Ketty felt another familiar presence just before the entire wall behind Boondock crashed in, almost flattening him in the process. Swatches of red, yellow, and green blazed from the dust filled air, a kind of sick glory that preceded the master of the alien race. Harazel emerged, using his metallic mouth to disable Mon-catasto's armor, which left him vulnerable to attack. In one fluid motion, Harazel raised his hand high above his head and rammed a claw through the back of Catasto's skull. He would have stayed for a snack but time was of the essence.

Mikenzy let out an ear splitting scream. "Daddy!" But it was too late.

Ketty was torn between feeling sorry for her Uncle and the agonizing pain she felt when Harazel tried to annihilate her mind. He attacked through the necklace, but this time she stepped out of herself, going on the offensive and meeting him halfway. He was a worthy adversary, but she was angry now, a slow controlled anger which served her well. He squawked as she gave him the equivalent of a gut punch, which caused his brain sack to swell. He smiled at the pain and advanced, touching the recall amulet swinging from his neck which caused Boondock to go limp. She felt Harazel's power increase, but she was already inside his mind, giving her a micro second lead on his next move. Her Ion sword sizzled through the air in an arc that caught Harazel's foot just as he launched himself through a hole in the roof, taking Boondock with him.

"Aiieeek," Harazel screeched, but already he was getting away.

Rayleen emerged from the rubble and kicked Harazel's severed claw across the room.

"Serves the smelly sucker right. Come on." In a few quick jumps she was outside through a massive hole in the wall. When Ketty scrambled out, she could just make out Harazel in the distance.

"We have to go after him," she said.

"It's too late." The mighty albatross of Harkentofor's star ship emerged from thin air, squatting low to the planet, it swooped in and picked up Harazel in seconds. Then it turned and disappeared as quick as it came.

"We have another problem," shouted Rayleen as she scrambled back to Kestral, "look." Another larger ship was growing before their eyes, then tiny points of light flickered across its bow and the world erupted in chaos. It was the heavy cruiser Alderom, and apparently Captain French was taking no prisoners. The military craft walked its field of fire in a line towards the mansion with one gravity slug after another penetrating the ground. One hit to their left, lifting half the yard ten feet in the air and slamming it down on the loading ramp of their ship. Ketty spit wads of dirt from her mouth then Greer was there, dragging her up the stairs to safety.

"They're coming around for another pass," yelled Lindy over the intercom.

Greer took the vial from his pocket and gave it to Ketty. "You may need this when you find those robots your Uncle built, but I have to go back for your Aunt." Then he jumped clear of the ship, even as they backed out of the hole and clawed their way into the sky.

"Greer!" But it was no use. The ship lifted and the ramp closed. They left him there and moved into the mountains where hopefully the bigger ship couldn't follow. Ketty sat on a pile of dirt which had come in through the hatch. She was mourning the loss of Boondock when something moved. She dug frantically, and there was Max, his ears plugged with mud, yet he appeared unharmed.

"Hey little fellow, you can stay with me." He whimpered softly but didn't seem to mind the attention. Kato helped her up and they made their way to the bridge where things weren't going so well.

Kato sat in the third captain's chair with Ketty standing behind him while he assessed the situation. Lindy threaded the starship through a tight valley which led up into the mountains, but there was really no place to hide.

"Mind if I give it a try?" asked Kato.

"Help yourself," Lindy grinned. It was more out of fear than jealousy. She was under no pretense they would survive. The navigation computer known as Palamandry tracked the heavy cruiser which was well above the treetops, making pursuit easy for them.

"Concentrate on the shielding, it's pointless to fire on that heavy cruiser," said Ketty.

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