The Argriven Cycle.

Prologue:

Blaster shots echoed and reechoed throughout the spaceship. Vanessa raced through the narrow corridors of the small shuttle, her heart thumping with fear. She was President Augustus's Winters only child, and until recently she had been in charge of delivering a secret shipment of new, advanced weapons, to the loyalists on Athone. But the rebels had obviously got wind of the mission and had been waiting for them. Now her small cargo ship was engaged in a hopeless firefight with the rebels warship. Her heart still pounding she reached the bridge , her pilot Arzen was one of the few people still there. His normally handsome face bleak and pale. Vanessa's green eyes met his brown eyes and a shudder ran down his spine as she entered. "We're doomed " Vanessa noticed the crack in her friends voice as he spoke. "They've boarded, most if not all of our crew have have absconded, we are the only ones left". "The escape pods?" "Crew used them all" Arzen cut Vanessa of curtly. " Engines have been damaged there is no way escape this time, I'm sorry". Arzen shuddered as Vanessa gently pushed his long black hair away off his face. " You have nothing to be sorry for, Arzen, nothing". " You have done everything possible to save us" A tear trickled down Vanessa's face, a tear which Arzen gently brushed away, a determined look coming to his dark brown eyes. " No tears now dearheart, you have great courage". " Now we must die as Soldiers of the President". Kissing her softly on the forehead Arzen picked up a rifle, as the blaster shots drew closer. " Together?" "Together" Vanessa nodded, gripping her blaster firmly. Side by side they leapt out onto the bridge, opening fire on the team of Rebels that where making their way towards them. It was like a bad-dream, Vanessa's mind felt numb as she dodged lasers before shooting down a rebel. Beside her she saw Arzen fall. An unearthly howl sprang from her lips as she lurched towards him a sharp pain in her leg bringing her back to her senses. Ignoring the agonizing pain she lurched towards Arzen's body, crying out in torment as another bullet struck her thigh. Bringing her crashing down to the ground. Tears ran down her face as she looked into the dead face of her former friend. With a wail of anger Vanessa fell over him as the group of rebel soldiers surrounded her. Squeezing her eyes shut Vanessa awaited deathblow. " I'll soon be with you" she murmured to Arzen's corpse. " Well well well boys, looks like our plant was right" a sneering voice sounded over her, rough hands pulling her to her feet. Opening her eyes Vanessa gazed into the rugged face of the man who had spoken, her injured leg buckling under her. " The Presidents daughter herself" The man boomed " looking like she's gonna die with fear ". Angrily the Rebel captain gripped her chin forcing her to look into his hard cold eyes. "I really was expecting something more". Vanessa recoiled as he spat, anger rising in her chest. " You'll pay for this, my father will hunt you down, and when he does he'll kill you all!" A roar of laughter rose from the group of rebels at her threat. " Well princess, I really, really hope he does because then will kill him just like we're gonna kill you" With a cold laugh he nodded and Vanessa felt a sharp blow to the back her the head. Lights danced before her eyes as the darkness swallowed her.