"Stay put and don't move." Argernon's voice was hard to understand since he snarled the words harshly. "The leader is mine." Argernon threw his head back, a roar tearing from his throat. "You will die for attacking my ship."

The other man roared back. "We want the Earth women. They are worth a fortune. Give us the females, all of them, and we'll leave you lowly Zorn alive."

"How did they know we carried humans aboard?" It was the man who had fixed the conis. His voice was soft.

"I don't know," Argernon spat. "But it's the last thing they will do after they tried to steal my bound. Kill them all."

Casey gasped as Argernon roared again. Suddenly he was gone from in front of her, leaping forward, literally, to attack the alien who had tried to rape her. The alien's face paled before Argernon was on him. Both men went flying backward into the Collis men. Argernon's three men were in the fight an instant later. It was four Zorn against seven Collis.

Fear and horror hit Casey while she saw the men fighting. Argernon got lost in a pile of moving bodies. Most of them remained on their feet. The Zorn men snarled and were much stronger than the Collis. Casey figured that out fast as she watched one of Argernon's men grab hold of a Collis, slamming his enemy hard against the wall, the crack of bones breaking reached her ears. The Collis screamed in pain before being sent airborne by the Zorn gripping him. The Collis went sailing past Casey down the corridor where he hit hard into a wall about six feet from her.

Her attention returned to the fight. Argernon was on top of her would-be rapist, his fists pounding the trapped man under him, blood showing on Argernon's fists as they rose. More men rushed from down the corridor where the fight was blocking the way. Horror hit her when she realized they were more Collis and not Zorn. She could tell them apart now from a distance by their uniforms. The Collis wore black but their outfits were styled differently. Now the Zorn men were outnumbered four to ten.

A groan caught Casey's attention. The Collis who had gone flying was cradling his broken arm as he tried to get up. She realized he was the man who had killed Rachael. He shook his head as he got to his knees. Casey saw the dropped tool on the floor, left by Argernon's man when working on the conis. It was a metal instrument with a long, thick screwdriver-type implement on one end of it.

Rage hit Casey. That was the guy who had killed Rachael. Even though she hadn't known the woman for more than a few terrified moments, she knew how the poor woman died in terror, trying to not be raped. Casey leaned down, picked up the tool and stormed for the man struggling to get up.

These aliens had boarded the Zorn ship with every intention of stealing human women and raping them. Her temper snapped when Casey saw the man turn his head. He must have heard her approach. He growled at her. Their language didn't come across the conis to her.

Whatever he said she didn't know and she didn't care. His growl was vicious with intent. He moved fast, even injured, and bounded to his feet. He snarled as he came at her.

"Fuck you."

Casey yelled as she threw her body at him instead of backing away. It had worked with the other guy. She nailed him with her weight as their bodies slammed together, the tool in her hand shoved between their bodies, as they hit.

A scream sounded. It was his and not hers. Casey almost collapsed to her knees as the alien staggered back. She stared at the shocked expression on his face. Something warm hit her as it spread down her hands, arms, and chest. He stumbled back another foot so she saw the gaping hole in his chest between his ribs. He looked down his body, seeing his blood pouring down his belly and groin. His head snapped up so he could glare at her as he dropped to his knees. His hands pressed against the wound but blood still ran over fingers.

"Go to hell," Casey whispered, knowing he was going to die, with the heavy tool still gripped in her wet, blood-soaked hands. "That's for Rachael."

The man's eyes rolled up into his head before he fell back. His large body crashed to the floor. Casey turned away. The fighting was still going on but she saw bodies down. Terror hit her as she scanned the still, large bodies on the floor until she realized they weren't Zorn. She didn't see Argernon.

She got a glimpse of him when two men fighting in the front line went to the floor together. He was on his feet fighting another Collis. Argernon spun, his powerful leg shooting out, nailing the man who was trying to attack him from behind. The man hit the wall hard and went down. Argernon roared his rage. She saw blood on his face. Men moved as they fought so Casey couldn't see Argernon anymore as the melee blocked her view.

A sound carried her way. She spun around. Zorn men, six of them, were running from the opposite direction. They actually had to jump over the alien she had killed. One of the men grabbed Casey with his arm locking around her waist. She gasped as her feet left the floor as he swung her out of the center of the corridor. He leaned back against the wall, lifting her up his body and adjusting her in his tight embrace until they were chest to chest. She dangled a good half a foot from the floor but she still had to raise her chin to get a look at his face. His fingers wrapped around the tool she still gripped, tearing it from her numb fingers to toss it away from them. His hand went to her waist.

Shock tore through her. The Zorn man looked a hell of a lot like Argernon. He sniffed at her, frowning, as his gaze flew to hers. He growled. She waited but the conis didn't translate. Her attention turned to the wall. She saw that it was there, but it wasn't working anymore. She looked back at him.

"Can you understand me?"

He nodded. One hand released her waist. He turned their bodies as he tore his gaze from her. She followed where he was staring. The Zorn men had all of the Collis who were still alive on the floor. Argernon stumbled forward from the mess, covered in blood. Casey saw his head lift. Their gazes locked.

"Let me go." She hit at the chest of the man holding her.