The [i]Ranger’s[/i] heavy cannons fired again, the red beams absorbed by the somewhat still functional shield of the pirate cruiser. Despite his lack of success against the shielding Jean grinned like a con man. [color=0072bc]“Your entire body is preferable, but the face is priority Miz Cooper. Oh, and the feet, don’t lose the feet, metal clunkers turn me, ah… Well never mind. All that matters is that you come back in as few pieces as possible. Let's just leave it at I’m neither king’s men nor his horse, and I can’t put you back together again.” 
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	[color=f49ac2]“I CAN! TAYLOR CAN PUT URSA BACK TOGETHER, USING ROBOT PARTS! I HOPE SHE LOOSES HER - HEAD SO I CAN REPLACE IT - WITH MINE! HAHAHAHAHA!” [/color]Jean winced as the whirling pink medical robot spoke directly into his ear. It’d snuck onto the bridge and was spinning a rather rusty looking circular saw like it fully intended to replace someone’s head. Shoving the suspiciously gleeful droid away Jean dug a finger into his ringing left ear, glaring daggers at the robotic medical assistant. 

	[color=0072bc]“You’ve got a few bats loose in yer software.” [/color]He muttered, [color=0072bc]“You, sit over there, away from me, AND GET THAT SAW AWAY FROM MY CROTCH, before I replace your head with a plasma crater. Not another word out of you, or I swear to all that’s holy I’ll end ya rightly.” [/color]Ensuring the bot was a sufficient distance away and silent, Jean fired the lasers again, ripping off a random bit of durasteel on the pirate hull. This one sparked and crackled with intense energy as it came away, lighting up the vacuous space in chemical light. The spectacle, though brief in longevity served a vital purpose in keeping Jean and Takashi’s eyes off the bridge’s doors which slid open silently, allowing a dark shape to slide inside like some oversized cat.

	Distracted by working their separate tasks, only Taylor spotted the tiptoeing form, sliding seamlessly across the polished floor. The robot’s panic functions fired up and it prepared itself to warn the bridge of this impending threat, but another command flickered in its programming. [color=0072bc][i]”Not another word out of you.”[/i][/color] The robot began waving its arms wildly trying to catch Jean or Takashi’s attention, its head spinning like a top and looking thoroughly insane all the while. Jean caste a baleful glanced towards the seemingly possessed machine but went back to calibrating the turret, Takashi didn’t even look up.

	The figure loomed up behind Jean, hands rising at unmatchable speeds, a thick voice rattling Jean into action.

	[color=aba000]“It seems ye ‘ave become becalmed beneath me ship ranger.”[/color]

	Jean had always been known for his fast gun, in fact he was by far the fastest gun in the galaxy matched by none. But Naefario had a whole millisecond head start, and that was all it took. The revolver rose, for a half a heartbeat centering on the pirate captain’s forehead before a massive mechanical hand closed around it. The gun fired, screaming off in a random direction. Jean yelled reaching for the com, Takashi went for his gun, and Taylor screamed in programmed agony, a fresh hole burned through his mechanical vital functions.

	Moving like a martial professional Naefario twisted on his heels bringing Jean forcefully out of the command seat, slamming his metal kneecap into the cowboy’s stomach, the gun came away even as the cybernetic pirate fired his palm blaster, the yellow plasma bolt connected with Takashi’s shoulder. The pirate let out a pained cry, slumping against his command station, but not out of the fight yet. Using his left and good arm he leveled his gun, the defiant yell on his lips replaced by a guttural cry of terror. In two bounds Naefario crossed the empty space between himself and Takashi, Jean stilled clutched in his offhand like a hapless toy doll. Takashi couldn’t even pull the trigger before the cybernetic enhanced fist ploughed into his head like a locomotive, the unstoppable force careening the little green lizardman a full length of the deck, until he slid to a stop, lying dangerously still, blood pooling from his ear slit.

	Jean gurgled in rage, kicking desperately, trying to free himself from the vicelike grip of his captor. Raising the struggling sheriff into the air Naefario pounded him once into the command station, stilling any attempt at further resistance. Jean lay limp wheezing, the pirate’s oversized hand clenched around his upper chest and throat.

	[color=aba000]“Hold ye still now me little fish, I ‘ave use of you alive yet.”[/color] Keeping Jean secure under his hand Naefario fiddled with the [i]Ranger’s[/i] controls, inserting a disk into one of the attachment ports. He then extended a thin wire from his throat stretching the conductor out and using a small bard to hook Jean’s neck. Working his jaw Naefario mouthed a few test words, his usual deep, gravelly voice replaced by Jean’s higher twang. [color=0072bc]“Fish, test, fishy test. Heeeeeey beautiful.” [/color]Although Jean’s accent wasn’t there, it was barely indistinguishable, most people might’ve thought it was Jean speaking, especially over a scratchy communication device. Leaving the wire connecting the two of them by their throats Naefario pressed a few more buttons on the command station. A electronic “bing” sounded, similar to Microsoft Windows opening, followed by a detailed visualization of the [i]Gorefill’s[/i] bridge, including the lackey he’d left in charge.

	The weaselly creature saluted when he saw Naefario on the big screen, an evil leer on his face. [color=fff79a]“Good news Cap’n, one o’ th’ crewmates captured th’ enemy Captain. We ‘ave ‘er in custody and we’re about to bring ‘er onto th’ bridge.”[/color] As if to reiterate this point the bridge doors swung open admitting the pretend captive Ursa and the pretend pirate Juniper onto the bridge flanked by half a dozen other pirates. Naefario laughed aloud, though it quickly died in his throat when he saw the state of his concubine-to-be. Ripping out the wire, from a plan that was no longer necessary he instead glared at the pirate holding his fancy.

	[color=0072bc]“Could ye blackguards ‘ave f[/color][color=aba000]ucked her up worse? One o’ ye tend to ‘er before she keels over!”[/color] A willing pirate stepped forward, dabbing at Ursa’s wounds with a healing ointment. Meanwhile Naefario sneered down at the disembodied arm the crew aliens were showing him. [color=aba000]“Fair enough, promotions to th’ ones that did it, an’ a greater share o’ th’ booty. But are ye sure, there be no more o’ them smugglers aboard me ship oo’ might cause trouble?”
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	The weasel lackey shook his head. [color=fff79a]“Nay Cap’n, nary a one we’re sure.” [/color]He of course, did not know of Emmett waiting in the hanger bay or any of the other smugglers who were very much not dead.

	[color=aba000]“Excellent First Mate. Now continue tending to me pretty fish, but bring her closer so I might speak wit’ her.”[/color] He spoke to Juniper, and didn’t wait to see whether she obeyed. Motioning towards Jean’s defeated form Naefario laughed in Ursa’s holographic face, his voice cruel and menacing. [color=aba000]“This could’ve been so easy, an’ maybe not so many o’ ye friends would’ve ‘ad to die. Instead ye decided to fight me, an’ th’ inevitable occurred. Such a shocker I know. But I always get want I want, and I want what I get. Harr, harr. Hahaha!”[/color] Naefario’s cruel laughter was taken up by his crew who beat their weapons against the walls and floor to raise the volume of the clatter. Naefario’s guffaws ended abruptly, and the crew aliens stammered into an awkward silence to match him. [color=aba000]“Your ship is captured, your crew is dead or captured, and you are captured. You put up a fight, I’ll admit it. I admire yer tenacity and clever tricks above all else, and ye’ll make an excellent bride. I see many long years ahead o’ us together. Thanks for th' fun though, ye made me day!
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	[color=aba000]“Hark lackey, I need ye to send six o’ th’ crew onto this smuggler ship to pilot it, the rest o’ ye start swabbing an’ clean th’ blood an’ gore off me ship. Well done crew, we win again ha harr!”
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