She curled into a small ball on the cold tile floor. Not to cry, but to conserve her body heat because when the power was cut, so too was her only source of warmth. The paper thin pants and shirt that they gave all the subjects to wear offered very little warmth at all. The doctor that was with her had been called away when the entire base started malfunctioning for no viable reason.

Shivering, she could still feel the needles and all of the different instruments that had been used to "test" her. The so-called tests were torture in and of themselves, but the more she refused to give in to the nagging need to scream, the more they poked and prodded her. Every time they came into the tiny double reinforced glass-walled room they brought with them the promise of allowing her to see her family. Promises she knew were really just sweetened lies they used to direct her into doing exactly as they wanted.

How many more 'tests' needed to be done before the subjects were going to be set free?

The thought nagged her. Just thinking about the last time she was placed into their "training room" where she had to fight for her life against someone she considered a friend made her stomach lurch in disgust. The things that they wanted her to do, the things that they forced her to do were evil, plain and simple. There was no other way to really describe what the Doctors were at this point in time.

The lights had gone out an hour or more ago so that the only light that illuminated the building was the orange-red glow of the emergency lighting that were powered by the backup generator system. She rose to her feet and as she did here eyes spotted the silvery glint of a scalpel that was lying on the metal floor by the door. The reinforced door that kept her inside the ten-by-ten cell hissed as the hydraulic system disengaged as someone opened it from the other side.

Gasping slightly against the rush of icy cold air that came from the hall as the door opened just enough for a person to get through. Well, that depended on the size of the person, really.

Without really thinking about the consequences, she lunged for the fallen scalpel and gripped it firmly; she was ready to defend herself at any cost. Raising her eyes, her blue flecked pale green eyes settled on a black-clad figure that was partially hiding in the shadows just outside the door frame. She clutched the scalpel just a little tighter in her fist.

"I am not here to do you any harm," the figure spoke again, and once more she felt the potent effects of an underlying power that seemed to simmer just under the newcomer's command. "I need you to come with me."

Her eyes widened slightly at the mention of getting out of this hell she'd come to know as her life. "Leave?"

"Yes, leave, or would you rather stay and die in the horrible explosion that's going to rip this place apart?" The owner of the voice stood to full height and removed his helmet.

Shock flickered across her face as she realized that he was not even human. A mass of tiny black-brown braids were tied back and held in place by an elastic band at the nape of his neck. Depthless white eyes were ringed in deep red were set in a face that bore beauty to its extreme.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she silently berated herself for the thoughtless fear of an unknown. Not human? How could anyone place a name on another at all when they were in her position? Hell, at the moment she was no more human than he was.

While he was a full head and shoulders above her and possessed an air of absolute command, she was not without her powers as well. "I will never again be a prisoner."

The - Whatever he was, sighed and took a small, step towards her and put out his hand to her. "Look, we don't have much time before my friends fry this place and turn it into space scrap. I am trying to offer you an escape here. Take the damn offer or die, I don't really care which." He smoothed a hand through his dreadlocked hair and groaned as his com went off.

"Listen up; there's a live prisoner on this station." She looked at him askance as he spoke to the other person… people… Damnit! Who or whatever was on the other end was still talking. "Doing my best, but apparently she's stubborn enough to give Misha a run for his money." More silence followed his description of her.

Her brows shot up in surprise as she tried no to take offence to the way he talked about her as though she could not understand him. Something that sounded suspiciously like an explosion echoed in the distance.

What the hell is going on now?! Her head swam as she felt the vibration of the first explosion which nearly sent her to the floor. "Oh…"

The guy in front of her paced a few steps as he maintained his balance "That was what? Oh. Okay… well, fucking give me a warning next time would you?!" He fell quiet as yet another detonation rocked the foundations of the station. "Damn you straight to the seventh circle of Hell, you stain on society."

"What was…" She started to ask but the look on his face silenced her

"It's nothing that's of any concern to you; if you want to live that is." The guy grit his teeth in response to what the other person said and grabbed her arm. "I am no longer in the mood to negotiate with you, come on."

The world tilted on its axis as she struggled to keep up with him until the floor finally rose to meet her. Scarcely conscious, she barely felt him pick her up and carry her out of the medical research facility as it sustained continuous damage from both the imploding equipment and explosives.

Voices shouted in the distance as the high-powered gate of the pressurized bridge hissed closed behind them as they made their final exit onto the awaiting ship. Her mind clouded as she fought to maintain consciousness.

"Holy shit, not another one; how many more are out there?" Another voice spoke as he carried her through the hall to the medical rooms.

"She was one of the prisoners and the only one that they left alive. Not sure of her ethnicity though she appears to be Ritadarion."

She tried to open her eyes, but the sudden warmth combined with the stress of the situation plunged her into the dark abyss of unconsciousness. He felt her go completely lifeless in his arms and glanced down to check if she was still breathing. Thankfully, she was.

"Who do you think she is anyway, Valiant?" Silently picking at his thumbnail, the larger man tilted his head to the side to glare down at his best friend. "What?"

"You are an ass."

"Come again?"

"You heard me." Valiant growled. "You could have at least given me a five minute head start, but I guess that's too much to ask."

"Jerk, why are you even bitching about it? You're alive, she's alive. What more do you want?"

Valiant smirked at his friend and tossed his survival knife into the air before catching it again by the hilt in his palm. "Why am I bitching about it? Well, gee, let me see… I'm not the one who forgot to make sure that his best friend was off of an exploding station before detonating my bombs."

Shamed, Axel lowered his eyes. "I still don't see why your complaining." He sighed, pausing to check his chronometer before speaking again. "Think she will be like our girl?"

Axel tilted his head back against the wall and sighed as Valiant thought about the question that hung like poison in the air between them. "I have no clue. Hell, man, Az's in a league of her own entirely. Whatever those people did to the girl I just saved it didn't break her completely."

"One can only hope," Axel replied. The doors to the infirmary opened and another member of their leaders of their crew stepped out. "Hey, Atlas how's is she?"

"Thankfully, she's going to live through this, but what they did to her, well we won't know until she wakes. Physically she's stable and doing well. Mentally is another story all together.

There was a slight commotion in the room at the far end of the hall that sent Axel and the others running to check. As they entered the room, they had to dodge a chair that their tech friend, Misha had sent flying. "Fucking League with their fucking med centers all need to go to Hell in a painted hand basket."

"Temper tantrum much, Misha?"

"Okay guys, what in the almighty seventh circle of Hell is going on here?" A fifth man entered the room and took one cursory glance around before glaring at the other four men. "Get this cleaned up. I just got a vid call from Jagger. He told me that the Sentella somehow caught wind of vigilantes who were destroying League medical out-ports. They are on their way to investigate the most recent attack."

"Damn."

"Captain, what will you have us do?" Valiant asked with a calm he didn't really feel.

"We run." The Captain said as he sat on the only upright chair left in the room. "I refuse to place any of our precious cargo in jeopardy and if that means going into hiding until this shit cools down then so be it." He turned to leave the room, leaving four to the task of righting the Communications Room.

The room was quiet except for the sound of their breathing. Axel righted the table and started picking up the scattered papers that were littered about the floor. As he tidied, his thoughts wandered to the young woman who he'd pulled off the now destroyed Medical Research Station.