ForevaXena's FanFic . . .
Adventures
Of The Galaxy Defenders:
Darkness From Space
by Mike Vivian
Disclaimer: Xena
and Gabrielle are characters owned my Renaissance pictures and Studios USA. They
are used with Ren pics indulgence. Everybody else is mine; all mine and belong
to me!
"Gabrielle!" shouted Megan as the Dark Sorceress disappeared with Caitlin! "Alti! You will pay for this!" she shouted, raising her fist to the sky! Rising Dawn meanwhile was stunned. Everything had happened so fast, she still wasn't sure what was going on.
"Megan, what just happened here? Who was that woman and where did she take Caitlin?" Rising Dawn asked.
"A very old enemy! As to where she has taken Caitlin, I know exactly where they are!" Megan growled. "Rising Dawn, assemble the war council! We have to get her back!"
Rising Dawn had never seen Megan like this in all the years that they had known each other! There was a fury in Megan's eyes that scared her! "Yes Commander!" was all she could get out. Upon realizing that discretion is the better part of valor, Rising Dawn retreated to assemble the War Council. The War Council was the assembly of all the generals and the top personnel of the GDF! The War Council was for extreme emergencies! Rising Dawn sure wasn't going to question Megan's decision, especially considering the state she was in! Besides, She wanted Caitlin back as much as Megan! In the short time She had been there, Caitlin had endeared herself to almost everyone. She was quite the charmer and one of the most genuine people she had ever met! Rising Dawn knew there would be no shortage of volunteers for this mission! After much planning they were ready to move out! The time had come to take the battle to the enemy! Megan was ready! This witch was holding her love hostage and if she hurt Caitlin in any way, Megan would make her pay!
As she entered the transport chamber, the ensign behind the controls maintained a discreet silence. She knew better than to bother Megan when she had that look in her eyes!
"Activate!" was all Megan said. The ensign activated the controls, transporting Megan up to the Ephiny. As always, Moira was there to greet her.
Giving Megan the customary salute by crossing her wrists. She then said, "We're all ready to go Commander! Don't worry, Megan! We'll get her back, I swear it!"
Megan softened at that, "Thank you Moira! I hope so, because if we don't, my life is over. I can't live without her!" Then she pulled her self together and said, "I'd better get to the bridge!"
Moira simply nodded and said "Aye!"
As she entered the turbo lift, her thoughts returned to Caitlin. It was amazing that in the short time they had known each other, they had fallen completely in love. Of course, after finding out that in a past life they were The Warrior Princess Xena and her mate, the Amazon Princess Gabrielle, it really shouldn't be a surprise to either of them! They were in love then, and when the truth was revealed, they knew that they were still in love. They were truly soulmates, of that they could be no doubt! Now, her oldest enemy, Alti, was holding her prisoner! She had to rescue her, no matter what!
The turbo lift opened onto the bridge. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. She saw Princess Yuki there. She nodded, barely acknowledging her. She took her place in the command chair. Rising Dawn was at her station.
"All forces report ready to move out Commander. Just say the word!" Rising Dawn reported.
"Very well. Lt. Niko, open a channel to the fleet." Megan ordered.
"Yes ma'am." The redheaded communications officer said. She pressed a button. "Channel open Commander."
"This is Megan. We are facing the greatest challenge of our lives. The being known as the Dark Sorceress has taken Caitlin and now she threatens the entire galaxy. I have always been straight with you people and I won't change that now. I don't know how we will defeat her or if we can, but I know we must try. You knew what was expected of you when you joined the GDF so I expect you to give me everything you got. Make me proud!" she said. "Niko, signal the fleet to move out."
"Yes commander. All ships, move out!" Niko said.
"Helm, ETA to Yumemakura?" Megan asked.
"ETA 2 days 7hours 13 minutes Commander." She replied.
"2 days!" Megan said to herself.
"Alright, how long until we are ready to phase?"
"All stations are reporting in now Commander. We should be able to phase in 15 minutes." Ensign Miryamoi reported.
"Very well, Ensign. So, Princess, are you sure you want to go through with this?"
The green haired princess replied, "I must Commander. Yumemakura is my home. It is my duty to fight to free her or die trying. I think my parents would have wanted it that way!" Her head lowered. She didn't know if her family was alive or dead.
Megan just nodded. She understood what Yuki was going through.
"Commander, all stations report ready to phase." Ensign Miryamoi said.
"Very well. All stations, prepare to phase on my mark." She paused and gripped the arms of her chair. Then she said "Phase!"
Everything began to waver as they began to make the transition to phase space. This always made Megan sick to her stomach. Soon, everything returned to relative normal. The forward view screen showed the gray emptiness of phase space.
"Deactivate view screen." Megan said.
"Yes Ma'am." The ensign replied and deactivated the view screen.
Megan rose and said, "Rising Dawn, you have the conn. If you need me I'll be in my quarters."
As she entered the room she let the doors close behind her and then slumped into the chair. She felt lost. She touched a button and began to speak.
"Personal Log, Commander Megan. "It has been a little over two days since my beloved, my heart and soul Caitlin was taken by that witch calling herself the Dark Sorceress. She wants the pendants that Caitlin and I found in a cave on Themyscria. I don't know what kind of power they hold, but I will not let that witch have the pendants. I only hope that she hasn't harmed Caitlin!"
**********************************************************
"AHHHHHHHH!"
"Give me the pendant!"
"Never!" Screamed Caitlin. "I don't care what you do to me. I'll never give in to you!"
Caitlin was suspended in the air by chains attached to the wall. She was bloodied but her spirit wouldn't let her give in. She was hurting badly. The witch had tortured her trying to get her to give up her pendant! From what she had gathered, it could not be taken by force. The wearer had to give it of their own free will. Caitlin was determined not to let that happen. No matter what, she would not allow it to fall into the wrong hands. "Even if you kill me, I won't give it to you!"
She was being held in a dome in the Capital City of the planet Yumemakura. Everything was dark except for a light on her and the Dark Sorceress.
"Oh no! I won't kill you, not yet anyway! I need you as bait for dear Xena! Once I have you both here, I will have the pendants. Make no mistake about it! Your love for each other will be your undoing" The Dark Sorceress said. "For now, I will leave you to contemplate your fate. I wouldn't hold out to much hope of rescue if I were you."
"You lie! I know Megan will rescue me! Even you can't stand up to the full force of the Galaxy Defense Force!"
The Sorceress just laughed and said, "Oh but I can! I could destroy them instantly if I wanted too, but I want to see your precious Megan suffer." She laughed again. "Think about that while you wait for your sweetheart to rescue you." Then she vanished.
Caitlin was not worried. She knew that Megan would rescue her, or they would die together. That was the thought that kept her going. She knew Megan and the entire fleet of the GDF were on their way and nothing would stop them. Although the pain of her wounds was terrible, she remembered what her mother had said. "Caitlin, my Daughter, always keep a song in your heart and you will never be alone." Caitlin began to sing the song she had sung for Megan on that fateful evening only a few days before. It seemed like an eternity ago. Unseen to anybody, the heart shaped pendant began to pulse.
*********************************************************************
Meanwhile aboard the Ephiny, Megan was struggling to control the doubts and fears that plagued her. She was blaming herself for Caitlin's abduction. She was on edge. Suddenly the door buzzer sounded. "Go Away!" she shouted.
The door opened to reveal Rising Dawn. "Megan, we need to talk." She said.
"I'm busy RD!"
"No, we are gonna settle this once and for all. I know what's going on, Megan. You feel guilty over Caitlin. Megan, it isn't your fault. You did the best you could. "
"Yes it is! I was supposed to protect her. I failed and now that monster has her." Megan snapped back.
"We will find her, but you are no good to her like this. You need to pull yourself together. I know how much you love her. She needs you at your best and you know it." Rising Dawn sat on the bed next to her and put her hands on Megan's shoulders. Megan began to cry.
"Oh RD, I'm so scared! I don't want to lose her. I can't live without her." She sobbed.
"I know, I know!" She held Megan close and let her head rest on her shoulder. She stroked Megan's hair. She had seen Megan like this before but very rarely. Megan was always so strong and she had such a large burden to bear that most people thought she was invulnerable but Rising Dawn knew better. She had been Megan's best friend and confidant for years. She was the only one whom Megan would open up to. Sometimes she needed to release all the pent-up emotion. Sometimes all the frustration and anger just needed an outlet, a release. Rising Dawn was always there to help with that safety valve until Caitlin entered the picture. She was there every night when Megan came home. It helped to keep her on an even keel and brought a great joy into Megan's life. That was something Rising Dawn could never do. Now that Caitlin was gone Megan was feeling overwhelmed by guilt and anger. She wouldn't be the same until they got Caitlin back alive. Her greatest fear was that Caitlin was already gone. If that were the case, She feared she might have lost her best friend as well, for she knew that Caitlin's loss would devastate Megan. She would never be the same, if she survived the loss at all.
Gradually, Megan's sobs slowed and she lifted her head. "Thanks RD! I needed that!"
"Better?" Rising Dawn asked.
"Yes, but I'm feeling pretty wiped out. Maybe I should get a little shut eye while I can. Caitlin will need all my strength tomorrow!" Megan said.
Rising Dawn agreed. "That's a good idea. We still have almost two days until we get there. If you need anything, let me know, ok?"
Megan hugged Rising Dawn. "I will, thanks RD! For everything!"
"You bet!" Came the reply. Rising Dawn stood up and left.
Megan began to undress herself. She took of the golden armor and hung her Chakram in its special place. She removed the undergarment that she wore and stripped down to her bra and panties. Then she pulled back the covers and slipped between the sheets. She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She began to dream of a time when it was just the two of them..."Catch me if you can Xena!" Caitlin giggled. She jumped up into the trees.
"Oh, playing hard to get are you?" Megan said with a smile. She was a fair climber herself but not in Caitlin's class. She had a natural talent for this. Megan loved to play with Caitlin. It had been quite awhile since she had just taken a day off to have fun. Caitlin was like a little girl sometimes. She was so full of life and wonder. She made Megan feel alive. In truth, she was Megan's reason for living. Megan climbed up a tree and began to stalk her lover. She would have to use strategy.
"Hey Xena, you gonna stay up in that tree all day or are you gonna come down here and catch me!" Caitlin called from below. "I'll even give you an incentive. You can have this if you catch me, you can have this!" She slipped her halter top down exposing her shapely breasts. She winked at Megan and licked her lips.
"By the gods woman! Are you trying to make me fall out of this tree? You know what that does to me!" Megan exclaimed.
"I know! That's why I do it! Now come on and earn it or I may just have to go elsewhere! I bet Lydia would love to have some from me." Caitlin said with a sly grin.
"Oh, so that's the way it is! All right, you just wait until I catch you young lady. I'll make you eat those words." Megan said with a grin. She knew Caitlin loved to tease her like this. She also knew Caitlin was 100% faithful to her. This was just her playful nature.
She scrambled down the tree in record time but Caitlin was already on the move. "By the gods she is fast."
"Boo!" shouted Caitlin as she sneaked up behind Megan. Megan whirled and almost caught her prey, but Caitlin managed to evade her. They continued the game until finally Megan caught her intended in a lasso.
"Ah! You got me!" Said Caitlin.
"You bet I do. Now the question is what to do with you?" Megan pondered.
"Well, I have a few suggestions." Caitlin said lustfully.
"Hmmm, yes there is a small matter of that incentive you offered." Megan said licking her lips. She pulled Caitlin to her and began kissing her passionately. Just then the communicator buzzed.
Megan awoke with a start. "Ah, just when it was getting good." She said groggily. As she slowly regained her senses, she realized where she was and what was happening. She made her way over to the communicator. "Megan here."
"Rinsing Dawn here. T minus 3 hours and counting."
Had she slept that long? She thought to herself. "I read you. I'll be there before zero hour. Megan out!"
Megan tried to shake the cobwebs from her head. She undressed and hopped into the sonic shower. Its vibrations helped to get her awake. She knew what was going to happen. They were approaching the biggest battle of their lives. The whole galaxy hung on this battle, maybe even the universe, not to mention her heart.
She got out and readied herself. She dressed and armored up, strapped on her sword and last, but not least, placed her Chakram on its usual place on her hip. "Here we go old friend. Gabrielle is in trouble and it's up to us to save her. Just like old times," She said to the Chakram. She smiled at the thought and exited her quarters.
The doors opened to the bridge. Besides Rising Dawn and the usual crew, she saw Princess Yuki. Everyone was dressed in battle gear. "Report!" she said. Rising Dawn stood up and said, "About 1hour before zero hour."
"Very well, All hands to battle stations. Put the fleet on red alert. I want everyone ready to go," Megan commanded.
"Yes ma'am! Red alert. Battle stations, battle stations!" Rising Dawn barked. The red alert sounded throughout the fleet.
Then it came. A tremendous ball of energy headed directly for the Ephiny.
"Evasive Action!" Megan ordered.
"Too late! Brace for impact!" Shouted Rising Dawn. Then the Ephiny vanished!
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