[_____V_____]

Quadrant ZETA:

Straker was ready for battle. Swinging his huge Axe around, he was striding forward and looking left and right, ready to hack the head off anyone he saw near him. A very audible moan suddenly hit his ears and he froze, turning immediately towards his right.

The bushes were rustling over there! Straker instantly checked his sorroundings and ran behind the stem of the nearest big tree, and peered out.

Chrono crawled through the bushes slowly, her patched wounds bright red on her body. Straker took one look at her, and grinned to himself. He waited till Chrono was a bit more near to him then jumped out from behind the tree, Axe at the ready.

Chrono took a very surprised glance at him and screamed, trying to shrink back. Straker swung hard.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The Axe fell savagely on Chrono's chest, leaving a huge cut across it. It swelled for an instant and turned shining red. Chrono let out a sigh and a groan. Straker didn't stop.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The blow was directly at Chrono's stomach, cutting through the flesh and ripping out a big chunk of flesh. Chrono's loud howl rang through the entire sector as a big spray of fresh, thick blood spurted out of her tummy.

Straker swung the Axe back again, but someone tackled him blindly at that exact moment!

"OOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFF!!" Straker let out a grunt as both figures went sprawling into the ground. Straker was up in a flash, grabbing his Axe from near him. The figure was half-dazed and wincing, and Straker's eyes were lit with savage fury. He took a big stride forward and swung the Axe directly at the figure's head!

The figure turned to get up, and the Axe thudded audibly into it's back!

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Friday13thFan shrieked. The Axe had struck near his backbone, and it had immediately started bleeding in torrents. Straker took a step back, and was immediately aware of someone else who had come through the trees on the right.

Without even seeing in that direction, Straker swung his Axe blindly.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The Axe struck. The person screamed as he fell backwards, the impact of the blow sending him reeling into the ground. The Axe cracked audibly into two parts and the blades dropped off, and Straker let go of the handle and slowly turned around to see who the third person was.

Ferret lay there, a combined look of surprise and pain in his eyes, trying to cover his left thigh with one hand while clutching a .45 Magnum in the other.

Straker stood tall, his chest puffed out, as the three bodies around him groaned, moaned and winced in pain.


Quadrant ALPHA:

Chrono was moving slowly. She had moved past F13Fan and Ferret and had headed east from there, knowing that she would compromise both her and a teammate's position if she stayed there. Besides, her best bet lay in keeping moving till she found a secure hiding place.

The big, tall boulders ahead of her indicated one such destination. She gritted her teeth and limped forward towards them, but stopped in mid-stride, her eyes widening with sudden, immense fear.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

If Chrono hadn't swerved at the last instant, her head would have been lopped off! As it was, the blow caught her on her right arm and left a glazing red cut on it. She tried to take a couple steps back but stumbled and fell backwards.

Michelle walked forward in big strides, and lifted her Axe again. Chrono screamed, trying to cover her face with her hands.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The Axe tore through her right thigh, leaving a long deep gash right above her freshly patched wound. Chrono grunted and tried to cover it with her fingers, turning around to get up all in the same action.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The blow hit her straight at her right knee, almost cutting her right leg clean off! Chrono screamed out in blinding pain, stars flying across her eyes. She was bleeding profusely by now, but Michelle was in no mood to relent.

SCRUNCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The final blow of the Axe was directly across her broad back. It was aimed at her neck but a small tug ahead by her weak and trembling hands at the final instant had spared her from losing her head. She was losing blood rapidly now, her eyes clouding over. Her slow hands reached for her HPs, and Michelle dropped her Axe down.

"I always...had a fondness...for bright crimson orchids," Michelle said slowly in-between intakes of deep breaths. Chrono's half-closed eyes raised towards Michelle's face, and Michelle smiled back at her.



(Contd.)