced towards him, but he knew better than to underestimate someone by their body, no matter how well it filled out a body suit. "Come on babe, I thought you were here to party, and now you're getting cold feet? Let's dance!"

As far as Jarvok was concerned, all combat was an exercise in deception. Hide your capacities while analyzing your opponent's, and then use your superior grasp of the situation to create an opening and strike. As he moved forward in a bobbing rush, he was careful not to let himself move unnaturally fast, though certainly faster than any Saurian his opponent might have come across. Whether cybernetic mods, stims, or good old fashion training and skill, Zagrut was clearly not your run of the mill pirate, but he never let on his true nature as a shapeshifting nightmare as he closed the distance.

Each overhand blow of the warrior's deadly blade was lithely sidestepped, while each horizontal slash sent him ducking lower, until he was in a lizard scuttle along the floor on all four as he got under her guard. He lashed out at her ankle with a razor sharp claw, hoping to get a lucky slash to a tendon or at least knock her off balance, but the real strike was with his tail. Fighting an armored foe was a losing battle unarmed, but there were ways to even the odds. If he could wrap her face and neck up, blinding the opponent and cutting her air, he could instantly swing the advantage back in his favor.

Of course, Jarvok didn't expect a veteran to fall for such a straight forward ploy, but it should pressure her enough to force her to reveal whatever special powers that suit and sword had to offer. At the first sign of flames he was ready to spring away and reevaluate for his next strike.

Despite the loud music blaring into the room, her eyes carefully kept staring at him. At first, she thought he was flexing the ripped muscles underneath those scales but little by little those movements seemed strange and not following the direction the muscles went. "Have it your way, then." She replied as she closed the distance. The large Saurian bobbed on agile feet, as if he had been entirely unaffected by the drinks he consumed, judging by the glasses she noticed on the table. She was expecting a drunken foe to top it all, but his movements were more precise than expected.

As the two approached, Farkr went out for quick strikes, but Zagrut vanished like a green mist, dodging her attacks with a speed greater than a Saurian, even than what his size would imply. In the hands of this Holian warrior, he would notice she moved that huge blade like if it were half its size with ease, providing a large zone of danger to evade that was fast as well. With such trained eyes, he might tell, too, that she was not going all out to attack him. Sure, Miria needed Zagrut alive, but it was clear she was not willing to show her hand immediately either.

His slash at her ankle met nothing but air, and the tail whiffed just barely that the sheer change in air direction made the short cape flow towards it. It seemed his attacks fell just short of connecting, and he could have a feeling that it was not mere coincidence. Miria moved briefly, just the needed amount to avoid them. She had measured his size all the time they spent looking at each other, estimating his reach to stay right on top of him but enough to dodge the strong attacks.

As the fake Zagrut regained his stance after the tail whip, the greatsword was already coming for him in an overhead slash. Just as he began to dodge it, a bright light appeared in the corner of his eye. Her other hand was not simply offering counterbalance for her posture, but he could tell now she made a simple gesture with it. He was expecting a fire-based attack, but it seemed to come from beside him instead of from her. It was a weak attack, Miria did not like using her Sundr that way because it could spread much easier; and it was not her intention to ruin the poor barkeep's place. But it would be enough to have Zagrut between the two, forced to choose which one would he rather take or let out another impressive ace he was trying to keep hidden.

This girl was good. Very good. Each strike was aimed precisely to end the fight in an instant against a lesser foe, leaving them crippled and ready for interrogation, where most warriors would be forced into lethal attacks to try to halt his advance. She judged her distance perfectly, timed her dodge, and had him dead to rights, caught between the flames and the blade. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't facing Zagrut. She was up against Jarvok Colimi, Infernus assassin, and she'd made a big mistake.

The moment he saw her start using hand gestures used to control her powers, he had all the edge he needed. He had hoped that he could have avoided revealing his true nature, in case she somehow ended up in the pirate's hands, but that really wasn't an option. Instead, he had to end this quickly, while she was still holding back against Zagrut and before she had a chance to evaluate Jarvok. In an instant, Jarvok's entire body became transparent as the thin Saurian scales hardened and grew, forming a thick layer of carapace as he rolled directly through the blaze meant to keep him trapped, set his feet, and pounced. He twisted in the air, letting the flaming blade caress the side of his cheek as it whizzed by, before he was on her. She may have gotten his range before, but that was meaningless as his arms extended to follow her where ever she tried to dodge, one aiming for her head, the other her free hand. He palmed her helmet in his claw and heaved, twisting her over his hip and slamming the armored warrior to the ground hard enough to leave anyone dazed. The other claw secreted a thick gooey mucus, engulfing her gauntlet and shoving it against the floor where the goo immediately began solidifying, trapping her hand unable to move in some sort of cocoon.

Any warrior this skilled knew how to take a fall, and would try to roll with it. Maybe she'd be strong enough to break her hand free, maybe not, but she wasn't getting her head free without losing the helmet. He immediately began secreting the aphrodisiac liquid he'd acquired from Dr. Genis and the ADD. True, it wasn't the concentrated version, but in the tight confines of the bar she was certain to get a heavy dose quickly. He just had to keep her from causing TOO much havoc until then. That thought crossed his mind just in time for his carapace cover tail to whip out, deflecting a strike that would certainly have taken his head off.

"Damn it! Stay down sweaty. This isn't a fight you're going to win, and I'd prefer if the bar didn't burn down. Its the only place in town that serves anything even resembling booze."

Just in case she didn't listen to reason, Jarvok grew a wicked looking stinger at the tip of his tail, filling it with more of the plant's lovely liquid. One jab of that would have her too distracted to say her name, let alone fight.

Beneath the dark, sleek helmet, Miria's eyes widened for a moment as she saw the huge Saurian's body turn transparent before her. For a brief second she thought he would go invisible, but rather, it was as if his entire mass had been turned to a clear gel-like substance as it transformed in the blink of an eye. The scales that covered him later were not the same as before; they were bigger, tougher, almost like a new exoskeleton that covered and protected him from the flames.

Her feet lunged backwards but the measurement of his limbs were all wrong as he reached for her. With a spin of the hips he threw the Holian back first into the ground, causing some of the chairs nearby to tumble from the impact. "Agh!!" For a brief instant her vision flashed white as pain exploded on her back. She felt her free hand caught by something and then a new but strange sweet odor began to fill the air around her. Now that he was so close, she flicked her wrist, her sword swinging right against his head but it was deflected by the larger tail.

She'd wonder more about the scent and where it came from, but she could see from in between the Saurian's claws that the carapace-covered tail was beginning to grow a new stinger. And she wasn't planning on finding out how much it would hurt, or whatever it held inside. His strong hand kept her head pinned down, but it was a point of contact between them. Before replying anything or waiting if he used that stinger, she focused her Sundr in a different way. Her body began to release an electric current, hoping it'd be enough to free herself. It was powerful enough to kill a bull, but considering how big he was and the strange transformation he went, Miria thought she'd have to play it a bit more safe to make sure of escaping that grasp.

If it worked and Javrok released her head, that arm of hers bent in with all her strength, breaking the strange cocoon or the floor directly where it was attached, whichever gave in first, before rolling away and onto her feet, Farkr poised at the ready in a defensive position. Even now, that sweet smell lingered in the air. It was not concentrated, but it would begin to make her body feel hotter little by little. Could still be mistaken for the adrenaline of the fight, for now. "You... Are not Zagrut. Who are you, what are you?"

BBZZZZTTTTTT!!!!

Electricity surged through the warrior's body, into her helmet, and up Jarvok's arm before he could throw himself away from her downed form. The claw which had been painfully clamped onto her skull convulsed, nearly digging its talons deep enough into her suit to reach the skin as he reared back, tearing the ebony faceplate and helmet free with a jerk. Powerful legs propelled him straight up, until he slammed against the ceiling, his right arm and both feet forming gecko like pads to cling upside down. His left arm was a formless hunk of meat and bone hanging limp at his side, fully transparent as it twitched and spasmed with the remnants of the electric strike. He'd have it working again on a minute or so, but for now he was at a disadvantage.....or maybe not.

As he watched, the black clad woman tried to wrench her hand free from his cocoon, but only succeeded in tearing up a two foot section of cheap wooden floor. She could probably cut her hand free if given some time with her sword, but he was about as likely to give her that chance as she was to let his arm recover. He chuckled and motioned with his shoulder, causing the tazed arm to flop limply. "Heh, I've heard of eye for an eye, but arm for an arm? That's just silly."

It was only then that he actually took a good look at what the missing helmet had revealed. He'd seen Ankorans before. They were an amphibious race which could only be described as "merfolk-esk". Scales, fins, gills, the whole deal. This red haired hottie was definitely NOT an Ankoran. He'd thought it was odd they'd have such advanced fire tech on a largely waterlogged planet, but just thought "Hey what's the point of top secret super soldiers if your enemies can guess what they can do?"

His brains finally started get over the (literal) shock of her last attack and put two and two together. Black combat suit? Greatsword? Fire and lightning powers? Flaming red hair? SHIT!

"How'd the Ankorans manage to recruit a top class bounty hunter like NOVA and get her out here so fast? I thought she was all about hunting big game, not pirate scum.

And yeah, I'm not Zagrut. He's taking a REALLY long nap above the bathroom ceiling tiles. As for who and what I am.....I think that can wait until I figure out whether I need to take you down or not."

For less than a second, the latches that kept the helmet in place strained and pulled her head until they broke gave under the pressure, releasing the helmet from further punishment and freeing Miria from him; the helmet was cracked where the claw had seized under the shock. When she looked up a new surprise awaited her as what had impersonated Zagrut held on to the ceiling, but a gross remain of that arm hung limply in transparent flesh.

She lifted her leg and broke the rest of the floor that remained glued with her knee as the man wiggled the electrocuted arm. It was finally now that he could see her pretty face and those ochre eyes staring up at him, red mane cascading down over her shoulders and back. And the slightly disgusted expression at his arm. Not what she expected; most bodies were left scorched but never in that strange, broken state.

"You mean this bar's ceiling?" she sighed, tilting her head. Her encased hand was starting to release a hellish temperature, and given enough time the hardened cocoon might even glow red and then white with the heat that she used in order to break or melt it down. "I do hunt bigger game. That's why the Ankorans didn't hire me. I just happened to stop by here, and lo and behold, people are getting tired of the pirates, so wanted to help with that. And you are impersonating him, but why? Are you trying to get rid of them from the inside?" She didn't drop her defensive stance, but seemed to have no intention on attacking yet. If he wasn't Zagrut, the other two pirates that left were a wasted opportunity lest the real Saurian could answer still or this alien had the answers she needed. Either way, it'd be no good to keep wasting time or effort in a battle if he led to no real solution.

It seemed that her hand gestures before weren't actually required to trigger her powers, as her encased fist began to glow red. The organic compounds he'd constructed it from certainly weren't made to stand up to that kind of heat and burst into flames after a few moments, leaving her entirely free. At the same time, color was leeching back into the shapeshifter's arm, rebuilding it from the shoulder down to match the mass of carapace and muscle on his other side. If she wanted to attack, she might have kept the advantage for a few precious seconds, but instead she just held her ground and chatted.

"I WAS intending to impersonate him, slip into the ship, and take care of some business, but then this hottie who clearly knew how to handle a sword came through the door, and I just had to meet her."

Now that he knew who he was dealing with, plans began racing through his mind like lightning. He'd heard enough about Nova's reputation to believe her story. Supposedly she was a bounty hunter specializing in big game, especially on little rocks no one's ever heard of Percion IV where no one was around to bombard a dinosaur from orbit. She also had a habit of sticking up for the little guy if its wasn't too much of a burden. It seemed like just dumb luck they'd ended up together, but he wasn't going to turn down an opportunity like this. He considered stopping the release of the plant's lovely scent into the air, then let his eyes travel up and down her skin tight armor....maybe more than one opportunity.

He released his grip on the ceiling, flipping down to land seated in one of the few chairs still standing upright after the brief battle. An arm extended to reach down and flip up another one across from him which was only mildly singed. A tentacle tipped with an eye grew from his back and wriggled over to the bar and rummaging around before coming out with a pair of unopened brown bottles. He placed them both down on the table and let her have first pick before using a nail to pop the top off the remaining one and taking a deep swing. The beer was just as crappy as you'd expect from a middle of nowhere bar on a middle of nowhere colony, but beggars couldn't be choosers. While he waited for her to sit his skin returned to its transparency as his body shifted and morphed, shrinking from a hulking Saurian to a well built thirty something human with dark hair, brown eyes, and the stature of a man who has been in more bar fights than he could count and still has all his teeth.

"Grab a seat Ms. Badass Bountyhunter. This might take a while.

First, the basics. You can call me Jarvok, I'm one of the Faceless. If you hadn't guessed yet, we're shapeshifters, and damn good at it. A cousin of mine took a job that involved sneaking onto an Ankoran war ship and helping Fendrel and his crew capture it. The job went well, right up until they decided to backstab him and shoot him out an airlock. I'm a bit of a....trouble shooter for my family, and got tasked with balancing the scales. And so, here we are. I'm going to make Fendrel pay one way or the other, and it sounds like you aren't too pleased with the Ravagers either. Care for a bit of a team up?"

Jarvok reached a hand forward to grip hers in a solid handshake, before leaning back and very openly eying her up and down.

"Generally I'm one for subtlety, it comes with the job, but I've found that when you work with professionals its better for everyone to lay your cards on the table before the shooting starts. Back in the fight, you got a pretty decent dose of a special compound I can make which enhances some....urges. The whole room is probably pretty saturated by now, and I'd be surprised if you aren't feeling it. If you've got it under control, or feel like taking care of things yourself that's your call, but if you try taking on a full crew of pirates on a military grade cruiser with your head in the clouds, you're going to get it blown off. Care to mix business with pleasure?"

The towering Saurian shape flipped through the air and by a sheer miracle the chair on which he landed didn't break under the weight and fall. When he lifted another chair, the invitation to sit was clear; so Miria dropped the guard and moved, walking first towards her helmet on the floor. She noticed the tentacle growing with an eye and her brows frowned lightly at the weird sight, taking note of how easy it seemed for him to transform.

The Holian didn't really make much of a sensual show picking up the helmet, unlike some other women would have. She actually kicked it up in the air and caught it, although no one would avoid noticing the curves held tightly under the fabric. She finally sat down in front of him and eyed the bottles. "Alright, shapeshifter, I'm all ears."

Helmet on the table, and Farkr against the chair, Miria pressed the cap of the bottle down against the edge of the table and popped it open with a swift tap against it. She listened to what he said, now the sweet aroma of the aphrodisiac being mixed with the taste of piss from the beer. Not the greatest combination. Still, she didn't really notice her own breaths growing deeper to take in more of the delicious scent, body temperature rising despite the fight being over for a short while now.

"Jarvok..." she repeated his name nodding slowly. She raised an eyebrow with a short smile when she noticed him eyeing her without discretion. Who would have blamed him? A large pair of mounds seemed be hidden beneath the fabric and the contours of that hourglass figure were cleanly silhouetted, leaving little to imagination behind other kinds of clothes. "Sorry about your cousin. But it seems we can work against them, and they'll never know what hit them if we do it right. I might have left oblivious to the Ravagers, but the townspeople did seem very worried. Two birds with one stone, right?"

She leaned forward to shake hands and back again to take another sip of the bottle before pausing to listen to the rest. "Ah, so it was you, after all..." And he was right. A small tingling sensation began to grow beneath her stomach, and though he wouldn't see them from where he was seating, she was pressing her thighs against each other. She looked at him, now a transformed into what seemed a human man and noticed she was breathing out through her mouth. It worked quite subtly but now she was beginning to be self conscious of all the tiny details adding up. "How kind of you to offer some help with that, Jarvok," she let out a soft chuckle, like a tiny sarcastic jab, but said in a playful manner. "But at least you're being honest about it... Alright, just because I shouldn't head out to battle in this state, anyway," the Holian added in the same light tone. It was faint but her cheeks were starting to blush and the suit was beginning to feel very hot.

"But in that case let's leave this place, I don't want to inhale more than I already have. And I want to know what you know already about them too, and that ship where they are in." She didn't wait much to see if he agreed, standing up with the bottle on one hand, and Farkr in the other with her helmet underneath that one.

The Infernus was an expert at reading people, it was an essential skill for imitating them, and Miria was clearly starting to feel the effects of the scent. Her breaths were coming quicker, her voice was a touch more sultry, and he could hear her shifting back and forth on her seat as her thighs pressed together.

Jarvok stood when she did, pausing just a moment to grab another two bottles from behind the bar. He also tapped something at his wrist, and the barbaric approximation of armor Zagrut had been wearing shifted seamlessly to rural clothing like what the other colonists were wearing. He strode briskly to catch up with his new partner, then spoke.

"I'm afraid I can't offer much in the way of accommodations. I've been under cover as this guy for a bit less than a week now, after he had an unfortunate meeting with the pirates, and let's just say his house has left something to be desired. We'd be better off using the bar tender's room upstairs. That said, I assume you got here in a ship, right? I have a feeling its better option than anywhere we'd find to be alone in this town."

As they walked, he occasionally glanced down to admire the sexy sway of her feminine hips and how the suit hugged her form, but he mostly filled her in on the details he'd been able to learn of the pirates base.

"The ship they stole is called the Slipstream, some sort of top secret military project that has something to do with time manipulation. I don't know the specifics. I think my cousin found out about it while disguised as someone important and went looking for some partners to grab it during its maiden voyage. The Ravagers had 3 big ships to start with, all armed to the teeth, and managed to get the drop on this thing with no escort, and if someone hadn't shut off the life support from inside the pirates wouldn't have stood a chance. The Ravagers did manage to do some exterior damage though, and they're stuck here while they finish repairs.

The first problem is the main cannon. I got a hold of the Ankoran report about the fight, and it apparently tore a hole through a fully shielded and armored pirate flagship in a single shot, then blasted an unshielded ship to dust. If I know pirates they won't need much excuse to blow things up, so going in with a ship is out, even if theirs can't take off in a hurry. That ship is currently the biggest artillery piece on the planet. The good news is firing it would disrupt their shield, so the cannon is mounted outside the shield's defenses.

The second issue is the ship's anti-boarding counter measures. Not only is the outside ringed with laser turrets designed to take out drones or drop pods, but the interior hallways are all equipped with auto-turrets. Plus their shield isn't set to allow organics through, so someone on the inside needs to open it to get through, unless you have enough firepower to bring it down with lightning.

If we can deal with all that, we've got a wildcard. The ship has something called a TTDF. I'm assuming its whatever experimental tech they were testing out, but beyond that I'm in the dark. For all I know, someone presses a button and they jump you a thousand years into the future, or it could be a really fancy clock. Like I said, wildcard.

The good news is I've got a way to make the ship self destruct and take all the pirates with it, but only if I can make it to its reactor core. That shouldn't be a problem if I can get inside, but as soon as they figure out one of the Faceless is trying to get in, they'll lock the doors, drop the repairs and be out of here before you can blink."

Listing out all of the problems, Jarvok could only shake his head at the massive pile of crap his father had put on his plate.

"On the plus side, the pirates themselves are in bad shape. They went into the fight 100 strong, and there are only less than 30 left. Most died on the two ships that got slagged, but a bunch got killed or hurt when their flagship took that cannon shot. Call it 20 active, 6 or 7 out of commission with injuries. Their second and third in command were on the other ships, and with Zagrut out of the picture they're scraping the bottom of the barrel for replacements. So far I've only seen Saurians, other than the captain, but I can't promise they don't have a specialist or two working the engine rooms or something. That said, Captain Fendrel is no push over. Loxadorians are strong, fast, and smart, and this one's got a half way decent suit of power armor and a machine gun on his nose. I know I can handle him, and I suspect you could too, but he won't make it easy. Throw in a dozen pirates, and things get a bit dicey. I had planned to either catch him in the explosion or poison him before he knew I was there."

Jarvok paused to think, then added

"Ah, right. You probably don't want to blow up the slaves with the ship. Last I heard they have 8 or 9 men working the repairs and 5 women keeping the crew entertained. I've got a feeling the girls aren't in great shape after a week of dealing with 20 bored Saurians. No clue where they're being kept or what the guard situation is like."

The colony wasn't large, so despite keeping the details as condensed as possible the pair reached the outskirts of town where Miria's ship was parked just as he was finishing. Jarvok whistled as he admired the sleek lines of her vessel.

"Now THAT is one beautiful machine. I guess big game hunting pays better than I thought."

He looked over to her and smirked, noticing the flush to her cheeks.

"Why don't we head inside, you change into something a bit more comfortable, and I'll help you blow off some steam."

Miria opened the door of the bar, catching the first whiff of fresh air instead of the sweetened aphrodisiac. The town's street's aroma was no comparison, but at least it wouldn't make a work on her like the gaseous drug. She waited there until Jarvok caught up with more bottles and gave him a short nod to his torso. "Sorry about the arm, by the way. But it seems it heals up nicely.

"I don't think the barkeep would appreciate returning to find us in his bedroom," she laughed, a bit more gleefully than she normally would've, and cleared her throat as if trying to ignore that reaction enhanced by the aphrodisiac now running through her veins. "Anyway, yes, I have a ship. Probably better to be there than somewhere on town anyway, just in case they get any ideas of looking for me, now that the two pirates who saw me left... Thanks to you," she added. Her voice was breathier, and even on the last note she wasn't really showing any anger or frustration, but there was a small hint of worry about what that could mean to their plans.

The two continued on their way to the Fedrich, her ship, while Jarvok explained in a very detailed fashion what he had gathered about them and the ship. Along the way, the drug slowly grew stronger and her thighs brushing with every step was only making it more clear for her how her arousal was growing. A couple of times she struggled to pay all her attention to what he was saying, but she snapped back very quickly. She disguised it very well, she never looked at him directly as they walked, just nodding as he spoke, keeping her sight ahead. Those times it may have looked like she was gazing at the void, at most, and that might have been noticed by him.

When he mentioned the numbers of captured slaves within she nodded more firmly. "Obviously, we have to get them out before we blow up the ship.

"So, let me get this straight. We can't approach by ship or drop pod, and walking in is impossible with the shield. Any ideas? Can you get inside disguised as Zagrut and disable the shield so I can get in?

"I have enough power to shut it down, however, in case that's the route we must take. Depending on the shield generator it's fitted with, it might demand quite a lot of me. Fortunately this suit should help me a little with that. About this TTDF, do they know how to use it? It'd be better if we don't deal with it, a complete unknown wildcard isn't a risk I'd enjoy taking."

They had reached the outskirts of the town where her ship was, large and magnificent and Miria couldn't help but smile at this remarks. "Thank you, she's lovely indeed. It wasn't all bought on hunting money tho, some favors helped bring the price down, too." She looked up at him and nodded at the suggestion with a sly smile. "Sounds good to me. Follow me." The suit's wrist lit up with some lights like a minimalistic UI in Holian language, and some clicks made the ship lower the ramp to get inside.

The interior was as sleek and clean as the exterior, hallways quickly leading to various parts around the ship. Miria led him to her quarters, a spacious room with a bed, a desk, and other pieces of furniture where books and gadgets had been placed, including a small table with a couple of chairs that she been using to draw maps and pages of animals and monsters she had hunted in the past. There was a door too that led to the bathroom, and she walked towards it. "Wait here for a moment," she told him before she entered, gesturing him to sit next to the table.

Inside, she put Farkr against the white wall, her helmet on a cabinet and began to undo the latches that loosened her suit, allowing her to take it off as she pulled it down. The air felt cold against her skin, and when those large mounds finally freed from the tight confines she noticed how they were already swollen with the slowly-growing arousal. She took it off entirely, noticing too how her sex was already wet. She felt slightly embarrassed and dried any juices that trickled down her thigh and put on some more comfortable clothes. Although by that, it was simply a new pair of black panties and a white, buttoned shirt. She didn't put on a bra, not because she was trying to seduce him, but it was simply normal for Holians to not use them.

When she came out, Jarvok would finally see that body of her swaying free from the confines of the armored suit, legs bare and torso lightly covered. Needless to say, her nipples were already hard by arousal and the cold air, and they were clearly visible with the shirt she wore. As aroused by the aphrodisiac as she was, Miria still walked with confidence back to the table, curves swaying and breasts lightly jiggling with every step, sitting down across him and pulling close one of the bottles of beer. "So... I was thinking that if they notice you around and escape before we get away, I should be able to buy you some time to get to the reactor by causing a distraction. Probably wouldn't like someone trying to get their new slaves out. But you'll have to find out where they keep the people first and think of an escape route. You arm the bomb, and we all get out."

By the time they'd reached the door, Jarvok's wounded arm was indistinguishable from the unharmed one. He looked down when she gestured, as if he'd already forgotten about the limb that had been a limp pile of muscle only a minute or two earlier. "Oh, that? Don't worry about it. I dampen my nerves when I get serious, so I didn't even feel it. Losing an arm or leg for my people is about as impactful as gettimg a haircut. The same goes for gun shots, laser blasts, basically anything that doesn't annihilate my whole body is just a mild inconvenience. I'm also probably the best field medic you're ever likely to meet, as long as I've gotten to take a DNA sample ahead of time. I knew a guy who managed a full heart transplant in the middle of a battle after his buddy took a plasma bolt to the chest. Just stuck his arm in the hole and grew him a new one on the spot."

The whole way to the ship Jarvok could feel his companion getting more aroused next to him, though she tried to hide it. Twice he caught her looking off into space with a distracted expression, but he didn't draw attention the the fact he could see her struggling to stay focused.

"Unfortunately, the Zagrut disguise is a bit of an issue at this point. The pirates aren't bright, but they aren't morons. They'll know that fight was going to end one od two ways: with him dead or you in a collar. Unless you'd care to volunteer for a much more personal distraction, I think we'll just need to let them think he died in the fight. That's not a HUGE issue, since I can just take down one of their scouts and impersonate him, but they're on pretty high alert right now. I'll need a pretty big distraction to get to slip in and down to the reactor without drawing unwanted attention."

He let out a whistle of appreciation when she said she could take out the starship's shield, designed to deflect light fire from capital ships, with her powers.

"Damn. Seriously? You're that good? Makes me feel lucky to get away with a lightly roasted arm. I don't think bringing down the shield is a good call unless you can take down the main gun too. You REALLY don't want to be catching your breath while they line up a shot with that thing.

As for the TTDF, I don't think the Ankorans knew how to use it, let alone the pirates. This was its first test flight afterall. That doesn't mean they aren't dumb enough to try anyway."

Further planning was cut short by their arrival at the ship. She led him into bedroom furnished in the trappings of someone who made a living on the hunt. While Miria excused herself Jarvok took a moment to examine some of her drawings of exotic creatures she had laid out on the table. He recognized a few of them, and even had samples of two, but the rest were entirely alien to him. He hoped that Nova was one to keep a trophies from her conquests, because to an Infernus a trove of DNA like this would be more valuable than the ship itself.

He looked over his shoulder at the sound of the bathroom door sliding open, only to be greated by a sight that made his breath catch. Jarvok was no stranger to beautiful women, from the innocent schoolgirls of Shokushu to the slave pits of Vanjin IV, he'd seen the best the galaxy had to offer. None of them, dolled up in the best make up and sexiest outfits money could buy, held a candle to the drop dead gorgeous valkierie that walked out to meet him. It wasn't just her fantastic figure, although her large breasts and peaked nipples practically begged for his attentions and her fresh panties only served to draw attention to the hidden slit which was rapidly dampening the tiny piece of fabric. No, Miria had a presence to her, an aura of strength, confidence, and raw sex appeal that no other woman he'd met had ever matched. The way her hips swayed as she crossed the room could have been a hypnotists watch, as Jarvok's eyes trailed them back and forth.

He slid a beer across the table to her as she sat, then popped his open as well, trying to disguise just how stunning he thought she was.

"I'm not convinced they'll just let me walk in, even if I look like one of their scouts. They knew enough about my cousin to know how to kill him, so I expect they know the rest of us wouldn't take something like that lying down. I haven't gotten close enough to listen in yet, but I've seen what looked decidedly like checking pass phrases before the guards lowered the shield for anyone to enter. That's why I waited a week before going in. I needed someone like Zagrut with the authority to ignore stuff like that."

He took a pull from his bottle and let out a satisfied sigh.

"I'd say we're better off going with the distraction first. I doubt they're going to just let me lead a troop of slaves through the ship, even if I do look like one of them, without asking some pretty pointed questions. I'll show up, disguised as a scout, shouting about how their under attack. You take out the main gun, and they'll have bigger problems things on their minds than pass codes. Best guess is they'll try to hunker down until they can figure out what the hell just happened, which should give me a bit of time to move freely. I'm not sure that will be enough to get the slaves out though. We'd need a big spectacle for that, something that will have every crew member watching for a solid minute or two. Any suggestions?"