Captain Spade sprinted down the darkened corridor, the sounds of combat all around him. He'd checked every cabin he had come across so far, but had yet to find the attacking force's captain. However, he had noticed something a little off. Besides from the first men that had boarded his ship, the rest had seemed oddly professional. Their equipment and uniforms were very well maintained, much more so than the usual pirate raiding gang. To top it all off, he had heard several of his own men being taken as prisoners, not finished off.

Pirates didn't take prisoners.

Finally, he reached the end of the corridor, a large plain looking door. Aegis slid to a stop, revolver in one hand, cutlass in the other. "Better get't the end'a this quick..." He took aim, and shot the bolt of the door straight off, and swiftly kicked it open.

"Alrigh', get the hell over'ere, ya bastard!"

No response, the room was empty. A quick glanced showed it looking like an average captain's quarters. Overly decorated with all sorts of odds and ends. Some looted treasure here, an obviously expensive looking desk covered in various charts all the usual trinkets.

He stepped inside slowly, both weapons at the ready. Behind him, he heard the ever familiar click of a rifle. Instantly, he turned and fired, catching a blue coated Avelian marine in the chest. Two more were at his side, rifles at the ready. Without hesitation or thought, Aegis let loose a shout and charged at the men, catching them both in a low tackle, knocking all three to the deck. Both men grunted and cursed in response, slamming their riflebutts towards their attacker's face. One of the heavy wooden stocks caught Aegis in the cheek, audibly cracking the bone. He responded with a strong stab to the man's gut with one hand, and a strong blow across the other's face with the grip of his pistol. Before he could take another swing, a hammer cocked behind him. All three of the men's shouting and cursing stopped at once.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mister Aegis Spade himself. Fancy seeing you here."

Spade's blood ran frigid at the sound of that every so familiar, and hard female voice. Of all the damn luck...

"Well, well, well. If it ain't Santan's lil' slut daughter herse-"

The hard steel of a rifle barrel slammed into his spine. "Get the up. Now!"

Slowly he holstered his revolver and raised both of his hands slowly while climbing to his feet. Below, both marines groaned in pain, and stood up to obviously uncomfortable stances of attention.

"You two, get out of here. Tell the others we have a new prisoner."

Hands still raised, Aegis turned to face his assailant. There she was, just as sultry and demonic as she was seven months ago. Capitán Amanda Todeskind. A young girl, hardly over twenty years, she was amazingly beautiful. Long blonde hair, curves in all the right places and a uniform skirt just ever so short. The wore a gray version of an Avelian Command uniform, completely unmarked. No name, no medals no ribbons or pins, the sign of an Avelian Intelligence Officer. Todeskind was the best.

Known as "Death's Daughter", Amanda Todeskind was the most feared woman on the seas. It has been said that she was the illigitament child of the devil himself, and she acted just as evil. Any man, woman or child under her eye who stepped out of line was to be punished severely, on location. She alone had lead to the deaths of hundreds of sailors, many good friends of Aegis. Every man marked by her had been killed, a flawless record.

Well, nearly flawless.

Aegis cracked a smirk, "So, still mad I broke out of yer lil' playhouse?"

The hardwood butt of the Spencer Carbine she weilded smash against Spade's face, drawing blood and cracking bones. Before he could counter, a gloved hand was around his throat, and a rifle barrel to his forehead.

"Oh, I'm not the only one mad this time. Things are different. I'm not the only one mad, and I won't be trying to kill you. We'll let the executioner have a little fun, this time. Guards, take him ashore and bring him to Royche. He'll enjoy this as much as I."

Aegis grunted as two marines came from behind, and tightened handcuffs around his wrists. Todeskind lowered her rifle, and started to head to the door.

"Oh, no goodbye kiss this time, lass-"

The back of Death's Daughter's hand slapped Aegis in the broken cheek, as she walked out into the corridor.

Ten minutes later, Captain Spade was sitting in a small rowboat, surrounded by four armed marines. His ship had been lost, crew either dead or taken prisoners, and he was headed off towards Port Allison.

He sighed to himself as he struggled with the handcuffs, Why couldn't it have been pirates...

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By Sugarpoultry!

Don't just wake up, greet the sun.