I woke to the sound of singing. I'll be honest, that was quite a surprise - not the singing exactly - I hadn't actually expected to wake at all when I saw blaster barrel coming toward my head. I cautiously opened my eyes, no idea what I was going to see.

I was being cradled by one of the female centaurs. She was stroking my hair and singing softly. Her voice was lovely and her naked torso very distracting. I tried not to stare.

"What...what's going on?" I asked. "Who are you?"

She looked confused and stopped singing. "I'm sorry. I don't understand the language you are speaking."

How could that be? I could understand her perfectly...then it hit me. I must have spoke in English.

I felt my ear where the galactic language translator sat. I was slightly askew, but still seated securely in my ear. That meant my translator was working for me to understand her. She must not have the same benefit of a translator as me. The good news was, she was speaking in Galspeak, a language I had been learning. Now was my opportunity to use what I had learned.

I silently thanked Commander Xxyshen for insisting I learn to speak the language.

"My name is Champ McKay. I'm an Orion Ranger. Who are you?"

Her confusion turned to relief and she smiled. "You speak Galspeak. That is wonderful. My name is Charon. My people and I were captured and imprisoned here by pirates."

I tried to shake the cobwebs out of my mind. "How...how did I get here?"

"Your companion dragged you through the gate. Just before we chased him off."

"How long have you been here?"

She frowned. "I'm not exactly sure. We were stripped of all our belongings including our chronometers. We have no real way to judge time here without them."

I looked up at the blackness that was the sky. Yup, without sun, that would be tough, sure enough. I supposed even with sun it would be tough. I mean, how long were days here after all? I had done enough reading to know a day like we had on Earth wasn't the same everywhere.

"Why were you brought here? I wouldn't have thought kidnapping would be all the interesting to pirates."

Charon shrugged causing me to almost swallow my tongue. She was a beautiful woman/filly/whatever and movements like that...I tried to stow that thought into the back of my brain and focus on what she was saying. "We weren't kidnapped, I don't think. Kidnapping usually means they will try to get family and friends to pay to get you back. We were taken for a different purpose."

Now I was confused. If they weren't being taken for ransom, then what? "I don't understand."

Charon looked sad. "We are mammals, which are extremely rare in the galaxy. I believe we were taken for private zoos, to be servants and possibly even to be served as food." She waved toward the high fence that surrounded them. "We are prisoners until we are delivered to our fate."

"Foo...food?" The very idea made me a little sick. Slavery I understood. I knew slaves existed. Zoos, I had heard of even though I had never visited one. But food? Eating a person was abhorrent to me.

Charon must have understood the expression on my face. "Yes, Champ. Food. There are always sentients looking for the next sensation. Mammal as food is not the worst thing I have heard."

"That's simply terrible," I said. "And, just so you know, I am also a mammal. I suppose that almost makes us related."

She brightened a little. "And, even though you are a mammal, you are still a member of the Orion Rangers?"

"I am," I said. "Ever since I left Earth."

Charon scrambled to her feet, unceremoniously dumping me sending a jolt of pain through my head. "Earth! I have heard of this place! It is a name from our legends." She reared back onto her back legs and raised her arms. I had to look to the ground to avoid staring at the magnificent view she presented.

"Yes, Earth. Is that important?" I asked, trying to stand and almost fainting as my head began to whirl and nausea twisted my belly. I fell back to my knees and started to dry heave.

I felt hands on my shoulders. "Champ, I am so sorry. I did not think about your well-being. Are you all right?"

I started to shake my head to the negative and almost vomited again. Clearly something was wrong with my head. "I...I don't think so. I cannot move my head without getting dizzy."

"Perhaps you have a concussion," Charon said. "That will make it difficult for you to even move around."

"Can you get help?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, Champ. We have been imprisoned like animals in this pen. We cannot escape."

I looked at the blaster they had taken from Q'isling. "Can you not blast your way out with the weapon Q'isling left behind?"

"No," Charon said, shaking her head. "I am forbidden from using advanced weaponry."

"Forbidden? By who?" I asked.

"It is forbidden by our elders to use any weapons that are not powered by our own muscles. That is the way of my culture."

That made no sense to me but I wasn't about to argue with her. She had saved my life after all. I half stumbled, half crawled to the abandoned blaster. I picked it up, enjoying the weight of it in my hand. Compared to the zap-sticks I used on the station, it felt substantial. Dangerous. Just like my colt did back home.

"You may not be able to use this blaster but I have no such restriction," I said. I flipped the safety off and powered the weapon up. I pointed the blaster toward the enclosure's gate. I pulled the trigger and a red beam of blazing light leapt from the gun to the gate, destroying it, leaving a smoking hole.

The dust was still settling from the gate when I staggering to escape. I had to get back to the Rangers. Fulfill my duty to the commander. Watch for corruption within the ranks. I had an idea I didn't need to look any further than my fellow Ranger, Q'isling. His actions at the paddock with the centaurs certainly looked suspicious.

I stumbled and fell, sprawling face first into the dirt. Blinding pain shot through my skull and I almost blacked out. I lay where I fell for several seconds, trying to get enough energy to stand one more time. I couldn't let Commander Xxyshen down. I had to get up again.

"Champ? Champ, let me help you."

I rolled onto my back and looked up, blinking through tears and pain. Charon leaned over me, extending her hand. I gripped her hand and she pulled me to my feet.

"Champ, you are in no condition to go on your own. Let me go with you."

"What about your people? Will they come too?"

Charon snorted. "No. The males are not warriors. They are politicians and intellectuals only. We have one other female with us. She will stay and guard them. Now, climb on my back and I will carry you."

"You're sure?"

"Clearly you aren't able to move on your own. What is the emergency?" Charon asked, her pretty brow, furrowed in confusion.

"We have been sent here to capture and arrest the pirates. But that isn't why I've got to get there. My commander suspects some of the Rangers are corrupt and are working for the pirates themselves. She wants me to watch for anything out of the ordinary."

"I see," Charon said. "Your mission smacks of deceit but since it is to overcome treachery..." She paused then and I could see a battle waged on her emotions. It didn't last long before she spoke again. "I know the Orion Ranger's reputation. I can understand if your commander wants to keep that reputation clean." She crossed her arms and looked toward the sky for several moments. "Yes, despite the negative aspects of what you try to do, I will help. Please climb on my back but mind your manners. I am not some mindless beast of burden nor am I some idle plaything."

"I understand," I said. I stood slowly, leaning heavily on Charon. "Lady, I don't think I can climb on your back. Whatever is wrong with my head makes me dizzy every time I move too quickly."

"Take my hand," Charon said. She grabbed my hand and, showing a great deal more strength than her human form appeared to have, lifted my onto her back like I weighed nothing at all.

"Whoa!" I said, my head spinning. I grabbed Charon's waist to steady myself coming dangerously close to her fine breasts.

"Watch it!" Charon said, slapping my hands.

I removed my stinging hands from her waist and tried gripping her barrel with my knees. "Lady, please know that I was not trying to offend. I lost my balance is all with the dizziness of my head. If you would prefer, I can attempt to stay on your back holding only with my knees?"

"The pressure is not uncomfortable," she replied, her tone frosty. "I will try not to make any sudden movements that might cause you to fall."

I stifled a laugh. What this lovely centaur lady did not know was, I came by my name for a reason. I was known all over the territories for my ability to ride wild mustangs. I had won more than one rodeo doing exactly that and my ability to hold tight with nothing but knees and heels was most of the reason why. This filly could no more buck me off than I could accidentally fall.

She turned toward her people and held her arms over her head, wrists crossed. The remaining female did the same and we were off.

Charon started at a slow walk which turned into a smooth trot when she realized I wasn't bouncing around on her back. I was glad she was so smooth-gaited; every time I was jarred, my head felt like it would fall off my shoulders and dizziness hit me like a hammer.

Neither happened and we made good time, presumably toward the enemy camp. I did not see evidence of any Orion Rangers.

It was only a matter of fifteen or so tiks before we began to hear the sound of blaster fire. That was my cue to dismount and stay low. I wasn't entirely sure how Charon was going to manage the staying low part, towering above me as she did.

My boots banging into the hard ground as I dismounted almost brought me to my knees. I grabbed Charon's arm as I stumbled to steady myself. She, in turn, grabbed my wrists and lifted me off the ground until my feet were dangling.

"What did I say about your hands, Champ?" Her teeth were bared and her eyes blazed with fury.

The pressure of her fingers in my wrists was intense but I managed to gasp, "Sorry, Charon. When my feet struck the ground, I almost fainted again. I apologize for grabbing you, but it was to prevent myself from falling."

Charon's expression softened. "I keep forgetting you are hurt, Champ. Please, accept my apologies. I am being much to skittish. I can only say it is because we centaurs have been imprisoned too long with no hope and ask for your forgiveness."

"There is nothing to forgive, Charon. Just please put me back down on the ground." Honestly, the view I had of her chest from where I hung was spectacular, but I was losing feeling in my hands.

Charon looked down at the ground and realized she still held me aloft. A pretty blush crossed her face and she let me down. Gently, I was grateful to say.

"What do we do now, Champ?" Charon asked.

"I want you to stay back here and stay as hidden as you can. I'm going to scout ahead to see what's going on."

Charon drew herself up to her full height. "I am a warrior, Champ. I do NOT hide!"

I sighed. I had seen this before with some of the injuns back home. They were warriors too and wouldn't back down for anything. Even when the enemy had Colonel Gatling's guns and they only carried rifles or worse, bow and arrow. All that resulted was their unnecessary deaths. I didn't want that on my conscience. "Look, Charon. I don't doubt your bravery and ability to fight. The problem is, you are too big to skulk and too easy a target. You don't have any real weapons and the pirates not to mention the Rangers would likely shoot you first and ask questions later if they saw you."

"I do not wish to hide!" Charon said again. "It is not the warrior's way."

"And is it the warrior's way to let yourself be killed without a fight?" I asked. "I need you alive to testify against the pirates when they are caught. And besides, I am not leaving you here to stay out of the fight. I want you to make sure no one comes around behind to bushwhack me or escape. Can you do that?"

"Well, since you put it that way, I would be honoured to protect your back," Charon said. She moved behind a rock that was just tall enough to hide behind. "But know this! If you call my name, I will come. Pirates with blasters or no."

I smiled. Even old Clive had never offered to do that for me. "I accept your offer. Thank you, Charon."

She nodded at me and I set off, moving as stealthily as my throbbing head would allow. I took a moment behind a rock to check the weapon I carried. It was set to kill. Q'sling had meant to kill the centaurs without even knowing who or what they were. He was a brute and I was going to make sure the commander knew it when this operation was completed.

I flipped the weapon's setting from kill to stun and set it to semi-automatic, grinning as I did it. When I was back home on Earth, what I wouldn't have given for my Colt to have a semi-automatic setting. It would have made things a whole lot easier.

I kept low, trying to see everywhere. There was no telling where Rangers and Pirates might be scattered.

I rounded a rock and almost tripped over my first body. It was one of the Rangers. I had seen him around Headquarters but never really got to know him. Now I never would. A large blaster hole in his chest ensured that.

I grabbed his weapon, a hand blaster, off the ground and tucked it into the back of my belt after making sure it still had a charge. That was another lesson I had learned back home. A man on his own could never have too many weapons.

I kept moving forward, the sound of blaster fire louder and more frequent. What was I walking into?

I came upon the first of the buildings on the perimeter of the Pirate's camp. It was a ramshackle affair made of some sort of corrugated metal. A Pirate was half-hanging out the partially opened door, half his head burned and missing. I could hear someone or something rustling around in the shed.

I cautiously peeked through the door. The someone was a Ranger. I could tell by his duds. Who exactly, I didn't rightly know. At least, not yet. He was digging through some crates on the floor.

"Aren't you supposed to be arresting Pirates right now?" I asked, making sure only a small portion of my head was visible and my body was protected by the building itself.

The Ranger whirled around revealing himself to be Cadg'r, one of Q'sling's minions. "Wha...oh, it's only you McKay. Yeah...I'm just checking for Pirate weapons and explosives." As he spoke, I saw him quickly pocket something.

I decided to play along. "Ah. Makes sense. So are there any here?"

"Nah," Cadg'r said. "This place is a bust. Come on!" He stepped past me out the door and started to confidently walk toward the middle of the camp.

That made no sense. By the weapons' fire I was still hearing, he should be at least trying to present a smaller target. But no. He seemed unconcerned.

I did NOT follow his lead.

He started taking a crazy path between buildings, zigging and zagging without apparent reason. Without any sun to judge by I couldn't tell if we were going in a fairly straight line or going in a circle. My head wasn't helping me none, either. I had to stop occasionally to straighten out my thoughts.

What WAS he doing?

"Hold it, McKay," a voice from behind me said.

Ah! He was leading me into an ambush. I should have known just from him being in Q'sling's gang. Seeing him pocket something in the shed...I shook my head. I had to laugh.

"Something funny?" the voice asked.

I started to turn but was stopped short.

"Hold it McKay! Drop your weapon before you make any more moves. You don't do as I say and I'll shoot you down where you stand."

By now I had figured out the voice belonged to Cadg'r's partner, Miqrl. "Like you shot down the Ranger just outside of the Pirate camp, Migrl?" I asked, taking a leap of faith that he had been responsible. I dropped my gun as I spoke.

"I didn't shoot him," Miqrl said. "But, yeah. Exactly like that."

So, I was wrong to accuse him but he obviously had some knowledge of the dead Ranger.

"What do we do with him, Migrl?" Cadg'r asked.

"We wait until Q'sling comes back. He was supposed to be keeping the Earthman out of our hair. Seems he didn't do a very good job."

My head was throbbing pretty good now. "Do either of you mind if I sit down? Your boss tried to put a dent in my head."

"Boss?" Migrl laughed. "He's not in charge!"

"Yeah, sit down," Cadg'r said.

I sat on the hard ground and felt the pistol poke me in the back. "Maybe there was a way out of this mess after all. The goons were taking it pretty easy now that I had dropped the blaster. I leaned against a boulder and pretended to drowse, all the while working the gun loose. When it slipped out of the back of my trousers, I was ready. I knew exactly where each of the varmints were standing.

I grabbed the gun off the ground and swung it around to face my captors. "Drop your weapons, boys," I said, staggering to my feet. The effort almost made me drop back down to the ground.

Migrl took that opportunity to try to take me out with his blaster. I managed to shoot him, aiming for his arm but hitting him square in the chest. Cadg'r dropped his gun as soon as his friend fell, putting his hands up in surrender.

"Good call, Cadg'r. Now, when is Q'sling supposed to get here?"

Cadg'r simply glared at me and stood his ground.

"No matter. When he does get here, I'll arrest him too." I pulled restraints from my back belt and threw them at him. "Put these on. I'm sure you know how. And don't get any ideas or you'll join your friend."

As he snapped the restraints closed I motioned for him to sit well away from Migrl's body. "You behave yourself and you might just live through this. It will depend on what your partner Q'sling does."

I heard the sound of hoofbeats coming toward me at a slow walk then. I also realized that the sound of blaster fire was done.

Moments later Charon walked into view, dragging the unconscious Q'sling along by one leg. His head was dragging on the ground, banging into the occasional rock.

"Oh, hello, Champ," Charon said. "I found this one trying to sneak away. I guessed you would want to speak with him." She dropped his leg into the dust. "He didn't put of up much of a fight. He isn't very menacing without a weapon in his hand."

"Good to see you, Charon," I said. "Nice catch on Q'sling too." I held up another set of restraints. If you wouldn't mind watching this one..." I pointed at Cadg'r. "I will bind Q'sling so he doesn't do anything we aren't expecting."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Charon said. "I made sure he would not be waking up any time soon. I did stop just shy of killing him. I thought you would want it that way."

I nodded. "Justice must be done."