It had been cold in the cockpit for a very long time.

The pilot of the Iron Phoenix turned in his chair tho face the open door. "Merrick!" he called out, "I thought you were going to fix the climate controls!"

"I did, Kane," replied the ship's mechanic, Merrick -- a man who also fulfilled the added roles of gambler and scoundrel. "It'll just take the thing a little while to warm up."

"Come on, Merrick," said Kane, exasperation evident in his voice, "we've been orbiting this planet for a couple of hours. Aren't you through with those repairs?"

"I told you," said Merrick, "We'll need to find a good spaceport to get all of the parts I need. I hope there's one on this planet."

Muttering sarcastically, Bail Kane, pilot and minor Jedi, turned on the ship's comm. "Cyrus? You there?"

After a brief static, the voice of the Iron Phoenix's third crew member, Cyrus Remmington, was heard. "Yeah, I'm here. I've almost got that turbolaser fixed."

"Great," said Kane. "At least we'll have one working."

Over the comm, Remmington whistled. "Yeah, those bounty hunters really tore us up."

"The point is," quipped Merrick, "They're dead. We're not."

"That's why we're Bad Company!" Cyrus remarked. "The biggest, baddest SpecForce team around."

The group's reverie was suddenly interrupted by the incessant beeping of the sensors. Merrick sighed. "What now?"

"I don't know," said Kane, examining the screen. "A vessel of some kind. Stock Light scale." Kane paused, staring at the sensors screen. "And they're hailing us."

"Can you bring it over the radio?" asked Merrick.

"I'm trying," Kane replied. "The signal's very weak. That's a very primitive ship out there."

Crackling furiously, the radio burst into life. "Ghrock-da siire bas basi qiers tav ur nabritor na vandar ics..."

"What is that?" said Remmington, entering the cockpit. "That's no language I've ever heard."

All of a sudden, the message was relayed in broken Basic. "Help us! We fall off course! Need help for get ship back planet."

"Look at this," said Merrick, amazed. "Their ship has taken extensive hull damage. Their entire engine conductor is blown!"

"We've gotta help those guys," said Kane. "That ship won't last much longer."

"Oh, Kane, you and your Jedi 'help everybody and be a nice guy' stuff!" moaned Merrick. "Can't we be cruel and evil and let them all die horribly?"

Kane stood up and began walking out of the cockpit. "Bring us toward them, Merrick. I'll get the top hatch open."

Merrick looked after the fleeing pilot, then turned back to Remmington's enigmatic face. "What?" he asked innocently.

Clambering through the bowels of the Phoenix, Kane opened the ship's top hatch and peered out at the crippled ship. It was approaching rapidly, preparing to dock with the Phoenix. The ship's hatch opened, sending the boarding tube across, followed by three humanoid-looking men.

Looking basically human except for their strange, triangular eyes and mouths, and the extra digit on each of their hands, the aliens climbed onto the Iron Phoenix. "You must help!" cried the first, clutching Kane's arms. "Ship very bad!"

"Must save ship!" clamored a second.

"Merrick," Kane said hastily, "I think we need a tech over here. Soon."

"I'm on my way."

Moments later, Merrick appeared in the doorway. "What's wrong with your ship?" he asked.

The man rattled off some gibberish, and Merrick sighed. "Look's like I'll have to look at it myself." Reaching to the shelf beside him, he picked up a comlink and threw it to Kane. "I'll be in touch. Channel 12."

"What happened to you guys?" asked Kane, pointing to the leader.

"We were damaged by... what is word? Ana... anomaly." the leader replied in tentative Basic.

"Merrick," Kane called over the comlink. "How's it going?"

"Slow," came the reply. "These guys' engine system is pretty weird."

"Chitonakk could probably figure it out," taunted Kane.

"Chitonakk could make a chef droid into a spaceworthy vessel," replied Merrick. "I'm doing the best I can. I make it about five, ten more minutes and I'll have located the problem."

"That's great," said Kane. "What am I supposed to do with these guys in the meantime?" He turned to look at the three semi-humans, who were busily examining the contents of the food locker, to Remmington's strenuous objections.

"I don't know," said Merrick. "Take 'em on a tour or something. Huh?" he seemed to be talking to someone beside him, but the comlink's poor transmission was blocking his words. "Uh, Kane, I think this guy wants to talk to his friends."

Kane handed the comlink to the leader of the three. The humanoid conversed with his fellow for several moments in their guttural, tongue-twisting language. Finally, the leader tossed the comlink back to Kane.

"Something strange is going on here, Kane," said Merrick, his voice full of suspicion. "This damage doesn't look like -- what did he say? An atmospheric anomaly? No, they look like... well, it's almost like the effects of carbon scoring."

"So you think those guys have been in some kind of fight?"

"That's what it looks like," Merrick, said, keeping his voice to a whisper. "And from the looks of it, they got their butts kicked."

"No," said Kane. "I think that whatever it was, they won. Whatever did this to them wouldn't have left them alive."

Suddenly, the leader of the group, leaning over to see one of the readouts, dropped a heavy object from the folds of his clothing.

"Uh, Kane..." began Remmington, who was staring at the object. "We've got a problem here..."

At that very moment, Merrick's voice, excited and urgent, came over the comlink. "Whoa! Kane! Buddy, we've got something pretty major over here!"

Without warning, the leader of the semi-humans dealt Cyrus a powerful blow, sending the big warrior reeling. As the alien picked up the object he had dropped, Kane had only seconds to realize that it was a weapon before he was fired upon.

Making a flying leap, Kane dove behind a nearby console, activating his comlink as he jumped. "Merrick! Merrick, get out of there! Now!"

"I'm way ahead of you," shouted the gambler, running in through the hatch. As Merrick struggled to close the top hatch, Remmington, fully recovered from the leader's stunning blow, was wrestling desperately with the humanoid, trying to wrest his weapon away.

Popping out from behind the console, Kane shot one of the semi-humans dead center in the chest. Flying backward, the stricken alien clutched weakly at the large burn made by the blaster bolt before collapsing into a ruffled heap. Meanwhile, Merrick had managed to close the top hatch, and was in the process of releasing the boarding tube, sending the two humanoids who had tried to follow him through hurtling into space.

After the contact was broken, the aliens' ship veered away, heading toward the planet below. Remmington had beaten his assailant with a large wrench, slumping the humanoid over, with a long trickle of blood dripping down his head. He did not get up again.

The remaining alien, finding himself faced down by three men with blasters, seemed about to surrender for a moment, but suddenly leaped for Kane. Three blasters went off at the same time, dropping the man to the floor.

Leaning against the console, Kane surveyed the carnage and sighed deeply. "Look at this mess."

"Who were these guys?" asked Cyrus.

"Some kind of pirates or marauderers, probably," Merrick replied. "I found a cache full of weapons and uridinite ore in one of the maintenance closets. These guys just got back from a fairly successful hit."

"We'd better follow them," said Kane. "Whatever they're up to, it's not good." Running for the cockpit, he paused for a moment and said, "Merrick, you'd better get to the gun pod. There'll probably be trouble."

"What about me?" Remmington asked.

"Cyrus, old pal," began Kane, "do you think you could clean this up?"

In the cockpit, Kane strapped into the pilot's seat and did a nose-dive, following the fleeing ship. Merrick's voice came over the comm from the gun pod. "As damaged as they are, they're not going to get far."

"All the same," Kane replied, "I'd rather not take chances. They might have some friends."

"Two more ships approaching, from the planet!" said Remmington.

"We've got company, Merrick!" Kane shouted over the comm.

"Don't worry," said Merrick. "Their technology is very inferior to ours. It's pretty much an even match."

One of the ships fired on the Phoenix, shaking the freighter with two blasts.

"Merrick!" Kane said. "I thought you said it was an even match!"

"It is," replied Merrick, firing. The enemy ship which had shot at them suffered a major explosion, destroying a good sixth of the ship and sending it hurtling down to the planet.

The remaining enemy vessel swerved around, trying to take the Phoenix from behind. "I don't think so," said Merrick, swiveling his gun and laying down suppressive fire. His attack missed, however, for the ship fired, heading around the Phoenix's underside.

The Iron Phoenix took the hit directly, shuddering from the force of the blast. Kane swore as his controls went nearly dead, leaving him struggling to pull the Phoenix out of a fatal dive. The third ship, content with its half-victory, turned tail and fled.

Fighting with the controls, Kane brought the ship out of the dive just enough to avoid smashing into the rocky ground, a mere hundred feet below them now. Slowing slightly but not really losing much speed, the Iron Phoenix hit the ground and began sliding, scraping an enormous ditch in the earth behind it and throwing up dirt and rocks everywhere. It finally came to a jolting stop near a small village, full of terrified natives who stared at this oncoming ship with horror.

Once the Phoenix had stopped, Kane, Merrick and Remmington climbed tentatively out of the top hatch, leaped to the ground below, and surveyed the people around them.

The natives were standing awe and fear, watching the visitors with suspicious eyes. Finally, someone in the crowd spoke up -- "Nar a laki uderos! Intir avin laki nar! Laki uderos! Iva laki uderos!"

"Um... hello," said Kane. "Anyone speak Basic? Pavade diko laka Basickir?"

"I speak Basic," said an older man, stepping forward. "I speak good Basic."

"Where are we?" asked Merrick. "What planet is this?"

"The planet is called Navacar," the old man replied. "We are a peaceful people. Grateful. You have saved us from the uderos, the bandits who plague our village."

"What?" said Kane. "You mean those pirates were after this village?"

"Yes," said the old man. "They come here to steal our uridinite that we mine from the mountain. You have chased them away. Now, they will come back no more."

"Oh, they'll be back," said Merrick. "Our ship's trashed, and they know it. They'll be back for revenge."

"This is very bad," the old man said. "for you and for us. We are poor miners and we cannot fight the uderos. Will you help us?"

"Of course we'll help," said Kane, before Merrick could say anything. "But the three of us can't fight them all off alone. We'll need help."

"What do you mean?" asked Remmington.

"There's a spaceport on the other side of this planet," said Kane. "I saw it on the sensors while we were orbiting. We can drive Stealth I over and recruit some fighters from there to help us."

"We'll need money, of course," said Merrick quickly, a glint in his eyes. "Fighters don't work for nothing."

"You may have all we possess," said the old man. "I will send my sons, Pedro and Pablo, with you to handle the money matters."

"What, you don't trust us?" asked Merrick sarcastically.

"Ignore him," Kane told the man.

"Seriously, though," said Merrick, "while you guys go to look for some guns, I'll stay here and work on the Phoenix. We might want to leave in a hurry."

"You mean you're actually letting me drive Stealth I?" asked Kane, feigning surprise.

"Of course not," said Merrick. "Here, Cyrus," he said, tossing Remmington his keys.

About twenty minutes later, Merrick's souped-up, hot rod of an airspeeder entered the ancient, primitive spaceport of Tul Agga. Small shops, cheap taverns, and dirty hotels lined the streets of the city.

Finding a small cantina on the corner their best bet, the four -- Kane, Remmington, and the two natives, Pablo and Pedro, entered and sat down at the musty bar. Remmington immediately ordered a drink, and Kane walked off, searching for mercenaries.

"So," said Remmington, turning to the villagers, "how is life in your village?"

"In our village, life is very bad," one, Pedro, replied. "The uderos come every two weeks, and we must give them most of what we have mined. We have little metal to sell, so we are hungry much of the time."

Pablo broke in. "But if you can drive the uderos away, life will return to our village. Then living there will be very good indeed."

Remmington sighed. "That would be nice -- to retire to a small village somewhere, away from all of this fighting. But I couldn't leave the team. War is my life."

Suddenly, Kane returned, very excited, with a tall, dark-haired man in tow. "Cyrus, you'll never believe this. This is Steele, the pilot of the Starflame."

"But isn't that --" began Remmington.

"That's right, our old ship. Steele's part of Special Ops Team 1."

"I can take you to the Starflame," Steele broke in. "Ramirez, Chitonakk, and Shadowlord are there."

"Good," said Kane. "I've been looking forward to seeing them again."

"So how many are we now, Kane?" asked Remmington.

The answer was short and simple: "Seven."



When Stealth I returned to the village, it was with a familiar needle-nosed ship close behind it. As soon as the Starflame landed, the old Special Ops Team 1 had emerged, greeting Bad Company as if they were still just some of their own. The reunion was complete, final -- though they bore two different names, they were united for a single purpose, and were one again.

Soon afterward, they had all begun to make preparations for the attack. New walls were built around the village, a new perimeter. Ramirez and Remmington were teaching the villagers to shoot, while Shadowlord, under the careful guidance of Kane and Steele, was teaching them to fight hand-to-hand. The enormous, hairy Wolfen, strangely enough, had become very popular with the children of the village, who rubbed his thick fur and called him "Shady."

Several of the children approached Shadowlord, toys in their busy hands. "Hello, Shady. We all drew straws, and we got you."

"What?" asked Shadowlord, puzzled. This was a quite common state for the Wolfen to be in.

"If you die, we have to avenge you, and we make sure there's fresh flowers on your grave every day."

Shadowlord thought for a moment -- actually, several moments. "Shadowlord not die," he finally concluded. "Shadowlord fight and KILL!!!"

"That's all right, Shady," said one boy. "If you live, we'll be just as happy. Maybe even happier."

Elsewhere, Ramirez, Merrick and Remmington were trying vainly to teach Pedro, one of the old man's sons, to shoot a blaster. "You hold it like this, Pedro," said Remmington encouragingly. "Hold it steady, and squeeze the trigger gently."

Pedro tried again, causing a long blast to streak across the target. "No! No!" shouted Ramirez. "Squeeze! Just like operating the handles of those miners' shovels of yours. If you squeeze to hard, too much dirt comes out; too lightly, and you don't lose enough. It's just the same with a blaster. Try again."

"And Pedro," said Merrick exasperatedly, "Please hold it steady. It's not an ore sampler, it's a gun."

That evening, the entire town had gathered to give a festival to the men who would save them. Celebration was in the air, as townsfolk danced around the square, playing instruments and drinking the local inebriant. All around the tiny village, the people's usually solemn faces cracked with laughter.

The children seemed to enjoy themselves, as well. Dancing in a circle, they were singing loud songs in their native tongue, exclamated with long kicks and leaps. They even managed to convince the estimable Shadowlord to join them.

"Whatever else, these people sure know how to have fun," concluded Ramirez, emptying his present bottle of iktharu and reaching for another.

"You know, you're right," said Chitonakk, lounging lazily. "I could get used to this."

"Remmington sure seems to be enjoying himself," Kane commented.

"Yes," said the Verpine tech, "he is. Look at him dancing with that girl over there."

Remmington had become quite taken with a young girl in the village. At the moment, he was busy swinging her around to the music, and seemed to be having the time of his life.

"Howdy," said Steele, walking up to the languishing gunslingers. "Anybody seen Merrick?"

"I saw him teaching a group of those villagers to play sabacc," said Ramirez. "If I know Merrick, he'll be occupying himself for quite a while."

"Well, I'm turning in," said Chitonakk, standing up. "Too much excitement in one day, and who knows what might happen to me tomorrow."

The rest of them, not moving from where the sat, continued discussing abstract subjects until late into the night. Finally, when all but the insomniacs had left the town square, Kane sat alone, contemplating what would happen in the morning. Unable to even try to sleep, he finally returned to his room to think about the morning until dawn rescued him from his reverie.



Chitonakk sat up in his bed, his antennae waving wildly and his face a mask of shock. "Chitonakk! Are you all right?" asked Ramirez.

"I -- I don't know," the Verpine replied. "I -- had this dream..."

"Don't worry, it was just a nightmare." Ramirez paused, thinking. "Come on. It's time to get up."

Chitonakk rose unceremoniously, dressing swiftly. Soon he had joined the others outside, near the town square, where Kane and Steele were enforcing the perimeter. "That should do it," said Steele. "We'd better get prepared. No telling when they'll show up."

"I'll position the Phoenix in a tactical position, so we can possibly use it for cover," said Kane. "Merrick, you take the bottom gun pod. That ought to provide sufficient firepower."

"And I'll move the Starflame over, too," said Steele.

"Everybody ready?" asked Ramirez.

A chorus of positive responses came from the hidden townsfolk.

Ramirez chuckled. "This is gonna be great."

Positioned and ready, they only waited a few minutes before the attack began. One ship came from their front; two others attacked the flank. Using the Phoenix and Starflame as cover, Kane and Steele began firing at the ship in front of them, while Shadowlord, Chitonakk, Remmington and Ramirez attacked the flanking ships. Merrick, in the Phoenix's bottom gun pod, was unloading heavily on the front attacker.

The ships, though more powerful than the individuals, were not powerful enough to carry on the assault themselves. Just when things seemed to be going well, one of the flanking ships landed, its bay doors opening to reveal the horrors which lurked within. Out from the belly of the ship rode an armored ground vehicle, equipped with several large power cannons and followed by nearly twenty men.

"Look out!" said Ramirez to Remmington, who was right in the way of the first blast. Pulling the young warrior out of the way, Ramirez ducked just in time to avoid the deadly blast. The shot hit the side of the Phoenix, tearing off several armor plates and creating a barrage of sparks. Getting up, Cyrus fired at one of the pirates who had wandered too close to him, sending the man sprawling.

Meanwhile, Shadowlord and Chitonakk were holding their own by the side of the Starflame, shooting down several marauders as they advanced toward the vehicle. As they broke into the open, Shadowlord grabbed the nearest pirate and lifted the man above his head, tossing him onto the vehicle. Turning, he threw another into the hull of the Starflame hard enough to leave an impression.

Kane and Steele, firing on the front ship, had their hands full as well, popping out from behind the Iron Phoenix and shooting at the enemy vessel with their blasters. Merrick did most of the damage, however, knocking out the ship's thrusters and sending it crashing to the ground. But though downed, the ship was far from finished. It fired its two torpedoes, sending them flying over Kane and Steele's head towards the place where Remmington and Ramirez were keeping covered.

"Cyrus!" yelled Kane. "Incoming!"

Seeing the missile, Ramirez grabbed Cyrus and leaped, pulling him from their safe vantage point out into the open. The two were immediately fired upon by a group of pirates advancing toward the kill. Before the pirates could reach them, though, they were picked off by the steadfast townsfolk from their hidden positions on the building's flat roofs. The ground vehicle, firing at Shadowlord and Chitonakk as the two began an almost impossible charge, was suddenly distracted by two more targets out in the square. Remmington, firing at the vehicle as he and Ramirez retreated back to their positions, managed to get a hit off on the armored tank.

After destroying the ship in front of him, Steele was turning with Kane to take on the men pouring from the other two ships, when he saw, out of the corner of his eye, a strange shape descending on them from the hills. "Kane," he said softly, "look at that."

Kane swore as he saw what was attacking them now. An ancient but powerful Imperial Juggernaut, hot-wired and revamped and probably stolen, but nevertheless menacing, was rolling slowly toward the group. As its blaster emplacements began firing, scoring the ground in front of them, Steele and Kane quickly retreated back into the cover of the Starflame.

"Merrick!" Kane shouted over the comlink. "Cover us!"

"I've got a better idea," said Merrick. "Get behind the Starflame." Kane spluttered, but Merrick continued, "Do it!"

Suddenly, the Iron Phoenix took off, circling around the compound and coming down to the closing Juggernaut. Shifting its attack to the more imminent threat, the Juggernaut began pounding mercilessly on the Phoenix's already weakened plating. His instruments gone, the ship smoking from several direct hits, Merrick pulled the Phoenix into a headlong dive -- straight into the Juggernaut.

The explosion was magnificent. The Iron Phoenix, crashing into the Juggernaut at an incredible speed, drove the tank backward nearly a hundred meters and rolled over on top of the enormous vehicle. Immediately, the others turned and ran toward the wreckage, firing back at the enemy who followed them.

A few moments later, Merrick leaped out of the top hatch, fine except for a few cuts and scrapes, and began firing at the massive numbers of pirates attacking him from all sides. His two heavy blasters smoking in the breeze, and his cape waving behind him, Merrick looked like he had been born into Bad Company as he downed the marauders, one by one.

Then, as the embattled team members watched, a blaster bolt hit Merrick in the chest, knocking him off of the top of the ship and into the wreckage of the Juggernaut. Firing constantly, Kane and Remmington raced over to where he had fallen. As Cyrus held the enemy off, Kane knelt by the stricken gambler.

"Looks like it's time to fold, Kane," breathed Merrick as the pilot tried desperately to help him. "I'm cashing in my chips." With a wheezed laugh and a final cough, Merrick's head fell back limply.

"You know what this means, Cyrus?" asked Kane.

"Yeah," Remmington agreed. "Let's get them."

Guns blazing, the two of them strode out of the wreckage, wasting the enemy by the handful. As they walked calmly toward the enemy forces, Shadowlord and Chitonakk had succeeded in taking control of the small tank vehicle. After turning it around and using it to fire on one of the marauders' ships, Chitonakk hot-wired the vehicle to explode and sent it running off toward the enemy barricade.

Suddenly, Chitonakk heard a sound from one of the buildings. The sound of children crying and the harsh voices of men emitted from a nearby house, and the Verpine went to investigate. Through the window, he could see the five pirates who were holding the children, and knew that their backs were to him.

As he remembered his nightmares, Chitonakk felt a momentary hesitation, but boldly stepped through the door and shot two of the pirates. Rolling across the floor, he struck another pirate and used him as a human shield while he blasted the remaining two out of existence. The children fled, and Chitonakk, proud that he had not faltered, stepped out of the doorway, standing valiantly until he was hit from behind and knocked sprawling on the ground.

Steele had gotten to the Starflame's gun pod and destroyed a second of the three ships, leaving only one with several handfuls of men surrounding it. The battle was coming to a close. Ramirez, after Remmington had gone to see about Merrick, had gotten behind one of the many walls they had put up and was using at as a semi-reliable cover. His tally was climbing, and he thought he was doing fairly well until a number of men began to surround him. Far away from any of the others, Ramirez had no choice but to stand alone until someone could see his predicament and run to help him. Bravely he stood, firing all around him at the men who were attacking. Five went down in the first attack, then Ramirez went down to load a new clip into his blaster.

Jumping up again unexpectedly, he caught three more, then started to turn. His movement was his undoing, however, for a lone pirate to his side saw that he was turning and fired a single blast -- but one with deadly consequences. As he looked at the spreading red stain on his shirt, Ramirez knew that he was dying. As he fell, he fired one last time, knocking the marauder over against the town's well. Neither stirred.

Hidden behind the bulk of the Starflame, Kane and Remmington watched the leader of the pirates edge around the side of the ship, looking for trouble. Remmington, turning and firing at an escaping marauder, alerted the man, who turned to see Kane's blaster, pointed straight at him, fire. The blast sent him to the ground, sprawled against a post. The dying pirate's mouth opened, emitting, in a weak voice, a message in very broken Basic: "You... you came back! For a place like this... men like you... why?"

His question unanswered, the pirate slumped over and died quietly.

Most of the pirates gone by this time, Shadowlord was cleaning up the few marauders who were left. Shooting a pirate, he turned and saw that the children had come over to watch him, not considering their own danger. "Shady!" one of the children cried, spotting him.

"NO!!!" Shadowlord barked, seeing the pirate who was sneaking up on the child. Immediately, he leaped from his position almost on top of the man, shredding the marauder with his razor-sharp claws before the man could harm the child.

"Get back!" he shouted, pushing the children behind a stone wall for safety. "Get back!"

"Shady, look out!" cried one child, pointing. Shadowlord, turning to look too late, was hit full force by the man's shot and blew the man away with his light repeating blaster. Kneeling down, the great shaggy Wolfen felt the injury. He had been shot many times before, but it was a lucky shot, with a projectile gun which could better penetrate his thick fur than a blaster. He knew that he would not see the sun set.

"We're sorry, Shady!" cried the children, who were almost bawling now, as the hulking brute fell. "We didn't mean to!"

Shadowlord gave no reply, save a short, playful growl and what might have been a thumbs-up. "Good luck."



Kane sighed, sitting with Steele and Remmington beside the town's main building. The graves were dug, the songs were sung, and the townsfolk had paid him their tiny collection of credits, which he had immediately given back. If he needed to, he would pay Steele and Remmington out of his own salary. But somehow, he did not think he would need to.

"This is it, then, huh?" asked Remmington, a hint of sadness in his voice. "We're going back to the Alliance?"

"That's right," said Kane. "Steele's offered to take us in the Starflame, since the Iron Phoenix is wrecked.

"Yeah," put in Steele, "I want to be part of Bad Company now, since Special Ops Team 1 is gone."

"Well," said Kane, sighing again, "we'd better set off. It's a long way back to the Alliance fleet." Picking up his gear, Kane began to trudge toward the Starflame, followed closely by Steele. Remmington hesitated, however. "I think," said Kane, "that our young pup would rather stay here."

The girl Cyrus had danced with walked over to him and began talking with him. "I think he just got some extra incentive," said Steele.

Remmington began to walk back toward them, an explaining look on his face, when Kane said, "It's all right, Cyrus. We understand. Maybe we'll bump into you again someday."

"Been nice fighting with you, Cyrus," added Steele as the two of them strode toward the Starflame, the last of an ancient breed. The last of the Magnificent Seven.