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!  

Chapter 6

A Song In Your Heart

The Ephiny had vanished from the GDF tracking scanners on Themyscria.

"Lieutenant," cried the Ensign tracking the Ephiny. "She's vanished!"

"What?" cried Lt. Selene. "Let me see." She looked at the scanner. "Don't jump to conclusions yet, ensign. We are experiencing a lot of interference. Wait until it clears up and then we will see."

Meanwhile aboard the Ephiny, the ship had been rocked by a powerful blast from the planet. 

"All stations report in!" ordered Megan.

"Damage reports coming in, Commander." Lt. Niko reported. "Damage seems to be minor. It seems our shields held."

"I guess that was just the Dark Sorceress's way of saying hello! Well, I plan to give her a greeting she'll never forget. Proceed with Operation Search and Rescue. We are going to get Caitlin back and free the planet at the same time! Rising Dawn, you have the con. I'm going down there." Before anyone could say anything, she was already on her way to the transportation room.

She was going to have it out with the Dark Sorceress and free her beloved. She knew this time only one of them would escape alive. She entered the transport room and saw her team waiting for her. Gathered there were some of the best in infantry fighters in the GDF. Their names weren't important but their skill was. Megan knew they would watch her back, and more importantly, they would help her get Caitlin back alive. She
returned the salute they gave her and stepped onto the platform. "Energize." was all she said. The familiar process began. The strange feeling of
disassociation, the blackness followed by the appearance of her destination and the feeling of being put back together. She was used to it. You had to get used to it if you were going to serve in the GDF. Besides, right now, that was the last thing on her mind.

The city was dark but not deserted. Monsters of all kinds had already engaged the troops. She saw minotaurs, hydras, basilisks, cyclopes, harpies, dryads, and many other creatures. So far the GDF was holding their own, but these creatures were tough.

Megan had set down as near to the capital building as possible, but she was still a few miles away. The area around the capital was too heavily guarded. Megan could only hope that Caitlin was ok.

As soon as she materialized, she went into action. With her Chakram in one hand and her sword in another, the familiar battlecry rang from her lips.
"Ayiyiyiyyi, heeeeya!" She was Xena once again. The mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. This is what made her feel alive. The clanging of
swords, the whirring of the chakram bouncing off walls and hitting its target. The feel of the somersault, and the crunching of the enemy beneath her feet, made her heart pound. Now, more than ever, this was her time. She was fighting for her love, and to save the universe.

She was unaware of the eyes watching her as she fought her way to the target. Every member within viewing distance was watching her while continuing with his or her own battles. She was their inspiration. Some, being new to the GDF, had never seen her in action and were awestruck. The veterans took their cue from Megan as she led them to what they felt would be a certain victory.

Unfortunately, even the greatest warrior can be taken by surprise. While trying to avoid a harpy's talons, a minotaur struck a fierce blow, felling the
valiant warrior. Megan crumpled to the ground, unconscious. The minotaur picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. The other monsters quickly closed in to prevent pursuit.

As the minotaur lumbered off with Megan toward the Capital building, the word spread that Megan was down. The veterans knew they had to step up now, or else the younger ones might panic. The word was already spreading that the enemy had taken the commander.

"How can we stand against that? They are too powerful. Without the commander, we don't have a chance." one young ensign said.

"That will be enough of that, ensign!" Lynzi said.

"Lt. Wildheart!" the ensign said.

"We have gone up against worse odds and won. This is no different. We are going to rescue the Commander and Caitlin and we are going to beat the Dark Sorceress. Got it?"

"Yes Ma'am!" the ensign replied.
*******************************************************************
Megan awakened slowly. She didn't know how long she had been out, but she did know her head hurt. "Mmmm, where am I?"

"Megan? Megan, are you all right? Please talk to me, Xena."

"Caitlin? Honey, is that you?" Megan said. Her eyesight was slowly coming back. Everything was blurry, but things were beginning to come into focus. She saw a brownish form in front of her. It slowly resolved itself into Caitlin.

"Gabrielle? Caitlin? Oh baby! Are you alright?" She tried to put her arms around her soulmate and found she couldn't. Her arms were chained to the
wall. Her legs were similarly shackled.

"I'm ok. Especially now that you are here. Oh Xena, I was so scared, but I knew you'd come for me!" Caitlin said.

"Yeah, but this isn't exactly how I pictured it." Megan said. Then she saw Caitlin's wounds. "By the Artemis, Athena, and Aphrodite! What has that
witch done to you? Caitlin, oh Gods! You're hurt! You're bleeding."

"It's ok, Xena. It doesn't hurt too much anymore." Caitlin said quietly.

The rage rose up inside of her. "Alti! You witch. I will kill you for this.

Do you hear me? I will kill you for this!"

On cue, the Dark Sorceress appeared. "You called, my dear Xena? It's been too long. One might think you didn't like me." She laughed at her own joke.

"Alti! You hurt Caitlin. I will never forgive you for that!"

"Ah, yes, your little bitch. She has been most entertaining. Of course, all she had to do was give me her half of the amulet the two of you found. There would have been no need for all of this." An evil smile crossed her lips. "We could've had so much fun together." She cupped Caitlin's breast to illustrate her point.

Caitlin squirmed, trying to loosen the sorceress grip on her.

"I wonder how good she is? Maybe I should have my way with her anyway. Of course I'd much rather the two of us join forces, so to speak. I just know we would be good together. Tell the truth Xena, doesn't it make you hot just thinking about it?"

"You sicken me, Alti! I want to destroy you."

"Well, my dear Xena, that won't happen. However, if you both give me your amulet halves, I'd be happy to let you go. I wouldn't need you anymore."

"That isn't going to happen, witch. If you want them this bad, then you aren't gonna get them."

"We will see, Xena. Oh, I wouldn't depend on your little Galaxy Defense Force to help you. They are in the process of dying. My monsters are too much for them. Here, let me show you."

With a wave of her hand, she conjured up a window for them to see the outside. Megan could see the GDF force been backed up by the monsters.
"No matter how many they defeat, I can make much more. They don't stand a chance," she said with an evil smile. "I can save them, you know my price. Why don't I let you watch for a while?" She vanished in a cloud of darkness.

"Megan, what are we going to do? We can't let our friends suffer when we can prevent it." Caitlin implored.

"We can't give her the amulet halves, Caitlin. If they are as powerful as I think they are, we can't let her have them. She could destroy the galaxy, if
not the universe with them. Then our friends will have died for nothing."

"I know you're right, Megan, but I don't know how much more of this I can take! The thought of all of our friends dying at the hands of that monster!"
Caitlin said. The tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Oh Caitlin, I'm sorry. Hey, why don't you sing me that song you did for me back at the concert? You know singing always makes you feel better." Megan implored.

"You really liked it?"

"Honey, it was the most wonderful thing I've ever heard." Megan replied.

"Oh Xena, I do love you so."

"Then sing for me, honey!"

Ok, I will." Caitlin began to sing her song once more. She began to feel the love flowing through her. The love for her soul mate. The woman that was her other half.

"Deep in my soul
Love so strong
It takes control

Now we both know
The secrets bared
The feelings show"

As she sang the amulet halves pulsed with a strange energy. Then the Dark Sorceress appeared. "Stop that! I will not permit singing here. This is my domain, I say what is done and not done here!"

Megan caught on; this is what the Dark Sorceress was afraid of. Caitlin's singing somehow triggered their power. "Don't stop Caitlin. Sing your song
for me, for all our friends, for the galaxy's sake! Don't stop!"

If Caitlin heard either one of them she gave no sign she just continued singing.

"Driven far apart
I'll make a wish
On a shooting star

Chorus:
There will come a day
Somewhere far away
In your arms I'll stay
My only Love"

The pulsing grew stronger, faster brighter. Light was filling up the room. Light that was becoming brighter by the second.

"Ahhhhh! Stop it!" the Dark Sorceress cried out. The light was hurting her, destroying her.

Caitlin kept singing. With each note her love for Megan grew. It filled her entire being. She had to sing; nothing else mattered.

"Even when you're gone
Love will still live on
The feeling is so strong
My only love

REPEAT CHORUS

You've reached the deepest part
Of the secret in my heart
I've known from the start
My only love

REPEAT CHORUS

My only love"

The two halves of the amulet detached themselves from Megan and Caitlin and floated toward each other. When they met, they joined into one piece. Then a blinding jolt of energy burst forth from the completed artifact.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" the Dark Sorceress cried out as the light enveloped her. It became so strong; it burst from the building and spread throughout the entire planet. For what seemed like an eternity, no one could see or hear a thing. Gradually, the light faded and everyone began to see again. Inside the building, Megan and Caitlin were free, the amulet had vanished, and all that remained of the Dark Sorceress was a pile of ashes.

"Xena? Oh Xena!" Caitlin rushed into Megan's arms and held her tight. "Oh Xena, I was so scared!" She sobbed.

"Shh, shh it's ok baby. It's all over!" Megan cooed to her love.

Indeed, the crisis was over. Outside, the monsters had vanished as if they had never existed. The GDF forces cheered. Rising Dawn and the senior officers first concern was to check on Megan and Caitlin. Rising Dawn activated her wrist communicator. "Rising Dawn to Megan, do you read me?" Gods, please be all right you two.

"Megan here, we're ok, RD! Caitlin is safe and the Dark Sorceress is destroyed. It's a long story; I'll fill you in on the details later. You're
in charge of the mop-up."

"You got it!" she said and signed off. "Hey everybody, they're alright!"

Everybody cheered.

Back in the Capitol building, Megan noticed something. All of Caitlin's wounds were healed. Truly the gods had been merciful this day. "C'mon, baby, let's go home." Caitlin nodded. "Megan to Ephiny, two to transport up!"

Within moments they were gone, back where they belonged, with family and friends. Chalk up another victory for the Galaxy Defense Force.

THE END

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