Space is often referred to as the final frontier. And with good reason. Outside the atmosphere of a planet lies absolutely no air to breathe. And the blackness stretches on forever. There are billions of stars, and millions of planets. And one man is generally in control of a large number of those stars and planets.

Emperor D'Ken of the Shi'ar.

Few dare to stand in his way. Few dare to oppose him. But there is at least one ship out there. It was small and not very powerful. But it was all they had, those that called themselves the Rebel Guard.

There were only nine of them. Nine people standing against an army of hundreds of millions. Yet their cause was noble and just. However, it was seemingly futile . . .

"We've lost the Princess," Jonath sat in his chair, depressed as he had been since the capture of Lilandra. "We've lost all . . . "

"Snap out of it already," Cerise sighed. "We have not lost all. The crystal--"

"Wasn't where it should be," Mentor frowned, interrupting. "Which means it is not in our possession, but also not in D'Ken's. Which means we have bought ourselves time."

"Besides, it's not like the Princess or the M'Kraan Crystal were our only hopes, right?" Nightside asked. "Right?"

"We must locate the crystal and free Lilandra," Lyja spoke. She was the only Skrull on board. None of them really knew how she made it into the guard or why she had even attempted. The Skrulls were the mortal enemies of the Shi'ar. Them and the Kree, at least. "The crystal's power will be enough to defeat D'Ken. And we will only be safe if Lilandra takes the throne. Her other sister, Deathbird, is just as bad as D'Ken himself."

"This would be a lot easier if we could just convince some other races to go to war against the Shi'ar," Triad frowned. "I mean, if we had the Kree and the Skrulls on our side?"

"That would only make things worse," Mentor frowned. "Those races would not join forces, and they would not stop their attack until they were either defeated or had conquered all Shi'ar space. We seek only to overthrow a mad dictator."

"We are not without all resources," the young Voyager spoke, stepping forward. "While my powers allow us to jump great distances across the galaxy when we need to retreat, they also can be used in an offensive way. I could simply teleport half of a Shi'ar Warcruiser away, or even teleport all of one into a star. Or, if I had more time to prepare, I could even create a giant warp on the scale of a black hole . . . "

"I'm aware," Mentor replied. "You are our ace in the whole. But for now, we must make new plans. We must keep searching the Clench for clues as to who might know more about the M'Kraan Crystal's current location . . .

"Y'know, we need a name," Genis-Vell spoke.

"Hmm?" Scott asked. The two were on the bridge of their living ship as the rest of their crew continued to explore and monitor their systems. Hepzibah had taken weapons, Keeyah helm, Ch'od engines, and Raza operations.

"A name," Genis shrugged. "If we're going to be pirates or freedom fighters or what not, we need a name. And a symbol. Something to be our calling card, y'know? We need to strike at the Shi'ar hard and fast, and make them start to fear us. So that when people here our name, they know to tread carefully . . . "

"Hmmm . . . " Scott pondered. "Any ideas?"

"Umm . . . " Genis pondered. "The Valiant? The Defender? The Defiant?"

"Eh . . . "

"The Enterprise? The Voyager?"

"I don't think any of those really give a piratey-feel," Scott replied, a small grin spreading across his lips.

"We could always ask the others."

"I think Hepzibah or Raza would only come up with something like 'Shi'ar Killer'."

"Well, do you have any ideas, oh Captain my Captain?" Genis asked sarcastically.

"Well . . . " Scott pondered. "My father's plane . . . the one we were abducted from? It was called the Skyjammer. But because we're in space, and not sky, we could be . . . the Spacejammers?"

Genis laughed. "How about Starjammers?"

"Even better," Scott grinned. "I like that . . . the Starjammers."

"I'll run it by the others," Genis nodded. "But I think we've got ourselves a name. Now all we need is a symbol to represent us . . . "

"What about the little star you're wearing?" Scott asked.

"Hmmm . . . eight points . . . each representing . . . what?"

"Each of us!"

"You, me, Ch'od, Raza, Hepzibah and Keeyah make six, Scott."

"Sikorsky makes seven, and our ship makes eight! It'll work. No one else will understand the symbolism, but that's okay . . . they don't have to. All they need to do is put two and two together."

"I'll run that by the others, too."

Scott nodded. "And if they like it, we should try and make up some uniforms . . . or at least get people to wear the symbol on their clothes."

Genis nodded back. "Yes, sir, oh captain sir."

Gladiator was the Praetor of the Imperial Guard. He was confident, even cocky. He was super strong. He could fly at incredible speeds. And he was invincible. He had never been defeated in all his life. He had served Emperor Jakar before D'Ken. His loyalty to the Empire never faltered, no matter who was in charge.

He had to wonder, though . . . was the Emperor testing his loyalty this day? Gladiator was being forced to move Lilandra, former Fleet Admiral, now traitor to the Empire, to the torture chamber.

"Princess, I . . . " he started. He wasn't quite sure what to say. "You were foolish to turn against the Emperor."

"The Emperor is mad," she answered. "And he is my brother. I know he was not wanted on the throne. I know he killed my father. And I know that he must be stopped."

"You speak treachery," he frowned. "I would advise you to stop. You are already in great trouble."

"If he kills me, at least I will become a martyr to those who believe in me," she answered. "At least it may spark others to see his madness and turn against him."

Gladiator shook his head. "None of that shall happen. You should have followed his orders as everyone else had."

"He ordered me to begin the bombing of Kreln III," she said, angrily. "Five billion innocent civilians to be punished for the works of a dozen that were brave enough to stand against him! It was mad . . . and that was only the start of it all . . . he has done so much . . . "

"He is our Emperor. We will follow him no matter where he leads. Obey him no matter what he orders. We live for the Emperor, we die for the Emperor."

"Can you be so blind in your loyalty that you cannot see the truth?" she asked. "Can the rest of your Guard be so blind as well? Gladiator, you were my most trusted of the Imperial Guard! Why would you stand by him in his madness and--"

"Enough, Princess," Gladiator spoke in a commanding tone. "I can tolerate your blasphemy no longer. I am sorry that fate has brought us to this place. I pray that they be merciful on you."

"And I pray that Sharra and Kythri be merciful on your soul . . . "

Scott Summers sat patiently as Sikorsky looked over his visor. It had been surgically attached by the Shi'ar in order to keep him from using his powers. Though Raza had exposed a button that allowed him to open the ruby quartz part of it, which would let him fire, he really didn't need the visor to control his powers.

"Anything?" Scott asked.

"No," Sikorsky frowned. "Though be I a talented doctor, medicines of all do I know, removing this, cannot do. Cannot be done. Kill you, it would."

"That's something I'd rather avoid," Scott sighed.

"Me too," Hepzibah grinned as she entered. "After all, the Starjammers would hate to lose their captain."

"We've accepted the name, then?"

"And the symbol," Hepzibah nodded, walking over to him. "We are officially pirates."

"Good," Scott smiled. "So, Sikorsky, there's absolutely nothing you can do?"

"Gloves," he replied. "Make I can gloves having buttons in palm of hands. Allow you this to fire without hand reaching up to visor."

"That'd be an advantage," Scott said. "I'd still rather it came off."

"I don't mind it," Hepzibah shrugged. "It makes you look more like a pirate . . . more imposing. Perhaps one day the name of Cyclops will be whispered across the stars!"

"Or something," Scott added, laughing. "Alright. I've gotten used to it over the years. But now that I can fire it, I'll have to learn control. Something for another day, though. Sikorsky, how goes the investigation into the Leviathan?"

"Well," the insectoid replied. "Determined have I that the baby is good. The mother lives, is conscious . . . just cannot speak with her, can we. Soon shall I solve this problem. Shi'ar did little damage. Leviathan too complicated for their science."

"Good," Scott said. "Now let's just hope she doesn't mind us being on board . . . "

"You wished to see me, my liege?" Gladiator asked, kneeling before the throne.

"Indeed I did," Emperor D'Ken Neramani V spoke.

"I live to serve," Gladiator answered, still on one knee, looking down.

"So I hope," D'Ken answered. "I would hate to lose my most trusted Praetor and leader of my Imperial Guard."

"I shall never abandon you, my liege."

"Tell me . . . when you moved my dear sister to her cell . . . what did she say to you?"

"Nothing but traitorous blasphemy," he answered.

"And what did you do?"

"I ignored her," Gladiator answered. "I told her to keep her comments to herself. And I pitied her for being foolish enough to stand against our great Emperor."

"Pity is not something she deserves," D'Ken replied. "She deserves a long, painful death. She shall get it."

"Yes, my liege."

"You say your loyalties have never wavered?"

"Never, my liege," Gladiator responded. "I serve you as loyally as I served your father before you."

"Yet you did serve my sister in the Fleet, did you not?"

"As was my assignment, yes."

"And now?"

"She is a traitor," Gladiator answered, raising his head. "You are all."

"Excellent," D'Ken nodded. "My sister, Deathbird, is currently leading the Fleet. I tell you now highly classified information. She is overseeing our first incursion into the anarchist league of worlds, the Clench. She shall seize the planet Nunbar with whatever force necessary. Its people will become part of the Shi'ar Imperium. And its resources will become mine. The Clench is not aligned. They will not stand against us so long as we tell them that we are not planning to invade them all. Make something up, along the lines of terrorists or something. And by the time they realize that we have lied, it will be too late. The Clench, its people, and all its resources will be ours."

"Yes, my liege."

"Tell me . . . how is Oracle?" D'Ken raised an eyebrow and grinned slyly.

Gladiator's eyes went wide. "Oracle, my liege? She . . . "

"I know of your recent . . . relations with my telepath," D'Ken spoke. "Relations that are forbidden, yes?"

"My liege, I--"

"Say nothing," D'Ken answered. "I shall overlook it. Of course, should you ever decide to turn on me . . . know that she will suffer."

"I shall never turn on you, Lord!" Gladiator said, almost angrily.

"Watch your tone," he frowned. "And be dismissed."

Gladiator stood, then bowed. "Yes, my liege." He turned and slowly exited the Throne Room.

"Scott," Genis spoke over the communications system. "You better get to the bridge."

"What is it?" Scott asked as he and Hepzibah walked down the main corridor to the bridge.

"Trouble."

The two entered quickly. The viewer was on at the other end of the bridge.

"It's a Shi'ar Warcruiser, Mark IV," Genis explained. "It entered the Clench approximately two standard hours ago. It arrived in standard orbit of the planet Nunbar. It began sending a message on a relay that their terrorism against the Empire will not be ignored. They've been given ten minutes to surrender . . . and the time's almost up."

"It happens again," Hepzibah gasped.

"And it gets worse," Genis frowned. "The ship is under the supervision of Fleet Admiral Deathbird."

"How soon can we be there?" Scott asked.

Hepzibah looked at him curiously.

"Fifteen minutes with the hyper-drive," Genis replied.

"Alright," Scott nodded. "This is Scott to the rest of the crew. Red alert. Starjammers to battle stations. Keeyah, set course for Nunbar, maximum speed."

"Yes sir," Keeyah replied.

Scott took his seat in the central chair of the bridge. "Let's do this . . . "