Jax felt Brenda rustling around in the folds of his cloak. "Zira, would you please stand still? It makes it more difficult for me to protect you when you’re bobbing around like a buoy on a lake."

"I thought Corinthon always told me it was more difficult to hit a moving target," Brenda yelped as a crystal shard landed several inches from her feet.

"Why does that only confirm my earlier opinions of him?" Jax replied sarcastically as two more shards came flying at them. He managed to deflect them harmlessly into the ground with his cloak and then stooped over to pick them up. "Stay behind me, zira. They need to know we’re not going down without a fight."

Jax hurled the pointed shards back in the direction of a large rock formation to their right. There was a small crevice between the rocks and it gratified Jax when one of the shards slipped through the crack and he heard an anguished scream.

"That was a very foolish thing to do, Familiar," someone shouted. As Jax put his arms out to the side to try to form a shield around Brenda, five more shards came flying at him from two different directions.

"Jax!" Brenda screamed but he managed to kick and deflect most of them. One shard pinned his cloak to the ground but he yanked it free with a vicious barrage of swear words in the Familiar tongue and they moved to the right. "Jax! There are too many of them!" she panted as he turned again to fend off another attack. "Let’s just give them the gems and they’ll let us go!"

"They have no intention of letting us go, Brenda," Jax said through gritted teeth. He dared not tell her what he feared most of all. He knew that he would probably not live to see another sunrise even if they turned over the gems to these criminals. But he also knew that they wouldn’t kill Brenda right away. They would probably take her back to their camp and she would be subjected to ravishment by one and all before she met her death, if then. He shuddered at the thought that they might not kill her at all, but just keep her their captive for their lustful sport.

"Jax! What are you going to do?" Brenda’s words betrayed her fear as another volley of shards came at them.

A plan had formed in Jax’s mind. There was no way he could defeat an enemy that outnumbered them so greatly. The bandits had the superior position and weaponry. There was only one thing he could do. If they were ultimately bound to die this day, at least Jax would deny the bandits the satisfaction of abusing Brenda’s body.

"Stay within the folds of my cloak, Brenda, and put your arms around my waist." Jax intended to begin the morph to his cat state, but instead of completing it, he would just dematerialize. He would vanish into the energy state he had spoken to Brenda about in the cave. And, as long as Brenda was touching him, she would pass into the same state. He would take her with him into the morph, but she needed to keep physical contact or his plan would fail.

"I’m here, Jax." He felt her delicate arms wind around his waist and he growled in satisfaction. She would be safe. They would pass into the energy state together.

"Good." As Jax turned momentarily to look into her eyes one last time, he heard loud shouts from the outcropping. "Hold on tightly, angel. I’ll protect you."

"You always do," she replied warmly, giving him a smile that made his blood sing. Just as he was tempted to taste her lips one last time, he heard the zing as a volley of crystal shards was launched at them again.

There had to be at least a dozen crystal daggers flying at them this time. Jax pulled himself up to his full height and prepared to begin the morphing process. He spread his arms out wide to the side so that Brenda would not feel any of the daggers pierce her skin before she passed. As he closed his eyes to transform, he almost didn’t hear a low voice that came up next to him on the right.

"I should have known I would find a Sharay in the midst of a battle that my grandmother could have won while blindfolded."

There was a loud explosion and a tinkling sound as twelve crystal daggers shattered into dust at his feet. Jax opened his eyes and looked to his right. "I’m sorry – I didn’t recognize you at first," Jax said with mock civility. "That parry was so feeble that I thought you HAD sent your grandmother to help us."

Brenda’s eyes widened as she finally dared to peek out from beneath Jax’s cloak. To her surprise, a tall brown-haired man in black breeches and a fine wool cloak had joined them. She opened her mouth to ask who he was but was interrupted when another volley of crystal missiles came flying at them. She barely had time to scream. "JAX!!!"

Both men looked up at the approaching volley. "Can you use one of these?" The stranger reached inside his cloak and pulled out a laser sword, tossing it end over end to Jax.

Jax caught it as the handle end flipped into his palm gracefully. "Watch me," he growled, and pushed Brenda behind him again as he activated the beam. The stranger pulled out a laser sword of his own and as the volley came towards them, they slashed the air with the powerful weapons, neutralizing the crystals into a fine dust that again landed at their feet.

Jax and the stranger both stood in battle position as they awaited the next volley. "Do you know how many of them there are?" the stranger asked, flicking his sword up to effortlessly knock four daggers out of the air as they flew his way. Brenda noticed that his speech had the same lyrical lilt as Jax’s and after seeing his handsome face, she deduced that he must also be a Familiar.

"Eighteen, I think," Jax answered calmly, swinging his own laser sword. He deftly arced the deadly beam towards a crystal precipice, causing it to crack off. It fell behind one of the outcroppings and several loud screams were heard, followed by silence.

Jax arched one flaxen eyebrow at Scorpian and spoke in a monotone. "Sixteen."

Scorpian narrowed one eye at Jax and then turned back just as four crystal daggers came towards him. He swung his sword, turning them in mid-air and directing them back in the direction from whence they came. As they hit the bandits’ hiding place, more screams were heard.

"Fourteen," Scorpian said smugly to Jax, and when Jax snorted at him, Scorpian stuck his tongue out defiantly.

Brenda’s head bobbed back and forth as she watched the two grown men acting like children. "You know," Jax said as he turned back a volley that had been aimed at his head, "this reminds me of the time I came to your rescue when you were stranded on that planet in the Rantooey system."

Scorpian frowned and tossed his sword to his left hand, bringing the blade down in an arc across Jax’s chest as several more daggers missed their mark. "You did NOT rescue me that time. I recall that it was *I* who came to *your* rescue."

Jax raised his sword over his head to slash the air and knock several missiles to the ground. "Did too."

Scorpian twisted to the side, raising his leg in a vicious side-kick that sent daggers to the dust. "Did not."

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT!"

Brenda’s shriek cut through the testosterone cloud filling the air. "WILL YOU TWO STOP ACTING LIKE FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND END THIS MADNESS?"

Two piercing sets of eyes turned to look at Brenda in amazement. As Scorpian looked back towards where the bandits hid, he sighed aloud. "She has a point, Sharay. This is growing tiresome." He rotated his right shoulder. "My arm is beginning to ache."

Jax put his sword up one more time as daggers flew. "Then might I suggest you DO something about it, great warrior?"

Scorpian sheathed his laser sword and gave Jax a pained look. "You always were jealous of me because I was the superior fighter. Admit it, Sharay."

Jax opened his mouth to answer but before he could, Scorpian threw back his cloak and reached to his belt, grasping the hilt of his dracon beam.

"A Knight of the Thren!" Brenda breathed softly as she saw the undeniable proof in the purple sash he wore.

Scorpian whipped out the powerful weapon and pushed Jax and Brenda behind him with his left arm. "In the name of the Council of Tron, lay down your arms or die!" His words echoed through the crystal structures as silence fell. Scorpian activated the dracon beam and its green ray shot high into the heavens.

"A Knight of the Thren! He is a Knight of the Thren!" Brenda could hear the bandits in their hiding places. "We are doomed!"

"Surrender yourselves to me and I will spare you this day!" Scorpian shouted. He grasped the hilt of the dracon beam with both hands, swinging it in a broad arc across the area directly in front of him. Crystal trees and rocks were hurled into the air and pulverized in less than seconds.

Brenda peeked out from behind Jax’s cloak despite his efforts to shield her. She waited anxiously praying that the bandits would have the good sense to accept the Knight’s offer of clemency. But they were determined to either have her gems or die.

After several minutes went by, Scorpian murmured to Jax, "Do you think they’re considering surrendering?"

The words no sooner left his lips than a huge volley of dozens of crystal shards was launched from the outcroppings. Jax ducked and pushed Brenda’s head down beneath him. Scorpian glanced back at him once. "In a word…….NO!!!!"

Scorpian sighed and turned back to face the attack. "Fundin idiots. I hate this part of the job." He set his feet firmly on the ground and flexed at the knees once, swinging the beam tentatively. When the daggers were within reach of the beam, he took a deep breath and flashed it through the air, making the whole area sing with the sound of shattering crystal. As soon as he had dispensed with the danger from the volley, he turned to the bandits’ hiding place.

"You leave me no choice. Prepare to meet your fate!" he screamed. He gripped the handle of the beam even tighter and twisted it, causing the beam to change colors and pulse. It seemed to leap from the hilt towards the outcroppings, causing them to explode into a cloud of dust.

Brenda winced and hid deep within the folds of Jax’s cloak as the screams of the bandits reached her ears. Jax turned to hold her tightly as Scorpian swung the dracon beam again and again, smashing every outcropping where the attackers had been hiding. Due to the power and force of the weapon, any living being that was nearby was also quickly disintegrated.

Brenda’s eardrums reverberated with the loud explosions, but then suddenly they stopped as quickly as they had started. She felt Jax’s arms relax a little around her and she dared to try to peek out again.

A cloud of smoke and crystal particles enveloped the threesome. As it began to clear, Brenda could see the Knight re-sheathing his dracon beam and shaking his head. "Such a waste." He looked at Jax sadly. "Had they told me of this aspect of Knighthood at the outset, I think I would have refused the commission."

Jax brushed the particles of crystals from his hair and then smiled at Scorpian. "Well, in this case, I must admit that we’re happy you didn’t." He turned from Brenda and finally shook her free of his cloak, extending his right arm towards Scorpian. "It’s been a long time, old friend."

"It’s been even longer if you are so deluded as to think that we’re friends," Scorpian returned with a smile. Then he grasped Jax’s arm warmly. "It’s good to see you again too, Z….."

Jax inhaled and his eyes widened. {Do not address me as "zir."} He sent the thought to Scorpian so that only he heard.

Scorpian frowned, glancing over at Brenda, who was still briskly rubbing her hair to rid it of crystal fragments. {Why not?}

{She does not yet know who I am. I wish to keep it that way for now.}

Scorpian again peeked around Jax at Brenda. {As you wish, zir Jax. But it will be difficult.}

Just then, Brenda looked up to see Scorpian staring at her intently. "I’m sorry," she said abjectly. "You saved our lives and I was more intent on fixing my appearance."

Jax intervened. "No – it’s *my* manners that have failed." He turned to Brenda. "Brenda, please allow me to present Robnaire ap Scorpian." He leaned towards her and whispered in a loud voice, "A Knight so obstinate that he is known only by the name Scorpian."

Brenda smiled warmly and extended her hand to Scorpian. "Obstinate or not, he still saved our lives, Jax. I owe him a debt beyond payment."

Scorpian swaggered a little and his eyes sparked at Brenda’s beauty. "Oh, I’m sure we can think of *some* way to repay that debt…..perhaps by knowing your name, for a start?"

Jax bristled. "Again, my manners fail me. Scorpian – may I present Brenda, Crown Princess of Charporta."

Scorpian took her hand regally and bent at the waist to kiss the back of it. "Your highness, I am honored."

"Please, do not feel required to address me as royalty," Brenda allowed. "I am not, nor will I ever be, the ruler of Charporta." She straightened her spine proudly. "I am a Torengi, and I intend to remain true to my nature as such. I will never rule any planet."

Scorpian raised an eyebrow and was about to give her another flirtatious smile when Brenda’s cloak sagged open. The caftan lay back on her shoulders, exposing her neck. Scorpian tried valiantly to cover his gasp with a coughing fit.

Jax immediately began pounding on Scorpian’s back. {You have named her as your zira?}

{No.}

Scorpian’s eyes narrowed as he looked into Jax’s eyes. {Tell me – is having a DEATH WISH a requirement for being a Sharay?} He began to breathe normally again as Jax just gave him a look that clearly told Scorpian that the secret was Jax’s to tell.

The three continued to dust themselves off and brush crystal particles from their clothing when suddenly, the hairs on the back of Jax’s neck rose. He froze in place, putting his hand on Scorpian’s arm.

"What is it?" Scorpian immediately pulled Brenda within the folds of his cloak, protecting Jax’s zira with his life.

"I sense someone approaching behind us," Jax growled, and then he spun around, the laser sword clutched in both hands. His feet were spread wide apart as he took a battle stance, preparing to take on any more bandits that may have somehow survived Scorpian’s attack.

The breath left Jax’s body in a rush when he beheld a short, brown furry object, rushing at them pell-mell. "Familiar! Wait for Dooma! Dooma fight good, too!"

Jax straightened up from his battle stance a little and frowned, but Scorpian immediately let out a long sigh. Meanwhile, when the Brancar caught sight of the huge, fearsome Familiar before him brandishing a laser sword, he did what came naturally to most Brancars.

He ducked.

Dropping into a crouch, Dooma placed his head between his knees and covered it with his arms. His furry little derriere rose high in the air, quivering in fright. "No hurt! Dooma be friend to Knight Familiar!"

Scorpian was already groaning when Jax turned to him with a sly smile. "A *friend* of yours?" He de-activated the laser sword, grinning from ear to ear as Scorpian began to mutter Familiar obscenities. "And just how close of friends are you, Scorpian?"

"None of your fundin business, Sharay," Scorpian growled, pushing past him to walk towards the still terrified Brancar. He leaned over and tapped Dooma on the shoulder – or, at least, what he sincerely hoped was the Brancar’s shoulder. "You can get up now. The Familiar knows you’re our ally."

Dooma slowly raised his beady eyes and hairy snout to look at Scorpian, and then Jax. Jax caught his gaze and recognized him. "You!" He walked forward to where the Brancar still cautiously stood, moving closer to Scorpian for protection. "We saw you on Charporta – right before we passed into the Matrix."

Dooma nodded enthusiastically and then moved closer to Jax, sniffing at him. "Yep. Same Familiar." He grinned broadly. "Familiar smell fundin good."

Jax frowned but then winked at Scorpian. "You’ve corrupted him already, Scorpian. I’ll have to report this to Tomassif, you know."

Scorpian shook his head and then began walking towards where a very confused Brenda was still standing. "Quests!" He was still muttering something about this being the last quest he would ever undertake as a Knight when Brenda came forward.

"And lady princess! She good smell too!" Dooma looked up at Jax and winked. "Happy she smells!" He extended a furry paw. "Me Dooma. Guide for Familiar."

Brenda shook Dooma’s paw gingerly. "Ahhh, you guided the Familiar here?" She glanced at Scorpian over her shoulder. "Well, we are most grateful for your assistance, Dooma. Scorpian arrived here just in time to save Jax and I from death at the hands of bandits."

Dooma nodded wisely. "Much bandits in universe. Many bad worlds. Need smart guide." He smiled at Scorpian. "Need Dooma."

"Yes, well, Dooma, it’s time to start earning your keep again. Do you know where the next Tunnel Point is on this world?" Scorpian re-adjusted his cloak so that his purple sash and dracon beam were not immediately visible.

The Brancar spun around in circles a few times before pointing one hairy paw over Jax’s left shoulder. "That way. Not far."

The foursome set out walking with Jax keeping Brenda close to his side. Scorpian led the way, but he still was close enough to keep up an animated conversation with Jax. "So, whom do I have to thank for sending you to our rescue?" Jax asked.

"Well, the High Council of Tron was deadlocked, as usual, but finally Tomassif made them see the light." Scorpian looked straight ahead as he spoke, his keen eyes scanning the horizon for any more hidden bandits. "They would have preferred sending Jerrar….."

"Jerrar? He’s back?" Jax put his hand on Scorpian’s shoulder and his face lit up with excitement.

Scorpian nodded. "Jerrar’s on Tron, along with your parents. Tomassif felt it was safer there for them to wait there until you returned from Charporta."

"Who’s Jerrar?" Brenda struggled to keep up with the two large men as she and Dooma brought up the rear of the foursome.

"Jerrar is my older brother," Jax replied, dropping back to place his arm around Brenda’s shoulder. "Are we traveling too quickly for you?"

"A little." Brenda smiled shyly. "Sometimes you forget just how much longer those legs of yours are than mine."

"And then sometimes, your legs are just the perfect length – like when you wrap them around me…." Jax replied with a naughty wink, completing the statement for her ears only. He was gratified to notice that the tips of her ears began to blush.

You are my fire,

"Jax!" Brenda put her hand to his chest, scolding him for speaking that way when Scorpian could possibly have overheard. "But tell me more about this brother of yours – you never mentioned having a brother before."

"Not much to tell," Jax shrugged. "He was gone when I left Meer’an and I wasn’t sure when he would be back."

"Well, he’s back now……with his mate," Scorpian said grimly.

"His mate? He’s bound in marriage?" Brenda smiled enthusiastically.

"Yes. To a woman of Earth."

"Ohhhhh…" Brenda’s face immediately paled and she looked with sad eyes at Jax. "I’m so sorry ….. I had no idea. Your family has my most sincere condolences."

Jax nodded but Scorpian cut in before Jax could make any comment. "Barbeen was about to deliver her child, so Tomassif thought it better for Jerrar to remain with her."

"I’m to be an uncle, too?" Jax shook his head in incredulity. "It seems as though my brother has been extremely busy during his visit to Earth."

"But enough about your troublesome brother," Scorpian replied, turning and then pointing towards a large cave. The foursome of travelers had reached a deserted mining town at the foot of some mountains. "I believe we have reached the Tunnel Point on this world."

"Yes," Dooma cried enthusiastically. "At Tunnel we be! Matrix dead ahead is."

"I wish you had phrased that differently, Dooma," Scorpian grunted, patting Dooma on the head. He waved an arm and Jax and Brenda followed him as Dooma quickly waddled into the cave. "You two stay behind me," Scorpian murmured. "Let me make sure there aren’t any bandits hiding in here, waiting for us."

Brenda caught her breath and huddled further beneath Jax’s arm as they made their way into the cave. "There is nothing more to fear, zira," Jax said, stroking her hair as they proceeded. "If for some reason I cannot protect you, Scorpian will. You *will* reach Tron safely."

"Is Tron the next world we will encounter?" Brenda asked as Scorpian waved an "all clear." She turned her large brown eyes up to stare into Jax’s. Brenda never thought she would hope *not* to be arriving at her destination yet. Jax’s eyes conveyed the same message -- although neither had spoken the words, they were not yet ready to part.

But we are two worlds apart,

Scorpian looked back at Jax and Brenda and grimaced. This was exactly why he avoided emotional entanglements. Feelings for a female only resulted in one thing: confusion. And confusion was something a Knight of the Thren could ill afford.

"Guide Dooma!" Scorpian shouted, finally breaking the awkward silence. The Brancar spun around so quickly the fur on his snout ruffled. "Can you tell us what kind of world we will enter as we pass through the Matrix? Will it be Tron?"

"Tron it will not be," Dooma answered wisely. "But bandits there are none, and deserts neither. Much safe for Familiars and Lady Princess."

Brenda smiled. "Not Tron." She placed her hand in Jax’s and he returned her smile.

Scorpian had to exert mighty self-control so as to not wretch at the emotions flowing between the two. "Fundin love," he muttered under his breath. Then he looked back towards the Brancar, who was anxiously waiting at the entrance to the Matrix. "Not that I don’t trust you," Scorpian said, raising an eyebrow, "but I still think it would be wise if I went first through the Matrix." Dooma nodded and Scorpian marched resolutely ahead, his broad shoulders squared and his hand ever at the hilt of his dracon beam should it be needed.

Scorpian emerged first from the Matrix, followed quickly by Dooma, and then Jax and Brenda. Brenda squealed when she felt the wind against her face. "It’s cold!"

"It’s beyond cold -- it’s fundin *freezin’*!" Scorpian shouted, turning to give Dooma a disapproving look. Snowflakes whirled around them as the horizon cleared to reveal a frozen wasteland, dotted with sparsely-spaced evergreen trees.

Dooma bristled his fur and stuck his snout up in the air. "No bandits, no desert. Dooma wrong not be. Me follow to place safe."

"Come, zira," Jax shouted, pulling Brenda within the folds of his cloak. "You will be sheltered from the wind if you remain at my side." Brenda quickly followed Jax’s advice and huddled under the juncture of his arm and body.

Jax put his arm up to shield his eyes from the blinding wind, waving his other hand towards the Brancar. "He’s the guide. He must know where he’s going." Jax pulled Brenda to follow the furry little creature as it trundled towards the trees.

Scorpian shook his head and took up the rear of the foursome. "I fundin hope so," he growled, spitting out snow that flew into his mouth. He was still shaking his head and muttering about quests as the mouth of the Matrix closed behind them.

To be continued.......

Music credit, "I Want It That Way," by Max Martin/Andreas Carlsson, recorded by the Backstreet Boys on their CD, "Millennium"