It was a dark and stormy night. Lightning periodically illuminated the sky. Mark had to close his eyes and tilt his head towards the ground. He felt a slap on his back next to his right shoulder blade. He looked up to see a masked and goggled Dan next to him.

"You all right buddy?" asked Dan as he lifter his goggles and pulled down his mask.

"Yeah," replied Mark. "I'm still not used to all this open air; and lightning," mark finished as he looked back to the sky. Dan followed his gaze and squinted.

"I know what you mean. But hey we got this thing to do," said Dan as he put his mask and goggles back on.

"Yeah let's get to it," Mark uttered as he put his mask and goggles on also. Both figures now completely cover in a non-reflective black joined other similarly clad figures at the entrance to a very impressive looking building in the middle of nowhere. The most impressive thing about this building was that for the ten stories above ground there were thirty more below. As the group of five figures walked into an old service entrance, Mark starred at the sign they passed. It read: I.S.C. Main Complex Utility Entrance F. When Mark saw the I.S.C. initials his chest began to fill with fire. International Space Colonies, Inc. Time to pay, you bastards, he thought as he closed the entrance behind the group.

*** It was a dark and stormy night. Lightning periodically illuminated the sky. Earth does still have its wonders thought Jonathan Greeves as he sat in the observation dome at the Sea of Tranquility base starring at the restless Earth. He was fortunate enough to have some time to just stare. Time is a rare thing when one has a resistance to plan. He hoped the teams where doing well. He hoped lives could be spare and that there would be no blood split. Jonathan knew he was alone in his hopes. People do not join revolutions out of as higher moral purpose, usually. They join because they want blood for blood; they want revenge. This made Jonathan's job all the more difficult. He stared at the darkened US with all its light pollution and wondered if this is how George Washington and Martin Luther King felt. There has been too much suffering already. Why do they force us to create more? Jonathan thought.

"Excuse me sir," came a voice from behind Jonathan. Jonathan turned to look and saw a young kid standing atop the ladder well that led back down to the colony proper. The patch on the right shoulder showed an earth with a sword piercing it from the North Pole through to the South Pole. This was the symbol of the resistance. His rust stained clothing showed he was from Mars. His complexion, hair and eyes said he was oriental. Jonathan arched a questioning eye brow at him.

"Captain Alexandrovich wants to see you, sir"

"We are not the military and we have no ranks...," Jonathan starred at him expecting the kid to reply with his name.

"John. John Lee," he replied. Jonathan smirked at the reply.

"American?" John asked as he headed towards the ladder well.

"Well my parents were first generation Chinese-American. The liked blues music which is why I got the name I did."

"I don't suppose you have the third name of Hooker do you?" chuckled Jonathan as he climbed down the ladder.

"No sir I don't," smiled Lee. "But you go the Idea." As they reached the bottom of the ladder, Jonathan stepped aside to let Lee climb down. Lee missed the last three rungs and slowly fell to the floor. Then rebounded and hit his head on the ceiling. Jonathan grabbed his arm and helped him down.

"Not a good thing to do in front of the boss," Lee said as he rubbed his head.

"It's okay. Just remember our gravity is half of what you are used to," Jonathan consoled. They both walked down the short corridor to main thoroughfare for the colony. Turning left, they continued until the got to the main stair well. Jonathan took the stairs as far down as they went; about three stories into the lunar crust. Lee was always two steps behind him. AT the door to the nerve center of the colony, Jonathan submitted to a retinal scan. Lee also had to submit to the security measures and followed Jonathan through the heavy door.

Inside there were few individuals but plenty of monitor screens. Every function of the colony was displayed herein real time. This was the ideal place to start a war. A large dark haired man with a bushy beard turned to look as Jonathan and Lee entered. This was Alexandrovich. His cranium full of hair is a stark contrast to Jonathan's bald head and clean shaven face. He was an original lunite like Jonathan but the similarities ended there.

"Jon," the man said as he nodded towards Jonathan.

"Jonathan," Greeves corrected. "How are things, Michael?"

"Mikhail," said Alexandrovich finishing their little game. "They are in." Jonathan looked pensive as he heard the news. "What's a matter Jonathan? I would think that the ring leader of our little revolution would be happy to know that we are finally getting what is owed to us."

"This isn't about revenge. I never wanted violence or blood," Jonathan looked down and sighed.

"Well how else do you think we are gonna get those bastards to listen? Ask 'em to tea and make 'em see reason?" asked Alexandrovich.

"Well it is a moot point now. There in. I only hope they can complete their objective with out any blood shed," said Jonathan loudly for all in the room to hear. Then he added, "On any side."

"Sirs," uttered one of the technicians manning the screens as a quite alarm sounded. "We have several objects in earth orbit beginning burns for TLI"

"Are you certain it is for Trans-Lunar injection?" asked Alexandrovich hurriedly as Jonathan walked over to the technician's console.

"Yep he's right. These burn times would put them on the quickest route here," warned Jonathan. Everyone in the room went silent even Mikhail. They all looked stunned. Looking straight at Alexandrovich Jonathan said, "You wanted blood well in about three days we should be bathing in it."

*** It was a dark and stormy night. Lightning periodically illuminated the sky. Derek Schoal was looking at the coming thunder storm through the window in the waiting room of I.S.C.'s board room on the ninth floor. He smirked at the appropriate metaphor the weather had provided for tonight. Derek fiddled with the coat he was wearing as he waited to get his chance to talk the board members out of making a mistake and starting a war. I.S.C. enslaves these people in contracts that amount to indentured servitude, tax the hell out of them, and cut their supplies when they ask for slack or a break and I.S.C. wonders why the workers are striking. I guess no one said you had to have brains to be a board member. Lost in his reflections Derek almost missed the signal to enter the board room.

As Derek walked in he noticed only the CEO, Harold Bell, and the head of security, Adam Knox, were present. Both were at the far end of the long, rectangular table. Both were standard issue business men with identical short hair cuts, brown hair, and even the same suit it seemed to Derek. Harold stood out because he wore eye glasses.

"I was told I would be able to make my case in front of the whole board," said Derek with and edge in his voice.

"Your case is no longer applies," scoffed Knox.

"What does that mean?" demanded Derek as he looked directly at Bell.

"Investigator Schoal, what new information would you have presented?" inquired Bell. Derek felt like he was being baited.

"I have no new information; at least not the kind you desire, sir. I was only hoping to make a case for a more lenient approach to handling the colonies. The situation is very volatile at the moment," said Derek clearly and calmly. Maybe I can sway him and he can work the rest of the board, Derek thought.

"Well Investigator Schoal, it is out of our hands, "uttered Knox. Derek's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion as he tried to make sense out of the statement and to not get any angrier than he already was. Derek opened his mouth to reply but quickly shut it as a screen behind the CEO came to life. Derek watch as an image from a security camera showed five figures dressed in black enter a door on the ground floor. Derek recognized the hall way. It was close to the main entrance; utility entrance A, if Derek remembered correctly.

The video continued their faces were covered with tinted goggles and masks. They carried automatic riffles. They hurriedly got to a stair well that led to the upper floors. The image fast forwarded to show the figures entering a new floor. Then the video erupted in flashing lights and sirens as twenty security officers surprised the group. Shots were exchanged which eventually led to the infiltrators all being killed. Derek's stomach clenched as he saw this. The video ended with the leader of the security force giving the camera a "thumbs up" sign.

"This happened about two hours ago," said Knox. "We have ascertained that they were an assassination squad whose targets were the board of this company. As I said the situation is out of our hands. They have made the first move and paid the price for it. But we will stomp out this fire," said Knox as he slammed his fist on the table.

"What have you done," Derek said as he eyed both of them suspiciously.

"Three shuttle carrying marines have been dispatched towards the Tranquility base," replied Bell calmly. "They started their burns for the moon about half an hour ago"

"You couldn't get three shuttles prepped and loaded in two hours," Derek said as he backed away form the table. "Christ! You Fat, idiotic, troglodytes! You have been waiting for an excuse to blow them to hell haven't you," yelled Derek. Both men got up from their seats.

"Calm down investigator!" commanded Bell.

"Knox do you know what door they came in?" prodded Derek. Knox was taken aback and looked a little confused.

"What the hell does it matter we got the bastards and now we will solve this problem once... and... for... all!" shouted Knox in reply.

Derek starred at the two men. It was obvious nothing he could say would change their hearts or minds. These men wanted blood because someone had dared to challenge their egos. Damn idiots were too stupid to know they have been setup, thought Derek.

"Well in light of these events I feel you no longer need my services." Derek reached in his coat; both men took a step back. Derek smiled. He his badge, I.S.C. ID and his issued hand gun on the table. "I resign. Effective immediately!" Derek turned and walked out of the board room.

On the walk back to his office, Derek was thinking about the video. To him it was obviously a decoy. Something else was going to happen. At his desk, Derek began scanning the different security monitors of the building. He still had top level clearance because no matter how hard or loud the CEO yelled no one was going to do a routine thing like cancel someone's clearance after hours.

After about fifteen minutes Derek found what he was looking for. He noticed that the security camera near utility entrance F was looping. Its feed was no longer live. It took a couple more minutes to find cameras which were similarly affected. He had a path that was taken but no time frame. He only hoped they were still in the building. Derek took his old hand gun, a hand grenade and another gun out of his desk. He also grabbed his spare ID and badge. Derek raced down the hall hoping he wasn't too late.

*** Mark was leading his team back to the entrance they had used to infiltrate I.S.C. They had planted the E.M.P. devices and the other charges in the computer core and server rooms. In about ten minutes I.S.C.'s ability to process, store and gather information would be eradicated. Information is power. Eliminate their ability to use information you eliminate their power, thought Mark. They had also planted computer virus that would trigger alarms in remote areas of the complex so that no one should be in the vicinity of the computers when they blew. The leader of Mark's team had emphasized that no one was to be hurt unless it was the only other way. They were even order to surrender if it could save blood shed and lives. Mark knew some of his teammates and others higher up would pitch a fit about his leader's interpretation of their orders.

They were going up the last star well now. Mark could see the door they had used. Mark reached the door. He held his small machine gun ready and waited for the other four members to catch up. Seeing that the whole team was there Mark looked at his leader. When his leader had given him the nod, Mark reached for the door. Then he heard voices outside. He stopped and looked back. The team lead was giving the finger-to-lips gesture for silence. Mark focused on the door again. The voices were still too muffled to hear.

When Mark couldn't hear the voices anymore he reached for the door. To his surprise it opened with out him doing anything. A hand peaked through the door; a hand that was carrying a grenade. Mark froze. Mark noticed there was no pin in the grenade.

As Derek opened the door he put his left hand through first since it was the hand he held the grenade in.

"Don't shoot or this falls out of my hand and we all die," warned Derek. He then opened the door the rest of the way with his left shoulder. He saw five people in black outfits with black masks staring back at him. One of them was right at the door and had to move slightly to allow Derek to open the door. "I am here to help you. Follow me."

"I recognize you," said one of the figures in the middle. It was using an electronic voice disguiser so Derek couldn't tell if it was male, female or human. "You're one of their investigators. Why should we believe you? Why would you turn against them?"

"Because if my calculations are correct you got less than ten minutes before whatever you did to the computers happens and..." Derek paused as he surveyed the group once more. "...and I don't like them 'cause the pay sucks. You ever try to get a big corporation to cover something like a parking ticket? The paperwork is murder," said Derek as light heartedly as he could. Then he looked at all the guns he said, "Oops! Bad word choice I guess." Derek looked at his watch on his left hand. "Come on! We got like five minutes." Then as Derek was looking squarely at the one in the middle, "I know you do not want to get your people killed."

The figure in the middle flinched. It looked at the four others around it and said, "Okay. Where to?"

"I got a van Just outside the door," Derek said as he stepped aside to let the first figure take a look. Once the figure saw the van he looked back and nodded.

"Okay move out to the van," the leader said. Derek stepped aside and then ran and got in the drivers seat. The leader made sure the others were in then got into the passenger seat next to Derek.

"How are you gonna drive with that?" said the leader pointing to the grenade in his left hand.

"Oh yeah," said Derek. He then placed the grenade in the middle of the dash. The leader stiffened visibly. Derek just put on his seat belt and started the van moving.

"Gotcha," Derek said.

"What the hell it was a fake!" exclaimed someone from the back. Derek just winked at the leader.

Half a mile down the road away form the I.S.C. building, Derek was still checking the road behind them to make sure they hadn't been followed or noticed. He looked over at the leader and noticed it was taking its mask and goggles off. As soon as Derek could see the face he knew who this person was; even with the cropped almost shaven hair.

"Dr. Marissa Zol," Derek said half chuckling. "You've gone from esteemed scientist and the inventor of the grav drive to a revolutionary and terrorist?" Derek said half joking half mocking.

"What can I say I am a girl of many talents," she said smiling slightly. "So now where?"

"Unless you guys have a way to get off planet quickly..."Derek said and looked to Marissa. She shook her head. "Then I got a place where we can hide out."

"Where?" She inquired.

"Oh some place you familiar with," Derek hinted.

"Oh god not Florida! Ahh hell," she exclaimed as she slumped in her seat. Derek just smiled.