Sir?
Sir, can you hear me?
He's alive!
Get your ass back here.
Get some cover.
We don't have time to take a nap.
The prisoner escaped before
we recovered.
We think he took a rifle.
He headed off in that...
Rifle.
Lost target! Any signs?
Negative.
Start-up sequence complete.
Clea 19, series Gamma, on-line.
Hello, commander Karza.
Now, Clea, activate system link.
System is linked.
You guys got her on-line?
Check.
Check.
Clea, patch me into base.
Transmitting.
Alpha Base, this is Commander
Karza. Do you copy?
Copy, Commander.
This is Alpha Base.
Prometheus is down. I repeat,
Prometheus is down. Inrepairable.
We have three survivors and
in need of immediate extraction.
We're not picking up your
ship's beacon.
Ship's beacon is non-functional.
We are diverting close ships to
your last known coordinates...
ETA in 100 hours.
Upon their arrival you'll need
to...
activate your personal beacon.
Copy that.
What is the status of your cargo?
Cargo has survived and fled
crash site.
Commander, mission parameters
remaining.
Organism must be contained
and delivered.
And Karza, it's imperative
that you bring him in alive.
Is that understood?
Commander, do you copy?
Yeah, roger that.
Karza, out.
End transmission.
Thanks for the help.
What else is new?
Enough.
This mission has been a joke,
from the start.
You think that it's a joke that
we lost our ship and our crew?
Your prisoner brought my men
down, single-handed.
And you couldn't do a damn
thing to stop it.
I don't see anything funny
about that. Do you, soldier?
No, sir.
Good.
Now, Clea, see to the Lieutenant.
Hello, Lt. Centauri 7.
Oh, you are hurt.
Yeah, give me a diagnostic.
There is substantial trauma
to your left shoulder.
A plasma wound. No broken
bones. Heart beat is elevated.
Otherwise you appear to be in
excellent condition.
Clea, skiptrace prisoner.
Activating tracking system.
Patch me up, Clea.
Redirecting cells to repair nerve
and tissue damage.
Increasing endorphins to counter
pain.
Administering strophine to
dumb the area.
Better.
Sensors show the subject is
250 micro-clicks...
south-east from your position and
moving away at a steady rate.
Are you sure it's moving away?
Yes, Commander.
Get on the move, let's head out.
We'll need supplies.
Not much left.
We'll take Logan's pack.
Clea, any idea where we are?
Planet is uncharted.
Log shows you dropped out of
warp...
at an unknown set of coordinates.
Gravity at the nearest planet
did the rest.
Give us the stats.
Atmosphere is thin.
Likely to render you unconscious.
I advise, keeping your helmets
on...
until I finished acclimating
your bodies.
Surface's temperature is 116 degrees.
Nice.
Power cells are at 72 percent...
which can last just about a
hundred hours.
Anything else?
Calculating the position of
the sun.
I estimate the days here are
33 hours of daylight...
with 5 hours of night.
Sound like paradise.
Maybe I'll move here.
I can arrange that.
I'm sure you could, sir.
According to Clea...
we've got less than three days
to get this thing.
Let's move out.
Croyer, give me a torch.
What're you gonna do?
Weld it back together?
He's on the move, again.
Let's go.
On your feet.
This is brutal.
I don't understand how this
thing...
can move so fast in this heat.
Simple.
It wants to live, pure survival
instinct.
What's the rush?
It's got no food, no water.
We can track every move it makes.
Let it die of thirst.
Then there won't be a need to
recover it.
You heard them.
They want it alive.
Why?
It's not your place to question
orders, Lieutenant.
It is, when it's costing me
the lives of my men.
This was a simple transport
mission.
Are you done crying, soldier?
Fuck off.
Lay it up, and move out.
Both of you.
Closing in on subject.
78 clicks and increasing.
There!
See it!
Where is it?
Up on the ridge.
8 o'clock.
Look like we can get up, on
the north side.
Croyer, Grab Karza's rifle.
I'll cover you.
Go!
I see it.
Shoot it.
They want it alive.
I'm in command, now.
Take it down.
Target locked.
Take the shot.
Down.
Hold the position.
It's secure.
I got it!
I said, hold position.
I coming up.
There's nothing here, but his
cloak.
Fall back!
Fall back!
Croyer?
Croyer?
I thought you were dead.
You are not that lucky.
Where is my rifle?
Ask the prisoner.
Night's falling.
That's a good place to set up
camp.
Hard to take the ground.
Only two access points.
I can still catch him.
If you need to rest, stay here
and I'll...
You seem to think I want to
hear...
your opinion, soldier?
I don't.
Kid was too green.
Never should have been in any unit.
Blew our chance.
He wasn't the one who rushed
us into an ambush.
The situation doesn't determine
the outcome, Lieutenant.
Confidence and skill, do.
Unfortunately, your team was in
short abundance of those traits.
Now, make yourself useful...
and set a parameter around
those rocks, over there.
You have your orders.
34 degrees and dropping.
Private channel opened.
What's the Commander's
condition?
He's suffering from a plasma
wound to his side.
Extreme nerve damage has been...
sustained and his left lung
is impaired.
What meds you got him, on?
500 cc Strophine and 250 cc
of Cryoxin.
I'm surprised he stayed on his
feet, as long as he did.
Reduce his medication.
We have a long way to travel,
tomorrow...
and I am not gonna carry him.
I'm not sure if Commander
Karza...
would agree with your assessment.
Keep the information offline.
He doesn't need to know.
It is not in my programming
to lie, Lieutenant.
You won't be lying...
you just won't be volunteering
any information.
Can you do that?
Of, course.
Thanks.
Odd.
What's that?
Of all the soldiers that I've
been assigned to...
you are the only one that has
ever thanked me.
Do you mind it?
No.
I quite prefer it.
It can get tiresome, being
endlessly ordered about.
We have that in common, then.
Your words conflict with the
military directive, Centauri.
So I've been told.
According to your record...
some of your previous
insubordinations...
border dangerously close to treason.
And?
It bodes a question, for, why you
have chosen to be a soldier?
Yes it does, doesn't it?
Atmospheric conditioning will
be complete, in T-minus 10 seconds.
I advise you to keep your eyes
on our objective...
instead of me, Lieutenant.
Atmospheric adaptation is
complete.
It is now safe to remove your
helmets.
Why isn't the prisoner affected
by the thin air?
He doesn't have a life suit.
They can adapt to almost any
conditions.
All this was in the file.
Permission to speak freely, sir?
Permission? It has never stopped
you before.
Go ahead.
What's this mission really
about?
Why is this thing so important?
Does it matter?
Yes, it does.
Why?
I lost my ship and my crew.
I would like to know why.
You're a soldier.
We both are.
We follow orders.
Without questions.
Tell me what you know...
otherwise, I go alone.
Disobeying orders is treason,
soldier.
Punishable by death.
All right. This thing is the
last of it's kind.
We destroyed it's home world...
and somehow it's figured a way
to return the favour.
So, we'll catch the damn thing
and get it back to base...
or, we may not have a world
to go home, too.
Now you know as much as I do.
Does that you make feel better,
soldier?
Or, let's sit down and discuss
some more...
when this thing is gaining ground
on us.
You deliberately kept us in
the dark.
You didn't need to know.
I see.
This mission was a hero maker.
Everything we know was at risk.
Are you deaf, as well as stupid?
What level was this mission?
This discussion is over.
What level was this mission,
sir?
Prio One. Nova Class.
Highest level.
And you was so caught up in
your ego...
you didn't bother to tell us
how dangerous this creature was.
Your men were incompetent.
Don't blame me for your mistakes.
You jeopardized this mission.
You got my men killed.
I am your superior officer...
and you will speak to me
as such.
Why?
You don't deserve it.
Come on. Let's see how much
fight you got in you.
You're not worth it.
Clea?
What's the prisoners position?
I have no visual.
Clea?
Clea?
Come on.
Come on, baby.
Don't leave me out here alone,
now.
Start-up sequence complete.
Clea 19 series Gamma, on-line.
Hello, Centauri 7.
Clea.
I thought I lost you, there.
You can't get rid of me...
that easily, Centauri.
I've suffered some damage, but
seem to be functioning properly.
I'm an early model, and quite
durable.
That's why I keep you around,
babe.
I thought it was my charming
personality.
Clea. What's the prisoner's
current location?
78 clicks and increasing.
Look likes it's just you and
me again.
I'm sorry about Commander Karza...
but if I must say, I'm pleased...
that it was you who survived.
Well, that makes two of us.
Skiptrace prisoner.
200 micro-clicks on your current
location.
Continuing in south-eastern
direction.
On the move again.
I hope you rot in the bellies
of Twelve Gods, sir.
Prisoner has stopped moving.
It's been moving at a steady
pace, for hours.
Hopefully the damn thing's
collapsed.
Without the water source it could
be succumbing to dehydration.
Exactly.
Still...
I'm going in.
Report me any movement.
Of course.
Be careful, Centauri.
Can you give me a tracer signal?
Got it.
Clear my grid.
What is it, Centauri?
It's the tracking device.
Torn out of it's own throat.
Very clever.
It coudn't have gone far.
You can't hide forever!
Do you hear me?
I bringing you in.
Dead, or alive.
Centauri?
Are you all right?
Centauri 7?
Please answer.
Clea?
It's been toying with me?
How long have I been out?
Clea?
The head.
I had to kick the head...
Hold on to that.
Hello?
Unknown user, please identify.
Repeat, identify.
Identify.
Orin Jericho.
Unauthorized user.
Terminating access.
Private channel, opened.
Clea?
Where are you?
I'm not sure.
I'm in the possession of an
unauthorized user.
Can you give me a signal of
the location?
Of course.
Got it.
He tried to access me...
but I terminated the communication.
It spoke to you?
Yes.
And it understood you.
Yes.
The damn thing is smarter
than I thought.
Keep that signal going.
Still on the private channel.
I'm on my way.
Clea?
Clea?
She won't be helping you anymore.
We can't get off this planet
without her.
How do I use her?
You can't.
And if you harm her...
you'll be stuck on this floating
rock, as well.
You've got nowhere to go.
Maybe I don't plan on going
anywhere.
If you wanna die...
kill yourself now and save me
the trouble.
What if I want to take you
with me?
Nah.
You'd have done that, already.
You are not as dumb as you look.
What is it you want?
I know you can still hear me.
You like playing games?
Well, here's mine.
I know why they want you
brought in.
And I don't care.
I'm gonna hunt you down, and
I'm gonna kill you.
That's my game.
Give up, Cydonian.
You will never catch me.
You've been out-smarted, and
out-runned.
Go home...
while you've still got a home
to go back, to.
I know something new I hate
about your race.
You don't pack enough water.
Guess it's more of a human
thing.
Always be prepared.
I'm actually surprised you
Cydonians...
have lasted as long as you have...
seeing how incompetent you all are.
Now I know why they put that
inhibitor mask on you.
You talk too much.
They didn't want anyone to know
I can speak your language.
They were right.
It's offensive for a creature
like you to...
speak the language of the stars.
Something we picked up from
the Drax.
Insects, teaching the Apes.
It's repugnant.
The Drax are noble race.
You wouldn't know anything
about that.
Noble?
They're disease of the galaxy.
Filthy creatures.
That's funny.
They say the same thing about
you.
Lying bugs.
I tell you this...
no one's gonna miss you guys
when you're gone.
Your the race that's extinct,
human, not mine.
Not for long.
Is that so?
Yep.
I taking you all to hell.
All right, I'll entertain your
fantasy, human.
Being that you're the last
of your kind...
how do you hope to accomplish
this remarkable feat?
Don't you wanna know why?
I don't care.
Hah.
That's why.
You entered this war on your
own, Earthman...
and lost your home world.
Those are the consequences.
We didn't enter this war.
You attacked us.
You were harbouring Draxian fugitives.
You mean, refugees.
Big difference.
They needed our help.
You chose the wrong side.
No.
It's cost us everything, but
we chose the right side.
Now, it's gonna cost you
everything.
We all die.
That's your solution.
How can you be so naive?
Another faction will rise up
in our place.
An endless cycle.
The only way to break it...
is to take control from those
in power...
to rule in their stead.
You've thought about this?
No.
It's just the way it is.
Maybe you are right.
Human.
You have two options.
You can come with me and
survive...
or you can join the rest of
your race in oblivion.
It's your decision.
I choose option number three.
Which is what?
Clea?
Clea?
You there?
Centauri 7?
Yeah, it's me.
Has the human been recaptured?
No.
Then how did you retrieve me?
Found you sitting on the
skeleton.
Why he leave you behind?
Odd, that creature is cunning,
dangerously so.
Like, he figured something out.
What the Twelve Hells is he
doing?
I'm missing something.
I wonder...
Wonder what?
Clea?
Centauri, I may know what
the human is doing.
Great, tell me.
It would be better if I didn't.
Why is that?
If you know, it might influence
your actions.
I don't... what?
Do you trust me, Centauri?
With my life.
Then, here's what I need you
to do.
We may have another problem.
What now?
I think my former Commander Karza...
did more damage to my internal
circuits...
than I first thought.
What do you mean?
My battery isn't holding...
the power cells charge very
well.
I'm not going to be able to
conserve enough power...
to activate your beacon, when
the rescue ship arrives.
Shut down the other systems,
draining power.
I have, but two main sources left
for my system's memory...
and your medical unit.
I'm afraid you'll have to shut
me down...
until you need me, Centauri.
That's not happening.
Cut my meds.
I don't think that's a good
idea.
Cut them.
Meds unit shutting down.
Your pain receptors are spiking...
and your heart rate is increasing.
I'm good.
That should give us enough
power...
provided the ship arrives at
the designated time.
With our luck, I wouldn't count
on it.
I picking up communications
from orbit.
Our pick up?
No, these aren't military channels.
An unknown craft is approaching.
Coming down here?
Yes.
However, my system can't
track it.
Try to reach them.
No response.
They've gone into radio silence.
That can't be good.
Maybe some rendezvous, for
the human.
Maybe he's not the last one.
Or, they could be Draxians.
Great.
Hey!
What?
What?
Money?
Cydonians?
Ha.
They're paying you.
You are bounty hunter.
That is such an ugly word.
Soldier of fortune, more like it.
Shame they want you be alive, ha!
Just as I thought.
Slyak.
What would a Slyak be doing
here?
Bounty hunter.
Alpha Base must have sent him,
as backup.
Idiots...
Alpha Base, or the Slyaks?
Both.
What you going to do?
He's got my weapons, and my
prisoner.
I'm gonna go get them back.
True your kind, build world bomb?
Maybe.
True, or lie?
True.
Deserve it, they do.
Scare them good you do, ha?
You don't like Cydonians?
No one like Cydonians.
Invade every planet, make slaves.
Their way, or no way.
If I kill you, they all die.
No more Cydonians.
Wait. Remember?
I'm money.
You kill me, no money.
Maybe I take you to ship first.
Talk with elders.
Good idea.
Smart.
No! This bigger than money.
I be hero.
No more Cydonians!
No, wait.
You have no business here,
Slyak!
That human is my prisoner.
He's mine.
I don't think so.
Now what?
We wait.
For what?
Extraction.
Ship should be here soon.
What do they call you, human?
What is your name?
Jericho.
Lieutenant Orin Jericho.
Lieutenant?
We are the same rank.
I'm Centauri 7.
Didn't ask.
Not wise to upset me...
considering your position, human.
No wonder your kind didn't
make it.
No common sense.
Oh is that the reason?
I thought it was your genocidal
war that did it.
War is war.
You lost.
As long I'm still alive...
the war ain't over.
You never did answer my question.
How were you going to destroy
my planet?
Are.
What?
You said were.
Past tense.
It's are.
All right. How are you going
to destroy my planet?
We sent a ship towards your
planet.
Filled to capacity with nuclear
payload.
Once it impacts...
your world is blown to dust.
Our long range scanners will
detect it...
far before reaches our atmosphere.
It's cloacked.
You'll never see it coming.
Another trick we picked up
from the Drax.
So, that's why they want you
alive.
They want to get the ship's
coordinates out of you.
They'll try.
But you'll die, first...
That's right.
Well, then there's no reason
to keep you alive.
I could kill you, right now.
You could.
But?
Come on.
Everybody wants to be a hero.
There's that one glimmer of
hope...
that you might be able to save
your world.
I told you, I don't care.
They can go to the Twelve Hells.
I don't believe you.
Centauri, I have an incoming
transmission.
Patch it through.
Commander Karza, this is battle
ship Aurora.
Do you copy?
Copy that, Aurora.
Karza's dead.
This is Lieutenant Centauri 7,
as acting commander.
Copy that, Lieutenant.
We have arrived at the last
known signal point...
from Prometheus, before you
went down.
Awaiting beacon location.
Clea, activate personal beacon.
Signal initiated.
Aurora, do you have it?
Affirmative. It's weak, but we
should be able to home in on it.
We are now enroute.
ETA in 15 minutes.
Roger that.
Centauri 7, out.
When we get back to Cydonia...
they're gonna torture you.
They'll get the information
they want.
You won't last.
The planet won't even be there,
by the time we arrive.
That soon?
And all this?
Just a wild chase to give the
ship the time it needed?
It'll get there long before
we do.
My planet's full of people
that are innocent.
They are not responsible for
the war...
or your planet's destruction.
Our High Council is.
You all follow blindly.
It's no excuse.
It's the law.
What's the Gods have decreed.
Your Gods are telling you to
wipe out entire worlds?
No, we spread our knowledge to
the stars. To surrounding races.
By enslaving and destroying
them?
If they don't accept our way
of life, then yes!
You make me sick.
This from a race that couldn't
even defend themselves...
against each other... let alone,
an invading army.
Only an ignorant species would
war against it's own kind.
Shut up!
You commit mass murder on
a galactic scale...
and you think it's holy crusade.
It is our way!
"Unless someone comes along...
and takes control away from
them."
Your words, not mine.
That will never happen.
I wonder why.
You are right.
I do care about my world.
I have wife and child, there.
I would like to see them again.
Our women don't fight.
They nurture the children.
Our soldiers are up there.
As one warrior to another...
I respectfully ask that you take
this war to those responsible.
You'll just be killing women
and children.
Is that what you want the legacy
of your kind, to be?
Vega sector, gamma quadrant.
Is that...
It's where the ship is.
Call your people. I'll give
them the coordinates.
You better hurry. You don't
have much time.
Clea?
Patch me through to Alpha Base.
Transmitting.
Alpha Base, this is Lieutenant
Centauri 7. Do you copy?
Copy, Lieutenant.
What is your status?
Prisoner is in custody and...
willing to give the coordinates
of the bomb ship.
Lieutenant, we are ready for
the prisoners information.
Please, relay it immediately.
What's the coordinates?
No.
I want to be the one who tells
them.
The coordinates are 22...
Unauthorized user.
Clea, authorize the human.
State your name.
Orin Jericho.
Orin Jericho is now authorized.
The coordinates are 229, 713...
040, bearing 2-6-0.
Vega sector, Gamma quadrant.
It's an M class star-freighter.
We have confirmation.
Craft has been identified.
Sending battle ships to intercept.
We found it.
Well done, Lieutenant.
We no longer have need of the
prisoner.
You may terminate at will.
Roger that.
Centauri 7, out.
They want me to terminate you.
I saved your world.
Your family.
Not really.
I don't have any wife and
children.
Well, that's good. Then you won't
have anything to worry about...
when your planet's blown to bits.
You didn't think I'd give you
the real coordinates, did you?
But, we have confirmation on
the craft.
It's a decoy, you idiot.
Unmanned. There is nothing
but salvage, on that ship.
You can't stop this.
It's already over.
Superior race, huh?
Let me give you some advice,
alien.
Never let your weapon fall
into the hand of your enemy.
I'm gonna let you know a
little secret.
We never launched the bomb ship.
We couldn't.
We had no idea where Cydonia
was.
But now that I'm authorized
to access you database...
she's gonna tell me everything
I need to know.
You think I forced us to crash
down here, by accident?
You wanted the bomb ship?
I led you right to it.
Now, you're gonna learn what
it feels like...
to be the last of your kind.
You want to know the difference
between you and me?
I did have a wife and son
back on the Earth.
Centauri 7, this is the Aurora.
We have just cleared the way...
and entered the atmosphere.
Shuttle craft is on it's way
down. Stand by.
Centauri 7, this is Commander
Chane...
of the Aurora landing party.
We're on the ground.
What is your status?
Centauri 7, are you picking
up my transmission?
Centauri 7, do you copy?
The only one that made it, huh?
You look like hell.
Must have been a rough one.
We'll get you to the infirmary,
right away.
Clea, upload the coordinates
to Cydonia...
to the ship's nav computer.
Clea.
Clea, I command you to respond.
Son of a bitch.
Alpha base.
This is Omicron series 5.
Commander Chane is no longer
responsive.
Start-up sequence complete.
Clea 19 series Gamma, on-line.
Hello, Centauri 7.
Hello, Clea.
It's good to have you back.
I take it by my new casing...
that you followed my instructions.
Well played.
It was you he was after.
Centauri, I have an incoming
transmission from Alpha Base.
Patch it through.
Lieutenant, this is Alpha Base.
What the Twelve Hells is going
on, down there?
If I were you...
I'd be more concerned about
what's going on "up there."
Centauri 7, you are under orders.
What is the status of the human?
Find another grunt to do your
dirty work.
Centauri 7, out.
End of transmission.
Whatever you're planning to do,
Centauri...
I suggest you do it quickly.
It won't be long before the
human traces...
the source of that signal,
back to Cydonia.
He already has.
Isn't that right, earthman?
You didn't shoot.
Why?
Same reason you didn't kill me.
Yeah, what's that?
I'll tell you when I see you.
And just how are we supposed
to get out of here?
Bounty hunter ship has to be
around here, somewhere.
You realize we'll be breaking
twenty-six High Council's laws...
by taking this course of action.
Is that a problem?
Not at all.
Let's get the Twelve Hells off
this rock.
Original by unknown author.
(Bad english, not making sense).
Major rewrite by Punar, 2014.
More corrections by pkz, 2015.
Hope you enjoy!
Improved by JimmyF
(10/2019)