They were close - very close. Beren's trace was strong, as Claw, Shinyso and Zanzibar confirmed. The silence was punctuated by almost audible mutterings, the result of a dark magic coupled with a twisted mind. Wild Angel could not clean the power; it was even more tainted than Kroys'. He had been there recently.
They pressed on.

The Soldier of Fortune was the focus of the Sarav's attack, and was slowly being torn to pieces. Small explosions like the deadly, beautiful fireflower that grew on Hellantra blossomed along the dully gleaming, scorched metal, as the Sarav who were not engaged in battle fired their missiles at it.
Then the Soldier of Fortune flared into incandescence, sign of a serious detonation. The left wing broke away from the body in majestic slow motion, ragged and torn edges glowing white hot and molten red. Flames licked at the ruptured hull, blossoming out of hangars to consume the escaping air. Then, as light washed over the hull, the Soldier exploded into a billion molten fragmets, a white-hot mist of steel that rapidly cooled.
From his vantage point Shonar was mildly impressed. The remains of the Deathstorm Fleet rallied around the Yelantra Sentry and the smaller Nightdweller, which loomed over the small Raxilian army, dwarfing them like a monolithic citadel dwarfs an ant. Intimidating, yet still vulnerable.
Now Shonar, realizing that if Coppertop died he would not get paid, sprang into action. Typing in a passcode into his main database, he gave it a few commands and sat back, waiting for them to take effect.
A second later, words glowed on the blank screen.
- Well, Shonar, I guess it's time to get to work. -
"You've got that right, Evaluator. By the way, don't manifest anywhere here. We've got a Jakka class starship to ... work on."
- The Jakkas are alive. I will be sensed. -
"Not when Kovu's through with it. Are you up to it?"
- When am I not? -
"You have a point. Can you immobilize it?"
- Perhaps. I can take the shields down and vent atmosphere if the Guardian is ... occupied. Scramble their scanners and passcodes, misfire their guns ... shut doors in their faces ... this might actually be fun. -
"I'd hoped you would say that," Shonar commented. "Go tell Kovu in the Vortex Crawler that he needs to use one torpedo apiece on the Jakkas. And don't play dumb - you knew there were two."
- I did. Why can't you tell him? -
"Because I'm not risking detection, you machine-crazy devil. Tell him that he needs to space them out - it'll give you time to do your work."
- Riiiigght. Got it. Thanks so much for thinking of my welfare, you backstabber. How much do I get paid? -
"You know the answer to that. Don't call me names."
- That's for calling me a devil. I'm outta here. -

Okay, Eval's in. Sorry Kaz, I know you're very good with computers, but I need you in the Assassin with Blackie.