Lilandra's rescue went off without a hitch but finding out that D'Ken the former emperor of the Empire had returned greatly troubled Corsair and the Starjammers.
Once they returned to the ship, Corsair and Lilandra immediately began planning to dethrone the former mad man.
" What do you reckon they're talking about?" Ian asked Rachel.
" Don't know. This D'Ken guy seems to shake them up pretty badly. Do you think it's that bad?" Ian asked once more.
" Anything with this empire is bad." Rachel told the man. Her tone was more aggressive than what Ian was used to and was full of venom.
" Hey... What's with the anger?" Ian asked. He placed his hand on Rachel's shoulder and gently rubbed it.
" What? Should I not be upset with the people who wiped out my bloodline?" Rachel asked.
" No, you definitely should be." Ian replied bluntly. " But you should remember who your friends are. We care about you Rachel. You don't need to be angry with me." Ian told the girl.
Rachel sighed and her body relaxed significantly, and the girl cracked a small smile.
" Yeah... I know." Rachel replied.
Ian pulled Rachel into a hug and then got up from his seat.
" I'm gonna go have a drink with James and the others. If you need to talk at all, you know where I'll be." Ian told the girl. He walked off to join Warpath and the others as they drank at the bar, leaving Rachel time alone to think.
He had to admit, that although he didn't like some things, Ian was having fun in space.
......
Hours later.
After having had a chance to sit down and go over the plan with Lilandra, Corsair called everyone together to prepare for their next attack. This one would be important because, this time they would be freeing a highly influential general in the Shi'ar army, General Ka'ardum. This time it was up to Korvus and Warpath to be the ones causing distraction and disabling the security towers, while the others went to get to Ka'ardum's chambers.
" Shadowlarks one and two you're clear for entry." Warpath radioed to the other teams.
Shadowlark one consisted of Polaris, Havok, Onslaught, Lilandra and Corsair. While Shadowlark two consisted of Marvel Girl, Ch'od, Raza, and Nightcrawler.
" All right, their defenses are strong, so we hit them fast." Corsair explained to both groups.
" This is the part; I hate about space travel." Ian groaned as the ship he was on rattled towards the space prison hold Ka'ardum.
" Hold your lunch kid, we're about to land and they've noticed us." Corsair told the boy.
And true to his words the Shi'ar had spotted both ships approaching the station and began opening fire on them.
Corsair laughed and then crashed his small ship right through the first convoy of soldiers.
" All right, Starjammers, you know what to do!" Corsair yelled.
The crew erupted from the wreckage and immediately got to attacking the shi'ar soldiers.
" I needed this!" Ian shouted. He was neck deep in Shi'ar soldiers but was still trucking through them none the less.
" You know the way, my lady?!" Corsair asked Lilandra as he covered her and Lorna.
" It's not my first time here, Corsair. I had this facility built." Lilandra told the man as she ran to the door to the facility. " It is here, but it's not going to be an easy path."
" Let us worry about that Lilandra. Lorna get that door." Alex told the woman.
Lorna nodded and used her powers to tear the giant door off its hinges and allowed Lilandra inside.
" Hey, Onslaught. Go inside and help Lilandra." Corsair yelled.
" On it!" Ian yelled back. He tossed the man in his hands to the side and then took off full sprint into the prison.
" Dad, you go with them, we got this." Alex said to the man as he and Lorna used their powers to push back the forces trying to advance on them.
" Alright." Corsair replied. He turned and ran inside the facility with Ian and Lilandra and the trio made their way to what Lilandra said was Ka'ardum's chambers.
" That's a big door. Want me to knock it down?" Ian asked.
" No, I've got this." Lilandra replied as she clung onto the door. " You've all played your parts in this. Now it is my turn to do the same." Lilandra replied. And without another word, she slipped into the doorway.
With her gone, that left Ian and Corsair alone to guard the door.
" We haven't had a chance to properly get acquainted. I'm Ian Sinclair, I went to your son's school." Ian told the man.
" Which one?" Corsair asked.
" Scotty." Ian told the man.
" Oh, so Scott's running the school now? That's good to know." Corsair spoke.
" I gotta ask man, how did he end up such a stick in the mud when his dad's so cool?" Ian asked.
" You think I'm cool? I'm a space pirate who robs and kills people for fun.... Yeah, now that I think about it. I am kind of cool." Corsair spoke. " But what about you kid, why are you out here in the first place? I wouldn't imagine Scott would be fine with sending kids into space." Corsair asked.
" He didn't. I asked to come. I'll be honest, I fucking hate your son. He's worse than Xavier in a lot of ways. Prentious prick. But he's got some good in him and I can't deny him the credit he's due..." Ian stated. " He's got a lot to answer for, he's got a lot of good people killed, but I have to be honest I'd follow him into battle anytime. Cuz I know he's not the type to leave one of his behind." Ian explained.
" That was sure something, kid. I bet Scott would be happy to hear it." Corsair replied.
" I still hate his fucking guts though." Ian added on. " Oh! By the way, if you ever tell him or anyone else, I said that I will blow your fucking ship straight to heaven." Ian told the man.
" Rule one of space travel, never threaten a man's ship." Corsair told the boy. He wasn't all too pleased to have some kid threaten to blow his stuff up.
" Whatever." Ian replied. " Hey, should we check up on her?" Ian asked.
" No, I'm fine." Lilandra stated. She walked out of the room with a man Ian could only presume was Ka'ardum right behind her. " We are done here. Let us leave before the Warbirds arrive." Lilandra spoke.
" The who?" Ian asked.
" Never mind let's go. All teams get ready to leave. We got the package!" Corsair radioed to all teams.
......
Hours later.
The crew returned successfully from their mission to retrieve Lilandra's general and were now partying.
Ian, Warpath, Raza, Ch'od and a few others were enjoying their drinks while Hepzibah danced for them on the table. Really showing off her sensual cat-like body for everyone to see.
" Whoooo!" Ian whistled for the woman in front of him, she just had everything. She was sexy, deadly, and sexy. " Hey man, she's a real looker ain't she?" Ian asked Warpath.
" Damn right she is, I'd like to take my time with a body like that." James told the man. " But I gotta ask you something, what's going on with you and Rach?"
Ian took a sip from his mug and sighed.
" I don't know what to tell ya." Ian sighed. " We aren't a thing, but we are? It's complicated. I honestly can't think of a thing to say. I want to pursue this, but if she's not sure then I'm not going to force her into it. I want to be happy, James. And I want her to be happy too." Ian explained. " Whether or not that means she and I are together or not... Well, only time will tell." Ian stated.
" I hear ya, kid. I hear that." James replied.
" Come on, let's keep drinking. This might be the most fun, I've had since I came out here." Ian told the man.
James raised his mug and the two men toasted to that.
Meanwhile, watching from the bar was Rachel and Lorna.
" What is going on with you, Rach?" Lorna asked.
" Sorry... I'm still a little out of it." Rachel replied. " What's up?"
" You've done nothing but stare at them the entire time." Lorna told the woman.
" So?" Rachel asked.
" So? What's going on, Rach? What is going on with you two? One second, you're all over each other and the next second you're sitting here alone, while he watches the space-cat strip dance." Lorna told the girl.
" We aren't... Together or anything. If he wants to watch, then so what?" Rachel replied. " Besides, I'm still not sure if I want to be with anyone right now. It just seems to weird right now." Rachel explained. Lorna seemed to be somewhat pleased with what she was saying, and Rachel could see that. " But, Lorna, he's so gentle with me and he's kind. He really cares about my feelings. He hasn't tried to force this... Connection we share on me. And that says something."
" Rachel, he's a student from the school." Lorna told the girl.
" So? I'm not one of Scott's teachers. I just live there." Rachel told the woman.
" Yeah but... Are you sure this is right? I mean how would Scott feel about this?" Lorna asked.
That question almost seemed to set Rachel off.
" I don't care what Scott thinks, Lorna. Just because he is technically my dad doesn't mean his opinion means anything when it comes to my social life. And if I want to sleep with one oof his students then I will." Rachel told the woman. She got up from her seat and sauntered on over to Ian and tapped him on the shoulder.
Ian turned and looked up at the woman and Rachel kissed him.
Ian didn't hesitate to lean into the kiss.
But after a moment Rachel backed away and sneered at the man.
" You feel like getting lucky tonight, tiger?" Rachel asked the man.
Ian turned to James and patted him on the shoulder.
" I'll see ya later." Ian told the man. He hopped up out of his chair and lifted Rachel off the ground. " Anytime pretty bird. Any time." Ian told the girl.
Rachel laughed as Ian carried her away to a room for the night.