The plate-ships blasted the wreck without warning and without hesitation. Eye searing beams criss-crossed over the unprotected mass of crumpled metal, causing it to shudder and vibrate at the terrible forces pounding against it.

"RUN!" is called out from the male Tamuran as his mount swung around and sprang away from the scene as fast as clawed feet could manage. Even as they rushed from the clearing the spreading after shocks from the heavy nerve blasts tingled up the legs of the mounts and through their riders, making teeth chatter, tails puff, and whiskers twitch!

Minutes later the last of the energy bolts fell.

One dark plate ship landed near the twisted wreckage while the other hung low nearby, acting as guard. Weird occupants rushed down the gangways of the one landed ship and removed the crew from the wreck, floating them into the plate ship on "anti-grav" fields. The crew's bodies had been left paralyzed by the specialized energy blasts, leaving them senseless.

Taken to Arkenstrom's Citadel the three are stripped, cleaned and all injuries healed
while keeping them unconcious.

They are then subjected to a deep scan under the auto dock by Dr. Bent.

"Well?" Lord Arkenstrom snaps at Bent.

"Nothing unusal about the rat or mouse," he tells Arkenstrom. "However, the equine appears to have weaponized nanites and a most unusal infrastucture."

"Meaning?"

"He is a Sentinel."

Arkenstrom looks sharply at the unconscious Dutch. "What level?"

"Level six."

"Six? When we left the United Systems they had barely achieved a three."

Bent smiles. "They've been busy the last twelve hundred years. Did you expect them to sit around on their thumbs?"

Arkenstrom returns the smile, rubbing his hands together. "Well, this will be most interesting. Have them hung in the dungeon and let us see what happens next."