Carth's magical adventure, ROUND TWO, MOTHERFUCKERS!

[Carthrat]

"It's not that, Tir," replies Carthrat, glancing at the stars. "We're in a desperate situation. Sooner or later, the time will come again to risk our lives on a slim hope.

Why not set the terms for once?"

[Anastasia]

"Because the 'terms' youj're talking about are fuckin' stupid," he growls. "We can do better than dancing with a star and praying we don't get fried."

Tir rises from his bed.

"Why don't you go talk to Rachel instead, right now? I think the two of you could use each other."

[Carthrat]

"Yeah? Like what?" replies Carthrat, flatly. "Fly through space and hope they all catch the Prometheus Virus?"

[Anastasia]

"Or consider our options and lead them into a better trap," he shoots back. "Something that doesn't involve us getting turned into space dust."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat pauses. "Hey. I just had an idea.

Paxis II, right? Then we must be near the Paxian Nebula?"

[Anastasia]

"Yeah," he says. "We're in the neighborhood."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat nods. "Set a course there," she says.

[Anastasia]

"Now what crazy idea do you have in mind," he says, dodging your request for the moment, not to mention leaning against the steel wall.

[Carthrat]

"The gases in the Paxian nebula distort electronic communication," replies Carthrat, standing up fully. "The Slicing Gale fleet will have to realign it's sensors to properly recieve the transmission from the tracker.

We'll have a short window of opportunity to do something without their forewarning. We can fly to Paxia and abandon this ship. That's assuming we don't get intercepted. They may anticipate such a move.."

Carthrat rests her chin on her hand, deep in thought... "That's assuming they don't catch up to us before then, anyway."

[Anastasia]

"If they find us before that, we're pretty screwed anyway," he notes. "I'd rather keep this ship after dealing with the tracker...

But I can't think up a better plan offhand."

[Carthrat]

"We could always turn around and fight," replies Carthrat. "How good a pilot are you?"

[Anastasia]

"Not bad," he deferrs, "But against at least two battleships?

I'm not that eager to spend the next thousands years as space debris." Tir shakes his head firmly.

[Carthrat]

"Right," replies Carthrat. "To the Paxian nebula.

Once we get there, we'll need to estimate how long it'll take them to take apart their sensors and put them back together. The place is too big to simply do a visual sweep of, so we won't get caught that way. After that, we need to run.

Perhaps to one of the other planets in the Paxis system.. there's a space station or something around that area, isn't there? I can't remember. It might not still be there."

[Anastasia]

Tir pauses a moment, racking his brain. "There are...four planets with life on that system, a few space stations; including a new one.

You're really out of the loop," he notes, lazily leaning against the wall. "Anyway, one of the stations is a neutral merchant ran place - that'll probably be our best chance, unless you want to try alysum with a government."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat ponders. "Asylum sounds good," he says. "What's the military strength of Paxis? And how well aligned are they with the galactic council?"