SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER. THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE WWF TITANPRIZE. IT'S MISSION: TO EXPLORE AND ENTERTAIN NEW SOCIETIES AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS.  TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO WRESTLER HAS GONE BEFORE!

TITANPRIZE CREW:

Captain Vince McMahon
First Officer, Commander Shane McMahon
Chief Engineer, Commander Stephanie McMahon
Chief of Chiefs, Commander Linda McMahon
Chief of Security, Commander Kane
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Taker
Diagnostics Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jericho
Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Austin
Transporter Chief, Lieutenant Commander Debra
Communications Officer, Lieutenant Commander Rock
Counselor Al Snow (assisted by H.E.A.D.)
Morale Officer, Commissioner Mick Foley

... And many more!

WWF TITANPRIZE - CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM

    "Captain's log, stardate 081120.01. We are orbiting an unihabited Class M planet called Bachiatari. According to the starmaps and information we recieved a while ago from the Bookermen, I've decided this is the perfect place for some shore leave. We've set up temporary cabins and have run tests declaring the beach safe," McMahon paused, "I wonder if anyone else has vacationed on this planet. The Bookermen have not visited this planet for years. In fact, it seems they've tried everything they could to stay away from it. Nontheless, it's about time my crew was given a break from Starship life. End log."

    McMahon stood up and stretched out. He grabbed the beach bag sitting beside his desk, and tapped his comm badge, "One to beam down, Lt. Commander Debra..."

    Within moments, McMahon's ready room disappeared in a glimmer of the familiar transporter beam.

BACHIATARI - COMMANDER STEPHANIE McMAHON'S CABIN

    Stephanie stood on the porch and stared out at the ocean, enjoying the gentle breeze as it whipped her silken sundress against her legs. Everything was so beautiful here!  It's too bad the crew only had one week.

    "Yo, Steph..." came a quiet voice.

    Stephanie turned to the Ensign who had just showed up on her doorstep, "Jeff? I thought you were out swimming,"

    The Aerialian looked somewhat forlorn, "Lita and Matt showed up and began frolicking in the water,"

    "Oh," Stephanie replied, "Well, I'm sure there are lots of girls on the ship who would love to frolick with you! Lord knows why," she replied, "I saw the way Trash Stratus was drooling over your swim trunks earlier, the tramp!"  Stephanie HATED that woman.

    Jeff smiled slightly, "Trish.... mmmmm... she's hot! Lita HAS been looking kind of doggish lately,"

    Stephanie raised an eyebrow, "Now you're just being immature, Jeff,"

    Jeff grew serious, "If I don't insult Lita, how can I forget about her?" he asked, his voice quiet.

    "Well, speaker as someone older and wiser - you DON'T forget about her. You see it as another event in your life. An event that helped you grow as a person,"

    "Geez, Steph. You're starting to scare me with 'adult talk',"

    "Well, I figured it's time ONE of us acted our age," she replied, "Anyway, you need to stop dwelling on Lita and go on to bigger and better things."

    Jeff smirked, "Well... Trish IS bigger," Stephanie rolled her eyes. Jeff noticed. "Well, to borrow a phrase from Ensign Angle," he said in response, "It's true! It's damn true!"

    Stephanie just shook her head, then paused. She furrowed her brow, hearing an odd sound, "Are you crying, Jeff?" she asked.

    "I'm not hearbroken enough to cry, Steph!"

    Stephanie stepped off her porch and began to walk around the perimeter of the cabin, "Hello?" she called out.

    "What is it?" Jeff asked as he followed, growing concerned.

    "Don't you hear it?"

    Jeff listened, and soon heard what Stephanie was talking about, "It DOES sounds like crying. It sounds like a woman crying, actually...!" He replied, "I can't believe you thought I sounded like a woman!"

    "Shhh!" Stephanie snapped.

    Jeff walked a few feet away from Stephanie, "Hello?" he called out,  "Who's there?"

    The crying stopped abruptly, and Stephanie stood still, waiting for it to start up again. But she heard nothing, "It's gone!"

    The two Wrestlefleet officers looked at each other, both faces a mask of confusion, "Well... that was weird!" Jeff replied.

    "I guess whoever it was decided to cry in private," Stephanie shrugged, "Oh well. It's not OUR problem.  Let's head back to the ship and grab something to eat at the Smackdown,"

    Jeff nodded, and the two beamed back to the Titanprize.

COUNSELLOR AL SNOW'S CABIN - 0300h

    Counsellor Snow was having a wonderful dream. He had become a Wrestlefleet champion, been promoted to Lt. Commander, and was being congratulated by Austin and Foley. Al was unsure which part he enjoyed more -- becoming a champion, getting a push, or Austin and Foley treating him kindly.

    Al was pretty sure none of these events would ever happen.

    In a few seconds, Al's blissful dream was interrupted by a voice. No - a chorus of voices. It sounded like hundreds. Maybe thousands. The voices were so quiet, it was hard to tell exactly how many there were. Despite that, however, they managed to speak intrusively to the WrestleFleet counsellor.

    Al shot up in bed, "What was that?!" he asked H.E.A.D. as it sat on a table beside him, "What do you mean, you don't know? You're supposed to know EVERYTHING!" Snow snapped, then quickly grabbed the padd beside H.E.A.D., "Do you remember what they said?!" he asked, then nodded and quickly entered it into the padd.  He read it over, and frowned, "Kind of morbid, isn't it?"

    Al studied it once more, "This has something to do with  Bachiatari," he said. "I know it!" Al took a deep breath, "Maybe I'll have Lt. Commander Jericho try to figure it out," Al yawned, "Tomorrow though," he said, then put the padd away. Counsellor Snow then lay back in his bed and fell asleep once more.

COMMANDER SHANE McMAHON'S CABIN  (the next day)

    "Well?" Shane asked the Y2J Unit lounging on the patio chair in front of him.

    "I'm still having trouble finding her access codes, Commander," Jericho replied.

    "Damnit!" Shane hit the arm of his chair angrily. "Where the hell did she hide them?!"

    "Maybe she didn't write them down," Jericho answered, "She might have them stored up in the attic she calls a brain,"

    "Please... my sister couldn't even store her own phone number up there, let alone access codes!" Shane replied.

    Jericho raised an eyebrow, "Well, she IS the Chief Engineer. I'm sure she must have some form of intelligence to grant her such a position,"

    "She has Daddy to grant her such a position!" Shane replied,  "And as far as graduating from Wrestlefleet Academy goes, I'm sure it didn't take much for her to convince the board she was worthy of it!"

    "Are you insinuating that perhaps your sister earned her Wrestlefleet Uniform in less then honourable ways?" Jericho asked, "This is what I've been saying all along, Commander..."

    Shane shifted in his chair to acknowledge the Y2J Unit, "As you once said, Lt. Commander, she's a dirty, filthy, disgusting, brutal, bottomfeeding, trashbag ho."

    Jericho frowned at Shane stealing his favourite Stephanie insult, then quickly smirked, "Yes, well... you'll find it very rare that I'm wrong, Commander,"

    "Good. Now back to business. Stephanie's access codes!"

    "Easier said then done," Jericho replied, "If she did manage to memorize the codes, then there is no way I could get access unless she tells me herself... and I believe I burned that bridge when she found out I was following your orders,"

    "I refuse to think she memorized the codes! Continue searching the ship's computer! I want them! You understand me, Lt. Commander?"

    Jericho nodded, "Yes sir," he replied, then tapped his comm-badge and returned to the ship. He would search for Stephanie's codes, AND look up the poem Counsellor Snow had given him, despite the fact that Shane would find the latter a waste of the Y2J Unit's time and resouces.

    The Y2J Unit read the log on the padd before him:

    "Chief Engineer's personal log, stardate 100820.00.

    It seems the Y2J Unit has developed a personality without his emotion chip. How is that possible? It's a wonder of Engineering! Irvine Inc. would never have expected one of their AI Units to surpass its programming.  Of course, Irvine Inc. would never have expected one of their units would be on a ship overrun by rebellious Nytrons – including one that would try to reprogram the Y2J Unit to be her own personal plaything – and then have that ship later lost in an uncharted region of space.

    I will have to study Lt. Commander Jericho a bit closer.  Perhaps I'll find some OTHER emotions to bring to the surface...

    End log,"

    Jericho threw the padd against the wall in frustration, shattering the electronic device into several pieces. He had hacked into Commander Stephanie's personal files and had been reading them since he had beamed back to the ship from the planet. It was an invasion of privacy, he knew, but he would do what Shane commanded. Jericho needed Stephanie's access codes and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to get them.

    Stephanie's personal files held her logs, her honours, her various heroic deeds (though few and far between), and a bit too much information regarding the Chief Engineer's thoughts on the Y2J Unit.

    Lies and exaggerations mostly.

    Still, there weren't any access codes.

    Jericho wondered briefly what Stephanie would think about his invasion of her privacy.  She probably wouldn't be too happy about it.

    Well... Stephanie just wouldn't find out, that's all. Sometimes unpleasant things had to be done for the betterment of the Titanprize -- as Commander Shane McMahon would no doubt attest to.

    Jericho sighed. Enough of sifting through Stephanie's personal logs. He needed a break. Jericho called up all the files the Bookermen had offered on Bachiatari. He punched in the stanza Al had given him, and frowned at what came up.

    The Bookermen had been right to avoid the planet. There was a legend surrounding it, and an unpleasant one at that.

COMMANDER STEPHANIE McMAHON'S CABIN - 20:00

    Stephanie sat on the steps of her cabin and watched the Sunset, smiling at the pinks and reds that embraced the blue sky. It was perfect! Well... almost perfect.

    Stephanie sighed as a twinge of lonliness tugged at her. It's not that she missed Hunter. In fact, she was glad he was gone from her life... but Stephanie DID miss sharing romantic moments like these.

    If she weren't alone, then this sunset truly WOULD be perfect.

    Stephanie furrowed her brow and quickly hugged herself. Maybe it was the memory of Hunter, or maybe the wind had picked up.... but for some reason, she shivered. A breeze brushed over her. It wasn't a strong breeze, but it was cold.

 Stephanie quickly straightened up. Were her ears playing tricks on her, or did she hear a whisper of some sort? A cry on the wind?

    "Jeff?" she called out.

    "Jeff isn't here,"

    Stephanie gasped and spun around to the voice,  "Damn you, Jericho!" She snapped as she took in the out-of-uniform Wrestlefleet officer,  "What the hell do you want?"

    Jericho stepped closer to the Chief Engineer, "To watch the sunset with you, Stephie," he replied, his voice dripping with insincerity.

    "Oh please! You're so full of sh--"

    He put a finger to Stephanie's lips, "Ah ah ah. Wouldn't want to leave a bad impression with your inferior officers, now would you COMMANDER?" he interrupted.

    Stephanie backed up a step, "Inferior is right! You're so inferior that... that---" Stephanie tried to think of an appropriate insult, but the way he was staring at her was far too distracting.

    "That... what? Come on, Stephie... you can think of something!"

    Stephanie frowned, "Shut up!" she snapped, then went to sit on the stairs, trying to ignore his presence.

    Jericho sat down beside her. Stephanie eyed him warily, inching away slowly. He grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving any further, "Nervous around me, Stephie? Can't imagine WHY!"

    "Maybe because you're a psycho working for Shane! Now LET GO!"

    Jericho ignored her request, "Why did you take off your communicator?!"

    Stephanie frowned at him, "Do you not know what SHORE LEAVE means? It means I'm supposed to be resting and relaxing, and watching the sunset! I'm NOT supposed to be getting disturbed by some 'stick up his butt' reprogrammed Lt. Commander! Don't tell me you lost your intelligence when Shane gave you a new personality!"

    Jericho offered a cold smirk, "I assure you, Commander, my mental faculties are working just fine, as is the rest of me! Didn't mean to disturb you and your sunset, Stephie,"

    "Yes you did!" Stephanie replied as she hugged herself, then returned to staring at the sunset.

    Jericho tossed a padd in her lap, "I found an interesting little poem about this relaxing planet. You might want to read it,"

    Stephanie stared at him, incensed, "You came all the way down here and interrupted my quiet time to show me a POEM?"

    "Just read it," he hissed, an angry flash in his eye.

    Stephanie was startled. He seemed very insistent. She skimmed over the padd, her voice growing quiet as she read the story before her,  "What the hell?" She started, then turned to Jericho, "You're a JERK! Take this stupid poem and go back to the ship, before I get Farooq and Bradshaw to beat you like the blonde bitch you are!" she snapped.

    "Well, if anyone knows about bitches, it's YOU, Stephie..."

    "SHUT UP!" she snapped, then looked at the sky. It was dark now, "I can't believe I had to share my sunset with you!" Stephanie angrily threw the padd at him. He caught it easily. She then jumped to her feet, and headed into her cabin, slamming the door behind her.

    Jericho picked up the padd and read the poem once again:

    Jericho thought it a rather morbid poem, but then most legends were.  The Captain had apparently overlooked this little poem when studying the information the Bookermen had provided. No big loss.  It was only a poem, after all.

      Lt. Commander Jericho got to his feet and turned towards the beach. For a moment, the water looked red. Jericho quickly decided it was only a reflection of the Planet's red moon.

    The Y2J Unit suddenly felt a violent tug on his braid.  He spun around... but saw nothing.

    He took one more look at Stephanie's closed door, then quickly headed back to his own cabin.

    Stephanie stared at the ceiling as she lay in her bed. Damn that stupid Y2J Unit! It wasn't bad enough that he had to torment her on the ship, but now he was doing it on her shore leave!

    "I HATE YOU, JERICHO!" Stephanie shouted to the ceiling, although it didn't make her feel any better.

    Stephanie sat up and frowned. Maybe she needed a nice cool swim to get her mind off the creepy poem Jericho had showed her.

    Yes. A nice swim. Perfect!

    Stephanie quickly put on her swimsuit, and headed out...

    "Nothing like a nice spot of tea in a quiet forest, hmm, Tajiri?" McMahon's personal Commissioner, William Regal, asked his companion.

    "Hai!" Ensign Tajiri replied.

    "Would you like another cup?" he asked. Tajiri nodded, and Regal poured another cup of tea.

    "Domo!" Tajiri replied.

    "You're very welcome, my good man!" Regal replied, then noticed his friend looking off in the distance, "Tajiri?"

    Tajiri seemed lost in thought as he continued staring, "Nani...?" he whispered, then began walking away.

    "Tajiri! Where are you going?" Regal asked, then reluctantly stood up and followed the man. Tajiri froze in his tracks, almost causing the Englishman to smash into him.

    "Watch where you're going!" Regal commanded.

     "Sugoi!" Tajiri screeched as he stared off into the distance.

    "What's wrong?!" Regal asked, "Tell me what's going on, lad!"

    "Darku!" Tajiri whispered.

    "Well of course it's dark! It's night! Why are you so---" Regal stopped as Tajiri moved aside and allowed Regal a view of what he saw. Regal's eyes went wide as he took in the black fog that had gathered in front of the two Wrestlefleet officers,  "Oh my!" he gasped, "Perhaps we should inform Captain McMahon of the---" he tried to think of a way to describe this strange fog, "The odd.... weather patterns," he offered.

    Tajiri nodded nervously. Regal quickly tapped his comm badge, and ordered two to beam up.

    Stephanie jumped in the water, relishing in the coolness against her hot skin. She was never a great swimmer, but she wasn't a bad one either. Stephanie headed away from shore, enjoying the peace... until she felt something brush past her legs. Stephanie quickly stopped swimming and tried to look through the dark water, but couldn't see much past her own hand.

    "Hello?" she asked quietly. No answer. Stephanie shrugged, then continued her swim -- until she felt it again. "Ok!" She snapped, "Stop it! Jeff? Is that you? Are you being an idiot again?"

    Silence.

    Stephanie shook her head, and began to swim back to shore... then found herself caught as something grabbed her ankle. Stephanie struggled, but to no avail.

    The thing felt slimey and cold.  Stephanie screamed as it pulled her under. She fought to remain afloat, and it tightened it's grasp. Stephanie was barely able to grab a lungful of air before the water came crashing over her head again.

    Commander McMahon opened her eyes under water, but could barely see anything through the sudden red tinge the water had taken. The thing around her ankle looked like black mist... but was as solid as SHE was!  Stephanie screamed underwater, and immediately wished she hadn't. A thick, coppery fluid filled her mouth, and her lungs began to burn.

    This wasn't water!

    The Chief Engineer thrashed violently, trying to break free before her lungs burst. The thing, whatever it was, wasn't letting up.

    Suddenly she felt a man pull her with one hand and rip the thing away from her with the other.  Whatever had wrapped itself around her ankle quickly disappeared. Her saviour grabbed her with both arms and swam back to the surface.

   The beating of a heart was the last thing Stephanie heard before darkness overcame her.

    Jeff leaned against a porch beam and looked around his little section of beach. The Ensigns weren't as close to the water as the higher-ups were, but that was ok. The only thing that really bothered him was the fact that only thirty feet away from him, Matt and Lita shared a cabin.

    Jeff closed his eyes for a moment, and felt something brush against his cheek. He opened his eyes quickly, and saw a flash of white move out of the corner of his eye.

    Jeff jumped down from his porch, and saw the white thing again. It disappeared around the back of his cabin.

    "Hey there! This is WrestleFleet property!" he called to it, but only received crying in response. Jeff quickly spun the corner, and saw a woman dressed in white. She was kneeling quietly on the sand, her face buried in her hands. "Woah... hey lady. Uh... what... what are you doing here?" She looked up at him, her eyes black and empty. Jeff jumped back, "What the hell!"

    He closed his eyes, thinking the darkness was playing tricks on him. When he opened them again, she was still there. The white of her dress was a stark contrast to the darkness.

    "The Night is coming," she said. "Leave here,"

    "Umm... it IS night, in case you didn't notice." he said, "Who are you anyway? We were told this planet was uninhabited!"

    "It is," she replied.

    Jeff furrowed his brow, "But you--"

    "I'm not here," she interrupted, "None of us are here,"

    "Us?" he asked.

    The woman stood up, and a small group of people suddenly gathered behind her, "None of us are here," she repeated. She turned her back to him and walked towards the others. She looked over her shoulder, "Soon, you will not be here either,"

    "Wait a sec! You need to talk to our Captain. Listen, if we've come to an inhabited planet, we're sorry for not asking permission. We didn't know!" Jeff stopped, realizing she wasn't paying attention. The woman walked away with the group. Jeff headed after her, but they soon disappeared into the darkness.

    Jeff stared at the empty space where the woman and the others had once stood, then quickly headed into his cabin and tapped his comm badge, "Ensign Hardy to Captain McMahon. I think we have a big problem here, sir..."

BEACH SIDE

    Stephanie's eyes opened slowly and she quickly turned on her side, retching up a lungful of water. It was clear. Normal. Not like the thick liquid she could have sworn she swallowed earlier.

    Stephanie fell back again and willed her pulse to return to normal. She gasped as she noticed a man kneeling beside her. He was the man who had rescued her from drowning. She had no doubt about that.

    Stephanie blinked quickly, but the saltwater stung her eyes. She could only see the blurred outline of the man's face through the darkness, and his long wet hair, "Thank you. Who--"

    "Stephanie!" A voice interrupted in the distance. The man turned towards the sound of the voice, then quickly jumped to his feet.

    "Wait!" Stephanie begged, but the man quickly ran off.

    "Hey, Steph? Where are you?" The voice called again.

    "Jeff.... I'm here!" Stephanie replied, recognizing the voice

    Jeff finally made his way to her, "What happened to you? You look like a drowned rat!"

    "Don't worry about it. I need something to wipe my eyes,"

    "Here," Jeff offered her his bandana.

    Stephanie teared a few times, allowing the sand and grit to wash out, then wiped her face with the material, "Thanks. Now why are you out here?"

    "Something weird is going on," he said.

    "What do you mean?"

    Jeff proceeded to tell her about the strange people hanging around his cabin, "...and on top of that, there was some weird-ass fog in the forest," he finished, adding on Tajiri and Regal's accounts.

    "Jericho tried to scare me with some legend earlier, but I didn't believe it. I still don't ... but..." she sighed, "Well, SOMETHING grabbed me in the water and tried to drown me!"

    "Geez! Are you ok, Steph?" Jeff asked.

    "Yeah. Someone saved me,"

    "Someone? So... you've been seeing weird things too?"

    "No," Stephanie replied, "I think I recognized him, but..." she shook her head, "My eyes were a bit blurry from the salt water. He disappeared before I could get a better look,"

    Jeff smiled, "Kind of like The Little Mermaid?" he asked. "Maybe he'll come back and ask you to be part of his world. Did he sing to you?"

    Stephanie slapped Jeff's arm, clearly not amused by his humour, "What did Daddy say about what you and Regal saw?"

    "He said that this is the only shore leave we'll be getting for a while. Take it or leave it. If we're too scared to stay on the planet, then we can enjoy our vacation on the ship!"

    "Typical daddy," Stephanie sighed, "Well, I know I'm not leaving! I'm going to enjoy this vacation... even it if kills me!"

    Jeff winced, "You just had to say that, didn't you? In the mood to tempt fate, are we Steph?"

    "What can I say? I learned from YOU, Hardly!"

CAPTAIN McMAHON'S CABIN - the next day

    "First Ensign Jeff tells me about some--" he couldn't think of the right word, "Some... ghosts.  Then Regal tells me about a black fog. Stephanie informs me she almost drowned... and now YOU are telling me about legends coming true?" The Captain asked Counselor Snow. The Counselor had burst into the Captain's cabin unannounced, blabbering about a story Lt. Commander Jericho had shown him.

    "Yes sir. H.E.A.D. says something is here, Captain. Something that killed the Bachiatarians, and now wants US to leave!"

    "I'm sorry, Counselor. I don't believe in ghosts and monsters and evil spirits! Apparently there ARE inhabitants on this planet, as Ensign Hardy saw, and they're playing tricks on us and trying to hurt my daughter! I demand a meeting with these people! Attempted murder of a crew member... of my DAUGHTER... will not be tolerated!"

    "You seem to let a lot of other people get away with it," Snow muttered.

    "Excuse me? What was that, Counselor?" McMahon asked.

    "Nothing sir," Snow replied quickly.

    "Good! Now go ask Ensign Hardy to find the inhabitants he saw yesterday and try to arrange a meeting for me!"

    "You don't seem to understand, Captain!" Snow started.

    "Follow my orders, Counselor... or do I need to write you up for insubordination?"

    Counselor Snow saluted the Captain, "No sir," he said, "I'll talk to Jeff right away!" With that, he quickly headed out to find Ensign Hardy.

    "This is where I saw her... well, THEM..." Jeff started as Stephanie and Captain McMahon gathered behind his cabin.

    "Where are they now?" Captain McMahon asked as he looked around.

    "I don't know... I mean, they appeared out of nowhere and---" Jeff started, then froze. The woman stood before him again, "Um... sir..." he tapped Captain McMahon on the shoulder, "There she is..."

    McMahon turned and saw the woman Jeff had spoken of. The lady's white dress seemed to glow in the blackness, making her appear like an unearthly apparition, "Ma'am... hello..."

    "The Night is coming," she said.

    "Night?" McMahon asked, then held his hand out, "I'm sure you'll explain, but first, let me introduce myself. I am Captain Vincent K. McMahon of the Wrestlefleet Federation Starship WWF TITANPRIZE," the woman ignored his words. McMahon waited a moment, but saw she was making no attempt to shake his hand. He slowly brought it back to his side, and cleared his throat, "Yes, well... I want to know why one of your people try to hurt my---"

    "The Darkness is coming," she interrupted.

    "Listen, ma'am, I really have no idea what you're talking about! Maybe if you take me to your Ambassador, we can---" McMahon stopped. The woman wasn't listening. She was staring at him intently.

        McMahon suddenly let out a painful shout and fell to his knees. Images invaded his mind. Frightening, heartbreaking images. He tried to close his eyes, but they wouldn't go away. He opened his eyes slightly, and saw Stephanie and Jeff looking at him with great concern.

    "Daddy? Daddy? What's wrong!?" Stephanie asked, eyes wide as she knelt beside him.

    Stephanie's voice began to fade away, replaced by a poem:

In a time long ago
Here a world once lay
When day became Night
And Night it would stay

    McMahon looked upon Bachiatari in its last days. 

The Seawater children
And Earth spirit race
Were peaceful and happy
Living here in this place

    Everyone lived together happily... until...

This peace lasted not
As the Night tore asunder
The Earth and the Water
In violence like thunder

    Darkness came over the sky, blocking out the sun.

The Darkness had woken
Possessed water, land, and air
And quickly commanded
No others breathe there

    The Darkness had warned the colonists to leave, but they had not listened. It warned them there would be consequences, but they paid no heed.

    For weeks, the sun did not shine. The crops did not grow. The sea did not bring forth life. In fact, the sea TOOK life. It grew violent.

The waters then ran
With blood, dark and red
By rise of the sun
The Seas were soon dead

    The water filled with blood as the sealife went wild and tore itself and any hapless Bachiatarians apart - literally. The remaining inhabitants began to grow ill from the tainted waters and lack of food.

    But it did not end there. Once again, the Darkness struck. As the Bachiatarians packed up their Ships, the Darkness grew thicker. It wrapped around each and every living thing on the planet, invading their minds and bodies. Suffocating them. Forcing them to act violently and irrationally towards one another.

    Within one night, the entire planet was dead. The blood of the Bachiatarians now stained the land they had tried so hard to sow.

Cold then lay that land
Evil spirit within
For the Darkness, unrested
Destroyed all who came in

    McMahon's eyes flew open, his breathing laboured, and his clothing drenched with sweat. Stephanie was still by his side, "Daddy?" she asked, her voice quiet, "Are you ok? Please be ok, Daddy..."

    McMahon turned to his daughter, "Gather everyone together," he said, "We're leaving. TONIGHT!"

    Shore leave or no shore leave... the Titanprize crew had to get off Bachiatari. NOW.

    Before the living planet took THEM too.
 

    "Well, so much for THAT vacation. It was a good three days though, hmm?" Jeff asked Stephanie as she stood at her station.

    "It was better then nothing. Daddy said he'd find a nice planet for us to take a REAL shore leave on. One that ISN'T haunted," she smiled.

    "I sure hope so!" Jeff replied, "By the way, did you learn anything  about your mystery hero?"

   "Whoever he is," Stephanie replied, "I think he was just as frightened as I was! His heart was beating as fast as mine!"

  "Heart?" Jericho spoke up from a few feet away, pausing in his methodical work. Stephanie looked at him and furrowed her brow. Did the Y2J Unit look startled?

    Stephanie crossed her arms and frowned, "Yes. Heart. You know, that thing you don't have!" She replied, then turned back to Jeff, ignoring Jericho,  "As I was saying -- before we were so RUDELY interrupted -- If Officer Whoever had come forth, I could have thanked him. Daddy probably would've given him a push too!"

    Jericho let out a harsh laugh, "Since when did you ever thank anyone, Commander?"

    "Excuse me, but I don't talk to traitors," Stephanie replied, then dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

    Jericho raised his eyebrows, "I'm a traitor? That's rich coming from you! I believe you were once referred to as Mrs. Traitor Hearst Helmsley, were you not?"

    "Go finish playing with your sub-routines, Jerkicho. I'm having a conversation here with a friend -- but then you wouldn't know about that. You LOST all your friends when you decided to buddy up to Shane!"

    "I don't need to hang around with people like you and Rainbow Brite there! My current associates are more powerful then either of you will eeeeeever be!" Jericho replied.

    "Yeah, whatever!" Jeff replied, "Like we're scared of Shane the Wussy, and his merry band of Dumbasses!"

    "I wouldn't be so quick to talk, Jeff. You may regret those words," Jericho warned.

    "Riiiiiight. I don't think I'll ever regret anything I say about Shane McMahon!" Jeff replied.

    "Come on, Jeff. Let's talk somewhere else," Stephanie replied.

    "Shouldn't you actually be doing your JOB, Commander?" Jericho asked.

    "I'm on break!" Stephanie snapped.

    "Then if you're on break, I'm off duty!" With that, Jericho shut down his station and headed out of Engineering.

    "HEY! You can't do that! Get back here!" she shouted. "GET BACK HERE, JERICHO!" But the Y2J Unit was long gone.

    "Is this the latest report?" Captain McMahon asked the crewman before him.

    "Yes it is," he replied.

    McMahon looked over the padd on his desk, "Very interesting. Thank you for keeping me informed!"

    "You're welcome, Captain. May I be dismissed now?" the crewman asked.

    "Yes. Go ahead!" McMahon replied. The officer nodded, then headed towards the door, "Oh, and one more thing..." McMahon added. The officer turned to him, waiting. McMahon grew serious, "I want to thank you for saving my daughter from drowning. You'll be commended for that," McMahon said, "But... did she see you?"

    "I don't think she was in any state to recognize me, Captain. When Hardy showed up, I quickly made myself scarce,"

    "Good. Don't speak to her of it. Not yet, anyway."

    "I understand, Captain... but..."

    McMahon furrowed his brow, "What is it?"

    The officer paused, then shook his head, "Nothing. There was just something I would have liked to ask her about. Regarding the rescue that is,"

    "No! If she finds out it was you, she'll start asking questions,"

    "I know, Captain. I'll keep my curiosity in check. Maybe I'll find out when this is all over,"

    "And if things go as WE plan, then it will be over before Shane can start it!" McMahon offered a smile, "You're dismissed, Lt. Commander Jericho,"

    "Thanks, Junior," Jericho replied as he headed towards the door. He stopped a moment and put a hand to his chest, ignoring McMahon's 'don't call me junior' rant. Jericho felt nothing beating under his hand. What had Stephanie been talking about in Engineering?

    Lt. Commander Jericho shrugged, figuring Stephanie was probably too scared at the time to think or hear straight. The Y2J Unit quickly exited the Captain's quarters, deciding the matter was best forgotten.

    A lone WrestleFleet beacon orbited the planet, sending a full log of the Titanprize's experiences, and a copy of Bachiatari: the Accursed Land on all known WrestleFleet and Alien frequencies - with one extra stanza added to the end: