The pain was sharp making her take in deep gasps holding her breath with each move. Her right hand skillfully drew upward at an angle swinging outwards feeling the blade slicing through her opponent. The officers and crew that surrounded them remained silent and steadfast.

  Captain Hollingwood guttural grunt echoed behind her as she turned around to face him just as his body fell away with a thud to the floor. Lowering her cutlass down she slowy turned staring at the men and woman of the Iron Worth corsair. Each one peered back solemnly, their gazes falling down as they bowed their heads.

  Her eyes finally fell upon his second in command, Commander Bahatti. He slowly looked up from his former captain to peer back at her.

  “Do you yield?” Robbie asked wincing reaching with her left hand at her side to hold it feeling the warmth of her blood seeping through the largest of the wounds she had sustained from the fight.

  The silence in the room was almost deafening as she waited for a moment before he took a step forward. His dark brown eyes filled with anger as his hand went to the handle of his cutlass trembling before grabbing it.

  Hesitating she took a step back raising her own cutlass up preparing to fight him. She gasped as he drew the sword only to toss it onto the floor along with his personal sidearm falling to his knees raising his hands upward palms up.

  “I yield to you Lady Coffman. The ship and this crew are yours to lead. I ask that you release me from service.” His gaze never left her eyes as her eyes widened staring down at him. The tip of her cutlass touched his throat under his skin.

  “You do not wish to return to Hague with the rest of us?”

  “No. I have followed your father for over twenty three years. Fought with him during the days of sorrow and our exile. Hague is no longer my home or my people. If I am to be free then I wish to be free to be what I want and how to live. Not by anyone else’s will or influence.”

  Robbie grated her teeth seeing what brought those days long ago when she was child. The ruling families legacy of their freedom under their heels. The only voices allowed were that of a select few. And everyone else’s silenced.

  And this was what she fought against. Those who clung to the notion that power is only by a few over others. And why so many died to be heard and regain their freedom from.

  The gasp and sound of the blade slicing through his throat lasted only a second as she flicked her wrist. What he represented couldn’t continue. His beliefs would taint others and she couldn’t allow it. Not now. Not ever.

  As he crumpled onto the deck gurgling taking his last gasps. She looked down at his body. “You have forgotten what we sacrificed during the days of sorrow. We fought to free ourselves of the elite. To regain our voices, rights and our freedom for ourselves. Not to bow down to a select few!”

  Looking back up she found the crew now focused on her. A woman dressed in a rag tag uniform of black, silver and yellow stepped forward.

  “I am lieutenant commander Serrano. I speak for the crew of the Iron Worth. We hear the call of the way. And we pledge our lives to you and our people and wish to return home.” She tapped her chest soundly as the crew started to stomp their feet starting to sing the call of the Reapers.

  Robbie sheathed her cutlass and remained standing until they finished as Karla walked up beside her. She reached for where she held her side looking her over checking her other wounds.

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  “I am fine. I can make it on my own I do not need your help.” Robbie winced starting to walk into the group of men and woman.

  They parted for her as she headed to the breach bore lock coming up to the edge to peer down into the Onyx seeing a gaggle of her crew standing around it peering down back up at her.

  “You are bleeding heavily Robbie.”

  Karla watched her as she ignored her diving in spiraling around to land inside the Onyx squatting briefly before tumbling backwards onto the deck.

  “God damn it.” Karla growled jumping in somersaulting to land standing up. Turning she found several of the crew already surrounding her helping her up as she struggled pushing them away.

  “Leave me be I am fine.” She barked staggering on her feet between them.

  “No you are not. You’ve lost too much blood. Let us take you to the infirmary before you pass out.” Karla yelled.

  Robbie hung onto one of the soldiers by his shoulder glaring at her groaning in pain. Karla set her hands on her hips glaring back at her.

  “You are just as fucking stubborn as your father.”

  “Don’t compare me to him. I am nothing like him!” Robbie snarled still unsteadily wavering on her feet.

  “Pick her up and take her to the infirmary please?” Karla asked loudly as another soldier in black and silver armor came over picking up Robbie with the other carrying her into the corridor. Karla followed them as they went around into another corridor to a travel tube. Robbie slowly went limp her head and arms dangling behind them as they gently pushed her inside then pulled her upwards.

  Stepping in Karla grabbed a ring pulling herself up behind them as they passed several decks stopping at the one where the medical wing was located. They pulled her out and carried her on down the corridor as she came out behind them.

  Walking slowly she watched them disappear into the bulkhead door of the infirmary. Shaking her head as she approached it just as the door opened stepping inside finding them walking back out. Glancing over she found her lying on the first examination bed in the front of the medical bay. The doctors and staff already surrounding her cutting away her uniform where her injuries were. The overhead diagnostic machinery slowly descending downward from the ceiling above her.

  Walking up to the side she stood by her head placing her hands behind her back watching as they worked. A nurse inserted two I.V.s one in each arm. One had synth-plasma the other saline fluid. Then gave her an injection. A second later Robbies eyes fluttered open with a groan looking at her then around herself and back.

  “How did I end up in here?”

  “You passed out as I said. From blood loss. Maybe you should listen to me next time and we wouldn’t have to carry you in here.” Karla said flatly.

  Robbie rolled her eyes with a frustrated sigh.

  “Don’t be to angry. We did hear from Hague.”

  Robbie looked over focusing on her as her eyebrows dropped wincing some from the discomfort from the physicians working on her. “What did they have to say? Are they replying to my request to allow us to return home?”

  Karla nodded as Robbie let her head fall back on the table in relief.

  “Yes.”

  Turning her head more to peer at her waiting she squinted as Karla blinked back.

  “Well?”

  “They also would like to request that you join the Governing council upon your return. They said you would represent one of the seventeen districts in the main region of LeHaute. Preferably from your home region, the Magenta district.” Karla offered a smile as Robbie let her head sink back onto the small pillow under it on the bed.

  “The Magenta mountains.” Robbie whispered her eyes closing sinking into oblivion.

  Karla looked up at the doctors as they backed up, the machinery overhead lowered down. The small robotic surgical arms started to move with a blurring speed on her wounds as most of upper body was now bare.

  “She will be out for at least thirty minutes to an hour. The one wound at her waist is the deepest, she has internal hemorrhaging and organ damage that needs to be repaired.” The chief surgeon said.

  “Damn.” Karla groaned knowing she was now in charge. She turned around to one of the junior officers behind her. “Inform the crew I am in charge for the time being until the Captain is able to return to duty. Have chief Tanabie close the breach bore lock and release the Iron Worth. Let the Iron Worth know that we are returning home along with the rest of the Reaper