The underground rock cave shook again, and Roin and Lily only seemed to get angrier with each tremor. They stood face to face, yelling at each other while both their crews looked on, like children watching their parents argue.

“I should hand in the lot of you and be done with it!” said Roin, angrily.

“You call yourself a bounty hunter, do you? One of the 4 bloody rulers cowering in a cave at the HPA!” Lily matched him as they glared at each other.

“Perhaps this isn’t the most constructive thing we could do right now?” offered Leon, trying to settle things.

“Yeah, we should all join in and hug. That's how hummies do it in the shows I watch,” said Acro, not offering to maim someone for a change.

“Captain, either way, you must make a decision,” said Roin’s first mate, a tall black man with a lot of grey in his beard. Lily had heard of him, Cassius, who had served as the first mate with Roin's father as well before he passed.

“I’ve served this crew since before your time, and we would never have never given fellow hunters to the law," said Cassius, his voice deep and rich.

“Don’t we serve the law anyway, Cassius?” Countered Roin, turning on him. “That’s what we do, don’t we? Catch the criminals they can’t or won’t for them?”

“Most of us are criminals ourselves,” said Astor, and everyone in the cave knew this was true. The only reason they didn’t hunt each other was the code among them. The code Moray discarded.

“We serve whoever has the shine to pay us, but we always respect our own. That’s all that separates us, even if the so-called Kaiser of us decides to ignore it to suit his own greed." Cassius placed a hand on his Captain's shoulder, "…handing them to the HPA is wrong, sir.”

Cassius looked down at Roin, who could barely look him in the eye. Roin knew he was right. Lily could guess what he must be thinking, being between the rock and a hard place. If he didn’t hand them in, Moray and the HPA would consider them traitors and come after them. He couldn’t pretend now that they hadn't found them here with them. His crew would follow him though, but would he want to lead through that hell with two enemies on their backs at all times?

“I sympathize with you, Captain,” said Lily, formally for once.

“Do you?” He retorted, annoyed.

“You may be like any boy with a toy showing off half the time, but I can’t say I haven’t indulged myself on occasion. I know you’re worried about your people, but we can’t let Moray dictate how we act. If we’ve come this low, then we’re truly broken as a group…such as we are.”

Roin looked pensively at her, then around at his crew, all looking back at him expectantly. Lily could tell they would follow whatever order he gave them, even Cassius after voicing his opposition. This was his choice and one that would decide the fate of Lily and hers. “…I don’t like this,” said Roin finally. “I don’t like playing things as that snake wants. I don’t like hunting after our own without cause, and I absolutely hate working for xenophobic intolerant murdering scum of the HPA!”

Roin's crew cheered in agreement, as did Acro, getting into the vibe.

“You’re right, Captain Baek. We have a choice to make here…and I choose to be down with all this. You and yours have done nothing to me, and I won’t collect on your bounties,” said Roin with a sincere smile.

"You'll be hunted, you know," pointed out Lily.

"That's just part of what we do," said Roin simply. "Perhaps we've grown too soft with all this compromising just to be within the system. True hunters don't live in any system, we just chart our own course and damn everyone who gets in the way."

"Listen to you being all charming and roguelike, knew you weren't a pretty boy with a sword."

"And you're not just a pretty girl with one either, although perhaps a bit too spirited to cross blades with...which reminds me, I still have your bra." Roin awkwardly tied to give her back the lacy piece, but Lily shook her slightly and closed his hands around it instead.

"Oh, keep it, you've earned it. A tribute between us Captains" said Lily, trying to make it sound like the big honor it was to receive it.

"Yeah, I'm still not into it, but thank you," he said politely. "Which reminds me, I do have something else of yours. Someone, please release the space mermaid." 

"Oh go to the deepest hell!” shouted Emma, as Roin's men cut her bonds when they felt another tremor, the hardest yet, reminding them of their situation and how little time they had left.

“Right, we still have to deal with that,” said Roin.

“We can only fight our way through now, but The Odyssey can take on a cruiser,” said Cassius, clenching his fist.

“Yes, but the problem is they probably have another one within flying distance, in case things go wrong. That’s standard protocol with them. Trust me, I know,” said Lily.

“Then let’s just blow them up,” said Emma, casually.

They all turned to look at her, and Emma's expression was mischievous. “Did none of you even look up what my bounty was for?”

“Oh, I’m having an idea,” said Lily excitedly. “I think I know how we can win this one.”

“As long as it doesn’t involve you doing-"

“Oh let it go, Astor!”

——————

The view from the deck of the HPA was exquisite. The red pulsing planet was like an angry jewel against the black space, and Arkady looked down at it already savoring his success.

Perhaps savoring was the wrong word, as next to him was XM, also enjoying the sight of their price. Still, even for a mechanical being such as him, who never had tasted anything, Arkady would bet even he could still imagine the sweetness of this triumph. And they barely had to do anything at all for it.

After bombarding the planet's surface for a good while, they finally got the sneaky bounty Hunter Roin to make contact and admit he had captured Captain Lily and her entire crew. Arkady ordered him to deliver them to him personally.

And now, a great hawk-like ship now rose from the red planet, and Arkady admitted for a moment he was impressed by the vessel. It was old, with many scars from past battles, but the old bird still was the size of his own cruiser and with a deadly look. Not that it mattered, of course. However mighty the beast may appear, it was leashed tightly to them. All its Captain could do was follow orders and dock next to them for the prisoner delivery.

“Quite the victory, wouldn’t you say?” said the robot placidly as the two ships connected.

“Oh, yes, I imagine the Admiral will be quite pleased…with all of us," Arkady couldn’t help but gloat. Even XM couldn’t deny him this.

“I will secure the admiral’s daughter personally. I trust you have no objections?”

Arkady grimaced at this. He had hoped he could have arranged some tragic end for the cursed woman, but enjoying her humiliation would have to suffice for now.

“Certainly, sir. One thorn less for all of us.”

They both walked across the deck to the elevator to receive them, waiting eagerly until finally, the small ding sounded, and the doors opened to reveal Roin pushing a shackled Captain Lily to her knees before them. Arkady tried not to look as smug as he felt, but perhaps he could indulge this one.

“Oh dear, I’d help you up, Miss Baek, but I rather you belong down there like that.”

Arkady expected her to glare at him, to show him that same hatred he felt for her, but instead, she just blinked and squinted at him, as if trying to make out his face before finally, her face lit up beaming with realization.

“Lieutenant Marmalade!”

“It’s Captain now! And damn you, that’s still not my name!” shouted Arkady, furious.

“Sure it is, that’s what I called you back then.”

“And you were wrong then as well!”

“Contain yourself, Captain Arkady,” said XM. “You should not care what the prisoner thinks either way.”

“Yes, perhaps her mother will be able to shut her up for once.”

That did wipe the smile off her face at least, he noticed gladly. Then snapped his fingers toward one of the soldiers stationed on the deck.

“Make sure her people are locked away. The little princess here might get special treatment, but I’ll make sure those foolish enough to work for you get executed as soon as we arrive at the nearest base.”

Lily glared at him for the first time as he wanted, and Roin had to hold her back from moving towards Arkady. "You want to take another swing at me, Baek?" mused Arkady.

"I'm sure there's a line to do it, but don't worry...I'll wait," and Arkady felt for once she wasn't joking around.

Before Arkady could retort, however, XM walked in between them, helping her up. "You need not worry about him, miss. Your mother sent me to see you returned home. Yes, she is angry, but she still wishes you to come to your senses. Despite your actions the last few months, we are willing to... "sweep it under the rug" ...heh, what a curious expression your species uses sometimes, but fitting. All you have to do is not cause any further trouble for us and accept the kindness the admiral is offering you.

"More than she deserves," muttered Arkady.

XM ignored him and pressed on, "You've already seen there is no shame in collaborating with us, isn't that right, Mr. Roin?"

Roin forced a smile, but Arkady could see his fist tightening as he did. "Oh, yes, it's a real privilege to serve."

"That's certainly a pitch, Mr. Robot my mom sent," said Lily. "Very eloquent, loved how you weaved in the whole "collaborator" approach in there. I mean, you clearly know your audience, but I only have one question for you, and it's very important you tell me."

"Yes, of course," said XM.

"Do you have a butt?"

 XM took a moment to absorb the question since all the processing power of his inner computer couldn't have predicted that one. "I beg your pardon?"

"I mean any kind of lower exit point down there will do, really."

"How is that possibly relevant to anything we're talking about?"

"Well, then how will we know if you can shove that offer?"

XM made a noise he had never made before, which Arkady realized had been a growl. He had never seen the robot lose his composure, but the woman certainly had a gift for infuriating people; alive or not.

"I can see I was wrong to try, there is no reasoning with you people. All of you are nothing but the criminal trash we let float when we should incinerate you," there was pure venom in the robot's voice, which seemed quite a feat given its normally high-pitch-friendly quality.

"You know, just because you were programmed by stuffy people doesn't mean you can't loosen up a bit," said Lily.

"Yeah, especially if you do have a butt," added Roin.

"We're all dying to know!" insisted Lily.

But XM had had enough, "Captain, secure Miss Baek with her friends. She can watch them die before we return her to admiral."

"Oh, I would, but then how could I double-cross you?" answered Roin casually.

Arkady tried to reach for his sword as he heard him, but Roin was too fast, and before Arkady could even grasp the hilt, Roin had already reached for it and pulled it off the scabbard. He ignited the blade and cut through the shackles securing Baek, who promptly stood up ready to punch-

Everything went fuzzy, and Arkady could barely keep conscious as his eyes closed.