The Helios broke Torv's atmosphere and they were back in the abiding blackness of space. Other ships came and went from the planet's surface, but Dariux powered the Helios straight ahead, like a silver dagger slicing its way through the velvety darkness of the universe.

He knew he needed to get as far away from the planet's surface as possible. In fact, he wanted to get us as far away from any sort of civilization or communications satellite as possible. Dariux wanted no witnesses to what he was going to do. To what was going to happen.

He piloted the ship for another hour or so and was confident they were well away from anybody or anything that could prove fatal to his plan.

"Computer," he said.

"Yes, Captain."

"Run one more sweep over the ship," he said. "Security level alpha."

The computer was silent for a moment and Dariux felt the knots in his stomach constricting painfully. He'd run the sweep several times already but felt the need to run it one more time. The last thing he wanted or needed was an unseen pair of eyes or ears giving him away.

"Sweep complete, Captain," the computer said. "Helios is free of any foreign audio or visual devices."

"Excellent," he said. "Now, re-establish the prior mechanical issue on those stasis pods. Please confirm when re-establishment is complete."

He looked at the running clock. He still wasn't expected at the Andromeda for another six hours or so. There was still more than enough time.

"What are you re-establishing?" Lyra asked.

"You'll see," he replied, giving her a devilish grin. "It's a surprise."

"I'm not sure this is a surprise I'm going to like," she said.

"If it gets us out from under the thumb of the Syndicate, you're going to love it."

"That's an excellent point."

"Prior mechanical issue restored," the computer said.

"Excellent," he replied. "Now, seal the bay and pressurize. Then, open rear cargo hold doors."

"Initiating."

He watched as the cargo bay doors opened slowly. The vacuum of space sucked out some loose containers and other things he didn't care about. A moment later, with the bay doors open wide, all eight stasis pods were sucked out into space.

The pods floated out into the black, drifting away from the Helios. He switched to an outside camera and watched them sliding away as the cargo bay doors closed and the bay was pressurized once more.

"Computer," he said.

"Yes, Captain?"

"How long until we're outside the blast radius?"

"Blast radius?" Lyra asked with a note of concern in her voice.

He held up a hand to calm her but gave her a crooked little grin.

"Helios will be outside of the projected blast radius in twelve seconds."

"Excellent," he said. "Computer, were you able to backtrack the last encrypted call from Aryk?"

"Yes, the link has been established."

"Place the call," he said. "Audio only."

The small cockpit was filled with the sound of static, which was quickly followed by the two high-pitched chirps of a communications call. A moment after that, the cockpit was filled with the smooth, cultured sound of Aryk's voice.

"Yes?"

"Aryk," he said. "It's Dariux."

There was a brief pause on the line, but when he spoke again, Aryk's voice was filled with irritation.

"Though you have proven your resourcefulness, I asked you to not contact me – "

"Your line is encrypted," Dariux said. "The line is secure."

"What do you want?" he asked. "Is there a problem?"

Dariux swallowed hard and tried to control the flutter in his heart. He was nervous. It was do or die time.

"There's a problem," Dariux confirmed.

"That's most unfortunate," Aryk said. "For you, I mean."

"Don't you want to know what the problem is?"

"Oh, I can already well imagine," he said. "The end result is that you will not be fulfilling your end of the bargain by delivering the cargo to the appointed location."

"Unfortunately, that is correct," he said.

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then the man began to laugh. It was a low, menacing, and sinister laugh that sent a chill slithering down Dariux's spine. He cast a look over at Lyra who looked equally unnerved.

"Something funny?" Dariux asked.

"Oh, I don't know if funny is the right word," Aryk said. "Not in a humorous way, anyhow."

"Then what is it?"

"I was just wondering," Aryk said. "Is she worth it?"

"Is who worth what?"

"The Astriqan girl," he said. "Is she worth dying for?"

Dariux did his best to keep his voice neutral. "What are you talking about?"

"It was a test, Dariux," he said. "You obviously failed."

Although he suspected it, the confirmation of what he thought only served to send a bolt of fear straight through him anyway.

"We left her stasis pod non-operational," Aryk said. "Some of my employers were concerned that you were a little too morally upright to do the job you contracted for and would never turn away a damsel in distress."

"She's hardly a damsel in distress," Dariux said. "She's one of the toughest, strongest people I've ever met. I have a feeling she would have torn up your fighting pits."

"Perhaps," Aryk said almost wistfully. "It's a shame we'll never find out. A shame that we're going to lose out on such potential, all because you couldn't do your job."

"Lose out?" Dariux asked. "What do you mean?"

Aryk again let out that low, menacing chuckle. It was like nails on a chalkboard and Dariux gritted his teeth.

"The stasis pods in your cargo hold are lined with high-yield explosives," he said. "Enough to tear your pathetic excuse for a ship into a million pieces. The moment I hit this button – which I'm about to do, so you're not going to have time to open the cargo bay doors – you are going to be turned into space dust."

"To answer your question," Dariux said. "Yeah, she's worth it. She's worth far more than anything you could have paid me."

"That's touching, Dariux. It really is," Aryk said. "I'm moved. Believe me, I'm moved. It's just a shame you won't be able to enjoy that newfound love – what, with you both about to die and all. "

Aryk laughed again. He was enjoying this. Way too much, in fact. It gave Dariux a glimpse at the sadistic side of the man – which Dariux suspected was the dominant side of the man. Oh, he could clean up and play nice, play the well-cultured recruiter. He did that with ease and grace.

But, just below the surface was a cruel, sadistic monster. And Dariux got the feeling Aryk enjoyed letting that side of himself out to play more often than not. It was probably one reason he'd done so well in the pits – killing another living, breathing being was nothing to him. Life had no value to a man like Aryk.

"Well, as much as I've enjoyed this chat – and as disappointed as I am that I was wrong about you, Dariux – I really must be going," he said. "Other preparations to make and all. That and I now have to recruit even more talent. Your little crush on the girl is putting a ton of work on my plate, I hope you know."

"Fuck you," Dariux growled.

"Actually, fuck you."

The line went dead all of the sudden, the encrypted line link destroyed. A moment later, there was a bright flash on the vidscreen as the void of space behind them ignited into a ball of fire – a fire that was quickly consumed and snuffed out. The shockwaves from the blast though, from the stasis pods erupting, buffeted the ship, making it rock and sway.

He and Lyra looked at the vidscreen in silence, watching the fragments of the stasis pods spreading out from the impact of the explosion. In a way, it was somewhat beautiful – and best enjoyed outside the blast radius of the detonation.

Lyra turned to him and smiled. "Did you really mean that?" she asked.

"Mean what?"

"That I'm worth dying for?"

Dariux leaned over and pulled her into his lap. She sat astride him, straddling him as she looked into his eyes. He shifted in his seat, knowing she could feel the hardening bulge in his trousers but was unable to do anything about it. Lyra though, ground herself against him, a sultry smile on her lips.

"You're very worth it," he said. "And with any luck, Aryk and the Syndicate will believe that they've destroyed the Helios and us along with it. That we both died together in the blast."

She gave him a chaste peck on the lips. "Let's hope our luck holds then," she said. "The last thing I want to do is have to live life always looking over my shoulder."

"Well, let's not do that then," he replied. "Let's just focus on living life."

His cock hardened and strained against his trousers. Lyra bit her bottom lip and stared into his golden-colored eyes, a playful little smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Well, now that we're officially dead, as far as the Syndicate goes," she said. "I can think of a wonderful way to celebrate living our life."