Hey yall. Finally updating this sucker! hehehe. I figured I'd end the story here, but don't worry there is a sequal underway with some new characters and featuring the ones I made in this one. Technically this is a She ra crossover cause of horde prime and Etheria, but hey... giggle Questions comments? flames? All welcome. Though flames'll be thrown into the abyss... booh yah! hehe. Please excuse me if this chapter sucks. I think I got a good 'stopping place' to end it. I'll have the first chapter of my sequel up asap as soon as I've written enough of it and I've got a decent title for it. Any suggesstions on what to call her group rather than guardians or suggestions on titles for a sequel are welcome and you will be given credit for it... toodles.

Chapter7

When they awoke it wasn't a gentle awareness of being in each other's arms... There was an alarm going off. Northstar was up like a shot, donning her armor only as she sped to the control room. Thrax, having followed her after getting dressed, found her at the control panel, useing that shiny black mat.

"What happened?!" Thrax demanded

"We've hid a meteor shower... Sit tight love it's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Thrax sat down at an unoccupied chair and strapped himself in, prepareing himself for some major turbulence... He was not dissapointed. He didn't see how she could stay on her feet to steer, but she'd informed him that she could get through this mess a lot better if she could brace her feet on the floor.

Another alarm sounded as they took a nasty hit in a wing and he heard Northstar swear in her own language. He didn't have to ask if it was going to affect their landing. Once clear of the meteor shower Northstar stayed at the controls and pulled up a damage report, kicking herself for not staying at the helm in the first place.

He then heard a growl come from her. Their engines had been damaged and, while they could still get to Etheria, it would be slower than anticipated unless they could fix them. "Well no biggie... You're an engineer right baby?" Thrax asked her.

"I can do some minor repairs... But if the damage is too bad we're screwed.."

"Ok you mean it's just you and me and you didn't bring an engineer?"

"Well.."

"Oie.." Thrax rubbed his forehead. "You are really airheaded somtimes you know that?"

Northstar glared at him.

"Look there's no time to argue.. Just bring up the damn schematics and let's see what we can do."

Northstar snorted but did as he told her, bringing up the damage report as well. It didn't look good. Somone was going to have to go topside. Thrax looked at her as if to ask if she could repair it. The grim look she gave him answered his question. Nodding He printed out a copy of the ship schematics and went for an envirosuit.

"Thrax you're not going out there are you?" Northstar asked, horrified.

"Somone's got to go out there and somone has to watch the moniters while the other works... You know these instruments better than I do which means you have to watch them."

Northstar frowned. "You dont know the circutry or components or anything! How are you gonna repair it?"

"Heh.. I have this don't I baby?" he held up the schematics, "Don't worry." he kissed her forehead then put on the envirosuit's helmet before she could protest farther.

Immediately she went to the moniters, occasionally warning him of some space debris that floated too close. Using the schematics as a guide Thrax attempted to fix the damage done to the ship's engine. True he didn't know much about it, but if there was anything that viruses were famous for it was ability to adapt to new situations. It had allowed him to adjust to the multicellular world and hopefully it would allow him to fix this blasted engine.

Northstar was tense. Thrax had nothing but that envirosuit to protect him out there. Sheilds were down on her ship. Thrax managed to McGuyver a few repairs using the schematics and some spare parts. He wasn't sure how long it would hold up but it was somthing. Carefully he made his way back to the hatch, feeling nausious in this weightless environment. Then he saw it amongst the endless mass of stars surrounding them. Several ships gleeming in the distance.

"Yo baby... You see what I'm seein?" he radioed.

"Yeah... get in fast! I recodnize those ships and they're not rescue!"

Thrax frowned and headed inside as quickly as possable. As soon as the hatch was secure and the chamber filled with air he threw off the helmet and raced to the control room.

"Take weapons! You'll have to figure them out.... You figured out the engines well enough."

"Yeah well baby we ain't out of the woods yet... We've still gotta fire them up."

"Right.." She switched on the engines. They fired up then the damaged one sputtered and flickered out, "C'mon baby work for mama..."

Thrax looked at her funny as he took weaons.

"Before you say it shut up!" she returned to the control panel as Thrax powered up weapons. "C'mon work darn you!" She slapped the control pannel and flicked the switches quickly. "It's not working!" she moaned.

"Just go!" Thrax fiddled around with weapons until he figured them out, blasting the hull of an incoming ship with the Horde's emblem blazed on either wing.

Northstar diverted as much power as she could spare to the engines, cursing the pace that the one working engine forced them to remain at. They sputtered and protested but went online. Manuverability was limited but there was no other choice but to try to weave between and around the oncoming fighters.

Northstar heard an enthused "YEEEHAW!!" from Thrax as he blew up a ship that was formerly on a colision course with them. She sighed and shook her head. At least one of them was having fun.. Thrax was doing what he did best, namely blowing stuff up, while she was stuck struggling with the engines. She kicked herself for not bringing an engineer.

A planet came into view and Northstar positioned the ship and aimed for the atmosphere. There were at least 3 fighters still hot on their tail and only one of thethe rear guns had been spared by the meteor shower, the remaining one was shot from the hull by one of the Horde's gunners.

"Brace yourself!" Northstar warned. "It's about to get really really bumpy!" she paused, "And possably a bit hot as well.. I can't tell if the coolent system was damaged and we're about to hit the atmosphere in three... two...one."

As if on her mark the ship gave a suden disconcerting lurch and both were shoved violently forward then back as the ship struggled to stedy it'self. Thankfully they were strapped in. Northstar struggled to keep her hands on the control pad, cursing the obvious disadvantage to this method of control.

Below them the clouds burst apart and they were able to make out a forest and mountian range. It was somwhat similar to Earth, with some obvious diffrences like color of the plants and wildlife seen below. There was no time to enjoy the view, however. There were still fighters on their tail and Thrax had no idea if this ship was built to manuver in an atmosphere.

He looked to Northstar who suddenly had an odd sort of grin on her face. She pulled a few switches and shoved a lever to the up position. Secondary engines, designed for atmospheric travel kicked in and Northstar returned to navagation.

They had to navagate around trees and rock formations in order to lose them, the ship getting pretty well banged up in the process. Finally they found a safe place to land. Northstar warned Thrax to make sure his seatbelt was tight as she deployed the landing gear.

There was a flaw in her plan however, that flaw being that the landing gear would not deploy! "Brace yourself! We're in for a really rough landing!" Thrax nodded and held on tight, bracing his back against the seat. Northstar did the same and brought the nose up.

Both of them felt an intense vibration in the seat and soles of their feet as the ship colided hard with the planet below. It scraped along the ground, the hull being ripped up and wings breaking off. "C'mon keep it together..." She urged the ship as it continued to skid.

Finally after the thirty second eternity it stopped completely, steam and smoke rising from various parts of the ship. Immediately Northstar threw off her restraints and ran to the makeshift stables in one of the bedrooms, finding to her relief that it was perfactly intact and the horses were rattled and scared, but otherwise none the worse for wear.

Sighing in relief she approched Mystic and took hold of her halter, pulling her down to pet her neck. "Shhh.." She soothed, "we're safe now." She was about to consol the other when Thrax walked in calmly and scilently stroked Firewind's neck.

They led them out of the stables. "Ok... Northstar.." Mystic snapped at her rider in an animal language. "Next time you're gonna fly a ship try not to land it as though you had taken a 'crash course' if you know what I mean.."

Northstar laughed then the alarms began. She frowned. The engines were apparently going critical and they had only a limited ammount of time before they blew. Not thinking, not having time to both mounted up on their respective steeds and were down the loading ramp as fast as possable. Upon hitting the dirt both Mystic and firewind took flight. Shards of glass, slag and metal flew by them as they narrowly avoided the brunt of the explosion.

Thrax and Mystic both let out yelps as they felt hot shrapnel cut into their bodies. Mystic's haunches were hit, as was Thrax's left shoulder. They found a clear place to land and did so.

The first wounds Northstar cared for were Mystic's. After all She could easily get an infection and Thrax, as a virus, probably could not. Fortunatly for the winged horse the shards were not in too deep and they were easy to remove. Thrax, however was not so lucky.

When she had him strip of his bloody coat and turtleneck she saw that he had but one peice of shrapnel in him, but it was in deep, possably to the viruses 'shoulderblade' or equivilent thereof.

"It's a pretty deep wound love.." She told him, "I'm going to have to.." she paused, holding her abdomen.

"Baby?" Thrax, worried, rushed to her and held her by the shoulders.

"No I'm fine I..." She closed her eyes again.

Thrax put his hand on her abdomen and felt how tight her muscles had become. She was only about eight months along and it seemed as though she might go into labor. Not good... Two months eairly.

"Listen Northstar you have to calm down.." He warned, taking her face and he rubbed her abdomen until the muscles relaxed and she got out of the danger zone.

After a few minutes she went to work on his shoulder, cleaning it with water and using one of her own hairs to sew it together. It would probably scar, but the priority now was to get it taken care of. Once sewn Thrax replaced his turtleneck and they continued on foot, well Thrax did. He insisted that Northstar ride firewind as he led. She wasn't entirely happy about it but she complied.

At length they reached a large building that strongly resembled an air force base. It was her primary base of operations and Thrax quickly learned that here it was not primarily humans and her own kind that served under her here. Here was the main assault group, larger than the few she commanded on Earth, but still small. Rico, her weapon's expert, demolitions specialist and cheif of security rolled into one, (she had yet to find another security cheif suitable for the job) was the first to greet them and his first reaction to Thrax was not a pleasent one.

Since coming back to the multicellular world she had had very minimal contact with her primary headquarters on Etheria and Thrax had not been part of the update. Rico was an ex space pirate one of the many Universal 'strays' as they so affectionately nicknamed themselves, that she had picked up here and there. Rico was from a planet called Felanax, an anthro world comprised mainly of Catlike creatures. The first thing he did was pounce on Thrax in a quadrapedal form much like a cougar and bare his fangs at the unsuspecting virus.

Thrax's first reaction was one of surprise as the Felanian's paw's struck his chest, then pain from the wound on his shoulder hitting the ground, then finally rage at being threatened by the cat. He lit up his claw and was about to strike the offending creature when Northstar grabbed his wrist. Both parties looked up at her in surprise when she did that and just as suddenly as she grabbed his wrist she released it.

"Get off him Rico.." she warned.

After a moment of being browbeaten the cat got off him.

"Whoa whoa waaaait a minute baby.." Thrax demanded, "You know this... thing?"

Rico snarled at him and Northstar once more held up a hand. "Rico transform..."

The addressed growled but obeyed, becoming a very catlike biped with a tail and sharp claws on the end of his fingers.

"Rico this is Thrax... my consort."

"Whoa wait a minute Chica... you know this clown?" Rico demanded, mirroring Thrax's words.

"Yes Rico.." Northstar replied before Thrax could growl somthing at Rico, "I am also in love with him. I will explain everything at the breifing... My father had me in stupid meetings with the stupid president of the US.."

"Wastea'time if ya ask me Chica.. Ya couldn'ta radioed anythin?"

"First off a 'radio' wouldn't have reached all the way from Earth to Etheria, second of all it was too high risk with the low technology equipment we have available on the planet and the Horde could have easily intercepted any message..."

"Ah ok Chica... When's the breifin?"

"In one hour.. And Rico?"

"Yes'm?"

"Don't call me Chica.."

"Yes'm." He sounded as serious as Bozo the clown at a state fair.

Northstar rolled her eyes and brought Thrax into the base. She got many hugs, salutes, smiles and generally shown by everyone that they were glad that during the months she had been on Earth and unable to contact them effectively or often she had not been killed. She explained the situation and most of all the device that had been used to send her to the microscopic world. It was imperative that it and any information pertaining to it be destroyed as soon as possable. She had wanted to before, but unfortunately her father had interfered. When would she learn that if she's going to defy him anyway she should just go the whole hog?

Thrax had settled into Northstar's quarters with her. He had never become a proper member on Earth and had to be properly initiated here. While on his way to a lounge for a cup of coffee he was stopped in his tracks by a shadow that was oddly in the air in front of him rather than in the hall. As the shadow reformed itself into a person Thrax thought at first that it was Horde Prime, but this figure had a pale black complexion, nearly touching into grey and his eyes were a chrimson red. He also did not look any friendlier.

"So.." he growled, flashing his white fangs deliberately. "You're the new guy eh?"

Thrax narrowed his golden eyes. This guy didn't like him and the feeling was quite mutual. "What's it to you punk?" He growled right back.

"I should introduce myself Thrax... I am Diablo.. Head of inteligence."

Thrax almost commented on how he got that job when the creature interrupted him again.

"I want you to listen to me Virus and listen well... If you ever hurt her I will feed on you.."

"Feed?"

He flashed his fangs again. "You see I am a vampire... I am rather fond of blood... I'm curious as to how yours would taste. If you ever hurt her I will find that out."

"Dream on baby..that ain't happening.." Thrax found his words being cut from his throat as Diablo leaned in closer. His fireclaw came to life in warning.

"We shall see.." Diablo purred and licked the side of Thrax's neck.

Before the Virus could respond Diablo simply dissapeared, faded into the shadows and leaving Thrax with a cold chill for more than one reason. Just then Northstar walked up and put her hand on Thrax's shoulder. Already a tad freaked out the Virus jumped and turned toward her. She caught his wrist out of reflex.

"I see you've met Diablo.." she chuckled

"What is he?" Thrax demanded.

"A Vampire."

"Yeah baby I know that but what species."

"I don't know. He won't tell anybody."

"And you trust him."

"With my life.."

"What is he an ex or somthing?"

Northstar about died laughing. "H...hardly.." She managed.

"What's so funny."

"Let's just say I'm not his type ok." she giggled.

"What not a vampire?"

"No.. I'm female.."

For the first time in a long time... somthing made Thrax shut up.. and Northstar absolutely lost it, tears of mirth flowing down her cheeks.

"Ok ok haha.. That's right pick on the Virus.." Thrax' grumbled.

"C'mon baby." Northstar said, "I want you to meet somone very important to me."

She took his hand and Thrax looked at her confused but followed. She took himt to the hanger where a ship was arriving. Smiling brightly but with tears in her eyes Northstar watched as the hatched to the small craft opened wide. Moments later a little blond girl with pointed ears and pale skin appeared at the top of the boarding deck followed by an old human woman and two older males, whos species Thrax could not identify.

Upon spotting Northstar the child rushed to her, shouting "Mommie!!!" at the top of her lungs. The child looked to be about eight or nine, but Thrax would discover that she was about eleven. She was clinging to Northstar for dear life and she had a scar neatly along her left jaw. He looked at his beloved in surprise and was about to open his mouth when she beat him to it.

"I adopted her some years ago.." She explained as the girl hid her face in Northstar's chest. "She was on a slave transport on the way to a fate worse than death." Thrax winced. "This is Alisha... Ali honey this is Thrax. Don't be afraid of him now... he won't hurt you."

Thrax knelt down to her level so that he hopefully wouldn't be so intimidating. "Hello." he said gently.

"Hi.." Ali said timidly.

"I won't hurt you.." He soothed, extending his right hand to her gently. The child just cowered and hid behind Northstar.

"She's frightened of strangers." Northstar explained. "Especially male ones... I have to admit your colors are somthing she fears... red and black."

Thrax nodded, understanding and, though she clung to Northstar, picked the child up. He felt a bit akward. He'd never held a child before, let alone one that was scared to death of him. She looked at him with sad little puppy dog eyes and he swore she was acting much younger than she was. Most likely because of formerly being abused.

He smiled gently and touched her cheek with the back of a claw, taking care to move slowly to keep from frightening her. The child flinched so he drew back his hand. Nervously she pushed her hair back behind one of her pointed ears and keept looking at her surroget mother.

"I wont harm you.." He assured her. "I'm in love with your mother and baby I don't think it'll take much for me to love you too."

Ali looked to Northstar for confirmation and she nodded to her. She turned back to Thrax and nodded once. Smiling he put her back down. Still timid Ali leaned up, kissed his cheek then went back to Northstar and held her hand.

Thrax sighed for a moment then felt Northstar's arm wrap around his. He smiled at her and went the rest of the way into the lounge for his coffee. He had his coffee and Northstar had her tea as Ali played with a couple other children that had ventured into the lounge. He smiled at them, embracing this new world and perhaps soon to be family.

End